Authors' note: A big thank you to Descendant of Doom and Poemkeeper for your reviews and all your previous ones, you two and Ryan were the only people who left constructive reviews for my last chapter…people who just say update SOON SOON SOON do not motivate me to write any quicker (Kit-cat99) I also like to actually know what you liked about the chapter, your thoughts and feelings. Thanks also to Jackripper3, Amandamada3 and Zathinegirl for your reviews they are all much appreciated. I've been trying to update once a week but it's been about a week and half this time, I will try harder and I aim to get my next update by the 28th!

Chapter 15 – Work and Play.

Buffy grabbed some things from home after telling Dawn everything was o.k., she wasn't going to fade away, and made her way to Spike's crypt. So many thoughts were running through her head as she walked there, she knew Spike would want proper answers to numerous questions which he must have. She had seen the look on his face after Xander had told them her fate, the expectant waiting for her to open up and tell him everything she was feeling in that moment. But she hadn't and he had been patient with her even after she was visible again and had avoided answering his question properly. So now what was she going to do and why was this relationship stuff so hard? She practiced in her head of what she could tell him, how she could explain what was going through her mind, unfortunately Buffy couldn't put a lot of it into words so she gave up and just walked slightly faster because she thought she quicker she saw Spike the quicker the awkwardness and confusing thoughts in her head would stop.

Spike was pacing the full length of his crypt and finishing his third cigarette also lost in thought; Buffy's invisible stunt had left him a bit disturbed. It was like she had slipped away from him and he couldn't reach her and that actually scared him. She hadn't even seemed that upset when she found out she was going to die and that scared him even more, it was then he heard a soft knock on the door of his crypt and rushed quickly to open it finding Buffy waiting patiently who looked up at him with almost shyness in her eyes.

"Hey." She said softly and then walked by Spike as he moved to the side silently inviting her in. Buffy went over to the sarcophagus and sat down, letting her legs dangle over the side she lightly swung them back and forth. Each of them waited for the other to speak and neither did so silence fell over the crypt. Spike, who was standing a couple of metres from Buffy, finally got fed up of the silence and walked over to her.

"So, do you want to tell me what's going on in that noggin of yours?" Spike asked leaning against the sarcophagus.

"Uh?" Buffy said wondering if he had just asked something rude.

"Your head luv, what are you thinking about?" He said smiling and reminding himself not to use slang words as much.

"Oh…" She said realising what he'd asked. "Um… well… you know that's a harder question than you'd think because my thoughts aren't very coherent and therefore telling you them would make no sense."

"You could try luv."

"I don't know where to start… I mean you know how I felt when I was invisible, well it turns out being free like that isn't actually that great…" Spike stayed quiet as Buffy continued talking. "But then finding out you're fading away can put a damper on things."

"I thought.." Spike said but then cut himself short.

"What?" Buffy asked. When Spike stayed silent she pushed him to answer. "What did you think Spike?" She said forcing him to look at her.

"When Xander told us, it seemed like… you wanted to die, to go back to heaven or that you just didn't care. You were so distant."

"Because I was freaked! And really scared. I don't want to die Spike." He looked at her intently as if he needed to make sure she was telling the truth.

"It was just with the way you were talking about being free and I know better than anyone how you've been feeling since you've been back." He said explaining his thoughts. Spike didn't actually say it, 'back from the dead', nobody ever said it, they still all tip-toed around the subject and Buffy knew why, they didn't want to be reminded and they thought it was better if she wasn't reminded and maybe they were right.

"You know me better than anyone Spike." She said as she turned to face him completely. "And you know that I would never want to die, not now."

"I only want to be there for you." He said cupping her face.

"I know."

"Because if you're ever not o.k. I want you to tell me Buffy."

"I know and I will, next time I turn invisible I'll come straight to you with my problems." Buffy quipped but Spike didn't even show a smile. She took his hands in hers and snuggled closer to him until she was practically sitting on his lap. "I mean it. But you know I'm a concealer girl, o.k. unintended pun, I'm not someone who likes to share everything that's going on inside me."

"I understand that, all I want is to be part of your life."

"And you are, I mean we've only just officially started our relationship and all me friends know about us, you've already stayed over at my place, we've been having lots of deep discussions and a whole load of sex! Don't you think that means anything?"

"Actually, I think we're a bit behind on the sex." Spike said as he lifted up Buffy right onto his lap so that she was straddling him.

"Is that so?" Buffy asked as she grinded slightly against him and then leant her head down to capture his lips in a passionate kiss. Spike eagerly reciprocated and ran his hands down her back and under her top enjoying the feel of her warm skin. Buffy moaned into the kiss as Spike's hands ran up and down her back and then shivered as they brushed against the sides of her bra.

"Maybe we…mmm….should take this into the bedroom." Buffy mumbled in between kisses.

"Couldn't agree more." And with that Spike suddenly lifted Buffy up, she wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to his neck to keep from falling and they stumbled around still kissing until they were next to the entrance leading down to the lower lever of the crypt. Buffy slowly unhooked her legs and slid down Spike's body staying closely pressed against him. He let out a slight groan and then she stepped away from him and made her way down the ladder, glancing up at him through her lashes. He followed after her as quickly as he could silently promising to get her back for the way she had just teased him. For the rest of the night their gasps and sighs of pleasure echoed around the crypt until they both had used all their energy and collapsed in a tangle of limbs resting peacefully around the other.

"So Buffy's see-able again?" Anya asked as Xander walked back to her from answering the phone.

"Yep. Willow said no more research needed, they caught the suspects and they've been responsible for everything from stolen diamond to exploding flint." Xander said relaxing in a chair as he shut the book he'd been reading for the last hour shut with a satisfying thud.

"Good, because if she'd turned into pudding that would have put a dampener on the wedding." Anya said organising the money from the till. Everything Anya talked about now was either about the wedding or related to the wedding in some way or another and Xander head was starting to hurt because of it, he almost wished the wedding was tomorrow so that all the organisation could stop and they could just start their married life together. But then the fear set in and he was wishing that the wedding was far far away in the future. He knew he should talk to Anya about all these fears but wouldn't that just make her upset and make her think he didn't want her, when he wanted her so much sometimes it hurt when they were parted. He let out a small sigh because of his thoughts and then got up and walked over to Anya who was still by the till.

"I love you, you know." He said as he cupped her face and stroked her cheek. Anya's face softened turning into one of pure innocence and love as she smiled.

"I love you too." She said abandoning her money and hooking her arms around Xander's neck. They kissed softly and Xander decided this was much better than worrying about any doubts.

The next day Buffy started work at the Espresso Pump. After a little rush to get there because of Spike's insistence that they have some more 'fun' in the morning she was introduced to the other employees and manager who she'd briefly met the other day and had given her the job. The manager was a pretty nice lady, she was in her late forties and almost reminded Buffy of her mum in some ways, the other two employees she met, a girl and a guy, who she would be starting her shift with today also seemed o.k. although the girl appeared to be slightly too into the job as she explained how to make the perfect cup of coffee which took her approximately twenty minutes, Buffy just listened patiently and nodded in the right places not wanting to start on the wrong foot with the people she'd be working with. The rest of her shift went alright, luckily it wasn't too busy but when five o'clock rolled around Buffy was exhausted having been on her feet most of the day and she wanted nothing more than to curl up on the sofa with a cup of coco, definitely not coffee, and preferably Spike's arms around her. But unfortunately she arrived home to Dawn complaining that they had no food in the house and they would have to go down the road to buy something to eat from the store. As it had gotten dark already Buffy let herself be dragged along by Dawn as they made their way outside the house by the back door leading to the small section of garden they had at Dawn's insistence that this way was quicker. What greeted Buffy was a wonderful sight, a table and two chairs were set out in the middle of the lawn with a white table cloth and a beautifully prepared meal, twinkling above her were some fairy lights which made the whole scene look magical. Buffy looked at Dawn in awe.

"Surprise!" Dawn said looking extremely pleased with herself, "I thought you would appreciate a nice romantic meal after your first day at work."

Buffy felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Spike standing behind her. "It was all the litl' bits' idea, so she's the one you need to thank."

"You did all this?" Buffy asked Dawn.

"Willow helped and Xander came and put the lights up cause I didn't want to break something, plus I couldn't reach. You should've seen Spike's face when he arrived, at first he thought it was all some elaborate plan to kill him." Buffy giggled a little at that and then pulled her sister into a fierce hug.

"Thank you so much Dawn." Buffy said still locked in a tight embrace. Then she pulled back and stroked a piece of Dawn's hair tucking it behind her ear. Dawn just stood and glowed with all the appreciation she was getting, happy that her sister liked her surprise so much. "This is just all… amazing." Buffy said as she looked around at everything again. She felt Spike's arms wrap around her from behind and leaned back against him silently rejoicing in the feel of his body touching hers, it also took a bit of the weight off her feet which was heaven.

"Well I'm going to go now, leave to two alone." Dawn said taking her cue to exit.

"Wait what about you? Have you eaten?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, me and Willow cooked some extra and sampled it to make sure it wasn't poisonous or anything." Dawn said smiling as she went back inside.

"Guess it's just us now luv." Spike said right against her ear and she felt his lips brush it as he spoke causing her to shiver slightly. She turned in his embrace bringing her lips to his for the sweetest kiss she had ever experienced; every kiss with Spike was somehow the best one she'd ever had. It was new and exciting yet at the same time like they'd kissed a thousand times before, soon they probably would have kissed that many times the way they were going. They could both read the other so well that they would open their mouths in perfect unison their tongues meeting and exploring the other. Sometimes the kiss would be fierce and passionate and sometimes it would be soft and sweet like the one they were having now yet still with the same passion behind it. They broke apart and Buffy rested her head on his shoulder breathing in his scent. Then he took her by the hand and led her over to the table and they sat down to eat the meal Dawn had lovingly prepared. Buffy was surprised when it actually tasted quite good. It felt slightly strange eating a posh meal in front of Spike, it actually felt even stranger to see him eat. When they both finished they talked about random things, how Buffy's day at work had been, Spike told her that Clem might have met a potential girlfriend, it all felt very normal even though they were discussing demons, even though Buffy was sitting with a demon who was drinking blood instead of wine. She sighed in contentment and then put her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand as she stared at Spike.

"What?" he asked suddenly self-conscious.

"Nothing… it's just that everything… somehow feels right, you know?" She said tilting her head and reaching across the table with her spare hand to link it with his.

"I know." He whispered as they continued to gaze at each other, the moon above them casting a slight shadow across the table of their entwined hands.

TBC…