Title: Of Greater Things

Author: Elisabeth

Rating: Same as the show...er...pg-13 or pg. Language.

Spoilers: Post-All the way.

Disclaimer: Me poor , Joss not, Buffy and crew not mine

Feedback: Please!

Summary: Spike and Buffy train. S/B, Spikes POV.

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"Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up." -James Baldwin

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You'd think all this leather would soften all the blows the slayer was pouring on me. I hate when- who am I kidding I love when she gets all into the game. I've memorized the pattern of her dancing ever since the first time I saw her with her side kicks. Never thought this dance would last so bloody long. Well not long in my life sense, but in a relationship between a slayer and a vampire. Usually ends with one of them on something sharp. But I've learnt one big thing with this slayer... it's never conventional with her. That's how I knew that her and that ponce ,GI boring, would never make it. If I had any good mates we would have been placing bets when it would end. Well I do have on mate... Lil Bit.. she slayers sis. She's a sassy one. Tells it like it is. Oh and she didn't like that stiff oaf either... he called her kiddo, or something like that. If I could of hit him I would have killed him right and messy for what hell he put my ---er--- those Summers through.Plus who
comes up with lame name like "Kiddo", at least Nibblet has some class, you know. And with that last thought... the Slayer hit me with a swift but forceful uppercut.

"Bloody Hell slayer, I said you could try some new moves on me, not turn me into a overused punching bag."

"Shut up Spike," she punched me in the arm, "you know you like it...you know the violence ... of it all."

"That's not what you meant Slayer... do you have another secret life I don't know about"

"Drop dead, Spike," she kicked me in my thigh.

"Too late," I smirked as I dodged her next blow.

"Urg.. I didn't mean anything like that, I just meant- will you stop looking at me like that," she whined as she stopped beating on me.

"Like what Buffy," I move closer to her, just about a foot, but enough to smell the fruity shampoo she uses.

"Like I'm a nice tasty treat, which I am so not.. And -- And you have stupid hair."

"Ha ha ha, stupid hair. I have better hair then you have... I mean you're roots are showing"

"My roots are so not-- well they are. But I was dea-"

We both become silent, and she stares down at her shoes.

"Well., you know being dead is no excuse for poor hair up keep... tsk tsk slayer," I break through the silence, and get a smile from her.

"Tsk! Who tsks... I know who, stuffy British people! Who want to get there ass kicked"

"I heard that!", the watcher yells from outside the training room door.

"Not you Giles, bleached vamp, here," she corrects.

"Oh, carry on then," Giles sighs.

"So you want to kick me again. You like it so much don't you... then kick...my..ass"

Buffy throws a weight at my shoulder. It's a heavy one.

"Bloody hell," I rub my shoulder, "Slayer, have you moved from kick the spike to through heavy objects at spike"

"It was on hand," she says softly. I'm getting to her.

"Slayer", I walk right up to her, real close, "I think we are way past this"

"This? What this? This isn't a this, or was a this, this was a ..nothing"

"Not nothing Buffy, something bigger then you and me"

"No i-"

"Uh-huh, first we were enemies," I begin.

"Yes of the mortal kind."

"Then we became awkward allies."

"Well I wouldn't say allies really, both at the same plac-"

"Then we became partners in saving the world, Pet."

"And I think that's a great place to be, fight buddies"

"And we've been "buddies" for quite some bit now"

"Yes, and it's great, we talk, we fight, we banter, Dawn likes you, and friends...I like this part"

"But I think you might like this part better," I move a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"But I-"

I cut her off with a chaste kiss, the warmth of her lips is a dream come true. I move a way slowly. Buffy is staring at me in silence. I hope she doesn't have a stake nearby. She touches her lips, in awe.

"Pet, I'll go and pick up Pigeon and meet you at the house, and now you think about whether we'll upgrade this relationship," I walk out of the room leaving her alone.

"I think we just did," she whispers to herself. A small sweet smile appears on her face.