Twilight By PassionFish


The sequel to ‘Reality?’





"Where's Spike?" Buffy asked for the fifteenth time as she bounced softly on the bed.

"I've told you; you'll see him at the ball." Jane explained patiently for the fifteenth time. She held up another dress for Buffy's perusal, replacing it in the cupboard when she shook her head.

There were five dresses in total. So far Buffy had said ‘no’ to all of them twice, then ‘maybe’ to three of them four times, then ‘no’ to four of them once again. Jane knew that her charge would choose eventually, as soon as her brain worked out there were only five dresses. But currently she was unable to make the connection.

The dresses had been donated by Joyce Hancurt, a rich, elderly lady who came to visit from time to time. She no longer had any relation staying at Blackbridge Institute but had previously formed quite an attachment to Buffy and continued to visit and donate.

The psychologists had not been surprised when Buffy had written Joyce into her fantasy, nor were they shocked that she had 'died' around the time that Mrs. Hancurt had taken ill and stopped visiting for a while.

"He said he'd be here to help me choose my dress." Buffy insisted, then pointed to the third dress. "Maybe."

"I know," Jane smiled, placing the aforementioned dress on the bed next to the blonde girl. "But, he has to get dressed as well. Wouldn't you like to surprise him before the ball?"

"Yeah..." Buffy seemed to consider this, then beamed, happy with the suggestion. She looked at the two dresses Jane held in her hands, back to the third on the bed and then to the very first dress she'd been shown which was hanging over the back of a near-by chair. "That one."

--

"She won't be mad." Phil insisted, helping William to tie his bow-tie straight.

Spike fidgeted, batting at the hands in front of him, "I promised her."

Phil hated to disappoint them, but Matron's orders were that the male and female quarters were to be kept separate. It wasn’t often that the evil woman visited, but when she did she seemed to forget the pleasant spirit that Blackbridge tried to retain in order to keep their 'guests' as calm as possible. It was as though she forgot it was the twenty-first century and that cruel, torturous methods of control were no longer used as part of 'treatment' to the mentally crippled.

"I'm sure she'd want to surprise you." Phil smoothly finished tying it up and stood back to make sure it was straight. It was and he smiled at his 'charge', "You know how women are." He said cajolingly, trying to reason with Spike in order not to displace him from this semi-'normal' mood.

"Yeah..." Spike finally agreed, pulling his black jacket down in front of him. Then he pointed a warning finger at Phil. "But if she's pissed, I'm blaming you."

Phil laughed, "Deal."

--

Their eyes met, and their hands reached out for each other.

“You look…”

“...beautiful.” Spike completed, cupping Buffys’ cheek with his left hand as his right slid around her waist, drawing her closer to him.

The blonde woman smiled up at him and her eyes shone with adoration as she stood up on tiptoes to press her lush lips to his.

The two care-givers allowed them one kiss, before guiding them both to the main hall.

--

The garden and main hall were alight with thousands of fairy-tree lights that seemed to spread for miles.

Dinner had been a simple affair, made special by the serving staff dressing up in waiters’ uniforms. Everyone was excited and those who could help cleared the floor so that the dancing could begin.

Guards and orderlies were placed strategically around the perimeter, set in place just in case some of the guests at the retreat got over-excited.

The music being played was a mixture of the old and new; trying to incorporate as many genres as possible in order to keep the masses happy, whilst at the same time endeavouring to keep them calm.

Buffy giggled, clapping her hands with child-like exuberance as the lights changed colour from white, to a light blue. She spun, wide-eyed, to face Spike who was behind her, watching the same scene with the same excitement.

“Will, look!” She squealed.

“Pretty…” Spike murmured, and then pointed over her shoulder with a little bounce that betrayed his enthusiasm as the lights changed to purple.

The music transformed to a softer song with a deep base, the sound jolting the two out of their illumining infatuation.

“Wanna dance?” Spike grinned as Buffy nodded enthusiastically and he led her further into the dance floor.

They swayed to the music, their arms wrapped around each other as their minds drifted to a place where only the two of the existed and there were no boundaries or walls keeping them from exploring the world.

Buffy felt the change in him even before he’d thought about voicing his plans.

“What?” She whispered, her eyes darting around the room as she scanned the place for someone, anyone who might prevent whatever delicious plan Spike had concocted.

Spike grinned; she knew him so well. “Not gonna tell you!” He teased.

“Spiii-iike!” She whined, pulling on his hair as she grew agitated in his arms.

“Kiss me first.” He demanded, his smirk increasing in size at the use of his pet name from her lips. He loved it when she used his moniker...although she was the only one he'd allow to call him William in any case.

Buffy pouted at the diversion, but he could see the twinkle in her eyes. She leant up, using the base of his hard, formal shoes to push herself up that extra inch as her lips met his.

They were soft at first, not at all demanding. But then the taste of their lover touched their senses; over-powering their restraint. Buffy’s fingers gripped his head, holding his mouth to hers impatiently. Spike’s hands roamed her body over the tight satin dress; they tightened around her hips, pulling her close to fit snugly against his body.

‘Coo’s and ‘Ahh’s from their house-mates, as they too discovered the wonder of the alternating lights, pulled them from their private lusty world, just in time to stop a rather surly looking warden pulling them apart.

Spike scowled at the other man, knowing full well his intent, before turning his attention back to the girl in his arms.

“Don’t you wanna know?” He asked when she didn’t say anything.

“What?” Buffy frowned, her eyebrows contracting cutely.

She’d forgotten. Spike shifted a bit, agitated by her attention span...or lack of it. Good thing he loved her so much.

“The plan…” He reminded her softly, wary of the warden who had stayed far to close for his liking.

“Oh-Oooooh!” Buffy smiled, remembering halfway through her ‘oh’ what it was they were actually talking about! “What is it?” She asked, excited once more.

Spike turned up his nose, “Not gonna tell you now!”

“Will!” Buffy scolded him, tapping him lightly on the nose.

He sighed dramatically, giving in. “Fine…but you have to be quiet.”

Buffy nodded sombrely. “As mice.” She agreed. “With gloves on.” She added.

“Buffy…” Spike tried to prompt her to move, but she was in her own world.

“And socks…” She continued her list of things she’d need to make herself quiet. Herself, and the mouse, that is.

Spike sighed, leaning down and kissing her softly on the lips. She seemed to wake at that, “We going now, Spike?”

“Yeah...we’re going.” He agreed, leading her carefully out of the main hall and into the garden.

The orderly was about to follow them, but was intercepted by Jane carrying two plastic cups of punch.

---

“Wow.” Buffy murmured.

“Told you.” Spike pointed out, his eyes fixed above them.

“Pretty.” Buffy continued, as she stared up at the bright array of stars over-head. They lay on the soft grass a few metres from ‘their’ tree, allowing the tips of its long branches to brush their faces when the gentle wind blew in just the right direction.

“Not as pretty as you.” Spike turned on his side to watch his golden goddess, her body bathed in moonlight.

Buffy grinned abashedly, “Really?” She turned on her side, mimicking his position. “You’re pretty too.” She stated it as a fact rather than an opinion.

“Thank-you.”

They lay side-by-side, simply content to gaze at each other. For the moment, at least.

A gentle breeze blew the leaves over so that they encapsulated the lovers face’s under the swoop of the branches. Buffy giggled, and Spike smiled, sliding his free arm around her neck.

Their first kiss was gentle, a careful exploration of the other’s mouth; similar to that within the retreat. As his tongue touched hers, Buffy moaned sliding her fingers into his soft hair has her body moved closer to his; desperate for contact as his beautiful tongue wove wonders in her mouth.

Buffy came willingly as he pulled her on top of him, winding her legs in between his as she rubbed against him seductive…and needful.

Bang.

It was faint at first, so faint that neither of them noticed through the haze of their kissing.

Bang.

Again. Spike shook…only in the far reaches of his psyche did he react, the rest of him so concentrated on Buffy. Her taste, her scent, her touch…

BANG!

He tore his lips from hers, a painful cry being emitted from his mouth as the noise reverberated round his skull.

BANG! BANG!

The fireworks continue to sound in the distance, each forcing another cry out of the normally reserved man.

Buffy jumped as Spike threw her off him as he began to shake. His fingers clawed at the ground as tears slipped from beneath his tightly shut eyelids. His face was a pale mask, contorted with pain. His haunting cries continued to ring out, reaching two of the care-givers who were near-by.

BANG! BANG!

The sound…again. Would it ever stop? God, he just wanted it to stop – make the pain go away. The world was spinning, it was so loud, so bright, so full of pain and despair.

Buffy whimpered when her love cried out yet again. It wasn’t right – he was the strong one, this shouldn’t be happening to him. She moaned in pain, crawling along the grass to where he was shaking and clawing the ground. She wrapped her arms tight around him, pressing his face to her chest as she cooed in his ear.

Spike shook, still wailing, thought his cries were quieter as her scent and touch enveloped him, pushing away the bad memories.

---

No-one knew what it was about the noise that made William react so. But they knew he needed help whenever it happened.

“Maybe we should go inside now.” Phil tried to speak calmly even though his heart was pounding from the run from the house. He was trying to appeal to Buffy’s more grounded side. This was the one thing that could calm her – Spike being in pain. It was the one thing that she would argue for; keeping him with her.

Together, Phil and Jane tried to inch closer to the pair, stopping when Spike cried out and Buffy’s arms tightened around him.

---

They’d take him away from her – she knew this. That’s what happened when they had to go inside; they were separated.

“No! He’s fine here.” Buffy stated angrily.

“Buffy…” Phil began helplessly sad at the tears swimming in her eyes.

“No, he’s okay when I’m with him…look he’s calming down. He just needs me – we don’t need anyone else.”

She whimpered when the two care-givers didn’t automatically give in, clutching Spike closer to her.

Indecision was written over both Phil and Jane. Spike was still shaking, even thought very lightly. Protocol demanded that they take him inside…but he was calming in Buffy’s arms; she’d been right about that. Had she not been here, there was no telling how long it would have taken him to calm down – they would almost certainly have had to sedate him.

“He just needs me.” She reiterated, continuing to rock him.

Jane nodded to Phil in response to the question clear in his eyes. He nodded back.

Reluctant, but convinced.

“Okay Buffy. We’re just gonna be over there. Are you cold? Would you like a blanket?” He asked softly.

“We’re fine, it’s warm.” Buffy said quickly. They needed to leave; he’d be fine once they left.

“Buffy…” Jane spoke for the first time, encouraging her to tell the truth.

Buffy thought for a moment, looking down at Spike, who was no longer shaking, but was whimpering quietly. He’d be fine – they just needed to be alone, and he’d be fine.

“We’re fine. Promise.” She whispered.

“Okay.” Slowly, Jane and Phil backed up, walking back over to the house, promising themselves to keep a close watch on them anyway.

Buffy watched over the top of Spike’s head until they were way out into the distance, before whispering into his hair. “It’s okay, baby…I’m here…everything’s okay now…”

Spike sighed softly, burrowing closer to her warm body as the last tremors let themselves be felt. Then he was calm.

When all she could feel was his soft breath on her chest, she cuddled him closer, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

“I love you, William.” She murmured against his soft curls. Buffy sighed, her fingers absently trailing up and down William’s back.

There was a pause as the country-side grew silent once more. All that surrounded them was the soft chirp of a lone bird, the gentle sway of the long branches of their weeping willow as it moved in the warm mid-summers breeze.

From here the stars seemed to twinkle in the sky, like the little fairy lights of a larger world.

And from it all escaped a timid but clear voice.

“L-Love you, too.”



The End



A/N: I'm thinking of another sequel to this ficlet...I have plans for a short, fun sequel and then a longer, three-part sequel. Want them? Please do review!