Things Like Cherry Yogurt

Disclaimer: Don't own a thing. You know it. But ... cough... Spike is mine! ...cough ...

Rated: G/PG

BIC: Set 3 months after "Chosen". Through a miracle Buffy got the love of her life (Spike, if any of you didn't already get that) back and now they're busy making up the lost time.

Feedback: Yes, please. Thank you.

They had spent the last 24 hours together, yet still she felt the warmth inside of her subside when he left to get himself a drink. And when he came back the only thing Buffy could think about was how much she loved him. It was like a God's gift to her, getting him back after everything she had gone through within the past few months.

They had cuddled up in bed, both fully clothed and Buffy was sipping the warm milk Spike had brought her.

"How do you do this? I mean, here I am with you drinking warm milk while… Y'know before I thought it was incredibly gross."

She put the cup away and leaned on his chest, his arms hugging her tightly.

"'S always worked fine with me. The secure feeling it hides inside."

He feels Buffy smile a little.

"Hey, we all have our things. So what's yours? Cherry yogurt?" he teased.

"You." she replied simply and turned around to kiss him softly. "And cherry yogurt."

Spike sat himself up a bit to get a better look of her.

"So are we gonna spent the rest of our lives in this room? Till we're out of oxygen or die into old age?" he asked, grinning at her.

"Any better ideas you've got?"

Spike crawled out under her and walked to the door.

"In fact, yes." He opened the door and stepped out, taking a look of Buffy before he left. "Take a moment to get ready, pet."

Buffy shoots a questioning look at him.

"You'll see." He closes her door after him.

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Buffy walks back and forth in front of the porch, waiting for Spike. He had already started the car, but told her to wait outside and disappeared again. The curiosity was almost killing her. Finally he opened the door and made his way to Buffy, who didn't see him coming. Spike covered her eyes with his hands and turned her around, softly kissing her.

"You ready, love?" he took his hands away from her eyes.

"Sure."

He opened the car door for her like a real gentleman.

"So where are we going?"

"Wait 'till you see." He smirks at her and hits the gas.

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Something this perfect was hard to even imagine. She had closed her eyes and wished this moment would last forever.

They were at the beach. The waves were making a calming sound when hitting the coast and the sky was lit by thousands of little stars. Spike had sat down, leaning against a tree and Buffy had snuggled up to him. This was more than she could've ever wanted. Spike's arms were hugging her tightly and she got herself thinking that it was the best feeling possible.

"How is it?" he asked her and kissed the top of her head. "Thought you could need some time out of the house."

"It's perfect." she replied. "I never want to leave this place."

Spike smiled at her.

"I love you." Buffy said. "You know I love you, right? Coz I want you to know. It didn't came out the right way back in the Hellmouth and..."

Spike puts a finger on her lips. "Ssh. That was in the past." He kisses her softly. "I know you love me. I know you always have." he grins at her.

Buffy looks down, a bit ashamed.

"True. Spike, I'm sorry I..."

"Don't. Don't be sorry for anything, pet. I'm not." he smiled at her and gently caressed her cheek.

Buffy leant on him, her back pressed softly against his chest and his arms encircling her. She closed her eyes and listened the waves roll on the beach.

"Buffy?"

"Yeah?"

Spike kissed the top of her head softly, rested his chin on her shoulder and took something out of his pocket. Buffy was curiously looking at his hand, it was hiding a small thing under his white fingers.

"I wanted to give you this a long time ago. Didn't find the right moment, though. Plus I was a bit dead. Well, deader, anyway."

He took her hand and placed the little something in her palm. When Buffy unwrapped her fingers from it... there was a ring. A Claddagh ring. She stared at it in awe.

"Look, I know it's not the first one for you, just..."

Buffy broke his sentence with a passionate kiss, then turned back to the ring.

"It's... the most beautiful and amazing thing anyone has ever given to me."

"Just a ring, love."

"No, Spike. It's more than..."

She brought the ring to her eyes, suddenly noticing that the hands were a bit asymmetric. And there was a small dark red amethyst above the heart.

"What a...?"

"Well, uhh, yeah the other reason for giving it to you now is cause it took me a long time. Making it did, I mean."

Buffy stared at him in complete astonishment, there was so much she wanted to say, but couldn't.

"That's why the hands are a bit... well, out of shape."

He was holding her hand when he felt something to fall. He turned Buffy's face to his to see the tears in her eyes.

"Hey now." He gently brushes them off.

"I'm... sorry." She looks down at the ring and breathes out heavily. "Spike…"

"It's OK, Buffy..."

She looks straight at him, her eyes filled with love.

"You... you made this?"

"Tried my best, pet."

"It's..." she looks at the ring again. "It's perfect. No, more than that. It goes way beyond of all perfection."

Spike searches for her eyes and studies what he sees in them. He, then, turns the ring a bit.

"You see..." he points at the dark red amethyst above the heart. "This, uh, represents trust. Thought of other things too, but it works the best."

Buffy looks at the ring, still tears in her eyes. Spike looks at her.

"Well, what I meant by this is... You know. Trust's the beginning for everything, right? Can't be friends without trust, can't have loyalty or love."

He sees Buffy smile a little.

"That's my girl." He softly kisses her.

"And, uh..." he turns the ring once more so that Buffy can see their names written on the inside of it with gold.

"Don't cry on this." He grins sweetly.

"I won't." She smiles.

Spike takes her left and and slips the ring on.

"Like this. It says 'Let our love and friendship reign forever, never to be separated'."

Buffy turns to face him and kisses him gently.

"I love you."

"No you don't. But thanks for saying it."

He smirks at her as she hits him playfully.

"Don't do that."

"Sorry. I love you too."

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It had always been her to fall asleep first. But not that day. Sure, she was sleepy, but she wanted it to last as long as possible. She had placed her head on his chest, holding him tightly while looking at the ring. She had promised him not to cry but how could anyone hold back? She looked up at him with a smile. And after she had kissed him softly, she snuggled up to him, falling asleep.

Spike kissed her head gently, wrapping his arms around her.

"Good night, Buffy!"

The End