I think I got that chapter problem straightened out. Thanks to whoever mentioned it. My internet server is evil incarnate. Can't wait to get my cable modem hooked up (as soon as the IRS check comes). At least that won't keep hanging up while I'm online. Makes it hard to download chapters (or at least know that the entire chapter has been downloaded).
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Spike went over to turn on the lights while Buffy checked on Willow and Tara. "Out cold. But Willow sure looks better. No bruises or cuts. I can think of a few times I could've used that spell. Well, except for the whole unconscious for hours thing afterwards. Spike, can you help me get them upstairs?"
"Pet, are you sure? I don't know that they'd want to wake up with a vampire over them while they're helpless."
Buffy grabbed Willow and started carrying her upstairs. "You could make me carry both of them after all the blood I lost saving your ass." Spike got the implication and lifted Tara, starting to follow Buffy up the stairs.
Tara woke up a little and struggled. "No, put me down. I have to close it and dismiss them."
"Close what? There's nobody else here."
"The circle, the guardians."
"Do you need Red? Or can you do it alone?"
"I opened it, I have to close it." Spike set her back on her feet and stood next to her. She took the knife and chanted--making cutting motions in each of the four cardinal directions.
"Michael, Lord of Flame, I give thee leave to depart to the South.
Rafael, Lord of Air, I give thee leave to depart to the North.
Gabriel, Lord of Water, I give thee leave to depart to the West.
Uriel, Lord of Earth, I give thee leave to depart to the East.
Accept the gratitude of this your servant.
Quit this circle and return when bidden,
fair of form and face, free from guile.
My payment was freely given.
This circle is ended. Such is my will."
She set the knife down. Then she started swaying on her feet.
"Spike, now I'm gonna need you to carry me upstairs." Spike caught her under her knees with one arm and lifted her against his chest. "I'm probably going to be asleep before you get me up there. I'll sleep like the dead." He chuckled. Tara blushed and looked away. "Sorry," she mumbled, "I forgot."
"No offense taken." He carried her upstairs, almost running into an anxious Buffy at the top. "Sorry it took so long. She had to close the circle and dismiss the guardians. She woke up just long enough to do it. She said she'll sleep about as hard as Red."
Buffy moved aside to let him pass. He placed Tara on the cot and covered her with a blanket. "Sweet dreams, witch."
Buffy smiled at him. "Not doing much for the `Big Bad Vampire' reputation, Spike."
Spike headed down the stairs. "Yeah, next I'll be getting hair gel in five gallon buckets. Brooding all day. Letting the Slayer sleep safely in my arms."
Buffy chased him. "Hey, you did that last one! More than once." He met her at the foot of the stairs and kissed her thoroughly. "Spike?"
"Yeah?"
"We need to clean up the mess and get some sleep."
"I know. Slayer business interferes once again. At least tonight I won't have the world's most powerful aphrodisiac singing through my veins while you're in my arms." Buffy looked at him, puzzled. "You didn't know?" Spike asked, incredulous. "Luv, Slayer blood is a vampire aphrodisiac. It's why I killed my second one. Dru and I were having problems and I remembered..." He looked at her stony face and decided discretion was the better part of valor. "But I'm sure you don't want to hear the story. It was a long time ago. Years. Not important now." He trailed off.
Buffy thought for a minute. "My blood is an aphrodisiac? Why on earth would Slayer blood make vampires horny?"
"The power, the richness. It's like an eighteen year old single malt scotch. It bursts on the tongue and leaves you crying for the want of it." Buffy looked at him, still puzzled. He started cleaning up and she helped. "Pet, I can't describe it so you'd understand. It's everything good you've ever tasted, all rolled up in one delectable morsel."
"Oh, so it's like a warm slice of chocolate chip fudge cake with chocolate chip frosting and chocolate sprinkles in a dish with chocolate fudge ribbon ice cream? I understand that part. If I ever actually ate it, though, I'd either puke or crash and burn after coming down from the sugar high."
He thought for a moment. "Have you ever wanted something so expensive or impossible to get that you ached for it? Burned for it? Would do almost anything for it?" She teared up and nodded. "I didn't mean to make you sad. Buffy, what is it? What could you want that badly?"
She started to cry. "My mom. Ever since I came back, I've wanted my mom. She was there with me in Heaven. I was dragged away from her."
He put his arms around her. "Shhhh. She'll still be there waiting for you. Joyce was a good lady. I miss her too. Did you know she made me promise to take care of you if she didn't make it? This was way back when you brought her and Dawn to my crypt for protection. I think she knew she wasn't going to make it and wanted to make sure somebody strong was going to help you." She had settled to the occasional sniffle by this time. "Now, let's get the witches mess cleaned up so we can get some sleep. I think the waiting tomorrow is going to make us both surly, let's not make it worse with no sleep on top of things."
She backed out of his embrace. "Yeah. Slayer business. Yay. Let's get things cleaned up and lie down and do nothing again tonight because somebody else is sleeping in my room which actually has a door." They cleaned up in silence. Spike made up the couch until it resembled a bed, then took off his shirt and boots and settled in. Buffy had changed into a huge t-shirt and shorts and squeezed in next to him. "Spike?"
"Yeah?" He struggled to find a comfortable spot for his downside arm.
"Thanks."
"For what?" Finally, under the pillow and her head. She relaxed against him, sighing.
"For being a gentleman the other night. For listening. For staying when you didn't have to. For waiting when I can't give you an answer. Just thanks." She felt a cool kiss on the back of her neck.
"Didn't think I'd like it short, but it's easier to find your neck without all that hair in my way."
"Well, that's something comforting to hear from a vampire right before going to sleep in his arms." She rolled over and smiled mischievously at him. "Nope, too afraid to sleep now. I guess you'll just have to stay awake and keep me company until I calm down."
He tightened his arms around her, pulling her even closer to him. "If I keep you company, we're not going to get much sleep. Especially with you pressed up against me like that."
She kissed him. "You talk too much. Make with the smoochies. I want to be kissed to sleep."
"Slayer, if I start kissing you, you're not going to want to sleep." Trying to prove his point he kissed her, deeply and completely.
"Air." She gasped, pulling away. "Remember that one of us has to breathe. Passing out doesn't count as sleeping." She could feel his arousal. "Spike, this wasn't such a good idea. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be a tease. I just wanted to...I don't know what I wanted to do."
Spike took a deep unneeded breath. "I know what you wanted to do. That's part of the power I was telling you about. You wanted to prove to both of us that I want you." He took another breath and sighed it out, closing his eyes. "I do want you, but not like this. Not with us supposed to be on watch and everyone else depending on us for protection. Go to sleep, Slayer." She rolled back over and snuggled closer. In a few minutes Buffy was fast asleep.
She woke to the sound of silverware clattering on the floor. "Dawn? Is that you?"
"Yeah. I hate this stupid cast. I can't even get breakfast without dropping something. Sorry."
"Would you rather have Chinese food? I can warm it up for you." She sat up and stretched. She felt incredibly rested.
"Sounds good. As long as I don't have to use chopsticks. Some rice. With milk and sugar. Without the actual Chinese food part." Buffy padded over to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "I think the rice is in the big cartons. I'll get a bowl. Do you want one, Buffy?"
A voice from the living room asked, "any blood in there? If there is, I'll take it over some rice. Both heated, if you please. Nothing else, though. There's garlic in the lot."
"Spike, I don't know who has more disgusting taste in breakfast, you or Dawn."
Dawn piped up with her contribution. "Spike eats blood on cream of wheat. Nothing I could eat is more disgusting."
Spike weighed in with, "Oh, so peanut butter chip banana popcorn pancakes that'll flip themselves aren't even in the running then?"
Buffy paled. "Spike, you're gonna have to get breakfast for Dawn. I'm getting sick just thinking about it." She went back over to the couch and plopped down. Dawn looked at Spike and shrugged.
"Are you all right, pet?" he asked, concerned. At Buffy's nod, he looked over at Dawn. "She's pretty squeamish for a Slayer, isn't she, Nibblet?"
Dawn laughed. "Ever since we were little, Buffy has felt icky in the morning. That's why she doesn't eat breakfast very much. If there's ever a six a.m. demon invasion we're all goners. It'll be slay, barf, slay, barf. But she can talk about demon slime and guts any time after about noon."
Spike thought about it. "Probably part of the Slayer package. Vampires are mostly nocturnal, so why wouldn't a Slayer be set up the same? Makes sense if you think about it. I'll bet Buffy has better night vision than most humans, too."
Dawn knew this answer. "Are you kidding? Buffy has better night vision than most cats. When we lived in LA we used to play hide-n-seek in the dark. Buffy always won. There wasn't a kid on our street who could beat her. So, what did I miss last night with Willow and Tara?"
A voice from the couch piped up, "Chanting, herb burning, a very small amount of blood, more chanting, Willow got worse, gold glowy lights, a breeze through the whole house, Willow got healed, they fell asleep. That's pretty much it, isn't it Spike?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Hey! this is human blood. Who got this for me?" Buffy looked at Dawn.
She glared at Spike. "Great, now you're gonna get me in trouble. I had Anya pick it up. I told her since they were picking up dinner, they could pick up for Spike, too. Since the Chinese place puts garlic in everything, it would only be fair to bring something he could eat." Buffy looked at her sister. She had done a lot of growing up over the summer.
"Dawn, the only thing I'm going to say is that I'm proud of you. That was a very thoughtful thing to do. I didn't even think of it and I'm the one involved with him." Dawn looked down, embarrassed.
Spike replied, "yeah, Nibblet and I take care of each other. Don't feel bad about not remembering me though, you were still pretty drained yesterday." The sisters looked at Spike, then at each other. They started giggling. "What? Did I miss something?"
Buffy and Dawn looked at each other again. "Drained," they said in unison. Then they collapsed into gales of giggles.
Spike just looked at them, shaking his head. Then he looked upstairs and cocked his head. "Someone's up. I just heard them get out of bed." Buffy and Dawn looked at each other.
"Geez, Buffy, I think he has better hearing than mom did. Remember when we'd be doing something upstairs and she'd yell `what are you doing? It's too quiet up there'?"
Buffy got a distant look on her face. "Sometimes I wish we could go back to being little kids. It would be nice not to be the Slayer for a while. I can't have a normal life, and yours isn't much closer to normal."
Dawn thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, but if you were a normal girl, I wouldn't be your sister. I'd either be a green glowy blob of energy; a used up former green glowy blob of energy; or possibly just a dead girl on a tower. And before you found out you were the Slayer, you were a shallow ditz with shallow ditzy friends. Popular, but not very nice. I like you a lot better now."
"Yeah, and you were such a tattletale. `Mo-om, Buffy's in your makeup. Mo-om, Buffy's wearing your brand new sweater.' I never did understand how you could make a three letter word into two syllables."
Tara came over to the couch and sat next to Buffy. Buffy noticed the clean clothes and towel Tara had in her hands. "Didn't know how much linen Giles left, so I brought my own towel and washcloth. I also have my sleeping bag, I just forgot to take it upstairs and put it on the cot last night."
"Feeling any better?"
"Much. I slept like the d...I slept really hard. Hey, thanks for cleaning up. I was too tired last night, I was going to save it for this morning, before my shower."
Buffy shrugged. "No big, you two didn't leave much of a mess. Didn't know where you wanted the knife, the bowl, and the rock. We just wiped them off so there weren't any ashes and put them in your bag. The herbs and matches are in your bag, too. So, can you tell if the spells worked? I mean the healing one was pretty obvious, but how about the `Rack can't call me' one?"
Tara thought about it for a moment. "Well, she isn't twitching in her sleep like she was. She's not calling for him. And I don't think the healing would have worked if she hadn't broken the bond. That particular healing entity doesn't like demons, and won't do anything to help one, even indirectly." Tara looked pensive. "She's trying so hard to be good."
Buffy put a comforting arm around her. "It was a bad summer for all us. Not that I can remember any of it, but I think she turned to the darker stuff to protect everyone. Motives good, execution not so good. Do you ever think you two will get back together?" She let go of Tara and put her hands out in front of herself, palms upward. "No pressure. Just because I like the two of you together."
Dawn sat down on the other side of Tara and gave her a squeeze. "Yeah, I miss my other guardian angel. The one I can talk to about girly stuff. Spike isn't too good at that part."
A muffled choking was heard from the kitchen. "Guardian angel? You take that back! How about your demon protector? I like the sound of that better." Spike came out of the kitchen.
Buffy got up and walked over to him, a sultry smile on her face and mischief in her eyes. She sighed and put her arms around his waist, gazing deeply into his eyes. "You mean you won't be my poor baby sister's guardian angel?" Spike looked at her suspiciously--Buffy was up to something. "With us being all alone in the world. With no means of repayment except..." She pulled him closer, raising on her toes to whisper in his ear, "my poor, defenseless body." She felt him relax into her embrace, then he pulled her closer, seeking her mouth. She leaned into him, enjoying the feel of his body pressed against her.
Then she started the tickling. Dawn knew this game and had been watching her sister. When the time was right, she swooped in for an attack. She knew that since she still was in a cast her sister wouldn't fight back and Spike couldn't hurt her, so she tickled indiscriminately and immercifully. Whoever was on the bottom at the moment could expect her help. Tara sat on the couch listening to the squeals and providing color commentary. Finally everyone was all tickled out. Dawn sat on the couch, arm throbbing with the excessive exertion. Buffy looked down at Spike, who was trapped under her. "Say it."
"Say what, luv? If you'll stay right there I'll tell you anything." Buffy blushed, but did not relinquish her hold on him.
"Say how much you enjoy being one of the good guys. Fitting in with the good guys. Fighting by our side. Say it."
He smirked his sexiest smile. "Make me." She wouldn't start anything with an audience, especially if one of the witnesses was her baby sister.
She reached around his head with both hands, entwining her fingers in his hair. She lowered her face to his and looked deeply into his eyes. Then she licked his bottom lip. "Say it."
His eyes widened. Maybe she would start something with people watching. "Not what I had in mind as a spectator sport, but anything to oblige a lady." Guiltily, she looked over at the couch. Nobody there. She concentrated. She could hear the shower start running and someone noisily rummaging around in Dawn's new room.
"Nobody to hear you beg for mercy but me, Spikey." He struggled to raise up enough to capture her lips. She leaned back, tantalizingly just out of his reach. He could feel how turned on she was. "No, not until you say it." She leaned forward just enough that she could lick his cheek. He leaned forward and slowly turned his head into it, presenting the entire side of his face. She grabbed his earlobe in her teeth, nibbling.
"Make me," he whispered. She leaned even closer, so her entire body was pressed the length of his. He could feel the heat of her body, hear her blood racing through her veins, smell the scent of her arousal. She licked the side of his neck and then gently bit it. He drew in a ragged breath and released it just as raggedly. "Buffy, do you know what you're doing to me? What you're asking me to say? I'm a vampire. Doing good is against my nature."
She leaned back and looked into his eyes again. "Please, Spike. I need to hear it. I'll never tell anyone else, I'll never even mention it to you again if you don't want me to. But I need to know. Do you enjoy it, when you're with us, one of the good guys?" The importance of her question was reflected in her eyes. She looked at him solemnly, willing to wait all morning if she had to for an answer.
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Spike went over to turn on the lights while Buffy checked on Willow and Tara. "Out cold. But Willow sure looks better. No bruises or cuts. I can think of a few times I could've used that spell. Well, except for the whole unconscious for hours thing afterwards. Spike, can you help me get them upstairs?"
"Pet, are you sure? I don't know that they'd want to wake up with a vampire over them while they're helpless."
Buffy grabbed Willow and started carrying her upstairs. "You could make me carry both of them after all the blood I lost saving your ass." Spike got the implication and lifted Tara, starting to follow Buffy up the stairs.
Tara woke up a little and struggled. "No, put me down. I have to close it and dismiss them."
"Close what? There's nobody else here."
"The circle, the guardians."
"Do you need Red? Or can you do it alone?"
"I opened it, I have to close it." Spike set her back on her feet and stood next to her. She took the knife and chanted--making cutting motions in each of the four cardinal directions.
"Michael, Lord of Flame, I give thee leave to depart to the South.
Rafael, Lord of Air, I give thee leave to depart to the North.
Gabriel, Lord of Water, I give thee leave to depart to the West.
Uriel, Lord of Earth, I give thee leave to depart to the East.
Accept the gratitude of this your servant.
Quit this circle and return when bidden,
fair of form and face, free from guile.
My payment was freely given.
This circle is ended. Such is my will."
She set the knife down. Then she started swaying on her feet.
"Spike, now I'm gonna need you to carry me upstairs." Spike caught her under her knees with one arm and lifted her against his chest. "I'm probably going to be asleep before you get me up there. I'll sleep like the dead." He chuckled. Tara blushed and looked away. "Sorry," she mumbled, "I forgot."
"No offense taken." He carried her upstairs, almost running into an anxious Buffy at the top. "Sorry it took so long. She had to close the circle and dismiss the guardians. She woke up just long enough to do it. She said she'll sleep about as hard as Red."
Buffy moved aside to let him pass. He placed Tara on the cot and covered her with a blanket. "Sweet dreams, witch."
Buffy smiled at him. "Not doing much for the `Big Bad Vampire' reputation, Spike."
Spike headed down the stairs. "Yeah, next I'll be getting hair gel in five gallon buckets. Brooding all day. Letting the Slayer sleep safely in my arms."
Buffy chased him. "Hey, you did that last one! More than once." He met her at the foot of the stairs and kissed her thoroughly. "Spike?"
"Yeah?"
"We need to clean up the mess and get some sleep."
"I know. Slayer business interferes once again. At least tonight I won't have the world's most powerful aphrodisiac singing through my veins while you're in my arms." Buffy looked at him, puzzled. "You didn't know?" Spike asked, incredulous. "Luv, Slayer blood is a vampire aphrodisiac. It's why I killed my second one. Dru and I were having problems and I remembered..." He looked at her stony face and decided discretion was the better part of valor. "But I'm sure you don't want to hear the story. It was a long time ago. Years. Not important now." He trailed off.
Buffy thought for a minute. "My blood is an aphrodisiac? Why on earth would Slayer blood make vampires horny?"
"The power, the richness. It's like an eighteen year old single malt scotch. It bursts on the tongue and leaves you crying for the want of it." Buffy looked at him, still puzzled. He started cleaning up and she helped. "Pet, I can't describe it so you'd understand. It's everything good you've ever tasted, all rolled up in one delectable morsel."
"Oh, so it's like a warm slice of chocolate chip fudge cake with chocolate chip frosting and chocolate sprinkles in a dish with chocolate fudge ribbon ice cream? I understand that part. If I ever actually ate it, though, I'd either puke or crash and burn after coming down from the sugar high."
He thought for a moment. "Have you ever wanted something so expensive or impossible to get that you ached for it? Burned for it? Would do almost anything for it?" She teared up and nodded. "I didn't mean to make you sad. Buffy, what is it? What could you want that badly?"
She started to cry. "My mom. Ever since I came back, I've wanted my mom. She was there with me in Heaven. I was dragged away from her."
He put his arms around her. "Shhhh. She'll still be there waiting for you. Joyce was a good lady. I miss her too. Did you know she made me promise to take care of you if she didn't make it? This was way back when you brought her and Dawn to my crypt for protection. I think she knew she wasn't going to make it and wanted to make sure somebody strong was going to help you." She had settled to the occasional sniffle by this time. "Now, let's get the witches mess cleaned up so we can get some sleep. I think the waiting tomorrow is going to make us both surly, let's not make it worse with no sleep on top of things."
She backed out of his embrace. "Yeah. Slayer business. Yay. Let's get things cleaned up and lie down and do nothing again tonight because somebody else is sleeping in my room which actually has a door." They cleaned up in silence. Spike made up the couch until it resembled a bed, then took off his shirt and boots and settled in. Buffy had changed into a huge t-shirt and shorts and squeezed in next to him. "Spike?"
"Yeah?" He struggled to find a comfortable spot for his downside arm.
"Thanks."
"For what?" Finally, under the pillow and her head. She relaxed against him, sighing.
"For being a gentleman the other night. For listening. For staying when you didn't have to. For waiting when I can't give you an answer. Just thanks." She felt a cool kiss on the back of her neck.
"Didn't think I'd like it short, but it's easier to find your neck without all that hair in my way."
"Well, that's something comforting to hear from a vampire right before going to sleep in his arms." She rolled over and smiled mischievously at him. "Nope, too afraid to sleep now. I guess you'll just have to stay awake and keep me company until I calm down."
He tightened his arms around her, pulling her even closer to him. "If I keep you company, we're not going to get much sleep. Especially with you pressed up against me like that."
She kissed him. "You talk too much. Make with the smoochies. I want to be kissed to sleep."
"Slayer, if I start kissing you, you're not going to want to sleep." Trying to prove his point he kissed her, deeply and completely.
"Air." She gasped, pulling away. "Remember that one of us has to breathe. Passing out doesn't count as sleeping." She could feel his arousal. "Spike, this wasn't such a good idea. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be a tease. I just wanted to...I don't know what I wanted to do."
Spike took a deep unneeded breath. "I know what you wanted to do. That's part of the power I was telling you about. You wanted to prove to both of us that I want you." He took another breath and sighed it out, closing his eyes. "I do want you, but not like this. Not with us supposed to be on watch and everyone else depending on us for protection. Go to sleep, Slayer." She rolled back over and snuggled closer. In a few minutes Buffy was fast asleep.
She woke to the sound of silverware clattering on the floor. "Dawn? Is that you?"
"Yeah. I hate this stupid cast. I can't even get breakfast without dropping something. Sorry."
"Would you rather have Chinese food? I can warm it up for you." She sat up and stretched. She felt incredibly rested.
"Sounds good. As long as I don't have to use chopsticks. Some rice. With milk and sugar. Without the actual Chinese food part." Buffy padded over to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "I think the rice is in the big cartons. I'll get a bowl. Do you want one, Buffy?"
A voice from the living room asked, "any blood in there? If there is, I'll take it over some rice. Both heated, if you please. Nothing else, though. There's garlic in the lot."
"Spike, I don't know who has more disgusting taste in breakfast, you or Dawn."
Dawn piped up with her contribution. "Spike eats blood on cream of wheat. Nothing I could eat is more disgusting."
Spike weighed in with, "Oh, so peanut butter chip banana popcorn pancakes that'll flip themselves aren't even in the running then?"
Buffy paled. "Spike, you're gonna have to get breakfast for Dawn. I'm getting sick just thinking about it." She went back over to the couch and plopped down. Dawn looked at Spike and shrugged.
"Are you all right, pet?" he asked, concerned. At Buffy's nod, he looked over at Dawn. "She's pretty squeamish for a Slayer, isn't she, Nibblet?"
Dawn laughed. "Ever since we were little, Buffy has felt icky in the morning. That's why she doesn't eat breakfast very much. If there's ever a six a.m. demon invasion we're all goners. It'll be slay, barf, slay, barf. But she can talk about demon slime and guts any time after about noon."
Spike thought about it. "Probably part of the Slayer package. Vampires are mostly nocturnal, so why wouldn't a Slayer be set up the same? Makes sense if you think about it. I'll bet Buffy has better night vision than most humans, too."
Dawn knew this answer. "Are you kidding? Buffy has better night vision than most cats. When we lived in LA we used to play hide-n-seek in the dark. Buffy always won. There wasn't a kid on our street who could beat her. So, what did I miss last night with Willow and Tara?"
A voice from the couch piped up, "Chanting, herb burning, a very small amount of blood, more chanting, Willow got worse, gold glowy lights, a breeze through the whole house, Willow got healed, they fell asleep. That's pretty much it, isn't it Spike?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Hey! this is human blood. Who got this for me?" Buffy looked at Dawn.
She glared at Spike. "Great, now you're gonna get me in trouble. I had Anya pick it up. I told her since they were picking up dinner, they could pick up for Spike, too. Since the Chinese place puts garlic in everything, it would only be fair to bring something he could eat." Buffy looked at her sister. She had done a lot of growing up over the summer.
"Dawn, the only thing I'm going to say is that I'm proud of you. That was a very thoughtful thing to do. I didn't even think of it and I'm the one involved with him." Dawn looked down, embarrassed.
Spike replied, "yeah, Nibblet and I take care of each other. Don't feel bad about not remembering me though, you were still pretty drained yesterday." The sisters looked at Spike, then at each other. They started giggling. "What? Did I miss something?"
Buffy and Dawn looked at each other again. "Drained," they said in unison. Then they collapsed into gales of giggles.
Spike just looked at them, shaking his head. Then he looked upstairs and cocked his head. "Someone's up. I just heard them get out of bed." Buffy and Dawn looked at each other.
"Geez, Buffy, I think he has better hearing than mom did. Remember when we'd be doing something upstairs and she'd yell `what are you doing? It's too quiet up there'?"
Buffy got a distant look on her face. "Sometimes I wish we could go back to being little kids. It would be nice not to be the Slayer for a while. I can't have a normal life, and yours isn't much closer to normal."
Dawn thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, but if you were a normal girl, I wouldn't be your sister. I'd either be a green glowy blob of energy; a used up former green glowy blob of energy; or possibly just a dead girl on a tower. And before you found out you were the Slayer, you were a shallow ditz with shallow ditzy friends. Popular, but not very nice. I like you a lot better now."
"Yeah, and you were such a tattletale. `Mo-om, Buffy's in your makeup. Mo-om, Buffy's wearing your brand new sweater.' I never did understand how you could make a three letter word into two syllables."
Tara came over to the couch and sat next to Buffy. Buffy noticed the clean clothes and towel Tara had in her hands. "Didn't know how much linen Giles left, so I brought my own towel and washcloth. I also have my sleeping bag, I just forgot to take it upstairs and put it on the cot last night."
"Feeling any better?"
"Much. I slept like the d...I slept really hard. Hey, thanks for cleaning up. I was too tired last night, I was going to save it for this morning, before my shower."
Buffy shrugged. "No big, you two didn't leave much of a mess. Didn't know where you wanted the knife, the bowl, and the rock. We just wiped them off so there weren't any ashes and put them in your bag. The herbs and matches are in your bag, too. So, can you tell if the spells worked? I mean the healing one was pretty obvious, but how about the `Rack can't call me' one?"
Tara thought about it for a moment. "Well, she isn't twitching in her sleep like she was. She's not calling for him. And I don't think the healing would have worked if she hadn't broken the bond. That particular healing entity doesn't like demons, and won't do anything to help one, even indirectly." Tara looked pensive. "She's trying so hard to be good."
Buffy put a comforting arm around her. "It was a bad summer for all us. Not that I can remember any of it, but I think she turned to the darker stuff to protect everyone. Motives good, execution not so good. Do you ever think you two will get back together?" She let go of Tara and put her hands out in front of herself, palms upward. "No pressure. Just because I like the two of you together."
Dawn sat down on the other side of Tara and gave her a squeeze. "Yeah, I miss my other guardian angel. The one I can talk to about girly stuff. Spike isn't too good at that part."
A muffled choking was heard from the kitchen. "Guardian angel? You take that back! How about your demon protector? I like the sound of that better." Spike came out of the kitchen.
Buffy got up and walked over to him, a sultry smile on her face and mischief in her eyes. She sighed and put her arms around his waist, gazing deeply into his eyes. "You mean you won't be my poor baby sister's guardian angel?" Spike looked at her suspiciously--Buffy was up to something. "With us being all alone in the world. With no means of repayment except..." She pulled him closer, raising on her toes to whisper in his ear, "my poor, defenseless body." She felt him relax into her embrace, then he pulled her closer, seeking her mouth. She leaned into him, enjoying the feel of his body pressed against her.
Then she started the tickling. Dawn knew this game and had been watching her sister. When the time was right, she swooped in for an attack. She knew that since she still was in a cast her sister wouldn't fight back and Spike couldn't hurt her, so she tickled indiscriminately and immercifully. Whoever was on the bottom at the moment could expect her help. Tara sat on the couch listening to the squeals and providing color commentary. Finally everyone was all tickled out. Dawn sat on the couch, arm throbbing with the excessive exertion. Buffy looked down at Spike, who was trapped under her. "Say it."
"Say what, luv? If you'll stay right there I'll tell you anything." Buffy blushed, but did not relinquish her hold on him.
"Say how much you enjoy being one of the good guys. Fitting in with the good guys. Fighting by our side. Say it."
He smirked his sexiest smile. "Make me." She wouldn't start anything with an audience, especially if one of the witnesses was her baby sister.
She reached around his head with both hands, entwining her fingers in his hair. She lowered her face to his and looked deeply into his eyes. Then she licked his bottom lip. "Say it."
His eyes widened. Maybe she would start something with people watching. "Not what I had in mind as a spectator sport, but anything to oblige a lady." Guiltily, she looked over at the couch. Nobody there. She concentrated. She could hear the shower start running and someone noisily rummaging around in Dawn's new room.
"Nobody to hear you beg for mercy but me, Spikey." He struggled to raise up enough to capture her lips. She leaned back, tantalizingly just out of his reach. He could feel how turned on she was. "No, not until you say it." She leaned forward just enough that she could lick his cheek. He leaned forward and slowly turned his head into it, presenting the entire side of his face. She grabbed his earlobe in her teeth, nibbling.
"Make me," he whispered. She leaned even closer, so her entire body was pressed the length of his. He could feel the heat of her body, hear her blood racing through her veins, smell the scent of her arousal. She licked the side of his neck and then gently bit it. He drew in a ragged breath and released it just as raggedly. "Buffy, do you know what you're doing to me? What you're asking me to say? I'm a vampire. Doing good is against my nature."
She leaned back and looked into his eyes again. "Please, Spike. I need to hear it. I'll never tell anyone else, I'll never even mention it to you again if you don't want me to. But I need to know. Do you enjoy it, when you're with us, one of the good guys?" The importance of her question was reflected in her eyes. She looked at him solemnly, willing to wait all morning if she had to for an answer.