Buffy poured two glasses of coca cola and carried them to the living room, she handed one to Dawn.
"Thanks," Dawn took a sip of the soda, "He looks good."
"Yeah, he does." Buffy smiled.
"Oh yeah." Dawn grinned appreciatively.
"Dawnie!" Buffy feigned surprise, "You're a married woman!"
"But I'm not blind." Dawn broke into giggles.
Buffy joined her laughter, "It feels good with him here. I'm sure it won't last but it feels good." Buffy's voice was soft and wistful.
"It will last this time, Buffy." Dawn put both hands on her sister's shoulders, "You deserve this, it's time for you and the girls to have some happiness."
"That would be good and he really seems to want to be here. It's just scary, he says he won't leave, but he has before."
"That was before, Buffy. I think you've both changed now, it's time for you to be together." Dawn assured her with a yawn.
"I hope so." Buffy covered her own yawn with her hand. "I suppose we should go to bed."
"Good idea, I was thinking we could go to the zoo tomorrow. Then tomorrow evening I can help you get ready for the big date!" Dawn followed Buffy down the hall as they went to thier bedrooms.
"Sounds good, night, Dawn." Buffy told her as she went into the room.
"Night."
****
The zoo trip went off without a hitch, Dawn and Buffy enjoyed watching their children intract with each other and enjoying the animals. After lunch they returned home with exhausted children who all went down for long naps.
The children woke up in time to find Dawn helping Buffy pick out clothes for her evening out. "I just don't have anything to wear!" Buffy complained as she lay yet another outfit on her bed.
"You have lots of lovely things, Buffy. Anyway Spike could care less what you're wearing, you could wear a burlap bag," Dawn told her then switched to a terrible British accent, "And he would say 'doesn't she look beautiful?'"
Buffy grinned at her sister, "I suppose this would be okay." She held a simply cut black dress in front of her, "Just a little jewelry and some heels, this would be okay for dinner out?"
"It's perfect." Dawn agreed with her.
Buffy lay out the dress and her shoes and jewelry. She and Dawn then watched a movie with the kids and Dawn started their supper while Buffy showered and got ready.
Spike knocked on the door slightly after dark, he was dressed in dark slacks and blue button down shirt, he seemed almost nervous as Dawn let him in. He was carrying a small bouquet of flowers in his hand.
"Nice touch, Spike. She'll love them." Dawn patted his shoulder, "I'll go get her."
"Feel like I'm going to prom!" Spike complained as he took his seat on the couch.
"You love it." Dawn teased as she went down the hallway.
"You look nice, Mr. Spike." Brenna's voice came from the doorway to the kitchen.
"Thank you, Brenna. I'm gonna take your mommy out to dinner. Is that okay with you?" He helped the little girl up on the couch beside him.
"Yeah, it's okay. Aunt Dawn said we could play games and watch a new movie tonight." She scooted next to him, "Mommy pulled out all of her clothes from her closet today. She was fussing that she didn't have anything to wear, but she has lots of clothes!" Brenna explained as Spike listened with a smile.
"Mommy is like that sometimes, but we love her don't we?"
"Yep." Brenna nodded in agreement.
**
"He's here, Buffy." Dawn stuck her head in Buffy's room.
"How do I look?" Buffy asked as she put in her earrings.
"You look lovely. That dress is perfect." Dawn hugged her sister, "Now go and have some fun."
Buffy grinned when she saw Brenna next to Spike on the couch explaining the intricacies of Candyland to him, "Hey." She called out softly.
Spike's eyes grew wide when he saw her, 'Hey. You look wonderful." He stood up and offered her the flowers.
"You do too. Thank you." She sniffed the bouquet, "These are lovely."
"I'll go put them in water for you." Dawn told her as she took the flowers, "Tierney come say bye to mommy."
Tierney came into the livingroom with Carson toddling beside her, she ran to her mommy and hugged her legs, "Bye mommy."
Brenna joined her, "Bye mommy. Bye Mr. Spike."
Buffy knelt down beside the little girls, "Bye girls, be good for Aunt Dawn."
"Now, shoo, out of here." Dawn waved them out the door.
****
"This is so nice," Buffy told Spike as she sipped her wine, " A real sit down restaruant."
"It is nice to go somewhere without a drive thru." Spike agreed as he cut his steak.
"I hope the girls are behaving for Dawn."
"I'm sure they are luv, they are great kids." Spike assured her.
"They really like you too." She smiled shyly now.
"I like them and their mother too." He reached across the table and touched her hand.
"I kind of like you too." She gave his hand a squeeze.
The next half hour was spent with talk of the girls and Dawn and her family. The conversation was easy and comfortable. When Spike leaned over to wipe a bit of red velvet cake off of Buffy's chin he couldn't resist and he gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.
"Well isn't this sweet, my poor dead brother's wife making out like a teenager in a restuarant." Deanna's shrill voice spoiled the moment.
Buffy pulled back from Spike horror and embarrassment on her face, "Deanna."
"Deanna!" A tall man from behind the woman called.
"Buffy, " the man began to shake his head apolgetically.
"Don't Jay, it's not your fault." Buffy began to shake her head.
Deanna turned to her husband glaring, "You can't approve of this?"
"Deanna, it's none of my business just like it's none of yours." Jay spoke calmly and deliberately to his wife.
"It is my business she was my brothers wife, the mother of his children and she's behaving like this, Deanna started off on her tirade but was interrupted.
"Deanna until the other night at the fair, you hadn't seen your brother's children in two years. It's a bit late to play worried aunt." Buffy replied icily.
Jay covered a smile, "Deanna lets go."
"You're going to let her talk to me like that?" Deanna turned to her husband.
"Yes, because it's long overdue. You've been cruel to Buffy any chance you get and it's wrong and as for your earlier question, yes I approve and so would David. He loved Buffy and would want her happy. Deal with it, Deanna." He turned to Buffy, "Best of luck to both of you." then back to his wife, " I'm leaving dear, if you want a ride you better come with me now."
Deanna's eyes grew wide, "I... I..I never...."
"Perhaps that's the reason for your attitude." Spike smirked at the woman.
Buffy held back a giggle as she watched Deanna walk off in a huff.
"Such a lovely woman." Spike said with such fake sincerity that Buffy could not hold in her giggles any longer.
When she had gained her composure, Spike asked for the check and they decided to take a walk along Beale Street. The sound of blues music floated out of the many clubs along the famous street. Spike held her hand as they walked, her mood had turned serious. "What's wrong, Buffy?"
She stopped and looked up at him, "Do you think that other people will think it's wrong that I'm moving on with my life?"
"Some might, but you're friends will be glad for you and there really the only ones that matter. Are you having second thoughts?" He tried to hide the worry in his voice.
"No, no second thoughts. In fact I think I'm ready to go see the new furniture at your apartment." She smiled at him trying to allay his worry.
"You sure?"
"Positive." She kissed him for emphasis.
The ride back to his apartment was quiet, Buffy sat as close to him as possible her head resting on his shoulder. Once there, he parked the car and opened her door for her. She followed him to the apartment. Her eyes widened with surprise when she saw the newly furnished apartment, "It's beautiful. You didn't need me at all." She gave him a faux pout.
"I always need you Buffy." He replied sweetly.
She lowered her eyes at the reply, "How do you do that?"
"What?" He asked with a shrug.
"Know just what to say, make me feel so good with your words." She took his hand, "Show me the apartment."
"Okay, heres the livingroom, and there's the diningroom," He led her to another room, "This is the kitchen."
"You've done a great job. I'm impressed." She squeezed his hand, "Now the only room left is the bedroom."
"Well, you see I've been thinking about that....I kind of think we might skip that room tonight and do that other thing you were talking about." He led her back into the livingroom.
Buffy looked confused, "What other thing?" She sat down next to him on the couch.
"That word thing...we need to do some talking. I need to know...we both need to know some things before we go any further." Spike's tone was serious but he was smiling letting her know it was all going to be okay.
"So you want to talk instead of..." She smiled back at him, "Okay, we can talk, it's just that after the other night I thought...you wanted."
"I did, I do want... but I want it to be right. I've been thinking about the girls and well, Brenna asked me about being her daddy."
"She mentioned that to me too." Buffy leaned back against the couch cushion, "I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable, but she's just a little girl and I think she see's everyone around her with a daddy and she....."
"She wants one too, it didn't make me uncomfortable, Buffy. In fact it was nice....I didn't ever think I would have a chance, hell, that I would ever even want the chance to be a daddy." Spike took a deep breath, "But I think that I would like that, if things work out the way I want them to with us, I want to be there for the girls. I want us to be real family."
"You really want that?" Tears sprang to her eyes.
"Yeah, I do. But I need to know if that's okay with you. I mean you asked earlier about people thinking badly of you for moving on. I don't want you or anyone else to think I want them to forget their dad. I know he was a wonderful man, he was good to you and he loved his daughters. But I want to be there for them now." Spike looked into her eyes almost scared of what he would see there.
Her eyes shone with the unshed tears, "You're right, David loved me and he loved his daughters. That's why I know that he would be okay with this, he would want the girls to have someone to look after them and.....love them." She lay her head on his shoulder, "You really see us as a family someday?"
"I hope so, but that's why I'm not rushing you into anything, I just want it clear what I want to happen and make sure thats okay with you." He turned and kissed her forehead.
"It's more then okay with me, and you're right about the rushing. When it's right we'll know." She sighed, "It is okay to neck on the couch a little isn't it?" She grinned at him.
"I think so." He grinned back as his lips found hers.
An hour of fervent kissing passed before they pulled away from each other. Buffy sighed, "I think I should probably go, check on the girls. It's not that I don't want to stay..."
He pushed her hair back away from her face, "I know...I think it's a good idea for mommy to be home in the morning too. I'll take you home." He kissed her once more before they left.
**
"Buffy, what are you doing home? I thought you would probably be gone all night." Dawn had been asleep on the couch.
"No....we decided that maybe it wasn't quite time for that yet. We talked about the future and about the girls and what we want." Buffy explained with a smile, "It was nice."
"It sounds nice and very serious. So you talked about the future?" Dawn sat back down on the couch pulling a pillow into her lap.
"Yeah, he wants to be in our future, the girls and I. He wants to be a father to them. But we don't want to rush it."
"Good plan." Dawn hugged Buffy, "I think it's going to work out this time."
"I think maybe you're right." Buffy replied softly.
The next few days passed quickly, Dawn and Buffy enjoyed spending time with the kids and just visiting with each other. Dawn left feeling better about her sister then she had in a very long time,
she made Buffy promise that she and Spike would go out on a real date all alone once in awhile and she agreed.
****
The weeks stretched into a few months. Buffy was happy at her new job and Spike was even doing some work for Angel in the area. Spike became a familiar face to Buffy's friends and coworkers, he helped with the kids and even went to the program the daycare put on, grinning at Tierney and Brenna as they sang "I'm a little teapot".
Things became easier yet more complicated between Buffy and Spike, they were very comfortable together, the words "I love you", passed between them easily. The problem was that both were afraid of letting the other know that they were ready to move to the next step, they were both afraid of being the 'pushy' one.
Spike spent the night before Brenna's fifth birthday party putting a small bicycle together for her. Dawn and her husband along with Carson came in to town for the party. When everyone except the family had left ,Spike took Brenna out in the dusky darkness and ran up and down the sidewalk holding on to the bike while she cried out "Don't let go, don't let go!" Then she squealed with joy when she realized he had let go and she was riding the bike by herself. Spike was as proud as any father could be when she took off by herself down the sidewalk and turned to come back towards him, "I'm riding it!" She told him with a thousand watt smile lighting her face.
Buffy and Dawn stood in the driveway watching, "He's so good with the girls, Buffy."
"I know. They really love him too." Buffy replied wistfully.
"What's wrong?" Dawn asked concerned.
"We decided to take it slow and now it's like we're stuck...things are so good now, we're afraid to go any further." Buffy shook her head, "Silly, huh?"
"No, just cautious. Maybe you need to tell him you're ready for the next step? He's probably as scared as you are." Dawn patted Buffy's arm.
"Maybe the next time we get some alone time, I'll talk to him."
Buffy watched as Brenna rode the bike up in the driveway, Spike following her.
"Shawn and I can keep the girls tomorrow night, why don't you plan on talking to him then?"
"Actually, I think maybe I have a plan to show him that I'm ready. It would be great if you could keep the girls for me tomorrow night." Buffy smiled secretively.
"Luv, what's that look for? What are you two planning?" Spike asked as he put Brenna's bike in the garage.
"Us?" Dawn replied innocently, "Nothing."
Buffy nodded her head in agreement, "Nothing at all."
Spike said his goodbyes and kissed her goodnight. He went back to his apartment still feeling suspicious about she and Dawn's conversation.
****
The Next Evening
****
"That's what you're wearing?" Dawn frowned a little as Buffy entered the room.
"Yeah, I want to keep things simple." Buffy took another look in the mirror, "Do I look that bad?"
She was dressed in a simple white peasant top and jeans, very little makeup and her hair piled up and held with a clip.
"You look great, I just thought you might dress up more." Dawn smiled at her sister.
"Part of tonight's going to Spike is that I feel comfortable around him anytime and no matter how I'm dressed. I know he loves me no matter what." Buffy smiled brightly, "Now I'm going to check on the girls and go. Thanks so much for staying with them tonight." She hugged Dawn and left the room.
Both girls were sleeping soundly when she left the house. It was almost ten o'clock, Spike had worked tonight but he would be home by now. She knocked confidently on his door.
"Buffy?" He let her in, "I was just going to call you, is everything okay? The girls alright?"
"Everything's fine. I just had to.......I wanted to tell you that I'm ready.." She hesitated momentarily.
"Ready for?" He asked hopefully.
"Ready to see that bedroom furniture." She replied chewing on her bottom lip.
"You're sure." He asked raising his eyebrow at her.
"I am." She answered taking his hand in hers and leading him towards the bedroom door.
Once in the room they both seemed to have lost some of their earlier confidence, "It does look good in here." Buffy said softly as she patted the quilt on the bed.
"Yeah, it does." Spike sat down on the bed.
Buffy cautiously sat down beside him, "Comfy." She commented as she bounced a little bit.
"Yes, but it has one flaw." Spike told her very seriously.
"What?"
"It's big and I get lonely." He gave her a sly smile as he reached for her.
"You won't be lonely tonight." She laughed softly into this lips.
TBC
"Thanks," Dawn took a sip of the soda, "He looks good."
"Yeah, he does." Buffy smiled.
"Oh yeah." Dawn grinned appreciatively.
"Dawnie!" Buffy feigned surprise, "You're a married woman!"
"But I'm not blind." Dawn broke into giggles.
Buffy joined her laughter, "It feels good with him here. I'm sure it won't last but it feels good." Buffy's voice was soft and wistful.
"It will last this time, Buffy." Dawn put both hands on her sister's shoulders, "You deserve this, it's time for you and the girls to have some happiness."
"That would be good and he really seems to want to be here. It's just scary, he says he won't leave, but he has before."
"That was before, Buffy. I think you've both changed now, it's time for you to be together." Dawn assured her with a yawn.
"I hope so." Buffy covered her own yawn with her hand. "I suppose we should go to bed."
"Good idea, I was thinking we could go to the zoo tomorrow. Then tomorrow evening I can help you get ready for the big date!" Dawn followed Buffy down the hall as they went to thier bedrooms.
"Sounds good, night, Dawn." Buffy told her as she went into the room.
"Night."
****
The zoo trip went off without a hitch, Dawn and Buffy enjoyed watching their children intract with each other and enjoying the animals. After lunch they returned home with exhausted children who all went down for long naps.
The children woke up in time to find Dawn helping Buffy pick out clothes for her evening out. "I just don't have anything to wear!" Buffy complained as she lay yet another outfit on her bed.
"You have lots of lovely things, Buffy. Anyway Spike could care less what you're wearing, you could wear a burlap bag," Dawn told her then switched to a terrible British accent, "And he would say 'doesn't she look beautiful?'"
Buffy grinned at her sister, "I suppose this would be okay." She held a simply cut black dress in front of her, "Just a little jewelry and some heels, this would be okay for dinner out?"
"It's perfect." Dawn agreed with her.
Buffy lay out the dress and her shoes and jewelry. She and Dawn then watched a movie with the kids and Dawn started their supper while Buffy showered and got ready.
Spike knocked on the door slightly after dark, he was dressed in dark slacks and blue button down shirt, he seemed almost nervous as Dawn let him in. He was carrying a small bouquet of flowers in his hand.
"Nice touch, Spike. She'll love them." Dawn patted his shoulder, "I'll go get her."
"Feel like I'm going to prom!" Spike complained as he took his seat on the couch.
"You love it." Dawn teased as she went down the hallway.
"You look nice, Mr. Spike." Brenna's voice came from the doorway to the kitchen.
"Thank you, Brenna. I'm gonna take your mommy out to dinner. Is that okay with you?" He helped the little girl up on the couch beside him.
"Yeah, it's okay. Aunt Dawn said we could play games and watch a new movie tonight." She scooted next to him, "Mommy pulled out all of her clothes from her closet today. She was fussing that she didn't have anything to wear, but she has lots of clothes!" Brenna explained as Spike listened with a smile.
"Mommy is like that sometimes, but we love her don't we?"
"Yep." Brenna nodded in agreement.
**
"He's here, Buffy." Dawn stuck her head in Buffy's room.
"How do I look?" Buffy asked as she put in her earrings.
"You look lovely. That dress is perfect." Dawn hugged her sister, "Now go and have some fun."
Buffy grinned when she saw Brenna next to Spike on the couch explaining the intricacies of Candyland to him, "Hey." She called out softly.
Spike's eyes grew wide when he saw her, 'Hey. You look wonderful." He stood up and offered her the flowers.
"You do too. Thank you." She sniffed the bouquet, "These are lovely."
"I'll go put them in water for you." Dawn told her as she took the flowers, "Tierney come say bye to mommy."
Tierney came into the livingroom with Carson toddling beside her, she ran to her mommy and hugged her legs, "Bye mommy."
Brenna joined her, "Bye mommy. Bye Mr. Spike."
Buffy knelt down beside the little girls, "Bye girls, be good for Aunt Dawn."
"Now, shoo, out of here." Dawn waved them out the door.
****
"This is so nice," Buffy told Spike as she sipped her wine, " A real sit down restaruant."
"It is nice to go somewhere without a drive thru." Spike agreed as he cut his steak.
"I hope the girls are behaving for Dawn."
"I'm sure they are luv, they are great kids." Spike assured her.
"They really like you too." She smiled shyly now.
"I like them and their mother too." He reached across the table and touched her hand.
"I kind of like you too." She gave his hand a squeeze.
The next half hour was spent with talk of the girls and Dawn and her family. The conversation was easy and comfortable. When Spike leaned over to wipe a bit of red velvet cake off of Buffy's chin he couldn't resist and he gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.
"Well isn't this sweet, my poor dead brother's wife making out like a teenager in a restuarant." Deanna's shrill voice spoiled the moment.
Buffy pulled back from Spike horror and embarrassment on her face, "Deanna."
"Deanna!" A tall man from behind the woman called.
"Buffy, " the man began to shake his head apolgetically.
"Don't Jay, it's not your fault." Buffy began to shake her head.
Deanna turned to her husband glaring, "You can't approve of this?"
"Deanna, it's none of my business just like it's none of yours." Jay spoke calmly and deliberately to his wife.
"It is my business she was my brothers wife, the mother of his children and she's behaving like this, Deanna started off on her tirade but was interrupted.
"Deanna until the other night at the fair, you hadn't seen your brother's children in two years. It's a bit late to play worried aunt." Buffy replied icily.
Jay covered a smile, "Deanna lets go."
"You're going to let her talk to me like that?" Deanna turned to her husband.
"Yes, because it's long overdue. You've been cruel to Buffy any chance you get and it's wrong and as for your earlier question, yes I approve and so would David. He loved Buffy and would want her happy. Deal with it, Deanna." He turned to Buffy, "Best of luck to both of you." then back to his wife, " I'm leaving dear, if you want a ride you better come with me now."
Deanna's eyes grew wide, "I... I..I never...."
"Perhaps that's the reason for your attitude." Spike smirked at the woman.
Buffy held back a giggle as she watched Deanna walk off in a huff.
"Such a lovely woman." Spike said with such fake sincerity that Buffy could not hold in her giggles any longer.
When she had gained her composure, Spike asked for the check and they decided to take a walk along Beale Street. The sound of blues music floated out of the many clubs along the famous street. Spike held her hand as they walked, her mood had turned serious. "What's wrong, Buffy?"
She stopped and looked up at him, "Do you think that other people will think it's wrong that I'm moving on with my life?"
"Some might, but you're friends will be glad for you and there really the only ones that matter. Are you having second thoughts?" He tried to hide the worry in his voice.
"No, no second thoughts. In fact I think I'm ready to go see the new furniture at your apartment." She smiled at him trying to allay his worry.
"You sure?"
"Positive." She kissed him for emphasis.
The ride back to his apartment was quiet, Buffy sat as close to him as possible her head resting on his shoulder. Once there, he parked the car and opened her door for her. She followed him to the apartment. Her eyes widened with surprise when she saw the newly furnished apartment, "It's beautiful. You didn't need me at all." She gave him a faux pout.
"I always need you Buffy." He replied sweetly.
She lowered her eyes at the reply, "How do you do that?"
"What?" He asked with a shrug.
"Know just what to say, make me feel so good with your words." She took his hand, "Show me the apartment."
"Okay, heres the livingroom, and there's the diningroom," He led her to another room, "This is the kitchen."
"You've done a great job. I'm impressed." She squeezed his hand, "Now the only room left is the bedroom."
"Well, you see I've been thinking about that....I kind of think we might skip that room tonight and do that other thing you were talking about." He led her back into the livingroom.
Buffy looked confused, "What other thing?" She sat down next to him on the couch.
"That word thing...we need to do some talking. I need to know...we both need to know some things before we go any further." Spike's tone was serious but he was smiling letting her know it was all going to be okay.
"So you want to talk instead of..." She smiled back at him, "Okay, we can talk, it's just that after the other night I thought...you wanted."
"I did, I do want... but I want it to be right. I've been thinking about the girls and well, Brenna asked me about being her daddy."
"She mentioned that to me too." Buffy leaned back against the couch cushion, "I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable, but she's just a little girl and I think she see's everyone around her with a daddy and she....."
"She wants one too, it didn't make me uncomfortable, Buffy. In fact it was nice....I didn't ever think I would have a chance, hell, that I would ever even want the chance to be a daddy." Spike took a deep breath, "But I think that I would like that, if things work out the way I want them to with us, I want to be there for the girls. I want us to be real family."
"You really want that?" Tears sprang to her eyes.
"Yeah, I do. But I need to know if that's okay with you. I mean you asked earlier about people thinking badly of you for moving on. I don't want you or anyone else to think I want them to forget their dad. I know he was a wonderful man, he was good to you and he loved his daughters. But I want to be there for them now." Spike looked into her eyes almost scared of what he would see there.
Her eyes shone with the unshed tears, "You're right, David loved me and he loved his daughters. That's why I know that he would be okay with this, he would want the girls to have someone to look after them and.....love them." She lay her head on his shoulder, "You really see us as a family someday?"
"I hope so, but that's why I'm not rushing you into anything, I just want it clear what I want to happen and make sure thats okay with you." He turned and kissed her forehead.
"It's more then okay with me, and you're right about the rushing. When it's right we'll know." She sighed, "It is okay to neck on the couch a little isn't it?" She grinned at him.
"I think so." He grinned back as his lips found hers.
An hour of fervent kissing passed before they pulled away from each other. Buffy sighed, "I think I should probably go, check on the girls. It's not that I don't want to stay..."
He pushed her hair back away from her face, "I know...I think it's a good idea for mommy to be home in the morning too. I'll take you home." He kissed her once more before they left.
**
"Buffy, what are you doing home? I thought you would probably be gone all night." Dawn had been asleep on the couch.
"No....we decided that maybe it wasn't quite time for that yet. We talked about the future and about the girls and what we want." Buffy explained with a smile, "It was nice."
"It sounds nice and very serious. So you talked about the future?" Dawn sat back down on the couch pulling a pillow into her lap.
"Yeah, he wants to be in our future, the girls and I. He wants to be a father to them. But we don't want to rush it."
"Good plan." Dawn hugged Buffy, "I think it's going to work out this time."
"I think maybe you're right." Buffy replied softly.
The next few days passed quickly, Dawn and Buffy enjoyed spending time with the kids and just visiting with each other. Dawn left feeling better about her sister then she had in a very long time,
she made Buffy promise that she and Spike would go out on a real date all alone once in awhile and she agreed.
****
The weeks stretched into a few months. Buffy was happy at her new job and Spike was even doing some work for Angel in the area. Spike became a familiar face to Buffy's friends and coworkers, he helped with the kids and even went to the program the daycare put on, grinning at Tierney and Brenna as they sang "I'm a little teapot".
Things became easier yet more complicated between Buffy and Spike, they were very comfortable together, the words "I love you", passed between them easily. The problem was that both were afraid of letting the other know that they were ready to move to the next step, they were both afraid of being the 'pushy' one.
Spike spent the night before Brenna's fifth birthday party putting a small bicycle together for her. Dawn and her husband along with Carson came in to town for the party. When everyone except the family had left ,Spike took Brenna out in the dusky darkness and ran up and down the sidewalk holding on to the bike while she cried out "Don't let go, don't let go!" Then she squealed with joy when she realized he had let go and she was riding the bike by herself. Spike was as proud as any father could be when she took off by herself down the sidewalk and turned to come back towards him, "I'm riding it!" She told him with a thousand watt smile lighting her face.
Buffy and Dawn stood in the driveway watching, "He's so good with the girls, Buffy."
"I know. They really love him too." Buffy replied wistfully.
"What's wrong?" Dawn asked concerned.
"We decided to take it slow and now it's like we're stuck...things are so good now, we're afraid to go any further." Buffy shook her head, "Silly, huh?"
"No, just cautious. Maybe you need to tell him you're ready for the next step? He's probably as scared as you are." Dawn patted Buffy's arm.
"Maybe the next time we get some alone time, I'll talk to him."
Buffy watched as Brenna rode the bike up in the driveway, Spike following her.
"Shawn and I can keep the girls tomorrow night, why don't you plan on talking to him then?"
"Actually, I think maybe I have a plan to show him that I'm ready. It would be great if you could keep the girls for me tomorrow night." Buffy smiled secretively.
"Luv, what's that look for? What are you two planning?" Spike asked as he put Brenna's bike in the garage.
"Us?" Dawn replied innocently, "Nothing."
Buffy nodded her head in agreement, "Nothing at all."
Spike said his goodbyes and kissed her goodnight. He went back to his apartment still feeling suspicious about she and Dawn's conversation.
****
The Next Evening
****
"That's what you're wearing?" Dawn frowned a little as Buffy entered the room.
"Yeah, I want to keep things simple." Buffy took another look in the mirror, "Do I look that bad?"
She was dressed in a simple white peasant top and jeans, very little makeup and her hair piled up and held with a clip.
"You look great, I just thought you might dress up more." Dawn smiled at her sister.
"Part of tonight's going to Spike is that I feel comfortable around him anytime and no matter how I'm dressed. I know he loves me no matter what." Buffy smiled brightly, "Now I'm going to check on the girls and go. Thanks so much for staying with them tonight." She hugged Dawn and left the room.
Both girls were sleeping soundly when she left the house. It was almost ten o'clock, Spike had worked tonight but he would be home by now. She knocked confidently on his door.
"Buffy?" He let her in, "I was just going to call you, is everything okay? The girls alright?"
"Everything's fine. I just had to.......I wanted to tell you that I'm ready.." She hesitated momentarily.
"Ready for?" He asked hopefully.
"Ready to see that bedroom furniture." She replied chewing on her bottom lip.
"You're sure." He asked raising his eyebrow at her.
"I am." She answered taking his hand in hers and leading him towards the bedroom door.
Once in the room they both seemed to have lost some of their earlier confidence, "It does look good in here." Buffy said softly as she patted the quilt on the bed.
"Yeah, it does." Spike sat down on the bed.
Buffy cautiously sat down beside him, "Comfy." She commented as she bounced a little bit.
"Yes, but it has one flaw." Spike told her very seriously.
"What?"
"It's big and I get lonely." He gave her a sly smile as he reached for her.
"You won't be lonely tonight." She laughed softly into this lips.
TBC
