"On Belonging"

Author: A. Price
Email: andramichelle@yahoo.com

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She's standing in front of a full length mirror and critically looking over this, the fifth dress she has tried on tonight. "So what do you think of this one?" She asks as her forehead wrinkles in concentration.

"It's beautiful, just like the first four." I tell her truthfully, the dress is black and simply cut, hugging her new curves just right. "I don't know why the big deal, it's just a party. luv."

"Since I've put on a little weight nothing fits the same." She pouted as she went to the pile of discarded dresses and picked up the royal blue number again.

I stand and walk to her, "Everything fits better with the weight gain, Buffy, you were far too thin." I put my arms around her as she stands in front of the mirror again. She fits right here, she belongs right here in my arms.

"So you didn't like how I looked before?" She frowns at me and I soon realize this is one of those questions I can not possibly answer correctly without lots of thought. I nibble at the nape of her slender neck as I think.

"Answer the question, Spike." She glares hazel eyes at me.

"I've always heard you gain weight when you are happy, I'd like to think I make you happy, thus the weight gain, so I like it." I finally tell her with my most sincere smile.

She thinks this over for a half minute before the frown dissolves into a big beautiful Buffy smile. "Okay, I'll go with the black then."

"Good choice, now what do I wear?" I ask as she begins to rummage through the bottom of the closet for the perfect shoes.

"Black pants and that delicious blue silk shirt." She tells me without missing a beat, thats my girl she can't decide what she's wearing, but she knows what she wants to see on her man. That's me... her man.

I pat her pretty bottom as I go to the closet for my clothes. Black pants and blue silk shirt, I take them off the hanger and begin to get dressed myself. Giles is here from England and it's his birthday.

Giles. Former Watcher and father figure to my true love. He tolerates me for Buffy's sake, he tries to keep the twitching in his cheek and the eyeglass cleaning to a minimum when Buffy and I hold hands or actually kiss in front of him. I think he's getting better about it, he assured me he wants Buffy's happiness above all else.

So we're off to the party, my Buffy on one side and my Lil Bit on the other. I speak to everyone, but I mostly lean up against the bar and watch my girl in action. She is laughing and speaking to everyone in the room, the dress fits her like a glove and I can see other men in the room looking at her, they don't have a chance though, because she belongs to me.

She sidles up to me, I put my arm around her and pull her tight. I feel the warmth radiating off of her as she moves to stand in front of me, I wrap my arms around her waist and rest my chin on her shoulder as Giles cuts the first piece of cake. Buffy squirms against me and to anyone else it looks like she's just moving to get more comfortable but I know my girl and sometimes she can be a tease, she turns her head to look at me and grins.

It's time for the toast and Dawn looks at Buffy her eyes bright, "Yes, you can have a sip." Buffy tells her and Giles smiles as he hands Dawn a glass with barely a sip of champagne in it. Everyone gives a toast and then we dance, we dance very close, we dance ourselves into a corner and she's kissing me then, maybe it's the champagne, but she's giggling and running her hand up and down my arm, her gentle touch sendng shivers up my spine. I love it when she's like this, free and happy and no slayer thoughts in sight.

Actually I love her all the time, when she is little girl Buffy who's had a bad day and just wants me to fix her a cup of tea or put ice on the back of her neck and just listen to her bad day. I love her when she's feeling guilty for throwing a tantrum and apologizes, I love her when she's being Mama Buffy, worried about how Dawn will turn out, and I love her when she is Slayer Buffy itching for a fight and I love her when she is seductress Buffy climbing in our bed and loving me over and over again. "What are you grinning about?" She asks and breaks my train of thought.

"You." I say simply as I return her eager kisses.

She takes my hand, "I think the party is breaking up, let's get Dawn and we'll go on home." She kisses me again and whispers "And then we can finish this."

"I"ll get the coats." I tell her as I drop her hand and go towards the coatroom, "You say our goodbyes."

She nods and smiles as she goes to find Dawn, I gather the coats and watch her hug Giles, Dawn now at her side and then they are coming towards me.

"Hello." A sultry voice comes up beside me, "Want to buy a girl a drink?" The pretty redhead asks, I smile and I start to speak when I am interrupted.

Buffy takes my arm and in a voice like sugar coated steel, "Honey, are you ready to go home... to bed." Hazel eyes flash at the redhead.

The redhead rolls her eyes and walks away. Buffy grins at me and Dawn shakes her head at the two of us..

I love posessive Buffy too, and one of the best things about Buffy belonging to me ... is that I know I belong to her too.

The dreadfully fluffy end.