Choose
by sailor80
Seven
[reviews]
Chapter Seven
It was several minutes and two more rumbles before they got out of bed. They showered together, and Buffy brushed Willow's hair after they dressed. Holding hands, they headed into the hall. Buffy saw Dawn and hailed her. Dawn waited for them, watching them move toward her with a slight frown.
Buffy smiled and let go of Willow to hug Dawn. Dawn hugged her hard. All of the adults in her world had disappeared since their arrival three days before, and she was relieved to see her sister. Willow, too, who hung back and watched them with her own smile.
When the sisters let go, Willow said, "Hi, Dawnie."
"Hey, Willow," Dawn answered, and stepped up to hug her, too.
Buffy saw the relief on Willow's face as they embraced. She heard Willow tell Dawn, "I'm so sorry."
"Can we talk about that later?"
"Sure." Willow backed away, and Buffy stepped between them and took both their hands.
"Dawn, where are they hiding the food?" Buffy asked.
"Dinner was an hour ago, but there should be something in the kitchen. C'mon." Dawn led them through the huge place until they got to the modern, industrial kitchen.
Willow sat at the counter while Buffy rummaged through the refrigerator. "Leftovers, cool." She pulled out two covered plates and put them on the counter. Two pitchers and a third plate followed.
Dawn put the first plate in the microwave, and got silverware and glasses for them while the dish turned. By the time the machine dinged, Buffy had filled three glasses with milk. Dawn put the first plate in front of Buffy and put the second in the microwave. Buffy was half finished by the time Dawn slid a plate in front of Willow.
Willow ate a few tablespoons of each thing on the plate, then slid it to Buffy. Buffy wolfed it down, too, then pulled the third plate over and removed its cover. "Dessert," she grinned, putting the chocolate cake where all three of them could reach it.
Willow ate a few bites of the cake, then sat while Dawn and Buffy demolished the rest. When she finished eating and drained her third glass of milk, Buffy got up and gathered the dishes. She carried them to the sink and left them there.
"Where's your room?" Buffy asked Dawn.
"Couple down from yours."
"Where is everybody?"
Dawn shrugged.
"Well, let's go find them." She offered a hand to both Willow and her sister.
They explored for half an hour without finding anyone. Buffy noticed that Willow was slowing and nudged Dawn. Dawn nodded back to her, and they headed toward their rooms. Dawn pointed out her door, two down from theirs.
While they were gone, the room had been straightened up. The bed was made up with different sheets that had been turned down for them. The three of them sat on the bed. Dawn told them about her tutor and their planned trip to London with Giles. Willow lay with her head on Buffy's thigh and drifted into sleep while the sisters talked.
When Dawn noticed that Willow was asleep, she asked Buffy, "How is she?"
"Better, I think." Buffy smiled. "She looks better to you, doesn't she?"
"Yeah, I mean, she ate and walked and talked and everything."
"And slept, I mean, really slept, last night." She smiled down at the redhead, then looked at her sister. "I sound like a big goof, don't I?"
Dawn shrugged. "'Sall right. That's what I tell my friends anyway," she teased tentatively.
Buffy made a face at her and Dawn giggled. The sisters talked a while longer before Dawn excused herself to finish her homework. Buffy's eyebrow went up, but she said good night.
After Dawn left, she maneuvered Willow into a better sleeping position. She was wide awake and wanted to burn off some of her energy, but didn't want to leave Willow alone.
The phone rang, startling her. She hadn't noticed it, but quickly found it on a table under the windows. "Hello?"
"Buffy, how are you?"
"Good, Giles, how are you?"
"Quite well, thank you. I was hoping we could talk."
"Sure." Buffy sat in one of the chairs by the table."
"Shall we meet in the library?"
"Um, no. One, I don't know where the library is, and two, I don't want to leave Willow alone."
"The library is downstairs. Turn right at the first corridor. It's the second door on the left."
"Still leaves Willow here alone."
"I'll ask one of the coven to sit with her."
"Can we get Tara instead?"
"Tara, Xander and Anya went out."
Buffy sighed. "Could you come here, then?"
"Buffy, the coven will not let Willow come to any harm."
"Uh huh. I'm not leaving her unless one of us can stay."
"Fine," Giles huffed. "I'll be there shortly," he said and hung up before Buffy could answer.
Buffy opened the door before Giles could knock. They sat across from each other at the table. Buffy's eyes went to Willow every few seconds. Giles began to talk about the prophecy, but had nothing new to tell her. She fidgeted as they talked, and after 20 minutes, he told her, "Go. I'll stay here."
"You sure?"
"Quite."
"Thanks." Buffy hopped up. She rummaged through one of her bags until she found Mr. Pointy, stuck it in the back of her waistband. She went to the bed and leaned over Willow, whispered that she was going on patrol and kissed her once. She headed for the door, stopped and turned to face Giles. He was looking at Willow, his brow furrowed. "Giles."
He turned his attention to the Slayer. "Yes, Buffy."
"No yelling if she wakes up."
"Of course not," Giles agreed.
Buffy found her way outside. She stretched, then jogged toward the gardens. A figure stepped in front of her just before the entrance. She knew who it was before seeing him in the flare of his lighter. "Buffy, love."
"What are you doing here?" She stopped more than an arms' reach away.
"Waiting for you."
"I told you, Spike. Whatever we had is finished. Stay away from me and stay away from my family."
"I love you, Buffy." Spike exhaled a plume of blue smoke.
"I don't care. Go away and stay away." Unconsciously, Buffy moved into a fighting stance.
Spike stepped toward Buffy. "You don't mean that, love."
"I do." She glared at him. "If I see you again, I'll stake you."
Spike laughed and took another step, into Buffy's striking range. "You keep saying that."
"I mean it." Buffy put her palm up and Spike walked into it. She shoved him backwards. "We're done," she said calmly.
"Buffy." He moved toward her again.
"No, Spike. Just, no." She turned back toward the mansion.
Spike tackled her from behind. They rolled on the gravel paths, and Buffy flipped him off her body. She sprang up. He did, too, and they began circling. "I knew you'd want it, once we got started."
Buffy stopped. "This is your last chance to walk away."
Spike grinned. "Bring it on, Slayer."
The fight was long and brutal. When Spike realized Buffy was serious, he slipped away into the night. She leaned over her knees and spat out a mouthful of blood. When she caught her breath, Buffy headed back inside.
Willow and Giles were talking when Buffy entered the room, and Buffy swore silently at the look in her eyes as Willow crossed the room. Willow stopped close to Buffy, frowning, then reached for her bicep. She pushed Buffy into the bathroom and sat her on the edge of the tub. Giles followed them in, and handed Willow a damp washcloth. He reached under the sink and pulled out a first aid kit, laid it open on the counter beside the sink.
Nobody said anything until Buffy's injuries were tended. Then Buffy looked past Willow to Giles. "It was Spike," she said softly.
"Did you stake him?"
"He got away." Buffy looked at the floor, anywhere but at Willow.
"I'll let security know," Giles said. He felt the tension between the girls and wanted out before one or both of them erupted.
Willow cupped Buffy's chin in her hand and pulled her gaze upward. "Are you all right?" she asked softly.
"I'm sorry, Will."
"Are you all right?" Willow repeated.
Buffy closed her eyes long enough to inhale and exhale. She opened her eyes and nodded. She didn't know how to explain to Willow anything about Spike.
Willow's hand dropped to Buffy's shoulder. "I got you a snack. You're always hungry after patrol. So I got cookies. And cocoa. No marshmallows in yours. Or mine. No marshmallows at all."
"Will." Buffy took her free hand.
"Maybe we can get some."
"Will."
"There's stores, right? No 7-11s or anything but a supermarket."
"Will, stop."
"I could feel you, Buffy. How he made you feel." Willow looked at Buffy. "I'm sorry you hurt like that and I didn't see."
"You were a little busy."
"Please don't let me hurt you."
Buffy tugged Willow onto her lap. "You won't."
"We thought Spike couldn't, either. How can he do this to you? Isn't the chip working?"
"I don't know. It doesn't work on me." Buffy watched Willow think for a few moments. "You said we have cookies."
"Uh huh. Two kinds," Willow answered distractedly.
"Cool." Buffy stood up, lifting Willow easily. "Chocolate chip? She asked hopefully.
"With nuts." Willow rested her head on Buffy's shoulder as they crossed the room.
Buffy sat in the chair closest to the two plates of cookies with Willow still on her lap. She reached around the redhead to pull two cookies off one of the plates. "Mmm, good," she said around a mouthful of cookie.
Willow reached out and pulled two mugs to where they could reach them. "Did Giles tell you about the prophecy?"
"No more shop talk. Eating." Buffy reached for more cookies. Willow giggled, and poked Buffy in the ribs. The blonde squirmed. "Will," she whined.
"Fine." Willow tried to stand, but Buffy held her down.
"I like you right here."
"Buffy, let me up."
"Nope." Buffy tossed the last cookie back onto the plate and nuzzled Willow's neck. "You stay right here. So. I. Can. Do. This." She kissed her way to Willow's lips.
They sat in the chair and kissed. They ignored the phone when it rang. It stopped, and when it started again, Willow pulled away. She picked up the receiver. "We're not here, leave a message," she said, and dropped the receiver on the floor. She squirmed until she straddled Buffy, took her face in her hands and returned to kissing her.
Buffy's hands slid under Willow's shirt, moved up and down her back, sometimes clutching Willow tighter against her. They broke for a moment, both breathing hard.
"I don't want to stop," Willow said hoarsely.
Instead of answering, Buffy pulled Willow against her again.
All of their desire couldn't overcome their mutual tiredness, and they fell asleep in the chair, wrapped around each other. Buffy woke a couple hours later and moved them to bed without dislodging
Willow.