Title: Reckoning (Part 2 of the 'Coming Home' Series)
Author: DivaDelilah (divadelilah@aol.com)
Description: Short fic, set after Buffy's return, now becoming a series. Spoilers
Season 6
Disclaimer: In short, not mine. Joss/Fox/SandDollar/Mutant Enemy/UPN own all.
Distribution: FFN, Death Marked Love, anything else I okay, including award
sites and various lists.
Feedback: Mmmmmmmm…feedback. @dr00l@
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Buffy was in Heaven. Again. Everything she thought she'd been ripped
away from, she was now finding, ironically, in a vampire's arms. Mom would
be proud of me, she thought. She always did like Spike, and the lecture she
gave me about being pig headed is one of the things I'll never forget about
being dead. She chuckled just a bit, realizing the total weirdness that
was her life. Only a Slayer, hell, only she could have things she'd never
forget about being dead.
She buried her face farther into Spike's neck as they swayed to another slow
song. There had been a suspicious abundance of them playing tonight, and Buffy
was pretty sure Tara had something to do with it. The blond witch had practically
pushed her Spike together tonight, and it seemed she was determined to make
sure it worked out. She felt Spike's chest rumble, and grinned as the purring
started. Is there anything sexier than that? she thought ruefully. I
never really knew what I missed when I was with Riley…why we never clicked,
and it was this. He wasn't enough monster for me. Spike was right. Angel
had always purred, and why wouldn't her first love's quirks influence her preferences?
A strong hand grabbed her shoulder suddenly and wrenched her away from Spike.
Buffy's eyes slammed shut, trying to not cry at the similarity of this to her
resurrection. Beautiful peace, then blinding emptiness. Her hands started to
shake, and she wrapped her thin arms around herself, trying to calm down. Spike
moved behind her, his body just barely touching hers, and his presence calmed
her. Her eyes opened slowly, as if she was afraid she'd see the lid of a coffin
again.
Instead, she saw Willow, resolve face and all. Her insides cringed, and she
took a moment to center herself. She looked at Willow with the steely gaze of
the Slayer, intent on protecting herself. "May I help you?" she asked
in a deceptively sweet voice.
Willow glared at her sarcasm. She's gonna play it this way, is she? the
witch thought. I can play rough, too. "Buffy, on behalf of your
mother, Giles, who's British so he's kinda like a mother but not…,"
she stumbled. Great Wil. Real smooth delivery there. Way to make an impression,
she grimaced. "On behalf of them, just what in the frilly heck are you
doing?" she demanded. Resolve face gave way to concern face as she looked
at Buffy, whose face looked like it was about to crumple.
"I'm dancing with Spike. I would think that's obvious, especially to someone
as intelligent as you, Wils," she replied, sarcasm dripping off her response.
Willow gritted her teeth. She hated when Buffy behaved like a child. It was
like trying to talk sense into a five year old. "Yes, I can see that. But
why?"
"He's a pretty good dancer, which I would expect since he has been alive
centuries."
Arghhh!!!! Willow shouted in her head. "And the kissage? That's
part of the dance package? Cuz if it is, someone should have told me a long
time ago."
"Contrary to your attitude, Willow, you are not my mother, nor
are you Giles. Though right now, coming in a close second for tweed suit fittings.
Quit having a wiggins. I'm allowed to make my own choices about who I want to
date," she shot back.
"Buffy, he's a soulless killer. I'm sure you realize that if he didn't
have the chip, he'd be out with his nutty ex killing half of LA!"
Several people had now gathered, listening to the two girls argue. Spike raised
his hand slowly so no one pulled out a stake and said, "Can we have this
discussion back at the table. Since you've gone and destroyed the special moment
already might as well get out of the public eye for this discussion," he
muttered. Bloody kids. Buffy and I were having the best time I've had since
I was turned, and her sodding friends can't leave us be for ten bloody minutes!
He growled under his breath, and was surprised to find Buffy squeezing his hand
reassuringly.
Willow nodded curtly, heading back toward the table. Tara shrugged. "I
tried to keep her away, but she wouldn't listen. She's been really strange since
we did the resurrection spell."
When Buffy and Spike reached the table, they found a fuming Willow next to
a glaring Xander. Buffy rolled her eyes. Why did she have to bring Xander into
this? Ignoring their pointed glares, she sat down, pulling Spike next to her,
and snuggled into his embrace. What do they know about dating normal people
anyways? Willow has dated a cyber demon, a werewolf, and a witch; Xander dated
a mummy girl, a preying mantis, an ex vengence demon, and god help us, Cordelia.
Talk about living in glass houses…
Willow cleared her throat, and Buffy looked up, startled. "Buffy, he's
tried to kill us all plenty of times," she whispered. "How do you
know he won't get the chip out and do it again?"
"Oz-wolf tried to eat us several times and no one gave you this lecture.
Xander almost got life sucked by a mummy, eaten by preying mantis, and has a
girlfriend who could get her powers back and give us all boils or something…but
no one threatens him. Why does everyone pick on me?"
"Because your last undead playmate killed Miss Calendar!" Willow
shouted.
Buffy shuddered, gulping back tears. "That was way harsh, Wils."
Spike looked at the witch, sniffing the air around her. There's just something
different about her lately. So easy to brass off. I'll have to tell the other
witch about it later, he thought. "Look, I have a demon. But I have
control of it. Just like your wolf could control himself most of the time. Doesn't
mean he didn't almost eat you once or twice, does it?" he smirked.
Buffy swallowed hard, trying to collect herself. She knew the hardest obstacle
would be Xander. He was always the hardest. For now, she had to calm Willow
down. "Willow, Spike never once really tried to kill us. Or we'd be dead.
Even I know that. He's the only vamp I've ever had to call a truce with because
I knew I couldn't beat him. I wouldn't just take any vampire into our homes,
you know," she explained quietly.
"Aw, Slayer, didn't know you cared so much," Spike said, hugging
her close.
"If his chip quits working, Buffy-" she started.
"It's already kaplooie," Xander interjected. Four sets of incredulous
eyes stared at him, daring him to explain. "I started noticing little differences
in Spike right after Glory did her mojo on him. He could threaten sometimes;
he could get a little physical with people. So I watched him. And little by
little, I watched the chip fizzle out entirely. It stopped working shortly after
Buffy died. He could have been doing anything he wanted really. But mostly…
he watched Dawn, patrolled and sat by Buffy's grave drinking himself into a
stupor."
Buffy's jaw dropped. Had Spike known all this time? Her big eyes met
his, pleading with him to tell the truth. Was he really being good because he
wanted to, not because he was forced to?
Spike at least had the grace to look shamed. "Yeah, it's gone. Like the
whelp said, it just quit workin. And I didn't say anything because… well,
there was nobody I felt like talking to. Cept the Nibblet, and I think she already
knew, tell you the truth. So I just did what was needed, what I'd promised,
and forced myself not to go sunbathing every day." He looked away, wishing
the boy hadn't told Buffy what he was like while she was gone. It wasn't like
he was particularly proud of himself.
Buffy smiled at Xander. He knows, she thought. Somehow, just like
with Riley, he knows what I feel for Spike. And I guess he figures I deserve
to be happy whatever way I can. Amazing. Xander has finally grown up. She
poked Spike in the arm and he turned around. "You wanna go finish that
dance?"
Spike grinned at her, realizing her acceptance of his explanation meant she
trusted him. Damn foolish of her, I guess, but her heart is what's kept her
alive longer than any other Slayer. And I intend to keep her that way for as
long as possible. He took her hand, preparing to whisk her away to the dance
floor again.
"We're not done here," Willow said angrily. "I'm not going to
let you risk all of our lives again, Buffy."
Buffy looked at Willow, her gaze steady and unwavering. "Willow, the prophecy states: 'One girl throught out the world…the Chosen One'. Not the chosen gang. Not the Chosen Witch. Just me, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you didn't have the decency to leave me in Heaven when I died, have the decency to back off while I try to make a life here on Earth." With that, she pulled on Spike's arm, and they headed for the dance floor.
Willow stared at the spot where Buffy had been standing in shock. "S-She
was in Heaven?" she gasped.
Xander nodded. "Hadn't you guessed by now, Wil? Every time we mentioned
the demon dimension she was stuck in, she would disappear for hours on end.
It took me awhile but I caught on that she had to have been somewhere else.
And who wants to tell their friends they pulled them out of Heaven? She was
trying to keep from hurting us," he said quietly.
"We were wrong. We never should have messed with the natural order,"
Tara added.
"But I didn't think it was natural. I thought she was in Hell," Willow
said, the tone in her voice bordering on hysteria.
"We did, too, honey." Tara put her arm around Willow, hugging the
stricken redhead close.
"Or maybe we just wanted to believe that because we needed her too much," Xander contradicted, a tear slipping out of his eye. "Look, I'm not on the soulless demon boat, but I am for Buffy being happy. Look at them." He gestured out to the dance floor where Buffy and Spike were already snuggled close and swaying to the music.
'When was the last time you saw Buffy smile like that? Even before she died?"
The Witches thought for a moment and the silence was damning enough. Neither
could remember the last time Buffy had looked so content.
"I can remember. And I believe his name was Deadboy, folks. Since he left,
her smile, her laugh, her entire attitude had been totally different. Like she
was stuck on permanent bitch mode. We all knew she didn't love Riley…whether
we wanted to admit it or not. Let me just say…not expecting the…the
Spike, but hey- She's happy. So I'm happy."
Willow wiped a few stray tears from her face, nodding at Xander. "I guess
that makes sense. Maybe he really does love her. If the chip was out and he
acted like he did, I guess it's possible. And you're right about Angel, Xander.
I never really thought about what had changed in Buffy; I was too busy wallowing
in Oz. But when I think about it, you're right." She looked at her arms,
the scars from the ritual that brought Buffy back still evident. "About
everything."
Xander thought for a moment and a truly happy smile filled his face. "But
you know what this means?" At Willow's head shake, he grinned even wider.
"I get to tell Deadboy his evil spawn is Buffy's new man. Dude, is that
gonna chafe his willy!" He clapped his hands in excitement, already planning
how he was going to tell the souled vampire the bad news.
Willow shook her head, chuckling and cast another glance at the dance floor. She smiled ruefully, and twitched her finger at the couple. When their feet raised off the floor, floating in place, she grinned. Now they'll know they have my approval, she thought. Taking Tara's hand, she pulled her girlfriend out to the dance floor.