TITLE: Faithful One
AUTHOR: Ragna (writinggoddess@aol.com)
RATING: FRT
CLASSIFICATION: Spike/Buffy. Re-writing of "Lovers Walk": the double breakups were amicable, and Xander and Willow stayed together.
SPOILERS: None.
DISTRIBUTION: Sure, just keep my name on it and let me know.
DISCLAIMER: If you don't recognize it, chances are it's my own creation. If you do, Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Kazui Sandollar, FOX and the WB own it or them. I'm just holding Spike, Xander and Oz hostage. You may see them by appointment only. The song is "Faithful One" and is performed by Lili Hayden.
FEEDBACK: Sorry I'm not home right now I'm walking in the spiderwebs so leave a message and I'll call you back...in other words, I want it. Don't care if it's onlist or not.
***
The Bronze had been playing loud music, fast music, all evening. Spike watched as the teenagers flailed around, making fools of themselves. All except one...
She stood apart, a little, watching her friends, the normal people she would one day have to give up her life to protect. She was dancing as well, with some random young man who happened to have asked.
Spike watched and decided he wanted a turn, slowly making his way up to the house DJ requesting a little known song. The DJ nodded when Spike pointed out the girl, the reason he wanted the song played, and took the CD from the vampire's hands.
Turning, Spike approached her, almost afraid. Afraid she would say no, more than anything else. Her friends were off, away from the table where she sat.
"Slayer," he said quietly, the loud dance music still pumping. Buffy looked up in surprise.
"You. What do you want?"
"Just a dance, that's all. Nothing more."
Buffy gave him a quizzical look. "You sure that's all you want? You don't want to kill me or anything?"
"Love, I just want four and a half minutes of your time, on the dance floor. Is that too much to ask?"
Buffy nodded. "You're a vampire; I'm a Slayer. No can do."
"So be it." Spike turned around, hurt.
"Wait." Both of them were surprised, and as the dance song was on it's last minute, Buffy gave him a look. "One song, under five minutes."
Spike smiled, and held his hand out. "I paid the DJ to play a certain song," he said quietly.
At that moment, violins could be heard with a soft guitar in the background. "This song...it sounds sad," she said as he pulled her closer.
"It gets better," he replied as she put her arms around his neck.
"I'm glad." And then, the vocals started, and Buffy concentrated on the words.
"She sounds so sad, but it's beautiful," Buffy mumbled, leaning closer to Spike as they swayed in time to the music.
"It reminded me of you," he said quietly, and felt her head shoot up to look at him.
"Wow, something reminded you of me? I'm surprised."
"I always felt sorry for Job," she said quietly, having been quieted by the lyrics again.
"I suppose he does deserve some pity...but he survived his hardships. Just like you." Spike said, once again surprising the tiny Slayer in his arms.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, not out of fear or concern, but out of curiosity.
"I don't know...it just felt right."
"Wow, this is a deep song," Buffy said.
"But it's very descriptive. And very true."
"Yeah. How many times have you played it?"
Spike laughed a bit, a deep, rich sound. His chest vibrated a bit, and Buffy smiled. "Too many to remember, love. Too many to remember."
During the violin solo that followed, the two had become as close as possible, without even realizing it.
"Whoa...we need space," Buffy said.
"Why?"
"What about Angel? And Dru?"
Spike looked down at her a little. "What about them?"
He bent down and kissed her lips lightly, no more than a brush of his lips against hers. Unsure of how she'd respond, he pulled back quickly. "I'm...sorry, I suppose."
"For what?" she asked as she pulled his head down to deepen the kiss.
They kissed through the chorus, and into the final violin part. Spike, having listened to the song so many times, knew it was almost over. But he didn't care...he was hoping she didn't notice.
The song finally ended. He pulled back. "I suppose my time is up," he said quietly.
Buffy nodded, than shook her head, surprised at his tenderness. "Want an extension?"
He looked at her carefully. "I do, but I need to get my CD back. It's one of the few things I've paid for in the last few years." She nodded and he went back to the DJ booth to retrieve his CD.
She sat down and was glad another slow song played. Waiting, she closed her eyes, and felt a CD case slip under her hands. Opening her eyes, she no longer saw or felt Spike anywhere, but looked down at the CD.
There was a small slip of paper inside. She pulled it out to read it, and smiled.
"Song number six. I suggest you take care of this...I'll get it back in a bit. I'd like to continue the dance, Buffy. When you want to."
She carefully put the CD in her purse but not before Willow, Oz and Xander returned.
"That was a beautiful song. Does anyone know what it was?" Willow asked.
Buffy pulled the CD out. "Faithful One, by Lili Haydn." She looked at them. "It was a nice song, wasn't it?"