Ladybard Chapter 11, by Slayergirl.
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"Well, Stella Joy Summers has finally gone to sleep," announced a weary Spike coming up from the basement. He poured a mug of blood for himself and heated it in the microwave while making Buffy a cup of tea.
"What did you do, hypnotise her?" she teased. "She's just like Dawn was as a baby." She frowned. "Except that Dawn wasn't a baby and that's a created memory."
"I heard that!" said her sister, giggling round the doorframe. She'd long since ceased to let her existence, or non-existence, bother her.
"You always were hyperactive!" said Buffy, pursing her lips in mock- disapproval. "Always getting yourself into trouble!"
Dawn grinned in reply. "Well, bad auntie Dawn's going out."
"Stake?"
She waved a pointed stick at her sister as a form of farewell, and slammed the door behind her.
Spike smiled. "Maybe we'll get some peace and quiet for a bit."
"Until Xander brings Willow back, yes. Well, enjoy it while we can."
They snuggled quietly on the sofa for a while, until Spike cleared his throat. "Um, got something for you."
"Oh?"
He pulled a little packet out of his pocket, and took out a small, delicate ring. "Diamond and platinum. Don't like gold," he said, a little abashed.
"Why…?"
He gave her a sly grin. "Make an honest woman of you!" he teased.
"You're suggesting – that we – uh…?"
"Well, if you want to. But the claim binds us more than a piece of paper ever could. That's – if you like – just a physical reminder of it."
"The telepathy and the mark on my neck aren't enough of a physical reminder?" she laughed. "Not to mention Stella?"
"Mm… and the way you feel about me," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.
"That goes without saying," she murmured in reply as she turned round to kiss him. She felt him slip the ring onto her finger, and smiled up at him.
"You know, you're incredibly beautiful," he said tenderly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
She blushed. "So are you. In a masculine way, of course."
He smiled and bent down to kiss her.
'Need to breathe!' she thought laughingly.
He sat back, giving her a crooked smile. "Sorry, love. Got a bit carried away there."
She nestled down into his arms. "I like evenings like this. Stella sleeping, just the two of us curled up on the sofa… it feels as though nothing could possibly go wrong."
He shook his head, smiling. "Shouldn't say things like that, love. You know what happens." Right on cue, Stella began to wail. Buffy rolled her eyes. "Your turn!" he laughed as she dragged herself away from him with a sigh.
"Children! Who'd have them?" she muttered as she traipsed down to the basement and her wide-awake and screaming child.
TBC…
*** *** *** ***
"Well, Stella Joy Summers has finally gone to sleep," announced a weary Spike coming up from the basement. He poured a mug of blood for himself and heated it in the microwave while making Buffy a cup of tea.
"What did you do, hypnotise her?" she teased. "She's just like Dawn was as a baby." She frowned. "Except that Dawn wasn't a baby and that's a created memory."
"I heard that!" said her sister, giggling round the doorframe. She'd long since ceased to let her existence, or non-existence, bother her.
"You always were hyperactive!" said Buffy, pursing her lips in mock- disapproval. "Always getting yourself into trouble!"
Dawn grinned in reply. "Well, bad auntie Dawn's going out."
"Stake?"
She waved a pointed stick at her sister as a form of farewell, and slammed the door behind her.
Spike smiled. "Maybe we'll get some peace and quiet for a bit."
"Until Xander brings Willow back, yes. Well, enjoy it while we can."
They snuggled quietly on the sofa for a while, until Spike cleared his throat. "Um, got something for you."
"Oh?"
He pulled a little packet out of his pocket, and took out a small, delicate ring. "Diamond and platinum. Don't like gold," he said, a little abashed.
"Why…?"
He gave her a sly grin. "Make an honest woman of you!" he teased.
"You're suggesting – that we – uh…?"
"Well, if you want to. But the claim binds us more than a piece of paper ever could. That's – if you like – just a physical reminder of it."
"The telepathy and the mark on my neck aren't enough of a physical reminder?" she laughed. "Not to mention Stella?"
"Mm… and the way you feel about me," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.
"That goes without saying," she murmured in reply as she turned round to kiss him. She felt him slip the ring onto her finger, and smiled up at him.
"You know, you're incredibly beautiful," he said tenderly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
She blushed. "So are you. In a masculine way, of course."
He smiled and bent down to kiss her.
'Need to breathe!' she thought laughingly.
He sat back, giving her a crooked smile. "Sorry, love. Got a bit carried away there."
She nestled down into his arms. "I like evenings like this. Stella sleeping, just the two of us curled up on the sofa… it feels as though nothing could possibly go wrong."
He shook his head, smiling. "Shouldn't say things like that, love. You know what happens." Right on cue, Stella began to wail. Buffy rolled her eyes. "Your turn!" he laughed as she dragged herself away from him with a sigh.
"Children! Who'd have them?" she muttered as she traipsed down to the basement and her wide-awake and screaming child.
TBC…