"Explain to me again, why do we have to wait until dark?" whined Xander.

"Because that's when Buffy's coming. Now stop complaining!" snapped Willow.

"Sorrrrryyyyy."

They were all at the Magic Box sitting around waiting for Buffy and Spike to show. But, since it was still light outside, they wouldn't be coming anytime soon.

Dawn flashed Willow a smile. Willow knew it made Dawn giddy with pleasure that her sister and Spike were together.

"Um, Dawn, could you come here a minute?" asked Willow, guestering towards the back. Dawn followed her, closing the door behind her.

"What do you need, Will?" asked Dawn nonchalantly.

"Buffy told you everything last night, right?" she asked.

Dawn nodded.

"And you know you are not to repeat anything that you overheard us saying in the kitchen, right?"

"Right. Cause that would scarr Xander for life," she giggled.

"Right," said Willow, imagining what Xander would do if he knew what they had said last night.

"Yeah, I don't think Xander wants to know that Spike can make Buffy squirm," Dawn said slyly.

Willow's eyes widened.

"He did *not* say that! He said he liked to see her......oh godess, I did not just say that!" Willow buried her head in her hands.

"Don't worry. I know what he meant."

"And that's a *good* thing?" said Willow sarcastlically as she raised her head.

"I *mean*, I know what you're saying. No mention of anything I heard last night."

"Exactly."

She put her arm around Dawn and they walked back into the front of the store. It was getting dark, they would be ariving soon.



Buffy and Spike walked hand in hand down the sidewalk. It was still light, but the sun was beyond the horizon so no direct sunlight. Buffy nuzzled against Spike's arm.

"How am I gonna do this?" she whispered in his ear.

"You'll figure it out, Sweetness. And I'll be right there to back you up. Along with Red and Nibblet."

"I like that name."

"What name? I said a few."

"Sweetness. It's a change. I like it more than luv and pet and goldilocks. I really didn't like that name. Then I wouldn't have cut off my hair."

"I like it short," he said, running his hand through her hair, pushing a loose strand out of her eyes. He smiled at her and kissed her on the head.

"Figures."

They approached the Magic Box, but before they walked in front of the store, they ducked into an alley.

Spike pushed her up against the wall.

"I love you, Buffy," he growled. He kissed her passionatly. She gripped his arms tightly. Her tongue tangled with his.

They pulled away so Buffy could breath.

"I love you, too," she whispered hoarsly.

Their bodies pressed against each other. She could feel that familar pressure against her stomach as her hands snaked up his shirt. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so he just placed them against the wall just above her shoulders, letting her hands roam around his body.

He moaned at her touch.

"Are you guys planning on coming in anytime soon?" asked someone to their left.

Their lips parted, but they didn't move away.

"Dawn!" said Buffy, pulling her hands out of Spike's shirt.

"Yeah. Your lucky I came out instead of anyone else. I could here you all the way in the training room. I swear the walls were shaking," she grinned, watching Spike and Buffy's eyes widened with every word.

She burst out laughing. "I'm just kidding! I came out here to take something to the dumpster and heard you two moaning like crazy. And I'm not lieing about that."

"Great," Buffy threw her hands up." I probably just scarred my sister for life and now I have to go face the Wrath of Xander for the same thing. I don't think I can do that with her there."

"Don't worry. I'll occupie myself so I don't screw you up," reassured Dawn.

"Yeah. Don't worry, Sweetness," Spike said, touching his forhead to hers.

"God, you two are *so* sappy," Dawn said, laughing as she walked back into the Magic Box.

They looked back at each other.

She took his hand and linked it with hers and held their hands up.

"See this? I don't want you to let go of my hand until I am back home, after this is all over. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." They started walking out of alley.

"Great.....I still don't think I can do this," she said, stopping suddenly, causing Spike to yank back so that he wouldn't let go of her hand.

He got his balance, and pulled her forward. "Your not turning back now."

They walked out of the alley and around the front.

"You ready?" he asked.

She squeezed his hand in response as they walked into the Magic Box. Buffy stood very close to Spike so that Xander couldn't see their linked hand. It's not that she didn't want him to know, she just didn't want questions asked before she had a chance to explain.

"Finally!" Xander exclaimed as they walked in. "Now we can start doing whatever it is that we're here for."

Buffy felt Spike give her hand a sqeeze.

Buffy looked around the room. Willow and Dawn were smiling, and Tara had her eyebrows raised. Buffy gave a slight nod to Tara, who smiled widely.

Spike watched Buffy and Tara's silent conversation.

"You told Tara, too?" he whispered in her ear.

She nodded. He groaned and looked up. Now he knew why Tara had acted as she did when she had caught him and Buffy during the party.

"So...." Xander edged on. "Is someone going to explain to me why I am here?"

"Wait!" cried Dawn. Everyone turned to her. She walked up to Xander and held out her hand.

"Hand over any stakes, holy water, crosses, ect."

"Why?" he asked suspicously.

"Just do it," she said impatiently. He handed over a small pocket cross and a stake he hid in his deepest pocket.

"Thank you," she said and went back to what she was doing. She noticed everyone looking at her. "Go on with what you were doing. Pay no attention to me."

Everyone turned back to Buffy and Spike.

"Okay. Xander. I'm going to tell you something. And, frankly, I don't care wether you like it or not," Buffy started, gaining some courage in her voice. "Me.....and Spike......are....." she lost her courage, so Spike finished for her by raising their linked hands.

"Oh," said Xander. Then his eyebrows shot up,"Oh! No! You have got to be kidding me." He suddenly regreted giving up his weapons to Dawn.

He stood up to face Spike, but Buffy stood between them.

"Xander! No! Back off!"

"Oh my god! How long? When? Where? No, wait! I don't want to know those last two," he buried his head in his hands. When he noticed everyone else having no reaction, his mouth blanched. "They all knew, didn't they? Am I the only one that didn't know?"

"Whelp, calm down," said Spike.

"Calm down! Calm down? My best friend is sleeping with someone I hate and I thought she hated. Now, this is not of any interest to me, but I *have* to know, have you guys....uughh," he moved his hands in front of him," when I was around at all? Even in the same building?"

Buffy looked at him, embarrased. "Um, first, we got into a fight, and afterwards we....in the old abandoned house down the road. And when I was invisible," she whispered.

"When you were invisible? Oh my GOD! I was THERE! That was what he was doing? Oh my god. I heard moaning and noises and.....OH MY GOD!"

He fell back in his seat. Then, he looked back up. "Okay. This is what I'm gonna do. I have alot of rage and anger and crap all bottled up inside me and I need to vent it before I say something I regret. Now, you can either let me yell and lecture and be Giles for about half an hour, or you can let me hit him. Just once," he said, holding up a finger.

Spike looked at Buffy and shrugged. "He is *not* going to hit you," said Buffy firmly.

"It wouldn't be the first time."

Buffy looked at the ground.

"Don't worry, Sweetness. Just let him get it over with," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. He walked up to Xander, still holding Buffy's hand. "Gimme your best shot, Harris."

Xander looked up, suprised, but willing. He stood up to face Spike. He took his fist, wound back, and gave Spike the hardest punch he could throw. Spike stumbled back as Xander's fist connected with his jaw.

"Ooww!" cried Xander as he clutched his hand. "That hurt! But, *man* that felt good!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," said Spike, clutching his jaw while Buffy fussed over him. "I'm fine, Sweetness. I've had worse."

They looked over at Xander. "So....are we cool?" asked Buffy.

"I guess. I don't like it. But, now that I got to hit him, I'm fine."

He walked up to Spike and stared him in the eye. "You hurt her. You die." And he walked away.



"That went better than I thought," said Buffy as her and Spike walked home. Willow and Dawn were walking behind them. The two were giggling and laughing.

Spike stopped, suddenly, and turned around. "I heard that Red!"

The two burst out laughing.

He turned back around and kept walking.

"What did she say?" asked Buffy curiously.

"You don't want to know."

"Yes I do."

"You'll kill Red for saying this around your lil sis."

Buffy stopped. "Okay, now I am inclined to know. What did she say?"

Spike pulled her foreward to keep her walking. "She made a bet with Dawn that we would be in bed, having sex, before I left."

"What?!" she cried. "I'm gonna kill her."

"I'm going to use the Whelp's quote and say 'I told you so'."

"Oh, I'm gonna kill her."

"Just keep walking."

"So, what do you want to do? Make Willow, lose the bet, or win?" said Buffy with a glint in her eye.

"What do you want to do?"

"How much did she bet Dawn?"

"Twenty."

"Well. I would say do it, but.....you're not gonna hate me if I say we should have sex, right?"

"Of course not."

"Okay, I think we should show Willow that we do have *some* self control. And, I don't think it would be appropriate for Dawn to be in the same building. You know, that is stuff she shouldn't be hearing."

"I know what your saying. No sex. Tonight. Right?"

"Right," she said, squeezing his hand.

They walked up the driveway to the house. Buffy pulled out her keys and unlocked the door.

"So, am I allowed to let go of your hand now?" he asked.

"Sure," she said, letting go of his hand.

They walked into the living room, with Dawn and Willow right behind them.

"Dawn, you need to get to bed. You've got school tomarrow," shouted Buffy.

"Okay."

"Hey, Willow! Come 'er."

Willow appeared at the doorway. "Yeah, Buffy?"

"I just wanted you to know that I don't appritiate you warping my litle sister's mind like that," she said with a smile.

Willow's eyes widened. Then she glared at Spike. "Oh, about that. Um, I didn't mean......I mean.....you weren't.....suppose to hear that."

"Red, your babbling," Spike pointed out.

"And just so you know," said Buffy, "I am *not* going to do that. Which means you will owe Dawn twenty in the morning."

"Yeah," she started to walk out of the room. She mumbled, "Stupid vampire and his super hearing." She knew Spike heard her, even though he didn't reply,

Spike turned to face Buffy. "I guess I should be going."

"I'll walk you to the door."

They got off the couch and stepped out of the house on the porch. Their hands were linked and their forehead were touching.

"So, I guess I'll see you later," she whispered, smiling at him.

"I guess so."

"Do I get a kiss good night?"

"Of course."

His lips brushed against hers, then they crushed against each other, kissing hungrily. Their hands roamed each other's bodies.

They broke apart. Buffy was gasping, but she soon kissed him again. This time, it was more tender and passionate, instead of rough and hungry.

"Check out the lust bunnies."

Buffy's eyes widened. She knew that vioce and that quote anywhere. She broke away from Spike and turned to the other Slayer.

"What the hell are you doing here, Faith?"