Chapter 3

Willow stood outside of the door, raising her hand and putting it down so many times, she had lost count. She didn't know what Buffy was going to say to her. She was thrilled that her friend had called and asked her to come over but now that she was there, she was petrified. She didn't know what to expect. She didn't even know if Buffy had spoken to Spike. If there was one thing Willow Rosenberg didn't like, it was not knowing what was going on. She took another deep breath, raised her hand yet again and jumped when the door flew open.

"You've been out here for ten minutes," Buffy told her, trying to contain her smile.

"I'm nervous."

"Why would you be nervous? Have you done something that would make you nervous to be here?" Buffy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Buffy, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just trying to help and you were being so stubborn-"

"You know when apologizing, it's best to not insult the person you're apologizing to," Buffy interrupted. She walked out the door and put her arms around Willow. Willow exhaled the breath she had been holding and smiled, hugging her friend back. "It's okay, Will. But you're going to come in here and we're going to talk about this whole thing, okay?"

"Absolutely," Willow agreed enthusiastically. They moved into the foyer and stopped when they reached the doorway to the living room. Willow's mouth dropped when she saw Spike sitting on the couch. He gave her a small, not all too reassuring smile and she sighed. "We're all going to-"

"Sit and chat," Buffy told her. She knew she should feel bad about the amount of joy she was experiencing at the conspirators discomfort but she just couldn't. Buffy took a seat in the chair across from the couch and motioned for Willow to join Spike. "So, when exactly did the two of you start Operation Spuffy?" Off Willow and Spike's confused looks, she added, "You know, Spike...Buffy...Spuffy." They both nodded and opened their mouths in a silent 'oh' and Buffy rolled her eyes. "Anyway, when did this begin?"

"Two weeks ago," Willow answered, quietly.

"Two weeks? I think I gave in way too quickly, in that case," Buffy muttered. Willow looked up from the floor, her eyes wide in surprise. "And how did this all come about?"

"Willow came to me the day I kissed you at lunch."

"Okay, Willow, how much information have you given him?"

"Uh...not that much..."

"Willow," Buffy warned.

"Okay, okay! All of it. I told him all of it. Please, just shun me. I'm not fit to be called friend. I know what I did was wrong but I was only trying to help because the two of you were just refusing to see what the rest of us could and I tried talking to you about it but you were all 'he makes me want to vomit' so I thought I'd give Spike a try-"

"Willow, breathe. You're not passing out before I get through with you," Buffy said, her tone of voice light.

"I made you want to vomit?" Spike asked.

"That's an exaggeration," Buffy backpedaled. "That statement has been taken out of context."

"Is it, Red?"

"Uh-"

"Willow, do remember that you're my friend and the balance of said friendship is already teetering due to your back-handedness so think really hard on how you want to answer that," Buffy jumped in.

"Oi, you can't blackmail her with friendship!"

"I most certainly can, William. I'm the hurt party here. I get to set the rules," Buffy argued.

Spike stood up and pointed at Buffy. "You're a piece of work, Summers."

"Thank you," Buffy said, brightly.

"I didn't mean it as a compliment, you bint."

"Again, I say my rules and I took it as one." Buffy furrowed her brow and got up from her chair. "What exactly is a bint, may I ask?"

"Not a compliment," Spike leered.

"Hey, guys," Willow tried to interrupt.

"You think you can insult me, twice, and get away with it?" Buffy asked, her anger growing.

"I thought you took the first one as a positive."

"I've changed my mind. I have the ability to do that as well."

"Oh, right, because you're the great Buffy Summers and never mind what anyone else is doing or feeling or-"

"I take the people that I like into account. That, fortunately for me, does not include you!"

"You seemed to like me just fine last night."

"I was drunk," Buffy justified, weakly.

"You were drunk?" Willow asked, knowing she would be ignored.

"Ah, I get it. Now that that it's over, we'll just go back to playing these same, tired games. Well, you do that. I'm done," Spike said.

"I was done as soon as your lips left mine. I'm still reeling from the displeasure of it all," Buffy snapped back.

"Displeasure? You were practically purring in my lap so don't hand me that bullshit, Summers. You were begging for it."

"Begging?!?" Buffy screamed.

"Yeah, that's right. Begging," Spike agreed smugly. He stepped around the coffee table and stood in front of her, their bodies only a couple of inches apart. "And if you think I won't get a phone call from Willow later on, wanting to implement Plan C, you're even more of a chuffer than I thought you were!"

"Sitting right here!" Willow yelled, waving her arms. Buffy and Spike looked at her briefly and turned back to stare at each other. "Why am I even here?"

"You are by far the most annoying individual to ever be placed on this planet. And if you think for one second that Willow will continue this farce, you're the chuffer!"

Spike barked out a laugh, shaking his head. "You don't even know what means."

"I don't have to know, as long as it gets my point across."

"I really wish you two would stop arguing," Willow said, meekly. "This isn't what I wanted to happen. It's not like I expected little heart doodles but I thought you would at least stop arguing."

"I told you, Will, there's too much friction. He's an ass...and he can't kiss for shit."

Spike's mouth dropped open. "I give as good I get so if I was a bit unresponsive it was because you were like a cold fish. Just like you are every other minute."

"Oh, no, you're not blaming this on me. You're whole stiff-upper lip British thing has apparently carried over to your kissing abilities. You're supposed to move your mouth, you know. Open up a bit, not hold your lips together."

"I was trying to keep that prying tongue of yours away," Spike retorted.

"I don't really need to be here for this part of the discussion," Willow said, getting up.

"Sit," Buffy ordered and Willow did with a grumble. Turning her attention back to Spike, she said, "Are you inferring that I overuse my tongue?"

"And she catches on," Spike muttered. "Liberal use of your tongue would be fine...for other activities but I don't fancy almost choking on it."

"Well, too bad for you that you won't ever experience those other activities. Believe me, I've had no complaints."

"That's not what I heard the football team saying after gym the other day."

Buffy sucked in a sharp breath and her eyes narrowed. "Are you sure they weren't talking about you and your lack of," she looked down, "assets?"

"You seemed to have no problem drooling over said assets when I was glistening in the sun the other week. A bloke can't even do a spot of gardening without being fawned over-"

Buffy turned to Willow and said, "You told him about the glistening?"

"And lickable," Spike added, running his tongue between his teeth.

"And that?" Buffy shouted.

"Well, I-" Willow began.

"Don't go blaming Willow because you have no self control when it comes to me. It's understandable."

"If I didn't have self control, you would be pushing up daisies right now, William."

"You don't have the stones!"

"Oh! I so have the...stones!" Buffy grabbed the back of Spike's head and brought him down to her lips.

"Um, okay..." Willow said, confused. She looked at them, greedily kissing each other and shook her head. "I'm just going to...yeah." Willow got off the couch and went into the kitchen.

"Mmm," Buffy moaned. "Spike lips. Lips of Spike." She kissed him again, licking her lips after.

"Where'd she go?" Spike asked, with a nod to the couch.

"Huh...think we went overboard?"

"Thought that was the point," he said, nuzzling her neck.

"Well, it wasn't undeserved. That tongue comment was a little uncalled for, however."

"You insulted my kissing," Spike explained.

"I'm not really a cold fish, am I?" Buffy asked. He saw that look flash through her eyes again.

He tightened his grip on her waist and pushed her into him. "Does that feel like I think you're a cold fish?"

Buffy tried to clear her lust-addled brain by shaking her head and realized that it wasn't working. She had never been made into a mush by a kiss. It had definitely thrown her for a loop. Not twenty-four hours ago, she was ducking him at lunch time and now, she was practically mauling him in her living room. "I better find Willow."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Surprisingly, no," she told him with a smile. "You're dangerous, you know."

"Meaning?" Spike asked.

"Meaning that all I want to do right now is liberally use my tongue."

Spike's mouth fell open but he quickly recovered, turning his shock into a cocky look. "I have no objections."

"I bet," Buffy mumbled, smiling. "Take a seat. I'm going to go talk to her. There's been enough fun and games for the last two weeks, I think." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and he watched her go. He happily threw himself on the couch, thinking that if he were to smile any wider, his face would split in two.

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"Hey," Buffy greeted as she took a seat on the stool next to Willow.

"Hey."

"So...about what happened in there-"

"It was done for my benefit, right?" Willow interrupted.

"Payback's a bitch as the saying goes."

"I am sorry, you know."

"I know and I think I was angry for all of an hour. And then I actually kissed him and it was forgotten quickly."

"Are you guy's a couple now or what?"

"It's only been a few hours, Will. Nothing's even been discussed."

"Probably because your lips have been fused together," Willow joked.

Buffy laughed and gave Willow a light swat to the arm. "Well, we do have two years of pent up frustrations to get out of our systems."

"You didn't...sleep with him, right?"

"Oh god, no. Just good old fashioned making out. I do know we're not looking to broadcast it right away. We're still in the beginning stages of things so can you not say anything? Even to Oz?"

"I won't breathe a word of it, even if torture is involved."

"I can't believe you told him about the electrifying comment..."

"His morale was down, it was the only thing I could think of," Willow tried to explain.

"It's okay. Just really embarrassing."

"Did you ever find out how his ex knew about that?"

"According to him, she thinks she's psychic and after yesterday, I would have to agree. It was freaky. I still can't get him to fess up to the glowing comment."

"Glowing comment?" Willow asked, confused.

"She said that he said I glowed. Weird, right? But he said he didn't know what she was talking about."

"You don't believe him?"

"That would be a big no. What does that mean? I glow? Glow how? Just an odd thing to say about someone, isn't it?"

"I think it's romantic. You glow...makes you sound all ethereal or something."

"Oh, yeah, I'm a goddess," Buffy snorted. "I've been nothing but a bitch to him for two years because I liked the way he looked and didn't want to acknowledge the fluttering feeling in my stomach every time he came near me."

"I knew it!" Willow cheered.

"Yeah, you're always right, blah blah blah..."

"So what now?"

"Now? You go home and I go attack him." Willow looked at her with a smug smile but her wide-eyes gave away her shock. "Hey, it's a plan. A good plan, even."

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Spike pulled his mouth away from Buffy's and rested his head on his pillow. She moved towards him again but he tightened the grip on her waist, pushing her a bit to stop. He saw the shock pass through her eyes and he hated that he felt bad but something had to be done and now was the time. She wouldn't be able to stop him from getting what he had to say off of his chest. No matter how much she pouted and tried to grind against him.

"Luv, let's go out."

She looked confused and then shrugged. "Okay, but grab a blanket because grass can be icky."

"Speaking from personal experience?"

"Um, I-"

"Never mind. Don't particularly want to know," he interrupted. "And I wasn't talking about snogging outside."

"Color me confused again."

"On a date, Buffy," he said, quietly.

"I see..."

"Your reaction is a great comfort," he grunted as he tried to unwrap his legs from hers.

"Ow!" Buffy exclaimed when he his foot clipped her shin harder than he meant to. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get away from you."

"Do you have to kick me to do that?" He mumbled an apology and finally released his limbs from hers. He stood beside the bed, hands on his waist and Buffy thought he never looked more gorgeous. As much as she wanted to just grab him and yank him back to the bed, she had the feeling he was in a talking sort of mood. She kneeled on the bed in front of him, her eye level at his lips and moved a bit closer so they were only inches a part. She heard him take in a deep breath and she put her head down to smile. "Talk."

He smirked at her command and looked at her bowed head. "You have to look at me."

"I don't want to."

He never knew a simple statement such as that could send a pain as sharp as the one that had just shot through his chest. "Why?"

"Because you'll look at me with those blue eyes and I'll be a willing slave, ready to do whatever at your beckon call," she answered quietly.

He put a finger under her chin, lifting her head up. "That would be a satisfying statement if I wasn't so mad." He offered her a small smile, which she returned, before he continued. "It's been a month-"

"I know. I thought things were fine. You weren't complaining."

"Things are fine, grand, actually...except I don't like feeling the way I do." She furrowed her brow, hurt in her eyes. Seeing that, he quickly went on, "I feel like I'm a secret. That what we do is fine as long as it stays between the two of us."

"No-" Buffy began.

"Yes," Spike cut in. "It'd be all well and good if I didn't want more than that but I do. I want it all. I want to hold your hand at school, I want to be able to brush that pesky piece of hair that always falls in your face away without worrying if anyone saw me do it and I want to tell people. Someone besides Willow, who you know this is killing." Buffy smiled and nodded. "Don't you want...?"

She settled back on the bed, looked at him briefly before opening her mouth to say nothing. She closed it again and told her yes shouting heart and body to shut up. "Spike...I thought we were...just having fun."

"Get out."

"What?" she asked, her voice hitching in panic. Dizziness washed over her and she closed her eyes to steady her slightly swaying form. "You, you want me-"

"To go, yes. I'll help you." He grabbed her shoes and then her arm, pulling her off the bed. He held onto her as they walked out of his bedroom and down the stairs to his front door. She was too stunned to say anything and by not saying anything, it fueled Spike on. He roughly gave her her shoes, opened the door and guided her out. She turned to look at him, the look on her face giving him pause but he knew what he had to do. "And don't come crawling in my window drunk, either."

Finally finding her voice, she said, "Spike, this is-"

"Save it, Summers," he snapped. She flinched like she had been struck and he softened his demeanor. "If I can't have you...all of you...I don't want any of you." He closed the door before she said or did anything else. His forehead banged against it and he sighed. He could feel it coming, but he was fighting it for all he was worth. The burning behind his eyes, the tightness of his chest, the ragged intake of breath...he was not going to break down over another woman.

As Spike was doing his best not to cry, that was all Buffy found herself doing as she stood on the porch outside his door. The first tear fell when he shut the door and when the finality of it hit her, she let all the tears fall. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She had meant to say something, she had wanted to say something. She simply didn't know how. His intensity scared her and she didn't know how to react when confronted with it. Letting her fear take her over once again, she was on the outside, wanting so desperately to go back in. She stepped closer to the door, placing her hand on it and wishing that it would open up and he would be there, ready to sweep her back into his arms. She waited and hoped and nothing happened. Knowing she could either stand there forever, go home or go back in and tell him what she couldn't manage to before, she made a decision.

She turned the knob, pushed the door open and poked her head through the space. She quickly looked around and softly called out his name. Not seeing anyone or getting a response, she entered the house and shut the door. She quickly made her way up the stairs to his bedroom, smiling slightly at the loud music blaring from his closed door. She didn't bother to knock before she entered and she found him lying face down on his bed, a pillow over his head. She walked over to the bed and slid in next to him. She felt his body jump slightly but he made no other move to acknowledge her presence. Buffy moved as close to him as she could get and draped her arm across his naked back. She absently ran her finger tips over his skin, letting the calm that the simple movements provided wash over her. She placed a kiss on his bare arm before moving her head under it. The pillow covered the top of her head and he hadn't moved his arm to a more comfortable position. It was currently lying across her throat and her first thought was that her little attempt to get even closer to him failed miserably, which quickly led to the fact that she could suffocate if she didn't move his arm away. She gently lifted it, moved her body up a bit and placed his arm below her breasts. She lay there for a few minutes, listening to Aaron Lewis contemplate the depressing state of life in general and lazily scratched his arm.

"What the hell are you doing?" Spike mumbled into her ear. She shivered at the low, roughness of his voice and his hot breath against her skin.

"We weren't done." Spike went to say something but she stopped him by continuing, "You didn't let me get a word in. You just took my silence as gospel and I had something to say."

"Maybe I don't want to hear it."

"Maybe I don't give a shit. I'm telling you." Spike moved the pillow and rolled over onto his back, grabbed the remote to the stereo and turned the music down. "Thank you."

"Be quick about it. I have things to do."

"Like what?"

"That's none of your concern, now is it?" Spike asked, bitingly.

"Stop being an asshole, Spike! I'm trying to do this and you're making it impossible by continuing to prattle on and you're really making me want to just hit you repeatedly and leave rather than tell you that I don't want to leave. That I'll get on the phone right now and call every single person I have ever met and tell them that Spike Alden is my boyfriend and that despite the fact that he is completely right about what he said earlier, he doesn't know me well enough to just fly off the handle yet and you have to give me time to adjust to certain things, okay?" Buffy finished, gasping in breath.

Spike's eyes had gone wide during her diatribe but by the time she ended, his mouth had formed into his classic smirk and his disposition had loosened. "Did you say prattle?"

"Maybe..." Buffy said, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Did you say boyfriend?"

"Yes," she answered quietly. "Spike, do you want to go out with me?"

As an answer, he wrapped an arm around the small of her back and rolled her. She put her leg over his and moved closer to him, half her body on top of his. His hand left her back and both hands cupped her face, burying themselves in her hair. He moved her mouth to his and tried to convey his feelings by way of kissing. His words seemed to put her on edge and this was the only other way he could think to get his point across. She moaned against his mouth, her hand sliding down to his side, gripping him tighter to her.

"Is that a yes?" she asked against his mouth. She giggled when he could only shake his head and began to kiss her again. Her hands moved to the button of his jeans and unlatched it. She was startled when Spike's hand grabbed hers, stilling her movements. "What? What is it?"

"Date first, luv. We've already blown the first kiss. Let's at least do the date and the rest properly."

"You're such a hopeless romantic," she teased. She wrinkled her brow and asked, "We blew the first kiss?"

He let out a chuckle and shook his head. "I didn't mean it in a bad way, pet. But as far as date, kiss, sex goes, we've done things a bit backwards with the kiss, date and, well, you know what I'm saying," he finished shyly.

"Lots of kissing."

"Lots and lots-"

"Of snogging," she giggled and he joined her.

"Right so I want to have a date or hopefully more than one before I get my leg-over with you," he explained.

"But I have my leg over you. See?" He smiled and shook his head. "You not going to call me daft or a bint, are you?"

"No...and bint isn't as bad as I made it sound that day. I was only trying to t you off even more."

"Well, it worked and I'll be able to carry the look on Will's face for the rest of my life." She gave him a quick kiss and smiled. "Thanks for that."

"Anytime, luv, anytime," he said, stretching out beside her.

"When will your mom be home?" Buffy asked, slightly tickling him as she ran her fingers up and down his side.

"Not 'til seven."

"So we have plenty of time for a-"

"A bit of the old slap and tickle?"

"Even I know what that really means," she laughed. "I was going to say nap, smart ass."

"Oh, yeah, that, too. I am fairly knackered. You wear me out."

"Ah, what every girl loves to hear."

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