~ Part 3 ~
Buffy tapped her ballpoint on the yellow pad, occasionally tucking the pen cap between her teeth. "Think dammit, think. Seven days. Ok, gotta find a husband." She looked down at her list. "Giles, in England someplace. Xander, having sex in a motel for his honeymoon. Maybe if I could find Jonathon. Oh my God what am I even thinking." She threw the paper across the room where it made a hollow thump against the wall.
"Whatcha doing luv?"
"Working, which last time I checked, didn't involve you."
"Harsh tonight aren't we? What's got your knickers all twisted anyway?" He moved closer towards the thing she had so violently tossed away.
"Oh, don't even think about touching that."
"What's a matter Buffy? Writing torrid sex novels about us?" She groaned as he scooped up the tablet. "Or maybe multiple people?" He wagged his eyebrow suggestively. "Who would have guessed your mind worked like that."
"Spike, it's not that at all. You really are disgusting."
"So what is it? Cause if you don't tell I'm just going to keep on guessing. Future conquests maybe? Guys you want to tape your blooming porno career? Or participate in it perhaps? Like the idea of the last one I think."
"Just shut up already! You make me so pissed! It's a list of guys I could marry, all right? And before you even start, and I swear I'll stake you if you do, it's for Dawn. I need to find a husband so they won't take Dawn away. So if you'd leave me be so I can do this, I'd really appreciate it."
"I'm sorry luv. I didn't know." He bent down and it looked like he was placing the papers back onto the wood floor, but instead he rotated his back to face her. "Let me help." He took one of her hands into his own. "I know you'll never ask me for it, and I know you probably don't want it, but I want to give it."
She tried to pull away, but he only tightened his grip. Lowering himself onto one knee, he looked up at her on the sofa. "Spike, don't do this."
"Look, I know this means shit to you, but I love you. I do. And I love your sister and I'm not going to see her taken away when I can do something about it. Maybe you want nothing to do with me, but she does, and I'll do anything for her. You know that. Now, I don't have a ring or a little speech planned out, but let me help Buffy. Let me be your husband."
She felt a small tingle run up and down her back as she looked at his hopeful face. "I'll let you do it. For Dawn."
"If that's what you'll give me, I'm more than happy to oblige."
"I actually still have the skull ring up in my jewelry box, if you want me to get it."
"Kept it as a keepsake pet?"
"Don't really know. Just have it." His smirk showed that he knew. She couldn't get rid of it; even back then he'd still had a little power over her.
"Well go fetch it and tell Niblet to come down here to hear the news. And we have a wedding to plan. Still want "Wind Beneath My Wings" cause I might actually give into that this time." She walked away as he continued to speak in the other room. What had she gotten herself into?
Buffy tapped her ballpoint on the yellow pad, occasionally tucking the pen cap between her teeth. "Think dammit, think. Seven days. Ok, gotta find a husband." She looked down at her list. "Giles, in England someplace. Xander, having sex in a motel for his honeymoon. Maybe if I could find Jonathon. Oh my God what am I even thinking." She threw the paper across the room where it made a hollow thump against the wall.
"Whatcha doing luv?"
"Working, which last time I checked, didn't involve you."
"Harsh tonight aren't we? What's got your knickers all twisted anyway?" He moved closer towards the thing she had so violently tossed away.
"Oh, don't even think about touching that."
"What's a matter Buffy? Writing torrid sex novels about us?" She groaned as he scooped up the tablet. "Or maybe multiple people?" He wagged his eyebrow suggestively. "Who would have guessed your mind worked like that."
"Spike, it's not that at all. You really are disgusting."
"So what is it? Cause if you don't tell I'm just going to keep on guessing. Future conquests maybe? Guys you want to tape your blooming porno career? Or participate in it perhaps? Like the idea of the last one I think."
"Just shut up already! You make me so pissed! It's a list of guys I could marry, all right? And before you even start, and I swear I'll stake you if you do, it's for Dawn. I need to find a husband so they won't take Dawn away. So if you'd leave me be so I can do this, I'd really appreciate it."
"I'm sorry luv. I didn't know." He bent down and it looked like he was placing the papers back onto the wood floor, but instead he rotated his back to face her. "Let me help." He took one of her hands into his own. "I know you'll never ask me for it, and I know you probably don't want it, but I want to give it."
She tried to pull away, but he only tightened his grip. Lowering himself onto one knee, he looked up at her on the sofa. "Spike, don't do this."
"Look, I know this means shit to you, but I love you. I do. And I love your sister and I'm not going to see her taken away when I can do something about it. Maybe you want nothing to do with me, but she does, and I'll do anything for her. You know that. Now, I don't have a ring or a little speech planned out, but let me help Buffy. Let me be your husband."
She felt a small tingle run up and down her back as she looked at his hopeful face. "I'll let you do it. For Dawn."
"If that's what you'll give me, I'm more than happy to oblige."
"I actually still have the skull ring up in my jewelry box, if you want me to get it."
"Kept it as a keepsake pet?"
"Don't really know. Just have it." His smirk showed that he knew. She couldn't get rid of it; even back then he'd still had a little power over her.
"Well go fetch it and tell Niblet to come down here to hear the news. And we have a wedding to plan. Still want "Wind Beneath My Wings" cause I might actually give into that this time." She walked away as he continued to speak in the other room. What had she gotten herself into?