Buffy heard singing, sort of, as she pad towards the kitchen the next morning. She covered her mouth to hold back her laughter as she watched Spike nod his head in time with the music coming over his walkman as he stood in front of the stove, making breakfast.

"Head like a hole, black as your soul. I'd rather die, than give you control," he sang, stirring the eggs in the pan. "Bow down before the one you serve. You're going to get what you deserve. Bow down before the one you serve." He picked up a second fork and began to tap out a beat on the edge of the metal pan. "You're going to get." He tossed the fork in the air, spinning to catch it. "What you de-"

Spike saw Buffy standing there, watching him. The fork clattered to the ground. Quickly pressing stop on the walkman, he pushed the headphones off his ears. "How long have you been here?" he asked casually.

"Long enough," she replied, taking a seat at the kitchen table, huge smile on her face.

His face was burning as he picked up the fallen fork and tossed it into the sink. Turning back to the pan, he asked over his shoulder, "Hungry?"

"Starved," Buffy answered. "Then again, lately I'm always starved."

"Why's that, pet?" Spike asked.

"I'm...a growing girl," she sort of lied, avoiding telling him yet again. She cursed at herself in her head for being a chicken.

"Eat up, then," he said, putting a plate in front of her. "Can't have my Slayer starve to death."

Buffy looked at the food, then stood and retrieved the syrup from the refrigerator that still proclaimed its love for her. She poured a large amount of the sweet, sticky substance over everything on the plate, then took a bite. "Yum. Delish."

Spike arched a brow at her, but did not comment as he fixed his own plate up before taking a seat across from her. "Did you sleep well, luv?"

"Like a baby," Buffy answered, then lowered her eyes. *Tell him,* she said to herself. "Um, Spike?"

"Yes, pet?"

"Why do you still have all the windows boarded over?" she asked quickly. *Coward.*

He took another bite of food, chewed and swallowed while he gathered his thoughts. "I think it's because I'm afraid."

"You?" Buffy said incredulously.

"Yeah, me," Spike said with the same inflection. "Not everyone can be the fearless Slayer."

"I'm far from fearless, believe me," she said. "But that still doesn't tell me why."

"Maybe I don't want to wake up one day a bloody pile of ashes," he replied, stabbing at his eggs.

"That would be an inconvenience," Buffy joked.

He looked up, saw her grin and rolled his eyes. "You're a laugh a minute, Slayer."

"I know," she replied. They ate in silence for a few minutes until her plate was nearly empty. "This is really good."

"Breakfast I can do," Spike told her. "Especially since I normally get up with the birds."

"Why so early?" Buffy asked.

"I only slept few hours a night, er...day, most of my unlife," he replied. "It didn't change too much now that I'm human."

"I take it that's why you're so good at a lot of stuff," she commented. "Knowing you, you must have really been bored."

"‘Immortality, Captain, consists largely of boredom,'" Spike quoted. At her confused look, he added, "Star Trek."

"Ah," Buffy nodded, giving him an you're-really-weird-but-I'm-not-going-to-say-it-out-loud look.

"Yes, I was bored out of my bloody skull most of the time," he answered her question. "I finished the picture, if you want to take a gander."

Buffy grinned and stood, taking her now empty plate and putting it in the sink. "Is it still on the table?"

"No, it's in the basement," he replied.

She nodded and made her way to the basement as he started to put the dishes in the dish washer. The vastness of the finished room was her first impression as she flipped on the light. Nice beige carpeting covered the floor, fake wood paneling covered the walls. A large computer desk with computer was set up along one wall, shelves of more books and a variety of games lined another.

Walking further into the room, she saw two framed pictures on the wall. "Wow," she said as she saw herself in the finished drawing. The second one was of Drusilla, the vampiress having a faint smile on her lips, her eyes surprising clear and full of devilish mischief. She heard Spike come down the stairs and commented over her shoulder, "These are really good."

"Thanks, pet," Spike replied, coming to stand behind her. "I did one of Willow and Oz which I sent to Oz the other day."

"For her birthday?" Buffy asked. She caught sight of another picture out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes," he answered as she walked away from him.

"Spike," she sighed when she was close enough to the picture on the dartboard. "This isn't very nice."

"Who said I was nice?" Spike replied.

She scowled at him, then returned to looking at the picture. "It is a good picture of Angel, though, in a mocking sort of way."

"Thank you," he said sincerely. He gave her a lopsided grin at her look. "So, pet, what are you up for today? Cards? Going for a walk? Making out?"

Buffy gave him a slow, seductive smile and walked over to him with a sexy prowl. She put her hands on his t-shirt clad chest. "I think," she said, running her hands up around his neck. "We should." She looked up at him and licked her lips. "Go for a walk."

Spike groaned as she stepped back from him with an evil grin. "That was cruel, Slayer."

"But fun," Buffy replied cheerfully.

His arms snaked out and yanked her to him, pressing her petite form to his lanky one. "This is funner," he whispered before capturing her lips in a searing kiss.

This kiss was infinitely more powerful than the tentative one they shared the previous night. He demanded rather than asked, claimed rather than coaxed as their mouths and tongues met in a passionate battle. Both their hearts were slamming against their rib cages, excitement coursing through them while they melted against one another, trying to get closer.

Spike released her slowly, their breaths coming in quick pants, and took a step back. "Now," he croaked, his voice heavy with arousal. He cleared his throat, then continued. "How ‘bout that walk?"

*****

It was cool outside for early May, but that did not deter families from venturing forth. The park where they walked to was full of people enjoying the sunny Sunday. Children played catch with their dads, some flew kites, others fed the ducks floating in the small lake in the center of the park. Side by side, the two former enemies made their way down the path around that lake, avoiding rollerbladers and bicyclers until they came to a bridge crossing the water. There, Spike led Buffy down the bank to the water's edge where small fish could be seen swimming in the shallow stream that fed the lake.

"This is my favorite spot," Spike confided in her as he picked up a handful of rocks and began skimming them across the surface. "Even when I was my old self, I'd come down here and sit under the bridge all day, protected from the sun but still able to enjoy it."

"Are you sure you're a vampire?" Buffy asked, crouching to run her hand in the water. "Or rather, were."

"Some little blond girl changed me," he admitted. "I loved violence and death, being in control. My days were filled with things to entertain myself, but my nights were for the hunt, for blood. Then I go to Sunnyhell with my Princess and my perfect unlife started to fall apart."

"How? You seemed pretty confident and in control to me," she said, picking up a shiny rock from beneath the surface.

"First of all, no matter what I did, you and your mates blocked me at every turn," he said, tossing a rock at a school of fish. "Then you go and drop a bloody organ on me."

"Mess with my boyfriend, you pay the price," Buffy said with a grin.

"But then your bloody boyfriend came back to our side and made a mess of my life," Spike replied. "He took over my home, took my woman and was a bloody fucking nuisance all around. Add to that the fact that I was stuck in a bloody wheelchair because of you."

"Sorry," she apologized, giving him a sheepish grin.

"Don't be, pet," he told her. "If it was the three of us, you'd be six feet under no matter that you're the best Slayer I've ever seen."

"Overconfident much?"

"Only telling the truth, Slayer," Spike replied. "I would have killed you just to shut the wanker up, but I couldn't and I ended up admiring you even more than I already did."

"You admired me?" Buffy asked, surprised.

"Of course," he answered without hesitation. "You're a beautiful, strong, witty girl who didn't give into Angelus' games. Then I made the deal with you to get Dru back and we left, but I couldn't stop thinking about you, wondering if you were alright. That was one of the reasons I went back to that bloody hell hole."

Buffy looked up at him. The sun was casting strong shadows on his face, making his already chiseled features more defined. His brow was knitted slightly as if in disgust or anger with himself.

"Then I found out that stupid wanker was all soul-having again and I got jealous," Spike continued. "Jealousy on me does not equate with logic, hence the spell to make Drusilla love me again."

"But the spell was never completed," Buffy said. "And you said you were going to go back and torture her into loving you again."

"Never made it," he shrugged. "Ended up here in LA, trying to forget the way you pressed up against me in your kitchen, or the way you fought by my side, or the way you told me to duck." He skimmed another rock across the surface. "Good thing I was already dead or I would have bloody well drank myself to death. I started coming out here after I got the house to be part of your world even if only a little. Then one day I woke up human and the rest you know."

Buffy stood and went over to him. "Well, I'm glad you changed or I would never had gotten the chance to know how great you really are," she said, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck and pulling his head down for a kiss.

Spike blinked in surprise, then dropped the rocks still in his hand and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close as his eyes closed. The kiss was tender and sweet and they stood exploring and tasting one another until a few kids from the bridge above started dropping rocks into the water near them.

Breaking apart was difficult for both. Spike brought his hand around and put it under her chin, lightly caressing her lower lip with his thumb. "Have I told you how wonderful you are?"

"Once," she replied. "But you were slightly delirious and naked at the time." The look on his face made her giggle. "Don't worry, I didn't look...much."

Spike started to blush, releasing her. "Did I do anything else that I don't bloody remember so I can be embarrassed all at one time?" He watched as a deep blush stole over her face, deeper then his and he sighed. "What did I do?"

"You remember I told you that you talk in your sleep?" Buffy asked, her eyes studiously avoiding his as she geared herself up to tell him. "Well, let's just say that's not all you do in your sleep."

He frowned, not understanding. "I didn't wet the bed, did I?"

"No," she replied immediately. "Nothing like that."

"Good," he said. After she didn't go on, he asked, "Then what did I bloody do?"

"You, um..." Buffy paused and took a deep breath, then quickly finished, running her words together. "Madelovetome."

"Do what?" Spike stepped forward and captured her chin, making her look up at him. "Repeat that."

Buffy was blushing so red, she must have matched Willow's hair. "You made love to me," she replied in a small voice.

Shock could not adequately describe the look on Spike's face. He let go of her and took a step back, almost falling over the loose rocks. He could not believe what she just told him. How could he not remember making love to her? It was his every fantasy to do that, and he slept through it. "Bloody fucking hell," he cursed, staring at her.

Buffy's face fell into sadness at his reaction. "I'm sorry. It happened so quickly that I didn't stop you. I understand why you wouldn't want to..." She was interrupted by him grabbing and silencing her with a hard kiss.

"Slayer, do not ever think that I would not bloody want to," Spike told her. "I want to make love to you so badly it hurts, and not just here." He put her hand on the bulge in his jeans that had hardened when he thought of making love to her. "I love you so bloody fucking much and hate that the first time I was able to touch your heavenly body I was fucking asleep!"

She stared at him, her eyes huge as she felt the evidence of his arousal and heard his words. She knew that he loved her, he'd told her often enough even though he'd been mostly out of it. But she thought that he would have been ecstatic, not angry. If this was his reaction to him making love to her, she could imagine what it would be if she told him she was pregnant. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be sorry, pet," he said, stifling his anger at himself. "I should be bloody apologizing. It couldn't have been all that good to have my affections thrust onto you."

"Nice choice of words," she couldn't help saying. She began to giggle, which turned into a full fledged laugh as the conversation played back in her mind.

Spike stared at her as if she'd grown a second head. "What's so funny, Slayer?"

"You, me, this," Buffy laughed.

"It's not funny," he growled, stalking away from her back up the side of the bank. "I wanted candles and soft sheets and music and to be bloody conscious!"

Buffy watched as he stomped off, her laughter dying immediately. Tears sprung in her eyes as he disappeared from sight, the fact that she didn't tell him about the baby weighing heavily on her. Wiping her eyes, she climbed up the bank and headed back towards the house alone.

Buffy entered the house and winced at the hard music coming from Spike pounding on the piano. She recognized the song as ‘Halloween' by Ives, a very freaky off-key song that gave her the wiggins when she'd first heard it. Walking over to him, she slid onto the edge of the piano bench next to him, her back to the keys as the chords rung out into the room. His face was a smooth mask, the only way she could tell he was still angry was by the clenching of his jaw and slight pursing of his lips.

He finished the song with a resounding crash, then immediately cut it off. The silence was deafening after that, making Buffy shift uncomfortably next to him. "I'm sorry," she finally said, breaking the oppressive quiet.

"No," Spike said sharply, his hands clenched into fists on his knees. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm the one who's sorry, pet. It couldn't have been all that good for you..."

"Actually, I enjoyed it," Buffy interrupted, blushing. "A lot."

He looked at her in surprise. "You've got to be joking."

"Um, no," she replied, studiously avoiding his gaze. "I-I've also been wanting try it again."

Spike blinked in shock, then he closed his eyes to reel in his raging hormones caused by her quiet words. He licked his lips, then pressed them together, hands now gripping his knees.

"Spike?"

The tentative sound of his name made him open his eyes and see her beautiful face marred with a frown. Raising a hand, he ran the pad of his thumb over the frown lines on her forehead, smoothing them. Then he traced down the side of her cheek and over her lips before dropping his hand. "I'm so sorry I got upset, luv."

Buffy shrugged. "No big." She leaned forward suddenly and kissed him briefly on the lips. "All's forgiven."

"Cor, you are so bloody fucking wonderful," Spike said, bringing his hand up to brush her hair away from her face. "I want to make love to you, Slayer. The way I should have done in the first place."

"Then why don't you?" Buffy replied, looking into his eyes.

He inhaled sharply, his heart beginning to hammer in his chest. With a small groan, he wrapped his hand around the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss. He felt her try and get closer and he bodily hauled her onto his lap, no small feat for the way they were sitting. The kiss grew from tender to passionate, not stopping until they absolutely had to in order to catch their breaths.

Spike leaned his forehead against hers as he forced himself to calm down. Buffy went to kiss him again, but he stopped her. "No," he said, backing his head away.

Buffy gave him a look of utter confusion. "What?"

"We're not going to do this now," Spike told her, his hands loosening their tight grip on her waist.

"But I thought..." Buffy trailed off, her hormones both from arousal and her pregnancy out of control. She finished her sentence with a meek, "You don't want me?"

Spike ground his pelvis up against her bottom. "Does this feel like I don't bloody want you?"

"Then why..."

"Slayer," he said, putting a finger over her lips to silence her. "When we do this, we're going to do it right, not twenty minutes after I find out I shagged you and didn't even know about it. That just makes it seem like I'm trying to make up for it."

"But I want you," she pouted, nipping at his finger.

"And you'll get me, pet," Spike replied with a small smile. "But not today. Besides, your mum will be here in a few hours and what I want to do to you will take a bloody hell of a lot longer than that."

Buffy blushed rosily. "So, what do we do until then?"

"I didn't say we couldn't make out," he answered slyly, then pulled her in for another kiss.

*****

"Spike?" Buffy said from her perch on top of the piano. She was laying on her stomach, turning the pages when he nodded as he played.

"Yes, pet?" Spike asked, fingers dancing lightly over the keys.

"Do you want to go to the prom with me?"

"Do what?"

"Prom. You. Me. Tuxedo. Dress. Limo. Dancing," she said each word slowly, mockingly.

Spike rolled his eyes, then replied, "Are you sure you want to take me and not pumpkin?"

"Yes, I'm sure I want to take you and not Angel," Buffy answered, turning the page. "I asked you, didn't I? Besides, Angel and I aren't together anymore in the together sense. Did that make sense?"

"It didn't make dollars," he said, giving her a smirk. She groaned and thumped her head on her arm. "I'd love to go with you, ducks."

"Really?" Buffy asked, raising her head to see if he was serious.

"Yes, really," Spike replied, not breaking the song he was playing. He tilted his head and gave her a quizzical look. "Do you know how to dance?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"I take that as a no," he responded.

"Spike, I know how to dance," she said. "I dance at the Bronze all the time."

"That's not dancing, that's flopping around like a corpse hanging in the breeze."

"Um, major eew," Buffy said, giving him a disgusted look.

"When's this prom?"

"May 22," she answered.

"Bloody hell, that's not enough time to instruct you properly," he said to himself, then shrugged. "Oh well."

"Spike, you do realize that you're talking to yourself," she pointed out.

"That comes from hanging around you too long, Slayer," Spike replied.

"Hey!" Buffy said, shutting the songbook on him. The doorbell rang, cutting off any form of retaliation by the former vampire. Instead of moving, he started to play another song from memory as the Slayer slid off the piano to answer the door. "Hi, mom!"

"Hi, sweety," Joyce greeted, entering the house. "Hello, Spike."

"Joyce," Spike greeted. "Come to take away this pain in the arse?"

Buffy scowled at him as Joyce laughed. "Do you want her instead? I could happily leave her here," Joyce joked.

Spike met Buffy's eyes, a different type of smile on his face. "I'd love to have her."

"Guys," Buffy whined, blushing under his gaze. She picked up her overnight bag and thrust it at her mom. "I'll meet you in the car."

Joyce smiled knowingly at her daughter. "Ok, I can tell when I'm not wanted," she said. "I'll talk to you soon, Spike."

"I have no doubt," Spike replied. As soon as Joyce left, Buffy walked over to him and smacked him upside the head. "Hey, what the bloody hell was that for?"

"Because I felt like it," Buffy said, pushing past his arm so she could stand between him and the piano. "Now, are you gonna kiss me or what?"

"Pushy, pushy, Slayer," he said, standing. There was barely enough room for the two of them in the small space and Buffy was forced to lean back against the piano, her backside hitting the keys. They plinked off-key, but neither of them cared as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her breathless.

The car horn sounded from outside, making the couple reluctantly break apart. "I'll, uh, call you," Buffy said as they forced themselves to move to the door.

"You do that, luv," Spike replied, placing another quick kiss on her lips. "Be careful."

"I will," she said. "Don't want to go to the prom all black and blue."

"No, we wouldn't want that," he responded, opening the door.

"Well, bye," Buffy said, giving him an awkward smile. She turned and quickly left.

"Bye," Spike said quietly as he watched her head for the car. He waited until they drove off before closing the door, then leaning back against it. "Bloody fucking hell, that girl is going to kill me yet."

Running his hand through his short hair, he wandered into the kitchen and picked up the phone. "She asked me to the prom," he said into the phone without greeting when Oz picked up the other line.

"And?" Oz replied.

"The last prom I saw was in the picture Carrie and, though it would be fun, I don't think it'll be that bloody," he answered.

"Ah," Oz said. "Next weekend we'll get you set up."

"Thanks, mate," Spike told him. He heard Willow in the background ask the werewolf something.

"Buffy didn't tell you anything, did she?" Oz asked for the red head.

"She told me we had sex," he replied. "I can't believe I don't bloody remember."

"Nothing else?"

"No," he said, going over to the fridge to take out a soda. His hand froze on the handle when he saw a new, very naughty message put together under the original. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered where she'd gotten the extra letters and why she knew that song, while the rest of him became rock hard. He cleared his throat. "I have to go."

"Ok. Later," Oz replied.

"Yeah," Spike said, quickly hanging up the phone and heading for the stairs. He was either going to take one very cold shower or have one very intimate conversation with his hand as he saw the words again in his mind.

Spike pulled at the collar of his starched white shirt, wanting to rip the bow tie off and shove it down someone's throat. Willow and Oz were waiting in the limo along with Xander and his date...Cordelia, believe it or not...while the former vampire stood in the Summers' foyer waiting for Buffy.

The three weeks had passed by rapidly, with Buffy and Spike spending hours on the phone together. Oz had gone down to LA to assist the peroxide blond in getting a tux, corsage and arranging for a second limo to take the former enemies back to Spike's house after the prom. He'd arranged with Joyce for Buffy to spend the weekend again, including Senior Skip day the following Monday, which to his surprise, she readily agreed. This weekend was to be the weekend and everything was going to be perfect. *Unless she never comes down the bloody stairs,* he thought, switching the white corsage to the other hand.

"She'll be down in a minute," Joyce said, coming down the stairs with the overnight bag. "I'll leave this by the door for you to pick up later."

"Thanks, Joyce," Spike replied. "For everything."

"You're welcome, Spike," Joyce said with a smile. She hid the bag in the living room and picked up the camera off the coffee table. "Don't worry. I promised I'd only take a couple."

"Hi," came a soft greeting from the stairs. Spike turned from Joyce and he felt his collar tighten again at the vision before him. Swallowing heavily, he let his eyes travel from her upswept hair, over the scoop-necked, pale yellow dress, which was cinched around her just below her breasts, leaving the rest loose and airy as it fell just below her knees. Her feet were encased in matching, strapped, heeled sandals. Around her neck was a simple, gold cross similar to the one she'd given him and she was carrying a small clutch.

"You look..." Spike was at a loss for words, his heart pounding in his chest. "Bloody fucking hell," he swore quietly as she finished descending the stairs. She walked right up before him and smiled, making him swallow nervously again.

"You look good, too," Buffy said. She saw the camera flash and turned to give her mother a look. "Mom."

"Just a couple," Joyce said, holding up the camera.

Buffy looked back up at Spike and rolled her eyes. "Humor her," she told him, hooking her arm through his and turning them both to her mom. Joyce snapped a few more pictures before Buffy called a halt. "That's enough, mom."

Spike was still stunned in silence as Buffy came back into his line of vision. She was grinning up at him and he couldn't breathe. "Is that for me?" she asked, pointing to the corsage.

"What?" Spike said, coming out of his stupor. "Oh. For you. Yes."

"And to think, you just learned your three letter words today," Buffy joked.

He scowled at her, fully snapping back to reality. "Very funny, Slayer."

"I know," she replied as he opened the box and took the white orchid out. She held out her hand and he slid it over her wrist to the snap of another picture. "Mo-om."

"Sorry, honey," Joyce said, clearly not.

"We'd better go before I go blind from the flash," Buffy said, opening the front door. "I'll see you in the morning mom."

Joyce winked at Spike. "Have fun."

"Goodnight, Joyce," Spike replied, closing the door behind him. He held out his arm to Buffy. "Shall we, milady?"

Buffy giggled. "Let's roll."

"Wow, Buffster, looking good," Xander commented as they joined the group in the limo.

"You can't even tell that you've gained weight," Cordelia added. Xander pinched her arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

He leaned over to whisper in her ear as Oz spoke up, "You do look good, Buffy."

"Thanks, Oz," Buffy said. "It was a pain trying to find a dress."

"But we did," Willow piped in. "And only after twenty-two stores."

Spike looked over at Buffy, wondering about the brunette's comment. She looked the same to him, but he'd never seen her in a dress before. She'd been wearing long, loose T-shirts when she was over three weeks ago. He tugged at the collar again and she swatted his hand away, re- straightening the tie. "So, guys, what is everyone doing tomorrow?"

"Oz and I are going to the Wharf," Willow replied, taking her boyfriends hand. "I've never been there before."

"It's a nice place, Willow," Spike told her, then frowned. "Although I haven't been there in twenty years."

"That's right, you're old," Cordelia said, looking at Spike. "Wait, how old are you? Angel old?"

"Cordy, he can't be that old, seeing as how Deadboy was the one who made him," Xander said. He turned to Buffy. "Speaking of dead things, where is my least favorite person tonight? Usually he's hanging around you like a dog on a bone."

"Angel's patrolling tonight, since Faith is going to the prom, too," Buffy answered, ignoring Spike's sullen look at the mention of his sire. "And he does not hang around me that much."

"Actually, Buffy, he does," Oz said.

"Guys-"

"He doesn't hang around her other than to keep her safe," Willow commented. "It's not like Faith is going to help now that she is pre-"

"Willow!" Buffy interrupted loudly with a glare to her friend. Embarrassed silence filled the limo and Spike wondered what was going on between the friends.

"So, Spike. How old did you say you were?" Cordelia asked, breaking the silence. "And don't you feel kinda weird going to a high school prom?"

*****

The Senior Prom was held in the high school gym, which the cheerleader said was tacky but it was better than the Bronze. Decorations and tables were set up around the large room, almost hiding the fact that it was the gym. A DJ blasted music over several speakers as the group entered. Cordelia immediately pulled Xander to the photographer set up in one corner, wanting to get the picture taken before the night ruined her makeup or hairstyle.

"I can't believe those two are kinda back together again," Buffy commented as they went off.

"Hellmouth," Oz summed it up in one word.

"Hey, B, red, wolf-boy," Faith greeted as she came up to them, punch in hand. She looked Spike over from head to toe in a predatory fashion. "Who's the hottie?"

Buffy moved closer to Spike protectively, staking her claim. "This is Spike, my date."

"Got ya," Faith said. "I'm Faith."

"The other Slayer," Spike said, placing her.

"The same," Faith replied.

"Now that introductions are over," Buffy said, latching onto Spike's arm. "We're going to dance."

"Laters," Faith said as Buffy dragged Spike away.

"I take it you want to dance," Spike chuckled as they joined the throng of students on the floor.

"I didn't like the way she was looking at you," Buffy growled.

"Jealous, pet?"

"No. I don't want you to get rabies," she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck despite that it was a fast song. They danced together for several songs before the Slayer called a break, having to go to the ladies room, which was one of the downfalls of being pregnant - frequent potty breaks.

"Having fun?" Willow asked as she and Oz joined Spike at the table while he waited for Buffy.

"Yes," Spike replied. "Although if any other bloke looks at the Slayer, it might get a bit bloody in here."

"She is sort of glowy tonight," Oz commented thoughtfully.

"Aren't moms-to-be normally glowy?" Willow asked her boyfriend. Her eyes widened when she realized what she said and quickly looked at Spike. To her relief, he wasn't paying attention because Buffy was walking to the table. "That was close," she whispered to Oz.

"Slightly," Oz agreed.

Buffy sat down at the table with a sigh. "Dancing sure makes a Slayer hungry."

"Want me to get you something, pet?" Spike asked, leaning towards her, resting his forearms on his knees.

"Nah, I can wait a little longer," she told him. She looked up in time to see Giles heading for them and groaned. "No saving the world tonight, dad. I've been a good girl."

"Wh-what?" Giles said in confusion as he came up to the table.

"Never mind," Buffy said. "What's up doc?"

"I only came to wish you a pleasant weekend," Giles told her, then looked sheepishly at Willow. "And to ask if you could unfreeze that infernal machine for me."

Willow smiled. "Of course," she said, standing as did Oz. "See ya later, Buffy."

The three left and Buffy sighed in relief. "Good. I don't want to be the Slayer this weekend. I want to be Buffy, normal girl."

"You could never be normal, luv," Spike commented with a grin. He stood and held out his hand. "Dance?"

The hours passed rapidly and before they knew it, students and their dates were slowly heading out to after prom parties or other activities. Spike held Buffy close as they danced to the music, oblivious to those around them.

"Ready to go, pet?" Spike asked quietly.

"Where?" Buffy asked in reply.

"It's a surprise," he answered with a small smile. She nodded and he led her outside after a quick goodbye to the others to the waiting limo. She looked at him with an arched eyebrow, but got in as he held the door for her. They pulled up in front of her house and he told her to wait as he climbed out. He returned almost immediately, handing the driver the overnight bag before getting back into the limo.

"Where are we going?" Buffy asked again as they pulled away from her house.

"I'm squirreling you away until Monday night," Spike replied. "To have my wicked way with you." Her eyes widened as her heart caught in her throat at his devilish grin. He pulled her into the closer to him, his arm around her waist. "It's a two hour drive, luv. Rest while you can."

"Oh," she said breathlessly.

Spike left Buffy to use the powder room as he brought her bag to the master bedroom. Once there, he quickly lit the candles scattered around the room and hit play/repeat on the CD player. Shedding his jacket, vest and tie, he unbuttoned the top button of the dress shirt and cuffs as he glanced around the room to be sure that everything was perfect.

He heard a gasp from the doorway and turned to see Buffy standing there, the candlelight casting a soft glow over her. Silently, he walked over to her and held out his hand. When she put her smaller one in his, he raised it to his mouth and kissed her knuckles before turning it over and placing a kiss on her palm.

Buffy's heart skipped a beat when he did this and she unconsciously licked her lips. He led her further into the room after closing the door and pulled her into his arms in a classic dance position. Moving slowly, their eyes met and held as they swayed to the soft music. Neither one knew who initiated the kiss, but neither cared as their lips gently brushed against one another's.

Passion rose between them at a slow burn, starting from their feet and leading up to their mouths, engulfing them. Buffy began to unbutton Spike's shirt as his fingers ran up and down her back, sending shivers of longing down her spine. She pushed the shirt off his shoulders and he dropped his arms to let it fall to the floor. Frustrated at the white t-shirt she found instead of skin, she plucked at it, pulling it from the dress pants.

Spike broke the kiss only long enough for him to pull it over his head, then he pulled her closer to him, his lips capturing hers once more. He inhaled her sweet scent, his entire body burning with desire. Lightly, he ran his hands over her bare shoulders and arms before running them back up to cup her head in order to deepen the kiss. He felt her hands caressing his bare back and a tremor ran through him.

With a small moan, he once again broke the kiss and took a step back. He dropped to his knees before she could protest and began to unstrap her heeled sandals. His hand ran up the back of her calf as he lifted her foot to remove the shoe, making her tremble. He repeated the action with the other foot, then trailed both hands up the sides of her legs as he stood again. He wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her again as he toed off his own shoes, his mouth melding with hers.

Buffy felt the bow being untied by his deft hands as she ran her fingers around the waistband of the tuxedo pants. His muscles rolled under her as she touched his stomach, arousing her more. The zipper of her dress descended and he pushed the straps off her shoulders. Dropping her hands, she let it fall off of her, pooling at her feet. She stood before him, clad in only a satin bra and panties, gold cross necklace around her throat, her abdomen slightly swollen and hard in her fourth month.

Spike stopped the kiss again in order to see her. His eyes traveled slowly from head to toe, worshipful and loving, not noting the extension of her stomach, only the beauty of her. Buffy flushed under his perusal, reaching forward to the button and zipper on his pants. He brushed her hands away and instead picked her up, carrying her to the turned down bed and setting her gently upon it. Then he unhooked the front clasp of her bra, freeing her. He inhaled sharply at her beauty as he dropped the scrap of satin to the floor.

He quickly shed his pants and socks, joining her on the bed. He kissed her passionately on the lips, then began kiss and lick a fiery trail along her jaw line, down her throat to one of her breasts. Gently lifting the soft globe, he lavished her pebble like nipple with his teeth and tongue. Buffy ran her hands through his hair, holding him to her as he moved his ministrations to her other breast. Tendrils of electricity were shooting from her nipples to her sex as he worked his magic on them.

Suddenly, she pulled him up to claim his mouth, her hands scratching lightly down his back. She managed to get him onto his back, then proceeded to kiss and lick her way down his chest as he did her. The muscles in his stomach rolled again when she dipped her tongue into his navel, his hips rising on their own accord. With a feminine smile, she rubbed her cheek against the erection straining under his briefs and was promptly hauled up his body on the receiving end of a searing kiss.

Spike had her on her back again, kissing his way down her body. His fingers wrapped around the edges of her panties and pulled them off of her. He settled himself between her legs, licking and nipping at her inner thighs before inhaling her heady scent. His tongue flicked out against her clit after he had separated her silken folds, exposing her to him. Buffy hissed in pleasure, arching up against him as her hands wove into his short blond hair.

He brought her to a quick orgasm, sending her writhing against his face. She cried out in pleasure as he drew her climax out until she lay limp beneath him. He removed his briefs as he kissed her inner thigh, then up her hip and over her hard abdomen. He paused, frowning slightly because something seemed wrong, but he dismissed it as he dipped his tongue into her navel, continuing his way up her body.

Buffy caught his wandering mouth with hers, tasting herself on him, feeling his hardness against her thigh. She arched her hips, silently begging for him to fill her. He put his hand between them, positioning himself at her wet opening, the tip pushed slightly inside. He broke the kiss to look down into her eyes, his love for her shining out of his bright blue ones. He then used his hand to grasp hers, intertwining their fingers before he thrust into her.

She thrust up against him in response, wrapping her legs over Spike's hips. Their lips crushed together again as he moved in and out of her in the rhythm of the ages. Slowly the fires that had always burned between them grew to an inferno level, causing them to fly into orgasm, crying out each other's names.

Hands still entwined, Spike rested his forehead against hers, both of them panting heavily. Sweat glistened on their bodies, casting them both in a slight glow from the candlelight. Their hearts pounded a staccato beat in time with each other as they came down. He finally moved out of her, turning them so Buffy was cradled against his chest, not letting go of her hand.

They lay together silently, the soft strains of music the only sound in the room.

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