The Happyverse Series
Chapters 1-3


Written by: Jodyorjen

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Summary: Spike and Buffy getting married? Xander and Anya expecting? Dawn in trouble...again? Tune into a year of holidays with our wackily dysfuctional Scoobies.
Spoilers: Wrecked and all before it. Goes on it's merry way after that.
Distribution: Please ask my permission first, just so I know where it's headed.
Disclaimer: All hail Joss Whedon, UPN, the WB, FOX , Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. Theirs not mine.
Author's Note: First in the Happyverse series. Stands alone. Prequel to "Holiday Cheer". A touch of angst with the happy. Lyrics by Ira Gershwin are used without permission.
Feedback: Sure, fire away to jodyorjen@yahoo.com

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~~Memory of All That~~


Buffy climbed down the ladder into Spike's crypt.

She heard the sound of the shower running. Spike's singing voice belted out a song.

"The way your smile just beams, the way you sing off key, the way you haunt my dreams."

A soft bang and curse.

"Bollocks. Bloody slippery soap."

He continued his song.

"No, no, they can't take that away from me.."

Buffy sat down on his bed, waiting.

The water stopped. Out strolled wet, naked Spike, rubbing his head with a towel.

"We may never, never meet again," he sang, and then stopped abruptly as he saw her. His face set into a stony expression.

"Well, well. Hello there, Slayer."

He threw out his arms and struck a pose for her.

"This is the dress code, love, so strip down or sod off, " said Spike in a sarcastic tone.

Buffy surprised them both by standing up and stripping off her clothes and lying back down.

Spike's body reacted instantly. He could smell her hair, the delicate scent of her skin, and her arousal.

Tossing the towel aside, he went to her.

All of a sudden, things seemed crystal clear.

He lay down next to her on the bed. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her gently on the forehead, then dotted tiny kisses all over her face and neck. She scratched at his shoulders, making hitching noises in her throat. He caught her lower lip in his teeth and bit down gently. Sliding down her body, he licked her nipples, feather light and then harder. When she began moving in earnest underneath him, trying vainly to pull his mouth up to hers, he stopped. He slid up her body until they were face to face and he stared deeply into her eyes.

"There is no way in hell I am going to fuck you ever again," he said, in the coldest, hardest voice she has ever heard.

Buffy pushed at him to let her up, but he wouldn't move.

"We spent the night together, doing incredibly erotic things to one another. I felt you come all around me, saw it, tasted it. I thought we were finally getting somewhere. I saw the spark of love in your eyes. I sensed the softness when you looked at me. I knew your heart was opening up when you held me in your arms."

Buffy saw the tears well up in his eyes.

"Next morning, you look at me like I'm some kind of whore and your eyes are full of shame and guilt."

At that he pushed off her and started pacing around the room.

"You hurt me, Buffy. I was willing to let it go because we both said some pretty stupid things the morning after we made love. Maybe the sex was too intense; maybe we let too many walls down between us. But the last straw was going to check on Dawn and bouncing off the sodding deinvite barrier, then looking up and seeing that you had festooned your bloody window with GARLIC!"

Desperate for something to do other than bludgeon her, Spike picked up a pillar candle and smashed it into the wall. It rained down tiny chunks of wax.

"Do you remember what I told you when we were looking for Dawn? I meant it. Only now you've got me so incredibly brassed off, I can't even look at you without wanting to harm you."

He looked at Buffy, still lying on his bed. Her face was perfectly blank, like nothing he said meant anything to her at all.

"I don't just want to bite you, Slayer. I want to drain you. I want you to not exist. I want to not have to see you ever again, because you have made a mockery of me. You have stomped the hope out of me. You gave me everything I ever wanted and then ripped it away."

He grabbed an ashtray that was sitting on a table and whipped it into the wall.

"You're dead to me. Out of my grasp once again. Except I don't have Dawn to love this time. I can't go tend to her and be there for her. You've taken that away from me too. You've taken every scrap of love that I had and destroyed it."

Spike looked around, searching for something else to destroy. Lost in anger, he vamped.

"It's been a good while since I was homicidal. But this is really familiar. Yeah, this is what it feels like. Bloodlust," he hissed through his fangs.

Buffy walked over to him.

Spike put up a warning hand.

"I mean it. I can't control myself now. Get the hell away."

She reached him, and slipped an arm around his waist.

He locked her shoulders in his powerful grip and bit hard into her neck, making guttural noises as he began to feed.

Buffy was floating in a calm, tranquil ocean. The water was clear and blue all around her. It lapped at her in waves, relaxing her more and more. She was cocooned in warmth. The waves came faster and faster, the water growing colder and colder. A giant wave was coming, bearing down on her.

She snapped back to reality as an intense orgasm rolled over her. It seemed to seize her entire body, compressing every muscle she possessed and blowing all thoughts but one out of her head. I- need- Spike.

She must have said it aloud, because she felt his fangs retract from her neck as he dropped her onto his bed.

Her eyes popped open in time to see him descend, his beautiful human face suffused with love and lust.

Spike flipped her onto her stomach and drove into her from behind.

"I can't bear it," he whispered. "I can't look into your lying eyes."

His arms wrapped around her ribcage, squeezing her tightly as he stroked inside her at a furious pace.

"You're a beautiful liar," he hissed. "Those precious lies spilling from your eyes, telling things that masquerade as truth so well."

One of his hands wandered down to her clit, pinching it and sending her over the edge again.

Her head lolled back onto his chest. She shook with the pleasure of it.

"I want to see you," she whispered huskily. "Let me see you."

He pulled out of her and whipped her around, then drove into her once again.

Spike pumped into her fiercely, grasping her hips in a tight hold.

She reached up and put her hands on his shoulders.

His jaw was clenched shut and his eyes were shut tightly.

"Look at me," she whispered.

He didn't respond to her, just pumped harder inside her.

Buffy leaned forward and bit his nipple, rolling it between her teeth.

His pace increased even more, and she knew he was very near.

His eyes were still closed.

"Look at me, " she hissed.

He wouldn't do it, just kept stroking inside her, working toward his release.

She clenched every single one of her Slayer muscles tight around him.

He gasped, and his eyes shot open as he began to come.

Spike moaned and pulled her up to him as his orgasm continued to overtake him.

She pushed him over and lay on top of him, still joined together.

He lay on his back, looking very relaxed and extremely confused.

"What the hell were you thinking, goading me on and letting me bite you? I could have killed you. But I never felt that I had drained you. I don't really understand."

He tipped her neck to the side and looked. Small faint red marks were the only sign of what had occurred.

" I know you'd never hurt me," said Buffy. " I trust you."

"Trust me? You had the deinvite done on your house. Then you didn't come round for a month. What the hell kind of impression do you think that made?"

Buffy ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him gently on the lips.

"I was afraid that I was falling for you. I was afraid that if I saw you I would tell you, so I couldn't be near you."

Spike looked up at her and smiled.

"But I knew already, love. I felt it when we made love. I knew it. I could feel it in my bones. But you-"

His expression dimmed, and he looked sad.

"But you made a lie of that. How was I supposed to know what was real and what was lies?"

"I'm sorry," said Buffy. "I was hurting and I didn't know how to deal with it. I was hurting so badly, and I was afraid to hurt even more."

She rolled next to him in the bed and rested her head on his shoulder. She grabbed his hand and interlaced their fingers.

"All the big crazy nookie action, when we have never even held hands, " said Buffy.

"We did when we were under Willow's engagement spell," said Spike. "I loved the warmth of your tiny little hands."

Spike kissed her knuckles gently.

" I hated her for that," he said, rolling onto his side. "It was like getting this amazing gift. Feeling your love. It cloaked me, protected me, and made everything seem so happy and right. Then poof, it was gone, and you hated me. It hurt, really hurt. I don't think it ever stopped hurting, the loss of your love."

She traced lazy spirals all over his chest, loving the freedom to touch him.

"You have it back. You have it for real, because it's not a spell, this time," said Buffy.

She drew her finger down his cheekbone.

"It can't be broken. It won't ever, ever end."

He rolled on top of her.

"You're mine?" he asked.

"I'm yours."

"Cross your heart?" he said, tilting his head at her.

She made a little cross gesture over her heart.

"Hope to die."

They both frowned.

"Well, " said Buffy," already took care of the death part. Don't want to do it again any time soon."

"Better not," growled Spike.

They kissed deeply, savoring the sensation of being together.

"I came here with a proposition for you," said Buffy.

"Right now, Slayer," he said, "I'm going to make you come. Then you can proposition me as much as you like."

He pulled her to him again, frantic with the need to claim her as his own.

For the first time, they really made love. Free of subterfuge and fear, they gave the best of themselves to each other.

Spike pulled into the driveway of the Summers home. Slamming the door of the Desoto shut, he trotted up the sidewalk carrying a box of candy.

Dawn pulled the door open and stuck her head out.

"You're here! I thought I heard your car."

She saw the candy.

"Is that for me or for Buffy?"

"For you, little bit." He smiled and patted her head as they stepped inside.

She took the candy and kissed his cheek.

"Surprise!" yelled Buffy, as she pelted him with confetti.

"Surprise," said Dawn, joining in the fun.

Spike laughed. Hanging over the stairs was a little banner that read: "Welcome Home, Spike!"

Buffy and Dawn hugged him. Trapped between the two women he loved, he closed his eyes in contentment and savored the moment.

"We made you spicy wings and bought you beer! Come on in the kitchen!"

Dawn dragged Spike to the kitchen, with Buffy following closely behind.

The three of them sat down at the kitchen table. A platter of wings, a pizza and a beer sat on the table. A small gift-wrapped box sat there also.

"Open it," said Buffy.

Inside the little box was a little plastic key chain. It held a portrait of Dawn on one side and Buffy on the other. And on the chain, was a key to the house.

"Thank you," said Spike, genuinely touched.

He pulled Buffy's present out of his duster pocket.

She opened the small slim box to find a tiny, feminine gold wristwatch.

Buffy smiled at Spike, pleased with the gift.

"Read the inscription, " he said.

Buffy flipped over the watch and read "S- It's about time- W."

She slipped it on her wrist as they dug into the food.

"Buffy already tossed out half the junk you dropped off in the U-Haul," said Dawn, picking through the box of chocolates.

Spike looked at the sisters, a grin on his face.

"Looks like I got everything I need right here."

The sound of their laughter spilled all through the house. It sounded like a home again.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


~~Reality Check~~


It was a beautiful sunny morning at the breakfast table of the Summers home.

"So, Dawnie, what do you have planned today?" asked Willow, in a bright and chipper voice.

A blue glare over the top of a teen magazine was the only response.

"Do you want to go see Lord of the Rings? I've heard that it's really cool."

A handful of Cheerios flew in her direction.

"I don't talk to selfish junkies."

Willow blushed a deep scarlet red.

"That's downright rude, bit. Mind your manners."

A large colored beach towel wandered into the room, pulling down the shades.

Spike ripped the towel off his head, revealing a severe case of bed head.

The vampire was wearing Buffy's chenille robe. Baby blue with little yellow ducks, it barely coved him.

"I have a proposition for you both," he said seriously.

"Why are you wearing that?" asked Willow, trying to keep a straight face.

"Buffy ripped my-. Um. Couldn't find my pants. Didn't want to give one of you little girls a peek at my package."

Dawn broke in, "Well, I for one-"

"Please don't say whatever you're thinking of saying, " said Willow.

"Just moved in yesterday. I haven't had a chance to buy myself a dressing gown. I didn't have to worry about covering up in the crypt. No women wandering around there."

Shoving his hand in his pocket, he pulled out two crumpled twenties.

"If the two of you will clear off, I will give you each a twenty. I want to make Buffy breakfast, surprise her with it."

"So you want to get rid of us so you can jump her bones?" asked Dawn, wide eyed and smirking.

Spike stared at her, trying to think of the right thing to say.

Dawn snatched a twenty out of his palm. Grabbing her jacket from the chair, she exited the kitchen door.

"Tell Buffy I'm going to Tara's house," she called over her shoulder.

Willow looked crestfallen.

Spike gently patted her back.

Sitting in Dawn's chair, he finished off her Cheerios.

"So do you need me to help you move your stuff back home to your mum's?" asked Spike.

Willow shook her head.

"My dad is coming by with the minivan tomorrow."

Spike looked pensive.

"You know, Red, I didn't ask Buffy to have you move out-"

"I know," said Willow. "It's Dawn. There's just too much friction between us right now. Plus, you and Buffy should have Joyce's room. It's too big for one person."

Getting up, Willow grabbed her laptop case and went to the door.

"Thanks for the twenty," she grinned, slamming the door shut behind her.

He hadn't seen her take it. Magic trick or- magick trick?

Standing up, Spike clapped his hands together.

"Mission accomplished."

Going into the kitchen, Spike rummaged around, coming up with a large cookie sheet.

"Tray, check."

He grabbed a cereal bowl and filled it with Cheerios and milk.

He tossed a spoon and a paper towel on the sheet.

"Meal, check."

He grabbed a bunch of dried herbs and blossoms off the windowsill, shoving them haphazardly in a mug.

"Flowers, check."

Humming happily, Spike carried his burden upstairs.

Buffy was lying in bed, covers pulled up to her neck. She looked a little sad.

"Hello, pet. Why the long face?"

"Nothing. Just contemplating the weirdness that is us."

She noticed the tray that he held.

"You made me breakfast?"

He placed the meal down in front of her.

"Bon appetit!" he said in a bad French accent.

He lay down on the bed, propping himself up on one elbow.

She ate her Cheerios while Spike watched her intently.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"I'm laying in your bed- our bed- watching you eat breakfast."

She looked over at him, smirking.

"That a big fantasy of yours or something?"

He gave her a deep, searching look.

"Yes."

She finished off the cereal and placed the tray on the floor.

She curled into Spike's body, pulling him around her like a blanket.

"I'm scared, Spike."

He stroked her hair.

"Scared of what, pet?"

"Love."

He kissed her gently on he side of her neck, rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

"Nothing to be scared of, pet."

Turning her over, he looked into her eyes, running his finger through her hair.

"I can't guarantee you everything will be perfect. I'm sure we'll have rows, but we'll make up again. Some of the Scoobies will be upset. They'll get over it."

He kissed her gently.

"The important thing is how you feel. How I feel. How Dawn feels. I couldn't care less about anything else. Neither should you."

Sighing, she closes her eyes.

"But I do. I just want everyone to be happy. How can I tell them that I love-"

She bites off her words, looking miserable.

"Why don't you practice on me, sweets? I'd really like to hear it."

She rolled away.

"I don't think I can say it. Thinking it, yes. Saying it out loud- makes it real."

"And if it is real, than it can hurt you."

Grabbing her, he pulls her to him.

"But I'd never hurt you."

Cupping her face, he kisses her lips, gently, then with more and more passion.

She responds eagerly to his touch.

He throws off his robe, pulling off her nightgown.

Buffy stops him.

"Wait, no. Dawn and Willow..."

"Gone, out..."

His words trail off as he rolls on top of her, covering her nipple with his mouth.

Arching up, she grabs his hot length in her hand.

Groaning, he trails his mouth up her chest, settling in to suck on her shoulder.

She works him with her hand, feeling him lengthen and harden with each stroke.

Eyes glazed with lust, he pulls away and looks at her.

"Please, baby."

Grabbing his shoulders, she wraps her legs around him, driving him inside her.

"Buffy, oh God, I love you, " he cries out.

Lost in each other, they passionately kiss, holding each other tightly as they move in rhythm.

Reaching her climax, Buffy breaks away from the kiss.

Ripping her nails down his back, she arches, her mouth open in a silent scream.

"Slayer!" moans Spike, his orgasm ripping through him.

Holding each other tightly, they ride out the pleasure they have given to each other.

Exhausted, they collapse into the pillows.

Buffy rests her head on Spike's chest, her hand reaching for his.

"I love you," she whispers.

"I love you too. See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"No. But that was the easy part."

"It's all cake from here on out, love."

Snuggling together, the lovers lie in their bed, in the home that they share.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


~~Holiday Cheer~~


The lights from the Christmas tree blinked merrily in the background as the vampire and the key sat at the kitchen table. Baskets of craft supplies and plastic bags were piled haphazardly all around Spike and Dawn.

"You know, nothing really screams 'I'm the Big Bad' like the smell of Juicy Fruit gum."

"Blame your sister, not me, bit," said Spike, snapping his gum. "She's the one with a bug up her ass about my ashtray mouth or some such nonsense."

"You could ask her to get you some gum that's less girly."

"What would be a more evil flavor, hmm? Spearmint? Cinnamon?"

Spike sighed loudly. He flung his string of berries down on the table and took a big chug of eggnog.

"What's the point of stringing these stupid little berries on thread anyway? Buffy's been channeling Martha Stewart?"

"They are decorative," explained Dawn. "We'll hang them on the Christmas tree."

"Oh, that's lovely! They look like entrails. How festive."

Dawn gave the cranky vampire the evil eye.

"What is bothering you? I haven't seen you this testy for a while now. All this holiday cheer bringing you down?"

Spike looked at her. And sighed again.

"Don't want to discuss it, Dawn."

"Vampire problem? Buffy problem? C'mon, you can tell me."

Spike scratched his head, mussing his hair thoroughly.

"I'll show you. But you can't tell anyone, not a peep."

Dawn's face lit up and she nodded happily.

Spike stood up and fumbled through the pocket of his duster. He came up with a handful of change, some crumpled chewing gum wrappers, and a small blue velvet box.

He looked down at it, hesitated, and then slowly handed it to Dawn.

She cracked open the box. Inside it lay a round diamond set in a platinum setting.

"Oh my gosh! You're going to ask Buffy to marry you?"

"Well, that was the thought. But now I'm not so sure. The more I dwell on it, the more insane it seems."

Spike paced back and forth. He stopped to grab a ballpoint pen from the table and continued. The pen waved jauntily in the side of his mouth as he chewed on it.

"I miss my sodding smokes. What the hell do I need to quit for? Whole thing is stupid."

"Smoking? Or getting married?"

He stopped pacing and looked at Dawn.

"Niblet, she is going to laugh in my face. Why the hell would she want to marry me? I mean, I know why I want to marry her. I'm topsy-turvy in love with her and I want her to be mine. I want to belong to her, and to you. I want us to be a real family all together. And- "

Buffy burst through the kitchen door, covered in mud. It was dripping down her nose, in her eyes, and caked to her head. She also looked extremely pissed off.

"Demons that barf mud? Repulsive much!"

Spike looked stricken and dove to grab the ring box from Dawn. Dawn panicked and flailed her arm. The ring box sailed through the air, slamming Buffy right between the eyes.

"Dammit. OW!"

The box bounced off her face and landed neatly on the toe of her filthy boot.

Spike choked in shock. He bit the pen in his mouth and black ink poured over his lips and dribbled down his chin.

"Ah! Bloody hell."

He hastily spit black ink into a napkin and dabbed at his face.

Buffy leaned over to pick up the box.

"What is this?"

Both Buffy and Dawn leaned over to grab the box. They cracked heads, screeching in pain. Buffy's leg shot out. The box spiked into the floor, and out rolled the ring. End over end, it continued to roll until it ran into Spike's boot, where it stopped with a chime and clank.

"What in the holy hell is going on?" yelled Buffy, hands on hips.

Dawn stared at her, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Across the table, Spike stared at Buffy, inky mouth hanging wide open.

"We- we-we-we-", he stammered. Closing his eyes and clamping his jaw shut, he tried again. "We were sitting around sniffing glue from one of your sodding holiday projects and we are now stoned out of our minds. Both of us. Sniffed up a storm, we did. High as bloody kites."

Giving her a fierce glare, he reached down and picked up the ring, shoving it in the pocket of his jeans.

"I'm off. I need to- shower. Yep, right dirty now." He paused, looking confused again. "Cause it's really fun to - shower- when you're high!"

Recovering his equilibrium, he smiled and tromped upstairs.

Buffy turned to Dawn, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

"Um. Sorry about the-uh- being high thing. And the box in the face thing. And - I have math to do now. OK, bye."

She darted up the stairs.

"But you're on winter vacation," Buffy called after her. "You don't have any homework!"

Completely confused, Buffy stared around the kitchen. Looking at the table, she saw the half finished cranberry garlands, thread and needles. She looked at the floor and the velvet jewelry box.

Picking it up, she read "Sunnydale Diamonds" in gold lettering inside the little box.

She sat down heavily in the kitchen chair. Leaning back, she snapped the box open and shut, open and shut, as her eyes grew misty.

Buffy went to the telephone and dialed.

"Hey Will. I need a favor. Can Dawn come and spend the night with you? Your folks won't mind? Great. It's important."



Spike stood under the shower with water pouring down his head as he methodically slammed his skull into the tile wall.

"Bugger- fuck- damn- hell- piss-"

He shivered as a sharp, small nail descended down the curve of his spine.

He looked over his shoulder to see Buffy standing behind him.

She stared up at him, her eyes shining a sweet and steady green.

Spike opened his mouth to begin a rambling explanation. His hands started windmilling around.

Buffy brushed her hand across his cheek and smiled at him. "Don't talk now," she said.

Sliding around him, she scooted underneath the shower spray. Spike picked up the shampoo bottle, poured a good amount into his hand and rubbed it into Buffy's muddy, straggly hair. As her kneaded her hair, she tipped her head back slightly. He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss on her neck. He could feel the humming in her throat as she moaned underneath his mouth.

He backed away from her, turning her around and soaping her back as she rinsed her hair. She rubbed her ass back into his crotch, trying to rub against him. He just moved back farther and kept soaping her up. Soon, she was clean again. She turned off the water and turned to him. Her tangled hair fell over her shoulders, covering her breasts.

Buffy reached up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly. He began to sway slightly, rejoicing in the feeling of her in his arms. He kissed her gently on the forehead and stepped out of the shower. She wrapped a towel around herself and wrapped one around his waist.

"Time to talk now," she said, opening the door.

"Shut the door," he whispered. "The niblet -"

"Don't worry," Buffy said. "She's at Willows'."

Spike smiled happily. "I love Red. I really do."

He swept her up and carried her down the hall to their room and laid her gently on the bed. He brought her a cotton nightgown from the drawer and dressed her in it. He pulled on his black terry robe and lay beside her. Rolling onto his side, he watched her watching him. Buffy gently traced the outline of his cheekbone, his jaw and then outlined his lips. That was when he saw it.

She was wearing the ring.

"Picking through a bloke's pockets while he's bathing? Some criminal element must be corrupting you."

His lips smiled, but his eyes were deep and deadly serious.

"So, love, do you want me to ask you the question or do you just want to keep the pretty ring?"

"You already asked me, remember? The whole "make me the happiest man on earth" thing?"

Spike's eyebrows flew up into his hairline as he laughed.

"I thought you forgot all about that! Certainly acted like you did!"

"I didn't forget," said Buffy softly. "Just couldn't deal." She looked down at the ring on her hand. "This is so beautiful, Spike. Of course, I did like the skull ring. Still have it in my jewelry box."

"Baby, this really isn't quite the was I pictured doing this. I wanted it to be special, to really mean something, not to be all bolloxed up right out of the gate. I mean, my fantasy didn't really include beaning you in the head with the damn thing. I had this all planned out."

He sighed loudly as he rolled over and rested his head on her chest. She cuddled him close, holding his hand as they stared at the ceiling.

"How did this work, when you planned it in your mind?"

"Well, it involved roses, and champagne. My true love decked out in a pretty peignoir I picked up. Me looking all Hugh Hefner in my silk pajamas. A bit more romance. Significantly less mud."

She laughed, a sweet chime that made Spike laugh as well.

"You went and bought lingerie!"

"I went to Victoria's Secret with Anya. A horror show of truly spectacular proportions. You don't want to know half the things I learned about her and monkey boy."

"That is the sweetest thing. You really are one for making the grand sacrifice for me, aren't you?"

He rolled onto her and stared straight into her eyes.

"There isn't one damn thing in this world or any other that I wouldn't do for you, pet."

He grabbed her head and kissed her gently, his tongue lapping at the sides of her warm mouth. Heat arose between the two of them. The desire to have and hold flared up in them both. Spike tossed his robe onto the floor, then began pulling up the hem of her nightgown.

Buffy shivered and pushed him away.

"Wait, wait. This is just all wrong."

He stiffened, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"I sent Dawn away so that we could start over. Make some nice Kodak memories, without the mud and the panic. Not to just shag and shag some more," said Buffy.

He leaned forward and bit her lower lip. Spike grabbed her hips and rocked his pelvis against hers. She bucked up and they both moaned.

"But I like to shag and shag - and shag some more. You know you want it, honey," he purred in his sexiest voice, tweaking one of her nipples as he spoke.

Buffy got her intent Slayer look about her and pushed him off. He rolled onto his back and sighed.

"Alright, this is where the fun train stops. We are going to do this thing right and we're going to do it now," Buffy said crisply

Spike rolled his eyes.

"It's an engagement, sweetheart, not a military maneuver."

The icy gaze that she sent his way had him up and scrambling in a second.

"Bossy Buffy in the house. Right then. I'll take it from the top."

He reached out his hand and she gently placed her ring in his palm.



Buffy opened the pink and white striped bag and pulled out several packages wrapped in tissue paper. She pulled out a white satin peignoir set, a garter belt, and white silk stockings. She shook the bag and tissues out, but that was it. No bra. No undies. She smiled as she stripped off her nightgown and put on the lingerie.

She descended the staircase. The living room was dark with burning tapers placed all around the room. It smelled of the roses that overwhelmed a small vase on a side table. Spike watched her come down. He stood in the center of the room wearing only white silk pajama bottoms. He was holding a flute of champagne in each hand.

"Now, I know you've not much of a head for alcohol," he said with a grin,"But I happen to enjoy it when you drink it. I like the way it makes you all kittenish and girly."

She smiled at him and sipped at the champagne.

He held out his hand and steered her towards the couch.

"Sit down, love. There are presents for you."

"But it's not even Christmas yet, Spike."

He looked at her intently.

"This is our engagement party. So there must be presents." He grinned evilly. "Could have had your first present upstairs if you weren't so bossy." He grinned at her saucily, wiggling his eyebrows. "I know it would have been a perfect fit for you, baby."

She slapped at his arm and laughed.

"Okay!" He leaped up. "I wasn't quite ready for this to happen. So I had to wrap them myself while you were getting ready."

He brought forth four lumpish packages wrapped in Happy Birthday paper with balloons. They were sealed with duct tape that looked like it has been hacked by a knife.

"Open this one first," he said.

He handed her a small lump.

Buffy ripped it open. Inside was a small leather case. Within it was a daguerreotype in a metal frame. A very pretty blond woman with a serious expression held a plump baby on her lap. Tooled into one side of the folder was an inscription: "Leticia Walthrop and William- 1852.".

Buffy was delighted. "Is this you? As a baby? And is that your mother?"

Spike smiled at her. "Yes, yes and yes."

"You were such a beautiful baby."

Her eyes shadowed a bit and she bit her lip.

Spike looked very serious for a moment. He handed her the next present.

"Be very careful when you open it. You don't want to spill a drop."

She peeled back the paper to reveal a glass decanter filled with an emerald green liquid. Green wax was dribbled over the corked top, sealing the bottle. The label on the bottle read " T.P.W.W.R."

"What does that stand for?"

"Tonic per William Walthrop's request."

"Who made this for you? And what is it for?"

Spike took the bottle out of her hand and placed it on the table.

He kneeled down in front of her and took her hand.

"Love, one of the problems I had with asking you to marry me was that I could never give you children."

Buffy began to interrupt but he quickly covered her mouth with a kiss.

"Hush for a minute. "

He picked up the dageuerrotype and pointed at the image of his infant self.

"If you want one of these-"

He picked up the bottle.

"-I drink this."

He put both items down and rubbed her arms, staring deeply into her eyes.

"When- if- you want to have children, I drink this potion and I will become fertile again, as if I were alive again. This is powerful stuff. You will have to be very sure that it is what you want to do. And once the potion is uncorked, we have only a year to use it."

"But I know how you feel about magic-" she said, and he kissed her again to quiet her.

He handed her the next gift.

Buffy pulled out a slim silver box. Nestled inside were two silver daggers on a bed of red velvet. The blades arched and swirled in outlandish curves and waves.

Spike reached into the box and held one dagger in each hand.

"I know you don't need me to take care of you, or to take care of Dawn. But I want to. You don't need to do every single thing. You don't need to vanquish every evil."

He held the daggers up in the air.

"Each dagger on its own is strong. Adequate to do some serious damage."

He held the daggers together, hilt to hilt, and twisted them together in a flashing movement.

The individual knives had locked into a single large, menacing looking blade.

"But together, they are something finer. Something formidable. So are we, Slayer. We are more than the sum of our parts. Together, we are a mighty weapon."

His gaze seared into her. His sincerity and love shone from his face.

"Let me carry some of the burden. Let me in, all the way in. Let me be part of you. Let me live in you. It will be better than anything we have ever known, I promise you."

She looked at him with wide tear filled eyes.

"I thought you knew how much you mean to me," Buffy said. "I never want to be without you again. I need you, just as much as you need me. I need you all the time. I want to belong to you. And I want you to never doubt that you are mine. We are one, one and the same."

Spike placed the dagger on the floor and then kissed her sweetly and gently, holding her face in his hands. He handed her the last gift.

Inside was the blue velvet box, and inside the box was her ring. She held it up before her, tilting it from side to side, watching the blazes of color shine inside the depths of the stone. Spike watched her, patiently kneeling, enjoying the scene in front of him.

Buffy kneeled down before him, holding the ring out on her palm. Leaning forward, she whispered in his ear, so softly that only a vampire could hear.

'William, will you marry me?"

He wrapped one arm around her neck, and pulled her to him in a hard, deep kiss. His other hand slipped the ring on her finger.

Above them, hanging from the ceiling, twisted a sprig of mistletoe.


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