“Starting today I'm not going to waste another moment
Even if I had the chance before I would have blown it
But you took me by surprise
And you caught me just in time
Everyday you give me reason not to walk away
I stop believing the world's gone crazy
And if it is you'll save me
Starting today I'm not going to worry about tomorrow
I'll wash away all this fear that's left me feeling hollow
Because you make me want to try
And you caught me just in time
Everyday you give me reason not to walk away
I'll stop believing I should burn like crazy
Cos if I did you chase me
Anyway, I should have told you
So many times
That I shyed away
Somehow you always seem to
Be there, making it easy
And you give me reason to stay”
“Starting Over” by “Natalie Imbruglia”
“Oh come on Spike, are we there yet?” Buffy whinged outloud. Secretly she was loving the suspense but she wasn’t going to let Spike in on that. “Come on wont you please just tell me where we’re going?”
“You know there is a meaning to that word ‘surprise’, luv,” he said as he led a blind-folded Buffy up the stairs of a very large mansion. “You’d think this place’d have an elevator though… it’s bloody big enough…”
“Well, you know this would be so much faster if I could see,” she pointed out stubbornly. Though it was hard to take her seriously with the big grin on her face.
“Yes, luv, but then there’s that word ‘surprise,’ that I was tryin’ to show you the meanin’ of.”
“Surprises…” Buffy mumbled under her breath. “Who likes surprises anyway… they are so overrated…”
Spike just smiled at her continued grumbling. He steered her up yet another flight of stairs and down another hallway ‘geez, feels like I’m in a bloody castle!’ And from the size of this mansion, he wasn’t too far off. Finally he made it to his desired destination. He undid the mask covering her eyes and…
“Wow…” was all Buffy had to say. Up on the top floor there was one of the larger rooms (although none of the rooms in this place could be called small). It was almost like a small apartment. It had a large balcony, with big glass sliding doors, and the sun was shining on the balcony, but low enough that Spike had no fear of instantaneous combustion, but still managed to cast a pretty glow over the room as it set into the horizon. The room consisted of 2 levels, on the bottom level there was a small kitchen with the basic kitchen appliances, a small dinner table and a good sized lounge room with a comfy looking couch, matching recliners and a large tv with all the latest in home theatre surround sound systems. Off to the side there was also a small bathroom and also a laundry. Upstairs, like all the rooms in this mansion, was fully furnished with a beautiful, antique looking 4 poster bed and matching bed side tables. There was a smaller balcony up here, and they were also spoilt with a walk in wardrobe and a large ensuite with a reasonable size Jacuzzi.
“I found this room while you lot were explorin’ downstairs, and I thought you might like it… with the view and the balcony and everything,” he looked down starting to get a bit embarrassed.
“Spike, it’s beautiful… I love it!” She exclaimed grabbing his hand. She took a moment to look around, and it really was quite spectacular. “I was about to suggest we run downstairs and grab all our bags but… then I remembered that everything I own is buried under a pile of rubble a different time zone away…” she joked, smiling sadly at the thought of all her photos and precious items that couldn’t be replaced…
“Our stuff?” He looked at her hopefully.
“Well…yeah… I mean, I know there’s more than enough rooms for everybody to have their own, but I just thought… I mean… if you don’t want…” she stopped looking down at their joined hands, starting to feel a bit awkward.
“No I do!” He said quickly squeezing her hand. “I just didn’t know if you wanted…”
“Of course I want to share a room with you!” She said stepping closer and reaching up to snake her arms around his neck. “I love you…”
“You know, I’ll never get over hearing you say that…” he said, letting his head slowly fall until their foreheads were gently touching. “It’s just…” he pulled away a little and sighed putting his hands on her waist. “It’s a big step for us, movin’ in together an’… I didn’t wanna muck it up…”
“I know… but… you’re not,” she said tenderly looking into his eyes. “I love you and I wanna be with you… and can you imagine how annoying it would be for me to have to sneak out of my room every night-”
“I don’t think you'd have to sneak, pet, I think it’s just a little too obvious where you'd be runnin' off to...” he smirked.
“Exactly,” she smiled. “I’d end up sleeping in here every night anyway, may as well just start out in here…”
“Just sleeping... every night?” He asked innocently, although she could see the beginnings of a smirk creeping onto his face.
“Well... eventually...”
“And what comes before the sleepin' part, luv?” He nearly whispered his voice was so low.
“Well I guess we could always stay up until we're both worn out... you know we could... play cards... board games...other things maybe...” she finished suggestively.
“Oh well, I’m pretty sure I could think of 1 or 2 games myself...” he said, his tongue starting to curl between his teeth.
With a small sigh Buffy jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist.
“You know that tongue drives me wild,” she said her voice full of lust as she lent forwards and started kissing him passionately.
They fell onto the bed in a tumble, Buffy lying half on the bed, half on top of Spike their lips never losing contact. Their tongues licking lazy, long strokes over the other and they were so caught up in their make-out session they didn't hear Dawn enter.
“Ewww!” Dawn said childishly. “I can't believe you guys. We've been here for like half an hour and you're already trying to compete with the rabbits.”
Buffy sat up when she heard Dawn’s voice.
“Yes Dawn?” Buffy said, not nearly as irritated as she should be by Dawn’s interruption, after all... Spike was hers now.
“I just came up here to tell you Giles wants to talk to you about some slayer stuff and he's coming up here. And since I thought you two might be makin’ with the lovin’ I thought I'd warn you before he got here and had a heart attack or something,” she finished calmly.
“Thanks bit,” Spike responded. “Well if you're gonna be talkin’ slayer/watcher stuff, I’m gonna go down and check out the rest of the house, comin’ bit?”
“Uhhh… actually Giles wanted to talk to you too Spike.”
“Me? What have I got to do with a slayer... well, apart from the obvious…” he said slightly confused.
“Hey,” she held up her hands in a defensive manner. “I’m just the messenger,” she said as she left the room.
As he heard Dawn’s feet patter down the stairs, his mind started drifting...
“Hey umm… Buffy, remember what I mentioned… back in America... our date...” Spike said, only slightly nervous. He knew she loved him, but he just couldn’t wrap his head around it. It seemed so unbelievable and it felt like such a dream come true.
“How could I forget...” Buffy said, a grin starting to light up her face.
“Well I was thinking maybe tomorrow we could-“
“Buffy?” Giles called out tentatively. “Spike?”
Spike sighed.
“Just a sec,” Buffy shouted down. “We’ll talk straight after this,” she promised Spike as they made their way down the stairs.
They all took a seat around the dinner table.
“Ok... I um, I just wanted to talk to you, both of you about… about your future…”
“Yeah… what about it?” Asked Spike.
“Well, obviously now that you two are in a relationship, you’ll obviously want to be together, and I was just wondering what you plan on doing… about your lives… your career… I mean, Buffy, you’ve got all the choices you could ever want… I mean… if you want… but Spike, you can’t exactly get a normal job or anything during the day… and I was kind of assuming you’d be willing to help out, but I still wanted to ask you properly.” He took a deep breath. With all Buffy’s training and skills, and Spike’s experience and knowledge, they’d make a great set of teachers for the future generation of Slayers. But he didn’t want them to expect that they had to. Buffy had certainly saved the world enough times, that if she didn’t want to continue doing it, if she needed a break, well he wouldn’t force her to stay.
“You’ve certainly done your fair share of slaying Buffy, for a couple of lifetimes, and if you wanted a break, well, by all means it’s up to you… but I’d be so glad if both of you would like to stay here and help me form a new, better council with the new generation of Slayers.” He waited patiently, hoping he would like the answer.
“Well, we haven’t really talked about it yet… we only just got here, but… I think so… Spike?” She looked at him for an answer.
“Pet, as long as I’m with you I’ll be happy,” he said, gently taking her hand. “And if tha’ means spendin’ me days, helpin’ out the council and trainin’ mini sized slayers well so be it.” He smiled, looking into her eyes, and seeing nothing but love.
“Well, looks like we’re here to stay then!” Buffy smiled warmly at Giles.
“And even if we didn’t want to help you, I think we’d stay here anyway… this place is amazing Giles… how’d you manage to score it?” Spike asked.
“Well, it belonged to an old friend of mine, he inherited it from his parents, and since he wasn’t using it, said it was too big for him, said we could have it.”
“Have it?” Spike asked incredulously. “You mean you got this for free! And all the high-tech goodies too?” He said pointing to the lounge room.
“Uhh… yes, he sort of… owed me a favour as well…”
“Must have been some favour…”
“Well, yes, back in the day I… I saved his life… but that’s another story, anyway I’m so glad you’re staying. Truthfully, I wasn’t looking forward to letting you go.”
Buffy just smiled and gave him a hug.
“Well, if you need anything just let me know, I wanted to go check out the training room before dinner…I think Xander and Dawn have ordered pizzas by the way… should be here in about half an hour I think.”
“Right, we’ll be down there soon then,” Spike answered as Giles made his way out the door.
“Hmmm… now where were we…?” Buffy asked slowly. “I believe you were about to ask me something?” The same electrifying grin spreading over her face again.
“Oh yeah… um I know this little park, kinda pretty durin’ the day, but o’ course, that was before my little allergy, but um… should still be alright after sunset if you wanted to go tomorrow night?” He said becoming nervous again.
“A midnight picnic?” She said with a teasing voice. She was going to tease him some more, but decided from the look on his face that he was in enough torture. “I really want this to work out between us, I wanna start this relationship again and I want it to be right this time. I’d love to go with you Spike,” she said softly, trying to get the nervousness out of his eyes.
She was rewarded when he suddenly smiled, any signs of his previous fear vanishing.
“Oh my god,” Buffy just realised something, the biggest catastrophe of all known catastrophes.
“I have nothing to wear!” She said, her face one of horror, and only half joking.
“Well, pet, I must say that suits me just fine,” he said pulling her onto his lap, her arms automatically wrapping around his neck.
“You want hundreds of guys to see me naked? And then watch me get arrested for indecent exposure?” She asked, raising her eyebrow.
“On second thoughts, save it for later,” he said, kissing her lightly on the lips. “You can go shopping tomorrow though, I’m sure Dawn’s dyin’ for some retail therapy, and while you’re gone, I can start helpin’ Giles to train the new slayers,” he suggested.
“Ohh… I think this is going to work out very nicely!” Buffy said, pleased that she’d be able to go shopping and spend some quality time with her sister, two things she loved doing, but hadn’t been able to do in quite a while.
Many hours later, long after dinner, they stayed up talking to everyone for quite some time. It had been a whole new experience for Spike. He’d never been fully accepted into the little Scooby group. Maybe with Dawn a little more so, but even after returning with his soul, he’d never felt like he truly belonged in the same room as the Scoobies. But now they had talked, laughed and joked like he was an old pal, and Spike, for the second time in his life felt like he truly belonged, the first time being when Buffy told him she loved him, and now Spike and Buffy lay relaxed, but tired in their bed. ‘Our bed…me and Buffy’s bed… ours…together… Buffy loves me…we’re living together…she loves me…’ Spike still couldn’t make it sink into his brain, and although he knew it to be true, he still felt like he was going to wake up and for it all to be an amazing dream. They still hadn’t consummated their relationship yet, but they knew tonight wasn’t the night. ‘Make it special…’ Spike kept reminding himself.
They’d only arrived in England this afternoon, and after the long plane ride, it felt good to just relax, and get used to the time difference. They were doing pretty well with the jet lag though.
And as they lay there, fully clothed, Spike snuggled a little closer to Buffy and tucked his arm around the woman he loved, and it was then that he just knew. Something inside his head just…clicked. It was like… magic, and he just…he just knew. They both loved each other, why wait when right now…
“I love you Buffy,” he whispered so tenderly against her ear.
“I love you too, Spike… so much,” she whispered back her voice overflowing with emotion.
And that’s what sealed the deal in Spike’s mind. Tomorrow was the day…
To be continued…
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