Summary: Two years after the battle at the end of "Not Fade Away", Buffy's still in Rome. An unexpected visitor shows up bringing even more unexpected news.
Author's Notes: Inspired by and writtern for calturner.
Rating: NC-17
"Giles."
"Buffy?"
"Yeah. Any news?"
"Which news, exactly, are you hoping for?"
Buffy sighed into the phone. "Vampire lackey? Senior Partner minion or not? I've been back to that demon bar looking for him so many times they're starting to shout 'Slayer' like I'm Norm whenever I walk in."
"Norm?"
"You know. From that old sitcom?" There was silence at the other end. "So," Buffy continued. "You were about to give me news."
"Actually, I don't know much more than the last time we spoke. As you discovered while, um, 'interviewing' various demons, it looks as though the vampire Antonio was told to leak the information that Spike was in Rome . We've managed to confirm that."
"Right. But who did the telling?"
"I could find no further information."
"Then I'll have to just keep looking for him. I want to know why he found me to tell me where Spike would be. A vampire tipping me off out of the goodness of his unbeating heart? It just doesn't add up." Buffy sat down on her couch. She took a deep breath. "And any other news?"
She could practically feel Giles's hesitation. "Giles?" she prompted.
"Buffy. It's been nearly a month."
"I know exactly how long it's been. That's not what I asked."
"I don't know what you want me to say."
"I want you to tell me if your people in L.A. have heard anything."
"Buffy, you did the right thing." His voice was low and his tone fatherly.
"But you know I was hoping for the right thing for me too. And this doesn't feel right at all." She scrubbed an eye with the back of her hand, frustrated with her useless tears. "I know I was being all mature and selfless and stuff, but he was supposed to come back, Giles. Why hasn't he come back?"
"Maybe there are things he must do. Or maybe--and I know you don't want to hear this, Buffy--he's decided he's where he wants to be."
Buffy bit her lip. She knew where Giles stood on the whole Spike thing. She couldn't get mad at him for wanting to protect her. Well, maybe a little mad. "Why do I bother talking to you about this?" she asked.
"I've asked myself that many times. Most likely because I care for you and I want what's best for you. And you know that."
"But Giles," Buffy said quietly, "what's best for me is Spike."
Giles sighed, the sound like wind blowing across the phone line. "I know."
"I'll call if I find Antonio," she said.
"I'll be waiting to hear from you."
Buffy hit the off button on the phone and checked her watch. Happy hour. Time for another visit to The Dirty Cup. And yes , Buffy thought as she stuck a couple stakes in her jacket pocket, that does sound a hell of a lot better in Italian .
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"Slayer!" the bar's clientele yelled as Buffy walked through the door. She held up a hand in greeting and approached the bartender.
"Was he here last night?" she asked the green scaly demon pouring drinks.
"Told you I'd call if he came in, Slayer."
"Yeah, so you did. Did he come in?" she asked again, her voice hard.
"Actually," the bartender said, blinking his three eyes furiously, "he did come in. I, uh, lost your phone number."
Buffy narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you tell him I was looking for him?"
"Now why would I do that? He'd run for sure. But I did tell him that there was some hot chick coming in here nearly every night, looking for a, um, bite."
Buffy leaned across the bar. "And he bought that?"
"Said he'd be back tonight." He panicked a little when she grabbed him by his silk shirt. "Honest, Slayer! Here! Have a drink and wait him out."
She let him go and he quickly poured a whiskey for her. The smell of it reminded her of Spike. Hell, everything reminded her of Spike. She glared at the bartender and took her drink over to an empty table to wait.
Buffy sipped the whiskey and thought about the last twenty-three days. They'd been long. Lonely. Even though she'd been in her apartment alone for several months before Spike had appeared, it had never felt as empty as it did right after he left. She hadn't talked with anyone except Giles. Part of her hoped to tell everyone the good news--at least as she saw it--when Spike came back. Another part of her didn't want anyone pitying her if he didn't.
Buffy finished her drink and signaled the bartender for another. He brought it to her himself. "He just came in the back," he hissed at her after placing the glass on the table.
"Who now?"
"Slayer!" the bartender said disapprovingly. "Antonio! The vamp you're so hot to 'talk' to?"
Buffy placed her hands on the table and pushed herself up from the chair. She'd forgotten to eat again, so the whiskey was making her feel a little fuzzy. "Where?" she asked.
"He's sitting at the bar."
Buffy nodded at the bartender and pushed past him. She saw Antonio slouching on a stool and stepped up next to him.
"Looking for me?" she asked.
He looked at her, startled. "Slayer! No, no. I was looking for no one!"
"Is that right?" Buffy asked. "Then you've got some time on your hands to talk to me. Outside. Now."
The vampire glanced around the room quickly, looking for an escape. Buffy grabbed him by the arm and poked a stake into his back. "Easy way or hard way, buddy," she said. His shoulders slumped and he didn't resist as she propelled him to the door.
Once they were outside, Buffy shoved him from her. "Talk," she said. "Who told you to leak that Spike was in Rome ? And why did you then tell me where to find him?"
Antonio held his hands up in front of him. "I cannot say," he said nervously.
"I have a stake here that says you can."
"No, no! You do not understand! He will kill me."
"He?" Buffy narrowed her eyes, all fuzziness gone. "He who?"
"I cannot--I will not tell you, Slayer. I cannot betray him so."
"Then I'll just kill you myself," Buffy said, raising her stake.
Antonio fell to his knees on the pavement. "Per favore , signorina ! He is mio angelo ..."
" Your Angel?" Buffy said, shocked. " Angel told you to have Spike beat up?"
"I hear tales--he is your angel as well, no?"
Buffy started pacing in front of the kneeling vampire. "No! He hasn't been my Angel for years. Yeah, he'll always have a place in my heart--first love and all--but why the hell is he messing with my life now? I mean, I haven't seen him in forever , the stupid vampire."
"Vampire?" Antonio asked, looking confused. "No, you did not know? He is no vampire."
Buffy stopped moving and stared at him. "He's not a vampire anymore?"
Antonio got off his knees and dusted his trousers off. "You were his amore and you did not guess?"
"I told you I haven't seen him in years!" Buffy said, exasperated.
"This is not what I hear, signorina . The Immortal, he is seen with you mere mesi --months--ago."
"Wait," Buffy said, holding up a hand. "You're talking about the Immortal ? Marco. Not Angel?"
"The Immortal is my angel," Antonio said, looking like a lovesick puppy. A lovesick puppy Buffy had an uncontrollable urge to kick.
"Marco wanted you have Spike beaten up? Why? My God, I haven't seen him in at least six months! What is with these jealous supernatural guys?"
Antonio looked around them quickly. "That the Immortal wanted this, I did not say."
"Fine. Whatever," Buffy said. "But why did you come and tell me where they were taking him--Spike?"
"I know nothing of this," Antonio told her, trying to look innocent.
"You. Came to me. And told me to go find Spike at the Spanish Steps."
"No. I would never do such a thing." He looked around again and then leaned in closer to Buffy. "Not even if the Immortal, he show me no love in return, just use me and toss me, crumpled, aside. Or if I discover you, the Slayer, would hunt me down and uccidalo --kill me--for my part in the death of your William the Bloody."
Buffy took a step back from him and looked around as well. "O- kay ," she said, not sensing anyone. "So you wouldn't know where Marco was right now, seeing as you would never betray him and all that, right?"
"I would not," Antonio said, raising his chin. "As I would never tell you, Slayer, he is at l'hotel Eden sopra Via Ludovisi ."
"Just so we're clear," Buffy said wryly.
" Sė . We are, as you say, clear?"
"As less murky mud," Buffy said. "Thanks for--nothing?"
Antonio made an exaggerated, sweeping bow. "It is my pleasure, signorina . I leave you now." He turned to go.
Buffy's head snapped up. "Antonio?" she called to him. He stopped and faced her, a smile on his lips. "So I'm clear , no offense," she said as she threw a stake directly into his heart. "Just doing my job." His expression was shocked as he crumbled to dust in front of her. Buffy walked through the cloud before the night breeze swept the rest of him away.
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As Buffy walked home, she debated about what she should or shouldn't do with the information Antonio had given her. Why would Marco want Spike beaten? Should she go to the Hotel Eden and confront him? But what good would that do? It would make her feel good to do a little rearranging of his pretty face... Suddenly Buffy thought about what Spike had said when she'd told him she'd ended the relationship with Marco. "No woman ever leaves the Immortal," he'd told her. And she'd said, all big with the confidence, "Well, this one did." Buffy sighed. She should know by now, everything had consequences.
No matter what, though, Marco had no right messing with Spike. The idea of beating that into him was starting to grow on her. She stopped walking and waved down a taxi.
Fifteen minutes later, the cab driver dropped her at the entrance to the Hotel Eden. Buffy was striding her way to the front doors when she pulled up short. What was she doing? This wasn't going to bring Spike back to her. In fact, the only things she'd accomplish by beating on the Immortal would probably be getting kicked out of Rome and amassing a whole new army of enemies. That is if she didn't get herself killed in the process. And the whole dead thing? Been there. Done that. Sang in a musical about it. Plus, despite what her head was telling her, in her heart she still had some hope that Spike would come back. And she didn't want to be dead when he did.
Still, Giles had a point, though Buffy would never admit that to him. She knew she should start getting realistic about this. Nearly a month had gone by and she hadn't heard a peep from Spike. She also knew the only way Spike was coming back to her was if Spike chose to come back to her. It was the whole reason she'd sent him away. It was supposed to be like that Sting song. If you love someone, set them free...
So, if Spike already had made a decision, she needed to get on with her life. And moving away from Rome might actually be a really good first step. She looked around at the trash just beyond the entrance to the fancy hotel. It was just so dirty here. And the smells. And she had no friends or purpose, really. Face it, Buffy, she told herself, you're homesick .
Except she really had no home anymore. Spike could have been my home , was the thought that raced through her head. And then she wondered when she'd started thinking about him in the past tense.
She decided to go back to her apartment and call Willow up to have her do one of those Internet search thingies to see what flats in London were going for. Or maybe she'd look into Paris . Buffy had hated French in high school, but being in the actual country could change things, right? Plus, Dawn was there.
She was working out a whole plan in her mind by the time she reached her building. Figuring out the logistics, she slowly climbed the stairs to her floor. The month was almost over and she could break her lease after that. She could store or sell her stuff and she'd go see Dawn. See how university was treating her. Have some sisterly bonding time. Then she could check out London again and the Council headquarters...
She stopped and blinked. A figure sat on the floor next to her door, all black leather and blond hair. He looked up slowly when he sensed her. Buffy held her breath as his face creased into a smile.
"I'm home, love," he said.
Buffy was stunned. Was he real? She took a couple steps and then she was sitting in his lap, wrapping herself around a very solid, very real Spike. She pulled back slightly to see his eyes and touch his cheek. "Yes, you are," she said.
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