“Spike?”  Buffy blinked blearily.  “What are you doing down there?”

“What do you mean what am I doing down here?  You’ve just socked me in the bloody nuts.”

“I’ve what?”

With a groan, Spike crawled back on the bed.  “I’m guessing you didn’t do it on purpose?”  He groaned again as her small hand rested lightly on his throbbing balls. 

“Now why would I, after the things they did last night?” 

Spike didn’t need to see to know there was a wicked gleam in her eyes.

“Well they’re not up to much now…not after the bashing they’ve just suffered.  Have to say it wasn’t the best way to wake up.”  He pushed his lips out into a pout that Buffy promptly kissed.

“Better go say I’m sorry.” 

She wriggled beneath the covers until her hot breath blew on his tender flesh.

“I hope you’re really, really sorry,” said Spike, a grin threatening to split his face in two.

In reply, Buffy licked the head of his now quivering erection.  Spike’s hands found her sleep-tousled hair, his fingers twisting through it as Buffy worked on bringing him to completion.

Laughing at the sight of Spike lying as if boneless when she emerged from the covers, Buffy snuggled against his side.

“Feeling better now?”

“Hell, yes. Give me a minute and I’ll return the favour.”

“It’s okay, you can owe me one. I don’t want to miss my breakfast.”

“Thought you’d just had it.”  Spike hauled her on top of him, laughing.

“Spike!”  She slapped ineffectually at his hands, but his grip around her waist was relentless. 

When she stopped struggling, he eased his grasp and began to tickle instead.  Buffy shrieked, begging him to stop.  He ceased only when she gasped for breath.

“Don’t suppose breakfast in bed was included in the deal you struck with Fred, was it?”

Buffy shook her head.  “No, sorry.  It’s got to be taken in the restaurant.  But if you really don’t want to…I won’t tell.”

“No, we’ll go down.”  He grinned.  “I reckon sitting there letting people know I spent the night with you won’t do my ego any harm.”

“Same here.”

Sobering, Spike asked, “Really?”

“Really.  Spike, you must know you’re hot looking.”

“But—”

“Intelligent.”

“But—”

“Fun to be with.”

“But—”

“And, it has to be said, an amazing lover.”

He quirked a brow.  “Amazing, huh?”

“I thought that one would shut you up.  I know what you were going to say, and if you think it matters to me, then perhaps I’d better leave now.” 

“I can tell by the tone of your voice you don’t mean to leave.”

“Damn…see I can’t even hide my emotions from you.”

Spike grinned and shrugged.  “Nope.  I can tell when you’re smiling.  Like now.”  His fingers reached up and traced the outline of her lips.  “You’re so beautiful.”

“Quit it!  Or we’ll never get down to breakfast.”

They did make breakfast – just.  A joint shower proved to take a little longer than anticipated and Buffy blushed at the sideways glances they attracted as they took a table.  It was obvious what they’d been up to just moments before.

“Hope they do a fry-up here,” said Spike rubbing his hands together. 

“They do scrambled eggs and bacon.”

He grimaced.  “Haven’t had a proper breakfast since I left England.”

“Ugh, all that grease.  How can you even think of eating that stuff?”

“I’m English.  It’s genetic.  We like greasy breakfasts, warm beer, and football.  Our kind, not the sort where you have to wear a sodding helmet.”

“You make England sound so attractive.”  Buffy chuckled and reached out to touch his hand just as the waitress approached.

“Are you ready to order yet?”

Spike squeezed Buffy’s fingers.  “What do you want?”

“I think I’ll have pancakes, please.  With maple syrup.”

“And sir?”

“I’ll have the same.”

“Certainly, sir.  Any drinks?”

Buffy opted for juice and Spike decided on a cup of tea.  When the waitress walked away, Buffy apologised for not reading out the menu, but Spike waved her off.

“’S okay, love.  I wouldn’t have said pancakes if I didn’t fancy some.”

When their breakfasts arrived they chatted amiably as they ate.  Buffy teased him about calling her love, and Spike tried to explain it away as a term used in England even to total strangers.  She didn’t believe him. 

“Don’t want to go back to Sandar…not after being here with you.”  Spike dipped his head, his fingers pushing the cutlery this way and that.

“It’s only another week and then you’ll be home.  Oz can’t wait to play you a couple of new songs he’s written, and to get you back on stage playing your guitar.”

He rubbed his fingertips together.  “Fred said if I want to be able to read Braille I need to cut down on how much I play due to the calluses that it causes.”

“Oh.”  Buffy didn’t know what else to say.  She knew how much he loved his guitar, but she also knew how much he missed being able to read.

“Yeah, sucks, doesn’t it?  But with all the gizmos you can get for the computer, I reckon not being able to read Braille very well won’t matter so much.”

“And there’ll always be me…”

Spike raised his head sharply at her words, and Buffy would have sworn those blue eyes really met hers as he gaped at her.

“Always, huh?” he said, his voice a little croaky.

“Does that sound too long for you?”

He shook his head and twisted his fingers through hers.  “Sounds great.”

Reluctantly, they left the hotel fifty minutes later.  Buffy gave Spike a ride to Sandar Lodge before heading back to Sunnydale.  Standing there, listening to the sound of the car’s engine slowly fade away, Spike realised how truly lucky he still was.  He flicked out his cane and walked slowly up to his room.

*~*~*~*

The last day at Sandar had everyone in a party mood.  The hurdles the people on the course had faced on their arrival had, for the most part, been overcome.  Everyone went to pack their bags after breakfast, and were then going to congregate in the lounge. 

“I suppose being used to having to keep things so neat in the army means it’s sort of second nature for you to be organised now,” Spike said to Riley as he fumbled on the floor for a sock he’d dropped.  “I used to be a right messy git.  Now look at me.”

They no longer reacted badly to words like look and see, as they had when they’d arrived. Riley laughed and zipped his case shut.

“Yeah.  You’re real organised.  How long have you been trying to find that sock?”

“Sod off,” Spike said it without heat, a smile playing at his lips.  “You know you could help me rather than standing there all smug.”

“Well now, if I moved, then you’d be sure to find it.”

Spike straightened up.  “What do you mean?” 

Laughing louder, Riley shifted his foot and flicked the sock towards Spike hoping it would hit him.  It did.  “Means I’ve had my foot on it since you dropped it.”

“You git.”  Spike bent to pick the offending item and shoved it in his suitcase.  “So when are you going to tell me where you’re going when you leave here?”

“It’s been bugging you all week, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah.  Just don’t know why it’s the big secret.  I told you if you were stuck you could come stay with me for a while.”

“I know and I’m grateful, but I’ve got something planned, just don’t want to say anything until it’s all confirmed.”

“Fair enough.”  Spike shrugged.  “Suppose we’d better go down.  One thing’s for sure, I’m not going to miss being around bloody Ted.”

“I pity his poor wife.”

“Ugh!  Don’t!  I’m having images in my head I really don’t want to see.”

The pair was still chuckling as they entered the lounge. 

“Ah…here they are,” said Fred as soon as she saw them.  “Spike there’s a chair to the left and Riley if you can come up to me.” 

Spike plonked himself down in his chair, wondering why Riley was going up with Fred. 

Fred smiled as she watched the tall man walk towards her with his head held high, no longer hunching over to try to become as invisible to the sighted as they were to him.  His confidence had grown, though he still had a ways to go before he’d be totally at ease with those he knew could see his scars, despite his habitual use of dark glasses.

She took his hand when she reached him.  “For a time now, we’ve been searching for another member of staff.  Someone who can identify on a personal level, just what our new intake are going through, and I’m delighted to say that Riley has agree to join the team here at Sandar.  He’ll be living on site in one of the cabins in the grounds, and I’m certain he’ll be a great addition to the team here at Sandar Lodge. 

Riley, would you like to say something?”

“Er…well…”

“Get on with it!” Spike yelled, causing everyone to laugh and tell him to be quiet in equal measures.

Riley grinned.  “When I came to Sandar, I felt my life had no meaning any more – no purpose.”  Several nodded their heads and murmured their understanding.  “But I realised my life is not over.  Okay, it’s changed dramatically, but it can still be good.  I can still be useful.  When Fred approached me about joining the staff, I didn’t have to think too long before I said yes.  I know the affect being here has had on me and you guys too, so to be a part of that…to help people when maybe they’re feeling lost or worthless, that’s got to be a great way to earn a living.”

Applause rang out around the room when he finished speaking, and the others got to their feet to go over to congratulate him.  Spike waited until Riley made his way over to where he knew Spike was sitting.

“I’m pleased for you, mate.  I really am.”  Spike reached out to touch Riley’s arm, but grunted as the big man pulled him into a hug.  “I’m English – we don’t hug! Gerrof me you great lummox!” 

Riley released his hold on him with a chuckle.  “So do you think you’ll come back to visit, or once you’re free of this place is that it – never coming back?”

“I’ll come back now.  And you’ll have to come over to good ole Sunnyd, yeah?  Maybe come listen to the Dingoes play?”

“That’d be cool.”

“Right, enough of the male bonding shit…I thought Fred said there was going to be cake?” Spike said.

“For someone as skinny as you, you sure do eat an awful lot of sugary foods.” 

“Firstly, I am not skinny, I prefer athletic.”

“I bet you do,” muttered Riley.

“What was that?”  Spike frowned.

“Oh, nothing.  Go on.  I have a feeling there was more…there usually is.”

“Hey!  Cut it out! And I was going to say you sound like my bloody mother.” 

“Gee, thanks.”

“Can we go find the cake now?”

Shaking his head, Riley walked next to Spike as they went to find the table laden with food.

*~*~*~*

“You’re what?”  Drusilla’s shrill voice rang out. Her promise to Rupert to allow Spike time to settle in without smothering him or arguing with him broke with an almost audible snap.  “You can get that idea out of your head, right this instant!  I will not allow it.”

Spike sighed, folded his arms across his chest and said, “Mum.  I’ve made my decision.  Nothing you say will make me change my mind.  I’d really like your support, but I’m going to do it whether you give it or not.”

“It’s that place, isn’t it?  This is all their fault.  If you’d never gone there—”

“You’re right.  If I’d never gone there, I wouldn’t have been capable of doing this.  You should be pleased for me.  Hell, it’s not as if I said I was going back to London.”

Dru threw her arms in the air.  “Oh, please, promise me you’ll stay close by.  I couldn’t bear it…”

“It’s okay.  I want to stay local.  But closer to town.”  He let his arms fall to his sides.  “Can’t you be happy for me, Mum?  I’m nearly twenty-five.  I should have my own place.  I need my own place.”

Closing the space between them in two long strides, Drusilla enveloped Spike in a hug.  “Promise me if it doesn’t work out, that you’ll come home.  That you won’t be too proud to admit it.”

He wrapped his arms around his mother’s small waist.  “I promise.  But it will work out.”  Spike thought of Buffy.  “It has to work out.”

He needed to prove to himself that he wouldn’t be a burden for Buffy if they had a future together, and getting his own place was part of that.

Drusilla cupped his face in her palms.  “You will always have a home here, no matter what.”  She kissed her son’s forehead, moving her hands to grasp one of his.  “And you must spend the holidays here, and…”

Grinning, Spike allowed her to lead him out of his room and into the garden.  Perhaps she hadn’t actually said it, but his mother had let him know in her own odd way, that he had her blessing.