Ocean Blue, 1/1, Spike/Joyce, PG-13
Oct. 13th, 2006 06:14 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
authoressnebula.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
tamingthemuseFandom: BtVS
Prompt: #14 - Riptide
Warnings: Spike/Joyce
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Joyce remembers a younger her, a stormy beach, and a man who hasn't changed.
Wordcount: 1921
AN: Concrit is loved. Also, I've never been caught in a riptide. I'm only imagining what it might be like, and I could possibly be WAY off here. If I am, let me know, but in a gentle way?
It was cloudy out when she stepped onto the beach with her friends. It was still humid and hot, and she almost hoped that it would rain soon. Virginia was always hot, and the beaches weren't always sparkling clean and beautiful.
Not like they'd be in California. She dreamed of being an actress in Hollywood, but then again, who didn't? She thought she might have a chance of making it, though. She was young still, and she had the motivation to do it.
She would not become her mom. She wouldn't sit around the house all day and cook and clean. She was going to be a star and have an absolutely gorgeous guy follow her around and dote on her all the time.
The beach had sounded like fun, a break from school. College was driving her crazy, and she wanted a day of splashing in the waves, working on a tan, and wearing her skimpy bikini to maybe get a few whistles and obvious stares from guys.
On the day they'd chosen, however, rain had been called. They'd decided to go anyways, because they deserved a day off. So here they were, on the not so sunny beaches of Virginia, wishing that it would rain because it was so muggy out.
She slipped out of her top and shorts, running towards the water's edge in her little white bikini. No whistles yet. Well, they would soon enough, she knew it.
There were plenty of other people on the beach that day, despite the ominous skies. Plenty of hot guys, too. Maybe the lifeguard down the way would like to practice CPR with her...?
She shook herself, feeling sheepish and silly. She'd been reading too many romances lately. It was time to clear her head with a good swim.
She dove in, hearing her friends shouting for her to wait. She was a good swimmer, and she was soon out of the shallow waters. She couldn't feel the bottom, but she could most definitely see the shore. She must've passed the drop-off shelf.
She heard a boom above her a few moments later, and she looked up to see the clouds getting darker. She glared up at the sky, wishing the storm would hold off. They'd just gotten to the beach, after all. Couldn't they have a little fun first?
The winds picked up, and she giggled when she was rocked from the bigger waves. It was still beautiful out, despite the looming storm. So long as there wasn't any lightning, she'd stay in the water.
She frowned when she was pulled backwards. She turned to face the ocean and found the waves getting bigger. Another insistent wave pulled at her, and she felt herself dip low, her chin briefly brushing the top of the wave. She quickly swam back up, turning to see the beach a little farther than before. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to be out here with the weather like it was.
She turned back to glance at the waves, only to gasp as she was violently pulled back. Frightened now, she began to swim towards shore, where her friends were yelling for her. Another wave pulled her back, and she fought down the urge to whimper. She needed to get out of this, now. Before she wound up dead.
The knowledge came a little too late, and as she was pulled back once more, a massive wave covered her, shoving her down underneath the water. Desperately she fought to get up, but her strength was waning, and the water was too much. Her lungs began to burn, but there was no oxygen for her to pull in. She felt her eyes closing, and she tried to stay awake.
Then she was gasping, feeling soft and coarse sand alike against the front of her legs as she was dragged out of the water. There were shrieks and horrified voices, and she blinked several times, blearily looking around even as she choked on the seawater in her lungs.
She weakly spit out the water, a firm hand on her back. “Easy, luv,” she heard a man say. “You'll be all right.”
She coughed once more, before lowering herself onto the sands. Two strong hands helped her down and turned her so she could face the man who was helping her. The man who had rescued her.
Her eyes met his blue ones first, before she glanced around at the rest of him. He was well muscled, with cheekbones she immediately adored, and bright blonde hair in the style of Billy Idol. She personally thought that this guy pulled it off a lot better than he did.
“You'll be fine,” he said, his voice husky and low and British enough to make her want to swoon. She would've, if she hadn't felt so tired.
“Th-Thank you,” she managed to whisper, feeling cold now as the winds swept through. His hands were still on her arms, and they felt like ice. Poor guy had to be frozen himself, yet he kept gazing at her to see if she was all right.
Then he smiled, and it made her want to smile back. She bet that he could do anything and still look gorgeous doing it.
Forget Hollywood. This guy right here was everything she'd ever dreamed of. Strong, fearless, cared for a stranger, foreign, handsome...she could go on, but what point was there, when he was right here?
“Watch the riptides, luv,” he said softly. “You've got too pretty a face to lose to the ocean.”
He rose then and headed off into the vast sea of people that now surrounded her. She watched him go, wishing she knew the right words to call out to him and make him come back.
“Are you okay?” her friend asked frantically, kneeling before her.
She blinked, nodded, then turned back to the crowds. He was gone.
“Who was he?” she asked, her voice sounding hoarse. She didn't care. She just wanted to know where the beautiful stranger had gone.
“He's not important right now. We need to get you warm. The lifeguard over there is coming over with a blanket, okay? Joyce? Joyce! Listen to me! Stop mooning over that guy and focus here. We'll get you home, and get you warm.”
Reluctantly Joyce turned back to her friend, allowing herself to be pulled up and wrapped up and moved towards the car.
She still wondered about him, though.
< --- >
“Mom? Are you here?”
“Where else am I?” Joyce called out with a soft smile. Buffy gave her a look as she came around the corner.
“I'm off to the Bronze,” she said. “And yes, I'll drop Dawn off at Janice's before hand, I promise.”
“Thank you,” Joyce said, her eyes taking in her daughter's apparel. Tight shirt, tight jeans, well-fitted jacket. Her hair and makeup were perfect, and she looked very nice.
Joyce used to look like that.
“Take care on your way over and back; you get into trouble very easily,” Joyce teased, before nodding towards the door. “Go on. The night's young, and you've got a million things you want to do.”
Buffy laughed and headed out the door, calling for her sister before stepping outside. Dawn came bounding down the stairs, giving her mom a quick hug before heading out after her sister. Joyce watched them go, happily talking with each other. They looked like two young girls out to have a night of fun.
Joyce used to do that.
She sighed and closed the door, looking back at her house. It was a very nice house, but she couldn't help thinking that she'd gone wrong somewhere.
She hadn't wanted this. She'd become her mom, a mom to two wonderful girls, but a mom just like her own mother. She stayed home and cooked and cleaned, managing her galleries from a distance.
She wasn't an actress in Hollywood, and she'd never been able to get to the beaches of California. There was no beautiful guy in her life falling all over her. All of the things she'd so desperately wanted to do and be, her daughters were living out. They got to go to the beaches, they had guys hanging on their every word...
And she was happy for them. They were beautiful and intelligent; they deserved the attention and California fun.
Deep inside, she still wanted to be beautiful and young and get that chance, too.
“Hello, luv.”
Joyce turned and smiled at Spike. “You just missed Buffy,” she said, not even bothering to think about how Spike had gotten inside. He knew how to pick a lock, but she liked to think it was because she'd left the back door unlocked.
Even though she knew she wouldn't do that. She was a mom, after all.
“Not Buffy I came for,” he said, taking a seat on the sofa. “What's with the long face? Got the kiddies out of the house for a change. Should think that'd be somethin' good.”
“Oh, it is,” she said, taking a seat across from him and stretching. “But it leaves the house too empty.” Watching him now, blue eyes and hard muscles and cheekbones she still adored, she remembered what it had been like all those years ago, back on the Virginia beach, gasping for air.
He hadn't changed. She had, but he was still the same.
And he would never know.
“Something to drink?” she said, glancing back at the kitchen. “I know I can whip up a good mix of hot cocoa in a few seconds. I know I've even still got...”
She turned back around, only to almost bump into his nose. “Marshmallows,” she finished softly, frowning. “Spike?”
“You should've gone with her to the Bronze,” he said softly, his eyes watching her. Just like they had over twenty years ago.
Joyce stared at him, before chuckling. “She wouldn't have wanted me along, and I don't belong in a sea of young adults. I'm an old lady, Spike.”
“Not old,” he immediately corrected. “A lady, but not old.”
She gave him a small smile for his words, before glancing down. “I don't belong at the Bronze, Spike,” she said quietly. “My place is here, as a mom.”
“Maybe it's for the best,” he said, causing her to frown and look up. “You've got too pretty a face to lose to the ocean, whether it's water or people.”
Joyce froze, staring up at him in bewilderment. He...but she'd changed so much! She wasn't...how could he have remembered...?
He saw her confusion and smiled. “It's taken me awhile to figure it out, but Dawn showed me your weddin' picture the other day, and I finally pieced it all together.
“You know, I always wondered how you'd made off.” His eyes were still on hers, his arms relaxed as he held onto the sides of her chair. “I'd always hoped that you'd wound up happier than you were on the beach. Just the romantic in me, I suppose.”
“I couldn't have been happier than when I was there,” she found herself saying, and the unspoken with you hung in the air.
His eyes caught hers, and they reminded her of the ocean right before it had swallowed her. Dangerous, dark, and yet so alluring and beautiful. “How's hot cocoa sound?”
“Delightful,” she said. He pulled away and offered her a hand up, which she gladly accepted. He didn't let go, and neither did she.
~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-13 10:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 12:57 am (UTC)*hugs back*
~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-13 11:25 pm (UTC)Gabrielle
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 01:00 am (UTC)~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 01:06 am (UTC)Gabrielle
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 01:00 am (UTC)~Nebula
P.S. I'm going to try to make jams for everyone this Christmas. Keep your fingers crossed for me! ^_^
no subject
Date: 2006-10-13 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 01:02 am (UTC)~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 01:02 am (UTC)*gives Astra a look* She's an odd muse sometimes, but I love her all the same.
~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 01:03 am (UTC)And don't cry! *hands you a tissue*
*hugs back*
~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 01:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 02:01 am (UTC)~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 03:26 am (UTC)~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 02:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 05:08 pm (UTC)*clears throat*
She really was; I loved Joyce, and I cried during the episodes where she died. That was just so tough.
~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 04:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 05:09 pm (UTC)Joyce really enjoyed spending time with Spike, and I really think, like you do, that we're missing a lot of the pieces in between the end of season 2 and Lover's Walk in season 3. It just doesn't match up.
Very very glad it was enjoyed. ^_^
~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 09:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-14 11:44 pm (UTC)~Nebula
no subject
Date: 2006-10-15 10:00 am (UTC)And this was quite a nice fic :) Pretty... (plus, it has an ocean in it... anything that involves the sea is good, as far as I'm concerned :P)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-15 04:22 pm (UTC)