Chapter 2: Messing up Spike's Hair

Buffy walked quietly down the stairs and peered into the living room where Spike was sitting. His back was towards her, and he was staring at the turned-off TV.

"I can hear and smell you, Slayer." Spike said.

'He sounds pissed.' Buffy thought happily. She didn't know why she wanted so badly for Spike to be annoyed. Slayer's weren't supposed to want to get revenge. O well, just as long as she didn't tell Giles. . . . .

"Would you mind explaining WHY I'm tied up in your living room?" Spike asked.

"You didn't explain why I was chained up in you crypt."

"Yes I did. I wanted to tell you I loved you."

"So you chained me up?"

Spike wanted to scream. "I didn't know what to do! You wouldn't let me talk to you any other time!"

"That's no reason to chain me up!"

Spike tilted his head back so it was leaning over the back of the chair. He could now see Buffy.

"That's against the point though, why am I tied up in your living room? I had the impression you wanted to stay away from me."

"It's different when you're the one tied up."

"O I see!" Spike looked at the upside-down Buffy. "You just like having a certain Big Bad vampire in your living room."

"No. This just makes sure you don't - um - hurt anyone . . . . . ."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "I sure hurt a lot of people with this chip in my head."

"Well. . . . . you fed the other night."

"After Dru killed her."

"Her?" Buffy wondered why she felt a little jealous.

"Yeah. Dru ate him."

Ok. Buffy felt better. Some vampire eat-the-opposite-sex thing.

Buffy walked over to Spike's chair. He looked at her curiously and a little worriedly. What could a tied up and chipped vampire do against the slayer?

She spun the chair around so that his back was to the TV and he was facing where she had previously been standing. 'Weird girl this slayer is.' Spike thought.

Buffy sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. Which of course Spike could no longer see.

"Hey, Slayer!"

Buffy laughed.

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Dawn walked into the house after school. She didn't even glance in the living room, where there was a napping Spike.

"Buffy I'm home."

"Hey Dawnie! Get a snack or something and then do your home work." Buffy called. "Mom's not coming back until tomorrow."

"All right!" Dawn called back and then went upstairs to do her homework. "All I ever do is homework." she grumbled as she took out her books.

At 7:00 Dawn put on tight jeans and a tight almost see-through shirt. She quietly slipped down the stairs and out the back door.

* * *

8:00 Buffy yelled up to Dawn. "Dawn! I'm gonna patrol now!" Spike jumped.

"Now so loud luv!"

Buffy ignored him. "Dawn?! I'm going to patrol and then go to the Bronze for a few hours."

No answer.

"DAWN?!"

"Luv, she's probably fine." Spike told Buffy. "She's most likely doing her homework with her music on and she can't hear you."

"You're right." Buffy sighed. "Tell her if she comes down, k?"

"Of course."

"That's a good boy." Buffy rubbed her hand over Spike's head, ruffling his hair.

"Buffy!" Spike snapped his head back and tried to bite Buffy's hand.

"AHHHHHH!" His chip went off. "I wasn't actually going to hurt her." He muttered.

"O! Spike doesn't like it when I mess up his hair?" Buffy taunted.

"No, he doesn't!"

Spike's hair was no longer perfectly combed back.

"Bloody hell, Buffy! Don't you have patrolling or something to do?!"

Buffy laughed. "You're right. I guess I'd better start going. . . . Don't expect be until late."

"Don't worry luv." Spike said sarcastically. "I'll wait right here."

Buffy laughed again. "Don't fell like you have to wait up for me . . . . you can use the guest room. If you can get there."

Buffy walked out the front door, locking it behind her.

"Remind me why I love that woman?" Spike asked himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It was around midnight. Spike was hungry. 'If they're going to tie me here, they could at least feed me!' he thought. Buffy had turned him so he was still facing the off TV.

He heard the door slowly unlocking. Buffy must be home. Maybe he could scare her? Or just startle her a little. . . . Spike stayed very, very quiet.

Dawn quietly opened the door. She didn't want Buffy to notice she had been out so late. Actually, she didn't want Buffy to notice she had been out at all . . . . She slipped into her dark house and shut the door softly behind her. She started walking towards the stairs.

"SLAYER!" Spike yelled.

Dawn screamed. The high, piercing scream of a 14 year old girl.

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Chapter 3: Research Party



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'Bloody hell.' Spike thought. He really should have smelled and made sure it was the slayer he was yelling at . . . . .

"'Bit?" He asked.

Dawn stopped screaming. "Spike?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you . . . . ."

"Don't touch me!" Dawn yelled. "I heard what you did to my sister! And I - I've got a stake!"

"No you don't 'Bit. Besides, I'm not going to hurt you. Not like I could as I'm tied up in your living room."

"Huh?" Dawn turned on the light and blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted.

Spike was in her living room. And he was tied to a chair with his back towards her.

Spike tilted his head over the back of the chair again. "Bit?"

"What are you doing in my house?" She asked.

"I don't know."

"Yes you do! You wouldn't be tied up for no reason!"

"Hey, I didn't tie myself up! Ask your sister, she won't tell me." Spike said sulkily. "Why are you out so late anyway?"

"I was, um, out."

Spike laughed. "Nice outfit."

Dawn blushed.

"Don't worry, I won't tell your sister."

"Thank you." Dawn felt very relieved. "Is there, um, anything I can get you?"

"I'm feeling hungry, got anything to eat?" 'Really hungry.' Spike added in his head.

"Sure! What do you want?"

"Well, blood."

"O, right. I don't think we have any of that."

"Never mind then, I'll wait for the slayer." Spike almost growled. "She'll probably be back soon." He added.

Dawn got the message and ran upstairs.

* * *

It was 1:30, and Buffy quietly opened the door. She didn't want to wake Dawn.

Spike sniffed the air, this time making sure it was Buffy. It was.

"SLAYER!!!!!!!" He yelled even louder this time. He was HUNGRY.

Buffy jumped and a scream escaped her. She covered her moth.

'God these Summers women are easy to scare.' Spike thought.

"Spike!" Buffy hissed. "Be quiet. You'll wake Dawn!"

"I'm HUNGRY Slayer! You didn't feed me!"

"I'm supposed to feed you?"

"Yes! It was already hard enough with the chip, but now I can't get ANY blood because I'm tied up! You have to feed me!"

Buffy just looked at him.

"Unless you want me to starve to death." Spike added, "but trust me, that will take awhile."

Buffy went through the kitchen, and she finally found some pig's blood in the cupboard. She put in a mug, and held it out for Spike as he drank it through a straw. Soon there was no blood left in the mug.

"That better Spikey?" Buffy asked, tousling his hair again. Spike growled as Buffy walked upstairs. Damn Slayer.

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"So apparently this demon kills its victims by making small cuts all over their body and letting them bleed to death." Willow said.

Xander shuddered.

"Sounds like fun." Spike offered.

The scoobies were having a research party at Buffy's house, and Spike was still in the tied in the living room.

"Shut up dead boy." Xander told the bleached blond vampire.

"Why, does it scare the Whelp?" Spike taunted.

"Would you two stop it!" Buffy yelled at them. "You've been at it since Xander got here!"

"It's not my fault The Whelp doesn't like a little blood." Spike said.

"And it's not my fault we have an annoying, disagreeable, undead vampire in the living room!"

"You think I want to be here?"

"I wouldn't know, but you seem to be enjoying it!"

"O yes, I LOVE being preached to by a construction worker!"

"Both of you SHUT UP!" Buffy yelled again. "We have work to do."

"Me? I'm not the evil one!" Xander protested.

"Xander . . . . . " Willow said in a warning tone.

"O, the whelp gets scolded by the witch, maybe this will actually turn out to be something like a party." Spike continued.

"Spike!" Buffy was getting annoyed. "If you don't shut up, you're not going to get any blood for a long time."

"Fine, just deprive your prisoners of food." He muttered.

"One more word . . . . . "

Spike looked at her, and saw she was serious. He raised two fingers at her, flicking Buffy off the English way.

Buffy muttered something along the lines of, 'Guys NEVER mature. '

* * *

Willow had her laptop on, and was searching for info about the demon online. "I think I found it guys!" She said excitedly. Xander, Buffy, Giles, and Dawn who were in the kitchen getting food didn't hear her.

Willow sighed and got up to go look for them.

Spike moved his chair towards the outlet, and after some struggling, managed to pull the plug from the wall.

The computer screen went blank.

The scoobies ran in. "Here!" Willow said, excited. "I think this it the right de-"

She looked at the blank computer screen. "Shit!" The rest of the scoobies looked surprised that Willow had actually sweared. Willow ignored them, franticly pushing buttons and typing things on the keyboard. The computer stayed off.

Willow sighed and closed the laptop. "I guess we can just use books." The scoobies sat down and began to research again.

15 minutes later, all the scoobies except for Xander had made their way back into the kitchen.

"Come eat something Xan!" Willow called.

"I think I found something." Xander called back.

"We'll look at it in a second. Come and eat something first."

"All right." Xander agreed, and carefully marked the page in the book before walking towards the kitchen.

Spike maneuvered over to the table, knocked the book off, and, with a lot of effort, pushed it under the couch.

When the scoobies came back in, they of course couldn't find it.

"But I put it right here!" Xander protested.

Buffy sighed. "I guess we'll just start again."

As the scoobies wandered in and out of the living room, books disappeared or lost where they were marked. Notes also disappeared and tables were over-turned as Spike grew more and more pleased with himself.

"Ok," Giles said after a few hours of this. "Something's up. The computer refuses to function, we've lost an unusual number of books and notes, and the table just got knocked over."

"Whatever it is," Xander said, "It's evil."

"Wait a second," Buffy looked over at Spike. "What have you been doing all this time?"

Spike smirked.

"SPIKE!!!!!!" Buffy yelled at him. She grabbed the back of his chair and dragged it out of the living room and kicked it/him into the dining room.

"I HATE YOU!" Buffy screamed at the vampire, who, though still tied to the chair, was lying sideways on the floor.

"You've sure made that clear." He replied.

Buffy stomped out of the room. Time to find all the books they'd 'lost.'

* * *

Dawn stepped into the dark living room. "Spike?"

"Hey Niblet. Would you mind helping me up here?"

"Sure." Dawn pulled Spike, still sitting in the chair he was tied to, up so that he was sitting upright again.

"Thanks."

"No prob."

"You couldn't untie me by any chance?" Spike asked hopefully.

"No. Buffy would kill me. Actually, I'm sort of surprised she hasn't killed you yet." Dawn stated, before adding quickly, "No offense."

"It's fine Bit. I'm kind of surprised too. I mean she bothered to capture me and tie me up."

"Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Chain up my sister and threaten to let Drusilla kill her."

Spike sighed. "Because I wanted to tell her I loved her, and I wanted her to tell me that we might have a chance."

"So you tied her up? That's seriously NOT the best way to get girls."

"I know, I didn't know what to do. She wouldn't let me talk to her. It would have worked on Dru."

"My sister is not an insane vampire."

"I know. That's my problem."

Dawn looked at Spike oddly.

"If she was, she wouldn't have reacted like this." He explained. "I didn't know what to do. She's not like anyone else."

"Do you really love her?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I know it's wrong. I know there's no reason for me to love her. I know it doesn't make any sense. And I know she'll probably never love me back. But I don't know why I love her."

Dawn moved so that she was looking strait into his eyes. They were sincere. 'He really does love her.' She thought. She suddenly felt sorry for him. She loved her sister very much, but Spike was probably right. Dawn was almost positive Buffy would never look at Spike with anything short of disgust, not to mention love him.

"What did you want her to do? Tell you she loved you?" Dawn questioned.

"That would have been amazing. That would have been like something out of a dream that was so good you never wanted to wake up, a dream that made you want to forget life and dream for all eternity. All I wanted was for her to let me love her. Tell me we might have a chance someday. Just maybe. Just a chance."

"And she wouldn't." Dawn finished.

"No, she wouldn't. It's like she ties me up because she can't tie up my love for her. She wants to restrain my love but the only thing she can restrain is me. But I will always love her. Always."

"I know." Dawn said. And she did know.

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Chapter 4: Nice Abbs.

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Buffy had just got back from patrolling. She walked into the living room, where Spike had been relocated, and flopped onto the couch.

"How was patrolling?" He asked.

"Pretty normal." Buffy reached for the remote.

"Hey luv? Would you mind loosening these ropes just a little?" Spike asked tentatively.

Buffy looked at Spike suspiciously. "Please tell me why I would untie you and let you run freely about my house and hurt both Dawn and my mom."

"I'm not going to hurt Joyce or Niblet, I promise you. But I've had these ropes rubbing against the cuts they made for about a week now."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You heal almost as fast as me!"

"Even you couldn't heal very fast with ropes digging into your cuts."

Buffy had to agree with him. She walked over to where Spike was sitting, to see if what he was saying was true. Buffy pulled the rope up a bit, though it wouldn't come far as she hadn't been in a very good mood while tying it . . . . . 'Ouch!' She thought looking at the cut marks on his wrist, and betting there where similar ones on his arms and ankles.

"Hold on a sec, I'll get the first aid kit." Buffy felt a little guilty.

"There's no need pet, really! I'll be fine if you just loosen the ropes-"

Buffy paid no attention to Spike's protests and proceeded to bring the first aid kit from the kitchen to the living room. Spike noticed she was also carrying a stake.

"What's that for luv?"

"Safety."

'She really doesn't trust me at all.' Spike thought as Buffy kneeled down next to his chair. She held her stake centimeters from Spike's heart as she tried to loosen the knots on the rope.

"Don't move." She warned.

"Don't worry," Spike said, glancing at the stake, "I'm not planning to."

'Damn these knots are tight!' Buffy thought as she had trouble untying with only one hand. She was getting frustrated. Suddenly Buffy's stake hand slipped, and her arm still gripping the stake slid down Spike's torso, narrowly missing his heart. Very narrowly, as Buffy had managed to split Spike's shirt down the middle, revealing his six-pack.

'Wow.' Buffy thought, staring at Spike's stomache. 'Spike has really nice abbs.'

"Hey luv, why don't we leave the stake out of this." Spike offered.

"Fine." Buffy answered, placing it on the ground where she could easily reach it, and began to untie the ropes.

She got his wrists and ankles untied, and began to put ointment on the cuts.

"Ouch! That stings!" Spike protested.

Buffy laughed. "Believe me, I know."

Buffy looked at Spike, wondering what to do with him. She didn't really want to tie him to the same chair again, but she was definitely not letting him go.

"Put your hands together." Buffy ordered.

Spike put his hands together, and Buffy tied his wrists together, instead of tying them to the chair. She did the same with his ankles.

"There. Now stand up."

Spike looked at her skeptically.

"Come on! I'm gonna move you over to the couch."

"O. Ok then."

Spike tried to stand up, and fell back into the chair. He tried again, this time falling on Buffy, knocking her slightly off balance. Eventually both Buffy and Spike were standing up strait again.

"All right," Buffy continued, "Now hop over to the couch."

The couch was only about 3 hops away, but Spike wasn't very good at this 'hopping' thing yet. He jumped in the direction of the couch, pulling Buffy with him. She shrieked in surprise, making Spike jump farther. He landed on the couch lying on his side. However, when Spike jumped, Buffy tripped over him and also landed on the couch, but on top of Spike.

"Well hello luv." He said, looking at her face only inches above his.

Buffy laughed, and rolled off Spike, pulling him into a sitting position.

"There we go!" She said, breathing heavily.

Spike was also laughing now. "That was a little harder then I expected."

Buffy grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels. There was nothing good on.

"Hey look! Leonardo Dicaprio is coming out with a new movie!" She commented, watching a commercial for it.

"Poof." Spike said.

"He's not!"

"Yes he is!"

"Fine, maybe he is, but did you see 'Titanic'?" Buffy sighed. "He was amazing. That movie was so sad!"

"I didn't like that movie. Too sappy. You ever seen 'The Matrix'?"

"Yeah. What was so good about that?"

"Well, for one thing they had very good taste in clothing."

Buffy laughed. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

"And you know that Neo kid?" Spike continued, "He would be a good vampire."

"But isn't he supposed to be 'The One'? You know, all GOOD and stuff. All not evil."

Spike shrugged. "He'd still make a good vampire."

Buffy continued flipping channels, and Spike glanced at the clock. "Hey! 'Passions' is on! Change it to channel 12!"

"No!" Buffy said, mainly to annoy Spike. "I want to watch this."

"And infomercial about a Dental college? I didn't know you wanted to be a dentist."

"Everyone has their dreams." Buffy said, but switched to channel 12, just as Passions was starting.

Spike stared at the screen, totally entranced.

Buffy, on her part, was completely lost. "I don't get it." She asked, "Why is he-"

"Shhhhh." Spike shushed her. "I'll tell you at the commercial break." And he did. He told her about the romances, the friendships, the problems, and what had already happened. Buffy was finally getting into it when it ended.

"That's all?" she pouted.

"Told you it's a good show." Spike said triumphantly.

"No." Buffy began flipping channels again, "But there's nothing else good on."

'And unfortunately,' she thought, 'You might notice if I stare at your abbs instead.'

It was getting late, and Buffy was getting sleepy. She closed her eyes and subconsciously leaned her head on Spike's shoulder, falling deeply asleep. Spike looked down at the slayer sleeping on his shoulder and smiled. Maybe this wouldn't turn out so bad after all. He kissed her lightly on the head, and watched her sleep.

A few hours later, Buffy woke up slowly, and noticed she was in the living room and it was around 4 in the morning.

"I'm a gonna go t' bed." She mumbled sleepily, then looked at Spike. "Hey! You're not tied to the chair anymore. . . . "

"You untied me luv." Spike reminded her.

"O, right. I gotta tie you up again."

"Why? I promise I won't hurt anyone."

"Come on Spike. Please. I want to go to sleep."

Spike was a bit surprised. She had never asked him 'please' anything. It must be because she was so tired. But still . . . . . He hopped over to the chair and sat down. She tied his legs to the legs of the chair.

"I'll just leave your hands like that." Buffy stated.

"Sleep well luv."

"'Night." Buffy stumbled upstairs.

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Joyce tossed Spike a plain black T-shirt.

"Buffy told me she ripped yours." Joyce explained, "Somewhere in-between her comments about your 'nice abbs.'"

"Thanks for the shirt." Spike said, before asking, "Does she really think I have nice abbs?"

Joyce laughed. "Who wouldn't?"

If Spike was human he might have blushed.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Joyce asked.

Spike was amazed by how nice she was. No one was ever this nice to him. "No, I'm all right, Buffy already fed me."

"Well, I'm making hot chocolate, you sure you don't want any?"

"Do you have those little marsh-mellows?"

"I think so."

"I'd love some!" Spike said enthusiastically.

Joyce smiled as she went to get Spike his hot chocolate with marsh-mellows. She couldn't figure out why she felt such affection for the peroxide vampire.

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"Dawn?" Joyce called, "Can you come here for a minute?"

Dawn ran downstairs. "Yeah?"

"I'm having a bunch of my friends over, just for a little social gathering." Joyce said. "In awhile, could you help me make some food?"

"'Course." Dawn said.

"And before that," she continued, "Would you mind moving Spike upstairs? I don't mind him, but I think a few of my friends might wonder why I have a member of the un-dead tied up in my living room."

Dawn laughed. "Sure, don't worry about it."

Dawn walked into the living room. "Guess what Spike?"

Spike turned his head to look at her. "What?"

"Mom's having a few of her friends over, so I'm gonna move you upstairs! You get to see my room." Dawn tried to figure out exactly how she was going to get Spike upstairs.

"Great!" Spike said. "But how am I going to get up there?"

Dawn looked at him. She trusted him. It was her sister who didn't. "I'll untie you if you promise not to run away or hurt anyone or anything like that."

"I promise."

"Good." Dawn said. She untied the ropes around Spike's wrists and ankles. His cuts had pretty much healed. "I'm going to go upstairs and make sure there's no sun anywhere, ok?"

"Alright. I'll wait here."

Dawn closed a few curtains, and soon it was vampire-safe. She realized she was still holding Spike's ropes, and threw them into the corner of the room. She walked back downstairs, where Spike was stretching.

"C'mon." She said.

They walked upstairs. Dawn stopped. "Guess which one is mine!" She told Spike.

Spike sniffed. Joyce's room was down there, over there was Buffy's room, and there was Dawn's. "That one." He said pointing at it.

"You're right!" Dawn said. She was always amazed he could smell things like that.

They walked into Dawn's room. It was medium-sized, and connected to the bathroom. It contained a closet, her bed, a desk with a chair, a cabinet full of drawers for clothing, a bookshelf, and a few random articles or clothing strewn across the floor.

"It's very nice." Spike said.

"Thanks." Dawn had an idea. "Spike, can I dress you up?"

"What do you mean?" He asked suspiciously.

"You know, just give you different clothes to wear and you could try them on and I could see what you looked like because all you ever wear is the same black pants with the black T-shirt and the black duster and the black boots and if you ever change I don't even no because it all looks the same and you can't tell the difference and I promise it will be fun I won't do anything really weird and we'll get to see what you like wearing something different for a change." Dawn said at an amazingly fast speed, all in one breath.

"I don't know . . . . . " Spike replied.

"Please." She begged. He hated it when she begged, as he could never refuse. "Please."

"Fine." Spike agreed.

"Yay!"

"Under two conditions. One, no dressing me up in woman's clothing."

"That's fine." Dawn replied quickly. "We have some of Giles' and Xander's stuff here."

"And two, I get to dress you up."

Dawn thought for a second. He'd probably do evil-vampire look or something like that, which would be cool. "Okay. But I go first."

Dawn rummaged through a few drawers. Giles or someone had left a suit here. That would probably be interesting, with the white shirt.

"Here." Dawn said, handing Spike the pants. 'Good.' He thought. 'They're black.'

"And here's the shirt."

Spike groaned. "You're very lucky Bit, no one has seen me in a white shirt since the 1800's."

Dawn laughed. "Just go change. At least I'm not making you wear a tie."

* * *

Spike came out wearing the outfit, but he kept glancing at his white shirt and suppressing shudders.

Dawn eyed him critically, then made a few changes. She unbuttoned the shirt, and rolled up the sleeves to just below his elbows. Then she ruffled his hair.

"Bit!" Spike tried to fix his hair.

"You have to leave it!" She said. "Besides, it looks sexy."

"Bit!"

"What?"

"You're not supposed to say that!"

"Why not?"

"Never mind. It's my turn."

"What are you going to do?" Dawn was excited. "Evil Vampire Dawn?"

"I was thinking of it." Spike said, "But I've changed my mind."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Punk."

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Chapter 5: It Never Happened

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Buffy walked into the house, closing the front door behind her. She headed towards the living room, to talk to Spike. Ever since that once night a week ago, it had become sort of a tradition. Buffy would get home in the afternoon, hang out with Spike in the living room until she had to patrol, and once she was done patrolling she would come back and talk with Spike some more.

At first Buffy always made sure the TV was on, she didn't want to admit to herself or anyone else that she liked having Spike around. But that was over now, they would sometimes play poker, or checkers, or just talk.

So when Buffy found the living room empty, she was quite surprised. Spike's chair was there, but the ropes that had tied him, and Spike, were gone.

"Mom?!" Buffy called. "Where's Spike?" She still didn't completely trust him . . . . .

"I'm having some friends over in an hour or so." Joyce called back. "So Dawn took Spike upstairs."

"Oh. Okay." Buffy walked upstairs, and opened the door to Dawn's room. She stopped and stared.

Dawn was eyeing herself critically in the mirror, and Spike was eyeing Dawn, quite pleased with himself. Dawn was wearing black leather boots, fishnet stockings, and a short, pleated plaid skirt that was decorated with safety pins. She had on a short-sleeved white shirt with the English flag on it, over a long-sleeved black and red striped shirt. The entire outfit was decorated with safety pins, which Buffy hadn't known they had so many of in her house.

"What do you think, Bit?" Spike asked.

Dawn was looking at herself. "Not bad. Different, but cool."

Spike laughed. "How about you Buffy? You like your sister as a punk?"

Dawn jumped. "Buffy's here?" 'Please don't let her notice Spike's untied.' She thought.

"Not bad." Buffy said, and then, "Oh my god, you're wearing a white shirt!"

"Yeah." Spike sighed. "Cherish the moment, you won't be seeing this again."

"Buffy, can we dress you up too?" Dawn asked. "Please."

"Alright." Buffy agreed. "But do something normal. You know, something I would go to The Bronze in."

"Don't worry luv." Spike said, "We're all out of safety pins."

* * *

Buffy stepped out of the bathroom, wearing boots, leather pants, and a tight red shirt with long sleeves that fanned out at the wrists. Dawn had made her hair wavy, and applied mascara, eyeliner, and some lipstick.

Buffy was looking in the mirror, looking very pleased. "You know, I might actually wear this some where." She told Dawn and Spike.

"Dawn!" Joyce called. "Come help me cook."

"Coming!" Dawn replied, and bounded down the stairs still wearing her outfit.

"What do you think?" Buffy asked Spike.

"You look beautiful." He replied, running his fingers through her hair. "Like always."

Spike remembered that Buffy would probably not appreciate his touch, and so he brought his hand down, and stepped backwards.

Buffy stepped forwards, gazing up at him. She brought her mouth to his. They kissed, a long, passionate kiss. Their tongues battled, and arms held onto each other like they were the only things on earth.

Spike finally pulled back, knowing Buffy needed to breathe. She gasped in air, knowing she needed it, but not wanting to part from Spike's lips.

"Spike." She breathed, wondering why she had never kissed him before.

They heard Dawn running up the stairs, calling. "Buffy, come on, you gotta help too. Mom's cooking, like, 10 thousand different things!"

Buffy and Spike jumped apart from each other. Dawn swung the door open and found Buffy and Spike, both awkwardly looking at each other and her.

"So, um, you're gonna come help us?" Dawn said quietly. She felt like she and burst in on something . . . . .

"Oh. Right. Yeah." Buffy said, and took one more glance at Spike before walking out the door.

"I'll just get changed then." Spike said, and sighed as the door closed behind Buffy. 'She kissed me!!' He reminded himself. 'She kissed me!! She hasn't even started beating me up, AND I'm still untied!!'

* * *

Buffy walked downstairs in a daze, as Dawn chattered about what Joyce wanted to cook for her friends.

'My god he's a good kisser.' She thought. 'Probably the best kisser I've ever . . . . . kissed. I want more. I need more. More Spike.'

'But you can't.' She told herself. 'He's a vampire. You're The Slayer. You're good. He's evil. It's wouldn't work.'

'But I want it to work! We could make it work!' Buffy argued, wondering if she should see someone about her tendencies to argue with herself.

'He's evil. He's just making you think something might happen. Something good. But how could anything turn out good with some one who's evil?'

'I guess so. But why do I always love the guys I can't?'

'Well, he has been in your house, maybe you need to get him out.'

* * *

"What? You were saying something?" Buffy asked, realizing Joyce was trying to tell her something. And possibly had been trying for the last 15 minutes.

"I was just saying." Joyce said, wondering why her daughter was acting so strangely. "That I'm glad you finally untied Spike."

"WHAT??!!" She exclaimed. "Spike's untied!?"

Buffy raced upstairs, pausing only to grab a stake, and threw open the door to Dawn's room.

Spike had changed his clothes, and was simply standing in Dawn's room, looking slightly dazed. "Back for more, luv?" He asked.

"Sit down." She said, and pushed him into the chair by Dawn's desk, grabbing the ropes from the corner of the room.

"What are you doing?" Spike asked.

"Well, obviously, I'm tying you up!" She yelled as she bound his arms to the chair.

"Why? Don't you trust me?"

Buffy looked him strait in the eye. "No."

"But you kissed me!"

"THAT NEVER HAPPENED!" She screamed. "Understand! It never happened!"

"Why not?" Spike asked.

Buffy was now fastening his legs to the chair. "Because you're evil. You're a vampire. I'm the slayer. It wouldn't work. It can't work."

"Buffy!" Spike protested, but he got no answer as the Slayer slammed the door behind her.

"Bloody Hell."

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"Buffy." Joyce said softly. "Don't you think you need to untie Spike?"

"No." Buffy said shortly.

They had finished cooking, and Dawn had gone to the mall to meet some friends. Buffy and Joyce were placing the food in the living room.

"Listen Buffy, I heard what he did, and I can understand how you might be upset. I often wanted to tie up my boyfriends when I was your age." Joyce smiled at the thought.

"Spike is not my boyfriend!"

"I know." Joyce continued. "But it's still the same thing. You wanted to get revenge."

"No!" Buffy said, hating how her mother could see everything.

Joyce ignored Buffy's comment. "But don't you think tying him up for 2 weeks is punishment enough?"

"Well . . . . ." Buffy sighed. Her mom was always right. "I guess you're right." She said as the doorbell announced the first of Joyce's guests arriving.

* * *

The living room was full of Joyce and her friends, and Buffy was walking slowly up the stairs, stake in hand.

Spike looked at the slayer entering Dawn's room, and wondered why she was coming up a third time.

"Listen Spike." Buffy said, shutting the door behind her. "I'm going to untie you, and let you go. You are going to walk out the front door, and never come back. If I ever see you in my house again, I'm going to stake you. Understand?"

Spike nodded, knowing it was just dark enough for him to go outside without getting burned.

Buffy untied Spike, who stood up and walked downstairs. Walking past the living room, Spike was greeted by more then one raise of an eyebrow from Joyce's friends. "Buffy's boyfriend?" One of them asked, seeing he came from upstairs.

"No!" Joyce said quickly, trying to think of a way to explain Spike's presence. "This is Spike, he's the -ah- plumber."

"Yeah." Spike said, realizing what Joyce was doing. "The, um, bathroom sink is fixed now."

"Good!" Joyce said. "Here, let me pay you." She dragged Spike into the kitchen, where no one would hear them.

"You're planning on leaving without even saying goodbye to me?" Joyce pouted.

"Well, you're daughter made it pretty clear she wanted me to leave, and now."

Joyce sighed. "Well, that's Buffy for you. I'll miss you though."

"Me too." Spike hugged her before walking out the front door, and into the night.

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Chapter 6: Staking Spike

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Buffy watched Spike walk downstairs. Once he got down there, she went into her room, and shut the door securely behind her. Then she broke into tears.

"Stupid!" She told herself. "If I hadn't been such a bitch, he would still be here!"

Buffy couldn't figure out why she was crying and cursing herself about Spike. Couldn't figure out why she wanted to go find him, bring him into her room, and shut the door so no one would hear them.

She walked into Dawn's room, picking up the white shirt Spike had been wearing. She breathed in the scent. Yummy Spike scent. She went back into her room and fell asleep, face buried in Spike's shirt.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was the next day, and Buffy mournfully sat in front of the TV, eating chocolate. Dawn came in and, seeing Buffy, tried to suppress giggles for the 7th time that day. Just like the other 6 times, it her giggles weren't suppressed.

"What's so funny?" Buffy asked angrily. She should be allowed to sit in front of the TV all day without interruptions.

"Nothing." Dawn said, trying harder not to laugh.

"It's not nothing! You've come in here about 7 zillion times today, and all you do is look at me and then fall into fits of giggles!"

"You're in love with Spike!" Dawn blurted out.

"Am not!"

"Yes you are! Ever since he left, you've been sitting around, looking like some one died."

"I am NOT in love with Spike!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!" Dawn shrieked and ran upstairs.

Buffy really hated little sister's sometimes. She glanced at the clock, and happily noticed it was time to go out and kill things.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy walked through the graveyard. She had killed 2 demons, and dusted 3 vampires, but she was still in the mood to hurt things. So she kept walking.

Buffy found herself at Spike's crypt. Spike. She hadn't been able to get him off her mind. All she could think about was Spike. She should just go stake him, that would get him off her mind. No one would dwell on a pile of dust. Now that she thought about it, she wondered why she had never staked him before. 'That's what I'll do.' She thought. 'Go in there, stake Spike, and then leave. Never think of him again.' Buffy kicked open the door to his crypt.

* * *

Spike was pacing back in forth in his crypt. Just pacing. There was nothing on TV, and the only thing he could think about was the damn Slayer. 'Why did I fall in love with her?' He asked himself as the door to his crypt came crashing down.

"I wasn't expecting you." Spike said, facing the slayer who was walking towards him.

"Me neither." Buffy said, raising her stake.

"What are you doing with that thing, pet?" He asked, looking at her stake.

"I'm going to stake you." She said, looking at him.

Spike backed up slowly. Buffy had murder in her eyes. This time, she actually was going to stake him. "You know I can't fight back, luv. Remember, brain chip? Just put the stake down."

Buffy pinned him against the wall. "Don't call me luv." She said, stake resting inches from his heart. She really was going to stake him.

Spike leaned over and kissed her softly. A short, sweet, honest kiss. She was going to kill him anyway. Buffy dropped her stake in surprise.

She kissed Spike back, wrapping her arms around him. They stopped kissing, and Buffy hung on to a surprised Spike, shaking.

"What's wrong, luv?" He asked, worried.

"I almost staked you." She said through tears. "I wanted to stake you. But now . . . . ."

"Now what do you want?"

"I want you." She said, pulling him closer, holding him tighter.

"Then what's wrong?" Spike asked, wrapping his arms around her, and pulling her towards him. "I still love you. I'll always love you."

"I know. But it can't work."

"Who says?"

"No one. No one says, but they all think it. It'd be wrong, for us to be together."

"It couldn't be wrong." Spike said softly. "You want me. I love you. No matter who we are, there's nothing wrong with that."

Spike slid down the wall, bringing Buffy with him, so he was sitting on the floor, back against the wall, Buffy on his lap.

"You know what Spike?" Buffy pulled Spike's arms around her. "You're right." She leaned her head on his shoulder. It felt so safe, so right.

Spike smiled.

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Chapter 7: Lessons





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Joyce heard the doorbell ring, and she opened the door a crack, looking out. You could never be too careful, especially in Sunnydale. Spike was standing on her doorstep, hands in his pockets.

"Spike!" She said cheerfully, opening the door widely. "Come in!" She hugged him. Spike was shocked, people didn't hug him that often . . . . . but he hugged her back, and breathed in the comforting Joyce sent.

"How are you?" Spike asked.

"Good." Joyce responded. "I missed you though."

Spike would have blushed if he was human. "Only a few days and you're already missing me?"

Joyce laughed. "Yep."

"So, is Buffy home?"

"No, she's at The Bronze." Joyce smiled. "You look exceptionally happy. Any chance my daughter was with you last night?"

"Well, there's a chance . . . . . " He teased. "I guess I'll go see if I can find her."

"All right. Just make sure you come visit me too sometimes."

"Don't you worry." Spike assured her, and headed towards The Bronze.

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The next night, Buffy and Spike were at The Bronze, together. They were sitting at a table on the side, and their mouths soon abandoned their drinks for each other's lips.

Willow and Xander were also at The Bronze, but they were deeply confused.

"Um, Willow." Xander said. "Isn't that Spike?" He pointed a couple who seemed moments away from moving from kissing to making out.

"I think so." She replied. "Wait, is that Buffy with him?"

"That's what I was afraid of."

Willow and Xander walked over to the table where Buffy and Spike were passionately kissing, while still managing to stay in their chairs.

"Buffy?" Xander asked, still disbelieving.

Buffy kept kissing Spike, until he pulled back.

"Luv, we've got company."

"Huh?" Buffy didn't care about company, she wanted to kiss Spike. When she saw Xander and Willow, Buffy turned bright red.

"Oh, hi guys."

"Hey Red." Spike said, ignoring Xander.

"Buffy, what are you doing?" Xander asked, ignoring Spike.

"Nothing." Buffy replied.

"You're practically making out with Spike!" Xander yelled. "That is not nothing."

"We were just kissing." Buffy protested.

"Oh, yeah, JUST kissing . . . . ."

"Since when is it your business who I kiss?"

"It's not! But come on, this is Spike you're kissing. William the Bloody. Spike!"

Spike could feel Buffy getting very angry and upset. He put his hand over hers. "Listen Xander." Spike said, deciding to stop ignoring him. "I love Buffy. She wants me. We were perfectly happy until you came along."

"Oh, so it's all my fault, isn't it!" Xander yelled.

"Xander!" Willow grabbed him, afraid he might start attacking Spike. She turned to Buffy. "Do you really 'want' Spike?"

"No." Buffy said and Spike stood up, turning to leave. He was disappointed, but not too surprised.

"I love Spike." Buffy finished.

Spike practically fell over with shock.

The way Buffy said it, and the look in her eyes, told Willow and Xander that she was speaking the truth. "Well," said Xander, "As long as you're happy."

"I am." Buffy told them. "Happier then I've been for awhile."

Spike looked like he'd just been told he had won the lottery.

Willow, sensing that this was a time to leave them alone, pulled Xander with amazing strength away from their table.

Spike turned to Buffy and tilted his head. "Did you say something, luv?"

"I love you Spike." She told him.

"Really?"

"Really."

Spike pulled her up from her chair and kissed her. "I love you too."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They walked back to Buffy's house, Spike's arm wrapped around Buffy's shoulders.

Buffy opened the door to her house, and walked in. Spike stood outside, leaning on the invisible barrier. "Luv?" He asked.

"Sorry." Buffy said. "You're welcome in. Always." She kissed him again.

They continued kissing as they stumbled up the stairs, and down the hallway. They leaned against the door to Buffy's room, as Buffy fumbled for the doorknob. She found it, and they both almost fell over when the door opened. Spike closed the door softly, and they resumed kissing, scattering articles of clothing around the room.

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"You know why I tied you up?" Buffy asked, running her fingers down Spike's chest.

"Why, pet?"

"I wanted to teach you a lesson."

"And what was that?"

"Never touch a slayer. Especially if that slayer is me." Spike could sense her old fury returning.

"But you know what?" She continued, all anger vanishing from her voice.

"What?"

"I ended up learning something myself."

"And what's that?" Spike asked, rolling over her.

"That it's not a bad thing to love a vampire. In fact, it's a very good thing."

"Well, I won't disagree with that."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike woke up, and looked at the blond slayer sleeping next to him. He could hardly believe it, he was in Buffy's room, in Buffy's bed, next to Buffy. His Buffy. He ran his fingers through her hair.

"Spike." She breathed, still sleeping, and snuggled closer to him.

His Buffy.

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