STAKE YOUR CLAIM
Chapter 12: Part II ‘I Couldn’t Sleep All Night’
“Don’t be silly, Buffy dear,” Jennifer Giles was adamantly assuring her that Dawnie and her would not be any inposition that evening or at any time.
“Thank you, so much, Jennifer,” Buffy sighed, quite exhausted by this time as she followed the older woman back upstairs to the bedrooms on the second floor of the house. Buffy hesitated in the middle of the stairs glanced down at the parlor below to where Rupert Giles, Spike, Doctor Wilkens and Angel were starting their second rounds of brandy and whiskeys.
Spike smiled up at her and winked, immediately illiciting a flush of burning heat to shoot up her neck into her face.
‘I’m sure he could see that from there,’ she thought shyly, but this time, she smiled softly at the thought. ‘I know he loves to see me blush,’ Buffy chuckled inwardly as she followed Jenny to the top of the stairs quickly.
Before she continued down the hall to the guest room her and Dawnie would be sleeping in that night, Buffy paused and caught Spike’s gaze again. She shot him a suggestive little half smirk and continued to follow Jenny to the guest room.
‘There,’ Buffy thought coyly, ‘you just take that naughty little memory of my smile with you to bed, Mister.’
‘Bloody hell,’ Spike cursed under his breath, ‘little chit really gave it to me good, didn’t she?’ Buffy’s little smile, which was really quite suggestive, had instantly given him a thousand or more visions of her naked in bed with him.
‘Count your blessings, Princess,’ he smirked himself as he silently continued to stare at the upstairs, ‘if you were alone in that little guest room, I’d sneak in later and…’
“William,” Rupert Gile’s booming voice broke his pleasant Buffy reverie, “Doctor Wilkens will be staying tonight. We can’t have our best and only physician in the town out traveling so late at night. I will have Jennifer put him up in your old room tonight, you and Angel shall accompany he and the girls back to town tomorrow.”
Spike nodded absently, still staring up at the top of the stairs.
“I do not think your oldest son is the least bit interested in my sleeping arrangements Rupert,” the Doctor laughed gruffly.
“He seems more interested in Buffy Summers and where she’s sleeping tonight.”
Every man in the room burst out into laughter, except Spike, he just shook his head and plopped down on the leather sofa beside him.
“Well, why the bloody hell not?” he finally muttered, much to the enjoyment of the three other men in the room. “If it’s escaped all of your attention, I’ve made it clear I plan to marry Buffy Summers. I think I’m entitled to ‘think’ about her ain’t I?”
Again, the three men laughed loudly at the frustrated frown on Spike’s face.
“It’s all very well and fine to think grand thoughts and strut around, William,” Rupert chuckled amicably, sipping his brandy, “but you better get your brand on that girl and soon. Doctor Wilkens tells me that Riley Finn seems to be quite sure that it’s ‘he’ that will win Miss Summers lovely hand in wedlock.”
Spike shot the Doc a sour look, but only received a good natured grin from the middle aged physician. It reminded him of what he and the Doctor had discussed outside the Harris house earlier that evening.
‘He’s right,’ Spike reasoned silently, ‘Buffy and I need to really be alone, literally and talk privately about whatever it is that troubles her so.’
Doctor Wilkens gave Spike an amicable nod and went back to drinking his brandy with Rupert and Angel.
“I’ll shoot Finn before I let him have Buffy,” Spike growled, but grinned despite it.
Rupert stopped laughing completely, “William,” he sighed in exhasperation, “I hardly think it’s necessary to shoot Riley Finn, even if it is tempting. Poor wanker is a bit dense.”
Everyone, including Spike broke out into loud, riotous laughter.
Buffy lay quietly in the small bed that set closest to the guest room door that she and her little sister occupied for the night. Dawn had gone to bed much earlier then Buffy had, having bathed quickly, finished off a hearty late supper at the Gile’s table and stumbled up into the cozy little guest room to sleep. Jennifer had insisted on talking to Buffy over tea before the eldest Summer’s girl bathed herself and eaten a satisfying meal at the table.
Spike had hovered nearby, comfortably leaned against the kitchen wall as he watched Buffy gobble her meal down with gusto. After Buffy had retired to the indoor bath to wash and relax, Spike joined the other men in the parlor to drink and toast the Harris’s and their new daughter. Since Jennifer Giles was a petite woman, built a lot like Buffy, her clothes would have to suffice for the stay at the ranch. Dawnie made do with a gown of Drusilla’s that the eldest Gile’s child had left when she went back to England.
Dawn was snoring, softly in her sleep, a slight smile on her pretty little face.
‘Suppose she’s dreaming about the excitement of earlier,’ Buffy smiled to herself, brushing her little sister’s dark hair from her face. ‘That or Connor,’ Buffy fretted. It wasn’t that Buffy didn’t understand Dawn and Connor’s infatuation with each other, it was obvious the two youngsters were devoted to each other. No, it was something else all together. Buffy truly felt that Dawn deserved a chance at something more out of life then marriage, babies; her baby sister deserved a life of travel, excitement and discovery.
Something Buffy herself had always wanted but never really found until she had traveled out here to Wyoming and a new life. Connor was destined to go to a college, somewhere, Rupert Giles was adamant about that as his youngest boy was so much like his oldest one.
Although different as night and day in looks, Spike and Connor could have been twins in intelligence and their eagerness for education. Both of the brothers loved to read, Buffy had found that out right away and it pleased her, especially since it was just one of the things she and Spike and in common.
Although she was quite exhausted herself, Buffy found it difficult to just fall fast asleep as Dawn had done. Her mind kept going to the events at the Harris house, both inside and the miracle she’d witnessed and outside, later
‘I cannot fault Spike for reacting to our kisses like he did,’ she surmised, ‘I was pretty overwhelmed by them too.’ She tried not to giggle out loud at the thought of Spike’s irritation at his younger brother, when Angel had interrupted Buffy and his romantic interlude on the porch.
‘Just as well Angel burst in on us,’ she reasoned, sighing softly, ‘no telling what I would have allowed to happen right there in the sight of God and the prairie dogs!’
Buffy giggled this time, not loud though, she did not want to risk waking her sleeping sister in the next little bed. ‘Oh, but Spike kisses me so very devinely,’ she sighed again, smiling, ‘and apparently my kisses make him very happy indeed!’ This was the last thought Buffy had before she fell into a very deep sleep.
The next morning, as promised, Jennifer had a huge breakfast prepared for Buffy, Dawn, Doctor Wilkens and the Giles family. After breakfast, Angel hurried off to some corner of the ranch land to find a cow or something. Spike had dissapeared right after breakfast, while Connor went about his regular chores and Dawn scurried down to check on Anya, Xander and little Elizabeth Dawn, dragging Jennifer Giles with her.
Buffy stayed behind at the ranch to tidy up the guest room that she and Dawnie had used the night before and grab her wrap and things. Once she had checked on Anya and the baby, Buffy was going to take Dawn and Doctor Wilkens, accompanied by Spike and Angel back to Cheyenne. As Buffy hurried down the empty second floor hallway, she passed an open door of a bedroom. Before she could slip past the room, Spike’s strong arm shot out and he grabbed Buffy’s own arm with his large hand. She was so startled that she forgot to gasp, even when Spike had pulled her into his room then slammed the door behind them.
“When you throw a man who loves you like I do a coy little ‘come hither’ smile like you did last night, Princess,” Spike purred sensuously, “you better be prepared to face the consequences. I mean, I couldn’t sleep all night, ‘thinkin’ about you just down the hallway. Lucky for you, you weren’t alone or I’d have snuck in, maybe done this, or better.”
With that, Spike pulled Buffy flush up to him and began to kiss her hungrily, making sure he had her in a vice like, enescapable grip. She tried to struggle out of his grasp, kind of that is, but he noticed she wasn’t being too forceful about that.
However, she did manage to stop kissing him back for a moment and pulled her face away from his, a severe look of mock indignation in her green eyes.
“What are you doing?” she gasped, wide-eyed and flushed red with shock. “Kissing you,” Spike rasped back with a sly smirk, “what, I’m doing something wrong? You don’t know a kiss when…” Buffy rolled her eyes at him, “no, I mean, what are you doing it here for, now?”
“It’s my room,” he chuckled innocently, kind of, “I think since it’s my room, I should be able to kiss ‘my girl’ in it. Don’t you?”
Buffy sighed, more of a growl really and shook her head violently, “no,” she hissed, “you can’t kiss me in your room, in your parents house in the middle of the day and remember, technically I am not your….”
It was Spike’s turn to growl, “don’t say it,” his chuckle was gone as was his smile. “You are my girl, now, tomorrow and forever. You’re just too damn stubborn to see it or admit it. Christ Buffy, you know how our bodies react to each other, even if we’re just ‘around’ each other. How can you be so bloody stubborn, or blind, or both. We can’t get within ten miles of each other without sensing the other one. If that doesn’t make you my girl, or me your man, then what does?”
He was rewarded with a very confused looking little Buffy, who was by the way, still wrapped in his arms. “I don’t know,” Buffy worried her bottom lip and averted her eyes from his, “I just, I guess I just get a little overwhelmed by you Spike. I’m still unsure, it’s still so soon and I’m still afraid about ‘some things’ that I dwell on. It’s wrong of me, I know that, but…”
Buffy wasn’t surprised when Spike quieted her with another one of his lovely kisses, so she just shut up for once and kissed him back. The next thing she knew, somehow Spike and her had ended up on his bed, laying together like it was the most natural thing in the world. He was stroking her hair, her face and arm with his right hand, while he lay next to her propped up on his left arm.
“Spike,” she murmered as he began to pepper her forehead with light little kisses, then trailed them down to her cheeks and mouth.
“What, luv,” he asked huskily as he smiled affectionately down at her.
“This isn’t right, us being in here, alone like this in such a way that would be quite unacceptable to your folks, my sister, the maid,” she added firmly, trying not to moan in pleasure out loud.
Spike was, right at that moment, running his right hand over her material covered left breast and starting the kissy stuff again on her lips.
“Oh, Spike,” Buffy groaned, wrapping her own arm about him and pulling him closer to her, “that’s so very nice, what you’re doing, but it, it’s not right. I’m sorry, but I can’t help but think that this is just not the right time or place for this. There’s so much I need to tell you and so much ‘I’ need to understand before…”
Spike stopped his tender ministrations to her left breast and reached around to hold her tightly. “I know Princess,” he shushed her soothingly, “I guess I just want you to realize something. You and me, we can have this all the time, always together. Think of it Buffy, you and me, our own place and little beautiful babies together. Course, I’d want to have you all to myself most of the time, but I can be unselfish, share you with our little rugrats. All’s you have to say, darling,” he gazed deeply into her eyes, “is say the word. Make me the happiest man on earth.”
Buffy licked her suddenly dry lips and swallowed hard, trying to steady her racing heart, “you said you’d give me time, Spike,” she whispered shyly.
“And I will,” he responded evenly, “again, I’ll wait forever for you Buffy, longer if I have to. I love you so much and….”
Suddenly Dawn’s anxious voice broke into Spike’s declaration, “Buffy! Come on down, come see the baby! She’s awake and all cute and everything! Come on Buffy!”
Spike snorted in frustration, then just collapsed back on his bed, laughing gruffly.
“Christ! I can’t get a break!” he chuckled and glanced over at Buffy who was scurrying off his bed, straightening her dress.
“I’ll slip out the door, stay put for a few mintutes, okay Spike?” she pleaded nervously, glancing first at the closed bedroom door, then back at him.
“If I call down to her, send her outside, Dawnie won’t be the wiser that we were in here together,” Buffy continued as she creeped over to the door.
“Buffy,” Spike whispered, probably a bit too loudly for her taste, “I mean it. You know I love you, what we can have together. Just take your time, you’ll come around. ‘I’ know that much. By the way, Princess,” Spike added harshly, “I don’t want you going to supper with that idiot Deputy Finn tonight. Do you understand?”
Buffy spun around, at the door, and put her hands on her hips, ‘luscious little hips,’ Spike mused, preparing himself for an onslaught of angry words from ‘his girl.’ Instead, Buffy just rolled her beautiful green eyes at him, smiled sweetly and blew him a kiss.
“I’m coming,” she called out the now open bedroom door and slipped out of his room.
Spike lay on his bed, quite frustrated physically naturally, but his heart beat rapidly and he was very happy.
‘She’s comin’ around,’ he grinned staring up at the ceiling like a love sick school boy, ‘she’ll be mine by the New Year. I know it.’
He loved Buffy Summers with a passion that even he never knew he had inside of him. The little dance that Buffy and him had done for the last few months was a bit frustrating, yes, but also quite arousing for Spike. When Buffy and he finally made love, it would be wonderful, poetic and magical.
‘Fuck!’ Spike sighed, placing his hands and arms beneath his head on his pillow and staring up at the ceiling his Father had carved with his own hands, ‘Buffy and me, we’ll make the bloody earth move when we make love!’
A sudden commotion outside the ranch house made Spike bolt up from his bed and fling his window open.
“Where’s the fire?” he cried excitedly from his stance at the second story window.
“It’s Buffy,” Angel shouted up from the front yard, “Dawn claims her sister has fainted dead away down at the Harris’s and she’s frantic!”
Spike never hesitated as he fled the privacy of his room and sprinted down the staircase and out the front door.
Buffy felt herself being lifted up from the Harris kitchen floor, even though she was less then awake at the time. It must have been Xander, or maybe Connor that picked her body up and carried her up to the Gile’s main house. By the time that Buffy woke up from her ‘vapor’ she realized that Jennifer Giles and Connor were close by, it was Angel that spirited her up to the house. Doctor Wilkens had been outside on the porch, taking the air in, when the little group arrived up at the main house. Buffy sensed Spike very close by and she glanced about the immediate area to find him hovering over her, a sick look of worry on his lovely face.
“Bring her inside,” Doctor Wilkens ordered firmly as Buffy was only barely aware that the physician followed them into the parlor. She felt herself being laid on the parlor sofa and Spike take her hand in his, “it’ll be okay, baby,” the oldest Gile’s boy murmered, “you’re just worn out, luv, that’s all.”
Doctor Wilkens was issuing some orders, “give the lady some air,” he stated firmly.
“Angel, bring Buffy a glass of brandy, or wine if you’ve got some available. Poor thing is sick with exhaustion from the past couple of days. Rupert, Jennifer,” Buffy heard the Doctor address her hosts, “I think Buffy should stay here a couple of days, at least. School’s out until Wednesday, give Buffy some time to rest and pull out of this melancholy she’s sunk into. I’ve seen this before, they do too much, take on so very much.”
Buffy was in a haze, still, but she heard Jennifer Giles agree to what Doctor Wilkens was saying. It seemed that Spike seconded the suggestion of Buffy and Dawn staying on at the Ranch for a couple of more days, in fact, everyone of the little group seemed to agree with the Doctor.
Somewhere, off in a distance, Buffy heard Rupert Giles issue some orders to Angel and Connor, “take Dawn into Cheyenne, within the hour.” Spike was there, close by, Buffy felt him, taking her hand, holding it close.
“Take Dawn and get some things she and Buffy might need to stay on a couple of days,” Rupert continued seriously.
“I’ll go and talk to that nasty Riley Finn,” Buffy heard Dawn offer, “tell him my sister is ill and cannot make supper tonight. Isn’t that right Connor?” Buffy heard her little sister ask the youngest Gile’s boy.
“Yes, Dawnie,” Connor answered softly, “I think that your big sister should stay here, rest and all.”
Dawn hurried over to Buffy on the sofa, “Buffy,” she began timidly, “do you want me to explain to Riley, about supper I mean?”
Buffy nodded weakly, “yes, Dawn. Tell him we will have to postpone that talk of ours until later.”
Buffy looked up to see Spike staring down at her, lovingly, “tell Riley,” Buffy went on wearily, “that I am sorry, but something has definitely come up.”
A/N: Long, long, long chapter! Okay, does anyone else reading this get the feeling that Buffy rather ‘developed the vapors’ quite suddenly? Could it have been a ruse? Was it a sign of some future condition? Is Buffy the real actress in the Summer’s Family? For answers to these questions and the ‘anvils’ I dropped in this last chapter, please tune in to future chapters! Thanks for reading and please review! Luv, Spuf
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