Title: Fractured: A Fairytale 2/2
Rating: FRT
Summary: Buffy has a feeling of ‘benenoia’ [RIP Nan]. And Spike finds out that knowing what to do and getting the credit for it are two different things
A/N thanks to janedavitt and agilebrit for the beta I hope you like it. I have a separate double drabble for later and possibly a drabble or two in this verse.
Life was getting a little more bearable these days for Buffy. She had a few job applications out around town, and thanks to Giles the money problem wasn’t apocalyptically bad. Xander had been by a few times to do repair work on the house or stuff around the yard. The little Craftsman bungalow had never looked so spiffy.
Tara had moved out, but kept bringing food by or inviting Buffy and Dawn to lunch. Spike was even helping Dawn with her homework. Anya had asked Buffy what she needed, then seemed disappointed when Buffy couldn’t think of anything. Anya got so upset over what she saw as a rejection that she yelled at Spike for loitering around the charms.
That was all surface stuff, though. Dying hadn’t made her stupid. They were treating her like she was sick, fluffing her metaphorical pillow. At least things were still trying to kill her on patrol.
“Maybe you should think of law enforcement as a career. You took care of that mugger well enough.”
Spike was being serious but Buffy just rolled her eyes at him. Even with the insight Sage had gifted him with he couldn’t figure out what had the Slayer’s panties in a twist tonight.
“Is the whole world conspiring to make my life easier, Spike? I mean with the notable exception of you! You’re the only one I know not making chicken soup for the Slayer’s soul.”
“You’ve got to be bloody kidding. All I do is help you, Buffy!” Spike wanted to say it was all he existed for. It was her best friend Willow who never lifted a finger for her, but he backed away as Buffy moved in closer. He’d gotten into the habit of backing away. All the Slayer ever seemed to need from him personally was help on patrol and space. Lots of space, even when she pushed like this; it was driving him insane.
“You didn’t help with that guy.”
“That guy was human. In case you’ve forgotten, I can’t hurt humans. Would hitting my head against the wall make you happy, Buffy?”
“Stop calling me that!”
Now Spike was truly puzzled. “You don’t like your name all of a sudden?”
“You used to… and then we kissed, twice! We were getting to be close. You were there for me… You used to call me all those stupid British names and now you don’t… Forget it,” Buffy said and took off.
Spike knew she needed more time. So he decided that it had been too long between ‘real’ headaches and banged his head against the wall just once.
On the way home Buffy formed a theory. The kisses had broken a spell, something had made Spike love her, and now it was over. He liked her okay, but didn’t love her anymore.
No, he was really in love.
Now she had to admit it, at least to herself. She’d seen him under a love spell and no spell would cause him to withstand Glory’s torture. Maybe it was her; maybe after Spike had kissed her he had realized she wasn’t somebody worth loving anymore.
Her sight got blurry as she slowed down in her yard. After all the overwhelming grief she’d felt over losing her mother, and then losing heaven, it was losing Spike’s devotion that made her cry. The last time she had cried like this Spike was there to comfort her. Just her luck; she was finally feeling something, and it was unrequited love. She sat on the porch and tried to get herself together.
Just as Buffy was about to go in and ask for Willow’s help a blonde girl came out. Buffy glanced up. “Hi, Tar… er, Amy?”
Willow came out after Amy. “Yes, I figured out how to de-rat her; isn’t it great?”
“That’s really good, Will.”
“You don’t need anything from me do you, Buffy?”
“Actually…” Buffy said.
“Good, then I’ll see you later. Amy wants to see her dad, then we were thinking of maybe hitting the Bronze,” Willow said quickly, and both girls were gone before Buffy could reply.
Buffy had really wanted Willow’s advice. So much for the theory that her friends were conspiring to help her. She couldn’t talk to Giles or Xander about being in love with Spike. They’d been weirdly nice to him lately, but Buffy was certain they would wig. Well, she was sure Giles would. A couple times lately, it almost seemed like Xander had really become Spike’s friend. That left Dawn and Anya, and Dawn liked Spike too much to be objective, and there was no way to pry Anya away from Xander. She needed some new friends and she needed food.
She ate an apple while she heated up some ham and cheese casserole that Tara had brought by, then followed the meal up with a pint of ice cream. Then she said out loud to the empty house, “See, world; Buffy Summers can take care of herself. I’ll figure out the Spike thing in the morning.”
Scarlett much? she thought to herself as the phone rang.
“Slayer, I need to see you.”
“Spike? Spike! I mean Spike.” It took three tries to say his name without a squeak. “Why are you calling me?”
“This has to end. I need to see you. Even if it’s not what you need.” Spike sounded desperate.
Buffy said, “Okay, I’m not sure what this is all about, but if you need me I’m there.”
“It can’t be all about you forever. I mean it is, but I have to — Bugger, just forget it.”
“Spike, I said I would meet you. Now you have to tell me where and when.”
“My crypt in an hour?”
Oh, my God, what am I doing, she thought. Spike echoed her okay, his voice as uncertain as hers and it made Buffy smile.
***
Spike scattered rose petals on the bed and lit the first candle, then he changed his mind and blew it out. It was too staged, it presumed too much. He eyed the cobwebs in the corner. Maybe he should clean up, but with his limited resources, all he’d accomplish would be to move the dirt around and make himself a mess. Asking her to meet him in an hour was stupid. If he waited an hour, he’d lose his nerve or his mind. When she kissed him it could ruin things. She was a bit better, but what if it was too soon? He grabbed his coat and left the crypt. He’d follow his heart to the Slayer as always.
***
Buffy tore apart her closet. What had made her say she’d meet Spike in an hour; she had nothing to wear and her hair was a wreck. There was no way she could be ready in an hour. It had been so long since Riley, she was really getting nervous. What would it be like to make love to Spike? Riley had seemed to feel deep down that she was somebody small and breakable and it made her feel treasured and real. But it was him that was actually breakable. Most of the time it had been very good with Riley but it had always had a carefulness to it, like two hedgehogs kissing. Spike wouldn’t be careful that way, would he? Maybe it would be better to forget sexy, and go for patrol wear. He’d never said it was a date. She finally decided it was silly to primp, and even sillier to wait any longer, and headed out the door.
She ran into him on Oak St. outside of an abandoned Victorian. “Spike?”
“Not going to say my name three times, pet?”
“I thought we were going to meet at your crypt?”
“Well, you know me, love, I could never follow through with a plan.”
Just because he was standing there smirking, and not expecting it, and because he was Spike, Buffy kissed him.
The only one to notice the Disney-ish sparkly glow was the Fairy responsible for it. He still owed Spike two wishes. Helping Buffy was easy on his part so sending those nerds on a cruise to Alaska was a freebie. Just so you know, the freak polar bear accident was in no way his fault. So Sage thought about it for two beats of his wings, a very long time for a fairy, and sprinkled more fairy dust before he fluttered off.
It was still the Hellmouth and it would never be too boring. For example, the next morning was a Tuesday so they had to rescue Dawn from Willow and a warlock named Rack. By then Spike would know he was able to walk in the sun as well as night. It would take until spring for him to figure out the chip was gone. Not a perfectly happy ending, but it was boring enough that the First Evil rolled over in the Hellmouth and went back to sleep for another decade or so.
The End
Originally posted at http://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/74133.html
