Chapter 20
“We didn’t see the Grand Canyon on the way to Maryland. Can we stop?”
“It’s nighttime, love. We won’t see a thing anyway.”
“But we can make our voices echo across the canyon!”
Spike looked at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the highway. “We’ve done more sightseeing in the past three days than I’ve done in my entire life.”
“Are you not having fun with me?” Buffy looked up at him with a pout and glistening eyes. Spike smiled and sighed at the affect she had on him.
“You’re evil with that face.”
She smiled wickedly. “Hey, can’t blame a girl when she finds something that works, can you?”
He chewed on the inside of his lip while she got out the map to find the best route to the Grand Canyon. He knew she was stalling. They should have been in Sunnydale two days ago but Buffy had apparently decided to take a grand tour of the States. He knew for certain she was stalling when they visited Bruceville – Vincennes, Indiana to see the Home of the Big Peach. And the name wasn’t lying. There was even a monument next to the twenty-foot peach. Exciting stuff, really. Buffy didn’t like his sarcasm, but honestly, was she serious with this shit? They were closed, and it was just a big produce mart, and she couldn’t even buy the apple butter they sold because again…closed. Traveling at night. Vampire. And yet, her enthusiasm to see the strange road-side tourist attractions never ceased. They’d seen five pet cemeteries, two ghost towns, Graceland – and he’d been there before but he wouldn’t tell Buffy how he and Dru had a hell of a time draining Elvis impersonators – and a blasphemous rendition of England’s Stonehenge called Carhenge in Nebraska. Some git of a farmer had taken used cars and arranged them to look like the ancient site, had spray painted them grey for authenticity, and called himself a fucking genius. It was awful and Buffy couldn’t stop laughing. She had used up all the film on her disposable camera taking pictures of the monstrosity, of Spike scowling, of Spike in front of a grey Buick with a cigarette in his mouth, of Spike rolling his eyes, of Spike kicking a bumper, of Spike generally hating everything about it until he started enjoying himself and her giggling attention. They’d fucked right in the center of Carhenge beneath the stars and if he narrowed his eyes just right, the cars really did look like Stonehenge and he could imagine that Buffy was his virgin sacrifice, he a wicked druid, and together their spirits had merged into one being while he sucked the blood out of her left breast. But then a cow mooed in the distance and reminded him that he was in Podunk, USA and he should really make Buffy come a few more times before they got back on the road. And he had, of course.
But now she wanted to go to the Grand Canyon. Not to mention that he saw her sneaking a brochure from the gas station earlier for Virginia City, Nevada that had a place called “The Bucket of Blood” where you could drink the world’s best Bloody Mary. If she thought for one minute that he was stepping boot in a place with a title like that, she was sorely mistaken.
“Buffy, we don’t have a lot of cash left and I’m not sure how much gas it’ll take to make it back to Sunnydale.”
She sighed and shook her map to smooth out the wrinkles. “We’re going to see the Grand Canyon,” she said sternly.
He pursed his lips. “How do you expect us to make it back if we run out of money?”
“I still have Giles’ card.”
He snorted at her juvenile tone and reached his hand across the seat to rest on her knee. “Not that I mind taking the watcher’s hard earned dosh, but shouldn’t you be more concerned about it?”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Don’t I deserve a vacation for saving the world?”
He frowned. “Buffy…”
“Well, don’t I? I’ve been told a hundred times over that I’ll die early, that I can’t have a normal life, can’t have children, can’t, can’t, can’t! And I’m having fun with you and I never have fun.”
His grip on her knee tightened at the mention of an early death, which he was determined would never happen, but his mate was lying to him. He had to remind her that through the claim, he knew what she was really hiding. “Buffy, I’m having a good time with you, too. But this has nothing to do with taking a reward for your duty.” He cocked an eyebrow and watched as she visibly shrank into herself. “You’re nervous about your chums finding out about us.”
She looked out the window as if by turning away from him, he couldn’t read her any longer. “That’s not true.”
With an annoyed sigh, he pulled the car over onto the shoulder and put the car in park.
“This isn’t like you. You don’t do it for a reward, you do it because you have to. And stealing money from your watcher certainly won’t go over too well with him. No doubt I’ll be blamed for the bad influence on you. That is, if we can even manage to get that far after we tell him about the claim,” he rambled and inhaled sharply as he looked over at her. God, he’d turned into a real wanker. Why should he give a fuck that she was essentially stealing money from tweedy bird? Since when did he give a tick about duty and following orders and sticking to a plan? He supposed it started the minute he was forced into an SUV with her while he was stuck in a wheelchair. Christ that seemed forever ago. He supposed he cared because she did, because he knew that these things were important to her. And if they were important to her, then they were important to Spike.
She was still staring out the window and he put his hand on her shoulder. “Hey, look at me.”
“I’m not ashamed of you,” she said after a long pause, knowing he needed the reassurance. And she wasn’t. She loved him dearly, was proud to be with him. Had told him so many times she was afraid the words had lost their meaning but then he’d look at her. He would look at her with those eyes that shone only for her, kiss her with a softness she never imagined he could summon, and she knew she’d never grow tired of saying it. Of making it with him, either. So, Spike wasn’t the problem, well, not really. “I’m afraid they will be ashamed of me. That they won’t understand. That they were never really my friends if they don’t…”
“Hey,” he said softly, lifting her chin to look at her in the eyes. “Why the tears?”
She sniffled and wiped her eyes. “I think I’m about to start my period.” He chuckled and she smiled a bit at him, letting out a laugh herself. “God, I’m just…I’m all emotional. I’ll be fine.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “You sure?”
She nodded and pressed her forehead to his lips once more, feeling him smile against her skin. “Promise you’ll be there with me when I tell them?”
He looked at her then, his eyes wrinkling along the edges as he gave her a grateful smile. “Of course I will. They love you, kitten.” He kissed her chastely on the lips. “And I love you and you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
She sighed and nuzzled her head in his shoulder. “Can we have sex before we go?”
He laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and clicked off the headlights with his free hand. “Afraid it’ll be the last time, love?”
“Yes,” she said quietly, sneaking her hand up his thigh towards his already rock hard erection.
He adjusted his position so she had better access. “What about the hotel between here and California?”
“Might not make it.” She slid down his zipper and licked the scar on his neck.
“Fuck…”
“This is better than the Grand Canyon anyway.” And then her mouth was around his prick and he suddenly didn’t care about anything else.
It was just a door. Just a big, brown, wooden door that she’d seen a hundred times before. But she couldn’t touch it, couldn’t knock, couldn’t do anything but stare at it while she squeezed the unlife out of her mate’s hand. Once she knocked, once she touched it and walked to the other side, everything was sure to change. She might have to kill her friends if they dared touch Spike and that really wasn’t something she was looking forward to. Especially since she’d made it home first and changed into her favorite turtleneck which was in no way meant to cover up bite marks.
“Want me to knock, pet?”
“Just give me a minute,” she whispered and took a deep breath. She hoped she could practice the big reveal on her mother, but Joyce wasn’t even home when she arrived. That left her with two options. Sit in her house and wait for her to come home, or go to Giles’ flat and get it over with. After Spike went down on her in the bathroom to ease her mind, she decided to deal with the watcher first. Something about that vampire’s tongue did wonders for her nerves. Maybe he could do it again in the bushes over there…
Spike whistled softly, looking up at the stars and rocking on his heels. He’d wait as long as she wanted, until she was ready. But the sunwould rise eventually and as much as he loved her, the thought of dusting on her watcher’s front porch wasn’t a pleasant one.
“Ok,” she said to herself, one hand flattening in the air as she took a calming breath. “Ok, I can do this. I’m the slayer.”
“That’s right, love. Slay that door. Teach it a lesson.”
She smiled at him and rolled her eyes. Then she stood straight, lifted her chin and squared her shoulders like the soldier she was, like the fighter he loved more than anything, and she pounded a tightly coiled fist on the door.
It was Willow who finally opened it and she was smiling brightly and squealing and then she looked at Spike and her mouth snapped shut. “Buffy…h-hey.”
He sneered at the redhead just for a bit of fun, thrilled at the sound of her heart rate increasing.
“Hey, Wills!” Buffy embraced her friend warmly and Willow looked at the vampire over the slayer’s shoulder.
“What is he doing here?” she whispered.
Buffy pulled away and took Spike’s hand and he smiled at her encouragingly. “We have some…um…stuff to talk about.”
Xander came to the door and grinned cheerfully. “Buffster! And…vampire.” He wasn’t grinning any more.
Spike knew winning the boy over wouldn’t be easy. Angelus bitched about him nonstop so he knew he was facing a challenge. But all this lollygagging on the porch was truly annoying and if they were going to do it here, then he was lighting a cigarette. But he had a feeling the somewhat calm demeanor of her friends would soon change once Buffy dropped the bomb on them.
“So, did you bring him here to stake him so that I could watch?” Xander asked with a smile and Spike resisted the urge to bite it right off his stupid face.
Buffy flinched at his words and squeezed his hand tighter. “No, we um…where’s Giles?” She was already exhausted, he could tell. Maybe he should scoop her up in his arms, take her someplace, shag her brains out for a few hours and then they could give it another go with her mates. Of course, that plan flew out the window when the Watcher pushed his way through the two teenagers to consider his charge. His expression wasn’t as welcoming.
“Where have you been, young lady?”
Jesus, Spike had a hundred years on that man and he’d still managed to make him feel like a child. And Giles wasn’t even speaking to him.
“Well, we were…”
“Car trouble,” Spike offered. “Had to make a bit of a detour. All my fault, watcher.” He raised his hands in submission. Every second they stayed in the air Spike felt his big bad reputation waning like a dog tucking his tail between his legs. But if it softened the blow for his girl…whatever. He just wanted to get the show on the sodding road.
Giles looked at him, studied him for a moment. The corners of his mouth twitched a bit and his eyes narrowed, but then he was looking at Buffy again and he folded his arms in front of him.
“You should have called me. I’ve been worried sick that you’d been killed.” He gave a challenging glance to the vampire and Spike didn’t fail to notice that these glances were given behind the safety of the magical barrier of his doorway. No way in hell was he inviting him in. So, Spike flashed him a bit of gold for good measure. Short enough to be seen but long enough to remind him not to fuck with a master vampire. He loved Buffy, he really did, but he wasn’t going to stand there and be glared at by a man he could break by using only his pinkie. It wasn’t even about being a vampire and Giles a human. This was what men did with one another when their territory was being threatened. Spike just had a bit of an advantage, that’s all. Too bad the territory in question could kick both their asses but he clung to what he could, considering what a pansy he’d become in the past few days.
“Well, I’m not killed. Spike never laid a hand on me.”
Well, that was just a lie. Spike snickered and Buffy squeezed his hand.
Giles was finally taking notice of said hand, the hand that was clasping his slayer’s fingers as if they were high school sweethearts. That’s right, Watcher. Get a good look.
Giles removed his glasses. Tucked them into his front shirt pocket. “Please explain to me why he is here?”
And he wasn’t looking at him any more. Giles saw what he needed, assessed the situation brilliantly, and had no more use for Spike. What a dick. So, Spike made a lot of noise as he lit his cigarette. Ignore him? Pffft.
“Can we come in? This might take a while.”
“You may enter,” he said pointedly. “But that thing will never cross this threshold.”
“Don’t worry about me, Rupert. I’ve already eaten. The kiddies are safe for the next hour or two.”
Xander and Willow gulped and Buffy glared at him. He was too amused to care. But then he felt her prickling nerves through the claim, felt her insecurities and her fears come to the surface and he kicked himself for making it worse. He smiled apologetically at her, successfully wiping the smirk off his own face.
“Thank you…Spike, for your wonderful sales pitch on trust,” Giles said sarcastically.
“Buffy, why are you hand holding?” Xander asked incredulously, having just noticed himself.
“Hand holding? Who’s hand holding?” Willow said excitedly, standing on her toes to look over Giles’ shoulder at the blond couple. She gasped. “Buffy! You’re holding hands with Spike!”
“Guys! Shut up!” It was no surprise that the three of them instantly obeyed her command when the slayer spoke so authoritatively. Spike put his hand in his duster pocket and brought the leather around to the front of him. As soon as they were done here…he was going to make her talk to him in that tone all night. Maybe she’d punish him for his bad behavior earlier. Maybe he shouldn’t be thinking about S&M when her watcher was standing right there. He took a long drag of his cigarette and looked at the moon.
She let out a tired sigh, ran her hand through her hair and said, “There’s no easy way to say this and since you won’t let us in, I’ll just spit it out now. Spike and I are…together.”
Willow almost squealed. Almost. Then she remembered Angelus and how not cool all of that was. She put on a serious frown, though her curiosity was evident in her rambling. “Do you mean ‘together-by-magic’ together? Or do you mean ‘major-smoochies-and-goo-goo-eyes’ together?”
“What?” Xander shouted.
Giles just stared in disappointment and disbelief.
Spike nudged her side.
“I mean…” She looked at Spike for a moment for a little boost of courage and when he smiled at her, her determination came back into the fray. “I mean…we’re eternally together.” She tugged on her turtleneck and exposed Spike’s favorite place in the world, the scar on her neck.
They all gasped in shock. Willow and Xander didn’t know what it meant, but they knew that Spike had bitten her and that was probably not so awesome. Giles knew exactly what it meant and as he raised a stake in the air that came out of nowhere, Spike was quick to expose his own scar.
“It’s mutual, Rupes! You dust me, you kill her too!”
“Giles, put it down,” Buffy pleaded, standing in between the two men.
“He has tricked you in the worst possible way, Buffy.” He looked as if he might cry or punch the wall and the two teenagers were too busy covering their mouths to say much of anything. Giles still held the stake in the air and Spike could see the death glare in his eyes. Watcher boy was none too pleased.
“He didn’t trick me. I asked him to do it.”
“Would someone mind telling me what is going on?” The voice came from behind them and Buffy’s face went pale. She turned around and smiled shyly.
“Hey, mom.”
Joyce was none too pleased.
“Where the hell have you been? And what’s this about you slaying vampires? I thought we were past that after the institution!”
Buffy’s eyes went wide and Spike looked at her for confirmation. Buffy was none too pleased. Apparently, she hadn’t told her friends about being in a loony bin, nor had she told Spike. He’d ask about that later.
“I’m uh…the vampire slayer,” she said nervously and as much as Spike wanted to comfort her, he didn’t like standing with the watcher’s stake poised to his back so he turned to the side and leaned against the wall.
“And I’m a vampire,” he offered, showing the bumpies for proof.
Joyce clutched her chest and shook her head. She’d obviously had a hell of a time while her daughter was gone and even seeing it in the flesh wasn’t enough to convince her. “That…that is the man I hit with an axe. The one on PCP.”
Xander couldn’t help but snort. “He wasn’t on PCP, Mrs. Summers. He’s a vampire.”
Spike grabbed Buffy’s hand again. Though she was trying to keep grounded, he could feel her inward retreat, the walls closing in on her and he wanted to get her the hell out of there.
“Is there a place we can all sit down and talk about this? The verbal hockey isn’t doing too good on the slayer’s nerves here and I won’t have you making her uncomfortable.” They all looked at him like he was crazy. As if he’d grown a mustache while a balloon emerged from his ass. “What? Think she likes being attacked from all sides? She’s in charge here and you’ll listen to what she has to say and that’s that. So let’s go inside and get it the hell over with. I won’t do anything. She’d stake me before I could anyway.”
Giles seemed to consider this for a moment. Joyce sighed sharply and held her purse tightly against her. Xander looked excited and Willow stared at Buffy with a compassionate little quirk of her lips. And Spike felt his mate brimming with love for him and nothing else seemed to be important.
Rupert lowered his stake. “Very well. But you lay a finger on anything—”
“No need to say it,” Spike said, his cigarette already crushed beneath his boot.
“All right. Come in, Spike,” Giles finally said and Spike grinned as he walked inside.
“So, what’s with the eternal bite mark?” Xander asked and Spike knew it was going to be a while before he’d get to be alone with his slayer that evening. At least the watcher gave him an invite. That was something, wasn’t it?
As he looked over at the man and noted the bottle of holy water within inches of his grasp, he retracted any hope that Giles would ever trust him.
“Start from the beginning, love.”
She sat on the arm of the sofa next to him and folded her arms, waiting for everyone to get situated. She began.
“Did you guys know that there’s an emergency brake lever in most cars?”
Spike laughed and covered his face with his hands. This was going to be a long night.