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Author's Chapter Notes:
This is just a connector chapter- I wanted to combine it with the next one, but the following chapter still has some work that I need to do on it.
Chapter 24 – Loyalty in Death


3 Months Later


“Hey, Wills,” Buffy said with a bright smile when she heard her surrogate mother on the phone. “You just left here a few days ago- did you miss me already?”

Now that her entire family knew where she was, Buffy had not lacked for visitors. Her apartment was rarely empty for a solid week- once she apologized profusely to everyone she’d left behind in Sunnydale. Cordy had been the first to visit, spending a week with her after Angel left town, taking Buffy on numerous shopping sprees and spoiling her ‘daughter’. Xander and Anya passed through on their vacation, stopping for a night. Dawn e-mailed her everyday, and Giles had made sure to call at least twice a week, after visiting to check up on her. That left Tara to stay with her, leaving after a week, only to have Willow to visit when she got a week off work. Everyone she loved made an effort to reach out to her.

Except one.

Spike hadn’t been back to visit, which was more than a little disappointing, but that didn’t stop him from calling and checking on her at least three times a week. More often than not, he called every day. After taking a little time away from him, Buffy was excited to take a trip home in a few weeks.

“There’s a reason I’m calling, Buffy,” Willow said softly after a moment. “Have you talked to Spike?”

“Not for a few days,” she replied, feeling the knot that was forming in the pit of her stomach double in size when she realized that Spike had never gone more than two days without calling to check on her. “Why? Has something happened? Is Spike okay?” she asked, her voice taking on a frantic quality.

“Not to him…but, Buffy…I think you should come home.”

“I’ll be there in two weeks. Do I really need to come earlier?” she asked with trepidation, wishing that Willow would just tell her what was wrong.

“I think it would be for the best,” Willow said, holding Tara’s hand as they sat in the living room of their house, making the call that needed to be made.

“What’s wrong, Willow?”

“I just think…”

“Don’t shelter me, Wills. Tell me what’s going on!”

“Buffy…Aubrey was killed,” she replied in a choked whisper, clutching at Tara’s hand.

“Oh my God,” Buffy muttered, grabbing the arm of a nearby chair as she sat down, focusing on inhaling and exhaling sharply. Staying quiet for a long minute, she tried to wrap her mind around what she had just been told. “How?”

“Vampire,” Willow said in a soft whisper.

“Just one?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yeah,” Willow replied. “It was just…it was bad luck.”

“When did it happen?” she asked, feeling a little lightheaded that someone she’d known was gone.

“Two nights ago.”

Staying silent for a moment, Buffy shook her head, making herself snap out of the shock that was seeping into her. “How’s Spike?” she murmured.

“He’s…he’s okay. He’s in the basement right now…I think he’s still in a little bit of shock.”

“Can I talk to him?”

“Hold on a minute.”

Nervously standing up and pacing around the apartment, Buffy ran her hand through her hair, trying to figure out what to do first while she waited for Spike to pick up the phone.

‘Pack,’ she thought, biting her lip. ‘Get packed and get to the bus station. At the very least, you’ll be able to make it to Los Angeles by tomorrow morning, even if there’s not a direct ticket to Sunnydale. Someone can get me there or pick me up.’

“Hello.”

The sound of his gravelly voice on the other end of the line nearly had Buffy running out the door to be with him as fast as she could.

“Hey,” she said softly, feeling a smile pull at her lips, even through the distressing circumstances. This was still Spike. Still the man she had given her adolescent heart to, and he was still able to comfort her by just hearing his voice. Wishing that she could reach through the phone and offer him the same amount of comfort that he was giving her, she knew that no words would allow him that. “I’m sorry,” she whispered after a moment of silence.

“Not your fault,” he murmured. Buffy could almost picture his head leaning back against the wall as he let his eyes close. “It’s mine.”

“Spike, don’t say that. Don’t even think it.”

“Why not?” he asked with an edge to his voice. “It’s true. If I had been faster or stronger…she would still be here.”

“You couldn’t have known. It’s not like you stood back and let it happen.”

“No, but if I’d staked the one I was fighting, she might still…”

“You can’t think of all the ‘what ifs’. You’ll drive yourself crazy if you do.”

“Yeah?” Spike replied skeptically. Buffy could hear the cot that he must have been sitting on squeak as he sat up. “And what about the one that keeps running through my head? What if it had been you?”

“Spike…”

“What if you had been here, Buffy?” he asked in a choked voice, losing what little control he was holding on to. “What if I wasn’t fast enough to protect you? What if it happens in the future? I couldn’t forgive myself if I lost you.”

“It wasn’t me,” she whispered in a soothing voice. “I’m fine. I’m here…right here. And you’re not going to lose me.”

“I need you, luv,” he said softly, obviously taking a deep breath to control his emotions. “Come home.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” she murmured. “I promise.”

* * * * *

Calling Willow from the bus station the next morning, Buffy was exhausted. She had managed to get a ticket directly into Sunnydale, but between having to wait in the bus station and the long trip, she was craving a hot shower and soft bed.

Letting a sad smile play on her lips when she saw the car pull up to the curb, she eagerly jogged toward it, wrapping Willow and Tara in a hug and clinging to them. She never let it set in how much she missed her family until she was with them again. Willow hadn’t been able to make the trip to Vegas when Tara had been there a few weeks before, and Buffy was relieved to see both women together.

“Are you okay?” she asked, pulling back to look at the women who had raised her, studying their sad expressions. She had barely known Aubrey, only seeing her as a rival for Spike’s affections, but Willow and Tara had been living with her for a year and a half.

“As good as can be expected,” Willow said, trying to give her a smile as they walked toward the car.

“How’s Spike?”

“He’s…we’re not really sure,” Tara said as they climbed into the car. “He left last night after the two of you hung up. We think he went back to the crypt, but…”

“He wasn’t real forthcoming with the destination,” Willow added as Buffy stared out the window, looking at the town she hadn’t seen in over a year. The place that would always be a home to her.

“He’s at his crypt,” she murmured without a shadow of doubt in her voice, watching the trees fly by as they drove through the town. “Take me to him.”




Thanks so much to: nightengale1824, spuffette, daisy, Ariel Dawn, demon424, Sevvy_O, gypsy_jin, Charlene, Melissa, Cordykitten, Jessica, Franchesca, Kimber, stace, Amanda, melissa g, phantomwriter, Adriana, shelly, Caitie, Tasha, Jen, TammyAsh666, BuffyandSpikeForever, willowmouse, vamptasticA, & BuffyRat for reviewing!





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