A/N: This is the last chapter so savour it!

11:15PM

One more thing to do before they went home. An important task. One Buffy had contemplated doing for a long while now. Being the Slayer meant growing up too fast. She regretted not having enough time to do the stupid teenage stuff.

So, here she was doing it now.

Buffy ran up to the steamed up car's passenger window. She crouched down covertly. Spike rounded the other side and crouched down next to the driver side window. Buffy looked at him under the car and he grinned and gave her the thumbs up.

She counted them down 3 – 2 – 1.

Buffy leaped up, pulled her pants down and squished her butt up against the window. On the other side of the car Spike did the same thing.

Muffled sounds of girlish screams erupted from inside.

Buffy burst out laughing pulled her pants back up and into the bushes, into the shadows. Spike followed shortly, leaping over the bush and rolling to the floor to keep out of site from the angry/scared couple who had gotten out and were looking around, dazed.

"Remind me again why we just did that?" Spike whispered keeping low to the ground.

"Because," Buffy kept looking through a gap in the bushes "It was funny. And also because these horndogs should have gotten out of town instead of making out at the Point"

"This place is called The Point?"

"Yes"

"Very phallic. I like it" Spike noticed the couple coming over in their direction "We'll have to make a break for it"

Buffy nodded, crouched "We'll circle around right"

"Got it"

The vampire and the Slayer jumped up quickly and crashed through the woods. The guy who had gotten out of the car yelled and made a weak attempt at chasing them. Buffy began to giggle hysterically as she jumped over roots and dodged branches. One time she pushed a branch back and it whipped into Spike's face causing him to fall to the ground cursing.

Buffy stopped, turned, grabbed him, pulled him up and kept running.

Soon they had run all through the woods and circled back to the Point clearing, both still laughing and giddy at their exploits. The car was gone and so too was the angry couple.

"Nice view" Spike mentioned.

Buffy turned and looked over the edge of the clearing, where the whole of Sunnydale could be seen. There were only a few dim lights because the electricity companies had cut off the power a while ago but it was still a great view. All the houses, the sky line, the stars, the fresh air. Buffy felt refreshed for the first time in a long time.

"It's pretty," She agreed.

"Yeah," Spike said softly.

She turned to see he was looking at her and not at the view at all.

Before she could even begin to fathom what she would say next they both turned at the sound of a car burning some serious rubber. Buffy turned just in time to see the car that belonged to the angry couple heading straight towards her.

Spike leapt and tackled her to the ground out of the way. They fell to the dirt both grunting. Buffy was up again in a second and the car was reversing back into them. She grabbed Spike's hand and pulled him up then ran to the nearest tree and began to climb the tree deftly. Spike followed, she could hear him scrabbling up the branches after her.

Once the Slayer had reached a suitably sturdy branch half the way up the large tree she shimmied along it and sat, perched. Moments later Spike joined her and they both looked down at the car. The guy had gotten out and was yelling obscenities at them.

"Piss off!" Spike yelled, flipping the guy the bird.

The vampire laughed as the man got even more worked up.

Buffy rolled her eyes "I'll give you a tip, buddy. Get outta town. Tonight. Take your girlfriend with you" She called down to the man.

He called her something not suitable for children's ears and then got back in the car and drove off into the night. This time not to return.

"Guess some blokes can't take a joke" Spike shrugged.

"You don't say" Buffy replied then after a moment a smile appeared on her face "I've just been nearly run over, had to climb up a tree and called names that would make Christina Aguilera blush and…and it's fun"

Spike looked at her, grinned "Well, yeah. It's uncontrolled. Spontaneous. That's what fun is all about. Getting a rush out of a situation"

"This year I've pretty much had to be in complete control" Buffy agreed then paused "But, having said that, last year I had pretty much no control at all and that led to…badness…"

He locked eyes with her "It's about balance"

"Right," She gave one swift nod "Balance is good"

"Like, I'm bloody worried I'm gonna over balance off this branch"

Buffy looked out over the clearing "The view looks even better from up here"

Out there was freedom. Something a Slayer could and would never have. Again, like many times in her life, Buffy envied normal people.

Spike spoke as if he read her mind "You'd miss the excitement. The rush. If you were out there just existing like the rest of them. You might look like a typical Californian girl but you're not one"

"I'm the Slayer" She sighed.

"No," He leaned in, whispered in her ear "You're Buffy Summers"

She turned her face towards him and their lips were only inches apart. Buffy looked into his clear blue eyes and she knew how long Spike had lived. How much he had seen and experienced and yet…and yet he was still incredibly fragile and easy to break. He still wore his heart on his sleeve when the one hundred plus years he had been around should have taught him better.

And right now his heart was all just for her.

It was a big compliment to have someone completely devoted to you. Buffy couldn't help but wonder why she could acquire these amazing men who loved her, when she herself felt so unloving and unlovable.

Spike tittered suddenly, just a little under his breath.

Buffy blinked, her face turned curious "What?"

"Nothin'"

"Tell me" She implored, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear self-consciously.

"Just…just a little playground chanted entered my head is all," Spike looked down at the ground, smiled then turned and looked back at her "Spike and Buffy, sitting in a tree…"

Recognition sparked in her eyes and she joined in, with a beaming smile "K-I-S-S-I-N-G…"

They both trailed off and looked at each other awkwardly.

Buffy took a breath "O-kay, us and singing do not match" She felt her cheeks flush.

"Oh, I don't know" Spike scratched his head "I think we did a brilliant duo when that musical demon came to town"

Buffy rolled her eyes and arched an eyebrow "You just liked the outcome of the song"

"True, true" Spike laughed.

After a moment Buffy let out a little laugh with him too.

"So, uh," Buffy swung her legs back and forth, looking down at the ground "I mean, this might be your last day…or night too…is there anything you want?"

She looked up into his eyes. He was looking back at her.

Buffy clenched her fist briefly before taking a courageous step and laying her hand on top of Spike's, which rested on the branch.

She felt him go tense. Then slowly he relaxed. He was now facing forward as if he thought that if he did not pay too much attention to it then she would not pull away.

Buffy squeezed his hand ""Does he love me I want to know? How can I tell if he loves me so?"

Spike turned to face her slowly, his face unsure and nervous. She gave him a soft smile. Spike smiled back. He leaned in to her, paused waiting to see if she would pull away. When she didn't he proceeded and laid a soft kiss on her lips.

Buffy moved her other hand up to the side of his face, laid it gently against his sculpted cheekbone as she deepened the kiss.

They kissed slowly as if the world wasn't about to end.

Finally Buffy pulled away, but only enough to regain her breath. She rested her forehead against Spike's and looked into his eyes, a content smile on her face.

"…it's in his kiss"

12:30AM

Buffy lay on the cot in the basement just looking out into the darkness. She felt Spike's lips press butterfly-soft against the back of her neck; his hand gently swept her hair back from her face.

She closed her eyes and slept.

7:00AM

Sunnydale High loomed in front of them. Buffy stood at point in front of her group of warriors. The end of the world was coming, but not if she could help it. She looked up at the school. She had blown this place up once and if it came down to it she would destroy it again. She'd destroy the whole town if she had to. Although she had no plan to do that.

What you planned for wasn't necessarily what you got, though.

The Slayer hefted the scythe and then instructed Robin to lead them inside the school considering it was his territory.

The Principal nodded and started forward with the band of girls following him like an army.

Buffy hung back with Faith, Dawn, Giles, Willow, Xander and Spike. Those she had known longest. Some of them friends…some of them more.

They all looked at each other as they entered the school building and Spike threw off his steaming blanket with relief.

Buffy nodded at each in turn and gave them a brief, devil-may-care smile.

They all nodded back and started off after the army.

Spike began to walk ahead too but Buffy grabbed his hand and he turned back, hesitant. She knew why. He was worried but not for himself, for her. He was worried that this was goodbye.

"We're gonna make it out of this, Spike" Buffy held onto his hand, so tight "I can just tell. We're both gonna make it out of here"

"Hope you're right, love" Spike, gave her a crooked cocksure grin but his eyes held deeper feelings.

"I am"

Buffy placed her hand over his heart, though she did not feel it beating. They locked eyes for an endless moment.

"See you on the other side"

Then they turned and walked into the mouth of hell side by side.

END

A/N: Feedback would be nice!