Chapter 4: Making Up For Lost Time

Later that night…

Spike unlocked his apartment and opened the door. Buffy was by his side at the doorway looking around the dark and shallow apartment for outside in the hallway. They both seemed a little bit nervous as the stepped inside.

"I know it's not much to look at." Spike said as he walked in and set his keys down on his kitchen table.

"No…no…" Buffy said while walking across the threshold, "I mean it's a step up from your old crypt and my basement."

Spike let out a small chuckle and then he cleared his throat. An awkward silence hung over both of them.

"Uhh…you could sit down." Spike nodded over to his couch.

Buffy set her jacket down on the kitchen chair and walked over to the couch to take a seat, she looked up at him to see if he was going to sit with her but he just stood firmly in place. Her eyes drifted to the coffee table and saw two game controls.

"You play video games now?" Buffy asked with a smirk.

Spike chuckled, and then came over to the couch and sat at the far end. To Buffy it was still not close enough than she would like—he seemed that he was still sitting miles away.

"Yeah…gettin good too…I know that's one thing I could beat you at."

Buffy laughed, "Yeah right…"

"What to play?" Spike picked up a control and held it out for Buffy.

"Uh…Spike, I don't think you brought me to your apartment to play video games, I know you better than that."

Spike laughed and set the control back on the coffee table, "Right." He mumbled.

He looked down at his hands as another awkward silence passed. Buffy looked up at Spike, and examined him, wishing he would turn and face her. However, when he didn't look back she started to look around the apartment to the lack of things he had.

Spike turned and looked at Buffy, watching her look everywhere but at him. Then Buffy got the feeling he was staring at her and then she turned to face him.

Both of them stared at one another. Their eyes every once in a while would glance down at each others lips for a few seconds. And it was Buffy to make the first move; she moved over to his side of the couch and leaned in to meet his lips. And at that moment the kiss had became like electricity. It wasn't hard and demanding like it was in the past, it was more soft and sweet.

Both of them stayed in the same position for a few moments, not touching each other except for their lips. But after a while Spike couldn't resist not touching her anymore so he cupped her chin gently, and in return Buffy reached out and grazed her hand on his cheek.

And when they parted their foreheads were leaning on each others and hands holding one another. They didn't say anything at first, they just kept their eyes closed and breathing in small gasps from the lack of breath and excitement.

"We can take it slow if you want." Spike said when he opened his eyes to see she had opened her eyes also.

Buffy nodded; "Okay…" she said softly and leaned a little back so she could see him, "So…fresh start?"

Spike smiled, "Yeah…fresh start."

Buffy smiled and leaned back and rested her head on his shoulder. Spike snaked his arm around her and kissed her the top of her head and began to stroke her arm. Both of them just sat their staring off into space.

Late at Night at Wolfram and Hart Lab…

Fred walked in the lab to find Knox the only one working.

"Hey." Knox said when he saw Fred.

"Hey." Fred gave a friendly smile and then reached out and grabbed her lab coat and put it on.

"So how was that demon bug thing you got this morning?" Knox asked while working on an experiment.

"Oh…I decided to hand over that case to some of the graduate students…" Fred said as she picked up at clipboard and started to read and flip threw some papers of her work. She looked over to the table and saw a huge sarcophagus and seemed interesting in it.

"Think their ready for that?" Knox asked.

"Not sure…maybe…I just want to get a work on this." She said while walking closer to the sarcophagus.

"She's quit a beauty huh?" Knox asked and walked up and stood by Fred.

"Where'd it come from?" Fred asked while she kept staring at the jewels that were on top of the lid of the sarcophagus.

"Not sure…some guy just delivered here the other night. It was addressed to you." Knox said and passed her the delivery form.

Fred read the paper and then looked back at the sarcophagus, "Well…umm…we should start on this tomorrow...its late."

"Right, right." Knox nodded and glanced down at the sarcophagus.

Fred gave him a friendly smile and then took off her lab coat, "It's been a long day…I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay…bye." Knox called out as Fred walked out.

Knox looked down at the sarcophagus and mumbled, "Tomorrow…" Knox gave a little bit of an eerie smile.

TBC...