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Dark Paladin by Thianna
 
12 - Next Best Thing
 
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Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios. This story is not meant to infringe upon anyone's rights, only to entertain.

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CHAPTER 12 – Next Best Thing

Not a word passed between the Slayer and her guard as they headed out of the mansion. Buffy was mulling over everything that happened while unknowingly leaning against her date. She smiled lazily, comforted by his mere presence. Always the gentleman, Spike opened the car door for her and waited patiently for her to get in. Part of her didn’t want to part his side even for a second but she knew that he had to take her home before her mom threw a fit. It was late, and she was sure she already broke curfew.

She settled into the passenger seat while Spike closed the door and hurried to the other side. She smile at him again as he started the car. Why was she doing that? She just seemed to be on some happy juice or something because she just couldn’t stop smiling. She was pretty sure she was grinning from ear to ear. Maybe it was just the adrenaline from earlier. Or maybe she was affording herself a little happy moment for surviving through this ordeal.

Spike was silent, seemingly deep in thought and that was unnerving her a tiny bit. He didn’t even bother to turn on the radio so all you could hear was the soft rumble of the car engine and her breathing. He should be happy. He should be sharing her joy in victory. But he was silent and Buffy didn’t know what to do. Even when they stopped by a gas station so that she could make herself more presentable just in case her mom was up waiting for her, he was still somber.

About half an hour later, they had arrived at her house. Spike turned the engine off and moved to open his door when Buffy placed a hand on his arm to stop him.

“Somethin’ wrong, pet?”

“I should say that to you.”

He just shrugged and moved to open his door. Buffy was getting irritated with this. “Spike! We need to talk.”

“Talk? ‘Bout what pet?”

“About tonight. I mean we defeated Lothos and all and you look like you lost a best friend. You didn’t know Lothos did you?”

“Bloody hell, Slayer! How in the world did you even come up with that conclusion?”

“Well it’s not my fault you’re acting like Angel!”

He couldn’t help but give her an icy glare for comparing him to his Sire. “You better take that back.”

“Only if you tell me what’s going on.”

Spike looked at her and saw the determination in her eyes. He wanted to retort, to say something annoying so that she’d just drop this line of questioning. But she looked too pretty for him to do that. He took in a deep breath. “It’s nothin’ luv. Don’t worry about me.”

But Buffy didn’t believe him. It was obviously about something that happened tonight. Was it because he bit her? She wished she could remember exactly how it felt when that happened. She had a vague memory of it feeling calming but then again, that could have been just a side-effect of Lothos’ thrall. Maybe she tasted off and Spike knew it and just wasn’t telling her about it. Tasted off? Or worse, maybe she didn’t taste good at all and for some strange reason, she wanted her blood to taste good to him. Buffy shook her head at that thought.

“Spike, about tonight ...”

“What about it?”

“You bit me.”

“I know luv. I’m sorry about that, but it was the only … “

“No. I don’t mind that you bit me. I heard you. I understood why you did it. But … but … umm … do I … umm … Is it suppose to feel all tingly?” She really wanted to ask what she tasted like but it just didn’t sound right when she thought about it in her head.

Spike thought about it for a moment. He wasn’t really sure what to tell her. His only intent when he bit her was to break her out of her thrall. He was hoping that the bite would register as pain and that her slayer instincts would then take over. But what he ended up doing was claiming her. He could already hear the lecture Angel was going to give him when he returned home later. But he didn’t feel like claiming her was such a bad thing. It felt good being able to feel her mentally. It felt like he was complete.

He knew why the bite was tingly. It was responding to its owner. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, luv. After tonight, that will heal up nicely and it won’t bother you anymore.”

“I didn’t say it was a bother. I was just curious.” Buffy looked out on the passenger side window, not wanting to face him. “It … it feels comforting … like I’m walking on cloud nine,” she said softly.

“That’s just the adrenaline still in your system, luv.” He said as he got out of the car and moved to open her door.

Buffy took the hand he offered as he helped her out of the vehicle. “No. it’s not just adrenaline Spike. It feels different from that.” She said as he walked her to the front door. “It’s something else and for some strange reason I want to say. I’m …”

Spike turned around a placed a finger on her lips to stop her. “No, luv. Don’t say anythin’. You’re tired. Hell, we’re all tired.”

Buffy looked up at him with a puzzled expression but she kept silent.

Spike let his fingers ghost over her cheek before he stepped away from her. He wanted to continue what they were about to do in the mansion before the others arrived. But right now it didn’t seem like a good idea. If he kissed her, he knew he’d want more and she might just respond because of the claim. She wasn’t ready for that and for some strange reason he wanted something deeper with her.

**

Niko was outside smoking when Spike pulled up. He nodded in acknowledgment and handed Spike a cigarette and a light when he got out of the car.

“Everything alright?” Niko asked.

Spike took a moment to take a drag from his cigarette before answering. “Yeah. Slayer’s at home safe and sound.”

“That’s good.”

“So you want to go out to a bar or somethin’?”

“You’re stalling.”

“That obvious?”

Niko chuckled. “No matter what, you’re going to have to face Captain Forehead. You might as well get it done and over with.”

Spike shrugged and returned to smoking his cigarette. Nothing else really needed to be said between them which was one of the few things the bleached vampire liked about Niko. They just stood there, their backs to the wall, looking up at the night sky and smoking.

**
Spike finally opened the door a few minutes later. Angel was sitting patiently on one of the steps that led to the second floor. He stood up and walked towards his child calmly which threw the younger vampire off. He was sure Angel would be fuming mad with him, but there was not a hint of anger in his expression. Not yet anyway.

“I hope you know what you just did back there.”

Spike just shrugged his shoulders.

“Spike?!” Angel asked with more insistence.

“I bloody well know what the fuck I did.”

“Why?”

“Does it matter? Mission accomplished and the slayer is still alive. I did my job!

“You’re right. You did. Now break it!”

Spike took a deep breath and sucked his cheeks in.

“Spike, break the claim. That’s an order!”

“Why? I kind of like having the little bird around. And isn’t this better anyway? I’ll know where she is at all time.”

“You don’t understand. This is a contradiction … “

“We are a bloody contradiction Angel! Everything we are. Everything we do. All of it goes against what we truly are. So why not add something else to the list?”

“Keeping the claim, staying like this, will destroy her. She’ll crave you, want you and then what? You’ll give in to your emotions and take from her. Little by little she’ll find comfort in the dark until the mission will no longer hold any meaning to her.”

“Those are just words, not proof.” Though Spike himself was wondering why he was defending his actions so much. It should be easy, breaking it and moving on. This was a job, nothing more. So why was he even trying to keep it? Keep her?

“Spike just listen to reason. End this now before it gets any deeper. Or else.”

“Or else wot?”

“Or else I’ll exercise my right and power as your sire to break it myself.” He said with a stern look on his face. Spike thought it would have been more menacing if he just wasn’t used to seeing Angel scowl at him like that all the time.

“Fine, wotever.”

“Do it now.”

“No! Not now. In her dreams, I’ll break it then.”

Feeling somewhat defeated, Spike climbed the stairs and went straight to his room. He shed what was left of his black suit and pulled on a pair of black jeans. He was about ready to pour himself a drink when Merrick knocked on the door.

“Wot do you want?!”

“Just to speak with you,” Merrick replied.

“There isn’t anything else you can say that the soddin’ poofter hasn’t already mentioned.”

“You understand right?”

Spike shrugged. “It’s not for me to understand. I’m just a bloody employee.”

“Do you feel that strongly about …. “ Merrick cut himself short. “Did she … reply?”

Spike shook his head. “I wouldn’t let her.”

Merrick nodded solemnly. “Thank you,” and with that the Watcher left him.

“No I wouldn’t let her, but I wanted to hear her say it.” Spike mumbled to himself as he found his bottle of Jack Daniels and started to numb himself before he had to do what was asked of him.

**

Buffy was unknowingly humming to herself as she got ready for bed. She looked with dismay at her ruined dress but somehow even that couldn’t really bring her spirits down. She felt happy for some strange reason despite everything that had happened tonight. Things seemed to be looking up and she felt that being the Slayer didn’t seem like that much of a burden now. She felt like she belonged somewhere and the fact that she was kissed a few times tonight just added to the high she was feeling.

She crawled under the covers and snuggled Mr. Gordo as she drifted to sleep with the most satiated smile on her face.

In the other side of town, Spike was drowning his emotions in alcohol. Despite the distance between them he could feel her and he could sense she was happy. Maybe it was wishful thinking on his part that perhaps the claim would mean something to her that’s why he was stalling in breaking it. He reasoned to himself that he was going to do it when she fell asleep so that she wouldn’t be hurt by the loss. Loss. He was arrogant to think that a Slayer would feel something for a vampire. But what was disconcerting about it all was that he wanted it to mean something. What was wrong with him? This wasn’t like the first Slayer he had protected but there was just something about Buffy that made him extremely reluctant to give up the claim. He understood Angel’s and Merrick’s reasoning. Heck, deep down he knew it wasn’t meant to be because he stopped her from voicing out her response.

“What are you waiting for you soddin' git?” he said to the glass of whiskey and blood in his left hand. He paused for a moment then swallowed the remaining contents of the glass. He closed his eyes and tried imagining the words that would be necessary to do as his Sire had asked. But they wouldn’t come. He didn’t want them to come.

“Bugger! Sod them all!” he muttered under his breath. He had no desire to break it so he decided to do the next best thing and fuck anyone who says otherwise.



**

Buffy woke up with a start from a dream that felt like she was falling. Something felt missing but as she scanned her bedroom everything was in place. Tired muscles were pulling her back to sleep so she dismissed the feeling knowing that there would be enough time later to figure it all out.


 
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