Chapter 44
It was with a sigh of relief that Elizabeth finally plopped into the chair of the small café. It was long past dark outside, and her feet were killing her.
“Surviving your first week of employment without getting fired provides you with an eighty percent chance of remaining employed for a significant period,” Anya informed her encouragingly. She scooted the last double-latte Elizabeth had made in front of her. “And copious amounts of caffeine with help ease your weariness.”
Elizabeth graced her with a small grin and took a sip. “So, how was non-working-full-time Spring Break?” she asked curiously.
“I secured my summer internship at Wall Street,” Anya provided. “If I’m lucky, it’ll give me an in at one of the large firms.”
“And I spent half the time registering for next year,” Willow provided. “New campus, new advisors, new labs…”
“I sat on my arse and watched TV with Harris,” Spike grinned, “but if you want me to pretend that I suffered through break, too, ‘m happy to oblige…”
Elizabeth cast him a mock-annoyed scowl. “Preparing for your lucrative career as the stay-at-home dad of our children?” she teased.
“Hmmm, never thought about that…” He rubbed his chin as if considering the actual merits of that plan.
Elizabeth whapped him lightly in the arm, he mock-winced in pain, and life was good. Or was it?
“At least you’ll just be part time from now on,” Willow pointed out to Elizabeth. “After this week, that should seem like a piece of cake.”
“No kidding,” Elizabeth agreed with a sigh. “What ever possessed me to tell Jenny that I could work all through Spring Break?”
“Your very logical desire to earn Brownie Points from your employer,” Anya responded matter-of-factly. “It was actually quite a brilliant move. You’re positive you don’t want to be an econ major?”
“Never want to see it again,” Elizabeth insisted vehemently. With a weary sigh, she rested her head against Spike’s shoulder, enjoying his warmth and strength.
After a second, his arm slipped around her shoulders, his fingers stroking her arm through the white fabric of her blouse gently. But after a second. Elizabeth had definitely noticed the brief jolt of surprise that had gone through him at her affectionate gesture. In fact, she was used to Spike reacting to her this way now. It was perfectly clear that he still wanted to be with her, but their separation had apparently left him a bit…trigger shy. It was something she really hadn’t anticipated, but probably should have.
Her hand came to rest on his knee beneath the table, and she gave it a quick, reassuring squeeze.
“So when do you face the Evil Dictator?” Willow inquired, using the house’s favorite nickname for her father.
Elizabeth grimaced. “No more putting it off,” she agreed. “I was thinking of calling him tonight.” She turned to Spike and gave him a soft smile. “If you’re willing, I’d really appreciate it if you’d be there for me…” She bit her lower lip slightly nervously.
His eyes softened at her request. “Of course, ‘ll be there,” he assured her.
She flashed him a radiant smile and caught his lips for a brief kiss. Those few seconds were all it took to light a molten fire within her belly, and she felt as though her heart would explode. And, god, was it wonderful. There was no doubt he was one hell of a kisser.
But that didn’t mean she didn’t notice the difference between the way he kissed her now and the way he had before. Before, he had poured his entire being into her through the union of their lips, offering all that he was and could be to her. Now, he definitely held back a bit, was a little cautious, hesitant.
Elizabeth decided in that moment that she wanted him open to her once more. She would just have to show him that there was nothing to be afraid of now, that she wouldn’t pull back from him again…
“You talked to Dawn yet?” Spike asked curiously after her head had returned to his shoulder. “Given her a head’s up?”
“She’s known it was coming for some time,” Elizabeth agreed. “I mean, I called her as soon as the two of us got back together, so she knows all the news from then. I should probably tell her first that the confrontation’s going to occur tonight, though…”
“Get the easy conversation over first,” Willow agreed. “Drum up some more encouragement and support.”
Elizabeth nodded and returned her attentions to her latte. “So, where is Xander?” Elizabeth asked Anya. “Don’t tell me he’s still watching TV…”
Anya shook her head. “Oh no,” she agreed. “Play rehearsals are back in full force already. Cordy’s teaching him how to do all the lighting stuff.”
“Wow, Xander’s really into that stuff, isn’t he?” Elizabeth asked in surprise.
“Just so long as he doesn’t have to act,” Anya agreed with a small smile. “Although Cordy’s wearing him down slowly…”
“He’s been treatin’ you right, ‘asn’t he?” Spike demanded not so subtly. “’Cause if he’s gettin’ out of line again…”
“I am completely un-threatened by all the time he spends with Cordy,” Anya assured him. “He’s made it quite clear that it’s a platonic thing.”
“’Bout damn time,” Spike agreed gruffly.
Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile at that. She tilted her head slightly so that she could whisper in his ear. “Did I ever tell you you’re sexy when you’re all protective?” she murmured softly.
His cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment as he turned to her.
“It makes me want to do all sorts of naughty things to do,” Elizabeth added with a wink.
Cautiously, he leaned forward to meet her eager lips. The kiss deepened of its own accord…
Anya sighed when it became apparent that they’d just lost half the group. “So,” she turned to Willow, “where are you staying this summer?”
“I’m going home for a bit,” Willow answered, strategically not looking at the kissing couple across from them. “The parents have finally forgiven me now that I’ve chosen a big name graduate school. Then, I’m moving out to Berkeley. I want to nab a cheap apartment early on.”
“Did you get another TA job over there?” Anya inquired.
“Lab work, actually. But I really like the director, so it should be cool.”
Anya nodded. “And Tara?” she ventured bluntly.
Willow sighed. “She seems good,” she admitted. “I mean, it’s a little weird between us because, y’know, it’s kind of over, but… She’s really excited about Columbia’s program, so I can’t really fault her.”
“Have you two considered trying to keep up a long distance relationship?” Anya inquired. “No orgasms, true, but if you really want to stay together…”
“I think we kind of both realize that we’d be stepping on each other’s toes in that case. I mean, we’ll keep in touch, so maybe there’s some chance way in the future, but…” She shook her head. “I mean, you saw how quickly high-school relationships break up once you get to college and start meeting all these new people.”
Anya nodded sympathetically. “I’m sorry,” she offered with unusually open compassion.
Willow nodded. “At least, we can work together on making it as painless as possible,” she said half-heartedly.
Anya murmured her agreement and glanced over at the bleached couple. She rolled her eyes. “Do we have another gut-wrenching topic of conversation?” she wondered. “Because it looks like we have some more alone time…”
Willow grinned at the make-out fest across from them before frowning slightly. “Uh, Elizabeth…” She poked her roommate lightly on the shoulder.
No response.
“You’re going to have to breathe sooner or later,” Willow pointed out, tapping Elizabeth on the shoulder again.
“Huh?” Elizabeth’s pulled away from Spike’s embrace, eyes blinking in surprise when she realized that the world existed outside of the two of them.
“It might be a good idea not to screw your boyfriend right in front of your boss,” Anya added helpfully.
Elizabeth blushed a deep crimson when she noticed that, yes indeed, Jenny was behind the counter, smiling and shaking her head at the antics of the students.
“Oops,” Elizabeth agreed with an unashamed smile. Note to self: tell Spike all the things I love about him more often… That had definitely been more like it.
Placing a final kiss to Elizabeth’s brow, Spike turned back to the group. “So’d we miss anything?” he asked innocently…
* * *
Ring!
Elizabeth bit her lip and twisted the telephone cord around her fingers. Behind her, Spike’s embrace tightened slightly, and the hand at her waist slipped down under the hem of her shirt, finding her navel and stroking it lightly in that way that she liked.
Ring!
She steeled herself up further, wondering why her father was taking so bloody long to answer his cell. The mattress shifted behind her as Spike moved in closer, resting his head on the pillow behind her. She had wanted to do this in the place where she was most comfortable, so here they were in Spike’s bed. She still thought of it as theirs, but they hadn’t shared it since they’d gotten back together. She supposed there was some logic to living separately for a little while.
Ring!
“Summers,” Hank’s voice said sharply right after the last ring.
She took a deep breath. “Dad, it’s Elizabeth.”
“Buffy!” His tone instantly turned jovial. “Sorry about the wait. I’d left my phone in the den.”
“No problem,” she insisted. “But we need to talk about something.”
“Uh, sure, pumpkin, what’s that?”
She could tell that he was only half paying attention to her, his real energy focused elsewhere. Probably on some business matter or another. “I dropped econ.” It was funny just how easily those words came out.
Spike placed an encouraging kiss on the back of her neck.
A definite pause on the other end of the line. “What did you say?” Hank asked, sounding puzzled as if he thought he’d misheard.
Ha! She triumphed inwardly. Finally caught your attention for all of five seconds! “I dropped econ,” she repeated matter-of-factly. “I figured I should tell you first before you spies reported on me.”
“What?” Hank still seemed flummoxed. “Why?”
“Because I’m an art major, not an econ major,” she informed him. “I don’t want to take econ, so I’m not.”
“Buffy…” His voice held a hint of danger now.
“My name is Elizabeth.” Even she was amazed at how strong her voice sounded. Inside, she felt the beginnings of a panic.
Hank exploded at that. “Are you out of your mind, young lady?!” he practically screamed.
Elizabeth held the phone away from her ear at the volume of the shout. “I am not!” she shouted back, equally angry. “Just because I don’t do what you want, doesn’t make me insane! Jeez, lame argument much?”
“How dare you talk to me that way!” Hank shot back. “And I thought I made myself clear that I never wanted to hear about this nonsense again.”
“It’s not nonsense!” she shot back. “It’s my life! It’s who I am!”
“You are my daughter,” he retorted. “And you will do—”
“—Whatever I want. It’s my choice, not yours.”
“Your ‘choice’ will earn you a life of misery and poverty!” he shot back.
“Actually, it looks like a life of middle-class happiness right about now,” she retorted, “but even if you’re right, it’s my choice to make.”
“ ‘Middle-class’?” Hank repeated in disbelief. “Buffy, have you seen how those people live?!”
“Elizabeth,” she corrected. “And, yeah, I have. And it seems a hell of a lot better than the shallow, lavish existence you put me through. Y’know, some of those people even value things like family and love more than, say, money,” she added sarcastically.
“We are not having this conversation!” Hank informed her, furious. “And if you don’t—”
“You can’t threaten me on this one,” she informed him. “I’m an adult now, and—”
“That’s it!” Hank exclaimed. “I’ve had enough of this. If you can’t handle yourself on your own—”
“ ‘Handle myself’?” Elizabeth repeated incredulously. “There are valid lifestyles other than yours, dad. And it is not your right to choose for me!”
“I knew I shouldn’t’ve let you go away to school!” Hank exclaimed. “I should’ve known that the second you got away from me—”
“ ‘Away from you’?” Elizabeth retorted with a snort. “I hate to break it to you, dad, but you’ve never been a part of my life. And it was a choice you made, not me. You don’t even know me. If you did, you wouldn’t be fighting me. Hell, all the people that really know me are happy about the choices I’ve made!”
Hank’s voice lowered to a hiss. “It’s that boyfriend of yours, isn’t it?” he demanded. “He put all these ridiculous ideas into your head.”
“Hello?” Elizabeth exclaimed in indignation. “This has nothing to do with Spike!” She squeezed the hand at her belly to reassure him. “This is about me. You think I was happy being locked up in that cold mansion of yours, being your ‘little princess’? Well, I hated it! I always hated it! I was always unhappy! And all I ever wanted was a real family with a real father.”
“Fine, then you can come home right now,” Hank snapped. “I’m pulling you out of that place and—”
“In case you missed this point earlier,” Elizabeth shot back, “I am an adult now. You can’t make me do anything, and I’m not going anywhere. Worse comes worst, I’ll just take out a loan. Which, really, is what most students do anyway. I just figured it was common courtesy to inform you. Good-bye.” She slammed down the phone.
Spike blinked. “That was quick.”
Elizabeth sighed and leaned back into his embrace. “I have an idea this argument will continue through many, many phone calls.”
“You want me to yank out the phone?” he offered.
“Nah,” she shook her head. “Willow’s already yanked the one in our room, and dad doesn’t have your number.”
“Well, at least that went well,” he commented softly. His brow furrowed. “Or exceptionally poorly…”
“Kinda both, I think,” she agreed, turning in his arms to face him. “He’s just so… God, I hate him!” she screamed in exasperation. And then sniffled.
She looked at Spike helplessly before her façade shattered, and she began sobbing uncontrollably.
Instantly, he was there, holding her close and mumbling sweet nothings. She clung to him as if her life depended on it, not even caring that her tears drenched his shirt.
“G-God…I-I…” she gasped out between sobs.
“Shh, luv,” he soothed her. “Just let it all out.”
“I-I don’t even know why I’m crying!” she managed to exclaim, angry, frustrated, heartbroken, and above all confused…
“’S because you love him,” he suggested softly. “Even though you hate him half the time, he’s still your father and—”
A fresh sob broke out, and then she was incoherent once more.
He held her tight, rocking back and forth softly. He listened to her sobs trail off, only to begin anew over and over again. And, finally, when it was all over, he brushed her hair back from her forehead, and she looked up at him, and…
“Can I stay here tonight?” she requested nervously. “In your bed? With you?”
He knew he should balk at the idea, even if they didn’t renew their sexual relationship. He had wanted to make sure this time, not dive in headfirst only to crash into the wall around her heart, and he could tell he was confused now because he was mixing metaphors like crazy. But that look in her eyes… No, it can’t be…
“Yeah, luv,” he agreed softly. “You can stay with me.”
She latched onto him, her body wrapped around his as he lay back on the bed. With a shaking hand, he reached over to turn off the bedside lamp and then…
“I love you.”
Dammit, he had not meant to say those words again so soon!
Elizabeth sniffled and then smiled against his chest. “I know,” she whispered softly, savoring the calming darkness and the warmth of his body all around her.
And she did know, more than even he realized yet. But this wasn’t the time to tell him, not when the magnitude of her emotional distress was such that they would make the words seem hollow, false. Still, something was in order after his reaffirmed vow…
“I’m yours, you know,” she murmured softly against his chest. “Always yours…”
In each other’s arms for the first time for over a month, the two lovers fell quite easily asleep, contented smiles on both their faces, if only in dreams…
* * *
Elizabeth awoke with a nasty taste in her mouth, dry, aching eyeballs, and the world’s worst crick in her neck. With a groan, she tried to push herself up, only to get a loud “oof!” from the man beneath her. With a sympathetic grimace for where she’d just tried to use his stomach for leverage, she finally rolled off of him and collapsed on her side of the bed.
She lolled her neck around, desperately trying to get out the painful crick. Spike, meanwhile, let out a slight wheezing sound and rubbed at his ribs.
“For future notice,” Spike groaned, “while fallin’ asleep in each other’s arms may sound romantic, ‘s bugger all painful in the mornin’.”
Elizabeth nodded and rolled her head around on her neck another time. “From now on, we sleep on our sides again,” she agreed.
Spike bit his lip at the suggestion that they were sleeping together now. He didn’t even know whether he was happy or uncomfortable with the idea. He was just very… Confused. Maybe even a little frightened. Not that he’d ever admit it.
“Ugh,” Elizabeth complained, smacking her lips, “my eyes are all red and dry from crying last night.”
“Don’t think I have any eyedrops around,” he said apologetically.
“That’s all right,” she assured him. “I’ll just blink a lot.”
He smiled slightly at that and sat up, running one hand through the mussed hair. “Slept in our clothes, too,” he pointed out. “All wrinkled.”
“Oh joy,” she agreed, looking down at her skirt. “I bet this’ll get me an odd look from Willow when I go back to our room to change.”
“More’n showing up naked?” he countered.
“That would at least be fairly obvious,” she pointed out. “But this one… Oh, will her imagination have a field day.”
“Hmm,” he murmured softly, stretching one arm out. Their position had cut of the circulation a bit, and he could feel the pins and needles creeping down to his hand.
Elizabeth sighed. “There’s no way I can avoid dad’s calls all day,” she commented, “so I guess we’ll know by this evening whether I’ve still got tuition.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, reaching over her to grab the water bottle on the windowsill. He took a swig and then offered it to her.
She gratefully drank down the water, the liquid dispelling the dryness as well as a bit of that morning mouth taste. This was what she got for going to bed without brushing her teeth. “What’re you doing today?” she inquired softly.
He shrugged. “Dunno. Last weekend of break. Should prob’ly do somethin’ worthwhile.”
She noticed his distance with a frown. “Spike, are you all right?” she asked, concerned.
He nodded and then sighed. “Just a bit jumbled right now,” he apologized.
She gave him a shy smile. “You were wonderful last night,” she informed him.
He frowned. “We didn’t…?” he began, frantically searching for the lost memory.
“Wonderful in a non-sexual sense,” she clarified.
“You’re callin’ me ‘non-sexual’ now?” he teased lightly.
She rolled her eyes. “You know what I meant.”
A cautious smile lit up his lips. “Yeah,” he agreed softly.
“Y’know,” she began nervously, “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about—”
She was cut off by the ringing of the phone.
They exchanged a nervous look.
“My dad does not have this number,” Elizabeth insisted. “And he doesn’t even know your real name, so he can’t look it up…”
“’S probably just Mum,” Spike insisted, reaching over her and grabbing the receiver. “’lo?” he said lazily. A pause. “Yeah.” A slight frown. “Yeah…” He sighed. “’S for you,” he handed the phone to Elizabeth. “Right about the mum part, but wrong mum. ‘S Dawn’s.”
Elizabeth frowned at that as well. What, had her father enlisted her step-mom in this war now? And how on earth had she gotten this number? Dawn wouldn’t’ve… She wiped the myriad of questions from her mind as she put the receiver to her ear. “Hello?” she asked nervously.
“Elizabeth? It’s Linda,” the familiar voice said.
“Yeah, hi,” she agreed, brushing aside the curious look from Spike for the time being. “What’s up?”
“I heard about what happened with Hank last night,” her stepmother got right to the point, as usual.
“You’re going to yell at me, too?” Elizabeth complained grumpily.
A sigh. “Yeah, Hank was pretty livid last night. I got an incoherent phone call around midnight.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Hank’s fault, not yours,” Linda assured her. “Anyway, Dawn explained to me a bit about what’s been happening over there.”
“She gave you this number?” Elizabeth sighed. “I’m gonna kill her…”
“I’m not calling to chew you out,” Linda insisted, “so Dawn didn’t get you in trouble. I just wanted to see how you were. Last night must’ve been difficult.”
“Yeah well, I had help.” Elizabeth gave Spike’s hand a light squeeze.
“That was your boyfriend who answered?” Linda inquired. “This Spike I’ve been hearing so much about?”
“Yup,” Elizabeth agreed wearily.
Linda chuckled. “Dawn’s right. He does have a sexy voice.”
“Mom!” The indignant cry could be heard in the background.
“Oh yeah,” Elizabeth agreed, casting a quirky smile in Spike’s direction.
He gave her a puzzled look.
“Is he also, quote, the most gorgeousest, hunka coolness ever, unquote?” Linda teased.
“Eep!” Dawn squealed in the background.
“More so,” Elizabeth insisted, giving Spike a wink.
Now he looked downright baffled.
Linda laughed. “Good to know. I’m sure Hank’s been a real stick in the mud about all this.”
“As always,” Elizabeth’s expression turned serious.
“I just wanted to let you know that if you need any help…” Linda began. “There was talk of tuition pulling and inheritance removal last night. I don’t know how much of it was genuine and how much was Hank throwing a hissy fit because he didn’t get his way for once.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Yeah, I’ve been planning on the tuition front,” she agreed. “The only time it might really screw me over is this quarter. It’d be kind of a rush loan, and I’ve heard those can be nasty.”
“I don’t have a lot of money,” Linda commented slowly. “After all, I’ve got most of it saved up for Dawn’s college fund – I will not let her go through this disaster, too – but I could probably loan you something this semester. I promise I won’t ask for an obscene amount of interest.”
Elizabeth blinked in shocked surprise. “Really?” she said in disbelief. “’Cause that would be really…wow. I mean, I would totally pay you back and everything, but…wow.”
Linda laughed. “Just let me know if Hank persists in being more of an ass than usual. We cast-aside women need to stick together.”
“Yeah…” Elizabeth was still stunned. “I mean, thank you. I’ll let you know. Definitely. I mean…thanks. Although I’ve gotta ask…”
“Why?” Linda asked for her. “I know we’re never been close, Elizabeth, but no one should have to deal with the problems you’re having this young. I’d hate to see Hank ruin your life.”
“Thanks,” Elizabeth sniffed slightly. “Y’know, if I’ve ever said anything bad about you, I take it all back.”
Linda laughed. “Dawn won’t be pleased to hear that,” she replied.
“What? What won’t I be pleased with?” Dawn was, apparently, still hovering in the background.
Elizabeth chuckled.
“Well, I should let you get back to your boyfriend,” Linda insisted, “but let me know if you need any help. Especially if Hank tries to pull something nasty. I know all his little tricks.”
“Thanks a lot,” Elizabeth repeated.
“It’s the least I can do,” Linda insisted. “Good luck.”
Elizabeth hung up the phone, still half numb.
“What was that about?” Spike asked curiously.
A smile began to curve across Elizabeth’s face. “I just got some extra leverage,” she replied…