Buffy woke up and felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.
She sighed and felt a sense of dread at the day ahead of her.
She didn’t know where to go but she heard loud noises below her, which was the reason she was awake at such an ungodly hour.
It seemed her household had decided to get up early this morning and to be loud making her get up as well.
She crawled out of bed taking a quick shower hoping to wash away the pain of last night and to make her feel more human and alert.
She hadn’t gotten to sleep until 4 in the morning and even then she only had slept 2 hours according to the clock on her nightstand.
She tried to brush her hair to make it presentable and then picked a black skirt and red sleeveless v-neck trying to look better than she felt.
She stepped out of her room to a house of chaos.
Joyce yelled up the stairs, “Buffy are you awake?”
She heard Dawn yell, “Come on Buffy, we can’t agree!”
Buffy came down the stairs slowly feeling a sense of dread as she heard Joyce rambling off stuff towards her.
She sighed as she heard Dawn yelling about something.
Her head spun and she couldn’t take it anymore. She was getting a pounding headache and wasn’t sure if it was from her lack of sleep, her stress level or their loud talking.
She felt her head spin as she looked at her mom saying, “I’m sorry mom. I have to meet Willow to go over something.”
Buffy barely took the time to grab her jacket before stepping outside.
She was thankful she had because it was pouring down the rain.
She sighed, as she ran not really thinking about where she was going. It was only 7 in the morning so Willow and Xander as well as Giles were not an option.
Before she realized where she was, she was standing in front of Spike’s crypt knocking.
She heard no answer so she opened the door quickly shutting out the rain behind her.
She shook her jacket realizing she was drenched as she saw Spike sleeping on the coffin in the center of his room.
He jumped when he heard her enter and said, “Ever hear of knocking pet?”
Buffy rolled her eyes saying, “I did knock but you didn’t answer.”
Spike looked at her as though wondering why she was here and she quickly replied, “I was getting drenched so I came in and why are you looking at me like that?”
Spike blinked and said, “Why are you here Slayer? It’s early morning and the sun would be shining if it wasn’t raining and again why are you here?”
Buffy frowned sitting down on the coffin on the edge saying, “What am I supposed to do with the information you showed me yesterday? Am I supposed to care? Am I supposed to go dust the world of vamps? Should I raid the place? Should I just ignore it?”
Spike looked down at his hands and then leaned over to pick up the bottle of alcohol that was on the floor.
He had left it there when he had fallen asleep last night and he took a swig offering her one.
She frowned but accepted then scrunched up her face sticking her tongue out and shaking her head from side to side saying, “Aargh.”
Spike couldn’t help but chuckle and she continued feeling a little braver as the brandy coated her throat making her feel warm, “Riley was pretty much visiting a whore house only instead of a normal whore house, he was visiting a vampire making whore house.”
Spike finally spoke up saying, “I don’t think he was after being turned luv. He was probably just getting a high off it…”
Buffy glanced over at him saying, “And that’s supposed to make it all better?”
Spike looked up catching her eyes and shook his head choosing again to stay quiet.
Buffy took another drink of the brandy and made that sound again as Spike smiled slightly and took the bottle she offered and took a swig himself. He didn’t know what to say.
What do you say to a girl whose boyfriend was getting his rocks off getting bitten by random vampires?
Buffy finally looked at him and she looked utterly exhausted.
He shrugged saying, “I can walk you home pet.”
She looked up at him and said, “Can I stay here? Just to sleep a while. My house is noisy and I can’t sleep there.”
Spike nodded and said, “You can stay downstairs. I just put a bed in there. You are welcomed to use it.”
She looked up at him and he stood up tossing his jacket over the edge of his chair.
He noticed she was dripping wet and said, “Want something to change into while you sleep?”
She nodded and he jumped down into the lower level of the crypt and Buffy followed quietly.
She looked around noticing there were many candles not lighted around the place and a huge bed in the center of the room.
She looked over to see what he was doing and he was pulling out a black tee shirt of his and an old pair of Harmony’s blue jeans.
They would be big on her but would suit better than his.
He turned around handing them to her and she nodded.
He turned around and she sighed as she changed feeling herself shiver with a chill.
She wondered for a minute as she pulled on his black shirt, why she was here at all.
Why didn’t she just go to Giles’s and take his couch?
She knew he’d be okay with that but instead she came here to Spike’s.
She pulled on the jeans and then said, “Okay” as she finished buttoning up his shirt.
He turned around and closed his eyes seeing her still buttoning herself up.
She then glanced up at him and said, “You really okay with me sleeping here?”
Spike nodded, opening his eyes and gestured towards the bed as he went to climb the ladder.
She said, “Can you just sit with me until I fall asleep?”
Spike nodded and climbed on the end of the bed as Buffy climbed into the bed. He helped to tuck the covers around her and noticed how she looked so tired and exhausted.
She looked as though the whole world’s weight was on her shoulders.
He wished for a second he could make it better but instead sat with his back leaning against the headboard as she rolled onto her side towards his direction and folded her arm resting her head down.
She whispered a soft, “Thank you for letting me sleep here.”
Spike nodded and listened to her breathe for a while.
She fell asleep almost right away and he needed sleep as well so he crawled up the ladder and settled down to sit in his chair.
He was about to take another sip of the bottle of brandy when his crypt door slams open for the second time today.
He listened and noticed Buffy’s breathing was slow and steady so she was still sleeping.
He looked up into the face of Riley.
He smelt alcohol on Riley but he couldn’t resist making a comment or two, “Hey what took you?”
He smirked as he placed the bottle next to the chair saying, “Guess it takes a while to get back to full strength after those bites.”
Riley scowled grabbing Spike by the shirt and lifted him out of his chair.
Spike put up his hands saying, “Hey hey! Let’s be reasonable about this.” He was beginning to really feel a bit panicked knowing if Riley’s look was what he was really feeling, Spike would have no way to defend himself against Riley being human and all.
Riley glared at Spike saying, “You may not have noticed Spike.” He paused to punch Spike in the face, “I left reasonable about three exits back.”
Spike kept his hands up saying, “Look, I’m not the one who got you into this. Don’t kill the messenger.”
Riley scowled and pulled back his arm and Spike’s eyes got big as he saw a stake was in his hand.
Before Spike could say anything more, Riley plunged the stake into Spike’s chest.
Spike gasped as Riley said, “Why the hell not?”
Spike started yelling in pain, “OW! Bloody hell! Oh God!”
He looked down at his chest and said, “Hey” as he realized he hadn’t been dusted yet. Riley yanked out the stake and
Spike grabbed his chest in pain stumbling back as he stared at the stake.
Riley grinned saying, “Plastic wood-grain. Looks real, doesn’t it?”
He paused not noticing the girl standing in the corner looking horrified again as he grabbed Spike by the shirt saying, “Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on with you, Spike. Stay away from her or we’ll do this for real next time.”
Buffy gasped out loud and both of the guys’ eyes turned towards her.