She had a lot of thinking to do and couldn’t do it on an empty stomach. She nibbled on some crackers and finished her soup and wasn’t at all surprised when the mug was removed from her lap and a glass of juice promptly shoved into her hand. She drank it dutifully enjoying the feel of the juice replenishing her system.
She glanced at Spike who was vamped out drinking a glass of blood. She smiled at him as he licked his lips un-vamped and then smiled back at her before vamping to finish his blood.
She thought this was so strange and yet comforting. She wanted to play ill so she could stay here but knew she needed to think. She was feeling better and wanted to work out.
She glanced at Spike asking, “Can we go work out or something? I really want to hit something.”
Spike chuckled, “Whatever pet, as long as it’s not me.”
For a brief minute Buffy was tempted but shook her head, “Did Dawn really bring clothes for me? I need a shower.”
She sighed after saying that last comment and Spike got out of bed as she couldn’t help admire his body. His smooth chest, his vivid blue eyes that showed such power and emotion, and his long fingered hands that could make her turn into jell-o with the most simplest of touches.
She let out a moan as he barely touched her hand pulling her with him. He glanced back at her and she blushed thinking he must have heard her moan but said nothing about it.
He gestured to the makeshift shower, “Want to go first?”
Buffy shrugged and stepped in yanking him in there with her as she replied in a firm voice, “No hanky panky or I’ll be too tired to work out.”
Spike laughed loudly but agreed as they took turns washing each other.
It took every ounce of their will power not to jump each other especially at the feel of Spike’s cool hands washing her breasts and she felt him give her nipples a flick. She wanted to jump him then and there and it only got worse as he knelt down spreading her legs and she felt his cool air on her sex as he washed it clean.
She had closed her eyes and Spike had given her eyelids a kiss, “Your turn, so snap out of it.”
Washing him wasn’t any easier and in fact she even heard him growl in response to a moan on her part as she washed his neck and then his erection. But they made it through the shower even washing each other’s hair and he had picked her up carrying her onto the bed to dry her off.
For once even though she was well enough to do it herself, she didn’t complain and Spike took full advantage of it. She did dress herself in the outfit Dawn had brought for her and she smiled slightly recognizing it as something she would wear to entice Spike and giggled to herself knowing Dawn had used that for hte reason she had chosen it in the first place.
Spike had eyed her but still said nothing. He seemed really quiet and she wondered why. She was tempted to ask but was nervous about what the response would be.
Instead he asked hesitantly, “You sure about this?”
Buffy nodded biting her lower lip, “Perhaps they won’t even be there” but Spike and Buffy both knew that wouldn’t be the case. He could just imagine them now all sitting around a table discussing how to deal with Spike and his latest spell that he never casted.
Buffy walked into the Magic Box almost wishing she didn’t bother. She felt tired as her thoughts were heavy on the way over but she really wanted to hit something and knew hitting Spike her caregiver would gain her nothing. She sighed as she ignored their looks and walked in the training room. She heard Angel say, “Spike, I’d like a word with you.”
She was tempted to tell Angel to back off but figured Spike could handle himself and right now she really wanted to beat a punching bag into the ground.
Spike gave a shrug as a response to Angel and Angel guided him to a corner of the room far enough from prying eyes and ears as to not be heard.
Angel rolled his eyes demanding, “What are you thinking? Spike you know you don’t deserve her anymore than I do. We are vampires and we do not mix well with slayers. If you really cared a tiny bit for her you’d return with me to L.A. and you can fight whatever fight you want to working with my crew. We are helping the helpless. I’m sure you’d fit in well there. Just leave Buffy have her real normal life.”
Spike glared at Angel in response, “You’d like that wouldn’t you? You’d like to be able to boss me around and try to make me fall into my little pathetic William self again when I spend all my bloody time trying to live up to your expectations instead of living my own life. Well news flash for you big guy, I’m Spike, not William the Bloody anymore and the slayer chose me. I don’t think she loves me, nor am I thinking she ever could but it doesn’t rightly matter now does it. She chose my company, chose my bed and she chose me to help her with her battles. She doesn’t call on you anymore because you are a bloody fool who left her to pursue your own destiny. Well you do that but let the girl chose her own. She’s not 17 anymore. She’s 20 years old. Don’t you think she’s old enough to know what she’s doing?”
Angel glared at Spike and threw him hard against the wall with a deep growl, “You aren’t the long haul guy. Why do you even bother? Humans can’t be with vampires for the long haul because they need children. I plan to be human someday so I can be with Buffy. Why even bother to stay?”
Spike pushed Angel’s hand off his neck, “Because I care. I don’t stay for some silly prophesy or because I want to earn some redemption. I don’t have a bleeding soul to care about such things. I do things because they help Buffy and if I can make her life even a tad bit better than it is now, then I’ll stay. Even if I do ruin her life, I’d probably find a way to make it better and then return again. Bloody hell, I’m not like you, you poofter. I don’t run.”
Angel growled throwing a punch at Spike which Spike didn’t anticipate and didn’t duck in time and growled as his nose was hit. He threw a kick at Angel who threw him against the wall knocking off a vase. Anya stormed around the corner, “You guys are going to pay for that!”
Angel sighed and nodded as Spike pushed a hand through his hair glancing at Anya with an apologetic look. Anya put her hands on her hips pointing to the door, “If you boys must fight, take it outside and stop ruining my money making shop.”
Angel and Spike both heard Xander call out, “Way to tell them honey!”
Spike rolled his eyes, “Is that all? I’m not leaving, that’s all there is to it. It’s Buffy’s life, it’s Buffy’s choice. I only want her happy and if I’m the bloke for the job then I’ll gladly accept.”
Neither vampire saw Buffy who had snuck out during their conversation and had watching most of the interchange. Angel stepped back allowing Spike to pass. He stopped at Buffy glancing at her in surprise as though expecting she would still be inside the training room and he shuffled his feet putting his hands in his pocket looking down, “I’m guessing you heard that.”
Buffy frowned, “I think so. I arrived somewhere around the time he made the offer. So you aren’t taking it.”
Spike shook his head and Buffy’s heart raced. She didn’t realize until she heard Angel make that offer how much she had counted on Spike to be there. She glanced up at him while her stomach did flipflops, “Can we go talk? Like appear to do a patrol and talk?”
Spike chuckled and nodded falling in step behind her as they headed for Restfield Cemetery.