A Glimpse of Heaven

Chapter 36 - part 1

Buffy yawned as she made her way down the steps, scratching her stomach through the teddy bear pajamas she was wearing before she stopped when someone knocked on the front door. Trying to open her sleep-filled eyes, she made her way down the last couple of steps before reaching the door. Turning the knob as she stifled back a yawn, she pulled the door open before she looked up and screamed.

Spike’s mouth opened in greeting when he saw Buffy before she screamed and slammed the door back in his face. He chuckled before he raised his hand and knocked again.

“Buffy, is someone at the door?” Hank asked as he walked out of the living room and looked at her.

Buffy’s eyes were wide and she frantically shook her head no just as Spike knocked again.

Hank grinned at her before he shook his head and walked toward the door when the knocking persisted. Buffy swallowed heavily as her father practically pushed her out of the way and she hid behind the door when he opened it. “William,” Hank said cheerfully. “What brings you by so early?”

“Morning, Sir,” Spike smiled as he looked at the grinning face of Buffy’s father. “Had a date with Buffy today.”

Buffy’s eyes widened even further before her mouth flew open. She barely even heard her father invite Spike in before she saw him. “Oh God,” she whispered out before she darted for the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Spike chuckled as he watched her run up the stairs. She had said for him to surprise her and now he knew he had. He could hear her mumbling as she ran up the steps before she disappeared around the corner and he heard a door slam.

“William,” Joyce smiled. “What a pleasant surprise.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Summers,” Spike said politely as he looked at her.

“Oh, call me Joyce,” she insisted before walking toward him and taking his arm. “We were just about to have some breakfast. Would you like to join us?”

“I’d love to.”

<><>

Buffy frantically searched her closet for something to wear and stripped off her pajamas quickly before running to her vanity. A scream escaped her as she saw herself and she cringed when she realized Spike had seen her like that. Her hair was all over the place. Her long blonde locks were sticking out from her head and what she could only describe as a rats’ nest rested on the left side. She grabbed her brush and started to tame the wild mane as she looked over at her clock. Eight am! What in the world is he thinking? She yelled silently to herself. If this is his idea of a joke, I’ll kill him.

Finally getting her hair under control, Buffy dressed quickly before starting for the door. When she opened it, she could hear his laughter coming from downstairs and she moaned pitifully then started for the steps.

Spike helped Joyce set the last of the breakfast dishes on the table and turned to look over his shoulder when Joyce looked toward the entryway and smiled. He grinned when he saw Buffy and the bright pink blush to her cheeks forced him to hold back his chuckle.

“Morning,” Buffy mumbled out as she looked at her parents before glancing quickly over at Spike. He was standing there staring at her with a wide smile on his face and she couldn’t help but grin. Yep, he’s dead she thought as she made her way to the table.

“Morning, luv,” Spike smiled as Buffy approached him.

“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind when I said ‘surprise me’.”

Spike chuckled as everyone took a seat and his smile remained when he sat down between Buffy and Dawn. As their meal got underway, Spike couldn’t help but feel right at home. He spent most of the meal talking to Hank and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t glad Hank seemed to like him. The man had yet to stop smiling as he talked to him and Joyce seemed just as enthusiastic.

Buffy watched the exchange between her parents and Spike and her initial irritation at him showing up so early vanished as she ate. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see him; it was just the fact that he had seen her looking her worst. How could he ever look at her again and NOT remember seeing her looking like that?

When they had all finished eating, Buffy stood to help her mother clear away the plates and smiled when she saw her mother wink at her before following her into the kitchen. “So, I take it William’s visit was unexpected?” Joyce asked when they were out of earshot of everyone else.

“That would be a big fat yes,” Buffy chuckled.

Joyce chuckled along with her daughter as she started scraping the breakfast plates. “So, are you two an official item now?”

“I don’t know,” Buffy grinned as she shrugged her shoulders. “We had a date today but other than that I don’t know anymore than you do.”

“A breakfast date,” Joyce mused. “Have to say I’m impressed.”

“Why?”

“Well, most guys wouldn’t have shown up at your doorstep at eight a.m.”

“Well, Spike never does things the traditional way.”

“I’m beginning to see that,” Joyce smiled. “So, what do you think he has planned for today?”

“I’m almost afraid to think,” Buffy laughed. “God only knows what goes on inside that head of his.”

“Well, why don’t you go on back out there? I can finish these up.”

“Are you sure?” Buffy asked. “I don’t mind.”

“I’m sure,” Joyce smiled. “You go see what that young man has in store for you today.”

Buffy smiled as she leaned up and placed a kiss on her mother’s cheek before she walked back to the dining room. Her mind fluttered over every possibility she could come up with as to what Spike had planned. He smiled up at her as she entered the room and her smile widened as he stood up.

“You ready to go?”

“Go where?” Buffy asked him.

“It’s a surprise.”

“And showing up here with the sun wasn’t?” She laughed.

“No, that was planned,” Spike grinned. “Let’s go.”

Buffy said goodbye to her parents and followed Spike outside with a smile on her face. The minute they reached the sidewalk, she found her hand gripped firmly in his. They walked in silence and the tiny smile on his face had her wondering where they were going. She was almost scared to think. If showing up at eight a.m. was any indication she was sure to be in for more surprises before the day was over.

<><>

Her brow furrowed when they approached their destination and the smile on Spike’s face only grew as he looked over at her. Stepping off the sidewalk into the parking lot, Buffy grinned when she figured it out.

“Spike. I was just wondering when you were going to make it.”

“Hey Frank,” Spike smiled as he greeted the man that had walked out of the small building to meet them.

“She’s all ready for you,” Frank smiled as he held his hand out. “Sure you can handle her?”

“More than sure.”

Buffy watched with a smile that matched Spike’s as Frank handed him the keys and they both walked to the DeSoto. She knew if she lived a hundred years she’d never figure out the fascination with Spike and that car. It was hideous in her honest opinion but to each their own.

She chuckled lightly when he opened up the passenger side door for her and when she got inside she was pleased to find that it didn’t reek of cheap liquor and smoke. She watched him practically run around the front of the car and when he climbed inside she laughed as he leaned across the seat and kissed her. “I thought today was suppose to be surprises for me?”

“Well, aren’t you surprised you don’t have to walk all over town?” Spike asked, grinning as he put the key in the ignition and started the car.

<><>

They had been driving all day and normally Buffy would have been bored out of her mind, but that wasn’t the case. Spike had barely even taken time to breathe as he talked almost as fast as they were driving. She had laughed and smiled until she thought her face would crack and Buffy couldn’t ever remember a time when Spike looked so happy.

Lunch was spent at the Jody Burger and she smiled widely at the waitress Jen when she had come to take their order. Buffy made sure to let her know Spike was off limits and she had received a breathtaking kiss for her trouble. His apparent joy at finally getting his car was working in her favor.

The sun was now sitting low on the horizon and the sky was lit in shades of pink and purple. Spike had finally stopped talking long enough to catch his breath and they both sat quietly as they rode through town.

“So, do you have a specific plan for this evening or was just riding around all day the basic plan?”

Spike smiled as he glanced over at her before turning back to the road.

“Okay,” Buffy smiled when she didn’t get an answer. “Well, I guess you better pull this bomb over for gas soon because last I checked, they won’t go all day without it.”

“It was full when we picked it up,” Spike said as he pulled the DeSoto to a stop at a red light. “And stop calling my girl names.”

Buffy laughed before shaking her head. “And here I thought I was your girl.” She had never wished for an open hellmouth before but as the words left her mouth her smile fell away and she prayed some cosmic wormhole would suck her through and deposit her smack dab in the middle of one. Her throat seemed to close off and her eyes closed as the lump in her throat seemed to choke her.

She heard the soft crunch of the leather seat and opened her eyes when she felt Spike’s hand on her cheek and turned her head to look at him. The smile on his face nearly took her breath away.

“That can be arranged, kitten. If it’s what you want.”

Buffy’s heart was pounding in her chest and the intense blue eyes that met hers darkened the longer she held them. She didn’t think she had ever wanted anything more in her life and her smile returned before she leaned in toward him.

Spike was barely even able to contain himself as Buffy kissed him. He thought it would take her weeks to finally want something more serious, if ever, and now here he was wrapped in her arms and being kissed senseless. He didn’t know how long they stayed that way but the blaring of a car horned finally broke the spell before they pulled back slightly from each other.

“I think we’re blocking traffic,” Buffy said breathlessly as she smiled.

“I think you’re right,” Spike grinned.

Buffy laughed lightly when the car behind them honked their horn again and Spike threw them a two-fingered salute before he reached down and unfastened her seat belt. “What are you doing?” She asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist and straightened in his seat, pulling her across the seat with him.

“Want you right here,” he said as he reached across her and grabbed the seat belt.

The car behind them blew his horn again and Buffy snickered as Spike looked behind them and shouted out a string of words she had never even heard before. The car behind them finally drove around them wildly and Spike grinned as the driver threw his own salute. Another fiery kiss and they were on the road again.

<><>

“Don’t people usually go to the beach during the day?” Buffy asked as Spike parked the car and opened his door.

“Depends on your reason for going I suppose,” Spike replied as he helped her out and shut the door behind her.

The sound of the surf crashing along the shoreline surrounded them and Buffy smiled as Spike took her hand and led her down the small path to the beach. The sun was still barely visible and the sky was breathtaking. Walking the short distance to the shoreline, Buffy smiled as they finally stopped and sat down.

They both sat quietly just watching the sunset and Buffy couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so relaxed. Spike’s arm was around her waist and she smiled as he pulled her closer to him. Her head went to his shoulder and she felt a small kiss being placed on her head before she sighed lightly. “This is nice.”

“Yeah?” Spike questioned with a smile.

“Yeah,” Buffy said as she looked up at him. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a date that was so casual before.”

Spike laughed quietly before looking back out across the ocean. “Well, I’d like to say it was all planned out, but I’d be lying. Actually, I had no idea what to do today. Just knew I wanted you all to myself. Frank called yesterday and told Rupert the car was ready and other than that, I was flying blind. Well, almost.”

“Well I don’t think I would have wanted it any other way.”

Spike smiled as he looked back down at her before giving her a small kiss. “So you’re not disappointed then?”

“Disappointed?” Buffy asked. “Spending the whole day alone with you is far from disappointing.”

“Glad to hear that,” Spike grinned.

“Is this a private party or can anyone join?”

Buffy turned her head and smiled as she saw Xander. His arms were loaded down and Jesse and Willow were a short distance behind him. She looked over at Spike and smiled as he looked at Xander.

“You get everything?” Spike asked as he looked up at his friend.

“Blanket, food and friends,” he said smiling as he looked over his shoulder at Jesse and Willow before looking back at Spike. “I think that was everything, right?”

“That was it,” Spike smiled.

“What’s all this?” Buffy asked confusedly.

“Well, this is the only part I had planned,” Spike told her. “I figured you’d be bored senseless with me by nightfall so I had a backup plan just in case.”

Buffy grinned at him before looking over at Willow when she finally approached. “Hey Will.”

“Hey yourself,” Willow smiled. “You sure this is okay Spike?”

“Of course it is,” he smiled as he looked up at her. “I’ve had her all to myself all day long. Be quite selfish of me to deny the rest of you the pleasure of her company.”

“Well let’s go,” Xander said as he laughed softly and Buffy and Spike stood. They all walked a short distance down the beach and Buffy smiled as she saw the logs sitting on the beach.

“I invited Faith along. I hope no one cares,” Willow said as Xander spread a blanket out and everyone else filled in around the logs.

“That’s fine,” Spike said as he kneeled by the logs and started a fire. “The more the merrier I suppose.”

“Great,” Willow beamed. “She said she’d be a little late, but that she’d be here.”

As they all settled in around the small fire, Buffy stared out over the ocean as the last of the sun began to sink. She smiled as she looked back over at her friends. When she caught Spike’s eyes, her smile widened. What had started as a great day promised to be so much more.

To Be Continued in part 2…

Chapter 37

“Hey, you.”

Buffy smiled as she turned her head and looked at Willow as she sat down. “Hey.”

“So,” Willow grinned before glancing over at Spike. “Any juicy details you feel like sharing?”

“Like what?” Buffy chuckled.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Willow grinned. “You’re the one who just spent the whole day with Spike. Alone I might add.”

Buffy shook her head before looking back out across the ocean. “There’s nothing to tell,” she said with a smile. “We just spent the day riding around and talking.”

“And?”

“And what?” Buffy asked turning her head to look back over at her friend.

“Come on Buff,” Willow whined. “I know something must have happened today.”

Buffy laughed before shaking her head. “I hate to burst your bubble there Will, but nothing other than what I said has happened.” Willow looked completely deflated and her smile turned into a frown. Buffy laughed quietly at her before shaking her head. “Tell you what,” she grinned. “If and when something worth telling happens, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Really?” Willow beamed.

“Really.”

“Cool. So, see any good movies lately?” Willow asked wiggling her eyebrows before erupting into giggles.

Buffy hung her head as Willow laughed, remembering the previous night. She knew her face was red and Willow’s laughter only made it worse.

<><>

“So, you and the Buffster had a good time,” Xander asked, smiling as he helped Spike start the fire.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah? That’s it?”

“Yeah,” Spike grinned, glancing up at Xander.

“Come on, man. Give me something to go on here.”

Spike chuckled as he stood up and glanced over at Willow and Buffy before looking back at Xander. “She’s cute when she just crawls out of bed. Her Da seems to like me and I’m pretty sure Joyce is ready to marry us off any day now. Other than that, I’ll have to get back to you.”

“Did she freak when you showed up this morning?”

Spike laughed as they walked over to the other logs scattered along the beach and pulled them to the circle. “She screamed like a banshee and ran up the stairs.”

“I’m surprised she even went anywhere with you after that,” Xander laughed.

“You’re not the only one. After the look she gave me when she finally came back downstairs, I began to wonder.”

“Speaking of looks,” Xander grinned as he looked over at Willow and Buffy, “What do you suppose those two are talking about?”

Spike looked up and grinned as Buffy’s mouth flew open wide and she playfully slapped at Willow while the red head tried to scoot away from her. They were both laughing and seeing Buffy so happy caused Spike’s smile to increase. “Hard to say.”

<><>

“That will be one thing I won’t be telling you,” Buffy laughed. “When and if anything, naked as you called it, happens I’ll keep that information to myself.”

“Party pooper,” Willow grinned as she glanced behind her at the guys. “You know, I bet he has one more body under all those clothes,” she said as she looked back over at Buffy. “What do you think?”

Buffy couldn’t help but turn and look at Spike and she smiled as the naughty thoughts from the previous night resurfaced. Willow’s giggling brought her back to the present and she shook her head before smacking playfully at her arm. “You are going to be trouble, aren’t you?”

“Oh don’t play little miss innocent with me,” she laughed. “I saw that lusty look in your eyes.”

“Yeah well, just you wait. You’re time is coming.”

<><><><><><><><><><><>

Buffy didn’t think she had a better time than she was now. Xander and Jesse were perched on a log directly in front of her with Willow to her left. She was sitting on a blanket in front of one of the logs and Spike had positioned himself directly behind her. She was sandwiched between his legs and he had spent the last twenty minutes playing with her hair as they all sat around talking. A small fire had been built and they all sat around it as Willow and Xander were retelling for Buffy and Spike some of their stories from when they were younger. It was just the five of them and Buffy was only slightly disappointed when Willow noticed Faith walking down the beach.

“Looks like she brought some friends,” Xander said as he watched the small group walk toward them.

“Hope you guys don’t mind,” Faith smiled as she finally approached the small group, “but these mutts were just hanging around and I felt bad just leaving them.”

“No, its fine,” Willow practically squealed.

Buffy looked over at Willow and held back a laugh at her friends face before turning to Faith and her friends.

“So, who are your friends?” Xander asked.

“This is Oz,” she said pointing to the blue haired blue standing off to her right, “and this is Devin. They go to UC Sunnydale.”

“Cool,” Xander said smiling before introducing everyone.

Buffy watched Willow as the boy named Oz sat himself down beside of her and she couldn’t help but smile. Now who was being all blushy? Willow’s face was almost as red as her hair. When Devin and Oz began telling everyone of their band, Willow seemed to go from bubbly, talkative girl to deaf mute in a matter of minutes. Xander and Jesse were full of questions, even though most of Xander’s were directed toward Faith instead of the guys.

What had started out as a small, friends only affair turned into much more in a matter of minutes. It looked as if Faith had invited more than just a few people as commotion up the beach caught everyone’s attention. Faces from school laughed and yelled as they made their way to the small group and Buffy exchanged glances with all her friends as more people than they could count started crashing their private affair. More food was displayed, as were beverages none of which Buffy or the others were old enough to consume, and now thanks to Oz and Devin, music filled the quite night.

Buffy had sat quietly as everyone seemed to talk at once. The noise level had increased ten fold and what had started out as perfect was quickly dying a quick death. The night was no longer about Spike and her friends. Now, it was what appeared to be an old-fashioned college keg party.

Buffy looked over at Faith and for the first time that night she wasn’t smiling. She looked almost embarrassed. She caught her eye and Faith offered her a tiny smile. That one small gesture said how sorry she was. Buffy gave her a smile in return before she jumped as another loud scream caught her attention.

“Come on,” Spike said as he leaned down. “Lets go take a walk.”

Buffy smiled up at him as he stood and held out his hand to her and helped her stand. They walked toward the ocean before they started down the beach away from the others. A glance back had her eyes widening as she saw exactly how many people were actually there. “Am I correct to assume you didn’t plan all of this?”

Spike laughed as he glanced back at the others. “You assume correctly,” he told her. “Willow asked about inviting Faith but the others, I had no idea about.”

“Willow asked to invite Faith?”

“Yeah,” Spike said. “I think she knows Xander’s sweet on her.”

Buffy nodded her head, wondering why Willow would invite her. She knew without having to be told that Willow liked Xander. It just didn’t make sense to her. She’d have to ask Willow about it later. “I saw one of Angel’s friends up there.”

“So did I.”

Buffy looked over at him when he spoke and could see the muscle in his jaw clenching. His hand tightened its hold in hers and her next words died before they were completely formed. It was bad etiquette to discuss old boyfriends while in the presence of a potential new one. Wasn’t it?

As they rounded a small bend up the beach, Spike led them back away from the shore to a dune. They had both laughed trying to climb it and they had to practically crawl up it to the top. Once they made it to the top, they had both erupted into a fit of giggles before they glanced back at the party taking place without them. “How many people do you think is over there?” She asked.

“Hard to say,” Spike said as he looked over at the others. “Fifty maybe. Probably more.”

Buffy watched them as they sang and danced before the rolling of the ocean waves finally drown them out. She glanced out over the ocean and caught Spike looking at her out of the corner of her eye. “What?” She asked as she turned to him.

“Nothing,” he said before looking out over the ocean.

Buffy watched him for a few minutes before she felt the first stirrings of butterflies take flight in her stomach. She took a deep breath to try and calm her stomach before she looked down at her feet. The fact that they were alone finally registered to her and she felt almost silly being nervous all of a sudden. She had been alone with him all day, but being here now, the light casual day they had had suddenly changed. It wasn’t two friends riding around in his new car talking or stealing food off the others plates at lunch. It was a boy and a girl, sitting under the moon and a thousand twinkling stars that lit up the night sky like small jewels against velvet. It was rapid beating hearts and shy glances that stole your breath away. It was the warmth of his hand in hers and the small movement of his thumb gliding across her skin. It was a thousand different things that made this moment one of the best. “Did you bring me up here for a reason or just to stare at the ocean?”

Spike turned his head to her when her soft-spoken question reached him and he couldn’t help but notice she looked as nervous as he felt. It was almost ridiculous how unsteady he felt. He’d never been nervous around a girl, but sitting here now, he was. Of all the things he wanted to say to her he couldn’t find the words. No poetry book in the world had the words for what he wanted to say to her. Words weren’t enough. They would never be enough for her. “Actually I just wanted you all to myself.”

“You’ve had me all to yourself all day,” Buffy smiled.

“I’m selfish,” Spike grinned. “Sue me.”

Buffy laughed and the butterflies seemed to take that as a sign to disappear. His soft laughter joined hers and the previous tension she had felt seemed to melt like newly fallen snow. She watched the smile on his face grow to match her own and she wondered why she never noticed how great his smile was. It softened the sharp lines of his face and made him even more beautiful. She smiled at her thoughts and wondered what he’d think if he knew she thought he was beautiful. Knowing Spike, it would be some snide remark and a grunt of disapproval.

“What are you thinking?” Spike asked as Buffy stared at him.

“You really don’t want to know,” she grinned.

“That bad, huh?”

“No, not bad,” she told him. “Just don’t think voicing it would get a good response.”

“So it is bad.” Spike watched her smile widen before she laughed and released his hand and reached up, pushing her hair away from her face when the wind caught it.

“Sorry, not telling.”

Spike arched one brow and her smile turned to light laughter. Whatever the joke was, she wasn’t telling. “You do realize you’re just making this worse by laughing, right?”

“Yes.”

“But that isn’t enough to keep you from torturing me, now is it?”

“Torture?” Buffy asked, amused. “Oh I think I could find much better ways to torture you than laughing.”

“Oh really?” Spike asked with a wide smile. “Do tell.”

Buffy could tell by the look on his face this conversation was getting ready to take a drastic turn. Her smile was still in place as she looked at him and decided to see how far she could play it out. “How about I show you instead.”

Spike’s smile turned to more of a nasty little smirk before he took a deep breath. “Knock yourself out, princess.”

“Okay,” Buffy said before grabbing both of his hands and positioning them behind his back. “Lock your hands together.” She watched him do as she asked before she scooted over closer to him. “Now, since I don’t have anything to properly secure you with, I’m going to trust you to stay that way.” She waited until he nodded his head before she leaned in close to him. Her mouth was hovering just over his and his breathing had already increased. “You touch before I saw it’s okay and the game is over, got it?”

“Got it,” Spike whispered out.

“Good.” Buffy smiled lightly before she closed the distance between them. The first touch was soft and almost chaste. Her eyes were still on him and he was staring back at her. The light touches of lips against lips were the only contact they had. Spike smiled as she barely kissed him before he leaned in to bring her closer to him. Buffy moved back and grinned before shaking her head. “No touching,” she said softly.

“I wasn’t,” Spike told her. “Hands still securely locked in place.”

“You tried to deepen the kiss. Same thing.”

“If you say so.”

”I do,” Buffy told him before she leaned back into him. “Don’t do anything but sit there.”

“As you wish.”

Buffy smiled at him before brushing her lips back over his. His eyes were locked with her own and the longer she looked at him, the darker his eyes became. She could almost tell what he was thinking just by looking at him. When she extended her tongue and ran it lightly over his bottom lip, the blue of his eyes turned to almost black. What she saw in his eyes was want and need and underneath it all was lust. He wanted her. The combination of what she was seeing and what she was feeling brought back the reality that she wasn’t the inexperienced sixteen-year-old girl she appeared to be. She was a woman. A woman who knew what men wanted and more importantly, what Spike wanted.

Spike didn’t know what she had in mind but at the moment he couldn’t find a reason to care about anything but the feel of her lips brushing against his. He opened his mouth when her tongue brushed his lips and he angled his head to the side when she pushed inside. His eyes closed against his effort to keep them open and he felt all the muscles in his body relax as she kissed him. His hands clenched together in an effort to keep them behind his back and he knew now what this torture was all about. He couldn’t think of anything but how much he wanted to touch her. How much he wanted to feel her pressed against him or how the silk of her hair would feel twisted around his fingers. As she explored his mouth with lips and tongue he moaned as his body reacted.

Buffy broke the kiss with a small gasp of air before kissing her way down his chin. His eyes were still closed and he was panting softly for air. She smiled as she trailed small kisses down his throat and to the side of his neck. Small licks and bites followed wet, open mouth kisses and it didn’t take long for him to start squirming. She worked her away across his neck to the other side and the small noises he made only made her more eager to hear them. His head had fallen back and a look unlike any she had ever seen covered his face. He smelled so good and she wasn’t sure whose heart beat she was hearing pound in her ears. Spike breathing was almost erratic and hers wasn’t far behind. As she worked her way to his ear, he whispered her name and she felt something inside her break. Hot rushing warmth engulfed her before she raised her arms to his neck and opened her eyes to look at him. She smiled when he lifted his head and his eyes opened. “You can touch me now.”

Buffy squealed as Spike practically tackled her back onto the sand. His mouth closed over hers before she even had time to catch her breath and as she gasped for air, his tongue found its way inside her mouth. She moaned as he practically devoured her and heat rushed to every nerve ending in her body. Her arms tightened their hold around his neck and he leaned down further and pressed her into the soft sand. One of his hands climbed up her side before pushing behind her to hold her closer to him. The other one tangled into her hair and held her head in place as he massaged her scalp. It was the most breath-taking kiss she had ever received. She couldn’t think of anything except for how his weight holding her down wasn’t close enough. The feel of his hands on her wasn’t enough. She wanted to crawl inside him and never come out. The taste of him was intoxicating. The way he smelled and the pressure of his body against hers wasn’t enough. She wanted more.

Spike finally broke the kiss and Buffy gasped in an attempt to get air. Her breathing was heavy and labored and when Spike lowered his head to her neck Buffy’s eyes opened as she moaned. The tender skin on her neck tingled as Spike placed soft, barely there kisses along her flesh and the stars that lay above her twinkled as her body hummed in time with her rapidly beating heart. She blinked her eyes lazily as Spike kissed his way back across her jaw before he looked down at her and smiled. “Feel free to torture me anytime to want to, Summers.”

Buffy giggled softly before Spike smiled at her and lowered his head again. He brushed his lips across hers and the tingling feelings once again crashed over her. His hands were once again moving and his thumb brushed against the side of her face. She could feel the grainy sand on his hands and the warmth from his touch caused a light sheen of gooseflesh to prickle over her body. Her hands wove into his hair and she was surprised to find it soft to the touch. Small curls wrapped around her fingers as she held him to her and they were both moaning softly as the kiss deepened and increased in intensity. She could hear his name over the crash of the ocean’s waves and opened her eyes when she realized it wasn’t her saying it.

Spike lifted his head and looked over his shoulder before sitting up when he saw Willow running down the beach calling his name. He looked down at Buffy as she sat up before they both stood as Willow ran down the beach toward them. They could tell something was wrong by her screams and it only took a second of thinking before they both ran down the dune toward her.

Willow felt a small twinge of relief when she finally saw Spike and Buffy before she fell to her knees. Her breath was gone and her heart was beating frantically in her chest. The look on their faces told what a sight she must have looked. Gasping for air, Willow got back to her feet just as Spike and Buffy stopped in front of her.

“What’s wrong, Willow,” Buffy asked frantically before looking back over at the sight where the party was taking place.

“Is Xander and Jesse okay?” Spike asked her as he grabbed her arm and tried to steady her.

“They were when I came looking for you,” Willow got out. “But I’m not sure how long they’ll stay that way.”

“What happened?”

Willow looked from Spike to Buffy before finally looking back at Spike and taking a deep breath. “It’s Angel.”

Chapter 38

Buffy’s feet wouldn’t keep up with the rest of her body and she fell for the third time as she ran to the large group of people standing in a circle around the fire. Spike had run the minute Willow had mentioned Angel’s name and Willow grabbed Buffy’s arm and ran after him. The music and laughter had died and the only thing Buffy could hear now was the surf pounding against the shore as she ran.

Spike finally managed to squeeze himself into the tight circle that had formed to find Xander and Jesse facing Angel and at least ten of his friends. Oddly, he found Oz and Devin standing behind his two friends and as he pushed his way through the crowd Angel finally saw him and smiled.

“I was wondering when you were going to show,” Angel said before he looked over his shoulder at his friends as they laughed.

“What do you want, Angel?” Spike asked as he stopped beside Xander.

“Nothing,” Xander said. “He just came by to piss on the fire and check up on Buffy.”

Angel grinned as he looked at Xander before he turned to look at Spike. “Heard there was a party.”

“Really?” Spike asked him as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Angel and the boys standing behind him.

“Yeah,” Angel chuckled. “Believe me, if I had known it was you losers down here, I wouldn’t have wasted my time.”

Spike just watched Angel and his buddies as they laughed and looked at everyone standing around them. He really wasn’t looking for another fight tonight. He had barely healed from the previous two, not to mention Rupert would kill him if he got locked up again. Sighing heavily, Spike turned to Xander and motioned for him to walk away before he turned and walked back toward the crowd.

“See boys, I told you. He’s already learned his lesson.”

Spike stopped and looked back over his shoulder at Angel before his friends’ laughter increased at something Angel said to them that he didn’t hear. It looked like Angel wanted another fight. Well, who was he not to give him what he wanted? Taking a few steps back toward Angel, Spike only stopped when Xander grabbed his arm. “Let it go man,” Xander whispered to him. “He’s not worth it.”

“Oh I’m well worth it,” Angel said as his smile faded. “So, where’s your girl at, Spike? Or did she finally realized what a total loser you really are?”

“I’m right here.”

Spike never looked away from Angel when Buffy spoke and wrapped her arm around his waist but he smiled before lifting his arm and draping it around her shoulder.

Angel looked at the two of them before he grinned and locked eyes with Buffy. “Slumming it now, eh Buff?”

“Go home, Angel,” Buffy said as she tried to get the rapid beating of her heart to calm. “You’re not wanted here.”

“And he is?” Angel asked, glancing over at Spike. “You can’t seriously want to date someone like him. You’re much better than that, or at least I thought you were.”

“Who I date isn’t any of your business. Now go home.”

Angel laughed at her before shaking his head. “Well, I guess I was wrong about you after all.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?” Buffy asked him.

“You are as stupid as you look.”

Buffy felt Spike go stiff before he took a small step forward. She locked both of her arms around him to keep him from moving and looked over at Xander before he grabbed Spike’s arm. Her friend’s eyes were on Angel but he glanced over at her and gave her a reassuring smile. Buffy looked back at Angel when he laughed and wondered if his threats to Spike were sealed in stone now. Angel was apparently looking for a fight but she’d be damned if she let him have one.

“Why are you doing this, Angel?” Buffy asked him.

Angel grinned at her before he shrugged his shoulders. “You’re mine. Why else?”

“Not anymore she’s not,” Spike told him as he let go of Buffy and stepped in front of her.

“Oh, and I suppose she’s yours now?” Angel asked, looking at Spike.

“I don’t belong to anyone,” Buffy told him as she stepped forward and grabbed Spike’s hand and looked up at him. “Spike, take me home now. Please?”

“Well, isn’t that just precious,” Angel chuckled as he looked at her. “Does he do everything you ask him to?”

“Spike?” Buffy said as she tugged on his arm.

Spike looked down at her briefly before he glanced back up at Angel. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Buffy sighed in relief and finally swallowed the knot in her throat as Spike started leading her through the crowd. Everyone had spread out and she hoped they’d make it to the car before Angel or Spike said the wrong thing.

“You do remember what I said, don’t you Buffy?” Angel asked when they started to walk away.

Buffy turned her head and looked over her shoulder at Angel. His threats to Spike were still fresh on her mind. “Yeah, I remember.”

“And you’re willing to take that chance?”

Buffy stared at him for a few minutes until Spike put his hand on the small of her back and tried to push her forward. She turned and looked up at him before they both started to walk away from the crowd.

“We might as well settle this here and now, Buffy,” Angel said hatefully as he followed them out of the crowd. “You’re only making things worse.”

“I’m making things worse?” Buffy asked as she turned back around to look at him.

“Yeah,” Angel told her. “You’re mine. The sooner you realize that, the better off everyone will be.” Angel looked over at Spike when he laughed and his hands clenched into fists. “You find something funny, boy?”

“You actually,” Spike told him.

“Spike, don’t,” Buffy said softly as she tugged on his arm. “He’s just trying to start something.”

Spike knew she was right, but hated having to leave. He’d love nothing more than to beat Angel down once and for all, whether Buffy wanted to see it or not. The longer Angel thought he could win; the longer they’d have to put up with him. Sighing heavily, Spike turned and gave Buffy a brief smile before he started leading her away.

“See boys, he’s totally whipped,” Angel laughed. “Buffy bats her pretty little eyes and he crawls at her feet asking for more.”

“Just ignore him,” Buffy said quietly as they walked. She wasn’t sure how much more Spike would take as Angel continued to throw insult after insult but she hoped he could control his anger until they made it to the car.

“Have you fucked her yet?”

Buffy groaned when Spike’s hand tightened in hers at Angel’s choice of words and was glad her friends were there. Spike dropped her hand and turned, walking back to where Angel and his friends were. The yelling had started in earnest now and even Oz and Devin had stepped in to help. They had all ran and were holding Spike as Angel laughed, Buffy turned her head to look at Willow before she felt the whole situation getting out of control. Angel was just taunting Spike now. She knew without a doubt that Angel would make good on his threats and she wasn’t going to be the reason Spike got his head caved in. “Angel, please don’t do this.”

Angel looked over at her before he smiled. “Why Buffy? I’ve already told you what would happen. Didn’t I?”

“Any time, peaches,” Spike spat out as he tried to get Xander to let go of his arm. “Threatening her will only get you so far.”

Buffy closed her eyes and sighed as Spike and Angel were nose to nose and started shouting back and forth to each other. Her throat formed a knot she couldn’t seem to swallow and tears stung the back of her eyes before she shook her head and turned and pushed her way through the crowd. She was running before the first tear fell. She was halfway up the beach before she heard Willow yell her name over Angel and Spike screaming at each other.

She was almost blinded by tears by the time the path to the road came into view and she only briefly wondered how far from home she was and how long it would take her to walk it before she hit the pavement and ran past Spike’s car. The sound of her sneakers hitting the concrete echoed in her head as she ran down the road for what seemed like forever before she heard someone running behind her. She heard him call her name only seconds before his arms wrapped around her waist and stopped her. “Spike, let me go!”

“Why? Are you planning on running all the way home?” Spike asked her as he tried to catch his breath.

“Yes,” Buffy said through her tears. “If it’s a choice between walking or watching another pissing contest between you and Angel, then yes. I’d rather walk.”

Spike sighed heavily before laying his forehead on Buffy’s shoulder as he tried to catch his breath. His arms around her waist never loosened their hold but he was glad she’d stopped struggling. Running to catch her had taken the fight right out of him. “I’m sorry.”

Buffy’s attempt to stop her tears from falling failed as Spike’s softly spoken words reached her. Fear and adrenaline finally caught up with her before she was crying in earnest.

Spike closed his eyes and hugged her close to him as she cried before he released her and stepped around her. He brushed her hair away from her face before leaning in and placing a small kiss on her forehead. “Don’t cry, princess.”

Buffy cried harder before she wrapped her arms around his waist. He held her tightly to him and whispered words she barely even heard as everything she knew Angel, or rather Angelus, was capable of assaulted her memory. Fear gripped her like a vise as she remembered how Angelus enjoyed abusing her mentally. She couldn’t live through that again.

Spike held her until she had cried herself out. He saw his friends waiting for them by the parking lot and waved them off as they started toward them. Leaving Angel standing on the beach was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. He’d never wanted to hurt anyone as much as he wanted to hurt Angel. But Buffy was his main concern. What they had was too new to destroy it now. He wanted her more than he wanted Angel’s head in a plate.

Buffy finally lifted her head and wiped her face before she took a step back away from Spike. “Can you take me home now?”

“Yeah,” Spike told her as he reached up to brush her hair away from her face, frowning when she backed away from him. He watched her turn and walk back to the car before he sighed and looked up into the night sky, cursing softly under his breath.

Buffy could hear him just behind her and wanted nothing more than to let him comfort her. But she knew she couldn’t. Not now. Angel would make good on his threats, this she was sure of. As Spike’s car came back into view, Buffy saw her friends waiting for them and she sighed before wiping her face again. As she rounded the back of the car she smiled weakly at them. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” Willow said with concern written all over her face. “Are you going to be all right?”

“Yeah,” Buffy told her as she opened the passenger side door to Spike’s car and slide in. “I’ll be fine.”

Spike watched Buffy shut her door before he looked over at Xander and Jesse as he approached the car. They shared a small smile before he dug his keys out of his pocket and reached for the car door. He climbed in and looked briefly over at Buffy before he started the car and backed out onto the highway. She was sitting quietly as far away from him as she could get and Spike sighed lightly as he looked at her. She was staring out her window, chewing on her thumb nail, and Spike knew without being told that this was their one and only “date.”

<><><><><><><><>

The car had barely even come to a complete stop before Buffy opened the door. She climbed out as soon as Spike stopped and walked as quickly as she could around the front of the car and started up the walkway.

Spike watched her as she rounded the car before he grabbed the door handle and opened the door. He had to run to catch her and grabbed her arm as she topped the steps onto the porch. “Buffy, talk to me, please?”

Buffy took a few even breaths before she straightened her shoulders and tried to keep her voice neutral. “I had a really nice time. Well, the whole Angel thing aside,” she said as she stared at the front door. “But I don’t think…”

“Don’t even say it,” Spike said loudly. “Don’t brush me off because of Angel.”

Buffy stood there staring at the front door and felt completely lost. She didn’t know what to do. She had no super powers. She couldn’t protect anyone here. Hell, she couldn’t even protect herself. If Angel was even half as dangerous as Angelus was, then they were all in for a big surprise. They didn’t know him like she did. She couldn’t risk her friends. She couldn’t risk Spike. “I’m sorry, Spike. I can’t do this.”

Spike listened to her softly spoken words before he let her arm go. She stayed, staring at the front door and he stepped around her and lifted her chin so he could see her face. “Give me one reason, other than Angel, that you don’t want to go out with me and I’ll leave.”

Buffy stared up at him and could see the fear in his eyes. It was a look she was familiar with. She’d seen it before. She looked away before her shoulders slumped and she felt the tears she thought she had cried out try to reform. Her eyes burned and her chest tightened before Spike lifted her head back up and took a step closer to her.

“There isn’t one is there?” He asked her before palming the side of her face. “Buffy, I’ve already told you I’m not scared of him.”

“I know you’re not,” she said softly. “But he’ll hurt you to get to me.”

“And by not dating me, he gets what exactly?”

Buffy looked up at him then and let out a long breath. “Exactly what he wants.”

Spike smiled before he shook his head. “Don’t play along with him.”

“I can’t help it,” she said as a single tear fell. “I’m scared.”

Spike held her face between his hands and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I know you are,” he told her. “And he knows it. He wants you to be and threatening you is all it’s taken to accomplish that. I won’t let him hurt you.”

“And if he hurts you because of me?”

“He can try.”

“Spike,” Buffy said, tiredly. “He will.”

“He can try, Buffy,” Spike told her.

Buffy looked up when the front porch light came on and she shielded her eyes as Spike took a step away from her when the front door opened. He smiled as Joyce stuck her head out. “I thought I heard voices out here,” she smiled as she looked at them. “You’re home awfully early.”

“It’s been a long day,” Spike told her.

“I guess it has,” Joyce said. “Do you two want some cocoa? I just made a fresh batch.”

“Maybe some other time, Mom,” Buffy said before glancing up at Spike.

“Okay, dear,” Joyce said before winking. “I’ll let you two finish your talk. Goodnight William.”

“Goodnight Mrs. Summers,” Spike smiled at her as she shut the door. He threw up his hand and waved at her as she looked out the small window in the door before she turned the light off. As the darkness once again engulfed them, Spike turned back to Buffy. “So, where were we?”

“I was trying to give you the brush off and you were refusing to hear me,” Buffy said before smiling when Spike laughed lightly.

“Yeah, sounds about right.”

“Look Spike, I know you think you have the answers to everything and that Angel is all talk, but I know he’s not.”

“I never said I had all the answers,” Spike told her as he closed the distance between them. “I just know that Angel is a pain in the ass that will stop at nothing to see you as unhappy as he is and I’m just stubborn enough to make it as difficult as possible for him.”

“You’re not going to give up, are you?”

“On you? No,” Spike told her. “The only way you’re getting rid of me is to kick me out of your life and make me believe you mean it. So far you haven’t done that.”

“And here I thought Angel was the only pain in my ass.” Buffy smiled as Spike laughed before he cupped her face in his hands and leaned down and kissed her. It was nothing like the one on the beach, but it told her how much she’d miss him if he weren’t there. The thought of not getting to explore her feelings for him made her chest ache with a feeling of loss she didn’t have the strength to deal with at the moment. As he broke the kiss, Buffy looked up at him before he smiled.

“I want you, Buffy,” he told her. “Just give me a chance.”

Buffy stared up at him and the uncertain, scared look was back in his eyes. He looked at her like she held all the answers to the universe and for a brief moment, Buffy felt brave enough to wash the look from his face. She smiled before wrapping her arms around his waist and leaned up to brush her lips softly against his. “If you get the crap kicked out of you because of me, I’ll kick your ass worse than Angel ever dreamed of.”

Spike laughed as he looked at her before wrapping his arms around her. “You can do anything you want to my ass, Summers.”

Buffy rolled her eyes at him before she smiled. “Shut up and kiss me.”

“Anything you want, Summers.”

To Be Continued....