Betaed by Maria and Flight Of Fancy.


Spike woke to the sensation of being snuggled in a soft, fluffy, warm cloud. It took a few moments for his scattered thoughts to collect and interpret his cloud to be someone’s bed. He wiggled his toes, trying to gather more information without opening his eyes and risking the dissolution of this lovely dream world. Hmmmm...silk sheets? Wherever Spike was, it felt good, but he knew there weren‘t any silk sheets at the factory.

His toes stopped wiggling, but his eyes stayed closed. Spike knew he was in a nice bed and, after trying to take a deep breath, he knew that his torso had been wrapped with bandages. Someone had taken care of him. Guess that took Dru off the list of possible rescuers. Spike had always taken care of his Sire in the past, but she had never returned the courtesy. There was something else niggling at the corner of his consciousness...warmth? Not just the warmth he felt from being under blankets, but a specific warmth. On his hand? That was it. One of his hands was definitely warmer than the other.

Suddenly, Spike’s eyes popped open. He remembered Angelus, and pain, and Dru telling him she wasn’t going to save him, and more pain, and then...Buffy Summers? Surely his mind was playing tricks on him now, but he was almost positive that it had been the Slayer that had saved him, releasing him from his chains and bringing him to her home. She’d fed him through the night, and looked after his injuries. It was the only explanation for the situation he found himself in now.

Spike wanted a bit more information about his new location. He forced himself to quiet and focus, and was able to pick up two human heartbeats. One was quite close by, and one was in another room. Thinking of heartbeats got him thinking of body heat, and that reminded him that he had a hand that was considerably warmer than the rest of his body. He looked down, and realized that his left hand was lying on his stomach, but his right hand was pulled away from his body and was securely held by none other than the Slayer, Buffy Summers.

The former Slayer was sitting on the floor beside the bed, and appeared to be sound asleep, with her head on top of his blankets, and his hand securely wrapped in one of her own. Spike couldn’t get his head around the level of trust that she displayed, believing in her own safety, as well as that of the other human in the building.

Spike’s eyes sparkled with suppressed tears. He’d never had anyone place that much trust in him, except perhaps his mother, so very many years ago. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this woman was safe with him, and he promised that he would never harm the little blonde or those she called hers.

Spike knew he had been on the verge of falling in love with Buffy before Angel lost his soul. She may be the Slayer...well, former Slayer...but Spike was falling fast. It didn’t matter how wrong their relationship was. He was used to colouring outside of the lines, and he delighted in choosing to make his own way, free of the constraints of society, both demon and human. Knowing that the former Slayer had rescued him, Spike considered his complete and utter devotion to the blonde just a matter of time. One kind word, one soft caress, and he would be hers forever.

With considerable effort, Spike raised his left hand until he could gently caress a strand of Buffy’s golden hair. It hurt like Hell, and brought tears to his eyes, but he just had to touch her. The soft glide of her hair as it ran through his fingers brought him comfort and confirmed that he wasn’t just dreaming. It wasn’t long before Spike drifted into a healing sleep, Buffy’s hair still wrapped around his fingers.

When Buffy woke, she tried to stretch her stiff body, stopping abruptly when she felt the tug on her scalp. Curious, she smiled at the sight when she discovered Spike’s fingers tangled in her hair. Carefully, not wanting to wake him, she lifted his hand and removed her hair, before placing a gentle kiss on his palm and returning his hand to the blanket.

What Buffy didn’t know, was that Spike had been awake when she stirred. He didn’t have enough time to get his hand untangled from her hair, and was holding his breath, hoping that she wouldn’t stake him for touching her. He was hoping that she’d think he’d done it in his sleep, and wouldn’t be angry with him.

As the door clicked shut behind Buffy, Spike was unable to control himself any longer, and tears began to leak from under his lashes. No one but his mother had ever touched him so tenderly. Emotionally exhausted, Spike fell back to sleep, the memory of Buffy’s touch forever in his heart. He didn’t know it, but the future he longed for, but considered unreachable, might actually be within his grasp.

Hours later, Spike woke again, this time to an empty room. Looking around, he decided there really wasn’t much to see. To the right of the bed was a large fireplace, and he could see a sliding door that led out to a balcony. To the left was a closed door that he guessed led to an en-suite bathroom. The wall directly in front of the bed also had a door, and Spike thought that door must lead out to the rest of the house. The wall to the left and the wall in front of the bed were covered with floor to ceiling wood panelling, and the floor was done in a similar wood, with some kind of rug under the bed. There wasn’t much evidence of Buffy in the room, just a faint, lingering trace of her scent, almost overpowered by the smell of fresh paint and carpet. It was then that Spike remembered Buffy telling him that she was renovating her home, and that he would always be welcome and safe there.

The door in front of the bed opened slowly. Feeling a little vulnerable, Spike pulled the blankets up over his chest, and looked suspiciously at the door, prepared to move at the first sign of danger.

Moving slowly and quietly, just in case the vampire in her bed was still asleep, Buffy pushed the door open, a mug of warm blood in her hand. “You’re awake! How are you doing?”

“I...um, thank you. I’m feeling better.” It wasn’t normal for Spike to feel shy, but something about this girl brought out that side of his personality. He had a hard time looking her in the eye, and instead focused on the mug she was holding.

Seeing where his attention lay, Buffy handed him the mug with a big smile. “I hope it’s warm enough. I had to answer the phone, and Merrick is in the shower, so it had to sit for a minute in the microwave.”

“Didn’t mean to be such a bother.” Spike’s fragile smile faded as he bent his head over the mug. Of course she isn’t free, you git. She’s got a live-in boyfriend. He should have known better than to think a woman like Buffy would be unclaimed. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

Buffy quickly noticed the change in Spike’s demeanour. His smile faded, and his shoulders began to slump. She wondered what had happened. Had she already done or said something wrong? She felt like running away and hiding somewhere so she could cry her eyes out. Why did she always do the wrong thing around Spike? “I’ll get Merrick to look in on you in a little while. I’ve got some things I have to do now.”

“It’s okay. Don’t bother your boyfriend. I’ll be out of your hair as soon as it’s dark. Angelus may not be happy about it, but I’m sure Dru will take care of me.”’

Buffy was confused by the look in his eyes when he briefly glanced at her. “Boyfriend?” she asked him. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

Spike’s head snapped up and suddenly he was all about the eye contact. “What about that guy you just mentioned? Merrick?”

“He’s not my boyfriend, Spike, but he is a very close friend. He lives here with me.” Buffy looked down, trying to decide how much she should tell him. The decision was an easy one; she couldn’t lie to him. If they were going to have a relationship in this time, she wanted openness and honesty right from the start. “The Powers That Be knew that I cared for him and that he had never betrayed me, so when they needed someone to talk me into coming back and taking care of something important, they sent him.” Buffy was nervous, wondering how Spike as going to react to what she had to share with him.

Spike cleared his throat, drawing Buffy’s attention back to his face. “Did you come back to take care of Angelus? Preferably by staking his perfectly coiffed self?” Spike couldn’t’ help the hopeful look he sent Buffy’s way.

“I’ve already taken care of Angelus,” Buffy said with a smile. “He won’t bother anyone, ever again.”

The smile Spike immediately sent her started to fade. “Dru?”

Buffy took his hand, as she hurried to reassure him. “Dru is safe. She’s undead and well. Angelus is Angel again, and this time his soul is permanent.” Buffy’s thumb was gently rubbing Spike’s wrist to reassure him. She didn’t seem to notice, but Spike did.

“Drusilla stopped by while you were sleeping. She left a letter here for you, whenever you feel strong enough to read it. It’s on the bedside table.” She nodded to the small table beside the bed.

Spike glanced at the letter on the table, but didn’t reach for it. He was enjoying Buffy’s unconscious touch too much to pull away. “How did you get the letter from Dru?” he asked, instead.

“She was waiting outside, not long before dawn. I could sense her there, and went out to talk with her. That’s when she gave it to me. She wanted you to know that she loved you, as much as she was capable of.”

“It’s strange,” Spike mused. “I’ve never received a letter from Dru before.”

Buffy smiled softly. “I have to go. Do you need anything before I leave?”

“No, thanks, Luv. I’m good.” He removed his hand from hers with a wistful look, and reached for the letter. “Arrgg.” Spike immediately dropped his arm to the bed. It hurt like Hell to stretch his body.

Almost before he cried out, Buffy’s hands were on him, helping him recline back on the bed. “Can I check your wounds before I go?” Buffy’s bottom lip was trembling. Her eyes were locked on his chest, where there was a spreading stain of blood on his bandage.

Spike gave his permission with a nod.

“Just let me go get the bandages that Merrick bought today. I’ll be right back.” Buffy left the room in a hurry.

“Here we go.” It wasn’t long before Buffy was back with a bag from a pharmacy. “Can you sit up on your own? I can get Merrick to hold you, if you need help to stay up,” she offered.

“I’ll give it a try on my own,” Spike said, moaning as he moved too quickly, trying to sit up on his own.

In an instant, Buffy was at his side, helping him to sit up. With one hand, she supported the weakened vampire. With the other, she emptied the pharmacy bag out on the bed.

Spike did his best to stay upright, not wanting to appear any weaker in front of Buffy. Working slowly and carefully, she unwrapped the bandages and managed to get most of them off without much trouble. A few had stuck to the wounds, and now, despite Buffy’s best efforts, a few sluggish trails of blood were running down Spike’s torso. “Here. Hold this,” she commanded, getting Spike to put pressure on a bundle of bandages she held against his chest. Buffy was trying to get the bandage off the stake hole in her vampire, but the bandage was firmly stuck to the wound. “I’ll be right back.”

When she returned, she was holding a bowl of warm water and washcloth. As quickly as she could, she wiped down the seeping wounds on his back. Then, very carefully, she dampened the strip of cloth on his chest until she could remove it. The sheeting finally removed, she did her best to clean the injuries before wrapping Spike carefully with sterile surgical pads and gauze. Once his new bandages were in place, Buffy helped Spike to lie down again.

It was easy to see the strain on Spike’s face, though he was doing his best to hide it. Changing his bandages had taken a lot out of the vampire, and Buffy knew he needed rest if he was going to recover. “You should get some more sleep,” Buffy suggested, watching him struggle to stay awake.

Blue eyes opened and studied Buffy’s face. “What about you, Luv? You can’t be rested, spending the night sitting on the floor like that.”

“Um, my place is pretty new. I haven’t even really moved in yet.” Buffy hid her eyes and bit her bottom lip, a slight flush on her cheeks. “I’ve only got two beds, and Merrick is using the other one.”

“I never meant to kick you out of your own bed, Slayer.” Spike gaped at her. “You’re more than welcome to crawl in here with me, Pet.”

“Former Slayer, remember? And I haven’t had a chance to sleep in it yet, so it’s not really my bed,” Buffy admitted. “Are you sure you don’t mind sharing? It should be big enough for the both of us.” Her cheeks grew redder.

“Don’t you worry about me, Miss Former Slayer. There’s definitely room enough for both of us, and if it’s a little tight, that’ll just give us an excuse to snuggle a bit.” Spike tilted his head and nodded, sending a naughty smirk her way.

Obviously flustered now, Buffy picked up the letter from Drusilla. “Maybe you should read this while I’m in the shower.” She handed him the letter, and then headed towards the bathroom.

“Buffy?” She paused for a moment and turned back to Spike. “Thank you.” He couldn’t help the tears in his eyes, even though they made him feel like a ponce. It had been so long since anyone had been so nice and gentle with him, and his emotions were getting the better of him.

She gave him a gentle smile, and then slipped away into the bathroom as Spike tore the envelope open.

Buffy lingered in the shower, to make sure Spike had enough time to read the letter from his Sire. She brushed her teeth, dried her hair, and dressed in silky red pyjamas, before nervously opening the door and heading for the bed. She took a quick look at Spike before lifting the covers. The vampire looked as if he’d had a good cry, and was now sleeping.

Buffy lay down on her side of the bed. She was tempted to move closer to Spike, but didn’t think he’d appreciate her company now, right after reading a farewell letter from Dru. Buffy would love to know exactly what his Sire had written, and she hoped that one day Spike would share the letter with her.

Spike’s eyes were red and a little swollen. He and his Sire had been together for over a hundred years, and Dru had just left town without him. It was completely understandable that he was feeling sad. Buffy wished that she and Spike were closer, so she could comfort him and help him through his loss. As it was, the only thing she could do was give him space and hope that everything would eventually turn out right.

Spike was lying on his back, which gave Buffy a good view of his face. She fell asleep with her hands under her chin, her face turned to look at him.

Spike was awake when Buffy returned to the bedroom after her shower. He’d pretended to sleep, trying to avoid any conversation with his host. He just wasn’t up to answering any questions about Dru’s letter right now. He’d been relieved when she bought his ruse, and hoped that she had other things on her mind when she woke up. She was young, and young people were curious, but he really didn’t think he’d be ready to talk about his letter from Dru anytime soon.

Dru had left town, left him. It was final. They were over...just like that. What was he supposed to do now? He had his whole unlife in front of him, but he felt like a lost child.

Spike knew he wouldn’t last long, just drifting along. He needed to find a purpose for his existence, a reason to get up in the evening and a goal to work for. He turned his head, studying the petite blonde lying on the pillow beside him. She was a cute little thing, with her golden hair and her bee-stung lips. Unconsciously, he licked his lips, but then immediately chastised himself. She was so young. Way too young for him.

Recognizing the tingling in his lower extremities, Spike groaned and turned his eyes to the ceiling, determined to ignore the tenting blankets. It was a good thing that Buffy was asleep. She didn’t need to be exposed to his lust, not at her age. It was bad enough that Angelus was after her, she didn’t need to contend with Spike’s inappropriate feelings as well.

Spike sighed deeply. He had no idea what to do with his life now, and no clue where to go when he was healed well enough to be on his way. What he really wanted was to stay right where he was, in Buffy’s bed, with the Slayer snuggled up next to him. In truth, it was the only plan that really held any appeal for him.

Spike fell asleep finally, dreams of a future with Buffy drifting through his mind. They would live together in her home, and Spike would spend his time loving the petite blonde powerhouse and helping her perform her sacred duty. He wouldn’t even mind living off bagged blood, if that’s what it took to make the relationship work. Already, in the short time he’d been with Buffy, he’d realized that bagged blood wasn’t that bad, as long as it was human and served at the right temperature.

It was only a dream, an impossible dream, but it was such a nice one. Spike continued to sleep, a contented smile on his face.