And the Walls Came Crumbling Down“You know what we haven’t done recently?”
Buffy’s question broke through the scattered chatter around the magic shop. They had just closed for the day, and everyone was hurriedly cleaning up so they could go home.
Without waiting for an answer, the blond Slayer continued. “We haven’t hung out at The Bronze in ages. I’m in the mood to dance.”
“Dancing. Dancing’s good.” Willow nodded emphatically, her burnished red hair swinging softly with the motion.
It was almost a week after the revealing “musical incident,” as it was now referred to, and tensions were high in the Scooby Gang. While the group had tried to talk things through, it had not gone well and Buffy had pretty much withdrawn from them, going about her daily life in solitude. Sure, she still worked at the magic shop with everyone else, but she hardly spoke outside of work-related situations.
So, needless to say, her statement took the group by surprise. But, seizing it as a chance to possibly bring Buffy out of her shell, Willow quickly agreed with her, and everyone else followed suit.
“We should go tonight. You know, get dressed up, go out dancing. Cut loose and relax for awhile.” Buffy nodded again, as is confirming the idea with herself.
“Sure, Bronzin’ it sounds like a good idea.” Xander grinned, relieved that his friend finally seemed to be speaking to them again. “Whatdaya say, we all head home and get cleaned up, then meet at the Buffster’s house at nine?”
“Sounds like a plan to me!” Willow hoped her enthusiasm didn’t sound as forced as she thought it did. She looked at Buffy for the final confirmation. “Buffy? That sound good?”
“Sure. Nine.” The slender girl nodded. “That works.” Without saying anything further, or even bothering to finish her task of re-shelving a small pile of books, Buffy glided out the door and started the short walk home.
As the door swung shut behind her, the small group that remained looked at each other. After a long moment, Tara broke the silence. “Well, at least she’s finally trying to be social again.”
Xander looked slightly baffled. “A week ago she almost did the whole spontaneous combustion thing from dancing! How could she want to dance again, so soon after her impression of Stomp?” Comprehension dawned on his face. “She’s possessed again, isn’t she?” He looked around the group for support.
Tara sighed, and shook her head slightly. “No, Xander. I don’t think it’s anything like that. It’s just… We’ve put a lot of pressure on her, and I think she just wants a chance to cut loose, to relax. To live her life a little, you know?” She shrugged. “We used to hang at the Bronze a lot, maybe this is her way of trying to go back to the way things were… even if it’s only for one night. So let’s just finish up here, and then we’ll all go and cut loose for an evening, k?” She looked around for consent.
The other Scoobies nodded, and quickly went about the business of closing up the shop so they too could go home and get ready for the night ahead.
***
Alone in her room, Buffy stared at herself in the mirror, contemplating her outfit. After a long moment of thought, she picked up a small compact and expertly applied more of the deep silver eye shadow within. A battalion of thin silver bangle bracelets jingled as she smudged the makeup with her finger, then nodded to herself, pleased with the smoky, sexy look she had achieved.
With a last look in the mirror, and a final tug at the hem of her short skirt, Buffy glanced at the clock and headed downstairs. It was time to leave.
The rest of the girls of the Summers house were already ready and waiting downstairs. At the sound of Buffy’s high-heeled sandals clicking on the steps as she descended, the group looked up, and identical looks of shock could be found on all three faces.
***
When Xander arrived, he was not nearly as diplomatic as the girls had been. The first words out of his mouth upon seeing Buffy were, “Buffy, you look like a whore! What the hell are you wearing?”The blond girl glared at him, her eyes shooting daggers of fire. “It’s called a skirt, Xander. And a halter top. Ever heard of those?” She tossed her head, sending her sexily tousled curls flying.
Anya, still hanging on Xander’s arm, readily agreed with the Slayer. Nodding and smiling confidentially at the other girl, Anya said, “Xander isn’t very well versed in the art of a woman’s clothes. I really should educate him, shouldn’t I?”
“Yeah. Maybe if he paid more attention, he’d know what a halter top is.” She shot another quick glare at Xander. “Everything’s covered that needs to be covered.” She slung the slender strap of a small black purse over her shoulder, and looked expectantly at the others. “So, are we ready to go?”
***
Even from the street they could hear the loud pulse of music pouring out of the Bronze. People streamed in and out, laughing and talking animatedly with each other. A small line stretched out in front of the door as the bouncer collected the cover charge. Light from the entranced splashed onto the street, illuminating the glittering fabrics and revealing clothes many of the girls wore as they waited to get in.It was Saturday night and the place was packed. Once inside, the music was almost deafening; the band on the stage wasn’t the best but nobody could fault them for lack of enthusiasm as they banged away on their instruments. The dance floor was tightly packed with bodies, both male and female, as kids as young as fifteen and as old as their mid-twenties gyrated to the music.
It took the Scoobies a good ten minutes to locate a table; they finally had to resort to kicking a lone teenager out of his chair as he sat brooding over a cup of coffee. Dawn, Tara, and Willow quickly sat down, staking their claim on the table. Buffy, however, was too restless to sit, and instead stood to one side scanning the crowd.
After a moment, she tossed down her purse and jacket and pushed her way onto the crowded dance floor. Anya grabbed Xander’s hand, and dragged him after her.
Hello, goodmorning, how ya do?
What makes your rising sun so new?
I could use a fresh beginning too
All of my regrets on nothing new***
From across the room, cloaked in shadow and darkness, he watched her.Arms raised in the air, her body swaying and gyrating to the pulsing beat of the music. Her eyes were half-closed, and a dreamy expression was on her face as she danced.
She seemed oblivious to the way her movements caused her short skirt to ride almost indecently high along her thighs, or to the male attention her tight little body was attracting. Her skimpy backless halter top swayed seductively, revealing tantalizing glimpses of her toned stomach.
Men of various ages flocked around her, from the randy high school student looking to score, to the young professional twenty-somethings who were, not surprisingly, also looking to score.
The sight of so many men obviously hitting on her, often grabbing her close to rub their bodies against hers, made his blood boil.
She was acting like a slut, using that magnificent body of hers to attract attention. With that seductive look on her face she looked like sex incarnate, as much as he’d like to he couldn’t really blame the men who flocked to her. She was asking for it.
As the rage built inside him, he finally gave in to it.
Pushing his way roughly through the crowd, he came up behind her. She didn’t seem to notice him, or realize who it was- to her, he was just another body in the crowd. Her ‘spider sense’ tingled a bit at the nearness of a vampire, but she ignored it. This was her night, and for once the general public could fend for themselves. Even when he growled fiercely at the men that surrounded her, sending most of them scurrying away to find easier meat, she remained oblivious to who was behind her.
Lost in the music, in the rhythmic tempo and the sexual connotations of the dance, the only thing that registered in her brain was that a man was behind her, and he had his hands on her hips. Now he was dragging her back against him, pulling her tight against his body so that her ass wriggled against his groin as she continued to dance. A little tingle of awareness ran through her at his touch, but she attributed it to arousal. She absolutely refused to think tonight, especially when she could feel his erection pressing insistently- and alluringly- against her butt.
Still, she took no notice of who it was. His hands were moving over her skin now, feathering ever so lightly over her exposed stomach, her arms, her throat. His touch left a trail of liquid fire on her flesh, making her shiver as desire began to pool low in her belly.
So this is the way that I say
I need you
This is the way
This is the way
That I’m learning to breatheFrom their little table to one side of the dance floor, Willow searched the room for Buffy, wondering where her friend had disappeared to so quickly. Her gaze was caught by a flash of gold as Buffy tossed her hair, and her eyes widened at the sight. Her mouth still hanging open, she jabbed Tara with her elbow and pointed towards the couple on the dance floor. “Is… is that Buffy and Spike?”
Tara and Dawn both followed her gaze. Unlike the redheaded witch, neither of the girls looked overly surprised. They had long ago noticed the attraction between Buffy and Spike, even when neither member of the unofficial couple would admit to it. In fact, discussions on when Buffy and Spike would finally give in to their feelings for each other were fairly common during girl nights when Willow had been absent.
The one time Tara had tried to include Willow in the conversation, she had made some off-hand comment about how Spike was infatuated with the Slayer, and that nothing would ever come of it. Since then, she hadn’t been included in all the Buffy and Spike relationship conversations.
Now, faced with the sight of her sister getting it on with the sexy vampire on the dance floor, Dawn grinned widely. “It’s about damn time!” Realizing her slip, she quickly glanced around the table at the other two girls to see if either of them had heard her swear. It still rubbed her the wrong way that the others were so careful about their language around her. It wasn’t like she’d never heard the words before!
Luckily, Willow was still staring dazedly at the couple on the dance floor, and hadn’t heard what the younger girl had said. Tara just shot her a quick look of warning, smiling slightly when Dawn mouthed back, “sorry.”
Oblivious to their friends’ notice, Buffy and Spike continued to sway to the music, rubbing their bodies together in a sexual frenzy. When the music switched to a faster song they ignored it, continuing to dance to their own beat.
I’m learning to crawl
I’m finding that you and you alone can break my fall
I’m living again
Awake and alive
I’m dying to breathe in these abundant skiesAs desire swept through her in a rising tide, Buffy’s dancing became more aggressive. With her eyes closed, she tossed her head back against his shoulder and lifted her hands in the air, running them over his face and through her hair. Her hips swiveled in rhythm with their movements.
“You want to flaunt your body, stick out your tits and shake your ass, until some guy looses control and fucks you right here on the dance floor?” His words were a hot whisper by her ear.
The familiar voice caused awareness to flare in her eyes and her body went stiff. After a few seconds, though, she relaxed again, and continued to dance with him. A tiny part of her brain was shouting insistently that she shouldn’t be doing this, that it would only cause problems, but she stubbornly ignored it. Tonight was her night, dammit, and besides, it felt good.
He yanked her closer, rubbing his prominent arousal against her ass again. She whimpered, grinding her body against his, silently begging for more.
On a low growl, he bit down with barely leashed temper on her neck, almost drawing blood in his fervor. “By God, if you want your brains fucked out, I’m bloody well going to be the one doing it!” His voice was low and hoarse with his desire.
He spun her around to face him and jerked her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze and admit who was setting her body on fire. As awareness and confusion swirled in her eyes, mixing with the desire already there, he groaned and crushed her mouth beneath his. Her lips parted on a moan, and his tongue stabbed into her mouth to duel ferociously with hers. Her arms were suddenly around him, wrapping around his neck like a vise as she clung to him, answering kiss with vicious kiss.
His hands slicked down her back, over her hips, and down to her ass, grabbing hold there and lifting her up against him for more contact. With their mouths still melded together, he began to drag her towards the door.
As they stumbled towards the door they bumped into Xander and Anya. It took Xander a full minute to realize who had pushed them, and by the time he did the other couple was almost out the door.
Hello, good morning, how ya been?
Yesterday left my head kicked in
I never, never thought that
I would fall like that
Never knew that I could hurt this bad“Hey!”
As Xander strode towards the door, Anya reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him. “Xander, how would you like it if Buffy interrupted us while we were having sex?”
He stuttered at the mention of his best friend having sex, with Spike no less.
“Nonono, An, you’re wrong. They’re not gonna… do that. We just have to stop them, ‘cause obviously an evil demon has put a sex-crazy spell on them and it’s clouding their vision.” He nodded, happier with his explanation. “Buffy wouldn’t be caught dead with Spike otherwise.”
Anya looked at him, pity in her eyes. “Xander, they’ve been drooling over each other since that whole singing business! It was only a matter of time before they got it on.” She patted his arm, smiling brightly as his face blanched white.
His mouth gaped open and closed like a fish out of water as he struggled to find his voice. Finally working through a bit of his shock, he said, “An, that’s gross! Buffy and Spike knocking boots?” He honestly looked horrified. “What the heck would make you say such a sick thing?” He glared at her.
Shaking her head at his denseness, she tried again to make him see reason. “Honey, I know I would hate to be interrupted while we’re having sex. Besides, I think it’s good that Buffy’s finally getting some.” She shrugged philosophically. “It’s been way too long for her, maybe it’ll help her get her focus back.” She smiled brightly again. “Besides, Buffy deserves to see some action as much as I do.” Pausing, she thought about that statement for a minute before amending it. “Well, almost.”
During her speech Xander’s face turned steadily greener and he looked ready to bolt. Giving up the idea of reasoning with him, Anya framed his face with her hands and yanked his mouth down to hers, kissing him deeply and rubbing her body against his. He responded just as she knew he would, wrapping his arms around her and forgetting all about Buffy. As he began to nibble on her neck and make lewd suggestions in her ear, Anya smiled, idly thinking that Buffy had damn well better appreciate what the blond went through for her.
As if sex with Xander was ever a tribulation. But still, the thought was there.
***
Oblivious to the efforts of the ex-demon, Buffy stumbled out of the crowded club, trying not to bump into people as her mouth remained fused to Spike’s. Her blood thundered through her head, and her heart beat out an erratic tattoo as he slammed her up against the outside wall of the Bronze and continued his assault on her senses.His tongue was wickedly clever as it dueled with hers, leaving her mouth only to trail its hot dampness down her throat, over her shoulder. He bit down on the slender column of her neck, just hard enough to make her cry out in a combination of pain and pleasure. Licking the spot he had just bit, he laughed softly at the moan that slipped past her lips.
“Like that, do you pet?” He nuzzled his face against her neck, licking and sucking gently, occasionally rasping her soft skin with the sharp edges of his teeth. She whimpered in response.
“Me too.” His voice was rough with desire as he pulled himself away from her, dragging her down the street towards her house.
I’m learning to breathe
I’m learning to crawl
I’m finding that you and you alone can break my fall
I’m living again
Awake and alive
I’m dying to breathe in these abundant skiesTheir hands entwined, they began running, too far gone in the haze of lust to think reasonably. Thought would come with the sun. Right now the only image that Buffy’s scrambled brain could hold on to was the picture of her bed, and Spike naked on it. She wanted him, and she wanted him now. For once, just this once, she wanted to give herself over to the sensations that were pouring through her, and forget about doing the “right” thing. She wanted to feel.
Their trip to her house was interrupted several times by brief stops to kiss and caress in darkened doorways and shadowy alleys. Each time she felt Spike’s body, hard and solid against hers, her arousal increased tenfold, and by the time they stumbled discordantly up the steps to her house, she felt like she was going to explode.
Spike slammed her up against the door for another drugging kiss, muttering into her mouth, “Door.” Dazedly she realized that he wanted her to get out her keys.
Her hands fluttered around her body for a minute, searching, before she realized that her purse, and her keys with it, were still back at the Bronze, draped over a chair at the table Willow and Dawn had been at. She groaned.
“Don’t have ‘em.” Her voice was a stuttering gasp; she was out of breath from the run home and the desire fueling her body.
Spike growled, then pulled her away from the door. “We’ll just break it down then.” He took a few steps away, preparing to slam his shoulder against the solid wooden door.
Buffy laughed softly, even as she pulled at his arm. “No, I don’t think…” Her thoughts were distracted as he decided that she was more appealing than the door, and began to nibble along her neck again. “I don’t think that would go over well with my friends.”
Pushing him far enough away that she could think for a moment, she suddenly smiled. “And besides, I don’t think we need to.” She pointed upwards, towards her bedroom. “My window’s open. We just need to get up on the overhang and climb in.”
Glancing around, Spike’s gaze quickly landed on the tree that stood close to the house- the same one that she had used countless times to sneak out at night to patrol, before her mom had learned about her daughter’s extracurricular job. With a muttered oath he began to climb, his ascent laughably made more difficult by his thick erection. Buffy nimbly followed him, and within moments the two were tumbling through the window.
Without preamble Spike grabbed her, yanking her close and devouring her mouth. She loved the way he kissed, the way his taste exploded on her tongue and a thick fog came rolling into her brain and shut off all normal functions. He could take her under with a kiss, sliding through her defenses with the ease of a long-time burglar, and helping himself to what lay beneath: her body, her heart, her soul.
The thought exploded through her brain with the impact of a meteor, but before she could examine her feelings in greater detail he was sucking her under again, his hands streaking under her shirt to massage her breasts, teasing the aching tips with his thumbs.
Needs, hot and dark, erupted within her, and her hands worked busily at his clothes, stripping them away from his body and tossing them hurriedly over her shoulder. She clung to him like hot wax, her body molten and welcome on his, her hands greedily stroking the exposed skin.
With a feral growl, he scooped her up in his arms and tossed her on the bed. Crouching over her, he rolled her onto her stomach and bit down on the tender skin of the small of her back, revealed by the barely-there halter top.
She whimpered, much to his delight, his name falling from her lips on a broken plea. Ignoring her obvious demand for release, he continued to kiss and nibble his way up her back, following the gentle curve of her spine. His hands followed his mouth, untying the slender strings that held the top together as he went.
When she tried to roll over he stopped her, murmuring softly, “Uh-huh. Not yet.”
With firm, strong hands, he continued to stroke her back, kneading the resilient muscles, enjoying the way they flexed and shifted beneath his hands. Despite the urgency that thundered in his blood he took his time, learning the taste and texture of the body he had admired for so long. After a few long moments, his fingers skimmed downwards, over the curved slope still covered by the little black skirt, to the smooth, silky skin of her legs. His hands glided up the length of them, sliding under the skirt to caress the sensitive skin at the backs of her thighs and her ass. As his fingers stroked dangerously close to the nerve-filled flesh between her thighs, she moaned and cried out his name again, this time more demand in her voice.
Chuckling softly, he obligingly slid his fingers downward again, probing the moist heat that already slicked her skin. She arched into his hand with a low moan, trying to force his finger deeper. He laughed, the sound a rusty chuckle. “Greedy little chit, aren’t you?” Her whimper as he continued his ministrations was neither an assent or a dissent, and it was all the answer he needed.
Her body ached for him, her blood swimming close beneath the surface of her skin and making her tingle, literally, every time he touched her. The sheets of her bed, even the cool night air coming in from the window, stroked her skin and made her feel even more alive as the heat of desire raced through her.
With a click that she was sure must be audible, the walls she had kept locked around her fell open, leaving her heart trembling and bare. With the honesty and unreservedness only passion could bring, in that moment she gave herself to him completely. She was tired of fighting this, of denying her feelings and pretending that she could be normal, and have a shot at a normal life.
So this is the way that I say
I need you
This is the way that I say I love you
This is the way that I say I’m yours
This is the way,
This is the wayAs if sensing her sudden change of heart, Spike growled deep in his throat and slid his hands under her stomach. With the easy strength that never failed to startle her, even as her own matched it, he hauled her to her knees, positioning her so that she knelt before him. When she tried to twist around to face him he stilled her with his hands on her butt, and took a long moment to simply look at the bounty offered him.
She had expected him to mount her; she was certainly wet enough and she knew the urgency that pounded through her also affected him. So she was surprised when she felt his tongue dart out, cold and damp against the heat that pooled between her thighs. She gasped slightly at the sensation, closing her eyes in bliss as he continued to explore her in the unorthodox position, using only the tip of his tongue.
After a teasing moment he deepened the caress, stroking deeply, probing her opening. He enjoyed the sexy little whimpers that slipped past her lips as he began thrusting with his tongue, giving her an explicit taste of what was to come.
Finally tiring of his torment of her, and of himself, he flipped her over onto her back and dove back between her thighs. As she settled back against the pillows she reached for him, trying to pull him up to her, but he shook his head. With a wicked grin, he looked her straight in the eyes before lowering his mouth back down, and biting her clitoris with just the right amount of force. The contact on an area that had been tauntingly neglected sent her skyrocketing, shuddering over the sharp edge of climax with a gasp. Her eyes went wide in shock as her body bucked within his grasp.
Even as her body continued to shake with her release, he was moving up, pinning her beneath the weight of his body, then expertly rolling them so that she was suddenly sprawled on top of him. She shifted so that she straddled him, her eyes still dark and passionate. Unable to wait any longer, he grabbed her hips and lifted her up, nudging her wet folds with the swollen head of his penis until he was positioned properly.
With a shout of triumph, he slammed her down on him, thrusting up at the same time and burying himself completely inside of her. She cried out at the delicious feel of him filling her, and amazingly felt herself on the verge of another orgasm, seconds after her first.
Tossing her head back, glorying in the feel of her silky hair swishing against her back, his skin beneath her fingertips, his muscled body between her thighs, she began to ride him. Sensations swarmed her body as she moved, slowly at first, then gaining speed as his groans urged her on.
Looking up at the goddess astride him, unable to believe that this was actually happening, and yet still not willing to do anything to dispel the moment, if it was in fact a dream, Spike smiled. He raised his hands to her breasts, playing with the tight peaks and enjoying her sexy little whimpers.
As the tension continued to build within him, he slicked his hands down her sides and settled them at her hips. He could feel her trembling on the brink again, and he knew that he, too, was close. Her body moved with his, hot and wet, encasing him like burning velvet. As his hands tightened on her hips, he spoke.
“Buffy.”
She continued to ride him, her head thrown back and her eyes closed.
“Buffy.” He shook her slightly, wanting her attention. “Buffy, look at me.” His voice was low, hoarse with the strain of holding himself back from that razor-sharp edge, and when she finally focused on his face his eyes burned blue lightening.
“I want you to look at me. I want you to know who’s making you fly, luv.” His gaze was still locked on hers, and with those words he began to move, the powerful muscles in his arms flexing as he used his grip on her hips to increase the speed, the depth of his thrusts.
He watched, his eyes never leaving her face, as she matched him thrust for thrust. Her eyes began to close again as her body tightened about him, her muscles bucking and shaking, and with a wicked grin he drove himself up into her with all the force he could muster. Her eyes flew open in shock and pleasure as she spun off the edge again, her body convulsing with pleasure.
As her inner muscles pulsed around him the thrust deep once more, shouting out his triumph as he joined her in the throws of euphoria.
***
Later, much later, they lay tangled together, their bodies slick with sweat. Buffy was curled against him, her head pillowed on his shoulder. As her heartbeat began to slow from their latest round, he lazily stroked the silky expanse of her back. A sexy, self-satisfied smirk lingered on his lips; he had taken her four times in the past few hours, allowing her only a few minutes to doze in between each time. His hunger for her had been building up over the past year, and now, finally able to feast, he couldn’t seem to get enough of her.
Buffy, too, smiled softly. Her muscles felt weak and well-used, her entire body still highly sensitized from their long bout of lovemaking. Unable to resist the temptation, she cuddled closer, throwing one leg over his as she adjusted her position until she was comfortable again.
“Buffy.” His voice was soft, but sexily deep. After all the shouting he had done, it was a wonder he could speak at all.
When she didn’t respond, he shook her slightly, his hand squeezing her shoulder. When she finally lifted her head to look at him, he cupped her chin in one hand, forcing her to keep her gaze on his as he spoke.
“You know this isn’t just a one night stand, luv.”
She regarded him silently for a moment, making him start to worry that she was going to deny him, dirty what had happened between them that night. But after a moment she simply nodded, and laid her head back on his chest.
“I know.”
He smiled again, and resumed his stroking of her back. As confessions of undying love went, it left a lot to be desired, but it was a start.
And for now, that was enough for him.
~Fin~