Authors note: Thank you very much to abar, for backing up my statement about the breathing and making some very good points of their own. Sorry if there's been a bit of a delay getting this chapter out, I'm really busy right now! The song used in this chapter is called 'When I'm thinking about you' by The Sundays, it's a great tune and when I listen to it I can't help but think how much of a perfect spuffy song it is! If anyone has Kazaa you can download it from me there but The Sundays have really great chill out music so I suggest you just buy their album 'Static and Silence'! Song lyrics in italics!

Chapter 7 - Magic

"Can I have this dance?"

Buffy looked up to see Spike standing by her, staring deep into her eyes with a sincere and apologetic look on his face. He didn't have his coat on and was just standing their in his black jeans and a dark purple shirt, he was beautiful. She didn't care what anyone thought anymore, in that moment she just knew she wanted to be with him. She heard a soft and slow song start to play.  

Over the rooftops a plane in the sky

Beat of a bass drum cars passing me by

Under a bridge dark then back into light

A river of raincoats and a forest of faces

All of this took place in a split second from Spike asking her to dance and her answer came out almost immediately after she had looked into his eyes.

"Yes." She breathed clearly never taking her gaze off him. Spike reached down and held his hand out for her to take, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion as she moved her hand into his. As soon as he touched her she felt warmth inside her even though his hand was cold. He led her out to the dance floor, while her friends looked on in silence. There were about four other couples dancing and they moved into the centre, where there was plenty of space around them.    

Still for moment then red into green

Slow shuffling shoes whisper sight unseen

Row upon row of houses return an empty stare

Let the daydream for little while longer

Spike put his arms around her and held her close to him with his hands on the small of her back. Buffy rested her arms on his shoulders and looked intensely at him. Everything she felt she wanted to convey to him through a look, so that he understood how much he meant to her. They danced in silence for a few seconds neither of them wanting to break the magic that seemed to flow between them. Then Buffy said softly, not breaking eye contact with him. "Thanks for saying what I never could."

"What was that luv?"

"In the Magic Box yesterday to my friends, Dawn told me."

"Oh, that was…" Spike faltered surprised she was thanking him, even more surprised they were actually dancing together with her friends just a few feet away and none of them even saying anything, it was all like some kind of dream. "It was nothing." He replied.

Hope I'll never wake

When I'm thinking about you

Hope I'll never wake

Cos now I'm thinking about you

Spike finally decided he would say what he had wanted to say since he saw that hurt expression on her face from yesterday. "I'm sorry about last night, I just got angry and…" he sighed composing himself and ran a hand down her cheek causing her eyes to flutter shut for a second. "I will always follow you, till the end of the world."

"I know."

Two-minute hailstorm then melts into rain

Sing me a rainbow it's sunny again

Swallows overhead while the traffic snarls below

Could I keep dreaming for little while longer

They both leaned forward at the same time, closing their eyes simultaneously as their lips touched, Buffy melted into the kiss resting her entire body weight on Spike. She parted her lips slightly, letting his tongue into her mouth to play with hers. The kiss was a lot softer than others they had shared, it was slow and deliberate, both of them taking their time to enjoy the feel of each other. Buffy began to feel light-headed, so wrapped up in Spike and the kiss she had forgotten to breathe through her nose and pulled back to catch her breath. They both continued to stare at each other, caught up in a trace, oblivious of the world around them.

Hope I'll never wake

When I'm thinking about you

So that you know – I hope I never wake

Cos now I'm thinking about you

"O.k. there's defiantly something going on there." Xander said as he tried to process the kiss he had just witnessed.

"Yep!" Dawn said smiling, happy her sister had finally found someone.

"Well, I don't know why you're all surprised, this was all very obvious to me." Anya stated.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Xander questioned.

"What are talking about? We had a conversation about it yesterday, I thought you knew what was going on." Anya said getting slightly annoyed that Xander seemed to have already forgotten what he had said himself yesterday.

"O.k. o.k. I know… it's just I didn't realise they were kissing and stuff, I was just hoping they were friends." Xander said with false hope.

"Honey, you need to come out of denial land." Anya said leaning over to just him a reassuring pat on the back.

"Well, I had my suspicions from yesterday, I'm just glad Buffy's being open with it!" Dawn said.

"Guys, I had no idea!" Willow spoke up, confusion written all over her face.

"Well Will, you've had other things on your mind." Xander said trying to comfort his friend.

"I guess… it's just isn't this still really out of the blue for everyone?" Willow said trying to get some reassurance that she really wasn't completely out of the loop.

"Well, it has crept up a little fast. Buffy hasn't really been sharing much with us since she's been back…but hopefully things will change now." Dawn said confidently. They all turned back to the dance floor where Buffy and Spike were looking like the perfect couple in love, holding each close and swaying to the music.

When you're searching your soul

When you're searching for pleasure

How often pain is all you find

But when you're coasting along and nobody's trying too hard

You can turn around and like where you are

The piano and the soft beat of the drum lulled Buffy and she wrapped her entire body around him, with her head on his shoulder and her arms draped around his back. This moment was perfect and she never wanted to let it go, so she held onto him just a little bit tighter.

I hope I never wake

When I'm thinking about you

And I close my eyes

Now I'll never never wake

Why should I stop thinking about you

The song faded into the background as it ended and Buffy and Spike stayed in each others embrace, both hardly moving and unaware that a new song with a faster beat had started. Spike finally pulled back from Buffy to look into her eyes. He brushed back some hair from her face as he spoke.

"The song's over luv."  He said very quietly.

"Yeah…I just didn't want you to stop holding me."  Buffy replied faintly. Spike smiled amazed she was finally being truthful with him, even if it was some small passing comment; it meant more to both of them then either emitted.

"So, shall we face the firing squad?" Spike said indicating the Scooby gang.

"I guess so." Buffy said reluctantly. And they both turned to walk back over to where her friends were sitting. As they approached Buffy started to get very nervous, she knew they had all just seen them together anyway and she was trying to make herself not care what they thought as well but she still couldn't stop herself feeling anxious. Spike seemed to sense her uneasiness and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Hey guys, um… Spike's going to walk me home if that's o.k.?"

"Yep!" they all said in unison causing Spike to repress a chuckle.

"Alright… Dawn, I'll see you at home, not too late!" Buffy said trying to be stern and stop from grinning as Spike brushed his hand over her bum.

"Yes, of course, now you two go have fun!" Dawn said smiling.

"Thanks." Buffy said whole-heartedly, trying to express to her friends what they were doing by not questioning any of this meant to her. "Bye." And with that, what Buffy thought was going to be one of the hardest things she would have to do was over, although she hardly thought that was going to be the definite end of it. She knew that the next day when she was on her own the questions would come from all of them, but at least now they knew and none of them had thrown anything! She and Spike made their way to the exit, with Spike's arm around her waist providing a soothing touch. For once things were starting to go right, and she was beginning to feel like she was living in the world again, in the back of her mind she hoped this wasn't some kind of spell because the whole evening had been magical and it wasn't even over yet!

TBC…