Chapter 7
Buffy entered the Chase Agency on Monday with slightly swollen eyes,
concealed as much as she could with her eye make-up. Bypassing the
room used to clock-in, Buffy took the elevator to the top floor. Entering
Cordelia’s office, her boss looked up with a smile.
“Buffy…what can I do for you?”
“Well, Cordy, I kind of needed to talk to you about something.”
“Oh no! Spike broke up with you, didn’t he?”
“How did you…something like that,” she said with a little half-smile,
trying to mask her feelings.
“Buffy, I’m so sorry. My brother can be a real jerk sometimes,” Cordy
said, coming around to stand in front of her employee.
“Yeah…I figured that out.”
“Look…before you ask me…I try not to get involved in his affairs. I
mean, sometimes I do, but usually what he says goes, so I just leave him
alone.”
“No, that’s not it. I know he meant what he said.” Buffy swallowed hard as
she began to get choked up again. “I just came to tell you that I’m quitting.”
Cordelia’s jaw dropped in shock. “Buffy, no. Don’t leave just because
of him. He never even comes here. Well, hardly ever, and anyway, you’re
just starting out. You could have a whole career ahead of you.”
“I know. And I appreciate all the opportunities you’ve given me, really I
do. It’s just…I need a clean break. I don’t want to be a model. I’m going
to focus on school- the new semester starts a week from today, and my
mom said she would help me out until I graduated.”
Cordy stared at the woman in front of her for a long minute before
responding, “I’m really gonna miss you, Buffy. I was hoping we’d get
to be better friends.”
“Yeah, me too…but I need to do this.”
Cordelia nodded, turning to look at a schedule on her desk.
“I’m sorry to leave you in a bind, Cordy. I can work the rest of the day if
you want me to.”
“No, it’s okay. Your shifts were already being downsized with school
starting again. I’m just sorry about my brother.”
“Yeah…me too.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not much to tell. I said something stupid that I shouldn’t have, and
he got scared. After a heated discussion, he left. I don’t expect to see
him again.”
* * * * *
For the second time that summer, Cordelia Chase stormed through Wolfram
and Hart. This time it was not for a semi-friendly chat with her big
brother. Bursting through his office doors, Spike looked up from the drink in
his hand and sighed when he looked up to see her angry face.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Pleasure to see you, too, Cordy.”
“Skip the chitchat, Spike, and tell me what the hell your problem is.”
“I’m guessing you’ve had a nice talk with my ex.”
“Something like that. And for the record, using the word ‘ex’ is not
going to make you feel better after the crap you pulled.”
“So she told you.”
“That she told you she loved you, and you got scared and ran out like a
dog with your tail between your legs?”
Spike’s eyes snapped up to hers at the description.
“Actually,” she continued. “No. She didn’t tell me.”
“Then how-“
“You really don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the gist
of what happened. She said something and you left. Yeah, I think I can
figure it out. I probably would have eventually, even if she hadn’t said
anything.”
“Listen, Cordelia-“
“No, you listen, Spike! I lost a perfectly good employee because you
couldn’t keep it in your pants.”
“What do you mean you lost an employee?”
“Oh! Did I forget to mention the best part?” she asked sarcastically.
“Yeah, Buffy came in and quit today. Seems she doesn’t want anything
to do with you or your family.”
“She said that?” he asked with a hurt expression.
“She didn’t have to. I figured coming into my office and quitting after you
broke her heart pretty much summed it up.”
“I didn’t want that to happen,” he said quietly, his eyes on the floor.
“Well, guess what? It did. I tried to warn you against this, but nooooo.
Mr. Big Shot lawyer can’t be bothered with the mundane things like, oh,
I don’t know…listening to his sister!”
“Cordelia, you’re being a little melodramatic.”
“So what if I am? You screwed up, buddy.”
“Well, what do you want me to do? You’re the one who told me to end
it!”
“Yeah, before anything started, not following your usual pattern. And
is that why you broke up with her? Because if that’s the reason, then I’m
so gonna have to kick your ass,” she said with an arched eyebrow.
“No,” Spike said through gritted teeth. “I broke up with her because
she can do better than me. The girl hasn’t lived, Cordelia. She’s led a
sheltered life, and if she stayed with me, she’d regret it down the road.”
“Says who, Spike?” she asked, her voice finally softening.
“Says me, that’s who.”
“Spike, you’re a great guy. She would be lucky to have you, and I’m not
the only one who thinks so. She misses you…and I think you miss her, too.”
“I’m not going back to her, Cordelia.”
“I didn’t expect you to, but, Spike, sooner or later, you’re going to have to stop this path you’re on. And I want you to think about what you want when
you decide it’s time to settle down. Buffy’s not the only one who’s
been sheltered- it’s just you’ve led a different kind of sheltered where
you’re comforted by women and money. Eventually, she’s going to move on, and you’re going to miss your chance. It’s time you got over your past issues, William.”
Without another word, Cordy got up and left the office, leaving her
brother behind to contemplate what he wanted out of his own life.
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