“Some people change when they see the light, others when they feel the heat.”
~ Caroline Schoeder
“Only in growth, reform and change, paradoxically enough, is true security to be found.”
~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Spike looked outside and frowned missing his Desoto. He had always loved that car like it was his baby and it had been for a very long time. He needed a new set of wheels. Anya and Xander got in the front of a rental station wagon while Spike and Buffy crawled into the back.
Buffy rested her head against his shoulder whispering, “Did you get enough blood from me last night? I don’t think you took a lot.”
Spike placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, “It was plenty and it was powerful. I think your feelings added even more power to it than normal or maybe your blood is just more powerful than the others. I’ll be just fine until tonight. We can go to a deli and pick up more meat or swing by the hospital to see if I can get set up with some expiring blood. I’m just not sure I want to get hooked back on human blood is all. I’ll have to think on it. Buffy, in the next day or so I need to get me a vehicle and we need to go house searching when we finish looking around today and pet, I want to talk to you about something.”
Buffy didn’t move but clasped hands with him looking at the way the scars matched. He looked down at them too and squeezed her hand gently whispering in reply a little nervous by what he was about to say, “I’d like to try the whole 9 yards with you.”
Buffy whispered, “Does that mean you changed your mind about the picket fences?”
Spike laughed remembering the conversation so well, “Well around the crypt part at least. I can’t really trip and fall on them and die after all so perhaps a white picket fence won’t be too painful now.”
Buffy whispered quietly still unsure of herself in how this whole thing will work. It was a big step for her after all as well as for help, “Can you be a legal citizen? I mean well um…” She trailed off not sure how to put what she was trying to say.
Spike responded understanding with perfect clarity what she was trying to say, “You want to know if I can be a legal citizen enough to get married. Well I can get papers from Wolfram and Hart made up if you would like. It would appear legal. I could have whatever name I wanted.”
Buffy ignored the Wolfram and Hart part and responded, “William Pratt. I want to be Buffy Pratt.”
Spike laughed a bit in shock, “You really want to take my poncy name of Pratt and be stuck with it forever?”
Buffy nodded and snuggled closer to him crawling onto his lap, “I want to be a part of your life. You’ve been a part of mine and always done as I asked. I’ve focused so hard on making you change to fit into mine and you worked so hard on making me change to fit into yours. I’d like a happy medium. I want you to be Spike, the dangerous, and sexy vampire that I fell in love with, as well as the sweet and caring side of Spike that is part of William I’m sure, that comes out when you’re around me. I need you to be both. I don’t know how but I need all of you with me. We both have a light and dark side to us. I’d like them to compliment each other. So yeah don’t hide from me your past or present and I won’t hide from you my feelings and fears. How’s that for a compromise?”
Spike grinned and placed another kiss on her forehead as he ran his fingers through her hair so happy to be allowed just to be with her. He never dreamed they would get to his point. It was what he always wanted in life and he was getting it with his dream girl, Buffy. He nodded against her head leaning his cheek then over her hair whispering against her ear softly as even his voice was filed with the happiness he felt, “Perfect.”
Xander stopped the wagon interrupting their talk, “All out for Fifth Third Bank.”
Spike whispered to Buffy, “You have to come in and sign some paperwork.” Spike then said louder to Xander and Anya, “I’m sorry but we will be a few minutes. Buffy and I have to sign some paperwork to make this account official before we can walk out with money.”
Buffy followed him out of the car and said softly as he leaned over to hear, “Can we have credit cards or banking cards? I’d rather not carry around cash.”
Spike nodded in agreement, “Good idea.”
Buffy smiled, staring at her new shiny credit card as she crawled across the seat to make room for Spike.
Anya stated in almost a whiny tone, “Are you guys all set now? The morning is almost over already and I haven’t even tried on a single dress!”
Spike laughed, “We are all set and ready to go do some shopping.”
Buffy smiled at her new card. Spike had said she could spend as much as she wanted on her dress today. He had also promised to take her shopping in Vegas when they finished with the wedding.
She was excited. It had been so long since she had enjoyed a good shopping day. She imagined all the clothes she could buy. She snuggled in the back seat with Spike just enjoying his company and the gentle sounds of the music coming out of the speakers.
Xander and Anya were lost in making plans for their honeymoon. They were going to do some traveling since Anya got to keep the ability to transport herself along with others. Since it wasn’t totally a vengeance thing, the ability to transport was left behind. She had lost her other powers and only retained some simple magical abilities, teleportation, and her knowledge. She had given up immortality, wish granting, and inter-universe traveling. It was worth it to be with Xander.