A Loss of Pride by Mabel Marsters

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Chapter 27: Out For Dinner

Spike glanced at the far wall of the therapy room. It looked like a long way to him.

“Ready, Spike?” asked Brad.

“As I’ll ever be.”

“Buffy, would you follow behind him with the chair in case he needs it?”

“Yes, Brad,” replied Buffy.

“In your own time then, Spike. If you get tired or feel wobbly just sit in your chair. Don’t push yourself too hard,” said Brad, knowing that the last sentence would fall on deaf ears.

Spike took his feet from the rests on the chair, firmly grasped the metal walking frame and stood up.

“Easy now,” cautioned Brad.

Spike pushed the frame forwards and then followed with his feet, left first and then the right. He pushed the frame forwards again and repeated his actions. Although he still leant heavily on his arms as he stepped forwards, his legs were definitely getting stronger. He now lifted his feet as he went forwards rather than sliding them.

So far, he had never made the far wall before needing to sit down, but he was determined to do it today. Brad had told him that once he could walk the length of the room safely, he could have a frame to use in his room.

Buffy’s heart was in her mouth watching Spike’s progress. She was glad that she was behind him so that he couldn’t see her face. Her face showed a myriad of expressions as he made his way slowly along, from pride, to worry, and pain at how hard everything was for him still. One thing that she knew for sure was that today he would get to that far wall if it killed him.

Spike glanced up at the wall. Sweat was showing on his brow and the veins in his arms bulged with the strain. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Brad watching him anxiously. He knew that Buffy was close behind with his chair. He grinned, made sure that he had his balance and then lifted one hand from the walking frame, reaching out and touching the wall. He rested his palm against it. Finally he’d gotten to the bloody thing. It had taken him two weeks of trying.

“Easy,” he muttered.

“Well done, Spike,” said Brad, “Now sit yourself down.”

Spike looked over his shoulder and smiled as Buffy pushed the chair nearer to him. He lowered himself into it carefully.

“Thanks, pet.”

Buffy walked in front of him and put her arms around him, kissing him and whispering in his ear.

“I am so proud of you. You’re amazing.”

Spike clung to her, as always drawing strength from her love.

“Ahem!” said Brad, though by now he was pretty immune to how openly affectionate they were with each other.

“Sorry, Brad, just giving my man his reward,” joked Buffy.

“Hey, don’t you short change me. You promised a much better reward than that,” chuckled Spike.

“Too much information,” protested Brad, “Go on, get out of here. I’ll see you in the pool later.”

“Thanks, mate,” replied Spike, “So I get to take that thing home with me then?” He inclined his head towards the walking frame.

“You do, that was the deal,” said Brad, “Are you okay to take it, Buffy?”

“Yes, no problem.”

“Just, for God’s sake, watch him with it,” cautioned Brad, “Don’t let him do too much.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

Buffy and Spike made their way back to their room.

“So how do you feel about spending a weekend in our apartment at the Old Hyperion?” asked Buffy.

So far they’d spent a couple of afternoons with Angel at the hotel but they hadn’t stayed overnight.

“I thought that Moira and Brad had to approve it before we could?” replied Spike.

“They do. I thought that we could ask them to come out to check it over on Friday night. I could cook a meal, you know, to say thank you to them.”

Spike raised his eyebrows at her. She slapped his shoulder.

“Okay, we can go out for dinner. Is that better?”

“It’d be safer anyway, pet,” grinned Spike, pushing himself forward sharply to get out of her reach.

“You are such a pig!”

“I know!”

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The first time that Spike used the frame in their suite was another huge milestone that he had set for himself and passed. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror. Who would’ve thought that going to the bathroom could feel like such an achievement?

He sat back on the couch next to Buffy, putting his arm around her shoulder.

“So, are we including Peaches in our little dinner party?” he asked.

“Of course.”

“Hmm.”

“Hmm, what?” asked Buffy, glancing up at him.

“Don’t you think that the fact that he doesn’t eat anything might look a bit suspicious in a restaurant?”

“You ate normal food. So how come he doesn’t?”

Spike ran a hand seductively down his chest and smirked, “That’s because I’m special.”

“’Course you are, babe,” replied Buffy sarcastically with a smile.

“Angel could eat normal food, he just chooses not to. All part of the ‘big broody git, got to pay for my past sins’ guilt trip that he’s got going,” said Spike seriously.

“Really?”

“I dunno,” said Spike with a grin, “Food tastes different when you’re a vampire. Most just don’t like the flavour of anything anymore and don’t see the point since they don’t actually need it to survive.”

“Spike!” said Buffy, giving him a none too gentle push. “I believed you there for a minute. So why did you eat if it tasted different?”

“Well, a couple of reasons really. I did like the flavour of some things, like those onion flower thingies. Mostly it was to make me appear human. It’s a lot easier to get my proper dinner to go outside with me if I could chat them up over a plate of spicy wings. Made me look normal, blend in, you know?”

He looked at Buffy and noticed her grimacing a little.

“You asked, pet. I can’t change what I was.”

“I know,” said Buffy weakly.

Despite being around vampires for years, the thought of them just casually hunting in a bar still grossed her out. The thought that Spike actually chatted up his victims turned her stomach, although that was exactly what he’d done when the First had been controlling him.

“I’m glad that you’re human now,” she said quietly, snuggling in closer.

Spike looked down at her and surprised himself by saying ‘So am I’ before dropping a kiss on her head.

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Angel came to visit that evening. He was delighted to see Spike using the walking frame, but he was careful not to say too much for fear that Spike might think that he was patronising him.

“We’re going to see if we can stay at the Hyperion this weekend,” said Buffy.

“That’s great, but didn’t you say that they needed to check it out first?” replied Angel.

“Yeah,” said Spike, “But Buffy’s got a plan.”

“A plan? What sort of plan?” asked Angel suspiciously.

“Don’t look at me like that,” said Buffy, “It’s a good plan. You like Moira, don’t you?”

“She’s all right, very…efficient,” replied Angel.

“I don’t mean like that. I mean as a woman? She’s attractive, tall, slim, do I need to carry on?”

“Christ! Yeah, she’s nice but what’s that got to do with it?”

Spike chuckled, “’Cause madam, here, fancies herself quite the matchmaker. She wants Moira and Brad to check out the apartment and go out for dinner with us afterwards. She’s going to include Brad’s girlfriend and that leaves you making up the numbers as Moira’s date.”

“A date!” exclaimed Angel.

“It’s just dinner, Angel,” soothed Buffy, “I just thought that it would be nice for us to get together outside of Rosedene.”

“But I don’t eat.”

“Surely you can for one night? It won’t kill you,” said Buffy.

“I dunno, Buffy…” started Angel.

“Oh, come on, you big git. Like she says it won’t bleeding kill you to socialise a bit.”

Angel looked at his friends and could see that they would just hassle him until he agreed, so he might as well give in sooner than later.

“Okay, I’ll come, but you’d better choose somewhere where I can get a rare steak.”

“It’s a deal,” said Buffy triumphantly, “I’ll call you when I book it.”

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On Friday, Buffy and Spike went to the Hyperion at five thirty so that they could make sure that everything was ready for Brad and Moira to inspect. Both were confident that the apartment would be approved and were looking forward to spending time away from Rosedene.

“God, wouldn’t want to try for a quick getaway, eh pet?” said Spike wryly as they stowed a weekend bag, Spike’s walking frame, and wheelchair in the cab.

Buffy smiled and took his hand, “You’ll be back to travelling light soon.”

“It’ll be great when I don’t have to bring the chair along,” said Spike, who had had strict instructions from Brad to use his chair tonight, joking that it would be safer for him if he were going to drink liquor with his meal.

They put their bag and the walking frame in the apartment and then waited with Angel in the foyer for the others to arrive.

Spike had teased Angel about his appearance when he saw him wearing a dark blue suit.

“And just how much gel did you have to use on your hair to get it to defy gravity like that?” added Spike. He laughed when he was rewarded with a low growl.

“At least I know how to dress properly,” retorted Angel, pointedly looking at Spike’s jeans and open necked shirt. “And my hair isn’t radioactive.”

“I’ve got my woman, mate. I don’t need to dress to impress. I do hope that Moira likes men in suits with boring ties.”

Before Angel could reply, Buffy stepped in.

“Oh, for God’s sake, shut up the both of you! You’re worse than children. No more bickering tonight.”

Spike and Angel looked suitably chastened.

“My tie’s not boring,” muttered Angel, looking at it.

Buffy shot him a warning look and then the three of them burst out laughing. Brad walked in, holding the hand of a pretty girl with a rounded figure.

“Has the party started already?”

“Hi Brad, glad you could make it, “ said Buffy.

Brad and his girlfriend walked over to them and he did the introductions.

“Laura, this is Spike. Don’t ask him how he got his nickname - I’ve tried and he won’t tell,” said Brad, “This is his girlfriend, Buffy and this is Angel. Guys, this is Laura.”

A chorus of ‘hi’s’ followed and then introductions were started again with the arrival of Moira. Spike and Buffy exchanged a smile as they noticed Angel straighten his tie as Moira walked in.

They all went through to the apartment where Moira and Brad cast their expert eyes over the accommodations.

“Buffy tells me that you did a lot of the work yourself,” Moira said to Angel.

“Yeah, I got experts to fit the kitchen and bathroom but I did the interior walls myself.”

“Well, I’m sure that Brad will agree with me when I say that you have done an excellent job and that I have no qualms about Spike spending time here.”

“You’re right Moira, it’s faultless in its design,” agreed Brad.

“Thanks,” said Angel, looking a tad embarrassed, “Shall we go to the restaurant now?”

In the end Buffy had chosen one that was within walking distance of the Old Hyperion, to save them all having to drive there. She checked with Angel to make sure that the route to it would be shaded. It was a lovely evening and the walk helped to break the ice and let them get to know each other.

Conversation was easy and the meal was a relaxed affair. Spike was surprised that he didn’t feel at all self-conscious about being in the wheelchair. He wondered if it was because he knew that soon he would no longer need it or whether he’d simply come to terms with it.

As they were waiting for coffee at the end of the meal, Spike headed to use the bathroom after checking that it was user friendly for him. Everyone at the table thought better than to offer to help him and it wasn’t until he’d been gone for ten minutes that they thought that something might be wrong.

“I’ll go and check on him,” offered Brad, knowing that Spike would mind less if he were the one to help him if he’d fallen.

He walked quickly to the bathroom and pushed the door open. The first thing that he saw was Spike’s wheelchair lying on its side.

“Spike!”

He pushed open all the doors of the other cubicles but there was no sign of him anywhere.

“What the hell?”

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