Chapter 20: Race Ya!

*****

Operation Sucker was named by Xander using a couple of different uses of the word, "sucker," such as the demon sucking on the host, namely him. He had been a sucker overall, and Harmony had been a sucker on him, that one he kept to himself after telling Spike to shut up. The operation required nightfall, not just for the Spike-go-sizzle factor but also to obscure the fact that a good portion of Sunnydale would suddenly be heading to one particular location. With Multok's and Shel's help, Willow and Tara were ready to send out magical invitations at dusk, invitations drawing the demons and their hosts to the field house at the Sunnydale High football stadium with its heater turned on high.

During the operation, Willow would continue sending out invitations covering different areas of town at different times to spread out the hosts arrivals. Buffy and Xander were to be stationed out front of the field house making sure all the possibly violent hosts made it inside. Giles and Spike would be inside watching over the hosts when Air Demon departed from the human gate. If a demon didn't leave the host, the plan was for Spike to throw the host into one of the therapeutic spas meant for athletes. And Spike did promise Buffy, under slayer duress, that he would only hold the person under the hot water for a few seconds. That left three other Scoobies. Dawn and Anya were to watch over the demonless hosts that would be leaving and make sure they were all alright. Tara was with them casting a memory loss spell, masking the previous half hour from the hosts. A reminder that ignorance can be bliss.

The night before the so-called operation, Multok and Shel helped Willow, Tara and Giles with research and last minute details. Multok spent considerable time with the Sibbetr Volume of Conjuring while Shel helped Giles with a translation. And then as he and Shel were leaving, while no one was looking, Multok grabbed a few various ingredients from the shelves. However, Shel saw but just gave him a frown since she wasn't sure what he was up to. This time.

Once the area around and in the field house was set up, Multok put the ingredients on the ground and said a few words from a foreign language. And poof, he had Xander's, Spike's, and even Giles' instant, undivided attention. Even Willow and Tara took a second look. Three girls in string bikinis stood on either side of the entrance to the field house. Good thing they were conjured because no girl would be out in such a cool night with their lack of clothes. Of course the men considered the low temperature a bonus in that the girls' nipples were hard.

Anya grabbed Xander's arm before any serious drool damage could occur to his shirt. "Change of plans, guys. Xander is going to go INSIDE to help Spike. RIGHT NOW." Anya opened the door.

"But Anh, I'm just looking..."

"Then look all you want to through this steel door." Anya was mad but still hoped the door didn't hit him as it slammed shut.

Buffy snapped her fingers in front of her watchers face. "Giles...GILES!" He glanced down briefly. "Yes, I am still here. I would appreciate it if you would help Dawn out back. That is if you and your glasses can keep off the clothes challenged girls that long."

"Uh?" Giles was in fact still looking at the girls. "Huh?...Yes...I will be happy to help out back there."

"Geez, pop your eyes back in, Giles." Dawn really didn't get what the big deal was. She grabbed hold of Giles' sleeve preparing to head out, but paused. Buffy didn't look like she was finished yet, and she wanted to watch.

Smack. "Ow." Spike grabbed the back of the head at the base of his skull. He turned around to look at a fuming Buffy.

"Earth to boyfriend." Buffy put her hands on her hips. "Ogle much?"

The girls were totally forgotten. "Boyfriend." Buffy saying that was enough for him to forget any female, but the perky blonde that smacked him. "Right. Eyes only for you, luv." But he wasn't stupid enough to push his luck. After a quick kiss, he went inside, getting out of the Buffy firing line as swiftly as possible. Not to mention, he was going inside to compare feminine dimensions and attributes with Xander in a safer atmosphere than outside. There was a saying referring to a man staring at a beautiful woman and his friends laughing because he was so old. The man's reply was that, "I'm not dead yet." Spike laughed as he passed through the door, "Well, I may be dead, but I'm still looking."

Faster than the small demon could react, Buffy snagged Multok as he flew close to her.

With Shel on her shoulder, Dawn let go of Giles and raced to stand beside Buffy and plead. "Multok you idiot. Buffy, don't hurt him."

Buffy was furious. "Don't you *dare* go all lone gunman during one of my..." It was very hard to stare someone down when they just passed through your hand. Not between her fingers, but through her hand.

Unhappy with Buffy's action, Multok stopped and flew back so they were on the same eye level. "I work for the Powers That Be, not you."

"My word, that was amazing." Buffy was surprised that Giles saw something other than the big breasted brunette, but Giles was paying attention now. "I hand no idea you possessed such an ability as passing through solid objects. The journals are woefully sparse on details concerning your species."

Not intentionally drawing Multok away from his slayer, Giles lead Multok around the side of the building before Buffy was forced to figure out a way to save face.

Over his shoulder, Multok tossed some more dust and two buff males with a capital "b" appeared. All protests from Buffy ended. The eye candy would help the night pass, wouldn't it?

*****

The next day, the Scoobies were beginning to gather at the Summers' home for a short meeting and then a long celebration party. Willow and Tara were on the living room sofa studying for an Art History II exam. Buffy was putting together the makings for sandwiches while she enjoyed watching a vampire tutor a key.

"This is so lame." Dawn sat down in a huff.

Spike tried to keep from smiling at the offended bundle of teenage hormones. "What is, Bit?"

"I have to memorize this stupid speech for English. Way off the stupid scale."

"So what's this horribly lame speech that your tosser of a teacher has inflicted upon you?"

Dawn slid her text book over to him. "Anthony's speech by...uh...Shakespeare. That's it."

"From Julius Caesar?" Spike looked at her like she was standing on one leg while yodeling. "Missy, everyone should know that speech. It's a classic."

Buffy laughed. "I don't have to know it. Ha."

"Well, you're both heathens." Spike glared insincere daggers. "Ok, Niblett, let's hear what you have down so far."

After a long drawn out umph, Dawn began.

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interred with their bones"

Ah hah, she found a reason to stop. "Spike, what is 'oft interred'?"

"It's just like it sounds. Oft interred. Oft is often, and interred? You can make an educated guess. The speech is about a funeral, and interred means put to rest in a tomb or bury the body, which is a part of a funeral. Now keep going."

"So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:

If it were so, it was a...was a...I don't know!"

Without looking down at the book, Spike continued in her place,

"...it was a grievous fault,

And grievously hath Brutus answer'd it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest--

For Brutus is an honourable man;

So are they all, all honourable men--

Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral."

It was Dawn's turn to look at Spike like he was the one who was now yodeling on one leg. "Spike, how do you know this dumb old gibberish?"

'Damn, busted big time. A right cock up.' Spike thought. 'Time for some damage control.' Spike gave his best smirk. "See Bit, it's my secret big bad weapon. I don't tell anybody that doesn't give me the secret phrase."

That got her attention. Spike's secrets had to be more interesting than Shakespeare. Leaning forward towards him, Dawn's voice came out a secret-wanting-to-know whisper. "What's the secret phrase?"

Spike leaned closer still and whispered in her ear. "Piss. Off." The vampire tried to avoid Dawn's swing at his shoulder, but she still made some contact.

Buffy would have hit him also had she been close enough. The only thing she could do at that distance was laugh. "I can't believe you just told my sister to piss off." To punctuate her words, she sent an oven mitt flying across the room, barely missing her target.

Trying to appear bored, Spike shrugged a shoulder. "I'm evil. I know I'm a pathetic excuse of evil being that I am with the slayer and all, but I'm still grhh all the same."

"Oh, poor, pathetic, little vampire," Buffy taunted, "wait until I tell everyone at Willy's that you quote Shakespeare and tutor teenagers."

Spike turned to face her. "Oh, no you won't, Summers." Spike's words came out a threat.

A head of lettuce flew across the kitchen this time and glanced off the side of Spike's face. "Oh, yes I wil...eeek." Buffy only barely escaped Spike's lung over the kitchen's island at her. When he missed her and then darted around for her, he just ended up opposite of her again with the island between them. "So what else do you know, Spikey? Romeo, Romeo, where fore..."

Buffy dashed around the kitchen table with Spike on her heels. Laughing, Dawn plastered herself against the wall, trying to get out of their way.

Spike growled. "Oh, slayer, at least I know the classics."

The bread for the sandwiches sailed across the kitchen this time, hitting Dawn on the chest. "Hey. No hitting bystanders."

Now only quips flew back and forth as they ran. "That's because you are a classic, Spike."

"Little girl."

"Old man."

"Infant."

"Ancient."

They completed a couple of figure eights around the kitchen table and dining room table before heading into the living room. Willow and Tara pulled up their legs onto the sofa just before the pair streaked between the coffee table and sofa. They made one more pass around the dinning room table with Buffy still in the lead. When the pair headed back towards the living room, Buffy knocked a chair in his way, tangling him up long enough for her to dart out the front door into the sunshine.

When Spike made it to the door, she was out on the lawn laughing at him. He could feel Dawn at his back, looking over his shoulder, and he guessed that Willow's and Tara's noses were pressed to the window glass.

Eyes squinted, Spike did something he rarely, rarely ever did. He stopped and took a moment to consider his options. What he had were three girls as an audience while his lover that he wanted to catch was laughing at him out in the nice, sunny front yard. Just bloody dandy. What next? A quick dip in holy water?

Buffy could barely catch her breath from laughing to talk. "What's...what's wrong, Big...Bad. How's the classics...going to help...you out here?"

Damn, he never was good at thinking things through before acting. Bugger it. "Here, I have a classic for you."

"Oh, yeah, torch boy?"

"Yeah. I love you. That's a classic. Now Miss Smarty Pants, see ya."

Buffy froze, eyes wide, and watched the door slam shut.

She may have frozen outside, but inside the action was kicked into high gear. Spike was barking orders. "Nibblet, lock the back door."

"Will do."

"Tara, get the windows in the living room."

"Working on them."

"Willow, you get any of the others locked downstairs."

"Got it."

As he talked, he was locking the dining room windows. "I'm heading upstairs. Don't come up unless you want to see fists flying or get an eye full. Hoping for the latter myself."

By this time, Buffy had started screaming and beating on the door. "Spike. Spike!!" She held back on her strength, not wanting to explain to her mother that her boyfriend, namely Spike, told her that he loved her and that she freaked out and knocked down the front door trying to get at him. Wouldn't that be a major parental freak fest?

She tried to lift the windows of the dining room, finding them locked she moved on to the kitchen door. "Dawn, you had better open this door. Right. Now." But no Dawn. "This is not fair, you fanged fiend."

*****

Dawn, Willow and Tara could easily tell where Buffy was outside by her shouts. Of course, they were threats with name calling thrown in, but her shouts consisted of four main phrases repeated over and over.

"This is not fair," "you cheated," "you promised," and "you broke your promise!"

That last two really had all three women inside stumped. "What promise?"

*****

Contrary to what the girls downstairs thought, Buffy wasn't mad about losing the chase. She wasn't mad that he broke his promise to not fall in love with her. Far from it. She was thrilled that he loved her. That was what she had been hoping for. She was furious that now he had said it, she couldn't get to him. What kind of an I love you was that when she couldn't even kiss him. So, she was going to kill him. Twist head off now, make love to him later.

Buffy checked all the windows and doors downstairs with no luck. She ranted as she climbed a tree to the second floor. "I love you. Can you believe it? I love you, he says, and then locked me out of my own house. Not just the doors but all of the windows." After climbing upstairs and finding her window locked and then Dawn's locked also, her blood boiled. This time, she was going to stake the infuriating vampire for sure.

Her luck finally showed back up when she found her mother's window open. She slid it up, taking pride at how little noise she was making. She slid one leg inside then the next so that she ended up inside facing out the window. In a short second, she felt herself jerked further inside and thrown over an arrogant vampire's shoulder.

"You cheated." Buffy yelled as she thumped him on his back. "You promised, and now you have cheated."

"And you're surprised?" With disbelief evident in his voice, Spike headed for her bedroom, a room he had recognized with one look. Ya know, the one with an arsenal under the bed. "You should know that this big bad doesn't play fair. No fun in that."

"I hate you." She could hear him chuckle which only made her madder.

"Tsk, tsk. Now cheating is one thing, but don't add lying, slayer."

Once in her room, Spike dropped her on her bed, and he pounced before she finished bouncing. Straddling her, he pulled her hands above her head and pinned them to the pillows using his own hands, their fingers inter-locked.

"I'm not lying. I hate...hate that you're not just an ordinary vampire that I could stake." She wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes to slits looking up at him. "But noooo...you had to be a one of a kind."

"The one and only Spike, that's me. Now stop squirming and listen, you silly bint." When she stopped fighting him, he continued. "When I first came to Sunnydale, I hated you. The Slayer of Sunnydale and all that rot. For me, the hors d'oeuvre was frying the anointed one. The main course was to get Dru healed and then with a side of a third slayer. So it's hard. Totally against my nature to love a slayer..." He leaned down and kissed her. Quick, an open meeting of their mouths. "...but I do. I love you, love you, love you..."

His sing song teasing voice drove her crazy, and she tried to throw him off with no success. "You promised to not bring love into this."

"Actually, I thought I had, too. During last night as I held you while you slept, I thought about and cursed that promise clause of yours. Then I replayed over and over the first time we had sex. I had been knackered that day, so I had been asleep when you came to me. Then thinking of you under that sheet that day jogged my memory. See pet, we got distracted before I ever made that promise." Spike leaned down and gave her another kiss with his tongue sweeping into her mouth.

"No, I was there. I asked you to keep this light, and you DID promise." What the hell was she saying? When was the last time she was dropped on her head? She wanted Spike to love her, but he was being so irritating in his own Spikeish way.

"You daft bint, think back. You asked me to promise to not let love come into our relationship. And then before I ever could promise, we shagged for the first time." Spike kissed his way from her collar bone to the curve of her neck. Delightful but not long enough in Buffy's opinion. "But do you know what? Even back then I was glad because I knew I couldn't promise to not love you. When you were with me, I already had that butterfly feeling fluttering in my stomach. I already suspected the arrow of that pesky cupid was coming. I knew I could love you. "

In a whisper, Spike finished his explanation next to her ear so that she could feel his breath caress her skin as his words caressed her heart. She was so wrapped up in his words and his meticulous nibbling along her neck that she didn't notice that he had released her hands so he could cup her face in both of his own. He pulled back so he could see her face when he seriously opened his heart up to her, no closing it back again whether it would bleed or shine. "So Slayer, bugger that daft promise. I'm telling you that I love you."

With a smile, she looked up into his face through teary eyes. He might not have promised, but it was time for her to break her own. "That stupid promise is out the window, Spike. I love you, too, blood breath."

Running the tips of his fingers along her lips, he leaned in for another kiss. "Why don't you taste my mouth instead of smelling my breath." Before he could close the distance, Buffy raised up to meet him. The kiss started out as a low flame and quickly grew.

Still touching and kissing, as one they stood up and undressed each other. When she started to lie down first, Spike pulled her back. He lay down instead and guided her to straddle him. She tilted her head in a silent question. "Luv, this way while I move inside of your heat, I can see your beautiful face as you tell me you love me."

She rode him at a leisurely pace, turned on by her ridiculous promise now thrown to the wind, and by the freedom to tell him that she loved him. She rode him because he felt so good sliding in and out of her. She road him because ... well, because she could and didn't care who knew it.

TBC

Chapter 21 - Lucky Number


*******

When they heard Buffy yell from upstairs, nothing break and then heard a door shut, everyone figured that the party had started early. Their party of two, that is. Willow smiled. “Well, I’m going to assume that was the beginning of an eyeful instead of the fighting.”

Everyone was laughing at Willow’s joke when Multok and Shel arrived through a window, literally through the window’s glass and on into the living room. “Good afternoon, ladies. Shel and I have come ready to party. I think we are missing something judging by the flush and giddy looks on your faces. What excitement do you have going on?”

The condensed version of the last hour didn’t take long but tickled Shel and Multok greatly. “So Spike finally told Buffy he loved her. Good. That’s long overdue.”

Shel shook her head. “How did Buffy not know. Spike might as well been carrying a red neon sign.” A quick survey of the room told her that the occupants readily agreed. ‘Why had Buffy been so blind? Why, I even figured it out while I wasn’t being embarrassed, that is.’

Loving a good opportunity, Multok rubbed his hand together. “So let’s get this party going, and let’s start with a little fun.”
Ten minutes later, Multok was taking bets on how many orgasms would be achieved upstairs before the pair came down. Will and Tara were first shocked but finally warmed up to the outrageous subject of the bet. Dawn was at gross factor ten but was first to place her bet of one with a strong eeww. She was mostly wishing, and she knew it. Buffy and Spike just weren’t the type to stop at just one. Tara took two since one was already spoken for, and Willow bet four, because she felt luckier with an even number.

“Since Shel and I have seen them in action, we’re taking six and maybe more.”

Willow quickly figured out the math. “No way. That would mean they wouldn’t come down for hours.”

“And your point is?...I was tempted to bet six hours instead of six orgasms.”

*****

“Get your pale but sexy ass up and get dressed.”

Dawn would have been happy because upstairs Buffy was dressing, but Spike was still naked, lying on the bed. Only one orgasm. So far.

“Get up. Everybody should be here by now.”

Spike squirmed around, finding just the right, comfortable position while looking enticing. “I’m just getting comfortable. Besides you just have your knickers twisted because you didn’t say you loved me before I did.”

“Pft, conceited much?” Buffy slid her shirt down over her head.

“Ok then, you’re jealous of my pale but sexy ass.”

“That’s it.” Buffy pulled up her skirt with harsh actions punctuating her words. “I am so going to stake your dead ass.”
Spike patted his hand over his mouth. “Painfully bored here. Like I haven’t heard that one before, luv. Go ahead and stake me or shut that moist, hot mouth up. Or better yet, come here, and I’ll shut it for you.”

Buffy could feel herself getting wet with desire, but no way was she letting him know that. Hand on hip, Buffy looked defiant. “How about I kick your pale and sexy ass out of my bed for say like the next year?”

Spike stood up and slowly started moving towards her. He knew that they were no longer talking about getting dressed and going downstairs. “No problem there either. Actually this was novel tonight. We don’t seem to keep to a bed very often anyway.”

“Grrh. Ok, no sex at all.” Buffy held her ground. “That’s no part of you touching any part of me.”

Putting his hand to his chest, Spike took a step back as if pained. Nope, this was a test, unconscious or not. Buffy was testing to see how serious he was before she exposed her emotions. He was willing to bet his DeSoto on it. And he would bet his duster that he would win the test. “Now, ducks, you’re hitting below the belt. That is of course if I was wearing a belt, which I’m not.” He started forward again and his leer changed to all fuzzy emotions. “I was serious Slayer. I don’t care about that bleedin’ promise.”

She didn’t answer until he was only a foot away. “Me neither.”

He ran the tip of his index finger down the side of her face, down across her collar bone. “I love you.”
Buffy harsh veneer melted away. “I love you, too.”

The Desoto and coat was safe. “No touching?” Spike’s fingers traced the veins on her neck. “Bloody hell, that’s a hard one because I’m holding on to you and not letting go.” He gathered her up into his arms.

“You had better not, or I will stake your dead ass.” Buffy’s smile took out any sting in her threat. As their lips met, she captured his chuckle. Trust them to start a conversation with a threat of staking and end at the same point.

Spike couldn’t get enough of her taste, feel. She felt so good, all hot, all soft but strong. Every time with her left him wanting more. No wonder he loved her so, but how they made love was only one of the reasons which were too many to count. In a short time, she had become his whole world.

Their tongues danced as Spike moved away enough to take her clothes off again. Her shirt and her skirt fell to the ground unneeded and unwanted. Once all clothes were out of the way, Spike pressed Buffy back against the door. Spike’s hand started caressing the side of her neck then slid down and cupped her breast. He rolled her hard nipple between his thumb and index finger, listening to her moan in response.

Buffy’s eyes rolled up and then closed when his mouth latched onto her breast, sucking and swirling her nipple with his tongue. What Spike was and would do to her should be against the law since it felt so delicious, and that was infraction that she would gladly. Even go to jail for his touch. When he pulled away and his mouth found its way back to her own, she grabbed the back of his neck and brought him closer, crushing their lips together. Her hand slid down his side to rest on his hip for a moment before moving between them to wrap around his shaft. She rubbed her thumb across the head, spreading his pre-come before stroking his length, building up speed with every stroke.

Spike’s hand was just as busy on her body. As her hand had grasped his cock, his fingers slid between her folds, rubbing across her clit, forward and back. When the second finger joined the first, together they slid into her heat. Her wetness on his fingers nearly drove his self-control away, but feeling her hand stroking his shaft, shoved his self-control into the next county. He hooked his arm under her leg at the knee and pulled it up high, spreading her open. With his other hand, he pulled her hand off of his shaft and placed it on his shoulder. Grasping his member, he guided it to her opening and thrust into her until their bodies were molded together. Both broke their kiss and pulled back at the feel of him filling her.
Spike thrust into her core until both were screaming their release.

*****

Downstairs Dawn was gloating. The noise upstairs had stopped for over fifteen minutes. “See, I was right. Only one orgasm. Yay me!! All of you thought that they would go on but no, they’re done. They’re dressing, and just watch, they should be down any minute.”

Then they heard not the bang of a door but a bang against a door, and then a few more.

Willow looked over at Dawn sympathetically. “Sorry, Dawnie. Sounds like Tara’s now the current leader.”
The front door opened letting Anya and then Xander inside. Xander took in the gathering in the living room and frowned. “Has the meeting started already? Just what I need, one more tardy.” He frowned even more when no one even acknowledged his joke.

Shel answered since she was the closest to him. “Meeting? Not exactly. More like one of Multok’s favorite pastimes.”

“Color me confused, but what’s Multok’s favorite pastime?”

“Betting.” Dawn supplied for him. “We’re taking bets on the number of orgasms Spike and Buffy will have while they are upstairs.

Turning red, Xander looked like he was going to choke. “Dawnie, you shouldn’t even be saying…”

“Orgasm. Not only can I say it, but I bet on it. So deal.” She looked at him to see if he had any new protests. When he had delt, she continued. “I bet on one and have already lost. It’s not fair. Anyway, Tara took two and is the current leader. Willow took four, and Multok and Shel took six, knowing just how the vampire and slayer go at it. That leaves three and five still open.”

Looking freaked to the max, Xander was already shaking his head. “I don’t thi…”

“I’ll take five,” Anya jumped in before he could finish his new protest. “Since Spike’s a vamp and Buffy’s a slayer, my bet’s five. That pairing would make for mega sexual endurance. Unfortunately, the meeting is going to start, and Buffy will want to be here, which will limit the orgasms down to five.”

“Good logic, my dear.” Multok nodded his head approvingly. “But I will still beat you with six.”

As Xander continued shaking his head, Shel thought that it would soon fall off and roll across the floor. “I will be the only sane one in the group and abstain. But I gotta know, how are you guys going to tell the big O count?”

Yelling started, drawing all eyes to the ceiling. When the noise stopped, everyone was looking back down at Xander. With her head cocked to the side and eyebrows raised, Dawn gave Xander an isn’t-it-obvious look while Willow kept tally. “That makes three. Sorry sweetie.” She gave Tara a kiss on the cheek, but hoped for one more to make four. Come on lucky four. No pun intended. Get it? Come - orgasm. Ha.”

*****
Two sets of screams later, the front door opened just as a door shut upstairs and then shut again, leaving everybody downstairs very confused.

Giles’ voice floated inside to the occupants of the house. The fact that he was there wasn’t near as bad as the first word that he said. “Joyce…” There were varying reactions. Dawn was laughing that big sis was going to be caught big time for having a vampire up in her room doing the dirty. Willow was hoping that this doing the dirty would be the last. Xander and Tara were mortified on Buffy’s behalf. Shel didn’t know what to think since she didn’t know who this Joyce was. She did know Giles, but didn’t know why his coming in would matter? He was part of the gang. Giles and Joyce were blissfully ignorant, but not for long. The last pair, Anya and Multok, only cared about the door shutting upstairs and how that affected the bet.

“Hi mom.” Dawn was bright and cheery to the point of obnoxious. “I’m sooo glad you’re home early.”

Joyce had a hard time seeing around her daughter’s hug in order to tell who all was in the living room. “My…Dawn, I love you but let go, honey…My, the gang is all here. Hello Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, and two…uh…blue, fuzzy, flying things.”

‘This just isn’t one of the scenarios I expected for today,’ Giles thought. He did the introductions. “Joyce, I…huh…would like you to meet Multok and Shel. They have been in town helping us with some…er…”

The pair flew over to say their hellos.

Finally sorting everything out, Joyce looked around again. “Seems everyone is here but Buffy.”

Xander smiled. This was going to be good. “And Spike. We’re missing Spike. You know. Fangs, sunshine challenged, and addicted to bleach.”

And what exactly did that have to do with Buffy, Joyce wondered. “So where is Buffy?”

Willow tried to help out. “She’s…” A loud bang was heard upstairs. “…busy upstairs.” Another bang punctuated her last word.

“What’s that?” Joyce’s eyes snapped up to the ceiling as if she could use x-ray vision to see the floor above.

Dawn pulled on her sleeves. “Mom, part of the story…well…remember Riley. Well, he is so last year.”

“Buffy isn’t dating Riley anymore?” When she heard movement on the stairs, she turned around to see her daughter coming down followed by Spike, and they were holding hands. That was when Joyce knew that she didn’t have any idea what was going on.

Buffy smiled and stopped to stand at her side. “Hi mom. You remember Spike…

Willow’s smile declared her triumph to all. “I win! Ha, I told you that it would be four. It’s my lucky even number.”

“It must be Spike’s too.” What a great opportunity, Xander smirked. “Have fun dead boy?”

Spike tried to keep his face plain since he was standing in front of Joyce. “The best kind, demon food.”

Joyce and Giles still had no idea what was going on, especially when Willow started jumping up and down. “I won, I won…uh, what did I win?”

*****

Later that night found Buffy and Spike sitting on the back porch. Spike was sitting behind her, picking out a couple of splinters lodged in her back that she couldn’t reach. “I got splinters. Can you believe it? That tree gave me splinters.”

Spike leaned forward and kissed her exposed shoulder. “Yes, luv, woody objects tend to work that way.”

“Nothing that gave me such a joy joy should give me these tiny wicked daggers of pain.” Actually she thought his kisses brushed away any pain.

“That’s what happens when you make love against a rough tree, and let me remind you that it was your idea. Not my fault you don’t have a back to that scrumptious excuse of a frock.” Spike kissed his way from one shoulder to the other. “I’ll be happy to pull them out, but there are a couple that I can’t reach. First you take off all your clothes, lay face down, and then I will…

Multok and Shel flew into view. “Wait. Half time. Time out.”

Shel relaxed when the pair laughed but didn’t do any of that laying down and stripping stuff. “We’ve come to say goodbye.”

“Oh, wait. Can’t you stay for a while longer?” Buffy’s face showed her disappointment and settled into a pout. A pout that Spike thought was thoroughly adorable.

Trying to look business like, Multok brushed his fur into all the right places. “No, no, sorry. We’ve got to fly.”

Buffy wasn’t ready to let go. “But why so fast?”

“See, we’ve all ready stayed longer than we should. Our job was to get you two together. And I think you would agree that you were very together by the hospital. But we stuck around, helped you with the demons, and stayed for your I love you’s. And by the way, that little part was well worth the time. So we need to return to base so we can be given another assignment. After this on the job training, Shel may get a case all of her own.”

Even though she was thrilled at talk of her getting her own assignment, Shel still had to tell the right tale. “Don’t let him kid you. He just wants to go back so he can brag since no one thought he could succeed with this assignment.”

“Now, my girl, they will have to call me the miracle maker.” Multok finally caught on to Shel still floating in front of him with her hands on her hips. “Oh…Shel…you should get some credit, too.”

Spike and Buffy could hear them arguing as they flew off. He scooted up so that his front was pressed to her back and tightly wrapped his arms around her. “Mum took everything well considering that she had two fuzzy blueberries flying about her kitchen and that her daughter’s new boyfriend is a vampire that had tried to kill her on many occasions.” Spike just couldn’t refer to himself as her boyfriend enough. In fact, he thought he would later stand on his crypt and yell it to the moon.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “She’s not your mom. I claimed her first.” Truthfully, she knew he wouldn’t stop calling her mom “mum.” Face it. Her mom had a Spike nickname for good. There was already slayer, Nibblet, Red, Glenda, whelp, and now there was mum. Still smiling, Buffy’s thoughts drifted back to their earlier path before the blueberry and mum businesses crept up. “New promise.”

Spike’s eyebrows shot up in curiosity. “Sorry, luv. Not to keen on anymore of your promises.”

Buffy wiggled around in his arms so that she could see face to face. “Stay with me.”

“I don’t think the dorm or your mum would be too happy about that.” Spike wiggled his eyebrows.

Buffy punched him in the arm with a punch that only a vampire or another demon would think was light. “No, I mean like going steady…er…but not. Ok, that sounds wack-o. Just promise you won’t leave.”

“I don’t know. Here’s the rub,” he paused which gave enough time for a full blown Buffy panic. God, he loved to tease her. “This promise has to go both ways. I promise to stay with you if you stay with me.

“I promise.” Buffy agreed so fast, she couldn’t have needed a full breath.

Spike pulled her back into her original position so he could kiss and nip on the side of her neck. “I promise, too, luv. I won’t leave you.”

With her smile illuminating the whole backyard, Buffy literally bounce as she asked, “Now are we going steady?”

Spike laughed. He loved how she could warm his cold heart. “Bloody right we are. I would give you the ring that was your engagement ring, but I don’t have the foggiest where it is. But I will get you another one, without a skull this time.”

Buffy laughed and then sighed when he tightened his arms around her again. Content she nestled her head back against his shoulder, offering more of her neck for more of his loving. His voice rumbled in her ear.

“Next topic. My next favor.” He could feel her tense up, but then relax again. She should know by now that his favors always made her feel good in the end. “The favor is that I need is for you to go to a shop on Fifth Street and buy five different outfits. I’ll be paying so I’ll call ahead and let them know you are coming…”

*****

The next day, Spike was lying on his bed, thoroughly enjoying Buffy’s lingerie show. She had just taken off the green corset and thong. It was the next outfit that confused her most. “Spike, these panties were not sewn right. I don’t get it because the crotch is in two parts with the middle open.”

Ah, the joy of crotch-less panties. Her naiveté only made her all the more appealing to Spike. Unlife was getting more enjoyable everyday he spent with Buffy. With a little help, he had been lucky enough to be with her, to stay with her. “Come here love, and I will show you the advantages of those two bits of lace.”

******

The End


Yep, that is the end of With a Little Help. Sorry it has taken so long to put out this chapter. I have been very bummed by the cancellation of Angel, I’m feeling more chipper now and ready to write Spuffy. Long live Spuffy!! So watch for the sequal to Future Written in Blood and for another story that is set in Season 4, Change/Exchange. That last one is because I needed a good feisty Spike “I’m bad” story to work on.

Thanks to everyone for your support, kind words and encouragement. That is what helped bring me out of my slump. And again, if you want me to add you to the update list, just let me know. madrog@sunnydale-tales.com

See you soon,
Dana