Tension crackled in the air between the vampires as they packed their belongings.
Spike went into the bathroom to gather up their toiletries and on the way to
his bag handed Angel his things.
“Quit being petulant, William,” Angel said almost affectionately. Although he wasn’t in the mood for Spike being in a snit he understood where it had come from; it was Buffy. They were both on edge at the thought of sharing a car with her for three or four days on the ride back to California.
“I’m not.”
Spike finished stuffing his jeans in the bag and zipped it up. His eyes never looked over at his companion but turned to sit on the bed when he was done, anything to avoid admitting that he wasn’t happy about heading home with the Slayer especially after last night.
When they had ended up alone on the boardwalk, they were still stuck with that awkward and uncomfortable feeling that she got to run from. With a sigh he covered his face with his hands as he remembered how hurt Angel had been and it made him admit some of the feelings that he was having toward his Sire. And it hurt him that it was always going to be someone else that came first with Angel. No matter how hard he tried to please Angelus or now Angel it was never going to be enough. He didn’t even have the option of running anymore thanks to the damned chip. Tears were blinked away as he heard the object of his unhappiness walk over to him.
He looked up to find Angel kneeling in front of him. “Things aren’t going to change between us.” Angel said trying to reassure his Childe. He softly caressed Spike’s face, “I told you that you had a place with me. And I will honor that.”
“Honor. Not want.”
Brown eyes flared with anger as he contemplated Spike’s words. It was honor and responsibility that had given the younger vampire entrance to his home in his time of need. It would be honor that would let him remain. But it was want that had given him entrance to his bed again.
“Fine, continue to think that. I don’t take you now because of power or just for a fuck and if you haven’t figured that out by now then you never will.”
Angel stood and went over to pick up his bag. “You ready?”
Spike nodded as he stood and picked up his own. The tears that fell down his cheeks dissolved Angel’s anger and it was with only two steps that he was able to pull the blonde into his arms.
“Don’t Spike. She won’t change my mind about you. Okay? You don’t have to be alone again.” He whispered as he hugged the blonde. Angel’s hands cupped Spike’s face and he pulled the younger vampire in for a kiss. It was gentle and loving in an effort to make Spike feel secure of his position in Angel’s life.
Another quick nod to show that he understood before Spike pressed his lips to Angel’s again. This time their passion for each other showed as it deepened and their tongues played out the longing before they slowed it down to a few quick, hurried kisses.
“We need to go,” Angel gave his hand a quick squeeze before they left to pick Buffy up.
~~~~~~~~
“Yo, Anne, your friends are here,” Shelia said to the teen who was trying to stuff everything into her bags. In only two months she seemed to have accumulated a lot more belongings than what she had arrived with.
”Tell ‘em I’m hurrying would you,” Buffy looked up to give her friend a quick smile. Then when she turned away, the Slayer’s face slipped back to show the nervousness and unhappiness that she was really feeling. When it came down to it she didn’t really want to leave. It was mostly the call of her duties that was taking her back. “Yeah, like even you are going to believe it but keep trying.” And when she allowed herself to admit the truth, it was the excitement of being with Angel again and the curiosity of exploring this new relationship with Spike that were helping to pull her home.
Finally zipping her suitcase closed she picked it up along with her overnight bag and took them out to the living room. Her eyes remained down as she refused to look at either of them. Turning she returned to her old room and grabbed her pillow, blanket and the big white teddy bear that she had gotten with the winning tickets from the night before. Chosen because it reminded her of a certain blonde vampire that had sent her senses reeling and it had taken the place of honor in her arms as she had lain in her bed the night before.
After dropping those next to her bags she said softly, “I just need to get the stuff in the bathroom and I’ll be ready.”
“Didn’t you have all day to do this?” Spike asked his voice heavy with sarcasm. “It’s not like we have all the time in the world.”
‘So this is how it’s going to be.’ He was back to being a pain in her ass. Her head flew up and her eyes met his, “And I had things to do today. Like quit my job, say goodbye to my friends and lover.” Let him think about that.
She turned on her heel and hurried down the hallway not seeing the reaction of her statement on Angel. He hadn’t even been a thought in her mind when she had thrown that out and it wasn’t until she was in the bathroom that she realized what she had implied to him. Spike, she could care less about, but Angel was a different matter. And as if she had conjured him Angel was there in the doorway of the bathroom and for the first time she felt fright looking at the emotions in his eyes.
“There hasn’t been anyone,” she confessed quickly.
“Why?” His voice held all his pain from seeing her so wantonly responding to Spike last night and her casual statement of a few minutes ago.
“I didn’t think. I’m sorry. It was meant to irritate Spike.”
The door was closed and she was pushed against it as his hand slowly caressed her face. “Are you sure there has been no one? That no one has taken what is mine.”
She angered at his possession. She would never deliberately hurt him by telling him of someone else but he was the one who had released her.
“It’s not yours to give but mine. You broke up with me, remember?” She pushed on his shoulders but he refused to budge. They stared at each other as the heat built between them and then in a flash of mutual need built from months apart his lips were on hers. It was demanding as he relearned the curves of her lips before sweeping into enjoy the sweetness of her mouth and tongue. His hand dipped between her legs, caressing her, before he pulled away.
“We need to go,” he said before opening the door and leaving her alone.
There didn’t need to be any words as his actions had proved that it all it took was one touch from him and she was ready for him. She would concede that to him. That her love for him was still there, would always be there, and with that love was the longing but she would be damned if she would just roll over like some Victorian maid waiting to be mastered.
So, she took her time packing her bathroom things. Then pulled Shelia into her bedroom for a talk before she slowly sauntered out and announced she was ready. The angry impatience was vibrating around the vampires as she daintily picked up her bedding and teddy bear and her lower lip came out in a pout as she asked for their help with her bags.
Curtly they said goodbye to Sheila before picking up the bags and going out to the car. After everything was stowed in the trunk, Angel slid behind the wheel and Buffy waited behind Spike to climb into the convertible but the tables were turned on her as Spike held the door open and pulled the seat forward so she could climb into the backseat. Her eyes flickered to Angel whose stare never wavered from the frontward stance they had. Spike’s expression told her that until she agreed and surrendered to their plan that his place was beside Angel and not her.
With irritation she climbed into the back seat and arranged her stuff comfortably around her. She crossed her arms and turned her head to the side as Spike settled into the seat beside Angel. He whispered something that she couldn’t hear that made Angel smile. Refusing to give Spike the satisfaction of knowing that she was feeling left out; Buffy lay down on the seat and pulled the blanket over her. The poor bear was shoved onto the floor as she forced herself to find the sleep she couldn’t the night before because her thoughts were too full of someone she now told herself she despised.
~~~~~~~~
“Buffy, wake up,” the voice calling to her was rough in nature but
gentle in tone. Then the hand moved from shaking her shoulder to caressing her
hair. “Come on, Buffy, we stopped.”
Reluctantly she opened her eyes to find Angel leaning over the edge of the car. She stretched slowly as she rolled onto her back enjoying the attention from him.
“Is the princess awake yet?”
Spike again. It grated her that she couldn’t even enjoy one small moment with Angel without his irritating presence. His sarcastic remark snapped her to attention and she sat up as she combed out her hair with her fingers. “Where are we?” Buffy moved to climb out of the car but Angel surprised her by picking her up and depositing her on her feet in the parking lot.
“Truck stop. You hungry?” Angel reached into his pocket and pulled out some money and tried to hand it to her. “Go inside. Order something. We’re going to go round back and see someone then we’ll catch up with you.”
“Blood?”
Angel nodded as he held the cash out to her again but she refused it and walked to the diner alone. There was no way she was taking money from Angel and being dependent on him. She had been taking care of herself for two months and she wasn’t going to stop now. Taking a seat at the counter she pulled the menu toward her. Thankfully the place wasn’t too expensive but when the waitress came by, Buffy only ordered soup and half a sandwich. In one of her bags she had packed some soda and water so she didn’t have the need to pay for a drink.
After the order was placed she hurried off to the bathroom as she waited for Angel and Spike. She wasn’t going to make them wait for her anymore. If Spike could be the perfect traveling companion so could she. The two were sitting at the counter with Spike contemplating the menu when she returned. She slid onto a stool next to Angel.
“I ordered it to go. I didn’t know how long you wanted to be here.”
“We can all eat in the car before we take off again then.” Angel nodded his approval at her forethought.
Spike ordered some onion rings and as soon as their orders were ready they went out to the car. They all settled into their previous places as Angel moved the car to the edge of the parking lot to give them more privacy. He and Spike poured the blood they had gotten into some Styrofoam cups to drink as Buffy opened her soup and began to slowly eat it.
“How did you all know that you could stop here?”
“Net working. There are places all over the country that are demon friendly.” Angel answered before looking at her food, “Is that all you ordered?”
Buffy shrugged her shoulders, “I got half a sandwich too. I’m not very hungry.” Her gaze never wavered from her soup so that Angel wouldn’t see the lie in her eyes. Somehow, someone knowing her more than even the one who was supposed to love her broke into her field of vision. His slim hand appeared in front of her holding an onion ring out and she looked up into blue eyes that were apparently offering a truce and she accepted it from him gratefully. Munching into the greasy goodness she smiled a thank you to him. After the soup was done and a few onion rings later, Buffy pulled her sandwich out, ripped it in half and held it out to Spike. For now they had laid the war to rest. After everyone was done, Angel gathered up their trash and took it to a receptacle for them.
“Do you want to ride up here for awhile?” Spike asked. “With us?” He might be willing to quit the games for awhile but he wasn’t going to fully relinquish his position yet. And he wasn’t willing to admit that he had felt bad for hurting her earlier when he had watched as she laid curled on the backseat looking so innocent as she slept.
Buffy nodded and climbed over the seat and settled in the middle where Spike indicated. Angel’s eyes held his surprise at finding her there but smiled, grateful that they were at least trying to be friends. It definitely made his life easier and kept him from having to constantly choose between them.
