'What the hell is going on?'

Spike nearly tripped over his Docs trying to catch Buffy's eyes. Her complete about face was more than a little disconcerting. One minute, he was sitting in his crypt alone, shattered and contemplating the feasibility of death by whisky.

Then, he's staggering three sheets to the wind through a moonlit graveyard looking for a fight and trying to understand the workings of the female mind. 'Good luck with that!'

An hour later, he's rolling around on the crypt floor with his arms full of a warm and willing slayer. He was terrified that if he said something then he would wake up from this amazing dream.

'What a bleedin ponce!' He mentally kicked himself and tried to keep pace with his determined little Slayer, as she strode towards Revello Drive. She was chattering away like a blue jay. He focused on her last words.

"Nibblet said what?"

He stopped in his tracks as finally got the gist of Buffy's babbling. His little bit had been onto them all along. He grinned. A genuine smile crossed his sharp features. His azure eyes lit up with a surprised gleam.

"She knows about us? Did you tell? What did she say? She's not gonna have a go, is she?" 'Couldn't get anything past his Nib!' he thought proudly. 'Sharp as a tack, that one. Takes after her mum!'

"In order of your questions... Yes, she knows. She sort of worked it out herself but..." Her words tumbled nervously out of her mouth.

"I kinda did tell her." She stepped over to Spike and ran her fingers over his lips. Spike leaned into her touch like a big cat, enjoying her hot little fingers touching him so gently rather than in anger.

"She was psyched and so grown up, but at the same time screaming like a lunatic. Best of all she loves us! She loves the idea of us! And she is going to back us up the whole way. And, no, she isn't gonna have a go." With her last words Buffy tried to mimic Spike's North London accent, very badly. She grinned up at the pole-axed vamp, delighted that she had finally found a way to stem the usual flow of words that accompanied Spike.

He snorted and pulled out a cigarette and lit it with trembling hands, completely overcome with emotion. 'Some big bad, you prat!' He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with smoke to steady himself.

"She doesn't mind?" he asked, stunned and more than a little bit stressed. He exhaled a plume of smoke and squinted at Buffy through the smoke that curled around his head, a questioning look in his blue eyes.

"Nope, but she is expecting to do your nails tonight!" Buffy grinned and spun on her heel and danced away. Tossing her hair coyly over her shoulder, she glanced back at the vamp and waggled her fingers at him.

"Come on. The ice cream is in serious danger of meltage! I'm starving and so is William. Aren't you, baby?" she cooed to the bemused little fluffer. She smiled. This was so much better than hiding behind a curtain of garlic and clutching a crucifix. She was under no illusions that this was going to be easy but with Dawn on their side, it would make things easier.

"Right... Right then. Off we go, milady." Spike shot past her and scooped her hand into his and twined their fingers together. Secretly, he was thrilled at being able to initiate such a simple contact without her turning on him, kicking him in the head and running away to hide in her ivory tower.

Buffy laced her fingers firmly with Spike's, her thumb caressing the back of his cool hand in small circular motions. 'Who'd have thunk the big bad was a hand-holder?' Buffy realised that she'd never let him touch her like this before. The swiftness with which he had initiated the handholding made her wonder how starved he was for contact.

She felt awful. He must have been so lonely.

Vague recollections of Giles in the library at high school lecturing her on vampire clans flitted through her mind. She could see him in her mind's eye, glasses in hand and a look of exasperation in his eyes. Frustration filled his countenance as she sat picking at her nails, pretending she wasn't listening. Little did he know! Every word he spoke she absorbed and filed away.

She had to remember.

It was a matter of life and death. Her life or her death!

They were familial and very close knit, despite the blood and sex. They had a dependency on each other for comfort and support. Masters, childer and minions all in a hierarchical structure, laws to define their positions in their family. Despite their soulnessness, they cared for each other, never alone.

They fed, played and fucked.

She looked up at Spike and felt a twinge of sympathy. He hadn't had that for so long, not since he and Dru had first come to Sunnydale. Then, it had gone all to hell!

Angelus and Dru had hooked up in front of him, leaving the desperate vamp with no options but to turn to his mortal enemy.

They flaunted their affair in front of him.

Angelus had been particularly cruel, knowing that Spike was helpless. Also knowing that Dru was fickle, he had reveled in breaking Spike's spirit, by taking his dark goddess away from him. During their long talking sessions on the porch, Spike had finally opened up about those terrible months at the mansion.

It was then that she really began to hate Drusilla. The bitch had dropped her lover and protector of over a century in seconds for her 'Daddy'.

At first she didn't want to know, but it was like a car wreck, you couldn't look away!

She had wondered about Angel and Dru. But to hear what they had got up to had broken her heart just a bit more. What had surprised her was that her heart had broken not because of Angel's infidelity, but because of what it had done to the sensitive blonde vamp.

He had hesitated in telling her. "Not wanting to tell tales out of school," was how he had put it, but she had pushed and prodded, wanting to hear it all. During those long conversations, she had finally put the ghost of Angel and their romance behind her. It had been liberating and finally she was freed from her first love. She had been surprised that the pre-chip Spike had been strong enough to stand up to his vampire family and turn to her for help.

The Slayer.

The one that had put him in a wheelchair in the first place, leaving him unable to fight for his lover. She had been his only chance to recover Dru from her twisted sire. Worst of all, she was the same mortal enemy that had released Angelus. His offer of a truce and help in saving the world for Manchester United and all the Happy meals with legs, yuck, illustrated the level of his desperation.

After that he had never really recovered Dru or anything else. He had broken a cardinal vampiric code, turning against his clan master and throwing in his lot with the 'White Hats'.

Then, the Initiative had captured him and put the chip in, ensuring that there was no way; he would ever be accepted by the vampiric community. What had the resilient vamp then done? He had turned to the Scoobies, despite their very obvious reluctance to help. They had gradually started to assist him and in turn, he them.

After more than a few 'mishaps', like Adam, Spike had managed to forge himself a new clan, with her reluctant friends and family. She wondered if he had even realised what he had unconsciously done? His bonds with Dawn and Mom had gradually grown, from an axe to the head, to hot chocolate and marshmallows. And with it, a new family had gradually evolved for him to nurture, and in turn be there for him to be nurtured by.

"You're mine, you know." She really needed to reassure him. Buffy knew the transition wasn't going to be easy; she needed him to know that he belonged to her and to Dawn.

"Have been from the moment I saw you. It just took me a while to realise it, sweetheart." Spike gave her a gentle half-smile and then winced.

"What? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"No, love, but Dawn's little friend here is using my coat as a scratching post!" He looked down. "At least he's not using it as a litter tray!" Buffy pulled a face and then looked down at her kitten and then started to walk a bit faster, tugging Spike behind her.

As they reached the end of the street Buffy's thoughts returned to her friends and she started worrying again about what their reactions were going to be.

'Giles is no longer an issue,' she thought bitterly, as they walked.

He was not around to cluck at her anymore. Hell, he wanted her to make her own decisions and grow up. Well, this was her decision, so there! She was tired of living up to their expectations. She wondered if Giles' leaving was because she wasn't the same Buffy as before... If so, too bad.

This is the Buffy they got back and they would have to deal. She was starting to.

She had been pulled from Heaven and forced to crawl out of her grave.

Two things that were going to freak out even the strongest person.

So, it was taking her while to adjust but she was getting there.

One of the main reasons for that was walking beside her. She chewed her bottom lip worrying at the same raw piece of skin. She knew Giles would be disappointed with her choices but then of course he'd taken a few interesting turns in his life, especially during his Ripper days, so he really didn't have a leg to stand on.

Ok, so maybe, he had never taken a vamp as a lover. Well not that he had admitted to, but, he had walked on the 'dark side', and there was no saying he hadn't dabbled in any interspecies sexage!

Xander and Willow were going to be a huge problem, but as Dawn said they also had a chequered past. She would hate it if they turned on her but after everything they had done to her recently, she would cope. As long as she had Dawn and Spike, it would be all right. Summers united!

'Oh! God!'

Xander was going to explode and rant and rave at her. He would make all their lives hell. It was not going to be pretty. A nasty niggling thought shot through her mind. Mostly, he'd be jealous that it wasn't him.

'No. Bad Buffy! Don't go there!'

But then again, after his attempt to ask her out in the Quad at school she really never felt as comfortable with him as she had before. She was relieved when he had started dating Cordy and then Anya.

The hyena possession and his attempted rape in the faculty room had left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth. Even all these years later, she hadn't managed to forget the sensation of his hands on her. All those awful words he had spouted at her still made her sick to her stomach, all of which she was POSITIVE he remembered. Yuck!

She was sure that he still felt something for her. It had been real obvious with all the snarking at Angel. He was always getting nasty little digs about the en-souled vampire and his relationship with Buffy. He had made his obssesso feelings real apparent. She ignored them, not really knowing what she could do about him or his feelings.

What she didn't get was who had elected him the arbiter of who she dated.

She still couldn't believe how easily he had talked her into running after Riley, playing on her fears of not having a 'normal' relationship and also on her terror of being alone. He hadn't taken seriously anything she had said about the vamp-whore. He acted as if it was no problem! Which in itself was weird considering his hatred of vamps!

She wondered if he had talked her into chasing after Riley because he was human. Xander's prejudice was something they were all aware of. But would his bigotry extend so far as to talking her into staying with the soldier? Even though, by doing so, he was exposing her and by association everyone she cared about to the danger of him being turned. Something, that could have easily happened, what if he had paid the wrong type of vamp-whore to suck on him? She could have gone a bit further and turned her customer? According to Giles and Anya it was something that happened all the time!

How could Xander really have wanted her to stay with Riley? Even knowing about the suckfests he was paying for!

'I guess if he couldn't have me, then Riley was better than Angel or Spike!'

She knew that he hated Spike not only because he was a vampire, but, more importantly because he was interested in her. That was a no no as far as Xander was concerned.

If it hadn't been for Spike she might have not found out until it was too late. She could have woken up to Riley's fangs in her throat. She had been insane with anger at the peroxide vamp at the time. She knew Spike had ulterior motives - splitting them up.

Nevertheless, he had saved her from an enormous mistake and probably saved her life! Mental note. 'Must thank Spike and buy him a big present!'

She kicked at a rock on the sidewalk and watched it skitter across onto the verge.

'Man, I wish Xander would just get over it!'

There was no way, no how, that she was going to wake up one morning and say 'Oooh! Hey, Xand's the one for me!'

She looked around guiltily. Maybe that was a bit harsh, but then again it's not like anyone could hear her!

"Why doesn't Xander like me dating the supernatural?" Spike started and looked at her, completely mystified.

"What did you say, luv?" He frowned at the top of Buffy's head as she gazed at her shoes.

"Nothing. Just thinking big thoughts." She snuck a look up at him and then reached up and brushed her lips over his scarred brow. "Come on. We're almost home."

'Home!'

Spike tried to suppress the warmth that spread through him, with that simple word. The feeling that it evoked was alien to him. It had been a long time since he had anywhere to call home. Knocking around with Peaches and his undead brides certainly hadn't inspired a feeling of security.

'He was.. and still is a prat with Drac envy. Why had no one else picked up on that affectation?'

Being with them certainly hadn't felt like home. He flicked his half-finished cigarette across the street, watching the glowing sparks as they faded and died.

Meanwhile, Buffy's thoughts returned to her friends. Willow was a bit different. Buffy had no idea what was going on with her.

If it had been Willow at high school or even college freshman Willow, she would have been easy to talk to, but now?

Buffy had no idea who this Willow was.

The Wills she had known last year would never have put Dawnie or anyone else in danger. She also knew that if she tried to talk to her best friend about Spike there was no way she would get a fair hearing. The Wiccan was too immersed in her own problems and there was no way, no how, that she wanted to provoke her unstable friend. Or even add to her troubles, 'cause knowing Willow, she would make it into a huge thing and all her fault. She would say that the resurrection had warped Buffy's mind and her taste in men!

Argh. Then, there would be the recriminations, then, even worse, the dreaded research and finally, the finger pointing.

Buffy was worried that anything too extreme, and her dating Spike would qualify as being extreme in Willow's book, would trigger a 'lets fix this with magic' episode. And at the moment Buffy was way too worried that Willow would do something magical and hurt Dawn again.

She felt like a hostage in her own home, she had no idea what to do and how to make it all better. She also felt more than a little guilty. She was sure that raising her had contributed to Willow's problems. 'But,' she thought resentfully, 'it wasn't like she had asked Wills to do it.'

After hearing what Giles had said in the kitchen that night, the arrogant 'tude that Willow had flaunted when the two of them had been arguing had more than creeped her out. Spike's presence that night had stopped her bawling her eyes out on the porch. He always managed to be there whenever she was feeling her worst.

'I wonder how he does that?' His silent presence at her side that night had soothed her and his crazy schemes to help her out financially had made her smile.

She couldn't forgive Giles for bolting and leaving the whole mess in her lap.

What the hell was she going to do, because apart from Tara none of the others had called Wills on her weirdo behaviour? Instead they stuck their heads in the sand, or should she say, wedding plans and pretended nothing was going on.

Also, if she hurt Dawn again it was sooo over. She knew that there was no way a chip was going to stop Spike from stepping in.

She thought back to that night they had found Dawn broken and bleeding, and how Spike had hovered over his 'Nibblet' like a mother hen, whisking her off to emergency without a word being said. Just the same, Buffy had seen the struggle with his demon as he vamped out briefly, before silently urging her to turn back and scrape her sobbing friend off the ground. Without a word, she knew that he would look after Dawn and get her home. Unlike Willow, who had cried about her problems and not asked after Dawn until she was tucked up in bed.

A niggling petty thought occurred to her. 'Why is she in my mom's room? Also, shouldn't she be paying rent?'

'Oh grow up Buffy!' She mentally slapped herself.

Anya wouldn't care either way and Tara would probably just smile at her and give her a hug. She hoped so anyway.

One thing she had to thank Willow for recently was her dating Tara. She was probably the kindest and most decent person she had ever met. Buffy always found that when she was talking with or even just in the same room as the gentle Wiccan, she was at peace and felt safe.

But basically, despite all her worries as to how they would react to her and Spike, she was still really angry that they assumed that she was in Hell and not at peace.

'What am I? Evil?'

"Luv, what serious thoughts you're having." Spike looked down at her with a concerned gaze. His eyes clouded with worry. Buffy just smiled and pulled him closer.

"Why didn't they realise I was in Heaven?" Her voice shook slightly. Spike pulled her to his side, pressed his lips to her temple and kissed her.

"No idea, love. No idea." He tried to keep the unadulterated anger out of his voice. His contempt for her Scoobies multiplied on hearing the anguish in her voice.

*********

"Wait! No! What are you doing?" Willow struggled groggily out of Rack's arms and stumbled backwards. Her eyes flickering from green to black and then back again. She pulled her skirt down and shivered in horror as to how close he had gotten to her.

"I... I... Have to go!"

She turned and ran from the dirty rundown room out into the alleyway, trying to swallow her nausea. She fell to her knees and threw up. Feeling dirty and violated, she lurched up and staggered off into the night, unaware that Rack stood watching, furious that he had lost his prize.

He turned to Amy.

"She'll be back."

Amy shivered in fear for a second. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she stumbled away the warlock. Rack reached out and grabbed her by the back of the neck and peered into her eyes. His grip tightened. She winced. He tightened his hold and shook her.

"What are you thinking, Ratty?"

Amy closed her eyes. Tears of pain leaked down her quivering cheeks. She was terrified.

'Get a grip! Don't let him guess! Just let him think you want something from him and then get the hell out of this pit! Oh Goddess, he is going to break my neck!'

She bit her lip and looked up at her tormentor. "Please, please do me," she begged.

"All in good time. Just make sure she comes back. Now, get out of here."

Rack pushed the begging witch away. With a final wave of his hands, he blasted her with a dose of one of his specials. Amy lurched forward, fell to her knees and sighed with relief.

"Don't worry. I'll bring her back." With that, Amy staggered out of the room, shaking with relief. He had bought her act!

Now she just had to get out and find Willow. She knew that he would be watching her, so she had to make sure Rack didn't suspect anything. If she could get them under cover of some of her wards, then they could regroup. Maybe Buffy could help. Or that weird girl Anya, She must know something about magic! After all, she ran the Magic Box.

Yeah, the Slayer and her friends could probably take down Rack.

That's if she could get away from him and get to them.

*********

Tara looked up from her files and frowned. She felt something waver around her for a second. The candles flickered and then dimmed slightly. She shivered and pulled her robe tightly around her shoulders.

There was something wrong. Something was very wrong indeed.

Miss Kitty looked over at the window. Her fur stood up on end and she dove under the bed.

Tara reached out for her chamomile tea. Cradling the warm mug in her hands, she sipped it slowly, relishing the soothing heat as it calmed her. She shuddered and looked out over the deserted campus, wondering what had happened. She intuitively knew it had to be Willow, but there was nothing she could do.

Willow would have to find her own way, just as she had done all those years ago.

Sighing, she blew out the candles one by one and stumbled tiredly to her lonely bed. She lay there and stared at the ceiling. Tears rolled down her cheeks and soaked her fair hair. It had all gone so wrong and she had no idea how to fix it.

She knew that things would get worse and she was terrified that someone was going to get hurt.

The phone rang, breaking the silence of the tiny dorm room.

"Hello?"

"Tara? It's me, Dawn."

"Honey, what are you doing calling so late?"

"Uhm, Tara its 8.30 what are you talking about?"

"What?" the blonde witch peered over at her alarm clock.

"Yes, Tara you're getting old!" Dawn teased gently. "Look, I was wondering if you'd come over tomorrow, I really want to talk with you. There's so much that's happened, Willow broke my arm and Buffy..."

"Willow did what?" Tara sat up in bed and reached out, switching on her bedside lamp. Chills of fear ran down her spine. "Dawnie, what happened? Willow hurt you?" Tara was horrified. All her fears were manifesting.

"Look, hold on. I'm coming over to see you." Tara didn't hear Dawn say not to come over as she had already hung up. She ran around her room, grabbing her clothes and a bag of supplies.

Pulling the door shut behind her, Tara ran off down the corridor and out into the silent campus.

'Oh Gaia! Protect her, please! Just let me get to her!'

Tara stumbled and fell, dropping her bag. She scrabbled at her scattered supplies and shoved them back into her purse. Her hands were shaking as she stood up. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm down.

*********

Willow staggered down Main Street. Her only focus was to get somewhere familiar so she could ride out whatever Rack had shot into her system.

Her pupils were dilated and her eyes were flashing from green to black.

Shot through with red sparks.

Her skin, normally pale, was ashen and she was trembling so hard that her teeth were chattering. Passers-by quickly skirted around the slender girl, some of them tutting in disgust at her stoned state. Willow was oblivious. Her only focus was to get somewhere safe and ride out the high.

In the distance, Willow made out the sign for the Magic Box. A wave of relief rushed over her. If she could only get there, then she could sleep in Buffy's training room. At least, there, no one would see her and she could recover in peace.

She reached the front door and with a whispered incantation the door swung open. Willow stumbled in, sealing the door shut behind her. Her only focus was to get to the training mats in the back room and get some sleep.

She was unaware that as she walked past display cases, the glass exploded and books flew across the room. A wave of destruction continued in her wake. Orbs of Thessula exploded and crystal geodes shattered. The jars of herbs on the shelves behind the counter cracked, pouring their contents onto Anya's spotless floor. The antiquated cash till started spewing notes and coins, ringing up sale after sale.

Pushing the door to the training room open, Willow staggered in, oblivious to the destruction behind her. She fell into the moonlit room and passed out on the mats.

*********

"Here we are." Buffy's voice broke the silence that surrounded the two of them. She fumbled with the door and pushed it open.

The warmth and light of the Summers house flooded out and she tugged Spike inside.

"Dawn, we're home." she chirped.

"We're in here." Dawn slid round the corner from the kitchen into the empty dining room. "Tara came over, she was worried."

"Hi, Buffy. Oh, Spike, you're here." Before Tara could continue, Dawn interrupted her with a shriek.

"Oh, oh, oh! Look at the cutie!" William blinked up at the entranced teen and yawned. Unimpressed with all the excitement, he closed his eyes and fell back to sleep.

"No!" Buffy spun away. She couldn't resist teasing her taller sibling. "He's mine."

"Niblet, here you go." Spike scooped out the ginger-furred kitten and deposited it into Dawn's waiting hands. He patted inside his pocket, checking for wet patches. Luckily there were none!

It was love at first sight. Dawn tucked the kitten into her sling and flung her free arm around the bemused vampire.

"Thank you! Thank You! It is for me? Right?"

"Yes, luv, and here's everything you both need to get you started." Spike began to push the full 'Pets Are Us' bags onto the table. He upended them, their contents poured out all over the place.

Tara looked over at the vamp and smiled. Despite all that the others said about vamps, she could see that this one loved. His aura was glowing with affection as he watched Dawn, stroking and cooing at her new friend. She paused for a second and frowned.

Buffy's aura and Spike's were practically a reflection of each other. They were golden, tinged with purples and silver. As they stepped closer to each other their auras, entwined and began to glow brightly.

'Wow!' Tara stared at the two of them. Their hands touched briefly. With the small contact, the purple colours of their auras mingled and pulsed.

'They're in love.' Tara was mesmerized. Dawn's voice broke her musings.

"Is it a boy or girl?" she asked.

"I don't know, but this is William." Buffy answered for him as she held out her sleeping prize for inspection. Spike gritted his teeth, ignoring the snorts from both Tara and Dawn.

"Sweetie, let me see." Tara gestured to the ginger fluff ball. She paused and studied it for a second. "It's a girl."

"Cool!" Dawn smiled maliciously at Buffy for a split second. "Welcome to the family, Anne."

"What? No! You can't do that," Buffy protested. She stomped her foot down on Spike's Doc as he doubled over with silent laughter.

"Thanks, Nib. Payback's a bitch, eh, luv?" He quirked his scarred brow at the seething blonde next to him and then turned to Dawn with a smile.

"So are you going to get these two settled?"

"Sure. I have to get a box and set up their tray."

"Dawnie, I'll help you. We need two boxes and a couple of shirts. One of yours and one of Buffy's that way they will recognize your scents." Tara began to scoop up the various boxes and cans. "Come help me with this stuff and we'll find a place for their food."

"She's a wise bird that one," Spike commented, as he extracted the white kitten from Buffy's arms. He headed into the kitchen with his prize. He was back in moments and sat down next to Buffy on the sofa. His arm slid across the back and then dropped down onto her shoulders.

Buffy snuggled her head onto his shoulder and sighed happily.

Spike buried his face in her hair and inhaled her sweet scent.

"Spike?"

"Hmmm."

"You know how I said we needed to talk?"

"Yeah.." Spike's arm tightened around her shoulders.

"Well," her fingers trailed up and down on his denim-clad thigh.

Spike, clenched his teeth, trying to will away his very obvious reaction to her soft touch. Buffy grinned at the sight of his erection straining against his much-abused fly.

'Wow! He must have extra strong zippers put into his jeans!'

"What is it, luv?" His voice was strained. His leg jumped as her hand slid higher.

"I was thinking..." Her voice trailed off, she sat up and swung her leg over Spike's. She straddled him and then cupped his chin in her hands. "Open your eyes." she whispered.

Spike looked up at her flushed and uncertain face.

"Spike, I want this to stop."

He froze.

"What?" He hissed at her, conscious of teenage ears that could pickup just about anything.

"No! No, not us.." She paused and pecked a gentle kiss on his open mouth. "Come on. Let's sit out on the swing." She pulled him up.

"Tara, Dawn, we'll be on the porch. Call us when you are ready to order a take out. Okay?"

"Fine," Dawn yelled.

She slid the front door shut behind her. Spike was already slouched on the swing. He pushed it gently with his feet.

"How come I feel like a spotty git waiting for a fumble in the dark?" He grinned up at the blonde girl, as she sat down next to him.

She laughed and shook her head at him.

"Spike. What I wanted to say was. Well. Ummm. When Dawn and I were talking, I realised I want more." She picked up his hands and held them in her own, very much like he had held hers the night she had returned from the grave. He squeezed her fingers gently.

Spike kept quiet. This was important. He needed the Slayer to talk this out. Either way, it was up to her. He listened to her heartbeat, trying to gauge her feelings.

Surprisingly, it was even and steady.

"Spike." Her soft voice broke his concentration. He looked into her eyes.

"I'm all ears, pet."

"I want this, us, to be more. To be better." She paused and smiled.

"Look, I know we didn't really start off on the right foot, but, luv, I understand." Spike interrupted. She pressed her lips to his. Her tongue snaked out and she tasted his bottom lip.

"I mean, the sex is fantastic." Her comment earned her a smirk. "But I want us to be more. I want the whole thing."

"Flowers, chocolates, candles and romance?" he asked.

"Yeah. But also no more hiding. I want a relationship. No more hitting each other."

"What? No training?" Spike interrupted.

"Okay, but no hitting outside of the mats. I don't want Dawn to think that it's normal for a couple. I mean, the only other example of a hetero relationship is Xander and Anya." She shuddered.

"I get it, pet." Spike leaned over and brushed his lips against her temple. He paused and savoured her warmth. "So, you're ready to come out?"

"What? No! Not gay... Oh!" She blushed, embarrassed at her dumb blondeness.

"Yes," she whispered softly.

"Good." Spike clapped his hands together. He was elated. This was more than he had ever expected. He pulled her close and his lips crashed down onto hers. He kissed her softly. His teeth nipped gently at her full lips. Buffy moaned and pulled him closer. Her fingers tightened around his head, pulling at his hair and loosening it into curls.

"Buffy? Sorry to interrupt but Dawnie is getting hungry and well..." Tara was blushing as she caught the two of them mid-kiss.

"Hey, Tara!" Buffy popped up and straightened her blouse. Spike's wandering hands had pulled it from her waistband.

"Tara, we have something to tell you. Well, Spike and I, um, we've been seeing each other. It's sorta new and we wanted you to be one of the first to know. I mean, Dawn knows and now you. But then again, what with the smoochies, I guess it would be pretty hard to miss." Buffy pulled Spike to his feet and wrapped her arms around his waist. She couldn't stop babbling, her nerves were getting the better of her.

"I noticed," Tara commented dryly. A lopsided grin crossed her face. "I wish you two could see your auras. They are beautiful, so in sync. Congratulations." She reached over and hugged them both.

"You're not bothered, Glinda?"

"Nope."

"Tara, are you sure?"

"Yep."

"No 'go near her and I'll stake you'?"

"Nope, though if you upset her or hurt her, then all bets are off. I know a few curses that can reaaally affect a man." She batted her eyelashes at the agitated vampire.

Spike's hands dropped over his groin.

"Hey! Tara, leave little Spike alone," Buffy interjected, giggling. The relief could be heard in her voice.

"Oi! Less of the little, Slayer." Spike patted the area in question. He looked slightly offended.

"Awww, poor Spikey!" Buffy tilted her head up and kissed him on the throat. He growled at her use of that much-hated nickname! It brought back too many memories of another blonde. Buffy grinned wickedly at him and mouthed Blondie Bear at him.

"Come on, guys, let's order some Chinese and I want to know when this all started." Tara pulled them both inside, trying not to laugh at the expression on Spike's face.

"Uhm, I hate to be a party pooper, but where is Willow?" Buffy asked.

*********

Amy reached her mother's old car without any interference from Rack.

Her hands shook, as she tried to get the keys into the ignition.

'Finally!'

The engine turned over and the car shot out of the filthy alley