Chapter Three: Touch


(You are new and near now
To someone you used to love when you were young
When all was gold and you two touched
And felt the flutter underneath your skin
You stood in glowing rooms
The light dripping from both of you
And nothing since has felt as radiant or real)

And there is nothing more I want than just one night
That's free of doubt and sadness
One night that I can really feel

-- Bright Eyes


He had that satisfied smirk on his face again. Just seeing him standing there, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, was beginning to grate on her nerves.

"Are we done here?"

"I thought you'd introduce me."

"To whom, exactly?"

"Your uh … husband?"

"He's actually very b – "

"Oh, you must be Spike!" he said, extending his hand.

Faye sighed and rested her head in her right hand, covering her eyes.

"Right. And you're – "

"Kennedy."

Faye rolled her eyes. As if she hadn't heard this one enough.

"Luke Kennedy."

"Oh," the smirk returned to Spike's face. "So you must be Faye Kennedy now, huh?"

"Must be," she said with a smile.

"Faye has told me so much about you, Spike." Luke flashed another brilliant smile. She almost hated admitting to herself that she found him devastatingly handsome.

"Wish I could say the same."

Faye grinned nervously, latching onto Luke's arm, "Well, Spike, we'd love to stay, but we really ought to be seeing the guests out – "

"No, no – that's all right," Luke said, pulling his arm from Faye's grasp. "I'll take care of it. You two must have a lot of catching up to do." He smiled down at Faye for a moment before giving her forehead a light kiss. "I'll see you around, Spike-O."

Spike gave him a slight nod before he turned and walked away. "He seems nice," he said after a moment.

"Oh, please," Faye spat, "Spike-O? You hate that. You find him – insufferable. I can tell."

He shrugged a little, tucking his hands in his pants pockets, "I was just making polite conversation."

"Well, don't."

He dropped his head to look down at his shoes. The music and cocktail talk had died down as the guests began to leave. It was replaced by the shuffle of shoes and satin. Far-away sounding goodbyes and light rain.

When his eyes rose to hers again, she took a deep breath.

"So – " she exhaled, "I'll … be in contact."

"Soon?"

"Tomorrow."

Spike nodded, then reached into his suit pocket for his gloves. Faye watched as he pulled each one on slowly.

"A year and a half," he said. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, "and you haven't changed at all."

"What?"

He smirked, pulling the pack of cigarettes from his jacket again. He slid one gently between his lips and let it hang there. "You're still sloppy, Faye. It's cute."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he spoke again before she had a chance.

"The way you barge into crowded rooms, guns blazing. No delicacy, or the slightest sense of subtlety – " he paused for a moment to search for his lighter. "And your uncanny way of divulging all your secrets … "

Faye clenched her fists. She was anything but sloppy.

Spike looked at her and smiled. "Even with your eyes."

"And I suppose you don't?"

"Do I?" he asked casually. One flick the lighter and smoke curled over his head.

"I don't have time for games, Spike. Just go."

He took a drag and pulled the cigarette from his lips. Exhaling, he took a step toward her. Then another. Her breath hitched as he leaned against her, his chest barely grazing hers.

"By the way – "

His voice was low and his breath hot on her ear. She closed her eyes in an attempt to steady herself, but when he spoke again, she felt them flutter.

"That glock strapped to your right thigh?" he pushed the outside of his knee against her inner thigh. The feeling of the cool metal against her bare skin caused her to gasp, "I've known about it all night."

When he pulled away her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. And there is was. The look he'd been waiting for.

He smirked again, brining the cigarette to his lips. "But like I said – it's cute."


"I told you he'd be back," Luke said, loosening his necktie.

Faye slid her feet out of her heels and pressed them flat against the cool wooden floor of their bedroom. She sat straighter in her chair and stared blankly into her vanity mirror. "Uh huh," she said, removing a pin from her hair. A section of violet curls fell to her shoulders.

"Do you think he suspects anything?"

Another pin clattered against the vanity. "No."

He was holding something back – she could tell. She caught his reflection in the mirror behind her. His jaw was clenched.

She removed the last pin and dropped in against slick marble top of the vanity. The last of her curled hair fell to her shoulders, making her suddenly feel cold.

"You think I should go with him?"

"Of course. Being there a while might give you a chance to break him. Lower his guard."

She reached for the diamond choker around her neck. It sparkled madly in the low lamplight as she unclasped it. "You talk about him like he's an animal."

Luke grunted, "As if he isn't?"

Without responding she reached for an earring, removing the back.

Luke crossed the room and stood behind her chair. He grasped the back of it with his hands.

"I love you, Faye – "

She smiled slowly. If Luke was anything, it was predictable. Those words never stood alone. They were always the prelude to a threat.

" – but you know if you fuck this up – I'll ruin you."

She continued to stare straight ahead into the mirror, her eyes focused on some distant point behind the glass. She took the last earring from her ear and laid it on the table next to the choker. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not going to compromise – "

"You know damn well what I'm talking about," his voice remained even, but she could see his knuckles turning white in the mirror. "He was all over you tonight."

"Jealous?"

"Don't get attached. And don't try anything cute. I'll be watching."

"You don't give me enough credit – "

"I've given you plenty. A clean slate and no debt – " he leaned closer to her so that his head was level with hers in the mirror, and lifted her chin gingerly with the fingers of his right hand, " – and a new life. Faye Kennedy."

A new life. She closed her eyes. A new life. Faye Kennedy.

"I'm tired," she said finally, "are you ready for bed?"

Luke stood, the smile returning to his face, "On our wedding night? Surely."

She lifted her hand from the vanity and he gently closed it in his. She rose slowly as he led her to the foot of the bed.

"You looked lovely this evening," he said. He was standing behind her, one hand at her waist, the other toying with the zipper of her dress.

"You didn't look half-bad yourself."

He pulled the zipper in one smooth motion. It hardly made a sound. The dress fell and she heard the smooth sound of satin piling on the floor.

She sighed as she felt his mouth against her neck.

This was what she'd wanted. A new life. A new start. It had all sounded so good.

A/N: And here's where I delight in my shameless ramblings … muahaha! How'd you like that? A little unresolved sexual tension for you. Mmmm. The Spike and Faye kind, of course. Not the Luke kind.

Also, a shout-out to Lex: I wanted to tell you that I read your rant about Julia, and I completely agree. How can anyone NOT like her? She's so damn cool! I can understand not being very attached to her character, though. After all, we really don't see her all that often, and we know next to nothing about her. And that picture of Spike and Julia? So hot!

Ahem. Chapter four will be out as soon as it comes together in my head. And on the lappy. So maybe … a few days? It's summer, after all. I've nothing better to do.

Till next time, keep reading and reviewing!

Kisses,

Nevi