AN: This is the last chapter of this story. The next one in the series is already a wip, but I don't expect to be ready to post anything for another week or so - at best. Off to Writer Con tomorrow morning, so that's it for a while. Enjoy.







Chapter Ten

“You look good too,” she said softly as the car moved down the street. Spike took a second to glance away from the small opening through which he was peering at the road to smile briefly at her. She couldn’t read his eyes through the large sunglasses on his face, but she could tell he was pleased. The coat and tie he’d added to his dress pants and the blue dress shirt that matched his eyes made him look very different from the tee-shirted punk she was used to seeing.

“Were you afraid I was going to take you out in my jeans and boots?” he teased gently, reaching for her hand and pulling her closer to him. The broad, couch-like seat was so different from the normal independent front seats that Buffy was used to in cars, that she hadn’t realized at first that she could move closer to him; could, in fact, sit right beside him with her leg resting against his. She could feel the hard muscle in his thigh flexing as his foot moved up and down on the gas pedal and back and forth between gas and brake. She rested her hand lightly on his leg, absently stroking his thigh with her thumb as she looked around the interior of the car.

“Looking for something, pet?” he asked with amusement.

“No, not really. I’m just trying to learn more about what you’re like when I’m not around. And, it’s not like I can see anything outside,” she complained, gesturing at the covered windows.

“Not sure I want you to know what I’m like when you’re not around,” he said with a quiet laugh, “but I think I can safely do something about the outside now that the soddin’ sun has disappeared.”

He pushed the buttons that allowed the front windows to slide down, then, as they sat at a stoplight, he reached up and peeled the plastic covering off the windshield. He folded it carefully and reached across Buffy to place it in the glovebox.

“That better, love?” he asked, shedding the no-longer necessary sunglasses.

“Much! Thank you.”

“No problem, pet. Won’t need it till tomorrow anyway – and I hope to be tucked away someplace dark and quiet by the time the sun comes up.”

The reminder that this evening was going to end much sooner than she would have liked, spoiled Buffy’s happy mood and he cursed himself as he watched her face fall.

(Stupid git! Good job reminding the girl that you’re leaving her again.

“I’m sorry, love,” he said softly, squeezing her hand gently. “You know it has to happen, Slayer.”

“I know,” she responded with a sigh and a return squeeze, “I just hate it. It sucks!”

“Not too thrilled about it myself, love,” he agreed ruefully, putting his hands back on the wheel as he sped towards the restaurant at which he’d reserved a table in the name of William Blood. Buffy’s hand closed down on his thigh again and she unconsciously began to stroke the familiar muscle under her hand. Spike enjoyed the feeling as long as he could, then, with a regretful smile he grabbed her hand again, stopping the rhythmic motions.

“As good as that feels, pet, if you keep it up much longer, I’m either gonna wreck the car or park it in the middle of the bloody highway!”

To emphasize his point, he briefly moved her hand to the newly hard bulge lying alongside the thigh she’d been stroking so absentmindedly. With an unapologetic “oops?” she gave him a gentle squeeze before moving her hand and her body a few inches away.

His heartfelt groan, followed by a growl when he could no longer feel her next to him, made her giggle like the girl she was and he smiled as he felt her good mood returning.

“Like torturing the old vamp, do you, pet?”

“I think it’s in my job description or something – ‘torture all vamps at any and all opportunities’.”

“I suppose it is at that.” He smiled back as he pulled into the parking lot and found a space for the large car towards the back of the lot. He killed the engine, then pulled her over for a chaste kiss before opening his door. Running around quickly before Buffy could open her own door, he was pleased to see that the normally self-sufficient slayer had waited meekly for him to do the gentlemanly thing.

“You know,” she mused as she exited the car, flashing him a bit of tan thigh as she did so, “if any of your demon buddies see you like this, your reputation will be ruined.”

“Why do you think we’re goin’ all the way out here into the desert to have dinner?” he laughed back at her. “Doubt very much I’m going to run into anyone I know at a fancy human restaurant out here. An’,” he added with a twitch of his eyebrow, “if I do, they’ll have to be dressed and behavin’ just like I am, so they’ll be just as interested in keepin’ it quiet.”

Dinner passed much too quickly to suit either one of them, as, in spite of the flirting and teasing they managed for most of the meal, Spike’s impending departure began to cast a pall over the evening and it wasn’t long after dessert that Spike was signaling for the check. He paid in silence, standing up and pulling Buffy’s chair out to lead her out of the restaurant, his hand resting lightly on her elbow. He could feel the quivering beneath his fingers and the way her heartbeat increased as they approached the car; it was all he could do to keep himself from pushing her against the closest vehicle and renewing his claim right there in the well-lit parking lot.

He closed Buffy’s door behind her and walked around to the other side, only to be met at his own open door by her anxious face.

“Do we have time to go back to the mansion before you leave?” she asked hesitantly; her own senses not having given her any clue that the vampire was as unhappy as she about the inevitable separation.

“Why do you think I made reservations so early in the evening?” he responded huskily, sliding into his seat and pulling her into a hungry kiss. “You didn’t really think I would leave without lovin’ you again, did you?”

“Well, no, not really,” she mumbled. “But I don’t know how far you have to go and I—“

“You don’t know, and you won’t,” he chided, tapping her on the chin. As he started the car and pulled back out onto the highway, he added, “I don’t want you to know where I am, pet. It’s just…it’s better if you don’t. All you need to know is that you can get a message to me if you need me.”

“Humph!” was her only reply as her lip crept out in a small pout.

She glared at the amused expression on his face, knowing he had caught her less-than-subtle attempt to learn where he was going, but her anger faded as they approached the outskirts of Sunnydale and the street full of old decrepit buildings there. When the DeSoto came to a stop in the familiar driveway, she didn’t wait for him to open the door, but threw it open and ran into the open building, calling back to him, “Last one naked has to—“

The rest of her challenge was interrupted by strong arms banded around her body and blunt teeth grazing the side of her neck. Her surprised “eep!” quickly turned to a moan as his hands ran down her sides and up under the hem of her dress.

“Oh, you’re going to be the first one naked, love. You can count on it,” he purred, pulling the dress up as he raised his arms again.

“Note to self,” she gasped, “vampires can move very fast.”

“Only when we want to, pet,” he grinned, pulling the dress off and gently pushing her into the bedroom. “If I need to, I can be very slow…very, very slow…”

He trailed wet kisses down her neck and across her shoulder, sliding the bra strap off with his teeth as he did so. Buffy gave herself over to the sensations he was creating, barely noticing when he moved her to the bed and unhooked the lacy bra. All she was aware of was his mouth and the way it seemed to be everywhere on her body at once. When it reached the now pantyless area that was aching for it, her hips rose off the bed in an effort to hurry him along.

She could feel him smiling against her flesh as he ran his tongue around her folds, spreading the moisture he found there and teasing her into a frenzy. Her head thrashed back and forth and she was near tears when she grabbed his hair and held his face where she wanted it. With a soft laugh, he gave in, sucking her into his mouth and pulling hard on her clit until she gave a strangled cry and relaxed her grip on his head.

Buffy raised barely-open eyes to meet his, smiling in spite of herself at the pleased expression on his face.

“You are an evil man,” she grumbled, lolling, legs apart, with no shame as she watched him stand up and begin to unbutton his shirt.

“That I am, love.” He grinned unrepentantly, quickly shedding his clothes to join her on the bed. “And don’t you forget it.”

“Like that’s gonna happen,” she huffed, pulling him down on top of her and wrapping her legs around his. “Like I’m going to forget anything about you,” she continued in a softer voice. “Like I could forget you.”

“Right back atcha, Slayer,” he whispered, sliding into her waiting warmth. As their hips set up the gentle rhythm that they both knew would quickly build to something much more vigorous, his accent slipped back into that of his youth and he began to murmur his devotion into her willing ears.

When they were both whimpering and gasping with the approach of their release, he pulled his head back to look into her eyes and ask in a strained voice, “One more time, my love? Allow me one more taste?”

She nodded dumbly, pulling his head down to her exposed throat and whimpering in need. His fangs slid into the mark already there and as she shuddered around him, he pulled just enough of her blood into his throat to be sure he would still be tasting it after he was gone. As he spurted his own release into her, he whispered a soft, “Mine”; tears stung his eyes at her equally soft, but very clear response. “Yours, William. Yours forever.”

Too soon, the vampire began to stir, fighting back the tears again when supernaturally strong arms and legs clenched around him in an attempt to put off the inevitable separation. With a shuddering breath, he clutched her back, his heart already aching with loss. For long minutes, there was no sound except the Slayer’s ragged breathing as they held on to the physical connection as long as they could.

Eventually, with a regretful sigh, Buffy loosened her arms and allowed him to roll off to the side. Biting her lip, she determined that when he left her this time there would be no tears and no recriminations or threats. She’d meant what she’d told him in front of her mother and Giles; that as long as she knew he loved her, she was all right with his not being around.

(Okay, maybe all right is a little strong, but I’m accepting it. It’s just another fun part of being The Slayer – boyfriend missage. I can deal.)

They dressed quietly, pausing occasionally to nuzzle a favorite body part or to kiss an exposed bit of skin that was soon to be covered. When they had run out of clothing to put on and reasons to remain, he took her hand to lead her out of the darkened building. Shaking her head, Buffy went back to the bed and gathered up the sheets. At the vampire’s curious look, she blushed and mumbled, “They smell like us. I want to keep them for a while.”

Spike nodded, swallowing past the lump in his throat before simply taking the bedding from her and tucking it under his arm as he used the other to guide her through the building. They didn’t speak until they were on their way back to Revello Drive when Buffy silently moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

“I’ll be back, love. I promise you.”

“I know,” she whispered into his shirt. “I know you will; it’s just…I’m going to miss you, you know? I mean, I’d kinda got used to you not being here, and then you were here and I was all ‘yipee!’, but now you’re leaving again and I’m trying not to cry this time and it’s hard and I don’t want to cry because I want to look pretty when you see me for the last time and—“

Spike stopped the car without even pulling over to the curb and tipped her chin up to face him, letting her see the tears glistening in his own eyes before saying, “You could never look anything but beautiful to me, Buffy. Whatever you’re doing when I last see you, it will be a beautiful memory to take with me. Something to dream to when I’m sleeping by myself and wishing you were with me.”

“I’m not gonna cry,” she said stubbornly, the tears sliding down her cheeks putting the lie to her words.

“Good,” he whispered, licking the tears off her face before kissing her gently. “I don’t want to make you unhappy. Love you too much.”

“I love you, too,” she sniffled. “But I don’t think that guy in the car behind us likes you very much.”

Spike glanced in his mirror to see a man in a red Kia waiting impatiently for him to move the much large DeSoto out of the way. Giving him the universal signal for “up yours”, Spike put the car in gear and drove the rest of the way to Revello Drive at fifteen miles per hour.

When they turned the corner and the little red car had sped off, its driver screaming obscenities, Buffy shook her head in despair.

“You really ARE evil, aren’t you?”

“Hey! The bloody pillock interrupted me while I was kissin’ my girl. He had it comin’.”

When they pulled into the Summers’ driveway, they were both laughing softly and it seemed they had put the drama and angst behind them. Spike slowly walked her to the door, holding her hand and letting her decide when to stop. To an outside observer, they appeared to be any young couple holding hands as they returned from an evening out; only a close look and the knowledge of what they were would permit one to see that their hands were clenched in grips that would have broken bones in any ordinary human hand.

Inevitably, they reached the door and had to admit that their time was up. Spike’s senses told him there were only a few hours of darkness left and he knew that if he was to be safely in Los Angeles by the morning, he had to get going.

“I’ve got to leave now, love.” He rested his forehead against hers, as though they could communicate without words if they just remained in physical contact.

“I know.” Her voice was flat and uninflected, but he could smell the tears that she was blinking back.

She reached for him blindly, fastening her mouth on his and shutting out the world while she tried to memorize the taste, scent and feel of his lips under hers. Too soon, he was tearing himself free, gasping for unneeded air as he fought his own overwhelming urge to tell her he would give up anything to stay by her side. Instead, he cupped her cheek with a callused palm and whispered, “I love you. Don’t ever forget that. I love you and I WILL be back.”

Buffy nodded dumbly, pressing her cheek into his hand and closing her eyes on the tears that she was determined would not be his last vision of her. Taking a deep breath, she summoned every ounce of her slayer strength and opened her eyes to meet his.

“I’ll be waiting for you,” she said evenly, proud of the way she kept her voice from trembling. “No matter how long it is, I’ll be waiting.”

With a final hug that threatened to turn into something that would have embarrassed them both, Spike left the Slayer standing on her front porch and ran to his car. He started the engine and put the car in reverse before he allowed himself to look at the small blond woman waving at him from the now-open door. He flashed his lights, backed out of the driveway, threw the car into drive and roared into the night without a backward glance.

Holding herself bravely erect, Buffy entered the house and carefully closed the door before allowing her shoulders to slump briefly. As she walked up the stairs towards her room, she realized she had left the bedding she’d wanted to keep in the back of Spike’s car. With a moan, she gave in to grief that seemed to be such a big part of her relationship with the vampire who was convinced he couldn’t be with her. Joyce came out of her own room when she heard Buffy’s sobs and she sat on the stairs with her arms around her daughter, offering the only comfort she could, fully aware that none of the appropriate platitudes mothers traditionally gave their heartbroken daughters were suitable for her own super-powered, evil-fighting child and the vampire she loved.

the end