Practically Perfect in Every Way

Coupling:  S/B …I swear..well kinda.. you'll see…

Rating: PG-13.  *Strips Spike and puts black bar that hides the goodies over said goodies*  Told you this was PG-13.  

Author:  Hostile 17

Disclaimer:  I watched him as he swam in our pool.  Gracefully moving through the water like he was meant to be in the water.  He rose for air and the water glistened on his back and on his manly chest.  After he went back under I decided to strip and join him.  He was always talking about getting adventurous in our sex life just as his characters of the hit show BtVS did and I was about to make his wish come true.  I dove in and wrapped myself around him.  He frantically tried to rise to the surface as I barraged him with kisses.  When he finally made it up he was gasping for air and saying something that sounded like security.  I wouldn't know though I just felt a sharp pain and now I feel like I'm being lifted from the water.  Before I drifted into unconsciousness I looked at him and thought 'Our love will be forever, my love forever.'  Then, 'Why is he crying in that woman's arms.'  *Grins evilly*  Excerpts from Intervention were written by Jane Epenson. 

A/N:  Does dance…. I know you love me people.  Which is why you need to review.  Now.  Especially you *points to random guy in the back*.  Damn I'm bored…what are you all up to today?  Oh and yeah Ben and Buffy had already met when she was there in the hospital before but he didn't know who she was then.  She is the only one who remembered at the moment.  Hence the introduction he wants to be all sweet on her.  The Asshole. 

Chapter 7

            The gang had left the hospital after each giving Ben the hug and hearty thanks for saving their friends lives leaving the young man slightly flustered.  They had agreed to meet at the magic box in an hour allowing Buffy to go home and change.  Giles had said that he might have a lead on how to defeat Glory which led to many more questions.  He simply just told them to meet at the Magic box and that he would explain.  Dawn and her mom had left with William.  Nobody had wanted them out in the open just yet.  If the spell was still taking effect, William's place was still the safest area for them to be in. 

            Within an hour William, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya and Buffy herself were assembled at The Magic Box.  Each talking and laughing trying to forget what they were fighting and trying to incorporate some normalcy back into their lives, even if it was only in 10 minute increments.  They stopped when they heard the familiar clearing of the throat by Giles to indicate that the meeting was to begin. 

            "I have been doing some research and come to a conclusion about how to defeat Glory."  He watched as the group leaned in, eager to hear is answer.  "Buffy and I will be taking a retreat.  I feel that she needs to be in tune with the slayer, I think the first slayer will give her the answers we have been searching for." 

            "The solution to Glory is us going on a camping trip?"  Buffy asked somewhat confused. 

            "Yes.  Buffy I believe that you need to get back to your roots.  We've been training so hard and you have been doing so well.  I just feel that you can learn from, and receive the answers that we so desperately need to stop this." 

            She looked around the room, taking everyone's faces; the tired eyes, frown lines, and the worry that seemed to encompass not only their eyes but acted as an invisible weight on their shoulders giving them a slouch and an even more exhausted over all look.  'How had they put up with this for this long?'  She thought to herself.  She could do this it was her job.  She had to.  But they, they didn't.  They could have a normal life, with normal emergencies instead of a monster of the week.  If Giles thought this would help then she would do it.  They need a break, a break from the life she had brought them into.  Sighing she looked at Giles.  "Let's go." 

            Two hours and a fight over whether or not Dawn could borrow a skirt later Giles and Buffy were on the road.  She leaned towards the window looking at the disappearing landscape of Sunnydale and the appearing dry land of the desert where the quest was supposed to take place.  Thoughts ran through her mind of how her life was turning out.  Angel, she missed him.  Well sort of.  She missed the feeling of being with him.  How he made her feel, like she was losing herself in him.  That wasn't healthy though, she knew that.  His reasons for leaving had been as valid then as they were now for him not coming back.  The love would always be there but it was no longer drowning her.  Then there was Riley.  The other man in her life.  The one that no matter how hard she tried to be there for him it was too little.  It wasn't enough.  With him she felt numb inside.  She was shut down.   She couldn't give him what she needed.  What he wanted.  This is why she had made the wish right?  It's not like she could love Spike back.  Not with him being a vampire and with the evil and stuff.  'Yeah right.  And you are also a natural blonde,' her mind screamed at her.  It seemed to be doing that a lot lately.  'You love Spike.  Why did I have two pieces of pie?  You love him with pie on him.  You shouldn't have made that wish.  Did you leave the light on in the basement?'  She knew that she was fooling herself.  Spike was the one she wanted.  She knew that now.  But she couldn't reverse the wish, it was too late and now she was stuck with a Spike that she didn't even know.  A Spike that didn't even want her. 

              She had fallen asleep before they had reached their destination and she had woken up with a weird taste in her mouth and a memory of her dream.  Something about a robot that looked like her.  'Huh, weird.'  After opening the door and stretching her legs outside the car she looked at Giles.  "We ready?" 

            Giles looked at Buffy as she approached him.  She had seemed off to him as of late.  Sure she was still doing her slaying duties but it seemed as though the spark had left her.  She had been so attentive, ready to learn, ready to train.  Then the fight with Glory had left her weakened. Not physically, but in his mind she seemed to be off mentally and emotionally.  Her heart didn't seem to be in the fight.  Like many teenagers, or young adults it seemed to be somewhere else.  With someone else.  He laid the remaining supplies for the spell down before explaining what the ritual was for and how it was to be performed.  He explained that he would be transferring his "guardianship" of her temporarily so that a guide might take her to the sacred place.  A place that he could not enter.  She had appeared to be worried at first that he wouldn't be able to find her but once he assured her that the sacred place wasn't one filled with bleached bones she seemed to be wanting to get it done. 

            Buffy watched as Giles seemingly did the hokey pokey a couple times before he disappeared all together.  It was then she was met by a panther.  'Be a good kitty.'  She followed.

~Hours later~ 

            She awoke again but this time on a large slab on rock.  'At least it's pretty,' she thought to herself.  A bonfire had been set up only feet away providing her with warmth.  Looking around and feeling the chill she surmised that the sun had set many hours before she woke up.  It was what had woken her up that troubled her.  It was a rustling, something was moving around but she couldn't get a fix on it.  It wasn't demon which only slightly calmed her fears. 

            "Hello?  Is someone out here?"  Then she came into view.  The first slayer.  She began speaking, frustrating Buffy to no end because hello?  Who speaks language of yesteryear man?  No her that's who.  Then the slayer spoke to her. 

            "I am your guide.  This is my form."

            "Can't you take a better less scary one?  I mean the mud on the face is so well weird." 

            The slayer looked at Buffy considering her words then seemed to agree.  It would be better if the answers she was seeking came from someone she trusted.  The first slayer then changed form. 

            Buffy watched in amazement as the first slayers form and appearance changed from a woman of ancient times to that of a leather duster, jeans wearing, bleach blonde vampire that she had missed so much.  Her heart rate increased to the point where she thought it would leap out and go hug Spike itself. 

            "Spike?"

            "I've taken his form, yes."  He watched her face as it fell at the disappointment that it wasn't actually him.  "Bugger this, yeah I'm Spike luv but not in the way you want me to be.  The powers," he pointed up as to show her who she was talking about, "thought that you would be more receptive to someone you knew giving you the answers you need.

            The guide seemed surprised when she jumped up and hugged him.  Sure he was Spike but still with the surprise.  He touched her cheek, caressing it somewhat lovingly.  He knew that he was probably sleeping and that he wouldn't remember this when it was all over, but while he had her… 

            "I need to ask you some questions… about being a slayer.  About Glory.  About love."  She had made sure to look in his eyes as she said the last word.  He saw this and took an unneeded breath. 

            The answers seemed to flow to him and out of his mouth.  He knew what she needed to hear; the answers she needed to fight the fight here.  Wherever it was.  "You think you're losing your ability to love?"

            Buffy looked up.  "I didn't say that."  He saw right through her though.  He had that ability.  To know her better than she knew herself sometimes.  He could always pinpoint what the problem was.  It was like he was a mind reader.  A mind reader with a slammin body and a talent for making her all hot and bothered at the most inappropriate times.  Like now.  She sighed.  "Yeah."

            Spike watched her lower lip jut out to form that perfect little put that always formed on her face when something was wrong. He could honestly say he had never been more in love or more protective of her.  He didn't know why she had chosen him to be the form of her guide or where this was exactly.  It seemed like his world but something was off that he couldn't place.  She looked at him differently.  Not like a monster, but like a man.  A man she was in lust with.  Perhaps something more, but he wasn't going to push it. "You're afraid that being the slayer means losing your humanity?"

            She almost looked frightened as she contemplated it.  The fact that she could be losing her humanity because of her calling was something she hadn't considered.  She had always held that above Spike.  The fact that she was human.  Funny that she had never done that to Angel.  'Well he did have the soul.  Yeah and look how far that got the sodding poofter.'  She inwardly smiled when her mind went into Spike talking mode then smiled again when thoughts of naked Spike came to mind.  She almost began to wonder if he could find a blanket for some Spike lovin time until his question came back in her head.  Was she losing her humanity?  "Does it?"

            He shook his head, seeing the relief immediately cross her face.  "You, you are full of love.  You love with all your soul."  He reached his hand out and she clasped it.  "It's brighter than the fire…blinding."  Moments passed as they just looked at their hands.  They both felt the warmth crawl through their veins to the one part of them that was connected.  Fire, rushed through extinguishing any lingering thoughts of denying the passion that they had always known was there.  A fire in their hands.  Eventually she let go and he added, "That's why you pull away from it."  Not wanting to betray his emotions, the last comment was almost a whisper.

            This surprised her.  She wasn't numb inside.  Of course it would be Spike telling her this.  "I'm full of love?  I'm not losing it?"

            He smirked.  "Well you're full of something and I would have to say you lost it about the time you fell for Peaches."  She had walked right into it and he couldn't resist.  The comment earned him a glare and a small smile.  He again held out his hand but when she took it, she was pulled closer to him.  Their faces were merely centimeters apart.  "Only if you reject it. '"You're beneath me."'  Love is pain, and you forge strength from pain.  '"Close your eyes."  She had said to Angel before she killed him.  Before she sent her lover to hell.'  Love…give…forgive.  Risk the pain.  It's your nature luv.  It's who you are.  Love will bring you to your gift."  His lips brushed over hers, his tongue darting out to enjoy the flavor of her mouth.  She responded in kind and they stayed that way, tongues interlocking for several minutes. 

            Eventually she need to breathe. Stupid air need for living rule.'  "What?  I get a gift?  Is it jewelry?"  The only response she received was a raised eyebrow.  "I'm kidding.  Actually I'm confused.  I'm full of love, which is nice, because it could be worse.  You know the powers could say I was full of sh…I'm babbling.  So love will lead me to my gift?"

            He fingered a strand of her hair before gently placing it behind her ear.  Cor, she is so beautiful.  So full of love, so full of life and good.'  He frowned.  What had ever made him think that he deserved her.  That he could even touch some one as..,' he stopped his thought right there and closed his eyes.  "Yes."  It was the only answer he had the strength to say at the moment.

            "I'm getting a gift?  Or, or do you mean that, that I have a gift to give to someone else?"  He wouldn't look at her and this worried her.  If there was something Spike never did was look away.  He would always look her in the eye and tell her what needed to be told no matter if she wanted to hear it or not.  "Look at me Spike,"  He opened his eyes.  Tears glistening in them.  "What is it Spike?"  She asked, her hand finding its place to lay on where Spike's unbeating heart was. 

            He had said it so silently the first time that she had asked him to repeat it.  He found her eyes and told her.  "Death is your gift." 

            "Death…"  Her eyes going wide as she repeated the word.

            "Is you gift."  He completed the sentence knowing that she was too shocked to. 

            Her face became hard.  "Okay death is not a gift.  I know this.  If I have to kill demons because it makes the world a better place then I kill demons.  But it' not a gift to anybody."

            "Buffy.."

            "Take it back damnit!  Death isn't my gift.  How do I beat her Spike?  How do I get this hell bitch away from my family?  How do I make her go away?  How do I make everything right again?"  By this time she had already fallen into Spike's arms the tears falling freely and was pounding on him but not in a way that would hurt.  "Death can't be my gift.  If it was I would have introduced you to it years ago.  Spike I can't deal with somebody else leaving me by choice or not.  I'm so alone."  She stayed in his arms until the faint color of dawn began to touch the sky.  Buffy turned to look at Spike.  "I need an answer."

            Spike looked up at the approaching sun and looked back down at Buffy.  He kissed the valley between her breasts and made his way up the side of her neck to her earlobe.  "I love you."  Knowing that she would want to respond he held a finger to her lips and finally faced her again.   "You're question has been answered."  He stood up, lifting her up after him.  "Close your eyes."

            She did as she was told and when she opened them it was daylight and Spike was gone.

TBC