Bad Girlfriend Buffy

Chapter 1

 

            “Giles, please!  I just can’t go alone,” Buffy begged for the fourth time.

            “I fail to see why not,” Giles replied as he finished packing his suitcase.

            “I told you!  I don’t want to be alone with him after that whole Faith cuddle thing, and plus I kind of told Riley someone would be going with me.  He gets a little wound up at the mention of Angel.”  Buffy followed her retreating Watcher down the stairs into the living room.  She spared an annoyed glance at the bleached wonder watching soaps and drinking what Buffy was sure wasn’t just plain old cola.  Didn’t he have an evil life to get back to or something?  He’d been hanging around an awful lot lately.

            Giles turned to look at Buffy as he set his suitcase by the front door.  “As I have explained to you repeatedly over the last twenty minutes, I am leaving.  I have a retreat in Anza Borrego to attend, and quite frankly, I need the time alone.”  Giles gave a pained look at the vampire who had virtually taken over his flat.  “Tell me again why one of the others cannot go with you?”

            Buffy heaved a great sigh of defeat as she stomped over to the couch and threw herself down beside Spike, stealing the remote.

            “Oi!  I was watchin’ that.  Give it back!” Spike made a move to grab the prized item but apparently the soddin’ chip in his brain thought he was trying to hurt the precious Slayer.  He bent over in pain, grasping his head as he rocked back and forth.

            Buffy couldn’t say what made her do it, but she reached over and placed the remote in Spike’s lap.  She looked up at Giles.  “Willow is going away for the weekend with Tara.  Something to do with focusing or whatever.  And to quote Anya, ‘Xander is giving me a sex-marathon weekend to coincide with the MST3000 marathon’.”  Buffy’s voice was laced with disgust.

            Spike who had managed to fight back the pain in his skull enough to follow the conversation wondered aloud, “How’s that gonna work exactly?  Can’t imagine Harris keepin’ it up throughout the entire marathon.  Must be a commercial break kind of a thing.”

            Buffy looked at him in horror.  “You are putting way too much thought into this.”

            Spike gave her his trademark grin.  “Can’t ever put too much thought into sex, pet.”

            Buffy couldn’t help the way her stomach tightened at his words.  Why couldn’t Riley think that way?  Bad Buffy.  Bad girlfriend Buffy.  She forced herself to take her mind of the sexy vampire in front of her and back to the problem at hand.  “See Giles, that’s why I need you to come with me.  You’re the one sending me to Los Angeles in the first place.  As if Mr. This-is-my-turf really needs the help of a no one like me.”

            Giles came to stand in front of her.  He did feel badly about the situation.  He understood how uncomfortable this way for her.  “Buffy, I am truly sorry about this, but you know Angel would not have called you and asked for your help if it wasn’t necessary.”

            “He didn’t call me.  He called you,” Buffy said softly.

            Spike had to fight the urge to pull her onto his lap and comfort her.  Why was he such a git when it came to the opposite sex?

            Giles heard the tone in her voice and thought frantically of a way to alleviate the problem.  “Riley is on detail, correct?”

            “Yes, or he’d come with me.”  Buffy’s voice was too small for such a powerful woman.

            “Well, then perhaps in the interest of you both, Spike should go with you to Los Angeles.”  Giles suggested.

            “What?  Why?”  Buffy exclaimed.  Two questions Spike would like to know himself.

            “Because, you need someone to act as a buffer between you and Angel, and with the rest of us occupied Spike is rather vulnerable to the Initiative.  Riley has made it quite clear just how he feels about Spike.  This will serve you both.”  Giles was rather proud of his solution.

            Spike realized the Watcher had a good point.  Plus, he hated the thought of Buffy being with Angel even more than he hated Riley.  Riley, he knew wasn’t the long haul guy.  If it hadn’t been for the whole soul slippage, Angel would have been.  Angel was much more of a threat to his Slayer than the commando.  He winced internally.  There he goes again thinking of her as his Slayer.  What was wrong with him?  She’d never look twice at an evil creature such as himself.  He needed to think about spending more time with Harmony.  He really did.

            Buffy looked at Spike, and then she looked at Giles.  “He is helpful with all of the fighting, but I’m not sure he and Angel could manage to get along well enough for both of them to stay undusty.”

            Spike looked at her.  “Please, lived with that pillock for decades.  I think I can control myself.”

            “Yeah.  You’re control boy alright,” Buffy said snidely.

            Spike looked at Giles.  “That’s why I wouldn’t even consider going.  She can’t shut her trap for more than ten seconds at a time!”

            “Me?  Me!” Buffy stuttered as she looked at Giles in disbelief.  “Did you hear that?  Mr. Diarrhea Mouth here is accusing me of not being able to keep my mouth shut.  I bet he came out of the womb with a snarky comment on his gums!”

            “Children, stop it.  You are both going to Angel’s and that is final.  I’ll call him and tell him to expect each of you two hours after dark.  Best fill him in on Spike’s chip while I’m at it.” Giles stated.

            Spike got a look in his eye.  The kind of look that made Buffy very nervous.  She scooted back against the far edge of the couch as if that could protect her.  “What are you thinking?”

            Spike placed his arms on the couch and got on his knees.  He crawled over to her almost like he was stalking her.  “I’ll come with you Slayer.  Solve all of your problems, on one condition.”

            Buffy tried to back up even more but it was impossible.  She could feel his breath on her cheek.  It wasn’t having the reaction it should have.  Nope.  Not at all.  Bad body.  Bad Buffy.  Bad girlfriend Buffy.  “What’s that?” she whispered nervously.

            “You let me let it slip that we were engaged.  I’d pay to see the look on the poofter’s face when he hears about that.  Deal?” He said with his mouth nearly on her earlobe.

            Buffy thought about how she’d be willing to pay to see that too.  “Deal,” she said, flinching at the husky tone in her voice.  Why did she feel like she’d just made a deal with the devil?

 

Chapter 2

 

            Spike and Buffy had been riding along in the Desoto in comfortable silence.  Buffy decided Spike had unusual but interesting taste in music.  All those years hanging out in The Bronze had made her somewhat musically finicky.  She liked the good stuff.  She was feeling kind of sleepy just sitting here with the heater coming at her and the music playing.  Unfortunately the bench seat of the old car didn’t provide the sleeping amenities of modern day bucket seats.  She looked down at Spike’s lap with a sigh.

            Spike gave a chuckle and patted his thigh.  “I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.”

            Buffy hesitated a minute.  She knew she shouldn’t, but it looked oh-so-comfy.  She toed her tennis shoes off and curled up on the seat, her head resting comfortably on Spike’s thigh.  This was nice.  This was more than nice.  Bad Buffy.  Bad girlfriend Buffy.  Still, she didn’t get back up.

            Spike was willing away a hard-on brought by the soft warmth that was resting against his leg.  It was way too close to another part of his anatomy.  He shifted a bit in discomfort.

            “Want me to move?” Buffy asked sleepily.

            Spike unthinkingly stoked her long blonde hair with his free hand.  “No, pet.  You get your rest.  Just needed to adjust a bit is all.”

            “Okay,” she mumbled.

            Spike drove along for a few minutes waiting for her breathing and heart rate to indicate she was asleep.  It soon appeared that she really was just resting and not necessarily going to fall under.  “Can’t sleep, Slayer?”

            Buffy cringed inwardly.  She liked ‘pet’ and ‘luv’ much better than ‘Slayer’.  “I’m sleepy, vampire, but my mind keeps running wild.”

            “How’s that then, luv?” Spike asked.

            “Angel,” Buffy sighed dramatically.  “He’s… how can I put this.  He isn’t… I wasn’t enough for him.  He let all sorts of things come between us.  The slaying.  His soul.  Some bizarre idea that I should have a normal life.  As if!”  Buffy wrapped her little hands around Spike’s thigh in a search for comfort.  “I know this sounds really, really needy, but I want to be everything for someone someday.  I want to be enough because in the end I’m all that there is.  You know?”

            Spike continued to stroke her hair, letting his hand run along her shoulder and arm occasionally.  “I know, pet.  I really, really, know,” he said quietly.

            “You do, don’t you?”  It wasn’t a question.  Buffy couldn’t believe that Spike hadn’t been enough for Drusilla.  All that devotion?  What wouldn’t she do to be on the receiving end of devotion like that?

            A soft sound started to hit the car from outside.  “It’s raining, luv.  Why don’t you try to get some rest?  Ole Spike will watch over you.”

            “Okay.  I’ll try,” she mumbled.  “Spike?  Thanks for coming with me.  I don’t think I could have done it alone.”

            “S’alright, pet.  It’ll be my pleasure to annoy my grand-sire to no end,” Spike assured her.

            “Mmm…” Buffy agreed as she finally drifted off to sleep.  Somehow sharing her greatest disappointment and desire with Spike made her feel much more relaxed. 

            They entered the city limits of Los Angeles and Spike immediately started searching for a mall.  He needed a change of clothes.  He hadn’t stopped by the crypt for any, not really concerned with sleeping in his clothes for a night.  It beat trying to explain to Harm why he was taking off with another bird for the weekend.  Now, he was regretting it.  The Slayer drooled. 

            He pulled into a brightly lit parking lot in front of a large department store.  This ought to do.  He gently shook Buffy awake.  “Come on, pet.  Gotta do some shopping.”

            Buffy sat up and absently wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand.  “Shopping?” she asked groggily.  “Why do we need to go shopping?  Not that shopping is ever a bad thing.”

            “I didn’t bring a change of clothes,” Spike explained as they got out of the car.

            “You have a change of clothes?” Buffy asked fully awake now.  Buying clothes for Spike was something she had actually had fantasies about.

            “Ha, ha.  Yes, I do.  Wouldn’t have bothered with it on this short of a trip, but someone decided to slobber all over me,” he complained.

            Buffy’s face flamed red as she looked down at his pants.  She couldn’t even see the wet mark, but still she was mortified.  “I am so sorry.  I must have been really tired.”  And really comfortable.

            Spike took pity on her.  “Don’t sweat it, Slayer.  I’m not exactly the type to be put off by bodily fluids.”

            “Then why the trip to the mall?   I can’t even reconcile the thought of you and the mall.  Unless of course it’s ‘cause you’re planning on killing the mall walkers or something.”  Buffy didn’t think twice as they came to the entrance and Spike held the door open for her.

            “That would be lovely,” Spike said wistfully thinking of the carnage he could no longer produce.  “No, I gotta change because one whiff of your saliva near my manly parts and your former honey is gonna lop off my head.”

            Buffy went from embarrassment to arousal in about half a second.  Her saliva was near Spike’s…  What a nice thought.  She didn’t even notice that she had stopped in between doors.

            “Ah, Slayer?  You gonna come with?”  Spike was urging her on when the faint whiff of arousal came to his nose.  Wait a tick.  The Slayer was getting all hot and bothered at the thought of her mouth being near Spike Jr.?  That was just neat.

            Buffy shook her head.  Bad Buffy.  Bad girlfriend Buffy.  She was starting to think of herself as some pathetic version of Barbie.  There was Malibu Barbie, Princess Barbie, and Bad Girlfriend Barbie.  She was the last one. Why couldn’t she be Malibu Buffy?

            They walked into the store and over to the men’s section.  Spike went straight to the black jeans and grabbed two pairs in his size out of the cubby.  Then he went over to the packets of t-shirts.  He was about to grab a pack of black ones when a powerful little hand grabbed his wrists.  Spike looked up at the Slayer.  She had a look in her eyes that was truly terrifying.

            “Uh-uh.  I’m not likely to ever get you on the inside of a mall ever again.  You admitted that you have a change of clothes at home.  You don’t need more black t-shirts.  The black jeans I’ll let slip, but we are going to buy you some cool shirts, buster.”  Buffy drug him over to a rounder with several types of button down shirts. 

            Spike just stood still and watched her work.  She was amazing.  It was like he was witnessing her true calling for the first time.  She grabbed at least four shirts for him to try on.  Each and every one of them something he would have grabbed for himself if he hadn’t been stuck in the punk phase for so long.  When you were a vampire you just weren’t interested in following fashion trends at the same rate as mortals.  Time had a different meaning when eternity stretched out before you.

            He didn’t say a word as he grabbed all four shirts and went into the dressing room.

            Buffy watched the door shut and slumped into one of the many cushy seats in the waiting area.  As soon as she heard the sound of clothes rustling she sat back up.  Spike was taking his clothes off.  Just behind that door, that little flimsy nothing of a door was a naked Spike.  She had to cross her legs and squeeze them together to try and alleviate some of the discomfort brought on by that thought.  Why did the bleached wonder have to be so damn sexy?  It just wasn’t fair.  Maybe she could convince him to stay in game face around her.  She felt moisture gather between her closed thighs.  Nope.  No good.  Apparently, even in game face Spike got her juices flowing.  Bad girlfriend Buffy.  Why did that phrase go through her mind every few minutes when she was around Spike?

            The vampire stepped out of the dressing room wearing a silver-grey shirt with a barely there striped pattern and a new pair of black jeans.  He looked down at Buffy.  He’d been able to smell her from inside the dressing room.  Whatever she was thinking about was definitely getting her hot.  He hoped it wasn’t Angel.  Man, how he hoped it wasn’t Angel.  He hoped it was him.

            Buffy looked at Spike and had to swallow.  Her throat was so dry it hurt.  It was very clear why she was bad girlfriend Buffy around Spike.  William the Bloody was perhaps the most sexually charged man to ever walk the planet. 

            “Well,” Spike said in amusement.

            “You look, good.  Really, really good.  Maybe we should just go pick up a few of those black t-shirts.”  Buffy stood up to do just that, but Spike’s hand caught her wrist, mimicking her earlier action.

            “Uh-uh.  Never get me on the inside of a mall again.  Remember, kitten?”  His voice came out a low grumbling roll.

            Buffy felt that voice in her stomach.  Kitten.  He’d said ‘kitten’.  That was nice.  She nodded and walked past him into the dressing room.  She grabbed the remaining clothes and scooped up his dirty ones in her arms and then walked out.  “No need to try the rest on.  They’re the right size.”  Her voice was raspy.  She needed a drink.  There was no way she’d be able to sit there through more Spike changing.  No way.

            “Alright, pet.”  He went back in the dressing room and put his boots on.  Then they walked up to the register and Spike pulled out his wallet.  He had barely cracked it open, when it was jerked out of hands.  He watched in amusement as Buffy counted its contents.

            He had over twelve hundred dollars in here.  She looked up at him with her mouth open.  “What?  How?”

            He grabbed the black Loogey Boy wallet from her and counted out the correct amount of bills to the sales clerk.  “Please, I only hustle you guys for money out of boredom.  A bloke’s gotta get his kicks someway doesn’t he?”

            Buffy was about to get really offended when she realized she was in the mall with Spike.  In the mall with Spike and a whole lot of money.  It was shopping time.  She turned to look at Spike with a maniacal grin.  The one she’d used before.  The scary one.  “So, Spikey, whatcha gonna buy me?”  She pulled him along as he grabbed his purchases from the clerk.

            “Let’s start at Hollister’s.  Then Macy’s, ‘cause I need new makeup.”  She laced her fingers through Spike’s as they walked along.  “Maybe we should get a couple of iced blended mocha’s while we go?”

            Spike just nodded his head.  He would have tried to argue.  Tried to get out of it.  But honestly, he couldn’t remember when he’d last had so much fun.  Right now he didn’t feel alone at all.  And that was saying something.

 

Chapter 3

 

            The two intrepid shoppers entered the offices of Angel Investigations laden down with packages and happy smiles.  That is until Cordelia took one look at the evil fiend who’d recently tortured her boss, screamed, and let loose a cross bow bolt all in one movement.

            The arrow came whistling through the air and embedded itself right over the heart in Spike’s chest.  Spike was pretty sure this was the end.  He looked down at himself, ready to watch as his molecules crumbled, when he saw a little hand gripping the shaft of the bolt tightly.

            Buffy looked up at Spike, “Brace yourself.”

            Spike nodded at her.  He winced in pain as she drew the deadly object out of his chest.

            Buffy took one look at the blood seeping out of the area of Spike’s heart, staining his new shirt, and the bolt fell to the floor.  She reached a shaky hand up and put it over his heart.

            Spike saw the raw emotion in her eyes and realized that some part of her did care.  He reached up and covered her hand with his own.  “It’s okay, kitten.  Didn’t reach the heart.  Not with my Slayer here.”  Spike used his other hand to push up Buffy’s chin so that he could look into those beautiful green eyes.  “Thanks for the rescue, luv.”

            Buffy couldn’t even form words.  She just nodded.  Suddenly everyone turned their heads to look at the staircase as the loud sound of pounding feet reached their ears.

            Angel had been in his bedroom talking to Giles when he’d heard the scream.  He hung the phone up and took off for the stairs.  He’d been expecting a lot of things, but somehow seeing the great love of his existence with her hand over another man’s heart wasn’t one of them.  He immediately looked for Cordelia.  “You okay, Delia?”

            “Yeah, but I think your ex is a member of Club Dead, though.”  She had a stake grasped firmly in her hand.

            Angel let out a sigh of relief.  “That was Giles on the phone.  Spike’s working for them now.  He has this government chip in his head that keeps him from hurting humans,” Angel laughed.

            Buffy bristled.  First it was the ‘Delia’.  Now he was making fun of her… What was Spike exactly?  She didn’t know really, but he was hers that was for damn sure, and no one but her got to make fun of what was hers.  Hmm.  There were a lot of hers in there.  Maybe Spike was right.  Maybe she did think everything was all about her.

            Beside her Spike didn’t even bother to protest.  The heat radiating from Buffy’s hand as it was held over her heart was creating this buzzing sound in his head.  He had a bad feeling he was falling in love with this girl.  Sure, he’d been in lust from the start.  Recently even a little in like.  But not love.  Love was supposed to be what he felt for his dark princess not the Slayer.  He was in so much trouble.

            Buffy cleared her throat to get the attention of the two office mates.  “Excuse me, but we need a first aid kit over here.  Your secretary tried to kill my friend.”  Buffy took her hand away from Spike’s heart, immediately missing the way his hand had felt on hers.  “See?”

            Angel looked at the blood seeping from Spike’s grey shirt.  Since when did Spike where such nice shirts?  A slightly darker shade and Angel would wear that one himself.  His eyes caught the shopping bags littering the ground.  “I called for help and the two of you went shopping first?”

            “Had to.  Spike was worried you’d smell…” A pale hand slapped itself around her mouth.  What had she almost said?  Angel always did this to her.  Got her all mucked up.

            Spike removed his hand from the Slayer’s mouth.  One piece of wood in his chest for the night was enough, thank you.  “Girl needed some things, and I didn’t have time to stop by my place to pick up a change of clothes ‘cause we were in such an all fired hurry to come to your rescue.”  Spike looked around.  “Why exactly are we here?”

            Cordelia looked down at the ground.  Angel shuffled his feet nervously.  “Well, there were these demon hordes in the sewer system.  Too many for us to handle.  Wes got hurt.  He’s at home now with a broken arm,” Angel said.

            “So why are you in here if there are demon hordes to vanquish?”  Buffy wanted to know.

            “Well, Cordelia got the idea to drop a few explosives down the tunnel.  It worked really well, but ah… it sort of collapsed a few walls.”  Angel was a little embarrassed at the amount of damage they had done.  Then he looked up at Spike and Buffy.  “Of course if some people hadn’t gone off shopping, maybe we would have had enough man power to take them on one-on-one,” he accused.

            “Angel.  Spike.  Blood.”  Buffy was tired of explanations.

            “Oh, right.”  He walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a first aid box.  He took it to Spike and started to remove his shirt.  Buffy slapped his hands away.

            “I’ve got it,” she took the first aid kit from him and gave him a glare.  Did he not get that Spike was her vampire?  She set the kit down on the desk and unbuttoned Spike’s shirt herself.  She opened the kit and used the antibiotic wash to clean the wound.  Then she carefully bandaged it.  When she was done she reached into one of the shopping bags and pulled out a new shirt.  She ripped the tags and handed it to Spike with a blush.

            Spike could have unbuttoned his own shirt, cleaned his own wound.  But he was really enjoying watching her take care of him.  He accepted the shirt from her as he slipped the old one off.  He liked the blush.  Damn, but she was precious.

            “If the Spike and Buffy show is over, we could still use your help,” Cordelia informed them.

            Buffy looked over her shoulder.  “For what?” she asked, trying desperately to avoid Angel’s stare of disapproval.

            “We have demon guts and body parts to remove from the collapsed tunnel,” Angel explained.  “We don’t want the local authorities cleaning up our mess.”

            “Like they won’t have to rebuild the walls.  Gee Angelus, think of all the money you are costing the tax payers?” Spike taunted.

            “Look, William, it isn’t one of the main arteries of the system.  It probably isn’t even needed.  The city won’t know the walls have collapsed for who knows how long.  Now just get your ass and your fancy shirt in gear and follow us please,” Angel ground out.  He was irritated as hell.

            “Not on your life!” Buffy exclaimed.  She reached back into one of the bags and pulled out a black t-shirt.  She shoved it at Spike.  “You are so not ruining another shirt.  Put this back on.”

            Everyone sat around while Spike changed shirts yet again.  When he was done they all turned to follow Cordelia and Angel down to the sewer access.

            “I thought Riley was your boyfriend,” Cordelia said snidely as she walked beside Buffy.

            “He is,” Buffy replied.  Bad Buffy.  Bad girlfriend Buffy.

            “So what is Spike exactly?”  Cordelia didn’t feel like letting this go.  She wanted Angel to see what a loser Buffy really was and always had been.

            Buffy turned to Cordelia and looked the snotty brunette right in her brown eyes.  “Spike is mine.”  Then she turned back around and followed the two vampires further into the tunnels.

            Both men had heard what she’d said.  One was scowling.  Buffy had a boyfriend, and she’d laid claim to his childe.  The other was conflicted.  Buffy had a boyfriend, but she’d laid claim to him.  It was going to be a long night.

 

Chapter 4

 

            Buffy was covered in ick.  She was currently pushing down her clothes in sharp little jerking motions.  As if that would keep the ick from getting any further under her fingernails.  Angel had placed a black trash bag in the bathroom to put her shoes and clothes in.  They’d have to be burned.  That smell would never come out.  She stepped under the shower spray and scrubbed vigorously.  When she was satisfied that there was no more ick left on her body she got out and dried herself off with a towel.  She brushed her teeth and her hair and then slipped on her nightshirt.

            She walked out of the bathroom and signaled to Spike that it was free.  Both men were staring at her in misery.  “Just a short moment to cleanly goodness, boys,” she said as she threw herself down on the couch.  She looked around for the remote as Spike made his way into the bathroom.  Then she looked around for the TV.  Then she looked at the still ick covered Angel.  “You’ve got to be kidding me!  No television?  What do you do all day?”

            “I run a business and I read,” Angel said evenly.

            Huh.  What did I ever think he and I had in common?  She was starting to see Angel in an all-new light.  Spike was right.  He was kind of broody and boring.  Not like Spike at all.  Spike made her mad, not sad.  Spike made her laugh, not cry.  She stopped her train of thought.  Why was she comparing Spike with Angel?  If anything she should be comparing Riley with Angel.  No comparison there, really.  Why was she with Riley again?  Normal.  He was normal.  Just what Angel had wanted for her.  Since when did she do what Angel told her?

            “Buffy,” Angel repeated for the third time.  “Just how long has Spike been working with you guys?”

            Buffy turned to look at Angel.  “Giles didn’t explain everything?”

            “No, he didn’t have a chance.  He said he’d planned on calling me when you guys left, but then Willow and Tara had burst in saying they needed some crystal for focusing or something and he got distracted.  He’d only just called when the two of you came into the office.”

            “Ah… that explains the trying to kill Spike thing,” Buffy said bitterly.  She was still shook up about that incident.  It had been way too close.

            “So, you didn’t answer me.  How long has Spike been working with you?” Angel asked again.

            “Oh, a few months.  Really, though, he and I had that truce to take you down, remember?”  Buffy chipped away at her nail polish in boredom.  She really wished Spike would hurry up.  Too bad they hadn’t been able to take a shower together.  That would have been fun.  She put a hand to her forehead.  Bad Buffy.  Bad girlfriend Buffy.

            “How does Riley feel about Spike exactly?” Angel asked.

            Buffy turned to look at Angel in confusion.  “Huh?  Riley?  He’s on detail or something.  I really don’t know.”

            “That’s not what I asked,” Angel said irritably.  “I asked how your boyfriend feels about Spike.”

            “Oh, that.  Hates him uncontrollably,” Buffy answered.  “He’s a little bit prejudiced when it comes to demons.  It’s the whole works for the government, programmed to hate kind of a thing.”

            “I’m sure,” Angel said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.  Angel knew exactly why Riley Finn hated Spike.

            “Oi!  Grandpa,” Spike called coming out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and dripping water all over Angel’s floors.  “Shower’s all yours, mate.  ‘Fraid the hot water’s gone and taken a runner, though.”

            Angel gripped his hands into fists.  Just one punch.  Just one punch to see that smirky face thrown across the room into the wall.  He stomped past Spike and slammed the bathroom door.

            Spike looked at Buffy.  “What’s got his knickers in a twist?”

            Buffy just shrugged.  She got up and went over to the shopping bags.  She pulled out a pair of black silk boxers and handed them to him.  “I don’t know.”  She stared at Spike’s chiseled chest and thought that maybe Angel was just jealous.  He so did not look like this when he was naked.  Man, how she wanted to lick up those water droplets.

            “Buffy, you’re gonna hafta turn around, pet, or not.  I don’t mind.”  Spike started to unwrap the towel from his waist.

            Buffy turned around quickly, her cheeks flaming red.  She really needed to get a grip.  The lusty thoughts toward Spike were starting to get out of hand.

            “You can turn around now, Slayer.  I’m decent.”  Spike had heard her heart rate increase.  He was definitely getting to her.  For the first time ever he thought he actually had a shot with this girl.  He’d smelled her lust before when they were fighting.  Tonight, however, she’d actually shown that she cared for him.  Lust plus caring meant something in his book.  Oh, he wasn’t foolish enough to think she loved him, yet.  He could wait.  Heck, he’d only just admitted to himself that he was falling in love with her.

            Buffy looked at Spike’s still bare chest and thought that in no way was he decent.  Trying to tear her mind away from lusty thoughts she changed the subject.  “Guess what?  No TV.  It’s almost daylight.  We are stuck here until dark with no TV.  Just Angel.”

            Spike grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the couch.  They both sat down with heavy sighs.  “That sucks, and not in a good way,” Spike muttered.

            Buffy giggled, her fingers still nestled together with Spike’s.  “Well, I figure we can sleep for the first eight hours.  Then get some eating in.”  She looked at Angel’s kitchen.  “Please tell me he has something more than blood in there.”  The Angel she remembered never ate food like Spike did.

            “Can smell it pet.  He’s done some cookin’ in here.  Probably for his humans.  The git never did eat,” Spike explained.

            Buffy was about to ask Spike why that was when the bathroom door opened to reveal a robed Angel.  “Do you always hold hands with the people you work with?”

            Buffy’s hand jerked out of Spike’s like it was burned.  “No, we were just thumb wrestling.”

            Trying to help her, Spike said, “Yeah, not like there’s anything else to do around here.”

            Angel gave Spike a menacing look.  “Lots of books, William.  Last I recalled you were pretty fond of the written word.  Liked to do a bit of writing yourself didn’t you?”

            Spike bristled in discomfort beside Buffy.  He was just making headway with the girl.  The last thing he wanted her to know was what a ponce he’d been as a human.  “Don’t think you want to go there, mate,” Spike warned.  Two could play at this game.  Spike knew a hell of a lot about Angel.  Things he’d never want Buffy to know.

            Angel took a step toward Spike.  Buffy shot up to come between them.  “Not now, I’m tired.  We cleaned up your demon guts, Angel.  The least you can do is offer us shelter until dark.  Where can we sleep?”

            “We?” Angel said incredulously.  “You can sleep on the couch and Spike can share the bed with me or take the floor for all I care.”

            Buffy gave a snort.  “Yeah, like I’d trust the two of you alone.  I don’t think so, Spike sleeps with me.”  The blush came back.  “I meant that in a very no sex kind of way of course.”

            “Of course,” Spike agreed.  He turned around and picked up their things and carried them into Angel’s bedroom.  “You coming, pet?”

            Buffy gave him a nod as she followed him into the bedroom.

            Spike shut the door but not before peeking his head through.  “Nighty night, Angel.”

            Angel just glared and made a rude gesture.

 

Chapter 5

 

            Spike and Buffy crawled under the covers and each gave a long sign.  It felt good to be clean and relaxing sore muscles.  Spike turned on his side to face her and vamped so that he could see her clearly in the dark cavern that was Angel’s bedroom.  Fuck, she looked cute all cuddled up in the covers like that.

            Buffy turned on her side facing away from Spike, who she knew was in vamp face staring at her.  She wriggled her way against his body.  She grabbed his arm and pulled it across her stomach, curling her hand into his.

            “There, that’s better,” she said quietly.  “Night Spike.”

            Spike leaned down a bit and kissed the top of her head.  “Night Buffy.”

            Soon the mortal enemies were fast asleep.  Not so for the creature on the couch.  Angel couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea of Buffy and Spike being friends.  Sleeping buddies!  He kicked the afghan to the floor in a fit of annoyance.  They were so much more than friends.  Angel’s only comfort was how disappointed the frat boy would be when he found out.

            The frat boy.  That’s what he’d wanted for her wasn’t it?  A normal guy.  Someone who could give her children?  Someone who could take her into the sunlight?  Maybe he should have let Spike keep the Gem of Amara.

            Angel thought back to Spike and Buffy’s entire relationship.  Neither of them had been willing to kill the other.  Not even with Spike’s stupid attempt to hire the Order of Taraka to kill Buffy – Angel had always thought that completely out of character for the glory-seeking vamp.  Now he got it.  Spike couldn’t bring himself to do it one on one.  The assassins had been nothing more than a desperate attempt to hold on to his Big Bad persona.  Spike had been falling even then.  Dru had said as much to Angelus, but he’d dismissed it as part of her crazy ramblings.  Now he wished he hadn’t.

            And Buffy.  Was she any better?  She’d had the perfect chance to kill Spike during that Halloween debacle.  He’d been right at her fingertips.  She’d simply let him skulk away.  “Hi honey, I’m home,” echoed mockingly though Angel’s head.

            Why Spike?  The guy was evil!  Totally evil.  Okay, not totally evil.  He’d been quite a disappointment to begin with.  All full of feelings.  Angelus had had to really work at turning William into the hardened vampire Spike.  For one brief moment Angel’s demon flared up in rage that the Slayer was destroying all of his hard work.  Angel ground the demon down again.  Maybe Buffy was better off with Spike.  Maybe Spike really was the better man.  Thoughts like this plagued Angel’s brain until he finally fell asleep hours later.

            Just as Angel was falling asleep, Buffy was waking up.  Noon just wasn’t her sleepy time.  She luxuriated in the feeling of Spike’s body wrapped around hers.  She felt safe and loved.  Loved?  She gave a bitter smile.  Not likely.  Wanted – yes.  Buffy didn’t believe Spike could love anyone the way he’d loved Drusilla.  That was love.  She didn’t know why but that thought brought a tidal wave of sadness with it.  She realized she really did want Spike to feel that way about her.  Why did she always fall for the guys who could never fully love her back?  And she had fallen.  Yep, Buffy admitted to herself, she was in love with another vampire.

            Spike felt Buffy awaken.  He’d expected her to do a lot of things.  Sitting still and contemplative wasn’t one of them.  He pulled her tight against him.  “Can’t sleep, pet?”

            “Nuh-uh,” Buffy mumbled.

            “You know what always puts me to sleep, Slayer?”  Spike’s gravelly sleep filled voice rumbled through her head.

            “What?” Buffy asked.

            “A good wank,” he laughed.

            Buffy hit him playfully as she turned so that they were face to face.  “Eww, gross.  Besides, I don’t have anything to wank.”

            That did it.  Spike Jr. came to full and complete attention, letting Spike know just what she could wank if she wanted. 

            Buffy felt Spike’s erection pushing against her and she couldn’t help the little grind she gave it.  “Oh…  Spike,” she moaned.

            “Yes, kitten?  Want something, baby?” Spike asked as he started to rain kisses all over her face.

            “Yes.  I do.  So much, but I can’t…  Riley…” Buffy trailed off.

            “Fuck the soldier boy,” Spike growled.

            “Don’t wanna.  I wanna fuck you,” Buffy said breathily.

            Her words went straight to Spike’s already hard shaft.  “Then what’s stopping you?”  The words were only a hair’s breath away from begging.

            “I told you, Riley,” she said, and then moaned as she felt Spike’s tongue lap at her earlobe.  “Need to break up with him first.”

            Spike groaned.  On the one hand he was ecstatic that she was going to break up with Iowa, on the other hand he really wanted to get laid.  Now.  “You’re killing me here, baby.”

            He’d called her baby again.  Buffy had to do something for him.  “How about…  I can’t believe I’m saying this.”  She pulled away from him and leaned on her elbows.  “How about we, you know, do something together.  At the same time, I mean,” Buffy finished lamely.

            Spike sat up, highly interested.  “Do you mean do something to each other at the same time?  Or do you mean do something to ourselves at the same time?”  Either one had a whole hell of a lot of potential in Spike’s book.

            Buffy looked down at her bed.  “I mean to ourselves at the same time.  We could watch each other or something.”

            “That would be lovely, pet.  Just lovely.”  He pulled her in for a long kiss.  When they broke away he turned himself around on the bed so that his feet were at Buffy’s head.

            “What are you doing?” she asked.

            “Gettin’ the best view, pet,” Spike told her.

            “Not fair, I can’t see hardly anything.  It’s too dark,” Buffy complained.

            Spike hoped off of the bed and turned on a small lamp.  He pulled his boxers off.  He looked down at Buffy with a cocky smile, “Wouldn’t want you missin’ any of this.”  He gripped his penis and gave it a long hard stroke.

            Not one to be outdone, Buffy pulled her nightshirt off and wiggled out of her panties.

            “Fuck, baby,” Spike said throatily.  “You’re beautiful.”  No way was he going to be able to stop himself from touching her for the rest of the night.

            “You too,” Buffy told him.  She patted the bed.  “I’m ready when you are.” Buffy didn’t understand where the boldness came from.  She wouldn’t dream of masturbating in front of Riley.  And doing it in front of Angel seemed almost obscene.  No, only in front of Spike could she be so free.  So herself.

            Spike jumped back on the bed and resumed his position.  He stroked his shaft and watched intently as Buffy’s fingers dipped into the folds of her pussy.  This was one of the most erotic moments of his existence and he wasn’t even being touched.  Well, except by himself of course.

            Buffy watched as Spike slid his hand up and down.  She could see the occasional drop of moisture caught up by his thumb.  Suddenly, her mouth watered.  She wanted to taste that more than she’d ever wanted to taste anything in her life.

            “Spike?”

            “Yeah, baby?”  His voice was rough with need.

            “Would tasting you count as sex?”

            His cock jumped in his hand.  “No.  Not even close.”

            “Good.”  Buffy started to get up and come at Spike.

            “Not like that, baby.  If you get a taste, I get a taste.”  Spike explained.

            “At the same time?”  There hadn’t been much variety in her sex with Riley.

            “At the same time,” Spike affirmed.  “Now, what you do is get on your hands and knees and straddle me with your head facin’ my feet and your delicious cunny right above my face.”

            Buffy did as she was told.  “I’m sorry I’m so wet.”  She was embarrassed at the amount of moisture coming from between her thighs.  “I’m never like this with Riley.  I don’t know what’s going on with me tonight.”

            “Good,” Spike growled, as he wasted no time and began feasting on the bounty before him. The bounty that by her own admission only he brought on.

            “Spike!”  Buffy screamed in response to his talented tongue.  She dove down for his penis and sucked the tip greedily into her mouth.  The salty goodness that was all Spike, hit her tongue and before she had a chance to really savor it, the door to the bedroom flew open.

            Angel had been sound asleep, finally, when Buffy’s scream of ‘Spike’ had broken through his fog filled brain.  He got up in haste and rushed to the door, throwing it open.  The sight that met him had him frozen in shock.  Buffy, his sweet little Buffy had her mouth wrapped around Spike’s penis and was staring back at him with startled green eyes.  She got her bearings back and opened her mouth, releasing Spike’s cock with a little ‘pop’.

            “It’s not sex.  We’re not having sex.  It’s just tasting,” she explained.

            Angel slammed the door.

 

Chapter 6

 

            Spike was pissed while he watched helplessly as Buffy got up from the bed.  He had a painful erection, he’d just lost the best thing he’d ever tasted, and now that Buffy had been embarrassed she’d probably never let her guard down again.  This night, or day rather, had taken a total shitter.  He was going to ram more than pokers into that bastard grand-sire of his this time.

            Spike heard Buffy’s voice.  Who the hell was she talking to?  His eyes searched her out.  She was on the phone.

            “Anyway, what I’m trying to say to you, or to your machine rather is that it’s just not working out.  It’s not you.  It’s me.  You need to find a good girlfriend, Riley.  I’m definitely bad girlfriend Buffy.”  She hung up the phone.

            Spike threw his head back and sighed in relief.  He opened his arms wide, waiting for her to throw herself at him, sure that she would.  And she did.

            They were laughing as they lay there, arms and legs tangled together.  “You realize that I’m never gonna let you go, right?”

            Buffy pulled far enough away to look in his blue eyes.  She was searching for something.  “Spike, do you think someday you could love me?  I mean really, really love me.  Like you loved her?”

            Spike’s eyes widened in disbelief.

            “Forget I said anything,” Buffy told him while she tried to push away.  “It was stupid.”

            Spike held her fast.  “Not stupid.”  He forced her to look at him.  “Buffy, do you love me?” he asked needing desperately to know the answer.

            Buffy’s eyes filled with shame.  Why her?  Why did these things happen to her?  She wished she could just disappear and be a million miles away from here, but she knew there was no escape.  “Yes, I do,” she said very quietly.

            Spike pulled her against him and kissed her hard, his tongue seeking to meld itself with hers.  Then he flipped their positions so that he was on top and dove into her wet folds.  “My Buffy.  My Slayer.  My girl.  You make me so happy, baby.”  He moved inside of her almost frantically.  “I love you so much.  Gonna make you mine.  Never gonna let you go!”

            Buffy was trying to listen to everything he was saying, but between the sensation of him filling her, and oh how he filled her, and the words ‘I love you’ coming from his mouth, she was a bit overwhelmed.  She wrapped her arms around him, “Yours Spike.  Make me yours.  No one else’s.  Never want to lose you.”

            Spike stilled, absorbing her chant.  “You mean that?  Truly mean that?  There’s no going back on this,” he warned.

            Realization came over Buffy.  He wanted to claim her.  Joy shot through her heart. He really wanted her.  All of her. “Yes, William, I mean it.”  She turned her head to the side, exposing the un-tasted portion of her neck.

            Spike felt his face shift as his fangs descended.  She wanted to belong to him.  Finally, someone really wanted to be his.  Just his.  Spike bit into her neck and took three long pulls of her blood.  He felt her walls spasm around him as he did so.  He pulled away and looked deeply into her eyes.  “Mine.  You belong to me.”

            “Always.  I’m yours forever,” she promised.

            Spike leaned down to lick the still bleeding wounds closed, when suddenly the Slayer’s blunt teeth latched onto the side of his neck and bit down.  She broke the skin.  Buffy had to suck hard to take three swallows of Spike’s powerful blood as he had done to her.  “Mine.  You belong to me,” she said fiercely when she let go.

            Spike jerked twice as he came hard inside of her.  She’d claimed him.  She’d actually claimed him.  “Yours, Buffy.  Always yours.”  He took both sides of her face in his hands and kissed her softly.

            “I love you Spike,” Buffy said between kisses.

            He felt his cock swell again at her words.  “I love you too, baby.  Let me show you just how much.”

            Above, in the dimly lit offices of Angel Investigations Cordelia was filing papers.  She looked up in shock as a bedraggled, be- robed Angel came up the steps and into the room.  “Coffee.  I need coffee.  And maybe some liquor.”

            Cordelia came over to him and laid her hand on his shoulder in concern.  “What’s wrong?  Are you sick or something?  Can vampires even get sick?”

            Angel looked at her and turned and grabbed her by the shoulders.  “You have no idea how sick I feel.  My bed.  In my bed.  Just a taste my ass!  Next thing I know they’re not just fucking, they’re mating!  In my bed.  I could feel it.  It’s disgusting.”  He shook her gently.  “Promise me you’ll help me burn it when they leave!  Maybe set fire to the whole place.  An explosion would do nicely.”

            Cordelia had never seen Angel so upset.  She pulled the distraught vampire into her arms.  Stupid Buffy.  Why did she always mess with Angel’s heart?

            At that moment the office door opened and a young man in full military gear came walking in.

            “Oh, thank goodness,” Riley Finn said.  He gave the couple embracing a warm smile.  “You have no idea how relieved I am to see you two together.”  He looked down at his feet and then back up at Cordelia and Angel.  “I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I was really nervous about Buffy being around you, Angel.  That whole first love thing.  Where is Buffy anyway?”

            “She’s downstairs,” Angel said numbly.

            “Okay.  I’m going to head down there and surprise her.  She’s not expecting me.  I left straight from detail and came here.  Is she with Willow?”  Riley moved past the couple and headed down the stairs not waiting for an answer.

            Angel and Cordelia just looked at one another for a moment.  “Oh, shit!’” Cordelia yelled as she let go of Angel and took off after Riley.

            Angel sighed heavily and followed her.  They ran down the stairs and into the living room just in time to see Riley open the bedroom door, lured by the sounds coming from behind it.

            “Buffy!” Riley screamed.  “How could you?  And with him!  I should have known.  And you said the two of you weren’t really engaged,” Riley accused.

            “Engaged!”  Angel’s voice came out in shocked horror.

            “Oi!  I was supposed to get to say that!” Spike yelled.