Happiness at Last

Authors note: This was set after Buffy was brought back from the dead in season 6

Knowing how fragile and unhappy she was, Spike made sure he kept his distance unaware that he was the only one she had opened up too. Watching her sitting in the bronze with a fake smile plastered on her face as she listened to the gang talking and discussing this weeks events. For he could only guess how hard it must be for her to have to pull herself out of her own grave from a place she was happy in , to this, a place where the unspeakable happens , vampires , demons , any form of creature you could only imagine, that comes after her. One girl. As he continued watching he suddenly felt a tug on his arm as he turned and noticed Dawn standing there smiling at him.
"Dance please? ...no one else will" she asked with a slight desperation in her voice. Looking back at her all he could do was smile at the young woman who was finally happy for getting her sister back.
"Yea…whatever" He replied trying to sound like he was not bothered and making his way over to dance with Dawn. Over near the bar, at a table Buffy quickly glanced to see who Dawn was dancing with and found herself smiling at how Dawn was trying to get Spike to dance, which he was making a complete mess of. Not noticing someone walking up behind her, a hand was placed on her shoulder which made her jump and turn to see who it was, as shock covered her face.
"Riley…" She stated quietly.
"Hi Buffy …how are you?" As he questioned sitting down, Buffy frowned suddenly remembering he didn't know that she died and decided not to say anything.
"I' m Okay you?" She replied smiling a bit. As they continued talking Buffy got a slight tingling feeling as if she was being watched, when she suddenly sensed it. Spike. Of course he would be watching, when it comes down to men and Buffy he's watching like a hawk. Which was indeed true as Spike was no longer dancing with Dawn but looking over at Buffy and Riley talking. As they both got up, Spike turned away as if he never saw a thing, but Dawn knew otherwise.
"Erm…Dawn, Riley's going to walk me home I'm tired so you ready?" Buffy said once she had reached Dawn avoiding complete eye contact with Spike. Dawn just looked up a little moody.
"Can I stay here with Spike he can walk me home" She asked smiling at Spike. Buffy sighed.
"Sure just don't be too long okay" Buffy replied giving Dawn a little hug then walking off with Riley who was constantly staring at Spike. As they reached outside Riley stopped walking and asked.
"You really think you should leave Dawn in there with him?" He asked. Buffy just nodded first of all.
"He's different he looks after her a lot" She replied as they both started walking back to her house.

Later on as Spike and Dawn reached the porch and entered the summers residence, they found Buffy sitting alone watching TV.
"Hey … were back" Dawn spoke as she walked into the living room, followed by Spike.
"Hi …nice time?" Buffy asked.
"Yea it was cool …Spike learnt some new moves" Dawn replied grinning.
"I'm just going to head up I'm tired" She said kissing Buffy on the cheek and then hugging Spike before disappearing upstairs.
The room fell silent as neither Buffy nor Spike spoke. Spike looked over at her as she was trying her hardest not to look at him.
"Well I guess I'll be going then" Spike said breaking the ice.
"Yea ok" Buffy replied looking down fiddling with her hands.
"See you around then ..." Spike said heading to the door. Buffy stood up finally looking at him.
"Spike? …" Buffy said walking over to the door. As he turned back looking right at her in the eyes.
"Stay" She said, looking back at him, as he nodded and they both made there way back over to the couch and sitting down.
"So what did solider boy want? … To ask you to come back?" Spike questioned straight to the point. Buffy looked at him fiddling with her hands again n smiling.
"Yea something like that" She answered him.
"Well I don't think he'd like it me being here" Spike said.

"I don't care … I told him where to go" She said looking right at Spike waiting for his reaction. This was a smile of course.
"Sorry" He said stopping himself from smiling. Buffy looked down slightly smiling herself as it showed he cared about her still.
"It's ok I'm over him, but there is one person that I cant seem to get over and I don't know what to do about it , maybe I'm confused with the whole coming back thing … I don't know" She said shaking her head. Spike looked at her frowning.
"Who is it?" He questioned a bit annoyed at the fact that there is someone she likes.
"You" She answered looking up at him teary eyed and then smiling.
"I can't seem to stop thinking about you and I just don't know what to do I'm scared because it feels serious, you're the only one I can connect too, you're the only one who understands, who loves me ..." she said hoping to get a good reaction from him. Spike looked back at her, stroking a strand of hair out of her face smiling.
"Thanks but …you don't have to be nice because of what I did or the fact that I looked after ...- Spike was cut off and interrupted by Buffy lips firmly pressed against his as her hands gripped his face. As he pulled away to look at her, she just smiled and said three simple words.
I love you.
And that is the only thing Spike needed to hear to realize how great their life was going to be together.

At Last.