Summary: Buffy is a rich princess type, brought up by millionaire parents who care more for their reputations than for her. She meets Spike, an artist who's happy to work different jobs just to make a few bucks here and there. Of course, Buffy's parents don't exactly approve of their daughter's budding romance...How far will they go to stop them being together? And how far are Buffy and Spike prepared to go to do just that?
Hank’s glare across the breakfast table was really making Buffy uncomfortable. There was nobody to deflect it either – her mother was obviously still up in bed with a hangover from last night’s party. Suddenly her dad’s voice broke into Buffy’s worried thoughts.
“So Buffy, feel better after coming home early last night? What was it you said, a stomach ache?”
“Uh, yeah, I just needed some sleep I think.”
“Right. And would that be sleeping alone, or with the bleached menace Günter saw leaving at the crack of dawn this morning?”
Buffy’s eyes widened. Shit. Busted. So much for the exciting plan of standing up to her parents.
“What?” Oh God, that sounded weak even to her own ears. But there was no way she was dragging Spike into her sorry home life. “Dad, Günter hates me. He’d say anything against me just to get into your good books.”
“Don’t think I made it this far in the business world by being stupid, Buffy. I know exactly what you’re doing and I know exactly who you’re doing it with. The people working in this household are not the only ones in this town looking out for my interests. You think I don’t know about this man you’re running around with? This William Giles character?”
“What do you know about Spike?”
“Spike? Is that what he has you call him? Jesus, Buffy. The guy’s a common beggar. He sits in the town square asking for money.”
“He’s an artist dad! He draws peoples’ portraits and he’s brilliant at it. That isn’t begging. That’s talent.”
“Look, I know you’re an adult now, so I couldn’t care less about most things you do. But my career depends on every single aspect of my reputation being perfect. And while you still live under this roof, you are part of that reputation. So when I say this…this thing… you have going on with Giles ends, it ends. And when I tell you to make nice with the son of a business partner, you make nice. And you don’t question it.”
“Like you say, I’m not a child. I don’t have to do what you say.”
Hank lost all pretense of reasoning with her.
“End it Buffy. Or I end him.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“You know how much pull I have in this town. In fact, that’s a lie. You don’t know. I have more influence here than you could ever imagine. You want his father, the librarian, to keep his job? Even that godforsaken house they live in? I can take every single aspect of his life away Buffy, and I’ll do it tomorrow. Unless you end things with him. I think we both know that in the end its better for your precious Spike if you’re the only thing taken away.”
“Even if we did break up, I would never go out with Riley. Never.”
“Forget about the boy for a second, and think about yourself. You don’t have a job. Your grades aren’t brilliant. I own your life, Buffy. You live the life you do because I pay for it. I work, and I pay for it. Not many people have ever experienced as much luxury as you have. So think about what you’ll be giving up if you go against my wishes. I want you to end it with him. Tonight.”
Buffy couldn’t think of a single thing more to say to the man sitting across from her. This was her father? A parent who was supposed to love and cherish her, but instead acted like he owned her? And then she realized - he did own her. She had never bothered to find work. Anything she wanted she got. But that’s because those things could be bought. Now the one thing she wanted desperately above all else was going to be taken away and she couldn’t think of a thing to stop it. She got up from the table without another word and walked unseeingly back to her bedroom.
Okay think. There has to be something. How would she live without Spike? Suddenly a rush of guilt hit her. How could she be thinking about herself? Hank had made it explicitly clear what would happen to Spike, and his father, if they continued to see eachother. He would lose everything. And then she’d lose him anyway in the face of his hatred. Could she tell Spike what Hank had threatened? He probably wouldn’t believe the threats and might even do something stupid; something dangerous.
Oh God. She had to break up with him. It was the only way.
***
“Buffy! ’m glad you could get away. ’ve been looking forward to seeing you all day.” He ushered her in through the door, fighting down his own nervousness at what he was about to do. It was this inner anxiety that prevented him from picking up her own miserable vibes.
“Spike? There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Me too, pet. That’s especially why I asked you over here.”
Oh yeah, he had said something about that this morning. Was it really only this morning that they were lying in eachothers arms without any worries at all? He definitely wouldn’t want to talk to her after she’d broken his heart.
“Okay Spike, you go first.” He nodded and lead her over to sit down on the couch next to him.
“Wait, before you start, where’s Giles?”
“Out playing bridge with his buddies or something. Whatever he does in his spare time that I have no interest in finding out ever.” She nodded, grateful that he wouldn’t be here to witness this.
“Luv, I’ve got you something.” He pulled out a long, thin velvet box from inside his shirt. Oh no. He really had to make this as hard as possible, didn’t he? She didn’t want to open it. Well, that was a lie. She desperately wanted to open it. But whatever was inside that box could only make this more painful, she was sure. He took the choice out of her hands, opening it up so that it faced her. Inside was a lengthy, delicate silver chain with a silver heart dangling on the end. She picked it up and read the inscription on the back.
“B, my heart is now yours – S.”
Deciding to forge on despite her silence, Spike started speaking again. “I know you could have diamonds and gold, or whatever you want Buffy. And I know men like Soldier boy could give you a million and one of these, but it’s the meaning behind it that truly means something in this world. I love you. Everything about you, even the family that’s made you who you are now. Money doesn’t matter if you have love.” He picked up the chain and placed it tenderly around her neck so that it dropped underneath the shirt she was wearing.
How could she be expected to give him up? The answer was, she couldn’t. Not just yet.
Buffy smashed her lips to his in a desperate, needy kiss. She grabbed hold of his shoulders and pulled him towards her, wishing that she never had to let him go. Spike’s initial shock lasted only a second before he was kissing her back passionately. He didn’t notice the tears streaming down her face.
Picking her up, her legs wrapped around his waist, he walked towards his bedroom still attached to her lips. Reaching it finally, he kicked the door closed behind them with one foot. Buffy was tearing his clothes off the second he placed her on the ground, closely followed by her own. She left the necklace on alone.
Spike made to roll on top of her but she pushed him to the bed, straddling his hips and plunging down onto his shaft immediately. His head was thrown back in ecstasy as she rode him, his hands gripping her hips while she pressed her own onto his chest. Suddenly he looked up at her; her face was flushed and her body had a sheen of sweat on it. The necklace dangled between her bare breasts, a symbol of his complete love and utter devotion to her. He reached up with one hand to touch it and she closed his palm tightly around it with her own hand, holding it over her heart.
“I love you too, Spike. I do. So much.”
He smiled widely. “God Buffy, I love you so much.”
Suddenly they were both striving for completion, that moment of pure happiness. Buffy wasn’t sure she’d ever see it with him, her one true love, again. For the first time they reached it together, their shouts of joy mixing to become one.
Spike pulled her down so that she was right next to him, their faces inches apart. He finally noticed the tears rolling down her face.
“Baby, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you? Tell me!” He panicked.
Buffy was in anguish. He loved her and she loved him desperately. What happened to all those clichés? Love conquers all? All you need is love? Not if Hank had his way. But this was Spike. Her hero. That was how she had met him – he saved her. Could he do it again? Or would she ruin him in the process? She wiped the tears out of her eyes and looked up at his anxious eyes. This was going to be hard and there was no way he would take it well, but she had to do it or people were going to get hurt. It was time to get it over with.