Fire

Spike and Buffy are out to even the score.

Sixth in the Spike and Buffy in Europe series.

Spike woke from his light doze feeling much, much better. It was amazing what a good day's rest could do to help a man recover from torture. He heard Buffy moving around in the other room and reached over for his shirt. She was probably getting ready to hunt Ampelio down with her regained Slayer powers.

When he stepped into the handkerchief-sized living room, he found his assumption was right. Buffy was storing stakes, crosses, and holy water in various pockets of Spike's beloved leather duster.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, crossing his arms and scowling.

"I'm going after Ampelio," she said without looking up.

"I can see that," Spike retorted. "Use your own jacket. I'm going to need mine."

She rocked back on her heels. "You're staying here," she told him. Spike's dark eyebrows shot up towards his platinum hairline.

"I'm doing what, now?"

She rolled to her feet in a smooth, graceful motion. "You're staying here. You're not fully recovered yet."

"I'm fine, Pet, thanks for caring," Spike grumbled. "I'm up to a bit of hunting. 'Sides, you need someone to watch your back."

"I can hunt down a vampire, Spike," Buffy snapped suddenly. "I've been doing it for years."

"You've been out of the game for a while. You're out of shape," Spike countered. Why was she being so pig-headed? She used to like having him along on patrol.

"Well, the best thing is doing, isn't it," she said, moving towards the door. Spike was there to intercept her.

"Why don't you want me to go with you?" he demanded, making it very clear he had no intention of moving until he got an answer.

"Spike, please let me by," she said, fighting to keep her voice calm.

"No. Now tell me why you don't want me watching your back."

"I don't want to be coddled, Spike." Her voice carried an edge of steel as she glared up at him. At any other time, he might have commented on how cute she was when she was angry, but now he needed to be serious.

"I'm not coddling, luv," he told her. "I'm protecting. There's a difference."

"I don't need to be protected!" she burst out. "I don't need you anymore!"

It was as if she had slapped him across the face. Or staked him in the heart. Spike stared at her, his mouth dropping open. "Oh, I see how it is," he said bitterly. "You're the Slayer again, so it's back to old habits. Use Spike and throw him away when you're done."

She paled and raised a trembling hand to her mouth. "Spike, I didn't mean it that way," she stammered, her eyes full of contrition. "I'm sorry."

"Are you?" He showed no signs of thawing and she hung her head.

"It's just that… I need to do this, Spike. Alone."

He relented just a bit, finally realizing what the problem was. "You don't have to prove anything to me, Pet," he told her. She shook herself.

"I have to prove it to myself," she insisted. "I have to know that I can do this."

"You will do this," Spike said, grabbing her jacket off the back of the armchair and tossing it to her. "Now give me my coat back and let's get it over with."

They switched coats and locked the door behind them. As they made their way down the empty streets of Rome, Spike abruptly turned to her and said, "This conversation isn't over, you know," he said gruffly. "We're still going to talk after we kill Ampelio."

Three vampires played cards around a table as Spike and Buffy walked into the warehouse, still arguing. "Seven months is a bloody long time," Spike insisted. "I'm betting you didn't train at all, did you?"

"Well, I didn't exactly think I was getting my powers back," Buffy retorted. The vampires exchanged looks and scrambled to their feet. "I assure you," Buffy continued as she ducked a sloppy blow. "I haven't lost my edge." She plunged her stake into the vampire's chest.

"Yeah, so you dust one," Spike replied as he casually blocked the blows of a second vampire. "Could have been luck."

"Will you make up your mind if you're encouraging or criticizing?" Buffy said, exasperated. "First you tell me I've got nothing to prove and now you're all 'oh, it was just luck.'"

Spike grunted as he took a blow to the face and vamped out, startling the vampire he was dueling with. "Shut up and slay, Slayer," he growled at her before tossing his opponent into the wall. He flung a stake at its chest, turning it to dust and bad memories. "Take that back. Don't kill that one. We need him for questioning."

"Way ahead of you, Spike," Buffy replied. She knelt on the last vampire's back, twisting one arm to keep it from struggling. Spike strolled over and crouched by the prone vampire's head.

"All right, mate, we could do this hard way or—actually, we're just going to do this the hard way," Spike drawled. "Now, just because I've got my soul doesn't mean I'm a bleeding saint. So unless you tell us where Ampelio is hiding his slimy ass, you're going to learn firsthand why they called me William the Bloody."

About fifteen minutes, a pack of matches, and a bottle of holy water later, they left the warehouse, heading for Ampelio's villa. As they neared the walled compound, Spike grabbed Buffy's arm and swung her around to face him.

"Buffy, I need to know where you stand. About us," he said with a stubborn look in his eye. "Are we friends to you, or something more? Or was I just a way out of a bad situation?"

Buffy refused to meet his gaze. "Do we have to talk about this now?" she asked, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"Yes," Spike said firmly, not releasing his grip on her arm. She sighed heavily and rubbed her forehead.

"I know that the things I did to you…that I hurt you. And I'm sorry for that," she said quietly. "I hope that you can believe me when I say I do care about you. A lot." She glanced up at him and then away. "I-I don't know. Should we take it slow or-or…I just don't know."

Spike simply looked at her for a long moment. "Well, that's that, then," he said softly. "At least I know you care." He let go of her and started walking again. Buffy didn't immediately follow. Then he heard her mutter behind him.

"Oh, damn it to hell." She ran to catch up with him, grabbed the front of his coat, and pulled his face down to hers in a kiss that made his knees weak. When she broke away an eternity later, they were both panting. "That clear enough for you?" she asked.

He cradled her head in his hands. "Yeah, that'd do it." Their mouths met again with a hunger and passion that sent electric thrills down Spike's back. This time he broke it off. "We can't—we have to take care of Ampelio."

"Right," Buffy said even as she ran her lips down Spike's neck. "…Can't be distracted."

He nibbled on her earlobe. "There'll be plenty of time…after."

"Mm-hmm." Buffy clearly wasn't listening. Her hands were certainly crossing certain lines.

"Buffy?"

"Yeah?"

"We're in the middle of a street, luv."

"Right." Buffy reluctant stepped away from him. "Can we get this over with quickly?"

"No argument here," he replied. They turned and hurried toward the villa, eager for the imminent battle.