Three more chapters

[slaymesoftly]

AN: This is not a completed fic, so I'll put what I can up here today, and then the rest will be available at my journal/DW as chapters are completed.

Chapter Four

Spike was silent for almost a full minute, never taking his eyes off hers, before abruptly responding to her comment.

“You are here, and I’m being a terrible host. What can I get you? I have tea, coffee, and beer. Are you cold? Do I need to turn the heat up?”

Buffy shook her head. “I’m fine. It’s nice and toasty in here, but I wouldn’t turn down a cup of tea.”

“One cup of tea, coming up.” He walked into a small kitchen area off the back of the room and plugged in a kettle. While it heated up, he rummaged in a cupboard until he came up with a tea bag. “Is Constant Comment okay? It’s that or English Breakfast.”

“Anything is fine, as long as it has caffeine in it,” Buffy said with a yawn. “Oops! Sorry?”

“Nothing to be sorry for, love. You fell asleep on a wooden bench in sub-freezing temperatures earlier tonight. Tells me all I need to know about how tired you are.”

He brought her the mug of tea, which she accepted with a smile.

“Please sit down and quit fussing over me. It makes me nervous.” She kicked off her warm boots and tucked her colorful wool sock-clad feet under her, once again grateful for the Council credit card she’d made good use of after her first night of patrol with Faith.



He gave a rueful laugh and settled at the other end of the small sofa. Buffy sipped her tea while he just looked at her in a way that made her feel much warmer. For the first time since he’d stepped out of the shadows to say her name, she truly believed he still loved her.

“I wasn’t lying, you know,” she blurted out.

“Knew that, love,” he said with a sad smile. “I knew you meant it at the time, but I needed to get you out of there, didn’t I? Wasn’t havin’ you go down with me after all that. It wasn’t the time for some romantic moment just then. No rising music, no soft lighting or rising…other things, just fire and destruction-and I wanted you to live. So, I said what I was thinking, and knew it would help you do the right thing.”

“The right thing? Leaving you to burn to a crisp?”

“That was meant to be my role, love. Just as your role was to create an army of slayers and use all your weapons to save the world from the ultimate evil. We were doing what we were meant to do.”

“You think I meant for you to die? That you were a weapon?” She felt herself gasping for air as she tried to reconcile his calm words with her memories of their close relationship that last year.

He frowned, obviously confused about her reaction. He unconsciously reached a hand toward her face, dropping it when he couldn’t quite reach her.

“I was meant to be whatever you needed me to be. I was to be your champion, and if that meant I had to die…. C’mon, love, I know you knew this going in. That one of us wasn’t going to make it out. I was always the expendable one.”

“I never thought of you as expendable,” Buffy whispered, even as her mind raced back over her years with him. He just blinked at her, and she sighed before admitting, “I mean, maybe, if I’m perfectly honest, way, way back I might have not cared that much if you dusted while helping me. But when I realized that you almost did die trying to save me the pain of losing Dawn…. I started to realize that I’d been using you for muscle without giving any thought to what could happen. From then on, I worried about you.”

He gave a snort of disbelief.

“I did!” She glared at him, and then nodded, admitting, “Okay, I worried a lot more about Dawn, and the Scoobies, but I worried about you too. Maybe just not quite as much. I mean, you’re all big and bad, and even with the chip keeping you from hurting humans, you were still a lot more able to take care of yourself than anybody else was. But I did worry.” She subsided with a small pout.

“If you say so, love. Could have fooled me.”

“Apparently I did,” she muttered, still pouting.

They were both silent for several minutes, Buffy sipping her rapidly-cooling tea, while Spike sat at his end of the couch and fidgeted with his fingers. She could almost picture him playing with his old lighter, and realized if she wasn’t there, he probably would have been smoking. The faint smell of tobacco and smoke, as well as the sight of an ashtray on the kitchen counter was a dead give-away that he’d gone back to his old habit.

“Did you fall off the wagon?” she finally asked, reaching out with one hand to still his busy fingers. She’d had to move slightly closer to reach him.

“Did I…. Oh, you mean… yeah, I suppose I did. I was a smoker for a bloody hell of a lot longer than I was a non-smoker. When there was no reason not to….” He stopped at the sight of her rapidly narrowing eyes.

He sighed his apology, tacitly acknowledging his own guilt, and then smiled at her, squeezing her fingers. “Did it once, reckon I can give it up again. Won’t be hard. It’s not like vampires can become addicted to nicotine.”

“I don’t mind,” she surprised him by saying. She smirked at his incredulous expression. “It’s part of who you are. I was kind of used to it before you got your soul and stopped doing it for awhile. Around me, anyway.”

“You’re going to let me smoke? Have I mentioned how much I love you?”

She smirked again. “It probably bears repeating… a lot of repeating. Two years’ worth of repeating.”

He smiled at her and used her hand to tug her even closer to him.

She put her mug down on the end table, and slid across the cushions to where he could put his free arm around her and pull her into his side. She nestled against him with a happy sigh, then suddenly sat up and said, “But no smoking in the apartment!”

He gave a warm laugh and put both arms around her. “Keep the nasty habits outside the house. I can do that.”

Buffy yawned again, snuggling even closer into his embrace. “So, you’re coming back with me, right?”

“Wild horses couldn’t stop me, love. Got a few things to wrap up here. Can you spare a couple more days?” There was no answer.  “Buffy….?” He glanced down to see she had fallen asleep on his chest. He carefully slid down until they were both lying on the small couch, and he could cradle her in his arms as he shut his own eyes.

XXX

Although it had been a long time, and, until recently, she’d been sleeping near someone with body heat and a heartbeat, Buffy found she didn’t need any time at all to adjust to the arms in which she was being held. She could tell Spike was well into the deep sleep a vampire enjoyed after sunrise, and she wondered idly what time it was. Deciding it didn’t matter because Faith would know where she was, or at least, with whom, Go me with the grammar, wouldn’t Willow be proud? Buffy snuggled in closer and shut her eyes again.

Which was a waste of time, as her bladder was now reminding her that it had been quite a while since she emptied it. With a sigh, she untangled herself from Spike-pausing to soothe him with a touch when he muttered a complaint without opening his eyes-and stood up to stretch. She wandered off to locate the bathroom, finding it just off the only bedroom. She frowned a little when she noticed the toilet paper-grateful that it was there, but wondering why a vampire who lived alone would have it. She decided to assume it was because it came with the apartment, and quickly closed the door and peed.

When she came out, having splashed cold water on her face, used Spike’s toothbrush to make her mouth feel less fuzzy, and raked a hand through her thoroughly messed up hair, she was surprised to find Spike at the entrance to the bedroom, yawning, but awake and on his feet.

“I’m sorry. I tried not to wake you, but-”

“But there was no way I wasn’t going to notice you weren’t there anymore,” he said. “Just got up to check that you were in here, and not that you’d had second thoughts and scarpered.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you,” she responded, then flinched.

They were both quiet for a moment, remembering how she used to rush out of his crypt as soon as they were through having sex, leaving him either asleep, to wake up alone, or awake and pleading with her to stay with him. As she also had on the night she’d left him in their borrowed bed to go fetch her scythe.

“That’s not who we are now,” she said firmly. “That’s not even who we were the last time we were together.”

“Right you are, love. I apologize. Just my usual insecurities raising their ugly heads.”

“Do I need to smack them back down?”

He laughed. “If anyone could, it would be you, sweetheart. But no worries, they’re as good as gone. As soon as I heard the toilet flush, I relaxed and pushed them down.”

“Un huh,” she said. “And that’s why you were waiting for me to come out? Because you’re so sure of me.”

He crossed the space between them and put his arms around her. “I’ll never be a hundred percent sure of you, Buffy. I’ll always think I’m just living in a dream world where you love me, and one day I’ll wake up. But I’ll try not to bring it to your attention again.”

“I think assuming I’d pick Angel over you was the last time you get a pass for not believing me. Don’t ever do that again.” She glared at him. “Even if it was true, it wasn’t your decision to make for me.”

“Got that message, love. Loud and clear. It’ll never happen again.” He pulled her in against his body and began to move his mouth around on her neck as he assured her he would never again make a decision for her.

She sighed and tilted her head to give him better access, enjoying the feel of his lips on her skin and briefly forgetting that she was still angry at him. As his kisses traveled up her neck, across her jaw to her mouth, she murmured, “I’m still mad at you, you know.”

“I know,” he murmured back, nipping at her lower lip, just barely sticking out. “You can be mad while I nibble on you. Done it before, haven’t we?”

“I suppose we have,” she said with a small giggle. “Okay, you can nibble while I work on staying mad.”

“Be easier if we were horizontal,” he suggested. “Think you can be mad while lying on my bed?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed into his mouth, indulging in a lengthy and steadily deeper kiss before completing her answer. “I might get distracted…” she was finally able to gasp out when he broke the kiss to urge her toward the bed.

“If you get too distracted, I promise to remind you that you’re brassed off at me and shouldn’t be enjoying what I’m doin’”

“Well, if you promise….”

XXX

“You forgot to remind me I’m mad at you,” Buffy gasped as she lolled bonelessly, her fingers twining through Spike’s hair where his head rested on her abdomen. A puff of air from his laugh made her twitch.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I just didn’t want to distract you from being distracted.” He kissed his way across her belly and down to where her blood flowed into her leg, beginning to suck on her femoral artery. “Just so you know, you’re very brassed off at me. Probably goin’ to introduce me to something woody any time now.”

“It’s coming back to me,” she said. “Come up here where I can glare at you without bending my neck.”

With a soft chuckle, he slid up her body until they were face to face and his hips were resting between her open thighs. Somehow, they’d both lost their clothes, and she couldn’t help gasping when she felt his naked body against hers for the first time since their brief and violent affair years ago.

“I’ll bet you think that makes it all okay, don’t you?” she grumbled, even as she squirmed around until she had her legs around his, trapping him against her.

“I was hoping it might,” he said, biting at her lower lip. “But in case it didn’t, is it all right for me to get a bit more comfortable?” In case she’d misunderstood, he nudged his cock between her legs, pushing until it was where he wanted it. “Ah, that’s so much better,” he murmured, as he slid into her, kissing her mouth and moving his hips at the same time. “Feels like I’ve been lost forever and I’m finally coming home.”

Through pretending that she was still angry for the time being, Buffy arched into him, saying, “I’m glad you’re home… I missed you so much.” She tightened her arms and legs around him to the point that she could have injured a human man.

“Missed you too, love. You have no idea how much. Tried not to think about where you were, or who you were with, but I never stopped missing the way you feel around me. I never want to be without you again. Never.”

“Never works for me,” she gasped as she began moving with him. “I can do never.”

XXX

As though the intervening years had never happened, they fell into familiar rhythms, rediscovering each other’s bodies, being reminded of their favorite places to touch, and be touched, and flowing from one well-remembered position into another, with only short pauses as one or the other, or, more often, both together, had to take a few minutes to recover from the latest orgasm. Soft sounds of appreciation and affection alternated with louder shouts of passion and release.

Finally, they reached the limits of even vampire and slayer stamina, and collapsed together, sighing their approval into whichever body part was currently closest to a mouth. They lay together peacefully until Buffy gave a small shiver. With great reluctance, Spike rolled away far enough for him to wrap the bedspread around her suddenly chilled body. When she was covered, he stood and lifted her, holding her with one arm while he turned the bedding down, exposing the red sheets and a heavy black wool blanket.

“Here you go, love. This will be warmer than that old thing.”

He put her back on the bed, waiting until she was huddled under the blanket to pull the bedspread off and drape it over the bottom of the bed. He hesitated as if unsure what to do next, until Buffy lifted one edge of blanket and smiled at him. With a happy laugh, he slipped into the welcoming spot and reached for her.

“Sorry I don’t have any body warmth to share, pet,” he murmured as he curled around her. “If we were going to have to stay here very long, I’d buy an electric blanket to keep the bed warm for you.”

“I’ll be fine. I was just all sweaty for some reason….” She poked him when he snorted. “And I got a chill. I’m fine now. I can make the bed warm enough for both of us.”

“You always have.” His voice was soft and almost trembling.

Buffy didn’t respond verbally, but snuggled into him, rubbing her face against his chest to acknowledge his unspoken emotion.

“Will you be offended if I take a short nap?” she asked, her eyes already drifting closed.

He huffed a laugh as he put his own head down next to hers. “I’m right there with you, love. You wore me right out.”

“You had it coming,” she mumbled. “Stupid vampire.”

For the second time in twenty-four hours, they fell asleep with their arms and legs entangled and small smiles on their faces.

Chapter Five

When Buffy next opened her eyes, it was to see Spike leaning against the doorjamb and sipping a mug of what she assumed to be blood. He was wearing only his jeans, zipped but not yet buttoned.

“What time is it?” she asked, stretching her whole body out and then wincing. “Ow,” she whispered, forgetting about vampire hearing. She stretched again, moving more carefully.

“What’s wrong?” Spike was at her side immediately, his blood abandoned on the dresser.

“Nothing. I’m just a little sore, that’s all.” At the expression on his face and his frightened “Did I hurt you?” she smiled and cupped his cheek.

“Only in a good way,” she said. “It’s like after-a-good-workout sore, not somebody-was trying-to-hurt-me sore. I’ll be fine as soon as I’m up and moving.”  She decided it wasn’t in her best interest to tell him she’d been used to sex with ordinary human Angel, and had forgotten what it was like to make love with Spike.

She sat up, then stood and walked to the bathroom, trying not to respond to Spike’s heated gaze on her nude body. She was back quickly, having settled for a quick wash up rather than a complete shower before going back into the cold with wet hair. She blushed at Spike’s continued staring, but waved him off when he reached out toward her from the bed.

“Where are my…. Oh!”

Spike stood up, revealing her clothes all neatly folded at the foot of the bed. “Ask and you shall receive, Slayer,” he said with a grin. “I didn’t even have to search the apartment for them.”

“Huh! We must be getting old,” she snickered as she began sorting through her things.

She didn’t even bother to ask about her panties, just waited, holding her hand out, until, with a laugh, he pulled them from his pocket and tossed them to her. She caught them with her free hand and pulled them on, quickly reaching for the silk long underwear and jeans she’d been wearing the night before.

“You didn’t answer my question about what time it is. And may I please have a cup of coffee?”

“It’s just gone noon,” Spike said. “And it will be waiting for you when you finish dressing.”

As comfortably warm as the apartment was, she only donned her pants, socks, and her first two layers of shirts, leaving the sweater layer until she had to go out.

XXX

True to his word, Spike handed Buffy a mug of fresh coffee as she stepped into the main room.

“Here you go, love. Hope I remembered how you like it.”

Buffy took a sip, and then broke into a smile. “It’s exactly right. How do you even know that?”

“Lived under your kitchen for a good long while, didn’t I? Long enough to hear you talking about your food and drink, and was upstairs often enough to see you do it.”

“I’m mentally adding ‘because he knows how I like my coffee’ to the list of reasons not to stay mad at you.”

He laughed. “So, there’s a list? What else is on it?”

She leaned toward him and fastened her mouth on his, letting the kiss go on long enough for him to get the message. “That is,” she said, moving to the love seat and sitting down. She pointed toward the opposite corner of the couch., and started talking before he could try to turn the kiss into something more.

“We need to make a plan for today. I’ve got to go back to the slayer house and change clothes-”

“Not pack up to move here?” Spike asked, his curious question sounding less concerned than the worried expression on his face.

Buffy sighed. “Is that what you want? How long are we going to be here? I thought you only needed a couple of days?”

“Sorry, love. I don’t mean to push you into something you don’t want.”

“It isn’t a question of what I want. If we’re going to be here for more than another day or so, then, yes, I will probably move in here. If that’s what you want.”

“Always.”

“But first, I need to check in with Faith-so she knows we didn’t kill each other-call Dawn to tell her I found you, and I guess I need to check in with Giles to tell him what’s going on. I never told him where I was going, just that I was taking a little trip.”

“I’ve got it, Buffy. There are things you can do there more easily than here. Eating, for instance. I don’t have any human food here, just blood. But, there’s a grocery store right down the block. Soon’s it gets dark, I can stock up on whatever you need.”

Buffy gazed around the small apartment. “I guess you don’t have a phone,” she sighed. “If you did, I could begin making some of those calls from here.”

“No landline, but I do have a mobile phone. Don’t have much use for it most of the time, but it keeps me in touch with anybody I need to be in touch with.”

“I think that list just got expanded,” she said with a giggle. “Where is this wonderful device that I never pictured you with in a million years?”

“I keep up, Slayer. You should know that about me. Don’t want to be one of those old vamps that’s still living in the past.”

He got up and went into the bedroom, emerging with a relatively new Nokia phone. “Here you go, love. Just save the numbers you want to use it for, and make your calls. Do you know the number of the slayer house?”

“I do. I think I know some of the other numbers I need right away. I can look up any others when I get back to the house and can get my contacts from my purse.”

“You lot don’t use mobile phones yet?” He rolled his eyes. “Is that because the Council of Wankers is still living in the 19th century?”

“I do have one, smartass,” she said, snatching his phone from him. “But I left it at home for Dawn to use. I don’t know if it would even work over here.”

He just laughed at her and went into the bedroom to get dressed while she tried to figure out how to dial internationally. After several minutes of experimenting, Buffy finally was able to hear a far-away ringing sound, followed by Dawn’s voice.

“Buffy? Is this you? Did you find Spike?”

“It’s me. And I finally found him last night. This is his phone, so save the number. We’ll probably be coming home in a few days, but I’ll call you again to let you know when to expect us. Is everything okay there? Are you and Laurie getting along better?”

“Oh yeah. We’re fine. She still thinks you picking her to watch me means she has to go everywhere I go, but she’s learning that it’s okay to have a good time while she does it. I’ll have her trained by the time you get home.”

“She already is trained!” Buffy snapped. “That’s why I picked her. I better not come home and find out you’ve been corrupting one of my slayers.”

“Whatever.” Dawn blew off Buffy’s threat. “Oh, by the way? Giles called and when I told him that you kicked Angel out and where you went, he got really weird.”

“Weird? Weird how?”

“I dunno. It was just weird. He said “bloody hell” and “good lord” a bunch of times, then said he had to go and hung up.”

“Huh. Wonder what that was all about? Guess I’ll find out when I call him later.”

They said their good-byes, with Dawn shouting “You’re in big trouble, Spike!” loud enough for him to hear it before Buffy ended the call.

“Well, that was strange. She said Giles kind of freaked out when she told him where I was. I mean, okay, surprised to hear you’re not dead, I guess, but I don’t know why he’d freak out about it.”

Spike frowned, then shook his head. “He never did want me in your life. I reckon he’s not happy to hear I still am.” He growled softly, frowning even more. Buffy watched his eyes flicker amber and he fangs start to drop. “On the other hand, how did the big poof know where to send you? Somebody else had to know about me. Might ask Slayer Number Two if she told anybody about thinking she saw me.”

“I’ll ask, but if Giles had any reason to think you might be alive, surely he would have told me? I mean, he saw how destroyed I was when we found out about the battle in LA.”

“Maybe he just didn’t want to get your hopes up, love.” Spike’s words were in direct contradiction to the suspicious expression on his face, and Buffy gave a little moan of fear.

“Oh my god. Angel called Giles before he called me, so that Giles could let me know he was alive and coming to Rome. If he’s known about you all this time….” Her eyes flew to meet Spike’s yellow gaze. “How could he do that to me?”

“Because he’s a judgmental wanker and always has been.” Spike’s words were accompanied by a full-throated snarl.

“Okay,” Buffy said, taking a deep breath. “Okay. We’re just speculating. There’s no sense getting all snarly until we know what’s what. I’ll go to the house, get cleaned up and pack if I need to, let Faith know what’s going on….”

“So, you’re planning to come back here then?”

“I think so. If there’s any chance Giles knew about you and didn’t tell me, I probably shouldn’t be around the other slayers….” She glanced at him. “Can I take your car? You can tell me how to get there from here, can’t you?”

“Can do better than that, love. Unless it’s a bright sunny day out there, I’ll be safe enough in my car. The windows are heavily tinted and I added heavy-duty plastic on most of them, and I can wrap myself up well enough to get by. We can stop at a mall on the way back and buy you a phone to add to my account, and anything else you think you might need for the next couple of days. If it’s dark by the time we’re on the way back here, we’ll hit the food store and stock up on things to keep you plump and healthy.”

“Keep me plump? Do you think I’m fat?”

He rolled his eyes and pulled her into a tight embrace. “It’s just an expression, sweetheart. I think you’re just as beautiful and delicious as I always have.”

He pushed her away just enough to be able to kiss the pout on her face. “But I’m not going to deny that I never want to see you as thin and worn as you were that last year in Sunnyhell. I’ve got my curvy Buffy back, and I intend to keep her that way.”

“You think I’m fat,” she muttered, even as she allowed him to kiss his way down her throat.

“I think you’re fishing for a compliment you won’t believe even if I say it, so, what say we drop the subject and decide what our next move is going to be?”

Just then, Buffy’s stomach rumbled, and they both laughed, Buffy in embarrassment and Spike in genuine amusement.

“Okay, first things first. Breakfast or lunch, or whatever the hell time it is by now. Then to the slayer house.”

“How about two birds, one stone? We hit the mall first, you can eat, get a phone, and have the number ready to give to Number Two?”

“Sounds good. Let me get all my layers on and we can go.”

XXX

True to his word, Spike was able to get to his sun-proofed car and drive to the mall with little risk of bursting into flames. From the service door they’d come in through the night before, they could get into the car and drive out easily without being in the sun.

“I suspect this apartment was intended for a live-in-building manager,” he explained as they entered the garage and he led her to his near-by spot. The other side of the door they used had “No entry. Service only” on it, giving him his privacy.

At the mall, he again parked in an underground garage, easily walking inside without a problem. They quickly found a restaurant in which Buffy could get a good meal and watch the other patrons go by. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at two young men who seemed to be avoiding any chance of being touched by the sunlight from the occasional overhead skylights.

“Damn!” she muttered, frustrated by not being able to feel her usual tingles. “If you weren’t sitting so close, I’d be able to tell if they’re what I think they are.”

“They are,” Spike said quietly. “But, just like you did in Sunnyhell, the mall is on the regular patrol schedule for slayers, so chances are one of your girls is already stalking them. There! You see?”

He pointed to Katie, following the boys at a safe distance.

“Huh! Well, good for her. And they aren’t my girls, they’re Faith’s. She’s in charge here.”

“And she’s here too,” Spike said, spotting Faith trailing behind Katie. “Must be checking up on her girls.”

“Or, she might just need to buy something,” Buffy said, waving to Faith who blinked in surprise, before joining them at their table and grinning at Spike.

“You look surprisingly healthy for someone who was number one on Buffy’s shit list.”

“We worked it out,” he mumbled, not meeting her eyes. “There may be additional groveling involved… and possibly expensive gifts….”

Faith laughed. “Is that right, B? How long is he going to have to pay?”

“It’s yet to be decided,” Buffy said, giving him a nudge with her foot. “And I’ll bet this mall has shoe stores.”

“Not that it isn’t probably true, but is that why you’re sitting here having a very late lunch, or a very early dinner?”

“We’re here because he doesn’t have any food at his place, and I was starving. And to get me a phone I can use in this country. I’m planning to stop by the house later to get my stuff.” Buffy met Faith’s eyes firmly. “I’ll be staying with Spike until we’re ready to leave, but you’ll have my number.”

Faith just nodded as if she’d expected it, and then said, “By the way. If you aren’t in a big rush, Spike’s old boss says there’s something big brewing at the hellmouth. Just in case you two want to join the fun.”

Buffy and Spike exchanged glances, then Buffy nodded. “If you need us, we can spare the time.”

“’K then. I can fill you in when you get to the house.”

“Did you say old Tom told you about it?” Spike asked.

Faith nodded. “Yeah. That’s our arrangement. I don’t bust his club or customers unless I catch them elsewhere, and he lets me know when there might be something I should be aware of.” She laughed. “It usually means he wants to sic a slayer on something that’s annoying him, but it’s always worth checking out.”

“He’s not using your girls as his own personal army, is he?” Spike’s low growl indicating on which side his loyalty was going to fall.

“Nah. He knows better. Being around more than one or two of us at a time makes him too nervous. But, if whatever it is he wants nipped in the bud is something that falls under our job description, I’m all over it.” She glanced at Buffy’s frowning face.

“I haven’t shared with the boss man that I’m allowing a master vamp to be in business in my town in return for information. Giles probably wouldn’t approve of fraternizing with the enemy.”

Spike snorted. “You can take the wanker out of the Council, but you can’t take the Council out of the wanker. Speaking of which, did you tell anybody over there that you thought you might have seen me?”

Buffy’s eyes focused intently on Faith. “Yeah, is there any reason why Giles might have known where Spike was? How did Angel know where to send me?”

Faith frowned. “Well, I didn’t tell Angel, for damn sure. I’d have told you before I told him,” she assured Buffy, then turned to Spike. “But I did tell Giles about it the first time I saw you. And after Katie saw you, I reminded him. I didn’t tell him it was you, though. All I said was there seemed to be a powerful vamp on our side.”

“What did he say?” Buffy demanded, while Spike’s growl rumbled in the background.

Faith looked back and forth between Buffy’s intent gaze and Spike’s amber-tinted stare. “Fuck,” she whispered. “He didn’t even sound surprised. Just told me to keep him in the loop and not to bother you about it. The bastard.”

“He knew!” Buffy said to Spike, her eyes welling up. “All this time, he knew I was still grieving, and he knew you weren’t dead. He wasn’t surprised, because Angel called him before he called me. He probably told Giles not to tell me you were alive.” She shook off the potential tears.

“I’m going to kill him,” Buffy growled to Faith, her threat smothered by Spike’s snarled, “Not if I find him first….”

Faith nodded her agreement, but at the same time, voiced her own thoughts. “Can’t say that Giles has done anything he should be proud of, and B has every right to want to take his head off.”

She switched her focus to Spike.

“But you need to take your own lumps for this. You didn’t tell her you were alive, and you were actively trying to hide. You let her grieve when she didn’t have to. Giles and Angel are assholes, no question, but you made it easy for them.”

Spike snarled again in Faith’s direction, then sighed and sank into his chair. “You’re right. I could have prevented this whole mess by letting her know I survived too. I should have trusted her….”

“Yes, you should have.” Buffy’s glare had Spike clearly scanning the nearby stores for one that might sell jewelry that would look good on her.

“So. What are you going to do about this situation, lovebirds?” Faith grinned at them. “And can I be there when you kick their asses?”

Chapter Six

After finishing her meal, Buffy told Faith she’d have Spike drop her off when they’d taken care of their other errands, and while Buffy packed, Faith could fill her in on the hellmouth situation that Spike’s former boss said was looming. They all stood up, and Faith watched them walk off toward the phone store. She startled when Katie silently walked up behind her.

“Is that him?” Katie asked, following Faith’s gaze and watching Buffy and Spike enter the phone store.

“Yep. That’s him. William the Bloody, Slayer of Slayers, in the flesh.”

“William the-wait-what?”

“Relax. He’s retired from that gig. Buffy fucked it right out of him, and put a soul in. He’s on our side now. Or her side, anyway.” She started walking, asking Katie, “So, did you get them both?”

“Oh yeah. They were pretty stupid. Followed me right into a ladies’ restroom. One that had a skylight.” Katie giggled. “I only got to stake one of them. The other one went up like a Roman candle.”

XXX

Tummy full, and new phone safely in her pocket, Buffy turned to Spike and gave him a soft kiss before opening the car door.

“So, you’ll be back for me before dark?”

“I promise, love. I’m going to take the list you made for me and hit the market. I’ll be back for you after I’ve stocked the larder.”

“Well, don’t get carried away with your stocking. As soon as we’ve taken care of whatever Faith needs help with, I want to head back to Rome.”

He nodded. “It’ll be good to see the nibblet again, now that I know she doesn’t hate me for-”

“She forgave you for that a long time ago. I had a little chat with her about our less-than-ideal relationship, and I might have shared a little more than she wanted to know about vampires and slayers, but she understands now that it wasn’t quite what she thought.” She snorted a laugh. “But you probably aren’t out of the woods for not telling us you were alive-either time. She was grieving almost as much as I was. She wasn’t kidding when she said you’re in big trouble.”

Spike gave a theatrical shudder of fear.

“Maybe I’ll just stay here, and you can visit me from time to time…”

Buffy rolled her eyes, saying, “Suck it up, Big Bad. You’re going to have to face her sooner or later.”

“Later. I vote for later,” he said, growling when she laughed and stepped out of car.

“See you afterwhile. Don’t get catch fire… and don’t steal the food!”

XXX

It didn’t take Buffy very long to pack. Well before Spike came back for her, her suitcase and the large canvas bag in which she carried her scythe were sitting by the front door. Faith had raised her eyebrows at the long bag, not having noticed it before, as Buffy had left it tucked into the closet.

“Did you come here expecting trouble?”

Buffy shrugged. “It is a hellmouth. And, if I’d left it in Rome, there’d be open warfare about who was going to get to use it while I was gone.” She nudged Faith’s foot with hers. “Anyway, after me, it’s yours, so it just made sense to bring it.”

“It sounds like we might need it,” Faith sighed. “If what Thomas says he saw is for real.”

“Yeah. The description sure sounds like a Turok-Han. But how would one get out of this hellmouth?”

Faith shook her head. “I dunno. It’s always been pretty quiet compared to Sunnydale’s. But it probably goes to the same place, or the same kind of place, anyway.”

“So, what’s the plan?”

“I guess we need to check it out and see what we can find. If it’s open, if there are fugly old vampires coming out of it, and how we shut it down if there are.”

“We can check it tonight, if you want to. After Spike gets back.”

“I thought we might want to talk to Thomas first and let him tell you what he saw. Give us a better idea of what we’re dealing with.”

“That makes sense.” She paused when there was the sound of a car horn outside. “Sounds like Spike’s here already. Do you want to meet us at The Crypt later? Spike can probably call and tell Thomas we’re coming.”

“I’ll call him,” Faith replied. “I can explain why you and Spike might be the experts on whatever he thinks he saw. You can meet me there. I’ll call you with the time.”

“Sounds good.” Buffy picked up her baggage, smiling her thanks when one of the other slayers opened the door for her. Spike was already on the porch and reaching for Buffy’s suitcase by the time she was outside.

“Are we in a hurry?” Buffy said with a giggle.

“Just because I can get around here in the winter daylight, doesn’t mean I like it, or that I can’t get burned,” he grumbled. “I want to get back to my nice, cozy, underground apartment until the outdoors is more vampire-friendly.”

He’d already thrown her suitcase in the open trunk, and was back behind the steering wheel before Buffy had placed her scythe in the backseat and herself in the front.

“I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “I guess I need to get used to living with someone who is daylight-challenged again.”

“Way to remind me that you’ve been living with my ponce of a grandsire,” he growled.

“I didn’t mean it like that! I am sorry. But I could have carried my own suitcase to the car. You didn’t have to get out. What’s making you so grumpy?”

“Sorry, love,” he sighed as he pulled away from the curb. “I’ve been trying to run errands without bursting into flames, and I’m a bit frustrated. And more than a bit hungry, to be honest.”

“You didn’t eat while you were out?”

He shook his head. “No. My blood supplier is another part of town. And he’s open later into the evening. Figured we’d swing by there tonight.”

“Oh. Well, if you needed it sooner, you could have left me here until tonight.”

“Never leavin’ you again,” he said flatly. “Hated to do it today, but I want you to come home to food and… and other things.”

“Other things?”

“Nothing important, you’ll see. So, what do we know about the latest hellmouth crisis?”

“Oh, you’re going to love this…”

XXX

While Buffy went about the business of putting away the groceries she’d asked Spike to get for her, he opened his last container of blood, poured it into a large mug, and then put it into the microwave.

“Did I get it right?” he asked as he watched her putting the small number of food things she’d asked for into their proper places.

“You did great. I think I’ll make buying the groceries one of your chores when we get home.” She smiled at him to show she was kidding, but he surprised her by pulling her into a hard embrace.

“If I’m going to make up for what I did to you, I’m willing to do any and all chores you need me to do. Just tell me what they are. I’ll be your willing slave.”

Buffy smirked up at him, cupping his cheek as she did so. “Where have I heard that before, hmmm?”

He frowned in confusion for a moment, then laughed. “I did promise you that once before, didn’t I? Do I need to come up with something more original, or with fewer bad memories?”

“Nope.” She stepped closer to him, lifting her face up for a kiss. “I like the idea of a willing slave…. It has all sorts of possibilities….”

When they broke from the kiss for a second, he murmured, “Could begin now if you’d like….”

“We do have some time to kill, don’t we?” she whispered into his neck, surprised when, instead of following up, he released her and moved away.

“Give us just a sec, love, and then I’m all over it…or you, as the case might be.” He grabbed his mug from the microwave and tilted his head back to guzzle it in one go. He set the cup in the sink, scooped up a handful of water, swished it around his mouth, spit it out, and smiled up at her. “Now, where were we?”

“We were finding out that you haven’t eaten all day, and should have,” she scolded, even as she allowed him to tow her into the bedroom.

“I’m sorry, love. I should have, you’re right. Should never leave you waiting just so I could feed my face.”

Buffy pulled away and glared at him.

“That’s not what I meant, dummy! I meant, if you’re putting off sex just to eat, then you must have really needed to, and you probably should have taken better care of yourself today.”

She softened her tone as she put her arms around him.

“I didn’t come all this way to let you starve yourself for me. I’m just trying to take care of you.” She pushed herself back far enough to unbuckle his belt, adding, “If I wanted you unhealthy, I’d've just beaten you up myself.”

His laugh sounded suspiciously like there was a sob in it somewhere as he fell onto the bed, pulling her with him. “Point taken, love. Now, what would you like your slave to do first?”

“Hmmm, what do I want first? I think we should be naked. Both of us. But first, you make me naked.”

“I think I’m going to enjoy this slave business….” he murmured, as he rolled her off to the side and slid down to pull off her boots and socks.

He paused to nibble on her toes, but she muffled her giggle, saying, “No cheating. I have to be naked first, then I’ll let you know where you can nibble and lick.”

“Yes, Mistress,” he said with a grin. He reached for the bottom of her sweater and pulled it up, revealing the two other layers under it. He held it for a moment, his eyes twinkling. “Which do you prefer, Mistress? Shall I remove these excessive amounts of clothing one at a time, or just yank the whole thing off at once?”

“I think you should take them off the same way I put them on,” she demanded. “Don’t be so lazy.”

“One at a time it is,” he agreed, pulling her to a sitting position so he could slid the heavy sweater over her head. He tossed it away and took the edge of the lighter weight shirt in his hands, skimmed it quickly over her head before she could say anything. Rather than taking the bottom layer, a waffle weave thermal underwear shirt, in his hands, he leaned down and grabbed the hem in his teeth, following it up her torso as he tugged it up and over her face. As she sat there, arms still stretched up, and face hidden, he let go and dropped his head down to where he could suck one of her nipples through the thin lace on her bra.

She gave a small whimper and arched toward his mouth before remembering that he was supposed to be following orders.

“You’re cheating again,” she gasped through the fabric over her face.

“Couldn’t help myself, love,” he said, making an obvious attempt to sound apologetic and failing miserably. He used his hands to yank the tee shirt the rest of the way off, meeting her eyes to see if she really was angry. He smirked when she couldn’t prevent her lips from twitching.

“Bra now,” she ordered, smothering the smile and doing her best to appear stern.

“Your wish is my command,” he purred, reaching around her to unhook the bra and allow it to fall down her arms, at which she quickly shook  it off and flicked it away. He’d remained in the same position, arms around her and face near hers. Without looking down, he said, “Don’t know why you bother wearing those things, anyway. Your perfect little breasts don’t need holding up or covering up. They need to be readily available whenever I want them.”

“Whenever you want them? That doesn’t sound very slave-ish to me. And did you just say they were little?” She did her best to glare at him, but he just leered at her until she giggled.

“Okay, fine. So I don’t have big boobs. You still aren’t behaving like a slave. Shouldn’t you be moving on to the rest of my clothes by now?”

Without responding verbally, he dropped his head and kissed his way down her torso to the waistband of her jeans. He’d taken his arms from around her, allowing her to lie down again and wait for his next step. Which was to take the zipper in his mouth and begin to pull it down while he used his fingers to open the button. When it was all the way down, he buried his nose as far as he could into her thong, pushing it and her silk long underwear down until he had exposed as much of her as he could without removing her pants. He remained there for a moment, enjoying the scent, as well as the hitch in her breathing every time his nose nudged a little closer to the source of the aroma.

Eventually though, the frustration they were both feeling that he couldn’t have complete access to what he wanted meant that he had to lift his face away and move down the bed to pull her jeans and the silk inside them all the way down her legs and off. He paused, staring up at her, his eyes darkening as he licked his lips.

“Spike? Spike!” Buffy’s voice snapped him out of his temporary daze.

“Yes, Mistress. What is your desire now, Mistress?”

His difficulty in holding up his end of the bargain was more than obvious, and Buffy was sorely tempted to allow him to follow his obvious inclination. Summoning more strength than she thought she had, she shook her finger at him.

“No you don’t,” she chided. “Only one of us is naked. How can I be expected to know what I want next when you’re still dressed?”

“Know bloody well what you want,” he growled under his breath, but obediently stripped off his tee shirt and reached for the button on his jeans.

“What was that, Slave?”

“Nothing, Mistress. Nothin’ at all.” He dropped his pants to the floor and stood at the foot of the bed, waiting to be told what to do. Buffy licked her own lips as she took in the well-remembered body she’d only recently been able to enjoy again. Spike’s cock, which was already at attention, twitched at the look on her face, and he growled low in his chest.

“I don’t know,” she said, pretending to think and to be unaffected by his nudity or obvious desire. “What do I want you to do first? It’s such a difficult decision. I mean, there’s… and then I could… or you could…. But what if I’d rather…. Eep!”

Tiring of her attempts to drive them both crazy, Spike threw himself onto the bed, his face landing between her legs. He wasted no time in following his nose to the scent of her arousal, running his tongue up and own her outer lips until she grabbed his head and pressed it where she wanted his mouth. She felt him grin, but chose to ignore it in favor of enjoying what he was doing to her.

“I want you to do… this! This is what I want.” Buffy gasped as he did his best to remind her why making him wait had been depriving herself more than it was him. “And that! Do more of that! Aaaahhhh!”

Before her shriek had died away, Spike had swarmed up her body and pushed into her. He buried himself as far as he could go, then sighed and relaxed, taking care not to put so much weight on her that she could object to it.

“That’s not a very slavey thing to do,” she murmured, even as she adjusted under him and wrapped her legs around his hips. “I may have to punish you for it… later.”

“Later,” he agreed, beginning to move his hips. “You can punish me later.”