I fall to pieces

Thank you so much for the reviews...they keep me a slave to my computer...

I fall to pieces_9

Buffy grabbed Spike’s arm to hold him back for a moment. “Spike…”

“Yeah Luv?” He asked sensing the tension in her.

“This could be ugly…I…I just want you to be prepared…”

“To fight for the woman I love? No better reason in the world Luv…” He said pressing a chaste kiss to her temple. “Come on my slayer, the quicker we get this over with the quicker it’ll be done.”

She nodded and led him into the next room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once everyone entered the living room and found a seat, Buffy and Spike entered.

They stood near the doorway, Spike’s hand resting comfortingly on Buffy’s lower back.

“What is this all about Buffy? Why are you suddenly Spike’s champion? A few days ago you were mooning over Angel, and now…now you’re shutting him out…shutting us all out…we’re the ones who love you…” Giles said softly.

“Anyone else?” Buffy asked angrily. “Anyone else have any questions or digs they want to get in?” She glanced towards Willow, who was watching the scene with tears welling in her eyes. “Will?”

“I’m sorry Buffy…I just…I can’t believe you had this…this big thing going on and you didn’t tell me…”

Buffy sighed exasperatedly. “It’s only been a day Will. I was gonna tell you then all this happened…” She said waving her hands in the air to encompass the room and all of its occupants.

“If he makes you happy Buffy…” She said softly.

“You’d never guess how much…” Buffy smiled at Willow.

Taking a deep breath she glanced at Xander next. “Your turn…what do you have to say Xand?”

“Are you…is this…I don’t even know what to say…I just…Buffy…I know you aren’t ever gonna have normal…and maybe…like how demons are attracted to me…maybe you’re supposed to be with a vampire. Spike…he’s the second one…and other than that…the only normal guys you ever dated were before you were called…you didn’t even glance twice at me…or at any of the guys here…so maybe…maybe it’s meant to be…” He said softly. “I…I think I just need some time to process it…” He said apologetically. Anya stayed quiet, squeezing his thigh gently. She didn’t feel she had been around long enough to offer her opinion.

“Take the time Xand…I hope you can accept it…” She smiled shyly.

“You’ve accepted all of my girlfriends…except the evil ones you’ve had to kill…” He chuckled, grabbing onto Anya’s hand tightly.

Angel growled angrily. “Buffy give up this foolishness…” He got up from his chair and advanced on the couple. He was furious that her friends were just accepting this, accepting Spike as part of her life.

“It’s none of your business Angel. You broke up with me. You left…I don’t even know why you’re here now…” Buffy glared at him.

“Yeah…sod of ya big ponce…” Spike taunted with a smirk.

“That’s it…” Angel growled. He tried to grab Spike. Angel was stopped by Buffy grabbing him by the throat and pinning him against the nearest wall.

“Cut it out Angel or I will throw you out of here…this is your last chance…” Buffy said through clenched teeth, her tiny hand still wrapped around his throat.

Giles had risen to his feet. Squaring off against Spike he let out an anguished cry and lunged at the vampire. Buffy didn’t have time to move. Spike didn’t defend himself; he let Giles plunge the stake deep into his heart. Everyone watched in shock as the wound closed when Buffy wrenched Giles’ arm away from him, pulling out the stake.

“See…see he did that before when I…” Angel started to say. He was silenced by Buffy’s glare.

“I know you don’t get it. this between me and Spike, I get that, I really do, but what none of you understand is that I. Don’t. care.” Buffy caught the eye of everyone in the room. “What Spike and I share…it goes beyond slayer and vampire…it goes beyond anything I’ve ever felt before…and it is not something I’m ever gonna give up. I’m glad some of you are willing to over look the fact that we used to be enemies…I hope in time you all can, but if you don’t please know that it is not your choice to make.”

Giles sighed as he returned to his seat. “Just as I feared Buffy. I believe you are suffering from Stockholm syndrome…” Whisking his glasses off of his face Giles began to polish them. “You see it comes into play when a captive cannot escape and is isolated and threatened with death, but is shown token acts of kindness by the captor. We can plainly see that Spike has bitten you…”

“I hate to interrupt watcher…but if you know anything about the syndrome you are describing you would know that it usually takes at least three or four days to manifest itself. The one day Buffy and I shared isn’t long enough…”

Giles glared at the blonde vampire. Joyce cleared her throat, turning Giles caught her eye. “Joyce I can not believe you let this monster into your house.” Giles shouted as his temper flared. “And to sit there so calmly as your daughter defends him and their ‘so called’ relationship…”

“That’s just it…she’s my daughter. You are not her father so what right do you have to judge her? What right do you have to deny her a man that loves her?” Joyce asked angrily. “You may not be able to see it due to your prejudices, but I can. I can see how much he loves her…”

“He doesn’t love her.” Angel growled angrily, rising from his place on the couch he went to kneel before Buffy. “Please Buffy…give up this foolishness…you belong with me.” Angel’s voice took on a softer tone as he spoke to her.

Joyce snorted angrily. Buffy shot her a quick grin and squeezed Spike’s hand. “I belong with you do I?” She asked arching an eyebrow at him. “Tell me Angel…when you lost your soul…was it all hugs and puppies and ‘I love you’s’?” She snorted derisively “Or was it ‘I want to rip you into tiny pieces and take everything away from you’? You hated me when you lost your soul…didn’t you?”

Angel cringed. “Yes…I did but…”

“Wait a second. I’m not finished…just before you left me…you got poisoned…remember?” At his nod she continued. “You were all soul having then right? Well when I forced you to drink from me you almost didn’t stop. Did you?” She asked.

“But I…it was my demon…it was too strong…” Angel said feebly.

“I see. Even with a soul your demon controls you?” She glared at him. “Well Spike without a soul took only enough blood to claim me…and he was asleep when he did it. When he realized what he had done he was remorseful…so are you saying that he’s stronger than his demon? Or does he just love me that much?” She asked innocently.

Spike wrapped his arm tighter around her and grinned.

“I want to challenge the claim.” Angel growled getting to his feet.

“I don’t want to be with you anymore Angel.” Buffy said softly. “I want to be with Spike.”

“I said I want to challenge the claim.” Angel growled louder. “Are you listening to me boy?” He hissed pointing at Spike.

Buffy glared up at Angel. Without taking her eyes off of him She spoke to her vampire. “Spike…if I told you I didn’t want to be with you anymore what would you do?” She asked.

“Anything for you luv. If you want to choose tall dark and forehead right now, no matter how much it hurts I’d go…”

Buffy smiled. “See Angel…he really does love me.” Angel lunged around her and grabbed Spike by the throat.

“Are you gonna fight me?” He growled.

“Don’t have to.” Spike grinned cockily. “She belongs to me…I erased your mark with my claim, you gave her up, sides we had ourselves a fight already…at the mansion…if I remember correctly I kicked your sorry arse, and I walked away cause I thought you were what she wanted. Seeing as that’s not the case…I’m never gonna leave her side…”

Angel reeled back. He glanced at Buffy. She was still glaring at him. “I’ve moved on. Like you told me to…”

Angel sighed and hung his head defeated. “When he turns on you…”

“He won’t.” Buffy growled venomously.

“Love her too bloody much to do that…one day with her and I’m drinking animal blood…” Spike said softly.

“You expect me to believe that?” Angel asked.

“Don’t care if you believe it or not peaches…T’s the truth…you should know better than anyone bout my loyalty…my word is my bond…s’bloody unbreakable…”

“I can’t stand here and listen to this any more…” Angel growled. “You know where to find me when you need me Buffy…”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“I think we all need a little bit of a break after his departure…” Joyce said softly. “Rupert…will you help me make some tea?” Joyce asked.

“Sure…” He murmured softly taking one last glance at the blonde couple he followed Joyce into the kitchen.

“I’m sorry I was so hard on you in there…I just…I see that he loves her…you would see it too if you gave him half a chance instead of letting your prejudices get in the way…here I wanted you to read something…” Joyce said softly pulling Spike’s poem from one of the kitchen drawers and handing it to him. “He left this in the mailbox today…”

Giles glanced down at the paper in his hand. ‘Definitely Spike’s writing.’ He thought as he began to read.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“He wrote this…it’s his writing…from samples I have I would recognize it anywhere…” Giles removed his glasses and rubbed his hand over his weary face. “Did you hear him say he is drinking animal blood?”

“I did…” Joyce nodded.

“I don’t know what to think Joyce…by all rights she should be dead…lord knows he’s tried to kill him on numerous occasions…”

“Almost as many as she’s tried to dust him…” Joyce said with a chuckle. “But is it really so hard to believe Rupert? I mean…you know Buffy…do you really think she could settle for anything less than her equal? Spike is unequivocally her equal…he knows about her being the slayer…He won’t get hurt patrolling with her…he won’t die cause some demon hit him too hard…”

“And he is obviously in possession of the Gem of Amara…” Giles sighed again.

“What’s that?” She asked.

“Makes Vampires’ invincible…” He said softly. “He’s claimed her Joyce…I really must research that…”

“Do you think…in time you could accept it? Them together…” Joyce asked.

“I don’t know…there has never been any record of a slayer being mated to a vampire…the council is going to have a field day with this…”

“Do you have to tell them?” She asked. “I mean Buffy has never been a conventional girl…she is completely unique…and Spike…he’s a unique vampire…what they have is special…if you let the council in on this now…” She let her words trail off, hoping some of her words would sink into his mind.

“I’ll think about not telling them…at least for a while…”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Please let me know if you liked it and would like more…