His Worth

Buffy didn’t know how long she stood there with her mouth hanging open. Good thing there where no flies around. Once she regained her composure she offered for Willow and Mr. Giles to come in.
Spike backed away and watched his father and Red come into the living room. Giles walked over to him and grabbed him into a big bear hug, “Oh dear Lord, it is you William. You’re alive. You’ve come back to me” Giles uncharacteristically sobbed out.
The look on Spike’s face told everyone else in the room how uncomfortable he was as he stood there, hands at his sides, waiting for Giles to release him.
Spike shook his father off, “Rupert, I didn’t come back to you. It seems you found me, no?”
Hurt crossed over Giles face. Before the two men could say anything more, Buffy chimed in, “Umm…why don’t you sit down, please, Mr. Giles. Would you like something to drink?”
Giles moved to sit onto the sofa where Willow was already perched watching the scene unfold.
“I wouldn’t say no to a drink right now” Spike blurted out.
Buffy glared at him. Obviously there was more to Spike’s past than he had told her. Wait, that’s right, he had barely told her anything, she thought. He always changed the subject. She realized standing there looking at him, how even after all these months, she knew so little about him. For Pete’s sake she didn’t even know that his real name was William. She didn’t even know his last name! She had been screwing him for months and didn’t even know his last name! God, what kind of slut am I? She thought. The kind that pays for hookers to sleep with you and then falls in love with them, her inner voice answered.
“Come with me to the kitchen, WILLIAM” Buffy emphasized his given name, “and we’ll start some coffee and tea for out guests” Buffy almost dragged him out of the room.

Xander was oblivious to the commotion taking place in the other room as he happily finished his dinner. When Buffy and Spike had not come back, he figured they were making with the smoochies and didn’t want to bother them. He proceeded to pack up all the leftovers and put them into the fridge. Then he started the dishwater and began washing the plates, silverware and cups they had used for dinner. He figured it was the least he could do after Buffy was so nice to him and let him eat with them, just like he was a “normal” person. Xander didn’t get treated like a normal person very often and so he took what he could get. Once he had everything cleaned up, he decided to go out onto the side porch to drink his remaining beer while Spike and Buffy finished doing whatever they were doing.
As he sat on the steps, he noticed a couple of the boards in the railings were coming loose. He got up and went back inside and searched the kitchen drawers exclaiming “aha!” when he found the hammer and some nails he was looking for.
He went back to the porch and proceeded to start fixing the loosened wood. He wouldn’t want Buffy to hurt herself he thought.
As soon as Buffy and Spike got into the kitchen, she spun him around to her. “Are you going to tell me what in the hell is going on? Why is my college librarian sitting in my living room? Is he really your father? I don’t understand any of this, Spike. If Mr. Giles is your father, why on earth did I find you on the streets?” Buffy riddled off question after question.
“Calm down Buffy…” Spike started.
“Don’t you tell me to calm down, Mister!” she poked her finger into his chest backing him away from her.
“I will tell you everything but not now, O.K.? Not while he is still here. Christ, Buffy, I haven’t even seen him in 11 years.” Spike ran his fingers through his unruly hair.
Buffy sighed, “Alright but don’t think you’re going to dodge the subject and put me off this time” She moved over to start preparing the coffee and tea and that’s when she noticed how clean her kitchen was and that Xander was missing.
“Uhh…Spike…where did Xander go and why does it look like Merry Maids made a visit while we were in the other room?” Buffy said but before Spike could reply they both heard a bang bang of a hammer being smacked.
Spike went to the side door and opened it to find Xander there whom appeared to be fixing the railing on the porch.
“Whelp! What in the bleeding ‘ell are you doing?” Spike asked with Buffy peeking around his shoulder.
“Noticed a few loose rails. Thought I’d fix them up for Buffy. Found a hammer and some nails in the kitchen drawer.” Xander answered.
Buffy pushed past Spike and walked out to Xander. “That’s awfully nice of you Xander but you didn’t have to. I could’ve called my landlord.” She smiled at him.
“Just trying to help...didn’t mean no harm...”Xander began to fidget nervously like he was a little boy who was getting reprimanded.
“No, it’s fine! Really! I’ll even pay you for the work…” Buffy didn’t finish as she noticed Spike cringing at her choice of words and Xander looking away uncomfortably. Obviously, Xander was in the same business as Spike and boy she felt like a jerk now. She hadn’t meant to hurt Xander’s feelings.
“Buffy? Who is that?” Willow pointed to Xander as she came walking out onto the porch, having left the living room to see what was taking her so long to get the drinks.
Xander jumped in immediately, “I’m the maintenance guy, handy man…yep, that’s me, Mr. Handy. With a hammer…hammering my nail…er yeah...I was just fixing the railing…” he choked out.
Willow’s eyes narrowed, “But I thought HE was the maintenance man” Willow pointed to Spike. Willow might know that Buffy had slept with Spike, but that’s all she knew.
“Uhhh…there are two maintenance men for the house?” Buffy offered a bit sheepishly.
“Did we move the party to the porch” came Giles voice from the open doorway.
“Bloody ‘ell!” Spike bellowed. Then a plan formed in his head. One that would save Buffy from Willow and piss dear old Rupert off at the same time. Spike walked over to Xander and put his arms around him.
“Right then. Guess our secret is out. Xander’s my boyfriend. We’re lovers. We’re homos. We’re fudge packing Joan Crawford loving faggots…” Spike would’ve continued but Rupert blurted out, “OH DEAR LORD”
“What’s the matter pops? Come give your dear gay son a kiss now” Spike grinned.
“Red, Buffy is just a friend of ours. I was over here the other day cause Xanbaby and I had a fight and Buffy was comforting me.”
“But...you two were kissing!” Willow pointed at him and Buffy.
“She didn’t realize I was gay then. I was hurt and she was trying to make me feel better and she didn’t realize…that’s when you walked in…but I filled her in later about Xan and me. No harm done. We’re all friends here.” Spike lied through his teeth.
“Why did you tell me you had sex with him then, Buffy?” Willow asked.
“You TOLD her we had sex?” Spike jumped in.
Xander and Buffy were still standing there mutely, neither one knowing what to say or how to play along with Spike’s charade.
“I’m sorry Willow, I lied.” Buffy dropped her head in shame not knowing what else to say. She obviously wasn’t as good a liar as Spike was.
Willow looked away briefly then back at Buffy then over to the male couple.
“Hey, it’s alright and you know, now that you guys have come out, well it makes this easier for me...” she turned to Buffy, “Buffy, I’m a lesbian and I’ve been dating my girlfriend, Tara for over a year now. I am so sorry I kept it a secret from you but I was afraid it would freak you out. I love her and she loves me.” Willow disclosed.
“Bloody Hell!” Giles muttered and turned around and walked back into the house.
Buffy, Spike and Xander all stood there with the mouths open.
Finally Buffy spoke, “Oh Willow, you’re my best friend. You can tell me anything. I’m happy that you’ve found someone to love” she sadly looked away feeling like a heel for making that statement to Willow when here she was playing along with a charade to hide her secret love herself.
“I really could use that drink right now and make it stronger than coffee or tea” Spike said.
“Me too, come on lover boy, let’s go get ar” Xr” Xander pulled Spike along with him into the house. Giles was sitting at the counter with a bottle of scotch and a glass he had found in Buffy’s cabinets.
“Starting without me, Rupert?” Spike asked.
“Help yourself” he slid the bottle down to Spike.
Willow and Buffy joined them shortly after a brief hug and I love you session.
“So, is there anyone here who isn’t gay?” Giles said dryly and everyone’s eyes fell on Buffy.

Willow had left a short time later with an inebriated Giles accompanying her. Spike had given Xander the keys to the Desoto to drive home telling him he would pick his car up from him the next day.
Finally Buffy and Spike were alone. And exhausted. Their day had been ripped out of the script pages of a sitcom.
Buffy slipped into some flannel pajamas while Spike showered. She got under the covers and silently waited for him.
Spike delayed his bathroom activities as long as he possibly could, knowing what awaited him on the other side of the door. The Wrath of Buffy.
Finally, when he couldn’t put it off anymore, he came out, wearing loose fitting navy blue sweatpants.
“Finally decided to face me like a man?” Buffy commented as he climbed into the huge king sized bed with her.
“Would you rather have me face you like a woman?” Spike tried to be funny. Buffy was not amused.
“Spill it; Spike…William….whoever you are!” Buffy demanded.
Spike sighed. It was going to be a long night he thought as he started his story.

: I : I had to make a shift in chapters so what once was going to be chapter 9 will now be Chapter 11 as I inserted two chapters before it. I decided to add a more lighthearted chapter before drowning everyone in more angst. :-)

Coming Soon: Chapter 10- The Past, It Always Comes Back To Haunt You and
Chapter 11- Fathers of the Year