Almost as soon as her name was out of his mouth, he fell forward, too drunk to remain upright, and Buffy moved quickly to catch him, straining to support his weight.
“Sorry, luv,” he muttered, trying to stand on his own feet, though his arm stayed around Buffy. “I’m drunk.”
“I noticed.”
“I was…you were…” He looked up at her, his brow furrowing. “How are you here?”
Despite everything, a small smile crept to her face as she responded to his question. “I didn’t kill Liam.”
“Oh.” It took a moment for her words to reach his drink-addled brain, but when he did, he looked at her in surprise. “What?”
“Let’s go in, okay? Maybe lie down? I’ll explain it all, but I’m tired.”
“Yeah, all right.” Spike went with her into the bedroom, momentarily forgetting about the room’s current state until they walked in. “Uh…I, um…I was upset.”
“Apparently.”
“I thought you were gone. I thought you were gone, and I hadn’t saved you. I let you down. Buffy, I let you down…”
He leaned into her, his head on hers as he started to cry again, though his tears silent. Buffy wrapped her arms around him, held him close. “You didn’t let me down, baby. Oh, William, you didn’t let me down.”
“I did… I was supposed to protect you…supposed to save you.”
The position they were in was awkward, too much of his weight leaning on her, making it hard for her to support him. She spotted the mattress on the floor behind them and led him over to it, guiding him to lie down with her. He immediately curled into her body, his arms gripping her, keeping her against him as if he were afraid to let her go.
“You did save me,” she told him, her own voice choked with tears now. “You did. You loved me when I had no one else.”
“I was supposed to keep you safe,” he said again.
“Shh… Will, it’s okay now. I’m here. I’m here with you and I’m safe.”
“I don’t understand,” William said. He nuzzled her hair with his nose, needing a moment to breathe her in, assure himself again that she was real and in his arms.
“Someone else shot Liam. They…they wouldn’t tell me much, just that it wasn’t me. He was alive when I left, and I…I didn’t do it.”
Spike pulled back, looked at her face and tried to process what she was saying. “Someone else? Two people shot at the man twice in the same night?”
Buffy shrugged. “You know, it’s not so unbelievable. He was really an asshole.” Almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth, Buffy began to laugh, the force of it shaking her small body.
When she kept going, Spike wondered for a moment if maybe she’d finally snapped. “Luv?”
“He’s dead, Spike. God, he’s dead. He’s…gone. I’m free. We’re free.” She stopped, trying to calm herself. “He’s dead, and I didn’t do it. We…we can be together now.”
Her words cut through the haze, and Spike blinked before he grinned. She was right. They were free… “Buffy… God, pet. I can’t believe we’re really… I…”
She put her hand against his face and smiled lovingly at him, her eyes filled with unshed tears. “We are. We can be together now. No more worrying, no more fear.”
Spike kissed her, sighing in contentment at the taste of her on his lips, his tongue, again. He’d thought he’d lost this. He’d thought she was gone.
He wanted more than a kiss to assure him. He wanted to be inside her, to feel her around him, and know she was truly there with him. Flesh, blood, his. But his body was too weak, the events of the past few days and the effects of the alcohol weighing too heavily on him.
So instead, he pulled her close, wrapped himself around her so he could feel every part of her. And with her there in his arms, he could finally rest.
Spike woke up alone. He panicked and sat straight up despite the throbbing in his head. Had last night been only a dream, made too vivid by too much to drink?
He heard the toilet flush and then the sink turn on and dropped back to the mattress with a sigh of relief. She was here. Buffy was here. Free and with him.
She came back into the bedroom and he smiled sleepily at her. “Hey, pet. You worried me there for a second. Afraid I’d just dreamed you up.”
“Sorry. I was worried about that, but I really had to use the bathroom.” She gave him an apologetic look. “I tried to be quick.”
“It’s all right. Long as you’re here.” He held his arms out for her and she moved quickly to fill them.
She trailed her hand down his chest and he caught it, brought her fingers to his mouth to kiss them. “I’m here, Will,” she assured him. “I’m right here.”
He moved his kiss from her fingers to her lips. He’d always cherished every moment with her, but now, after he’d come so close to losing her forever…
His arm hooked over her waist, pulling her flush against him. She moaned into the kiss, her leg sliding between his thighs. “William…” she whispered against him when they broke for air. “My sweet William…”
His smile was almost shy as he ducked his head, reminding her of the man she’d first met. Despite everything they’d been through, he was still there, behind the bleach and the leather. He was still her William inside.
She turned his head back towards hers and rained kisses on his face. His chin, his nose, the sharp edge of his cheekbone… With every kiss, she told him she loved him, the words ghosting over his skin. He trembled against her, his hand tight on her hip.
William brought his lips back to hers, tasted salt in the kiss and didn’t know if they were her tears or his. Their tears… His hands trailed under her shirt, caressing her skin, feeling her warmth. Slowly, he pulled the shirt off her, breaking the kiss only long enough to get it over her head and toss it away.
Her chest was bare now, her nipples hardening in the cool air of the room, and he trailed down from her mouth, kissing her neck, her collar bone, finally coming to a stop against her breast. His mouth was gentle, reverent against the peak, and she sighed softly, her hands in his hair, caressing the silken strands.
His hand skimmed her taut stomach to the waistband of her jeans. He popped the button, slid down the zipper, and pushed his hand into her panties. She was wet, so hot, and he worked a finger inside her pussy, eliciting harsh pants from her.
“Spike…Will…please…”
Her broken plea was all it took. He pushed her jeans and panties down until she took over, kicking them away. William moved up again, removing his own clothes before pulling her back against him. She was breathing heavily, her face flushed. He pressed his lips against her forehead and spoke against her skin. “You’re so gorgeous, luv. Like an angel in my bed, you are.”
“William…” she said, his name somewhere between a whimper and a moan. It was too much, the swell of her heart, her need for this man. She didn’t know what words she should say, didn’t know which ones would be strong enough to tell him what he meant to her.
She wasn’t sure there were any.
His strong hand came around to cup her bottom, guiding her until their bodies were aligned. He hooked her leg over his hip, opening her up for him.
Then her hand was around his cock, her grip sure and steady. She knew what she wanted, had no second thoughts or reservations. The day they’d longed for was there, when they could be together with nothing holding them back. Liam was no longer hanging over their head. Nothing was…
She guided him home; they sighed together.
For the first time in so long, everything was as it should be.
Epilogue to follow tomorrow…
Please review. It would really make my day (it hasn’t been a pleasant one…)