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Chapter Six
 
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Chapter 6



AN: Sorry for taking so long, these fics started kicking my muses’ butts. Hehe. Then my betas had to help put me back on track with some advice on what I was doing wrong :P Besides that, had work and been feeling icky. Thank you to my awesome betas – DreamsofSpike and Ruth.



******


For the millionth time that night, Faith shook her head as both Spike and Buffy seemed to be doing all her work for her. She knew there was bad history there, but they really just needed to fuck and get it over with, in her opinion. Then they could leave some slaying action for her and stop constantly trying to one-up each other. The whole sexual tension thing had been kind of funny at first, but now she was bored and her sense of humour was wearing thin.

“Guys,” she said, stepping forward when the dust of their latest vampire victim settled, “I think we should call it a night. We’ve done a full patrol and that was the only thing we saw in over an hour.”

“You can head home an’ we’ll continue a bit more,” Spike replied, totally oblivious to the meaning behind her request to call it quits for the night.

“Nah, I don’t think you should do this without a chaperone.” Faith’s look was pointed to make sure he got the hint that time before she turned to Buffy. “Maybe you should drop by the Bronze tomorrow night, B; blow off some steam.”

“I’ll think about it,” Buffy told her, not quite sure what to say besides that. “Goodnight, Faith.”

Once the Slayer was gone, Buffy glanced at Spike sideways from under her lashes. She tucked away her stake and started down the path toward the side of town where their apartment was located.

“How about we take her advice? I can order a pizza and we can pick up some movies on the way home.” She paused and looked over her shoulder at him, waiting for his response.

“You like human food, too?” Spike asked with amusement as he moved to catch up with her. “It’s a deal if you throw in some hot wings.”

“Hot wings it is.” A small relieved smile graced her lips at his acceptance of her idea. “Now, let’s hope we agree as easily on what movies to get.”

His hand caught her arm in a gentle but firm grip. “I mean, it’s still not all better. That doesn’t mean I can’t...get to know the new Buffy a bit by hangin’ out with her now and then. It’s not like I have anythin’ better to do when I’m not fightin’ the good fight.”

“I haven’t forgotten that I’m on friend probation,” she said softly, glancing down at where his hand lay. “So don’t worry. I’m just grateful for whatever chances you give me.”

His hand dropped away almost reluctantly and he sucked in his cheeks. “Yeah, well...I’m not even sure sometimes why I decided to give you a chance, but I did. I suppose some part of me needs my Sire...like a child wantin’ his mum.”

“I’m sure bathing you will be an experience.” She quickly blushed at the images that popped into her mind and she turned away just as quickly. “Movies. I remember saying we should get movies. So let’s do that. Now.”

With that, Buffy hurried down the street toward the Movie Gallery on the corner, leaving behind a highly confused Spike to shake his head. Bloody birds were just as confusing as hell, no matter how long he lived. It was only this one he wanted to shag senseless, though, regardless of how his mind rebelled at getting that close to his former abuser.

******

“You want the last piece?” Buffy held it up to Spike with brows lifted, sitting on the couch with him on the floor in front of her.

“We can share.” He took a huge bite from it and chuckled around his the pizza that filled his mouth.

“Thanks, I like the crust anyway.”

Spike had to look away from the adorable sight she presented with her nose turned up oh-so-cutely. That was when he noticed that his hand was touching her feet, lightly stroking her soft skin.

What in the bloody hell is wrong with me?

Needing a distraction, Spike stood up to take the empty boxes to the garbage. In the privacy of the kitchen, he stole a moment to adjust himself yet again before returning to the living room.

When he returned, Buffy was sitting with her back rigidly straight. What was that about? It didn’t even occur to him that if he worried about her enhanced hearing keeping him from having a good wank he should worry about her sense of smell as well.

“I’m goin’ to turn in for the night, luv. Ta.” He gave a little salute then hurried off to the bedroom, pausing in the doorway. “Not that I don’t think you deserve to sleep on an uncomfortable sofa after bein’ an evil hellbitch, but maybe we can keep our ears open for available apartments...or at least see about gettin’ you a futon.”

She stared at him, gobsmacked, as he closed the door.

What was that all about? she unconsciously echoed his earlier thought.

Then she immediately wondered if it had anything to do with that oh-so-obvious scent she kept picking up lately when he was around.

Oh, at first she had missed it because...well, she had to admit she had felt a bit of attraction to him, too. There had been some back when she had first met him, but that Buffy hadn’t been the type to handle things like that very well...not that she was so much better now, but she wasn’t about to try to beat him into submission. And so, at first she had assumed she was only smelling herself and her own arousal, until she had gradually come to be able to tell the difference.

Next, she went through a period of denial, which was easy since he seemed just as happy as she was to pretend like nothing was going on between them. But then, Faith’s comments that night had surprised Buffy, since apparently their denial didn’t keep others from seeing what they were trying so hard to ignore. So...Spike had to be aware of it, too, right?

He had to be disgusted with the thought of either of them being attracted to the other, considering their history. So then, what was up with the talk of making her more comfortable...as if he cared, and this would be a long term thing? When he first came around, he had made it seem like a temporary stay of convenience that he was merely putting up with.

Her attraction, on the other hand, was nothing new; she had felt it since she had first found him. She was just determined to ignore her ever-increasing attraction to her childe, since he was definitely in the ‘hands off’ category, because of his completely healthy and natural resentment of what she had done to him.

If he could handle all this weirdness without giving in to the temptation, then so could she—no matter what Faith hinted at. In fact, the offer of some Bronzing was a good opportunity to go fishing for a guy that wasn’t her abused childe. Not that she really felt the need to have a guy—she was normally happy being alone—but she figured that maybe a distraction would help her not think of Spike in bad, bad ways.

Totally wrong ways.

With another glance toward the bedroom, Buffy settled down on the couch to sleep, unable to stop the dreams of haunting blue eyes—dreams that flashed from good to bad and back again in the most confusing way.

******

The ice had long melted in her drink, but still Buffy stirred it as she watched Faith dance with Nick. She should be out there with the slayer and finding a random guy to dance with. Hadn’t she decided the night before to get all distracted from the attraction to the wrong guy?

Unfortunately, her mind remained stuck on that certain guy. At least he wasn’t there.

Damn it.

Apparently, she had assumed too early, because as she glanced away from Faith she saw a flash of platinum hair weaving through the crowd. She saw that he was in fact heading in her direction and quickly decided to make a hasty exit. Fleeing from her own childe seemed a bit silly, but much better than an uncomfortable meeting.

Spike caught her just outside the bathrooms and spun her around to press her back to the wall. His hands braced on either side of her head to keep her in place while he leaned in close.

“Runnin’ from me?” he asked, quirking a brow. “Why?”

“Well, what are you even doing here?” She lifted her chin as she got defensive. “You were there when Faith invited me here, so you knew I’d be here.”

“An’ here I thought it was a free country an’ I could go wherever I pleased,” he snarked.

“That’s not what I...well, you can be here if you want, but you were coming right over to me like you were going to join us.”

“So, you’re sayin’ if I see you in public you want me pretendin’ not to know you?” His eyes turned deadly, flashing silver.

“That’s not what I meant! You keep putting words in my mouth!” Her voice rose in alarm. She waved her hands between them. “I saw you coming over and I was trying to avoid all that awkward stuff that’s been going on lately. And really, we live together; do we need to spend every moment with each other? Especially when I know you hate me?”

“Elizabeth...Buffy...” He turned his head and took a deep breath, not even sure what to say to her scattered justifications. “I’m not sure what to make of you anymore. I hate what you did to me, but as for you...you’re different, but still I know that shouldn’t let you off the hook for everythin’ just because of your shiny soul. I gave that to you, so the way I see it, you owe me.”

“O-owe you?” Her eyes got a bit wider. “I already...the first night, told you that you had every right to get payback, but you let me off easy.”

“Not what I meant, but—”

They both stopped and turned their heads to look toward the front of the club. Spike was the first to turn his gaze back to her.

“What...it’s like when I sense you, but different,” he said curiously.

“It’s family.” She started pulling him toward the door that led to the back alley. “I’m glad you’ve never found out first-hand what that sensation is, because this is bad. I sense age and power, and there’s only a handful from our line that are older than me.”

“An’ I take it they would be less than thrilled with your soulful self?” Spike gave a humourless smirk as he followed after her.

“Something like that; and, we had a falling out even before that came along,” she told him as she started down the back streets of Sunnydale. “I’m more concerned with them getting their hands on you and figuring out what you are. The fact that you’re souled will be the least of your problems.”

“You’re sure who it is then?”

“Like I said, not many older than me...plus, as you age and stuff you can get better at honing your senses.” She stopped and turned to him. “Have you heard of the Scourge of Europe while doing the whole ‘helping slayers’ thing?”

“Yeah, a few times.” He shrugged.

“I was one of them—before you came along. Darla was sired by the Master—the guy I told you that you’re related to—and she sired the son of a bitch, Angelus. She lets him pretend to run the show. He eventually tortured a girl, Drusilla, into insanity before turning her. He wasn’t happy with just two whores at his beck and call, so then he came after little Elizabeth.” She paused to let that sink in before going on, “Once I was strong enough, I let him know I was tired of being one of his skanks. I took the first opportunity to get the hell out of Dodge.”

She didn’t like that glint of pity in his eyes. She didn’t deserve it, especially not from her former victim.

Turning away to continue their dash for home, she hissed, “Don’t go all ‘poor Buffy’ on me; it wasn’t just to get away from his abuse. I was soulless, remember? I wanted to be the one to call the shots.”

Somehow, he didn’t look like he completely bought it when she glanced back to make sure he was following. She really didn’t care if he believed her.

Really.

“Anyway, when we get home where it’s safe, we can call Faith and then Giles. I’m not sure if they sensed us since they might have been distracted if they were in the middle of all those humans, or focused on whatever they were there for. Even if they didn’t know we were there, though, they’ll know soon.”

“And what’s your plan? To run like you did when you saw me?” Spike asked sardonically as he caught up with her.

“Do you have a better one? They’re going to come after us and I won’t let them have you.” She looked up at him with a determined frown.

“I bloody well do! We get rid of them and stop them from killing anyone else!”

“You’re little more than a fledge compared to them!” She stopped outside their door to give him an incredulous look.

“Yes, but I’m some super-vamp, remember?” he shot back and then motioned between them. “An’ I got you on my side as well as a slayer an’ her chums.”

“This. Is. Stupid,” she spat at him angrily.

“Well, the way I see it, you can’t force me to run with you an’ if you’re so gung-ho on protectin’ me then you’re goin’ to stay here to fight with me.” He crossed his arms and gave her a satisfied grin.

She gritted her teeth and turned to open the door, walking inside as she muttered, “You’re so getting the couch tonight.”
 
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