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Hidden Agendas by angelic_amy
 
Tying Up Loose Ends
 
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A/N: Ok. First of all, I just wanted to thank everyone who has feedbacked an given me encouragement for this story. It has meant the world and it is because of all of you that I continue to write. :D

Secondly, just needed to let you all know that this story is wrapping up. Just two more chapters after this one.

BUT - a sequel is in the works.

For any interested people, I have info about those new stories on my livejournal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/angelic_amy/

Go ahead and friend me if you wish!

Ok... onto the story.



Chapter 35: Tying Up Loose Ends.


The mood inside the Summers house was jovial, if a little tired as the slayer’s friends plus Dawn and Cordelia began the tedious task of cleaning up the broken glass from the windows, and disposing of the rocks that had been used as missiles. Xander was busily boarding up the windows whilst Spike was closing up the gaping hole in the back door as best he could. It was going to have to be replaced some time over the next couple of days.

The fire damage in the kitchen was extensive and was going to be a costly job to fix. He just hoped that the house insurance would pay for it.

A short while after everything was cleaned up Dawn, with Willow’s help, made hot chocolates for everyone and the group settled on the sofas to await the return of the others.

Spike sat with them, albeit on a separate chair to them, his gaze never leaving the front door.

~~~

Buffy rode up front with Gunn, the others piled into the back of the van with a still unconscious and shackled Darla.

She didn’t pretend to understand what would possibly have driven Angel to do what he had done. To her the most obvious thing he should have done if he missed her as much as he professed would be to call her, visit her. Not fire all of his friends, let Darla and Drusilla massacre a room filled with lawyers before sleeping with the reason for all of the chaos the last two weeks.

Gunn had filled her in on the happenings in LA as they drove back to the house, and by the sounds of it they had been having a tough couple of months.

But then so had she, and she didn’t try to explain away her mistakes.

Riley had left her.

And it had hurt. Not quite as much as Angel leaving, and definitely nowhere near as much as the death of her mother, but there was still pain there. Her friends had told her that the end had been coming, that they had seen how strained their relationship was. At first she had disagreed with them. But with time she had been granted perspective. Said perspective had shed new light on not only her behaviour by Riley’s as well.

He had wanted to be her protector, to shield her from things that she fought nightly. Her counter reaction had been to shut him out, bit by bit. Buffy knew she had issues with men and that was part in fact to her relationship with her father and his abandonment. All the men in her life left her. Her Dad ran off to Europe with his secretary, Angel left for LA when their relationship hit the skids because of outside pressures, Parker had used her, and Riley hadn’t been able to live up to the ghosts of her past. All were painful emotionally.

And there was pain in the physical sense because of her battles with Glory, who come to think of it, had been much too quiet over the last couple of weeks for her liking. That was something she would have to speak to Giles about tomorrow, after a long nights sleep and a decent breakfast.

All the men in my life leave… she thought before mentally chastising herself. Because that wasn’t completely true. Giles had never left. And he was like a father to her. There was Xander. His joking and foolery aside, he was as loyal and loving as they came. Always there in a fight, willing to risk it all to protect her, his best friend.

And there was Spike.

She rolled her eyes as her thoughts went to the bleached former menace who had recently become much, much more. Spike was an ally, and recently, a friend.

He had first come to kill her. And despite his numerous failed attempts, and countless ass kicking’s, mostly from her, he always returned.

He returned after their brief truce to fight Angelus and defeat Acathla.

He had returned after kidnapping her friends in an attempt to win back Drusilla’s love.

He had fought by her side to stop the apocalypse.

He helped bring down Adam, despite being the reason the demon/human/cyborg hybrid was after them in the first place.

He had protected her sister.

He had saved her life.

A small smile graced Buffy’s lips.

Despite her threats of death if he ever returned to Sunnydale, Spike had always returned, even if she didn’t want him to. He loved her, and not even being beaten by a god and a psychotic, pregnant, mass-murdering vampire, could deter him. He still stayed.

Buffy’s smile grew.

~~~

Dawn slipped away from the others in front of the television to join Spike in the dining room, where he was currently pacing back and forth. His brow was creased with worry, his stare never leaving the window even as he paced.

“Spike.” Dawn called softly, breaking through his reverie. “She’ll be okay.”

Spike knew that Dawn was tying to convince herself just as much as him, the worry in her voice not hidden as well as she was trying. His expression softened and he nodded once, lifting his arm in invitation.

Dawn closed the few feet in a matter of seconds, wrapping her arms around Spike in a gentle hug, using his comfort to bolster her strength. She stifled a yawn, exhausted from the chaotic events of the night.

“Why don’t you go rest bit, I’ll wake you when she gets back.” He said with a gentle push in the direction of the living room.

“You promise?” Dawn asked as she fought off a second yawn.

“Promise.” He said with a smile.

Accepting his offer Dawn walked back into the living room and curled herself up on the sofa where Willow and Tara were sitting, resting her head against the red head’s shoulder.

He resumed his watching, hoping that she would return soon. Daylight would be the only thing to drag him away from this window until he knew for sure, that she was safe.

~~~

Angel sat in silence; having slipped into a patented brood the moment the van was loaded up and traveling back towards the Summers house. As he looked down at Darla’s unconscious form he thought of the future and what it would hold for him. He had never in all his years of un-life thought that a child would be a part of that equation, least of all his child.

To say that he was apprehensive was an understatement.

Vampires weren’t supposed to have children, in a biological sense they couldn’t have children. Yet for some reason here he was, to become a father in a handful of months. He was going to have a child.

The hint of a smile curled at his lips.

Wesley and Giles had conversed quietly, catching up on what both teams had missed out on and reminiscing about the mother country.

After Wesley’s firing from the Council due to his inability to get his slayer to obey command, he had almost returned home. He had still wanted to work for the cause, even if it meant he was restricted to office duties and research instead of over-seeing a slayer. But his firing had not only been just his title position as Watcher, but also from the Council itself. With little money and no home to return he had stayed on in America, finding himself in LA of all places.

His firing was the best thing that could ever have happened to him. He now worked for the cause, helping the helpless and waging nightly wars against the demon population of the city that had become his new home. He had wonderful friends and he was making a difference in the world.

I should thank Buffy for that… he thought. If it weren’t for her stubbornness he wouldn’t be in the position he was today.

“Will you be staying the night?” Giles inquired.

Wesley looked to Angel for the answer, a sharp sideways shake of the vampire’s head confirming his suspicion. “Unfortunately no. We’ll be returning to LA as soon as we drop you and Buffy home, and collect Cordelia.”

Buffy listened in from the front of the vehicle, her gaze turning to look out the window when Wesley answered as she suspected. It was probably for the best. She needed some time digest the bombshell that had been dropped on her tonight. Things between her and Angel were not okay. And she didn’t know if they would ever be the same again.

“Well do pop in again soon.” Giles said. “Despite the fighting and the injuries, and the fearing for our lives, this was rather enjoyable.”

Wesley chuckled in response. “We’ll try.”

Buffy looked to the front when Gunn pulled the van up the driveway, her eyes going wide when she noticed the boarded up windows.

“What happened to my house?”

~~~

“They’re back.” Spike called when he saw the headlights from the van shine through the window he stood at.

Xander, Anya and Cordelia were immediately on their feet and moving towards the front door, throwing it open as the van pulled to a stop. Willow gently shook Dawn, who sleepily wiped at her eyes and stood up, following the two witches as they walked out onto the porch with the others.

Spike was the only one who remained inside the house, his eyes fixed on the darkly tinted windows of the van. He held an un-needed breath for a moment before the front door opened and a short blond climbed out of the vehicle.

“And Buffy’s with them.” He announced to no one since the others had already exited the house, the smile on his face reaching his voice.

“Buffy!” Dawn shouted as she bounded down the steps and towards her sister, throwing her arms tightly around her. Buffy returned the embrace.

“What happened to Darla?” Willow asked as she took her turn in embracing her best friend.

Buffy’s face clouded for a moment, Gunn offering the information when he saw the slayer’s reaction. “She’s shackled and tied up in the back of the van.”

Xander grinned. “So it’s over then? No more crazy vampire’s trying to kill our Buffy?”

“Xander, this is a Hellmouth remember? Vampires tend to flock here in droves.” Buffy laughed.

Xander shrugged his shoulders, grinning sheepishly. “I meant of the female-with-a-major-grudge-against-you-and-wants-to-remove-dead-boys-soul variety of course.”

“I heard that.” Angel said as he climbed out of the back of the van.

“I know.” Xander beamed.

“Speaking of soul loose-age…” Buffy said slowly. “Did that Dagger of Cortanzine turn up?”

Reminded by Buffy, Wesley removed the carefully wrapped blade from his pocket and handed it over to Giles. “We found it on her person when we were tying her up.”

“Hog-like I hope.” Xander snickered.

“Thank you.” Giles said as he accepted the blade. “I will work on that spell to destroy it immediately.”

“Immediately?” Willow sighed. “You mean immediately in the tomorrow after lots of sleep sense right?”

“Of course.” Giles amended.

“Does this mean we’re going?” Cordelia asked.

“Yes.” Wesley answered. “I’ll be taking my car, Gunn will be driving the van with Angel and Darla, and you can take Angel’s.”

“It’s at the Mansion.” Angel informed.

“I’ll drive you there now if you wish?” Wesley offered. At Cordelia’s nod, the two moved to the former Watchers small car, waving their goodbyes before pulling away from the house.

Buffy watched as the pair left, standing silently as her friends fell into their comfortable banter that accompanied the removal of a serious threat.

“So that’s it? We can sleep now?” Xander asked excitedly. He was exhausted.

“Sleep sounds good.” An even more tired Dawn mumbled.

“Come on inside.” Giles suggested as he wrapped an arm around the young girl’s shoulder and began leading her towards the house.

~~~

Dawn walked through the front door, her eyes immediately finding Spike sitting by the window in the dining room, watching the goings on outside. When Giles made his way into the living room to prepare his bed, she slowly walked towards Spike. His stare was so focused, so intent. Dawn didn’t need to look outside to know who he was looking at. He had that same look in his eyes that was always there when he looked at her.

At Buffy.

She saw how his jaw clenched, and a quick glance outside showed Angel moving to Buffy’s side. Dawn wished she could say something to calm Spike, to reassure him, but she knew that whilst he would appreciate the sentiment, it wouldn’t mean as much as anything said by Buffy.

Spike loved her sister. Had loved her for a long time. And for a very long time that feeling had been rejected, unreciprocated. But things had been changing. Dawn had noticed how Buffy had been softening towards Spike, how concerned she had been when she had found out he had been captured. The delicacy she had shown when she was tending his wounds.

Yes, things had changed.

“You going to stand there staring at me all night niblet or did you have something to say?”

Broken from her reverie, Dawn smiled. “I could say the same thing about you. Why don’t you go out there? I’m sure she’d be happy to see you…”

Spike sighed. “I’m not to sure about that. It seems your sis has all the company she needs right now.”

Dawn looked out the window again. She knew Angel still loved Buffy, and he probably always would. But Dawn also knew her sister. And this… secret that Angel had been hiding from her, it wasn’t something that Buffy could just get over.

But obviously Spike didn’t understand that. This side of Spike, the insecurity, the doubt, it was so different to the Spike of old. But Dawn didn’t doubt that it had always been there, he had just covered it up with his bravado, and his attitude. Lately he had been forgetting to put that wall up to hide his feelings. That, or he thought he was hiding it, when it truth his feelings were on his sleeve for all to see.

Spike loved Buffy.

She knew that it wasn’t easy for her sister to open up to people. She had been burned too many times. Dawn just hoped that she opened her eyes up to Spike before it was too late.

“She was worried about you, you know?” Dawn offered as she turned to leave. “When you were being held hostage.”

Spike tore his eyes away from the window, his eyes questioning as he spoke. “Really?”

As if remembering that he shouldn’t entertain such thoughts, Spike’s wall went back up, his eyes closing off. “That’s because she thought if I got hurt you’d be in danger.”


“No.” Dawn said simply. “It’s not. If that was all she was worried about then she wouldn’t have been so gentle when she bandaged your wounds, she wouldn’t have done that at all. She would have left you for Giles to patch up.”

Spike remained silent as he pondered what Dawn was saying.

“She wouldn’t have left me here with you, if she didn’t trust you.” Dawn continued, seeing in his eyes that he was considering what she was saying to him.

“And she wouldn’t have let you bite her.”

Spike’s eyes shot up. “Niblet what gave you the idea that I --“

“I have eyes you know.” Dawn interrupted with a shrug of her shoulders. “I did see the mark on her neck.”

“She made me do it, I didn’t want to hurt her.” Spike confessed, his eyes betraying the guilt he felt.

“I know.” Dawn asked. “Do you think she would have done that for any old vampire?”

It was as if the lights suddenly went on in his head as realization dawned on him. When it had happened, he had hoped that it meant… something. But after he had been brought back here, and had fed a little more on the pig’s blood, he had chalked it up to delirium; that the blood loss was making him see things in her eyes that weren’t truly there.

But if what Dawn was saying were true…

“Dawn I…” He looked up to see her slowly walking upstairs.

“Give her more credit Spike. Give yourself more credit.” And with that she was gone.

Bolstered somewhat by Dawn’s little pep talk, Spike decided that tonight was the night. He was going to talk to her, really talk to her. He couldn’t just keep waiting and hoping that one day… No. He had to know. Tonight.

He had to know if she felt something, because it seemed that lately things were changing between them. He just hoped that if she were going to let him down, that she’d do it gently.

~~~

“I feel like I could sleep for a week.” Xander said with a yawn.

“I could shoot you with the tranquilizer gun if you want?” Anya suggested with raised brows.

Xander laughed, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder as he led her inside. “If I can’t sleep in an hour I may take you up on that.”

“Hey whatever happened to Glory?” Willow asked as she and Tara walked inside. “Not that I’m complaining of course, one crazy blond woman is enough to deal with at a time thank you very much.”

“Maybe she’s taking a vacation.” Xander offered.

“Or maybe her worshippers mutinied and killed her.” Anya offered.

“Ahn please… those scabby little freaks loved her.” Xander scoffed.

As her friends filtered inside their voices faded and Buffy found herself alone, in the middle of her lawn with Angel, Gunn already having climbed behind the driver’s seat of the van.

“I should probably go inside.” Buffy said as she turned and walked quickly towards the house. She didn’t look back but she could feel that Angel was following her.

“Buffy wait…” Angel called as he jogged to catch her on the porch. His hand fell on her shoulder, silently hoping she wouldn’t turn around and slug him.

Buffy stopped and slowly turned around.

Neither noticed the shadow watching them from within the living room…



 
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