Disclaimer: Please see first chapter for disclaimer.

Rating: T

A/N: Okay, I should leave this til tomorrow, but I don't want to. So lets kick off the first proper snapshot with Jesse. Just cos we loves him, hehe. Thanks for the feedback on the first chapter, its much appreciated, y'all! Enjoy...

Dedicated, to my lovely cat, Scruffy. Who is now seventeen and still gives it a good go at trying to catch whatever my other cats bring in. Bless her...

Spike's Gift...

I was running late. My shift at the hospital had run over longer than I had intended and it wasn't even due to an emergency. I had promised Susannah we could spend some time together, just the two of us. But I wasn't even there to fulfil the promise to her. I felt the guilt at not being able to do something as simple as that, and made a silent vow to make it up to her. I knew it was upsetting Susannah. But I also knew she wouldn't say anything.

So when I had the opportunity to escape and go home, I gladly did so. Not wanting to waste another minute from being away from Susannah than was needed. I even stopped off at the nearest place I could find open at the time and who held what I wanted, before I turned for home.

It was with light footsteps and a happy smile of anticipation to seeing Susannah, that I walked up our footpath towards our home. The flowers I had brought for Susannah firmly held in my hand. A peace offering as a start. I let their sweet scent fill my senses and the cool night air around me. Noticing the stars burning bright above me.

But my light mood was soon extinguished, when as I reached the porch and was preparing to find my keys, I heard a terrified scream come from the living room windows. Susannah's terrified screams no less.

I dropped the flowers I held to the porch floor, digging through my keys to find the one for the door. Silently berating myself for telling Susannah to lock it when I wasn't home at night. I fought to get the key in the lock and sighed with relief when I felt the latch give, allowing me to charge into the foyer leaving the door wide open.

Just as I was running into the living room, my feet sliding on the wooden floor, Susannah screamed again. The sound filling me with panic and concern, causing my heart to race, unknowing what was wrong with her or what the danger was.

"Wha – " I came to a stuttering stop as I threw my arms out wide at my sides trying to hold my balance as I slid to a stop on the wooden floor. The scene infront of me robbing me of all coherent thought or speech.

I let my jaw drop as I took in my surroundings. Finding no sign or sound of danger in our home, I looked to Susannah. She was standing on the plush couch, her feet fidgeting and creeping closer and closer to the back of the sofa. Nearly climbing the wall in her haste to avoid whoever or whatever had terrified her.

I looked to the long handled broom clutched in her hand, raised above her head as a ready weapon against something. Her eyes were wide but held defiance. Her face pale and her grip on the broom had turned her knuckles white with the strain.

All the while, Spike just calmly sat before her, watching Susannah with boredom.

I relaxed slightly, getting my breathing under control before I addressed the terrified woman before me. Putting on a display bordering on comical. "Susannah," She turned to me with a yelp, apparently not noticing my sudden entrance. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, Jesse," Susannah breathed, dropping a hand to her chest to slow her rapid breathing. She relaxed slightly with my presence, but otherwise didn't lower the broom. "Thank God, you're home."

I nodded, sweeping my gaze around the room again. Even more confused than I was before. "What are you doing?" I repeated. "And, why do have a broom, raised above your head?"

Susannah looked back at me sweetly her expression innocent and unassuming. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Her voice was laced with sarcasm, at a question - to her - was pointless. "I was bored and decided to sweep the ceiling's at, " - She raised her hand to check her watch - "9.30 at night. They looked a little dusty to me. What do you think?"

I didn't bother to answer her caustic reply and matched her glare with a defiant look of my own. For a couple of seconds we stayed there like that, both locked in a stubborn stare-down competition. My arms crossed over my chest, each waiting for the other to back away first.

But surprisingly, it was Susannah who broke our eye contact. Turning away from my hard stare and sighing dramatically. She lowered the broom to her side again, but made no move to get down from the couch.

"Fine," She bit out. "If you must know. I was in the kitchen preparing to make myself a hot chocolate, when Spike," – she broke off, glaring down at my uncaring cat – "decided to give me a surprise. He came wandering up to me, with this th – AHH!"

The sudden break in her explanation that was replaced with a scream, made me start and drop my arms. Instantly becoming alert and suspicious all over again. Susannah's shrieks echoing around the room and piercing my ears.

By the time she had finished and calmed down, she was still standing on the couch, but the broom was once again raised above her head. Her face twisted into an angry and disgusted scowl. Shooting daggers at something I couldn't see.

But her gaze seemed to be fixed to the floor.

"What is it?" I called over her slight muttering and fidgeting on the couch again. Looking around the area where she was staring, unable to see any kind of threat or reason for panic. "Why are you screaming?"

"Didn't you see that?" She yelled at me incredulously, spinning to pierce me with a stare.

"See what?" I asked, shrugging my shoulders in question.

"That . . . that . . . thing!" She shrieked, pointing in the direction of the other couch. I leaned over to turn a lamp on by the sofa Susannah was standing on, casting more light over the room and helping me look for what she was screaming about.

But I couldn't find what she was seeing.

"Querida, I don't see anything," I soothed, walking over to her. "What am I supposed to be looking for, exactly?"

"I dunno," She exclaimed above me, waving her hand around. "But I think it was a rat." She sneered with distaste.

This time, I looked up at Susannah incredulously. Fighting to keep the laugh from bubbling over at her guess. I was quite certain she would know if it was a rat. As far as I knew, there weren't any around here. But then again, this was Susannah. The knowledge of her hatred for anything small and creepy, tended to blind her to the what she was really seeing.

"I doubt it is a rat, Susannah," I replied carefully, noticing her scowl at the humor I was trying to hide. At the risk of it bursting forth, I turned and walked into the adjoining kitchen through the archway separating the rooms. Knowing there was a torch beneath the sink that would help me see better. Once I was out of her sight, I let the smile come forth.

I heard Susannah mumbling something in reply as I walked away, but I guessed I wasn't supposed to hear, so I didn't call her on it.

I looked to her as I entered the room again, a silent question in my eyes. "It's over there," She told me, reading my question correctly. Her shaking finger pointing in the direction of the couch again. "I don't thing it's moved. At least not since the last time, anyway."

Nodding, I went to where she indicated it had last been, dropping to my hands and knees. Suppressing the sigh wanting to escape my lips. I was tired and just wanted to get this over with. It certainly wasn't what I had planned for when I returned home this evening.

"It's probably nothing, querida," I said in reassurance, as I bent low to shine the torch underneath the furniture. Dragging it along the back wall, trying to see anything. "It's probably just a figment of your overactive imagi – WOAH!"

Suddenly startled at something running straight for me; I dropped the torch to the floor with a clatter. Letting it roll backwards and forwards on the wood, while I quickly retreated and pulled myself away. Not stopping until my back hit the coffee table behind me. My breathing ragged and my heart drumming a beat in my chest.

"Nombre de Dios," I panted, trying to get my breathing under control.

Suspicious of the lack of response from Susannah's corner, I grudgingly pulled my gaze up to meet her own, seeing the smirk and smug expression across her face.

"Just," Susannah began. "a figment of my overactive imagination was it, babe." I bristled at the name. Susannah knew how much I detested the pet name she used to annoy me. Which thankfully, wasn't often. I saw her eyes bright with humor. Silently laughing at me.

I didn't bother to respond. Only turning away and crawling my way back over to the couch and fallen torch. Determined to make my pride come away whole and intact again. Frustrated and annoyed I let myself have such a reaction. Or to have been taken by surprise.

I picked up the torch. But this time, I swept the floor slowly. Hoping whatever it was, had retreated for the time being. That it had disappeared from wherever it had come from and I could get back to healing my promise and my wounded pride.

I bent over further to try and see underneath the furniture better. Not willing to be startled again. But Susannah halted my progress and broke the silence with a long and low whistle from her perch atop the other couch.

"Nice view I have up here," She commented silkily. Her voice weaving around me at her suggestive tone. "You take as long as you need, Jesse. I don't mind." I didn't bother to fight the smirk to come to my face. But I ducked my head so Susannah wouldn't see my reaction.

But judging from her slight laughter and giggles. She knew exactly what effect it had.

Shaking my head, I returned back to my task. Determined to get rid of whatever Spike had presented us with. He had stayed over by Susannah's sofa. Not even moving when I had suddenly pulled away. Happy to let me do all the hard work.

Just as I was about to think that it had gone and was willing to give up, a slight movement from a corner caught my attention. Making me swing the torch back around so it was shining on the thing that was ruining my evening and my mood, at its hard to capture or find tactics.

But when my gaze settled on the reason for the screams, panic and drama, I couldn't do anything but chuckle. Because it was nothing but a field mouse. It was huddled in the corner, its beady black eyes caught in the shine of the torch, like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car. Too frightened to run away.

I pulled myself away, leaving the torch shining on the small critter and let the bubble of laughter rise to the surface and fill the silence around us. My deep chuckles reverberating through my chest. The notion of such a small animal making Susannah hide on the sofa with a broom, only made my amusement increase. I wondered how long she would have been there, if I hadn't of returned when I did. She obviously hadn't seen what Spike was holding when he had first brought it home.

I looked up to the woman in question, noticing her pink tinted cheeks and the disappointment to flash across her eyes and face. Smirking as it turned into confusion and wonder. "Well?" She asked, holding the broom at her side. "What is it? What's so funny?"

I broke away from my chuckles slightly and smiled up at her. "It's nothing but a mouse," I laughed when I saw her expression of annoyance. Either with me, or with what it was, I wasn't sure. "Just a small field mouse. That's what had you so scared."

"As I recall, mister," Susannah glared at me, placing her hands on her hips and talking through her teeth. "I wasn't the only one who was frightened by it," Her scowl suddenly turned into a smirk, making my blood freeze in my veins. "I'm a girl. What's your excuse?"

That instantly made my laughter dry up.

"Yeah," I sniffed. "Well," Was my pitiful response making her own amusement at my expense, increase. I narrowed my eyes into a glare and reached out for the broom she held. "Give me that." And I turned away from her knowing smile.

Getting back to my knees, my pride once again scattered, I reached underneath the furniture with the broom. Extending it closer and closer to the small critter, huddled terrified by the wall. I made sure to keep the torch shining on it, unwilling to let it escape again. With a little coaxing, I managed to get it onto the brooms rough bristles so I could slowly slide it back to me. Until I was finally able to reach out and grab it. I stood back up to my feet while brushing Spike and his sudden new attention of me, aside.

Silently thinkinng, 'and woman said men couldn't mulit-task.'

As I climbed to my feet, I heard Susannah take a breath. Noticing that I held the mouse in my cupped hands. I opened them slightly and curiously looked down at it. "Oh, Susannah," I said smiling. "It's so small." I made as if to move forward and show her. Making her back into the sofa a little more, while throwing me a glare.

"If you bring that thing anywhere near me," Susannah hissed. "I'll kill you."

But I ignored her warning as I looked down at the little creature in my hands. "Aw, querida," I cooed. "But it's harmle – OW!"

My try for reassurance was broken off with a shout. I whipped my hand away from the sudden source of pain, making my hands drop open. I expected the little critter to have dropped and run across the floor to safety again. But that was before two things suddenly occurred to me. One, the pain hadn't receded but had gotten worse. And two, that the mouse hadn't fallen to the floor at all.

Because it was still attached to my finger.

Reacting on instinct and shock, I flicked my hand out, trying to shake off the pain and the foreign little thing attached, making it fly across the room and land in the archway of the kitchen. But before it had a chance to get over its own shock, Spike - belying his age - was across the room and running for it.

"Sic it, Spike!" Susannah cried, looking upon everything that had just happened within seconds. Her eyes full of shock, surprise and a small hint of humor.

Sure enough, Spike had managed to get a hold of the small creature between his paws, before it could run away. Quickly picking it up in his teeth and running for his cat-flap. Not even fazed by Susannah's shout and call to him.

I turned to Susannah the same time she looked to me. Our eyes locking and holding. Until a split second later, we both broke down into loud unabashed laughter. Enough to leave us breathless and exhausted moments after it had passed. I collapsed onto the couch beside Susannah, where she had fallen. Reaching out and pulling her to me. Letting our amusement at what had just happened, start to calm and pull away.

We sat together in the silence that followed. Just enjoying the peace for a few moments. Both letting the strange series of events play out in our minds again. Causing the smiles to return. But in the end, it was Susannah who broke the mould.

"How's your finger?" She asked, making me raise the aforementioned wound before us, looking at the teeth marks it had left behind. Embedded in the soft flesh. It hadn't broken the skin, but it had definitely left its mark. On my finger and in our memories.

"I'll survive," I surmised, dropping my hand to pull Susannah closer and leaning back into the soft cushions. "Sorry I'm late."

"S'okay," She mumbled into my chest, before raising her eyes to meet my own. "You're here now." Smiling, I leaned down and met her kiss. Letting her words drift to the back of my mind, as I lost myself in her once again.

A/N 2: This actually happened to me. The little bugger ran at me, then when I finally caught it and rescued it from its captor, it fraggin' bit me! I was so shocked, I flicked my hand, and it flew across the room. My mam though it was hilarious... Anyway, thanks for reading, please review :D Oh and Spike...bless him. Your probably wondering why he's in it. But I wanted him to be. Even if he is old in this, hehe.

Anonymous Review:

Meg - Hello again! Lol. Thank you so much for reviewing the previous chapter. I wanted to get straight into the snapshots, but it didn't seem fair not to add a little opening chapter there. But thank you for the feedback, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Take care, x