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Author's Chapter Notes:
{A/N: I had to split this chapter into 2 separate ones again. I can be too verbose lol It will probably take me a bit longer between updates for the final few chapters. The holidays are a real bitca.

Mucho thanks to all of you who have been so awesome with the review giving :D Leaving a few nice words can really make a big difference! *smoochies to all*

Thanks again to DFL for being such a wonderful beta, and Chantelly and Edgehead for the fabooo banners! *hugggles*}
Buffy had dozed off after eating the soup. It was a natural sleep though, not a sleeping potion induced one. Her body and mind needed to do some healing.

She was having a bad dream, one in which things hadn't gone well in the shack. She jerked awake at the floor creaking when Spike walked back into the house.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay, I-I must've fallen asleep. I had a bad dream..." She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Are you alright now?" Spike asked, his voice heavy with concern. He expected they'd both have some bad dreams about what had gone on here.

"Yeah, was just a dream... How long were you gone?"

"'Bout a half hour, I think."

After she'd rubbed her eyes, she took a good look at him. "You're... wet. Why are you all wet?"

Spike was indeed dripping wet with water. Not blood, thankfully. And it wasn't her imagination earlier, he had filled out. Probably even more so after having what had been his first big meal in a long time. His physique was back to being lean, but not too lean. His sinewy muscles shimmered in the lamplight.

"Wanted to wash up at the well before I came back," Spike explained as he raked his fingers back through his wet hair.

He looked so good wet. Buffy had to make an effort to keep her tongue in her mouth. 'Mmmm, looks like wet Sting in the winged undies...' The nightmare she'd had was temporarily forgotten.

"I hope you didn't get the shorts too wet... If those things shrink any more they'll officially be part of your skin." She forced her eyes away from the shorts and up to his eyes -- it wasn't nice to ogle someone.

Spike laughed and looked down at the much-hated shorts. "You're right about that. Don't know why these damn things had to be so tight to begin with. If I start talking in a high, squeaky voice, you'll know why. All I need is a mesh shirt, guyliner, and some body glitter, then I'll be all set to go clubbing."

"Maybe there are some other clothes you can put on in the bedroom."

Spike shook his head ruefully, "Nah, only women's clothes in there. I hate these shorts with a passion, but I ain't putting on a bloody dress."

Buffy giggled at the mental picture of Spike in a dress. "I think you'd look cute."

Spike gave her a mock angry look, then smiled. When they'd first arrived in this dimension, Buffy jibing him like that would have made him genuinely angry. But things had changed. Spike knew she was just being silly and didn't mean it unkindly. "It's probably best if we put on the clothes we came here in before we set off looking for the portal. I wouldn't want to have to come back here if it turns out we were supposed to be wearing them. I saw my stupid bloody hat and shirt and our shoes and socks in the bedroom. My shirt has seen better days though, only got one sleeve."

"Definitely wouldn't want to have to come back here."

He walked to the chair, and went down on one knee. He took her hand in both of his and looked at her with concern, as well as affection. "How're you feeling, luv?"

"Better. Kind of weird how much better, not that I'm complaining."

He smiled and gently squeezed her hand. "Good, that's what I want to hear. You look much healthier already."

Buffy smiled and reached out to touch his hair. "Your hair's curly when it's wet." She couldn't resist sproinging one of the curls then winding the lock around her index finger. She'd wanted to touch his cute, curlier hair after their baths, but she hadn't felt comfortable enough to even suggest it back then.

Spike leaned his head against her hand. Buffy was playing with his hair -- another thing he never thought would happen and which he was pleasantly surprised about. "I hate the curls, can't be a proper badass with Shirley Temple locks. You wouldn't believe how much it curls up in humid weather. Makes me just want to shave it all off sometimes."

"Uh-uh, don't you dare. I like your hair the way it is."

Spike gently kissed her hand. "I have to dry off so I don't drip all over you. Be back in a minute." He got up and went into the bedroom to find a dry towel.

Buffy looked at her fingernails, thinking that she'd love to get a full, all-day spa treatment when they got back to Sunnydale. Her hands and nails had suffered some damage from having to clean the house so often. She reflected on another weird aspect of this dimension: Time had passed, and yet it stayed still in some respects.

In the nearly 2 weeks they'd been trapped here, neither of them had had a need to shave, their hair didn't grow. Their fingernails and toenails didn't seem to grow either. Buffy had also been due to get her period a few days before, but that hadn't happened either. Initially she'd been scared, thinking she might be pregnant with Riley's child, but the non-growing hair and nails had helped ease her mind that it was just a strange side-effect of being in this dimension. She hadn't shared the pregnancy scare with Spike, it was too frightening and personal. Though she would have told him if she'd noticed signs of morning sickness, she didn't doubt that Spike would try to help comfort her, but first, he'd most likely go on a rant about how lame Riley was and question her as to why she'd let Riley touch her in the first place. And she didn't need to have that conversation.

Poor Riley. How was he going to react when she told him that she had feelings for Spike? Because there wasn't any going back to the way it used to be between her and the surprisingly sensitive and thoughtful (and very sexy) platinum blonde Vampire. There were so many good qualities she'd discovered in him. Spike would have to do something exceedingly awful for her to stop caring about him now. They'd been through and shared too much together to just pretend they didn't care for each other, or try to forget how close they'd become. And she still wanted Spike in every way possible. If all this wasn't the Unari screwing with their minds to make her and Spike want each other, that is. Oh, there was just too much shit that would make her crazy if she let it.

To put her mind to a constructive purpose, Buffy picked up the Magick book and examined the lock that held it shut. There was a keyhole for which they'd been unable to find the corresponding key. Buffy ran a finger over a little scratch above the keyhole. The scratch was a deep indent in the metal latch, consisting of a line with a few little scrapes around it. Going on a hunch, she leaned towards the fireplace to inspect the latch in as much light as possible. Upon closer inspection, the scratch looked like the witch's magic wand with what might be little sparks of energy coming off of it.

Buffy picked the wand up from the table, then touched it to the keyhole, saying, "Abracadabra." She didn't know if magic words would help or were necessary, but thought she'd try it anyway.

Buffy gasped when the latch dropped open. She just stared at it for a few seconds, not believing that it had actually worked.

"Spike! Come here!"

Spike raced back in, his eyes wide and fists clenched, ready to fight any threats to their safety and freedom. "What's wrong?! What hap--"

"Nothing's wrong. Look," she showed him that the latch was now open.

He blinked, then willed himself to stand-down, relaxing slightly. "How'd you do that?"

"I touched it with the wand and it just popped open. I haven't looked inside yet."

"Good work, luv. Why didn't I think of that? Here, let me," Spike reached out for the book.

"Spike, why do you keep throwing yourself on every potential 'grenade'? I don't want you getting hurt either if there's some kind of booby trap."

"You've still got recovering to do. I'm feeling strong and fit, I can take some punishment and still be in good shape. Now, give me the book," he said, with a determined look of his own.

"Alright," Buffy relented, handing him the book. "But if you get yourself killed, I'm never speaking to you again."

They exchanged nervous smiles as he took the book from her. Spike cleared off a section of the table, and set the book down. Buffy stood up and moved to stand next to him, ignoring the weary sigh he let out. She wanted to be shoulder to shoulder with him when the book was opened, to face whatever might happen along with him.

Spike took a bracing breath, then opened the book.

Nothing exploded, jumped out, or zapped them. It seemed to be harmless... so far. They weren't taking anything for granted. There was a table of contents written in calligraphy, with what they chose to believe was just red ink.

"Definitely a spellbook. Seems to serve as a recipe book too... I think we'd do well not to read the recipes." Spike trailed his index finger down the list showing chapter titles, such as: Full Moon Magick, Potions, Recipes for Boys and Girls, Herbs and Spices, Travels, etc.

Buffy pointed to the chapter titled 'Travels', "Let's check out that one first."

Spike flipped the pages to the chapter. There was a piece of loose paper at the beginning of the chapter, a map. There were red and blue glowing points on the parchment. The blue glowing spot to the north was what had to be one of the portals, it was the right shape, color, and was swirly. They tried to contain their excitement that they were getting the information they needed in order to leave this place (which they'd come to despise long ago).

"That has to be our destination," Spike said, tapping under the blue spot on the map. "And the red thing must be where we are now. See, it's a drawing of a house with a gingerbread man next to it.

Buffy grinned and grabbed onto Spike's arm, hopping in place a little with happiness. "How far do you think it is?"

"Dunno, there aren't any marks to show miles or kilometers. But it doesn't seem like it's that great a distance. The village she was always runnin' off too is south of us, and the portal is north. We should be alright if we just follow the road. Looks like we'll pass a farm or two, then come to a bridge spanning a river, and then the portal is just past that."

Buffy threw her arms around Spike's neck for a victory hug. "Yay! We won't be walking aimlessly, we know where to go! I can't wait to get out of this hellhole!"

Spike turned fully toward her and joyfully wrapped his arms around her too, hugging her back, "Soon, luv. This bloody place will just be a bad memory for both of us."

"It wasn't all bad," Buffy said, sliding her cheek along his until they were looking into each other's eyes.

Before Spike could ask which parts she didn't consider bad, Buffy's lips were on his, kissing him breathless (or more breathless). They held each other tighter as the kiss deepened, becoming more impassioned. Spike moaned as Buffy's tongue slid between his teeth.

His first reaction was to return the kiss with just as much vigor as her. Then he worried that maybe this was too much for her right now. Buffy didn't seem weak at the moment, not with how tight she was holding him, how she was mauling his lips, and how she was rubbing her nubile body against his. She had been through a lot tonight. Spike knew himself too well -- if the kissing went on like this, his passion for her would fully ignite and he'd be pushing the food and book off of the table so he could lay her down on it and...

He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers, panting for unneeded breath. "Buffy, you aren't 100% yet. And it's not only feeding frenzies that I can go into. Don't want to... overwhelm you."

Buffy lightly brushed her lips over his, trying to get control over her raging hormones and liking the idea of Spike overwhelming her. "I was wondering why you hadn't tried to kiss me since we got free. Thought maybe you weren't interested in me anymore," she said with an adorable pout that made him melty.

Spike snorted a laugh at the absurdity of the notion of him not wanting her. "It wasn't that I didn't want to kiss you... Wanted to so bad."

They shared a few more feather-light kisses as they talked.

"Then why didn't you?"

"For a few reasons."

"Such as?"

"Besides worrying that you're not up to anything... physical, I didn't want to kiss you and have you say 'Yuck'."

"Why would I have said that?" 'Yuck' would be the furthest thought from her mind when it came to kissing Spike.

"I had blood breath, I hadn't brushed and rinsed."

Buffy smiled. "Wow, more thoughtful and considerate behavior. My mind has been blown by all your displays of niceness."

"I know, I'm makin' myself sick," Spike joked. "But," he said more seriously, "kissing you is... well, it's something that I want to be doing lots of, and grossing you out by having blood lining my mouth isn't a good way to keep you comin' back for more."

Buffy covered his mouth with hers again. There was nothing yucky about his mouth, and she could definitely see herself coming back and again and again for more. Her mind leapt ahead to what might come of the kissing -- Spike dramatically sweeping the food and book from the table, then lifting her onto the surface, and then...

But that wasn't a good idea for many reasons. #1: Buffy didn't want to stay in the gingerbread house any longer than was absolutely necessary. #2: They had to get to the portal as soon as they could; Dawn could be waiting for them on the other side. #3: This would be their first time -- not a dirty dream or fantasy -- and she didn't want it to be here, where they'd been tortured for what felt like an eternity. There were too many bad memories of this house and this room, memories that she didn't want tainting her and Spike expressing their feelings for each other physically. And a big reason, #4: She still had a boyfriend... it would be so wrong to cheat on someone for any reason. Riley deserved better than that. Any more intense physical things between her and Spike would have to wait until she could do things the right way. First she'd have to let Riley down as gently as she could and break off their relationship, then she could have a clear conscience -- about that part of it, anyway. Buffy hated that anyone had to get hurt in all this, but it was inevitable.

Buffy broke the kiss this time. "Spike, you were right, we should cool it."

He made a groaning sound, but stopped, released her and stepped back. He was trembling a bit with the intensity of his desire for her, it wasn't easy for him to stop. But Buffy's comfort and needs came first. "Yeah, need to... slow down. Are you alright? I-I didn't hurt you or --"

"No, no I'm okay. Not a 100%, like you said, but okay. It's mostly that we don't have time to do... stuff like that right now. The portal awaits."

"Right. But... when you say we don't have time 'right now', that implies that there will eventually be 'time' for that?"

Buffy blushed, nodding. Spike looked so adorable and hopeful; it did her ego good to know he wanted her so much. "Yes, I'm sure when we get back to Sunnydale there will be time in between apocalypses."

"You... want to wait till we're back home before we...?" Spike wasn't able to keep the disappointment and frustration out of his voice. They could be going home soon, or there could be more tests ahead for them to pass or fail. They could be here weeks longer. He didn't know if he could stand being so close to Buffy and not tell her and show her how much he loved her. A long wait could very well kill him or drive him bonkers.

She nodded again, though part of her didn't give a shit about doing things the right way. Part of her just wanted to jump on Spike and have her way with him right here and now. "Besides the time thing... I don't want to be a cheater -- more of one than I already am, I mean. And if we go any farther, I'll be a huge, big fat cheater-pants. I need to do this right. I'd have to tell Riley it's over between us before I can... get closer with you. I hope you understand..."

Spike struggled to maintain his composure and not blurt out things he'd regret. He pressed his lips together and nodded reluctantly. "Mmmhmm."

Buffy winced. "You're upset. I'm sorry... Please don't give me a hard time about this, Spike. It's not going to be easy for me either, but I'm trying to do the right thing."

Spike took a deep breath through his nose, then let it out slowly through his mouth. "I s'pose it wouldn't be you if you didn't try doing 'the right thing', that's just how you're wired... I'm trying to understand where you're coming from. But I can't help being... disappointed that I have to wait any amount of time before we can... get closer. Won't be easy for me to behave. We can still kiss, right? Just not..." he made a gesture with his hands.

"Kissing..." She knew she wouldn't be able to resist kissing him, she wanted to do it again already. Kissing someone else was still cheating, but... it was less bad than actually screwing. "Yeah, kissing is okay. We just have to be careful not to... let it get out of control."

Spike thought, 'Easier said than done.' But he nodded in agreement. He had to get his mind off of sex, and fast. "Alright, time to pack up and be on our way. You get some food and water ready to take with us. Don't want to be caught without food again if the journey takes longer than we think it will. If you feel up to rummaging around, that is."

"If it gets us out of here faster? You bet your sweet ass I feel up to it."

Spike smirked. "Think I have a sweet ass, do you?"

"It's just an expression... But as a matter of fact, yes, I do." Buffy cleared her throat, trying to focus her mind away from Spike's sweet ass (and other parts). She started looking for a bag or basket to put food in, she remembered a bunch of stuff like that being in one of the cabinets. "Oh, should we find a way to take some blood too?"

"No, I'll be fine for at least a day or two."

"Sure?"

"No worries. I need to get the rest of my clothes out of the bedroom. I'll look around to see if there's anything else we might find useful to take along too. Be back in a minute."

Spike started to walk past her, then couldn't resist snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her against his body for one more passionate kiss.

Buffy moaned and put her arms around him, her toes curling and her knees turning to jelly. A voice in her mind said, 'Oh, it wouldn't be the end of the world if Spike and I got groiny... No! I have to be strong! But his lips... Oh God, his lips. Damn him! Why does he have to be so irresistible!'

Buffy was about to abandon her promise to wait and try hooking a leg over his hip when Spike stopped kissing her and took a step back. His hands stayed encircled around her waist to make sure she didn't fall.

"Sorry, couldn't help m'self," Spike said with a mischievous smirk.

"Hmm? Oh, it's... okay. Kissing is okay." Buffy was happy to find that her legs could support her, she wasn't sure if she'd just sink to the ground. That, or sweep off the top of the table herself and throw him down onto it. "You should... you know, go get your clothes."

"Right."

Buffy took a deep breath once he was safely out of ravishing distance and in the bedroom. Resisting Spike's magnetism and yumminess was going to be even more difficult than she'd thought. Hopefully they would find Dawn and be going home very soon.

"Have to get ready to go," Buffy mumbled, starting to prepare what she'd need.

She took a waterskin and a burlap sack out of a cabinet, then filled up the waterskin with fresh water. It would be reassuring to just have the food and water with her, even if she didn't end up needing it. 'As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again,' Buffy thought, quoting Scarlett O'Hara. As she stuffed food into the sack, she perused the Magick book, seeing if there was anything else that might help them. But the rest of it didn't seem to be of any relevance to them. She still planned on taking the book along with them in case they needed it.

"Should take a lantern too," she said to herself. There was a good lantern sitting on the top shelf of a cabinet. The moon was full and bright, but Buffy would feel better having another source of light. It was kind of like when she was a child and something frightened her, having as much light as possible helped to quell her anxiety back then. Everyone knows that light scares away the Boogieman.

Buffy shook her head at her childlike nervousness. She was the Slayer and had been doing battle with the undead and demons for years now, but something about this dimension made her forget that. She felt like a 'normal' person, and being normal wasn't nearly as appealing as she'd always thought it would be. The Unari were probably messing with their minds, making them weaker, more afraid. Maybe it was the whole fairy tale motif -- that they used fairy tales to prey on people and bring their childhood fears back to the surface? She'd have to see what Spike thought of that theory when he came back out.

A shout from the bedroom shattered the silence. "Aghh! Shit!"

Buffy gasped and her head snapped up when she heard Spike yell. A million terrifying thoughts flew through her mind. Something was waiting to jump out at them, it had just bided its time. Hadn't they been through enough already? Spike was being attacked by God knew what, she had to help him.

"Spike!?" She dropped the bag of food and ran to the bedroom, plucking the wand from the table on her way. She only hoped that she wasn't too late to save Spike. If someone hurt him again, she would make them pay.





A few minutes earlier...

Spike put on his ruined white shirt. He ripped the other sleeve off to make himself look a tad less odd. Now it was a white vest, a slight improvement. He put on the rest of the outfit, growling when he picked up the green hat. But then he smiled a little and put it on his head, running his hand along the brim and cocking the hat to the side. He hated the hat, but he thought it might make Buffy smile or laugh when she saw him wearing it. He loved seeing her smile.

'God, I've got it so bloody bad. I don't even mind if I look like a jackass, as long as she smiles... I really need to kick my own ass...'

Spike went to the bureau and rifled through the drawers looking for anything they could use. As he searched, he marveled at Buffy's displays of affection toward him. She really liked him, she wanted to hold and kiss him, and she wanted to be with him. She even said that she was going to breakup with Riley so that she could be with him... Spike was almost too afraid to let himself believe it. It seemed too good to be true. But what would he do if Buffy's theory was correct about their feelings for each other maybe being manufactured by the Unari? What if she didn't want him anymore once they were back in the real world? What if the fact that she had wanted him made her sick?

He whispered, giving himself a pep talk, "Stop doubting yourself, you git. She wants to be with you, she said so, and it's obvious from the way she tried to shove her tongue down your throat. Believe her, it's true. She'll still want me when all this is over..."

Spike looked up and happened to be looking into the fancy mirror right above the bureau. He didn't see his reflection, of course, he only saw the empty room behind him. He straightened up and smiled at his non-reflection. He really missed being able to see himself in mirrors, even after all this time.

'Well, who can blame Buffy for finally succumbing to my charm. I know how to treat a lady. She's only Human, and I'm a dead-sexy bloke. Was bound to happen eventually. My mojo is so powerful that I finally got the Slayer wanting to tonsil box with me,' he thought, trying to get his cocksure attitude and swagger back.

"Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the sexiest Vampire of them all?" Spike said out loud, then chuckled. He bent down to continue going through the drawers.

"I suppose that would be you," the Mirror replied in a deep, masculine voice.

"Aghh!" Spike shouted, jumping backwards halfway across the room. "Shit!"

He stopped backing up only when his back came up against the wall, and stared at the mirror. White mist was now swirling around inside of it. Apparently, they weren't done here quite yet.

He heard Buffy's alarmed voice call out to him.





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