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A MURDER IN SUNNYDALE


Chapter 27: ‘Never Going to Let You Leave’


“I am never going to let you leave me again,” Spike repeated firmly, his arms wrapped tight about Buffy’s slim body.

Without pulling away, Buffy whispered into his taut chest, “well then I guess you better have a damn good explaination for the crap on the paper Angel had me read.”

“I do,” Spike finally released his tight hold on his wife, somewhat, and pulled her chin up, gently. Making sure their eyes met and held each other, while he spoke. “I’m not sure,” he began slowly, “if it’s a good enough explaination for you or not. But, it is the truth. At least I can explain the cop killing part, although it’s not an excuse for what I did, or had a part in anyway.”

Buffy flinched and searched Will’s eyes, anxiously, worrying her bottom lip with her top, blunt teeth. Finally, she nodded, “I’ll listen, Will,” she whispered softly, “I’ll try and accept your past mistakes. Try that is,” she assured him, “but there’s more that I found out from Angel, at least more that he told me about you. About your family and your reasons for coming to Sunnydale. I need to know the absolute truth about all of it.”

Spike nodded and reached into his jacket pocket for a cigarette, then thought better of it. He was sure that the Giles would not appreciate smoking in their cottage and he was forever indebted to the old man. If Rupert Giles had not trusted him, Spike, then he would not have found Buffy so soon.

Instead of taking out a smoke, Spike merely lifted his lighter from his pocket and flipped it on and off a couple of times. He noticed that his wife was eyeing him, curiously, but then spotted a slight smirk forming on her luscious lips.

“Well?” she murmered, never breaking her eye contact with him.

“I’ll start with the cop thing,” Spike mumbled, trying to find the courage to keep his and Buffy’s gaze connected. “It’s a rather long story, but I’ll shorten it, for you. I won’t leave out the important parts, but I won’t bore you with the piddling crap.” He snorted with a self-derisive chuckle. Although, the whole story from his teenage years was nothing to laugh about.

“Will you let me just tell the story, no interruptions until the end, Princess?” he asked, almost like a child would ask a parent for a toy or treat.

Buffy nodded silently and leaned back into the couch. She still watched her husband’s blue eyes, searching them for all signs of the truth.

“I was sixteen-years-old when my Dad and Mum decided to send me to a rather posh Prep school. I hated it, of course, but hey, had to do it.” Spike shrugged, another chuckle emitted from his mouth, “yeah,” he grinned at Buffy who was looking at him, rather stunned by his first admission. “Believe it or not, I went to school, luv. And, it was a good school, too, but that’s not important.”

“At school,” he continued, “I was kind of a bad ass.” Here he had to smirk in fond rememberance of that time. “The other blokes at the school, they kind of looked up to me. Suppose that had a lot to do with my old man, his ‘status’ and all. My dad was already pretty ‘known’ in London and all. Not in a real good way, of course, but people, upper class that is, respected Dad, and Mum. That or they were afraid of the old boy, and with good reason.”

He finally took a deep breath and continued, almost reluctantly, but relieved to finally discuss this part of his life. Especially with the woman he loved more then his life.

“There was a bloke, same age as me, from Ireland,” Spike sighed unhappily. “His name was Jesse, we’ll just leave it at that, a first name basis. Never belonged at that posh school, don’t even know how his poor folks scraped together enough cash to send him. Anyway, Jesse was a good guy, smart, too, most of the time. But poor guy just didn’t fit in at school, least not at first.”

“I felt bad for him, Jesse, that is, took him under my wing and forced the other blokes to accept him in. We were best mates, Jesse and me, kind of two of a kind, I guess. Even took him home for visits to my folks’ place and they liked him too. Even though Jesse was a bit rough, like me, really.” Spike grinned at Buffy, who he noticed, happily, was now grinning back at him.

“Anyway, so we’ll fast forward to Summer break after our next to the last year of school. I went home, for Summer to my folks mansion, Jesse headed back to his folks’ place, in Ireland.”

“We talked, of course, Jesse and me, on the phone, but not about anything serious. Just what hell we were raising, the birds we were shagging, you know, that kind of shit.”

Buffy frowned and Spike grinned at her, “jealous, about the birds I mean?”

“Kind of,” Buffy mumbled with a blush.

“Good,” Spike chuckled, “makes me feel better, since you took off on me and tried to hide out.” He reached out and ran his fingers down Buffy’s cheek, lovingly. “Of course,” he murmered, “I don’t even remember any of the birds anyway. You’re the only one for me, Princess,” he whispered.

“Anyway, Summer ended and it was back to school for our last year. All the regular blokes came back, of course, including Jesse, but he’d changed.” Spike frowned, the expression in his eyes became hard and somewhat sad.

“Seems old Jesse had gotten himself mixed up in the IRA while he was back in Ireland that Summer. Talked to me about it all the time, those first weeks of school. He was into the whole thing, totally indoctrinated. After a while, he began to convince me that I should get involved too, no matter that I was Brittish and all. Of course,” Spike quickly shook his head, “I would never be able to actually ‘join’ the group, but I could be of help. Which I finally ended up doing, being of help that is.” He shook his head sadly and sighed.

“I ate up everything Jesse spouted on about, truly believed in the whole doctrine and all. Still kind of do, actually, but back then, I was young, hot-headed and all. Acted without thinking, I guess, too fucking idealistic and all. Like I said, I embraced Jesse’s new beliefs and figured out a way to ‘help’ him and his cause.”

Buffy raised her right brow at him, but kept her promise not to say anything until the time was right.

“My Dad,” Spike mumbled, looking completely ashamed and embarrassed, “he’s involved in the gun trade. The illegal part that is. The black market part.” He noticed Buffy cringed, physically and shook his head, “that’s my Dad, Buffy. My family, but it’s not me. Not anymore, I swear.”

“I got ahold of guns, lots of guns,” Spike continued, “and, I turned them over to Jesse. Never even gave it a second thought, just handed everything over, after I got my hands on them. Like a stupid fuck,” he rasped, “I didn’t even consider what Jesse and his ‘friends’ were going to do with them.”

“Well, they used them all right. In the name of the ‘cause’ they, about six of them, robbed a London bank. A cop, ‘the cop’ on that rap sheet, he was shot and killed during the robbery. So was Jesse and some others,” Spike finished sadly.

Buffy could read the pain in her husband’s blue eyes and reached out to take his hand in hers. “They traced the guns to you, right?” she asked softly, already knowing the answer.

“Yup,” he responded simply with a nod of his blond head. “I would have gone to prison, forever, Buffy. But my Dad, he ‘knew’ people on the London Police Department, had certain connections, you know? Apparently, there’s some corrupt cops all over the world. Anyway, Dad got me out of it, barely, that is. I was only seventeen, had no idea what I was doing, yada, yada, yada.”

“Sounds like your Dad loves you very much, baby,” Buffy whispered, bringing his hand up to her lips. She kissed Will’s beautiful hand, tenderly.

“He does, Buffy,” Spike sighed, “and I love him. I love my whole family, but it still doesn’t excuse the fact that it ‘was’ me that put those guns in Jesse’s possession. I was at fault, just didn’t pull the trigger that killed the cop.”

“You know,” Spike paused suddenly, “I don’t even know a fucking thing about that dead cop. Even now. Have no idea what his full name was, if he was married, had a family? I did help kill him, Buffy,” he sighed sadly, “even if I didn’t shoot him. I had a part in it and it’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.”

William buried his head in hid hands and began to sob, softly. Buffy threw her arms about her husband’s strong body and clung to him, desperately trying to comfort him.

“It’s okay, baby,” she cooed tenderly, “it’s done, in the past and there’s nothing you can do to change it. Just like me, and my baby, the one I lost when I was shot. I knew, honey,” she continued as she hugged him, his arms held her so tightly. “I knew that I shouldn’t have gone on that call that day, with my partner, Ford. Knew I should have stayed behind a desk, just like Riley told me. My losing that child was as much my own fault as the guy that tried to shoot Ford and hit me.”

“I love you, Buffy,” Spike cried out, frantically pulling her even closer to him. “God, I love you so very much. Can’t lose you, ever, so please,” he pulled back a bit and stared into her damp green eyes. “Please don’t leave me, ever again. Forgive me, please and stay with me. I love you.”

“I know,” she whispered, her forehead pressed against his. “I love you, Will, so very much. And,” she paused, then nodded, “I do want to forgive you, stay with you. But we need to talk of so many things, baby,” she kissed his cheek.

“Why did you come to Sunnydale?” she asked him calmly. “I know what you told me, at first, what I want to believe. But Angel claims you came for a more sinister purpose and just happened to hook up with me? Tell me, Will, please. Tell the absolute truth, now.”

Spike looked at Buffy confused, “I did tell you the truth, baby,” he assured her. “My family sent me to make sure Hold got justice, nothing more. Just met you, fell crazy in love with you and got my foot caught in the door.”

He actually really smiled, warmly, for the first time in hours. “Why? What did that fuck Angel tell you?”

“He said,” Buffy stammered, trying to calm down a bit before she told him. “He said that your family sent you for revenge, on the murderer, Amy to more exact. That’s what Angel said. I didn’t want to believe him, about any of it, but when I saw the rap sheet, saw the cop killing on it, I…..”

“Believed him,” Spike finished for her, sadly. He began to shake his head, slowly. “Buffy,” he sighed again, more sternly now, “I didn’t come to Sunnydale to ‘kill’ anyone. I came for the reason I told you from the start and so did Wesley. I will say this, however,” he paused and sussed out just exactly what to say.

“I’m not surprised that Angel thinks someone came to Sunnydale to get revenge, or hurt my cousin’s murderer. In fact, luv,” Spike frowned, “I wouldn’t be surprised that this someone O’Connor thinks is around, really is around.”

Buffy began to get really nervous, “so you mean, your family could have sent ‘someone’ to do these things?”

“That or the someone is already in Sunnydale, maybe all along. Which,” he continued thoughtfully, “brings us right back to this ‘list’ my cousin stashed someplace. After all, the St. Claire chit ran again because of the threats to her and her son. Maybe this person who is sending them is out for more then revenge? Maybe he wants Amy St. Claire gone, one way or another. But why?”

“Because,” Buffy’s detective mode was kicked in, full force now. “Because, if Amy St. Claire is out of the picture, in jail, dead, whatever? Then, Amy can’t make a claim on Harley’s inheritance, from his Father, that is. Then that means Harley is no longer Holden Webster’s main heir and that means,” she scowled again in frustration. “That there’s no clear threat, or heir to Holden Webster’s empire. Anyone, anyone in Holden’s world can just ‘take over’ where he left off.”

“Bingo,” Spike hissed, his expression was one of complete awe.

“You are amazing, baby,” he purred in admiration, clasping her close to him. “Beautiful, smart, good and all mine,” he added gently.

“But,” Buffy frowned again, “if it’s not you, which I believe you, baby,” she suddenly smiled.

“Good,” he interjected with a laugh, “because I am really nothing more then a pub owner, for the last few years anyway. Of course, I have to tell you, luv, there is some illegal betting going on in that pub. But that’s really more of a harmless vice, right?” He grinned at his love, happy that she believed him, which she should after all.

“Hmmmm,” Buffy hummed at him, her right brow raised up again.

“Still,” she began, “that leaves us with the question of ‘who’ is the someone that is in Sunnydale to hurt Amy. And,” she sighed, “is it for revenge, or power, or both?”

“That list probably is the key, Princess,” Spike stated the obvious, “but until we find it? I can’t even think of a name to throw out there. Not one I can prove anything on that is. Yet.”

A/N: Long chapter, had to get our duo back on track. Hope the reasons behind Spike’s past murder were at least somewhat acceptable. And, I’m going to give you all a heads up, or hint or spoiler, whatever it is you want to call it:

Spike is telling the truth. Neither he or Wesley is involved with the threat against Amy St. Claire or her son. The ‘list’ does hold the key to who ‘might’ be involved.

In the next chapter, Buffy will find out about the mystery key and finally put two and two together, to get four.

Thanks for reading, please review. Luv, Spuf





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