Buffy woke up finding herself laying against Spike’s chest with his arm around her waist tight as though he was keeping her safe. She didn’t want to get up but knew she had to start her day. She carefully drew herself out of Spike’s grasp and picked up Lucky to feed him. She gave a glance back towards the sleeping Spike fighting the urge to analyze the night before but shook her head trying to shake the thoughts away. She then took the last piece of bread out of the cabinet and used the last of the jelly and some of the peanut butter to make herself a piece of toast. She then drank the last of the juice and sighed. She would have to get groceries for Kim before she left her alone with the place. She wondered briefly if Spike had any money. He had come here appearing in her life and didn’t seem in a hurry to leave so perhaps he would have something for them to live on. She hoped he would because she would have some but not enough for forever. She shrugged determined not to think about the fact he had gotten into her future plans and instead changed the litter box noticing even that was getting low.
She made a note listing off the items she would need at the grocery store today. She’d need cat litter and food so Kim could care for Lucky as well as bread, milk, juice, jelly, and some lunchmeat. She had soup still that Kim could eat and she might pick up some mac and cheese to feed Kim over the weekend since she wouldn’t work on Saturday and Sunday. She was sure if Kim got desperate, Henry would help her out but didn’t want Kim to have to feel the need to live off his goodness.
She changed into her diner uniform knowing this was the last time she would wear it and gave Lucky an even bigger hug than normal whispering to him, “Kim will take good care of you. I’m sure she will. I can’t take you with me. I’m sorry. But this will be Kim’s life now. I’ll miss you so much.” Buffy’s eyes filled up with tears but she refused to let any fall as she set Lucky down not even noticing the set of blue eyes watching her as she picked up her nametag and left for her last day at the diner.
Spike was nervous as he watched Buffy leave the house. He found himself thinking, ‘That looked like a solid goodbye to the cat. She had said Kim would take care of him. Does that mean she isn’t coming back tonight?’ He racked his brain trying to remember what exactly she said last night. He squinted his eyes trying to replay the memory and watched as it unfolded in front of him. Then he listened as Buffy told him, “I was thinking of giving it to Kim. I was planning to talk to Henry about it tomorrow when I take my paycheck home with me. She needs work. I think I need to move on for a while.”
Spike thought on that feeling his nervousness disappear as he reasoned, ‘She’d come home tonight after all. The bint would have to tell the girl that she had a new job and how to care for the pet. Then I’ll go with her wherever she goes. For some reason, I feel the need to protect her. I can’t do that if I’m in a place she’s not. After all, I made a promise to the Slayer’s mum to watch over her and try to convince her to come home. I promised Buffy I’d wait until she was ready so I have to go with her.’
After thinking that, Spike was still exhausted so he curled back up on the couch pulling the blanket that smelled of Buffy around him and felt Lucky curl up on him and he petted him gently saying, “You are such a good cat, Lucky. No wonder she was sad about letting you go. I don’t think it’s good for us to bring a cat with us. I’m sure Buffy is right though, Kim will take good care of you.” The cat stood up on Spike’s lap and meowed as though he understood before curling back up and together they slept the morning away.
Kim woke up at noon and was surprised to find the vampire still sleeping on the couch. She knew almost nothing about vampires only that they were supposed to suck blood. She had always thought they were myths or legends designed to scare children off the streets at night and to stay home with their parents. She had never imagined they were real but then again she had never imagined she would be homeless and kicked out of her house either. So far, she had learned that vampires can’t get into people’s houses uninvited and that was about it.
She admired him as he slept thinking that he apparently liked cats though since Buffy’s cat was curled up on his chest and his hand was on it as though he were petting it. Looking closer at the vampire, he was very sexy. Kim hoped he would continue to sleep while she got herself ready to go. She pulled the bag behind her that she had found upstairs and went into the kitchen to start to pack it up. She packed some bread, and some can goods being very careful as to not to make any noise. She then wandered into the living room wondering what she would do for money. She eyed the television and opened the door to set the bag outside to try to carry the television. It was heavy but Kim was strong. She managed to get the unhooked and was about to head out the door before she found herself turned around to face an angry vampire. As his eyes flickered blue to yellow, Kim shook in fear.
Kim stuttered, “I was going to p…pay her back. I just…I’m hungry and I have nothing. I was going to get some money to survive. I have nothing.”
Spike eyed the young girl for a moment before roaring towards her, “What kind of stupid bint are you? She took you into her home. She fed you and you steal from her? Damn it that was just plain stupid.”
Kim jumped back. She felt the television snatched from her hands and took two steps back towards the wall. Feeling cornered she cowered, “I..I just wanted to live. Surely you can understand what it’s like to have nothing! Anne is leaving and I still won’t have anything! She wouldn’t need this stuff if she’s leaving.”
Spike blinked in confusion as he stated in disbelief, “Who is Anne?”
Kim looked at Spike curiously and replied, “The girl we are staying with.”
He caught on fast as he realized that Buffy didn’t want to be found so using her name wouldn’t be smart. Buffy was associated with vampire slayer and with her past so he played it smart and smirked with a slight nod, “Ahh yeah. Well she is leaving, you are right but stealing from her is just plain stupid. You see, she’s planning to give you her life here. Her nice job with income, this apartment, even the cat, pet, will be all yours once she gets home. I think you better be on your best behavior and if all goes well, tomorrow this life will be yours.”
Kim looked totally shocked not knowing what to say, so instead she stood up and walked around the house, which would soon be hers. She wandered through the downstairs into the kitchen as she looked through the cabinets and refrigerator, noticing things were almost empty. ‘How would I feed myself here?’
Then she wandered into the laundry room and noticed even the cat litter was almost empty but everything seemed in working order. Kim thought, ‘I have no clothes. But I guess at the diner they would give me clothes.’
She wandered upstairs looking around the two rooms Buffy never cleaned and found them to be filled with clothes. Some might even fit her. Kim sighed knowing really if that vampire was right, she was getting a sweet deal. No one had ever given her anything before. She walked downstairs determined to make sure she understood him not wanting to get her hopes up for nothing. She sat on the floor in front of the television and whispered, “You sure this will be mine?”
Spike nodded once, “If I understand the Slayer, yes.”
Kim decided not to question that nickname. So far Spike has called Anne at least three different names or nicknames. She didn’t really care what the girl’s real name was as it didn’t really matter. She was happy to finally have a home even if it was empty. Suddenly the world seemed a little brighter. For once, Kim was feeling hope for a future.
Buffy was indeed preparing to give Kim her life. She had arranged with Henry to hire Kim after she had left as to ensure Kim had income for her new life. Henry had readily agreed but was sad to see Anne go. He again offered a large amount of cash in hopes to compensate her for saving his daughter. Buffy didn’t say much and just accepted it knowing it would make Henry feel better and would help her tons on her journey.
At 10 pm, she flipped the diner sign closed for the last time, grabbed the last of the shepard’s pie at Henry’s insistence and collected her tips and the cash for her paycheck. She changed into the clothing she had brought with her for once and left the diner uniform behind in the locker where she had found it. She almost felt like crying leaving another part of her life behind her but she refused saying she was a brave girl. Perhaps she was not Anne anymore but she was still brave. Tears were for the weak and that was not going to be her.
She wandered up the street and went into the convenience store and bought everything she had planned plus four pints of pig’s blood, which was sold there at the small deli counter. She didn’t question it, thinking it might help tide Spike over until they can get where they need to get. She sighed and wondered when her plans started to include her nemesis.
Life was strange sometimes and often times she had found it didn’t any sense. The only thing she did know was that she was tired of being alone and Kim and Spike had opened up doorways into her feelings that were getting harder and harder to close. She carried her groceries back to the house thankful for her slayer strength and looked down at the cat that greeted her for the last time. She fought back tears as she sat her bags down on the ground.
Spike without a word picked up her bags, watching her hug the cat close to her chest and saw the tears fighting to surface but then she quickly put the cat down and her eyes cleared right up. Spike was tempted to question about it but figured he would deal with the consequences of not crying when they got to their next destination so he started to put the food away Buffy had bought. She had bought milk, bread, eggs, kitty litter, cat food, juice, jelly, ham, and cheese. He noticed at the bottom of the second bag was 4 pints of pig’s blood as well as four sandwiches that were already made. He turned his nose up at the pig’s blood but realized it was her gesture of being nice.
He took a whiff after opening one of the jars and shuddered thinking, ‘It doesn’t even smell that great.’ He left them in the bag as he closed the refrigerator door returning back into the living room. As he glanced around to see what was going on with the ladies, he found both of them hugging and his slayer saying, “You’re welcome” with the other girl repeating, “Thank you thank you thank you thank you” over and over again. The other girl had tears in her eyes but he noticed his Slayer had none.
He frowned at himself, ‘She’s not yours, you bloody wanker. She’ll never be yours.’
Then he noticed Buffy looking at him and she stated, “I brought some pot pie home and some lunch meat to make sandwiches for you to eat Kim. I bought us four sandwiches at the deli and you some blood Spike. You can heat it up if you want or we can just bring it with us when we go.”
Spike was shocked that she had planned on him leaving with her without him even asking. He had assumed there would be a battle filled with fist fighting and shouting but instead she seemed to have made the decision without him even saying he was going. As strange as that felt, he decided not to say a word about it to Buffy for fear she would change her mind. He smiled and went into the kitchen to pick up those items still in the bag thinking to himself, ‘I guess I can live on pig’s blood for a day or so as long as Buffy continues to not be bitchy. Perhaps we aren’t so much of mortal enemies as I thought.’
Spike brought the bag as he walked back to Buffy and took the bag she was carrying from her hand and as they stepped out into the night to fill his car, he felt his heart fill with a bit of hope for the first time since Dru left.