Remember Me

Chapter 5 - Surfing Lessons

When they reached the activities desk Buffy was excited to find out
that there were Surfing Lessons every other hour. Since they were
only going to be there for a week, Buffy convinced Spike to take their
first lessons today, before the dinner. That way they would have the
rest of the week to either take more lessons, if necessary, or just
enjoy being able to surf.

At the moment they were both listening and watching the instructor
show them how to balance on a board, and explain that they may not
all be able to stand up this first go around. Buffy nodded but
determined that she would be one of the ones who could. Spike saw
the look on her face and braced himself. Past experience told him
that, that look never boded well.

"Don't try anything you're not ready for, okay, luv?"

"Don't y, Wy, Will." She gave him a reassuring smile before they both
grabbed their boards and followed the instructor out into the water.

They paddled out cautiously, Spike shooting sharp glances at Buffy
every few minutes to make sure she was okay. She seemed to be
doing fine, and he relaxed a bit. The muscles in his arms were really
getting a workout and he could already see that surfing wasn't as
easy as it had always looked in the movies.

At least the lessons were done in the less violent waters, where the
swells didn't reach tsunami proportions. Or so they had been told
jokingly by the instructor. Spike believed him so far, not having seen
any life threatening waves.

He watched with amusement, and a small hint of male pride
(everyone here thought Buffy was his after all), as Buffy caught the
first wave. She stayed on her stomach as instructed and rode the
wave back into shore. Then she turned around and paddled back out
to the rest of the class.

"Great job, luv." Spike smiled encouragingly. Then it was Spike's
turn and he felt the rush as the swell propelled him back to shore.
Even on his stomach he could feel the adrenaline pump through his
body at the sheer excitement of the sport.

As he paddled back to the class he watched as other students came
barreling toward shore. When he looked back up toward Buffy, his
heart did a somersault into his stomach. The wave she was trying to
catch wasn't all that large, but larger than the first attempt she'd
made. And seeing the look on her face, even from this distance,
Spike knew Buffy was going to try for more than she might be ready
for.

When he saw her shakily get onto her knees, and remain that way he
relaxed just slightly. But then as if in slow motion, he saw as she tried
to maneuver her way onto her feet. Spike saw the moment she lost
her balance and was already pumping his arms as fast as they would
go in her direction. "Buffy!" He cried out as he watched her wipe out
into the surf. Before he could reach her she resurfaced, laughing and
spluttering.

When he finally did reach her, he had to restrain himself from hauling
her on to his board and shaking her senseless. "Aou oou okay, luv?"
He asked anxiously.

"I almost had it!" Buffy cried, frustrated that she hadn't been able to
stand completely before she'd lost her balance.

"What?" Spike asked in disbelief. "You almost gave me a heart
attack and that's all you're worried about?"

"What are you talking about Will? I'm fine. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that the instructor said that we might not all be able to
stand right away. And what's the first bloody thing you try?" He asked
giving her a hard look.

She paddled closer to him and reached out to touch his arm. "I'm ne, ne, Spike." She rubbed his arm soothingly. Spike was just
beginning to relax again when she pulled away and said, "Besides I
know what I'm doing. I almost had it. I'll do it right the next time."

Spike's frustration ratcheted up a notch. His girl was so bloody
stubborn! He knew there was nothing he could say to talk her out of
trying again. He watched as she paddled a bit further out, waiting for
another likely swell. She was athletic, had always been. When they'd
met she had been a cheerleader, but before that she'd studied
gymnastics for practically her whole life. Had even considered trying
for the Olympics when she was younger. And she was tough. She
could hold her own on a basketball court with blokes twice her size.
He knew. Heatchatched her do it. So why was he worried about her
now?

The answer, because he *always* worried about her. Even when s was was just on the court with a bloke her same size he worried about
her. He just usually did a better job at hiding his concern. Buffy
would just get upset and probably chide him for being a 'cave man'.
But he couldn't help it. He loved her, whether she ever found out
about that fact or not.

He shook his head. He was actually really lucky that he'd finally
broken things off with Dru. He'd known almost the moment he'd
proposed that it might have been a bad idea. Not only was her fidelity
questionable, but he had a niggling feeling that he'd made the wrong
choice. Sure, Buffy would never view him the way he'd always
wanted her to, but did that mean he should settle for something less?
The marriage he'd planned might have turned in to something bitter
and resentful by the end, when the realization that he had chosen
second best came to light.

He had had strong feelings for her though. Dru hadn't just been a
passing fancy. He had honestly believed that they could have a life
together before he'd actually gone down on one knee and put the ring
on her finger. And it had hurt deeply when she'd betrayed him, not
just once but twice. And without any real regret in her eyes.

However the excuse of his devastation over the break up to get Buffy
to accompany him on this trip was just that, an excuse. But he was
glad of it, because he could already see some of the old Buffy coming
back to the surface. She was laughing and smiling and genuinely
having a good time. And he couldn't help but smile in return.

He watched as she took another wave, this one just a medium sized
swell. God, she was magnificent. Her body glistened wetly in the
sun, her hair was tied back in a ponytail, her bangs plastered to her
forehead. He studied her the way a scientist studies a newly
discovered creature. Wanting to observe every possible action or
reaction the creature might have.

Silently he cheered when he saw her stand and maintain her balance.
He didn't want her to know he was proud of her, of her skill, and her
stubborn determination. It might just encourage her to try other more
foolhardy ventures. But he *was* proud of her, and proud that
everyone around them thought that they belonged together. That
they were a deserved match.

Then suddenly his chest tightened and he held his breath as he
watched Buffy go down a second time. This time she fell head first,
as the surfboard bucked beneath her. He waited a beat, but she n't n't come up for air and then he began to panic.

He raced toward her, the instructor reaching her location before he
could. When he got there, she was being hauled out of the water
onto the instructor's board, unconscious. He cried out involuntarily
when he saw her still form. There was blood too. A gash on her
forehead where she had apparently hit the board before she'd fallen
into the water.

"Buffy!" By the time he was close enough to touch her, the instructor
was already performing CPR, difficult on a floating board, but
something all the lifeguards and instructors were taught.

The relief he felt when he saw her sitting up and coughing water was
immense. All the breath came whooshing back into his body and he
could feel his heart pounding a drum beat against his chest.

"Is she okay?" Spike demanded.

"Will?" She called between coughs.

"Right here, luv." Spike assured her, placing a hand on her arm in
comfort. Before he could say anything else she fell onto her back her
eyes closed.

"What's wrong? Is she okay?" He stared, eyes wide with concern
and a little pleading, at the instructor.

"She hit her head pretty bad. We have to get her to the emergency
room. She probably has a concussion. But I'm sure she'll be fine."

Spike followed anxiously as they paddled back to shore, the
emergency crew already at the beach alerted by a watchful lifeguard.
The doctors at the emergency room didn't seem concerned. The
gash only required 8 stitches, and the concussion was mild. She
woke several hours later, groggy and asking for him.

"Will?"

"Here, Buffy. Right here." He reached out a hand to grasp hers.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"At the hospital, luv. Don't you remember?"

"No, what happened?" She looked around confused, her fingers
clutching tightly to his.

"You wiped out on your surfboard, stubborn bint, and hit your head."
He admonished her affectionately, kissing the thin line of stitches.

Buffy's free hand came up to feel at the threads. "We were surfing?"

"Yes. You don't remember anything? We're here, on Kauai." Still no
recognition in her eyes. "For my business trip." He finished lamely.

Concerned now, he stood quickly. "I'll get the doctor."

The doctor didn't seem too concerned when he told them that Buffy
didn't seem to remember much.

"That's sometimes the case with head trauma. It should just be a
temporary condition." Spike's worry wasn't assuaged by those
statements, but he gamely followed the physician back into Buffy's
room.

Buffy was sitting up looking adorably confused. "Will?" She held out
her hand to him, and he took it immediately.

"Hello Buffy, I'm Dr. Travers." The doctor smiled at her. "Will tells me
you've forgotten a few things."

"Yes." Buffy swallowed. "What's wrong with me?" Her face was a
mask of concern. Spike squeezed her hand in reassurance and she
gave him a wobbly smile.

"It's perfectly normal. You hit your head and sometimes that can play
tricks on your memory. But everything should start coming back to
you as you heal up." He reassured them both.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Dr. Travers asked.

Buffy thought hard, her brow furrowed slightly. Then the pensive look
was replaced with one of happiness as she turned to smile at Spike.
She took their entwined hands and brought them up to her lips for a
kiss. Then she turned that hand over and stared down at the ruby
ring she wore.

"I remember shopping for my ring." She locked gazes with Spike as
she spoke. "I remember kissing at the airport." She blushed. "It's all
a little fuzzy, just images here and there. But I guess what I really
remember," Buffy leaned forward and gave the stunned Spike a quick
peck on the lips, "Is loving Will."