Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven.
~ Tryon Edwards
The three couples sat around the table in a horseshoe shaped booth and chatted about old times. Xander glanced at each member of the group announcing, “It’s like a reunion of sorts with a few different members.”
Willow giggled, “Three main members of the Scoobies: Buffy, me and Xander plus three newer members of Oz, Anya and Spike. It’s great!” Willow took a sip of her wine and smiled at Oz who was digging into his steak and potatoes.
Anya raised her glass in a toast, “To our happy gang who is together again and who are in happy couples.”
Spike lifted his glass of blood to Anya’s glass of red wine first, Buffy followed suit with her glass of diet coke, Xander and Oz followed with their beer cans, and Willow was last with her red wine. The sound of glasses and cans clinking would be heard before the sounds of, “Here, here.”
Buffy looked around the table with tears in her eyes and Spike pulled her closer placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, “So far so good, pet.”
Buffy nodded, “Whoever would have thought we would be here. Anya and Xander married. Oz and Willow are back together and here we are, so perfectly happy.”
Spike whispered towards Buffy, “Eat up, pet.”
At the end of their meal, Anya announced her and Xander would be traveling starting tonight. She wanted to hit Italy by nightfall over there so they could find a place to stay. She motioned to Spike and Buffy, “Want a ride back to Ohio on our way out?”
Buffy looked at Willow who said, “I’m staying behind for a while. Italy is running fine without me and Oz and I want to continue to catch up. Are you staying or leaving Buffy?”
Buffy bit her lip and looked at Spike. Spike nodded gesturing towards Buffy, “Um, up to you pet. Actually can you give us a minute?” Buffy and Spike fell behind the walking crowd and Buffy admitted quietly towards Spike, “I’d really like to live in Vegas near Willow and Oz actually. We could open up a slayer central here and it’s crawling with vampires. We could handle this place, you and I with Willow and Oz’s help. I don’t know where Xander plans to go but we could stay here and get a house. Is it too much trouble to get the money transferred to a bank in Vegas?”
Spike shook his head, “I think we can manage that. I wonder how much trouble it would be to have our stuff moved.”
Buffy shrugged, “Can you drive a U-haul?”
Spike chuckled shaking his head towards his slayer at her question, “I can drive a stick shift. The Desoto was an automatic after all so I think I can handle a truck.”
Buffy frowned realizing she actually had nothing left to move. She shrugged, “Never mind actually, I just need my suitcases and that’s all I really have.”
Spike nodded, “Ok let’s talk to the whelp and demon girl as well as the witch and wolf and see what can’t be arranged for us moving down here permanently for now.”
Buffy gave Spike a hug around the waist and then run to catch up with the gang eager to share their news.
Anya was happy for them. She looked at Xander hoping he would agree to settle in Vegas. Xander shrugged, “Cara can handle New York I’m sure. We can talk about it more after our honeymoon Ahn.”
Anya beamed, “Ok how much are you guys moving?”
Buffy shrugged, “I have clothes in suitcases. That’s it.”
Spike looked sheepishly, “Any way someone can take me to L.A. to the apartment I used to have to pick up my items there. I’d like the Playstation as well as my clothes if it’s still there. It would save trouble in rebuying.”
Willow took charge and threw out her suggestion, “Ok I’ll take Spike to L.A. and Anya you get Buffy to Ohio? We meet back at the hotel in say an hour?” Anya took Buffy by the shoulder and Willow took Spike by the shoulder and with smoke and light, both parties were gone.
Xander and Oz looked at each other still feeling a bit of the old awkwardness that had been there since Willow and Xander were caught making out and Oz said, “Know how to play cards?”
Xander nodded in agreement, “Got a set in the hotel room if you want to play something.”
Oz nodded and decided to make the best of their hour.
Anya and Xander were gone to complete the rest of their honeymoon in peace. Willow and Oz were off doing their own thing and Buffy was snuggled up on the bed with Spike in their hotel room. Buffy whispered up to Spike, “You don’t mind if we settle here do you? I mean do you mind spending some time thinning out the vampire ranks here and perhaps even starting a slayer training camp here in Vegas. You have the right to say no if it really bothers you.”
Spike shrugged then tightened his grip on Buffy but was still careful not to hurt her after the bruises he found on her after their quickie in the tub earlier he knew his slayer wasn’t 100% yet. He noticed Buffy watching him so he decided to speak what was on his mind, “Honestly Buffy, I didn’t plan on us happening. I dreamed of it, God I spent every night in L.A. at first imagining our reunion. I imagined you saying, “I did love you Spike” followed by endless sex but that is all I could imagine. I couldn’t imagine a real relationship with you. The closest we ever had been the last few days on the Hellmouth and everyone was acting crazy and thought we were dying. Then Angel started in and told me that you’d never be happy with me and could never be in a normal relationship with me and that you never loved me. He was good at convincing me of things. I spent 50 years with him always on my back, telling me I was worthless and not really one of the gang. I was never good enough for him and he told me I was never good enough for you so I believe him. This…”
He signaled down their bodies to where they were joined with Buffy’s head against his chest and her arm flung over his waist holding him tight and her leg over his with one of his arms tightly around her waist. He continued, “This is more than I ever dreamed of happening and I was told it was impossible. So my future is really yours. Probably makes me sound like a bloody ponce but I’ve been saying the same thing all along: Whatever makes you happy makes me happy. We got forever, pet. Do you know what forever feels like?”
He shook his head looking down at her innocent face saying, “Probably not. It’s a really long time. You’re going to outlive people, luv. Xander, Anya, Willow and Oz even your sister and Giles. They all will die and we will still be here. They will grow up and we will be the same age. Never bothered me before. I, in fact, never even thought much about it. I’m sure Anya never thought much about it either before Xander. Point is, who am I to say you can’t spend whatever years you have left with your friends, here in Vegas with them.”
Buffy looked at him when he stopped and asked tentatively, “Will we last forever?”
Spike looked taken back by her statement but considered it carefully. He was quiet for so long Buffy whispered, “Spike?”
Spike replied, “I don’t rightly know, kitten. It depends…”
Buffy asked, “Depends on what exactly?”
Spike shrugged, “I don’t know.”
Buffy snuggled closer, “You fell out of love with Dru and in love with me.”
Spike looked down at Buffy, “That’s different. Dru never really loved me and couldn’t be faithful.”
Buffy shrugged, “That won’t be a problem then.”
Spike looked down at her looking a bit surprised and nervous, “You sure?”
Buffy nodded, “Since I’ve first seen you in my high school where you trashed the parent conference, you’ve always been there. I was obsessed with killing you, then obsessed with seeing you, then obsessed with spending time with you. Notice a trend? It’s always been about you. Even when I was with Angel I’d catch myself looking at you and what I felt scared me. Angel was supposed to be my one true love.”
Spike tensed at her words, “Wait hear me out. Angel was a safe vampire. He was supposed to have this wonderful soul that allowed him to always be good. I have since learned a soul doesn’t make you all good. Too much pressure has been put on this soul having thing. You were good before you had a soul. You’re like the most alive vampire I’ve ever known. But point is, it’s always been you. Even during Angel, Riley, Scott, and anyone else that’s been in my life. You were always there seeing to it that the relationship didn’t work whether it was intentional or not. I couldn’t love Riley because I already loved you. Scott didn’t work out because I was so busy making Angel better in order to forget you.”
Spike nodded understanding, “I used to make Harmony dress up like you just to be able to be with her and Dru said when she looked at me, all she saw was you the slayer. I guess we are both pretty helpless aren’t we, luv?”
Buffy smiled placing a kiss on his bare chest, “So you’re ok with Vegas then for a while?”
Spike nodded, “We will go house hunting tomorrow. Maybe the wolf can offer some suggestions.”
Buffy looked at Spike, “How come I never got a cool pet name like the others?”
Spike shrugged, “You didn’t like sweetheart or goldilocks or even luv or pet. I gave up trying to come up with a pet name for you. The only one you accepted was slayer. Want me to come up with one for you?”
Buffy nodded and smiled, “Is Oz still really a werewolf?”
Spike nodded, “Wolf is dormant now for 30 days and 27 nights of the month but on the nights of his full moon, he has to wear an amulet. The amulet represses his wolf self. It’s not perfect but it should help him to control himself better. It’s like living as me probably. The urges are there you just learn to live with them until it’s triggered.”
Buffy giggled sheepishly, “Like when I mess with your neck?”
Spike chuckled, “Yes like when you mess with my neck, kitten.”
Buffy whispered, “I do like kitten. Did you ever call anyone kitten before me?”
Spike shook his head, “Can you imagine Dru or Harmony being a kitten?”
Buffy laughed as Spike explained, “Dru had fangs Harmony had vicarious claws. Definitely not kitten material but you are delicate and soft and you have claws but they are perfect. They cause just the right amount of pain but no more. You are perfect, my love.”
Buffy smiled and closed her eyes whispering, “I love you Spike.”
Spike pressed a kiss to her forehead and rested his head against it, “I love you too Buffy.” With that they drifted off to sleep.