Banner by Selene

Chapter 4: Here to Stay

Rome
Buffy’s Room

Buffy lay in Spike’s arms. Every so often, her body would shudder from a delayed half-sob. Spike just continued to hold her, running his hand from the top of her head down the length of Buffy’s hair. The soothing touch eventually lulled her into a light sleep.

When he felt her breathing even out, he carefully eased himself out from under Buffy’s body and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. Afterwards, he grabbed his pants and shirt from the chair he had laid them over last night and put them on. Hearing a door open down the hall, he quietly unlocked Buffy’s bedroom door and slipped silently into the hall, pulling the door shut behind him. ‘Better talk to Niblet before she wakes up Buffy.’

Dawn was walking down the hall on the way to wake up her sister before she started to get ready school. Various thoughts were running through her mind, so at first she didn’t see the blond-haired vampire walking towards her. Suddenly, she glanced up. Just as she was about to let out a blood-curling scream, Spike’s hand settled over her mouth.

“Smii…” Dawn mumbled behind his hand, her eyes going wide. He nodded at her, grinning. When Spike was sure that Dawn wasn’t going to start yelling, he removed his hand from her mouth.

“Spike? It’s really you? How?” Dawn questioned as she launched herself at him, tears starting to form in her eyes. Spike enveloped Dawn in a big hug.

“Hey, 'Bit. It’s a long story. Once Buffy wakes up we’ll talk, ok?”

“Er, ok. I have to get ready for school. Oh, and there’s about ten other girls staying with us right now. Feels like a sorority house at times! Good thing they’re out patrolling late so I can get into the bathroom first. Otherwise, I’d never make it to school on time!” Dawn said. With a smile on her face, she turned around and headed back to her room. Halfway down the hall, she stopped and turned around.

“You’re gonna be here when I get home, right?” Dawn questioned, concern clouding her features.

“You bet. I just got here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Ok, then,” and she continued back down the hallway to her room, a little skip in her walk.

Spike turned around and slipped back inside Buffy’s room. Seeing her still asleep, he went and sat in the chair, his eyes never leaving her still form. Eventually, he dozed off.

~*~*~*~*~

Buffy woke feeling slightly disoriented. Suddenly, everything from this morning came rushing back her, and she glanced to the spot beside her. Nothing. ‘Don’t tell me it was a dream. I couldn’t take it.’ She quickly sat up in bed, pulling the covers to her naked chest. Frantically, her eyes darted around her bedroom. She let out a breath when she spotted Spike sprawled in the chair across the room. His feet were resting up on the matching ottoman. His elbow was propped on the armrest, while his head lay in his upturned palm. He was fast asleep. ‘I wasn’t dreaming,’ she thought.

Shoving the covers off of her, she bounded out of bed. Somehow, Buffy had managed to lose all her clothes last night. Walking over to the dresser, she pulled out a pair of underwear, a pair of shorts and one of Spike’s black t-shirts. (They had all packed duffle bags before the big showdown on the Hellmouth and Buffy had kept Spike’s stuff because she couldn’t bear to part with anything of his.) When she was feeling especially despondent, she’d go to her bottom drawer and pull out something of his to look at or wear. In those times, she felt a little closer to him. She didn’t really need to wear it now, but she wanted him to know that she had thought about him. Hadn’t forgotten him.

Padding quietly across the floor, she slipped into the bathroom to take care of a few necessities. After using the bathroom, she made quick work of brushing her teeth and washing her face. Grabbing a scrunchie, she gathered her long hair into one hand and tied her hair back into a ponytail. Looking in the mirror for the first time in what had probably been ages, she thought, ‘Wow. I guess I need to get a haircut.’

Quietly, she walked out of the bathroom. Spike was still dozing on the chair, so she slipped soundlessly out of her bedroom and went in search of Dawn. Walking down the hall, she could hear Dawn singing along to some song playing on the radio in her bedroom. The door was ajar, so Buffy pushed it open. As usual, Dawn’s room was a mess. Looking at Dawn’s reflection in the mirror, Buffy could see that she was unusually happy. Just then, Dawn looked up and made eye contact in the mirror. Twirling around in her chair, she bounded up and over to Buffy.

“Can you believe it? He’s really back!” she gushed.

A slow smile came to Buffy’s face. ‘I guess he already ran into Dawn.’

“I know! Dawn, you can skip school today if you want. Hang out here with us,” Buffy said.

“I thought about it, believe me, but I have a huge history test. Can’t miss it. It’s ok. He said he’d be here when I got back. You’ll make sure, right?”

“Count on it. Well, let me get you some breakfast before you go.”

“Uh, Buf. No thanks. I know how you are with food and cooking. Non-mixy. I’ll just grab a pastry.” Seeing the crushed look on Buffy’s face, she said, “But, if you’re making coffee….”

Perking up, Buffy said, “Right, coffee. Coming right up.” She left Dawn’s room and walked down the hall, then descended the stairs to the first floor. Walking across the hallway, she entered the kitchen to start the coffee. Once the machine whirled to life, Buffy sat down at the small kitchen table. As the coffee started to drip into the coffee pot, the smell helped wake her up.

'Uh oh. Spike’s gonna need some blood.' Standing up, Buffy rushed up to Dawn’s room to let her know that she was running down the street to the butcher shop. Back downstairs, she stopped by the desk in the front hall, opened the top drawer and pulled out some cash to take with her. She let herself out the front door and walked down the street to the butcher shop.

‘How much should I get? Maybe I’ll just get a couple of liters for now.’

Once at the shop, she noticed a few people waiting in line. ‘This shouldn’t take too long.’ And, it didn’t. The people in front of her didn’t waste any time with their orders. Before she knew it, it was her turn.

“What can I get you, miss?” the man asked.

“A couple liters of pig’s blood.”

The butcher gave her a weird look, but didn’t comment. Buffy paid for her purchase, took the brown bag, and walked back home. Dawn was just heading out the front door when she got there.

“I’m off. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

“’Kay. Have a good day.”

Buffy headed inside and pulled one of the liters out of the bag. She poured some blood into a mug and put it in the microwave. Putting the half-empty liter bottle back into the bag, she put the bag in the refrigerator and shoved it towards the back. ‘No need freaking out the girls yet,’ she thought ruefully. The microwave went off and she grabbed the warmed mug full of blood. Buffy then headed back upstairs to her room.

Spike came awake as Buffy quietly shut and locked the bedroom door. Smiling, she headed over to the chair. Buffy held out the mug of blood to Spike. He sniffed the contents before taking a sip.

“Pig’s blood," Buffy apologized. "Best I could do on such short notice.”

“It’s fine, luv. I’ve had worse.” Spike then proceeded to down the contents. Finished, he set the empty mug on the floor beside the chair. “Thanks.”

Spike looked up once he had set the mug on the floor. Buffy was eying him nervously, unsure what to say. Spike reached out his hand to her.

“Com ‘ere, luv.”

Taking Spike’s hand, Buffy allowed him to pull her towards him so that she could sit on his lap and lay her head on his shoulder. She had so many questions that she wanted to ask. In the end, all she could get out was: “How?”

Spike proceeded to tell her about how he was brought back by the amulet that Buffy had given him to use, how at first he was non-corporeal. He told her about everything that happened right up until he got on a plane to come see her. Throughout his explanation, she said nothing, although she had unshed tears shining in her eyes.

“Why didn’t you come back to me sooner?”

“Hate to say it, luv. But, I was just scared. I was trying to be noble, tryin to do the right thing. But, I couldn’t do it. I missed you too damn much. I know I’m no good for you, but I couldn’t stay away.”

“I’m glad. Glad you finally came back to me.”

Picking her head up from his shoulder, she looked into those blue eyes that seemed to haunt her dream. Placing a hand on either side of his face, she ever so slowly lowered her lips to his. She lightly brushed her lips back and forth across his own, driving him wild with the gentleness of the kiss. His cock hardened, the pressure of his jeans against his hardened length becoming unbearable. Spike’s hands tightened into fists in the waistband of her shorts, he started to moan, “Buff…”

That was the opening Buffy was waiting for. His mouth open for the taking, she left her gentleness behind and thrust her tongue inside his mouth, as she reacquainted herself with him, claiming him. Spike couldn’t hold back any longer, and his tongue started its own exploration. When he could stand it no longer, his grip tightened on Buffy as he pushed himself to his feet; Buffy locked her legs around his waist to hold herself in place. Never breaking their frenzied kiss, he headed to the bed across the room.

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