~*~

Buffy awoke feeling the cool skin of her love under her cheek. She had never slept in Spike’s arms before and decided she could easily get used to it. In fact she made up her mind that this was the way she was going to wake up for the rest of her life.

Spike looked much better. Most of the bruises were fading at last and he didn’t look emaciated or fragile. Funny to think of him as fragile. Spike had always had an aura of power and danger, seeming much larger than he actually was. She had seen it before, of course, that vulnerability below the façade.

Still it always surprised Buffy to notice he was not a big man. Well, big enough where it counted, she thought with a smile.

Her other boyfriends had been large, nearly overpowering in their presence. With Spike, it was different. They were well-matched and fit perfectly together as if it were designed that way. Spike was not terribly tall, just tall enough to wrap her in his comforting strength, easy to turn towards and kiss without stretching or discomfort. Kissing Spike began to sound like a wonderful plan right then, so Buffy did.

Spike was dreaming he and Buffy were together in an Arabian tent, piles of cushion beneath them and the warmth of the day filtering into their nicely shaded shelter. Buffy was wearing one of those get-ups like that Jeannie bint wore on TV in the 60’s and she was kissing him, asking him to make any wishes he wanted of her. Spike was hard pressed to think of a thing he wanted that wasn’t already there in the form of his glowing girl.

He began to waken as the kisses became more powerful than the dream and he opened his eyes to find the real Buffy kissing him with passion and fire. "A bloke couldn’t get any luckier than this", he thought and began to return her kiss with a fire of his own.

Buffy pulled back and smiled at her lover, "Should I say I’m sorry for waking you in the middle of your night? Or maybe I could make your waking up worth your while…", she tempted.

Before Spike could answer, she slipped her leg over his hip and moved his ready cock into her wet quim. Slow, deep thrusts and soul-searing kisses were the only breakfast desired by the lovers as Buffy flew towards her first orgasm of the day.

"Oh, Spike, God, I..I.. I, yes, love, yes, just … just like that…um deeper, harder, yes. God, I love you!", she rasped out.

With a soaring spirit, Spike released his control and joined her in the throbbing release they both shared. He lavished kisses on her face, starting at her forehead and moving to her eyelids before his whisper-soft, worshipful kisses finally plundered her mouth once more.

~~~

Downstairs, Willow turned to Tara and said, "We’d better hurry up getting this spell ready. The last thing I want is to be here when Giles goes all Cave-Watcher and Buffy hunkers down in the bedroom singing the barricade song from 'Les Mis'. That won’t end well for anyone. Things of the bad happen when Buffy starts singing."

Tara laughed and agreed, "True, and I don’t really want to get backup duty in that scene either! If Anya were here, she wouldn’t mind, but I don’t think I’m up for naked Buffy and Spike vs. the angry daddy. In fact, maybe we should call Anya. She’d probably be able to embarrass Giles into leaving before he even got his hand on the wood." Tara blushed deeply as the double meaning of her words became clear.

Willow tried, but wasn’t able to keep from doubling over in laughter at the image her love’s comment created. "Oh, Giles, no! Only Spike shall stake me! Take your wood and leave at once", she mimicked through her laughter. Both girls collapsed in laughter at the thought.

"And why is it that I fear asking what’s so funny?, asked Xander as he entered the Summers kitchen. "Are you two getting all naughty without me here to enjoy it?"

For some reason Xander’s comments seemed to make it worse as Willow and Tara held on to one another and continued to giggle. "Then there’s Xander the carpenter, he knows all about wood", added Willow, tears starting to flow.

"OK, I think I’ll go on a donut run and come back when you’re being sane again. I wanted to stop by and warn everyone that Giles and Broody Boy are headed over here. I left while Angel was showering. Giles was picking up different stakes, kinda rubbing them with a disturbing look on his face. Just thought you should be prepared", he said.

Xander had no clue why his explanation caused new gales of laughter to peal from the two Wiccan lovers. He was pleased that they seemed so happy, however, and went on to get the Krispy Kremes. He had a feeling they were going to need them.

~~~

Buffy stretched and looked at Spike as he lay next to her. He was staring as if he were not sure how real all of this was. "Wonder what Will and Tara are up to down there?" she asked. "Sounds like they’re having a good time. Not as good as I am, but happy anyway."

"Right now, love, I want the whole bloody world to be as happy as I am, even that pillock Finn. Guess I’d have to give up my evil Big Bad membership if that ever got out. In a sick kind of way, I get how he went all sack-of-hammers losin’ you like that. Don’t know what I’d do if I had you--really had you like now-- then lost you. Might give Soldier Boy a run for the title of deranged ex-lover", Spike said.

"Hum, don’t let Giles hear you say that. He’ll just use it to try to convince me that you can’t be trusted without the chip. I’m pretty tired of the same argument over and over about it. Not gonna happen! Giles can hop on back to Merry Ole and get over it. I never thought I’d want him to go away, but I am so tired of his single-minded attitude".

"Watcher givin’ you a hard time, pet? Can’t say as I blame him. Chipless vamp here, love, and a slayer killer at that. Rupes loves you like a daughter. Can’t fault him for sleepless nights wonderin’ what the soulless monster might be plannin’".

"You’re not a monster, Spike. I thought I made that clear last night. It’s not that you can’t hurt me, it’s that you won’t. I get that and Giles needs to get it, too, if he wants to be a part of my life. I’ve lived without a father a long enough to handle losing my surrogate one okay. I’ll deal if I have to. I’m past needing a Watcher, too, if it comes to that. He’s the one that left me, remember?"

Spike heard her words but could also feel the tension in her small body. He knew his girl well enough to know that Rupert Giles was far more than simply her Watcher. He was family.

Somehow Spike needed to assure Giles that Buffy would always be safe with him. Spike needed to keep Buffy from having to choose between them. She had lost so many people she loved in her short life already. Part of the reason she’d been so damaged these past months was because the losses had finally overwhelmed her. Spike loved her too much to be the cause of any further loss in her life.

~~~

Willow and Tara had taken the supplies for their spell to Willow’s room to keep Buffy from finding out the plan. They worried that the idea of souling Spike might bring up fears left over from the whole Angel/Angelus disaster. The pair knew that some wounds were still raw under the surface and they were going to make sure there would be no horrible mornings after to cause either of the unconventional lovers any sadness.

"You know, sweetie, I’ll bet we could modify this spell and make it so that Angel’s soul stays put, too", said Tara. She had been looking at the wording of the spell that Willow had put together and had come to the conclusion that both vampires could benefit from it. "I never met Angelus, but from all that you’ve told me, he’s not like Spike. I think it might even be more important to keep Angel’s soul in him than give one to Spike. I think Angel would feel safer knowing he wasn’t going to wake up some morning all fangy".

"I wonder if Anya has another one of those orbs? We need to make Spike our priority for Buffy’s sake, but I wouldn’t mind making the world safe from Angelus, that’s for sure", Willow answered with a shudder.

Xander had managed to get Angel to sidetrack the Watcher by sugggesting he contact the Council to find out the results of their smackdown on the organization that had taken the place of the Initiative.

Angel pointed out that they only knew about the outcome at the site where Spike had been kept. No one had asked if there were a much larger organization with other sites out there.

Giles admitted he hadn’t thought about that possibility and that such a thing could put Buffy in jeopardy if not totally shut down. This managed to keep Giles busy for a bit since the Council was as uncooperative and uncommunicative as they had ever been.

Buffy came downstairs to heat up some more blood--pig this time--for Spike and to grab a bite to eat for herself. She was humming and looked happier than Xander could remember her being in, well, forever.

While Buffy was occupied in the kitchen, Xander slipped upstairs to put the plan to Spike himself. He and the vampire were not friends, maybe never would be, really, but they were no longer mortal enemies. Somehow knowing all that Spike COULD have done yet chosen not to made an impression on Buffy’s overprotective friend. Besides, this project would counterbalance the karma from the raising spell, he thought.

Well-intentioned or not, he and Willow and the others had dragged Buffy from the peace and happiness she had earned and treasured. Why they had thought for even a moment that their friend the Slayer would be sent to a hell dimension boggled his mind now. No, helping her to be happy again, that might make up for it all a bit. He was sure as hell going to try anyway.

~~~

Spike was surprised to see the whelp in the doorway. He was even more shocked to see what appeared to be a genuine smile on his face as well. "Come on in, whelp, but I’d ‘preciate it if you’d check any pointy objects at the door", Spike invited.

"No pointies, Spike. You may not be my choice for Buffy, but my choice turned out to be a monster too, so I’m soooo not going there. I probably don’t need to tell you that if you ever hurt her, I’ll have more pointy objects than you’ve ever seen and you will likely wake up on fire, do I? Didn’t think so", he said, noting the smirk on Spike’s face.

They had a perfect understanding and Xander knew it. There was no deep trust there such as Spike felt with Buffy, but the boy was willing to let Spike prove himself.

"Fair enough", Spike replied. "I go hurtin’ her, I won’t be fightin’ you off either. You’ve got yourself a deal, carpenter."

"I’m the easy one, Spike. Giles isn’t willing to do the wait and see. He’s not afraid of pissing Buffy off if he thinks it’s in her best interest. Don’t think you can say or do anything that’ll fix that problem. That puts Buffy in a kind of bad place, though.

I get that vampire love’s not all self-sacrifice-y or anything, but I think you do care if Buffy is happy or not. She loves Giles. Buffy might think she can cut him out of her life, might even say it, but we both know how she fell apart when he left. He’s more than a Watcher to her. Besides, it won’t just be Giles after your undead ass, there’s that whole group of fanatics over there in your mother country that would just love to put an end to Wlliam the Bloody. Hell, they tried to do it to Angel and he had the ‘I’ve got a soul so I get out of jail free’ card. Yup, this is gonna be hard on the Buffster, don’t kid yourself".

"I see where you’re going with this, boy. I’ll not leave her, not now. Save your speech. It’s not happenin’. Not gonna let some soddin’ Watcher or any of those wankers from the home office dust me either. Promised Buffy I’d not leave her and I keep my promises. I plan to watch her back until she’s so old and gray all those ponces will be long buried. Gonna need to start a pension fund for Buffy, they will. I didn’t go through all this and get the girl, only to bollocks it up by turning tail and leaving like Peaches did. Keep your advice to yourself. Feel bad about Rupes, but not givin’ Buffy up", Spike stated firmly.

"Well, surprise, Bleach Boy, I’m not here to tell you to hit the road. I get that Buffy loves you, though I can’t figure out for the life of me why. I even understand your not being another idiot to leave her for her own good. I may get hit with lightning for it, but I even agree with you", Xander said.

Spike looked at Xander in wide-eyed amazement.

"So, what are you here for? Wantin’ a looky-see at the package Buffy’s traded up to? You’ve done the lame threats to the vampire part already and yet you’re still here. What’ve you got on your mind, besides donuts?", Spike said. He was damned if he was going to get all friendly-like just because the boy finally realized there was no point in fighting Buffy’s choice.

"Look, it seems to me that the issue with Giles is that you’re Spike Unleashed now. No chip, no soul, just you making judgment calls and we all know you don’t always have a stellar record on that count. You’re a vamp; eating babies is something that sounds like a good date to you. Now there’s no mini-cattle prod to remind you it’s not socially acceptable.

Buffy’s not going to give you up. She trusts you. Actually, I think even I trust you, at least as long as Buffy’s alive, anyway. Giles doesn’t--he can’t and he won’t. We’ve got us a problem here, bud, and I might have the solution", Xander began.

"Do tell. Don’t leave us in suspense. You figured a way around Daddy’s objection, it’d be good if you’d spill it". Spike was interested in spite of himself.

"What’s missing in this picture of happily ever after, aside from a heartbeat and a Coppertone tan, is a soul", Xander said.

Spike’s eyebrow raised at that and he let out a short bark of laughter. "Yeah, no surprise there. Straight vampire here with no additives. What about it?" Spike asked. His eyes narrowed as he studied Xander with interest.

"I asked Will to put together a spell to resoul you. She won’t do it against your will, but she’s come up with one that doesn’t have any of the secret "oops" factor of the curse used on Angelus. They’ve got all the stuff they need for Tara to shove your soul in you and make you kosher for Giles. I’m here to get you to agree to it", Xander said.

Spike drew back in surprise, looking at Xander with reluctant respect for even having thought of the idea. "What’s Buffy got to say about this?" he asked quietly.

"Buffy doesn’t know. Figure it’s your soul, your decision. I know from what she’s said it won’t make any difference to her if you have one or not, if that’s what you mean", Xander admitted. "So what’s it to be, Spike, put all your money on keeping your self-control and cause Buffy to lose the only father she’s had in years or do what’s best for the woman you claim to love?"

"Not that simple, boy", Spike reminded him. "Only souled vamp in history’s the great poof. Remember, I knew Angelus, better than you’d like to know. Got to know Angel a bit, too. Not the same. What you’re askin’ could turn out to be like suicide. Don’t know what or who I’d be. Might be so different that Buffy’d not want me. If I’m all broody like Peaches, I’ll be begging you to stake me. Takin’ a real chance to do something like that. Maybe it’s the curse makin’ Angel so different. I think there’s more Angelus in him then he wants anyone to know, personally, but what if he’s been right all this time? What if he’s not the same creature at all? What’d happen to me?", Spike said.

"Well, I guess you have to decide what’s important, your psyche and shining personality or Buffy’s safety and happiness", Xander said. "Think about it and let me know. I’d hurry if I were you, ‘cause Giles has been lining up weapons for days now."

Xander turned to head from the room hoping the love Spike claimed to feel was as strong as everyone seemed to have accepted it was.

"I’ll do it". Spike’s words stopped Xander in his tracks. "Tell Red and Glinda to get it ready. Keep the Watcher out of it, though. I’ll admit that if it was Buffy demandin’ it, I might dig in my heels a bit. Just knowin’ she’s willin’ to take me on faith though … that’s different. Only hope I’m not a bloody bore or a stupid git like Angel when it’s done".

Xander glanced back in surprise at the vamp as Spike rolled over and closed his eyes. He had to hand it to Spike, it took a lot of courage to be willing to have a conscience shoved into him with the century plus of murder and mayhem he had on his account. Xander wasn’t too sure what he would have done in Spike’s place.

"I’ll tell them now. For what it’s worth, I think you made the right choice. I also think you’ll still be the annoying jerk we all love to hate around here in no time. We’re not lucky enough to get an improved model", Xander said. Then he went straight to Willow’s door and let the girls know it was their turn at bat.

~~~

"Buffy, I am not a bigot. I kept my counsel when you gave your heart to Angel. I accepted that his soul made him different. Spike isn’t different, Buffy. You can’t make a house pet of a wild animal. They will always turn on you in time no matter how nicely they act at first", Giles said.

"The differences are more than just the soul, Giles, and you know it", Buffy replied. She looked at Angel with a look of apology. "Angelus was a different vampire than Spike. There is no Spikelus, never has been. We’ve seen his worst and we’ve handled it".

"That’s just the thing. If Spike had a soul, at least he would have the means to control his behavior. He’d have a clearer understanding of right choices. You’d be safer that way. But the fact remains that he hasn’t one", Giles reminded her.

"Here we go again", Buffy sighed. "Yes, Giles, I know that Spike has no soul. God knows I reminded him of that often enough. I don’t even know what he’d be like if he DID have one. I love the guy upstairs right now, Giles.

With Angel, well, I loved Angel, but I sure didn’t love Angelus. I love Spike just as he is. Leave it alone, Giles. Go home to England if you don’t want to hang around to see that I’m right. You went home for lesser reasons before", she said with a touch of bitterness.

~~~

Willow and Tara set up the necessary candles, incense and implements to perform the ritual to ensoul Spike and anchor the one already in Angel. No one had bothered to clue Angel in to that last part since they knew he’d be all for it. They were looking at it as a sort of gift with purchase, as Anya might have said if she’d been there. After all, this was not a curse but intended as a blessing.

Xander made up the third person required by the ritual that Willow had modified for the job. Tara was the one doing the actual magic and the others were acting as back-up energy to make it work properly.

They knew the moment it worked by the scream they heard from the room next door.

"Goddess, I didn’t think it would hurt him!" Tara cried in horror.

"Buffy’s going to kill us if he’s not okay", Xander panicked.

"He’ll be fine. He just had a lot of karma dumped on him at once is all", reassured Willow.

"I sure hope you’re right, Will", replied Xander.