Choices

Chapter One

"You're dropping your right shoulder again!" Spike shouted to Buffy as she dodged a hit from Angel.

"I'm gonna--drop you-- in a minute SpikeShe She shouted at him as she spun around and managed to kick Angel back a few feet.

Angel sputtered and stopped. He was bent over, glaring at Spike. "That's it. You're not training with us anymore." He told the blond vampire.

Spike smirked. "Why ever not, Peaches?"

Buffy cocked her head to the side, and studied the brunette vampire that waspingping for air. "I thought vampires didn't need to breathe. Why are you gasping for air?"

Spike laughed at her observation and came over to her, draping an arm across her shoulders. "He's full of hot air, pet. I think you might have effectively knocked it out of him."

"Spike," Angel started warningly.

Buffy couldn't help the smile that escaped. To defend Angel though, she expertly grabbed Spike's arm and flung him over her shoulder and to the ground. She smiled brightly at the perplexed vampire staring up at her.

"That's for shouting to me about my shoulder." She ded ded off, hearing Angel's laughter in the distance.

******

"Angel?" She asked later on as they weaved through the crowd at the coffee shop looking for a place to sit.

"Buffy?"

Finally settling on a table, they sat. He watched her expectantly.

"You've met a lot of Slayers, right?"

He nodded and sipped his coffee. "Even met the current one."

"Well, I'm not a Slayer, but I have all the strength...am I...am I stronger?" She asked nervously.

Angel smiled warmly at her. "The sheer fact that you've lasted longer than most Slayers tells me that yes, you are."

A slow smile spread across her face.

"That's no reason to get cocky and not work hard," he admonished.

"Oh of course not," she said quickly and blew on her hot chocolate. "Course, you know a lot of that has to do with the fact that I don't have a Watcher. I get two vampires instead."

"You do have the advantage over most Slayers." Angel said thoughtfully.

"But I'm totally stronger." She grinned.

"And cockier, I bet."

"I get it from Spike."

"What do you get from me, kitten?"

Both heads turned to see Spike grabbing a chair and settling down beside Buffy, straddling the chair.

"Cockiness," she answered him. "I thought you were going to the bar?"

"I did. I said I wanted a drink and I got one."

She shook her head and chuckled. "Then decided to come back here with us?"

Spike nodded "Can't leave my best girl to be bored to tears by the poof here."

"Spike," Angel said warily. "You truly are getting on my last nerve tonight."

"When are you going to learn to not tell him that? It's why he does it, you know." Buffy pointed out. She poked Spike in the ribs. "Be nice to Angel. Not his fault you chickened out on getting your ass kicked."

Spike's mouth dropped open in horror, "chickened out? I bloody well did not chicken out! And getting my ass kicked? I think not, luv."

"Oh, I totally think so. Angel just told me I was stronger than the Slayer."

Spike turned to Angel. "Why are you filling her head with stories?"

"Hey! They are not stories! Angel says it's true, I believe him."

"Just like you believed him when he told you he turned Elvis?"

"It was a very convincing argument!"

Spike just looked at her.

"Oh, shut up Mr. I'm So Bloody Smart. You're a dork."

"Take that back!"

She pointed her finger at him. "A-ha! Weak spot! Score!"

Angel just sat back and watched the exchange. "Are you two quite done acting like children?"

Spike and Buffy fell silent. After a minute, Buffy muttered "He started it."

******


"Night Angel." Buffy told him as the eldest vampire sauntered off to bed.

"Night Buffy. Good work tonight."

She smiled brightly. "Thanks!" She then stuck her tongue out at Spike who grumbled something under his breath and took a swig of his beer.

She giggled to herself and then plopped down next to Spike and cuddled up into his side. Immediately he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close.

"Good night, luv?" He asked softly.

She nodded against him, savoring the security she felt whenever she was wrapped up in Spike's arms. He was like a big cuddly teddy. For all the times they bickered like children, she loved Spike completely. He was her best friend, her protector and her confidante. She pretty much felt the same about Angel, but it was different with him. Angel took a stricter role with her while Spike tried to understand things from her point of view. He was her defender while Angel was her enforcer.

The two vampires were all she had now. They had come to her at a time in her life where she was just realizing the power she held in her tiny body. She wasn't a Slayer, but a girl with powers of magic and superstrength. For that reason alone, demons and vampires-creatures of the night-thought her best prey. She was a defender of her town, the good- sized city of Newport, RI. She had met them at the early age of fifteen.

A demon that was sent to help those in need of guidance had sent Angel and Spike to her. They'd known each other for over a century, Angel being Spike's grandsire. They'd been apart for many years until they'd been called to help the slip of a girl named Buffy. Both vampires readily agreed after meeting the little spitfire.

She was young, only 21, but the oldest when it came to the activities she had. The first thing Angel had warned her about was that Slayers died young--usually around eighteen. She was a rare case, and she knew it.

"Tired?" Spike asked, breaking her reverie.

"No,"but then she yawned.

He chuckled softly. "I think so, pet. You've had a busy night. Why don't you get some rest?"

"I will. Can I just sit here with you for a while?"

"Like you have to ask," he whispered against her ear and cuddled her closer to him, bringing the throw blanket to drape across her. Within minutes she had fallen asleep.

Spike looked down at the girl-woman cuddled at his side and smiled tenderly. It didn't take her long to fall fast asleep. Gentl rea reached out and pushed some stray hair away from her angelic face. She had showered when they arrived home and her damp hair was wetting his sleeve. Not that he minded. He found himself absently fingering it as he gazed down at her.

God, he loved her.

She didn't know it though. Well, she knew he loved her like a sister, protected her and cared for her. But she didn't know the true depth of his attachment to her. He wasn't sure he could ever tell her. The way things were?he didn't want to upset the routine and the feeling of safety she had with both him and Angel as her 'big brothers'. The girl had been through enough with slaying demons and vampires and losing her mother just a few months ago. Angel and Spike were basically all she had. He knew Angel felt it too, the intense desire to take care of her.

Not that she was a child by any stretch of the imagination. She was a young woman, coming into her own. She didn't have a normal life. Her activities weren't the same; her outlook on life wasn't the same. She felt that acutely, and yet at the same time had come to just accept her lot. It all depended on the day and circumstance. She hadn't had many friends, hadn't even dated like a normal girl. Course, that was fine with Spike. He liked the idea of keeping his girl virginal and still innocent in the games of love and sex.

He still remembered when Whistler had approached him about helping a human girl. He had balked at first, wondering huch uch power a non-Slayer could have. He agreed to meet her only after he heard Angel had agreed to see her. He and his grandsire had always been in competition with each other and he found it funny that the fates would bring them together yet again. He supposed they saw in Buffy what he saw the first time he laid eyes on her. She was special. She was a package deal--her strength, her magic, her wit, her intelligence, and her heart. She was the sweetest person he had ever met. She could be a right bitch when she set her mind to it, but she had a heart full of love and compassion and he wanted to preserve that.

Lost in the wonder that was 'his' girl, he moved off the couch quietly and lifted her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him immediately. Grinning, he carried her to her bedroom. Laying her down, he tucked her in and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead before retiring to his own bed for the night.