She stiffened up but didn't turn toward the only familiar voice she knew. "I don't want you to waste your money."
"And the first class tickets I bought that never got used isn't wasting?" He replied. As soon as the words were out of his mouth he wanted to take them back.
"Seriously, going to pull that card on me? Well I'm sorry," she turned and started to walk toward him as he backed away from her.
"Seriously, going to pull that card on me? Well I'm sorry," she turned toward him and started to walk toward him as he backed away from her. "I'm sorry that when I wanted to go talk to you about maybe postponing the date of the flight a couple more days, you were too busy kissing your ex-girlfriend! Besides being sorry... Do you want to know what I regret?" She had backed him up into a fridge at the back of the store, squeezing the bottle of water with all that she had as she tried to hurt him. "I regret ever agreeing to this stupid closure thing! But I guess its too late for that, huh? You already got what you wanted with a little extra on the side." She hollered, not caring if she was causing a scene, and walked to the front of the store to pay for her selection while leaving behind a bewildered Spike with his back getting cold.
When she was all paid up, she walked out of the door and Spike clicked out of his stupor, chasing after her and spinning her around. "Buffy, listen to me. I didn't do anything with Harmony! She used my spare key and snuck into my apartment and then when I refused to do anything with her, she threw herself at me--"
"I told you, you don't owe me an explanation!" She cut him off, hearing more than enough. "I don't own you or anything. So... Go away." She waved her hand at him and turned away from him. "I'm still waiting for Angel, anyway." She called over her shoulder at him, lying through her teeth but wanting to get the last word.
"Wait for what? His empty promises of happily ever after? Buffy, why are you going to wait for him? How far are you going to walk for him? You deserve better."
"Oh, so I deserve a guy who will cheat on me instead?"
"No! That's not... Fuck, Buffy! What can I say to make this better? What can I do to prove that it wasn't what you thought?" He begged an answer from her.
"There is nothing you can do Spike. Just leave me alone, please." She started to walk away again when she heard 6 heartbreaking words.
"How did we get here, Buffy?"
She stopped and thought about it for a moment. She knew exactly what happened. The same thing that happened last time, right before she gets hurt and thrown around like a rag doll. She turned her head to the side, allowing him to see the profile of her face and frowned. "I fell in love."
________________________
He stood there, watching her retreating back as he walked away from him. She said she fell in love with him. She told him she had fallen in love with him then walked away.
All Spike could think about were those four words and making everything up to her. Well... And the fact that she had lied about waiting for Angel, blowing her own cover when she said those four words.
He wanted to prove that he really didn't want anything do to with Harmony. He had respected her privacy and didn't follow her to her new location, but that had caused him a lot more stress. Not knowing where she was driving him crazy. He wanted her close to him - within arm's-length or to be a phone call away. Preferably, within arms reach. He wanted everything. He wanted to hear those words again.
When she disappeared from his sight, he made his walk back home. He spent most of his time in her old hotel room. He wanted to be as close to her as possible, since she wasn't around physically, he stayed where some of her things were. He didn't decide to go home until the scent of her hair on the pillow was replaced with his own. So now, he was home. Pacing the foot of his bed, after flipping the mattress and throwing his sheets into the washing machine to try to erase the memory of Harmony. He needed to come up with a way for her to come back to him. Be with him. Trust him. Love him.
He walked out to the living room, flopped down on his couch and scanned the room for inspiration. When his eyes landed on his guitar, he was suddenly overwhelmed with excitement.
He ran to his room and picked up some paper and pens, ran back to the living room and picked up his guitar. A plan already forming in his mind.
~~~~~
He had been working on it all night. He wanted everything to be perfect for her. He needed this to go off without a hitch. Hoping that she would see one, he picked up the stack of flyers and ran out of the door.
He bought himself a stapler and started to get to work. He stayed around the store he found her in and stapled half of the flyers up on every wooden telephone pole he saw. When he was done he jumped into his car and drove to the park and stapled more up around there as well. Reassuring himself that she would see it, he went home to take a nap before everything started happening.
With a smile on his face, he set his alarm for 3:00 PM and slid under his clean sheets.
_______________________
His alarm clock went off and he jumped up. It was time to get ready. She was going to come back to him, or at least take the time to hear him out. He had a quick shower, shaved, and got dressed. Looking and smelling brand new, he picked up his guitar case and headed for the park.
He was surprised to see a little crowd already forming in front of her favorite tree. It was 15 minutes before he was supposed to play anything! He walked around the group and stood under the tree. There had to be at least 8 people, but no Buffy. "Hey, everybody. I'm Spike." He waved and set down his case.
He spent ten minutes setting himself up. Adjusting the guitar and portable amp, the strap and tuning. He glanced around the small crowd and still didn't see her. "She isn't here yet." He said with a frown.
He heard a girl call out, 'Play anyway! She might hear you!'
He nodded his head and cleared his throat.
~~~~~
She was miserable. She wanted to go find Spike and just say 'Fuck what happened. I believe you and I trust you. I was just being stubborn.' But she wouldn't let herself, she just couldn't trust him again so soon after what happened.. Instead, she would wait for him to come for her again, then she would talk to him. She hated that they were so mean to each other the last time that they talked and the way she had ended the conversation. That was a horrible way to tell someone that you're in love with them.
She was deep in her thoughts about what could happen if she did run into Spike again, when she heard two girls talking.
"Hey, are you going to that thing tonight?" Girl #1 asked.
"I don't know, sounds cheesy to me," Girl #2 replied with a roll of her eyes.
"It's romantic! He is playing it under her favorite tree across from the fountain. I know him, he is really hot and works over at the teen homeless shelter." Girl #1 giggled. "If the girl he is singing for doesn't come scoop him up, I just might!"
"What's his name all-knowing-one?"
"Spike," Girl #1 said and pulled Girl #2 towards the park.
Buffy shot up off the bench and ran over to the girls, spinning Girl #1 around with a steel grip on he wrist. "Did you say Spike?"
"Uh... Let go of me, freak," She yanked her arm back and crossed her arms across her chest. "Why were you eavesdropping on my conversation? That is--"
Just answer the damn question, Barbie." Buffy spat, pissed off about her 'steal Spike' threat and lack of question answering.
"Yes, I said Spike. There are flyers everywhere. Try reading one." She laughed and pointed at a tree with a flyer on it. "There's one. Hope it's not to advanced for you."
Buffy ignored the cackling laughter of both girls as she ripped the piece of paper off the tree and read it...
Buffy. If you are holding this piece of paper, don't throw it away. Please read what I have to say. I want things to go back to the way they were before. I want us to be comfortable around each other and I want to have long talks on the phone before bed. I want to argue with you and I want to laugh with you. I want to prove to you that I want you and not that bitch. Please... Please come to your favorite tree across from the fountain today at 4:00 and listen to what I have to say.
Be my princess?
Spike