*****************

Buffy hoped against hope that her mother slept like the dead this morning. The sounds that escaped her lips had been ungodly, and she felt a twinge of embarrassment. Angel’s mere mention of the two of them ‘together’ had sent Joyce in a tizzy that was so bad, it had been like the woman had walked in and caught her daughter’s legs up in the air. But this…

His eyes met with hers, any embarrassment she felt instantly melting away. Male pride played across his face, but there was also something different, something she had never seen before. Spike gave her one last smile, before lowering his face back in position at her opening. He parted her lips, flattening his tongue against her, licking her slowly from bottom up…

Buffy managed somehow to grab a pillow, holding it steady incase she needed a muzzle. She knew her mom was pretty good with the selective memory thing, but she didn’t want to totally dash Joyce’s hopes of her ‘second virginity’.

Spike’s tongue stiffened, teasing her clit as he slid one finger into her, stretching and filling her. The pillow came crashing down wildly over her face, as she felt another finger being inserted. She trembled violently beneath him. Consciousness, slamming back once his ministrations stopped.

Stopped? Why did he stop?! Why the hell did he stop?! Buffy’s muffled gasps and pants filled the room as the thoughts ran through her head. This was painful, she was going to kill him, plain and simple, he was a dead man…er a deader man, how the hell could he….!

Oh! "Oh!" The muffled cry escaped her lips as sucked her clit into his mouth in one swift motion. His hands, holding her firmly against his face, as he nibbled gently. Buffy screamed loudly as she came into Spike’s mouth, the vampire greedily lapping up every last drop of her juices.

*****************

Willow sat cramped against Xander in Giles’ poor excuse for a car. She had made up in her mind that one night she was going to whisk this car away to the junkyard and give it the proper burial it deserved. She could feel Xander sweating, he was worried, really worried. Willow knew that Buffy could take care of herself, but it just wasn’t like her to not show up or to not call…something big and mean and nasty must be keeping her…Oh!

"Oh!" Willow cried out, earning looks from the other passengers. Oh, god, she hadn’t meant to say that out loud, it’s just that, big, mean and nasty things…Spike! Oh, Buffy wouldn’t be doing that, not after just breaking up with Riley…but she did do that when she was still together with Riley! Oh god…

"You okay, Will?" Xander asked, Xander! She couldn’t let Xander see that, hell, she couldn’t let herself see that, but Xander…he would flip! He was already mad at Buffy for the whole Riley deal but seeing her with another vampire…and Spike no less, he might never recover.

Giles’ tin machine came to a screeching halt outside of the Summers’ home. Willow had to think fast, she couldn’t let them go in there and catch Buffy like that. Then again, maybe Buffy and Spike weren’t in there doing that, maybe Spike was blissfully chained to the bathtub, and Buffy was lying in her bed, visions of sugarplums and vampire stakings dancing in her head…and maybe…

Willow’s second ridiculous thought was instantly shoved out of her mind when they heard the loud crash in Buffy’s room.

Well, she’s definitely not sleeping…

Xander and Giles exchanged looks of worry, both taking off running full speed for the door. "No! Wait, guys!" Willow called, hurrying after them. Oh, Buffy owed her big time for this, like doing a week’s worth of her Psych homework big time…

*********************

"Buffy! What in god’s name is going on in there!" Joyce shouted, pounding on the door. She hadn’t gotten any sleep the entire night, the strangest sounds coming through the wall from her daughter’s room. Joyce shuddered at the thought, Riley couldn’t possibly be in there…and if he was she and Buffy were going to have a long, long discussion.

Buffy and Spike scrambled to their feet, somehow having ended up on the floor, Buffy’s dresser having toppled to the ground in their wake. She hurriedly grabbed the first shirt she could find, quickly throwing it on, and shooed Spike in the closet.

"Nothing, mom! I, I just knocked over some stuff…you know, clumsy me." She called, laughing nervously, and opened the door. Joyce stood before her, her hair an unruly mess, her robe thrown on haphazardly, bags under her eyes. Oh god, she had heard everything…

Buffy smiled, a little too wide, her mom was going to see right through this…

Joyce nodded. "Yeah, clumsy you…" She eyed the room over her daughter’s shoulder, noting the toppled dresser and the mattress, that was half on the bed…

"Buffy, is someone in there with you?"

Buffy laughed loudly, the nervous, guilty kind of laughter, earning a look from her mother. "What?! No! No, there’s absolutely no one in here, no one but me."

Joyce nodded once more, turning away from Buffy, heading towards her room. "Honey, your shirt’s inside out." She called back, sweet as ever.

Buffy’s eyes went wide as she shut her door, a headache suddenly sweeping over her. She rested her head against the door, shutting her eyes for a moment. Oh god, oh god, oh god…

The closet door slowly opened, Spike’s head, peeking out a bit from around the corner.

"Is she gone yet?"

*********************

Joyce sighed loudly as the pounding on the front door got increasingly louder. She was half-way to her bed once it started, grabbing her robe once again as she headed back out of the door, oh Buffy and Riley would pay for keeping her up all night…she just hadn’t figured out what highly embarrassing thing she could do yet. Maybe bring up Buffy’s kindergarten ‘jumper’ accident…

She stopped in front of the bathroom, noticing it was in the same state as it had been when she went to bed, and that Spike was still suspiciously missing from the tub. She turned back, staring at the door to her daughter’s room, then back to the empty bathroom. Impossible…

**********************

"Guy’s, I’m sure Buffy’s fine, really, maybe she’s just sleeping in…" Willow’s desperate pleas fell on deaf ears, as Xander and Giles continued to pound on the door. "Why don’t we go, pick up some doughnuts, and comeback around noon."

"Will, what’s wrong with you?! Didn’t you hear that?" Xander said, turning to face her. "Buffy’s not sleeping in, there’s something in there with her…"

"Well…maybe it likes doughnuts, we should go get some." She nodded sheepishly, giving a little sigh. Xander and Giles turned simultaneously, looking at her as if she were insane, as the door flew open.

Joyce barely got two words out as Giles and Xander flew pass her in a wild blur, with Willow closely behind, shouting at the two of them to ‘wait’.

***********************

Spike chuckled softly, walking over to her. Everything between them had changed so quickly, sure he still got the urge to snap her pretty little neck every now and again, but it wasn’t the driving force of his feelings for her any more, more like a byproduct of her pissing him off. He softly massaged her shoulders, smiling at the tiny moan she made. He liked this, maybe a little too much, he had tried to convince himself that this was nothing more than his dick releasing his brain from all of the rigorous thinking, but for the past couple of nights it hadn’t been working.

She broke out of his grasp, turning to face him, her eyes shining brightly.

Spike felt something hitch in his chest as he looked at her like this, she was absolutely beautiful even with her standing on end, and that rumpled T-shirt on. No, he shouldn’t do that, he shouldn’t over think this, and after all it is just sex, right? The words lingered on the tip of his tongue, threatening to spill at any moment. No, he’s insane, he couldn’t possibly…it’s just sex, just a role in the hay, she’s just taking care of the job that Dru didn’t want and Harmony couldn’t handle…

Buffy’s arms snaked around his waist, and he could feel the hitch again, and his mouth opened in spite of himself…

"Buffy, I think I…" Spike began, the words he was so desperate not to say, dutifully cut off by the door opening, and the sight of the Whelp and the Watcher standing in its wake, slackjawed, with Red and Joyce quickly running up behind them.

"Buffy!" Xander screamed in utter disbelief.

"Told you we should have went for doughnuts…" Willow muttered, blushing furiously.

TBC….

**********************

Friends? Riley mulled the thought over in his mind for maybe the millionth time this morning. She wanted to be friends? Well, maybe he could do that, he just wanted to be in Buffy’s life again, and if he had to be her friend to do it, then so be it.

He rolled over in bed, sighing loudly as he stared at the empty space next to him. It had only been a day for Christ sakes and he already missed her like crazy…

Yeah, friends, he could do that. Sometimes friendships lead to something more…maybe if she saw how great they were together again, she would want to give him another shot.

Friends…

***********************

Crossbow?! Where the hell was the crossbow?! Harmony stalked purposely through the crypt, tearing up anything in her path. Where the hell was that damn thing…

Oh! She grunted as she dropped to her knees, peering underneath the bed, pulling out the crossbow. She smiled as she looked at it, absolutely perfect, just the thing for getting rid of Spike’s undead ass…

Spike…just the thought of him made tears prickle at the corners of her eyes. She sniffed loudly, collecting herself for the millionth time that morning, and put on her ‘brave-little toaster’ face, walking over to the rest of her weapons pile, throwing down the crossbow amid the stakes and bottles of holy water.

********************

Buffy’s arms snaked around his waist, and he could feel the hitch again, and his mouth opened in spite of himself…

"Buffy, I think I…" Spike began, the words he was so desperate not to say, dutifully cut off by the door opening, and the sight of the Whelp and the Watcher standing in its wake, slackjawed, with Red and Joyce quickly running up behind them.

"Buffy!" Xander screamed in utter disbelief.

"Told you we should have went for doughnuts…" Willow muttered, blushing furiously.

Buffy could feel the entire world crashing down around her in one fell swoop, this was it, her Dante’s Inferno, her ninth circle of hell, there was nothing she could say, ‘Hey, Spike and I were just wrestling’ wasn’t going to cut it. Here she was, arms wrapped around her very naked mortal enemy, with all of her friends, and oh god, her mother, standing in the doorway. She knew Xander was screaming something, but she couldn’t hear him, she couldn’t hear anything if you didn’t count the extremely loud pounding sound her heart was making.

She should say something, anything! A slight smile broke out on her face at the thought of yelling ‘Gotcha!" but she quickly figured they wouldn’t by that. Her hearing finally snapped back into place once Giles cleared his throat.

"I say we all, um, wait downstairs, and um, let Buffy get dressed." The Watcher’s voice sounded strained, tinged with disappointment and the faintest hint of disgust, quite possibly from getting a good look at Spike’s ‘assets’.

Xander made a sound to protest, but was cut off by Joyce, who literally pulled him into the other direction. Willow remained, slouching against the doorway, her face beet red, and her eyes locked on her sneakers as Spike made his way past her in all of his glory, his clothes bundled in his arms.

Once she heard the bathroom door slam, Willow made her way into the room, giving Buffy her comfort smile, and wrapped her arms around her best friend.

Buffy, finally letting the complete weight of everything that was to come hit her full on, began to cry on Willow’s shoulders. Willow shushed her, gently, making light circles on her back with her hand.

"It’s okay, Buffy. It won’t be so bad…shhh, it’s okay." Buffy pulled away, swiping at the tears that stained her cheeks, as Will gave her another one of those smiles that meant everything was going to be all right.

"I know it might not be a good time to say this, but you really need to crack a window in here."

Buffy laughed softly, putting her head on Willow’s shoulder once more.

************************

He hated this, hated the quiet, why wasn’t Joyce saying anything?! He couldn’t sit in the bathroom alone, it was driving him mad, so he made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen, where he had found mum sitting at the bar. She had smiled faintly at him, saying that she wanted to give the others some privacy out there. He had nodded like a coward and climbed on top of the counter, softly kicking his feet against the bottom cabinet doors.

He should say something, after all he did like and respect this woman, even when he had wanted her daughter dead he had found Joyce to be a class act. Spike drew his bottom lip in, gnawing at it a bit, accidentally drawing blood. He had to say something, apologize maybe…does Joyce still have that axe lying around…

He shook off the thought, finally willing his mouth to open…

"Well, at least it wasn’t Riley I walked in on." Joyce said, cutting Spike off, smiling a bit at him.

**************************

Thank god for Willow. She had literally drug Xander out of the house for some ‘fresh air’ as she put it, leaving Buffy to put up with only one pair of judging eyes for now. She really didn’t think she could handle the both of them at the same time, she owed Will big time, she might even do a weeks worth of Psych homework for her…

Giles removed his glasses as he cleared his throat, scrubbing at the furiously with the cloth before putting them back on.

"Giles, let me explain…"Buffy began, Giles lifted a hand, signaling her to be quiet for now. Her head hung slightly, her eyes beginning to burn holes in the carpet, she felt like a child, a child who was about to be grounded for the rest of her natural born life.

"How long has this…"

"I don’t know." Buffy muttered, shrugging her shoulders. "Three, maybe four weeks."

"Three, four weeks…that’s impossible…"

"It started in Texas." She said solemnly, keeping her gaze on the carpet and her bare feet.

"Texas." Giles said, nodding, he wasn’t going to push her on that matter any further, the identity of the roommate laughing in the background over the phone had just been answered. He shook his head, regrouping himself.

"Buffy, I…"

"I know you’re disappointed with me, and upset with me. I know this is wrong and I shouldn’t…"

"Buffy, he’s dangerous, he can’t be trusted…

"I know…" Buffy said softly. "But I…"

"You not only put your life in great danger, but also your mother’s and everyone else around you. I thought I taught you better than this…"

"You did, but I…"

"And after everything that happened with Angel…"

"Angel was different, this isn’t the same! Look, Giles, I know I screwed up and I’m sorry! I wish that I could tell you that it won’t happen again, but I’ve already told myself that so many times it’s laughable, and I don’t want to lie to you any more. In this very fucked up way, I trust him. I know he would never hurt my mom, or Willow for that matter…" Buffy chuckled softly, shaking her head. "And I think he would never hurt me…that is, unless I hurt him first. I don’t know what this is with us, maybe it’ll run it’s course in a few days and we’ll be back to intensely hating each other again…" Buffy’s voice trailed off, leaving an awkward silence between her and Giles.

She dug her toes into the carpet, waiting for him to say something, anything! The silence was driving her crazy…

Giles nodded, softly clearing his throat again. "Um, Buffy. I know I’m technically not your Watcher any longer, but I think maybe you should renew the search for those commandos. We should find out what they’re up to after all…"

She smiled meekly. "Sure thing."

"Oh, and please do remember to lock your bedroom door…it’s going to take every bottle of alcohol in my flat to get rid of the image of Spike naked."

TBC…

*************************

Willow looked on as Xander rapidly paced in front of her. The two of them hadn’t spoken a single word to each other since she dragged him out here. She figured she would give him a little time to collect himself, and would only speak if he said something that made him sound like a total jackass.

The front door slowly opened, Buffy’s head slightly peaking out. Will nodded, taking this as her cue to leave, and flashed her friend one last look of support before walking into the house. Xander’s feet had stopped automatically once he saw the Slayer descend from the house, he was as stiff as a board, glaring at her.

"Do you want to start or should I?" Buffy said meekly, shoving her hands nervously into the pocket of her jeans.

"I will…" He practically growled. "What the hell is wrong with you!"

"Xander…"

"I mean, have you gone completely insane! I’m so disgusted with you right now, I don’t even want to look at you! How, how could you let that thing touch you!"

Buffy’s hands left her pockets, and curled into fists at her side as she shut her eyes, taking in a deep breath. She wanted to hit him, she was dying to hit him, but ultimately she knew she couldn’t. Her talk with Giles had given her a false sense of security, how could she have even expected Xander to be as rational.

"And Riley! Is that peroxide-wonder in there the reason why you left him?!

"No…well, yes but not completely! Xander, I don’t love Riley and it wasn’t fair to him…"

"Unbelievable!" Xander roared, throwing his hands in the air. What was it with this girl and vampires?! Angel was bad enough, but Spike?! He doesn’t even have a soul…

"You know, since when did you become the Buffy Gatekeeper?! My love life is none of your business…"

"Sorry, my overprotective side tends to come out when I see friends putting their lives in danger." Xander spat rather nastily. Buffy sighed loudly, this was taking a lot more out of her than she originally thought it would…

"I don’t think he would ever hurt me, Xander…"

"Oh, right, so all of those past threats to rip your throat out and bathe in your blood, that was just what? His way of flirting? The vampire equivalent to punching a girl in the arm and running away?"

"I trust him…" Xander huffed loudly, giving her another one of his looks before opening his mouth again…

"I trust him!" Buffy shouted, enunciating the words clearly as if speaking to an extremely slow child. "I never wanted to hurt Riley, and I never wanted to hurt you, for that matter. But, I’m asking you to have a little faith in me, I’m a big girl Xand, and I can make my own decisions. I don’t even know what this thing with Spike is, but I can’t fight it anymore, I’m through trying…"

"If he hurts you, I’ll kill him."

Buffy nodded a bit, smiling. "I know you will…"

"If he even looks like he’s going to hurt you, I’ll kill him. Hell, if he even looks at me the wrong way, I’ll kill him…"

**********************

Spike quickly downed the alcohol, loving the way it burned the back of his throat. Willy’s was unusually busy tonight, and he felt a little cramped at the bar.

He had decided to take off after Buffy went out on patrol, they hadn’t really spoken since that morning before the slayerettes busted in on their fun. He didn’t want to push any conversation, especially after the talk they had with Joyce. After listening to her rant on contraception, and then answering the rather embarrassing question as to why birth control really wasn’t needed, they both had deflated in front of the TV, letting the sounds of canned sitcom laughter fill in the silence. He just held her, a little surprised at how comfortable it was.

Spike finished the last of his drink, slamming the empty glass on the bar. He stood up, removing a crumpled bill from his duster, and tossed it down on the bar top, then made his way out of the door.

He stopped only once on his way back to Revello, to get a bite to eat. He could only stifle the urge to feed for so long, pigs blood was killing him…what Buffy didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt her, or him for that matter…

Spike paused a moment before opening the door and turned, looking over his shoulder. He had, had this sneaking suspicion that he was being followed all the way from Willy’s, couldn’t really be sure, the booze had deadened his senses a bit. He shook off the feelings with a shrug and walked in the house.

***********************

Oh god! If her heart could have pounded, it would break her chest wide open. Harmony had quickly ducked behind the big tree in Buffy’s yard, narrowly avoiding Spike’s gaze. She had never been happier to have a boozehound for an ex.

The stake she was hiding in the waistband of her pants was poking her a little, making things most uncomfortable. She had followed him all the way from Willy’s, and was more than surprised when he ended up at Buffy’s. At first she figured he must be there to kill the Slayer, but then why would he have a key to her house? Maybe it’s apart of his plan to get rid of her, gain her trust somehow…but that theory was quickly blown to hell once she watched him, through the open window, flop down on the couch and turn on the TV. Her Spikey was never one for patience, he looked like he was at home…

Harmony sighed loudly, staring into the window. Tonight’s not the night to kill him, she needed a better plan…she thought as she slowly walked out of her hiding place.

Spike’s gonna rue the day he ever thought about hurting Harmony Kendall…ow! "Damn stake." She grumbled, pulling it from her pants.

*************************

Buffy hit the ground hard with a loud grunt, and scrambled to her feet before the vamp was on her again. She gave it a few swift punches to the face, causing it to stagger back, throwing it off guard in time enough to whip her stake out and give it a dusty end.

She swatted away a few of the vamp particles that had landed on her shirt, smirking. "When will they ever learn, when you mess with the Slayer you get…"

"Buffy?!"

A familiar, all too familiar voice called out from behind her. No, it couldn’t be…what the hell would he be doing here?! Buffy whipped her head around, her eyes going wide once she saw him, not so much from the shock of seeing him any more, but from the uniform he was sporting…not to mention the gnarly weapon that was gripped tightly in his big hands.

"Riley?!"

TBC…

******************************

"Explain this all to me once again." He smiled nervously, god he was just so happy to have her standing beside him again, hell just talking to her again was making his insides do back flips. He had revealed everything to her, he just found it so hard to shut his mouth, what other way was he going to explain the fatigues and the weaponry but the truth. He still trusted Buffy, even though they weren’t together, and after seeing his beloved waste that HST, he figured his secret identity as a demon hunter might not be that big of a shock to her.

"I’m the Slayer, the Chosen One…the one girl in all the world sent here to fight the vampires and other unspeakable evils …yadda, yadda, yadda. You know, she who is doomed to spend every waking night in a cemetery."

"I swear I thought you were a myth." Riley chuckled, man this girl was amazing. She never stopped surprising him…

The two of them fell into a rather uncomfortable silence, Buffy took this time to let everything that Riley had said sink in. The Initiative, demon hunters courtesy of the U.S. government, the thought caused a slight chill to run down her spine. She quickly shook it off, they were fighting the good fight, right? Helping to rid the world of nasties, making her job a little less harder. Riley had been so forthcoming with all of the information, even offering to take her on a tour of the top-secret facilities. It was all a little strange to her, she had fully expected him to be cold and distant, maybe even seething with hatred for her…there wasn’t a single drop of hatred anywhere…

"Shouldn’t you be intensely hating me right now?" Buffy asked all of a sudden, catching him slightly off guard with the question. Riley gave her a dopey, lop-sided grin as they stepped in front of the mirror that served as a gateway to the Initiative.

"I won’t lie, I thought about doing that…but, I also thought about how petty that would be. I love you, and even though we’re not together, it doesn’t mean I have to play the asshole ex-boyfriend part. I wanna work on being friends, Buffy, that is, if it’s okay with you?"

She smiled softly at him, he really was a great guy. "That’s more than okay with me." Buffy watched, a bit mesmerized as the green light scanned them both, opening the doors to the elevator.

********************************

It was like stepping into the bat cave, a huge ‘Big-Brother’ sanctioned bat cave. The whole thing was a little more than overwhelming, she had never seen anything like the belly of the Initiative. Riley worked quickly, getting her security clearance, telling a few of the top brass who and what she was.

"We could really use someone like you around here, Buffy. I, I’ve never seen anyone with that kind of strength." He smiled brightly at her, as he swiped a key card through the slot, opening the door to the long corridor that contained the HST holding cells.

Her eyes stung a bit from the intense florescent lights overhead. The corridor was bathed in white, a blinding white, cold and antiseptic feeling. It gave her the wiggens, had a creepy hospital vibe to it.

"This is where the Hostiles are held…" Riley relayed the information like a cruise director, and Buffy unconsciously tuned him out, taking in the sight around her. The doctors rushing around in their lab coats, the demons that scowled at her as they walked by, some calling out her name in frustrated recognition, other’s simply annoyed at seeing another human face. The few that didn’t react to her presence, looked sickly, withdrawn…she felt the slightest pang of sympathy for them, but quickly shook away the feeling.

"What do you do with them all?" She asked suddenly, stopping in front of one of the cells. The vampire inside growled loudly, vamping out at the sight of her, and rushed the barrier, quickly getting shocked back to the floor.

"The Slayer! You sick fucking bastards, let me out of here!"

"What do you mean?" Riley asked, turning to her, completely ignoring the raving vamp in front of them.

"I mean, what do you do with all of these demons? Do you just leave them locked up in these cages like some really scary zoo animals?"

He shrugged. "My job is to carry out my orders, I only deliver the Hostiles, I never ask questions. Come on, the Professor’s gonna wanna hear all about you."

Buffy turned to follow Riley, but stopped, no longer being able to fight the urge, and stuck her tongue out at the vamp in the cell, wiggling back and forth. She just couldn’t help it, kid in a zoo mentality…

********************************

What the hell is he doing at Buffy’s?! Ha, he’s probably there for protection, worried that she’s gonna spring up on him and give him the staking he so rightly deserves. The thought made Harmony laugh as she walked up the path to her cave. She had moved out of the crypt she had shared with Spike the night he dumped her, too many painful memories…

That bastard better be worried…he’s gonna wish he never even met Harmony Kendall once she gets done with him…ow! "Ow! Jesus H. Christ!" She grumbled, taking that annoying stake out of the waistband of her pants again, tossing it into the woods. She was going to have to find a better way to conceal those goddamn things…

"Do you see him?"

"If I saw him, Graham, do you think I’d still be standing here talking to you."

Harmony stopped in her tracks at the sound of the voices, quickly hiding out in the brush, concentrating on listening to the two men. Word had been going around about demon-nabbing soldiers and she didn’t want to take any chances.

"There’s nothing here. I’m gonna radio Riley, tell him we’re coming in."

"Why is this guy so fucking hard to find?!" Graham sighed loudly. "It’s not like he blends in, he’s probably the only person wearing a leather duster in California."

Leather duster? A smile crept itself slowly across her face, forget killing Spike, Harmony was starting to form a better plan…

TBC….

*************************************************

A frustrated sigh escaped his lips, if it was possible, he felt like the biggest wanker on the planet. The Scourge of Europe….The Big Bad….he was feared for centuries, the stuff of nightmares, a ruthless killer who’s been reduced to playing house with the bloody Slayer…

Spike stood in front of the open refrigerator, a mug of cold blood in his hand. He shut his eyes, briefly entertaining the idea of hurling the mug against the wall. Why did he stay here? It wasn’t like he was forced, really.

He could hear the front door softly close, Buffy was back home. Another sigh escaped his lips, this one without the tension, he put the blood on the counter and closed the fridge. A small smile played across his face as she walked into the kitchen.

She was absolutely beautiful, slightly disheveled from patrolling. He’d always liked her that way, a hint of unkempt, unruly, not so made over, an air of violence and blood around her. Buffy put her arms around his neck, no hesitation, no second-guessing, no fighting, it was going to take him forever to get use to this. She smiled as she brought her lips to his, in a small, teasing kiss.

"Hey." She said softly. Oh yeah, this is why he bothered to stay…

"Hey." Spike smiled. "So, kill any of my good pals tonight?"

"You know, you’re still not funny." Buffy smirked, letting her hands move to his chest, her fingers grazing the hard muscles underneath his shirt.

"Mmm-hmm." He mumbled, kissing her again.

"Actually, I found our friendly-neighborhood government demon hunters."

"Come again?"

Buffy rolled her eyes, sometimes her language was completely lost on him. "The soldier boys."

"Oh." He said knowingly, with Buffy mimicking him, her hand swatting him playfully in the chest. "They’re called the Initiative. Military-esq. demon hunters, complete with an underground lair."

"Well, I knew that, remember." Spike rolled his eyes.

"Anyway…" She scowled, god, he could still manage to be irritating from time to time. "I got the grand tour of the facilities, including a look at the creepy holding cells and the weaponry…"

"And how, my dear, did you happen to get on the Soldier’s guest list?"

"My ex-boyfriend is one of them…" She mumbled softly. Spike’s eyes went amazingly wide, Buffy had no idea a pair of eyes could get so wide…

"Your ex-meat is one of those goddamn things!" Buffy smiled meekly, trying to work her charms on him, anything to calm him back down. A little of the pouty lip combined with her roaming fingers…

The look of pure rage disappeared from his eyes, for now anyway.

"Oh, that’s just bloody great!" Spike sighed. "My girlfriend’s ruddy ex is one of those government pigs that carried me off like a sodding lab rat…"

He couldn’t quite read the look on her face, her eyes had gone wide and her fingers had stopped their delightful teasing…great, what did he say now…

"What?" He asked, becoming a little annoyed, it’s always something with this girl…

"Girlfriend? We’re, we’re at that stage now? With the labels and everything?"

Shit! He hadn’t meant to say that, Spike gruffly shrugged his shoulders while mentally kicking himself. The words stumbled over his lips as he spoke.

"I don’t…I didn’t mean…well, only if you think we are…" Buffy silenced him with a kiss, slow at first, but quickly moved into the realm of passionate once she felt his tongue graze her bottom lip. She opened her mouth to him, letting it slip in to do battle with her own. Spike pulled away after a moment, suddenly remembering that they were in the kitchen. He thought better that Joyce not see any more of their antics today…wouldn’t want to totally traumatize the poor woman.

"I’m thinking this is a conversation better suited for upstairs." She smiled seductively, taking his hand and leading him out of the kitchen.

"I’m right behind you, luv."

***********************************************

"Hold it right there!" Forrest growled, pointing his weapon into the dark. The figure moved slowly out of the shadows, careful steps, hands in the air…

"Whoa! I come in peace, okay!" She shrieked, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, these guys were a little too trigger-happy.

"I don’t detect a heartbeat…we should bag her, ask questions later."

"No! No, no bagging! I’ve got information for you, I’m here to help"

Graham and Forrest exchanged looks, both deciding to keep their weapons at bay, for now. "What kind of information?" Graham asked. "Who are you?"

"You will know me only as Madam X…" Forrest squinted at the girl, looking long and hard at her. He knew this chick from somewhere…

"Wait a minute, you’re Harmony Kendall!"

"Uh, uh…" Harmony sputtered, dammit! She should have picked a better cover than ‘Madame X’. "No I’m not, I’m Madame X."

"No, your name’s Harmony! Don’t you remember her Graham, the little high school girl whose parents busted in on her at the Kappa Alfa kegger last year."

"Oh yeah!" Graham laughed. "I remember you. Her mom had the curlers and the robe on…"

"Oh, and her dad with that belt!" Forrest joined in with his friend, both roaring with laughter. Harmony crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently, this was fucking ridiculous…

"Look!" She screamed. "Do you want the information I have or not!"

Forrest whipped the laughter-induced tears from his eyes, still chuckling. "Alright, little Harmony…let’s hear it."

"You know that big, bad vamp you guys have been busting your asses trying to find?"

Suddenly she had their full attention.

"What about it?"

Harmony smiled gleefully, rubbing her hands together. "Bleach blonde hair, British accent, leather duster, a complete bastard with eyes as blue as the ocean that you can drown in for all eternity…" A dreamy look swept over Harms face, god she missed her blondie-bear. She shook off the feeling, getting back to the business at hand.

"I know where you can find him." She teased in a singsong voice.

*****************************************************

"No, no this can’t be right!" Riley shook his head in utter disbelief. Buffy was the Slayer! She knew better than to harbor a dangerous Hostile in her house…

"This is the address we were given, man." Forrest said calmly. "1630 Revello…"

"Graham, what’s the reading?" Riley asked impatiently, he couldn’t be in there with Buffy, it’s impossible, their ‘informant’ was lying through her pointy teeth.

Graham sighed heavily as he turned to face his friend. "We’ve got a cold one." He said simply.

Riley could feel every muscle in his body tense all at once, and he swallowed the hardened lump that was in his throat.

"I’ll call for back up."

TBC….