Chapter Five
 
“So, what’s the what?” Xander asked.  “I was hoping for more of a bang, but we couldn’t see much from here.”
 
“All the bang was underground – where it was supposed to be,” Buffy said.  “Although, according to that lab guy they found, when the fire gets to Adam’s powerpack—”
 
The earth shook under their feet, knocking several soldiers and Giles to the ground. The center of the depression erupted, throwing trees, rocks and dirt into the air.  By the time everything had returned to earth, and the dust had cleared, there now seemed to be more of a crater than a depression. It was hard to tell, as most of the floodlights had broken or toppled over.
 
“Wow.”
 
“I’m guessing that means Adam went boom?” Willow was peering into the darkness, trying to see.
 
“If that guy was telling the truth, that’s what it means. The fire got to his powerpack and we just had our own little mini-underground nuclear bomb test.”
 
“Yay us?”
 
Buffy shrugged. “Well, actually, yay Riley and his guys. They brought all the weapons and exploding things. All we did was take out some vamps and demons.”
 
“On the contrary, Buffy,” Giles said, patting her on the shoulder. “Without your knowledge of Adam’s weakness and your insistence on destroying him as soon as possible, who knows how long it may have taken to eliminate that source of world-ending danger.  Another apocalypse avoided.  Well done.”
 
As they all climbed back into the van for the drive back to town, Spike said, “Seems like the old Powers may have know what they were doing this time. As far as this world is concerned, anyway.”
 
“Our world will be fine,” Buffy said. “They’ve still got a Giles, a Willow, a Dawn, a Xander... and a whole bunch of slayers.  They don’t need us.”
 
“Famous last words, pet. I hope they didn’t hear that.” He pretended to shudder and everyone laughed, confident in the security of this world, now protected by two people who knew what was coming.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
As they were dropped off at their apartment, Buffy and Spike waved good-night and then opened the door and stepped down into their living room. After scenting the air, as he always did when coming home, and finding no trace of intruders, Spike closed and locked the door.
 
“When are you going to stop being so paranoid?”
 
“When hell freezes over and I know evil is trapped there forever,” he responded, throwing his coat on a chair. “Where are you going?”
 
Buffy looked back at him over her shoulder as she walked toward the bathroom. “I’m going to shower off all this vamp dust.  Wanna help?”
 
“Singin’ my song, love,” he said, already pulling his shirt off over his head. He followed the sound of her giggles as she dropped her own clothes in a dusty heap.
 
“Put your stuff there so I can wash them the next time I’m at Mom’s.” 
 
Buffy leaned over to turn on the water, giving Spike a good view of her rounded cheeks as she fiddled with the water temperature. When she was satisfied, she turned the shower on and stepped into the tub, pulling the plastic curtain across the opening. By the time Spike joined her, she was already wet and had shampoo in her hair.
 
“Allow me,” he said, beginning to massage her scalp with his powerful fingers. Buffy murmured her appreciation and leaned back against him, resting her hands on his thighs as he cleaned her hair and relaxed her head.  He turned her so she could rinse the shampoo out, then picked up the washcloth and body wash. 
 
Buffy stood still for the familiar ritual as he generously applied bodywash to the cloth and began to run it around her body, starting with her neck.  He carefully scrubbed both arms, her chest and her breasts – bringing the nipples to hard peaks as he gave them extra attention. He then moved the cloth down her body, rubbing in sensual circles as he made his way down one leg and up the other.  Buffy obediently spread her legs for him when he nudged them apart and, using his hand instead of the cloth he worked his way around her folds, to her opening, to her other opening – everywhere but to the body part she was trying, less than subtly, to present to him.
 
“Did I miss a spot?” he asked, grinning up at her. “Was it this one?  Or maybe this one? Oh, I’ll bet it’s this one....” With his soap-slicked hand, he began to stroke her clit while she clung to his shoulders and tried to keep her feet.  In a short amount of time, she was whimpering and digging her fingers into his back as he replaced his fingers with his mouth and bit down gently. Buffy gave a small shriek and collapsed over him, letting him hold her up with arms around her thighs as she rested on his back and began to breath normally again.  Dropping a kiss upon his back, she straightened up and leaned back under the water to rinse off the lather remaining on her body.
 
“Your turn,” she said, tugging him to his feet and changing places with him. While he washed the dust from his own hair, Buffy took the washcloth and began soaping his body, enjoying the way his smooth skin and muscles felt under her hands. She stepped closer, putting her arms around him and running the cloth over his back and down to his ass. The little gasp he gave when she allowed her fingers to linger in his crack and creep down to circle his hole made her smile in satisfaction.
 
She slid her fingers forward to stroke just behind his balls, then stepped back and began to soap his flat abdomen, playing with the light brown curls that trailed down his lower body. She soaped his cock, running her hands up and down it and dipping down to roll his balls in her hands while he braced himself against the tiled wall and watched her. Using the soap as lubricant, Buffy soon had him thrusting into her small, but powerful hands as she worked his cock the way she knew he liked best.  As he began to spurt, she watched the shower water rinse it away with the soap.
 
“Com’mere, you,” he growled, pulling her up and wrapping his arms around her. Wet bodies pressed tightly together, they stood under the water, letting it pour over them as they kissed until it began to lose its warmth.  When Buffy shivered, he let go of her and let her step out of the tub. Turning off the water, he followed and gratefully accepted the towel she handed him.  They dried off and then, in what had become another ritual, Spike took a wide-toothed comb and combed out Buffy’s hair, finishing by running a dry towel over it until it was mostly dry.
 
As they left the bathroom, Spike yawned mightily.  “Must be almost dawn,” he said. “I can’t keep my eyes open.”
 
“Got to bed, then,” Buffy said, patting him on his rear. 
 
“Aren’t you coming?”
 
“Not if you’re going to be sleeping, I guess.”  She grinned at him to indicate she was kidding, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her against his body. She smiled with satisfaction as she felt him swelling against her hip.
 
“Thought you couldn’t keep your eyes open?”
 
“I can shag with my eyes shut,” he growled, falling onto the bed and pulling her with him. “Won’t have you thinkin’ I’d rather sleep than make love to you.”
 
“I wasn’t—“ Spike cut off her response by kissing her until she was almost dizzy.  True to his word, he rolled her over and nudged his way in between her thighs without opening his eyes. Buffy relaxed her legs and let him work his way into his goal, then wrapped her own legs around his waist and pulled him in closer.  “Let’s see what ya got then, vampire.”
 
“Got you, don’t I?” he purred, beginning to move slowly and steadily.  “I’ve got you, and that’s all I’ll ever need.” 
 
Buffy murmured in appreciation as he picked up speed and began to pound harder, pushing himself up on his hands so as to be looking down at her.
 
“Your eyes are open,” she gasped, beginning to thrash her head around as he kept hitting just the right spot. 
 
“Like to watch you when you come for me.  I’ll shut my eyes later.”  As he spoke, she clenched around him, arched her back, and closed her own eyes in ecstasy as she shuddered to a conclusion. As soon as he saw her going over the edge, he let himself find his release, closing his eyes and gasping her name as he came.  He collapsed on top of her, stretching out while she put her arms around his back and dropped her legs to rest outside his.
 
They lay together, breathing in unison, until Buffy noticed he wasn’t responding to her nibbles on his ear. When he stopped breathing and just laid on top of her without moving, she bit down a little harder on his earlobe.
 
“If you start snoring, the wedding is off!” she said when he flinched. She felt his chest shake as he laughed before rolling off.
 
“Was just a bit knackered, pet.  Don’t know why you aren’t just as tired.  I think we fought more vamps and demons tonight than we usually do in a year.”
 
“I am tired,” she admitted, smothering a yawn. She stretched and stood up. “I’ll just make sure the curtain is closed, and turn out the lights. I’ll be right back.”
 
“I’ll be right here,” he mumbled, closing his eyes again.
 
Buffy ran into the living room and pulled the heavy drape across the one small, high window that let the only sunlight into the apartment. She hit the light switch on her way back to the bedroom, and felt her way to the bed.  She crawled up until she found Spike’s arm, which he’d left lying across the bed for her. Putting her head on his chest and swinging one leg over his, she smiled as the arm automatically came up around her back and pulled her closer.
 
“Night, love,” he said, kissing her forehead.
 
“Night. Get plenty of rest. Tomorrow we’re going to pick out wedding invitations. And you’re going to be there, and you’re going to participate.”
 
“Looking forward to it, love,” he sighed. “Looking forward to it.”
 
“I don’t think you really meant that.”  She yawned again. “But I’m too tired to fight about it right now.”
 
“Thank God for small favors,” he muttered, turning his face into the pillow.
 
“What was that?”
 
“I said, ‘I love you, Slayer’.”
 
“You did not.”
 
“Did too....” His voice trailed off and he became perfectly still.
 
“Did not....” Buffy sighed against his chest and closed her own eyes in well-deserved rest.
 
 
The End