Chapter 11

Spike lay content and comfortable in the bed he so often shared with the Slayer as he sensed the sun rising. He was flat on his back with Buffy spread over top him, her head resting comfortable on his shoulder. She had wakened before him and crawled over him, having become used to the silence of his body when he slept, no breathing, no heartbeat, it put her a such ease. When he'd wakened shortly after, he'd wrapped his arms around her, pressing their naked bodies firmly together. Now Buffy had embedded her elbows on either side of his head and stroked his hair as she dropped little gossamer light kisses all over his face. He kept his eyes closed and reveled in the sensation of being cared for, cherished, no woman had ever behaved with such tenderness towards him, not even Drusilla. They spent hours tangled and wild, bodies joined and writhing; first on the couch downstairs, then over and over in the bed they now lay in, proving how deep they were with each other."Moments like this...makes it kinda hard to believe that there's anything outside these four walls? That strange things from your past have to be dealt with and that my father wants to take Dawn away from us.....doesn't it?" Buffy asked as she continued to touch him.

"Yeah," he barely whispered.

"I wish this day didn't have to come....I wish..."

"Me too, love....me too...." He pushed her hair behind her ears and trailed his hands down to massage her shoulders,"As far as Polly goes...I'm going to first find out what she remembers, I don't think she even knows that she's a banshee...then I'll figure out what to do with her."

"You could call Giles....this is just the kind of thing he'd love."

"I can here him cleaning his glasses already.I just need to make Polly understand that I'm not her keeper, and definitely not her fiancé.....that I'll be a decent fellow and help her along, but then that's it."

"That's a little harsh don't you think? She is pretty helpless."

"She's not just a banshee, love, she is a demon...that is what they are....she could be very dangerous if she wanted to be. That's how the other one got away from Angelus and Darla, let her human and demon side work together...the monster and mind...scared the hell outta me....sent Dru into a real spiral. I'll tell you the truth of it, pet, I'm not behaving all soulish because I care, I'm doing it because that's the sort of bloke you like me to be...my motives are selfish, Polly's not part of the pack."

"The pack?"

"Yeah...you, me, nibblet, Red, Tara, Xander, Anya, even Giles.....we're like a pack of wolves...we don't all love each other, we don't all get along, but we're a gang...we protect each other and look after each other. I don't care about anyone outside of the group...the Scoobies are m'family."

"Somehow that's incredibly profound.....you do have your moments."

"Few and far between though, am I right?"

"More and closer together than they used to be. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure love......as long as it's not math...." He laughed at his own joke, but stopped when Buffy didn't laugh with him.

"Who was Jane? Polly thought Dawn was Jane last night." Spike turned his head and became oddly pensive,"Spike?"

"For all of her 16 years before she died, Jane was my lil' sis..."

"You have a sister!?"

"Had.....had a sister......till Darla got a little peckish one night and wanted something young and innocent. Came back to the hotel room we were boarding in with this new brooch, it was Jane's.....I knew, I just knew." Buffy looked shocked and sympathetic, which only served to compound his feelings of regret. Knowing no other way to diffuse the situation he grabbed for her and kissed her, just a little too hard. However he was offered no resistance from Buffy who held firm to his shoulders as she began to rock her hips against his. Buffy raised herself up from her elbows and broke away from his languid kiss, Spike mirrored her actions and sat up to feast on her naked breasts, drawing her nipples into taut points with manic sucking and skillful kneading with his hands. She pushed him back to the bed and moved her legs until she straddled him. Spike virtually melted at the sensation of her wet heat sitting right on his washboard stomach. Soon Buffy felt his hardness against her back. She put her hands on his chest and slid herself back to lower herself down on him. She was tense at first, taking his girth and length, but once he was sheathed in her completely she just let herself go and started to grind against him. Spike placed his hands on her thighs began to push back up against her. It didn't take her long to pick up her pace and she began riding up and down on him, just heading for glory."Buffy.....arrgghhhh....you're killing me woman!" He didn't think she even heard him, instead she started moaning but then suddenly all motion and sound stopped when they heard a faint gasp and the sound of someone falling to the floor. Frantically pulling the covers around them, Spike and Buffy saw the bedroom door was wide open and Polly had fainted.

Chapter 12

"Oh god!" Buffy moaned as she hit her climax, momentarily forgetting that they'd been caught in a compromising position. Spike could do nothing but let her orgasm propel him to his own. She collapsed against him as they both tried in vain to recover enough to deal with the unconscious girl at their door.

"Oh great....another youth traumatized by the sight of walking in on you two having sex," Dawn spoke as matter of fact, coming upon the scene,"You really gotta learn to lock this door." Dawn started dragging Polly into the hall,"Finish what you were doing, I'll take care of this one....do we have any liquor......Giles said he needed several bottles after he caught you."

"Close the door already!" Buffy ordered. Once they were alone again, Spike burst out laughing."What's so funny!!? The poor girl's probably scarred for life!"

"I was just remembering the look on ol' Rupert's face when he came down into my crypt that day, he'd come to say cheerio after his visit and found us stark naked with me on your back and you telling me what a big bad I was....think of it this way, love, we're already in clear as far as the engagement thing goes!"

***

An hour and a half later Spike and Buffy made their way downstairs, he'd somehow persuaded her to indulge in another round before they'd taken their showers and dressed for the day. Buffy had reasoned that they were having entirely too much fun and pleasure whilst involved in such tumultuous conflicts, however she quickly shut up when he suddenly tossed her back to the bed and climbed on top of her. They descended the stairs together, skin still tingling and heated from the the shower's water and the residuals of many hours making love all night and this morning. Dawn came from the kitchen and rolled her eyes at them as they took the last steps.

"Mornin' nibblet...how's....." Spike began.

"You're off the hook, she doesn't remember a thing...wish I could say the same. I lent her some clothes, been catchin' her up to like a hundred years of why what she was wearing last night wouldn't fly....also gave her the gist of living in the 21st century....I don't think she gets it....she's not stupid is she?"

"No, platelet, she was actually one of the highest rated students at the Renfrew Women's College....nevermind...I'll, uh, work on getting her caught up...Willow's dropping you at school?"

"Come home right away though, hopefully we'll be able to figure out some stuff about dad during the day, and I think it's important that we start eating dinner together n' stuff..." Buffy explained.

"No prob.....can Spike make fajitas??"

"You're on, bit size, nice n' spicy....make your tongue rip itself from your mouth just to escape the torture."

"Awesome!"

"Lovely...." Buffy added,"I'm not making a beer run in the middle of dinner like last time, Spike."

"Relax, pet...I'll take care of everything."

"Ready to go, Dawnie?" Willow asked as she also came from the kitchen,"Spike, Buffy....I think Polly's repressing her memories nicely this morning....I set her up with some tea and toast...you two have your work cut out for you....and Spike, when you have your talk with your number one fan, you might want to clue her in to the fact that although we do like you fine, we would not, and I quote 'walk through fire for such a man...a most valiant knight who strives bring any lady her Camelot'...it was making me queasy."

"Right...sorry, Willow....she's uh....Victorian...they tended to be a lil'...."

"We noticed...see you this afternoon, I might have some info to help with the Mr. Summers thing."

"Thanks....have a good day you two," Buffy added. Once Dawn and Willow left Spike knew it was time to face the music, he wasn't sure however if having Buffy present was a good thing or not."Okay, William....stretch your neck, time for the gallows."

"Slayer....."

"Come on...." She pushed him into the kitchen and was met with them same off-putting smile that Polly always greeted him with, as if he'd just descended from Heaven, carried on the wings of cherubs. Dawn at given her a full-length denim skirt and a high buttoned white blouse to wear, wise choice."Good morning, Polly, sleep well?"

"Oh yes, very much so, thank you. Miss Dawn's very kind and generous. Miss Willow prepared the morning meal for me also....I owe your family a debt of gratitude, however...I have yet to be introduced to your mother and father."

"Well, that's not really possible....my father doesn't live with us and my mother...she's dead...it's just the four of us here."

"That's terribly tragic, please accept my condolences. Four you say? Have you another sister besides Dawn and Willow?"

"Willow's just a friend, love....Buffy's referring to me," Spike clarified.

"I might have know, William, you're too gracious...lodging with these young ladies and taking care of them. Why I'd wager you've probably done your gentlemanly duty and lined up a few courters for your charges!"

"Is she serious?" Buffy spoke under her breath. Spike scratched the back of his head, trying to find a way to get through to Polly that the rate she was going she'd probably get a healthy dose of Slayer attitude if she didn't tone things down.

"Polly...we need to have a discussion, perhaps you could join me in the living room..." Polly scrunched her face in confusion and Spike clued in to her lack of postmodern language,"The parlor....this way." Polly left the remains of her breakfast and gaily went ahead of Spike to the living room. Once she was alone Buffy let a shudder overcome her body, the woman was already grating on her last nerve and she'd barely spent more than an hour with her. She kept an ear on the goings on in the living room while she went to fix herself breakfast and get Spike is morning cup.

Chapter 13

Spike sat in his favorite arm chair after he'd guided Polly to a seat on the couch, from where she still smiled at him as if he were the greatest thing on Earth. He found it very odd coming from this girl from his past. He'd caught similar smiles from Dawn, Buffy....even the other female Scoobies on occasion; but those times had been innocently random and truly genuine...little pearls of memories he'd always cherish. Coming from Polly they made him feel self-conscious, he knew it was because she made him feel just like William and nothing like the man he now was."Polly...I have to ask you a few questions and I need you to be as clear and honest as you can...think you can manage it?" She nodded and crossed her hands in her lap."When you saw me last night you asked where my spectacles had gone....that my hair was different....look at me, how I'm dressed...the black shirt, trousers, these dusty old boots....m'finger nails, painted up black.....the rings....this isn't how I dressed when we last saw each other. Dawn said she explained a few things...like the year....do you know what year this is?" Polly was clearly agitated, fidgeting.

"She said it was the year 2002 and that I was now in the state of California in the United States of America."

"That's right...do you suppose there's a reason as to why we're both here when we're from 19th century London...do you know how we got here?" She shook her head and cast her eyes downwards. Buffy joined them in the room and saw how distressed the young Victorian was and for the first time felt sorry for her.

"Spike?" Buffy uttered, coming to his side and handing him his mug of freshly heated blood. He accepted the offering and brushed his finger over her's as he took it from her and smiled appreciatively.

"Ta, love."

"Spike....I have a query....this morning Dawn repeatedly referred to you as Spike and not your proper name, William...why is that so?" Buffy gave Spike a pointed look, then an encouraging one before taking a seat in the other armchair.

"Right....we've established that it's 2002...and we're no longer in England...thing of it is, my name is Spike now, that's how people know me....I haven't gone by William in over a century....but if it makes you comfortable you don't have to call me that."

"It does, thank you...I'm very confused...."

"Polly...it's on natural," Buffy offered,"But you're not alone, we're your friends and we can help...we deal with this sort of thing all the time." Polly sniffled and started to tear up, smiling appreciative at Buffy.

"Ah....ah....no tears....not allowed!!" Spike blurted out,"It...the banshee..."

"Oh!" Buffy cried, searching for a way to change the subject,"Polly.....um...."

"Wait....I got it!" Spike leapt from the chair and over to the bookshelf, running his fingers over the volumes that belonged to Joyce. Plucking one from middle he started to furiously flip through the pages,"Ah! Knew was here....Morning and evening..Maids heard the goblins cry: "Come buy our orchard fruits, Come buy, come buy: Apples and quinces, Lemons and oranges, Plump unpecked cherries...Polly do you remember?"

"I remember, William....you're absolutely precious....I shant cry...I shall listen to you and remember...."

"I don't get it..." said Buffy.

"It's a poem, Buffy love....I think I've still got the talent for tellin' if you want to listen...." He crooked his head in just a way that said clearly that the reading would be for her and not Polly, quelling and jealousies that might be threatening to spark in her."Morning and evening...Maids heard the goblins cry: "Come buy our orchard fruits, Come buy, come buy: Apples and quinces, Lemons and oranges, Plump unpecked cherries- Melons and raspberries, Bloom-down-cheeked peaches, Swart-headed mulberries, Wild free-born cranberries, Crab-apples, dewberries, Pine-apples, blackberries, Apricots, strawberries-- All ripe together In summer weather-- Morns that pass by, Fair eves that fly; Come buy, come buy; Our grapes fresh from the vine, Pomegranates full and fine, Dates and sharp bullaces, Rare pears and greengages, Damsons and bilberries, Taste them and try: Currants and gooseberries, Bright-fire-like barberries, Figs to fill your mouth, Citrons from the South, Sweet to tongue and sound to eye, Come buy, come buy....

Evening by evening...Among the brookside rushes, Laura bowed her head to hear, Lizzie veiled her blushes: Crouching close together In the cooling weather, With clasping arms and cautioning lips, With tingling cheeks and finger-tips...." Spike was about to be swept away by the prose when a serious knock pounded at the door, surprising all of them. Buffy was snapped out of the poetic bliss Spike's impassioned reading had lulled her into. She rose to the door and opened it apprehensively.

"Good morning Ms. Summers....I'm Mrs. Pare from Social Services....."

Chapter 14

The moment Spike heard the words escape the mouth of the woman at the door he went into damage control mode,"Polly...would you do me a favor...take the book and go to Dawn's bedroom for a while....Buffy and I have important business to deal with just now..."

"Oh course...is everything alright?" He didn't reply, but quickly ushered her to the stairs, hopefully unnoticed by the social worker.

"Mrs....Mrs. Pare? Come in please," Buffy replied with a shaky voice. Spike gave the woman his most polite smile as she walked past him into the living room. Buffy looked like she was about to cave and without second thought he stole a kiss and gave her all the confidence she needed. Mrs. Pare had taken a seat and seemed to be examining the suitability and cleanliness of the home. Spike and Buffy sat back in their seats and looked over Mrs. Pare, middle-aged, well put together, very professional.

"Let's start the first of our scheduled meetings...." Mrs. Pare announced.

"Scheduled? I thought this was a surprise visit...." Buffy asked.

"We had an appointment..."

"I'm sure we didn't....I would have remembered."

"Strange....your father assured us he'd discussed the schedule with you..." Buffy stiffened in anger.

"He did no such thing...I'll be honest and say I'm pretty sure it as deliberate."

"Now, now...we should go making accusations..."

"He never told me, Mrs. Pare."

"Buffy's not lyring....no one ever told us," Spike spoke in support of Buffy. Mrs. Pare looked over her files for a moment then back to Spike.

"My notes from my meeting yesterday with Mr. Summers indicates that you are Ms. Summers' boyfriend and you're named Spike...why don't we begin with you then..."

"Me? What about me?"

"Well, Spike...."

"It's....uh....William actually....William Bainbridge...just friends, like Buffy, Dawn....they call me Spike...."

"Do you mind if I call you Spike then? If that's your preferred name..."

"Fire away then, ducks."

"Well, seems how you have an active role in Dawn's life, we'd like to create a profile on you...the kind of person you are will help us determine if Ms. Summers here is capable of making intelligent decisions about her sister's welfare." In the past Buffy would have gone into a panic about having to explain why she'd chosen Spike, explaining the fact that the initial reason was that he was a demon in the sack, literally, probably wouldn't have flown with Social Services. However in the time since they'd started over, he'd proven himself innumerable times."Let's start with the basic....your true name is William Bainbridge and you're British?

"Yes....Lon....London, northern part...Knightsbridge...."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-six."

"Your educational background...did you finish High School? Go on to University..."

"Both...degrees in Ancient Languages....Greek, Latin n' such....also one in English Lit and Poetry...and Monarchical History.....and a smattering a music appreciation." Buffy's eyes widened in shock as he ran off all these lofty claims, then it dawned on her what he was revealing, all his past as William, something he'd never shared with her before.

"That's extremely impressive...I think you're owed an apology, I'd made an assumption based on Mr. Summers opinion of you, his description and I'm finding you to be a nice, well-educated young man." Buffy almost burst out laughing at the shy smile that spread itself across Spike's face, rarely had a person ever taken the time to see him beyond the first impression.

"Yeah...just 'cause a bloke looks like a hooligan, listens to hard music.....paints his bloody fingers black...it doesn't mean he can't have a good education under his belt....good head on his shoulders, take care of the people he loves...."

"I couldn't agree more.....what do you do for a living then, if your determined as you say to take care of Dawn and Buffy."

"As in job? Job.....right, well....thing of it is..." He searched his mind desperately to explain how it was that the Watcher's Council paid him a small wage for aiding Buffy in her Slayer duties after agreeing finally to pay her a salary.

"You do have a job do you not....though I'd expect you to be there now..."

"Job....right....well, it's a little difficult to explain....it's not quite conventional...Buffy and I, we work for this company, in England...we're sort of consultants.....yeah, that's it...into....into the paranormal, you know ghosts, poltergeists n' such....Paranormal Investigators..."

"Paranormal Investigators?" Buffy buried her face in her hands, she didn't know if she should laugh or cry.

"Right....like Ghostbusters, but without the outfits and nuclear accelerators, oh and that spiffy floating green sidekick...."

"That's.....that's truly fascinating!" Buffy was surprised once again, was this woman actually buying Spike's story? "My sister swears there's someone in her house....pictures on the walls get turned upside down, she'll put her keys down and then find them later in the cupboard....and she swears that sometimes it crawls into bed with her...."

"Sounds like a Class 5 free floating plasmotransgraphic entity....cheeky lil' buggars...won't hurt yah, just royally piss you off and generally annoy...."

An hour later Spike and Buffy said goodbye to Mrs. Pare, Spike promising to come and investigate her sister's house one day. After closing the door Buffy turned to him and rolled her eyes,"Paranormal Investigators?"

"What? She bought it!"

"You're insane.....you still have to get proof for all those degrees you laid claim to."

"Watcher boy will swing the forgeries...it's not like it was a lie."

"You're amazing, you know that?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his sparkling blue eyes,"Imagine our luck...the only social worker in town who's sister's being haunted and who's husband idolizes Sid Vicious....you charmed her, Spike."

"Did didn't I? You charmed, Slayer?"

"Oh yes...." He mouth descended on her's with tongue poised to slip inside. The kiss was deep and wet as they momentarily forgot they weren't the only ones in the house. Buffy gave a little hop and wrapped her legs around his waist, rocking her pelvis against his, while his hands kneaded the backs of her thighs.

"William??" Polly called from upstairs, quickly dissipating any desires for romance between vampire and Slayer.

"Duty calls," said Buffy.

"Tonight, pet...after patrol, we'll have ourselves a moment...or two."

"Better make it three."

Chapter 15

The day had been spent primarily educating Polly about the 21st century, yet somehow they'd avoided the conversation about the fact that both Spike and Polly were other than human. Half the time it seemed that Polly understood that over a century had passed since she'd seen Spike and everything was different; but then she'd become confused over simple conventions like the concept and science of a tv and flip out. Once Dawn arrived home from school she and Polly disappeared upstairs, giving Spike and Buffy a much needed reprieve from what was becoming increasingly more like a babysitting gig. Beyond that they were all too aware that they were behaving like oversexed teenagers and that despite trouble coming at them from all sides there was a deep seated, insatiable lust between them. Buffy had decided that day that when the mess with her father and the one with Polly were over, that she'd give him a night all to himself where she'd tell him she loved him too. She heard it every day from him and it pained her to see that each and every time after there was a moment when he was expectant and begging to hear it back from her.

The fleeting hours when they went on patrol had become solely theirs, with only the occasional ripple in their quiet walk together, in the form of an unlucky vampire. For the most part this night's patrol had been temperate and quiet, solemn almost, by virtue of the fact that Willow had as of yet been able to turn up any dirt on Buffy's father. At present they walked through a not often visited cemetery, by either vampires or the dead. It was pretty much abandoned, one of the oldest and unkempt of Sunnydale's graveyards. Spike knew Buffy had chosen to take this route simply because they likely wouldn't run into anyone or anything, they could be alone. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair."Y'alright, love?" Spike asked, giving her arm a playful nudge. She smile back and shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah....I'm fine, just a little fed up. We've had, what? About a month of normalcy, our kind of normalcy and bam....blown all to bits. I'm just sick and tired of being sick and tired. I want quiet."

"It's quiet now."

"I want more than a couple of hours.....I want days, weeks, months.....years! I want to go home and not have a house guest, not have my father lurking in the proverbial shadows. I want to spend hours alone with you and not have to feel like time is running out or any second we'll be interrupted...I'm tired of living on the clock."

"That's alot of wants.....what about needs?"

"You, Dawn, my friends."

"Well, you've got those, love...the way I see things, getting your wants on occasion is a gift from the Powers."

"I still want them."

"Me too, love. Buffy, you do understand that Polly's really not going to be with us forever, right? As soon as I figure out how to tell her what the bloody hell we are without bringing out the demon in her...also need to figure out just when she became one....might help to get her back on track. I'd like to tell you about it all....my past, if you want to hear it?"

"I'd like to...there's much more before you met Drusilla I take it...about what drove you to accept her offer...besides Cecily."

"Yes, Cecily was just a part of it...she was the last straw. Jane and Polly were friends, they met through our mothers at the Wingfield Society, which was basically a way for bored well-to-do wives to spend their time - charity, social programs n' that sorta rot. They also went to school together. The circle our family belong to was about 20 or so families from Knightsbridge to Chelsea and they'd all throw parties or gatherings and we'd all come.....men would talk business, women about their charities or the monarchy, the young men and women would suss each other out....you get the drill. Polly latched on to me through Jane because we both loved Lord Byron's poetry...and all the younger girls, younger than Dawn would sit around whilst I read....had groupies, I did. Of course I wanted to join in with the lads n' talk cricket or politics...but I just....I was a wuss, a pithy lil' nothing who was more content in the corner with m'adoring fans. Polly and I talked nicely to each other, she was a bit older than the other girls, 15 I think. A few times I'd walk with her out to this old oak on her property and read to her there....she liked Christina Rossetti....it was a bit naughty, closest William ever came to it. This went on for months...then one day my father calls me into the den and informs me that at tonight's party I'm to propose marriage....I did, then promptly left the party and went out to another one across London where Cecily was...it was the older crowd I longed to be a part of...you know the rest....met Dru that night and m'whole bloody life changed."

"Wow..."

"You see, don't you? I never loved her.....I won't ever love her...."

"Is that what you're thinking? That I'm worried you'll leave me?"

"I've seen you looking at her, you don't like her...and I act all poofy around her....like some soft spoken git...like William."

"It's not you I'm worried about...it's her, she acts like you're her's and that if she didn't have to cling to her manners and Victorian lady persona, she'd jump your bones in a New York minute." Spike scoffed at her and rolled his eyes,"It's true, Spike...women know these things, especially about each other, especially when there's a man involved. She wants you, and she wants me gone."

"Piffle....Polly's still a young teenager...I've lived 148 years of bad, hard road...the big bad doesn't want a frilly little girl....the big bad wants a Slayer."

"Well, big bad has a Slayer....and he shouldn't be wasting his time trying to convince her of what she already knows....you love me and you're for keeps."

"That I am, love."

"The cemetery's deserted."

"Indeed."

"I noted a nice, sturdy mausoleum behind a hedge row over there...even more secluded, private."

"Really?"

"Do I have to paint you a picture?"

"I have always been an art lover....and may I also take the time to note that I'm glad you changed into that dress." He took her hips in his hands and spread his fingers out over the expanse of her stomach and directed her towards the aforementioned placed of refuge, unwisely both were too consumed with each other to notice they were being watched by someone who shouldn't be there.

Chapter 16

"Buffy...you're so beautiful," Spike whispered and she closed her eyes as he took her by the waist and turned her around and backed her towards the wall of the mausoleum. His hands, cold as they may be, dove into the darkness inside the dress she'd worn. He undid the front clasp to her bra and pushed his hands flat against her and then moved away the hold over the weighty orbs. Spike groaned as her ample flesh settled into the cups of his palms. She leaned forward against him and raised her arms to hook around the back of his neck

"I'm so hot for you Spike....but your hands on my body....they're so cold...." He squeezed her breasts gently, letting the malleable flesh conform and contort to his ministrations. He took each of her nipples between his thumb and forefinger and lightly pinched them in between until the aureole contracted and hardened.

Spike started with a kiss to her cheek, languid and succulent. He caught the side glance of her eyes looking at him and he stopped for a moment and they stared at each other. He put his mouth to her ear and whispered,"I love you......my Slayer."

"I know." With her affirmation he fell into the curve of her neck with the pressure of his lips, across her shoulders, behind her hair and then down her throat. He pushed open the front of her wraparound dress, leaving her exposed. He guided her a little forward into him, so her spine curved and her hair fell to one side. He dragged wet, hungry, biting kisses all down the length of her torso as his palms went up her bare thighs, pulling up the frabric of her dress. His fingers hooked under the slim material of her panties, pulling at them until he guided them off her hips and she he shimmied out of them, then tossed them aside, hoping she'd be able to find them later in the dark. His hands caressed her rear, clutching the flesh, becoming familiar with every nuance. He kissed her again, capturing her mouth in a lock, his tongue dueling with her's and delving deep into her mouth. Keeping their kiss sealed, she worked to pull his shirt from his jeans and unbuckled his belt. She lowered the zipper and push the denim down just enough to free his erection.

With near naked bodies pressed firmly against each other in a passionate embrace, they maneuvered in synch until Buffy's back was against the wall. She raised her right leg until her knee was against his hip, opening herself to his impending entrance. He placed his hand on her leg and raised it a little further till it rested over his hip, at the waist. He dipped down a ways and came up under her, spreading her moistened folds apart and penetrating her a ways. Buffy bit into her lip and shuddered at the sublime contact. Spike grabbed her other leg and hoisted her off the ground, putting it around his waist. All at once she sunk down on him and suddenly cried out from the divine sensation of him travelling upside her to the deepest part. She pounded her fist once, hard, on his back and grit her teeth, burying her face at his neck. To ease her adjusting to him he whispered cajoling words in her ear, while he gently stroked at the little nub between her separated folds, encouraging her passageway to further moisten itself."Better?"

"Yes....oh yes...." She caught him up in another fiery kiss and hooked her legs firmly around his waist. He flattened her shoulders against the wall with his hands and rammed their lower bodies to it as well. Buffy let out a roaring guttural moan into their kiss and Spike reciprocated with his own. His motions weren't long entrances and exits, but instead serious, hard jabs. Ferocious surges deep into her, followed by a purposeful grind against her pelvis. Every second joined was pure, unadulterated bliss, reconnecting with both body and soul, even though they weren't sure he had one. Nothing but true love was coursing between them, along with energy, sweat and scent.

Spike was hopelessly lost in the rapture of his Slayer, her body encasing his so perfectly tight and smooth, consuming and devouring. Every motion was a new high for him, a newly attained level of Nirvana he'd never know before and strived to find it again with each forceful thrust deeper inside her heat. For her part Buffy was falling helplessly into the swelling miasma of their ephemeral union. With each surge into her, the base of his length caused a growing friction against an excitable bundle of hidden, but much sought after, nerves.

It wouldn't be long before both lost all senses, all knowledge of the world around them would evaporate and sole energy would surround the clenching of muscles and the jet of white coolness. He could sense that she was close to the breaking point, she began enthusiastically propelling herself against him to match his thrusts and she also made the familiar and welcomed sound in his ear, like a mewing kitten....it always drove him wild. His pace became harsh and fast, begging for a simultaneous high. With one last mighty propulsion, Spike buried himself to the hilt and held fast to her as he washed her insides with his release. The sudden wave inside her was enough to incite Buffy's own orgasm. Her body ignited spasms of ungodly intensity around him, sucking him in deeper and consuming the gift he was offering.

Buffy's legs left their locked position around Spike's waist, dragging against his thighs as she searched to find her footing. He reluctantly slipped out of her, the cold air assaulting the flesh that had just been so snugly warmed was as unwelcome as the sudden absence she felt from his withdrawal. His hands ran up and down the length of her body as they stayed pressed together to conserve and prolong the heat their bodies had generated. Spike trailed kisses over every facet of her face, tasting her sweat, her breath, her lips."Buffy?" he whispered as she nestled at his chest, moving her hand over his back,"Are you happy, love?"

"Very much."

"I'll fix things tonight...with Polly, sit her down and tell her everything...we'll figure something out, get her to England....Giles' help. We'll fight your father and we'll keep Dawn. Then you and I, Buffy...it's going to be so bloody good, I promise....I'll make you so happy....just have to give me the chance....."

"Shhh....."

"Buffy, I need to say these things....."

"No you don't. I know you'll make me happy, you already do. I know who you are now, a changed man, a good man and I will never hold your past against you ever again....I made alot of silent promises to you that day in your crypt and I won't break them." Spike smirked, a self-confidant, cat who just ate the canary and came back for his little friend, smirk."What's the word Giles uses? Prat? You're one of those." He bent down and picked up her discarded panties and stuffed them inside his coat,"Souvenir?"

"Collection...you really should empty the top drawer of my dresser...I've got enough to outfit all those poor naked girls in Hustler who can't afford to clothe themselves in pretty little satins."

"You enjoy your collection, pig, I'll just get more....what's your fancy?"

"I rather like them in m'drawer."

"You probably make a pile on your bed and roll around in them, don't you?" He simply shrugged his shoulders, gazed at the moon,"You really are a pig."

Chapter 17

The Summers home was mercifully silent, allowing Spike and Buffy a decent shot at making it upstairs to her bedroom without Polly noticing,"We're having entirely too much sex..." Buffy whispered hoarsely as they snuck in through the back door, Spike's hands already hiking up her dress again."It's distracting...we have too much on our plate right now to be...ohhh, touch that spot again.....we need to go to sleep....stop it..."

"Bollocks...there's no shame in what we're doing, the Scoobies certainly understand.....you know you want it Slayer..."

"Irrelevant.....what if Social Services or my father comes by tomorrow and I'm too tired or walkin' funny to put on a good front." He let go of her and sighed, intent on just heading up to bed as she wished, only to be abruptly hauled back and into her arms. Her fingers massaged the back of his neck as she drew him in for another kiss, this one sweet and long and full of need. She parted from him, her breath coming in heated pants, not from the fervor of the kiss, but from her heat at the mere touch of him,"How come I want you so bad?" He lifted her up onto the island of the kitchen and stood before her, hands about her waist.

"It's because you put so much energy into hating me, pet....into wanting me dead...and you let me aggravate and torment you for so long until you couldn't take it anymore...then..."

"Un-huh?"

"And then you went ass over tea kettle for me.....so all that energy had to go somewhere, right?"

"Sound logic." She brought him in for another kiss, haplessly hooking her legs around his waist, drumming them without rhythm on the back of his thighs. Spike felt his head being pushed back as her lips trailed her lips down his throat, inciting a heavy groan from him with every wet and hot point of pressure she gave him.

"I love you, Buffy....I love you so much..." A choked cry from the hallway interrupted their interlude, taking both of them by surprise. Buffy slipped off the counter and looked out of the kitchen.

"Dawn?" Buffy called.

"Wasn't Dawn...." Spike spoke, advancing towards the noise. He found Polly had been the one eavesdropping, backtracking away from him as he approached. He held out a hand to her but drew it back when he saw the pigmentation receded from her hair and face and tears flow from her eyes,"Bloody hell.....Polly? Come on, love.....you don't need to....." She let out at him in an angry yelp and slashed him across the face with her finger nails. The banshee ran from the Summers home and into the night, her cries travelling on the wind out across Sunnydale. Spike made a good effort to catch up to her, but even as he left the porch, she was gone, carried into the night on wings of sorrow. He walked back inside and closed the door, bolting it."She's gone....oh well.....win some, lose some."

"Spike!!"

"What am I supposed to do here Buffy....spend from now until dawn searching under every rock in the whole bloody town until she turns up? She's gone....we'll never find her, now that's she got it in her mind that I love you and not her....she's gone all demony again...probably move on tonight, problem solved."

"She's not part of your pack....so forget her right?"

"Right...I told you plainly...."

"Spike, I understand...I really do, I understand and I accept how you think....but we can't abandon her like this."

"Slayer...."

"Don't Slayer me, William....we're going."

***

With Buffy hot on his heals Spike made a mad dash through the front door to Buffy's home, hoping to outrun the coming sunrise. Willow had just opened the front door to fetch the morning paper when he slid into home plate and the safety of the house."Morning," he greeted the witch as he lay sprawled on the floor of the front hall.

"Morning," Willow replied,"Cutting it a little thin aren't we?"

"You're telling me.....explain it to miss heroine, vampires should be snuggled into their crypts long before sun up."

"I'm sorry....I'm sorry..." Buffy apologized as she came running inside, after which Willow closed the door and tucked the paper under her arm and headed to the kitchen. Spike got to his feet and pretended to brush off dirt, meanwhile glaring at the Slayer.

"Buffy, Spike.....is that you??!" Dawn called out as she came running down the stairs,"Polly's not in my room..."

"We know, bit, she bansheed herself outta here late last night...we've been out looking for hours...I don't think we'll find her."

"That's awful! She's like totally helpless....what happened?"

"She overheard me telling your sister that I loved her....shattered the girl's dreams, I suppose...it's not like I could bloody help it - I'm not the man she thought I was....I'm not William..."

"So now what?"

"She's probably moved on....M'not gonna search all of bloody California for her...if she's still in Sunnydale.....we'll cross the bridge when we come to it...."

"It's early still, Dawn, why don't you go back to bed until your alarm goes off," Buffy advised.

"Hope you find her...she was sweet."

"Yeah...." Spike agreed as he took off his coat and watched Dawn go back upstairs. Buffy's hand crept up the back of his neck.

"You didn't get singed did you? I'm sorry I made you follow me to that last place..."

"I'm fine, love."

"Tired? I want to go sleep....sleep the whole day away."

Chapter 18

After they'd shed their clothes and climbed into Buffy's small bed, she lay her head on his chest and wrapped her arm around his waist. She fell asleep almost instantly, making delicious little sounds as she snuggled up against him. As knackered as he was, Spike couldn't find rest, instead his mind raced a million miles a minute. For someone who supposedly lived only in the present, owned as little as possible and was always prepared to skip town in a moment's notice, he had a hell of alot of responsibilities. He was deeply rooted in Sunnydale now and doubted he'd ever leave so long and Buffy and Dawn were in his life. Little else besides his pack mattered in the grand scheme of things. He felt sorry for Polly and genuinely hope she'd find something as precious as what he had, but he couldn't dillude himself, even for Buffy, that he cared beyond how it directly effected his relationships with the Summers. His past was mercifully far behind him, or so he'd hoped; he'd been Spike for 122 years and had only been William for 26. In the total of those 148 years he'd honestly loved only two women, Drusilla - his sire and muse for most of his existance; and Buffy - the Slayer and his true love for the remainder of his existance. Polly Raintree was an unwelcome reminder of everything he hated about himself and the type of people he'd come from. His family and their sect of society had been wealthy, condescending and controlling, just like Hank Summers.

Since Drusilla, Spike had learned something key about himself, he was a fighter and he was a survivor. Those were the same qualities he loved about Buffy and saw grow every day since her return, she just kept getting stronger and stronger. He'd pulled her out of a severe depression and he'd be damned if he was going to let her father single handily send her back there. Buffy shifted in her sleep, somehow trying to get even closer to him. Spike turned over on to his side and pulled the covers over their shoulders. The Slayer nestled against his chest, curled in a little ball as he wrapped her in an all encompassing embrace; arms, legs, heart. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes. Maybe he'd be able to sleep afterall, he had Buffy....she was his, in his arms, in her bed.....nothing else mattered.

***

"Spike...come on, sweetie.....Spike....wake up already!" Buffy shouted as she tried to wake the sleeping vampire, she'd been calling for at least 15 minutes before coming upstairs, now she was shaking him and still nothing,"Gee....maybe there is only that one way to wake you up...." She debated whether or no to actually repeat what she had done to him in his crypt the other day, but settled for giving one of his nipples a good twist.

"Ooowwwwww!!" he howled as he was yanked from a rather pleasant dream to a sharp pain on his chest. He rubbed the sore, red nipple and looked angrily at Buffy as she sat on the bed,"What the bloody hell was that for?!" He was pouting and she suddenly felt quite sorry she hadn't gone with option A.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time, I'm sorry." He huffed at her and looked away, overtly trying to make her feel guilty.

"If I did that to you I'd get staked."

"I'm sorry, baby.....please forgive me."

"No." She pushed him back to the bed and closed her mouth over his affliction. Her warm lips, the moisture of her tongue playing over it soothed his savage beast,"You're forgiven."

"I won't do it again...next time, I'll give something else a twist...only nice like. It's after four, you should get up....Giles sent you a Fed Ex, it just came.....and Dawn's home."

"Right, right....be down in a minute."

"You okay? You seem off."

"I'm alright, love...in a certain amount of pain of course...."

"Are you sure?" He rubbed his eyes with his palms and let out a long sigh.

"Yes, Buffy....don't need to concern yourself with me, how are you holding up?"

"Iffy...we've got another meeting with Mrs. Pare....and my dad and Gloria.....here, Saturday afternoon. Then, after her final report is filed, it goes to court....and then, I don't know...." Her voice trailed off and her bottom lip trembled.

"I do...life goes back to normal and I tell your old man to sod off....or we set up in my crypt until we can get out of town....I'm sure we could pay a visit to soul-boy in LA...or we could toddle off to Merry Old...doesn't matter where we go..."

"I don't want to leave Sunnydale....the others....or even my mom, the memories....but we will, if it's the only way to keeping us together." She let out a mighty growl of frustration and Spike was a little taken aback by her."God....I need to either fuck or kill something!!!!" She stormed out of the room, leaving Spike more than a little dumbstruck.

"Buffy?? I'm right here!"

Chapter 19

Spike came barrelling down the stairs not too long after Buffy had wakened him, he found Buffy, Dawn and Willow in the kitchen preparing dinner. He was greeted with smiles and nodded in acceptance before plunking himself dow on a stool, still trying to force the sleep from his eyes. Almost immediately a mug a warm blood was put in front of him and accompanied by a rub on his back from Buffy."Sure not an early riser are you?" she asked as he sipped his breakfast.

"I've never been a day person, pet..." She kissed his cheek and continued to cajole him, trying to make up for the rude way in which she'd wakened him."You said the Watcher sent me something?"

"Yeah, it's a biggie too...." Dawn explained, dashing off to the living room to retrieve the package,"You think he sent presents too?" She handed the 12x16 box to Spike and he went about opening it.

"I'm in doubt, nibblet, we asked him to get the Council to come up with some forgeries for our cover story.....Buffy and I are Ghostbusters, didn't you know? But without the slimy green sidekick....well, Xander fits the bill, but I digress." He opened the box and pulled out a stack of folders and a letter, which gave Spike cause to smile as he read it.

"What does he say?" Buffy asked.

"That he still hates me immensely and here's the stuff we asked for," Spike replied. He opened one folder and looked over his and Buffy's record of employment and such for the Council as Willow opened the other which contained a suitable background record of Spike.

"Spike....you went to Bainbridge College!?" Willow exclaimed as she found his updated degrees.

"Check the name there, love, I'm a Bainbridge....didn't have a bloody choice in the matter."

"No wonder Giles hates you....more than usual that is....he must have ground his glasses into powder when you told him...."

"I don't get it," Buffy spoke up.

"Bainbridge rejected Giles when he was a teenager...it's like Oxford only snootier.....you have to be a genius to get in. I never would have pictured you for one of them Spike."

"Yeah...grey suits, patent shoes, black robes...it was like prison for snobby rich kids...."

"Still, it's impressive."

"I rather not be impressing folk for the size of my brain, but rather the size of my..."

"Spike!" Buffy admonished.

"Heart," said Spike, giving the Slayer another dose of guilt.

"Would you three cut with the chattering.....weI've got food burning here!" Dawn announced.

***

It was later than usual when Spike and Buffy returned from patrol, almost 4am. So far their evening had been typical, many vampires dusted, even a few laughs shared, it almost let them forget that Hank Summers had ever come back to Sunnydale."What was with the double stake deal? I'm going to have to try that...." said Buffy as they walked up to her front door.

"One up each sleeves....doubles the kills....and I'd love to take credit, love....but that goes to Peaches...don't ask..."

"There's a story there....and I'll get it out of you one of these nights...."

"You can be very persuasive when you want to be, pet..."

"Especially when I wrap my hot, tight little body around you?"

"That's my line..." She hopped on to his back for a ride up to the porch, laughing with him, locking her legs around his waist and arms around his neck. She giggled happily as she nibbled his ear, Spike revelling in how free she was behaving, almost like herself again.

"Priorities," Hank Summers declared as he came from where he'd been waiting in the shadows, blocking the steps to the front door. Buffy's laughted ceased and she slid off Spike's back, a frown washing over her face. Spike became hard, jaw clenched and teeth set, demon in check but just begging for a little antagonization."I would have thought, given your situation, that Dawn would have been your priority, but instead I discover that it's this man..."

"Dawn is the most important....wait....I'm not playing this game," Buffy spoke, gaining the confidence Spike assured her she had,"Spike and I didn't go out until after midnight, when did you start lurking and spying on us? Have you been sitting out here all night? You're out of your mind...."

"I'm just trying to protect my daughter..."

"I'm your daughter too."

"Unfortunately, but you're no longer my responsibility...."

"Unfortunately? When the hell did I become such a pariah? Such a disappointment? I own this house and this property...you're not permitted to step foot on it again. If you do, I'll throw you off it." Spike laughed a satisfied little gaffaw, loving how Buffy was standing up for herself.

"It won't matter...I plan to have this resolved by early next week..."

"Now way it'll go through the courts that fast..." Hank reached into his coat and brought out an envelope, passing it to his daughter.

"It won't need to..." Buffy quickly thumbed through the photographs quickly, enough to see that they were of her and Spike on patrol, profiling their patrols for the past two nights, detailing everything."I don't know what sort of people you two are....but you're not the ones who will be raising my young daughter." He went to leave but Spike grabbed his collar and hoisted him off the ground.

"What kind of sick fuck are you? You hire someone to follow us....or did do it yourself?" Spike seethed, his eyes already turning yellow.

"Spike let him go," Buffy asked, giving up for the time being,"It'll only make matters worse." Spike let him go and he fell to the ground in a heap.

"I'll be back tomorrow with the social worker for the meeting....I expect you to announce that you're acquiessing all your rights to Dawn without a fight."

"Get out of here, you're not my father..."

"But I'm still Dawn's." Buffy let his last comment roll off her back, knowing the truth behind her sister's identity.

Chapter 20

Spike stood glaring at Buffy as she watched her father drive away, disbelieving that she let him get off so easily for violating her privacy so heinously."What?" she asked detecting his vibe.

"Why did you let him get away with that? I may have some twisted up notions about what's right and wrong sometimes....but spying on us like this.....bloody blackmailing you...Buffy you can't just let him get away with it!"

"I'm not......I just....I need to think, okay?"

"We're past thinking...I should have punched his face in! I'm not going to get bullied by someone who's been around 100 less than me...who knows nothing about what's real in this world, who doesn't know I'm a vampire....who doesn't know that being a Slayer means you're a cut above every one else...doesn't know that Dawn came from you and not him...."

"He can never know those things....but these pictures...."

"Are proof of nothing...you and I slaying, what? vampires....no one believes in vampires, pet....even in Sunnydale, the SS aren't going to buy it....as for the shots of you and me....so what, unless you've got something to be ashamed of?" Her failure to discount his statement cut him to the quick, she took a step back,"So, I'm good ammunition to get your dad pissed off.....good for a lay....."

"You're an idiot if you think that's all you are...."

"If I asked you to marry me, would you say yes?"

"Are you proposing?! Oh my god, Spike....what's gotten into you!?!" He turned and walked away from her,"Where are you going?! Spike!!" His feet pounded the pavement in long, purposeful strides until he couldn't hear her voice any longer. Hank Summers had become a serious canker in his side, and not everything in his life had to center around Buffy, it was personal now.

***

Buffy's aforementioned father waited for the light to changed to green as he sat idle at an intersection. Confidant that everything was falling into place, as he intended, the boon of having the incriminating photos had definitely furthered his cause. He questioned, only for a moment, if he shouldn't have used them, but Dawn was too important to him and Gloria, it had to be done. The light seemed to be taking forever, the street was absolutely deserted anyways, but he still didn't chance going through the red - just in case a police car was waiting in an alley somewhere. A cool breeze blew through the car and Hank suddenly felt a little twinge of instinctual fear. He looked in his rearview mirror and saw nothing. He shook off the uneasiness when the light turned green and he could proceed. Driving through the vacant streets of early morning Sunnydale, Hank relaxed and thought about his prospects, and the lovely young trophy that waited for him back at the hotel.

As he neared his destination a never heard before but distinct din of metal on metal was heard from the back seat, causing him to look in the mirror again, but still seeing nothing. Chalking it up to lack of sleep he ignored it once again, until the smell of a cigarette assaulted his nostrils. He once again looked to the mirror, then slowed the car and looked over his shoulder. The car skidded to a halt and nearly into a lamp post.

Spike chuckled and took another drag on his cigarette,"Cheers mate....you drive like I do." Hank Summers was wide eyed and petrified, looking at the rearview mirror than back to Spike,"Don't get your knickers in a knot....I can't see me either."

"Wha....what?"

"What am I? A wake-up call, Hank....I'm not usually the sort of bloke to step aside and let someone else handle what I know I could solve in a second. Buffy tells me to tow the line and let her handle it, so I do. But tonight, tonight you crossed a line....you walked over to my side of it and that means that you don't get to deal with Buffy and her left over sense of loyalty or love she had for her father...you get to deal with me now." Spike smiled broadly and laughed inwardly, as he pulled another cigarette from the pack and lit it with the stub of the first one, snuffing the old one out on the leather seat."Using pictures of her doing her job, protecting this town...the world from evil; and ones of her being intimate with her boyfriend...you're not right, Mr. Summers, in your head...I'd almost think someone had tampered with it...like the government put a microchip in your head and made you act this way. But they didn't, did they? You're a filthy bastard all of your own accord. You're also bloody stupid if you think I'll let you get away with it. I've walked with evil for a hundred years...I know it when I see it, and if you think I'll let a sweet child like Dawn anywhere near you after tonight you are sorely mistaken." Spike flicked the cigarette past Buffy's father and on to the dashboard and Hank watched it's burning embers before his jaw was suddenly seized by a powerful hand and forced to look at the vampire in its demonic form. With Spike's true nature revealed, fangs, glowing golden eyes and bestial face, Hank Summers knew what primal fear was for the first time in his life.

"You come near my girls again and I'll eat your heart." With that Spike got out of the car and walked back towards home.

CONTINUED...