The Elements Series is set immediately after 'And It Rained…' So you must read that first! Also, this fic isn't pure Buffy/Spike - Willow/Kennedy, Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya and hints of Dawn/Andrew are also included. Others will appear later on too, and I'm open to ANY suggestions to improve the fic! (though I completely draw the line at B/A or Riley returning - lol)
Distribution: Just let me know please! Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns all the characters, and so does ME, Fox, etc
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The Elements – Fire:/Part 1It was nearly an hour later when Buffy and Spike got back to the Summers' residence. They had just stood, holding each other in the rain, as if the world was going to end there and then. But eventually, they mustered up enough strength to get onto Spike's motorcycle and ride back home.
Spike himself was still in a slight state of shock. This was the last thing he had expected; after all this time he had almost stopped dreaming of the day when Buffy told him she loved him. But she had, and she meant it. He could tell. It was in her eyes.
"Buffy, luv, you need to change. You're soaked through. You'll get ill," he brushed a stand of hair away from her face.
"No, I won't," Buffy kissed him lightly on the lips. "But I will end up looking like a prune, and I doubt you'd still want a prune-Buffy even half as much, so," another kiss "I will" and another " be back…" She bounced up the stairs and went to her room to get a fresh change of clothes.
"You know I'd still love you if you were a prune," Spike called after her, and then murmured, "Even if you are a slightly insane prune…" Damn he adored that woman.
Buffy sighed in happiness. She was beyond ecstatic that she had finally figured out what that tug at her heart that happened every time he looked at her was. It was love. She hadn't though about how her friends would react to this…her and Spike together again. But part of her didn't care. This was what she wanted, so they would have to accept it.
And she stopped dead in her bouncy tracks. Her friends.
Buffy was brought back down to earth from her Spike-cloud with a horrible thud. In all this…she had got so caught up…she had almost forgotten…but now it all came rushing back to her…
As the memories hit her, the slayer collapsed in a sobbing heap, clutching at the halter neck she had just taken from her drawer.
She remembered the harsh truth of what had happened, and cried for all she was worth, as Spike heard her from the living room and darted upstairs.
"Buffy, luv," Spike rushed to her side and gathered her up into his arms, worry etched on his face. "What's wrong?"
Buffy simply held onto him, not able to form coherent words for all the tears.
And only then did Spike realize that except for them…
…The house was empty.
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AN: Ooh! Dum dum DUUUM! Guess how you can make the next chapter hurry up? Yes that's right, reeevviiieewww. (otherwise the house will stay empty for the rest of the fic :D hehe. )h