Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If I did I would have made Buffy and Spike stay together and Spike wouldn't have died at the end of the series but I digress.

Summary: Signals: Thumbs up- Just tell me you're alright. Forefinger- You and me. Middle finger- F-U. Ring finger- Together. Pinky- promise.

Signals

Chapter 1: Thumbs up. Just tell me you're alright.

Buffy Summers fluffed her bangs out of her eyes as she looked around the cemetery. It was a pretty quiet night, really. No vampires were out, like they had decided to stay in for the night. Buffy would kill to have that, no pun intended. However she was currently out here, wondering if she left now what that would do for her karma.

Besides she was couldn't figure if she was wanted to run into or run screaming from a certain bleached blonde vampire who currently was getting under her skin more and more lately.

Spike seemed like he had permanently attached himself to her life in a way that both amazed and scared Buffy. This was the same vampire that had tried to kill her during a parent- teacher night because he got bored. But who was she to judge. This may be a job but heck it was pathetic that when bored she found herself in a cemetery.

"Well, well, looks like the Slayer decided to come out and play."

And speak of the Devil. Buffy turned to see Spike leaning on a tall tombstone in his punk glory, the duster swirling the fog as he moved.

"Looks like the vampire decided to work off the blood gut he's developing, eh," Buffy said raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, bite your tongue. There is no way I am getting that." Almost to prove his point, Spike pulled up his slim fit shirt to show a lean and toned stomach. Buffy looked down, trying very hard not to remember what it felt like to have him hover over her in a moment of weakness that seemed to happen more often lately.

Turning, Buffy continued through the cemetery, the slight sound of leather following in her footsteps. Before she knew it Spike stood in front of her, a questioning look on his face. Tilting his head slightly he moved closer.

"What," Buffy asked the blush rising on her cheeks.

"Nothing luv, but something just seems off with you, everything dandy with the Scoobies?" Spike asked.

"Yeah everything for the most part is fine. I'm just tired really is all, I guess." Spike didn't say anything and moved to stand beside her as they continued patrolling.

For some reason just being around Spike made Buffy felt better then she had all day. What with Willow, Dawn, and Xander looking at her like a sideshow freak it felt nice to have someone, anyone beside her. What scared her though was that someone seemed to always be Spike and she really didn't mind at all.

Lost in thought, Buffy didn't see the sneak attack that six vampires decided to issue. She hadn't even realized what had happened until Spike had pulled her behind him and saw that they were surrounded. Standing back to back they surveyed who they were up against.

"So what do you think," Buffy asked a smug smile on her face. "Think we can take them?"

"If not we should be put out of everyone's misery since we've been up against a lot more dangerous than this lot," Spike said over his shoulder. Buffy looked up at him to see the deep blue of his eyes giving into the amber of the demon and a fang gleaming as he smirked at her.

With that Spike and Buffy threw themselves into the fight. Pulling out a stake, Buffy had already staked one as he came at her. With the grace of a dancer, a punch and kick later, the second vampire met with the tip of the stake and vanished into dust.

The last vampire was much more cautious but that didn't help him as Buffy kicked his legs out from beneath him and ended with him staked on the ground.

Buffy looked up from dusting this vampire to see that Spike and the other three were nowhere to be seen. Buffy squashed the panic she felt, this was Spike. He didn't let a couple vampires push him around. He wasn't the Big Bad for nothing. Wandering with a quick jog, Buffy found Spike lying on the ground.

"Spike," Buffy cried as she fell to the ground next to his head.

Spike opened his eyes to see Buffy on her hands and knees, face hovering over his, a slight look of panic in her eyes.

"Wha? Didn't think you needed help so I decided to lounge. Got a problem, pet," Spike said getting up, ignoring the thrill he felt that she was worried about him. Things were weird enough between them as it was.

"God, don't scare me like that again or else I'll kill you myself," Buffy said standing, fist clenched over her stake sealing the deal.

Spike smirked. "Wha, does the Slayer finally admit that she just may have a soft spot for me?" Spike moved closer to Buffy, moving in slightly, not close enough to kiss but enough to feel breath.

Buffy was engulfed in the smell of leather and cigarette smoke, and for a second they said nothing, just feeling the other's presence.

Buffy smiled wistfully. "You'll never know," She said in response to Spike's question. Spike laughed slightly at the answer and with that moved away from her, breaking the contact between them.

"Come on; let's get you home, pet. Little Niblet, Red, and the whelp are not going to be happy if you can't function tomorrow due to you not getting any beauty sleep," Spike said as he walked away. "Besides we dusted six vamps tonight. Not to brag or anything but that's something in my book."

Buffy just shook her head. "Yes dad, we're going."

Spike snorted and with that the two made their way to Revello drive and to Buffy's house. Buffy continued up the front steps while Spike stopped there and watched as she went his expression unreadable.

Buffy turned and looked at him, really looked at him. "Are you sure you're alright? Call me a worrywart but you seriously messed me up by just randomly lying on the ground like that."

Spike said nothing for a second but a grin spread over his face and like a dork, gave her a sarcastic thumbs up. "Pet, I'm fine, I promise. I would tell you if something was wrong. My next favorite thing after bragging is complaining, anyway."

Buffy said nothing. Sure that was true but Spike never complained about stuff that was actually important, much to Buffy's dismay.

"Alright, I believe you. Night, Spike." With that said, Buffy went inside and got ready for bed. Turning off the light and opening the window slightly to let a breeze in, she saw the unmistakable glow of the tip of a cigarette, glowing like a firefly in the darkness under the tree. She couldn't see him, but she felt freakishly protected with him there.

Smiling slightly, Buffy fell instantly into sleep. In the dream like haze, barely a whisper and soft like a lullaby, Buffy thought for an instant, maybe she had heard something, like the swish of a butterfly wing, no make that leather.

"Goodnight, Buffy."

Whoo! Got the first chapter of my first ever Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanfiction done! Yes! Anyway, I'm on a binge right now. Trying to get my fill of Spuffy because I just love Spike and I love him and Buffy together.

Please review, tell me what you think.

TTF