Second Chances

Disclaimer: This story and its text belongs to me, along with the idea of it. The characters within it belong to Joss Whedon and mutant Enemy. No monies are being made from its creation and it is entirely for entertainment purposes


Chapter 1
Second Chances

It was Valentine’s Day tomorrow. Not only did mark the international day of love, but it would also mark their fifth wedding anniversary. Buffy really wished she could make this day special for Spike, but it had been a tough twelve months for their little family. Sighing deeply she sat down on the unmade bed, and touching the sheets that were still warm from his recent departure. She lay back and breathed the spicy scent of him that lingered on his side of the bed.

Hating herself for the fresh well of tears that sprung up inside her…it had been almost a year now. She knew she had to start moving on. This time last year, she and Spike had been looking forward to the birth of their second child, their son. He had arrived a couple of weeks early and had been healthy or so they had thought until one morning, barely a week after they had left the hospital, she had found their child in his cot, lifeless. It wasn’t until she had touched his cheek that she had realised what had happened. That had been the day their child had become another statistic of infant death syndrome and had changed her world forever.

Spike had felt the pain of their baby’s death just as deeply as she had, but instead of allowing him to comfort her; she had pushed him away and cocooned herself in her own private misery, not letting anyone in, not even her friends. He had tried to get her to attend the counselling sessions with him, but she had refused directly. Their sex life had dwindled away to nothing, almost becoming strangers in their own home, only their mutual love of their daughter holding them together.

“Mommy,”

Buffy wiped away her tears at the sound of her daughter’s voice. She pasted on a smile at the sight of her little girl with her honey blonde hair and her father’s piercing blue eyes, as she toddled into the bedroom.

“What is it honey?” she asked.

The little girl held up her teddy, and frowned at it. “Teddy went pee-pee in my bed,”

Buffy couldn’t help the giggle that rose in her throat. “Okay darling, lets go fix it and run Bethany and teddy a bath,” she took her daughter’s hand and led her from the bedroom, glad of the distraction.

“Bethy not dirty,”

“I know,” she replied indulgently.

She started as she heard the dull thump of Spike’s car as he slammed the door and started up the ignition. Buffy sighed, they had not parted on the best of terms, and she had avoided his kiss, letting his lips only graze her cheek. She could see by his expression that she had hurt him again with her pretended indifference. However, she had built the walls around her so high; she was no longer sure how to break them down.

Buffy watched her daughter play in the warm bubbles, laughing with her as Bethany splashed her clothes repeatedly. She soaped her daughter clean and much to her child’s annoyance she lifted her out of the bath and wrapped her in a fluffy towel and took her to her room.

Bethany sat down, and waited while her mother stripped her bed. Buffy left the room to throw the sheets in the laundry basket. The phone rang and Buffy swore at the unwanted intrusion in annoyance, flushing guiltily as she remembered her daughter’s presence. She picked up the handset from her bedroom and cradled it against her cheek.

“Hello?”

“Buffy?”

“Willow, hi really not a good time right now,”

“I have to see you Buffy, its important we need to talk,”

“Buffy sighed. “Okay, how about after we drop our kids off at day nursery we head off to Starbucks?”

“Fine, see you then,” Willow hung up.

Willow had sounded worried about something; Buffy bit her lip in concern. She helped Bethany finish dressing, took her downstairs, and made her daughter breakfast while she grabbed a hasty cup of coffee.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Half an hour later she was parked up at the nursery school, Willow was waiting for her outside with her son perched on her hip. He wriggled in her grasp as he saw Bethany arrive. The two tots were inseparable, getting into all manner of scrapes together.

“Bethy!” cried the little boy as he ran to her and they hugged.

Willow watched her son with a big goofy grin on her face. “Do you think we should be picking out china patterns for them any time soon?”

Buffy smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She let, rather than encouraged the hug Willow gave her. Willow felt her lack of response, but refused to give up on her best friend even though others had.

“How’s Xander? Asked Buffy as they walked into the day centre together.

“He’s Xander,” shrugged Willow.

Both of them laughed at her comment, knowing that Willow’s husband was the biggest kid on the block, but she adored him in spite of it.

Five minutes later and both childless, they walked back outside.

“We’ll take my car, it’s more reliable,” said Buffy.

Both of them groaned inwardly as Faith drove up, late as usual, the girl was a one-woman chaos generator. Hopelessly disorganised on every level. Nevertheless, there was something endearing about her that they both liked.

“You girls weren’t gonna go cruising for guys without me were ya?” She laughed at her friend’s bland expressions. “Jeez you two really need to get out more, Stepford wives much?” asked Faith. “Just kiddin’ with ya, give me five and we can all catch up on the latest,”

Willow and Buffy watched as Faith picked up her daughter off the sidewalk and disappeared inside the building. She joined them a couple of minutes later and they all bundled into Buffy’s car. The journey was over almost before it had began as they parked a block away at the coffee shop. The women entered the shop and claimed a sofa while Faith went up and ordered their drinks.

“Now, what was so urgent that couldn’t wait?” asked Buffy, raising an eyebrow at her friend.

Willow studied her hands. “I er um don’t know how to tell you this Buffy, but..”

“Willow just spit it out!” snapped Buffy.

Willow scrambled inside her bag, took out a photo wallet, and handed it to her friend.

“What’s this?” asked Buffy suspiciously.

“The photos of the office party from last week, the one you refused to attend,” Willow added.

Buffy opened it up and looked at the first photo, laughing aloud at the sight of Xander in a blonde wig and make-up.

“I know these parties get pretty wild, but…” Buffy stopped mid sentence as she looked at the next snapshot. She felt her mouth go dry at the sight of her husband…of Spike cuddling up to a pretty blonde haired girl, looking happier than she had ever seen him in the last few months.

Buffy threw the picture onto the coffee table. “Who is she?” she demanded.

Faith came back with the drinks and set them down on the table. “Whoa what are these? Willow you never told me your husband got a kick out of cross dressing,” laughed Faith.

“It was for a dare,” said Willow defensively, snatching up the rest of the photos.

Faith noticed the other photo on the table. “Uh oh, who’s the blonde ho with her body all over your husband?” asked Faith as she picked the picture up for a closer look.

“That’s what I am wanting to know,” demanded Buffy looking at Willow for answers.

“That would be Harmony Kendall, the newest addition to the employees at Wolfram & Hart, attorneys at law,” said Willow.

“She seems to be pretty attached to your husband Buffy. Don’t worry, I am sure Spike still loves you,” added Faith.

Willow kicked Faith under the table.

“Ow!” complained the brunette.

“Faith come with me to the washroom, your face needs powdering,” said Willow warningly.

Willow almost dragged Faith off the sofa as they walked off into the direction of the washrooms. Once the door had swung shut behind them, Willow turned around to glare at her friend.

“Don’t over do it Faith, we want her to get a little jealous, not go postal on us!”

“Well it worked, did you see the look on B’s face? It was the first real emotion I have seen on it for months!”

Willow, sighed. “Ok, you are right, but no more I am sure Spike still loves you digs, ok?”

“Okay, I’ll take it down a notch, but it seems to be working, you gotta admit,”

“Let’s just hope that Buffy forgives us after it’s all over,” sighed Willow.

“You gonna call Spike, or shall I?” asked Faith.

“I’ll do it,” said Willow firmly. “You go keep an eye on Buffy and talk about the weather or something until I get back,” she warned.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Spike sat behind his desk and stared out into the LA skyline, thinking of Buffy and her continuous attempts to reject him. It was all part of the human psyche the counsellor had told him. With patience and understanding his wife would come back to him, the woman had assured him. It had been almost a year now and Buffy had refused to let him touch her in anyway. Moreover, he had accepted it, she was grieving for their son. He just wished that she had let him be a part of it, but he had had to stay strong for their daughter.

The thought of his three-year-old bundle of mischief always brought a smile to his face. She was like a perfect miniature of his wife, with every sign of having the same stubborn streak. His eyes wandered to the family photo on his desk, and he smiled warmly at it. The buzz of the intercom broke through his thoughts as his personal assistant’s voice came over the speaker.

“Mrs Harris on line one,” Harmony announced.

“Thank you Harmony,” he replied picking up the phone. “Hi Willow, how’s it going?” asked Spike.

“I showed her the photo, I think she is turning green as we speak,” said Willow.

“So she bought it then?”

“I think so,”

“Thanks for helping me with this Willow,”

“Its okay, what are friends for. I know you would do the same for Xander and me,”

Spike hung up the phone, a little smile played on his lips. Buffy had been so cold of late, it warmed him a little to know that at least she cared enough to get jealous at the idea that another woman might be after him. If only Buffy knew, he thought. Harmony Kendall was a happily engaged, to the newest member of the legal team, Hamilton.

Doubts clouded his mind for a moment, was he doing the right thing? Something had to jolt her out of this apathy, a little of the have to be cruel to be kind scenario he sighed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The moment Spike walked in the house, purposely almost two hours late, he knew the girls had done a good job on Buffy. There was a fire in her green eyes that he had not seen in months, as she slammed off into the lounge at the sight of him.

“Hey, what’s wrong pet?” he asked as he followed her.

“Where did you get to?” she asked accusingly.

“Sorry, I had to work late. Harmony was helping me with the Ford V Whitman trial notes,”

“Well I hope you aren’t expecting any dinner, I kept it warm, but I wouldn’t give to the dog now, its ruined,”

Spike turned his back on her to hide his smile. He schooled his features before turning around to face her. “I’m really sorry luv. Where’s Bethany?” he enquired.

“Taking her nap, she waited for you to tuck her in, but she fell asleep in the end watching Finding Nemo,”

Spike, really was saddened to have missed his daughter’s bedtime. It was a ritual he and his daughter looked forward to every night.

“I’ll go up and see her now,” he turned and walked away upstairs.

Buffy slouched down on the sofa. “I’ll give you Harmony bloody Kendall, no one steals my husband!” she ranted under her breath. Maybe he wouldn’t be so stealable if I was a wife to him. She thought guiltily. No, however bad things got, Spike would never cheat on her, would he? He was a red-blooded male, and gorgeous too, she reasoned. They had enjoyed an active sex life before their family tragedy. He had to be missing that.

Buffy’s face flushed as she remembered a very satisfying encounter on this very sofa, it had involved too much tequila and Buffy showing him the new black leather boots she had bought at the store that day. She had entered the living room wearing nothing but the knee-high boots, much to his enjoyment.

He had led her over to the sofa and knelt between her parted legs his tongue doing delicious things as he nipped at the flesh of her inner thigh, she had wanted to slip off her boots, but he had insisted that she keep them on.

All protests that she had been about to voice about them being ruined, died on her lips as his tongue dipped inside her curls to flick at her clit with teasing strokes. Her hands had slipped into his blonde hair to hold him there as he pleasured her with his mouth….

“Buffy?”

“Huh?” She was snapped back into the present, by the return of her husband.

“Are you okay luv?” he asked.

“Oh-uh fine,” she said, trying to regain some sense of sanity.

“It’s just that you look a bit flushed, sure you are not coming down with something?” he asked.

“I’m fine, gonna get some coffee, you want?” she asked, eager for a chance to escape those penetrating blue eyes.

“Sure, I’ll just go up to the den and check my emails,” he replied. He finally let out his laughter, she had been thinking about sex. He knew that expression by heart, although he had been wondering if he would ever see it on her face again. He felt like punching the air, she had been thinking about sex and him. Well, it had bloody well better have involved him. He growled possessively as he switched on the monitor. He checked his inbox, gratified to find one from Faith waiting for him.

Dear Spike,

How’s it hanging? Sorry couldn’t resist that little pun! Just to let you know that I have everything under control. Yeah, I know what you are thinking! Scary thought, control and me in the same sentence, but there ya go. Anyhow, the reservations are all sorted. Will dangle the carrot in front of your wife in the morning.

Take care,

Faith.

Spike quickly deleted the email as he heard his wife’s footsteps in the hallway. She opened the door, he was surprised as she sat down in the chair next to him.

“What you working on?” she asked.

“Just a little project of mine,” he replied evasively.

Buffy looked at him, studied his face for the first time in a long time. Had he always looked that tired? Buffy realised that she had been so busy being wrapped up in her own private hell this past year, that she had selfishly given little thought to what he had been going through. On impulse, she reached out and touched his cheek. He placed his hand over hers as it rested on his face, before pressing his lips into the palm of her hand.

“Spike…I,”

Whatever she was about to say or not say, left her as they heard their daughter cry out.

“She’s having a nightmare,” said Spike. “I’ll deal with it,”

Buffy watched him leave the room, her eyes rested on his lean frame. He looked like he had dropped a few pounds too, she sighed. Tomorrow was Valentines Day, there must be something she could do to show him how much he meant to her?

Buffy got up from her seat and went downstairs to dig out the yellow pages. She sat on the sofa and worked her way through countless restaurants and clubs to find that they were all fully booked. Sighing in defeat as she realised that she had just left it too late. Spike joined her downstairs a few minutes later.

“Is she okay?”

Spike nodded and sat down next to her on the sofa. He put his arm around her, pleased that for once she didn’t pull away as he took her into the circle of his arms. Buffy wasn’t sure who instigated what, first, but her lips were so close to the flesh of his throat that all she had to do was poke out her tongue and taste him.

Spike felt her breath against his skin and he hardened painfully, he had been so long without her touch. The tiniest of caresses on her part got him hot. He closed his eyes as he felt her tongue flick out and touch him. He turned his head and kissed her passionately on the lips, drawing her tongue into his mouth as he kissed her with all the suppressed passion he had been harbouring these past twelve months.

Buffy leaned into the kiss, her hands creeping under the edge of his business suit to caress the smooth hard planes of his stomach. Spike groaned as her fingers rubbed at his nipple, causing the flesh to pucker beneath her touch. If he didn’t slow things down a bit, he was going to come in his pants like some fourteen-year-old schoolboy.

He pulled away from her reluctantly and got up from the sofa, trying hard to remain unaffected by the hurt confusion in her gaze. He feigned a yawn.

“It’s late, got a busy day tomorrow. Got to keep my strength up, night luv,” he kissed her cheek before disappearing upstairs. He closed the door behind him.

Buffy screamed her frustration into one of the cushions, before throwing it at the closed door.

TBC