Chapter 38

“Well, as soon as she IS found, I want to see her” Sweet said

“Yes Daddy…anything else?”

“Um…move Spike’s Monday appointment to nearer lunchtime please…and phone him personally to tell him, as he’s not in the office”

“Right – now, Rack’s funeral – who’s going to arrange it?”

“His wife, I suppose”

“His WHAT – hell, I didn’t know he was married!” Lorne said shocked.

“Very little know fact. I think really it was a ‘marriage of convenience’ – he was very young – only 18 or 19, it was to stop this student being deported – Swedish or Danish she was…her name was Inge. They never got divorced – his mother is still alive too, and he had siblings”

Lorne was surprised.

There was a loud thump from upstairs, and they both looked up at the ceiling.

“Dru’s up with Cecily I presume” Sweet said, and Lorne nodded, then he said,

“She was a little upset about Rack, - they dated briefly”

“How is she coming along – is she being good and taking her medicine?”

“Oh yes”

“And she’s being a ‘GOOD’ girl, by that I mean she’s not indulging in any drug taking – other than that prescribed”

“Well, she’s not had anything from me – she was talking about going on a little holiday”

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea – let me see……………” Sweet perused his desk diary.

“Hmm…okay, look, I’ve got to be away overnight next Thursday – I’ve invited the accountant out to dinner – on the boat, which incidentally I must get you to sort that out, I want it sailed to the Florida keys, I’ll fly out to it, then when I’ve finished my business, you can bring the girls for the weekend”

“Okay…is there anything else?”

“Don’t think so…oh, is my photograph hung yet – the one I had from Spike for my birthday?”

“In you office, behind your desk”

“Good, I’d like for Spike to see it when he sees me on Monday – I did tell you to-”

“Yes, yes. I’ll change the time and tell him personally”

“Okay then…11.10 – coffee time I think Lorne” Lorne stood and said

“Yes, Daddy,” and left the office. Out in the hallway, he met Dru coming down the stairs.

“Hello Shortcake…how’s the invalid?”

“She’s okay, she said something about her medicine?” Dru said

“I’m just making coffee, I’ll bring it up after, okay?”

Dru nodded, she was transfixed by what she’d just read on Lorne’s notebook.

Lorne had written in capitals ‘Daddy away overnight Thursday – get Carlos to sail boat to Florida Keys’

“Dru…Dru – hello, you still there, baby?” Dru had been ‘miles away’ thinking, she’d be able to put her plan into practice on Thursday…………

“Hmm – What – sorry?”

“You want some coffee?”

“Oh, um…no thanks, poor Cecily can’t have any yet, the smell makes her wild so I won’t”

“Well, just you go back up and I’ll bring up her meds when I’ve taken Daddy his latte, okay?”

Dru nodded. Inside she felt excited, with Daddy away on Thursday, she’d be able to put her plan into action………

                                                        ***********

Having set the temperature just right, Buffy tipped her head back and let the warm water cascade over her breasts. She saw Spike’s shadow and then he opened the door and climbed in the shower with her.

“Hmm…just right………” Buffy shifted so Spike could wet himself, and then she reached for the shower gel, squirted a blob out onto her hand and rubbed them together, then she ran her soapy hands up his chest and over his shoulders. Spike pulled he close and began to kiss her.

“Hmmmm…we’re not going to get very clean………doing…hmmmmmmm…ooohh!” Buffy melted into his tight embrace

“Any objections?” Spike murmured, roving kisses over her neck and breasts

Buffy shook her head and winding her arms around his neck, she wrapped her legs around his waist, pausing only to impale herself on him. Gasping, he took her hard and fast against the shower wall. Buffy swiftly came with a sharp cry, Spike quickly followed, and she felt him flood her with his cool essence and she relaxed her legs. The water had begun to run cool, so they quickly showered themselves clean and wrapped in warm fluffy towelling robes, and then they went back into the bedroom.

“Are you hungry, Kitten?”

“Starving!”

“Well…I know this great little place in the village for brunch…then I thought we could do some shopping, I could get us a couple of nice juicy steaks for dinner – we could have a nice bottle of wine, and stay in – what do you say?”

“I think, for a Saturday night in, it sounds the best plan ever!” Buffy said grinning, then added,

“But, we might want to put the hospital on stand-by, if you’re cooking…”

She looked up from pulling on her little camisole top to see Spike bearing down on her quickly from the other side of the room, he’d got a glint in his eye and he said,

“You wait…” Buffy had been fumbling with a little cardigan, shrieked and threw it at Spike and scrambled over the bed giggling.

“SPIKE! – No, Spike – I’m sorry………oh I didn’t mean it!”

“Come here little girl…do you want to know what I’m going to do when I catch you?” Buffy found herself corned and she grinned and turned to face him

“Big Bad Spike’s coming to get you!”

“Oh yeah? Well…I know Big Bad Spike’s weak spot………” Buffy gave him a sexy look, leaving her tongue in the corner of her mouth.

“Oh yeah?” Spike grabbed her and began to tickle her, reducing her to a squealing, giggling heap, before he scooped her up and threw her on the bed.

They began to kiss and suddenly Spike leaned up and said,

“You’re hungry, I mustn’t start – OOOOHHHHHHHHHH!”

“There…that’s your ‘weak spot’ Big Bad Spike…wanna show me just how Big and Bad he can be, huh?” Buffy had reached down and cupped his manhood, and gave it a gentle squeeze and rub, next she hooked her leg behind him, pulling him down towards her……………and despite having only just made love in the shower, they were both eager again…

“And THAT’S what you get for being cheeky!” Spike said, cuddling her up.

Buffy just stuck her tongue out at him and said,

“Well, put that on account for next time…did you say something about brunch – I could eat a horse!”

“Well, it’ll have to be lunch now………did you want to go out this evening pet?”

“Oh no! I want to do just as you said, and I love your cooking, I was only teasing…and look what it got me – another ravishing!”

She leaned over and kissed his nose.

“You get dressed then baby, I must make a quick phonecall to the office – I want to know the viewing figures for last night”

Buffy dressed and came out of the bathroom.

Spike ended the call he was trying to make.

“Every where’s busy, the switchboard, my office, even Cordy’s private cell phone”

“Well, I suppose they’re all tied up with this Rack dying thing”

“Yeah – OH F- HELL!” Buffy saying ‘tied up’ reminded Spike of what he’d done to Glory, and how he’d forgotten to let anybody know…he had meant to phone the station anonymously, but it had gone clean out of his head………

“What, what is it baby?” Buffy looked worriedly at Spike

“Hmm? – Oh, don’t worry, it’s-“ His cell phone rang and he answered it.

“Hello – oh hi Cordy, I just tried to call you”

“Yeah? Well it’s chaos here – boy did you pick the right time to have a couple of days off!”

“So, is Sweet in?”

“Yeah, he’s sacked Glory – a researcher called Cassie Newton came in and told him all what Glory had planned, how she wanted to ruin Buffy’s career, so he sacked her, he said if she went to the papers or media, he’d have her exposed as a fraud – all the stunts she used to pull, and he also said he’d make sure she’d never get work from here to New York…so she’s gone quietly”

“You saw her then, she seemed ok – I mean apart from being sacked”

“Oh yes, I came up to the office with her in the elevator………she looked like she hadn’t slept any, she was a bit dishevelled but she looked her normal, evil self, why?”

“Oh, no – um, no reason………did she say anything about me – I ruined her show”

“Cassie told me all about it – WHAT a bitch! But Glory didn’t speak to me. Um, was there a fight or anything…did Xander get punched?”

“Xander, no why – he and Harm came back to mine after the show, he was perfectly alright then, why?”

“Oh, well he had this big bruise on his forehead, he said he slipped in the bathroom this morning…must be true then – no matter, oh, did you get the message from Lorne yet?”

“No, what’s that?”

“He said he’d phone you. The meeting with Sweet on Monday, he said to make it 11.30am instead of nine”

Spike grinned at this, and said,

“Great…I always knew Sweet didn’t know that 9am existed – anyway Cordy, must run pet, I’m taking my best girl out to lunch” Buffy smiled at him and Spike ended the call.

“Everything okay baby – I thought it looked like you’d suddenly remembered something before the call”

“Oh, no, everything was okay”

“Good, so what were they, any good?”

“Was what any good, Kitten?”

“The ratings –the viewing figures”

“Hell! I forgot to ask…but, want the good news?”

“Go on”

“Sweet’s sacked Glory – Cassie went in and told him all what she was going to do, and he sacked her, and he also said if she tried to go to the papers or anything, he’d see to it that she never worked in America again!”

“WOW – he’s actually sacked her………”

“Don’t worry about it kitten, she was heading right off the rails anyway, she was getting idea’s above her station – it would have happened sooner or later – now come on pet, else it’ll be afternoon tea we’ll be having instead of lunch, we already missed brunch!”

                                                                ******

Xander turned over and looked at the clock, it was ten to eight. Thinking it would probably be prudent to get into the office early, especially as Spike was out he carefully got up out of bed so as not to disturb Harmony who was fast asleep still.

He went into the bathroom and got his stuff out for shaving. He needed a new blade, and fumbling with the little plastic tray trying to slot a new blade in, he flipped up the whole thing and they landed in the bin. Reaching to retrieve it, Xander pulled out a small box by mistake. Not realising this until he stood up, he read,

‘Clear Blue’ the quick easy one-step pregnancy test’ he blinked at the box, thinking this isn’t my spare blades, when two words leapt out at him…

Pregnancy Test…he stared at it for a couple of seconds, and then it hit him.

“PREGNACNY TEST – OH FU-………………………”

Knees’ buckling, Xander landed in a heap on the floor, banging his head on the sink.

The loud thump woke Harmony, and she turned over and found herself alone in bed, she got up and went to the door and called out,

“Pookie…POOKIE – is that you…Pookie bear…where are you?”

“Baby………what was that thump - OH MY GOD POOKIE!!”

She knelt down and tried to rouse him.

“Baby! Come on sweetness…are you okay – oh my darling…ooohh…did you slip – oh” Looking in his right hand, Harmony saw the pregnancy test kit box, and she bit her lip.

Xander groaned.

“Baby…come on, let’s sit you up…can you…there…that’s it, lean against the bath…I’ll get a cold wash-cloth…” She got a clean cloth out of the cupboard and after wringing it out in cold water she gently placed it on his forehead.

“Ow – ouch, ooooohhhhh my head!” Xander groaned

“Oh poor, poor Pookie!”

“Harm – Harmony…are you…oh god, I mean are you…”

“No Pookie, I’m not pregnant”

Xander opened his eyes, and reached for her hand.

“Are you okay babe?”

“Me – it’s you that’s got the bang on the head, I’m fine…what happened?”

“I dropped my blades in the bin by mistake, and found this”

“I’m sorry…I didn’t mean for you to-“

“Hey, it was a shock, that’s all”

“Can you stand up…come on, let’s get you back into bed”

“No, I’ll be okay…Spike’s out, and with Rack dead, the place will be swamped with reporters and that, I’ve got to go in” Xander shakily got to his feet. He held onto the sink for balance. Harmony looked worried.

“Are you sure you should babe, that’s a nasty bruise you’ve got coming up”

“I’ll be okay, I’ve got some Advil in the cabinet”

“Okay, look, I’ll get some coffee on, and I’ll drive you in”

“You sure, you could just go back to bed”

“I wouldn’t dream of it” Harmony said, already out in the hall and halfway to the kitchen.

“There you go baby…” Harmony placed a glass of water and two headache tablets in front of Xander, then a mug of black coffee.

“Thanks babe…um, Baby”

“Yes?”

Xander leaned forward and took her hand.

“Have you been worrying over being, well thinking that you were pregnant?”

Harmony looked into her coffee mug, and then up at Xander.

“No, well not, not really. I just thought that, well, I’ve been feeling sick a lot lately, and my jeans have got tight, I mean really tight, I had to use a coat hanger to do my favourite pair up the other week…my monthlies have always been, well erratic…it was just an idea I got…”

“You don’t eat that much – perhaps it’s an allergy – wheat or dairy”

“Could be. I’m sorry Pookie, I didn’t mean for you to see it”

“Promise me something” Xander said, still holding her hand

Harmony nodded, and Xander gently pulled her to come across and sit on his lap.

She softly stroked the hair from his forehead and placed the softest kiss on his bruise.

“Never be worried to tell me things, will you?”

“Things?”

“Well, anything that you’re worried about. We’re a couple, and well, we’re in this together, aren’t we? – What I’m trying to say is…………I love you baby” 

Harmony let out a squeal and threw her arms around his neck

“Oh Pookie – I love you too!”

“Um…ow?”

“Oh god, sorry, sorry baby!” Harmony had forgotten about his big bruise

Xander cuddled her up.

“I should have said sooner”

“It’s okay – it’s brilliant………I’m so happy!” They both sat there for a while just basking, when the phone rang.

“That’ll be the office, I bet”

“I’ll just go and get dressed” Xander said, leaving Harmony to take the call.

“I’ll tell them we’re on our way” Harmony said.

“Hello………oh hi Cordy…………will he, yes, I know he’s out, we’re just on our way…okay, bye”

“She said Sweet will be in at ten, and could you go in as Spike’s out, I told her were on our way”

                                                        *********

Glory looked through the spy-hole in her front door, and saw I was one of the doormen from one of the clubs she used to frequent that she’d hired to find and beat up Willy for her.

“What do you want?”

“I want you to open this door”

“Look…I’m not in the mood for this, have you found him yet?”

“That’s what we want to talk about”

“We, who’s this ‘we’?”

“Me”

“And me”

“Me too” Glory heard three different voices, and she swallowed

“Just a minute………I’m not dressed – I won’t be long!”

Thinking fast, Glory half wondered whether to try and jump out of the window and leg it………but she need her stuff, so she went into her bedroom, bundled the case off bed and stuck it in the wardrobe out of sight.

She answered the door, letting the four huge guys in.

She gave them a bright false smile.

“Now, gentlemen…what is there to discuss?”

“Our fees for a start………so far, it’s us that’s done all the work, for no recompense”

Glory tried to keep her anger in check

“Look, guys… I ask you to do one simple, tiny little thing, to find a simple barman, to rough him up a little, and bring him to me. Have you done this?” She looked at them expectantly. The four guys shuffled a little uncomfortably, glancing at each other, and then they either said no, or shook their heads.

“No. So exactly what am I PAYING YOU FOR?” her anger suddenly got the better of her and she screamed the last few words at them.

“I work nights, instead of sleeping, I’ve been out looking for him, we’ve put feelers out, asked questions” The guy whinged.

“And you expect me to pay you, when you have no proof of this?”

“But I HAVE!” The guy said indignantly, to which Glory said angrily,

“Well, you’ve been looking and asking in all the wrong bloody places! God! Okay, look, forget it – just forget I ever asked you to find him!”

“Fine, but we still want half of what you said you’d give us, it’s only fair” Another guy said.

The other three guys looked at him annoyed, but he reasoned that they hadn’t actually done the job, and half was better than nothing. The guy that Glory spoke to first spoke again.

“Okay, that’s fair, half”

“You’ll have to come – tomorrow – I’ve no cash on me”

“Tonight, I don’t trust you”

“Well, tough. Tomorrow, or nothing”

“Don’t renege on us, Miss Benson”

She didn’t let the guy threaten her she just said,

“You know where the door is, you can see yourself out”

The four men left and after lighting a cigarette, Glory ordered herself a cab and went into the bedroom and began to finish packing……...huh, if those stupid lugs thought that she was going to pay them for doing fuck all, well, they were more stupid than she thought in the first place……………

                                                        *********

Harmony lay in bed thinking. Would it have been so terrible if she had of been pregnant? – She was 25, 26 in a few months…time was marching on – so many singers she knew ‘put off’ having families and relationships for their careers…

Anya for one – Carly, that Australian singer – she might look like a moppet, but she was kicking 40 now, and leaving it a little late for having kids…Kids. Children. Offspring. Progeny – they drove her mad when she’d done the Christmas video…but it would be a baby first...a tiny sweet little baby that okay, would grow up – but your own are different, aren’t they?

Xander rolled over and cuddled her up

“Pookie………baby…hey Xander…are you awake?”

“Hmm – wha – what’s up?”

“I was thinking” Harmony said, matter of factly. Xander snuggled up, without even opening his eyes.

“What’s that poppet…………”

“Let’s get married”

“Okay…anything you – WHAT?” Xander sat up – suddenly wide-awake.

“But Ithoughtyounsaidthatyouweren’t!” Xander garbled, scrabbling for the lamp, he switched it on.  

Harmony also sat up, adjusted her pillows and looked at him.

“What?”

“You know, preggers!” he squinted at her in the light.

“I know, and I’m not – I just thought well, I love you, and you love me…and well, we’d get engaged first, obviously………but it would give me – US some stability”

“Yes…but well…what’s the urgency?”

“There isn’t…I mean eventually” Harmony said, smiling

Xander yawned and scratched his head………he glanced at the clock, and saw it was 3.10am.

“I thought that we could move in together – I mean, we practically do anyway, but make it official, see how we get on while I do my tour, then next summer get engaged”

“Live together first? – I could go for that…so we’d be sure…before we took any…big steps” Xander said. He was going to say ‘drastic’ at first, but he didn’t want her to think he didn’t love or care for her, it was just, well…a bit soon? Harmony smiled and nodded.

“Okay…(he turned off the lamp, lay down and cuddled her up) what’s up pet, can’t you sleep?”

“No, I wasn’t tired…but I am now”

Soon Harmony was softly snoring, leaving Xander fully awake…Marriage. Getting hitched…the old ‘Ball and Chain’…he hadn’t had a very good example set him with his parents…Suddenly he was struck by an awful thought **OH GOD – MY PARENTS – SHE’LL WANT TO MEET THEM!**  Xander didn’t get much more sleep that night………………

                                                        **********

Monday Morning.

Spike and Buffy spent an idyllic weekend, mostly making love, only stopping to eat when they were hungry – listening to music, talking and really just enjoying each other’s company. Buffy had also written to her father, and suggested a meeting on ‘neutral’ territory.

All too soon Monday morning came around.

“What time’s your meeting with Sweet?”

“It was changed to 11.30, Lorne phoned me Saturday morning and told me – I think you might have been in the shower”

“Well, he isn’t going to sack you, that’s for sure – not after what you did on Friday with that tribute show!”

Spike just grinned and winked.

“Six and a half million – with another two million after the first commercial break – what did they say, the highest viewing figure EVER for a single show on that cable network?” Buffy said brushing her hair.

Spike pulled up his jeans, and did the belt up, he was grinning.

“Something like that, yeah. Are you going to record today?”

“Uh huh…that song ‘Wishes’”

“I’ll try and get to see you, but well, you know how it is, I don’t know how long this meeting is going to be with his holiness!”

“That’s okay, I think Ford is busy first thing anyway – I’ll just hang around the office with Cordy, catch up on all the gossip!”

“Okay pet…ready?” Buffy nodded and they left the house.

                                                        **********

“HEY! Here they are! And here’s the hero of the hour! – No wonder you need sunglasses…I bet you two haven’t seen daylight all weekend!” Cordelia teased. Buffy blushed and Spike grinned, taking off his glasses and hooking them down his shirtfront.

“So, is the Lord and Master in, is he?”

“For the last twenty minutes, would you believe, and you can go straight up if you like – he said”

“Right – so – how was the date – did this 007 of yours have any ‘special gadgets’ to show you?” Spike asked Cordy, who blushed beet red, and grinning she swatted him on the arm.

“Shut up! Im not telling YOU!”

“Don’t worry baby, she’ll spill to me – come on Cordy – coffee time, help me catch up on all the gossip!”

“Buffy – Mr Carl –I mean Spike - hello!”

“Hi Cass – no problems fitting in I see!” Buffy said smiling

“Oh, hi Cassie – how are you liking the new job?” Spike grinned at her too

“It’s fantastic – the girls upstairs are SO envious of me!”

“Will you be okay if I………” Cordelia pointed upwards, meaning she wanted to go to the café.

“Sure, don’t rush back – you can leave things to me. Want me to start cataloguing those photo-files?” Cassie asked, and Cordelia grinned

“Would you – that would be great!” She left the office and said to Buffy,

“Spike is a genius – Cassie cataloguing photo files – a job I HATE! – She is a little god-send!” The two girls grinned at each other as they made their way for coffee.