Chapter 1

“Buffy, wake up! God, you sleep like the dead.”

Buffy groaned and rubbed her eyes. She tried to focus on the person who was rudely shoving her. She groaned again when she saw her younger sister. “What do you want, Dawn? It’s Saturday,” she said groggily.

Dawn rolled her eyes. “It’s also eleven in the morning. Mom wants you to come down for breakfast.” She then ran out of the room after delivering the message.

Buffy sighed and got out of bed. “What a nice way to start the summer,” she said to herself, then changed her clothes and prepared for another fun breakfast with the family.


* * * * *


Buffy sat with her head down as she poked at her eggs.

Dawn rolled her eyes once again.

Her parents were just staring at her.

“Buffy, stop playing with your food. You should eat something,” her mother stated.

Buffy glanced up at her. “I’m not really hungry,” she responded.

Her mother sighed and decided to let it go.

“If Buffy doesn’t want to eat we can’t really force her, Joyce,” her father commented.

Buffy then turned her eyes on him.

“If she wants to remain skin and bones, then it’s her call.”

Buffy rolled her eyes and scooped up a forkful of egg, shoving it in her mouth. She gave her parents a fake smile and swallowed the food. “Are you satisfied now?”

Her father looked angry at the tone of her voice.

Joyce knew that look all too well. She placed a hand on his arm to calm him. “Let it go, Hank,” she said, then gazed back at her eldest daughter. “Buffy, show your father some respect.”

Buffy looked back down at her plate. “Yes, Mother,” she mumbled.

They were all quiet after that.

Dawn decided to speak up a few minutes later. “May I be excused? I wanted to call Janice.”

Joyce smiled at the young girl. “Of course, honey.”

Dawn smiled as well and got up from the table, then headed to the stairs.

Buffy rolled her eyes again when her sister was gone.

Dawn was a perfect angel and could do no wrong in her parents’ eyes. She was thirteen-years-old and would be starting high school soon.

Buffy would be going into her senior year of high school and she was actually excited about it. Anything to get her out of the house for a few hours. Most kids would be thrilled when summer started, but Buffy dreaded it. She knew it was going to be a very boring couple of months.

Hank cleared his throat and looked at his daughter, bringing her out of her reverie.

“I invited the Finn’s over tomorrow night, Buffy. I expect you to be here.”

Her eyes bulged at that. She tried to keep the anger out of her voice when she answered. “I had plans with my friends tomorrow night. I was going to meet them at the Bronze. You said I could go.”

Hank nodded and used a napkin to wipe his mouth. “That was before. This is very important to me, Buffy. You have the whole summer to spend with your friends,” he explained.

Buffy wouldn’t let it go. “Why do I have to be here? They’re your friends, not mine.”

Joyce placed another hand on Hank’s arm when it looked like he was going to lose his temper.

“You know why you have to be here. They are bringing their son, Riley. I think he would be good for you.”

Buffy rolled her eyes for what seemed to be the millionth time. Her parents always tried to force some wealthy, rich guy on her. They wanted her to marry someone important and she didn’t care about any of that. She was too young to even consider marriage, but they wouldn’t listen to anything she had to say. She only crossed her arms over her chest and remained silent.

Hank was glad that she wouldn’t argue about it anymore.

Buffy figured there was no point. She would never get to live her own life, anyway.


* * * * *


Buffy was beyond irritated the next night as she waited for the Finn’s to arrive. She stared in her mirror and frowned at the hideous, green dress her mother made her wear. She ran her fingers through her hair and let out a sigh.

“I hate my life.”

The doorbell suddenly rang.

She groaned and stared back at her reflection. “Let the fun begin.” She took a deep breath and left her room. She made her way downstairs and stopped before she reached the bottom. She saw her father and mother shake hands with the Finn’s and introduce themselves to the guy that she assumed was Riley. Buffy took a good look at him. He was tall and pretty attractive, but she could tell that he was probably very boring. Definitely not her type. She had a feeling it was going to be a very long night.


* * * * *


“We’re so glad that you could make it.” Hank said with a smile and noticed Buffy come down the stairs. “This is my daughter, Buffy.”

They smiled at her.

Hank finished the introductions. “This is Maggie, Adam, and Riley Finn.”

Buffy pasted a fake smile on her face as she greeted them. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

Maggie gave her a smile that seemed a little sinister. “Your parents have told us such wonderful things about you.”

Buffy raised her eyebrows and clearly wasn’t expecting that, but she only gave a small smile.

Hank then motioned everyone into the living room for drinks.

Buffy just sat there as the adults talked about things that she could care less about. She looked across from her at Riley, who only graced her with a friendly smile. Buffy smiled in return when she saw the look on his face. She could tell that he didn’t want to be there either and she had to respect him for that.

They left a few hours later.

Riley took Buffy’s hand and gave it a kiss. “It was nice to meet you.”

She nodded. “Yeah, same to you.”

He smiled and walked out of the house with his parents.

Hank and Joyce smiled at the display as well.

Buffy knew that she was in trouble. She heard them talking later that night when they thought she was asleep.

They were talking about how great Riley was and how he would make a perfect husband for her.

Buffy rolled her eyes and went up to her room. She lay in bed and thought about everything that she overheard. Riley seemed like a decent enough guy, but he definitely wasn’t right for her. She wanted someone more interesting, someone that could take her away from everything. She just wanted to feel free for the first time in her life. She always hoped to see the world and knew that she would never get the chance with her parents controlling everything that she did. She would be turning eighteen in a little over a month and they still treated her like a child. She sighed and tried to get some sleep, hoping that things would soon change for her.

Chapter 2

Buffy was finally out at the Bronze with her friends a few nights later. She was trying to listen to the conversations over the loud music.

Cordelia and Anya were talking about some new band that would be playing there and how hot the lead singer was. They managed a glimpse of him backstage.

Buffy didn’t seem to care and turned her attention on Willow, continuing what she was saying earlier. “I swear, Will. My parents are driving me crazy. They’re already talking about me getting married. I’m not even finished with high school yet,” she explained to her friend.

“Have you told them how you feel?”

Buffy shook her head. “What would be the point? It goes in one ear and out the other. They don’t care about what I want. I have to get out of that house, Will. I have to get out of Sunnydale. It feels like I’ll die if I stay here. I don’t belong here.”

Willow felt for Buffy and didn’t know what to say to make her feel better.

The lights suddenly got darker in the club and some guy came onto the stage to announce the band. The crowd cheered when four guys walked on the stage.

Buffy wasn’t even paying attention, until she heard the voice of the lead singer. She looked up at stage to see a guy in leather and bleached hair. He was playing the guitar and singing with his eyes closed. He seemed to be really into it.

Cordelia and Anya got up and headed to the stage, while Buffy and Willow remained seated.

Buffy couldn’t take her eyes off of him.

He suddenly opened his eyes and stared right at her.

Buffy felt her breath catch in her throat at the intense way he was looking at her.

He smiled and put more feeling into the song that he was singing.

Willow looked at Buffy to see the mesmerized expression on her face. “So, they’re pretty good.”

Buffy finally turned away from the band to address her friend. “Yeah, they’re good,” she replied, knowing that her cheeks were red.

They got back to their conversation once the band finished.

Buffy glanced up to see that he was gone. She let out a sigh, realizing that she probably wouldn’t see him again.


* * * * *


Buffy said goodbye to her friends and left the Bronze a little while later. She had a curfew, after all. She breathed in the fresh air once she was outside and looked to notice someone in the distance. She was surprised to find that it was the guy from the band. He was standing against the wall and smoking a cigarette. She figured that she should just walk away, but she couldn’t seem to make herself move.

He finished his cigarette and flicked it to the ground, stepping on it in the process. He then turned around and saw her standing there. He gave her a smile.

She felt her cheeks heat up again.

“Hello, love. Nice night, isn’t it?”

Buffy was once again mesmerized by his voice. She couldn’t seem to find hers and only nodded.

His smile grew bigger as he walked closer to her. “Cat got your tongue or something?” he wondered with a raised eyebrow.

Buffy finally spoke. “No, I have to go.” She cursed herself for how lame that sounded. She started to walk away, when she felt a hand on her arm. She turned back to look at him and noticed how blue his eyes were.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

Buffy found herself answering him after a few seconds. “Buffy Summers,” she replied.

He decided not to comment on the odd name. He only smiled at her. “I’m William Pratt, but everyone calls me Spike.” He was surprised that he gave her his real name, but she only took it in and returned his smile.

“You were really good tonight,” she told him.

“Yeah, I saw you watching. I was just filling in for the night.”

Buffy felt a little disappointed that she wouldn’t get to hear him sing again, but she shook it away. She then glanced down and noticed that his hand was still on her arm. She looked back up at him.

He noticed where her gaze was and graced her with a somewhat shy smile. “It’s hard to let you go.”

Buffy didn’t know what to think about that. “I really should go,” she whispered, even though that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Spike nodded and finally removed his hand. “I would like to see you again. Maybe you can meet me at the beach tomorrow?”

Buffy thought about it. She knew her parents would freak if they ever found out, but she couldn’t seem to care. She really wanted to see him again. “Okay, meet you there at six?”

Spike smiled at the thought of being in this beautiful girl’s presence again. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll see you then, love.” He moved closer to her and pressed his lips to her cheek. He then turned and walked back inside the Bronze.

Buffy stood there in shock and touched her cheek. She let a smile form on her face, then started the walk home.


* * * * *


Buffy had to deal with her father yelling at her when she entered the house late. She didn’t really care, though. She could only think about Spike. She went straight to her room and got ready for bed. She could hear her parents yelling at each other now and she put her headphones on to block out the voices. They would constantly fight about her and she didn’t need to listen to it. She lay down on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She smiled when she thought about seeing him again. She couldn’t believe that he actually wanted to see her again. It didn’t seem like she was his type, but she was really relieved. She kept the smile on her face and finally dozed off.

The summer suddenly got a whole lot better.

Chapter 3

Buffy made it to the beach a little early and was waiting for Spike to show up. She was watching the ocean for a few minutes, when he suddenly appeared next to her.

They were both silent.

She decided to speak up first. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, definitely beautiful.”

She turned to look at him and noticed that he was staring at her, not the ocean. She blushed and glanced away from him.

Spike had to smile at how adorable she was.

They spent the next hour walking along the beach and getting to know each other better.

“So, you live in England?”

He nodded. “Yes, I’m only here for the summer. I needed a holiday and I used to love it here when I was a kid.”

Buffy nodded as well, feeling saddened at the thought of him leaving when the summer was over.

Spike took her hand and smiled. “Care for a swim?” he suddenly asked.

Buffy raised her eyebrows at the unexpected question. “It’s a little cold out.”

He waved his hand in the air. “That’s the whole point. I promise to warm you up afterwards.”

Buffy found herself blushing for the millionth time. “I don’t have a swimsuit,” she claimed softly.

Spike’s smile grew bigger. “That’s even better,” he said with a wink, pulling her closer to the water. “Come on, love. Live a little.” He started to remove his clothes.

Buffy gulped at the sight of his bare chest.

He then ran into the water.

She was somewhat relieved that he left his boxers on.

Spike gazed up at her. “Come on in, pet. The water feels great.”

Buffy couldn’t believe that she was about to do this. She started to take off her clothes, so that she was only in her bra and underwear. She then followed his lead and shivered when the cold water hit her.

Spike swam over to her, running his hands down her arms.

She suddenly felt warmer at his touch.

“See, that wasn’t so hard.”

Buffy lost her ability to speak with the way he was looking at her.

Spike then moved his gaze to her mouth and started to lean in closer. He was soon pressing his lips to hers.

Buffy was taken by surprise, then found herself returning the kiss. It was the best kiss of her life, not that she had a lot to compare it to. She couldn’t believe that she was half naked and kissing a man she hardly even knew, but she never wanted to stop.

He pulled away when breathing became an issue and rested his head against hers. “I feel like I’ve known you forever,” he whispered.

Buffy had to agree. “I know the feeling.”

Spike tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear.

They kissed again and right now, everything was perfect.


* * * * *


They got out of the water a little while later and put their clothes back on.

Spike placed his duster around her. He rubbed her arms again to try and warm her.

She just gave him a grateful smile.

He offered to walk her home.

Buffy felt nervous when they finally made it to her house. She stopped him before they got too close. “Thanks, I can take it from here.”

He nodded in understanding. “Ashamed to be seen with me?”

Buffy shook her head, not wanting him to think that. “No, of course not. It’s my parents, they’re very complicated.”

Spike glanced up at her house. It was more like a mansion. He then looked back at Buffy. “Yeah, I can see that. By the looks of things, you would be pretty rich,” he said.

“My parents are rich. I just happen to live here. Dad’s a lawyer and Mom’s a psychologist. I have to say that it’s a lot of fun having a shrink in the house. I get free counseling everyday,” she stated sarcastically.

Spike could tell that things didn’t seem to be going well for her. “I take it you’re not happy,” he replied, stating the obvious.

Buffy gave him a sad smile. “What gave it away? Money doesn’t make everyone happy. I feel like I’m a prisoner in my own house. I would give anything to get away from here.”

Spike wished he could make things better. He reached out and caressed her cheek. “Meet me here tomorrow at nine? I’m not done getting to know you yet.”

Buffy smiled and was glad that he still wanted to see her. “I would have to sneak out.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve never snuck out before.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Please, I sneak out all the time.”

He clearly didn’t believe her, but let it go. “Then it shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll be outside your bedroom window.”

Buffy didn’t think that was the best idea, but she only nodded. “Okay, just try not to get caught. It would be hell for both of us.”

Spike agreed.

She suddenly had a thought. “You know, this is kinda like Romeo and Juliet.” A frown then formed on her face. “Let’s just hope we have a better ending.”

Spike smiled and placed a quick kiss on her lips. “I promise we’ll have a better ending. Goodnight, Juliet,” he whispered to her.

She smiled. “Goodnight, Romeo.”

He gave her one more kiss before he turned and walked away.

Buffy touched her lips and smiled as she walked toward her house. She climbed the tree that was outside her window because she didn’t want to face her parents and explain why her hair was wet. She opened the window and stepped into her room, only to discover that it wasn’t empty. “What are you doing in here?”

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest. “What are you doing sneaking in the window?”

Buffy rolled her eyes and didn’t care to explain herself to her bratty kid sister. “I didn’t feel like dealing with the parents. What’s it to you?”

Dawn shrugged and then noticed her sister’s appearance. “Why is your hair wet?”

Buffy sighed and sat on her bed.

“That’s none of your business.”

Dawn realized that she wasn’t going to get anything out of Buffy, but that never stopped her. “You’re up to something. I’m gonna figure it out,” she said, then left the room.

Buffy let out another sigh and lay back on her bed. She couldn’t think about Dawn right now. She was too busy thinking about Spike. She really hoped they would have a good ending.

Chapter 4

Buffy snuck out of her window the next night and climbed down the tree. She smiled at Spike when she saw that he was waiting for her.

He took her hand and they headed over to his car.

They got in and drove off, not knowing that they were being watched by a nosy teenager.


* * * * *


“Okay, I officially suck at this.” Buffy said with a pout as they finished playing a game of pool, where Spike was continuing to beat her.

He only smiled at how cute she looked when she did that. “It takes practice. I’ve been playing since I was twelve.”

That caused Buffy to wonder about something. “How old are you, anyway? I can’t believe I never thought to ask.”

Spike smiled again and moved closer to her. “How old do I look?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m not even going to guess. That would probably get me in trouble.”

Spike laughed this time and just decided to tell her. “I’m only twenty, pet.”

Buffy sighed in relief when she realized he wasn’t that much older than her.

“What about you?”

Buffy forgot that he didn’t even know her age, either. “I turn eighteen next month.”

Spike nodded. “So, what do you want for your birthday?” he wondered, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.

“Surprise me,” she responded.

Spike then pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. He just met her, but he already couldn’t get enough of her. There was something special about this girl and he wanted to get to know everything about her. He pulled away when breathing became an issue, then took her hand in his. “Let’s get out of here.”

Buffy agreed and let him lead her away.


* * * * *


They were both walking the streets hand in hand, neither knowing what to say to start a conversation.

Buffy was about to speak up, but she noticed a familiar person in the distance.

He noticed her as well and smiled.

She walked over to him and gave him a smile of her own. “Hey, Riley.”

“Hey, Buffy. It’s good to see you again.”

She nodded and then took notice of the dark haired woman standing next to him.

Riley decided to introduce them. “This is my girlfriend, Faith,” he said, looking between both girls. “This is Buffy; she’s the one I told you my parents were trying to set me up with.”

Faith nodded in understanding. “It’s nice to meet you, B.”

Buffy looked the brunette over. This girl seemed to be the exact opposite of Riley and she now understood why his parents tried to set him up with someone else. She had more in common with him than she thought. “Same here, this is Spike,” she introduced him. She wasn’t really sure about calling him her boyfriend yet. “I see our parents are exactly the same.”

Riley agreed. “Yeah, they don’t think Faith is good enough for me. They’re constantly trying to set me up, but I don’t really go along with it. I’m the only one that gets to choose who I want to be with. Not that I didn’t like you or anything, Buffy.”

She held her hand up. “Don’t worry, I get it. They’ve been doing the same thing to me for as long as I can remember. We should be able to make our own decisions.”

Riley nodded in agreement. “You’re right about that. We should really get going now. Maybe I’ll see you around?”

Buffy nodded as well. “Maybe, good luck with everything.”

He gave her another smile before walking away with Faith.

Buffy turned to Spike, who remained quiet the whole time. “You okay?” she wondered with concern.

He only smiled at her. “Yeah, so that’s the bloke they want you to marry?”

She nodded again. “I’m afraid so, but I’m so relieved he has a girlfriend.”

Spike silently agreed.

They turned and walked away, once again hand in hand.


* * * * *


They made it to her house a little while later.

Spike was finding it hard to let her go, even though he knew he would be seeing her again. He really hoped, anyway.

“This keeps getting harder,” she whispered and gazed into his eyes.

“I know what you mean. Just letting you go even for one night is bloody killing me.”

Buffy nodded and started to feel tears in her eyes. “I wish we didn’t have to hide.”

Spike agreed and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Maybe someday we won’t have to.”

Buffy shook her head, wishing she could believe that. “They’ll never understand.”

She sounded so broken that Spike only wanted to hold her and never let go. “You have to believe that things will change. They won’t always be so hard.”

Buffy gave him a small smile. “I wish I had your confidence.”

“You have plenty. I’ll see you tomorrow, love. You’ll know where to find me,” he said, finally letting her hand go.

The tears fell down her face as Buffy watched him leave. She just wiped her eyes and started walking to her house. She snuck in the window and once again found Dawn waiting in her room. She sighed and stepped inside. “You have to stop making a habit of this, Dawn.”

The girl was determined to find out the truth. “Where were you tonight?”

Buffy couldn’t deal with this right now. “Stay out of my business,” she practically growled.

Dawn wasn’t easily scared. “I saw you with that guy, Buffy. You can’t hide anything from me.”

Buffy’s eyes bulged at what her sister said. “You were spying on me?”

Dawn shrugged. “I got bored. You know, Mom and Dad would freak if they found out that you have been sneaking out to meet a guy. Especially one that looks like that.”

Buffy moved closer to her sister and was willing to plead with her, which was something that she would never normally do. “You can’t tell them, Dawn. I’ve never asked you for anything before. Please, don’t tell them. They’ll make me stop seeing him if they find out.”

Dawn was surprised to hear the fear in her older sister’s voice. She let out a sigh and sat down on Buffy’s bed. “Fine, spoil my fun. I won’t tell them.”

Buffy smiled now and gave Dawn a hug, pulling away after a few seconds.

“Okay, stop with all the mushiness. You so owe me.”

Buffy nodded and kept the smile on her face. “Thanks, I knew you couldn’t be all that evil.”

Dawn glared at her. “Don’t get used to it,” she said, standing up and walking out of the room.

Buffy was beyond relieved and changed her clothes. She got in bed and stared up at the ceiling. Maybe her sister wasn’t so bad after all.

Chapter 5

A few weeks passed by and Buffy couldn’t remember ever being so happy before. Her birthday was coming up and she was dating a great guy. Still in secret, but she was relieved that nothing bad has happened. Dawn even covered for her a few times. She hasn’t told Spike that she loved him yet, but she felt it every time she was with him. He never said it either, but she knew he had to feel the same way she did.

They were at the apartment that he was staying in for the summer and were busy making out on the couch.

Buffy pulled away when oxygen became an issue.

He then started to trail kisses down her neck.

She moaned and held him tighter.

They haven’t gone any further yet.

She wanted to give herself to him on her birthday. Buffy knew that she was ready and she wanted him to be her first. Her only if she had anything to say about it.

His hand suddenly found its way under her shirt.

She really hoped he would be able to wait until her birthday.

Spike pulled away to see the flushed look on her face. He smiled and continued to kiss her.

Buffy eagerly returned the kiss.

He rested his head against hers and tried to get his breathing under control. “God, I love you,” he whispered.

Buffy was stunned. She never thought that he would be the one to say it first. “Do you mean that?” she wondered, needing to be sure.

Spike didn’t hesitate before he answered her. “I mean it. I love you, Buffy. I knew it the moment I first saw you.”

She started to feel tears in her eyes at his declaration. “I love you, too. I’ve never felt like this before.”

He nodded and caressed her cheek. “I know what you mean.”

No more words needed to be said after that.


* * * * *


Buffy’s eighteenth birthday finally arrived and she was bored out of her mind. Her parents were having a party that didn’t even feel like it was for her. They invited all of their friends and Buffy hardly knew any of them. She just couldn’t wait until it was over, so she could meet up with Spike. Tonight was the night that she would give herself to him completely. Her parents thought she was spending the night at Willow’s, who would cover for her if they actually decided to call.

The guests finally started to leave and Buffy couldn’t be happier about that. She got everything that she would need and left her house. She met up with Spike, who was waiting for her across the street.

They then got into his car and headed to the apartment.


* * * * *


“It’s not much, but I hope you like it. Happy birthday, love.” Spike said as they were sitting on the bed in his room.

Buffy opened the box that he gave her and gasped at what was inside. “Spike, it’s so beautiful,” she told him, pulling out the silver, cross necklace.

“So, you like it?”

Buffy turned to look at him. “I love it.” She gave him a kiss on the lips. “Could you put it on me?”

Spike nodded and took the necklace from her, placing it around her neck. “Beautiful,” he commented.

She graced him with a smile, then felt nervous about what she wanted to say next. “Spike, my parents think I’m spending the night at my friend’s house.”

He had a feeling that she told her parents that, but he wasn’t expecting the next thing she said.

“I think I’m ready to take our relationship to the next level. I want...I want you to make love to me,” she said the last part softly.

Spike felt his breath catch in his throat.

“I want my first time to be with you,” she finished.

“Are you sure, Buffy? I don’t want you to think that you have to do this. There’s no hurry.”

Buffy nodded. “I want this.”

Spike couldn’t deny her anything and started to kiss her soft lips. He laid her gently back on his bed and got on top of her. He slowly removed her clothes.

She helped him do the same with his.

Spike took in the sight of the beautiful girl on his bed, still finding it hard to believe that she was his.

Buffy told him that she was on the pill.

Spike was relieved because he realized that he didn’t have any condoms. He wasn’t expecting this to happen so soon. He placed a kiss on her forehead. “This will only hurt for a second, love.”

Buffy nodded and took a deep breath.

Spike kissed her again and slowly slid into her. He pulled away to gaze at her face and could clearly see the pain that she was in. Tears started to fall from her eyes and he kissed them away. “It’s okay, sweetheart. It will get better.” He let her adjust to him, then started to move slowly inside of her.

She closed her eyes and let out a moan.

“Does it still hurt?”

She opened her eyes at his question, shaking her head. “Not anymore.”

Spike was relieved and started to move a little faster.

They were both soon brought to release, clinging to each other.

Spike then pulled out of her.

She winced a little.

He moved to her side, not wanting to crush her. “You all right?” he wondered after a moment of silence.

Buffy smiled at him. “Yeah, that was amazing.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re amazing.”

She blushed. “That’s only because you make me feel amazing.”

It was Spike’s turn to feel touched. “I love you so much, you know that?”

Buffy nodded. “I love you, too. More than anything.”

Spike gave her a sweet smile. “That works out nicely then.” He wrapped his arms around her.

She rested her head against his chest and got more comfortable.

They soon drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

Chapter 6

Buffy and Spike were kissing by the back of her house when he dropped her off the next day.

She figured that was a safe enough place. Or so she thought. She pulled away and was about to say something, but another voice stopped her.

“Elizabeth, get in here right now!”

Buffy moved away from Spike to see her father standing there, with an angry expression on his face. She knew she was in trouble when he used her real name.

Spike decided to remain quiet, not knowing what to do.

“Dad...” she started to say, but her father cut her off.

“I don’t want to hear anything from you right now. Say goodbye to your friend and get in this house.”

Buffy looked at Spike apologetically and walked over to her father.

Spike watched as Hank slammed the door once Buffy was inside, wishing he could be in there with her.


* * * * *


“Hank, what’s going on?” Joyce asked when she noticed her scared daughter and angry husband.

Hank turned his glare on her. “Why don’t you ask your daughter what she has been doing? She has been sneaking around with some punk.” He turned back to Buffy. “One of the neighbors saw you and was kind enough to let me know.”

Buffy forgot about the fact that she might have to deal with nosy neighbors, but she only grew angry at what her father said. “He’s not a punk! You don’t even know him!” she exclaimed.

“Don’t you use that tone of voice with me, young lady. How long has this been going on behind our backs?”

Buffy took a deep breath before she answered. “It’s been a few weeks. I couldn’t tell you because I knew you would react like this.”

Joyce finally decided to speak up. “Buffy, you know you can come to us.”

She gave a humorless laugh. “When would be the right time? You never listen to me. You’re too busy trying to control my life.”

Joyce was about to respond, but Hank didn’t let her.

“This ends here, Buffy. You are not to see him again, do you understand me?”

Buffy was prepared for this conversation, but she wasn’t going to back down. “Newsflash, Father. I’m eighteen-years-old now. You can’t tell me who I can and cannot see. I make my own decisions.”

Hank was fuming at her lack of respect. “I will not have my daughter acting like some slut. You are to be with a good man like Riley Finn.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “You really don’t get it, do you? Riley is already seeing someone, Dad. He doesn’t like to be set up just as much as I don’t. We both want to live our own lives. He fell in love with someone different, just like I did.”

Hank was surprised now. “You’re just a child. You don’t know what love is.”

Buffy gave him a hard stare. “I know more about it than you do. I love him and no one is going to tell me that I don’t understand that.”

Hank threw his hands up in the air. “I will not listen to this. As long as you live under my roof, you will obey my rules.”

“Maybe I don’t want to be living under your roof. I’d rather die than live in this hellhole any longer,” she spat.

Hank retaliated by slapping Buffy across the face.

Joyce gasped and brought her hand to her mouth.

Buffy just touched her stinging cheek. She felt tears form in her eyes.

Hank then grabbed her by the arm and pulled her upstairs. He threw Buffy into her room, causing her to fall to the floor. “I will not have you make a fool of me, you little brat. You will do as I say and that’s final. You are not to leave this room until you come to your senses, is that clear?” He didn’t bother to wait for a response and slammed the door closed, locking it on the outside so she wouldn’t be able to get out.

Buffy then couldn’t hold her tears in anymore and buried her face in her hands, crying her heart out.


* * * * *


Dawn snuck out of the house, while her parents were arguing. She heard what happened with Buffy and she had to do something. She found him waiting by the tree in front of the house.

“You’re Spike, right?”

He nodded. “I take it you would be Dawn?”

She nodded as well and thought about what to say. “Things were pretty bad in there. Did you hear anything?”

Spike sighed and looked up at Buffy’s window. “I heard a little, but I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t take listening and not being able to do anything. Is she all right?” he wondered.

Dawn could tell by the sound of his voice that he was really worried about her sister. “He locked her in her room. I don’t think she’ll risk sneaking out of the window right now. You should probably stay away for a bit, just until things cool down.”

Spike shook his head. “I can’t stay away from her. I have to get her out of there.”

Dawn figured this would be difficult. “There’s nothing you can do right now. I’ll find a way to help Buffy. You don’t wanna deal with my dad, trust me,” she explained.

He nodded and moved away from the tree. “You’ll make sure she’s okay?”

“Yeah, I’m on it.”

Spike smiled at the girl. “Thanks, nibblet.”

Dawn smiled at the name he gave her.

He took one more look at the house before walking in the other direction.

Dawn sighed and watched him go. She then turned back to her house. She couldn’t believe the way her father acted. It wasn’t fair and she knew that she had to find a way to help Buffy. Dawn hasn’t been the best sister in the world, but she wanted to make up for that. Anyway she could.

Chapter 7

Dawn snuck back in the house to find her parents still arguing. She just rolled her eyes and headed upstairs to Buffy’s room. She unlocked the door and found her sister sitting on her bed clutching her stuffed pig to her chest, silent tears rolling down her face.

Buffy didn’t even bother to look up when Dawn walked in and sat down next to her.

Dawn decided to be the first one to speak. “Are you okay?” she asked, even though she knew there was no way Buffy could be okay.

Buffy only shook her head and finally glanced up at Dawn. “I hate him,” she said harshly.

Dawn knew she was referring to their father. “I kinda hate him right now, too. He’s not being fair. You should be able to see whoever you want. Spike seems like a great guy, it’s not right for Dad to judge him like that.”

Buffy wiped at her eyes and stared at her younger sister, who seemed so much older than her thirteen years. “You saw Spike?”

Dawn nodded. “He was outside. I told him to give you some time. We’ll figure something out.”

Buffy wasn’t convinced. “Dad will never change. He’ll never accept Spike. I just don’t know what to do,” she claimed as fresh tears started to fall from her eyes.

Dawn moved closer and gave her sister a hug, which Buffy returned.

They were like that for a few minutes, when someone cleared a throat in the doorway.

They pulled away to see their father standing there.

“Dawn, go to your room.”

She nodded and headed to the door, glaring at him before leaving.

Hank turned his attention back on Buffy. “I want you downstairs. We need to talk,” he told her, no emotion in his voice. He then turned and walked away.

Buffy wiped the remaining tears and stood up after a few seconds. She headed downstairs and dreaded the conversation that was about to take place.


* * * * *


“Hank, think about this.” Joyce said when Buffy finally made it downstairs.

“I have thought about this. It’s the only thing to do right now.”

Buffy wondered what they were talking about. She knew it couldn’t be anything good.

Hank turned and looked at her.

“What’s going on?” she wondered.

Joyce decided to remain silent.

Buffy gazed at her father.

He took a deep breath before he spoke. “We have made a decision, Buffy. There’s a boarding school in Switzerland. It’s an all girl school and they are taking students over the summer. I have already made arrangements and you are to be leaving in two weeks.”

Buffy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She shook her head once the shock wore off. “No, I’m not going to some boarding school. You can’t do this,” she said in a pleading tone, but Hank wasn’t having it.

“This is not a discussion. We’re doing what is best for you and that’s final.”

Buffy felt more tears in her eyes and decided to give him a piece of her mind. She couldn’t let this happen. “This isn’t what’s best for me. This is what’s best for you. I do something you don’t approve of and you send me away. I’m not going; I don’t care what anyone says. I’m not a child anymore; you can’t make me do anything I don’t want to.”

Hank glared at Buffy, trying to keep his voice calm. “You are the one that’s always saying you want to get out of here.”

“This isn’t what I want. You can’t make me go!” She ran back upstairs, with more tears streaming down her face.

Hank shook his head and watched Buffy’s departure. He then glanced at Joyce, only to see a look of anger on her face.

She just turned and walked away from him.

He decided to let them cool off before he did anything else. Buffy would accept it, eventually. She would see that he made the right decision.


* * * * *


Buffy started to pack some of her stuff. She shoved them into a bag the second she got to her room.

Dawn showed up after she heard what happened. She always was nosy. “What are you doing?”

Buffy turned to look at her. “I have to get out of here, Dawn. I won’t let him send me away. I’m going to see Spike,” she explained and got back to packing her belongings.

“Won’t that make things worse?”

Buffy shook her head. “He can’t possibly make it any worse. I can’t stay here another second. I need to be with him.”

Dawn nodded after a moment. “Okay, I’ll tell them that you went to bed early.”

Buffy smiled and gave her a hug. “Thanks, Dawny. You’re a pretty good sister.”

She smiled in return. “You’re not so bad yourself. Are you coming back?”

Buffy shrugged. “I don’t know. I just need to see Spike. I’ll figure it out then.” She got everything that she needed and looked back at Dawn. She gave her younger sister one more hug. “You be good.”

Dawn nodded again, not knowing what else to say.

Buffy pulled out of the hug, then grabbed her bag and moved over to the window. She smiled at her sister before climbing out of the window and down the tree.

Dawn watched as Buffy made it to the ground, then took off running. She sighed and headed back to her room. Her parents were fighting again and she was surprised that her mother was sticking up for Buffy. Joyce would usually always take Hank’s side, thinking that her husband was never wrong. It sounded like her mother didn’t like the idea of her father sending Buffy away.

She walked into her room and closed the door. She could still hear the voices, so she decided to put her headphones on. She sighed and glanced at her desk, where there was a picture of her and Buffy when they were younger. They used to be closer then, but it looked like they were starting to get close again. Dawn would really miss her sister if she left.

Chapter 8

Buffy knocked on Spike’s door.

He appeared after a few seconds.

She didn’t hesitate before throwing her arms around him.

Spike did the same and held her tighter, pulling her into the apartment. He closed the door and moved over to the couch. He sat down and placed her onto his lap. He heard that she was crying and rubbed her back to give her comfort.

They were like that for a little while, until Buffy started to calm down.

She pulled away to look at him, wiping her eyes of the tears. She couldn’t remember ever crying so much before.

“How’s my girl doing?”

That got a small smile from her. “She’s been better.”

Spike pressed his lips to hers. “What happened, sweetheart?”

Buffy took a deep breath. “I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to get out of there. He was talking about sending me to boarding school in two weeks.”

An angry expression formed on Spike’s face. “He can’t send you away.”

Buffy let out a sigh. “I don’t know what to do. I know my father, Spike. He doesn’t give up when he sets his mind on something. Please, don’t let him do it. Don’t let him take me away.” She hugged him again, burying her face against his chest.

Spike wrapped his arms tighter around her, kissing the top of her head. “No one is going to take you away from me, Buffy. I’ll see to that. I don’t care if he is your father.”

Buffy shook her head. “He’s not much of a father. He hasn’t been for a long time.” She pulled away to look at him. “What are we going to do?”

Spike suddenly had an idea. “There’s something I have to tell you, love.”

She nodded and waited for him to continue.

“I have to go back to England in a few days. I know I was supposed to be here longer, but my mum suddenly came down with something. I told her I would go back home to help out.”

Buffy didn’t know how him leaving was supposed to help her.

Spike grabbed her hand and gave it a firm squeeze, gazing into her eyes. “I want you to come with me, Buffy. We can leave here and start a new life together. There’s no one that would be able to stop us.”

She wasn’t expecting that.

He spoke again before she got a chance to. “We can leave tomorrow night. I can take you back to your house fast, so you can get whatever else you would need. If they see us, there’s nothing they can do. You’re a legal adult now, they can’t stop you. What do you say?” he wondered, hoping that she would agree to it.

Buffy spoke up after a few seconds of silence. “You really want me to go with you?” she said in a soft tone.

Spike nodded and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I love you, Buffy. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. There’s no way I would leave here without you.”

Buffy could tell how sincere he was. She still couldn’t believe that any of this was happening to her. She knew that she already had an answer. “Take me away, Spike.”

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a longer kiss on the lips. He pulled her closer and held her tight. “Things will be better now, Buffy. I promise you.”

Buffy nodded and continued to hold him. “I know,” she whispered, knowing that everything was about to change. She couldn’t be happier about that.


* * * * *


Buffy woke up the next day to find Spike staring at her. She gave him a soft smile.

“Good morning,” she said.

He smiled as well. “It’s definitely a good morning,” he replied, giving her a peck on the lips. “So, we have the whole day to ourselves until we leave tonight. Anything you want to do?”

Buffy shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m still kinda sore right now. I think you broke me last night.”

Spike laughed when he thought back to their night of making love. “Sorry about that, baby. I tend to get carried away sometimes, especially when I’m with you.” He kissed her nose.

“I’m definitely not complaining.”

He moved back on top of her. “I have a feeling we won’t be leaving this bed any time soon,” he told her, wagging his eyebrows.

She silently agreed.

They then got back to their lovemaking.


* * * * *


Buffy walked into the living room after having a nice shower. She found Spike talking on the phone and he hung up when he noticed her.

“That was my mum. I told her that I would be bringing you with me. I already mentioned you before and she’s excited to meet you.”

Buffy suddenly felt nervous at the thought of meeting his mother. “I just hope she’ll like me.”

Spike smiled at her. “Are you kidding? She’s going to love you. She hated the other girls I was with and you’re not like them. You have nothing to worry about.”

Buffy felt better and then wondered about how many other girlfriends there were, but she didn’t say anything about it. She was his girlfriend now and that was all that mattered. She then used his phone to call her friends and let them know that she would be leaving. They all understood, but it was harder for Willow. They basically grew up together and never spent a lot of time apart, but Willow knew that Buffy would never get to live her own life if she stayed. She had tears coming down her face when she ended the call.

Spike pulled her into his embrace. He knew this would be hard for her, but it was their only chance to be together. He just hoped that they would be able to come back someday, without any problems.

Chapter 9

Buffy snuck in through her window and wasn’t surprised to see Dawn there. She gave her sister a smile.

Dawn smiled in return, even though her heart wasn’t in it. She had a feeling about why Buffy came back. “You’re going away, aren’t you?”

Buffy nodded. “I have to, Dawny. I’m going to England with Spike. I hope you can understand.”

Dawn nodded after a few seconds and hugged her older sister. “I’ll miss you.”

Buffy rubbed Dawn’s back. “I’ll miss you, too. Try to stay out of trouble.”

Dawn pulled out of the embrace. “You know me.”

Buffy smiled again and started to pack more of her stuff. She got everything she needed, then turned back to Dawn. She wanted to hurry up since Spike was waiting for her. She took a paper out of her pocket and handed it to her sister.

Dawn took it and was a little confused.

“It’s a letter for Mom and Dad. I can’t face them. I want you to wait a few minutes after I leave and then give it to them. It should explain everything. They have to realize that I’m not a little kid anymore and that I’ll be okay,” she explained.

Dawn clutched the letter to her chest. “Will I ever see you again?” she wondered, tears forming in her eyes.

“Of course you will. I just need to give them some time. When I come back, I’m sure things will be different. I just need to get away for a while.”

Dawn nodded in understanding. “Good luck,” she told her.

Buffy smiled and placed a kiss on Dawn’s forehead. “Take care, kid.”

Dawn rolled her eyes and watched Buffy make her way out of the window. “I’m not a kid,” she called out once her sister hit the ground.

Buffy only waved to her and ran to where Spike was waiting.

Dawn smiled and was happy that her sister finally felt free. Her smile quickly faded when she looked down at the note in her hand. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves, then left the room.


* * * * *


Dawn found her parents downstairs in the living room, arguing about something again.

They stopped when they noticed her.

Joyce wondered what could have put the distressed look on her daughter’s face. “What’s wrong, sweetie?” she asked.

Dawn then handed her the letter, without saying anything.

Joyce took it from her and gasped at what she read. Her hand went to her mouth and tears started to fall from her eyes.

Hank looked concerned and grabbed the letter out of his wife’s hands when she finished. He then had a look of anger on his face when he started to read it. His expression soon changed to one of hurt and he didn’t know what to think about that.

Dawn decided to head back upstairs before they started to argue again.

Instead of a fight, Joyce only looked at Hank with a mixture of pain and hatred on her face. She shook her head as the tears continued to fall. “I will never forgive you for causing my baby to leave,” she said harshly, then walked away from him.

Hank only stared after her. His family was falling apart and it was all his fault. He thought he was doing the right thing, but nothing was worse than having your child run away from home.


* * * * *


They were on their way to England later that night.

Buffy was gripping the armrests enough to make her knuckles turn white. She was terrified of flying, but she would risk it right about now.

Spike placed his hand over hers, giving it a comforting squeeze. “Just take deep breaths, love. We’ll be there before you know it.”

She nodded and glanced at him. “You probably think I’m a big baby.”

He smiled and pressed his lips to her cheek. “I think you’re bloody adorable. There’s nothing wrong with being afraid. Just know that I’ll always be here for you.”

Buffy felt touched at his words. She knew that he would never hurt her. She trusted him with her life and that was a very comforting thought. The flight didn’t seem so scary anymore. “I love you,” she whispered.

Spike would never get tired of hearing that. “I love you, too,” he replied, placing a kiss on her lips. A smirk then formed on his face.

Buffy wondered what put it there, but she didn’t have to wonder for long.

“So, you want to take a visit to the loo?”

Her eyes bulged at what he was implying. “I am so not having sex in a tiny airplane bathroom,” she said a little too loudly.

A gasp suddenly came from behind her.

She turned to see a mother covering her son’s ears, who looked to be about nine-years-old.

The woman glared at Buffy.

She turned back around and slouched down in her seat, feeling completely mortified.

Spike still had a smile on his face. “It would take your mind off of things.”

Buffy shook her head. “It’s not happening. I’ll just have to think of something else to take my mind off of things.”

Spike wanted to do whatever he could to help her with that. He started to lick her neck, knowing that was a sensitive spot for her. He then nibbled her earlobe and sucked on it. He smiled when he heard Buffy giggle and pulled away to look at her.

“That tickles,” she stated.

He gave her a wink and went back to what he was doing.

She felt better and soon managed to fall asleep.

Spike watched over her and couldn’t believe everything that happened the last few weeks. He came to Sunnydale to get away for a while, but he never counted on meeting the woman of his dreams. He knew from the moment he first saw her at the Bronze that she was something special. He was worried that she wouldn’t want anything to do with him because they were so different, but she surprised him. She always managed to surprise him.

He looked down at his sleeping angel and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. She was his now and nothing would ever come between them.

Chapter 10

They arrived in London and pulled up in front of a small house.

Buffy got out of the car and looked around.

Spike joined her a few seconds later.

They both walked to the house.

He opened the door and let her in first; closing it once they were inside. “Mum, you here?”

An older woman then made her presence known. “William, I’m so glad you’re home,” she said, embracing her son.

He returned the hug.

She pulled away and turned her gaze on Buffy, who felt a little uncomfortable.

Spike introduced them. “Mum, this is Buffy. She’s the girl I was telling you about.”

The woman smiled at Buffy. “She is just lovely, William. Would you like some tea, dear?”

Buffy nodded and graced her with a smile of her own, starting to feel a little more at ease. “Yes, please,” she said.

Spike was glad that they seemed to be getting along.

They walked into the kitchen and sat at the table.

His mother then placed a cup in front of Buffy. “It’s nice and warm.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Pratt,” she replied, taking a sip of the hot drink

“Please, call me Anne. I can tell that you’re someone very special to William. He talks about you so fondly.”

Buffy looked a little shy as she glanced at Spike.

He only gave her a smile.

“You two are welcome to stay here for as long as you need,” she commented, then had a sudden coughing fit.

Spike instantly went to her side. “Are you feeling okay?” he asked in concern.

Anne squeezed his hand. “I’ll be all right. I’m probably just coming down with a cold. You know how I can get around this time of year. Nothing to worry about.”

Spike didn’t seem that convinced, but he let it go.

“It’s just great to have my little pumpkin home.”

Spike’s face turned bright red. “Mum, not in front of Buffy,” he grumbled.

Buffy only smiled.

Anne laughed. “He always hates when I call him that,” she explained to Buffy, who kept the smile on her face.

“I think it’s cute.”

Spike blushed even harder.

She found it absolutely adorable when he did that.


* * * * *


Buffy and Spike were alone in his room later that night.

They were both lying in bed and kissing.

His hand suddenly slipped under her shirt.

Buffy pulled away to take a deep breath. “Spike, we can’t go any further tonight.”

“Why not?” he said with a pout.

Buffy had to stop thinking about what she wanted to do with that lip. “Your mother is a few doors down.”

Spike only shrugged and let a smile form on his face. “We can be very quiet. She wouldn’t even know.”

Buffy sighed and pushed away from him. “I would know. I would feel weird having sex in your mother’s house. Just like I would have felt weird having sex in an airplane bathroom. I’m not that kind of girl, Spike. Is that all you think about?”

He ran his fingers through his tousled hair. “I’m sorry, baby. That’s not all I think about. I would love you even if we never had sex.” A pause. “You’re not thinking about that, are you?”

Buffy slapped him playfully on his arm. “Hey, I never said I was a nun or anything. Just because I don’t like to do it certain places, doesn’t mean it’s never going to happen. I would just prefer it if we were alone. I mean really alone and not in your mother’s house. You are her little pumpkin after all,” she finished with a smirk.

Spike groaned and buried his head in his pillow. “I knew you wouldn’t have let it go that easily. My mother has ruined me.”

Buffy placed a kiss on the top of his head. “I still think it’s cute. My mom used to call me her little pumpkin belly and all kinds of embarrassing names when I was younger. Imagine how that felt.”

Spike looked up at her. “You miss them, don’t you?”

Buffy shrugged. “Maybe a little. I was finally starting to get along with Dawn. She’ll be going to high school soon and would probably need my help. I guess I miss my parents. My mom wasn’t all that bad. I just hope they understand why I had to leave.”

Spike nodded and caressed her cheek. “I’m sure they will, love. I’ll take you back to see them one day. I would never keep you away from your family.”

Buffy gave him a small smile. “I know you wouldn’t. I’m really glad I came here, Spike.”

He moved closer and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “I’m glad you’re here, too. We should probably get some sleep now. Mum will have us up early for breakfast.”

Buffy agreed and lay back in the bed.

Spike wrapped his arms around her.

She rested her head against his chest.

They both soon drifted off to a peaceful sleep.


* * * * *


Buffy woke up the next morning and noticed that Spike was still sound asleep. She didn’t have the heart to wake him, so she got off of the bed very carefully and walked out of the room. She headed to the kitchen to see Anne having what she figured was another cup of tea.

Anne smiled at her when she walked in. “Good morning, Buffy. How did you sleep?” she asked, pouring Buffy a cup and set it down on the table.

Buffy smiled as well and sat down across from her. “Very well, thank you,” she replied, taking a long sip.

“I don’t suppose my son would be up yet. He tends to sleep like the dead sometimes.”

Buffy laughed. “That he does. It was really nice of you to let me stay here.”

Anne grasped Buffy’s hand in hers. “Think nothing of it, child. You being here means a lot to William. I don’t think I have seen him smile this much in a long time. You are very good for him.”

Buffy felt her cheeks heat up at the gratitude Anne was giving her. “I really do love him.”

An even bigger smile graced Anne’s features. “I can tell that you do. You are much better than his last girlfriend. That Cecily Underwood, she was never good enough for my William. She broke his poor heart.”

Buffy wondered why Spike never mentioned that. “What happened? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Anne shook her head. “William has always been such a sensitive boy. He used to write poetry constantly and he always loved to read them to me. Most of the poems were about Cecily, but she never appreciated them. She talked him out of writing and convinced him to change if she was going to be with him. I still have an urge to throttle that woman if I ever saw her again. He changed and did basically anything she said, but it still wasn’t enough. I don’t know much about what happened. I only know that William came home one night heartbroken because he found Cecily with another man. After everything he did for her. He locked himself in his room for days after that. I was so worried about him. He pulled through and decided to move on. He wouldn’t let her destroy him. I never saw him serious about anyone else again, until you came into the picture. I want to thank you for what you’ve done for my son. He seems like his old self again.”

Buffy started to feel tears in her eyes. She couldn’t believe that anyone would treat Spike like that. He was the best thing that ever happened to her. She knew that she would never break his heart. He was hers now and nothing would ever change that.

Chapter 11

Buffy and Spike were out walking the streets of London about a month later.

She loved every minute that she got to spend with him and knew she could never have this freedom in Sunnydale. She has kept in touch with Dawn and her other friends, but she refused to talk to her parents. She didn’t think she was ready to face them yet. Buffy liked talking with Spike’s mother. She was a very kind and gentle person. Buffy found herself opening up to the woman. She only wished that she could have that same relationship with her own mother. She only had one worry at the moment. School would be starting again soon and she knew that she would have to go back to Sunnydale to finish her senior year. She wanted to graduate and maybe she could come back to England for college. She just didn’t think she could go back home and deal with the same rules. Things had to change if she was ever going to be able to live in that house again.

Buffy pushed all those thoughts away for the moment and instead focused on the man that was walking next to her. She saw that he was also deep in thought and wondered what he was thinking about. She pulled on his hand to get his attention. “Hey, what’s on your mind?” she said to break the silence.

He only gave her a small smile. “It’s nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about.”

“Come on, Spike. I know something’s bothering you.”

He let out a sigh and thought about what to say to her. “I’m just worried about what’s going to happen when I have to take you back. I know you can’t stay here forever, but I guess a part of me wishes you could.”

Buffy nodded. “I have to finish school, Spike. As much as I would love to stay here with you. It doesn’t have to be so bad, though. We’ll still be able to see each other and I can come back once I graduate.”

Spike didn’t seem convinced. “You really think your parents will let you continue to see me?”

Buffy took a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter. They can’t make my decisions for me anymore. I’m hoping the time that I spent away will help them realize that. They have to see that I’m an adult now and start treating me like one. No one will ever stop me from seeing you, Spike.”

He smiled and lowered his head to plant a sweet kiss on her lips. “I wouldn’t let them,” he told her with a wink. He took her hand in his and continued the walk in silence.


* * * * *


Spike and Buffy were headed back to the house about an hour later, when someone suddenly bumped into them.

The woman clearly wasn’t watching where she was going. “Oh, terribly sorry,” she said with a giggle. Her eyes bulged when she recognized Spike. “William, is that you? It’s been quite a while. You’re looking rather good these days.”

Buffy didn’t know who the woman was and the look on Spike’s face showed that it wasn’t someone he liked to see.

He only glared at her.

Buffy wondered why he looked so upset.

“I would say it’s good to see you, but then I would be lying.”

She managed to look a little ashamed. “I suppose I deserve that. Are you going to introduce me to your little friend?” she wondered, staring at Buffy.

Spike decided to introduce them, but kept the glare on his face. “This is Buffy, my girlfriend.”

She gave the woman a small smile, which quickly faded when Spike said the next part.

“Buffy, this is Cecily.”

She then felt anger inside of her when she realized this was the girl that Spike used to date. The one that broke his heart, but she decided to be civil for his sake. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said with a fake smile now.

Cecily looked her up and down, clearly not pleased with what she was seeing. She was shocked that Spike had a girlfriend and an American one at that. She didn’t even acknowledge Buffy and just turned her gaze back on Spike. “So, I see you’ve been busy.”

Spike nodded and put his arm around Buffy. “You could say that. We’ll just be going now. Oh, one more thing.” He moved closer to her. “I don’t appreciate you looking at Buffy like she’s beneath you. She’s a far better woman than you could ever be. It’s funny that I had to go all the way to America to figure that out. I guess England is just filled with heartless snobs that I would rather not associate with.”

Buffy had to smile at what Spike said, while Cecily looked outraged.

“How dare you speak to me like that! Do you have any idea who my father is?”

Spike rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe that he ever fell for her. “I know who your bloody father is and I could care less. You can’t depend on Daddy for the rest of your life. I never told you this, but you ending our relationship was the best thing that could have happened to me. It brought me to Buffy and I wouldn’t change that for anything in the world.”

Cecily was steamed.

Buffy could practically see the smoke coming out of her ears.

“You actually think this trollop is better than me? You must be out of your mind,” she spat.

Buffy looked like she was about to rip into her, but Spike shook his head and placed his hand on her arm. He only gave Cecily a look of pure malice. He wouldn’t let her get to him anymore.

“Have a nice life, Cecily,” he told her.

She glared at both of them and started to walk away.

Buffy had an idea and stepped on Cecily’s long skirt, causing it to fall down and reveal her white underwear.

Cecily was mortified and let out a scream. She pulled her skirt up and ran off, without even bothering to look back at them.

Buffy gave Spike an innocent look. “Oops, she really shouldn’t have been wearing that.”

Spike laughed and grabbed her hand, leading her in the other direction. “You really are an amazing woman, Summers.”

She shrugged. “I do what I can.”

They then continued the walk back to his house.


* * * * *


Buffy and Spike were smiling when they finally entered the house, only to stop when they saw Anne standing there with the phone in her hand.

Her attention was on Buffy. “There’s a young girl on the telephone for you.”

Buffy figured it was Dawn and took the phone from Anne, then walked into the living room to talk in private.

Spike smiled at his mother and couldn’t wait to tell her about what happened with Cecily. He was about to say something, until Buffy got off of the phone and joined them.

He was concerned when he saw the look on her face. “Love, what’s wrong?”

Buffy took a deep breath before she spoke. “It’s my dad. He’s...He’s in the hospital. Dawn said he was in a car accident.”

Spike noticed the tears in Buffy’s eyes and went over to give her a hug.

She wrapped her arms around him in return and buried her face in his chest.

He sighed and held her tighter.

It looked like they would be going back to Sunnydale sooner than they thought.

Chapter 12

They got on a plane the next day and headed to Sunnydale.

Buffy told Dawn that they would be coming.

The first thing they did when they arrived back in Sunnydale was go straight to the hospital.

Buffy knew that her family would be there. She was right when she found her mother and Dawn waiting by the room that she assumed her father was in. She walked over to them.

Dawn smiled and went to hug her sister.

Buffy reciprocated the embrace, then looked at her mother.

Joyce walked over to Buffy and gave her a hug as well.

Buffy hesitated a little before she returned it.

“I’m so glad you’re here, honey,” she whispered in her daughter’s ear.

Buffy only nodded.

Joyce pulled out of the hug. She then noticed Spike standing behind Buffy and graced him with a small smile.

He was surprised and smiled in return.

“How is he?”

Joyce brought her gaze back on Buffy. “He’s still unconscious. They don’t know how long he’ll be out. He has a minor head injury and some cuts and bruises, but nothing too serious. The doctor said he should be fine.”

Buffy sighed in relief at the news.

Joyce decided to change the subject and glanced back at the young man. “I’m sorry; I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Buffy introduced him. “Mom, this is Spike. He’s my boyfriend.”

Joyce smiled. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry about everything that happened. My husband can be a bit pigheaded. He just wants what’s best for Buffy.”

Spike nodded. “Well, that’s something we have in common then. I love your daughter, Mrs. Summers. She means everything to me.”

Joyce could tell how sincere he was. “I’m sure you do. I know Hank will come around. He’s a good man; he just tends to have a bad temper. He missed you terribly, Buffy.”

She started to feel guilty. “I’m sorry about leaving the way I did. I just had to get out for a while. I had to do what I wanted for a change.”

Her mother nodded in understanding. “You don’t have to explain anything to me. I was a young girl once myself. I just wish you would have talked to me, Buffy. I’m sorry if I made you think that you couldn’t.”

Buffy had tears in her eyes now. “I think I’m ready to talk,” she whispered.

Joyce gave her a watery smile. “I’m ready to listen,” she replied, hugging her daughter again. She was just grateful to finally have her home.


* * * * *


Buffy took a deep breath before she entered her father’s hospital room.

Spike was waiting with Joyce and Dawn, so she could have a private moment with Hank.

Buffy gasped at the sight of him. He looked so lifeless lying there. She took another breath and moved closer to him. She sat in the chair that was by the bed and took his clammy hand in hers. She didn’t know if he would be able to hear her, but she had to try. “I hate that we always fight, Daddy. I just wish you could see that I’m not a little kid anymore. I’m sorry for leaving like that, but you have to understand why I did it. I felt smothered in that house. Spike is a good man, Dad. I know you would like him if you just got to know him. You’ll see that he’s the perfect man for me. It doesn’t matter if he has money. The only thing that matters is that he has a good heart. He’ll always be there for me,” she whispered the last part and gripped her father’s hand tighter. She suddenly felt his fingers move, then looked up at his face to see that his eyes were now open and staring at her. She felt relieved when he gave her a smile.

“Angel face, you came back?”

Buffy felt more tears in her eyes now at the name that her father used to call her when she was little. “Yeah, I came back. How are you feeling?”

He let out a sigh. “Like I got hit by a truck. Nothing this old man can’t handle.”

Buffy had to laugh at that.

Hank then grew serious and gazed at his daughter, finally realizing that she was growing up. “I heard what you said, Buffy. I didn’t mean to make you feel that you had to run away. I haven’t been a very good father. I should have listened to you about what you wanted.”

Buffy nodded and felt that they were making some progress. “I want to come home, Daddy,” she said in a small voice, but she wasn’t finished. “I want to finish high school and be with my friends, but things are going to have to be different. I can’t live by your rules anymore. Spike is a part of my life now. I love him and that’s not going to change. I need to know that you can accept that.”

Hank gave her hand a squeeze. “I can see how much he means to you. I won’t stand in the way of that. I just want you home, princess. That’s all I care about.”

Buffy was relieved again and stood up to give her father a hug, trying not to hurt him.

He wrapped his arms around her.

“I love you, Daddy,” she whispered.

Hank felt tears in his eyes. He couldn’t believe how close he was to losing his daughter. “I love you, too.”

Buffy pulled out of the hug and wiped her eyes. “I’ll let you rest now. You can officially meet Spike when you’re feeling better.”

He agreed. “I would like that.”

Buffy placed a kiss on his cheek. She then left the room to join the rest of her family, which now included Spike.

Things were finally starting to look better.

Chapter 13

A few weeks went by and things were finally going well in Buffy’s life. She had an amazing boyfriend and her parents were actually supportive of the relationship.

They realized that they haven’t seen Buffy happy in a long time and they wouldn’t want to do anything to ruin that.

Hank was a changed man after he came out of the hospital. His near death experience caused him to look at life differently.

Buffy couldn’t be happier about the change, but not everything was perfect. She would soon be going back to school and wasn’t as thrilled about it as she was at the beginning of the summer. She knew that Spike would be going back to England in a few days and she tried not to look upset whenever she was around him. He had to give the apartment up that he was renting and Buffy was helping him pack some stuff. “Did anyone ever tell you that you have a lot of crap?”

Spike glared at her. “You’ll pay for that, Summers,” he said, chasing Buffy into the bedroom. He grabbed her and threw her on the bed. He then started to tickle her because he knew that was her weakness.

She laughed and tried to push his hands away, but he was stronger than her.

“Say I have nice stuff.”

Buffy tried to control herself long enough to talk. “Okay, you have nice stuff.”

Spike pulled his hands away and gave her a smile. “Good girl,” he responded and planted a kiss on her lips, then jumped off of the bed.

“You’re so evil,” she said with a pout.

“You better believe it, baby,” he responded, moving back into the living room.

Buffy let out a sigh and went to join him. She would really miss being with him everyday.

Spike sensed the change in her mood and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

She shook her head. “It’s nothing, I’m just gonna miss you.”

Spike smiled and kissed her on the nose. “Well, you don’t have to. There’s something I didn’t tell you. I guess now would be a good time.”

Buffy raised her eyebrows. “What did you do?”

Spike’s smile became even bigger. “I grew up in England and I’ve spent a lot of time there. I think a change is exactly what I need.”

Buffy still didn’t know what he was getting at.

He decided to clarify for her. “I talked it over with my mother and she agrees with me.” He grasped Buffy’s hand and gave it a squeeze, looking into her eyes before he spoke again. “I’ve decided to move here, Buffy. I bought a house about a few blocks away.”

Buffy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Are you serious? You’re really moving here?” she wondered with excitement in her voice.

Spike nodded. “I can’t be away from you, Buffy. What we have means everything to me and it’s not something that I’ve ever felt before. I couldn’t imagine being so far away from you.”

Buffy felt tears in her eyes and wrapped her arms around him.

He hugged her in return, kissing the top of her head.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this.”

Spike held her tighter. “I love you, Buffy.”

She pulled away to look at him. “I love you, too.” She then wondered about something else. “Won’t your mom need your help?”

Spike shook his head. “She has someone around that will be able to help her. She practically told me that I needed to do this. It’s about time I got out on my own, anyway. You made quite the impression on her. I think she’s already starting to see you as a daughter.”

Buffy blushed a little and knew that it was way too soon for them to think about marriage, but she couldn’t imagine herself being married to anyone else. “Well, we can always go back to visit. I loved it up there. Maybe a few years from now we can move there together. I really don’t see myself staying in Sunnydale past college.”

“We’ll do whatever you want.”

Buffy smiled. “I could really get used to this.” She gave him another hug and rested her head against his chest. She still couldn’t believe everything that happened to her the last few months. It was definitely a summer that she will never forget.


* * * * *


Spike rolled off of Buffy and wrapped his arms around her.

She was breathing hard and laid her head on his chest. “That was amazing,” she said, trying to catch her breath.

They were lying in Spike’s room at his new house. There were boxes that still needed to be dealt with, but they had more important things to do first.

“Amazing doesn’t even begin to cover it. It’s hard to imagine that you were a virgin when I met you.”

Buffy slapped him lightly on the arm. “I happen to be a fast learner.”

Spike smiled and placed a kiss on the top of her sweaty head. “Of course you are, love. Are you tired yet?”

Buffy looked up at him. “You’re not seriously thinking about going again? I’m not a machine, Spike.”

He laughed and buried his face in her neck. “I wasn’t suggesting that. I was just wondering if you’re ready to sleep. We have more unpacking to do tomorrow.”

Buffy groaned and made herself more comfortable, with her head back on his chest. “Yeah, sleep is definitely of the good right about now.” She let out a yawn to prove her point.

Spike pulled her closer and watched as she started to doze off. He smiled at his angel and couldn’t believe that she was really his. It still felt like everything was a dream. He made himself more comfortable as well and thought about everything that has changed. Buffy was his whole world now and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He couldn’t wait to share his life with her. He let a smile form on his face and finally drifted off to sleep, with thoughts of what the future held in his head.

It would definitely be an incredible journey.

The End


I’m sure you guys weren’t expecting it to end already, but that’s all I have. I did say it wasn’t a long story and I’m working on two others right now that I would like to finish. Thanks to those that reviewed. I really appreciated all of the comments=)