The Nearness Of You
Disclaimer: I own Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD, but that's about it.
I love reviews!
-----Sweet Surrender-----
"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!" Emma yelled bolting into the room. Emma spotted her parents' still sleeping forms. The four-year-old got a running head start and pounced on her unsuspecting parents.
"What are you doing up so early, Bit?" Spike asked the pajama-clad child, "Everything alright?" Spike asked trying to sense any impending danger.
"Right as rain," the little girl answered, as she crawled out of her father's arms to her mother's still sleeping form. "Mummy, wake up! Saturday morning cartoons are on!" Emma yelled excitedly.
"Emma, how 'bout we let your mum sleep in and I watch cartoons with you?" Spike offered. It was comical to watch Emma; he could literally see the wheels turning in her head.
"Alright, let's go." Emma exclaimed jumping off the bed.
"Go ahead, bit. I'll be there in a minute," Spike called out.
When Emma finally left, Spike let out a sigh of relief. Neither he nor the scrumptious slayer beside him had on a shred of clothing. If possible, his heart would have been pounding in his chest at nearly getting caught naked by his little girl. He wasn't ready to explain the bleedin' birds and whatever other bloody bug it was that shagged to his daughter. Leaning over he looked at Buffy's prone form.
"She gone," Buffy, whispered peeking out from one eye. Trying to figure out whether she needed to keep faking being asleep or not.
"Yeah. Next time, warn a bloke. You never told me she just bursts in like that," Spike huffed as he got out of bed and dug through his duffle bag for a pair of jeans.
"Hey, welcome to parenthood. Children do stuff like that and sometimes worse," Buffy said sitting up and stretching out. Spike was mesmerized by Buffy's exposed golden body, he struggled to find any further reason to be annoyed with the slayer and wanted nothing more then to stay in bed with Buffy for a week. She was so beautiful.
"Cor, slayer. You are going to be the death of me." Spike said in a husky voice as he walked back over to the one woman he desired above all others. "You are a goddess after sex. There is no part on you that I don't want right now," Spike growled with barely controlled lust.
"You should go find Emma," Buffy said trying to clear her mind of the naughty thoughts that dwelled. She would love to go back to bed with this extremely sexually appealing vampire and that is why she stepped away.
"Emma will come back in soon if one of us doesn't go watch cartoons with her," Buffy said putting on shorts and a tank top. It was unfair, considering Spike was still wandering around half naked, with his statuesque body on display. Buffy could feel her desire to run her fingers over his abs and immediately walked out of the room. She was a parent first and Emma needed her to watch TV and act parent-like.
Spike knew that there was no shower cold enough at that moment. It hurt to stand, hurt to move, hurt to think. Buffy was so damned beautiful; her emerald green eyes were entrancing. Spike's mind traveled back to the previous night, the way her eyes that lit up at the thought of a decent spot of violence; they were the same eyes that filled with desire for his cold touch. Bloody hell, there was no shower cold enough.
o8o8o8o
Spike was grateful for Marie's thoughtful nature. He found blood bags in the fridge and the shutters around the building were sealed tight to keep out any sun. After having breakfast he decided to join his ladies who were lying on the floor watching toons. Spike spooned with Buffy, propping his head up with his arm.
"What's this we're watchin' then?" Spike asked looking at Emma who still had tangled bed head.
"This is my favorite show, X-Men!" Emma exclaimed. "They are mutants who run around saving the world."
"I don't know where she found this show, but she is absolutely addicted. Emma who is you favorite character?" Buffy asked Emma to demonstrate her point.
"Rouge! She can kick everyone's butts and she can fly!" Emma said as she jumped to her feet to demonstrate how Rouge flies.
"Who's the lumber jack looking character?" Spike asked pointing at the screen.
"That's wolverine, he can make claws come out of his hands and he heals real quick. His real name is Logan," Emma explained enthralled by the television.
"Doesn't seem all that strong. I could take him." Spike said sizing up the animated character.
"I don't know, I think he's kind of hot. In the dominating masculine kind of way," Buffy said with a grin. "Not to worry though, you are much more charming."
"Yeah, well that Storm girl is rather hot," Spike said in a childish tone.
"Hotter then me?" Buffy asked playfully.
"Depends on whether she would have stayed in bed with me this morning or not," Spike replied provoking Buffy. He was annoyed about being awake during the daytime.
"Yes, well your mutant girlfriend doesn't have a daughter to take care of. Your daughter to take care of," Buffy said glaring at Spike, then picking up Emma and stomping away.
"Slayer! Buffy, come back it's just a bleedin' cartoon!" Spike said as he chased after her.
"Daddy," Emma called as Buffy carried her outside into the beautiful sunny morning.
"Buffy, wait!" Spike called as he stepped outside but immediately jumped back in where the sun couldn't get him. "Please Buffy, calm down. I was just kidding. I couldn't take losing you and Emma," Spike pleaded from the entryway.
Buffy felt ashamed by her abrupt behavior. She knew she shouldn't have threatened to take away Emma. And she had no reason to get so mad over a silly cartoon. Buffy stood there looking at Spike and she couldn't help the tears of shame. He loved them, both of them. He would run into the sunlight to keep from losing them. Buffy put Emma down and their little girl immediately ran to the arms of Spike. But Buffy refused, she was ashamed of herself and didn't want him to see her like this. Instead Buffy walked out to the veranda where they had shared a magical night together.
"I've never seen anyone so in love," came the elderly voice from behind Buffy.
"Love? Spike couldn't possibly love me after all the terrible ways I end up treating him," Buffy said looking out into the valley below.
"William is surprisingly understanding. Maybe that is why he still loves you, he understands you and loves you for who you are," Marie said putting a wrinkled old hand on Buffy's shoulder "But then what do I know? I am just a crazy old lady," Marie stated before walking off.
Buffy turned around and watched Marie as she walked. Marie was graceful, even in her old age. For the first time Buffy wondered if Marie had been in love with Spike. Buffy knew she wasn't the first to fall for Spike, but how many women had fallen to his charms? Did Spike even know how charming he was? Buffy sat there and stared at the window of the room Spike and her had shared the night before. Then Buffy had an idea.
o8o8o8o
"William, go get some sleep. Let me take Emma to her room. You look incredibly exhausted," Marie lectured in her motherly tone.
"I'm waiting for Buffy," Spike explained. He had no idea where Buffy was or if she needed him. All he could do was sit around and wait for his love to return to him.
"She'll come back when she's ready, William. You go take care of yourself for now," Marie replied ushering him up the stairs to his room.
Spike had given up on arguing, there was no winning with Marie. She always got her way. Spike slowly walked to his room, not wanting to enter the empty place alone. He could still smell the slayer there, which brought him nauseating pain to think he had driven her away. Spike walked into his room and immediately took note of the lit candles everywhere and the soft music. Then he looked to the bed where there was a single red rose with a vellum note. Spike opened the note and it read:
Forgive Me?
"Buffy?" Spike asked, looking around the room with hope that she might be there waiting.
Buffy appeared from the bathroom entryway body completely bare holding another red rose. "Forgive me?" she asked in a small voice with big doe eyes.
"I love you slayer. Even at your worst," Spike replied as he wrapped his arms around her. He felt like the luckiest vampire to have Buffy and their daughter Emma.
