Buffy watched as her sister and her friends drove off down the road. It was the summer holidays, Xander and Anya were off on their honeymoon. Tara and Willow went to stay at the coast, Giles was in England and Dawn was going to Disneyland with a friend and her friend’s family. So Buffy was alone for the summer holidays,

“Hello Slayer.”

Buffy turned around to see Spike,

‘Correction, alone with Spike for the summer holidays.’

“What are you doing here Spike?”

Spike looked hurt,

“ Oh sorry is this your road, am I not allowed to walk down it , I’m on my way to buy some blood, so sod off.”

Spike turned and carried on walking in the direction he was going.

“Spike, wait!”

Buffy shouted as she ran to catch up with him,

“I’m sorry, I’m just a little bummed being left here alone for the summer holidays, I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

Spike glared at her,

“Glad to see I’m just a nobody to you. Enjoy your lonely summer holiday.”

Buffy pulled him back,

“I didn’t mean it like that, you are somebody.”

Spike carried on walking and Buffy turned him and punched him hard in the face,

“Listen to me you moron, I’m glad you’re here.”

Spike held his nose,

“Bloody hell Slayer, you didn’t have to punch me.”

Buffy giggled and Spike carried on walking again,

“Well aren’t you coming Slayer?”

Buffy smiled and ran after him down the road.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Spike sat in his crypt reading a magazine when the door burst open,

“Hey Spike.”

Spike saw Buffy and smiled,

“Hey Slayer, what you up to?”

Buffy glared at him,

“I told you not to call me that. Call me Buffy.”

Spike sighed,

“Fine, Hey Buffy, what you up to?”

Buffy laughed and sat down next to him.

“Well, I was going to go to ‘The Bronze’ and was wondering if you wanted to-to come?”

Spike smiled,

“You know I will luv.”

Buffy smiled and grabbed his duster, which was thrown over the back of the couch,

“Lets go.”

They walked into ‘The Bronze’ and sat down at a table closest to the wall,

“So luv, want something to drink?”

Buffy smiled and nodded,

“I’ll have a coke.”

They sat back and waited until the waitress finally brought their drinks,

“How can you drink that stuff?”

Asked Buffy looking at Spike’s drink.

“Easy, it tastes nice. And its no better than what you’re drinking, I bet you’ve never tasted Bourbon before.”

Buffy shrugged,

“So I haven’t but I bet you’ve never had coke before.”

Spike smiled evilly,

“I have, just not that kind of coke.”

Buffy laughed and the two, as if reading each others thoughts, swapped drinks.

“This is putrid.”

Said Buffy disgusted as she put the glass down on the table.

Spike sipped the coke and made a face,

“God, this tastes like you’re drinking liquidated sugar, your teeth are gonna rot.”

Buffy took back her drink, as did Spike.

“Well that stuff will kill you.”

Spike laughed and she realized what she had said,

“Sorry, I forget that you’re already dead. I even forget that you’re a vampire.”

Spike smiled,

“That’s the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me. They’re always like, Spike is evil, he’s dead, he’s a vampire.”

Buffy smiled,

“You know, this past week I’ve seen a different Spike, a human Spike. I think of you as a human, a man. Remember what you said to me the day I died?”

Spike nodded.

“You said that you knew you were a monster, and you know I’ll never love you, but I treat you like a man. That made me feel good, and you are not a monster, you are a man, a good man.”

Spike smiled,

“You have no idea how happy I am that you feel that way.”

Buffy smiled again,

“I also love the way you treat me like Buffy. Not like Buffy the vampire slayer. You treat me like me, like a human. Not like the slayer. Even my best friends see me like the Slayer now. No one but you sees the person inside. Not even Riley or Angel did.”

Spike looked down at the table,

“I treat you like I see you. You are just a girl, you are Buffy Anne Summers. You are who you are.”

Buffy took his hand and squeezed it,

“I wanted to tell you…remember the day you chained me up with Drusilla?”

Spike nodded,

“Unfortunately.”

Buffy laughed,

“That night when I slammed the door in your face, I felt like I lost my best friend.”

Spike stared wide-eyed at her,

“Best friend?”

Buffy nodded,

“We fight, we argue, we talk, we laugh, we fight some more. All friends do that, and Willow and Xander have been so preoccupied with their girlfriends that when I needed someone you were always there, they were never there for me the way you were. I never had to worry about you getting hurt, or you dying, you fought beside me and was tortured for me, and was thrown off a tall tower for Dawn and me. You cried for me, you spoke to me, you lived for me, and you looked after Dawn for me. That’s more than anything the others did for me, ever. I will never forget anything that you’ve ever done for me. I even know about the flowers that you brought for my mother. I know about everything and I really appreciate it, Thank-you Spike. For everything.”

Spike saw the tears that had began to fall down Buffy’s cheek as she spoke. He reached out and hugged her tightly while she sobbed into his shoulder.

Spike kissed the top of her head,

“I love you Buffy.”

Buffy smiled,

“I know.”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Spike sat on Buffy’s couch and flipped through the channels,

“Come on Buffy, move your ass!”

Buffy ran down the stairs and flopped down next to him,

“Sorry, so what’s on the TV?”

Spike shrugged,

“Nothing much, did you get a video?”

Buffy smiled evilly and nodded,

“I got your favorite.”

Spike smiled and moved around excitedly,

“We got the exorcist, we got the exorcist.”

Buffy laughed as she put the video into the VCR and pressed play. She settled down next to Spike.

Buffy was laughing by the time the video had finished,
“Who knew the exorcist could actually be funny?”

Spike shrugged,

“My running commentaries are always funny.”

Buffy nodded as another movie flickered onto the screen,

“I love this movie, it’s so romantic.”

Spike laughed,

“The movie is about two people who fall in love and die. How can that be a good movie?”

Buffy shot Spike a look,

“Titanic is romantic, he dies for her.”

Spike shook his head,

“She doesn’t die for him, she lets him die for her, how sweet.”

He added sarcastically.

Buffy smacked his arm,

“You probably don’t have a romantic bone in your body. So what movie do you think is romantic or a good movie at least? And don’t say the exorcist.”

Spike smiled and stood up,

“I’ll meet you here at eight and I will bring the movie.”

Buffy nodded and he walked out into the night.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Spike walked into Buffy’s living room an watched her as she waited on the couch,

“Spike stop staring and come and sit down.”

Spike grinned and shook his head,

“Hello Buffy.”

Buffy smiled at him as he sat down,

“So where is this romantic movie that you selected?”

Spike held up a tape,

“I have it. You’ve probably seen it already but I want to watch it again.”

Spike put the video in the VCR and pressed play. The words came up on the screen reading:

ROMEO AND JULIET

Buffy laughed,

“Good choice. I haven’t seen this yet.”

Spike was stunned as Buffy leaned her head on his shoulder and watched the video happily.

Spike pressed stop as the credits came up and looked over at Buffy, who was crying,

“What’s wrong luv?”

Buffy wiped away her tears and smiled up at him,

“It’s so sad, they died for each other. It’s the sweetest thing, I wonder if anyone would ever die for me?”

Spike laughed,

“I know a few.”

Buffy looked puzzled,

“Really who?”

Spike shrugged,

“Well the Scoobies, the watcher, the poof, the Niblit, me…must I go on.”

Buffy smiled at him,

“You would die for me?”

Spike nodded,

“I would gladly spend eternity in hell if it meant letting you live and be happy with the Niblit and all the Scoobies even for a second.”

Buffy kissed him gently on the lips,

“I would never be happy if you died.”

Spike felt as if the tears were about to burst from his eyes but he wouldn’t let them,

“Buffy…”

Buffy laughed at his stunned face,

“Spike, shut up and watch the TV.”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Buffy walked into Spike’s crypt the next afternoon and was stunned to see how gorgeous Spike was when he was asleep. He was curled up in a little ball and was mumbling something as he spoke,

“Please, leave me alone. I’m so hungry…no, what are you gonna do with that syringe, NO! Please just kill me now!”

Buffy’s heart nearly stopped when he screamed like that,

“Spike, wake up.”

Spike’s eyes shot open and he fell off his tomb and onto the floor with a loud thump which seemed to echo off the walls.

“Spike? Are you okay?”

Spike looked up at her and shook his head vigorously,

“Yeah, bloody wonderful.”

Buffy took his arm and pulled him up,

“What were you dreaming about?”

Spike shrugged,

“Nothing.”

Buffy pouted,

“Don’t lie to me Spike, you talk in you sleep. Or in your case you scream.”

Spike looked at the floor,

“I was in the initiative again, they were…”
A small sob escaped Spike’s throat and Buffy enveloped him in her arms,

“It’s okay Spike, they are gone now and they are never coming back.”

Spike laughed,

“I sound like the bloody poof now, all broody and sobbing.”

Buffy laughed,

“He was awfully broody wasn’t he.”

Spike and Buffy sat back down together and Spike looked down at his feet again,

“Buffy, what would you do if I had to start feeding again, killing again?”

Buffy sighed,

“You have the chip Spike so I don’t have to worry about it.”

Spike shook his head,

“Seriously, would you kill me?”

Buffy looked down,

“That’s like asking me to kill Willow or Xander or the others if they were turned, and the answer is no. I could and would not ever kill you. I know that even once you got your chip out that you would never hurt us or kill anyone else.”

Spike nodded,

“Buffy, I wish that you were a vampire.”

Buffy was shocked,

“What do you mean?”

Spike smiled at her uneasiness,

“I mean that I wish I wouldn’t have to go through eternity without you.”

Buffy smiled,

“Well if it makes you feel better, if I’m an old lady when I die and I’m on my deathbed with you beside me, I’ll stake you.”

Spike laughed and looked seriously, he sighed,

“Buffy I need to tell you something.”

Buffy looked at him cautiously,

“What?”

Spike sighed,

“My chip stopped working about three weeks ago, and I know I should have told you sooner it’s just I didn’t know how you would react. I just want you to know that I won’t go back to killing or even feeding off people, it’s just blood bags for me.”

Buffy smiled at him,

“You shouldn’t have worried, I know that it would eventually stop working. I trust you Spike.”

Spike smiled as Buffy hugged him again,

“Thank-you Buffy.”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Buffy and Spike walked into the Bronze the next night and sat down at one of the tables,

“Spike, what would you like to drink?”

Spike smiled evilly,

“The usual.”

Buffy told the waitress their orders to a young lady waitress, her hair was brown and she looked down her nose at Buffy,

“Yeah well I can see that you like coke.”

Buffy just sat there with her mouth hanging open,

“Did you hear what she just said, she was implying that I am fat.”

Spike laughed at her uneasiness,

“You’re not fat Buffy, believe me.”

Buffy sighed and stood up holding her hand out to Spike with a wicked grin on her face,

“Let’s dance.”

Spike took her hand and the two walked out onto the dance floor. Spike wrapped his arms around Buffy possessively and the two danced perfectly in sync with each other. Buffy sighed and snuggled her head into his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. They swayed along to the music, which was Savage Garden’s truly madly deeply.

‘How could I never have noticed Spike before? He’s such a great guy.’ Buffy thought to herself, ‘and he loves me. I get all tingly when he’s around and I haven’t felt like this since…Well never. Not even Angel had this affect on me.

Spike listened to her heartbeat faster as she danced with him and he smiled, he loved having this affect on her.

Suddenly Buffy was pulled from her thought when she nearly fell to the floor, and would of if Spike wasn’t holding her. The couple stopped dancing and Buffy glared down at her shoe, the heal was broken.

“Shit!”

Buffy took off her broken shoe and examined it carefully,

“Cheap junk.”

Spike tried to hold in his laughter but failed miserably,

“Spike this is so not funny.”

Buffy glared at him but ended up grinning as well.

“I liked these shoes.”

Spike smiled,

“Well, you’ll just have to buy another pair.”

Buffy shook her head,

“Money is tight as it is. I can’t go around buying shoes. I guess I’ll just have to wear others.”

Spike nodded his head as an idea came to him, he picked up the shoe and examined it, size five. He would have to remember that.

Spike walked Buffy to her front door,

“I had fun tonight Buffy.”

He smiled at her.

She kissed his lips gently and touched his cheek,

“Yeah, me too. Even if my favorite pair of shoes broke. But I had fun with you.”

She opened her door and stepped inside,

“Bye Spike.”

Spike waved and walked slowly to his car. He jumped up into the air and gave a short little happy dance,

“She likes me, she likes me.”

Buffy sat on her bed and tapped her foot, it was noon and she was bored.

“I wish Spike was human, then he could come over during the day.”

She said aloud to herself.

The doorbell rang and she jumped up, hoping it was Spike.

She opened the door and looked out to the empty street. She looked down and a small black box sat on the porch, tied up with red ribbon. She smiled and picked it up carrying it inside.

She sat on her couch and carefully opened the box. Inside were a brand new pair of the shoes that she had broken last night with a small note attached,

‘I couldn’t let you go around without your favorite shoes now could I?’

-Spike

Buffy laughed and she tried them on, perfect fit. ‘Spike was so gonna get some if he carried on like this. Did I just think that? Bad Buffy.’ She thought to herself.

Buffy smiled to herself and ran out the door to go shopping.

Spike sat on his tomb and smiled, he really hoped Buffy would like the shoes. He loved her so much.

A knock on the crypt door brought Spike back to his senses. He opened the door carefully avoiding the sunlight and smiled at a small black box sitting on the door step. He picked it up and sat down on the couch and opened it.

He laughed at a black button up silk shirt. He picked it up and held it up admiring it, it was soooo cool.

A little note fell out and he picked it up and read it,

‘Pick me up at eight.’

-Buffy

Spike laughed and disappeared into the crypt to get ready.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Buffy waited in the living room for Spike, it was nearly eight and she was so nervous.

The chimes on the clock chimed eight times and the doorbell rang.

Buffy opened it to find Spike waiting. He was wearing the shirt, black chinos and carried a bunch of red roses.

“You’re right on time.”

Buffy said sweetly.

Spike grinned and handed Buffy the roses and she went to put them in water.

She returned at the couple left to go dancing.

They entered the room and all eyes were on the dashing couple. They sat down at a table and watched the dancing couples on the dance floor. The song changed and Alicia Keys ‘Fallin’ started to play. Spike stood up and led Buffy to the dance floor. They held each other tightly and swayed slowly to the music:

I keep on fallin in and out of love with you,

I never loved someone the way that I love you.

Spike knew the words were perfect for him, and Buffy knew it too. The words were saying what she couldn’t.

Spike closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of Buffy. He had never loved her as much as he loved her this second.

Buffy held onto him as if her life depended on it. She never wanted this moment to end. He was her match, her soul mate. She loved him.

The song ended and the couple sat down. The night was amazing, they danced, they spoke, they laughed. But the night soon ended and Spike took Buffy home.

Once again they were on the porch and Spike smiled at her,

“I had the most amazing time.”

Buffy blushed,

“So did I.”

She lent up and kissed him and snaked her arms around his neck as she deepened the kiss. Spike placed his hands on the small of her back and held her tightly.

“I love you Buffy.”

Buffy smiled up at him,

“I love you too Spike.”

Spike took the news well as he took her in his arms and carried her inside to show her just how much he loved her.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

One month later

Spike watched Buffy sleep. She was his, they were together and he was beginning to think that it was only a dream. A really good dream.

Spike stood and got dressed. He had to leave before the sun rose. He was dressed and kissed Buffy’s forehead,

“I love you.”

Buffy stirred and smiled up at him.

“I love you too. But must you go?”

Spike smiled,

“You know I do. I’ll be back tonight.”

Buffy nodded and went back to sleep.

The night before

Spike wandered through the jewelry shop looking for the perfect ring. An engagement ring. His eyes suddenly saw what he was looking for. A gold ring with a blood red stone on the middle. He had to get it for her, it was made for her.

Spike bought the ring and went to the engravers where he would write his message.

Back to the day after.

Buffy was so happy, she had actually never been happier. She couldn’t wait for that night when Spike would return. It was noon and she was bored. They only had a few days alone together until the Scoobies all returned. She needed to be with him, she wanted to always be with him.

The doorbell rang and she opened the door to an empty street. A small box caught her attention. It was black with a red ribbon. Spike often left little presents for her at the doorstep, and she loved it.

She sat on the couch and opened the box and a ring sat nestled inside. It was gold with a blood red ruby inside.

She picked up the note:

‘I love you Buffy. I always will. I want you to be mine for eternity. I know things will be hard, but it will be harder without you. I can’t promise you the things you want; a family; a church wedding; normality. But I can promise you happiness; love; and eternity. My heart belongs to you. I might be immortal and you mortal but I will always be here, I love you.

Marry me.

-Spike’

Buffy lifted the ring and read the inscription inside:

‘My love for all eternity.’

Buffy started to cry as she placed the ring on her finger. She would marry Spike in a heartbeat and she planned on doing it. Blessings from her friends or none. It felt right.

Buffy decided there was only one way she could reply to his proposal.

She jumped up and left the house.

Spike was a bundle of nerves, he didn’t know what he would do if she said no. He would stake himself. But if she said yes? Then what? He would love her.

Buffy walked through the jewelry shop and saw it, the perfect ring for Spike. If she wore his ring, he would wear hers. The ring was made from black gold, with a blood red ruby inside.

She bought it, got it engraved and went to Spike’s.