Severed Ties

Chapter 23

First Date

A/N: This is the correct chapter number. Accidentally put '23' for the last chappie.

May 26th, 2002

Early Afternoon

"I sorry," Faith said, "I don't think I heard you right."

Xander smiled and stroked his trimmed beard. The past few days had been uneventful in terms of a big bad, but it had given him a chance to interact with Faith. The two of them had gone on patrol every night, splitting the duties with Spike, Buffy and Jay. Patrols had been uneventful and he and Faith had gotten to know one another; they'd even shared a steamy after-patrol kiss the night before that the Newlyweds (everyone's term for Spike and Buffy) had broken up. That had been an end to the potential festivities for the night and the two had gone their separate ways. It had taken Xander several hours to get to sleep, unable to push the jasmine scent of Faith's hair and raspberry tang of her lips from his mind. It wasn't until he had resolved to do something about it instead of have fanciful dreams that he fell into a fitful rest.

So here he was, carrying out his late night resolution, amidst a pile of laundry in the basement and ignoring the butterflies that danced in his belly.

"You heard me right," he replied, and gave the slayer his best smirk.

"Well, spell it out for me again. You know I dropped out of high school."

"Faith," he said, and took her hand (was she shaking?), "will you go out with me tonight? On a date."

The brunette's eyes widened at his question and for a moment, Xander thought she would say no. That is, until her face split into the most radiant smile he had ever seen.

"You bet your sweet Paul Bunyan ass I will," she said, and bit her lip, embarrassed. "Uh, that would be a yes."

"So I gathered," he smiled. He dropped her hand and the familiar jitters of what to do next filtered through the room. Xander's eyes traveled between Faith and his own boots, and he refrained from the urge to push her against the wall and kiss her senseless.

Surprisingly to him, that same nervousness was plastered all over Faith's beautiful face. She wasn't one to show unease and this new part of her, the part he'd been acquainting himself with over the last week, was a welcome addition to her already impressive repertoire.

"So," she said, and kicked at the rug, "we gonna make out like a couple teenagers or do you wanna wait till after the date?"

"Well, we could wait…"

"Of course, there was the whole Buffy-interrupto last night…"

"True, damn true."

Their eyes lowered to the concrete floor of the basement before their gazes locked, mischief gleaming in two sets of brown eyes. "Make out!" they said in unison and closed the distance between them. After that, all thoughts of laundry were gone.

~~~

Mid-Afternoon

"You are not wearing that, missy," Buffy said to the lanky teen in front of her.

"Why not?" Dawn pouted.

"Aside from the fact that I said so? Hmmm, let me think; it's too short, Spike could go on a homicidal rage and kill your date, and, yeah, it's too short."

"You wore shorter skirts than this when you were my age."

"Perks of being the elder sibling," Buffy replied, and nodded in satisfaction when Dawn stomped back to the closet.

"You're just jealous cause I'm taller than you," the teen said over her shoulder, but Buffy ignored the barb. Instead, she concentrated on the coming night. Her little sister, former brat Dawn Summers, was going out on her first date. It was something that, after their Mom died; Buffy had never given thought to. Hell, she didn't know how she'd help Dawn make it to that period much less give thought to her dating. But they had made it. With the help of the Scoobies and Spike, Dawn had continued her journey to womanhood, even while Buffy had been gone. And it seemed that since the resurrection, Buffy had watched Dawn age with a frightening rapidity.

"How about this?" Dawn asked. Buffy regarded her sister's next choice; a pair of white Capri's with a matching white tank; she held Buffy's white jacket, too, which was a perfect complement. Buffy thought to the purity that white symbolized and knew that, despite Dawn's experiences with the darkest things imaginable, she was just that; pure. Yes, her mother and sister had both died, but Dawn had yet to be tainted by the heartbreak of losing a lover and that was something Buffy hoped her little sister never experienced.

"Perfect," Buffy whispered, unable to keep the hitch out of her voice. She walked over to Dawn and gave her a spontaneous hug.

"Buffy?" Dawn asked. "Are you okay?"

"Just fine, Dawnie," the slayer replied, wiping at her eyes, "just fine."

~~~

Early Evening

Spike hated that Saturday night twilight time. It wasn't about being stuck in the house because, hello, twilight. And it wasn't

that demons generally refused to appear en masse till about ten or eleven.

No, it was the fact that there was bugger all on in the way of televised entertainment.

"Bloody hell," he murmured and he flipped through the channels with the foreboding certainty that absolutely nothing of value would be on for the next hour and a half.

"You know," Jay said from her curled up position on the couch, magazine in hand, "you really should really think about other forms of entertainment, such as reading."

"Sure thing, Bitlet," he replied, "toss me that Cosmo why don't ya. Maybe I can get the scope on that Sarah Gellar chit and that poof of a hubbie of hers."

"Sounds like someone's jealous," she sung and turned the page.

"Of that Prinze bloke?" He asked incredulously. "Give your Da some credit. There's no reason I should be jealous of that pillock. 'Sides, the last several hairstyles he 'as seriously puts him in contention for his own Queer as Folk show."

"Freddie Prinze is not gay, Daddy. Geez Louise."

Spike sat up in the chair and studied his daughter with wide eyes. For several seconds, she was unaware of Spike's gaze and frowned into the magazine. Finally, she turned annoyed eyes at her father. "What?"

"Sorry, 'let," Spike said, shaking his head, "but for a moment there, thought you said 'Geez Louise'. Must've been my mistake." He stifled a laugh when her face lit up with a blush.

"Yeah," she said, "your mistake." Spike chuckled at her embarrassment but his mirth quickly trailed off as he regarded his daughter with serious eyes.

In the months that she had been there, Jay had changed drastically. It wasn't as much physical as it was emotionally, though there was definite changes in the former. For one, her once short hair now hung past her shoulders though it was often bunched in a sloppy ponytail. The scars that adorned her body had faded, thanks to Willow, Tara and Dawn. They had done their best to lessen the marks and, aside from a handful of indentations (one being the still visible jagged line down the side her face) she was flawless.

But it was her attitude that had been altered most of all. She had opened up to them, displaying the entire range of her emotions. She was confident and sarcastic, caring and understanding and quite easy on the eyes; she definitely took after her parents in a variety of ways, including her self-doubt.

"Bitlet?"

"Yeah?" she returned, never looking up from the magazine.

"Why don't you ever go out?"

At Spike's question, she glanced over at him. "I do go out. With the wonderful Wiccas, with Dawnie and Mum. Even went shopping with Faith the other day."

Spike smiled. Oh, he remembered her and Faith returning with an armful of shopping bags that contained some truly less than covering articles of clothing. "Not what I meant, luv." Spike sighed, the irony of what he was about to ask her not lost on him. "Why don't you date?" The surprise in her face was something he'd rarely seen on her and if he weren't paying attention, the flit of shame would have gone unnoticed.

"Just really don't feel like it," she said evasively, and returned her eyes back to the magazine.

Spike turned the television off and tossed the remote onto the floor. He stood and made his way over to the couch with careful strides. Jay started to shrink within herself when he took a seat and the vampire frowned at her distance.

"Faith, sweetie," he said, and his fingers grazed her shoulder. Thankfully, she didn't pull away. "What is it?"

The young woman shrugged. "I just…I just don't feel…"

"Don't feel what?"

She closed the magazine and tossed it on the coffee table. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and Spike smiled at the image before him; it was a free glimpse of what she probably looked like as a child.

Jay nibbled her lower lip and cast swift glances towards Spike and he noticed her discomfort. Slowly putting his arm around her and drawing her into his embrace, Spike planted a feather-light kiss on her temple and said, "C'mon, Bitlet, it's me. You can tell me anythin'."

Nodding, Jay gave Spike a quick hug before sliding out of his embrace. She folded both legs under her and faced her father.

"I know I haven't told you guys much about, you know, my life with you guys in the future. And the whole boyfriend thing, or lack thereof, is one of 'em."

"What do you mean, you didn't 'ave a boyfriend?" Spike asked, then fixed her with a serious look. "I didn't eat 'em, did I?"

"No, Daddy," she said, and laughed, "although you did threaten Bobby Taylor from ever stepping foot onto Revello when he made me cry."

"And who exactly was this Bobby Taylor?"

"My thirteen-year-old crush."

"Well, the git deserved it, making my baby girl cry."

"Anyway," Jay said, and pulled a pillow into her lap, "like I said, I wasn't exactly the boyfriend-y type girl. I mean, me and Jason Nance dated for awhile when I was sixteen."

"What happened to him?"

Jay shrugged as she fiddled with the frilled edges of the pillow. "Trademark sophomoric breakup having to do with peer pressure and lies. Not too long after that was when the drama started. After that, even during the lulls, dating was the last thing on my mind. I mean, there were guys…" On Spike's dark look she held up a hand and amended. "Not like that, Daddy, definitely not like that. Sheesh, mind out of gutter, please."

"Good, didn't wanna have ta kill the bloke who tried touchin my girl."

"He's already dead," she whispered and Spike barely heard it.

"Jay, whatta ya mean? I thought you said…"

"Seth." Although it was one word, the heartbreak in her tone told Spike the entire story.

Oh, he remembered what she had said about Seth but Spike had never guessed that the dusted vampire had been her only experience with a man. Although she was his daughter, the thought of her never knowing the feeling of being with someone who cared and loved her as an equal sickened him and Spike wanted nothing more than to kiss away her pain.

"Bitlet…" he said and trailed off. What could he say to her? 'Sorry' that your greatest innocence was taken, ripped from you by a sadistic bastard? Nothing he could say would make it better and the rage that bubbled up inside him was moot; Seth was gone, and there was no outlet for his vengeance.

"So," she said, curiously cheerful, "now you see why I'm not all rah-rah with the dating game.

"Besides," she said, and stood up, gracing Spike with a kiss on the forehead, "I get way too much of a kick watching my two horn dog parents tryin' to keep their hands off each other."

Spike smiled as Jay flounced out of the room. That's my Bitlet, he thought wistfully. Jay would never let anything beat her, no matter how painful. She would always fight to the end and Spike couldn't help the swell of pride that grew in his chest at the thought of his only daughter.

The knock on the door interrupted the vampire's thoughts and a sadistic smile broke out across his face. Standing, he reached his arms to the ceiling before sauntering purposefully to the door. Turning the handle, Spike slowly pulled it open to reveal an extremely nervous looking CJ dressed in khakis, a polo shirt and dark dress boots holding a single red rose.

"Hey, Spike," he said, and offered the vampire a tight smile.

"CJ," Spike replied, making sure to throw in a bit of a growl in his tone. Strangely enough, that seemed to loosen CJ up a bit too much. Oh, this will not do, the vampire thought, as he ushered the young man inside.

"Dawn's upstairs, getting ready," he said as they walked into the living room. "Sorta convenient, that, innit?"

CJ frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Just that it gives us time to chat some things out," Spike murmured, "man to…well, vampire." Spike couldn't hide the smirk when he heard CJ's heart skip a beat before hammering as if he were running from something. Oh yeah, this was gonna be fun.

~~~

Late Evening

"Whoa," Dawn said as she plopped back into her seat, "that was hella fun."

"Yeah, it was," CJ said, and took the chair next to her. "Never thought I'd be the one tryin' to keep up with you."

Dawn sipped her Coke, thankful for the cool liquid. She let out a contented sigh as the soda passed her lips, glad that at least some burning fires could be doused. "Well," she said, and shrugged, "I'm just full of surprises, aren't I?"

She shivered when his knuckles grazed her chin and the look on his face as his hungry eyes devoured her turned the teen's stomach in all sorts of good ways. It also reminded her that certain fires were definitely soda-retardant.

"That you are, sweetie," he whispered, and closed the distance between them. Dawn's tongue slipped out of her mouth, moistening her lips as she leaned closer toward him. The blaring music was an afterthought to the pounding of the teenager's heart as her eyes zeroed in on the kissing target. So close, she thought. Just what she had been waiting for all night…

The evening had started on a rocky note. She had descended the steps with the intent to knock CJ's proverbial socks off, but of course pseudo brother-in-law had had CJ occupied, obviously threatening the young man with bodily harm should he touch his Nibblet. On the ride over, CJ had been uncharacteristically quiet (of course riding on a motorcycle was in no way conducive to idle conversation) although he livened up during the movie. By the time they had reached the Bronze, he'd been back to his normal self: sexy, charming and quite desirous. And now, with him being so close…

"So, you wanna dance some more?" CJ said, and Dawn blinked.

"Huh?"

"I said do you wanna dance some more?" She stared at him incredulously, searching for why they weren't engaged in a fierce lip lock. He was obviously reticent about giving her an explanation, considering his questioning eyes looking down at her. She took his proffered hand--and pulled him back down into the chair.

"Hey, what was that for?"

"You tell me," Dawn said and crossed her arms expectantly. CJ averted his eyes.

"I don't know what you mean."

"What-the-freak ever, CJ. You know what I'm talking about. The kissage," Dawn hissed and pushed back the surprise at her candor.

"Kissage?" he repeated and his half hidden smirk only frustrated Dawn even more.

"You know exactly what I mean. We were point two seconds away from a major lip lock and you just pull away."

All pretense of hiding his amusement faded, and CJ broke out in a grin. "Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?"

"I just know how to read the signs."

"So I'm giving off signs now?"

Dawn huffed and stomped her foot. "Get off the BS, CJ and tell me what's up. Did Spike say something to you about kissing me?" First chink in his armor. CJ dropped his gaze. "What did he say?"

"Nothin', D."

"What. Did. He. Say?"

"He…he saw us, D, out on the porch." He didn't need to specify and Dawn's face contorted into a mask of horror and uber-embarrassment.

"No, he--he couldn't," she murmured, "he would have said something…or killed you on the spot."

CJ chuckled humorlessly. "Apparently he didn't want to cause a scene."

~~~

They sat in silence for several minutes as CJ watched the gamut of emotions pour across Dawn's face. Out of the anger, embarrassment and frustration, disbelief was the headliner. Although he hadn't known Spike long, CJ was willing to bet that the restraint the vampire called forth when CJ was nearly molesting Dawn was most likely the greatest pull of reserves the vampire had ever used. Not that CJ was complaining, however. Their talk earlier in the evening had shown the young man a different side of Spike and the lengths he would go to in order to protect Dawn.

"I don't get it," she said, "why wouldn't he say anything?"

CJ sighed. He'd promised Spike that he wouldn't mention their conversation to Dawn, well, at least the details; but he needed to tell her something.

"He said that you were a teenager and teenagers make out."

"Spike said that? Are you sure there wasn't an alien spider attached to his back?"

"Huh?"

Dawn waved her hand. "It was a bad eggs thing. Anyway, I still don't get it cause, yeah, teens do make out but what we were doing…" her cheeks flushed, "well, that was a tad more than 'just making out'."

"Yeah, I think he noticed that, too."

"So why aren't you like six feet deep now?"

"Gee, thanks, kiddo."

"You know what I mean."

CJ shrugged and took a sip of his drink. "He said as much as he loathes the idea of me puttin my hands on you, he also knows that you're Buffy's sister…"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, that if he tells you not to do something then you'd just do it anyway to spite him."

"Would not," she said and crossed her legs in a very alluring pout. "Okay," she said on his skeptical look, "maybe he's not so wrong."

"And as much as he wants to shield you from things, he doesn't want to make you feel like a kid."

"He's never treated me like one," Dawn whispered and CJ heard the emotion in her voice.

"He loves you, D, I can tell by the way he talks about you. He'd do anything for you."

"I know."

"That's why he threatened to rip my spleen out through my nose if I did anything--untoward," he said and took another sip.

"And that entails…"

"Anything beyond rubbing on shoulders, back, arms and the two inch free zone on your hips."

"You're kidding me."

"'Fraid not." Dawn wasn't too happy about that and CJ grabbed her hand before she could throw something. "Dawn, calm down."

"Calm down?"

"He just wants to protect you without getting too overbearing."

"And you don't think that's overbearing?"

He shook his head. "No, I really don't."

Dawn snorted and pulled her hand from his. "And why not?"

"Because, he saw something else in the way we were going at it that scared him."

"And what was that?"

"The fact that if we had been alone, things would have gotten out of hand."

"Out of hand? What does that--" And her hand flew to her mouth and she understood.

"Yeah," CJ said and leaned back in his chair.

"Do you think we would have?" Dawn whispered after several minutes.

"Dawn," he said, and took her hands in his, "I know we've only known each other a couple weeks or so, but when I'm near you, it's like every part of me points in your direction." When he saw her cheeks flush, he smiled apologetically. "Although I didn't mean it in that way."

"It's okay."

"As for what would've happened if we were alone," he continued, "well, depending on what you said, we would have."

He saw her gulp and fought the urge to kiss her pulsating jugular. "Wow," she said.

"Yeah, wow." Dawn worried her bottom lip and her thumbs caressed his knuckles.

"CJ, I really like you. I mean really, really like you. And as much as I get all jumpy when you're around, I'm…"

"What, D?"

"I'm not ready for that."

"I know."

She frowned. "How do you know?"

"Because I don't think I'm quite ready for us to…well, you know."

Dawn couldn't keep the surprise off her face and CJ knew the question before she even asked.

"So, you mean you--never?"

"No, D, I have, but it was never with that special someone."

"Oh. So, what about since you've been here?"

Was that hope in her voice? CJ smiled to himself. Evidently Dawn Summers was making sure to lay claim to him as her Sunnydale man. Well, she didn't have to worry about that at all.

"Not a one," he said, "although there were a couple close calls."

"Is that so?"

"Chill, sweetie," he said and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, "that was way before I met you."

"I didn't…okay, so maybe I was going the possessive route, but you can't blame me."

"And why is that?" Dawn sighed and lowered her eyes for the first time since the conversation began. "Dawn," he said and raised her chin, "what is it?"

"It's just--it's just that I'm sixteen, CJ, and no matter how womanly I may look or try to act, I'm just a kid. But you, you're nineteen. You can get into clubs I can't, all the college sk--girls would jump on you in a second and I know that most of 'em wouldn't mind going to bed with you."

"What's your point?"

"My point is, what do you want me for?"

Without thinking, CJ cupped Dawn's cheeks and pulled her in for a kiss. He reigned in on his desire to deepen it, though he allowed himself the opportunity to taste her. When he pulled back, she gasped and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Dawn," he said and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "you are incredible. I can't begin to tell you how wonderful you are. I wake up everyday thinking about you, and you're my last thought before I go to sleep. Do I want you in every way? Hell yeah, but I know that we're not there yet. We still have to get to know each other and sex won't help in that matter."

"But I thought it was supposed to bring people closer."

"It does, for people like your sister and Spike, who are in love already."

"Thanks for the image, CJ," she said.

CJ chuckled but focused on his point. "But for people like us, who are getting to know one another, it may screw everything else up. And I don't wanna take that chance."

He saw the understanding in her obsidian eyes and before anything else could be said, CJ pulled her up with him and ushered her to the dance floor. When they got to a clearing, he brought her close, gasping softly at the feel of her body against his. She felt so perfect against him and, despite his words, CJ wondered how in the hell he was supposed to wait for her to be ready.

You'll wait, Spike had said, you'll wait because she's worth it.

And as they swayed to the dulcet tune, CJ shook his head. He really couldn't go against Spike's logic. Dawn was worth it. He would wait for her. Months or years, it didn't matter, for when she was finally ready to take that next step, CJ had no doubt that he'd be beside her to take it with her.

~~~

"They seem to be having a good time," Buffy said as she took another sip from her Tequila Sunrise.

"Seems to be," Spike replied gruffly. Buffy glanced over at her boyfriend and smiled. His elbows were propped against the railing and he leaned over it, scanning the crowd like an eagle dive-bombing for a mouse. His duster covered his black ensemble and she smiled at the unlit cigarette that hung from his lips.

Despite it being her idea to 'check out the Bronze before patrol--for the safety of the people, of course, and in no way used as spy-

age on my sister, thank you very much', Spike had jumped at the prospects. Most likely because he knew that this little jaunt to the hip bar was to the tune of Dawn spy-age. Buffy didn't know why she wanted to check Dawn out, the sisterly talk about sex and all that stuff had gone smoothly and, after a few close calls in which Buffy was tempted to call a nunnery, Dawn had come clean and been honest about not being ready for that. She also promised that when the time came, she and Buffy would have another talk about taking that next step.

"Spike," Buffy said, and nudged his arm; "she's all right. He's not gonna molest her in the middle of the dance floor, ya know."

"Reckon you must've forgotten our little Bronze show under tha coat a few months back."

Buffy blushed furiously. Oh, boy did she remember. "But it's not like he even has a duster."

"Yeah," he admitted, "but the boy's bright. He'd find some other way, believe you me."

The slayer rolled her eyes and hooked her arm through Spike's. On his questioning gaze, she cocked her head to the steps and pulled him along. "I am officially canceling our Dawn spy-age for the night. She is officially in good hands." Buffy held up a glass-filled hand. "I overrule you; sister, remember."

"Whatever, pet," Spike said disinterestedly as they walked down the steps. She caught him taking one final peek at the dance floor before ushering her through the back door.

"So," she said, after they exited the back alley, "where to next?"

"Figured we'd do a bit o' patrollin'," Spike said and laughed when Buffy sighed.
"But you said tonight was my night off."

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Slayer, I was just pullin your leg."

Buffy stopped and cut her eyes up at Spike. When he glanced over at her, she raked her eyes up and down his clothed form before locking her gaze on his. "But I thought you liked when I get my 'knickers in a twist'."

"Well, I…" he gulped when she pushed herself up against him and a thrill shot up Buffy's spine at the power she had over this beautiful creature.

"Cause if they're in a bunch," she said and kissed the corner of his jaw, "that means it's a wedgie, " she ran her tongue over his jaw line. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she raised up on her tiptoes and whispered breathlessly, "And to get 'em out, you could do that tongue thing."

Buffy gasped when Spike pushed her against the wall and his tongue assaulted her mouth in a way she hadn't been familiar with since coming out of her coma. She groaned when hands slipped under her white skirt and cupped her bottom. Buffy leaned into Spike, grateful for his strength as her knees buckled from the intensity. Her hands eagerly probed the muscles that lay hidden underneath his shirt and, when she started to really get worked up, it all stopped.

"What…what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothin, luv," Spike said and his knuckles caressed her cheek.

"Then what's with the stoppage?" She frowned when he chuckled.

"Bossy lil' chit, aren't ya?"

"I sure as hell am when I ain't getting none," she huffed and started to flounce away. Of course, the weakness in her legs and the subsequent wobbling killed any statement she was trying to make.

"C'mere, pet," Spike said and grabbed her by the hips. Buffy purposefully pushed her backside into his groin and giggled when Spike murmured her name.

"I was offering," she sing-songed, "but I guess you didn't want me. Well that serves…" She trailed off when a single keycard dangled in front of her eyes. Her brows knitted as she studied the elegant writing, and when she figured out what it said…

"The Sunnydale Arms!"

"That very same," Spike said and nibbled on her earlobe.

"But I thought that didn't open until--"

"Tonight, luv."

She turned in his arms and glared at him with loving suspicion. "And just how did you get that, Mister?"

Shrugging, he said, " 've got connections. Could tell you all about 'em, but that wouldn't leave me much room to talk about the suite I just so happened to get, complete with Jacuzzi and…"

Spike blinked and when he opened his eyes, Buffy was halfway down the street, keycard in hand. "I'll race you," she yelled back and continued her run, thankful for the comfort of an affordable pair of ankle boots.

She laughed when she heard Spike's growl closing but refused to look back. She knew if she did, they would never make it to the hotel, and where was the fun in that?

Scratch that, she thought, it would be damn fun and everything else. But the middle of the street versus a Jacuzzi suite…hmmm. Although Spike made any venue for lovemaking appeasing, that suite would win every damn time.

And she doubted Spike would argue the point.

~~~

Laaaaate Evening

"Wow," she said as she rolled off of him, and swept her damp hair out of her face.

"Yeah," he replied, "wow."

Silence permeated the room as they both stared at the ceiling. Their bodies were covered in sweat and the room was thick with the alluring scent of sex. She glanced over at him and he smiled tentatively.

"So," Xander said, "gonna kick me out this time?"

Faith winced at the remembrance of that one night. It had been his first time and she'd treated him like a piece of meat. And, if she were honest with herself, Faith had thought of doing just that a second time, although it had been a momentary thought, it had been there nonetheless.

"No," she said, casting as much nonchalance in her voice as possible, "I'm not quite done with you just yet."

"That's funny," Xander said with a smile, and disappeared under the covers, "cause I'm not quite done with you, either."

And when his tongue danced across that sensitive spot, Faith lost all form of rational thought. But not before a voice in her head whispered He's not going anywhere anytime soon; not out of this bed…and not out of my life.

Next:

My Cup Runneth Over…Spike and Buffy in a Jacuzzi Suite…'nuff said.