“They’re gone,” Conner said.
“Finally! I thought they’d never leave,” Dawn said.
“Well..now that they’re gone..” Conner leaned over and kissed her. He slipped one arm around her. She melted into the kiss. When they finally broke apart, Conner tentatively held Dawn’s hand. She smiled at him and he held it a little bit tighter.
~*~
“We already staked ten fledglings tonight,” Buffy complained, “Why did they all decide to rise tonight?”
Spike shrugged and staked another fledgling. Suddenly Buffy sensed a master vampire coming up behind her. She whirled around and came face to face with Angel and Cordelia. “Hi,” she said lowering the stake.
“We figured we’d come and help you,” Angel said, “We weren’t doing anything anyway.”
Buffy bit back a response. She really didn’t want to patrol with Angel. “Can teen queen here actually handle a stake?” Spike asked.
“I certainly can,” Cordelia said cooly, “If you want, I could demonstrate on you.”
“Okay,” Buffy said loudly, “If we’re going to patrol, let’s go patrol. Cordelia, you and Angel should go that way and we’ll go the other way. We’ll meet back here in an hour.” They went their separate ways.
“We already patroled over there, love,” Spike said.
“I know, but if Angel actually ran into any action, he might mess us his hair and no one wannts that to happen,” she said rolling her eyes.
“I love you,” Spike said, “You know that, right?”
“Of course, I love you, too. What brought that on?” Buffy stopped and looked at him. He was touched by the concern in her eyes.
“I just wanted to make sure you knew,” he said. And hear you say it again. He silently added to himself. All of this was rather new to him. He had loved Dru with all this heart, but she could never really love him in return…not that way. He had thought that he was just unlovable and that was it. Spike was still a little afraid that he’d wake up one day and she’d hate him again. She slipped her hand into his. He gently squeezed her hand.
“I don’t think that we’ll see anything else tonight,” Buffy said, “And you’re crypt is right over there…”
“Who needs the crypt,” Spike said. He pushed her up against a mausoleum and kissed her.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps. They broke apart. It was Angel and Cordelia. “We didn’t find anything,” Angel said.
“Having guests sucks,” Spike whispered in her ear.
“I agree,” she said.
“I didn’t get to kill anything,” Cordelia complained.
“That’s too bad,” Buffy said, “We didn’t find anything either.”
“Let’s go back to the house,” Spike said, “I’m sure we can do something to pass the time.” He smirked and draped his arm around her waist. They walked off and Cordelia and Angel followed.
~*~
By the time they got back, Conner and Dawn were home. When Dawn spotted Buffy, she got up and put on her most defiant face. She opened her mouth to begin argueing, but Buffy spoke first. “I’m fine with it. As long as you have you’re cell phone, I’m fine with you going out with Conner. You don’t need to sneak out.”
Dawn’s mouth opened and closed a few times. Finally, she said, “Thanks.”
Spike took Conner aside. “Look,” he said, “I’m fin with you dating, Dawn, but if you hurt her, I will hunt you down. Also keep in mind that she’s 16.”
“Yes, sir,” Conner said, “Can I go now?”
“Sure,” Spike said.
Buffy walked into the room and said, “Only one more week of torture.”
“Hey, Buffy,” Angel called in from the living room, “Isn’t oyu’re birthday a few days after the wedding?”
“Yes,” she said uneasily.
“We should stay for you’re birthday,” he said.
“Because you’re here,” Spike said, “She decided to have her party early this year.”
“Okay,” he said, “That will be fun.”
Buffy’s shoulder’s drooped and she sighed dejectedly. “I’ll take care of the whole thing,” Spike said, “Don’t worry.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she said.
“You’d be fine without me. Peaches might be dust by now, but you’d be fine.” She smiled weakly. “Go talk about parties and shoes and whatever girls talk about with Tex, Cheerleader, Red, and Glinda. Have fun.”
She pouted. “I’d have more fun with you,” she said.
“I have to plan your party,” he said, “and make sure that it doesn’t live up to the Buffy tradition.”
“Okay,” she said with a sigh.
He kissed her. Then he whispered in her ear, “When they’re gone, I ‘m gonna shag you ‘til you scream.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said.
~*~
“What’s he like?” Tara asked Fred.
“Well…Gunn ’s really nice, but…um…he sold his soul for a car and killed someone for me. We’re not getting along very well these days,” she said.
“That’s too bad,” Cordelia said, “Are you going to break up with him?”
“I don’t know…should I…I mean…I haven’t had much dating experience. Is that what I’m supposed to do?” Fred said uncertainly.
“Do you still love him?” Buffy asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so…”
“Then it’s time to let him go and find someone else,” Cordelia said with certainty, “I know someone that really likes you and has for a long time.”
“Really?” Fred said, “Someone likes me?”
“Yeah, Wesley has had his eye on you for some time,” Cordelia said.
“No…really?”
“Oh yeah,” Willow said, “Even I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”
“Let’s stop talking about me,” Fred said, “What about you, Cordelia?”
Cordelia looked around uncertainly. “My room is sound proofed,” Buffy said, “It’s safe to talk in here.”
“He’s kind of broody, but he’s sweet and gentle and really good in bed,” Cordelia said. Buffy sruggled to keep a straight face.
/What?/ Willow thought to her.
/If she thinks that Angel is really good in bed, then she hasn’t been with a lot of men,/ Buffy thought back. Willow grinned at her.
“…I really love him,” Cordelia finished.
“I’m so happy for you,” Buffy said.
“What about you?” Cordelia said.
“What about me?” Buffy said with a shrug.
“How’s Spike?” Fred said.
Out of the corner of her eye, Buffy saw the door open a crack. She could sense Spike behind the door. She smiled at them and said, “He’s nice. He’s handsome, and he loves me. Let’s just say I’ve found long-haul guy.”
She heard a sigh of relief from the door frame. The door closed quietly.
“How about you guys?” Cordelia asked Willow and Tara. She looked a bit uncomfortable doing so. “How’s the…er..gay thing working for ya?”
“It’s great,” Willow said. She was trying really hard not to laugh. Cordelia was so obviously uncomfortable that it was funny. Buffy got up and silently left.
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