This story deals with an AU. Buffy and all the usual Scooby's exist.

Summary: Season seven. This is a sequel to Atonement. It deals with the further discovery of what Spike has become following his Trial at the end of season six.

The Usual Disclaimers: Buffy The Vampire Slayer and all characters belong to their creator Josh Whedon, EM, and UPN. I receive no profit for any of my writings depicting those same characters, just the pleasure of taking them out to play on occasion.

Spoilers through Season 6.

Rated PG 13 for now, later NC 17 for Violence, Language, and Sex

Pairings: Buffy/Spike

If you want it just ask for it. I would like to know where it is going. I would also like to come visit from time to time.

Feedback is critical to my well-being; also it is nice to know one's efforts are appreciated. Email Address: vthemagician@att.net

Special thanks to my beta readers, Jackie and Dene' for showing me the errors of my way! To which I give to them my many thanks.



Discoveries

By Murray DeLee



Chapter 1



Training Room In The Magic Box


Both the Slayer and the Bleached Blonde Vampire face each other wearing blindfolds. Each are covered with a light layer of sweat and breathing heavy, she smiles as she listens to his labored breathing and not for the first time is in awe at his need to breath. As they circle each other listening to the others position she speaks, "You know your not really a true vampire any more, lover."



He growls playfully at her as he spins without warning, going low, his right leg extended catching her behind her knees, she goes down and comes up in a forward roll. Her right hand open palmed strikes him square in the nose. "Damn it Slayer, must you always go for the nose." His right hand comes up feeling it and comes away bloody. He licks at the blood and growls.



She follows up with a backhand to his head; he ducks and spins his left hand extended. She catches it, going low and throws him over her head. He lands in a heap against the wall and slides down it groaning, "That's it Summers the kid gloves are coming off."



He removes his blindfold as she does the same simultaneously. Both move without thought, she grabs him by his open black shirt, falls back with all her weight and he goes over her. She holds onto him and ends up on top. Faster then thought his right hand goes behind her head and he grips her hair tightly as he brings her face to his and kisses her for all he is worth. Wanting more contact she tightens her hold on him and whimpers deep in her throat at the want that crashes through her body.



A male voice from behind them makes an ahem sound, "As Dawn would say, get a room you two, you came her to spar not make out."

His lips reluctantly pull away from hers, "Bugger off watcher! Didn't your mother tell you it's not polite to stare?"



The man removes his glasses and nervously starts to clean them with his handkerchief. Buffy slowly, reluctantly, gets off Spike and looks over at Giles. Then impishly she kisses Spike softly and pulls him up with her. He moves behind her, his arms going around her waist and her arms going around his.



"Yes, quite, so this is how you two practice is it?"



"Giles, have you found anything yet as to why Spike came through the trials kind a part human and part vamp?"



"No, not yet. There has never been anything quite like him with the exception of the DayWalker mentioned in the prophecy, I told you both about."



"I told you before Watcher I am not going into the sun to test that theory of yours. Last time I touched sunlight I almost burned to death. It was not pleasant and I am not doing that as your little test."



"Honey, I told you I saw the light hit you in the back that morning at the crypt."



"And I told you, Slayer it was a trick of the light. I may have a bleedin' soul but I am not human."



"Then how come you reflect in the mirror?"



"He does what in a mirror?" Said a stunned Giles.



She grabbed his hand and led him over to the mirrored wall on the other side of the room. "See he is all reflectiony." She said proudly as she smiled at her lover.



Giles walked over to join them his eyes never leaving the mirror. "This is remarkable."



He stared at his reflection in the mirror, "Oh bugger this, my roots are showing."



Buffy tried hard not to laugh and then lost it, Giles joined in and the souled vampire growled at both of them. "It's not funny. I look all poofy."



She tugged on his arm and he turned towards her. "I think you look sexy."



"I think I am going to be sick," said a disgusted Giles as he walked out of the training room.



"I want to go home pet."



"Come on, fang face, let's go home and make some cocoa. That will cheer you up."



"Do I get the little marshmallows?"



"Yes, baby, you get the little marshmallows," and so went the playful banter as they left the training room.



"Did you two remember to turn the lights off," said an amused Giles as he watched them together, thinking only on the Hellmouth.



"Oh, bugger this, no I did not turn off the lights, bill me Watcher."



"Spike I ask you to do one thing and you can't even do that. Why?"



"I'll tell you why, I'm evil."



Buffy rolled her eyes at the two, it had been going on like this for weeks, since he finally excepted that Spike was souled and that they where not giving each other up. He had to admit his Slayer had never seemed happier and Spike; well he had changed in a way that was not suppose to happen to a vampire. He was able to feed again off humans and to Gile's knowledge he had not done anything to harm a human since his return. Not counting the encounter with the biker, but then Gile's had to admit that the biker had deserved getting his hand crushed. In fact since his return he had lost a lot of his cruel streak. Something the Watchers Council said was impossible for a vampire to do. Showing concern and genuine affection.



Now the reflection thing; he was not a normal vampire, not that he ever was. This bleached blond vampire was always capable of such love and devotion and now this compassionate vampire had gotten a soul. At first it had unnerved him and he refused to believe but as time went by he had proven he could be trusted.



"Your not evil Spike, just take her home and watch over her."



He smiled a genuine smile not his customary smirk but a genuine heartfelt smile. "Always Watcher, with my life or unlife or whatever it is I now have."



She watched the exchange with such love her heart it threatened to overflow. She for her part had never known a love like his nor had she ever allowed herself to love so freely in return. As she reflected on Angel and Riley she realized before Spike she never really understood love and devotion. He was her everything. He had rescued her from herself when she had come back to life. She smiled as she thought it was now her turn to rescue him from his tumulus emotions.



"Say good night Spike," She said to him as she moved him towards the door.



"Good night Spike!" He said in response and she mouthed good night to Giles.



"Night you two." He said as they walked through the door out into the dark of night. He had much to ponder this night. He shook his head as he went about and locked up the shop for the night. Remembering the light in the training room he walked to the back of the shop and turned it out saying to the dark room, "Your not evil anymore Spike. I always suspected that Buffy was your soul, but I never once thought you where hers."



He smiled once more and walked to the front of the darkened shop it was time for him to leave as well.



*******



The Next Morning


She watched him sleeping from her place beside him on the bed. She was on her side propped up on her elbow. She caressed his face as he grimaced and broke out in a sweat. She whispered words of endearment to the tormented vampire beside her. He never heard her so locked in his dream of the past. He was witnessing himself impale someone with a railroad spike. He saw himself laughing. The part of him watching his dream felt like he was going to throw up.



He opened his eyes in terror and got out of bed running for the bathroom. Buffy got up to follow worriedly. As she followed him into the bathroom she heard him retch. This had been going on for 3 weeks now. He would sleep for an hour or two and then get up and race into the bathroom hugging the porcelain bowl for dear life as he threw up and then went into dry heaves.



She would kneel beside him and rub his back. Telling him it would be all right. "I love you, baby. We'll get through this together. You're not alone. I'm right here with you."

Funny she thought to herself she use to be so afraid anyone she loved would leave her. Now she knew he was afraid she would leave him. Get tired of his trying to cope with what he had become.



One night as they lay in bed after making love he had broken down and cried confessing to her his fears of her leaving him or forcing him to leave her. He thought she would realize he was still the same as he always was and force him away. She told him she loved him and that would never happen. She told him he was her heart and her soul mate.



She held his shaking body to her own and told him he would never have to worry about her not wanting him again. Never. She would rather stop breathing the air she needed then leave him or force him from her. She told him over and over again he was her love and he fell asleep that night believing her and dreaming of a life with her for the first time secure in her being with him and not having any regrets.



That was almost three weeks ago and here they were together on the bathroom floor and she held him comforting him. His breathing finally slowed as he started to calm. "Come on baby, let's go back to bed."

He nodded as she helped him up and cleaned his face with a wet washcloth before she led him back to their bed. He was asleep almost as his head hit the pillow. She held him and kissed his face gently as she caressed his face with her hands. Shortly after she followed him into the sweet peace of sleep.



********


Chapter 2

Sunnydale Memorial Cemetery, Two Days Later

“Tell me again why we’re doing this, pet?”

“Duh, Slayer girl here!”

He looked at her incredulously, “Not this, I bleed’n well know why we’re doing this. I mean why are we telling Xander about us: he’s going to want to stake me.”

She rolled her eyes at her lover. “Baby, we have been through this before. I love you; I‘m tired of hiding it. I mean the only people who know about us are Dawn and Giles. They accept you.”

“Slayer, they accept me because Giles is your watcher and he trusts you, not me, you. As for Dawn she already read me the riot act, if I hurt you again blah bloody blah. That and that fact that the Niblet loves me.” He smiled at the last as he looked at her. “Your little sis would love me souled or not souled.”

She cut him off, “You are souled.”

Before he could respond she said, “Duck!” Without question he obeyed as she did a flip over him stake in her right hand and plunged it into the newly risen vamp’s chest as he arose. Straightening up she continued as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. In retrospect, he being a vampire she being a slayer, one would have to admit it was an ordinary occurrence. “Spike he will just have to deal. I mean he was and still is in love with a vengeance demon who was human and now is a vengeance demon again. Not to mention the fact that he is also in love with Willow who killed a human. Even if he did deserve to die.”

“Buffy you know that is not going to mean anything to him with his holier then thou attitude.”

“Listen to me you vampire, you. I’m only going to say this once. I love you. I am not running from this like I did before. I am not hiding you from my friends. They are going to have to deal.”

He looked deep into her hazel eyes as he pulled her into his embraced and kissed her deeply, his tongue tracing her lips as she opened her mouth to admit his tongue. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, as he touched her face with both his hands, tasting her as if for the first time, in truth every time he touched her it was like the first time. His hands sliding down her body caressing every part he could touch as she moaned into his mouth sucking on his tongue.

Finally the need to breath proved too much for them and they broke from one another. Each holding on to the other for dear life, “Take me home Spike, I need you to make love to me.”

Before he could answer her, a voice rang out, “Slayer and the traitor. My, my, my, what a touching scene.”

Both turned to the sound of the voice only to find five vampires surrounding them. “Look mate, you might want to just call it a night and leave the same way you came or…” His voice trailed off as she took up where he left off.

“Or we can just dust you all and call it a night and then go home and,” she winked at her lover, “Shag our brains out!” She said in an awful British accent.

“Gor, pet, that was awful. You really need to work on that.” He said with amusement in his voice totally ignoring the fact that the vamps surrounded them.

“Excuse me,” The leader of the vamps said.

“What?” They both asked in unison before spinning from one another stake in hand and fighting there way through the vamps. She punched one in the face as he came at her, then spun to her left impaling one on the stake in her hand as it dusted she said in an irritated voice, “You don’t have to be rude you know.”

Spike for his part grabbed the nearest vamp and repeatedly struck him in the face, breaking his nose then his jaw as he beat him senseless. Releasing the vamp he fell to the ground unconscious. He felt a hand on his shoulder and whirled around grabbing the offending hand and twisting it till he heard the satisfying sound of bones breaking and a yell. He effortlessly eased the stake into the vamps chest and pulled it out as it dusted. “Hey watch the bleedn’ jacket git I just got it cleaned.”

As he turned around looking for another vamp to dust he saw the Slayer laying on the ground a vamp over him. He roared and moved to take him out as he heard her scream his name. “Buffy!” He yelled his heart almost stopped beating as he staked the vamp in the back and it dusted, he saw her lying in a pool of blood. Her head bleeding, he growled as he knelt down beside her, “Slayer, Buffy, love, wake up okay. Please wake up.” He pulled her into his lap as the last vamp moved towards him. “Your bitch is dead, traitor and your going to follow her.”

Before the vamp could follow through on his threat a stake rammed through his back piercing his heart and he dusted as his eyes opened wide in shock. Spike looked up to see Giles, Xander and Willow standing over the dust of the deceased vamp.

Xander tried to get to Spike not understanding what had happened. All he saw was his enemy with Buffy in his lap and all that blood. “What did you do Spike? Finally get that one good day you bastard.”

Giles and Willow stopped him from moving as he spoke, “She needs a hospital.” He looked up at them his eyes filled with tears. “We were attacked…she…she…” His breath was coming in ragged pants as he tried to speak all the while cradling the woman he loved more then his own life.

“Xander, whether you believe it or not he would never hurt her, he loves her and she loves him. Now help us with her. We need to get her to hospital.”

He looked at him, not believing his ears when Giles snapped out the word, “Now!”

Willow reacted for both of them calling an ambulance on her cell phone. Her voice sounded calm all through the conversation with 911. As she disconnected from the call she sank to her knees next to Buffy and Spike. Leaning into Buffy she stroked her hair, stiffening as her eyes started to turn black, Xander moved towards her as soon as he saw her body stiffen. “Will, no. No magic we agreed.”

“I can save her. You know I can save her, she has lost so much blood.”

“Willow, no,” said Giles as he sank on the ground next to them. “The ambulance will be here soon. Let them do their jobs. She will be fine.”

“Buffy, please baby wake up. You can’t leave me here. I can’t do this alone. I can’t…”

She gasped as her eyes opened and the first thing she was the sapphire blue eyes of her lover, she tried to raise her hand to his face and the effort proved too much as she began to cough. He pulled her even closer and stroked her face as the others looked from one to the other.

Xander holding Willow to him, protecting her against what she almost did. Giles holding Buffy’s left hand between his two. Telling both her and Spike everything would be okay. All the while Spike spoke to her of his love and how much he needed her. Touching her face to reassure him she would be all right. In the distance the sounds of sirens getting closer could be heard.

Later That Night, Sunnydale Hospital, Intensive Care

In the waiting room the sounds of angry voices could be heard.

“Tell me again Giles, why he can be in there with her and we can’t. How can you trust him, last time he was with her, he almost raped her. I say we stake him now and be done with it.”

“Xander, he won’t hurt her.”

“Giles, how can you be so blind. How do we know he didn’t hurt her in the first place?”

Dawn had been listening to this for what seemed like ages and she had had enough as she snapped out, “Xander what is your problem? He loves her and she loves him. Why can’t you accept it? I may only be a kid but even I can see how much they love each other. You didn’t see her after you stopped Willow from ending the world. I did. She was all moppy girl. Then he came back from Africa all souled. He was devastated over what he had almost done to her. You haven’t seen him after his nightly bout with the nightmares where he relieves his past every single night.”

“Dawn… he is still the same Spike.”

“No Xander, he isn’t. He has changed and she needs him as much as he needs her. You’re just too blind to see it and you know the sad thing about all this? You can forgive everyone else but you can’t just be happy for her. So I am wondering who the evil one is here.”

He looked around at the others after being told off by a fifteen year old. Then sank slowly into his chair, as Willow held his hand her tiny one. “I’m sorry Dawnie, maybe your right, maybe he has changed and I‘ve just been so caught up in my own life I’ve been unable to see it. Kind of like a knee jerk reaction. I’ve hated him so long it’s hard not to.”

He didn’t say anything more as he cast his eyes upon the hand he was holding lovingly in his own.

At that moment Spike came out of Buffy’s room and walked up to the Niblet, “She’s awake and she wants to see you.”

Dawn got up and hugged him then went straight into her sister’s room.

“Dawnie, you alright?” She said in a voice sounding weaker then she had ever heard come out of her sister’s mouth.

“Oh, Buffy, God are you alright? I was so worried about you.” As she spoke she went to the bed and hugged her sister tightly. “I love you, Buffy.”

“Honey, I’m fine the doctors said I just have a concussion, which explains the headache and I’m so tired. I just wanted you to know I was okay. I want you to do something for me though.”

“What Buffy? Anything!”

“I want you to take Spike home. He’s exhausted and he needs to sleep. K?”

As they spoke he slipped in and heard the last thing she said.

“No, love, it’s bloody not okay. I’m not leaving you here alone. The Doc says you need to stay awake for the next twenty-four hours. I aim to make sure you do just that,” he said softly as he moved to the other side of the bed. “I’m not leaving you, ever.” He looked from one to the other, his family.

“We are a family, pet, you, me and Dawn. I’m not leaving without my family. I want you well and I have to see that with my own eyes. Dawn and I are staying till you’re out of the woods so to speak.” With that said he leaned down and kissed her on the head just above the bandage. “Now you rest, love.”

Xander stood by the open door and listened then turned to Willow and Giles whispering, “I was wrong about him wasn’t I?”

They both nodded and he walked weakly back to them feeling as if the strength had gone out of him.

“People change Xander.”

“But how?”

“He has always loved her,” Giles said knowingly. “He just now has a soul instead of a chip to keep him on the straight and narrow.”

“Thinking back,” said Willow sadly, “I don’t think it was the chip that turned him, I think it was her. I just think none of us wanted to see it.

TBC

Chapter 3

Thirty-six Hours Later, The Summer’s Home

“I want to go out and kill something,” said Buffy in her most resolve voice.

“You know when I was a boy my da always told us, we don’t always get what we want. You’re going to bed, tomorrow if you’re a good girl you can go out and kill something. For the rest of today you get babied.”

She opened her mouth to speak as his lips crushed against hers. Silencing her in the only way he knew how as his hands roamed over her lithe body. She moaned against his mouth as her tongue sought out his, his left hand touching her right breast through her nightshirt. Finally, the need to breathe became an issue as their lips separated each panting for breath.

“Why do you do that?” She asked breathlessly.

“Do what love?”

She backed him into the bed as the back of his knees touched the bed he fell back weakly pulling her down with him. “You know what you do, distract me, make me want to do all sorts of things to you. Make me love you even more.”

“Slayer,” he said in mock shock, “I would never intentionally distract you from something you want to do.”

She rolled her eyes as she stared open mouthed at her bleached blonde vampire lover. “Yeah right, you just want to keep me safely tucked away in this house, when you know I am perfectly fine.”

His right hand trailed down her stomach stopping to trace her belly button. “I would never do that Buffy,” he whispered softly as he bend down and kissed the spot where her neck met her collarbone.

She moaned as she snaked her right hand around his head gripping the short hairs of his neck and pulling his lips up to her mouth as she urgently kissed him. Deeply her tongue tracing his lips as he opened to her, his hand sliding down into her black lacy g-string finding her wet curls his fingertips teasing her clit. She shivered under his touch as she parted her legs pulling him more tightly to her.

God she had missed this. Him touching her, him fighting to protect her from the world, not for the first time she wondered at their closeness. Not for the first time she admitted to herself this was her life, here in his arms. Nothing else mattered but them. She was brought back to reality as two fingers entered her. She arched into them and cried out, “Spike, please, baby!”

His mouth inches from hers, he looked into those hazel eyes that he knew he would always drown in and his own voice thick with lust. “Please, what baby?” His fingers moved in and out of her his thumb stroking her clit as he thrust his fingers deep inside her.

Her eyes momentarily rolled up in her head as she almost came on his fingers, finding her voice she begged him, “Please… in… me.”

“Not so fast pet, I want you to look at me when you cum, but your not to cum till I tell you. Understand, Buffy?”

She looked into his sapphire eyes as she nodded her understanding. He for his part knew there was never anyone she would ever obey like this. He smiled and leaned his face down to her chest capturing a pebbled nipple in his mouth and bit down with blunt teeth just enough to make her feel the pleasurable pain he was causing. She arched up and groaned her mouth moving and no sound coming out as her body was instantly covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

He sucked more of her breast into his mouth as he bit around the nipple gently his fingers increasing the rhythm as she thrust up into them hard, wanting nothing more then to cum and knowing he would not let her. She cried out his name and begged him to let her cum.

Feeling her muscles clench on his fingers he spoke softly to her, “Not yet, love. Not until I tell you.”

She groaned out, “Please…baby…I…need…to…cummmmmmmm.” Tears leaked out the corners of her eyes as she begged her body on fire, her mind a white-hot blaze of desire. Her hips grinding down hard on his fingers her muscles trying to suck his fingers in deeper as he curled them up and found her g-spot. She cried out. No one had ever taken her this way. No one but him ever would.

“Shhhhhhhhh, baby, soon feel it build, tell me you feel it.” He whispered into her ear his other hand pinching and tweaking her right nipple, till she knew she would die if he didn’t let her cum. His own member rock hard with desire, no one but his Buffy could do this to him.

“Spike!” She screamed out as her orgasm threatened to break free from her control. Her breath coming in ragged pants her hands twisting in the bed sheets.

He kissed her jaw line up to her right ear and whispered, “Cum for me love,” as he twisted her nipple almost cruelly.

She crashed hard like a wave upon an unyielding cliff wall as she exploded around his fingers her juices leaking out around her fingers. Her body jerking at his command to cum. She cried and jerked against him. Her mind threatening to leave her body the pleasure was so great it was painful. She whimpered some how finding his mouth with her own, her tongue frantic to find his. She couldn’t stop cumming against his fingers. Her cries muffled against his mouth. Panting for breath she tore her mouth from his and slowly he removed his fingers petting her to calm her, again she cried out and came hard against him jerking harder against his hand. Darkness claimed her as she welcomed it with open arms.

He stroked her face and neck softly watching her face as she slowly opened her eyes her breathing still ragged. Her eyes slowly focusing on the face of the man she loved more then anything in this world.

He kissed her lips gently tenderly speaking against them, “I love you so much Buffy.”

“I love you back,” She said as her breathing slowed, she lay boneless against him, sleep over taking her.

He looked upon her in wonder as he realized with pride he had done that to her. His Slayer. His love. His Buffy. Closing his eyes he joined her in sleep, knowing the night was far from over.

Seven Hours Later

An insistent pounding woke them from their sleep, she wrapped around him. She kissed his lips and mutter, “What? This had better be important.” To his own credit he slept through the pounding on the door. She stroked his face in wonder and realized he had slept without the nightmares. She wondered what time it was and looked at the clock on her nightstand.

“Dawn go away it’s six in the morning we want to sleep.”

“Xander’s here he says he has to talk to you and Spike.”

“Tell him we’re sleeping and he can come back later.”

“Buffy, he says it can’t wait.”

Spike opened his right eye and slowly took in the face of his lover. “Tell the git to go away Bit.”

“I did that Spike but he’s drunk and he won’t go.”

“Bloody hell.” He kissed Buffy on the lips passionately for a minute then reluctantly left her lips each panting. “We’ll be down in a minute, Bit, and then I’m going to kill him.”

She poked him in the ribs and said softly, “You can’t kill him. I want too.”

Slowly he got out from under his lover and grinned in the way only he could, “I tell you what pet, you can watch as I tear the whelp limb from limb. Then we can come back up here and shag.”

She laughed as she got up and found her clothes putting them on even as he dressed. Together they left the sanctuary of her room and made their way downstairs hand in hand. Making their way to the living room the only people they saw was Dawn, Willow and Giles.

“What are you all doing here so early, and where is Xander? Giles what is going on?”

Before he could speak Dawn said, “I am going to make some coffee, Willow want to help me?”

She nodded thinking back to the last time Dawnie had made coffee. It was a disaster unless one enjoyed drinking something that looked like sludge. “I think I’ll make it and you can help me.”

The two young women left the living room as Giles started to clean his glasses.

“Well you see…” he stammered as only a nervous Giles could.

“Last night after you were released from the hospital I went home and started looking in the Codex. I came upon a passage that spoke of what I think referred to you and Spike.”

“Oh come on mate out with it already,” said an impatient Spike.

“Perhaps Xander could explain it better.”

Buffy looked at her bleached blond lover and shrugged.

“And he would be where Watcher?”

“Ahh he was too embarrassed to come in after the other night but he knows something that could help clarify the Prophecy found in the Codex.”

“Fine, where is the whelp? Lets get this done so we can go back to sleep.”

“On the porch.”

So annoyed at this intrusion Spike didn’t even smell the sunrise as he moved to the door and opened it, sunlight striking him he recoiled in horror as he waited for the burning that did not come to begin, he squinted at the sunlight as he realized that it didn’t harm him. Buffy came to his side as did the Giles, Willow and Dawn, the latter two watching from the safety of the kitchen the whole time.

Buffy put her arm around his waist, laying her head against his chest listening to his beating heart. Holding him in her loving embrace she smiled.

Xander a grin on his face stepped in front of Spike and said simply, “I guess this answers the question of who the Day Walker is.”

TBC

Chapter 4

One Minute Later

“You set me up Slayer!” A somewhat shocked vampire said to the woman he loved in an irritated voice.

“Yes, baby I did.” She said into his chest.

“I could have died.”

“No you couldn’t have. I would never do anything that would harm you. You know that.” She lifted her head from his chest as she spoke. “I told you a few weeks ago when you returned I saw the sunlight strike you in the back with no ill effect.”

“You could have told me you where going to do that, Slayer,” he said in an irritated hurt voice.

“I tried to get you to test it out, baby, you refused. We needed to prove it to you. Be happy you can finally walk in the light of day.”

He growled at her and then did the only thing he could think of to do. He kissed her hard as he pulled her tightly to him.

Dawn giggled in the background and said, “Ah, guys people here.”

Reluctantly they separated but still looked lost into each other’s eyes. “Tell them to go away.” She said in a hoarse voice.

“Can’t,” said Willow using her resolve voice, “coffee’s ready.

Both Buffy and Spike growled, then laughed, as they slowly tore away from one another.

Xander whispered to Willow, “This is scary, they even sound alike.”

“You do know they are in the room and can hear you right?”

He shrugged weakly as the two turned as one and growled at him.

“Will you two stop doing that it’s not natural.”

“Why’s that mate? What’s not natural, the fact that I have a soul? The fact that I can now move about in the light of day, or is it the fact that I still love her more then my own life and she loves me,” his tone neutral as he spoke, the hurt evident in his eyes that he would never accept that fact.

Xander looked around nervously and then did something that Spike would not have expected even if he lived another one hundred and twenty years. He held out his hand in a sign of friendship.

Spike looked at his hand as Buffy nudged him with her shoulder. The room quiet as everyone present held their collective breathes. Finally after what seemed like an eternity Spike took Xanders hand in his and shook it.

“I’m sorry Spike. After everything we’ve been through the last year I should have trusted you.”

“Yes you should have.” He said even as a smirk played across his lips. “This doesn’t mean I like you though, whelp.” He said almost playfully.

“Yeah and I am still going to stake you if you hurt her.”

“Oh, sing me a new one will ya mate? That one is tired and old.”

They both smiled at one another, and then as everyone started to breath again, they hugged one another slapping each other on the back perhaps a little to hard.

Giles cleared his throat and said, “Did someone mention coffee?”

Buffy smiled and came over to Xander and hugged him saying softly into his ear, “Thank you!”

He pulled back from her and mouthed the words, “Your welcome.” Then he went to stand next to Willow and put his arm around her. Spike arched his scared eyebrow and smirked.

“What?” Xander said.

He shrugged and turned to Buffy, “Love you.”

“Me two fang breath.”

Giles cleared his throat and then they all followed him into the kitchen to get coffee.

Later That Afternoon In An Outdoor Café Located In Downtown Sunnydale

Two blondes sat across from each other eating ice cream in the sunlight.

The Bleached blonde said, “You know I am never going to get use to this.”

The dyed blonde replied without looking up, “What eating ice cream?”

He rolled his eyes and said like only he could, “No, being out in the light of day.”

She reached across and took his free hand in hers and just squeezed it as she took another bite.

They both sat in silence basking in the sun and each other. For once all was right in their little corner of the Hellmouth. Her friends had finally accepted him and them. She for her part had never known this kind of happiness. She kept expecting to wake up and find this all a dream.

Five minutes later her cell phone rang. “Don’t answer it, pet.”

“You know I have to, it could be Dawn.”

“Yeah with our bleedin’ luck it is about a new demon come to Sunnydale to spoil our afternoon.”

“Hello,” she spoke into the phone as she rolled her eyes at him. “Yes. Uh-huh,” she nodded her head as she listened and answered. Then hung up and took another bite of ice cream.

He watched her put the spoon seductively in her mouth and suck off the ice cream. Finally he couldn’t take it any more and he asked her what that was all about.

She said in a calm voice, “It seems a Demon Gang is on its way to Sunnydale to break up our lovely afternoon. We have to meet the gang at The Magic Box.”

“I bloody well knew it. Can’t have more then five minutes peace living on this damn Hellmouth.” He took another bite himself and stood. Extending his hand to his ladylove, taking it she stood next to him. They embraced and kissed lovingly. Then slowly separated, he dropped five dollars on the tabletop to pay for the ice cream as they slowly made their way towards The Magic Box.

They walked in a comfortable silence her arm wrapped around his. He looked at her and saw that mischievous glint she always got in her eyes right before she was about to scold him or tease him. He braced himself for the latter as she burst out laughing.

“What is so bleedin’ funny, pet?”

“I was just thinking.”

“That sounds like trouble,” he said smirking.

With her free hand she slapped him playfully in the chest. “Be nice,” she said softly.

He looked at her with a hurt expression on his face, knowing he had done something wrong but had no clue as to what it was. On another level her smiling face was melting his beating heart. He took a deep breath to steel himself and asked, “So you going to tell me what I did wrong this time?”

“Awww, baby. You didn’t do anything wrong you did it all right. You were perfect.”

The newly souled bleached blonde vampire stopped walking and tugged her against him. “Why do you always do that, Buffy?”

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You make me feel like I did something wrong.”

“Your just so much fun to tease. I can’t help myself sometimes, but I love you.”

“Love you too pet, so what did I do that was so right?” He asked curiosity getting the best of him.

“You paid for our ice cream and you left the waiter a nice tip at that.”

“Oh bloody hell. You’re the one who keeps telling me I’m not evil.”

“Hey Day Walker, you going to kiss me or what?”

His heart caught in this throat as he petted her face with both his hands, she was so beautiful it made his entire being ache for her. He leaned in to kiss her, his lips almost touching hers.

“Will you two just go get a room or something? You’re starting to draw a crowd.”

Both blondes slowly turned in the direction of the voice and as one said, “Dawn, why aren’t you at the Magic Box helping the gang research?” Then they looked at each other and started to laugh.

She for her part rolled her eyes at them and moved between them. “I was over at Janice’s house doing homework. Now I am over here on my way to help and I saw you. Goddess, Buffy, the whole world saw you.”

Buffy opened her mouth to speak and nothing came out. She looked at her lover for help.

“Don’t look at me, Slayer, she’s your little sis.”

Dawn laughed and tugged them both. “Come on we’re probably late.”

They did the only thing they could think of to do and wrapped their arms around Dawn’s waist as she led them to The Magic Box.

TBC