Chapter Twenty-One

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After that night, she spent almost every night in Spike’s bed, or he in hers – and yet, somehow, they had not moved on from the fragile intimacy gained during those short hours before dawn. They grew bolder, both of them – he daring to touch without express permission and she daring to return just some of that tenderness and desire. That one night had somehow turned their relationship on its head and now they rarely bickered, and only then for fun.

They were closer than ever before and Buffy was sure that if Willow repeated her question, she would not be able to hide the fact that, yes, she had fallen for the vampire. The only problem was, she did not know how to tell him. He was so free, so easy with his declarations of love – but she had never been like that, and wasn’t sure that she could be now. She wanted him to know, but something held her tongue, even in the comforting darkness of her room. She tried instead to show him with actions and only hoped that he understood.

“You almost got your ass kicked, you stupid vampire,” she scolded, her soft tone contradicting the anger in her words.

“Didn’t though, did I?” he countered, leaning into her touch as she pressed her hand to his cheek.

“It’s not nice to make me worry like that though,” she sulked.

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” he murmured, his hand trailing down her arm and drawing her closer to him.

“You better,” she whispered, reaching up to meet his lips in a soft kiss.



She left him in the darkness of his crypt, ordering him to rest and concealing just how worried she really had been when she had seen his opponent’s crude stake arching towards his chest. Her heart was thumping with the thought of it and she felt a pain low in her stomach. She had reacted with a sharp cry and had thrown herself at his attacker, tackling him to the ground. She didn’t even want to think about what might have happened if she hadn’t been fast enough.

She entered the Magic Box and greeted her friends, moving to sit at the table.

“Lost your vampire?” Willow asked with a smile, “You guys are pretty much joined at the hip lately.”

“He’s been ordered bed rest,” she explained, “Stupid vampire almost got himself staked earlier.”

“Is he okay?” Dawn asked worriedly.

“Yeah. I think I’m more shook up than he is,” she admitted with a wry smile.

The others laughed and she rolled her eyes.

“He thinks he’s invincible, I swear.”

“Well, he’s managed to stay alive for like a hundred and fifty years already,” Xander offered, “Guess he’s got real good at it.”

She smiled and nodded slightly.




“So, Buffster, birthday plans?” Xander asked.

“I really don’t know. I want to do something...but maybe that’s just jinxing it.”

“Oh, Buffy, you have to celebrate!” Willow exclaimed, “It’s not every day you become a proper adult!”

“Very true,” she conceded, “Just as long as it doesn’t turn into as much of a disaster as every other birthday I’ve had in Sunnydale.”

“We’ll make sure it doesn’t!” Willow added with a wide smile.

“I guess I could have a party at mine. Something small...just us guys.”

“As opposed to our many many other friends?” Xander joked with a smile.

“Point taken.”

She smiled softly and rested her cheek on her hand. At that moment, the door opened and she turned, giving the vampire a pointed look as he entered the shop.

“You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I got bored,” he countered, slipping into a seat next to her, “S’not like I’m actually hurt anyway.”

“Well, you could’ve been!” she answered with a pout.

He smiled and slung his arm around her shoulders, drawing her towards him and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“So sweet when you worry about me.”

“Well, you know, it’s my birthday soon...and that would be one less present...” she teased with a smile.

“Maybe I don’t plan on getting you a present.”

“Oh, you better, mister. Or else.”

“Or else what?” he asked with a smile, one eyebrow cocked.

“Oh, I’ll think of something,” she answered, wrinkling her nose at him and turning her back on him, even as he wrapped his arms around her, his chin resting against her shoulder.



“Is it just me or have they got even more gagworthy?” Dawn exclaimed with a laugh and Buffy turned to her, poking out her tongue.

“You just wait, Dawnie,” Willow teased, “One day you’ll find yourself a hottie and you’ll be the same.”

“I will not!” she protested.

“Don’t give her ideas!” Buffy remarked at the same time.

“Hey, maybe I could copy my sister and get myself a vampire boyfriend!” Dawn teased, a wide grin on her face.

“You realise I’d have to kill him, l’il Bit,” Spike commented.

“Well, that’s no fair!”

“Oh, not ‘coz he’s a vampire,” he explained, his breath stirring the back of her neck, “For going anywhere near you.”

Buffy laughed loudly and Dawn shook her head, trying not to laugh.

“You’re worse than Buffy. She says I can’t date until I’m eighteen!”

“I would have made it twenty-five at least,” Spike said and Buffy laughed again, wrapping her fingers through his where they rested around her waist.

“You think we can restrain her that long?”

“Good point,” he answered lowly as Dawn protested with a ‘hey!’, causing the whole group to laugh at her.



They walked back to Revello Drive hand in hand, Dawn at their side, discussing her birthday plans further. When they got to the house and Dawn left them to go to bed, Spike drew her against him where he sat on the sofa, arms wrapping around her tightly.

“So you’re having this party on the Saturday before?”

“Yeah. Seems like a good idea,” she answered, burying her head against his chest, “I just wish I didn’t have to work on my birthday.”

He laughed and pressed a kiss to her hair.

“So, party Saturday, work Monday...think you can fit me in on Sunday?”

“You’re not coming on Saturday?” she asked in surprise, sitting up to look at him.

“’Course I am,” he soothed, brushing his fingers over her cheek, “You know I wouldn’t miss it. But I want you to myself on Sunday. Got something special planned.”

“Oh yeah?” she asked with a coy smile, “What is it?”

“It’s a surprise,” he answered, leaning down and brushing his lips over hers.

“No fair. I want to know,” she mumbled, leaning into him and wrapping her arms lightly around his shoulders.

“You’ll just have to wait.”

“Mean,” she whispered, catching his lips as he brushed them over hers again and kissing him softly. She felt him smile against her lips and she slapped him lightly, before giving up on her sulking and focusing all of her attention on kissing him.