banner by Dawnofme

Chapter 24 Cross my Heart

Spike burst into the busy lobby of the Hyperion, hyperventilating and covered in sweat. Already, being human was messy. He loved it.

“Gunn!” he yelled. “Gunn?”

The guests milling around the lobby scattered as he stood in the middle, staring wildly around.

“Gunn?”

“Spike?”

Spike spun around, arms wide open, his smile beaming from his sweaty face.

“It’s bloody hot out there!” he said with a laugh.

Gunn ran to him and threw his arms around him, hugging him tight. “It worked, man! It freaking worked!”

“Fucking right it did!” Spike said, laughing. “Buffy talked them into it and then I negotiated a few things. Human body, vampire strength, my friend! Bloody brilliant the two of us were!” He looked around. “Is she here?”

Gunn smiled. “I had to go and get her three weeks ago. The PTB sent her to Sunnydale! I got a call from Will and went to pick her up. We waited for a bit and then she decided to head back to Buffalo, knowing that when and wherever you did show up, you’d find her there.”

Spike couldn’t stop smiling. “That’s my girl,” he said in approval. Then he grasped Gunn by the shoulders and leaned forward, staring him in the face. “Now, first, point me to a phone so I can call my slayer. Then, I need that money we talked about, those black market papers, a cell phone, a decent car and a map. Cause I’m going home.”

***

First night on the road.


“Explain to me again why you aren’t flying home?” Buffy asked.

Spike grinned and leaned back against the headboard of his nondescript motel room. “Pet. I’m human now. Do you think that I’m going to set foot in a flying tin can and take any chances?”

“And you do know that more people die in car crashes than plane crashes right?” She chuckled warmly.

It was his turn to laugh. “I know. I got the statistics you emailed me before I left L.A. Gunn found it very amusing. All propaganda put out by the airlines, pet.”

She burst out laughing. “You’re being silly.”

Rolling his eyes, he said, “Lose all my demony badness and I’m silly now.” He sighed dramatically. “How the mightily bad have fallen.”

“I’m just saying…you could be in bed with me now instead of in some motel somewhere! Where are you anyway?”

He glanced down at the map spread across his bed. He’d been planning tomorrow’s route when he called her. “I’m in…wait…where is it - oh sod it all – I have no idea. I’m somewhere in Arizona.”


“How many more days?’

His heart softened and he closed his eyes, pressing the phone closer to his ear. “Five more days, love. If I have to drive straight through the night, I’ll be there by Friday.”

“Promise?”

“Promise. Cross my heart,” he said with a grin. The fact that he now had a real heart to cross made the vow seem that much more powerful.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too,” he murmured back.


Second night on the road.



“Truth is, pet,” he said, staring out the window as the car cruised down the dark highway. “I’m terrified of flying.”

“Really?” she asked incredulously. The thought that her ex demon lover would be afraid of anything floored her.

“Really,” he repeated. “I was a Victorian gentleman remember. Never got used to the whole flying with the birds. For the birds that is.”

“Okay,” she said. “We’ll drive everywhere.”

“I love driving,” he said.

“What’s the soundtrack of your journey this evening?” she asked. She could hear the soft hum of the radio coming across the line.

He glanced over at the messy pile of CDs on the passenger side of the front seat and he grinned. “This evening I’m listening to the Ramones’ “Road to Ruin”, Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” and Cake’s “B Sides and Rarities”.”

She chuckled. “You’re odd, you know that?”

“Yes, I do know that. Part of my charm that is.”

“Where are you now?”

He glanced out at the darkened highway. “Somewhere in Northern Texas, or I might actually have crossed into Oklahoma at some point.”

She sighed. “How many more days?”

“Four, pet. Four days and I’ll be home.”


Third night on the road




“I had the best cherry pie today,” Spike said, slurping back on his Big Gulp. He was convinced that God had placed 7-Elevens on the earth for the sole purpose of making him happy.

“Cherry pie, hmm?” Buffy asked with a chuckle. “Yesterday it was the cheesecake, tonight it’s cherry pie. What with your addiction to high fat foods, I’m getting a little worried. We might have to have a chat about heart disease and diabetes.”

He waved away her concern, then realizing she couldn’t see that over the phone, he said instead. “I’m young! There’s nothing to worry about.”

She burst out laughing. “Spike, you’re over a hundred years old!”

He shook his head. “No way! According to my brand new New York state driver’s license I’m thirty.”

She gasped. “Spike!”

“What?” He sat up in the bed of yet another roadside motel. “What happened?”

“You idiot!”

“What? What did I do?”

“Thirty? Thirty? Spike, that means I’m older than you!” she cried.

He fought the laugh that threatened. She would not thank him for laughing at her. “I’m sorry, pet. I didn’t even think. I went with the whole three thing what with Red and her magic spells and all.”

“Then why didn’t you go with thirty-three?”

Silence.

“I didn’t think of that,” he admitted. And then, in that second, he thanked the Gods again that he’d asked to keep his vampire strength and healing powers. She was going to kill him when he got home.



Fourth night on the road.



“And the soundtrack of your journey tonight?” Buffy asked, pushing some papers aside and stretching out on their bed.

“The Best of Leonard Cohen and the last Linkin Park CD,” he replied. He saw the lights of a motel shining up ahead in the darkness and decided to pull over for the night. He slowed down and put the signal on.

Buffy chuckled. “You have very strange taste in music.”

“I’d tell you to blame Chantal, but that would be unfair,” he said with a smile.

“She misses you,” Buffy said softly. “They all do. Dawn’s been driving me nuts. Every night she asks if I’ve called you yet and if she can talk to you.”

“Well, put her on,” Spike said as he pulled into a parking spot in front of the motel guest entrance. He turned the car off and sat there for a moment.

“No,” Buffy said softly. “These conversations are mine. I imagine you wherever you are, driving along a dark highway or in some hotel room, and I feel connected to you. It’s just you and me during these conversations. When you get home, it’ll be you, me and everyone else.”

“I love you,” he whispered, his heart aching for her. His body crying out for her. He should have bit the bullet and flown. “I can’t wait to hold you, to touch you.”

“One more day,” she whispered back, closing her eyes, picturing him. “I love you too. I can’t wait till you get home.”

“One more day, my love,” he said, bowing his head and closing his eyes. “One more day.”
Fifth day on the road

Buffy bit into the apple and leaned back into the swing on the front porch. The book she was reading was resting on her lap, unread. For the one hundredth time, she looked up the road. There was still no sign of Spike’s car. The last of the afternoon sun was starting to sink behind the Buffalo skyline and he still wasn’t home yet. She’d expected him about an hour ago.

“Buffy?”

“No, Dawn,” Buffy yelled. “He’s not here yet.”

“Can we come out?”

“NO!” Buffy yelled. “For crying out loud, let us have a moment when he does get here!”

She rolled her eyes and as she turned to pick up her book, her eyes caught the gleam of candy apple red as a car turned the corner and made its way slowly up the street. She threw the book to the porch and stood up, a huge grin on her face.

“He didn’t,” she said with a laugh as she watched the mustang convertible pull up in front of the house. Buffy launched herself from the porch, running towards him. “Spike!” she called out.

He got out of the car and hurried around it. He caught her in his arms, stumbling back against the car at the force of her greeting.

“Buffy,” he gasped, then covered her mouth in a crushing kiss, squeezing her tight in his arms. “Buffy.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and wept as she kissed him. She felt the difference immediately. He was warm, and while his body was still hard with muscle and bone, there was a suppleness to his flesh that spoke of his new humanity. But the arms around her were Spike’s, the lips on hers were Spike’s, and the eyes that stared down at her still gave her access to the beauty and depth of his soul. He was her poet and her lover. And there was just enough of a gleam in his eyes to remind her of the demon he used to be.

“Buffy?” he asked, his voice low. She caught the note of concern in it right away. “Things are different now. I’m – I’m different now.”

She smiled, tracing the scar that bisected his left brow. “You’ve kept the best of you, Spike. All the pieces – whole and broken – that I love.” She rested her hand on his heart and closed her eyes. She could hear his heart beating. Buffy felt tears smart her eyes. She opened them and looked up at him. “We can both protect each other’s hearts and souls now,” she whispered.

“Deal,” he murmured, leaning down and kissing her softly. “Definitely a job I’ll tackle. I’m convinced the pay and the benefits are going to be impressive.”

She chuckled, kissing him back. “Count on it.”

“Spike! Spike!” Dawn cried out.

Buffy sighed and settled into his arms. He laughed and tightened them around her. Glancing over her shoulder, he spotted the Bit bouncing on her feet, waiting impatiently. Harris grinned and waved and stepped aside to let Willow and Giles step out onto the porch.

“Spike’s back!”

Spike peered more closely and then groaned softly. “Tell me that’s not Andrew,” he begged.

Buffy chuckled, nestling into his arms, resting her cheek against his chest, lulled by the cadence of his heartbeat. “Your fan club has expanded by one more. He arrived last week and has been driving us all insane.”

Spike glanced back at his car in yearning. “Can we run away?”

She shook her head. “Dawnie will hunt us down and take us out.”

He sighed. “Okay, I’m going to give the word. You ready?”

“I’m ready for it all.” She smiled up at him.

He leaned down and kissed her gently. That was all he needed to hear.

THE END

Thank you so much for reading! I have another Spuffy story called "From the Ashes" at fanfiction.net that can't be posted here as it does not meet the requirements. But if you'd like to check it out, I'd love to know what you think! Again, thank you so much for sticking with my story and for all your comments!