Hey...just wanted to clear something up. I've been getting a lot of feedback mentioning that maybe Spike's going to get his soul. He already did that earlier in the story. ;)

Chapter 47: Confrontation

When Spike woke in the morning, he was alone. He furrowed his brows, listening intently for sounds coming from the bathroom. He could hear noise coming from downstairs, but all was quiet on the upstairs front.

He pulled himself out of bed and slid into his jeans. After pulling a t-shirt over his head, he ran his fingers through his hair and headed down the stairs.

Dawn, Tara, and Willow were sitting at the kitchen counter eating breakfast. Spike stretched as he walked in barefoot, and Willow smiled at him.

“Morning.”

“Good morning,” Spike said with a nod. “Where’s Buffy?”

“She’s not here?” Dawn asked.

“Woke up alone,” he said, not bothering to disguise his disappointment.

“She didn’t have a doctor’s appointment, did she?” Tara wondered.

“No, I would’ve known about that.” He headed over to the fridge, retrieved a mug full of blood and put it in the microwave.

“Ok, Spike? Last time you warmed up your blood, it spattered on the inside of the microwave. You have got to remember to clean it if that happens,” Dawn whined, a little grossed out.

“Sorry Nibblet. I’ll try to remember that next time.” He smiled at Buffy’s little sister. He looked at the clock. “You’re gonna be late for school.”

“Nah, Xander and Anya are picking me up on their way to the Magic Box. They’ll just drop me off.” Spike wandered out of the kitchen with his mug of hot pig’s blood, and he picked up the phone in the living room. He immediately dialed Buffy’s cell phone. After three rings, he heard her familiar voicemail message. After the beep, he sighed.

“Hey, it’s me. Where are you? Give me a call back. I love you.” He hung up and sat down on the couch, replaying last night in his head. He hadn’t said anything to her to piss her off. They’d shagged at his crypt, come home, shagged a couple times more and fallen asleep. She’d gone to sleep with a smile on her face.

“Spike?” Spike looked up at Willow’s voice. “You look worried.”

“I’m not. I’m sure she had something to do…just forgot to wake me up.” He didn’t sound convincing. At all.

“You don’t think she heard us last night do you?” Willow wondered. Spike furrowed his brow.

“I’d have heard if she was coming down the hall or something.”

“She’s the Slayer. She can be pretty stealthy,” Willow reminded him. Spike swallowed hard, worried now, but he shook his head.

“No. No, with her hormone surges, if she’d heard us talking, I’d have been hearing about it by now. No…I don’t think so.” Willow sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ll stop by the Magic Box on my way to campus. Maybe she went to get some early training in with Giles?” Spike looked at the clock and shook his head.

“If I know my girl at all, I’d guess she’s praying to the porcelain god right about now.”

***

“Are you alright?” Giles asked, handing Buffy a damp cloth to wipe her mouth as she came out of the bathroom of his apartment.

“Fine,” Buffy muttered, chewing on a mint to get the terrible taste out of her mouth. She made her way into the living room and sat down on his couch. Giles cleared his throat.

“Do you want to tell me?”

“You know, it’s amazing you got your old place back when you came back from England.”

“Buffy.”

“What? Tell what?” Buffy asked, frowning about the fact that she couldn’t get out of talking about this.

“Would you like to tell me why you showed up at my door at four thirty this morning with an overnight bag?”

“Not really.”

“Did you and Spike quarrel?”

“Not yet, but we’re so gonna.” She flipped open her phone and saw she had one voice mail. She threw it back in her purse.

“What happened, Buffy?”

“What happened…well, it hasn’t happened yet.” Giles removed his glasses and rubbed his temples before replacing the spectacles upon his head. “I woke up early this morning and Spike wasn’t in bed. So I went downstairs, and he was in the kitchen with Willow. They were talking.”

“Talking about what?” Giles wondered. “It’s very odd, the two of them…”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Buffy frowned. “Giles…Spike kept going on and on about how it was best for me and the baby, how he had to do this to prove that his family was the most important thing…” She felt the tears stinging her eyes. “He’s leaving, Giles.” Giles watched as his Slayer broke down into tears, burying her face in her hands, shoulders heaving. Not long ago, Buffy probably wouldn’t have shed a tear over Spike’s skipping town, but the more he saw them together, the more he knew this bond of theirs was strong.

“You’re sure?” Spike asked, gently placing his hand on Buffy’s back. She nodded, sniffling.

“I think so. He’s thought about it a couple of times, but I thought…I thought we were past that. Giles, he thinks it’s better for us, and I can’t convince him…I need him, Giles. He doesn’t see how much I need him.” She bit her trembling lower lip. “I love him. God help me, I love him, and I can’t stop. I can’t make it stop. If I could, it’d be so much easier.” She sniffled and wiped at her eyes.

“You’re absolutely certain he’s talking about leaving?”

“I don’t know what else it could be. I don’t understand, Giles. Being away from him right now? It’s killing me.” She swallowed hard. “I don’t want to be the one that gets left again. I’m done with that. I’m sick of getting hurt.” She shook her head. “No. I’m not going to let him.” Giles threw her a half-smile.

“Then why are you sitting here on my couch right now?” Buffy frowned and looked away. Giles squeezed her shoulder. “You know you won’t solve anything just sitting here.”

“I’m so going to kick his ass. I mean it this time.”

“I wouldn’t be offended if you did,” Giles teased. Buffy smiled a little and let out a soft chuckle, but that quickly faded, and she felt fresh tears emerge. “Go home, Buffy. Sort this out. You won’t feel better until you do.”

“You’re right. I just…if I see him right now, I’ll…I don’t know what I’ll do.” Giles nodded.

“Alright. I have to get to the store. Feel free to stay here and rest for a while.”

“Thanks Giles,” Buffy sniffled. Giles nodded, grabbed his jacket, and headed to the door.

“Everything will be alright, Buffy. I’m sure of it.” Buffy nodded, and the moment the door shut behind Giles, she burst into tears once more.

***

Faith stared out the tinted window of a limo as it drove toward the airport. The man sitting next to her was stiff and proper, and he smelled like he’d taken a bath in the awful cologne he was wearing.

“What’d you say your name was again?”

“Dr. Owens, Miss Lehane.”

“So you’re a shrink.”

“I’m a highly certified…”

“Yeah, yeah. So, what happens when we get to London?”

“I’ll be overseeing your care, and you’ll be placed with a Watcher to start your training.”

“And the Council’s just trusting that I’m a good girl now? They don’t think for a second I’d rip their throats out?”

“Would you?” Dr. Owens asked. Faith rolled her eyes. “I didn’t think so.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because if you weren’t reformed, you’d have killed me the moment we pulled away from the prison gates, and you’d have made a run for it.” The man had a point.

“Ok. So what are they gonna do to me? Lock me up?”

“You’ll be given a flat near Council headquarters. You’ll be monitored for a while, but when the Council feels you’re ready, they’ll send you on your way.”

“On my way to what?”

“Your new life.”

“I thought this was a way to get my old life back, you know, minus the killing.”

“You’ll still be a Slayer. You’ll just be a free Slayer.”

“And what do they get in return?” Dr. Owens said nothing. “I don’t think this is really on the up and up.”

“I assure you, Miss Lehane. The Council has no plans for you except to have another Slayer fighting the ever-growing forces of evil. Prison is in no way the place for a young woman such as yourself.”

“What was it written in my file, doc? Psychopathic murderer? And Miss Goody Two Shoes didn’t help matters any.”

“Miss Summers hasn’t been very cooperative with the Council lately.”

“Really?” Faith asked, raising an eyebrow. “Didn’t think she had it in her. Sounds like somebody’s living life on the rebel side.”

“She has some…unusual alliances. Mr. Travers wants his Slayers in top form. The other Slayer…”

“The other? You mean there’s three of us now?” Dr. Owens nodded. “No shit? Well, as far as I know, I didn’t die, but I was in Hell for a good long while. She shrugged. “Looks like B got herself into a mess again. What was it this time? She have to let her boy toy Angel bite her to save the world? He take a little too much?”

“She threw herself into a portal that was about to tear down the walls between the dimensions. She was brought back several months later thanks to her witch friend.” Faith raised an eyebrow.

“Willow’s got mad Wicca skills now, huh? See, last time I spent much time with her, she was barely floating pencils.” She frowned. “Bet she’ll be floating a lot more in my direction if she ever sees me again.”

***

“I don’t think this is a good idea, Mr. Travers,” a young doctor spoke up as he paced in front of Quentin’s desk. “You’re talking about a drug that is brand new. We don’t know what the consequences might be.”

“That’s why we test.” He looked up at the younger man. “Part of what makes us powerful, John, is that we take the initiative. We deal with chemicals and medicines unknown to the medical world, except for those under our employ. This drug could change things. We need to test it.”

“On a Slayer, sir?”

“Why not on a Slayer? She’s the perfect candidate. And we have another coming in tomorrow morning. Both with traumatic pasts. Both are excellent Slayers, but they have their…little hang ups, if you will. They’re fierce, but their judgment is clouded. They’ve murdered. They’ve taken human life. And now every time they fight, they have to think harder, go for the kill knowing with absolute certainty that their prey isn’t human.”

“But without that filter, sir, they may take human life again.” Quentin shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter. One person compared to thousands if it comes down to it?” John felt a shiver go up his spine. In this time under the Council’s employ, he’d heard a lot of shady things, but he’d never heard someone talk so casually about human life being so…insignificant. “John, if we can take the pain away from these women, their minds will be clear. Their consciences…and isn’t that a good thing?”

“Well…well, sure, but…something could go wrong.” Travers rubbed his temples and shook his head. “And Dana hasn’t agreed.”

“She’ll agree.”

“And if she doesn’t?” Travers cleared his throat.

“Dana’s the newest Slayer. She has the least strength of the three active Slayers.” He shook his head. “Whatever she decides, the outcome will be the same.” His phone rang, and he waved his hand at John. “I need to take this.” John swallowed but nodded numbly before backing out of Travers’ office and rushing away.

***

When Buffy entered her house, everything was quiet. She knew Spike was around, but she wasn’t quite ready to see him yet. She stepped into view of the hall mirror and examined her face. Her eyes were a little red from crying, but otherwise, she looked ok.

She heard movement coming from upstairs, and she took a deep breath. The best thing to do was to get it over with.

She took the stairs one at a time, slowly making her way up to her room. When she got to the top of the stairs, she saw him moving about her room, carrying things around. She furrowed her brows and silently crept up to the doorway. To her horror, she found him piling things into a suitcase, and she felt her stomach twist into knots. The tears formed again, and it was all she could do to keep herself from letting them fall.

She looked down at the ring on her finger, remembering how happy she’d been when he’d given it to her on her birthday. And before she could stop herself, she sniffled. Spike spun around at the sound, and his look of surprise immediately changed to one of worry when he saw the sadness in her eyes.

“Buffy? What…”

“So,” she breathed, her voice shaky but quiet, “you were gonna leave before I got back?”

“Buffy…”

“No. I get it. You didn’t want to hurt me, right? Thought you’d sneak off while you had the chance?” Spike started to come to her, but she held her hand out. “Please. Spare me. If you’re gonna pretend like you care…”

“Buffy, I do care. I love you. You know that.”

“So, why? I thought we settled this…twice.”

“Buffy, you have to trust me.”

“Trust you? You’re leaving me!” Spike was a little taken off guard.

“I’m not leaving, Buffy.” Buffy let out a dry laugh and gestured toward the suitcase.

“Ok, so that’s not a suitcase lying open on our bed.”

“Well, yeah, it is, but…” He sighed heavily, knowing that he’d brought this on himself. If he hadn’t been such an idiot and tried to leave before, she wouldn’t have this look on her face just now.

“You were talking to Willow last night. You said it was best.” She sniffled again.

“So you did hear. Bloody hell.”

“Yeah. So you want to tell me why you and my best friend were planning your little trip behind my back?”

“We weren’t planning my trip…” At her glance at the suitcase, he gave up. “Alright, we were. But it’s not what you think.”

“Then what is it?” Spike smiled a little, and that seemed to piss her off more, so he reached into the bag and pulled out a pink bra and one of her cute tops.

“Don’t think these are quite my size, luv.” Buffy’s features softened a little. “And this girly perfume?” He pulled the bottle out of the suitcase. “Doesn’t exactly match my look, does it?”

“What…”

“Remember what I said to you? I wanted to take you away.”

“What…I…but…” She suddenly felt like the dumbest person alive. “Huh?” He smiled a little and put the items back in the suitcase.

“I was going to take you away for the weekend,” he offered. “I wanted to…to surprise you.”

“Oh my God,” Buffy groaned, her anger at him, which had given way to embarrassment and shock, now turned into anger at herself. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Do I look like the biggest idiot in the universe or what?” Spike moved toward her and took her hands in his.

“I’m not leaving. Not going anywhere unless it’s with you, pet.” Buffy felt the tears falling now. “What’s the matter?”

“I’m so stupid. I can’t believe I…”

“It’s not like you didn’t have reason to wonder,” he admitted, his features darkening. “I left you once before.”

“Yeah…but you came back all…you know, soul-y. Spike, I’m sorry. Don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad.”

“You should be. I left in the middle of the night. I didn’t…I didn’t answer your calls. I just…I thought the worst. I’m sorry.” Spike pulled his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “You should be yelling at me right now. Getting all fang-y. I deserve it.”

“I think I’ll let it slide,” he chuckled. “Bitty Buffy’s not helping your hormones any.”

“Normally, I’d yell at you for blaming my hormones, but I think I’ll let them take the fall for me this time.” Spike chuckled.

“There’s my girl.” He tilted her face toward his and pressed his lips to hers. Then a thought occurred to her. She pulled back.

“Wait a minute. What was with the talk about Willow being there for me?” Spike swallowed hard, and Buffy flinched at his hesitation. “You’re hiding something from me.” She backed out of his arms.

“Buffy…no,” he insisted firmly. “I just wanted her to be on the lookout, because I didn’t want you to think that something bad was going on and I was trying to keep you from hearing about it.” Buffy frowned and looked down.

“Oh.”

“Buffy, it’s alright. I love you, and I’m not leaving.”

“I know that. I know. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“You’ve been through a lot, pet. You’ve got a lot on your mind. Just know this. I will never leave you. I know better than that.” He winked at her. “Besides, this life would be worthless without you.” He kissed her nose. “Alright.”

“’Kay,” she muttered. “I’m still sorry.”

“Don’t be, kitten. S’all behind us now, right?” She nodded.

“Good.” He smiled and pulled her into another embrace. After a few long moments, she pulled back. “So where are we going?”

“Was gonna make us reservations at a nice hotel outside of town. Just the two of us all weekend. No vampires. Well…excluding the present.” He motioned toward himself and she smiled.

“That sounds….mmm…” She kissed him and smiled against his lips. “Perfect.” He kissed her back and held her close before she let out a soft sight.

“What is it?” He smiled when she giggled.

“I really need a shower.”

“Go on, then. I’ll make you something to eat, alright?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” She kissed him on the cheek and hurried off to the bathroom, wondering how she ever could have doubted him.

Spike sighed with relief and headed down the stairs. Just as he neared the bottom steps, the front door opened, and he had to jump over the banister to get out of the path of the sunlight. Willow came walking through, a sheepish look upon her face.

“Oh God. Sorry! I didn’t know you’d be lurking by the door.”

“S’alright. Just going to make Buffy something to eat.”

“She’s here? I stopped by the Magic Box, and Giles said she was at his place. I went by, and she wasn’t there, so I…is she ok?”

“She’s fine now. In the shower.” He shook his head and headed into the kitchen with Willow right behind him. As he started searching for things in the cupboard, Willow looked at him anxiously.

“Did you two fight?”

“She came in all ready to beat the bleedin’ hell out of me. She heard the two of us last night. But, I explained everything.” Willow’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

“You did? What’d…what’d you tell her?”

“That I’m taking her away for the weekend.” Willow frowned. “What? It’s true. Get her out of the house in time to let you birds do your girly decorating.” Willow shrugged.

“You know we could easily do it in two seconds with a spell.”

“Yeah, but that leaves out two days of naked Buffy, so I’d prefer it if you did it the hard way. No matter, I’m still taking her away.” Willow smiled.

“So she’s not mad? At either of us?”

“No. Don’t worry, Red. She’s none the wiser to my little plan.”

“Our plan. You asked for my help, so it’s our plan.”

“You’re the one that wasn’t sure about it.”

“Yeah, but I’m starting to come around. Helping Anya plan her wedding was like pulling teeth. This? Well, this is fun, because it’s a surprise. Buffy’s gonna have her white dress and her big day…er, well, evening, I guess.” She smiled.

“Glad to see at least one of her friends approves.”

“Oh, come on. The rest of them are coming around. Xander hasn’t threatened to stake you in weeks.”

“Remind me to thank you,” Spike scoffed. “He’d better be on his best behavior. I guarantee I won’t think twice about putting my fist between his unusually large ears if he thinks of doing anything to ruin Buffy’s day.”

“I’ll be on Xander patrol until the commitment ceremony. I’ll gag him during, if I have to.”

“Always knew you were into the kink, pet.” Willow made a face.

“Do you just exude perverseness? ‘Cause I don’t see how Buffy puts up with it.” He caught a faint smile as she turned away from him to look at the clock. “Oh, I have to get going. If I don’t see you before you head out of town, just…yeah, just call me and tell me when you’re heading back to town so we can have everything ready. Of course…I have to tell everybody what we’re doing before we do it, but I’m sure they’ll be on board the surprise wagon.”

“I’ll let you know.” He watched her leave the kitchen, but at the last second, he hurried around the counter. “Uh, Willow?” She turned, surprised at his use of her first name. That was a rare occurrence indeed.

“Yeah, Spike?”

“Thanks for helping and everything.”

“She’s my best friend. She more than deserves this.” Willow flashed him a pleasant smile before hurrying back out the door. Spike smiled and leaned against the wall, pleased with himself that he was going to be able to give Buffy her special day, complete with presents and a white dress. Maybe it wasn’t a wedding, but it was the start of a very interesting, but hopefully happy marriage, as far as he was concerned.

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

Hey guys! I just want to thank you for the encouraging feedback I received yesterday. Please keep the feedback coming, because I look forward to reading it and hearing what you all think! Sometimes it actually does sway the direction of the story. If I'm on the fence about an issue and enough people mention it, it usually helps me make up my mind. :)

Don't forget to check out the video if you haven't already! :) Go to Youtube and search for After the Fall 2nd Trailer, or look for the screen name BuffyXenaDQFan, and you should find it on there. :)