Going back to the motel – where he would be spending the rest of the night alone in the small room while knowing Buffy and Billy were back in Sunnydale, waiting for him to come back home – was the last thing Spike felt like doing. But he had to go back to the hospital in the morning, and although he sure didn’t look forward to another confrontation with Dru, he didn’t see any other option.
After leaving the hospital, he had just been driving around for a while, realizing he needed to take some time to calm down and clear his thoughts before calling Buffy again. However, he still felt like punching something. That, or getting pissed. Or possibly both. Instead, he pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed his home number. What he really wanted to do was just get back into the car and drive straight home.
”Spike?” Buffy picked up almost immediately, like she had been sitting by the phone, just waiting for him to call back.
Spike felt a lump in his throat at the sound of her voice, wishing he could just take her in his arms and hold her forever. He took a deep breath, praying his voice would hold. “Yeah, s’me, pet. You and Billy all right?”
He could hear her inhale as well, somewhat shakily. ”Yeah, we’re fine. Missing you, though.” A pause. ”So, how did it go?”
Hesitating for a moment, Spike then rolled his eyes. “Could’ve gone better, that’s for sure. Going back tomorrow, maybe she’ll be a bit more cooperative.” He tried to sound positive, but it was hard.
The disappointment in Buffy’s voice was impossible to miss. ”She didn’t sign the papers?”
“She will.” Spike did his best to sound assuring. “If not, I’ll get back to my lawyer and have him sort it out for me. Either way, it’ll happen. Trust me, sweetheart; I’ll be a free man before you know it.”
“Sure about that?” He could almost hear her smile. “Cause from now on, I plan to hold on to you pretty tight. In fact, once you get back, I might never let you go again.”
“That a promise, luv? Gonna hold you to it.” Her soft giggle made him feel all warm inside. God, how he missed her. In fact, hearing her voice and not being able to touch her was torture. Still, having no contact with her at all while he was away would have been even worse.
“Good.” Buffy was quiet for a moment. ”Hey, wanna talk to Billy?”
“Sure.” Spike heard her call out Billy’s name, and smirked. “Here’s a thought. If I call you back after he’s gone to bed, we could...”
She cut him off. ”Don’t even think about finishing that sentence, mister!” There was a hint of amusement in Buffy’s voice, although she clearly tried to stay serious. “I’m not gonna have phone sex with you while Billy’s asleep upstairs, so just forget it.”
“Oh, come on!” He pouted, although he knew she wouldn’t be able to see. “I’ve had a long, hard day. Need something to cheer me up.”
”Yeah? Makes two of us.” She suddenly sounded sad again. ”Here’s Billy. Night, honey. Talk to you again tomorrow.” And she was gone.
“This is a bad, bad idea.” Warren glanced at the woman sitting next to him in the car before turning his attention back to the road. “You realize that, right? Fred trusted me to have you back by now. She’s gonna kill me! Unless Dr. Williamson gets to me first. Man, either way I’m toast!” He slammed his hand down on the steering wheel in frustration.
“Quit whining.” Drusilla gave him a warning look. “You asked how you could help me.”
“Yeah, but...” He hesitated. “This wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, all right? I thought maybe you just needed someone to talk to, or... or...”
“You only wanted to sleep with me,” Drusilla interrupted him in a cold voice. “Be a good puppy and help me get my baby back, and we might both get what we want.”
Warren swallowed, knowing that was something he had been fantasizing about ever since he first laid eyes on her. Of course, he had doubted he would ever get the opportunity. And in all honesty, deep down, he knew it wasn’t very likely to happen. Still, he couldn’t help but get his hopes up. Maybe, just maybe...
A sudden thought occurred to him. “Hey, shouldn’t you be taking your medication tonight?”
She giggled, leaning her head against the window. “Do you see the stars? The sky’s full of them. They are beautiful.”
The sun had yet to set. Warren cast a brief look at her, not wanting to admit that she was starting to make him a little uncomfortable with her obvious obsession with the stars. “I’m serious. What if...?”
“Don’t worry, puppy.” Drusilla patted his knee, although the gesture was not so much calming as it was patronizing. “I no longer need their pills. I was lost for so long, but now, my eyes are clear. I know what I need to do.”
Warren was beginning to doubt, but he wisely kept his opinion to himself. Instead he let out a sigh. “Whatever you say.” He kept driving in silence.
“You look sad,” Billy stated. After finishing the brief conversation he had just had with his father, he turned his attention to Buffy, watching her for a moment before he went on, somewhat suspiciously; “What did Dad say to you?”
“Oh, you know...” Buffy forced a smile. “Just that he missed me. Missed us,” she hurried to add. “And that he’s hopefully coming home, soon. That’s about it.” She decided it wise to leave out the phone sex part of their conversation.
Billy didn’t look totally convinced, but clearly decided to let it go. Instead he nodded. “Right.” He turned on the TV, and his face brightened. “The Terminator! Cool!”
“Wait a minute...” Buffy’s eyes narrowed and she reached for the remote. “This movie’s kinda violent.”
The boy waved his hand in dismissal. “My dad lets me watch these kinda things all the time.”
“Really?” The way he wouldn’t meet her eyes made Buffy seriously doubt his words, and she sighed. “Billy, remember that talk we had the other day about lying? When the real wolf came...”
“All right, all right! Jeez...” He rolled his eyes and quickly changed the channel as Buffy tried to hide her amusement. At least things never got boring when Billy was around.
“We can always watch some other movie if you want,” she suggested, hoping he would accept. Watching a movie might take her mind off Spike, at least for a little while, anyway.
Billy considered her suggestion for a moment, then gave her a hopeful look. “Can we have popcorn? Or ice-cream?”
Buffy started to object, then stopped herself, hesitating. She got the feeling Spike might not appreciate her feeding his son first pizza and then ice-cream on a school night. Not to mention the fact that it would probably take her half the night to get the boy to sleep after all that junk food. Then again, didn’t this count as special circumstances? God knew she felt a craving for some sugar as well.
So, she nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. Chocolaty goodness coming up. Pick a movie?”
“All right!” Billy jumped up from the couch, heading for the large cabinet where Spike kept all their DVD’s. He picked one and put it into the DVD player while Buffy went to the kitchen to get their snacks. She had yet to return when the phone rang. “Got it!” he called out and reached for the phone on the table.
“Hello?” He waited for some response, but there was only silence on the other end. Frowning, he tried again; “Hello? Anyone there? Dad?” Still nothing. He hung up with a shrug, just as Buffy appeared in the doorway.
“Who was it?” She was carrying a small tray with two bowls of ice-cream, and put it down on the table.
“Dunno. Wrong number.” Billy eyed the bowls with interest. “Is that hot fudge?”
“And sprinkles.” Buffy smiled. “Better not tell your dad I let you eat all this,” she half joked. He shook his head in agreement. She hesitated a little before she went on; “You know, after this movie’s over, it’s time for you to go to bed.”
He glanced at her, and for a moment, she thought he was going to object. But he just shrugged and turned his focus back to his ice-cream. “Okay.” Buffy was very pleased, until he continued; “Cool. Don’t have to do my homework.”
“Wait, what?” Buffy’s smile faltered and her eyes widened in alarm. “You have homework?” He nodded, and she suppressed the urge to groan, realizing it hadn’t even crossed her mind to ask. Great! Maybe she could still get the ‘babysitter-of-the-year’ award.
“Well?” Warren gave her a questioning look as she hung up the phone and handed it back to him, a pleased expression on her face.
Drusilla leaned back into the passenger seat, smiling widely. “My little boy’s home. It won’t be long, now.”
“So, what are you gonna do once we get there?” He was almost afraid to ask. “Seriously, even if your husband’s such a jerk as you say he is, you don’t really think he’d leave the kid all alone, do you? Surely, you can’t just wander in there and take him.”
“Oh, I’m not worried.” She leaned forward, eagerly looking out the window. “Soon. I can feel it. Before the night is over, I will have taken back what rightfully belongs to me.” A pause. “And here is what I need you to do...”
TBC