Forever, Always, and Then Some

Chapter 112

 

Afternoon

At the resort.

Angel is asleep on the sofa with his head in her lap. Buffy is reading. She looks down and smiles at his angelic face. Her fingers brush along his jaw. His eyes flutter open.

Buffy: Sorry, did not mean to wake you.

Angel: Okay. You need anything?

Buffy: No. I am good. Go back to sleep.

He closes his eyes and is soon back to sleep. Buffy picks up her magazine and resumes reading. After a while she picks up her apple and knife and cuts a piece. As she chews on the slice she glances at her husband. His face so relaxed in sleep makes her heart flutter. She reaches to cut another portion, but sets down the apple. Her eyes look over the knife. She glances down at him briefly before she runs the sharp blade over her left wrist. As the blood surfaces she lowers it to his parted lips. The fluid drips into his mouth and he involuntarily swallows a few mouth fulls before awakening. He jerks up.

Angel: What the hell? Are you crazy?

Buffy: No. I was trying to give you a treat.

Angel: Buffy that is wrong.

Buffy: Calm down.

Angel: Why did you do that?

Buffy: I was trying to be sweet.

Angel: Well it wasn’t.

Buffy takes a deep breath.

Buffy: Angel, I am going to take a walk before one of us says something we both regret.

She turns and calmly walks out the door.

 

An hour later

Angel is lying on the bed staring at the ceiling when Buffy walks in. She walks over and lies beside him, lying her head on his chest. He wraps his arm around her.

Buffy: I love you.

Angel: I love you too.

Buffy: Wanna talk about it?

Angel: Not right now.

Buffy: Okay.

 

 

Later that night.

Buffy and Angel arrive at the house and walk in.

Buffy: Giles? What are you doing here?

Giles: I am glad to see you both made it back okay.

Buffy: How come I feel there is a problem?

Giles: Why don’t you two sit down?

Buffy: Oh lord. Is everyone okay? No one is dead right?

Giles: Everyone is okay. For now at least.

They sit and he proceeds to tell them what they know so far.

Buffy: Great. They would pick now to try and open the hellmouth. I will be no help.

Giles: Actually I think you will be a great help.

Angel: Because they think she is vulnerable and alone?

Giles: Exactly. Which is why I am going to ask you to leave tonight.

Buffy: What?

Giles: We want them to continue to think you are alone and miserable.

Buffy: If he leaves, I will be.

Angel: Buffy, it is just till the full moon. I will be back.

Giles: Precisely. The night before everyone will be here. Wes and I think we have an idea what they plan.

Angel: So we lie low and make our move when they make theirs.

Giles: Exactly. Buffy?

Buffy: I understand. Not ecstatic. But I will get over it.

Angel: I will be back in less than two weeks.

Buffy: Why don’t I go too?

Giles: Because they may be watching to be sure you are still vulnerable.

Angel: Has Oz left?

Giles: A little while ago.

Angel: Well let me go too.

Buffy walks him to the door. She looks at their bags.

Buffy: What about your clothes?

Angel: Keep them here. I will need them when I get back.

Buffy: I guess you want them washed.

Angel: It would be nice. Now give me a kiss.

Buffy wraps her arms around his neck. Giles turns away as the two passionately kiss.

 

 

 

The next morning.

Buffy is in the kitchen.

Dawn: So how was it?

Buffy: Was what?

Dawn: The trip silly.

Buffy: Very nice.

Dawn: Just nice.

Buffy: Better than nice but I am not giving details.

Dawn: Okay. So where is hubby?

Buffy: In LA. Giles felt it was better that no one knows about him.

Dawn: You mean the demon dudes?

Buffy: Yes, them. So how did things go here?

Dawn: Other than lots of research and meetings, pretty quiet.

Buffy: You did research?

Dawn: Yes. Not to successfully though. But I tried.

Buffy: And you helped with Conner? Willow told me.

Dawn: Of course.

Buffy: Well thank you. I know you have not been feeling very generous with being grounded.

Dawn: I am coping. It won’t be for ever. It won’t will it?

Buffy: No, actually I think we need to lift it. If you think you can behave yourself.

Dawn: I can. I so can. Do you mean now?

Buffy: Yes now.

Dawn: Yes!

Buffy: But you will still have an early curfew for awhile.

Dawn: Early? How early?

Buffy: Eleven

Dawn: What?

Buffy looks at her sternly.

Dawn: Okay eleven. It beats nothing. Uh does this mean I can go out tonight.

Buffy: Where?

Dawn: I don’t know. The Bronze maybe. I can call Janice.

Buffy: I guess the Bronze is safe. Not sure how safe Janice is.

Dawn: After the incident on Halloween, she is so not into meeting guys in uncrowded places.

Buffy: But she still meets guys?

Dawn: Buffy. We are teenagers. Not nuns.

Buffy: I guess. So long as the guys have a pulse. You need to check that.

Dawn: So only you get to dig on the undead.

Buffy: Yes. Do as I say not as I do.

Dawn: I don’t want to anyway.

Buffy: Well let me do some laundry. Can you keep an eye on Conner. He is still playing with his cheerios.

Dawn: Sure thing.

Buffy picks up the basket.

Dawn: What is with all the darks?

Buffy: Angel.

Dawn: Why did I even ask?

 

 

Saturday morning August 17, 2002

There is a knock at the door. Buffy answers it.

Buffy: Faith. Come on in.

Faith: Just checking in.

Buffy: I guess form the look on your face. Nothing on the demons.

Faith: No. We have checked almost all the businesses near the alley but no dice.

Buffy: What is left?

Faith: Just the law firm. The security there is tighter than Fort Knox.

Buffy: Which leads to why they need all the security.

Faith: Because they have more to protect than legal files.

Buffy: More than likely. I will see what we can find on them. Anything else?

Faith: No. Pretty routine. Swept the cemeteries and the Bronze. Hey Dawn’s boyfriend is a real cutie.

Buffy: Dawn doesn’t have a boyfriend.

Faith: Well the way they were dancing I figured they were a couple. But he did look a bit old for her.

Buffy: Old? As in how old?

Faith: At least in his twenties. Light brown hair.

Buffy: Hold on a sec.

She opens a cabinet door and pulls a photo album off the bottoms shelf. She flips through it and point to a picture.

Buffy: Can that be him?

Faith: Not sure. Looks like him but younger.

Buffy: This is from six years ago. He was 17. He would be about 23 now.

Faith: I think that is him. Who is he?

They here Dawn coming down the stairs. Buffy tucks the album away.

Buffy: Faith, thanks for the update. I will tell Giles. Let us know what you find.

She opens the door and Faith walks out.

Faith: Sure B. Let you know if I see anything else.

Buffy: I would appreciate it.

Dawn: So did she learn anything?

Buffy: Not really. So did you have fun last night at the Bronze?

Dawn: I did. And I came home on time.

Buffy: I know. I heard you.

Dawn: So have you had breakfast?

Buffy: I did. Listen I need to make a call. Keep your eye on Conner.

Dawn: Sure thing.

Buffy goes up to her room and locks the door. She picks up the phone and dials.

Kate: Hello/

Buffy: Kate, Buffy here. I need a favor.

Kate: I was just going to call you. I think I may have an idea where your vampire couple is.

Buffy: Are they back?

Kate: No but I tracked them from Las Vegas to Florida. Looks like they may have gotten on board an around the world cruise.

Buffy: Great. Guess the people are like fish in a barrel.

Kate: No I think they are avoiding the guest and just feeding at the various ports. There have been deaths at all the overnight stops. And three missing passengers.

Buffy: Great. Thanks for tracking them. We need to eliminate them

Kate: I agree. I will let you know if I hear more. So what is the favor.

Buffy: I need to find out where someone is staying in Sunnydale.

Kate: I will see what I can find. What is the name?

 

Later that night.

Buffy leaves Conner with Willow and goes for a walk. She walks up a street and pauses looking at the house number and back at a piece of paper in her hand. She stares at the house until the door opens.

Lady: Hello miss. Are you lost?

Buffy: I am looking for 1038B.

Lady: Oh that would be the apartment over the garage.

Buffy: Thanks. She heads towards the garage.

Lady: But he isn’t home.

Buffy turns and walks toward her.

Buffy: Did he go out?

Lady: Yes about an hour ago. Said he had a date with his girlfriend.

Buffy: He has a girlfriend?

Lady: My yes. Pretty little brunette. Sweet young thing.

Buffy opens her purse and takes out her wallet. She hand the lady a picture.

Buffy: Is that her?

Lady: My yes. That’s Dawn.

Buffy: And she comes her to see him?

Lady: Yes, but not in his apartment. I told him in no uncertain terms. Not girls in the apartment. Especially a young girl like her. He can see her out here or he can visit in my living room. But that is it.

Buffy: And they listen?

Lady: How do you know Dawn anyway?

Buffy: She is my little sister.

Lady: Oh. So looking out for her are you? Well you can assure your parents that there is no hanky panky going on here.

Buffy: No parents. I am her guardian.

Lady: Oh, I am sorry to hear that.

Buffy: Well thanks for your time. Here let me give you my number. Please call if she shows back up here. She is not suppose to be seeing him.

Lady: Can I ask why?

Buffy: Other than the seven year age? Well I don’t want to go into the other reasons.

Lady: I can understand. I would be concerned if she were my sister or daughter too. Tell you what I will call if I notice anything inappropriate.

Buffy: Please do.

Buffy heads for home.

In the cemetery.

Faith walks along. A duffle bag hanging from her shoulder. She walks into Spike crypt.

Faith: Spike!

She looks around

Faith: Spike? You here?

She looks into his bedroom.

Faith: Great. For once the boy listens.

She sets the bag in the middle of the room and squats down and unzips it. She slips her hand in and back out. Zips up the bag and leaves. She walks off. As she approaches the Bronze, Spike walks up.

Spike: You are late. Not that I am surprised.

Faith: I am not that late. Besides I am not punching a time clock here and at work.

Spike: Well you ready to hit the streets.

Faith: What about the Bronze?

Spike: I already checked it out. It’s clean.

Faith: Great so lets go.

As she turns to walk off, there is a thunderous sound.

Spike: What the hell was that?

The patrons pour out of the Bronze. Everyone looks toward the cloud of smoke rising in the distance.

Spike: Let’s go.

He begins running toward the smoke. Faith right on his heels. As they run down the street, sirens are heard.

Spike: It looks like it is near the cemetery.

Faith: I know.

They turn into the cemetery and leap over the shorter tomb stones on there way to the source of the smoke. Spike stops in his tracks. Faith crashes into his back.

Faith: What the hell?

Spike: Bloody fucking hell. I don’t shitting believe it.

Faith: My god that is you place. Or well it was.

Spike: Someone blew the place up.

Buffy: Sure looks like it. So Spike, who you owe now?

Spike: Owe? I don’t owe nobody.

Buffy: Well looks like nobody just blew your place to hell.

The fire department quickly soak the pile of rubble. They began rolling up the hoses.

Buffy: Well I need to get home. See ya later.

Spike: Hey what are you doing here anyway?

Buffy: I was on my way home. I know you are not accusing me.

Spike: I might be. You are not usually out and about these days.

Dawn walks up

Buffy: Dawn. Where were you?

Dawn: At the Bronze. I came out and saw Spike and Faith take off. Man you two can run.

Buffy: Well you going back or you want to walk home with me?

Dawn: I guess home.

They walk off.

Faith: I really don’t think B had anything to do with this. I think she was out spying on Dawn.

Spike: Still not trusting the little one.

Faith: Not sure she should. Well the fire men are gone. Want to see what if anything is left.

Spike: Might as well

They walk over the rubble. The entire upstairs is a pile of mortar. Spike shoves aside the debris reveling the collapsed coffin covering his bedroom access. He lifts the heavy slabs revealing a damaged but intact lower level. The go down.

Faith: Well it looks like your stuff is okay but those walls look ready to collapse.

Spike: Don’t you think I know that. Bloody hell. I have to find another place tonight.

Faith: And they are talking rain later.

Spike: Damn it.

Faith digs in her pocket and pulls out her keys.

Faith: Here. Just move what you can to my place tonight. You can look for a place tomorrow night.

Spike: You serious.

Faith: Just temporary. And watch tracking in the dirt. I just vacuumed. Now I am heading to patrol. See ya later.

She walks off smiling.

 

Later that night

Faith arrives at her apartment. She walks in to discover Spike’s furniture and clothing crowding her living room.

Faith: Well it looks like you got it all moved.

Spike: Everything but the dresser. I think it will be okay till tonight.

Faith: I guess. Well I am heading to bed.

Spike: Night then.

Faith: You coming?

Spike: Yes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2005 Tara