Chapter 41

Ten minutes, but what seemed a lifetime later………………

“Will he be okay?” Cecily was shaking like a leaf

“We’ll do our best Miss, it was lucky he fell forward, he would have choked, else”

The two para-medics worked on Lorne, controlling the bleeding, checking his heart and then giving him oxygen.

It was only then Cecily remembered Dru.

The police drew up and several officers came running in.

With the police running all over the house looking for Dru, the ambulance left taking Lorne, who was just about hanging onto life.

“Er, miss…would you come upstairs for a minute please?”

Cecily’s blood ran cold, and she said shakily

“Oh god….oh no, please don’t tell me she’s…”

“We haven’t found her miss, we just need you to explain something to us, if you can”

Shakily, Cecily went upstairs, and the detective moved out of the doorway. Dru’s dressing table had been turned into a ‘shrine’ to Spike.

Photos all over, an old baseball cap, tapes, notes, concert tickets, and Dru had written his and her name on pieces of paper, and covered them with love-hearts and arrows, ‘true love’ and ‘together always’. Most chilling of all, was a photo of Buffy, torn out of a magazine, Dru had drawn blood-dripping daggers and the word ‘death’ all over it. Cecily swayed, she felt sick and dizzy

“Do you know who these people are – this lady especially?” The cop indicated Buffy’s picture.

“Y-Yes, yes I do, that’s Spike, Spike Carling, and that’s his girlfriend, the singer Buffy – I don’t know her last name…Spike used to be with Dru, but it ended years ago…oh god, I thought she was getting better!”

“Better?”

“She’s had, has problems, mental problems, but she doesn’t always take her medicine…” Two detectives spoke, and the one left,

“Have you any idea where these people live, or how we can contact them?”

Cecily’s head swam…

“Erm, Aphrodite…the music studios – they’ll tell you – “

Cecily was led out of the room, when the sudden truth hit her like a ton of bricks…

“Do you…oh god, no…do you think it was Dru who stabbed………oh god………no, please no……NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Cecily collapsed on the floor, sobbing.

The call came through to Cordelia, who’s eyes nearly popped when the police told her what had happened.

                                                        **********

Buffy turned over and faced Spike, who was lying on his back, still asleep.

Smiling, she got a tendril of her hair, and tickled his nose with it. Spike’s nose twitched, and he shifted his head. She did it again, and this time Spike rubbed his nose with the back of his hand.

After a few seconds, she did it again and without warning, Spike quickly grabbed her shouting, ‘GOTCHA!’  - Making Buffy jump and squeal, then collapse into a fit of giggles.

“Little minx! Come here you!” Spike began to tickle her, until Buffy croaked a surrender, exhausted and breathless.

“Your throat sore, Kitten?”

“A bit”

“Poor baby…still, we don’t have to get up yet, we can – oh…shut up and go away – I’m not answering you!” Spike said to his mobile phone, switching off the incessant ringing.

“That might have been important!” Buffy croaked

“What’s so important that can’t wait a couple of hours?”

The landline phone began to ring, and Spike rolled his eyes.

“Aren’t you going to answer that either?”

“The ansaphone will pick it up”

“If you remember to rewind and set it again, that is!”

Still ignoring the ringing phone, Spike leant over Buffy.

“I’ve got FAR MORE important things to do”

Buffy giggled and they began to kiss. Without breaking the embrace, Spike lay down beside her and went to cup her breast, instead he turned angrily and snatched up the phone and barked,

“This BETTER be bloody good! – Now, WHAT the HELL is SO important?”

Buffy watched Spike’s face go from one of anger to pale and wide-eyed shock.

“Wha-what? – She’s WHAT – oh my god, when was – “ suddenly, outside their bedroom window, they heard a revved engine, and a squeal of brakes then the house practically shook and the sound of breaking glass as something smashed into the glass louver doors that led from the lounge to the patio.

Buffy sat up in shock, and Spike said

“WHAT THE HELL WAS…OH MY GOD!”

“Oh Christ – it sounds as if she’s just got here – Quick, Buffy, lock the door!”

“What, Spike what is it, what was that?”

“LOCK THE DOOR!”

“OKAY, okay, I’m locking it, there – what’s going on?” In the distance, wailing sirens could be heard.

“This is the police, (Spike pointed to the phone) Dru’s stabbed Lorne and they think she’s on her way over here…they’ve found a shrine to me in her bedroom…

they think…well, from the look of things, they think she was on her way to harm you”

Spike picked up the phone again and said,

“Yes, I’m here………well there’s a mini sticking out of my lounge, it’s smashed through the glass doors…yes okay thanks” he threw the phone down, and went over to the wardrobe

“Help me babe, just in case!” Together they shifted the piece of furniture and slid it across the doorway

Spike then went and opened the window and looked out onto the scene of carnage below.

Buffy still hadn’t said a word, she sat numb with shock on the bed. The police sirens got louder and louder, Spike could see two squad cars at the back, and could hear more around the front.

He saw two officers get out of each car and run towards the house, drawing their guns as they did so. Spike ducked back inside and turned to look at Buffy.

“Hey…come on pet, police are here now” He put his arm around her and she rested her head against his neck, tears streaming down her face.

Meanwhile, downstairs Dru was slumped over the steering wheel, having banged her head against it knocking herself out.

There was lots of smoke and dust, pieces of glass, plaster and window frame falling about. The four cops, all with their guns trained on her advanced slowly towards the car.

“Okay ma’am…put your hands where we can see them” the one cop said

“I think she’s out cold, Lipinski…let me try the door………it’s no good…it’s buckled in the crash – it won’t open” Another cop went to the drivers door and yanked it open, Dru’s body slowly sagged out sideways – it was only then they saw the knives she had on the passenger seat.

There was much shouting and consternation as to what to do, one cop wanted to leave her there, another two wanted her dragged out – with sirens blaring and then they heard a helicopter overhead . Spike could hear a rapid beeping, then realised it was the phone, and put it back on the hook.

It immediately rang, and the detective told them that they must leave the bedroom, as the house could be in danger of collapsing, as the structure under the bedroom window had been broken.

“Come on Kitten, let’s go” hastily pulling on jeans and tee shirts, They pushed the wardrobe out of the way, and went downstairs. A paramedic immediately put a blanket around Buffy’s shoulders.

“I’m okay…really…what’s happening, Spike – do you know?”

“Would you both like to come with us please” They followed the paramedic out just in time to see Dru being loaded into another ambulance. Neighbours had come out to look, and then Spike saw Xander driving up the road.

He parked up and Harmony flew out of the car to her friend – Buffy covered her mouth and started to sob uncontrollably, a paramedic and Harmony led her to the ambulance – the shock had suddenly hit her.

“Spike – my god, what happened?” Xander came bounding over to his friend

“You tell me…one minute we’re asleep, then the next – all hell’s breaking loose – where’d Buffy go?”

They both walked over to the ambulance.

Buffy declined to go to hospital, she said she just wanted to be with her friends and Spike, of course.

“Mr Carling?”

“Yes?”

“I’m detective Alvarez, I take it you know this woman who crashed into your house?”

Spike sighed and said,

“Yes, it’s a long story………”

                                        **********

Six Hours later

Sweet hated hospitals. He hated the smell and everything else about them – they scared him to death. Cecily was shaking so much she couldn’t walk, she said she’d wait for him in reception.

“Can I see him – please”

“And you are?”

“Cornelius Sweetly – I’m his next of kin”

The duty nurse spoke on the phone for a few seconds, then ended the call.

“I’ve informed Dr Wright that you are here, you can see him for a few minutes”

Sweet, who was all choked up nodded

“Ah, Mr Sweetly, come this way, please” Sweet was led down a corridor by a doctor wearing a white coat, he stopped outside the Intensive Care Unit and gave him a mask to put on, saying that because Lorne had a lung injury, the last thing he needed was an infection.

Sweet swallowed hard and looked at Lorne all hooked up to various machines and monitors, he had an oxygen tube and mask taped to his mouth, a drip in his arm, and heart monitor pads on his chest.

“We managed to arrest the bleeding, and re-inflate the lung, but it was a very close call, he’s a very lucky man to be alive, literally a minute or so longer and he could have bled to death – that and the fact that he slumped forward – if he’d fallen backwards – well, no doubt. He’d have choked”

Sweet nodded dumbly and the doctor left saying he’d give them a few moments alone.

Sweet shuffled up to Lorne and hesitantly reached for his hand. His own fingers cold, but Lorne felt warm. The monitor gave off a regular little beep, and the ventilator made a ‘huffing’ sound as it collapsed and then re-inflated helping Lorne to breathe.

“Oh god Lorne…please don’t leave me” Silent tears dripped unchecked down Sweet’s face…and he wondered what on earth had possessed such a once sweet girl like Dru to do such a thing as to hurt Lorne, his lovely gentle giant.

Dru had been taken to the same hospital, but Sweet didn’t want to see her – When he got back to reception, Cecily wasn’t there.

“She won’t be long, she said she just wanted to see somebody” The nurse informed him, so nodding, Sweetly sat down and waited.

When Cecily went to the private room, there was a policeman outside, and a nurse took her in.

Dru was lying in bed, she had black eyes and stitches in her forehead.

“When’s Lorne coming to bring me home?” Dru asked innocently, and Cecily saw red -

“Wha-what – Dru – DON’T YOU KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU’VE DONE?” Cecily shouted angrily – The nurse said,

“I’m sorry miss, you must leave – I” the cop looked in and opened the door

“This way please miss, the patient mustn’t be agitated in any way”

“Ceccy – tell Daddy to get Lorne!” Dru called

Cecily broke away from the nurse and dived back into the room

“Fucking mad BITCH – you tried to kill him – you nearly KILL- GET OFF ME –he could be dead because of what- put me DOWN! – “ picking up the struggling girl around the middle, the cop put her down in the corridor.

“I’m sorry Miss, but you’ll have to leave – neither of you are in a fit state for visiting”

“Cecily?” Dru looked totally bewildered at her friend’s actions and behaviour, and went to the door, and turned the handle, but it was locked – suddenly Dru began to panic, she HATED being locked in, and began to cry and pull at the door.

Still struggling Cecily was practically dragged down the corridor shouting how she hoped Dru would rot in hell and she never wanted to see her again………

Dru’s world began to spin, and she put her hands over her ears and began to scream, and scream………………………………

“I’m sorry miss, but you are barred from this hospital, we cannot and will not have that sort of behaviour”

“Don’t care I don’t EVER want to see her again…” She turned with as much dignity as she could muster and flung open the double-doors to reception. Sweet stood as soon as he saw her, having heard the debacle.

“Daddy – how’s Lorney?”

Sweet nodded and reached for her hand, and said a little above a whisper,

“You saved him” gasping and choking back tears, they both left the hospital.

Two rather big male nurses entered Dru’s room and descended on her, one with a straight jacket, the other with a loaded hypodermic needle, and it was suddenly all nice and quiet again………

                                                        *****

Eight weeks later

The girls, Buffy, Harmony, Cordelia and Cassie were all wearing Santa hats, decorated with sprigs of holly and mistletoe, and wearing long thick strings of tinsel like feather boa’s around their necks. No work had been done at all, they’d sat around drinking egg-nog and opening presents from each other.

“Well, at least if Noiz are number one, they’re from Aphrodite…” Harmony said philosophically.

“That’s very magnanimous of you! Who’d have thought it, the great American public buying a song called ‘I hate f*cking Christmas!’” Cordelia said, but she was smiling.

“Can we go home yet?” Xander asked. It was Christmas Eve, 2.30pm.

“Not until we’ve seen his lord and master – he wants to give us our presents in person this year – eh up, speak of the devil…oh look who’s with him!” Spike said, seeing their shadows coming along the corridor.

Sweet entered the office with Cecily and Lorne.

“Lorne! – How are you?”

“Oh, you know…I’m okay, I get tired quickly, but hey – still alive!” Buffy and Cordelia led him to the sofa and sat down, and Cecily handed the girls their presents. Sweet took Spike to one side.

“Well Spike…I know you weren’t at the meeting last night, and I kept this information back…here – your Christmas present” He handed Spike an envelope, and he was just about to slip it into his pocket, but Sweet stopped him.

“Open it, you don’t have to give me an answer or anything now, I’ll speak to you in the New Year sometime, only I’ll be in Bermuda or the South of France”

Spike opened up the envelope and his eyes nearly popped

“Oh my god – are you serious?” Spike looked over the share certificate, giving him a 33% share of Aphrodite Music.

“Quite – like I say, you don’t have to give me your answer now, but I figure that well…I owe you at least that – I want you to take over the reins head the Music side for me – I’m retiring, well semi-retiring…this business………well, what’s happened these last few months, made me realise something, and I’ve woken up and smelt the coffee – I’ve got to prioritise what’s important in my life now – having nearly lost it all (he looked across to Lorne and Cecily, then back to Spike) it’ll be down to you, you sign the bands, you sign the cheques…of course, if the profits start to fall, I’ll come and kick your butt from here back to Blighty, but ………” they both smiled at this, then Sweet went serious.

“Her father contacted me you know, Lord Netherbourne. He said to leave her where she is – the Hall Institute will look after her – security there is second to none, she’ll never be let out and, well, if she did ever become well enough, which I doubt, but – she’d be charged with attempted murder – and strangely enough, I don’t think that’s what Lorne would have wanted…”

“Have you seen her?” Spike, like Sweet couldn’t even bring himself to say Dru’s name. Sweet shook his head once

“No, I – I couldn’t bring myself to – Cecily saw her the night of the incident – she didn’t even realise what she’d done, wanted to know when Lorne was coming to take her home – I won’t go see her – ever” Spike nodded and looked across to the girls giving Lorne Christmas kisses, and he smiled

“Well Spike, think on about the offer won’t you”

“There’s no need to think about it – I accept!” They shook hands on the deal, and Sweet said,

“Well, we better cut along – Lorne gets tired, and we still have presents to give out…Merry Christmas everybody!” Everybody wished him Merry Christmas back.

“So babe, what have you got?”

“Well, all us girls got a cute teddy-bear holding a voucher for a $1000 for that swanky new Mall – it can be spent in any of the shops, jewellery or cosmetics – lingerie…”

“Oh yes – I think I should buy you shares in Victoria’s Secret the amount you spend!”

“For your benefit!” Buffy playfully pushed his arm

“Merry Christmas everybody!” everybody looked up to see Anya waving a bottle of champagne in the air, with a grinning Giles by her side.

“…………No Pookie! You are definitely NOT buying cowboy boots with your voucher!” Everyone heard Harmony say, and Cordelia and Buffy collapsed in giggles.

“Honestly – where did I get him from?” Harmony rolled her eyes, and plonked herself down on Xander’s lap.

“So baby…what did Mr Santa bring you?” Buffy slipped her arms around Spike’s neck

“Well…I must have been a very good boy this year, that’s all I can say………”

“Oh yes? – Why?”

“You’re now looking at the head of Aphrodite Music – he’s given me a third share in the company” Buffy arms slipped for a second and she looked at him wide-eyed

“You’re kidding!”

“Nope…he gave me the New Year to think about it, but hell, there’s no need – I’ve already accepted”

“Oh baby! – That’s brilliant!” Buffy hugged him up tightly.

“Oi, Spike, put her down, come and look at this!”

“Oi Spike, Oi Spike? – Is that any way to address your new boss?” Buffy asked smiling

“What?” Xander and Harmony looked up at Spike, as did Cordelia.

“I’m head of Music -!” They all came over and congratulated Spike saying how much he deserved it.

At three o’clock, they left – Buffy and Spike, and Cordelia and Wesley all having been invited over to Harmony and Xander’s place on Christmas evening.

                                *********

“Mr Alphonse Smith…Alphonse – “

“Er, s-sorry, th-that’s me”

“Mr Smith, I have your HIV status test results” The nurse held a folded piece of paper.

“Um, uh huh…” He wanted to turn and run – he was shaking like a leaf, and neither the nurse’s body language nor facial expression gave anything away.

“I um…I don’t know whether to…er”

The nurse took pity on him, and smiled

“Relax, honey – things are never quite as bad as they seem” She gave him a wink, and put the slip of paper on the table in front of him. Slowly at first Al reached for the slip, yanked it open and the word NEGATIVE in big black capital letters jumped out at him – he could have wept in relief!

*******

“Auditions for the toilet tissue commercial, would you please come this way”

Glory B was wearing dark glasses and a scarf, even though she was in London.

“NEXT”

Glory stood in front of the table. The guy sitting looked up disinterestedly at her.

“Read these words on the card clearly and distinctly as possible please” he handed her a card.

“André’s toilet tissue, soft, strong and –“

“Are you American?” the guy asked, and Glory took off her dark glasses and said,

“Yes, I’m Glory Benson, Glory B – I used to have the biggest show on the cable network in-“

“Don’t care luv, we don’t want an American accent – NEXT”

“But you can’t just – ow – hey! Now you listen here Mr – who do you think you’re talking to?”

“Don’t know luv, don’t care, I’VE NEVER heard of you – NEXT!”

Glory threw the card down in disgust and snatched up her purse and left – it was time people started to show her some respect! – The tragedy of it – Glory B reduced to being turned down to do a voice over for toilet roll commercial…………

                                ****

“You, hello, you, yes you!” Dru called out

“My name, is Nurse Dobson, see, it says so on my name button”

“Yes, yes, whatever – look, tell cook Miss Edith can’t have any cake for tea – she’s been naughty again, she’s been whispering lies to me – saying my Spike doesn’t love me. What time are my friends coming?”

“What for?” the nurse asked patiently

“For tea! Daddy, and Ceccy, Lorne and Spike”

“I’m not sure – why don’t you sit by the window and wait for them”

“Okay…come along Miss Edith” Dru went over to one of the window seats

“Is she still talking to the doll?” Dr Williams asked the nurse.

“Yes, although she insists it’s called Miss Edith – she won’t have it called anything else”

“Does she talk about the incident at all?”

“No doctor – she thinks that they are her friends still – she’s waiting for them now”

“And she doesn’t have visitors?”

“No doctor, none at all”

“I see, well, keep me up to speed if she does say anything, will you Nurse Dobson”

“I will, doctor”

Epilogue

When Buffy woke up on Christmas morning, she saw Spike standing at the window.

The house had been repaired and completely altered so there would be no bad memories. They never spoke about Dru – once they knew she was in a secure place and would never be let out the subject never came up again.

“Hey…merry Christmas…everything okay?” Buffy sat up in bed

Spike smiled and said,

“Merry Christmas, Kitten. Sure…one thing I know, though!”

“What’s that babe?”

“The sky is so blue and it’s far too hot for Christmas!”

Buffy turned her head and saw a huge pile of presents and squealed with delight and jumped up out of bed.

“Just a minute young lady…put that down!” She’d picked up a present, and gave it a curious shake as it rattled. She pouted and stomped towards the bed.

“Buffy…I love you” She smiled instantly and went and cuddled him up.

“And I love you!”

“I mean, I really, REALLY love you”

“I know babe, I feel the same, I really, REALLY love you too”

“Enough to…Buffy – “ To her surprise – Spike was suddenly out of her arms, and kneeling on the floor.

“Spike?”

“Buffy…would you marry me?” Spike held up the most beautiful diamond ring Buffy had ever seen.

She was SO shocked at first, then her eyes flooded with tears and she flung her arms around his neck

“YES! OH GOD, yes – yes please!”

Spike took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger – she couldn’t stop staring at it between kissing and hugging him.

“This is the BEST Christmas I’ve ever had!”

“I think I agree with you! – C’mere you…those pressies can wait another hour to be opened……………

THE END