As always, the characters are not mine. The story is.
They stood there, facing each other as the sun began to peek over the horizon. She couldn't believe he had really come back to her and he couldn't believe that she came for him following a dream of all things. Bint was off her rock, but he would be eternally grateful.
He wasn't sure if it was his first glimpse at the sun in such a long time or her presence that warmed him so.
He reached out to touch her hair. She moved her face into his hand. The pad of his thumb brushed her cheek. Appearing lost in deep thought she spoke.
"There was something I want to tell you."
"Luv?"
"I should have told you about loving you before . .. .
"Buffy we don't have to do this right now."
"Yes I do. I need you to know this before we go to everyone else." She smiled up at him. "I loved you long before. I just couldn't let myself admit it. When I realized I was going to lose you it hit me, I was losing the man I loved and I had never told him the truth. "
Such sweet words. 'the man she loved.' He wrapped both arms around her and pulled her to him. Burying his face in her hair thanking whoever it was that gave him this gift.
Her hands slid up and down his back, pulling him closer with each pass, tears streaming down her face. Great. Now she lets go. She so did not need puffy eyes.
He pulled back. His arms still draped over her shoulders.
"What's with the water works luv?" as he swiped a tear from either cheek with his thumbs.
"I lost you. You were gone." Pulling him close again she spoke into his chest. "I don't want you to disappear again."
"Disappear? Luv I'm not going to disappear. Look at me." Lifting her chin he could see her chin still quivering.
"You always disappear in my dreams." She tried to hold back the tears but they fell anyway.
"Does this feel like a dream?" he leaned in and their lips met. At that moment, time stopped. There was no one else in existence. He brought his hands to frame her face and she placed her hands over his.
"Buffy!" So much for the world disappearing.
"Yes Dawn" irritation showing.
"Can I come down yet?"
Spike smiled, gave her a quick kiss and turned in the direction he had heard the voice.
"Nibblet we'll be up in a sec." He turned back to Buffy "We have the rest of our lives for this. Besides, I'm starving. Let's eat."
A smile crept to her face. She wrapped one arm around his waist and they started up the side of the crater.
"You gonna tell me how you got back here? You know Giles is gonna want details."
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The ride back had been filled with questions of where he had been, and what it was like. Spike had said he didn't remember much, but the look he gave Buffy suggested he wasn't telling all. With a quick squeeze of her hand she knew he'd fill her in later.
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They stopped at the first hotel they came to. There was a restaurant next door, where they stopped at Spike's insistence. While eating breakfast they discussed their plans for the coming days and filled him in on the goings on with Giles and setting up the new watchers council. He was sad to hear about Anya and offered his condolences to Xander. He could understand the pain of losing the woman you love.
There were no adjoining rooms this time, much to Xander's relief. He had no intentions of being that close to Buffy and Spike today. There were just some things friends shouldn't have to hear, or know about. He had suggested he and Spike share a room and the girls get one for themselves. That only earned him scowls from both Buffy and Spike and a snort from Dawn. The hotel was nice enough. Their rooms were nice. He, Willow and Dawn ended up sharing. There was a king size bed and a pull out sofa. No question who was getting the sofa.
Buffy had only left a few minutes ago. He could hear the giggles coming from the girls. Afraid to ask he busied himself getting ready for bed. The good thing about the girls being in their room chatting it up was that he got first shot at the shower. Tomorrow he had to start the long cross country drive. Again. But today was a day of rest. They had been up all night driving and were all exhausted. All except Buffy and Spike. They seemed revved up. He tried not to think why as he got into the shower.
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He had taken a shower, taking a while longer than he had ever. Every sensation was new now. The heat of the water, or the cold, felt so different. There he stood in front of the mirror, towel around his waist. Admiring himself. He hadn't seen his own face is such a long time. 'No wonder she fell for me' he smirked.
Then it occurred to him. That 'she' was waiting for him.
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Buffy had already taken her shower in Willow's room, she hurried figuring Spike would already be waiting for her. He wasn't. There she sat, in the skimpiest of outfits, she could hear him singing to himself. Not enough to make out the words just that it was a happy tune.
'He sure is taking his time in that bathroom. How much could he actually have to do?' . At that moment the bathroom door opened. Steam flowing out and up to the ceiling. Then he appeared, dressed in nothing but a towel. His skin glistening with flecks of water, his hair hanging in damp unruly curls.
"What did you order me from room service luv?" the mischievous grin he wore told her all she needed to know.
Crossing the distance between them she was in his arms. Still clinging to him as if he might not be there if she let go.
They stood there, facing each other as the sun began to peek over the horizon. She couldn't believe he had really come back to her and he couldn't believe that she came for him following a dream of all things. Bint was off her rock, but he would be eternally grateful.
He wasn't sure if it was his first glimpse at the sun in such a long time or her presence that warmed him so.
He reached out to touch her hair. She moved her face into his hand. The pad of his thumb brushed her cheek. Appearing lost in deep thought she spoke.
"There was something I want to tell you."
"Luv?"
"I should have told you about loving you before . .. .
"Buffy we don't have to do this right now."
"Yes I do. I need you to know this before we go to everyone else." She smiled up at him. "I loved you long before. I just couldn't let myself admit it. When I realized I was going to lose you it hit me, I was losing the man I loved and I had never told him the truth. "
Such sweet words. 'the man she loved.' He wrapped both arms around her and pulled her to him. Burying his face in her hair thanking whoever it was that gave him this gift.
Her hands slid up and down his back, pulling him closer with each pass, tears streaming down her face. Great. Now she lets go. She so did not need puffy eyes.
He pulled back. His arms still draped over her shoulders.
"What's with the water works luv?" as he swiped a tear from either cheek with his thumbs.
"I lost you. You were gone." Pulling him close again she spoke into his chest. "I don't want you to disappear again."
"Disappear? Luv I'm not going to disappear. Look at me." Lifting her chin he could see her chin still quivering.
"You always disappear in my dreams." She tried to hold back the tears but they fell anyway.
"Does this feel like a dream?" he leaned in and their lips met. At that moment, time stopped. There was no one else in existence. He brought his hands to frame her face and she placed her hands over his.
"Buffy!" So much for the world disappearing.
"Yes Dawn" irritation showing.
"Can I come down yet?"
Spike smiled, gave her a quick kiss and turned in the direction he had heard the voice.
"Nibblet we'll be up in a sec." He turned back to Buffy "We have the rest of our lives for this. Besides, I'm starving. Let's eat."
A smile crept to her face. She wrapped one arm around his waist and they started up the side of the crater.
"You gonna tell me how you got back here? You know Giles is gonna want details."
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The ride back had been filled with questions of where he had been, and what it was like. Spike had said he didn't remember much, but the look he gave Buffy suggested he wasn't telling all. With a quick squeeze of her hand she knew he'd fill her in later.
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They stopped at the first hotel they came to. There was a restaurant next door, where they stopped at Spike's insistence. While eating breakfast they discussed their plans for the coming days and filled him in on the goings on with Giles and setting up the new watchers council. He was sad to hear about Anya and offered his condolences to Xander. He could understand the pain of losing the woman you love.
There were no adjoining rooms this time, much to Xander's relief. He had no intentions of being that close to Buffy and Spike today. There were just some things friends shouldn't have to hear, or know about. He had suggested he and Spike share a room and the girls get one for themselves. That only earned him scowls from both Buffy and Spike and a snort from Dawn. The hotel was nice enough. Their rooms were nice. He, Willow and Dawn ended up sharing. There was a king size bed and a pull out sofa. No question who was getting the sofa.
Buffy had only left a few minutes ago. He could hear the giggles coming from the girls. Afraid to ask he busied himself getting ready for bed. The good thing about the girls being in their room chatting it up was that he got first shot at the shower. Tomorrow he had to start the long cross country drive. Again. But today was a day of rest. They had been up all night driving and were all exhausted. All except Buffy and Spike. They seemed revved up. He tried not to think why as he got into the shower.
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He had taken a shower, taking a while longer than he had ever. Every sensation was new now. The heat of the water, or the cold, felt so different. There he stood in front of the mirror, towel around his waist. Admiring himself. He hadn't seen his own face is such a long time. 'No wonder she fell for me' he smirked.
Then it occurred to him. That 'she' was waiting for him.
x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x
Buffy had already taken her shower in Willow's room, she hurried figuring Spike would already be waiting for her. He wasn't. There she sat, in the skimpiest of outfits, she could hear him singing to himself. Not enough to make out the words just that it was a happy tune.
'He sure is taking his time in that bathroom. How much could he actually have to do?' . At that moment the bathroom door opened. Steam flowing out and up to the ceiling. Then he appeared, dressed in nothing but a towel. His skin glistening with flecks of water, his hair hanging in damp unruly curls.
"What did you order me from room service luv?" the mischievous grin he wore told her all she needed to know.
Crossing the distance between them she was in his arms. Still clinging to him as if he might not be there if she let go.