ONE NORMAL LIFE / TWO EXTRAORDINARY LIVES
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
210
Views:
11,283
Reviews:
182
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
210
Views:
11,283
Reviews:
182
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 NIGHT IN HYDE PARK
CHAPTER 37 - A NIGHT IN HYDE PARK
JUNE 11, 2008
6:30pm
Buffy made her way to the reception desk of the ER and asked to speak to Leroy, telling her who she was. The receptionist called back into the main ER area to relay the request.
"Leroy asks you to have a seat, he'll be out to talk to you in a few minutes."
Buffy nodded, and took a seat among those who were waiting.
A few minutes later, a medium build, medium-dark complexioned man with glasses and short curly hair came through the locked doors, scanning the waiting room.
Buffy looked over at him, as his eye caught hers, questioningly.
She gave a nod and he smiled, motioning her over.
"Leroy?" she asked, as she walked up.
"You must be Elizabeth, William's wife. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," she said, shaking his hand.
"Did you get to see William today?"
She nodded, smiling.
"Went well, then? Good for you! He remember you?"
"No, but overall, it still went really well."
"Well, that's the spirit," he said, giving her an unexpected high-five.
"Are you off soon?” she asked, “I mentioned buying you a free dinner.”
“That’s not necessary,” he told her.
“If it makes you feel any better, I haven't had anything to eat in more than 24 hours, so you could just come along as company, but I really, REALLY do need to eat something!"
"Well, if you put it like that, I'll accept. But I'm not off for another hour. Can you wait? Good," he said, when she nodded, "I'll see you out here then after shift change."
Buffy nodded, then walked back to take her seat. She sat about 10 minutes, then decided to go outside and try to call Willow. She looked at her watch. Damn that international time thing! She could never get the hang of it. She decided it was probably the middle of the night, and as much as she wanted to share the great news, it would wait until tomorrow.
She called Andrew and got the phone’s voice mail. She told him that everything was good.
She then called Dawn. Again, nobody home! This was getting annoying. Oh well, luckily, when she’d really needed them, they always seemed to be there.
She then returned to the ER, just as Leroy was walking out of the doors.
“Hey,” Buffy said, “where’s a good place to eat?”
“Come on, I’ll show you.”
They walked a few blocks through Hyde Park, one of those neighborhoods in Chicago that had a mix of both students and those that had lived there all their lives. There were lots of little restaurants, bookstores, shops, etc. On their way, they’d passed one of the most famous Frank Lloyd Wright architectural delights, The Robie House, and a couple of smaller museums, as well.
They wound up at Medicis for dinner. It was one of those city buildings that were longer rather than wider. It had high ceilings, giving it a larger appearance and wood walls with things like oars and artwork from local artists on them. For sale, of course.
Buffy ordered a large Caesar’s salad, the chicken dinner, milk, and a slice of German Chocolate Cake alamode for dessert, with a coffee.
They mostly talked about his job and when he’d gotten into nursing. He told Buffy that he’d been a nurse for about 7 years, before that, a bus driver for about 12 years, before he got an unexpected inheritance and went back to school. She told him, she also had gotten an unexpected inheritance, enabling her to change careers about 5 years ago and become a teacher.
He looked at her funny, when she said she’d changed careers. Pretty young to have had a career in which to change from.
She was glad he didn’t ask her much about William, she knew she’d have to lie about almost everything.
“So, where you staying tonight? Got a hotel room in the city?”
“Uh…I…oh damn! I totally forgot about that! I came in on the earliest flight, which still took four hours, then another half hour to get there, saw William’s doctor, saw William,” she smiled, remembering, “just didn’t think about where I’d sleep tonight; didn’t think that far ahead at all, just getting here.”
“Well, you probably could still get a hotel room, there’s sure to be something.”
“No. I don’t know why. I just want to be close by. Is there somewhere I could sleep in the hospital? One of the visitor’s lounges?”
“Yeah, plenty of those about, you probably could find a chair or a couch for the night, just not exactly like having a bed, being able to take a shower and all that,” he said.
Shower. She wondered if she smelled, if Leroy could smell her. Damn!
“Not that you smell,” he said, reading her mind, or at the very least the look on her face.
“Look, I’d offer you a bed, but I got a cousin in from Detroit right now, plus I’m across the border in Indiana and you said you wanted somewhere close by. But I do have a cousin who’s a student in this neighborhood. She probably wouldn’t mind you staying a night, if she’s home. Got an extra bed sometimes free, if her roommate’s gone to her boyfriend’s. And a shower. If you were to give her a few bucks, she’d probably go for it. Starving student and all that.”
I must stink, she thought.
She nodded. It would be nicer than a chair. Especially, if there was water involved.
“Of course, I’d be happy to give her a few bucks!”
Leroy called on his cell phone and after a few minutes, got an okay.
“Come on, I’ll walk you over there.”
They walked a couple of blocks back in the general direction of where they’d come until they came to a nice looking brownstone, which had 6 different units. Leroy held the gate open and Buffy walked into the yard. They went up the cement stairs and he buzzed his cousin.
His cousin buzzed in return and Leroy was able to push the door open. They went up two flights of stairs.
His cousin was standing with the door open when they got to the top of the stairs.
“Amelia,” he said, giving her a big grin and a hug, “this is Elizabeth.”
“Nice to meet you,” Amelia said, nodding toward Buffy.
“You, too. And thank you so much for letting me stay the night. I don’t want to inconvenience you, so if you have a spare couch, that’s fine. Or even a floor.”
“She always like this?” Amelia asked Leroy.
“Um, yeah, I think so.”
“Don’t worry, my roommates on vacation for a couple of weeks, back home with her family in Georgia, so I got the place to myself. You can use her bed, just don’t mess with anything. There’s a bathroom in the hall that you can use. I’ve got one in my bedroom.”
“I gotta run,” Leroy said, “long drive.”
“Yeah, you ought to move up here, cousin.”
“Yeah, but then I’d miss the beach and all the steel mills,” he answered.
“I’m working 9-5 tomorrow, so I’ll be around,” he said to Elizabeth.
“Okay, thanks,” Buffy said.
“Night, all!”
“Night, Leroy,” Amelia said.
Amelia turned to Buffy, “Leroy said you been going on no sleep for the past two days, so I’m going to skip the small talk with you and let you get settled in. I’m about to turn in early myself. Got to get to work by 7am tomorrow. You get up after that, just help yourself to any of the food, just don’t drink the last of the milk, okay? Anything else is fair game. I just hate having to go back out for milk when I thought I had enough!” Amelia said.
Reminded her of her once college roommate. Hopefully without her being a weird demon. She’d be sure not to drink any milk!
“Where do you work?” Buffy asked.
“Same as Leroy, hospital. Histology Department. At least for the summer, when I’m not in school.”
“Well, goodnight, Elizabeth,” Amelia said.
“Goodnight, and thanks so much!”
Buffy went off to the bedroom and turned on the switch. It had your basic bed, closet, lamps, trinkets, etc.
She looked in her bag, hopefully.
Nope.
She’d forgotten to bring any nightgowns or pajamas. Oh well, she decided that she’d take a bath, then just sleep in a towel or clothes.
An hour later, a clean, refreshed, but exhausted Buffy lay down. Before going to sleep, she decided to call the hospital first. She just wanted to ask how William was, talk to someone who had seen him tonight; just to feel connected to him.
After getting the number, she connected to the main operator, then to the floor.
“10-North,” the voice said, “Froesch, R.N.”
“Hi, this is Elizabeth Worthington. My husband, William, is one of the patients there. I was there to see him today and I just…I just wondered how he was doing this evening?”
Gretchen froze. As if her night hadn’t been awful enough.
“Um…he was fine when I saw him,” she said.
“Oh, good. so so glad that he was okay. Did he…say anything about me?” she asked.
“He showed me your picture,” Gretchen said, tears coming to her eyes, “it was very nice. When was it from?”
“From?” Buffy asked.
“Your wedding?”
“Uh…5 years ago,” she said, quickly.
“He looked quite different. Sorta punk.”
Buffy was taken aback. Oh well, she’d finally come to accept that those in authority or even those in their 40’s and 50’s sometimes had a wild side from their younger days.
“Yeah, he did,” she answered, smiling to herself.
“Well, goodnight, then,” Buffy said.
Gretchen more than anything just wanted to say goodnight back to William’s wife.
She took a breath, “They moved him.”
“What?”
“Tonight, they moved him. Doctor’s orders,” she said, gritting her teeth.
“Oh,” Buffy said, “I thought they’d do that tomorrow. Oh well, give him a night to settle in then. Dr. Turner told me about that earlier.”
She smiled, thinking how much sooner she was going to be able to see William tomorrow, when visiting hours started in the late morning.
“Not Dr. Turner,” Gretchen said. Damn, this was getting to truly be torture!
“Oh, Dr. Polydefkis? Dr. Turner said he was taking over. Okay, well, I’ll see William tomorrow. What’s the name of the unit?”
“8 West,” Gretchen said.
“Hmmm. Thought it was on the same floor or something. Okay, I’ll call over there tomorrow morning then,” Buffy said, “goodnight and thanks!”
I’m going to hell, Gretchen thought. No, wait, I’m already in hell!
“Mrs. Worthington?”
“Yes?”
“Um, you’ll have to pick up some of William’s things here at the desk.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, well, he wasn’t allowed to bring them over?”
Please don’t ask/please ask/please don’t ask/please ask.
“Um…okay, I’ll come by tomorrow and get them then. Goodnight.”
She took a breath.
“Goodnight, Mrs. Worthington.”
Surely, she was going to hell!
Buffy hung up the phone, then remembering, plugged in the charger and put the phone in there.
She lay back down and started mulling over the phone conversation. The nurse had said he was alright and had even showed her the picture of ‘their wedding.’ He got moved to the step-down unit, and…?
Buffy couldn’t help feeling that there was something she was missing, but what?
She went to call again, but decided that she’d better let the phone charge, otherwise, she’d have to use payphones all day tomorrow. She looked around the room and didn’t see another phone to use.
Oh well.
She closed her eyes, deciding to concentrate on the memory of having seen Spike today.
Buffy fell asleep, remembering the first time she’d realized he felt warm to her, and how it felt when he’d ‘caught’ her, how it felt with his arm around her, the feel of his face, how it felt when they had hugged. The smell of him. It was still there, she just remembered, she had smelled him! She was grateful that both William and Spike still smelled the same. Minus the cigarettes and leather.
And so, Buffy drifted off to sleep, on those warm and wonderful memories that they’d just made today, and slapped away the little feelings of unease that was starting to tickle her senses.
END CHAPTER 37
JUNE 11, 2008
6:30pm
Buffy made her way to the reception desk of the ER and asked to speak to Leroy, telling her who she was. The receptionist called back into the main ER area to relay the request.
"Leroy asks you to have a seat, he'll be out to talk to you in a few minutes."
Buffy nodded, and took a seat among those who were waiting.
A few minutes later, a medium build, medium-dark complexioned man with glasses and short curly hair came through the locked doors, scanning the waiting room.
Buffy looked over at him, as his eye caught hers, questioningly.
She gave a nod and he smiled, motioning her over.
"Leroy?" she asked, as she walked up.
"You must be Elizabeth, William's wife. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," she said, shaking his hand.
"Did you get to see William today?"
She nodded, smiling.
"Went well, then? Good for you! He remember you?"
"No, but overall, it still went really well."
"Well, that's the spirit," he said, giving her an unexpected high-five.
"Are you off soon?” she asked, “I mentioned buying you a free dinner.”
“That’s not necessary,” he told her.
“If it makes you feel any better, I haven't had anything to eat in more than 24 hours, so you could just come along as company, but I really, REALLY do need to eat something!"
"Well, if you put it like that, I'll accept. But I'm not off for another hour. Can you wait? Good," he said, when she nodded, "I'll see you out here then after shift change."
Buffy nodded, then walked back to take her seat. She sat about 10 minutes, then decided to go outside and try to call Willow. She looked at her watch. Damn that international time thing! She could never get the hang of it. She decided it was probably the middle of the night, and as much as she wanted to share the great news, it would wait until tomorrow.
She called Andrew and got the phone’s voice mail. She told him that everything was good.
She then called Dawn. Again, nobody home! This was getting annoying. Oh well, luckily, when she’d really needed them, they always seemed to be there.
She then returned to the ER, just as Leroy was walking out of the doors.
“Hey,” Buffy said, “where’s a good place to eat?”
“Come on, I’ll show you.”
They walked a few blocks through Hyde Park, one of those neighborhoods in Chicago that had a mix of both students and those that had lived there all their lives. There were lots of little restaurants, bookstores, shops, etc. On their way, they’d passed one of the most famous Frank Lloyd Wright architectural delights, The Robie House, and a couple of smaller museums, as well.
They wound up at Medicis for dinner. It was one of those city buildings that were longer rather than wider. It had high ceilings, giving it a larger appearance and wood walls with things like oars and artwork from local artists on them. For sale, of course.
Buffy ordered a large Caesar’s salad, the chicken dinner, milk, and a slice of German Chocolate Cake alamode for dessert, with a coffee.
They mostly talked about his job and when he’d gotten into nursing. He told Buffy that he’d been a nurse for about 7 years, before that, a bus driver for about 12 years, before he got an unexpected inheritance and went back to school. She told him, she also had gotten an unexpected inheritance, enabling her to change careers about 5 years ago and become a teacher.
He looked at her funny, when she said she’d changed careers. Pretty young to have had a career in which to change from.
She was glad he didn’t ask her much about William, she knew she’d have to lie about almost everything.
“So, where you staying tonight? Got a hotel room in the city?”
“Uh…I…oh damn! I totally forgot about that! I came in on the earliest flight, which still took four hours, then another half hour to get there, saw William’s doctor, saw William,” she smiled, remembering, “just didn’t think about where I’d sleep tonight; didn’t think that far ahead at all, just getting here.”
“Well, you probably could still get a hotel room, there’s sure to be something.”
“No. I don’t know why. I just want to be close by. Is there somewhere I could sleep in the hospital? One of the visitor’s lounges?”
“Yeah, plenty of those about, you probably could find a chair or a couch for the night, just not exactly like having a bed, being able to take a shower and all that,” he said.
Shower. She wondered if she smelled, if Leroy could smell her. Damn!
“Not that you smell,” he said, reading her mind, or at the very least the look on her face.
“Look, I’d offer you a bed, but I got a cousin in from Detroit right now, plus I’m across the border in Indiana and you said you wanted somewhere close by. But I do have a cousin who’s a student in this neighborhood. She probably wouldn’t mind you staying a night, if she’s home. Got an extra bed sometimes free, if her roommate’s gone to her boyfriend’s. And a shower. If you were to give her a few bucks, she’d probably go for it. Starving student and all that.”
I must stink, she thought.
She nodded. It would be nicer than a chair. Especially, if there was water involved.
“Of course, I’d be happy to give her a few bucks!”
Leroy called on his cell phone and after a few minutes, got an okay.
“Come on, I’ll walk you over there.”
They walked a couple of blocks back in the general direction of where they’d come until they came to a nice looking brownstone, which had 6 different units. Leroy held the gate open and Buffy walked into the yard. They went up the cement stairs and he buzzed his cousin.
His cousin buzzed in return and Leroy was able to push the door open. They went up two flights of stairs.
His cousin was standing with the door open when they got to the top of the stairs.
“Amelia,” he said, giving her a big grin and a hug, “this is Elizabeth.”
“Nice to meet you,” Amelia said, nodding toward Buffy.
“You, too. And thank you so much for letting me stay the night. I don’t want to inconvenience you, so if you have a spare couch, that’s fine. Or even a floor.”
“She always like this?” Amelia asked Leroy.
“Um, yeah, I think so.”
“Don’t worry, my roommates on vacation for a couple of weeks, back home with her family in Georgia, so I got the place to myself. You can use her bed, just don’t mess with anything. There’s a bathroom in the hall that you can use. I’ve got one in my bedroom.”
“I gotta run,” Leroy said, “long drive.”
“Yeah, you ought to move up here, cousin.”
“Yeah, but then I’d miss the beach and all the steel mills,” he answered.
“I’m working 9-5 tomorrow, so I’ll be around,” he said to Elizabeth.
“Okay, thanks,” Buffy said.
“Night, all!”
“Night, Leroy,” Amelia said.
Amelia turned to Buffy, “Leroy said you been going on no sleep for the past two days, so I’m going to skip the small talk with you and let you get settled in. I’m about to turn in early myself. Got to get to work by 7am tomorrow. You get up after that, just help yourself to any of the food, just don’t drink the last of the milk, okay? Anything else is fair game. I just hate having to go back out for milk when I thought I had enough!” Amelia said.
Reminded her of her once college roommate. Hopefully without her being a weird demon. She’d be sure not to drink any milk!
“Where do you work?” Buffy asked.
“Same as Leroy, hospital. Histology Department. At least for the summer, when I’m not in school.”
“Well, goodnight, Elizabeth,” Amelia said.
“Goodnight, and thanks so much!”
Buffy went off to the bedroom and turned on the switch. It had your basic bed, closet, lamps, trinkets, etc.
She looked in her bag, hopefully.
Nope.
She’d forgotten to bring any nightgowns or pajamas. Oh well, she decided that she’d take a bath, then just sleep in a towel or clothes.
An hour later, a clean, refreshed, but exhausted Buffy lay down. Before going to sleep, she decided to call the hospital first. She just wanted to ask how William was, talk to someone who had seen him tonight; just to feel connected to him.
After getting the number, she connected to the main operator, then to the floor.
“10-North,” the voice said, “Froesch, R.N.”
“Hi, this is Elizabeth Worthington. My husband, William, is one of the patients there. I was there to see him today and I just…I just wondered how he was doing this evening?”
Gretchen froze. As if her night hadn’t been awful enough.
“Um…he was fine when I saw him,” she said.
“Oh, good. so so glad that he was okay. Did he…say anything about me?” she asked.
“He showed me your picture,” Gretchen said, tears coming to her eyes, “it was very nice. When was it from?”
“From?” Buffy asked.
“Your wedding?”
“Uh…5 years ago,” she said, quickly.
“He looked quite different. Sorta punk.”
Buffy was taken aback. Oh well, she’d finally come to accept that those in authority or even those in their 40’s and 50’s sometimes had a wild side from their younger days.
“Yeah, he did,” she answered, smiling to herself.
“Well, goodnight, then,” Buffy said.
Gretchen more than anything just wanted to say goodnight back to William’s wife.
She took a breath, “They moved him.”
“What?”
“Tonight, they moved him. Doctor’s orders,” she said, gritting her teeth.
“Oh,” Buffy said, “I thought they’d do that tomorrow. Oh well, give him a night to settle in then. Dr. Turner told me about that earlier.”
She smiled, thinking how much sooner she was going to be able to see William tomorrow, when visiting hours started in the late morning.
“Not Dr. Turner,” Gretchen said. Damn, this was getting to truly be torture!
“Oh, Dr. Polydefkis? Dr. Turner said he was taking over. Okay, well, I’ll see William tomorrow. What’s the name of the unit?”
“8 West,” Gretchen said.
“Hmmm. Thought it was on the same floor or something. Okay, I’ll call over there tomorrow morning then,” Buffy said, “goodnight and thanks!”
I’m going to hell, Gretchen thought. No, wait, I’m already in hell!
“Mrs. Worthington?”
“Yes?”
“Um, you’ll have to pick up some of William’s things here at the desk.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, well, he wasn’t allowed to bring them over?”
Please don’t ask/please ask/please don’t ask/please ask.
“Um…okay, I’ll come by tomorrow and get them then. Goodnight.”
She took a breath.
“Goodnight, Mrs. Worthington.”
Surely, she was going to hell!
Buffy hung up the phone, then remembering, plugged in the charger and put the phone in there.
She lay back down and started mulling over the phone conversation. The nurse had said he was alright and had even showed her the picture of ‘their wedding.’ He got moved to the step-down unit, and…?
Buffy couldn’t help feeling that there was something she was missing, but what?
She went to call again, but decided that she’d better let the phone charge, otherwise, she’d have to use payphones all day tomorrow. She looked around the room and didn’t see another phone to use.
Oh well.
She closed her eyes, deciding to concentrate on the memory of having seen Spike today.
Buffy fell asleep, remembering the first time she’d realized he felt warm to her, and how it felt when he’d ‘caught’ her, how it felt with his arm around her, the feel of his face, how it felt when they had hugged. The smell of him. It was still there, she just remembered, she had smelled him! She was grateful that both William and Spike still smelled the same. Minus the cigarettes and leather.
And so, Buffy drifted off to sleep, on those warm and wonderful memories that they’d just made today, and slapped away the little feelings of unease that was starting to tickle her senses.
END CHAPTER 37