Author: Nightmelody

Feedback: nightmelody@hotmail.com

Rating: Nc-17

Episode: Post 'Something Blue'

Pairing: S/B

Summary: Buffy and Spike deal with the aftermath of Willow's 'My will be done' spell.

Disclaimer: BtVS doesn't belong to me, this is fan fiction for fun, not profit.





Fueled Enchantment



He hadn't slept in days. Weeks of days. He was so tired he could barely contain the demon as he
rushed through the cemetery toward Willies.


Bourbon and blood. Lots of bourbon. Human blood, even though she liked him to drink pig's
blood. Tonight he would gorge himself on fine booze and blood and come daylight he would
sleep. Real sleep, none of the dream filled crap he'd had since that stupid spell.


Flashes of dreams, recurrent, constant, came to mind as he rushed toward Willies. Silken legs
around his back...wet and so, so tight, so hot, her cunny, clamped around him...


He'd felt it, with his finger, while they kissed on the couch, when the blind watcher was in the
kitchen. And she had welcomed his probing, grinding against him. And that whimper. God, how
could he forget that? Christ, the spell was over. Wasn't it?


The state of his pants told him it wasn't over.


On the way back from Willies his memory pulled him to other thoughts...her little titties, nipples
so hard...he'd peaked down her shirt, seen her lacy bra and then those small pink nipples, blind
Giles non the wiser. Now the sight was burned into his brain and filled his dreams until he was
tossing, awake and unsatisfied, on his bed.


And there she was. Fighting a clumsy fledgling not ten yards from his crypt. He had the worst
luck of any vampire he knew.


Except maybe the fledgling, who was now dust.


Another fledgling leapt out at her.


What the hell? It had her! He dropped his bag into the grass, and with a possessive roar rushed to
her aide.


His stupid demon counted Buffy as his, since that spell, even though he had tried to educate it.


He was going to rip that vamp part with his bare hands.


The stake in his shoulder was a surprise. Buffy managed to yank it out. Just as the vamp got a
taste of her, she dusted it.


They stood, staring at each other, both stanching their bleeding with their fingers.


"What the hell just happened here?" She asked, in her irritated, bitchy way. But underneath he
could hear her confusion.


"My crypt," he growled, grabbing her by the arm. She came, unresisting, pausing with him as he
picked up his sack.


He couldn't shake the demon, not with her blood present. It was all he could do not to sink his
fangs over the shallow gash the fledgling had managed and make his own claim.


She noticed his face when they got into the crypt. Thankfully she didn't noticed the rock in his
pants.


"Spike, shake off your face," She whined in her demanding way.


"Can't," he growled. "Your blood turns me on."


Shit! Why had he said that? Christ, he was just asking to be dusted! And she had a stake right in
her hand!


He flopped onto his couch, and rested his head in his hands, defeated. Stupid ass, he told his
demon.


And she had seen his pants-he saw where her eyes flicked.


"You want to bite me?"


"One bite." Did he sound like he was begging? "One bite, to cover that git's. One taste. Then I
can stop the bleeding. And shake it off."


"Would it hurt? Would you stop?"


Was she considering it? He nearly came in his pants at the thought.


"Wouldn't hurt. You'd feel pressure. Pleasure, too. Some kind of vampire survival thing, makes it
pleasant for girls. And I'd stop. Don't want you dead. The demon doesn't want you dead."


"Why not?" she sank down next to him on the couch. He could feel her thundering heart rate,
smell her arousal. His mouth watered.


"Cuz the demon wants to fuck you over and over. With you...participating. Can't do that if you're
dead." Well, bloody hell, he was blurting again. Must be the lack of sleep. He scowled at his feet.


"Could if you turned me." Christ, she almost sounded-flirtatious! Not that he would know how
the slayer flirted.


He shifted, uncomfortable. "Wouldn't be the same. He- I- want your...heat. A taste of your
cream, taste of your blood. That would all be gone if you got turned."


"My cream? What are you talking about? And why do you call the demon he? Isn't he you?"


"Yeah, he's me, but I can tell when the motivation is his." He calmed down a little, was able to
shake off his face. Easier to catch flies with honey, after all.


He rolled toward her, and pinned her to the couch. "Cream is down here." He slid his cool hand
right onto her mound. "Almost as good as blood."


She jumped, her eyes widening at his touch. But she didn't push him away.


Just a taste, he thought, his brain pretty much not functional. His cool tongue found her neck, and
he gently licked away the blood, and applied pressure to stop its flow.


It loosened his tongue even more. Between licks he confessed like a felon. "God, Buffy, I can't
sleep, thinking of you. Why couldn't that spell have lasted long enough for me to have you? You
wanted it-me -too. It would have been so good. God, I hate magic... Still would be so good.
Maybe I'm still enchanted. God, I want to be in you. Come in you. Taste every part of you. Will
you? Come on. I'll make it soo good. You've never felt anything like what I can do..."


She whimpered. Her hands clutched his shirt, and pulled it off. "Can't sleep, either. Dreams, all
the time, about you. Touching...Still enchanted...yes..." her lips found his.


He gathered her into his arms and took her down to his bedroom, where one candle burned in a
glass bowl. He lit others, and then turned to her.


"You can still leave."


"Gile's books say vampire sex is all about pain and domination," she whispered. She had read
every thing she could find on the subject, these past weeks..


He tipped her face up, looked deep into her eyes. "This will only be about pleasure. I promise. I
don't want to hurt you, my demon doesn't want to hurt you."


She locked her eyes to his, nodding, yes.


Slowly he reached for her tank top, looking into her eyes as he did. She was braless. He pants
were the knit zipless variety, soon off.


Spike ran one hand up and down her abdomen, resting his head against her forehead, just gazing.


"You're so beautiful, so perfect," he whispered, his voice shaky. "I know this, between us, is
insane. But how can I resist? How can I not want you?"


Buffy's small hands slid down his chest, noticing his wound was shallow and already healing,
feeling each muscle jump as she touched. She found his jeans, pulled them down, knelt before him
to undo his boot laces, making him groan.


Boots off, she looked up at him to find his blue gaze locked on her mouth.


"A taste," she whispered. He was so beautiful, how could she resist? Her tongue stroked up his
shaft, making him jump and groan. She ran her tongue over his silky tip, lapping up the tiny drop
of moisture there.


"Enough," He pulled her up and onto the bed, landing half on top of her, his lips crushing onto
hers. "In you. Gotta be in you."


"Yes," she whispered, threading her hands through his hair, circling her legs around him.


"Must be magic," he whispered against her lips, shivering. "Never been this good before." His
shaft glided in her slickness, pushing against her clit, his lips finding her pink tips, devouring her.


He slid down her body, raised her legs over his shoulders, found the sweet cream he longed for.


She moaned and ground her wetness against him, and his demon emerged in a rush. "Can't stop
myself," he growled. And he continued to devour her, until she came with a scream, hands tight in
his hair.


He crawled up her body, back in human face, and entered her, shaking with desire.


"You...you gave me pleasure, as a demon,"she gasped.


"Only pleasure for you, my sweetest girl. All I want, all of me."


She sobbed with the intensity of the fullness that stretched her, that stroked nerve endings she
didn't know she had. Soon she was clenching her inner muscles around him in an intimate caress,
making him cry out. She tilted her head, offering her throat.


"You can have the bite. Cover over that icky one," she whispered.


He was on her neck in a second, his needle sharp fangs sliding in just the right place. Her elixir
flowed into his mouth, making him giddy, drunk, exhilarated..


It was like lightening, in her whole body, a bolt of incredible pleasure. She came so hard she
nearly passed out, and he followed her, pounding, growling against her neck, wild with delight.


A moment passed. He raised his head and looked in her eyes, his own glazed with tears. "We've
just fueled the enchantment." he whispered. "There is no way I won't want this, every day, and
every night, forever."


"Oh, God," Buffy felt tears sliding down her face. "You're right. My friends will--"


"--kill me. Yeah." He rolled off her, out of her, and she clutched him back to her, slayer's arms
tight around him.


"It's worse than that. While I was reading Gile's books? About vampire sex? I ran across a story
about a slayer. In 1390. She had a vampire lover. The watchers burned her at the stake. And in
1703, another slayer had a vampire...friend, I guess. They apparently hadn't done.. what we've
done. Her watcher wouldn't kill her. So the council sent a group of assassins, who killed all three
of them. Both those slayers-they were like me, they lived past their eighteenth birthday."


"I might as well get staked, if I can't have you..." He traced the curve of her lips with his finger.
"Some stupid fledgling will take me out anyway, what with the lack of sleep and all. Or I'll fall on
a fence post, being distracted."


"Yeah, me, too. The no sleeping thing..."


"Almost got you killed tonight, didn't it?"


"Yeah."


They were silent for a long moment, enjoying the feel of each others flesh, hands gently stroking.


"What if we met in secret, once a week?" Buffy asked.


Spike looked at her in shocked delight.


"How would we keep it a secret, luv? Some one would see you coming into my crypt, sooner or
later."


"We could meet in a motel. A different one every week. One night, like every Monday."


"You think that would work?" his eye were alight with hope.


"At least we'll have once a week. It would be better than nothing. Better than dying."


"Better than nothing." He whispered, "Lots better. I could learn to live for Mondays."


" We could register as Mr. And Mrs.--"


"--Williams." He began kissing her.


"But the biting-it can't be where anyone can see it."


His finger rubbed against her soft breast. " I can switch to this location."


"Yeah, there," Buffy agreed, her voice husky. "Lets try it out.


"They'll never know."


"Never guess."


Their lips fused together in a deep kiss.


The End

Chapter Two



Some months later...



Buffy paced back and forth in the dingy motel room near the highway. She hadn't had time to find
Spike to tell him she couldn't stay tonight. She had thought about leaving a note, but that seemed
so cold. Plus a note wouldn't persuade Spike to stay away. He was likely to show up at her
bedroom window, demanding an explanation, and more.


He was going to be really disappointed, but it couldn't be helped.


She had a naughty thought. Maybe she'd offer a blow job, to ease his disappointment. He was
crazy about her mouth, down there. And she was getting better at it, learning what he liked. He
would probably still protest like crazy, because they never did it just once. They did it over and
over again, making up for the six nights a week they couldn't be together.


They weren't oversexed, she told herself for the millionth time. Or, at least, she wasn't. She
wasn't so sure about Spike. But mostly it was a strength and stamina thing. They were both
supernaturally strong. And it was working! She slept well, Spike slept well.

And patrolling-together they were like a death squad, or something. The cemeteries of Sunnydale
had never been in such good shape. And they protected each other-- they'd been injury free since
they started their secret meetings.


It would be nice to be able to share all the good things that were coming out of this plan with her
friends. In an edited way, of course. But there was no way that could happen. They would never
understand.



Just like Spike wasn't going to understand.


And he didn't.


"What?" He exploded. "Cancelled due to your period? How daft can you get!" He yanked her
close, his bright eyes boring into hers. "Vampire, here. I love blood. I knew this would happen
sooner or later." He pouted out his lower lip and gave her a puppy dog look. "I was looking
forward to it."


"Eeww, gross, Spike!" She shoved at him, but not hard enough to move him far.


"Not gross!" Spike looked offended. " How could anything gross come from you, Buffy? You're
pure yummy.. I tell you how good you taste all the time."


"Yeah, but-this is with blood!"


Spike had her by the shoulders and was moving her backwards toward the bed . "Remember when
I bit your lip by accident and it bled? You let me lick that up."


"But that was different!"


Spike had her on the bed and was pulling off her boots. He chuckled. "Explain it to me so I can
understand, Buffy."


Suddenly he buried his face in her lap and breathed deep. "Ah, you're wearing a tampon, aren't
you? I wish you'd wear a pad."


"What?" She yelped.


He growled against her inner thigh. "The smell is much richer with a pad."


"But they're uncomfortable," Buffy protested. "Bulky. And they don't fit most of my panties."


Spike had been busy while she talked and dangled her tiny, mint lace green thong from one finger.
He raised his eyebrows, amused. "You could get some underwear with more coverage, luv."


He stripped and then pounced on her like a cat. They kissed for a long hot moment and Buffy
began to relax with the intimate strokes of their tongues. It was weird, and a little gross, but who
would ever know? It would be just one more little secret.


"It's special, you know." Spike licked and nibbled along her neck. " For vampires. It tastes
different. Rich. And that's just ordinary girls. You're the slayer. I swear, my head is spinning just
from the smell. And slayer's blood-it's an aphrodisiac, did you know? Gonna drive me crazy."


As he whispered in her ear his hands were busy. One cupped a tender breast and gently rubbed a
swollen nipple. The other slipped down between her legs and in one swift pull removed her
tampon.


He rose to his knees before her and held the tampon to his nose for a smell. He vamped out and
then shook it off.


"Sorry." he said.


He set the tampon in the small trash can by the night table, and then slid two fingers between her
legs, wetting them in her fluid.


"God, Buffy, it tingles on my fingers." He looked in her shocked eyes and rubbed his sticky
fingers up and down his hard shaft, circled the red fluid on his sensitive head. "Oh, yeah. It tingles
more here. Feels warm, too." He closed his eyes and vamped out again. " Amazing, you are. You
make this, every month." He slowly licked his fingers off and then shook off his game face before
he fell on her breasts.


"Won't be able to keep from vamping out. But I'll pleasure you. I swear you won't regret giving
me this, Buffy."


"Kay." She was already past any possible regret. The vamping out thing had happened before,
especially if she teased him and made him wait. It no longer shocked her.


Then his head was at her pussy, her legs over his shoulders. He began licking, long slow licks that
plunged as deep as possible into her.


"When we're done," He growled. "And you're all sated and sleepy, I'm gonna prop you up on
some pillows on your tummy, and slide under you so your delicious pussy is right over my mouth.
And then I'll drink you. All night long." He shivered.


"God, Spike." Buffy was stunned by how much he was enjoying himself. How could she deny him
this? After all he was doing to change himself, to fight for the good.He deserved some kind of
reward, especially since the Scoobies continued to ignore his accomplishments. Didn't they
understand how much work it must be for a vampire to form an alliance with the Slayer?


And, being honest with herself, when they were together in bed, it tended to be all .about. Buffy.
What she liked, what she wanted, what made her come, over and over. Spike was more than
happy to take anything she would give him, she knew. Maybe it was time for her to give a little.


After that she was unable to think, for a long, long time, as wave after wave of pleasure wracked
her small body.


"Spike, Spike," She moaned, tugging gently on his hair. "Don't you want to come? Get up here."


He looked up at her, licking the blood from his lips, and his bumpy face smoothed away. His blue
eyes nearly glowed. He crawled up her body and plowed into her, his eyes not leaving hers for a
moment.


"Didn't know you cared, luv. But just so you know, I came every time you did. The bed's a
mess, but I didn't feel like moving away from you to get a towel."


"Y-you came four times?" She could barely speak since he was ramming into her, hard.


"Yeah. Told you it as an aphrodisiac, didn't I?"



Buffy woke up in the morning but didn't feel like moving. What a night! She couldn't even count
the number of times she had come. How many times Spike had come, either.


Her eyes searched the dim room for him, since the sky behind the thick olive drapes was just
starting to turn grey at the horizon.


He was slumped over the small table, his head buried in his arms.

Was he sick? Was her blood too rich for him? He had certainly gorged himself on it.


"Spike, are you okay?" Her voice was a little hoarse from all the moaning she'd done.


He sat up but didn't turn to look at her. He nodded, and then tossed her clothes to her. "It'll be
light soon, we had better go."


She dressed and they left in silence, not touching , like they always did, so they would look like
they had just finished a late patrol


"It makes no sense at all." He said .There was an odd bewildered quality in his tone.


"What?" The had reached her front porch now.


He turned to her and she saw a shimmer in his eyes. Tears?


"You're the Slayer. I'm a Master Vampire. Our every instinct, every fiber of our being, should be
about killing each other. I know Willow's spell brought change. Brought out our desire for each
other. Well, yours, anyway. I'm a guy, I was always, you know. Interested."


Buffy nodded.


Neither of them saw the two witches, dressed in ritual robes and holding woven baskets full of
plant material, standing by the rose bush on the side of Buffy's house, picking dried leaves.. Tara
opened her mouth to speak, to let the couple know they weren't alone, but Willow gave a sharp
shake of her head.


"But, Buffy, it's more than that."Spike continued. " If, years ago, I had somehow tasted your
blood, your menstrual blood-it would have had the same affect. On me. I would have left Dru.
Probably have killed Angel, because the thought of you with anyone but me makes me irrational. I
would have turned into your slave, back then, just on the hope that I could taste you again."


" And I don't know for the unlife of me, how I'm going to keep myself from climbing in your
window tonight and sucking every sweet drop from your pussy. It's like a spell, or something
stronger than a spell. Like it was somehow orchestrated by someone or something. Because it
isn't our nature's, to be together like this. Maybe it is a Power's That Be Deal."


Willow's eyes, wide and shocked, met Tara's.


Buffy nodded. Whatever was between them was powerful. "But why would the Powers That Be
want us together? It doesn't make sense. The whole balance thing-slayers kill vampires-yada
yada."


"I don't know. Maybe we can sneak into the Magic Shop and try to research."


"Maybe we should tell Giles what's going on."


Spike growled. "Yeah, so I can have all your little friends try to stake me. No thanks."


Buffy looked at the lightening sky. "Look, we can't talk now or you won't make it home."


Spike took her in his arms. "What if I hid in your closet until Mum and the little bit leave for the
day? We could shower together...I could have another taste." He kissed her, moaning into her
mouth. "I'll make it good for you like I did last night..."


"Oh, Spike," Buffy practically whimpered, and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him
hard. They kissed for several moments, more and more passionately. " Okay. Go ahead and climb
through my window, quick, before I change my mind. But be quiet!"


"No one will ever know I'm visiting, " He gave her a sexy smile and vanished. Buffy flew into the
house.


Willow let out a little squeak as the door shut behind Buffy and sank to the ground. "Oh my god,
oh my god! They've been having sex since I did that spell. Sex! In secret! And she let him-you
know-while she has her period. And he's like, ensorcelled!"


"Menstrual blood does have powerful qualities." Tara sounded calm and rational. "Lots of
women's magic in ancient times centered around it."


"But-but this is Buffy-and Spike! She's the Slayer! It's just-wrong!"


"Maybe we should do some research."


"Yeah. Research. Try to figure out what's going on so we can stop it!"

Chapter Three





"Well, I for one can understand Buffy's point of view," said Anya.. "Vampires have enormous
sexual stamina. She can let herself go without being afraid she'll hurt him. A good match for her
in the supernatural strength area. And if she does hurt him, well, vampire! He'll probably like it."


The Scoobies sat around Giles' living room, having a secret meeting, while Buffy was at a night
class.


Xander jumped up and began pacing around the room. "She should want to hurt him. Hello-o!
Vampire. Blood sucking fiend. And can I say, gross, the whole dead thing. He must have her
enthralled."


"No, not a thrall, Xander." said Anya. "Weren't you listening? Spike asked her if he could spend
the day in her room. If it had been a thrall he would have commanded her, and she would have
obeyed without protest. And the dead thing--well, Spike is very handsome. And he was turned to
be a sex toy, so I imagine he's well hung and skillful."


"H-Handsome? Spike?" Xander squeaked.


"S-sex t-toy?" Giles sputtered at the same time.


"Well, really, what do they tell you in those Watcher's books." Anya grimaced in disgust. "You
really think they turned Spike so he could act as a lady's maid for Druscilla? To fix her hair and
iron her ruffles? Why not just turn a real lady's maid then, because, trust me, gentlemen of Spike's
former station in life did not know how to do such things. He was turned so little spoiled Dru
could have a boy toy. Darla was tired of sharing Angelus all the time. Why do you think he
worked so hard at being the Big Bad? Tired of demons hitting on him wherever he went, I
imagine."


"Spike had a station in life?" Giles looked stunned.


"My goodness, he was Eton, then Oxford. Estate, London house, social standing. Pockets full of
money. Another reason they turned him. He probably financed the lot of them for decades. Really,
Giles, I had no idea the Watcher's council was so incompetent. This is all common knowledge in
the demon world."


"S-Spike, h-handsome?" Xander asked again.


"He is very handsome." Willow acknowledged. "And he has a great body. We saw him, um,
shirtless that one time when Giles was doing his laundry. Very Greek statue-y."


Tara nodded, eyes wide.


"So, all right. We've established that Buffy's err- attraction- to Spike is a possibility. But! To
carry it this far, an affair! That I can't see. Vampires are known to be -brutal-in their sexual
practices." Giles said.


"Hurting Buffy? I'll kill him! We'll all just sneak up and kill him." Xander was half way to the
door.


"I don't think it is brutal," Tara spoke up. "They were...lover like."


"Well, I must see for myself. Tonight we'll spy on them." Giles flipped through a notebook. "Yes,
she plans to do Mount Hope Cemetery. We'll see what occurs. Willow, can you and Tara whip
together some type of glamour? To keep us from being seen? I'll pay for the supplies."


"Sure." The witches spoke in unison.



The cemetery was quiet, once Xander and Anya quit arguing. Giles was careful to position them
downwind of the cemetery, to keep Spike unaware of their presence. As they hid behind
tombstones they had a good view of Buffy and Spike, slaying. They worked as a team , co-ordinated, side by side or back to back. They easily dispatched six vampires, five fledglings and
their sire.


"Well, I think that's the last of them for tonight."Buffy's voice carried well. "What's the tally?"


"Five for you, luv, and four vamps and one Hegar demon for me," said Spike. "And since demons
larger than a human are worth two points, I beat you by one point. So pay up, Slayer."


"Man, three nights in a row. I am so gonna eat some spinach tomorrow." Buffy protested. "But
I'll pay. You always want the same thing, anyway. Lots of smoochies and mushy missionary."


"And you like every second of it, missy. And I might surprise you tonight. I might pick something
really raunchy. Really bad. Shocking." Spike leered at her and licked his lips in a lascivious way,
causing Buffy to dissolve in a fit of giggles. She threw her arms around him and they kissed
passionately.


"You will not," she said. "Well, not the first time, anyway. I know you, mush boy."


"Mush boy. Mush boy! Hey, big bad here! I know more about raunchy sex then you've ever
imagined, little girl. Why, I could write a book."


The two walked off, arms around each other, laughing and kissing.


Giles polished his glasses."Well, well, I don't know what to say. Shocking, of course. And not
what I was expecting. I really think I need expert advice on this situation. I'm going home. I need
to make a few phone calls. I... I will keep you all informed, of course."


With that he turned and left.


"Well, I'm all for going home. What would you rather do, Xander? Mushy missionary or
raunchy?" Anya asked.


"Anya, this is not something to joke about! This is a serious aberration in the slaying profession!
Bad, bad stuff."


"I'll show you some bad stuff, big boy," Anya said, dragging him off.


The witches were left alone. Tara gave Willow a sideways glance through her long lashes. They
gazed into each other's eyes for a moment.


"Mushy?" Willow breathed.


Tara nodded her head, eyes shining. "And lots of smoochies."


They left quickly.



***


One Week Later



The Scoobies, on Giles' orders, held off on taking any action about the Affair. Giles had Council
researchers checking out their vast stores of information and suggestions before they acted. So
life went on as nearly normal, though they all had the knowledge that Buffy and Spike spent hours
together each night.



"We were so smart to rent this room," Buffy murmured into Spike's neck. They were lying naked
together on a mattress on the floor of a dingy basement apartment, covered with second hand
store bedding, the only light coming from the ancient stove in the kitchen area. "Cheaper than
motel rooms every week. I was having a hard time explaining my money shortages to Mom."


"Yeah, and we can get together every night. No one to see you creeping into my crypt."


"Your bed there is much nicer, though."


Spike looked at the faded, ancient bedding and grimaced. "I'll try to fix this up a bit, pet. You
deserve better."


"I'll see what I can find, too. More pillows..."


"I'll bring candles. Love you in candle light." He began raining kisses down her neck.


She sighed in pleasure. "Mmm, Spike. More smoochies? I never guessed vampires would be
so...cuddly."


Spike stopped and looked at her, his serious expression catching her off guard.


"What?" She asked, suddenly concerned by the look on his face.


"Never like this, with vampires. Not that I've ever seen."


"So...it wasn't like this, when you and Dru...?


He snorted. "Hardly. She liked the sweet stuff, but not during sex. She liked pain with her
pleasures. Nothin' like what we do."


Buffy forehead creased in thought. "So, all this...foreplay...and stuff. You learned it when you
were human?"


"Nah. Didn't know nothin' as a human. Dru was my first."


Buffy let that sink in for a minute. "But, you've done it with lots of human girls?"


"No, not really. Dru didn't like me to. Not unless she was in charge...You don't want to know.
My first time with the...don't know what to call it...sweet stuff?... was you. During that spell."


"That was the first time that it wasn't...painful?"


"Yeah. And it was a bloody revelation, let me tell you. You were so sexy, so sweet. Your lips,
your hands...God, you drove me nuts. Still do." His mouth found hers and he moaned as she
sucked his tongue.


Buffy ran her fingers through his gelled curls, absurdly pleased with his revelation. Despite all his
years as a vampire, this, with her, was something new.


"Special," She whispered as his wet mouth found her nipple.


"You are," He breathed.



Toward dawn they kissed goodbye in the basement stairwell and then Spike glided across the
street to the cemetery, to his crypt. Buffy waited until he was out of sight and began the walk
home. As she turned on to Revello drive, still a couple blocks from home, she sneaked a peak
over her shoulder. Yup there he was, a block behind her, leather coat flapping. Making sure the
slayer got home safely.


She snickered, and paid no attention to the dark van parked on the street. As she passed it the
doors flew open and four men, dressed in black and heavily armed, surrounded her. There was a
burst of energy from a tazer, and Buffy was down.


Spike, a block a way, gave a shout and began running toward the van. As it pulled away from the
curb he was able to jump on top.


"Christ, what's that?" One of the men inside said, in a clipped British accent.


"Don't know. Tree branch?"


"She's older than I thought. And real looker."Another voice spoke.


"Yeah. You thinking what I'm thinking?" Still another voice.


"Yeah. Before we do her, we should DO her."


"Yeah, show her what she's been missing from a real man."


"We will do this, regulation, men." said the first voice. "She's the slayer. We will take no
chances."


"Who's to know, Captain? Just be us. Dead slayers tell no tales. And she's hot."


"Yeah. Hot. I'm going to chew those vampire hickeys right off her tits."


Spike was enraged. He wanted to tear these guys apart, painfully. He held on until the van turned
into the rough foothills outside of Sunnydale.


They were human, he wouldn't be able to touch them because of the frigging chip. He'd need to
get the Scoobies.


Them van began to slow down and turned onto a heavily wooded, overgrown drive way. Spike
slid off the van and melted into the woods.



Giles was fixing a second cup of Earl Grey when there was a furious banging at his door. He
opened it and Spike, smoking under a thick blanket, fell into his livingroom.


"Spike!"


""Buffy..in trouble...men in a van, military types. Got her up in the woods. Come on! There's not
much time."


The vampire was in such a state he could hardly speak.


"Buffy's been kidnaped?"


"Yeah. British dudes. They're gonna rape her first. Come On!"


Giles quickly assembled weapons and called Xander and Willow. Tara joined them, too.


Spike was moaning and in pain from burns, nearly incoherent. "Won't be any good to her. Day
light. And chipped." But he was able to direct them to the drive way in the hills.


They circled around, Spike insisting on coming with his blanket. The woods were thick here, it
was mostly shade.


Four men were in the cabin, shouting.


"Watcher's council wet works team," Giles assessed. "Expert assassins."


"Why would they be kidnaping Buffy?" Xander asked. "Is it another type of test?"


""No, no, I'm afraid it's much worse than that. I'm afraid they are here to eliminate Buffy."


"What?" Willow said.


"My fault, I'm afraid. I asked a colleague for help with the Buffy- Spike situation."


"She gets raped and murdered because we had sex?" Spike looked so dangerous they all backed
away from him. "This is what the good guys do?"


Tara began crying. "No, no. That's not what we wanted."


"Yeah, I know what the lot of you want. You want your Buffy puppet. Everything convenient and
easy for you and fuck with any quality of life for her. Your tool." Spike whirled away from them
and headed for the cabin.


"No! But right now we need to get her out of there."


Tara dried her eyes and plucked something from the forest floor.


"Willow, damper's root. It...we can use it in a spell. "

The witches bent together and pulled up the woody root.


"Giles, we need to make a circle of this. They will be powerless inside it".


In a few moments they had their plan. Xander stood in the shade by the front of the cabin, holding
Spike as though he was a hostage.


"Hey, I've got something you want. Vampire, by the name of William the Bloody. But you'll have
to come get him. Once he wakes up I can't hold him." Spike slumped as though unconscious.


The door opened. The men spilled out into the large half circle the witches had made with the
root. Tara and Giles quickly tied the ends together while Willow stepped from behind Xander and
Spike.


"Bind and keep," was all she said. In a flash the root whipped around the men, growing tendrils,
and they were immobilize.


Spike flew into the cabin at vampire speed. The others followed.


Spike was untying Buffy as they entered, and she threw her arms around him, with tears and
laughter. "They were going to kill me and you. They're from the Council. Just like in the books."


"What books, Buffy?" Giles asked.


"Books of yours, about vampires. Slayers and vampires...the Council always killed them."


"It's happened before?' He looked dumbfounded. "I didn't know"



Later that day they met at Buffy's house, at her insistence. To the Scoobies surprise, Joyce was
sitting with her daughter. She skewered Giles with a glance.


"This council of yours. They will continue to send assassins for Buffy, am I correct? Because of
her--relationship-- with Spike." She turned her glance on Buffy, who ducked her head.


"Buffy has told me everything. About how this started with your spell, Willow. About Spike's
chip. About dreams and not being able to sleep, about almost getting killed while fighting
vampires, about their decision to begin seeing each other in secret."


"I am not saying I approve of what they have done. But, that being said, I think a death sentence
is way out of line. I will not have my daughter-or Spike-killed for what is essentially a teen
romance."


This time, Giles ducked his head.


"I'm sending Buffy away. I've bought her as car, and wiped out my savings account. She will
leave tonight. Spike will accompany her."


Xander protested at this. The others looked shocked.


"I am at least sure that Spike will do every thing he can to keep Buffy alive, healthy and happy. Of
the rest of you, I'm not so sure. Plus, he has the street smarts to get her fake identification, which
I suspect, she's going to need." She looked at Giles and he nodded.


"You can take care of that team of assassins?" Buffy asked.


"Already done. When they wake up in the morning, they will only remember that they can't find
her." Willow said.


"I've made a casserole, you're all welcome to stay for dinner. A good bye party, since we don't
know when we'll see her again," Joyce' voice broke on the last few words and she ran from the
room.


After a subdued meal, Giles and Xander helped carry various suitcases and boxes down to the
driveway. Spike had the car and was finishing his own packing. He arrived at sundown in a
minivan with tinted windows.


"I wish it didn't have to be this way, I wish I had never done that spell, " Willow bawled.


"I know. Perhaps Giles can work with the Council, call off the dogs." Buffy replied, also in tears.


"I'll try, Buffy, I promise. But, you must leave here, your mother is right. You don't deserve to
die over a teenage indiscretion." Giles gave her a hug.


So they said goodbye in the drive way, Dawn promising to dust Buffy's bedroom, Joyce and
Buffy crying, Spike sitting at the wheel of the van looking uncomfortable.


"You take care of my baby, Spike," were Joyce' last words as they reversed down the drive.


"I will, Joyce. Give you my word."

Chapter Four



Ten years later.



Giles, Xander , Anya, Willow and Tara sat in Giles living room, having a heated discussion.


"I don't see why we need to bring them both back. We don't know anything about him. He may
have gotten rid of the chip. He might kill us all." Xander's face was red.


"The dynamics of the spell will work so much better if we retrieve them both. They left together.
As far as we know, they're still together. They were when we got the college graduation
announcement from Dawnie. She said they bought her furniture for her new apartment as a gift."
Willow said.


"And we did a locator spell. Both lights appeared in New Orleans." Tara spoke gently.


"And if they are still together, then Spike could be a big help with the Grimali." Anya said.


"So, we know where they are-why not just go there and find them?"


"There's very little time." Giles spoke while removing his glasses and frowning. "The temporal
disturbance will happen with the full moon, in ten days. The closer we get to that time, the more
difficult it will be to get right results from a spell."


"I propose we do it at dawn," Willow said. "We have everything we need, right, Giles?"


"Yes. At first I was going to have Angel bring the dragon tears with him, but I was able to locate
some in Finland. They arrived in the post this morning. So we don't have to wait for Angel and
Faith to arrive. Their flight doesn't comes in for forty eight hours."


"So, we're going to do this, huh? Drag Buffy and Spike here to fight a Grimali Queen, even
though she hasn't been slaying in a decade?" Xander asked.


"Faith will be there to help, as will Angel and his crew. Need I remind you that once the queen
lays and hatches her eggs, well, it will be too late. For humans. Only a few demons will survive
the swarm."


Xander nodded. "Yeah, all right. I agree. Bring on Buffy and her bloodsucking lover."




The witches did the spell precisely at dawn, just them, Anya and Giles, to make four. When it was
complete and the summoning circle glowed, Anya let Xander in. He was carrying a crossbow. It
was his own idea.


There was a shimmer in the circle, as two shapes began to take form. Soon a bewildered Spike
and Buffy stood in the circle, dressed casually in sweats and tank tops.


"Giles! What?" Buffy looked confused.


Spike threw himself in front of her. "Might be a trap, luv."


"No, no trap!" Giles rushed to reassure them "We desperately need your help, and this was the
quickest way."


Just then , two more shimmer forms took shape. A Spike dressed in an expensive dark suit and
maroon silk tie, materialized, followed by a very blond Buffy in a sundress. They were followed
by two more shimmers, a dark haired Buffy leaning heavily on a cane, and a Spike in a black wife
beater, black jeans, and black duster, holding a bottle of scotch.


Drinking Spike and suited Spike locked eyes.


"Bloody hell," they said in unison.


The blondest Buffy flew across the circle to Tara, hugged her, and then snaked an arm around
Anya. "Tara, Anya, you're alive! Oh, I've missed you so much." She cried, tears streaming down
her face. Then she saw the other Spikes and Buffys. A look of complete confusion clouded her
face.


"I think our summoning spell had unexpected results," said Giles. "Let us retire to the living
room, and talk."


Over rolls and coffee, and mugs of blood for the vampires, they all tried to sort it out.


The Buffy and Spike who were dressed in work out clothes were the couple that had left
Sunnydale together, fleeing a Council wetworks team, ten years ago. They were married and were
known by different names, Beth and Dan.


"We got to New Orleans, where Spike had some contacts in the demon realm. We were almost
out of money. Spike sold the van so we could get an ugly little basement apartment. He was able
to get us fake id's so I could get a job without being traced by the council. Spike got a job, too."
Buffy glanced at her Spike and he took up the story.


"I got a job through a demon friend of mine as a bouncer in a club. But pretty quick I figured out
that I could make a lot more money by being part of the show. So I got an act together and
started bringing in a lot of money. All legit, too, even if I don't declare all my tips."


Anya looked confused. "So, what kind of act do you do? You get tips?"


"I'm a male stripper in a trendy club. I do an act in an angel costume. I bill myself as Angel."

His smirk said it all. "I make really good money. Buffy went to college."


"I teach preschool, now."


"Yep, still dealing with monsters," Spike snarked, and Buffy cuffed him, gently.


Next was the very blond Buffy. "In my dimension-ours, I think," She glanced at the suited Spike.
"Mom died, and we found out Dawn was the key that Glorificus, a hell god, wanted to sacrifice. I
ended up being the sacrifice. I died. Spike," She swallowed hard. "Spike took care of Dawn.
Willow did a spell and I was brought back to life, but it changed Willow, not for the best. Spike
and I...um...were together for a while. It ended badly, but it wasn't all his fault. He went to Africa
and got a soul. When he got back to Sunnydale, the First Evil had returned. It as a difficult time.
We did a spell that made all the potential slayers real slayers. Not just one girl. But Spike is the
one who saved us, with an amulet. He burned up the Hell Mouth. And died."


"And the amulet magically survived. I ended up at Angel's new office building, kind of a ghost.
Later I became corporeal. I work as an investigator, but I have my own business. I do contract
work for Angel's company."


"And I live in England, where Giles runs a school for slayers. I work with him"


"Dawn is still alive, in your worlds?" The dark haired Buffy spoke. "In my world, Dawn and
Spike both died, that morning on the tower. She jumped, and Spike tried to catch her. The First
Evil didn't rise. There hasn't been an apocalypse since Glorificus."


"Our Dawn is a scientist. She's married and has a baby boy." tank top Buffy spoke.


"How did you keep her safe from Glorificus?" Blondest Buffy asked. "And in our dimension, Tara
and Anya are both...gone." Spike nodded.


"Mom died, just like in your world. Dawn came to live with me-we got her a false identity.. When
we got the word on Glory, we went to a friend of Spike's. The whole family are shape shifters.
But not evil, they just can change forms. There's this powerful priestess in the Swamps-she got
Spike a soul without a curse, and shut down his chip-anyway, she did a spell so Dawn would
change shapes with the family. So Dawn spent that whole time in the swamp, being a raven, or an
alligator."


"Or a bob cat. She liked that best." Tank topped Spike said. "We figure that's why she went into
wildlife biology."


"And she married Pierre , the son ."


"In my world, Dawn works for the new Watchers council. She is a pretty powerful witch, too."
Said blondest Buffy. Suited Spike nodded.


"Pretty amazing how things turned out so different," said Xander.


"Different choices," said Giles. "What might have been."


"What about you?" Xander spoke to the black clad Spike. "Are you chipped? Souled?"


He gave Xander a hard look. "Chip doesn't work anymore, but I'm not feeding off anyone.
Promise I made. No soul. Didn't want to be like Angel, all broody. I run a bar in Cleveland.
Demon bar. Dawn and Buffy are both dead. Died on the tower. Willow tried to bring Buffy back,
but it went wrong, and Willow's not been the same since then. Tara is still with her, but they live
in England, with Giles, I guess. Angel and his crew are in Sunnydale a lot. We don't keep in touch
much."


"Now, see, this Spike makes me uncomfortable. Could still be a blood sucker." Xander said.


"I just said I'm not." Black clad Spike spoke in a flat tone.


"Easy to prove," said Suit Spike. "Give us a taste. We can tell if it's human. Can tell if its
preserved with chemicals."


Black Spike scowled at him but finally jerked his head in assent. He bit his wrist. The other
Spike's nonchalantly dipped their fingers and tasted.


"Mostly pig, a little preserved human."


"What, I sell it in my bar! And I think its only fair that you two prove yourselves to me. Plenty of
souled killers out there."


They both obliged by producing drops. Suited Spike's was the same as Black Spike's, mostly pig,
with a little preserved human.


Suit Spike tasted the last sample and paused for a moment before he chuckled, a knowing hmmm,
hmmm, hmmm.


Black clad Spike tasted the sample and seemed to freeze in place for a moment. Then he looked at
the two, his expression angry. "You should have warned me, you gits. I'm the one with no soul.
I'm the one that's never had it. Her." With a flap of leather he whipped around and stormed out
of the room.


"What just happened here?. Has he been feeding?" Xander asked.

"He's had a healthy taste of Buffy," suit Spike said. "Look at him. He's got twenty pounds of
muscle on me or the unsouled. He's gettin' it regular."


"He Bites you?" dark haired Buffy looked horrified.


"Regular as in monthly." Suit Spike said. "Am I right?" His gaze was bland, but ran briefly over
Blondest Buffy..


Tank top Buffy was red in the face. Blond Buffy looked a little pink.


Tank top Spike shrugged. "We're married.'s all proper."


"Talk amongst yourselves," suit Spike smirked. "I'll go get the git. Unless you want to go." He
gave dark haired Buffy a raised eyebrow glance. "Could be pretty exciting."


She rolled her eyes. "I've forgotten about his more infuriating qualities," she muttered..


"Yes, quite." Giles murmured in return.
 

Chapter Five





Willow did not have a way of returning them, but the council-now run by Giles, in this
dimension,-got busy with research. It was determined that a return spell wouldn't work correctly
until the temporal disturbance was passed. The other dimension Buffys and Spikes were willing to
help with the Grimali Queen.


Giles had plenty of room to house them all at the Council's country estate. Rooms were opened,
clothes were purchased-it seemed like an odd sort of vacation. There wasn't a lot of need to
patrol this section of country, but the Buffys and Spikes did serious training and sparring. It was
found that the married couple worked best as a team, and that more muscular Spike was both
stronger than the others, but also slower. The Buffy and Spike who had fought the First were fast,
strong and wily, but there was a some awkwardness in their team work.


The dark haired Buffy and unsouled Spike were paired by default, but they actually did well as a
team. She had no speed, due to her leg injury, but was the most expert at weapons, especially
crossbows and spears. Unsouled Spike was tough and ruthless in a competition. He had an
uncanny way of having half an eye on his partner, and despite her physical limitations they were a
formidable team.


Blondest Buffy, who had fought the first, couldn't sleep one night. It was raining gently and her
room was on the top floor so the sounds of the raindrops kept her awake. She made her way to
the kitchen for a snack and then went to the large living room, intent on watching TV for a while.


A Spike came down the stairs at top speed. She looked at the hair-married Spike had golden
blond hair, her Spike had bleached white and ruthlessly gelled hair, unsouled Spike had some curl
in his bleached hair and bolts through each ear.


It was her Spike, from LA.


"What's up?" She said as his hand reached for the door knob. He really was worked up. His hand
shook on the door knob, and his nostrils were wide and quivered. He looked ready for a fight. Or
sex. The thought came before she could stop it.


He was ready to burst. "It's bad enough I got the married couple on one side, squaking the bed
for god alone knows how many hours every night. And all their cooing and moaning coming right
through the wall. Now I've got black Spike next door, havin' the dream of his unlife come true
with dark Buffy, and let me tell you, he's not wasting one second of it."


Unsouled Spike was having sex with dark haired Buffy? Wow. Then it dawned on her. "You're
jealous? After all these years, you're jealous?"


He looked at her with angry eyes flashing yellow. "I'm a lot of things. Mostly, I'm out of here."

He burst out of the door into the rain.


All these years and he'd never even tried to get in touch? Barely spoke to her when she visited LA
on business? Is that why he had quit being her friend? Become polite and distant, all business?


She burst out of the door after him. He headed to the garage and she caught up with him as he
was opening the door of the vehicle earmarked for their use.


"Spike," she grabbed his arm and he swung around to face her.


His eyes flicked down to her wet, pale pink t-shirt, and in the light streaming from the open car, it
was nearly transparent, her beaded nipples visible. His eyes stayed there, roving her nearly nude
chest, hunger on his face, and his breath came through his mouth.


"Spike," Buffy said again. His eyes flew shut and he swallowed, hard. He flung himself into the
car, but her hand still gripped his arm, and the movement brought the back of his hand against her
rain wet breast.


They both froze.


"Bloody hell! I've got to get out of here."


"No, Spike don't go," She wanted to talk, she wanted...


He pulled her to him, lips tight with fury. "You are playing with fire, and you should know
better!" His lips ground down on hers, and he fully expected to be punched, hard.


But her arms slid around his neck, and her soft tongue wrapped around his desperate one.


"Don't tease me," he ground out against her lips.


"I'm not. Not teasing. I just can't think of why we shouldn't ...be together. If we want to be."


"I want..." Spike moaned, pulling her soaked shirt off. One large hand cupped her little breast, the
other arm snaked around her neck to pull her mouth to his.


Buffy's legs were hanging out of the car door, and it dawned on her after awhile that they could
move. "Wanna go to my room?"


"Too far. Can't wait," Spike whispered. "Backseat."


They clambered into the back seat, hampered by Spike yanking her pajama pants off as she
climbed in. He followed her in, kissing and biting her spine and shoulders, cupping and squeezing
her round cheeks.


She turned toward him and found herself flat on her back with her legs sprawled far apart, with
Spike grinding his denim covered cock against her sensitive skin.


"I want to be in you," he moaned, almost apologetic. "Can't wait." His lips found her nipple and
he licked roughly.


"Take off your pants and get in me, then," Buffy ordered him.


" I should wait, make it good for you, sweets," His words came in gasps.


Buffy yanked his jeans down and pulled his shirt up. "Don't wanna wait." she wiggled beneath
him as he hesitated, until she could feel his steel hard length against her slickness.


His whole body jerked in reaction and he reared back, seeking her eyes in the dark. She slid her
hands into his soft hair and pulled him down to her lips. She ran her tongue over his full soft lips
and spoke against him, "In, now, " she urged.


The hard cool length of him rubbed against her, deliberately prodding her clit, and she moaned,
still against his lips. Then he entered her, slowly, his whole body shaking. He vamped out, needle
sharp fangs nicking her lips.


"Sorry." He moaned, being very still within her.


" 'S okay. I don't mind. I wonder if dark haired Buffy is freaking out when he vamps."


Spike drew in a sharp breath and let out a sound that was half chuckle, half whimper. "He's pretty
out of control. Like me." He began pumping into her.


Buffy wrapped her legs around him. "Take me on a wild ride, honey." Her words came on gasps
of air.


He came to a full stop. "Honey? You called me ...honey?" He didn't know if he should be thrilled
or insulted.


She pulled his head to her breast, and her fingers searched out his fangs. "Yeah, and you can give
me a little sting if you want." She rubbed a small, hard nipple against his lips, and he instinctively
nipped at it, his fangs sinking in around her nipple in a shallow bite. Her whole body jerked, and
she clamped her inner muscles around his cock and pushed his head into her breast.


He lost all control, ramming into her while deepening the bite, sucking the intoxicating blood
from her breast. He retained enough control to slide a hand between them, finding her swollen
nub.


Buffy was swamped with sensation. Each thrust sent her careening into pleasure, his mouth at her
breast was both exquisitely painful and pleasurable, his knowing finger rubbed her, spiraling her
into pleasure so intense her fingernails drew blood. She came so hard she nearly blacked out, only
Spike's growling against her breast and his wild lunges and hard spurts into her body keeping her
conscious.


They were finally still, sated. Spike moved a little so he wouldn't crush her. Her breast was still
bleeding, and he pressed his cool tongue against her, stopping the bleeding and cleaning the
wound.


"It's gonna scar, a little. I'm sorry, lost control." His voice was full of regret.


"It's okay. I wanted it. It was ...good. More than good. It was what I have been dreaming about."
She rained kisses along his jaw.


He pushed himself up and looked into her eyes. "You probably know, after that, how I feel about
you. Still."


"Spike, I meant what I said that day. I love you. I have for a long time. I figured you were lost to
me...first when you died, then after you were back you were so different. Distant."


"I wanted top give you your freedom. Not be a weight around your neck, always wanting what
you couldn't give."


Buffy pulled him down for a kiss. "I can give now, Spike. I'm all grown up. This is what I want.
Us."


Spike was still, feeling her soft lips coaxing his own, too engulfed with joy to move , for a
moment, his mind flooded with possibilities and dreams long suppressed. "So, we're an us, now?"
He finally spoke.


"If you want." Buffy whispered, her hands gliding over him in a gentle caress.


"Oh, I want," Spike groaned , his lips finding hers once again.
 

Chapter Six



Earlier that same evening:



Buffy brushed her silky brown hair, admiring the streaks Anya had put in it for her. It wasn't
blond, like the other two Buffys, of course, but it was a pretty change to have honey brown
streaks near her face. She hadn't thought about her looks, or clothes-other than the laundry issue-
in months. Maybe years. During this enforced vacation she had found herself thinking of both, like
the girl she had once been, so long ago.


It was too early for bed and it hadn't started raining yet so she decided to go out to the garden for
a bit. It was overgrown but still green and lovely, so different from her small efficiency apartment
near down town Sunnydale. There was a park bench on a little hill that overlooked a pond. She
went there most evenings, watched the sunset, with a sack of bread heels for the ducks.


She sat on the bench, enjoying the damp breeze, smiling at the duck's antics. This had been a nice
vacation, a respite from the pain and weariness her life had become. A respite from loneliness,
too.


She had a Watcher, of course, a practical, cold woman named Marianne Harkins. Giles had move
back to England years ago, to take a research position with the Council. Her friends from
highschool had found careers and families, and decided that they needed to be far away from the
Hell Mouth and nightly cemetery patrols. They kept in touch, of course, but she knew she
reminded them of dark things, dark times. She didn't blame them for separating themselves from
Sunnydale and the Slayer. Heck, she wished she could separate herself.


It wouldn't be for much longer, she knew. The past few years she had sustained more and more
injuries, finally getting this shattered leg in a fall from a high ledge. The doctors had wanted to
amputate, but she had waited for the slayer healing to kick in. It had healed, sort of. The doctors
considered it a miracle that she could even walk on it with a cane. So her days were numbered.
This year, her twenty ninth, a new record for slayers, would be her last.


Maybe she would die here on this little dimensional glitch vacation. The Grimali Queen sounded
hellish enough that even with all the extra Spikes and Buffys running around, it wasn't a sure
thing.


It was odd how their lives had turned out so differently, following Willow's spell. She had had
those dreams, too, and lost sleep. She had begged Willow for a sleeping potion. Spike, as she
recalled, had been reeling drunk just about every time she'd seen him. Then Glory had arrived,
Mom had died, and Dawnie had jumped, while she lay helpless with a dagger in her chest, blood
filling her lungs. Spike had been grievously wounded, too. He had grabbed at Dawn but missed
her. So he had chosen to follow her. She had seen him turn to dust when they hit the vortex.
Glittering, swirling dust, covering Dawnie...


Wonder if there's some dimension where Dawn and her vampire babysitter exist?


The married Buffy and Spike, who had run away from all things Sunnydale-they had the best life
of any of them. And she had run away with him, before he got a soul! Their Dawn had grown up,
healthy and happy. Had a baby now! And their world hadn't seemed to suffer because the Slayer
left Sunnydale and her Chosen Duties. Maybe I'll leave Sunnydale when I get back. Move
somewhere far away, take a new name.


It was something to think about.


A vampire was near, she felt that tingle. She turned and saw the black clad, unsouled Spike. He
joined her on the bench. He joined her most nights at sun down, and they sat mostly in silence.


"Mind if I smoke?"


"No, go ahead." She paused. "Can I ask you something?"


He shrugged. "Won't answer if I don't want to."


"What did you do, after Willow's spell. Did you have the dreams?" She was glad for the twilight,
it covered her sudden blush.


"Yeah. Thought it was just me, though, not her, too. Ripped off a pharmacy. Enough downers
and booze and even a vampire will sleep. Stayed away from her for awhile. Didn't want to do
something stupid and get staked."


"And then Glory came?"


"Yeah. I got pushed off the tower, early on. Don't know just what happened up there, if one tried
to jump, and the other tried to stop her. Don't know. Just know they were together."


"Do you think there's a dimension where they are together?"


"Don't know much about this dimension stuff. I always figured they were in heaven, with their
mom."


"Heaven!" Buffy took a deep breath, and leaned back. " I had forgotten all about heaven. I
wonder if I'll go to heaven."


"Course you will. You're the Slayer, right? Got a soul, been a good girl for Santa." He finished
his cigarette and was ready to flick the butt until he felt Buffy's pointed glare. He waited for it to
cool and then shoved it into his pocket. "See? You're the grand high poobah of all righteousness."


"So," he continued. "Why are you thinking about your afterlife?"


She slapped the cane against her boot. "Suspect it's in my near future."


"Yeah. Could turn you if you want."


She gasped, outraged, until she saw the smirk. She gave him a shove. He grinned and pulled a
flask from his coat. He took a big gulp, and then handed it to her. "Drink?"


Why not. Being a good Slayer had gotten her precisely nothing. She took a swig. "Ah! gak! eew!"
It burned all the way down. "H...how can you drink that!"


"Wait a couple minutes. It gets better."


It did, very warm and relaxing. When he offered the flask again, she took another swig.


"Well, this is what I don't get," she said, after her third swallow. "I did everything right. I took
the sleeping potion, slept through all those dreams. Went out with nice, All American boys,
patrolled every night, rain or shine, sick or well. Never took a vacation longer than three days.
Follow Giles' advice. Dusted like a million vampires. And what did I get for being so good? A
crappy one room apartment, paid for by a crummy job in a diner. No husband, no boyfriend, no
girl friends because they all figure out that I'm into something weird. This is the first time I've
been out of California since I was thirteen years old. My watcher, Ms. Hawkins, is scarier than
most of the stuff I kill."


She grabbed the flask from him and continued her tirade. "And the married Buffy! She went to
bed with him just weeks after Willow's spell. And kept seeing him for months and months. And
ran away with him, when he didn't even have a soul, and quit slaying! She teaches nursery rhymes
to four year olds, and has a pretty house with a garden. And a baby nephew she can visit anytime.
And her husband adores her."


Spike grabbed the flask from her before she could take another gulp. "Yeah, but you can see that
she cares about him, too."


"That's true."


"The other Buffy and Spike haven't had it so easy, even though they were together for awhile. "
said Spike.


"But they ended up being friends and allies. And he got a soul for her."


"Yeah. And I suspect they will do the deed before this little jaunt is over."


"Really? Cuz she told me they haven't seen each other in years."


"It's not over. Not for him. Probably never be over for him. I've seen the way he looks at her."


"And if they do, they'll probably be happy." Buffy looked out into the stars. "They did everything
I was taught was wrong, but it turned out so right. I did the right things and it turned
out...wretched. Why?"


Spike drank the rest of the scotch and slipped the flask back into his pocket


"Because they did what was honest. What was really in their hearts. Not artificial, what would
make their friends happy. Or their Watcher. They made it happen. They wanted it to be good, and
refused to listen to all those fools, and it's good. No regrets."


He rose abruptly and was yards away in a moment.


He does this all the time, Buffy thought, just hops up and runs off. Irritating vampire!


"Spike, wait up." He stopped and turned to watch her and she was embarrassed at her awkward
lurching stride, when he was so fluid and graceful. "Why did you leave?"


His long cool fingers touched the side of her face, felt a lock of hair and then slowly drew to her
lips, barely touching. He stared at her face, unblinking, intense.


She felt a slight tremor in his fingers, and echoed it with her whole body.


"Because it's not over for me, either."