Nocturnal Bravura Book Three: Children Of Destiny
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
24
Views:
2,343
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
24
Views:
2,343
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
A Promise To Keep
A Promise To Keep
William walked carefully through the house with an unconscious Lizzie in his arms; careful to wake none of The Scoobies camped out in the living room. Earlier, he had taken the keys to Spike’s Desoto and stuffed them in his pocket; waiting for Lizzie to come and talk to him.
He had known she would. He’d had to force himself to remain unmoved by her pleas, but she had almost made him waiver in his decision.
Once outside, William opened the car’s door and laid her carefully on the front seat. He rolled it down the street, not wanting to wake anyone with the roar of its engine when he got in and started it.
As he drove across town, he turned and looked at Lizzie’s unconscious face. He knew what had to be done; he only prayed that she would forgive him.
He understood about her vow to him. About her promises she had made. But he had promises to keep as well. His mind drifted to a long ago memory and the promise he intended to keep.
FLASHBACK
__________________________________________________________________
William watched through the window as his brother kissed their dying mother on
her forehead, tears falling down his face. Their father leaned against the wall trying to be strong for his boys. The doctor’s had told him Jenny didn’t have much time. The strange wooden object that she had been stabbed with had broken through her stomach lining and they could not stop the internal bleeding.
His thoughts were irrational. He thought that if it was Spike, he would have recovered in a few days. He found himself wishing his mother was endowed with just a bit of Slayer strength.
He watched as his twin cried, holding their mother’s hand and looked up at the ceiling. William stared through the small window as Spike made pleas to the heavens.
Jenny touched her son’s head. A faint smile crept across her face as she said something to her older boy. Spike nodded, kissed his mother on the cheek, and walked out the door.
Once away from his mother’s presence, his tortured face suddenly hardened to stone: the only emotion in his eyes was pure, undiluted rage. He glared at his father. “She wants to talk to Will.” When William began to walk in, Rupert made as if to follow him. Spike stood in his path, refusing to give way. “Alone,” he sneered.
William walked into the room, conscious of the loud beeping noise of Jenny’s heart monitor. She turned her head to smile at him, every bit of color leached from her face to leave it a haggard caricature of her former beauty. In spite of her obvious weakness, she reached out for her younger son. He took her hand and sat down by her bed.
“My William. Always so strong.” Jenny said, her face full of pride. “Did I tell ever tell you we had no idea you were in me with your brother?”
When William shook his head, Jenny chuckled slightly. “They did not even hear your heart beat. The doctor said it was because both of your hearts were in perfect beat with each other. You should have seen the shock on your father’s face when they told him you were coming out.”
She smoothed her hand over his hair and then framed his face. “You were very weak. The doctor’s were afraid you weren’t going to make it, but I knew you would. When I looked at you the first time, I knew you were the stronger of my two boys,” she said, tears rolling down her temples and into her hair.
William wiped his mother’s cheeks, disregarding the tears running down his own.
“When they put you in that incubator and separated you from Spike, he wailed the entire time. Nothing could console him. It was like he knew a part of him was missing. Then when you were finally strong enough, we had to put the two of you in the same crib or else you two would cry all night. That’s when I knew William. You’re the heart between the two of you.”
She coughed weakly and William helped her to take a sip of water.
“Mum, please stop. Save you’re strength for getting better,” he said trying desperately to feed his mother hope.
Jenny shook her head as she looked up at her son. “We both know it’s time son.” She smiled bitterly. “I could not say that to Spike, or to your father, but I can to you. I want to apologize to you William.”
“Mum, don’t be silly. What for?” William asked incredulous.
“For two things. The first being if I ever made you feel that I doted on Spike more than you. I worried about him constantly. He was always so rash, so easy to anger. I thought if I was there, I could somehow quell his impulsiveness. I never did that to you because I knew you were the more centered. It’s not until now that I realize how much that could have been misconstrued.” Jenny sighed.
“Mum, I knew. I always knew you loved me. Don’t do that to yourself,” William pleaded.
Jenny’s eyes fluttered closed as she smiled. “See William even now you are so giving, so strong. I’m so proud of you.”
William held his mother’s hand. “Never mind about the second thing, Mum. It’s not important.” he whispered.
Her eyes flew open and her hand tightened on his. “Yes son. Yes, it is. It’s the most important thing I could ever tell you,” she insisted.
William gently shushed his mother, afraid of getting her more worked up. “I’m listening.”
“I need to apologize; to tell you how sorry I am for what you will have to endure. You will bear so many burdens, William. You’ll endure so much more than any person ever should. If I could take this burden from you, I would. With my last breath,” Jenny cried.
The different pieces of machinery hooked to the various leads on her body jumped to life as her heart rate and respirations skyrocketed.
“Mum, don’t!” William cried anxiously.
She made a visible effort to calm herself, knowing she had to finish this before it was too late. “I need you to promise me something else.”
“Anything.”
“Promise me that you will protect her. She can’t die, William. If she does, everything is lost. I know you’ll be strong enough to do what you need to do when the time comes, no matter how painful. You’ll know everything is as it should be when you have to give over the most precious thing you ever had to him. This is what I need from you, son; your promise that you answer the call when it comes.” Jenny said.
William tried to make sense of his mother’s cryptic words. He wanted to tell her that he didn’t understand, but she looked so desperate that he merely nodded.
“I promise, Mum. I promise,” he whispered, gently kissing her cold cheek.
Jenny Giles smiled and closed her eyes for the last time.
The beeping of her heart monitor became one steady sound. Nurses and doctors flooded the room armed with a crash cart, thrusting William out of the way as they began to work feverishly to revive her. They worked on her for ten minutes then called for the time.
At that moment, Joyce, Lizzie, and Dawn stepped out of the elevator. They heard Spike’s roar of grief as he lashed out, slamming his fists into the wall as four orderlies struggled to restrain him. He threw them all off of him and started towards his father’s devastated figure when he saw Lizzie standing there. He ran to her, collapsing to his knees in front of her and wrapping his arms around her waist as an anchor as he wept like a child.
Rupert sunk to the floor, broken. Joyce hurried to his side and knelt down, allowing him to cry in her arms.
Dawn found William standing in the darkest corner of Jenny’s room. She slipped inside and made her way to his side, staring up at him with sad blue eyes as she opened her arms wide. He finally began to cry as he drew Dawnie into his embrace.
The younger siblings of the two families stared at Jenny. William thought she finally looked at peace and was glad that she had died knowing he would keep his promise.
END OF FLASHBACK
_______________________________________________________________
William stopped the car and walked to the passenger side, his mother’s words ringing in his head.
“Promise me that you will protect her. She can’t die, William. If she does, everything is lost.”
He looked down at Lizzie for a moment before he pulled her from the car.
“I know you’ll be strong enough to do what you need to do when the time comes, no matter how painful.”
He nuzzled his cheek against her cold one, trying to forget the pain inside. He walked into the cemetery, scalding tears blinding his sight.
“You’ll know everything is as it should be when you have to give over the most precious thing you ever had to him.”
Sobbing, he yelled for his brother. “SPIKE!”
Within moments, Spike emerged from the shadows.
William looked down at Lizzie’s limp form then looked at his brother.
“This is what I need from you, son; your promise that you answer the call when it comes.”
William walked carefully through the house with an unconscious Lizzie in his arms; careful to wake none of The Scoobies camped out in the living room. Earlier, he had taken the keys to Spike’s Desoto and stuffed them in his pocket; waiting for Lizzie to come and talk to him.
He had known she would. He’d had to force himself to remain unmoved by her pleas, but she had almost made him waiver in his decision.
Once outside, William opened the car’s door and laid her carefully on the front seat. He rolled it down the street, not wanting to wake anyone with the roar of its engine when he got in and started it.
As he drove across town, he turned and looked at Lizzie’s unconscious face. He knew what had to be done; he only prayed that she would forgive him.
He understood about her vow to him. About her promises she had made. But he had promises to keep as well. His mind drifted to a long ago memory and the promise he intended to keep.
FLASHBACK
__________________________________________________________________
William watched through the window as his brother kissed their dying mother on
her forehead, tears falling down his face. Their father leaned against the wall trying to be strong for his boys. The doctor’s had told him Jenny didn’t have much time. The strange wooden object that she had been stabbed with had broken through her stomach lining and they could not stop the internal bleeding.
His thoughts were irrational. He thought that if it was Spike, he would have recovered in a few days. He found himself wishing his mother was endowed with just a bit of Slayer strength.
He watched as his twin cried, holding their mother’s hand and looked up at the ceiling. William stared through the small window as Spike made pleas to the heavens.
Jenny touched her son’s head. A faint smile crept across her face as she said something to her older boy. Spike nodded, kissed his mother on the cheek, and walked out the door.
Once away from his mother’s presence, his tortured face suddenly hardened to stone: the only emotion in his eyes was pure, undiluted rage. He glared at his father. “She wants to talk to Will.” When William began to walk in, Rupert made as if to follow him. Spike stood in his path, refusing to give way. “Alone,” he sneered.
William walked into the room, conscious of the loud beeping noise of Jenny’s heart monitor. She turned her head to smile at him, every bit of color leached from her face to leave it a haggard caricature of her former beauty. In spite of her obvious weakness, she reached out for her younger son. He took her hand and sat down by her bed.
“My William. Always so strong.” Jenny said, her face full of pride. “Did I tell ever tell you we had no idea you were in me with your brother?”
When William shook his head, Jenny chuckled slightly. “They did not even hear your heart beat. The doctor said it was because both of your hearts were in perfect beat with each other. You should have seen the shock on your father’s face when they told him you were coming out.”
She smoothed her hand over his hair and then framed his face. “You were very weak. The doctor’s were afraid you weren’t going to make it, but I knew you would. When I looked at you the first time, I knew you were the stronger of my two boys,” she said, tears rolling down her temples and into her hair.
William wiped his mother’s cheeks, disregarding the tears running down his own.
“When they put you in that incubator and separated you from Spike, he wailed the entire time. Nothing could console him. It was like he knew a part of him was missing. Then when you were finally strong enough, we had to put the two of you in the same crib or else you two would cry all night. That’s when I knew William. You’re the heart between the two of you.”
She coughed weakly and William helped her to take a sip of water.
“Mum, please stop. Save you’re strength for getting better,” he said trying desperately to feed his mother hope.
Jenny shook her head as she looked up at her son. “We both know it’s time son.” She smiled bitterly. “I could not say that to Spike, or to your father, but I can to you. I want to apologize to you William.”
“Mum, don’t be silly. What for?” William asked incredulous.
“For two things. The first being if I ever made you feel that I doted on Spike more than you. I worried about him constantly. He was always so rash, so easy to anger. I thought if I was there, I could somehow quell his impulsiveness. I never did that to you because I knew you were the more centered. It’s not until now that I realize how much that could have been misconstrued.” Jenny sighed.
“Mum, I knew. I always knew you loved me. Don’t do that to yourself,” William pleaded.
Jenny’s eyes fluttered closed as she smiled. “See William even now you are so giving, so strong. I’m so proud of you.”
William held his mother’s hand. “Never mind about the second thing, Mum. It’s not important.” he whispered.
Her eyes flew open and her hand tightened on his. “Yes son. Yes, it is. It’s the most important thing I could ever tell you,” she insisted.
William gently shushed his mother, afraid of getting her more worked up. “I’m listening.”
“I need to apologize; to tell you how sorry I am for what you will have to endure. You will bear so many burdens, William. You’ll endure so much more than any person ever should. If I could take this burden from you, I would. With my last breath,” Jenny cried.
The different pieces of machinery hooked to the various leads on her body jumped to life as her heart rate and respirations skyrocketed.
“Mum, don’t!” William cried anxiously.
She made a visible effort to calm herself, knowing she had to finish this before it was too late. “I need you to promise me something else.”
“Anything.”
“Promise me that you will protect her. She can’t die, William. If she does, everything is lost. I know you’ll be strong enough to do what you need to do when the time comes, no matter how painful. You’ll know everything is as it should be when you have to give over the most precious thing you ever had to him. This is what I need from you, son; your promise that you answer the call when it comes.” Jenny said.
William tried to make sense of his mother’s cryptic words. He wanted to tell her that he didn’t understand, but she looked so desperate that he merely nodded.
“I promise, Mum. I promise,” he whispered, gently kissing her cold cheek.
Jenny Giles smiled and closed her eyes for the last time.
The beeping of her heart monitor became one steady sound. Nurses and doctors flooded the room armed with a crash cart, thrusting William out of the way as they began to work feverishly to revive her. They worked on her for ten minutes then called for the time.
At that moment, Joyce, Lizzie, and Dawn stepped out of the elevator. They heard Spike’s roar of grief as he lashed out, slamming his fists into the wall as four orderlies struggled to restrain him. He threw them all off of him and started towards his father’s devastated figure when he saw Lizzie standing there. He ran to her, collapsing to his knees in front of her and wrapping his arms around her waist as an anchor as he wept like a child.
Rupert sunk to the floor, broken. Joyce hurried to his side and knelt down, allowing him to cry in her arms.
Dawn found William standing in the darkest corner of Jenny’s room. She slipped inside and made her way to his side, staring up at him with sad blue eyes as she opened her arms wide. He finally began to cry as he drew Dawnie into his embrace.
The younger siblings of the two families stared at Jenny. William thought she finally looked at peace and was glad that she had died knowing he would keep his promise.
END OF FLASHBACK
_______________________________________________________________
William stopped the car and walked to the passenger side, his mother’s words ringing in his head.
“Promise me that you will protect her. She can’t die, William. If she does, everything is lost.”
He looked down at Lizzie for a moment before he pulled her from the car.
“I know you’ll be strong enough to do what you need to do when the time comes, no matter how painful.”
He nuzzled his cheek against her cold one, trying to forget the pain inside. He walked into the cemetery, scalding tears blinding his sight.
“You’ll know everything is as it should be when you have to give over the most precious thing you ever had to him.”
Sobbing, he yelled for his brother. “SPIKE!”
Within moments, Spike emerged from the shadows.
William looked down at Lizzie’s limp form then looked at his brother.
“This is what I need from you, son; your promise that you answer the call when it comes.”