Summary: A retelling of Spike and
Buffy's first meeting. Starts in early
season 2. For the purpose of the
story, Angel does not exist and Spike
is a little....different.
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: snapkik@yahoo.com
Part Thirty Five
=Making Love Out of Nothing At All=
~~~~~
"I know just how to whisper
And I know just how to cry
I know just where to find the answers
And I know just how to lie..."
~~~~~
"I feel all sticky," Buffy announced. "I'm gonna go and
take a shower."
William looked at her, with definite intent. "Can I come
along, too?" he asked politely.
She smiled. "If you promise not to spank me."
"All right," he said, holding up his hands. "I've never been
one to not admit when I've made a mistake. I realize now
that you're not the type of girl one spanks."
Buffy climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom,
with her lover right on her heels. She gathered up the
various bath gel and shampoo bottles offered by the
hotel, while William spun the knobs on the shower
and adjusted the temperature of the water.
When the shower door clicked closed behind him,
he reached for a bath sponge and the bottle of peach
scented body wash. After squirting a large portion of
the fragrant soap into the sponge, he made Buffy stand
still while he washed her from head to toe.
Although he was all business at the moment, the feeling
of the soft sponge moving over her skin was making the
hot blood rise up in her. But every time she tried to
start something, he pushed her hands away and continued
soaping her up and rinsing her off.
He was so thorough that she began to get impatient.
"You know, we weren't exactly rolling around in the
mud," she reminded him.
He grinned at her. "Sounds like fun," he said, moving her
under the warm spray. His hands slipped up and down
her soap slickened torso, paying careful attention to her
breasts.
~~~~~
"I know just how to fake it
And I know just how to scheme
I know just when to face the truth
And then I know just when to dream.."
~~~~~
Wondering if he was ever going to get down to the
real purpose of taking communal showers, Buffy placed
her hand on his chest and shoved him away.
"I don't need any more help," she said, turning around
and letting the hot water gush over her once more. "I'm clean,
now." She moved past him and started to open the
shower door.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, grabbing
her hand off the door latch.
"Out," she said. "I'm as clean as I'm ever gonna get."
He laughed and pulled her back. "Well, I'm not."
"That's your problem," she shrugged. "Grab the soap
and sponge and take care of it."
As hard as she was trying to sound serious, William
could see the little smile that kept appearing and dis-
appearing on her lips.
"Oh, I don't think so," he said sternly, tightening his
arm around her. "You stay right here."
"But I don't want to." She pushed his arm away.
"But I'm telling you to."
"You're not the boss of me," she protested loudly.
"Yes, I am," he replied. "I'm your husband."
~~~~~
"And I know just where to touch you
And I know just what to prove
I know when to pull you closer
And then I know when to let you loose.."
~~~~~
"Well," she shrugged. "Sort of."
Taking her by her upper arms, he pulled her naked body
close to his. "There's no 'sort of' about it, Buffy. I AM your
husband...in every way that truly matters."
Buffy swallowed hard, wondering if she was pushing
this too far. He didn't normally mind being teased, but
he also didn't want to be challenged about his place in
her life. She had gotten a dose of THAT reality when he
had turned on Xander and practically ordered him to back
off, then announced to everyone just who he was.
"Maybe," she said softly, unsure exactly what she was
inviting, "I don't want you to be my husband right now.."
He frowned, and his eyes briefly flashed golden anger.
"Maybe," she continued quickly, "right now I want
you to be my...my mate."
Without hesitating, he changed. His eyes became pure
gold, and his features rearranged themselves. When he
parted his lips, she saw the gleam of his fangs as they
descended. When he spoke, his voice was deeper.
"Are you certain this is what you want?" he asked.
Buffy wasn't certain of anything at the moment. But she
had started this and she was going to see it through.
Besides, there was a definite amount of shivery excite-
ment in the notion...in the idea...of being taken by him
this way.
Plus...she knew he would never hurt her, no matter
what incarnation he was in. She had complete faith in
that.
"Yes." She nodded, a little nervously. "I'm...I'm certain.
Really!" she said when he looked skeptical. "I am!"
~~~~~
"And I know the night is fading
And I know the time's gonna fly
And I'm never gonna tell you
Everything I gotta tell you
But I know I gotta give it a try.."
~~~~~
"Like living dangerously, do you?" the vampire
queried.
"Oh...not particularly," Buffy replied honestly.
He chuckled. "And yet you're standing there like
Venus on the half shell...tempting and teasing."
"Who me?"
He responded to the question by pushing her
against the tile, pinning her there with his own
body.
Then, to her complete and utter astonishment, he
made a sound she'd never heard him make before.
"Are...are you growling at me?"
Taking a grip on her wet hair, he yanked her head
back and lunged at her exposed throat.
Before she was able to process THAT maneuver,
he bit down just hard enough to break the skin, the
licked away the tiny drop of blood that had surfaced.
That slight infusion of slayer's blood empowered
him even further. He tightened his hold on her and
began to kiss and nuzzle her vulnerable flesh.
~~~~~
"And I know the roads to riches
And I know the ways to fame
I know all the rules and then
I know how to break 'em
And I always know the name of the game."
~~~~~
William suddenly scooped her up in his arms. Pushing
the slower door open with one foot, he carried her out
of the bathroom.
Buffy was surprised when, instead of taking her to the
bed, he knelt and laid her down on the floor. The carpet
was plush and comfortable, but when she opened her
mouth to say something, he hushed her by lying down
beside her and covering it with his.
All thought of protest on her part skittered away from
her like dry leaves in a Santa Ana wind. Kissing him when
he was in full vampire mode was a brand new experience
for her, and as usual, she examined each new sensation
and filed them away for later perusal.
His tongue, which was normally soft in texture, felt a
little rougher...almost like a cat's tongue. The kiss was
wetter than usual, too, so there had to be an increase in
saliva. Not unappealing. In fact quite the opposite...it was
downright juicy.
Of course, the biggest difference was the teeth. When he
pressed his lips down hard on hers, she could feel the
pressure of his elongated cuspids.
He coaxed her tongue into his mouth, and she explored
the sharp tips of his fangs carefully. Then, gathering up
all her nerve, she purposely nicked her tongue on one of
them, drawing blood.
"Mmmph," he grunted. Aroused almost to the point of
madness at the taste of her blood, he deepened the kiss
and sucked on the small wound.
Though he only nursed mere droplets from the cut,
they seemed to warm him and enrich his already
dominant vitality, feeding from her life force like an infant
taking nourishment at it's mother's breast.
It was an intimacy of the purest kind, this exchange of
precious bodily fluids, and Buffy found herself feeling
sorry for people who lived all their lives never knowing
this type of communion.
~~~~~
"But I don't know how to leave you
And I'll never let you fall
And I don't know how you do it
Making love...out of nothing at all.."
~~~~~
Leaving her slightly swollen lips, he mouthed the soft
skin of her cheeks, moistening it heavily with his
wet and talented tongue.
Buffy closed her eyes and tipped her head back as
he moved on to new territory. Down the side of her neck
he traveled, leaving a shiny, wet trail behind him.
He nuzzled her breasts with soft snarls and grunts
emanating from deep in his throat. For some reason, the
sounds he was making reminded her of the time her
Girl Scout troop had left the urban sprawl of Los Angeles
and been taken to a real working farm.
There had been a brand new litter of piglets on
display. Greedy little things that stepped on and
trampled their brothers and sisters in search of
mother's milk, they'd been unwilling to sit back and
wait for their turn.
The piglets had been making the same little
impatient "pay attention to ME" grunts that she
was hearing now.
It was exciting her unbearably, and she cupped
her hand beneath one breast, lifting it and offering
it to him.
Instinctively, he latched on to her nipple, startling
her and making her jump at the ferocity he was
demonstrating. He suckled at her so strongly that
she wouldn't have been surprised to find herself
suddenly lactating.
~~~~~
"Every time I see you, all the rays of the sun
Are all streaming through the waves in your hair
And every star in the sky is taking aim at your eye
Like a spotlight.."
~~~~~
He handled her body roughly, turning her this way
and that for his own satisfaction. Sucking and
licking and biting, he made his way down her
abdomen to her....
Oh, dear.
She was beginning to rethink her bright idea of
having "Intercourse With The Vampire."
Biting her tongue was one thing. She wasn't even
remotely interested in having him bite ANYTHING
between her legs.
If she lived a thousand years, Buffy would never
even begin to understand the appeal of having the
most personal places on one's body pierced.
Taking a shower after P.E., she'd caught quick
glimpses of girls with pierced nipples and...she
shuddered just thinking about it...labias.
Every time she saw it, she would squirm uncomfort-
ably, squeezing her thighs together, unable to
imagine how painful such a procedure must be.
She couldn't do it, she knew that for a fact. She'd
rather face down the devil himself holding a pitch-
fork with her name on it, than drop her pants and
let some stranger poke holes in places God had
never intended holes to be.
How anyone could stand it, she didn't know. For
herself, people on the other side of the planet would
hear her screaming her head off.
Body piercing, indeed. They should call it what it
REALLY was...flesh puncturing.
~~~~~
"The beating of my heart is a drum, and it's lost
And it's looking for a rhythm like you
You can take the darkness from the pit of the night
And turn into a beacon burning endlessly bright
~~~~~
She must have been unconsciously trying to slither
out of his grasp, because he tightened his hold on
her and growled, "Be still."
Wondering how hard she would have to hit him if
he suddenly decided to "claim" her all over again,
she raised herself on one elbow and patted him on
the head.
"You know, I really don't think I need that tonight," she
assured him. "I'm good to go."
William looked up at her with those hypnotizing
eyes. "I need it," he said firmly, then lowered his head
and licked her slowly from bottom to top, never
breaking eye contact.
"Oh!" Buffy inhaled sharply at the sudden burst of
pleasure, dropping back down on the rug. "All
right," she said agreeably, willing to let him do
pretty much anything he wanted...as long as he
did THAT again.
~~~~~
"I've gotta follow it
Cause everything I know
Well, it's nothing till I give it to you.."
~~~~~
That rough tongue felt indescribable as it licked
and licked and licked her into a frenzy, not
gently, but hard, and fast, and ruthlessly thorough.
Probing and licking and sucking, and he was kissing
her, kissing it and it was so good...so damn good
that she never wanted him to stop. Keep licking...lick
harder, yes..and faster and now he was inside, so
deep inside, and he was stretching his tongue to
impossible lengths. Ahhh...so good, so wonderful
and good and more, she wanted more and then there
were his teeth, they were there on her, she could
feel them and he wasn't biting, wasn't hurting at all
and oh, she would let him do this forever, as long as
he wanted to she would let him, because it was so, so
good, and God, she was so close, so close...no
don't stop...so close...oh...oh...oh...yes..yes..YES!
She came so hard that she nearly passed out.
Before she knew what was happening, her mate...her
demon lover...was turning her over onto her stomach.
He grabbed her hips, and yanked back hard until
her bottom was in the air and her cheek was pressed to
the carpet.
Without a shred of hesitation, he plunged into her,
sending his shaft in all the way with one stroke, and
with another impressive growl, an even louder one
this time. So loud that the neighbors must surely be
wondering what kind of critter she had caged up in
here.
~~~~~
"I can make the runner stumble
I can make the final block
And I can make every tackle
At the sound of the whistle
I can make all the stadiums rock.."
~~~~~
He found his rhythm quickly, thrusting in and
pulling out.
The pleasure burned in her sex, radiating out over
the rest of her body until she felt it in her fingertips
and her toes.
He felt enormous inside of her, thick and long,
stretching her to mold around his erection. Buffy
dug her nails into the carpet, feeling his strong
hands gripping her tighter with every thrust.
She whimpered with the sensation as it raced
up and down her spine.
William leaned forward then, bracing himself on
one hand and reaching for her breast with the other.
He pinched and tugged on her hard nipple, playing
with it.
His thrusts became faster and harder, and the
pleasure was coiling up inside of her like a spring.
Grunting and growling like a wild creature, he
pounded into her madly in short, hard strokes.
Buffy convulsed beneath him as her climax
raced through her, stealing all her control and free
will.
Behind her, her mate rammed in one final time,
and roared out his own orgasm.
~~~~~
"I can make tonight forever
Or I can make it disappear by the dawn
And I can make you every promise
That has ever been made
And I can make all your demons be gone.."
~~~~~
When he tumbled to the floor beside her, Buffy's
mate was gone, and her husband was there,
looking at her from azure blue eyes once again.
Then, locking her gaze with his, not uttering
one word...he told her how much he loved her.
She smiled and sighed deeply.
"I love you, too."
~~~~~
"But I'm never gonna make it without you
Do you really want to see me crawl
And I'm never gonna make it like you do
Making love....out of nothing at all..."
~~~~~
Part Thirty Six
When You Say Nothing At All
~~~~~
"It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word, you can light up the dark..."
~~~~~
He rose slowly to his feet, then leaned down and
picked her up. Carrying her to the bed, he deposited
her in the middle as carefully as if she were made of
spun glass.
She held out her arms, her body all warm and soft
and beckoning to him, tempting him to fall into her
and never leave. As he crawled in next to her, she
drifted closer.
Her little fingers touched the sharp angle of his
cheekbones, tracing them tenderly. Over the slash
of his brows, then down the strong line of his jaw.
He shuddered beneath the light touch, all his nerve
endings tingling the way they did every time he saw
her.
Cupping his face in her hands, she drew it
towards hers.
~~~~~
"Try as I may
I can never explain
What I hear when you
don't say a thing.."
~~~~~
Her lips were moist and warm beneath his,
parting to allow his tongue to caress her inner
cheeks and dance along the edges of her teeth.
Keeping his lower body to one side of her, he
framed her upper torso between his arms, laying
flat on the bed on either side of her.
She made an inarticulate sound in her throat, a
kittenish little moan that sent a thrill of love and
lust rocketing through him. The knowledge that he
was the only man who'd heard that particular
vocalization, excited both his pride and his passion.
Her arms were curving behind his neck as she
pulled him deeper into the kiss, instinctively turning
her body towards his. When she could go no longer
without air, her head dropped back and she gave him
the soft flesh of her throat to do what he wanted with.
His lips moved down, caressing the warm skin, touching
it lightly with his tongue.
When he reached the plump curve of her breast,
she gasped soundlessly, arching her back.
~~~~~
"The smile on your face
Lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes
Saying you'll never leave me.."
~~~~~
He devoted passionate attention to her breasts. The
cool wash of his tongue left them damp and aching
for a deeper touch. It swirled around her nipples in
teasing, darting patterns, making them even harder
and more sensitive.
Her fingers slipped into the silk of his hair, tightening
there and holding him where she needed him. When
she couldn't wait another moment, he sensed it, and
opened his mouth. Taking her right breast deeply in-
side, he suckled at her...first softly, then harder...nip-
ping with his teeth, soothing with his tongue.
Blindly, one of her hands moved down and guided him,
grasping his jaw and leading him to her unattended
breast, then back to the first.
He licked and sucked at her warm body, finding his
true nourishment there. Glancing up, he saw her
watching him.
Releasing her from the pull of his hungry mouth, he
kept his eyes on hers as he extended his tongue and
flicked it rapidly back and forth on the rose colored
tips of her breasts.
She stroked and petted him, offering soft cries of
pleasure as he worked over her responsive body.
When he left her breasts, he began to lick and kiss
a path downwards. Over her ribcage, then her
abdomen, his tongue slithered wetly on her skin.
Down further, still.....
~~~~~
"The touch of your hand says
you'll catch me, whenever I fall
You say it best
When you say nothing at all..."
~~~~~
She stared down at him, her breath coming in
harsh gasps.
His hands held her legs spread wide as his tongue
caressed the sensitive bud of her clit. It rubbed up
and down her dewy cleft, burrowing inside and going
in deep.
Slowly....sweetly....up and down it moved, lapping
and licking her with abandon, drinking down all the
sticky fluids she produced.
He slipped one finger up inside of her, gliding it
in and out as he sucked her, watching the look
on her face.
Her eyes were dreamy and unfocused, heavy
lidded with desire.
Trading places, he used his fingers on her clit
and inserted his tongue up inside her tight sex,
forcing it in as deeply as it would go.
She clawed at the mattress, trying desperately to
find some stable way to anchor herself to the
earth.
Then, he licked her harder, eating her like a wild
beast, gorging on her flesh...feasting...devouring.
Before she realized it was approaching, climax
swept over her, making her shake and whimper,
and tighten her thighs around his head.
All in all, it was a good thing he had no need for air.
~~~~~
"All day long I can hear
people talking out loud
But when you hold me near
You drown out the crowd.."
~~~~~
When she opened her eyes, he was on his
knees above her. His shaft was rigidly hard and
leaking semen, and he wrapped his own fingers
around it, lazily fondling himself.
She raised up on her elbows, watching him avidly.
Smiling, he moved closer, the look in his eyes
inviting her to touch him.
Her hand drifted towards him. With the tip of her
index finger, she spread the pearly drop of ejac-
ulate around the head of his impressive erection.
It was his turn to gasp, although the oxygen was
useless.
His hips moved sinuously back and forth in a
shallow thrusting rhythm. Her small wet fingers
held and squeezed him, pumping up and down his
length. When his hand closed over hers, it made
her grasp harder at him.
He closed his eyes, concentrating all his other
senses on what she was doing to his body. The
feel of her hot, little hand...the sound as it jerked him
hard and fast...the scent of his semen, mingling
with that of her arousal...the taste of his own blood
as he bit into his lower lip to keep from howling like
a wild dog at a full moon...all these things were
combining and coalescing in him, driving him to
his ultimate goal.
Her fingers began to explore deeper, pushing down
between his thighs to hold his scrotum in her palm,
weighing it and feeling the heavy mass move around
in her hand.
The teasing touch was rapidly becoming unbearable,
and he had to force himself to pull back before things
came to a premature conclusion.
He settled himself on top of her, taking her mouth in
a deeply ravenous kiss as he lifted her right thigh up,
anchoring it in the bend of his elbow.
The head of his shaft rubbed tantalizingly against her
wet cleft, and they both groaned softly at the sensation.
~~~~~
"Try as they may, they can
never define
What's being said between
your heart and mine..."
~~~~~
She sent her hands down over his shoulders,
along the curve of his spine. They caressed his
smooth skin and then cupped themselves over his
rear.
He moved his hips, urging her legs to part wider.
Without further foreplay, he sheathed himself inside
of her, sliding in all the way until their hips clashed.
They both shivered with the delicious contact, their
eyes locking on each other's.
Driving into her hard and fast, he set a pace that she
had to struggle to keep up with. She felt every thrust
of his rock hard penis clear through her, reaching so
deeply that he touched her womb.
The muscles of his rump clenched and relaxed with
his motions, and she squeezed them fondly, loving
the feel of his body churning into hers.
~~~~~
"The smile on your face
Lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes
Saying you'll never leave me.."
~~~~~
Her heart hammered in her chest as he rammed
in and slid back out of her. Faster and faster,
until he abandoned all restraint and began pounding
into her at a frenzied pace.
She raised her hips to meet every downstroke,
releasing a soft grunt with each impact of their
bodies coming together.
Mouths locked, and tongues tangled wetly in
searing kisses.
Nails dug into flesh, leaving their mark on pale
skin.
And still, he pistoned into her, relentlessly, making
a hot and slick friction that drove them both wild.
~~~~~
"The touch of your hand says
you'll catch me whenever I fall.."
~~~~~
Rolling over suddenly, he lifted her on top of him
without losing their connection.
Her head fell back until the ends of her hair
touched the fingers he had around her waist.
As he bucked his hips up into her, she rode him
like a wild pony, thrashing on top of him in a
fine madness.
She braced her hands on his chest as she slid up
and down the length of him, concentrating on the
pleasure she was giving and taking.
His hands slid down and held her hips, guiding her
in her determined quest.
A hot flush of excitement stained her skin. She
closed her eyes, pushing down harder and harder.
Faster...grinding herself onto him...the wetness
flowing copiously out of her, sticky and warm.
She was so beautiful at that moment, it made
her heart ache in his chest, made everything inside
him explode out and into her, flooding her tender
passage with a surging gush of milky semen.
The wild, rushing storm swept them both away.
Moments later, she collapsed in his arms.
He stroked the damp skin of her back, calming her.
She pulled up and looked into his eyes.
And they smiled.
~~~~~
"You say it best
When you say nothing at all..."
~~~~~ AN: Well, the song inspired me. I've never written
a love scene without dialogue before, and I wasn't
sure it would work.
Part Thirty Seven
"I don't know what it is that makes me love you so
I only know I never want to let you go.."
~~~~~
As quietly as she could manage, Buffy opened the
outside door to Willow's bedroom.
The room was dark, it's only illumination provided
by the moonlight. All Buffy could hear was a
slight snore coming from the direction of Willow's
bed.
She managed to locate her overnight bag, then
slipped into the bathroom and changed into the
over sized football jersey her father had given her.
It was difficult to maneuver without the light on,
but she didn't want to take a chance on it dis-
turbing her friend's sleep. She brushed her teeth
in the pitch black dark, only allowing a trickle
of water to dampen the brush. Since she didn't
want running water to wake anyone up, she
swallowed the mouthful of toothpaste to avoid
having to rinse out the sink.
When she was finished, she brushed her hair,
but didn't bother trying to remove her make up.
Opening the door an inch at a time in order to
avoid the loud squeak it usually made, she
tiptoed across the room and climbed into the
sleeping bag that had been rolled out for her.
Only when she was finally situated did she let
out a tired sigh and close her eyes, feeling quite
stealthy.
"Buffy?"
So much for stealth.
"Hi, Willow."
There was a rustle of bed covers as her friend sat up
and clicked on her bedside lamp.
The two girls exchanged a long measured look, each one
waiting for the other to speak.
"Where have you...?"
"Sorry I woke you..." they said in unison.
"Okay, you first," Willow said.
"No, you."
Willow didn't have to be asked twice. "Where have you
been?"
The last thing Buffy wanted to do right now was go
into the details of her evening 'post-formal', but
knowing that Willow would have covered for her if
necessary made her feel obliged.
"With William," she said simply, hoping Willow
would say, "Oh..all right, then" and go back to
sleep.
It was a long shot, and it didn't pan out.
"Um, Buffy...I hope you don't think I'm being
nosy but...when did you get married?"
**A few months ago, when my vampire lover
took a nice juicy bite out of me.**
Well, THAT wouldn't go over well at all!
"Oh, that," she said, trying to sound casual and
amused. "He kind of...exaggerated...a little. You
know how guys are."
Before Willow could comment on that remark,
Cordelia stirred on the love seat where she'd
spread her blankets. "What's going on?" she
asked sleepily.
"Buffy's back," Willow informed her.
Cordy made a face. "Buffy? You mean Mrs. Who-
ever-the-hell-he-is? THAT Buffy?"
Perfect. Just exactly what she needed at this
moment...dual twenty questions.
"I was just telling Willow that he didn't mean it
the way it sounded," she explained nervously. "It
was...things were kind of emotional."
The other two girls waited, clearly expecting Buffy
to expound on her meaning.
"I'm just saying that...well, we're not...you know...com-
pletely married like...like other married people
are...are married."
She was floundering, nearly ready to sink, and
if William had been there she'd have smacked him
upside the head and said, "Now, see what you've started!"
"So, you're not married?" Willow asked, wanting
some less confusing clarification.
"Not..not legally," Buffy stammered. "We're more
like...sort of...almost..."
"Holy shit!" Cordy interjected, her gaze riveted
to Buffy's left hand. "Is that an engagement ring?"
She and Willow joined Buffy on the floor, where-
upon Cordelia grabbed hold of Buffy's hand and
examined the diamond with an appraiser's eye for
quality.
"Buffy...that's beautiful," Willow exclaimed.
Cordy shook her head. "That's not ALL it is,"
she said. "This is a round, ideal cut, 3.00
carat diamond in a platinum setting. Internally
flawless." She looked up at Buffy. "This is a
fourteen thousand dollar ring."
Buffy stared at her hand in shock.
Willow's mouth dropped open. "Fourteen?" she
squeaked. "Not...not four maybe?"
"Trust me," Cordelia replied. "I know these
things."
~~~~~
" Cause you've started something
Oh, can't you see
That ever since we met, you've had a
hold on me..."
~~~~~
An hour later, Buffy lay sleepless on Willow's bed-
room rug. The question and answer session she'd
been subjected to had left her feeling restless, and
vaguely unhappy.
Her body was tired...worn out from the emotional
roller coaster she'd been stuck on all evening, not
to mention the physical exertions...but her mind and
heart gave her no peace whatsoever.
She had clung to William like a scared little girl
when he'd dropped her off at Willow's, embarrassing
herself when he'd had to pry her arms from around
his neck. Holding her hand firmly in his, he had
led her up the outside staircase and along the
balcony leading to Willow's bedroom.
After kissing her goodnight several times, he had
held her tightly, promising her over and over again
that he wouldn't disappear from her life, that he would call
her later in the day once she'd gotten some sleep.
Before he'd left, he had reached into his coat pocket and
extracted a cell phone he'd acquired for her before
he'd left Los Angeles. He had explained that she
had completely unlimited service and could use the
phone as much as she liked, not concerning herself
with the details of a rate schedule.
He had then gone on to show her that he'd already
programmed his own cell number into her keypad.
Pressing the little phone into her hand, he'd kissed
her once last time and turned to leave.
Buffy, an aficionado of great romance in both novels
and film, hadn't taken her eyes off him as he'd walked
back to where his car sat idling at the curb. She
could literally feel her heart hurting inside of her as
he'd driven away.
He had been gone for so long...she had just now
gotten him back...and now he was gone again. And
even the knowledge that he had only gone as far
as the hotel offered no consolation.
Her thumb rubbed absently over the diamond
in her engagement ring. She had nearly wet her
pants when Cordelia had announced the probable
cost of the gem.
Buffy had known, of course, that the diamond was
real. She just hadn't expected to hear how expensive
it must have been. The only good jewelry she'd ever
owned up until this point had been the birthstone ring
her parents had given her when she'd graduated from
middle school, and the opal earrings her grandmother
had bequeathed to her in her will.
Although she hated the idea of taking the ring off,
even for an instant, she was going to have hide it
from her mother; who would have an absolute fit
if she discovered that her daughter had accepted
such an expensive piece of jewelry from a man she
herself didn't even know.
Buffy rolled over to lay on her stomach, her hands
shoved up under the pillow.
She missed William so badly that she wasn't sure
how she was going to live through it. When he'd first
been gone, the missing had been sharply painful, like
a piece of glass slicing into her tender flesh. After a
while, it had turned from that into a dull, throbbing ache
that was never completely absent, though she'd been
able to cover it up most of the time.
But now, knowing that he was so close, the ache
was becoming unbearable.
And if it was this bad now...how much worse would it
be as the days rolled by? They'd had so much freedom
to be together when her mother had been out of town.
He could come to her house then and stay for most of
the night. It had been almost like she'd imagined marriage
would be; two people going about their separate days,
then coming home to be together all evening and night.
They wouldn't have that luxury anymore. Their time
together would have to be carefully planned and would
be limited to what she could reasonably expect to get
away with. There would certainly be no overnight visits,
unless she could convince her mother that she was
spending an awful lot of time with Willow. That meant
that she'd have to pull her friend into the deception along
with her, and it wasn't something that Willow would be
proficient at. Keeping secrets and being sneaky just
wasn't her best event.
Besides, it wasn't fair of her to expect it of Willow. And
she hated the idea of constantly lying to the mother
that was so good to her.
God....what were they going to do?
~~~~~
" It happens to be true
I only want to be with you.."
~~~~~
Her fingers brushed against the cell phone she
had pushed under her pillow. Drawing it out, she
held it in the cupped palm of her hand.
Her eyes were drawn to the keypad.
She had to talk to him. Just hear his voice.
If she could do that, then she'd be able to get
some sleep...she just knew it.
Sliding out of her sleeping bag, she crept
across the room and went out onto the balcony.
He wouldn't be asleep. Probably not, anyway. Even
though it was nearly 4:00 in the morning.
And even if he was, he wouldn't be mad at her
for calling. He never got mad at her. No matter what
stupid thing she did, William was always tolerant
of it, always accepting and usually amused.
She keyed the number and listened to the
sounds of her call going through.
It rang twice before it was answered.
"Why aren't you sleeping, sweetheart?"
Buffy smiled, leaning against the balustrade.
"I don't know," she said. "I just can't seem to
fall asleep."
William chuckled softly. "Neither can I. I
miss you, love."
All of Buffy's pent up emotions began to gush
out in a torrent of words. "Oh, William...I miss
you, too. It's worse than ever...even though you're
back...just a few miles away. It's hard to have you so
close and not...not be with you. I NEED to be with you.
I'm...I'm so afraid that..."
"Afraid of what, love?" he asked, concern audible in
his voice.
"I don't know!" she wailed. "That's the problem. I'm
afraid of something that...that I can't identify."
"Buffy...listen to me..."
"What if I wake up and it's all a dream?" she went
on, not even hearing his words. "I had that dream, you
know...while you were gone. A bunch of times. And..and
every time I woke up...you weren't there."
"Baby...I AM here now. I promise you...I'm not going
anywhere. Just...just look at your ring. Are you wearing
it?"
"Uh-huh," she sniffled. "But what were you thinking, buying
something so expensive?"
"I...what?" Her sudden segue made him laugh. "Are you
telling me you DON'T want me plying you with expensive
jewels?"
"Well, not exactly," she said. "That would just be stupid."
"Listen, love," he said quietly, "I intend to drape you with
diamonds on a regular basis, or any other gem that you
prefer...so you'd best get used to it. Now...look at your
ring....are you doing it?"
"Yes," Buffy replied, staring at her hand with tear filled
eyes. "It's...it's so beautiful," she added, taking in and
releasing a ragged breath.
"Well, that's my promise to be here," William said. "I'll
be beside you forever, love. It's just you and me now. And
nobody is ever going to come between us."
~~~~~
" It doesn't matter where you go
or what you do
I want to spend each moment of the
day with you.."
~~~~~
Buffy nodded, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't
see her.
"Buffy? Sweetheart...talk to me."
"I know," she said quickly, the tears beginning to spill
down her cheeks. "I really do. It's just...just..."
He was quiet for a moment, then said, "Buffy...honey,
are you crying?"
She swallowed hard, wiping her face on the back of
her hand, feeling like a great big baby. "Maybe..." she
began, her voice wobbly, "maybe a little. I'm sorry."
There was a moment of utter quiet between them
before he spoke.
"I'm on my way."
~~~~~
" Look what has happened
With just one kiss
I never knew that I could be in
love like this
It's crazy, but it's true
I only want to be with you..."
~~~~~
Part Thirty Eight
Smile
~~~~~
" Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking..."
~~~~~
He ran every red light and stop sign between the
hotel and Willow's house.
When Buffy had called, William had been on the
verge of calling her. Only the discipline he'd forced
himself to acquire when he'd first realized that he was
going to have to change his ways if he wanted to stay
a part of the slayer's life kept him from picking up the
phone.
Lying in a bed he'd only ever shared with her, felt more
like lying on a bed of nails. The mattress was plush and
comfortable, and the bed linens were soft and warm,
and scented of her...but he needed her beside him to
feel truly at peace. As he'd stared up at the dark ceiling,
he'd made a decision regarding his future living arrangements;
as soon as it was possible to accomplish, he was going
to have to find a house for them to eventually live in together.
This hotel was simply too full of distracting memories for
him to remain there alone.
Tossing and thrashing about in an effort to find a comfortable
sleeping position, he hadn't been able to focus his waking
thoughts on anything but Buffy. Even after their mutually
pleasurable reunion...all four encounters...he was still starved
for her; for the taste of her lips and the warmth of her arms,
for her tender touch and the bite of her nails, for her girlish
laughter and her passionate cries.
When he'd heard the soft burring of his cell phone, he knew
instantly that it was her, and that she was feeling the same
yearnings he was experiencing.
What he hadn't take into account was the intensity with
which she was feeling them.
He really should have known. Buffy was very young and not
experienced in hiding her feelings. When she was happy, she
smiled and laughed. When she was angry, she stamped her
foot and her eyes flashed with fire. When she was sad, she
cried....no one knew that better than he did.
After leaving her at her friend's house, he had tormented
himself all the way back to the hotel with the image of her
sweet face and her frightened eyes...the way she had clung
to him, begging him without words not to leave her there.
It had been difficult, but he'd had no real choice in the
matter. If she hadn't shown up at a fairly reasonable hour,
her friends would have sent up an alarm. Her mother would
have been called, and no doubt the police department would
have become involved at that point, since the woman had no
way of knowing that her daughter was more than capable of
taking care of herself.
It would be difficult enough to gain her mother's acceptance
of him as a suitor for her sixteen year old daughter. He had
no illusions of being welcomed with open arms by a prospective
mother-in-law. Joyce Summers would see him as a grown
man, far too old to be pursuing a teenage girl in her third year
of high school.
He couldn't take a chance on alienating her, at this early
stage of the game, by keeping Buffy out all night when she'd
been instructed to go home with her friend.
Still, it had almost broken his heart when he'd had to
forcibly pull Buffy's arms from around his neck and make her
go inside. He didn't want her any farther away than the reach
of his hand, and he'd felt as though he was deserting her all over
again.
Kissing her one last time, he had turned and walked purpose-
fully back to his car, not daring to look back and lose all of
his hard won resolve.
~~~~~
" When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by..."
~~~~~
She had sounded quite brave at first. Her voice had
been bright and slightly amused at her own weakness.
After sharing a mutual confession of inability to sleep
though, it had changed in tone.
When she had finally admitted that she was afraid
to be apart from him, afraid that their reunion would
turn out to be a figment of her imagination or a
shattered dream, he'd felt the first touch of his own
fears returning. He'd been determined to conquer those
fears, both his and hers, by assuring her that he was
back now, and that nothing was going to separate them.
For a moment, he'd thought he'd been successful. When
he'd told her to look at her ring whenever she was feeling
sad or uncertain, and she'd responded by taking him to
task about the expense, he'd laughed and teased her.
But the light moment hadn't lasted long. He'd heard the
amusement disappear from her voice, and he'd braced
himself for what he feared was coming next.
Then...she had begun to cry. Not loudly or plaintively,
but he knew...as sure as if he'd been standing there
with her...that it was happening.
And he couldn't bear it.
He'd already been the cause of more unhappiness than
she deserved to have thrust upon her, and he had sworn
to himself that...when he had her back...she would never
have reason to cry because of him again.
So, his course had been clear. She needed him, needed
him badly enough to cry for him...and he had to go to her.
It was as simple as that.
~~~~~
" If you smile through your fear
and sorrow
Smile, and maybe tomorrow..."
~~~~~
William pulled up to the curb and slammed the car
into 'Park'.
Buffy was sitting on the little balcony that ran alongside
her friend's house, dangling her legs over the side. With
her fingers wrapped around the railing, she peeked
through two of the slats, watching him as he crossed
the large expanse of lawn.
He couldn't being amused by what he saw. She'd obviously
tried to repair her tear streaked face without going back
inside, and had used the sleeve of her nightshirt to do it
with. There was a streak of black mascara smeared on
the maroon cotton, and her eyes looked smudged.
The sight touched his heart, and he smiled at her.
"Well, well...if it isn't Juliet," he said. "You've strayed
awfully far from Verona, my lady. Are you expecting some-
one?"
Buffy sniffled and gave him a watery eyed smile. "Well,
I was waiting for Romeo...but I guess you'll do."
She sounded cheerful enough, but in the next moment
she jumped to her feet and pelted down the stairs.
William met her at the bottom of the staircase, wrapping
her in a tight embrace as she catapulted into his arms.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice muffled against his
throat.
He just shook his head. "Oh, don't be, angelface," he
said firmly. "Don't you ever apologize for needing me." He
tightened his arms around her, nuzzling her soft hair. "It's
the sweetest thing I've ever known."
Buffy clung to him even more. "But I made you come all
the way back here."
"No...you just gave me an excuse," he told her.
A few moments went by before she released her iron
clad grip on him and moved back a little, looking up into
his eyes. She looked as though she had a lot to day,
as if she'd been rehearsing a lengthy speech of ex-
planation for her needy behavior.
"I...I just missed you," she said haltingly. "It was awful.
It actually hurt...right here." She placed one hand over
her heart.
He nodded in complete understanding. "For me, too,"
he said, stroking her hair tenderly.
Buffy placed her hands on his cheeks, drawing him
down into her kiss. Her chaotic emotions seemed to
be guiding her, making her a little more aggressive
than she normally was. Her tongue crept from her
mouth and slipped past his lips, searching for his.
"Buffy," he murmured, when she pulled away to
draw breath. Needing to maintain contact, he kissed
and nuzzled the side of her face and down her throat.
When he located his mark on her skin, he licked
it gently, making her inhale sharply and shiver a little.
He pulled back, looking at her with concern. "Are
you cold?" he asked, rubbing his hands up and down
her arms.
"Cold?" she echoed. Afraid he might order her back
into the house, she denied it. The grass felt un-
pleasantly damp and chilly, and she shifted from
one foot to the other. "What makes you think THAT?"
William glanced down at her moving feet. "Because
either you're cold, or you need to go to the bathroom
very badly," he observed.
Two crimson flags appeared in her cheeks, but she
giggled at his remark.
"That's much better," he said, smiling back at her.
~~~~~
You'll see the sun come shining
through, if you...."
~~~~~
" Okay," she admitted. "I'm a little cold...but please
don't make me go in the..."
Her voice trailed off as he shrugged his coat off
and bundled her up in it, guiding her arms into the
sleeves. He looked her up and down, delighted
with the picture she made standing there in a
garment that was far too large for her petite frame.
Shaking the sleeves down to free her hands, Buffy's
ring caught on the inner lining and ripped it.
She froze in place, staring up at him, her eyes
growing wider and wider. "Oh, no. I'm sor..."
Watching the changing expressions on her face,
he knew what was coming and he decided to
head it off.
"Don't," he said, pointing one finger at her to
emphasize the word.
"Yeah, but I tore the..."
"Ah-ah." He shook his head seriously.
"But..."
"I mean it, Buffy."
She subsided, and he watched her, counting
it down in his head. **Five..four..three..two..**
"I'll pay for the..." she burst out, inevitably.
Grabbing her around the waist, he lifted her
off her feet. "Fine," he said, laughing and squeezing
her until an 'oomph' came from her abdomen. "I'll
bill you."
~~~~~
" Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness..."
~~~~~
Buffy smiled widely when she got her air back,
ready to try and join in his fun. "Will you take
a check?" she asked.
"Depends," he replied. "You got any I.D.?"
She shook her head, no.
"Then you're out of luck. Pay up."
"Actually," she amended, "Xander got me a fake
one once from this guy he knows who makes them,
but it said I was forty-two so I figured I'd better not
try and use it."
William didn't even want to imagine what kind of
lame-brained idea that stupid boy may have been
cooking up that required identification.
Shaking off his irritation, he kissed Buffy again,
projecting into it every bit of love and desire, and
the unending need for her glowing presence in his
life...and in his heart.
She returned it all to him in full measure, holding
nothing of herself back, surrendering willingly to
him.
But try as she might, she couldn't dismiss a feeling
of impending sadness when she remembered that
the sun would be rising soon.
He would have to leave...and she would have to
stay, and that knowledge made her throat ache with
tears she was determined not to give in to.
Holding him to her, she saw the same emotions in
his eyes.
~~~~~
" Although a tear may be ever so
near
That's the time you must keep on trying.."
~~~~~
"Baby..."
Buffy nodded, a jerky movement of her head. "I
know," she said, swallowing that ache that was
strangling her and straightening her spine when he
set her on her feet.
She wasn't-wasn't-WAS NOT going to make this
harder on him by acting like a child. Smoothing the
wrinkles that her fingers had made in his shirt, she
took a deep breath. "I'm okay, now...and you have to
go."
He knew her far too well to accept THIS at face
value. Cupping her face in his hands, he tilted it
up and made her look at him.
The tenderness in his eyes totally decimated her
" I'm just fine, thanks" facade.
Tears shimmered, blinding her for a moment as
she tried to blink them away.
~~~~~
" Smile...what's the use in crying?"
~~~~~
Misery swamped her, taking her down before she knew
what was coming.
Pressing her cheek against his chest, she shut her
eyes tight.
"Oh, God," she whispered. "William...what are we going
to do?"
Keeping her close, he kissed the soft crown of her
hair....and told her.
"We're going to get married."
~~~~~
" You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you'll just smile..."
~~~~~
Part Thirty Nine
I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You
~~~~~~~~~~
" Moon so bright, night so fine
Keep your heart here with mine
Life's a dream we are dreaming.."
~~~~~~~~~~
" Go inside and get your things," William said,
giving Buffy a slight nudge. "We'll leave right now.
Driving straight through to Mexico, we can be there
by early evening."
Buffy smiled hugely and turned to run up the
staircase, his coat dragging on the steps behind
her. Halfway up, she stopped and turned
around, looking down at him with a dismayed ex-
pression.
"Problem?" he asked.
"Well," she said fretfully. "Maybe a small one. I don't
think my mother will let me get married just yet."
He gave her a shrug and a shake of his head. "I'm
sure she won't. That's why we can't stop and ask her
permission." He came up the steps after her. "Buffy,
you can't tell your mother about this until it's over."
Staring at him with wide eyes, Buffy wrung her hands
together. Another secret to be kept from her mother.
Another lie to add to all the ones she'd already told
her...both necessary and not.
But, there was a larger problem than that particular
one. Her mom had been planning imaginary weddings
for her almost from the day of her birth.
Joyce and Hank Summers had married young, just
barely out of school. Parental disapproval had forced
them to sacrifice any hope of a huge, splashy wedding.
Instead, they had eloped to Las Vegas, and their marriage
ceremony had been performed in a faux wedding chapel on
the strip, right next door to Circus-Circus.
Everything had been fake. The flowers provided
were plastic and in serious need of dusting. The music
was canned and tinny, emerging from a cassette player
that kept sticking. They'd purchased their rings in a
pawn shop, cheap gold bands that had been left there
by some unlucky gambler in need of funds and never
reclaimed.
Even though the couple had gone on to lead a happy
life together for several years, Joyce had never really
forgotten the seedy chapel that had carried a slight smell
of vomit and Lysol, an aroma left over from the extremely
nervous and very drunk couple who'd exchanged vows before
them.
Her parents had always planned to renew their vows, to
do it properly when they could afford it, but the marriage
fell apart and the dream died with it.
Joyce had told Buffy this sorry tale more than once over
the years, promising her that when the day came for HER
to marry, the wedding would be everything she herself
had always wanted, but never achieved.
~~~~~~~~~~
" Race the moon, catch the wind
Ride the night to the end
Seize the day, stand up for the light.."
~~~~~~~~~~
Now, history was repeating itself.
Logically, Buffy knew that her wedding would be a
far cry from what her mother had experienced. William
would see to it, and would probably spend a small
fortune to make it so.
The ring on her hand was proof of that.
He would find some exotically beautiful location,
would outfit her in a gown meant for royalty, and
would buy every flower in the country of Mexico,
never counting the cost.
But the cost would be exceedingly dear, all the
same. Emotionally as well as financially.
Buffy didn't even want to imagine the look on
her mother's face if she were to suddenly drop
out of sight, then reappear with a husband in
tow.
William's voice jolted her out of her gloomy train
of thought.
"Darling...we have to leave now. The sun will be up
soon," he said, urging her up the stairs.
She had never felt so completely pulled in opposite
directions.
On the one hand, there was nothing she
wanted more in the world than to be properly married to
her lover. Just the thought of being Mrs. William
Hamilton was enough to make shivers of pure
happiness chase through her.
Then there was the other hand. The one that was
waving a frantic S.O.S., telling her that setting this
plan in motion would have repercussions that she'd
never dreamed of and was not prepared for.
The question was, which hand should she listen
to?
It was an agonizing decision, one which would
bring her to tears any moment now, she just knew it.
**This is SO not fair! Why does being an adult
about things have to be so hard?**
Not knowing which way to turn, she began
unconsciously throwing up road blocks.
"I'm not exactly sure how this will work," she said,
gazing at him appealingly. "I don't think you'll be
able to pass a blood test."
William smiled at her. "That's why we're going
to Mexico. We won't need them."
"Oh. Okay, that's...good." She climbed another
step, then stopped and turned back around. "Will
it be legal?"
He nodded. "Mostly."
"But not totally?"
"Well, sweetheart...I AM a vampire. I'm not up on
all the necessary criteria for getting married, but I'm fairly
certain that both parties have to be alive."
"I suppose that's best." Another step...and another
halt. "A license! What about a license?"
"We'll have one," he assured her.
"Yeah, but..."
"False papers." He supplied the answer before she
could finish the question.
Buffy was surprised. "You have those?"
"Mm-hmm," he replied. "I update them every few
years. They aren't hard to get, if you know the right
people."
"Really?" She swallowed hard. "Which papers do you have?"
William leaned against the railing. "Birth certificate. Pass-
port. Medical records. Whatever I need to conduct
business in your world."
"Business?" Buffy asked. "You have a business? What
kind of a business?"
"Financial business, for the most part," he explained. "I
have a lot of money. I can't carry it around with me, or
stuff it in a mattress. Now," He looked at her speculatively. "Tell
me why you're stalling."
~~~~~~~~~~
" I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do.."
~~~~~~~~~~
" Stalling?" she asked, sounding as though she couldn't
believe her ears. "Who's stalling? You think I'M stall-
ing? I'm not...really. I'm just...I'm..." She ran out of steam
and had to fess up. "I guess I'm stalling."
William sat down on the step, taking her hand and
pulling her down beside him. "Buffy," he said earnestly,
kissing her fingers. "I love you very much. I always
will. As far as I'm concerned, you're already my
wife."
He smoothed her hair back from her face. "I know
it's hard to wait. But we're going to have a long life
together, baby. I swear I'll make it happen, whatever
it takes."
Buffy scooted closer, then climbed into his lap
without waiting to be asked. His arms wrapped
snugly around her, and he nuzzled her hair.
"I'm not going anywhere," he went on. "And when
you're a bit older, we'll talk to your mother and
make sure she knows that I'll take very good care
of you."
~~~~~~~~~~
" Heroes rise, heroes fall
Rise again, win it all
In your heart, can't you feel the glory?"
~~~~~~~~~~
The relief on her face was almost comical, and
he had to struggle to keep from laughing.
William had never had any intention of whisking
Buffy out of the country for some quickie marriage on
the other side of the border. When the time came for
them to be married in the eyes of society, he was
going to make sure that his bright eyed princess had
a dream wedding, the sort of extravagant gala befitting
her beauty.
But, he'd had to make her understand that such
things were worth waiting for, and that they would have
all the time in the world together before they made a
final commitment.
Being older and far more experienced, he knew that
once she felt secure in his re-appearance in her life,
her fearful anxiety would begin to taper off.
Then, in another year perhaps, when she was seventeen,
they would be married.
There was nothing in the world that would stop it from
happening.
~~~~~~~~~~
" Through our joy, through our pain
We can move worlds again
Take my hand
Dance with me...."
~~~~~~~~~~
"William?"
"What, baby?"
"Were we really going to Mexico tonight?"
He smiled against her soft hair. "If that had been what
you truly wanted, we'd be on our way now."
Buffy sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "I
want to marry you. I want us to be together all the
time...but I want my mother to be there when it
happens."
"I know you do." William eased her off his lap and tugged
her to her feet. "Now...you go inside and get some
sleep. I'll call you this afternoon and we'll make plans
for tonight."
Buffy handed him his coat. "Tonight?"
He nodded and cupped her chin in his hand. "I think
it's time you introduced me properly to your mother,
don't you?"
She looked worried and relieved at the same time.
"Yes. I've told her a lot about you, but...I'm just afraid
that she'll think you're too old for me."
William had been concerned about that as well. He'd
given the problem sincere consideration and had only
been able to come up with one possible way of dealing
with it.
"Buffy," he said hesitantly, pulling his coat on. "I think
maybe it's time to tell your mother everything."
Her head jerked up, and she stared at him with her
mouth slightly open. "Everything?" she said, her
voice squeaking with alarm. "You mean...everything?"
He knew what she was thinking, and he quickly
spoke to calm her. "No. Not everything about us, love.
I'm certain she's not ready for that," he said, rubbing
his hands up and down her arms. "I meant that it's time to
tell her that you're not an ordinary sixteen year old girl."
Agitated, she ran one hand through her hair. "Actually,
it might be easier to tell her everything about us," she
said doubtfully.
"Baby, you can't keep it from her forever. I think that if
she knows how special you are, she might not be as
worried about...other things."
Buffy sighed heavily. He was right, as he always was. The
only way she would be able to be with him required total honesty
on her part. She would have to sit her mom down and....
"Will you be there with me?" she asked, hanging on
to his arm. "When I tell her? Please?"
He pulled her into his arms. "Of course I will. You think
I'd let you go through that alone?"
Buffy burrowed her own arms beneath his coat, wrapping
them snugly around his waist, and pressing her cheek
against his chest. "Thank you," she whispered.
William smiled and tilted her face up to kiss her.
"You're welcome."
~~~~~~~~~~
" I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do
I will want nothing else to see me through
If I can spend my lifetime loving you..."
~~~~~~~~~~