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Having Eyes For Love by Debris4spike
 
Having Eyes For Love
 
 
 
Story starts at the end of “I Only Have Eyes For You”, and I have borrowed three lines of Marti Noxon’s dialogue to start the story.

Italics denotes thought.

Having Eyes For Love

Angel’s voice dripped with disgust. “What do you know about it? I'm the one who was friggin' violated. You didn't have this thing in you.”

“What was it, a demon?” Drusilla asked.

“Love.”

Spike shook his head. You’re wrong mate. Love isn’t a violation. It’s the strongest emotion possible. He slowly wheeled away from watching Dru care for her sire.

~~~
Joyce got up from the kitchen counter when she heard the knock on the door. She had been sitting with a tearful Buffy, slowly sipping her hot chocolate, and hoping that she would find out what had brought on the latest disaster in her daughter’s life.

“Good evening, Mrs Summers. I know it’s late, but I was hoping to be able to speak to Buffy.” A polite voice, that seemed the opposite of its owner’s appearance, greeted her as she opened the door. Somehow she seemed to think that she should know this man, but couldn’t place him.

“As you said, it is late. Does she know you?”

“I’m more of a friend of a friend. But I’d like to speak to her for a moment.”

“Well she isn’t feeling up to visitors this evening. Can you call back tomorrow?”

“If I just wait here, could you ask her if she would come out here to talk? I’ll sit and have a smoke while she decides.”

With that, he turned, leant against the wall, and dug out a battered packet of cigarettes, and a silver lighter from one of the pockets of his black leather coat. Joyce watched him for a few moments, as he appeared lost in thought.

“By the way, you didn’t give a name.”

He glanced towards her and said, “William.”

When Joyce returned to the kitchen, Buffy hadn’t moved. She was still staring into space, looking more devastated than ever.

“Buffy, someone came to have a quick word with you.”

Her daughter looked up at the sound of her voice, but still didn’t have any true focus in her eyes.

“What?”

“You have a visitor. He’s standing outside, smoking, waiting to have a word with you. “

“Smoking?”

“Yes, he said he didn’t really know you well, but still wanted to have a chance to speak to you this evening.”

“Who?”

“Someone called William. He sounds English. I am sure I know him, but I just can’t think where I’ve met him.”

Finally the words broke through Buffy’s defences, and she was out of the room, and the house, before her mother had even realised that she had moved. By the time Joyce caught up with her daughter, it was to the shocking sight of the visitor being pinned by the throat to the wall by one small hand, while the other seemed be gripping a stick and aiming it at the young man’s chest.

“Buffy!”

Joyce’s voice broke through the stares that the two were aiming at each other, and they both turned to look at her.

“Buffy, how do you know William? He said he was a friend of a friend.”

“Yes, William, how are you a friend of a friend?” Buffy said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Come on, Slayer, you know if I gave my name I would just be dust, despite there being a reason for my visit.”

“Spike, you have no reason to visit.”

Joyce looked at both of them, and puzzled over their choice of names for each other, as well as the fact that they obviously did know each other pretty well. She retreated indoors, leaving the door open, to give them privacy, but not wanting them to feel that she had shut them out of the house.

Outside the two enemies continued their staring match, before simultaneously taking a small step apart. As they separated they both relaxed a bit, although neither one would admit it, they had both discovered a mutual strength of character.

Moving back another step, they turned towards each other. Buffy relaxed her stake arm, while Spike lit another cigarette.

“Spike, what are you doing here?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. I just wanted to make sure you were OK after tonight.”

“What?”

“I know that you met up with Angelus and that you were both affected by ghosts.”

Buffy’s eyes began to lose focus at the words. Memory flooding back through her of the moment that she and the vampire that she loved had shared a dance. The emotions of the evening, and the story they played out, coupled with her loss of Angel, had been devastating.

“What did he say?”

“Oh, not much,” Spike said rapidly. Buffy looked up at that. “Well he told us what had happened.”

“Yes, it was weird to be reunited with Angel for those few minutes, only to lose him again.”

“That’s why I wanted to speak to you.”

Spike paused as if unsure of the reason for his visit after all.

“Angelus doesn’t want love. But I wanted to tell you to never lose your love. The love for your mum, your mates, your Watcher, even Angel. “

“Why?”

“Love is the strongest emotion in the world. I love Dru, and I have lasted over a century because of it. You have tough times ahead still, but just focus on your love and it’ll give you strength.”

“I don’t think I can.” Buffy shook her head, blinking back tears.

“Yes you can, Slayer. You must.”

Buffy knew how stubborn Spike was when it came to Dru, and she had used his love for Drusilla against him. In watching him now, she suddenly appreciated that she wasn’t the only one to have lost her lover, but Spike had as well.

“Are you OK?” she said, her voice gentle.

Spike looked shocked at her words, and she wondered how rare a question it was for him to hear.

“Yeah, almost healed up. Dru is seeing things again, so some time soon you will have to face Angelus. I just want you to know I’ll take care of her, so you don’t have to face her. As I said, I love her, despite her!” His smile was decidedly crooked as he took a step towards the path.

“Just remember that with love you can face anything.”

With that, he turned and melted away into the shadows.

~~~

Buffy and Spike had similar thoughts as they made their way, alone, to their beds. They both were in love with someone who, at that moment, preferred to be with someone else. Perhaps though, they might one day find another who would return their love. Maybe the future wasn't as lonely as it appeared.

The End??