Second Chances

Series: Second Chances

Author: Princess Joyce

Rating: PG for this chapter

A/N: You need to have seen the episode ‘Ted’ and seen previous episodes for this to make sense.

Chapter 5: Ted

It was a tensely silent group that walked to Buffy’s house just after dusk one evening. Xander would occasionally make a stupid quip, but only Willow would give him a pity giggle that was so nervous it made her sound like she was in pain.

The silence didn’t bother Spike. He knew these kids, and was not all intimidated. His problem was trying to hold back from telling Xander he was going to fall for a demon, and Willow that after dating a werewolf, she would start batting for the other team.

Thoughts of their futures amused him, but he knew better than to say anything. They were skittish and wary of him, but that was a nice change from the lack of respect they always treated him to in the future.

Buffy was nervous about him meeting her mom.

“She’s gonna hate you, and my life is going to be that much more difficult,” she groaned, slowing her steps.

Xander and Willow looked back at her in concern.

Spike just scoffed.

“Oh please, your mum loves me! The first time I came to your house she gave me cocoa and let me cry on her shoulder about Dru,” he said, giving her a slight push to get her moving again.

“The first time… Oh, you’re talking about the future again. That’s so weird that you’re from the future,” Willow commented.

“Do they have flying cars?” Xander asked hopefully.

“A cure for cancer?” Willow asked.

“She loved you? She hated Angel,” Buffy said, trying to steer them back to the point.

“So? That just means she has good taste,” Spike said with a smirk.

Xander snickered and Spike grinned at him. He had forgotten that Xander liked Angel about as much as he did.

“No flying cars and people still die of cancer and brain tumors,” Spike said, giving Buffy a significant look that was completely lost to her worrying mind.

When Buffy’s house came into view she had everyone stop.

“Okay, we have to get our story straight. Spike, you’re my boyfriend.”

Xander and Willow looked at her like she’d lost her mind while Spike puffed his chest up and slung an arm across Buffy’s shoulders.

She immediately brushed his arm off and glared at all of them.

“It’s not for real, guys! It will be easier this way. Like I said, Mom hates Angel. He’s never around her anyway, but I’m with Spike practically every night for patrol. She won’t be as suspicious. Besides, after what she saw a few nights ago I can’t introduce him as just a friend,” Buffy said, impatiently and began leading the way to her door.

“Uh, Buff? What did she see a few nights ago?” Xander asked, slowly.

Buffy blushed.

“She saw me…” Spike began with a grin.

“NOTHING! This conversation is over, everyone is on their best behavior… the door’s unlocked? Why is the door unlocked?” She asked as the door easily swung open when she tried to put her key in the lock.

“Spike? Something’s not right,” she said, the hair rising on the back of her neck.

“Is your slayer sense tingling?” Xander asked, and Willow hit him lightly on the arm.

“You guys wait here a second,” Buffy said, and motioned for Spike to follow her.

She slowly walked in and looked around. After a few seconds she heard a glass fall and break in the kitchen and her mother cry out.

“No!” She heard Joyce call from the kitchen.

Buffy rushed through the dining room to the kitchen door and pushed it open.

“Mom!”

The sight that met her eyes as she rounded the corner had her jaw dropping.

Her mother was locked in an embrace with and kissing a man. They broke off their kiss, and all three of them stared awkwardly at each other.

“Oh, my... I'm sorry, I... I heard...”

“Uh, I-I-I broke a wineglass. Y-y-you're home early,” Joyce said, stepping away from the man and smoothing her skirt.

“Hi,” the man said with a friendly smile.

“Hi,” Buffy said back with a fake one.

“Oh! Uh, this is my daughter, Buffy. Buffy, this is Ted.”

“Guess you two are even now,” Spike said, breaking the silence.

“Well, I … Buffy? Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend?” Her mother asked once she had regained her composure.

Buffy looked at Spike then back at her mother, apparently forgetting how to speak.

Spike bit back a laugh at the speechless slayer and offered a hand to Joyce.

“My name’s William, but I prefer Spike,” he said and then offered his hand to Ted.

“Okay, Spike. That’s a… different name,” Ted said, giving Spike a very distrustful look.

Spike looked Joyce square in the eye and said, “It’s a nick name me mum gave me before she died.”

He even bit his tongue hard enough fill his eyes.

Joyce gasped and moved away from Ted to put an arm around the vampire.

“I think it’s a lovely name, dear. Would you like some cocoa? Here have a seat,” Joyce said, leading him to the table.

“Less than a minute and she’s offering him cocoa. He is good,” Xander whispered to Willow who nodded in agreement.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Later that night Giles and Spike watched as Buffy beat the crap out of a vampire in the park.

“Buffy? I-I believe he's, he's, um...”

Spike held up a hand to stop Giles from finishing.

“She’s just working out some issues mate. It’s good for her,” Spike said, enjoying the way her shirt rode up and revealed a nice size piece of smooth, tan skin on her lower back with each punch she threw.

Giles gave him a withering look, straightening his glasses irritably.

“While I appreciate you helping us out, Spike, I think I am the one who gets to decide what’s good for her.”

Spike just shrugged.

“It, it's, it's staking time, really. Don't you think?” Giles tried again.

Buffy reluctantly gave in and staked the bruised, broken, and bleeding vampire.

“Any others?” She asked, searching the dark, desperately.

“Well, for their sakes, I certainly hope not,” Giles said, sternly.

“What? I kill vampires, that's my job.”

“Well, true, true, although you don't usually beat them into quite such a bloody pulp beforehand. Everything alright?” Her watcher asked, taking to heart Spike’s comment from earlier.

“Yeah! Fine,” she lied, giving Spike a challenging look.

He shrugged and walked away a few feet to smoke a cigarette.

“I killed a vampire here on Wednesday. Why are they hanging out at the park?” Buffy asked as she sat on the ground and started stretching.

“Well, they're... scattered, you know. Now their leader is gone, with any luck dead. In times of crisis they usually return to the easiest feeding grounds.”

“Vampires are creeps.”

“Yes, that's why one slays them,” Giles said giving her an odd look.

“I mean, people are perfectly happy getting along, and then vampires come, and they run around and they kill people, and they take over your whole house, they start making these stupid little mini pizzas, and everyone's like, 'I like your mini pizzas,' but I'm telling you, I am...”

“I didn’t really care for the pizzas,” Spike commented, and Buffy smiled at him.

“Uh, uh, Buffy! I-I believe the... subtext here is, is, rapidly becoming, uh, uh, text. Are you sure there's nothing you want to share?” Giles asked, shooting a slightly envious look at Spike.

“No. Forget it.”

Things were silent for few minutes until she said, “Think there'll be any more?

I can wait.”

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

After patrol, Buffy stopped by Angel’s place to make sure he was doing okay. The ritual that had healed Drusilla left him weak and with a very deep cut in his hand that was healing really slowly.

Buffy told him all about Ted as she replaced his bandage.

“So Mom's like, 'Do you think Ted will like this?' and 'This is Ted's favorite show,' and 'Ted's teaching me computers,' and 'Ted said the funniest thing,' and I'm like, 'That's really great, Mom,' and then she said I was being sarcastic, which I was, but I'm sorry if I don't wanna talk about Ted all the time.”

Angel looked up at her.

“So, you gonna talk about something else at some point?”

Buffy sighed.

“I'm sorry. I just have so much to deal with, I don't need some new guy in my life.”

She finished wrapping the bandage and Angel handed her a piece of tape.

“No, but maybe your mom does,” he said, as gently as he could.

Buffy took the tape and put it on the bandage.

“Well, sure, if you're gonna use wisdom.”

Angel laughed.

“Loneliness is about the scariest thing there is.”

Buffy gave him a pained look.

“Okay, so my mom needs a guy in her life. Does it have to be Ted?”

“Do you have somebody else in mind? There's a guy out there that would satisfy you?” He questioned, knowingly.

“My dad?” She asked hopefully.

He gave her a look.

“Yeah, okay, that's not gonna happen. Fine, fine, I'll give Ted a chance. I'll play mini-golf, and I'll smile and curtsy and be the dutiful daughter. Do I have to like him?” She asked, giving him her best puppy-dog face.

Angel smiled.

“Kiss me.”

Buffy smiled.

“Finally, something I wanna do!”

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Buffy made her way to Angel’s place after the disastrous miniature golf experience. She couldn’t believe that Ted had actually threatened to slap her! She needed to vent. Angel would understand.

Ten minutes later, she had told him the whole story.

“I am going to get Willow and Xander to help me investigate him. Find out his secrets, hack into his life,” she said, looking to him for approval.

Angel didn’t give it to her.

“Buffy, don’t you think you are overreacting just a bit?” He asked, sounding slightly irritated.

“What? NO! There’s something off about him. I felt it even before I saw him kissing my mom,” she insisted.

“It just seems like you want him to be corrupt, or something,” Angel pointed out.

“The guy lost his senses over mini-golf!”

“So he's a little stressed. We all have bad days. And don't look at me like that, I'm on your side. I'm just saying there are some things in life you have to accept.”

“And I'm saying Ted ain't one of 'em.”

There was nothing left to say about it.

“I gotta go patrol,” she said and got up to leave.

“With Spike?” He asked, bitterly.

Her shoulders stiffened and she turned toward him with an angry look.

“Well, it’s not like you can help me,” she bit out and hurried through door.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

“He threatened me! The bastard actually threatened to slap me,” Buffy whined to Spike as they patrolled.

Spike stopped dead in his tracks at her words.

She turned back to look at him with a puzzled look when she realized he wasn’t keeping up with her.

“Spike?” She asked, surprised to see him in ‘game’ face.

“Where is he? Where is that bastard? I’ll rip out his bloody spleen!” He demanded looking around as if he expected Ted to suddenly step out from behind a tree or something.

Buffy felt and odd sensation in her stomach and her lips curved in an automatic smile. Spike was angry on her behalf. He was losing it, he was so angry.

Almost without thought she walked over and kissed him on the cheek.

“So, you don’t think I’m overreacting?” She asked.

Spike took a deep breath and allowed his face to slip back to normal.

“You are the Slayer, Buffy. You can sense things the rest of us can’t. If your gut instinct tells you there’s something wrong with this bloke, then you should trust it. Sharp instincts are part of the Slayer package, you know? It’s not all strength and skill. Hasn’t Giles told you any of this.”

She started to say no, then changed her mind.

“He probably has, I just don’t always listen,” she admitted.

“It’s probably time you started listening, luv. The stakes are just gonna get higher, and there will be a lot more lives on the line than just your own,” he cautioned.

Buffy sighed and sat down on the ground.

“I’m tired Spike. I’m only sixteen, but I’m so tired,” she said, putting her head in her hands.

Buffy let out a startled squeak when Spike suddenly swung her up into his arms.

“Then let me carry you,” he whispered, tucking her head under his chin.

Buffy allowed him to carry her all the way home. She had never felt so safe and cherished. Angel never made her feel this way. With him it was all angst and lust. Kisses and fumbled groping. But Spike was just holding her. She couldn’t remember the last time that someone just held her. Probably when she was a child.

They seemed to reach her house very quickly, and he reluctantly set her on her feet.

“Tell your Mum. She’ll make things right,” Spike said, planting a kiss on her forehead.

“Thanks Spike.”

He nodded and started to walk away.

“Spike?” She called.

Her turned back raising an eyebrow in question.

“When you do things like this, it makes me wish I had met you before Angel.”

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

When Spike met Buffy for patrol the next night she was sitting on a headstone looking more lost and forlorn than he’d ever seen her before.

“What’s wrong luv?” He asked, sitting on the headstone across from her.

She sniffed and looked up, her eyes red from crying.

“I killed him. I was wrong, and I killed him. A human, I have taken a human life!” She yelled and started sobbing.

Suddenly Spike was carrying her again, through the cemetery and into a large crypt. He sat her on her feet in the cold dark tomb, and pushed the coffin that sat in the middle of the floor to one side revealing a hidden staircase. He gestured for her to proceed him down the stairs. Her curiosity pushed aside her guilt for the moment and she hesitantly did as he directed.

Of all the things she expected it was not what she found. It was a furnished underground room. Nice comfy carpets, squishy chairs in front of a big screen television, and even a little kitchen area with a refrigerator. The walls were covered with posters of old rock bands, and a large sound system dominated the back wall.

“Wow, I had no idea this was down here,” she said, running her hand across the back of a chair.

“Where do you think I go all day?” He asked, amused.

“I guess I didn’t really think about it,” she admitted smiling at him.

He walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a glass filled with blood.

Buffy watched in fascination as he sniffed it, morphed into his vampire face, and downed the whole thing in one swallow. He grimaced and sat the glass on the small counter.

“I’ve got to get a microwave,” he said, licking the blood from his fangs.

Angel had never let Buffy see him feed. She had always expected to be disgusted by it, but watching Spike… he made it look almost… sexy.

She wiped a hand across her face and grimaced when it came away with wet dirt.

“I don’t suppose you have bathroom down here?” She asked.

He grinned and melted back into his human visage.

“That’s my latest project,” he said happily, leading her to a door on the back wall.

It opened to reveal a bedroom, dominated by a king-sized bed. The sheets and comforter with both black satin and Buffy couldn’t help but picture what Spike would look like stretched out naked on it. His pale skin would practically glow against such darkness.

Spike noticed her staring at his bed.

“I’ve slept in a lot of different places, most of them not at all comfortable. I decided that this go round, I wanted a nice bed,” he explained and led her toward yet another door.

This time she found herself inside a nice sized bathroom. The floor was rough concrete, but there was a whirlpool tub and new toilet and sink.

“The plumbing works, that’s what I worked on this week. The tile is still on order, I hope to have it installed next week,” He said as she picked up one of his Home depot instruction books.

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“I get bored.”

“Yes, but why do all of this? You shouldn’t need a toilet, and do you even like baths?” She asked

“I like baths just fine, but you love them. And when you finally come to your senses and tell my poufy sire to take a hike I don’t want you to have any excuses not to visit,” he teased, and she rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop her pleased smile.

He went back into the kitchen to fix her a coke and give her time to freshen up. As she washed the dirt from her face and hands, she remembered the blood she had on her hands, and sank to rough floor, fresh tears spilling onto her cheeks.

Spike carried her again, and laid her on his bed not even hesitating to climb in with her.

A flash of fear crossed her face as it sunk in where she was and who she was with.

“Spike, I…”

“It’s okay, Buffy. I’m not going to do anything but hold you. I promise.”

She believed him, and allowed him pull her close. She rested her head on his chest, and even though he didn’t have a heartbeat, the silence was comforting.

“I killed an innocent man,” she muttered, tears falling silently down her cheeks.

Spike tightened his grip on her.

“No, I refuse to believe that. You said there was something off about him, and I believe you,” he whispered into her hair.

“But I checked him out. He was employee of the year and everyone called him ‘the machine’ because he was such a good salesman. The only disturbing thing I found was that he had already requested vacation time to marry my mom.”

“Machine, huh? Are you sure he was human?” He questioned, rubbing her back, gently.

“Yes. Well, he certainly looked human,” she said.

“I’ve seen some very human-looking robots, Buffy. They even felt real,” he said with a slight shudder.

She giggled then frowned when he didn’t smile.

“You really mean that? A robot?”

He nodded, grimly.

She looked at her watch and sighed.

“I need to get home before I’m missed,” she said, not making an attempt to move out of his embrace.

“Can I ask you something personal?” Spike asked.

She nodded, warily.

“Why didn’t you go running to Angel?”

She thought about the question for a moment.

“I love Angel. I do. But, he didn’t believe me when I said I didn’t trust Ted. He’s the one who told me I was overreacting, but then Willow and Xander thought the same thing. You just believed me without question, and I was afraid Angel would just say ‘I told you so’ if I went to him.”

Spike smirked.

“He always did like to say that.”

They exchanged a grin and Buffy reluctantly sat up and stretched.

“So, I’ll see ya tomorrow night?”

He nodded.

“You want me to walk you home?”

She shook her head.

“I need to think.”

Buffy stopped in the doorway and turned back to look at him.

“Thank you. I still feel bad about what happened, but I’m gonna trust my instincts on this one. There was something fishy about that guy, and I’m gonna find out what.”

“That’s my slayer,” he told her with a smiled.

She laughed.

“In your dreams, Spike,” she called over her shoulder.

“Every night, luv. Every night.”

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The following night, Buffy met Spike with a smile and a giddy hug.

“I was right! And so were you. Ted was a robot… a serial killer robot. My mom was gonna be his next victim, but I killed him first,” she pronounced, happily.

Spike smiled, her happiness was infectious.

“So, have you told peaches you were right yet?”

Buffy looked confused for a minute then started laughing.

“Peaches? Were did you come up with that?” She asked between giggles.

“I dinno. It just seemed to fit.”

Buffy had to wipe away a few tears once she’d calmed down. It was just really funny to her that Spike had dubbed the older, more serious vampire, ‘peaches’.

“No, I haven’t been by Angel’s yet. I guess I’m still a bit miffed about him not believing me. I’m still mad with Willow and Xander too. I mean, they’re my best friends. Aren’t they supposed to know me better that anyone?”

Spike gave her piercing look.

“They’ll never know you as well as I do. They haven’t learned to trust your instincts. You hadn’t either, remember?”

Buffy sighed and shook her head.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t be mad at them. I guess we all have things to learn,” she admitted.

“C’mon luv. It’s been too quiet lately. Let’s go slay some vampires.”

They raced toward the park both laughing as they tried to outrun the other.

Neither noticed the tall, dark and brooding vampire that watched from behind a tree.

End Chapter 5

A/N: Okay, next chapter is ‘Surprise’ and we all know what’s gonna happen…

This chapter was a bit shorter, but I think I finally have Buffy and Spike right where I want them. Bring it on, Angelus!