Disclaimer: I do not own anything; Characters belong to Joss Whedon & Mutant Enemy. However this story is my own.
A/N: As always reviews are greatly appreciated, a few quotes etc may be used and obviously belong to the very talented people who wrote them - Loverswalk89 x
Endgame
CHAPTER TWO
"Hello cutie" Spike smirked
He held out his hand to help her up, she stared at it for a moment and got up by herself. She saw a flicker of pain flash in his eyes. She straightened herself out and stared at him.
"Nibblet did tell you I was coming?" He asked
"Yeah" she answered quietly
"Spike? Is it safe?" Asked his female companion
"Uh yeah" he called back
"Oh goody" she smiled "Hi you must be Buffy"
"Yeah..." She hesitated
"Buffy this is Melissa" Spike said softly
"Please call me Mel everybody does" she said excitedly
"Hi" Buffy looked at Spike for answers
"Mel is my girlfriend" he told her
"Oh..." Buffy sighed "Well uh I guess we better get you some place safe then? You do still know your way back to the school right?"
"Yeah" said Spike
"Great well I'll just meet you there, I have uh some stuff to take care of but I'm sure Dawn will make you guys more than comfortable" she stammered
Spike looked at her with puppy dog eyes
"It was great meeting you" Buffy smiled at Melissa before storming off
XXXXX
Buffy had rushed off and found a Polgara demon to let her aggression out on. After she'd successfully killed it she decided that she better make an appearance at the school. She braced herself and walked inside. She wasn't greeted by anybody like usual, they were all sat around the dining room table exchanging stories on the last few years before Buffy interrupted them.
"Hey" she smiled
"Buffy are you okay?" Asked Dawn noticing her slight limp as she walked
"Just peachy... Had a run in with a Polgara that's all"
"Well sit, We saved you pizza" smiled Willow
"It's okay I'll grab it" she said going into the kitchen.
"So how did you guys meet?" Asked Dawn
"Funny story right Spikey?" Melissa smiled
"It's not that funny luv" he replied
"Well not funny haha. But I was in New York studying medicine and I was late coming home from class, I said I'd meet my friend Aubree for a coffee downtown so I was rushing. I took a short cut through one of the back alleys and this vampire attacked me. Just when I thought I was a goner Spike here swooped in and saved me, we've been pretty much inseparable ever since" Melissa smiled
Buffy caught the last half of her story "What a hero" she said smiling sarcastically
"I know right" Melissa giggled
"So Buffy how've you been?" Asked Spike
"Good" Buffy shrugged quickly taking a bite of her pizza so she couldn't be questioned further
"It's getting pretty late, we should do sleeping arrangements" said Willow
"Only room we have is Buffy's old room" Dawn whispered
"It's cool they can have my room. Not like I'm using it anyways" Buffy piped up
"Okay I guess I'll show you to your room then" Willow grinned "Uh Xand can you go grab the sheets?"
"Sure" said Xander leaping to his feet
The group left the room leaving just Buffy and Dawn in silence. Buffy sat down in a now available chair
"He didn't keep his part of the bargain, did he?" Dawn finally spoke
"Which part?" Buffy asked
"To spend his unlife pining for you, and die miserable and alone" Dawn said softly
"Is that too much to ask?" Buffy whimpered
XXXXX
Willow showed the couple to the bedroom they'd be occupying during their stay. Spike remembered it well, although a lot had changed since he'd last stepped foot in it.
He remembered the pictures of the scoobies that were scattered around the room, and the photograph of Buffy, Dawn and their mother that had pride of place on her bedside table. They were all gone.
He remembered the smell of jasmine and vanilla that reminded him so much so of Buffy which had now gone. He could tell she hadn't stayed here for a long time.
"How come Buffy doesn't live here anymore?" Spike asked Willow
"I dunno a while after you left she just decided she needed space. I can't say I blame her, although there's more bathrooms than back in the house in Sunnydale you kinda need your own space" Willow shrugged
"I see..." Said Spike
"Nice to have you back" he patted him on the shoulder before leaving.
"Well that was intense... Do you think they like me?" Asked Melissa perching on the edge of the bed
"Yeah I think they do... 'Sides not really looking for approval here luv, I got a job to do that's it" he smiled at her
"Right, the mission" she smiled "How long do you think it's gunna take?"
"Not sure pet, not really a time frame on apocalypses" he said joining her on the bed
"Buffy's nice... In a doesn't really say much kinda way" Melissa observed "Is she always like that?"
"No... I expect I'll be getting a punch in the nose sooner or later" he shrugged
"Oh..." Melissa looked down at her hands and fidgeted a little
"Hey..." He comforted "Its not your fault"
"I know, I just know your history with her... Makes me nervous" she admitted
"Baby, I'm with you now. I brought you along because I can't be without you" he said planting a kiss on her lips
Dawn barged though the door
"Nibblet!" Spike scolded
"Sorry to interrupt the sex-capades, a few of the girls just got off patrol with some news thought you might wanna be down there" Dawn stuttered
"Right... Okay" Spike hesitated
"You go sweetie, I'm tired from the drive. I'll see you when you come to bed" Melissa smiled
"I won't be long I promise" he said kissing her quickly before leaping to his feet.
"Hope it's good news" Melissa called after them.
XXXXX
"So he attacked us and said that the higher power wanted us dead" said the young brunette slayer
"He dusted?" Asked Buffy
"Yeah Kelly saw to that"
"Okay good, so higher power? Anyone?" Buffy looked at the group
"I'm coming up with nada" Sighed Xander
"I read some volumes from Giles' library that say some stuff about a higher power. I don't know if that would be of any relevance?" Willow told them
"It's a good place to start" Said Spike
"Right, you guys dig out the volumes and I'll go back to the scene see if I can find something the girls might've missed" said Buffy
"Good idea... I'll go with you" said Spike
Everybody looked at each other waiting for Buffy's answer.
"Okay... Spike and I will go. Call me if you find anything" said Buffy walking hastily out of the dining room.
XXXXX
Spike had persuaded Buffy to let him drive them both towards the woodland area the baby slayers had told them about. It was a half hour drive and most of it was spent in silence.
"So..." Buffy tried to start a conversation
"So?"
"Melissa's hero huh?"
"I don't wanna fight" he told her
"I'm not fighting I'm talking" she told him "Making conversation" she mumbled
She bit her lip "She's nice"
"Ha!"
"She's not nice?" Buffy asked
"I know what you meant" he hissed
"You do?"
"Let's not do this Buffy" he pleaded
"I'm making extremely civilised conversation here" she protested
"Yeah she's nice" he sighed
"Hey, as long as you're happy..." She smiled
"I AM. I AM happy. I'm a happy person. I'm happy with my life" he told her "I'm happy with the way things are going in my life. I'm happy with... with..."
"Melissa?"
"I know her name! YES. I'm happy... with... Melissa!" He sighed angrily
"You look happy" Buffy mumbled sadly
Spike slowed down the car "We're here" he said getting out of the car
Buffy took a deep breath and followed him.
XXXXX
"How do you think they're getting along?" Asked Dawn pouring a cup of tea
"I've got a twenty that says Spike comes back with a broken nose" Xander said gleefully
"I'm being serious" Dawn pouted
"So am I!"
Melissa walked into the kitchen as the two if them began bickering "Sorry, I just couldn't sleep... Is Spike around?" She asked
"Uh no... Uh they went to do some recon" Dawn told her
"Oh... Right... Demon hunters" Melissa babbled
"Do you want anything? Some tea?" Asked Dawn
"I'm good, thank you" Melissa smiled
"Are ya sure? We've got hot chocolate too?" Said Xander
"Well... I guess so" Melissa caved
"Dawnie two of your famous hot chocolates" Xander ordered
"I'm sure there was a please in there somewhere" Dawn raised her eyebrow
"Please sweetie" Xander flirted
"You're exhausting" Dawn rolled her eyes
"That's why you love me" Xander blew her a kiss
"You got any of those little marshmallows?" Asked Melissa
"Are you kidding? Of course!" Smiled Dawn "Looks like Spikey has been making you hot chocolate"
"Yeah... He does" she smiled
"He used to love my mom's hot chocolate" Dawn told her
"I know, he talks about her a lot and you. I think he misses you" said Melissa
"I doubt it, me and Spike haven't been on good terms for a while" Dawn shrugged
"But when you called he came running" said Melissa
"Well that's because of the Buffster" Xander blurted
"Right... Uh y'know I'm feeling kinda tired now. I'll cancel that hot chocolate. Goodnight" said Melissa scrambling back upstairs
Dawn smacked Xander in his chest
"Ow!" He complained
"What did you say that for?" Dawn scolded
"We'll c'mon it's obvious he only came back here because Buffy needs him" said Xander
"Well yeah, but she doesn't need to know that!"
XXXXX
Buffy and Spike walked silently through the woodland. Their last conversation didn't really end well, Spike was trying to pluck up the courage to start another conversation but he didn't know what to say. So they carried on in silence until he couldn't take it anymore.
"So you've been alright then?" He asked
"Yeah I'm fine" she told him
"Anybody special in your life?" He asked
"Huh?... No" she answered him
"Well I'm sure somebody will come along and snap you right up" he smiled
"Are you kidding me?" Buffy yelled
"What?" He asked
"You're standing there talking to me like nothing has happened" she roared
He sighed heavily
"This was a bad idea, you should go I've got this covered" she told him
"M' staying"
They walked again in silence, this time Buffy was the first to speak
"Okay... If this is gunna work, if you're gunna be here then we need to talk about what happened. Clear the air"
"Alright..."
"Why did you do it?" She asked
"I don't know... I was just scared I guess" he admitted
"You were scared? I was terrified Spike" she whimpered
"I know..." He mumbled
"We've done some pretty harsh things to each other in the past but that... Waking up to find you gone after... I was heartbroken" she admitted
"Heartbroken?" He repeated
"Yes! How could you not think I wouldn't be? That night was the first time we..." She trailed off "And what did you just expect me to forget about that?"
"No... Of course not" he told her
"So why?" She asked
"Because waking up with you in my arms terrified me. When it came to you Buffy I was weak and selfish, and I couldn't go through that. Not again" he cried
"You thought I'd run?" She breathed
"I did..." He told her
"I guess I didn't give you a reason to think otherwise huh?"
"I know it was stupid but I thought if I left before you did that it would make things easier somehow"
"Easier? How could you possibly think that finding you gone would be easier?" She ranted
"I don't know..."
"I loved you!" She blurted "Did that not mean anything?" She sobbed
"Of course it did" he told her, trying his best to comfort her with his words
"Did you even believe me?" She asked
"I did"
"It's funny because the first time I told you I loved you, you didn't" she spat
"I know, I just..."
"I thought about those last minutes in the hellmouth for so long. I meant what I said but you just let go... I spent months agonising over it I thought you did it to hurt me that the monster inside of you was just dying to get back at me for all of those times I said you were beneath me" she tried to choke back the tears "But then I realised it wasn't the monster talking it was the man. You gave up your life so that I could be free and that's when it hit me like a ton of bricks what I'd lost"
"I know pet" he said weeping
"And you come back, you didn't tell me for eight months! Then you show up, we make love for the first time in our whole relationship and then you're just gone" she cried "And now you show up with your gorgeous girlfriend in tow and I can't compete with that. I can't compete with normal"
"I didn't come here to hurt you Buffy, I came here to help you" he told her
"I just think it's best if you go" she croaked
"If that's what you want Buffy?"
"It is"
Before Spike could turn and walk away they were attacked by a pack of vampires.
"Spike!" Buffy shrieked tossing him a stake.