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Chapter 15: ‘Buffy’s Wake Up Call’



If Buffy could have breathed, maybe she could have said something, done something, like run out of that room #7 and away from William. But, she couldn’t breathe at the moment, in fact, she felt like she was suffocating.

Instead of making a run for the door and escaping from him, she did exactly as she was told. She sat down on the little chair by the table, her head hung down, eyes focused on her perfectly pedicured nails.

Although she prided herself on being a ‘woman of the new Millenium’, lately Buffy had come to realize she was more submissive then most of the females she’d grown up with. When she was little, up until her early twenty’s, Buffy played ‘daddy’s little girl’ for Hank Summers, someone who did not deserve her respect, much less her love. Mama had always ‘adored’ her good little girl, Buffy; she was such a little Saint.

And Angel? Well, as long as she fit into his ideal of a ‘Travers Stepford Wife’ then everything was just dandy at the homefront. Except, everything was not well on the Travers’ homefront and hadn’t been for a long time.

She did not watch William pace around in front of her, like a nervous cat or expectant father. Rather, she felt him do it.

By the time he finally spoke again, he’d finished off a cigarette and cursed at least fifteen times, if she was truly keeping count. Which she must have been, because she couldn’t allow herself to think of anything else at that moment.

William’s revelation that he knew about the other men in her life had knocked some of her own marital self-righteousness out of her. Somewhat like getting the wind knocked out of you, which she knew all too well about. Once, when they were first married, Angel had become enraged when she had spent way too much on a piece of art.

He hadn’t meant to do it, of course, and later he would be beyond consolation for it. But, he’d hit her, open handed, and slapped her down into the mantel of their living room fireplace. The wind knocked out of her for almost a minute, she guessed. He apologized profusely never hit her again after that, but, she never forgot it either.

When William finally spoke, his voice was quiet, but stern. Buffy just couldn’t look at him, she was too mortified by the whole thing. He must of known something; his words earlier proved that. However, what or how or why he knew, she wasn’t sure and was rather afraid to find out.

“Buffy,” he sighed, lighting another cigarette, “sometimes you are rather dense.”

‘Just a couple hours ago,’ she thought sadly, ‘he called me smart.’

“Not stupid, really,” he added as he put out his cigarette and turned to face her once again. “You’re just naïve about a lot of things, luv.”

She glanced up at him, to find him crouched in front of her, his indigo eyes level with her green ones.

William ran his hand through his blond hair, “you are a smart girl, except when it comes to certain ‘things’ and certain people. I’m going to give you a much needed wake up call, Princess.”

He must have read the confused look in her eyes because he went on to try and explain.

“For example,” he began, “you think you know your precious Angel. But you don’t know him for shit!”

The loudness of his voice caused Buffy to sink back into her chair. She felt like a cornered cat and she was suddenly very frightened of being in the room with him.

Spike was already sorry for the way he had snapped at Buffy, but he automatically went into defense mode when she tried to sneak out. Oh, and when she had spouted off all that ‘married, can’t happen again bullshit,’ he’d gone into a panic. He didn’t react well in panic; he never had.

‘After all this,’ he thought, determined, ‘I’ll be God damned if she’s going to end this as soon as it’s began!’

In his heart, he realized that she needed to know at least some of the truth. About what a prick Angel really was, but he was afraid to reveal too much about him, too soon.

“Buffy,” he reached out to touch her cheek only to see and feel a lone tear there. She pulled away from him, which cut him to the core. He had not intended on making her cry; only a couple of hours before they were laughing in bed together. To see her now, cowering from him, trying to hide the threatening tears, it hurt him more then he could ever admit.

However, when she looked away from him, that damn stubborn Buffy expression on her face, he hardened his heart once again. His next words to her would be deliberate, hurtful and cruel.

“You really think Angel is a trusting fool, don’t you, Princess?” he snorted as he pulled her head around to face him. Buffy’s wild-eyed, puzzled look caused him to smirk in spite of himself.

“Well,” he’s a bloody fool, true enough,” he hissed, “but he’s not all that trusting. At least not lately.”

She asked with her eyes rather then words, and he couldn’t help but laugh out loud. ‘Poor little Buffy,’ he thought almost maliciously, ‘my poor little sweet. She’s waking up now, innit she?’

“That day, at your hubby’s office when we ‘bumped’ into each other?” His Little Buffy just nodded, numbly. “I was there because I was ‘checking in’ with your Daddy Angel. You, see, pet,” he said matter of factly, “your hubby hired me a while back to kind of ‘check up on you.”

Spike hoped his smug expression would hit home with her, but she piped up, defiantly, “you mean spy on me?”

He nodded, “well, damn, Buffy,” he quipped, “maybe you’re less dense then I thought?”

He knew she just wanted to slap the shit out of him, her whole demeanor said so, but he also knew she wouldn’t dare. No, she needed more information and answers from him. Like he had told her, she was naïve, but not necessarily stupid.

“What does Angel know?” she asked meekly, unable to look at him.

“Nothing,” Spike responded harshly as he stood and lit another cigarette. “I told your precious significant other that you were a perfect bloody Saint, always.”

Buffy shot him an undeserved grateful look he really couldn’t bear to see.

“I’m not that fucking noble, Buffy,” he spit out at her, “don’t give me that ‘oh my white knight’ look. I have my own reasons for keeping Angel in the dark about your ‘other life’ and they ‘are’ purely selfish, I assure you.”

“So,” Buffy looked at him evenly, “what exactly do you know, Spike?”

She knew her sarcastic tone matched his own, and she hoped he noticed that she used his nickname instead of the usual William, or Will.

‘Serves him right,’ she thought,’I hope it hurts!’

It did, she could tell, his jaw clenched and his blue eyes became slits. Whatever his motives, Buffy realized that jealousy had to be part of it; his whole stance just reeked of it.

“I know about that little spoiled shit, Connor and of course clueless Xander. But, the one that really slays me is Finn!” William shook his head, he certainly wasn’t laughing now, “I mean, fucking Riley Finn, Buffy?” She just shrugged.

William actually growled and hunkered down in front of her again, blocking her escape from the chair by putting both his hands on either arm of it. “I’m pretty sure I know ‘why’ you’re doing them, it’s that Chase bitch right

She nodded, suppressing the urge to strike out and scratch that smirk on on his face, right off.

“Yeah, well,” he continued evenly, “I’ve known about your Angel for a while. The cheating, a lot of things. Kept me on my toes, kept me on watch. I’ve been watching you for years Buffy, just waiting for that fuck to make the mistake I needed to strike. Just like the snake I really am!”

Buffy found herself pressed against the back of the chair, again, William’s face almost looked demonic now and she swallowed hard to get up her courage.

“So, Angel hired you to spy on me,” she started, her voice almost a whine, “and he told you things like, where I’d be and all? Like the Bronze the other night?”

“Seems you just answered your own question, luv,” he snapped back as he watched her digest all this information.

There it was again, that ‘deer caught in the headlights’ look of hers that he could never resist. Trying very hard to remain stern and not to just take her in his arms and cuddle her, he pondered his next statement, carefully.

“I don’t really think Angel ever believed you were cheating on him, Buffy,” his voice was much lower and gentler, “I think it was just that old thing of he’s out fucking around so ‘you’ have to be too. Don’t fret, I convinced him that you aren’t.”

Spike had to get through to her; Angel was a monster. Well, he, Spike could be a bad ass monster too; but he’d never jeopardize his relationship, much less his marriage to Buffy, of all women by being a cheating prick like Angel.

To his horror, Buffy broke out in a torrent of tears, accompanied by sobs that neared the level of wails!

“Oh bloody hell!” he cried as he kicked the end table out of frustration, “stop the damn waterworks, already!”

He couldn’t allow himself to feel sympathy for her right now, he was too wrapped up in trying to figure out just why she’d come here tonight, to be with him.

“Why’re you crying, Princess,” he asked with a sneer, “cos’ you got caught out? Cos’ Angel doesn’t trust you? Or is it cos’ your bloody game of revenge came back to kick your arse?”

Buffy let loose with another torrent of tears and he cursed himself for being so harsh with his questions.

‘God,’ he thought ruefully, ‘I’m pathetic, she’ll always rule over me.’ She looked like a little girl, right now, one who’d gotten caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

“A little of all three of those reasons, William,” she sobbed as she tried to wipe the traitorous tears from her hot face. “But mostly cos’ I just realized that all this meant to you,” she pointed at the bed they’d shared, “was a way to get revenge on Angel and me. For that, you know, night back in High School.”

When she was done with her accusation, she burst out into a torrent of tears and tried to get up to leave again. He stopped her, again, and tossed her on the bed with ease. Pinning her down with his own body, he forced her to face him with his free hand.

“First off,” he growled, “this did not just mean revenge to me!” He slammed his fist on the bed, right by her left shoulder. “Listen to me,” he commanded, “Listen!”

He ordered again, taking her face into both of his hands, his teeth clenched. “I have wanted you forever. I want you now, and,” he looked at her with resignation, “I’m cursed to want you to the day I die.”

With a chuckle and a shake of his head he added, “you were the pay off, Buffy. Stickin’ to that prick Angel was just a bonus, nothing more.”

Buffy searched his dark blue eyes and just knew that he was telling her the truth.

“So, what about you?” he muttered, his tone more frustrated then angry. “Why’re you here, now, with me? Just revenge?”

She should have known he’d eventually ask about ‘that’ when she shot off about being hurt about his intentions before. Buffy didn’t answer right away, mainly because she needed to sort out her emotions and speak her mind properly. Her quick responses and unthoughtful quips had gotten her in trouble before; look at that night back in High School, the one that had started this whole disaster. Finally, she spoke, her voice was very soft, but clear and she hoped William would believe her.

“No,” she began, “if that was the case, Will, I’d have sought you out in the first place. You’d have been the ‘one’ I’d have taken up with to get back at Angel.”

He was looking at her with those big blue orbs, all glazed over, searching her face for honesty.

“I,” she continued with a little crack in her voice, “I couldn’t just use you like that, Will. Not after what I did to you back then. That, would make me a complete skank instead of just the pathetic whore that I’ve become.”

She looked away from him, so ashamed she felt ill all over. Her next sentence came out shakey and mumbled, but she was sure he could hear her, even though she was unable to look at him.

“A part of me always wanted you too, especially when I was in college and all. But after that mess from our past, I guess I just was afraid ‘you’d’ reject me. What do they say in sports; the best offense is a good defense. That’s why I was so distant with you all those years. I didn’t want you to hurt me, the way I hurt you. And I’m sorry Will, I’m sorry I hurt you that night. And tonight,” she added as an after thought.”

She had more or less directed this statement at the wall next to the bed, still afraid to look at him.

“Besides, I could never ‘fool’ you Will. I can fool my mom, my friends, apparently Angel somewhat, even myself, but never you. And, of course, anyone I became involved with, I’d ‘have’ to be able to fool. They couldn’t know that I was out to revenge myself on my own husband.”

Spike wanted to believe her, everything she said made sense to the romantic in him. However, a part of him was too insecure to completely buy all of her story.

‘Was she saying ‘she cared about him in some way, truly?’ he wondered in disbelief. The cynic in him won over, whispered to him, ‘well, it’s all very fine and good to spout all of her good intentions, but the fact of the matter was; she behaved like a whore with losers that weren’t fit to lick her feet.

‘They better not have licked her feet!’ he thought as a jealous wave washed over him, again. He got up from the bed, abruptly, stalked over to get a cigarette. While he smoked it, he watched her carefully.

She sat up, her pretty little dress now wrinkled beyond repair,about her. Another one of those priceless expressions was on her pretty face. One of those ‘what me lie?’ looks of hers.

“You don’t believe me?” she whined in stunned disbelief, her eyes wide in shock.

“Doesn’t matter,” he answered in his best dead calm tone. “All’s that matters is you’re with me now. And make no mistake, Princess. You’re going to stay with me.”

He stubbed out the cigarette and sat down on a chair without looking away from her.

“I’m going to be straight with you Buffy,” Spike sighed deeply as he leaned into her.

Buffy didn’t like the sound of this or the way he was looking at her; like a cat with a mouse. A very uneasy feeling began in the pit of her tummy and rose to her throat. She felt like she’d ‘lost’ something and wasn’t going to get it back anytime too soon.

“It’s a bitch when you lose your control, isn’t it, Princess,” he sneered at her with mock menace.

‘Damn him,’ she cringed, ‘he always knows what I’m thinking!’

“Because now I have it. You see that don’t you Princess?” he asked simply. “If you hadn’t come to me, willingly, I was going to use the information I had to blackmail you into my bed,” he told her his face emotionless.

“And,” he continued in that snarky tone she just detested, “if I’m capable of that, what makes you think I wouldn’t use it to keep you in my bed?”

There was that damn smug smirk again and Buffy felt like turning on the tears once more. Problem was, they wouldn’t necessarily work on William.

“What if I just go to Angel, William?” her bravado was slowly returning and she stuck her chin out in defiance. “What if I just go to him, tell him I know about Cordelia Chase?”

This caught his attention, he searched her face to see if she truly would call his bluff.

“What if,” she continued as she stood up, proud and tall (well at least as tall as a not quite 5’3” inch girl could) “I confessed what I did because of him and Cordy. What’s the worse he can do? Divorce me?”

‘There,’ she smirked now as she leaned over to grab her purse from the night stand, ‘that’ll shut him up!’

Before she could get to the door, William called out to her, “Buffy,” his voice was so serious, she had to turn and caught the worried look he gave her. He slowly walked over to her, “I don’t think ‘divorce’ is in Angel’s vocabulary. I’m afraid,” he continued, serious as a heart attack, “he’d do more then divorce you. And Buffy, he’d go after your three buddies, too.”

Buffy didn’t have a good come back for that one. William was implying that Angel wouldn’t divorce her, he’d see her dead first? Her and everybody else involved? Deep down in her heart and soul, she knew that William was not exagerating. Angel would have her killed if he found out, but probably only after making her watch everyone else die first. She finally saw just how dangerous her own husband and his tremendous ego really was; in fact she realized she didn’t even know him anymore.

Buffy was terrified, Spike could see that he had scared her eyes open about Angel, finally. Before she could say another word, he pointed to the bed and ordered her, “get naked and get back in bed now.”

She hesitated, but began to do as she was told, much to his inner relief. When she’d undressed she lay her little things on one of the chairs and crawled into bed and under the covers; her expression one of utter defeat.

A pang of remorse shot through his cold heart when she lay with her back to him. He ignored the pang, “I’m gonna’ have a smoke, then I’ll be there,” he said harshly and lit up a cigarette.

“Christ, but I need a drink,” he muttered and went to the honor bar for some real liquer.

Spike sat on the empty chair and smoked another cigarette while he finished off the whole bottle of Jack Daniels from the bar. It was one of those little ‘airline’ sized ones, so it wasn’t that much, really. At least that sounded like good reasoning to him.

He was tired and still slightly pissed off, but he wanted to give Buffy some space before he joined her in bed again. Finally, he tossed back the last gulp of whiskey and crawled back into bed, next to her.

She was feigning sleep, he knew it, no way she was asleep now. Although, he was sure she was as exhausted as he, no way could she be asleep after what went on earlier. That was good, because for what he was about to say, he needed her wide awake.

“Buffy,” he whispered; no answer. “Buffy, luv,” he tried again, except this time he jostled her gently with his right hand. “Listen to me,” he commanded softly.

“What?” she asked in a shaky voice, sorry her sleep act hadn’t fooled him. She never could fool ‘him.’

“I want you to get rid of them.”

Buffy rolled over and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“Who?” but she was more then sure of just who William meant.

“Cut them all loose, all three of them; the whelp, your lap dog, Harris and that prick Riley Finn. All of them.”

Before she could ask ‘how’ he placed his hand on her left cheek and kissed her forehead, almost tenderly. “As far as I’m concerned, my sweet, I own you now, and I don’t share what’s mine. You don’t need them anymore. I have an exclusive claim on you and I want them off your mind and out of your life, as soon as possible,” he ordered gruffly.

Buffy wasn’t really stunned, this was classic William in control of things. Frankly, she was relieved to have a solid reason to dump the others, even if it was to molify him. Things were getting complicated enough and now they were only going to get worse.

William had complete control of her now, she couldn’t fool herself; he held all the cards. She resigned herself to the fact that she ‘had’ to do what he told her. How or when exactly she was going to complete the breaking up parts with Connor, Xander and Riley was another matter. She would have to do some well thought out planning for that.

“Okay, William,” she sighed tiredly.

“Get some sleep, Princess,” he murmered as he ran his fingertips softly down her cheek to her neck.

“You’ll see,” he went on soothingly, “it’ll work out all right for us. I’ve got your back, sweetheart. I promise.”

He felt her began to relax as he gently rubbed her shoulders and back, pulling her closer into him.

Suddenly, “William,” her voice was tense, unsure, “I’m still married to Angel. I have to behave like a uhm, you know wife to him. What about Angel?”

Through clenched teeth Spike responded gruffly, “Well, I can’t do anything about Angel.” ‘At least not yet’ he told himself.


A/N: This chapter was waaayyy too long, sorry. But I had to get some things straightened before I continued. I hope I wrote Buffy a bit more sympathetically and didn’t write Spike too mean. I love Spike, but I love Spuffy more. Thanks, Spuf














































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