Sorry for the wait, please review, i like to hear what people think...especially as we draw to a close, still a chapter or two to go.

Those words. Sometimes she wondered if, when he was staring at her, he was staring right through her. Seeing the shadow of who he had been, how he had gotten here. The way his startlingly blue eyes glazed slightly not from the copious pills he consumed, but from the pain he tried to squelch, made her breathing shallow.

She was good at watching, she had watched so much in the past near decade of her life. She was good at faking it too-faking that she was alright, that she was oblivious to it all. Truth was it was all she could do not to let the worry and pain reach her eyes even though she smiled. Her throat would tighten in those moments, and her eyes would become heavy with restrained tears.

The other times it was as if nothing was going on but what was seen. The smiles seemed real, the laughter and sarcasm legitimate. She knew better, it festered beneath the façade, the pain.

God, she loved him. But the way he looked at her at times she wanted to cry. Maybe not for herself, sometimes for him, and sometimes just because she could do nothing else she cried.

Those eyes framed by lines and the dark mop of hair that was as unkempt as the three day old shirts he wore during cases. The stubble that was peppered with grey contrasting pleasantly with the softness of his skin, everything about him was interesting.

She loved him, god she couldn't help it. Still, there was a bitter taste on her tongue she never let show. The bitterness that Angel had left her with, the expectancy that this relationship would fail. He wasn't anything like Angel, okay so there were similarities, but he didn't feel like Angel.

This relationship was doomed her head said, her heart was sure it wasn't.

It didn't feel doomed. She could tell he didn't fully accept vampires and all that came in her luggage, but he didn't call her crazy-well he had, but he had come around. He didn't feel the need to fill the silence, he didn't pressure her, and he didn't tell her how bad he was for her even though she knew he thought that sometimes.

Snapping back to reality as a sharp buzzing alerted her to the pizza delivery boy being here. Grinning she slid across the wood floor and pulled the door open. Pizza in hand she turned back to her friends. They were packing up her trinkets and weapons-well her prized weapons, Andrew was reorganizing all of her demony books and amulets.

Greg set down his cane and her box of DVD's and snatched a piece of pizza from the box. Buffy playfully slapped his hand and scowled at him.

"Who taught you manners?"

He shrugged, "Pig? Think his name was Napoleon or something fascist like that."

Rolling her eyes she put the pizza on the coffee table, "I should have known. Alright, break time, food is here."

Cuddy, Wilson, Cameron, Chase, and Foreman, all had the day off, thanks in large to Cuddy, and were helping move Buffy into Greg's apartment.

Three days and counting of freedom from her past-save Andrew, it seemed that the danger was enough to make them abandon her for now. That sinking feeling in her gut told her it would not last for that long.

Dropping bonelessly onto the couch she quirked an eyebrow at Chase who was staring blankly at a small statuette.

"What is this?"

Andrew leaned over his shoulder to look, "Oh, that's an African fertility statue, also pretty good in curses if the owner hasn't gotten pregnant."

Cameron grinned at Chase, "Do you want one of your own, not getting as much bang for the buck these days?"

Chase looked between Buffy and Cameron, "What? No! Why do you have one?"

"It was handed down to me from a slayer in the 70's, she says it is lucky-well at least it was for her," a Mona Lisa smile played on her pink lips.

"Oh," Andrew's mouth formed an 'O' before he rolled his eyes and smiled, "You mean the bag, and the demon…and the whole Robin thing."

She nodded, "Yep, pretty much."

Wilson quirked an eyebrow and set the throwing star he was examining down, "I think I speak for everyone when I say 'Hyugh?'."

House snorted, and the others looked at him, they had never seen Wilson so…unarticulated.

Andrew's eyes lit up and his hands began to move emphatically of their own accord, "Oh, story time! Come on Buffy, please."

Eyes shifted to the slayer, "Fine, but a short one. I want to get the rest of this stuff moved today."

The others settled around the coffee table and dug into the midday meal.

"Hmm, okay where should I start. Maybe…okay. Every slayer has a death wish. We wake up every day with only one question on our minds: Is today the day I die? We fight hard, and we know we have an expiration date. Part of us wants to know that peace…eventually the desperation takes over…and that's it. Death.

"It was New York City, the 70's, her name was Nikki Wood. She had a son…something very rare, her watcher wasn't blinded by the council, he raised the boy, and taught him to survive. His mother died.

"Every slayer has a death wish. Even me, but I know how to keep it at bay. I grab onto whatever life I can. Where once there was one, there are many, but that desire is ingrained in us. So by making family where I can, I extend my life even if by mere moments," Buffy finished lamely.

Cuddy was frowning, "So, does the statue actually work?"

"Well, I haven't been with a human in ages. At least since before the whole glory thing, but yeah, it does."

House poked her side and she jumped slightly, "Don't make me handcuff you to our bed."

Chase swallowed his food, "Handcuffs?"

Buffy nodded and reached a hand into the couch cushions and pulled out a pair of silver cuffs, "Yep."

House was grinning.

Cameron had a little smile playing on her lips, "Where did you get those?"

Her eyes rolled skyward as she tried to think, "Um, I think these were from when I was seventeen, stupid cop."

Andrew smiled, "Oh, Spike told me about that, was it when you two made your first truce?"

She nodded, "Yep."

The oncologist scratched the back of his neck, "Have any other stories?"

Buffy nodded, "Plenty, I'm thinking I could write an entire series on my escapades. I once slit a demon-dude's throat with an ice skate, and I beat an invisible girl, and I was the invisible girl once too. Man my life is complicated."

She slumped onto Greg's shoulder, "Shoot me…wait, been there, done that, got my shirt trashed."

The deep thrum of his laughter made her warm and fuzzy all over, "All we have left is the boxes in the bedroom, and a few more boxes of Spock's stuff, then we can watch Japanese game shows in bed."

Growling lowly, Buffy stood up and walked into her bedroom. Her warm sheets had been replaced by lightsaber and Yoda sheets, this wasn't her home anymore. The bed was bare except for a box of pictures, and tiny mementos, including Mr. Gordo. Sighing she tucked her leg under her as she sat on the mattress and flipped through the box.

Not bothering to look up at the soft squeak of House's cane as he walked into the room and closed the door behind him, Buffy sniffed slightly.

"What's wrong," his voice had lost its normal gruffness.

"Nothing," she denied not looking at him.

Buffy knew he was rolling his eyes at her, "Everybody lies, I just wish you didn't with me. What's wrong?"

"What…what if all I'm ever meant to be is the slayer. That's all I've ever really been. It was my safety net. I knew that if anything happened, slaying would always be there. Now, it feels like the net is more of a box, and it's closing in on me," her voice was soft, hesitant.

"If I wasn't a doctor, I would just be a miserable cripple, more miserable than I am now. The point is, sometimes what keeps us sane is just temporary until we can find something more permanent," he sat down beside her, leaning back and tucking his hands under his head.

She laughed a bit wetly, "Is that your way of saying everything will be okay, 'cause your speech needs work."

Buffy flopped down next to him and rolled onto her side and rested her head on his chest.

"Mm, it sounded good in my head, but then so does super gluing Wilson's hands to his cheeks. I can't believe he actually has Star Wars sheets, didn't he get beat up enough in school?"

Shrugging, the girl snuggled closer to the warmth, "Meh, at least I know he won't ditch me for somebody cooler. Unless Foreman has been keeping something from us, he isn't like a descendant of George Lucas-or something like that, is he?"

"No, but I believe we could have nerd fights, I have a ten on Andrew that says he fights like a girl," House wrapped his arm around Buffy's waist and pulled her as close as humanly possible.

"You don't screw with him, he may be stuck in his comic books, but he isn't above withholding sugary goodness. Also, he can do a bit of mojo," Buffy pouted.

Raising herself slightly she placed her lips on his. She pulled back after a second before nipping lightly at his bottom lip, his hands slid down her sides and anchored on her hips. He smiled against her kisses, before reciprocating and biting her back.

A moment later she sat astride his hips, bent down in a kiss, one of his hands crawling lazily under her shirt. He shifted slightly to get better purchase on her back and she moaned deeply into his mouth, he smirked and trailed his free hand down her backside before pulling it around to play along her hip and across the button of her pants.

Buffy's hands were firmly rooted in his dark hair, as her tongue flashed across his lips before she nibbled along his jaw and down his neck. She hummed against his pulse point as one hand freed itself and worked the collar of his shirt, opening the top three buttons easily. New flesh exposed the slayer moved downwards, lips leaving a steaming trail across the doctor's chest.

Breathing heavily she twisted her hips slightly and reclaimed his lips urgently. His ever tightening grip on her waist and the wandering hand leaving warm curls of lust on her abdomen having the wanted outcome, he kissed her back.

A sharp knock on the door made them pull apart breathlessly, Buffy squeezed her eyes closed.

"We're ready for the last boxes," Chase's accent drifted into the room.

Greg pulled her wrist to his lips and bit it gently, "Ignore him."

As much as she wanted to, as much as she wanted to indulge, Buffy gritted her teeth unhappily and rolled off of him to lay beside him.

"Andrew would kill me if we had sex on his favorite sheets…and as far as weird stuff goes with sex, I think that having sex on these sheets is a whole other level of kinky I refuse to do," sighing again she straightened her clothing and sat up.

House continued to lay there, "You do still want to move in with me, right?"

She reached down and buttoned the shirt again, "Yeah, I think so. This is just a first. I've never lived with a boyfriend before. It's kind of new territory and I don't want to screw this up, because god forbid, I'm actually happy."

Greg's face lit up with an arrogant grin, "I'm really that handsome?"

The blonde scowled, "Cram it, you may be ruggedly handsome and admittedly hot capitalized, but I'll tell them your darkest secret."

His face was wiped clean and he shot up on the bed, "You wouldn't."

"Oh, wouldn't I," she smiled innocently and started for the door, "Just imagine the damage it would do to your crotchety reputation."

She stalked out of the bedroom and found Andrew informing their friends of a demon that actually resembles Darth Mal. Foreman looked mildly intrigued.

Cameron turned to look Buffy when she joined them, "Is everything alright?"

The shorter girl nodded, "Peachy, I just can't wait for this day to end. I just want to snuggle up in bed with some tea and the remote."

Cuddy moaned, "I wouldn't say no to that. This has been a long day. I don't know how you can stand House for more than two hours. He's like a child on pixie sticks."

"I resent that," House limped into the room, "I only had one today."

Buffy frowned, "Yeah, but only because I hid the rest of them."

Wilson turned from the magic-medical text he had found, "We have pixie sticks?"

Chase, Foreman, and Andrew looked at them at that, "Pixie sticks," all three asked.

The three women groaned, Cuddy rubbed her eyes, "I think the hospital is going to need Pixie Sticks Anonymous."

Cameron nodded at the likelihood, "They probably have stashes in the hospital."

Buffy laughed, "Pixie Sticks…the next Cocaine?"

The boys half pouted half scowled, House stuck his tongue out at his girlfriend, "I'll find them…even if I have to torture the information out of you."

Buffy sighed, "I hide his porn at work-nothing, threaten his pixie sticks and we're reenacting the Spanish Inquisition."

House scowled again, "This means war."

The three women rolled their eyes, "Okay, bring it on."

Greg motioned for the guys to retreat, apparently the hiding of sugary goodness was an act of terrorism.

After a moment of furtive whispering Wilson looked at them, "Okay, we're willing to offer a truce, you give up the goods, and we'll finish moving everything."

"Deal," all three said at once, not willing to let go of the chance to relax.

The guys high-fived excitedly and hurriedly began moving the last few boxes from one apartment to the other and unpacking them while Allison, Lisa, and Buffy relaxed on the couch and talked about the upcoming shopping trip they had scheduled.

Fifteen minutes later a shoe box filled to the brim with colorful paper tubes changed hands and four guys dug into the box. The fifth pulled his girlfriend off the couch and led her across the hall to their apartment.

Inside he pulled her into a hug after locking the door, together they stood just inside their home, because it was finally sinking in. They weren't really two people anymore, their lives were interlocked.

The sun had sunk lower in the sky, and the apartment was dark except for a few lamps.

Hand held tightly in hers, Buffy led House to their bedroom and bounced up onto the bed. She smiled sheepishly before she tugged him onto the bed beside her.

He gave her a puzzled look before capturing her lips in a gentle kiss, she broke away and grinned, "No Star Wars sheets."

He chuckled, the noise shooting through her and making her giggle giddily, "No Star Wars Sheets," he affirmed.

Shoes were hastily kicked off and the slayer found herself pressed pleasantly into the mattress.

His teeth scraped the shell of her ear and she shuddered, "Are you sure about this," Greg asked, voice notably huskier than normal.

She moaned as fire curled in her belly and her legs tensed in anticipation, "Mhm, yes, yes, please."

His long fingers played across her bare skin and inched her shirt higher as her fingers found the edges of his own shirt and slid underneath. She reveled in the feel of smooth, hard muscle covered by warm flesh.

Every motion only served to rile her farther, "Not fair," she whimpered as his nimble fingers dusted across the underside of her breasts, teasing her.

He smiled not showing any teeth but shrugged his shoulders nonetheless, "All is fair in love and war."

She groaned as he pulled away from her, "You suck."

He smirked again, god she loved that, it made her tense and happy all at the same time. Running her fingers up his back she dug her nails in as he swooped down and laved kisses across the top of her breasts. He would have furrows where she marked him tomorrow. Buffy's hips tilted of their own volition, seeking the friction her aroused body so desired.

House pressed her more firmly into the bed, halting her movements. She could have easily gotten free, but where was the fun in that.

Breathing erratic she arched against him, back losing contact with the bed, her head lolling back. Her gaze came to rest on the shelf next to the bed. A certain fertility statue stood proudly. She quirked an eyebrow and tried to suppress the whimpers that Greg was drawing out of her so easily.

"Is that what I think it is," she nodded her head at the shelf.

Lifting his head from his task, House spared the statue a glance before shrugging it off and kissing the woman he loved, "I figure it can't hurt. We have to grab onto everything in life we can, don't we?"

She laughed softly, "Yeah. But if you get me pregnant, you get to explain the birds and the bees to Andrew."

That startled a laugh out of him, "Hmm, well I guess It's a risk I'll have to take."

Mmm, okay, this is as close to a sex scene as your going to get. Point is, they have sex for the first time. Hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the wait, I've been procrastinating. But good news is that my school was hit by lightening, so a ten by 15 foot hole was made in the roof and I got a bit excited and my muse showed up. So, a twist freak of nature is to blame for this.