Damage

“Ms. Summers…uhhh…” Spike somehow found his voice and began to address Joyce.
“MOM! We…weren’t at the motel…” Buffy began as well.
“Don’t you lie to me young lady. We were driving by and saw you walking from the motel parking lot to cross the street!” Joyce yelled at Buffy.
“We?” Buffy noticed for the first time that Joyce was accompanied by none other than Giles!

Giles had by then gotten out of the passenger side of Joyce’s car and come up behind her to stare down Spike.
“Mr. Ahhh...Finn was just bringing me home….he…found me here” Buffy made up a story as she went along, glancing at Spike for him to follow her lead.
“Uhhh...yes, Ms. Summers…” Spike began again to be interrupted a second time.

“Call me Joyce and you are Mr. Finn? Riley’s dad?” Joyce asked, eyes narrowing.
“Yes, Mom…he found me and Riley at the motel and was taking me home.” Buffy spat out.
Joyce’s eyes swung from Spike to Buffy.
“Riley? I thought you two broke up?” Joyce questioned.
“Well...we were...kinda making up…” Buffy started.
“Ms. Summ…err Joyce….I was passing by myself and spotted Riley’s car at the motel. I got his room number from the desk clerk and banged on the door until they opened it. I found he was….uhh...with your daughter and I made him drive home in his car so I could bring Buffy home to you.” Spike explained.
“Why is your car parked at the restaurant over here then?” Joyce inquired.
“I was here getting something to eat when I spotted his car across the street. I just walked over rather than drive.” Spike continued.

“Ahh...well that explains it all I suppose” Giles spoke up finally.
“You are still in big trouble Missy” Joyce turned back towards Buffy. “You are supposed to be at Willow’s. Did she have something to do with this?”
“No Mom. I told her I was going home early. It’s not her fault. Riley picked me up a couple blocks from her house. I’m sorry. We just…sorry.” Buffy hung her head.

“Rupert Giles, by the way. I see that you’re from the homeland too” he stuck his hand out for Spike to shake it.
“Yeah, mate. Nice to meet you” Spike shook back, feeling like this was all surreal. He just got caught by his underage girlfriend’s mother and sometime surrogate father and here he was blaming it on his own son.

“What are you doing here anyway, Giles?” Buffy said.
“It was a surprise. Your mother had me come in for the holidays to surprise you and Dawn. She just picked me up from the airport and we were on our way back to your house when we passed by here.” Giles answered.
“I’m glad you came” Buffy hugged him.
“Thank you dear. Me too.” Giles said.

“Well, Mr. Finn. It appears I owe you an apology. I am sorry for going off on you like that but you must understand how it looked” Joyce said, now embarrassed.
“I understand Joyce. I will be speaking to Riley about this of course when I get home.” Spike assured her.
“Kids…they grow up so fast.” Joyce commented.
“Come on Mom…let’s take Giles home. He is probably tired from his trip. Let Mr. Finn get home. It’s Christmas Eve after all.” Buffy prodded.
“Yes, we need to be on our way. Thank you Mr. Finn for...well starting to bring Buffy home.” Joyce said.
“No problem” Spike said.
“Nice meeting you…sorry about the circumstances” Giles told Spike.
“Yeah…you too. Enjoy the holidays” Spike replied.

“Come on Buffy. You’re so in trouble and I don’t care that it is Christmas tomorrow. Get in the car” Joyce said sternly and got in the drivers seat herself as Giles got in the passenger seat. Buffy opened the rear door and got it. Spike watched them drive away and finally let out a long breath he had been holding in. That was so close. His heart was beating so fast, he felt he might be having a heart attack.

Poor Buffy. She was taking the heat for him. God, he was a bastard. Now she would be punished and he got off scott free. He rubbed his face with his hands and finally got into his car. He sat there for a bit collecting his thoughts. It was only a matter of time before the truth came out and now Joyce would probably be even double ballistic seeing as they had lied through their teeth to her today. It would be a knock down drag out fight then. He just wanted to get them past Buffy’s birthday. He had to figure out what he was going to do and he had to figure it out fast. Spike sighed as he finally pulled out of the parking lot and headed for home. Home to his son who just unknowingly took the fall for him. Merry Fucking Christmas, Spike, he thought to himself.

“Go to your room, right now! I’ll be up in a bit” Joyce yelled at Buffy as soon as they entered the Summers residence.
Buffy ran up the stairs and into her room. She had never seen her mom so upset before. She could only imagine how she would be if she knew the truth. She was dreading the “talk” that she knew was coming but she had saved Spike, for a little while longer at least.

She grabbed Mr. Gordo, her stuffed pig and threw herself down onto her bed, clutching him tight.
“You’re the only one who understands Mr. Gordo. I love him so much but she wouldn’t understand. It’s not fair.” Buffy cried softly into the plush pig.

Downstairs Joyce made tea for Giles and her.
“I just don’t know what’s gotten into her lately, Rupert. She was always such a good girl and I just can’t seem to control her anymore. She’s having sex with that Finn boy, then breaking up with him, and then meeting him at motels, lying to me, lying to her best friend Willow. What else is she into? You don’t think she could be on drugs do you?” Joyce expressed her concerns.
“Well, let’s not jump the gun, Joyce. She didn’t appear to be on drugs to me. Joyce, she is 17 years old, almost 18. Remember when we were that age? It’s probably all perfectly normal behavior” Giles responded.
“Yeah, that’s what scares me. I remember when I was her age.” Joyce sighed. “I just want better for my girls. I don’t want her tied down to some man, no offense, or to end up pregnant and left alone with children to raise like I was”
“None taken” Giles replied. “I understand your concerns. You can’t keep her from growing up though, Joyce or from making her own mistakes.”

“So…tell me now…what did you think of Mr. Finn? He was…rather attractive, no?” Joyce grinned.
“Joyce!” Giles scoffed.
“Hey…I haven’t had a date in I can’t remember how long. Too bad he is married though or I might be inclined to ask him out” Joyce said.

Just then Dawn came barreling in the back door and noticed Giles sitting with her mother.
“GILES!” she squealed and ran to hug him.
“Hello Dawn” Giles said as he hugged her.
“Surprise” Joyce smiled.
“Yeah...wow…you brought presents right?” Dawn grinned.
“How rude, Dawn” Joyce began.
“Of course I did. You know I can’t come to Sunnydale without gifts for my three best girls.” Giles grinned back.
“Where’s Buffy?” Dawn asked.
“In her room, which is where I’m heading now.” Joyce said as she walked away.

“What’s up?” Dawn looked back at Giles.
“Your sister is in a bit of hot water. She got caught sneaking around with some character named Riley. Do you know him?” Giles explained.
“Yeah...her ex boyfriend. Wonder what she was doing with him? I hate him. He’s such a dork” Dawn replied.
“Yes, well. I guess your sister and the uhh…dork are not exactly ex anymore.” Giles informed her.
“Crap…I hope he doesn’t start coming back around her. He pats my head like I’m a dog or something and calls me kiddo. It’s really annoying.” Dawn told him.
“So…would you like to help me carry in the packages from the car? We haven’t unloaded it yet since we got back.” Giles asked her.
“Sure…especially if they’re my presents” Dawn grinned as her and Giles went out to the car.

“Is that you, Dad?” Riley called from the kitchen as he heard the front door open.
“Yeah, I’m home” Spike came walking in.
“Did you find it?” Riley asked.
“Find what?” Spike replied.
“Mom’s gift? You’ve been gone a long time” Riley said.
“Oh! Yes. I did. It’s in the trunk. I’ll get it in a minute.” Spike went to the fridge and got himself a beer.

He had almost forgotten the excuse he told Riley to get out of the house for the day. He had already bought Drusilla her gifts but he stashed them in the trunk of his car and then told Riley he still had to find her something so he was supposedly shopping all day.

“You know how the crowds are the day before Christmas. That’s why it took so long.” Spike lied.
“Yeah, all those men who forget to get their wives something until the last minute” Riley joked with his dad.
“You got me there.” Spike put on a smile.
“You’re not planning on….uhh...drinking a lot tonight, are you?” Riley motioned to the beer in Spike’s hand.
“Can’t a man have a beer after a long day in his own home if he wants?” Spike tensed, knowing where this conversation was headed.
“Yeah...it’s just…it’s Christmas Eve and I don’t want you all drunk and stuff tonight and tomorrow” Riley said then looked away.
“Not like we have any guests coming over. If we did though, sure wouldn’t want to embarrass you with my drunken self” Spike said getting angry. It was a toss up whether he was angry at Riley or at himself.
“I don’t want to fight, Dad. I’m just saying…” Riley began.
“I know what you’re saying. Dear old Dad’s a drunk and an embarrassment. Bad enough your mum’s nuts but you gotta deal with the drunken ass father too. Can’t have friends over.” Spike turned and threw his half empty beer at the wall. It crashed into pieces, spraying beer all over the wall.

“I’m sorry! Don’t get all pissed off! Jesus! You’re such a dick sometimes. You’re right. I wish you weren’t my dad. I hate you!” Riley screamed.
“Good! I hate me too! That gives us at least one thing in common!” Spike yelled back.
“Why can’t you just be normal?” Riley yelled.
“Normal? How the bleeding hell am I supposed to be normal? I’ve been taking care of your crazy mother for most of my, hell ALL of my adult life and raising you by myself…holed up in this house with barely any outside contact…how the fuck do you expect me to be NORMAL?” Spike shouted.

“My sweet boys are going to fight” Drusilla clapped her hands in anticipation from the doorway.
“Mom!” Riley said.
“Dru!” Spike said at the same time.
“You fight about Sunshine. You just don’t know it.” Dru said to Riley.
“Shut up Dru” Spike told her.
“Don’t talk to her that way” Riley defended his mom.
“Oh yeah? You won’t even visit your own mum. You treat her like she has the plague and you’re going to tell ME how not to talk to her? Maybe if you hadn’t been born she wouldn’t be like this!” Spike regretted the words before they were even out of his mouth.
“Riley…son…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean.” Spike began.
“Yes you did! You’ve always blamed me for how she is! Now you finally admit it! I can’t wait until I get out of this house!” Riley yelled as he ran from the room and went up to his bedroom, slamming the door shut.

“William’s house is falling down all around him. Round and Round. Round and Round” Drusilla began to spin around and around as she sing songed.
Spike turned and walked out the side door and lit a cigarette on the porch. He held the lighter Buffy had gotten him in his hand and rubbed his thumb over it. A few short hours before he had been in heaven and now he was standing amidst the shambles of a home that was fast breaking apart. Riley would never forgive him for Buffy. Not now, especially after this. God, why had he behaved that way? He was just so fucking tired. Year after year of it all and he was so tired. He felt like he could snap like a twig at any minute if he didn’t get out from under.

This has got to end, he thought.

Continued in Chapter 14- Betrayal