Chapter 16
As the weeks passed, Buffy found herself struggling with the added responsibilities of day to day life. Spike stayed with her for a solid week following the funeral until they realized they weren’t setting the best example for Dawn. Now they saw each other about three nights a week and only spent the entire night with each other whenever Dawn was at a friend’s house.
Joyce’s insurance had paid off the entire funeral, and there was a little money left over for a house payment. Now, nearly a month later, Buffy was realizing she was going to have to make some major changes in her life. The problem was going to be trying to make these changes without Spike realizing about it any time soon. Buffy knew that he would offer to pay all of her bills and anything else he could afford, but she didn’t want him to do that. Though he was fairly well off because of the hit record, he was far from rich. Maybe in a few years, but for now, he was living comfortably. Buffy didn’t want him feeling responsible for her monetary problems, and she was determined to support herself and her sister.
Which led her to her latest option-the Doublemeat Palace. It was far from her dream job, but it was a steady paycheck and only working a few nights a week, for starters. Coming home from her interview that Tuesday night, Buffy was surprised to see Spike sitting on the railing of her porch, watching her approach. Pasting a smile on her face, she walked up to him. “Hey!” Buffy inwardly cringed at the overly upbeat tone of her voice.
“Where’ve you been?” Spike asked, raising one eyebrow in response.
“Oh, you know…out for a walk.”
“Uh huh,” he said, standing up to his full height and stubbing out the cigarette he was holding. Walking toward Buffy, Spike eyed her up and down, almost hungrily. “So you’re telling me you were just out for a walk, dressed in high heels, a short skirt, and a tight shirt?”
“Hey,” she cried indignantly. “I’ll have you know, this shirt is not tight- it’s form-fitting!”
“Who were you with, Buffy?”
Rolling her eyes in disbelief, Buffy shook her head as she tried to walk past him. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me!”
Spike reached out and grabbed her arm, loosening his grip slightly when he saw her cringe. “Where were you?” he said, his teeth clenched tightly together.
“Take your hand off of me,” Buffy replied in a cold tone.
Spike let her go, but took a step closer to her. “I asked you a question. Several actually.”
“What do you think, Spike? That I’m off fucking some other guy?! You know what they say- those who accuse are actually guilty.”
Buffy saw the tick in his jaw as he tried to control his temper. It was a low blow, and Buffy knew it, but she did not have any reason to feel guilty. Buffy sadly shook her head as she looked at the ground. “Spike, I have never given you a reason not to trust me. Have I?”
“No,” he said quietly.
“Then what’s with the third degree? I love you, you know that, and no.I wasn’t out for a walk, but I don’t feel comfortable telling you where I was, either.”
“Why not?”
“Because I know you, Spike. You’ll get all judgmental, and you’ll start lecturing me, and I really don’t need to hear it.”
“Tell me, Buffy.”
“I was on a job interview.”
“Why couldn’t you just tell me that? Buffy, I’m not going to stop you from working.”
“At the Doublemeat Palace.”
“Okay, maybe I will.”
“Spike, I can do this on my own, okay? I don’t need your help or your opinions, because, honestly, I have enough of my own, but I’m going to do what has to be done.”
“You should have said something.”
“Spike, we’re okay, but a few months from now, we might not be, and I want to be ready.”
“What if I told you I have a solution to make all of your problems go away?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“I’d probably be very skeptical,” she said, in turn, clasping her own hands behind his neck.
“Marry me,” he said softly.
Buffy froze. “Was that a question or a demand?”
“A request. Marry me.”
“Spike,” she said, breaking away from his grip and taking a step back. “I don’t think this is a good enough reason to get married.”
“What if I told you I’ve been thinking about it since Christmas?”
“I’d say we just started making our relationship work again, and this is moving really fast.”
“I know it is, but I love you, Buffy. Nothing’s going to change that.”
“Spike, this is all too sudden. I mean, it’s one thing to think about it, but it’s entirely different when you just spring it to me out of no-”
Buffy cut herself off when Spike reached into his pocket and produced a princess cut diamond ring, set in a platinum band.
“I’ve been doing more than thinking about it, luv.” She watched as he took her hand and dropped down on one knee. “Buffy Summers…will you be my wife?”
Buffy paused for a second before a smile lit up her face. “Of course I will!”
Spike slipped the ring on her finger and jumped up to grab her in his arms. Swinging her around and around the yard, they both fell to the ground in a laughing heap of tangled limbs. Spike smiled at the woman beneath him and lowered his lips to hers in a soft kiss.
“I want you to know, I do have some impending rules for this engagement.”
“Fire away.”
“Number one-we don’t marry for at least another year. Number two-we will still date. Don’t think just because you bought me a diamond you can get off the hook for taking me out, buddy. Number three-”
Buffy was silenced as Spike kissed her again.
“I love you, Buffy. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much.”
“I love you, too,” she said with a soft smile, gently caressing the angular lines of his face. With another smile, Buffy grabbed the back of his neck to pull his mouth to hers, devouring his lips and giggling as he rolled them over, giving her more control. After a few minutes, Buffy pulled away and stared down at the man she loved.
“I never stopped loving you, Spike.”
“Me neither, baby. It’s always been you.”