Chapter 37 – Together
Buffy leaned over to kiss
Dawn’s cheek. Her sister was almost asleep after a long talk with just the two
of them.
Tonight had been good.
The surprise ambush from the
usually supportive Spike had been like a bullet to her heart. It had made her see
things without the glaze of amber she had been living behind and the stark
reality of what she was doing. A part of her, the hopeful, the wanting to be
loved, the needing to belong, part of her had been waiting for a chance to ask
for help. The demon was so tempting to hide behind but she wanted the warmth of
the life she knew she could have. She had been so emotionally hurt after that
night that she didn’t want to trust her vampires again but thankfully her heart
had won out. The four of them had talked for awhile then she and Dawn had spent
some time together. Now, she felt better than she had in a long time. It wasn’t
completely resolved but they were on their way.
The soft sounds of her
lover’s voices resounded from downstairs and she quickly made her way to join
them. The last few nights they hadn’t slept together but tonight she wanted to
be with them. It would be a tight fit with all three of them in her old bed but
she needed them. And she hoped they needed her.
It didn’t make her any
bolder that they both quieted when she walked into the room. Buffy hesitated
for a moment before approaching Angel but he held his arms out, taking her down
onto his lap. His arms immediately closed around her waist while he buried his
nose in the soft sleeve of her pajamas. She reached her hand out to take
Spike’s.
“What were you talking
about?” Buffy asked.
“Not much,” Angel said,
kissing her cheek.
“It isn’t more of the ‘don’t
worry your pretty head, we’ll tell you after we make a decision’ stuff is it?”
Spike laughed. It felt good
to see him with his head thrown back and his eyes twinkling. They had been lost
in a quagmire of depression and worry for weeks now but hopefully things had
changed.
“We didn’t want to worry
you,” Angel said, with a smile on his face. “But you’re right. We do need to
include you in everything.”
“So, what were you talking
about?”
“We were trying to reach a
decision on our living arrangements,” Angel said. “I don’t want to move Dawn
right now but this isn’t going to work on a permanent basis.”
“What about our home?”
“Luv, it’s an old rambling
mansion,” Spike said, tightening his grip on her hand. “It’s great for us
vampires and our cute little Slayer but as a home for Dawn? I’m not too sure.
We were thinking someplace that you could make yours, a little bigger than this
for all of us, but yet homey and closer to the school.”
“You did think this out,
didn’t you?”
“Actually we started
thinking of it before everything started,” Angel said. “It got put on hold but it
needs to be taken care of soon.”
“Were you going to ask me
what I wanted?” Buffy asked. She smiled at the thought of two former evil
vampires trying to decide on a house for their family. “I mean if the house is
for me to make my own then don’t you think I should have a say so.”
“Can we have a pool?” Dawn
called out from somewhere in the hallway.
“Dawn, what are you doing
up?” Buffy asked with only a trace of frustration in her voice.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t
sleep,” Dawn said, shuffling into the kitchen. “I wanted a cup of hot chocolate
and then I heard you talking…”
“Didn’t upset you, did we?”
Spike asked, already standing to make the beverage for her. “With the talk of
moving.”
Dawn took his seat at the
bar and looked at her sister and Angel. “I want things to be different but I
know it can’t. I guess as long as it’s not just decided for me and you guys
will be there then I’m okay.”
“Good,” Angel said. “You
girls make a list of what you want and I’ll see what I can do.”
“Cool,” Dawn said.
For the next few minutes the
four of them talked over what they considered essential in what would be their
home together. Once the hot chocolate was consumed by three of them, Buffy
returned upstairs with Dawn.
“Spike, Angel,” Buffy said, stopping
in the doorway and pinning them with the hope that shone in her eyes. “I’m
going to stay with Dawn until she is asleep. Would you guys wait for me in my
room?”
“Yeah,” Spike answered for
them. His eyes lit up at the thought of them reclaiming their former relationship.
~~~~~~
The bed was too small. The
room was too girly. The sheets were cotton. It was perfect. Angel sighed as
Spike curled into his side. His fingers tangled in the blonde locks that were
tickling his chest. His family was together. It made everything else
insignificant by comparison. Buffy had finally come back to them, Spike was
dealing with the souls that were seeping into his conscious and Dawn was
learning to trust them. His chest rumbled with the growl he emitted as Spike’s
hand drifted along his thigh.
“It’s not too bad,” Spike
said. “This life?”
“No, not too bad,” Angel
said. “Deal with things as they come along and I think we’ll be okay.”
The door opened and they
turned to watch Buffy as she came into the room. Once again she hesitated. The
first time had been earlier in the kitchen. It was as if she wondered if they
welcomed her.
“Buffy, come here,” Angel
said, enjoying the relief in her eyes. She slid into the bed behind Spike but
he turned on his back to pull her between them. Angel settled her where Spike
had been a moment before while Spike curled against her back. “I love you
both.”
“Love you too,” Buffy said.
Spike’s arm reached across
Buffy to clasp his hand.
This was good. Reaching up,
Angel turned the light off and waited for his mates to sleep first. To make
sure the house was quiet and all was well before giving in himself. But Buffy
wouldn’t quiet. Her heart was pounding, her breathing erratic, and her body was
tense with whatever was upsetting her. He waited for her to say something but she
didn’t. Deciding it was just the gloom of night that was causing her
unhappiness; he reached for the buttons on her top.
“Let me,” Angel whispered,
nuzzling her hair. “Make you feel better.”
She didn’t protest and he
slid the pajama top from her body. He rolled her over into Spike who welcomed
her against him. She sighed softly as Angel drew closer to her. This was
something he had never offered her. Had never given her much of his vampire
side but knew that Spike had. It was time for beginnings and changes. He
morphed into this vampire guise then gently sank his fangs into her shoulder.
Not breaking the skin, he let them rest there until he was sure she wouldn’t
protest. Buffy only turned her face so that she could press her lips to his
Childe’s. The beauty of the connection was reborn. Angel licked over the
indentations on her skin before moving to repeat elsewhere along her back. The
soft sounds of their kisses spurred him on as his hands moved over their flesh while
his fangs, tongue and gentle growls gave comfort to his mate.
Buffy relaxed. Her body gave
into their loving care and soon slept. Angel looked deep into Spike’s eyes and
rested his hand on the smooth flesh of his chest. The heart stirred beneath
him. Not just a thing born from their lust but from their love too. Contented,
he waited again, until he knew his Childe slept too. Finally he reached out
into the night to the energy that hummed down the hall. Within their connection
they had found they could reach beyond the boundaries of the realm they existed
in. Dawn was truly a part of them. Once he was assured she wasn’t awake again,
Angel allowed himself the luxury of slumber.
~~~~~~~~
Buffy reached into the back
seat to grab the duffel bag. She had asked Xander to give her a ride by the
mansion so she could collect a few more things they needed. Sighing, she turned
back to her friend as she rested the bag on her lap.
“Did I do the right thing?”
Buffy asked. She cast a quick glance to the house before turning to Xander. “I
mean, I didn’t tell them first and that’s always something they’ve done to me.”
Unable to cope with
everything that had already happened, the changes yet to come plus the burden
of keeping Dawn safe, Buffy had decided to withdraw from her classes. She
couldn’t study, barely went to class and it seemed the best solution especially
after an attempt to catch up earlier by going to her literature class. The
entire time had been an overwhelming trial of hopeless frustration. There were
other things that needed her attention more than a hunchback and his Esmeralda.
“They’ll understand, Buffy,”
Xander said. “You can only do so much.”
Buffy sighed, nodded, and
climbed from the car. She leaned into the window, “So, you and Anya will come
by for dinner?”
“Yeah, we’ll be here.”
Xander waved and drove off
leaving Buffy to stare after him before she straightened her shoulders. It was
time to face the music. The worst they would do is yell at her and the best is
that they would understand. She was halfway up the sidewalk when she felt it.
Terror, cold and unreasonable, and it was coming from her house, from Dawn. The
duffel bag was dropped as she ran inside. She skidded into the living room. A
woman she had never seen before was sitting in the side chair while her sister
was huddled on the couch.
“What’s going on?” Buffy
demanded, slipping into Slayer mode.
“You’re home,” Dawn squealed
and ran to her. “She wants to take me away.”
Buffy hugged the frightened
teen and looked over the woman who had risen from the chair.
“Who are you?”
“I’m sorry for upsetting
her. My name is Doris Kroger and I’m with Social Services.”
“Why are you here?”
“To check on Dawn of
course,” Ms Kroger said, smiling.
“She’s asking all these
questions, like who lives here and why I’m not in school and where you work,”
Dawn cried, holding onto Buffy with an intense grip.
“Shh, Dawn, it’ll be okay,”
Buffy said, stroking her sister’s long brown locks. “No one is taking you
anywhere.”
“May we talk?” Ms. Kroger
interrupted. “I need to assure that the living arrangements are adequate for
the minor in question.”
“Her name is Dawn,” Angel
said, behind them. He stepped into the room with Spike beside him.
“Where were you?” Buffy
asked. She knew her voice was too sharp but they were supposed to be here to
guard the house.
Angel’s arm came around her.
“Sp…William and I had a quick errand to run and check on things at the office.”
He took Dawn’s hand. “Will, why don’t you take Dawn upstairs while Buffy and I
speak to Ms. Kroger?”
“Come on, pet,” Spike said
soothingly as he took the girl’s hand.
Dawn gave one last look to
Buffy and Angel before following Spike upstairs.
Once they were gone from
view, Angel directed Buffy to the couch. She accepted his support gratefully.
Her instincts were to either run from one more problem or dust this woman who
had upset her sister.
“What do you need to know?”
Angel said calmly, but his hand was wrapped tight around Buffy’s.
“I was surprised when Dawn
said that there were two men plus her sister living here,” Ms. Kroger said, her
pen poised over her pad. Her gaze was directed at Buffy.
“We don’t live here,” Buffy
said, pulling herself together. “Technically anyway, I live with Angel and
William somewhere else and we moved in here after my mother died.”
“You live with…both of
them?”
Buffy looked up at Angel. A
decision had to be made and she knew it would hurt Spike but at the moment
there wasn’t any choice. She could see it echoed in Angel’s eyes. For a brief
second she steeled herself before looking back to the woman that could destroy
their family and betrayed one of the men she loved.
“Angel is my boyfriend and
William is our roommate.”
“Why would he move also?”
Ms. Kroger asked, writing on the pad.
“William is my cousin,”
Angel said. “He’s part of the family and like a big brother to Dawn.”
“What are your intentions
then for permanent arrangements?”
“We’re going to look for an
alternate house,” Buffy said. “One that is more adequately suited for all of
us.”
“Oh,” Ms. Kroger looked up
with a frown. “Dawn said that you only work part-time and are a student. How
will you be able to afford this? I need to know that the permanent guardian can
provide for the minor child. And also, will you have the time to supervise
her?”
“I withdrew from classes
this morning so that I can be there for Dawn and to get everything sorted out.”
“And she works for me,”
Angel said, not even showing surprise at Buffy’s announcement. She breathed a
sigh of relief. “So, her schedule is flexible.”
“So, if the two of you decide
to break up then essentially Miss Summers is jobless and homeless with no
marketable skills to provide for her or Dawn? Do I have that correct?”
Buffy sat up straight. Angel
started to say something but she cut him off. “Ms. Kroger, I understand that
your job is to make sure that Dawn is
safe. My mother has been dead for less than a week and I haven’t even formed
the capability to check into her finances. All we’ve been able to do is make
sure that Dawn is safe, loved and getting through this. I’m here and I will do
whatever I have to do to make sure that she is okay. I would die for my sister
and so would Angel, Spike or our other friends. She is surrounded by people
that love her. She has a roof over her head, food to eat and she is going back
to school on Monday. Other than that I don’t think we need to discuss anything
else right now. Give me time to deal with everything before you come charging
in here and tell me that I’m not capable of taking care of her.”
Ms. Kroger stood up. “Well,
I’m sure that you feel everything is
taken care of but it is still my job…”
This time Angel got his say.
“I’m sure that Buffy will be able to provide you with everything that will make
your job easier but they need time. Right now Dawn is fine. And I promise that
she will be provided for. We’ll get all the back up we need to prove that to
you but right now they are just adjusting to losing their mother. Call us next
week and we’ll make an appointment to ease your mind.”
“I’ll be in touch,” Ms.
Kroger said, and made her way out the door.
Angel’s arms were waiting to
hold her. She sank into them gratefully. Her body was shaking with anger and
frustration. She knew the day was coming when she would have to prove her
capability with Dawn, just not this soon. Time that she would be able to have
everything covered not out in the open like this.
“Is she gone?” Buffy asked
with a laugh. She was trying to get herself to calm down.
“Yeah, for now,” Angel said,
kissing her forehead. “Next time we’ll be prepared. Let’s go check on Dawn.”
They made their way upstairs
to Dawn’s room where they could hear the teenager venting about something. They
didn’t even get all the way into the room before she turned to them.
“He heard you,” Dawn said,
her hand gesturing toward Spike. “He says he’s going to leave.”
“It’s probably best the
cousin isn’t here,” Spike said, refusing to look up at them.
Buffy sat on one side of
Spike while Angel took the other.
“What did you tell me last
night?” Buffy asked, wrapping her arms around him. “The whole spiel about us
being family and being in this together. I hated having to say that but you’re
the one who also told me that we couldn’t exactly tell the truth.” She kissed
his cheek. “I think you need to take your own advice.”
“I want what’s best for
Dawn,” Spike said.
“If you think leaving is
what’s best for me then your stupid,” Dawn said, rolling her eyes. “It’s like,
duh, I need you to keep the ‘rents from me.”
“I’m not letting you go
again,” Angel said. “We’ll work this out.”
Spike looked up and grinned.
“At least you people know what’s best for you.”
“You stinker,” Dawn said,
laughing. “You were faking to get sympathy.”
“A bloke’s gotta do what he
has to,” Spike said, avoiding the tickles that were launched his way. “Stop,
before I get violent…”
Buffy knew he hadn’t really
been faking. He was still insecure sometimes. They laughed and joked for a few minutes
longer then broke apart to head downstairs.
“Oh, I hope nobody minds but
I invited everybody over for dinner,” Buffy said. “Xander is going to bring
Anya over as soon as her shift is over. And
To be continued…
