A/N: Betad by wonderful dawnofme and Mabel Marsters.

Hugs to all you who read. :)


Chapter 36


Buffy swiftly stood up and her gaze landed everywhere but on him. The last thing she wanted was to admit to loving him after what had happened.


“I’m thirsty. Yes. Do you have anything to drink? Like a-a soda or… something?”


Fortunately he didn’t comment on her obvious avoidance of the issue and nodded with a small smile. “I’ve got soda.”


“Good.”


She followed behind as he crossed the studio apartment to the small kitchen and opened refrigerator to take out a can. Their fingers brushed as she took it away from him.


“Thank you.” She opened the soda and took a big gulp, thankful that she hadn’t spilled any in her haste. “Why do you have stuff like this here? Human food and drinks.”


He tilted his head and regarded her as though she should know the answer, but he humoured her anyway. “For you.”


“Oh.” And why did words escape her all of sudden?


Spike rubbed the back of his neck, the nervous gesture she knew so well, and leaned against the kitchen counter. “I’ve got snacks too if you want. The… umm… strawberries because I know you like them and some cheese flavoured crisps if you’re in a mood for something salty.”


“I like cheese.”


“I know,” he said with a hesitant smile.


“So… this place seems kind of expensive. How did you get it?”


“I didn’t steal the money, you know.”


“I wasn’t trying to… I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean it to come out like that.”


He shrugged, but she could see he was a bit tense. “I took the money from Darla’s account. ‘S not exactly stealing since it’s family money, but I didn’t know if you’d think that…”


“No, and I’m sorry I made you feel that way.” Buffy put the can of soda on the counter. “Well, I guess she won’t be needing cash right now.”


“Guess not.” His gaze slid away room hers to look around the apartment. “So… do you like it?”


“It’s so great. I like it. Really.” And she meant it.


His eyes lit up a bit and it felt better than basking in the sun.


“It’s not very big, but-”


“It’s perfect.” She glanced at his hand and wanted to take it in hers, so she gathered the courage and did. The loving expression on his face told her she made a right choice. “Want to give me a tour?”


“’Course.”


A frown crossed his face briefly as he said, “You’re shivering. Shit, I’m sorry, Buffy. I didn’t realize...” He tugged her into the bathroom and wrapped her in a huge towel. Even though she was fully capable of drying the damp strands of her hair, she let him do it instead. If he needed to take care of her, then who was she to refuse?


“I’ll give you some of my clothes.”


“Don’t sweat it. I’m not really all that wet. Show me around real quick and then I’ll change.”


“Are you sure?”


“Positive. I can’t wait to see everything.”


Spike took her hand in his again and quickly led her around, but she barely heard his comments about the place. All her focus concentrated on feeling her hand encased in his bigger one, on the warmth it spread throughout her whole body. They stopped suddenly near steep steps and she tilted her head back to see where it led.


“Up there is a bedroom.”


She could only see the walls of the open loft. “So, can I see it?”


“It’s a bit of a mess.”


“Spike, there are liquor bottles all over the floor. Some upturned sheets won’t upset me,” she said with a smile.


“Right, sorry about that.”


“I don’t mind. Now show me the upstairs and give me those clothes.”


He nodded and with each step, her heart slammed against her ribcage a bit faster. Being led into a bedroom by the man she loved was a really strange sensation, even if she didn’t exactly plan on anything happening right now.


They climbed the steps and Buffy glanced around the small but cozy bedroom.


“So you really do have silk sheets.” And of all observations she could have made, this was the one she said out loud.


“Thought I was lying?”


And how was pressing his wicked tongue behind the front teeth fair? It seemed as if he’d taken liking to making her blush.


“Umm… so do you really sleep naked in those?”


He laughed. “Yeah. You should try it some time.”


Him naked, her naked, together on those silk sheets. “Sounds exciting.”


Saying that was worth it, if only for the way his eyes almost bugged out of his head. Not that she didn’t mean it. The last thing she expected though was the smirk slowly spreading across his face.


“You know, now that I think about it… I’ve got no spare clothes, so that means you’ll just have to strip to avoid catching a cold.”


“Really? Not even one t-shirt around?”


“Nah. It was a… err… a laundry day today, so it seems you’re fresh out of luck, luv.”


Buffy arched her eyebrow and wandered to the nearby dresser. Smiling, she drew it open and found a whole lot of folded t-shirts and shirts. “So what is this then?”


“Oh, those. Must have forgotten,” he said with false remorse.


“You’re impossible.”


She sent him a faux-annoyed glance over her shoulder before turning away and pulling the damp top she was wearing over her head and tossing it to the floor. Maybe it was her imagination, but she could swear she heard him choke. All he could see was her back, but she didn’t have time to put on a bra before dashing out of the house. With a happy sigh, she slipped a red shirt over her shoulders and buttoned it up. Then she unzipped the jeans before dropping them down and stepping out of the heap.


“All done,” she said and spun around to catch the dazed look in his eyes as he stared at her bare legs.


“Uhh… right. Done.”


Her whole body ached equally with the need to touch him and with the desire to just lie down and sleep. The entire horrid day made her limbs feel heavy with weariness, and she unsuccessfully tried to prevent a yawn.


“You tired, luv?”


She shook her head in denial.


“Come on, lie down for a bit, yeah? I won’t bother you. I can go downstairs and clean up or take a nap on the couch. It’s no big deal.” He stepped closer and lifted her hand to his lips to kiss the back before releasing it. “Alright?”


Buffy’s gaze fell on the huge inviting bed blanketed by his scent and her mind was made up.


“Okay. But… you don’t have to sleep on the couch. If you don’t mind, I’d like for you to just… hold me. Like you did back then.”


“If you’re sure. Gotta take a shower first though since I smell like booze.”


“Good idea.”


Buffy settled on the bed and watched him jump down from the loft.


“Show off,” she muttered.


“I heard that!”


*******


Ten minutes later, she heard Spike pace the floor below. Rising from the bed and shaking off the remnants of sleep, she walked to the edge and peered down.


“Aren’t you coming up?”


He gazed up at her, startled, and she just knew he’d been arguing with himself about whether he should stay down or come up.


“I was just about to.”


'Sure you were.'


As he climbed the stairs dressed only in his jeans, her eyes eagerly devoured every inch of exposed skin and suddenly the tiredness was the last thing on her mind. His fingers moved down his chest to rest at the waistband of his jeans and he slowly unbuckled the belt before slipping it out of the loops. The action made the muscles on his arm flex and Buffy swallowed, her eyes fixed on his every move. But then he stopped and she pouted in disappointment. When she realized he’d probably caught her staring, she lifted her gaze to his and blushed at the half-amused, half-aroused glint in his eyes.


“Come to bed?” he asked and his thick deep voice drew her towards the bed without any further thought.


The mattress dipped under her weight as she knelt on it and settled in the middle. Her heart started to pound faster as Spike followed her and crawled erotically across the bed until he loomed above her.


He lay down on his side and rested his palm on her stomach, the coolness of his touch setting her skin ablaze. She put her hand over his and turned her head to the side to look at him.


“Have I told you how much I missed you?” she asked. “How many times I wished for you to… I can’t believe you’re really here.”


He buried his face in the crook of her neck and pressed a lingering kiss to her skin. “I know. God, I know.”


*******


Spike soaked up her warmth and closed his eyes in contentment. The sheets rustled as she turned on her side and pressed her forehead against his. It didn’t matter how many times they’d kissed, it still shot a current of electricity along his nerves when she tentatively slanted her lips over his. He lifted his hand to tangle his fingers in her hair as she continued to tease his lips with soft kisses that left him aching.


Reluctant to change the pace she’d set, they kissed, lips exploring each other as if anew. Then the tip of her tongue caressed his bottom lip and he willingly parted his lips to meet her half way. The desire burned steadily and deeply as she hooked her leg over his hip and moaned into his mouth. His hand trailed down from her hair to caress the bare skin of her thigh, loving the way she had him under her thrall.


Buffy’s heartbeat thrummed against his chest and he slightly leaned away as he whispered her name against her swollen lips. “Buffy, you’re killing me here.”


“I am?”


He groaned and swooped in to steal another kiss from her. How could she expect him to control himself when she took his hand in hers and rested it above her breast? It almost drove him out of his mind, the way her lips quivered under his when he massaged her breast and passed his thumb over her hardened nipple.


“More,” she whispered and he rolled them over so she lay beneath him.


Buffy was the only one that could make him feel need like this, the slow steady beat of primal desire as she cradled him between her thighs, her nails softly scratching down his bare back.


“Take it off,” she said when he leaned away to let her breath and steered his fingers to rest against the buttons of the red shirt she was wearing. His gaze flickered to hers, the only thing there a raw naked submissiveness.


Spike sat back a bit, his unnecessary breath quickening at the sight of her splayed before him, chest heaving, lips parted. This was what he’d been missing. The intimacy. The connection. It had never been like this and his fingers shook as he tried to undo the small buttons.


They kept slipping from his grasp.


“Bugger.”


Buffy laughed and slapped his hands away. “Let me.”


He watched as she slowly undid each button and pouted at the fact she did a better job of it than he did. Surely he could make her mess up? He caressed her thighs, loving how they trembled before he reached the edges of her lacy knickers. Spike slipped his fingers under the edges and teased the smooth skin with his touch, still not reaching where she wanted him the most.


Apparently he was doing a good job when her fingers slipped across a button and she glared at him accusingly. The shirt had to go and he was getting impatient so he fisted the unbuttoned flaps of the shirt in his hands and yanked. The remaining buttons flew off and his eyes could finally feast on the naked flesh in front of him.


“You ruined your shirt.”


“I’ve got plenty more.”


“Are you going to stare or touch me already?”


Spike lifted his eyebrow and leaned in to take a nipple in his mouth. That drove the teasing expression right off her beautiful face and left the pleading one in its wake instead. He liked it.


A lot.


*******


Voices. There were so many muffled voices, faraway sounds that pounded in her head but she couldn’t wake up. The water was too thick, too deep, dragging her down as she tried to kick her legs faster to reach the unattainable surface.


Faith’s lungs fought to expand but she knew she couldn’t draw in a breath. If she did, she’d drown.


A violet light speared the darkness, glittering and safe as it coiled around her but still too far away from reach. Instinct told her to trust it and she gathered all her strength to latch onto the insubstantial pool of light. Half expecting her fingers to go right through it, it surprised her when it wrapped itself around her tightly and yanked.


With a gasp that left her coughing, Faith shot up in her bed. The fluorescent lamp blinded her so she shut her eyes, specks of colours still painfully dancing behind her closed eyelids. Something fell to the floor and shattered. The voices were all around her, language she couldn’t quite grasp. Where was she? What happened?


“Doctor,” someone yelled and strong hands pushed her back against the bed.


A wave of dizziness hit her, probably something to do with the pinch in her forearm. Faith clasped her fingers tightly around the bed railing and squeezed, feeling the metal bend under her hands before she drifted into dreamless sleep.


TBC

A/N: I've got a question for you guys. So, one of my betas will be unavailable until mid September, ergo me asking... do you want to wait until then for another chapter or should I post it looked at by only one beta. The grammar should be fine but there might be some weirdness plot-wise or 'Buffy wouldn't say that' and such. I'd re-edit it after she comes back from her holidays, but there is a possibility it'll suck before that. :/ Please be kind and let me know what you want. :)Oh, and of course tell me whether you liked the chapter.