Disclaimer:
It’s not mine… Well, the story is, but the characters aren’t…Author’s Notes: Okay, this one’s even longer than chapter 18... Sorry about that… There was a lot I wanted to put into this chapter… Oh, and by the way, thanks for the reviews… I’ve been in such a hurry to get the chapters done and out that I keep forgetting to thank you guys… But I really do appreciate it… Thanks…
Distribution: If ya want it, take it, just give me credit… And, if ya could, let me know where it’s going.
Feedback: You can send it to brock3005@aol.com or otownfan1520@yahoo.com.
~*~*~*~
Chapter 21:
“What’s happening?” Angel asked, fear obvious in his eyes, though he was trying his best to hide it.
“I have to go to Sunnydale… Like, now. They’re gonna need my help.” Cordy explained.
“Just let me get a few things, and…”
“No.” Her voice was strong; unwavering. She wished he could go, too, because honestly, she wasn’t sure she would be able to help much on her own. But he couldn’t go. There was no telling what he would do to Spike, were he to see the two of them together. Good or not, Angel had a temper on him… Especially when it came to his childe. And Buffy couldn’t deal with that right now…
“What?” There was obvious confusion in his eyes… Why wouldn’t she want him with her? “Cordy, if you’re worried about me seeing Buffy again, you know you don’t have to be… We’re over. I’m with you now. You know that.”
“No. Angel, it’s not that… This isn’t about who you’re with… More who Buffy’s with…”
“What do you mean?” His voice was wary. Somehow, he got the feeling he already knew who she was talking about. It had to be Spike. Immediately, anger was boiling inside him, but he held it at bay. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he was just paranoid. “Who’s she with?”
“In the vision… She was with Spike. Well, kind of. See, all I saw was blood and fire… And Buffy. With two children. Their children. He wasn’t there… I think he was gone. But I knew the babies were theirs, ya know? I just kinda felt it…” Angel nodded slightly; his eyes reflecting no emotion, and she continued, “But we’ve gotta stop it. If we don’t, a lot of innocent people are gonna die. What I saw… There was hardly anything left… That’s why I’m going.”
“And why can’t I go with you? I’m not gonna kill Spike… I might beat the shit outta him, but I’m not gonna kill him.” When Cordy shot him a look, he almost laughed. “Come on, Cordy. I can help.” he pleaded.
“No, you can’t.” she told him gently, resting a hand on his arm. “Buffy’s not gonna be able to deal with this thing and having you back. It’d hurt her more than this thing ever could on it’s own.”
“Cordy…”
She cut him off again, shaking her head; her eyes all seriousness. “She can’t deal with that much stress right now.”
“Why not? She’s dealt with it before.”
“Before she wasn’t pregnant.”
~*~*~*~
::Sunnydale::
“Spike?” Dawn called, searching for the vampire. She really wanted to talk to him before Buffy got home. So far, though, she hadn’t really gotten the chance… Or rather, she hadn’t gotten up the courage until that particular moment. What she needed to talk to him about, she wasn’t sure Buffy would want him knowing… But she thought it was important.
It was about Buffy’s dream. She felt Spike needed to know. Buffy had been so torn apart… So terrified. Never once had she seen her sister so afraid. And it had scared her. Maybe if Spike knew, he could help. It was worth a try, wasn’t it? But still, she wasn’t sure she should be telling him her sister’s secrets… Even if they were back together now. But then again, maybe Buffy had already told him, and she wouldn’t need to…
“Spike?” she called again, as she made her way up the stairs. She assumed he would be in Buffy’s bedroom… Their bedroom. She smiled at the thought. Her sister and Spike were finally back together… And this time, they weren’t trying to hide it.
“In here, Nibblet.” Spike called from the bedroom.
Dawn smiled again as she entered the room. “Hey.” she greeted cheerily, plopping herself down onto the bed beside him. For a moment, she studied him curiously. He was lying there in the bed, eyes closed; arms resting behind his head… And he looked truly happy. It was the first time she thought she’d ever seen him that way… Completely content. “Whatchya thinkin’ about?”
“Your sister.” He said simply; his eyes remaining closed as he cracked a slight grin.
“Figures.” she smiled back, making herself comfortable next to him. “You really love her don’t you?”
“More than anything…” This time, his eyes slid open and he glanced her way. Those eyes reflected all the love and devotion he so obviously held for her sister and it made her smile. “But that’s not what you came here to talk about, is it?”
“Not really…” she confessed, looking his way after releasing a long sigh. “I just don’t know if I’m supposed to tell you what I wanna tell you.”
“What is it?” he asked, his curiousness obvious. “You know you can tell me anything…”
After a moment’s hesitation, she glanced over at him again, her face all seriousness. “It’s about Buffy… Last night, before you guys left for the Magick Box, she told me some stuff… About these dreams she’s been having. Spike, they really scared her… Like, really, really scared her…”
“I know, Nibblet…”
“She told you?” Dawn asked, a bit surprised. She had almost thought that Buffy would’ve kept it from him… But apparently not…
“Not exactly…” he began, and at her curious look, he continued. “We haven’t talked about it yet… She said she wanted to wait a little while… But she promised she would, and I wasn’t about to push.”
“Do you wanna know?”
“I think maybe we should keep this one between me and Buffy… She’ll tell me when she’s ready…”
~*~*~*~
“You really love him, don’t you?” Xander asked in defeat as he handed Buffy a glass of water and sat down beside her.
Buffy smiled. Since she’d gotten to his apartment, Xander had really been warming to the idea of the two of them. It wasn’t like he was all for the idea, as many of the others had been, but he was getting over his hatred for Spike. “Yeah…” she replied, looking up at him with a small smile. “I really, really do.”
“Okay, I’m not trying to argue, so don’t hurt me… But why? I mean, what’s so special about Spike? He’s tried to kill you more times than we can count, he’s a master vampire who’s spent over a century killing and maiming, he’s hated you for years…”
She cut him off there; waving a hand to stop his ranting. “And he’s loved me more than anyone I’ve ever known… Love conquers all. Xander, I know it’s hard to understand, but he really is perfect for me. I don’t know how, and I don’t know why, but he is…”
“When exactly did you know you were in love with him?” Xander asked curiously.
Buffy laughed lightly. That was a difficult question to answer… She knew exactly when she’d realized it. Problem was, she knew that hadn’t been the moment it had happened. “I’m not exactly sure…” she admitted. “I mean, I know I realized it for the first time after he was gone. I had been talking to Clem and it just kinda came out… But that wasn’t when I fell in love with him. Part of me thinks it was that day we found that camera in my front yard. I went to see him that night, and I accused him. I believe his exact words were ‘I don’t hurt you’. And I could see all the love he had for me in his eyes, and part of me knew I loved him right then and there. Then there’s another part of me that believes it was the first time he made love to me. Because he did… He made love to me… No matter what I wanted it to be. And then there’s part of me that thinks it was during the whole Glory incident. There were plenty of times that year that could’ve made me fall for him. But most of me thinks it was way back when… Junior year of high school… When he came to me to call that truce…”
“You’re kidding?” He couldn’t say he wasn’t surprised. He had been expecting it to have been sometime during the whole Glory ordeal. Or the year before when Spike had been the one to stand by her side no matter what happened. But it had been all those years ago… That was certainly unexpected.
“I know what ya mean. Funny, isn’t it?”
“Just a little…” he agreed, a smile spreading across his face. “But I’m happy for you… Even if it is Spike… Good luck, Buffy. I hope this one turns out the way you want it to, ‘cause you deserve to be happy.”
“Thank you, Xander… That means a lot to me.” With her words, she reached out and hugged him tightly. It really did mean a lot to her… She knew he wasn’t really happy about the situation, but he was coming around.
“Anytime.” he hugged he back slightly before pulling away and glancing at the clock. “Looks like you better be gettin’ home.” he warned her. “It’s getting late”
“Yeah.” she agreed, smiling as she stood and grabbed her jacket before making her way to the door. “See ya…”
“Bye.” Xander called after her as she let the door shut behind her.
‘Well, that went well…’ she thought to herself as she made her way out of the building and slipped her jacket on.
~*~*~*~
On her way home, Buffy had decided to take a quick sweep of the closest cemetery. She figured it couldn’t hurt to do a quick patrol before she got home. Besides, this particular cemetery was the one which held Tara’s grave.
For quite some time she’d been meaning to visit, but she hadn’t really thought about it for awhile… She’d been so lost over the summer without Spike that her visits had been cut to once a week. When it had first happened, she’d been there every day. Just to say how much they all missed her… And hope that maybe, in whatever heavenly dimension Tara had made it to, she could hear her.
In the year before Tara had died, Buffy had become quite close with her. Tara had been the one person she confided in about her relationship with Spike… And she had made sure that Buffy knew it was okay to love him. Really, Buffy wasn’t sure that she would be with him now, had it not been for Tara.
So now she stood before the cold, marble stone; smiling softly, though her eyes held a certain degree of sadness over the loss of one of her best friends. “Just thought I’d stop by…” Buffy began, her eyes watering slightly, but her small smile still in place, as she reached down and ran her fingers over the top of the stone. “It’s been awhile… I guess I just needed to say thanks. I’ve got this strange felling that you had something to with this… Spike and I. We really are happy together. I love him more than you could ever know… So… Thank you, Tara. I hope you…”
“You’re welcome…”
The soft voice came out of nowhere, and Buffy immediately spun around searching for the source… And then, there she was, a figure standing directly behind her… Almost glowing… Not so much literally, but Buffy could see it. The happiness… The aura of peacefulness about her.
After a moment’s hesitation, Buffy breathed out one word…
“Tara?”