It is set literally as season 6 begins (but this time there are no invading demon biker gang
“Niblet, I’m off on patrol.”
“That’s OK Spike, take as long as you want. The others should be home soon, but even if not, I am not going to leave the house … or open the door to anyone.” Dawn added before Spike could give her that command.
“See you soon. I’ll be back once I have done a quick sweep.”
And with that Spike headed out into the night. Both he and Dawn knew that he would finish off at Buffy’s grave as it had become a nightly routine. It seemed the one thing that was helping him cope with her loss – giving her a daily update as to what the Scoobies had been up to. Spike usually managed to leave just before the girls returned home, and overall that made for less tension and arguments. Dawn hadn’t told him that the time had been slowly getting later, as she enjoyed the freedom from answering Willow’s numerous questions.
Spike did as he had said and went through the local cemeteries, staking a couple of vampires as he went, before making his way to the quiet corner where Buffy was resting.
As he made his way across the cemetery he could hear the Scoobies chatting loudly, and realised they were all hovering over her grave. He was surprised as they hadn’t visited much, and now seemed to be settled in for some time. So, he waited to see why they had decided to sit in a circle round the grave, and other than making out a few part sentences, even his vampire hearing couldn’t pick up clear phrases, because, as ever, they seemed all determined to talk at the same time.
“… how long … didn’t work … hell … tired … fed up … why … why wait … “
Spike settled back, leaning against a tree in the hope he could work out why they were there, but mostly he heard Xander moaning about time, and Anya complaining about missing money. So, he smiled to himself and thought of the popular phrase *so no change there*.
In the end he didn’t have to wait too long, before they headed out of the area, and he made his way to the actual grave site. There seemed a lot of rubbish lying around, which truly annoyed him. Pens, pieces of paper with lots of foreign looking words, some empty containers, and even a half-eaten packet of mints. So, it took some time but he collected up the junk, and even a leaf, before heading to a nearby bin.
Once he was happy that Buffy was resting in peace, with a tidy space, he settled down to talk to her, and catch her up to date with Dawn’s day. He had just started his regular moan about the fact that math should be called maths when he was aware of the sounds of a vampire rising.
“No, it can’t be” he continued chatting to Buffy. “There aren’t any new graves near enough for me to hear, and I can’t sense anyone. But there is something happening …” he broke off as he suddenly understood that the noise was coming from the ground near his feet.
“But? … Who? … How? …” The only thing he could do was disturb her grave himself, and as he did he touched a human hand, which he automatically grabbed and pulled out into the night.
“Buffy, pet, what happened …” He started in a hushed voice, but on looking at her again realised that she looked as shocked and lost as he felt. He slowly pulled her back to the tree where he had been resting earlier and got them both to sit down. As he slowly put his arm around the trembling girl he felt tears gathering in her eyes. He just sat lost in shock and wonder, while slowly stroking his hand across the top of her arm as he felt her relax against him.
Part of him felt a sense of supreme peace, while part of him was seething with anger that someone had taken his girl away from her peace. Even though he kept his body relaxed for her, his mind was working furiously and it took him all his will-power not to scream the name Willow aloud when he worked out what had happened.
“Come on Pet, lets get you cleaned up. Would you like to get home so Niblet can help you? Those fingers must feel sore.” Still no verbal response, but at least she looked down at her hands at his words.
“Well if not that, how about we go to my crypt as it’s nearer. I keep water there for when Dawn visits.” At this Buffy turned to look at Spike, so seeing that she responded he slowly stood them both up, thanking his innate strength that he could do this task for her. Then keeping his arm round him he turned and slowly walked across the cemetery.
###
“Come on, Pet. Let’s get you settled on this seat. It’s not really comfy, but better than the floor, ain’t it?” Spike kept calm and quiet as he settled Buffy into his home, before getting her the promised bottle of water. As she seemed so passive he opened the bottle and actually held it slowly to her mouth, slowly tipping so a few drops could go into her mouth. Fortunately for them both her natural reflex kicked in and she swallowed the water, so he poured a little bit more for her, before removing the bottle to hold it out near her hands.
“Sp … ike.” Her word was so tentative Spike’s heart ached for her, but not letting his reaction show, he just answered her in a similar quiet tone
“Yes, Pet, it’s me.” Then, after a pause “Would you like a little more water?” Spike’s heart broke a little more when she just opened her lips again so he could pour the water in, rather than just attempting to take the bottle. Decades of training with Dru gave him patience though, and slowly they worked together until the bottle was empty. Much as he wanted to get her clean, and sort out the cuts on her hands, he knew that would be a step too far for her, so he let her rest again, knowing that she was hurting more emotionally than physically.
Eventually his patience was answered as she quietly started talking again.
“Spike.”
“Yes, Pet.”
“Where are we? Is this hell?”
“Oh, no, Buffy. Why would you think that?”
“Well you’re here. And it’s not where I was, so it must be hell.”
And, yet again, Spike’s heart took another hammering. “Oh, Pet, no. You are back in good old Sunnyhell” As Spike answered he realised what he had said, so smiled and added “Oh well, there you are. Maybe you were right after all.”
More silence as both of them processed what the other had said.
“Buffy, pet. You were pulled out of Heaven, weren’t you? I guessed that is where you were, you bein’ so good ‘nd all.”
“Why?”
“Why did I think you were good, or why did you get pulled out?” As he didn’t get clarification he answered his own questions. “You battled evil for years, and sacrificed yourself to save your sis. As to the other, well, mmm … I suppose they thought that you were in hell as you fell through a portal opened by a hell god.”
“They?”
Yes, Pet. I think it was the Scoobs that did this, as I saw them around your grave earlier.”
“Giles?”
“No, not him. Not Niblet. I knew they were always plotting put didn’t know what about. If I had known I would have asked, and pushed them until they stopped. Then I could have actually saved you, unlike last time.”
“Dawn.”
“Yes, she is at home. In fact, I should be going back. See I kept that promise I made to you. She is safe, and will stay safe, as long as I stay undusty.”
A short time later, Spike offered Buffy some more water, and he was relieved to see that she took the bottle this time and slowly sipped it down.
“Umm, Pet, I really do need to check on Dawn. Do you want to …?” Spike broke off his question as he saw Buffy start to shrink into herself. “No worries. I have made downstairs quite comfy so that Dawn and I can escape the chaos from time to time. Would you like to go down and rest there, while I go speak to Lil’ Sis?”
At Buffy’s tentative smile he opened up the makeshift hatch and dropped down to light some candles for his guest. Then he guided her down the step-ladder and made sure she was settled, before heading back up, and out across the town to Ravello Drive.
As he guessed the house was full of the gang talking and shouting over each other. So much so that they weren’t even away that he entered and ghosted up the stairs to Dawn’s room. Once there he just told her that he had a slight problem that needed sorting and he would be back before sunrise. She accepted his explanation as sometimes he had needed time alone, and guessed that this was one of those nights. Rather than risk detection he jumped out of her bedroom window, while the girl herself put her earphones back on, at full volume, and relaxed back on her bed.
###
Spike carefully let himself back into his crypt, and headed downstairs. Although he hadn’t been gone all that long Buffy was curled up in a tight ball, so he approached carefully. Having lived for decades with Drusilla he knew the best way for his lady to cope was speaking quietly, calmly, and slowly.
Sitting next to her, he slowly rested his hand on her shoulder and gently rubbed. As he spoke about nothing in particular, slowly extending the range of his hand across her shoulders, he felt her begin to relax again. In the end she slowly turned so that she was resting against his arm, and as she did that Spike slowly placed his opposite arm on her shoulder, while never giving up on his monologue.
As she relaxed against him, Spike started to talk about Dawn, and what the summer had been like for her. Slowly Buffy started asking one-word questions, and Spike knew the time had come to speak of the future.
“You know, Pet, I never stopped loving you, and missing you. Same with Dawn.”
“Mmm”
“Buffy, we do need to get you more settled than this.”
“No, don’t go.”
“OK, Buffy. I know that you have had people leave you. But I am not one of them. Look I proved it this summer. Yes, I cared for Dawn, and yes, I love her, but the only reason I didn’t greet the sun was because I made a promise to you. I promised you then that I would protect her, and that promise stays. But, I now extend that promise to include her big sis …” At this he felt Buffy smile where she was resting on him. “Yes, her big sis needs protecting. She needs looking after and care. Firstly, she needs protection against her friends, and then care to get her to cope, and later enjoy, life again.”
Spike paused to let her take in his words, never giving up on the gentle hug.
“You know Pet, I’ve seena lot over the years, after all I’ve been I’ve been alive a bit longer than you, and dead a lot longer than that. I’ve seen things you couldn’t imagine, and done things I prefer you didn’t. Don’t exactly have a reputation for being a thinker. I follow my blood… which doesn’t exactly rush in the direction of my brain. So, I make a lot of mistakes. A lot of wrong bloody calls. A hundred-plus years, and there’s only one thing I’ve ever been sure of. You. I’m not asking you for anything. When I say I love you, it’s not because I want you, or because I can’t have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are. What you do. How you try. I’ve seen your kindness, and your strength. I’ve seen the best and the worst of you, and I understand, with perfect clarity, exactly what you are. So, Pet, I am here to get you back to your life, not for any reason other than you’re a hell of a woman. You’re the One, Buffy.”
B… but …”
“I know it’s not going to be today, or even tomorrow, but it will come. I will be there with you, every step of the way, and that is a bargain I make. Remember, I looked after Dru, and she was mad. I protected her against Angelus & Darla. So, this is easy, ain’t it?”
“So, let’s just sit a while, and rest. And then we are going to do step one. We are going to walk home, and I am going to re-gain your house for you and Dawn. I have been crashing in the basement, and that won’t change, because I am going to be your guard dog from now on, for as long as you need.
Even though Spike had begun to feel sunrise calling he didn’t push her, deciding if they ended up spending the daylight hours here, then that would be fine by him. However, Buffy’s inbuilt instinct kicked in and she slowly pulled herself away from her protector and stood up.
“OK, let’s go.”
“You sure, Pet? You can stay as long as you need.”
“No. I don’t want to go, but I know that you will stay with me and Dawn as long as we need you.”
“That’s right, I will.”
“I am not happy. I don’t think I ever will be, but that’s OK. One day I will get my peace back, but until then I am going to take every day as it comes.”
“Too right. Guard dog Spike is coming with you. He will look after you and sis. You do what you want, when you want, and I’ll sort the rest out. Might not be real proper peace, but it’s the best you can have till you head back to Heaven.”
And so, they slowly headed across Sunnydale. Both knew that there was a lot to process, that she had a long journey ahead of her. But she was willing to share the burden and accept Spike’s help in her future steps.
An agreement made between a vampire and a slayer didn’t seem a good bargain, but in this case they both agreed that it was better than ignoring the problem. A better bargain, indeed.
Part of the dialogue from BtVS Season 7, “Touched” has been borrowed. Such beautiful words deserve to be seen again, and again!
Originally posted at: https://debris4spike.livejournal.com/1637813.html
