"Well, it's not my fault. He was the one letting the trulls suck on him. I just pointed it out to Buffy." He said out loud as he stood and went to watch the freezing rain from the small window in the crypt. Sunnydale was experiencing another freaky storm. This time freezing rain that fell to the ground coating everything it touched with dangerous ice. Roads were already closed, no one with good sense was out tonight.

That's when he heard her outside the crypt. She had been coming here several times a week for the last six weeks since Captain Cardboard had made his exit. Spike didn't complain, he loved her company even when she was bitching about everyone around her.

"Damn ice, damn men, damn vampire who lives in a crypt." came the familiar voice outside the crypt.

He had to grin at her cursing then he heard the "Uhh..." and a body hit the ground. He quickly opened the door to the crypt and found her sprawled on her shapely bottom on the ground. Apparently she had slipped on the ice outside the door.

He offered her a hand which she took with a frown and helped her up. Watching as she dusted the ice from her pants, he smiled at her. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I want some answers." She growled at him as she marched into the crypt.

"I don't have any of the answers, Luv. You've been here how many times since he left?" Spike growled back taking up his bottle again.

"Men." She sighed as she took his chair.

He sat on the bench across from here, "Speaking on behalf of my gender, we don't all run when it gets rough, you know. I stuck with Dru through everything - and she's the one that left me."

"Well in my experience they all leave." She reached for the bottle he was holding.

He pulled the bottle back, "None of this for you, you can't walk on that ice sober."

She pouted and sat back in the chair.

"I think it's good he left. Buffy, he wasn't the long haul guy and inside you know it. He was never going to be able to keep up with you, fully accept you." He took a drink out of the bottle.

"So I'm not worth even trying to make it work? I don't even know why I come here!" She stood and made her way to the door.

Spike lay a hand on her shoulder and spun her around, "You came here because you know deep down that I am really the only one who understands you. And hell, I'll let you hit me in the nose and vent, the scoobies just want to pat your hand and give sympathy. I give you the truth - even if it's not pretty."

Buffy chewed on her bottom lip and listened to him.

"So come on over here and let Uncle Spike tell you how it is." Spike took her hand and led her back to the bench.

She sat down next to him, she knew he was right and perhaps she didn't want to hear the ugly truth right now. But she couldn't leave, she sat there frowning and listening.

"They mean well, your watcher , your friends, even the soldier boy. But they don't know you the way I do. A hunter must know his prey inside out. And I know you, Buffy Summers." He leaned in close inches from her face.

She didn't flinch, "I'm your prey?" She asked harshly.

He didn't answer her. He wanted to say she was his prey but not because he wanted to hunt her anymore, hell he just wanted her plain and simple.

"Anyway, I know that as much as you care for all of them, sometimes they get in your way and you wish the only person you had to worry about was you. You get tired of watching their backs, and you get tired of having them feel sorry for you because you have the burden of slayerhood upon you. You sometimes still want to run away from it all, don't you?" He smirked at her.

"You think you know me." She said softly as she stood to go.

He followed her to the door this time and watched as she stuck one foot out on the icy stoop. "You can't go out there Buffy. Even slayer agility is no good on that much ice. You'll have to stay here for awhile. Besides you would freeze on the walk home."

She stood in the cold doorway thinking about her options. She took a deep breath and walked back inside closing the door behind her. "It's not much warmer in here." She grouched.

"Aha, but look what I have." Spike smiled as he pulled a hot plate and some instant cocoa mix.

"Do you have marshmallows, I think my Mom told me you like those?" She smiled at him for the first time of the evening.

"I happen to have some of those." He told her as he began to make the cocoa.

"So, Spike. Why did Riley do it? Why did he let those things bite him?" She asked her tone serious.

"I'm not sure Slayer, but I think he was just missing something and they fit the bill. Being bitten is a thrill, you know that from when Angel bit you."

"But I should have been enough for him. I should have given him his thrill. I just feel like I'm never enough, I couldn't offer Angel enough to make him stay and now Riley is gone too." She sighed.

"Riley knows when to cut his losses he knew he only had limited time with you so he left while he was ahead. Angel, Angel is just a damn fool." Spike chuckled as he brought her cocoa to her the top frothy with little marshmallows.

Buffy gave him a bittersweet smile, "So I am doomed to be alone."

"I'm sure there is someone out there who would stay the distance." Spike told her as he took a sip of his cocoa.

"If you find him point him in my direction." She grinned at him, "Or maybe not. Maybe being alone is the better option. If I freeze my heart and not let anyone in then I can't get hurt again."

"True, but would it be worth it? I mean to find someone who will be there thick and thin, that's got to be worth a chance doesnt' it? Even if it's the last person you would expect it to be." He asked her his voice full of so much emotion that Buffy put down her cup and stared at him.

"Spike?" She asked as the bell went off in her head, Spike who had saved her from the invisible demon in the magic shop,all of those cigarette butts in her yard, Spike who had tried to kiss her in the alleyway, Spike who had comforted her on her mothers back porch, Spike who had helped fight the demon in her house that had come for her mother. Spike cared for her?

"Yeah?" He replied cautiously.

"You, you've been around alot lately."

"Yes, well we both live in the same town." He answered afraid to let on, what if she rejected him?

"I know that, but you've been around in a helpful way, lately. I mean why? Why help me?" She asked him.

And when she looked at him her eyes full of something he couldn't name, he had to tell her. "Well, yeah, I've been helping you. It seems I've fallen in love with you." He told her waiting for the punch to his face.

The punch never came. "You love me?" She asked, slight disbelief evident in her voice, yet her heart was still thinking about all the things he'd done for her lately.

"Yeah, I do. And I could be the long haul guy. I would stay there by your side and fight whatever needed to be fought. And then when the patrol was done, I would take you home and hold you and kiss every bruise and love you proper. I would never leave your bed to go to a vampire whore. And you would never need another man." He leaned forward and brushed his lips ever so lightly across hers.

Buffy pulled back from him, "This is wrong. Riley has only been gone six weeks. I can't do this now."

Spike looked slightly hurt but after a few thoughtful moments he smiled at her. "You said *now*, you can't do this *now*. You didn't say never?"

She had to smile at the hopeful look on his face, raising her hand to brush his cheek she spoke softly, "No, I didn't say never."

He grinned broadly then, "Well I'll just have to convince you. We'll start with more of my award winning cocoa."

They talked all through the night. He told of his life before his turning. The truth this time about William the Bloody. She commiserated with him about Cecily. And she told him about her frustrations and her relief about her mother.

Spike noticed that despite the cocoa Buffy was cold he could see her shivering beneath the leather jacket. He cautiously put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. She didn't argue as she scooted closer to him.

They listened to the pinging of the frozen rain as it pelted the roof of the crypt. "Pet, it's too cold in here for you. Maybe you should walk around, exercise a bit."

"I'm tired, Spike." She smiled at him and lay her head on his shoulder.

"No, you can't sleep. I read that somewhere if you go to sleep and you get too cold you might not wake up." He told her as he raised her to her feet one arm around her they began walking around the small confines of the crypt.

He then remembered the twin size mattress he'd pulled into the crypt last week, "Here, lie on this and use these blankets. They'll keep you warm."

"Lie with me."

"Okay." He told her as he removed his duster and used it as an extra blanket over them. He pulled her close to him and she began to warm up.

She smiled at him, "This is cozy."

He returned the smile. "Yes, it is." He placed a kiss on her forehead as they burrowed under the stolen blankets.

Lying there they watched the rain fall, the ice coating the tree limbs looked eerie in the moonlight through the small window.

She turned to him, "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" He asked.

"That you could be the long haul guy?" She looked at him with sad eyes.

"Yes, I meant it. And when you are ready, I'll show you." He said determinedly.

She sighed and turned to him, "Spike, I think I'm ready." She pulled his face to hers and kissed him deeply.

He pulled away "But...you said not now."

She grinned "A woman's perogative to change her mind. And besides that *now* is now *then*. You know?"

"I guess that makes sense somewhere in the world. But I need to know if you're sure."

She nodded her head, "I'm sure. I need you to love me, I need to know I'm worth the effort." She kissed him again.

He kissed her back his tongue gently probing the warmth of her willing mouth. The heat scalded him, it may have been twenty degrees outside, but Spike was in the middle of a heatwave.

He held her flush against him and she could feel his hardness through his jeans against her. As cold as it was she wanted to be out of her clothes, she wanted to feel his flesh against hers. She moved her mouth from his and began to help him out of his shirt, then his jeans. He smiled as he helped her out of her clothes. This was all done under the warmth of the covers.

It was dark all around them save for a few candles burning. She couldn't see him well but she could feel him, feel his readiness for her. She reached one small warm hand between their bodies and grasped his hard length. He gasped at the heat from her hand. She began to move her hands up and down him, gently squeezing the weeping tip with each descent downward. She giggled softly at his soft moans. She found his lips in the dark with hers and their tongues fought a delicious duel as she continued her ministrations. Spike felt the tightening that signalled his release and with a hard thrust he spilled his seed into her hand.

He smiled in the dark, "My turn." He told her as he found a hard nipple and drew it into his mouth gently suckling as his hand slid lower, inserting one, then two fingers he massaged lightly. Now it was Buffy's turn to moan. After several minutes of his teasing, Buffy whispered to him, "I want you inside of me, please."

He obliged her instantly, pulling her warm body underneath his and plunging inside with a single thrust. He began to move at a slow, gentle pace. "No." She whispered again her lips trailing down his neck.

He stopped. "No?" He asked afraid that she wanted him to stop.

She laughed softly when she realized what he was thinking, "No, you don't have to go slow, go fast, go hard, let me know you are here with me, show me that you are the long haul guy."

Spike sighed with relief. He thurst quickly now, deeply, filling Buffy completely. She met each thrust with fervor, arching and wrapping her legs around him to wholly encase him. They came together calling the others name.

As they lay together cocconed in their warm nest of blankets, the early morning light began to stream through the small window in the crypt. Spike moved to the darkness. A small tinkling sound brought Buffy and Spike's attention to the crypt door. She opened it slightly and smiled the sound was icicles falling from the eave of the crypt. Buffy closed the door, Spike's strong arms reached around her waist to hold her close to him, he kissed the nape of her neck, she placed her hands over his.

The frozen world outside was thawing... and so was her heart.

The End

<< back