CHAPTER 193 - MY HEART IS ALL YOURS

DECEMBER 24, 2009

GREENICH

11:00PM



Arriving at Giles' flat, William paid the fare and gave Arnie a heartfelt, generous tip as well, before they headed inside.

"Thank you for coming with me tonight," William said softly, "I...it was special to me."

"It was for me, too," Buffy said, reaching out and giving his hand a brief squeeze.

"Would you care for a nightcap?" William asked hopefully, wanting to prolong the close feelings that they'd been sharing over the course of the evening.

"Sure," Buffy said, following him into the parlor. Taking off her coat, she threw it over a nearby chair, while William went over to look over Giles’ rather small, but impressive collection of fine liquors.

"Sherry alright?"

"That sounds good," Buffy said, standing before the fireplace and letting it warm her, while William busied himself pouring their drinks. "

"Here you go, luv."

"Thanks," she answered, accepting both the glass and the endearment.

They took their drinks to the couch, and sat there just making small talk, interspersed with companionable silence. Buffy realized that it was the first time in a long time, that they'd felt this comfortable with each other to just be. Therefore, both were a bit startled when the clock above the mantle sounded its half-hour chime.

"It's almost Christmas Day," William said.

"So it is," Buffy said, rising to go to her coat. Pulling a small, holiday decorated bag out of her pocket, she walked over and handed it to William.

"Merry Christmas, William."

"Elizabeth, I...I've nothing for you," he stammered as he accepted the bag from her.

"William," Buffy said firmly, seeing the guilt written across his face. "This isn't a big deal. It's just a little something I picked up today at Greenwich Market."

No matter what it was, William knew he would still feel a sense of shame for not having seen to a proper gift for her. Regardless, he wasn't going to let his lack of foresight ruin the moment. Carefully, he took a little white box out of the festive bag. It had more weight to it than he would've guessed. Giving her a quizzical grin, he shook it first, before lifting up the lid to reveal a man’s sterling silver, linked-chain bracelet. As he pulled it out of the box, he could see that it had a small silver anchor attached to one of its links.

"Thank you," he said, reaching over and kissing her softly on the lips.

"You’re welcome. I know you don’t really wear this type of jewelry, and believe me, my feelings won’t be hurt if you don’t. I just liked what the man I bought it from, said it stood for. There's a little card in the bottom of the box that explains it."

William pulled it out and read it.

Anchor - The Ancient Symbol of Hope.

In the world of symbols, the anchor, the age-old symbol of hope, has occupied a position of strength and prestige. It was the mark of hope for the early Christians, and it is embroidered on navy uniforms around the world. It represents not only hope but also the useful act of holding fast.

Hope.

He swallowed back the lump in his throat before meeting her eyes and slowly nodding. "It’s perfect," William said, as he put the bracelet over his left wrist, and pulling the long silver bar through the link on the other side, fastening it.

As soon as she saw it on his wrist, she almost laughed aloud. While concentrating on what the anchor symbolized, she’d ignored the now blatantly obvious coincidence; that this was the very type of chain bracelet that Spike had often worn over the years.

"Elizabeth, I really am terribly sorry I don’t have a proper gift for you."

"William, please believe me when I tell you I truly don't care about that. We're here together. That's the most important thing to me."

"It is to me, too, luv," William said, bringing his hand up to cup her face. "You being here is the best gift of all; more than I could’ve hoped for, and much more than I deserve at this point."

Buffy shook her head, but he hurried on before losing his courage.

"And while I don’t have a gift per se, I did write this for you today," William said, taking a deep breath while reaching into his pocket to hand her the folded paper.

Buffy took it from him and unfolded it and started to read.

"I know it isn’t very good. I’m afraid I’m terribly out of..."

"Shhh...Let me be the judge of that, okay?" Buffy admonished him.

William nodded, and she started reading it again.

My Heart is All Yours



by William Worthington

Brought back to a life

He didn't understand

Alone in a world of strangers

Adrift in a strange land

At his lowest point

Did she thusly appear

A blue jean clad gleaming vision

To assuage his fears

Into this new life

She leads him anew

Gentle encouragement and love

Despite challenges, not few

And his heart, did it expand

‘Til it grew a bulge in’t

Inspired by her loving beauty,

Effulgent!

But forces they did gather

To tear asunder their new life

Pull him back to darkness

Restore pain, sorrow, strife

What you were doesn't matter

She assured, unrepentant

But heavy heart did he leave her

No choice, ever sadder

I'll always find you

She'd sworn back then

On nigh' despair deepest

She appears once again

A glimmering light

That shows hope is key

Arms open in welcome

Loving embrace for me

Pray this is all over

The discord I’ve wrought

Regardless my dear

I offer my one true thought

Beautiful Elizabeth

My heart is all yours

Can’t live without yours

Not ever, not anymore


Unable to sit there while she read his poem, he’d gone to stand by the mantle. As he watched the flames, he felt her approach. He held his breath as he awaited the verdict.


"William..."

"They’re only words and bloody awful ones at that," he said, with a nervous laugh. "They’re only this very bad poet’s attempt to try to express what I feel, and if you don’t like them..."

"It’s beautiful."

William was suddenly rendered speechless, as her words penetrated his brain. His head shot up to find her looking at him with tears in her eyes. Barely aware of anything but the floodgate of emotions her words had set loose, he hardly realized that her hand had found his and placed it above her heart, before hearing her echo the words of his poem back to him.


"My heart is all yours. Can’t live without yours. Not ever, not anymore..."

William stared at her for just a second before pulling her into his arms and kissing her with a hunger that spoke both of his longing and loneliness. Just as fervently, Buffy returned his kisses, her mouth yielding to the insistence of his talented tongue as it reacquainted itself with hers. Speaking its own unique, sensual language to her and her alone; she couldn't help but moan aloud as William poured everything he was, everything he felt into their kisses.

"Elizabeth," he murmured as his hands wandered up and down the silky material of her top, as he pulled her closer and closer.

"I want you, William," Buffy whispered breathlessly.

He pulled back for a moment, his eyes filled with desire for her, before sweeping her up into his arms.

With a surprised gasp, her arms went around his neck, as her mouth hungrily found his again, only to separate when it caused him to stumble as he hurried his way towards the stairs. Giggling, she instead nuzzled, kissed, and nipped the soft part of the skin between his neck and ear, making him growl in frustration. As quickly as William could manage, he carried her the two flights up the stairs to his room. With a swift movement that would’ve rivaled any in a Hollywood movie, he deftly opened the door to his room, then closed it behind them.

The moonlight coming through the edge of the curtains was enough for William to see by, as he made his way to the bed, and lay her down on it. Arms refusing to relinquish the hold they still had around his neck, Buffy pulled him down right on top of her, kissing him hungrily.

"Oh, God," Buffy moaned as she felt his full weight and strength of his hardness, urgently pressing up between her legs, through the thin material of her skirt.

"Don’t think God has much to do with this," William said, with a slight hint of something Buffy couldn’t quite define creeping into his voice.

"I don’t care," she said, as she pulled his face to hers once more.

Their hands sought to help the other out of the clothes that now only served to keep skin from skin. Buffy sat up, as he pulled her top off, moaning as he mouthed her breast through her lacy bra, while at the same time, fumbling with his buttons.

"Who thought of these stupid things?" Buffy mumbled, frustrated.

"Don’t know, luv, but you picked it out last year."

"I know. Still, I don’t much like it at the moment," Buffy said, smiling. She’d recognized the wine-colored shirt from the one that had gone with his gray suit that they’d picked out together last year.

"Bugger this," William said, quickly undoing the buttons at his wrist, then pulling the shirt over his head and tossing it onto the floor.



Buffy took a deep breath as she ran her hands slowly up his chest, up to his face, then behind his neck to pull him forward once more. He twisted at the last minute, pulling her over on top of him. He fumbled with trying to undo her skirt’s zipper, as she reached between them to undo his. He moaned as her hand came in contact with his cock, now straining painfully against the confines of his pants. Smiling to herself, she rubbed him some more, until he’d finally reached his limit. With a low growl, he pushed her over onto her back, and pulled off his own pants, while she did the same with her skirt.

Barriers now all removed; he came into her arms, while at the same time she pulled him atop her, opening her legs to him.

Trying to slow down, he lifted up, kissing her breasts. Her fingers threaded her way through his hair, as she kissed the top of his head murmuring his name and moaning her desire. Encouraged, he moved his lips down to her stomach, scooting down even further until she stopped him. He looked up at her questioningly.

"Not now...please, I just want to feel you inside me right now."



William nodded, as he kissed his way back up her body, and positioned himself. She drew his face to hers with her hands and kissed him, then let one hand reach down between them to guide him into her. He moaned in pleasure as he was enveloped in her heat and tightness.

They pulled back from the kiss, looking into each other’s eyes as they relished the deliciously erotic and familiar sensations that they'd gone without for so long.

As much as Buffy Summer's quips and stylish, yet, affordable boots, and Spike's trademark snark and black leather coat, had defined them in the past, so had this. And as much as Elizabeth's patience, strength, and maturity and William's devotion, love, and kindness defined them now, so did this consummate, passionate connection. It was what had always made them, them. It was what defined them always -- vampire and slayer, man and woman, lovers and beloveds.



Slowly, William started to move inside her, and Buffy arched her back to meet his thrusts. She whimpered as she felt him harden even more a few minutes later.

"Elizabeth, luv...feel so good..." William moaned, overtaken by it all, "...don't think I'm going to last very long."

"It's okay, baby. You don't have to," Buffy said, kissing him, and running her hands up and down his back, stroking him, encouraging him. "Just wanted to feel you..."

"Love you...missed you so much..." he babbled, as he neared the brink. Then, just as he was about to go over the edge, he stopped moving and looked down at her in concern.

"What's the matter?"

Buffy shook her head. "It's nothing," Buffy said, sniffling.

"Then why are you crying?" William asked, wiping away a tear from her face. "Am I hurting you?"

"No, it feels wonderful..."

" Did I do something?"

"It's...it's silly is all."

"Tell me, luv," William said, stroking her hair. "I want to know."

"It's...you said you loved me."

William could only stare at her.

"I told you it was silly."

"Of course I love you! I've always loved you! I always will love you!"

"I know," she said, putting her hand on his face, "but it's just that I hadn't heard you say it in such a long time."

Buffy couldn't help but feel like the biggest hypocrite that had ever walked the planet. How many times had she denied him these very words? Well, not William so much, but certainly when he was Spike. How long had he loved her before she'd reciprocated his feelings? And even then, it had taken her a long time for her to own up and give him the words he’d so wanted from her. Now, since he'd been back, the words had come so easily, that she never questioned them. Not until the absence of them from his vocabulary, after he'd been so traumatized, had she realized that like the very air she breathed, she'd come to depend on them like life itself.



For William, it was much simpler.

"Darling...Elizabeth. I'm so sorry. I've never stopped loving you; never stopped missing you. With all my heart, ever fiber of my being, I love you."

"William," Buffy said, sniffling. "I love you, too. I've missed you...I've missed you so much...please..."

Helpless and not knowing what else to do in the face of her emotional breakdown, he kissed her. Hard.

Soon, their bodies moved in rhythm to the others, as passion returned.

"I love you, I love you," William whispered over and over.

"Love you, too, William. Love you, love you," Buffy returned.

Again she could feel him harden as he began to thrust in earnest. He leaned up on his arms, putting one hand between them, so he could rub her clit. Buffy moaned loudly as she lost herself in the building sensations. So William could have better leverage, she took over from him. Every thrust now made her gasp, as his increased hardness and length were hitting all the right spots. Suddenly, she cried out; the orgasm hit her hard. Feeling her walls clamping down around his cock, moments later he also climaxed, calling out her name as he did so.

Collapsed on top of her, William languidly turned his head to kiss her mouth.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," Buffy said.

"Don’t go," she said, when he tried to move off of her.

"Not crushing you?"

"No, it feels nice."

"Might fall asleep like this," he said, already halfway there.

"I don’t mind."

Moments later, two very tired, but satisfied lovers fell asleep on a starry Christmas Eve.

END CHAPTER 193



A/N...as it’s been a while since I updated (and sorry, I didn’t get this and the next upcoming Christmas-y chapter(s) out in time for Christmas or New Year’s) I decided that this last chapter (finished in the wee early hours of the morning here on 01/07/06) will come to you unbeta’d. Fresh from the word factory, as it were. LOL

My thanks as always to Judy, who will most likely come in and give the chapter a clean sweep after the fact.

In any case, hope you all are having a good New Year, and that you had a good holiday.

Hope you enjoyed the Spuffy!!!