Buffy stretched her arms out underneath the cover and sighed as she rolled closer to Spike’s unconscious form. His face was slack in relaxation. Tracing his features with her eyes she memorized his handsome face and sexy bed-head. Smiling to herself, she rubbed her leg against Spike’s and heard his sharp intake of air that signaled he was awake. Scooting closer and spooning her body around his, Buffy kissed his chest and nuzzled it with her nose. “Morning, luv.”

“GOOD morning, that is,” she whispered, smiling up into his sleepy eyes. Spike’s arm snaked under her and levered her up on top of his chest. Grinning, she nuzzled the middle of his chest as she felt his arousal stabbing the inside of her thigh. She brought her legs up to straddle his waist and sat up a little. Soon, she found his hard, long appendage and she scooted down, forcing him inside of her.

“Good morning it is,” Spike agreed as Buffy started moving up and down on top of him. The sleepy, erotic rhythm continued, drawing Buffy to a deep, slow orgasm. Once Spike felt the strong flutter around his cock he flipped them so that he was on top and thrust down, letting his pleasure come. Spike buried his face in Buffy’s neck, licking his mark.

Coming down from the high, Buffy held Spike close letting him nuzzle her neck. She idly wondered why he didn’t bite her this morning. After the initial shock and guilt that he had felt, he was overcome with a need to reaffirm the claim. She was very happy to comply and let him claim her again until Dawn had come home during the process. In the middle of the kitchen, and the middle of her orgasm and Spike’s bite, Buffy heard the front door slam. Hearing the commotion in the kitchen, Dawn had walked in and found Spike pounding Buffy against the kitchen island with his teeth embedded into her neck, not drinking her blood, just embedded. Spike didn’t seem to realize Dawn’s presence until her loud screech, Buffy screaming ‘No,’ and a blunt hit to his skull with a frying pan. Bringing him out of the stupor, Spike pulled out of Buffy and turned around to face the confused young woman with his demon in full control. Buffy had quickly covered herself and stepped in between the two new adversaries, afraid that Spike wouldn’t come to his senses before he blindly attacked. Dawn lowered the pan down slightly as Buffy desperately tried to explain what was happening. By the time Dawn comprehended what she had walked in on, Spike came back to his senses and covered up. He listened to Buffy’s perspective of that night and felt overwhelming love for the creature standing in front of him.

Lying on the bed now, Buffy wondered why Spike didn’t vamp out and bite her. Knowing what she was thinking and trying to push her insecure thoughts out of her head, Spike nuzzled her neck. “Kitten, I love you.”

Buffy stretched and ran her hands down Spike’s back. “Love you, too.”

“Wish I could bite you every time.”

“What?” She thought she misheard what he said.

“Wish I could bite you every time, every minute of every day. It feels so good to be buried in you, feels like we are one when we are like that.” Spike shifted and laid Buffy on top of his chest. His fingers gently stroked down her spine, tickling her skin.

He watched her bottom lip pout out just for him, “Why?”

“Why what, kitten?” His eyes were lost in her luscious bottom lip as his fingers traced the crevice between her buttocks and thigh, making her squirm on top of him.

“Why can’t we… you know… the claim every time?”

A loud breath came out of Spike’s lungs as he got ready to explain. Buffy stayed in place, waiting for Spike to form the words, “One: even if I don’t drink and it is just a bite, it takes some blood. If we did that every time you would loose gallons within a week.” Without looking, Buffy knew he was smirking. “Two: it takes a lot out of your body to keep repairing itself. If I opened them every time they closed, your body would get worn out. Not good for anyone, especially a slayer, don’t you think?” At her slight nod, Spike dipped his head down to her neck, nuzzling his mark. “God, do you know what you do to me?” To illustrate his words, he rubbed his erection against her thigh eliciting a loud moan from her lips. “To know you are mine? That you accept that?”

“Hey, mister,” she slapped Spike half-heartedly on the shoulder. “You make it sound like I’m property.”

Spike’s eyes dipped down to her neck and then resurfaced at her face, “No, not property… just that… oh bloody hell!”

He felt her body shake and looked up to find her hazel eyes dancing. “Only kidding,” she offered a bright smile as he moved his body over hers once again.

~*~*~

Finishing her lunch, Buffy wiped her mouth and looked around. Spike certainly got a little “energetic” when it came to sex. Getting up, she straightened the upturned table and replaced the couch cushions that couldn’t take the intense drive Spike put into their love making last night. When the room was finally presentable to anyone that might enter, Buffy knocked on the bathroom door and opened it. The vision that welcomed her made her stop in her tracks. Standing in the steamy shower with the shower curtain open and facing the bathroom door, Spike stood under the hot water stroking himself. Knowing she was watching he tugged extra hard on his member, groaning at the pressure building in his balls. Looking directly at her startled and aroused face he held out his other hand and said, “Come here, luv. I’ve got something to show you.”

Shaking herself out of her haze, she smiled coyly and stayed out of arms reach. “I see what you have to show me and if I hadn’t just escaped the shower an hour ago and dry my hair I would join you.” Spike growled and leaped out of the tub before she got out of the room. Holding onto her elbow, his eyebrow rose as if saying, ‘going to take those clothes off or shall I?’

Jumping out of his grasp when she heard the knock at the front door, Buffy sent Spike an apologetic smile and backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Straightening her clothes, she opened the door expecting to see room service ready to take her dishes away. Instead of a bellhop, she opened the door to find her Hawaiian friend, Sam. “SAM! Come in.” Buffy let the volume of her voice rise so Spike could clearly hear that they had a visitor.

Sitting on the couch she just put back together, the two friends sat and talked about the events of the past couple days. “Dawn told me about what happened with Xander. I wish I was there.”

“Oh, Sam. I’m glad you weren’t. It was pretty awful.”

“Still, he was attacking you.” Sam was so angry that he was shaking when Dawn had told him just a couple hours before. Sam wanted to accept all the people in Buffy’s life, but he wasn’t sure if he could ever accept Xander now.

“Verbally. He didn’t lay a hand on me.”

The bathroom door opened and a shirtless Spike stepped out, “No, but he could have.” Spike sauntered over to a chair next to the couch and sat down.

“Good to see you back to normal,” Sam nodded at Spike.

“Thanks, mate. I’ve been told I was quite protective of this one here. Hope I didn’t do anything to you.” Sam shook his head negatively.

“But, he didn’t.” Buffy whined. She was glad her best friend genuinely tried to get along with Spike.

“Not the point, Slayer,” he heard her growl deep in her throat at the name he used, “he could have. If I wasn’t there…” he let the sentence trail off.

Buffy stood up and walked up to Spike. Kneeling to his side, she took his hands in hers, “You were there and so was Willow. We don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

Sam spoke up, “How is he doing?”

Sighing Buffy answered, “He’s in the hospital right now, in the psychiatric ward. Anya is the only person that has seen him. She isn’t going to file for divorce right away. She’s going to try to help him through this, but the doctors aren’t very optimistic that he will ever recover his memories. The doctors don’t think it’s a good idea for Willow or me to go visit him.”

“So his memory is wiped out?” Sam leaned forward on his knees.

“Apparently. He doesn’t remember Anya all that much. They weren’t together until the end of our senior year, and that was a reluctant pairing. The doctors think that seeing Willow and me older might push him further into his psychosis.” Buffy started to move back to the couch, but Spike’s hand on her arm stopped her. Instead, she climbed into his lap and let him take comfort in her being close to him. “So what brings you up into this neck of the woods, Sam? I thought you and Dawn were spending the day together?”

“We were supposed to, but I got a call this morning from the wicked bitch. Jenna’s sick and I need to go back.”

“What’s wrong?”

“They don’t know, she took Jenna to the emergency room and they admitted her. She can’t keep anything down so she’s dehydrated and cranky.” Sam looked down with a grimace on his face.

“Awe, poor kid. When is your plane?” Buffy suppressed a shiver and Spike’s fingers traced her spine.

“In six hours.” Sam stood up and started to pace and Buffy tensed. She knew Jenna was his world and if anything happened to her it would destroy him.

“Do you need a ride to the airport?” Spike stopped his exploration of her back when he Sam got up.

“Nah, have to return the car I rented anyways.”

“Oh, so did you and Dawn already say goodbye?”

“Yeah.”

“So?” Buffy questioned. It felt like pulling teeth.

“So what?” Sam knew she was fishing and decided to have some fun.

“You know, you freak. Spill!”

Laughing, “We decided to be long distance friends for now.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me?”

“Come on, Lizzy, I’m and island boy, you know it, I know it, and she knows it. She needs to keep her eye on her ball and I need to keep my eye on my ball.”

“Your balls huh? Kind of hard with half of the ocean between you two.” Sam groaned but she continued, “Only friends, after all the kisses you shared?” She felt Spike’s arm tighten around her.

“Friends don’t mean there can’t be more. It’s just that we need to live our lives out right now. Plus, she’s quite younger than I am.”

Buffy pouted, she liked the idea of her friend and sister having a relationship. “So, I’m like 115 years younger than Spike.” She felt a rumble against her back and looked at him. “Well, I am!”

“That you are, pet. That you are.”

A/N: Thanks for the GREAT Beta job, Melanie!!! For the rest: Yes, this story is coming to a conclusion soon. Just a couple more chapters that are tying up the loose ends and then the Sunnydale Chapter of this series will be over.

A lone figure sat still in wait. The thought of what she was about to do weighed heavily on her mind. In her hand rested a very heavy dart gun. Blowing her hair out of her eyes, Katerina waited for her target to approach. Crouching low, she watched the two figures leave the hotel. Buffy tilted her head towards Spike, revealing her bruised neck for all the world to see. Katerina watched Spike wrap his arm around Buffy’s shoulders. Unchecked tears ran down her face, this wasn’t right. They were the ones that had helped her when she first arrived, that had made her feel welcome. Spike’s black duster moved in the wind and whipped around Buffy’s body as they walked close together. Katerina watched as Buffy raised her face towards Spike and saw pure and unquestionable trust and devotion. Pushing her mixed emotions downto the pit of her stomach, Katerina waited until the couple passed. Spike pulled Buffy closer as they passed and she thought she saw Spike sniff the air, but they kept walking. Relaxing and letting a sigh of relief escape her, she crept out of her hiding place and followed the couple down the road. The trio headed towards the nearest cemetery. Spike and Buffy’s bodies separated a little, but they kept in contact, holding hands the whole time. Katerina paid special attention to lurking far enough behind them so they wouldn’t pick up her presence. Unbeknownst to their pursuer, the couple was having an inner conversation.

Earlier that morning, Buffy had been thinking about strawberries while she was in the shower. As she had stepped out of the shower, she had heard Spike greet the room service attendant. Donning her robe, Buffy had stepped out to the main room and spied what Spike ordered for breakfast: Belgium waffles topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. “How did you know I wanted strawberries?”

“Didn’t know, about fifteen minutes ago I had this craving for them.” She reached for a plate and Spike slapped her fingers away. “Back off. Mine!”

Buffy puffed her lips out in a pout she knew he couldn’t resist and fluttered her eyelashes at him, “I thought I was yours?” Spike had fallen in line with her plan, he pulled her on top of his lap and then fed her the sugary confection.

Since this morning, each was able to not only feel vague feelings from each other, but they also could “hear” each other’s voices rambling. Buffy started to laugh in the middle of a Noxzema commercial they were watching because Spike started to fantasize about Buffy giving him a bath. Giving her a look, Spike realized she KNEW what he was thinking. Not embarrassed in the least, Spike started to send very erotic pictures her way, watching her cheeks turn red and her breathing quicken.

“Is that Katerina in the bushes?” A little voice in Spike’s head whispered.

“Why are you whispering?” he countered.

“Shut up, bleach head. Is it?”

“Yeah, looks like she had some sort of gun with her.” Spike drew Buffy in closer, covering her body with his duster. Whatever Katerina was going to do, he wanted to protect Buffy.

“Why is she hiding?” Buffy tilted her head towards Spike and looked at the hard set of his jaw. She felt him take a deep breath in through his nose.

“Don’t know, but she obviously is waiting for us to pass.” Buffy moved closer to Spike as they passed the bushes. “Don’t know what she has in the gun, but it isn’t gun powder.”

“What? How can you tell that?”

“Kitten,” she felt his exasperation, “Vampire here.”

“What is in it then?” The couple headed towards the closest cemetery.

“I think,” Spike let go of Buffy’s figure and held her hand, “that we should separate. I think it’s powered by compressed air. Something foul behind it.”

“Poison?” Spike felt and heard Buffy’s pulse speed up. A cold sweat broke out on her skin, making her feel clammy.

“Could be, don’t know.” Spike squeezed her hand gently. “She’s following us not so quietly. Wonder what she’s up to.”

“Oh, God, SPIKE!” He felt the tears threatening to run down her cheek.

“Don’t worry kitten. We’ll be all right. Look, you go towards the Simman Crypt and I’ll go towards Clark. Who ever she doesn’t follow, get behind her, OK? Figure out what she’s doing.” Spike felt a mental nod and a small, yet strong, squeeze on his hand before they let go totally.

~*~*~

Katerina followed Spike’s path and Buffy crept up behind the girl, careful to not make a sound. She watched Katerina hide behind a tree as Spike walk around a crypt. Buffy felt Spike growl in frustration as he went behind the crypt. Katerina raised the gun and aimed it towards the side of the crypt she assumed Spike would be coming out by. In a silent plan, Buffy came up behind Katerina, “What do you think you are going to do with that, little girl?”

Katerina whirled around and the gun dropped out of her hand. Red-rimmed eyes and tear-streaked cheeks greeted Buffy. Spike flew from his hiding place and caught the gun before it hit the ground, afraid it would misfire and hit Buffy. If the gun did contain poison, he wasn’t going to take any chances. “Buffy?” Katerina’s legs gave out from underneath her. Catching the girl’s elbow, Buffy held on to her before she could totally crumble to the ground. “I’m so sorry,” she chanted over and over. “He said…”

“Who said?” Buffy rested on knee down beside Katerina, hoping that she would open up to her. In her head she heard Spike, “Definitely poison. Never smelled anything so foul, pet.” Katerina seemed oblivious to Spike’s presence as she kept talking to Buffy,

“That man, from the council. I met him at Mr. Giles place.” Katerina’s tears flowed once again. “Said he deserved it. I’m so sorry, I can’t do it.” Katerina’s body shook with tremors as she told the story. “He said that Spike was killing. Killed some good guy and that you were next.” Buffy patted the young girl’s back. She KNEW the ‘he’ Katerina was talking about: Travers. “He said that Spike bit you and was going to turn you.” Buffy felt pure anger, hatred, and bloodlust assault her body as Spike’s whole being tensed up. “But, he wouldn’t do that! I know it. But he SAID!” Katerina’s voice volume rose as she spoke. “I just can’t. It’s not right!” Buffy comforted the confused girl as best as she could, extricating the little pieces of information.

The dialog between Spike and Buffy moved to a jumbled mass of feelings towards each other and the head of the Council of Watchers. Spike wanted to track him down right away and torture him. The bloodlust that Buffy picked up on got stronger each second they sat and listened to Katerina’s story. Buffy pushed calming thoughts his way, trying to push down the anger that flowed through her own veins. It turned out that the darts contained the same poison that Faith had used on Angel all those years ago. Spike wasn’t too happy about the revelation Buffy accidentally sent his way. Any hatred towards his grand sire escalated a hundred fold over the past couple weeks. Compromising on going to Giles to find the snake, Spike backed off his anger. Waves of hostility flowed from him, but he tried to keep it in check.

They escorted Katerina back to Giles’ apartment, making sure the young slayer would be OK. Buffy walked between Spike and Katerina to make sure that there would be no violence on the way. Buffy was getting very good and tuning into the constant storm of emotions surging inside of Spike and therefore surging through her. His thoughts and feelings, though often disjointed, were valid and all encompassing.

Giles opened the door quickly after Buffy knocked. Shocked at an angry Buffy, a sobbing Katerina, and a silent Spike, Giles let them into the apartment. “What’s going on?” Buffy started to explain what happened with Katerina. Giles took a few moments to clean his glasses thoughtfully. His jaw set, much like Spike’s as he listened to the sordid details that Travers poisoned young Katerina’s head with. “And your neck?”

“Didn’t Willow or Dawn tell you?” Buffy unconsciously moved her hand up to her mark, proud of it. Spike felt a surge of pride in his system, abating the hatred he was still feeling. Katerina moved to sit in a chair. She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, burying her head, obviously still confused on what she was supposed to do.

“They said you two mated, is that correct?” Giles moved his gaze from Spike to Buffy. Buffy could tell the Ripper was very close to the surface. Evidently he didn’t find as much joy as Buffy and Spike felt with the mating.

Buffy had had it; she was too frustrated and too tired to deal with the bullshit of a vampire versus slayer discussion. “You tell me, Giles. Look, it doesn’t matter.” Buffy started to pace around the tiny room, “What we need to do is take care of Travers and the council, he evidently isn’t going to give this thing up.”

“Very well, what do you want to do about them? Kill them all?”

Buffy heard a chuckle in her head, “He’s got my vote.”

Spike spoke up while Buffy tried to hold herself in, “I say, hunt him down and kill him like the dog he his.”

Giles nodded, ready to accept it, but Buffy intervened. “No, all we need to do is oust him from the Watcher’s Council. This is going to keep happening until there’s a new council, Giles. Come on, they use us like tools and then just disregard us when they are done.”

“Buffy, the Watcher’s Council tries to do what is best…”

Buffy cut him off, “No, the minute I told Travers I was through with him, he went off and decided the man I decided to be with must die. I’ve had it with them! Was it my best interest on my eighteenth birthday? How about refusing to tell me about Glory when they KNEW what she was and what she was looking for. How about when my mom died and I almost lost the house? Did they offer to help me?” Buffy’s body shook with anger this time and it was Spike who sent calming thoughts her way. “If they didn’t have the girls, then there wouldn’t be a council. I say it’s time for the girls to take over.”

“And how do you propose that?” Giles moved behind the coffee table.

“See, it’s like this…”

Quentin Travers sat in his hotel room, alone. The sweeper team had been dismantled for now. The slayer and her lover had survived and seemed to have become stronger. It was apparent by the surveillance tape that not only had the vampire attacked the slayer and bitten her, but she has lived to tell about it. At the end of his tether, Quentin ran his hands over his face. This slayer should never have been called in the first place. Her insolence and insubordination littered her career as a slayer. She took not one but TWO demon lovers and felt no remorse for that fact. Her Watcher wasn’t much better. He entertained her wishes and desires like she was his own child.

The only silver lining was that Buffy Summers was not the ONLY slayer. It was pure luck that the new slayer came to check in with Mr. Giles the night he was pretending to leave town. She seemed skittish, like all new slayers. It was so easy to convince her to kill the vampire lover. A little fork lore, a little truth and she bended to do his bidding. That’s how good little slayers should behave, following orders without question. It was almost too easy. Sure, she was confused and insisted that Spike wouldn’t hurt anyone that wasn’t threatening Buffy, but in the end she took the dart gun filled with poison.

Quentin got up from his position on the bed and went over to the window. Sunnydale seemed quiet tonight; the town always seemed quiet compared to towns without an active hellmouth. He felt it deep in his bones that something was about to happen, something not good. Sighing, Quentin turned his back to the window and looked around the cheap motel room. The threadbare cover on the bed looked like it was created by baby puke. He really should head out of town, but he had to wait, wait for Katerina to finish the job. It would be so easy for her to get close enough to be able to fire and not miss. Buffy and Spike trusted her, thought she was on their side instead of the right side. Stupid Buffy, time had not made her smart, if she was she would know he hadn’t left and the threat wasn’t over.

A small knock on his door broke Quentin out of his reverie. Glancing at the clock and noting the late hour, Quentin opened the door. Before he had the lock clicked open, the door flew open and he had a mass of snarling muscles on top of him. Landing on the sharp edge of a dresser, Quentin shouted out in pain and fell to the ground. The mass that toppled on top of the stout man, pulled back to reveal himself: a vamped out Spike. Walking into the room calmly, Buffy and Giles closed the door and sat down on the edge of the bed, facing Quentin’s prone body. “And here I thought you left town without saying goodbye, tsk, tsk.”

“Miss Summers, I should have guessed you would let this happen.” Spike snarled and bared his pearly fangs at the offending man.

“Pu-lease, Spike has better taste that that. I don’t think he would sully his taste buds with the likes of you.” She bared her neck, showing off Spike’s claim, and moved her fingertips over the puncture marks. “I am sure he would rather have much more pleasant things in his mouth.” The double meaning was not lost on Spike who almost ruined the whole intimidation bit by laughing. “Anyways, it would be awful for Spike to ingest something so poisonous.” Giles took out the dart gun that Katerina was supposed to have used and handed it over to Buffy. She gave him a grateful glance and then aimed the gun at Quentin .

“You don’t want to do that, Miss Summers.” Quentin stuttered out. Spike looked down at his prey and smiled. The scent of fear was heavy in the air.

“I’m not so sure. You see, Quentin,” she stood up and paced in front of Quentin and Spike, “I don’t like people that try to hurt my family and friends, and you,” Buffy stopped pacing and aimed the gun at Quentin, “SIR, have done both.”

“If I promise to not try to harm you or your family and friends again, will you let me go?”

“An interesting proposition, don’t you think boys?” Spike grunted and dug his claws into Quentin’s shoulders for emphasize.

Giles took off his glasses and started to rub them with his special cloth. “I’m not so sure, Buffy, he’s agreed before to things of that nature, but he never quite keeps the bargain, does he?” Buffy stopped and pretended to ponder the situation. To the outside observer, it seemed like a very serious situation, but inside Spike and Buffy’s mind they were laughing their heads off. Spike kept suggesting ways in how to remove the stick up Quentin’s ass. Vivid pictures entered Buffy’s mind and almost couldn’t hold her gaiety in.

“That’s right, Giles. Quentin doesn’t respect me and any agreement he would make, he probably wouldn’t hold up to.” Buffy aimed the gun back at Quentin. “So that leaves me with one choice.” She made sure the air chamber was filled, it would be such a nuisance that it wouldn’t fire and she would have to charge the contraption.

“WAIT!” Quentin bucked up, freeing himself from Spike’s grasp. Spike stood up in front of the door, the only escape route and waited calmly.

“What is it Quentin?” Buffy sounded irritated.

“I’ll do anything you want me to do. ANYTHING, please! I’ll sign whatever document, you can have your friend perform a spell to make sure I can’t threaten you again. Whatever, I will do it.”

“Anything?” Spike spoke up. His smirk lay perfectly in place between his ridges and fangs, making him seem so much more dangerous.

“Yes, please. Miss Summers.” Quentin almost got on his hands and knees in front of Buffy.

“Giles, the phone.” Giles handed over the cell phone Buffy had. She, in turn, handed the phone over to Quentin. “Call the council and resign.” Quentin looked up dumbfounded. “Furthermore, everyone in charge of the council that is not a slayer or slayer approved will resign.”

“You can’t do that!” Quentin lunged forward, but Spike saw it coming and was already holding the man’s fat body back.

“You said anything, Quentin. These are not recommendations or up for negotiation. You and the rest of the council will step down. In turn, the current slayer and her watcher will preside over the council. You may remain on the council’s payroll to insure a smooth transition, but you will not be in power.”

“Miss Summers!”

“Those are what gets you out of town alive. Anything less is unacceptable. Call them and let them know they will resign from the main council. Giles and I will take charge. After a full review of the council we will either reinstate those that stepped down or fire them completely.”

“You can’t play with people’s lives like this! That is our livelihood!”

“How about MY livelihood? You never cared if I was homeless or not!” Looking over at Giles, she continued, “How about Giles, you fired him on a whim! That was his livelihood, too and YOU didn’t care.” She leveled her gaze onto Quentin, “It’s not like I am throwing you out without a penny. We will evaluate the council and see what we can do.” Quentin sputtered, he knew he would have to do this, but it was just so wrong. “Look, Quentin. I’m tired and cranky. I don’t want to punish you; I just want the slayers to be in charge of their lives. They need support that the current council is not giving.” Buffy ran her hand down her face in frustration. “Are you going to call or do we have to dig a while before daylight?”

“Give me the bloody phone, Miss Summers.”

The END

~*~*~

A/n: Well this story certainly ended in a totally different note than what I intended when I started it. This was my first plot driven story and I hope you liked it. I am sorry it took so long to write it, but I think it was worthwhile. To all the Forever Series fans, there is a 3^{rd story called London Forever, but the characters want a break. I will be focusing on some of my AU storylines for now. If you have any ideas for Spike and Buffy’s adventures in merry ole England, please let me know karbear57@yahoo.com. I am compiling ideas right now so when the characters are done resting I will be ready.}