![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Maybe Someday. Chapter 2
I would have posted this sooner if it hadn't been for all the Rabbit Hole Day madness. But yesterday I finally got round to polishing off this chapter thanks to my beta, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kathyh, who made lots of helpful suggestions! The first chapter can be found here. Feedback is like oxygen...
Chapter 2
September had arrived, and Buffy felt that this was as good an excuse to go shopping for a new coat as was possible to find, and Dawn whole-heartedly agreed. Compared to Sunnydale, Rome was a goldmine shopping-wise and the sisters tried very hard not to go overboard as they had the first few months. So the fact that it was supposed to be getting colder was a welcome excuse!
When Buffy saw the black leather she stopped in her tracks and slowly walked up to it. It was almost identical to the one she used to have back in Sunnydale, the one she had worn the night she first kissed Spike...
Oh, she had dressed so carefully that evening - because if she couldn’t fight, at least she could make a pretty demon-bride. And black and red seemed to be the colours of choice for evil things. She had noted how well it suited her and somewhere in the back of her mind had been the thought that she and Spike would make a knock out couple, a vision of blonde hair and black leather...
No, no thinking about that! She would buy it because it was good quality and exactly what she was looking for, not because the smell of leather brought back waves of sensory memories....
The Immortal liked it. He had complimented her (and he didn’t always - he had perfect taste and was not afraid to tell her if she got it wrong. Although she always knew he was right, it sometimes chafed), and they went out to one of their favourite clubs.
It was now late, and she was very grateful for her fellow Slayers. Patrolling after a long night of dancing was not something she relished.
They were walking down a narrow alley (The Immortal claimed to know all shortcuts in Rome, and by now she believed him) discussing where to go next week, when Buffy looked ahead and saw that the piazza at the end of the alley was currently full of demons.
She was already halfway through dialling the Council’s Rome number, when The Immortal stopped her: “Your fellow Slayers will not be necessary, my dear.”
She looked at him uncomprehendingly: “If you’re suggesting that I take on a small army by myself, you’re crazy! I mean I’m flattered - obviously - but honestly...”
He smiled indulgently and explained: “These are not ordinary demons - they are hired soldiers. Look!”
She tentatively peeked out of the alley and found that as usual he was right. There were maybe 30 or 40 demons, but they were lined up and standing at the front was a human.... an Italian by the look of him, in a very expensive suit. She turned to The Immortal, and he answered the unvoiced question: “Wolfram and Hart. I recognise the man - he is one of their top lawyers. This is official business from the look of it! Nothing for you to worry about!”
She frowned slightly - Wolfram and Hart were evil with a capital E! But she knew very little about what they actually did, so she didn’t want to spoil such an opportunity: “Would you mind if we just... you know... watched for a bit? Maybe I can get the inside scoop on something!”
The Immortal shrugged, obviously happy to do whatever she wanted. She smiled at him and scanned the demon horde again. Big and lumpy with short horns they looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t remember what they were called. Obviously picked for their smash-and-bash skills rather than finesse. The square was mostly dark, the few lights hardly enough for someone to find their way, and the general air of grime and shabbiness making it clear that this was not a popular place. As dangerous as the alleys of Sunnydale once were. Which was probably why it was used by an evil lawfirm...
She felt a sudden stab of pain. Was this what Angel had been doing this past year? Employing demons and making shady deals? She had never told The Immortal about Angel and how she knew of Wolfram and Hart - had hardly told him anything about her life in Sunnydale. She didn’t know why, but she felt unable to explain what her previous life had been like. She felt somehow displaced from it all, and for the time being that was fine. When Giles had called in the summer explaining that W&H in LA had collapsed, and that Angel and his team were missing, she had nearly caved in. But she somehow kept going on, not letting on what she had heard. No reason to worry anyone else until they knew for sure. Some weeks later Giles called again. He had been oddly hesitant - obviously not wanting to get her hopes up too much, but he said that there had been sightings of Angel - he knew no details, but apparently the vampire was alive.
Movement on the far right side of the square tore her out of her musings. Someone - or something - was approaching. The lawyer obviously noticed too, because he stood up straight. Buffy found herself quite excited, dealings in the demon underworld were something she hardly ever got to witness, so this was an unusual opportunity. Then a figure came out into the dim, hazy light of the lanterns and she suddenly felt faint. It was Angel.
**********
Angel was followed by two other figures, but they were still covered by the shadows and she barely noticed them. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was Angel, he was alive - or not dust anyway - but how? And why was he in Rome?
When she opened her eyes, Angel was standing facing the lawyer guy, who had started talking: “Angel - Ilona sends her greetings. She does not wish for any harm to come to you! She very kindly requests that you come with us and she will personally make sure of your comfort, safe from the Senior Partners.”
Angel smiled a ghost smile and replied: “Give her my regards, but I already have a girlfriend!”
This made Buffy blink. Girlfriend? Angel had a girlfriend? Her eyes drifted to the odd blue demon standing slightly to his left. It looked kind of female, but surely...
“So you will persist in your foolhardy resistance?”
A chuckle from Angel: “Most certainly!”
The man bowed gracefully and replied politely: ”In that case, prepare to die!”
The vampire smiled wryly: “Hate to break it to you, but we’re already dead!”
And he drew his sword.
As the words slowly sank in, Buffy watched, unable to move.
Then Angel’s other companion stepped forward and into her field of vision, his own sword raised, the steel reflecting on his white hair, the coat making his outline as recognisable as her own mirror-image.
A cry pierced the night.
“NOOOOOO!”
The scene in front of her froze as Buffy realised that she had actually shouted out loud what her mind had been yelling. The vampire who had been burning to death when she last saw him, slowly turned his head and his eyes sought out hers the way they always had - like lightening striking and leaving her reeling. Unable to move, she saw him slowly sheathe his sword and when one of the demons stepped forward, he held up his hand with a casual authority that made her catch her breath. She vaguely noticed Angel and the man in the suit start a quiet conversation, but all of her mind was focussed on the man coming towards her, his eyes never leaving hers.
He stopped just in front of her, obviously waiting for her to make the first move. Carefully she reached out and touched his face as she finally found her voice: “Spike - are you real?”
Then he smiled - the smile she always saw in her dreams - the happy, glowing smile that he smiled only for her: “Yes Buffy, I’m real.” And he brought up his own hand to cover hers as he leaned into it.
She found that she was shaking as the reality of the situation hit her. Spike was alive! Spike was here!
As she started to sob, he gathered her into his arms. “Shh, love. It’s ok. It’s ok.” She buried her face in his chest and clung to him, laughter and tears mingling. She could feel him breathe her in, feel the kisses he rained on her hair, feel his hands holding her so tight that she knew that this time, nothing would take him away from her.
Chapter 3
kathyh, who made lots of helpful suggestions! The first chapter can be found here. Feedback is like oxygen...Chapter 2
September had arrived, and Buffy felt that this was as good an excuse to go shopping for a new coat as was possible to find, and Dawn whole-heartedly agreed. Compared to Sunnydale, Rome was a goldmine shopping-wise and the sisters tried very hard not to go overboard as they had the first few months. So the fact that it was supposed to be getting colder was a welcome excuse!
When Buffy saw the black leather she stopped in her tracks and slowly walked up to it. It was almost identical to the one she used to have back in Sunnydale, the one she had worn the night she first kissed Spike...
Oh, she had dressed so carefully that evening - because if she couldn’t fight, at least she could make a pretty demon-bride. And black and red seemed to be the colours of choice for evil things. She had noted how well it suited her and somewhere in the back of her mind had been the thought that she and Spike would make a knock out couple, a vision of blonde hair and black leather...
No, no thinking about that! She would buy it because it was good quality and exactly what she was looking for, not because the smell of leather brought back waves of sensory memories....
The Immortal liked it. He had complimented her (and he didn’t always - he had perfect taste and was not afraid to tell her if she got it wrong. Although she always knew he was right, it sometimes chafed), and they went out to one of their favourite clubs.
It was now late, and she was very grateful for her fellow Slayers. Patrolling after a long night of dancing was not something she relished.
They were walking down a narrow alley (The Immortal claimed to know all shortcuts in Rome, and by now she believed him) discussing where to go next week, when Buffy looked ahead and saw that the piazza at the end of the alley was currently full of demons.
She was already halfway through dialling the Council’s Rome number, when The Immortal stopped her: “Your fellow Slayers will not be necessary, my dear.”
She looked at him uncomprehendingly: “If you’re suggesting that I take on a small army by myself, you’re crazy! I mean I’m flattered - obviously - but honestly...”
He smiled indulgently and explained: “These are not ordinary demons - they are hired soldiers. Look!”
She tentatively peeked out of the alley and found that as usual he was right. There were maybe 30 or 40 demons, but they were lined up and standing at the front was a human.... an Italian by the look of him, in a very expensive suit. She turned to The Immortal, and he answered the unvoiced question: “Wolfram and Hart. I recognise the man - he is one of their top lawyers. This is official business from the look of it! Nothing for you to worry about!”
She frowned slightly - Wolfram and Hart were evil with a capital E! But she knew very little about what they actually did, so she didn’t want to spoil such an opportunity: “Would you mind if we just... you know... watched for a bit? Maybe I can get the inside scoop on something!”
The Immortal shrugged, obviously happy to do whatever she wanted. She smiled at him and scanned the demon horde again. Big and lumpy with short horns they looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t remember what they were called. Obviously picked for their smash-and-bash skills rather than finesse. The square was mostly dark, the few lights hardly enough for someone to find their way, and the general air of grime and shabbiness making it clear that this was not a popular place. As dangerous as the alleys of Sunnydale once were. Which was probably why it was used by an evil lawfirm...
She felt a sudden stab of pain. Was this what Angel had been doing this past year? Employing demons and making shady deals? She had never told The Immortal about Angel and how she knew of Wolfram and Hart - had hardly told him anything about her life in Sunnydale. She didn’t know why, but she felt unable to explain what her previous life had been like. She felt somehow displaced from it all, and for the time being that was fine. When Giles had called in the summer explaining that W&H in LA had collapsed, and that Angel and his team were missing, she had nearly caved in. But she somehow kept going on, not letting on what she had heard. No reason to worry anyone else until they knew for sure. Some weeks later Giles called again. He had been oddly hesitant - obviously not wanting to get her hopes up too much, but he said that there had been sightings of Angel - he knew no details, but apparently the vampire was alive.
Movement on the far right side of the square tore her out of her musings. Someone - or something - was approaching. The lawyer obviously noticed too, because he stood up straight. Buffy found herself quite excited, dealings in the demon underworld were something she hardly ever got to witness, so this was an unusual opportunity. Then a figure came out into the dim, hazy light of the lanterns and she suddenly felt faint. It was Angel.
**********
Angel was followed by two other figures, but they were still covered by the shadows and she barely noticed them. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It was Angel, he was alive - or not dust anyway - but how? And why was he in Rome?
When she opened her eyes, Angel was standing facing the lawyer guy, who had started talking: “Angel - Ilona sends her greetings. She does not wish for any harm to come to you! She very kindly requests that you come with us and she will personally make sure of your comfort, safe from the Senior Partners.”
Angel smiled a ghost smile and replied: “Give her my regards, but I already have a girlfriend!”
This made Buffy blink. Girlfriend? Angel had a girlfriend? Her eyes drifted to the odd blue demon standing slightly to his left. It looked kind of female, but surely...
“So you will persist in your foolhardy resistance?”
A chuckle from Angel: “Most certainly!”
The man bowed gracefully and replied politely: ”In that case, prepare to die!”
The vampire smiled wryly: “Hate to break it to you, but we’re already dead!”
And he drew his sword.
As the words slowly sank in, Buffy watched, unable to move.
Then Angel’s other companion stepped forward and into her field of vision, his own sword raised, the steel reflecting on his white hair, the coat making his outline as recognisable as her own mirror-image.
A cry pierced the night.
“NOOOOOO!”
The scene in front of her froze as Buffy realised that she had actually shouted out loud what her mind had been yelling. The vampire who had been burning to death when she last saw him, slowly turned his head and his eyes sought out hers the way they always had - like lightening striking and leaving her reeling. Unable to move, she saw him slowly sheathe his sword and when one of the demons stepped forward, he held up his hand with a casual authority that made her catch her breath. She vaguely noticed Angel and the man in the suit start a quiet conversation, but all of her mind was focussed on the man coming towards her, his eyes never leaving hers.
He stopped just in front of her, obviously waiting for her to make the first move. Carefully she reached out and touched his face as she finally found her voice: “Spike - are you real?”
Then he smiled - the smile she always saw in her dreams - the happy, glowing smile that he smiled only for her: “Yes Buffy, I’m real.” And he brought up his own hand to cover hers as he leaned into it.
She found that she was shaking as the reality of the situation hit her. Spike was alive! Spike was here!
As she started to sob, he gathered her into his arms. “Shh, love. It’s ok. It’s ok.” She buried her face in his chest and clung to him, laughter and tears mingling. She could feel him breathe her in, feel the kisses he rained on her hair, feel his hands holding her so tight that she knew that this time, nothing would take him away from her.
Chapter 3
no subject
no subject
there's not way there are not going to be problems
Heh. I'm evil. (And I meant to stop by your LJ at some point to say that I snagged this icon!)
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
Because nothing is ever straight forward when it comes to Spuffy!!!!
Thank you for commenting! Will try to get Chapter 3 postable asap!
no subject
Also, why on earth would Giles not have told Buffy at some point that Spike was alive and working with Angel? If he knew about the battle with W&H in LA, he had to know Spike had been resurrected after the collapse of Sunnydale. Was that omission a misguided attempt to "protect" Buffy from getting involved with Spike again? Arrgh.
It was almost identical to the one she used to have back in Sunnydale, the one she had worn the night she first kissed Spike...
Oh, she had dressed so carefully that evening - because if she couldn’t fight, at least she could make a pretty demon-bride.
I feel stupid even asking (rather than just rewatching "Something Blue") but did Buffy go home and change after the beginning of the spell with Spike? I know she went out to the Magic Shop and spoke briefly to Riley, but I'm not remembering a costume change. Please help.
Ouch, I said "Riley". Still traumatized from Rabbit Hole Day.
no subject
I assume elisi's referring to "Once More With Feeling".
no subject
no subject
no subject
is Buffy really having her tearful romantic reunion with Spike right in front of the Immortal?
Oh yes she is!!! I did say that all the stuff about The Immortal in Chapter 1 would pay off. :)
And re. Giles not telling Buffy about Spike... well as this is a sequel to 'The Summer After' Giles knows perfectly well that Spike is alive. I will get to this (and Giles' reasons) later! (And I'm so glad you pointed it out!)
And I didn't mean the kissing in 'Something Blue'. They were under a spell, and although it brought out the UST, they were both disgusted afterwards. When it comes to the coat, Buffy is thinking of OMWF, which I count as their first 'real' kiss - she's very attracted to him by then, he's head over heels in love with her... it's all about the fire. And (if you've never noticed?) she's wearing a completely different outfit when she turns up at Sweet's lair (well, the Bronze) to when she's at the Magic Box - she obviously changed! (See icon)
I love your feedback!
no subject
no subject
Although I did notice the small discussion there was in
no subject
Pretty unique - they run into each other's arms, crying and happy at the end. Can I just mention that makes me a little nervous? I'm sure you'll do something spectacular about that though....
I must admit, I thought that the memory of kissing Spike was from Something Blue too, and then I got confused over the coat (poor brain malfunction!) - but it was a really nice idea to link all these strong memories to something she had to buy....poor girl!
Can't wait to see where this goes :)
no subject
*grins evilly*
Sorry about the 'Something Blue' confusion - I never thought about it, but I suppose I should have made it more explicit that I meant OMWF!
My brain has tonnes of story, just waiting to be written down. How would you like to do some baby-sitting?
no subject
LOL! Of course! :)
no subject
no subject
no subject
I'm not naïve to think that everything will be roses and songs , but you got me there.. it was a very satisfying and lovely moment!
It's not a dream , right?
no subject
And it's definitely NOT a dream! But real life will come crashing in come next chapter!
no subject
And this -
when one of the demons stepped forward, he held up his hand with a casual authority that made her catch her breath - made me catch my breath too. What a perfect way to re-introduce Spike. Guh, I think in two words - casual authority - you reminded me why I was so in love with Spike, and in the way that Buffy could acknowledge and be moved – even surprised – by that, why I always will adore those two together.
no subject
And I'm *so glad* you picked out the 'casual authority' - it was one of those times when I saw it all in my head, and it actually made *me* catch my breath... he's very much 'Spike the Champion' here, much like he used to be 'Spike the Master Vampire' when he first came to Sunnydale. And it's just so. damn. cool! So how can Buffy resist?
no subject
I hear the warning bells in my head. I'm worried for them! There are more chapters, so I know there must be trouble ahead.
I loved the way that, with authority, he stepped forward. I could see it. Wonderfully written, elisi! Wonderful!
On to chapter 3!
no subject
Not sure 'trouble' is the right word... but problems certainly! But I guess you've already discovered that! ;)
I'm so glad you could see Spike, because he's so clear in my mind. And he's So. Damn. Cool!
Thank you for lovely encouragement! :)
no subject
no subject
And I made you reel? Yay! You usually leave me reeling with your fic, so I'm very glad I could reciprocate! :)
Anyway, thank you so much for your kind words... I'm happy you like it!
no subject
no subject
::is very proud::
no subject
I don't think it's going to be as simple as ...nothing would take him away from her, but it's lovely that Buffy's brain immediately goes to that hopeful place.
no subject
Sometimes writing is pure self-indulgence...
and I love that Buffy and Spike have a big, mushy reunion scene right in front of her boyfriend!
Well it shows pretty clearly where she stands, at least! *g*
I don't think it's going to be as simple as ...nothing would take him away from her, but it's lovely that Buffy's brain immediately goes to that hopeful place.
I think she is, despite everything, a bit of an optimist. Or rather, she can be very determined to get her way!