[Reviews - 199]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 1976 times

- Text Size +




Time continued to pass, and with it the weather got colder, the trees more colorful, and the attachments between a vampire, his friends, and his girlfriend, grew stronger.

November went at its own pace, the days ranging from high activity to no activity at all.

It began rather quickly; Buffy's presence at Spike's house was now recurrent, and she was thrown- as she'd wished to be -into the goings on with the Flora problem.

She'd been prepared for that. Buffy had planned on helping Dylan at the computer, brainstorming ideas, and even calling an endless amount of witches and voodoo places located in New Orleans was not something that brought on surprise. The sudden mentioning of an elusive Gem which was apparently also in the picture did, however, manage to unsteady her just a bit.

It seemed a little farfetched at first mention, a powerful hunk of jewelry that was basically a vampire shield of titanium against fire, sunlight, beheading, stakes- everything lethal.

Then she remembered her sleeping charm... along with everything else standing right in front of her.

The amber stone, she wore just about every night now. The vampire, gypsy, demon existence feat, that was displayed just about every day for her. The powerful, mythic Gem of Amara, she hadn't even seen a picture of yet.

When she'd realized that fact- almost immediately after getting used to the concept of such a powerful thing existing -she'd of course asked to see one.

Well, it turned out the guys had yet to locate a picture.

She was frustrated, and had quickly made it her highest priority to find a damn photo or drawing of the thing. It could be a necklace, it could be a ring, it could just be a little sparkly marble in the dirt, or it could be embedded in a crown- No one knew. And the fact that the Gem was absolutely pure LEGEND didn't help her irritation whatsoever.

And she refused to ask Spike whether or not he was going to keep this magick rock for himself or not. She'd wonder about that after they found it- IF they found it.

The added determination she felt and displayed from that point on was probably what got Spike to stop griping about her helping. He still didn't like her being involved with any of this, but he no longer scowled and grumbled every time she and Dylan were brainstorming, or Stevo suggested she read through some of his gypsy journal. Or when the others and she got into a debate regarding Drusilla's vision's meaning.

Stevo had explained. She knew about Drusilla's visions and the soul and the slow crawl the woman had made back to sanity. But Buffy hadn't known she was the reason Spike's friends were all with him now. She had not known that it was Drusilla who had received a vision involving the Gem of Amara to start all of this.

The vision that was as much a clue as it was a mystery. Finding out exactly what it meant and if it was somehow related to Flora and her agenda were part of the group's research initiative.

As the days went by, slowly sometimes and quickly some others, a routine was developed. Or, at least, a sort of expectancy. Buffy waitressed during the daylight hours now- Most of the time. When she did not, Spike gladly picked her up. Non-work days she usually spent reading, sometimes at the library (even with the bitter-sweetness of Spike not being there), and sometimes at home; or she was with Grams. Then later, Spike and his friends woke up. She often brought food back from Leonard's for the posse of men, which Spike paid her for in advance, even the times she offered to treat. Stuff like leftover pie or orders of fries were things Leonard didn't mind giving away to her, though, since she was one of his waitresses, so she felt like she was contributing.

Arriving at Spike's come dusk was her norm, and the group had come to expect it. The days she missed stopping by- maybe two days a week -were always responded to with surprise. And she always had something to clean up the next day.

It was a nice little routine. Buffy enjoyed it, even when she had to play the mediator in an argument that had started and then festered on the day she was gone. The guys were much calmer when she was around. She supposed it was either because they still believed that they should be better behaved around Spike's girlfriend, or because she just helped keep them in line.

Given that she'd seen Rex and Blake wrestle down the staircase, saying things she hadn't known were phrases- twice! -Buffy didn't think they were too worried about their manners. She also wasn't positive that her 'keeping in line' talents weren't dwindling. She would have to work on that.

Of course, the guys treated her like a friend, and so they acted that way around her. Spike seemed used to it, happy about it, now. Which set Buffy at ease.

Her feelings for the vampire did not stop strengthening one bit during the weeks of researching, and discussions, and even separation sometimes.

Often, Buffy was left with one or two of the guys when the others would leave to go out and look for people who might be able to provide some information on Flora. "People" meaning demons. And "provide" meaning give after being threatened and/or beaten up.

Since she knew that the guys were only doing what they were used to doing, and getting information in the quickest possible way, she wasn't too worried. Even if her conscience had prompted her to question why they couldn't just ask their suspects nicely, or offer up money. Or hell, get a female to flirt information out of the men like they sometimes did in movies, and Blake could move in on the girls.

They'd all told her that sometimes money did work out, but usually a fist was better. Asking hardly ever produced results. And then Blake had looked at her, one black eyebrow risen, and said, "You'd wanna be my partner in crime, dollface?"

She hadn't been insulted. Stevo and Ace and Dylan and Rex hadn't reacted other than to look at her in amused expectancy for an answer. Spike, however, had immediately said, "Not bloody likely," in a voice which still sent shivers down Buffy's spine when she thought about it.

Then, the idea had rolled through her mind very slowly, and she'd gone over it again and again until getting the bravery, about an hour later, to mention that it might not be such a bad idea actually. She could go into a bar and flirt with some drunk guy to try and get information, she wouldn't exactly want to, but the more they knew about Flora the sooner she'd be caught. Which meant the sooner Spike was safe.

Buffy had thought he was going to have conniptions when she brought it up again. A firm "Hell no," was his answer, and nothing else; except for a little fear she had for Blake's life over making the joke before. It had taken a while to get Spike to calm down, finally giving up in the argument which had taken up about fifteen minutes of their time.

Ten more were wasted in furious kisses and biting lips after she conceded defeat.

That's how they were. It seemed the urge to touch and kiss and push each other against the nearest wall was not something that was going to go away. The urges were only getting worse. The tension only tightening, and the touching more frequent. From casual brushes to heated grips, they touched all the time. They kissed just as much, and they fought almost as often as the guys did with each other.

It was only little spats, really, no big blow ups. And they were never truly mad at each other. It was things like what color the walls were painted in the living room and did or didn't Spike tell her to bring back pumpkin pie rather than blueberry this week? It was almost marital, their arguments; the ones that didn't involve gems and demons, of course.

Buffy supposed it had something to do with the thicker tension, the stronger pull and the more desire that she could feel virtually magnetizing her to Spike. At first, she hadn't really gotten what was going on. She hadn't figured it out.

But then, like a ton of bricks, it'd hit her.

One day, in the second week of November, she had arrived just before the sun went down. She was empty handed except for her bag, from which her headphones streamed; she was busy getting lost in music. When she opened the front door- Spike had given her a key; and yes, she was still trying to relax her pitter-pattering heart -a noise loud enough to be heard past her headphones came from beneath her feet. Quickly running through to the living room, she found Ace and Blake calmly reading through sheets of paper Dylan must have printed out. She smelled coffee from the kitchen and knew Stevo was probably in there. Before she could even ask, another bang sounded, one she'd felt in the soles of her shoes.

"What the hell is that?!"

She rarely swore, so even a little word like that coming from her caught Ace's and Blake's attention immediately. They both looked startled. "What is what?" Blake asked.

She opened her eyes wide at them like they were both oblivious idiots. "The BANGING," she exclaimed.

"Oh," Ace chuckled, "It's just Rex and your boyfriend. They're sparring in the basement."

Buffy shook her head, frowning hard, then quickly tucked her headphones away as Ace stood up. Her question was clear on her face, and as he steered her toward the back of the house he explained, "They're just getting in a few kicks and hits. Nothing actually harmful."

Buffy sighed. "Oh." She'd thought she was going crazy or something, hearing loud noises no one else was reacting to.

Ace brought her through the hallway off the living room, passed the bathroom and to another door which lead outside. The basement was almost directly across from the room Buffy had fondly labeled the "Serene Room" in her own head, the place with empty flower vases and cream colored walls.

Ace opened the basement door to reveal a wooden staircase leading down. Buffy saw unfurnished cement walls as they descended rough, un-sanded steps, and there was a mustiness in the air that declared the space a true cellar.

She heard grunts and curses coming from below, and as she walked further, light sprang up and she could finally see a large blue mat that took up half of the entire floor. As she hit the bottom step, it became clear to her that perhaps she should not have ventured down here to see her boyfriend fighting.

Spike lunged, oblivious as possible to her presence, though an almost indiscernible shiver went over his arms when he passed her to land atop Rex. As far as she could tell, Spike wasn't in game face, but she could feel the aggression in the room as clearly as she could see the sweat on his bare back. That strong, lean, muscled throughout every inch form. She barely heard her own gasp when Spike was thrown across the room to land flat on the mat. Rex stood in defense as the vampire rose back up, flicking a near unnoticeable glance at Buffy and making her heart rate go haywire.

She was overheating. Spike was the one sparring and dodging and throwing punches and she was sweating. Her eyes riveted to sleek, quick movements. The man was like a giant tiger in his ferocity, faking moves left and right, shoulders controlled and kicks high as he and Rex beat on one another. Spike was in his element, fighting and enjoying it, sneering when he got a good punch in, retaliating when Rex did.

She literally couldn't blink. She wasn't even aware her breathing kept ceasing every time she got a good glimpse of Spike's abs. They literally looked like sculpted marble, or photo-shopped.

Could you edit a real life man to be perfect?

If you could, Spike was the ideal archetype.

And she was melting. Something... just something about how he reveled in it. She could count the times it took him to breathe uselessly in and out, how with each step his body danced with readiness and his skin had a slight sweaty sheen to it. Suddenly images clouded her mind as she looked on at the vampire she called her own, the one who called her his. She saw them rolling on the ground together, scrambling for the upper hand until they became sweaty for an entirely different reason other than fighting. Tearing cloth, jean buttons popping... Nails scratching down that beautiful, rippling back. Those quick hands of his caressing with roughness and softness together. It was lust coursing through her body and making her swallow hard and mindlessly rub her neck where she could feel his lips.

A shudder went through her. Buffy gasped when Spike suddenly kicked Rex in the chest and the thunderbird went down. She shook herself out of the fog as well as she could, grateful that it was Ace standing next to her watching the fight rather than Blake. She did not need an empath smirking at her and making her blush because he knew her emotions as they danced through with smutty lust.

She stared at Spike and her breath caught yet again when Rex lunged unexpectedly and caught the vampire off guard, tumbling them to the mat and trying for a head lock of some sort. The struggle increased and the fighting went on, but then something else caught Buffy's eye.

In the corner of the room sat a furry little kitten, curiosity and wariness on her face as she stared at Spike and Rex. Buffy didn't know how long she'd been there, but instantly became worried one of the two fighters would fall on her. "Princess..."

Ace looked at Buffy, then followed her gaze to the furball in the corner who'd just started approaching the stairs where she'd heard what she knew as her name. She meowed.

Buffy saw the exact moment Spike noticed her, too, and didn't even have time to blink when he kicked Rex away from him with such force the thunderbird hit the wall. Spike was up and grabbing the kitten in a flash, scolding the little thing as he approached.

Wide-eyed, staring, Buffy watched Ace take the kitten when Spike handed her over. He was sweating and panting, and annoyed with his pet. "Little bugger. Don't let her down here anymore, she'll get herself killed," he said, absently leaning down to give Buffy a kiss on the forehead and brush his fingers over her arm. She shuddered, goose bumps running over her skin.

Then, she looked over at the sound of a groan to where Rex was slowly getting to his feet. The thunderbird looked at Spike and glared. "Cement and my back don't fucking mix well, Spike."

The vampire removed his touch from her sensitized skin. Buffy swallowed, and needing something to do with her hands as a shirtless, grinning Spike stood right there, looking edible and tempting, she took Princess from Ace's hands and pet the lanky tabby.

Spike walked over to his friend and said, "Had to save the cat. Sorry, mate."

He didn't sound all too sorry, and Rex sighed, rubbing his neck as he looked away in disgust. "I swear that feline's out to get me."

Ace chuckled from Buffy's side, and then the three were joking and throwing out barbs at each other, as usual. Her ears deafened to the voices, her eyes locked on her vampire. Spike turned his head and met her gaze, and something very close to heated awareness sparked. The tension built, and she noticed his nostrils flare.

It was then. Right then, and she knew. As fire burned through her and a sexual want clearly displayed itself for Spike to see, she knew she loved him. From fighter to kitten-protector, fangs to smirks; he was all hers. She wanted to be a part of him and his life and never leave, crawl under his skin to stay there and be safe from ever losing him. Buffy's breath turned ragged after she realized it, a mixture of want and revelation running through her. She became suddenly terrified, but at the same time she knew it was too late.

Like a ship braving the waves during a storm, lightning flashes overhead and water soaks the deck, but you're already on the ride. You have to secure your place on that ship and make sure not to drown. That's all you can do. There's no getting off or running away. Buffy felt like she was drowning in the water, but she was only on the boat.

Which was why she wanted Spike as desperately as she did. Because she loved him, and she didn't know if he loved her. An animal inside her was clawing its way out through her heart, demanding to be heard and recognized. It wanted- She wanted -Spike. She wanted him with the depth of a woman who'd never had something so fiery in her life, only passionless options and no emotional rocking like what she had experienced with him.

He'd gotten her out of her shell, and while she still had a ways to go, she was working on it because of him. Spike made her see things she didn't want to and he made her want again.

It was petrifying. It was glorious.

Scary because she wanted it more than anything, amazing because she knew it was and would be an unbreakable bond to lie down in his arms, and she could lie there forever. She'd dig her heels in and fight for everything they had, against Flora she'd wield her own sword and she'd dig up the whole state to find that stupid Gem if she had to, but she would not stay with someone who did not want her. She needed to know now if he-

Spike came up to her then, and he stared down at her and Buffy's heartbeat sped up and her eyelids wanted to droop but she knew tears would start so she kept still. He looked at her with... love. And he sealed her lips with a kiss to mark the pages of lonely books, the kind of kiss that should be written about because no one gives kisses like that, the kind that last for years and make a brand on your heart. But this one did, and then Buffy knew. She felt it, and even if she lived to be a hundred, she would never forget the moment she knew.

Spike had her heart, she had his. Unspoken words could be said sometimes clearer than the air breathed. And Buffy finally realized why, understood, that both lust and love were taking them over every day.
_________________________________
End Notes: Still can't post in the author's notes so here I am in the story section again. I just wanted to say that I apologize for this chappie being late. And I know it wasn't long, but it was supposed to be short and sweet. Thank you for the reviews and for reading!





You must login (register) to review.