The first thing the Scoobies heard in the morning was the sound of several doors slamming and footsteps running towards the stairs. Still in battle mode, they quickly awoke and ran for their own doors, braced for an attack.
Flinging open her door, with Riley just behind her Faith stopped at the bright almost giddy grins on the Phoenix crew as they moved like children on Christmas morning. They were all still in their pj’s and while they glanced at her, they didn’t say a word. “What’s up?”
Gunn and Doyle easily ignored her question and the others looks, this was what they considered an every man for himself situation.
Wes felt the same way, yet he was about to suck it up and be the mature one. Thankfully his dear sweet Fred, motioned for him to go on. “I love you.” Wes said reverently, placing a quick kiss on her hand before continuing to the stairway at a fast clip.
“If it was quiet you’d hear the singing.” She said bashfully, not meeting anyone’s eyes. Laughing softly, she realized they had no idea what that meant. “When Buffy sings it means there’s gonna be a big breakfast and well…ya’ll have tasted her cookin’ so you know its really good.”
Xander was pretty sure Buffy didn’t cook but now he definitively smelt something delicious. Grabbing Anya’s hand, he decided this was one ‘emergency’ situation that he was qualified to check out. “So Fred what kind of food are we talking about here?” he asked as he and Ahn, reached her by the stairwell.
“We always get a traditional Irish breakfast, eggs, rashers, sausage, potatoes you know the basics.” Fred said, before licking her lips and getting an almost enraptured look on her lovely face. “But if she’s singin’ it means she also made the sweet stuff. Thick and fluffy griddle cakes covered in powdered sugar, caramel sticky buns and raisin scones with clotted cream and jam.”
“And you hung around to fill us in!” Xander said quickening his pace; right away deciding this shy young woman was going to be his newest best friend.
“She always makes more than enough but darn it, it’s just better when its right out of the oven.” Fred confided with a bright grin. “Besides, this way Wesley will owe me one.”
Turning into the large dining area that Buffy had broken up and made more homey by adding several small tables that could be pulled together depending on how many people were there instead of just using one massive and medieval table; Xander could see the heaping plates of food and swallowed thickly. “You all do this every morning?” He asked taking a seat beside Doyle.
“Aye, not always the sticky stuff but Buffy makes sure we eat and its always good.” Doyle said, passing over the plates so the couple could help themselves. “Its rare for one of us to miss a meal.”
“Ah, you’ve figured out my insidious plot.” Buffy said with a wry smile as she carried in another plate of rich golden eggs and the other platter was piled high with pancakes that looked soft enough to use as pillows. “If I didn’t cook, you all would never be around.”
“Damn B…” Faith muttered as she and the others made their way into the room.
With his own plate full, Xander’s first bite was of the bun just oozing with thick caramel and the moment it melted on his tongue, his body signaled pure unadulterated pleasure on an almost carnal level.
“Are you alright?” Riley asked as he sit down in the chair across from him.
“Dear sweet goddess of gooey goodness, thank you.” Xander said like a prayer before closing his eyes and sighing in appreciation. This was a thousand times better than the Scooby tradition of donuts and espresso, he thought wishing he lived here full time.
“Told ya, pretty good huh.” Fred said before taking a huge bite of her own bun.
Outraged, Xander began to sputter like a toddler on a sugar high. “Twinkies are good, apples are good but this…this is the pinnacle of deliciousness.”
“I couldn‘t have said it better myself.” Giles said after nipping into a scone with fresh cream.
“Thanks guys, everyone eat up there‘s plenty.” Buffy said almost absently, as she brought in extra napkins and silverware. Spotting Angel standing in the doorway, despite the fact the others had seated themselves, she waved him inside. “Don’t be shy Angel, there’s goodies for the undead too. So sit down and I’ll bring it out.”
“I don’t want to disturb anyone.” He said, wishing his taste buds could appreciate the spread before him but simply happy to smell the scents from his past. He had no idea how many times he’d woken up as a child to meals like this and even as a drunken lout, he always managed to be up by nine in order to eat.
“Nonsense, Spike always eats with us, so we’re all used to morning bumpies.” Buffy said, walking over to him and more or less dragging him to the table and forcing him to sit. She remembered he’d always been ashamed of his vampiric nature and since she still cared for him as a friend, it was time to teach him to accept himself just as he was. “Besides, I do things with animal blood that could convince the devil to brown bag it.”
“Buffy, you’ve already cooked enough for an army, I don’t want you to go to any trouble on my account.” He said sincerely, taking her special attention as a good sign.
“Ffft, everyone in this building eats and if you keep arguing maybe a piggy could help you change your mind.” She said sweetly, her face the very picture of stubborn innocence.
Wincing, Angel nodded, having no desire for another visit from those things.
“Listen to the lady mate, the girl is Martha Stewart for the dead.” Spike said strolling into the room. Last night he realized that if Angel hadn’t been a complete idiot he’d have never met Buffy in Paris. So in a round about way Angel had given him a precious gift and as long as the blighter minded his manners, he’d return the favor.
“What could she possibly do with blood?” Angel asked easily, sticking to his own plan. Until the real Spike came out, he fully intended to make it appear like he accepted everything. No more cutting remarks, just a graceful concession that was anything but sincere.
Walking back into the room with a large metal carafe that restaurants used to keep coffee hot, Buffy handed each vampire a mug and sit it down between them. “Now you two keep this on this end of the table…we so don’t want to make that mistake again.” She said lightly, before once again heading back into the kitchen.
Playing the part of the genial host, Spike poured Angel’s cup before filling his own. In an effort to be polite but not overly enthusiastic Angel brought the cup to his lips and nearly had the same reaction as Xander.
“Right good isn’t it.” Spike said with a slight smirk. “Almost as good as Slayers blood.”
“What is it?” Angel asked, suddenly wishing he had asked before getting that first taste. Spike could say it was virgin blood and he’d finish drinking it.
“The girls a bloody terror when she gets her mind wrapped around something and she decided to make blood cocktails.” Spike said before grabbing the box of Wheatabix off the table and putting some in his own mug. “The first few were bloody terrible but then she got to thinking about why her blood tasted so good. So after she had me describe it like it was a bleeding sundae, she and Fred got online and started ordering fresh blood from those hunting farms. You know those places where anyone with enough money can show up a bag themselves some big game without any effort. So what you’ve got there is pig, bear and deer. The girls figured the blood from another predator would give it the right amount of kick and that the deer would add in the right amount of wildness then she threw in a bit of burba weed to spice it up.”
Hearing them, Fred leaned back in her chair so she could join their conversation without interrupting the ones going on around her. “Its not even that expensive to make since they have no real use for the blood anyway. Buffy got them to agree to an yearly fee and shipping. Since we have a walk in freezer we save money by ordering in bulk so by the time you break it all down, it’s actually cheaper than cows blood at the butchers.”
Angel was sincerely impressed but he was certainly going to miss it when he got home. Reading his face, Buffy who had returned and sat down beside Spike, gave him a knowing smile. “If you want we can run by the store and pick you up one of those really big ice chests and you can take some home. One bag is enough to satisfy, so you could easily get a few months worth in one trip and since you know where we are, you can always come back for more.”
Giving her a warm smile, Angel nodded his thanks. “But I insist on paying you for it.”
“The hell you will, you’re family.” Spike said not sure who he shocked more with that statement, Buffy or Angel. Lowering his voice so only one with Slayer or vampire hearing would pick it up, he explained. “I won’t say we’ll ever be friends Angel, cause I doubt a few centuries worth of pissing contests can just be forgotten but you’re still family.”
Angel almost came back with a sarcastic retort but the touched look in Buffy’s eyes, had him remembering his plan. “To family then William.” Angel said raising his glass in a toast, one in which the others quickly joined in on.
“To family.” They all repeated, that single gesture of coming together reminding them all why they fought and what they stood to lose.
“You nervous pet.” Spike asked running his hand over Buffy’s as they drove back to Sunnydale. Because of the sun, he, Angel and Buffy were in the back of the large van Phoenix had purchased for situations just like this and even without their physical closeness he would have felt her unease through the claim.
“No, anxious but not exactly nervous.” Buffy admitted with a self-depreciating grin. “Been awhile since I played for all the marbles you know. I’ve gotten fat and lazy.”
Running his hands up and down her sides, hitting all her ticklish spots, he gave her a critical look. “Your still a tiny little bint and since you do more work than ten people, the lazy comment is out as well.”
Ignoring the last half of his comment, she looked down at her body before looking back up at him. “Are you saying I’m too skinny?”
Realizing he’d put his foot in it, he gave her the warm smile that usually had her forgiving him. “Every inch of you is beautiful; I could spend the rest of my life just basking in your warmth.”
It was exactly the right thing to say but since he was really good at that, she rolled her eyes and held back the dopey smile struggling to break free. “You just don’t want to sleep on the sofa.”
“That’s fine with me luv, might be a bit uncomfortable for the two of us but if it’s what you want.” He shot back, knowing from the subtle change in her scent that his first comment had the desired effect.
“You’re impossible.” Buffy said with a light laugh, resting her cheek against his shoulder.
“M’ evil, what do you expect?” He teased, slipping his arm around her out of habit. It was like his entire was programmed to respond to her in any given situation. At her look, he let out a deep sigh. “Or just the kinda naughty…damn it woman might as well get you a leash to lead me about on.”
Getting a wicked gleam in her eyes, the scent of her arousal had both vampires sucking in an unneeded breath. “That’s it, the hell bitch is going down, I got stuff to buy and a big bad to dominate.”