Author's Note: Wow! This took me awful long to get up, hey? Sorry! I've been super busy with school & personal crap, but here it is :) ! I hope you guys enjoy it, an all spuffy chap with absolutely NO bangel! However, I'm going to add a chapter after this with just bangel - give some clarity on their whole situation... that will be up sometime over the next couple weeks. Thanks for sticking out the wait - if you did :) & let me know what you think!

PS: Oh, & if some words are mispelled, please correct them in your mind - I'm writing without Word, & although I am generally good at spelling, I'm sure there are a few mistakes :)

~.~.~

6 months later...

~.~.~

A tear slid down her cheek as she watched the most precious thing in her life disappear from her view. So many emotions ambushed her at that moment she was left frozen in place, unsure of what to do next. She was the Slayer, she could face a vampire without so much as a butterfly in her stomach, but yet the slightest look from him and her insides turned to mush.

Buffy didn't know how he did it - he was only four years old. But Connor had wormed his way into her life, and had changed everything she was.

"Buffy, luv, you alright?" Spike asked, wrapping an arm around her waist as he pulled her against him. "'s just pre-school, you'll see the little bugger in a few hours."

She glanced up at him, then back to the empty driveway. "It's just... what if he needs me? What if he falls, or what if he gets sick? Oh no, what if another little boy bullies him? What if-..."

"He'll be fine - the teachers 'ave your cell number jus' incase somethin' does 'appen, but it won't. If you don't let the boy explore now, then you'll only make it 'arder later," he said, and she nodded. "On the bright side, jus' me an' you all alone in the house - all day."

She found herself smiling - how Spike always managed to make her feel like everything would be okay, she didn't know. All that mattered was that he did.

"And I bet you think you're going to get lucky, don't you?" she asked, turning in his arms to face him.

"Well, the thought 'ad come to mind," he said, smirking down at her. "'s a perfect opportunity to get your mind off things. I know plenty of ways to-..."

"Do you really think I can do that at a time like this?," she interrupted. "Our baby has just gone off in some van to pre-school where I can't see him, talk to him - nothing. He's all alone, and-..."

"Alone? He's got like twenty other kids his age to play with - you really think he's gonna 'ave time to stop and miss you? No offense luv, but I'm certain he's nothin' but 'appy."

"Are you saying he doesn't like me?" she asked.

Spike sighed. "Look pet, I 'ppreciate tha' you're all emotional durin' a time like this - you got every right to be, but don't you think you're takin' things jus' a bit far? Connor's four years old, he's not a baby anymore - he needs to be 'round kids his own age. 's no good for 'im to be stuck in the house all day with us two. He loves you, tha' 'as nothin' to do with it."

She frowned. "But what if-..."

"Tha's it - 've 'ad 'nough of the wha' if's. Time to make with the 'ere an' now," he said, pulling her body tight into his.

"Spike..." she whispered against him. "I told you I-..."

"Need I remind you of jus' wha' I am luv. 'sides the fact tha' I can tell wha' you want from miles away," he smirked down at her. She sent him a stern look, but he ignored it before crashing his lips into hers.

~.~.~

Buffy's birthday was around the corner, and although most people her age would consider it a burden, she thought of it as a miracle. She was the Slayer, her life had pretty much been mapped out for her, including her death certificate. She was the oldest living Slayer in history, and she knew exactly why - she was not alone.

No matter what evil she had been destined to defeat, she had the support and skills of her family and friends - and him.

However, she couldn't deny that the majority of her previous birthday celebrations had ended in disaster, so while she was glad to have one, she was also terrified to show it.

When Willow appeared on her doorstep, she knew that she was in for the ritiual lecture. She couldn't have been more wrong.

"You want me to do what?" Buffy asked, staring over at her red-headed friend in disbelief.

"We want you to have a birthday full of partying and relaxation - just not here," she said with a smile. "It's no secret that your birthdays aren't always... conventional... but regardless you deserve to have some fun - and if you're miles and miles away from the Hellmouth, well, seems like the perfect opportunity."

"And you're volunteering for babysitting duty for a week?" she asked. "Have you lost your mind or are you just delusional?"

Willow laughed. "Don't even worry about that, Connor will be fine. He's a four year old little boy, how much trouble can he be for one week?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"This is a present, you're supposed to say thank you and take it with a smile - not argue it. Besides, it's already been booked and it's non-refundable. So unless you plan on wasting your friends hard earned money, your butt will be on that plane and loving it," she said.

Buffy sighed, then smiled. "Alright - but when Connor is tearing your house apart just remember that this was all your doing."

~.~.~

That night, Buffy and Spike walked through the cemetery, hand in hand. Xander had offered to take Connor for a "man night", and after seeing the expression on Connor's face when he had heard all of the gross things it would entail - there was no way she could refuse.

As they walked, she could feel the bottled up anger inside of Spike from just the touch of his hand, and she knew exactly why - Dawn. Well, not Dawn specifically, her boyfriend - David. On her weekly phone call home, she had given a few too many details to Buffy, which Spike had overheard as a result of his vampire hearing. Needless to say, he was not going to be welcoming David into the family any time soon.

"You have to let it go," Buffy said softly. "She's almost nineteen - she isn't a baby anymore."

He looked over at her. "This comin' from the woman who was havin' a nervous breakdown at the thought of her four year old goin' off to preschool?"

She rolled her eyes. "That was different... Connor is just barely out of baby years, Dawn, well... she was never actually in them. Technically, she's older than you - so she should be dictating who you date."

Spike laughed. "Tha's your argument? Someone's lost their touch."

"I have not lost my anything," she said. "But if you don't let Dawn get out and explore, it's just going to be harder later on... isn't that right?"

"You're throwin' tha' back at me, eh? Fine then, let the little Bit go and get herself a boyfriend - I jus' can't make the promise tha' he'll live long 'nough to propose."

"Stop being such a vampire. David is a nice guy, at least... I think he is," she said.

"For all you know he's a serial killer, maybe me killin' 'im will be doin' the world a favour, you know, savin' girls from a horrible death an' all."

She glanced over at him and raised an eyebrow. "Or here's a thought - you could not. Besides, when would you ever find the time? We have a vacation to take, remember?"

He smirked. "Yeah, 's long as the sun doesn't decide to shine down on us."

"Willow took care of all of that - night flight, cozy cottage for two, shady deck... it's almost perfect," she said, smiling over at him.

"Almost?"

"Well, it would be perfect if my boyfriend was excited to spend a week alone with me, but it seems like he's more interested in-..."

Spike interrupted her when he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her body into his. "I'll show you excited luv." He was about to kiss her, when she brought her hand up to stop him. "Bloody 'ell, not this 'gain."

She laughed lightly. "Don't worry, you'll get a chance to show me how excited you are later - but after I dust the vampire that's creeping up behind you."

Spike smirked before turning his head to see that she was telling the truth. "You mean after I dust 'im."

"No, I mean after I do."

"Not if I get to 'im first."

"Not going to happen," she said, pushing him to the side as she pulled a stake from her pocket and headed towards the vampire.

Spike let out a frustrated sigh and rested against a nearby tombstone as he lit up a cigarette. He hadn't really wanted to fight the vamp, but how could he pass up an opportunity to argue with the Slayer? Watching her fight never ceased to amaze him - the way her body dodged an attack, the way she landed one - the way she danced. It had taken her a while to accept the term he used, but she had and by the way she fought he knew that she felt it.

He watched her with pride - knowing that he was with the most powerful woman alive had the ability to make his heart skip a beat - metaphorically speaking of course. A part of him, mostly the vampire instincts, felt as if she was his - and in a way, she was. But he knew that she would never truly belong to him, that was just part of being the Slayer. Still, it hadn't and never would change his love for her. Whether she was his or not didn't matter in the end - it was the fact that she had chosen to be with him that mattered.

~.~.~

A week later, Buffy sat on the deck of the small cottage, staring out at the beautiful beach it rested on. It was mid-morning, and Spike was still sleeping - habit, she supposed. But Buffy was far from sleep. Here they were, Slayer and vampire, on a romantic vacation in a warm climate - who would've thought? Surely not her. The thought of ever having a normal relationship had disappeared the minute she had realized she was in love with Spike. There was nothing normal about him, vampire issues aside.

A smile formed on her lips at the thought. Spike was definitely unique, and while some of it came from being a vampire, she knew it hadn't all. But despite his many quirks, she loved him all the same. His undead status didn't matter. He was a great father figure, an amazing fighter, and a sensational lover.

That thought turned her cheeks a light shade of red.

"Daydreamin' 'bout me 'gain luv?"

Buffy turned at the sound of his voice and smiled over at him. "Yeah right Mr. Self Involved. For your information, I was daydreaming about that guy running across the beach all shirtless and sweaty."

She could hear Spike's familiar growl and laughed as she stood to face him.

"You best be jokin' or I'll-..."

"Save the threats. You know I only have eyes for you," she said, walking into his arms. "It's just so fun to tease you. That noise you make reminds me of this cute little puppy I had when I was a kid. But then we had to get rid of him... turns out I'm allergic," she said, then paused before faking a sneeze. "Uh oh..."

"You think you're somethin', don't you?" he asked, tightening his grip on her waist. "You jus' wait 'til the sun goes down. 'm feelin' like a nice dip in the big blue, an' if you don't start showin' some respect then I jus' might not treat you - no need for air, remember kitten?" he said, smirking down at her.

She tried her best to look disapproving, but failed. "While that offer is tempting - and I promise I will hold you to it - I think it'd be nice to look around town first... scout the place out - who knows, maybe they've got vampires down here?"

He groaned as his head fell back. "Thought we weren't gonna talk 'bout work. We're 'spposed to be relaxin', doin' anything but that."

Buffy shrugged. "It's in my blood, what can I say? Just one quick look and then we'll head right back - please."

He sighed. "One condition," he said, waiting for her to nod before continuing, "you start my day off with that pleasant little trick you do with your-..."

"Fist? The one where I punch you?" she teased. "Or maybe my foot - the one where I kick you? No? Ohhh... you must mean the other one."

"Never knew a tongue could move that way until you showed me," he said with a pleased smirk. "An' thanks to you I'll never forget it neither."

"Before we get to that, hows about some nice lunch? I pre-heated an already cooked meal and the cupboard is stacked with wheetabix - almost like someone gave specific instructions, huh?" she said, and he smiled innocently. "If we're leaving work at home, that means leaving the threatening behaviour there too."

"But 's jus' so fun," he said. "An' you know it makes you hot Slayer, admit it."

She gasped. "I will not. You think you're the first bad boy I've been around?" she laughed. "I've had plenty of experience with guys like you in every way possible... wait, okay, so that might not have come out the way I thought, but you know what I mean."

He laughed. "Now that you mention it, I could go for a nice mug of warm blood and some of tha' wheetabix."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "There must be like twenty boxes in there, how in the heck are you going to manage to eat all that? It's so... blah."

"Yeah, well, not much else I can eat, is there? At least nothin' I get much satisfaction out of," he said, then paused to scan her body with his eyes. "On second thought, there is one-..."

"Do you ever stop?" she asked, pushing him into the kitchen.

"Do you ever want me to?" he teased.

"It's not that I don't enjoy all of the sexy talk and lust filled eyes, but hello - my stomach is practically begging for attention. Food first, play later," she said, glancing over at him as she pulled her lunch from the microwave.

"An' you say I got a problem with food."

~.~.~.~

...What do you got, if you ain't got love,

Whatever you got, it just ain't enough.

You're walkin' the road, but you're goin' nowhere,

You're tryin' to find your way home, but there's no one there.

Who do you hold, in the dark of night,

You wanna give up, but it's worth the fight.

You have all the things, that you've been dreamin' of.

If you ain't got someone, you're afraid to lose,

Everybody needs just one, someone... to tell them the truth.

Maybe I'm a dreamer, but I still believe.

I believe in hope, I believe the change can get us off our knees...

After a quick sweep of the downtown area, Buffy's search for the paranormal came up empty, so the two decided to make a stop at a local club. Buffy may have persuaded Spike slightly with a few promises, but it had been well worth it.

Nothing felt better to Buffy than being held in Spike's arms. There were no words to describe the feeling of security and love, but words were never needed in their case. They had an amazing connection, what that few - if any, would ever have.

She looked up into his eyes and smiled. "What are you thinkin'?" he asked.

"I can't believe it's been four years. Not just Connor... but me and you."

"Seems like, but at the same time it doesn't," he said with a smile.

"I know, right? Sometimes I think 'God, it's like we're married', and other times I'm all 'can I stake this guy already?'", she teased. Spike tightened his grip on her waist in response. "Can I, uh... ask you something?"

He tilted his head. "'course pet, anythin'."

"Well, I've been wondering this off and on for, well... a while. Does it bother you? Being with me, I mean? Not because I'm the Slayer, but because my blood is."

Spike sighed. "I can't lie Buffy, your blood is like no other, an' 'course there are times where I'd want nothin' more than to taste you - but 'm not 'bout to cross that line. I love all of you, but even if you weren't the Slayer, if you didn't 'ave the power in your blood - I'd still love you no different," he said, and she nodded, not seeming fully convinced. "An' wha' brings this 'bout?"

She shrugged. "Just thoughts I guess... you know us girls, always with the selfconcious."

Spike laughed as he looked down into her eyes. "You? Selfconcious? I'd say you're anythin' but."

Her face softened as her fingers played with his hair. "Not when it comes to you," she whispered.

He gently brought his hand up to caress her cheek. "You've got nothin' to worry 'bout Slayer, you're the perfect one for me - there is nothin' I would change."

"When did you get to be so gentleman-like?"

He smirked. "Somewhere between you... an' you."

"Do you remember the first time we met?" she asked with a mischevious smile.

"How could I forget tha'? You were shakin' in your boots."

She glared up at him. "I was not shaking my anything - I was merely judging the situation... and it's not like you were all confident either," she said, and when he sent her a look, she rolled her eyes. "Okay fine, you couldn't have been any cockier. But I seem to recall kicking your cocky butt on more than one occasion that year."

"An' I seem to recall nearly killin' you," he said.

"Key word there - nearly."

"Maybe I was plannin' not to, maybe I was plannin' to let you live long 'nough so that I-... oh 'ell, who am I kiddin'? Killin' you proved more challengin' than I thought."

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you," she said with a smile. "But I can't take all the credit - you managed to avoid the end of a pointy stake as much I did your fangs."

He nodded. "Call it a tie then?"

"I don't know, maybe we'll have to have a re-match," she said with a playful grin. "I think it might be time to go back to the cottage... take a little dip."

He smirked. "Don't tease me luv, you know tha' never ends good - for you."

"Who said anything about teasing? You can have me, all of me... as soon as you find me." Spike raised an eyebrow. "Oh come on, live a little - we only have a few days left, then it's back to real-life... slaying, parenting, housework... amuse me."

"Alright then - you got 'til the count of five before I start huntin'..."

She smirked up at him before slowly pulling herself out of his hold. "Catch me if you can," she said before taking off.

Spike watched her leave with a smile on her face - life could not be better.