Let Me Play Amongst the Stars by SpikesDeb
 
 
Chapter #1 - The Undiscovered Country
 
Set roughly post Tabula Rasa, although I'm messing with the timeline a little. Assuming that although Tara was suspicious of Willow’s use of magic, it hasn’t quite reached the proportions where she felt it necessary to leave. Also assuming that there has been time after TR for Spike and Buffy to develop a relationship so as to get to this stage. So, basically – kind of canon but with a twist. :D It starts right where Fly Me to the Moon ends.




This story was written especially for Chanel who shares my love of Spuffy and Trek and asked more than once for a sequel. I hope I do it justice.




Many, many hugs to my friend and beta Lou; without her my words would be worthless.




So, without further ado....




LET ME PLAY AMONGST THE STARS




Harry Kim woke with a smile on his face. That’d been one hell of a dream, the best of many if truth be told. For the past month or so his nights had been invaded by increasingly erotic ‘incidents’ – albeit completely and totally in his hyperactive imagination – with the Borg babe that Captain Janeway seemed intent on pairing him up with - in a work context, anyway.




She was most definitely put together. And what an Ice maiden! Sometimes the job meant they had to get real close… and in his fantasies the accidental touches while working became searing stolen moments. The best had been when Voyager’s avoidance manoeuvre had sent them crashing to the floor together – and yeah, the earth had moved, and how! Happy landings…but not as happy as last night’s!




He opened one eye to check the time and turned over onto his side. There was a good half hour before he was due on duty and since the sonic shower would take care of his personal grooming in about 30 seconds, he could allow himself a few more minutes to wallow in that delicious snooze zone between sleep and waking.




“Morning, sexy,” he murmured to Seven, who lay naked at his side, blonde hair for once free of pins and spread out on the pillow.




“Yes, I believe it is morning, Ensign Kim. I am aware of the hour.”




“Sorry, Seven.” Harry smiled dreamily then frowned as his sleepy brain tried desperately to grasp the elusive little niggle presently zipping and bouncing round inside his head.




The lightweight, heat efficient cover was grabbed suddenly as Harry leapt from the bed like it was on fire. He smacked his head on the sloping ceiling, ducked down and crashed into the clarinet and music stand that stood to one side of the bed. In a tangle of limbs, cover, sheet music and stand, Kim collapsed in an undignified heap as he stared aghast at the naked and extremely nubile Borg drone lying on his bed.




“Erm…Seven? What… what are you doing here?”




“I do not understand your question. Are you unable to recall last night?” Seven raised an elegant eyebrow. “There were the intruders I told you about and I showed you diagrams? We copulated. You were very energetic once your initial reluctance was breached. Resistance – after all – was futile.”




“That…was really real ?” Harry croaked.




He recalled all right. And despite his horror at finding himself in this compromising situation with his sexy but haughty shipmate, his body recalled too. In fact said body decided to demonstrate just how pleasant and arousing that recollection was. He followed Seven’s eyes down to his crotch…there was definite tenting.




“Ensign. I calculate that there’s a time slot of 3 minutes 37 seconds when we could engage in more coupling before you need to prepare for your shift. Please approach.”




Harry’s legs automatically obeyed her commanding tone, brain no longer capable of functioning through the shock. Seven shifted over obviously expecting him to join her. Harry stood still, terrified, hands gripping the soft material.




“3 minutes 11 seconds and counting, Mr Kim. I’m sure you are capable of satisfying me within those parameters?”




Three words played on a loop in Harry’s mind…resistance is futile .




++++++++++++++++




Jonathan, Andrew and Warren were bickering. It was a typical morning in their lair therefore and much fun had been had with the transporter episode. The argument centred on whether or not the failure to record the action for posterity was the fault of Andrew or Jonathan. Warren was smugly denying any responsibility.




“Well, it’s obviously not me because hello – evil mastermind! You guys wanted to head up Surveillance but if you can’t cut it... Anyway it’s my mom’s basement so I’m exempt.”




“What the…since when? Where was that written down?”




Warren Mears had been waiting for that. “Well duh…the board! Don’t tell me you didn’t read the back of it? Standard disclaimer, guys. You both signed the mission statement.”




Andrew and Jonathan stared at each other, open-mouthed. Andrew marvelled at the genius of Warren’s slyness; Jonathan grew a little unsettled with Warren’s duplicity. But they both had signed the board.




“Okay, so you got us. But what’s to fight about? We just do over, that’s all. It’ll work again. We send ‘em back – or forwards, or wherever the hell they went to - rig up a recording device that'll travel with them and later…sell the DVDs for mucho dinero. It’ll be the hottest ticket in town!”




It was Warren’s turn to gape. Who’d have thought it? The squirt was a regular brainiac. Andrew kicked himself for not thinking of it before his vertically challenged friend.




“Nice idea, short round. Repeatomode it is, right now!”




The three scrambled off to rig up the necessary equipment.




+++++++++++




Spike and Buffy had rematerialized in Spike’s crypt, still clasping each other tightly and lying on a Persian rug. They were both dumbstruck at the experience, wondering if they’d had a shared hallucination. Buffy broke the silence…




“Spike…did we…was that…real? The spaceship, the weird guns?”




“Think so, pet. Least, it felt bloody real to me.” He smirked. “Well, you did…”




Buffy rolled her eyes. “Wanna think with the grey cells, mister, and not little Spike there. Don’t you think it was kinda freaky?”




Spike kissed her nose, bounced to his feet and strolled over to the side table grabbing a fresh packet of cigarettes and popping one between his teeth. He lit it with his ever-present Zippo and took a deep drag.




“Freaked? Hardly, sweetheart. Grateful for the time I got to spend with you, is all. Thing is, Buffy, if it means I get you all to myself with no soddin’ Scoobies giving me the old evil eye, I’d sign on to crew Apollo bloody 13 first thing in the morning.”




Buffy got up and wandered over to the sarcophagus, perching on the cold stone surface with her legs swinging and brow creased in deep thought mode. She didn’t answer him and Spike noted her demeanour and sighed. She’d promised that when they got back she’d tell everyone about them. Empty words, empty promises. Of course it wouldn’t change the way he felt – he was used to being kicked in the teeth. But he’d hoped, allowed himself to feel actual hope and anticipation, that she’d finally worked through her self-imposed barriers and was ready to include him in her life. He dipped his head, ready for the brush-off.




Buffy didn’t disappoint. Without another word she bounced to her feet and shook out her hair - And so she was off. Bizarre as the night had been, it looked like the ending would be the usual cut and run. She’d had her fun and now she’d be scampering away, back into the arms of the Scoobies and their sanctimonious bloody preaching. Well, let her. She’d be back. And maybe one day she’d be sorry if he was gone when she came running in through the…oh sod it, who was he trying to kid! He was love’s bitch and would be waiting for her until hell froze over. Longer, if necessary.




She smoothed her hair, retying it with a hair clip and started towards the door. Spike stood over by the battered armchair affecting an air of ‘couldn’t care less’, determined not to give her the satisfaction of knowing how hurt he was. She’d talked big over in the spaceship, but ultimately things would be just the same.




Buffy paused at the door and turned. “You coming with?”




Spike’s ecstatic smile lit up her world.




++++++++++++++++++++++++




Buffy arrived at the Magic Box before Spike, who’d taken the less–combustible route of the sewers. She greeted Anya, trying not to show her annoyance when the ex-vengeance demon completely blanked her, shoving her to one side so as to reach the actual paying customers who came in behind her. Anya and her crinkly green babies – ‘Dollar’ and ‘Another Dollar’. How she loved them!




They’d decided on a quick visit to the Magic Box before Buffy went to check on Dawn, simply to report in and get the research started. Both of them had momentarily forgotten that since leaving school the Scoobies had to get involved in real life with jobs and more study and the like. The only ‘Scooby’ available therefore was Anya and she wasn’t really big with the research or helping anybody out for purely humanitarian reasons. No, she was more the ‘I’ll help you if it’s not too difficult, doesn’t upset my day, or if you pay me’ kind. Spike had to respect that in her. Very vamp-like.




And as for Giles…well, he’d packed his bags and gone back to England following the day that wouldn’t end, the painful singing day, and the naughty Willow mojo that made them all forget who they were day. Buffy stifled a whimper at the thought that she’d have to research alone. Spike seemed to sense her distress, shoving open the door from the back room where he’d entered via the sewers and striding across to grip her hand in comfort. Buffy jerked her hand away and Spike allowed his to drop to his side, bowing his head to hide the tears forming in his limpid blue eyes. How much more could he take of this rollercoaster…




He almost fainted when instead of moving away from him, Buffy suddenly wrapped her arms round his neck and snuggled into his chest. He stood, Buffy moulded to his body, his arms flailing about at his sides and his mouth gaping like a landed fish, as his brain tried to process the required information to make him move. Autonomic response took over eventually and he hugged her tight against him, his smile threatening to take over his entire face.




Anya had dealt with the customers and was headed to the storeroom; as she passed the entwined couple she remarked, “It’s about time you two did something to fix all that unresolved sexual tension. It was making me too horny all the time and Xander needs so much recuperation between couplings.”




She breezed by, airily announcing, “We had to buy a battery charger to keep the toys primed. You’re so lucky, Buffy –vampires are renowned for their stamina.”




Spike froze, certain that one of Buffy’s punch-in-the-nose specials was heading his way at the comment about their sexual relationship.




Stunned, he looked down to see her shoulders shaking as she tried to restrain the laughter. She lifted her head and shouted after the retreating ex-demon “Don’t I know it!”




Spike gripped Buffy’s shoulders and held her slightly away, his hands remaining in contact with her flesh as he tilted his head in question.




“Okay, who are you and what have you done with my Slayer?”




Features softened with happiness were turned towards him and he gasped at the sight of the woman he adored, captive in his arms and gazing at him with love and satisfaction.




“Silly! It’s me! And you’re right…I am your Slayer. I’m your Slayer, your Buffy, your lover, your anything you want me to be. Isn’t it wonderful?”




Spike laughed with the joy of it as he picked her up and spun her round till she squealed for mercy, finally setting her down on the stairs and standing inside her parted legs. He kissed her softly, gently, channelling all of his love into the kiss. Buffy swooned in it, knowing now how he worshipped her and would continue to do so until the day he dusted.




She smiled up at him, flushed and happy as he took a step back, her hand still loosely holding on to one of his, the easy familiarity of the gesture thrilling him.




“Buffy…I didn’t think you’d…are you sure?”




Buffy leaned forwards, eager to reassure him that she was very, VERY sure. She knew how she felt, she couldn’t tell him yet – but she could show him.




“Spike, I’ve never been more certain about anything in my whole life. I told you during our mad space trip, I’m not gonna hide you away any more like something I’m ashamed of. The only thing I’m ashamed of is me, the horrible way I’ve treated you.” Spike went to interrupt. “No! Let me finish! You’ve done nothing but show me and my and friends how sincere and loyal you are and all I’ve done is take what I wanted then kick you in the groin. Enough. It stops right now.”




Spike just knew he had the nancy boy William look on his face, and he couldn’t care less. Demon was happy that the Slayer was caving in while the poet was overflowing with soft romantic gloopiness that the woman he loved was declaring her feelings at last, albeit without the actual words of love out loud. He could wait for that.




“Besides…I’ve got way better things to do to your groin…”




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++




“Seven. Mr Kim. You’re both late. I take it you have good reason and that it won’t happen again, so let’s not waste any more time. Chakotay – continue.”




Captain Janeway barked out her orders as she paced the ready room, hands on her hips, fingers tapping out her frustration. First of all they had intruders of unknown origin hiding out in a Jeffries tube for who knew how long, no explanation, no idea why they were there. And now two of her senior officers were neglecting their duty. It just wouldn’t do. They may be the only Starfleet vessel in the Delta quadrant and years from home but that was no reason to let standards slip.




“It appears that the two intruders were humanoid, but the internal scanners have also identified anomalies in their genetic makeup. The female seemed to be endowed with super strength, enhanced healing powers, overall a higher metabolic rate than normal. The male…well, there were human genes but the other component…we just don’t know. He had equal strength to the female but he appeared to be without functioning organs – no heartbeat, no endocrine system, nothing. There is no matching genetic fingerprint in the databanks and the doctor has been unable to suggest any explanation as to their origin.”




The doctor’s testy voice echoed from the com channel link. “Yet! No explanation yet! I did say, Commander Chakotay, that I was very near to identifying the heretofore unknown material. As you know, I have proven invaluable in the past where such situations have arisen, my intellect, of course, is beyond the imaginings of your average medical personnel. Need I remind you of the time I…?”




“Thank you, doctor, that will be all.” Janeway cut off the channel and the screen went blank. She turned back to the conference table to be met by equally blank faces. She held the eyes of each of her officers until one by one they had to look away.




“Anything? Do we have any ideas on this? Seven – you made a study of them I believe. Can you show us your findings? I’d be interested to see what you learned from the – there must be something else we can call them other than intruders – visitors?”




Tom Paris noted Seven’s heightened colour. Was that a blush? The stoic Borg? Surely not. He nudged B’elanna to draw her attention. Her eyes widened at the sight of the normally calm and serene Seven of Nine as she stuttered and shifted in her seat, cheeks definitely red in hue. She turned to her husband and giggled, stifling the sound behind a manufactured cough.




“I…Captain, the data was…corrupted somewhat.” Out of the corner of her eye, Seven watched Harry squirm in his seat as he fought the impulse to run. “I may be able to assemble some parts of it…to present…but there will be…partial degradation.”




The sound of Harry’s chair scraping along the floor drew everybody’s attention. At Janeway’s quizzical look he mumbled, “I’m sorry, Captain…I apologise…I feel…unwell. May I go to sick bay?”




Janeway nodded; the boy did look green around the gills and he had been late – most un-Kimlike. Maybe he’d been affected by the intrusion.




Gratefully, Kim scuttled to the door avoiding Seven’s eyes.




“Harry. While you’re there ask the doctor to run a scan for all levels of bacteria, microbes, viruses. If our visitors are carriers of anything harmful, our first priority will be to prepare a hypospray antidote for crew inoculation.”




“Yes, Captain.”




He’d never been so relieved to hear the sound of the door swishing shut behind him.




Back in the conference room, B’elanna and Tom were whispering to each other until Seven shot them a chilling glare. In that instant, Tom understood Harry’s sudden illness. Seven of Nine had taken a bite out of the young ensign.




‘Well, he’s a braver man then m…’




“Settle down, people. We’re no nearer to understanding this. Seven – go work on your presentation. I want it by 1600 hours, no later. Tom – check the Delta Flyer over and make sure it’s good to go. If they return we may need to move quickly. B’elanna – I want a complete tune-up of the drive systems, warp core, weapons array. We’ve no idea what their purpose is in contacting us and we’d be wise to prepare for any eventuality. I need to know that there’ll be instantaneous response. Tuvok - it’s obvious the scanners weren’t calibrated to alert us to the intruders’ presence. With the data from the doctor and Seven I want you to ensure that doesn’t happen again. Neelix – have you come across anything like this before?”




“Well…yes…and no. Not exactly like this but there is an ancient legend told amongst my people of a race of beings who possess superior strength because they are imbued with the essence of a demon, an evil being. They dwell in darkness and live forever drinking the blood of people they hunt.”




Tom snorted. “Neelix, that’s ludicrous! You’ve just described vampires! We have tales of them on Earth too. But that’s all it is – tales -- vampires don’t exist.”




Janeway smiled wryly. Vampires from Outer Space!




“Let’s hope so, Tom. Well, people – let’s get to work. I want you all back here by 1600 for Seven’s report. I’m sure she’ll be able to shed some light on the whole thing.




++++++++++++++++++++++++




Dawn was devouring breakfast like she’d not eaten in a month when Buffy and Spike burst through the door, Spike smacking at the flames that were licking at his duster. She jumped up with a squeak of surprise, heavily syruped pancake dangling from her mouth.




“Guys!” she spluttered, “Sheesh, dramatic entrance much! What’s up?”




Buffy moved towards her sister, feeling as though she hadn’t seen her in ages when in reality it was only last night before patrol. Dawn didn’t seem at all concerned that her sister had stayed out all night. Certainly hadn’t made a dent in her ever-present appetite.




“Syrup, Dawn? What happened to eating healthy stuff?”




The teenager licked her fingers guiltily. Busted. Time to play the abandoned card…




“Erm…well, I was all alone and the house was so quiet. I didn’t know what to make, so I just thought…” Big blue eyes focused on the tiny figure of her sister who was wringing her hands and looked about to cry; momentarily Dawn thought better of her ruse but now she’d started it she didn’t know how to stop.




She didn’t have to, Spike did it for her.




“Now, Niblet – stop funning with your sister. You trying to tell us that you didn’t snore the solid twelve hours you usually do, lulled to sleep by some overly cheery music and dreaming of some spotty lad with a face like a slapped arse? Come on – I’ll bet you didn’t even realise she was gone, did you?”




Dawn opened her mouth to object and even got the first syllable out before she ran into a wall of ice blue eyes and earnest face that adored her and she knew it. She couldn’t lie to him.




“Okay! I get it! I’m sorry! No, Buffy, I just thought you were sleeping the sleep of the pooped out Slayer. I decided to sneak a sugar OD while the coast was clear. But now you mention it…where have you guys been?”


It was Buffy and Spike’s turn to look shifty. How to explain to Dawn that they’d been in space, on a space ship, with aliens and without clothes or inhibitions? The PG version, obviously.




“Dawn, you wouldn’t believe us if we told you. Remember that movie Galaxy Quest?”




++++++++++++




Andrew, Jonathan and Warren had spent hours assembling the ingredients and equipment to run the time/space travel trick again. It needed to be tweaked because although they could tell that Spike and Buffy had left this continuum and also when they returned, they had no way of knowing what had happened when they were gone.




Or even where they went to.




Oh, sure, Jonathan couldn’t shut up about the fact that he’d made a transporter system that actually worked and to hell with science fiction and the impossibility of it all. But it was just as likely that all they’d done with the duo was zap them on top of a mountain somewhere, or even right into the sewer system beneath Sunnydale’s grimy streets. Hell, they could have just been on repeato again like Buffy had been the last time they’d messed with her.




So, hence the tweaking of the spell to include a recording device. The Troika were going to do it right this time, complete with full distribution rights and a sideline in blackmail, courtesy of the Biggest Bad and the Hottest Slayer – the Sex Tapes Volume 1 ‘Beyond the Outer Limits’ ™. They’d been watching the two of them of late and there was definitely something of a smoochie nature going on between them. Time to cash in.




“Short round – will it be ready before I die of old age?”




Jonathan was beginning to resent Warren’s derogatory comments. At first he’d laughed along just glad to be part of something, anything. But now – the height-related slights were starting to sting. And anyway, like Warren Mears was God’s gift….. Wasn’t like he could get himself a real girl…




“Yes it’s ready. Haven’t I said so already?”




Warren backed away, palms upraised and forward in supplication. “Just asking, Mini-me. No need to bite my knees.”




Jonathan shot him a glare, hidden quickly by his bowed head. Now was not the time to kick off. That time would come.




“Well, let’s get to it then. No time like the present is there? Andrew – you ready to record?”




“Yes sir, mon capitain! Beam them up, Shorty!”




The three boys dissolved into less than manly giggles at the reference to one of their favourite shows, Jonathan belatedly reacting to yet another slight with a scowl. Andrew had been waiting hours to throw that line in and was beaming with pride that it had gone down so well.




As the laughter subsided Jonathan closed his eyes and started chanting, sprinkling golden powder over a pot filled with blood and shaking his magic bone.




++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



 
 
Chapter #2 - Out of this World
 
LET ME PLAY AMONGST THE STARS


A HUGE thank you to Lou for the fantastic beta job she's done. Once again I sent her a sow's ear and she sent me back a silk purse. *hugs*

CHAPTER TWO




Once Dawn was convinced Buffy and Spike weren’t pulling an elaborate stunt, she’d grilled them mercilessly for details. Even highly censored, their tale had induced giddy omigods and excited squeals. After drawing a blank on possible explanations, it was decided the situation deserved emergency status.




Dawn had been the one to sound the old Scooby tom-toms and round up the gang, her presence a courtesy bribe to stop a whine-fest of truly epic proportions. High decibel ‘It’s not fair, I so can do research’ soon wore Buffy down.




They were all now sitting round the Magic Box table looking puzzled. Even Giles was on speakerphone from England and he too was drawing a blank. His voice echoed tinnily.




“And you just found yourselves in a dark space, no warnings, no flashing lights, nothing?”




Buffy and Spike looked at each other, Buffy nodding to Spike to continue.




“Nah – not a sausage. One minute we were in my crypt, next minute it’s all Flash Gordon and storm troopers with ray guns.”




“Well, I have to confess that I’m stumped. If it hadn’t actually happened, I’d think it was the imaginings of a science fiction-obsessed adolescent.”




One by one, Giles’ words sank into their brains. Science fiction. Nerds.




“They couldn’t…” Buffy’s words dried up as she realised that not only could they, they had.




“The bloody Troika! I’ll kill the gits, you just watch me!” Buffy grabbed Spike’s agitated arm and hugged it to her, a gesture that apparently had Xander freaking.




“Buffy? What are you…?”




“God, Xander, calm down! They’re only indulging in frolics and orgasms… and many positions. I did tell you but no, you don’t ever listen to me. There could have been fun evenings with some of that ‘swinging’. If only you’d pay attention when I tell you tales from my top ten orgies.”




Anya barely paused for breath. “I know you can’t take your eyes off Buffy’s breasts…your eyes glaze over and you’re imagining you’re sucking her perky nipples - and remember how you admired Spike’s muscles? Well you can bet he’s got an extra nice muscle that would make me scream – you too probably. I'll bet it makes Buffy howl with pleasure and I know you'd like to hear that.”




Buffy cringed as Anya’s monologue went from bad to horrendous. Her comments on Xander's many Buffy-induced wet-dreams were really making her feel queasy but at least now the focus was moving on to more tales from the files marked 'Anyanka's Sexcapades'. Maybe the blow-by-blow account of her private life had been eclipsed by the lurid revelations that followed. Yay Anya- the ex-demon with no shame.




And at the thought of any kind of ooky touching involving her sister and Xander, Dawn squealed and ran behind the counter, clapping her hands to her ears and trying to block out visuals of anything that Anya had said.




Spike growled, fangs descending; nobody got their hands – or other things – on Buffy. Thankfully, Giles' voice crackled through the speakerphone again allowing the tension to subside.




“Ahem. Yes…well…I’ll pretend that little interlude was a result of the questionable telephone connection and I misheard. Do you have any idea how to find these boys?”




“Give me a sock or something and I might be able to sniff ‘em out. Bastards won’t know what hit them.”




“…Oh marvellous, that’ll do the trick – problem solved. And do we have a sock, Spike?” Giles’ voice echoed over the connection, the sarcasm dripping into the silence and triggering a coughing fit from Dawn.




“What? It was funny! Oh, come on! You know that was funny! Spike the Sniffer Dog. British…but funny.”




Buffy blushed at her thoughts… Spike’s nose was nobody’s business but hers.




Despite the seriousness of the situation, Spike smiled - Giles’ drollery had his lips curling. “Yeah, Nibblet’s right. Watcher’s got a point. There is no sock.”




“But we do have…this…” Anya indicated the box in the corner labelled ‘Bot’s Bits’ that Willow had collected the morning after Buffy’s return. She hadn’t sorted through it yet and Dawn wouldn’t have it in the house because it freaked her out, so for now it occupied a corner of Anya’s domain.




Willow asked the question on everybody’s mind. “But what has that to do with the Troika? Warren Mears built the Buffybot.”




Anya was astounded. These people were the best defence against evil this town had? They were all doomed…




“Warren’s one of the nerd-herd, him and Jonathan, who I seem to remember being best friends with for about five minutes. Ooh! – and his blonde friend, the girlyboy boy? You didn’t know?” Her incredulous tone said it all.




Giles broke the uncomfortable silence with a cough. “I haven’t the foggiest idea what you’re talking about, Anya, but if you do have information perhaps you should get to work with it. I’ll be on the next flight over but in the meantime perhaps you could go sniffabout, Spike, and at least try to be useful in gathering helpful information.”




“Not really one to hang back, Watcher. If I get hold of the tossers, I’ll be rippin’ their heads off and sticking them up their jacksies. But nice idea.”




“Well, yes…far be it from me to expect you to actually follow a plan through, Spike. No matter. I’ll be there presently.” The dropped tone indicated that Giles had hung up leaving the group momentarily without focus.




Anya clapped her hands startling the Scoobies into action. “Right, people, you heard Giles - let’s get to it. Besides you’re putting the customers off and the customer is the lifeblood of a business. Maybe if you were more attractive ….oh, not you, Spike, you’re quite the hottie.”




“Hey! I let the first one pass but you might wanna back off and roll that tongue in?”




Buffy stood glaring at Anya, fists firmly planted on her hips. The nerve!!! How dare she pass comment on the hotness that was her Spike! She wasn’t wrong, obviously, but still – that hunk of drop-dead gorgeousness was hers and hers alone. Buffy took a moment to wonder about the bitter jealousy that stabbed through her at the mere thought of anyone even looking at Spike.




Wow. Smitten much?




Strong arms circled her waist from behind, Spike pulling her to sit on his lap at the research table.




“Now, kitten, play nice,” he whispered in her ear, finishing his words with a tiny nip of blunt teeth. “We’ve got work to do. Maybe you can catfight with the ex-demon later. The whelp and I can get some popcorn and watch…”




Buffy twisted in his embrace, cheeks flushed and about to read him the riot act – until she realised he was joking and her anger gave way to a pouting humph.




“Laugh when you say that, buster, or else I’m gonna have to punish you.”




To the total astonishment of everyone but Anya, Buffy twined her arms around Spike’s neck and locked lips, her tongue working inside his mouth and tangling with his in what looked like the hottest and most passionate kiss this side of creation.




Time seemed to stop for everyone as they watched, unable to drag their eyes away from the x-rated show taking centre stage in the Magic Box. Willow and Xander had matching boggle eyes, their mouths gaping soundlessly as they tried to assimilate what was going on. Tara was calmer – a little shocked but dealing. And Dawn…Dawn was so excited to finally have one of her dearest dreams come true she was jumping up and down and hugging herself.




Buffy dragged in a ragged breath, wasting precious seconds while she filled her lungs before zeroing back in on Spike’s kiss-swollen lips, and sucking on them noisily. Willow squeaked and rushed to cover Dawn’s eyes as Buffy turned in Spike’s arms and threw a denim-clad leg across his thigh and straddled him, her groin settling right up against his bulging crotch.




The temperature in the Magic Box went through the roof and the Scoobies were having a hard time keeping the heat out of their cheeks. It was a blessing for all concerned when suddenly the air started to crackle and shimmer.




But in the blink of an eye, the slayer and what was most definitely her vampire had vanished.




++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++




Slayer and vampire landed in a heap on the floor when the chair supporting them ceased to exist. “Oomph!” grunted Buffy as she fell forwards, her breasts crushing against his chest.




Spike struggled to sit up, dislodging Buffy roughly as he scrabbled to his feet.




“Oh bloody hell!”




Buffy jumped up, ready to return his angry words and more than a little pissed at the hasty brush-off. Then she realised it was dark. And there were little swishing sounds… there was a flat, black screen running around the wall…




“Oh no, not again…”




“Don’t tell me – we’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto. It’s the Three Amigos again! I swear, I’m gonna bathe in their blood and pick my teeth with their bones.”




“Jeez, Spike, TMI!! Besides, what am I gonna do if your head implodes? Don’t worry – Willow will be on it. They know where we are now, don’t they?” Buffy asked hopefully. “…or should that be, they know where we’re not. They won’t let the nerds get away with it. What say we just hole up and wait? Not like there’s much we can do anyway.”




Spike paced the darkened area, his footsteps muffled by the grey carpeting. Buffy was right, there was nothing they could do.




Well…not quite nothing. He could think of a few ways to pass the time….




Buffy grinned when Spike turned to face her. She knew that look. Her cheeks pinked as he zapped her with the full on head tilt, backed up by the sucked in cheeks, wicked mouth and rolled tongue. Any second now and he would…




There it was…the prowl…




Gah! Should be illegal, the way he affected her. She was just so much Buffyputty in his hands; ready to be moulded any way he wanted.




She watched him as he walked the walk of sex to stand inches from her. He was just the right height to make her feel vulnerable, but not in a threatened way. Vulnerable in that she could stop thinking like the slayer for a time and be a woman; she could let Spike take the lead. The surrender was intoxicating, flooding her veins with liquid fire and drying out her mouth.




He reached for her, cool fingers sweeping the hair from her temple and cupping her cheek as he reached behind her with his other hand and pulled her to him, hard. The groin-to-groin impact drew a gasp of delight from Buffy and she instinctively parted her legs so that he could rock against her hot mound. With a burst of preternatural speed and strength Buffy found herself lifted off her feet and slammed back against the wall, her legs coming up round his hips as he pressed her forcefully against the cool, metallic surface.




Lips met, tongues and teeth tangled in a frenzy of need and desire. They held nothing back, slayer and vampire – there was no need, they were equals in everything; passion, strength, the yearning to belong. For the first time, Spike felt he was truly holding Buffy in his arms, holding all of her. The way she’d been in front of the others filled him with hope…that they had a future was more than he’d dare dream.




God – he couldn’t wait to be inside her. Feel her hot silk pulsing around him as he gave her pleasure. He held her up against the wall, one arm wrapped around to caress her lower back and butt, his knees bent to support her weight, while his free hand reached between them to lower first her zipper and then his. Buffy squirmed as his fingers brushed her curls, moist with her arousal and sensitive to his touch. She arched into him, mewling in frustration when he simply teased across her skin and left her wanting.




“Lift up a bit, pet, while I ease out of this.” He quickly shrugged out of his duster, holding her up with his legs until he had his hands free again. He was going to love his Slayer and the coat was a hindrance.




His husky voice rocketed straight to her clit and she raced to obey, tilting her pelvis forward so that Spike could grip the waist of her jeans and yank them down enough to enable his straining erection to nestle in her folds. Altering the angle and settling Buffy back against the wall; Spike thrust into her welcoming warmth and gritted his teeth.




He felt so raw - his emotions see-sawing from the joy of Buffy’s openness in front of the Scoobies, the urge to massacre the Troika for messing with them plus the insatiable need to make love – even though god knows what could come round the corner and catch them at it. No wonder his control was teetering. He stilled his thrusts, leaving Buffy bucking against him as she sought completion.




“Noooo! Don’t stop!” Buffy clawed at his back, willing him to move again.




“But love…I’m so close. Want you so much…”




“Got to have you now…I’m with you……please, Spike….”




Spike slid his length back inside her, moving his hips and angling the movement so that each time he sunk home he stroked her clit. Buffy whimpered, every nerve ending screaming from the emotional overload of the last twenty-four hours plus the liberation from the cell she’d kept herself locked in. She was free. And loved…




Buffy’s orgasm zinged through her body, her thighs clamping Spike and keeping him firmly trapped between her legs. Not that he was going anywhere soon, the pulsing of her passage threatening his own release and messing with the tenuous control he had over his demon. Buffy drove him wild.




Her fingernails dug into the flesh of his back, drawing blood. The scent of his own mauled flesh snapped his last thread of restraint and he let his demon face come to the fore. Amber eyes zeroed in on the throbbing jugular at her neck and he licked his lips, struggling to retract the fangs that ached to sink into soft, yielding flesh. Buffy’s eyes burned into him; she knew, she understood and she wanted him to bite her. Suddenly it was all clear to him. Buffy wanted him. She really did want all of him. Demon, man, fangs and all.




Sharp incisors neatly pierced her flesh, Buffy screaming with renewed need as lips, teeth and tongue caressed her neck. Spike thought he’d died for real and gone to heaven - she was not just allowing him to feed from her but revelling in it, moaning and writhing in ecstasy. He shuddered to a powerful climax as Buffy bit down on his shoulder. She didn’t draw blood but the pain was delicious and her pussy gripped his cock in answer as his come flooded deep inside her.




Spike’s legs gave out and they slid panting to the floor, entangled in clothing and each other. They lay for a little while before trying to move, Buffy giggling when he tried to get up and couldn’t as their zippers had become snagged on each other. He couldn’t help but laugh along with her, the absurdity of their situation coupled with the simmering rage at being messed with combining to engender a feeling of almost hysteria. In the end, he had to wriggle out of the jeans and leave them hanging from Buffy’s zipper until she managed to get them to separate. Buffy almost choked laughing as she caught sight of him standing off to the side, his back to her, the pale globes of his ass stark in contrast to the tight black t-shirt that skimmed the base of his spine.




“What now?”




Spike spun round. She couldn’t answer, her eyes streaming as he stood – hands on hips – in just the shirt; she threw the jeans at him and he caught them in front of his face, quickly putting them on and throwing her quizzical looks.




“What’s so funny?”




“It’s just…I looked at you standing there with your ass hanging out…and it’s like, oooh it’s a full moon tonight…just…sorry…doesn’t seem that funny now but…” Buffy giggled and came to him, placing a kiss on his pouting lips. Her face glowing with such easy happiness it almost took his breath away.




“So, you think I’ve got a funny bum, do you, missy?” he blustered in mock horror.




“Hell no! I think you could win Rear of the Year…but…oh, never mind. Look, shall we leave the butt exploration until later and check out where we are?”




“Oh saucy, Buffy. Never thought you’d ask for that particular pleasure, but just say the word and I’ll do a quick recce.”




Suddenly catching what she’d said, Buffy rolled her eyes and shoved him with her shoulder, heading towards the doorway. Spike stooped to pick up his duster and quickly slipping it on, sauntered after her, a swagger to his hips as he gave serious consideration to Buffy’s backside. The thought of her luscious peach of a butt was giving him a problem in the trouser department despite the recent workout. He shoved his hand down the front of his jeans and adjusted himself, Buffy turning round to catch him – literally – with his trousers down.




“Awww…lonesome already, honey?“ she cooed consolingly, “but we really do need to find somewhere to hole up until Willow and Giles come through with a rescue. Unless you’ve got a better idea?”




He raised his eyebrow and smirked, lips quirking in a sinful leer.




Buffy continued. “A better idea of the non-nudie variety – at least for now?”




Spike started in with a lewd response that was cut off by the flashing red light running around the flat, black console on the wall and the ominous words “Intruder Alert” that echoed in the alien surroundings.




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++







TBC....
 
 
Chapter #3 - Stargazer
 
Much love and thanks to Lou for once again making my words fit for human consumption. Don't know what I'd do without you. This chapter is very definitely dedicated to BloodyTearsofLife for her awesome graphics she gifted me with recently. I'm blown away, honestly.

LET ME PLAY AMONGST THE STARS




CHAPTER THREE




Mystified faces stared at the empty chair, Spike and Buffy having disappeared in a hazy shimmer. Dawn screamed, breaking the spell and startling the others into action. Willow rushed to pat the chair, fruitlessly searching for Buffy.




“They’re not here…Giles…we need Giles. Xander, get him on the phone, please!”




“Huh?” Xander was still in shock from the Buffy/Spike lovin’ so was slow to jump to it, earning him a slap on the back of his head from Anya as she sauntered past him to make the call. Willow, Tara, Dawn and Xander kept looking over at the chair and then back to each other as they tried to kick-start their brains into action.




“Giles. Buffy and Spike have disappeared.” Anya was relaying information to Giles over the long-distance connection in a disinterested voice while cradling the receiver between her neck and shoulders, her fingers busily counting the day’s takings.




“Not five minutes ago. Yes. Well…not ‘kaboom’ more like…’shimmery-tinkle’. No. Zilch. Uh-uh.” Anya continued to write up the books, not looking at the anxious faces of the Scoobies as they waited for instructions.




“Not sure…I’ll have to ask. No, together. Well, Spike was sitting on the chair and Buffy was kissing him…uh huh…no, I’m not trying to be amusing. Then there was the X-rated lap dance. Highly erotic - my eyeballs nearly melted. In fact I think I’m going to have to take Xander in the back room and... Jeez! Screech much?” She held the receiver away from her ear as Giles – apparently – found the mental image too much information.




Willow snatched the receiver from Anya’s hand, the ex-demon strolling off past the dumbstruck Xander and dragging him behind her as she led him to the training room at the back of the shop.




Dawn sighed dramatically and covered her eyes, “It’s okay – I know you all mean to say ‘not in front of Dawnie’. You’ve just forgotten how.”




Willow finished talking to Giles and replaced the receiver. They had work to do.




“Dawn? Where’s Anya? And Xander? Oh. Don’t tell me – I can hear…”




Anya’s orgasmic screams echoed through the, thankfully, customer-free Magic Box. Tara lowered her head and giggled, Willow trying and failing to suppress a smile of her own.




“Sheesh! Am I the only one who thinks that there’s way too much sex happening here? I mean, hello? This isn’t one of those weirdo TV shows! And if it’s not too much trouble, I’d quite like to find my sister and my vampire friend.”




Willow sobered instantly. It was true, Buffy and Spike were counting on them – on her – to make things right. She wasn’t about to let them down.




“You’re right. Dawn. Sorry. Well, Giles is contacting to the Coven and he hopes to have some answers in a couple of hours. And so far as we’re concerned, well – we get to go play ‘catch a nerd, knock a nerd on the head until he squeals’, which I totally approve of. I mean – okay, I knew the life of the nerd, but I’d never have done anything like this, mess with people.” Willow glanced away from Tara’s open gaze. It was only a little white lie…




The door to the back room opened to reveal the flustered and hastily dressing Xander as he rushed towards the table and the sanctuary of his friends. He eyed Anya warily as she strolled out of the exercise room, tucking in her blouse and fastening her buttons with a ‘cat got the cream’ expression. He blushed fiery red when she jumped up on the counter and crossed her ankles demurely, addressing the Scoobies in a loud voice.




“Well now – I’ve had the required number of orgasms -- although technically speaking, I suppose it would only be the one proper one with little fluttery ones after. Hey, Willow? Does that happen to you when Tara…”




Dawn stuck her fingers in her ears to block out the rest of Sex Ed 101. Willow smiled admiringly at her forethought while Tara tried in vain to melt into the bookcase she was leaning against. Xander simply jumped ship and ran out of the shop, re-entering a few minutes later and sheepishly sidling up to sit next to Willow who was now at the table with her laptop open and online.




The search results revealed a list of rental properties recently taken up around Sunnydale. Willow scrolled through, marking the ones she thought would be worth looking into and pressed print. The small printer beeped and spat sheets of paper out onto the table that Willow gathered together, divided out and handed round. Dawn held her hand out for her share but received only a very Spike-like raised eyebrow from Willow in her role as caregiver.




The teen crossed her arms across her chest and tilted her hips and head, her face a mask of defiance. “Well, if you don’t let me help I’m gonna sneak out anyway and do it myself. Not like there’s anyone here to stop me…and Spike would let me…”




Willow sighed. Dawn was annoying and immature, but on this occasion she did have a point. If the four of them were out researching, there’d be no one to look after Dawn. Usually, if there was something going down that involved all of the Scoobies, Dawn would hang out with Spike, or if Spike was going along with the gang, then Clem. But Clem was out of town right now and there really was nobody else.




“Okay, Dawnie. You can team up with Tara and me. We’ll keep to the two teams. Anya, Xander – you okay with that?”




Anya sighed in resignation. “Will it be difficult or time-consuming? What about my business?”




“An…come on now, this is important.” Xander made his sad puppy face. “For me?”




Anya flashed him the smile he loved and he smiled back. “Well, if you ask nicely like that…how can I say no? See how agreeable I can be when he doesn’t speak to me like I’m a moron?”




“Okay guys, we need to move. Don’t forget though, we’re only looking. We’ll have to be clever to catch these boys with their gadgets and stuff. Whatever happens we’ll meet back here in say…four hours?”




Matters decided, the two groups split up and clutching their rental details went on a nerd hunt.




++++++++++++++++++++




Buffy clung to Spike, her ears ringing with the blaring whine of the sirens. Spike was almost bent double in pain, his sensitive hearing causing him extreme agony. As the sliding doors swished open to admit a cohort of armed soldiers clad in black and red or black and gold coloured uniforms, the alarm cut off. Spike sagged back against the wall in relief, pulling Buffy to him and shoving her behind him to protect her.




The leader of the group barked out orders. “Identify yourselves. And state your reason for being here.”




Buffy peeped out from behind Spike’s back; she had an unfounded fear of scary aliens and sometimes woke at night, heart racing, from nightmares involving bug-eyed monsters and slimy tentacles. Thankfully, the six or so beings standing in front of her appeared to be pretty much human; head, two arms, two legs – and they spoke English. No vamp tingles - she relaxed slightly.




Tuvok made his way through the throng of security operatives ringing the intruders and came to a halt a few paces in front of them. He asked for an update and was advised that the intruders had yet to respond.




“I must insist that you identify yourselves.”




Buffy opened her mouth to speak but her voice deserted her as she spotted Tuvok’s pointy ears and slanted eyebrows. Tuvok took a step towards her and she whimpered, hiding her face in Spike’s duster.




“Hey! Back off! Leave my girl alone, Elfman!”




Spike took a step forward but stopped when he was faced with the raised weapons aimed at his chest. He wasn’t really concerned about himself – the weapons being neither wooden nor stake-shaped – but Buffy’s safety was another matter entirely. Instinct took over and he vamped out, gratified when he noted the aroma of fear that permeated the room. Good. The tossers knew he wasn’t messing.




He moved forward again, only to be zapped by a bright ray of light that centred on his chest and dropped him to the floor, unconscious. Buffy’s fury overrode her fear and she shot forward to barrel into the armed guards knocking a couple to the floor and then jumping up to spin kick at another. Tuvok nodded and a beam hit Buffy in the back and dropped her to the floor also. At a word, both Spike and Buffy were hefted up and taken to sickbay for examination.




The COM badge on Tuvok’s chest crackled into life. “Janeway to Tuvok. Report.”




“Captain. The intruders proved uncooperative and had to be subdued. They are on their way to sick bay and then will be confined to the brig for your interrogation.”




“Good work. I’m on my way. Janeway out.”




Tuvok left the cargo bay and headed to sickbay to talk to the doctor. The male was…intriguing, of unknown genus. The female seemed merely human but rather aggressive. Tuvok didn’t like to be uninformed and he hoped the legendary resources of the holographic genius would deliver once again.




The sickbay doors swished shut behind him and he approached the doctor’s room. Nobody there. “Computer. Activate emergency medical hologram.”




“No need – I’m already here; I’m merely meditating on the conundrum you’ve sent to me, Lieutenant Tuvok. See here? These readings? Most interesting.”




Tuvok made his way over to the Doctor’s station where the computer displayed a range of figures and graphs mapping both intruders’ bodily functions: heart, brain activity, endocrine system, respiration, amongst other things. The Doctor pointed to the flat, red line that showed against the male’s chart.




“No respiration at all, no pulse either as you can see, yet he’s apparently in excellent health! Very toned and muscular, no sun-damage either, which is unusual in humans. And look at this…” The Doctor approached the inert figure on the bed, passing through the force field effortlessly. Tuvok stopped short of the fizzing electrical field and watched as the Doctor pulled back the male’s lips to show elongated fangs.




“Doctor, when we approached the intruders, that one morphed somehow – his brow ridged and his teeth, as you can see, sharpened. Other than the hypothesis offered by Mr Paris – which is completely outlandish – can you tell me exactly what species the man is?”




Spike’s eyes shot open and he sprang from the bed before the Doctor could react. Tuvok reached for his phaser, setting it to stun, and took aim at the enraged being heading straight for him.




“’m not a bloody man, you git. I‘m a demon! And what the fuck’s going on? What’ve you done to Buffy?”




Energy fizzled and crackled as Spike made contact with the barrier, jumping back in shock and cursing as the pain shot through him. The Doctor took the opportunity to step through and stand beside Tuvok, resuming his scan while Spike hesitantly put his hand up to test the invisible limits of his prison.




“Alright. You’ve got me good and proper; I’ll play. But first tell me who the hell you are? And where are we? Are we back on…what was it…Voyager again? And what the hell’s a Voyager, anyway? Some kind of spaceship? Or did someone give me drugs?”




The Doctor pointed to the still stubbornly flat line of Spike’s respiration and heart function. Tuvok raised an eyebrow and spoke.




“Yes. You are on Voyager. Voyager is a Starship, registered with the United Federation of Planets and we are in the Delta quadrant. How were you able to board our vessel? What is your intention?”




“Not got a sodding clue, mate. You tell me. My intention was to lock lips with Buffy and give the Scooby gang an eyeful. But it looks like somebody’s messing with us. Again. So…where are they?”




“Where’s who? I do not understand. You were expecting somebody else?




“Oh come on! You’re in on it with them, you must be! Bloody Warren and the nerd collective – the short one and the soppy pillock?”




Spike looked from Tuvok and back to the Doctor, finding nothing but puzzlement on their faces.




“Sci-fi wannabes? Prattle on a lot about Captain Kirk and Klingons?”




“You come from the Klingons? Bearing information relating to Captain Kirk?”




“What? Not likely! Not exactly my cup of tea, sunshine. Besides - got more important things to be doing.” Spike shot a look back at Buffy who was still unconscious on the bed, but he’d sensed her heart rate increasing and knew she was near to opening her eyes. He wanted answers before that happened.




The doors slid open and admitted Captain Janeway, her keen eyes taking in the scene and making an assessment.




“Gentlemen. This looks quite cosy - as you stood me up in the brig I thought I’d bring the date to you. Tuvok.”




Her voice, although low, carried an air of authority that brooked no disobedience. She spoke her officer’s name not as a request that he should provide information but an order.




“Captain, the male is…”




“The name’s Spike.”




All three Voyager crew looked over at the haughty figure. He stood; head tilted and the picture of defiance with his thumbs jammed into his belt and his hands framing his ever-present bulge. He stared at them all, getting angrier by the second.




Tuvok didn’t miss a beat. “Spike…is intriguing, Captain. He has human characteristics but doesn’t have a pulse or respiration.”




Again Spike interrupted, this time with a snort of laughter. “Oh, man! You lot are clueless, aren’t you? Vampires don’t exactly need to breathe or suchlike. What? Shocked?”




Tuvok spoke quietly to Captain Janeway, expressing his surprise that Mr Paris had apparently been correct in his assessment. Janeway nodded, just a typical day on Voyager: aliens, vampires – what was the difference? She approached the force field, one hand on her hip and the other sweeping back her auburn hair.




“Mr Spike, can you give me some more information? You seem to be an intelligent...erm…vampire and evidently you are here against your will. Let me help you to solve the mystery.” She finished the statement with a sweet smile.




Spike sighed. He was a sucker for a lady with a killer smile. And this bird looked harmless enough: feisty, mind you, and sharp. The kind to dance with in a former existence…




“Yeah, well. I reckon we could do with a bit of help. And it’s just Spike.”




“Spike it is then. Tell me – you were on board before, I believe - our mysterious intruders? Was that something you had no control over either?”




“You’ve got it in one. But I know who’s behind it, just need to catch the buggers.”




“And where do you come from, Spike?”




“Well good old Blighty originally – but I live in Sunnydale now,”




“No, you misunderstand – what is your home planet?”




He snorted again. “You off your trolley? Which planet? Earth of course. Do I look like a bleedin’ Martian?”




Tuvok answered with a straight face. “Yes.”




Spike wrinkled up his face, about to snarl a retort, but Buffy moaned and sat up behind him and Spike rushed to her side, oblivious to anybody else in the room.




“Buffy! You all right, love? You’re sure you’re not hurt?”




She looked about groggily, eyes refusing to focus in the strange room she’d awoken in. Spike’s concerned face came into focus as she became used to her surroundings and she looked around, noting the three figures on the other side of the room. “Where are we? Who are they?”




Spike kissed her gently, helping her off the bed so that they could stand in front of the uniformed trio. “Careful, love – don’t get too close, there’s an invisible wall that gives you a wicked shock.” Buffy jumped back a little, Spike grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into his body.




“This is Buffy, she’s with me.” He couldn’t stifle a grin of pride as he said those words, wanting to say them so often in the past and never being able to. “And this is…”




Captain Janeway took a step forward towards the force field. “I am Captain Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. My security officer Lieutenant Tuvok, and the Doctor. I gather you met a contingent of my security forces also.”




“Yeah, they shot us. Nice way to welcome visitors.”




“Well, I think they can be forgiven as I understand you made the first aggression; in fact, the Doctor had to treat two of my crew for broken ribs. You’ve got quite a kick, young lady.”




“You’ve no idea…” Buffy snarled stepping dangerously close to the invisible barrier.




The doors swished open again to admit six security guards ready to escort Spike and Buffy to the brig. However, in light of their very obvious alert state and the damage inflicted earlier, Janeway decided to err on the side of caution.




“Doctor, you’ve completed your examination? Good. I think we’ll transport our visitors directly to the brig to avoid any possible unpleasantness. Tuvok, please arrange that immediately. And also, I’d like some explanation as to their presence here. Please start an interrogation - I’d like some answers when we meet up to discuss Seven’s scans from their first visit.”




She walked away, stopping at the door and turning back. “Oh, Doctor? Did Mr Kim stop by earlier?”




“He did, Captain. I scanned him and he appears to be in rude health. The problem seems to have been a slightly hysterical reaction to something he’d rather not divulge to me, but as he seemed free of infection I let it go.”




“Very well. I’ll see you at 1600 hours, Tuvok.”




Tuvok nodded, pressed his COM badge. “Tuvok to Transporter room. I have the coordinates of two prisoners to transport directly to the brig.”




Buffy and Spike clung to each other as the transporter beam energised their molecules.







TBC......
 
 
Chapter #4 - The Gang's All Here
 
LET ME PLAY AMONGST THE STARS




CHAPTER FOUR


A/N - much love and huggage to Lou for the beta. Once again, she's upped the snark and doubled the funnies. If you're laughing, it's probably her. :)




Willow, Tara and Dawn had called at three of the addresses on their list with no result other than getting chased off by a furious honeymoon couple that didn’t take kindly to being disturbed. The next address was a block away and the three girls hurried over, anxious to get Buffy back. And Spike – well, at least Dawn wanted him back; Tara, maybe - but Willow was still having problems blocking the visuals of a rampant Buffy astride an equally lusty vampire’s lap. As they approached the driveway of another rental property, Willow signalled to them to stop and be quiet.




“What?” Dawn hissed.




“Check it out! Black van – just like Buffy said. I think we’ve found our nerds in their natural habitat. You two wait here while I sneak around back and see what I can find out.”




“No, Willow! We should stay together. One goes - we all go.”




“No way. Too dangerous. You think they’re not going to notice three lots of great girly feet stomping through the daisies? We’re supposed investigate and then make big with the planning. Now stay!”




Tara and Dawn did as they were told and went to stand off to one side, hidden in some bushes, while Willow went to investigate. Five minutes later and she was back, beckoning them away and filling them in as they headed back to the Magic Box.




“It’s them all right. Can you believe they’ve got a ‘Space – the Final Frontier’ doormat… and a life-size cardboard Storm trooper on sentry duty by the door! Most definitely Nerd Central. I thought the place looked like it’s still empty, but the basement door was open and I saw Warren. And knowing what we know about them, if Warren’s there, you can bet his little harem’s with him. Let’s tell Xander and Anya, and then we’ll call Giles for an update from his end and get Buffy back.”




“And Spike,” Dawn stated forcefully, challenging the other two to contradict her.




“And Spike,” Willow conceded. “Both of them. Come on.”




+++




Two hours later and the Scoobies had their plan. It wasn’t complex, more of a smash-and-bash than a cunning ploy, but it appealed to the vengeful side of them all and made Anya sigh in wistful recollection of happy days when she’d dealt out pain and retribution with the best of them. Giles had tried to dissuade them from going in all ‘gung-ho’ but in the absence of any other ideas, he’d been outvoted. His huffy silence indicated he was indulging in some frenzied lens cleaning before grudgingly accepting their decision, offering some tips long distance, rather curtly, before hanging up.




So here they were, all dressed up with geek-brains to blow and on their way to do just that very thing. Willow took point armed with a sturdy baseball bat, Tara walking at her side cradling a wicked looking knife with unaccustomed ease. Dawn trailed behind them, arms crossed and dragging her feet in the traditional annoyed teen style, sulking and pouting up a storm because she hadn’t been allowed to carry a weapon. Anya and Xander were arguing as they brought up the rear, their hissed words mostly too low for the others to hear but it seemed that the only touch Xander would be getting from ‘mommy spank’ that evening would be a sock in the jaw. Unconsciously, the three in front upped their pace to leave a healthy gap between them and the rowing couple. There was only so much ick a person could stand…




Before long the Scoobies found themselves outside the rental Willow had cased earlier. Tara confirmed that the Troika were within, briefly summoning a trance to sense their auras, and they moved into position. With a burst of magical energy from Willow’s talented fingers, the door burst open and off its hinges revealing a charming tableau. The startled trio were lounging in beanbags on a shag pile sea strewn with empty beer cans, popcorn wrappers and pizza boxes, playing computer games on a giant plasma screen. The boys were obviously living in hog heaven and messing with magic was just a part of their wish list.




Before any of the Troika could react, Tara, Xander and Anya were standing over them with their assorted weapons poised and ready to strike. Xander’s was the most impressive being a curved sword about three feet long, but Tara’s knife and Anya’s crossbow had a lot going for them also.




Willow broke the frozen silence, slapping the palm of one hand with the baseball bat.




“Having fun, Boys? Looks like you’ve got yourselves the perfect set-up here, It’s so you,” she cooed admiringly. “Captain Kirk’s Sad Christmas Grotto. And lookee – the pièce de résistance – a hanging rack full of Star Trek uniforms. You must be just popping with pleasure.”




Willow’s light words wrapped around the steel of her fury that these stupid boys could mess with her friend – twice. Warren was torn between frying Willow with hate-filled glares and sizing up his chances of a successful dash for the door before she could clock him with the bat. Dawn took up station at the top of the stairs, blocking the only exit, giving Warren the best scary power glare she’d perfected after hours before a mirror. Mess with her sister, would he? Not to mention her best friend.




The three dumbstruck youths gaped in silence, the presence of the Slayer’s friends rather stifling their creativity. Without their props they were helpless, having no innate magical ability but having to rely on charmed objects, and no amount of explaining was going to get them out of this hole.




Jonathan cleared his throat. “Ahem. We didn’t know what we were doing! We’re sorry! We’ll get her back.”




“THEM! You’ll get them back!” Dawn yelled from the corner, her cheeks flushed with anger. “Sheesh! Do any of you even see him?”




She’d had it with the whole ‘Spike’s alright as long as he’s gone once he’s done the ass-kicking’ vibe; Buffy had declared her affections and Dawn was determined to support her all the way. She’d make the Scoobies see what was right in front of them. Once they got them back.




The Scoobies could only answer with a shrug, ignoring her as they returned to some serious nerd menacing. Jonathan was dying to spill, obviously wanting to get it over and done with; Warren on the other hand was sullen and uncooperative. Willow sensed a latent power in his arrogance and she told him to keep his hands where she could see them. Tara picked up on her lover’s anxious mood and stood back so as to leave Willow unhampered. Xander and Anya were playing nice cop nasty cop with the remaining boy, the squeaks that he emitted as he cowered before them delighting Anya’s erstwhile demon side and drawing a tight smile from Xander.




Finally, Willow had had enough. “Look, guys, let me simple things up for you. Bring back Buffy and Spike or it’s bye-bye limited edition collectibles. It’s up to you.”




The Troika looked at each other in panic. Not the super-rare figurines!!!




+++++++++++++




The shimmering surrounding Spike and Buffy dispersed to reveal the bare grey walls of a cell. They felt a momentary surge of dizziness but recovered quickly enough, Buffy dashing to the apparently open front of the space and being thrown forcibly backwards when she met the same sort of barrier Spike had encountered earlier.




“What the fuck???” She was righteously angry now. She’d been electrocuted once before when Moloch the Destroyer had possessed some other geeks and had her walk into a rigged shower. Her hair had taken three weeks to settle down…




Spike watched, amused, as Buffy ran her hands through her hair and patted at it, smoothing the glossy locks fretfully. He chuckled as she tried to check her reflection in the metallic wall-surface but found only a warped and distorted blur.




Buffy spun round and fixed him with a glare. “What’s so funny, Spike? This strike you as funny? We’re back on this sodding ship again - only this time we’re in the lockup. I’m having a ball! How about you?”




He couldn’t help puffing up with pride at Buffy using his own inflections in her speech; it was the surest sign of all that they were together. He was completely chuffed that she was unconsciously starting to speak like him, but noting her stern face he stifled the grin that crept across his lips. Not the time to be playful.




The swish of the doors heralded the arrival of Janeway, Tuvok and the same statuesque blonde that Spike had eyeballed during their earlier visit. He shifted guiltily on his feet, grateful that Buffy hadn’t seemed to notice his interest when the girl entered the room. Not that he’d swap his girl for her… but blimey what a bod! A fella would have to be proper dead not to notice.




“Seven, these are the intruders you observed on their last…visit?” The Borg nodded at the captain’s question, successfully masking her blush from all but Spike.




Ah, so this Seven bird had witnessed their little assignation then? Interesting thought…and she’d liked what she saw by the looks of it. He shot her a leer and she widened her eyes then looked away.




“Yes, captain. I’ve compiled the report as requested.”




“Good. Well, let’s go and prepare to brief the others - our guests can’t get into any trouble here.” Janeway nodded dismissively at Spike and Buffy, the latter looking scarily like the youngest Summers as she crossed her arms and scowled.




When the brig was empty of the Voyager crew, Spike relaxed back against the featureless wall and propped his feet up on the bench. He did his usual thing of making himself comfortable no matter where he was and it pissed Buffy off something wicked.




“How the hell can you do that?”




“Do what, love?” Spike sparked up his Zippo and nonchalantly lit a cigarette, aggravating Buffy even more while she paced like a caged tiger. She snarled at him, eyes flashing green and dangerous.




“That! Lying back there like everything’s all la-de-da and hunky-dory. We’re in a frigging cell, Spike! Come on, let’s get outta here.”




“Can’t do it, kitten. That buzzy wall will mess your insides right up - and you know as well as I do that it’s only a matter of time until Red and the posse Houdini us out of here. Come on, park your gorgeous self over here next to me and rest your weary plates of meat.” Spike patted the floor beside him, “I’m sure we can find some way to pass the time…” Kapow. Killer smirk followed by a tongue and head tilt combo. Give the man a perfect 10.




“There’s meat now? What kind of weirdo English is that?” Buffy humphed. She tried to stay mad at him but really, him lying back with his hands behind his head – he thinks I’m gorgeous - one leg bent and his groin all hypnotising her like that…what’s a girl supposed to do?




She bowed to the impetus of her hormones and slinked towards him, eyes feral and hungry and signalling her capitulation. She surprised him by not sitting next to him but kneeling to lean over him, hot breath whispering across his face as her mouth stayed inches from his. Spike discarded his cigarette, his mouth having far more interesting things to do, and pulled her to completely cover his reclining body, wrapping his arms about her to hold her close.




“So…what do you fancy doing then, Spike …to pass the time?”




His firm lips caressed hers, tongue snaking out to taste her warm flesh, his reply whispering against her sensitised skin.




“Fancy doing you, pet.”




With a twist of his body, Spike rolled Buffy to the floor and nudged her thighs apart so as to lie between them, his duster covering them both. Eyes met as Spike tugged at her top to free it from her waistband and slid his fingers underneath to trace up her stomach and ghost across her breast.




Buffy wriggled and placed her hand atop his to stop him; “Spike! We can’t – there’s no door on this place, somebody might see us.”




“Not bothered. Want you.”




Cool lips tingled their way from her mouth to her neck by way of her ear and her resolve was rapidly weakening. When Spike got to the kissing and licking of her, Buffy logic raised the white flag. She made a couple of pathetic flaps at him with her fists as a token gesture but melted into him when she heard the rasp of first his and then her zipper being lowered.




Lately, she hadn’t been one for self-denial….




++++++++++++++




“So, Seven. Report.”




“Captain.” Seven walked over to the display screen in front of the conference desk and input the code to run the data she’d downloaded from her padd. Edited data…




“This is a schematic of the Jeffries tube: this represents the male and this the female. They are moving through the tube but do not go far. As you can see I observed them for only a short period after sighting the open doorway. They appeared to rest in the tube for some time before exiting and encountering our security force. It was at this point that they disappeared.”




Captain Janeway waited for Seven to continue; she didn’t.




“That’s it? You must have more than this, Seven. We were already aware of this information. What about their vital signs, their interaction? Until we know what they were doing in the tube, we’re unable to work out why they were and are here. I understand that you scanned them – please, show us.”




Seven darted a glance at Ensign Kim who was trying his best to become part of the furniture. She didn’t want to show her findings – most unlike her. The fact that she’d observed the lovers then replicated their actions with the Ensign was causing her to have a strangely emotional response. Having analysed the feelings, she was forced to admit to being embarrassed. Still, orders were orders.




Seven keyed in further instructions and shifted uncomfortably as the screen showed digitised humanoid figures now with recognisable gender features. In her usual meticulous way, she’d paid close attention to detail and the male had slicked-back white hair, the female slightly curled blonde. Both were nude.




The occupants of the conference room glanced at each other uneasily. They were all too aware of Seven’s diligence when it came to Captain’s orders and were psyching themselves up for a blow-by-blow account – probably quite literally – of the amorous intruders. It was glaringly obvious that DigiSpike was ready for something of an XXX nature and enlightened though sexual attitudes were in the Federation, no one was looking forward to watching a pornotoon with the Captain. It was going to be torture. Well, maybe Tuvok didn't mind, him being of the Vulcan - and therefore emotionless – persuasion.




Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One, continued with her presentation, adding a strained monotone narration of the proceedings.




“The male had already removed his and the female’s clothing. You will notice certain physical changes that occurred, most notably in the elevation and rigidity… the size…of the …”




Here, words deserted her. Captain Janeway jumped to the stricken Borg’s rescue.




“Seven. Am I to take it that you observed…how to put this…activity of a sexual nature between our guests, and that was all?”




Seven gazed wide-eyed at the screen that continued to show the DigiBuffy and DigiSpike vigorously enacting things the Karma Sutra left out as being achievable only by trained gymnasts. Everybody’s eyes were locked on screen, helpless to look away.




“Seven. Seven! ” Captain Janeway’s tone sharpened to draw the Borg’s attention. The statuesque blonde turned to face her commanding officer.




“Captain, I apologise. Yes, there was…this…and then some conversation. There’s damage to the internal walls and pipes of the Jeffries tube. It’s possible they are saboteurs.”




A voice cut into Seven's attempted apology. “Don’t think so, Seven. Looks more like incidental to their…ahem… interaction. Don’t know their own strength. The girl looks stronger than the man…now that’d have to be one hell of an experience.” Tom Paris ignored the elbow in the ribs that came from his wife. He was enjoying teasing Harry far too much to slacken off just yet.




“This is all fascinating; but I fail to see what assistance it is to us.” The Vulcan was a little testy. “Might I suggest that I perform a mindmeld with one or both of them? It would give us the opportunity to verify their stories – such as they are.”




“Good idea, Tuvok,” Commander Chakotay answered the Vulcan. “I agree, Captain. It would seem to be the most efficient way of getting to the truth.”




“Thank you, Chakotay.”




Janeway hid a grin. Despite Tuvok’s deadpan manner, he seemed to relish verbal sparring with her number one officer. It was as if they were siblings, vying for their mother’s approval. It was cute, really.




Harry Kim shot to his feet and punched the keypad of the display console. He sighed with relief when the screen greyed out the all too accurate replay of his previous night’s contortions.




“Yes! Let’s get started on that right away. I’ll meet you in the brig.”




“No, Ensign. Your place is on the bridge. Tuvok and Seven can handle the interrogation. Report back here in two hours.”




One by one the officers filed out to carry out their assigned tasks leaving Captain Janeway and Chakotay in the briefing room.




“You have something to say, Chakotay?”




He turned to face the Captain, a smile playing around his mouth. He hesitated before speaking. “Nothing really; it’s just…did Seven seem kind of skittish to you? I’m sure I saw a blush.”




Kathryn Janeway smiled in return. “Yes, well. No doubt it’s the first experience of human sexual activity she’s come across. Quite an introduction to Sex Ed!” She chuckled, “And remember what it was like the first time you found out about the birds and the bees? I’ve no doubt you’re the type to have drawn moustaches on the diagrams of sperm.”




“Captain!” Chakotay made a wounded expression. “As if I’d deface valuable educational establishment property.”




They walked from the room, arms almost touching as they unconsciously leaned into each other. There was a frisson between them that they both tried to ignore but would dearly love to explore further in another place, another time. Their enforced isolation during their infection with the alien disease had almost put paid to the wall between them but once back on Voyager they fought their feelings and carried on as normal. But it was nice to tease, companionable.




“I’m right, aren’t I?”




Their laughter mingled and followed them before the swish of the closing door cut it off.




+ + + +




Tbc.......
 
 
Chapter #5 - Caught in the Act
 
HUUUUGE shoutout to Lou for the beta work on this chapter. She does know her way around the funnies. *hugs* to you babe. I would also like to thank everybody who's read and reviewed this story so far. I know Trek isn't everybody's cup of tea and I appreciate all your lovely comments. Thank you.


CHAPTER FIVE




Buffy wrestled with the leg of her jeans, but finally managed to drag it over her stylish boot in record time with minimum loss of momentum. There’d barely been time to shower back in Sunnydale what with all the investigations and stuff, hence the absence of panties – at least that was what she told herself. Spike had simply eased his jeans down past his butt so that his cock and balls were ready and able for some Buffy loving.



“Remind me… to wear… more skirts…” Buffy breathed at him through heated kisses. He didn’t argue.




She darted little looks at the front of the cell, her pulse rocketing. He knew that she was a little edgy about the see-through wall and was willing her not to get cold feet. Thing was, it was exciting somehow to think that they may have an audience. Being a clan vampire meant that it was commonplace to see any number of bodies writhing in ecstasy, free to satisfy urges that were unfettered by human morality once the soul slid away. The poet in him had frozen with humiliation the first time Drusilla bared his all in full view of Angelus and Darla, but when his dark princess had gone to work on him with her cold mouth he’d got a real kick out of watching her head bob up and down and then switching his gaze to see his grandsire eyeing him hungrily.




He didn’t think Buffy was quite ready for that little trip down memory lane just yet, and to be honest whilst he couldn’t care less who saw him getting it on, he did object to anybody casting lusty looks at his Slayer. Not that he wouldn't be proud of being seen wrapped in her naked embrace.




“Hello! Anybody home in there? I’m making with the whole seduction scene here and your mind’s wandering off somewhere. Kind of makes a girl pouty.”




The pouty lip in question glistened at him temptingly, begging to be bitten. How could he refuse? In a flash the juicy morsel of flesh was captured between his teeth. Buffy jumped as he bit down, the sudden movement tearing her lip a little and flooding his mouth with the fire of her blood.




Spike settled back down to the floor gently tugging Buffy by the lip to lie on top of him, her legs astride him and her moist heat teasing his cool skin as it soaked into his groin. A little wriggle and his erection nestled between her pussy lips and he moved gently but with obvious intent. Buffy rocked her hips as she lay on him pressing her still-covered breasts against him. Even through the double layer of their shirts, he could feel the urgent points of her nipples drilling into him. His hands smoothed up and down her back, resting on the globes of her bare ass then back up to tangle in her hair. His fingers left cool trails in their wake and Buffy gasped against his mouth as he bunched up the material of her shirt and ripped it apart, tearing it from her to leave her bare save for the pale pink bra that cupped her breasts.




He finally released her lip, sucking and licking the last remnants of blood from the tiny cut his incisors had left. Buffy sat up, lips swollen, cheeks flushed and eyes glazed with passion as she gazed down at her lover. She unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor, cupping her breasts as if to offer them to him. As she watched him and his hunger for her she grew bolder than ever before, fingers and thumbs rolling her hardened nipples. She’d never touched herself in front of him, but she sure had done a lot of it in the cold and lonely bedroom of Revello Drive on those nights she convinced herself he meant nothing to her. She pressed her breasts together and leaned forwards, jiggling them slightly.




Spike swallowed, hard.




“Oh…you like this, big bad…”




Spike could only nod. Oh, yes… he liked it just fine.




“How about this?” Buffy leant back and splayed both hands down her torso and across her hips, fingers framing her dark, damp curls before delving between her legs. Spike raised himself to lie back on his elbows to see her better, licking his lips in anticipation of tasting the tangy juices that coated her digits and perfumed the air.




Buffy had her eyes closed, hips rocking in time with her fingers sliding in and out of her slick pussy and her pink tongue darting across her lips.




Spike roared and flipped her onto her back. He could take no more. He loved the show but was near to bursting with need of her, the way her firm ass cheeks were rubbing against his weeping cock was driving him insane.




It was in the grip of such lust that Tuvok and Seven discovered Buffy and Spike on the floor of the brig, completely oblivious to the audience as they clawed and bit at each other on their journey to mind-blown oblivion.




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++




The Troika reluctantly cooperated with the Scoobies. The combined threat of Dawn’s shiny and extremely sharp sword, finally wrested from Tara by constant whining, plus Willow’s baseball bat swinging way too close to their state-of-the-art display case and precious uniforms was persuasion enough and they were about ready to cast the spell to retrieve Spike and Buffy. Warren was praying that the Slayer’s friends wouldn’t catch on to the recording device and that once the sexaholics returned he could cash in on the deal. Fair’s fair after all. An evil genius had wicked plans to finance.




There was a shimmer in the air…




Everything was dark and there was a soft beeping noise in the background that was mostly unfamiliar, but triggered some kind of memory in all the nerds. Willow chanted and a globe of light illuminated their surroundings. Warren, Jonathan and Tucker’s brother were huddled in the corner of the strange room in which they found themselves, Dawn still standing over them with the sword grasped tightly. Tara, Xander and Anya were behind her. Everybody was dumbstruck and confused.




“What the f…”




“My thoughts exactly, Xander, but ixnay the uckfay? Teenager here.” Willow nodded toward Dawn.




“Yeah, Xander – you might have traumatised me with a bad word there!” Dawn crowed sarcastically.




“Okay, genius guys. What have you done?” Xander turned to the cowering Troika. Jonathan still clutched his magic bone and they were looking at each other in confusion. It was clear that something had gone wrong with the spell.




Before they could reply, the ear-splitting blare of an alarm close by spurred them into action, the entire group scurrying from one side of the room to the other looking for an exit. Tara found what looked like a door, but no doorknob. Closing her eyes, the witch placed her hands on the surface and chanted – still nothing.




Anya strolled over to check, nonchalant as always. Clearing her throat to draw everybody’s attention, the ex-demon placed her palm flat on the box to the side of the door and it swished open with a pleasantly futuristic noise.




“I declare this door open.”




“Jeez! Open Sesame would have been far more impressive,” Dawn threw over her shoulder as the Scoobies strolled out into a grey corridor with a flat black panel lining the walls.




“Open sez me? Sounds like something a very annoying small child would say, Dawn,” Anya retorted.




Xander prodded the three geeks to walk in front of him; if he was going into the unknown he was doing it behind a human shield.




Willow grabbed Tara’s hand and took the lead, deciding to head right at the junction ahead. They’d gone barely twenty steps when they came face to face with a squad of uniformed men and women brandishing what looked like water pistols.




“Halt! State your identity and purpose for being here.”




Dawn squeaked and dropped her sword in fright, jumping backwards straight into Jonathan. He crashed to the floor, dropping his magic bone, which rolled to a halt at the feet of Tom Paris. Jonathan scrabbled after it and managed to get a finger hold on his prized possession, then crawled back to hide behind Dawn's extremely long legs.




The Scoobies and their reluctant companions huddled closer together in the face of the common enemy. It was clear to them that they were aboard the space ship that Buffy had described, but their unexpected capture meant they’d no chance of finding their friends – and even less of getting the hell out of there.




Willow became their unofficial spokesperson. She stepped forwards and cleared her throat nervously, “Hi! Nice...suits. Very clingy. Do you work out?” A stony silence greeted her. “Ahem. Sorry. Erm.... we come from a galaxy far, far away?”




Dawn snorted. Willow shot her a glare. “What? You do know you're channelling Star Wars now?” The former nerd blushed at the reminder of her geek-infested roots, and Anya took the opportunity to shoulder her way to the front of the group and address their armed captors.




“Hi. We don't know why we're here, but the how is down to these guys. They messed up a spell that should have brought our friends back and instead we ended up here. Oh, and have you seen them, a vampire and a vampire slayer? Average height, very violent and probably locked hip and lip? Because really, we just want to bring them home. And if you have a spare uniform that would fit Xander – in red preferably-- I’d be very grateful.”




Tom Paris grinned. His day was getting more interesting by the second. And he liked the straightforward attitude of the pretty blonde. She reminded him of B'Elanna.




“Please don't be alarmed; we're just following standard procedure. My name is Tom Paris, I'm a lieutenant and my captain will want to know who you are and what you want. But I guess you just told me that Miss...”




“Jenkins. Anya Christina Emmanuelle Jenkins. Born on the 4th July and as American as apple pie.”




“American? But the Federation absorbed all countries when it formed. What stardate is it?”




Tom was met with puzzled looks from most of the gang, and worshipful sighs from the Troika and the nerd-in-waiting Xander. Stardate. They were really talking to people who measured time in actual stardates. It was like finding out that Santa Claus was real. Wait...




“Well, it's 2003; we're not really sure how to do stardates” Tara added softly.




Tom almost whooped with joy. 2003. The 21st century. He was interacting with people from the 21st century!! The last time he'd met anybody from that period had been when Henry Starling had taken control of the timeship and he'd gone to Earth with Tuvok trying to rectify the damage. But this would be on his turf. There was no way he was passing up this interrogation. They didn't seem dangerous despite their makeshift armoury, which was even now being taken from them, but procedures were procedures.




“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I'm sorry, but you'll have to be confined in the brig until we can get to the bottom of this. Would you follow me?”




The presence of the ray guns guaranteed that they followed him, flanked by the guards.




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++




Tuvok and Seven couldn't tear their eyes away from the sexfest unfolding in front of them. Tuvok watched dispassionately save for a little tic above his right eyebrow but Seven was blushing and fidgeting uncomfortably. Buffy and Spike kept up the rhythm and didn't even notice they had an audience.




At least, Buffy didn't...




Spike paused his kissing of Buffy's neck and turned his head, gifting Seven with a smirk and a wink. Buffy's whimpers drew his attention back to the matter in hand and he renewed his efforts to shag her senseless.




The sound of clomping feet and Dawn's squeal of “Buffy!” however, was like the proverbial bucket of water on the passion and Buffy sat up sharply causing Spike to yelp in pain - his engorged cock was trapped where they were still joined. Xander covered his eyes, moaning incoherently whilst Anya moved closer, elbowing the Borg and the Vulcan aside so that she had a better view.




Buffy struggled to speak, willing the ground to open up and swallow her. Green eyes darted back and forth in panic before settling on the incredulous stare of her sister. She gripped Spike's back desperately trying to cover herself with her lover's body. She could never be more embarrassed than she was right now.




“Buffy, shift your left leg a little so that I can see…Ha, Mr Know-it-all Xander, that’s $10 you owe me!! Spike's penis is definitely bigger than the average organ!”




Oh. She was wrong. This was more embarrassing. This was mortifying.




Dawn, Willow, Tara and Xander shrieked in harmony. It was all just too much information. The Troika seemed to be enjoying the show though.




Anya's words prodded the injured vampire into action and he swirled his duster to cover his butt and his lover's dignity. Unfortunately, the movement dislodged his now softening dick from Buffy's pussy with an audible and soggy squelch that resulted in a group “Eewwwwwwww” led by Dawn.




Captain Janeway arrived and shouldered her way through the group obscuring her view of the prisoners. She stopped in shock at what she saw. Buffy's booted feet stuck out the bottom of Spike's duster; jeans still wrapped around one leg. Spike lay between hers in classic pose. Were they really doing what she thought they were...?




“Mr Tuvok! Explain! And why aren't these prisoners locked up?” She thumbed over her shoulder at the Scooby/Nerd mix and Tuvok and Seven turned round for the first time to see the assembled intruders.




For once, Tuvok was lost for words. The fact that he spotted Tom Paris' grinning face as he scanned the group wasn’t helping.




“Never mind. Seven, perhaps you can enlighten me.”




“Well, Captain. We approached the cell and the prisoners were engaged in....ahem...as you see. This activity must be necessary to their survival if it has to be repeated so regularly. Tuvok and I were about to interrupt...”




Janeway rolled her eyes; this was like pulling teeth. Precisely what the original intruders were engaged in was plain to see; what she wanted to know was why procedures appeared to have been abandoned whilst her senior officers ogled the show.




“I'm sure you were, Seven.” She turned to Tom Paris, her steely glare immediately dispersing his grin. “Tom?”




“Captain...it appears that the new visitors are here to retrieve their friends. Something about a spell going wrong, whatever that means. We were bringing them to the brig when we...well, you know.”




“Fine. Just get them locked up until we can sort this out, and maybe we can give these people some privacy.”




Voyager's officers went off to carry out the Captain's bidding and Buffy sighed in relief as her sister and her friends were dragged away. She started banging her head against Spike's chest as he rested, still between her legs, his cool skin soothing her flushed cheeks.




The rumble of laughter that he'd been struggling to stifle burst out and Buffy pushed him away, her lips tight. She failed to see what was funny about this situation. They'd just had their private moment gawped at by strangers...which was bad enough. Then to make matters worse -- and provide nightmare fodder for ever more -- her friends and her sister had caught her flat on her back full of rampant vamp. And they hadn’t even had the decency to look away!




Her brow crinkled as she got a sudden stab of jealousy. Women had seen Spike's bare butt – how dare they!! Her face softened as she noticed Spike looking at her, uncertainty clouding his eyes.




She giggled. “Looks like we are well and truly outed, doesn’t it? Don't think the 'we're just good friends' line is gonna wash after that little eye-opener. Dawn's probably scarred for life.”




Spike chuckled, relieved that Buffy hadn't freaked too much. “Yeah, love. That it does.” Planting a kiss on the end of her nose, he stood and offered his hand to pull her to her feet. Gallantly he shielded her from any lingering voyeurs by opening his duster while she dragged on her jeans and adjusted her clothing. Her shirt was shredded so she begged his to cover her blushes. Progress was almost derailed when she knelt at his feet to help him with his own jeans. He was somewhat disappointed when it became clear she was tugging them on and not off, but nonetheless helped her with the zipper, a bit tricky what with Dickie and the boys wanting to come out and play again.




Mission accomplished, they sat down on the bench, Buffy curled up at Spike's side with her feet tucked beneath her, and waited for whatever was to come next.




+ + + + +




tbc......
 
 
Chapter #6 - Home is Where the Heart Is
 
A/N - HUGE THANKS to Lou for the beta. I've had much fun with this story. Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. Last chapter folks...thanks for the ride!







CHAPTER SIX




Seven of Nine had reluctantly gone to the mess hall to take her dietary requirements. She had wanted to carry on researching their visitors but finally gave way to the Doctor's urgings to stop his annoying monologue. Neelix's interpretation of her diet sheet appeared to be a bowl of dubiously coloured slop that he assured her was absolutely delicious as well as being full of nutrients. She was about to take her first spoonful when Ensign Kim walked through the door. His look of fright stilled her hand. When he turned around to leave, she stood and rushed over to him.




“Ensign Kim; please – refrain from departing. I would welcome this opportunity to talk to you.”




Trapped. Harry looked for escape but found none. And really, did he want to run away?




“Okay. Let’s talk.” They made their way back to Seven's table and sat down opposite each other.




Minutes passed wherein Seven's gloop went cold and there was much shifting of feet and avoided looks.




“Look Seven, I'm not a child -- it's not like it's the first time I've ever...you know. Was just a shock out of the blue like that. It's okay, we don't need to avoid each other and maybe we can be friends?”




Seven regarded the young man objectively. He was handsome in a clean-cut way, eager, and good at his job, passionate about his career. He was an accomplished musician and loyal to his friends and crew. And surprisingly adept at sexual coupling.




“I believe, Ensign, that I would like us to be more than friends.”




Harry's eyes widened.




+ + + + +




Dawn, Willow and Tara were placed in one cell, Anya and Xander in another and the nerds were together in one next door. The girls settled down to wait, Tara and Willow trying to teach Dawn to meditate. Andrew, Warren and Jonathan tried various incantations but were getting nowhere without the magic bone, which had been confiscated as a possible weapon.




And Xander tried desperately to resist the siren Anya as she whispered dirty nothings in his ears and cornered him at the back of the cell. He didn’t want to end up on show for all to see like Spike.




+ + + + +




Captain Janeway settled back in her ready room, the cup of steaming hot coffee cradled in her hands. She'd earned it, she reckoned, after quelling the schoolboy humour doing the rounds among the officers. Something about seeing Buffy and Spike in flagrante delicto had inflamed them and turned them into giggling children. And not only that, but Mr Paris had told B'Elanna who'd told Chakotay who'd told the doctor...who'd told everybody else. So now the entire crew were infected with general giddiness.




She took a healthy sip of her favourite beverage and closed her eyes. This was heaven.




“Beep-Beep”




Kathryn Janeway sighed. She just wanted a few minutes to herself. Why did she always have to be the one to make the decisions round here? Oh, yes – she was the Captain...




“Come.”




Chakotay entered, a smirk playing around his lips. “Captain. A brief update.” He grinned, the double entendre just now entering his consciousness.




“Not you too. Am I surrounded by adolescents? Alright, perhaps it was a little unsettling to see our visitors in a state of undress but really – surely we’ve evolved beyond schoolboy humour.”




Chakotay looked suitably chastened. “I'm sorry, Captain. The report: the Doctor has scanned the recent arrivals and they do not pose a threat. Again, some strange anomalies amongst them, as if their DNA was tainted or altered, but they are human -- mostly. They persist in their story that the three strange boys cast a spell to send Buffy and Spike here, twice, and that it went wrong this second time when they tried to retrieve them. I'm not sure if I believe them or not but Tuvok is happy to mindmeld if that is your order.”




Janeway considered. It was too ridiculous not to be true. “And do they say where they come from? And when?”




“They are adamant they're from somewhere called Sunnydale which is in California in the United States of America, in the year 2003.”




Janeway blinked. Visitors from the past? Can that be right? Of course it was entirely possible bearing in mind they were well aware of time travel. And how tricky it could be...




“Oh. I see. Tell me, do they know anything about the Millennium Gate?”




Chakotay smiled. He was well aware of his Captain's ancestor. “They didn't say, but I'm sure we could find out.”




“Never mind. All right, let's see if we can solve this puzzle. I'm sure our visitors would like to go home. And I don't think they're any threat, do you? I don't think Tuvok's mindmelding abilities will be needed this time. No doubt that will please him. Maybe it's time to let Mr Neelix play ambassador and let our visitors do the tour. And let Seven know she can stand down. I think she'll be relieved, she was certainly not her usual self earlier.”




The two of them headed towards the brig to upgrade their prisoners' status to guests.




+ + + + +




Tuvok joined the Captain and Chakotay and approved their approach to the situation as being logical. He did murmur that he would be entirely willing to mindmeld with the vampire as he believed it would be of great scientific interest, but the Captain patted his arm and advised him to leave it for another day. Somehow she didn't think this would be the last encounter they'd have with Buffy and Spike.




They entered the brig and with a word to the officer on duty, the force fields locking the prisoners in their cells were deactivated.




Captain Janeway stepped forwards into view, flanked by her senior officers. The Scoobies, the Troika, Spike and Buffy tentatively passed through the openings and faced the Voyager elite.




Spike looked around, seemed like somebody ought to take the lead. He nudged Buffy who looked at him quizzically. Right. Not happening; she was still on the alert for bug-eyed aliens.




“So, Cap – what's the bottom line here? Me and my lady have things to do, and we'd like to get back to good old SunnyHell and get on with it.”




Janeway nodded to acknowledge him. “Spike. All of you - our doctor has scanned you and I understand you've all been interviewed by security forces.” The Sunnydale contingent looked at each other and nodded.




“I’m happy to say you're free to go. We just have to figure out how to send you back. Any ideas?”




Willow cleared her throat and stepped forward, Jonathan accompanying her. “We think we know how to do it. But we need to get Jonathan's magic bone back.”




“I'm sorry?”




“His bone. Your crew took it. We can cast the spell but it won’t work without the bone.”




Janeway nodded at a nameless officer – sure to be cannon fodder on the next away mission -- and the relic was procured.




“Is there anything else that you need? I don't wish to be rude but we’ve received a distress call that we have to respond to so I'd like to get this finished as soon as possible -- although, you're free to take the tour if you'd like to.”




Xander whimpered, hastily clamping a hand over his mouth to hide his nerd heritage. But they had time. /Please, please, please ./




“That would be lovely. And thank you so much for refraining from zapping us with your ray guns.” Anya spoke for them all, as usual.




“Well, shall we?”




All but Willow, Tara and Jonathan – who was sulking like a three-year-old – departed to take the tour of the ship. The witches and the amateur sorcerer got down to business.




+ + + + +




Captain Janeway hadn't intended to stick around, but she found herself curious and oddly drawn to the slight figure of Buffy Summers. She'd been chatting with her on the way round the ship and some of the stories the youngster told her left her with goosebumps; demons and vampires and hellgods, and Buffy could do nothing to get out of it because it was her destiny. Somehow the girl triggered a corresponding gene in her, and she could identify with her struggles.




“So, you're the only one? Chosen amongst the entire human race?”




“Well...no, actually. There's another Slayer. You see, I died and Kendra was called. Then she died and Faith came. But I'm still here.”




“You died?”




“Uh-huh; but Xander saved me. Then the second time, Willow brought me back. It was rough at first but now...I'm happy.” Buffy grabbed Spike's hand and squeezed it, gifting him with a smile so radiant that stopped him in his tracks - causing him to stumble as he caught up to the two matched females.




“Oh. Well – I think I only died once, so you've got me beat. And I'm not even sure I did I because it could all have been an hallucination.” Janeway creased her brow, puzzled again by her recollections. “And you're a vampire?”




Spike nodded.




“Mr Paris didn't think you were real; I think he's in denial.”




“Yeah, I get that a lot.”




“And you think your friends can send you home?”




Buffy smiled. “Oh yes, Willow and Tara are awesome witches and Jonathan seems to be quite the whiz.”




“And this is normal where you come from, the magic?”




“Yeah. Well, it is for us -- for other folk, not so much.”




“Intriguing. I mean, I see a lot of things going on that would have your eyes spinning if you didn't keep an open mind but magic? Other than Chakotay and his vision trances it's not something I've had much experience of. Tuvok wants to make a closer study, engage you in a mindmeld Spike, but given the fact that you want to go home and the distress call – well, I think it's better that we just say our goodbyes. Although – if you're ever passing by this way again, feel free to drop in. I promise no brig the next time.”




Spike raised his eyebrow; mindmeld huh? Sounded too much like the initiative and meddling with his brain for his liking but maybe.




Janeway smiled, taking Spike's hand and shaking it, then Buffy's.




“That would be great, although I'm not sure Willow's gonna let Jonathan have his magic bone back. And can I just ask you - “ Buffy's words dropped to a whisper “are aliens scary? I've got issues.”




“Really? Well, not as much as you'd think. Mostly, they're just like you and me. Some have more parts.”




Buffy shuddered. It would take a while for her to work through that thought. Spike hugged his girl to him, speaking to the Captain again.




“Thanks for your time, Cap. And hey – if ever you make it to Earth, look us up. Buffy Summers, 1630 Revello Drive. Me – well, I have a crypt in Restfield but it's nothing much.”




“It's a date. Just have to do the getting to Earth bit.”




They'd reached the bridge where Janeway took her leave of the visitors and went to sit in the command chair, leaving them in the capable hands of Neelix. When they'd had a quick look round and left, the bridge seemed somewhat empty and she found herself feeling contemplative.




“Captain?” Her friend and confidant broke her reverie.




“I'm fine, Chakotay. Just thinking how young she is to bear such a burden. Fighting demons, saving the world. When does she find time to have a life?”




Chakotay considered the woman at his side. She was tiny in stature but huge on nerve. It was true that the vampire slayer and his captain were similar in build, and in attitude, to be honest. Both forced to make difficult decisions, sometimes at the expense of their friends and family. For that reason, it seemed they kept themselves distant. But Buffy and Spike were so obviously very much in love and devoted to each other, it gave him hope for the future.




“Maybe she just seizes the moment. Sensible advice.”




Janeway smiled at her first officer. She knew how he felt; she felt that way too. And since she'd found out that Mark had moved on, a big part of her wanted to give in to her feelings. But for now her priority was to get her crew home. Then would be the time.




Swiftly, and almost imperceptibly, she stroked her fingers across the top of his hand where it lay on the arm of his chair.




“Maybe.”




+ + + + +




Willow, Tara and Jonathan were as ready as they would ever be. They'd substituted the magic dust for an incantation and were relying on their collective auras to make the spell work. But now it was time to put it to the test.




“Excuse me! Sir! Can you put a call out for our friends? We want to go home.”




The officer on duty tapped his COM badge and advised Tuvok of the request.




“Yes, sir, I'll let them know. Your friends will be escorted back very soon. In the meantime, would you like any refreshments? I'm ordered to accompany you to the mess hall if you'd like.”




By mutual agreement, the three ventured out of the brig and into Voyager proper. Willow's inner nerd would never forgive her if she didn't at least try to see more.




+ + + +




They met up with the rest of the gang in the mess hall. Apparently, they'd been given the full tour and Willow pouted as Xander described the holodeck and the transporter system with drool coming out of his mouth. Sometimes, being the best witch sucked. She answered Buffy's question with an affirmative. They were ready.




Captain Janeway came to escort them back to the brig where the spell had been set up. She just wanted to say goodbye, make sure there were no more magical accidents. There were no force fields this time though, and the visitors mingled with the crew, swapping stories about their lives. It seemed an inordinate number of people were off duty and just happened to be hanging around the brig that day. The Captain considered dismissing them all but thought better of it. It wasn't every day they played host to a vampire, his Slayer and their friends. She'd let it slide.




Buffy detached herself from Spike's side and walked towards the diminutive figure of the Captain. She sensed a kindred spirit in the woman and understood instinctively that they trod a similar path. It was nice to think that somebody understood her, other than Spike.




“Captain, I want to thank you for believing us. I know it must have sounded strange to you.”




“Buffy, on this ship strange is part of the job. Besides, I prefer to believe the evidence of my own eyes and trust my instincts. And whilst I know that you and your vampire are capable of much destruction, I believe we're on the same side. All you want to do is get your people safely home. You’ve no idea how much I understand that feeling.”




Buffy smiled and squeezed the Captain's arm. “Yeah – I heard about your problem. If you want, I can ask Willow to see if she can help? She's really clever and stuff.”




“Already did. She doesn't think she can; seems that she can't get a sense of the aura she'd need to key into. Maybe it's for the best. Just do me a favour; if there’s such a thing as the Federation in your lifetime – pass along a distress call for me?”




“Of course I will.”




“Buffy.” Willow's soft voice carried to where the two leaders stood amongst the mayhem. “It's time.”




All too soon there was an awed circle of Voyager people gathered round the chanting figures of Willow, Tara and Jonathan. Buffy, Spike and the Scoobies watched anxiously as they huddled together to one side of the cell. If this didn't work...well, Kansas was a long way away.




A shimmering tingle lit the cell and as all the occupants disappeared a faint chorus of ”Live long and prosper” echoed after them. There were murmurs amongst the crew left behind in a suddenly empty brig, excited whisperings in the wake of the drama.




Kathryn Janeway drew breath. Somehow, the encounter with Buffy Summers and her friends and family had given her renewed energy to seek a path back to the Alpha quadrant. “Back to work, people. Our visitors may have made it home, but we've still got a long way to go.”




+ + + +




The group rematerialised in the Magic Box, shocking a worried and pacing Giles into falling on his butt. Spike laughed out loud as he clearly made out the words “What the fuck?” on the Watcher's lips. Not quite the height of refinement that he made out, was he?




Scrambling to his feet, Giles rushed towards Buffy and gripped her shoulders, seeking evidence of damage. Finding none he stepped back and pushed his glasses up his nose. “Erm...Buffy. I had to come -- I caught the first flight out. What a relief to see you returned. I was most concerned when I rushed from the airport and found nobody here. I didn't know what to think; would it hurt to leave a note?”




Willow grinned, excited beyond measure. “Wow, Giles! You must have got on a supersonic plane or something – or we're we gone longer than we thought. Is this still 2003? Okay, stopping babbling now...We kinda didn't have time to leave a message. We’d managed to convince the nerds here to bring Buffy and Spike back then 'KAPOW' we were somewhere that wasn't here. We actually got to see round the spaceship! Well, some of us did – some of us had to work a spell.” She couldn't hide the glee in her voice, nor the slight disappointment. Sometimes the girl with the plaid dress and Keds wasn't too far below the surface.




Giles blanched as his eyes left Willow and spotted Spike now sitting at the table with Buffy on his lap. And she was nestling against his chest! This was too much.




“Does somebody want to tell me what's going on here?”




Dawn stifled a giggle as Xander glanced at the vampire and the slayer, closed his eyes as if in pain then walked towards the back room, his explanation lingering on the air as he left.




“Buffy's boinking Spike, he's part of the group – Anya'll fill you in.”




Buffy yelled after him, “I am not boinking Spike, Xander Harris! I’m...” her words faltered and she sought the reassurance of Spike's hand in hers and his adoring looks.




“You're what, Buffy?” His soft, even voice melted her heart. She felt safe and loved and whole. What could be wrong with this?




Everyone in the Magic Box waited for her answer, Dawn hugging herself with glee as she realised that now was the time she'd been waiting for. She willed Buffy on…one small step for some, one giant leap for Buffy.




Buffy blinked, drowning in the deep blue of Spike's eyes. She swallowed hard, as if about to do something devilishly difficult...then it suddenly wasn't.




“I am in love with him.”




Anya slapped a hand down on the counter. “At last! Now can we get on with tidying away the books and get the shop open. I have money to make.”




Warren, Andrew and Jonathan backed away quietly as all eyes were focused on Buffy and Spike. It was a pity they'd mislaid the recorder but sometimes you had to run away to live and fight another day. With a final glance, they sidled out of the open door and vanished.




Dawn rushed her sister and her friend where they sat and engulfed them both in a soppy girlie hug. Spike blinked back tears; he was so happy he thought he might combust at any moment. Just looking at Buffy...Buffy beamed, her smile lighting up the whole room.




Strangely, the Scoobies were quickly getting used to the idea that they didn't really have any problem with a Slayer being in love with a vampire. Just so long as she kept on smiling.




+ + + + +




Back on Voyager, Harry Kim almost tripped over a small black box that nestled against the back wall of the storage area in which the second set of intruders had been discovered. It was beeping softly and he was concerned that it was an explosive device. He scanned it and found that it was a media cube and there were images held inside. Curious, he took it along to Seven in Astrophysics and she linked it into the screen and pressed play.




Harry gasped as the screen filled with images of Spike and Buffy getting rather heated. He almost bit his tongue as Seven nibbled on his ear, but then a sly grin crept across his face. He turned suddenly, taking the Borg by surprise and pushing her up against the console.




It was Seven's turn to gasp when he spoke.




“Resistance – Seven – is futile.”




THE END




So, here it is. Hope you've liked my second venture into the Voyager world. I'm having such fun with crossing over my two favourite shows that I'll definitely be dabbling again.




Live Long and Prosper. :)