Chapter Six: It’s A Wonderful Life
“And then he says that you’re the best I’ve got and should be thankful. Can you believe it?” Spike finished waving his arms around like a madman, gazing at the slightly bored blond perched atop his desk. He thought only said slightly bored because she wore a smirk with the gaze that said “Can we get on with this now?”
He chuckled at her look. “I can’t help it luv. Three sodding years later and I’m still finding ways to prove that I hadn’t dreamt that whole experience that night, that it had been real.”
“Well, Blondie bear, you convinced me a long time ago. So, do you think we could go home now? Maybe the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Future can visit you tonight and show you what fate will befall you if you don’t start cleaning up after yourself in the bathroom.”
Spike gave her a look. “Did you have to add in the Blondie Bear?”
Buffy grinned. “I did. I think it’s cute she still calls you that. I feel a connection to the girl now, no matter how thoroughly annoying she is. After all, it was partly her doing as – which one was she?”
“Present.”
“Right, present. It was partly her other ghostly doing that you turned around. Plus, she’s engaged to my fiancé.”
Spike growled and pulled her from the desk and into his arms, nipping at her lips. “He’s not your fiancé. He’s hers. You’re mine.”
“I’m not your fiancé though, and technically, he was slated for me…” Buffy teased, giggling in his arms.
“You do beat all girl,” he growled again and bit her neck lightly, pushing her luxurious hair from her neck and out of his way. He was ever so happy that his “best editor”, as Riley Finn had called her today, had taken to wearing her hair down these days. The occasional bun would appear, but it wasn’t often. Her clothes too had changed. She wasn’t so bundled up tight like a schoolmarm, but instead wore professional outfits that showed his girl had a flare for fashion. It seemed the happier she became, the “looser” she became.
She did, however, wield an iron fist when it came to him. Not that he was complaining. His girl kept him on the straight and narrow – though he hadn’t any desire to stray. It had been a long time before Buffy had agreed to go out with him, and it was with a lot of work on his part. She had been honest with him in the fact that while she did feel things for him, she was not about to jump into anything with him and have her heart broken. “I’ve had my heart broken enough and not all by men,” she’d told him. So the order of the day had been friends first.
Friends, which he realized that they really hadn’t been. Not really anyway. Stepping into Buffy’s world, being invited in, was much more different than poking yourself in every now and then. He opened himself to her and gave of himself, feeling both the fear and the freedom of giving and sharing oneself with another.
Openness and honesty were the only ways to prove himself to his ladylove and knowing that, he wouldn’t give her any less. He was pleased to find that Buffy returned the same in kind.
After six months of getting to know one another as friends, she finally agreed to date him. They took their time, and Spike learned what it meant to be in a relationship that was not shallow and about impressing the woman to keep her. There were no shades of Dru with Buffy. She did not demand he change his ways, she simply made it clear she was going to be involved with it; with him. The change hadn’t been a difficult one to make, either.
The first order of business had been ending his relations with Anya and Darla – both of whom were put out, but not because they were going to miss him so much as they were going to miss getting laid. Some women, he’d realized, could be just the same as men in that respect.
His second order of business had been Harmony. No more daily blow jobs, not more sex, instead he gave her a nice raise, gave her a bit more responsibility to help her gain some confidence in herself and when Riley Finn had blown into town and set up camp as the new editor in town, Spike happily introduced the man to his best receptionist. He also spent the day keeping Buffy from him as well as he could. The pair had inevitably met though, Buffy claiming she wanted to at least lay eyes on the man she would have been destined for, and then promptly declaring after having met him, “Dull as a doornail.”
Harmony’s transition, pre-Finn, had been a bit more difficult, since the girl fancied herself in love with him, but after a few sob sessions in which she begged for another chance and Spike explained over and over that she had done nothing wrong, that it was him, Harmony slowly let it go. And when Finn had come along, she’d gone to work for him, still coming in every now and then to show off how well she was doing and how happy she was.
“Can we go home now?” Buffy asked on a sigh. “It’s Christmas Eve, it’s been a long day and I’m tired.”
“Hard day luv?”
“No, just when you know it’s a holiday and you want to go and get it started already.”
“When will Dawn be coming in again?” he asked, tugging her into the elevator with him.
“Not until tomorrow morning with…what’s his name again?”
Spike smiled, “RJ.”
“Right. That’s it. Why can’t I remember that?”
“Probably because you don’t like him.”
Buffy shrugged, “Could be.”
“Tell you what, I’ll order Chinese while you take a bath and by the time you come out, it’ll be there and waiting for you.”
Moaning happily, Buffy leaned up and kissed him. “You’re the best.”
“Aren’t you glad you finally agreed to move in with me?”
Buffy smiled, “It only took how long to convince me?”
“A year, a very long year.”
“Time is of the essence, and it was worth it wasn’t it?”
“Naturally,” Spike murmured and nipped at her lips before claiming them in a sweet kiss.
While the water ran for her bath, Spike placed their order for delivery and with trembling hands took out the long flute crystal glasses and bottle of champagne he’d bought for this night. It was a special occasion, and he was sincerely hoping the champagne and the cause for celebration wasn’t in vain.
Spike had fancied himself the settling down sort in his younger years, and then that idea had waned with heartbreak and the passing of time in which he’d given up all hope – and he convinced himself, the desire – of finding his match.
Well, he’d found her now and he wasn’t about to let her go. How he’d managed to live so much of his life without her, he didn’t know. The word “perish” came to mind in conjunction with the thought of ever losing her.
“Spi-ike!” Buffy called from the bathroom.
He smiled, knowing exactly what she’d done. She did it every time: She’d forgotten her robe in the bedroom. Walking into the bedroom, he picked her robe up from the bed and stood outside the bathroom door.
“Yes, my love?” he asked.
“Can you get--”
Walking in, he grinned and propped the robe up on the hook next to the tub/shower.
She smiled up at him, her shoulders glistening from the water and her body immerged and hidden by scented lavender bubbles. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Pushing up his sleeves and kneeling next to the tub, he picked up her washcloth from the side of the tub and dipped it into the water. Gesturing to her back he asked, “May I?”
Nodding and smiling, she sat up and leaned slightly forward, sighing blissfully while he gently washed her back with the sudsy cloth.
“Mmm…that feels nice,” she murmured.
He was about to ask if he could join her, having completely forgotten about the food, when the doorbell rang, reminding him.
Cursing under his breath, he sighed regretfully and stood, handing her the washcloth. “Food’s here luv.”
“Okay, I’ll be out in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”
Chuckling, he left for the kitchen and set about dishing out their food on plates. By the time he carried the plates out to the dining room, Buffy had emerged, pink and scrubbed clean, clad in her white robe with her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail.
“You’re adorable,” he said, pulling a chair out for her and pecking her nose when she sat.
She beamed up at him. “Thanks!” Looking at the spread, she oohed at the sight of the champagne. “Wow, we’re going all out tonight huh?”
“Yup,” he agreed and patted his pocket that held the heart-shaped, princess cut diamond he was hopefully going to put on her finger.
Tucking into their meal, they chatted over their day once again, their plans for the next morning, what time they needed to be up and ready and what time to start dinner. The sort of conversations couples had when preparing for a family gathering. Unbidden to his mind rose the image of a Christmas morning with children – theirs – the tree full up with presents underneath, the kind he had as a child when the presents spilled forth, threatening to leave the unspoken nest of ‘under the tree’ and ventured into the room that held them, taking up some veritable space.
“What?” Buffy asked, placing her glass down.
It was then that Spike realized he’d been staring at her with what he was sure was a dreamy look on his face.
Do it now, mate. Just say it. You have a window. “Buffy…”
“Yeah?” she asked and bit into a chicken finger.
“Will you marry me?”
She stopped mid bite and stared at him. “What?” she asked, half her mouth still around the chicken finger.
He couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s attractive.”
Clearing her throat, she finished her bite, chewed and swallowed. Placing her hands in her lap, she looked at him. “Okay. What?”
Pushing his chair back, with a lump forming in his throat, Spike gestured for her to move her chair back a bit. She did so and with his heart thumping like a jackhammer, Spike knelt before her, producing the ring box from his pocket. He gazed up at his wide-eyed Goddess and said with as much courage as he could muster, “Buffy Summers, I love you more than anything or anyone in this world. You are the love of my life and I don’t want to ever spend a minute without you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and so I am asking you, please, will you marry me?”
His girl could be such a sap so it was of no big surprise to him that her eyes were swimming with tears. She nodded and his heart leapt though he longed to hear the words. Finally, she was able to speak them, “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you!”
Whooping with joy, he jumped up and pulled her from the chair and into his arms. After spinning her round, he set her down on her feet and peppered her face with kisses.
“Spike, can I see the ring? Put it on?”
He blinked and then shook his head, “Of course!” Snatching it from the table where he’d tossed it amidst his joy, he opened the box.
“Oh Will, it’s so beautiful.”
He grinned. He knew he’d done right when she called him “Will”.
“Put it on me, please!”
Spike was more than happy to oblige and, upon seeing the ring on her finger, glistening in the dim light, he felt a rush of emotion that threatened to bring him to his knees.
Gathering her in his arms, he held her to him tightly, thanking the Gods, the ghosts, God and whatever other power had brought Buffy into his life and made her his.
“I love you so much,” he gasped.
“Spike…please…”
“Please what, baby? Tell me. You want the moon? I’ll lasso it down. You want a star? I’ll get one for you. Just tell me what you want.”
Looking up at him, she smiled. “It’s simple, really.”
“Tell me.”
“My foot. You’re stepping on it.”
“Oh!” Looking down at where his shoe was covering her bare foot, he moved quickly off and she giggled.
“I like the moon idea!” she told him and threw herself back in his arms, smothering him in a kiss. “But you know what I really want right now?”
“What? Whatever you want is yours.”
“I want you to make love to me,” she whispered.
Picking her up in one swoop from where she stood, Spike led her off to the bedroom, feeling very Rhett Butler-like.
Placing her down on the bed, he stood to undress and watched her undo her robe with hungry eyes. He couldn’t seem to get his clothes off fast enough, and when, finally he was free, he climbed atop the bed and spread her legs, wanting to feast on her sweet nectar.
He made love to her pussy with his mouth, nibbling, sucking, teasing and tasting. When she came, screaming his name, Spike rushed up her body, and slowly slid himself home. Shutting his eyes at the feel of her wet and tight heat surrounding him, he moaned in pleasure.
“Spike,” she whispered and he popped open his eyes, gazing down at his fiancé.
She smiled up at him. “I love you.”
God, he would never tire of hearing her say that. Thrusting in her wet heat, Spike caressed her skin, kissed her lips and never let her not feel him for one second.
“I love you, Buffy,” he gasped as he neared orgasm, “I love you so much.”
“Spike!” she shouted, her eyes rolling up in her head. And when he felt her walls clench and milk him, he let go, bathing her womb with his seed. Soon, we’ll be making babies, he thought hazily and cradled her to him in the aftermath of their lovemaking.
“I think we did well, don’t you?” The Ghost of Christmas Present asked her friends as they peered down upon the world from their spot on the clouds, checking on past subjects, and preparing for the new.
“I feel like a peeping tom!” Ghost of Christmas Past complained.
“Oh suck it up. We’re going now,” Ghost of Christmas Future reprimanded before they were off, all three feeling their mission had indeed been accomplished.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night
*we all need a little cheese right? This is what Tammy tells me, so blame her :)*