Disclaimer: The show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its characters are not my property. The song depicted in this chapter is by Linda Perry and is also not my doing.
Chapter Comments: Thank you, thank you, and thank you again to all the wonderful people that have left reviews. I hope you enjoy part II.
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The 3rd Night, Part II
Buffy had never seen an empty electronics store before. Somehow all the televisions were still on, each one showing the same cheesy action film on different size screens. She rolled her eyes, looking up at her vampire lover. "Why are we here again?"
"Tons of reasons", Spike insisted. "Specifically, whatever we want. I'm thinking video camera. I want to capture that look on your face and those cute little noises you make every time I lick you in just the right…"
The Slayer smacked at his arm, giving him a mock glare. "We are SO not video taping."
He grinned devilishly. "Don't tell me you're camera shy…" He turned and headed down an isle, obviously searching for cameras.
Buffy sighed, a sudden wave of depressing thoughts hitting her at once. She wasn't camera shy. If anything she would love to have them on camera, to have just one physical reminder of their time of happiness…but she knew it wasn't going to happen. Spike could buy all the film he wanted and video tape their every move, it wouldn't make a difference. Once the week was up every bit of proof of what they had together for those seven days was going to be gone.
She shook the thought, willing it away. She made her way slowly down the isles, trying to search for something that they would actually need. Buffy shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. The empty places were so much easier to bear when Spike was standing next to her. When she was with him she could laugh and enjoy herself. She could relax and let herself fall back into his arms and forget about the eerie surroundings.
Making her way down the isles, she stopped when she caught sight of Spike again. She smiled, just watching him. He seemed to be completely absorbed in the action movie on the multiple televisions in front of him. In one hand was a camera, in the other a camcorder.
"Oh Spike…" Buffy touched the bottom of her shirt, seriously considering flashing him to see if he would take a picture.
But the vampire didn't move. His eyes stayed glued to the television in front of him, as if hypnotized.
Buffy pouted, wondering why she couldn't grab his instant attention the way her presence always did. "Spike!" She was about ready to stomp her foot if he didn't pull his attention away from the silly movie. She made her way over to him, standing directly at his side. She noticed the far away look in his eyes. "Spike…?" She turned to look at the television.
The movie on the screen had reached a climactic turn. There was fire and debris, and at that point and time all the viewer could see was a massive cave in…
Her eyes widened. The images on the screen looked hauntingly similar to things that had actually happened. She turned her gaze quickly back to the bleached blonde beside her, noticing as she did that he still hadn't looked away from the screen.
Was that a spark of recognition in his eyes?
She reached out to him hesitantly, gently touching his arm. She moved close to him, wanting to bring his attention away from the screen as soon as possible.
"William…?" She brushed the backs of her fingers gently across the hollow of his cheek. Her voice was little more than a soft whisper. "Are you here with me?"
He breathed in sharply for a moment, as if waking up from a trance. He pulled his gaze away from the screens and smiled when he saw the Slayer standing beside him. "Of course, Pet." He spoke just as softly as she did. "Where else would I be?"
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She was standing at the check out counter of the music store; only because that was the only place you could sample the music on the CD player. She had headphones on low and was quietly humming along to the music.
"Please don't tell me that you're listening to 'Wind Beneath My Wings'."
The sudden sound of Spike's voice made Buffy jump. She pulled the headphones off and turned to face him with a guilty blush. "What? No!" He gave her a doubtful look. "…Maybe."
He shook his head with a smirk. "Its reassuring to know that some things never change…like your questionable taste in music."
"Hey, I wouldn't be talking." She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a glare. "Besides, I don't know what your problem is with that song. It would have made a GREAT first dance."
"At OUR wedding?"
The subject of their engagement brought an involuntary blush to her cheeks. The wedding that never was and never would be wasn't exactly a subject she wanted to tread across with her dead lover. "Well…um…" He was looking own at her with that intense gaze that turned her insides into jelly. "What's wrong with it?"
He smiled, beginning to notice some of her tension. "It doesn't suit us."
Buffy gave a slight pout. "But it's a nice song…"
"Exactly." Spike interrupted. "It's a nice song. It's pretty, and clean, and easy to swallow. It doesn't suit us at all."
"And you think you can do better?"
"Anything could be better." Spike sorted through a large and growing pile of CDS he had pilfered.
Buffy gave her patented eye roll, fully expecting him to put something loud and violent on. She was surprised by the mellow tunes that came from the CD player once he yanked the headphones out.
"It sounds depressing for a wedding." Buffy mumbled stubbornly.
He merely smirked at her, holding a hand out to her in invitation. She took his hand, deciding to humor him. He pulled her close so their bodies touched. He kept hold of one of her hands while he wrapped an arm around her.
Linda Perry's voice was almost intrusive on their moment. Once the two touched they seemed lost to their own world.
You knocked me out
You bit my lip
you held me
down
and kept me sober
Through
all this time
with no regret
I guess that's just the way I
liked it
ooooooooo oh ohhh
Buffy swayed easily with him to the music, her head rested on his chest, breathing in the scent of him: Leather, smoke and a spice that belonged only to him.
Maybe
when I'm free
I'll realize all you really wanted
to share all
the peace
something I never wanted
So
wait
don't go
seems as though
it's getting scary
so
please
don't you go
wait
don't you go
She couldn't help where her eyes wanted to wander, and at that moment they wanted only to see his. She looked up at the sharp angles of his face and realized that he saw nothing but her, swaying gently with her to music they barely heard.
You
knocked me out
I can never feel the same
I pushed you over
and here we will remain
She smiled softly to him, lost in his penetrating gaze. His desire was obvious as their bodies pressed together, both more than ready for the other.
Confusion
neeew to you
and nothing's right
nobody but you has to
hold
onto the fight
just before you cry
It
won't change you
it won't change me
and I don't even wonder
why
Their fingers laced together, but their gaze never broke. Buffy marveled at how well her body fit with his like pieces of a puzzle.
Won't
touch
feeeel so much
in life yeah we cry
I know, baby
I know
Cheek to cheek now, they swayed in a lazy circle around the abandoned shop. None of the outside existed. They had made that their own world as they lost themselves to the words and the gentle rhythm of their bodies.
But
see I'm waking
I feel
I touch
I breath
I cry
I
know this
So
wait
wait
so please
smile just before you cry
don't
you go
Buffy gently traced her fingertips through the curls that were just starting to come loose from all their roughhousing. She closed her eyes, trying to will away all the pain she had caused the man holding her in his arms…
You
knocked me out
I could never be the same
I pushed you over
but here we still remain
you knocked me out
I could never
be the same
Spike's soft lips were brushing across her throat, moving up to her ear. She couldn't resist them. She had to feel those lips again and imprint their feeling on her memory…
I
can take the fight but don't
don't you turn away
She turned her head and met his seeking lips with her own, their tongues battling.
You
knocked me out
you bit my lip
you held me down and you kept
me sober
Neither realized when the song finally ended, both lost to one another.
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Mmmm. Strawberry cheesecake.
Buffy knew she shouldn't be eating ice-cream, especially after the adventures in the chocolate store, but she just couldn't help it. When a completely abandoned Diary Queen with its freezers still running just stares you in the face it's not possible to just walk away.
Where had Spike scampered off to? The last time she'd seen him he was still raiding the music store for all it was worth. When Buffy got there she found it empty.
Across the music shop was the book store. She saw a flash of black, and then smirked. He was probably looking for smut in there, she reasoned. Though, she could admit that he could have written the karma sutra, so it wasn't as if he needed books for tips.
"Spike?" She approached the book store, finding him easily in the front. It looked as if he had been standing near the hall to keep an eye out for her, but was completely wrapped up in what he was reading. Before Buffy could ask, he had tossed the book clear over his shoulder and was obviously trying to pretend he hadn't been reading it in the first place.
"Find something good to snack on?" He asked a little too casually.
"Yeah…" She held up the cup of ice cream. "Sure you don't want some?"
He shook his head. "Nope."
"Well…" Buffy suddenly found herself feeling awkward. She wanted to know what he had been reading while she had been distracted. "I need to look something…" She pointed to the bookstore he had been blocking the path too.
"Right!" He stepped away from it, and then nodded back to the music store. "I'll just be over there, then."
"Right…" She nodded as she watched him walking away.
As soon as he was out of site she stepped into the bookstore. She could see a few of the shelves recently disturbed. She kept low, as if he might be watching her every move. Finally, she found the hastily discarded book on the floor. She fully expected to see nude women or something violent on the cover. Instead her jaw nearly dropped when she picked it up.
"Poetry?"
She noticed a few other poetry books on the shelf that appeared to have been moved. She glanced back at the music store, making sure that Spike's back was faced in her direction before she began stuffing the poetry books into a bag to bring with them.
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The bed and bath store had plenty of goodies. Buffy thought she was getting entirely too used to the idea of taking whatever she pleased. She took scented candles and lotions, as well as relaxing bath oils and beads. She didn't want to be caught unprepared.
She was again beginning to wonder how they were going to bring all of that stuff home. She headed out of the bed and bath store, back to the music store. They had seemed to set that spot as the unofficial meeting place.
When she got there she had to struggle not to drop the bags and burst out laughing. On top of the counter was Spike, headphones on but the music loud enough for her to hear just fine. He was listening to heavy rock music while doing a fine impression of Billy Idol, lip and all. He acted as if he held a guitar in his hands, moving his fingers along perfectly with the music. He leapt off of the counter and onto one of the shelves, keeping perfect balance even as the cord of the headphones tried to tangle around him.
Shaking her head, Buffy could merely gawk in awe. He was like nothing she had ever really known. This strange man was always surprising and amusing her. The same man that was doing the Billy Idol impression and knocking over CDS and causing destruction left and right was also a closet poetry lover. The demon that was fierce enough to cause anything from a stir to utter chaos wherever he went had also loved strongly enough to make himself a good man. The man that couldn't hold still to save his own existence had been her solid rock when she needed something to cling to.
He was intense. He was childish. He was tender and sensual. As a demon he had loved more than most humans could have ever managed. As a dead man he was more alive than anyone Buffy had ever known…and she had to face it, he looked adorable while making a fool out of himself.
She shook her head, unable to hold her laughter in anymore. She just watched him cut loose, a site she hadn't seen often after he had taken on the burden of the soul. No matter how softly they were spoken, she couldn't help the words that came to the surface.
"I love you."
Time stood still. Or was it just Spike that had come to an abrupt halt? Buffy's eyes widened as he slowly turned to meet her gaze, a look of awe on his face.
Damnit. Vampire hearing.
She hadn't meant for it to be like that, muttered quietly in the abandoned mall. She found herself unexpectedly nervous as Spike hopped down from the counter and taking the headphones off. He turned the music off, and then turned to study her.
Buffy held her breath, watching him just as intensely as he was watching her. He tilted his head to the side, unable to disguise all of the hope and longing in his gaze.
"Did you…say something?"
She knew what he was doing right away. He was giving her a chance to pretend she hadn't said anything. He didn't want to corner her because he didn't want to have to hear her take back the words that he had been waiting all that time for…
But she wasn't going to take them back. The place they were in suddenly didn't matter. The mall wasn't a perfect place to announce it, but neither was a hole in the ground where her lover had burned to death from the inside out. There wasn't going to be a perfect time when you had only a matter of days.
Gathering her courage, Buffy stepped forward, coming closer to him. She reached out and took his hand, pulling him away from the counter and closer to herself. She watched the emotions play across his face. There was hope, desire, fear…no, absolute terror…but under it all there was his never ending devotion and love.
She had to touch him. She moved her hands away from his and brought them slowly across his chest, taking her time to feel the soft leather and the hard muscle beneath. She moved her hands up to his shoulders and then up either side of his neck before resting both hands on his hollow cheeks. His eyes never left hers even while hers followed the path of her hands. Finally, she looked up into breathtakingly beautiful blue eyes that she had never allowed herself to gaze too long into.
"I love you, Spike…"
