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STAKE YOUR CLAIM


Chapter 14: ‘Flight and Fight’


A/N: Please read. This chapter is the one that begins the chain of events that will catapult our Buffy into some danger. Thanks, Luv, Spuf


Well, the Thursday night supper at the Summer’s home, with the Gile’s boys had turned out quite nicely. Spike and Angel brought Buffy some wine, flowers being dormant in Jennifer Gile’s gardens at that time of year. Connor had been so sweet, arriving at the Summer’s house with a box of sweets for Dawn under his arm. He had hemmed and hawed around for a good ten minutes before he handed the foil wrapped box to the youngest Summers.

Buffy’s supper had been good, if not sumptuous and she was pleased to see all three of the men eat heartily. The only damper on the whole evening had been Dawnie’s dour mood, a hangover from the crying fest of the night before. It saddened Buffy to know that her little sister was heartbroken about inevitably returning home to Tennessee.

In fact, Buffy was rather heartbroken about the situation herself, she had become quite used to her Dawnie’s sweet face and company about their Wyoming home. All during supper, Buffy and Spike exchanged sympathetic glances to each other and at the two young friends.

“What do you think, Buffy,” Riley Finn was asking, shoveling some kind of potatoes in his mouth. Buffy snapped back to attention and the matters at hand. It was now Friday night, halfway through her dinner engagement with Riley and Buffy had found it hard not to let her mind wander to the night before. They had been at the Cheyenne Diner for over an hour, after a short walk about town first.

Riley had not broached the ‘subject’ that he had insisted on meeting with Buffy to discuss and she just assumed they would wait until after dessert and coffee to ‘talk’ with each other.

“About what?” Buffy asked innocently, totally oblivious to what Riley had asked her about. Poor Riley sighed and finally put his fork down on the table, “about Christmas Buffy,” he mumbled with a full mouth.

“What do you think about spending Christmas in Tennessee with your folks. I would be happy to accompany you and Dawn back by train, make a nice Holiday for me, that’s for sure. Dawn could be escorted home, a little early perhaps but I’m sure everyone would be happier about that.”

It suddenly occurred to Buffy that Riley was a little too anxious to get Dawn back to Tennessee as quick as possible.

‘Why is he so anti-Dawn all of a sudden,’ she wondered to herself.

“Riley,” she began carefully, “Dawn is set on spending a ‘White Christmas’ here with us in Wyoming, besides…”

Before Buffy could finish her sentence, Spike Gile’s came storming up to the diner table, the hounds of hell seemed to be following him.

“Where’s your wrap, Buffy,” Spike growled at Buffy, not even acknowledging Riley Finn.

“Spike,” Buffy gasped, startled by his sudden appearance, “what are you doing here? Now? And how did you…”

Spike looked as if he was about to implode as he shook his head violently, “drop the twenty questions, Buffy and come with me. Connor and Dawn are in trouble; I’ll explain in the wagon.

Buffy bolted out of her chair at the words‘Connor/Dawn/trouble’ and began to follow Spike out of the diner.

“Uh, Buffy,” the now forgotten Riley choked behind them, “what about our talk?”

Spike stopped at the door and ignoring the shocked stares of the other diners spun and snarled, “talk’s over Finn. Buffy’s coming with me, the Bit and my brilliant little brother are in a world of trouble.”

Buffy turned and shot Riley her most apologetic frown and hurried out the diner door that Spike held open for her.

Once they were outside, Buffy practically ran to keep up with Spike’s stride.

“What is it Spike,” she pleaded frantically, “what’s wrong with Dawn and Connor?”

Spike muttered something under his breath, never even favoring her with a quick glance. When they reached her house, Buffy saw her wagon out front, Demon and Cloud hitched to the front of it.

“Get your luscious little arse up in that bloody wagon, Buffy,” Spike ordered curtly, practically yanking her up off the ground and tossing her into the front seat. He climbed in the drivers seat and ordered the horses to get going, still not giving her the satisfaction of an explaination or a look.

Buffy thought better then to start asking a lot more questions, at least for a while, so she settled into the hard wooden seat, anxiously watching the scenery pass by on their way out of town. Finally, after they had left the town limits and passed the school house, Buffy dared to repeat some of the questions from before.

“Where is Dawn and Connor Spike,” she whispered, frightened to hear the answer.

“Probably half way to Burns,” Spike hissed, keeping his eyes in front of him.

“Burns?” Buffy gasped, “why would Dawn and Connor go to Burns?”

Spike didn’t know who he was more furious with; Buffy for being with that fucking moron, Riley Finn or Connor and Dawn for pulling this little stunt tonight.

“Please Spike,” he heard Buffy pleading with him, tell me what’s going on, “I’m frightened. Why do you think Connor and Dawn are on their way to Burns?”

Spike sighed heavily and glanced about him to find a good place to stop for a minute or two while he got his lovely, but rather naïve little Buffy up to speed. Pulling over, he pulled on the wagon brake and turned to face Buffy, trying not to give her the ‘look of death’ he was tempted to favor her with right now.

“Dawn and Connor are on their way to Burns, Wyoming, which by the way is about thirty miles from here, to, I presume, get married. I guess they thought that they couldn’t pull it off here in Cheyenne, our honorable Reverend Montgomery being the prissy prat he is. Though, I couldn’t fault him on this one…”

“Married!” Buffy screamed, looking like she was about to faint dead away right there.

‘Good!’ Spike snorted, ‘serves you right you little bitch. Prancin’ about with Riley Finn when you should have been keepin’ an eye on the Bit.’

“They can’t get married, for God’s sake!” Buffy hissed, wild eyed, “they’re too young!”

Spike had to laugh, even if it was a short, sarcastic one.

“Sorry to break it to you Princess,” he stated evenly, but just a tad smugly all the same, “but in this Territory, you can marry at fourteen. If Ford hadn’t broke down and told Dad, Angel and me, those two brat siblings of ours would have been out of range of us and in Burns before we could catch up to them. As it is, Dad, Angel and Gunn are riding like madmen to catch them now. Conn took one of the slower buckboards, must have snuck it just outside of town. Ford says that Dawn and Connor cooked this up over the last two days. Connor didn’t have the heart to not confide in Ford, who, by the way is sick with himself for breaking his promise not to tell. But, for some unknown reason, Ford has the upmost respect and loyalty to you, couldn’t bring himself to not tell us and stop them.”

Buffy sat, frozen in shock in the little wagon, tears streaming down her face, icy from the cold evening air. It was now December after all and even if they predicted a mild winter, this was still the frozen Northern United States.

“Oh, God, Spike,” Buffy began to sob uncontrollably, “what have I done. I should never have left my Dawnie alone tonight. She was so sick at heart about talk of her having to go home in January. I should have known how sad and desperate she was. What was I thinking? And, hey, how did you know where to find me?”

Spike sat silently for a moment, eyeing her like a hunter looking for his kill; it terrified her.

“Connor told Ford that Dawn arranged to be alone tonight, on purpose. There would be no problem, since you had a ‘date’ and all with fucking Captain Cardboard.”

‘Captain Cardboard?’ Buffy raised her right brow at Spike, even as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“It’s a nickname for stiff, boring Finn, okay,” Spike hissed through clenched teeth.

Buffy noticed that his blue eyes had become quite narrowed and dark with anger, and jealousy. She also noticed that he didn’t apologize right away for the curse word.

“We better go on,” Buffy whispered, barely audible to herself much less Spike. “Do you think your Dad and Angel can catch them before…”

Spike nodded, giving Buffy a glimmer of hope and relief, “those two bloody brats took a wagon. Dad, Angel and Gunn are on horses, there’s no better horseman then Charles Gunn. They’ll catch them for sure, but I wonder Buffy, when they do, what do you intend to do about it?”

Buffy gave Spike an unsure look, “I don’t know,” she whispered honestly. “What would you do?”

Spike thought about it a moment then sighed, “well, first I’m going to beat that idiot little brother of mine until he’s black and blue. Then if I were you, I’d lock Dawn in her room until she’s thirty-years-old.”

Buffy had to cover her mouth with her hand to hide an unwelcome smirk.

“Then,” Spike stared deep into her eyes, his blue orbs were golden with fire, “I’m going to spank your beautiful arse til you can’t sit down for a week,” he finished matter of factly.

“ME!” she cried, stunned that he would threaten her so, “what the heck did I do?”

Spike pulled a cigarette out of his jacket pocket and lit his smoke, taking a long welcome drag on it.

“Well,” Spike began calmly, turning his body to face her completely, “for starters, you neglected to see just how heart sick your little sis was over leaving you and this place…and Connor. Then you had to go and double your mistake by going out with bloody wanker, Riley Finn tonight. Something that I specifically ‘told’ you not to do ever again, didn’t I?”

Spike tried not to laugh, the actual situation was not funny, but the look on Buffy’s face was priceless. Right at that moment, Spike would give anyting to tintype Buffy, right like this: wild-eyed, her mouth in a perfect ‘0’ and her hair bun starting to come down from the hasty wagon ride.

“Who do you think you are Spike Giles?” Buffy gasped in shock. “Told me not to go out with Riley, which by the way was just to ‘talk’ as I felt like I owed him an explaination for……” Spike tossed the half out butt of his smoke on the ground next to the wagon, “you don’t owe Riley anything, my dear,” he hissed at her, his eyes narrowed again. “But you do owe yourself and me something.”

Buffy sat up straight, tossed back her head defiantly and asked simply, “and just what would that be?”

He pondered her question for a moment or two then breaking into just a hint of smirk he leaned into her and rasped, “you owe both of us not to go about behaving like a bitch in heat when you should be home, with your sister and thinking about me.”

This time, Buffy got a good slap in on Spike’s chiseled cheekbone before he could stop her.

“You son-of-a-bitch!” she cried harshly, feeling the unwelcome tears spill from the corners of her eyes.

Spike didn’t hesitate a second as he grabbed her by the shoulders and flung her backwards over his knees, pulling her face up to meet his.

“Maybe I’ve mishandled you from the get go, huh, Buffy?” he hissed softly, “maybe what you need is me being less fancy poetic talk and more masculine action.”

With that, Spike began to kiss her with more passion then ever, his greedy mouth was bruising, literally devouring her lips while he pulled at her jacket and yanked it off of her shoulders. When he’d freed her of her jacket, even though she was giving him a good struggle, he began to pull at her buttons on her dress front

“Spike,” Buffy gasped against his still hungry mouth, “stop,” she pleaded.

“Why Buffy?” he pulled back from the kissing and glared at her, “why should I? Does Riley Finn do this for you? Does he kiss you and make you squirm like this? Be honest Buffy, with yourself if not with me.”

Spike began to run his lips down Buffy’s jaw, chin and neck to her slightly exposed chest. “I’m waiting for your answer, Princess,” he moaned huskily as he placed small feathery kisses over the mounds of her breasts.

He looked up into her eyes, which were the brightest green he’d ever seen them and asked her again, harshly, “does Riley Finn do this to you? For you?”

Buffy was panting so hard that Spike was almost afraid that he’d pushed his love too far this time.

“No,” she finally whispered, “Riley is always kind, respectful and…”

Spike snarled like an animal and had to refrain from shaking Buffy angrily. “No, I expect that fucking bastard wouldn’t be doing this. If he did, he wouldn’t be shagging that whore, Faith, at Maggies, now would he?”

The minute the words were out of his mouth, he knew they had surely hit home with Buffy. She stopped struggling immediately and her eyes flew wide open, not the half closed delight they had been a moment earlier. Spike suddenly felt like a fucking idiot himself and he stammered to apologize, take back the hurtful words, make it all better for Buffy.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, gazing at her with pure regret. “I didn’t mean that, I was just…”

Buffy lay very still and just studied Spike’s remorseful expression for a moment, his eyes were sick with regret. They reminded her of Parker’s eyes when she’d caught him with Scott Hope; so sad, so horrified about something that he couldn’t help.

“Spike,” Buffy whispered, raising her left hand up to his face, touching the side of his clenched cheek. “It’s okay, you know that right?” she murmered, stroking the handsome face of the man who truly loved her.

“I, I’m sorry baby,” he whispered again, “I didn’t mean for that to come out that way. Didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Buffy thought she saw tears in Spike’s gorgeous blue eyes and she moved her hand up to swipe them away. With a little half smile, Buffy reached both her hands around Spike’s neck and head and pulled him gently to her chest. She stroked his soft fair hair and felt the heat of his warm breath on her chilled, exposed breast,
“it’s all right,” she purred softly.

“But I hurt your feelings, sweetheart,” he whispered against her bare flesh.

“No,” Buffy whispered back, nuzzling his soft hair with her lips, “only my false sense of pride is wounded just a little. Now if I heard from someone that it was you going to visit this Faith person, then I would be hurt, dredfully so. But, since you told me you’re not going anywhere for ‘that’ anymore, and I believe you. Well, then my feelings are just fine dear.”

Spike pulled back from her and saw the sweet, dear smile on her pretty face and read the honesty in her beautiful green eyes. He wiped the wetness from his face and sat up on the seat, pulling her along with him. Without a word, Spike began to methodically button up Buffy’s dress front, smiling softly as she fumbled to help him, her own tiny hands covering his. When they’d finished the buttoning, Spike pulled the jacket up and around her shoulders, buttoning that next.

He pulled her little chin up to meet his gaze and reached up to tuck a stray blonde tress behind her ear, “I love you,” he said simply, truthfully and kissed the tip of her nose tenderly.

“I know,” she whispered back and hugged him to her tightly, causing him to wrap his arms about her in a vice like grip.

“We should get going,” Spike mumbled, kissing her cheek softly.

“Yes, we should, hopefully your Dad, Angel and Gunn will have those kids back at the ranch by the time we get there.”

Buffy pulled away from Spike, reluctantly and he picked up the reins to start the last part of the drive to the ranch.

“Spike,” Buffy murmered, sitting as close to him as possible and slipping her arm in his.

“Yes, Princess?” he turned to look at her warmly.

“I need to tell you some things, lots of things. Things that have troubled me for some time and keeps me from going on in my life. I am not sure if this is the right time, or the best time to tell you this, but I’m going to chance it. It’s good, for me anyway, to have you driving us to your place, it’ll keep me talking and give me some courage. I need all the courage I can muster to tell you this and, by the time we get to the ranch I should have told you everything you need to know. At least for now. Is that okay?”

Spike grinned and nodded at her, then urged the two horses, who were quite smitten with each other, on to the Gile’s ranch.

A/N: Long chapter, sorry. Okay, I’m upping the rating on this fic to an R now. Soon it might be even higher. Thanks for reading my little labour of love and please, please review. Constructive criticism is always welcome! I am hungry for feedback! Thanks, Luv, Spuf





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