Chapter 1

"It's weird! I mean, ever since I got back, it's like all the demons have been avoiding Sunnydale. Can't get a good slay anywhere!" Buffy put the first tape into the machine and hit play. "Well, can't say I'm not enjoying all these movie nights though."

It was the fifth night in a row that there had been absolutely no demon activity. It was Willow's turn to pick the movies for the night, and she brought over "Claire of the Moon" and "Desert Hearts".

Xander growled at the titles. "Are these chick flicks?"

Tara and Willow eyed each other. "Um, yeah, I'd call them that." They giggled "Trust us, you'll like them."

***

"Take off the coat man. Don't make me say it again!"

"Oi, piss off! I'm not giving you my duster!"

"Give, take, either way you look at it, I'm leaving with the coat, and you'll be lucky to leave at all." He flashed the gun in Spike's face.

Spike shifted into game face, trying to scare the kid off. He hoped it would work, since fighting was out of the question. He'd just pass out from the chip-induced pain.

"HEY! What the hell are you!?" The frightened kid emptied his clip into Spike's chest. Spike hit the ground and passed out from pain.

***

"HA! Some chick flick! They're in the tub together, and her husband doesn't mind? Anh, if I caught you in the tub with Buffy, I'd.forget it."

The room filled with the sounds of muffled laughter as they went back to enjoying "Desert Hearts."

***

"Bloody hell." He began the task of dragging himself out of the ally. He was badly hurt and covered in his own blood. And his duster was gone. "Bloody freakin' hell!"

His crypt was close, but Buffy's house was closer, and he was in intense pain. He tried to stand and walk, but fell after only one step. He resigned himself to leaning on trees and fences and cars, setting off alarms as he moved slowly.

One car owner screamed at him, "Get your ass off my car you drunk!" He didn't have enough energy to waste sneering at him, so he continued dragging himself closer and closer to Revello Drive.

"Bloody hell!"

***

"Why's she getting on that train? She can't really be leaving! What about Kat?"

Willow and Tara whined, Dawn signed, Anya snapped, and Buffy growled, "Xander, shut up!" He had been commenting on the movie almost non-stop, and the ladies were getting a tad fed up with the constant interruptions.

"Sorry! I just."

"SHHHHHHH!!"

Buffy heard a noise on the front porch, like a piece of meat hitting the ground. "Now what?" She hit the pause button amidst groans and protests and opened the door.

"Spike? Are you okay?" She rushed out and lifted him up from under his arms. He was like a wet rag. She brought him into the house and to the couch. Willow, Tara and Dawn had taken up residence on it, and they vacated their spaces for the injured Vampire. She laid him down.

"He's out cold. He was just lying on the porch. God, look at him."

Dawn ran to get a washrag and soap and Buffy began to asses his injuries. She ran her hand over a hole in his arm, and realized there was something hard and cold inside. She gently dug in and pulled out a bullet. She dropped it on the floor as recognition flooded through her.

"He's been shot. A lot."

***

His eyes didn't hurt. They were the only part of him that didn't hurt. He opened them slightly and recognized the room he was in as Buffy's living room. He could hear her talking.

"Yeah, it's really important.As soon as possible.just like Angel.thanks Willy, bye."

He listened as she returned the phone to it's cradle and walked across the room.

"Hey, you're awake. How do you feel?"

"Oh, fine. Why do you ask?" He croaked his answer at her.

"Very funny. What happened?"

"Got my duster. Bastard shot me up for my duster."

"Why didn't you fight back?" She wiped a patch of dry blood from his arm with the washcloth.

He looked at her. She had genuine concern written on her face. "Human."

She didn't want to cause him any more discomfort, so instead of responding out loud, she nodded her head and continued cleaning him. "Willy's bringing some blood by for you. Should be here soon."

"Thanks luv." He drifted back into oblivion.

She closed the curtains tight, making sure he wouldn't get burned in the morning. When Willy dropped off the blood, she heated a mug for him and brought it to him in with a straw. He drank it slowly, coughing hard. One bullet had caught him in his throat, making talking and drinking very difficult.

She stayed in the living room with him, sleeping in the chair. She told Dawn she wanted to make sure he didn't bleed all over the couch, to which Dawn responded, "Yeah, right."

***

"So how's the biteless wonder today?" Xander teased Buffy about her houseguest.

"He's better. He still has a few bullets to work out though. Might take a few more days." Buffy walked to the rear of the store and picked up a book from her stack behind the register. She settled down to read. Today's topic: Self Defense Techniques, Street Fighting.

The day passed by quickly. Buffy trained for a few hours with Giles, and was now waiting for Dawn to arrive from school. When the door opened, she expected to see her little sister walk through it. Instead, a man stepped in wearing a familiar duster. Rage boiled in Buffy's head and heart.

"Hey you!" She called out to the customer. The Scoobies looked up and immediately recognized the duster. They tensed, knowing a fight was coming.

"Who, me?"

"Yeah, you! I learned a new word today. Audacity. See, I can't believe you have the audacity to walk in here wearing that coat. New to town, huh? Well let me let you in on a little secret. NOT in my town!"

He looked at her like she had three heads. "What the hell are you blabbering on about?"

"The coat, my hands, NOW. And just MAYBE I won't beat you to a pulp." She held her hands out in front of her.

"Screw you!" He turned to continue browsing and ignored her.

Buffy growled audibly and took calculated steps in his direction. The guy turned to face her and her hands connected with his shoulders. He hit the ground hard, bruising his ass.

"Give me the coat." Her voice was calm and cold.

He stood and faced off with her. "Screw. You."

It took him days to figure out what hit him next. He swore she had a bat in her hands. A big metal bat. And that's what he told his friends that wanted to know how his face ended up in a cast.

"Give me the coat."

His right hand flew up to touch his non-existent nose. Through gurgles of blood and murmurs of pain, he raised his left hand, flipped her off, and said, "SCREW YOU!"

It was a few moments before the new pain registered in his brain. He looked, his middle finger bent flush against the back of his hand.

"Give me the coat."

"Ok! Ok! Here! Take it!" He struggled to remove the duster and placed it in Buffy's hand. She took it and put in on. Then she reached out to grab him. He flinched at the movement and whimpered when she lifted him by his shirt.

"Get out of Sunnydale. If I ever see you again, I. Will. Kill. You." She released him and he ran out of the store.

Buffy spun around to her friends, the duster swishing out around her. She liked the way it felt, she looked good, and she knew it!

"No wonder he always wears this. It's really comfortable!" Buffy took the collar in her hands and lifted it to her face. Dawn stepped in the shop in time to see Buffy smell the leather deeply.

"Buffy, are you wearing Spike's duster?"

"Yep!"

"And that beaten bloody guy running down the street, he's the one that stole it?"

"Yep!"

"And did you just smell it?"

"Yep again!"

"What does it smell like?"

Buffy looked at her little sister. "Spike. It smells like Spike, that's all. Kinda old and dusty, smoky and a little earthy. Why?"

"You inhaled it like you were in."

Buffy interrupted, "Don't even GO there."

Dawn shrugged her shoulders and smiled.


The End

 

Chapter 2

Buffy wore the coat the entire day. That night, they made their rounds through the cemetery. There were two Vampires that Buffy dusted quickly. She LOVED the way the duster moved with her, and she knew it would be hard giving it up tonight.

On their way to Revello Drive, they stopped at the local Blockbuster and picked up a movie for the night. They would finish "Desert Hearts", watch "Claire of the Moon", and follow that up with "X-Men".

Buffy assumed Spike would be fine at her home all day. He had been given strict instructions on where he could and could not go, what he could and could not touch. She hoped to walk in the house and find no unpleasant surprises.

As the front door opened, a smell enveloped her and the Scoobies. It was steak and fresh bread. Buffy walked in and stood in the door to the kitchen. Spike had his back to her and was taking the bread out of the oven. "You cooked?"

Without turning around, he answered, "Well, yeah. I figured, you did something nice for me, so I'd do something nice for you. Made enough for the lot o'you."

"You know how to cook?"

"Try and see."

Buffy walked over to the stove and scooped out a spoonful of mashed potatoes. They were delicious! She "Mmmm'ed" and "Yumm'ed" much to Spike's delight. He turned and went to pick up a bread knife. That's when he noticed the coat she was wearing, and did a double-take.

"Hey guys! Spike made us dinner, and it's good!"

Spike stared at her with his mouth open, "Um, Buffy?"

She ignored him and walked to the dining room, all the while removing his duster from her frame.

When she turned to hand it to him, she pulled it back to her body. "On one condition. That you let me borrow it every once in a while. K?"

He tried to hide his smile unsuccessfully. "Deal."

The dining room was set for dinner. There was soda on the table, butter and salt, and the good china was placed in enough setting for all. Buffy caught Spike hanging the duster in the hall closet out of the corner of her eye. He raised it to his face and inhaled the gift she left him. The duster smelled like her. It was completely covered in her. He had trouble letting go of it.

Spike served them all dinner and sat with them to eat. It was delicious! He cooked filet mignon with Béarnaise sauce, baby asparagus with a butter and dill sauce, mashed potatoes and fresh bread.

He couldn't believe they were enjoying his cooking so much, and apparently his company as well.

"You are such a puzzle. You're not like any other Vampire, are you?" Buffy asked him after finishing off her steak.

"What do you mean luv?"

"Well, you like to eat for one. Angel never ate. He just wasn't into it, I guess."

"Think about it. I find pleasure in lots of thing. Like eating, music, dancing, reading, shagging."

Anya added her agreement to the last item, bringing a slight blush to her fiancé's face.

He continued, "That's the difference. I like lots of things. Most vampires only find pleasure in." he waited for her to finish his sentence.

"Killing."

Spike reached over the table to pick up a slice of warm bread, and Buffy noticed the bandage on his arm was wet through with blood. He was bleeding again. She took his wrist with her hand and pulled his arm to her.

"Let's change the bandage on this. It's nasty."

Without releasing her grip on him she led him to the bathroom. As the passed Dawn, the young girl said, "Don't take too long Ken and Barbie, your food will get cold!" Buffy swatted her playfully on the back of the head.

He sat down on the toilet and held his arm out to her. "You sprung a leak here."

She tended to his wound without looking at his face. She could feel his eyes on her, and didn't want to look into them. She was afraid of what would happen if she did. He sensed her discomfort and did nothing to alleviate it. When she was done, he stood up and looked at her until she met his gaze. Their eyes locked and they stared at each other in silence for several long moments. Buffy's beating heart and breathing were the only sounds in the room.

She saw him leaning in to her. Her mind knew what he was planning on doing, and her face turned away from his.

"Thanks," he whispered.

She turned back to face him, and he cupped her chin with his hand. His lips dipped to hers, and they met in a sweet kiss.

She took a deep breath and held it, her chest swelling against him. Her hand threaded through his hair and her mind snapped her back to reality. Gently, she pulled back. They stood holding each other until she disengaged herself from him and walked to the door.

"We should get back, they'll start worrying about us." He followed her back to the dining room, and the tension in the air was so thick that even Xander noticed it.

"Something happen guys?" He was going to comment further, but the look of death on Buffy's face made him think twice. They sat down and continued eating as if there was no interruption.

Later, Spike cleared away the dishes and brought out dessert. He had a tray with small white ramekins arranged on it.

"Whatcha make?" Dawn fidgeted in anticipation.

"Here you go Platelet. Chocolate Mousse with Passion Fruit Sauce and Blood Orange slices."

She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the name of the oranges.

"They're named that for their color, not their taste. Trust me." He rustled her hair and passed out the rest of the dishes.

The dessert was even better than the dinner. "I'm not a chocoholic, but this is fantastic! Can I have another one?" Buffy's ramekin was cleaned out.

"Sorry luv," he laughed, "I only made enough for one each."

She pouted, but thanked him for everything.

They finished up and watched their movies together. Buffy insisted Spike stay at least one more night, since he seemed to have a tendency to spring leaks now and again. After everyone went home and the sisters retired to their rooms, Spike knocked on Buffy's door.

When she opened it, he stood before her barefoot, in his jeans and a cut-off tee-shirt, holding two ramekins of Chocolate Mousse.

"I thought you said there wasn't any more! She took one from him and invited him into the room. He sat on the end of her bed.

"There wasn't. I was saving these two for later. As in now." He smiled like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Thanks. Well, we need spoons. Be right back!"

Spike took her hand and pulled her back. "Don't bother. What's a little finger licking between friends?"

Buffy tentatively agreed and sat next to him to enjoy her treat. He swelled with pride when she didn't scream at him for calling her his friend. This was turning out to be one of the most perfect nights he'd had to date.

They ate and talked about the recent lack of Slayage, and Buffy regaled him with the tale of the recapture of his duster. He laughed hard when she told him how she broke his middle finger.

She looked into her ramekin and pouted at it's current state of emptiness. "Oh well, that was really wonderful. Thanks for making it for me. I have to go wash my hand now."

He took the dish from her and held her hand in his. "Do you mind?"

She looked at him questioningly and watched as he brought her fingers to his lips. The look of confusion changed to one of surprise as he wrapped his mouth around her chocolate-covered digit. Their eyes met and locked, and she felt light-headed as his tongue wrapped around her, licking the sweetness from her skin.

He took his time, alternating between sucking on her and licking her. The surprise was gone and replaced by a tingling arousal. The silence in the room was as profound as before in the bathroom, punctuated now and again by the smack of his lips.

After several agonizingly erotic moments, he released her hand and pointed at her cheek.

He mumbled, "You, um, have a little chocolate." his mouth closed over the small spot of chocolate on her, just to the left of her mouth. He tickled it from her skin and pulled back to look at her.

"Is that all?" Her face was flushed.

"No, there's a little more here." Attention was paid to the other side of her face, closer to her mouth. Once again he pulled back.

"One more little spot." He brought his mouth in one more time and settled it directly below her bottom lip. Instead of sucking, he kissed her, working his mouth slowly up until it met her lips straight on.

He parted his lips and her tongue slipped inside. He tasted like chocolate and brandy, and she liked the combination.

They continued kissing, and he laid her back onto the bed. His hands moved slowly across her body unclothing her. Everywhere they went, his lips followed. She gasped and sighed under his touch.

They made love slowly, and afterwards held each other close. "Guess I should cook more often?"

In response, she captured his lips and kissed him deeply. "Mmmmm, could be. Love me?"

"Love you. Very much."

"Love you too."

"Really?"

She nodded yes. "You don't think I would have gone through all that trouble over a duster for just anyone, do you?"

"I hoped not." His smile radiated from him.

"Just for you. The way I see it, you still owe me for that. Wanna keep making it up to me?"

He kissed her deeply. "Can I take my time? Like years worth?"

She giggled and held him close. "I can live with that."


The End