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Not Beneath Me by Tasha
 
(9) Who Am I?
 
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Not Beneath Me - Chapter 9 (Who Am I?)

By Tasha


Chapter Summary: Something has crashed in some woods near Xander and Anya's place. Buffy, Spike, Dawn, Anya and Xander go to investigate. Joyce is awaiting her surgery, but her mind is not quite there right now. Dawn is starting to get freaked out from all the people saying she isn't real. The Summer's girls stood up for Spike with Giles, and now he is wondering what is going on with Spike. **Warning, minor bloodplay at the end; wound healing**

Author's Note: I decided to compress the episode "Listening To Fear" to take care of the Quellor demon right off. I wanted to put more focus on the relationships and Dawn's key status. (Tasha is now writing all of the chapters, solely. This story was adopted with the permission of Miss Kitty (and at her request). Disclaimer and Distribution notes are listed in the Prologue of this story. Thank you ahead of time for reading and accepting or abiding by them.)

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.




Spike stared at the long crater sized path in the ground. "Bloody hell, that's not good." He shook his head back and forth at the destruction that the "meteor" had caused.

Buffy hopped across the trench to reach the large object embedded in the ground at the end of the trench. She bent down to take a closer look, but an arm blocked her way.

Spike's arm went out in front of Buffy. He grasped her by the waist and gently pulled her back. "Careful luv. We don't know if that thing is radioactive or if anything is alive in it."

Buffy nodded and sighed. "We have to find out somehow."

Xander, Anya and Dawn finally caught up to the blonde duo fully. Dawn beamed at Spike and her sister. They were standing very close to each other, and she could see Spike's arm around Buffy's waist.

Spike's arm position didn't go unnoticed by Xander either. "Hey." He pointed to Spike. "Get your hands off of her." He started to march closer to Spike.

Anya pulled Xander's hand back when Spike started growling. Chip or no chip she didn't want a battle between the two of them. It always upset her the way Xander went off about demons. Does he forget that she is an ex-demon? That she's killed more people in her 1000 years than Spike, Angelus, Darla and Dru combined? "We have more important things to worry about than Buffy's sex life, Xander."

Spike and Buffy choked. Xander's jaw dropped. "No. No. Bad." His whole body twitched. "Buffy, Spike and sex do NOT belong in the same sentence."

Buffy frowned. She felt Spike start to pull away from her. She gripped his hand tightly so that his arm remained in place. She was not ready to deal with Xander, but there was no way that she was going to let Xander push Spike away.

"Buffy doesn't need your criticism right now, you stupid git." Spike snarled. He focused on Buffy's face and body language. Nothing could explain the joy in his heart when her hand tightened on his. He figured that she'd throw him away as fast as possible once Xander started jumping on her.

"Criticism?" Xander's steam wasn't even close to running out. "You aren't going to take advantage of Buffy's mom being sick to wheedle your way into her life." He turned to Buffy. "What about Riley, Buffy? Sleeping with vampires wasn't enough before. Now you have to cheat on your boyfriend to be with one?"

Dawn gasped in unbelief. Even Anya stared at Xander slack jawed. Buffy's face furrowed, and her jaw clenched so tightly that everyone heard her teeth grinding against each other.

Spike grabbed Xander by his jacket lapels. He forced him backwards several steps to pin him to a large tree. "You don't know what you are talking about as usual." He practically spat out each word in Xander's face.

Buffy, Dawn and Anya ran the few yards to where Spike and Xander were. Buffy grabbed a hold of Spike's arm, but her eyes were directed to Xander. "I broke up with Riley, Xander." She squeezed Spike's arm, turning to face him. She silently pleaded with him to let Xander go.

"Are you crazy?" Xander barely choked out. Although he wasn't being "hurt", the tightness in his chest from the grip Spike had on him was not pleasurable. "He's the best thing that ever happened to you."

Buffy did the last thing that anyone expected her to do; she laughed. She started with a slight giggle and worked it up into a full-fledged laughter.

Spike let go of Xander, dropping the whelp to the ground. 'Oh my god. He's pushed her to crazy land.' He rested his hand on Buffy's shoulder. "What's so funny, luv?"

"Xander ... He ... Oh, that is such a good one." Buffy straightened up. "Does your idea of a perfect guy include hitting his girlfriend when she doesn't agree with him and wants to break up with him?" Her laughing subsided.

Spike growled deeply. "That wanker hit you?" Unnecessary breaths were inhaled and exhaled deeply. "I'll kill him. I swear I will find some way to kill him."

Xander stared wide-eyed at Buffy. "No way." He shook his head back and forth. "Riley wouldn't do it. I don't believe it."

"Well believe it, Xander because that is what he did." Buffy snapped. "I'm sick of you self-righteous and judgmental pricks who think that you can run my life for me just because you are my boyfriend or my friend." She advanced on Xander getting right in his face. "I'm through with it. I'll date whom I want. I know what kind of boyfriend I want now, and I have him right here."

Spike tightened his grip on Buffy's shoulder. He had never seen her this mad at any of the Scoobies before. What shocked him even more was the fact that Buffy was sticking up for her choice. She actually called him her boyfriend. 'Yes, choke on that one you wanker.' He thought to himself.

"If I'd done that in the first place maybe we wouldn't have had to deal with all that Initiative crap like we did." Buffy looked over at Spike. She'd never forgotten how she felt during Willow's "thy will" spell. What might have happened if she hadn't panicked when the spell wore off or if Spike had acted a little differently to her? After what had come out between them in the last few days, she figured that Spike wasn't all that upset by how they were during the spell either.

Spike quirked a scarred brow at Buffy. 'Does she mean what I think she means?' He thought to himself. Nothing would erase how he felt during Willow's botched up "thy will" spell. He'd found a happiness in those hours that he hadn't known in over 150 years of existence, not even with Dru.

There wasn't enough time to ponder what everyone meant because at that moment a loud screeching rent the air behind the group. Everyone turned just in time to see a back shelled like demon burst from the "meteor".

"Ahhhhh!" Dawn screamed. She jumped behind Spike and Buffy just as they were both pulling her back.

"What the hell is that?" Buffy questioned.

"It's ugly, whatever it is." Anya cringed. She clutched tightly to Xander's arm. "Don't let it get me, Xander."

The demon took off through the woods. It seemed to walk on it's hands and feet like a four legged creature of sorts. Buffy and Spike ran after it in sync with each other's steps. They quickly surrounded it. With it being so close to the ground, they weren't prepared for it to turn around and jump up at one of them. It tried to wrap it's "arms" around Buffy.

Buffy screeched as she fought to get the demon off of her. She dug her fingernails into the seemingly soft underbelly of the creature. She couldn't reach the stake that she always kept safely hidden on her person.

Spike slipped his hand into his duster. He pulled out a long Bowie knife and a stake. He tried to stab the demon in the back, but Buffy and it were twisting around too much in their fight. He didn't want to take a chance of hitting Buffy accidentally. "Stand still, Slayer."

"I'm trying." Buffy grunted. "Just kill the damn thing already." The demon spat a clear slime in Buffy's face and lunged for her neck. The Slayer and the demon fell to the ground in the process.

"No one ..." Spike plunged the knife into the back of the demon so hard that it broke the outer shell in that place. "Touches ..." He twisted the knife in it's place, driving it into the creature further. "That neck ..." He twirled the stake before he plunged it into the back of it's head. "But me!"

The demon squealed with each plunge and twist. Finally it wriggled one last time and fell silent. Spike kicked the beast off Buffy who was pulling at the slime that solidified on Buffy's face.

Buffy gasped for breath once her mouth and nose were clear. "Thank you." She scooted farther away from the demon. "We need to get back to Giles to tell him about this one. That was just too weird." She shivered. "Now we have to worry about demons from outer space too?" She slapped her hands at her side.

Dawn fell down and hugged her sister tightly. That thing had scared her. Spike hugged both Buffy and Dawn together. "Let's head back to the hospital. He's probably still there." He extended a hand to both of his girls to help them up.

"Wait a minute." Xander stood right next to Spike. "There is no way that I'm letting you take them anywhere after that earlier display."

"It isn't your choice, whelp." Spike hissed. He pulled both Dawn and Buffy closer to him. "We're going back to the hospital to see the Watcher, and right now you aren't invited."

Buffy rested her head against Spike's shoulder. "He'll take care of us, Xander." She sighed. "Besides he'll be able to describe that thing better than I can."

"Buffy ..."

"We're leaving." Buffy cut him off immediately. "Go home, Xander." She tugged on Spike's hand. Spike tightened the grip on his girls. He kept his eyes open for any more dangers as they walked back to the hospital.

No one noticed the dark haired intern named Ben who had witnessed everything between the demon and the group. He strode off towards his car. He was confused as to how and why this group of people killed the demon he'd summoned. 'I could swear those were the Summer's girls. Very odd.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Xander kicked the ground in a huff. He ranted and raved to Anya for 15 minutes before he strode back towards their apartment. Cursing the vampire's name every which way, he still refused to believe that Riley hit Buffy. "There's no way that bleached idiot is better for Buffy than Riley." He muttered to himself.

'Oh Xander.' Anya thought resignedly. 'What am I going to do with you?'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Giles really needed some coffee. The doctor had already been back in to check on Joyce's status once more. Thankfully, Giles had been able to report that she was still sleeping. He knew that he should go home, but he just couldn't make himself leave. It was as if he was afraid to miss out on a moment when Joyce might awaken.

Unfortunately Giles did need to stretch his legs a bit. It was starting to get quite late, and he needed a bit more coffee in his system if he was going to make it through the night. He picked up Joyce's hand and kissed the back of it softly. "I'll be right back, Joyce."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy, Spike and Dawn walked quietly through the corridors. There was something eerie about a hospital at night. It creeped Buffy out big time. She would rather patrol all night over the Hellmouth then be present in a hospital at night. So a hospital over the Hellmouth ... so not a good idea.

Dawn turned the handle to Joyce's room. The only light came from a box on the wall behind the bed. It was on low level. They could see each other, but it was a bit dark. While Spike and Buffy looked around the room and then hall for Giles, Dawn curled up on the bed with her mother.

"He has to be around here somewhere, pet." Spike pointed to the bit of tweed and leather draped over the back of a chair near Joyce's bed. "That's his jacket. I doubt that he'd leave it here."

Buffy nodded. "You're right." She leaned down to whisper near Dawn's ear. "We're going to check out the waiting room. Stay here."

Dawn smiled and nodded. She clung to her mother tighter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Giles pressed a couple buttons on the vending machine in the waiting area. "Come on, damnit." He sighed when the cup of coffee did not pop down to start filling. He slapped the top of the machine in frustration then rested his head on his arm against the machine. The click and plop of the cup falling into the proper place sounded and the slurping sound of coffee filling the cup seemed to echo in the quiet room.

"Possessed machine, Watcher?" Spike patted Giles on the back. "Wants to keep all that caffeine to itself?" He could tell that Giles was tired and frustrated. So, he tried to lighten the mood.

"Yes, quite." Giles half chuckled and shook his head back and forth. "I didn't expect you both back here tonight." He glanced at Buffy who was now standing next to Spike. "It's only been a few hours. Slow patrol?"

Buffy shook her head back and forth. "I wish it was." She motioned for them to sit down. The three huddled together while Buffy recounted everything that had happen since they'd left the hospital. She skipped over most of the Xander things and tried to focus on the demon. Spike chipped in details and descriptions of the demon, the fire trail, and the object they found.

"Interesting." Giles removed his glasses with his free hand. He sipped from his coffee cup in the other hand. He rubbed his forehead with the back of the hand holding his glasses. "It sounds like a demon of sorts, but I don't know why it would have come from the stars."

"We were pretty stumped too, Rupert." Spike wrung his hands together. "It definitely came down from somewhere not on this planet."

"Pretty lights coming down, but I could do without demons spitting in my face to try and kill me." Buffy shivered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Joyce stirred a little in her room. She felt a warm body snuggled up against her. Instinctively she stroked her fingers through the girl's long brown hair. Everything changed in an instant and Joyce began to yell and scream.

"No! Get away from me." Joyce tried to crawl off the bed and push Dawn off at the same time. "You thing. You're not real. Go away!" She screamed again.

"Mommy?" Dawn felt the tears in her eyes long before they started to fall down her face. She was scared. 'Not Mom too!' She cried even harder. "Mommy, please."

Buffy, Spike and Giles burst through the door. All three had bolted from the waiting room at Joyce's first scream. "Mom, what's wrong?"

Joyce pushed Dawn farther away then pulled back her hands quickly. "Get it away from me. Not real ... Not mine."

Spike gathered Dawn in his arms. He hugged her tightly, gazing from Giles to Buffy.

Giles sat down in the chair. He clasped Joyce's hand in his and spoke in soothing tones. "It's all right, Joyce. Everything's fine."

Joyce shook her head. Her eyes cleared, and her thoughts righted themselves. She looked around the room in shock that all 4 of them were there and Dawn was crying. "What's wrong, Honey?" She said reaching out towards Dawn.

'Whoa now that is a big change.' Buffy thought. She turned Dawn around to face her mother. "It's okay, Dawnie. See." She pointed to their mom. "All better."

"No, it's not." Dawn sniffled and sobbed. "Mommy hates me." She clutched to Spike harder.

"Baby, I don't ..." Joyce wasn't able to finish her sentence because a nurse burst into the room at that point.

"What's wrong, Joyce? We heard screaming." The nurse asked. She was very concerned. Brain tumor patients could be very temperamental, but they needed to be kept as calm as possible to avoid more damage or stress to the brain.

"Everything is in hand now, Madam." Giles responded with authority and politeness. "She was just confused for a few moments. Thank you for checking."

"All right, but you need to try and keep her as calm as possible." The nurse looked at her watch. "I'll check her chart to see what sedative they used. Maybe we can give her a little bit more to help her sleep again."

"That sounds like a good idea." Buffy nodded. She looked at Joyce. "Mom, I'm going to take Dawn home. Spike will walk us there. So, don't worry."

"That's right, Mum. I'll take care of them." Spike spoke proudly. Nothing and no one would hurt his girls on his watch. Come hell or high water he'd defend them with his life.

"Okay, Baby. Be careful." Joyce kissed both her daughters good night. She was confused as to why Dawn was crying. What had happened? Maybe she'd ask Rupert about it later. Right now she just wanted to sleep.

Buffy leaned down to whisper into Giles' ear. "I think we need to tell Dawn. She's really getting freaked out."

"I don't think that is a good idea, Buffy." Giles whispered back. "Once she knows that puts her in even more danger."

"I know, but I can't have her thinking that her mother doesn't love her." Buffy frowned. "No matter what, I know my mom will want her."

"Use your discretion, but I wouldn't tell her unless you have to." Giles nodded. "And be careful where you talk to her about it. Who knows who might be listening."

Buffy stood back up, hugged her mother one more time, and nodded to Giles before she stepped out of the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The trip home was uneventful except for Dawn's fidgeting and numerous attempts to ask questions. Nothing would form a coherent sentence or thought. So halfway through the walk home, Dawn gave up on asking anything.

The trio stepped into the house. "Buffy?" Dawn headed for the kitchen even though she was talking to her sister over her shoulder. "Why did Mom say those things about me?"

"The doctor told us about the tumor putting pressure on her brain, Dawnie." Buffy hated to worry Dawn more, but how would the girl handle the truth? She was so young, yet so old. Human emotions were definitely not easy to grasp.

"She wasn't the only one to say that though, Buffy." Dawn filled up a glass with orange juice. She sat on the stool at the island in the kitchen. "Besides you were doing the whisper thingy with Giles, and I heard my name."

Spike held out a hand to Dawn. "Come on, Nibblet. Let's go in the living room." He looked over at Buffy who nodded. He sat down on the couch. He pulled Dawn down beside him.

Buffy sat down on the other side of Dawn. "You're right. I was talking to Giles about you, but I didn't want you to worry about anything."

Dawn looked at the serious expressions on her best friend and sister's faces. She knew that this was something pretty heavy. Both of them looked pretty uptight about whatever it was. They were worried.

Buffy held Dawn's hand. 'How do you tell your sister that she's not really your sister but an old big ball of energy that was made human by using parts of you? 'They do not have a manual for stuff like this.'

Spike helped Buffy out by starting things off. Everyone was already so stressed. He'd do anything he could to help. "Nibblet, this is going to sound very strange to you, but please hear your big sis and I out."

"Um, okay." Dawn sat back against the back of the couch.

"You are very special to us Little Bit, but what you remember about your life isn't quite correct." Spike began in an even tone. He watched Dawn's every movement and facial expression. "You know how Glory keeps trying to find something? And you remember that big snake that came into the Magic Box?"

Dawn nodded. "That snake was freaky."

"Yes, it was." Spike ran his hand through his bleached locks. "They were looking for you, Nibblet. They want you."

Dawn eep'd. "Why would that crazy woman and snake want me?"

"Because you were created by some pretty strange but well meaning monks for a special purpose." Spike tried to think of what to say next.

"Monks?"

"Yes, Dawnie." Buffy jumped in. "You are a key, Dawnie. Before a few weeks ago you technically weren't human."

"That's crazy." Dawn jumped up. Her drink sloshed around in her glass.

"Now, Dawn, you promised to listen to it all first." Buffy chastised softly. "I didn't believe it at first either, but the monks proved it to me."

Dawn plopped back down onto the couch.

"Your essence is made up of a ball of energy that can be used to open up inter-dimensional portals." Buffy rolled her eyes at herself. Even saying it out loud always sounded crazy to her.

"So they were right? I'm not real."

"No, Dawn." Spike rubbed Dawn's knee. "You are human in every way that matters. Member I can't hit you?" He grinned to lighten things. "That says 100 percent flesh and blood." He mockingly held his head in his hands swaying side to side.

Buffy giggled at Spike's antics. "The monks made you human from me. You are a Summer's, Dawn. You are my little sister no matter if you are 14 years old or 4 weeks."

Dawn started to cry. "This can't be happening. First Mom and then me, and now my mom isn't really mom." She shook as the sobs overtook her.

Spike and Buffy hugged Dawn. "It's okay, Dawn. She is your Mom. Remember Summer's blood is running through those veins. It's just more complicated than that." She looked to Spike for assistance.

"Nibblet, Glory needs the key part of you for some portal she wants opened." Spike rubbed Dawn's back. "Being the key isn't all that you are. You are human above everything. The key is just like an extra bonus." He perked up. "It makes you more special than anyone else. It doesn't make you fake."

"But I wasn't human until a little bit ago." Dawn sniffled. "That makes me feel fake."

"You are real, Dawn." Buffy had an idea. She went into the kitchen for a minute or two. She returned to the living room with a knife in her hand. With one hand Buffy lifted Dawn's hand in the air. She cut a shallow diagonal slash down the palm of Dawn's hand.

"Ow!" Dawn shrieked.

"Oy, Slayer. What are you doing?" Spike cringed. Blood certainly didn't bother him, but it was different when you cared about the one whose life force is flowing out. Blood was dripping from his Little Bit's hand.

Buffy repeated the process on her hand that held Dawn's. "See, Dawnie." She held the two hands right in front of Dawn. "Your blood." She pointed to Dawn's hand. "My blood." She pointed to her own. "It's the same blood, Summer's blood." She clasped both of their wounded hands together, mingling the blood between them. "You are as real as I am." She said determined to prove her point.

Spike licked his lips. He forced his demon mask into the back of his mind. Unlike most vampires he was able to control his bloodlust. He was partly forced into it by being chipped, but he was better at controlling it even before being chipped. Slayer blood was strong and alluring to a vampire though. It was the ultimate blood for them in so many ways. His reaction was instinctual, but it was also something more. This wasn't just Slayer blood. It was Buffy blood; his slayer, the woman he loved with all of his undead heart. He turned away from the girls to calm himself.

Buffy noticed Spike's reaction to the display. At first she didn't pick up on what could have caused him to become so panicky. Shortly she realized that he was reacting to her blood. She was amazed that he wasn't in his demon visage. This had to be almost like torture to him. For him to have Slayer blood so close to him and yet not be able to sample it had to be hard. Her respect for him grew even deeper in that moment of realization about what kind of control Spike had over his demon. "Spike?" She placed her free hand on Spike's arm to get his attention.

"Yes, luv?" Spike turned back to face the girls.

"Vampire saliva has a healing quality, does it not?" Buffy questioned. She wanted to show him that she trusted him implicitly.

Spike nodded. Why was she questioning him about that? That was a strange question to come from anyone.

Buffy moved her and Dawn's hands over towards Spike. "Dawn doesn't have Slayer healing." She tried to reason it out with him. She had to think of something to get him to do it because his head was shaking back and forth rapidly.

"You can't be serious."

"I'm quite serious." Buffy let go of Dawn's hand. Dawn's eyes bugged out. She wasn't going to stop Spike because she trusted him, but she couldn't figure out why Buffy was doing this. Buffy opened her hand to Spike as well. The active flow of blood on each had stopped, but Dawn's hand appeared to have a bit of angry reddening around the cut. "Heal us please, Spike."

Spike locked gazes with Buffy. Her eyes never wavered from his. He leaned down to Dawn's hand, watching Buffy the entire time. Slowly he licked the palm of Dawn's hand. Solid long strokes lapped up any of the blood that formerly leaked from her hand. He continued for a few more strokes to be sure the healing process was well in order.

Dawn pulled her hand back slowly when she knew Spike was done. "Wow. That tingled." She said in awe at Spike. "Thanks." She hugged him. She looked from Buffy to Spike. It seemed as if they were lost in their own world with only each other for company. She quickly excused herself to go to bed. Once she reached the stairs she turned back around to watch Spike begin to lap at Buffy's hand. She shivered at the very erotic sight the two made. No way was she going to let Xander get in the middle of her sister and Spike. She liked Spike. Heck she loved Spike like a big brother. She skipped up the stairs to her room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike's tongue flattened out across Buffy's palm to fully stroke her hand. He growled lightly. The tang of her blood tingled and practically sizzled over his tongue and down his throat like a fine wine touching his taste buds. He was in heaven at the moment.

Buffy inhaled sharply. Her chest heaved, and her heart raced. Her body was practically shaking. This had to be the most sensual thing she'd ever experienced. 'Oh gosh. If this is what I feel like when he's just licking my palm and suckling lightly, what would it feel like to have him fully taste me.'

"Oh Buffy." Spike purred. He suckled the wound to make sure that he didn't miss a single drop of the ambrosia from her veins. He lapped like a good puppy to clean and heal the whole area. Slayer healing would take care of anything Buffy needed, but he wasn't going to turn down her offer. For her to trust him to sample her blood and not sink his fangs into her to drain her astounded him. This was beyond her figuring that the chip would save her. He'd seen the look of absolute trust in her eyes.

Buffy panted. Even when Spike was done, she still held his hand in hers. "That was ... Wow." She exhaled slowly. "Amazing." Her heart continued to race. What did you say after something like that? Words seemed inadequate.

"Aye, pet." Spike snuggled closer to Buffy. He pulled her into his lap, nuzzling his face into her neck. "An amazing treasure to me. Thank you so much." He nibbled lightly up and down her neck, purring.

Buffy sighed in contentment. She rested comfortably in his lap and arms for a long time. She had no idea just how much time had passed. She was so tired, but she didn't want him to leave. She needed to know he would be close. "Spike?" She asked shyly. She looked down at the floor.

"Yes, luv?" Though he knew that he should be leaving, he planned on watching the house from the tree until he was forced into shelter from the sun. He needed to be sure that they were safe.

"Will you stay here tonight?" Buffy looked back up at Spike. "With us?"

Spike blinked. Shocked didn't begin to describe what he was feeling from her asking that question. "If you want me to, I will." He tilted his head to the side a little and smiled wider. "Your wish is my pleasure." This night was just getting better by the moment.

Buffy blushed. She thought about opening up the hideaway bed in the couch, but there would be too much sunlight coming in through that window. She nibbled on her lower lip. "Would you mind sleeping in my Mom's room? Hers is the easiest to light proof."

Spike stepped up to Buffy. He wrapped his arms around her. As he hugged her he rested his cheek against the side of her head. "I'd be honored that you would offer me that, luv."

Buffy lost herself in the scent of his leather duster. Each distinct smell mingled together to create a scent that could only be described as all Spike's: leather, tobacco, alcohol and something earthy and stirring to her blood. "Thank you, Spike."

Buffy and Spike walked up the stairs. After pulling the shade and tucking a couple blankets over the window, they were pretty sure that all bases were covered. They stood in the hall. Both of them shifted nervously from one foot to another.

Spike rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. He sighed. "Good night, Buffy." He leaned down to kiss Buffy tenderly. "Sweet dreams, Kitten."

Buffy wrapped her arms around Spike's neck, kissing him more deeply. When her lips were parted with his tongue, she offered no resistance. She needed this closeness, this connection. It all felt right with Spike. It made no sense, but he felt like home: safe, strong, loving, comforting, and secure. She needed that in her life. She didn't care if others thought it was wrong. Spike wasn't like the vampires that she killed nightly. He was so much more, and she was going to enjoy getting to know every little nuance. "Sweet Dreams, William." She closed her bedroom door, Spike's surprised expression the last thing she saw before it shut.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(To Be Continued)
 
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