title: Marriage, Sunnydale-Style
author: Heather (heather@hella-good.org)
rating: R
spoilers: none...completely an au/fantasy fic except for things borrowed from the Buffyverse (season 1-7) that are twisted to fit in this universe.
disclaimer: If I actually owned anything, I probably wouldn't be doing this :)
summary: After almost 10 years of dating, Buffy and Spike finally find themselves in the midst of planning a wedding and remembering the long journey that got them there.

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Chapter 12

"Buffy, you home?" Spike asked and closed the door. He heard music playing in the living room and thanked the powers that be that it wasn't Fiona Apple. He turned the corner into the room and saw that Buffy wasn't there. "Luv?" Spike heard a soft sob from the bathroom as he made his way to their bedroom. He leaned against the door, trying to confirm what he heard. When he heard her shakily take in a breath, he softly knocked on the door. Not hearing any response, he slowly opened and peaked inside. He saw Buffy in the tub, hair pulled up and knees to her chest, chin resting on her knees. Her hands were over her eyes and he could see that she was trying not to cry. He wanted to burst in, pull her out and hold her until she got whatever was bothering her out of her system but having done that before and having to suffer the wrath of it, he opted for patience. "You need anything, pet?"

"You in here with me."

In record time, Spike divested himself of his clothing and got in the tub with her. Sitting behind her, he picked up the sponge and began to stroke her back slowly, trying to comfort her as best he could. "You wanna talk about it?"

"I had a meeting with Sean Meers today." She noticed that Spike had stopped his movements and she made a whining sound. "Don't stop doing that."

"Sorry, luv. What were you talking to him for? There are other counselors at that bloody school, y'know." He was trying to remain calm but he knew he was failing miserably. His left hand brought itself over the scar on her shoulder and he touched it gingerly, suddenly feeling every emotion he had felt on that day.

"Willow-"

"I'll kill her. You shouldn't be talking to him-"

"Spike, please...are you going to listen or are you just going to fly off the handle?" He said nothing but she could just picture his face. The muscles along his jaw twitching like mad, his teeth gnawing his bottom lip in frustration. "Willow asked me to talk to him. It's not easy for her, either, you know. She has class with him every day. I haven't seen him in months. Not even in the halls. I think we both ignored each other. Besides, I don't think he needed Mr. Cosgrove who would, undoubtedly, call him a loser and condemn him for life. He needed me. Someone who has been there. Do you get that?"

"Yeah, go on."

"It wasn't so bad, actually. I'm not even sure why I'm so upset. Maybe it just brought stuff to the surface. Maybe it was something that should have been dealt with long before now. We talked about Warren, mostly, which wasn't the easiest thing to do. This kid has had everyone lying to him for two years. Talking at him, not to him and so when he wanted to know, I told him what I could. What I remembered. It was actually a bit cathartic." She leaned back against Spike's chest and he moved the sponge to the front of her body. "We're going to meet twice a week during his study period. Will is going to try and help him catch up in classes. The kid has a lot of problems but he's started to open up. He just needed some honesty." She sighed, closing her eyes, letting every thing wash away as she fully gave herself over to Spike's touch. "So how was your day?"

"This is the part of the conversation when we just change directions, then?"

"You know me so well," Buffy answered, turning her head and giving his upper arm a quick kiss.

"It was better than yours, I suspect. Angel came down for an office check but other than that, good day. Little tired..."

Buffy laughed in agreement. "I talked to Giles, too. I was thinking of asking him and Anya for dinner sometime this week. He wants to talk to you, anyways...what do you think?"

"Fine, luv. Been meaning to talk to Rupes myself, so that works out. Did you get a chance to talk to 'im 'bout the other?"

"No...Sean came in just when I was about to."

"Y'know he's going to say yes. Don't know why you're getting all worked up over it."

"I could go to sleep right now."

"Stop changing the subject. 'm letting the Meers thing go, ain't I? You've known him a long time, Buffy. He'd be happy as a pig in shit to do it for you and you know that."

"I kind of didn't want to ask him when Anya was around. You know how she gets. 'Stay away from my Rupie'," Buffy said, mimicking Anya. She could feel Spike's chest move beneath her as he laughed. "I don't know...maybe I should just ask my mom to do it-"

"Y'know full well that your mum has no problems with you asking Giles."

"Or I could just do it myself," Buffy finished, completely ignoring Spike's input.

"Or just ask Giles," Spike repeated.

"I'm pruning. We need to get out of here before we shrivel up." Spike rolled his eyes out of frustration and sighed audibly. "You can stay..."

"Pet, I know today was no fun but can we please finish one bleeding conversation?" Spike asked, taking the towel Buffy was holding out for him. He wrapped the towel around his waist, not bothering to dry himself off fully. He eyed her suspiciously, trying to gage exactly what was going on in her head.

Without looking at him, she said, "Please stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"You know. Like you're trying to figure me out. I don't even have to see you to know that's how you're looking at me." She wrapped the towel around her and she walked over to the mirror, shaking her hair free from the bun. "You don't have to fix me, Spike. I'm fine. Really."

He moved behind her wrapping his arms around her own, effectively trapping her against his body. He kissed the top of her head and breathed in the scent of her hair. "I'm not, luv. Whenever that day is mentioned, we brush it off like it never happened."

"We don't talk about your childhood and I don't want to talk about that day. Call it even, okay?" She struggled a bit to get out of his hold but he stayed tightly wrapped around her. "Spike...I just want to put on my yummy sushi pajamas and go to bed. I may even let you give me a back massage."

Spike barked out a quick laugh and shook his head. "You wanna know something about my time there, ask it. I'll tell you. It was nothing exciting...and it wasn't horrible. It definitely wasn't Oliver bloody Twist." He could feel her begin to move again in his arms and tightened his hold once again until he realized she was turning to face him. He gave her enough room to turn, not letting the fact that her towel was slipping to go by him.

"Okay, okay. If you let me go put on my pajamas, I'll let you rub my back and then we'll talk...you pick the subject."

"You won't last a minute if 'm rubbing your back and you know it."

"Damn, I thought that would work," she responded, smiling shyly. "Did you eat?"

"You do know it's only 6:30, right?" Buffy looked surprised and shook her head.

"I thought it was like 8 or so. I am so out of it today. How's this, then? I put on my pajamas, we cook dinner together, we'll talk and you can still pick the subject."

"That I can do...but we both know that 'm the one who'll be cooking dinner."

"Well, I will be actively watching," she smirked. He removed his arms from her body and she shivered instantly. She turned to walk out the bathroom and stopped suddenly. She whipped around, grabbed Spike's towel from his waist and ran into the bedroom, slamming the door. He could hear her laughing hysterically and he made his way to the bedroom.

"Oh my god!" he heard Dawn shriek and Spike spun around, yelling in surprise.

"Don't you bloody knock?" Spike asked covering himself as best he could. He began to kick the door behind him as best he could without being completely indecent in Dawn's presence.

"Don't you wear a towel?" Dawn asked, eyebrow raised.

"Don't have to wear one. My sodding apartment. Go in there!" He motioned his head in the direction of the living room. Dawn rolled her eyes and made her way in. Quickly, Spike turned around and banged on the door. "The Bit's here and I'm bare-ass naked. Let me in!"

Slowly, Buffy opened the door and he saw that she was bright red. "Dawn...is here?" Spike nodded and pushed the door the rest of the way open and went into the room. "She saw you naked?"

"She wouldn't have if you weren't running around stealing' people's bloody towels." He was practically growling as he slammed through the dresser drawers, looking for something to put on. He felt Buffy come up behind him, laying a hand on his back. He slammed another drawer and turned around, staring at her.

"Why are you so mad?" Buffy asked, her voice shaking a bit.

"'Cause now I can't ravage you before dinner." Buffy made an 'o' with her mouth and then smiled. She grabbed her robe, putting it on and left the room. He could hear her talking to Dawn but couldn't make anything out. He heard the apartment door close and soon Buffy was back in the room.

"We're all set for a bit of ravaging and we don't even have to cook." Spike looked at her, question unasked. "Dawn...she went to get food and apparently a bottle of wine to drink away the sight of you naked."

"Oi, I happen to think I'm quite a catch."

"Hey, I didn't say it. I know how lucky I am," she said as she walked over to him. She ran one finger down his chest and he twitched in response. "She said she'd be back in a half hour or so."

"Plenty to do in a half hour..."

"There sure is," Buffy agreed, her breath catching as Spike slowly undid the sash of her bathrobe. He opened the robe and pushed it off her body. No matter how many times he saw her naked, it was like the very first time. They both simultaneously silently wondered how they got so lucky to have found each other. Buffy moaned as Spike kissed her neck and muttered, "You still owe me a back massage later."

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