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Chapter 35 – Permanent Decisions


Looking over at her sleeping lover, Buffy let a smile play on her lips as she moved closer to him. Her naked body pressed against his, causing him to unconsciously seek out her warmth, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

Glancing at the clock, Buffy bit her lip, seeing that it was past midnight. Hearing her stomach growl as it reminded her that she hadn’t eaten in twenty-four hours, she slowly disentangled herself from Spike’s embrace. They had been in bed for hours, and after their most recent round of lovemaking, Buffy didn’t expect him to wake up for a while.

Standing up, she smiled as she watched Spike smack his lips and scratch his chest before rolling over to her side of the bed. Stifling the giggle, Buffy pushed her pillow next to him, running her hand through his hair as he snuggled closer to the pillow, inhaling her scent.

Reaching for the red shirt that had ended up on the floor at some point in the night, Buffy frowned. Chances are, she would run into her father at this hour, and it probably wouldn’t be the best idea to smell like her lover.

* * * * *

Twenty minutes, a hot shower, and some fresh clothes later, Buffy wandered into the kitchen of the hotel. Taking in the stainless steel appliances as she walked toward the huge refrigerator, she let her fingers trail along the flat surface of the counter.

The kitchen was spotless, considering the fact that it’s only use was to hold blood and snacks. Cordelia definitely didn’t cook, but Buffy was hoping that she would be able to find something edible at this hour.

“Guess I could always go to Steak and Shake,” she muttered to herself before smiling. “Have to take a stake, though.” Jerking open the door to the refrigerator and freezer at the same time, she smiled when she saw the pint of Cookies and Cream ice cream that was sitting in front of her. Eagerly grabbing it out of the freezer, Buffy began searching the drawers for a spoon.

Finally finding one in one of the many drawers, she moved toward the center of the room. Sitting down at the huge counter, she couldn’t help but smile as a memory of the more naïve fifteen-year-old Buffy seemed to surface.

“Spike, it’s mine!” Buffy shrieked, running around the kitchen island as she tried to catch the vampire who was holding her ice cream hostage.

“Not nice to not share, Princess,” he taunted with a playful smile, dipping a finger into the melting substance and bringing it to his lips, briefly closing his eyes as he savored the taste. “Mmmm.”

Narrowing her eyes, Buffy leaped over the island, surprising both of them with her speed. But apparently she wasn’t fast or tall enough, since Spike merely chuckled and held the carton over his head, laughing harder when she made an attempt to jump and recapture it.

“No fair,” she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest and stomping her foot, inwardly thrilled that he was showing her so much playful attention. The kind of attention that only she was on the receiving end of. “You’re taller than me. And besides, you can’t even taste it, and you’re hoarding it for yourself.”

“I can taste it,” he replied indignantly. “Just don’t need it for nourishment…and it packs on the pounds.”

Buffy snorted, imagining Spike gaining any weight from a few bites of ice cream when he probably burned off a pound a night patrolling.

“You can taste it?” she replied with an arched eyebrow.

“Okay, maybe not the same way you can, but that’s still no reason to be stingy.”

Giggling softly, Buffy tossed her hair over her shoulder as Spike took a step toward her. Dipping his finger into the ice cream again, her eyes briefly widened when he offered her the taste.

Letting a soft smile play on her lips for a moment, she slowly stepped forward, accepting the offer.

Resisting the urge to close her eyes as it began to melt on her tongue, Buffy watched as Spike’s jaw tightened before she swirled her tongue around the tip of his finger, smothering a smile when his eyes rolled shut.

Unknown to either of them, that was the moment when everything changed…it would just take another three years before either of them were able to do anything permanent about it.

“You look lost in thought.”

Her spine straightened as she was pulled out of one of her favorite memories at the sound of the familiar voice. Turning toward the entrance of the kitchen, she let herself relax and smile when she saw her father. “Not really,” she replied with a shrug, letting her brow furrow when he walked toward her before shrugging off the uncomfortable feeling with a brighter smile. “Ice cream?”

Studying the offered carton for a moment, Angel finally smiled, reaching into a nearby drawer for another spoon.

“What’s going through that head of yours?” he asked, sitting down next to Buffy and digging into the ice cream.

“Nothing much,” she said around a spoonful. “Memories…I guess.”

“Good or bad?” he asked, glancing over at her.

“Definitely of the good,” she replied, trying to control the blush that was rising to her cheeks.

“Didn’t see you much today,” he said, not looking over at her as he got another helping.

“Yeah…I was, um…clearing things up with Spike.”

“About that…Buffy, I don’t like it.”

Turning toward him with a frown, she slowly tilted her head, studying the deep brown eyes and familiar face that suddenly didn’t look as familiar as it once did.

“I’m capable of making my own decisions now, Dad,” she said softly.

“Spike’s not a good decision,” Angel said with a slight shake of his head.

“Why? A man who would do anything for me? Who has stood by and protected me, worried about me and comforted me? A man who you trusted enough to watch over me, suddenly isn’t good enough for me?”

“It’s not about that, Buffy. I just don’t think you should let things go too far.”

Biting her tongue as she looked at the countertop, she felt as if her heart was being pulled in two different directions. But there was no doubt about who the real winner would be.

“I’m not giving him up, Dad,” she said quietly, turning toward him with a pained expression.

Her heart rate sped up when she saw his expression immediately darken, showing her a side of the man that she’d never met.

“That’s too bad,” he replied in a cold voice before slamming his fist into her cheek, nearly shaking his hand when a dull pain shot through his arm with the force of the punch, knowing that it would leave an impressive bruise on her cheek. Watching as Buffy toppled off the stool and landed on the cold cement floor, unconscious, he slowly stood up with a maniacal smile as his eyes hardened even more. “Guess we’ll have to rectify this in a more permanent way.”






Thanks so much to: Juanita, Ariel Dawn, Panta_Rei, Cordykitten, Cecilia, Melissa, daisy, starhawk, Amanda, phantomwriter, Tasha, Caitie, BuffyRat, willowmouse, gypsy_jin, Jessica, shelly, Sevvy_O, BuffyandSpikeForever, Spikes Eternal Lover, & Crystal Pegasus for reviewing!





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