New Horizons: Chapter Forty-Six
The Continuance
By Annie
06-03-2002
Xander's eyes were growing wide and he felt his heart beat slow down to almost nothing as he stared at the Slayer and the Vamp.
He didn't know what he felt other than absolute shock at seeing the display of one of his best friends kissing dead boy, kissing the enemy, kissing a vampire with such feeling that it was hard to miss. He swallowed hard, turning his eyes to Anya who was biting her lower lip and wringing her hands nervously.
"Hi, Ahn," he said slowly and she smiled a little as she come and stood at the foot of the steps, looking up at him.
"Hi," she said, voice still streaked with tension anticipating his reaction.
Well, he thought as he once more looked at Buffy and Spike. I think that this is all the reaction you're gonna get out of me.
He slowly shook his head to himself.
"Do they ever come up for air?" he found himself asking and Anya furrowed her brow slightly, stealing a glance at the two before looking at him again.
"Well," she started, "Buffy's lung capacity is probably better than a normal humans, and Spike.well, he doesn't really need to breathe," she then finished and Xander smiled a little hesitantly.
"Right, thanks for the clarification, Anya," he grumbled and she looked hurt, which made him turn to her regretfully. "I'm sorry," he said and she smiled a little, nodding, before he walked down the steps and came to stand beside her.
"How was work?" she asked, trying to disregard the make-out session going on behind her back and Xander shrugged a little, meeting her gaze.
"The usual," he answered her, then he took a step around her and she was about to place a hand on his arm to stop him when he said: "You guys are seriously gonna scare off the customers, if there ever are any," Anya huffed at that and Buffy and Spike, surprised at the sound of his voice, pulled apart and turned their heads to him. He continued: "So maybe you could take this little thing you've got going here into the sparring room or the storage room or preferably a motel room in a galaxy far, far away? Just to let the rest of us not feel so.grossed out?"
Buffy stared at him and Spike stared at him and Anya stared at him and then Buffy started laughing as she took a step away from Spike and walked up to Xander.
"I'm sorry to gross you out, Mr. Harris," she said as she embraced him and he smiled a little, hugging her back. "But from now on this is official, and so."
Xander moaned.
"Oh Lord, I think I'm starting to regret the fact that you don't have to do this behind my back anymore," he grumbled and Buffy smiled brightly as she pulled away from him again.
"Well," she said as she turned and looked at Spike. "I'M not," she added as she walked up to the latter who was looking at her with a small smirk on his lips before he turned his gaze on Xander.
Xander met it for a moment and then he sighed, shrugging.
"Whatever," he said. "I'm happy for you blah-blah-blah," he grumbled, then he paused a moment before adding: "If you're the one to put that smile back on her face, then I can't object."
Spike couldn't help but grin at that and then he nodded, appreciating that statement.
Anya walked up to Xander, sliding one hand into his and looking up at him.
"You're very hot when you're understanding and forgiving," she said firmly and Xander looked down at her, a little surprised.
"Thanks," he said and she smiled, twitching her head slightly towards the door to the storage room and he furrowed his brow.
"Let's go have sex," she said when he didn't catch on and turned around, pulling him by the hand towards where her twitch had been and his eyes enlarged.
"Ahn!" he exclaimed and she turned to him, still walking.
"WHAT?" she asked. "I TRIED to be all.what's it called? Subtle about it!" she defended and Buffy laughed again, shaking her head and then smiling a little as she felt Spike's arms lock around her from behind.
"Sounded like a pretty good idea to me," he mumbled, his mouth against the back of her head and she closed her eyes, reaching up one hand behind her to let it slide into his hair as his hands traveled over her stomach.
"You are such a romantic," she murmured and he laughed a little, turning her around to him and pulling her close. "You know," she now said, both her hands sliding up and around his neck as he was bending down to let his lips meet hers again.
He stopped his movement, meeting her gaze and cocking an eyebrow.
"What?" he asked and she smiled a little.
"I have to be able to leave the house for a couple of hours without you going through the rough," she said and he smiled as well.
"I know," he grumbled, bending down and brushing his lips against hers. "You leaving wasn't the problem. It was just that you didn't go on a bloody patrol; you went to the store. It just."
"Dammit," she grumbled, suddenly pulling out of his embrace with a quick kiss and walking over to the table where her bag was. "My milk," she sighed. "I hope it's not ruined."
Spike looked at her and then came up to her, licking his lips he smiled a little.
"Maybe it's best if we get it home," he pointed out, reaching out a hand and brushing her hair gently away from her shoulder before taking a step forward, bending down and planting a soft kiss on the curve of her neck.
"You have no idea what you do to me," she whispered, turning her head to catch his lips and kissing him deeply as they once more got entangled in each other arms.
***
Buffy kicked out her foot, sending the fledgling vamp flying before she threw herself on him and raised her stake. She dusted him with one hard move of her arm and then she sneezed, getting to her feet and brushing off the heavy ashes.
"Downside of the job?" Spike's voice sounded teasingly from behind her and she grinned tiredly as she turned to him.
"Tell me about it," she grumbled, shaking her head roughly to get the grains out of her hair as he approached her slowly, she stopped her movement and looked up, observing him with eyes beginning to softly glitter in the moonlight. "Did I ever tell you how sexy that damn trench coat is on you?" she asked and he smiled a little, stopping a few feet away from her and raising his eyebrows.
"What, this old thing?" he asked, shrugging and she smiled slightly, twirling her stake between two fingers before throwing it to the ground.
"You know," she said, slowly taking a step to the side of the stake and tilting her head a little. "This whole being in love act is starting to get on my nerves," she stated calmly and he raised his eyebrows again, vague smile still on his lips.
"Really?" he asked as he let the duster slide off his shoulders and it hit the ground with a low thump at his feet before he started moving slowly to one side. "Wanna call it quits already, Slayer?"
She shrugged a little, getting moving as well as they slowly circled each other on a range of roughly seven feet.
"Well, maybe not QUITS, but wouldn't it be more interesting if we went back to how it used to be?"
"How do you mean?" he asked silently, the circle getting slightly tighter.
"I just think maybe we should skip the whole happy forever and ever crap," she said, in a voice just as low and now he smirked.
"And what do you wanna do then, love?" he asked, now stopping and she came to a halt as well, they were about five feet opposite each other and she straightened her back a little.
"I wanna fight," she answered before she lunged at him.
She kicked out a leg and he caught it in both hands, smiling widely now as he met her gaze before flipping her hard, making her twirl around and hit the ground in a harsh thud. She got to her feet fast and turned to him.
"You want more, baby?" he asked and she bit back a smile as she raced forwards again, huddling down and kicking out her leg once more, but this time hitting the target and sweeping his legs out from under him. She stood and was about to throw herself on him but he was too fast, already on his feet he delivered a hard blow to her cheek, which made her almost lose her balance.
"Come on, Slayer," he grumbled as he delivered another blow to her stomach. "Focus!"
She straightened her back, closing her hands into fists and then hitting him so hard on the nose that he flew backwards, crashing into a huge head stone.
"It's not that easy," she said, quickly taking the steps up to him and grabbing him by the collar of his T-shirt, getting him on his feet and then pushing him up against the stone, "to FOCUS," she added as he shook his head a little and met her gaze, "when all I really wanna do is this," she finished, pressing herself against him and letting her tongue part his lips roughly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
He moaned as he turned around, lifting her up and having her put her legs around his waist as he sought balance with HER back now against the rough stone and his hands traveling in under her sweater.
Suddenly a loud shriek was heard close by and they both jerked their heads apart, trying to ignore the overwhelming need to still their desire Buffy unwrapped her legs with a sigh and Spike put her down on the ground.
"Rain check, love?" he asked and she smiled, reaching up to steal another kiss before she nodded and ran up to where she had left her stake.
"And what I said," she called out as she picked it up and turned to start running towards where the sound had come from. "Scratch it!" she added over her shoulder.
"Yeah, what part of it?" he yelled after her.
"I love you, and I wanna be disgustingly happy forever and ever and ever!" she yelled with a laugh and he laughed as well, shaking his head.
"Have I EVER been this happy?" he asked himself as he walked up to his duster, bending down and grabbing it. "Nope," he then mumbled as he pulled it on. "A definite 'nope' to that. Never been so bloody happy.It's scary," he grumbled as he looked up towards where Buffy had disappeared. "Ah well," he thought and started after her.
Buffy rounded a patch of thick bushes and almost tripped over the lifeless body of a young woman.
"Woh!" she said as she regained her balance and looked down. "Crap, I'm too late!"
"Bugger me," Spike said as he stopped beside her. "Sorry 'bout that, Slayer," he grumbled and she shook her head.
"It was just as much my doing," she assured and bent down to feel for a pulse, her face brightening a little. "It's faint but it's there," she said and Spike furrowed his brow slightly.
"Strange," he mumbled and she looked up, questioning. "I can't hear it," he said and she frowned as well, then she shrugged.
"We need to get her to a doctor," she said and he nodded, bending down to lift her up.
As he did, her long black hair, that had been covering her face, gently fell to the side and he stared at her, furrowing his brow deeper this time.
Buffy's eyes widened at the extraordinary beauty of the young woman's face, and then she turned her head to Spike, feeling a stitch of jealousy.
"Oh, just stare away! Girlfriend standing right by your side but never mind, admire the beautiful stranger," she grumbled and he turned his head to her shaking it.
"I wasn't." he started but she just waved a hand, beginning to walk ahead. "Buffy, I WASN'T." he tried again, but she interrupted him with a:
"Fine. Whatever."
He rolled his eyes, following her.
***
"So, she's going to be all right?" Buffy asked as the doctor stepped out of Willow's bedroom, where they had put the young woman, and he nodded.
"Yes, she'll be fine, with some rest. She's suffered a mild concussion and lost some blood. I was wondering about that actually, the marks on her throat seem to have been performed with two sharp objects, if I didn't know better I'd say it was a vampire bite but even in Sunnydale that would be a little far off, don't you agree?" he asked with a humorous smile and Buffy smiled back with a glance at Spike who was full out grinning.
"Yes, I do!" she said, nodding. "Thank you, doctor Nordstrom, and I hope that you'll have a nice evening."
"Thank you, Ms. Summers, you too. And call me any time if there are any problems."
Buffy nodded, still smiling as she walked him downstairs, Spike following close behind and waiting as Buffy said good night before she closed the door behind the doctor's back.
She sighed deeply, shaking her head and turning around to lean against it, looking up at the vamp as he came up to her.
"So," Buffy said, moving away from him and crossing her arms over her chest.
He sighed, smiling a little and turning to her.
"Don't tell me you're the really, really jealous type," he grumbled and she raised her eyebrows. "I'm just saying, I HAVE to be able to LOOK at another woman," he added and her eyebrows shot up even higher. "Not THAT kind of look, Slayer," he murmured, still enjoying the fact of the blatant emotion in her eyes.
"Do you think she's prettier than me, that's all I'm wondering? 'Cause I think she's a lot more pretty and-."
He cut her off by moving towards her, his eyes filling with that warmth and his mouth curling in the so comfortingly familiar smirk as he reached out a hand and pulled her to him.
"Trust me, Slayer," he mumbled, bending down so his mouth was almost touching hers, her hands sliding up and around his neck as she licked her lips a little. "No one can ever come close to you, she's not even fit to stand in your shadow. You know that you're the only one I'll ever want; the only one I've ever loved. So trust me, Buffy."
She smiled a little, bending her head back and parting her lips a little as he moved his head forward and gently kissed her.
She sighed happily as they pulled apart and rested her head against his chest for a moment as he held her close to him, breathing in the scent of her and smiling in the fact that it was his now. She was his, all of her. Just as he was hers.
Unbelievable, what this bloody love does to you, he thought to himself, suddenly fascinated by the mere concept.
Then he remembered something she had said earlier and smiled a little.
"I have a girlfriend," he said and she pulled her head back to look up at him with a big smile, laughing a little.
"What?" she asked and he smiled widely back.
"You said 'girlfriend standing right by your side but never mind', before when you got so.upset with me," he said and she tilted her head a little to one side, still smiling.
"So I did," she agreed and then she stood on her toes and kissed him on the mouth. "Hello, 'boyfriend'," she then added with a mischievous grin and he laughed a little before bending down and placing a kiss on the tip of her nose, making her think of the night in England.
"Hello, 'girlfriend'," he mumbled and then he smiled warmly and she returned it, shaking her head a little.
"Had ANYone told me that this was gonna happen, I so wouldn't have believed it," she stated and he grinned, shaking his head.
"Me neither," he said.
Then he pulled her close again, holding her tight to him, thoroughly enjoying the feel of her slim body against his own, in his arms. Buffy relaxed into him, nestling her face against his throat and feeling the un- satisfaction of not having finished what they started earlier start to build inside. She turned her head and let her lips run up and trace his jaw line before opening her mouth and gently kissing his chin.
His grip had hardened at the touch of her lips and now he moved his head to meet her kiss with his mouth. She drew a deep breath, pulling herself closer to him and he turned around with her in his arms, taking a few steps forward and pressing her against the wall they soon enough hit.
"Buffy?" Dawn's voice suddenly called as she came skipping down the stairs and the Slayer and the Vamp pulled away from each other quickly, Spike turning around just as Dawn looked up, half way down the steps. "Oh, hi," she said now, stopping and her eyes wandering from one to the other.
Buffy was still leaning against the wall, her hair unusually tangled and Spike looked a little self-conscious as he carefully held his duster wrapped around him. Dawn frowned a little.
"Take it to the bedroom, that's my advice," she then said lightly as she went the rest of the steps and stood before them, suddenly smiling and shaking her head a little. "Okay, so, interrupting you guys in your post- patrolling activities or whatever wasn't the reason I came down. I was just wondering, where's Willow and who is that girl in her room?"
Buffy's eyes widened a little as she remembered the stranger. She shook her head, biting her lip and trying to focus on anything but the roaring craving for him and his touch and his kiss and.
AHHH! STOP IT! she screamed in her head.
"Um, we don't know who she is. She was attacked and we.well, we were a little late but at least we stopped the blood loss," Buffy answered Dawn who's eyes grew slightly at that.
"So.she's like staying here now or something?" she asked and Buffy exchanged a look with Spike. "What?" Dawn asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't you think I know that look? It means you don't know, doesn't it, but that you're not sure you should tell me," she said impatiently and Buffy turned to her, then smiled widely.
"Yeah," she said. "Okay, so, we have no idea who she is, where she's from or well anything. She needs her rest though, and so I suppose that for tonight she can stay here." she then stated and Spike raised his eyebrows.
"Is that safe, Slayer?" he asked and she turned to him, shrugging a little and trying to ignore the fact that he still had his duster wrapped around him to cover up any slight personal.matter that Dawn shouldn't have to see.
She almost laughed at the thought and then swallowed hard, shaking her head a little at herself.
"I'm not sure about the safe factor, no," she answered him. "But we can't just wake her and send her packing either. I'll watch her." she started and she could see his eyes grow a little at that and she felt the disappointment at not sharing a bed with him during the night almost claw in her chest and she swallowed again. "Or maybe.I mean, we could." she trailed off, sighing.
"God, you are SO obvious," Dawn sighed, rolling her eyes and walking past them towards the kitchen. "I think," she then added over her shoulder, "that you should just let her sleep. She's obviously human, right?" she finished, disappearing into the kitchen and Spike and Buffy stared after her before turning to each other.
"She's right," Buffy said with a small smile, taking a step forward and sliding her hands in between the duster, opening it up and letting her hands glide in under his T-shirt and he smirked a little, closing his eyes and letting his own hands place themselves on her back, holding her a little closer.
"Yeah," he grumbled. "Yeah, she's right."
***
Up in the bedroom, in the darkened shadows two green eyes were softly glowing.
Torah smiled to herself as she listened to the conversation taking place downstairs.
This is going to be easier than I thought. The Slayer is in love with a vampire. That I would exist to see the day.
Then she laughed a low laugh and closed her eyes again.
The Continuance
By Annie
06-03-2002
Xander's eyes were growing wide and he felt his heart beat slow down to almost nothing as he stared at the Slayer and the Vamp.
He didn't know what he felt other than absolute shock at seeing the display of one of his best friends kissing dead boy, kissing the enemy, kissing a vampire with such feeling that it was hard to miss. He swallowed hard, turning his eyes to Anya who was biting her lower lip and wringing her hands nervously.
"Hi, Ahn," he said slowly and she smiled a little as she come and stood at the foot of the steps, looking up at him.
"Hi," she said, voice still streaked with tension anticipating his reaction.
Well, he thought as he once more looked at Buffy and Spike. I think that this is all the reaction you're gonna get out of me.
He slowly shook his head to himself.
"Do they ever come up for air?" he found himself asking and Anya furrowed her brow slightly, stealing a glance at the two before looking at him again.
"Well," she started, "Buffy's lung capacity is probably better than a normal humans, and Spike.well, he doesn't really need to breathe," she then finished and Xander smiled a little hesitantly.
"Right, thanks for the clarification, Anya," he grumbled and she looked hurt, which made him turn to her regretfully. "I'm sorry," he said and she smiled a little, nodding, before he walked down the steps and came to stand beside her.
"How was work?" she asked, trying to disregard the make-out session going on behind her back and Xander shrugged a little, meeting her gaze.
"The usual," he answered her, then he took a step around her and she was about to place a hand on his arm to stop him when he said: "You guys are seriously gonna scare off the customers, if there ever are any," Anya huffed at that and Buffy and Spike, surprised at the sound of his voice, pulled apart and turned their heads to him. He continued: "So maybe you could take this little thing you've got going here into the sparring room or the storage room or preferably a motel room in a galaxy far, far away? Just to let the rest of us not feel so.grossed out?"
Buffy stared at him and Spike stared at him and Anya stared at him and then Buffy started laughing as she took a step away from Spike and walked up to Xander.
"I'm sorry to gross you out, Mr. Harris," she said as she embraced him and he smiled a little, hugging her back. "But from now on this is official, and so."
Xander moaned.
"Oh Lord, I think I'm starting to regret the fact that you don't have to do this behind my back anymore," he grumbled and Buffy smiled brightly as she pulled away from him again.
"Well," she said as she turned and looked at Spike. "I'M not," she added as she walked up to the latter who was looking at her with a small smirk on his lips before he turned his gaze on Xander.
Xander met it for a moment and then he sighed, shrugging.
"Whatever," he said. "I'm happy for you blah-blah-blah," he grumbled, then he paused a moment before adding: "If you're the one to put that smile back on her face, then I can't object."
Spike couldn't help but grin at that and then he nodded, appreciating that statement.
Anya walked up to Xander, sliding one hand into his and looking up at him.
"You're very hot when you're understanding and forgiving," she said firmly and Xander looked down at her, a little surprised.
"Thanks," he said and she smiled, twitching her head slightly towards the door to the storage room and he furrowed his brow.
"Let's go have sex," she said when he didn't catch on and turned around, pulling him by the hand towards where her twitch had been and his eyes enlarged.
"Ahn!" he exclaimed and she turned to him, still walking.
"WHAT?" she asked. "I TRIED to be all.what's it called? Subtle about it!" she defended and Buffy laughed again, shaking her head and then smiling a little as she felt Spike's arms lock around her from behind.
"Sounded like a pretty good idea to me," he mumbled, his mouth against the back of her head and she closed her eyes, reaching up one hand behind her to let it slide into his hair as his hands traveled over her stomach.
"You are such a romantic," she murmured and he laughed a little, turning her around to him and pulling her close. "You know," she now said, both her hands sliding up and around his neck as he was bending down to let his lips meet hers again.
He stopped his movement, meeting her gaze and cocking an eyebrow.
"What?" he asked and she smiled a little.
"I have to be able to leave the house for a couple of hours without you going through the rough," she said and he smiled as well.
"I know," he grumbled, bending down and brushing his lips against hers. "You leaving wasn't the problem. It was just that you didn't go on a bloody patrol; you went to the store. It just."
"Dammit," she grumbled, suddenly pulling out of his embrace with a quick kiss and walking over to the table where her bag was. "My milk," she sighed. "I hope it's not ruined."
Spike looked at her and then came up to her, licking his lips he smiled a little.
"Maybe it's best if we get it home," he pointed out, reaching out a hand and brushing her hair gently away from her shoulder before taking a step forward, bending down and planting a soft kiss on the curve of her neck.
"You have no idea what you do to me," she whispered, turning her head to catch his lips and kissing him deeply as they once more got entangled in each other arms.
***
Buffy kicked out her foot, sending the fledgling vamp flying before she threw herself on him and raised her stake. She dusted him with one hard move of her arm and then she sneezed, getting to her feet and brushing off the heavy ashes.
"Downside of the job?" Spike's voice sounded teasingly from behind her and she grinned tiredly as she turned to him.
"Tell me about it," she grumbled, shaking her head roughly to get the grains out of her hair as he approached her slowly, she stopped her movement and looked up, observing him with eyes beginning to softly glitter in the moonlight. "Did I ever tell you how sexy that damn trench coat is on you?" she asked and he smiled a little, stopping a few feet away from her and raising his eyebrows.
"What, this old thing?" he asked, shrugging and she smiled slightly, twirling her stake between two fingers before throwing it to the ground.
"You know," she said, slowly taking a step to the side of the stake and tilting her head a little. "This whole being in love act is starting to get on my nerves," she stated calmly and he raised his eyebrows again, vague smile still on his lips.
"Really?" he asked as he let the duster slide off his shoulders and it hit the ground with a low thump at his feet before he started moving slowly to one side. "Wanna call it quits already, Slayer?"
She shrugged a little, getting moving as well as they slowly circled each other on a range of roughly seven feet.
"Well, maybe not QUITS, but wouldn't it be more interesting if we went back to how it used to be?"
"How do you mean?" he asked silently, the circle getting slightly tighter.
"I just think maybe we should skip the whole happy forever and ever crap," she said, in a voice just as low and now he smirked.
"And what do you wanna do then, love?" he asked, now stopping and she came to a halt as well, they were about five feet opposite each other and she straightened her back a little.
"I wanna fight," she answered before she lunged at him.
She kicked out a leg and he caught it in both hands, smiling widely now as he met her gaze before flipping her hard, making her twirl around and hit the ground in a harsh thud. She got to her feet fast and turned to him.
"You want more, baby?" he asked and she bit back a smile as she raced forwards again, huddling down and kicking out her leg once more, but this time hitting the target and sweeping his legs out from under him. She stood and was about to throw herself on him but he was too fast, already on his feet he delivered a hard blow to her cheek, which made her almost lose her balance.
"Come on, Slayer," he grumbled as he delivered another blow to her stomach. "Focus!"
She straightened her back, closing her hands into fists and then hitting him so hard on the nose that he flew backwards, crashing into a huge head stone.
"It's not that easy," she said, quickly taking the steps up to him and grabbing him by the collar of his T-shirt, getting him on his feet and then pushing him up against the stone, "to FOCUS," she added as he shook his head a little and met her gaze, "when all I really wanna do is this," she finished, pressing herself against him and letting her tongue part his lips roughly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
He moaned as he turned around, lifting her up and having her put her legs around his waist as he sought balance with HER back now against the rough stone and his hands traveling in under her sweater.
Suddenly a loud shriek was heard close by and they both jerked their heads apart, trying to ignore the overwhelming need to still their desire Buffy unwrapped her legs with a sigh and Spike put her down on the ground.
"Rain check, love?" he asked and she smiled, reaching up to steal another kiss before she nodded and ran up to where she had left her stake.
"And what I said," she called out as she picked it up and turned to start running towards where the sound had come from. "Scratch it!" she added over her shoulder.
"Yeah, what part of it?" he yelled after her.
"I love you, and I wanna be disgustingly happy forever and ever and ever!" she yelled with a laugh and he laughed as well, shaking his head.
"Have I EVER been this happy?" he asked himself as he walked up to his duster, bending down and grabbing it. "Nope," he then mumbled as he pulled it on. "A definite 'nope' to that. Never been so bloody happy.It's scary," he grumbled as he looked up towards where Buffy had disappeared. "Ah well," he thought and started after her.
Buffy rounded a patch of thick bushes and almost tripped over the lifeless body of a young woman.
"Woh!" she said as she regained her balance and looked down. "Crap, I'm too late!"
"Bugger me," Spike said as he stopped beside her. "Sorry 'bout that, Slayer," he grumbled and she shook her head.
"It was just as much my doing," she assured and bent down to feel for a pulse, her face brightening a little. "It's faint but it's there," she said and Spike furrowed his brow slightly.
"Strange," he mumbled and she looked up, questioning. "I can't hear it," he said and she frowned as well, then she shrugged.
"We need to get her to a doctor," she said and he nodded, bending down to lift her up.
As he did, her long black hair, that had been covering her face, gently fell to the side and he stared at her, furrowing his brow deeper this time.
Buffy's eyes widened at the extraordinary beauty of the young woman's face, and then she turned her head to Spike, feeling a stitch of jealousy.
"Oh, just stare away! Girlfriend standing right by your side but never mind, admire the beautiful stranger," she grumbled and he turned his head to her shaking it.
"I wasn't." he started but she just waved a hand, beginning to walk ahead. "Buffy, I WASN'T." he tried again, but she interrupted him with a:
"Fine. Whatever."
He rolled his eyes, following her.
***
"So, she's going to be all right?" Buffy asked as the doctor stepped out of Willow's bedroom, where they had put the young woman, and he nodded.
"Yes, she'll be fine, with some rest. She's suffered a mild concussion and lost some blood. I was wondering about that actually, the marks on her throat seem to have been performed with two sharp objects, if I didn't know better I'd say it was a vampire bite but even in Sunnydale that would be a little far off, don't you agree?" he asked with a humorous smile and Buffy smiled back with a glance at Spike who was full out grinning.
"Yes, I do!" she said, nodding. "Thank you, doctor Nordstrom, and I hope that you'll have a nice evening."
"Thank you, Ms. Summers, you too. And call me any time if there are any problems."
Buffy nodded, still smiling as she walked him downstairs, Spike following close behind and waiting as Buffy said good night before she closed the door behind the doctor's back.
She sighed deeply, shaking her head and turning around to lean against it, looking up at the vamp as he came up to her.
"So," Buffy said, moving away from him and crossing her arms over her chest.
He sighed, smiling a little and turning to her.
"Don't tell me you're the really, really jealous type," he grumbled and she raised her eyebrows. "I'm just saying, I HAVE to be able to LOOK at another woman," he added and her eyebrows shot up even higher. "Not THAT kind of look, Slayer," he murmured, still enjoying the fact of the blatant emotion in her eyes.
"Do you think she's prettier than me, that's all I'm wondering? 'Cause I think she's a lot more pretty and-."
He cut her off by moving towards her, his eyes filling with that warmth and his mouth curling in the so comfortingly familiar smirk as he reached out a hand and pulled her to him.
"Trust me, Slayer," he mumbled, bending down so his mouth was almost touching hers, her hands sliding up and around his neck as she licked her lips a little. "No one can ever come close to you, she's not even fit to stand in your shadow. You know that you're the only one I'll ever want; the only one I've ever loved. So trust me, Buffy."
She smiled a little, bending her head back and parting her lips a little as he moved his head forward and gently kissed her.
She sighed happily as they pulled apart and rested her head against his chest for a moment as he held her close to him, breathing in the scent of her and smiling in the fact that it was his now. She was his, all of her. Just as he was hers.
Unbelievable, what this bloody love does to you, he thought to himself, suddenly fascinated by the mere concept.
Then he remembered something she had said earlier and smiled a little.
"I have a girlfriend," he said and she pulled her head back to look up at him with a big smile, laughing a little.
"What?" she asked and he smiled widely back.
"You said 'girlfriend standing right by your side but never mind', before when you got so.upset with me," he said and she tilted her head a little to one side, still smiling.
"So I did," she agreed and then she stood on her toes and kissed him on the mouth. "Hello, 'boyfriend'," she then added with a mischievous grin and he laughed a little before bending down and placing a kiss on the tip of her nose, making her think of the night in England.
"Hello, 'girlfriend'," he mumbled and then he smiled warmly and she returned it, shaking her head a little.
"Had ANYone told me that this was gonna happen, I so wouldn't have believed it," she stated and he grinned, shaking his head.
"Me neither," he said.
Then he pulled her close again, holding her tight to him, thoroughly enjoying the feel of her slim body against his own, in his arms. Buffy relaxed into him, nestling her face against his throat and feeling the un- satisfaction of not having finished what they started earlier start to build inside. She turned her head and let her lips run up and trace his jaw line before opening her mouth and gently kissing his chin.
His grip had hardened at the touch of her lips and now he moved his head to meet her kiss with his mouth. She drew a deep breath, pulling herself closer to him and he turned around with her in his arms, taking a few steps forward and pressing her against the wall they soon enough hit.
"Buffy?" Dawn's voice suddenly called as she came skipping down the stairs and the Slayer and the Vamp pulled away from each other quickly, Spike turning around just as Dawn looked up, half way down the steps. "Oh, hi," she said now, stopping and her eyes wandering from one to the other.
Buffy was still leaning against the wall, her hair unusually tangled and Spike looked a little self-conscious as he carefully held his duster wrapped around him. Dawn frowned a little.
"Take it to the bedroom, that's my advice," she then said lightly as she went the rest of the steps and stood before them, suddenly smiling and shaking her head a little. "Okay, so, interrupting you guys in your post- patrolling activities or whatever wasn't the reason I came down. I was just wondering, where's Willow and who is that girl in her room?"
Buffy's eyes widened a little as she remembered the stranger. She shook her head, biting her lip and trying to focus on anything but the roaring craving for him and his touch and his kiss and.
AHHH! STOP IT! she screamed in her head.
"Um, we don't know who she is. She was attacked and we.well, we were a little late but at least we stopped the blood loss," Buffy answered Dawn who's eyes grew slightly at that.
"So.she's like staying here now or something?" she asked and Buffy exchanged a look with Spike. "What?" Dawn asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't you think I know that look? It means you don't know, doesn't it, but that you're not sure you should tell me," she said impatiently and Buffy turned to her, then smiled widely.
"Yeah," she said. "Okay, so, we have no idea who she is, where she's from or well anything. She needs her rest though, and so I suppose that for tonight she can stay here." she then stated and Spike raised his eyebrows.
"Is that safe, Slayer?" he asked and she turned to him, shrugging a little and trying to ignore the fact that he still had his duster wrapped around him to cover up any slight personal.matter that Dawn shouldn't have to see.
She almost laughed at the thought and then swallowed hard, shaking her head a little at herself.
"I'm not sure about the safe factor, no," she answered him. "But we can't just wake her and send her packing either. I'll watch her." she started and she could see his eyes grow a little at that and she felt the disappointment at not sharing a bed with him during the night almost claw in her chest and she swallowed again. "Or maybe.I mean, we could." she trailed off, sighing.
"God, you are SO obvious," Dawn sighed, rolling her eyes and walking past them towards the kitchen. "I think," she then added over her shoulder, "that you should just let her sleep. She's obviously human, right?" she finished, disappearing into the kitchen and Spike and Buffy stared after her before turning to each other.
"She's right," Buffy said with a small smile, taking a step forward and sliding her hands in between the duster, opening it up and letting her hands glide in under his T-shirt and he smirked a little, closing his eyes and letting his own hands place themselves on her back, holding her a little closer.
"Yeah," he grumbled. "Yeah, she's right."
***
Up in the bedroom, in the darkened shadows two green eyes were softly glowing.
Torah smiled to herself as she listened to the conversation taking place downstairs.
This is going to be easier than I thought. The Slayer is in love with a vampire. That I would exist to see the day.
Then she laughed a low laugh and closed her eyes again.