Spell Checked
**Update!! I just re-posted ch. 11, 12, and this is 13 re-posted. All are now in archive quality. LdyEmma425 is my beta reader, and she has finals. I would like everyone who reads to wish her luck. While I thank God I am no longer in school. LOL This chapter is longer than the others, and will get the story's plot going while answering some Spuffy questions. Nakey Spike.
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Title: Deserving
Author: Kaylorin
Beta read by: LdyEmma425
Synopsis: Begins directly after Grave. My season 7. Loosely based on spoilers and speculation. Buffy has begun her life after the events of Tara's death. Spike has changed for her. There is a new BB that brings Buffy back to her roots as The Slayer.
Rating: R (for now)
Distribution: Fine with me, make sure it's the final edited copy (indicated by 5 * after spell checked), and let me know where it's going. My e-mail is kaylorin90@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: I own this story, but not Buffy, Angel, or anything Joss does.
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When we last left our heroes, Jason was finally asking Buffy out. Spike was waiting to hear her answer. Xander was running off, while Dawn, Anya and Willow were all at the shop wondering what Buffy was going to tell Jason.
********** ***********
William
Dawn and Willow watched from the table as Spike clenched his jaw. Anya stood behind the counter, getting the days paperwork in order for closing.
In all honesty, Spike hadn't said a thing about how he felt about Buffy. Not to her anyway. Both ladies at the table could see from the look on his face, that his love for Buffy was still as strong as ever.
Buffy stood in front of Jason, still unsure what to say. Spike hadn't said a thing to her about his feelings. What was worse was the fact that his humanity was beginning to help her understand feeling for him that, until now, made her think she was going against her duties. Her birthright.
She waited. Waited for Spike to say something. The old Spike would have walked right up to Jason and made some backhanded comment, but he stayed in place quietly.
Jason's smile was beginning to fade when he noted the amount of thought Buffy was putting into a simple yes or no answer. He wondered if it had to do with the unfamiliar male who was currently standing at the table with Buffy's friend, and sister.
When Spike didn't move, or make a sound, Buffy was shocked. She was also angry. She plastered her, well practiced Doublemeat smile on. "Sure. I'd love to."
Willow's jaw dropped. Followed by Dawn's. Anya rolled her eyes, then walked to the front door, and flipped the Open sign over to Closed.
Spike grumbled under his breath. "Bloody well should 'ave known. Not even bein' 'uman would change things." He placed a few more stakes in his jacket's hiding places. He was now definitely in the mood to Slay.
Jason looked back to se the flipped sign. "I better get out of here, but I'll pick you up. Around seven?" Jason was smiling again, as he walked to the door.
"Sounds good. Just come here."
"Tomorrow night then?"
Buffy nodded, and Anya locked the door after he walked out.
When Buffy turned and walked back to the table, she saw that Spike was adjusting a few of his stakes. He didn't look at her, almost as though she wasn't that important anymore. She sighed. 'He has changed.'
Dawn and Willow just stared at her accusingly, but Buffy shrugged it off. If Spike had a problem, he would have said something by now. "You ready?" She asked him.
Spike looked up at her. There were definitely times when having a soul didn't help. This was one of them in his opinion. His insides felt like they were being torn in half. A year ago he would have been more angry than hurt, but now. Now it hurt more than it angered him.
The pain was plain on the flushed face she saw. His eyes were sullen.
"Oh God." Willow nearly cried when his thoughts reached her.
"Spike?" was all Buffy said.
He couldn't look at her. Instead he turned and headed out the back door.
"What just happened?" Buffy looked at her sister.
"Are you stupid?" Dawn asked simply.
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah. Are you stupid?" Willow repeated Dawn's question.
Anya raised her hand. "I vote yes."
Buffy turned around to face the demon. "What?!"
"Buffy," Dawn started. Her older sister turned back to face her. "Spike's still in love with you, and you just made a date right in front of him."
"No, he's not." Buffy shook her head and looked back at her sister. "If Spike was still in love with me, he would have said something to me. Either that or knocked Jason across the room."
Anya came over to Buffy. "Spike the Vampire would have. William: a.k.a. Spike, apparently doesn't go off half cocked."
"Buffy, you need to tell him." Willow spoke softly.
Buffy looked at the door the former Vampire had just walked out of. Without a word, she took off after him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scotch. The universal friend of misery, was sitting on the bar in front of Xander. Willy's was slow tonight, but he was not alone. The demon's in the bar recognized him, but left him alone. Here in Willy's, getting drunk was an equal right, regardless of race, creed or humanity.
"Another?" The bartender asked.
"Make that five 'anothers', and you'll have a friend for life." Xander set down a twenty on the bar, and a bottle was set in front of him.
"Have at it." The barkeep turned his back and walked to another customer.
Xander was on his third shot when a familiar demon sat on the seat next to him. Xander glanced over. "Oh. Hi Clem."
Clem waved his fleshy hand. "Hiya." He got the bartender's attention, and was soon drinking down a colorful drink with a small umbrella.
"I take it you saw Spike?" The demon asked.
Xander looked over at him. "How'd you guess?"
"You and him never did get along too well. Figured nothing could be as bad for you than the guy who slept with your ex coming back."
Xander wavered in his seat. "It's not that." He took another shot. "Ok well it's partly that." He turned in his seat to face the strange, although unofficial friend of the Scoobs. "It's just that, every time a Vampire comes back all souled, we're all supposed to act like he never did anything wrong."
"Every time? I thought it was twice?" Clem sipped on his drink.
"Well it was, but still. It's Spike."
"But it's not. Not anymore. No demon, not even one held back by a soul."
Xander poured another shot. "No! He's a Slayer." He threw his head back and gulped the shot. "Spike! For God's sake, are the fates crazy?"
Clem couldn't help but laugh. "Do you think they were crazy for choosing Buffy?"
"No. But then there's Faith." Xander played with the empty shot glass with his hands. "She's the worst version of a Slayer."
Clem had heard a few stories about Faith from Dawn. She had sounded like a nut in his opinion. "True, but Spike went through the trials himself. He wasn't born from a line, he was made to fight."
Xander emptied the bottle into his shot glass. He raised it. "Here's to Sunnydale. Where Vampires become Slayers, and Slayer fall in love with Vampires."
Clem watched him down the drink. "Did you ever here about the first Slayer."
"Better than that. I met her in a dream."
Clem looked at him strangely.
"It's a thing. Don't ask." Xander placed the shot glass upside down on the bar.
The demon nodded. "But do you know how the first Slayer was born?" Xander shook his head no, and Clem began to tell him the story of the first Slayer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Stupid Buffy. Stupid Buffy. Stupid Buffy." She repeated the phrase out loud, getting stares from the people who passed her on the sidewalk. She had been looking for a few hours now, and had managed to dust a few Vampires while searching for Spike.
Out of desperation, she decided to try his crypt, but it had been empty. There was only one other place she hadn't looked. She walked through town to his apartment building, and entered.
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He had a good plan. An extremely good plan in fact. Spike sat on his maroon loveseat, his legs hung over on arm while his head rested on the other. He'd only gotten back thirty minutes ago, plenty of time to drink half a bottle of Jim Beam.
Only problem with a human body is it's lack of tolerance for alcohol. Something he hadn't touched since he got back.
Still, it warmed his insides in a way that he remembered, and it made his head dizzy just as it always had. Unfortunately the room was doing a dance that he couldn't keep the beat to. It waved and wondered as he watched the walls wave as if in a dream sequence. All in all, very interesting. Hypnotizing in fact. That is if the walls would stop thumping off beat. That's when he finally came back to reality and realized it wasn't the walls. It was the door.
He pushed himself up into a sitting position, and patiently waited for the floor to hold still. Then the pounding came again. "Spike! Are you in there?"
He heard the door handle jiggle, but he'd locked it, just to be sure that wench couldn't come in and stomp on his strangely beating heart again.
"Spike!?"
He stood himself up using the arm of the chair for balance. "Go Away!" He wobbled on his feet. 'It sure is hard to talk and stand.'
"Spike." She wasn't yelling now. "Please. Let me in."
Buffy stood outside the door listening as random thumps came from behind the door.
"Slaaayyer! Go! Away!"
Then came an even louder thump, then silence.
"Spike?!" She called again, but there was no sound. She was just about to kick the door in, when she heard the lock being undone. The door opened slowly to reveal a very wobbly Spike.
She sized him up. His face was red, he had at some point been crying, and his eyes were red and glassy. She shook her head at him. "What is it will depression and booze?"
"Boobs?" Spike asked.
"Oh brother."
"Ha. No. Sisser."
"What?"
"You don' hab a brover. Nobe. You hab a sisser." Spike was quite proud of his drunkin' observation.
"Comon, let's get you laying down." She took one arm and wrapped it around her shoulder.
"I wass layin' don." He argued. The stench of the alcohol invaded her senses.
"God Spike, how much did you drink?" She walked him through his apartment to his bedroom, and laid him down on top of the gray comforter.
"'Bout this much." He held his thumb and forefinger a few inches apart.
"I'm willing to bet it was more." She attempted to take off his black sneakers, but he was struggling against her.
"Maybe." He grinned up at her, then tried to sit up. It was the walls though. They kept spinning. "Bugger off!!"
"I will not. You got yourself stinking drunk, and in how much time, an hour?"
"Lesh."
"Spike, you have to get up in the morning. You can't do this shit." She finally freed one foot. "What am I supposed to tell Dawn?"
That registered with his wondering mind. He began to weep. "Poor Dawwwnnyy."
Buffy raised her eyebrows. "Comon Spike."
"Willaamm." Spike slurred.
"What?"
"M'names's Willaaammm."
She shook her head. She'd only called him William once, to break off whatever it was they had last year. "Fine, You can't do this, William."
He smiled. "Like it when ya call me Willaamm."
With that, he passed out.
Buffy finished getting his shoes off, followed by his socks. She decided to stop there, not wanting him to get the wrong impression tomorrow. She found a spare blanket in the closet, and covered him up.
After being sure he was sleeping, she went into his living room, and settled herself into the couch to sleep a few hours.
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Buffy woke as the sun rise lit up Spike's apartment. With a quick stretch, she remembered where she was, and why she'd stayed. It took a little while looking around his kitchen, but before Spike's alarm went off, she had toast and coffee ready.
She checked the clock, then picked up the phone to call home. A few moments later Dawn answered.
"Hello?"
"Dawn. It's Buffy."
"Hey Buffy. Big nasties keep you out all night?"
Buffy looked over her shoulder when Spike's alarm went off. "No. Just one former nastie."
Buffy had too pull the phone from her ear when her sister squealed.
"Don't get too excited, and don't tell anyone, but he was out of it, and I needed to stay."
"Oh. Out of it? He got drunk? Doesn't he know what a school night is?"
"Dawn. Just do me a favor and get yourself to school… on time. With a little luck I'll get Spike there."
"You got it Buffy."
"Good. See you at the shop after?"
"See you there. Bye." And she hung up.
Buffy cradled the receiver, and headed into Spike's bedroom holding a cup, and a small plate.
"Morning." She sang.
Spike figured he just hadn't woken up yet.
"Time to get up and go to work, William."
Now he knew he was asleep. He rolled over to enjoy the false life that he had dreamt of more and more often through the summer.
Buffy set what would have to pass for breakfast on a hangover, next to him on the nightstand. She walked around to the other side of the room, and threw open the heavy curtains that blocked out the early morning.
Spike shot up. "Bloody Hell Woman!!!" And to his surprise, it wasn't a dream. Buffy stood smiling in front of the window.
"Well I warned you."
Spike looked around the room, just to be sure he was in the right place. Then he stared at Buffy. "Why are you here?"
Buffy walked back around the bed to the food on the nightstand. "Cuz you were drunk as a skunk last night. Someone had to make sure you'd get up this morning."
Spike's head began to pound. He cupped his forehead in his hands. "Arggg. My 'ead feels like it's got hammer in it trying to get out."
"Good."
"Good? What are you? Masochistic?"
"Hey, you need to learn a lesson. No time like the present." Buffy shoved a piece of toast in his open mouth. "Now, get up and get ready for work, William."
He watched as she walked out of his bedroom. Slowly he got himself out of bed, and picked out something to wear.
It wasn't until he was halfway done with his shower that he realized she hadn't called him Spike. He tore open the shower curtain and grabbed a towel before running out of the bathroom, and nearly slipping as his wet feet hit the tile of his kitchen. "What did you call me?!"
She turned around to face him. "William."
"Why?"
Buffy took a few steps towards him. "You asked me to. Last night, you said you liked it."
Spike kept hold of his towel with one hand. "Still doesn't explain why you're calling me William."
She crossed her arms. "You always called me Buffy. Think about it."
Spike looked down his hall absentmindedly. Then he looked back at her thoroughly confused.
She watched him. Why was she nervous. She didn't really know. "Willow said you still love me."
He waved his free arm in the air. "Of course I do!"
A huge grin made it's way across her face. "Really?" A nervous tremble started in her stomach.
"Always." Soaking wet, with a towel haphazardly wrapped around his waist. "I told you I tried not to. Did you really think getting my life back would change that?"
Now she was shaking. The tension inside her was about to spring back and snap her in half. She was sure, but he'd asked, and she wanted, or maybe she needed to answer. "It changed…" She took her trembling hand and pushed back some hair.
Spike noted her tremors. "Buffy. What's wrong?"
She took a deep breath, and looked into his eyes. The window to one's soul. "It made me see."
Was she actually trying to say what he thought she was trying to say. "See what, luv?"
She couldn't look away. "You."
Spike nearly dropped the towel. "Me?"
"William. I think…I'm in love with you." She held her breath.
He didn't think. Instead he closed the small distance between them with one step and looked deeply into her eyes for some hint of a lie, a joke, something other than what she said. When he saw only truth, he wrapped his arms around her.
Her smile was light when she put her arms around his shoulders, and pulled him closer.
He leaned into her, and began kissing her lightly. First her lips, then her cheeks, neck and forehead.
She cupped his face and let him shower the gentle rain of kisses on her.
He came back to her mouth and ran his tongue over her lower lip, eliciting a moan and gaining entrance. His mind raced with every dream, fantasy and thought of her. His Buffy. The reason he walked. The reason he breathed, and lived. He placed his forehead against hers while they both caught their breath. "Buffy, I love you so much."
She smiled up at him. "I love you too, but you're going to be late."
He smiled into her eyes. "Alright." He was about to pull away, when he felt a draft.
A short yelp came from Buffy.
When he looked down to see the fallen towel, her eyes had followed.
Spike snatched up the towel and looked up to see Buffy's back, and chuckled. "If I remember correctly, you have seen me without clothes before."
She waved behind her, virtually shooing him away. "Go. Put some clothes on."
A little while later they were heading towards the high school in his Desoto.
"So does that mean you're going to break your date with the ponce?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy dreaded the call. What would be her excuse? Well the truth was one way to go. The phone rested between her shoulder and head as she doodled on some paper in the magic shop. Anya listened from the other side of the counter as moral support. News had traveled fast when it came to the Scoobs.
"Jason. Hi, it's Buffy."
"No. Everything is ok. But I need to break out date for tonight."
"No it's just, do remember the guy that was here last night?"
"Yeah, him. Well he and I…we were seeing each other."
"Kind of. Well I broke it off, but, some things are different, and I'd like to-"
"Thanks you Jason. I'm sorry."
"Yeah. I'm ready."
"I did? Great! Thanks."
"Ok. Thanks for understanding. Bye"
She hung up the phone. "Well, that was easier than I thought it would be."
Anya studied the phone. "Very easy."
Buffy shrugged. "HE really is a nice guy. He's just not.."
"Spike?" Anya offered.
Buffy nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~
Jon related the newest information to his Master. "They were seen leaving together."
"I sense the changes." The Master closed his eyes. "If they discover the truth, we may be lost."
"Should I retrieve The Key?"
"No. It is too soon. We must increase our numbers."
"Very well. We will go out every night this week."
The Master pointed at Jon with his index finger. "Choose them wisely. We must have strength, not just in numbers."
Jon gave The Master a slight bow before walking away to prepare the minions.
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****Ok. This was a little longer, but I wanted to get the story moving forward more. I hope you all liked the towel scene. I am in such desperate need of nakey Spike. It's sad really. LOL. Please R&R. then I'll do a Snoopy dance and all will be well in the world. (
**Update!! I just re-posted ch. 11, 12, and this is 13 re-posted. All are now in archive quality. LdyEmma425 is my beta reader, and she has finals. I would like everyone who reads to wish her luck. While I thank God I am no longer in school. LOL This chapter is longer than the others, and will get the story's plot going while answering some Spuffy questions. Nakey Spike.
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Title: Deserving
Author: Kaylorin
Beta read by: LdyEmma425
Synopsis: Begins directly after Grave. My season 7. Loosely based on spoilers and speculation. Buffy has begun her life after the events of Tara's death. Spike has changed for her. There is a new BB that brings Buffy back to her roots as The Slayer.
Rating: R (for now)
Distribution: Fine with me, make sure it's the final edited copy (indicated by 5 * after spell checked), and let me know where it's going. My e-mail is kaylorin90@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: I own this story, but not Buffy, Angel, or anything Joss does.
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When we last left our heroes, Jason was finally asking Buffy out. Spike was waiting to hear her answer. Xander was running off, while Dawn, Anya and Willow were all at the shop wondering what Buffy was going to tell Jason.
********** ***********
William
Dawn and Willow watched from the table as Spike clenched his jaw. Anya stood behind the counter, getting the days paperwork in order for closing.
In all honesty, Spike hadn't said a thing about how he felt about Buffy. Not to her anyway. Both ladies at the table could see from the look on his face, that his love for Buffy was still as strong as ever.
Buffy stood in front of Jason, still unsure what to say. Spike hadn't said a thing to her about his feelings. What was worse was the fact that his humanity was beginning to help her understand feeling for him that, until now, made her think she was going against her duties. Her birthright.
She waited. Waited for Spike to say something. The old Spike would have walked right up to Jason and made some backhanded comment, but he stayed in place quietly.
Jason's smile was beginning to fade when he noted the amount of thought Buffy was putting into a simple yes or no answer. He wondered if it had to do with the unfamiliar male who was currently standing at the table with Buffy's friend, and sister.
When Spike didn't move, or make a sound, Buffy was shocked. She was also angry. She plastered her, well practiced Doublemeat smile on. "Sure. I'd love to."
Willow's jaw dropped. Followed by Dawn's. Anya rolled her eyes, then walked to the front door, and flipped the Open sign over to Closed.
Spike grumbled under his breath. "Bloody well should 'ave known. Not even bein' 'uman would change things." He placed a few more stakes in his jacket's hiding places. He was now definitely in the mood to Slay.
Jason looked back to se the flipped sign. "I better get out of here, but I'll pick you up. Around seven?" Jason was smiling again, as he walked to the door.
"Sounds good. Just come here."
"Tomorrow night then?"
Buffy nodded, and Anya locked the door after he walked out.
When Buffy turned and walked back to the table, she saw that Spike was adjusting a few of his stakes. He didn't look at her, almost as though she wasn't that important anymore. She sighed. 'He has changed.'
Dawn and Willow just stared at her accusingly, but Buffy shrugged it off. If Spike had a problem, he would have said something by now. "You ready?" She asked him.
Spike looked up at her. There were definitely times when having a soul didn't help. This was one of them in his opinion. His insides felt like they were being torn in half. A year ago he would have been more angry than hurt, but now. Now it hurt more than it angered him.
The pain was plain on the flushed face she saw. His eyes were sullen.
"Oh God." Willow nearly cried when his thoughts reached her.
"Spike?" was all Buffy said.
He couldn't look at her. Instead he turned and headed out the back door.
"What just happened?" Buffy looked at her sister.
"Are you stupid?" Dawn asked simply.
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah. Are you stupid?" Willow repeated Dawn's question.
Anya raised her hand. "I vote yes."
Buffy turned around to face the demon. "What?!"
"Buffy," Dawn started. Her older sister turned back to face her. "Spike's still in love with you, and you just made a date right in front of him."
"No, he's not." Buffy shook her head and looked back at her sister. "If Spike was still in love with me, he would have said something to me. Either that or knocked Jason across the room."
Anya came over to Buffy. "Spike the Vampire would have. William: a.k.a. Spike, apparently doesn't go off half cocked."
"Buffy, you need to tell him." Willow spoke softly.
Buffy looked at the door the former Vampire had just walked out of. Without a word, she took off after him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scotch. The universal friend of misery, was sitting on the bar in front of Xander. Willy's was slow tonight, but he was not alone. The demon's in the bar recognized him, but left him alone. Here in Willy's, getting drunk was an equal right, regardless of race, creed or humanity.
"Another?" The bartender asked.
"Make that five 'anothers', and you'll have a friend for life." Xander set down a twenty on the bar, and a bottle was set in front of him.
"Have at it." The barkeep turned his back and walked to another customer.
Xander was on his third shot when a familiar demon sat on the seat next to him. Xander glanced over. "Oh. Hi Clem."
Clem waved his fleshy hand. "Hiya." He got the bartender's attention, and was soon drinking down a colorful drink with a small umbrella.
"I take it you saw Spike?" The demon asked.
Xander looked over at him. "How'd you guess?"
"You and him never did get along too well. Figured nothing could be as bad for you than the guy who slept with your ex coming back."
Xander wavered in his seat. "It's not that." He took another shot. "Ok well it's partly that." He turned in his seat to face the strange, although unofficial friend of the Scoobs. "It's just that, every time a Vampire comes back all souled, we're all supposed to act like he never did anything wrong."
"Every time? I thought it was twice?" Clem sipped on his drink.
"Well it was, but still. It's Spike."
"But it's not. Not anymore. No demon, not even one held back by a soul."
Xander poured another shot. "No! He's a Slayer." He threw his head back and gulped the shot. "Spike! For God's sake, are the fates crazy?"
Clem couldn't help but laugh. "Do you think they were crazy for choosing Buffy?"
"No. But then there's Faith." Xander played with the empty shot glass with his hands. "She's the worst version of a Slayer."
Clem had heard a few stories about Faith from Dawn. She had sounded like a nut in his opinion. "True, but Spike went through the trials himself. He wasn't born from a line, he was made to fight."
Xander emptied the bottle into his shot glass. He raised it. "Here's to Sunnydale. Where Vampires become Slayers, and Slayer fall in love with Vampires."
Clem watched him down the drink. "Did you ever here about the first Slayer."
"Better than that. I met her in a dream."
Clem looked at him strangely.
"It's a thing. Don't ask." Xander placed the shot glass upside down on the bar.
The demon nodded. "But do you know how the first Slayer was born?" Xander shook his head no, and Clem began to tell him the story of the first Slayer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Stupid Buffy. Stupid Buffy. Stupid Buffy." She repeated the phrase out loud, getting stares from the people who passed her on the sidewalk. She had been looking for a few hours now, and had managed to dust a few Vampires while searching for Spike.
Out of desperation, she decided to try his crypt, but it had been empty. There was only one other place she hadn't looked. She walked through town to his apartment building, and entered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He had a good plan. An extremely good plan in fact. Spike sat on his maroon loveseat, his legs hung over on arm while his head rested on the other. He'd only gotten back thirty minutes ago, plenty of time to drink half a bottle of Jim Beam.
Only problem with a human body is it's lack of tolerance for alcohol. Something he hadn't touched since he got back.
Still, it warmed his insides in a way that he remembered, and it made his head dizzy just as it always had. Unfortunately the room was doing a dance that he couldn't keep the beat to. It waved and wondered as he watched the walls wave as if in a dream sequence. All in all, very interesting. Hypnotizing in fact. That is if the walls would stop thumping off beat. That's when he finally came back to reality and realized it wasn't the walls. It was the door.
He pushed himself up into a sitting position, and patiently waited for the floor to hold still. Then the pounding came again. "Spike! Are you in there?"
He heard the door handle jiggle, but he'd locked it, just to be sure that wench couldn't come in and stomp on his strangely beating heart again.
"Spike!?"
He stood himself up using the arm of the chair for balance. "Go Away!" He wobbled on his feet. 'It sure is hard to talk and stand.'
"Spike." She wasn't yelling now. "Please. Let me in."
Buffy stood outside the door listening as random thumps came from behind the door.
"Slaaayyer! Go! Away!"
Then came an even louder thump, then silence.
"Spike?!" She called again, but there was no sound. She was just about to kick the door in, when she heard the lock being undone. The door opened slowly to reveal a very wobbly Spike.
She sized him up. His face was red, he had at some point been crying, and his eyes were red and glassy. She shook her head at him. "What is it will depression and booze?"
"Boobs?" Spike asked.
"Oh brother."
"Ha. No. Sisser."
"What?"
"You don' hab a brover. Nobe. You hab a sisser." Spike was quite proud of his drunkin' observation.
"Comon, let's get you laying down." She took one arm and wrapped it around her shoulder.
"I wass layin' don." He argued. The stench of the alcohol invaded her senses.
"God Spike, how much did you drink?" She walked him through his apartment to his bedroom, and laid him down on top of the gray comforter.
"'Bout this much." He held his thumb and forefinger a few inches apart.
"I'm willing to bet it was more." She attempted to take off his black sneakers, but he was struggling against her.
"Maybe." He grinned up at her, then tried to sit up. It was the walls though. They kept spinning. "Bugger off!!"
"I will not. You got yourself stinking drunk, and in how much time, an hour?"
"Lesh."
"Spike, you have to get up in the morning. You can't do this shit." She finally freed one foot. "What am I supposed to tell Dawn?"
That registered with his wondering mind. He began to weep. "Poor Dawwwnnyy."
Buffy raised her eyebrows. "Comon Spike."
"Willaamm." Spike slurred.
"What?"
"M'names's Willaaammm."
She shook her head. She'd only called him William once, to break off whatever it was they had last year. "Fine, You can't do this, William."
He smiled. "Like it when ya call me Willaamm."
With that, he passed out.
Buffy finished getting his shoes off, followed by his socks. She decided to stop there, not wanting him to get the wrong impression tomorrow. She found a spare blanket in the closet, and covered him up.
After being sure he was sleeping, she went into his living room, and settled herself into the couch to sleep a few hours.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy woke as the sun rise lit up Spike's apartment. With a quick stretch, she remembered where she was, and why she'd stayed. It took a little while looking around his kitchen, but before Spike's alarm went off, she had toast and coffee ready.
She checked the clock, then picked up the phone to call home. A few moments later Dawn answered.
"Hello?"
"Dawn. It's Buffy."
"Hey Buffy. Big nasties keep you out all night?"
Buffy looked over her shoulder when Spike's alarm went off. "No. Just one former nastie."
Buffy had too pull the phone from her ear when her sister squealed.
"Don't get too excited, and don't tell anyone, but he was out of it, and I needed to stay."
"Oh. Out of it? He got drunk? Doesn't he know what a school night is?"
"Dawn. Just do me a favor and get yourself to school… on time. With a little luck I'll get Spike there."
"You got it Buffy."
"Good. See you at the shop after?"
"See you there. Bye." And she hung up.
Buffy cradled the receiver, and headed into Spike's bedroom holding a cup, and a small plate.
"Morning." She sang.
Spike figured he just hadn't woken up yet.
"Time to get up and go to work, William."
Now he knew he was asleep. He rolled over to enjoy the false life that he had dreamt of more and more often through the summer.
Buffy set what would have to pass for breakfast on a hangover, next to him on the nightstand. She walked around to the other side of the room, and threw open the heavy curtains that blocked out the early morning.
Spike shot up. "Bloody Hell Woman!!!" And to his surprise, it wasn't a dream. Buffy stood smiling in front of the window.
"Well I warned you."
Spike looked around the room, just to be sure he was in the right place. Then he stared at Buffy. "Why are you here?"
Buffy walked back around the bed to the food on the nightstand. "Cuz you were drunk as a skunk last night. Someone had to make sure you'd get up this morning."
Spike's head began to pound. He cupped his forehead in his hands. "Arggg. My 'ead feels like it's got hammer in it trying to get out."
"Good."
"Good? What are you? Masochistic?"
"Hey, you need to learn a lesson. No time like the present." Buffy shoved a piece of toast in his open mouth. "Now, get up and get ready for work, William."
He watched as she walked out of his bedroom. Slowly he got himself out of bed, and picked out something to wear.
It wasn't until he was halfway done with his shower that he realized she hadn't called him Spike. He tore open the shower curtain and grabbed a towel before running out of the bathroom, and nearly slipping as his wet feet hit the tile of his kitchen. "What did you call me?!"
She turned around to face him. "William."
"Why?"
Buffy took a few steps towards him. "You asked me to. Last night, you said you liked it."
Spike kept hold of his towel with one hand. "Still doesn't explain why you're calling me William."
She crossed her arms. "You always called me Buffy. Think about it."
Spike looked down his hall absentmindedly. Then he looked back at her thoroughly confused.
She watched him. Why was she nervous. She didn't really know. "Willow said you still love me."
He waved his free arm in the air. "Of course I do!"
A huge grin made it's way across her face. "Really?" A nervous tremble started in her stomach.
"Always." Soaking wet, with a towel haphazardly wrapped around his waist. "I told you I tried not to. Did you really think getting my life back would change that?"
Now she was shaking. The tension inside her was about to spring back and snap her in half. She was sure, but he'd asked, and she wanted, or maybe she needed to answer. "It changed…" She took her trembling hand and pushed back some hair.
Spike noted her tremors. "Buffy. What's wrong?"
She took a deep breath, and looked into his eyes. The window to one's soul. "It made me see."
Was she actually trying to say what he thought she was trying to say. "See what, luv?"
She couldn't look away. "You."
Spike nearly dropped the towel. "Me?"
"William. I think…I'm in love with you." She held her breath.
He didn't think. Instead he closed the small distance between them with one step and looked deeply into her eyes for some hint of a lie, a joke, something other than what she said. When he saw only truth, he wrapped his arms around her.
Her smile was light when she put her arms around his shoulders, and pulled him closer.
He leaned into her, and began kissing her lightly. First her lips, then her cheeks, neck and forehead.
She cupped his face and let him shower the gentle rain of kisses on her.
He came back to her mouth and ran his tongue over her lower lip, eliciting a moan and gaining entrance. His mind raced with every dream, fantasy and thought of her. His Buffy. The reason he walked. The reason he breathed, and lived. He placed his forehead against hers while they both caught their breath. "Buffy, I love you so much."
She smiled up at him. "I love you too, but you're going to be late."
He smiled into her eyes. "Alright." He was about to pull away, when he felt a draft.
A short yelp came from Buffy.
When he looked down to see the fallen towel, her eyes had followed.
Spike snatched up the towel and looked up to see Buffy's back, and chuckled. "If I remember correctly, you have seen me without clothes before."
She waved behind her, virtually shooing him away. "Go. Put some clothes on."
A little while later they were heading towards the high school in his Desoto.
"So does that mean you're going to break your date with the ponce?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy dreaded the call. What would be her excuse? Well the truth was one way to go. The phone rested between her shoulder and head as she doodled on some paper in the magic shop. Anya listened from the other side of the counter as moral support. News had traveled fast when it came to the Scoobs.
"Jason. Hi, it's Buffy."
"No. Everything is ok. But I need to break out date for tonight."
"No it's just, do remember the guy that was here last night?"
"Yeah, him. Well he and I…we were seeing each other."
"Kind of. Well I broke it off, but, some things are different, and I'd like to-"
"Thanks you Jason. I'm sorry."
"Yeah. I'm ready."
"I did? Great! Thanks."
"Ok. Thanks for understanding. Bye"
She hung up the phone. "Well, that was easier than I thought it would be."
Anya studied the phone. "Very easy."
Buffy shrugged. "HE really is a nice guy. He's just not.."
"Spike?" Anya offered.
Buffy nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~
Jon related the newest information to his Master. "They were seen leaving together."
"I sense the changes." The Master closed his eyes. "If they discover the truth, we may be lost."
"Should I retrieve The Key?"
"No. It is too soon. We must increase our numbers."
"Very well. We will go out every night this week."
The Master pointed at Jon with his index finger. "Choose them wisely. We must have strength, not just in numbers."
Jon gave The Master a slight bow before walking away to prepare the minions.
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****Ok. This was a little longer, but I wanted to get the story moving forward more. I hope you all liked the towel scene. I am in such desperate need of nakey Spike. It's sad really. LOL. Please R&R. then I'll do a Snoopy dance and all will be well in the world. (
