CHAPTER 12

Another two days and I can go home, Darla thought. A prospect she was both dreading and looking forward to.

She called David. “Hey,” she greeted him softly when he answered.

“Hey. How’s work doing?”

“Good. I finished earlier, and I’ll be back Monday night.”

“Great. So…no change of heart?”

She smiled. “Absolutely not. You?”

“Hell no! I’ve been waiting for this long enough. You’re stuck with me, Sweetheart.”

“I certainly hope so. I’ll call Spike and will talk to him as soon as possible, ok?”

“Ok. I’m not sure he will ever talk to me again after that,” he said in a sad voice.

“I know your friendship is important to you. But we don’t know how he will take it. It might not be that bad,” she tried to comfort him, but wasn’t feeling much better herself. She was still wondering about that talk he wanted to have with her, probably to set a date.

Unless…

Unless he wanted to break up with her as well. Considering all that had happened with Buffy lately… Why hadn’t she thought about that in the first place? Of course!

“Don’t worry too much,” she told David. “It might go better than we expect.”

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

After three days of rest - and Spike’s constant and attentive care - Buffy had recovered. She was still sporting a fading green-violet bruise, but didn’t need to put any bandages on it anymore.
On this Sunday morning, she was contemplating the interior of the fridge. “I’m afraid that a little trip to the supermarket will be our first exciting activity today.”

Spike folded the newspaper he was reading. “You’re up to it?”

“Sure. I feel much better.”

With an evil glint in his eyes, he came behind her and pressed his body against hers. “I’m very glad to hear it, Sweetheart,” he whispered, nibbling on the sensitive spot on her neck, eliciting a sigh of pleasure. His hands found their way under her top and he murmured his contentment when he realized that she wasn’t wearing a bra.

Buffy moaned and turned around, seeking his mouth. They hadn’t shared any real intimacy for the past three days, what with Spike wanting Buffy to recover first. They had slept in each other’s arms, but they hadn’t made love. Buffy had appreciated Spike’s concern, of course, but now she was craving his touch. And judging by the hardness she was feeling between them, Spike seemed rather enthusiastic about the idea as well.

They exchanged some heated kisses, before Buffy pushed him slightly away. “Hmm, honey…my butt is starting to freeze,” She said, and Spike noticed that the fridge’s door was still open, and Buffy’s bottom was pressed between the orange juice and the yogurts.

He chuckled. “Ok, let me warm it up for you,” he said, rubbing her butt vigourously, provoking her amusement.

His cell phone rang, interrupting their foreplay.

“Hello? Oh, hi Darla.”

Buffy sobered immediately. Having Spike with her for several days had almost made her forget he was still engaged to another woman.

“…that’s great. I’ll be in Sunnydale until Monday. What about Tuesday nigh? My place, eight o’clock?”

Buffy filled the dishwasher, ignoring the knot in her stomach. Of course they had to talk and he wanted to break up with her…but why at his apartment? Couldn’t they go to the restaurant or something?

“Ok, I’ll see you then. Bye.”

Spike put his phone back on the island. “Darla’s coming back tomorrow. I’ll see her on Tuesday.”

“Yeah, I heard. Don’t forget to break up with her after making her dinner,” she said coldly.

He looked at her incredulously. “Hey, hey, hey! What’s going on here? If I want to end things with Darla, I have to see her, right? There’s no way I will do it over the phone. I feel enough of a jerk as it is. I asked her to marry me, Buffy. And now I’m breaking up with her, for you. Because I love you. What more do you want from me?”

Buffy didn’t need to hear it to regret her words. She had regretted them as soon as she had voiced them. How could she have said something so stupid and selfish? Once again, there was hurt and incomprehension on his face, and she was the cause of it.

The whole situation with Riley on one hand, and Darla on the other, had really gotten on her nerves, but they were not reasons to take it out on Spike. After all, he was the one giving her the strength to go through this.

She mentally kicked herself. She hadn’t realized so far that she really had the power to hurt him. Because he truly loved her. “I’m sorry. Jealousy got the best of me. I didn’t mean it.”

“Yeah, whatever. I’ll go take a shower,” he muttered, leaving the kitchen.

Buffy sighed. Way to ruin a perfect Sunday.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§



Buffy had gotten dressed while he was in the shower, and now she didn’t know what to do with herself. She was flipping through the TV channels when he came down. He got his car keys.

“Didn’t you say something about grocery shopping?” he asked, but his tone was neutral.

She turned the TV off. “Yeah…let’s go.”

Once at the supermarket, she started to fill the cart he was pushing. He was looking everywhere but at her and hadn’t muttered a sound.

At the canned food section, she couldn’t take it anymore. “Spike…”

Still no look in her direction.

“Spike, I’ve been in love with you since I was fourteen.”

That got his attention. He finally turned to her.

“At that time, and during all those years, I thought you could never love me back. So what’s happened between us the last few days…it’s still sinking in. Sometimes I even think it’s a dream and I’ll wake up. And other times, I fully realize what’s going on, and I’m scared. I have doubts, like you. I wonder if we’re doing the right thing. But when we’re together, the doubts vanish. I know this - us- is right. And I’m sorry if I acted like a spoiled brat. The fact that you’re breaking up with Darla to be with me…there’s always that insecure little part of me that has trouble believing it.”

She put her hand on his forearm. “I’m really sorry,” she repeated softly.

He looked at her hand, then took it in his. “You have to trust me on this, Buffy. I know I don’t seem like the most reliable person right now. After all, I asked Darla to marry me and now I’m turning her down. But when I say I love you, I mean it. With all my heart.”

She smiled. “I know. Am I forgiven then?”

As an answer, he pulled her to him and gave her a breathless kiss. She put her arms around his neck and for a moment they forgot everything that wasn’t them.

Until a gasp behind them reminded them where they were. They pulled apart and turned around, just in time to see an old lady with a shocked face disappear into another section.

Buffy put her hand on her mouth, repressing a laugh. “I think it was Mrs Clayton from the drugstore.”

“Well then,” he said, letting go of her and taking back the cart, “let’s finish this before getting caught by the whole bloody town - or even worse, another paparazzi.”

“Good idea. Shall we buy something to make a picnic and spend the afternoon at the beach? I really need to enjoy some fresh air after spending so much time inside.”

“Anything you want, my love.”

She couldn’t resist and grabbed his head for another kiss.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

When they got back home at the end of the afternoon, there was a message on the answering machine. Willow’s voice filled the room.

“Hey Buffy, we’re leaving for the airport, we’ll be back tomorrow in the afternoon. I can’t wait to see you. Bye!”

Buffy smiled. “Oh, that’s right, they’re coming back tomorrow already.”

“And on Tuesday, it’s Rupert and Jenny.”

“Wow. Time for a lot of explanations. Willow and Xander don’t really know about what happened. Willow knows about my feelings, but not the rest.”

Spike let himself fall on the couch. “Explaining to Will and Xander is not really what I’m concerned about. Your dad, on the other hand…”

She sat next to him and put her head on his chest. “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll be glad to see us happy. He told you he trusted you, right?”

He kissed her head. “I have to do everything in my power to keep it that way, then.”

She smiled wickedly. “I have a few suggestions.”

She whispered in his ear and Spike grinned. His hand slid under her short dress, pushing aside her swimsuit. She gasped at the feel of his fingers.

“Oh…we’re doing this now, then?”

Spike gave her an innocent look. “If you want me to stop…”

“No!” she said, grasping his arm. “Now is good. Now is…aah…perfect,” she finished with a sigh, moving her legs to give him better access. He laid her on the couch, and his mouth covered hers, the kiss slow and gentle. Then it changed and he was devouring her.

With a sudden urgency, Buffy got rid of his shorts and at the simple touch of her small fingers on him he let a groan escape. She smiled. She loved that power she had over him, the power they had on each other at the merest touch.

“You are so beautiful,” he murmured. He eased the top of her dress off her shoulders, revealing her breasts. Tenderly, he rained kisses on them, using his lips and his tongue to drive her to the edge. Her rising moans were a pretty clear indication that she was not far from it.

“Spike…” she pleaded, bringing his rigid shaft to her entrance. She eased her legs apart and he slid into her with fluidity. He started to move slowly, letting the pleasure build between them. They were kissing tenderly, pouring all their heart into it. When Spike felt that the climax was near, he opened his eyes and cupped her cheek with his hand.

“Buffy,” he panted, and she opened her eyes as well, plunging in his blue depths.

“I love you,” he whispered, and she could see his love clearly in his eyes. She felt her heart swell with love at the same time as she was carried away by a wave of pleasure, followed very quickly by Spike.

They stayed like this for a moment, entangled in their mutual bliss.

“I love you too,” she said, caressing his back and pressing him against her, not wanting to let go. Which wasn’t his intention anyway. He settled comfortably on the couch, nuzzling her neck with satisfied noises.

“You are aware that this was just round one?” he grinned, and she giggled, readying herself for the many pleasures that were to come.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§


On Monday morning, Buffy was still under the effect of her magical night with Spike. They had made love several time, and each time had been more tender and fulfilling than the previous one.

She was feeling totally energized, and for the first time she had a total confidence in the future. Something so beautiful couldn’t simply end badly.

The phone rang, putlling her out of her blissful reverie.

When Spike came downstairs, Buffy was hanging up. “Oh, there you are,” she said. “The call was for you. I thought you were still in the shower.”

He came to her, taking her in his arms and giving her a toe-curling kiss. “Good morning to you too, sweetness,” he said with a teasing smile. “Who called?”

“Some guy named Diego. He said he was Joss’ assistant, that they had had some problem with the voice editing or something like that on the last episode. He wanted to know if you could come as soon as possible.”

Spike frowned. “Diego? Why didn’t he call my cell phone?” he wondered, then noticed said phone was turned off. “Ok, I guess that explains it. I’ll call him back.” He dialed a number and waited a few seconds before hanging up. “No answer. That’s all he said?” he asked Buffy.

She shrugged. “Yep. Apparently it seemed important you came as soon as possible.”

“I guess it is. That episode is supposed to air next week,” he sighed. “I don’t want to leave you alone here.”

She smiled and slipped into his arms. “Oh, come on. It’s broad daylight. Willow and Xander will be back in a few hours. And honestly, I think that Riley got the message.”

“I suppose,” he said, only half-convinced.

“Why don’t you take my car and leave yours here? This way, if Riley happens to be passing by, he’ll think you’re here. What do you say?”

He smiled. “It’s an idea. And maybe…” he hesitated. “Maybe I can try to catch Darla tonight then, instead of waiting for tomorrow. So I can come back here afterwards and…we can talk about us…about the future.”

Buffy nodded, and buried her head in the crook of his neck. He caressed her hair. “Last night was special,” he whispered against her forehead, placing a soft kiss on her scar.

She smiled happily. “So you felt it too?”

“In more ways than one,” he joked lightly, before adding more seriously, “I don’t want to leave you.”

“The faster you go, the faster you’ll be back,” she told him, eyes shining, hand caressing his cheek.

“Good point, love. And I’ll come back as soon as I have talked to Darla. It might be late though.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

He gave her one last passionate kiss before grabbing the car keys and leaving.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§


Twenty minutes after leaving Sunnydale, Spike realized he had forgotten his cellphone. Cursing, he stopped the car at the next gas station. He would have to go back to get it, because he didn’t want to stay away all day without a mean for Buffy to reach him. Just in case.

He went to a public phone to try to call Diego again and tell him he was on his way. This time he got an answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Diego. It’s Spike.”

“Hey Spike”.

“Listen, mate, I was on my way to L.A but I forgot my cell phone. I’ll go get it then I’ll be there asap, ok?”

“Sure…Be there for what exactly?”

“What do you mean ‘be there for what’? For that voice editing problem or whatever it is.”

“A voice editing problem?”

Spike clutched the phone when he heard the perplexity in Diego’s voice. His mouth was suddenly very dry. “You called this morning and talked to Buffy about it.”

Diego’s next words froze him in horror. “What? Spike, I’m sorry, but I never called you.”

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§


Buffy walked into the kitchen and noticed that there were more useful things to do than wandering around her house daydreaming with a stupid smile on her face.

She started to put the living room in order, and saw Spike’s cell phone on the table. Hmmm…she mused. Maybe he would realize he had forgotten it and would come back to get it, which meant more delicious smoochies for Buffy.

There was a knock on the front door. Speaking of the devil…

With a smile, she went to open it.

CHAPTER 13

        "Hello Buffy."

Buffy tried to close the door but Riley blocked it with his foot quickly. He walked inside and closed the door behind him. The young woman took two steps backward, trying to conceal her fear.

"Go away, Riley, or I'll call the police."

He laughed. "Yeah, right."

"Spike will be back in a few minutes," she lied.

"No he won't. I made sure he was on his way to L.A. He won't be back for at least a few hours. And what I'm here for will only take a couple of minutes," he added with a satisfied smirk.

Buffy looked at him incredulously. "You were the one who called this morning?"

How come she hadn't recognized him? She had been so lost in her daydream that she hadn't really paid attention to the caller's voice. "But Spike called Diego back. How could you be sure he wouldn't answer then?"

Riley shrugged. "I couldn't. It was pure luck. I just waited for Atherton to leave the house.and you, here, all alone. Tsk tsk. Such carelessness."

She tried to run to the back door but he caught her easily, grasping her hair. She cried in pain and he put his hand over her mouth.

"Do you really think that sending the cops and your lover would scare me?"

She shook her head and struggled fruitlessly. His hand was covering half of her nose and she had trouble breathing.

He threw her violently on the floor, and her head hit the first step of the stairs. Then he kicked her twice in the stomach, and she coiled herself into a foetal position, covering her head with her arms in a vain attempt at protection.

She tried to scream but only a faint squeal came out of her mouth. Her thoughts were going to Tara Maclay, and how she was about to know the same fate. And Spike wouldn't be here, and he would be horrified when he realized that they had been tricked. He hadn't wanted to leave Buffy alone and he had been right.

I'm sorry Spike. I'm sorry. I love you.

But it would be too late.

Riley put on a pair of gloves, then grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the kitchen. Opening some drawers, he found what he was looking for : a very sharp little kitchen knife.

"See, I was thinking on making it look like a painful accident, pushing you down the stairs for instance. Then again that's what happened to Tara, so it would be too risky for me. So I had this brilliant idea," he said, in a cheerfully creepy tone, showing her the knife. "Suicide. That's the key. Isn't it clever?"

She didn't answer and he shook her violently. She winced at a sudden pain in her shoulder.

"I'm talking to you, bitch!"

She raised her head and stared at him with pure hatred. "Go to hell, Riley. When Spike will finds out, he'll kill you," she told him in a raspy, barely audible voice. He heard her though, and she saw him falter for a mere second, before slashing her cheek cruelly. A flood of blood escaped, running down her face and into her mouth, making her choke. That seemed to please him to no end.

"I wasted enough time with you already. Time to finish this."

Holding her wrist, Riley made a clean cut, and blood spattered on her body and on his arm. He noticed that she had passed out, and with a vile smile, took her other arm.

An inhuman roar resonated behind him, before two hands caught him by the shoulders, sending him across the room and against the wall. The contact was brutal and knocked Riley out immediately.

Spike rushed to Buffy, terror filling him. There was blood everywhere.

"Buffy.Oh God. No."

He took a dishtowel and pressed it to her slashed wrist, but it was soon soaked with blood.

Desperate, he ran to the living room, picked up the phone and called for an ambulance and the police. The white phone was soon tinted with bloodstains coming from his hand.

Her blood.

He came back to her, placing pressure on the towel against her wrist again. He pressed his ear to her face and felt her breath. But her pulse was slowing down awfully fast.

"Stay with me, Buffy, please. Please, Baby."

He pressed his lips on her forehead, whispering fervent prayers against her skin.

The ambulance and the police arrived at the same time.

        §§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

        Helpless, Spike watched the doctors and nurses take Buffy away to the operating room.

He was feeling numb. Only a few hours ago, they were making love tenderly, she was talking, laughing, teasing him.

And now she was covered with her own blood, struggling to stay alive.

If only he had tried harder to reach Diego *before* leaving the house.if he hadn't come back because of his cell phone, Buffy would be dead by now. He clutched his chest, trying to repress the sobs. It was not the moment to break down. And he wouldn't have a reason to break down anyway.

Because she would not die. She would be ok. She had to.

What would become of him if she.Oh God, what was he going to tell Rupert? He was supposed to take care of her!

"Sir? Are you alright?"

He raised his head and met the concerned look of a nurse.

"Are you hurt?" she asked again, and he realized he had blood on his hand and shirt, and probably on his face too.

"It.It's not my blood," he managed to say. "It's my girlfriend's," Spike added, realizing it was the first time he was talking about Buffy publicly that way. Not his stepsister. His girlfriend.

His girl.

He also noticed that he was attracting stares from other people around, either by the fact that he had so much blood on him, or that they had recognized him.

"Can I go.Is there a bathroom somewhere?"

Smiling gently, the nurse led him to the nearest men's room.

"Do you need anything, sir? A glass of water?" she asked again.

"No.thank you."

He didn't want a glass of water. He just wanted Buffy to be ok. He wanted to wake up in his bed and discover that it was just an awful nightmare. He would wake up Buffy, kiss her and hold her tightly to him for the rest of the night, and the rest of his life.

But even his worst nightmares couldn't have prepared him for this.

He quickly washed his face and hands. Some of the blood had tainted his bleached locks, and it didn't want to wash away. The dried blood was creating a shocking contrast on his white head.

He came back to the hallway and prepared himself for an excruciating wait. He sat on a chair, putting his head in his hands.

        §§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

        A hand on his shoulder shook him from his torpor. He got up suddenly. The doctor was standing in front of him.

"I'm Dr Carter. You were the person who brought the young woman with the slashed wrist?"

"Yes. She's my.my stepsister," he said, thinking that in this case the family bond would be more useful. "Buffy. Is she ok? Tell me she's ok."

"She should be. She has several broken ribs, and she's suffering from a slight concussion. Her right shoulder was also dislocated. The cut on her cheek will leave a scar, though. She lost a lot of blood, but you brought her in time."

"Can I see her?"

"She's still in the recovery room. We'll take her to a private room in about fifteen minutes. The nurse will let you know."

"But she'll be ok?" Spike insisted.

The doctor hesitated. "Her life's not in danger anymore. But she suffered a severe beating and a crucial loss of blood. We can just wait now for her to wake up. The sooner the better." He put his hand on Spike's shoulder. "She's under the best care. Don't worry."

Spike nodded, not sure he was totally reassured with this. "Alright. Thank you doctor."

The doctor smiled before leaving. The nurse - her nametag indicated 'Abby' - came to him. "I'm sorry sir, but I need you to fill out some papers. Can you come with me?"

Spike followed her. Might as well do that now, he thought. Keep his mind busy, while waiting for Buffy to be brought back to her room.

After filling the usual administrative papers, he left a message on Willow and Xander's phone. They weren't home yet, but they would want to know what had happened.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he was able to see Buffy.

She looked almost as white as the sheets. A bandage covered her damaged cheek, as well as her wrist. And there were way too many tubes going in and out of her for Spike's taste.

He grabbed a chair and sat next to the bed. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. "Hey baby. The doctor said you'd be fine. You just have to wake up soon. I'm right here next to you, ok?"

A small delusional part of him had hoped she would wake up when she heard his voice. But it didn't happen, of course. He put a trembling hand on her forehead.

"I love you," he whispered.

        §§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

Another hour passed, and Xander and Willow arrived. Spike jumped slightly when they entered the room. He had dozed off with his head on the bed next to Buffy.

His friends hugged him tightly, before turning to Buffy's unconscious body, horrified.

"What happened?"

"Riley.Riley tricked me into leaving the house and attacked her. I had forgotten my cell phone and I came back just in time before he killed her."

Xander shook his head. "Riley did this? But how.?"

Spike explained to them what had happened since their wedding. Willow took Buffy's hand. "I knew I should have forced her to call that number immediately."

Xander put a comforting arm on her shoulders. "Honey, I'm afraid it wouldn't have changed anything. Riley is crazy, he wanted to get his revenge and he would have fond one way or another."

"Xander's right. The guy is sick. And we.I totally underestimated him." Spike's jaw clenched. "The police took care of him, and I hope the bastard will rot in jail." He ran his hand through his hair. "I'll have to go to the police tomorrow. See what we have to do.I want him to get what he deserves."

So far Spike had been in a numb state of mind, but now the events were starting to process, and anger was making its way. Riley was in the hand of the police, but he would have given a lot to spend a few minutes with him and rip his guts bit by bit.

He forced himself to calm down. "The doctor said we have to wait for her to wake up.that it could take some time," he said, caressing Buffy's hair.

Watching him, Willow guessed that more had happened between them during her honeymoon. The way he was looking at her, the pure anguish on his face, all his gestures were the concern of a lover more than just a stepbrother. Even a close one.

But of course it wasn't the place or the moment to raise the subject. Willow just hoped that if her best friends had found happiness together, it wouldn't be taken from them so brutally.

"Did you call her dad?" Xander asked.

Spike shook his head. "No. They arrive tomorrow morning. They will know soon enough. If I tell them now they will have an awful trip back."

"You're right," Willow said, squeezing his hand gently.

"If you want we can wait for them at your house tomorrow morning, and drive them here," Xander offered.

"That would be great. This way I don't have to leave Buffy. But don't you have to get back to work?"

"Not before Wednesday. We're at your disposal tomorrow if you need anything."

"Thanks mate," Spike said, giving Xander a strong hug. It was good to have his friends back and to share a little of his grief.

"Do you want something to eat, or drink?" Willow asked again. "Have you eaten anything since this morning?"

Spike shook his head. He had heard his stomach growl several times, but at the same time the idea of food made him queasy. He had just drunk some water earlier from the bathroom.

"No, thanks Red. Maybe later." He sat back on the chair. "You two should go. You probably have to unpack and everything. And jetlag can be a bitch."

"We came as soon as we heard your message," Xander admitted. "But we can stay if you need us. And you can come sleep at our place tonight."

"I'm not leaving her."

Willow frowned, concerned. "Spike, you'll have to sleep a little bit at least."

"Ill sleep here. I'm not leaving her," he said stubbornly.

"Ok then. Call us as soon as she wakes up, ok? Even if it's the middle of the night."

"I will, I promise. Thanks for coming, guys."

After giving kisses to Buffy, Willow and Xander left. Spike took her hand again, placing it against his cheek. "Hey there, sleepy head. You need to wake up. I want to see those beautiful eyes of yours. Please, baby."

CHAPTER 14

Around five pm, his cell phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Spike, it’s Darla. I know you’re in Sunnydale but I wanted to let you know I was back. Is everything ok?”

Suddenly, hearing Darla’s soft voice was too much. He had spent all day balancing between several emotions, from fear, to numbness, to helplessness and anger. When Willow and Xander had come he had already been on the verge of breaking down. He had restrained himself several times, but now he was too tired to fight it.

He tried to say something, but only a chocked sound escaped from his throat.

“Spike? Are you crying? Oh God, what’s going on?”

He rubbed his hand on his chest, trying to explain the situation the best he could between the heart wrenching sobs.

“I’m coming,” Darla finally said.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

He put the phone on the table next to him and resumed his position at Buffy’s side.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

Darla walked into the room silently. Spike was sitting beside Buffy, caressing her hair and whispering soft words to her.

Darla approached the bed and Spike turned his head, noticing her.

“Hey…”

He got up and took her in his arms. Or rather, she took him in hers.

She had never seen him like this. And she was positive it was the first time she had seen him cry. And why would he? He was a successful actor in a popular TV show, and more importantly he had a caring family and friends. He had no reason to be unhappy. Of course he had had bad days like anyone else, but nothing that would put him in the state she was witnessing now.

The remnants of tears were streaking his cheeks. He was dishevelled, and there were brownish spots on his shirt that were probably dried blood. But what struck her the most was the fear she read in his blue eyes.

“How is she?” Darla asked softly.

“Still unconscious. The nurse told me it was normal. She might not wake up before tomorrow morning. But it would be better if she woke up before the next 24 hours. If she doesn’t, then…”

He let the end of the sentence hang in the hair, passing his hand on his face with a tired sigh.

“You got here fast,” he noticed, looking at the clock on the wall.

“I…I called David, and a friend of his has a private jet. He brought me here.”

“David’s here?”

“No, he stayed in LA. He said to call if you needed anything.”

She watched him closely, worried by his more than usual paleness. “Spike, have you eaten anything today?”

“No, I was too…I couldn’t. I didn’t want to leave Buffy.”

“But you’ll be useless to her if you die of starvation,” she joked lightly. “Come on. The cafeteria is still open.”

“Darla, I don’t think…”

She glared at him. “Spike, that was an order. No discussion allowed.”

Spike looked at Buffy. The truth was, he was starting to feel slightly light-headed, and his stomach was growling unpleasantly. Maybe just a quick bite…

“All right, you bossy chit,” he finally gave in, and the barest hint of a smile appeared on his face. They walked out of the room, and Spike asked the nurse to let him know immediately if Buffy woke up while he was away.

The cafeteria was almost empty. Spike bought a sandwich, and Darla took just a coffee. They sat down and Darla stayed silent while Spike ate. He got a coffee too, and started to regain some colour.

“Thank you for coming,” he told her.

“It’s natural. I can only imagine how hard it must be. I know how much you love her.”

More than anything in this world,” he replied without thinking, just before realizing whom he was talking to.

Darla smiled at his contrite face. “Spike…don’t worry. I know. Well, I wasn’t totally sure until this very minute, but I had my suspicions.”

“Darla, I’m sorry. I wanted…”

She interrupted him. “I said not to worry. And to be honest…I’m in love with someone else.”

It took some time for the information to process, then Spike opened his eyes wide. “Huh?”

She smiled and took his hand. “Didn’t see that coming, did you?”

He shook his head. “Not really…that was supposed to be my line,” he said, chuckling softly. “And…who is it? Someone I know?”

Darla swallowed nervously. “It’s David.”

“David…you mean David, as in my cast mate?”

She nodded, unsure of his reaction. And Spike wasn’t sure about his reaction either. After all, David was his colleague and one of his best friends. Yet Darla and him and had managed to fall in love behind his back. He didn’t know what to feel about that.

Then again, he himself had fallen head over heels for Buffy, and hadn’t resist very much, sleeping with her while he was still engaged to Darla. So maybe he shouldn’t throw them too many stones.

“How did that happen?” he asked, curious nonetheless.

“Rather unexpectedly. I always had a nice relationship with him. Lately, we spent some time together. When I was with him, I had all those feelings…the kind of feelings I should have had for you. He didn’t press anything…I was the one who talked to him about it, and he confessed he loved me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Because I was feeling guilty. And David was feeling very bad about it, because he’s your friend. But we realized it would be stupid to go on like this. God knows I was feeling horrible when I decided to break up with you.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling, believe me.”

She smiled softly. “I guess the two of us just weren’t meant to be. And we were lucky to have figured it out before it was too late. Also extremely fortunate to have found our significant others in the process, don’t you think?”

“Yeah…I wish my significant other wasn’t laying in a hospital bed all battered and bruised,” he said, a cloud shadowing his face.

Darla squeezed his hand slightly. “She’ll be alright,” she told him with confidence.

Spike nodded, but the gloomy look on his face remained.

“So, tell me. How did it happen with the two of you?”

Like she had hoped, a faint smile reappeared on his face. “Like you, kinda out of nowhere. Although Buffy told me she had been in love with me for several years…and I begin to wonder if I wasn’t feeling the same way, without realizing it. I think it’s the kiss that started it.”

“The one that made the cover of the Hello magazine?”

“No. The first one we shared three years ago. The night of my mum’s funeral. I thought it had been done out of a need for comfort…until we kissed again on the back porch. That’s when I realized I had strong feelings for her, and not at all the brotherly kind. And too strong to be ignored. And God knows I tried, because at that moment I was really set on marrying you…there was no way I would take my word back. But it soon became an impossible situation. Like you said, what’s the point of staying with someone if you deeply love someone else? You’ll just end up make everyone unhappy. And when Finn hurt her the first time, I knew there was no way I could live without her.”

Spike smiled, feeling better now that he had explained it all to Darla, at being able to talk honestly to her, and better yet, to be able to do it without hurting her. That meant that their friendship wouldn’t suffer, which he valued greatly.

“You know that if you make your relationship with Buffy public - and you won’t really have a choice - you’ll have to explain why you lied about that kiss a few weeks ago.”

“I know. But believe me, it’s the farthest thing from my mind right now. I’ll deal with it when it’s necessary. Do you want something else?” he asked, noticing her cup was empty.

“No, thanks. I know you want to go back to her. And David’s friend is waiting for me at the airport. I’d better go.”

They went back to the hall and stopped in front of Buffy’s door. Spike took her in his arms. “Thank you so much for coming, Darla.”

She hugged him. “First and foremost, we are friends. I’m glad things are clear between us.”

“David is a lucky guy. I’ll make sure he realizes that,” Spike said with a smile.

“Oh, he does. It’s your friendship he was worrying about.”

“Tell him our friendship is ok as long as he treats you right.”

“And give Buffy a hug for me when she wakes up, ok?”

“I will,” he said, and for the first time he was feeling a little bit more optimistic.
She gave him a last hug before leaving. Spike came back into Buffy’s room and sat back on the chair. He caressed her face softly.

“I’m back, sweetheart. Hey, you know what? I just talked to Darla and we’re good. I’m a free man now. So you can wake up. We don’t need to hide or feel guilty anymore. I want to whole world to know how much I love you. And I need to hear you tell it to me.”

He rose slightly and placed a feather light kiss on her lips. “I’ll stay here until you wake up. I’ll be here when you open your eyes.”

He put his head on the sheet next to her arm and closed his eyes.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§


He woke up by the feeling of a hand caressing his head. Groggily, he looked at Buffy and met her green gaze.

Her eyes were open, and she was looking at him with a soft smile.

CHAPTER 15


Spike was tempted to get up and do the dance of Joy, but it was barely 6 am and he felt rather sore because of his night spent on a chair. He also wanted to take her in his arms, but that was out of the question considering all the tubes and bandages.

So he just closed his eyes for a second, said a silent thank you prayer and let a welcomed giant wave of relief – make that a tsunami – overwhelm him.

He smiled back at her, caressing her cheek. “Welcome back, love.”

She looked around. “Am I in the hospital? What happened?” Her voice was a little bit hoarse and she cleared her throat.

“You don’t remember?”

She frowned, concentrating. “Hurts too much to think,” she finally said. “Hurts kinda everywhere,” she added, wincing.

Spike pressed the button to alert the nurse, who gave Buffy some painkillers and checked on her.

Soon after taking the pills, Buffy started to doze off again, sending a sheepish look to Spike. “I’m sorry. I can’t help but feel sleepy.”

He caressed her hair tenderly. “It’s alright. You just rest.”

“Stay?” she muttered.

“Not leaving you, my love. Ever,” he whispered, rising and kissing her lips, feeling overjoyed when she kissed him back. He had dreaded not getting to feel their softness against his anymore.

Once she was asleep, Spike let the tears run down his cheeks once again. But they were tears of happiness, and they felt damn good.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§


Giles and Jenny arrived a few hours later. Spike was in the hallway and when Giles saw his face, he knew the news was good.

“She’s awake,” the younger man greeted them, a big smile spreading his lips.

Buffy’s eyes shined when she saw her dad walking into the room. Giles hugged her as much as he could without hurting her. He was horrified by her condition, but he hid it the best he could.

“Hey daddy. I’m glad you’re back.”

“My sweet darling…you gave us quite a scare, you know.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll be fine, don’t worry. How was your trip?”

Her eyes fluttered. She was under strong medication, and it made her sleepy.

“I’ll tell you all about it later. Now rest.” Giles stayed at her side for a few minutes. Jenny walked in, smiling. “How is she?” she asked, noticing the young woman was asleep.

“She’ll be fine…well, that’s what she said,” Giles sighed, and Jenny’s breath caught in her throat when she saw the damages on Buffy’s cheek.

“Oh my God, how could he do this to her? What kind of monster…”

“The kind that deserve to rot in jail,” Giles replied, trying to control his anger at the sight of his little girl lying in a hospital bed. “I need to talk to William. Can you stay with her?” he asked Jenny.

He found Spike sipping on a coffee in the hallway. “She still awake?” his stepson asked.

“She was, but she’s sleeping now. She’s terribly weakened.”

“Rupert, I’m sorry. I had promised you to…”

Giles put his hand on his shoulder. “William, don’t. This is not your fault. I met Riley several times, and I could never have imagined…please tell me that bastard is in the hand of the police.”

“He is. As soon as Buffy is released from the hospital she’ll have to give a declaration, the D.A will press charges, and hopefully he will be put behind bars for attempted murder. It should keep him there for a while.”

“But how did it happen?”

Spike told Giles the whole story, including that of Tara Maclay. “I can’t believe he tricked me so easily and that I left the house and Buffy alone like the stupid wanker that I am,” he finished, shaking his head in self-disgust.

“William, even if you hadn’t left, he would have found another way. You couldn’t lock yourself in the house with Buffy, could you?” Giles raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly. “Although from what I understand neither of you would have minded.”

He had the satisfaction of seeing Spike blush.

“I truly love her, you know. If she hadn’t been so badly wounded, I probably would have taken the time to kill Finn with my bare hands, and bugger the consequences. I stayed with her until she woke up. I wanted to be there when she opened her eyes.”

Giles nodded thoughtfully, before asking, “What about Darla?”

“We talked and broke our engagement. We’re fine.”

“Good, good. But it won’t be easy, you know that. You live in LA most of the time, Buffy lives in Sunnydale. You are famous, and used to a certain way of living…and you’re both still young.”

“We’re aware of that. And we’ll deal with those issues. We’ve already overcome some of them. To be honest, we didn’t talk about marriage or anything. It’s way too early. But we love each other deeply, and are willing to make the best out of it.”

Giles smiled. “I’m sure you will. I just want for Buffy and you to walk into this with your eyes wide open. I would hate to see either one of you hurt.”

“Thank you, Rupert,” Spike said, hugging his stepdad. It was another weight lifted, having his blessing. He loved and respected the man as much as his own father.
Giles and Jenny stayed most of the day, until Spike advised them to go home. The couple was starting to feel the effects of the trip and the jet lag, and since Buffy was now out of danger, they could go home and rest.

Xander and Willow came as well, and Buffy stayed awake long enough to talk to them for a little while.

Now everybody was gone. Spike had left for a few minutes to fetch something to eat. When he came back, her eyes were open.

“Hey, look who’s awake. How are you feeling, sweetheart?” he asked, kissing her forehead.

“Better. Not too sleepy. Can I have some water?”

He poured her a glass and helped her to drink.

“Thanks.” She pulled her hand from under the cover and intertwined her fingers with his. “I remember what happened. Riley came and attacked me. I opened the door without checking because I thought it was you coming back for your cell phone. It’s still kind of a blur, but I remember being sure I was going to die.”

“It’s that cell phone that saved your life. When I called Diego the second time and he told me he had never called…I’ve never been so terrified in my life. I think I broke all the speed limits. It’s a wonder I didn’t get arrested. I arrived at the house just in time.” He caressed her hair. “I’m sorry I left you. That was really stupid, especially since we knew he was a threat.”

She looked at him tenderly. “Well, we were both stupid then. I should have been more persuasive and made you stay. I could have chained you to the bed, for instance,” she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

He smiled. “I’m sure we’ll find other opportunities for you to do that.”

“What will happen to Riley?”

“The police took care of him. As soon as you get better, you’ll have to talk to the D.A who’ll press charges.”

“You’ll come with me, right?”

“Of course I will, pet. I’m here for you. As are Rupert, Jenny, Xand and Will. If you need to talk, or cry, or anything we are all here for you.”

“How was dad? I was so sleepy when he came. I barely talked to him.”

“He was extremely relieved to see you were doing well. And we have his blessing.”

“I know I talked to Xander and Willow, but again I wasn’t at my best. It must have been an exciting return from their honeymoon…not.”

“They were as terrified as I was. Xander brought your dad here this morning.”

“And you were here all the time,” she said with a tender smile.

“I never left your side, sweetheart. Well, except for that talk I had with Darla.”

“She came here?”

He nodded. “And guess what? She’s in love with someone else. I don’t know exactly how it happened, but I think that in the end she’s the one who broke up with me. The important thing is, we’re good. And…I’m free.”

Her eyes shined. “So does that mean you’re officially my guy?”

He kissed her hand. “I’m your guy, baby. As long as you’ll have me.”

“Oh, that could be a long time, you know.”

He shrugged. “Well, I’m free for the next 50 years.” He sat down on the bed and leaned into her, careful not to touch her upper body or disturb the tube coming out of her arm. “Don’t ever scare me like that ever again,” he whispered before pressing his lips gently to hers. But what was supposed to be a sweet and gentle kiss rapidly turned into something more passionate. Buffy moaned, and Spike pulled back immediately.

“Did I hurt you?” he inquired, concerned.

She giggled, blushing. “Uh, no. That was a satisfied noise. Kissing you is the best medication ever,” she added.

“Oh, good. Because I intend to overdose you then,” he said, caressing her hair and her face, marvelling at the fact that she was smiling and talking and kissing him when he had been so close to losing her.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§


After a few days, Buffy managed to convince Spike to at least go back home during the night. He was starting to look worse than she did. So far he had just made quick back and forth trips to shower and change, and was staying at her side all night. Eventually, he agreed to go and sleep at home, after she had repeated for the umpteenth time that she wouldn’t vanish even if he stopped looking at her for more than five minutes.

But she was glad he was there, though, the first time she looked at her face in the mirror. Her left side was swollen and balancing between shades of green and violet. And she had stitches going through her entire cheekbone.

Spike was holding her hand, waiting for her to say something and offering as much comfort as he could.

“Ok. No Miss America pageant for me this year,” she joked, but her throat was constricted and her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. “That will leave me with a pretty scar, won’t it?”

“They did repair it the best they could. But it will leave a scar, yes. The doctor gave me the number of a plastic surgeon. You’ll decide what you want to do.”

Buffy put the mirror back and looked at him. “You’ll still love scarred me?”

He smiled and rolled his eyes. “Of course, you silly bint.”

She nodded and sighed. “Maybe I’ll get a role in the sequel of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.”

“As long as you don’t leave me for Orlando,” he warned her.

She pulled him to her. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.”



TBC...

CHAPTER 16


The doctor finally released Buffy after a week, on the condition that she would rest and be under good care. She had to wear a support bandage for her ribs for another two weeks though, and she would have to come back to have the stitches on her cheek and wrist removed.

The morning of her departure, she was sitting on her bed, fully dressed, waiting for Willow and Xander to arrive.

“You’re happy to go home, baby?” Spike asked, smiling at her impatience.

“God yes! I really can’t stand this hospital room anymore. I mean, they were nice and all, but…”

“I understand.” He hesitated before adding, “I called the police and told them we would go tomorrow.”

“Ok. Will I have to see him?” she asked, referring to Riley.

“I don’t know the procedure. You might have too, yes, at least for the trial.”

“That’s ok. I can do it. You’ll be with me, right?”

He kissed her forehead. “Of course I will, sweetheart.”

“Good. I’ll be glad when it’s over,” she said, placing her head against his shoulder.

Xander and Willow arrived.

“Hey! Did somebody order a chauffeur?”

Buffy got up from the bed, carefully leaning on Spike. “I’ll get you a wheelchair,” he offered.

“No, please. I want to walk. I’ve been stuck in a bed for the last two weeks.”

“Also, I think you should know…there are some journalists waiting at the front door,” Xander said.

Willow grinned. “One of them recognized me!”

Xander glared at her. “And that makes you proud because…?”

She pouted. “What? Can’t I be shallow just once in my life?”

“Ok, first of all, how did they know I was going home today?” asked Buffy, amazed.

Spike sighed. “They always know. There’s always someone who’s willing to spill to get some dosh. But I don’t get what’s so bloody fascinating about me bringing back my girlfriend from the hospital. It’s not like I’m Brad Pitt or something.”

“Check out the Internet and you will understand,” Willow said with a smile. “There are tons of sites, chat groups dedicated to your show, and mostly about you. They even write fan fiction about you. Oh, and even slash fan fiction, where your character has sex with David’s…not that I read it,” she added hastily.

“I think I want to read those,” Buffy said, laughing.

“Girls, could we get back to a less disturbing subject?” Xander asked. “Like how to get out of here without Buffy and Spike being harassed by the paparazzi out there?”

Spike thought for a while before saying, “Actually, that could be a good opportunity to set things right. You feel up to it?” he asked Buffy.

“You mean go and talk to them about us?”

“Exactly. We give our version and we make it public. After that, it’s not our problem anymore. They can write whatever they want, at least we told them the truth. And there’s a good chance they won’t come lurking around the house hoping to get another saucy picture.”

Buffy smiled. “ You realize they will probably ask you about that, right?”

Spike shrugged. “I’m ready to come clean, for the sake of my girl,” he said, kissing the tip of her nose.
“I still have to get used to that ‘romance and flowers’ thing between you two myself, you know,” Xander joked.

“Ok then. Ready everyone?”

On their way out, Spike stopped at the reception desk to get the medication Buffy would need for the next few weeks.

As soon as they were outside, five journalists almost jumped on them.

“Spike, how is your stepsister?”
“Is she your stepsister or your girlfriend?”
“What about Darla?”

Spike raised his hand. “Hey, just one question at a time. I can answer some of your questions if you want, but not long because I want to take Miss Giles home. She needs to rest.”

“Spike, are you and Miss Giles a couple?”

“Yes, we are a couple.”

“Miss Giles, was Darla the one who attacked you?”

“Of course not,” Spike answered, rolling his eyes, and Buffy couldn’t help but smile at the ridiculous question.

“Did Darla and you break up?” another one asked.

“Darla and I are perfectly fine. That’s all you need to know.”

“So, the pictures we saw in the Hello magazine a few weeks ago were real, then? Why did you lie about that?”

“Because it was something private, that happened at a very bad time. I just wanted to protect Darla and Buffy. And for the record, and you can print that, I don’t want anyone holding a mic or a camera near Buffy. The first one I catch will be in big trouble. It’s just a friendly warning,” he said with a smile that proved the contrary.

He answered a few more questions, until he felt Buffy flinch slightly when one of them took a picture. He put a protective arm around her.

“That’s it guys. We’re going home now. Thank you for your understanding,” he said with a charming smile this time, directed to the women of the group. They didn’t protest too much and let them go.

“You really think they will leave us in peace?” Buffy asked him.

He smiled. “Not a chance in Hell, my love. It’s just another one of those things we’ll have to deal with.”

“You can still hope for Ben and Jen to finally get married. That should distract them for a while,” Xander said, starting the engine.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

Spike put the popcorn in the microwave, whistling softly. Buffy and him were alone tonight, while Giles and Jenny were spending the evening at a restaurant. Buffy had been back for two days, and tonight they were planning to watch DVD’s in bed. It was not like they could do much else for the moment, considering that Buffy was still recovering and that any physical activity was strictly forbidden.

Finn, I really hope you’ll rot in Hell and suffer eternal torment, along with some painful, nasty diseases on your private parts.

Spike calmed down, thinking that Buffy was safe and in his bed, waiting for him. The phone rang, distracting him from his thoughts.

“Hello?”

“Hey Spike, it’s Willow. How’s our girl?”

“Bossing me around a little bit. I guess that means she’s getting better, so it’s all good.”

“Well, don’t let her go around any newspaper’ stands. I’m afraid your ‘coming out’ the other day wasn’t really useful.”

Spike sighed. “Colour me shocked. What do they say?”

“Well, most of them wonder how you could leave Darla for Buffy. Of course, the pictures shown are the ones taken at the hospital, so Buffy is not in her best shape, what with the scars and swelling. It says they hope she has some hidden talents to compensate for her not being, huh…pretty.”

“That is so bloody ridiculous! She had just spent a week in a hospital! She wasn’t supposed to look like a soddin’ Barbie doll.”

“ There are some testimonies from ‘close friends’ stating that they were really ‘astonished’ when you broke up with ‘gorgeous Darla’ to be with ‘plain Buffy.’ I’m just reading what’s written. But that’s just the trash papers. Some more serious ones are preferring to stick to the truth and describe your story as very romantic. But one says that Darla is the one who broke up with you because she had an affair with David.”

Spike laughed. “Well, they might not know this, but that’s probably the truest thing mentioned. Thanks for warning me, Willow. I’ll try to keep Buffy away from them. I don’t want to upset her now, especially with the Riley case.”

“Right. Let’s just hope nobody will hear about her loony ex-boyfriend that tried to kill her. Or is that wishful thinking?”

“I’m afraid so. She’ll have to learn to not let herself be too bothered by what she reads. I know she’s smart enough to do it. But it’s not always easy, because they can be pretty nasty sometimes.”

“That’s the burden of dating a hot Hollywood TV star,” Willow joked. “I’m sure she has other compensations though.”

“None that I’ll discuss with you on the phone, or elsewhere for that matter. Besides, I’m sure that husband of yours is waiting eagerly for you in the marriage bed.”

“Tell Buffy I’ll call her tomorrow, ok?”

“All right. Bye Red, and thanks.”

He hung up, shaking his head. He should have known the magazines wouldn’t respect anything. He really didn’t care if it concerned himself, but when it came to Buffy it was another story. Going out with her would inevitably put her under the spotlights. As a popular actor, it wasn’t easy to keep his private life, well, private. He had accepted it when he had gotten engaged to Darla. But Buffy…he really wasn’t willing to share what he had with Buffy. It was something so precious and unique, so intimate that he was more than reluctant to see it discussed in magazines. Then again, it was the downside of his job, and he would have to let go a little bit at least. He would do his best to protect Buffy from it, though.

Taking the now ready popcorn and two sodas, he went back to his room. He found Buffy standing near the window.

“What are you doing, sweetheart?”

She moved, revealing a pale pink candle. “I’m lightning a candle for Tara. I talked to her mom on the phone this morning. They stopped her respiratory machine yesterday. She’s been declared clinically dead.”

“I’m sorry, honey,” he said softly, taking her in his arms and rocking her gently.

“You’re shivering,” she told him.

“I’m just thinking that I was very close to losing you, and the thought is so dreadful that I don’t even want to go there.”

She put her head in the crook of his neck. “Well, you can relax. I’m here now, safe in your arms.”

“And that’s where I intend to keep you,” he answered, kissing the top of her hair.

“It’s strange, cause I never met Tara, but I feel very sad, like I lost a long-distance friend. I wish she had had a caring stepbrother to watch over her.”

He pulled her away slightly. “How about we banish the words stepbrother/sister from our vocabulary?”

“What do you suggest?”

“We could go with girlfriend/boyfriend for a start…and see where it goes from there,” he said, and Buffy felt butterflies in her stomach at all the promises she read in his eyes.

EPILOGUE


“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride,” the reverend said with a smile.

Everybody clapped and cheered when Rupert leaned in to press a soft kiss on Jenny’s lips.

A few days after Buffy’s return from the hospital, they had confessed that Giles had proposed to Jenny during their trip in England, but the unexpected events had made them postpone the announcement. Buffy liked Jenny very much, and the only thing that mattered was seeing her father happy. As happy as she was with Spike.

They had been together officially for three months now, and things were going great. Of course there were still some issues to be dealt with. Since August Spike had been back to Los Angeles for the shooting of the new season. He tried to come back to Sunnydale whenever he could, and Buffy sometimes went to LA. Spike had recently talked about buying their own house, halfway between both cities, although closer to Sunnydale. That way Buffy could keep her job at Sunnydale High, and they would stay close to their family and friends. Spike didn’t mind the journey, and just in case he needed to stay in LA for some reason, he was keeping his apartment. But he had gotten so used to having his girl welcome him every night and taking good care of him that he would keep the overnight stays at his apartment to a strict minimum.

There had been fewer glares towards them this time, even if some people were still whispering about it and watching them not always very discreetly. But Buffy and Spike had decided to just ignore them.

For now they were sitting in a shadowy part of the big canopy where the wedding party was taking place. This time it was hosted at Jenny’s parent’s house.

Spike had put his arm around Buffy’s shoulders and she was leaning against his chest. From time to time he placed small kisses on her temple and hair. She had put some make-up on and the scar on her cheek was less visible. She had decided to wait a little bit before calling a plastic surgeon. It wasn’t as horrible as she thought it would be, and Spike didn’t seemed to mind. In fact, since that event, he seemed to be even more loving and protective. And she certainly wasn’t one to complain about it.
“What are you thinking about, love?” he asked softly.

She smiled. “I was thinking about how my dad and Jenny look happy together. As Xander and Willow are, and probably as we are.”

“I never thought we would make it this far,” he admitted. “So many problems we thought insurmountable, and well…here we are.”

“Because we love each other. And like that guy said once in your show ‘Love is forever’”.

“Well, yeah, but he said it just before shooting his girlfriend. So probably not the best reference, sweetheart.”

“Oh, right. I had forgotten about that part. Never mind. It works for us anyway, doesn’t it?”

“Forever indeed,” he whispered, before kissing her tenderly. Then they resumed their position, watching people on the dance floor.

Spike let a chuckle escape.

“What?”

He smirked. “I was just remembering the last wedding we attended…and our little escapade.”

“Oh, right. Our first time…one of my fondest memories,” she said with a wicked smile.

“Mine too. But I guess we shouldn’t make an habit of it,” he replied with a false resigned sigh.

Buffy was silent for a minute before asking, “We shouldn’t?”

Spike seemed to think about it. “Well, that wouldn’t be very proper. Unless…”

“Unless…?” she pressed him, giggling.

“Unless we make it a tradition. Then of course, that’s something you’ve got to respect. What do you say?” he asked, with an evil glint in his blue eyes.
Buffy whispered something in his ear that made him smile broadly. Then she got up and left.

A few minutes later, he got up as well.

He had a tradition to respect, and an amazing girl to love.

THE END