Buffy woke to the most incredible feeling. A cool blanket wrapped around her heated skin, leaving little trails of icy fire where it touched. She felt safe, protected and precious. The source of her feelings was quickly apparent. Spike. His arms were wrapped around her, their legs were intertwined, and Buffy’s face was pressed into the crook of his neck. She inhaled the scent of him, there was nothing like it. She let out a contented sigh and tightened her grip on him. The hitch in his breathing told Buffy that he was awake.
Reluctant to pull away from this most amazing embrace Buffy pulled herself up to lean on her elbow, so she could look at his face. The candles had all burnt out, and his eyes were bright in the dim light of the room, a small smile played around his lips.
Lost in the beauty of his face Buffy could only say “Hey you”, in a breathy voice.
Spike leant his forehead into hers, overwhelmed with having had her in his arms all night. He had hardly slept, just watched her, taking in every detail of face when it was lost in dreams. He didn’t understand the power this Slayer was starting to have over him, the feelings she was beginning to inspire. If he was honest it scared him, and he was not easily scared. He knew he should cut and run, get out now before either of them became more entangled, but instead he’d lain there and watched her sleep, hoping that the night would last forever.
“Mornin pet. Sleep well?”
All he got was an inarticulate sound of pleasure, which was more than enough confirmation for him.
“I don’t want you to move slayer, in fact I was tempted to glue you in that position, but maybe you should think about headin home before your mum wakes up.”
Buffy groaned. “God, yeah, she’ll go nuts if she finds my bed empty. Urgh. I don’t want to move.”
Spike sighed, he didn’t want her to move either, but there was not getting away from the fact she had to. He figured the best way was to make the transition quick, like pulling off a band aid.
So he pushed her off the couch.
She fell heavily, letting out a load humph.
She rolled over, and from her position on the floor she glared at him, “Thanks.”
Spike stuck his tongue out at her, “You’re welcome slayer, thought I’d better get you moving before I changed my mind and chained you up here.”
Buffy jumped up and smacked his arm, hard. “There will be no chaining. Ever.”
Spike shot her a wicked grin, “Really slayer? I think you might like it.”
Buffy blushed despite herself. “Pig”.
Spike oinked happily, but got off the sofa to pull her back into his arms.
Buffy clutched back at him, and said in a less sulky voice, “FYI, that’s not my favourite way to get up in the morning.”
Spike chuckled, “I’ll remember that Slayer. Next time you stay I’ll be sure to get you off more pleasantly.”
His innuendo did nothing but make Buffy fervently wish it was the next time she was staying. As it was, the sun was beginning to rise outside, so she drew away from him, and after a lingering kiss, which made her bones melt and her skin crackle with electricity, she made her way reluctantly home.
Buffy had snuck in, snuck into bed and fallen back asleep to delicious Spike daydreams.
As much as she wanted things to go further with Spike she had only had sex once before, and it had ended in such a disastrous way that it had added to her insecurities, not taken them away. She knew it would be different with Spike. She trembled to think how different it would be, but she wasn’t entirely ready. If he had pushed things she would have done it, as lost in sensation as he made her feel, but he hadn’t. She suspected he could feel her hesitation and was holding back until she was ready. That thought made her fall even deeper. Just because they hadn’t gone past kissing in reality however, didn’t mean she couldn’t fantasise about what it might be like when they did. Her fantasies came thick and fast when she was alone. She was having a particularly good one, involving the chains Spike had casually mentioned, when it was rudely interrupted far too soon by the ringing of the phone.
With many a grumble Buffy answered. It was Giles, and he was frantic. The werewolf hair, which he had plucked from the victim’s bodies, was missing. Giles was adamant that he had put them in a polythene bag, and secured them in the draw of his desk, but when he went to get them this morning they were gone.
Buffy was concerned, it wasn’t like Giles to lose things, and if they were going to track this werewolf down before it could kill again they needed those hairs.
Buffy promised to be over as soon as she could, Giles said he’d ring the other scoobies and Spike, and keep looking in the mean time.
By the time Buffy arrived at Giles apartment he had turned it upside down. He looked confused and dishevelled. “Buffy, I’ve looked everywhere”, he waved his arms frantically at the mess, “And their gone, absolutely bloody gone!”
Buffy patted him soothingly on the arm. “Don’t worry Giles, we’ll find them, and if we don’t we’ll figure out some other way to find the werewolf” Buffy noticed a few books that had been thrown haphazardly around. When she pointed them out to Giles his anguished cry of ‘good lord!’, and the way he ran around picking them up and putting them so carefully away almost made Buffy laugh out loud.
Buffy helped him straighten things back up, and by time the others arrived some semblance of order had been restored.
Xander groaned when he found out about the loss of the hairs, foreseeing that it would mean a lot more research. Willow went a little pink and mumbled about what a shame it was, before going to make tea.
Spike arrived and Buffy resisted her instant urge to go kiss him in welcome. He was not so good at resisting his urges and slapped her on the behind when the others backs were turned. She glared at him, but he just shrugged in a ‘so sue me’ gesture which made her smile.
Spike refused to see the loss of the hairs as an obstacle. Buffy was quickly learning that Spike was not one for brooding on problems he was too busy finding solutions. It was probably why he’d survived as long as he had despite his more than occasional recklessness.
Spike commandeered the comfiest armchair, throwing one of his legs casually over the arm, and enjoying the fact that Xander had a far less relaxing seat, and was told off by Giles for propping his feet up on the coffee table. Spike let everyone put forward their suggestions before he spoke up. “Bein a demon myself I can sense other demons, if I got close enough to the werewolf in human form I’d be able to tell.”
Xander snorted. “And that’s useful how?”
Spike raised an eyebrow, “And you’re useful how?”
Giles shifted uneasily, clearly not wanting to speak up but feeling that he should, “Uh, I think what Xander was trying to say, badly of course, was that it isn’t really possible for you to approach every resident of Sunnydale.” When Spike glared he added hastily, “I mean, of course you could but possibly not in the time limit. There might be an easier way?”
Spike sighed. “Well, I hadn’t actually finished what I was going to say before GI Idiot chimed in. It would take me a while, and a lot of runnin around to find the werewolf in amongst all the little Sunnydale happymeals, but there are other demons who specialise in jobs like this, would be able to do it a lot quicker. I know one in particular.”
Giles had straightened with interest. Xander was in a strop. Buffy was listening avidly. Willow had paled and was shredding some paper between her fingers.
I know this Jag’noth demon, nice bird. Her kind are as similar in looks to humans as Vamps, and generally a peaceable lot. Don’t cause no trouble unless they’re troubled, but their senses are enhanced, I’m talkin real enhanced. They quite often get hired by other demons, or even humans, as trackers. Some make a business of pretending to be psychics or what not, help the police track down killers and that. The one I’m friendly with, Anna, she doesn’t usually work for anyone, works by her own agenda.”
Buffy had bristled at his calling this Anna a ‘nice bird’, and though resenting her mindless jealousy over every woman Spike had known, couldn’t help snapping, “So why do you think she’ll help us with this case?”
Spike didn’t react to her attitude beyond a barely hidden grin. “Well, in this case slayer our agendas cross. She had a mate see, we used to hit the bars together years back. He was a good mate. But he... he was killed by a werewolf. Ten years ago now. Since then her mission has been to track down werewolves and kill them. She’s ruthless, makes an art of it.”
“That’s horrible.” Willows voice was small and strained.
Spike shrugged. “Not really Red, her methods might be a little violent, but she’s riding the world of killers in the same way the slayer does. And one day she hopes to find and kill the wolf who took her heart from her. I can’t judge her for that.”
Willow looked at Spike with eyes that seemed to him to be a little pleading. “But what if some werewolves don’t want to kill, but can’t control themselves? Do they deserve to die?”
No one else saw anything odd in tender hearted Willow’s question, but Spike saw something behind her eyes which he couldn’t quite make out. He decided to watch her a little more closely from now on, he had the feeling the timid redhead was hiding something. “Well, she doesn’t kill wildly. She knows some werewolves, would never think of harming them, cos they stop themselves from harming others. Anna only goes to areas where they’re have been reported killings, ones clearly wolf related. She tracks the werewolf, or wolves. Watches, waits. If they prove to be beyond control, unrepentant, she takes care of them. She saves far more lives than she takes Red.”
Buffy and Giles shared a look; they were both unsure of the dubious sounding morality of the werewolf hunter. Buffy resented Spikes assertion that this Anna was like her, ridding the world of killers. To Buffy’s mind it was black and white simplicity. All soulless vampires were evil, and therefore dustable. They were equal in their evil disgusting thingness. Spike and Angel had souls and were, therefore, the only exceptions to the rule. This Anna killed some werewolves, but didn’t kill others, just because she was friends with them, or thought they didn’t kill people or whatever. That was an entirely too gray way of thinking for Buffy. Either all of them were evil mindless creatures or none of them were, and considering the violent deaths werewolves caused Buffy was inclined to think the former of them. Buffy noticed that Willow also seemed unconvinced, though where this sympathy for werewolves was coming from she simply couldn’t imagine.
After, to Xanders way of thinking, far too much further discussion and research it was decided that Spikes information was the only thing they really had to go on. As reluctant as Giles was to have this demon woman brought in to help there didn’t seem to be another way.
“So Spike, how would we get hold of this uh Anna person if we wanted to enlist her services?”
Spike had been bored with the book focused turn the day had taken, and the absolute lack of slayer kissing opportunities he had had, so he had been dozing in the chair idly. Well, that had been what it looked like to everyone else. The fact that he had been often watching Willow through heavy lidded eyes had not been observed by anyone, including Willow herself. Spike noted with interest that she seemed to be lost in thought, unpleasant thought, the majority of the time, and had been chewing on her nails in obvious worry. She had alternated this with rapid flicking through dusty textbooks. Spike got the distinct impression she hadn’t been looking for the same kind of information as everybody else. Interesting.
He answered Giles though, as soon as he’d been addressed. “The last I heard of her she was livin in LA, but that was a couple of years back. If I headed up there and made enquiries I could find her, no worries.”
Giles sighed, “Then, If you wouldn’t mind, I think the sooner you find her the better, we don’t seem to be able to come up with an alternative plan.”
Buffy had been following the brief exchange with avid interest. She so didn’t want Spike trotting off the LA. She waved the musty book she was holding around. “Giles, I really don’t think we’ve given the research enough of a go.”
Giles choked on his tea, “You- uh you want to do more research Buffy? You?”
Buffy was affronted, especially when Spike laughed and even Xander snorted. “Yes me! I’m all with the research and stuff. Call me research girl. We can totally find a non-demon-werewolf-hunter solution if we just stick with the books and the weird demonic-y text things.”
Willow looked up hopefully, “Yeah Giles, I agree with Buffy.” Buffy didn’t see the hope, only saw her best friend sticking up for her, but Spike didn’t miss it.
Giles had saucer eyes, “Well Buffy, as pleased as I am about your new attitude towards research, and as long time coming as it has been, I still feel it would be best for Spike to go make enquiries. We can carry on researching in the mean time, and if we find a more suitable solution we will, of course, use that. Spike, when would you be able to leave?”
Spike gave his slayer a little smile before he answered. “Can go tonight Rupes, might as well get there and back as quick as eh? That is if the slayer doesn’t mind?”
Buffy frowned at him, and at the room in general. “Fine.”
To Giles consternation the girl who had professed her desire to research only seconds before now threw his book (with absolutely no respect for its damaged binding) onto the table and sprang to her feet.
“If Spikes going to head off tonight we’d better do a quick patrol now, make sure the apocalypse isn’t gonna rear its ugly head while he’s gone.”
Giles looked the bright sky through his window, and then at his watch. “Buffy, It’s only just now 2 o clock. In the afternoon. I really don’t think patrolling now would – “
Buffy cut him off. “You’re right Giles. It’s the afternoon. But you’re forgetting, apocalypses are tricky things, they sneak up on you when you least expect them. Like on a summers afternoon. I don’t think we should run the risk of ignoring this very real possibility.”
Before Giles could protest further Spike stood up. “I think the slayer’s right Rupes. I mean, who ever said the apocalypse could only come at night? In fact we’ve been pretty stupid, sittin around here eating junk food all complacent like, when the world could be right about to end. Can’t believe I didn’t see the sense in it before, an afternoon apocalypse would be far more bloody sensible. No need for candles, plenty of virgins waltzing around waiting to be sacrificed,” Spike looked pointedly at Xander, “All those ice cream trucks which could potentially contain whirling portals to other dimensions. The afternoon is the soddin perfect apocalypse time.”
Buffy knew Spike well enough to know he was using his teasing voice. Giles, as it turned out, did not. So while Spike and Buffy exchanged grins Giles was wiping his glasses and clearly thinking hard. “You know Spike you're absolutely right. I don’t know why I didn’t think about it before. It’s madness to assume that danger will only come at night. Utter madness. You two had better patrol at once. And we really should make it a regular thing. But then what about the mornings? Surely they’re a dangerous time too...”
Sensing a Giles ramble coming on Buffy quickly said good bye, and, after assuring Giles that he would ring him once he’d got to LA and had news, Spike did likewise.
Once they were out in the balmy air Buffy slipped her hand into Spikes. He held on to it tightly, and swung their arms around in a jaunty manner.
Buffy laughed. “Hope you didn’t mind me getting us out of there, just figured that if you’re abandoning me to run off to LA it might be fun to spend the afternoon together.”
“I’m not abandoning you pet, trust me, would much rather be here than in Hell L. If I promise to bring you back one of those stupid actors you like as a souvenir , all bound and gagged and docile like, would you be satisfied?”
Buffy grinned in answer to his. She knew her jealousy and clingy-ness were not attractive traits, even though Spike seemed to like them, but she couldn’t help it. The thought of him going away was not a pleasant one for her. “I’m satisfied, you can go off to LA, that’s fine by me. But if something attacks me in your absence you have only yourself to blame.”
Spike tightened his grip on her hand. “You’re not getting attacked by anything slayer, visions remember? You’re all good. Until the next full moon anyway.”
Buffy looked at him slyly, “But what if your vision wasn’t what you thought? What if it wasn’t a full moon you saw, but just a really big star? The werewolf might have figured out how to change at will, he could be coming for me anytime.”
Spike rolled his eyes. “You’re not talking to Giles now slayer, you can’t play me that easy. Anyway, I thought I saw a certain someone eat 3 doughnuts earlier. I reckon we should do some exercise, before that someone turns into a porky slayer.”
Buffy went to hit out at him, but he was gone, sprinting off in to the distance. With an involuntary grin she gave chase.
Buffy couldn’t remember ever having such a good afternoon.
She caught up to Spike eventually, pulled a pouty face and pretended to be offended by his comment, which led to some supreme kissage and his many murmured assurances that she was in no way porky.
He held her hand, and she revealed in the tingles. They went for a walk. Not a prowling through graveyards, or a running away from demons kind of walk. But an ordinary walk, like any other couple would do. He took her down to the beach and bought her icecream, and when he made pig noises she shoved hers in his face and they laughed. There was plenty more kissing.
Then he took her back to his place, and they sparred for a while, just because it was fun. Buffy could in no way match his speed or agility but she was getting better, faster, surer. Spike had to try now, and Buffy loved what she called his ‘effort face’. When she pointed it out to him he just grinned and said that if she liked that she should wait until she saw his sex face. An unholy amount of kissing followed.
Then Spike stuck on a film (in his opinion an old classic, in her opinion a load of rubbish) They pretended to watch it, but really watched each other. They argued and laughed and kissed some more. The film ended but they stayed twined on the sofa, Spike just holding her and Buffy just enjoying him.
Buffy was falling, and she was falling hard. It scared her a little, if she fell any harder she didn’t think she’d ever get back up.
He’d been stroking her hair, playing with it in a way so innocent it shouldn’t have made her squirm the way it did.
He asked her to tell him something about her he didn’t already know. She thought hard, “I’ve always wanted to travel. If I hadn’t been the slayer, with the whole pre destined fate fun, I would have gone to Europe when I finished college.”
Spike didn’t laugh at her dream, didn’t tell her it was impossible. Instead he told her about the countries he’d been to, the places he’d seen. “You’d love Italy pet, it’s a beautiful place. One day, when there aren’t any apocalypses to avert, we should go to Rome. Or Venice. Would love to see you in a gondola.”
Buffy sighed, she loved the picture he painted for her, and the idea of going any where with him was thrilling, but she wasn’t one to falsely hope for things any more. “If only there weren’t always apocalypses.”
Spike took her hand and played with her fingers, “You forget slayer, I can see apocalypses coming, and so far next summers lookin pretty clear of them. I’ll take you. I’ll take you anywhere you wanna go.”
Buffy was overwhelmed.
She asked him to tell her something she didn’t know. He said he’d rather show her. Stashed in the corner of the room Spike had a guitar Buffy had never noticed. He pulled it out and sat on the coffee table in front of her. Intrigued she sat up straighter.
He started to play and she was rapt.
He started to sing and she was lost.
It wasn’t a song she recognised, but it instantly became her favourite. She could have listened to him forever, despite how uncomfortably aroused it made her.
When he was done more talking was out of the question. He crawled up the sofa towards her, covering her body with his.
Neither of them breathed for quite some time after.
Even after the sun had long set and Spike had dropped her home Buffy’s lips were still swollen and tingled with the memory of his touch.
He had driven off in his monster of a car, promising to call when he arrived in LA.
It felt like he took part of her with him.
Buffy decided to have a long bath and curl up to wait for his call, she already missed the sound of his voice, but her life never went the way she planned.
Before she even reached the front door Buffy felt the tingles. Her stomach dropped, this was the last thing she needed tonight.
She whirled around to face the deepening shadows.
“Hello Angel.”
[Reviews - 198]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 2931 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +