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Chapter Seven
"Grrr" Buffy said as straddled the blonde vampire as she continuously punched his face. Her knuckles had become red with the stolen blood of the vamp beneath her.
"Oi, pet, I think he's had enough" Spike said from his perch on a nearby headstone having already dusted the two vampires he had been fighting.
Buffy paused momentarily to glare at Spike as he tossed a stake to her. She quickly plucked the stake out of the air and drove it home causing her victim to explode into a cloud of dust. Buffy picked herself up off the ground and dusted herself off before turning to Spike saying "I don't tell you how to" she paused "do whatever it is that you do, so I don't need you telling me how to slay"
"Yes you do, you are bloody well all the time telling me what to do. In fact just last night you were telling me" Spike started to argue.
"FINE" Buffy said loudly interrupting him and stomping on ahead looking for the next thing she could pummel.
"Slayer!" Spike yelled as he jogged on to catch up with her. "Slayer" Spike said again as he reached her but still got no response. "Buffy" Spike said as he took a hold of her arm and stepped in front of her. "What's wrong luv?"
"Nothing, everything I don't know" Buffy said her eyes not quite meeting Spike's "I'm just confused and now that Angel is here . . . " she trailed off "and then there was the whole Riley fiasco and then there's" she stopped finally looking into eyes.
"There's me" Spike finished for her.
Buffy just nodded and opened her mouth to speak when she sensed them, more vampires. She looked at Spike and he nodded in the direction that they were coming from. Both Buffy and Spike turned to face where the vamps were and could see them walking calmly towards them.
Buffy removed another stake from back pocket and twirled it in her hand.
"Show off" Spike whispered as the vampires approached the duo.
"You guys are awfully calm seeing how you're going to dust in few seconds," Buffy said to the four.
"We didn't come here to fight Slayer," the head vampire said as he eyed Buffy and Spike cautiously. "I've come with a message from my master"
"Oh is there a new master in town? I guess it would only be polite to hear what he has to say before I go kill him" Buffy said. Spike remained silent by her side. "Go ahead"
"He said that you're days are numbered and that soon he will have his revenge on you and your pet vampire" the leader said as he sneered with disgust in Spikes direction.
"Revenge? Slayer have you made another enemy? You know this wouldn't happen all the time if you weren't so inhospitable to the un-dead citizens of Sunnyhell" Spike said as he lit a cigarette. "Is this the same bloke who sent those band of fledglings after me the other night?"
"Those were not fledgling" the vampire said angrily "One of them was my sire" he said his eyes flashing gold at Spike who just smirked at the vamp. "Our master has become much more powerful now and he will not put up with having traitors like you in his town"
"His town, last I checked this was my town" Spike said his patronizing smirk never wavering.
"I don't know what the hell you two are talking about this is my town and I'm done talking" Buffy said as she quickly threw her stake at one of the flanking vampires.
Spike just as quickly removed a stake from his duster pocket and followed suit by taking out another flanking vamp with the flick of his wrist.
Buffy smiled at him appreciatively and said "You wanna get that other one while me and bloodbreath here have a little chat" she said grabbing the vampire that had done all the talking.
"Sure thing luv" he said as he flicked his half-spent cigarette away and began to walk towards the remaining vampire like a tiger stalking its prey. The vampire screamed very reminiscent to Xander as he ran away. Spike took after him grinning at the smell of fear in the air.
Buffy watched slightly amused as Spike casually chased the frightened vamp before turning her attention back to the shaking vamp in her own clutches. She sat him back down and said "I'm not going to stake you, I've got a little reply for your master. Tell him that I'm not amused by his lame assed attempts at intimidation and hurting my friend and if he knows what's good for him he will get out of town before I find out where he is holed up. Now get lost before I change my mind and stake you anyway"
The vampire gave Buffy a defiant look before turning and running away. Buffy hopped up on the nearest tombstone to wait for Spike and to contemplate her current situation and the blood that was beginning to dry on her knuckled from her previous scuffle.
A few minutes later Spike strolled back into view and walked over to Buffy's spot.
"What took so long?" Buffy said as she hopped off the tombstone and landed directly in front of Spike.
"Miss me pet?" Spike said arching an eyebrow at her.
"As if" Buffy said, "I just got bored" she finished as she crossed her arms across her chest trying to look convincing.
"Sure" Spike said as he slowly ran his hand up her shoulder and under her hair brushing it back for her. His hand continued up her neck and stroked her cheek.
Buffy unconsciously leaned into Spikes touch and her eyes drifted shut as she raised up on her tiptoes as her hands drifted to his chest.
Spike in turn began to lean down when his cell phone rang "Bloody hell" he muttered. "Let's just ignore it" Spike whispered hopefully his face only inches from Buffy's.
Buffy smiled at Spike as her hands drifted downwards towards his waist where she quickly unhooked the phone, spun around and answered it while she walked a couple feet away.
"Hello . . . yeah we're almost done here . . . uh huh . . . . really? . . . . ok . . . . yeah we'll be home in a little bit . . . . ok . . . .bye" she finished, exhaled loudly and tossed the phone back over her shoulder to Spike.
"What was that about?" Spike asked as he snagged the phone out of the air and returning it to his belt.
"Dawn just wanted me to know that they were all waiting us at home, including Angel" Buffy said "We'd better head that way" Spike didn't say anything he just fell in step with Buffy as they headed towards Revello drive.
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Buffy and Spike had walked back to the house in silence. As they approached the side of the house Spike stopped.
"I'll just sneak in the back and head on to bed" Spike said "No sense getting the grand poof riled up right away"
"You don't have to do that Spike" Buffy said her brow furrowing "It's your house too" Buffy said taking Spike's hand in hers.
Spike smiled slightly has he gently rubbed his thumb on the back of Buffy's hand "That's ok pet I'm sure I'll have to deal with Peaches soon enough" he said as he looked down at their entwined hands.
"Thank you Spike, for everything" Buffy said as she lifted herself on her tiptoes and gently brushed her lips against Spikes for a brief moment. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Sure thing, Slayer" Spike said as he straightened up trying to be serious in spite of the large grin the kiss had elicited.
Buffy slowly backed away from Spike and Spike turned and started towards the back of the house.
Once Spike was out of sight Buffy turned and headed for the front door. Noticing that most of the lights in the house were out. She quietly slid her key in the lock and let herself in the house. "Hmm Angel must have decided to see me tomorrow," she said quietly to herself.
Just as she removed her boots she heard "BLOODY HELL!" and a large crashing noise. Buffy bolted toward the kitchen to see a very angry Angel holding Spike by the throat pinning him to the wall. And a very perturbed Spike looking down at him.
"ANGEL!" Buffy yelled. "Put him down this instant!"
Angel turned his head to acknowledge Buffy's presence. "What the hell is he doing sneaking into your house in the middle of the night? And why does he reek of you?" Angel asked angrily.
"Put Spike down now" Buffy repeated just as Willow Tara and Dawn entered the kitchen having been awoken by the ruckus.
"I will not, not until I get some answers" Angel said stubbornly.
"Well I tried" Buffy said shrugging "Go ahead Spike"
Spike quickly grabbed a hold of Angel's wrist squeezing it just as he kicked his grandsire in the stomach knocking him back and breaking Angel's hold on him. Angel was knocked back several feet before hitting the counter. Spike in turn landed gingerly on his feet and bounced a little having enjoyed knocking the poof back but trying not to show it too much.
"Well wasn't that just . . . neat?" Spike asked of no one in particular and was answered with silence. "hmm I'll just be grabbing my dinner" he said as he crossed the room to grab a bag of blood from the refrigerator and headed towards the basement door not bothering to warm up his liquid feast.
Buffy turned and said to the still silent girls "Well I think the show's over and it's safe for you guys to head back to bed," Buffy said as she ushered the girls out of the room.
As Spike crossed in front of Buffy he paused briefly and whispered "Do you want me to stay?"
Before Buffy could respond "I can hear you, you, you" Angel drifted off not being able to come up with a good name to call the blonde vampire that was source of his current discomfort.
Buffy just glared at Angel "It's ok Spike you go on to bed, Angel and I are going to have a little talk about manners"
Spike nodded at Buffy before turning and sticking his tongue out at Angel unbeknownst to the aggravated Slayer. "See you tomorrow" Spike said is his best make nice voice as he headed towards his bedroom.
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As soon as Spike disappeared down into the basement Angel crossed the room to engulf Buffy in a massive hug. "I missed you so much" Angel whispered into her hair. "I thought that I was going to die when Willow told me what happened"
"Angel" Buffy began as she tried to gently free her self from Angel's overwhelming embrace. Before she could do so Angel quickly pulled her up even further into his grasp pressing his lips to hers firmly. After a few brief moments Angel gently sat Buffy back down but his hands continued to lovingly caress her face and hair. "Angel" Buffy tried again. "So much has changed now"
"I know isn't it great the curse is gone" Angel said as grin appeared on his face. Buffy had never witnessed a happy Angel before and she was confused and a little scared by it. Before she could say anything Angel slipped his arm around her and ushered her into the living where he took a seat on the couch and pulled Buffy into his lap. Buffy was too stunned to try and stop his manhandling of her. Angel began to nuzzle her neck whispering about how much he loved and missed her and that everything was going to work out fine now. This went on for a few minutes before Buffy came to her senses.
"Now just wait a minute," Buffy said a hint of anger creeping into her voice as she disengaged her self from Angel and took a seat in the over stuffed chair near the couch.
"First of all, what's this about the curse? Second, Cordelia?" Buffy said her right eyebrow raising incredibly high.
"Do you really want to talk about that now?" Angel said as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck and quietly slid into brooding mode.
"Yes that is the very thing I want to talk about" Buffy said stubbornly.
Angel exhaled a big un-needed breath and started "Did you know that Darla had returned? As a human?" Buffy just nodded her head in agreement once her solemn expression never changing. "Well" Angel continued "Wolfram & Hart brought her back sick, dying so that I would re-vamp her. I don't know what they hoped to gain from it but I couldn't do it. So I appealed to the Oracles and the only way to earn another chance, life was to do a hero's challenge. Well I did it and won only to be told that Darla had already been given her second chance so she couldn't be given another one." Angel paused and looked at Buffy. The anger apparent on her face but she said nothing so he continued. "After Willow came to L.A. and told me of your death I shut down. I locked myself in my room for two weeks refusing to see anyone or eat or even move. After the second week had passed Cordelia" he name came out in a squeak and Angel cleared his throat "Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn battered down my door and reminded me about my earned life. Well I knocked them all down getting out of that room and heading back to the oracles. I went to the Oracles believing I would be able to get you back but they told me that I wasn't your hero that there would be another that would return the chosen one to this plane but they wouldn't tell me who or when or how this would be. I was led to believe that your return wouldn't be for a long long time. Well as you can imagine I was quite upset and began to throw things around and yelling and screaming that what was the point of the damn hero's challenge if I couldn't use my reward to bring back the people I cared for. They basically told me that this was not their concern but instead of a reward of life they gave me the reward of a permanent soul." Angel said finishing his tale.
"And Cordelia?" Buffy asked not letting Angel off the hook that easily.
"Cordi was there when I returned from the Oracles, she refused to let me go back to my room . . ." Angel drifted off.
"No, instead she took you to hers" Buffy said matter of factly.
If Angel could have his face would have been flaming with embarrassment "I, I" he stammered.
"No, that's perfectly fine. I understand." Buffy said surprising even herself that she meant it. "Cordelia is very nice girl, I hope you two will be very happy together" Buffy said as she gave Angel a small smile.
"But Buffy" Angel said as he lunged forward from the couch to kneel in front of Buffy a tear sliding down his cheek "I love you, I can't just"
"Angel, I know I didn't agree at the time, but you were right to leave. We can never be there's just too much bad history, it would never work. I'll always love you, you know that but I just can't do this again. I'm not the same high school Buffy that you fell in love with. I'm a completely different person now and so are you" Buffy said wiping his tears from his face just as one appeared on her own and he in turn wiped her tears away.
"I know your right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it" Angel said quietly before the room was engulfed in silence.
After a few minutes of Buffy finally spoke "It's almost dawn, do you want to stay?"
Angel looked at her longingly and stood up "No, I'd better go"
"But you'll never make it back to L.A. before the sun comes up." Buffy began to argue.
"Cordelia and Wesley insisted on coming with me. They're staying over at the Hyatt. I should go let them know that we're ok. And I'm not leaving until I find out why the hell Spike is living in your basement and how you got back so soon"
"Oh, well umm, you guys should stop by the Magic Box tomorrow before you go home, and we'll fill you in on everything. We met a very interesting demon tonight I'd like to introduce you to him" Buffy said.
Angel gave her a quizzical look but agreed to see her tomorrow and let himself out the front door.
As Angel left Buffy went back to the kitchen to pick up the few things that got knocked over in the scuffle. She then headed to her room yawning. As she passed by the basement door she paused before changing her destination to Spike's room. She quietly opened the door and made her way down the stairs.
TBC
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