Chapter 16.
"What do you mean you invited her on tour?" Anya's voice screeched from the phone.
"I mean exactly what I said, Anya." Spike said with a hint of anger flavoring his voice. "When tour starts up again after the holidays Buffy will be coming with us."
"What exactly is she going to do here?" Anya asked, her tone mirroring his.
"Whatever she damn well pleases." He responded, ever inch of him in stage ass hole persona. It was rare for him to pull a diva-move, but when he did he did it well.
Buffy listened intently from her spot in his bed. Eavesdropping wasn't her normal style, but when someone is having a conversation that is obviously about you ten feet away and separated by nothing but a bathroom door, one tends to overhear.
"Living on the road isn't free, Spike," Anya explained, "it's actually incredibly expensive. We're already overstaffed as it is and adding another person to the mix is really going to cost us."
"Well then maybe we should cut down by knocking off the manager's apprentice." He practically seethed. "What exactly do you do anyway, Anya?"
"This isn't about me, I actually have a job here." Anya shot back. "I earn my keep the same way you do and I just can't justify bringing someone with us for a month that isn't serving any purpose."
Spike sighed. "Look, Anya, like it or not she's coming with us. We're a package deal now, all or nothing."
Anya groaned loudly. She liked Buffy as a person, she really did, but one of the responsibilities she had on tour was keeping the money they were putting out under control. If Glory didn't need so many damn security guards, eleven was her lucky number, then Buffy's visit would be a non-issue. "Fine, I'll send home one of Glory's people, a lot of them are begging to be relieved and I'm sure she won't notice if just one of them goes missing but don't ever say I've never done anything for you."
"Thanks ever so." Without another word Spike hung up the phone and opened the door to his bathroom to see a newly awoken Buffy, still wrapped up to her neck in his comforter, staring over at him as if she'd been caught eating the last cookie from the jar.
"Hi."
Spike let out a breathy chuckle as he leaned against the frame of the bathroom door. "Hi."
"Was that about me?" She asked.
He didn't answer, instead he merely pushed himself away from the doorway and made his leisurely way back over to the bed. "You, my sweet," he said as he tapped the tip of her nose with his forefinger, "were supposed to be sleeping."
"I woke up."
He smiled as he leaned forward to give her lips a tender kiss. Shortly after their conversation on the couch she had admitted to him just how tired she was. He had been more than happy to escort her to his room where he made sure she was comfortable before laying next to her until she fell asleep. He couldn't hold her the way that he had become accustomed to due to her broken ribs, but simply sitting beside her and holding her hand as she fell asleep had been good enough for him.
"How'd you sleep?" He asked tenderly.
She shrugged. "Okay, I guess."
He raised an eyebrow. "You guess?"
"It's hard to comfy with the broken ribs and all." She explained.
"Say no more," he said, "I know the feeling well."
She cocked her head to the side. "You've broken your ribs?"
"Oh yeah," he said with a scoff, "loads of times. Bar fights, dumb childhood accidents, got mugged once."
"Mugged?" She asked.
He nodded. "When the band was first starting out we did a show in New York City, I must have been like twenty one. Came outside after the gig, all of a sudden there's a gun pointed in my face and some bugger's telling me to hand over my money."
"What did you do?" She asked.
"I didn't have anything on me, Oz had taken my wallet earlier in the night because I kept buying Bob cheese fries. We were really drunk and must have ordered like twenty baskets of the sodding things. Anyway, stupid wanker didn't like that answer and next thing I know I'm getting kicked in the head by three of his droogs."
"Droogs?"
"Yeah, like his posse. You've never seen A Clockwork Orange have you?" He asked.
"No."
"Right, gotta get on that one, then." He said. "Anyway, ended up with a busted eye socket, knee knocked out of place, and four beautifully broken ribs."
"Spike, that's terrible." She said with a look of utter horror on her face.
"Kind of funny, actually." He said with a soft laugh.
"How can you find that the least bit funny?"
"Well," he said, "every ounce of trouble we've all ever gotten ourselves in to starts with someone eating cheese fries."
Buffy couldn't help but laugh as she remembered Oz ordering cheese fries the first night that they had met. Spike had gotten himself in to a little trouble that night, but she knew that if she said a word about it he'd have some type of reply about how much it was worth it. So much had happened since then, it was like a roller coaster ride from hell sometimes but she wouldn't change a single thing.
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It was nearing seven o'clock when everyone finally agreed upon what to eat for dinner. Oz and Spike had volunteered to go and pick up their order from Mr. Cho's Chinese Eatery and were due back any minute now. Buffy, Willow, and Xander were cuddled comfortably on the fold out watching a random Discovery Channel program on vultures when Buffy suddenly grabbed her phone off of the coffee table.
"Who are you calling?" Willow asked.
"Riley," she answered, "I just realized that I haven't talked to him since the accident."
"Well, he sounded pretty tired when he called this morning." Xander said. "He might be sleeping."
"I know," Buffy said, "I just want to make sure that he's okay." She typed in his name and the phone began to ring.
"Hello?" His gruff voice answered.
"Hey stranger," Buffy said cheerily, "how are you doing?"
"I've been better." He answered. "I've got two sprained wrists and a broken nose on top of that."
"How's your car?" She asked sympathetically.
"Totaled." He answered shortly. "I really screwed up."
She sighed. "Why don't you jump on a bus and come over to Spike's apartment? We're all here for the next few days and I would love for you two to meet each other."
There was a slight pause on the other end before Riley softly replied. "I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why not?" Buffy asked, this wasn't like him.
"Well, we didn't exactly hit it off, Buffy." He explained.
"Are you talking about that night at The Shadow Gallery?" She asked. "That was stage Spike, he's really not like that at all."
"No, that's not what I'm talking about." He said with a bit of anger flavoring his voice. "We've met since then."
"When?" Buffy asked.
She heard Riley let out a deep sigh. "Let's not talk about this now, from what I hear getting you upset is the last thing you need."
"Riley, what are you talking about?"
"Let's just say I was a lot better off after the accident than I am right now."
Xander and Willow could hear bits and pieces of the conversation, but when Buffy's eyes suddenly went wide they knew she had come to the same realization that they had earlier in the day. "Riley, how did you break your nose?"
"Buffy-"
"Answer my question." She said sternly.
He let out another sigh. "I saw Spike at the hospital and we may have had some words."
"And that's how you broke your nose, with words?" She asked, her own anger rising.
"Well," he said, "there may have been more than words."
"How much more?" She asked slowly. She already knew where this was going but she needed to hear him say it.
"We may have had a tussle." He said. "I said a few things that obviously hit a nerve with him and he sucker punched me. No big deal."
"It is a very big deal! What did you say to him that made him hit you?" She asked.
"Buffy, don't worry about it right now." He said. "Just get better and we'll talk about it another time."
Spike Pratt, king of great timing, chose that precise moment to waltz back in to the apartment. "Soups on!" All three of the couch potatoes laying on the fold out turned to look at him. Willow and Xander gave him looks mirroring sheer terror as Buffy glared at him with a look in her eyes that could kill. "What?"
"Riley," she said in to the phone, "I'll call you back." She hung up the phone and practically slammed it down on the coffee table.
Shit.
Willow got up from the fold out and quickly helped Xander to do the same. "We're going to give you two some privacy, come on Oz." Everyone followed the tiny redhead without a word and went in to Spike's bedroom. They closed the door tightly behind them, but every single one of them sat right up against in an attempt to hear what was going on.
Spike stood like a deer in headlights just inside of the front door with the two bags full of Chinese food still in his hands staring nervously at his obviously angry girlfriend. When Buffy began to slowly stand from the fold out he dropped the food to the ground and moved to help her. He was a little surprised when he was quickly met with a hand stopping his movements, but did as she wished nonetheless. When she finally got steady on her feet she folded her arms over her chest as best she could with her broken arm and stared him straight in the face.
"You broke Riley's nose." She said steadily.
"Yeah." He answered shortly.
"Why?" She asked as she shook her head. "What on Earth possessed you to punch my friend?"
"What on Earth possessed you to take him apartment shopping with you?" He asked in a tone mirroring her own.
"That has nothing to do with this."
"It has everything to do with this." Spike said as he felt his own anger rising. "You gave the boy some small speck of hope and fueled his fantasies of being with you."
"Jesus Christ, Spike!" She yelled. "Riley is just-"
"Just a friend?" He finished for her. "Come on, Buffy, you're not bloody blind."
"What are you talking about?" She asked. "Riley's been nothing but nice to me since the moment I met him."
"And why is that, Buffy?" Spike asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to the side.
"Because he's a good person."
"Christ, could you be any more dense?" He asked as he angrily turned away from her.
"Dense?" She yelled. "You're calling me dense?"
"Well you must be if you can't see that the pathetic twat is sodding obsessed with you!"
"You have no idea what you're talking about. Why would you say that?"
"Oh, come on, Buff!" Spike said as he rolled his eyes. "It's beyond obvious that the kid is carrying a torch for you. I can see it and I've only been around him twice."
Buffy shook her head. "It still doesn't give you a reason to hit him, Spike."
"What would you have me do?" Spike asked bitterly. "The bloody git threw it in my face that I'm not around all the time and you want me to just let it go?"
"Yes!" She exclaimed. "I go through the exact same thing every single day of my life!"
"Then you should know how it feels."
"I don't go around punching people for it!" She yelled.
"You didn't have a problem when it was Angel."
She stared at him for a moment, standing across the room from her with his arms folded across his chest and a fire burning in his icy blues. He didn't say a word or move a muscle as he waited for her next reply. "That was different." She said lamely.
"Not from my end, luv." He said. "When I hit Angel I was protecting you, he put his hands on you and even after you'd been a sodding bitch to me I knew it wasn't right. Riley telling me that he was going to make a pass at you when I wasn't around to stop it..."
"Spike," she stopped him with a near whisper, "how many times do I have to tell you that nothing is going to happen?"
"How many times do I have to tell you the same thing?" He asked.
"You can't just go around breaking my friends."
"I know," he sighed, "I had a moment of weakness and did something rash. You were hurt, I was acting like a complete head case and Riley showed up at the wrong moment sprouting all types of bullshit. I won't apologize for what I did, given the chance I'd do it again, but I didn't mean to ruffle your feathers, ducks."
Buffy sighed. "Okay."
"Okay?" Spike asked as his brow wrinkled in confusion. "Okay as in you're not mad anymore?"
"Okay as in I don't know what I am." She slowly began to make her way back over to the loveseat. "I don't know if I'm mad or disappointed or if the pain is making me act like this. I just have no idea."
As her words hit his ears he let the wall he had built up for the conversation tumble as his heart fell to the pit of his stomach. "Buffy," he practically groaned as he moved across the room to collect her pain killers, "why didn't you tell me you were in pain, pet?"
She shrugged as she slowly lowered herself on to the loveseat. "I know how you feel about pills."
"Yeah, for me." He said as he quickly filled her a glass of water. "You're an entirely different story. If you're in pain take the sodding pills."
"I didn't want you to-"
"This isn't about me, luv." He said as he handed her the glass of water and two of the large white pills. "Now take these, they'll make you feel better."
Buffy didn't have to be told twice. Without a second thought she popped the pills in to her mouth and swallowed them in one gulp. Spike ran his hand through her blonde tresses, it was amazing how soft and shiny her hair was even after she had slept on it.
"Don't touch my hair." She said with a mouth still full of pills.
He chuckled softly. "Why not?"
"It's disgusting." She explained as she tossed back a drink of the water and swallowed without much difficulty. "I haven't washed it or anything since before the accident."
"It's fine, luv, not a thing wrong with it." He said as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head softly.
"Was that our first fight?" She asked as she looked up at him.
He chuckled. "I think we've had a few before, but the first official one, yes."
"I don't like fighting with you." She said quietly.
"Neither do I, pet." He said as he gave her head another light kiss. "So, we good? Am I back in your bosom?"
"No," she said quickly, "but if you help me wash my hair you might be."
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The next week had gone by incredibly quickly. When Spike had left on Sunday morning Buffy was surprised by how much easier it was this time around. It could have been because she knew that he would be back in two weeks, or maybe it was because she had so much to do in that short amount of time she knew she'd have no trouble keeping busy, but all that mattered was that the hard part was over and she'd be seeing him again soon.
She had gone to get her large cast taken off the day before and now one about half the size adorned her wounded arm. Xander had tried to convince her that he should be allowed to sign it, but Buffy didn't want anything to draw attention the large mound of black plaster that she would have until just before 'Cordelia's Huge New Years Eve Extravaganza'. Cordelia was more than happy to extend the invitation to the boys that made up Flesh of the Passions and she knew that her record executive father would be ecstatic over their RSVP.
Buffy's finals had gone rather well and all that was left to do before the semester could be officially called closed was to pack up the dorm and make the long bus ride home. Xander couldn't let anything pass without celebrating and had insisted that they make their last night in town together a party. Buffy had tried to get out of it at first, her ribs were still badly bruised over the entire right side of her body and she was nervous about anybody bumping in to her arm, but a few minutes of shameless pleading on Willow's side was enough to convince her otherwise.
The group hadn't seen too much of Riley since the accident and thanks to the fight between Buffy and Spike they all knew exactly why. Everyone was actually pretty surprised when he had agreed to Buffy's invitation to accompany them to The Fame that night but they knew it was only because of who had done the actual inviting. They had been there for a few hours now and things were just beginning to get interesting.
"Another round for my succulent school sweeties!" Xander yelled to the bartender.
"Does he always do that?" Riley asked as he kept an eye on his friend.
"Only when he's drunk." Willow answered.
Xander was drunk, there was no doubt about that, but drunk Xander was always good time Xander and Buffy and Willow had no problem with that. He grabbed the drinks off of the bar and made his way back over to the table. "For my ladies." He said as he sat the drinks down in front of them. "And Riley, you've got to get your own, sorry brother."
"No problem, I'll be right back." He said as he stood from his seat.
"I'll go with you." Buffy said quickly. Xander and Willow gave her confused glances as a wide smile spread across Riley's face. She didn't give any of them much of a chance to say anything as she began walking towards the bar. She could feel Riley's presence behind her and immediately veered off in the direction of the door. Riley wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but he followed her nonetheless as she exited the busy building.
They stepped outside and Buffy gave a slight shiver as the cold December air hit her skin. Noticing the goosebumps that appeared on her flesh, Riley quickly began to remove his jacket. "Here." He said holding it out to her.
Buffy shook her head. "No, I'm fine."
Riley shrugged as he tossed the jacket over his shoulder, if she wasn't going to wear a jacket then neither was he. "So what are we doing out here?" He asked.
"I actually wanted to talk to you in private about something kind of serious." She explained as fiddled mindlessly with her fingers.
Riley nodded. "Okay, about what?"
"It's about what happened between you and Spike." She clarified slowly.
"Listen, Buffy, I did not mean for that to happen. I was just going to ask him what room you and Xander were in and that was it. He hit me."
"I know." Buffy said raising her hand between them in an almost surrendering motion. "I know you didn't mean to start a fight or anything, but that doesn't mean that you don't share some of the blame in this."
"How so?" Riley asked.
Buffy let out a deep sigh, it was now or never. "Spike told me what you said."
Riley crossed his arms across his chest as he looked at her with a curious expression on his face. "What exactly did he tell you?"
"He told me that you threw it in his face that he wasn't here and basically that you intend to steal me away from him." She explained.
Riley let out an ugly scoff. "Is that all he told you?"
"In so many words, yes." She answered.
"I'm guessing he didn't tell you about how he threatened me and told me to stay away from you?" He asked.
"No, but I had kind of already figured that he did. He's very protective." She said.
"And you're still taking his side?"
"Riley, this isn't about taking sides." She said seriously. "Yeah, Spike was wrong for hitting you but you were wrong for trying to play the better man card. You know how I feel about people bringing up the fact that he's on tour most of the time and you used that exact same argument against him."
"I'm sorry," Riley said sincerely, "but I was only telling the truth. You deserve better than a part time boyfriend, Buffy."
"Well maybe that's not what I want, Riley." She said as she let the anger she was feeling toward him slip in to her slightly raised voice.
"What do you want?" Riley asked, annoyance clearly in his voice.
"Right now I want Spike." She said strongly. "I know that the relationship that we have isn't exactly perfect and I know that one day we might want different things. I'm not the stupid little girl that everyone seems to think I am and I'm not under the illusion that Spike and I will be together forever, any number of things could happen that would tear us apart, but right now I'm with him and I am the happiest I have ever been."
"You can't be serious." Riley said as he shook his head in disbelief.
"I am, Riley, and if you're truly my friend then you should be happy for me." She said.
"I can't be happy for you when you're dating some loser in a rock band." He said, his voice just above a whisper. "You need someone who can be there for you, Buff, someone who you can count on."
"The moment Spike heard that I had gotten in to a car accident he jumped on a plane, took a four hour flight, and literally ran to the hospital." Buffy said angrily. "He sat in the lobby with my family and waited to make sure that I was okay. Does that sound unreliable to you?"
"I could have been there in fifteen minutes." Riley shot back.
"And had you not been in the accident with me I would have wanted you there," she said softly, "but only as a friend."
"That can change."
"Maybe it can," she said, "but not right now. Right now you're my friend and that's all I want you to be. If you can't do that then I'm sorry but I'm not going to be backed in to a corner. If push comes to shove and you make me choose, you won't like the outcome."
"What are you saying?" Riley asked.
"I'm saying that you're my friend, Riley, but Spike is my boyfriend. He may not be around all of the time but it doesn't change the way that I feel about him. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me and when it comes down to it I'll always be in his corner."
"So are you saying that we can't be friends?"
"That's not what I'm saying at all." She said quietly. "What I'm saying is don't make me choose."
"What do you mean?" Riley asked.
"Don't make me choose between being friends with you or staying with Spike," she said seriously, "in the end it's going to be him. It'll always be him."
Before Riley had a chance to reply, drunk Xander plowed through the front door of the club and sauntered towards them. "Buffy!" He called happily. "I've been looking all over for you! Come back inside, I don't want you to miss it."
Buffy laughed as Xander grabbed her by the hands and pulled her back inside as Riley followed close behind them. She hoped that their talk would have settled things between them, in a perfect world she would have wanted everything to go back to normal and for the entire incident to be forgotten like a bad dream. She knew she was being a bit too optimistic, Spike would never befriend the man and she wasn't sure Riley would ever let her forget that he had broken his nose, but she decided that she wanted to have hope. As Xander guided her back over to the table where Willow still sat a familiar guitar chord filled the air of the club.
"Oh, my God." She said as Xander turned around, a huge grin on his face. "You did this didn't you?"
"I sure did!" He yelled as the melody of one of Flesh of the Passions hits swam through the air. The last thing she had expected was for Xander to jump up on to the table and point at her as he started to lip sync her boyfriend's lyrics dramatically.
Another day is going by,
I'm thinking about you all the time.
But you're out there,
And I'm here waiting.
Buffy glanced around and saw almost everyone in the club crowding around them as Xander did what he must have thought was a spot on imitation of Spike.
And I wrote this letter in my head,
Cuz so many things were left unsaid,
But now you're gone,
And I can't think straight.
This could be the one last chance,
To make you understand...
He jumped off of the table with a flying leap and landed on his knees right in front of Buffy. It seemed like it would have hurt, but Xander just kept on going as if nothing had happened.
I'd do anything,
Just to hold you in my arms,
To try to make you laugh,
Cuz somehow I can't put you in the past.
I'd do anything,
Just to fall asleep with you.
Will you remember me?
Cuz I know,
I won't forget you.
Xander was too wrapped up in himself and his intoxicated antics to notice the security guards begin to make their way over as he grabbed a beer bottle and held it upside down as if it were a microphone. He began to walk along the edge of the crowd, in his state of inebriation he thought he really was a rock star.
Together we broke all the rules,
Dreaming of dropping out of school,
And leave this place,
To never come back.
He grabbed a random girl from the watching crowd and spun her around as well as he could.
So now maybe after all these years,
If you miss me have no fear,
I'll be here,
I'll be waiting.
This could be the one last chance to make you understand,
And I just can't let you leave me once again.
He let the stunned girl go before doing a quick head bang with the music and going back to his little show.
I'd do anything,
Just to hold you in my arms,
To try to make you laugh,
Cuz somehow I can't put you in the past.
I'd do anything,
Just to fall asleep with you.
Will you remember me?
Cuz I know,
I won't forget you.
He dropped his beer bottle microphone and quickly grabbed Buffy around the waist, forcing her in to a slow dancing motion with him while she laughed harder than she ever had before.
I close my eyes,
And all I see is you.
I close my eyes,
I try to sleep,
I can't forget you.
Nanana. Nanana.
And I'd do anything for you.
Nanana. Nanana.
He let her go just in time to do another well timed head bang before doing what could only be classified as a power slide across the open area around him. The security guards were about half way through the crowd, but with a little luck he was sure to finish his song.
I'd do anything,
Just to hold you in my arms,
To try to make you laugh,
Cuz somehow I can't put you in the past.
I'd do anything,
Just to fall asleep with you.
Will you remember me?
Cuz I know,
I won't forget you.
I'd do anything,
To fall asleep with you.
I'd do anything,
There's nothing I won't do.
I'd do anything,
To fall asleep with you.
I'd do anything,
Cuz I know,
I won't forget you.
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"And then we were promptly escorted out of the club." Buffy said in to her phone.
"Well I would hope so!" Spike yelled with a laugh in his voice. "I've seen Xander dance and that man has just definitely brought shame upon my good name!"
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Author's Chapter Notes:
This would have gotten to you guys a few days sooner but I got wrapped up in the Firefly Party for Joss Whedon's birthday and lost an entire day of writing time. I think we did a bit a damage to Netflix with the high amount of traffic we Browncoats got going on the episodes of each hour so maybe someone of importance will take notice of it and give that amazing show another go. Then I was surprised with a trip to the beach and lost two more days. My boyfriend is kind of a Spike.
Anyway, on with the show!
Anyway, on with the show!
Chapter End Notes:
I just can't get Nick Brendon doing karaoke out of head!
Reviews keep me writing. :)
BTW, banners are AWESOME!
Reviews keep me writing. :)
BTW, banners are AWESOME!