Livin' La Vida Loca

Buffy spun around fast, kicking the vampire hard in the face. It was
an old guy. Not old in the vampire sense because he was just rising
but was old in the sense of being about 75 when he was made.
Buffy cringed as he rocked backwards and hit a tree. The man
grunted and came at her again. This was always hard. Elderly and
children vampires always gave her a wiggins. She hated dusting
either one but her ass was on the line this time. As he staggered
towards her, she plunged the stake and turned to smile at Spike. He
had taken to accompanying her on her hunts since Angel had left
town. Buffy hated to admit the fact that she enjoyed his
company...even though she didn't like him. Much. Well, okay, he
was handy to have around, and nice to look at and well, he certainly
kept things interesting.

"Mi vida loca." Buffy sighed. "Welcome to my crazy life."

“You lost the bet, Slayer.” Spike smiled at Buffy. “You didn’t dust
him in eight seconds. You took fifteen seconds. I win!”

Buffy shoved her stake in her waistband and put her hands on her
hips. “I made it within seven seconds! Let’s just forget the whole
bet.”

The blonde vampire shook his head and chuckled. “No deal! If you
HAD staked him and won then I’d be the one on the verge of
humiliation and something tells me YOU wouldn’t back down.”

The Slayer bit her lower lip and tried her best to look convincing,
“Yes, I would.”

“No you wouldn’t.” Spike checked his watch. “Amateur night starts
in thirty minutes. We better get you signed up.”

Buffy tried her best to whimper on a moment’s notice as Spike

dragged her toward the only club in town that offered the stage to
any act on Wednesday nights. She stumbled along trying to look
pathetic but as they reached the door she realized that he would
not relent. Tonight, the Slayer was the…Slayed. Tonight, her dignity
was going bye-bye. *Why am I even attempting to be friends with
Spike?* she wondered. *It’s not like I have ANY desire for ANY
vampire. Angel’s gone. Spike has a nice ass…STOP THAT, Buffy!*
They walked in quietly together. He had her by the elbow and led
her to the sign in desk. "This girl has amazing talent and she MUST
perform tonight."

The woman who was sitting on the other side of the desk gave them
both the once over. "We're all full. No room for anyone else."

Buffy sighed loudly in relief. "Oh well, there's always next time!"
She whirled quickly and headed for the door.

Spike caught her elbow and led her back to the desk. "You don't
understand, Ma'am. She has a sick child to support and really needs
a shot at the prize money. Please, can't you bend the rules just a
little? I'm sure a woman as beautiful as yourself has a heart just as
lovely."

Buffy almost gagged. The woman he was talking to had a bee-hive

hairstyle, orange lip stick and an overbite that would allow her to
eat corn on the cob through a wire fence. There was no way the
woman would fall for that line of crap.

"Okay. I'll bend the rules." The woman gazed adoringly at Spike.
"She needs to go on backstage as soon as possible though and get
ready."

"Thank you." Spike grinned widely.

"I get off in three hours." The woman winked a heavily

eyeshadowed eye. Dark blue no less.

Spike winked back and dragged Buffy away. She protested slightly,
"Look, the nice lady wants some Spike action so why don't you go
prey on her instead of me?"

"Wrong. A deal's a deal, Buffy. A person is only as good as their

word. You'll do fine." Spike pushed her toward the stage door.
"Besides, I could use a healthy dose of laugh-in-your-face hysteria
and I'm sure you'll provide it smashingly."

"Bastard." Buffy stomped her foot.

"I may be a bastard, pet, but I'm one bastard who will leave this
club with every ounce of pride I wore in. You on the other hand..."

The Slayer turned around angrily to rush away and ran smack into
the door. Spike laughed loudly, "I know you are eager to get it over
with, love, but no sense knocking yourself out just to please me."
He gently opened the door and pushed her inside. "I'll clap even if
no one else does, I promise."

A few seconds later Buffy was standing backstage discussing her

performance options with the stagehand. She could sing..or not.
There was always juggling…if she knew how to juggle. She could
stand there and try to be a comedienne. Or she could burst into
tears which is what really appealed to her. The man looked her up
and down and smiled, “Can you dance?”

“Dance?” Buffy shrugged. “I can when I have to. I’ll dance.”

“Pick some music off this playlist and get ready. You go on next.”

“Crap!” Buffy grabbed the playlist and sighed. “I’ll dance to track
ten.”

She watched from the sidelines as Spike took a seat in the front of
the stage at the only table with an empty chair. The place was
packed. Buffy noticed that the stage had one of those Stripper bars
going up the middle of it. She realized finally that they were inside
the Fish Tank, a seedy establishment that doubled as a strip
club/bingo parlor/humiliation station. She rolled her eyes as several
men whooped and hollered for a woman who was tap dancing in a
string bikini while she played her own music with a harmonica. Her
bikini flew open and she just left it that way. Buffy was shocked
until the stage guy said, “That’s gonna get her massive points! This
is an adult club.”

“Damn you, Spike!” Buffy said under her breath. She’d teach him.
She would go out there on that stage and give it her all. She didn’t
get defeated easily. The Slayer would slay this audience. So much
for humiliation.

The emcee announced her name as the next act and she walked
slowly onstage. She was wearing tight leather pants and a silk
halter that tied around her neck and back. Buffy knew she looked
great and the chorus of catcalls she received only gave her courage.

‘She’s into superstition, black cat’s an voodoo dolls

I feel a premonition, that girl’s gonna make me fall.’

Buffy gyrated. Spike salivated. She danced like this song was
invented for her and in a way it was. She was definitely living la
vida loca everyday of her life. Spike watched from the front row.
She captivated him. Her blond locks framed her face and as she
wrapped her leg around the bar and gyrated against it, her eyes
met his. He had never wanted anyone so much in his life. She was a
vision. The words seemed to describe exactly what he’d like to be
doing with her.

‘She'll make you take your clothes off

and go dancing in the rain
she'll make you live the crazy life
or she'll take away your pain
like a bullet to your brain”

Dare he admit he always had been attracted to her? Since the first
day he saw her he couldn’t get her out of his head. She was more
magnificent than any Slayer he’d seen, or killed. Spike didn’t want
this one dead though. He just wanted her. Buffy was definitely a
threat to him. A Slayer was a vampire’s worst enemy and the bullet
to the brain would most likely be a stake through the heart..but
who cared? With her slim hips and gyrating ass, Spike certainly
didn’t care. If he got staked right now, he’d go happy.

He never thought she’d have the courage to do this but here she
was. She was actually enjoying it. The vixen. Spike smiled,
wondering if the flush creeping up her cheeks was from dancing or
being as aroused as he was becoming.

“upside inside out

she's living la Vida loca
she'll push and pull you down
she's living la Vida loca
her lips are devil red
and her skins the color mocha
she will wear you out
she's living la Vida loca
living la vida loca”

Buffy was empowered. She felt such a strong crowd reaction as she
swung around the pole that she ran her hands through her hair,
untying her halter. Her chest fell free and the crowd went wild. Her
mind raced and she knew she was halfway through the song. Buffy
took a deep breath and stepped off the stage onto Spike’s table.
She covered every inch of that table with grinds and moves that
would make the devil blush. He was sitting a few feet away and she
jumped down onto his lap for the final few minutes of the song. Her
halter was still undone and she danced wildly while she straddled
him in front of everyone.

‘she never drinks the water

makes you order French Champaign
and once you had a taste of her
you'll never be the same
she'll make you go insane’

Spike knew that hunting with Buffy would NEVER be the same
again. He knew better than to try to touch her. Despite the fact that
she initiated it, the bouncers were already on their feet just in case
he got frisky. Spike wanted to do so many things to her. He
definitely wanted to taste her. His arousal was very evident and he
knew Buffy could feel it from her current position. He gritted his
teeth to keep from losing his mind.

‘She'll make you take your clothes off

and go dancing in the rain
she'll make you live the crazy life
or she'll take away your pain
like a bullet to your brain

upside inside out

she's living la Vida loca
she'll push and pull you down
she's living la Vida loca
her lips are devil red
and her skins the color mocha
she will wear you out
she's living la Vida loca
living la Vida loca
living la vida loca’

The song ended and Buffy got off of Spike. She walked slowly up on
stage, retied her halter-top and took a bow. The crowd was on its
feet, cheering wildly and screaming for an encore. Buffy waved
shyly and hurried backstage. She stood off to one side as the
judges began to tabulate their scores. Spike had his eyes pinned to
her and she smirked at him a little, he shook his head in
amazement and grinned.

The emcee took the stage and smiled, “My GOD, that was
entertainment. Someone book that girl here on a nightly basis,
PLEASE?! I think we all know who the winner is. Buffy!!!”

The crowd erupted again and Buffy couldn’t help but pat herself on
the back. SO much for humiliation. Maybe she didn’t need a college
degree after all. This was actually fun. She walked up on stage and
collected her trophy, which was filled with money. She waved and
blew kisses at the audience.

Spike helped her off the stage and they walked together toward the
bar. “You amaze me.”
“Do I?” Buffy grinned knowingly. “Is that a stake in the front of your
pants or did you enjoy me?”

“I could enjoy you a lot more at my place.”

“Tsk, tsk, Spike! It was a lapdance, not a come on.” *Unless you
don’t want me to play hard to get…in which case... I am yours.*

“Weren’t you embarrassed at all?” Spike cajoled. “Just a little?”

“Nope and we better go.” Buffy picked up her loot and turned,
running straight into Giles and Wesley who were both holding beers.
“Oh……my……God.”

Giles raised an eyebrow. “Suffice it to say, I’m shocked.”

“To say the least.” Wesley added. “Care to explain?”

Spike began to laugh as Buffy turned redder than the blood he so

loved. She stammered for a few minutes and finally said…as if it
made sense at all, “It ’s Wednesday. Everybody works on
Wednesday.”

~END

Tattooed

“You weren’t even a little embarrassed?” Spike asked, as he and

Buffy walked through the cemetery for their final sweep before they
called it a night. He was referring to their previous evening’s
adventures. Buffy had lost a bet and had to dance, seductively, on
stage at the Fish Tank. To her credit, she made the most of it,
displayed her chest, and won a handsome amount of cash. And
drove him completely mad with how much he wanted her. Then
they had been stopped by Giles and Wesley on the way out who had
witnessed the entire thing.

“Nope.” She was actually quite mortified about it. She had bared
her breasts and lap danced on top of Spike in front of half of
Sunnydale’s male population and BOTH her watchers and didn’t
even realize THEY were there. Embarrassed didn’t exactly fit how
she felt. “I wasn’t embarrassed.”

“You’re lying to me.” Spike grinned and shook his head. “I thought
we agreed when we started working together that we wouldn’t lie to
one another.”
Buffy stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. “I’m not
lying.”

“Prove it.”

“Prove it?” Her eyebrows raised as she repeated his words. “What
now, filth brain?”

“Dance for me again.” He stepped back and swept his arms open
wide, indicating that the cemetery was her dance floor and he was
an eager audience. “I dare you. I bet you don't have the nerve.”

“What?” Buffy shook her head. “Are you insane? Wait, I know this
answer. I am not dancing in a cemetery!”

“Then just show me your tits again. I’m willing to compromise.” He

wiggled his eyebrows and grabbed his own chest, mocking the way
she had danced, gyrating his hips sensuously. “Oh, I’m Livin’ La
Vida Loca.”

“You’re gonna be living in an Urn if you keep on.” She narrowed her
eyes at him and smacked him on the shoulder. Damn him and his
sexy ass wiggle.

He clutched his arm and stared deeply in her eyes with over-
exaggerated seriousness. “I’m so touched. You care enough about
me to buy me an urn?”

“No. But I'd have to keep you someplace all together until I could
flush you down the toilet. ” That was another lie. She did care about
him. A lot. And she desired him. A lot. And when she had danced on
him and felt his erection, she wanted to go home with him and see
just what he could do with it.

“Again, with the lying.” He tsked at her and hung his head. “You
were such a good girl…and now you’re stripping in bars, hanging
around all hours of the night and LYING. I had such high hopes.”

“What high hopes?” She had began tapping her stake against her
palm just to see what he would do.

“That you were indeed corrupt enough after last night to show me
your tits again.” He grabbed her stake and shoved it into his pocket.

“Okay, big guy! You want tit action?” Buffy moved to unbutton her
shirt and Spike’s eyes widened. She undid the top three buttons and
stopped, cocking her head to one side. “What’s in it for me?”
“Knowledge that you made me very happy?” He was still staring at
her hands on her buttons and willing them to keep going.

“No. If I show you my tits again then YOU have to do something in

return.”

“Wanna see my dick?” Spike started to yank his pants down but she
turned away.

“NO I DO NOT WANT TO SEE YOUR DICK!” God, she really was a
liar. She was guilty of drawing stick figure vampires with erections
for the past few months because of him. Seeing the real thing
wouldn’t be bad at all. It would also make her want him even more.

“Then what?” He zipped his pants back up and she turned to face
him.

Taking a deep breath, Buffy answered. “Undoubtedly, this

experience is going to scar me for life. Therefore, if you gaze at my
breasts and I allow this, you need to be scarred too. For life.”

“No tit is worth being maimed.” He started past her. “You really are
off. Bats in the belfry and all that. Masochist!”

“I’m talking about a tattoo, dumbass.”

“Oh.”

“And I get to pick where you put it and what it is.” Buffy grinned
and pulled her shirt to one side, exposing part of her breast. “Take
it or leave it.”

“Only if I can touch it.”

“You can touch your tattoo anytime you want too.” She replied
casually. “Get infected, I don’t care.”

“I’m talking about you, pet.”

“HELL NO!!” This time Buffy shoved past him and stomped toward
the exit. They were playing with fire now and she knew it.

He chased after her. “So, it’s just fine that you get to bounce
around all over me while my ears are bleedin’ from listening to that
poofy-haired Ricki Martin but I have to keep my hands off.”

“Exactly.” She kept walking. “Hands off. Far off.”

“I knew you were embarrassed.” Spike stayed in step beside her as
they exited through the big iron gates and started up the sidewalk,
toward her house. “You know I’m right.”

“I was not embarrassed.”

“So, you’re afraid you’ll like it and shag me like mad if I do it?”
Several cars whizzed past them but neither noticed.

“No!” Her face was a deep crimson and she knew she was had.

“I wonder what Willow and Xander and wolfie would say if I told
them that you did what you did.” He grinned at the shade of her
cheeks. “I have witnesses. And I’ll steal your titty trophy. What a
conversation piece.”

“You wouldn’t dare. Don’t you EVER say one word about what
happened.”

Spike was enjoying yanking her chain. He’d never say a single word
to anyone about how she danced for him and …well…Giles and
Wesley and several other men too. But it may as well have been
just him because as he watched her, they were the only two people
in that room. All he saw was her, all her felt was her and all he
wanted was her. “Bare it and I won’t share it.”

Infuriated, Buffy turned and yanked her shirt open. Right on the
side of the road, she ripped her bra from her body and slammed
both of his hands against her bare breasts, holding them there. He
was stunned. And enthralled. Slowly, he tested their weight and
brushed his thumbs over her hard nipples.

At a redlight across the street, Oz squinted his eyes and digested

the image of Buffy holding Spike's hands to her naked breasts. The
light changed and he drove on by, "Hmm."

"What?" Asked Willow, looking up from his CD case.

"I just realized where the term, 'Just when you think you've seen it
all' comes from."

~~

“NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!” Spike shook his head like a sullen child as
Buffy explained what she wanted to the bewildered man behind the
counter of the tattoo parlor. “HELL NO.”
“Didn’t I say those exact words? I said ‘Hell No’ but did it anyway.”
She took a piece of paper from her purse and drew a sketch.
“Besides, we made a deal. I’d hate to think you LIED. Especially
after the big speech you made to me about lying.”

“I refuse. Pick another one, any other one.” He grabbed a book and
flipped it open. “Look, Slayer. Here’s one of a clown. Ha ha…laughs
on me. Happy clown.”

“Don’t like clowns.”

“And you liked the tattoo you picked? Should I be worried?” Spike
continued to flip frantically, not liking the implications of what she
wanted at all.

“Be very worried. We’re next.” Buffy pulled Spike along behind her
and smiled at the man who waited. She handed him the paper.
“He’ll be getting this tattoo. Only in color.”

“No he won’t.” Spike shook his head adamantly and turned to leave.

“Spike!” She stopped him and whispered. “A cranky slayer is never

fun to be around. If you don’t do this I will make your life a living
hell.”

“No.”

“Do you like me when I have PMS?”

“Hell no. I don’t like you anytime but it’s worse then.” Spike saw the
tattoo artist smirking at them. He probably thought that they were
a couple.

“Well, half the time I fake it so just imagine if I actually have a

reason to be crabby.” Her look told him she was serious.

“Fine! But you just wait. I WILL get you back.”

“I look forward to it.”

~~

At three a.m. that morning, Spike pulled the gauze off so he could
get a good look at the tattoo on his forearm. Buffy had insisted it be
someplace where he could see it.

In vivid detail, on the inside of his arm, just a few inches above his
wrist were two perfectly shaped breasts.
And between them, in the cleavage, was a wooden stake.

The message was loud and clear. If he got near her tits again, she’d
stake him.

Spike smiled.

He did like a good chase here and there and if he hadn’t already
been intent on touching all of her…he damn sure was now. Her brick
walls were meant to be bulldozed, her smart mouth was meant to
be kissed and breasts like the Slayer’s were meant to be touched.

Spike lay awake the rest of the night thinking about what he could
challenge her to next. He dozed off when he had the perfect plan.
The stakes were about to get very high indeed.

Pierced

Giles removed his glasses and glanced from Buffy to Spike. At any
moment he was convinced he would have to intervene and stop
them from killing one another. Buffy was on her feet, screaming at
the top of her lungs at the vampire and Spike had his hands
rammed into his pockets. A gesture that convinced Giles he was
fighting the urge to tear her limbs off. The look on his face said that
he was about to lose that fight.

“I don’t care if you have a sore arm. You still can’t fight worth shit.”
Buffy continued her rant. Mad at him for just being there, for being
so damned desirable and most of all for making her think of how his
hands had felt when he groped her. “And you’re too incompetent to
help me any way because you’re dumber than the stake I’d like to
shove up your...”

Spike’s hand came out of his pockets and he grabbed Buffy by the
shoulders, shaking her back and forth. Because of her he had boobs
tattooed on his arm and had almost been killed a few hours
beforehand. “And you…”

“That’s quite enough.” Giles shoved his glasses back on and cleared
his throat.

They were oblivious.

“Don’t you touch me.” Buffy shoved his hands away and pushed him
against the wall, her body reacting to his lean muscled form as she
purposely pressed against him. “I don’t have any problem killing
you.”

“Bull shit!” Spike replied, puffing his chest and walking into her,
forcing her back to the opposite wall where he pinned her arms over
her head and stared down at her.. “You’ve had a million chances
and you didn’t do it.”

“Only because you were always too crippled and pathetic!” She fired
back, yanking free and knocking his legs out from under him.

He shot back to his feet and glared at her. That was a low blow,
even for her. “I wasn’t crippled the whole time, damn you.”

“I didn’t say physically crippled. You were always mentally crippled

and I felt bad for picking on …”

“Who almost got us killed?!” Spike yelled. “How ‘mentally crippled’

was that?”

“That’s enough!” Giles said again. How had he ever allowed himself
to believe that pairing the two of them was a good idea? They had
almost gotten each other killed a million times and couldn’t agree
on anything. If one said up, the other said down. If one said black
the other would swear it was white. When they still ignored him, he
slammed the palm of his hand on the desk and screamed. “I SAID
THAT IS ENOUGH!”

Slayer and vampire froze and stared at the man. Finally Spike
shrugged and said, “Sorry, mate. Go on then.”

“Sit down, both of you.” Giles’ tone was harsh and he set his jaw at
a decidedly firm angle until they did as he said. “I have had enough
of this ridiculous behavior. Your displays especially, Buffy, the dance
at the Fish Tank, all the name-calling and the constant banter must
stop. It’s like the two of you get together and you lose all reason
and sanity.”

“Giles, Spike never had either of those things!” Buffy raised her
voice and stood back up. “You should be having this conversation
with Spike and only Spike. He is the one who won’t cooperate and
therefore…”

“I won’t cooperate?” The blond was back on his feet and back in her
face. “*I* won’t cooperate? Who almost got us killed because she
couldn’t use the stake I had?”

“I didn’t like YOUR stake.”

“It was yours.”

“Whatever.” Buffy threw her hands in the air. “I didn’t like it.”

“So you trot off into the woods for thirty minutes to look for a tree
limb? And take the stake I had and leave me to fight unarmed? And
I’m fucking maimed anyway because of this damn tattoo. It bloody
well hurts!” Spike glared at Giles. “What do you think of that,
Giles?”

Giles had laid his head on the desk and didn’t reply.

“If you can’t stand the heat then quit.” Buffy said smugly. “Being a
Slayer is a woman’s job anyway and let’s be honest, you fight like a
boxing kangaroo.”

“A woman’s job!?” Spike’s eyes widened. “Kangaroo? I’m about to

hop over there and…”

“Get knocked back in your place.” Buffy snapped. “You don’t like
working with me, I don’t like you working with me and I don’t like
you.”

“Fuck you!” Spike growled.

“I’d rather stay celibate for the rest of my life.” She shot back.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you will.”

“What is THAT supposed to mean?”

“Dwell on it. It’ll come to you.” Spike straightened his duster and
started to walk out the door. It had been a very, very bad night.
She was behaving like a child and he knew he definitely was as well
but enough was enough.

They needed to shag and get it over with.

“Spike!” Giles called. “Perhaps you should stay long enough to try to
reach a peaceable agreement?”

“The only peace I can get when it comes to that…damn Slayer…is

being as far away from her as I can get.” He paused though, his
respect for Giles making him linger.

“Perhaps you two shouldn’t work together anymore then.” Giles

hated saying it but at the rate that things were going there was no
other way. “I’m afraid that you take things far too capriciously. I’m
not just speaking of the …ahem…dance. I’m talking about the fact
that you get so self involved that you forget what’s going on around
you.”

“She needs someone to watch her back, Giles.” Spike couldn’t

believe that he was so close to losing his ‘job’. It wasn’t a job he
had wanted in the beginning but now it was his. Sure, he bitched
and pissed and moaned but if he didn’t have this…he didn’t have
her…then what did he have? “I suppose I can put my personal
feelings aside and focus.”

“I can too.” Buffy stared at Spike. She would never tell anyone, she
could hardly bring herself to think it, but she looked forward to her
nights with Spike. He was annoying, hateful and unpredictable but
so was she. No one else would take her shit and dish it back just as
powerful.

“Really?” Giles looked from one to the other. “Because I’m not
having this conversation again. I can’t take it. I’ve got a headache
now and my nerves are quite frazzled. I can’t listen to this chatter
anymore.”

“Right.” Buffy nodded. “If he isn’t talking he isn’t nearly as

obnoxious.”

“ME!” Spike shouted. “I’m obnoxious when I talk? At least I don’t

sound like a broken victrola half the time.”

“What is a victrola?” Buffy yelled. “How dare you use French to

insult me when you know for a fact that I can’t speak it.”

“Once again, Slayer, you have proven who the dumb one is here.”
Spike laughed as he said it.

“STOP IT!” Giles yelled. “I’ve had it. I don’t want either of you to
speak to each other under any circumstances in my presence.
Spike, if you want to continue to work with us, that’s fine, but I
won’t bear witness to this childishness. Good-night, both of you.”

Buffy watched with her mouth agape as Giles stomped out the door.
Then she turned her gaze back to Spike. “Now look what you’ve
done.”

“I didn’t do it.”

“Don’t talk to me. Giles was definitely onto something there.” She
moved around the table and started past him but he grabbed her
arm.
“Don’t talk to me either. Don’t say anything else to me from now on
and I’ll do the same.”

“Liar. You couldn’t go for two days without running off at the
mouth.” Buffy smacked his hand off of her arm.

“Oh, trust me, I have houseplants with more intellect than you. I
won’t miss it.” He towered over her. “I bet I can outlast you. You’ll
talk to me first, wait and see.”

“I bet I won’t.” She shot back, furious at his insult.

“You’re on.”

“Before we shake on it, what are the stakes?” Buffy was almost
afraid to ask. If he wanted to touch her breasts again she would
deck him. Or let him...and beg him to touch the rest of her.
Probably that.

“Well, I want it to make a lasting impression when you lose and

prove that you are weak willed.” He rolled up his sleeve and pointed
at his tattooed arm.

“No. I’m not getting a tattoo. Mom would kill me.”

“Don’t worry. I saw something else there at the parlor. Something

that would be a constant reminder that you talk too much.”

Buffy’s hands were on her hips and she smirked. “What?”

“A tongue piercing.”

“Hmm.” She scratched the side of her head and thought for several
seconds about that. It would be really fun to see Spike mumbling
through a tongue ring once he lost and she wouldn't lose under any
circumstances. “You’re on.”

The handshake was done in silence.

~~

They met the next night in their usual spot, underneath a tall elm
tree in the corner of the cemetery. With a nod, Spike acknowledged
her presence and together they began looking for new graves or
anything else that needed attending. Thirty minutes into the patrol,
they found something.
Three vampires kneeled on the grass at the foot of a freshly dug
grave, whispering some sort of language that Buffy didn’t know.
She cocked an eyebrow and cleared her throat. The vampires
stopped speaking and rose to their feet. “Hi!” Buffy smiled.
“Mumbling is really annoying. I think I’m gonna have to kill you for
that.”

Spike grinned at the surprised looks on the vampire’s faces. Buffy’s

dry wit always caught demons off guard. He’d never seen anything
quite like this Slayer. She was absolutely amazing and he wanted
her so bad he couldn’t stand it.

As one, the vampires charged and Spike and Buffy met them head
on. Fists flew, connecting with a jaw here and a stomach there.
Buffy was knocked backwards against a tombstone and regained
her footing in just enough time to stake her attacker and see that
Spike was fighting two on his own.

He noticed her watching and dusted one of the vampires, deciding

to use the other to make him win the bet. Spike blocked a punch
with his tattooed arm, which hadn’t really been bothersome at all,
and pretended to be in excruciating pain. He dropped to his knees,
wailing, and the remaining vampire moved in for the kill.

Buffy’s stomach flipped over and she tackled the vampire before he
could get to Spike. Within seconds, he was obliterated and she
turned. “Are you okay, Spike?”

Unable to contain his laughter he pointed at her with his ‘sore’ arm.
“I’ve never been better. Ready for your new piece of jewelry?”

Furious, she jumped to her feet. “You cheated!”

“It’s not my fault that you’re so smitten with me that you had to ask
if I was okay.” He stood up and grabbed her hand. “Come on, the
parlor closes in an hour.”

“NO!” She tried, unsuccessfully, to dig her heels into the ground. “I
can’t do this.”

“Sure you can. We've already had this talk and you still danced that
night. All you have to do is sit there tonight.” He yanked her along
behind him. “And by the way, you’re concern for my well being is
cute, even on you.”

“I can’t do this, Spike.” Buffy bit down on her tongue, testing the
sensitivity, and not liking how much she felt it. “I’m afraid of
needles.”
“Nah. They don’t use needles, pet. It looked more like a nail.” Spike
grinned as she paled. “It’ll be over with before you know it. And I’m
buying!”

“Please? I’ll…I’ll…”

“A deal’s a deal.”

“How long do I have to leave it in?” She moaned, near tears.

“For as long as I have tits and a stake on my bloody arm.”

Buffy felt faint. “But that’s a permanent tattoo.”

“Fancy that!”

~~

Buffy sucked the piece of ice into her mouth and held it on her
throbbing tongue. It hadn’t been as bad as she had thought it would
be, even though she was convinced her tongue was three times it’s
normal size now. Spike had held her hand the entire time though,
rubbing over the back of it and squeezing it gently. Her tongue
wasn't the only thing that had gotten pierced that night. Her heart
had gotten pierced. It was real fear she felt when she thought he
was about to be killed and real joy she felt when she realized he
was okay. No matter how corny their game was, it was theirs and
she wouldn't trade anything for it. She whimpered at how pathetic
she was and Spike looked over at her.

“Big Baby!” He grinned even though he was afraid she was in pain.
He had started to call the whole thing off because she was terrified
and so worried. But seeing her that way, and being able to be the
one there to offer moral support was kind of nice. It was also kind
of nice hearing the tattoo artist tell Buffy that her man would go
wild when she was able to fully use her piercing. He had every
intention of being that man. “You damn near broke my hand back
there, you know?”

“Leaf me alon.” She was massacring every word she uttered.

“You’re muttering. I guess I have to kill you.”

“Kith my ath.” She hated the sound of her voice. She sounded like
Cindy Brady with a head cold.

With a fiendish chuckle, Spike moved behind her, gripped her hips
and pressed a hard kiss on her backside. He wasn't surprised to find
that he had just as much pleasure doing that as he had groping her
breasts. She was one stacked little lady.

~~

Xander dropped his soda into his lap when he looked out the
window of the diner and saw Spike with his face buried against
Buffy’s ass. He watched her swat him and run away laughing, the
vampire giving chase.

“XANDER! You've soaked us both!” Anya cried. “What are you

doing?”

“Trying my best to discreetly cover up the piss in my pants!”

Kissed

“Sheeya, Mom. Haf fun at the gallery. ” Buffy slurred the words and
closed the door. Her tongue was still swelling after twenty-four
hours and she was still unable to eat solid food. Giles had insisted
that she stay in for the night, claiming that anyone stupid enough to
shove a pole through their tongue was too incompetent to slay. She
wasn’t about to argue.

What made her incompetent though was a certain sexy blond

vampire who made her body weak all over. She definitely needed a
break from him. Their game of making bets and taking dares was
quickly becoming too erotic for comfort. Buffy realized that she had
probably made the first move in taking it from harmless fun to
flirting because she danced half-naked on him. But it was totally
HIS fault that now she wanted to dance completely naked on him.
How dare he!

Sighing, Buffy thanked her lucky stars that she had a night away
from Spike and flipped on the TV. She surfed the channels until she
found ‘Beauty and the Beast’ just about to start on the Disney
Channel. Satisfied, she left it there and went into the kitchen to get
some pudding. Not being able to eat solids was killing her and her
rumbling stomach was beginning to hurt. She pulled two chocolates
and two vanillas out and made her way back to the living room.

As she rounded the corner she dropped her loot in the floor and put
her hands on her hips. Spike was sprawled on her sofa, staring at
the TV. He saw her and smiled. “Hi! Looks like I got here just in
time, huh? Joyce told me to come on in.”

“Go ‘way.” Furious that he’d just make himself at home, she bent to
pick up her dinner. As she squatted, she glanced at her clothes and
cringed. She was wearing her rattiest cotton shorts and a sleeveless
T-shirt that had been her dads. Oh well, it served him right for just
dropping by unannounced.

“That’s no way to be! How did your mum take the tongue ring?”

“She wasn’t thwilled.” Buffy replied, trying not to sound like she had
a speech impediment. “But she said that if it’th the only thing I ever
do to rebel that’th fine. Now, goodnight, Spike.”

“But I brought dinner!” Spike sat up and patted the sofa beside him
while he reached for a bag. “Chinese! I know you like that.”

“You ashhole!” She screamed, waving her pudding at him. “Ou

know for a fact that I can’t eat.”

He looked her up and down. “You shouldn’t be dieting, pet. You’re a

slayer. You’re already too thin and you need all the strength you
can get.”

Buffy closed her eyes and silently counted backwards from ten. “I
can’t eat becauth of thith tongue wing.”

“What?” Spike shook his head and dismissed her with a wave of his
hand. “That should already be healed.”

“It’th not.”

“Let me see?” He stood up and cupped her chin, trying to pry her
mouth open.

“Quit!” She tried to push him away from her but he held on, trying
to pinch her nose so she couldn’t breathe and would be forced to
open her mouth. “Stop that!”

“Let me look at it.” Spike smiled as she clamped her mouth shut
and shook her head from side to side. “You’re just faking it.”

Before Buffy could reply, her stomach rumbled loudly and Spike’s
forehead creased. She smirked and said, “Doth that sound like I’m
fakin’?”

“You’re hungry?” He felt so bad for her he couldn’t stand it. If he

had known the piercing would make her unable to eat he wouldn’t
have even suggested it. “You can take it out, Slayer.”

“No!” Buffy shook her head and moved past him.

“Why?” Spike watched her flop on the sofa and open one of her
pudding containers; then he moved to sit beside her.

“Becauth I losth the bet. You haf a tathoo and I have thith thing.
We’re even.” Buffy turned up the volume on the television as the
movie started. She gingerly licked the foil lid she had pulled off,
unaware that he was watching her every move.

Spike stared at her tongue as she lapped at the chocolate. He didn’t

think he had ever seen anyone as beautiful or anything as erotic as
the little silver ball on her tongue in his life. She was free of make-
up, free of fancy clothes and absolutely killing him. “You’re…you’re
so…”

“Huh?” She glanced at him absently, then turned back to the

television.

Damn her. He had almost told her that she was beautiful and
everything he desired. Spike had almost blurted out that he wanted
to do things to her that she could never tell her mother. “Damn
you!”

“Damn me?” Buffy rolled her eyes. “Listen, roots. I’m tryin’ to wath
this movie. I don’t get to wath movies that often and I’ve never
seen it.”

He glanced at the television and recognized the movie. “You’ve

never seen ‘Beauty and the Beast’?”

Grinning, she swallowed her spoonful of pudding and said, “I live

thith movie…me beauty…you beast. Hehehe.”

“Well, they shag at the end.” He smiled back at her. “So…we may
as well shag too. Right now if you want too.”

“Spike!” Buffy hit him with a throw pillow and shook her head. “Only
you would twy to turn a Disney movie into porno.”

“Well, did you know that almost all Disney movies have sexual
undertones?” Spike caught the pillow and leaned back on it, tossing
his legs into her lap.

“No, they don’t.” She tried unsuccessfully to shove his legs off of
her and finally let herself enjoy how natural it felt. She tuned him
out as he was telling her that the ‘Lion King’ said sex somewhere in
the sky. It occurred to her that she’d like to have sex anywhere,
anytime, anyplace with this man.
“And there you have it. Walt Disney was a pervert.”

“You’re a perverth.” She lisped and leaned over his legs, tossing her
empty container on the coffee table.

“No, I’m not.” Spike moved his legs and patted the edge of the
couch. “Lie down with me.”

“Hello contradiction.” She shook her head. “You’re not a perverth

but you want me to lie down with you?”

He sat up and brushed her hair off her shoulder, putting his face
against it. “Trust me. By the time this movie ends you will be glad
to have a shoulder to cry on.”

“I don’t cry at cartoonth.” She shook her head, silently rattling off
all the reasons she should run lock herself in her room.

With him.

No.

No she couldn’t think things like this. It was wrong. Spike was her
FRIEND. And he wasn’t even that half the time. She didn’t even like
him most of the time. Damn it all. He was making her lie to herself
more and more.

“I bet you will cry.” Spike said.

“I bet I won’t.”

“You’re on.” Shrugging, Spike leaned back against the armrest,

adjusting his pillow. “What are the odds?”

“You made the bet. You decide.”

“Well, if you cry…I get to kiss it better.” He puckered up his mouth

dramatically and made a loud kissing noise. “I’ll console you, pet.”

“And if I don’t?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Then take out your tongue ring.”

“You’re on.” Buffy’s smile was huge as she stuck out her hand so
they could shake on it. She’d be taking out her tongue ring later
and she would eat all of the Chinese food that Spike had brought.
This one was in the bag.
Spike grabbed her hand and shook it fiercely but didn’t let go.
Instead he pulled her on top of him. Buffy gasped and tried to pull
away. The vampire shook his head. “Slayer, don’t be a bitch for two
hours. That’s all I’m asking. Just lie here with me and watch this
damn movie and don’t be a bitch.”

“But…”

“Hush!” He chuckled at her and rolled, planting her firmly beside

him and holding her around the waist.

After several minutes, Buffy relaxed and resigned herself to the fact
that he was going to lie behind her, spoon style, for at least an hour
and a half. Soon, she was engrossed in the movie and
subconsciously stroked the back of his hand, oblivious to how much
he enjoyed that.

Spike grinned at Buffy’s gasps and laughter as the movie played

out. She voiced her anger over the Beast locking up Belle’s father,
shouted at the television when Belle took his place, giggled at Chip
and swooned out loud as Belle and the Beast slowly began to grow
closer. He had propped himself on his elbow so he could watch her
face as the movie began to conclude. By then, Buffy was clinging to
his hand, not stroking it. She watched with wide eyes as Gaston and
the Beast fought on top of the castle and the Beast was stabbed.

His gaze moved to the television as the final rose petal dropped and
the Beast “died”.

“No.” Buffy gasped. “Spike..”

“Shh…” He studied her profile again and smiled when her eyes
began to mist.

By the time the Beast transformed into the handsome Prince, Buffy
was sobbing. As soon as the credit’s rolled she sat up angrily and
grabbed a tissue. “I’m not crying!”

“A spontaneous allergy attack, right?” He laughed a little and

moved behind her, slowly pushing her hair aside. “Did you like it?”

“I hated it.”

“It had a happy ending.” He turned her to face him, intent on

getting the kiss he was owed.

“That’s just it, Spike.” She shook her head and stared deeply into
his eyes. “Happy endings don’t happen.”
“Says who?”

“Whoever fated me to be a Slayer, that’s who.” Buffy wiped off the

remaining tears and tossed her tissue at him.

Spike caught it and smiled. “Tears. A whole rag full of tears. I have
to kiss it better.”

“Spike.” Buffy warned, pushing him away as he drew closer, tracing

his thumb around her lips. She could feel her resolve starting to
weaken and leaned toward him. “Spike, I want...”

“You want what, baby?” He swallowed as his lips came within inches
of hers.

Joyce flipped on the light and looked at the two figures on the
couch. “I want to know what’s going on.”

“MOM!” Buffy jumped up and pulled Spike up beside her. “We

were…”

Spike caught the look Joyce threw him and said, “We were watching
a Walt Disney movie.”

Joyce stepped into the living room and glanced at the television. “A
Disney movie?”

“Yeah.” Buffy nodded. “Beauty and the Beast.”

“Oh, of course. How fitting.” Joyce crossed her arms and stared
from one to the other. "How very innocent."

"Mom, Walt was a pervert too! It's his fault that we..."

"Did nothing!" Spike quickly added, wondering if he'd make it out

the door before he got staked.

"It's late." Joyce stared at her watch.

“And I was just leaving.” Spike nodded at Joyce and added, “I’ll see
you tomorrow, Buffy. For slaying.”

“Yes. Slaying. Tomorrow. No movies.”

“Goodnight, ladies.” Spike made it out the door unscathed and

practically sprinted to his car.
Buffy made a mad dash for the stairs but Joyce blocked her. “I want
to talk to you.”

“Mom…”

“Buffy? I saw you.”

“Nothing happened. I didn’t kiss Spike because you interrupted.”

“I wasn’t talking about.... Wait, you wanted to kiss Spike?! Never

mind..that’s not important right now.” Joyce pulled a newspaper out
from behind her back and opened it, shoving it in her daughter’s
face. "Several men at my gallery tonight asked about you!"

Buffy gasped when she saw a picture of herself collecting her trophy
onstage at the strip club. “Oh God!”

“A tongue ring, stripping and making out to DISNEY movies. That’s

it Buffy!” Joyce shoved the paper under her arm. “You’ve left me no
choice.”

“What?” Buffy looked terrified.

“I’m canceling our cable! If you behave this way with just Disney, I
can’t imagine how you’ll handle HBO.” With that, Joyce turned and
walked up the stairs.

The Slayer shook her head and started to follow when there was a
light knock on the front door. Sighing, she tugged it open and Spike
grinned at her. “I forgot to give you this.”

“What?” Buffy asked.

He leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to her lips, then pulled
away, willing himself to say goodnight. “Bye, luv.”

Buffy grabbed him and brought his mouth back to hers, kissing him
hungrily. The feel of his cool tongue massaging her aching one was
absolutely wonderful. He flicked over her tongue stud and then
probed further, taking her breath. She had to break the kiss to
regain her breathing. “Spike, you shouldn’t…”

“I shouldn’t!?” He narrowed his eyes at her. “I shouldn’t!? You just

kissed ME.”

“You started it!” She snapped.

“I did not. Who made the first bet? Who said they could stake a
vampire in eight seconds?” Spike pointed at her and wagged his
finger. “You did!”

Buffy tried to close the door but he caught it and held it open,
glaring at her. She stomped her foot and shook her head angrily.
“You are driving me crazy, Spike!”

He put his lips right next to her ear and whispered. “Give me time,
baby. I’ll drive you wild.”

“I bet you won’t.”

“I bet I will.”

“What are the odds?”

“You’ll see.”

~~

Willow was on a mission. Her mother had shown her the newspaper
and she was hell bent on finding out what other kind of secret life
Buffy had going on. She came around the tree in the Summer's
front yard and paused when she saw Buffy and Spike bickering.
That was nothing new. She took another couple of steps forward
and gasped when Spike yanked the Slayer into his arms and began
kissing her passionately.

*Oh damn.* Willow shook her head, convinced Buffy would stake
him.

Instead, Buffy giggled and went back into her house and Spike
practically skipped down the sidewalk, humming under his breath.

As he pulled away, Willow scratched her head and glanced back up

at Buffy's house. "What the hell is going on?"

Drunk

“So, what happened last night?” Spike brushed the dust of a fallen
vampire off his jacket and looked at Buffy just as she was just
staking another.
When the vampire disintegrated, she stood up and shook her hair,
coughing as ashes fell from it and waving her hand back and forth
to clear the air. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

They fell in step next to each other as they continued through the
park. It was awkward between them. The previous night of kissing
had left them both unsure of what to do and full of questions and
doubts. Most of the evening had been shared in silence… which left
the impression on each that the other regretted what happened.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Both of them had wanted
to greet the other with a kiss but mixed signals and two vampires
thwarted it. Now there was nothing but quiet, so Spike cleared his
throat. “Is there anything you do want to talk about?”

Buffy glanced at him hopefully and glanced away just as quickly,

sliding her stake into her waistband. She did want to talk. She
desperately wanted to know if their kiss had meant anything to him
and why he was so distant. However, she had Slayer pride and
wasn’t going to admit that. “Uh…no. You?”

“Nah.” He stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged. If she
didn’t want to be close to him and discuss anything then he’d be
damned if he tried. “We’ll just, er…keep patrolling.”

“Quietly.” Buffy added. “Because we don’t want to talk.”

“Right. Nothing to say.” He fidgeted and tried not to think about

how much he would love a cigarette. Thinking led to wanting which
led to Buffy which led to thinking of wanting Buffy. < How did I get
that? I wish I were dead! > He growled low in his throat and kicked
a rock as hard as he could, not realizing that Buffy had moved in
front of him.

“OW!” She screamed and dropped down to clutch her ankle. “What
the hell did you do that for?”

Spike’s eyes widened when he saw a thin line of blood trickling

down from under her hand and into her shoe. “Cor, Slayer! I didn’t
know that you were there.”

“What? You suddenly went blind?” She snapped, trying to massage

away the pain.

“How bad is it?” He asked, kneeling beside her and reaching to pull
her hand away.
“It’s fine!” Buffy pushed his hand back and added, “Just leave me
alone.”

“What the hell is your problem?” Spike shouted, yanking her to her
feet. “I said it was an accident! I’m sorry!”

“Oh? And was it an accident that you kissed me?” She shouted back
at him. “Are you sorry for that too?”

“What?” He loosened his grip on her but didn’t let her go. Surely
she didn’t think that.

“You can’t just kiss someone and act like it never happened!” Buffy
was furious. It didn’t matter that he had almost severed her foot
from her body. What mattered was the fact that she wanted him to
hold her and kiss her and … be everything he wasn’t going to be
because he was a jerk.

“And what does this have to do with me checking to see if your

ankle is okay?” He squatted down and tried to pull her leg into his
lap so he could look.

As soon as he had her leg, she kicked him backwards, causing him
to let go of her to brace his fall. “You asked me what my problem
was and there you have it.”

He shot back to his feet and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders.
“You know what your problem is?”

“Enlighten me with your stupid opinion, Spike. What is my

problem?” She narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms.

“You are so damn scared of being happy that you can’t realize it
when you actually are.” He replied. “Like last night, you said there
are no happy endings but there can be! You’re just too spoiled and
arrogant to let anyone show you!”

“Whatever!” She cried. “You think you know everything about

everything just because you’re as old as dirt. Well, you don’t know!
You don’t know how I feel or what I want.”

“You’re scared! You scared of getting close and losing people and
you want a normal life. Guess what, kid? You’re never going to have
a normal life and instead of resenting it, you should make the most
of it.”

“Make the most of what?”

“What you could have if you didn’t have your head shoved so far up
your ass!”

She shook his hands off her shoulders and spun on her heel to walk
away. Unfortunately, her foot had another plan and twisted at an
odd angle, causing her to fall. Her blood began to boil when he
chuckled behind her. She didn’t even bother looking at him when
she said, “Go to hell, Spike.”

Still laughing, he put his hands under her arms and lifted her.
“Come on, luv. Let me take you home.”

“Let me go!” Buffy sunk her elbow into his midsection, causing him
to double over and drop her again. She landed with a thud. “Damn
you, Spike!”

“YOU DID IT!” He roared, his demon surfacing. “You are the most
infuriating little shit I have ever met!”

“And you are the most annoying and…mean asshole I have ever
met.” Buffy got to her feet on her own and faced him.

He stalked into her face and shouted, “I’m only mean when you’re a
little shit. Is it my fault that you’re a little shit ALL THE FUCKING
TIME!?”

“I hate you!” Buffy exclaimed, trying to push past him.

“You only hate me because you want me so damn much!” He

blocked her, not letting her get around him.

“Who put a stop payment on your reality check?”

“Then just tell me you don’t want me. Tell me that last night was
just a kiss.”

“SHUT UP!” She yelled furiously. “Just go away! And stay there!”

Spike bit back the words he was about to say and turned, throwing
up his hands and walking away. She didn’t have to tell him twice.
He was tired of playing cat and mouse. For good measure, he
turned and kicked another rock at her. He purposely missed but
leered at her anyway before he continued out of the park.

“Fine! Be that way! Just walk away in the middle of something and
act like a MEAN ASSHOLE!” Buffy stomped her foot on the ground
and fell again, clutching her sore ankle. “Ow. Prick!”
When it was clear that he wasn’t coming back, she went after him.

They weren't done and since when did he listen to anything she said
anyway? He should know better than to just walk off just because
she said to leave.

~~

Spike stomped into Willie’s Pub fifteen minutes later fully vamped
and slumped at the bar. He’d had it. There was no way in hell he
was going to work with her any damn more. She was infuriating and
childish and…the best kisser he had ever kissed. Plus, she was
beautiful even when she was infuriating. He bummed a cigarette
and fired it up. There! He’d show her.

Growling, he gulped down half a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and then

turned when the door was flung open. He growled again when he
saw the Slayer hobble in, staring down anyone who dared look at
her. Her gaze locked on him and he felt his face begin to morph
back into his mortal visage. He could never hold his demon very
long around her.

Buffy shook her head as she sat down. She wanted it resolved and
if it meant that she would be the first to admit that she wanted
something with him then so be it. “Drinking and smoking. That’s
bad, Spike.”

“And?” He didn’t bother looking at her, instead he lifted the bottle

and took several swigs.

“And you left me, injured, in the park where I could have been
killed just to feed your habit.” Buffy held out her hand, figuring she
would just beat him at his own game. “Aren’t you going to share?”

Spike snorted and looked over at her. “You want to drink liquor?”

“I can hold my own.” She snatched the bottle and took several deep
drinks, almost dying at the fire that burned down her throat. When
she handed the bottle back to him, it took every ounce of self-
control she had not to cough, vomit and ask for a hospital. Buffy
had only drank once in her life and it definitely wasn’t something as
strong as this.

“Well look at you.” He handed her the bottle again. “Go on then.
Drink the rest.”

“That would be rude. It’s yours.” She shook her head, biting back
the bile in her throat. She doubted seriously that she could stomach
to even smell it, much less drink it. This wasn’t what she had
planned on at all. She had hoped that he would refuse to let her
drink and leave with her.

“What’s the matter, little girl?” He leaned close so she couldn’t

mistake the smirk he wanted to give her. “Afraid you’re about to let
your mouth overload your ass?"

“I bet I could drink you under the damn table if I wanted to.” Buffy
resisted the urge she had to just leave. She wasn’t itching to get
drunk and she definitely wasn’t itching to get caught inside a bar
drinking when she was only nineteen.

“You’re on! I take that bet.” He grabbed her arm and slammed the
bottle into her hand. “Peer pressure, baby. Give in or get out.”

“You’re an asshole.” Buffy said quietly as she tilted the bottle back.

“You forgot to add mean.” He smiled as he watched her down the

rest of the liquor. It was time she learned that just because he liked
her, he wouldn’t back down from her or her games.

~~

The patrons of the bar kept casting hateful glances back toward the
loud blond couple. They had alternated during the course of the
evening to flinging insults and cuss words, to kissing, back to insults
and were currently cuddling. Several people complained and Willie
walked into the corner, dreading what he was about to tell them.

“Hello, Willie.” Spike drawled and lifted his shot glass to his eye,
peering through it. “You look so glassy.”

Buffy snorted and leaned her head against Spike’s arm. “Thish
whole room lookses glashy.”

“My girl here, would likes another drink.” Spike hiccuped loudly and
turned to face Buffy. “What do you want, luvs?”

“I want you.” She replied and rubbed her nose over his, causing
them both to giggle.

Willie cleared his throat. “Listen, guys. You’ve both had enough. Too
much actually and people are complaining. So why don’t you both
just…go?”
“He is asking us to leaf.” Buffy rolled her head around and let it loll
backwards so she could see him. “Willie, do you wane me to kick
your ash?”

“I’ve considered that, Buff, and the answer is no.” Willie shook his
head apologetically as they both stood. “Take pity on me, okay? I
mean…I’ve let you both drink for free all night and she isn’t even
legal. Please?”

Spike draped his jacket over Buffy’s shoulders and shrugged, “I’ve
got other plans anyway.”

Buffy stumbled around for several seconds, trying to decide which

door was the exit. There were five where there used to be one.
“When did Willie remodel?”

“Remodel?” Willie scratched his head and then cringed when Buffy
staggered into a table, knocking it over. He raised his hands to his
head as Spike moved to pick it back up and fell on top of it,
breaking two of the legs. By the time the two had cleared the front
door Willie was considering his remodeling options.

And whether or not to report this to his silent investor. He figured

he had better tell.

~~

The sun rose silently and brought forth the noises of everyday life.
Children could be heard laughing and screaming as they boarded
their school busses, cars were being started, horns were being
honked and a phone was ringing off the hook in Spike’s apartment.
He could hear it but he couldn’t move. He was freezing cold.

It stopped and he felt around for his cover, yanking it around him.
His head pounded and he was miserable.

The cover was tugged off of him and he sleepily yanked it back.

Then his eyes flew open.

He sat up and flipped on his lamp.

Buffy sat up beside him and her eyes grew wide.

As one they leapt from the bed.

Then they noticed they were both completely naked and jumped
back in, fighting to cover up. He snatched the sheet and she
snatched the blanket and neither took their eyes off the other.

They both spoke at once, “What did we do?”

“You tell me.”

“How am I supposed to know.”

“Do we know what day it is?”

“D-Day?”

“How did this happen?”

“It’s your fault.”

“It’s not my fault.”

“It’s somebody’s fault.”

“Willie!”

“He’s so dead.”

The phone ringing again stopped their conversation.

“Answer it, Spike.”

“The hell you say!”

“It could be important.”

“Then YOU answer it.”

“Let it ring.”

“Fine.”

“What are we going to do?”

“What do you remember?”

“I REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID TO MY ANKLE, ASSHOLE!”

“BLOODY HELL!”
~Fin~

Honesty

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Buffy sat rigid at the table, hiding behind dark glasses and not
daring to look at Spike. Just that morning she had woken up hung
over and in his bed. Neither remembered what happened, but the
evidence on both of them left little doubt. Spike had scratches on
his back and Buffy had bite marks on the inside of her thigh.
Nothing had ever felt worse. Not long after they had woken up,
shocked by their actions, Spike had gone to the shower and she
left.

Dealing with her worried mother had been horrible. Joyce had been
convinced she had been killed. Giles was at her house and they
could smell the liquor on her so they both launched into a tirade
that left her queasier than she had been when she realized what
she had done. She had received the patented disappointment
speech and also the speech about being an adult but not to old to
be punished. They finally took pity on her when she turned a bright
green and began to cry. Now here she was, sitting in Giles’s kitchen
to discuss a new danger with her latest vampire lover across from
her. She had never felt more miserable in her life.

Spike’s head felt like it had been stabbed. All over. And then
stabbed again. It throbbed from one side to the other, threatening
to make his eyes water. The pain didn’t prevent him from glaring at
Buffy as hard as he could though. He was pissed as hell that the
Slayer had just taken off without so much as a good-bye or a ‘thank
you for letting me ruin your life’ note. The entire time he was
showering he was coming up with things to say to her to make her
realize that he didn’t mind what happened and he wasn’t sorry.
Then she had been gone and he almost fried himself going after
her, not realizing the sun was shining brightly. He growled low in his
throat, still leveling her with his glare and she shifted
uncomfortably.

“Quit looking at me.” She said in a small voice. Every movement,

every word, every breath intensified the headache, the nausea and
the mortification she felt.

“Don’t tell me what to do.” He shook his head angrily then clutched
it and moaned at the pain. “My head…”
“I hope it hurts like hell. It serves you right too!” Buffy snapped.
“How dare you take advantage of me.”

“Take adva…” His eyes grew round and he slammed his fist on the
table. “I did not take advantage of you! You were the one in MY bed
so who followed whom where?”

Buffy’s own eyes widened and she shot to her feet, yanking off her
sunglasses. “I was DRUNK!”

“I was too, dim wit!” He replied, noting the dark circles under her
eyes and despising the fact that he cared. “Now sit down and shut
up before Giles hears us."

“That’s going to be the least of your worries. Your ass is MINE.” The
Slayer balled her fist at him and tried to punch him but he caught
her.

“My arse was already yours last night. Maybe this time it will be
worth remembering.” He shoved her back into her seat, trying not
to feel bad about what he said. When he saw the look on her face,
the hurt in her eyes, he felt horrible. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.
I just feel like a piece of shit and ..”

“You are a piece of shit. Dickhead!” Buffy shook her head and
shoved her glasses back on so he couldn’t see the tears that were
threatening to spill. How could you hate and desire someone so
much at one time? It wasn’t natural. She should be beaten to
death. Or at least beaten until she came to her senses. Damn him
into hell! Why was he everything she wanted disguised as
everything she hated?

Spike rolled his eyes at her, causing the headache to intensify. He

groaned and leaned forward to rest his forehead on the table. Buffy
smirked at him and kicked the underside of the table as hard as she
could. It was knocked upward several inches, causing his head to
lift off and slam back down on it with a loud pop. “BLOODY HELL!”
Spike screamed. “Why did you do that?!”

“Because you are a piece of shit, dickhead.” Shrugged the Slayer

innocently.

Spike was on his feet and dragging her across the table before he
could stop himself. Buffy didn’t even have time to react before they
were nose to nose with her lower body slanted at an odd angle
across the table. He growled at her. “You are about to discover the
hard way just why you shouldn’t fuck with me. I am going to whip
your arse.”
“Oh, I’m so scared that I can’t quake with fear so I’ll just laugh
instead.” She chuckled sarcastically and threw her weight back,
pulling him onto the table with her. They rolled and crashed into the
floor, knocking several chairs over.

Neither made a move to hit the other, instead they battled for
dominance, as if one pinning the other was the only logical answer.
They continued rolling, knocking over a potato box and the broom.
Buffy flipped Spike hard over her head and he landed in the living
room, where he tripped her when she tried to stand. Several things
were overturned in her struggle to keep standing and glass could be
heard shattering.

Giles heard the commotion and nearly sprawled down the stairs
from the bathroom, trying to stop them with his shouts and button
his pants at the same time. Stomach problems had plagued him all
week, due in part to his stress and worry about the Slayer. He
yelled when Spike gripped Buffy by the shirt and pants and pulled
her across his lap, spanking her like a child. The Slayer turned red-
faced, twisting and turning but unable to pull free. The vampire’s
open palm flew furiously against her backside and he wore a grin of
self-satisfaction.

The Englishman gasped and wrestled Buffy out of the vampire's grip
and pushed her behind him. “Stop that this instant! What in
heaven’s name has gotten into you two? Out drinking all night,
piercing tongues, tattoos and stripping and now this! I won’t
tolerate it! You two could hurt one another.”

“Oh, I’m going to hurt him!” Buffy screamed, trying to make her
way around Giles. “You are getting staked, asshole! Multiple
times!!!”

Spike sneered. “I told you I was going to whip your arse.”

Buffy went at him again and Giles shoved her into his leather
recliner and shouted. “YOU SIT THERE, BUFFY! SPIKE, YOU TAKE A
SEAT ON THE SOFA!”

They obeyed quickly and neither said a word. Giles yanked off his
glasses and looked around his apartment angrily. “Look at what
you’ve done to my home. Broken vases, two bookcases overturned,
potatoes strewn everywhere. I don’t even want to see what you’ve
done to my kitchen! How dare the two of you behave like this in my
house!”

“I’m sorry, Giles, but he…” Buffy began.

Giles held up and hand and stopped her. “I refuse to listen. You two
made a deal when you decided to work together. Personal
differences aside and a willingness to look out for one another. I
hardly think that killing one another falls under anything we agreed
upon.”

“Giles, listen to me!” Cried Buffy; exasperated with everything.

“I SAID NO!” He shot back. He checked his watch and lifted his coat
off the back of his couch. “I’m leaving. I will be back in two hours
and I expect this place to be put back into some sort of order or so
help me…you’ll wish I had let you kill each other just now.”

Without another word, he strode out the door and slammed it

behind him. Buffy crossed her arms and slumped back into her
chair, where she closed her eyes and sighed loudly. Spike watched
her with a small smile curving his lips. “Awww, baby’s pouting. How
cute.”

She slowly opened her eyes and stared at him. He stuck out his
tongue at her and she promptly burst into tears. The headache, the
pain of being her and the pain of wanting someone so unattainable
finally broke her. “Why do you hate me so much, Spike?”

He opened his mouth in shock and then closed it again, unsure of

what to say. He didn’t hate her at all. Running a hand through his
hair, he stood and moved beside the chair. Squatting next to it, he
said, “Don’t cry.”

“What am I supposed to do? You hurt my feelings!” She mumbled.

“You’re mean to me!”

“I’m mean to YOU?” He stood back up and put his hands on his
hips. “Who just gave who a concussion with the table?”

“Who asked for it?” Buffy stood as well and drew her hand over her
face, wiping away the tears.

“Asked for it? What language was I speaking when I asked for it
because it sure as hell wasn’t any language I know!” He threw his
hands into the air. “You infuriate me.”

“Then ignore me!” She yelled and blew past him, into the kitchen.

Fighting the urge to just walk out the door and out of her life, he
followed her. “I don’t want to ignore you.”
“Fine. I’ll ignore you.” She turned her back and began to put the
placemats back on the table.

“No, you will not!” Spike grabbed her arms and forced her to face
him. “I’m tired of these games. We are not children, Slayer.”

“Correction.” She smiled sweetly. “I am not a child. You are a

fetus!”

“STOP IT!” Spike shook her hard and gripped her arms tighter,
digging into her flesh. “Can’t we just talk for five minutes without
insults or bickering? Can’t we talk and be honest with one another?”

Buffy looked at his expression, saw the longing in his face and
realized that she had the same longing. She did want to talk to him
and she did want to resolve everything. But she was so afraid of
where it might lead. “I don’ t want to argue.”

“Arguing is the same thing as bickering, luv, and I won’t.”

“I bet you will.” She let him lead her back to the sofa and they sat
down next to each other.

“I bet I won’t.” He replied. “What are the odds? You made the bet,
you call it.”

“Hmm.” She grinned. “Whoever starts the next fight, which we are
bound to have, has to clean up this mess alone.”

“Well then, I hope you’re a fast worker.” He replied.

Grinning, she said, “You go first.”

“Me?” Asked the vampire, scratching across his chin. “Why me?”

“It was your idea.” Shrugged the Slayer.

“Okay.” He leaned forward and clasped his hands together between

his legs, studying them intently. “I don’t hate you. I don’t hate you
and I don’t like the thought of making you cry because you think I
do. I don’t even think I ever did. Even back when I tried to kill you
at the school.”

“Spike? Honesty is a prerequisite, remember?”

He turned in the seat and stared at her. “Okay. I hated you only
because it was ‘required’ that I hate you in order to be taken
seriously. I liked you from the beginning. You aren’t like other
Slayers. Hell, you aren’t like any other girl. You do things your way
and I like that. I like you.”

She blinked several times, digesting that information, then nodded.

“I like you too. I mean, I don’t want to like you because it’s scary
and potentially dangerous...”

“Potentially dangerous?” Spike shook his head in disbelief. “You

honestly think I would hurt you? After all we’ve been through?”

“Maybe not intentionally but hearts get broken. I don’t want that. I
don’t want to feel something that makes me so uneasy.”

“What do you feel?”

The way he was looking at her made her skin tingle. Buffy glanced
away and then back at him. < His lips were on mine last night. His
body and my body moved together in the most intimate way
possible. I want that. I want to feel that and remember it. > “I feel
like if you don’t kiss me I won’t be able to live.”

< Did she just say that? To hell with it. I’m kissing her. I don’t care
if I’m hearing things.> Spike moved closer to her and pulled her
into his arms. He brushed his lips against her temple, down her
cheek and onto her lips, slowly massaging them open. When her
tongue brushed his, he deepened the kiss, stroking her tongue ring
and causing her to moan against his mouth.

Buffy was so wrapped up in the feel of his powerful kiss that she
didn’t even stop to consider that she was doing exactly what she
had wanted to avoid. A small voice in the back of her mind kept
telling her that she was a fool but she tuned it out, hearing nothing
but her own breathing. She wound her arms around his neck and
moved to across his lap, placing a leg on either side of him.

Spike groaned and pushed his hips upward, wanting so much to be

rid of his clothes. He moved his hands from either side of her face
slowly down her arms, resting them on her hips. The way she was
positioned, her chest kept brushing against his and finally, he pulled
back. “Baby…”

“What?” Buffy moved back toward his lips but he held her at bay.

“We’re about to start something that may not be too smart

considering that Giles will be here soon expecting his house
cleaned.” Spike couldn’t help but notice the way her nipples were
visibly erect through her shirt and begging to be sucked into his
mouth. He licked his lips and closed his eyes, trying to shake the
urge to slam her onto the couch.

“Please?” Her voice was husky as she moved to kiss his ear. “I want
you so much.”

She didn’t have to ask again. Spike pushed her sweater off her
shoulders and grinned when he saw her thin strapped halter.
Running his thumb under it, he pulled it halfway down her arm and
placed his mouth on the delicate skin at the curve of her neck,
licking it before he sucked at it.

Buffy hissed and arched her hips forward, feeling how hard he was
and taking a moment to relish the fact that SHE was the cause of it.
As he trailed his tongue to the front of her throat, she leaned back,
pulling away so that her breasts were right in his face. He winked at
her and peeled her shirt down as far as he could. Buffy wasn’t
wearing a bra and once her breasts were exposed he tugged one
rosy nipple into his mouth, tweaking the other between his finger
and thumb.

“Oh, Spike!” Buffy cried, holding his head in place so he couldn’t

stop. Every time he tugged her nipple with his teeth she felt it
between her legs. Every time his tongue swirled around her areola
an aching need made her painfully aware of how empty she was.
She pulled away and stood, pulling her shirt over her head and
quickly unbuttoning her jeans.

Grinning, Spike moved her hands away and leaned forward, tugging
the zipper down with his teeth. Unable to stop it, his demon
emerged, making his teeth longer and sharper. He started to pull
away, to tell her that he was sorry that he changed but he couldn’t
pull loose. His left fang was literally hung in the small hole of her
zipper. It had grown THROUGH the hole. “Oh no.”

Buffy felt the tug and looked down. Spike’s mouth was half-open
and she could see perfectly that he was stuck. “What are you
doing?!”

“Not mush of anything.” He murmured, trying to break away. "I'm

schtuck!"

“What did you do that for?” She cried, stumbling as he tried to work
his tooth free.

He paused and glanced upward. “Well, it wasn’t acthually someting

I focking panned.
“You’re going to tear my pants!” Buffy squealed. "THESE ARE NEW!"

“Will you hush?” He snapped, beginning to get a crick in his neck.

Not only was he embarrassed, he was in pain and she was worried
about her britches?

“Quit that!” She exclaimed, wiggling her hips as he tugged her

again. “Can’t you just get rid of the demon?”

“Not as lon as your mouf is running.” He snapped angrily. “Ve quiet

sho I can concentwate.”

“You’re blaming me?” Buffy shouted. “Like it’s my fault! I KNOW

how to undo my own damn pants! I was doing fine.”

“SHUTH UP!” He shouted, not feeling any leeway over his demon.
“Thatsh it! One more word and I’m wipping them.”

Buffy started to reply when the door swung open and Giles paused,
staring at them with a look on his face between horror and shock.
Oz stepped around him and scratched his head. Willow peeked over
Oz’s shoulder and quickly covered his eyes when she saw Buffy’s
naked breasts.

Buffy’s hands shot to her chest and she closed her eyes, praying as
hard as she could to be sucked into the Hellmouth. Spike cleared his
throat and said, “Thish isn’t how it looksh.”

“Giles, the book?” Oz said, his eyes still covered.

“Right.” Giles moved fast toward the bookcase that had fallen over
and picked up a thick leather book. He hurried back across the
room and handed it to Willow. “You’ll find the spell on page eight
hundred twelve.”

Not looking away from Buffy and Spike, Willow nodded. “Page eight
hundred twelve. Right. Oz and I are going for Pizza. Now.”

Giles looked at the red head and said, “I’ll join you then.”

“Definitely.” Willow finally looked away and turned quickly, pulling

Oz with her.

With his back to them, Giles announced, “I don’t want to know what
you’re doing…why you’re doing it or what the hell is going on…but I
do expect to find my home in order in one hour. No exceptions.
Nothing.”
When the door shut, Spike pushed his demon away and pulled free.
He took one look at Buffy’s face and said, “I’ll start in the kitchen.”

“I’ll work in here.”

“Good.” He handed her her shirt and cringed when she snatched it.

“Good.” Buffy nodded, not meeting his gaze as she yanked her shirt
over her head.

He walked bowlegged toward the kitchen, his erection threatening

to cripple him for life. Pausing in the doorway, he turned back
toward her. “I don’t suppose you’re still in the mood?”

“No. I’m not in the mood.” Buffy said absently, setting the bookcase
back up and stacking several books back on it.

“I didn’t think so.” He walked into the kitchen and began cleaning
up glass. The minutes ticked away and soon he was putting the
finishing touches on restoring order to the room. “Buffy?” He called.
“I’m just about finished. Do you need some help?” When he got no
reply, he walked around the corner and shook his head. She had
walked out on him again. The living room was in pristine order with
nothing out of place.

This time Spike was too angry to even worry about going after her.
Yanking his coat off the hanger behind the door he stormed into the
night. How dare she start something and not finish it? How dare she
keep walking out of him? How dare she turn his life upside down
and inside out and turn him on and turn him down?

There would be no more games.

There would be no more bets or dares.

He was hellbent on claiming what was his.

~FIN

Blown

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The sky had burst open, dropping rain on Spike’s head in painful
torrents. Lightning blinded him as he stomped through the streets
of Sunnydale on his way to Buffy's house. In his anger, he had left
his car at Giles’s, rushing out on foot, the same way the Slayer had
done. He snarled when he thought about her and cut across the
park to get to her faster.

**She’s mine! I’m not playing around anymore.**

Thunder boomed and he slipped on slick grass, sliding down an

embankment on his backside. With a loud splash, he hit a mud
puddle and was covered by putrid water. He leapt to his feet
quickly, scanning the area to make sure no one had seen his bout of
clumsiness.

But someone had.

Buffy snorted and covered her mouth to keep from laughing

outright. She had just dusted two vampires that had given her quite
a bit of trouble. Mud and dust resin covered her clothing and most
of her exposed skin and the same could be said for Spike now,
thanks to the filthy water he had landed in. She composed herself
and spoke loudly above the rain, “Let me guess. You always wanted
to water slide but the darn things are day time only so you do this
when you can?”

“Do you just enjoy hearing yourself talk?” He raised an eyebrow and
looked her up and down. “And you…”

“Before you say a word…I am filthy from SLAYING…not from

PLAYING.” She smirked at him and turned to stalk away.

He threw his hands in the air and followed. “I want to talk to you.”

“It’s lightning, Spike!” She shouted, above the howling wind. “And
in case you’ve forgotten, I have a piece of metal stuck through my
tongue. It might make for an amazing lightning rod.”

“Then I’ll come with you.”

“Don’t bother.” She said angrily and paused. It was impossible to

understand what was happening between them. How was she
supposed to know if he was interested in a relationship? He
probably wanted a fling. She decided to try to make him jealous
and see if he would say anything about what he wanted from her.
“How am I supposed to have a normal life and get dates if you’re
always hovering?”
“DATES!? After what keeps happening between us you want to
DATE someone? WHO?” He gripped her shoulder, forcing her to look
at him. How dare she even contemplate such a thing? “Are you
seeing someone?”

“No! God! I’m just saying if I wanted to I couldn’t because you’re a

fixture every single place I go.” She shook his hand off her shoulder
and shrugged before she started walking again. He was definitely
interested in more. She was interested in more. What was she
doing? “I should be having dates.”

Spike fell in step beside her and shoved his hands in his pockets,
wondering if he should ask her out. **What do I know about dates?
** He grimaced when his fists connected with something mushy
and quickly yanked out two fistfuls of mud. “My coat!”

Buffy giggled beside him and quickly recovered when he glared at

her. She said, “What?”

“Slayer, do you find humor in the fact that my jacket it destroyed?”

“No. I find it humorous that you sat on your ass in a mud puddle.
The jacket being destroyed is only proof and a reminder of that…
which I’ve longed to see.” The look on his face forced her laughter
to explode and Buffy leaned dramatically against the side of the
swingset to catch her breath.

Spike stood in the rain grinding his teeth back and forth as she
laughed hysterically at him. He could hear broken phrases escaping
every now and then. She was saying something about asses and
vampires and agility. Then she said “mud” which infuriated him for
some reason. He glanced around and did the only logical thing.

He picked up a handful of mud and bounced it off the side of her

head.

Buffy’s eyes widened and the laughter completely died in her throat.
**Did he just do that?** As if in shock, she moved her hand slowly
to the side of her head, where she felt for herself that he had in fact
thrown mud into her hair.

It was Spike’s turn to laugh and he leaned back against the slide
pointing at her and clutching his sides. “You look like someone SHIT
on your head!”

Enraged, Buffy sprang at him, sending both of them both to the

ground. They rolled for several seconds, an exact repeat of their
debacle in Giles’s apartment, before they came to rest with him on
top of her. The rain had almost stopped and she was able to look up
at him without being blinded. “Get off.” She said without sounding
very serious.

“I’d rather you get off first and then I’ll follow.” He smiled down at
her, wondering how she could still be so beautiful in her current
state. The big pile of mud was still clinging to the side of her head
and her hair was sticking out at odd angles but he still thought he
would die from not kissing her. “I could finish what I started
earlier.”

Buffy felt herself blush and tossed him onto his back. She straddled
him and plopped a handful of mud on his face. “You could finish
what? Pulling your tooth out with my zipper?”

He wiped his face but didn’t try to throw her off of him. She was
pressing his erection and he liked it just fine. “Mud wrestling is
erotic, isn’t it? Why don’t we get naked and start over? I won’t get
my tooth hung in anything that’ll mind.”

“You’re a pervert.” She shook her head and tried to look angry as
she shot to her feet.

He got to his feet behind her and smiled. “You liked me just fine
that way earlier. Let’s not forget who started it.”

“I did not start it!” Buffy paused, realizing that she did indeed start
it.

“Lying is a big thrill for you apparently.” Spike cocked his head to
one side, an uneasy feeling washing over him. “Do you hear
something?”

“You mean besides your mouth?” She narrowed her eyes but
listened intently to the sounds of the storm. For several seconds she
heard nothing and then there was a low rumbling. Almost like the
wind was growling. “What is that?”

Lightning illuminated the horizon and he gasped. “Ever see

Twister?”

“What?” Buffy glanced the way he was looking and her eyes
widened. “OH MY GOD!”

“RUN!” Spike grabbed her arm and they ran back through the park.
He had seen the destruction of many tornadoes in his lifetime. But
never while it was in action. The vision of the swirling black giant
was something he wasn’t likely to ever forget. He was terrified.
“Look out!” Buffy screamed and ducked low when a picnic table on
the other side of the park was suddenly flying toward them. It was
coming too fast. They were going to be blown away. There was no
shelter here. She realized that ducking into the public bathroom
probably wouldn’t be enough.

“Where can we get into the sewer?” Spike was looking back over his
shoulder at the trees, which were being bent almost to the ground.
He wasn’t itching to get a nice pointy splinter off of one of them.

“Come on!” Buffy tugged him along, oblivious to the cuts and
scrapes that were forming on her face and arms as she fought the
debris.

The manhole cover was just behind a small utility shed that boasted
Sunnydale Water Works on the side. Spike pushed her aside and
ripped the cover off its hinges, swearing as it bit into the palms of
his hands where it drew blood. He gripped her and pushed her
inside just as the shed exploded under the force of the wind.

Buffy realized that he wasn’t behind her and quickly climbed back
up the ladder. “SPIKE!”

She saw him a few feet away, trying to fight against the wind and
come back to the hole. He was motioning wildly for her get back
underground where she was safe, but Buffy would have died first.
She came out and a gush of wind pushed her straight into his arms.
He was vamped, his demon struggling and unwilling to surrender to
something like Mother Nature’s fury. He’d be damned.

Together, heads ducked, they made it back to the sewer. As soon

as they were both safely up to their knees in the rushing water he
gripped her shoulders. “WHAT THE HELL DID YOU COME BACK OUT
FOR!?”

“I was worried.” Buffy admitted before she could help herself.

“Worried that you would miss seeing my demise?” Spike growled.

Buffy’s eyes widened and she latched onto him. “I’m about to see
it.”

A solid blanket of water, the height and width of the tunnel hit them
full force. Spike could feel her clinging to him and fought to gain a
firm grip on her in case she was knocked out. It felt like they were
being swept along for hours but he knew it was only seconds,
minutes perhaps, before they were actually able to stand. He stood
first and pulled her up beside him.
“Are you okay?” He asked, gripping her under her arms and shaking
her a little.

She nodded.

“You don’t look okay.” Spike studied her face. She had a few minor
cuts and bruises but that wasn’t what he meant. The Slayer looked
terrified. He was terrified himself but she looked paler than he
usually did.

Saying nothing, Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck, holding
on tight. How was she supposed to tell him that all she could think
about was the fact that she almost died without telling him how
much she wanted him? That he almost died without knowing that he
was her entire life? How was she supposed to just say she was okay
when her heart was pounding and she wanted to wrap him up and
cling to him forever?

“Shhh.” He heard her sniffle against his neck and rubbed her back,
trying to soothe her. “It’s okay. We’re safe even though I don’t
think this is a sewer.”

Buffy pulled away, absently drying her eyes so she could see where
they were. The tunnel they were in had overhead lights and a
stairway at one end. “I think we’re in an escape route. Willow told
me about it. The people of Sunnydale, back in the sixties, built
several bomb shelters underground and routed them through the
sewers so people could find them more easily.”

“Well, maybe we should find one and see if we can dry off. At least
until the storm passes.” He stared at her, waiting for her to reply.
When she didn ’t respond, he made the decision himself and pulled
her along behind him.

The door at the top of the stairs had a crank that had to be turned
in order to unseal it. After several tries, he was able to twist it and
the door opened. Spike entered first, flipping the light switch on.
What he saw was impressive. The room they were in was quite
large and almost looked like a boardroom. There was a table,
several chairs and stacks of books and papers. Spike lifted one of
the papers and said, “It’s a map of the ‘Underground Complex’.”

Buffy stepped in beside him and stared at it. “Infirmary. I need an

aspirin and a valium if they have any.”

He shrugged and stuffed the map in his pocket, following her. There
was a labyrinth of passages, each marked with plaques that told
which way to go. Whoever had designed it had thought of
everything. There were two kitchens, bathrooms everywhere and
storage rooms full of food and other necessities. The infirmary was
situated at the end of the main tunnel. Buffy quickly began going
through the cabinets, where she discovered a large first aid kit and
a bottle of painkiller.

She turned, held it up and smiled triumphantly. “Let’s go to the

bathrooms and clean up. Then we can play doctor.”

“I like the sound of that.” He grinned, took the case and followed
her back down the hallway.

“Are you still being a pervert?” She asked absently, studying

another map she had found in a box on the wall.

“Still? I never stop.” He grinned and glanced at the map. “Where

are we going?”

“Clothing. Granted, I’m not aching to get into some nineteen sixties
poodle skirt but I’m freezing and I don’t know how long we’ll be
down here.” Buffy put the map back and glanced down the ‘D’ hall.
“This way.”

Spike followed along behind her, admiring the way her wet clothing
clung to her curves. “If you don’t want to wear a skirt, I won’t tell
anyone that you walked around in your knickers.”

Buffy paused outside the door marked ‘Apparel’ and smiled up at

the vampire. “Just between me and you, I never wear knickers.”

“Is that right?” He moved toward her mouth, intent on claiming it as

his.

“You’ll have to take my word for it. Since I’ll never show you.” Buffy
blew him a kiss and turned toward the door.

He grabbed the doorknob with her, both their hands molding around
each other. “Slayer, I bet you will show me.”

“I bet I won’t.” She swallowed hard and stared at their hands. **I
bet his hands are so experienced. I bet he would make me scream
within seconds.**

“I’d have you screaming in three seconds.” Spike moved her hair off
her shoulder and leaned toward her ear to whisper. “I’ll make the
bet even easier. I bet I’ll find out tonight whether or not you wear
knickers.”
She squirmed and her eyes widened when his tongue snaked out
and trailed along her earlobe. Finally, she asked, “What are the
odds?”

He wiggled his eyebrows at her like he was offering her a grand

prize. “A date. If I win, I plan it. If you win, you plan it.”

“And that’s supposed to motivate me? A date with you?” Inside she
was so happy she couldn’t stand it. He wanted a DATE with her. A
real date. Something she hadn’t had many of. She pushed past him
and quickly entered the room, cringing at the cuts and styles of the
shirts and slacks.

“Well, I made the bet so I get to set the odds. Take it or leave it.”
Spike eyed a pair of reversible pants and shook his head. “This
better never make a comeback.”

“Actually…” Buffy prowled through several sweaters before she

picked one that was pink and cute. “I’ve got tickets to a show this
weekend. When I win, you have to go with me.”

“What kind of show?” He growled. “Slayer?”

“It’s not important. Take it or leave it.” She shrugged.

He held out his hand and grimaced when she shook. He was never
more determined to win a bet in his life.

~~

“And really…it isn’t as bad as it seems I mean sure…we’re trapped

in a big piece of metal that flipped a couple of times and it was
painful and the smell is kinda bad but on the whole I’d say we fared
pretty well.” Willow babbled. “And really..”

“Willow, please? Silence is really the only think left preserving my

sanity.” Giles glared at the soaked and dirty redhead as he lit a
match inside the dumpster they were hiding in. The wind had blown
it on it’s side and then onto it’s top, pushing them down the street.
Now they were stuck under it, waiting for the rescue squad or
someone, anyone, to come along and tip it back over. They had
tried unsuccessfully for thirty minutes to rock it to its side so they
could climb out.

“Uh…I know it looks bad.” Willow stared at the Englishman, then at

Oz, who was picking pasta out of his hair. “At least we lived.”
“Willow, I have told you repeatedly that magick isn’t something to
toy with.” Giles hissed when the match burnt his finger and blew it
out. “I asked you to call the winds to remove the demons. Not call
the winds, cause a tornado and remove us all.”

“But we lived so no harm done. And if calling a little wind can get
rid of a demon or two then calling a LOT of wind probably got rid of
them all.” Her voice wasn’t half as calm as she would have liked it
to be. “Right?”

“Do be quiet.” Giles sighed in the darkness and leaned his head
against the metal wall of the dumpster. He felt something drip into
his hair and cringed.

“But..”

“Will?” Oz said quietly. “’Do be quiet’ means shut up. Listen to him.”

“But I just wanted to say…” Willow stopped when she felt Giles shift.
“Giles?”

Her reply was Giles’ voice, screaming loudly while he pounded on

the side of the dumpster. “HELP! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP! GET ME
OUT OF HERE!”

“It’s okay, Will. You’ve leveled the town and driven Giles insane.”
Oz shrugged and patted her hand when he heard her sniffle. “But
things could always be worse.”

~~ Buffy wrapped her hair in a towel and secured one around her
body before she stepped out of the shower stall and walked across
the hallway to the men’s room. Instead of dressing, she chose the
towel because of several scrapes on her back that he needed to look
at. She also liked tormenting him and wanted to watch his face
when he saw the towel. There were several urinals lining one wall
and she noted that Spike had put his clothes on top of one of the
sinks. Briefly, she entertained the idea of hiding them, then thought
better of it.

She leaned against the wall and waited patiently while he showered
on the other side of the room behind a row of lockers. The sound of
water splashing and the steam that was rising from it was having an
odd effect on her. The thought of him, naked, just a few feet away
was almost debilitating and quite possibly the most arousing thing
she had ever experienced. She closed her eyes, envisioning herself
walking into the shower area and getting his attention. He would
start toward her but she would hold up her hand and stop him.
Then slowly, she would let her towel drop to the floor and let his
gaze wash over her.

She wanted to lose herself in his arms. Tonight was the perfect
night, this was the perfect place and there was no telling what they
would find when they went back to town. Buffy felt her eyes glaze
over and moved toward the shower.

That’s when Spike began to sing.

~Yeah, let's do it for your country, the red, white, and the blue,
If the President were standin' here, I'm sure he would approve.
Cause he's a bloody pervert who likes to do it too
Let's do it for your country, your cunt will thank you too~

**A very shocking take on a song from Grease 2.** Buffy thought
and giggled, quickly putting a hand over her mouth. She pressed
her back firmly against the lockers, the only thing that blocked her
view, and hoped against hope he would continue to unknowingly
serenade her.

Spike felt her presence. He left the shower running and tiptoed
quietly toward the wall, pausing when he heard her breathing just
on the other side. Grinning like a madman, he leapt around the
corner and screamed, “What are you doing?!”

Buffy screamed and threw her arms in the air, clearly terrified. Her
heart pounded against her chest and she clutched at her breast,
trying to regain control. She shrieked when she came in contact
with her bare skin and looked down. The towel that had been
around her was lying in a clump on the floor. “OH MY GOD!”

Spike stepped on the towel as she kneeled known and reached for
it. “You aren’t a natural blond, luv.”

Still kneeling, and completely mortified, she kept her eyes on the
floor. “Spike, get off my towel.”

“I don’t really want to, pet.” He wondered if she realized that her
head was only inches from his erection. He also wondered if she
realized how stunning she was and how much he wanted her.

Fighting for control, she said, “Don’t make me get you off.”

“I rather wish you would.”

“Spike!” Buffy grew even redder and jerked her head upward, only
to be thumped on the nose by the head of his dick. It took her
several seconds to realize that it was at eye level and standing at
attention.

Spike leaned lazily against the wall and wiped running water off his
face while she continued to stare at his crotch. After what felt like
hours, he snapped. “Does it pass your inspection, Slayer?”

Buffy was absolutely stunned that he was so comfortable in his

nakedness and so unashamed of the fact that he was aroused. She
licked her lips, about to tell him he was egotistical and annoying,
when her tongue ring brushed over her teeth. What was it the man
at the tattoo parlor had said? That her lover would be thrilled with
it? Maybe she should put that to the test. Maybe she should take
advantage of what was right in front of her. **I want him. I’d be a
fool if I didn’t do this.**

Without giving herself time to second guess her actions she brought
her hand up and rested it on his thigh. The cool tightness of his skin
was enough to make her painfully aware of the sticky heat that was
building between her legs. With her other hand, she gripped him
and slowly stroked upward, running her thumb around the tip of his
cock.

Spike’s eyes widened. He had expected her to jump up and run…not

play with him. Her agenda was probably to get him turned on and
walk away. “What are..ooooh.”

She grinned a little when he moaned out and then continued

running her tongue up and down the underside of his shaft. Feeling
bold, she enveloped as much of him into her mouth as she could,
letting her tongue ring trace all around him as she slowly pulled
back.

Spike thought he was going to die as she repeated what she had
just done several times, tightening her grip each time and raking
him with her silver stud. He needed to be inside of her and wanted
to feel her hips thrusting upward to meet his. His urgency pushing
him forward, he gripped her under the arms and pulled her up his
body.

Buffy gasped when he lifted her but quickly surrendered herself to

his kiss, her tongue willingly meeting his as he plundered her
mouth. His hands roamed her body freely; finding none of the
familiar walls she had built up to block their exploration. As he
traced her delicate curves, she arched her back, pressing her
breasts against his tight chest.
Spike broke the kiss and smiled down at her. He was about to pin
her to the wall and take her when he heard something behind them.
He tensed and felt Buffy tense next to him. She whispered, “What
was that?”

“I don’t know. Do you have a stake?” Spike glanced at her, trying

not to give in to the urge to ignore whatever had caused the noise.

She opened her arms wide, no longer embarrassed by her nudity.

“Where would I put a stake? Do you see a stake?”

“Get dressed. Someone’s in here with us.” He stomped angrily to

the sink and pulled on a pair of plaid pants, cringing all the while. It
was bad enough that he had to stop what he was doing without
getting some much needed release, but he was having to dress like
an idiot to boot. “Damn these clothes.”

Buffy nodded as she pulled on the pink sweater and a mid-calf

length thick skirt. She slid her shoes on and turned just as Spike
had finished dressing. He was leering at her. “What?”

“You don’t wear knickers.” He smiled.

“I told you that.”

“Well, I win the bet then because I found out before the night was
over.” Spike moved closer to her when someone shouted.

“Buffy! Are you down here?”

“Damn!” She shook her head, recognizing Anya’s voice. Shrugging

apologetically she shouted, “Yeah, in the men’s room.”

Spike caught her arm as she started past him. “I get to plan our
first date.”

“I am not doing anything to maim myself.” She shook her head.

“You can forget quite a few things actually. For one, I will not strip
and two...”

“Buffy,” He put a finger to her lip and shushed her. “I’d like to take
you to this show thing that you have tickets to. That’s what I want
our date to be. An…and dinner of course.”

She grinned widely at him, amazed that he remembered what she

said and that he was so sweet. “You have to wear a tux.”
He pointed at his plaid pants and striped shirt. “Uh…at this point I’m
thinking anything is an improvement.”

Buffy moved to kiss him but paused when Anya pushed open the
door. The girl regarded them a few moments and said, “I had to put
a locator spell on you, Buffy! What the hell are you doing down
here? And what are you both wearing? Are you of this world or did
Willow's spell suck you here from another time? I hate this town.”

“We're hiding from a tornado.” Buffy shivered at the memory of it.

“Is everyone okay?”

“Well,” Anya scratched the side of her head before she spoke. “Giles
is a basket case. He got trapped in a dumpster with Willow and Oz
and apparently he had to listen to Willow apologize non-stop for
almost two hours before they got rescued. He begged to be given a
nerve pill.”

“Why was she apologizing?” Buffy instinctively gripped Spike’s hand

as they walked toward the exit.

“She called the winds to pull a demon out of town.” Anya replied,
then screamed. “XANDER, I FOUND THEM!”

Xander came rushing out of the galley with several boxes of

cookies. “This is my new home away from home. What a cool place!
Will should cause tornadoes more often!”

“Wait.” Spike stopped walking. “Willow caused that tornado? I'm so

glad to be on this side. She's getting good.”

“Yup.” Xander nodded and stuffed several cookies in his mouth.

“She’s taking her fascination of the ‘Wizard of Oz’ a little far.”

“I think it’s neat.” Anya said. “I mean, imagine how it must feel to
cause a good blow.”

“Blowing’s good.” Xander wiggled his eyebrows at Anya and took

her arm, mumbling about how he was bring her back to the bomb
shelter for a date.

Spike leaned down and whispered, “Willow caused more than just
the wind to blow tonight. I must say, this evening has been…”

“Frustrating.” Buffy reddened and shook her head. “It must be a

sign. We keep getting interrupted or caught.”
“I bet our date will go off without a hitch.” He kissed the back of her
hand and pulled her down the hallway.

“I bet it won’t. It can’t when we’re involved.” She was so

aggravated that people kept showing up she couldn’t stand it.

“Let’s shake on that.” He jiggled the hand he was holding up and

down.

“What are the odds?”

“Odds are we’ll fight. Odds are we’ll yell at one another at least
once and odds are we’ll shag. Do those sound like good odds?”

Buffy nodded at him. She was too happy to say anything. What had
started off as a platonic and mostly annoying working relationship
had become something else entirely. It scared her, it made her
crazy most of the time but most of all it made her happy. Fifty-one
percent of the time she was fighting with him or thinking of ways to
kill him but the other forty-nine percent was absolute bliss.

Those were pretty good odds. Odds that would probably sway to
one hundred percent bliss if he was right and she hoped like hell he
was.

~FIN~

Happy

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LOT! lnlypoet@yahoo.com

"BLOODY HELL!" Spike weakened, almost lost his balance and threw
a foot down on solid ground. He'd had her for months and she could
still almost kill him. He paused for several seconds before he began
again, moving with an unbearable burst of speed. If she were
normal she would have crumbled under his pressure. But she was
top of the line. She was better than any other he’ d ever had.

She purred beneath him, growling. He had spent so much time

working on her, getting her ready. She was begging to be ridden by
the time he gave her what she wanted. And she responded. Oh,
how she responded. Together, they flew around the curves of desire
and tempted fate with their reckless abandon. They became one
being, pushing the limits and knowing no bounds. He was ashamed
and exhilarated by how much he loved her.

Spike didn't doubt for one second that he'd met his match in her.
She was pure power. Her body was a work of art that demanded
respect. Her sleek curves and the way she seemed to shine in the
moonlight was mesmerizing. The first time he ran his hand over her
smooth frame, he knew.

He was grinning wildly when it happened. Something wet and sticky

slammed into the front of his visor, blinding him and he laid his
motorcycle, his prized possession, on it's side. With a scream of
anguish, he rolled to his feet and assessed the damage. A car
honked impatiently behind him and he flipped them a bird before he
pushed the bike into the grass. He never rode her for fear of this
happening and he was livid that it had on the one night when things
needed to go right. He was already late for his date with Buffy and
she would probably rant incessantly for hours.

Yanking his helmet off, he glared up and down Revello Drive, then
he saw her, holding a carton of eggs. It was suddenly apparent
what had caused the accident. "Slayer! You are so fucking dead!"

"You are so fucking late!" She stomped toward him, wearing a

beautiful red floral dress and about to chuck another egg at him.
"How dare you make me wait! This is our FIRST date!"

"Don't you throw that, Buffy!" He growled, then let his face change
when another egg bounced off his forehead. This one connecting
with skin instead of his visor.

She took one look at him and shrieked as he gave chase. The eggs
were dropped and she gathered her dress up in both hands to keep
from tripping over it. She stumbled into her house and was about to
shut the door when he burst in behind her. Still growling, he forced
her to face him. "You could have killed me!"

“I still might!” She elbowed him in the chest and pointed her finger
at him. “How could you be late? And why are you here on your
motorcycle when I told you that it was a black tie affair?”

“My car wouldn’t start. I spent over an hour working on that cycle
just to get me here!” He stalked into the kitchen and ripped several
paper towels off of the roll, angrily wiping his face.

“And you can’t pick up the phone?” Buffy tapped her foot angrily
behind him. It was too late to even contemplate going to Sunnydale
University to see the production that SHE had designed the set for.
He tossed the towels into the wastebasket and said. “In case you’ve
forgotten, my phone lines were demolished when Willow caused
that little cyclone. If I had to walk to a pay phone I’d be even
LATER.”

“I missed opening night!” She cried. “I was supposed to go onstage

and be commended for my designs!”

“What designs?” Spike shook his head, wondering if she had

mentioned it and he had just forgotten. Lately when she spoke to
him all he could think about was kissing her or how her mouth had
felt on his dick. **I’m so pussy whipped and I can’t even remember
the one time I had her pussy! Damn liquor!**

“I made all the sets for the play writer’s festival at school. I did
that! Me! And now I’ve missed it!” Buffy bit her lower lip and tried
not to cry but she failed miserably. This was supposed to be one of
the biggest nights of her life. Her father had come from Los Angeles
and every single person she knew was there to watch.

“I’m sorry. Look, don’t cry.” Spike pulled off another paper towel
and handed it to her. “I didn’t know.”

“Yes you did!” She snatched the towel and blotted her eyes. “I told
you I had tickets to something.”

“I would have called a cab if I had known it was so important. Hell

Buffy, I didn’t even know the car was torn up until it was time to
leave.” He frowned when she turned and walked back into the living
room and followed her. “Why didn’t you just go with your mother?”

“Because unlike some people, I don’t stand people up.” She crossed
her arms and flopped back onto the couch.

“I DIDN’T…” He shouted, then grew quiet when Joyce opened the

door. A man he didn’t know followed her in. “Hello Joyce.”

“Spike!” She smiled and patted him on the arm. “Hi! I’d like to
introduce you to Buffy’s father. This is Hank. Hank, this is Spike.”

Spike extended a hand, feeling like a bug under a microscope as the

man eyed him up and down. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Summers.”

“Call me Hank, please?” Hank shook his hand and glanced at Buffy,
who was still sitting with her arms crossed. “Sweetheart, are you all
right?”

“No.” Buffy continued to pout. “I missed opening night!”

“Actually,” Joyce walked around the coffee table and sat beside her.
“the entire thing was canceled because of some technical difficulties
with the sound system. We thought you knew which was why you
didn’t show up.”

“Really?” Buffy sat up straighter and stared at her mother. “I didn’t

miss it?”

“Nope.” Joyce smiled at her. “All you missed was some static, some
loud squeals and someone shouting that it was postponed until
tomorrow night.”

Hank was still staring at the young man who had been there, alone,
with his daughter. “So, what exactly kept you from coming if you
didn’t know it was postponed?”

“Car trouble.” Spike replied, absently pulling at his tie as the man
made him more and more uncomfortable.

“Do you go to school with Buffy?” Hank loosened his own tie as he
motioned at the chair across from his. “Sit down, er, Spike.”

Buffy glanced from one to the other and then grinned

mischievously. “Yes, he does. Ask him what his major is, Daddy.”

Spike narrowed his eyes at her but quickly smiled at Hank when the
man turned his gaze back to him and asked, “What’s your major?”

“Uhm…” He took the seat he had been offered and quickly blurted
the first thing that came to mind. “Music.”

“Really?” Hank nodded slowly. “And how will you put that subject to
use?”

“By singing?” Spike had no idea where he was going with this. How
dare the Slayer put him on the spot?

“You want to be a singer? And you spend money on a college

education to become one?” Hank shook his head and leaned back in
his chair. “This is exactly what is wrong with America’s kids today.
They throw away a perfectly good education to run down a dream.”

“Mate, did you happen to notice my accent?” Spike asked. “I’m not
American.”

“Well, as long as you are attending a school here the least you
could do is take advantage of what the curriculum has to offer.”
Hank glanced at Buffy. “Like Buffy here. She has done an amazing
job despite what Sunnydale University has to offer.”

“If failing history is amazing then I suppose.” Spike shrugged and

sneered in Buffy’s direction.

“Oookay.” Buffy stood quickly and held up her arm as if she was
looking at a watch. Her wrist was bare. “It’s getting late and Spike
and I had plans so…”

“You failed history?” Hank pointed at the couch and Buffy slumped
back onto it. “How could you fail history?”

“I didn’t completely fail. I was able to pass with extra credit and I
really must leave now.” She stood again and her father glared at
her. With a sigh she sat back down. “Go on. Read me the riot act.
Pick a parental speech and blast me with it.”

Joyce shook her head and patted Buffy’s leg. “No. You and Spike
obviously had plans so by all means go out and have fun. You
earned it.”

Hank shook his head and sat back so Buffy could walk past him.
“Great parenting, Joyce. Let her forsake her schooling and the
money I’ve invested in it to go gallivanting around all over the place
with a musician. Is it any wonder she’s made so many mistakes?
Isn’t it a shock that she isn’t in prison by now? It’s because of this
sort of thing that she’s…”

“Mom, can we borrow your car?” Buffy didn’t look at her father or
Spike while her mother dug through her purse. She was mortified at
her father’s display and even more upset that Spike had witnessed
it. When she had the keys in her hand she turned on her heel and
walked toward the door.

Joyce glared at Hank and followed her, speaking softly. “Buffy? He

doesn’t mean it. You can’t expect him to understand your life when
he doesn’t even know that you’re the Slayer.”

“I’ll see you later, mom. Love you.” She gave her mother a hug and
grabbed the coat that came with her dress.

Spike stared at Hank for several seconds before he spoke. “You’ll

pardon me for intruding, sir, but Buffy is quite possibly the most
extraordinary human being I’ve ever seen. You underestimate who
she is and what she does and that’s truly your loss.”
“Young man, you have no idea what you’re talking about.” Hank
snapped.

“No sir, I think YOU are the one with no idea.” With a final sneer at
the man, he followed Buffy, pausing at the door to give Joyce a
quick peck on the cheek. “Goodnight, Joyce.”

He stepped off the porch and started toward the car that Buffy was
sitting in when she suddenly squealed away, leaving him to stare
after her. Joyce had already shut the door so she didn’t hear the
string of cuss words he was associating with her daughter’s name.
He jumped onto his bike and strapped his helmet in place before he
peeled out after her. They were going to have a nice long talk about
how she rushed out on him all the time.

Buffy sighed when he zoomed in behind her and flashed his

headlight. She adjusted her rear view mirror and kept driving,
passing several cars that honked at her. She wanted to be alone.
No one could make her feel as worthless as her father and the fact
that Spike had given him even more ammunition infuriated her. She
choked on a sob when she realized that she had woken up that
morning feeling happier than she had in a long time because she
had a date with Spike and now it was all ruined.

Spike glanced at his speedometer and shook his head. He was going
seventy and she was pulling away and taking far too many chances.
He sped up and pulled alongside her, motioning for her to pull over.
She didn’t acknowledge him and he growled before he gunned his
engine and moved in front of her.

Buffy swore loudly when he began to slow down and decided she
may as well stop and try to explain that she didn’t want any
company right then. She parked at a closed convenience store and
watched as he shut off his engine and stepped off his bike. Her
throat constricted when he pulled off his helmet and glared at her
for several seconds before he stalked toward her. She had never
wanted anyone more in her life.

She rolled down the window and started to speak when he yanked
the door open and snatched her out of the seat. “Oww!”

He gripped her upper arms tightly and shook her back and forth.
“Do you realize how fast you were driving? Do you know that you
passed a car in a curve and you couldn’t possibly see if there was
any oncoming traffic?”
“Let go!” She struggled to get his hands off but her held on. “You’re
hurting me!”

Spike loosened his grip and nodded at his cycle. “I’m going to get
back on my bike and you’re going to follow me to my house.”

“No, I’m not.”

“God damnit! You are, Buffy! I am so tired of this. Either you come
or we’re finished!” He threw his hands in the air and shook his head.
“I’ve had it!”

“Spike, don’t....”

“You’re driving me crazy, Slayer. I don’t like you being hot and cold
and I don’t like chasing after you and trying so damn hard for
nothing.” He looked away when her eyes welled up with tears and
calmly added, “I’m going to go home. If you don’t come with me
then don’t come again.”

Buffy felt like she had been slapped as he walked away and got
back onto his motorcycle. He didn’t even look back at her as he
sped away, leaving her standing alone in the deserted parking area.
Slowly, she climbed into her car and tried to stop shaking. The
thought of not being in his life anymore scared her to death and he
looked serious with his threat.

As much as she hated swallowing her pride, she drove toward his
home. He had been in Sunnydale for three months before he bought
his apartment. It was actually a townhouse with a two-car garage in
the better side of town. As she turned into his cul-de-sac, she
recalled helping him move his things in and how much they had
laughed and aggravated one another, barely getting anything done.
That had been the first night she had ever looked at him and
contemplated what it would be like to kiss him. Sighing, she flipped
her lights off and parked in his drive, wondering what would happen
when she went inside.

Spike was standing in his garage, fiddling with his helmet and trying
to look as though he wasn’t waiting to see if she would come. He
had been thinking about getting back on his bike and going to
apologize when she pulled up. He walked to where she sat and
opened her door. “Come on.”

Buffy nodded and followed him up the stairs. When they stepped
inside his living room, he flipped on the light and motioned for her
to sit on the sofa. He pulled off his tuxedo jacket and took his tie off
before he spoke. “Do you want some tea or something?”
“No.” She stared up and down his body thinking how sad it was that
he couldn ’t see how handsome he looked in his suit. He looked
amazing and she wanted to press herself in his arms and never let
go.

“Fine.” He sat down and glared at her. “Do you want to tell me why
you keep walking out on me?”

“No.”

Spike rolled his eyes and said, “And why not?”

“Because I don’t know why.” She replied honestly. “I don’t know

why I want to run away from you and away from us.”

“Tell me how you feel about us. Tell me something, Buffy. Tell me
anything.” He pushed, needing to hear her reply. “Do you want
there to be an us?”

Terrified at the feelings she suddenly had, she stood and started
toward the door. “I’m sorry, Spike, I can’t do this.”

“You can’t do what?” He quickly blocked her and put his hands on
his hips. “What?”

“I can’t fall.” She whispered, looking at the floor.

“You fell a long time ago just like I did.” He put his fingers under
her chin and made her face him. “I stopped trying to fight it and
you should to.”

“It hurts.” Buffy closed her eyes as he ran his thumb across her
cheek, brushing the tears away.

“It doesn’t have to. I’m not the one hurting you, baby. You’re
hurting yourself and only you can stop doing that.” Spike lowered
his head and pressed a light kiss to her trembling lips. “Let me in,
Buffy. Let me show you how good it can be.”

“But…”

“But what?” He asked angrily, trying not to shout at her. “What if

we fight and cry and hurt each other?” She nodded and he added,
“Well, what if we are happy and we laugh and we make it work?”

“What if..” Buffy’s voice broke as she spoke. “What if you leave
me?”
“Do you think I could stay away from you? I can’t. I’ve tried and I
don’t want to.” Spike caressed her face and neck as he continued.
“Please, give this a chance. I’m scared too. I’m terrified that you
will realize that you’re too good for me and…”

“Don’t you say that! Don’t you dare say that! I love you the way
you are and you’re…” Buffy’s eyes widened and she gasped as
realization hit her. The reason she was so terrified was because she
loved him. And…she had just said it. To him. And he heard. “Oh
God, Spike, I don’t know why I...”

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. “Let me,
Buffy. Let me love you too, please?”

She felt weak in the knees when his mouth caught hers in a soft
kiss. His tongue slowly probed her mouth, caressing hers and
stroking her inhibitions away. The voice that kept telling her that it
was a mistake was silenced when he pulled her against him. She
wrapped her arms around him, willing to do anything to keep the
feeling that poured through her body like a flood. With a small sob,
she broke away and looked up at him. “Love me.”

“I do.” Spike gathered her in his arms and walked slowly into his
bedroom where he gently deposited her on the edge of the bed. He
ran his hands over the satiny fabric of her dress and slipped her
shoes off, rubbing over her stocking clad feet. “Did I tell you how
beautiful you look tonight?”

“No.” Buffy licked her lips as he ran his hands under her dress and
hooked her behind the knees, pulling her toward him.

“You’re more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen.” He smiled

when his hands roamed up the outside of her legs and connected
with the top of the thigh highs she was wearing. “Stand up.”

Buffy stood on shaking legs and he turned her away from him,
burying his face in the nape of her neck where he nibbled softly,
inhaling her scent. Moving toward her ear, he whispered, “What do
you have on under this dress?”

Cold chills dotted her flesh as he kissed her ear and she replied,
“Why don’ t you find out?”

He slowly the zipper of her dress down her back, trailing his
fingertips down her spine as he did so. When it was lowered all they
way, he turned her again and stepped away. “Let it fall.”
Buffy was clutching the dress at her breast and when she saw his
anticipation, she let it pool around her ankles. She stood before
him, wearing a lacy red bra, matching garter belt and stockings.
The lingerie had been a last minute addition to her wardrobe on the
off chance that they would actually sleep together.

A sound between a growl and a moan escaped Spike’s throat as he

looked up and down her body. She wasn’t wearing any panties and
her dark curls stood out against the red lace of the garter belt
around her hips. He stepped toward her and pulled the pins out of
her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders before he spoke again. “I
meant what I said, Buffy. You’re beautiful and this,” He ran his
fingertips over her bra and stroked across her nipples. “this is nice.”

“It’s in the way.” She replied and started to unsnap it. The desire to
feel him inside of her was unbearable and the sooner she was
undressed the better he would make her feel.

“No, let me.” With one hand, he reached behind her and unfastened
the clasp, tossing the thin piece of material aside. He lowered his
head and slowly kissed her lips while his skilled hands moved lower
and quickly opened the back of her garter belt. It fell downward and
he kneeled in front of her to unhook the four straps that held her
stockings in place.

Buffy cried out as he stood and gripped her hips and pulled her
against his erection. He captured her mouth in his as he pushed her
toward the bed. When she was flat on her back he stood and lifted
her leg, bracing her foot against his chest. Slowly, he trailed a path
up her leg and hooked his fingertips in the top of her stocking,
rolling it gently away to reveal her smooth thigh. As the silky nylon
cleared her knee he leaned in and kissed her flesh as it was
exposed, following the hose down toward her ankles.

The process was repeated slowly with the other stocking and she
was whimpering in anticipation when he brought his hands back up
her legs and pushed them apart. She watched with wide-eyed
wonder and he stared at her body and then lowered his head to her
inner thigh. The minute his tongue licked across her clit she surged
forward and gave him the perfect chance to grip her ass tightly to
hold her in place.

Spike closed his eyes, blocking out every thing but her sweetness
as he lapped at her warm nectar. He greedily covered every inch of
her, sucking and nipping every time she cried out. In two hundred
years, he had never had his thirst quenched this thoroughly. The
taste of her desire for him fed something inside that he had never
sated before. As she became hotter and hotter under his
ministrations, he became more and more convinced that he had
become a glutton. He would never get enough of her.

Buffy could feel her orgasm building and she gripped the bedspread
tightly, calling his name. Spike increased the pressure with his
tongue and slowly slid two fingers into her wet channel, pushing her
over the edge. She threw her head back and almost sobbed at the
relief that flooded through her. For so long she had waited and
wondered what it would be like to have him satisfy her but nothing
she imagined came close to the real thing.

Her body quivered as he slipped his fingers free and licked them
clean. He smiled as her body glistened with sweat in the moonlight
that peeked through the window and quickly pulled his shirt off. She
started to sit up but he shook his head. “Stay put.”

She nodded and watched as he undressed. He had a tight T-shirt on

under the white dress shirt he had on. As he untucked it and pulled
it over his head, she marveled at the way his muscles moved and
rippled. When he unzipped his pants and let them fall to the floor,
her gaze followed them and she could have cried again at the fact
that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. When he was
naked, she held her arms up to him and he came to her.

Their eyes locked as he entered her. Their bodies became one and
her heart thumped against his chest so hard he could have sworn it
was his own. He kissed her as she lay beneath him; kissed her
eyes, her nose, her chin and her cheeks and then devoured her
mouth. It was like nothing he had ever known. As he rocked back
and forth, burying himself and almost pulling free, he was
overwhelmed by how much she meant to him. He would die without
her and that was something he was sure of.

Buffy felt the familiar pressure begin to build and tightened her grip
on him. As her second orgasm rocked through her, she let the tears
that had been threatening to escape fall. She felt completely happy
for the first time in far too long.

The sounds of her ecstasy pushed Spike over the edge and he
joined her, her name rolling off his tongue as he released his seed
deep inside her. He buried his face beside hers in the pillow as his
demon emerged but he refused to bite her. He refused to go that
far so soon. It took a few seconds for it to recede and when it finally
did he raised himself onto his elbows and stared down at her. The
smile he had quickly faded when he saw her tears. “What…did I hurt
you? Did I scare you just now because I would never bite..”

“No!” Buffy shook her head. “I’m just…happy. I’m really happy.”
Spike rolled onto his back and pulled her across his chest. “Thank
you for giving me the chance to prove that I was right and you were
wrong.”

She propped herself on her elbow and stared down at him. “How
was I wrong?”

He smirked and gave a small shrug. “I told you happy endings do

happen.”

“But this isn’t the end.” Buffy narrowed her eyes, unwilling to let
him get the upper hand, even after what they had just shared. “This
is just the beginning.”

“So?” He rolled to his side so he could face her. “You think I can’t
keep you happy?”

"That's what I'm afraid of. How can we keep this a secret now?
They'll know that we're together. I'm not supposed to be happy
around you."

“If they haven't figured it out by now, they won't.” His hand had
begun exploring again and his mouth was eager to follow. "I bet
they wouldn't care anyway."

"So what? You bet they know?" Buffy knew better. If they suspected
it, they would have confronted her with it already.

"Yep."

“You’re on.” She whispered, as his hand moved between her legs.

“What are the odds?” He dipped his mouth to her chest and began
to make small circles around her nipple.

“Hmmm.” She dug her fingertips into his back and shuddered
slightly at how responsive her body was to his slightest touch. “I’ve
always wanted to drive your motorcycle.”

He chuckled and shook his head between her breasts, making them
jiggle back and forth. “And I’ve always wanted to see you drive her
naked.”

“You’re on.”

~~
“Pay up!” Willow announced, and held her hands up to collect the
twenty-dollar bills that were being slammed into it. She grinned as
she counted her money. “I told you she would be here.”

“This is just wrong.” Xander announced from the back seat of Oz’s
van. Anya patted his shoulder and glanced back up at Spike’s
apartment, shaking her head. He leaned against her and added. “I
lost a twenty!”

“I can’t believe we are betting on them.” Giles shook his head and
begrudgingly handed Willow his twenty. “For once, I agree with
Xander. This is just wrong. You’d think they would be less obvious!
I’ve trained her to be sneaky!”

“Maybe they aren’t sneaking anymore.” Anya shrugged.

“Yeah right!” Xander said. “Maybe they plan on telling us.”

“No way!” Willow said. "But we'll keep it interesting just in case. I
bet we can blow their mind."

She quickly explained her plan and everyone smiled and chorused.
"You're on."

~Fin