Twenty-ish years previous
Buffy cringed as the demon threw Spike against the wall.
She liked to claim that she had no feelings for him. At least that is what she had claimed when she had broken up with him eighteen months ago. However he had stayed. He still insisted on helping her patrol. It was infuriating. When they had decided to stop their lust sex acts she had expected him to go away or to turn on her. Instead he had just smiled and nodded. The next night he had shown up for patrol. The vampire just would not fit in any box that she attempted to put him in.
Tonight they had been patrolling and she had been laughing at something that he had been telling her about what women wore when he was human. It sounded like S&M to Buffy. They had really begun to talk lately. This had given Buffy some theological questions on the concept of the soul. She was really confused about him.
When he hit the wall she almost felt bad, one little demon was kicking their butts.
She had no idea what type of demon this was, and she had not wasted time asking. It hardly seemed sociable anyways. So Buffy did the Slayer thing and kicked ass first and asked questions later.
Spike's flight gave Buffy the chance to catch the big red demon off guard. Swiftly she twirled her sword and knocked off the demon's head. His body continued to fight, blindly without it's eyes. Spike recovered and grabbed the body. He tore off an arm.
Without words Buffy followed his lead. The slayer and the vampire danced as a leg fell, followed by an arm, followed by the final leg. Then the blonde vampire lit a cigarette and dropped his lighter on the body. The body combusted into flames.
Battle weary the two looked at each other. Buffy's hair was matted with blood, from a cut in her forehead. Spike's eye was swollen. They knew that they would be sore in the morning, but nothing was too badly hurt.
They had danced their finest tonight. They had always danced well in opposition, but tonight they danced together and it had been perfect.
Buffy lifted her sword and shuddered with the effort. Spike knelt and untied a small man.
The warlock had watched. These two were the compliments of each other. Yet they hardly seemed to know. Well fate would be found on this night or denied forever. The apocalypse would be averted and humanity would be saved in the coming weeks, however the way it was played out would be determined by these two, tonight.
"Thank you," he said to the vampire. He hated vampires and attempted not to shudder. "You two have saved me. Therefore I will grant you your heart's desire."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Thanks Mr. Genie in a bottle, but my heart's desire is to take a bath and go to bed. I think I can do that on my own."
"I have to agree with the lady," Spike said, "You know what they say about Warlocks bearing gifts and all."
The warlock raised his hand.
"Do not take my gift lightly. You have saved me. Therefore anything that you want will now be yours. What is it you want."
In the moment before the smart ass comments came, in the one second before either creature thought of a witty remark their hearts spoke silently.
The fleeting image of a heartbeat and a sunbeam entered his head. He stood before his Slayer in a form that proclaimed him real. It wasn't a fake moment that involved a ring, it was a moment where he could show her that he was exactly the same breathing as not. It wasn't a matter of soul.
*Just once I'd like her to see me.*
She saw a ring on her finger and a child in the bath tub. Blonde curls and slippery skin. A little rubber duckie swam through the bubbles. The little girl squeeled in happiness. Down the hall a male voice grumbled about something mundane. Bills and groceries.
*I want normality, I want love to stay.*
The pictures in the heads of the warriors fled and replaced by the banter of the cranky.
"How 'bout something blonde and curvy in my bed. Size four?" Spike leered as he looked Buffy from head to toe.
"How about ashes blowing in the wind," she retorted.
The warlock heard their volleys, but he listed to their hearts.
"How 'bout a brooding poof to not use his hair gel so much."
Buffy looked up. Spike looked at her with the steel blue eyes. He was testing her. She hadn't even thought about Angel in months. Angel was her past.
"That's what I want, him back." She said rolling her eyes, voice full of sarcasm.
Spike stepped nearer to her. They were getting angry.
"How about Capt'n Cardboard. I'm sure that you miss the stiff body and limp dick."
Buffy leaned in to him. She loved to taunt him about Riley. The pain of that relationship had faded, he had been just a distraction after Angel left. She had found that Spike held quite a bit of hatred for Riley. It was a sore spot that she loved to tease him about.
"Mmmmm GI Joe."
They were children. They didn't know what they wanted. Their hearts did however. Their hearts would lead them.
The warlock put up his hand and paused the bickering of two tired warriors.
"You both have chosen."
"Wait, shouldn't we have to say something like 'I wish I had a slayer sex slave?"
Buffy snorted, "I wish to never see another vampire as long as I live."
The warlock shook his head, "You both have chosen."
He pointed to the moon which was full and luminous. "By the next cycle of the moon you both will have your heart's desire."
The warlock walked out of the building leaving a bloody slayer looking at a bruised vampire.
Buffy shook her head and cursed cryptic gnomes. She thought briefly about the flash that had initially gone through her head.
*Holding on to a baby, hearing a car pull into the driveway. Knowing he was home.*
"What did you wish, luv?" he asked seeing her far away look.
She was startled. The beauty of that moment had erased her attempt to make up a searing remark. Instead she shrugged.
"Nothing I remember, and you?"
He looked down at her face, the intensity of the moon was almost like that of the sun. He could almost feel what it was like to stand in daylight with her.
He didn't want to speak. For one moment he wanted nothing more than to hold onto the beauty of his make believe world. Her eyes watched him and he reached out to cup her face. Adrenaline from the fight coursed through his veins. He hadn't touched her in months, he just wanted a taste.
It had been so long since he had touched her. He couldn't tell her why he stayed, he couldn't explain it himself. He just hadn't gotten over her. He was impatient, but he could wait for her.
He kissed her lightly. It was an explosion. For the first time he kissed her gently, not needing to drink from her lips as if he may never get the chance again. There was no need to drown in her, they were both too tired. He just kissed her. He just let him self feel the softness of her mouth. Then before they would slide into old patterns he pulled away. Enjoying the feeling of the briefest of touches.
The need that had begun their relationship had faded. This was just a kiss.
" 'night Slayer."
He walked away and pushed away reality. To her he was a monster, he would never kiss her by sunlight. He was a damned creature. However for one night he was going to ignore the truth and believe that a little gnome could make his dream come true. He just wanted to be a man in her eyes.
Those eyes watched him. Finally she went home. Her body had been beaten this evening, however it was her lips that were most sensitive.
Buffy cringed as the demon threw Spike against the wall.
She liked to claim that she had no feelings for him. At least that is what she had claimed when she had broken up with him eighteen months ago. However he had stayed. He still insisted on helping her patrol. It was infuriating. When they had decided to stop their lust sex acts she had expected him to go away or to turn on her. Instead he had just smiled and nodded. The next night he had shown up for patrol. The vampire just would not fit in any box that she attempted to put him in.
Tonight they had been patrolling and she had been laughing at something that he had been telling her about what women wore when he was human. It sounded like S&M to Buffy. They had really begun to talk lately. This had given Buffy some theological questions on the concept of the soul. She was really confused about him.
When he hit the wall she almost felt bad, one little demon was kicking their butts.
She had no idea what type of demon this was, and she had not wasted time asking. It hardly seemed sociable anyways. So Buffy did the Slayer thing and kicked ass first and asked questions later.
Spike's flight gave Buffy the chance to catch the big red demon off guard. Swiftly she twirled her sword and knocked off the demon's head. His body continued to fight, blindly without it's eyes. Spike recovered and grabbed the body. He tore off an arm.
Without words Buffy followed his lead. The slayer and the vampire danced as a leg fell, followed by an arm, followed by the final leg. Then the blonde vampire lit a cigarette and dropped his lighter on the body. The body combusted into flames.
Battle weary the two looked at each other. Buffy's hair was matted with blood, from a cut in her forehead. Spike's eye was swollen. They knew that they would be sore in the morning, but nothing was too badly hurt.
They had danced their finest tonight. They had always danced well in opposition, but tonight they danced together and it had been perfect.
Buffy lifted her sword and shuddered with the effort. Spike knelt and untied a small man.
The warlock had watched. These two were the compliments of each other. Yet they hardly seemed to know. Well fate would be found on this night or denied forever. The apocalypse would be averted and humanity would be saved in the coming weeks, however the way it was played out would be determined by these two, tonight.
"Thank you," he said to the vampire. He hated vampires and attempted not to shudder. "You two have saved me. Therefore I will grant you your heart's desire."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Thanks Mr. Genie in a bottle, but my heart's desire is to take a bath and go to bed. I think I can do that on my own."
"I have to agree with the lady," Spike said, "You know what they say about Warlocks bearing gifts and all."
The warlock raised his hand.
"Do not take my gift lightly. You have saved me. Therefore anything that you want will now be yours. What is it you want."
In the moment before the smart ass comments came, in the one second before either creature thought of a witty remark their hearts spoke silently.
The fleeting image of a heartbeat and a sunbeam entered his head. He stood before his Slayer in a form that proclaimed him real. It wasn't a fake moment that involved a ring, it was a moment where he could show her that he was exactly the same breathing as not. It wasn't a matter of soul.
*Just once I'd like her to see me.*
She saw a ring on her finger and a child in the bath tub. Blonde curls and slippery skin. A little rubber duckie swam through the bubbles. The little girl squeeled in happiness. Down the hall a male voice grumbled about something mundane. Bills and groceries.
*I want normality, I want love to stay.*
The pictures in the heads of the warriors fled and replaced by the banter of the cranky.
"How 'bout something blonde and curvy in my bed. Size four?" Spike leered as he looked Buffy from head to toe.
"How about ashes blowing in the wind," she retorted.
The warlock heard their volleys, but he listed to their hearts.
"How 'bout a brooding poof to not use his hair gel so much."
Buffy looked up. Spike looked at her with the steel blue eyes. He was testing her. She hadn't even thought about Angel in months. Angel was her past.
"That's what I want, him back." She said rolling her eyes, voice full of sarcasm.
Spike stepped nearer to her. They were getting angry.
"How about Capt'n Cardboard. I'm sure that you miss the stiff body and limp dick."
Buffy leaned in to him. She loved to taunt him about Riley. The pain of that relationship had faded, he had been just a distraction after Angel left. She had found that Spike held quite a bit of hatred for Riley. It was a sore spot that she loved to tease him about.
"Mmmmm GI Joe."
They were children. They didn't know what they wanted. Their hearts did however. Their hearts would lead them.
The warlock put up his hand and paused the bickering of two tired warriors.
"You both have chosen."
"Wait, shouldn't we have to say something like 'I wish I had a slayer sex slave?"
Buffy snorted, "I wish to never see another vampire as long as I live."
The warlock shook his head, "You both have chosen."
He pointed to the moon which was full and luminous. "By the next cycle of the moon you both will have your heart's desire."
The warlock walked out of the building leaving a bloody slayer looking at a bruised vampire.
Buffy shook her head and cursed cryptic gnomes. She thought briefly about the flash that had initially gone through her head.
*Holding on to a baby, hearing a car pull into the driveway. Knowing he was home.*
"What did you wish, luv?" he asked seeing her far away look.
She was startled. The beauty of that moment had erased her attempt to make up a searing remark. Instead she shrugged.
"Nothing I remember, and you?"
He looked down at her face, the intensity of the moon was almost like that of the sun. He could almost feel what it was like to stand in daylight with her.
He didn't want to speak. For one moment he wanted nothing more than to hold onto the beauty of his make believe world. Her eyes watched him and he reached out to cup her face. Adrenaline from the fight coursed through his veins. He hadn't touched her in months, he just wanted a taste.
It had been so long since he had touched her. He couldn't tell her why he stayed, he couldn't explain it himself. He just hadn't gotten over her. He was impatient, but he could wait for her.
He kissed her lightly. It was an explosion. For the first time he kissed her gently, not needing to drink from her lips as if he may never get the chance again. There was no need to drown in her, they were both too tired. He just kissed her. He just let him self feel the softness of her mouth. Then before they would slide into old patterns he pulled away. Enjoying the feeling of the briefest of touches.
The need that had begun their relationship had faded. This was just a kiss.
" 'night Slayer."
He walked away and pushed away reality. To her he was a monster, he would never kiss her by sunlight. He was a damned creature. However for one night he was going to ignore the truth and believe that a little gnome could make his dream come true. He just wanted to be a man in her eyes.
Those eyes watched him. Finally she went home. Her body had been beaten this evening, however it was her lips that were most sensitive.