Disclaimer: I own nothing. I mean it . . .actually nothing.

Distribution: Sure just let me know where so that I can go look and feel all proud and stuff.

I actually know how I'm going to end this story now. I had something of a revelation and it just hit me. I don't know exactly how many parts there are going to be to it but there will be enough to take us up to the end of Season 5. I don't know if it will go anywhere after that, depends if enough people want it to continue, (I'm not subtle at fishing for reviews am I?). So, I can now promise that the parts will come a lot quicker, I have a focus, a place I want to get to, and it helps.

"Wow Buffy, the place looks amazing." Willow looked around at the Summers residence. She had expected to find it in at least a little disarray. Joyce still wasn't well and Buffy was so busy catching up with her schoolwork.

Buffy beamed at her best friend, "I've been feeling very motivated of late, I have loads of energy and cleaning seems as good a way as any to get rid of it."

* * *

Buffy's eyes flicked over to her lover, she had sworn not to reveal that the vampire knew the difference between a window spritz and window sheen. He had turned out to be a welcome issue as far as her mother was concerned. Since there was nothing that he could do during the day, he tried to make himself useful, breaking off for Passions of course. Spike had also become her little sister's unofficial best friend. He took time to be with her, helped her with her homework when she needed it and always agreed with her about her subjects, (neither of them could see the point of Pythagorean Theorem).

After a few days, Spike had given up the pretence of actually living at his crypt. Both he and Buffy had felt that it wasn't fair for him to just move into the house, after all there were two other people to consider. Joyce had been the deciding factor. After Spike had been staying there for a few days, he had made to leave one night when a movie finished. Joyce had looked surprised and asked where he was going. Spike had said he was going home, he didn't want to impose. Joyce had quite sharply told him that he was home, unless she suddenly sprouted large teeth she wasn't going to use the four blood bags in the fridge and that the next movie was better than the last.

All pretence had been abandoned. Spike had watched the whole film with a big smile on his face gripping Buffy's hand. The next evening he had gone and fetched his things. Of course there had been several arguments then between the two lovers. Fortunately they occurred when Joyce and Dawn were out, anyone else who heard them may well have been worried.

"There is no way that I'm going to have those boots in my room Spike you'll just have to get rid of them. They must be at least twenty years old."

Spike frowned, "They're thirty five and looking well for it. Where I go these boots go. They're older than you, and you should respect your elders"

Buffy returned his scowl, "That doesn't even work when Giles tries it, you think I'm going to listen to you and your boots? Think again."

Spike threw up his arms in exasperation, "If I can sleep in a room with your vast array of stuffed animals you should be able to compromise with my boots."

"I don't have a 'vast array'," said Buffy doing a terrible imitation of an English accent, "I have a few."

Spike dropped the boots on the floor, and launched himself over to the bed and table near by, "A few? A few!" Spike began flinging them over his shoulder, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seve. . ."

"Don't. You're messing them up."

Spike spun around, "Make me."

Buffy raised her eye-brows, "Make you? I can do that." Buffy walked quickly over to her dressing table and grabbed a bottle of perfume.

Spike frowned in confusion, "What are you. . .?"

Spike's question was answered when she pulled the top off the perfume and then picked up his boots, "Put them all back, where they were."

Spike looked at her, "You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I? You know me better. Your stinky boots are not staying here."

"Did you just call my boots stinky?"

Buffy nodded, "I did."

Spike growled, picked up another stuffed animal, and threw it at Buffy.

Buffy stamped her foot, "That's it," She poured the perfume inside one of the boots and over the other one.

Spike dived off the bed towards her with a growl, "Slayer!"

Buffy dropped the boots and rolled. Spike flew straight past her and crashed into the door. He got to his feet rubbing his shoulder, "Bitch!"

Buffy looked at the vampire, and the soft toys all over the room, and she began to laugh, she couldn't help it, it all seemed so damn funny. Spike glared at her as she clutched at her stomach, "I'm sorry, it's just . . . Do you realise that we used to argue about ways to save the world, ways to kill each other, now we're arguing about who's shoes and toys stay in our bedroom.

Spike tried to maintain his growl, but the harder he tried the harder the slayer laughed. Within a minute his face had started to crack, he started to laugh until both of them were in a fit of absolute hysterics.

Spike moved across the room to the girl and wrapped his arms around her. Buffy returned his embrace and she held him until their giggles subsided. Spike pulled away and stroked his fingers down the side of her face. Buffy leaned into his touch and ran her hands up and down his back. She leant upwards and pressed her lips to his. Spike lifted her off her feet and lay her down amongst the toys.

Yep it was definitely good that no one was in the house with them.

* * *

Apart from their erotic arguments though, things were good, and they were well, good. Buffy smiled to herself, yeah things were good, her smile fell a little, which generally meant that things were going to go to hell. Spike noticed the change in her and he went over to her. He took her hand and squeezed it. Buffy didn't look at him but she squeezed his hand, "So what's up?"

The gang sat down, but Giles remained standing, "Well, I've had some, the council of watcher's, they may have some information that may help us to ascertain what we're dealing with."

Spike gripped Buffy's hand again, "So what watcher? When are they going to let us know?"

Giles avoided eye contact with any of them, "I suppose we will find out when they arrive."

Buffy tensed, "Arrive? They're coming here? Now . . .why do they have to come here?"

Xander grinned, "Yeah don't they have phones? 'Hallo Buffy here's some stuff we know pip pip.'"

Buffy pointed at Xander in support, "Yeah, phones. I'd like them on phones."

Tara looked confused "What's so bad about them coming here? I mean, Watchers. That's just like other Giles's right?"

Giles looked flattered but Buffy cut him off before he could answer, "Yeah, they're scary and horrible."

Spike smirked as Buffy looked embarrassed realising what she had just said, Giles took it on the chin though, and carried on, "Well, they may appear a bit. . . hard-nosed, but essentially their agenda is the same as ours, they want to save the world and kill demons."

Anya went very pale, "Kill the current demons right? Current. Demons."

Buffy shivered unconsciously, "Giles I don't want them to come here, I don't trust them; make them not come here."

Giles squirmed, "Well, they're probably already on their way. Our old friend Quentin Travers is heading up the delegation."

"They put me through that test and then when I was Faith they almost killed me again. Honestly, I really can't handle almost being killed right now."

Spike scowled, "They almost killed you? How is that exactly?"

Buffy turned slightly, "A test the Watcher's council gives to Slayers we'll go into it later."

Spike put his hand on her shoulder, "You mean they put you through the Cruciamentum? They still do that shit? And they did it to you?"

Buffy nodded in a resigned kinda way, "Oh yeah."

Spike's eyes flicked to Giles, "And you were her Watcher. You must have helped them; taken away her strength. You did that to her?"

Giles went very red, "It's not as simple as that."

"What do you mean, not that simple? You either gave her something, without her knowledge, or you didn't."

"I didn't want to. And I tried to get her out of it."

Spike looked as though he was going to speak again but Buffy put her hand on his arm, "Don't. That was how Giles was sacked, he tried to help me. Just leave it. Please?"

Spike obviously didn't want to let it go, but looking at her face, he did. Tara broke the very awkward silence that descended, "Are you sure they're English? I thought English people were gentler than. . . normal people."

Anya if it was possible, looked even less happy about the set up than Buffy, "I don't like this, they don't sound very ex-demon compatible."

* * *

Dawn crept down the stairs. She had heard them talking about her. They wouldn't tell her if she asked, and she knew it. They would lie to her, as though she was a stupid child.

Well she was not having it. If this . . .situation was something to do with her, then she wanted to know about it. And if they wouldn't tell her, she planned to find out.

Unfortunately, her mom caught her, "Dawn, what are you doing up at this hour. Go back to bed."

Dawn spun round, "I was just . . . getting a snack"

Buffy heard the voices behind her and panic seized her, "Dawn! Are you listening?"

Dawn scowled in irritation; "I can get a snack if I want to."

Buffy looked at Giles, "She was listening."

Willow shrugged, "Does it matter? I mean, is she really going to set the junior high school buzzing with, 'oohh, there's a delegation a comin''?"

Buffy realised that she had probably over-reacted in light of the fact that her friends didn't know about Dawn, "I guess. It's just that sometimes we say . . . stuff and . . . it's all good. Giles you were saying . . . something."

Giles was quick to pick up his cue, "Just that, if the Council has new information, than maybe it'll help us get a bead in what we're dealing with. Right now I think that we're . . . a bit lost."

Buffy looked at Spike in concern. He pulled her onto his lap from her perch on the chair arm and wrapped his arm around her waist.

Buffy was worried. She didn't trust the Council. She never had.