Promises

Chapter Seventeen

After Xander's outburst, the gang got back in to research mode. Willow was busy trying to hack into the Geeks encrypted files while Tara looked over some books that they left behind.

Buffy and Spike sat next to each other reading, stealing glances at each other every so often and smiling. It didn't go unnoticed by Tara who smiled at them every time she noticed it.

Connor was being doted on by Dawn who was bouncing him on her hip walking him around the room.

Spike stopped reading a while ago and began to stare at Buffy. She noticed a few minutes ago "are you just gunna keep staring at me like that? Or are you actually gunna read and help out?" She asked

"I can't help it" he gushed

"Stop" she warned him playfully, she got up and walked into the kitchen.

He followed her "You're amazing"

Buffy rolled her eyes "Yeah, making bottles for Connor is truly inspirational"

"I'm not talking about the bottles luv" he smiled "Did you mean what you said earlier?"

"Which part?" She asked shyly

"All of it"

Buffy took at deep breath and looked at him. Her eyes glistened as she stepped towards him "Spike, you've come a long way since you threatened to kill me on Saturday" she chuckled "You are a good man"

He smiled as he caught her lips with his and pulled her closer to him.

"Oh my god!" Dawn bellowed, forcing them to part "is this what it's going to be like from now on? With the smoochies? Because whilst I'm super happy you guys are giving it a shot I don't need to see this every time I walk into a room"

"Did you need something Dawn?" Buffy asked

"Just getting Connor's bottle" said Dawn swiping the bottle off the counter "I mean between you guys and Willow and Tara… there's just like too much love in the house y'know"

Dawn spun on her heel and walked away

"She's right, we've gotta tone it down a little" said Buffy

"Slayer you just planted a kiss on me in front of your mates, I'd say you're the one that needs to tone it down" he smirked

She slapped his arm playfully

"How long do you think it's gunna take the boy to get used to us being together?" Spike asked

Buffy shrugged "I honestly don't know…"

"And if he doesn't come around?" Spike asked

"Then that's his problem… I let my pride keep me away from my peace for so long, I'm not doing it again"

Spike grinned "I'm your peace huh?"

"Okay, gloat boy…" she laughed

"I'm not gloating, I'm just happy" he told her

Buffy smiled and touched his face softly "To answer your question, yes. I feel very peaceful around you. Which is really messed up if you think about it, a Slayer feeling peaceful around a master vampire"

"Master vampire eh?" He said seductively, he pulled her closer to him and kissed her passionately. A moan escaped her, as he ran his hand down her back making her shudder.

"Stop… not here" she told him

"Later then" he smiled

"Oh count on it" she said, leaving him standing alone in the kitchen

XXXXX

Willow stopped by the Magic Box on her way home from class to pick up a few books that Tara said she needed to cross reference some of the texts she'd found mixed in with the Geeks things that Buffy had managed to retrieve.

Anya stood behind the counter dusting some artefacts whilst Xander sat at the table flipping through a magazine.

"Still moping huh?" Willow asked Anya looking over at him

"Oh absolutely… we're not talking either now" said Anya

"What? Why?" asked Willow

"I tried to explain that Spike has done a lot of good over these last few years and that maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt… apparently I'm sipping the kool aid. Whatever that means" said Anya with a shrug

"I'll talk to him" said Willow

"Good luck"

Willow made her way over to Xander and sat beside him. "Hey" she said softly

"Hey" he replied, not looking up from the magazine he was reading

"So I think we're getting somewhere with the Geeks, looks like they're planning to rob banks and such" Willow babbled

"Buffy will take care of it" he said nonchalantly

"Xander…" Willow said softly "I think you and Buffy need to have a talk"

"I think she said all she needed to" he sighed

"I'm not exactly doing jumping jacks because she's dating Spike but it's her choice…"

Xander chucked "Her choice, the last time she dated a vampire Miss Calendar died or have you forgotten?"

"Of course not!" said Willow "But Spike is nothing like Angel"

"Are you kidding? He's probably worse!" Xander argued

"Maybe before but he's changed Xander you've gotta admit that" said Willow

"Yeah the chip they jammed in his head. And what if one day that stops working? What then?" Xander asked

"Buffy knows what she's doing okay? I mean Spike stood by Drusilla for over a hundred years. He loves Buffy" Willow tried to make him see sense

"He can't love without a soul Willow" he said bitterly

"Maybe not but he's who Buffy has chosen. If you can't respect that then I guess you're not as good of a friend as I thought you were" said Willow standing up and leaving.

XXXXX

Tara stood in the doorway to the kitchen watching Spike as he flipped pancakes in a pan. He wasn't your typical vampire, but over the course of the summer that Buffy was gone Tara had noticed that the bleach blond vampire was a little more than peculiar. They'd gotten somewhat friendly in those months, Tara had visited him after Buffy's death to check in on him, she knew that he loved Buffy and he would be hurting too.

"What are you gawking at Glinda?" asked Spike turning to face her

"Just weird… you eat human food?" she asked

"It's been known" he shrugged "These are for Buffy and the Nibblet's"

"You really love them don't you" Tara asked

Spike paused for a moment "Like you wouldn't believe"

Tara smiled "Your aura… it's different from other vampires"

"My what?" He frowned

"Your aura, or like your energy field I guess… everybody has one, like Buffy her aura is this bright yellow… and Dawn hers is green, I'm not sure if that's left over Key energy but it's there" Tara explained

"And mine?" He asked

"Usually vampires have this dark deep blackest black aura, but you… it's a sort of indigo with the faintest outline of black. It's really quite something" Tara smiled

"Indigo eh?" Spike smiled

Tara nodded and smiled at him.

"I have been meaning to ask you something" he said

"Sure…"

Spike moved closer to her and whispered "See thing is, I've been looking at something… a quest to seek out a demon who grants wishes"

"What for?" She asked nervously

"Not anything bad… I've been reading and I think he could do it…"

"Spike you're not making any sense" she told him

"I want to get my soul" he told her

Tara's eyes bulged wide in shock "Y-you want your soul back?"

"For her… I know that maybe the rest of the Scoobies might be a bit more accepting if I got me a soul, but a proper one not some fair-weather friend type like Angel's" he explained

"You'd do that for her really?" Tara asked

"I'd do anything for her" he smiled a little "only problem is that this demon is in Africa, I need you to keep an eye on Buffy and the Nibblet's for me till I get back"

"How long will you be gone?" Tara asked

"A week maybe two" said Spike

"Have you told her?" Tara asked

"No… I was just gunna tell her that I'm going out of town for a bit of business… surprise her when I get back"

"I don't know Spike, I'm not really well versed on soul restoration but the after affects can be pretty intense, I know Willow said that Angel had a rough time remembering everything he did, it was almost too much for him to bare" said Tara

"I had thought about that, so is there some kind of spell or something I can do like a panic button? The last thing I want is to end up in the Sahara off my nut" he explained

"I'll look into it, maybe there's a charm I can give you… something that can transport you back if it gets a little much?" She asked

He nodded "Sounds good, thank you"

"You're welcome Spike, besides I do kind of owe you one for punching me in the nose when my family were here" Tara chuckled