full 3/4 1/2   skin light dark       
 
Future Childe by Ariel Dawn
 
Making up your mind
 

Author's note: denotes thoughts

Disclaimer: Joss said we could, right?
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Chapter one: Making up your mind.

Buffy looked behind her wearily. Who knows who could be out here at this time of night? Deep down she knew that she shouldn’t be out here, she should be tucked into bed like a good 15 year old, instead of outside at midnight to fulfill a dare, a stupid dangerous dare at that. God, her mother would kill her if she knew she had snuck out tonight.

Buffy briefly flashed back to her mission and how she had been forced into it. Mission Impossible, à la valley girl. Buffy and her 4 nearest and dearest friends had just finished watching Mission: Impossible and had decided that to prove they were indeed worthy to be Tom Cruise’s next movie love interest they would each complete a task (read dare) under cover of darkness to be proven the next day at school.

And this was why she now found herself in an alley at midnight, dressed as conservatively as possible (for a 15 year old who still wanted to impress the boys). By far she had gotten stuck with the worst task ever. To find a hooker and get from her the phone number of her pimp. Yes, entirely stupid, potentially very dangerous, but there was no way that Buffy was gonna back out of a dare.

Buffy turned down the next street, hoping to find some poor girl selling herself. If she didn’t find a hooker soon, she was going to give up and make up some random phone number to pass off the next day at school. Buffy couldn’t help but feel just a little bit scared being out here in the dark, with any number of weirdos and creepies out there waiting for someone like her to cross their path.

Lost in thought and trying to convince herself to give up now, Buffy did not see the bleach blond man stumble out of the alley, nor did she notice that she was walking right towards him. She did notice, however, when she collided with him.

“Oof!” she said as she fell to the ground.

“Bloody hell!” shouted the man in a sexy British accent, who to Buffy’s dismay had not fallen down.

“Watch where you are going!” shouted Buffy at him.

“Same to you, stupid bint!”

The man gave Buffy a once over as she picked herself up and brushed the dust from her mini skirt.

“My skirt is ruined! I’ll never get this out! This skirt is dry clean only, pal!” exclaimed Buffy putting her hands on her hips. “You could make with the sorries you know!”

“Make it a point to never apologise, pet.”

“I bet that makes you lots of friends.”

“I have friends enough. What’s a cute little thing like you doing out at this time of night?” he said seductively. “Shouldn’t you be tucked up safe in your little girly bed, where mummy and daddy can check up on you?”

“It’s none of your business why I’m out here.”

“Too right, don’t care either,” he said grufly then, changing his tone completely he added, “you aren’t turning tricks are you?”

“Huh?” Buffy was lost for a moment, then quickly recovered, “Ew! No, a very large, huge, world of no!”

“Did seem a bit young for that lot.” he said sincerly, digging through the pockets of his long black leather coat for something.

“I’m no kid you know.” Buffy carefully backed away from him. She didn’t know what he was looking for in his pockets but she didn’t have a good feeling about this guy at all.

“Never said that you were, just young is all.” He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a zippo lighter from the depths of his coat.

“Whatever, tonight’s a bust, I’m going home. Thanks for the stimulating conversation.” Buffy felt relieved as the mystery man pulled a smoke from it’s packet and raised the white stick of death to his mouth.

“No problem pet,” he said as he slinked off into the shadows.

Once he was confident he was out of her sight, he turned around to watch her walk off.

“Didn’t even try to bite her. Spike, old boy, you really are losing your edge,” he muttered to himself, lighting his fag.

True he had just, just eaten, but really was that an excuse? Since Dru had sent him on his way, it seemed that he wasn’t up for the casual biting anymore. Sure he liked his spots of violence, but draining someone just because (hunger aside) seemed a waste of time. But then it wasn’t like he did anything remotely interesting with his time anyway.

His thoughts turned back to the girl. She was beautiful really. He hadn’t even asked her name. There was something about her, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. She intrigued him. And that was saying something, for a man who had travelled the world and seen a lot during his century and a bit as a vampire.

Oh well. Spike put his puzzlement aside and thought about his next move. Bumping into the girl had thrown off his train of thought. He was alone, for the first time since he’d been turned, a master vampire without minions or mate, cut off from his sire by her choice.

When Dru had told him a year ago that they should find their own paths and expand their family, he had been devastated, and after some very heavy drinking the feeling had passed. They had spent over a hundred years together, nearly constantly. But given that amount of closeness, a little time apart wouldn’t make any difference in the end, would it?. Dru was his sire, nothing could come between them, except her sire, which given his grandsire’s current state of soul-having-ness, didn’t pose a problem. Still, Spike had left Prague, depressed with no idea where to go or what to do. He didn’t like to be alone. He had been with his vampiric family since he was turned. Yeah, they had tortured him and made him feel like he was a second class vamp, but family was family. He sought out his family, Dru’s sire, the one who had trained him, Angelus.

Angelus, he had found in New York, looking horrible and was very much still in possession of that nasty soul those gypsies had cursed him with. Spike had watched with disgust from the sidewalk when he had found his grandsire eating rats in an alley. He’d gotten the hell out of there ASAP.

Now he was looking for Darla, Angelus’ sire, whom he had found out was somewhere near LA. Even if Darla didn’t want him around at least it had given him something to do while he waited for Dru to call him back. After Darla he could seek out her sire, The Master of order Aurelius and see what he was up to.

All this thinking about sires and grandsires got him thinking that in his 116 years as a vampire, Spike had never made a childe himself. That seemed to be the reason why Dru had cut him free, so he would have time to continue the line of Aurelius.

The idea of making/taking a childe was an odd one for Spike. It had ramifications that he didn’t really want to think about. He loved Dru, he knew it, in his mind she was his mate (though he was absolutely certain that it was entirely one sided), all childer needed their Sire’s attention and Spike didn’t like to think that anything could take his attention away from Dru. He also knew that he’d take a female childe (if ever the thought occurred to him), Dru would be jealous and probably stake her on sight, or so he thought.

Suddenly his imagination drifted back to the girl. Whatever she was in this life, he could take her as his childe, he was certain of it, if only she were a couple of years older. He was never one to have a thing for children and however much she looked the woman she still had some growing up to do. Damned if he was going to condemn her to an eternity as a little girl. She was beautiful and she had intrigued him from the start.

Spike started walking, following the girl’s scent. By the time he had gone four blocks he had almost decided that she should become his childe. She was fiery and hadn’t taken any crap from him, he liked that. He could mark her now and turn her when he wanted to. No vampire would dare touch his property, after all he was order of Aurelius, and his family was known for being vengeful and frankly, psychotic.

As he neared sight of her again he noticed that he wasn’t the only one stalking her.

“Fledglings,” he hissed.

The two fledgling vampires jumped out at the girl. She screamed and tried to back away.

“Whoa, what the hell is up with your faces?” she yelled, backing into the wall of the alley.

“That’s hardly your concern little girl,” said one, dressed as an Backstreet Boy wannabe.

“Stay way from me,” she shouted as they circled her.

Spike chose this moment to step in.

“Now what do we have here?” he taunted.

“Hey man, get your own, this one’s ours,” said the second fledgling, wearing the brightest green jacket he had ever seen, and that was saying something, he‘d unlived through some really bad fashion trends.

“Now, now, I hardly think that is the way you should speak to your betters - BOY!” said Spike in his best Master Vampire tone.

The two fledglings pounced on him, who deftly batted them away; they were not childer, they were no match for him.

“Who the hell are you man?” asked Backstreet.

“Spike,” he said walking towards the downed fledgling. “Now who do you work for?” he asked.

“You, Master Spike,” said the now minion.

“Are you crazy? We aren’t working for him!” shouted the second fledgling .

“He’s a master you moron! and he’s Aurelius!”

Spike rolled his eyes, obviously these fledges didn’t have a master already, or else you would think they would have some sort of loyalty. Spike’s attention drifted back to the girl, who had apparently long since fainted. He turned back to his new minions, who had now bared their necks to him. Wasting no time he took the blood they offered to dominate them then stooped to pick up the girl.

“Any fledglings you make are mine,” he barked, then gave them directions to the warehouse he was staying in and told them to be back at dawn, then he stalked off carrying the girl.

He had converted one of the back offices in the warehouse into his bedroom, complete with queen size bed and large screen TV. It was a nice set up, even though he hadn’t known how long he was going to be in LA, he, like the rest of his family enjoyed the creature comforts.

He laid the girl down on the bed only to notice that she had a large bump in her head. Guess she didn’t faint after all, he noted. He brushed her hair back from her neck and lowered his head, placing a few light kisses on her soft skin before sinking his fangs in. He pulled the blood three times before releasing his hold and licking the wound clean.

“You will be my childe,” he whispered, “and I will be your sire, teach you the ways of our line and add glory to the name Aurelius.”
_____________________________________________
Buffy woke up with a terrible pounding head ache. She opened her eyes to find herself in a strange room, illuminated by a bunch of pillar candles. She surveyed the scene. She still had on all her clothes - good. She had a bump on her head - not good, and she seemed to have a cut or something on her neck - also not of the good.

The door of the room opened.

“You’re awake!” said the mysterious blond she had talked to the night before.

“Awake but confused. Where am I, who are you, what happened? Majorly wigging here.”

“My place, Spike, hit your head.”

“Huh?”

“The answers to your questions, you are at my place, in my bed in fact, I’m Spike, and you hit your head.”

“Oh. Spike? Is that your real name?”

“No, but that’s the only thing you get to call me”

“Do you have a last name?”

“Aurelius,” he supplied, “Spike Aurelius.” He offered her his hand to shake.

Buffy took his hand and shook lightly.

“Summers, Buffy”

“Buffy?” he laughed, “and you were making fun of my name?”

“So not going there buddy. Why did you bring me here?”

“Bump on your head, had to get out of the street, lots of nasties waiting for little girls like you to fall in their laps.”

“You saved me then?”

“I guess”

“Thanks,” she whispered, “What time is it?” she asked looking around for a clock.

“Quarter to six,”

“In the morning!!” Buffy panicked. “ I’ve got to get home. My parents are going to freak if I’m not in by bed at seven!”

Buffy moved off the bed and walked to the door.

“Thanks for everything last night. You are a nice guy, thought you were totally creepy at first, but you’re ok. See you around?”

“You can count on that Goldilocks”
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Spike didn’t see Buffy for a week. Luckily none of his new minions had seen her leave the building that morning. His plans were slowly taking shape. Dru was still in Prague, Angelus in New York and he had managed to find out that Darla was in a small town called Sunnydale about three hours from LA.

Before he left for Sunnydale, Spike needed to see Buffy again, to make sure she kept thinking about him. It also didn’t help that he had kept thinking about her, every bloody moment.

Unfortunately other than her name, Spike really didn’t know where to find his girl. So he used the only means he had at his disposal, even though he never liked using it.
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Spike was sitting at a Starbucks when she showed up beside him.

“Spike!” Buffy said happily, “Imagine meeting you here!”

“Hello Goldilocks, been a while.” he greeted, giving her a once over. She was still beautiful, wearing a white Cable knit sweater and a pair of grey slacks.

“I’ll say, are you waiting for someone?” she asked tentatively.

“Not anymore,” he smiled

Buffy liked that smile, like she was the only one privileged enough to see it.

“Great, let me get a drink and I’ll be right back.”

When Buffy returned with her moccacino she was in total flirt mode.

“So what have you been up to since last week?” Buffy asked. She didn’t know why she had changed her opinion of this man so suddenly. He had been creepy guy in alley, now he was total hottie with whom you want to make smoochies with.

“Tracking down family members.”

“Wow.” Wow? how lame is that? Please let me not come off as some blonde bimbo type person, she thought.

“My family is a little bit scattered, but I think I’ve got them all tracked down now.”

“Cool, who did you have problems finding?” asked Buffy twirling her hair around a finger.

“Darla, my, uh, great grand...mother.” Not really a lie he thought.

“Wow, and a little weird. Losing a little old lady like that. You would think her kids would keep better care of her.”

“She’s got a mind of her own that one,” said Spike taking a sip of his espresso, “ I’m off to see her tomorrow. She’s in Sunnydale.”

“Never heard of it.” Buffy took a sip of her drink and looked down shyly. Spike was sitting beside her at a bar seat, slightly pushed away from the table. Dressed in black, just like he had been that night, he was still completely drool worthy. Buffy’s eyes drifted to the floor, sneaking a glance at his crotch.

“Doesn’t surprise me Goldilocks, small town three hours from here.”

“I’ve never been out of LA, born and raised here,” said Buffy, quickly looking back up into his bluer than blue eyes. “You know I really thought I’d never see you again. Glad I had a sudden urge for coffee,” she smiled.

“Me too Pet.” He smiled back. It’s worth using poncy thrall if I get to see you again.

“So are you going to stay in Sunnydale long?”

“Don’t know. Depends if Darla wants me to stick around or not, and when Dru calls for me.”

“Dru?”

“Drusilla, my uh, mother.”

“Oh!” Buffy breathed a sigh of relief, “weird, my mom would never let me call her just Joyce. So do you have a girl friend?” Too obvious?

“Fishing aren’t we...Well its a complicated question, Goldilocks. My girl and I, we’re on a break, but it’s been a year now...”

“Seems to me like a break up, no one should have to be strung along like that.”

“Yeah...What about you pet, any boys got your attention?”

“Just you,” she said as her cheeks turned bright red.

“Not put off that I’m way too old for you?”

“Why? How old are you?”

“Old”

“Well I’m fifteen, I’ll be sixteen soon well not soon, soon, but it‘s not too far away. But, I really don’t think why that should matter. In the 1800’s girls my age got married all the time. So what’s the problem? I’m not asking you to marry me,” Buffy babbled.

“And your parents wouldn’t have a problem with an old guy like me running around with their fifteen year old daughter?”

“They don’t have to know... we only just met, really. Just asking for a chance. I ... like you.”

“I like you too, Goldilocks,”

“Good, so will you go out with me when you get back from Sunnydale?”

“You can count on it pet,” he smiled.

Buffy was happy, very, very happy. None of her other friends where going out with college age guys. Plus Spike was hot, very yummy.

They talked for hours, about her family, school, what she liked to do for fun, cars, music and movies. She promised to even listen to some of the stuff he recommended her to listen to.

He hadn’t said what he did for a living but she though he must be loaded. They parted with a kiss, tongues included, cause Buffy had been fascinated by his tongue the whole time. Buffy left Spike, after giving him her phone number, sitting in the coffee place. He watched her walk out unable to tear his eyes away. Yes she was young, but he was still fascinated by her, open minded and free of a lot of the materialistic crap that he found out about most of his victims.
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The reunion with Darla had been a trip. The Master was stuck in a hole in the ground and was waiting for some alignment of the stars or what ever to be released. Utter foolishness, but Darla was determined to get her sire out of the ground. Sunnydale was fun. A town the seemed to be built for demons. Might be a good place to settle down in for a while, once Dru and him were back together of course. Easy pickings for when he would train Buffy.

Spike had been in Sunnydale three weeks when he felt her call. Dru was calling him back to her side. It was an odd sensation, but one he had gotten used to in all this years by Dru’s side. She needed him, and he couldn’t refuse her.

He knew he had to see Buffy first before he left. He had no idea how long he would be before her could return to LA.

He called from the road, to meet at their coffee shop. He had a coffin booked on the flight to New York, then and connecting flight to Prague, the next morning. Minions were good for something after all.

When Buffy walked into the Starbucks Spike gasped. His blond beautiful girl had gone punk, and god how it turned him on. That his valley girl would change so drastically for him (he assumed) was mind blowing.

“Spike! squealed Buffy as she launched herself into his arms.

“Hello Goldilocks.” he said with a leer and a smile.

“I missed you. How was your trip?”

“Enlightening.”

“That’s good. What do you think of my outfit?” she asked. “You wouldn’t have believed all the looks my friends were giving me when I bought this stuff. Like I had grown another head or something. What do you think?”

“Wouldn’t want to ruin your virgin ears pet.”

Buffy blushed, “ No seriously, tell me? Please?”

Spike leaned in to her ear “ You look amazing Goldilocks, you get me so hard, you are so beautiful, makes me think about all the naughty things I want to do to you.”

Buffy blushed an even darker shade of red.

“I do have some bad news pet.”

“Oh?”

“I have to go back to Prague.”

“Prague, as in Europe, Prague?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?” she sounded sad.

“Dru, called me, she needs me.”

“Oh,” said Buffy, “Will you be gone long?”

“Don’t know pet.”

“I don’t want you to go, you just got back!” she pouted, jutting that delicious lower lip of hers forward.

“I know, I’d stay if I could.”

“Still want you to stay with me.”

“I know pet.”

“Everyone leaves me...” she said starting to tear up. “First my Dad, now you.”

“Buffy, luv, I’m not leaving you, really, I will be back for you. I promise you.”

“Sure,” she didn’t believe him.

“It’s the truth, Goldilocks. I’ll miss you every second of everyday and I will come back.”

They drifted into discussion of her new musical appreciation, debating the merits of the Sex pistols vs the Clash. After about half an hour and two mochas later Buffy found herself with her hand on his knee.

“Can we go to your place?” she whispered.

“Sure pet.” he said taking her hand and leading her out o the coffee shop.

Buffy was scared. She knew that he had fallen in love with this man and this was only the third time she had actually seen him, but she couldn’t bear the idea that he was leaving, for Europe. Walking to his place, an old warehouse, Buffy resolved herself. He wouldn’t leave her if she gave herself to him, right?.

He lead her into his bedroom without a thought to the minions that loitered around. Safely ensconced, Spike stalked towards his bed and Buffy. Clearly she was nervous and scared. He could smell the fear dripping off of her.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to Buffy,” he said.

When she had asked to come here he had gotten hard instantly, but at the same time knew that she didn’t want him to go and was only doing this so he wouldn’t leave her.

He sat down beside her on the bed. “Pet, I know it’s rough, I’m going to leave anyway.”

“I know, I want to do this. I want you to come back to me.”

“You’ve got my promise Buffy. I will come back.”

“I am afraid that you’ll forget all about me.” she whimpered.

“Not gonna happen. You are in my blood, Goldilocks.”

Buffy smiled and looked directly at him.

“I want you in me,” she said.

Spike groaned and leaned in to her kissing her lips and down to her neck, and his bite mark, licking and nibbling the scar. She was his.

Buffy kissed back, her hands on his shoulders not moving anywhere.

Spike could feel her hesitate. He didn’t even have to ask if she was a virgin or not. Her virginity radiated off of her. Just another area that she needed training up in. And by god he was gonna make sure that she never forgot her first time.

Spike moved his hands under her shirt, caressing her skin, his feathered touches tickled in all the right ways. His lips pressed on her neck sensuously sucking the blood to the surface. Slowly he lifted her shirt only letting his lips pull away as he lifted the shirt over her head. Once again his lips attacked her lips, forcing his tongue into her pink mouth.

Spike let his hand drift back to her shoulders and down, catching the straps of her white lace bra down her shoulders. He kissed down her neck and chest while un fastening her bra from behind. She gasped as he pulled away to look at her. Buffy leaned in to kiss him.

“So bloody beautiful,” he said between kisses.

Spike let his hands linger on her pert breasts teasing her nipples until they were hard points. He gently laid her back onto the bed, running his hands over her skin and kissing down her chest covering her right breast then her left with passionate kisses.

“Spike,” she whimpered.

“Like that Goldilocks?” he asked seductively looking once more into her green eyes.

“Yes, more,” she moaned. “Too many clothes”

Spike backed off of her and pulled off his black tee and kicked off his shoes, then set about to divest Buffy of her shoes and stockings. He crawled up the length of her body pushing his hands up her skirt and pulling off her panties, white lace to match her bra. He started to kiss up her legs, letting his tongue glide up and up, ever so closer to her molten centre. He could feel her muscles fluttering, as he drew closer.

Buffy started to close her legs. Is he really going to do what I think he’s going to do? she asked herself. She had heard of it before, but honestly never expected that Spike of all people would want to do that first.

Spike pushed her thighs back granting him access only covered by her mini plaid skirt. He licked closer and closer until her felt her wetness on his cheek. Parting her toffee coloured curls he licked her back to front and few times before sucking on her clit hard.

Buffy moaned. “My god...Spike... yes, please, don’t stop, so good.”

Spike smiled at her reaction before pushing his tongue into her, thrusting several times, his nose brushing up against her clit, before sucking hard on her clit again.

Holding back her legs he could feel her muscles start to tense and with his tongue he felt her clench, she was close. Spike pulled away for a moment causing her to push her hips up against the empty air.

“Spike...please,” she whimpered.

“All in good time Goldilocks.”

He reached up and pulled her skirt off leaving her completely naked. He teased her clit while he looked her up and down.

“You were born to inspire poetry,” he breathed.

He crawled up the length of her body once again and pressed his denim encased erection into her curls.

“Sure about this pet?”

“Yes, god yes. I want to be yours Spike, make me yours.”

He popped the button of his pants and slid the zipper down and threw his pants aside. Buffy’s eyes went wide as she took in the scene. He didn’t wear underwear, and there he was in all his glory. Briefly Buffy considered how that was supposed to fit inside her.

Spike pressed the tip of his cock to her opening, hot and wet.

“Please Spike, I want you inside of me,” she begged.

Slowly he pushed inside of her only briefly stopped by her barrier. He thrust all the way in, causing a slight scream from the girl. He was so close to losing control that he started thinking his own mantra to calm himself. Holy water, crosses, Angelus with a moustache, wooden stakes, demon goo, lots of wooden stakes. Feeling himself calm down a bit, he started thrusting into her with a steady rhythm, each time angling for just that spot.

“So bloody tight...lush...fuck, could fuck you all night Buffy,” he said as he thrust .

Buffy on the other hand was beyond speaking. All she could do was moan and scream. It had taken a total of three thrusts to send her over the edge and now was so lost in the feeling of her that she was nearing her second orgasm of the night.

“Gonna fuck you all night Buffy, so bloody beautiful, tight, god, fuck, so fuckable.”

“Please, Spike...” she begged, “make me cum...need you, love you...yours...fuck me baby.”

Buffy screamed as she came again. Spike only had to thrust into her tight core twice more before roaring in climax.

Lying beside her, he nuzzled his mark, listening to her breathing.

“Wow,” she whispered, “a world of wow.”
_____________________________________________
When Buffy woke up the next morning she found herself alone in Spike’s bed. She knew right away that he had left her. He had left her anyway. Just like he said he would. Her eyes started to well up realizing that she would probably not see him for a long time. But he promised he’d come back, a little voice in her head said persistently.

She reached for her clothes to find a note on top of her skirt.

Goldilocks,

I regret that you had to wake up alone this morning. As you read this I’m probably in the air. I want you to know that last night was very special. I’ll not soon forget it and I hope you won’t either. I don’t know how long I’ll be away from you, but I will be back for you, that I promise. I liked it last night when you said you were mine, cause you are mine. You are my wet dream, my fantasy, you are the only girl alive that means anything to me. I will be back for you Buffy.

Wait for me,

Spike

PS Keep the outfit, I want to see you wear it the next time we see each other.


Buffy let the tears flow afresh.

tbc...
 
Pretending School’s Hard
 
Disclaimer: Joss said to write fan fic...so that’s what I’m doing.

Author‘s note: If you haven’t seen School Hard, you might be a little lost. Which begs the question...Why haven’t you seen School Hard? Quotes from the Episode School Hard. Thanks to all my reviewers!
__________________________________________
Her dad had dropped her off at her mom’s house with a huff, threatening that if she didn’t change her attitude soon she was going to have to forget about the birthday ice show this year.

She could understand where her dad was coming from, sorta. It wasn’t like her parents were really prepared to have their valley girl daughter start killing vampires and burning down school gyms, and listening to punk music. It was the last one that really got to them, after all, the other two, not so much with the acceptance, especially now that she was out of the institution. Boy was that a mistake. If she could give new slayers one piece of advice it would be not to tell the parentals. Parents never understood mystical destinies.

The quest now was to find a new school for her in LA. She had interviewed at a couple of private schools, even a private girls school with uniforms and kilts, but they wouldn’t take her. Buffy Summers was a pariah in the LA educational system.

Not that she minded. It was the fact that her dad seemed to be punishing her for something he didn’t understand and she couldn’t control that got to her. All of her friends had abandoned her. It was either the punkness or the fighting that turned them away. Even the Goth kids at Hemery had steered clear of her, probably because she had been the Fiesta Queen and a cheerleader.

Buffy collapsed on her bed and grabbed Mr Gordo for comfort. Her mom was even thinking about moving away from LA, just so that she could go to school. Not that Buffy had anything to stay in LA for...even her watcher was dead.

It was thinking about Merrick that finally got Buffy crying. With all the crap that had been going on in her life, loosing the one man that believed her and in her was the roughest part. She could only hope that if/when Spike came back for her, he would understand too. She would hate keeping things from him. She didn’t know how or why but she couldn’t stop thinking about him. Every day, it was ’would Spike like this?’ or ’I wonder what Spike’s doing now?’ It was crazy to think that this had all started just after Spike left for Prague. The usually Geography challenged blond had even looked up where Prague was on the map, just to be able to know how far away he was from her.

“Buffy! Phone!” her mom called from the living room.

Buffy rolled over and grabbed the portable phone that was sitting on her night stand. She sat up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her black eyeliner had smeared and her nose was red. Buffy hit the ‘talk’ button on the phone before realising the music she was playing was too loud to hear her caller.

Buffy turned down the music and tried again.

“Sorry about that,” she murmured into the phone.

“Discovered the beauty of Radiohead, did we Goldilocks?” came the sexy British voice from the other end.

“Spike!” she said happily. “Oh my god, it’s been forever!”

“I know pet, how’ve you been?”

“Missing you, being miserable.”

“I miss you too, Goldilocks. Keep thinking about that night we spent together.”

“Me too.”

“Been keeping busy though? Improving your musical tastes I see”

“Yeah, burnt down a school gym, got kicked out of school, thinking about getting my tongue pierced...”

“Goldilocks is a hell raiser then, I like that.”

“You won’t be back before the end of January will you?” Buffy started worrying one of her black painted nails

“Doesn’t look like it Goldilocks, why?”

Buffy shook her head. “Never mind, not important, you should stay there, your mom needs you.”

“Sometimes I think you need me more love,”

“No,” she sniffed, sitting straight and smearing her eyeliner more, “Family comes first, I understand that, just wish that...”

“What?”

“My Dad, says I need to change my attitude”

Spike laughed on the other end of the line, “I like your attitude Goldilocks”

She brightened at that.

“I haven’t asked you how you are over there, in Prague.”

“Just dandy, Dru’s got the whole group of us planning for a party...again.”

“Sounds fun.” she said sadly. “I miss you”

“I know luv,”

“Buffy! It’s late! Get off the phone and go to bed!” yelled her mom.

“Spike, I’ve got to go. Will you call back soon?”

“Sure pet,”

“Ok,” she sniffed, “Goodnight, and Spike?”

“Ya, pet?”

“I...I love you” she said quietly, squeezing her eyes shut.

“I wish I could kiss you love,”

“Buffy!” shouted her mother.

“K, I’ve got to go. Bye Spike”

“Goodnight, Goldilocks”

Buffy hung up the phone and started crying again.
__________________________________________
“And I don’t know what possessed you to start wearing what you’ve been wearing lately!” ranted her mother. “When we move to Sunnydale, I just hope that you can get your life back together the way it was before all the bad things started happening.”

Buffy didn’t want to move to Sunnydale, Spike didn’t know she would be in Sunnydale.

“Why can’t everything be like it was before this mess started?”

Cause I’m the slayer mom, a slayer who doesn’t have a watcher, but still a slayer, she thought.

“Can you try Buffy? Please? For my sake?”

Buffy nodded her head. Once she moved to Sunnydale, Spike wouldn’t know where she was. She could leave the Slayer behind her, and move on. Buffy looked down at her Ramones vintage Tee and the cargo pants which she was wearing, and all the chains that were hanging from them. She wouldn’t throw them away. But maybe pretending wasn’t a bad thing after all.
__________________________________________
French sucked, it was official. Hate French! Buffy whined to herself while Willow was trying to help her. Any help she could offer was useless. Buffy was convinced she’d have to repeat French. Buffy took a look around the Bronze. Nope no vampires. All was well with the world. Well not really but Buffy could pretend. She was good at pretending that everything was ok. She was good at being a Vampire Slayer. Just like she had been good at being, well, Cordelia, at Hemery, before the slaying, before Spike. Buffy inwardly sighed as she looked at the foreign language in front of her. Obviously French was like Calculus, a skill she did not need, French was what Giles was for. Wonder if Spike knows French.

Buffy tried to focus on what Willow was saying. Nope useless. I wonder if Angel is going to show? She asked herself, traitorous brain! Angel was nice, tall dark and handsome, broody, true, and in so many ways not her ideal man, being a vampire and all. Even after all this time she still loved Spike. Angel was just here, Spike was god knows where. He had phoned a couple of times when she had still lived in LA but he didn’t know that she had moved to Sunnydale. She had even thought about looking up his great grandmother to see if she could get a message to him, but there had been no Darla Aurelius in the phone book.

Willow snapped her out of her reverie making her say some stuff in French.

“La vache... doit me... touche... de la... jeudi,” said Buffy hesitantly looking at Willow. “Was it wrong? Should I use the plural?”

“No. But you said, 'The cow should touch me from Thursday.'“ said her friend.

“Maybe that's what I was feeling.”

“And you said it wrong.”

“Oh, je stink.” Yep the French suckage was official.

“You're just not focused. It's Angel missage.” offered Willow.

Yeah right, thought Buffy. It was a problem. She couldn’t get into Angel as much as she wanted to. There was something fundamentally off putting about him. She had felt the attraction sure, but after that, the kissing, the screaming, it was all so...so...what’s the word...not Spike, not easy. And she’d tried, really! The trying, it could be categorized as fun, but too much effort. Spike had been so easy to fall in love with. Love at first, well not first sight, maybe second sight.

“Well, he didn't say for sure. It was a 'maybe see ya there' kinda deal.” supplied Buffy.

She had never told Willow about Spike. It wasn’t like she didn’t feel that Willow wouldn’t understand, but even she had trouble understanding why after over a year she was still waiting for the much older than her, hottie with the British accent whom she barely knew, to come back to her. And as much as she had pretended, since she arrived in Sunnydale, it was hard not to revert back into what she had been, especially after Giles so rudely dropped that book on vampires at her, her first day of school. So now, a little over a half a year later, she was secretly wishing that Spike would show up, that Punk would be in, and that she wouldn’t have to pretend all the leather was for slaying.

Her mind had hopelessly drifted from the dreaded French. Luckily, Buffy was saved by the wonderfulness that was Xander and his suggestion to dance instead of studying. Dancing was so much better than French.
__________________________________________
Spike entered the Bronze on the hunt for the Slayer. He’d been given a bad description; blonde, yay high, not much to go on really. He was told that she was here at this place tonight though. Minions were handy when you didn’t want to run all over town. Anything was better than staying in the factory with the Annoying One. Even Dru was getting on his nerves lately. Ever since he had returned to her, their relationship had changed. She had started talking about taking another Childe herself, but was waiting for the stars to let her know when was the best time. Or some such rot.

He stalked the dance floor looking for the girl who would be his third slayer. Mid prowl he stopped. No, it couldn’t be, he thought as he gazed on the dancing form of his little Goldilocks moving to the beat with a boy and a red head girl.

He had lost track of Buffy more than six months ago. He had phoned her house in LA to find that the number had been disconnected. At the time all sorts of nasty scenarios drifted through his mind, fearing the worst. And now here she was, on the Hellmouth. Still beautiful, but now had a confidence about her that intrigued him more. He had made the right decision to let her grow up after all. He was almost giddy with happiness. Almost, but definitely not, the Big Bad was not giddy.

Dancing not too far away from Buffy was another blond girl, that Spike assumed was the Slayer. She had to be. He was getting all sorts of vibes from that general direction. Walking a little closer but keeping to the shadows he prepared his move. Getting to Buffy would be a piece of cake now that he knew where she was. She was his, his thrall over her would still work. Wouldn’t it? Just needed to get this slayer problem out of the way first.

Spike sauntered over the bar and to one of the Anointed one’s minions.

“Go get something to eat.” said the master vampire.

Spike walked back over to the dance floor keeping his back to Buffy.

“Where's the phone? I need to call the police. There's some big guy out there trying to bite somebody.” said Spike loudly enough for half the dance floor to hear him. He just hoped that Buffy didn’t think it was him immediately and start searching him out. He really didn’t need the added hassle of protecting her from minions and misguided slayers.

Without looking back at Buffy he strode out of the club and out to the back alley, keeping to the shadows, to watch the Slayer work. He was not prepared for what he saw.

The minion, incompetent git that he was, had a young woman at his mercy in the alley. Spike’s attention on the minion and his meal reminded him that he needed to pick up take out for Dru, poor thing hadn’t been eating properly. Just as the minion was going in for the bite a flash of blond hair pulled him back. Unprepared, the idiot hit the floor.

“Slayer!” said the minion as he got to his feet.

“Slayee!” responded the blonde.

In the shadows Spike let his jaw drop. His thinking about Dru and the take out had distracted him for the briefest of seconds, only to miss the arrival of the slayer. It was Buffy who was the slayer. His Buffy. He watched her fight, shocked. After a few moments Spike realised that he had rarely seen another being fight with such ingenuity and style. Maybe that Slayer in ‘77, or that Chinese Kung Fu master he had known (and eaten) at the turn of the century. Spike cringed as Buffy hit the garage style door high and hard, having been thrown by the Annoying One‘s minion. Buffy fell to the ground, but got up, recovering quickly. The minion swung at her again, but she ducked and he hit the metal door with his fist.

A different flash of movement caught Spike’s eye. The children she had been dancing with, the boy and the red head, rushed into the alley. Buffy blocked the vampire's punch and held on to his arm. She looked behind her at her friends.

“Get her out of here!” shouted Buffy, meaning the girl she had just saved.

Buffy turned her attention back to punching the vampire repeatedly in the face. The red head pulled the minions former meal away and out of danger.

“And a ... stake... would be...nice!” shouted Buffy to the rhythm of her punches.

The boy ran back into the club, leaving Buffy to deal with the minion herself. She was a good little fighter, noted Spike to himself, graceful, like a dancer. And her little friends knew she was the slayer. That was something new. No slayer he had ever met with had friends or family who knew, to his knowledge anyway. Buffy punched the vampire's face again and then took aim at his chest. The wily minion got loose from her and landed a punch in her face. Spike balled his fists as he saw her go down, lying stunned on the ground. The vampire loomed over her.

“I don't need to wait for St. Vigeous. You're mine.” crowed the minion.

Spike let a low growl out, and shifted into game face, realising for the first time that he could not smell his mark on her anymore. Something else must have gotten a piece of her while he had been gone. No mere minion would have ever said something like that if his mark was still fresh on her, especially a minion from his own order.

The minion bent down to finish the job, but was stopped by a foot to the face. He staggered backward as she got up on her feet.

“Spike! Gimme a hand!” shouted the minion.

Bloody wanker! cursed Spike, but it was too late. Buffy had looked in his direction. He could see the look of recognition in her face, but she was interrupted from any action by the boy’s return.

“Buffy!” the boy said as he threw her a stake.

“Willow! Xander, Get out of here!” shouted the slayer. Dutifully, her friends fled the scene.

In a simple beauty, Buffy caught the stake in mid air and plunged the shaft of wood into the chest of the stupid minion. The idea that this vamp had survived since the time of the crucifixion was a joke. As the minion fell to ash, Spike couldn’t help but clap. The fight had been beautiful. He shook off his game face, which he hadn’t realised had come up, and stepped out of the shadows.

“Nice work, Goldilocks.” said Spike casually.

“Oh my god! Spike?” Buffy looked like she had seen a ghost.

“I told you I would come back for you, pet. I always keep my promises.” Spike stepped carefully closer to her.

“I’m hallucinating.” she said as she shook her head to clear the images her eyes displayed.

“No, you’re not, Buffy.”

She was beautiful, she hadn’t changed much since he last saw her, but had acquired something that made him want her even more and oh how he wanted her. The tightness in his pants attested to that fact.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” she started to cry.

“Oh, luv, don’t cry. Can’t stand it when you cry,” he said approaching her, but careful to stay out of arms reach. If she was the slayer then there was no telling what she would do when she realised that he was a vampire. Which begged the question, why hadn’t she?

“Happy tears. I missed you so much.” she tried to smile.

“I missed you too.”

“How did you find me? I didn’t tell you I was moving the last time we talked on the phone.”

“Didn’t know you were here pet, glad you are though.” He stopped moving a couple of feet from her.

Buffy leaned in and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck, planting kisses all over his face. Buffy dropped her stake and found herself pressed up against the wall.

Once Buffy had dropped her stake, Spike let his emotions take over.

“Buffy, missed you so much, Goldilocks, thought I’d burst without you. Make you mine again.”

“Oh yes, Spike, please, been so long, need you.” she whimpered.

They manoeuvred themselves into the shadows and within seconds he had divested her of her pants and was poised at her glistening entrance.

“Spike... in me...now.“ she panted between kisses, sliding her hands up and down his leather coated arms.

The chit had gotten bossy since he last saw her.

Spike desperately wanted to bite her but he didn’t really want to expose himself so blatantly. He was shocked that she hadn’t said anything yet. Slayers were supposed to be able to tell a vampire from normal people. He kissed her neck desperately. He was proud of himself that he didn’t growl too loudly when his lips passed over where his mark had been, and now the mark of , he sniffed the mark... The Master... was clearly visible.

Spike slid in effortlessly into her, and she wrapped her legs around him, grinding her pelvis into his. He groaned at how tight she was, revelling in the fact that this was only her second time and that she was his. It didn’t take long before he was pounding her pussy with a ferocity of a man who hadn’t gotten any for a year and a half.

Buffy gasped at how rough he was pounding into her. A normal girl would have been crushed at his ferocity. Biting her lip, Buffy squeezed her internal muscles, causing Spike to groan. Being in an alley, Buffy fought hard not to vocalise her delight that Spike was fucking her. She found his mouth and thrust her tongue past his lips. He tasted like cigarettes and beer.

Buffy moaned as her lover thrust into her over and over.

“Missed you so much, Spike, never stop.”

“God, Goldilocks, so lush, so tight.”

Buffy screamed her pleasure as she came violently. She licked his neck seductively, and smiled when he roared his completion.
__________________________________________
They were sitting in Buffy’s living room an hour later, staring at each other, knowing a lot had to be said. Her mom was out of town on a buying trip, but would be home the next day. Parent teacher night was Thursday. St Vigeous was Saturday, and Spike, her Spike was a vampire. Guess the powers that be decided her life wasn’t complicated enough.

“Would you like something to drink? We’ve got water, ginger ale, milk, OJ and Dr Pepper.” Blood?

“I’m good pet”

“K”

They sat in silence for a few moments before Buffy just couldn’t take it any more. There was no way she was going to come up with a good way to start this conversation.

“Spike, love you, missed you, very much of the ecstatic that you’re here, but, and don’t take this the wrong way, how long have you been a vampire?”

Spike exhaled loudly. “Hundred and seventeen years.”

A look of total shock and betrayal passed over her face. “So you were vampy in LA...”

“Yep.” he admitted.

There was a long awkward pause as they both struggled to think of something to say.

“Do you love me?” she whispered.

“Yes, you will never know how bloody much.”

“Is that why you didn’t kill me? Cause you love me?”

“No.”

“Huh?” Buffy’s forehead crinkled in the cute way that it did when she was puzzled.

“I wanted you to grow up, before I turned you. Wanted to spend an eternity with you, Goldilocks.”

Spike got up and started pacing the room.

Buffy stopped breathing for a second or two. She should be shocked, she should be outraged, she should want to kill him, but she didn‘t. She just wanted to cry. He‘s a vampire for god‘s sake!!! “And now?”

“Well everything has changed. You’re the Slayer Buffy!”

“I’m the Slayer,” stated Buffy sadly. “You lied about everything else when we were in LA”

“No!” he stopped and turned to look at her, “Not true, never really told you a lie.”

“All that crap about finding your family, girl friend who’d broken your heart?”

“All true.”

“Spike...Aurelius. I should have put two and two together. Stupid Giles for pronouncing it different. Darla...she was your great grandsire, you were here for three weeks to see her.”

“I was”

“She’s dust.”

“I know, I felt it.”

“The Master too...I killed him.”

“That’s what Slayers do luv,”

“I know.”

There was a long pause again and Spike knelt down in front of her.

“The marks on my neck, from that night in the alley, that was you wasn’t it?” she asked, her hands feeling the marks that resided there now.

“Yes. Marked you as mine, no Vampire except an elder of my line could drink you.”

“The Master bit over your mark Spike.”

“I guess you are free then.” he said sadly with resignation.

He was angry, he was sad. The master had bitten over his marks, and she had killed him. The words dug deep into his mind. She wasn’t his anymore.

“I’ve never been free. I’m still the Slayer, I have an expiration date,” said Buffy sadly. “Ever since I read that note you left me, before I was told I was the slayer, I knew that I was yours.”

Buffy got up, pushed him to sit on the couch and sat on his lap, straddling him. No matter what she tried she couldn’t be angry with him. If anything she was angry at The Master for biting over his mark. Looking at his sad face she made a decision and took her fate into her own hands.

“How old were you going to let me get before you turned me Spike?”

“Don’t know, nineteen or twenty. Hadn‘t really given it much thought” Might as well be honest here, she’s gonna stake you now you stupid git.

“Got a few years to go then,” Buffy tilted her neck, “Make me yours again.” She looked into his eyes, begging him to do it.

He was overwhelmed by the sadness radiating off of her. For the unlife of him he couldn’t understand. Why would his radiant Goldilocks ask to be marked? He desperately wanted to know what was going on in her head.

“Buffy?” he asked carefully, eyeing her lovely neck.

“Please, do it, I don’t want to feel alone again. Don’t leave me again.”

Spike began kissing her neck before sinking his fangs into her ivory skin. He took three pulls of her blood and then licked the wound closed.

“You will be my childe,” he whispered, “and I will be your sire, teach you the ways of our line and add glory to the name Aurelius.”

Buffy leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He was back. He made her whole and there was no way she was letting him go again.

“I missed you so much.”

“Missed you too Goldilocks. I think it’s time we do a little catching up. When did you get to be the Slayer?”

Buffy laughed “ Three days after you left.” Buffy sighed. “ I’m never letting you go.”

“Might have some problems with that luv, I’m supposed to kill you on Saturday.”

Buffy pulled back and gave him a look of disbelief.

“I won’t, but I agreed to this before I know you were the Slayer, Goldilocks.”

Buffy laughed. “Ironic isn’t it, that you would choose a Slayer for your childe, that I would be madly in love with a Master Vampire.”

“Bloody pathetic is what it is luv.”
__________________________________________
Later in the Library Giles was trying to impress upon her the dire circumstance of St. Vigeous, and frankly it was seriously boring.

“Giles! I’ve got the whole thing under control.”

“You aren’t taking this seriously, Buffy. Vampires under the command of the Anointed One are trying to kill you.”

“I know! I know! Parent teacher stuff first Giles! I can’t get kicked out of school.”

“If only we knew what the Anointed One was planning,” said Giles.

“There’s a new master vampire in town,” came Angel’s voice from the stacks.

“Can we get him a bell, please?” said Xander pointing at Angel.

“Name’s Spike, he’s working with the Anointed One. He’s dangerous, obsessive,” continued Angel.

“This Spike guys a bad news bear,” said Willow.

“Why would this Spike so eagerly ally himself with the Anointed One?” asked Giles.

Buffy yawned.

“He’s got a thing for family,” came Angel’s reply.

“The Anointed One is like his brother or something?“ asked Xander.

Buffy snorted.

“Buffy this information could very well save your life,” chastised Giles.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “I really don’t think Angel can tell me much that I don’t already know about Spike.”

“Whoa, harsh much Buff. I mean that’s Angel you are talking to.. wait, continue,” said Xander with a smile on his face.

“I know, I’m sorry Angel. It’s just that, I know that I’m not gonna die on Saturday,” said Buffy “Ever had a fifties song just pop into your head? My boyfriend’s back and you’re gonna be in trouble, hay la hay la, my boyfriend’s back...” sang Buffy.

Willow’s eyes got real big as the realization hit her.

“No way!” exclaimed the red head, “He’s...No!... Really?”

“Yes way.”

“God Buffy... Did you know? I mean, it was before.”

“Nope found out tonight. Didn’t change a thing, well except that I knew and well he knew. Talk about majorly wigged conversation though.”

“Hold on, just one minute,” exclaimed Giles, “Would either of you care to explain what just was discussed here?”

“Na, it’s too fun freakin’ everyone out,” giggled Buffy.

“It’s kinda important Buffy, Giles should know, he is your watcher,” said Willow.

“Oh ok,” Buffy sat down in her chair with a sigh, “Can I impress you all with my fabulous vampire knowledge though? The vampire in question, Spike, also known as William the Bloody, sired in 1880, by Drusilla childe of Angel here, who was sired by Darla, who was sired by The Master. So the Anointed One is actually Spike’s great, great uncle.”

“Spike is your Childer?” Giles asked Angel.

“Yes,” replied Angel, “Buffy how do you know all that?”

“Spike has never taken a childe, he feels very strongly about his family, except for some reason, he doesn’t like you very much Angel, probably has something to do with the soul. Spike has killed two slayers to date, one in 1900 in china and one in 1977 in New York.”

“She’s like a vampire encyclopaedia,” whispered Willow awed.

“In 1996 Spike was told by Drusilla that it was time for him to carry on the Aurelius family. During his journey he stopped in New York to see you Angel, then went LA trying to track down Darla. While in LA he chose the girl he would turn as his childe, but he wanted her to grow up. He marked her and told her he would come back for her. That girl has been in love with him ever since, although she didn’t know he was a vampire at the time. Well last night her came back to her.” Buffy looked at the clock. “Oh Crap, excuse me, must change.”

Buffy returned to the Library in under fifteen minutes, the look of puzzlement was still on the faces of the men in the room. Buffy really wondered exactly how dense Angel was. Buffy was now dressed in Clothes she had wanted to where in public for a long time; knee high doc martins, red and black plaid skirt, thigh high striped socks, tight black baby tee, layers of bracelets and a spiked dog collar around her neck.

“Holy dog collar, Batman,” exclaimed Xander, “ It’s Punk Princess Buffy.”

“Ok back to the Spike info. I realized that I had left a few things out. Spike is a dead ringer for Billy idol, he’s drop dead gorgeous, completely drool worthy.”

“You’ve met Spike?” asked Angel.

“Come on Peaches! can’t you smell it from here?” exclaimed Buffy. “That little story I told you? That was me!” Buffy pulled her hair back to expose her neck and Spike’s mark. “Spike won’t kill me until he wants me turned. I’m safe until I’m nineteen, no worries, only Dru and Angel can kill me and I figure Dru wants me turned and Angel is all soul having.”

“Good lord Buffy this is ridiculous!” shouted Giles.

“No Giles, it’s fabulous, I always new that I had an expiration date, now I know when it is and who will do it. It’s completely freeing.”

Just then the Library doors swung open and in walked Spike.

“Goldilocks?”

Buffy looked up to see that she was still sitting on Spike’s lap in her living room. She had fallen asleep.

“Shit!” she exclaimed. “I have to go, my friends, my watcher will be waiting for me.”

“No problem luv, have things to take care of. I know where you live now,” he smiled.

“Yes you do, just make sure you take that to your advantage...no eating my mother though!”

“Wouldn’t dream of it Goldilocks.”
__________________________________________
Buffy rushed to the Library to find her friends already there, Giles and Miss Calendar were looking through books.

“Buffster!” greeted Xander.

“We were just discussing night of St. Vigeous stuff,”said Willow, “Did you stake that Spike guy?”

“No, he got away,”

“Spike. That's what the other vampire called him? That's a little unorthodox, isn't it?” said Giles.

“I think it suits him, all dangerous and stuff.” said Buffy, a little too much like the love sick teen she was.

“Perhaps he went by another name in... times past.” offered Giles, as he eagerly flipped through some book, and completely ignoring Buffy‘s comment.

“Well, whoever he is, we'll need all the help we can get come this Saturday.” said Miss Calendar.

“So, this night of St. Vigeous deal. If they're gonna attack in force, aren't we thinkin' vacation?” said Xander.

“We can't run, that would be wrong. Could we hide? I mean, if that Spike guy is leading the attack,... yeeehehehe.” shuddered Willow.

“You saw him?” asked Buffy startled. She hadn’t thought that they had seen him. Had they seen her have hot and sweaty alley sex with him? Ewww, Buffy inwardly cringed, she didn’t want Xander anywhere near Spike and sex in her thoughts.

“Well, he can't be any worse than any other creature you've faced.” said Giles knowingly.

“He's worse.” said Angel’s voice. “Once he starts something he doesn't stop until everything in his path is dead.”

Angel had this annoying habit of appearing out of thin air.

“Hmm. So, he's thorough, goal-oriented.” joked Xander.

“We were at the Bronze before. Thought you said you might show.” said Buffy annoyed.

“You said you weren't sure if you were going.” replied Angel.

“I was being cool. C'mon, you've been dating for, what, like, two hundred years? You don't know what a girl means when she says maybe she'll show?” said Buffy. It was a good thing that the dating of Angel was over. She was so not interested now that Spike was back. Buffy tuned out the others for a second to bask in the glory that was Spike. Oh god! I had sex with Spike! Angel will be able to smell it! Buffy backed away from Angel slowly.

“Uh, we do have slightly more urgent matters to discuss.” said Giles trying to keep everyone on topic.

“Yeah, like keeping my mom away from Principal Snyder tomorrow night?” said Buffy.

“And not dying Saturday.” supplied Miss Calendar.

“Angel, do you know if this Spike fellow goes under any other name?” asked Giles.

They all looked to where Angel had been standing but he had disappeared. The library doors were swinging.

“Okay, that's it. I'm puttin' a collar with a little bell on that guy.” said Xander.

Buffy couldn’t help but laugh.
__________________________________________
By the time Spike got back to the factory, complete with take out for Dru, the chanting was in full swing. Oh how he hated the ritual. He entered the room he shared with Dru only to find her talking to her dolls again. He leaned up against the door frame.

“Miss Edith speaks out of turn. She's a bad example, and will have no cakes today. Shhhh.”

“Darling, are you going to eat something?” he asked, grabbing the take out into the room.

“I'm not hungry. I miss Prague.”

“You nearly died in Prague. Idiot mob. This is the place for us. The Hellmouth will restore you, put colour in your cheeks, metaphorically speaking, and in a few week's time...”

“The stars will align, and smile down on us.” Dru turned to look at him with a smile on her face.

“And then, God, this town will burn.”

Dru giggled at that “A pretty fire!” Dru sniffed the air. “You’ve been with her! Your Goldilocks.”

“She’s here Dru, and she’s the Slayer!”

“Covered in Sunshine you are!”

“She won’t be sunshine forever pet, just till she’s grown up a bit more. Until then, we’ve got the slayer on our side.”

“Spike... my Spike... take her now, happy families all in a row. Need Daddy too. Miss Grand mummy.”

“I know pet. You can blame soddin’ Angelus for that. But think, pet, how easy it will be for us if the slayer is alive and on our side? We could rule this town without a care in the world.”

“Can I meet her? Sunshine?”

“If you want to pet. You can’t eat her though, she’s mine.”

“Makes her mine too, Sweet William, another for Miss Edith to have tea and cakes with.”

“But she’ll be my childe, just like you wanted.”

“Yes, I’ll be grand mummy then. A happy family again. Then can we go to Canada? All the frozen people, too much sunshine here, nasty burning, no daisies here.” Dru walked over to the door of the room. “ They're preparing.”

“St. Vigeous is coming up. Should be a party.”

“You should go up with them and cleanse.”

“Dru...”

“The boy doesn't trust you. They follow him.” Dru turned around suddenly “I think sometimes that all my hair will fall out and I'll be bald.”

“Never happen. Alright. I'll go up and get chanty with the fellas, but you got to do me one favour....” Spike walked up to the take out that had been standing gagged all this time. “Eat something.”

With that Spike left the room. He took one look at the masses of minions that were chanting in the middle of the room. Waste of bloody time he thought.

When he had returned to Dru after LA, she had been delighted that he had chosen a childe, not thrilled that he hadn’t actually turned her, but it gave her something to dream about, to plan. They had never resumed their love affair. Dru had taken up with some demon, and Spike had found himself strangely faithful to Buffy. He hadn’t fallen in love with her until he had called her on the phone from Prague. She had been crying when he phoned, about something her prat of a father had done. She had done everything to make sure that he hadn’t felt bad for her about it. That she even cared about him when she was so distressed had turned his heart in an instant. Everything about her was luminous.

Spike marched out of the factory in search of Buffy.
__________________________________________
Buffy had just staked her fourth vampire of the night and Spike had had enough.

“You are bloody beautiful when you fight luv, won’t have to train you up on that at all,” he said sliding off the monument he had been sitting on while she fought.

“What will you have to train me on?” she said walking up to him, seductively.

“Oh there’s lots to learn, no worries though, after all, got eternity don’t we.”

“Unless another Slayer comes along.”

“Killed two of them already...got my third right here.” He pinched her ass. “And you are mine.”

“Yes I am yours Spike,” Buffy smiled for a bit before her smile turned into a frown. “Spike? What happens on Saturday?”

“Saturday?”

“St. Vigeous.”

“Oh right, well I’ve sorta told the anointed guy that I’ll kill you by St. Vigeous.”

“But you aren’t going to.”

“No, but I gotta make it look like it don’t I? Don‘t want the minions thinking I‘m weak.”

“Gonna fake my death?”

“No, gonna fake the attempt. Give you a right run for your money too I expect, you haven‘t had the pleasure of fighting me yet, love.”

“When?”

“It’s gotta be a surprise luv.”

Buffy pouted.

“Look at that lip,” he said moving in to kiss her.

“Mmm,” she moaned into his mouth. “Spike?”

“Yeah luv.”

“Don’t kill my friends please.”

“No, I’ll leave that up to you pet in a couple of years.”

“I won’t want to you know.”

“You say that now pet, but even I turned my mother.”

“You sired your mother!”

“Ya, wanted to make her like me, she was sick you see. So we could be together forever. Bloody stupid thing to do too.”

“What went wrong?”

“I was a fledgling, my first siring, she came back wrong, cruel, like Angelus, not like anyone’s mother. Mothers aren’t meant to be turned luv.”

“Check, no turning mom.”

tbc...
 
Never try to eat your lover’s friends
 
Disclaimer: Joss has them all, they are slaves to his will, prisoners to his whims. Anyone wanna help me get them out?

Author’s note: Beware the smut! *grins* Thanks again to all my reviewers. Feedback is very much welcomed! Quotes from the episode School Hard. denotes thought
__________________________________________
Buffy looked blankly into the punch. Everything was going wrong. She had forgotten sugar in the lemonade, one of her banners had fallen down and hit Larry’s mom in the head, and that wasn’t the worst part. Parent teacher night was horrible. Right now in the principal’s office Snyder was telling her mom just how very bad Buffy was. Buffy fidgeted. No good could come of this.

What seemed like an eternity passed before her mom and Snyder returned to the lounge.

“In the car, now.” said her mother.

She was dead, grounded for life, forbidden to see the outside world until she’s thirty. Bad, bad things. Buffy followed her mother out dejected and feeling sorry for herself.

Suddenly, Buffy heard a crash behind her. Two vampires suddenly came crashing through the window. Vampires are storming the school! I’m saved! she thought. The people started to panic as only they can in Sunnydale and began to run around like chickens with their heads cut off. There in front of the vampires was her hunk of vampy goodness, Spike.

“What can I say? I couldn't wait.” he shrugged his shoulders.

Buffy tried hard to suppress a smile. We was even hot in vamp face. Buffy didn’t have a lot of time to bask in Spike’s hotness before he attacked. Better make this look good. Buffy grabbed a chair and threw it at him, tripping her lover up. Somehow she knew, that even if they were just ‘putting on a show’ this would still be a no holds barred event. Running back to her mom, she dragged her down the hall avoiding vampires.

From behind her she heard her lover’s voice ring out, “Nobody gets out! Especially the girl!”

Buffy followed behind the last of her group and closed the door behind her. Buffy secured the room, looking for other ways that the vampires could get in. Well he said it would be a surprise. He was right, and it certainly did look like a real attack. I suppose everyone who isn’t my mom or my friends are fair game. Gee I hope Snyder gets bit. Suddenly they were all left in the dark as the power was cut. Buffy couldn’t help but worry that Spike might actually harm the people in the school. What if he wasn’t honest with her? He’s a vampire for Christ’s sake! Buffy! naive girl much?
__________________________________________
Spike stood in lounge of Sunnydale High school, holding some guy by the neck, watching people run. He had told the minions that he wanted to take the whole school live, and present them to the Annoying One himself. Spike grinned at the thought of the Annoying One’s face when he staked the little whelp. Turning Children, that was one thing he would never do. The thought just turned his stomach.

Spike looked over at this assortment of minions. He wanted nothing more than to take Buffy out of there and find a dark corner to shag her senseless in, but that would have to wait until he had ‘lost’ this battle.

“We cut the power. Nobody got out.” said a minion.

“And the Slayer?” asked Spike

“She either went that way” he pointed to the right, “or that way.” he pointed to the left “I saw two others.”

“You don't know?!” Spike finally let go of the poor sod he had in his hands. “I'm a veal kind of guy. You're too old to eat.” This guy didn‘t smell like Buffy, not friend or family, fair game. He grabbed the guy‘s head and snapped his neck. “But not to kill. I feel better.”

Buffy was somewhere in the building. There was no way that this was going to go down without a fight between him and her. He just hoped that she realised that this was all a plan, that he had been perfectly honest when he said that he wasn’t going to kill her. Then again, he didn’t want her to dust him either. Spike smelled the fear that was permeating the building. God it was a wonderful smell. In all honesty Spike was loving this game and his arousal was beginning to show.

“Slaaayer! Here, kitty, kitty. I find one of your little school mates first, I'm gonna suck 'em dry. And use their bones to bash your head in.” Spike kicked a door in, secretly hoping that he didn’t actually find one of her friends. “Are you getting a word picture here?”

Spike paused in front of the next door. Inside he could smell fear and something else. That Red headed girl that had been with Buffy at the Bronze. Spike rolled his eyes and turned to leave the door alone.

“Spike! Listen...” said a minion.

Spike stopped to listen. There was someone in the ceiling. Not just a some one, a Buffy someone.

“Someone's in the ceeeeeiling!” sang Spike.
__________________________________________
Putting on a good show for the minions, Spike continued to poke holes in the ceiling, even though he knew that Buffy wasn’t there any more. Spike sniffed the air and turned to see his grandsire dragging Buffy’s friend, the boy.

“Angelus!” greeted Spike happily. He had known that Angelus was in the area, from Buffy. God was Angelus going to be pissed when he found out that Buffy was his girl. Spike smiled.

“Spike!” replied his grandsire.

“I'll be damned!” said Spike as he tossed his pole aside.

This is just like old times, thought Spike as he leaned in for a hug of his grandsire. Except without the bloodshed and the pain, and the demonic Darla.

“I taught you to always guard your perimeter. Tsk, tsk, tsk. You should have someone out there.” said Angelus.

“I did. I'm surrounded by idiots. What's new with you?”

“Everything.”

“Yeah. Come up against this Slayer yet?” My Slayer, you bloody prick, not yours.

“She's cute. Not too bright, though. Gave the puppy dog 'I'm all tortured' act. Keeps her off my back when I feed!” laughed Angelus

Spike laughed back “People still fall for that Anne Rice routine. What a world!”

“I knew you were lying.” protested Angel’s bait. “Undead liar guy.”

Angel grabbed him by the hair and shirt and held out his exposed neck.

“Wanna bite before we kill her?” asked his grandsire.

“I haven't seen you in the killing fields for an age.” commented Spike to his grandsire.

“I'm not much for company.”

“No, you never were. So, why're you so scared of this Slayer?”

“Scared?”

“Yeah. Time was you would've taken her out in a heartbeat. Now look at you. I bet this, uh, tortured thing is an act, right? You're not... housebroken?”

“I saw her kill the Master. Hey, you think you can take her alone? Be my guest. I'll just feed and run.” said Angelus with a roar, bending to take a bite, probably just for show, of Buffy’s friend.

“Don't be silly!” protested Spike, “We're all friends. We'll do it together. Let's drink to it.”

They both slowly leaned in to the boy’s neck. This is ridiculous. thought Spike. Angelus never shared food, even when he was training me up. The poor sod probably doesn’t realise I saw him in New York not too long ago, feeding on bloody rats. Fed up with the act Spike punched his grandsire in the face.

“You think you can fool me?! You were my sire, man! You were my... Yoda!”

“Things change.”

“Not us! Not demons! Man, I can't believe this. You Uncle Tom!” Spike picked up the pole he had been using earlier. “Come on, people! This isn't a spectator sport!” Now he really wanted to hurt somebody.

The minions got the idea and attacked. Luckily the boy barged out the door and ran. Angel followed as the other vampires gave chase. Then everything changed. She was there.

“Fe, fi, fo fum. I smell the blood of a nice ripe...girl.” said Spike menacingly as he turned around.

There in all her glory was his Goldilocks, holding an axe, of all things.

“Do we really need weapons for this?” she asked, sounding pissed off.

“I just like them. They make me feel all manly.” Spike let his hand trail down his body.

He dropped the pole and slowly stepped towards Buffy. She dropped the axe.

“The last Slayer I killed... she begged for her life. You don't strike me as the begging kind. But I know better don‘t I pet? Heard you beg last night, didn‘t I?”

“You shouldn'ta come here.”

“No. I've messed up your doilies and stuff. But I just got so bored.” he smirked “I'll tell you what. As a personal favour from me to you I'll make it quick. It won't hurt a bit.”

“No, Spike. It's gonna hurt a lot.”

And with that the fight was on. They both knew that it was all for show, sort of. In truth, they didn’t know whether or not the other would forgo the farce and take the other out. But it was enlightening to find out just how good each other really was. Buffy and Spike exchanged several blows. He threw her into the wall.

“Do you know much dirt is in that ceiling, Spike. You had better be paying my dry cleaning bill.” Spike just smiled.

Buffy and Spike kept fighting. Buffy ducked a punch and landed four of her own in a row. Spike grabbed her arm and shoved her into the wall. She slid down it quickly, and Spike's next punch went through the wall. She managed to get behind him and kicked him high and hard in the neck.

“Now, that hurt!”

He pulled his arm out of the wall, ripping a stud out with it, and swung it into Buffy's face. She flew back and landed on the floor, stunned.

“But not as much as this will.”

He stood over her and lifted up the stud to slam it into her, but suddenly Spike fell to the floor, after being hit in the head with an axe. From the floor he looked up at his attacker. A blond woman, stood above him with the axe in her hands, ready to swing again.

“You get the hell away from my daughter!”

Spike held the stud above himself to protect against any blows. Buffy slowly rose to her feet. So this was Goldilocks’ mum then.

“Women!”

Despite the pain in his head, Spike smiled. Perfect to cut and run. Spike got up and ran through the lounge and out the broken window.

“Nobody lays a hand on my little girl.” said mom as they hugged.

Buffy took a look out the window. I guess the plan went off how it was supposed to go.
She hoped he wasn’t hurt too bad, wait no, that was wrong. Oh god this whole thing is wrong.
__________________________________________
It was nearly dawn by the time that Spike and the remaining minions returned to the warehouse. Spike had stopped to get himself a bit pissed before he came back. Reasonable, considering his Goldilocks’ mother had just beamed him on the head with an axe.

“Spike, did she hurt you?” asked Dru tenderly.

“It was close, pet, but...”

“Oh, come here.” She pulled his head down onto her shoulder and stroked his cheek and neck.

“A Slayer with family and friends. That sure as hell wasn't in the brochure. Why did she have to be the bloody Slayer?”

“You'll turn her, and then we'll have a nice celebration.”

“Yeah, a party.”

“Yeah. With streamers... and songs.”

Spike lifted his head. “How's the Annoying One?”

“He doesn't wanna play.”

“Figures. Well, suppose I better go make nice.” Spiked walked over to the little brat and knelt before the child seated on the throne.

“You failed.”

“I, uh... I offer penance.” said Spike trying to be very serious.

“Penance?! You should lay down your life! Our numbers are depleted, the feast of St. Vigeous has been ruined by your impatience!” shouted a minion.

“I was rash, and if I had to do it all over again...” Spike laughed, “Who am I kidding?” He stood up. “I would do it exactly the same, only I'd do this...”

Spike grabbed the Anointed one from his throne.

“No!”

“...first!”

He carried the child over to the cage, avoiding the attack of the minion who tried to stop him and put the Anointed one into the cage that had been in the middle of the room. Spike started pulling the chain that lifted the cage up towards the ceiling.

“From now on, we're gonna have a little less ritual...and a little more fun around here.”

He gave the chain a final strong pull, sending the Anointed One into the sunlight.

The factory filled with the screams of the child.

Dru and Spike shared a smile. They stepped closer together and held hands.

“Let's see what's on TV.”
__________________________________________
Spike entered Restfield cemetery. His nose had led him straight to her. He was now master of Sunnydale, now that the Annoying One was gone. He had his Sire and his Goldilocks, unlife was good. He walked up to her side. Before he could even say hello, her hand came out of nowhere and slapped his face.

“Bloody Hell!”

“What the hell was that?” asked Buffy.

“What the fuck do you mean? You’re the one that slapped me!“

“You jerk! You.... Grr! I‘m so mad. I should dust you!”

Spike jumped away from her. This wasn’t going well. He didn’t even know why she was mad. Spike raised his hands in surrender.

“Perhaps you could tell me why you are angry, love?” he asked with trepidation.

Buffy looked at him like he had grown another head.

“You have no idea why I‘m pissed off at you?”

“Cause I buggered up your nice to do at the school?” he guessed

Buffy let out a frustrated groan.

“Is buggered up, the British way of saying you tried to kill everyone in the school? My mom was in there! You almost ate Xander!”

“I did not!” Spike protested.

“Really?”

“It was Angelus’ bloody brilliant plan to trick me, luv, pretended that he wasn’t all soul having. He’s the one that offered me the whelp’s neck. I think, before you start launching accusations at me, you should have a heart to heart with your tall brooding boyfriend.”

“What...Huh?” Buffy was thrown for a loop at that.

“You heard me. He smelled of you.”

“Eww, gross Spike.”

“Deny it if you want to. I know the truth.”

It was curious how fast Buffy had gone from raging mad, to having to defend herself.

“Angel and I...It’s over and it never really started. I didn’t fuck him if that’s what you think.”

“Thank you very much, I did not want that picture floating about in my head.”

“You are jealous!”

“Damn right I’m bloody jealous. My poof of a grandsire being around you all the time I wasn’t. Makes me crazy.”

“Oh get over yourself Spike, you could have convinced Dru to come here sooner if you wanted to.”

“Ha bloody Ha. Dru may be loony but she still knows she’s my sire Goldilocks. I do what she tells me to do.”

“What if she tells you to kill me today?”

“That’s different,”

“Is it? Do you still make love to her?”

“No.”

“Spike...”

“It’s different. Sex is different for Vampires.”

“Arrrg! I knew it, you have. You are having sex with her. Do you run home to her after you fuck me?”

“Buffy! I. am. not. having. Sex. with. Drusilla.”

“Then why? God you confuse me! Explain, what did you mean that it’s different?”

Spike walked over to her took her in his arms, pulled her hair away from his mark.

“What are you doing?” she looked up at him a little frightened.

“Showing you how it’s different.”

Spike leaned in and sunk his fangs into her neck. Buffy didn’t know what he was doing different, but suddenly colours floated before her eyes and she felt herself get wetter than she had ever felt before. She grew weak in the knees and gasped as the most intense orgasm she ever felt overtake her. Spike retracted his fangs and licked the wound clean. Buffy sank to the ground as Spike took a few steps away.

“That, Goldilocks, is the most intimate thing that can happen between Vampires. Between Sire and Childe, it’s a form of affection, a reward for doing well. Between Mates a form of pleasure, cause they both do it to each other. Sex doesn’t have the same meaning for Vampires, we do it cause it’s something to do, and it feels good. “

Buffy looked up from the ground panting.

“You and Dru aren’t mates?”

“No. We never claimed each other pet. She always belonged to her Daddy anyway.”

“Claimed?”

“Vampire marriage if you will, say a bunch of fancy words while you are having sex, bite each other so that it scars, declare that this person is yours. It has to be mutual.”

“Oh”

“Are we done with the lesson for today, luv?”

“Most definitely so.“ she said lifting herself up off the ground.

Buffy wrapped her hands around his neck and pushed him into the nearest mausoleum. Inside she guided him to a sarcophagus and sat down. She moaned as he reached his hand down her pants and grabbed her rear. She reached up and put her hands behind his neck and smiled. Slowly his hand moved upwards and began to fondle her breasts. She turned and kissed him long and hard, running her fingers though his hair. Pushing him to sit on the slab of stone, she straddled him, feeling his arousal through her pants.

The moonlight cascaded through the lone window illuminating the lovers tangled in their embrace. With little haste she removed his coat and shirt, then proceeded to kiss his chest, neck, collar bone and worked her way down towards his waist and back up again, letting her hands tackle his button and fly. She stood up to remove his boots and pants.

He then set to work undressing her. He let his hands glide over her arms to her shoulders and down to her waist. With one motion he removed her t-shirt, revealing a red satin bra. His hands fell to her waist again and began undoing her pants. As they fell to the floor, exposing her matching satin undies, she pulled him down on to the sarcophagus, kissing him eagerly. He moved downwards kissing her neck then removed her bra and began to kiss her breasts tenderly.

She let a loud moan escape her throat, revelling in the fact that no one was around to hear them.

“Spike...need you”

He parted her legs and went down on her. She bit her lip hard to keep from moaning and she grabbed on to the bed sheets for support. She writhed as she got closer and closer. Then he stopped, leaving her begging for more. He backed away from her with a smile on his face. He knew full well that he had brought her to the brink. Unwilling to play games, she jumped him, taking him underneath her and rode him hard and fast, taking what she wanted from him.

“God, Buffy, fuck.. luv, fucking unbelievable.“

They pulsated together, screaming each other’s names as he exploded with in her. She collapsed on top of him with a delighted smile.
__________________________________________
Buffy had righted her clothes and was sitting on the stone tomb, kicking her legs as he smoked.

“So you’re the big head honcho now, huh? How’s that working out for you?”

“Not bad, had a few minions to dust. Got to start working on getting Dru better though.”

“Maybe Giles has some books that will help?”

“No!” he nearly shouted.

“Just trying to help, Spike.”

“I won’t have your watcher find out about Dru and I more than he already knows. And I don’t want him finding out about my plans for you.”

“They will find out Spike, Angel will first. If your smelling thing is gift only for the vampirically challenged.”

“Fair enough. I want you to let him know in very certain terms that it is over between you. He’s Dru’s. I won’t have him pining after my childe when he’s got his own willing and able to meet his every need.”

“Do I ever get to meet Dru?”
__________________________________________
Giles hadn’t been kidding when he had said that keeping her secret identity secret with an exchange student in her house was hard. It was even harder to keep her secret boyfriend secret, secret identity be damned. And when her exchange student guest turned out to be a mummy who was sucking the life out of unsuspecting boys, well lets just say that Spike and Buffy time was not happening as often as it should. It was only after Ampata was safely mummy-ed again that Buffy actually got to patrol normally again. Of course that had to happen after the weekly watcher lecture of duty and responsibility, etcetera, etcetera. This mission tonight was to find out if Spike and his minions posed a significant threat in Sunnydale. Personally Buffy thought her watcher was grasping at straws to keep her busy. Spike usually kept her busy enough for her liking.

Ditching Xander and Willow wasn’t hard, it was the dusting of stupid minions while waiting for Spike to show that was the hard part. Three vampires later, she felt the tinglies, those special tinglies that told her that Spike was there.

“Spike!”

“Goldilocks” He undressed her with his eyes. She had started wearing more black, leather and chains since their last fight. Tonights ensemble was a black and white checked kilt and a Ramones Tee that he had sent her when he was away.

Buffy rushed over to hug him. “Been too long, never having an exchange student again.”

“Never say never, luv,” he said smugly.

“I’m not going to eat an exchange student Spike.”

“You say that now.”

“Funny, very funny. So what’s new with you? Any luck with the researching?”

“Not in the productive sense of the word. Might have to break into your watcher’s library, have some minions do it. Place bets if they come back or not.”

“Do you even care about your minions?”

“Am I supposed to?” he grinned.

“Spike...”

“I care about you, and Dru, the only two people in the world I need to care about.”

Buffy nuzzled into his chest. “I like that.”

“Talked to the poofter lately?”

“No, I’ve been busy with the whole Inca mummy girl fiasco. You honestly think that I’d have time to talk to him, when I couldn’t see you?”

“He runs in your circle a lot more than I do pet.”

“Which leads me to another point Spike...How many lives do you expect me to have to lead? I’ve got the whole normal high school student /daughter thing going on, the slayer thing, and the enthralled sex kitten thing. One of these days I’m gonna slip up you know. It’s hard to keep my lives straight.”

“As long as you don’t shout out “Fuck me Angel” when I’m pounding into your hot pussy, I have no problems with any slip ups you make. They will all sort themselves out eventually.”

Buffy laughed.

“I wonder what Willow would say if she knew that I’m sleeping with you? She still thinks I’m waiting for Angel to sweep me off my feet.”

“Don’t think that the ‘sleeping with me’ bit’s happening enough for my taste. Care to have a go?”

Buffy laughed again. “Only if you bite me.” Buffy led him into a grove of trees and pressed herself up against him.

“How can something that feels so right be so wrong?” she said, mainly to herself, as she let her hands run over him then pin his arms to the wall.

“Buff...” he tried to protest, he had no idea what she was going on about.

She raised a finger and silenced him gently as she put her finger to his lips. She ran her knee up his inner thigh and gently touched his balls. She instantly felt a reaction from his body, so closely pressed up against him. She smiled and started kissing him. She pushed off his duster. His lips were soft and warm. At first there was no response from him, he was letting her take charge, but as she let her hands wander over his body he started kissing back, hesitantly at first. She slowly undid his pants and stuck her hand down his boxers and grabbed a hold of his package. He let out a small moan. She ran her hand over his cock and balls. Carefully she bit his lower lip.

She backed away from him, turned, shrugged of her jacket and tugged off her Ramones Tee. There was no way in Hell she was letting that get wrecked. Clothes didn’t tend to fare well when they coupled. Buffy unfastened her kilt and let the fabric slide down her legs, revealing her matching black lace underwear and bra. It was very clear to her that he was past the point of no return. She walked towards him once more and started to unbutton his red shirt. She felt his muscular arms as she slid the shirt off. She started to kiss his neck and chest.

“I want you,” she whispered between kisses. “I want you inside of me, touching me, fucking me.”

She slid one of her fingers inside herself for a moment.

“I want you to taste me,” she said as she brushed her wet finger on his lip.

She smiled as he let his tongue taste her wetness on his lip.

“How do you want me?” she asked, as she pulled down his pants taking his rock hard cock in her mouth for a few seconds.

She stood up again and took his hand and led him to where his Duster had fallen on the ground. She laid it out as a bed.

She started kissing him again. She put one of his hands on her left breast and the other on her very wet pussy.

“Fuck me Spike,” she said with urgency.

Spike guided her down to his coat. He madly began touching and kissing her all over. She returned the favour gladly. In a sudden move, ripped her panties, he pulled her legs apart and dove in, letting his tongue glide over and flick her clit, probing in and out. She moaned, and let him know he was doing something right by grabbing his hair. She felt herself start to move in anticipation of his tongue. She could feel herself getting closer and closer. He broke off as suddenly as he had started and pulled back. He looked at her laying there on the bed.

“Goldilocks you are going to be the end of me.“ he asked.

“Oh god yes,” she breathed, in response to his resumed touching.

She sat up a bit and could see his cock hard and dripping already. She knew it wouldn’t take long for him to cum but then it wouldn’t take her long either. Slowly he thrust inside her to gasp slightly. She smiled as she felt him fill her up completely as if he had been made to fit her perfectly. They moved together thrusting and writhing together as one, kissing and touching as they moved. They both started moaning each other’s names as they got closer and closer to coming. She wrapped her legs around him, pushing him even further into her.

She contracted her inner muscles a few times and drew him in with her legs. He pressed into her repeatedly harder and faster than before. She bit into his shoulder to keep herself from screaming. At last he exploded inside of her, sinking his fangs into her neck as he came. They collapsed together, not caring that someone was watching them.

tbc...
 
Secrets and Lies
 
Disclaimer: Buffy and Spike aren’t mine, I just make them play out ‘what if’ scenarios

Author’s note: Thanks again to all my reviewers. Feedback is very much welcomed! Quotes from the episode Reptile Boy and Halloween. denotes thought
__________________________________________
Buffy didn’t remember how they got onto this topic. Think it started out about weird dreams that each of them had. Luckily Buffy had caught herself before she mentioned exactly who had been featuring prominently in her dreams. And it wasn’t exactly the topic to be discussing in the hallways of Sunnydale high.

“You dreamed about Angel again?” asked Willow.

Sure it was a lie, but really what else could she do? Hate keeping secrets from Willow.

“Third night in a row.”

“What did he do in the dream?”

“Stuff.” Oh god the stuff, made her wet just thinking about the dream. She was sure that if Spike knew what she had been thinking she wouldn’t be walking down the hall with Willow, she’d find herself suddenly naked and under her peroxide blond vampire lover.

“Oh! Stuff!” Willow had a grin on her face. Yep she got it.

Buffy smiled

“Was it one of those vivid dreams where you could feel his lips and smell his hair?”

“It had surround sound. I'm just thinking about him so much lately.”

“You two are so right for each other. Except for the, uh...”

“Vampire thing.” supplied Buffy. But that wouldn’t be a problem eventually.

“That doesn't make him a bad person. Necessarily.”

Buffy completely agreed. Except that the one she really wanted was the Bad Vampire.

“I'm brainsick.” said Buffy thinking about her attraction to Spike. It was the only explanation. But oh, Willow was still thinking that this conversation is about Angel. “I can't have a relationship with him.”

“Not during the day, but you could ask him for coffee some night. It's the non-relationship drink of choice.” offered the red head. “It's not a date, it's a caffeinated beverage. Okay, sure, it's hot and bitter like a relationship that way, but... “

Buffy hadn’t noticed Xander entering hearing range.

“What's like a relationship?” asked Xander

“Nothing I have.” stated Buffy, a little to fast. What if they think something is up? “Coffee?”

Hoping to get out of this conversation, Buffy stopped for a drink at the fountain. The bell rung.

“Oh! I told Giles I'd meet him in the library ten minutes ago! Aw, he won't be upset. There hasn't been much paranormal activity lately.”
__________________________________________
But he was upset. Complete lecture and pace mode Giles was waiting for her in the Library.

“Just because the paranormal is more normal and less... para of late is no excuse for tardiness or letting your guard down.” lectured Giles.

“I haven't let my guard down.” she protested.

“Oh, really? You yawned your way through weapons training last week, you, you, you, you skipped hand-to-hand entirely... Are you gonna be prepared if a demon springs up behind you and does this?”

Giles swung his arm over her shoulder from behind. Catching his arm, she grabbed it and pulled it behind his back, forcing him down, clearly in pain.

Boring, thought Buffy. The only reason she yawned through weapons training last week was because she had been having mind blowing sex with Spike the night before, nearly all night long.

“Yeah, well, I'm, I'm not a demon. Which is why you should let go now.” said Giles.

Buffy let her watcher go. He’s so obvious.

“Thank you.” Giles rubbed his wrist for good measure. “When you live on top of a... a mystical convergence it's only a matter of time before a fresh hell breaks loose. Now is the time that you should train more strictly, you should hunt and patrol more keenly, you should hone your skills day and night.”

“And the little slice of life that still belongs to me from, I don't know, seven to seven-oh-five in the morning, can I do what I want then?” asked Buffy sarcastically.

“Buffy, you think I don't know what it's like to be sixteen?”

“No. I think you don't know what it's like to be sixteen. And a girl. And the Slayer.”

“Fair enough, no, no, I-I don't.”

“Or what it's like to have to stake vampires while you're having fuzzy feelings towards one?”

“Uh...” Giles stammered.

“Digging on the undead doesn't exactly do wonders for your social life.” she ranted.

“Maybe..uh...‘digging on the undead’ isn’t something The Slayer should be doing. You don’t have the luxury of experimentation Buffy. I am concerned that you may be focusing too much on the social, and not enough on your duty. Being overly friendly with vampires, regardless of your personal connection with them is inherently dangerous given your chosen duty.”

“Right! Who needs a social life when you've got your very own Hellmouth?”

“Yes! Y-you, you, you have a duty, a-a-a purpose, y-y-you have a commitment in life. Now how many people your age can say that?”

“We talkin' foreign or domestic? How 'bout none?”

“Well, here's a hard fact of life: we all have to do things we don't like! And you have hand-to-hand this afternoon and patrol tonight. So I, I suggest you come straight here at the end of, of period six a-and you get your homework done. And don't dawdle with your friends.”

Buffy put on her pouty face. Rant-y Giles was no fun. The pouty face always worked with Giles, and Spike for that matter.

“And, and don't think sitting there pouting is gonna get to me, because it won't. It's not getting to me.”
__________________________________________
Buffy was lurking in their usual cemetery waiting for Spike, while ‘patrolling.’ As she walked Buffy spied a bracelet on the ground. Picking it up she felt Vampire tinglies. Not the tinglies she wanted to feel but, still a vampire that she didn’t want to kill.

“There's blood on it.” he said

No hello from tall dark and broody?

“Hi. It's nice to... Blood?” she asked.

“I can smell it.”

Great another Vampire who thinks his nose will solve all mysteries.

“Oh.” she said looking at the bracelet, “It's pretty thin. It probably belonged to a girl.”

“Probably.”

“I-I was... just thinking, wouldn't it be funny some time to see each other when it wasn't a blood thing.” she smiled, “Not funny ha, ha.”

“What are you sayin', you wanna have a date?”

“No.”

“You don't wanna have a date?”

“Who said 'date'? I-I-I never said 'date'.”

“Right. You just wanna have coffee or somethin'.”

“Coffee? Friends have coffee. Co-workers have coffee“

“I knew this was gonna happen.”

“What? What do you think is happening?”

“You're sixteen years old. I'm two hundred and forty-one.”

“I've done the math.”

“You don't know what you're doing, you don't know what you want...”

“Oh. No, I, I think I do. I want out of this conversation.” Buffy started to walk past him. God men! Just friends, I wanted to be just friends

“Listen, if we date you and I both know one thing's gonna lead to another.”

“And again I say ‘date?’ I never said date. I realised a long time ago, Angel, that we couldn‘t have a relationship.”

“I'm just tryin' to protect you. Vampires don‘t do normal relationships Buffy. This could get outta control. ”

“This? There’s a this?”

Angel grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer.

“This isn't some fairy tale. You’re the Slayer Buffy, you kill Vampires.” Angel leaned in and inhaled close to her ear. “I think you should remember that. It’s your job to protect the world, Buffy, not turn a blind eye when you don’t feel like caring. You might end up dead again, and sooner than you think. There is not happily ever after with my kind Buffy, only pain and death and blood.“

“No. I think you should remember I’m the Slayer, Angelus.“ she spat.

Pulling herself away from him, she turned and ran off. Stupid Angel. Crap, now Spike’s gonna smell him on me! Shit! Shower, now. Buffy thought about his words though. It was like he was on his own personal soap box, which frankly had popped out of nowhere. Of course she knew she was the Slayer. It was something she couldn’t forget even if she tried. Maybe him and Giles had gotten together and decided today was rant at Buffy day? And she was doing her job, right? Killing giant bugs, mummies, and vampires. Thoughts of vampires turned to thoughts of Spike. Buffy’s eye went wide as a thought occurred to her. Angel knew! That was the only explanation! The rant, the sniffing, how stupid could I be?

Buffy didn’t get two blocks away from the cemetery before she ran into Spike. She launched herself into his arms

“Goldilocks, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing”

“Angelus.” said Spike pushing her away from him a bit. “He kissed you!”

“No, he didn’t! I wouldn’t let him.” Buffy could feel her eyes getting all watery.

“Tell me what happened, Buffy.”

“Nothing, I swear. We were talking, I might have suggested getting coffee. Friends have Coffee you know.”

“And he took it for more than that.”

“Yes, reminding me that he’s a Vampire, that I’m only 16 and he’s 241. Making me feel like a little girl, like I’m just a child. I’m not a kid!”

“No, you aren’t a kid, Buffy,” he said pulling her close to him again. “Why would you want to friends with him anyway?”

“He’s already my friend, Spike. Maybe I want him to be happy for me, happy to have me in the family.”

“Angelus will never be happy that you are in the family pet. He’ll see you as a conquest that got away from him.”

“Conquest?”

“He probably wanks off thinking about you every night.”

“Eww gross, Spike.”

“So, were you going to ditch me tonight, leave me wandering the cemetery, because sodding Angelus upset you?”

“Was going home to have a shower, knew you wouldn’t want to smell him on me.”

“Oh! That’s right considerate of you pet.” Spike said with a smile.

“I thought you’d think so. Care to join me? Mom’s not home tonight.”
__________________________________________
Buffy had a problem and she worried. Angel had to figure out that she didn’t want to date him, and she had to get him off the idea that she was with Spike. The only way she could think of to make sure that he got this idea through his hair gelled head was to flaunt a boyfriend in front of him. Therefore, when Cordelia practically forced her to attend a frat party, Buffy counted herself very relieved that an opportunity had presented itself.

“You're going to the fraternity party? What made you change your mind?” asked Willow after Buffy told her the encounter with Cordelia that afternoon.

“Angel.”

“He's going with you?” Willow looks to Xander “She's got a date with Angel! Isn't that exciting?”

“I'm elated.” dead panned Xander.

“I-I'm not going with Angel. I'm going with -- ye gods -- Cordelia.” said Buffy as she slowly left the lounge.

“Cordelia?!” exclaimed Willow. “Did I sound a little jealous just then, 'cause I'm not really...” Willow followed Buffy out of the Lounge. “Cordelia?!”

“Cordelia's much better for you than Angel.” declared Xander as he hurried after the two girls.

“What happened with Angel?” asked Willow as she finally caught up with Buffy.

“Nothing, as usual. A whole lotta nothing with Angel.”

“Bummer.” said Xander in his very articulate manner of speaking.

“I don't understand. I mean, he likes you. More than likes.” said Willow confused.

“Angel barely says two words to me.” noted Buffy.

“Don't you hate that?” interjected Xander.

“And when he does, he treats me like I'm a child. And then he rants about how evil vampires are, completely out of the blue.” ranted Buffy.

“That bastard!”

“You know, at least Tom can carry on a conversation.” said Buffy.

“Yeah! Tom? Who's Tom?”

“The frat guy.” explained Willow.

“Oh, Buffy, I don't think so. Frying pan, fire? You know what I'm sayin'.” cautioned Xander.

“You know, Tom might just be the guy to make Angel see that I’m over his ass.” said Buffy with a smile.
__________________________________________
“You know, I’m gonna stop telling you about my day. If you get all worked up like this.” Buffy said trying to down play exactly how big a deal it was that she was almost eaten by a big snake demon in a frat house.

“You don’t think I have a right to get worked up? Last time I checked, you belong to me Buffy. I think I’m well within my right to get right pissed off if you are almost eaten! Especially by someone who isn’t me.” argued Spike.

“It’s not like I planned it that way. I didn’t go to that party to get eaten by a large snake Spike!”

“And just why did you go to the party pet?”

“I wanted to show Angel that I’m over him. I can’t go displaying you all about town now can I? I thought if he saw me with a regular guy that he’d see it’s over and he’d stop trying!”

“Instead he had to rescue you like a damsel in distress.”

“He did not! I slayed that snake dude good. Spike...there‘s more...I think...”

“Buffy! Get off the phone! I need to make a call!” shouted her mother from down stairs.

Buffy exhaled loudly, “I’ve got to go Spike. See you tomorrow? I’m going to the Bronze tomorrow night and then we can patrol?”

“Sure Goldilocks.”

“I’ll be thinking naughty thoughts of you in my sleep...”

“Care to give me an idea what those thoughts would be?”

“Buffy!” shouted her mother again.

“Gotta go, love you!”

Buffy hung up exasperated. “I’m off the phone already!” she shouted down to her mother.

“Will I ever get to meet this boyfriend of yours that you spend so much time on the phone with?” asked her mother from Buffy’s bedroom doorway.

“Someday, he’s not really, comfortable meeting you yet. He’s got this thing about meeting parents.”

“Buffy, you shouldn’t be nervous about bringing him home to meet me. I’m a very understanding person. I’m sure I will like any boy you bring home for me to meet.”

“Thanks mom.”

Buffy started to get ready for bed. Will you be understanding if you knew that he was a 117 year old vampire who is gonna kill me in 2 years?
__________________________________________
“Says here that they've all been sentenced to consecutive life sentences. Investigators found the bones of missing girls in a huge cavern beneath the frat house. And older bones dating back fifty years.” said Xander as he read the Sunnydale press.

Buffy looked at Willow and mimicked grossed out look #14.

“A surprising number of corporations whose chairmen and founders are former Delta Zeta Kappas are suffering from falling profits, IRS raids... Ooo, and suicides in the boardroom. Hmm. Starve a snake, lose a fortune. Boy, I guess the rich really are different, huh?” continued Xander.

“Have you heard from Angel?” said Willow obviously trying to change the subject. “When he got so mad about you being in danger, and changed into a grr, it was the most amazing thing I ever saw. I mean, how many guys can...” Willow trailed off.

“Angel, Angel, Angel. Does every conversation we have have to come around to that freak?” said Xander unaware that Angel was in fact right behind him. “Hey, man, how you doin'?” Xander recovered pretty well from his shock at having insulted the vampire.

“Buffy.” greeted the vampire in question

“Angel.”

“Xander!” spoke Xander the comedian.

“I hear this place, uh, serves coffee. I thought maybe you and I should get some. Sometime. If you want.” said Angel.

Buffy smiled a bit. “Yeah. Sometime. I'll let you know.”

Buffy got up and left the Vampire and her friends sitting at the table. It was time to go patrolling with Spike.
__________________________________________
So while on the way to the non date with Angel, to tell him that there was no way that they would ever work out, and that she only really wanted to be friends and possibly find out if he actually knew about her and Spike, she was ambushed by vampires, again. All I wanted to do was go and have coffee with my ex love interest, and now I have straw in my hair, Buffy complained to herself. The whole thing got her really mad, because they were Spike’s minions.

As she walked into the dark atmosphere of the Bronze Buffy saw Cordelia and Angel sitting at a table having coffee. Good maybe I don’t need to have this conversation. Buffy turned to leave.

“Buffy?” came Angel’s voice behind her.

Caught she turned around.

“Hi! I'm...”

“Late.”

“Rough day at the office.”

Angel reached up to her hair and pulled out a piece of straw. “So I see.”

“Hey, it's a look. A seasonal look.”

Then, just what she needed, Cordelia was there, behind Angel, just waiting to be a bitch.

“Buffy. Love the hair. It just screams street urchin.” noted Queen C as she left.

“Know what? I need to go...” said Buffy “put a bag over my head.”

“Don't listen to her. Please. You look fine.” offered Angel.

“You're sweet. A terrible liar, but sweet.”

“I thought we had...”

“Coffee. So did I. But who am I kidding? Going out for coffee with friends are things normal girls do. Girls who have time to think about nail polish and facials. You know what I think about? Ambush tactics. Beheading. Not exactly the stuff dreams are made of. I‘m sure Cordelia will keep you company.”

And with that Buffy walked out the door.

Yep Big Chicken.
__________________________________________
Buffy backed away from the livid Xander towards Willow. Ok, so making sure friends don’t get beaten by large football players...apparently not something she was supposed to do today.

“I think I just violated the guy code big time.” said Buffy as she sat down in the Lounge. Obviously she wasn’t supposed to save Xander from a pummelling.

“Poor Xander. Boys are so fragile. Speaking of, how was your date last night?” asked Willow.

“Was not a date Will!. Coffee! Remember? Non-relationship beverage of choice? I was late due to unscheduled slayage. Showed up looking trashed.”

“Was he mad?”

“Actually he was pretty unmad. Which probably had something to do with the fact that Cordelia was drooling in his cappuccino.”

“Oh, Buffy. Angel would never fall for her act.”

“You mean that 'actually showing up, wearing a stunning outfit, embracing personal hygiene' act? Why not? It‘s not like I‘ve been available. Not exactly the kind of girl that‘s easily seen, in a social sense.”

“You know what I mean. Uh, she's not his type.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I don't know what his type is. I've known him less than a year, and if you haven't noticed, he's not exactly one to over share.”

“True. It's too bad we can't sneak a look at the Watcher diaries and read up on Angel. I'm sure it's full of fun facts to know and tell.”

“Yeah. It's too bad. That stuff is private.” And Buffy wasn’t thinking about Angel anymore. Who cared what Angel’s type was? Spike on the other hand was in the watcher diaries too.

“Also Giles keeps them in his office. In his personal files.”

“Most importantly, it would be wrong.”
__________________________________________
Buffy had borrowed Giles’ watcher diaries, for homework. Willow had wanted to borrow with out telling. But Buffy figured the truth was better. She had told Giles she wanted to read up on what she could expect from Spike. Giles had handed her a volume dedicated on the scourge of Europe, which had satisfied Willow.

Buffy sat in the middle of her living room with books scattered all around her.

“Wow, I’ve never seen you so into homework before,” said her mother coming in from the kitchen.

“Not homework, costume researching,”

“Ok, I’ll pretend I understand...wait no I won’t. Why do you have to research your Halloween costume?”

“Just do. Not liking what I’m finding though. 1880 was a good year for hoop makers.”

“Huh?”

“Hoop skirts” said Buffy pointing to the picture in front of her.

“Pretty,”

“Very, but heavy,”

“Aren’t you meeting Willow for costume shopping?” her mother asked.
__________________________________________
Deeply entrenched in the commercialism that was Halloween, Buffy had agreed to go costume shopping. It was completely unfair that she had to be out on Halloween. The one night a year that she didn’t have to patrol, and Principal Snyder had roped her in to escorting small children around to get candy. She and Spike had made plans to watch vampire movies and critique them.

“What'd you get?” Buffy asked Willow.

“A time-honoured classic!” said Willow proudly as she held up her ghost costume.

“Okay, Will, can I give you a little friendly advice?”

“It's not spooky enough?”

“It's just... you're never gonna get noticed if you keep hiding. You're missing the whole point of Halloween.”

“Free candy?” said a smiling Willow.

“It's come as you aren't night. The perfect chance for a girl to get sexy and wild with no repercussions.”

“Oh, I don't get wild. Wild on me equals spaz.”

“Don't underestimate yourself. You've got it in you.”

“Hey, Xander!” greeted Willow, clearly avoiding. “What'd you get?”

Xander pulled out a toy military rifle out of his bag and held it up for Willow to see.

“That's not a costume.”

“I got fatigues from an Army surplus at home. Call me the Two-Dollar Costume King, baby!” said Xander proudly.

“Hey, look, Xander... I'm... really sorry about this morning.” said Buffy trying to apologise.

“Do you mind, Buffy? I'm trying to repress.”

“Okay, then I promise, from now on I'll let you get pummelled.” said Buffy as she put her chin on his shoulder and pouted.

“Thank you. Okay, y'know, actually I think I could've t... “ Xander trailed off.

Buffy didn’t mean for her attention to drift, but at the back of the store, Buffy noticed the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. There, on a dummy was a pale pink, hoop skirt, gown. She slowly walked over to it.

“Hello! That was our touching reconciliation moment there.” complained Xander.

“I'm sorry, it's just... Look at this.” said Buffy basking in the gown’s beauty.

“It's amazing.” agreed Willow.

“Too bulky. I prefer my women in spandex.” commented Xander.

“Please, let me.” said the store owner, coming up behind them and taking the dress off the dummy.

“Oh, i-it's...” Buffy couldn’t find the words, she was sure that this dress was there just for her.

“Magnificent. Yes, I know. There.” said the man holding it up to her in the mirror. “My. Meet the hidden princess. I think we found a match. Don't you?”

“Oh, uh, I-I'm sorry. There's no way I could ever afford this.”

“Oh, nonsense. I feel quite moved to make you a deal you can't refuse.” said the shop keeper.
__________________________________________
Staring at herself in her full length mirror, putting on earrings, Buffy couldn’t help but think about what Spike was going to think when he saw her in this dress. Her hair was done up in ringlets, forgoing Willow’s idea of a wig. Spike liked her blonde hair. She was his Goldilocks after all.

“Where're you meeting Angel?” asked Willow from the bathroom.

“Huh? I never said I was meeting Angel.” said Buffy confused.

“You said you had plans after. I guessed they were Angel plans.”

“Oh, I guess you would assume that. Makes sense.” Buffy furrowed her brow.

“So, where're you meeting Angel?” asked Willow from the bathroom.

“Here. After trick-or-treating. Mom's gonna be out.” Buffy winced, she was getting further and further into this lie.

“Does he know about your costume?”

“Nope. Call it a blast from his past. I'll show him I can coif with the best of 'em.” Buffy turned to face the bathroom , “Okay, Willow, come out. You can't hide in there all night.”

“O-okay, but, but promise you won't laugh?”

“I promise.”

Willow opened the door and came out wearing boots, a short, black leather skirt and a burgundy, long-sleeved, V-necked, tummy exposing top.

“Wow! You're a dish!”

Willow tried to hide herself with her ghost costume, but Buffy snatched it away from her and tossed it aside.

“I mean, really.” continued Buffy.

“But this just isn't me.”

“And that's the point.” Buffy walked around her friend to show her, her reflection “Look, Halloween is the night that not you is you, but not you. Y'know? Hey before I saw this dress, I was gonna go as a Goth Vamp, ironic, but not me...the whole point of Halloween”

Down stairs the door bell rang.

“Oh! That's Xander. Are you ready?”

“Yeah. O-o-okay.”

“Cool! I can't wait for the boys to go non-verbal when they see you!”

Carefully Buffy negotiated the stairs, with her hoop skirt. No wonder these things went out of style. Buffy opened the door to reveal Xander decked out in Army regalia.

“Private Harris reporting for... Buffy! Lady of Buffdom, Duchess of Buffonia, I am in awe! I completely renounce spandex!”

Buffy curtseyed “Thank you, kind sir.” Buffy was trying out a Birtish accent, but it didn’t quite sit right.

Xander took a bow.

“But wait till you see...” trailed off Buffy as they looked up the stairs to see a sheet covered Willow.

“Hi.” greeted Willow.

“...Casper.” finished Buffy.

“Hey, Will! That's a fine boo you got there.” joked Xander.
__________________________________________
At first he had been delighted to find that most of the population of this hum drum town had been turned into their Halloween costumes. Made for an interesting night to say the least. Best Halloween ever. They were usually very dull days, staying in to watch The Great Pumpkin with Dru.

With all this chaos, he supposed he should have left the Slayer to do what she did best, but his curiosity got the better of him. Sure he was going to see Buffy later, movie watching and all. Maybe she had dressed up for him. Knowing her she was probably dressed in her punk outfit, she didn’t get to wear it very often, not in public anyway. What would her friends think if they knew that she was at heart into punk?

Ducking behind a tree Spike barely escaped being noticed by Angel and, Buffy’s friend, the whelp, and some chit, in a cat outfit.

“Are you sure she came this way?” asked the boy.

“No.” snapped Angel

“She'll be okay.” said the bint confidently.

“Buffy would be okay. Whoever she is now, she's helpless. C'mon!” urged Angel.

The realisation hit Spike like a ton of bricks. Buffy was helpless out there somewhere. He just had to find her. He followed her scent, which was laced with fear. What the hell was she dressed up as?

Spike found her in a warehouse, huddled in a corner.

“Buffy?” he called out into the space.

“Who are you?” she whispered, British accent and all, as he approached.

“Look at you? Reminds me of what the ladies wore when I was in school. Did you dress like this for me, luv?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about, Sir. I dress for no one but myself.”

“Well I like it, luv.”

“Are you here to protect me from the demons, like the others?”

“Yeah, that’s right, Goldilocks.”

“Will you make sure that I’m safely delivered home? I’m certain that if I don’t return home soon, my honour will be ruined forever.”

“Oh luv, your honour was ruined a long time ago.”

“I beg your pardon! That is an awful thing to say.”

“Buffy, luv, I don’t know what’s made you lose your memory, but you and I are very well acquainted.”

“Are we courting?”

“Yes, you could say that luv,” Spike laughed.

“Engaged?”

“You belong to me.”

Spike led her away from the corner and twirled her around.

“Got to say Goldilocks, love the outfit.”

“Thank you kind sir.. forgive me, I seem to have forgotten your name.”

“William”

“William.” she said with a shy smile.

“Let’s get you home luv.”

Spike held her hand as he led her towards the exit of the warehouse. Suddenly Angel, in game face no less, the boy, the bint and the red head burst onto the scene.

“Buffy!” shouted Angel, “Get away from him!”

“It’s the demon! The Vampire!” cowered Buffy, clinging to Spike.

Spike smiled.

“That it is luv,” noted Spike.

“Let her go Spike!” yelled Angel.

“No, I think I’ll let the lady decide that. What do you say, Goldilocks, who would you rather go with, this big lout, or yours truly?”

“You William. I don’t even know him. You are my betrothed.” said Buffy carefully.

“Betrothed? What garbage have you been telling her?” said Angel.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Angel lunged at Buffy, to pull her away from Spike. Spike pulled Buffy behind him and set about to defend his lady from the poofter. Angel got in a few blows to Spike’s jaw before Spike managed to knock his grandsire down.

“Oh, William, you saved me from that brute!” declared Buffy wrapping her arms around Spike.

All of a sudden there was a change.

“What the...” asked the boy as his rifle was suddenly of the toy variety once again.

“Hi, honey. I’m home” said Buffy muffled into Spike’s chest.

Buffy looked up at her comforter and smiled.

“Goldilocks.”

“Spike”

“You are so gonna get it now, buster.” said the boy.

Buffy didn’t let go of Spike.

“I’ll see you later?” Buffy asked Spike so quietly that only he could hear her.

He nodded.

“Why isn’t she hitting him?” asked the boy.

“Thrall me Spike...“ Begged Buffy. “It’s the only way...”

Spike dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Don’t move until I’m gone” he said in a steady voice. With that he stepped back and stalked out of the warehouse.

Angel and Xander rushed to Buffy‘s side as soon as Spike was out of the way. Buffy stood motionless for a few seconds. Xander started to shake Buffy into response.

“Xander! Cut it out!“ yelled Buffy as she regained her ability to control her body.

“What did he do?“ asked Xander.

“Thrall”

“Huh?“

“He put Buffy under his control, she was powerless to stop him.“ supplied Angel. “How long has this been going on?“

“A long time” said Buffy trying to sound sad.

“What! You are under some sort of vampire mind control thingy? How could you not tell us?“ ranted Xander.

“Enough, Xander, let’s go,” said Buffy hiking her skirts and walking out of the warehouse.

“Aren’t you going to go after him and stake him?”

“No, Xander I’m not, he didn’t hurt me, let’s go. Angel, you are coming too.”

“Buffy?” questioned Angel.

“God, are you dense much?” said Buffy exasperated.

“I can’t believe you just let him go!” said Xander, “ I mean, where was the staking action, the pounding and the hitting?”

“Xander! Can you honestly see me fighting anyone in this dress? Let’s go find Willow.”
__________________________________________
Spike rang the doorbell of 1630 Revello dr. From the other side of the door he could hear a few muttered expletives, as Buffy tried to manage the stairs. She opened the door with a smile.

“Good evening Sir,” she said as she curtseyed. “Do come in” Buffy had for gone her British accent in favour of making herself sound as refined as she could.

Spike smiled. “I believe, Miss Summers, that we had an appointment?” he said as he crossed the threshold of the house.

“Indeed we do, Sir.” Buffy shut the door and faced her guest. “Perhaps we should retired to the salon,”

Spike took her hand and pressed it to his lips. “Miss Summers, you are a radiant beauty, I feel that I should warn you, I am just a mere man, and am unlikely to be able to resist your delightful charms.”

“Sir! I do protest! I would never... What is it that you want here, Sir?”

“Only you” he answered.

With a smile she led him to her room and shut the door. She inched nearer towards him until she was only millimetres from his skin.

“I want you,” she whispered in his ear, letting her tongue glide over his ear and neck and back up until she reached his mouth.

His hands reached out and pulled out the laces of her corset. He slid the sleeves of her dress down, letting the whole contraption fall heavily to the floor, revealing a white lace bra, and a pair of white bicycle shorts. Slowly he let slip the straps and began to kiss her shoulders, collar bones and down towards her breasts. She inhaled deeply as he ran his tongue over her nipples, one then the other. He returned to her mouth only to find her finding a way lower and lower on his body. She stopped her expectant kisses only to undo his pants and let them slide to the floor. With her tongue she explored every part, letting it slide along his shaft slowly, finally taking him in her mouth for a few moments. She stood back up, eagerly removing his last piece of clothing. Spike reached out and slid her shorts down past her ankles. The two toppled on to the bed and she sat atop him for a milliseconds before he realised that there was no fabric between him and her. They both smiled as he slipped inside her. Starting slow, they moved together but their passions would not allow them to savour the moment. Faster and harder they heaved and pulsated, clinging even more tightly and closely. She could feel him moving within her up and down, rubbing and throbbing. She screamed as climax rippled through her body. She sank back on the pillows, her spent lover still holding her hand, their fingers intertwined.
__________________________________________
Buffy lay on her bed, covered by a sheet, panting.

“Definitely more fun getting out of the dress than getting in it.” she said breathless.

Spike rolled closer to her on the bed. “Won’t get an argument from me there, Goldilocks. You never told me what the super friends thought about you leaving me there to escape.”

Buffy laughed.

“I explained that I wasn’t able to fight you with the dress on. I think Xander bought it, Angel, not so much. I think he thinks I’ve been under your thrall for a while. He seemed to accept it. He’s probably talking with Giles about it right now,” she sighed “Whatever happened to watching movies?”

“This is better than movies,” said Spike as he started to kiss her neck. “You never told me, why’d you dress up for me? Like a Victorian Lady no less.”

“You were a Victorian gentleman William. ‘Sides, I like dressing up for you.” She said as she laced her fingers through his hair. “It’s Retro Punk night at the Bronze on Friday, I think that’s another good excuse for me to dress up for you.” she smiled.
__________________________________________
tbc...

Author’s note: I know that this chapter leaves a lot of things unresolved. I promise they will be dealt with in the next chapter, this one was just getting really long! -Ariel Dawn
__________________________________________
 
Everyone Lies
 
Disclaimer: I don’t own Buffy and Spike...sad but true.

Author’s note: Thanks again to all my reviewers. Feedback is very much welcomed! Quotes from the episode Lie to Me. *denotes thought*
__________________________________________
Angel had been avoiding her. True she really didn’t blame him, after what he saw on Halloween. She still had a hard time believing that Angel couldn’t tell that Spike had marked her. Vampires were supposed to have all that extra sensory fabulousness. Thus she concluded that Angel knew, and that he was seriously displeased.

On her way home from a Spike-less patrol Buffy followed a whim and climbed up on the roof of a building. Seeing Sunnydale from above wasn’t something she did every day. From the building Buffy had a nice view of the park across the street. Angel and a girl were talking in the park. Maybe he found himself someone else to fawn over. Buffy could just barely over hear them.

“Who?” asked Angel.

“The girl. The Slayer. Your heart stinks of her. Poor little thing. She has no idea what's in store.”

“This can't go on, Drusilla. It's gotta end.” said Angel.

Drusilla! Spike’s sire. Buffy watched as Dru tilted her head up for a kiss

“Oh, no, my pet. This is just the beginning.” cooed the dark haired Vampire.

Dru walked away smiling at Angel. Buffy stood there for a long time, watching Dru go, then Angel. Dru is beautiful. No wonder Spike was so devoted to her. I so am not jealous, Buffy tried to convince herself.
__________________________________________
Exiting from history class, Buffy, Willow and Xander launched into yet another conversation about Angel. Buffy had been delighted to tell her friends that she saw Angel with someone else. A pretty someone else. Of course she lied about the fact that she didn’t know who the pretty person was.

“Pretty sure she was a vampire. And it seemed like they knew each other. Very friendly,” said Buffy

“Who's friendly?” asked Xander.

“Angel and a girl.” said Willow.

“Willow, do we have to be in total share mode?” chastised Buffy.

“Hey, it's me. If Angel's doing somethin' wrong, I wanna know. 'Cause it gives me a happy!” said Xander smiling.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “He’s not doing anything wrong, Xander. He is free to pursue other girls, if he wants to.”

“But I thought...”

“Angel is not my boyfriend, Xander.”
__________________________________________
That night at the Bronze Xander had convinced her that she needed bronzing. Good friend that he was. And now with her old friend Ford in the mix, who had just popped into Sunnydale, she just had to show him the sights of the town, all two of them. It was good to have a friend from LA here, after all, Willow and Xander had all those grade school stories that she simply did not get.

“Ford! You made it.” greeted Buffy, as she entered the pool table area of the Bronze.

“Wasn't hard to find.” the brunette responded.

“Buffy, Ford was just telling us about the ninth grade beauty contest, and the, uh, swimsuit competition.” explained Willow.

“Oh, my God, Ford, stop that! The more people you tell, the more people I have to kill.” joked Buffy.

“You can't touch me, Summers. I know all your darkest secrets.” said Ford.

“Care to make a small wager on that?” said Xander.

Buffy smiled. “I'm gonna go get a drink. Ford, try not to talk.” Buffy walked off with a smile on her face.

At the bar, Buffy found Angel, with a drink in his hand no less.

“Hi.”

“Hey! I was hoping you'd show,” greeted Angel. “I think we need to talk.”

“You drink! I mean, drinks. Non-blood things,” avoided Buffy

“There's a lot about me you don't know.”

“I believe that. So. What'd you do last night?” Buffy queried.

“Nothin'.”

“Nothing at all. You ceased to exist?”

“No, I mean I stayed in, read.”

“Oh.”

Buffy headed back over to the pool table, leaving Angel standing by the bar. Angel lied to her, right to her face. What did you expect? said a voice in her head. Pot, Kettle?

“Didn't want that soda after all?” asked Ford.

“Not thirsty.” explained Buffy No, actually was distracted by the brooding Vampire who lies

“Hey, Angel.” greeted Willow looking past Buffy.

Buffy turned to see Angel standing behind her.

“Hi.” said Ford.

“This is Ford. We went to school together in L.A.” said Buffy introducing Ford to Angel.

“Nice to meet you,” said Angel shaking Ford’s hand

“Whoa! Cold hands!” exclaimed Ford.

“You're not wrong,” said Xander.

Buffy gave Xander a look.

“So, you're here visiting Buffy?” asked Angel.

“No, I'm actually here to stay. Just moved down.” explained Ford.

“Hey, Angel? Do you wanna play?” asked Willow, gesturing at the pool table.

“Y'know, it's getting really crowded in here tonight. Um... I'm a little hot. You wanna take a walk?” Buffy asked Ford.

Buffy wasn’t liking the way this conversation was going. And she really didn’t want to remain under Angel’s brooding stare. He wanted to talk to her. Of course she knew what it was going to be about: Spike.

“Um, sure! That'd be nice.” he agreed.

“Okay, then, um... I'll see ya tomorrow.” Buffy said to the rest of the gang.
__________________________________________
See, her first thought had been, must get Ford away from the vampire who thinks he’s my boyfriend and my friends who know about the vampire. This was why she didn’t have friends that didn’t know about the vampires and the slaying. And as it turned out, Ford wasn’t one of those people either. He knew! What was the point of even trying to be secret identity girl when people could figure it out themselves? And on top of that Angel was acting jealous again! Grr.
__________________________________________
Buffy found herself at the 24 IHOP that night after patrol.

“I saw Drusilla the other night. She’s pretty,” said Buffy waiting patiently for her order to reach the table.

“Well, sometimes she just wanders out, can’t be watching her all the time. A bloke has got to eat.”

Buffy chose to ignore that. Buffy had made a conscious decision that if she didn’t see it, it didn’t happen.

“The devoted childe should really look after her. She was with Angel.”

“Stalking him were you?”

“No, I was patrolling, without you by the way.”

“Couldn’t be helped Goldilocks. Not like I‘m really there to help. Just sit and watch the show.”

“What exactly is it that you do that’s so important that you can’t see me every night?”

“Oh I’d see you every night, luv. But someone has a problem with making loud noises when her mother is home.”

Buffy blushed.

“Heard you’ve got a friend in town.”

“Are you stalking me?”

“No, I’m having minions stalk you. Big Bad remember. No one’s going to follow a vamp who is soft on the slayer. I’m supposed to be trying to kill you, remember?”

“I remember. It’s something that looms over me all the time. I’m gonna be turned, I’m gonna kill my friends. It’s not exactly a happy thought. Can’t we have normal relationship type talk?“

“Define a normal relationship pet...“

Buffy sighed. “If you weren’t going to make me your childe, would we still have had a relationship Spike?”

“Probably not.”

“Great, just great. I was just a piece of meat to you,” she said exasperated, throwing her hands in the air.

“You may not like it Goldilocks, but you were, and still are, by the way, just a happy meal with legs. And until the day comes when I decide that I can’t wait anymore, you are still a piece of meat just like the entire population, Slayer powers be damned.”

“I thought you said that other Vampires couldn’t drink from me?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Any vampire with respect for the name of Aurelius, anyone of my minions, will think twice before covering my mark with theirs. But there are vamps out there that don’t care, because they are rival clans or they just are stupid.”

“Oh”

The waitress arrived with their meals.

“What if I decided I didn’t want to be turned?”

Spike practically spat his food out.

“Excuse me?”

“What if I decided I didn’t want to be turned? Would I have to stake you? Or would you just let me go?”

“Buffy...”

“I know you probably haven’t thought much about this. When you first came to Sunnydale, at the beginning of the year, I admit I was lost. The master had killed me. You offered me an escape. I didn’t like that I could die any day by any random demon or vamp. I knew exactly when and who would do it. It was freeing. But now, I’m feeling that I want to live my life. That’s fair right?”

Spike didn’t respond. He just kept looking at her. Buffy reached across the table.

“Spike? I love you, I’m just saying that maybe I want to live a little more of my life before we spend eternity together.”

Spike let a smile pass over his face.

“Yeah, I understand pet. How about we give this conversation a few more years? November third 2000 sound good for you?”

Buffy smiled.

“It’s a date.”
__________________________________________
The next night Buffy had been showing Ford about town when they were ambushed by minions, again. Stupid minions. And Ford said he took one out. Yay Ford. Buffy had been all proud, another one of her friends dusting vamps. Too good to be true though right?

The look on Giles’ face when that minion, the minion that Ford said he staked, stole Giles’ book, priceless. Buffy wished she had had a video camera just for that. The whole minion stealing Giles’ book thing made her have a Spike flash back.

Might have to break into your watcher’s library, have some minions do it. Place bets if they come back or not.

Buffy assured her watcher that she would get the book back for him.

“You still have Moritz‘s Journal on the Scourge of Europe, correct?” asked Giles.

“Oh, ya, I do, it’s at home.”

“How are you getting on with it? Learn anything new?”

Buffy had only looked at the pictures.

“It’s slow going, you know me and books...”
__________________________________________
“You sing the sweetest little song. Won't you sing for me, hmm? Don't you love me anymore?” asked Dru to the dead bird in the cage.

“Dru, pet! I heard a funny thing just now. Lucius tells me that you went out on a hunt the other night.” said Spike coming up behind her.

Why she insisted on keeping animals she wasn’t going to feed or eat for that matter bothered him to no end. They were stinking up the factory. The minions had started to complain.

“My tummy was growly. And you were out.” she explained before going back to talk to the dead bird. “Come on.” she whistled “I'll pout if you don't sing.”

“You, um, meet anyone? Anyone interesting? Like Angel?”

“Angel.”

“Yeah. So...What might you guys have talked about, then? Old times? Childhood pranks? It's a little off, you two so friendly, him being the enemy and all that.”

“I'll give you a seed if you sing.” said Dru to the dead bird

“The bird's dead, Dru. You left it in a cage, and you didn't feed it, and now it's all dead, just like the last one.”

Drusilla started whining.

“Oh, I'm sorry pet. I'm a bad, rude man. I just don't like you goin' out, that's all. You are weak.” Spike took her hand “Would you like a new bird? One that's not dead?”

“This is so cool!” came a voice from behind the pair.

The residual Buffy smell invaded his senses. Spike looked up to see Ford, Buffy’s newest (oldest?) pal standing on some crates.

“I would totally live here.” spouted the teen.

“Do I have anyone on watch here? It's called security, people. Are you all asleep? Or did we finally find a restaurant that delivers?” Spike smiled and approached the idiotic boy.

“I know who you are.”

“Yeah, I know who I am, too. So what?”

“I came looking for you, Spike. You are Spike, right? William the Bloody?”

“You've got a real death wish. It's almost interesting.”

Out of nowhere came minion # 35, blonde hair, but the book she held was all that Spike really cared about. The minion handed him the book, the one he had expressed a desire to borrow from the watcher. Must congratulate Dalton, he won the bet. Spike began to leaf through the book, completely ignoring the boy.

“Oh, this is great. This'll be very useful.” he said then turned back to the boy “So, how did you find me?”

“That doesn't matter. I've got something to offer you. I-I'm pretty sure this is the part where you take out a watch and say I've got thirty seconds to convince you not to kill me?” said Ford smiling “It's traditional.”

“Well,” Spike began, slamming the book and walking over to where the boy stood. “I don't go much for tradition.”

Spike grabs the boy by his ear and lifted him up.

“Wait, love.” interjected Dru

Only with Drusilla’s touch did Spike let go of the boy.

“Well?”

“Oh, c'mon! Say it! It's no fun if you don't say it.” said Ford excitedly.

“What? Oh.” Spike rolled his eyes, “You've got thirty seconds to convince me not to kill you.”

“Yes! See, this is the best! I wanna be like you. A vampire.”

“I've known you for two minutes, and I can't stand you. I don't really feature you livin' forever.” He looked to Dru “Can I eat him now, love?”

Dru shook her head.

“Well, feature this: I'm offering you a trade. You make me a vampire, and I give you the Slayer.”

Spike was intrigued. Goldilocks’ friend was going to sell her out to him, in exchange for being a vamp?
__________________________________________
Buffy was drinking coffee in her kitchen, Motriz’s Journal on the Scourge of Europe open in front of her. She had just finished reading all the gory terrible horrible things that Angel and Darla had done in 1863, when Angel showed up at her door.

“Buffy. May I come in?” the vampire asked.

“Sure. I thought once you were invited you could always just walk in,” she said turning the page.

“I can. I was just being polite.” he said as he closed the door “We need to talk.”

“Do we?” Buffy picked up her coffee and headed for the dining room. This is gonna be about Spike Buffy dreaded this conversation. It had been hanging over them for such a long time.

“It's about your friend Ford. He's not what he seems.”

So not about Spike then... very much of the good. Chicken

“Who is these days?”

“Willow ran him down on the computer.”

“Willow?”

“We found this address, we checked it out with Xander, and it turned out...”

“And Xander? Wow. Everybody's in. It's like a great big exciting conspiracy.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about the people I trust. Who's Drusilla?” Caught ya, didn’t I? A ha! “And don't lie to me. I'm tired of it.”

“Some lies are necessary.”

“Don’t I know it. But you know, honesty, not as overrated as most people think.”

“Sometimes the truth is worse. You live long enough, you find that out.”

“I can take it. I can take the truth.”

“Do you love me?”

“What?”

“Do you?”

Oh god, so not the good question. Do I love him. Like a Friend, sure, like a lover, big no.

“I love you. You are my friend Angel, I’d care a lot if you got dusted. I just don't know if I trust you.”

Oooh there could be a ranking scale, placing him slightly below Xander? Maybe above Xander. Angel was kinda like the big brother she never had. Except a Big brother that wanted to mack on you. Ewww, bad visual.

“Maybe you shouldn't do either.”

“Maybe I'm the one who should decide!”

“I did a lot of unconscionable things when I became a vampire. Drusilla was the worst. She was... an obsession of mine. She was pure and sweet and chaste...”

“And you made her a vampire.”

“First I made her insane. Killed everybody she loved. Visited every mental torture on her I could devise. She eventually fled to a convent, and on the day she took her holy orders, I turned her into a demon.”

“Well. I asked for the truth.”

“Ford's part of some society that reveres vampires. Practically worships them. I don't know what he wants from you, but you can't trust him.”

Buffy turned to look at the book before her for a few moments. “Figures“

“Buffy, I saw you with Spike.”

Buffy gulped. “You saw me with...S..Spike?”

“Ya, a few weeks ago, in the cemetery. Look, I don’t blame you, you’ve got to be under his thrall or something. I just know that you have to learn how to fight it.”

“You think I’m being controlled by him? He’s making me do things?”

“Oh God, you don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

“I’ve got to talk to Giles”

“About the thrall?”

“Yes, there is no way you can be an effective slayer while you are under it.”

“You think I’m not doing my job? I am very much doing my job Angel. Giles has me training every day. I spent countless hours fighting vamps and demons in cemeteries. You can’t seriously tell me that I’m not doing my job. The world is still here right? I haven’t missed an apocalypse have I?”

“No.”

“Well then what’s the problem? I slay. I do watcher homework...” Buffy gestured to the book in front of her, “I do school homework, and still have time for minimal social time with friends and shopping. I’ve got an extra five minutes in the morning I could probably take on another sacred duty...I wonder if the tooth fairy has an opening for an apprentice?”

“Now you are being silly.”

“I don’t think so Angel. Thanks for the info about Ford, I don’t think you need to worry about it. I’m fine on my own.”

Buffy picked up her coffee and her book and trudged upstairs to her room. Angel made her so mad sometimes. But her knew about her and Spike, and now he would tell Giles. Buffy laughed a bit. So he thinks I’m under thrall...Well maybe I am. But I don’t feel like I am.
__________________________________________
When Spike arrived at the club, according to the directions given by the boy, the first thing he noticed was Buffy, unconscious on the floor.

“ Take them all. Save the Slayer for me,” he shouted.

It was like going out to a restaurant. IHOP, International house of people.

Spike watched his minions feed. There was no way he was going to actually feed with Buffy in the room. But he was trying to make a good show of it.

Buffy woke from unconsciousness only to find that Ford was wielding a crowbar. She grabbed his arm mid swing and forced him into a cement pillar. Buffy locked eyes with her lover for a few moments before taking a running leap off a couch up to the balcony where she grabbed Drusilla from behind and held a stake to her chest.

“Spike!” shouted Buffy.

She needn’t have said anything because Spike hadn’t stopped looking at her.

Buffy leaned in to Drusilla’s ear “I’m so, very sorry about this,” Buffy whispered.

“Everybody STOP!” shouted Spike.

All around him minions stopped feeding.

“Good idea. Now you let everyone out, or mummy dearest fits in an ashtray.”

“Spike?” said Dru, either legitimately scared or playing the part.

“It's gonna be alright, pet. Let them go!” he shouted at the minions.

“Down the stairs.” Buffy directed Spike.

Buffy pushed Dru ahead of her, still holding the stake ready. Then when they had reached the top of the stairs Buffy paused and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. ‘I Love you,’ she mouthed. Buffy looked at Drusilla and whispered her apologies again, and shoved her down the stairs. Buffy bolted for the door, slamming it behind her.

Outside the door she heard someone slam up against the door. Buffy laughed as she heard Spike ask where the door knob was.

“Spike, when you get out of there, call me!” she laughed.

Buffy turned to go home only to see Angel, Willow and Xander.

“I thought I said I could take care of this myself?” Buffy said to Angel.

“We just wanted to help,” said Willow plaintively.

“It’s taken care of then?” asked Angel sceptically.

“They are contained. Got everyone out, except Ford. Hope he enjoys being a vampire. He won‘t be one long.”
__________________________________________
“Buffy!” said Giles, surprised when he opened his front door. “And the rest of you!” he said as he noticed, Xander, Willow and Angel also lurking. “What brings you here at this hour. Did something happen on patrol? A new demon?”

“No, old demon, new tricks,” said Xander.

“Spike’s got Buffy in thrall,” stated Angel.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “It happened once,” she protested.

“It’s been more than once Buffy,” Angel patronised. “She doesn’t remember, it’s an effect of the thrall.”

Giles moved aside from the doorway and invited the group in.

“H..How long has she been under his thrall?”

“K, I’m right here!” said Buffy raising her hand as she sat down on the couch.

“I don’t know, I started noticing her acting strangely in October, but I wasn’t sure. A couple of weeks ago, I saw something that shocked me. She did something that I know Buffy would never do in her right mind.”

“And just what was that?” Buffy asked, knowing full well what he meant, and how he would never be able to say it without getting flustered.

“You don’t want to know, Buffy.”

Willow gasped. Everyone looked at her surprised. “Sorry, my mind made pictures, not good pictures, or maybe good pictures, depends on how you think about it.”

Buffy smiled at her friend.

“The question is how was Spike able to insinuate his thrall on her so completely. I was under the impression that a thrall of such power required the victim to be bitten,” Giles was busy cleaning his glasses.

“Buffy’s been marked,” stated Angel.

Buffy whipped her head around to face the vampire.

“Good Lord,” muttered Giles.

“Marked? Marked what?” asked Xander.

“She belongs to Spike. He will turn her, or attempt to. The mark makes certain that other Vampires know that she is his,” said Giles, reaching for a book. “The question is, when was she marked?”

“She’s been marked since before I’ve met her,” stated Angel.

“And you are just telling us now?” Giles was livid.

“Spike wasn’t here then.”

“And when he arrived here? You still didn’t feel it prudent to inform me?”

Buffy didn’t want to be there. She wanted to be anywhere but here. And actually it looked like she didn’t need to be there, the conversation was progressing quite nicely without her.

“When did Spike mark you Buffy?” asked Giles.

“Before I was called,” said Buffy sadly. “Look, this thrall thing, it’s not a big deal, just tell me how to fight it. It hasn’t gotten in the way of my slaying, except where Spike is concerned. I saved all those people at the ‘Vampires are cool show me how’ club. Spike was there, now he’s stuck in the warehouse.”

“Buffy you are in serious danger here!”

“I guess that five minutes I have in the morning has just been filled by unthralling me, hasn’t it?”

tbc...
 
So what is the relationship beverage of choice then?
 
Disclaimer: Not mine ok? You don’t have to rub it in.

Author’s note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Quotes from the episode What’s my line part 1. denotes thought
__________________________________________
“You ate him! He was my friend and you ate him!” Buffy threw her hands up in the air.

“He was the bad guy luv”

“Yes he was a bad guy,” said Buffy resigned.

“He was the bad guy, luv, but I hadn’t eaten any of those other chaps. We were down there a good long time.”

“Excuses, excuses. You sired Ford!”

“He asked for it, and it wasn’t like I made him childer! He was minion material luv, nothing more.”

“Cause that makes me feel so much better”

Buffy was conflicted. This was the first time that Spike had actually done something she knew about that she disagreed with...no disagree was not a strong enough word. Yes, Ford had tried to kill her so that he could be a vampire, but did that make any difference? As many minions as she dusted or Spike dusted for that matter (cause he seemed to do that a lot, they pissed him off tonnes) there would always be vampires chowing down on Sunnydale’s population. And Spike was one of them. Brain hurts.

“What did you think was going to happen when you left him down there with us? That we’d knit sweaters together?”

Buffy laughed, “Do you know how to knit?”

“Not answering that”

“Was Drusilla ok?”

“Yeah, shaken up a little. Funny thing, she doesn’t like having stakes pointed at her. Did go on for an age about how her baby girl is a deadly killer though, I think you impressed her a bit.”

Buffy smiled and took a sip of her coffee. It was really too bad that the IHOP was the only 24 hour place in Sunnydale. Gourmet cappuccinos were what Buffy wanted when she had suggested coffee. True, Coffee was the non relationship beverage of choice, but what exactly was the relationship beverage of choice? But at 2 am, when one wanted to avoid, your lover’s minions, one had to make sacrifices. Oh also, Buffy suspected that Angel was stalking her too, in the misguided attempt to keep her safe from the thrall Spike had over her.

“They know, Spike,” she said solemnly.

“Did Angelus tip them off?” coming straight to the point as usual.

“More like he made a stage production of it. I’ve started ‘thrall fighting lessons’ to add to my already busy schedule.”

“Should prove interesting.”

“You aren’t worried?”

“No, haven’t used thrall on my girl since Halloween.”

Buffy looked relieved for a moment, then grew concerned.

“Did you use it before?”

Spike chuckled, “Second time we met.”

“The Starbucks? I always thought that it was weird that I wanted coffee so late at night, also that Starbucks wasn’t really close to my house.”

“Now you know.”

“Those were the only times you used it on me?”

“God’s honest truth.”
__________________________________________
A week later Buffy found her self in the same booth, trying to convince said lover that the tattoo on her neck had to go.

“My mom will see it”

“Wear your hair down.”

“I’ll forget it’s there and she’ll see it. Besides totally don’t want an evil demon symbol on my neck. I’ve got all the marks I need.” said Buffy letting her hand drift to Spike’s marks on her neck.

“That you do love”
__________________________________________
“Read it again.” commanded Spike, as he paced his factory lair.

Before him sat Dalton his most loyal of minions. The quest to find Dru a cure continued. Dalton was reading from the book that had been taken from the watcher’s library.

“Well, I'm not sure. It could be, uh...” Dalton shrugged, “deprimere... ille... bubula... linter.”

Spike looked through the dictionary that he held in his hands. He didn’t really need it to translate that little piece of idiocy.

“Debase, the beef, canoe.” Spike translated.

Dalton offered up a smile, hoping that Spike would realize that it wasn’t entirely his fault. In a moment of extreme frustration Spike punched him smack dab in the face.

“Why does that strike me as not right?” complained the master vampire.

Dalton looked up sheepishly and hastened to turn his attention back to the book.

“Spike, come dance?” asked Dru as she held out her hands. She had been amusing herself with Tarot cards before and keeping out of the way for a bit.

“Give us some peace, would you? Can't you see I'm working?” snapped Spike. The frustration from not finding a cure for such a long time was beginning to build on him. He needed to de-stress and soon, before he didn’t have any minions left.

Drusilla pulled back her hand and began to pout and whine. She didn’t like when Spike got angry with her. He was supposed to be her dark knight and not get angry with his dark princess.

“Oh, kitten. It's just this manuscript. Supposed to hold your cure, but it reads like gibberish. E-even Dalton here, the big brain, he can't make heads or tails of it.” Spike explained.

“I... I, I need to change Miss Edith.” said Dru distractedly putting her hands to her head.

Noticing her discomfort Spike wrapped his arms around his sire.

“Oh, forgive me! You know I can't stand to see you like this.” Spike sat Dru down and crouched down to look at her face. “We're runnin' out of time.”

“Shh. Shh. You'll make it right. I know.”

Spike wrapped his hands around her neck and kissed her on the cheek. If only she would get better, he thought. He turned his attention back to Dalton.

“Well. Come on, now. Enlighten me.” Spike commanded.

“Uh, well, it looks like Latin, but it's not. I-I'm not even sure it's, it's a language, actually, I...” stammered the minion.

“Then MAKE IT A LANGUAGE! Isn't that what a transcriber does?!”

“Well, not exactly...”

Spike grabbed Dalton by the shirt and lifted him up out of his chair. Sometimes minions needed more persuasion.

“I want the cure.”

“Don't...” interjected Dru, who had returned to her Tarot cards.

“Why not? Some people find pain very inspirational.”

“He can't help you. Not without... the key.” answered Dru.

“The key? You mean this book is in some kind of code?”

“Yeah.”

Spike shoved Dalton back into his chair and walked over to his sire.

“Is that where we'll find this key?” Spike asked seeing the cards spread out in front of Dru.

“Yeah!”

“I'll send the boys, pronto!”

“Now will you dance?” asked Dru smiling.

“I'll dance with you, pet.”

Spike pulled her up from her chair and lifted her up into his arms.
__________________________________________
Hate minions! thought Buffy as she climbed back into her bedroom. Minions about meant that Spike was not out, he didn‘t want to be seen by his minions cavorting with the slayer, like he was ashamed of her or something. Peering into her room Buffy noted that Angel there, in her room and had picked up Mr Gordo from her shelf. God! what is he doing here? Rolling her eyes Buffy launched her bag o’weapons into her room.

“Buffy! You scared me,” declared the vampire.

“Now you know what it feels like, Stealth Guy.” said Buffy as she climbed into her room. “ Just dropping by for some quality time with Mr. Gordo?”

“Excuse me?”

“The pig.” she answered as she deposited her bag o’weapons into her trunk.

“Oh.” he laughed “I, uh...”

“What's up?” she asked. Please let there be a good explanation for why Angel is in my room, she silently begged.

“Nothing,” he said as he tossed Mr Gordo onto a chair.

“Only you don't have a nothing face. You have a something face. And you don't have to whisper. Mom's in L.A. till Thursday. Art buying, or something.” And I wanted to spend this time with Spike, in this room doing bad naughty things. But can’t now.

“Then why'd you come in through the window?”

“Habit.”

“I wanted to make sure you're okay. I had a bad feeling.”

“There's a surprise. Angel comes with bad news.”

Angel exhaled in that ‘Buffy’s a child’ pissed off way he had.

“Oh, God, I'm sorry.” she said walking over to him. “Look, I've been Cranky Miss all day. It's not you.” No it’s just that you aren’t who I want to be with right now.

“Well, what is it then?”

“It's nothing.” Not ready to tell you yet, you dense broody fool. “Uh, we're having this thing at school.”

“Career week?”

“How did you know?”

“I lurk.”

“Right. Well, then you know it's a whole week of 'what's my line', only... I don't get to play. Sometimes I just want...”

“You want what?”

Buffy looked into the mirror. What did she want? Which of her three lives did she want to continue with? She looked into the mirror only to see herself sitting on her bed. Did she want to be alone in the mirror? Did she want to see Spike in the mirror with her? or did she want to see no one in the mirror at all?

“It's okay.”

“The Cliff Notes version? I want a normal life. Like I had before.” Before I knew all about Vampires, and that Spike was one.

“Before me.”

“No, Angel, it's not you. There’s very little in this world that really makes sense to me anymore. I just get messed sometimes. I wish we could be regular kids, all of us. Me you, Willow, Xander. Just be normal and not have to deal with the Vampires and the demons.

“Yeah. I'll never be a kid.”

“Yeah, I can’t really see you as a kid either. Where you this broody when you were a kid?“

Angel laughed. His attention drifted to a picture of Buffy as a kid, skating.

“Was this part of your normal life?”

“Oh, my God.” Buffy laughed and stood. “My Dorothy Hamill phase. My room in L.A. was pretty much a shrine. Dorothy dolls, Dorothy posters, I even got the Dorothy haircut. Thereby securing a place for myself in the geek hall of fame.”

“Hmm, you wanted to be like her?”

“I wanted to be her. My parents were fighting all the time, and skating was an escape. I felt safe.”

“When was the last time you put on your skates?”

“About a couple of hundred demons ago.”

“There's a rink out past Route 17, it's... closed on Tuesdays.”

“Tomorrow's Tuesday.”

“I know.”
__________________________________________
At school the next day Buffy couldn’t help but tell Willow about Angel and Skating. It was just too sweet of him.

“You and Angel are going skating? Alone?” asked Willow

“Unless some unforeseen evil pops up. But I'm in full 'see no evil' mode.” *But I’m usually in see no evil mode aren’t I?*

“Angel ice-skating.”

“I know. Two worlds collide.”

Xander caught up with them as they walked across the quad.

“Wouldn't you two say you know me about as well as anyone else? Maybe even better than I know myself?”

“What's this about?” asked Willow.

“When you look at me, do you think 'prison guard'?” replied Xander.

Willow and Buffy giggled. Prison Guard? Xander?

“Um, crossing guard, maybe, but prison guard?” Buffy firmly shook her head.

“They just put up the assignments for the career fair, and according to my test results I can look forward to being gainfully employed in the growing field of corrections.”

“Well, at least you'll be on the right side of the bars.” said Buffy.

“Ha, ha, ha, ha! Laugh now, missy, they assigned you to the booth for law enforcement professionals.”

“As in police?” said Buffy Stunned.

“As in polyester, doughnuts and brutality.”

Buffy let out a whine.

“But, doughnuts!” said Willow trying to look on the positive side.

“Well, I'll just jump off that bridge when I come to it.” whined Buffy, until she saw Giles, complete with large stack of books. “ First I have to deal with Giles. He's on this Tony Robbins hyper-efficiency kick. Expects me to check in every day after homeroom.” Buffy walked off after her watcher.
__________________________________________
Spike and Dru stared at the large red cross on the ornate pillow. He had sent Dalton to get it, along with another minion. If the tale that Dalton was spreading was true, Buffy had shown up and had beat him to an inch of his unlife. Dalton had gone up against the Slayer and come out alive, for a minion that was prestigious indeed.

“This is it then?” asked Spike.

“It hums. I can hear it.”

“Once you're well again, we'll have a coronation down Main Street, and invite everyone, and drink for seven days and seven nights.”

From behind, Dalton had to ruin the moment.

“What about the Slayer? She almost blew the whole thing for us. She's trouble.”

“You don't say? Trouble?!” Spike started to pace. “She’s supposed to be trouble for us. She’s the god damn Slayer isn’t she? Need a way to keep her busy. Keep her from poking her cute little nose into my plans.” shouted Spike as he kicked the table for good measure.

“Spike?” whispered Dru.

“I’m not worried Pet, We'll complete your cure regardless.“

“The minions will feel better if you did something to take her out.“ said Dru. “Baby needs a test maybe? Sunshine needs clouds to dull the skies!“

“What have you got planned Dru?“ Spike asked with trepidation.

“Pretty plans, with guests and songs. Baby will prove her worth.“

Spike‘s mind followed a logical progression. “The Order of Taraka. You’ve called in those nutters?“ Dru had always wanted to use them.

“The bounty hunters?!” exclaimed Dalton, who had been all but forgotten.

Drusilla dealt out three tarot cards. One is of a Cyclops, another of a centipede and the third of a panther.

“They're coming to my party. Three of them.”

“Uh, yes, but... The Order of Taraka, I mean... isn't that overkill?” asked Dalton.

“Just a little test for baby.”
__________________________________________
Angel refused to put on skates and get on the ice with her. Which was ok, really. Cause Ice skating with a vampire could only lead to hand holding and that would lead to the bad. Angel = Friend, nothing more.

Caught in her thoughts Buffy wiped out and slid to a halt next to the wall. As she tried to get up something started choking her from above, lifting her off the ice. Buffy found herself pressed into the railing and being choked by !ugly!

Just trying to have a happy moment here! thought Buffy as she tried to pry the hands from her throat.

“Buffy!” shouted Angel, coming across the ice, complete with game face.

Angel pushed ugly off of Buffy, causing her to fall onto the ice landing hard on her knee. Looking up from her position on the ice, Buffy noted ugly and Angel battling it out. Angel punched ugly in the face before ugly retaliated with a hard blow to Angel’s stomach, sending the vampire into the wall.

Skating over to the two combatants Buffy grabbed the safety net and hit ugly with the blade of her skate.

Buffy rubbed her knee. Stupid dead ugly guy. Now I‘ll never skate professionally. she joked to herself.

Angel crouched over ugly and lifted the dead guy’s hand.

“The Hellmouth presents: Dead Guys On Ice. Not exactly the evening we were aiming for.” said Buffy.

“You're in danger. You know what the ring means?” declared Angel.

“I just killed a Super Bowl champ?”

“I'm serious! You should go home and wait until you hear from me.”

Angel dropped the hand and stood up, still in game face. Clearly very annoyed. Buffy thought. I’m not his little sister! He can’t order me around.

“Are you okay?”

Buffy noticed that he had a cut above his eye. “What about you? That cut!” She said temporarily forgetting her outrage.

“Forget about me. This is bad, Buffy. We gotta get you outta here.”

“What, you mean hide?”

“Let's just get you someplace safe!”

“No! Your eye!” Angel backs away from her. “Hey! Don't be a baby. I'm not gonna hurt you.”

“It's not that. I...”

“What?”

“You shouldn't have to touch me when I'm like this.”

Buffy took a good look at his vampire game face. She removed her glove and put her hand on his brow.

“I didn’t even notice. It’s a part of you, and I’m not ashamed to have you as my friend Angel.”
__________________________________________
She needed to speak to Spike. He’d make everything seem much better. Buffy stood on her front porch and stood to scan the area. There could be an assassin stalking her right now. How many more people did she need stalking her? Spike’s minions, assassins, Angel...It was a stalk Buffy convention. Struck by a sudden compulsion, Buffy stepped off her porch and went into the back yard.

Standing near the hedge, was the one person she really wanted to talk to. Buffy’s face lit up when she saw him and ran to wrap her arms around him.

“Thank god! You will never guess how horrible my day was!”

“I can imagine pet.” he said speaking into her hair.

“I have assassins after me! I have to stupid career day crap and Angel and Giles are all ‘head for the hills’”

“Running away wouldn’t do the trick with these fellas Goldilocks.”

“Huh?” asked Buffy puzzled. “Do you know who’s after me?”

“Ya, I do luv.”

“How do you know?” she said backing up from him.

“Dru’s the one that’s hired them.”

“Dru’s hired assassins to kill me?”

“Not to kill you love, it’s a test. They’ve been hired to capture you, that’s all.”

“But Giles said that they were unstoppable, they will keep coming and coming.”

“Until you are presented to the person that’s hired them, pet.”

“Great, Why don’t I just go see Drusilla now? Would that get them off my tail?”

“Dru likes her games Goldilocks, she won’t want you to spoil her fun.”

“Fun! This isn’t fun Spike!”

“I know love,”

“On top of everything else, my career test told me I’ll be a good police person. I don’t want to be a police officer!”

“And you won’t be luv,”

“So how long do I have to deal with this game of Drusilla’s?”

“She said three.”

“Ok, two more to go then. I got one tonight.”

“Ya, I know.”

“Having minions follow me again?”

“Yep, evil pet. And what’s the deal with you and Peaches ice skating?”

“He wanted to take me skating? You never offered. Too busy letting mummy’s hired ruthless killers to capture me and ordering minions about to steal crosses.”

“I didn’t know you wanted to go skating luv,”

“Perceptive the boyfriend strikes again.”

“Buffy...” he said with warning.

“Everything we do is secret Spike. Just once I’d like to go out, and not at 1 am to the IHOP.”

“Look, I’m very close to the cure for Dru, after I’m done with that, we will go where ever and do what ever you want, ok pet?”

“I suppose. Can I at least tell other people I have a boyfriend?”

“Let me think about that love, I might need some persuading” he said with a leer.

“Take me somewhere, hotel room and I’ll come up with some interesting ways to persuade you.”
__________________________________________
Buffy closed the door the motel room and looked at her lover.

“Let the persuading begin.“

Buffy stalked closer to him, standing in the middle of the room. Buffy pushed his duster off of his shoulders and set about undoing his pants.

“Goldilocks, what are you on about?“

“Persuading you.“

Buffy managed to undo his belt, button and zipper, and was taking him out. Buffy stroked his cock gently, before pulling her hand back and placing a light kiss on the tip.

“You see, I would only do this with my boyfriend Spike. Are you my boyfriend?“ Buffy traced a vein on his shaft with one finger nail. His cock jumped at her administrations.

“You know it love.“

“’Cause I’d really like to be able to tell everyone else that I have a boyfriend.“

Buffy stuck her tongue out and licked his length from base to tip. Buffy took him in her mouth for the briefest of moments, laving the tip with her tongue.

Buffy let him fall from her mouth and stood up.

“Tease.”

“You haven’t answered my question,” she said removing her top.

Spike reached for her, but she side stepped his advance and ducked to pull his pants all the way down.

“Oy!”

“Answer the question Spike!”

“Fine, bloody fine, ok. After Dru’s all healed up, and everything, We’ll have a bloody dinner party and announce it to all the super friends.”

“See that wasn’t so hard, now was it?”

Buffy sank to her knees and took him in her mouth again.

Spike’s eyes rolled back in his head. “God your hot little mouth.”

“Mmm hmmm” Buffy hummed.

Buffy reached forward and started fondling his balls, earning a groan of appreciation from Spike.

Spike grabbed the sides of her head, keeping her in place as he thrust gently into her mouth. Buffy dug her nails into his ass with her free hand, deep throating him. It wasn’t long before she felt his ball tighten up.

“Oh fuck Buffy!“ he roared as he shot his load.

Buffy swallowed rapidly, then letting him fall from her mouth, stood up with a big smile.

“My turn!“ she said gleefully.

tbc...
 
You’re who?
 
Disclaimer: Yes, I am the creator of all things Buffy...sadly only in dreams.

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Quotes from Episodes What’s my Line Parts 1 and 2.
__________________________________________
Buffy woke up in a hotel bed, alone. He’s really gotta stop doing that! thought Buffy. Buffy smiled as she thought of her vampire lover between her legs the night before. Reluctantly Buffy got up and got dressed. She felt sated and sore in all the right places. Too bad she didn’t have an extra set of clothes with her. Suddenly Buffy knew something was wrong. She rolled across the bed, just as an axe hit the bed where she was putting her socks back on.

“You must be number two!” said Buffy as she looked at the girl with long back braids.

The girl swung the axe at Buffy, who ducked and grabbed the room’s curtains, pulling them over the girl’s head. Buffy landed a kick to her opponent's head. The girl quickly scrambled out from under the curtain and held the axe up, ready to attack again.

“Thanks for the wakeup, but I'll stick with my clock radio.”

The girl swung the axe again this time Buffy caught it. Buffy’s opponent pulled her down and slammed her into the wall, pushing the axe into her chest. Pushing the axe up away from her Buffy was flipped over, landing on her back.

“Come on, don't make me do the chick fight thing,” said Buffy.

“Chick fight?”

“You know...”

Buff let go of the axe and dug her nails into the other girl’s hand. Buffy grabbed the girl’s arm and rolled her over and away. They both scrambled to their feet. Buffy kicked the axe out of the girl’s hands. The girl kicked out twice, blocked each time by Buffy. Buffy ducked a swing to her head and swung back at the girl. Unfortunately the girl grabbed Buffy’s arm and flipped the slayer over onto floor. Buffy kicked into the girl’s face, making her opponent hit the floor. A roundhouse to the girl’s face again sent the Caribbean chick to the floor, but she got up again.

“Who are you?” asked the girl.

“Who am I? You attacked me! Who, the hell, are you?!”

“I am Kendra! De Vampire Slayer!”

You have got to be kidding me!

“Okay, one more time. You're the who?!” asked Buffy

“I'm de Slayer.”

“Nice cover story. But here's a tip: you might wanna try it on someone who's not the real Slayer.”

“Ya can't stop me! Even if ya kill me, anodder Slayer will be sent to take me place.”

“Could you stop with the Slayer thing? I'm the damn Slayer!”

“Nonsense! Dere is but one, and I am she.”

“Okay, a scenario.” Buffy held up her hand, “You back off, I'll back off, but you promise not to go all wiggy until we can go to my Watcher and figure this out.”

“Wiggy?”

“You know. No kick-o, no fight-o?”

After a moment Kendra relaxed and crossed her arms. Buffy relaxed a bit too.

“I accept your scenario.”

“So. You were sent here?”

“Yes, by my Watcher.”

“To do what, exactly?”

“To do my duty. I am here to kill vampires.”
__________________________________________
Getting Kendra to the Library was no small task. Especially since Buffy was pretty sure that there were still two more assassins looking for her and the fact that Kendra was wicked conspicuous.

Giles was pacing.

“And your Watcher is, i-is Sam Zabuto, you say?” said Giles.

“Yes, sir.”

“We've never met, but he, he's, he's very well-respected.”

“What, so he's a real guy? As in non-fictional?” asked Buffy.

“And you are called...?” Asked Giles.

“I am de Vampire Slayer.”

“We got that part, hon. He means your name.” said Buffy annoyed.

“Oh. Dey call me Kendra. I have no last name, sir.”

“Can you say 'stuck in the 80's'?”

“Buffy, please. Uh, there's obviously some, some misunderstanding here.” explained Giles.

Just then Willow came bouncing into the library with a smile on her face.

“Hey!’ Willow greeted happily.

“Identify yourself!” ordered Kendra.

Willow’s smile faded to a frown.

“Back off, pink ranger! This is my friend.”

“Friend?” questioned Kendra puzzled.

“Yeah. As in person you hang with? Amigo?”

“I don't understand.”

“You try. I'm tapped.” Buffy said to Giles as she sat down with a huff.

“Uh-uh, Kendra, uh, there are a-a-a few people, uh, ci-civilians if you like, who, who know Buffy's identity. Willow is one of them, a-a- and they also, um, spend time together, uh, socially.” explained Giles.

“And you allow dis, sir?”

“Well, uh...”

“But de Slayer must work in secret for security.”

“Of course, uh, but, uh, with Buffy, however, it-it's, um, some flexibility is required.”

Buffy gave Giles a look. No one controls me.

“Why?”

Buffy could tell that Willow was majorly confused.

“Hi, guys. W-what's goin' on?” said Willow as she sat down across from Buffy.

“Apparently there's been a really big mix-up.” began Buffy.

“Uh, it seems somehow that, uh, another Slayer has been sent to Sunnydale.” continued Giles.

“Is that even possible? I mean, two Slayers at the same time?” asked Willow.

“Not to my knowledge. Um, th-the new Slayer is only called after the previous Slayer has died. Uh... Oh, good Lord! You were dead, Buffy.” said Giles in an epiphany.

“I was only gone for a minute.”

“Clearly it doesn't matter how long you were gone. You were physically dead! Thus causing the activation of the, the next Slayer.” said Giles nodding in Kendra’s direction.

“She died?”

“Just a little.” protested Buffy.

“She drowned, but she was revived.” explained Giles.

“So there really are two of them!” exclaimed Willow.

“It would seem so. This is completely unprecedented! I'm quite flummoxed.” declared Giles as he sat down.

“What's the flum? It's a mistake, she isn't supposed to be here, she goes home! Look, no offence, I really don't mean this personally, but I'm not dead, and frankly having you around creeps me out just a little bit.” said Buffy.

“I cannot just leave. I was sent here for a reason. Mr. Zabuto said all de signs indicate dat a very dark power is about to rise in Sunnydale.” said Kendra.

“And what's your great plan for finding this dark power? You just gonna attack people randomly till you find a bad one?” said Buffy.

“Of course not.”

“Then why the hell did you attack me?”

“I tought you were a vampire.”

“Oh, a swing and a miss for the rookie.”

“I had good reason to tink you were. Did I not see you huggin’ a vampire? What you did with dat other one!!!”

“Buffy would never do that! Oh. Except for that sometimes you do that. But only with Angel. Right?” asked Willow. “Other one?” Willow looked questioningly at Buffy. “Did Spike thrall you again?”

Buffy avoided.

“Yes! Right. Look, you saw me with Angel, and he is a vampire, but he's good,” observed Buffy.

“Angel? You mean Angelus? I've read about him. He is a monster.”

“No, no, no, he's, he's good now.” said Giles. “Buffy, tell me about the thrall, were you able to fight it, like we had discussed?”

“Giles! Kinda talking about something else right now,” said Buffy.

“Angel’s a good guy. Really!” added Willow.

“He had a gypsy curse.” explained Buffy.

“He has a what?” asked Kendra

“Y'know what, just trust me on this one, okay? He's on the home team now.” Good Grief, thought Buffy, please let her go home.

“I cannot believe you. He looked to me just like anodder animal when I...” Kendra trailed off.

“When you what? What did you do to him?”

“I...”

“What did you do?!”
__________________________________________
Spike entered Dru’s bedroom happy as a clam. He leaned on to her bed and stroked his sire’s hair to wake her.

“I was dreaming,” she moaned.

“Of what, pet?”

“We were in Paris. You had a branding iron.”

“I brought you something.”

Spike went over to the stairs and picked up Angel.

“And there were worms in my baguette.”

“Your sire, my sweet.” said Spike dumping Angel on the floor. Spike had picked up Angel from Willy, snitch and bar keep. Spike really couldn’t really believe his luck when Willy told him that his poof of a grandsire had been locked up in Willy’s back room and left for the sun to kill him. He had thought that he would meet up with Buffy, who would have an argument with him about the use of Angel in a ritual that would kill him. As far as Spike was concerned Angel owed Dru.

“My Angel?”

“The one and only. Now all we need's the full moon tonight, and he will die, and you will be fully restored.”

Spike kissed her on her forehead.

Drusilla looked down to Angel all tied up and gagged.

“Spike, let me have him. Hmm? Until the moon,” asked Drusilla.

“Alright, you can play, but don't kill him. He mustn't die till the ritual.” Spike smiled.

“Bring him to me.”

Spike picked Angel up from the floor and forced him over to Drusilla. She grabbed him by the chin and looked him in the eye.

“You've been a very bad daddy.”

Dru gave Angel a slap across the face. Spike could tell that she was looking forward to exacting revenge for countless crimes Angelus did to her over the centuries.
__________________________________________
Buffy rolled her eyes at Cordelia, as the cheerleader fled the room in search of a shower. A bug, a meal worm was in her hair and she has to shower. Compared to demon goo, not so bad.

“You and bug people, Xander. What's up with that?” noted Buffy.

“No, but this dude was completely different than praying mantis lady. He was a man of bugs, not a man who was a bug.”

Xander slammed his text book on the mealworm and sat down. Does this mean that there are icky worms all over my house? Mom is gonna kill me.

“The, uh, the-the-the important thing is everybody's alright. Still, it's quite apparent that we're under serious attack.” informed Giles.

“These Taraka are definitely serious. Fortunately for me, so is Kendra.” said Buffy. Ok, I’ll concede a point to Kendra for keeping me alive, but she’s still in the way minuses with locking up Angel and then losing him.

“And, uh, I fear the worst is still to come. I've, I-I've discovered the remaining keys to Drusilla's cure. The, uh, the ritual requires that, the presence of her sire, and it must take place in a church on the night of the new moon.”

That’s where Angel is, Buffy thought. Kendra and she had gone to Willy’s to find Angel and save him from being crispy critter. Fortunately for Kendra, he was not there. Family reunion, I wonder if they’d take photos Buffy laughed to herself.

“The new moon. But that is tonight.” stated Kendra.

“Exactly. And I-I'm sure the assassins were here to kill Buffy before she could put a stop to things,” noted Giles.

“They need Drusilla's sire. Angel. He's Drusilla's sire,” stated Buffy matter of factly.

“Man, that guy got major neck in his day!” joked Xander.

Willow gave Xander a hard slap on the shoulder.

“Will this ritual kill him?” asked Buffy. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to hear the answer but she had asked it anyway.

“Yes, I'm afraid it will.” said Giles.

“We need to find this church. We need to find where this ritual is gonna take place!“ said Buffy.

“Agreed, and we must work quickly. We have five hours before sundown.” said Giles with urgency.

“Don't worry, Buffy, we'll save Angel.” said Willow as she opened up her laptop.

“Angel? But our priority is to stop Drusilla!” exclaimed Kendra

“Angel's our friend! Except I don't like him.” said Xander.

“Look, you've got your priorities, and I've got mine. Right now they mesh. So, are you gonna help me, or are you gonna get out of my way?” said Buffy in total general mode. As much as Buffy wanted to cure Drusilla, there was no way she was going to let Spike kill Angel. Angel was her friend. An annoying, condescending, brooding friend, but still a friend. And it was the principle of the thing. Dru sent assassins after me!

“I'm wit you.” said Kendra.

“Good. 'Cause I've had it. Spike isn’t going to know what hit him. If he thinks he can toy with my friends, just because Angel’s his grandsire, he’s got another thing coming.”
__________________________________________
It was time. He hated to interrupt Dru‘s pretty torture session after all she hadn’t had such fun since Prague.

“That's it, then. Off to church.”

Dru stood up from her place next to Angel “It makes pretty colours.”

“Pft! I'll see him die soon enough. I've never been much for the pre-show.” Spike reached down to untie Angel’s bonds.

“Too bad. That's what Drusilla likes best, as I recall.” sneered Angel.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Ask her. She knows what I mean.”

Drusilla stood behind Spike back from fetching Miss Edith.

“Well?” Spike asked his Sire.

“Shhh! Grrrruff! Bad dog.” Dru directed to Angel.

“You shoulda let me talk to him, Dru. Sounds like your boy could use some pointers. She likes to be teased.” continued Angel.

“Keep your hole shut!” shouted Spike as he stood over his grandsire.

“Take care of her, Spike. The way she touched me just now? I can tell when she's not satisfied.” taunted Angel.

“Then you might want to talk to the lads that have the care of seeing to her then. But then some one as perceptive as you would have figured that out long ago. But I’ll let you in on my little secret just before you kick it Peaches. Wanna see your face when I tell you who I’ve been screwin’ instead.”

“Spike, the moon is rising. It's time.” interrupted Dru.

“Too bad, Angelus. Looks like you go the hard way. Along with the rest of this miserable town.”
__________________________________________
She was Willy the snitch’s prisoner. Buffy couldn’t believe it, well actually she could, hadn’t she sorta thought Willy would do this? Buffy walked into the church behind Willy, followed closely by minions and the two assassins. Didn’t matter anyway, all she wanted to do was see her lover and have a nice heart to heart. And if it meant that Willy would betray her then, whatever.

“It's payday, pal. I got your Slayer.” exclaimed Willy.

Buffy looked at her lover, he was angry at being interrupted. He strode up the aisle of the church towards them.

“Are you tripping?! You bring her here?! Now?!”

“You said you wanted her,” explained Willy.

Buffy looked over to see Angel and Drusilla tied together at the altar.

“I wanted her occupied, pinhead! Away from all this, busy, so she wouldn’t come looking for Angel here.”

“Now, that's not what I heard. Word was there was a bounty on her dead or alive,” stated Willy.

“You heard wrong, Willy.”

“Angel,” Buffy whispered.

“Yeah. It bugs me, too, seeing him like that. Another five minutes, though, and Angel will be dead, so... I forebear. Don't feel too bad for Angel, He was a right nasty bugger when he was with us. Good riddance I think.“

Spike leaned in closer to her ear.

“You shouldn’t have come here, Goldilocks, this doesn’t concern you.”

“He’s my friend Spike.”

“Oh I forgot, your friends and family are off limits. He was my family first pet.”

The door to the church burst open at that moment. Kendra back flipped kicking into some minions’ heads, who fell down, pushing Spike and Buffy down. Buffy took Spike’s hand while they were on the floor.

“You promised,” she whispered.

Buffy stood up letting go of Spike’s hand. Kendra was instantly there by her side and ready to fight.

“Who the hell is this?!” asked Spike.

Kendra grabbed Spike by the shirt.

“It's your lucky day, Spike,” said Buffy.

“Two Slayers!” said Kendra as she decked him.

“No waiting!” said Buffy as she struck him.

Spike fell to the ground but quickly got up.

“And right now, I’m really mad at you Spike,” said Buffy.

Buffy broke off to fight the police woman, leaving Kendra with Spike. She fought off the police woman, thinking that possibly it wasn’t a good idea to leave Spike and Kendra fighting.

While fighting off officer testosterone, Buffy paid keen attention to Spike and Kendra’s fight.

“Switch!” yelled Buffy.

Buffy bent over and Kendra rolled over her back to face the cop. Buffy faced Spike.

“I'd rather be fightin' you anyway,” he said

“Mutual.” She blocked his thrust, then kicked him in the face and again in the gut. He doubled over and fell to the floor. “Actually I’d rather be doing something else right now with you, but you had to go and kidnap my friend! Someone’s not going to be getting any for a good long time.“

Buffy blocked a punch from Spike, and another, but then he landed punches to her stomach and face. She blocked his next swing and held his arm while she punched him twice in the face. She grabbed his coat and pulled him around and threw him over several pews and into the wall.

Spike growled as he stood back up and saw Willy trying to sneak out of the church. He rushed over and grabbed him by the back of the neck.

“Where are you going?” Spike asked the barkeep.

Buffy rushed over to the altar and pulled the dagger out of Angel and Drusilla's hands.

“Spike!” Dru cried weakly.

Buffy was untying the pair of vampires as fast as she could. Suddenly Spike was there helping her.

“Happy family!” whispered Dru.

“Yes pet, our bloody happy family,“ said Spike as he untied the bonds.

“Baby such a pretty fighter, did you like my little test baby? Will you come and have tea and cakes with Miss Edith now?” rambled Dru.

“I’d like that, Drusilla,” Buffy smiled, hoisting Angel up.

Spike took a torch from its wall hanger and threw it into a pile of old drapes, setting them ablaze.

“Distraction, Goldilocks, you get the poofter out of here safe,”

“Yes Spike,” Buffy smiled sweetly.

“You will be my childe,”

“And you will be my Sire,”

“Teach you the ways of our line,”

“And add glory to the name Aurelius.”

“Sorry, baby. Gotta go,” said Spike as he lifted Dru into his arms carried her down the aisle. “Hope that was enough.”

Buffy struggled to help Angel up. God he’s heavy. Suddenly Kendra was next to her. Kendra grabbed the censer from the altar. She swung it around her head by its chain a few times before launching it at Spike. It struck him in the back of the head, and he stumbled into the church organ. The keyboard console collapsed under his weight.

“I'm good!” declared the Slayer.

Buffy looked on with horror as the organ’s massive pipes collapsed onto Spike and Drusilla. NO! Buffy screamed internally.

“Get him out of here!“ ordered Buffy, thrusting Angel into Kendra and Giles direction.

Kendra and Giles supported the Vampire out of the church. Buffy turned back to the flaming organ.

“Buffy!“ shouted Willow, “ We have to get out of here! The whole place is on fire!“

“No!” Buffy said silently. Buffy walked up to the wrecked organ and began to root through the mess.

“Buffy!” shouted Willow again. “You slayed him! Spike’s toast! Let’s get out of here!” Willow forcibly pulled Buffy out of the church.
__________________________________________
That night Buffy cried herself to sleep. Spike was gone, dust under the rubble. She wasn’t going to school the next day. Willow would just think she was taking care of Angel. So would the others. Buffy let the tears flow freely down her face, as she clutched Mr Gordo tightly. She had nothing of his except the marks on her neck to remember him by.
__________________________________________
Back in the church the fire had burned itself out. From under the rubble Drusilla pulled Spike out.

“Don't worry, dear heart.” Dru says as she pulls him off the floor. “I'll see that you get strong again. Like me!” Slowly she carried him from the charred remains of the church.
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
Grieving
 
Disclaimer: Not mine...you know the drill.

Author’s note: Thanks to my reviewers. *I love you guys!* Quotes from the episodes Ted and Bad Eggs.
__________________________________________
Buffy’s friends forced her out of her self imposed mourning period. Not that they understood anything at all. They were walking ahead of her, down her street clearly talking about something extremely fascinating, but all she could think about was him. And how she would never see him again.

“Buffy,” came Xander’s voice.

“Huh?”

“Who was the real power? The Captain, or Tennille?” asked Xander.

“Ummm... Who are these people?”

“The Captain and Tennille? Boy, somebody was raised in a culture-free environment!”

“I'm sorry. I was just...”

“Thinking?” suggested Willow

“No, not thinking. Having a lot of non-thoughts. Things have been too quiet around here.”

“Yeah, with Spike and Drusilla out of the way, we've really been ridin' the mellow, and I am really jinxing the hell out of us by saying that.” said Xander.

“Yeah, but we'll let you off this time.” said Buffy trying to be happy.

Spike and Dru were gone. Spike was gone. I will not cry. I will not cry.

“So, we're pretty sure that there're not more Tarakan assassins coming our way?” asked Willow as the trio of friends turned towards Buffy’s house.

“The contract's off.”

“How is Angel? Pretend I care,” said Xander.

“Getting better. I think.”

“And you're loving playing nursemaid?” said willow all suggestive like.

“Huh? I‘m not Angel’s nursemaid,” Buffy protested. In fact Buffy had only been over to see how he was doing once since the Church. “You know what, I’m feeling really tired, how about I catch you guys later ok?”
__________________________________________
To get away from Ted and the Ted Praising mom, Buffy decided it was time to see Angel again. Something was really off about Ted, her mother’s new boyfriend, of course no one would believe her. Spike would. He’d also offer to eat him for me, she thought pleasantly.

“So mom's like, 'Do you think Ted will like this?' and 'This is Ted's favourite show,' and 'Ted's teaching me computers,' and 'Ted said the funniest thing,' and I'm like, 'That's really great, Mom,' and then she said I was being sarcastic, which I was, but I'm sorry if I don't wanna talk about Ted all the time,” said Buffy as she changed his bandages.

“So, you gonna talk about something else at some point?”

“I'm sorry. I just have so much to deal with, I don't need some new guy in my life.”

“No, but maybe your mom does.”

“Well, sure, if you're gonna use wisdom.”

“Loneliness is about the scariest thing there is.”

“And don’t I know it. Okay, so my mom needs a guy in her life. Does it have to be Ted?“

“Do you have somebody else in mind? There's a guy out there that would satisfy you?“

“My dad? Yeah, okay, that's not gonna happen. How about you? You’re old-er and unattached. Or, maybe, Giles? Fine, fine, I'll give Ted a chance. I'll play mini-golf, and I'll smile and curtsy and be the dutiful daughter. Do I have to like him?”

“No, you don’t. But give him a chance, for your mom’s sake.”

“Yes, Sire” said Buffy playfully, until she realized exactly what she said. Crap, crap, Crap!

“Buffy, it’s ok,” said Angel, “I’m ok with the occasional references to the fact that I drink blood and don’t have a reflection.”

“I just thought, maybe, Sire, that word. You lost your childer Angel, doesn’t that make you feel something?” said Buffy increasingly sad.

“Yes, but I think of it as, I lost them a long time ago. When I got my soul. I realized I could never be with them anymore, wasn’t really part of the family.”

“Oh, so nothing then?”

“There’s not nothing. Why are you asking about this?”

“No reason,” said Buffy defensively.

“Yes, there is a reason, Buffy.” Angel pulled back her hair with his uninjured hand to expose her bite marks. “These are Spike’s.”

Buffy flinched.

“Don’t deny it Buffy. I’m not stupid.”

“Why didn’t you say anything? Well except for the talking over my head conversation with Giles about the thrall”

“The first time I met you, I knew you were marked Buffy. It’s like you had “Spike’s property” tattooed on your neck. Exactly what was I going to say? I had hoped that he would leave you alone.”

“He was going to turn me.” Buffy whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes.

“You fell in love with your murderer.”

Buffy stared hard at Angel.

“Dru did the same with me you know, even though I did horrible things to her and her family.”

“I just miss him so much! If only he hadn’t taken you! If I had only stopped Kendra! I let him die!” The tears were now rolling down her face.

“No! Buffy look, it’s not your fault, just that it’s not your fault that I got hurt. Truth be told if Dru had just asked me to heal her I would have done it no questions asked. They were my family.”

Angel gathered Buffy into his arms.

“Spike!” she sobbed into Angel’s chest.
__________________________________________
Buffy sat with her mom on the porch. Ted, the robot, diary reading horrible thing, was gone. Her mom was back to the single parent-ness.

“Do you wanna rent a movie tonight?” asked her mom.

“Sounds like fun.”

“Just nothing with horror in it. Or romance. Or men.”

“I guess we're 'Thelma and Louise'ing it again.”

“Mm-hm. Good call. I still think he's gonna jump out at me. Especially after what the police found in his house. It's just too horrible.”

“I wouldn't worry. He's not coming back,” said Buffy confidently.

“I wish I could be so sure.”

“Trust me. He's on the scrap heap. Of life.”

“Whatever happened to your boyfriend, you know, the one that you spent hours and hours on the phone with? What was his name again?”

“Spike,” Buffy whispered.

“You should invite him over for dinner some night.”

Buffy’s eyes started to tear up again.

“Oh Buffy, I‘m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Joyce gathered Buffy into her arms.

“I guess we are both doomed to singleton for a while longer.”
__________________________________________
Angel had drawn her a picture of Spike. Leather coat, black nail polish and all. Buffy sat on her bed and looked at it from across the room. Gingerly her hand went to the scars on her neck.

“You promised me you would come back for me.”

Buffy lay back on her bed and cried. She felt like someone had ripped out her insides. Her sobs rocked her body.
__________________________________________
Only Giles could be elated that there were Country-fied vampires after her. It gave him something to research, now that the well of ‘Buffy is under thrall’ reasons to research had dried up. It didn’t however take two seconds for Buffy to offer to ditch class to research the vamps in question.

“Buffy! How come you weren't in class?” asked Willow as she and Xander headed into the library.

“Vampire issues. Did Mr. Whitmore notice I was tardy?”

“I think the word you're searching for is 'absent',” said Xander.

“Tardy people show.”

“Right.”

“And, yes, he did notice, so he wanted me to give you this.” said Willow, as she handed her an egg.

An egg?

“As far as punishments go this is fairly abstract,” said Buffy, puzzling over the object.

“No, it's your baby!” said Willow happily.

“Okay, I get it even less.”

“Well, you know, it's the whole 'sex leads to responsibility' thing, which I personally don't get. You gotta take care of the egg. It's a baby. You gotta keep it safe and teach it Christian values,” explained Xander.

“My egg is Jewish,” Willow reproached Xander

“Then teach it that Dreidel song.”

“I can't do this! I can't take care of things! I killed my Giga Pet. Literally, I sat on it and it broke,” protested Buffy.

Buffy quickly put down her egg and backed away from it.

“You'll do fine!” said Willow, trying to bolster her friend’s confidence in egg sitting.

“Yeah, the only thing that stresses me is when do we tell them that they're adopted?” joked Xander.

“I'll just lay that one off on my partner.” ah crap “Who'd I get?”

“Well, there were an uneven number of students, and you didn't show, so...”

“I'm a single mother?” said Buffy shocked and appalled.

“No man of her own,” agreed Xander.

“Do you know what this says about me? That I am doomed to lead my mother's life! How deeply scary is that?”

“How 'bout this: it says nothing, it means nothing, this whole egg experiment thing is completely pointless!” confronted Xander.

“Success!” exclaimed Giles from the cage. “At last. Your playmate is a fellow of repute, it seems,” said Giles as he made to lay the book on Buffy’s egg.

Eggbert! Buffy snatched her egg child away from being smushed.

“That's, um, Lyle Gorch, and that one's his brother, Tector. They're from Abilene. They, uh, they made their reputation by massacring an entire Mexican village in 1886,” explained Giles, before cleaning his glasses.

“Friendly little demons,” interjected Buffy.

“That was before they became vampires,” continued Giles.

“B-but, um, the good news is that they're... not amongst the great thinkers of our times. I doubt if they're up to much. They're probably just drawn here by the, uh, Hellmouth's energy,” said Giles as he put his glasses back on.

“'Nuff said! I propose Buffy slays 'em. All in favour?” said Xander as he raised his hand.

Willow raised her hand too. “Aye!” she agreed.

“I-I don't think you should underestimate them. I mean, y-you may need to have some help if, if, if, if...” GIles paused. “Why do you all have eggs?”

“Hey, maybe you can have Angel help you find the Gorches,” suggested Willow happily.

“Yes! Yes, yes, that's not a bad idea. Strength in numbers,” advised Giles.

“Oh, right. I see a lotta hunting getting done in that scenario,” snarked Xander.

“Please. Like Angel and I are just helpless slaves to passion. Grow up!”
__________________________________________
In the park on Patrol, Buffy couldn’t even bear to look at her vampire companion.

“Buffy, I think you should know, that I don’t think Dru is dead. I can feel her still,” offered Angel.

“But you don’t feel Spike, is this what you have been afraid to tell me all night?”

“Pretty much.”

Buffy sniffed.

“It’s not going to bring him back, you know, me thinking about him all the time. I don’t even know how this all happened really. I mean I only saw him three times when I was in LA.”

“When were you in LA?”

“Before I moved here, I met him before I became a slayer. He left me three days before I was called.”

“Oh. You were under thrall.”

“Huh? Are you trying to make me mad at you?”

“No, you just said that you didn’t know how it happened.”

“So you are saying that everything I feel about him, is the result of some vampire hypno thingy?”

“No, I’m saying that I started out that way. I’m not saying that the feelings you have aren’t real Buffy.”

They walked on for a while.

“Buffy? Do you still want to be turned? I mean do you have some sort of death wish? Is that why you agreed to be turned?”

“NO! I didn’t agree to be turned Angel. I agreed to spend the rest of my life, or unlife with the man I fell in love with. I didn’t know he was a vampire when we were in LA Angel. He was the first man I ever fell in love with, I will always love him.”

“Ya, I understand that. And I wouldn’t ask you to not love him.”

“You want to know if I’ll be able to move on. Maybe, someday.”
__________________________________________
Buffy, Xander and Willow all snuck into the Library waiting to surprise Giles. Sure enough, completely absorbed in reshelving Giles stumbled upon them.

“Oh! Why are you three hanging about? Don't you have classes to go to?” Not exactly the reaction that Buffy was looking for. Why did Giles have to be stuffy when he was surprised too?

“Teen health got cancelled.” explained Willow.

“Mr. Whitmore's out. Couldn't find an egg sitter or something,” continued Xander inanely.

“Well, then, can you give me a hand?” asked Giles hoping for help with the terrible reshelving.

Buffy and Willow answered in the negative together.

“Sure!” answers Xander curiously upbeat and began shelving books with gusto.

“How did the, um... hunt go last night, Buffy?” asked Giles.

“No go.”

“Uh, 'no', 'no' you didn't go, or, or, or you were unsuccessful?”

“No Gorches.”

“Apparently Buffy has decided the problem with the English language is all those pesky words. You... Angel... big... smoochies?” patronized Xander.

“Shut... up.”

“I-it's true, Buffy, you and Willow do seem a little sluggish. Are you quite sure everything's alright?” asked Giles.

“Maybe something we ate,” offered Willow.

“Or perhaps it's the burden of parenthood. Notice how seriously you two have taken this egg thing.” Buffy and Willow held their baskets protectively. “While I, in turn, have, uh, well, chosen a more balanced approach.” Xander took his egg out of his pocket and started tossing it around.

“Xander, maybe you shouldn't...” trailed off Willow.

“That's exactly what I'm talking about. You can't stress over every little thing! A child picks up on that. Which is a one-way ticket to neurotic city.” Xander continued to toss his egg, but ends up missing the catch. The group watched as the egg hit the group, but failed to break.

“It didn't break!” exclaimed Willow, “How come it didn't break?”

“Which is another secret to conscientious egg care: pot of scalding water and about eight minutes.”

“You boiled your young?”

“Yeah! I know it sounds cruel, but sometimes you gotta be cruel to be kind! I mean, you can bet that little Xander here is thick skinned now.”

Xander picked up his egg.

“Technically that would be cheating, yes?” said Giles as he reached up to put a book up on a shelf.

“No! It's like a short cut. You know, when you run a race?”

“That would also be cheating,” noted Buffy.

“You should be ashamed,” said Willow disapprovingly.

“I suppose there is a sort of... Machiavellian ingenuity to your transgression,” offered Giles.

“I resent that! Or possibly thank you.”

Just then Cordelia walked into the library.

“Figures you three would all be hanging in the dungeon while something major's going on at Sunnydale High,” noted the cheerleader.

“And what would that be, Cordelia? Barrette Appreciation Day?” said Xander returning to shelving books.

“Mr. Whitmore didn't show today.” said Cordelia like it was news.

“That news is of the past.” said Buffy.

“He's missing? Presumed dead?” said Cordy.

“Presumed by whom?” asked Giles.

“Well, me!”

“I think we should give him a few hours before we give up on him completely.” said Giles.

“Well, I think we should look around, don't you Xander?”

“It can wait,” said Xander shaking his head.

“Well, his body could fall out of a closet somewhere,” offered Cordy. “So we should check some closets to see if he's in a closet?”

Xander suddenly pointed at her. “You're right. There could be a closet. Let's go.” Xander pointed at Buffy and Willow as he came down the stairs. “You guys look for more clues. We'll meet back here.” Xander led Cordelia by the arm out of the library.

“We'll get right on it,” said Buffy unenthusiastically.

“Are they getting weirder? Have you noticed the weirdness of them?” asked Willow.

“They're weird. Should I have guilt about not looking for Mr. Whitmore?” asked Buffy.

“I-I'd rather you conserve your strength for hunting the Gorches,” instructed the watcher.

“I'll be fine by tonight. Maybe I'll sweep the cemetery?”

“Well, be careful, i-i-if you're still feeling a little sluggish.”

“No worries.”

“And Angel's helping you, right?” asked Willow.

“He does what he can.”
__________________________________________
In the cemetery that night Angel had shown up for patrol again. Buffy liked it. Now that Angel knew her secret. She now had someone to commiserate about Spike with. They had a connection. Engaged in a deep period of talking and grieving, Angel reached over to hold Buffy’s hand while they walked.

“Ahh... As much as I hate to say this, we should really go kill bad guys.” said Buffy finally as she looked down at their clasped hands.

“It's late. You should really get home. Hmm?”

“What about the Gorches?”

“I'll hunt.”

“Really? You'd do that?”

“Not like I have an early day tomorrow.”

“True. I still have to go home and fill out my egg diary.”

“Your what?”

“Oh, I told you, that faux parenting gig we're doing at school. Like I'm really planning to have kids anytime soon. Uh, maybe someday, in the future, when I'm done having a life, now that I’m not going to be turned, but... right now kids would be just a little too much to deal with.”

“I wouldn't know. I don't... Well, you know, I, I can't.”

“Oh. Yeah, I knew that. I figured there were all sorts of things vampires couldn't do. You know, like work for the Telephone Company, or volunteer for the Red Cross.”

“So you don't think about the future?”

“No.”

“Never?”

“No.”

“You really don't care what happens a year from now? Five years from now?”

“Angel, up until a few weeks ago, my future was finish high school, get turned by Vampire boyfriend. I really hadn’t thought much further than the next two years.”

“He was gonna let you live for two more years?”

“On my 19th Birthday. And I realise, just how stupid was I? I mean, I don’t want to die! But with him...I didn’t care if I was gonna have a pulse, or a soul, or be able to walk in the sun. I just wanted to be with him.” Buffy sniffed. “Bloody Hell, I’m crying again!”
__________________________________________
Buffy lay on her bed, her legs kicking in the air. She was grounded. Grounded. Grounded was definitely better than being the minion of a Bezor. Buffy stared at the paper in front of her. Angel had suggested writing a letter to Spike. Even though he’d never read it, there was something comforting about putting her feelings on paper. Once the grounding was over, maybe she’d take it to the church. When she was ready to let go, but right now, she didn’t think she’d ever be ready.

tbc...
 
Big Mistake
 
Disclaimer: So many other people own Buffy, I really can’t compete with them.

Author’s note: Ok, you’ve read the summery and you’re thinking, is Buffy gonna...you know...with Angel? Please don’t hurt me, this is the way my brain laid out the story...It gets better...I promise. Quotes from the episodes Surprise and Innocence. Once again I thank my reviewers, please be kind! Warning: Angel bashing!
__________________________________________
Buffy rushed to Angel’s apartment. She just had to make sure he was ok. Dreams like that.... So not of the good. He’ll probably think I’m some sort of kid, afraid of my dreams. Spike wouldn’t think I was a kid, she thought as Angel opened the door.

“Hey. Is everything okay?”

“That's what I was gonna ask you. You're okay, right?”

“Sure. I-I'm fine,” he moved back to invite her in. “What's up?”

Buffy walked in and put down her school bag. And he’s not wearing a shirt, she noted.

“Um... I-I had this... dream that Drusilla ....

“What happened?” he asked as he put on a shirt.

“She killed you. Right in front of me.”

“It was just a dream. It wasn't real.”

“But it felt so real.”

Angel grabbed her hand and held it tenderly. “It wasn't. I'm right here.”

“Angel, th-this happened before. The dreams that I had about the Master, they came true.”

“Still, not every dream you have comes true. I mean, what else did you dream last night? Can you remember?”

She‘d been caught. He was always right. *Hate that about him.* “I dreamt... I dreamt that Giles and I opened an office supply warehouse in Vegas.”

“See my point?”

“Yeah, I-I do, but... what if Drusilla wants vengeance?”

“We'll deal.”

“W-w-what if she is...” Buffy is cut off as Angel smashed his lips to her. Buffy pushed away from him instantly.

Oh my god, oh my god. Angel kissed me.

“I'm sorry. I, um... I-I have to go to school.” She turned and quickly headed for the door.

“I know,” said Angel. He followed her, took her arm, turned her around and kissed her again passionately.

Once again Buffy pushed him off.

“Stop! Please. I can’t do this Angel.” she whimpered, looking at the floor. “Not yet.“
__________________________________________
Angel, kissed me, twice. And I said yet....YET. Did this mean that she wanted to someday? Seriously needed Best friend time.

Buffy found Willow walking in the quad at lunch time.

“Quick, Willow, need girl chat. Like now!“

“Buffy? What happened?“

“Ok, so I had this dream, but the dreams not important...well it is but it isn’t. I dreamt that Drusilla killed Angel, right in front of my eyes, and you were going on about how hippos steal pants or something...“

“You said the dream wasn’t important.“

“Right, so this morning I went to Angel’s apartment to check to see if he was ok, cause the dream freaked me out. And while I was there, he kissed me, twice. And I said I can’t do this Angel, not yet.“

“Implying that you could someday.“

“Yes! Do you see the problem?“

Willow had confused face on, “No.“

“Ahhhh!“ Buffy was frustrated.

“Haven’t you been kissing Angel for like months now?“

“NO!“

“Huh?“

“Willow, How can I want to do anything with Angel, it’s Angel!“

“How can you not want to do anything with Angel? It’s Angel, you love him, you have smoochies in graveyards... I don’t understand, and frankly you’re freaking me out here.“

With some difficulty Buffy then clued in that Willow didn’t know about Spike.

“Oh God! Willow, I’m sorry, please forgive me, but it was all a ruse, a smoke screen. I couldn’t let anyone know who my boyfriend was. And now that he’s gone, Angel wants to make a move on me. I’m grieving here Willow!“

“Whoa! hold on! Boyfriend, who’s not Angel? Huh? Since when?“

“Since I lived in LA.“

“But you were all over Angel when you first moved here.“

“He came to find me in October.“

“And now he’s gone, he dumped you?“

“No, he’s...“ Buffy brushed her tears away. “He’s dead Willow.“

“Oh my god Buffy!, I’m so sorry.“

“Need help Willow, what should I do about Angel?“

“What do you wanna do?”

“I don't know. I... I mean, S-William is dead, I don’t want to move on, but is it unhealthy to stay like this forever?“

“How long ago was it?“ said Willow as they sat on a bench.

“Two months”

“Well that’s not long enough to properly grieve, Buffy. Tell Mr Broody to back off.”

“It’s not like I want him, really, it’s just, I miss being physical with someone.”

“Physical?” Willow gulped.

“Yep,”

“Wow”

“You have no idea, but hey, speaking of 'wow' potential, there's Oz over there. What are we thinking, any spark-age?”

Willow smiles. “He's nice. Hey, I like his hands.”

“Mm. A fixation on insignificant detail is a definite crush sign.”

“Oh, I don't know, though. I mean, he is a senior.”

“You think he's too old 'cause he's a senior? Please. My boyfriend had a centennial.”

“Angel’s your boyfriend now...after all that?“

“No! Angel’s not my boyfriend.“

“But you said...wait, was William a Vamp?“

“Not answering that, right now anyway, I promise I will have a full blown girls night, dishing all my secrets, with tubs of Ben and jerry’s. It’s just too painful right now. But back to Oz, you can't spend the rest of your life waiting for Xander to wake up and smell the hottie. Make a move. Do the talking thing.”

“Well, what if the talking thing becomes the awkward-silence thing?”

“Well, you won't know until you try.” said Buffy as she walked away leaving Willow with questions.
__________________________________________
When Spike had opened his eyes regaining consciousness from being pinned beneath an organ Dru had been ecstatic. She wanted a party naturally, to celebrate. Spike had just rolled his eyes at that. Why have a party when all he could do was roll around in a stupid wheel chair. He couldn’t even leave the factory, unless the minions were out with him. Dru enjoyed being the mother hen.

“I have your package.” said Dalton, presenting Spike with a large wooden box.

“Just put it on the table... near the other gifts.” Dru always had to have presents. But this present had him worried.

“Are you dead set on this, pet? Wouldn't you rather have your party in Vienna?” asked Spike of his Sire who was pushing his chair forward.

“But the invitations are sent.”

“Yeah. It's just I've had it with this place. Nothing ever comes off like it's supposed to.” They could take Buffy and go.

“My gatherings are always perfect. Remember Spain?” Dru crouched down to look him in the eye “Hey... The bulls?”

“I remember, sweet. But Sunnydale's cursed for us. Angel and that other Slayer see to that.”

“Shhh... I've got good games for everyone.” Dru licked his cheek “You'll see.”

Spike watched as Dru walked over to a table and inspected the roses and other red flowers that had been assembled for the party.

“These flowers... are wrong.” moaned Drusilla “They're all... wrong! I can't abide them!” Dru began to scream and rip up the flowers which had been so right until just now.

“Let's try something different with the flowers then,” said Spike in a calming voice.

Dru’s eyes flick over her childe, then to the presents on a nearby table.

“Can I open one? Can I?”

Spike smiled at her. She was a child, even after 150 or so years.

“Can I? Ooo...”

“Just a peek, love.”

She excitedly reached for the latch on one of them.

“They're for the party.”

He wheeled himself over to her.

“Do you like it, pet?”

“It reeks of death.” She sighed and knelt in front of Spike. “This will be the best party ever.”

“Why is that?”

“Because...” She stood back up and leaned toward the box. “It will be the last.”

The last huh? Spike didn’t like how this party was coming together. And he really wanted to see Buffy. God knows what she was thinking right now. He hadn’t seen in her two months. Granted that he was bedridden/unconscious for a large part of those two months. Angelus better be keeping his paws to himself.
__________________________________________
This birthday sucked. Attacked by vamps, Dru’s minions were assembling some sort of icky destructo judge person, and now Angel was all ‘let me take the arm to the ends of the earth.’ Some birthday fun. Buffy popped another bite of cake into her mouth. The truth was that Buffy was not a little conflicted about Angel leaving. Sure there was the added bonus to his leaving that he would gone and hence not trying to mack on her. But she would miss her friend.
__________________________________________
Buffy followed Angel to a ship that would take him to Asia.

“ I should go the rest of the way alone,” he said reluctantly.

“Okay.”

“But I'll be back. I will.”

“When? Six months, a year? You don't know how long it's gonna take or if we'll even...” she trailed off looking down.

“Hey...” Angel raised her chin so he could look in her eyes. “If we'll even what?”

“Well, if you haven't noticed, someone pretty much always wants us dead.”

“Don't say that. We'll be fine.”

“We don't know that.”

“We can't know, Buffy. Nobody can. That's just the deal.” Angel reached into his pocket. “I have something for you. For your birthday. I... I was gonna give it to you earlier, but...” Angel held out the ring for her inspection.

“It's beautiful. But I can’t wear your ring Angel. I can’t, it’s too soon.”

Angel continued on ignoring her protests “My people, before I was changed, they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty... and the heart... Well, you know... Wear it with the heart pointing towards you. It means you belong to somebody. Like this.” Held his hand out and showed her his own ring.

“Put it on.” He took the ring from her and slipped it onto her finger.

Buffy looked down at the ring, the heart was pointing in, her heart was taken, she knew that. But it wasn’t the man that gave her the ring to whom her heart belonged.

“Maybe when you get back...” said Buffy.

“Sounds like a good plan.”

Buffy drew him into her arms. They hugged for several moments.

“Buffy... I... “ started Angel, before two vampires suddenly jumped at them from some cargo netting.

One pulled Buffy off of Angel and threw her back. Buffy rolled to her feet. The vampire swung at her, but missed. She grabbed him and started pummelling his gut. Buffy ducked a swing, lifted herself up on the dock railing and kicked her assailant in the chest with both feet, sending him staggering back into the gangplank. She ran after him and grabbed him by the back of the shirt and hair. The minion growled. Out of the corner of her eye Buffy saw Dru’s minion, the one she had fought for the box the first time dropped out of the cargo netting run over to the box, grabbed it and started to run.

“Angel! The box!” Buffy called.

Buffy's attacker shook free of her and shoved her into a stack of crates. The minion tried a roundhouse kick, but she ducked it and he hit the crates instead. She went to grab for him, but he punched her in the face. Buffy's opponent grabbed her by the jacket and roared as he swung her around, over the railing and into the water.

“Buffy!” shouted Angel as he jumped over the railing after her.
__________________________________________
Angel carried Buffy into his apartment. She was soaking wet, he was soaking wet.

“Angel, you can put me down you know.“ Angel lets her down and takes off his jacket.

“You're shaking like a leaf.”

“Cold.”

“Let me get you something.”

Angel walked over to an armoire and took out some things for Buffy to wear.

“Put these on. Get under the covers, just to warm up.”

Buffy took the clothes from him and walked over to his bed. Sitting down on the bed she looked up at him wondering if he was going to keep looking at her while she changed.

After a moment he faced away to give her privacy.

“Sorry.”

With freezing fingers and sore muscles Buffy removed her top shirt and winced at the pain.

“What?” asked Angel concerned.

He probably smells the blood, she thought.

“Oh, um... It's okay. I just have a cut or something.”

“Can I... Lemme see.”

Buffy clutched her shirt to her chest. Good idea? Bad idea?

“Okay.” she whispered.

Angel turned around and sat down on the bed behind her. He gently touched her back and looked at the cut.

“It's already closed. You're fine.”

Buffy leaned back into him and cuddled her face to his. He put his arms around her.

“You almost went away today.”

“We both did.”

“Angel...” sobbed Buffy, “I feel like I lost you... Everyone leaves me, I don‘t want you to dust, I can‘t lose you like I did Spike.”

“Shhh. I... “ he trailed off.

Buffy turned around to look at him.

“You what?”

“I love you. I try not to, but I can't stop.”

Buffy touched his face tenderly. She knew she didn’t return his feelings, but she wanted the feelings of loneliness to stop.

“Make me feel, Angel, I’m tired of being numb.“
__________________________________________
Buffy woke up to find that Angel was not in the apartment. Par for the course, she thought. She had been asleep for about an hour. Time to get back to Giles and the Scoobies. She just didn’t want to think about what she had just done. She had had sex with Angel. Not Spike, Angel. She felt awful. She had betrayed Spike, the memory of Spike. Buffy bolted out of the apartment, she needed a shower, she felt so dirty.
__________________________________________
Buffy walked into the Library dressed in dry clothes. Fun times being rescued by Angel from drowning, Angel wasn‘t there either. Wonder where he is? Really need to talk to him. Big mistake.

“ Xander...” warned Willow.

“And she cries?” continued Xander with his fascinating story.

“What happened?” asked Giles.

“Dru's guys ambushed us. They got the box.”

“Where's Angel?” asked Giles.

“Uh, no clue. I lost track of him when I went to get dry clothes”

“And you needed clothes because...” asked Xander.

“We got wet. Giles, what do we know?”

“The more I study the Judge, the less I like him. His touch can literally burn the humanity out of you. A true creature of evil can survive the process. No human ever has.”

“What's the problem? We send Cordy to fight this guy, and we go for pizza.” smiled Xander

“Can this guy be stopped? Without an army?”

“Um, 'no weapon forged can kill him.' Not very encouraging. If we could only stop them from assembling him,” advised Giles

“We need to find his weak spots, and we need to figure out where they'd be keeping him.”

“This could take time.”
__________________________________________
The party was in full swing when Dalton returned with the box.

“Look what I have for you, ducks,” announced Spike to his Sire who was bobbing her head to the music that filled the factory.

Drusilla smiled and stepped over to him.

“Ahh... The best is saved for last.” Drusilla took the box from him and handed it to minions, who place the box in its place with the others.

As soon as all the pieces are in place, a bright light began to emanate from the cracks in the boxes. The Judge, a blue horned demon stepped out and gazed at the party goers.

“He's perfect, my darling,” Dru gushed. “Just what I wanted.”

The judge takes a moment to gain his balance. He pointed at Drusilla.

“You!”

“Ho, ho, ho. What's that, mate?” said Spike putting himself between Dru and the Judge.

“You two stink of humanity. You share affection and jealousy.”

“Yeah. What of it? Do I have to remind you that we're the ones who brought you here?” said Spike tapping the Judge’s armour.

“Would you like a party favour?” asked Dru offering her guests to him.

The Judge took in the whole assemblage of guests before letting his eyes rest on Dalton.

“This one is full of feeling. He reads. Bring him to me.”

Minions grabbed the poor Dalton.

“What's with the bringing? I thought you could just zap people,“ asked Spike from his wheel chair.

“My full strength will return in time. Until then... I need contact.”

The Judge stepped over to Dalton.

“No. No! NO!” screamed Dalton, looking to Spike for reprieve.

The Judge put his hand on Dalton's chest, and the poor minion began smoke. Drusilla watched with excitement in her eyes. The Judge's hand began to burn into Dalton, who quickly combusted, disappearing in a flash of flame and smoke.

“Do it again! Do it again!” giggled Drusilla gleefully.
__________________________________________
The party didn’t last long after the guests realised that the guest of honour was going to try to kill them all. What had started out to be a promising night, now was boring as hell. Even the judge was being contemplative and dire, sitting by himself.

“What's Big Blue up to anyway? He just sits there.” Spike asked Dru wheeling into the middle of the room.

“I am preparing.” answered the smurf.

Spike rolled his eyes. “Yeah. It's interesting to me that 'preparing' looks a great bit like sitting on your ass. When do we destroy the world already?”

“My strength grows, and with every life I take it will increase further,” stated the judge.

“So let's take some. I'm bored.”

The sound of Drusilla’s moaning filled the cavernous room.

“Dru?” asked Spike worried.

Spike turned his chair around just as Drusilla collapsed to the floor and began to cry.

“Angel...” moaned Drusilla.

“Dru? What is it? Dru! Darling... Do you see something?”

Suddenly she stopped crying and faced him with a deliciously evil smile. She took his hand and walked over to a table where she laid down.

“Are we feeling better, then?” asked Spike.

“I'm naming all the stars.” said his sire.

“You can't see the stars, love. That's the ceiling. Also, it's day.”

“I can see them. But I've named them all the same name. And there's terrible confusion.”

“Did you see any further? Do you know what happens to Angel?” asked Spike.

“Well,” comes a voice from the doorway, Angel’s voice, “he moves to New York and tries to fulfill that Broadway dream. It's tough sledding, but one day he's working in the chorus when the big star twists her ankle.”

“You don't give up, do you? Actually, why did it take you so long to show up?” said Spike as he spun in his chair to face his grand sire.

“As long as there's injustice in the world, as long as scum like you is walking... well, rolling the streets... I'll be around,” said Angel as he slowly walked over. “Look over your shoulder. I'll be there.”

“Uh, yeah. Angel, um... look over your shoulder,” said Spike gleefully.

Angel turned around as the Judge put his hand on his chest.

“Hurts, doesn't it?” said Spike.

“Well, you know, it kinda itches a little,” responded Angel.

“Don't just stand there. Burn him,” Spike ordered the judge.

“Gee, maybe he's broken,” taunted Angel.

“What the hell is going on?” asked Spike.

“This one... cannot be burnt. He is clean,” declared the judge as he removed his hand from Angel’s chest.

“Clean? You mean, he's...” trailed off Spike.

“There's no humanity in him,” said the Judge with finality.

“I couldn't have said it better myself,” said Angelus.

“Angel,” breathed Dru with realisation.

“Yeah, baby. I'm back.”

“Is it really true?” asked Spike.

“It's really true,” Angelus laughed.

“You've come home,” noted Dru.

“No more of this 'I've got a soul' crap?” said Spike as he followed Angelus around the room.

“What can I say, hmm? I was going through a phase.” Angelus lit a cigarette

“This is great! This is so great!” said Spike enthused.

“Everything in my head is singing! We're family again. We'll feed. Grrr. And we'll play.” said Dru as she walked on tables, only to be taken down by her sire.

“I've got to tell you, it made me sick to my stomach seeing you chase after the Slayer,” said Spike, wanting no more than to bash his grandsire for smelling like Buffy.

Angelus growled and grabbed Spike by the shirt. Then he kissed him on the forehead and stepped back. Spike burst out laughing.

“How did this happen?” asked Dru.

“You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”

“Oh, who cares? What matters is now he's back!” said Spike.

“Psst. We're going to destroy the world. Want to come?” whispered Dru.

“Yeah. Destroying the world. Great. I'm really more interested in the Slayer.”

Spike perked up at that. “Well, she's in the world, so that should work out. But she’s mine Angelus, you’ve no mark on her.”

“Give me tonight. Hmm?” Spike felt that Angelus was ignoring him.

“What do you mean?”

“Lay low for a night. I guarantee you by the time you go public she won't be anything resembling a threat.”

“You've really got a yen to hurt this girl, haven't you? She wasn’t a threat before Angelus. It’s her bloody watcher calling the shots and your soulful alter ego. You stay away from her.“

“Maybe she can’t stay away from me? She made me feel like a human being. That's not the kind of thing you just forgive.”
__________________________________________
Buffy was starting to get frantic. She couldn’t find Angel anywhere. Visions from her dreams were flooding her mind, how Drusilla killed him. What if he had been captured? Buffy had even beat up Willy a couple of times to find out where Angel was. She shouldn’t have waited for him in the library last night. She shouldn’t have gone home for fresh clothes. They weren’t closer to finding out about the Judge’s weaknesses and were really sure that he had been fully assembled. Buffy headed back to his apartment again, just in case he had gone home.

Entering the apartment she could feel Angel tinglies. She let out a sigh of relief. The bed had been made and some clothes had been laid out on it. Buffy turned to face the direction that the tinglies were coming from.

“Angel!” she said happily.

“Hey!”

Buffy gave her, friend? Lover? a hug.

“Oh, my God! I was so worried!”

“I didn't mean to frighten you.”

“Where did you go?”

“Been around.”

“Ohhh. Oh, my God! I was freaking out! You just disappeared.”

“What? I took off,” he said nonchalantly as he heads to the bed for his shirt.

“But you didn't say anything. You just left.”

“Yeah. Like I really wanted to stick around after that.”

“What?”

“You got a lot to learn about men, kiddo. Although I guess you proved that last night.”

Buffy erupted into laughter. “What are you saying? Are you telling me that I was bad? That’s a laugh. You may have been fucking for over two hundred years, but I know when I’m getting the really short end of that stick.“

“Let's not make an issue out of it, okay? In fact, let's not talk about it at all. It happened.”

“I agree, it was a mistake. A fucking huge mistake.”

“Lighten up. It was a good time. It doesn't mean like we have to make a big deal.”

“Again, me with the agreement. I just think that after your whole, ‘I can’t help myself, I love you,’ speech last night, I might have had to break your heart. Too bad you don’t have one. Well it’s been a trip Angel, I’d like to say it was a good fuck, but I really can’t,” said Buffy turning to leave. As she passed the door way she turned to look at Angel once more. “Oh, and Angel, two words... G Spot...look it up.”
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
Friends Tell
 
Disclaimer: Joss owns Buffy, I just own the entire series on DVD.
__________________________________________
Buffy returned to the school only to hear commotion in the hallway.

“Don't do that!” shouted Xander.

“Oh, I think I do that.” said Angel.

“Angel...” whispered Willow.

Buffy could tell something was off. Hell she could tell that something was off since she left Angel’s apartment, when her feeling of glee from her g spot comment dissipated.

“He's not Angel anymore. Are you?” said Miss Calendar.

“Wrong. I am Angel. At last!”

“Oh, my God,” breathed Xander.

“I got a message for Buffy,” said Angelus.

Buffy walked out behind the vampire. “Why don't you give it to me yourself?” she said putting her hands on her hips.

Angelus spun around with Willow, gripped by the neck, to face her.

“Well, it's not really the kind of message you tell. It sort of involves finding the bodies of all your friends.”

Willow yelped as Angelus tightened his grip on her throat.

“This can't be you.”

“Gee, we already covered that subject.”

“Leave Willow alone, and deal with me. She‘s not the one that thinks you have a small dick.”

“But she's so cute and helpless,” said Angel pinching Willow’s cheek “Angel as you knew him, Angel your boyfriend is dead. You're all gonna join him.”

“You were never my boyfriend Angelus! You were a convenient fuck, nothing more.”

Xander took that moment to shove a cross into Angelus' face from behind. The vampire reeled back and dropped Willow. Angelus turned to exit the building, as he reached where Buffy was standing, he grabbed her by her shoulders.

“Things are about to get very interesting.” he whispered, then kissed her hard. He shoved Buffy into the wall and he backed out the door.

“Buffy, you okay?” asked Xander.

Oh yeah, I’m good Xander, I just fucked Angel’s soul out of him. Damn I must be really good in bed.
__________________________________________
Back in the library Giles paced.

“And we're absolutely certain that, that Angel has reverted to his former self?”

“Yeah, uh, we're all certain. Anyone not feeling certain here?” declared Xander.

“Giles, you wouldn't have believed him. He was so... He came here to kill us.” said Willow.

“What are we gonna do?” asked Cordelia.

“I'm leaning towards blind panic myself,” said Giles.

“Rupert, don't talk like that. The kids,” chastised Miss Calendar.

“I'm sorry. It's just that things are bad enough with the Judge here. Angel crossing over to the other side... I-I-I wasn't prepared for that.”

“None of us were.”

Buffy looked on at the exchange without seeing. She had done this to Angel, people were going to die because she had a moment of weakness and had had sex with the wrong vampire.

“Are you okay?” asked Willow coming to sit beside her.

“I should've known.” she laughed, “When I saw him at his apartment, he was different. The things he said...”

“What things?” asked Giles.

“It's private,” said Buffy glaring at her watcher.

“But you didn't know he had turned bad?” asked Miss Calendar.

Willow looked at Miss Calendar with suspicion. “How did you?”

“What?”

“Well, you knew. You told me to get away from him.”

“Well, I saw his face.”

“If only we knew how it happened,” said Giles as he sat down on the table.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, something set it off. Some, some, uh, event must've triggered his transformation. Well, if anyone would know, Buffy, it-it should be you,” said Giles

“I don't...think it’s important how he turned, just that it’s done and now Angelus, scourge of Europe is out there right now... probably with Drusilla and the Judge, planning the destruction of humanity,” whispered Buffy.

“I merely ask, for curiosity, closure, find out when exactly it happened,” continued the watcher.

“You really aren’t going to let this go? are you? Trust me, you don’t want to know.” Buffy left the library.
__________________________________________
“You should've seen her face. It was priceless.” Angelus hopped up on a platform as he told his childer his tale. “I'll never forget it.”

“So you didn't kill her then.” asked Spike.

“Of course not.”

“And sadly it appears that she failed to kill you,” said Spike elated that the grandsire hadn’t killed Buffy.

“You don't want to kill her, do you?” asked Dru as she poked her doll’s eyes out “You want to hurt her. Just like you hurt me.”

“Nobody knows me like you do, Dru.”

“She'd better not get in our way,” said Spike.

“Don't worry about it.”

“I do.” *I worry about her, it’s insane but I do.*

“Spike, my boy, you really don't get it! Do you? You tried to kill her, but you couldn't. Look at you. You're a wreck! She's stronger than any Slayer you've ever faced. Force won't get it done. You gotta work from the inside. To kill this girl... you have to love her.”

Spike rolled his eyes at his grandsire. The poofter was telling him how to kill Buffy? Thought I was doing a pretty good job of that you bleedin’ ponce... thought Spike.
__________________________________________
After a brilliant nap, Buffy, refreshed and angry, marched straight to Ms. Calendar's classroom. The woman knew! She knew that Angel would go evil! She knew, and she didn’t tell anyone.

“Oh, Buffy.” said Giles trying to get her attention.

Buffy walked right past Giles and straight to the computer teacher. Gripping Miss Calendar by the throat Buffy pushed the teacher into the desk.

“Buffy!” shouted Giles as he tried to pull Buffy off of Miss Calendar.

“What do you know?!” shouted Buffy.

“Should I get the principal?” asked a student.

“No, I-I-I'll deal with this. Y-y-you're, you're all dismissed!” Giles told the class.

Buffy let go of the teacher as the other students left the room.

“Did you do it? Did you change him?”

“For God's sake, calm down!” said Giles.

“Did you know this was gonna happen?”

“You can't go around accusing everybody...”

“I didn't know... exactly. I was told...”trailed off Miss Calendar. “Oh, God. I was sent here to watch you. They told me to keep you and Angel apart. They never told me what would happen.”

“Jenny!”

“I'm sorry, Rupert. Angel was supposed to pay for what he did to my people.”

“And me? What was I supposed to be paying for?”

“I didn't know what would happen until after. I swear I would've told you.”

“So it was me. I did it.”

“I think so. I mean, if you...”

“I don't understand.” said Giles impatiently.

“The curse. If Angel achieved true happiness, even just a moment of... He would lose his soul.” explained Miss Calendar.

“W-w-w-h-h-how do you know you were responsible f-for...” stammered Giles.

Buffy gave him a look. Giles took off his glasses.

“Oh,” said the watcher uncomfortably.

“If there is anything that...” trailed off Miss Calendar.

“Curse him again.”

“No, I-I can't. I mean, those magicks are long lost even to my people.”

“You did it once. It might not be too late to save him.”

“It can't be done. I can't help you.”

“Then take me to someone who can.” Buffy demanded.
__________________________________________
Buffy followed Miss Calendar to some skeezy hotel in the middle of nowhere. Buffy was seriously beginning to doubt Miss Calendar’s word here. I mean who would live here?

The three entered a room. Buffy gasped. There on the bed was a body, a human body, horribly mutilated.

“Oh, my god” gasped Miss Calendar.

Despite being extremely angry with her computer teacher, Buffy couldn’t help but feel bad about the death of the woman’s uncle.

The wall above the dead man was covered in blood written words. WAS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO, dripped down the wall. Angel was taunting her.

“He's doing this deliberately, Buffy. He's trying to make it harder for you.” said Giles

“He's only making it easier. I know what I have to do.”

“What?”

“Kill him.”
__________________________________________
Wasn’t much to do, while waiting for the judge to power up. Wasn’t much to do while sitting in a wheelchair either. Angelus was making his presence known to the minions, asserting his authority over everyone in the Factory. Essentially that meant that Spike was lower in the chain of command now. The minion’s were Dru’s as the elder Master, Spike only ruled them because Dru was too loony to do exactly what she was supposed to do as Master. Now Angelus was Lording it over him. Good news was that if he wanted to, Spike could just up and leave, Dru wouldn’t want her childe around to distract her from her daddy. The only problem was the fucking wheelchair.

“I am ready,” announced the smurf.

“About time,” said Spike. Dru gave him a little wave. “Have fun.”

Angelus bent down to whisper in Spike’s ear. “Too bad you can't come with, huh? I'll be thinkin' of you.”

“I won't be in this chair forever,” said Spike with a warning.

Angelus took Drusilla's hand and they started out after the Judge.

“What happens if the slayer shows up?” asked Spike, wanting to hear that he wouldn’t hurt her, but of course that was asking too much. This was Angelus after all.

“I'm gonna give her a kiss.” Angelus answered him. Then the Elder Vampire turned to the Judge, “Don't you look spiffy!”

“Spiffy?”

Spike watched as Drusilla and Angelus and the blue one left the factory. He just hoped that Buffy protected herself.
__________________________________________
Back in the library, Xander and Oz lifted the results of their own expedition onto Giles’ desk.

“Happy Birthday, Buffy. I hope you like the colour.” said Xander stepping back from the large crate.

Truly the best present anyone had ever gotten me, she thought.

“Giles, we go to the factory first, but they might not be there. They're on the offensive. We need to figure out where they'd go.”

Giles lifted a crowbar up and smashed it down on the lock of the crate.

“Agreed,” said the watcher as he opened the crate.

“This is good.” Buffy noted while looking at her new present. Rocket launcher. I like boys who give me weapons.

From the door way Buffy heard an unwelcome voice. “Do you, uh... Is there something I can do?” asked Miss Calendar.

“Get out,” Buffy snapped.

“I-I just want to help,” stammered the computer teacher.

“She just said get out,” said Giles without even looking at the woman.

“Do you want me to show you how to use it?” asked Xander.

“Yes, I do.”
__________________________________________
Buffy, Giles, Xander, Willow, Cordy and Oz entered the factory cautiously only to find that it was deserted. Buffy was kinda shocked that no one had questioned her how she knew where Dru’s lair was, but she was glad that she didn’t have to get into it.

“I knew it.”

“We haven't a bead on where they would go?” Giles asked the group.

“I don't know, uh... somewhere crowded, I guess. I mean, the Judge needs bodies, right?”

“The Bronze?” Willow offered.

“It's closed tonight,” stated Xander.

“There's not a lot of choices in Sunnydale. It's not like people are gonna line up to get massacred,” said Cordelia flippantly.

“Uh, guys? If I were gonna line up, I know where I'd go,” suggested Oz.

Spike watched as the super friends group discussed where the Judge was likely to be, looking for all those people to feed off of. He so desperately wanted to take Buffy and carry her off to some foreign land away from all of this. But as it was, he was stuck in the chair, and with Angelus breathing down his neck. As the group left his home Spike silently wished Buffy luck, and hoped that he’d see her again soon.
__________________________________________
Buffy stepped out of the elevator with purpose. Sure this was akin to world savage, but Buffy was more intent on using her new toy, and sticking something wooden in a certain vampire’s chest.

“Everybody keep back. Damage control only. Take out any lesser vamps if you can. I'll handle the Judge,” ordered General Buffy.
__________________________________________
And Buffy liked her new toy. As the smoke from the weapon billowed up and away from her she handed the rocket launcher back to Xander.

“Best present ever.”

“Knew you'd like it.”

“Do you think he's dead?” asked Willow, referring to the multitude of Judge parts that were lying all over the mall.

“We can't be sure. Pick up the pieces and keep them separate.”

Buffy left the mundane picking up of pieces to her friends. She had a stake with Angelus’s name on it. Following where she last saw him, Buffy turned a corner, only to be assaulted by the sprinkler system. Crap! Suddenly Buffy got hit from behind and she fell backwards.

“You know what the worst part was, huh? Pretending that I loved you. If I'd known how easily you'd give it up, I wouldn't have even bothered,” said Angelus.

“That doesn't work anymore. You're not Angel,” Buffy noted as she got up. “But you know, it sounds like you having more issues with the fact that you loved me, I never said I was in love with you.”

Angelus snorted. “You'd like to think that I‘m not your simpering Angel, wouldn't you? It doesn't matter. The important thing is you made me the man I am today!” Angelus gave her an evil grin.

God, I’m really starting to hate him! thought the Slayer. So she kicked him in the face. He blocked her next swing and punched her in the face and in the gut. He grabbed her and swung her around to throw her, but she kept her footing. He kicked her in the face and this time she fell to the floor.

Angelus grabbed Buffy as she tried to get up and heaved her over onto her back again. She rolled around to her feet and came at him. She swung at him, but he blocked and hit her instead. He followed up with a backhand punch and she hit the floor again.

“Not quittin' on me already, are ya? Come on, Buffy. You know you want it, huh?”

She leapt up and kicked him in the face. He arched backward and then snapped forward. Buffy kneed him in the chin and then delivered a series of punches to his gut. She ended with a punch to his face. He wasn't fazed, and lunged at her. She grabbed his arm and diverted him into a display case. He crashed through the glass, but immediately straightened back up, breaking the top pane and the frame of the case as well. She kicked him in the face and again in the chest, and he staggered backward into a potted tree. She pulled out a stake and stood ready to finish the job. Angelus straightened up and faced her. Buffy didn't move, but instead lowered the stake and just stared at him.

“You can't do it. You can't kill me.”

*Fucking asshole!* Her anger bubbled to the surface and she kicked him extremely hard in the crotch. Angelus grabbed his groin and moaned in extreme pain. He collapsed to his knees. Buffy turned her back on him and walks away.

“Give me time.”

Buffy walked away without looking back. Give me time, Angelus, I’ll work my way up to it soon.
__________________________________________
Giles drove her home afterwards.

“It's not over. I-I-I suppose you know that. He'll come after you, particularly. His profile, uh, well, he... he's likely to strike out at the things that made him the most human,” advised the watcher.

“You must be so disappointed in me.”

“No. No, no, I'm not.”

“But this is all my fault.”

“No. I don't believe it is. Do you want me to wag my finger at you and tell you that you acted rashly? You did. A-and I can. I know that you loved him. And... he... has proven more than once that he loved you. You couldn't have known what would happen. The coming months a-are gonna, are gonna be hard... I, I suspect on all of us, but... if it's guilt you're looking for, Buffy, I'm, I'm not your man. All you will get from me is, is my support. And my respect.”

Buffy smiled. But it was hard, she hadn’t loved Angel, that way. She had used him to feel something, and now everyone was paying for it. Giles might not be disappointed with her, but she certainly was with herself. It was almost enough to swear off sex forever. Almost.
__________________________________________
Willow and Buffy walked outside at school, having yet another boy talk. Or rather, an Oz talk. Buffy was trying to be supportive, but with everything that was going on in her own life, it was hard to give Willow all the attention that a best friend deserved.

“Nowhere. I mean, he said he was gonna wait until I was ready, but I'm ready. Honest. I'm good to go here,” complained Willow, about Oz.

“Well, I think it's nice that he's not just being an animal.”

“It is nice. He's great. We have a lot of fun. But I want smoochies!”

“Have you dropped any hints?”

“I've dropped anvils.”

“Ah, he'll come around. What guy could resist your wily Willow charms?”

“At last count, all of them. Maybe more.”

“Well, none of them know a thing. They all get an 'F' in Willow.”

“But I want Oz to get an 'A', and, oh, one of those gold stars.”

They sat down on a bench.

“He will.”

“Well, he better hurry. I don't want to be the only girl in school without a real boyfriend“

Like me, thought Buffy sadly.

“Oh, I'm such an idiot. I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't even be talking about... Do you want me to go away?”

“I wish you wouldn't.”

“How are you holding up anyway?”

“I'm holding. I was going on two minutes there without thinking about William.”

“Well, there you go.” said Willow cheerfully.

“Except I shouldn’t. I feel guilty. I should never have slept with Angel. I knew that like two seconds after it was over. Like I betrayed William. I just wanted to feel something that wasn’t pain and misery.”

“Buffy you didn’t know what would happen. You’d ... you know...with William, how did you know that doing...that... would make Angel lose his soul?”

“Doesn’t matter, Will, I did it. He was my friend and I used him. I used him and for a brief moment I forgot about the one person I loved with ever fibre of my being.”

“Tell me about him”

“You won’t like it Will.”

“I already know he’s a vamp, or was...what can be worst than that?”

“Souless, blood drinking vampire? Something I’m supposed to kill?”

“But you looked past all that and fell in love, it’s romantic.”

“I didn’t know he was a Vamp when I first met him.”

“Huh?”

“I wasn’t the slayer then.”

“Oh, so this was in LA? Weren’t you like fifteen then?”

“Yep, fifteen and in love with a hundred and seventeen year old vamp.”

“How old did you think he was?”

“I don’t know, twenty five or so.”

“Buffy! Jailbait!”

“I didn’t care, I just loved him so much. Probably because of thrall, but even after I knew he was a vamp I didn’t care. He made me whole.”

“Oh Buffy. How did he go?” asked Willow afraid to approach the subject.

“Kendra dropped an organ on him,” Buffy sniffed and looked at Willow expectantly.

“Wait...organ... William is Spike? William the Bloody was your boyfriend? This whole time?”

Buffy nodded, as she wiped the tears that were staining her face away.

“But he was trying to kill you! At parent teacher night, when Ford sold you out to him, in the church! I don’t understand.”

“It was a put on, for the minions. Spike came to town to cure Drusilla, his sire, and to kill the slayer. He didn’t know it was me. He thought I was still in LA. He promised not to kill anyone that I was friends with or my family. As long as you smelled like me, even a little bit, he wasn’t going to kill any of you.”

“That’s why you didn’t stake him on Halloween. Xander said you let him go,” said Willow, trying to make sense of it all.

“I couldn’t Willow. And I couldn’t tell anyone. He was supposed to cure Dru, he didn’t want anyone to know. He made me keep it a secret.”

“So all those times we were talking about Angel, you meant Spike.“

Buffy nodded again.

“Willow, I’m so sorry that I’ve kept this from you.“

“I don’t know what to say to that Buffy. I thought you were my friend. Friends tell.“

“I’m so very sorry. I didn’t tell you about him when I first came to Sunnydale, because I thought you would think I was loony for still being in love with a man I thought ten years older than me, for a year and a half after he left me to take care of his mother in Prague. And after he came back I just found myself getting deeper and deeper into the lie.“

“I’m hurt, Buffy. But I think I understand...maybe. I just need a little time for this all to sink in.“

“Fair enough,“
__________________________________________
Buffy missed Spike. She missed their after Buffy’s weird weekly coffee dates at the IHOP. The whole thing with Oz being a werewolf was just one such event that would have made a great conversation topic. She could just imagine all the things he’d say to make her laugh, how he’d offer to eat that Cain guy for her and how come they never went to make out point?

Buffy took another look at the letter in her hand. She had written it to Spike a while ago, at Angel’s suggestion. She’d been there for an hour, still contemplating leaving the letter. It seemed that this was her last connection with Spike, he was gone. Maybe she had to accept his loss and move on. It was just so hard. Buffy felt the tears well up in her eyes again.

Buffy deposited the Letter back in to her pocket and left the church. She wasn’t ready yet. She didn’t know if she was ever gonna be ready.
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
Tea with Grandmummy
 
Disclaimer: Not mine... You know the drill
__________________________________________
“Ha, ha, ha. This time I'm ready for you. No 'F' for Xander today. No, this baby's my ticket to a sweet D-minus.” Xander stood up with is paper, ready to hand in the vile thing to the teacher.

Buffy shook her head at Xander. Sure he wasn’t the best student, but he sold himself short a lot of the time. Willow walked down the aisle of the classroom and stopped next to Amy.

“Hey, Amy.” greeted Willow.

“Hey,” said the former cheerleader, pulling on her back pack “Are you guys going to the Valentine's Day dance at the Bronze? I think it's gonna be a lot of fun.”

Willow turned to look at Buffy with a huge smile on her face.

“Go ahead. You know you wanna say it,” said Buffy.

Willow faced Amy again, grinning broadly. “My boyfriend's in the band!”

“Cool,” replied Amy.

“I think you've now told everybody,” said Buffy.

“Only in this hemisphere,” said Willow pulling on her backpack.

“What about you?” Amy asked Buffy.

“Oh, Valentine's Day is just a cheap gimmick to sell cards and chocolate,” offered Buffy.

“Bad breakup, huh?”

“Believe me when I say, 'uh-huh'.”
__________________________________________
During training time, Giles felt it necessary to have one of those talks. You know the ones, where the adult in question really gets uncomfortable? Come to think of it, most of her talks with Giles are like that nowadays. Buffy was sitting at the table hugging her knee watching the awkwardness unfold.

“Are you okay?” she asked the watcher.

“Me? I-I-I'll be fine.” Giles scratched his nose and then carefully put his hands back into his pockets. “Um, I was more concerned about you, actually. Uh, since Angel, um... uh... turned...” Giles sat on the table and folded his hands “I've, um, been reading up on, on his earlier activities. Y'know, uh, feeding patterns a-and the like.”

“And?”

“Around Valentine's Day, he, he, he's rather prone to, uh... well, um, brutal displays of, uh... He would think of it as affection, I suppose.”

“Like what?”

“No, no, uh,” Giles removed himself from the table “no need to go into details.” He said as he walked away from the table

“That bad?”

“Suffice it to say I, I think it would be best if you stayed off the streets for a few nights. I-I-I'll, um...” Giles sat down again across from her, “I'll patrol and keep an eye on things. Better safe than sorry.”

“It's a little late for both.”
__________________________________________
Spike watched with glee as Drusilla opened her valentine’s day gift. It was tradition, even now that they weren’t lovers anymore, she was his sire, and there was no harm in giving gifts right?

“Fancy it, pet?” he smiled.

“Ahhh. It's beautiful. Mm,” gushed Drusilla about the gold necklace that Spike had gotten for her.

Truth was that he had sent out minions for it. Spike was still confined to the factory, being unable to walk or even roll out of the wheelchair inaccessible factory. Frankly it was humiliating for the master Vampire to be carried about by Dru whenever he needed to move to a room that he couldn’t get to by his wheelchair. Sure the minions had done a good job by putting ramps up all over, but that didn’t help it when Spike wanted out, out of the factory, out of the frigging wheelchair.

“Nothing but the best for my gir...” Spike trailed off as Angelus entered the room and slapped down a human heart on to the table.

“Happy Valentine's Day, Dru.” smiled Angelus.

“Oh...” Dru walked over the table and held her hand out over the organ “Angel! It's still warm.”

“I knew you'd like it. I found it in a quaint little shop girl.” Then Angelus noticed the gift that Spike had given her. Angelus picked up the necklace and held it out to get a better look at it. “Cute.” Angelus reached around Dru’s neck to put the thing on her. “Here.”

Dru pulled her hair back giving him access to put it on her. With a huff, Spike wheeled towards the pair.

“I'll get it.”

“Done. I know Dru gives you pity access, but you have to admit it's so much easier when I do things for her.” smiled Angelus

“You would do well to worry less about Dru and more about your own concerns. That means leaving my Slayer alone.”

“Dear Buffy. I'm still trying to decide the best way to send my regards,” said the elder vampire as he sat on the table

“Don’t care what you do, as long as you realise that she is mine to kill.“

“Ah yes, my boy, she is yours isn’t she? Got your mark on her and everything, don’t you? Well, I’m still your grandsire, boy, and she...well she thinks you are dust.“ Angelus laughed.

“Don't worry, Spike. Angel always knows... what speaks to a girl's heart.” said Dru looking at the heart that still sat on the table, still and bloody. “Baby won’t forget you, sweet William.”
__________________________________________
Valentine’s day for the boyfriend-less was watching old romantic movies with mom. Complete with popcorn, cookies and various other munchies. A knock at the door had the pair slightly startled.

“Here.” said Buffy handing her mother the bowl of popcorn that had been in her lap as she got up to answer the door.

Buffy walked to the door only to find that there was nothing there, no person, no package. Weird. Buffy shrugged and closed the door. She walked back into the living room, only to see her mom not there. Puzzled Buffy walked through the hallway and into the dining room. Still no mom.

“Mom?” Buffy walked through the dining room and into the kitchen. “Mom?” Buffy walked around the island. Buffy’s attention was grabbed by a noise and her eyes went to the window, but saw nothing. Buffy looked back towards the dinning room. Just as she reached the kitchen door it opened, startling her.

“Buffy, it's me.” said her mother, trying to calm her fears.

“Yeah. You just startled me a little.”

“I was just checking the back door,” she said closing the door “Somebody, um, left these for you.”

Joyce set a long black box with a black bow on the island for Buffy to see. Buffy looked up at her mother and raised her eyebrows for an instant before lifting the lid off the box. Buffy stared down at the box and the dozen red roses. Buffy reached for the palm white card that came along with the roses. There was one word on the card. Soon. Soon what?
__________________________________________
Buffy left her Valentine’s day mom and movie marathon to let Giles in on the crazy. Buffy walked into the Library and slapped the card down on the table, making Giles jump.

“'Soon' what, Giles? You never held out on me until the big, bad thing in the dark became my ex-something.”

“Where did this come from?” said the watcher looking at the card.

“He said it with flowers. Look, this isn't the time to start becoming Mr. Protective Guy. I can't just hang around, and I can't prepare when I don't know what's coming.”

“N-no, of-of course, you're right. Uh, s-s-sit, sit down.”
__________________________________________
Library time with Giles the next day was full of gory details and fun Angelus facts. Truth was that Buffy had been feeling a little off all day and so wanted to get out of there. I guess gore and blood don’t have the same appeal as they once had for you eh Buff?

“Look, here's another. Here. Um, 'Valentine's Day.' Yes, uh... 'Angel nails a puppy to the...'“

“Skip it.”

“Uh, but it...”

“I don't wanna know. I don't have a puppy. Skip it.”

“Right you are. I'll get another batch.”

Giles got up off of the table and headed into his office.

Xander walked in the Library and up to the table.

“I have a plan: we use me as bait.”

“You mean make Angel come after you?” asked Buffy

“No, I mean chop me into little pieces and stick me on hooks for fish to nibble at 'cause it would be more fun than my life.”

“Yeah. I heard about you and Cordy. That's her loss.” said Buffy as she got up and leaned on the table. Weird, hey, Xander’s looking awfully hot today.

“Yeah. Not really the popular theory.”

“You know what I'd like? Why don't you and I do something together tonight? Just the two of us.” Buffy offered, flirtatiously.

“Really?”

“Yeah. We can comfort each other.”

“Well, would lap dancing enter into that scenario at all? 'Cause I find that very comforting.”

“Play your cards right...” What the hell am I doing? You love Spike! No more casual sex with friends Buffy!

“Okay, uh... You do know that I'm Xander, right?”

“I don't know, I just... heard that you and Cordy broke up, and I guess I was just surprised how glad I was.” Buffy started playing with his shirt “It's funny... how you can see someone every day but not really see them. You know?” *Stop talking! Oh my God! It’s like I can’t control myself, Xander is just so yummy!*

“Yeah, it's funny. And it's just gettin' funnier.” Xander laughed nervously.

Buffy put her finger to his lips to quiet him and slowly leaned toward him for a kiss. Behind them Amy walked into the library.

“Xander, can I talk to you for a minute?” asked Amy.

“Yeah, okay.”

Buffy let Xander leave the Library with Amy. Buffy knew that Amy wanted Xander too. But honestly? Buffy could totally kick her ass. Xander was hers, he just didn’t know it yet.
__________________________________________
Buffy found Xander alone at last in the Library later that night. She was wearing next to nothing, covered by the tiniest raincoat she had.

“Alone at last.”

Xander stared at her open mouthed. Apparently the outfit was worth it.

“Buff, give me a heart attack!”

“Oh, I'm gonna give you more than that.” Buffy walked seductively towards him, then grabbed the tie that was holding her short raincoat closed.

“Buff, for the love of God, don't open that raincoat.” said Xander backing away from her.

“Come on! It's a party! Aren't you gonna open your present?”

“It's not that I don't want to. Sometimes the remote impossible possibility that you might like me was all that sustained me. But not now.” Xander tripped and fell backward onto the stairs, “Not like this. This isn't real to you.”

Buffy stepped up and put her leg over him.

“You're only here because of a spell. I mean, if I thought you had one clue what it would mean to me... But you don't. So I can't.”

“So you're saying this is all a game?” she cried, hurt.

“A game? I... No!”

“You make me feel this way, and then you reject me? What am I, a toy?” Angel’s toy, Spike’s toy, that’s all I am!

“Buffy, please calm down.”

“I'll calm down when you explain yourself!”

“Get away from him,” came Amy’s voice from behind her. “He's mine.”

“Oh, I don't think so. Xander, tell her,” commanded Buffy

“What? I, uh...”

“He doesn't have to say. I know what his heart wants.”

“Funny, I know what your face wants.” Buffy raised her fist and punched Amy in the face.

“What is this, you're two-timing me?” exploded Buffy at Xander

“Goddess Hecate, work thy will.” shouted Amy.

“Uh-oh.” gulped Xander.

“Before thee let the unclean thing crawl!” Amy thrust her arm out at Buffy. Buffy watched in horror as the energy enveloped her.
__________________________________________
The next thing she knew Buffy was in the basement of the school.

“Buffy?” called Oz.

Buffy raised her head and looked around from behind the crate. Buffy looked down at herself. Oz immediately flashed the flashlight away from her and turned it off. Why am in the basement? With no clothes on? Buffy hugged her arms around herself.

“Hi, Oz!”

“Hi.”

“I seem to be having a slight case of nudity here.”

“But you're not a rat. So call it an upside.”

“You think maybe you could get me some clothing?”

“Yes, I can. Just, uh... don't go anywhere.”

“Really not an issue.”
__________________________________________
Between the blinding urge to kill Xander and the frantic wish to get into some decent, non slutty clothes, Buffy chose the more practical urge and rushed home. Buffy hoisted herself up the tree and to her bedroom window. There taped to her window was a note, written in an elegant script, Come to the Alpert Crypt in Restfield cemetery at midnight. Miss Edith and I have news for you about our beloved William. Drusilla.

Buffy’s heart leapt up into her throat. What could Dru possibly have to tell her about Spike? But, regardless of the fact that there was really no news to tell, Buffy couldn’t dismiss the urge to go. Buffy slipped into her house and changed, grabbing 4 more stakes and storing them about her person.
__________________________________________
The Slayer, she who hangs out in cemeteries, was in fact hanging out in this cemetery, waiting for a vampire, and not a vampire she was intending to stake. Or was she? It was confusing her. Should she stake Dru? Why didn’t she want to?

“My Baby has arrived!” Drusilla gleefully clapped her hands.

“Drusilla”

Dru pouted “Doesn’t Baby want to call her Grand Mummy by her proper name?”

“Excuse me? Not going to be the baby of your sick twisted family anymore Dru. Spike’s gone.” Buffy felt her eyes water again.

“No! Not gone, confined, waiting, waiting for the Sun to find him.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sweet William is not blowing in the wind. He waits for Baby to come to him. So lonely, he is. Doesn't think that Baby loves him anymore.”

“Spike’s not dust?” Buffy whispered.

Dru smiled and nodded.

Buffy shook her head. “No! This is just a trap to get me to follow you to your lair. So you and Angelus can kill me.”

“No! Grand Mummy could never take William’s baby. My Angel couldn’t either. Family is too important. Angel’s angry at Miss Edith now. The stars have been too slow to act, now she has to make her family happy before the sky opens up.”

Buffy stared blankly at the vampire.

“Will sunshine come home with her Grand Mummy, just for a little while?”

“Angel wants to kill me.”

“No, my Angel wants to make you his, wants you to replace me. The stars are angry. The worms are angry. Pitch forks and Tar. Have you ever been tarred and feathered? Will you come? No one will hurt Baby. My Angel is out hunting, angry he is.”

“If Spike is alive, why can’t he come see me?”

Dru stamped her foot in frustration. And shook her head. “Stupid girl! William is hurt, badly hurt, needs his sunshine to heal. Please come.”

Buffy looked up at the vampiress and blinked. Spike was hurt? Throwing caution to the wind, Buffy made her choice.

“Take me to him”
__________________________________________
Clutching Drusilla’s hand, Buffy was led to the Factory. Feeling wary Buffy kept an open eye for minions, and especially for Angelus.

“Mistress! The Slayer!” shouted a minion.

“Shh!” hissed Drusilla, “it’s a surprise”

The minion backed into the corner of the large room. Pulling Buffy by the hand Drusilla led the Slayer up a set of stairs and into a room that at one time would have been a supervisors office. Laid out on a twin sized mattress, propped up on some pillows, and reading a leather bound book, was Spike.

“Spike!” Buffy gasped.

“Did mummy do a good thing my Spike?” asked Drusilla.

“Yeah Dru, did a good thing. Buffy, luv, are you just going to stand there?”

“Are you really alive...uh...undead still? This isn’t a trick?”

“No Luv, no trick”

“My William needs his sunshine like I need my Angel,” whispered Dru as she slunk out of the room, closing the door behind her.

“Oh God!” Buffy launched herself at him, catching him in her arms, and squeezing him tight. “You are real! I missed you so much, I thought you were dead, thought I’d never see you again!”

Buffy raised her head and began to pepper his face with kisses.

“I missed you too, Goldilocks. Never wanted you to think I was dead, love. Just can’t bloody leave this blasted factory.”

“Why?”

“My legs don’t work. Stuck in that blasted wheelchair every bloody day.”

Buffy looked over at the contraption that rested in the corner of the room.

“Oh Spike, I’m so happy you are alive,” she said hugging him tight again. “I need you so much, I missed you so much. Don’t you ever do that to me again!” she said suddenly getting angry.

“What? Not letting you know I wasn’t dust?”

“Yes”

“Alright Goldilocks.”

Buffy sat up and straddled Spike’s two very paralysed legs.

“So just how badly are you hurt then?” Buffy asked seductively tracing a finger down his tee shirt clad chest and lower.

“Can’t feel anything lower than my hips pet. I have a theory though goldilocks.” he said pulling her shirt away from his bite marks. “Slayer’s blood has healing properties.” Spike licked the scars on her neck.

“Dru brought me here so you could drink me?”

“Among other things, luv” he said still licking her marks.

Buffy sighed as she gave in to the wonderful feeling that Spike’s tongue was creating on her neck.

“Do it Spike”

Buffy sighed again as she felt Spike‘s fangs sink into her neck. He took three pulls of blood then licked the wound clean.

“You will be my childe,” he whispered, “and I will be your sire, teach you the ways of our line and add glory to the name Aurelius.”

Buffy rested her body against Spike and closed her eyes. She felt safer and more loved than she had in a long long time.

“I love you Spike”

“I love you Buffy.”
__________________________________________
Buffy returned to her home and her normal slayer life with a song in her heart. Sure she had Angel stalking her, and her lover was now a paraplegic, but hey, he’s getting better, and he isn’t dust. As Oz would say, it’s an upside. She couldn’t wait to see Spike again.
__________________________________________
It was time. Buffy decided she had to tell her mom about Angel now. Her life was in danger, she just didn’t know how to go about doing this, or what exactly her mom’s reaction was going to be. Ok she knew exactly what her mom’s reaction was going to be. Buffy was picking at her food, trying to get up the courage to tell her mom. Dinner at the Summer’s house will never be the same, Buffy thought.

“Okay. What's wrong?” asked her mom.

“It's nothing.” Ooh good answer Buffy, way to avoid. There is something! Tell her!

“Come on. You can tell me anything. I've read all the parenting books. You cannot surprise me.”

Buffy put down her fork, and her hands in her lap. She looked over at her mother. “Do you remember that guy Angel?”

“Angel, the, um... the college boy who was tutoring you in history?”

“Right. Uh, he... I-I... Oh, God. Um... We were sort of dating.

“Don't tell me. He's changed. He's not the same guy you fell for?”

“In a nutshell. A-anyway, um... since he changed, he's been kinda following me around. He's having trouble letting go.”

“Buffy, has he done anything...”

“No! No, it's not like that. He's just been hanging around... a lot. Just sending me notes, that kind of thing. I just don't wanna see him right now. I mean, if he shows up, I'll talk to him. Just... don't invite him in.”

“I can do that, I‘m confused though, When were you dating Angel? Before Spike or after Spike?”

“Before, but after Spike...After I thought Spike was gone, we sorta um started up again? Anyway it doesn‘t matter, cause Spike and I are back together.”

“That’s wonderful Buffy, this time can I meet him?”

“He’s sorta confined to a wheelchair at the moment, he was...in a car accident”

My mom is so cool
__________________________________________
The coolness extended when Willow came over for a spur of the moment sleepover, because Angel had gotten into her house and killed her fish.

“Thanks for having me over, Buffy. Especially on a school night and all.” said Willow, sitting on Buffy’s bed.

“No problem. Hey, sorry about your fish,” Buffy offered

“Oh, it's okay. We hadn't really had time to bond yet. Although for the first time I'm glad my parents didn't let me have a puppy,” said Willow griping her stake.

“It's so weird... Every time something like this happens, my first instinct is still to run to Angel. I can't believe it's the same person. He's completely different from the guy that I knew.”

“Well, sort of, except...”

“Except what?”

“You're still the only thing he thinks about.”

Buffy’s hand absently went to rub her bite marks.

“Buffy!” exclaimed Willow, “You’ve been bit! Did Angel bite you?”

“NO! Not Angel. Spike”

“Huh, I thought Spike was dusty under the organ?”

“Turns out, not so much, he’s paralysed and in a wheelchair at the factory. He’s still alive, undead, whatever, which adds the happiness to the life of Buffy.”

“That’s wonderful news, do you think he’d help us out with the Angel problem, I mean, I love staying at your house with the garlic and the crosses and all that, but really, I might like to have fish again someday.”

“Don’t think he can Will, the whole, stuck in a wheel chair and can’t move his legs bit.”

“Yeah I can see how that’s a problem.”
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
Haunting you
 
Disclaimer: Joss owns it not me.

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Quotes from the episodes Passion and I only have eyes for you. italics denote thoughts
__________________________________________
Spike stared blankly ahead. This was getting ridiculous. He’d fed from Buffy, the god damn slayer, whose blood is supposed to be the most potent and powerful in the world, and he still couldn’t move his freakin’ legs.

“I brought something for you.” Drusilla brought a puppy out from behind her back. “Poor thing. She's an orphan. Her owner died... without a fight. Do you like her? Hmm?” Dru reached her hand out to rub Spike’s stomach “I brought her especially for you... to cheer you up. And I've named her... Sunshine! Open wide.”

Spike looked away from his sire. Feeding me dogs now? Dogs that’s she’s named after the slayer?

“Come on, love. You need to eat something to keep your strength up. Now, rrrrr, open up for mummy.”

“I won't have you feeding me like a child, Dru,” said Spike moving his wheel chair around the table.

“Why not? She already bathes you, carries you around and changes you like a child,” said Angelus coming into the factory.

“Why, Angel. Where have you been? The sun is almost up, and it can be so hurtful. We were worried,” pouted Dru.

“No, we weren't,” protested Spike.

“You must forgive Spike. He's just a bit testy tonight. Doesn't get out much anymore.”

“Well, maybe next time I'll bring you with me, Spike. Might be handy to have you around if I ever need a really good parking space.”

“Have you forgotten that you're a bloody guest in my bloody home?” asked Spike

“And as a guest, if there's anything I can do for you... Any... responsibility I can assume while you're spinning your wheels... Anything I'm not already doing, that is,” taunted Angelus.

“That's enough!” said Spike as he pushed away from his grandsire.

Angelus giggled. It was the most sickening sound Spike had ever heard. The poof was just trying to get under his skin. Never would have happened if I wasn’t stuck in this blasted chair.

“Aww...” cooed Dru.

She leaned down and gave Spike a peck on the cheek and dropped the puppy on his lap.

“You two boys... fightin' over me and all. Makes a girl feel...”

Suddenly Dru stopped and moaned in pain. Angelus stepped over with concern

“Dru, what is it, pet?” asked Spike.

“The air. It worries. Someone... an old enemy is seeking help... help to destroy our happy home. Ohhhh...”

By the time that Dru had managed to tell him what she knew, in a way that he understood with any clarity, Angelus had already started spouting plans.

“You leave the gypsy alone Angelus,” said Spike. “She belongs to the Slayer.”

“And you seriously think I’m going to wait around for old Sit and Spin to get up off his lazy ass and turn the Slayer? Think again Spike. My soul is on the line, this isn’t something you can put off until her 19th birthday.”

“You know?”

“Oh Buffy got quite lonely when she thought you were dust, Spike my boy. We had some very moving conversations. You may have made some fool promise not to hurt her friends and family, but I have so such compulsion.”

Spike wheeled himself into place in front of his grandsire.

“Killing the teacher will only piss off the slayer, it’s not a good idea.”

“Thanks for your opinion, Childe, I’ll take it under advisement,” said Angelus. “I’m gonna have me a good time tonight.”
__________________________________________
Safe now in her vampire unwelcome home, Buffy waited in dread for words from her mother to make her life miserable. Oh wait, my life is already miserable.

Angel had to go and tell her mom that she had slept with him. For that alone, he deserves to be dust in the wind. Her mom was pacing up and down the room.

“That stuff with the Latins and the herbs, uh, he's just real superstitious.”

“Oh.”

“We just thought if...”

“Was he the first? No, wait. I don't wanna know. I don't think I want to.”

“Yeah. I don’t think you want to know,” whispered Buffy.

“Ok. He's older than you.”

“I know.”

“Too old, Buffy. And he's obviously not very stable. I really wish... I just thought you would show more judgment.”

“He wasn't like this before.”

“Are you in love with him?”

“No”

“You slept with him and you weren’t in love with him?”

“I was still grieving from when I thought Spike was dead, mom. I know it was a bad choice. I regretted it as soon as it was over.”

“Were you careful?”

“Mom, this is no time...”

“Don't 'Mom' me, Buffy. You don't get to get out of this. You had sex with a boy you didn't even see fit to tell me you were dating.”

“I made a mistake.”

“Yeah, well, don't just say that to shut me up, because I think you really did.”

“I know that! I-I can't tell you everything.”

“How about anything? Buffy, you can shut me out of your life, I am pretty much used to that. But don't expect me to ever stop caring about you, because it's never gonna happen. I love you more than anything in the world. That would be your cue to, uh, roll your eyes and tell me I'm grossing you out.”

“You're not.”

“Oh, well... I guess that was the talk.”

“So how'd it go?”

“I don't know. It was my first. And I have a feeling that it won’t be the last. We will be having a talk about Spike and Sex and Birth Control. Just not now.”
__________________________________________
Angelus had done it now. Buffy was gonna come in here and dust the lot of them. Killing the gypsy teacher was really not the best idea that the poofter could have come up with.

“Are you insane?! You know that this is just gonna piss her off, and her watcher. The old fart doesn’t have any compulsion not to dust us you know,” lectured Spike.

“But, Spike, the bad teacher was going to restore Angel's soul. Baby‘s sad,” pouted Dru.

“What if she did? If you ask me, I find myself preferring the old Buffy-whipped Angelus. This new, improved one is not playing with a full sack. I love a good slaughter as much as the next bloke, but his little pranks will only leave us with one incredibly brassed-off Slayer!”

“Don't worry, roller boy. I've got everything under control,” said Angelus wisely.

Suddenly a Molotov cocktail flew in and burst on the table, setting it ablaze. Drusilla turned and ran, Spike rolling his chair behind her. They stopped just out of reach of the flames. Spike watched with a combination of glee (that Angel was getting his just deserts), terror (that something was going to dust him and that he couldn’t fight back) and frustration (that he couldn’t fight back.). Angelus was hit with a cross bow bolt.

Giles walked toward the elder vampire with a baseball bat. Angelus pulled the bolt out and threw it aside. Giles put the end of the bat into the flames, and it caught fire. Spike watched as the watcher swung the bat and hit Angelus in the face, then again on the return swing.

“Jeez, whatever happened to wooden stakes?” asked Angelus dazed.

Giles pounded on Angelus' back several times. Drusilla made a move to intervene, only to caught by Spike.

“Uh-uh. No fair going into the ring unless he tags you first.”

Angelus stood back up, but Giles swung the bat into his face twice again, making him fall once more. Giles continued his brutal assault, making the vampire collapse on the floor. Angelus tried to get up, but Giles hit him in the jaw from underneath. He held up the still burning bat over his head, but as he brought it down Angelus caught, and the struggle truly begins. Gaining the upper hand quickly Angelus grabbed Giles by the throat, lifting the watcher off the ground.

“All right. You've had your fun. But you know what it's time for now?” asked Angelus.

Spike let a smile break over his face as his Goldilocks appeared on the scene, and Angelus received a vicious kick to the back. Buffy pulled Angelus back and slammed him into the spiral staircase.

“My fun,” declared Buffy.

Buffy kicked Angelus in the face and shoved him onto the floor.

Spike began to protest as Dru began to wheel him away from the scene.

“Not our fight anymore my sweet William. Daddy’s done a naughty thing. Should never have killed Baby‘s teacher,” said Dru.

“Take me back Dru!”

“My Spike will listen to Mummy and Miss Edith. Let Baby do what she does best. Daddy won’t be gone long.”

Spike craned his neck back to watch his Goldilocks. He didn’t want it to happen this way. Angelus had crossed the line, and deserved what he got. Still he couldn’t help but feel bad that Buffy was suffering from her teacher’s death, she had just gotten over mourning him.
__________________________________________
Buffy was sick, she knew it. She had known it when she had woken up that morning. But there was no way she was going to wait to see Spike.

Buffy snuck into the Factory, keeping a look out for minions and keeping her sniffles to a minimum. The factory was a burnt shell of what it once was. The thing that got to Buffy the most though was that she met no one at all. No guards, no sleeping minions. Buffy reached the second level perplexed. She carefully opened the door to Spike’s room only to find it empty. The only thing left in the room was the twin mattress. They had moved. Made sense after all. I guess I just have to find some minions to beat the information out of tonight, thought Buffy as she walked out of the room and sneezed.
__________________________________________
“Buffy, Spike phoned for you” called her mom, as soon as she walked in the door after school. Buffy turned to Willow, who had come home with her to do homework, and smiled.

“Did he leave a number to call him back?” Buffy asked hopefully.

Her mother appeared with a slip of paper. “He seemed very nice on the phone dear, much nicer than that Angel guy. I’ve given him a standing invitation for dinner, once he feels up to it.”

“Thanks mom, I’m sure he’d love to come for dinner,” said Buffy taking the number from her.

Buffy grabbed the portable phone and Willow’s hand and rushed to her room. Closing the door behind her Buffy dumped her back pack on the bed and motioned for Willow to sit.

“Are you sure you want me to stay here for this? Don’t you want privacy?”

“No, it’s good.” Buffy dialled the number and waited for Spike to pick up on the other end.

“You’ve reached the number that summons the Scourge of Europe, Leave your name, Number and address and some one will be there to drain you dry soon.”

Buffy frowned, but waited for the beep.

“Nice message. Do you really think of yourselves as the scourge of Europe still? I mean, hey not so much in Europe right now are you? Anyway, this message is for Spike, I’m returning your call, You obviously know my number and address already, and there will be no draining! Also, Hello Dru! and Angel? Go Fuck yourself.”

Buffy hung up.

Willow gasped at her friend’s usage of the curse word. “Buffy! You foul mouthed person you!”

Buffy laughed. “Oh come on Will, I’ve said much worse. I just tend not to in a school setting, don’t want to give Snyder anymore ammo than necessary.”

“Don’t you think it’s weird though, that your boyfriend is living with the vampire that wants to kill you? The vampire that killed Miss Calendar?”

“I don’t want to think about it. Spike’s trapped in there. He can’t get out unless someone carries him out of that building. I can’t imagine that it’s nice for him to be there with Angelus lording it over him. The problem is, I can’t get mad at Spike for living with Angelus, family is very important to him. I just hope that once Spike gets better, he moves out on his own. If it was up to me I’d have taken him out of there already. Then again... if you think about it, my boyfriend wants to kill me too. Just he wants to turn me. He’s marked me, no other vampire, with the exception of Angel and Dru can bite me. It makes me safer sorta.”

“Spike wants to turn you into a vampire?”

“Yep, I mean who wouldn’t want to live with the person they love forever. It’s kinda like...well if he was human we’d be engaged or something.”

“That’s kinda Sweet in a morbid, vampire way. Are you gonna let him do it though?”

“No, I want to live my life for a while first.”

“It didn’t make it safer for Miss Calendar.“

“And that’s why Angelus has to die.“

Willow and Buffy set to work on their homework.
__________________________________________

When Buffy had agreed to walk Willow home, she had thought that doing a quick sweep through the cemeteries was a wise idea, seeing as she was pretty sure that she was going to be bed ridden tomorrow. During the course of her homework session with Willow her nose had nearly ceased to function as a breathing apparatus, and now she was stuck saying her d’s as b’s, and a near constant head rush thing going on. Of course, nothing works out to plan and Willow and Xander had decided to tag along. Then Angelus showed up. And this was why Buffy found herself in the hospital. Of course it meant defeating the icky Kinderstod guy, and meeting some fun kids, but now she was doubly sick.
__________________________________________
Buffy sat with her friends in front of the TV. Yes being sick gave her license to act like a big baby. Her mom had just gone back to get Xander the cheesy chips when Buffy heard the phone. Buffy jumped up. Not a wise thing, she was met with the most incredible head rush.

“Buffy, phone!” said her mother with a big smile on her face as she handed Buffy the portable phone. Buffy slid back down into her seat.

“Hello?”

“’llo Goldilocks. I heard you were sick.”

“Ya, pretty badly actually.”

“Did you get the flowers?”

“Flowers?”

“Ya, the Scourge of Europe all pitched in and got you some daisies. Angelus was supposed to deliver them.”

“You had An...” Buffy looked at who was surrounding her in the room. “ You had him deliver flowers? and you really thought that they’d get delivered?”

“Well they were sorta his idea. I signed the card though.”

“Well that was sweet of you”

“Tell Baby Hello!” shouted Dru in the background.

Buffy laughed.

“Tell her, hello back.”

“Will do, luv. So when will you be up and about then?”

“In a couple of days, are you missing me?”

“You know it pet.”

“I miss you too,” she giggled into the phone, earning a look from Xander.

“Right, I’ve got to go then luv, Angelus just got back from wherever he’s been, talk to you soon?”

“Yes, very soon”

“I love you Goldilocks”

“Love you too, Good night!”

Buffy hung up the phone and reached into Xander’s cheesy chips bag.

“Hey Xander did anyone try to give me flowers while I was in the hospital?”

“Besides Angel? No. Who was that on the phone that you were all with the I love yous?”

“That would be my boyfriend?”

“You have a boyfriend? When did this happen?”

“Been for a long time Xander.”

“When do I meet him? When do I get to disapprove?”

“Xander! Leave Buffy alone! Don’t you think that Buffy’s had enough horribleness that she doesn’t need you giving her a hard time about her choice in boyfriends? Huh? Think of that?”

“Jeez, bite my head off. Is it anyone I know?”

Buffy looked away from her friend and back at the TV. Willow joined Buffy in her curious silence.
__________________________________________
Buffy stood on the Balcony at the Bronze. After she started feeling better, Willow pushed her to get back out in to the socializing world. Apparently socializing with the undead crowd did little for your happy outlook on life.

“Hey,” came a voice behind her.

Buffy turned to the voice.

“I'm Ben. We had Algebra II together last year.”

“Sorry, I pretty much repress anything math-related,” said Buffy

“Ms. Jackson? Second period? You sat in the seat three over and one behind.”

“Oh! Yeah, I remember now, it's the one with the desks and the chalkboards and pencils and stuff, right?” Who the hell is this guy?

“That's the one,” he laughed.

“Like a steel trap.” Buffy pointed to her head smiling.

“So, I was wondering, you know the dance tomorrow night? Are you going?”

“You mean the Sadie Hawkins thing? The deal where the girls ask the boys?”

“Yeah. And I thought maybe, you know, if you're free, you might ask me.”

“Oh, gosh...” Buffy exhaled “I...”

“Oh, oh, hey, hey, no, don't, don't worry about it...”

“No, no, you seem like a really great guy, it's......me. I have a boyfriend.

“Oh. That's, that's...I didn’t know. Okay, well, I better...” Ben slunk away.

“Sorry,” Buffy said to herself.

She watched him go for a moment, glanced sadly down at the band and then headed for the stairs. When Buffy reached the bottom of the stairs Willow was there to greet her.

“Hey! You're bailing?”

“Yeah. I'm gonna stop by the library and see if Giles wants me to patrol, and then sack it.”

“You've been doing that a lot. Patrolling and sacking. In fact, you've kind of been All-Work-And-No-Play Buffy.”

“I play. I have big fun. I came here tonight, didn't I?”

“You came, you saw, you rejected.”

“You mean that guy? Willow, if you recall, I have a boyfriend. A boyfriend that if he ever regains the use of his legs would eat that guy in a heart beat.“

“Yes, I recall, and may I say...yuck.”

“Hey I call them like I see them. Besides once Spike finds out that I slept with Angel, He’s gonna hit the roof as it is.”

“You mean he doesn’t know? Didn’t Angel tell him?”

“Considering that they are both still undead, ya, I’d say Angel didn’t tell. I don’t think he’s too proud of if. Angel loved me. I didn’t love him. I don’t think the demon liked that fact too much.”

“I still think that you need to let loose, but fun. Be impulsive.”

“Impulsive? Do you remember the last impulsive move I made? The friend that I slept with? He lost his soul, now my friend's gone forever, and the demon that wears his face is killing my other friends. The next impulsive decision I make will involve my choice of dentures.”

“Okay, the Angel thing went badly, I'm on board with that, but that's not your fault. And anyways, love isn't always like that. Love can be... nice!”

“I agree, and I’d like to keep it nice with Spike, thank you very much.”
__________________________________________
“And this... this is the garden.” Angelus said indicating the room that the trio of vampires had just stepped into.

“Wow! Look. Jasmine,” said Dru picking a flower.

“Night blooming.” The elder Vampire picked up a pair of pruning shears and imagined what he could do with such tools.

“Like us. Oh, Angel, it's fairyland.” Drusilla turned to Spike, “Ooh!”

“It's paradise. Big windows, lovely gardens. It'll be perfect when we want the sunlight to kill us,” snarked Spike from the entrance.

“If you don't like it, Spike, hit the stairs and go. Take a stand, man,” said Angelus coming up behind Dru.

“Well, our old place was just fine till you went and had it burned down.”

“Things change, Spikey. You gotta roll with the punches. Well, actually, you pretty much got that part down, haven't you?”

“Very funny, mate.”

“What can I say? I just love to see you smile, buddy.”

“Yeah, you're a giver.” God they made him sick. It wasn’t bad enough that Angelus was constantly making him feel inadequate, and making a big show about how he was enjoying Dru’s attentions. Spike rolled out of the garden and into the ground floor bedroom he had claimed. He couldn’t wait to get out of this freakin’ wheel chair. And he couldn’t wait to get laid.
__________________________________________
Spike wheeled himself into the garden later to find Drusilla playing in the dirt, while Angelus watched. Why couldn’t we do normal things as a family, like play monopoly or body part bingo?

“Maybe I'll sleep underground. Dig myself a little burrow,” said Dru.

“What about your pretty dress, sweet? It'll get all dirty,” offered Spike.

“Then I'll sleep naked. Like the animals do.”

“You know, I'm suddenly liking this plan,” sneered Angelus.

Drusilla laid down on the ground in front of the planter.

“Fortunately, nobody cares what you like, mate.”

“Oh, yeah? Let's ask Dru.”

“There's a gate!” Dru rolled onto her back, laughing, “It's opening!” She raised herself onto her knees.

“Incoming! I love when she does this.” smiled Angelus.

“What gate, pet? What do you see?”

“It's black,” she hummed “It wants her.”

“Wants who?” asked Angelus who had now crawled up behind her.

“The Slayer. It's time, Angel.” Drusilla stood up “She's ready for you now. She's dancing. Dancing with death.”

“Big deal. He won't do anything. Our man Angel here likes to talk but he's not much for action. All hat and no cattle.” balked Spike.

“I don't know about that. I think this whole Slayer thing has run its course. I'm ready to focus my energy elsewhere.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah! What, with you being Special Needs Boy, I figure I should stick close to home. You and Dru can always use another pair of hands.”

Drusilla cooed with delight. Angelus chuckled maniacally. Spike rolled his eyes. I won’t be Special needs boy for very much longer.
__________________________________________
Spike had watched Angelus return home from where ever he had been in a fury. It would have made him laugh if Angelus hadn’t smelt like Buffy. Spike followed his grandsire into the garden and the fountain to see the poof take off this shirt and begin to scrub at his skin.

“You might want to let up. They say when you've drawn blood, you've exfoliated,” he offered.

“What do you know about it? I'm the one who was friggin' violated. You didn't have this thing in you,” complained the vampire.

“What was it? A demon?” asked Drusilla.

“Love!”

Angelus grabbed a clean shirt and put it on.

“Poor Angel.” cooed Dru.

“Let's get outta here. I need a real vile kill before sunup to wipe this crap out of my system.”

He pulled on his jacket over his still-unbuttoned shirt.

“Of course. We'll find you a nice toddler,” she snarled “Want to come, pet?” Dru asked Spike.

“No can do, Dru. I'm sure he'd be hell on wheels, but we don't have much time. Gotta travel light. Sorry. Try to have fun without me.”

Spike watched them go angrily.

“Oh, I will.” He took his foot from its footrest and put it on the ground. He slowly got up and stood tall. He kicked back at his wheelchair angrily. “Sooner than you think”
__________________________________________
Spike snuck out of the mansion and to Buffy’s house. Carefully climbing up the tree to her bedroom window. Peering in, he gimped a vision of blonde, wrapped in a towel sitting on her bed, combing through her wet hair.

Spike knocked on the window pane.

Buffy turned to the noise with a huge smile on her face. “Spike!” she exclaimed happily.

Buffy opened her window and moved back to let her lover in.

“Goldilocks, you are gonna have to invite me in again” said Spike putting his hand up to demonstrate the barrier that kept him up.

“Huh? Oh yeah, we had to do the de-invite spell when Angel turned bad. Come in Spike.”

Spike smiled as he slid through the window.

“Look at you without the wheel chair! You know now you don’t have an excuse to come for dinner with my mom.”

“I know it luv” Spike stood up tall and looked over the girl that stood before him, undressing her with his eyes.”

“You... instead of undressing me with your eyes, you could undress me for real you know.”

“Oh how I know, just savouring the moment, it’s been too damn long since I’ve been able to make love to you.”

“And don’t I know it. It’s no fun with out little Spike up for action,” she smiled.

Spike grabbed her around the waist and launched them both on the bed.

“Your mum home?”

“Nope! Feel free to ravage me!”

Spike moaned.

“I need you Buffy.”

“I need you too Spike.”

Spike ripped the towel from her body, exposing her nakedness to his greedy eyes. Running his hands over her skin Spike inhaled her newly washed sent.

“Angelus smelled of you,” he growled.

“When?”

“Tonight.”

“We were possessed, by ghosts,” she explained.

“I don’t like him touching what’s mine.”

“I’m sorry.”

Spike lowered his lips to her crotch and slowly licked her from back to front, sucking her clit into his mouth for a moment before he flipped her over, and forced her up onto all fours.

Buffy heard him unzip his jeans as she waited in anticipation. Spike positioned himself at her opening and thrust in.

Buffy gasped. She hadn’t been quite ready to take him in. Letting her adjust to his size, Spike forced himself to calm down for a moment, before grabbing her hips and relentlessly pounding into her.

Buffy struggled to remain in position, the thrusts from her lover being so forceful. It didn’t take long before Spike had spent and had collapsed beside her on the bed. He had never taken her before with out letting her come. Buffy felt like she had had been pushed off a cliff.

But before she could make any noise about her rough treatment, she found herself enveloped in his arms and his lips pressed to hers.

“You have no idea how long I’ve needed release goldilocks. All those months thinking about your lush body, without being able to do anything about it.”

Spike’s hands moved lower on her body, eventually finding purpose, one caressing her ass, the other stroking her clit.

Buffy moaned.

“Let me make love to you this time Goldilocks,” he purred into her ear.
__________________________________________
“Spike?” asked Buffy, curled in Spike’s arms 4 hours later.

“Ya, luv?”

“I have to tell you some thing, you aren’t going to like it. You’re gonna hate it and get mad. But I need to tell you.”

“Well?”

“Did Angel tell you how he lost his soul?”

“No, I think his words were, ‘You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,’ or some such prattle. Are you gonna tell me that you are responsible for the Poofter being footloose and soul free?”

Buffy gulped. “Ya. But before I tell you, please believe me when I say that I love you, and I wouldn’t have done it if I thought you were still alive and kickin’, or undead or whatever.”

Spike was worried now. “What did you do?”

“I might have had meaningless sex with him,” she whispered.

Spike pulled away from her and stared hard into her green eyes.

“Please. I don’t love him. I thought you were dust. I was lonely. I know it doesn't excuse anything. I felt so bad after it happened, even before I found out that I’d fucked the soul out of him. Felt like I’d betrayed your memory. It was a mistake. I’m so sorry Spike.”

Spike got up out of the bed. She was crying, the tears streaming down her face. Spike grabbed his clothes and started putting them on.

“Please, say something,” she whimpered.

“What do you want me to say Buffy? I understand why you did it? That you are forgiven?”

“No, yell at me, scream at me. Tell me how angry and disappointed in me you are. Please just don’t leave without saying anything.”

“I don’t know what to say Buffy. Honestly, I just need to be out of your sight.”

A loud sob, left her throat.

tbc....
 
Meaningful conversations at the beach
 
Disclaimer: Alas, Spike is not mine.

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Short Chapter this time, the end is nearing folks! Quotes from the episode Go Fish.
__________________________________________
Buffy sat away from the beach party alone. She hadn’t seen Spike in a week. He hadn’t called. She had left message after message, but still he didn’t call her. She hadn’t felt this miserable since she thought Spike was dead.

“Beautiful. Isn't it?” came a voice from behind her.

Buffy didn’t even bother to look and see who was talking to her. “Yeah. It's just so...”

“Eternal. A true mother, giving birth to new life and devouring old.” He sat down behind her “Always adaptable and nurturing... yet... constant... and merciless.”

Buffy turned to look at him at last “Boy. I was just gonna go with big and wet.”

He laughed “Me and some of the other guys on the team, we come out here once a week to train in it. See, we swim against the current.”

“Funny. That's how I feel most of the time. So, Cameron Walker, you just won the state semifinals. What are you going to do next?”

“I'm going to hang out with Buffy Summers. Get to know her.”

“Hey, pause that tape for a second.”

“Hey. No pressure. I just like being around you. That's all.”

Buffy returns her attention to the ocean. Not the guy I want paying attention to me.
__________________________________________
It was funny how she ran into Cameron again. Stalking maybe? But he had a nice car. And he was on the swim team. Somehow, and she really didn’t understand how it happened, and then she was in his car with him, but oh how she regretted it now. God he was so boring!

“I don't know, a dolphin. A dolphin in the ocean. Because, you know, when I'm in the vastness of the ocean, it's... it's like I'm never alone.” he droned on and on. Cameron pulled the car to a stop and turned off the engine.

“You ever hear of a woman named Gertrude Ederle?” he asked.

“No. No, I can't say that I have, Cam.”

“First woman to swim the English Channel. Same thing. I mean, she would talk to it. I mean, she'd carry on entire conversations with it. Sometimes I do that. I mean, once I was out in...”

“You know what, Cam? Thanks. I'd forgotten how nice it is to just talk, or, in my case, listen, without any romantic pressure,” she said trying to get him to just shut up.

“Hey... I'm not about pressure. I just want you to be comfortable.”

“I'm comfy! I'm so comfy, I'm nodding off actually, which is why...”

“Are you wearing a bra?” he interrupted.

“What?”

“Come on. I mean, tell me you haven't been thinking about this ever since last night.” he leered.

“What I'm thinking about is that I should probably get out of this car...” Buffy reached for the door handle but Cameron hit the driver’s master lock, making it impossible for her to open the door.

“Relax. I'm not gonna hurt you.”

“Oh, it's not me I'm worried about.”

“You like it rough!” He reached over to put his arm around her.

Buffy grabbed the offending appendage and pulled.

“Ow!”

With her free hand Buffy grabbed the back of his neck and jerked him up.

“Oh!”

Buffy smashed his head into the steering wheel, making the horn honk.

“Oh! Ah!”

It was only at this point that Buffy noticed Principal Snyder lurking nearby.

“Oh, you broke my nose!” said the jock holding his hand over the injured body part. “Ah!”
__________________________________________
In the nurse’s office, Snyder set about the arduous task of proving that Buffy was at fault for beating up the swim team member and thereby ruining the schools chances.

“I wasn't the attacker, Principal Snyder. I was the attacked.”

“That's not how it looked from where I was standing.” patronized the Principal.

“I don't know what happened. I mean, first she leads me on, then she goes schizo on me.” said Cameron through this ice pack.

“Lead you on? When did I lead you on?” cried Buffy.

“Oh, come on. I mean, look at the way she dresses.”

Buffy looked down at what she was wearing. What exactly was wrong with this?
__________________________________________
Buffy stared out at the ocean. The sun had set already, and it probably wasn’t the best idea in the world to be sitting out here, alone, but on some level Cameron was sorta right, the ocean was peaceful. On a whole new level, Cameron was a fish thingy now, living in the ocean. He could be looking at me right now, eww.

Buffy heard a car door close and the felt the familiar tinglies of Spike creep across her neck. Buffy felt her stomach flip flop. She hadn’t talked to him since that night when she told him exactly how Angel was freed of that pesky soul. Was he gonna be mad? Still? Buffy kept her eyes to the ocean.

“Spike” she said as soon as she felt he was in hearing range.

“Goldilocks”

Buffy wrapped her arms around herself and faced into the awkward silence. After a few moments Buffy couldn’t take it anymore.

“Are we gonna sit and not talk here or did you follow me for a reason?” asked Buffy quietly.

“I thought you were different than her.”

Buffy looked back at him questioningly.

“Dru, she cheated, took up with demons and minions. She was supposed to be my dark princess. She was my Moon and stars for a century. Then one day she decides to throw it all away.”

“I’m not Dru.”

“No, you aren’t. There are some remarkable similarities.”

“Don’t follow. And I don’t think it’s fair to lump me together with her. I’m not Dru. At the time, I wasn’t cheating on you Spike. I know that’s how it feels, truthfully I thought you were dust. Even Angel couldn’t feel you. I love you Spike. I really don’t know how it all started, Angel said something about thrall, but I don’t care. You once told me that sex for vampires was different, and here you are all up in my face about sex, meaningless I might add, with someone who I used unfeelingly, because I was hurting. I am yours Spike.”

“You are right,” he said as he began to pace. “I told you all that crap about vampires and sex. And you did think I was dusty under that organ. Did you think to even check for my pile of dust?”

“The church is a burnt ruin Spike, there isn’t much to check for.”

“Right, silly me.”

Buffy took a clip out of her pocket and pinned up her hair away from her neck.

“Spike,” she whispered. When he didn’t look at her, she knelt before him. “Sire...”

Spike stopped pacing.

“Buffy?”

“Look, Spike, I don’t know a whole lot about the whole Sire/potential childe thing, but I do know that I’ve displeased you, majorly pissed you off in fact. I don’t know what exactly the vampire punishment is for sex with inappropriate other vampires is, but I have a feeling that it isn’t going to be a spanking.”

“Goldilocks, what are you doing?”

“Don’t you get it?” she cried “I’m sorry! I don’t want you to leave me! When I thought you were dead...Not happy time in the Buffy-verse. More of the hysterical crying time actually. I can’t do that again, Spike. So if you are gonna leave me, you might was well just snap my neck, drain me dry or whatever. I don’t want to live if I can’t be with you.”

The tears were streaming down Buffy’s face. Spike took one look at her wet face and crumbled. Her tears had a way of making him forget everything except her. Ordinarily he would have wanted to kill the thing that was making her cry, but this time it was him.

Spike knelt on the ground in front of her.

“Buffy, please don’t cry, love.” Spike took her hands in his own. “I can’t stand it when you cry.”

“Cause this conversation is so happy inducing” she wailed between sobs.

Spike wrapped his arms around her and held her close. After a time Buffy’s sobbing subsided and she titled her head, exposing her neck to Spike.

“Goldilocks?” he questioned.

“Do it, Spike,” she whispered.

Spike lowered his mouth to her neck and gave his marks a lingering kiss.

Buffy waited in anticipation for his fangs to pierce her skin. Suddenly Spike pushed her down and ripped her jacket off of her. Buffy closed her eyes, letting herself be caught up in the way Spike’s lips fluttered over her skin.

“Spike” she moaned as his hands delved further into the recesses of her clothes. Buffy felt her shirt being pulled off her torso, and the zipper of her pants pulled down.

Spike’s hands continued to remove her clothing, leaving her nude, lying on the pile of clothes. Spike’s mouth left her neck and travelled down the length of her body. Working his way down, he parted her legs gently and ran his tongue along the insides of her thigh. She moaned with anticipation as he teased her. Slowly he used his tongue to explore her flush pink insides, pleasuring her to her very toes. She moaned and writhed as he brought her to climax. He kissed her navel, moving up slowly to her breasts once more, letting his tongue caress them before moving on to her collar bone, neck and ears. They kissed long and passionately before he abruptly thrust inside her causing her to gasp with pleasure. Inside her he could feel her muscles still contracting from her previous orgasm. More abruptly he flipped over so that she lay on top of him. With effort she raised and lowered herself upon him letting him slide up and down inside her, over and over. As he got closer and closer she rode him harder and harder. They rolled again, this time with her nestled beneath him. He pulled out and let his fingers glide over her hot wet pussy, back and forth. His fingers moved brining her closer and closer. Pulling his hand away he slid into her once more, this time slowly, then thrusting hard and fast into her. Reaching the brink, Spike roared and finally slid his fangs into her neck.

“Mine,” Spike said “Forever.”

“Yes..” breathed Buffy, “Please Spike, make me yours.”

“Mine, only mine”

“Yours, forever.”

Buffy screamed as she reached her own climax. Spike rolled off of her and began to retrieve his clothes. Buffy whimpered from his loss, but gathered her clothes together as well.

Fully dressed, the two lovers entered yet another moment of awkward silence. Buffy desperately wanted to know what he was thinking.

“Please say something” she whispered.

Spike stared at her incredulously. She didn’t know what he had just done. He’d claimed her. Granted he didn’t know whether claiming a human would work the same way that did with vamps. Would she be angry? Would she even feel any different? Would it make any difference to her at all?

He really didn’t know what had come over him. He hadn’t intended to actually fuck her. They needed to talk. It still hadn’t happened yet as far as he was concerned.

“We need to talk”

“I thought we had”

“I need to talk...you need to listen”

Buffy nodded, fear present in her eyes.

“It’s about him. Angelus. If it hadn’t been him, if it had been with anyone else...You are mine, mine to fight, mine to kill, mine to fuck. Always been second best when he was in the picture. For a hundred years I’ve followed Dru around like a puppy, first, waiting for crumbs of her affection, cause Daddy was always there, then when the poofter was cursed with that soddin’ soul, picking up the pieces of the mess he left behind. Never been first with anyone before. Not until you. My beautiful goldilocks who turned out to be the slayer. It hurt, when you told me. Hurt that he’d taken what I thought was mine.”

Spike turned to look at Buffy again.

“I am yours, I’ve always been yours. Not his, never his. Yours. Belonging to Spike. Property of William the Bloody. Maybe I should get a tattoo.”

Spike smiled and shook his head at the idea, remembering a previous conversation.

“I thought you had all the marks you needed.”

“Apparently not so much.”

“Where would you get this tattoo, Goldilocks?”

“Somewhere private, where only you would see it?”

“Good answer”

“Are we good?”

“Ya, pet, we’re good.”

“So why aren’t we kissing?”
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
The Deal
 
Disclaimer: Joss made ‘em, I play with ‘em.

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Quotes from the episodes Becoming parts 1 and 2
__________________________________________
Drusilla came into the mansion’s garden where Spike was reading the newspaper, sitting calmly back in his wheel chair.

“Nice walk, pet?”

Drusilla’s hand flew to her stomach as though she was going to be sick.

“I met an old man. Didn't like him. He got stuck in my teeth. But then the moon started whispering to me...” Dru closed her eyes “All sorts of dreadful things.”

Spike felt the presence of his Grandsire behind him.

“Well, what did it say?” asked the elder vampire.

“Oh. Look who's awake,” Spike said snidely.

Angelus bumped Spike on the head with his fist as he walked past him.

“What did the moon tell you? Did you have a vision? Is something coming?”

“Oh, yeah. Something terrible. Psst, psst, psst, psst, psst, psst...” rambled Dru.

“Where?”

“At the museum. A tomb... with a surprise inside.”

“You can see all that in your head?”

“No, you ninny. She read it in the morning paper,” said Spike as he handed over the paper.

Angelus took the paper from him. “Oh, my.”

“That's what's been whispering to me. Sh.”

“Oh, yeah. Don't worry, though. Soon it'll stop. Soon it'll scream,” taunted Angelus.
__________________________________________
Buffy had been ecstatic when she found out the spell to re-curse Angel, but now there was madness. And it just made her feel much worse about Miss Calendar’s death.

“Hi! For those of you who have just tuned in, everyone here is a crazy person. So this spell might restore Angel's humanity? Well, here's an interesting angle. Who cares?” asked Xander harshly.

“I care,” said Buffy.

“Is that right,” said Xander

“Let's not lose our perspective here, Xander,” ordered Giles.

“I'm Perspective Guy. Angel's a killer.”

“Xander...” admonished Willow.

“It's not that simple,” declared Buffy.

“What? All is forgiven? I can't believe you people!” yelled Xander.

“Xander has a point.” Cordelia supported her boyfriend.

“You know, just for once, I wish you'd support me, and I realize right now that you were, and I'm embarrassed, so I'm gonna get back to the point, which is that Angel needs to die,” continued Xander.

“Curing Angel seems to have been Jenny's last wish,” noted Giles.

“Yeah? Well, Jenny's dead,” Xander pointed out.

“Don't you ever speak of her in that tone again!” said Giles angrily.

“Can't you hear what I'm saying?” yelled Xander.

The two men stood their ground, looking like at any moment there would be hitting. Buffy rushed over and put herself between them.

“Stop it! Stop it!” yelled Buffy.

The tension was thick. Giles glared at Xander, Xander glared at Giles. Buffy walked away from the two men angrily.

“What do you wanna do?” asked Willow quietly.

Buffy sighed. “I-I don't know. What happened to Angel wasn't his fault.”

“Yeah, but what happened to Ms. Calendar is,” said Xander.

Buffy stared at him in disbelief.

“You can paint this any way you want. But the way I see it is that you wanna forget all about Ms. Calendar's murder so you can get your boyfriend back,” said Xander coldly.

“You have no idea Xander! He is not my boyfriend, never was my boyfriend and I’m deeply sorry that I ... You know what, so tired of apologizing.” Buffy turned and walked out of the library. As the doors swung closed Buffy could hear Xander’s retort.

“When was he not her boyfriend? When did she get this new boyfriend and who is he? I‘m totally confused.”
__________________________________________
Stupid Xander and his ‘It’s all your fault Buffy’ and his ‘Angel needs to die, die, die.‘ Buffy walked through the park muttering to herself. Suddenly a twig snapped and Buffy stopped and looked towards the noise. Slowly she approached the bushes where she heard the noise. Buffy turned as she heard something else. But there was nothing, again. Suddenly the air shifted and Buffy turned to face her stalker. It was Kendra.

“You know, polite people call before they jump out of the bushes and attack you,” greeted Buffy.

“Just wanted to test your reflexes.”

“How about testing my face-punching? 'Cause I think you'll find it's improved.” You nearly killed Spike! Buffy could barely contain her ire at that fact. My town! My Spike!

“I was on my way to your house. Saw you walking. Couldn't help meself.”

“Which begs the question, and don't think I'm not glad to see you, but, why are you here?” Buffy paused. Truth here Buffy, don’t really want to see her at all do you? Then she continued. “Oh, wait. No, let me guess. Your watcher informed you dat a very dark power is about to rise in Sunnydale.”

“Dat's about it.”

“Great. So, you have any idea what this dark power is?” Buffy asked.
__________________________________________
Spike sat in his wheelchair in front of the thing that Angelus and Dru had brought back from the museum.

“It's a big rock. I can't wait to tell my friends. They don't have a rock this big,” jeered Spike.

“Spike, boy, you never did learn your history.” said Angelus.

“Let's have a lesson, then.”

“Acathla the demon came forth to swallow the world. He was killed by a virtuous knight who pierced the demon's heart before he could draw a breath to perform the act. Acathla turned to stone, as demons sometimes do, and was buried where neither man nor demon would want to look. Unless of course they're putting up low-rent housing.” explained Angelus “Boys...”

Two minions with crowbars started to pry open the large stone coffin. The lid crashed to the floor, letting a cloud of dust waft up. Inside the coffin stood a stocky demon with a sword stuck in his chest. Spike wasn’t really very impressed. You could buy these things at garden centres.

Behind him Dru started swaying back and forth. “He fills my head. I can't hear anything else.”

“Let me guess. Someone pulls out the sword...“ Spike trailed off.

“Someone worthy...” answered Angelus.

“Mm. The demon wakes up, and wackiness ensues.”

“He will swallow the world,” interjected Dru.

“And every creature living on this planet will go to Hell.” continued Angelus. “My friends... we're about to make history... end.”
__________________________________________
Well, he was in a fix. Angelus and his loony sire wanted to end the world, again. Of course this time he was in a position to stop it. No longer confined by that bleedin’ chair. Spike paced his room at the mansion. Truth be told he didn’t want to end the world. It had Buffy in it. And even if she was turned here and now, he still liked the world in which he unlived.

“Spike?” came Dru’s voice.

Spike quickly returned to his chair.

“Spike, my sweet! The fun's about to begin,” she cooed.

Spike wheeled himself out into the main hall of the mansion, only to see minions dragging a young man before the garden gnome. The man was bare chested and bare footed. Angelus always liked his boys young and spry and pretty. Bloody poofter. The minions dropped the whelp in front of Angelus, who was already spouting mumbo jumbo.

“I will drink... the blood will wash in me, over me, and I will be cleansed. I will be worthy to free Acathla. Bear witness... as I ascend... as I become.” Angelus grabbed the whelp by the hair and lifted him up, holding him so that his neck was exposed.

Spike rolled his eyes as Angelus let out a primal roar and sank his teeth into the ponce. Angelus dropped the man with a thud once he was finished drinking. Spike watched as Angelus walked towards the gnome with purpose. He felt lingering trepidation at the act.

“Everything that I am, everything that I have done, has led me here. I have strayed, I have been lost. But Acathla redeems me. With this act, we will be free,” spouted the poofter.

Angelus grabbed the hilt of the sword with both of his bloody hands. Suddenly, a bright light emanated from that general direction. Spike turned away to protect his eyes. Vampire eyes weren’t made to do certain things, and that was one of them.

Turning back to watch his grandsire, Angelus shook with the sword firmly in his grasp. After a moment or two, nothing happened, and the sword remained firmly imbedded in the stone. Then another bright light flashed from the stone, this time red and throwing Angelus to the floor.

Spike smiled. “Someone wasn't worthy,” sing songed Spike with glee.

“Damn it!” cursed Angelus bringing himself off the floor.

“This is so... disappointing!” Dru moaned.

Angelus began to pace. “There must be something I missed. The incantations, the blood... I don't know!”

Too funny for words, Spike tried hard not to laugh.

“What are we going to do?” Dru whined.

“What we always do in a time of trouble: turn to an old friend.” answered Angelus, “We'll have our Armageddon. I swear!”
__________________________________________
Buffy shook her head as she walked through the cemetery. Angelus was really a piece of work sending a minion to burst into flames during school hours to deliver a message. Now here she was wandering graveyards because ‘His hour is at hand’ Buffy snorted in laughter. Truth was that she had contempt, not actual fear of Angelus anymore. Sure he had done nasty stuff, and she would never forgive him for killing Miss Calendar, but Buffy knew that he wouldn’t kill her. She just hoped that her feeling was right, and not some over confident ‘I’m indestructible’ crap that teenagers believe. Out of the corner of her eye the vampire in question walked out from behind a mausoleum.

“Hello, lover. I wasn't sure you'd come,” greeted the vampire.

“After your immolation-o-gram? Come on, I had to show. Shouldn't you be out destroying the world right now, pulling the sword out of Al Franken or whatever his name is?”

“There's time enough. I wanted to say goodbye first. You are the one thing in this dimension I will miss.”

“This is a beautiful moment we're having. Can we please fight?”

“I didn't come here to fight.”

Buffy raised her eye brows, puzzled. “No?”

“Gosh, I was hoping we could get back together. What do you think? Do we have a shot?”

Buffy stared incredulously at him.

“Alright. We'll fight.” Angelus rushed at her. Buffy ducked to avoid his punch. As Buffy fought her mind wandered to Willow. She supposed to restore Angel’s soul. Buffy looked up at her attacker, only to get punched in the face. This is so not going how I imagined it, Buffy thought.

“Come on, Willow.” Buffy whispered, as she regained her footing and punched Angelus.

Buffy made to punch him again, only to be caught up and pushed away.

“Geez, is it me, or is your heart not in this?” sneered Angelus.

Buffy reached into her jacket and pulled out ‘Mr Pointy,’ Kendra’s stake. God that girl needed to get some friends.

“Maybe I'll just go home, destroy the world,” continued Angelus.

“Well, I think Mr. Pointy'll have something to say about that. Come on. Let's finish this. You and me.”

Angelus began to chuckle. “Y-you never learn, do you? This wasn't about you. This was never about you.”

It was a trap! Buffy turned and ran.

“And you fall for it every single time!” he yelled after her.
__________________________________________
Berating herself the entire way back to the school, Buffy was feeling stupid by the time she reached her destination. She should have known. Why? Why had she left them? Because Angelus knows how to push your buttons. He knows you oh so well.

Buffy looked at the damage in the Library. Book cases were fallen, tables and chairs destroyed. Buffy saw Kendra lying on the floor. Buffy rushed to her side, sliding on the floor. But it was too late, Kendra was dead, slashed in the throat. Buffy carefully took the other Slayer’s hand. I didn’t want you dead. Buffy reached up to Kendra’s face with her free hand and petted it lovingly. Kendra had been a sort of sister to her. Sure a sister that she didn’t get along with, and she tried to kill her boyfriend and her other vampire friend... Buffy searched Kendra’s face for answers, suddenly Buffy knew. Drusilla had done this.

“Freeze!” a voice startled Buffy out of her reverie.

She hadn’t noticed the police enter the Library. Buffy slowly raised herself to her feet and raised her hands.

“Look, I didn't do anything,” Buffy calmly protested.

She didn’t have time for this, Angelus and Dru had to pay for this.

“Do it! Now!” yelled the police officer closest to her.

Another officer crouched down and felt for Kendra’s pulse.

“This one's dead.”

“What about up there?” said the first police officer nodding towards the balcony of the Library.

Buffy looked up at the stacks to see Xander lying unconscious on the floor behind the railing.

“Xander...” Buffy started towards her friend only to be stopped by a police officer’s hand.

“Get her out of here!” commanded the officer.

“Wait! Just see if he's okay! Please!” wailed Buffy.

Buffy watched helplessly as she watched one of the officer check on Xander, at the same time as being led out of the Library doors.

“Please. You don't understand,” protested Buffy once they were in the hallway.

“You'd do well to keep your mouth shut, missy.”

“But I didn't do anything.”

“Why do I find that so very hard to believe?” sneered Principal Snyder, who had been just a little further down the hallway.

I knew I should have let Spike eat that guy when I had a chance, thought Buffy.

“You know this girl?” the police officer asked the principal.

“Buffy Summers. If there's trouble, she's behind it.”

“You stupid little troll. You have no idea!” she yelled.

“Attitude problem. Serious,” continued Snyder.

Buffy turned to face the police officer that held her. “Look, I just wanna know if my friends are okay.”

“All right, that's enough.” The officer spun her around and got out his handcuffs. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and...“

Buffy glanced over her shoulder, and without warning backhand punched the officer in the face. Buffy effortlessly incapacitated the man, giving Snyder a great show. The little troll man took a step back, and watched as Buffy made a run for it
__________________________________________
This day sucked. All her friends were in the hospital, except Giles who was missing and she was on the run from the cops. And that stupid greasy man who was at Giles’ telling her she had to do it alone. Well he was right. This was why Kendra didn’t have any friends, they just got hurt. She was going to have to deal with Angelus by herself, and die in the process. She just hoped that she would take him out with her. Buffy looked up as a car drove by. She turned back to see that there was a cop car coming down the street too. Maybe he won’t see me? The squad car turned on his lights and let out a brief siren blare. Buffy kept walking as the car came to a stop and the cop got out.

“Hold right there!” said the cop slamming his door.

Buffy spun around to face him, and saw that she had a gun pointed at her.

“Put your hands on your head! Do it!”

Buffy began to raise her hands when a blur of black assaulted the cop, knocking the gun out of his hand and the cop to the ground.

“Hello, cutie.” said Spike smiling.

Buffy rushed into his arms.

“Oh my god, Spike!” Buffy began to sob.

The whole day’s events and the stress she had been carrying suddenly overwhelmed her. Something about being in his arms, that made her feel safe.

Spike cooed soothingly, petting her hair and planting small kisses on her head.

After a moment Buffy calmed down, cried out for the time being. Buffy stepped back from him and wiped her eyes.

“I have to stop Angelus, I don’t have time to be weepy girl.”

“Want some help, Goldilocks?”

“Huh?” Buffy was confused. Spike had never ever offered to help her fight the bad guys before, granted since he got to Sunnydale he was one of the bad guys. Even when they had had their patrol dates, he just sat around and watched her dust other vamps.

“Taking out the bad guy and all that rot? I'm talking about your ex, pet. I'm talking about putting him in the bloody ground.”

“He’s not my ex, Spike, he was a mistake.”

“He's got your Watcher. Right now, he's probably torturing him.”

Buffy gasped.

“Why are you telling me this? Are you helping him with some new trap?”

“No, love.”

“Then what do you want? Cause you usually don’t go against the whole family thing.“

“I told you. I want to stop Angel. I want to save the world.”

“Okay. You do remember that you're a vampire, right?”

“We like to talk big. Vampires do. 'I'm going to destroy the world.' That's just tough guy talk. Strutting around with your friends over a pint of blood.” Spike sat down on the squad car’s hood and took out a pack of cigarettes out of the cop’s front pocket “The truth is, I like this world. You've got... dog racing, Manchester United.” Spike pulled out a smoke and dropped the pack on the unconscious cop “And you've got people. Billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It's all right here.” Spike lights us and takes a drag. “Most importantly, it’s got you.“ Spike stared into her eyes. “But then someone comes along with a vision. With a real... passion for destruction. Angel could pull it off. Goodbye, Picadilly. Farewell, Leicester Bloody Square. You know what I'm saying?”

“Okay, fine. You're not down with Angel. That didn’t stop you from helping Mummy from attacking my friends.“

“I wasn't in on that raiding party, Goldilocks. I made you a promise, no hurting your family and friends. I keep my promises love.”

“You didn’t before”

Spike rolled his eyes, “Angelus doesn’t count. He was my family first. I thought I had explained that little detail.” Spike lowered his voice, “I can't fight them both alone, and neither can you. And I'm all you've got.”

The police officer began to regain consciousness.

“All right. Talk.”

Spike turned to the officer, “I'm just gonna kill this guy.”

Buffy cleared her throat loudly. Spike turned to face his lover.

“Oh, right.”

“Let's get inside.”

Spike grabbed Buffy’s hand and led her away from the cop car.
__________________________________________
Buffy and Spike walked along to Buffy’s house in silence. She was still contemplating what he had told her that night. He didn’t want to end the world? But then why had he helped Dru with the Judge? Assuming that he actually was up and functioning at that point. Buffy’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car pulling up beside them.

“Buffy?!” cried her mother from the window of her jeep. “Where have you been?” Joyce stopped the car and got out, running to Buffy’s side. “Are you okay? The police were here! I've been looking for you!”

“Mom, let's, let's go inside, and I can explain,” said Buffy calmly.

“Who is this man?” asked Joyce looking at Spike “Who are you? Are you okay?” Joyce asked Buffy again.

“Mom! I'm-I'm okay.”

“Buffy, terrible things have happened. What were you doing?”

“What, your mum doesn't know?” asked Spike.

Buffy glared at Spike and in that moment he realised that maybe that wasn’t the way to say it. If Buffy hadn’t told her mum yet...well that really wasn’t his business, was it?

“Know what?” asked Joyce.

Buffy faced her mom, “That I'm, uh... This is Spike...uh...William. My boyfriend.“

“Right. William Aurelius,” Spike offered his hand to Joyce.

“Oh!” said Joyce surprised. “Well it’s good to finally meet you William, it’s about time that Buffy brought you over. So, what do you do? Obviously you aren’t in high school.“

“Well....”

“You know what?” interrupted Buffy, “Why don't we go inside, and, and we can talk about this.”

Buffy starts towards the door of the house, followed by Spike.

“I'm, I'm not sure how I feel about this,” said Joyce hesitantly.

Buffy turned around to face her.

Suddenly a vampire bolted across the porch, pushing Buffy and Spike aside and jumped down the steps at Joyce. Joyce screamed and took a flurry of steps back. Buffy grabbed the vamp by the shoulders from behind and launched him at Spike. Spike occupied the vamp with a series of punches to the face while Buffy got out her trusty stake. Spike’s last punch sent the vamp spinning and into perfect staking position. Buffy thrust the stake in the heart of the offending vamp and watched as he crumbled to dust.

“One of Angel's boys.” Spike noted.

“Yeah, probably watching me. Or you,” answered Buffy.

“Yeah. He won't get a chance to tattle on us now.”

“Buffy... what... is going on?” asked her mother confused

Buffy looked at her mother for a moment and exchanged a look with Spike. God, why now? Please let her understand.

“Mom... I'm a Vampire Slayer.”
__________________________________________
tbc ...
 
The Lady’s with Me
 
Disclaimer: Joss said we could, right?

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Quotes from the episode Becoming part 2
__________________________________________
Spike sat uncomfortably in the living room of the Summer’s home.

“Have we met?” Joyce asked.

“Um... you hit me with an axe one time. Remember?” Spike held his hands like he was holding an axe “Uh, 'get the hell away from my daughter.'“

“Oh.” Joyce laughed. “But you weren’t trying to kill her?”

“No, ma’am. It was a put on, to fool the other vamps.”

“And you’ve known my daughter for how long?”

Buffy took that moment to re-enter the living room, fresh from her conversation with her friends.

“I-is Willow all right?” asked Joyce.

“Yeah. She's fine.” Buffy turned to Spike “All right, talk. How are we going to do this?”

“Simple. You let me and Dru skip town, I help you kill Angel.”

“Angel? Your boyfriend?” Joyce asked confused, “Sorry, ex boyfriend”

“Forget about Drusilla. She doesn't walk.”

“Dru’s my sire, Goldilocks, I can’t kill her. It’s the most heinous of crimes a vamp can commit.“

“She killed Kendra.”

“The bint that put me in that soddin’ wheel chair for months? Dru bagged a Slayer?” Spike chuckled “She didn't tell me! Hey, good for her!” Spike looks up at Buffy and loses the smile. “Though not from your perspective, I suppose.”

“Well I wasn’t happy that she almost killed you either, but I didn’t resort to murder! Dru didn’t even suck her blood!“

“So you didn't kill that girl,” sighed Joyce, very relieved.

“Of course not,” said Buffy.

“Did she explode like that man out there?” Joyce questioned.

“She was a Slayer, Mom.”

“Like what you are.”

Buffy smiled and nodded

“Look. This deal works for me one way. Full stop. Me and Dru for Angel,” said Spike seriously.

“Honey, a-are you sure you're a Vampire Slayer?” interjected Joyce, still very confused.

“I'll take her out of the country. You'll never hear from her again, I bloody well hope.”

“You’ll take her out of the country? Will you come back? What if she calls you again? What if she decides to end the world again?“

“Buffy...“

“Fine. Don’t have time to play what if. Get back to the mansion. Make sure Giles is all right.”

“I-I mean, have you tried not being a Slayer?” continued Joyce.

The vampire and the slayer turned to look at Joyce.

“Mom!”

Spike sighed in exasperation. Bloody woman doesn’t get it.

“Be ready to back me up when I make my move. If Giles dies... she dies.”

Spike believed her. Possibly this was the first time that he was actually afraid of what his Goldilocks could do. Spike took Buffy’s hand and pressed it to his lips.

“See you in a bit then love.“ He turned to leave.

Buffy pulled him back for a moment.

“I’m sorry. You usually don’t see this side, you see the whole, ‘guess how fun my week was,‘ part. I do love you,” she whispered.

“I know Goldilocks. And I have seen this side of you before, ended up in the wheel chair remember?”

Spike gave her short kiss on the mouth and headed out the door. Leaving Buffy to deal with her mom.

“It's because you didn't have a strong father figure, isn't it?” continued Joyce once Spike was gone.

“It's just fate, Mom. I'm the Slayer. Accept it.”

“We should call the police.”

“No. We're not calling the police.”

“Well, now that we know that you're innocent, it's...”

“What? You thought I was guilty? Jeez, feelin' the love in this room!”

“No, I didn't think that. It's just... now we have proof.”

“We have my word, Mom. Not proof.”

“Look, I am sure that they will understand.”

“Get them involved, you'll get them killed.”

“Well, you're not gonna hurt them, are you?”

“I'm a Slayer, not a postal worker.”

Joyce picked up the phone only to have Buffy slap the switch hook

“Cops can't fight demons.” Buffy took the phone from her mom “I have to do it.”

“Do what? Buffy, what is happening?”

“Just have another drink,” mutttered Buffy as she turned away from her mother.

Joyce threw her glass, breaking on the floor.

“Don't you talk to me that way! You don't get to just dump something like this on me and pretend it's nothing!”

“I'm sorry, Mom, but I don't have time for this.”

“No! I am tired of 'I don't have time' or-or 'you wouldn't understand.' I am your mother, and you will make time to explain yourself.”

“I told you. I'm a Vampire Slayer.”

“Well, I just don't accept that!”

“Open your eyes, Mom. What do you think has been going on for the past two years? The fights, the weird occurrences. How many times have you washed blood out of my clothing, and you still haven't figured it out?”

“Well, it stops now!”

“No, it doesn't stop! It never stops! Do-do you think I chose to be like this? Do you have any idea how lonely it is, how dangerous? I would love to be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys or... God, even studying! But I have to save the world... again.”

“No. This is insane. Buffy, you need help.

“I'm not crazy! What I need is for you to chill. I have to go!”

“No. I am not letting you out of this house.”

“You can't stop me.”

Joyce grabbed her daughter “Oh yes I...”

Buffy shoved her mother back into the island, making her knock over several things. She headed for the door, opened it and stepped out.

“You walk out of this house, don't even think about coming back!”

Buffy stared at her mother. She really means it. Buffy turned and left.
__________________________________________

Spike returned to the mansion, and wheeled himself into the watcher’s torture chamber just in time to hear Angelus call for a chainsaw. Spike snickered a little that the last time Angelus had the pleasure of a good bit o‘torture, it was the days before gas powered appliances where invented.

“Now, now, don't let's lose our temper.” Spike patronized.

“Keep out of it, sit 'n' spin.” threatened the pissed off vamp.

“Look, you cut him up, you'll never get your answers.”

“Since when did you become so level-headed?”

“Right about the time you became so pig-headed.” Spike shot back “You have your way with him, you'll never get to destroy the world. And I don't fancy spending the next month trying to get librarian out of the carpet. There are other ways.”

“Enlighten me,” ordered his grandsire.

“Hmm. Drusilla? Sweetheart?” he called to Dru.

Dru entered the room from behind his chair with a curious look on her face.

“Do you want to play a game?” asked Spike gently.
__________________________________________
Spike watched with a mixture of delight and apprehension as Dru started macking on Buffy’s watcher.

“Blood. Of course. The blood on my hands must be my own. I am the key that will open up the door. My blood. My life. Okay. Kill him.” spouted Angelus intensely pleased with himself.

“Uh, but what if he's lying?” asked Spike before the minions could get to Giles.

“Yeah. Good point. Alright, don't kill him.” Angelus leaned down to eye level with Spike, “You know, I kinda like having you watch my back. It's kinda like old times.”

Spike looked over at Dru who was still swapping spit with the watcher.

“Uh, Drusilla...” Spike tried to get her attention.

“Honey...” Angelus tried too.

“We are finished here, ducks.”

Drusilla stopped and looked back sheepishly at the two other vampires.

“Sorry. I was in the moment.”

Spike rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself.
__________________________________________
Her mom had kicked her out. Angelus was going to end the world and was torturing her watcher. Her boyfriend, newly back from the dead and recently over a fight with her, had just told her he was taking Dru and leaving once this whole thing was over. Willow was in the hospital. Buffy felt like crying. She wanted to be snug in her bed, clutching Mr Gordo, being held by Spike. Xander, who was walking behind her was going to get Giles out. She would take care of the vampires. Even if one of them happened to be her vampire.
__________________________________________
Spike watched with interest as Angelus began the ritual. He really didn’t want the world to end. He was actually starting to wonder if Buffy was going to show up. There was no way that he could take both of them together. He just hoped that she wasn’t backing out on him. She was the slayer, she had to save the world, it was what she did.

Suddenly Spike’s attention was diverted from his poofter of a grandsire to one of the minions, who was crumbling into dust before him. Nasty luck that, decapitation was a bitch.

“Hello Lover” Buffy greeted the room. Spike couldn’t determine exactly to whom she was saying it to. The idea that it wasn’t him... His fists balled at his side.

“I don't have time for you.” Angelus deadpanned.

“You don't have a lot of time left.

“Coming on kind of strong, don't you think? You're playing some deep odds here. Do you really think you can take us all on?”

“No. I don't.”

With a kind of grin, Spike raised himself up out of his chair, grabbed an andiron and began beating his grandsire with it. Even after Angelus started fighting Buffy, Spike kept pounding away with the iron rod.

“Painful, isn't it?” Spike asked his grandsire, with a look of glee on his face. Served the poofter right, he thought, too bloody over confidant.

Suddenly, though, he is forced to deal with his sire jumping on his back and taking him down to the floor. Rising from the floor, Sire and Childe, faced off..

“I don't want to hurt you, pet,” Spike warned.

Undaunted, Dru grabbed him by the throat and shoved him into the wall. Spike slapped her arm aside and punched her in the face.

“Doesn't mean I won't,” he continued.

Spike looked over at Buffy who was battling one of the minions. Unfortunately, Drusilla, used that moment to use those damned long fingernails of hers, and Spike suddenly found himself sporting four bloody scratches on his cheek. He looked up stunned, only to see a punch flying towards his face.

A blindingly bright light permeated the room. Spike looked up from the floor, to see that Angelus had pulled the sword from the garden gnome.

Dru turned towards the light. “Oh... Here he comes.” she cooed.

Spike rolled his eyes and hit her on the back of the head, incapacitating her. Spike caught his Sire as she slid to the floor.

“Wish there was another way,” he said regretfully to the form lying on the floor.

Digging through his pockets, Spike found the roll of duct tape he was saving for a special occasion and began to wrap Dru’s hands and feet. Finished with his task, Spike looked up to see how Buffy was getting on with Angelus.

“God, he's gonna kill her,” he realised.

Spike looked around for his trusty andiron that he had dropped after knocking Dru unconscious.

Spike walked towards Angelus who had backed Buffy into the wall of the garden, playing with is sword like he was one of the bloody three musketeers. Spike had never seen Buffy more frightened since he had known her.

“Now that's everything, huh? No weapons... No friends... No hope.” taunted Angelus. “Take all that away... and what's left?”

Angelus drew his sword back and was about to thrust the sword at her, when Spike hit him with the andiron, directly on the top of the head, much like he had knocked out Dru. Angelus crumpled to the ground.

“You forgot about something, mate,“ Spike spoke to the body of his grandsire, “the lady is with me.“

Buffy let out a relieved breath.

Spike groaned, “I’m turning into a bloody nancy boy! Did you see that? I hit him like a soddin’ poofter!“

Buffy stood next to him with a smile on her face.

“Thank you,“ she whispered.

Buffy turned and picked up her sword that she had dropped during the course of her fight with Angelus. Then, wandering back over to Angel’s side, she crouched down and stroked his cheek.

“You know, this is all my fault,” she whispered to the body. Buffy stood up and wiped a tear that had begun to trickle down her cheek. Buffy exhaled slightly, and then thrust her sword into Angel’s body.

Buffy crumpled in a heap before his body.

Spike picked up his grandsire’s body, and carried it to Acathla, dropping the body, unceremoniously before the gnome and heading back to Buffy.

By the time he reached her side, she had begun full blown sobbing. Spike gathered her into his arms and let her cry.
__________________________________________
Buffy climbed out of her bedroom window, for what she thought would be the last time. Clutching Mr Gordo and the bag of stuff she had taken from her room, Buffy climbed down the tree and headed over to the black Desoto that was parked in the street.

Buffy opened the door and slid across the seat. She dropped her bag at her feet and curled up against the driver.

Spike smiled down at his Goldilocks and leaned forward to push a tape into the stereo system. Suddenly the car was filled with the sounds of the Sex Pistols. Spike slammed his foot down on the gas.

Spike absently tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the music. Everything had turned out alright. Buffy was curled up next to him, Dru was tied up in the back seat. He had his Sire and his future childe with him. He didn’t need anything else.
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
My Summer as a Pet
 
Disclaimer: Joss owns all.

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Quotes from Anne and Dead Man’s party
__________________________________________
Buffy walked through the crowd of minions that littered the main floor of the warehouse. She had no idea why exactly Spike needed the minions. Frankly they creeped her out. Always looking like they wanted to make her their next meal. Which they probably did.

This had been the same warehouse that Spike had resided in the last time he was in LA. Not much had changed. Except now there were more minions. Buffy walked back to her room, the one she shared with Spike. They had been in LA now for a month. Dru had taken off soon after they go here, spouting something about dangerous babies and sad daddies and how that would effect Miss Edith’s eating habits. Buffy couldn’t say she was sorry Dru had gone.

Buffy flopped on the four poster bed and kicked her legs up in the air. She hated the minions. It didn’t matter how much Spike told her that they would not hurt her or how much they professed their loyalty to her, now that she was their master’s prize. Cause that’s what they saw her as. A prize. Someday, maybe she would be their mistress, taking Dru’s place, but for now, she was status, she was a trophy.

Spike didn’t treat her like a trophy, really. He let her come and go as she wanted. She enjoyed spending his money on clothes and makeup. She felt kept. He didn’t like her going out at night slaying demons. He was far too overprotective of her. Buffy had suggested getting a job, and maybe getting an actual apartment. That idea was emphatically turned down.

As much as Buffy enjoyed shopping and clubbing, after a month of nothing but, Buffy was bored. She had no friends, except Spike. She never went anywhere she could meet people. When they went out, Spike kept her to himself. She was arm candy. It was kind of like being a housewife, with out a house to clean (cause the minions did that) or kids to look after (cause technically, she was the kid). What did other vampires (not minions) do all day...night to keep them occupied?

Buffy rolled over on the bed and reached out to take a drink out of her water bottle, only to hear Spike enter the room.

“It’s the middle of the day Spike, where have you been?” she nagged.

“Couple of the minions had a disagreement that needed to sorted. It’s all done now.” he said wearily, dropping down beside her on the bed.

“Was it about me?” she asked quietly.

“As usual.” Spike fell back on to the bed and covered his eyes with his hands. “A couple of the older ones, they decided that you needed a ladies maid. The candidates were fighting for the right to brush your hair.”

Buffy broke out into laughter. This hadn’t been what she’d expected. Spike chuckled too. Buffy rolled and covered his body with hers.

“Spike?”

“Ya love?”

“I’m bored.”

“It’s 10 in the morning pet, it’s time to sleep.”

“No, I want to get a job, or take a course, or join a gym or something.”

Spike let his hand drop from his eyes. His eyes searched hers for a moment before answering.

“No”

Buffy slapped her hands down on his chest and pushed herself up off of him.

“Why not? Why do I have to stay in this fucking POS warehouse all day long. Why can I only go out when you want me to? Why can’t I do something? I’m not going to stay here and learn how to knit sweaters for all the minions Spike! I want to go to the beach!”

Buffy paced the room.

Spike watched his Goldilocks walk back and forth. All he wanted to do right now was sleep. He had lied to her, the minions weren’t fighting over being her ladies maid, though he was pretty impressed with himself that she had bought that excuse. It had been the usual fight. One of the minions wanted to drain her. Spike was getting tired of all the challenges to his authority that came popping up because she was alive and a slayer to boot.

But did he want to turn her now? He was almost afraid that she wouldn’t come back the way she was (with the exception of the soul). He didn’t think he could go through another botched turning, like his mother. The problem was, if he didn’t turn her, what was keeping her here with him? He knew that she was suffering from not having her super friends around.

Spike raised himself on his elbows and faced her.

“Alright pet, a warehouse is no place for my Goldilocks, Go out and get yourself an apartment, close by mind you. I’ll furnish it.”

Buffy stopped pacing and looked at her lover.

“Do you mean it?”

“Yes, pet, I mean it.”

Buffy launched herself into his embrace.

“Thank you!” she gushed.

The couple settled down on the bed. Spike quickly nodded off. Buffy on the other hand lay there thinking. It seemed like an easy victory for her. Complain enough and you get what you wanted.
__________________________________________
Buffy supervised the minions bringing her new stuff into her new apartment. Buffy still couldn’t believe that Spike had not only told the minions where her new house was, but that he had them move furniture too. This of course had required her to stand at the entrance for a good fifteen minutes inviting them all in! The Master Vampire had been so infuriating about it too. Said something about the fact that she could do an uninvite spell whenever she wanted anyway.

Her apartment was nice, large square footage, the building had a residents only gym and pool, which Buffy liked. The kitchen was small, but that was ok, cause Buffy and cooking, two worlds that should never collide. She had been eating at restaurants and take out for over a month now, so she could potentially try her hand at something simple. How hard is it to screw up Mac and cheese?

Having a proper kitchen with a fridge, was something new for her. Sure there had been fridges at the warehouse, but she was always afraid to open them, suspecting that a dead body would pop out at her. Spike had made no effort to curb his feeding from people habit he had. Nor had he encouraged his minions to stop the killing either. Buffy would never tell him, but it bothered her, a lot, that she was the slayer and was living under the same roof as a nest of vampires. If the council ever knew, she would be defrocked, or destaked, or whatever they did to Slayers that pissed them off. They would take away her secret decoder ring and slayer handbook, well if she had gotten a handbook to begin with. She was a bad slayer and she knew it.

That was why she had to get out. Buffy knew that she was living on Spike’s good graces. He could turn her whenever he wanted to, she was in enough vulnerable positions when she was around him he could do it and she would never be able to put up a fight.

She wondered often why he hadn’t done it. She certainly wasn’t the easiest creature to live with. The minions were always fighting about how she should be killed, Spike constantly had to reassert his dominance over his clan. But he had promised that he wouldn’t do it until her 19th birthday. And with Spike, a promise was sacred. Unless a loop hole could be found. His betrayal for using Angel to cure Dru’s weakness fluttered through her brain.

Buffy felt her eyes tear up. Remembering Angel always brought the sobbing on. She couldn’t help but blame herself. It was the most horrible birthday ever. She desperately wanted to not care. Was doing a good job of it too, but every once in a while....

Buffy turned her attention to the four minions who were trying to force Spike’s iron, four poster bed into the bed room.

“Hey! You are going to take the door frame off” she yelled.

The minion grumbled. It must really frost his cookies taking orders from his master’s human pet and the slayer too. Buffy chuckled to herself, only to find herself suddenly under an attacking minion. Buffy rolled out from under the bulky vampire and slipped a stake out from its hiding place. In one fluid motion the minion was dust.

“Does anyone have any more problems?” Buffy asked the group. The remaining minions shook their heads. “Good, now move it!”
__________________________________________
Buffy curled up against the cool vampire body that inhabited her bed. July had turned obscenely hot in LA. Along with all the rolling blackouts, she was glad that she had some means to cool herself off.

Buffy rolled away from her sleeping lover and stared at the ceiling. She had missed Independence day this year. She had seen no fireworks, had eaten no apple pie or hotdogs. She hadn’t even realised it was July 4th until one of the minions, who was delivering something for Spike had mentioned it casually, stating that the whole clan was going out to feast on the families gone out to watch the fireworks.

Now he was home, full of other peoples’ blood. Buffy’s stomach heaved. She bolted out of bed and to her bathroom.

She dry heaved over the toilet for a few minutes, cursing herself for not eating today. Buffy looked into the mirror and stared at the gaunt figure in front of her. She had lost a lot of weight since she had arrived in LA. Not once had she even used the stove in her fabulously wonderful apartment.

Buffy turned and looked at her lover through the bathroom doorway. She did love him. But it was doing things to her. She had stopped Slaying, except for errant minions, she had stopped eating, she had stopped enjoying sex.

It was that last thing that Spike had begun to notice. It wasn’t that she was falling out of love with him, she still couldn’t see herself without him, it was a question of what he was versus what she was. She had lived with it for 2 months, and before that, she had turned a blind eye in Sunnydale. Living with the undead made her unworthy to live.

But did she want to die? That was the question. She was killing herself slowly anyway, why not tell Spike to just turn her?

Classic avoido girl took charge and got dressed. She needed to get out of there. She couldn’t look at him. Yes he was a vampire, that she accepted, but this vampire killed people she was suppose to protect, and she hadn’t been doing that much either.
__________________________________________
Buffy walked into a 24 hr diner and ordered a coffee. She smiled at the waitress. She didn’t look happy with the overnight shift she had been dealt.

“You new in the area?” asked the waitress plunking down her coffee. “We mostly get the regulars here, mostly drunks and weirdos at night.”

Buffy guessed she wasn’t considered one of the weirdos. She smiled.

“Ya, I’m new in town, bumming around, living with a friend.”

“Night owl?”

“Very much,” Buffy sipped her coffee. “I hardly ever see the sun anymore.”

“Ya, I know what that’s like. My husband owns this place, I get stuck with the night shift more often than I like, staff’s scared of working late in this neighbourhood.”

“I don’t blame them.” Buffy looked into her coffee. An idea occurred to her. “You looking to hire any more people for the night shift?”
__________________________________________
It was dawn, and after her coffee, Buffy really didn’t have anything to do. She did know that she didn’t want to go back home. She had filled out an application at the diner, and she knew that if Spike found out, there would be yelling. He was probably wondering where she was right now anyway. Buffy stuffed her hands into her pants pockets and trudged off in the direction of home.

If this was what life like a vampire was like, count me out Buffy thought to herself. She already kept vamp hours, there was no tanning, or beaches in vamp world. The only parties Spike had taken her to were ones hosted by other vamps, or where he was looking to pick up dinner. Sure they went clubbing, but that was really an excuse for him to get take out too.

Buffy stretched her hands out in front of her. Her tanned skin was faded and dull. I wonder if he realises I’m unhappy?

Buffy opened the door of her apartment to see Spike standing in the middle of the living room mad as hell. Their eyes met, and she burst into tears.
__________________________________________
“Anne?” asked Helen.

Buffy looked up from punching in a customer’s bill into the cash register. She had been working at the diner for a week, not exactly being honest with Spike.

“Ya?”

“The guy at table five is glaring at you, you’d better get over there ASAP, if you still want any kind of tip.”

Buffy smiled warmly at her boss, and finished printing out the bill. Buffy looked up at table five to see a pair of green eyes staring back at her. Buffy gulped. Quickly depositing the cheque for table three on the table, Buffy approached table five with caution.

“Buffy,” said her newest customer.

“I’m going by my middle name right now.” she said taking out her note pad and pen. “Can I get you anything?”

“Coffee.”

“Right.”

Buffy walked away and to the coffee pot. Returning to her customer with the pot she glanced around the restaurant noting that if he wanted to make a scene, there was only a few people that would hear the yelling.

Buffy poured the caffeinated beverage, waiting for the verbal onslaught.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

Buffy rolled her eyes.

“Sure, cause you answer phone calls.”

“Ok, maybe I haven’t been as available as I should have been. That’s still no excuse. You were in trouble. I could have helped sweetheart.”

Buffy moved to table three and picked up the money that was left, and started wiping down the table.

“Buf...Anne, don’t you ignore me!”

“I’m working here, DAD!”

“I know, look, I’m sorry. I just...you should be home, with your mother, who loves you and your friends, enjoying your summer, not working in a diner during the graveyard shift.”

“I like working here.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am. I like working here. The people are nice. Quiet...it’s quiet and no one bothers me. That was, until you showed up.”

“Sweetheart, your mother is frantic with worry about you. Your friends miss you. It’s been months, at least call your mother and let her know that you are ok?”

“Why? So she can say that she’s disappointed with me? Or that I’m not the daughter she wanted? I’m too difficult?”

“Buffy, your mother told me about this Slayer business,” her father whispered.

Buffy’s face went pale.

“I don’t pretend to understand it all, but I trust your mother where you are concerned. She tells me that you’ve been in conflict with some very unsavoury characters, no doubt you’ve got reason to feel that no one understands you, we just ask for a chance.”

“Mom had her chance in May. The night she kicked me out of the house.”

“She didn’t mean that Buffy.”

“My. Name. Is. ANNE!”

“Fine, whatever, Anne. It’s late. I’ve got a client meeting tomorrow. I’ll call you tomorrow afternoon ok?”

Buffy stared at her father. “How did you get my phone number?” No one had that phone number, except work. The only reason she had a phone was because it was attached to the security system for the building.

“Your mother gave it to me.”

But how did my mom get it?
__________________________________________
Buffy stormed into her apartment. She hadn’t even bothered to change out of her uniform from the diner. What was the point of hiding anymore? Buffy walked into her bedroom and threw her shoe at the sleeping figure on her bed.

“Bloody Hell! What the fuck are you doing!” he yelled.

“You told my mom where I was! My dad showed up at the diner!”

“What the hell are you talking about? What diner? What are you wearing?”

“Come off of it you stupid prick. You knew I was working at the diner, I’m sure you’ve been having minions follow me again. You called my mom. After I specifically told you not to!”

Spike wiped his hand across his face. He was tired. He had only just fallen asleep when she had started chucking footware at him.

“Can we talk about this in the evening?”

“NO! We will talk about it now! Why did you tell my mom? Why did you give her our phone number?”

“Your friend, the red head...”

“Willow?”

“Right, anyway, Red, she went to Willy.”

“Willy”

“Ya, got me a message a week ago from Red, by way of Willy.” Spike was trying hard to stay on topic. The sun was calling him to sleep.

“What was the message?”

“Red, she said that your mum was taking your leaving bad, real bad, started drinkin’. Like your mum, nice lady. I placed a call, let her know that you are ok, healthy, more or less and that you weren’t ready to come home. I didn’t give her our number love.”

“Caller Id Spike, god you are so technologically challenged.”

“Born in the god damn 1850’s, bloody bint” he muttered.

“How did they know where I worked?”

“Might have mentioned it. Came up in conversation. Don’t think we’ll be have our own conversation about that later, just not now, sleep now” he slumped back down onto the pillow.

“Oh no you don’t!” Buffy grabbed his pillow and whacked him with it. “I’m still mad at you, go sleep on the couch!” Buffy continued to pummel him with the pillow.

“God Woman! Leave my corpse alone!” Spike said into the mattress.

“Get out of the bed.”

Spike groaned and raised his head to look at her.

“Get undressed and get in this bed, Buffy” he said in even tone.

Without know why she did, Buffy did as she was told. She dropped Spike’s pillow on his head, and slipped into the bed without further protest.

“Go to sleep Goldilocks.”

Buffy closed her eyes.

“I may not be able to resist the thrall Spike, but I know you are doing it. This doesn’t change anything. I’m gonna stake you in the morning. I’ll probably miss, but it’ll hurt.”

“GO TO SLEEP!”
__________________________________________
Buffy found, when she woke up, that she was tied up. Her arms were chained to the headboard, her legs together. I guess this means no kinky sex then Buffy looked down to see that her bathrobe had been placed over her body, probably to hide all of her distracting flesh.

“Spike!” she screamed.

Spike poked his bleached head around the doorframe. “She’s awake.”

“Why am I tied up? And don’t tell me that it’s for sex, cause I know better. My legs wouldn’t be tied together.”

“Smart cookie aren’t you love. We are going to have ourselves a little chat.”

“And I need to be tied up for that?”

“I don’t want to get staked, or hit with flying shoes. You did promise me a painful botched staking last night.”

“I remember. You thralled me!”

“Well good news there, you fought it, you shouldn’t have been able to speak. Also another reason why you are...” he waved in her direction indicating the chains.

“You thralled me! You bastard!”

“Yes, I put you in thrall. It was past dawn Buffy! A time when big bad vamps should be tucked into bed. Instead I got pelted with shoes...”

“It was only one shoe”

“And yelled at for my trouble.”

“Fine, you wanted this talk...Talk...Explain to me oh big bad, just why you did what you did.”

“That’s not what I wanted to talk about. I think we yelled enough about that last night.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Then what are we going to discuss?” she said over sweetly.

“You aren’t happy. You weren’t happy in the warehouse, so we moved here, now I’ve got to commute...”

“Poor Spikey”

“You weren’t happy here, so you went and got yourself a job. A shit job, but you seem to like it. You still aren’t happy. It’s killing me...“

“Already dead Spike.“

“I just want to know why aren’t you happy? Is...is it me?”

Buffy bucked against her chains. She desperately wanted to hold him.

“NO! I love you. It’s not you. It’s...it’s what you do.”

“What I do?”

“You eat people. I’m the slayer Spike. I’m supposed to protect people from vampires. You can’t change the fact that you drink blood. I can’t change the fact that I’m the slayer. It’s not a job, it’s what I am, Kendra told me that.” Buffy blinked back the tears. “I haven’t exactly been slaying since I got here. I have all this energy, Slayer energy. I’m a pinball machine with Slayer energy pinballs. All my pinballs are stuck inside the plastic Buffy case. I need to slay. God my analogies suck.”

“So you slay. That’s fair. Never said you couldn’t slay pet.”

“God you don’t get it do you? I’m conflicted. Slayer Buffy and Girl Buffy are having out in my heart Spike. I can’t stay here, living off your money and sleeping with you and still be ok with myself. I’m not me anymore.”

Spike stared at her shocked. He had had no idea that it had gotten this bad. Spike collapsed on the side of the bed.

“I’m so sorry,” she continued. “I don’t know how to fix this Spike.” she was crying now.

“I don’t know what you expect me to do, Slayer. I’m a bloody master vampire, I’ve got minions and what not.”

“You don’t even like your minions Spike.”

“Not the point Goldilocks.”

“What is the point? You are a vampire, I’m the slayer. There’s got to be a point where we both had to say that this isn’t working.” said Buffy “It’s got to end.”

“I agree,” Spike stood up and leaned over her.

Buffy squeezed her eyes closed in anticipation of his bite.
__________________________________________
Buffy was walking barefoot on the sand. Her black bikini stood out against the her now pale skin. Looking out into the ocean closed her eyes, feeling her face being warmed by the sun. Tenderly a pair of hands wrap around her waist, brushing up against her belly button ring. Buffy moved to cover the hands with her own. She looked back to see that Spike is leaning over her shoulder, kissing his mark. Gingerly she reached up and stroked his cheek.

“How did you find me here?” she asked.

“A Sire always knows where to find his childe.”

Buffy turned in his embrace.

“But Spike, I’m not a vampire..”

“No?”

Buffy felt something change, and hesitantly she raised her hands to her forehead. There were bumpies. Buffy gasped.

“No! I don’t want to be a vampire! I don’t want to be something I have to kill.”

“Already are pet.”
__________________________________________
Buffy woke from her dream tangled in her sheets. Momentarily situating herself, she reassuringly found that she was in her apartment in LA, not the one Spike had acquired for her, the one she had gotten when she woke up, expecting to be a vampire.

Nothing had shocked herself more that when she woke up that day, she wasn’t a member of the undead. She had spent a good hour just making sure that she wasn’t vampy.

Spike had unchained her, and left. She hadn’t seen him since. It wasn’t difficult as she had moved her stuff out that night, while he was gone. He had left no note, just a deep bite on her neck and a large wad of cash. She hadn’t taken the money.

So now she sat in her dingy apartment, plagued by dreams of him coming back to turn her, hiding from the world she was chosen to protect.
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
Friends
 
Disclaimer: Joss said to write fan fic...so that’s what I’m doing.

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Quotes from Anne and Dead Man’s Party
__________________________________________
Buffy remembered the words she had said to that Ken guy, “I'm Buffy. The Vampire Slayer. And you are...?” She had been pretty proud of herself. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, not Anne, not Goldilocks. Buffy. Buffy smiled to herself. It was strange, but that was the moment. The moment that she knew she had to go home, to her mother, to Sunnydale. She had a Hellmouth to protect.

Lily was looking at the folding doors that separated the kitchen from the rest of the apartment. Buffy had decided to let her have the apartment. She certainly wouldn’t need it.

“Let me give you the tour.” Buffy walked into the main room and slowly turned to face Lily. “This concludes our tour.”

“It's really nice.”

“All the rent's paid up for the next three weeks.” Buffy turned around to get something out of her dresser. She had been here for little over a week.

“I spoke to Mitch at the diner.” Buffy pulled her diner uniform out of the drawer, “He said you can start on Thursday. He's, uh... he's kind of... repulsive, but, uh, he won't give you a hard time.” Buffy handed the uniform to Lily. “Um... I'll call and check up on you.”

“I'm not... great at taking care of myself.”

“Gets easier. Takes practice.”

Buffy looked down sadly, there was a time not too long ago that she wasn’t good at taking care of herself either.

“Hey... Can I be 'Anne'?” Lily smiled at Buffy.
__________________________________________
Buffy stood outside her house, correction, her mom’s house. She didn’t know if she was welcome anymore. She had planned to spend the night at the mansion, meet her mother in the morning, but something compelled her to get it over with tonight. Buffy knocked at the door.

Fighting the urge to run. Buffy clenched her fists and staid her ground.

When door finally opened, Buffy stood motionless waiting for her mother to do something, to say something. At last her mother moved forward and hugged her. Buffy felt the weight of a thousand worries lift from her shoulders.
__________________________________________
If she ate anything more she was going to explode. Buffy set her fork down and looked at her mother from across the table. She hadn’t even unpacked yet. Her mother had decided that she hadn’t been eating properly and had cooked a five course meal for her.

“Where did you stay....I know in LA, w..were you on the street?” her mother’s voice cracked.

“No, I had an apartment.”

“Was William with you?”

“For a while, we, uh, broke up, a few weeks ago.”

“He was keeping you from coming home?”

“No, he was the one that called you...remember.”

The lapsed into silence once again.

“How...how did you pay for the apartment?”

Buffy searched her mom’s eyes. There was fear there, true fear. That perhaps she had driven her daughter to do something no one should ever have to do.

“You know I worked at the diner. But before that Spike, uh William... he paid for the apartment. You don’t have to worry mom. I didn’t do anything illegal.

Her mom looked relieved at that.
__________________________________________
Buffy walked into her mom’s room.

“Mom...”

Buffy watched her mother physically jump at the sound, and imbed the hammer she was holding into the wall.

“Oh! Buffy.”

Buffy cringed at the sight of the hole in the wall. Her mom turned to face her, pulling the hammer out of the wall.

“Um...”

“Sorry.” Buffy apologized.

“No, no! Don't worry about it. I-I guess I just got used to all the quiet while you were gone. But it's no problem. Uh, look!” said Joyce as she hung the evil looking mask she had been holding on a hook, “It's, uh, Nigerian. We got a very exciting shipment in at the Gallery. I, um, thought I'd hang a few pieces in here. It cheers up the room.”

“It's angry at the room, Mom. It wants the room to suffer.”

“You have no appreciation of primitive art. You going out?”

Buffy looked down at the sweater she was holding in her hands. “Oh. Um... Well, i-if it's okay. I, um... I'd like to find Willow and Xander.”

“Will you be slaying?”

“Only if they give me lip.” Buffy tried joking.

“Uh, can I make you a sandwich or something before you go? You must be starving.”

“I was un-until that four-course snack you served me after dinner.”

“Well, then, um... You know, why don't I drive you? I mean, they could be anywhere.”

“Mom... If you don't want me to go, just say so.”

“No, no. I-I just want to put this whole thing behind us, get back to normal. You go. Have a good time.”

“Okay.” Buffy turned to go, but stopped in the doorway. “Mom? I’m sorry I put you through all that.”
__________________________________________
Finding her friends wasn’t too hard. Finding them in the middle of operation: stake! was a little weird, but after staking the vamp and exchanging tentative greetings, they dragged her to her watcher’s house for confrontational tea. Giles didn’t look to happy to see her. But he invited her in regardless.

“I got in a few hours ago, but I wanted to go see my mom first,” Buffy explained.

“Yes. Yes, of course. How, how did you find her?” asked the watcher.

“Well, I pretty much remembered the address.”

“Ah, eh, I mean, uh...” Giles’ kettle started to whistle. “How are things between you? Ah. Excuse me.” Giles rose from his position and went into the kitchen.

“Hey, so you're not wanted for murder anymore.” added Oz.

“Good. That was such a drag.”

“So where were you? Did you go to Belgium?” asked Xander.

“Why would I go to Belgium?” questioned Buffy, giving her friend an odd look.

“I think the relevant question is why wouldn't you?” Xander grinned and began to giggle “Bel-gium!”

Despite herself, Buffy laughed.

“What about you, Xander? What's up with you?”

“Oh, you know, same old, same old.”

“Hardly,” interjected Cordy.

“Okay, I lied, a whole lot is new.”

“Well, that's good, isn't it? New is good.” offered Buffy.

Buffy turned her attention back to her watcher who was bringing in mugs of tea. She had really missed them all. Buffy thought sadly how Giles would probably not understand what she had been doing all summer. Buffy returned her attention to Xander, who was still talking.

“Cordelia's parents dragged her onto a luxury vacation.”

“I feel for you,” Buffy said sarcastically.

“Here we are then,” said Giles, setting the tray on the coffee table. “Cheer us up.”

Buffy helped herself to a cookie, forgetting that she had eaten the equivalent of four meals since she got home.

“So were you, like, living in a box, or what?” asked Cordelia.

“Well, it's a long story.” she said hoping that that would deter them from asking too many questions.

“So skip the heart warming stuff about kindly old people and saving the farm and get right to the dirt,” ordered Xander.

“Perhaps Buffy could use a little time to adjust before we grill her on her summer activities.” said Giles pouring out the tea.

“What he said.” agreed Buffy, never before so thankful for Giles.

“Fair enough. In fact, you can leave the slaying to us while you settle in. We got you covered,” said Xander.

“I noticed. You guys seem down with the slayage, all tricked out with your walkies and everything.”

“Yeah, but the outfits suck. This whole Rambo thing is so over. I'm thinking more sporty, like Hilfiger maybe,” added Cordelia.

“Still, we were getting good. We dusted nine out of ten.” interjected Willow.

“Six out of ten,” Oz whispered to Willow.

“Six out of ten.”

“Whatever, we were kicking a little undead booty,” said Xander pleased with himself.

“Well, thank you for the offer, but I think I just wanna get back to my normal routine. You know, school, slaying... kid's stuff. In fact, I'm jonesing for a little brainless fun. What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Oh, I would, but, uh,” Xander reached his hands around Cordelia’s arm, “I'm kind of tied up.”

“You wish.” Cordelia pushed him away from her.

“Will?”

“Um, tomorrow I...”

“Oh, come on. Friends don't let friends browse alone.”

“Okay. I had some schoolwork, but... I can change my plans.”

“As for school, Buffy, uh, you know you'll have to talk to Principal Snyder before...” Giles trailed off.

“On it. Mom is making an appointment with His Ugliness. I know she can break him.” said Buffy happily.
__________________________________________
It wasn’t as easy as that though. After being practically laughed out of Snyder’s office, Buffy’s mom started talking about a girl’s private school. Completely groan worthy. But her mom was right, she had made some bad choices and she had to live with the consequences of her actions.

Hmmm, bad choices...Spike was a bad choice, that much she was certain about. She still couldn’t believe that he hadn’t killed her, or that he had simply left. She hadn’t wanted him to leave, not really. Buffy went to her room (after burying the dead cat) and got out the picture Angel had drawn her of Spike.

Why did her life have to be so complicated? As much as she wanted to be mad at him for biting her and leaving her, she couldn’t help but want him there right then and now, to comfort her. She felt like a big hole needed to be filled.
__________________________________________
Her mom’s ‘let’s have everyone over for dinner’ sorta turned into ‘let’s have the whole town over for a party.’ It wasn’t what she wanted. Half these people she didn’t even know. Willow was avoiding her, Xander was too busy with Cordelia to talk, and Giles hadn’t shown up yet. Buffy walked to the kitchen in hopes of finding her mom, and some sympathy.

“Having Buffy home, I-I thought it was gonna make it all better, but in some ways, it's almost worse,” came her mother’s voice.

Buffy froze. Her mom didn’t want her here at all. Maybe it would have been better if she had never came back. Buffy turned and headed up the stairs, sniffling. What was the point? Buffy entered her room and looked at her bed sadly. She had to leave, there was no reason for her to stay here, where no one wanted her. Maybe it would have been better had Spike just turned her. Buffy stooped and took her duffle bag out from under her bed. Maybe everyone could get on with their lives if she were to just disappear again. Buffy began to pack.

“You're leaving again?” asked Willow from the doorway.

Buffy gave her friend a quick glance and then turned back to her packing.

“What, you just stopped by for your lint brush and now you're ready to go?” Willow was really upset.

“It's not like anyone will mind.”

“Oh, no. Have a good time. Oh, oh, and don't forget to not write,” Willow said sarcastically.

Buffy couldn’t hold it in anymore. She started sobbing. “Why are you attacking me? I'm trying.”

“Wow, and it looks so much like giving up!”

“I'm just trying to make things easier.”

“For who?”

“You guys were doing just fine without me.”

“We were doing the best we could! It's not like we had a lot of choice in the matter.”

“Sorry that I had to leave, but you don't know what I was going through.”

“Well, I'd like to.”

“You wouldn't understand.”

“Well, maybe I don't need to understand. Maybe I... I just need you to talk to me.”

“How could I talk to you when you were avoiding me?”

“This isn't easy, Buffy! I know you're going through stuff, but... so am I.”

“I know that you were worried about me, but...”

“No! I don't just mean that. I mean, my life! You know? I, um... I'm having all sorts of... I'm dating, I'm having serious dating with a werewolf, a-and I'm studying witchcraft and killing vampires, and I didn't have anyone” Willow began to cry too, “to talk to about all this scary life stuff. And you were my best friend.”

“You have no idea how much I missed you. Everyone. I wanted to call every day.”

“That doesn't matter, Buffy. It doesn't make it okay that you didn't.”

Just to make things even more better for Buffy, her mom walked by her bedroom door and obviously noticed the bag on Buffy’s bed, full of clothes.

“What is this? Is this some sort of a joke?” asked her mom.

Buffy so didn’t need this now, she had to talk to Willow. She had to make her see.

“Mom, please, could you, could you just...”

“No,” her mom interrupted. “I can't just! Buffy, what is this?”

“She was running away again,” supplied Willow.

“No, I wasn't.” Buffy defended her actions, then was unsure about what she wanted to do anymore. “I'm not sure.”

“Well, you better get sure and explain yourself right away! If you think you can just take off any time you feel like...” ranted her mother.

“Stop it! Please! I don't know. I don't know what I'm doing.” Buffy rushed from her room.

Buffy headed straight to the door, only to find Xander and Cordy making out in front of it blocking her way.

“Don't you leave this house, young lady!” shouted her mother.

Buff ignored her, making her way through the living room.

“You know what? That's it.” Joyce ran up behind her daughter and grabbed her hand. “You and I are going to have a talk.”

The music stopped, everyone’s attention was focused on them, shouting in the middle of the living room.

“Mom, please...”

“You know what? I don't care. I don't care what your friends think of me, or you for that matter, because you put me through the wringer, Buffy. I mean it. And I've had schnapps. Do you have any idea what it's been like?”

“Mom, this isn't the time...”

“You can't imagine months of not knowing. Not knowing whether you're lying dead in a ditch somewhere or, I don't know, living it up...”

“But you told me! You're the one who said I should go. You said if I leave this house, don't come back. You found out who I really was, and you couldn't deal. Don't you remember?”

“Buffy, you didn't give me time. You just dumped this thing on me and you expected me to get it. Well, guess what? Mom's not perfect, okay? I handled it badly. But that doesn't give you the right to punish me by running away.”

“Punish you? I didn't do this to punish you!”

“Well, you did,” interjected Xander, “You should've seen what you put her through.”

“Great. Thanks. Anybody else want to weigh in here?” Buffy looked around the room, “How about you by the dip?”

Jonathon froze in the middle of bringing a chip covered with dip to his mouth and looked around nervously at everyone suddenly staring at him.

“No, thanks. I'm good,” stammered Jonathan.

“You know, maybe you don't want to hear it, Buffy, but taking off like you did was incredibly selfish and stupid,” chastised Xander.

“Okay! Okay. I screwed up. I know this. But you have no idea! You have, you have no idea what happened to me or what I was feeling!” shouted Buffy.

“Did you even try talking to anybody?” continued Xander.

“There was nothing that anybody could do. Okay? I just had to deal with this on my own.”

“Yeah, and you see how well that one worked out. You can't just bury stuff, Buffy. It'll come right back up to get you.”

“As if I even could've gone to you, Xander. You made your feelings about Angel and vampires in general, perfectly clear.”

“Look. I'm sorry that your honey was a demon, but most girls don't hop a Greyhound over boy troubles,” spat Xander.

Buffy winced.

“Time out, Xander. Put yourself in Buffy's shoes for just a minute. Okay? I'm Buffy, freak of nature, right? Naturally I pick a freak for a boyfriend, and then he turns into Mr. Killing Spree, which is pretty much my fault...” spouted Cordelia.

“Cordy! Get outta my shoes!”

“I'm just trying to help, Buffy.” said Cordelia, afraid of getting ranted at too.

“Buffy, you never...” said Willow trying to intercede.

“Willow, please. I can't take this from you, too.”

“Let her finish! You at least owe her that.” shouted Xander.

“God, Xander! Do you think you could at least stick to annoying me on your own behalf?”

“Fine! You stop acting like an idiot, I'll stop annoying you!”

“Oh, you wanna talk acting like an idiot? Nighthawk?”

“Okay. I'm gonna step in now,” Oz stepped between Xander and Buffy, who looked like they were about to start hitting each other. “Being Referee Guy.”

“No, let them go, Oz. Talking about it isn't helping. We might as well try some violence.” said Willow.

Suddenly a zombie smashed through the window.

“I was being sarcastic!”
__________________________________________
Willow and Buffy were enjoying a Zombie free cup of coffee at the Espresso Pump. This had been the first time Buffy had been able to have girl talk with Willow since she got back to Sunnydale and there were things to be said.

“So, you left with Spike and Drusilla?”

“Well I wasn’t really with Drusilla, she was tied up in the back seat. Spike let her go when we got to LA.”

“And you stayed with him? Like with him, with him?”

“For a while, we‘re over, completely over. I mean there‘s only so long before you realise that hey, your boyfriend eats people, it‘s not something that really goes along with the whole Slayer package.”

“Ya, I can see that. So you are over?”

“Yes,” said Buffy sadly.

“But you still love him.”

“Yes.”

“Well you know, it‘s not all bad, maybe he left to go get himself cursed with a soul. I could curse him with a soul! I‘m getting very good at that sort of thing.”

“Witchy Willow?”

“I mean, I'm not a full-fledged witch. That takes years. I just did a couple pagan blessings and... a teeny glamour to hide a zit.” said Willow.

“Does it scare you?”

“It has. I tried to communicate with the spirit world, and I so wasn't ready for that. It's like being pulled apart inside. Plus I blew the power for our whole block. Big scare.”

“I wish I could've been there with you.”

“Me, too. I really freaked out.”

“I am sorry.”

“It's okay. I understand you having to bail. I can forgive that. Mm, I have to make allowances for what you're going through a-and be a grownup about it.”

Willow looked smugly over at her friend.

“You're really enjoying this whole moral superiority thing, aren't you?”

“It's like a drug!” beamed Willow.

“Fine! Okay. I'm the bad. I can take my lumps... for a while.”

“All right. I'll stop giving you a hard time.” Willow paused for a moment “Runaway.”

“Will!”

Willow giggled, “I'm sorry! Quitter.”

“Whiner.”

“Bailer.”

“Harpy.”

“Delinquent.”

“Tramp.”

“Bad seed.”

“Witch.”

“Freak.”

“Nerd”

“Vamp groupie”
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
Not the same without him
 
Disclaimer: Joss has them all, they are slaves to his will, prisoners to his whims. Anyone wanna help me get them out?

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Quotes from Faith Hope and Trick
__________________________________________
Buffy sat in the park across the street from Sunnydale high, waiting for her friends. They had promised a picnic. Stupid Snyder Troll man not letting her back on school property. Shoulda let Spike eat him, when I was being all blasé about the eating of people.

“Buffy, banned from campus, but not from our hearts, how are you and what's for lunch?” asked Xander as the group approached.

Oz climbed onto the nearby bench and sat on the backrest, the others kneeled on the blanket that Buffy had laid out and was sitting on.

“Oh, I just threw a few things together.”

“When did you become Martha Stewart?” asked Cordy, impressed.

“First of all, Martha Stewart knows jack about hand-cut prosciutto.” Buffy handed out drinks.

“I don't believe she slays, either,” offered Xander.

“Oh, I hear she can, but she doesn't like to.” answered Oz.

Buffy opened her drink bottle. “Second of all, way too much free time on my hands since I got kicked out of school.”

“Oh, I know they'll let you back in,” declared Willow, taking a drink.

“Don't you and your mom have a meeting with Principal Snyder?” asked Xander.

“We're seeing Snyde-Man tomorrow.”

“Ooo, Scott Hope at eleven o'clock.” gushed Willow.

Buffy turned to look.

“He likes you,” said Willow to Buffy, “He wanted to ask you out last year, but you weren't ready then. But I think you're ready now, or at least in the state of pre-readiness to make conversation, or-or to do that thing with your mouth that boys like.”

Buffy whipped her head around to face Willow.

“Oh! I didn't mean the bad thing with your mouth, I meant that little half-smile thing that you...” Willow turned and glared at her boyfriend, “You're supposed to stop me when I do that.”

Oz grinned and smiled. “I like when you do that.”

Buffy turned to look at Scott again. As he passed her location on the blanket they exchanged greetings earning a big smile from Willow.

“I think that went very well. Don't you think that went very well?” bubbled Willow.

“He didn't try to slit our throats or anything. That's progress.”

“Hey, did you do that little half-smile thing?” Willow asked.

Buffy sighed, “Look, I'm not trying to snare Scott Hope. I just want to get my life back, you know, do normal stuff.”

“Like date?”

“Well...”

“Oh, you wanna date. I saw that half-smile, you little slut.” Xander chucked a little, until Buffy punched him none to gently on the shoulder.

“No, I don’t really feel right about dating right now. Last break up, still very fresh in my mind. All I want to do right now is shop and hang out and go to school and save the world from unspeakable demons. You know, I wanna do girlie stuff!”
__________________________________________
Buffy walked the floor of the Bronze. Music was playing and couple littered the dance floor. Buffy noticed Xander and Willow sitting at their usual table eating animal crackers.

“Buffy, les biscuits sont tous manger!“ said Willow with concern.

“Huh?“ Why did Willow always have to speak French in her dreams.

“You had better get on that,“ said Xander.

Buffy turned to walk away only to bump into Angel, who was shirtless.

“Well Buffy? Shouldn’t you fix this?“

“Fix what?“

“Les biscuits! Maudit esprit, tabernac!“ shouted Willow.

“I don’t understand? Did Willow just swear?“

Angel caught Buffy up in his arms and drew her to the dance floor.

“I miss you,” Buffy said sadly.

“Doesn’t seem like it, though I could be mistaken, I don’t see things very well anymore, all that fire and brimstone, it gets in your eyes.”

“I’m sorry,“ she muttered. “I had to.”

“I loved you.”

“I’m so sorry!“

“You sent me to hell”

“You tried to end the world Angel, what did you think was going happen? That we’d sit down and knit sweaters together?“

“Go to hell”

“I’m already there, Angel. I live in hell”

Suddenly Spike was at her side.

“Mine!“ he shouted, clocking Angel in the jaw.

Angel fell to the ground and crumpled to dust before her. Buffy looked down on the ground where Angel had been and reached out, only to be caught up in Spike’s arms.

“You belong to me Goldilocks.”

“I belong to no one.”

Buffy flashed back to another time and place.

They were lying on the beach. They kissed long and passionately before he abruptly thrust inside her causing her to gasp with pleasure. Inside her he could feel her muscles still contracting from her previous orgasm. More abruptly he flipped over so that she lay on top of him. With effort she raised and lowered herself upon him letting him slide up and down inside her, over and over. As he got closer and closer she rode him harder and harder. They rolled again, this time with her nestled beneath him. He pulled out and let his fingers glide over her hot wet pussy, back and forth. His fingers moved brining her closer and closer. Pulling his hand away he slid into her once more, this time slowly, then thrusting hard and fast into her. Reaching the brink, Spike roared and finally slid his fangs into her neck.

“Mine,” Spike said “Forever.”

“Yes..” breathed Buffy, “Please Spike, make me yours.”

“Mine, only mine”

“Yours, forever.”

Buffy looked up into Spike’s eyes.

“You claimed me.“

“I claimed you, you belong to me. My Childe, my mate”

“No.“

“You belong to me, Buffy, Goldilocks.“ Spike moved in and kissed her full on the mouth.

Buffy lost herself in the kiss, until something changed. Opening her eyes she saw that she wasn’t kissing Spike anymore. She was kissing Dru. Buffy pulled back.

“Sweet William belongs to me you know. I made him, everything he has belongs to me. You belong to me, Baby.“ Dru started spinning the two of them in place.

When they finally came to a stop she was being held by Angel again.

“Drusilla belongs to me. Made her the mad lunatic she is now. Everything she made, well you know the drill by now. You belong to me Buffy.“

Angel picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder and headed out of the Bronze. Passing through the doors, he dropped her on the pavement.

Buffy looked up to see that Angel disappeared.

“Poor slayer!“ cooed a woman’s voice.

Buffy turned to see Darla standing under a street light. Darla stalked towards her.

“You see, you wanted into this little family of ours. And now, you are in. How does it feel to know the Slayer of this age is cavorting with the Scourge of Europe? Angel belongs to me. What you did to him, unforgivable. Oh I won’t punish you, much, you belong to me now.“

Darla grabbed Buffy’s hand and dragged her to an alley. Standing her up Darla took an appreciative look at Buffy’s now soiled clothes.

“This will simply not do!“ Darla reached forward and stripped Buffy of her halter and jeans.

Buffy looked down to see that she was now wearing the dress she had worn when she had fought the master.

“Time to meet daddy!“ Darla pointed to something behind Buffy.

Buffy turned.

“I made Darla, so now, you belong to me.“ said the Master.

“Nooooo!“

Buffy woke up with a start. Panting, Buffy tried to calm herself down. Buffy heard a knock at her bedroom door and her mother poked her head into the room.

“Morning, Sunshine! Ready to face the beast?”
__________________________________________
The Beast, Snyder, had been pretty much forced to let her back into school. That was supposed to be great right? Except for all the troll’s conditions, pass make up exams, get a recommendation from a teacher, that wasn’t an English librarian, and talk with a psychologist. Buffy just had to prove to everyone, including herself that she was ready for academic achievement.
__________________________________________
Of course Willow was ecstatic about Buffy being back at school.

“It's so great that you're a schoolgirl again.” said Willow as she and Buffy walked through the swinging doors of the Library.

“Giles say what he wanted? Do you think he's mad?”

Buffy wrinkled her nose at the various herbs that were littering the counter.

“No, I don't think so. I think he just needed to see you. Have you ever noticed, though, when he is mad, but he's too English to say anything, he makes that weird cluck- cluck sound with his tongue?” asked Willow.

Giles suddenly rose up from behind the counter and inspects his various plant things.

“Hi, Giles!” greeted Buffy.

“Oh, hi! Been there long?” asked Willow slightly worried.

“Buffy, good timing. I could use your help. I trust you remember the demon Acathla?”

“Giles, contain yourself. Yes, I'm back in school, but you know how it embarrasses me when you gush so. Let's just skip all that and get straight to work.” said Buffy with a smile on her face.

“Oh, ahhhh... Well, I, um... Well-w... O- o-of course, it's wonderful to have you back, i-i-it goes without saying.”

Buffy raised her eyebrows at that.

“But... You enjoy making me say it, don't you?”

“Okay, Acathla, huh? What are you doing, making him some demon pizza?” Buffy picked up a bundle of some sort of herb, sniffed it and frowned.

Buffy held it up for Willow to sniff too. Willow smiled at the smell though.

“We need to make sure that he remains dormant and that the dimensional vortex is sealed tight. So I'm working on a binding spell.” stated Giles.

“Oh, a spell? Can I help?” asked Willow eagerly.

“Possibly, with the research. It's very sensitive and...”

“Oh! Who's more sensitive than me?”

“...and difficult spell.”

Willow frowned.

“It involves creating a- a-a protective circle around... Well, I don't want to bore you with the details, but, uh, well, there's a litany th-that one has to recite in Aramaic, and it's very specific. So I need to get a few details about your experience of defeating Acathla and Angel.”

Giles started looking for more ingredients to the spell.

“Fire away.” said Buffy

“I've put the time at about, um, 6:17, around, about half an hour after Xander rescued me.”

“Less. More like ten minutes.”

“Oh, was the vortex already open?”

“Barely.”

“I see. And Angel?”

“A big fight, Spike hit Angel on the head, and I shoved the pointing end of my blessed sword through his chest. Acathla sucked him into Hell instead of the world. That's about the it.”

“Yes, well, that, um... should be very helpful. Spike?”

Buffy looked at her watch, in an attempt to avoid. “Oh, no, I have to go take an English makeup exam. They give you credit just for speaking it, right?”

She looked hopefully at Willow and Giles.

“Oh...” Buffy whined, then headed out the door.
__________________________________________
On a high from passing her English make up test, Buffy decided it was time for Bronzing.

Walking to the couch area, drinks in hand, Buffy had to stop and watch the smoochies that Oz and Willow were engaged in. They were so cute together. Buffy sat down in a comfy chair not too far away from the smooching couple.

“Don't let me interrupt.” Buffy smiled.

Willow and Oz looked up from their kissing. Willow sat up and tried to act all innocent. Buffy smiled and handed Oz one of the drinks she had been holding.

“Thanks.”

“Are you...” Willow started, then turned to Oz “Is she all glowy?”

Buffy rolled her eyes

“Yeah, I suspect happiness,” observed Oz.

Buffy smiled, “I passed my English makeup exam, hangin' with my friends. Hello, my life, how I've missed you.”

Buffy looked up to see Scott waling towards them.

“Hi, Scott. What are you doing here?” asked Willow.

Scott smiled, “You told me if I came after 8:00, I could run into Buffy.”

Buffy looked menacingly at her friend.

“Uh, I'm sorry. I'm a bad liar. It's not good for the soul,” said Scott to Buffy, he gestured to his face, “O-o-or the skin, actually. It makes me blotch.”

“Hi, Scott.”

“Hi.”

They remained there in awkward silence for a moment, each trying to think of something to say.

“Don't you love this song?” commented the boy.

“Uh, yeah! Actually, I do.”

“Well, would you like to...” he said indicating the dance floor.

“Dance? Um...” Buffy trailed off. “I don't know. I'm bad with... Well... Thank you for asking, it's just that there...”

“Okay, you know what? I'm just gonna go stand by the dance floor. If you change your mind, you can mosey on over, and then if not, then you don't mosey. No harm, no foul, right?”

“Right.”

Scott walked off. Buffy rolled her eyes and flopped her head back on the chair. Could have you been more spastic?

“Come on, Buffy,” said Willow very disappointed in her friend. “I mean, the guy is charm, a-and normal, which is what you wanted to get back to.”

“Plus bonus points for use of the word 'mosey',” interjected Oz.

“I just don't think I'm ready.”

“What's stopping you?” asked Willow.

Cordelia and Xander walked up.

“Check out Slut-O-Rama and her Disco Dave.” Cordy pointed to the dance floor where a brunette, who was dancing with a guy dressed as Disco Stu. “What was the last thing that guy danced to, K.C. and the Sunshine Band?”

Buffy watched intently. The guy was a vamp.

“I don't think that guy thrives on sunshine.” Buffy put down her drink and started out after them.

Buffy crossed the dance floor only to be intercepted by Scott.

“Hi.”

Buffy stopped short and frowned, “”Hi. Oh, no, I...” She pointed at the door. “I-I have to...”

“Oh. Uh, uh, sorry, my bad.”

“No. I-it's mine. Really, it's mine, but I... I-I-I have to go.”

Buffy entered the alley only to be joined by the others.

“Where'd she go?”

Buffy took a few steps to check out things.

“I bet it's nothing. They're probably just making out.” offered Cordelia.

Buffy came back to the group. But turns back. Suddenly Buffy heard a girl call out in a complaining tone, along with sounds of crashing.

“That's not what making out sounds like, unless I'm doing it wrong,” said Willow.

Buffy rushing in the direction of the noise.

“It's okay, I got it. You're, uh, Buffy, right?” said the girl, fighting off her vamp attacker.

Buffy was taken aback. Considering what she was going to say to this strange girl, the girl was attacked from behind by a vamp too. She snapped her head back and head butted him.

“I'm Faith,” said the girl.

“I'm gonna go out on a limb and say there's a new Slayer in town,” said Oz to his girl friend.

The whole group watched on as Faith fought the vamp. Buffy was shocked to say the least, she simply stood there, stake in hand.

Faith reached out and grabbed Buffy’s stake. “Can I borrow that?”

Buffy stared in confusion as Faith dusted the vamp in front of her. Faith turned to face her and handed back the stake.

“Thanks, B. Couldn't have done it without you.”

Faith walked past her and into the Bronze.
__________________________________________
When Buffy returned to the Bronze she found her friends listening attentively to Faith’s stories.

“The whole summer it was, like, the worst heat wave. So it's about a hundred and eighteen degrees and I'm sleeping without a stitch on. And all of a sudden, I hear this screaming from outside. So I go tearing out, stark nude, and this church bus has broke down, and there's these three vamps feasting,”

Buffy sat down, getting acknowledging glances from her friends.

“On half the Baptists in South Boston. So I waste the vamps, and the preacher comes up, and he's hugging me like there's no tomorrow, when all of a sudden, the cops pull up and they arrested us both.”

“Wow. They should film that story and show it every Christmas,” noted Xander.

Cordelia gave him disapproving girlfriend look.

Faith tore into one of the muffins before them on the table.

“God, I could eat a horse. Isn't it crazy how slayin' just always makes you hungry and horny?” observed Faith.

The others all turned their heads to look at Buffy.

“Well... Sometimes I-I crave a non-fat yoghurt afterwards as for the other...not really your business is it?”

“I get it.” said Cordelia with a smile.

Buffy mirrored Faith’s look of confusion.

“Not the horny thing. Yuck! But the two Slayer thing. There was one, and then Buffy died for, like, two minutes, so then Kendra was called, and then when she died, Faith was called.”

“But why were you called here?” Willow asked Faith.

“Well, I wasn't. My Watcher went off to some retreat thing in England, and so I skipped out. I figured this was my chance to meet the infamous Buff and compare notes. So, B, did you really use a rocket launcher one time?”

“Uh, yeah, actually, it's a funny story. There was...”

“So what was the, uh, story about that alligator? You, uh, said something... before.” interrupted Xander.

“Oh, there's this Big Daddy Vampire out of Missouri who used to keep them as pets. So he's got me rasslin' one of 'em, okay? The thing must have been twelve feet long and I'm...” spouted Faith enthusiastically.

“So was this, um, ahem, also naked?” he interrupted again.

“Well, the alligator was.”

Faith and Xander laughed.

“Xander? Find a new theme,” glared Cordelia.

Buffy sighed. Kendra’s replacement seemed to be a fun person. Faith was someone who loved life. Like she used to. As much as Buffy tried, she hadn’t been able to bounce back from her summer of misery.

That’s unfair said a voice in the back of her head. It wasn’t all bad

No it wasn’t all bad. And the truth was, she missed him. A lot. She only wished she knew where he was, so she could talk to him, to make sure he was ok. And ask him why he didn’t turn her. That was the question that most plagued her mind. Why didn’t Spike turn her when he had the chance.

He doesn’t want you anymore said the traitorous voice.

Buffy briefly turned back to the conversation in front of her. Oz was asking Faith about her position on werewolves.

“Hey, as long as you don't go scratchin' at me or humpin' my leg, we're five-by-five, you know?” answered Faith.

“Fair enough,” said the werewolf.

“The vamps, though, they better get their asses to DEFCON ONE, 'cause you and I are gonna have fun, you know, Watcherless and fancy-free.” said Faith pointing to Buffy.

“Watcherless?”

“Didn't yours go to England, too?”
__________________________________________
Faith was getting along with everyone, except her. Willow loved her, Xander was practically drooling every time her saw her, her mom practically wanted Faith to move in with them. And Giles, was impressed, and it took a bit for Giles to get with the impression. Buffy didn’t like it. Faith wanted her life.

That wasn’t such a bad idea. Buffy was tired of it. The slaying wasn’t doing it for her anymore. The constant being pulled into so many directions, she wanted a normal life. She wanted a boyfriend who loved her, a family who respected her for what she was, not people who were critical of every thing she did. She didn’t want to have to save the world anymore.

And now Faith was here, and so eager.

Buffy felt a little guilty about her thoughts. It sure wouldn’t be a happy time for her mom to have her run away again. But she wanted to. She wanted to run away and find Spike. It was awful having this feeling of emptiness that pervaded her whole body. Probably the claim she thought.
__________________________________________
With Faith’s help, she took down Kakistos, and the two of them started getting along well, except for the few mentions of Angel (because Willow had seen fit to tell the story, without the Spike parts) and Scott, whom Faith had just recently decided was drool worthy and couldn’t figure out why Buffy didn’t want anything to do with him.

“So if you aren’t going to jump his bones, can I?” Faith asked.

“Be my guest. He’s unclaimed territory.”

“He’s been making with the moon eyes at you for a good long time, I don’t get why you aren’t interested? I mean, you and Angel, it was a one night stand right? You can’t be so hung up on the guy after you used him and losed him.”

“It’s not Angel, Faith. And could we not talk about this anymore.”
__________________________________________
Spike walked down the deserted road. It hadn’t taken him long to find Dru again. The problem had come when she was still mad at him for the Acathla incident, and the fact that he still hadn’t turned Buffy.

Now here he was in Brazil, trying to make sense of all the thoughts rolling about his head. He still loved Buffy. But it was his being a vampire that was killing her soul. The truth was he didn’t know if he was ready to turn her yet. Oh he could do it, but he liked her full of life, and warm. They were just so incompatible the way they were.

She hadn’t asked him to change his lifestyle at all. She hadn’t given him ultimatums or threats that if he didn’t change she would leave. It was like she had accepted that he wouldn’t, couldn’t change, even for her. But was he willing to change for her?

“My Sweet William has terrible ogres on the brain. What to do about Baby? She never had tea. Bring Baby for tea, Spike,” Dru whispered in his ear.

Spike looked up at his Sire, and blinked.

“Miss Edith knows Baby wants to take tea with her. We’ll have scones!”

She was right of course, except about the whole having tea with dolls bit. He needed to be with Buffy and sort this out. There were only two outcomes for this that he saw, turning her, or killing her, and he didn’t like that option.
__________________________________________
tbc...
 
Reunion
 
Disclaimer: Buffy and Spike aren’t mine, I just make them play out ‘what if’ scenarios

Author’s note: Thanks to all my reviewers! Yes I’m skipping a few episodes, they aren’t important to the story. Just one thing to note though, Angel did not come back from Hell, I don’t like Angel generally and he gets in the way more often than not. Quotes from Lover’s Walk.
__________________________________________
Spike arrived in Sunnydale a little worse for wear. Being somewhat nervous about what would happen when he saw Buffy again, he had started drinking in Phoenix and was now pleasantly sloshed. It was a wonder he could drive at all.

Spike ran down the welcome sign to the town for good measure and managed to get to the mansion to sleep it off.

In his drunken haze, he noticed that Acathla had been moved. Probably the watcher’s work. It looked that no one had been in the house since that night, even the minions had left. Spike collapsed on his bed and promptly passed out.
__________________________________________
Buffy had shown her SAT scores to her watcher, in anticipation of ecstatic congratulatory huggage or some such thing...

“Buffy, this is, this is remarkable,” was all he said.

“So is this,” Buffy said indicating the large pile of camping equipment that was cluttering the table in front of her. “Where is this retreat thingy, the Yukon?”

“It's quite nearby, actually. It's, um, it's the clearing at the top of Breaker's Woods. It's the site of some fascinating druidic rituals.”

“Okay, but you're just going for a few days, right? I mean, you're not gonna settle there and grow crops or anything.”

“What? Oh, my gear. No, no, this is, this is basic necessities.”

“Giles, you pack like me.”

“Here,” he said as he handed her back her scores, “I suspect your mother will want to, uh, put it on the refrigerator.”

“Yeah. She saw these scores, and her head spun around and exploded.”

“I-I've been on the Hellmouth too long. That was metaphorical, yes?”

“Yes. She was happy. She started with all this crazy talk about me going to college, maybe someplace else. I know. I know, I said that you were gonna have a goat. Responsibilities and all. I know the drill.”

“She may be right.”

“Yeah, I know, I figured you'd... “ Buffy stopped and looked hard at her watcher. “Okay. Be kind, rewind.”

“With scores like these, Buffy, you could have a first-rate education. I'm, I'm not suggesting that you... ignore your calling, but, um... you need to look to your future. And with Faith here, i-i-it may be that you can move on. For a-a time, at least.”

“Wow.”

“Well, let's, um, let's discuss it when I get back. I-in the meantime, um, I'd like you to continue training while I'm, while I'm gone, and, um, please don't do anything rash.”

“'Anything rash', meaning...”

“You’ve been reckless of late, with your patrolling, you have been taking on too much. Faith is here, you should use her presence to your benefit.”

“Huh.”
__________________________________________
Later that night, after a uneventful patrol her mother decided movie night was an order. Ok, it was probably going to turn out to be ‘let’s talk about your future night’ but still it involved popcorn.

“Carnegie Mellon has a wonderful design curriculum. Oh, and Brown University's history program is... You like history, right?” asked her mom.

“Could we talk about this another time? All day it's been like, 'Congratulations! Go away.'“

“That's not it. It's just you belong at a, a good old-fashioned college with, with keg parties and boys, not here with Hellmouths and vampires.”

“Not really seeing the distinction.”

“Y'know, you're always talking about how you wish you could lead a more normal life. Well, this is your chance!”

“Yeah, it's just not that simple. I have responsibilities.”

“I know, I know, but I spoke with Mr. Giles, and he said... “

“ ...that Faith could be Miss Sunnydale in the Slayer Pageant. I know.”

“It's time to think about your future, Buffy, about your whole life. I mean, honestly, is there anything keeping you here?”

Buffy had to agree with her mom. There was nothing to keep her here at all.
__________________________________________
Spike stocked up on blood. Burglary at the Blood bank was beneath him, it was true, but he had carefully thought his plan out, and Buffy would need lots of blood after she woke up hungry. He would wait and see if she wanted fresh after she woke. He had never heard of anyone turning a slayer before, and he wasn’t sure if her moral compass would pass over with her or not.
__________________________________________
Refusing to stay and listen to the many virtues of countless schools across America, Buffy told her mom she was going to work out, cutting the non movie watching movie night short.

Truth was she liked the idea of leaving Sunnydale, she just didn’t know where she would go, what she would do. Did she even want to go to college?

Buffy turned up the music and started pounding on the heavy bag. It wasn’t long before she was singing along to ‘I wanna be sedated’ and dancing around the room.

That was how Spike found her, in her own little world, so full of life and energy. Spike watched for a while from the stacks for a while before the song ended. Spike was about to join her on the main part of the floor when the next song on her mixed tape started. The Dixie Chicks had started singing ‘Can’t Hurry Love.’ Spike chuckled to himself and he shook his head, she had the most eclectic taste in music he had ever heard.

“I know you are here Spike, I can feel you,” she said as she turned off the music. “Enjoy the show?”

Spike stalked closer to his Goldilocks. Silently he stepped behind her, arms at the ready, if she decided to fight him.

Buffy felt him behind her and turned to stare in his bright blue eyes.

“Did you come to turn me?” she came right to the point.

“Hello Spike, how are you?” he mocked.

“Did you really expect me to just jump into your arms after how we left everything? You nearly drained me and left me!”

“I was right mad at the time luv, you had just done the human break up thing.”

“You’re right, I did. So why are you back?”

Spike looked down at his hands for a moment, then got out a cigarette and lit it.

“Are you going to answer me sometime during this commercial break?”

“Don’t rightly know why I’m here Goldilocks, just couldn’t stay where I was.”

“Spike, don’t lie to me. I know you too well.”

Spike took a puff of smoke and sighed. “Ok, fine, I can’t live with out you alright, so I came to sire you.”

“You can’t live without me?” she whispered.

Spike butted out his cigarette on one of the watcher’s books and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him.

“You broke my heart when you told me we couldn’t be together luv.” Spike rested his chin on the top of her head.

Buffy sniffed. “I didn’t want to, I couldn’t live like that.”

“You weren’t happy.”

“All I ever wanted was for the two of us to be together, it’s the other stuff that got in the way.”

“We can work around the other stuff.”

“Can we? You are still a master vampire, I’m still a Slayer.”

“You don’t have to be a slayer anymore, I’ve heard about this other bint who’s been doing your job.”

“Faith. She’s young and naive.”

“This coming from the 17 year old.”

“I don’t feel 17.”

There was a long pause as they just held each other.

“I missed you,” she whispered.

“I’m not saying it wasn’t a good idea Wills, I just don’t think that Magic is the way to solve this,” said Xander as he and Willow walked into the library. “HOLY SHIT!” he jumped as he noticed Spike standing in the middle of the room with Buffy in his arms. “Th...That’s Spike!”

Xander reached over the check out counter and grabbed a cross.

“Back you foul fiend!” said Xander as he thrust the cross into Spike’s face.

“Xander!” Buffy turned around in Spike’s arms and pushed the cross out of Xander’s hand. “Knock it off already.”

“Buff...Please tell me that this is some sort of plan to dust him. This is Spike...the hugging...”

“Xander, calm down” said Willow calmly.

“Calm down? Buffy is hugging Spike!”

“Buffy loves him, Xander...” she whispered, tugging on his arm. “Let’s go.”

“Huh?”

Xander and Willow exited the room.

“Sorry about Xander,” Buffy muttered. She started to pack up her things. “Where are you staying?”

“The mansion.”

“Ok,” she said as she slung her bag on her shoulder. “Let’s go.”
__________________________________________
Buffy and Spike walked into the mansion hand in hand. Buffy had no allusions about what they were going to do here. She would not exit this building alive, she was sure of that, and curiously she was ok with that.

Spike led her to his bedroom, neatly cleaned of all the dust from the summer. Silently she dropped her bag on the floor and laid back on the bed. Spike shed his duster and sat beside her, looking at the floor.

“Buffy...”

“Hold me” she begged.

Spike crawled onto the bed with her and tucked her gently against his body.

“Why can’t we just stay here like this for the rest of eternity?” she asked. “Why do things have to be so hard?”

“If it wasn’t hard, it wouldn’t be worth doing, Goldilocks.” Spike trailed his fingers down her arms and ended by interlacing his fingers with hers.

“I think you are worth it Spike,” she whispered.

Buffy leaned back to kiss him, lightly on the mouth. Spike didn’t feel the kiss was enough and pressed his lips roughly to hers, tracing her lips with his tongue, finally gaining entrance past her soft lips. Duelling tongues battled for a few moments, before Spike rolled them so that he was on top of her on the bed. His kisses left her mouth and began to trail a path down her neck. He stopped at his marks, giving them a decisive lick and a gentle nibble, before moving on downwards.

Buffy’s eyes rolled back into her head as she felt Spike nibble on his mark. She had missed this, she had missed him, and now she was turning to jello under his talented lips.

Spike brushed his hands over her breasts, still clad in her work out top. With a moan, Buffy sat up and yanked the offending garment off, to give him better access. Buffy guided his head back and sighed when she felt his tongue on her left breast. Spike raised one of hands and began to fondle her other breast tenderly, making the nipple raise to point.

Spike moved lower, kissing along her stomach and down to her shorts. He hooked his thumbs into the waist band and dragged the shorts off with her underwear. Spike tossed the garments aside and resumed his tender administrations.

Buffy gasped as she felt his wet tongue glide over her abs and down towards her navel. Spike gave a kiss to her bellybutton and looked up at his slayer.

“Tease,” she whimpered.

He smirked and crawled back up the length of her body, paying attention to her neglected lips. Buffy moaned as he thrust his tongue back into her mouth.

Buffy’s hands, however were unwilling to let her be the only one who was naked. She popped the button on his jeans and was slowly unzipping him, when she felt his cool fingers seeking their way into her moist depths.

“Mmmm Spike,” she hummed in appreciation of what he was doing with his hand.

Spike watched as she lost herself to the sensations she was feeling. Her hands had stopped trying to disrobe him and were now balled fists, clutching his t shirt. Buffy squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed herself frantically against his hand as she got ever closer to cumming.

“That’s right, Goldilocks, cum for me luv,” he purred.

She nearly ripped the shirt from his body as she came.

Buffy laid back, panting, and looked up into Spike’s blue eyes. He brought a wet finger to his mouth and sucked her juices off. With a smile, Buffy reached over and ripped off the tattered shirt from his body and set about peppering his chest with kisses.

Intent on returning the favour, Buffy trailed her kisses down his chest, only to stop at the opening of his jeans. Buffy pulled off his jeans in one smooth stroke and turned her attention to the inside of his thighs. Buffy licked her way up one thigh, then the other before passing her warm wet and eager tongue over his balls. Lovingly she sucked one into her mouth and twirled her tongue around it, then she gave the same attention to the other.

Buffy smiled as Spike started to make noises. Delicately she traced a vein in his cock from base to tip and down again, making sure to breathe heavily on the tip of his now seeping slit. Buffy twirled her tongue back towards the tip, this time taking it into her mouth. Buffy pressed her hands to his hips holding him back from thrusting too harshly into her mouth, while she took him as far as she could without gagging.

“Fuck, Goldilocks, love your hot little mouth,” he moaned.

Buffy moved one hand to fondle his balls.

The feel of her sweet little hand, cupping his balls nearly sent him over the edge, but when she started humming...He growled and came hard, into her hot mouth. Buffy swallowed greedily.

Lifting her head from his groin, and licking her lips to catch the rest of his cum, she straddled him with a large smile on her face.

“Fuck, Goldilocks, I’ve missed your luscious body,” he said putting his hands on her hips holding her in place while she stroked him to hardness again.

Buffy leaned forward and began nibbling on his ear. “I missed you too,” she purred. “Make love to me William,” she asked.

With a growl, Spike flipped them so that she was on the bottom. He slid into her wet centre with ease and began pumping in and out of her in a slow steady rhythm.

“I love you so much,” she whimpered, a single tear rolling down her face.

Spike’s tongue darted out and captured the errant tear. He knew why she was sad. She had accepted that this was the only way they could be together. She was giving up so much so they would be together forever. Spike leaned down and began licking a nibbling his mark again.

“Do it William.”

Spike brought his demon forth and stared into her green eyes for a moment.

“Please, make me like you.”

Spike thrust hard into her warm core a few more times, bringing him to the brink, then leaned down and bit. Her sweet blood rushed into his throat, like it had done so many times before.

“Mine,” he barked, then brought his fangs to the wound again, sucking the life blood out of her.

“Yours,” she acknowledged.

Buffy licked his neck once before biting hard into his neck, drawing blood with her blunt human teeth.

“Mine,” she whispered, feeling her loss of energy as he drained her. She placed her lips over his wound and drank until the darkness took her.

“Yours,” was the last thing she heard.

The end.
__________________________________________
Author’s note: Don’t you hate me? Don’t worry there will be a sequel, to be titled “Present Childe.” I want to thank everyone who was following this story and gave me such wonderful feedback. - Ariel Dawn