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Chapter 21 – Reversal Effects


It took the better part of the day to track down Billy Fordham, but that wasn’t surprising. Amazing what kind of information could be acquired when the person who’s doing the asking inflicts enough pain. The sun had already set, and Spike was eager to finish this and get back to Buffy.

Standing in the shadows of the bar, Spike studied the young man, feeling the familiarity wash over him. Narrowing his eyes on the brunette, he couldn’t refrain from closing his eyes and shaking his head at the irony.

‘Bloody hell,’ he thought to himself. ‘The annoying ponce who wanted to trade Lucy for immortality…I guess she didn’t expect me to turn him after the plan backfired.’

Strangely, the rare thought of Lucy didn’t send a pain through his heart and gut like it usually did.

He realized that he hadn’t felt it in a long time.

Unless he was thinking about Buffy.

Clenching his jaw as he remembered that this was the man who had dared to mark her, Spike walked over to the bar, waiting until Ford turned around before speaking.

“Remember me?”

Staring at him for a moment, Ford’s eyes widened in comprehension. “Spike? Man, it’s been forever. What brings you to Vegas?”

“You,” he said in a low voice, inwardly smiling when some of Ford’s bravado fell away.

“Is that right?” he replied, trying to keep the easy smile on his face. “Well, I’m a little busy tonight, but-”

“Oh, I think we can make time,” Spike growled, grabbing him by the back of the neck and dragging him out the door.

Throwing him against the wall as they exited the building, Spike called his demon forth, growling as he looked at the other man.

“What did I do?” Ford asked, more out of irritation than fear.

“You tried to claim my girl.”

“Buffy?” he asked with a smile. “Didn’t just try- succeeded. Didn’t know she was yours, though.”

“Well, now you know,” Spike replied, his eyes flashing as he looked at the other man.

“You know, if she’s your girl, why didn’t I feel your claim?”

“Because I didn’t give her a claiming bite.”

“Then she’s not yours,” Ford said, keeping the same annoying smile on his face.

“Oh, she’s mine,” Spike retaliated, smashing his fist into the other man’s jaw before grabbing his collar and slamming him into a wall again. “You just have to look a little lower, mate,” he continued in a low voice, seeing the look of surprise on Ford’s face. “Making a little more sense now?”

“Look, she didn’t say anything and-”

“Doesn’t matter,” Spike growled. “You had the nerve to touch the woman who belongs to me. I’m the one she consensually gave herself to…she’s mine, and right now…you’re just in the way.”

Not giving the other man a chance to react, Spike thrust the stake into his unbeating heart, letting a smile cross his face as the dust exploded around him.

* * * * *

Buffy gasped at the tightening feeling in her neck, shuddering as it spread through her body before an uncontrollable trembling took her over. Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes as the feeling of relief passed through her.

She felt free.

* * * * *

Walking into the apartment building an hour later, Spike was surprised to see Buffy moving around the room restlessly. Seeing her tuck a stake into the waistband of her pants, he watched as she turned toward the door, nearly jumping out of her skin when she saw him standing there, her hand flying up to her chest as she gasped.

“What’s wrong, luv?” he asked, shutting the door behind them.

Hiding the fact that she was relieved to see him without a scratch on him, Buffy began walking toward him.

“Why would something be wrong?” she asked in a bored tone, not meeting his gaze as she walked passed him, reaching for the doorknob.

Grabbing her arm before she could make it out the door, Spike pulled her back to him, looking into her eyes to see what was wrong.

“Talk to me, Buffy.”

Briefly clenching her jaw as she reached into her pocket and extracted a cell phone, Buffy shoved it toward him, seeing his brows knit together as he looked at the small object. Recognizing his phone, he clenched his jaw when he realized he must’ve left it behind in his hurry to find and kill Ford.

“Call Aubrey,” she said in a soft voice, not willing to admit how jealous she was saying those two words as she avoided his gaze.

“She called?” he asked in confusion, cursing himself for forgetting the phone and consequently making Buffy possibly think that he’d been lying to her.

“About five times,” she replied in an irritated voice, slipping on her leather jacket over her tank top and walking out the door.

“Where are you going?” he asked, following after her and slamming the door behind them.

“Out,” she tossed over her shoulder, adjusting the coat around her body as she jogged down the stairs.

Catching up to her when she walked out the door, Spike cut in front of her, sending Buffy to an abrupt halt.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said in a quiet voice. “And it’s not true.”

Rolling her eyes, Buffy walked around him, cutting through the first alley she came to and gritting her teeth when Spike continued to follow her.

“It’s not…it’s you, Buffy. Just you,” he continued, trying to make her understand the full extent of his feelings toward her. “Talk to me,” he pleaded, once again cutting her off, not allowing her to pass by him as he blocked her path.

Refraining from hitting him in the nose, Buffy took a deep breath. “I have a life now. I don’t need you following me everywhere and…don’t you have some phone calls to return?” she asked, tossing her head to the side in mock ignorance before trying to move around him, only to be stopped again.

“You are more important than this,” he insisted, holding up the phone before putting it in his pocket.

Ignoring the thrill that rushed through her, Buffy desperately held onto her frustration and anger, unwilling to let him wedge himself into her life.

“You just don’t get it, do you, Spike?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and leveling him with a cold gaze. “You don’t belong here. This is me now, and you don’t fit in my life. You had that chance and it’s gone now.”

Clenching his jaw in irritation, Buffy arched an eyebrow, refusing to be intimidated as his eyes sparked yellow.

She’d grown up.

The last year had turned her into a person she didn’t know she could be. And she wasn’t about to give up the feeling of independence and solidarity that she had created for herself.

Especially not for the man who had pushed her away and then did an about-face and decided he wanted her back.

Even if she did still love him.

“I have been searching for you for a year,” Spike said in a soft, menacing tone. “If you think I’m going to turn around and go home, leaving you here by yourself, you’re sadly mistaken.”

“You just don’t get it, do you?” she asked in exasperation. “I’ve been here by myself. I’ve survived and created something that no one was willing to let me do.”

“Because you were seventeen!” Spike yelled.

“And I’m not anymore,” she replied, throwing her arms out to her sides as her temper began to rise. Closing her eyes to control her emotions, she slowly opened them and took a calming breath. “I don’t need you assuming the protector role. I’m a big girl now, Spike. I can protect myself. I’ve been able to do that for years, but you just never cared to notice.”

“And if I want to be in the protector role?”

“I’ve had enough of being protected. Especially from…”

Trailing off and looking skyward as the familiar presence washed over her for the first time in over a year, Buffy licked her lips with a heavy sigh, not bothering to turn around as a disbelieving smile formed on her lips. “Hello, Father.”





Thanks so much to: spuffette, Ariel Dawn, Melissa, demon424, Cordykitten, Sevvy_O, Brunettepet, Adriana, Crystal Pegasus, Franchesca, Kimber, daisy, Amanda, Caitie, Jessica, pj, BuffyandSpikeForever, shelly, melissa g, Panta_Rei, Tasha, Jen, BuffyRat, gypsy_jin, willowmouse, starhawk, & jessiesaly for reviewing!





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