STAKE YOUR CLAIM
Chapter 9: ‘Mail From Home’
Buffy busied herself, cleaning up the school room, even as young Andrew Snyder cleaned the chalk erasers for her. It was a Wednesday in middle October and Buffy had just finished the last hour of school for the day.
“I’m about done, Miss Summers,” the fifteen-year-old said eagerly, “is there anything else I can do before I head home?”
The Teacher smiled warmly at Andrew, he was one of her brightest students, showed real potential for his numbers and Buffy thought he might be a good business man, eventually.
“No,” Buffy sighed wearily, “we are pretty much finished up here, Andrew. Thank you for all of your help, you really come through for me and I do appreciate it. Head on home and say hi to your Mother and Father for me.”
Andrew brushed the excess chalk residue off of his hands and waved goodbye to Buffy, scurrying off to finish his home chores. After the student had left, Buffy threw her wrap over her shoulders, the weather had cooled considerably in the last couple of weeks.
‘It was just a last month that the weather was hot,’ Buffy mused, remembering the little ‘scene’ at the river with Spike.
She couldn’t help herself, Buffy blushed just thinking about that afternoon with Spike when she’d almost let him do things that she certainly should not have. Since then, she’d seen Spike, of course, going to the Gile’s for Sunday supper, always escorted by him and Drusilla or Connor. Spike had dropped by a few times by the school house and her home, but he always had Connor or Angel with him, respecting her wishes that they not be alone together.
‘Can’t imagine what the Gile’s family must think!’ she chuckled as she closed the front door of the school house and headed home.
Riley was supposed to stop by her house that evening, before his watch at the jail house and Buffy was just a little apprehensive about that. Lately, the few times they had seen each other, Riley was more aggressive then usual with Buffy.
Last time Riley had walked her home from the Diner, he’d bent to kiss her goodnight on the front porch and when she turned to offer her cheek, as usual, he grabbed her chin and positioned her lips to meet his. Buffy, who was surprised to say the least, was also a tad dissapointed in the kiss. She had felt absolutely no sparkage or flow of passion at all, certainly nothing like she felt when Spike kissed her.
“I’m an idiot,” Buffy sighed, shuffling slowly home down the dusty road. “I’m playing stupid coy, silly flirty games that I’m not good at and don’t really want to be.”
Buffy was supposed to stop by the Mercantile and see Willow, there was a package for her from home and Daniel had brought it earlier that day. Johnathan Rosenberg, who was Willow’s cousin and her Uncle Saul’s only son from his first marriage, had run the message down to Buffy earlier that day.
There was a package and two letters from Greenville waiting for her at the Mercantile, with Willow.
“Hi Buffy!” Willow called to her as she slipped into the Mercantile, “I’ve got quite a lot for you today!” the red head hurried over with the package and letters.
“I hope it’s good news,” she nodded at the mail while eyeing the package with curiosity.
“Okay, Willow,” Buffy giggled, “I’ll open the package here, but the letters I’m reading at home, after supper, a bath and some tea. And, my dear,” Buffy continued to scold Willow lovingly, “isn’t it about time you stayed at home. You look like you’re about to pop with that little baby!”
Willow giggled, “Doc Wilkens is close by, Buffy. I’ll be fine when the little pumkin comes out!”
Both the young women giggled loudly and sat down to open Buffy’s mysterious package.
‘Meanwhile back at the (Giles’) Ranch:
Spike sat looking out the window of the dining room while his family chatted amicably about the table. Dinner was over, but the boys, Angel, Connor and himself sat over coffee and discussed some ranch business with their Father, Rupert Giles.
If Spike was remotely interested in the conversation, he certainly didn’t show it, he was too intent on staring out the window and thinking about Buffy Summers. Later that night, Spike and Angel were going to go into town, have a drink and play cards at the Silver Spur.
Well, at least Spike was going to do that, Angel, no doubt would end up at Maggies’ with one of the whores for hire, probably Amy. Since Spike was no longer interested in whores or any other female besides Buffy, he would hang out at one of the other saloons in town, drink until he couldn't see straight, but hopefully win a lot of money from some unsuspecting card players from town. Spike was good at a lot of things, poker was definitely one of them.
“So,” Rupert was saying, “you think it’s going to be a warmer winter William?”
Spike just stared out the window, missing his Father’s question altogether.
“So,” Rupert cleared his throat and spoke louder, “you think your brother, Connor, should attend Oxford University?”
Again, Spike ignored his Father as if he’d said nothing.
“So!” Rupert said even louder, “what do you think that we should buy Buffy and Riley Finn for a wedding present, William?”
That got Spike’s attention, “What the bloody hell are you talking about?” he growled with a frown at his old man. All three of the other males broke out into roars of laughter.
“I’m talking about how you are in love with Buffy Summers and just wondering what the bloody hell you intend on doing about it?”
Rupert smiled wryly at his oldest son, “if you don’t make your move soon, son,” the Father scrunched up his brows, “you might just watch her walk down the aisle with that wanker Riley Finn. What do you think of that?”
Spike glanced around the table at his Father and brothers, “I think,” he said with a smirk, “that before I let Buffy marry Riley Finn, or any other bloke for that matter, that I’ll kidnap her, ravish her and make her come to her senses,” he only half joked.
Rupert Giles grinned at his oldest son, “good show, son. I always knew you had it in you boy!” This time, all of the men at the table roared with laughter.
Riley Finn was shuffling about Buffy’s front porch, that ‘aw shucks’ expression on his handsome face, which was quite wearing thin with her by now.
“Thank you for stopping by tonight, Riley,” Buffy said somewhat impatiently, “I always feel better when you check up on me. Make sure I’m okay and all.”
The tall dark man grinned happily, but then frowned slightly, “I was wondering, Buffy,” he stammered.
Buffy bit her lower lip, ‘this doesn’t sound good,’ she thought nervously.
“Wondering?” she asked brightly, even though it was a faked smile she showed Riley.
“I, well,” Riley paused, “I’ll just come out and ask it. Do you care for Spike Giles Buffy?”
‘Oh, just great!’ Buffy sighed to herself, ‘now I suppose Riley’ll tell me I can’t visit with Spike anymore! Geez, Men!’
Riley looked at her so earnestly, his big brown eyes were clouded with doubt and confusion.
“I do care for Spike,” Buffy finally answered honestly, “he’s a good man, Riley. He and I, we have some things in common, I truly enjoy discussing certain things with him. And of course, he and his family have been very good to me.”
With a scowl, Riley shook his dark head, “I guess, Buffy,” he sighed in frustration, “but I can’t help thinking that maybe he’s not ‘safe’ you know?”
Buffy raised her right eyebrow, “safe?” she asked, confused herself now.
“Well,” Riley began cautiously, “I guess, I mean, he is a murderer and his family is the richest in the Territory. I don’t know, guess I’m afraid he might turn your head or something that is.”
Riley finished with a whimper, apparently he finally noticed that Buffy was no longer smiling at him.
Buffy tensed up, but tried to keep her famous temper in check. “Well, Riley,” she began carefully, “first off, I don’t feel that Spike is a murderer, I think everyone around here pretty much figured that one out. And, as far as safe, Spike has always been a gentleman to me (liar, liar, Buffy! She hissed to herself), and again, his family has been good to me. Actually,” she hesitated, scrunching up her brows thoughtfully, “it’s really none of your businsess, Spike, me and the Giles’ family. I mean, I certainly don’t discuss your’s and my friendship with them, so…”
Riley hung his head in shame, “I’m sorry Buffy,” he sighed again, “just a little insecure about Spike, the Gile’s, a lot of things I guess.”
He shot her a ‘puppy dog’ look that tugged at her heart and made her feel less then worthy of Riley’s friendship.
“It’s okay, I understand,” she replied with another warm smile. “I think it’s time for your watch, wouldn’t want you to be late, Riley,” she offerred with a wink.
When he leaned down to kiss her, Buffy turned her cheek to him quickly, “night Buffy,” Riley sighed as he sauntered off by himself.
“Good night Riley,” Buffy called as she turned to go back inside her home to reread the disturbing letters from home.
Spike had been sitting at a poker table in the Silver Spur for over an hour now, while his little brother, Angel, was over at Maggies enjoying the company of Amy, at least he supposed so anyway. Taking another gulp of beer, Spike glanced at his pocket watch then nodded at the man that set across the table from him.
“Well?” he asked with a grin to Sam Jenkins, the man who had just called him on his bet.
“Three Jacks,” Sam grinned smugly with a daring look at Spike.
Spike grinned even wider, “three Kings,” he laid down the royalty cards in his hands.
“Oh fuck!” Sam grumbled, throwing fifty dollars out on the table.
“How about another go?” Bill, the local Undertaker asked eagerly.
“Nah,” Spike chuckled, “I’m done for the night.”
He swept his winnings into his right hand with his left one and gave the five men at the table a saintly smile, “til next time, mates,” he assured them as he left the table and the saloon.
As Spike sauntered down Main Street, he ran smack dab into his younger brother, Angel, just returning from a tumble with one of Maggie’s girls.
“Done so soon?” Spike chuckled as he lit a cigarette and took a deep, satisfying drag.
“Took long enough,” Angel smirked back at his brother, taking one of Spike’s cigarettes for himself.
“I’m going down to the Silver Spur, gonna’ have a drink and play some cards,” Angel continued glancing off down the dark street, “wanna come back with me? See if we can take these local losers for their bread money?”
Spike shook his head, “nah, I’m done for the night. Thought I’d take a walk, past Buffy’s place.”
The older brother looked longingly down the street to where Buffy’s house sat in between the Rayne’s and Jenkins houses.
“Hey,” that reminds me, Angel said, his dark brows scrunched together in thought. “When I was leavin’ Amy’s room, guess who I saw goin’ into Faith’s room?”
Angel studied his older brother, perhaps a bit unsure if he should relay this information he had to him.
“Who?” Spike shrugged indifferently.
“Riley Finn,” Angel answered quickly, looking away from his older brother. “What the fuck!” Spike growled, “that fucking bastard!”
Angel grabbed Spike’s arm, “look big brother,” he scowled, “just because you choose to live like a monk and wait for Buffy, doesn’t mean Riley’s up to it. Besides, at least it’s pretty clear that the good Deputy is not getting any closer to Buffy Summer’s virtue then you are, right?”
Spike grimaced, but his little brother had a point. Not that he, Spike, had any doubt that Buffy had done little more then allow Riley to kiss her hand or cheek, still, it was kind of nice to know this little secret of pompous, pious Deputy Finn.
“True,” Spike finally sighed, taking another long drag of his smoke.
“You know,” Angel began thoughtfully with a devlish grin, “you could go tell the lovely Buffy all about Riley’s outside activities. Clear a bigger path for you to Buffy, huh?”
Spike frowned then shook his head, “no,” he stated firmly. “It might hurt Buffy’s pride and that’s very important to her, pride that is. She’s got something brewing around in her pretty little head, something that troubles her, Angel, I don’t want her thinking that it’s her fault, well, that Riley goes to whores. It’s enough for Buffy to know that ‘I’ don’t go to whores and other women, I don’t want her hurt or humiliated by Riley or anyone else.”
Angel gave his brother a look of pure admiration, “you’re a hell of a guy, you know that Spike?” he smiled and patted the older man’s shoulder.
“Thanks,” Spike grinned at Angel, “just hope Buffy realizes that soon.”
Spike looked back down the Main street, to the place where Buffy’s little house sat, “I’ll be back to fetch you in an hour or so, Angel,” he told his younger brother, “good luck at cards.”
With that, Spike stubbed out his cigarette with his black boot and strode off down to Buffy's house. ‘If she doesn’t let me in the place,’ he surmised, ‘I’ll just fucking hang around outside, throw stones at her window, until I wake up the neighborhood.’
Buffy sat out on her front porch swing, looking up at the night stars above her. Xander Harris, at his wife Anya’s insistence, had put together the little wooden porch swing for Buffy. Anya was constantly coming up with new ways to repay Buffy for her kindness and teaching her the ABC’s and math numbers.
“Buffy doesn’t have to do this, Xander,” Anya had explained right in front of Buffy, “I want to do something for her, make things nice here for her.”
Buffy had sewn up some pillows for the swing and used it to receive both her gentlemen callers whenever they stopped by. Tonight, she was alone, having read the troubling letters from Tennessee and sending Riley off earlier to his watch at the jailhouse.
‘Maybe Riley’s kiss was so uhm, bland,’ she pondered as she sipped her tea, ‘because my mind is on the letters from Mama and Papa…and Dawnie.’
She sighed and stared up at the stars above her, “funny,” she thought out loud, “but the stars here seem even closer at night then they do at home. Could almost reach out and touch them.”
Buffy heard a noise at the gate of her picket fence.
“Evening, Princess,” Spike greeted softly as he leaned up against the white wooded fence that surrounded her front yard.
“Hi, Spike,” she smiled warmly, automatically forgetting the ‘no alone’ rule she had imposed just weeks before for them. Waving him into the yard, Buffy stood up from the swing and adjusted her little blue dress, smoothing out the wrinkles she had gotten from sitting and musing for so long.
The smile on Spike’s face warmed Buffy’s heart and sent a shiver through her body, one that she would rather try and ignore, but couldn’t seem to. Spike sauntered up to the porch his grin was infectuous and Buffy could not help but smile back at him.
“Have a seat, Spike,” she pointed at the porch swing. “I don’t suppose you’d maybe like a little glass of brandy? I’m having one myself, that is if you promise not tell anyone that their school teacher imbibes sometimes?”
She grinned mischieviously at the handsome man and turned to go into the house.
“I’d love a brandy, luv,” he purred as he plopped down on the swing, “and of course, your secret is safe with me.”
Spike waited impatiently for Buffy to return. It wasn’t that he gave a rat’s arse for the brandy, not really, but he wanted to spend time with Buffy, even if it was in plain view of the neighbors, out on her little porch. Buffy hurried out to the swing, handing him his glass and sitting down next to him on the swing with a frustrated sigh.
“What’s wrong Buffy?” Spike asked, genuinely concerned as he sipped the brandy and eyed her up and down.
“Oh,” Buffy sighed again looking down at her glass, “it’s my little sister. It’s Dawn.”
He lowered the glass from his lips and looked at Buffy with real concern, “is your little sis okay, Buffy?” he asked.
She remained quiet for a minute, but then shook her blond, gorgeous head and said softly, “no. Well, yes and no. Tell me something Spike. Does Connor ever tell you what Dawn and he write to each other about in their letters? I know they correspond, but does he ever say?”
Spike shook his head, “no,” he replied honestly, “I mean he mentions that she writes and all, but never what’s in the letters. Why?”
“I got two letters from home today,” Buffy scowled. “One was from my parents, the other was from Dawn. Apparently, Dawn is giving my folks the fits about some things and I’m afraid it is only going to get worse. My Papa, he wants me to move home and…..”
Spike bolted up from the swing, “like hell!” he cried adamantly, “you are not going back to Tennessee!”
Buffy couldn’t help it, she saw the look of determination on Spike’s face and had to laugh, “no,” she assured him with another chuckle, “I am certainly not going back to Tennessee. But,” she continued as Spike sat back down on the swing with a blush, “I’m going to have to come to some understanding with Papa, Mama and Dawnie. A compromise that I think we can all live with. I’m glad you’re here, Spike,” she patted his arm gently, “I need to ask your opinion and believe it or not, I do value that.”
He smiled at her and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, “do you mind, luv?” he asked politely. She shook her head no and he lit it up, watching her intently.
“It seems that Dawn has gotten it in her pretty little head to,” and Buffy stopped to sigh in exhasperation, “to join an acting troupe that passed through Greenville recently.”
Spike raised his right eye brow and smirked a little, causing Buffy to grimace, “it’s not funny Spike,” she scolded him, “I don’t know how Cheyenne takes actors and actresses, but in Greenville? Brother! They are right up there with prostitutes and scoundrels!”
She blushed profusely in embarrassment at her words.
He nodded, “I suppose my old man would have thrown a fit if Dru had’ve wanted to prance around the London stage and all.”
Buffy nodded, “yes, he would have had a fit, but here’s the thing. Dawnie is claiming that she is being stifled in Greenville, told Papa and Mama that if she can’t break out of that boring town, she would just have to join the troupe, make a new, more exciting life for herself. Scares us all, Dawn can be quite high strung and bull headed! Can’t imagine where she gets all this nerve and stubborness,” Buffy sighed, squinting her brows together again.
“Can’t imagine,” Spike chuckled, tucking one of her golden strands behind her closest ear.
“Seriously, Spike,” Buffy scowled again, “this is serious and very scary, especially for Papa. What I’ve come up with is this; I thought I would have Papa and Mama bring Dawn out here, for a while anyway. Maybe until after the Holidays. Of course, they, my parents, would have to go home soon, but Dawnie could stay, help out in the school, find out some things about life out here. Might do her some good. What I want to know is, what do you think?”
Spike thought about this for a while, “well,” he mumbled, “it might do the girl some good. Get her out here, with you, help her grow up and learn a bit about real life. You’d make a great Mum, Buffy, at least a great surrogate Mum for your little sis. I know Connor would just love this idea!”
He grinned at Buffy who rolled her beautiful green eyes at him, “yes,” she giggled softly, “he would, wouldn’t he?”
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment or two, then Spike said, “I spose Dad and Jennifer could be persuaded to sponsor Dawn out here, talk to your folks too. They just love the Summer’s women you know?”
He smiled tenderly at Buffy, again tucking another blond tress behind her ear, “you seem to have cast a spell over the Gile’s men, at least ‘you’ have this one, Buffy.”
Buffy tensed up for a minute, then seemed to relax and kind of lean back into the swing cushions, “so, you think I can maybe handle Dawn?” she asked, her green eyes wide with trepidation.
“Buffy,” Spike murmered, leaning into her sweet face until he was just inches from it, “I think ‘you’ could handle the Hole in the Wall Gang, on their worst day if you wanted to.”
He reached over and took Buffy’s tiny hand in his own, delighted when she didn’t pull it away right off.
A/N: Well, I know, another too long chapter and a real hokey, fantastic way to get Dawn out to Cheyenne, Wyoming with Buffy. But, this is fantasy and as spoiled and head strong was Dawn was in the show, I thought it wouldn’t be too far-fetched. I hope people are keeping with this story, it will get more and more Spuffy, promise. Let’s face it, the minute that Buffy hit Cheyenne, Riley, Holden and the other guys didn’t have a chance with her! Thanks, please read and review if you like, Luv, Spuf.
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