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STAKE YOUR CLAIM


Chapter 7: ‘Housewarming’


Buffy Summers took a look around her new ‘home’ with a strong sense of pride that owning something by yourself gave you. So many Cheyenne townspeople had helped her move into her little cottage-like house that Buffy was just dizzy with trying to figure out how to repay each and every one of them.

Willow had made some beautiful yellow curtains for the windows, Angel and Connor Giles had built the little corral in back, and the small barn that would house Cloud.

Willow’s Uncle and Aunt Rosenberg had made sure that the young school teacher had the dishes and silver, cookware and other necessities that only their Mercantile could provide.

Ethan and Cordelia Rayne had insisted on stocking her little pantry with dry goods and such, plus a new iron stove.

But it was Spike Giles and Xander Harris that had given her the most lofty of the gifts for her new home; Xander had a knack for carpentry so he and Spike had built her a moderate oaken dining table with four chairs to match. There was a sofa, that Willow and Daniel had promptly covered in suitable material and even an end table or two, plus a lovely set of matching chairs.

Finally, Spike and Xander had moved the last piece of furniture into her little four room place; an oaken bed, that the two friends had built themselves for her. Xander’s wife Anya was blatantly absent and it troubled Buffy, she liked the young woman. Rupert and Jennifer Giles insisted on giving Buffy fine sheets and blankets, plus a beautiful quilt.

“It’s a housewarming Buffy!” Jenny had insisted when Buffy had claimed it was just too much. “We’re neighbors, friends, aren’t we? This is what folks do for each other at a housewarming party!”

She, Buffy had cried for two hours straight after everyone had arrived at her new house to help her move, it had all been so overwhelming. When she wasn’t crying, she was with Willow laughing behind their hands at the look on Spike Gile’s face when he and Xander set that bed in her little bedroom; it was priceless.

The rascal’s expression went from a smirky glance at Buffy to a blush when she glanced back at him. But nothing could outdo the jealous flash of his blue eyes when Riley Finn arrived at the house to ‘help’ move Buffy in.

Buffy couldn’t help it, she felt some kind of feminine power from the manly encounter; the two men eyed each other with such hatred that even Willow had mentioned it to her.

“I hope they don’t shoot each other,” Willow had giggled behind her hand to Buffy, “I’m sure Spike would win, but Riley might get a good shot or two in before he died!”

Both young women laughed riotously, illiciting puzzled looks from both Spike and Riley, the two main rivals for Buffy’s affections.

Connor Giles had brought a young ranch hand with him that day; a boy about his age and size. Buffy saw right away that the young man must have had some Indian in him and was intrigued by it. She had never seen a real local Indian before and immediately began asking a lot of questions about the young man.

Apparently, most of the local tribes had left for the Government mandated reservations or stayed clear of the city limits completely.

“He’s my friend,” Connor explained simply, “his Father was Cheyenne, his Mother was a farm girl from Nebraska. They both died when Ford, that’s his name, Ford only, was about nine or so. One night, it was winter and there was a lot of snow, I remember that,” Connor continued so seriously that Buffy felt the urge to cry over the poor kids unfortunate fate.

“Poor Ford wandered up to the Ranch and stumbled onto our front porch, said his parents were dead and he didn’t know where to go. My Mom and Dad couldn’t see sending him to a place where he would never be accepted by anyone. The Reservation I mean, so my Mother insisted that Ford at least be placed with the other Ranch hands in their bunkhouse. Ford didn’t want charity so this gave him some chance to make his own way. She put Gunn in charge of him.”

Buffy remembered that Connor had said something about a ranch hand named Charles Gunn, an ex slave from Mississippi, she thought anyway.

“Mother taught me my lessons at home and had Ford learn with me. We kind of grew up along side each other. Miss Summers,” Connor tapped Buffy’s arm and added with concern, “I don’t think Riley Finn likes Ford much. You know his folks were killed by Indians. Or did you know that?”

Yes, Buffy had been informed that an Indian massacre was exactly how Riley Finn had become an orphan, but still, she couldn’t reconcile the Deputy’s hatred of all Indians. It just didn’t make sense to her, but intolerance never had made sense to Buffy Summers. Poor Connor glanced back and forth from Ford to Riley Finn and then at Spike and Buffy, nervously.

"Hope Riley doesn’t go on about it,” Connor mumbled under his breath as he had helped Angel and Ford fix the corral gate that didn’t seem to want to stay fastened.

“There,” Angel finally grunted, fixing the lock of the gate to latch like it should. “That should hold good now,” he smiled proudly.

“Thank you, Angel, Connor and Ford,” Buffy beamed at the three young men who resembled each other so much.

“I’m sure Cloud will love her new home,” she finished happily. Spike sauntered up to join them, leaning up against the new fence.

“I’m sure that Cloud ‘will’ love her new home, with you, Buffy,” he grinned at her, causing Buffy to blush profusely. She certainly hadn’t forgotten Spike’s promise to make his presence known to her any chance he got from here on in.

“Yes, well,” she stammered as she noted that Connor and Angel exchanged knowing glances. “Good grief!” she huffed to herself, “don’t these guys keep any secrets from each other?”

Spike lit a cigarette as Angel, Connor and Ford took their leave, “smart boys,” he chuckled good naturedly. His smile turned into a frown when Riley Finn joined them, uninvited, Buffy noted.

“Miss Buffy,” Riley grinned at her, then frowned at Spike, “Giles,” he nodded at the fair haired Brit.

“Hello Finn,” Spike growled back at the taller man with a scowl, “things get boring at the Sherrif’s office?”

Riley gave him the look of death then turned his attention back to Buffy, who he favored with a sickeningly sweet smile, or so Spike felt.

“Your house is certainly coming along, Miss Buffy,” Riley stated the obvious to Spike’s girl, Buffy. “Soon you’ll feel right at home, I’m sure,” the large man offerred, “of course, if you should ever feel threatened (here Finn paused and glared at Spike) or even uneasy, I’m always close by. You know where to find me, Miss Buffy.”

Riley finished with a smug grin and took Buffy’s hand in his to actually kiss it.

‘Bloody fucking ponce!’ Spike screamed silently, jealousy rearing it’s ugly head, ‘I’ll rip his balls off and…’

“Thank you Riley,” Buffy purred, her eyes glued to Finn’s ugly face, I am sure I will be fine, but to know that the Cheyenne law is at my disposal is a blessing.”

Spike was sure that Buffy’s gaze flicked over to him, momentarily. ‘Did she just smirk at me?’ Spike wondered.

“I would like to call on you, Miss Buffy,” Riley gushed warmly, totally ignoring Spike’s presence, “perhaps the day after tomorrow would be acceptable.”

Buffy just stood there grinning like a silly school girl, or so Spike thought angrily.

“Of course, Riley, I’d be happy to receive you. Day after tomorrow, I’ll look forward to it.”

Riley grinned happily then tipped his hat at Buffy and gave Spike a grudging nod, “good day, Buffy,” he called as he sauntered off.

‘What a bloody, boring idiot!’ Spike hissed to himself as he watched Buffy blush all kinds of pretty shades of pink and red. ‘Surely Buffy can’t be taken in by such a stupid wanker as Riley Finn?’

However, Buffy ‘was’ giving off all kinds of impressed vibes over Riley Finn, the fucking moron!

“Christ!” he hissed, unfortunately loud enough for Buffy to hear. “What?” Buffy asked nonpulsed, or so it seemed to Spike.

“I said,” he growled harshly, “Christ! How can a smart, beautiful young woman such as yourself be enamored by Riley Finn?”

Spike was stunned when Buffy broke out in a feminine giggle, “who says I’m enamored?” she asked coyly, batting her golden lashes. “Just because some man, like Riley, or you for that matter pays any attention to me, doesn’t mean I’m swooning Spike Giles. It just means that I might enjoy ‘his’ company, that’s all.”

Buffy actually grinned at Spike with what could only be described as glee. She promptly turned away from him and walked off, her little hips swishing under that pale blue dress of hers.

“Let’s see how much you enjoy Riley Finn’s company when he’s planted six feet under, Buffy Summers!” Spike snarled only half jokingly as he followed her back into the new house.

“Buffy, I’ll be bringing Cloud to you in the next day or so. Is that ageeable?” Spike asked her, in what she thought seemed like a patronizing mimic of Riley.

“Of course, Spike,” Buffy responded evenly, “I would love for Cloud to be here as soon as possible. Of course, I might be ‘busy’ the time of day you bring her, I hope that’s ‘agreeable’ to you Spike.”

She did her best to smile sweetly, slightly hoping it came across smug enough, ‘there!’ she chuckled to herself, ‘Mr. Smarty Pants! Hope you show up when Riley’s here calling on me and it makes you jealous! Serves you right, you egotistical, too big for your leather boots…’

Buffy had heard some rumors, already, about this ‘claim’ that Spike Giles had put on her and her affections. While she found it to be kind of sweet and somewhat flattering, in a way that is, she also found it to be quite archaic and definitely something from the Middle Ages! Spike somehow cornered her in the kitchen of her new house, which for some reason seemed to be devoid of any other person at the moment.

“Oh, I’ll come around when ‘I’ choose, Buffy,” he whispered as he leaned into her, much too close for comfort she thought.

“If you’re otherwise occupied with someone, oh, say Riley Finn that is….well, that’s fine. Just don’t blame me if the good Deputy ends up shot dead in your front room.”

Buffy gasped, unsure if Spike was kidding or not. “Oh don’t worry,” he added with a chuckle, “I’ll pay for the clean up and the burial of the esteemed Riley Finn.”

She gasped again, her green eyes wide with shock, “why you rude, vain, awful man!” Buffy began in horror. Before another derogative descript name could escape her lovely little mouth, Spike glanced about and saw they were alone.

Going for broke, he leaned in even closer and kissed Buffy Summers right on her plush lips, shocking the little beauty into silence. Spike felt a shock go through his body and figured that Buffy felt it too; her moan of pleasure matched his completely. When they broke apart, however, Spike caught the fiery heat of ‘something’ in Buffy’s eyes and saw her right hand come up for the slap on his cheek.

He grabbed her hand in mid air and chuckled again, “ah ah ah, Miss Buffy. At least slap me when I’m really trying to seduce you, not just stealing kisses in your kitchen with my family and half of the town in your front room.”

Spike knew Buffy was angry beyond words, else she would have certainly put him in his place within a second of the kiss. “I’ll see you day after tomorrow, Miss Buffy,” he grinned at her. “And don’t worry,” he called back to her as he left the kitchen to rejoin the others, “I won’t shoot Riley Finn over you…..yet that is.”


A/N: Okay, wanted to get Buffy moved in, the rivalry over Buffy in full force between Spike and Riley and so much more. After the next chapter, time will jump ahead and there will be more Spuffy interaction. I hope people stick with this story, I promise it will get more exciting, honest. Thanks, Luv, Spuf





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