Disclaimer: I wish I owned everything (especially Spike) but I don't. all
of the characters belong to the almighty and divine Joss.
Calm Before a Storm -
The next morning Buffy awoke with strong arms around her. She felt so safe and secure with Spike's cool arms wrapped firmly around her, promising to never let go.
"Pet?" he said groggily.
"Hmmm" she replied without bothering to open her eyes, she was just enjoying the feel of him close to her.
"I love you." He said full of sincerity. She turned over to face him and nuzzled her head against his cool chest before looking into his deep blue eyes.
"I Love you to." She spoke honestly. And as she spoke those words he smiled. He had never been any happier.
* * *
Downstairs Dawn and Giles were in the kitchen talking. It was already 2 o'clock in the afternoon when Spike and Buffy came downstairs. They hadn't had a chance to sleep the prior night as they found sleep was the last thing they wanted to do...
"Good...Afternoon." Dawn said with a wink to Buffy. Buffy shot her a 'drop- it' look and went over to the fridge to get herself a glass of milk. She felt a cool body press against her as Spike reached past her to get the blood in the back of the refrigerator. She shivered as he placed a strong hand on her back.
"Willow should be over shortly with some information on how to open the portal to Phainein, I guess she found a spell of some sort." Giles said looking up from his cup of tea.
"Good." Buffy said happily as she closed the door the refrigerator. She stood next to the island in the kitchen, Spike standing next to her. He wanted to put his arms around her and hold her right there, but was unsure how she would feel about that; he was worried she would push him away. His worries were, however, quelled as she put her arm around his waist and held him close to her, all the while listening to Dawn tell her about some "wiggy" dream she had about Justin Timberlake and cotton candy. The door bell rang.
"I'll get it." Spike said. 'Saved by the bloody bell' he thought to himself as he walked to the door, 'If I have to hear more about how dreamy that nsync wanker is.' his thoughts trailed off as he opened the door, careful not to let the sun hit him. It was Willow and Xander; Willow holding a big book, appropriately entitled "Spells for inter-dimensional traveling."
"Hey, Dead-boy! Isn't this supposed to be sleepy time for you"? Xander asked Spike without the usual animosity he used to show vamp. Xander had newfound respect for the bleach blonde vampire, what with him dying to save the world and all, he had been meaning to thank him for that.....
"Don't call me that." Spike said. He in return respected Xander, not so much because he liked the whelp, more because he felt that any friend of Buffy's...He owed it to the boy.
They walked into the kitchen and willow plopped the heavy spell book on the counter next to Giles.
"Ok, I've got everything we need. I found a spell that should open the portal so you can enter the dimension." Willow said, beaming with pride.
"Ok, great. When do we leave?" Buffy asked, all business. It had been a while since she had used her Slayer resolve, but she slipped right back into the role.
"Well, the spell requires a time when mystical energy is strongest, so a full moon would be the best time." Willow answered.
"Full moon...that's two days from now, I believe." Giles said, taking off his glasses to clean them.
"Ok, great, so, day after tomorrow, that would be Sunday, we suit up, head out and take care of this demon once and for all." Buffy replied. "Wow. That was surprisingly easy." She continued. "So, I guess we just have to wait around for a few days..."
"I'm sure we'll find something to do to pass the time, pet." Spike said softly to her with a mischievous look as he bent down to kiss her neck. He really didn't care if all the Scoobies were there. She elbowed him playfully in the stomach and smiled at him as he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close and tight. The gang just looked at them.
"So! I guess you two are an item now, eh?" Xander could always be counted on to break the silence.
"Uhm, yeah. That we are." Buffy said, awaiting some rude comment from Xander, quickly followed by some big argument amongst the Scoobies. Spike was just happy that she would admit to her friends that they were a pair.
But instead of protesting, as Xander usually did, he just shrugged. Willow and Giles just smiled at Buffy, and Dawn just continued to eat the bowl of cereal she was working on. It seemed that no one wanted to get into anything right now, especially since they all owed their lives to Spike. 'What an anti-climax,' thought Spike, who was looking forward to watching the whelp get yelled at. Buffy relaxed, when she saw there wasn't going to be any hostility and leaned further back against Spike's strong chest. That strong, cool, defined chest of his...her thoughts trailed off as she traced phantom circles with her fingers on spikes arm, until Dawn broke the silence.
"Ooo! We should totally go out tonight!" She said happily. "There's that club, in town, the Phoenix. Could be fun, besides we have things to celebrate." Dawn said, glowing. It warmed Buffy's heart to see her sister so cheerful. It warmed Spikes heart to.
"Sounds cool. I mean I think we deserve some party time, with the saving the world thing. Again." Willow said.
"Yes, I-I suppose it would be good for you all to get out, for a bit. I believe I will stay in and see what information I can gather on this dimension. See what the environment is like and such." Giles said, taking off his glasses to clean them again.
"Ok, it's settled." Buffy said, "Sunday we fight. Tonight, we party."
* * *
The Phoenix was all the rave in Torrance. It was the equivalent to the Bronze, except it was bigger, and there weren't as many mysterious deaths in the alleyways like back in good ol' Sunnydale. Tonight was like every Friday night. The Bartender was serving drinks to anxious costumers, and observing people dancing and drinking. The club was hot, everyone was dancing and sweating and having a good time. It was just starting to get busy when the group walked in, ready to party. Just like the old times.
The Scoobies all sat down at a table close to the dance floor. They were all there, Xander, Willow, Dawn and Andrew, as well as Spike and Buffy, of course. The only person missing was Giles, but he was never one for dancing and clubbing. Well, not since his black magic, bad-boy days as Ripper, besides, he had research to do. A song with a beat came on and the girls quickly got up to go dance. Spike loved watching Buffy dance, it reminded him of the first time he ever saw her. Of course then he had been obsessed with killing her, but even then his world revolved around her. It always would. She looked happy dancing with her friends, and to see her smile made him so glad. He sat with Andrew and Xander, no one knowing quite what to say to each other. After about 5 minutes of awkward silence Spike decided to get himself a drink. He returned as Buffy came up to the table and stood close to him.
She took a sip from his drink and handed it back to him. "Dance with me." She asked.
He looked at her with a smirk. "Never was one for dancing, pet." He answered, envisioning himself making an ass of himself on the dance floor, trying to do the Macarena or something- an embarrassment he didn't feel up to at the moment.
"Please..." She said, pouting and trying her best to look innocent. He never could resist that face. His hard smirk melted and he gave her a kiss on the forehead. Pushing his pride aside he led her onto the dance floor. He rapped his arms around her waist, her facing away from him, and they lost themselves in the sultry beat of the music, grinding close together. Shortly after, a slow song came on and Spike turned Buffy around to face him and she rested her head against his chest, entirely relaxed and comforted.
He buried his head in her neck and kissed it. "I love you so much, Spike," she said softly.
"I love you to, Buffy, so much, I always will." He replied. She lifted her head from his chest and looked into his deep blue eyes before kissing him softly and passionately.
Needless to say, they didn't get much sleep that night.
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N: OK, so this wasn't very significant to the plot, but I just wanted a little bit of fluff before we get into the climaxy part of the story.
Calm Before a Storm -
The next morning Buffy awoke with strong arms around her. She felt so safe and secure with Spike's cool arms wrapped firmly around her, promising to never let go.
"Pet?" he said groggily.
"Hmmm" she replied without bothering to open her eyes, she was just enjoying the feel of him close to her.
"I love you." He said full of sincerity. She turned over to face him and nuzzled her head against his cool chest before looking into his deep blue eyes.
"I Love you to." She spoke honestly. And as she spoke those words he smiled. He had never been any happier.
* * *
Downstairs Dawn and Giles were in the kitchen talking. It was already 2 o'clock in the afternoon when Spike and Buffy came downstairs. They hadn't had a chance to sleep the prior night as they found sleep was the last thing they wanted to do...
"Good...Afternoon." Dawn said with a wink to Buffy. Buffy shot her a 'drop- it' look and went over to the fridge to get herself a glass of milk. She felt a cool body press against her as Spike reached past her to get the blood in the back of the refrigerator. She shivered as he placed a strong hand on her back.
"Willow should be over shortly with some information on how to open the portal to Phainein, I guess she found a spell of some sort." Giles said looking up from his cup of tea.
"Good." Buffy said happily as she closed the door the refrigerator. She stood next to the island in the kitchen, Spike standing next to her. He wanted to put his arms around her and hold her right there, but was unsure how she would feel about that; he was worried she would push him away. His worries were, however, quelled as she put her arm around his waist and held him close to her, all the while listening to Dawn tell her about some "wiggy" dream she had about Justin Timberlake and cotton candy. The door bell rang.
"I'll get it." Spike said. 'Saved by the bloody bell' he thought to himself as he walked to the door, 'If I have to hear more about how dreamy that nsync wanker is.' his thoughts trailed off as he opened the door, careful not to let the sun hit him. It was Willow and Xander; Willow holding a big book, appropriately entitled "Spells for inter-dimensional traveling."
"Hey, Dead-boy! Isn't this supposed to be sleepy time for you"? Xander asked Spike without the usual animosity he used to show vamp. Xander had newfound respect for the bleach blonde vampire, what with him dying to save the world and all, he had been meaning to thank him for that.....
"Don't call me that." Spike said. He in return respected Xander, not so much because he liked the whelp, more because he felt that any friend of Buffy's...He owed it to the boy.
They walked into the kitchen and willow plopped the heavy spell book on the counter next to Giles.
"Ok, I've got everything we need. I found a spell that should open the portal so you can enter the dimension." Willow said, beaming with pride.
"Ok, great. When do we leave?" Buffy asked, all business. It had been a while since she had used her Slayer resolve, but she slipped right back into the role.
"Well, the spell requires a time when mystical energy is strongest, so a full moon would be the best time." Willow answered.
"Full moon...that's two days from now, I believe." Giles said, taking off his glasses to clean them.
"Ok, great, so, day after tomorrow, that would be Sunday, we suit up, head out and take care of this demon once and for all." Buffy replied. "Wow. That was surprisingly easy." She continued. "So, I guess we just have to wait around for a few days..."
"I'm sure we'll find something to do to pass the time, pet." Spike said softly to her with a mischievous look as he bent down to kiss her neck. He really didn't care if all the Scoobies were there. She elbowed him playfully in the stomach and smiled at him as he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close and tight. The gang just looked at them.
"So! I guess you two are an item now, eh?" Xander could always be counted on to break the silence.
"Uhm, yeah. That we are." Buffy said, awaiting some rude comment from Xander, quickly followed by some big argument amongst the Scoobies. Spike was just happy that she would admit to her friends that they were a pair.
But instead of protesting, as Xander usually did, he just shrugged. Willow and Giles just smiled at Buffy, and Dawn just continued to eat the bowl of cereal she was working on. It seemed that no one wanted to get into anything right now, especially since they all owed their lives to Spike. 'What an anti-climax,' thought Spike, who was looking forward to watching the whelp get yelled at. Buffy relaxed, when she saw there wasn't going to be any hostility and leaned further back against Spike's strong chest. That strong, cool, defined chest of his...her thoughts trailed off as she traced phantom circles with her fingers on spikes arm, until Dawn broke the silence.
"Ooo! We should totally go out tonight!" She said happily. "There's that club, in town, the Phoenix. Could be fun, besides we have things to celebrate." Dawn said, glowing. It warmed Buffy's heart to see her sister so cheerful. It warmed Spikes heart to.
"Sounds cool. I mean I think we deserve some party time, with the saving the world thing. Again." Willow said.
"Yes, I-I suppose it would be good for you all to get out, for a bit. I believe I will stay in and see what information I can gather on this dimension. See what the environment is like and such." Giles said, taking off his glasses to clean them again.
"Ok, it's settled." Buffy said, "Sunday we fight. Tonight, we party."
* * *
The Phoenix was all the rave in Torrance. It was the equivalent to the Bronze, except it was bigger, and there weren't as many mysterious deaths in the alleyways like back in good ol' Sunnydale. Tonight was like every Friday night. The Bartender was serving drinks to anxious costumers, and observing people dancing and drinking. The club was hot, everyone was dancing and sweating and having a good time. It was just starting to get busy when the group walked in, ready to party. Just like the old times.
The Scoobies all sat down at a table close to the dance floor. They were all there, Xander, Willow, Dawn and Andrew, as well as Spike and Buffy, of course. The only person missing was Giles, but he was never one for dancing and clubbing. Well, not since his black magic, bad-boy days as Ripper, besides, he had research to do. A song with a beat came on and the girls quickly got up to go dance. Spike loved watching Buffy dance, it reminded him of the first time he ever saw her. Of course then he had been obsessed with killing her, but even then his world revolved around her. It always would. She looked happy dancing with her friends, and to see her smile made him so glad. He sat with Andrew and Xander, no one knowing quite what to say to each other. After about 5 minutes of awkward silence Spike decided to get himself a drink. He returned as Buffy came up to the table and stood close to him.
She took a sip from his drink and handed it back to him. "Dance with me." She asked.
He looked at her with a smirk. "Never was one for dancing, pet." He answered, envisioning himself making an ass of himself on the dance floor, trying to do the Macarena or something- an embarrassment he didn't feel up to at the moment.
"Please..." She said, pouting and trying her best to look innocent. He never could resist that face. His hard smirk melted and he gave her a kiss on the forehead. Pushing his pride aside he led her onto the dance floor. He rapped his arms around her waist, her facing away from him, and they lost themselves in the sultry beat of the music, grinding close together. Shortly after, a slow song came on and Spike turned Buffy around to face him and she rested her head against his chest, entirely relaxed and comforted.
He buried his head in her neck and kissed it. "I love you so much, Spike," she said softly.
"I love you to, Buffy, so much, I always will." He replied. She lifted her head from his chest and looked into his deep blue eyes before kissing him softly and passionately.
Needless to say, they didn't get much sleep that night.
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N: OK, so this wasn't very significant to the plot, but I just wanted a little bit of fluff before we get into the climaxy part of the story.