“I can’t say that I’ve done a whole heck of a lot in Vegas.  Registering Dawn for school was a nightmare.  And then, there’s the unpacking.”

“Unpacking?”

“Oh, yeah,” Buffy answered.  “I’ve put some of it off, but the rest of it I can’t get to fast enough.  We traveled before settling in Nevada.  I’ve picked up things here and there, but most of the boxes are from Giles.  Furniture, kitchen stuff, books.  God, he’s sending us lots and lots of books.  But we’re rebuilding, you know?”

Spike nodded.  As they leisurely walked down the hallway, his fingers brushed against Buffy’s.  “And you want your Watcher’s furniture?  I hope it’s in better shape than that heap he called a car.”

“It isn’t so bad.”  Without thinking twice, she held his hand between both of hers and tangled their fingers together.  “Everything is very…practical.”

“I bet.  But your place is nice, yes?”

“It isn’t as big as Mom’s, but I think I did well with my Sunnydale Relief Fund check.”

“Come again?  Your Sunnydale what-now?”

“Relief fund check,” she repeated with a laugh.  “You can’t cover it up when an entire city in California explodes.  The government stepped in and I was there with my hands out.”

“It’s about time you got some compensation.  So, money is alright then?”

“It’s fine.  I haven’t found a job yet, but you won’t see me back at the Doublemeat Palace.”

“Now that’s a shame.  You made that uniform look damn sexy.”

“Yeah right,” she snickered.  “No words can express how much I hated that outfit.”

“Is that why you were always hot and ready for me to take you out of it?”

She wanted to give him a dirty look, but she couldn’t do it.  She smiled and rolled her eyes.  “Spike, you were the only thing that got me through that shitty job.  You were a lifesaver.”

The smirk on Spike’s face vanished.  “You’ve never told me this before.”

“I’m telling you now.  And if you can help get me through this weekend, I’ll be forever grateful.  You’ve been a doll so far just by keeping the small talk going and my mind off the drama.”

They stopped outside of his penthouse.  Spike looked down at their joined hands and Buffy knew he was considering what he should say next.  “Do you want to go to him?” he asked finally.

“To Angel?”

“Who else, pet?  I saw your face, Buffy, after he stomped off.  You said before you wanted things squared away with him before we could exchange mooneyes, so…  Slayer, I won’t stop you.  If it’s what you need to do before you can be with me one hundred percent, go to the miserable sod.  I know you’ll come back to me when you’re finished.”

“Spike…  God, Angel couldn’t be more wrong about you.”

“Yeah well, he’s usually wrong about most things, especially where I’m concerned.  He’s a prick.”

“I know.”  She yanked on his hand and bumped against him playfully.  “You both bring out the worst in each other.”

“That’s because he refuses to acknowledge that I’ve changed.  He’s entitled, why?  Because of his decades of self-pity.  Everything I’ve done carries no weight.  He says my good deeds were done purely for you, because I love you?  Well, so bloody what if that’s the case?  I’ve got my soul, I’ve got my conscience, they revolve around you, but I still know right from wrong.  I’m choosing to do what’s right.  Shouldn’t that mean something?”

“It means everything,” she replied.  “Spike, what Angel thinks doesn’t matter--.”

“Is that right?  When was this declared?  Is it too late to throw a parade since you’ve finally come to your senses?”

“Jerk, much?” she laughed.  She swung their connected hands back and forth a little before adding, “In all seriousness, it blows my mind that you think that way about me.”

“Really?  I thought it’d be old hat, seeing that I’ve been doing this song and dance for awhile now.”

“About that…”  She looked up at him and licked her lips.  “I’m sorry for not being very receptive before, to your singing and, uh, dancing.  But I’m listening now.  My ears are wide open.”

“Is that right?  Well, hell, if I would’ve known my untimely demise would’ve brought on this change of heart, I might’ve offed myself during the apocalypse before last.”

“Spike, that isn’t funny.  I don’t love you because you died.”

“It’s because I’ve worn you down through the years, isn’t it?”  She knew he was still teasing, but Buffy noticed something else flicker in his eyes.  “Let’s not get carried away, Slayer.  You’d better hurry along now; your Angel is waiting.” 

“But Spike--.”

“Go on, get it over with.”

“But I don’t want to see Angel.”

“What was that?”

“You heard me,” she said.  “I’m probably the last person he’d want to see right now and I’m not in the mood to argue with him tonight.  I want to stay with you.”

“You’re certain?”

“Angel doesn’t need me--.”

“He wants you, Buffy.  Just as much as before.”

“I’m not interested.  Are you trying to change my mind?”

“No, not at all.  But I won’t sulk—Slayer, you won’t hear a negative peep from me if you do choose to see him.  I just want you to know--.”

“That you’re a good guy?”  When Spike opened his mouth to speak again, she pushed a finger to his lips.  “As much as I appreciate the blessing, Angel can wait.  I should stay with my new fiancé, don’t you think?”

“Suit yourself,” he answered with a content smirk.

Standing on her toes, she leaned to kiss him.  It was a surprisingly sweet kiss that was cut short once the door to Spike’s penthouse swung open.

“Mrs. Pratt, I told you there was nothing to worry about!  They were right outside the door!” Dawn yelled.  Then she stuck her head further into the hallway to whisper, “What, were you guys trying to avoid the rest of Family Fun Night?”

“No,” Buffy said, taking a step back.  “We got sidetracked, but we’re ready now--.”

“You’re too late.  Mrs. Pratt just finished my hair.  She’s wiped out.  She’s going to bed.”

“Your hair is…finished?  Dawn, you look like some kinda porcupine.”

Dawn’s hand went up to her head of twisted pieces of fabric and she grinned.  “Isn’t it great?  When I wake up tomorrow I should have ringlets.  Ringlets, Buffy!  Without using a curling iron!  I’m so stoaked!  We almost cut up one of Spike’s t-shirts, but I decided to use washcloths instead.  They had little Wolfram and Hart emblems on them so I thought Angel wouldn’t mind if we hacked them up.  He probably has a factory full of them, right?”

“Bit, you could’ve used the bloody sheets for your rag curls; I doubt Angel would bat an eye,” Spike answered with a short laugh.

“But don’t,” Buffy added.  “Please don’t.  We’re already on his bad side.  Take it easy with the cutting and hacking.”

“Especially since your big sis here has already done a similar number on Angel’s delicate heart this evening.”

“He knows?”  Dawn’s eyes went down to their connected hands.  “Are you guys okay?”

“Only mildly offended,” Spike shrugged.

“What did he say?”

“Nothing,” Buffy said.  “He just left the room.”

“And before that, he announced that the Scoobies are coming to town.  Aren’t we lucky?” Spike asked with a grin that wasn’t exactly thrilled.  “It’ll add more to the headcount of the wedding party.”

“But…why?  I love Xander and Willow, but I was enjoying it being just the four of us.”

“I know what you mean,” Buffy admitted.  “But maybe they’ll be happy for Spike and me?  Maybe they’ll be civil?  They’re willing to help Angel and they helped me when I tried to resurrect Spike.”

“And if they aren’t?”

Buffy looked at Spike after he asked the softly spoken question.  “Then we ask them to leave.  Or we’ll leave.  We’ll take our wedding on the road.”

“You’d do that?  Really, pet?”

“Well, I’m sure running away should be the last resort, but I don’t want everyone upset on Sunday.  It should be a happy day.”

“Buffy, all I need is you, me and a ring.  No offense, Dawn, but sod the rest of them.”

“But…but what about Anne?  I thought,” she shielded half of her mouth from Dawn and whispered, “Isn’t she the driving force behind this?”

“I love her dearly.  This reunion means the world to me, but…”  With his eyes still on Buffy, he said, “Dawnie, will you give us a minute?”

“Why don’t you guys just come inside?  Unless you really like sneaking around and muttering in hallways?”    

He thought it over and then he nodded.  He motioned for Buffy to enter the penthouse first.

As Dawn shut the door behind them, he spoke to Buffy alone.  “I don’t need an excuse to marry you.  I’d do it with or without my mother as a witness.  I don’t want to scare you off or push too soon, Slayer, but I will mean my vows.  In my eyes, our wedding will be far from fake.  Maybe there’s a chance you’ll feel the same way?”

She gasped silently.  Her heart started to pound.  “Spike, I--.”

“Hush, you don’t have to say anything now, or at all, babe.  You should get some rest.  Think it over.  We can continue this tomorrow.”

Buffy blinked as he kissed her forehead and finally released her hand.

“Goodnight, Buffy.  Dawn.”

She watched as Spike went into his bedroom and shut the door behind him.

“That was kinda sudden,” Dawn remarked.  “What happened?  Are you going in there after him?”

“I want to.  God, I really want to, but I made a promise to Mrs. Pratt.”

“What kind of promise was that?”  As she spoke, Dawn dropped a blanket and two pillows on the couch.  “Do you promise not to bone her son?”

“What—ew, no!”

“Just checking,” she laughed.  “I see the way you’re looking at him, Buffy, and everyone knows Spike’s completely insane about you.  I just don’t understand why you aren’t busting down that door to be with him.  If I were you, I’d be all over him.”

“Dawn,” she mildly scolded.

“Well?”

“I told Mrs. Pratt I wouldn’t sleep in his bed.  She wants me in her room.  She wants to spend mother-daughter time with me.  What else am I supposed to do?  I can’t say no to that woman.”

Dawn settled on the couch with the pillows behind her head and the blanket up to her chin.  “You know, I bet she wants to give you ‘the talk.’  I read that mothers did that back in the day.  They’d let you know what to expect sex-wise just before your wedding night so the virginal bride wouldn’t be as horrified—oh God!” Dawn giggled.  “Maybe she wants to give you tips on how to please her son!  They used to do that too, you know.”

“Do you think she’s really do that?”  Buffy’s face twisted at the thought.  “It was bad enough when Mom gave me the sex talk years ago.  I’d probably curl up and die if I had to go through that again with Spike’s mother.”

“If Mrs. Pratt thinks she’s being helpful…  She probably has no idea that you and Spike are former sex fiends.”

“Dawn…  Where the heck did you read about this?  And don’t you dare tell me it was research for your damn paper.”

Her sister closed her eyes then she said, “Library.  Historical romance section.  I have a few books downloaded on my phone if you want to educate yourself.”

“No.  Thanks.”

“Okay, but I think you’re missing out.  Can you turn off the lights for me?”

Once the living room went dark, Buffy heard Dawn say, “There, now I won’t see you when you sneak into his room.  Isn’t that convenient?”

“God, you’re such a brat.”

“I’m thinking I’m more like cupid.”  Dawn waited a beat and then she added, “Goodnight, Buffy.  I know you’ll do the right thing.”

Buffy shook her head and replied, “Goodnight, Dawn.”

***