Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay in update, I was swamped by course work. *sigh* Beta'd by amazing dawnofme and Mabel Marsters. Thanks to all who review, it motivates me! :)






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Chapter 25


Buffy gave a last little wave with her hand, watching her mother drive away until the car turned the corner and disappeared from view. With a sigh, she walked back into the house to finish her breakfast. Joyce had asked her to come back to LA, insisting that once Buffy was home, it would be easier to reclaim the life she’d had prior to the kidnapping. She would be loved there, and they would help her.


What her mother failed to see was that LA was no longer her home. Not when Buffy’s heart and soul were in the hands of the man currently sleeping in their bedroom. There would still be the lingering feeling of hollow longing to be able to fit in with her old life, to be just a child of her parents.


'Guess that’s what growing up feels like.'


Stabbing her pancake with a fork and putting it into her mouth, Buffy couldn’t seem to find it in herself to feel sad about the changes in her life. The pang of losing something she’d been used to was drowned out by the vision of her future. All she could see was the image of her in Spike’s arms as he stroked her hair. The feeling of his cool breath raising goose bumps on her skin. Even seeing the glee on his face as they pretended to kick each other’s butts. The thing that thrilled her the most though was the overwhelming solidity of his love for her. How could she ever regret anything with him standing by her side?


Spike showed her how to be strong again, encouraged her to grasp everything that made her who she was. And even though Buffy knew it was right to reclaim the Slayer part of her by going out with Spike to patrol, it was still daunting. The enormity of literally fighting the demons that had been haunting her for so long suddenly smacked her in the face. Was she really ready?


Managing to swallow the last bits of food despite her throat constricting with apprehension, Buffy rose and put the plate into the sink, busying herself with washing it. All the weeks of training, all the steps she’d made towards living again, and the cold fear that settled in her stomach still refused to go away. What if she lost it? Unable to remain cool headed in the face of her abusers and putting both her and Spike in danger? If something happened to him because of her, she’d never forgive herself.


Wiping her hands on the towel and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, Buffy descended into the basement, needing to occupy herself with physical activity to will the doubts whispering through her mind away.


******


Spike hopped down the stairs, one hand running through his mussed hair as he strode into the living room. There were still several hours till sundown, but he wasn’t much for sleeping the day away. After becoming a vampire, the constant restless energy wouldn’t let him sleep too long, and Buffy always hid everything containing caffeine from him, joking he would probably spontaneously combust if he had a cup of coffee.


“Hey, luv, been waiting long for me?” He plopped down next to her on the couch and kissed her on the cheek.


“Nope. Just finished making popcorn.” She lifted the bowl resting in her lap in demonstration.


“But where am I gonna snuggle?” He pouted and scowled at the bowl.


Buffy playfully rolled her eyes and set the bowl aside, sitting comfortably and leaning back against the couch as Spike rested his head in her lap, grinning up at her.


“You’re such a big baby,” she said and started playing with his hair as he turned on his side, knowing how much he liked that.


“Hey! I’m all man here… now put on the chick flick.”


Buffy snorted and reached for the remote to get the film started.


Halfway through the film, and one empty bowl of popcorn later, Spike suddenly sat up and twisted his body so that he was facing her. Buffy stared back at him, thoroughly puzzled by his concerned expression.


“What’s wrong?” she asked.


“That’s what I’d like to know.”


“What do you mean? Everything’s-”


“Buffy, I can feel something’s bothering you, so why don’t you just ‘fess up… before I tickle it out of you.”


“You wouldn’t dare!”


“Wanna try me?” He arched an eyebrow and Buffy sighed.


“I don’t know… it’s just… I have this feeling… it’s really hard to explain, and I don’t even understand it, it’s-”


“Yeah?” Spike prompted.


“It’s about tonight… how we’re supposed to go after the demons that…” She hesitated, mulling it over in her head. “What if… What if I go all crazy Buffy again and get you hurt somehow? Or something bad happens, or--”


“It won’t. Look, Buffy… the way you reacted then was probably because you didn’t expect it. You couldn’t have known the git would be there, and it took you by surprise. And between the two of us, they don’t stand a chance, yeah? But we still don’t have to go. It’s entirely up to you. You know I wouldn’t force you into anything you’re not ready for.”


“I know.” She smiled and entwined her fingers with Spike’s. “I still want to go. It’s just me being worried for nothing, I guess.”


“It’ll be alright, you’ll see. You have my incredibly sexy and dangerous self to watch your back after all.” He led Buffy to sit astride him, letting go of her hand as he embraced her tightly in his arms.


“That I do.” Buffy lightly bit his earlobe, smiling as he growled.


“Thought you wanted to watch the film,” Spike teased as his hand moved beneath the fabric of her t-shirt to stroke the silky skin of her back.


“I’ve seen it before.”


Spike groaned as she wriggled on his lap and nipped at his neck.


“Right then,” he said as he rose from the couch with Buffy’s legs tightly wrapped around his waist as she clung to him.


With Buffy’s attention to his neck, it was somewhat of a miracle he made it to the stairs without accident.


Just as Spike was about to enter their bedroom, he tripped over the door step, yelping as the toes on his left foot slammed into the hard wood. He cursed as his eyes teared up from the pain. The little minx in his arms had the audacity to actually laugh too.


“That bloody hurt, you know. And here you are, laughing at my misfortune,” he said with a pout, as he set her down on the bed.


“Aw, don’t be mad. Come here. I’m going to kiss it better.” She threw him a sultry look and tugged at his hand, prompting him to sit next to her.


“You better.” The pain was almost gone, nothing but a dull throbbing left behind thanks to the accelerated healing, but what kind of evil vampire would he be if he didn’t milk this for all it was worth? He covered the smirk pushing at the edges of his lips by continuing to pout pitifully.


Buffy edged towards him, all knowing smiles and soft skin, and he had no other choice than to tackle her to bed and devour those lips that tasted like darkness and purity. Every gasp and every moan passing through her lips, every movement of her body and caress of her fingertips were driving him wild. Claiming him as her eternal slave. Spike was ready to cater to her every wish, even those she never said out loud. He was completely, irrevocably hers.


Clothes were peeled away, fluttering soundlessly to the plush carpet of the bedroom. The feeling of bottomless hunger fueled the raw need for her touch as their bare skin made contact, making him feel alive. Buffy’s fingers threaded through his hair as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, her thighs cradling his hips making him shiver in anticipation.


Right now, nothing mattered. Not the thirst for revenge or fear of the unknown. There was nothing but the echoes of their heavy breathing and sounds of torturous desperation for connection tearing through the silence of the room. The colours of the sunset filtered through the thick curtains, bathing the silky skin of Spike’s back in orange and violet hue.


Spike broke the kiss, instantly missing the feel of Buffy’s lips as he let her take in gulps of air. Smiling against the skin of her neck, he let his hand slide down her side, stroking her skin and reveling in the shiver it evoked. Her fingers tightened in his hair as he lavished her sensitive neck with gentle kisses.


“Spike… please.”


“Please what?” And if it weren’t for the tremor in his voice betraying his own desperation, the teasing edge would have almost sounded convincing.


“Need you,” Buffy said breathlessly and squirmed beneath his weight.


Spike stroked her outer thigh and encouraged her to wrap the leg around his waist as he thrust inside her. Dropping his forehead against Buffy’s, their breath mingled as they relished the ultimate connection. The pleasure was sweeping over him in waves, and Spike’s hips started to move, overwhelmed by the intensity. Buffy’s fingers trailed down his back, leaving light scratches in their wake, and he moaned as both of her legs wrapped around him, allowing him to sink in deeper.


“Bloody… beautiful, you are. So hot you’re gonna burn me alive.”


“God, more…please.” Her eyes were unfocused, barely open as she gazed into his. He could feel her pleasure flowing through him, magnifying his own as he quickened the movement of his hips.


Her hair smelt like flowers when he buried his face in it, her warm breath tickled the skin of his neck. The thunder of her blood rushing through her veins called to him, and Spike was too weak to resist it. Tenderness collided with the raw animalistic desire, and Buffy’s internal muscles squeezed him as she reached the climax. Spike slid his fangs into her neck, pulling her life into his mouth, the heady taste throwing him over the precipice into the abyss of pure pleasure.


He could feel every muscle loosening and relaxing as he rolled onto his back and took Buffy with him.


“You’re perfect,” he whispered.


“No. We are.” Buffy smiled and stroked the skin of his chest. “We forgot the whipped cream.”


Spike chuckled and kissed her temple. “We have our whole lives to make up for that, don’t we?”


“I hope so.”


TBC



Author's note: There are only about two or three chapters left, so I hope you've enjoyed the chapter. :)