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Author's Chapter Notes:
So many thanks go to my Demon Butchers of Spuffy Street - Im_Bloody_English and Dusty273 - who they themselves have awesome stories out there, read em folks!

Hugs for Sotia and Lauriel - you gals rock cause you're just too sweet for words!

For Zoe, who's been MIA and is feeling under the weather with a bad arm - get better girl, miss you!

**Dialogue from "After Life" included here. Also, a little quip from Farscape, which was too funny and it fit.**

Yeah, I know I said that I would post a God/Xander chapter on Hunter's Bane, but I swear my muse just wouldn't let me leave this alone (and God is punishing me for it - trust me). BUT, the chapter is half written as we speak, so it will be soon. Sorry for the delay. Reviews would help? (no shameless pandering here, nope... nada).
“Well, this certainly isn’t Kansas anymore.”

Tinkling laughter floated on a perfumed breeze to where Spike was standing, making him turn his head to find its source. He spied a young woman, her back turned towards him underneath a massive oak tree, its leaves nearly obliterating the weak light that was filtering through the clouds.

And said light was not making him the next poster boy for dustiness. Odd. He took in his surroundings a little more. Everything was a muted pastel color…no vibrant greens, no vivid blues or garish reds. Just dull and blah colors merged together to form a very bad watercolor picture.

“Well…lessee. I’m not Kirk, Spock, Luke, Buck, Flash or Arthur fucking Dent. So yup, I must be Dorothy Gale,” he mused aloud as he approached the girl beneath the tree, thinking he was definitely on his way to Oz.

When he set out to talk to her, he figured it was maybe about 100 feet from where he originally stood. But now, after what felt like hours of hiking, he was still around 5 feet away from her presence. “Bloody Hell!” he wheezed.

“You shouldn’t swear like that…at least not here,” the woman said in a familiar voice.

Spike took a deep gulping breath. Wait a minute. Why did he need to take a huge breath? Curious, he held his breath until the pressure in his lungs forced him to gasp, sucking in a chest full of much required oxygen. “Bloody HELL!” he roared this time.

“If Hell is that bloody, no wonder you vamps love it so much,” the voice chuckled.

“Buffy?”

The woman slowly turned her body to face him. It was his Slayer alright. But she looked different; she looked tranquil, at peace…happy. She smiled brightly and held out her hand to encourage him to sit next to her under the shade of the tree.

Spike silently moved to grasp her hand and sat on a protruding gnarled root next her. The moment he touched her hand, the colors surrounding them burst to life, causing him to nearly fall off his seat from the shock.

The faded pinks became deep reds, streaking the flowers with crimson life. The gray clouds that formally filled the sky turned white and fluffy, the clearest blue shining from the heavens. The dried up yellow and brown grass became lush with a thousand different shades of green. All he could do was stare in wonder.

“Where are we?” he whispered as he scanned the scenery, clasping Buffy’s hand in a death grip. He’d never seen colors like this before, either as a vamp or human.

“I-I don’t know, but I’m happy here, at peace,” she said wistfully. “Time means nothing here. And I can change things to suit my moods,” she whispered conspiratorially. Then she closed her eyes and wished for the moon to come out.

Spike watched as the sky grew dark and the moon appeared on the horizon. But for some reason, the swift change did not comfort him. “Put it back Slayer,” he chided softly.

She opened her eyes and pouted. “I always thought you looked particularly handsome in the moonlight,” she muttered, asking for the sun to be back in the sky again.

“Thanks pet, but until I figure out where ‘here’ is…I don’t really wanna mess with things we shouldn’t have control over.”

She looked down at their hands in her lap, fingers twining together. “This is where I was.”

“Come again?” he asked, sure that he’d heard her wrong.

“Remember when you asked if you could help me, in the alley?”

He nodded.

“I said you couldn’t, and you mentioned Hell, and then I said…”

“That you were happy there. That you were warm and loved,” he finished, nearly choking on her forlorn look.

“Yeah. I think I was in Heaven…this Heaven. I-I thought, since we’re dreaming…at least I think we’re dreaming…are we dreaming, Spike?”

Her nervous prattle charmed him. “We’re dreaming pet. How else could I stand in the sunlight? And have a set of bloody lungs!”

“Like that part, huh?” she giggled before turning shy. “I wanted to show…to show you where I was, what it was like…to let you see the sun.”

Tears formed in his eyes and he quickly looked away. “Awfully generous of you, Slayer,” he said gruffly, swiping at the tears that refused to stop.

“I’ve realized something since I was…brought back,” she managed. What she really wanted to say was ripped from a safe place and forced into a hellish existence where everything was hard, bright, and violent. But she knew neither Spike nor Dawn had any part in it, so she spared him those feelings.

“Even though I was loved and warm in this place, I was…lonely. I mean, I got to see my mom once,” she said with a sad smile. “But then she was gone again, to her own Heaven I suppose. I know I was finished with the Slaying, and it felt so good to lay that burden down, but still…something was missing.”

Spike felt he was composed enough to look her in the eye as he asked her, “What was missing?”

A sudden low rumble of thunder drowned out her reply. He growled at the heavens for issuing a thunderclap at that precise moment, though she seemed unaffected by the noise, chattering on as if nothing happened. He became suspicious when he waved his hand in front of her face and still she didn’t respond.

“Well, tie me up and shag me sideways till I’m blind,” he growled low in his chest. Why is it, whenever a life altering moment comes along, I get the royal SHAFT! he yelled in his mind. He opened his eyes to see that Buffy was still ensconced in dreamland and he sighed wearily.

A series of thunderbolts rolled across the heavens and made the house tremble with the vibration. Spike shifted his slumbering burden so she would be more comfortable, not wanting to disturb the miracle that he held. He laid his cheek against her hair and listened to her. She was still dreaming, he could all but hear it, feeling the pull from her again and wondered what was going on within her body and mind. She’d tasted his blood and there was no telling what would happen to her. Of all the changes, one was undeniable; her blood sang to him in desperate longing, waiting for completion.

Rain started tinkling on the roof, a mild wind buffeting against the windows. There would be no sun today, which was just as well. He intended to stay here as long as she would let him, tightening his hold on her when she moaned softly.

“Shh, baby, you’re safe,” he whispered, pressing his cool lips to her damp forehead.

Buffy shifted suddenly and stiffened in his arms. Great, she’s awake and now my face’ll be a bloody punchin’ bag, he winced. Instead, she started talking in her sleep.

“No, come back…I want you to stay,” she murmured in a distressed tone. Soon after, she started to thrash about in his grasp and he nearly ripped her arms off trying to keep her from falling off his lap.

“Buffy, wake up or you’re gonna hurt yourself!” he practically yelled.

She stilled the moment she heard his voice, turning her head towards him, eyes closed as if responding to him from a deep state of unconsciousness, whispering his name. “Spike?”

He cupped her face in his hands, brushing away the tears that had started to creep down her face with his thumbs. “Slayer, you in there?”

Buffy heard something familiar through the thick haze. Familiar and safe. Gasping as if she were drowning, she grabbed Spike’s shoulders to steady herself, prying her tired eyes open. She frowned in confusion when she saw his stunned look.

“What?”

“Uh, Slayer.” But he didn’t get to finish as a particularly loud crash of thunder startled her so badly she fell backwards, taking him with her.

They landed with a mutual “Oof!” on the floor, his body lined up perfectly with hers from shoulder to toes. At least, it was perfect for him. He couldn’t help himself, as he splayed his long nimble fingers on each side of her hips, holding her in place so that he could indulge in her heat. It might be the only time he caught her unawares and he wanted to savor it.

Even though it was very dark in the room, she could see Spike’s face clearly, and she wondered at that. She could also see the muscle in his jaw ticking, knowing he was frustrated about something. Then she became aware of their position…and her mind didn’t object. Huh? Since when do you not object to the evil undead touching you? Since he took care of Dawn all that time…since he patrolled with your friends all summer…since he loved… Enough! I suppose I could give him a kiss to make up for all the punches to his nose. A kiss?! her mind screamed at her, about how stupid she was for thinking a ‘kiss’ could even come close to rewarding the vamp staring at her like he was lost.

“You in there pet?” His voice was laced with concern, noting her far away look.

Lightening lit the room and caused her to shy away from the brightness. When she turned back, Spike was still watching her with something akin to wariness. But why was he wary? Did he think she would throw him out of the house for daring to comfort her last night? Had she done that to him? Yes, you have…many times, came the insidious voice inside her head. She couldn’t let him think that anymore.

“Spike.” She smiled tremulously. It broke her heart when he closed his eyes in relief, glad that his nose was safe for the time being.

“Slayer,” he responded softly as he rose up until they were face to face and Eskimo kissed her with his nose. He stopped once he realized what he was doing, moving to roll off of her, feeling torn between wanting her to feel safe in his presence…and just plain wanting her.

She stopped him mid-turn and brought him back to his original position. “I liked that…it tickled,” she said so quietly he barely heard her, even with vamp hearing.

Hesitantly, giving her enough time to say no, Spike lowered his lips to hers in a chaste and tender kiss. When he felt her body relax underneath his, he moved his hands up to cup her face, memorizing it as he kept his eyes closed. It was their first kiss since their fake engagement, and he wanted her to remember it, to brand himself upon her like she was in his heart.

“I saw you, Spike…in my dream,” she said between kisses, drawing in a much-needed breath.

He slowed his kisses to light pecks on the cheek and chin as he thought about what to tell her. “I was there pet, you pulled me in.”

Gasping, she suddenly stilled. “That was really you? You were there?”

He eased away from her beautiful face and looked her in the eyes. Her eyes! “Oh…. balls!” Growling, he shifted his weight off of her and stood up.

“Not exactly what a girl wants to here when a cute guy is kissing her,” she muttered, sitting up and scooting back to lean against her bed.

“Pet, I think you should…wait a tic,” he halted, finally digesting what she’d said. “You think I’m cute?”

Buffy rolled her eyes playfully. “Men.”

He smirked and stuck his tongue behind his teeth, oozing pure sex. “You bet, love.” But then he sobered as he looked at the tired girl on the floor. “You’d best come over here and sit down, pet,” he said quietly as he patted the seat to her vanity.

Sensing his uneasiness made her want to panic. “Why?”

“Stubborn bint,” she heard him mutter under his breath. “Come sit with me…please. I need to have a good look at ya,” he pleaded gently as he sat on the bench with enough room left for her.

She got up and drudgingly shuffled over to where Spike straddled the stool and sat opposite from him. Her hair hung in soft waves over her forehead, shadowing her eyes. He slowly raised his hand and gently moved it away, tucking a couple of strands behind her ears, trailing his fingers down to her chin to lift her face to his, her eyes remaining closed.

“Love, let me have a look at ‘em beautiful peepers, yeah?” he coaxed.

Heaving a sigh, Buffy slowly lifted her eyelids and stared into Spike’s amazed face. She watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down repeatedly – not a good sign. His wide eyes and stunned looked did nothing to reassure her either.

“God! Will you just tell me what’s wrong?” she finally asked in exasperation.

Instead of answering her question, he asked one of his own. “Can you see me in this dim light?”

“I can see everything, including you,” she groused. “And it’s not dim in here. It looks like a couple of lights are on. Now, will you tell me what’s wrong?”

“There aren’t any lights on, pet. It’s near pitch black in here…for human vision,” he said reluctantly.

“What?” she whispered breathlessly.

He didn’t even try to explain, because he knew he’d make a right mess of things. Clasping her shoulders, he gently turned her body to face the mirror, but she squeezed her eyes shut again. He moved closer to her body and wrapped his arms around her, preparing for her struggle, leaning down and to speak softly in her ear.

“Open your eyes, love.”

She tensed from the restraint but did as he asked. The moment she opened them, she knew Spike was right to hold onto her because if he hadn’t, she would have screamed then probably fainted. She quickly turned her head away in fear as Spike held on to her.

“S’ok, Slayer,” he said tenderly. “Still got bloody gorgeous peepers, just a different shade is all.” Kissing the top of her head, he closed his eyes when he felt her shudder.

Timidly, she slowly turned her head back around to face the mirror and opened her eyes again. Her irises had lost their jade green quality and acquired an almost ice blue one, a thick ring of navy blue on the outer rim. They were also iridescent, she noticed, changing between many shades of blue and green, as if her mind couldn’t decide which color they should be. It made for a startling sight, literally, and she couldn’t stop her own gasp.

Feeling her relax somewhat, Spike released her and sat back to watch as she gingerly touched her face, pulling down one of her lower lids. He had to muffle a laugh when she leaned forward really far and lifted her upper eyelid as well, looking quite ridiculous. She turned her head this way and that, then kept her head stationary while moving her eyes. He would have laughed himself to life if the situation hadn’t been so serious.

“I wager your eyesight is extremely acute. What can you see, pet?”

She nodded. “Everything…beyond everything, almost like I can see through things!”

Even though it must be terrifying for her, he smiled as her excitement shone through. Heaven knew he was scared witless and he hadn’t done a thing except bleed a little on her kitchen counter. He watched as she touched her eyes and blinked several times, possibly to come to grips with the change in visual coloration and clarity.

“Hearing still there, too?”

She cocked her head to the side and listened as she had done last night. She could pick up her own heartbeat, which thumped along with a very faint hum she attuned to. “I hear something… something low, and constant.”

Spike didn’t dare tell her that she’d more than likely picked up on the bond that he had with her, knowing she wouldn’t believe him anyway, so he tried to direct her away from it. “P’rolly some git with his music blaring a mile away.”

She gave him a ‘look’ in the mirror, directing it towards the area where he would have been, had he cast a reflection. One that said I know what THAT would sound like, and this is something entirely different, but she said nothing as she continued to test her newfound ability. Feeling somewhat fragile about her appearance, she quietly asked Spike what he thought about her new ‘look’. “Do you think…am I pretty this way?”

Sitting behind her as he was, he groaned and leaned his forehead on the back of her right shoulder. “God, Buffy…you’re kidding me, right?” Seeing her eyes dart away self-consciously gave him his answer. “You couldn’t be lovelier! Venus herself is one jealous bint, I tell you!”

Her cheeks flared hot with embarrassment as she tried to ignore the tingly feeling his words evoked within her. Spike felt them, however, and he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back so that she leaned on him. He lowered his face to the crux of her neck and inhaled deeply, just behind her ear.

“So bloody beautiful,” he whispered against her ear and she shivered, leaning her head back to rest against his lips at her temple.

He pressed a fervent kiss there and continued down her cheek. She didn’t stop him and had, in fact, leaned into him a little more, seeking his attentions. What the lady wants, the lady shall have. He then began pressing small kisses on her jaw as his fingers floated over her face, tilting her head back so he could press his lips to hers softly, the touch all-consuming.

“God, what’s happening to me?” she moaned, arching into Spike’s body. He growled in response and pulled her tighter against him, her firm ass cradling his erection.

“What do you feel?” he asked breathlessly, forcing the situation to be addressed by her. He stole his hands around the front of her body and started unbuttoning her pajama top, pulling it down shoulders once he’d completed the task.

“I feel…” But she didn’t complete her sentence when his hands found her nipples and began tweaking them, pinching them between his knuckles, causing her to lose all sense of thought.

She relaxed in his arms and gave herself over to the sensations he was creating in her, had always created in her, though now they seemed heightened. Now that her shirt was pooling around her waist, she raised her right arm and curled it behind his neck, threading her fingers in his soft sleep-mussed hair. This gave him greater access to her breasts and he took full advantage of it.

Spike cupped her breasts and began kneading them, flicking the nipples to see them pucker, listening to her breathy whimpers. The bond pulled and tugged at his unbeating heart, drawing him near her jugular as he nipped and laved the skin. It’s fucking agony, not doing this all proper like! She’s had me by the short and curlies for over a year now and I need t’be put outta my bloody misery! he grumbled in his mind, hoping he wouldn’t succumb to the lure of her blood demanding that he complete the claim she’d inadvertently started. He didn’t dare tell her that’s what she’d done by ingesting some of his blood. But it was proving more and more difficult as the minutes passed, her responses to his touches and murmurs deepening the bond.

Without knowing it, he’d vamped out and began nipping harder at her throat. “S’bloody soft and perfect, you smell delicious,” he muttered between kisses to her neck. Snaking his hand down to her pajama bottoms, he slipped his fingers beneath the waist band, finding her core and pressing her further back onto his painfully hard shaft. He completely lost any semblance of control he had when she began grinding her luscious bum against his throbbing member, pressing the denim of his jeans to his sensitive flesh.

“Buffy…want you,” he ground out as he gripped her possessively, his hips responding to her movements.

“Arrgh! Too loud, too loud!” she screamed suddenly, covering her ears when the phone rang, curling into herself when the noise didn’t abate.

Cranky about their ruined moment, Spike ran over and picked up the phone. “Who ever this is better have a bloody good reason for calling!” he ground out.

“Spike? Is that you? What are you doing at Buffy’s house? Why are you answering her phone?” Giles couldn’t get the words out fast enough.

“Breathe, Watcher. She’s a bit uh, indisposed at the moment,” he explained, cringing that he couldn’t come up with something better. He watched her unfurl herself from the bench and slowly turn to gaze at him, lust still reflected in her eyes. His nostrils flared upon inhaling the scent of her aroused state and he had to bite back a groan of longing. “She’s a bit tuckered, you see. Seems she was havin’ a nasty bugger of a dream. So me, bein’ the heroic bloke that I am, stepped in to rescue the beauteous damsel herself.” He spared a guilty thought about not telling the whole truth to Giles, but figured any information about her changes should come from the Slayer directly.

Spike could actually feel the sneering contempt coming from the other man before he said anything. “If you’re a ‘heroic bloke’ then I’m the Queen of England!”

“I’ll make sure to ring up the Queen mum when I get back across the pond. Tell her she’s an imposter – the real Nancy poofter is right here.”

“I don’t want to even contemplate why you’re there at this hour, answering her phone.” A horrid thought crossed Giles’ mind. “Is the chip still working?”

“Nope. Sticking my fangs in her lovely neck as we speak. Of course it’s still workin’ you fucking prick!” he yelled the last part, unwilling to admit he was about to do just that before her Watcher called.

“Now, you listen here. Buffy doesn’t need or want you near her, and if you don’t respect that and be on your way out the door now then by God I’ll make sure she doesn’t have to worry about you anymore. The girl has enough on her plate without you making her life more difficult. Good Lord knows you do for the rest of us,” Giles muttered.

Spike couldn’t believe his vamp hearing. After all that he’d done over the summer, saving their pathetic arses night after night and Giles had the gall to talk to him like that? “Why you poncey, buggering wanker, I’ll…”

“Hey Giles!” Buffy cut in with as perky a voice as she could muster, grabbing the phone away from Spike before he said something that would really set her Watcher off.

Spike stomped across the room, anger and something unnamed smoldering in his eyes. Was that hurt she glimpsed on his weary face? Patting his pockets, he indicated to her that he was going downstairs for a smoke, hoping the rain shielded any lingering sunlight, at least enough that he could step out onto the shaded back porch.

Buffy watched him leave the room and sighed heavily as she started talking to Giles. “Was that really necessary?”

“Buffy, need I remind you that you let William the Bloody into your house, giving him free reign to do as he pleases? Why haven’t you revoked his invitation?”

“No, you needn’t remind me. In fact, you never let me forget it.” She rolled her eyes, wanting to cut off the lecture she heard brewing in Giles’ system. “He’s harmless, really. Just a lot of bluster and swagger, but no fang.”

“Oi! I heard that!” came a far away voice from down below.

Stupid vamp hearing, she laughed to herself.

“You can’t trust him. He may seem harmless now, but what happens if he gets that chip out? It could all go very bad, like the situation with Angel. For God’s sake, Buffy, Spike doesn’t even have a soul to lose!”

“Don’t,” she stated menacingly. “Spike isn’t like that.”

“How do you know?” Giles tried to make her see reason. “Are you…are you infatuated with him? Do you think you can just keep him as a pet?”

Her jaw hung open in shock that her Watcher would suggest such a thing. “He isn’t a lap dog, Giles. And according to you, Dawn, and the Scoobies, he helped you all summer…WHEN I WAS GONE!”

“We promised him payment!” he countered.

“Have you paid him yet?”

“Well, no actually…”

“My point exactly. I believe he’s changed, for whatever reason, and I think he’s earned enough trust that-”

“Christ, Buffy! He’s a vampire!” Giles cut her off, knowing where her line of thinking was heading.

“I KNOW! And he’s the only one who makes me feel!” she cried, covering her mouth to keep any more truths from slipping out.

Giles was silent for a few moments. “Maybe I should call Angel.”

“Don’t you even think about it,” she warned. “He may have a soul, but he doesn’t have what Spike does.”

Giles snorted. “Really. And what’s that?”

“A heart. It may be dead and unbeating, but that’s extrinsic.”

“Pardon? Forgive me, but did you say extrinsic?” Giles questioned, stunned she knew of the word.

“I do own a dictionary, Giles. Extrinsic. Not essential or inherent; not a basic part or quality; extraneous. As in Spike doesn’t need for his heart to be beating in order for it to work.”

“Ahem, yes, Buffy, I know what it means. Again, forgive me, but have you taken up reading the dictionary in your spare time?” He was amazed she knew what the word even meant. In all honesty, she was a smart girl; he just never pegged her for the bookworm-ish type.

“Well, before I…” She trailed off, shying away from any mention of her death. “I was running out of really good puns to use while I was slaying. So I started looking up words in the dictionary, a couple a day. Extrinsic was the last word I memorized before I…went away. I was kinda bummed I never got to use it.”

Giles stifled a snort. “I see. Be that as it may, I still think you should be cautious around Spike. He may have helped us while you were…gone, but his behavior was quite erratic and his moods even more so. While the more destructive side of his nature can be controlled due to the chip, I fear his volatile emotions cannot. He may find a way to disarm you without you realizing it.”

He already has, she thought to herself as she saw the vamp in question standing in her doorway, his eyes red rimmed from the crying he must have done. He’d heard the whole conversation, no doubt, and was probably waiting for her reaction. She gave him a genuine smile and witnessed him visibly relax as he walked back into her room and sat on the edge of the bed, watching her.

“Uh, Giles? Not to be rude much, but was there a reason you called?” she asked, not really paying attention to anything he’d said in the last few seconds, because her mind wandered to the vamp currently sitting across from her.

“Ah yes, I think we should meet today. I have some information regarding the handkerchief you gave to me yesterday. It’s not demon in origin, more along the lines of an ectoplasmic entity,” Giles answered, going into Watcher-Librarian mode.

She sighed. “Speak English, Giles.”

He blew out a ragged breath of relief. Buffy had not changed so drastically that she didn’t know the difference between Korlak demons and a Greog. “A ghost, Buffy.”

“Oh. Well, that’s a new one on my ‘to do’ list. Exactly how does one slay a ghost?” She shrugged her shoulders in response to Spike’s raised eyebrow. Damn it, does he have to do that? Makes me feel all gooey inside.

“One usually doesn’t. They’re typically exorcised.”

“They’re going to use my gym equipment?” She glared at Spike when his eyes danced with mirth, suppressing a laugh.

“No, Buffy, exorcised…as in an exorcism performed by a priest, not a trainer.” His patience was wearing thin. “Ghosts aren’t corporeal, unless they’ve been around for an extended period of time. Then they can move objects, touch and be touched at will, etcetera. But that’s a whole other area of the supernatural that we usually don’t deal with.”

“So are you saying we need to find a priest?” This time, she nearly did giggle when Spike’s eyebrows shot clear up to his hairline.

Giles sighed, exasperated with his charge. “Look, why don’t we discuss this further later today? Willow and Tara will have returned from their retreat and maybe they can come up with something a little more conclusive than I can.”

“Ok, how about this evening around six? That’ll give everyone time to get here and get settled. And Giles? There have been some changes, uh going on with me. I can’t really explain it over the phone,” she said, hedging around the super hearing and super sight. Giles was sure to go ballistic once he found out, and she wanted a little more time with Spike before that happened. “Really different changes.”

“You’re not pregnant, are you?” he asked the first thing that came to his mind.

“Huh?”

“Never mind.” It was impossible since she’d only been alive for two weeks. But it could be a demon baby…a particular blond pain-in-the-ass demon baby , the thought flashed through his mind before he could stop it. He mopped his face with his free hand, fearing he was losing what little wits he had left about him. “I’ll be there this evening. And I’ll let Xander and Anya know as well.”

She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Thanks, Giles. Spike will be there too. Just so you know,” she warned.

A frustrated sigh filtered through the phone. “Yes, yes…all right, Buffy. But for the record, I strongly object to including Spike in our activities, even more so than I already have. I just don’t want another incident on our hands like the one with Angel.”

“Strong objection to Buffy’s wishes duly noted.” Unable to keep the irritated edge out of her voice, she reiterated. “As I said, Spike is not like that. He wouldn’t hurt me,” she murmured softly, looking straight into said man’s eyes.

Spike covered his mouth before he muttered something unmanly. Tears in his eyes were bad enough, but he nearly lost it when she confirmed her trust in his ability to keep her safe. And to her Watcher of all people.

“Stubborn girl,” she heard Giles mutter under his breath. Before hanging up, he told her, “I’ll see you this evening then.”

Buffy glanced up to see Spike looking at her. “Sorry about that.”

Clearing his throat before speaking, he looked nervous, his eyes shying away from her bold stare. “S’ok, pet. Thanks…for stickin’ up for me and all.” He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. “But don’t wanna have the Scoobies’ knickers in a twist on my account. I can leave.”

She held out her hand and Spike rose to take it without hesitation, before kneeling down in front of her, playing with her fingers. She smiled at their hands then looked at him with those strange and disarming eyes she now had. “Please stay,” she pleaded quietly. “I don’t know if anything else new will happen with this gift, but I’d like you to stay close by. If you wouldn’t mind.”

Spike cupped her face and rubbed his thumb along her hairline, watching her eyes shift from green to a deep shade of blue. She called it a gift…she called her new abilities a gift. She trusts you…to keep her safe. She knows you have a heart. “I’ll stay, love,” he finally said, so softly that Buffy barely heard him, even with her advanced hearing.

The thousand-watt smile she graced him with bowled him over. “Thank you.”

He returned her smile, but sobered somewhat as he looked down at their hands. “I have something for you. Not really a prezzie, though. Don’t know what you’d call it.”

She laid her right hand on the top of his head and began stroking his curls gently. “Something that isn’t a prezzie and you don’t know what to call it. Hmmm, do I really want to know what ‘it’ is?”

He grinned mischievously as he reached into his duster pocket and pulled out a small purple velvet box, handing it to her. “I got it a while ago, before you…died,” he said, choking on the last word. “Tried to put it on you while you were in the casket, to keep the vamps from doing something nasty to you, but the Scoobies wouldn’t allow it. Bit said she’d do it after they were gone, but I forgot to give it to her. Been holding on to it ever since.”

Tears freely flowed down her face as she reverently touched the gem encrusted pendant that lay on the white satin. Four emeralds were lined up vertically, bisecting with two sapphires and set into a silver cross that was about two inches in length. It was finished off with a durable silver chain that looked nearly unbreakable. It was practical yet stunning at the same time.

“I know you like to wear pretty stuff,” he whispered, afraid of her silence. “An’ even in death, you were so beautiful…”

Spike lost any words he was about to say as Buffy seized his lips in a passionate kiss. She tried to pour all her thoughts and emotions into him through the act, but he felt the maelstrom inside already. She was happy, sad, heartbroken, and feeling undeserving of such a gift. He couldn’t let her think that, not after everything she’d gone through.

“Don’t cry, pet. You’ve shed enough tears for the world.”

“Would you put it on me?” she asked with a watery smile.

Taking the box from her, he pulled the chain from its nesting place and let the cross dangle between his fingers, careful not to actually touch it. She lifted her hair to one side as he reached around her neck and began fastening it. He also picked up on her accelerated heart rate and closed his eyes to keep from nipping at her throat. Steady mate, she’ll bolt if you move too quickly.

The kiss she laid across his cheek as he was finishing made him freeze. He moved slightly to the side and looked in her eyes, waiting. She returned his steady gaze, her eyes changing rapidly from green to blue and everything in between. “I…”

No, don’t say it! Cause I won’t let you take it back! he screamed at her in his mind as he pressed his lips to hers. It was the only thing he could think of to keep her silent before she said something monumental, at least to him, and then take it back. What was left of his heart wouldn’t survive that.

Spike broke the kiss to let her breathe, leaning his forehead against hers. Her heartbeat was off the chart and he smiled to himself, knowing he was the cause of it. He caressed the outer shell of her ear with his fingers and pressed a soft kiss there, feeling her shiver with longing.

Good. Long for me Buffy…please.


Chapter End Notes:
Dum dum dummmmm - The Scooby Meeting!



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