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Yay." Buffy clapped her hands in delight. "My favorite part of the birthday party experience... presents!"

"Open mine first," Dawn pleaded. She picked up a package from the coffee table, and deposited it in Buffy's lap.

She had done a beautiful job of wrapping the gift, a talent she'd learned from their mother.

Dawn knew just how to use the right color and design of paper, and how to turn straight pieces of ribbon into a curling cascade of multiple coordinating shades.

Buffy smiled, a little sadly, at the reminder that this was her first birthday without her mother.

Joyce had been one of those "This is almost too pretty to unwrap" types. She would remove the wrapping and ribbon carefully, which always puzzled Buffy, since they would hardly be using it again.

She, herself, was more of a "That's nice. Now let me at it" gift opener.

Lifting the lid of the box, she peeled back a thin sheet of tissue paper..also coordinated with the outside wrapping paper.

Buffy lifted a silky, sky blue peasant blouse from the box, and dutifully held it up for inspection.

After everyone had made the appropriate sounds of admiration, she replaced the blouse in the box, and set it aside.

"Thank you, sweetie," She gave Dawn a kiss on her cheek. "It's beautiful."

Dawn's face lip up. "You really like it?"

"I can't wait to wear it," Buffy said. "So," she looked around expectantly, "what's next?"

After all the gifts had been unwrapped and displayed, Dawn looked at Spike.

"Where's YOUR present?" she asked pertly.

Buffy smiled. She had fed this line to Dawn, and her sister delivered it right on cue, eager to help after Buffy explained what she going to do.

Spike shifted in his seat, glancing at Buffy, expecting her to help deflect the question.

But she was no help whatsoever, and just sat there with an expectant smile on her face.

"Well," he began, sounding flustered. "You won't believe this but..I forgot it. I left it at my place and..."

His voice trailed off as he tried to convey a expression of "I'd forget my head it if weren't attached."

Buffy's smile widened. "But you told me that you had something for me. In the hallway? A little while ago...remember?"

Now, Spike looked nervous and confused.

"Well...I thought I had brought it with me when I said that, but...turns out I was mistaken."

Dawn took his coat off the back of a chair, and dropped it in Spike's lap.

"Maybe you should check your pockets," she suggested, smiling beatifically.

Spike looked from the jacket, to Buffy's face, then back to the jacket. Running his fingers lightly over the outside of the pockets, he looked up and shrugged.

"Nope," he said, "nothing here."

Dawn snatched the jacket back before he could stop her.

"Are you sure?" she asked innocently. "Because I thought felt...what's this?"

"What's what?" Spike asked abruptly.

"Feels like a little box," she explained. "You want me to..."

"No!" he said sharply. Yanking the coat out of Dawn's grasp, his hand delved into an inner pocket. "Oh, yeah," he mumbled. "Guess I forgot to check there."

He removed a small black box from the pocket, holding it in the palm of his hand as he looked at Buffy in exasperation.

"Ooh," Anya exclaimed. "That's gonna be a good one. Nothing bad ever comes out of a black velvet box."

Spike tossed the box to Buffy. "Be my guest," he said, meeting her eyes with a look of "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Happy birthday," he added.

Buffy's Pepsodent smile became softer, more intimate. "Thank you," she said softly as she flipped open the lid of the box.

She inhaled sharply in genuine surprise when she saw what the box contained; a delicate gold chain, with a heart shaped locket, nestling in a bed of black velvet.

"Told you so," Anya piped up.

"Spike, this is..it's beautiful." As she lifted the treasure from it's setting, Buffy saw the words engraved on the back of the locket; Love Never Dies.

The chain was very long, and Buffy knew without being told why he'd chosen it.

He'd made sure that the chain was long enough to be worn beneath her clothes, in a place where she could hide it.

Oh, God...

Buffy's throat tightened and she was afraid she was going to start to cry.

Although she had set these events in motion herself, planning to force his hand into giving her the gift now so she could open it, and then thank him for it properly, in front of everyone, she hadn't expected anything so deeply romantic...such an obvious display of love.

Without a word, Buffy left her chair and crossed the room to kneel beside him on the sofa.

Everyone in the room fell silent as they watched this new episode of the Spike and Buffy show.

Placing one gentle hand on the side of his face, she smiled tenderly. "I love it. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he answered, closing his eyes as she lowered her head..and kissed him.

When they finally pulled apart, Buffy was almost trembling from expelling the emotions she'd kept bottled up inside of her for so long.

Staring into Spike's eyes, she felt the oppressive weight of so many months trying to hide the life they'd been leading, slough off like a discarded lizard skin.

For the first time in so long, she felt completely right about what she was doing.

Spike placed his hands on her upper arms, holding her where she was. "Why?"

"Because it's time," Buffy said, her voice firm and sure. "It's past time. I shouldn't have let it go this long...and I'm sorry."

"Buffy.."

"Hold that thought," she said quickly, placing one finger against his lips.

With a smile, and a brief widening of her eyes, Buffy turned and confronted her audience.

"Okay...the floor is open for questions." She settled herself on Spike's lap and looked at him. "Just don't get too personal...some things aren't meant for sharing," she said softly.

Returning her smile, Spike tightened his arms around her waist. "But the best things are."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That was weird." Buffy draped the gold chain over her head and stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Spike stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms folded across his chest, watching her.

"How's that, love?"

Taking one last look, she turned out the light and left the bathroom.

"Well...it's just that...I don't know..it wasn't the big shock fest I was expecting. They took the news pretty well."

Spike followed her to the bedroom.

"In fact," she went on, "they didn't really seem all that surprised. What do you think THAT means?"

He shrugged, closing the bedroom door.

"That we're not as sneaky as we think we are?"

Buffy sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled off her shoes. "I guess not," she said. "Still...I'm glad its out in the open now."

She stood up and peeled off her pantyhose.

"Buffy..why now? After all this time. Why tonight?"

Back on the bed again, she motioned for him to sit next to her.

"Because.." She cleared her throat. "Because it was hurting you. And I don't want to do that anymore."

Taking his hand, she brushed a kiss against the back of it. "Because I love you," she finished simply.

Spike stared into her eyes intently, looking for the truth behind her words.

"I mean it." She hastened to assure him of her sincerity. "I love you. I'm not just saying it."

His silence unnerved her.

"Please say you believe me."

With slightly narrowed eyes and that slow smile that always turned her innards to jell-o, he answered her.

"Convince me."

"Okay." She placed one hand on his chest and pushed him flat on his back.

Climbing on top of him, she straddled his hips.

"Will you come and live here...with me?"

She nearly laughed at the dumbfounded look on his face.

"Please," she added, teasing him. "Pretty please...pretty please with sugar on top.. pretty..."

"Buffy! Stop!" He reversed their positions on the bed. "Do you mean this?" he asked. "Because if you're just gonna change..."

"Pretty please with..."

"Don't you DARE start that up again!" he warned her.

"Then answer the question!"

He smiled. "What was the question again?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Bloody hell," she muttered under her breath, copying his most over used choice of phrases, with a smart ass grin.

Spike growled and lunged at her, covering her face and throat with wildly extravagant kisses.

Buffy giggled. "Does that mean yes?"

"Hell YES that means yes!" He kissed her soundly on the mouth.

"Love you," he said when he pulled back.

"Love you more," she retorted.

"Loved you FIRST!"

"Love you...oh, never mind. You win."

"What did I win?" he asked.

"Take off my clothes and I'll show you."

The End.





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