Summary: Spike is Buffy's swimming coach. He has been hateful to her since day one, a fact that hurts her because she is in love with him. Little does she know that his behaviour only serves to hide his own feelings. Tragic circumstances bring them closer together.
Spike felt Buffy’s sobs start to die down as she calmed herself. He gently grasped her chin in one hand and raised her face upwards to look into his eyes. She tensed slightly in apprehension as his thumb softly wiped her glistening cheeks.
“No more tears, okay kitten? I’ll drive you to your mum right now and you’ll still have plenty of time with her, yeah?”
Okay, who the heck was this guy? Because he sure as hell wasn’t her swim coach, the one who didn’t know the meaning of the term ‘pleasant conversation’. But lets face it. A man Buffy had lusted after for two years was holding her gently in his arms, calling her kitten and offering an end to her immediate dilemma – was there really a choice of action? She smiled tentatively at him and whispered, “Thank you. That would really help me out more than anything else right now.”
Spike took hold of Buffy’s hand gently, pulling her up into a standing position and not letting go once as he led her over to his car. She delighted in the way his thumb continuously brushed soft circles on the back of her hand, almost as if he were tracing patterns on it. But she doubted he was really aware of it.
***
Pulling up in a spare car space, Spike glanced over at Buffy. Her head was leaning against the window, her eyes tightly shut. The poor chit must be absolutely exhausted. And I’m not bloody helping matters, running her ragged at practice.
Spike got out of the car and walked round to Buffy’s side, opening the door slowly and cradling her head in his right hand as she leaned over without the support of the window.
“Buffy? Luv, we’re here,” he whispered softly, stroking her cheek with a finger.
“Hmmm? Wha? Coach? Oh God, I’m sorry, I must’ve fallen asleep. I’m just…everything’s so tiring these days.” She pressed her cheek contentedly into the curve of his hand before abruptly realizing what she was doing and jerking away, undoing her seatbelt and climbing out. Making her way towards the hospital’s sliding glass doors, she stared confusedly as Spike who was following.
“Coach? What are you doing?”
“Comin’ to see your mum, pet. What’s it look like I’m doing? And when we’re out of the pool you can call me Spike.”
“Spike. Okay. But I’m fine, really. I can see her by myself.”
“Not about you kitten. ’ve met Joyce a few times m’self, special woman that one. I’d like to visit her if its allowed.”
“Well, yeah…she definitely loves getting visitors. I’m sure she’ll be real pleased to see you.”
Spike smiled genuinely at her and stood back to allow her through the front door first. Buffy’s mind became blank with shock. Partly from his chivalrous actions and partly from the way his brilliant smile made him ten times more handsome. What was going on? The Spike she knew and, sadly, seemed to love, was never this nice. God, if he kept this up it wouldn’t be long before she made a fool out of herself by mauling him and that just wasn’t a good thing.
They made their way towards Joyce, Buffy leading Spike through corridors, up in the lifts and past copious rooms showing she really did know her way around the hospital. Spike’s heart bled just a little bit more for the poor girl dealing with all of this. He knew that her father didn’t live with them – a non-amicable split- and he also knew that Buffy had no siblings. Which meant she was at home, alone. Hmmm. Maybe she was lonely like him. He looked up as they walked into a bland white room where Joyce was laying quietly on the bed, staring out the window.
“Hi Mom! Look, you have a visitor today!” Buffy’s voice was cheerily perky, something that Spike suddenly realized she did to keep Joyce from worrying about her.
“Oh Buffy, its so good to see you honey. Oh! And Mr. Fitzpatrick, how nice of you to come and visit.”
Buffy went on hurriedly. “I’m sorry I’m late today mom, you know the championships are coming up which means more training than usual. But uh, Spike here, well he wanted to come and see how you’re doing so he gave me a lift after.”
“S’lovely to see you again Joyce, although I’m terribly sorry bout the circumstances. And uh, please, call me Spike.”
“Well thank you for coming Spike, and bringing Buffy. I know she just loves being on your team, it means the world to her.”
“Well she’s a very gifted swimmer – definitely the best on the team without a doubt, and I mean that sincerely.” Spike looked at Buffy with a smile, registering her shocked face.
“Oh that’s fantastic! Buffy, really? Oh honey I’m so proud of you!” Buffy just smiled at her mom, still too confused to say anything but feeling immense joy at the way her mother looked so happy.
Was he lying just for the benefit of her mom? From the way he always went on at practice she would have guessed she was the worst on the team. Sometimes she wondered why he even let her stay on, the way he shouted at her. He always had a comment about her technique or was trying to make her go even faster. Okay, now she was really confused.
“Buffy, honey? I’ve got some bad news for tonight. I’ve been lying here doing nothing all day because the doctors have been just flat out but they’re coming to take me in a few minutes for more tests, and I don’t think there’s any point in you staying here honey. I just don’t know how long it’ll take.”
Buffy’s eyes started to fill with tears and her hands clenched the chair arms tightly. Spike desperately wanted to lift her onto his lap and cradle her in his arms.
“No, mom, please…I’ll stay. I don’t care how long it takes, I’ll just wait here.”
“No Buffy, I won’t let you. I hate doing this to you – you have no free time anymore. I really want you to go home and have a nice big dinner, just watch TV or something. Please honey, it would make me feel so much better.”
Buffy looked at the ground, obviously trying to control her emotions at the thought of leaving her mother so soon.
“S’okay Joyce, I’ll take her home safely.”
“Thank you Spike, I’ll be much happier knowing she’s at home resting. Here sweetie, come and give me a kiss goodbye. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? And maybe this round of tests will tell them what’s wrong.”
“Okay mom, I’ll do it if you really want me to. See you tomorrow, ’kay?” Buffy leant over and kissed her mom, followed by Spike who kissed Joyce’s hand. Buffy quickly made her way out of the room before she burst into tears again, something she definitely did not want her mom to see.