[Reviews - 17]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 2780 times

- Text Size +




Chapter 3-

Spike had begun pacing back and forth once again, anxiously waiting for her to speak. Other than his mother, he’d never done anything like this, not even for Drusilla. When she didn’t say anything for the longest moment, he began to wish he’d never done anything like this before.

“What’s this for?” she asked snidely, waving it in his face.

It startled him for a moment and he didn’t answer her question when she asked it. She repeated the question once again for him.

“What’s this for Spike?”

“What does it look like?” he practically growled as his eyes went amber and then back to blue.

Buffy stepped eased her way closer to the door, but didn’t leave yet. She was shocked that Spike would give her this type of gift. She wasn’t ready for that kind of step in their relationship, when the only thing she was ready for was admitting how she truly felt. She wished now, she would have home. This was too much, too soon.

Spike was so upset with her at that moment, he felt like returning the gift. Obviously this was the wrong time to eve give it to her. She wasn’t ready for it, he thought ruefully.

When she didn’t answer him, he said, “Just give back to me, and I’ll return it.”

Not knowing what to really do, Buffy handed the box back to him, and he looked it over as he shook his head. It was a beautiful plain platinum sliver promise ring, but she had believed it was an engagement ring. If only she really knew the real meaning behind it.

The ring represented anew. He wanted a clean break from their old relationship and to start fresh with a new relationship based on faith, love, trust, and communication. Right now, he didn’t believe she was capable of allowing herself to feel something more for him.

“It’s called Heart of Platinum.” He snapped the box shut and placed it into his pocket.

“What does that mean?” She asked, slowly.

“Just leave. I’m not in any kind of mood to deal with you tonight.” He turned and headed back down the latter and Buffy followed a few moments later.

“Wait,” she stepped down off the latter.

Grabbing his duster off the bed, Spike began leaving through the sewers, but stopped when she called out to him. He never once turned around to face her.

“What!” Hurt evident in his voice.

The thoughts were swimming in her head, but the words wouldn’t come out her mouth. She was afraid to say them now, because then it would mean that this would be real. In all honesty, she wasn’t prepared for any of this, especially falling in love with him. If only she could tell him the truth, things might be different.

Something was bothering him since Buffy had her “talk with Santa” earlier in the day. How could she be honest with “Santa” and not with him?? He had to ask?

“Tell me something, how could you tell “Santa” those things and not be able to be honest with me?”

He still had no turned around.

“I…I…” She drifted off momentarily, anger evident in her face. “Well, how was I supposed to know it was you?”

Even Buffy knew that was lame, but it was said now and there was nothing she could do about it now.

“Typical!” Spike scoffed as he turned around. “Why can’t you just be honest with me?” He asked gesturing to his self.

Spike’s voice was soft and gentle and Buffy moved closer, but he held up his hand, halting her.

“Spike, I…I…” Buffy stopped when Spike interrupted her.

“Look, you don’t have to say anymore.”

He didn’t even give her a chance to say anymore as he turned on his heels, and headed off into the sewers. Buffy hurried after him, but with the many tunnels like mazes, he was long gone. She couldn’t sense him any longer. Tears were welding up in her eyes. She’d failed to tell him those three little words.

“I love you…” She said in a half whisper.

Why do the words come to her now? She wondered.

“Why?”

Buffy stood there for several moments. Her heart was breaking into tiny pieces and she knew she could have prevented that, but she didn’t and now she lost the man she loved. She walked back to her home feeling lonelier than she ever felt.

*******
It was Christmas night and both Buffy and Dawn were getting worried, but only Dawn who was vocal about her worries. She decided she wanted to wait to open presents, hoping that Spike would drop by later, everyone but Xander agreed. Willow and Tara went into the kitchen make a special dinner. While the witches were in the kitchen, Xander, Anya, Giles and Dawn were watching a Christmas movie. Buffy leaned against the door, watching on. She was all dressed up with no one really to impress. She sighed a little too loudly, alerting Giles that something was wrong.

He glanced over at her and noticed the sadness evident on her face and he could tell she had something on her mind. He rose from the sofa and headed over to her.

“A penny for your thoughts…” He asked soothingly as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

Looking up at her watcher, Buffy smiled and replied, “Just a little restless is all.”

Giles assumed that she was thinking that this was the first Christmas without Joyce.

“I understand completely, Buffy,” He held close her like she was his own daughter.

Buffy stiffed a bit in his arms when she thought he knew about her and Spike.

“You do?” She asked strangely.

“You’re mother was a wonderful person,” Giles said, remembering Joyce fondly.

“Yeah, she was wonderful person.”

Thinking about Joyce made Buffy tear up and she stepped back from Giles and he whipped her tears away.

“Why don’t you go for a patrol? We’ll be here when you get back.”

It was just what Buffy was thinking and while she was there, she’d check Spike crypt.

“Yeah, I think I’ll do that,” She hugged Giles. “Tell everyone I’ll be back.”

“Will do,” He said, as he watched her grab a stake and flashlight from the table drawer by the door and headed out.

****
Patrolling relieved some of the tension, but Buffy still frustrated. She even let a few fledglings get away and she didn’t feel like going after them tonight, though she knew she should have.

Before leaving the cemetery, Buffy went headed for Spike’s crypt. When she arrived at the door, her senses were telling her he wasn’t there, but she still had to know.

“Hello,” She called out as she opened the door.

There was no answer, and she pulled out her flashlight, flipping it on. She quickly looked all around, and even down the sewers corridors, but still there wasn’t a trace of him. When she returned to the bed chamber, she spotted the Santa suit was missing, and wondered when he’d he had come back.

Determined to find him, Buffy decided to stop by some Willys. She wanted to make things right with him and headed off to look for Spike.

Willy hadn’t seen Spike in several days, so that was a dead end, although she felt better after kicking Willy’s butt. Buffy even went to Clem’s apartment as a last ditch effort, but he said he hadn’t seen Spike in a few days, but she suspected he was lying. He was really nervous and he wouldn’t look her in the eye. She wasn’t in the mood to scare him into telling the truth.

There was only one other place to look for him and that was at the mall. When she arrived, Buffy went to the spot in the mall where she’d last seen him, but there was another Santa on duty. The Santa said that Spike stopped by earlier to pick up his last check, but hadn’t seen him since.

Defeated, Buffy headed on home.

*****
Everyone one had eaten dinner and was just about the sit down in the family room to open gifts when Buffy had arrived. She removed her coat and quietly slipped in, sitting next to Tara.
“Is everything ok?” Tara asked considerately as she smiled wanly.

“No…no, not really, but I’ll be ok.” Tears had weld up in her eyes, but she dared not cry in front of everyone else.

Out of all Buffy’s friends, Tara was the only one that knew about Spike and Buffy. Even when Buffy had tried hiding her feelings, Tara knew that there was much more going on between them, but didn’t let on she knew. She wrapped her arm around Buffy, and smiled.

“It’ll be ok.”

Laying her head on her friends shoulder, Buffy watched as her little sister enjoyed Christmas. When Dawn got to Buffy presents, she ripped through it, and pulled out the sweater.

“Oh Buffy, you remember!” Dawn jumped up, and hugged Buffy. “Thank you! Thank you! I love it.”

Smiling, Buffy said, “You’ll have to let me borrow it sometime.”

“Yeah right!” Dawn scoffed as she sat back down on the floor. She was beginning to think Spike wouldn’t show up, but decided that she was going to make the best of it.

Giles handed Buffy a present, and she opened hers. He’d given her a gold locket with a picture with her mother’s picture on one side and a picture of Buffy and Dawn on the other.

“Oh thank you, Giles. It’s lovely.” She leaped up, hugging him. “It’s beautiful. Thank you!”

“It was my pleasure.”

Xander and Anya, Giles and Willow and Tara all liked their gift as well and Buffy loved all the gifts she was given.

“Thank you guys, I really liked everything,” Buffy said just as the door bell rang. “I’ll get that.” She headed into the foyer, looked out the window and to her surprise it was Santa. “Santa’s here.” She yelled into the other room as she opened the door with a big smile on her face.

“Ho. Ho. Ho. Merry Christmas,” said Santa as he walked inside, carrying a big red bag. “Santa’s brought you all gifts.” He said, entering in the family room.

All heads turned towards Santa as he stood in the middle of the room. Only Dawn and Buffy seemed to know who was under that big red suit. Buffy stepped back and gave Santa a once over, wondering how she never really noticed it was Spike the first time she’d seen him in the mall.

“Santa,” Dawn jumped up when she heard that familiar English accent. “What did you bring me?” She hugged him, excitedly. “I’m glad that you came back,” she whispered into his ear before stepping back.

“Me too, nibblet,” said Santa Spike as he looked over at Buffy, who still had a smile on her face.

He and Buffy stared at each other before Xander said, “OH come on. Quit goofing around, Santa. I want my present now!”

Rolling his eyes, Santa Spike fished into the bag and brought out a small box and handed it to Dawn. She ripped through the wrapping of the small box and opened the lid to reveal the most beautiful pair of pearl earrings.

“Oh the earrings are so beautiful. Thank you Santa,” she kissed him on the cheek.

Rushing up the stairs, Dawn headed into the bathroom to try the earrings on, and hurried right back downstairs to show off her new present.

“Santa, you shouldn’t have,” Buffy replied a few moments later.

“But…But…” Dawn trailed off.

“They are to grown up for you,” retorted the slayer, “not to mention to expensive for a little girl.”

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest, pouting. She really loved the pearls and more importantly they were from Spike, which meant more to her than Buffy realized.

“Buffy, you never let me have nice things like that,” Dawn pouted as she began to remove the earrings.

Santa Spike stopped Dawn from taking the earrings out them. “Keep them in.”

“We appreciate the generous gift, but they are going back,” Buffy said sternly.

“Bloody hell, woman, let her have the pearls,” Spike said, irritated.

Everyone looked at Buffy questioningly. She thought it over for a few moments and answered all the prying eyes, “Oh all right. You can have the earrings.”

“Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

Dawn excitedly hugged her sister.

“You’re welcome, Dawn.” Buffy smiled.

Then Santa Spike handed a gift to Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara and even Giles. Santa had given Xander a shirt, Anya money, which she was more ecstatic than anyone else’s gift, Willow and Tara an ancient magic book, and Giles antique relic. Everyone thanked Santa Spike.

“Now the best gift for last.” Santa Spike pulled Buffy into the foyer, and then closed the French doors. He removed the Santa suit. He was wearing nice black slacks and white dress suit. Buffy smiled as she quickly checked him out. He looks very scrumptious, Buffy thought.

“I like this look on you,” said Buffy, still smiling.

“Thank ya, love!”

Spike removed a small box from pocked and handed it over to Buffy. It was wrapped in fine Christmas paper and a little bow placed atop it. “You still want it, it’s yours.”

“Of course, I still want it.” She ripped the paper off and flipped the box open. The promise ring was still as beautiful as it was the first time she’d seen it.

“I want to start new with us, Buffy. I even want people to know about us. I want our relationship to mean something. Is that possible?”

“Spike, I came to you that night to tell you how I felt. I was scared to say it. Scared most of that you’d leave me...”

“Like Angel?? He’s bloody idiot, love. He’s kicking himself everyday for leaving you, but there’s a big difference between him and I, I’m always gonna be here for you no matter! I’d never leave you.”

He held her hands in his.

“Truthfully, all I really wanted was you for Christmas,” She said seriously, “but jewelry is just as good.” She laughed as he placed the ring on her right finger.

“I promise to always love you and never leave you!”

“And I promise to always be honest with you. I will always love you no matter what!”

Raising his scarred eyebrow, Spike leaned in, saying, “Say that again. I didn’t quite hear that.”

“I love you!”

Buffy was so nervous saying those three little words, but it felt good, it felt right.

Hearing Buffy say ‘I love you’ was music to his ears, but it was a little strange coming from her. He was going to make sure she said it and often.

A few moments later, Spike said, jokingly, “Finally.” He laughed. “Seriously, love, I’m glad that you finally said it. Feels good dun it?”

“Very!” She snaked her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her.

They hadn’t noticed Dawn had opened the French doors and that they had an audience until Dawn yelled out, “KISS HIM!”

Buffy and Spike were a little embarrassed, but obliged Dawn, and kissed each other. It was real. It was passionate, and filled with love.

Dawn had always suspected that there was something between Buffy and Spike, but didn’t let on that she knew. Giles, Xander, and Willow were totally surprised.

“I knew it all along,” Anya gloated.

“You did not,” Dawn said. “I did!”

“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Tara said.

“How long?” Xander and Giles demanded irritated. “And why didn’t we know about this?” Giles asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” Tara said once again. “It’s not our place to say what’s right or wrong. Let them be happy…They are in love” She closed the French doors just as Giles and Xander began protesting. Willow was still in shock and Tara helped her to the sofa. Anya and Dawn were discussing the times they suspected Buffy and Spike were together.
*********
Spike and Buffy stopped when she needed to breathe.

“Let’s go upstairs,” she said, catching her breath.

Without further word, Spike gathered her in his arms, rushed upstairs with Buffy giggling all the way.

It was going to be a new year for Buffy and Spike and they weren’t going to let anyone or anything come between them.

THE END





You must login (register) to review.