Tough Love

Chapter 11: Home


"There was a boy at the orphanage named Henri, bloody wanker he was , large bloke too, always use to beat me up after lunch, him and his pals, Always ganged up on me in some dark corner."

"Why?" she ran her finger along his naked chest.

"Dunno, maybe because I was short for my age, maybe because I wrote awful poetry, they really got their kicks from that one."

"Poor William." She smoothed the hair above his ear and nuzzled at his neck.

"Don't feel sorry for William luv, he got over that pretty fast," he whispered.

"When he discovered Spike?"

"Yeah"

"And Drusilla?" she asked dazedly.

"She's in the past pet, all there is now is Spike, Spike who's going to hold you in his arms forever." He tightened his arms around her body and kissed her temple.


"B-Buffy?"

"Huh?"

"Made you some tea." Willow put the glass on the table and sat beside her friend on the couch.

"Thanks Willow." Buffy gazed at her.

"What were you thinking about?"

"How are things between you and Oz?" she asked evasively.

"Somehow I don't think that was it." Willow smiled and paused wondering about her friend’s gloomy mood.

"What is it Buffy? I'm worried about you. I thought things were going well for you in L.A."

"They were…I mean they are." She sighed and looked around her friend's house. "So, who bought the house?"

"This one…it's on rent, you know I can't afford-"

"No…I-I meant the house on Revello," Buffy stuttered.



"Oh…I really don't know, but hey, we can check if you like-"

"No!, t-that's okay, better not to know anyway."

"It was your home Buffy, you have every right to-"

"Can we not talk about it?" Buffy got up from the couch and started to pace.

"Sure, whatever you want." Willow crossed her arms and gazed down.

"I'm sorry Will." Buffy walked across the room and sat beside her.

"I've being such a terrible friend, and yet you invite me to your home."

"And made you tea." Willow pouted gazing at her.

"And made me tea." Buffy smiled.

"It's about a guy isn't it?" Willow stated holding her gaze.

"What?" Buffy said, taken aback.

"I know you Buffy, you always said you wanted to get away from Sunnydale, and when you did I was sure you'd be happy. The only reason you’re here, is because it's familiar territory isn’t it? Something didn't go your way, right?"

"Make me sound bitchy much?"



"What was it?" Willow said with an inquiring stare.



"A guy." Buffy mumbled, embarrassed at how her friend could read her so well.

"Is he cute?" Willow wiggled an eyebrow.

"He's spiteful, stubborn, arrogant and obscene; he can act like a hyper 11 year old with the innocence that comes with it one moment and wrangle like a thug the other-"

Buffy gazed at her friend and continued ardently. "He’s devoted his whole life to being invincible, but instead of treating his body like a temple, he uses it as an ash-tray!"

Willow stared at her friend for a moment.

"Yeah…um, is he cute?"


***

"Wake up!" Gunn yelled in his friend's ear.

"Bloody hell!" Spike raised his head and blinked.

"You sure look like it."

"Thanks…now bugger off." He buried his face in the pillow.

"What are you doing sleeping in the middle of the day?"

"Don't have anything better to do." Spike mumbled.

"Yes you do, get up and get dressed, we’re going out."

"What are you, my bloody girlfriend?" Spike groused.

"Fine, you know what, I don't know why bother" Gunn turned to leave.

"Alright…" Spike got up and started picking up his clothes from the floor while cursing under his breath.

"Good" Gunn said glaring at the mess in his room, I’ll wait for you outside.

***

Willy's place was almost empty except for a few people that were sitting at the bar, and they all seemed occupied with watching the t.v in front of them.

"There's a game on," Gunn explained to his angry friend.

"We could have watched the bloody game at my house." Spike glared at him as they approached the bar.

"Please….and enjoy Spike-stench?, your place really needs a woman's touch."

"Like yours is any better-"

They both stopped as they heard two men sitting before them, talking.



"Imbecile…like all boxers are…I was doing him a favor and what did he do? He beat me up."

"It sounds like Combs wants to finished that Spike guy pretty bad, is he a threat? " the bartender said, joining in.

"Please…he wouldn't last in the ring for two seconds…I could finish him off myself."

"You would have liked that?" the bartender chuckled. "Huh Angel?"

"Angel?" Spike mumbled and saw the man turn to meet his gaze.

"Yes," Angel responded, but before he could figure who was standing before him, he felt a sharp pain as something hit his nose.

"Spike!" Gunn yelped and pushed his friend back to stop him from hitting Angel again.

"Fuck!" Angel got up from the floor. "You almost broke my nose, you idiot."



"I should have done much worse, you pillock" Spike narrowed his eyes at him.

Angel glared at him at the him for a minute, then came back to his senses.

"Spike is it? He said looking him up and down with a smirk.

"This is how you thank the man who tried to save you life?"

"More like tried to ruin my career." Spike tried to move towards him, but Gunn stopped him again, standing before him.

"Yeah… I guess you would see it like that." Angel’s smile grew bigger and he leaned back on the counter.

"Let's go Spike… he isn't worth it." Gunn tried to calm down his friend.

"Yeah Spike…. save your strength, you’re going to need it tomorrow." Angel said scornfully.

"You're next on the list."

"Maybe in the after life, but I get the feeling you'll be waiting a while. By the way , how's Buffy?"

"Don't you dare say her name."

"God….aren't we touchy….you know I really shouldn't have broken up with her, she became a hell of a woman. Saw her yesterday, did she tell you?"

"Come near her and I…"

"What? Ask your friend to come and restrain you?"

"I'll make you regret you don't have a heart problem."

The two exchanged stares, while the few guys by the bar watched them attentively.



"Come on Spike." Gunn pulled him by the arm and dragged him out of the pub.

"What the hell was that? The last thing you need is a bar fight."

"You don't know what I need." Spike paced and gazed back through the pub door.

"Look I understand that you’re pissed."

Spike snorted "I wish."

"I meant upset," Gunn corrected and sighed, wondering how to get through to Spike.



"You always find yourself in situations like this; you never stop to think what you're getting yourself into."

"I don't think you know what you getting yourself into…

Give in to me luv…and I will never let you go."

"Spike… Are you even listening to me?"

"Huh?"

"What's wrong with you? Where are your priorities?"

"I know, you’re right…I think I'll go home," Spike muttered not looking at his friend and turning to leave.

***


"So you just left, without talking to him about it?" Willow gave Buffy a long quizzical stare. As they both sat at the bench in her back yard.

"I needed some space." Buffy shrugged.

"You ran away."

Buffy stopped to think about her friend words.

"Buffy?" Willow held her gaze. "Did you believe what Angel said?"

"Of course not," she said quietly and shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"So why did you leave?"

"I told you…I don't want to watch him fight. I-I think it's dangerous," she stuttered.

God that's sounds so lame Buffy thought to herself.



"Well you could just be there and stay home." Willow rolled her eyes, but then carefully watched her friend’s sulky face.

"Buffy…He’s a boxer, you knew that. Now, what this is really about?"

"He's going to die." Buffy stated firmly.

"What?" Willow glanced at her, puzzled.

"Everyone around me either dies, is miserable or turned evil."

"Do you have any idea how insane that sounds?"

"Well it's how It feels."



"Okay then, in which category do I fit in?"

Buffy gazed at her friend warily.

"Buffy…I know you’ve been through a lot. After last year you have every right to feel a little shaken, that's why what I'm going to say to you might sound a little harsh, but I'm going to say it anyway. Snap out of it!

"Excuse me?"

"You’re feeling sorry for yourself."

"I am not."

"Yes you are…and because you're not the only one who’s in control anymore…what do you do? You taking it back by leaving?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"This Spike guy you've been slandering for the last half hour, he must have some nice qualities too, right?"

"Sure."

"What are they?"

"Well I don't know. I mean, he's Spike, he's special, he cares about me a lot even though I haven't given him much reason to…if anything he should have hated my guts by now."

"Why?-what did you do?" Willow asked calmly.

"I told him to stay out of my business, kicked him in the crotch, almost broke his nose…then we actually got along… that is, until I told everybody he had a heart problem and almost ruined his career"

"Trying to keep busy?" Willow asked with a glint in her eye.

"L.A is pretty boring" Buffy stated.

***


"Dull…dull as the grass on Hyde park, with his hair sticking up and his namby pamby face. Bloody wanker….how-how could she been with a git like that?"


Spike emptied his glass, put it on the bar and gazed at the old man in front of him. "She's crazy you know, not as crazy as my last girlfriend, I’ll tell you that…but still a nutcase with a tragic taste in men…I mean one minute she’s with a ponce who treats her like trash and the next she find anther poofter who's supposedly saves lives…." Spike paused for a minute and said slowly "Makes me wonder, you know… why she’d ever fancy a bloke like me?"

"Who are you?" The old man asked.


"Exactly… Who am I...I don't know who I am anymore!"


The old man shook his head and turned away.

"There you are!" Gunn stood beside him , panting slightly.

"Charlie!" Spike yelled " Hey look everyone it's Charlie" Spike got up from his chair quickly only to fall in the man’s arms, giggling.

"Thanks Charlie boy." Spike stood leaning on his arm. "Where have you been? it's been almost two hours."

"Well I never would have left your side if I’d known you need a sitter. Didn't you say you were heading home?"


"I-I've changed my mind."

"I can see that, let's sober you up. Hank has been looking for you." Gunn put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and helped him get outside.

"Hank's mad?" Spike asked.

"Let just say you’ll be lucky if you live to see Combs tomorrow."



"Yeah lucky," Spike mumbled.

"You’re lucky you haven't had your eye poked out by now." She ran her finger along the scar of his eyebrow, as if she was reading Braille, her hands caressing his cheeks.


"What are you doing luv?"


"I just love looking at you," Buffy said watching his face.


"I love looking at you too," he murmured.


"It's late." Buffy sighed resting her forehead on his. "We’ve been talking all night. Well, most of the night" she corrected and smiled.


"Never done something like this before," she then added quietly.


"Me neither…tired pet?"


"Mm-mmm," she mumbled closing her eyes and melting in his embrace, but then she opened her eyes and gazed at him wearily.


"You think we covered everything?"


"I think we left out a thing or two we still don't know about each other" he chuckled lightly, "but it can wait until tomorrow yeah?"


"K" Buffy rested her sleepy head on his chest.


Spike shook his head, a smile curled on his lips as he dozed off.