Seven Year Slayer Chapter 11
Story outline: Seven years is a long time to slay. Something's gotta change!
Timeline: Some months into an imaginary season 7; Spike is back with a soul; Willow learning to be a good witch; Giles in Sunnydale
Spoilers: Rumors of season 7
Summary: Some Scoobies are surprised, others less so; preparation for the Ascension
Disclaimer: All ME
"Hey girls! We're here!" Xander called out. He and Willow had come over to pick up Dawn and Buffy for a night of Bronzing.
"In the kitchen!" Dawn called out. They found her stuffing the last crumbs of a messy snack in her mouth.
"You be careful of all that food, now, Dawnie!" Xander said. "You don't want to be taller than me!"
"Maybe I could be a supermodel," Dawn replied, sashaying up to him with exaggerated movements.
"Yeah, they probably have lots of vampires you could slay in Paris and Milan!" Willow put in with feigned enthusiasm.
"Okay, ladies, I'm raring to go, with all of you. Where is my number three lady? Not back from patrol yet?"
"I haven't seen Buffy all day, really. I slept over at Janice's, then we went to the mall, and she wasn't here when I came in. Maybe she thought we'd meet at the Bronze? I'll check her room to see if she's been dressing up."
"And you would know how?" Xander asked.
"Well, there would be the twenty outfits she decided not to wear strewn about the room!" Dawn giggled and went upstairs.
Xander and Willow heard a door opening upstairs, a small squeal, and then Dawn came running back down again. She was wearing a huge smile and winked at Willow.
"Um, guys, there was note from Buffy that she'd be straight over after patrol. We should just go already!"
"Okay, ladies, let yourself be driven in the shiny Xander-mobile!" Xander gallantly held the door open for them.
Willow signaled "what, what" to Dawn. Dawn put her finger to her lips, and motioned at Xander.
"Spike!" she mouthed.
Willow's eyes bulged. At last! she thought. At least somebody 's in love!
The girls let Xander walk ahead to his car.
"It was so cute," Dawn whispered. "They were sleeping, all spooned and cuddled up!"
"I'm so gonna tease her!" Willow whispered back. "Don't say anything to Xander, though. You know how he gets."
"I do! I won't!"
**
"Spike?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you mine?"
Spike let go of Buffy's breast and looked up to her with his blue eyes. "Always!"
"Is that the same as eternity?"
He drew himself up till his face was level with hers and gave her a long look. "That's a decision that should be renewed every day. Voluntarily. So…not gonna be a part of your ascension, love. I don't trust magic. I'll be with you always, at your side or guarding your back, but not because I'm bound by a spell."
Buffy swallowed her initial disappointment and pondered his words. "You think there's more to it than me being Happy Free Immortal Slayer who gets a bonus love package?"
"Maybe. Maybe not." Spike settled back into the cushions and put his arms behind his head. "But if I can't influence it, I certainly won't trust my life...unlife to it. Or yours."
"How can we avoid? Giles seems to trust in the prophecy."
"Yeah, right, 'cause he trusts anything as long as it's written on parchment! He doesn't question these prophecy thingies enough. With magic there's always consequences - usually not so pleasant ones. By intent, or as side effects, doesn't matter, one should always be leery of magic."
"But, you know, immortal Buffy – don't you think of the benefits? I could die any time, of course, but I certainly will in fifty years or so. What would you do?"
'Buffy, two days ago I didn't have you. Now I do, maybe, but it's a lot to take in. So, perhaps I've traded peace of mind for a couple of weeks of love "- shutting her up with a look -"we can't know what the ritual will bring. If it'll change you.
Point is, I chose that. Didn't have to. Thinking about eternity is pointless anyway, it's too big to grasp. My solution about immortality is taking it a day at a time."
"But…what if the spell makes me fall in love with the Eternal Champion?'
"Still not gonna do it. I'll have to take my chances."
They got sidetracked by other matters, such as the kissing of breasts with cool lips, or the tracing of well-defined abdominal muscles by hot fingers. Spike leaned over Buffy, sliding his fingers over her smooth skin in a long slow sweep from neck to knee, raising goose bumps on the way. His nails scratched softly over the buttery skin on the inside of her thighs. He started licking her belly, his cool tongue almost sizzling against her quickly warming skin.
Buffy looked at the difference in their coloring: Spike's marble white shoulders contrasted against her pale gold hips; his platinum curls against the dark hair between her legs. She arched her back when he unfolded her secret places with his clever lips. Her hands grasped his forearms and started to knead them rhythmically, keeping time with his lapping. She gave herself over to pure sensation, losing all thought and purpose, existing only for the deliciously slow buildup to orgasm.
***********
Xander and Willow were having a companionable silence, stirring their coffees of the month, eyes idly roving the dance floor, watching Dawn dance with a few girl buddies.
Suddenly Willow noticed Xander stiffening up. His face set in an un-Xanderish mask of fury. " Look! I can't believe it. She's here, dancing with Spike!"
"Not Anya?" Willow said, turning her head to see.
"No, Buffy!"
Yes, there were Buffy and Spike, slowly dancing to the music, closely entwined. Their rapt faces clearly showed that they noticed nothing that was going on. They saw only each other.
"I'm going all mushy and gooey inside," Willow whispered. "Isn't that sweet? At last?"
"So, Buffy couldn't do without her little vampire sexbot," Xander sneered. "I thought better of her. I thought she'd seen the error of her ways and stopped it once and for all. But no, human guys aren't good enough for miss Superhero Summers!"
"Oh, come on Xander, it's not as if we haven't seen that coming for months!"
*********
The doorbell chimed. As Willow looked up, she saw Buffy coming in, alone.
"Hey Buffy!"
"Hey Willow," Buffy replied cheerily. She sat down at the big table next to Willow.
"Buffy, you sound all happy…looking forward to the ritual?"
"Why would I be looking forward to that, exactly?"
"Well, you know, you were all: who's gonna be my champion?" Willow wiggled a little in anticipation. "And now you know!"
"Hmm!" Buffy looked at Willow sideways. "I thought I heard somebody open my door last night! Was that you?"
"No, Dawn, but she told me. She was so happy for you guys! And guess who we saw, glued together on the dance floor in the Bronze last night?"
Buffy blushed a little. "It's not all puppies and roses yet, but it feels great. We'll work it out together."
"How is the, um, you know, supernatural sex bit?"
Buffy blushed a deeper shade of red.
"It's so cool, Buffy. Eternal sex? Whoa!"
"You know, the whole Champion stuff? It seems sort of unreal."
"I can tease Spike, though, can I please?"
"Tease away….here he is!"
Spike felt the red witch's eyes on him the moment he came in. She was sitting next to Buffy, heads close together. He knew they'd been talking about him. There was giggling, and assessing looks, designed to make males uncomfortable. He wasn't sure yet how he felt about that part of finally being Buffy's boyfriend.
Willow looked up at him in anticipation as he neared the table. He swaggered a bit, looking more like the old Spike than he had in a long time. Buffy gestured for him to sit next to her. Spike looked longingly at his safe spot on the ladder. There was much to be said for camping on the outskirts of Scoobiness…
"Hey Spike, had a nice first date last night?"
"Um, yeah?" Spike answered guardedly. What was she up to?
"You know, it's customary to go on a first date before sleeping over at the girl's?"
He grinned back at her. She was teasing. That was fine with him. Just like a real boy.
Giles came in, carrying a pile of books. His glasses slid down his nose when he saw Spike actually sitting at the table. He gave Spike a telling look. Spike looked back blandly.
Giles rubbed his hands in anticipation. "I prepared to-do-lists for you all, with Willow's help; all kinds of stuff to collect; meditations; schedules and so forth."
"We're that far already?" Buffy asked. "I thought there were lots of things we till had to discover. I thought maybe we could put it off! I have no champion yet!"
Giles frowned. Willow and Dawn looked surprised as well.
"I thought…" he began, but was interrupted by Xander, who'd just come in bearing pizza. He noticed Spike sitting next to Buffy.
"So, Spike-man, degraded back to boy-toy? Oh no, in your case that would be a promotion…"
"Cut it out, Xander," Giles said wearily.
Buffy threw Xander a dark look. "I didn't give you a hard time about your demon, you don't give me hard time about mine, okay?"
"She's defending you!" Willow said softly in Spike's ear.
Yeah, he'd noticed. Was having a hard time fighting a triumphant grin, as a matter of fact. Aw, bollocks, why fight it? Spike flung his arm possessively about Buffy's shoulders and gave Xander the benefit of his sexy leer. "Sorry love," he whispered to Buffy, "can't resist!"
Buffy looked at him indulgently and mussed his hair. Dawn mimed gagging to Willow and they both dissolved into giggles.
"Could you all please stop channeling your former selves?" Giles said acidly. "I was so happy to put that stage behind me."
Chairs were shoved around, pizza was doled out, but eventually everyone was settled and looked expectantly at Giles.
"Alright, then. Next Saturday is a full moon. The moon is only visible during the day however, so it seems the most auspicious to start the Ascension Ritual at noon precisely. Will you be able to make it, Spike?"
"No problem, Watcher."
"I want you all to fast that day. That means, Xander, no eating all day, literally nothing, and drinking a minimal amount of water. Also I want you to bathe, and I've got an individual packet of herbs each to season your bath water. Each packet of herbs is specially mixed to suit your Ritual Persona."
"We never did this stuff before, Giles!" Xander sniffed his herbs suspiciously. "When we did the First Slayer ritual I was all sweaty and full of Cheeto's."
"These preparations are Willow's contribution, Xander."
"I learned a lot in England, guys. Alignment with the forces of earth, pure body and pure spirit are very important for magic, especially white magic."
"Huh." It still made Xander uncomfortable when Willow talked about magic.
"And I want you to meditate. Cleanse your spirit, your mind and your soul. Try to be a blank slate."
Willow caught Buffy and Dawn making faces at each other. "Hey! This is serious stuff, okay."
"Should we meditate before the bath, during, or after?" Xander asked.
"Wash your back, sweetheart?" Spike said sotto voce to Buffy. She smiled back.
"Ahem! Giles!" Willow put on a stern voice. "You forgot to mention that fasting also means abstaining from physical gratification!"
"What?"
"No sex – duo or solo!"
"Again with the what?" Xander looked confused.
"No shagging, no wanking," Spike said helpfully.
"Thank you, Spike, we would never have guessed," Giles said pointedly.
"Still confused here," Buffy said. "Last time you said the spell was already working. Why do we have to do the ritual?"
"We can't be sure without the complete prophecy. Also, you're still here. It seemed safest to follow the ritual as best as we can."
"Yeah, 'cause there's still no Champion!" Xander added.
"Er, yes, but I'm quite sure that some way or other a Champion will be provided." Giles looked at Willow for support.
"Yeah, there's absolutely going to be someone", Willow improvised quickly. "Maybe it's someone who's in Sunnydale already?"
"Yeah, right." Xander was now definitely suspicious. "Is there something you're not telling me? Because I wouldn't like? It's Spike, right?"
Spike dipped his face towards Xander, brows raised. "No. Not volunteering here."
"Then who?"
Giles and Willow were thrown.
"The prophecy is crystal clear on this point. There will be a Champion, that's all I can say."
Xander stood up. "If you say so, Giles. Okay, Mr. Working man is going home. Anybody needs a ride?"
All hands went up. Xander was at a loss. "Who's gonna walk home and not have hurt feelings?"
"Spike and me will walk," Buffy said. "We can patrol on the way home. See you Saturday!"