Crash (Or Crush?)

PART 15

The Receptionist greeted them cordially.
“Hope you had a nice night, Mr. and Mrs. Winters. Anyway, I understand your enthusiasm, being so young; but the room next to yours asked me to tell you to be… less * noisy* !” the man said, with a meaningful glance towards Spike, but Buffy noticed it.
She wondered why, then she thought back to that remark about enthusiasm, added to the giggling and the squeaking of the bed that the other people might have heard.
“Oh, nooo! It’s not what you think, we were just…”
“I don’t want to know, just try not to repeat it, ok? Goodnight!” the old man departed, leaving Buffy embarrassed as ever, and Spike laughing madly about it.
“They thought… me and you… Bloody Hell! Anyway, if we really did it * the whole Hotel * would hear us!” he commented with a smirk, raising his eyebrow in a sexy way.
“Pig!” she snapped as they went upstairs to their room.

“Well, it’s been a pretty tiring day!” Spike exclaimed, stretching, and then he sat on the bed, taking off his shoes.
“What are you doing?” Buffy exclaimed, frowning.
“What does it seem to you? I’m just making myself ready to sleep!”
There were still about three hours before the sunrise, but Buffy knew they had faced a laborious long journey, especially for him.
“That’s the point, Mr., you’re not sleeping here, *I*’ m gonna do!” she clarified, sitting on the other side of the bed, mirroring his actions.
“It’s a double bed, and there’s space for both of us, so don’t be a pain in ass, Slayer!” he snapped.
“ Eeeww! There’s not a chance I share a bed with you!”
“Fine, don’t! You can sleep on one of the armchairs!” he struck back, pointing them to her.
“No, you can sleep there! I want the bed!” she protested.

< Spoiled little girl: Part Two!> Spike thought , rolling his eyes.

As always, he wouldn’t have let her win.
“C’mon, get up!” he encouraged her, doing the same.
She obeyed, questioning him with her eyes,
“I give you a choice: we both sleep on the bed, or neither of us use it!” he declared firmly.
“Fine! I’ve already decided!” she snapped, putting herself on the armchair.
She could be so stubborn when she wanted.
“Fine, then!” he struck back, putting himself on the others, near to the on-off switch.
“ ‘Night, pain in the ass!” he said, turning off the lights.
Her only answer was a growl and an indecipherable grumble.

Buffy waited for about a hour, sure that he was deeply asleep, and without making any noise, she got up and went on the bed, leaning her head contently on the soft pillow, even if a little more plucked after their battle.
She rolled onto the other side, happy to have all that space for her, but she oddly hit something cold that started.
“You?! Here?! Cheater, you didn’t keep your word!” Buffy and Spike exclaimed at unison in the most completed dark, realizing they both had had he same idea.
“You’re shirtless! I hope it’s the only thing you took off!” she said, moving immediately the arm and the hand from his chest.
“Why don’t you find out, sweetie?” he suggested with a deep sexy voice.
Although she couldn’t see him, she was sure that in that moment he was wearing one of his typical cocky smirks on his face.
“Gross, Spike!” she answered, coming back to her side.
“Relax, I ‘m still wearing my jeans!” he reassured her.
“Look, I’m too tired to fight again, and after all you’re right, this bed is big enough for both of us… Just try no to invade my space, and I won’t invade yours! Now, let’s just sleep!” she murmured, falling asleep and keeping herself as near as possible to her side.
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Buffy awoke at late afternoon.
She would have raised the rolling shutter and opened the window, as she used to do every morning, but she remembered who shared the room with her.
In fact, Spike was still asleep, she could tell because otherwise she would have surely heard him.
She was a little upset because it was dark, and that prevented her from seeing him.
It was hard to admit even to herself, but to know he was shirtless made her curious, mostly because she had never seen him like that.
She decided to turn on the light, and she approached him.

< So, you have hidden this perfect, sculpted, smooth pale chest for all these years..>

She also found out how blue his eyes were, because Spike popped them open just in time to catch her gaze.
“Evening, sunshine!” he smiled slyly.
“I didn’t want to wake you up. I turned the light just to find.. my rucksack..” she explained, although she was perfectly aware that it was on the opposite corner of the room, where she went catch it, looking inside it.

“Sure, pet!” he answered in disbelief, as he put his shirt back.
“Sun will set in two hours, then we can go somewhere!” he informed her, going to the bathroom to arrange himself.
“Ok, anyway, I’m already ready, since I’ve only got these clothes!” she commented, sarcastically.
“That’s the point, we’re going shopping. I’ll buy some new clothes for you!” he said, leaving the bathroom.
“Really? Oh, Spike, thank you! Anyway, I’m gonna pay you back as soon as..”
“You bet, Slayer! This is not a gift, it’s a bloody emergency: I can let you go around dressed like that… this is an elegant Hotel!” he explained.
“ Besides, what will people think if Mr. Winters let his wife wear the same outfit always?” he added.
“Let me remind you that it’s not like you have got a wardrobe!” she struck back.
“Mine is style… yours is lack of clothes!” he retorted.
Buffy didn’t even answer and she rushed furiously into the bathroom, shutting the door violently.

TBC

PART 16
(It refers to ‘ What’s my line’ pt. 1)

After a couple of hours, they went out, getting into the first shop they found.
She seemed to be attracted by any dress she saw, and soon she headed towards the small room with a pile of clothes to wear.
She admired herself at the mirror, in a white dress with pearls in the shoulder loop and a cut-work neckline.
After deciding that it would be one of her purchasing, she looked at the other clothes. She slipped on a red short skirt with a belt, and when she saw its buckle she laughed: it was portrayed a bat with open wings and fangs!

< Well, Spike will like it… Wait! I’m dressing for me, not for him!> she told herself , knowing that she would have inevitably buy that skirt, too.

After adding a shirt and a couple of tank tops, she slipped on her previous clothes and left the small room, taking to the desk her choices.
She found Spike waiting for her, holding a pair of black elegant trousers and a black shirt.
She questioned him with her eyes, giving him her dresses.
“I’ve got new clothes, happy now?” he pointed out.
“I suggest you to buy something sportive, too, due to what I’m planning to do!” Spike advised her, showing her the sportswear department, where she saw nothing but hot shorts and tank tops with a prohibitive neckline.
“My jeans and T-shirt will be ok!” she assured him, as he paid at the desk.
It was unusual to see him using a credit card, and she wondered who had faked his documents so well.

“So, what are you planning?” she asked, waving satisfied the shopping bag, once they left the shop.
“I saw a rink on our way, are you up for a nice ride on the roller blades?”
“First, I’ve never tried, then..”
“Are you kidding? You’re excellent in ice-skating, so ..”
“Wait! How the hell do you know it?” she asked, surprised.
“A good stalker always keeps an eye to his enemy!” he smiled, raising an eyebrow.
“Do you mean you spied on me?”
“Yeah, believe me, you could have chosen a better partner: me!” he sneered.
“You know what? Let’s go, I’m curious to see you in action, Mr. I’m-the-best-in everything-I-do!” she exclaimed, rolling her eyes, as he leaded her.

After ten minutes, they arrived at the rink, and they slipped on the skates.
Spike showed her his skill, and Buffy was astonished, it seemed that he had done nothing else during his whole existence.
She was still, sat on the bench, and after seeing how good he was she had decided to remain there, not to show up badly. But the bleached blond didn’t think so.
“C’mon, sunshine, it’s not so hard! Here, let me help you!” he offered, stretching out his hand.
She accepted his help, and with a tug he pulled her to him, but caught off guard she grasped his shoulder not to lose balance.
Again the shake!

“See? It’s not so different from ice-skating: you just gotta get accustomed to the wheels.” he instructed her, departing.
She tried to walk laboriously, pushing herself too much and losing balance, but Spike was there ready to catch her.
He managed to make her have a ride on the track, holding hands and trying not to run too fast.
After a couple of rounds, she felt enough sure to carry on alone.. after all, Spike was right: it wasn’t that different from ice-skating.
In fact, she became so self confident that she dared some jumps she usually did on ice, satisfied by her results.
Spike was amazed by her progresses and he didn’t hesitate to challenge her to a race.
Not managing to establish who the winner was, they decided to rest, leaning on a low wall.

“Tell me, where did you learn to skate so well?” she asked.
“Well, pet, when you spend more than a century on this Earth, you try a little bit of everything… nocturnal version, of course!” he explained.
“So, did you also attend a home ec class, or one to learn to sew?” she mocked him, and they both laughed.
“You know, maybe you should have attended a fashion and stylist class, just to find out that there are other colors in the world, aside from red and black!” she added, running away and laughing.
Spike chased and caught her.
“At least, I have the good taste to wear * whole* clothes, not those stamps of fabric you mistake for skirt and tank tops!” he struck back.
“Hey!” Buffy exclaimed insulted, trying to kick him, but she forgot she still wore the skates, and she lost balance, falling on her butt with a not so elegant thump.
Spike burst out laughing shamelessly at her.
“Slayer, I have spent years wondering how to eliminate you… I would have never guessed it was enough to put you on wheels! C’mon, why don’t you try to skate me? Oops, I meant ‘ stake’!” he mocked her.
“Ha, ha, Mr. Fun, less talk and more help!” she said, trying to get up.
“Next time, we’ll do it on the ice!” she summoned him, as she leant to him.
“As if it would be a problem for me: actually, I’m better on the ice than on the street!” he sneered.
“I hate you!” she snapped, sticking out her tongue to him.
“And I hate you more! Now, pet, let’s go to take off those things, I guess I humiliated you enough!” he struck back, doing the same.

TBC

PART 17
(It refers to ‘Out of mind ‘, but it’s slightly different…)

/// It was almost dawn when they came back, but when they got in front of their hotel, instead of getting in, Buffy walked beyond.
“Pet, we arrived, where are you going?”
“This mess’s gotta end!” she exclaimed, watching him coldly.
“Mess? I thought we were having fun here!” he struck back, not understanding her sudden change of behavior.
“I’m done..” she carried on, drawing out a stake from her back pocket and walking towards him, as he looked surprised.
“Spike, you are a killer, and I should have done this *years * ago!”
Spike looked her in the eyes.
“You know what? Do it. Bloody just do it!”
“What?”
“End my torment: seeing you everyday, everywhere I go, every time I turn around. Take me.. out of a world that has you in it!” he said, yanking off his shirt, and throwing it on the street.
“Just kill me!”
Buffy stared at him, then raised her stake and lunged.

Spike winced, but she stopped at the last minute.
They stared at each other, incapable of saying a word.
Suddenly, Spike grabbed Buffy by her upper arms, and kissed her passionately.
She returned the kiss.
It went on for a moment, until Buffy pulled back, and with a little noise of dismay, she brought her hand to her mouth.
She stared at Spike, and he stared at her, both panting.
The stake had mysteriously disappeared from her hand.
Slowly, she dropped her hand from her mouth, and walked back to Spike, putting both of her hands to the back of his head, and pulling him down towards her.
They kissed again, very passionately, more than before if it was possible.
Spike brought his hands up to clutch her back, kissing her cheek and the side of her neck.

“Spike, I want you!” Buffy exclaimed, panting.
“Buffy, I love you..” Spike muffled against her neck.
“God, I love you so much..” ///

Spike awoke all of the sudden, startled and gasped.
Buffy kept sleeping beside him, completely unaware of everything.
Spike watched her with pure terror in his eyes.
“Oh god, no!” he exclaimed in a whisper.
His gaze fell again on the girl, and her serene expression touched him against his will.
“Please.. no..” he carried on with his mantra.

< Oh my God: Dru was right!> he realized, and for once thinking about Drusilla didn’t torture him, didn’t make him sick, didn’t make his undead heart ache as always.

But that didn’t make Spike happy, ‘cause he already knew he wasn’t in a better situation.
Engrossed in his pessimistic thoughts, he tried to sleep again, keeping himself as near as possible to his side: he’d have better avoid certain too tempting closeness.
He spent half morning awake, watching her sleeping and wondering why fate had decided to play such a trick on him.

< It’s just a dream, or rather.. a nightmare, just a bloody bad dream! And I won’t let it influence my existence and most of all this vacation!> he swore to himself, managing to fall asleep again.

-----------------------------------------

“Wake up, Spikey, it’s 7:30 p.m., it will be dusk soon!” Buffy exclaimed, shaking him gently.
Spike had to restrain his instincts when he saw her.
Buffy wore the white long dress he had glanced at the desk, but seeing it on her was much better. She was beautiful, that dress seemed have been made only for her.
Besides, she had finally decided to untie her hair, just washed, after keeping it in a clumsy pony-tail for three days.
Now, it fell over her shoulders in soft waves, as some rebel locks framed her face.
She was stunning and Spike was speechless.

TBC

PART 18

“What? Did you bite your tongue in your sleep?” Buffy made fun of him.
He kept silent, but decided to get up and lock himself in the bathroom to get ready.

< Uff, he wears the T-shirt this time… No, bad Buffy, you don’t care, remember?>

“Well, it seems that I’ve got used to the vampire style of life: I slept all day long, so now I’m very active!” she commented loudly, because she wanted him to hear.

“What’s the plan tonig..” she wondered, but when she saw him leaving the bathroom she was speechless.
Spike wore the new trousers that fitted him to a T, and the black shirt, opened to show his bare chest.
“Oh! You are so .. so .. so .. so black !” she exclaimed, cursing herself for appearing so tongue-tied.
“It seems you’re not the only one changing looks, sunshine!” he said, glad that he had regained his self-control.
“Anyway, I was thinking we could eat outside, then… What about moon-bathing on the beach?” he suggested.
“Moon what?”
“Never tried it, pet? It’s very nice..”
“I don’t know, and anyway, I don’t have a swimsuit…”
“Do you mean one of * this*?” he exclaimed, opening a drawer of the cupboard, drawing out a baby blue bikini and putting it on the bed.
“When?” she confined herself to say, taking it to watch it better.

She had to admit that Spike had really good taste
“You stayed locked in that closet so long that I would have had time to buy the whole shop!” he struck back.
“So, do you like it?”
“Spiiiiiiiiike, it’s beautiful! Sure, I’ll pay you back also for that..”
“No, pet, this is a real gift from me… as well as a devious attempt to see you half-naked!” he explained, with a cocky smirk.
“You… pig! Anyway, thank you,!” she answered, locking herself in the bathroom to wear it.

Spike didn’t know if he should hate or congratulate himself for that move: a whole night at the beach with Buffy, wearing only a bikini, few inches from him.. was there a bigger challenge to keep his self-control?
---------------------------------------------------------

When they left, the Receptionist greeted them and couldn’t help congratulating them for their stunning elegance.
After eating on their way and a short tour through the town, they reached the beach.
“What are you doing?” Buffy exclaimed, seeing Spike taking two beach mattresses from a beach umbrella.
“I’ll take them near the shore, so we can use them. There’s no one here at night… and I don’t know about you, but I don’t wanna lay down on the sand…”
“You said you weren’t a thief!” she accused him.
“As a matter of fact, I’m not stealing, just borrowing!” he clarified, opening them.
“Alright, now, we just gotta take off our clothes!” he commented, unbuttoning his shirt.
Buffy had some trouble doing it.

< C’mon, it’ just a bikini, there’s no shame to show it! And it’s not the first time I wear a bikini in front of a male. How many days have I spent at the swimming pool with my friends? And they were Xander and Oz… males! I can do it..> Buffy encouraged herself, lowering the zipper of her dress.

Then, why did she feel the deep scrutiny in the blond vampire’s eyes? And most important…. Why did it pleased her so much?
And she enjoyed even more seeing Spike wearing a pair of black boxers shouting ‘Jump me!’.

“You’re gorgeous, pet!” he exclaimed, as soon as she decided to take off her white dress, putting it carefully on the beach mattress.
She just smiled at Spike, although she was tempted to tell him the same.
They both lay down on their mattress, quite close.
“You know… it’s like sunbathing… but it’s better: the air is warm, but not suffocating, there’s more quietness, the waves of the ocean are the only noise..” she commented, closing her eyes to enjoy that moment better.
“I was sure you would like it. Anyway, sweetie, with such a starry sky it’s a pity to close your eyes..” he said and she followed his advice, admiring the tons of stars mirroring in the water, so much that it was impossible to figure out where the sky began and the ocean ended.
They stayed like that for a while, without a word, glancing at each other when the other didn’t notice.

TBC

PART 19
( It refers to ‘Prophecy’)

But Spike wasn’t the type to be quiet for long.
“Fancy a swim?” he suggested, getting up.
“What? At this time?”
“Why? Haven’t you ever done a midnight swim before?”
“First :it’s almost 2 a.m., so it can’t be called ‘midnight swim’ , and second.. no, “ she admitted.
“You must have lived such a sad life so far, Slayer!” he sympathized with her.
“ Hey, at least I’m not from a town where if you are lucky there’s a sunny day once in a year!” she struck back.
“That’s the point, pet: in my un-life I’ve made up for the lost time!” he explained.
“So?” he questioned her, noticing that at least she had got up.
“I don’t know, maybe the water is too cold..” she answered, but before she could breathe he took her by the hand, running with her into the ocean with her, and then he left her hand to go into the waves.
Without any other choice, Buffy did the same.

“The water is perfect, it feels so good…” she murmured, floating peacefully, letting the waves rock her.
But her relax didn’t last long, because Spike popped from behind all of the sudden, overturning her.
“Grrr, you…” Buffy started cursing, but he stopped her.
“Idiot, pervert, dumb, stupid asshole, bastard da, da, da.. I already know the melody, pet! You’re way too predictable!” he commented laughing.

“ Yeah? Sooo.. “ she said, approaching him laboriously due to the high level of the water, and then she put her hands under the water, caressing his waist sensually and puzzling him a lot.
“.. predict *this *!” she exclaimed, pulling down his boxers quickly and running away giggling, wondering where she had found the courage for such a trick.

< Well, that was definitely unpredictable… Lucky for me she didn’t notice how much I liked that move!> Spike told himself, relieved, putting his boxer up and chasing the girl.

“C’mon, truce, white flag here!” she exclaimed, swimming around him.
“Are you up for a nice swimming competition?” she suggested, and Spike accepted, so they challenged each other in quickness and resistance.
After about half hour, they came back to the shore, tired but happy, and Buffy was silently grateful with Spike, for taking the beach mattresses: to get muddy in the sand didn’t inspire her much

< Mm.. he looks even sexier wet… No, no, no, stop with these dangerous thoughts, he’s a vampire, he’s an enemy.. but sometimes it’s so easy to forget it..> she thought watching him, she didn’t tried to look away even when.. their eyes met.
That puzzled the vampire.

< Why is she staring at me? Have I got something wrong, maybe the hair? Or maybe… has she noticed *that * before?> he wondered, worrying.

Buffy quit staring at him, glancing at her watch.
“Spike, it’s almost 4 a.m.! Let’s dry up quickly and go back to the hotel!” she warned him.
Now the approaching sunrise made him worry, but they managed to go back just in time.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Spike awoke due to the never ending Buffy’s turning on the bed.
She looked tormented, and she whined in her sleep.
“No, let me go, please… I wanna live.. NOOO!” she cried.

Spike didn’t think twice, and he grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her gently.
“Buffy, wake up, Buffy, you’re dreaming!”
And she woke up.
“It was terrible, I had a nightmare..” she began explaining, and then she checked her watch, noticing that the fluorescent hands pointed to 9 a.m.
“Well, a *daymare*!” she joked
“Anyway, there was the Master, trying to kill me again..” she said, still visibly shocked.
“What do you mean with ‘kill me again’?” Spike asked, confused.
“Have you ever wondered why there are two Slayers? I simply happened to die, drowned for a while, then… Xander brought me to life again..” she explained, deciding it was better not to mention Angel, too.
“..but this time it was horrible, there was no one to help me, and I tried to run, but he caught me with his claws, and.. oh my god!” she agitated once again.
“Shh, shh, pet, it was just a bad dream, now it’s over, it’s all ok!” he whispered, massaging her back and letting her put her head on his shoulder, once again shirtless, but that direct contact with his skin didn’t bother her, but it was putting Spike in difficulty, because he dreaded to betray himself.

After some minutes Buffy calmed down, and she raised her head, smiling to him.
“Thank you, I’m feeling better now!”
He smiled back, parting from her, but she didn’t like that move.
“Could you please… hold me?” she asked with a faint voice.
Spike questioned her with his eyes, wondering who that girl was, because although she looked exactly like Buffy, she obviously didn’t behave as Buffy used to.
She smiled, understanding his doubts.
“You know, when I was a little girl, and had a nightmare, mommy used to comfort me, just as you did, and.. hold me in her arms the whole night long, to keep the bad dreams away from me… so, could you do the same, just for this time?” she asked him, realizing amused that it was already the second time she talked with him about her childhood memories… but with him it was so easy for her to talk about everything.

“Are you aware you’re asking that to your mortal enemy?” Spike made her notice, but he was the first doubting about it.
“Well, I’ll take the risk, then!” she murmured, laying down with him, and falling asleep on his shoulder.
Spike hugged her, enjoying the heat of that contact… and fighting against the impulse to jump her.
And for that day he won that interior battle, closing his eyes and wishing he could hold her in his arms forever.

TBC

PART 20

Obviously, that wish didn’t come true, because as soon as Buffy woke up, she slipped away from his arms, wondering what had made her ask him for such a thing.

All that evening long neither Buffy nor Spike had dared to talk about that morning, acting as nothing had happened.
But something was different: they hadn’t chatted as they usually did, they hadn’t teased each other and they hadn’t even stayed outside for too long.
In fact, it was just 1:30 a.m. and they already were in their room, sleeping.
After all, that morning they hadn’t slept much, tormented by the question they feared to give an answer to.

Spike felt Buffy moving in her sleep again, but he immediately figured out it wasn’t a nightmare, quite the contrary, he determined it must be a very pleasant dream, due to Buffy’s smile and her low moans.

/// She wasn’t sure how and why they had ended up together in bed. The only thing that mattered to Buffy at that moment was the indescribable feeling that those skillful hands were offering her, running all over her body, as his cold mouth devoured her with small kisses, from her shoulder to the lobe of her ear, nibbling on it.///

The moan and the smile increased, as did Spike’s curiosity.

/// “You do like this, pet, don’t you?” Spike whispered, pulling down her slip, the only piece of fabric separating them.///

“Yeah…” she murmured, and Spike heard it.
“Don’t stop!” she begged.

< I have no doubt anymore about what kind of dream it is! What if she was dreaming about… me? Why not? After all, I’ve dreamed about her, and it was bloody unexpected! Besides, we had such a good time here, together, so… it could be…> he thought, watching her carefully.

/// “Don’t worry, I haven’t’ even begun!” he assured her, starting to make her his with tender but determined shoves.///

“Yeeeessss.. Moooore…” Buffy exclaimed, pulling her head back in whole ecstasy.

< Tell me you’re dreaming of me, pet… After all, you’re not naming anyone… please don’t mention * his* name!>

/// Spike took her over completely, as he screamed her name, but she didn’t scream his. After all it was enough to watch her pleased face, and to hear her long moans as answer. But suddenly they both jumped, hearing the door slamming open, and they didn’t believe their eyes when they saw who it was. ///

“ANGEL!” Buffy gasped in her sleep, jumping.

Hearing that name for Spike was a hard blow, and his short illusion crashed down.
Not wanting to watch further, Spike got up, grabbed his shirt and left the room.

/// “What are you doing here, now?” Buffy asked, putting her clothes on, but without parting from Spike.
“Buffy! How could you? You’re mine!” Angel roared, ignoring her questions and approaching, snatching her from Spike’s arms with violence.
“She made her choice, and you can’t do nothing about it, buddy!” Spike struck back, pulling her to him again, but gently.
“Oh, yes, there’s something I can do..” Angel sneered, drawing out a stake and lunging at Spike.
“ NOOO, Angel, stop! I LOVE HIM!” she yelled, managing to snatch the stake from him before it was too late. ///

Buffy woke up immediately after, gasping and bringing her hand to her heart.
What did that dream mean? But most importantly , where was Spike?

< Maybe he saw me dreaming… and that disgusted him!> she thought.

After all, it was 3:45 a.m., it was still dark, and it would still be dark for a while.
She wasn’t wrong.
Spike was at the beach where they went to the night before, and it was obvious, because it wasn’t that far from the hotel.
Buffy approached him, trying to come nearer without him noticing, he seemed to be in a very bad mood.

TBC

PART 21
(Lyrics from ‘Down’ by blink-182)

Spike was smoking a cigarette, throwing stones into the ocean, pacing nervously back and forth.
“It’s your own fault, you, bloody face-of-a-beat-dog! What the hell do they find in you, Mr. Weeping-on-myself-is-my- job? You always win, you always take away from me the women I love..” he yelled furiously.
Buffy came back to the hotel before he could feel her presence.

< He used plural.. women! And he’s always been faithful to Dru, it means that… Spike loves me!!> she told herself shocked.

< This can’t be possible: his is only an obsession, and mine is just a dream! No one loves no one here! Well, there’s someone you love with all your being, Buffy, think about your Angel! Right, I adore everything about my Angel, the hair gel in his hair, his dark outfit, his witty remarks, his British accent, the black nail polish on his fingernails, and his deep blue eyes.. Wait… Angel rarely does witty remarks, he is Irish, and he doesn’t even have a strong accent, he never uses nail polish… and most of all.. his eyes * are not * blue. Oh my God! I’m thinking about Spike… again! This is not good, this holiday…>

“This holiday is the worst idea I have ever had!” Spike snapped, coming back to the room.
“I’ve already paid at the reception, now let’s just pack our things and leave! There’s still almost half hour before sunrise… and I don’t wanna waste another day here..” he informed her.

“You’re right, this holiday is a big mistake, I’ll be ready in a minute!” she answered, packing her stuff quickly.
---------------------------------------------------

The trip back to Sunnydale was dominated by silence, except the hours when Spike kept the radio on, changing stations, and to please Buffy he even tuned it on some pop station… although he hated that kind of music.
To avoid his gaze, Buffy had even pretended to be asleep for a couple of hours.

In the afternoon, they reached Sunnydale, and respecting his traditions, Spike mowed down the Welcome Sign.
“Four!” Buffy exclaimed, crossing her arms.
“What?” he asked, happy that they had resumed talking again.
“It’s the fourth time you have mowed down the Welcome Sign.. I just wonder why they bother to readjust it every time..” she commented.
“Maybe… for me to mow it down again!” he smirked.
She was about to smile back to him, but she turned her head away.

< No, Buffy, remember? It all started that way, and you don’t want it to start again, right?> she told herself.

After about a half hour, they arrived to Revello Drive.
This time there wasn’t any trouble with the daily light, because a summer storm had darkened the sky.
“Well, pet, we arrived! Just stay here for a while, at least until the storm drops..” he advised her, parking in front of her house.
The radio was still on and there was the beginning of a song that just for the energetic intro with the electric guitar gained Spike’s full approval, and he turned high the volume.
Buffy let him do as he pleased, and they both listened carefully to the lyrics.

THE DROPS OF RAIN THEY FALL ALL OVER

they both noticed silently.

THIS AWKWARD SILENCE MAKES ME CRAZY

< Sure, I hate this kind of silence.. it brings nothing good ..> Buffy thought

THE GLOW INSIDE BURNS LIGHT UPON HER

< Well, there’s no light here, but she’s beautiful anyway …> Spike told himself, leaning to her slowly, as she was surprisingly doing the same.

I ’ LL TRY TO KISS YOU IF YOU LET ME

They were eye to eye, their lips were about to skim, when Buffy pulled back all of the sudden, opening the car door.

THIS CAN’T BE THE END

“You know, what? Rain won’t be so bad!” she said, dashing out under the rain ( also because she really needed a cold shower!!) and running inside before Spike could stop her.
But he didn’t even try, remaining seated in his car.

TIDAL WAVES THEY RIP RIGHT THROUGH ME
TEARS FROM EYES, WORN, COLD AND SAD

“Yeah, that’s the feeling, buddy!” Spike commented with a bitter irony, turning to the radio.

PICK ME UP NOW, I NEED YOU SO BAD
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN(2X)

< I was so close.. and yet so far.. Why am I wishing for whom I can’t have?>

IT GETS ME SO
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN(2X)
IT GETS ME SO

That song seemed to read inside him, so he let it ring.

YOUR VOWS OF SILENCE FALL ALL OVER
THE LOOK IN YOUR EYES MAKES ME CRAZY

< Wait! Her look, the look in her eyes! There was something else beyond fear …>

I FEEL THE DARKNESS BREAK UPON HER
I ’LL TAKE YOU OVER IF YOU LET ME
YOU DID THIS

< Probably I’m wrong, but I feel that it’s not over yet with her.. maybe..> he told himself, turning off the radio and setting the car in motion.

TBC

PART 22
(Lyrics from ‘Time is running out’ and ‘Unintended’ , both by Muse)

Buffy ran upstairs, shutting the door behind her.
She was relieved because her mother was still away, in that moment she didn’t feel like talking with anyone, she just wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

< Oh, my God! He was about to, I was about to.. but I ran away, and I don’t even know if I did the right thing… Sure I did! It could never work… the others would never accept.. they have never really accepted Angel, and he has a soul, while Spike hasn’t… So, he can’t care about me, yes, he doesn’t love me, he just believes he does…> she told herself, but it was enough to think back to his look inside the car to realize that she was just telling herself a bunch of lies.
She began crying.

< I’ve spent ages trying to forget Angel, and the only one who made me do it is the worst of the guys! Why? What’s wrong with me? Why do we belong to such different worlds? Why has it always to be so difficult? I just hope I’ll forget him with the same quickness I fell in .. NO, Buffy, don’t you dare to say it!> she imposed inwardly, throwing herself on the bed, and falling asleep among bitter tears and sighs.
------------------------------------------

She got up the morning after, happy and shocked at the same time, since she had spent the night doing nothing but dreaming about Spike.. erotic dreams, obviously!

< This is not good, Buffy, don’t think about that sexy.. don’t think ‘bout him!> she forced herself.

She took the bag where she had put all her stuff, to put it away in her closet, but when she saw the bikini Spike had bought her, and the white dress that she wore when she had slept in his arms, Buffy was overwhelmed by all those memories once again, and tears threatened to fall from her eyes once more.
“ No, no ,no, I gotta take my mind off..” she muttered, turning on the radio on her desk, turning to the first station she found.

There was the beginning of a song, and liking the soft snapping of fingers that opened the intro, Buffy decided to listen to it.

I THINK I ’M DROWNING ASPHYXIATING

“You’re not the only one.. ” Buffy said to the singer, as he could hear her .

I WANNA BREAK THE SPELL YOU ‘VE CREATED

< A spell, it must be a spell, I can’t really be feeling this!>

YOU ‘RE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, A CONTRADICTION

< He’s the most forbidden contradiction for me…>

I WANNA PLAY THE GAME, I WANT THE FRICTION

< Yeah, I could risk it, it’s my life after all, if I choose to risk no one can tell me anything!>

YOU WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME
YEAH, YOU WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME

< No doubt about it!> she smiled

BURY IT
I WON ‘ T LET YOU BURY IT

< I know he won’t, the real problem are the others!>

I WON ‘T LET YOU SMOTHER IT
I WON ‘ T LET YOU MURDER IT

< Yeah, I won’t let them influence my life again!>

OUR TIME IS RUNNING OUT
AND OUR TIME IS RUNNING OUT

< You bet! Especially mine, it will be a miracle if I get to be 20 years old..>

YOU CAN’T PUSH IT UNDERGROUND
WE CAN ‘T STOP IT SCREAMING OUT

I WANTED FREEDOM, BUT I’M RESTRICTED

< Yeah, it seems that I forgot Angel, but now there’s him, it’s even worse ! >

I TRIED TO GIVE YOU UP, BUT I ‘M ADDICTED

< Yeah, there’s no way I can get him out of my mind, and I don’t know why! >

NOW THAT YOU KNOW I ’ M TRAPPED, SENSE OF ELATION

< But he doesn’t know…. Or does he?>

YOU ‘LL NEVER DREAM OF BREAKING THIS FIXATION

< What if his wasn’t a fixation?>

With all those questions and doubts twirling in her head, Buffy turned off the radio, coming downstairs.
“It’s a curse: everything I do reminds me of him! Gotta clear my mind.. a good walk is what I need!” she exclaimed, opening the door, but she immediately noticed the cassette laying on the porch, over a folded sheet of paper.
Buffy already knew who had left them there, and with her heart in her mouth, she picked the cassette and opened the sheet, reading it.

‘Hi, pet!
You know I never surrender when there’s a battle I wanna win, and I’m determined to win your heart, Buffy.
Sure, you won’t believe me now; you’ll be thinking that I’m just kind of obsessed by you…
So, I think this song (And you’ll see that I also like something different from Punk and hard Rock.. sometimes!) can explain perfectly how I feel about you.. even better than my words!
Well, just pretend it’s ‘un-life’ when the singer says ‘life’!
Jokes aside, please, listen to it carefully.
And if you finally believe me, meet me tonight at the old abandoned warehouse.. I’ll wait for you ‘till midnight, and if you don’t come, it will mean that you didn’t trust in me, you didn’t believe in an ‘us‘…
So, I’ll leave this town forever, and you’ll never see me again, this time for real.
I’m here, hoping to dive tonight into the ocean of your eyes!
Bye for now, Sunshine.
Spike, or if you prefer… William Winters.’

Buffy smiled reading the signature, the one of her fake husband that really had made her spend wonderful days, even if they were too few.
She came back to her room, reading the message again and again, a little bit upset due to the short ultimatum he had given her, but sincerely impressed by his words.
Buffy inserted the cassette into the recorder.
She laid down on her bed, waiting for the silence of the cassette to be filled by the first notes.. a very sweet riff by an acoustic guitar.
Buffy closed her eyes, letting the smooth voice of the singer rock her.

YOU COULD BE MY UNINTENDED CHOICE TO LIVE MY LIFE EXTENDED
YOU COULD BE THE ONE I ’LL ALWAYS LOVE
YOU COULD BE THE ONE WHO LISTENS TO MY DEEPEST INQUISITIONS
YOU COULD BE THE ONE I ’LL ALWAYS LOVE

I ‘LL BE THERE AS SOON AS I CAN
BUT I ‘ M BUSY MENDING BROKEN
PIECES OF THE LIFE I HAD BEFORE

FIRST THERE WAS THE ONE WHO CHALLENGED ALL MY DREAMS AND ALL MY BALANCE
SHE COULD NEVER BE AS GOOD AS YOU
YOU COULD BE MY UNINTENDED CHOICE TO LIVE MY LIFE EXTENDED
YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE I ’LL ALWAYS LOVE

I ‘LL BE THERE AS SOON AS I CAN
BUT I ‘ M BUSY MENDING BROKEN
PIECES OF THE LIFE I HAD BEFORE (2X)

BEFORE YOU

Buffy enjoyed intensely the last notes and the last trills, and then she stopped the cassette, touched.
Finally she knew what to do.

TBC

PART 23

Buffy left home at 9:30, happy that finally it was dark.
She had spent the whole morning listening to the song Spike left for her again and again, she had it almost memorized; and in the afternoon she turned room upside-down to find something special to wear, and at the end she had chosen the red mini skirt with the bat-shaped buckle and a black see-through blouse… what a coincidence.. a certain someone’s fave colours.

She headed towards the warehouse and saw him from afar: he was leaning on the door of his car, smoking a cigarette with a big uneasiness , and.. he was beautiful!
She approached him, and the joy in his eyes when he saw her was indescribable.
“Buffy, you came!”
“Don’t flatter yourself, Spike! I’m here just to bring the jeep back home!” she cut him, and the joy faded out.
“Sure, the car… I had forgotten…”
“Wassup with all of this? Did you think it was enough to make me listen a sweet song full of nice words to touch my heart? It doesn’t change anything!” she kept talking, heading towards the jeep as Spike followed her, wondering silently if she got a heart.

“Oh, there’s still something I gotta say, Spike.. “ she added, opening the car’s door.
“What else?” he asked, sure that she couldn’t hurt him more than she had already done.
He didn’t understand why she had slammed the car door without getting inside, and most of all why she was showing to him the brightest smile.
“.. you’re not the only good actor!” she exclaimed, winkling.
“You.. it means that..” he stuttered, confused.
She nodded, as she kept smiling.
“You little evil cheater!” he exclaimed, tickling her waist.
“Well, I just had a good teacher!” she justified between giggles, and then he quit tickling her.

“Just.. how?”
She interrupted him, grasping his shoulders and giving him a very soft kiss, without giving him the time to part his lips
“Let’s just say that something made me realize that time is running out, so I decided I wanna spend mine with you! But you gotta listen to me: I won’t make any change..”
Spike interrupted her with another soft kiss that she accepted very willingly.
“There’s no need, haven’t you listened to that song? I’m the one who’s gotta un-live his un-life extended and gotta mend broken pieces..”
“What do you mean?” she asked eagerly.
“Well, it seems that my killing people kind of .. bothers you a little bit, so I’m even willing to quit killing them!” he declared.
She was speechless.
“Spike, are you sure? It’s a too big sacrifice for you, it means to go against your nature, I can’t expect you to quit drinking human blood!” she admitted, sincerely impressed by his gesture.
“Hey, hey, hey, easy, pet, calm down! I’ve never said I would quit drinking human blood: I just said that I would quit * Killing* humans, so.. if you take into consideration that I usually kill a couple of people nightly.. four when I’m really up..” he started, knowing well that the Slayer didn’t like that speech at all, if one judges by the way she was looking at him.
But he didn’t care, he had to cut to the chase.
“.. if I don’t kill them, but simply take a bite.. it makes.. Uhmm..”
He just missed a calculator, a peaked cap, and a pair of glasses, because in that moment he really seemed an accountant dealing with a very difficult balance sheet!
“.. let’s say twelve lightly drained people at night!” he concluded.
“What?! No way, four to the utmost!” she replied.
“Eleven!”
“Five!”
“Ten!”
“Seven, and that’s my last offer: take or leave it!”
“Deal!”

“Can’t you imagine Giles’ face if he saw me right now, bargaining over the amount of people you can hurt?” she commented, and a second after they both split their sides with laughter.
“Anyway, pet, I’ve got something to ask you..”
She watched him suspiciously.
“Don’t worry, it’s not big change, it’s just a little favour: could you possibly kill demons & Co not so quickly?” he asked her.
“It’s my job, after all, but compared to what you chose to do for me I guess it’s the least I can do for you: Ok, Spikey, I’ll try not to kill them so fast, happy now?” she assured him.
“Yeah, most of all because some of them still owe me lots of bucks at poker!” he clarified, with a smirk.
“And here I go, thinking it was your sense of friendship making you ask me that!” she said, punching his shoulder playfully.

“Anyway, poker?” she questioned him.
“Well, it happens to be another of my ways to make some money!” he explained, raising an eyebrow.
“By the way, you still have to pay me for all the dresses I bought to you!” he reminded her.
“Forget it! Things are different now that you are my boyfriend..”
“Wait! How did you just call me?” he interrupted her, with a big twinkle in his blue eyes.
“Well, ‘boyfriend’: are you or aren’t you my boyfriend now?” she asked, wondering if she was going too fast, scaring him.
But he smiled at her, sweetly.
“Always, kitten, always!” he murmured, playing with her hair.

TBC

PART 24

“Alright, so, you know, boyfriends always make presents to their girlfriends..” she made him notice.
“It’s unfair, pet! Well, at least now I can say I’ve already bought you enough stuff for two bloody years of birthdays, Christmas, St. Valentine’s Day, anniversaries..” he struck back, and then he wrapped his arms around her waist, chuckling when he noticed the buckle.
“Anyway, do you know there’s another thing boyfriends always do with their girlfriends..” he whispered at her ear, descending to the corner of her mouth.
“Mm.. I wonder what that could be..” she murmured, and then she met his cold lips involving them into a long passionate kiss.. their very first official one!

“Mm.. even better than in my dreams..” Buffy moaned, pressing a finger on her lips.
“Dreams?” he repeated, puzzled.
“Yes, Spike, dreams. And that night, when you ran to the beach, it was *you* I was dreaming of.. but you mistook everything!”
“How did you know about the beach, and why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you love me?”
“Would you have believed me?”
“You can’t answer to a question with another question!”
“You did it first, pet!”
“Touché!” she smiled.
He smiled back, and then he became serious.
“I’ve spent more than a century believing I loved, but those few days made me figure out the real meaning of the world ‘love’: you, Buffy Summers!”

No words were necessary to realize how much she had enjoyed that sentence, he had to just look into her eyes.
“Spike, I can’t remember the exact moment when my ‘I hate you’ became ‘I like you’ , but I guess my ‘I like you’ will become ‘ I love you’ very soon..” she confessed, kissing him with all the passion she could muster.
“And that scares me..” she added, when after an eternity they parted.
“You are scared?” he repeated, not very flattered.
“Sure, I mean.. it’s weird, isn’t it? Before this holiday you were about to kill me!” she made him notice.
He burst out laughing.
“You believed it! I’ve already told you that we vamps like talking big, sure, before that I can’t say I loved you.. but I wouldn’t have killed you, not that time at least.. I was just planning to give you a punishment bite.. the threats of death were just for fun…” he explained, turning one of her locks in his fingers.
“A. what?” she frowned.
“It’s like a love bite, but a little bit more painful.. otherwise, what kind of punishment it is?” he sneered.
“And.. how is a love bite?” she asked, oddly intrigued by that topic.
Spike smiled, kissed her for the umpteenth time, and descended to her neck, pleased to see her giving him full access .. but he confined himself just to a normal hickey.
“I’ll show you soon, love!” he murmured, kissing her forehead.

“But not here, and not now!” he clarified.
“Nooo?” she raised her eyebrow in disbelief.
“You know… I was thinking about somewhere nicer, on a big double bed in a big elegant room of a certain hotel…”
“Let me guess.. this time it won’t end up in a ‘pillow’s fight’ ?” she teased him, caressing his face.
“I definitely *do not* think so!” he smiled, kissing her behind her ear.
“Mm.. sounds good! And I’m sure our dear Receptionist will be happy to see us again!” she commented.
“Ok, jump on, pet! Mr and Mrs. Winters are coming back!” he invited her, opening the car door of the more than familiar DeSoto.
“Sure, Spikey… but there’s something I gotta do first..”

TBC

EPILOGUE
THREE DAYS LATER

The taxi left Joyce in front of her house.
As she was looking for the keys, she immediately noticed a folded sheet of paper on the windscreen of her Jeep.
“God, please, tell me it’s not a ticket!” she wished, approaching the car, realizing that her prayer had been answered.

< Maybe it’s a typical flier..> she thought, opening the mysterious sheet and reading it.

‘ Hi Mom,
Hope you are fine!
First of all, don’t worry, I didn’t run away from home.. this time! It’s just that.. you were right, I was hiding something to you… and now I’ll be away for a while.. with * this something* .. who says hi and hopes to taste again your chocolate with marshmallows soon…
Yeah, mom, you guessed right: it’s just * him* ! ^ _ ^
See ya soon, I’ll let you know when!
Kisses, Buffy. ‘

< Well, it was better the ticket!> Joyce exclaimed, folding the sheet again.

She had already prepared a scolding for Buffy, so she would have to add it, due to the new caper of her daughter.
But at the very end Joyce was relieved that Spike was with her little girl… and she was very worried for the same reason!
-----------------------------------------

Willow had gotten home from her holidays, two days after Joyce’s return.
After doing the most important chores she had listened the messages in her answering machine.
The first five ones were banal, until she listened the last one.

-- Hi, Will, it’s Buffy! I know, you’re not home yet, anyway, are you having a good summer? Mine is wonderful! By the way, here’s the big news: now I’m with Spike, my new boyfriend, at Rio de Janeiro! We send to you lots of kisses, we will be back for the weekend! --

Willow, which hadn’t listened to anything else after the ‘ with Spike, my new boyfriend‘ part, heard her friend giggling and whispering something to someone who approached to the receiver.
It was enough hearing the first words for Willow to figure out who it was.

-- Ok, Red, it’s not true, we were just kidding.. --

Willow sighed relieved, but after a break she heard that the vampire had resumed talking.

-- First, we are not at Rio, just about 380 Km from Sunnyhell, second, we won’t be back before the end, of the month, and third, the most important thing: it’s only Buffy sending you kisses! All my kisses are just for a special girl.. --

Willow heard Buffy chuckling, and an unmistakable noise of kissing.

-- “Isn’t that true, pet?” (kissing) “Oooooooh, Spiiiiiiiiike!” --

And after a little bit more of moans and giggles, Willow heard they hung up, and the classic ‘beep’ of end-message.

“Poor me.. and now how the hell am I supposed to tell the others?” Willow exclaimed shocked, putting her hands in her hair.

--
THE END