Feedback: I live on it, I thrive on it. GIMMEE GIMMEE GIMMEE!!!

A/N--> this is set sometime after “Damage” but before the season finale. Angel is waaaaaaaaaaaay over Buffy, and Fred is still...Fred. also, this was my first ever fanfic, so it's kinda bad. this isn't the first one i've published on this site, but it's the first one i ever wrote.

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She took his hand, and spoke words to him that weren’t meant to be heard by others. Her affection was on her face. She didn’t want him to go. Not when she had just realized what he meant to her. After hearing those softly spoken words, he uttered a response, all the while having an ironic look on his face. Tears threatened to expose themselves as she let go of his hand. She turned and left him, but in her mind’s eye, she saw him burst into flame, slowly disintegrating into nothing. And as he burned, so did she. Her pain filled shriek was heard through the silence of the night.


“Buffy! Buffy!” Willow shook her friend, trying to wake her. “Buffy! What’s wrong?” She knew the answer. She didn’t even have to ask. Willow was the only one who Buffy had admitted the cause of her nightmares to, though everyone knew anyway.

Buffy looked up at the Wicca, and seeing the knowledge overshadowed by concern sent her into tears. Willow reached out with her mind to see what was happening.

~Buffy? Can you hear me?~

~Yeah, Will. I can hear you.~

~Do you wanna talk about it?~

~I don’t know.~

~Well, if there’s anything I can do-~

~He was there, and then he was gone, and I was so empty.~

~Buffy, who?~

This was a pointless question. The Wicca had heard her friend cry out his name in her sleep.

~Buffy, was...was it because of him?~

~Yes.~

~Buffy, if you wanna tell me what went on in that cavern before you came up...~

~I told him. I told him, and I meant it with all my heart, and he said I didn’t. ~ Buffy began to sob uncontrollably. ~He didn’t believe me, Will. He didn’t believe me!~

~Oh, oh, god, Buffy. I’m so sorry.~

~It’s okay. Sometimes.~

~Buffy-~

~It hurts. Oh, god, Will. It hurts so much.~

~Knowing he’s gone?~

“No. Knowing he’s not.”

Willow stared blankly at her, not understanding what she meant.

“What?” she asked, her voice dripping with concern and confusion.

“He might not be walking around with us here on earth, but he won’t leave me alone. He haunts me every night, taunts me with visions of his death, and now he’s torturing me with visions of him being out and about. God, Will, why won’t he leave me alone? Why can’t I just admit I need him here, and have him not be gone anymore? I need him, Will, more than anything!” sobbed Buffy.

“Buffy, Spike...might not have to be gone forever.”

Buffy’s head shot up at that.

“Wha-what d-do you mean?” she asked in between her quieting sobs.

“I mean I think I found a way to bring him back,” Willow said, well aware of the hope building up inside her friend, “only, you might not like who you have to turn to in order for it to happen. I mean, I’ll understand if you don’t want-“

“Tell me what I have to do,” Buffy’s face was shining with determination as she interrupted her friend.

***
 

Chapter 2:

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“Yes, and when you’re done with that, can you send in my 12 o’clock, Harmony?” asked Angel over the intercom.

“Sure boss, only...”

“Only what?” asked Angel, and Harmony could practically hear him narrow his eyes in suspicion.

“Well, you’re 12 o’clock is here, and they’re ready to break down your door,” was Harmony’s response.

“Oh, well, if that’s all...wait, Harmony, who is my twelve o’clock again? I didn’t understand you the first time.”

Just then the door to Angel’s office burst open. He stared in shock at what he was seeing.

“Uh, Angel? Meet your appointment for the afternoon,” Harmony said nervously.

***

About ten minutes later, Angel sat facing the visitor.

“So, basically, you’re saying you want us,” said Angel indicating Fred, Lorne, Gunn, Wes, and himself, “to bring Spike back, and make him real again?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m asking,” was the visitor’s short response.

Angel suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, and that was so unlike him. The visitor looked around at the surrounding people as they cracked up, too. She shook her head at them.

“What is so God damn funny?” she asked impatiently.

“Oh, this...this...is...gonna...gonna...be good!” Lorne managed to say before cracking up again.

The visitor stamped her foot angrily, causing the whole office to shake.

Angel stopped laughing long enough to lean over to his intercom. “Harmony, could you send him in now, please?” he asked, a smile still dancing over his lips.

“Who?”

“You know who. The guy who turned up a couple months ago.”

“Oh. OH! You mean...” Harmony started to say, but Angel cut her off.

“Yes, him.”

The woman was beginning to get very pissed off, and she looked at Angel with a fury in her eyes.

“Who the hell are you talk-“ was all she got out before the door was kicked open, causing her to whirl around.

“ALRIGHT! What the bloody hell is it you wanted me t-” was all Spike got out before his eyes fell upon the visitor.

“Buffy.”
 

Chapter 3:

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“Holy SHIT,” was what Buffy said before she fainted. Spike rushed to her, concern and disbelief clearly evident in his eyes. Gunn, Wes, Fred and especially Lorne were enjoying watching the event unfold before their eyes. Angel, on the other hand, also bent down to see Buffy. Spike saw another person try to move out of the room...someone he had managed to not see before. He lunged out at Andrew.

“YOU! Oh, no you don’t,” Spike cornered Andrew, “I told you not to fucking tell her!” Spike roared at the frightened Watcher in Training.

Buffy came to because of all of Spike’s yelling. She woke up just in time to hear that Andrew had known that Spike was back. She shoved Angel off of her, and pushed Spike away temporarily.

“YOU KNEW?!” she shrieked at Andrew, pissed off at the little bugger butt, “YOU KNEW HE WAS BACK, AND YOU TOLD NONE OF US?!”

“Um, well...actually, most of the slayers did know he was back when we came to ummm...collect Dana,” was Andrew’s frightened response, “but that was only because she’s crazy and sawed off his hands...” Spike glared at Andrew. He had hoped that he didn’t have to bring that certain matter up with Buffy. Too late. She knew. She whirled around to face Spike, all of her fury for Andrew replaced with concern for Spike...and something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“She WHAT? Oh, my god! Spike! Is this true? I mean I knew she was mentally unstable, but...oh...my god!” she rambled. Spike lifted up the sleeves of his duster to show that there were indeed lines, pink surgical lines that looked like they had just started to heal. Buffy’s eyes widened at the sight of Spike’s cuts.

Once she had managed to get over the shock of Spike’s arms, or just the shock of seeing Spike, she turned to the rest of the office.

“Um, hey...you guys? Could Spike and I have a while to talk...alone?” she asked. Everyone nodded or murmured ‘sure’ or ‘whatever’. Before he left, Angel looked back one last time as if to say ‘don’t you dare hurt her’ to Spike. But they weren’t paying attention. They were taking in every square inch of each other that they possibly could. Angel sighed, knowing that this was where her heart truly belonged...with Spike. He left the room. They didn’t hear the soft snap of the door closing.

“How long?” she asked, so softly he could barely hear her.

“Oh, just a couple of months,” he grumbled, as if the whole thing was nothing. But it was far from that. I mean, he was a fucking ghost for Christ’s sake!

“A couple of months? That long, huh?” she asked, the tears pooling in her green eyes, “You’ve been back for that long, and you didn’t bother to tell me? What, don’t you-” she couldn’t bring herself to say it, but he caught her meaning anyway.

“Buffy, luv. Don’t be a prat. Of course I still love you...how could you think otherwise?” he said softly.

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, what would I have said? It’s like I told Andrew. What would I have done, phoned you up? Oh, yeah, that would have gone over well. ‘Hello, Buffy. I didn’t burst into flames like ya thought!’ I honestly didn’t think I could top my exit scene.” he said.

“COULDN’T TOP YOUR EXIT SCENE?!” she yelled. “You really are a stupid bastard! Maybe I shouldn’t have-”

She could see that tears were threatening to engulf him too, so she stopped yelling at him. “Do you even know how long I’ve waited to see you again? To-to touch you? Spike, you haunt me. Every time I fall asleep, you’re there, just sleeping, and as soon as I reach out to touch you...you’re gone,” she looked at him. “And...it gets worse every time...”

He didn’t expect her to kiss him so lightly on the lips. It was about five seconds later that he realized that she was even kissing him. He felt a tremor go through her body, and he felt a tremor go through his. On her own accord, she deepened the kiss, only to pull back thirty seconds later.

“I dreamt about you, Spike. Every night. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before but...I love you,” she said, almost inaudibly.
 

Chapter 4:

***
Spike couldn’t help it. He collapsed. Undignified? Yes. Did it change what she had just said? No. He knew that she had told him before...before he burst into flame. He hadn’t believed her then because he thought that she had only been saying it because he was about to go away for what he thought was gonna be until the end of time. But now...she had to mean it. He had seen it in her eyes, felt it in her kiss, and heard it in his ear.

Buffy dropped to her knees beside Spike. “Spike? Don’t-don’t go,” she said, her voice breaking, “Spike? Don’t leave me! Not again!”

Spike opened his eyes. He caressed her tired face. “Don’t worry, pet. I’m not going anywhere. You took me by surprise is all.” She smiled, and Spike could swear that if he had a heart, it would be racing. He racked his mind, desperate to change the subject.

“How’s the Bit? Red? Watcher? Anya?” Buffy looked at him strangely.

“In that order? Uh...good for a hormone bomb who doesn’t know that the one person she trusts more than me is back from the dead...so to speak. Uh, Willow’s good. She’s the reason I’m here, actually. Giles is rebuilding the Council, as I’m sure you heard from Andrew. And Anya, is, ummm...dead.” Spikes eyes went wide with shock. Anya? Dead? “How?”

“Not sure. Probably at the hands of an Ubervamp,” she shuddered, “Uh, can we never relive that day? It’s kinda been in my mind for the past couple months.” Spike smiled understandingly.

“Buffy, luv?” he asked. She looked at him questioningly. “Uh, ya know how the day before I, um...died...again...I just held you?” Buffy’s eyes looked into his intense baby blues and nodded. “Um, do you think, maybe...could we...do that again? You know, for old times sake. Plus, I think I deserve it after I blew up a town to avert the apocalypse.”

Buffy smiled and laughed slightly, not caring if he saw her tears, and the two lay down on Angel’s office couch spooning each other, and fell asleep in each other arms.

* * *

Two hours later, Angel was pacing the halls. He was tired of their “talking”. He wanted to know what was going on in there. He was sure he had heard a thump and a couple of sobs.

He was about to open the door, when it opened of it’s own accord. Buffy stood in the doorway, expectantly. Spike was at her side, holding her hand and gazing down at her, instead of glaring at Angel, which he normally would have been doing.

“Angel, can I use your phone?” she asked tentatively. “I need to make a couple of calls.”

Angel nodded, and led her to his desk where his phone was. Buffy stopped before the phone, looking at it as if it were her enemy. She gazed into Spikes eyes, and his eyes were filled with support.

Angel saw how they looked at each other. They looked at each other like one completed the other. He didn’t remember being looked at like that...

He stood and watched, and Buffy couldn’t help but notice that he was being extra broody. She looked back to Spike and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

Sighing, Buffy turned to the phone, picked it up, and dialed Willow’s number.

“Uh, Will? There’s something I gotta tell you...”

* * *

“So, why are we going to visit Buffy while she’s visiting Angel who is now CEO of an evil law firm?” Dawn asked, shoving T-shirts into a bag. Willow looked at Dawn. She hadn’t told Dawn. She hadn’t even told Paige. Paige was Willow’s new girlfriend. She and Kennedy hadn’t worked out. Well, that was sort of understandable since they had killed Kennedy about two days ago...but the decision to tell people? That was up to Buffy. Willow had wanted to speak to Spike, but Buffy had told her it’d be best to wait.

“And what confuses me more is why we’re all flying at different times.” Willow hadn’t realized that Dawn was still ranting since she was so absorbed in her own thoughts.

“Dawn, hon, listen to me. We are going to L.A. to become aquatinted with her new...friend,” Willow said, interrupting Dawn.

Dawn’s eyes misted over and narrowed. “Is this new friend of the male variety?” she asked coldly. Willow sighed.

“Yes. And Dawn, he is a Spike-type friend,” Willow explained, noting the pained expression on Dawn’s face.

“You-you promised you wouldn’t say the ‘S-word’” Dawn said softly.

“Oh-oh, Dawnie, I’m sorry. It’s just, this guy means so much to Buffy. He kinda...burst through a door and into her life.” Willow didn’t let on how close this was to the truth.

“It’s okay. Just...do you promise you won’t use the ‘S-word’ ever again?”

“Promise.”

* * *
 

Chapter 5:

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* * *

“You ready?” Buffy asked Spike. He gently kissed her lips. “Whenever you are, pet, whenever you are.” She sighed contentedly, and threw open the doors to Angel's office to greet their first guest.

Xander.

Xander had flung himself at Buffy the moment she had opened the door. “Oh thank God! I haven’t seen you in so long! Good God, Buffy!” he said into her shoulder.

Buffy looked at Spike as if to say ‘well, watchya gonna do?’. Just then, Xander finally took notice of the person next to her.

“Spike! Great googley-moogley! How? What? How?”

Spike grinned back at him. “Good to see you too, you glorified brick layer, you.” Xander backed away. Buffy didn’t understand the fear in his eyes at first, but then realized whet he must be thinking.

“Xander, this is Spike, not the First,” she explained. “Un-dead, un-breathing, un-pulse-y.” As if to prove it to Xander, but really reassuring herself that he was really there, she took Spike’s hand and squeezed it. She smiled into his eyes. “He’s back.”

* * *

Five hours later, Buffy was pacing the floor of Angel’s office. Spike watched his love, and couldn’t help but smile as she continued to walk in that area of five feet. He knew why she was nervous. They had told almost everyone. From Willow, there was much gleeful hugging. For Xander, tons and tons of shock. And for Giles, well...he’d cleaned his glasses so much, they blinded people as they looked at him. That meant that there was only one person left to tell. Dawn.

Dawn entered the lobby, and looked around her. Willow was bubbly, Xander looked very confused, and Giles kept on cleaning his glasses. This was so not good.

“All right you guys, what’s going on?” she demanded.

“Uh...nothing!” “I don’t understand. How?” “Good Lord.”

Seeing she wasn’t going to get an answer, Dawn strolled over to Angel’s office, for that was where she was instructed to go.

* * *

Both vampire and slayer pulled away from the kiss as a knock sounded from the other side of the door. “Oh, God! It’s Dawn!” whispered the petite blonde urgently. “Quick! Hide in the shadows!” He did as he was told.

Buffy opened the door. She hugged her sister as though it had been three years, not three days since she had last seen her.

“So.” Dawn’s voice was cold, “Where’s this GUY?” She spewed so much venom on the last word that Buffy was taken aback.

“Dawnie-“ she began.

“No, Buffy. Hear me out. I just don’t wanna see you get hurt again the way Spike hurt you. I don’t want to hear you cry in your pillows anymore. I don’t want you to cry out anyone’s name in pain at night while you’re dreaming about them. I don’t wanna see what happened with Spike happen again. I don’t want the man you love to leave you. I don’t want to see or have you want to die each day. And you know that you will never, ever love anyone as much as you love Spike,” Dawn said.

“Dawnie...look.” Dawn watched as someone stepped out of the shadows. She caught a glimpse of platinum blond hair, and she knew he was back. She ran to him, sobbing.

“It’s okay, Bit,” he said, his voice soothing, “I’m here.”

“Good. You better NEVER leave us like that again,” Dawn said, after he had reassured her a million times, and she had finally calmed down.

She turned to Buffy. “Can I talk to him...alone?” she asked. Dawn knew it was hard for Buffy to part with Spike, but she threw her older sister a pleading look. After a hesitant moment, Buffy nodded and left. When she was sure her sister was out of earshot, Dawn turned back to Spike and smacked him on the side of the head.

“Bloody hell! What was that for?!” he yelled.

“For killing her!” Dawn shrieked. Spike’s eyes went wide.

“W-what? I thought...I thought...”

“Oh sure, you died for her to survive. And she did...in a way. Spike, after you died to save her, we all realized that instead, you’d killed her. For the past, like, six months, she has been an empty shell. She went catatonic for about two months, after the realization you weren’t coming back hit.

“The first two weeks you were gone, did you know that she would bound into the kitchen of the apartment and ask where you were? Every time we told her...told her you weren’t coming back, she’d start crying and talking about how you’d never leave her, how you loved her, and how you would come back no matter what.

“After the catatonia, the dreams came. We’d hear her at night, crying and thrashing in her bed. She cries out your name, Spike. One day, she told me she was going to join you. Spike, that day, Buffy...sh-she attempted suicide.” Spike’s eyes went wide with shock. He had left to let her live, but instead had her begging for death.

“I managed to talk her out of it. I said to her ‘Buffy, you have to live. Spike would want you to live. That’s why he’s gone’. She broke down then. She cried for so fricking long. Not stopping to eat or sleep. But last night, Willow came into her room to tell her she could bring you back. I heard the conversation, but I was in sleep-mode, so I thought I’d dreamt it...until now. Spike, she needs you. She never actually told us she loves you, but it was obvious.

“She was patrolling way too much before. Anything to get you off her mind. But I’d follow sometimes. Do you know what she says when she stakes vamps? She goes ‘This is for Spike, you bloody bastards!’” Spike couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of her doing that.

“Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, don’t leave her. Because this time...I-I don’t think I’ll be able to stop her from killing herself,” Dawn said.

“Dawn, listen to me. I’m here. I always will be with you an’ big sis,” he said firmly, neither noticing that Buffy had slipped in to hear his words. She sniffled. They turned to look at her, and noticed the silent tears running down her face. Spike walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head, then rested his chin there.

“Always.”

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TBC........

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chapter 6

Half an hour later, Buffy and Spike were just sitting and staring into each other’s eyes. It may seem a boring exercise to you, but when you fall in love, you’ll understand why couples do it all the time.

“Luv? Was what Dawn said back there...was it true? D-did I really destroy you?” he asked. Dawn had explained the extent of Buffy’s turmoil to Spike, and he felt horrible about it. Buffy could see his fear that he had hurt her.

“Yes, Spike. I do cry for you, I cry out your name, and I do dream about you. But-”

“But what, luv?’

“Well, what you said to Dawn...about you being here. Are...are you going to stay here?” He looked at her questioningly. He could sense her fear. “I mean, are...you’re not...you’re not going to leave me again, are you?” her unshed tears glistened in her eyes, “I-I don’t think I’ll be able to live if you go away...not again.”

He pulled her into his arms, and planted a feather-light kiss on the top of her head. “Don’t worry, luv. If I go anywhere, it will be with you. I don’t know how much longer I could have gone without you. I know, I know, I’ve been avoiding you, but...” his tears began to roll down his face, and he looked away, “I was afraid you’d think I was beneath you,” he whispered.

Buffy stared at him, and lifted his chin with her fingers, forcing him to look into her eyes. “Spike. How could you even think that? I know that I’ve said it to you before, but that was before I knew I loved you.” He finally met her gaze. “Because I do, you know. I. Love. You.”

She pulled his face down and kissed him, long and hard and deep, their silent tears falling on each other’s faces.

* * *

Spike awoke the a few hours later to discover that it had not been a dream. He really had spent the night with his Slayer. He smiled slightly, remembering the way she had whispered those three small words into his ear as they gave into their passion. He suddenly realized he needed to Giles ask about something. And fast.

Buffy awoke not more than 15 minutes later to discover she was alone. The first thought that struck her was ‘Oh, God! No! It was just a dream. Why am I constantly tortured like this?!’ She then took notice of what was laying on the pillow next to her.

Drawing in her breath, she picked up the envelope and opened it. The contents cause her eyes to fill with tears. She sniffled as she re-read that last paragraph:

Buffy, luv, I know I may disappoint some people sometimes, but you bring out the best in me. I love, honor and cherish you. You are my golden goddess. And I want you to know that for as long as I un-live, I will never, ever leave your side. Huh. That little paragraph just summed up this whole letter, didn’t it? Anyway, Buffy Summers, I was just wondering if you would like to go out with me tonight. Just for the record, I feel like a right ponce asking all of this in a letter instead of in person. But please, consider it.

All of my love,

Spike

She knew her answer as soon as she had read that question the first time. The one thing she wanted most in the world was to go on a date with the man she loved.

* * *

As soon as he walked through the door, Spike was tackled by a teary slayer. At first he thought that he had hurt her, but when he saw that his letter lay in her hand, he immediately thought she was laughing. But when he saw that her tears were not of the hurt kind, or the laughing kind, he saw that they were tears of love.

She crushed her lips to his. “William the Bloody, I, Buffy Anne Summers, agree to go out with you tonight,” she whispered in his ear. Spike realized that he, too, had tears in his eyes now. He threw his head back and twirled his love around the room, only stopping to kiss her on the lips, his tears falling on her nose.
* * *

“Why am I so damned nervous?” shouted Buffy as Dawn tried to zip up her dress.

“Because. Your. Dream. Date. Is. Going. To be. Here. In ten. Minutes,” she said, accompanying each word with a forceful tug. “I got it!” Dawn shouted happily as the zipper glided up Buffy’s back.

“He is not my dream da-” Buffy started to say, but off Dawn’s look, she looked away, her face now bright red. “You’re right.”

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Dawn asked. Buffy nodded. “Did you tell him?” Buffy’s eyes filled with tears as she nodded. Dawn smiled. She was so happy that Buffy could be herself again. The oldest Summers had a moment of peace, and then the doorbell rang. The peace disappeared from Buffy’s face.

“It’s him! Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!” Buffy squealed, sounding like Dawn. “I look good, right? Not—not like a-a hooker or something? What about my hair?” Dawn rolled her eyes and went downstairs.

She opened the door and gasped. Spike looked good. No, not good...he looked downright HOT! If he wasn’t practically her brother-in-law, she’d even go for sexy. Oh, to hell with it all. He looked sexy.

He wore a silk shirt the color of his eyes and a suit. He wasn’t even wearing his Doc Martens, but instead some dress shoes that shined in the porch light.

“SPIKE! Wow! You look...wow. Oh, uh...she’ll be down in a few,” Dawn stammered. He smiled and nodded when something caught his eye. His head slowly looked up at her, unaware his mouth was wide open.

She wore a white silk gown that clung to her in all the right places. Her shoes an off white, and her hair was done up in a fancy, elegant yet very sexy bun. His eyes roamed over her, and he suddenly felt like a nerdy teenager on a first date, instead of a souled vamp on a first date. He regained his composure long enough to say something.

“You. Look. Absolutely. Brilliant,” he breathed, and he noticed a tinge of red creep up her neck.

She took him in. His shirt, showing off his muscles, moved on him like liquid. But his eyes were the first things she noticed. They were shining with adoration and admiration.

Dawn looked between them, and backed out of the room smiling. Things were gonna be great.

* * *

Buffy and Spike walked outside. His gaze was fastened on her face as she looked in her driveway and saw a long, black limo. She turned back to Spike and kissed him.

“C’mon, luv,” he said. He took her hand and led her to the car. They slid in, and automatically snuggled up to each other.

“Rest, pet. It’s a two hour drive.” Buffy nodded sleepily and put her head on Spike’s chest, asleep within minutes.

The vampire looked down at this petite woman, and smiled as he remembered the conversation he had had with Giles earlier that day.

* * *

At around 3:42 a.m.

“Watcher!” Spike yelled, pounding on Giles’ door. A very disgruntled Giles answered it, and peered out at Spike.

“Spike?!” he asked incredulously, “What the bloody hell are you doing here?” His eyes widened in fear. “Oh, God! Buffy! She—is she all right? She’s not hurt, is she?”

“Calm down, Watcher. This is about Buffy, but she’s safe and sound at home. She doesn’t know I’m here.”

Giles sank down into the armchair, relieved that his slayer was safe. Then a thought occurred to him. “Then what the hell are doing here at 3:40 in the morning? Can’t this wait?”

“No. It can’t. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Rupert.”
-That- got his attention. Spike always called him ‘watcher’, but he only ever called him by his first name if it was serious.

“Yes, Spike?”

“Um...well, let me start off by saying that even if you are too modest to admit it, you are Buffy’s dad. God knows her real one is a worthless piece of shit. Anyway, so...um...you know how in all those horrid sappy chick flicks Buffy likes so much, the boyfriend always asks the girl’s dad if he can marry the girl?” Giles nodded, understanding, but not knowing where Spike was going with this. “Well...er...that’s what I came here at all hours of the morning to do. Giles, would you find it suitable if I asked for Buffy’s hand in marriage?”

He had anticipated an indignant shout, or a flat out ‘no’, or...hell, even a heart attack. What he didn’t anticipate was a sigh of relief from Giles.

“Oh. Thank. God. You two...you two have been driving me absolutely blood mad. I know I should be against this, but it seems so right in the case of you and Buffy. She’s been so bloody depressed...until, you came back that is.” Giles realized he was mumbling, and he raised his tone.

“Yes, Spike, you may marry my sla-daughter.”

* * *

Spike gazed down upon his slayer and kissed the top of her head. He reached inside of his breast pocket and fingered a smooth, velvet box.

‘Soon, Spike. Soon,’ he thought to himself.

TBC...