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Love Comes to Town by Soul of the Rose
 
Chapter Thirty Nine ~ Right by Your Side
 
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**Did you miss me? I missed you... My sincerest apologies for the delay between chapters. I got life-explodey. Serious life-explodey, like my entire Universe changed. But I'm back & ready for action, Chapter 40 is almost complete even. I'll try not to leave you all dangling for so long next time ;) **

Without further ado, I give you;


Chapter Thirty Nine ~ Right by Your Side

“Give me two strong arms
To protect myself.
Give me so much love
That I forget myself.
I need to swing from limb to limb
To relieve this mess I’m in.
’Cause when depression starts to win
I need to be right by your side.

No one seems to touch me
In the way you do.
Nothing seems to hurt me
When I’m close to you.
I’m so full of desire -
When you set my head on fire
I need to be right by your side.”

~The Eurythmics


Eros stood in the doorway of a cheap motel bathroom at the end of Route 9. He felt pity for the girl. She looked haggard and worn down in a way no 21-year-old should. But there was no help for it. The man she wanted simply didn’t belong to her and never had. He sighed, wishing for a way to ease her pain. Mother would call him foolish for involving himself emotionally in the affairs of mortals. But compassion was his nature; he was a god of Love after all. He could never understand how she could be so pitiless. When he asked her about it she would laugh and say that was Love’s true character. Love was a selfish and devouring thing and the sooner he came to terms with that the better. Eros kept his opinions to himself - there was no arguing with her once her mind was set. But secretly he felt she couldn’t have been more wrong. Love, in its truest form, was the most selfless thing in the world. Perhaps if she spent more time in the world she’d see that. Time and again he’d seen lovers risk their lives, fight for and even die for one another. It was beautiful to behold, and never failed to move him deeply.

He contemplated the sad creature in front of him. Poor child. Was there another perhaps? Someone to soften the blow, someone who might actually return her love? He tapped into her heart fire and caught his breath at the passionate flame he found. She was indeed a Slayer. No other being carried such a ferocious heart fire. Only extraordinary young women became Chosen, and when the demon aspect was activated it was certainly something to behold. He pondered her match for a moment. An immortal would certainly be required, someone strong enough to withstand her heat. He closed his eyes, focusing.

*Ah yes… There.*

He reached out into the Ether and located a twin fire, dark as her own and burning with just as much intensity. He smiled happily, quite pleased with himself.

Now all he had to do was draw her new suitor to Sunnydale.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Buffy and Spike shared a meaningful look; the kind in which entire conversations were held and decisions made without a single word. It amazed her that their communication had reached this level so quickly. But then again, they had always understood each other perfectly. Even that first night at the Bronze, before Spike made his big “I’m killing you Saturday blah,blah,blah” speech, she’d felt that same simpatico between them. He favored her with a small smile, seeming to catch her train of thought. Buffy smiled back and turned from her reminiscence of a younger, more sinister Spike.

*So very hot…*

She sighed. There was a task at hand. It was time to tell Giles and the gang about their little secret. The cat was halfway outta the bag already and you know what they say about putting cats back in bags…

*Wait, what do they say about that?*

Something about it being hard or impossible or whatever. Anyway, it had to be done right? But she was sorry to do it. Sorry to lose that feeling of privacy, that this belonged only to them. They had been alone in their own little world. Now they would have to let the others in and she was dreading it. Dreading the yelling and accusations of recklessness that were bound to follow. Then there would be the inevitable Angel comparisons and questioning of her judgment. Again.

You know, you’d think after 5 years of saving them from Apocalypses, evil schemes and monsters of every variety they might learn to trust her a little. But noooo, anytime she ever did anything they didn’t like or agree with they all ganged up on her and tried to talk her out of it. Even though she usually turned out to be right…

*Hello – Slayer here, Duh! Intuition kinda comes with the package.*

Her brow furrowed in determination. Well, not this time. She was not going to be bullied or talked out of anything. She loved Spike, they were together now and everyone was just gonna have to deal. She loved them, she really did. But there were moments that she wanted to line them up and slap them all in a row just like Moe from the Three Stooges. The way today was going it just might happen…

Spike, ever the gentleman, chose this perfect moment to smile at her affectionately and extend his hand. At least this would make him happy, all he’d ever wanted was to be able to love her openly. Now he could… She just wondered if he realized the colossal ass-chewing they were in for. Buffy squared her shoulders and took his hand firmly in her own as she stood to face her friends and Watcher.

*Now or never…*

“Guys, we have something to tell you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They rose as one, Spike following her lead and standing strong at her side as they faced judge and jury. Xander’s gaze traveled from one determined face to another and then slowly down to their linked hands. It stalled there for a brief, uncomprehending moment before his eyes dinnerplated comically.

“Wha-huh?” was all he managed to splutter out before Giles interrupted. The Watcher had quickly grasped the situation at hand. His mind flipped through a back catalog of years full of heated looks, incessant bickering and a crackling chemistry that could only lead to one thing:

“Am I to understand you two are involved now?”

An uncomfortably disapproving note was placed on “involved”. It gave Buffy a deep seated feeling of guilty unease… as if she’d disappointed her father. In a way she supposed she had. But she lifted her chin defiantly and looked him in the eye none the less.

“Yes.”

Her voice was clear and unashamed and she felt Spike straighten up proudly beside her. His pride gave her strength and she squeezed his hand. They were in this together now, whatever happened.

“Buffy.” Willow gasped in shock.

The Slayer shot her friend a brief look of apology before settling again on Giles. She would not feel bad about this. She wouldn’t. Spike was the only thing she had ever wanted, the only thing she had ever asked for since she became the Slayer. If it was selfish so be it - damn her for a selfish man stealing bitch then. But she still wasn’t giving him up. Everything in her told her he was her right. Just as she was his.

*Mine.*

She thought, turning to look at him - willing him to feel it, to know it. Everything had happened so quickly, so many things were yet unsaid…but he had to know it. Know the depth of feeling that welled within her at just his name. His eyes met hers in perfect understanding, her own possessiveness mirrored there. Unable to contain his delight Spike grinned broadly, and spoke to Giles, his eyes never leaving hers for a moment.

“I don’t think ‘involved’ really covers it, Mate.”

“So I gather.” The Watcher replied softly, uncomfortably aware of the intimacy between them.

“Wait a minute. What the HELL is going on here?” Xander demanded, rising from his seat at the table.

“ I think that’d be obvious even to a doorknob like you, Harris.” Spike retorted with an insolent smirk.

Buffy took pity on him, he appeared to be mere seconds away from stroking out. She gave him a gently sympathetic smile.

“We’re together, Xander.” She took a deep breath and turned to look at the object of her devotion. “We’re in love.”

Spike looked over the moon. His eyes glistened with happiness and he smiled at her beatifically. She’d said it, confirmed it to her friends, her Watcher – claimed him, finally, as her own. He could dust a happy vamp now. Well, one more thing he’d like to do first… his mind filled instantly with naked Buffy thoughts and he grinned wickedly.

Buffy knew that look all too well and was immediately aroused by it. She blushed deeply at having such naughty thoughts in front of her friends and shot him a small scowl of admonishment. Spike filed the look away as his second favorite, just behind her pouty face. She looked adorable with her ears tipped pink and her cheeks a bright scarlet.

“Since when?” Xander choked out. He couldn’t believe this was happening again. How could Buffy choose another vampire? What was the sickness in her that kept drawing her back to that?

*And what about Riley? And Faith? What the fuck is going on?*

Willow echoed his thoughts; “What about Riley? Your engagement…I just don’t understand.” And the unspoken hurt that lay beneath that: Why didn’t you tell me?

Buffy turned towards her friends, feeling their pain and confusion. She’d never wanted it to be like this. She wanted to take her time and explain everything, ease them into it… But Faith had taken that option away - ruining everything just like always. She sighed wearily.

“ I’m sorry you had to find out like this. I planned on telling you but…everything happened so fast.” She left Spike’s side with a reassuring squeeze to his hand and turned to Xander. “This really only started yesterday - but it’s been building for a long, long time. Years even.”

“Since the day we met, Love.” Spike reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear tenderly.

“Yes.” They shared a meaningful look before she turned back to her friends. “I just couldn’t deny it anymore. I think coming here made it all clear to me. Suddenly I lost the things that mattered most; Dawn wasn’t my sister anymore and I wasn’t the Slayer. And Spike…” She trailed off remembering how deeply his loss had cut her.

“But what about Riley?” Willow interrupted. “ Don’t you love him? What about your wedding?”

“There was no wedding in my world. We were just dating. And we’ve been having problems for awhile now.” She sat down next to Willow at the research table. “Being here, being engaged – I just got how wrong we were for each other. It never would have worked, Will. Sorry, but it wouldn’t.”

Giles spoke up impatiently; “But you’re forgetting the very important fact that this ISN'T your life, Buffy. In all practicality you are a guest here – a visitor. What right have you to make such drastic changes to another’s existence? Not to mention the effect this could have on the fabric of reality itself! I can’t believe you would be so careless as to rush into to this without any thought for the consequences of your actions.” He paced the floor scowling.“And what of Faith? You’ve changed her life as well – and not for the better I might add. And look at the repercussions of that! Who knows what chaos this could lead to…” he paused frowning. “ I’m very disappointed in you, Buffy. This is the most reckless thing you’ve ever done.”

She felt his displeasure like a fist in the gut. Giles’ opinion mattered so much – more than almost anyone’s. She had expected resistance, some judgment even – but not this. The weight of his disappointment was more that she could bear. Buffy studied her lap, struggling to contain the sudden threat of tears.

“What about me then?” Spike broke the silence. “Don’t I get a say in all this? It’s my life as well, yeah? Or unlife anyway… It might interest you lot to know that I was never in love with Faith - we had a casual thing as far as I knew. We never even talked about love and it was comin’ to its end anyway. I was set to break up with her before I ever saw the Slayer.”

Buffy’s heart warmed to hear him call her by her old nickname again. God, she missed that. Spike stood behind her chair, hands resting on her shoulders.

“And I’ve been in love with Buffy for years. Just never thought I could have ‘er is all.”

She smiled up at him gratefully. Always her white knight.

“But believe me, if I woulda thought for one moment I had a shot with ‘er nothing coulda stood in my way. Not Faith. Not Soldier Boy and certainly not you sods.”

“Yes, well we expect such rash behavior from you Spike.” Giles replied brusquely, with the air of dismissal. “ But Buffy should have more discipline.” He crossed his arms indicating the last word had been had.

Spike laughed derisively.

“And what’s discipline got to do with love, Watcher? Or has it been so long for you that you’ve forgotten?” He turned a cold eye on Willow and Xander.

“And you two. You’d deny her the chance to have what you both take for granted?” He looked at Willow directly. “You think she deserves less than what you have with Tara, Red?” He asked quietly. Turning to Xander he continued; “Or what you have with Anya?” Xander had the decency to blush and looked away.

“Yeah. S’what I thought – you never considered her at all. You just want her to wait for some rescue that might never come, put her whole life on hold in the meantime. Didn’t hear any mention of a way home for her tonight….” He eyed them each in turn, and was gratified when no one met his gaze. “ But still you expect her to stay tied to some bloke she doesn’t love because it makes you happy. You like her fine as long as she keeps her mouth shut and does what’s she’s told.” He growled. “ She’s not a bloody machine! She deserves a real life and a bit of happiness… And you call yourselves her friends.”

He turned his back on them, disgusted.

“C’mon, Slayer. I’m takin’ you home. We’ll find Dawn ourselves.” Buffy took his hand and followed him silently. He held the door open for her and was about to follow her out when Giles spoke up;

“She’s a Slayer, Spike. Slayers don’t get a ‘real life’ I’m afraid. They get a calling.”

Spike looked back over his shoulder.

“Buffy’s different. I thought you woulda figured that out by now.”

And he slammed the door behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Cordelia felt the vision coming on like freight train in the distance – from far away it sounded like soft Summer thunder but you knew it was gonna be goddamn loud when it got into town. She scrambled from her spot in the office to the lobby sofa trying to settle before it hit her full force and left her on the ground. Lightning struck her hard and fast throwing her backwards onto the cushions. Her eyes squeezed tight as the pain blazed through her brain. She had just enough time to think “Good thing this is a fainting couch.” before the vision revealed itself.

The images flashed in quick succession; disjointed pictures splattered with gore. Faith in a pool of blood on cracked cement, battle axe useless in her dying hand. A bruised and battered Buffy losing the fight against a beast beyond imagining – as if Hell itself had suddenly taken form. Cordy watched the sky split then as the very fabric of reality was rent into a thousand jagged pieces. Oh the death, the screaming of a million souls filled her head until her ears rang with their cries. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out gratefully.

She came to moments later feeling like a gigantic migraine demon had invaded her skull and hatched an entire passel of young there.

“Thank God.” Angel sighed with relief. She focused a bleary eye on his hulking form.

“Must you loom?” she managed and then closed her eyes again.

“There’s my snarky girl.” Lorne chirped pleasantly.

Wesley moved to her side and stood over her limp form, his eyes gentle with concern.

“Are you quite alright, Cordelia?”

“Gettin’ there.” She replied. “But a handful of Excedrin and a very large cocktail would go a long way towards a full recovery.”

“On it, Sugar Plum.” And Lorne scampered off to make himself useful at the small office bar.

“Y’all quit fussin’ over her.” Fred laid a cool washcloth over her forehead and shooed the ineffectually loitering men away. Cordelia smiled up at her with deep appreciation and Fred squeezed her hand.

“Yes, well…” Wes covered for his previous uselessness, “Why don’t you tell us what happened?” he settled himself beside her and went into full Watcher mode, pen and paper at the ready.

Cordelia flashed on the gruesome images of her vision and sat up abruptly, clutching at his sleeve.

“It’s the Slayer. She needs us.” She looked over at Angel, her face grim.

“Now.”








** Whatever will happen next? Will Faith meet her true love? Will Buffy & Spike find Dawn? Will they ever find time for naughtiness again?!! (Undoubtedly...) Find out on the next episode of "Slayers of our Lives"
Stay tuned, True Believers... More next week-ish. *Enormous Loves* Rosie***
 
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