Start, Part 21.
Here we go, my lovelies. Um... three or four chaps left. Yay!
Thanks so much for sticking with me. I wish I owned Spike, BUT! My
brother got me an autographed pic of James for my birthday (insert stupid,
helpless giggling here). I love him so much. He's the best big brother
EVER. No contest. So, here we go. Joss is all. Let's hope he gets it
right next season. Sheesh.
Always.
Tequila Sunrise
Buffy twitched. It was not a habit Spike was aware she had. And he was aware of EVERY habit she had. Even that ridiculous one of her spraying body splash in front of her, walking through it, then spraying it behind her, and backing herself into it. Or that leg-slide-butt-wiggle-sigh right before she woke up. Or- Focus. Buffy twitched. She twitched. Uncrossed, recrossed her ankles. "So." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Where are we going?" "Nowhere." He caught the temper flare in her eyes. My, my... Emotions were easy to wring out of his slayer THIS tri-mester, hmmm? "Somewhere. You'll see." He took his hand off the gear-shift, let it touch Buffy's hand, down to the tips of her fingers, and back up to her elbow. Down again, he took her hand in his, took his eyes off the road long enough to kiss her palm and look in her eyes. "You look beautiful." Buffy smiled. "You do, too." With her hands now free, she lifted the rose to her nose.
Ten minutes later Spike was pulling up to a very tiny, very pretty little Italian restaurant called "Giambelli's". Spike stepped out, crossed to Buffy's side, and gave her a hand out of the car. Walking into the restaurant, Spike stepped up to the boy dressed in a suit, taking reservations and seating. Grinning as the boy pumped his hand vigorously, he accepted his offer of his 'usual table'. Seating Buffy and himself by a window looking out into a small but beautifully colored garden, Buffy arched a brow at him. "Good tipper?" He laughed. "You could say that." A short, vivacious woman in her mid-sixties came rushing to their table, wiping her hands haphazardly on her apron. Spike rose as she reached them. "Senor Spike!" She tossed her arms around him as he bent to hug her, and receive a kiss on each cheek, twice. "Nonna. Buon giorno. Come va?" She waved him aside fondly, saying absently, "Bene, bene... Ma che vuoi??" She drew Buffy up by her hands. Spike said somewhat sheepishly, "Buffy, this is-" "Buffy?" Nonna said in an Italian accent. "This is the Buffy that you talk no stopping of? And you just now bring her to me?" She made tsk- ing noises in his general direction. "She is... bellisimo. Glowing." She laid a hand on her stomach. "And she is with your child?" Buffy was flustered, and feared the reproach she was sure the lady was going to give her. She became even more flustered when she drew her in, also for kisses. She patted Spike's cheek with one hand, the other still holding Buffy's. "A child is a wonderful gift, non? You make my beautiful boy happy." She let go of them long enough to place her hands on her chest. "My heart sings." She ushered Buffy to her seat again, saying, "You must eat. Too skinny for a beautiful woman like you." She again tsk-ed at Spike as he sat. "Do you not feed her? You need to see Nonna more often. We will fix plates for her home." She smiled fondly at Buffy. "She will not go hungry." And with that, the woman was sweeping her way back to the kitchen, telling the man who ran the bar the good news with a laugh and quick clap of her hands. Buffy again arched her brow at Spike. "That's more than a good tipper." He looked down at the empty appetizer plate, ran his tongue across his teeth and said slowly, "Remember that song... 'I Want A Man With Dishpan Hands?'" Buffy's mouth fell open. "No." He glance sharply at her, saying defensively, "Can't go 'round knockin' off the sodding bank. They look for ya after that. Don't fancy the headache after having to beat off six of Sunnyhell's finest to pay for blood and fags. Do you know those bleedin' wankers carry stakes now?? Besides... your electric bill needed paid." He stopped in an abrupt silence. Buffy reached across the table to lay her hand over his. "Thank you. That's... After everything-" She took a deep breath. "It means a lot, Spike." The boy who had seated them returned with half a loaf of still steaming Italian bread. "Compliments of La Signora." Buffy looked quizzically at Spike. "La Signora?" "Uh... Nonna." "Ah... Nonna."
Dinner arrived, and it was the most exquisite food Buffy had ever eaten. Angel hair pasta had been drowned in a white wine sauce, and she was stealing bites off Spike's plate, which was something red, meaty, and delicious. She had stalled enough. Looking at Spike, who was now guarding his plate strategically, Buffy smiled. "I'm full." He blew out a relieved breath. "Thank God. I'm wastin' away 'ere, and I have to share with my pregnant slayer." Under his breath, he muttered, "Who eats like a pregnant moose..." The icy look he met across the table confirmed his belief that she had heard. "I'd like to see a moose that could fit into this dress, Spike. And when you find that moose, marry it." His eyes grew wide, and that made her laugh, forgetting his unseemly remark for the moment. She laid her hand on the table, waited for Spike to lay his on top of it. She turned their hands, so hers was on top, tracing small patterns on his palm. "I was talking to Dawn earlier." "Oh? What'd Nibblet have to say?" "We uh... Talked about Mom." Spike's eyes shone with compassion, but Buffy was unaware of it, staring intently at Spike's palm while she ran her fingers over it. "She told me how much... How much Mom wanted me to have a happily ever after. Just one. Just... To be happy with one person. Marry a man I love, because a slayer's life is uncertain. And I just..." She raised her eyes to his. "I want you to know that I am." He grew still, his breathing shallow. "You are what?" She wanted so badly to drop her eyes. But his blue ones entranced her. "Marrying a man I love." Spike's hand snaked out, to wrap at the base of her neck. He pulled her forward across the table, pressed his lips to hers. He leaned his forehead against hers, eyes closed tightly. He shuddered out a sigh. "I love you, Buffy. Give me the words." A small smile curled her lips. "I love you, Spike."
They came home, fell asleep together. But Buffy's sleep was troubled. She pulled out of his protective grasp, and went to sit by the window. She was staring at the moon when she heard a groggy Spike say softly to her, "Come back to bed, luv." She gave him a half smile. "In a minute." Buffy heard his sitting up, the sheet falling to his waist. "What's wrong?" She turned to him, tears making silvery tracks down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." Confusedly, he answered, "For what, Buffy? I love-" "I know. I knew. But I'm so sorry. For every... horrible thing I've ever said to you." She tilted her head. "After we had sex." She came back to the bed. Lowering herself to it, she placed a hand on his cheek. "Nothing I said was true. You're a wonderful man. Soul or not, Spike, I love you. I'm just so sorry I hurt you. It was just so much easier to have you... I thought I could-" He put his hand over her mouth. "Push me away. And you couldn't. And you didn't. We shouldn't have said a lot of things, Buffy. But we did." He smiled tenderly. "And now we've said a lot of things we should. So come back to bed with me." He tugged her down gently, covered them both back up. With Spike spooning her back, Buffy fell asleep with Spike murmuring 'I love you' in thirteen languages.
End, Part 21. Part 22 should be up sometime next week. READ Tigerwolf's new story, it's a three author collaboration, called, I believe, "The Matter of the Heart". It's our story. I think it's pretty good, and deserves more than the 7 reviews that it has. (*hint hint*) If you do review, you get props in my permanent props book! Yay you! GO TIGERWOLF!!!! I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!! Always. Tequila Sunrise
Buffy twitched. It was not a habit Spike was aware she had. And he was aware of EVERY habit she had. Even that ridiculous one of her spraying body splash in front of her, walking through it, then spraying it behind her, and backing herself into it. Or that leg-slide-butt-wiggle-sigh right before she woke up. Or- Focus. Buffy twitched. She twitched. Uncrossed, recrossed her ankles. "So." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Where are we going?" "Nowhere." He caught the temper flare in her eyes. My, my... Emotions were easy to wring out of his slayer THIS tri-mester, hmmm? "Somewhere. You'll see." He took his hand off the gear-shift, let it touch Buffy's hand, down to the tips of her fingers, and back up to her elbow. Down again, he took her hand in his, took his eyes off the road long enough to kiss her palm and look in her eyes. "You look beautiful." Buffy smiled. "You do, too." With her hands now free, she lifted the rose to her nose.
Ten minutes later Spike was pulling up to a very tiny, very pretty little Italian restaurant called "Giambelli's". Spike stepped out, crossed to Buffy's side, and gave her a hand out of the car. Walking into the restaurant, Spike stepped up to the boy dressed in a suit, taking reservations and seating. Grinning as the boy pumped his hand vigorously, he accepted his offer of his 'usual table'. Seating Buffy and himself by a window looking out into a small but beautifully colored garden, Buffy arched a brow at him. "Good tipper?" He laughed. "You could say that." A short, vivacious woman in her mid-sixties came rushing to their table, wiping her hands haphazardly on her apron. Spike rose as she reached them. "Senor Spike!" She tossed her arms around him as he bent to hug her, and receive a kiss on each cheek, twice. "Nonna. Buon giorno. Come va?" She waved him aside fondly, saying absently, "Bene, bene... Ma che vuoi??" She drew Buffy up by her hands. Spike said somewhat sheepishly, "Buffy, this is-" "Buffy?" Nonna said in an Italian accent. "This is the Buffy that you talk no stopping of? And you just now bring her to me?" She made tsk- ing noises in his general direction. "She is... bellisimo. Glowing." She laid a hand on her stomach. "And she is with your child?" Buffy was flustered, and feared the reproach she was sure the lady was going to give her. She became even more flustered when she drew her in, also for kisses. She patted Spike's cheek with one hand, the other still holding Buffy's. "A child is a wonderful gift, non? You make my beautiful boy happy." She let go of them long enough to place her hands on her chest. "My heart sings." She ushered Buffy to her seat again, saying, "You must eat. Too skinny for a beautiful woman like you." She again tsk-ed at Spike as he sat. "Do you not feed her? You need to see Nonna more often. We will fix plates for her home." She smiled fondly at Buffy. "She will not go hungry." And with that, the woman was sweeping her way back to the kitchen, telling the man who ran the bar the good news with a laugh and quick clap of her hands. Buffy again arched her brow at Spike. "That's more than a good tipper." He looked down at the empty appetizer plate, ran his tongue across his teeth and said slowly, "Remember that song... 'I Want A Man With Dishpan Hands?'" Buffy's mouth fell open. "No." He glance sharply at her, saying defensively, "Can't go 'round knockin' off the sodding bank. They look for ya after that. Don't fancy the headache after having to beat off six of Sunnyhell's finest to pay for blood and fags. Do you know those bleedin' wankers carry stakes now?? Besides... your electric bill needed paid." He stopped in an abrupt silence. Buffy reached across the table to lay her hand over his. "Thank you. That's... After everything-" She took a deep breath. "It means a lot, Spike." The boy who had seated them returned with half a loaf of still steaming Italian bread. "Compliments of La Signora." Buffy looked quizzically at Spike. "La Signora?" "Uh... Nonna." "Ah... Nonna."
Dinner arrived, and it was the most exquisite food Buffy had ever eaten. Angel hair pasta had been drowned in a white wine sauce, and she was stealing bites off Spike's plate, which was something red, meaty, and delicious. She had stalled enough. Looking at Spike, who was now guarding his plate strategically, Buffy smiled. "I'm full." He blew out a relieved breath. "Thank God. I'm wastin' away 'ere, and I have to share with my pregnant slayer." Under his breath, he muttered, "Who eats like a pregnant moose..." The icy look he met across the table confirmed his belief that she had heard. "I'd like to see a moose that could fit into this dress, Spike. And when you find that moose, marry it." His eyes grew wide, and that made her laugh, forgetting his unseemly remark for the moment. She laid her hand on the table, waited for Spike to lay his on top of it. She turned their hands, so hers was on top, tracing small patterns on his palm. "I was talking to Dawn earlier." "Oh? What'd Nibblet have to say?" "We uh... Talked about Mom." Spike's eyes shone with compassion, but Buffy was unaware of it, staring intently at Spike's palm while she ran her fingers over it. "She told me how much... How much Mom wanted me to have a happily ever after. Just one. Just... To be happy with one person. Marry a man I love, because a slayer's life is uncertain. And I just..." She raised her eyes to his. "I want you to know that I am." He grew still, his breathing shallow. "You are what?" She wanted so badly to drop her eyes. But his blue ones entranced her. "Marrying a man I love." Spike's hand snaked out, to wrap at the base of her neck. He pulled her forward across the table, pressed his lips to hers. He leaned his forehead against hers, eyes closed tightly. He shuddered out a sigh. "I love you, Buffy. Give me the words." A small smile curled her lips. "I love you, Spike."
They came home, fell asleep together. But Buffy's sleep was troubled. She pulled out of his protective grasp, and went to sit by the window. She was staring at the moon when she heard a groggy Spike say softly to her, "Come back to bed, luv." She gave him a half smile. "In a minute." Buffy heard his sitting up, the sheet falling to his waist. "What's wrong?" She turned to him, tears making silvery tracks down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." Confusedly, he answered, "For what, Buffy? I love-" "I know. I knew. But I'm so sorry. For every... horrible thing I've ever said to you." She tilted her head. "After we had sex." She came back to the bed. Lowering herself to it, she placed a hand on his cheek. "Nothing I said was true. You're a wonderful man. Soul or not, Spike, I love you. I'm just so sorry I hurt you. It was just so much easier to have you... I thought I could-" He put his hand over her mouth. "Push me away. And you couldn't. And you didn't. We shouldn't have said a lot of things, Buffy. But we did." He smiled tenderly. "And now we've said a lot of things we should. So come back to bed with me." He tugged her down gently, covered them both back up. With Spike spooning her back, Buffy fell asleep with Spike murmuring 'I love you' in thirteen languages.
End, Part 21. Part 22 should be up sometime next week. READ Tigerwolf's new story, it's a three author collaboration, called, I believe, "The Matter of the Heart". It's our story. I think it's pretty good, and deserves more than the 7 reviews that it has. (*hint hint*) If you do review, you get props in my permanent props book! Yay you! GO TIGERWOLF!!!! I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!! Always. Tequila Sunrise