[Reviews - 12]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 1908 times

- Text Size +




Author's Chapter Notes:
Characters aren't mine - but they are living in my fantasy world for a little while.
Chapter 5

"I know he's in a meeting, but I need to talk to him now. It's a sodding emergency," Spike yelled into the receiver.

The woman on the other end said in a clipped tone, "I'm sorry, sir, but he has asked not to be disturbed."

Spike rolled his eyes and beat the phone against his forehead.

"Listen, you daft cow, I know he's in a meeting with that ponce Angel, but I have to speak to both of them NOW!" He was getting frustrated with the overly efficient secretary.

"Please hold, sir," she said icily. The line went quiet for a few moments before he heard the clipped tones of the former librarian come on the line.

"This is Rupert Giles. What is it that is so bloody urgent?" Giles was annoyed that he had been interrupted. Spike didn't care. He needed to know what was going on and why Angel hadn't informed him of Buffy's visit.

"Watcher, it's me. Is Angel there with you?" Spike spoke quickly, equally annoyed at having been given the runaround by the secretary.

"Spike? Yes, Angel is here. Why are you calling? Is there something wrong?" Giles was starting to sound a little less annoyed and a little more concerned. "Yes, there is something wrong. Buffy turned up here and Captain Broody-Pants didn't see fit to tell me she'd be dropping by." Giles let out an exasperated sigh. "Let me get this straight – you harassed my secretary because Buffy showed up and you weren't told about it?" Giles sighed again.

"Yeah, that's about it," Spike responded, finally relieved that someone understood his distress.

"Listen Spike, this is really not a good time. Angel and I have been-" Spike cut him off.

"I really don't care what you were in the middle of; I want to know why she showed up out of the blue like that." Giles was really starting to get annoyed. "Spike, I don't have time for this –" Angel grabbed the phone then.

"Spike, I told her she and Willow were welcome to stay at the hotel. Gunn and Illyria were supposed to intercept them. You weren't even supposed to know she was there." Spike started to get even angrier now. He wasn't supposed to know? Why that cheeky bastard, Spike thought.

"You prat. You were going to just let her show up and never let her know I was here, weren't you?" He could hear Angel's smirk over the phone.

"Something like that. So how did it go anyways? Knock you unconscious, did she?" Spike was highly annoyed by this point.

"None of your business, you sodding git." Angel chuckled,

"I'm going to take that as a yes. Listen, she's there on a Slayer retrieval mission. She was only supposed to be there overnight and then she was heading back to Rome. I didn't think you'd even notice. You've been so preoccupied lately." Spike sighed, still annoyed at the vampire.

"Remind me to stake you when you get back," Spike retorted. "Listen William, Giles and I have a lot to get through tonight. I'll be back in a week with all your documents and then you can get out of my hair. Tell Buffy hi for me, will ya? That is, of course, if she's actually speaking to you," Angel laughed.

"Fine, take your bloody time. I've got nothing else to do," Spike slammed the receiver down.

"Bloody tosser," Spike muttered. He sighed and thought for a minute. Buffy was only supposed to be there overnight and then back to Rome. He sat down in the office chair to think over this new information. He reached into the lowest drawer and pulled out the bottle of scotch Angel kept there. He pulled out the glass next to it and poured himself a large amount of the amber liquid. In one deft gulp, it was gone and he was pouring himself another tumbler full.

Less than 24 hours and she'd be gone again. He wasn't sure he could let her go. Not now. Everything had changed. She was a wreck, he was human. The game had changed drastically from the last time he had seen her. Nothing stood between them anymore. Nothing that is except for her job as the Slayer and her retrieval missions. He paused for a minute. How many Slayers were there now? Couldn't someone else go on the retrieval missions? She wasn't the Chosen One anymore. She could retire if she wanted to...

He put the bottle and the glass back in the drawer. He needed to get out of the hotel. Groceries and time to think were what he needed. He grabbed some money from the safe in the office and headed out the front doors of the hotel to the local market.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When she awoke, the room was much darker. She cracked open one eye and noticed that someone had closed the curtains. She sat up in the bed and stretched. The guitar had been placed in its stand against the wall and the sheets of handwritten music lay on the table.

Either he had been very quiet or she had been in a very deep sleep. She was grateful for a peaceful sleep. Was that all it would have taken to end her nightmares? Finding out he was alive? She got slightly annoyed. Six years of nightmares were gone in one afternoon. She got angry again as she walked into the bathroom and flipped on the light.

Her toothbrush was sitting by the sink along with toothpaste, face wash, a wash cloth and her hair brush. She glanced over to the tub and found a bottle a lavender bubble bath alongside her shampoo and conditioner. A little inflatable pillow was also stuck onto the tub. Her mood softened. She could get used to this kind of pampering.

She turned the faucet on in the tub and checked the temperature of the water. When it was sufficiently hot enough, she turned to the mirror to check her reflection. Her face was red and blotchy.

"Ugh," she moaned.

She picked up the toothbrush and started with her teeth. When she was done, she dampened the washcloth and washed her face. She was starting to feel slightly more human now. She inspected her face closely in the mirror. A few fine lines were starting to appear and it didn't seem like the bags under her eyes were ever going to go away. She turned away from the mirror and shut off the faucet in the tub. She undressed and slipped into the tub. She sighed contentedly as she let the warm water try and erase six years of tension that had built up in her muscles.

She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, but a light knock on the door awakened her. The water had turned cold and the bubbles had all but dissipated. She shivered and drew her knees up to her chest.

"Yeah?" she called to the knocker. The door opened a crack.

"Just checking to make sure you were still alive. I've ordered some Chinese take-away, if you want some," Spike said.

Her stomach growled at the propect of food. She grabbed the towel next to the tub.

"Gimme a few minutes and I'll be right down," she answered. She heard him leave the room. She still had to wash her hair and get dressed. She quickly accomplished both and bounded down the hallway where the smell of food hit her as she approached the stairs. She raced down the stairs where he was waiting at the counter with food containers, drinks and chopsticks.

"Help yourself," he said, in between bites of food.

She grabbed a container and peeked inside. Chicken fried rice, one of her favorites. She picked up the chopsticks, hopped onto the counter and dug in eagerly.

"Drink?" he asked, offering her an opened beer.

"Thanks," she said, smiling. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. They ate in silence until the phone interrupted them. Spike grabbed the ringing phone. "Hullo?" he asked. Willow had called to check on how things were going. Spike handed the receiver over to Buffy who reassured Willow that her friend was not in major trouble and that everything was fine.

When Willow broached the topic of their morning retrieval mission, Buffy frowned. She had momentarily forgotten why she had come to California in the first place. She asked Willow if she could have another Slayer bring the girls in. Willow confirmed that Vi would be willing to go along and bring in the girls.

"Is there something wrong, Buffy?" Willow asked, genuinely concerned for her friend. Buffy sighed.

"Nothing is wrong. I am just taking a vacation. Only call if the world is ending, OK?" Buffy said perkily. Willow agreed and hung up. Buffy handed the phone back to Spike, who replaced the receiver back on the base with a grin.





You must login (register) to review.