Summary: Season 6 Post-6.2, AU after that. The nerd trio never exisited here. A short time after Buffy comes back, she decides to tell Spike the truth. After they're together, everything goes great but it's all ruined when she's taken...
Disclaimer: I do not own the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel (The Series). All of the characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, et al.
Feedback: jackie_a_2002@yahoo.com
Chapter Nine
Spike cradles Buffy to his chest as he walks down the narrow corridor of the ship. He hates traveling this way but it's the safest route in their circumstances.
He pays with money and they don't leave a paper trail. Plus, it's been about fifty years since he's been on any cargo ship. Another thing, he hates the smell of cargo ships, or more to the point, the people that run them. Have they never heard of soap?
Kicking the ajar door open, Spike walks in and over to the small bed. Bending down, he lays his slumbering Buffy down but can't pull himself away to shut the door. With his arms under her shoulders and knees, he leans in and nuzzles her neck.
"God, I missed you," he whispers.
His bliss is disrupted when he hears voices coming up the corridor in their direction. He shuts the door and then leans his back against it.
He finds his eyes traveling over Buffy. She's too thin and is in desperate need of some bathing. Any longer and her hair will be in dreadlocks.
During the short week they had had together, Spike had always slept right next to her, if not wrapped around her. He'd woken up one morning with her hair covering half his face. It had his smile. She was laying half on top of him with one of her arms thrown back and wrapped around his neck.
He'd lain there until she woke.
"Spike." He's drawn from his thoughts when he hears Buffy's rough voice.
"Just a minute, love." He says as he bends down and digs through his bag. He had been so intent on taking care of Buffy, he hadn't even realized that he'd brought the bag with them. He unzips it and quickly finds a water bottle.
He makes it to the bed in one quick stride and bends down next to her. He presses it her hand as she cups his face.
"I thought you were a dream." She whispers in her rough voice.
"No, love," he says as he wets down a clothe he had pulled from his pocket. "I'm real. Here," he says as he cups her head. He puts the water bottle to her lips and isn't surprised when she starts to gulp it down.
"Slowly, love, or you'll make yourself sick." He says quietly. "That's it." He pulls the water bottle away. As she lies back, he begins to clean her face.
"Talk to me," she says as she closes her eyes. She lets out a sigh as he gently moves the smooth clothe over her eyelids.
"Bout what?" He asks quietly.
Spike runs the clothe over her cheeks, gently wiping the dirt and grim away. Is what he really wanted is to give her a bath.
"Anything," she says.
"Ok," he says. He leans close and presses his lips to her forehead. He lingers there, enjoying the contact.
"I'll start with the whelp. He and the demon girl moved to Washington or some such place. Whelp's been living off demon girl as she runs the store they own. I guess its not all bad for her, the whelp takes care of their brats." He pauses. "I think there's three.
"Anyway, the witches have this place in northern California they run." He says.
"How come they're not in Sunnydale?" Buffy asks quietly.
Spike grins about that. "Bout a year after you was… taken," he swallows, "Faith broke out of jail to help peaches. The Scooby's slowly left after that. Your Scooby's sure do hold grudges." He smirks at the small smile that steals across her face.
The hand she had cupped his cheek with now lies on his shoulder. She had, sometime during his story telling, moved closer to the edge of the bed. He runs the clothe up the side of her face to her forehead.
"Not long after you…" He can't say it. "Giles was given custody of Dawn."
Her eyes open and she looks up at him. "Really?" Her tears aren't visible in her eyes but they're in her voice.
His free hand comes up and brushes the hair from her face. "Yes. Bout two years ago, they moved to England…. Little Bit has a husband." He says this with a growl.
Buffy smiles, however, tears slip from the corners of her eyes. She blinks her eyes, as if trying to push them away.
"Don't cry, love." Spike almost pleads. He can't stand it when she cries.
"Spike, hold me." She sniffles.
Dropping the clothe to the floor, he scoops Buffy up into his arms. Sitting down, he lies back and holds her to him as he turns onto his side. "I got you, love."
"I was so scared." She's sobbing now into his chest. "I don't like being scared. I've only been scared one other time."
"When's that, love?" Spike asks. He smoothes his hand down her back repeatedly.
"That Master." She says. Then she buries her face in his neck. She takes a deep breath and holds it. "Can I wear your shirt?"
He begins to get up. "Sure."
"No." She says and keeps hold of him. "The one you're wearing."
He smiles. "Of course, love." He sits up and pulls the black shirt out of his pants and then over his head. As the hem clears hi head, he sees Buffy struggling with hers. He reaches out and stops her hands.
He pulls her arms above her head. Then he reaches for the hem, and gently slides it up arms up her body and over her arms. Throwing it to the floor, he pulls his shirt up and down over her fragile body.
Damn commandos.
He pulls her close and lies back down.
* * *
They sleep most of the trip through.
Buffy lies across him, her arm is thrown over his chest and her leg is thrown over his thighs. A couple hours later, they're position has changed. Spike is spooned up to Buffy's back while she's half lying on her stomach with her knee pulled up. Spike's leg mirrors her position and his arms are wrapped around her waist.
A time later, Buffy moans into his mouth. She pulls away and pants, "Why can't we?"
"Because," he suckles on her bottom lip, "You're still weak."
She pulls his mouth down to her. She fastens her lips over his and pulls his tongue into her mouth.
"How can you tell?" She groans into his ear as he nibbles on her collarbone.
"Your smell." He says just before he licks her neck. "And your touch."
Chapter Ten - England
"Why are you crying again, love?" Spike whispers. "You're killing me."
Buffy wraps her arms around his bare shoulders. Pulling him close, she rests her head on his. "I feel safe."
"Oh, love." He pulls her closer and buries his face in her neck and shoulder. "I love you."
"I love you." She says and kisses his shoulder.
* * *
Spike is lying on his back with his arms wrapped around Buffy. She's resting on the length of her body on his. "Buffy?"
"Yes." She says quietly.
"What happened to Captain Cardboard? I found him dead a while back." He unconsciously starts to run his hand up and down her back.
She's silent for some time. "He tired to get me out of there." She leans up over him and gives him a sad smile. "You won't believe this, but he was trying to get me back to you."
A smile breaks out on his face. He gives a short laugh before saying, "You're right, I don't." He gives her a small kiss. "That was right descent of Fin."
She smiles into his chest.
* * *
"Mmm," she tries pulling away from him, somehow, with only his tongue and mouth, he keeps her in place. "Spike."
"I'm busy, love," he says, and then promptly takes her mouth again.
"Yes," she barely gets out. She moans again. He has such a talented mouth. "Don't you want to know why they took me?"
"Wasn't certain," he says as he takes her earlobe into his mouth and nibbles on it.
"They said something about DNA combination. What do you think that meant?" She asks.
He frowns as he pulls back. "Not sure, love."
"I mean," she continues as she turns in his embrace to frown at the ceiling. "What would they combine my DNA with?"
"Don't know, but good question, love." Spike says, contemplating the ceiling with a similar expression.
* * *
Arrival. He never thought he would be glad to see any residence of Giles's.
Spike looks down at Buffy, who is curled into his side, sound sleep. He smiles. At times, he still can't believe that he has her back.
Gathering the blanket around her, he pulls her into his arms and gets out of the car. Striding up the front path, he quickly reaches the front door and pounds on the wood. He's surprised at the quickness in which the door is opened.
"Spike?" But not as surprised as Giles is to see him.
"Hey old chap." Spike says with a grin.
"Old chap? You're older than…" Giles starts but quickly stutters to a stop.
Because as he was talking, Spike moves the blanket away from Buffy's face, "I found her.," all the teasing is gone from Spike's voice.
Giles stares at her for only seconds before he steps back. "Come on, come in."
With Buffy still asleep in his arms, Spike walks into Giles's cozy, dark living room, and sits down. Gently, he rearranges Buffy on his lap. He watches her face as she sleeps. He brushes a dirty strand of hair away from her face. He looks up to find Giles watching him curiously.
"How did you find her?" Giles asks as he finally takes a set on the couch, a cushion away.
"It wasn't easy. I'll explain later. But, right now, I'm knackered. I didn't know where else to take her." Spike says in way of explanation.
"No," Giles says, completely understanding. "I'm… glad you did."
"Good," Spike nods his head. "We mat have trouble. Buffy says the commandos took her for something called DNA combination. Not sure what that meant."
"I'll see what I can do." Giles says. The room falls into a quiet silence. "What of Dawn?"
Spike thinks silently. "Leave it to Buffy."
"Right. You can take the room first door on the left, down the hall." Giles looks away. "Queen size bed."
Trying to keep his smile at bay, Spike says, "Thanks, mate." Easily standing, Spike starts to the hall but pauses when he hears, "I'll never be able to repay you."
Without turning, he says, "Give her your blessing and I say it's even." Not wanting a reply, he continues on his way. Nevertheless, he hears, "It's the very least I can do."
Spike smiles as he closes the door.
* * *
He'd gone into the room to find only a thin blanket on the bed. With Buffy complaining of being cold, he comes back to the room with a sleeping bag under one arm. He turns and quietly shuts the door.
Turning, he stops mid-stride as he finds himself pinned with hazel eyes. Beautiful, determined hazel eyes.
"I want a shower." She demands.
He swallows. "Tomorrow." He says, knowing all too well that's not all she wants. "I'll give you one tomorrow."
Removing his clothes, knowing it is a mistake as he did, he crawls into bed with her. He covers both of them with the sleeping bag and lies back. He bites back a groan as she curls her mysteriously naked body around him.
"I want a shower… tonight."
Chapter Eleven
Spike turns and pushes her under the water, "Rinse," he commands.
"Yes, sir." Buffy says. She closes her eyes and leans back under the water. "You sure have turned into a mother hen."
He smiles at her. He's just so glad to have her back. He'd gone so long without any contact with her. Without contact from another being. There had been plenty of offers from lovely women, but neither him nor his body has been into it. Whenever he'd get close, images of Buffy floated across his minds eye.
Quickly, he washes them both then steps out of the shower. He wraps a towel around his waist then turns to Buffy. "Out, you." He says, smiling. He holds out his hand, and helps her step out.
Grabbing up a towel, he wraps it around her and starts to dry her off. His hands are gentle as he pats the moisture away from her skin. He stops, however, when her small hands cover his. Looking up, his eyes lock with hers.
She leans up and presses her lips to his. Spike inhales sharply. When she goes to pull away, he follows and gives her a gentle kiss of his own. Her hands come up and cup his face. "I love you, Spike. Please." She says.
Pulling his mouth back to her, she brushes her lips over his. Her tongue briefly comes out and caresses his lower lip. "I need you."
"But, love," Spike starts to protest.
She shakes her head. "No. I want you to make love to me. I won't break. I need you."
Forgetting the towel, he drops it to the floor. Pulling her into his arms, he hugs her to him and whispers, "I love you."
Buffy's arms wrap around his shoulders and then she runs her hands down his back. Her head rests on his shoulder, just soaking up his closeness. Her hands come to his towel. She pushes her fingers under and takes his rear in her hands.
The towel gives and falls to the floor.
Finding her mouth, he kisses her, needing to be close and connected in some way. He breathes her scent in and finds his hands wondering over her warm body, molding it to his.
They soon find themselves on the floor.
Spike trails kisses down her chest and across her breasts. He holds her down as he explores her warm, soft flesh. He groans with the building ache in his chest and between his legs.
His kisses travel down the center of her body. He dips his tongue into her navel. He smiles against her stomach when the action causes her to giggle.
Gently, he takes the swell of her belly into his mouth and teases it with his teeth.
Her hands come down on his head and tunnel into his hair. Her hips lift up under his persisting mouth.
A sharp release rockets through her. He'd barely touched her. But when his mouth meets her core, she comes up off the floor and presses up into his mouth. She comes back to herself when she feels him building another climax in her. The pressure, warm and insisting, building in the pit of her stomach.
Grabbing his shoulders, she pulls him up. He starts to protest but she cuts him off. She fastens her mouth to his. She thrusts her tongue in and out of his mouth. He pulls away slowly, in a jerky motion as if reluctant to leave.
"Ok," he says.
Going up on his knees, he smiles down at her when she whimpers in protest. He catches her hips in his hands and lifts her up. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he grips his length in the other.
He plays the tip of himself over her lower lips. He groans as she jerks in pleasure. Her reaction breaks his control. Pulling away slightly, he lines himself up and drives into her.
They both cry out.
Their mating is fast and hard. Desperation drives them as he continually rams into her. And she clutches at his wrists.
Buffy's legs are wrapped around his waist. "Spike," she calls. "Get down here."
He grunts when he finds himself chest to chest with her. "Demanding chit." He groans when she thrusts up onto him. "At least," he's interrupted when she kisses him. He purrs in pleasure. "You know what you like."
She hums in pleasure as he takes her nipple into his mouth and suckles. "And what's that?"
He pulls up but doesn't immediately release her nipple. "Me."
She scowls playfully at him. She clenches her inner muscles repeatedly. He falls forward as a helpless sound escapes from his open mouth. She wraps her arms around his neck. She hugs him to her and closes her eyes. "Spike?"
He lifts his head and meets her eyes.
"I love you," she kisses him lightly. "I love you so much."
With that tight feeling back in his chest, he leans down and demandingly takes her mouth.
He breaks the kiss with a growl. He buries his shifted face in her neck, and enters her a second time. Burying his fangs in her flesh.
They crash to earth.
Spike pulls away, his breathing ragged and his eyes closed. Seconds later, he's able to open his eyes. "I love you."
She smiles up at him as she pulls his head back down. "I'm not done yet." She says just as she claims his mouth.
* * *
"Yes, thank you. Please call me if you have anymore information," Giles says, nodding vigorously. The phone call had been a nice reprieve.
He may have given his blessing, but he still has a problem with hearing the… well, listening to… It's just not right.
"Again, thank you," he says then hangs up. In some ways, the phone call is good and in others, it isn't.
Many things can be done in DNA combination. In the case of combining a vampire and a slayer's DNA…
Giles really doesn't want to think of the consequences.
He looks up as Spike walks in. He's wearing jeans and an opened button-down shirt.
"Any…" Spike starts to ask.
However, there is a knock on the door.
"Hold that thought," Giles says. He gets up and heads to the door. Opening the door, his eyes widen. A fist comes right at him. He falls back as the commando comes into the house.
The commando stands over Giles and starts to bend down. He stills when he hears, "You know, I think someone got their cards mixed up." He turns and gets struck by a white blur. Then finds himself stuck to the wall. He looks down into angry yellow eyes.
"What do you mean?" He asks.
Spike has to give him credit. The commandos doesn't stutter. "I think whoever made up the rules should have given the no invite, no entry clause to the humans. There are enough gits walking the streets. Now, enough about me. Hoe bout you tell me why you're beating on old Rupert. Here?"
The commando just hangs there; Spike has he's shoulders pinned to the wall. Easily moving his hand, Spike curls his hand around the man's throat and squeezes. "Maybe something a little easier. What do you want?"
Startled, the man starts talking, his voice ragged from lack of breath. "I was assigned to kill the donors. But no one told me you were a vampire."
"Donors for what?" Giles asks as he gets up off the floor.
"Good to know that you're still with us Rupert." Spike says over his shoulder. Turning back to the commando, Spike gets down to business.
"Some years ago, the Initiative caught a vampire, Hostile 17…"
Hours later, Spike throws the commando into a chair and ignores the cry of pain the man gives. Bending down, Spike ties the man up. "Owe, not so tight. That hurts."
Not wanting to hear the man complaining anymore, Spike causally reaches up and knocks the guy out.
"What happened to the chip?" Buffy asks.
Spike looks up to find Buffy leaning against the doorframe. Her arms are folded across her chest. He still can't get past having her back. Turning back to the task. "Willow took it out."
He's not sure if he wants to know how she feels about that…
"Oh," she says. "What's with the bondage?"
"It seems," Giles says, "That he was supposed to be Spike and your assassin."
"Oh," she says again. "Commandos?"
"Yes." Giles says, looking uncomfortable. He takes his glasses off and cleans the lenses. "Buffy… I have some…"
Spike stands up. "I want to tell her." His voice is short and oddly, clipped.
Looking a little startled, Giles says, "Oh, yes, of course. Probably for the best."
Buffy is looking between both men, a frown forming between her brows. "What's for the best?"
Taking her elbow in his hand, Spike stirs her into the bedroom. "Come one, love, you'll want to sit down for this."
"For what?" Buffy says. Her frown deepens as Spike comes into the room behind her and shuts the door. He sits them down on their bed and clears his throat.
"It seems that the commandos were more interested in us then we thought. From what I understand from that wanker, they used our DNA to make a hybrid, a little us…" Spike says, frowning. He looks up at Buffy.
She's just staring at him. Finally, she says, "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that they made a test tube baby from us. We have… a baby somewhere, love." Spike says quietly, looking her in the eye.
She stares back at him for a long while. Her eyes are wide and she looks in-drawn. She looks away and stares at the floor. Buffy is silent for a long time.
"Love?" Spike asks gently.
Looking up, she looks sad and uncomfortable. "Can I see Dawnie?"
"Sure, love. I'll go call her." He says as he gets up and walks to the door. With his hand on the door knob, he stops and says, "Buffy…"
"I can't, Spike, not right now." Her voice is quiet and so sad.
Chapter Twelve
"Hey Dawn," Spike says as he opens the door.
He'd quit calling her little bit a couple years back, soon after Buffy had been taken. After a horrible argument, he had quit calling her the kid name. It had hurt her. But her comments about how he let this happen - Buffy being taken - was even more hurtful.
"It's great to see you." Dawn says hesitantly. She steps into the living room and shuts the door.
"I have something to tell you." He steps away from her and closer to the hallway. "Buffy."
"What are you…" Dawn begins but her mouth drops and her eyes widen. "Buffy?"
"Hey Dawnie," Buffy says as she comes forward. She opens her arms and Dawn fly's into them. She hugs her sister to her.
Spike watches them. They're laughing and crying at the same time. Spike turns and walks to the door.
There are some things he has to take care of.
* * *
Opening the truck of the car, Spike lifts out a human shaped package. "Come on, mate. Time to tell all."
He'd been out earlier that night, finding this place especially for this purpose.
Setting the man on his feet, Spike walks him into the abandon building. They continue into the center of the structure until they come to a group of people. A clan of vampires really.
Walking to the other side of the room - full of vampires - Spike throws the man against the wall.
"You know more then you're telling on. You knew I'm a vampire, otherwise you wouldn't have come into Rupert's flat with the stake." Spike takes said wooden weapon from the pocket of his leather coat.
He presses the point into the human's chest. "Now, where's headquarters?"
The commando looks at the waiting room of vampires. All of them are staring avidly at his throat or any other piece of him. His wide, fearful eyes snap to Spike.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"All depends whether if I like what you have to say." Spike says.
"Ok," the commando says agreeable. "The Initiative has its Headquarters in…" He suddenly stops as his eyes dart back to the clan of vampires.
Spike pulls him away from the wall then slams him against it. "Where?" His demon comes to the surface.
"Sunnydale. They moved headquarters there shortly after you left. They moved the boy there about a year ago." The commando says.
"Boy?" Spike questions incredulously.
"Yes, the hybrid." The commando sucks in a hard breath as the stake is suddenly pressing into his chest. After what seems an eternity to the human, the pressure slowly starts to ebb.
A sadistic smile spreads over Spike's face. "I think you helped out alright." Putting the stake back in his pocket, Spike brings out a knife. He cuts the man's hands free. "I wouldn't move if I were you."
"Spike leaves the man to his fate.
* * *
Satisfied with his plans, Spike comes into Giles's flat sometime close to dawn. Quietly, he makes his way to his room and opens the door.
It's no surprise to find Dawn and Buffy snuggled together in the center of the bed.
Closing the door behind him, he strides across to the side of the bed and looks down at his girl. If everything goes as he hopes it will tomorrow, he and Buffy will be back in the states day after tomorrow.
He divests himself his coat, shirt, socks and shoes. Stacking his things on a nearby chair, he turns back to the bed. He pulls the blanket away and crawls into bed.
He smiles. As soon as his weight settles onto the bed, Buffy rolls onto her back and then into his arms.
"Where were you?" Comes her muffled voice from his chest.
"Tying up lose ends. Go back to sleep, love." He whispers.
"Only if you give me a good night kiss." She says raising her chin to receive her prize.
"Demanding, chit," he says, the smile clearly discernible in his voice.
Capturing her chin in his hand, he lazily makes love to her with her mouth. "Now," he says kissing her forehead, "You need sleep."
"Mother hen," she mumbles. She wraps an arm around his waist.
"Sleep sweet, love." He says.
Chapter Thirteen
Spike is brought awake with a warm kiss on his lips. As he feels Buffy move away, he opens his eyes and smiles at her. "Morning, love. Like the wake up call."
"Mmm," she agrees as she settles herself back to his side. He feels her lips brush over his chest.
"Love?" He asks, sounding hesitant.
"I know, Spike. We need to talk about this. I feel violated. I feel like…"
"You were an animal used for…" Spike continues.
"Experiments." She finishes. "Yes. I do. I've been thinking about this ever since you told me. I never thought I was going to have a baby. Finding out that I have a baby somewhere out there, it was just… it's such a shock." She sighs before she continues. "But the more I think about it…"
She trails off as she pulls herself up onto her elbow. "I'm happy about it. But…"
This time, she needs encouragement. "But," he asks.
"But I'm nervous about what you think about all of this…" Her sentence trails off as he begins to laugh. She looks at him askance and hurt.
He shakes his head as he tries to stop. "Sorry, love." He says when she whacks him on the shoulder.
Finally able to get himself to sober, he swallows and cups her face. "I want anything made of us…even as poofter as that sounds." He says seriously but then smiles as she scowls at him.
She leans down and presses her mouth to his lips.
* * *
Spike breathes a sigh of relief as he and Buffy find themselves in their motel room, in Sunnydale.
He'd forgotten why he preferred cargo ships. Planes are always stuffed with people. He smiles to himself. Years ago, a plane would've been vampire heaven for him. Now, just having Buffy back is heaven enough to last him… as long as he has her.
He's pulled from his thoughts when Buffy suddenly says, "If we were going to have a baby, I wish it could've been the natural way… again, if we could've."
She pulls him closer by the lapels of his coat and wraps her arms around his neck.
"Really?" He asks with a scared eyebrow raised.
Smirking, he wraps his arms around her waist. "Doesn't mean we can't try," he says suggestively.
"Sounds like fun," she says. Then leans up and captures his mouth.
She treads her fingers through his hair and pulls his head down. She'd missed kissing him. During the first week they were together, kissing had been the only thing they'd allowed… or he had allowed.
She'd learned, through long and heavy petting sessions, that Spike is a very talented kisser. He has this way with his mouth, as if he were making love to her mouth. When he would move his head, he does it almost reluctantly.
He starts to move away.
"No," she cries out. "Kiss me."
"I want to undress you…" he says, actually trying to fight her off.
"And I want you to kiss me," she says, pushing his coat off his shoulders.
"Demanding, chit," he says before she captures his mouth again.
Lifting his arms, he wraps them around her shoulders and pulls her closer. Her hands glide up his back and mold to its rippling surface. Their kisses are long and lazy. The wet slide of their mouths over each other has them moaning.
He lifts his head and smiles as Buffy's head rolls back on her neck. "This would be easier if I didn't have to…"
"Kiss me," she demands, more then finishing the sentence.
So far, with her demanding attention to her lips, he's only been able to remove their shirts and her bar.
Turning her around, he runs his hands up her torso and palms her breasts. He kisses her neck then her cheek as her head falls back onto his shoulder.
He moves a hand down her body and opens her jeans. His fingers slide into her panties and test her readiness. She moans with the contact.
Finding her more than ready, he walks her over to the bed. He bends her over the bed and places a hand in the center of her back when she tries to move. "Stay out, love." He whispers in her ear.
Sure that she'll stay there, he straightens and takes a moment to admire the beauty of the woman before him.
Hearing her impatient whimper draws his attention to his aching cock. He quickly undoes the fastenings on his jeans. He bends over her, takes her pants and underwear in his hands and pulls them down to her knees.
That done, he drives home. With just him entering her, she climaxes and arches onto him. Even as she's coming down from her release, he's driving deeper.
His arms curl under her and his hands fold over her shoulders. He kisses up her spine to her nape and he takes a dominant hold of her neck with his teeth.
For the rest of the day, they "try", even knowing that it could never happen naturally.
But as Spike said, it doesn't hurt to try.
Chapter Fourteen
Standing from tying his shoes, Spike grabs his leather coat and swings it around. Sliding it on, he checks his pockets for his keys. He stops when he hears her voice, "Where are you sneaking off to?"
"I'm going to find our son. I don't want you near those pricks." He says, not turning to her.
"How come I have to stay behind? I'm not weak anymore…" She says.
"I know that, love." He finally turns to her. She's standing there, her hair tousled and nothing but a sheet wrapped around her. "I don't want to lose you again. I did once…"
She frowns. "You do know that wasn't your fault, right?" All the answer she needs is when he ducks his head, breaking eye contact. "It wasn't. I've never blamed you. And, if it hasn't become obvious by now, Dawn lashes out when she's angry."
He meets her eyes again. They stare at each other for a long while. "I still don't want you coming…"
She comes over to him. "I know you don't, Spike."
Their eyes lock and they watch each other.
More than Dawn blaming him, the hurt had come from his feeling some truth in her statements. He'd never wanted to admit that. Because, he knew if he had, that would've ended his search.
"Ok, love." He gives in quietly. "Hurry up, get dressed."
Quickly, she leans up and kisses him. Then she's all business, getting dressed and asking questions. He sighs as a resigned smile curves his mouth.
* * *
By dawn, they've found the Initiative's Headquarters. It quite easy for them, actually.
They had started by asking questions around about any unusual land or building purchases in the last three years. People had lead them to a surprise. Another surprise was the fact that people were so quick to point out where it is.
That had lead them to another series of questions. They had become curious as to why people were so quick to give up such a powerful entity. They, the people of Sunnydale, were quick to give up that information as well.
The citizens told Buffy and Spike that this group, as they call it, had been trying to buy out many people in town. And the alarming thing is that one person told them about the missing people…
That had been enough for the couple.
With that, they headed for the Magic Box. The Initiatives Headquarters.
And that is how they have ended up in the sewers below the building.
"It's a good thing you know this sewer system so well." She says. Then frowns at his back when he suddenly stops.
"Yeah," he agrees distractedly. "Or I wouldn't know that this access panel shouldn't be here." He says, scowling at the new decor.
* * *
"Love," he whispers, trying to pull her away from a cabinet of files. "We need to find a place to hide."
"But I'm almost there. I feel it." She says desperately.
"I know love but people are starting to show. I can hear them." He says. Finally, he's able to pull her away. He slams the drawer closed as he drags her down the isle.
His eyes scan the room, trying to find a place for them to hide. His eyes light on a dark corner.
Running with her across the room, he jumps up and pulls himself into the amazingly large crawlspace. Turning around, he holds out a hand to Buffy. "Come on, love." He says.
He grabs her hand as she jumps up and pulls her in beside him. He turns back into the dark crawlspace, he crawls to the back of the space. Finding a corner, he sits down and sighs. He feels tired.
He lifts his arm as Buffy sits next to him. She leans back and lays her head on his shoulder. "I'm sleepy." She whispers.
"Sleep, then." He kisses her forehead.
* * *
Hours later, their positions have changed. Sometime during the long afternoon, Buffy crawled onto Spike's lap. She now lays sprawled on his lap with his arms wrapped around her shoulders.
Leaning up, she hisses, "I'm bored."
He's silent long enough that Buffy thinks he's fallen asleep. When he finally says something, she jerks and looks up at him. "I have an idea." He says.
Then he takes her by the chin and kisses her.
At first, she's surprised but she soon melts into his embrace. She lifts her arm and wraps it around his neck. She pulls away, sucking in a deep breath. "Not here," she whispers.
"No," he agrees, feathering kisses along her jaw line. "Just kissing." He pulls her back and keeps his word.
A while later, she leans back on a short reprieve, "Wow." Then is quickly hauled back.
* * *
The files Buffy had been searching through last night have turned into dead ends this night. She throws them away with frustration. She has a feeling she knows how Spike felt all those years searching for her. And she's only been looking for twenty-four hours.
The thing she can't figure out is when did he get those security badges?
"While you were asleep." He says, not looking up from the computer he's sitting at.
"How did you…." She starts.
"I can feel you staring." He says, quickly smiling at her over his shoulder.
"Oh," she says and turns back to the files.
This searching is turning out to be more and more….
"I found something." He says.
She drops what she is doing and runs over to the computer. "What?" she asks.
"Yep." He says nodding his head. Without shutting down the computer, he stands and takes her hand. "Level 3. The high security wing." He says.
Chapter Fifeteen
“Come on, love,” Spike says taking her hand as he leads her through the last security block. “We’re almost there.”
They’re silent as they walk down a long corridor. The hall is lined with glass doors. Down some off shoots of the hall are doors, solid metal with small square windows to look in.
“Two more halls,” Spike mutters as they continue down the hallways.
“Spike?” She says as she looks around her surroundings anxiously.
“Yeah, love?” He stops and looks down at her. The worry in her voice has a concerned frown creasing her brow.
“I’ve been here before, Spike,” Buffy says, finally meeting his eyes.
Not knowing what he should say he pulls her under the protection of his shoulder. “Come on, love, lets find our son and then get the bloody hell out of here.”
Their pace is quickened as they once again continue down the corridor.
Buffy stares a head. She doesn’t want to see her surroundings. She would have fallen back had it not been for Spike, who had suddenly stopped. She frowns as she looks up at him. She notices him staring into one of the cells.
They both receive a shock.
The cell is very small. A long the back wall, a cot stretches the entire length. The room is bare; all except for the cot, and a pillow and blanket. On the cot sits a small boy of a year and a half old. He has sandy blonde hair and high cheekbones that complement a slightly turned up nose. His blue-green eyes are bright and alert.
The little boy is studying a fray on his blanket. He fingers the little strings. He stills suddenly and frowns. He looks up and stares directly at them. His eyes are an unusually alert. They’re a bright and an alert blue-green. He stares for a while longer before he sets his blanket away. He turns and slides off the bed.
He walks to the glass door on steady feet. All the time, his eyes are locked with Buffy who has bent down. When the boy finally reaches the door, he puts his tiny hand to the glass. Buffy raises her hand and puts her palm to the glass under the little boy’s.
The boy’s face lights up in delight. He looks up at Spike and shares his wide smile with him.
Spike, with that smile from his boy, feels as if some one has reached inside his chest and squeezed his heart. His little boy… Even when he was human, he had never really given any thought to having a child. Now, wonders why?
“Spike,” Buffy whispers. She looks up and meets his eyes as he looks down. They stare at each other for a long while.
Turning his head, Spike looks at the controls next to the door. It’s a number pad and he hadn’t thought to look that up. He studies it for a few minutes then, “What the hell?” He pulls back and punches the panel into the wall. To protect his eyes from the sparks, he frowns and turns his head away.
He pulls his hand from the wall and steps around Buffy. Pressing his fingers against the glass, he pushes and the door starts to slide open. When he finally gets a good space between the door and its frame, he slides his fingers into the opening. He gets the door open a few second later.
The little boy steps back into the room and stares up at Spike. He tilts his head to one side and studies him for a few seconds. Then the little boy steps through the open glass door and wraps his little arms around Spike’s leg.
Spike is so surprised, so taken back that when he looks down at Buffy, his eyes are curiously glossy. He gives her a shaky smile, but it soon widens. The boy the turns and then throws his arms around Buffy….
Spike’s head suddenly jerks up when he hears a far away noise, the thundering sounds of many footsteps. He turns and gathers Buffy up and gets her to her feet. She’s about to say something but Spike covers her mouth with his hand and shakes his head. “They’re coming,” he whispers into her ear.
He looks down at their boy and smiles at him. The child returns the smile and buries into Buffy, as if sensing what is coming. Spike turns and keeps heading down the hall until he comes to a fork in the road, so to speak. One hall veers off to the right and the other the opposite way; Spike takes the left off shoot.
The hall doubles back on itself and at the end of hall that they travel down, there is a vent shaft that they can use. Taking his family down the hall at a fast pace, Spike quickly brings them to said vent. Stopping in front of the vent covering, he drops Buffy’s hand and steps back. He lifts a leg and kicks the vent cover. The flimsily screws holding it in place break and the covering falls noisily to the floor.
A loud crack sounds off the confining walls of the corridor. Spike reacts within seconds. The bullet flies past his head as he jerks to the side and slams into the wall.
He turns to Buffy and pushes her and their boy into the vent. “Go!” He demands. “I’ll be close behind.”
“Spike!” Buffy yells but Spike has already turned away to face the guards.
“Meet me outside,” he yells over his shoulder as he runs towards the guards.
Spike runs down the hall and as he runs, he pulls his non-lethal guns and puts the guards down, temporarily. He soon finds himself back at the command station he had been working from earlier. He stares at it for a long while, even as the guards pound at the reinforced door.
An evil smile crosses his face as he sits down at the command center.
* * *
“What should we name him?” Buffy asks as she looks down at her sleeping boy in her arms. She holds him close to her, cradled in her lap and to her chest.
Spike is silent for sometime before he answers. Even then, he pauses longer to pull Buffy close as he wraps his arm around her shoulders. “I think that we should name him James Summers.”
She looks down at their little boy with a half smile. “Why James?”
“Just sounds good.” Spike says as he easily drives the car through the night on the dark, blessedly lonely highway.
Buffy is quiet for a little then says, “Yes, it does. James.” The baby coos into her chest.
* * *
“Where are we going?” Buffy asks as she turns face forward after checking on James who lies on the back seat.
“A safe place,” Spike says quietly as quickly glances at her and winks.
“How do you know the Initiative will leave us a lone?” Buffy asks in a doubtful tone.
“Yee of little faith,” Spike says teasingly. “I left them a message they can’t mistake.”
* * *
A commando steps forward and frowns down at the red highlighted white blocks letters that spell “WARNING!” across the screen. He jerks down when suddenly a loud female voice fills the rooms. “There is a bomb in vicinity. Count down will begin now: 3… 2… 1….”
* * *
The dinner’s light that used to display its name in pride is no longer readable. However the outside may present itself, the inside of the dinner is a different story.
Above the counter is a mounted TV plays; the local news interrupts the regular programming. “In a freak accident, a local novelty shop has been reported to have exploded seconds ago. The local specialty store is now known to have been the front of some covert operation. The police, as of yet, have no clues as to who…”
* * *
Close to dawn, Spike finds a cheap motel and rents them a room. Along the way, they had stopped and bought James some presentable close.
Now, Buffy and Spike sit on the second double bed and watch their son as he sleeps peacefully across from them. They wrap their arms around each other as a sense of peace fills them.
Chapter Sixteen - Savannah, Georgia
Spike takes his son in his arm as he gets out of the De Soto. “Come on, pet, you’ll love this place.”
Buffy comes up along side him as he starts up the walk to the house and takes his hand in hers. “Whose place is this?” She asks as she looks up the huge house; it’s almost a mansion.
“It’s mine.” At her skeptical look in his direction, he adds, “Legally. I bought it in the early 1900s. Dru just didn’t like it in Georgia.”
They make their way into the house. Buffy’s breath is taken away from the beauty of the place. There are cobwebs and dust covering every thing. However, the walls, floors and ceilings are done in a dark cherry wood. The windows have dark drapes and from the looks of the white sheets over the furniture, they are heavy pieces that match the early century.
Buffy soon finds herself being lead through a very large house. There are five bedrooms, and three baths that need to be brought up to code, a dinning hall, two great rooms, a library and a large kitchen.
Much later that day, all three very wary and tired from a long day of cleaning and getting to know each other as a family unit, the three settle in. James, as requested by him, he gets his own room next to mom and dad.
Buffy lifts the hair from the back of her neck and sighs in relief. Finally, a nice bed. She is so ready for it. She lets her hair fall back down as she begins to undress, not at feeling up to the task. A smile comes to her lips when she feels Spike’s hands run around her sides and up her ribcage. She hums as he messages her flesh as he moves along her body.
“Tired, love?” Spike’s husky voice whispers into her ear.
“Very,” she whispers to him. She leans back into him and sighs again; anything to take some of the pressure off of her tired muscles.
“I hope not too tired,” he says hopefully as he begins to light kisses along her neck and shoulder line.
Buffy tilts her head to the side to give him better access to her neck. “All depends on what you have in mind.” She hums again as he continues his ministrations.
“I’ll have to show you,” he entreaties her.
She turns and wraps her arms around his neck. “Ok,” she says just before she claims his lips with her mouth.
Spike turns and lays her back on their large king size bed. As he runs his hands over her soft body, he removes her clothing piece by piece and kisses every new patch of skin that he revealed. When the task is finished, he moves away from her and quickly removes his own clothes. Then quickly rejoins her.
Covering her small body with his larger one, he takes her swollen breast into his mouth and suckles it until the nipple becomes hard. He then teases that with his tongue and teeth. As he tortures her with his mouth, he slowly enters her and finds his heaven once more. He raises his head and breathes deeply, enjoying her scent.
He feels himself moans as he enters and leaves her heated body.
Spike makes love to her a few times before she falls asleep from sheer exhaustion.
* * *
Some mouths later, Spike stands in front of the wedding alter, waiting for his lover with his son at his side. They are similarly attired, both wearing black cotton button up shirts and custom made slacks. The only difference is that Spike’s shirt is only half buttoned.
Down the isle, he sees Buffy as she begins to come toward him. She’s a vision in her long white sundress with a single red de-throned rose held in her small hands. Her long blonde hair is loose and hangs around her shoulders in gentle waves.
Spike looks down at his son when he feels the tiny hand of his son find its way into his. They share a smile and then look back to the only woman in their lives.