Chapter 31

"Let's get you out of these clothes, hmm?" Spike suggested as he went to task. They were once again tending to wounds in the bathroom. Lately it seemed they spent as much time doing that as they did making love, the latter was definitely preferable.

"You have a one track mind," she replied as he pulled her shirt over her head and off, but he didn't respond to her teasing. Even when he unclasped her bra and peeled it from her body, he made no gesture that could be construed as sexual in any way. Instead he had a resolute, serious look on his face that was threatening to become and outright scowl. Buffy stood there and let him undress her and then pull her bathrobe over her and do up the sash."Are you okay?"

"M' fine..." He ran a wash cloth under cold water and wrung it out before coming near her face with it,"This'll hurt, the bruises go pretty deep." She hissed in pain and then whimpered as he cleaned her face, being especially careful around her blackening eye."I think it's too late to slow the swelling, the eye might close overnight. It'll be mighty uncomfortable, do try and not take it out on me..." He laughed a little at his own comment, but it was forced and it turned into a sigh.

"Spike?"

"Yeah, love?"

"When Glory beat you up....what did you do after...after I came to your crypt I mean? We didn't see you for days, not until I asked you to take Dawn into the caverns...."

"What did I do with the closed up eyes and battered body? Pet, I lay there in the same spot you left me and tried to sleep when the pain dulled enough to let me. You'll be back on your game in no time, so your eye's black, your lip's split and your cheeks are all mashed - you took on a hundred hell beasts and fought off an angel - and you're still the most beautiful thing on earth."

"What did you do after I beat you?"

"Buffy...sweetheart, now's not the time."

"What did you do?"

"Buff....fine...for one I barely made it back to m'crypt before the sun came up - you were almost rid of me. And I spent most of the time sitting downstairs in the corner like a wanker with a bottle whiskey wondering how the bloody hell I could help you to save yourself. If you're wondering, I wasn't angry with you, I was scared for you." He finished applying iodine to the broken spots of skin, her hand nearly breaking the counter it grasped as she worked through the pain.

"Karma's a bitch."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean I think this is the universe trying to send me another message, letting me walk a mile in your shoes, well your face. I'm sorry I ever hurt you."

"Don't be sorry, ancient history. You want some dinner? I kind of fancy a big greasy pepperoni pizza and lots of beer."

"I love you."

"Yeah, I know you do."

"The pizza sounds good."

***

Dawn and Spike had a mini battle over the last piece of the pizza, but Dawn's doe eyes and pleading gaze melted the vampire worse than the mozzarella and she won the rights to said slice. Still in her robe, Buffy had situated herself across Spike's lap, laying down and looking fondly up at him. His free hands rested about her upper body, massaging away sore spots, and rubbing her tummy where she'd taken a particularly hard blow. The climb down from the climax of the final fight with Xuxael had been pleasant, just the three of them being a normal family. Buffy sighed and closed her eyes, blindly reaching for and pulling the throw that hung on the back of the couch over her bare legs. She snuggled in against Spike, nuzzling the better side of her face against his stomach. Dawn watched from her vantage point across from them in the armchair as the vampire continued to caress her sister's stomach while look down upon her quiet, bruised face with a empathy and tenderness she'd rarely seen in all her time as a human being. An idea, a daydream, came into Dawn's head and she couldn't help but smile openly at the prospect.

"Hey, I have a question," the teenager suddenly piped up. Both Spike and Buffy turned there attention to her and were somewhat puzzled but the look of odd happiness she'd donned.

"Fire away, nibblet," Spike answered.

"If you could, would you guys ever want to have a baby?" Both of them were jolted from their relaxed, complacent positions. They sat on the edge of their seats, dumbfounded,"I'm serious....if you could would you want to have a baby together?" Spike and Buffy turned to look at each other, seeming to actually conjure scenarios in in their minds. Spike ran his fingers lightly over her exposed knee and caught the glimmer of hope in Buffy's eyes.

"Yeah," Spike whispered, but then changed his tune a split second later,"No sense bringing up stuff like this, Dawn, I'm no good at giving babies...I'm dead, remember? I don't mind you askin' this once....but don't talk about it again..."

"Buffy?"

"Dawn..." Buffy began,"There are a certain amount of things I know that I have to give up for being with Spike....normal things like having kids. But I'm okay with that....he's worth giving those things up for. Sure there'll be times when it's gonna hurt....but...."

"You all think way to linear....hello, all powerful CREATION tool here. I'm saying if your two ever wanted a lil' vampire or a lil' Slayer I think I can make it happen....not being in the room kind of make it happen, 'cause like ewww, but I'm pretty sure I could work a little magic in your favor! And I wanna know if you'd want me to?"

"Could you make it work five or six times?" Spike mused.

"Spike! Hold your horses there....I think one is overwhelming enough to think about!" said Buffy.

"You know what I'm like when I get obsessed with an idea......think you could magic m'up some twins? Triplets!?"

"Dawn, you've created a monster. Maybe someday....when we can afford it.....thing of it is..."

"I can make money too....out of thin air even.....I was practicing earlier! It's so neat....I'm gonna try and make a porsche tomorrow! Once I get a real handle on all these powers I'm gonna be so awesome! And don't give me it's wrong speech...do you really want to keep working at the Doublemeat?" Dawn reasoned.

"I guess not...."

"And since I'm on a roll.....you two should also get married, you should go to LA and laugh in Angel's face about it - serve him right for ignoring me the whole time he was around. Oh! oh! and track down Riley and really rub his nose in it! Like even get all hot and heavy in front of him......what else? Oh! I wannt go visit Giles in England....then I wanna check out Paris! Shopping!!!....." Dawn continued to spout out her wish list, while Spike and Buffy turned back to each other, Buffy sliding on to his lap.

"So what do you say, Slayer? Wanna make brood of Lil' Bads with me?" he asked. She caressed his face and pressed herself close on him.

"Absolutely....someday, until then....lotsa practicing...."

Chapter 32

"Hello, yes....my name is Rupert Giles...from the....the.....I'm the undertaker here to retrieve the body....of.....I can't believe she's made me do this...of Mr. William Summers," Giles stammered out with great difficulty to the airport official, shuffling the forms he'd brought with him in order to go through the proper channels to receive the coffin Spike had stowed himself away in for the trip across the Atlantic. A week previously he'd received a late evening phone call from Dawn, who within the first ten seconds managed to greet him and tell him they were coming to England next Friday. It wasn't until the laughter he heard in the background had died down and Buffy snatched the phone from her sister did he learn just who they included.

"Giles!" Buffy exclaimed, her giggles fading. Giles was certain he heard heavy breathing on the other line, but deduced that it wasn't coming from Buffy when she continued talking and the heavy breaths continued."Guess Dawn told you we're coming to visit?"

"Yes...the first words out of her mouth after eeeek Giles. I must say this is rather good news, you haven't written and we haven't spoken....since all the unpleasantness came to a head with Tara's death. I'm very much looking forward to seeing you, but are you able to afford the tickets, do you have your passports in order?"

"No problem on the funds...passports arrived today, but I need huge favor."

"Of course, name it."

"Can you meet us at the airport?"

"Naturally, I'll be there to fetch you."

"Cool, but there's more....think you can swing some forgeries and stuff - for picking up a coffin."

"A coffin you say? Why on earth are you travelling with a coffin."

"Well the layover in Iceland is a problem, they're making us get off the plane for an hour and it'll be right in the middle of the day. He's not too thrilled about it either, but the guy in that movie managed okay.....I just have to promise to put a nice care package in with him so he doesn't get bored."

"He?"

"Frank Langella......Love at First Bite."

"No....no....who's in the coffin?"

"Duh Giles....Spike." At which point a definite growl was audible on Buffy's end and then more giggles from Buffy.

"Spike.....Spike? Spike's there with you now?"

"Yes....beast that he is....Spike, honey.....stop that! I'm trying to talk to Giles...Spike...oh Spike...."
 

"Buffy.....dear me.....Buffy?"

"Un-huh?"

"What's he doing there?"

"Nibbling on my neck actually...."

"Oh god!"

"Oy, allo Watcher," suddenly Spike's voice came over the line,"How's home sweet home? Prolly raining, innit?"

"Spike...."

"That's me..."

"What are you doing at the house?"

"Sorry?"

"What are you doing at Buffy's house?"

"Living in it? Though presently I'm making my sweets their breakfast, eggs n' bacon...but Buffy's not really all that hungry, she already had a protein drink this morning, didn't you love?" Lastly there was the clear crack of someone's hand on someone's face, then Buffy returned to the phone.

"Sorry about that....I swear one of these day I'm going to have to force some manners into him."

"Buffy....I don't understand...."

"Didn't Dawn explain? She said she would...."

"No, she most definitely did not. Perhaps you would be so kind to."

"Okay....how's about this - I'm probably gonna marry him......Giles? You there? Giles? I think he fainted."

As Giles was lead towards the Special Baggage Claim center he massaged the lump on his forehead, gotten when he had indeed fainted upon hearing Buffy's revelation about her and Spike. The coffin was rolled out on a conveyor belt of sorts and then halted before a crew of four squirrely looking men."Allo....you come for him then?" one of them asked in a broad cockney accent, he sounded like even more of a degenerate than Spike.

"Yes...yes.....Mr. William Summers' remains," Giles replied, his knuckles rapping on the fine wood of the coffin."Just toss it on the trolly, no need to be gentle, not as if the dead care about comfort and such." The four workers picked up the coffin and started to carry it over to the transport that was to take it to the hearse Giles had procured. The men moved in unison, Spike laid out on their shoulders in his box, that was when Giles saw the blessing the Powers That Be obviously thought he deserved. Giles made as if he were walking to keep up with the men, but on the sly he stepped on the loose shoelace of the lead men causing him to trip and the head of the coffin to hit the ground as all control was lost. Giles smiled inwardly, proudly when he heard a familiar bloody hell as well as a stupid git coming from inside.

A short while later the hearse pulled away from London - Heathrow with Buffy, Dawn, Spike and their luggage stuffed into the back. The sisters and Giles sat along side the coffin on the bench seats while the driver guided them towards Bath. Once the partisan was raised between the front and back and the black curtains on the windows drawn tightly shut, Buffy immediately went to task at unlatching the sides of the coffin and tossing back the lid. Spike quickly sat up and started to bend and stretch his legs, grumbling and groaning from being restrained for so many hours.

"You sure made a mess!" Dawn observed, looking over the disarray of his diskman and CDs, books, scattered Doritos, a flashlight and other in flight occupations.

"Not my bloody fault, he made them drop me! On my head!" Spike accused, pointing at Giles. Dawn and Buffy turned wide eyed to stare at Giles, the smirk he sported fading quickly.

"Giles!" Buffy scolded, the Watcher had no defense against the trembling of her lower lip. Returning her attentions to the maligned vampire she wrapped his arms around his head and cradled him against her breasts. She pressed kisses into his blond hair while stroking his temple with her thumb. Spike warmed to her soothing touching, nestling close as a baby would."Do you have a headache, sweetie?" He nodded and put his arms around her waist, sighing and relaxing, but making sure to shoot Giles a smug look. The Watcher tutted his tongue on the roof of his mouth and rolled his eyes, swooping off his glasses in order to satisfy the nervous habit.

"Aren't they the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" Dawn beamed.

Chapter 33

The natives were becoming restless, and Bath was still half an hour away. Dawn had stretched herself out in the coffin and was humming along to one of Spike's CDs as she listened to the diskman. Here eyes were closed and her foot tapped in synch with the beat. Meanwhile Giles sat a respectable distance away from Spike and Buffy, who were seated next to each other, holding hands and staring mindlessly into each other's eyes like lovesick teenagers. The relative silence of the car ride was suddenly interrupted by a fierce rumbling emanating from Spike's stomach. Buffy giggled and gave his tummy a rub, which irked Giles to no end.

"Is your thermos empty?" she asked eyeing the object that lay at Dawn's feet.

"'Fraid so, pet, finished it right after take off.....now I'm all growly....don't like rumblies in my tumbly...." His insipidly cute childlike talk made Giles' face twitch yet somehow compelled Buffy to roll up the sleeve of her blouse and offer him her wrist.

"Buffy you can't be serious!" Giles began to protest, but before he could get another word in edgewise Spike's demon face appeared and he'd sunk his teeth into the Slayer. Giles cried out and even visibly recoiled, while Buffy simply lulled against Spike in some sort of ecstatic thrall."This is absolutely abominable! Buffy you are the Slayer....inviting him into your home is one thing but this is insanity!" Spike cast his yellow eyes at Giles in general annoyance and then gave the coffin a good hard kick, snapping Dawn out of her music induced trance. The teenager bolted upright and took off the headphones.

"Are we there yet?" she asked, then noticed Spike and Buffy, her sister's free hand massaging Spike's neck, Dawn smiled at them and held her hand to her heart. "I hope I get to be in love like that one day."

"I pray not," Giles replied.

"Dawn," Buffy spoke,"Tell Giles what you found out about yourself....."

"Oh yeah! Giles it's so cool! I'm a screwdriver!!"

"You're a what?"

***

The remainder of the time spent in the back of the hearse consisted of Giles being told the tale of all that had occurred since Spike had come back into the Summers womens' lives. Giles was loathed to admit it, but if it weren't for Spike's timely return and perseverance Buffy would no doubt have been helpless against Xuxael. And as Giles' time in the couple's company progressed he began to take note of the subtle nuances of their closeness. As the story of the fallen angel was fleshed out, Giles noticed how the vampire tuned every breath he took to speak in perfect flow with Buffy's; how when she spoke Spike's eyes stared at her lips; when Spike talked Buffy closed her eyes and listening; each other's fingers were constantly tracing patterns over some part of the other's body. Not to mention a litany of coy smiles, loving caresses, prolonged meetings of their eyes. Giles had to admit it, it was true love for the vampire and the Slayer. He'd need a drink, to play Quadrophenia very very loud and then a nap just to get over the epiphany.

The driver of the hearse had been instructed to take them to the Hornby Brothers' Mortuary and Undertakers, the empty coffin was unloaded and Spike slipped away without being noticed as night had just fallen and he blended with the shadow and the black of the car. Giles brought his own car around once the luggage, and the women had taken their seats, Dawn in the front and Buffy in the back. The former Watcher contemplated speeding past the vampire, but one quick look at Buffy reflected in the rearview mirror searching expectantly for Spike, he slowed and stopped. Spike flopped down in the back seat and saddled up almost on top of the Slayer. With one arm around her shoulders, Spike turned into Buffy and sunk his mouth down upon hers. Definite giggles were audible from the back seat, though muffled under Spike's mouth and roaming hands.

"Not that I'd expect to be considered," Giles spoke up to no one in particular,"But in my own car, is it really necessary? I am due some respect, am I not? After the trouble I went to arranging....." He stopped talking when it was clear both Spike and Buffy were ignoring him utterly.

"It's okay Giles, you just need to get used to it...I brought extra earplugs," Dawn explained.

"Earplugs? Why on Earth would you need........oh dear Lord in Heaven.....that's....."

"It's sweet and I'm glad their so happy and so in love, but seriously, sometimes the whole damn house shakes...."

"Perhaps they'd....um.....be more comfortable in.....in....a hotel or a Bed and Breakfast?"

"I don't think they care where they do it......cemetery...hood of his car.....the roof of the house...."

"I think I'd be more comfortable with them at a hotel...."

Chapter 34

It was decided after all that everyone was welcome to stay at Giles' house. He'd recently moved from the flat he'd rented upon first returning to Bath to a duplex that was actually quite large by way of comparison. His severance package from leaving the the Watchers was tidy indeed and abled him to purchase it outright. Presently Giles had employed himself in dealing with magical antiquities, travelling off to the corners of the planet to retrieve them, not to mention the usual rounds of taking out demons and vampires when he came upon them. Dawn likened him to Indiana Jones upon his telling of it. Furthermore he still had his hand in the Magic Box and had received word from Anya that she was coming around and would not fail him in their partnership.

Spike took it upon himself to carry all the bags in from the car, Buffy casting glances back over her shoulder at him to make sure he was managing alright. He took his time making his way up the walk. Despite being encumbered by all the suitcases, he felt envigored and even a little alive. There was something remarkable about being back to the place where he was born. Bath wasn't London, but it was England, an entire country full of magic and history for him to show Buffy. He had every intention of taking her to the places they'd fantasized about, especially his favored North Wales. The vampire's attention was abruptly snapped towards Giles' front door when it opened of its own volition and both Buffy and Dawn cried out. There leaning in the doorframe with a bright smile on her face, and hair like the flames of a midsummer bonfire was Willow. The three women ran, meeting on the steps and pulling each other into tight embraces, tear abound. Giles came back over to Spike and alleviated his burden by taking some of the luggage.

"You're a rare breed, Watcher...." Spike ruminated,"And good at keepin' a surprise under wraps....Red been here long?"

"A couple of months....almost since she left Sunnydale.....flew here, literally....she came to me broken and barely holding on to sanity, her soul.......the magic had almost complete control, she almost wasn't herself.....almost. She had enough strength to want help and to ask for it."

"She looks healthy.....like her old self...."

"She is, she's come a very very long way with the help of a Wiccan Priestess I went to school with. Willow has learned how to use her magic in service of the Goddess, doing good.....I dare say she has been reborn."

"I don't think I've ever seen Buffy look so happy....."

"I have.....not an hour ago in the back of the hearse when you brushed that stand of hair out of her eyes and then oh so nauseatingly and playfully flicked her nose, then kissed it. As much as it pains me to admit it....Spike, listen, I've know Buffy since she was barely 16 years old and I couldn't love her more if she were my own daughter, but your love for her astounds me, truly. When I watch her looking at you I know that no man will occupy her whole heart the way you do, she loves you and therefore I am indebted to you for her happiness."

"What say we leave 'em be for a while....pop down to your local for a pint.....or three?"

"Capital plan...."

***

Dawn snored as she lay sound asleep, drugged by jet lag, on one of the two twin beds in the room that Willow had occupied since coming to stay with Giles. The room that was decorated suitably to Giles' combined style of deco furniture with a bit of California Mission and illuminated by the dim bulb of a beside lamp. Willow and Buffy both lay on their's sides, facing each other and talking very much like they had early on in their friendship, when they'd had slumber parties just for two. Buffy had listened in silence to Willow talk over hooded eyes to everything that had occurred since she disappeared from Sunnydale. She seemed like the old Willow again, although certainly wiser, older and even perhaps sagely, like an old oak that had grown another year and its bark tougher for it.

There was a sadness about her friend, still obviously in mourning over Tara, but reconnecting with Buffy and Dawn pulling her to a new plateau on her path to becoming whole. The house was deafly quiet, the occasional creak giving Buffy a start, but Willow quite at home with all the eccentricities of Giles' abode. The laughter of the two girls was soft and brief, observing how strange it was to be where they were considering how they started out so many years ago. Buffy lay back and stared at the ceiling, knowing now that Willow's story was finished and it was time for Buffy herself to answer questions the most obvious being,"Spike," Willow stated as a matter of fact.

"Spike," Buffy sighed, drumming her fingers on her stomach.

"Gotta say, never quite saw that one coming...the second time I mean. The first was kinda understandable....you needed something to make you feel, so you could learn to want to be alive again."

"And Spike loving me with blind devotion fit the bill, for a little while."

"Then you started to hurt him when it stopped working...."

"And then he left and then I realized that hurting him hurt me.....but not because I felt pain, but because he did and I didn't want him to hurt....because I loved him.....but he was already gone."

"But he came back and now it's all good, right?"

"It's very good, better than I deserve, but he thinks he's the lucky one."

"That's how it's supposed to be, you both think you don't deserve each other - when you look at him you thank your lucky stars and even when he leaves bloody lumpy weetabix chunks in the kitchen sink you still get butterflies in your tummy just thinking about fangy kisses."

"More like condors....I love him so much Wills, it's insane and I can't get enough....and it doesn't matter what he's doing, even when he's only painting his finger nails black! Just to be near him....can you imagine?!"

"Yeah....I can."

"Oh I'm sorry.....I didn't mean....."

"I miss Tara, I love Tara.....and, and maybe all I get is the time she and I had together, maybe I meet someone new...I'm not ready to know yet. Seeing you happy like this is better than ice cream with cookie dough chunks for the soul, maybe bringing you back wasn't the worst thing I ever did?" Buffy reached across and hugged her friend.

"Thank you for bringing me back Willow." When they parted the young witch was in tears and soon so was Buffy. It was then that the sound of footsteps was distinguished coming up the stairs. There was a light rapping on the closed door before Spike opened it and peaked inside.

"Allo ducks....we're back.....hey, Red," Spike spoke quietly.

"Hey Spike," Willow replied, looking fondly at him.

"I'm gonna turn in.....you two'll be chattin' to mornin' I expect....so....yeah......" He closed the door behind him and Buffy turned back to Willow, here eyes asking permission.

"Go....go have yourself some Spuffyness..."

"Spuffyness?"

"Spike+Buffy=Spuffy....."

"Very cute, Will."

"Yeah well....I'm getting some of that old Willow back aren't I?"

"Yes you are...she'd been gone for some time, I've missed her."

"Me too."

Chapter 35

Spike groaned as his head hit the pillow in the incredibly soft double bed in their guestroom at Giles'. The room was pitch black and cool, the quilt he'd pulled up only so far as his waist was heavy and hard to move under. But he was comfortable and content, alcohol warming his blood and thoughts of Buffy warming other places. He and Giles had talked over their beers, about England, the Slayer, and what the years each had on the Scoobies meant when considering the years to come. They talked about Spike's responsibilities to Dawn and Buffy now that he'd established himself in their lives. But they also shared a few laughs, a few memories, and a few stories of Buffy's more embarrassing moments on patrol, just the lighten the mood. All in all a nice time, maybe even the beginnings of a friendship.

At any rate, Spike was just appreciative for the bed, the darkness and the coolness in the air. He felt sleep coming fast, when unexpectedly the door opened and she slipped inside the bedroom. He could smell the freshness of her, her nighttime routine complete and her skin clean and warm, hair brushed out silken smooth. These were all the subtleties about her he'd come to cherish, the things she probably never gave a second though to.

She tried to be silent, so not to wake him, but off all the paths to walk she chose the one where he'd put his boots. She tripped and banged her knee on the dresser, muttering stupid vampire under her breath. He smiled, and watched her with the clear night vision his eyes possessed. She undressed, letting every last article of clothing fall in a different spot on the floor. Finally coming to the bed she crept in between the sheets next to him, relaxing just as he had minutes before. Spike reached across the few inches that separated them to lay a hand on her shoulder."Thought you were asleep..." she whispered. He crawled over and layed half his body on top of her's tucking his head under her chin and wrapping an arm and a leg around her, snuggling down close.

"Almost."

"Did you and and Giles get along alright? He's not still giving you a hard time is he?"

"Me n' the Watcher are on good terms....sort of, I'm to be staked if I ever hurt you."

"Naturally."

"But I'd stake myself first if I ever hurt you. Mmmm....you smell divine, love....I could lie here like this for-bloody-ever....."

"Me too.....jet lag's taking hold...sleep....need sleep....can't sleep when you suck on me like that....." Spike had affixed his mouth around the pert tip of one of her breasts, gently applying a deep pressure with the vacuum of his mouth over it."Spike....Spike we can't....everyone's sleeping....we'll....mmmmm...OH!!" He released the nipple with a tug and a pop, surprising her and sending a flurry of arousal through her entire body. Spike chuckled and bit at the skin of her torso.

"Then we'll do it real quiet like..." Considering it had been almost 24 hours since she'd last had him, Buffy wasn't about to refuse, however did move her body about to test the strength of the bed, happy to find it didn't creak and didn't budge an inch."Don't fret, pet, we'll be good to the furniture." He moved like a snake slithering across sand dunes until he settled himself atop her. He took her hands in his, lacing their fingers together, and held them above her head."M' not too heavy?" She shook her head then craned her neck up to kiss him, capturing his tongue with her's and drawing him down. They melded their mouths into a deep, consuming embrace. When she felt him grow hard against her, she drew her thighs apart and he slipped inside her with ease. At the moment of joining each moaned into the kiss, then pulled their mouths apart."Remember, love....quiet....."

He surged against her slowly, never moving out of her, only pushing forward then relaxing. Buffy let out tiny gasps, trying to best not to cry out or even scream, which is precisely what her body was compelling her to do."Talk to me....."

"Yeah?"

"Yes....tell me how much you love me....."

"Can't you fell how much I love you, my beautiful Slayer?" He pushed forward hard, grinding against her and making her entire body arch as he both stimulated the engorged protrusion that was her clit and at least two different spots inside she hadn't felt before. Tears sprang from her eyes over the ecstatic pleasure of it,"Want it again, pet?"

"God yes...." He repeated the action and her voice hitched as little more than a squeak in her throat. She shuddered and even sobbed a little, this time felt different than all the rest, as if he'd melted through her skin and had taken up residence inside her body with her. He continued the drive into her, remaining sheathed to his hilt and making sure he stroked every nerve of her passage."Spike! I....I'm...." He kissed her again to cover her screams when she reached her climax. Spike stopped moving altogether when her inner muscles began to clench around him with such ardor he imagined she'd break him off. Buffy felt the coolness of his orgasm spread to her womb before he fell upon her.

They resisted coming to their senses, wanting the ephemeral nirvana to last, but eventually calm came to their bodies and clarity to their minds. Spike made motion to move off her but Buffy stilled him by wrapping her legs around his hips."Stay....stay inside me all night....." she breathed into his ear. He complied and lay his cheek against her's and released her hands, for them to hold each other.

"I'm gonna marry you...."

"Are you now?"

"Mmm hmmm...next week, we're gonna get a car and drive up the that place I told you about, remember?"

"I remember....Betsy Coed or something...."

"No, sweets, Betwys-y-coed....we'll find someone to marry us....then make love under the stars like I promised...."

"You'll be mine forever? My husband...."

"I already am, love....always was......"

***

It was just a little before sunrise that Dawn snuck inside her sister and Spike's bedroom. The room was dark and she could barely even hear Buffy's breathing, but she could see the shape of their two bodies, Spike on top of Buffy with the blankets surrounding them. If Dawn had learned anything since her awakening to her true nature it was to trust her instincts implicitly and they were telling her not to wait and that now was the time. Everything about right now was perfect. The Key of Creation walked to the side of the bed and raised her hands above the sleeping lovers and let the magic flow from her. They were bathed in a soft green glow for just long enough for a conception to occur, and then everything was still and dark again. Dawn backed away towards the door, but turned around just for a moment to smile at them,"Congratulations on your twins, Spike," she whispered before leaving them in peace.

The End