Relentless Revenge ((COMPLETE))

Chapter 11: Quality Time

Buffy and Spike had just returned form patrolling after they had spent the whole day together, talking, loving, sleeping and overall enjoying each other. The lovers had only interrupted occasionally by a few deliveries of Spike’s purchases from the previous day. In the late afternoon, Buffy had sat on his new black, leather sofa watching Spike with fascination as the vamp set up his new home theatre system like a pro. When she had asked him about this surprise talent, he had shrugged, “Wanted to watch Passions in style.”

As he finished the installation, Buffy thumbed through the DVD’s and called to check on Dawn. Willow answered the phone and told her that Dawn was spending the day with Janice. “Don’t worry about Dawnie or me. Just have some naughty fun, Buff. Or should I say in the Buff. I know, bad joke.” Willow making a joke, even if it was a bad one, was definitely a good thing.

When night fell, Spike and Buffy had finally left his flat for the first time that day to patrol.

*****

“Did you hear something?” Buffy lay on her back with Spike’s head resting on her chest.

Spike had been listening to her heart beat, and if she would just keep quiet, he could even hear the blood rushing through the valves as they opened and closed. After placing a kiss in the valley between her breasts, he purred against her skin, “All I can or want to hear is you, love.” Then he lifted his head to suckle her breast, pulling on her hardening nipple.

Buffy put her hand on the back of his head, pulling him up by his bleached hair but giving a groan of delight as he gave her nipple one last tug. “No, Spike, later. I heard something downstairs.”

Spike cocked his head to the side, listening, “What’d you hear?”

“You’re the vamp. You tell me,” she said lightly slapping on the back of his head.

Spike rolled out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants with a graceful economy of motion. After listening a few seconds, he replied, keeping his voice low, “Someone is downstairs. Looks like we have a little action left to take care of tonight, Slayer.”

“Told ya!” Buffy exclaimed in a hushed tone while she started to search for her own clothes.

“Business first. Nanny-nanies later, love.” When Spike approached the second floor, he paused when he recognized what he was hearing. Keanu Reeves to be exact. Stepping on into the room, he found Willow and Dawn sprawled on the new sofa, engrossed in a movie on his new wide screen TV and DVD. “Everyone comfy I hope?”

Dawn glanced briefly up, “Yeah but we could use some popcorn. Got any?”

Willow gave the perturbed vamp a smile, “Great sofa and nice abs.”

“Willow!” Dawn looked about as shocked as Spike looked embarrassed.

“I’m gay, not blind.”

Spike quickly retreated back up the stairs, running into Buffy on her way down. “We’ve been invaded,” was all he said as he headed up to find a shirt, shaking his head as he hurried past. ‘Could vampire’s blush?’ Buffy wondered. She’d have to ask him later.

“Hey, Dawn. Hey, Willow…Oooh, the Matrix. Where’s the popcorn? I’m *so* hungry.” Buffy plopped down on an oversized stuffed chair, putting her feet up on the ottoman.

Spike came back in mumbling and stomped over to the kitchen to make the popcorn. He handed one bowl to Willow for her to share with Dawn and put another on the table next to Buffy. Before she could even grab a bite, Spike picked her up, sat down in her chair, and then settled her in his lap. His efforts were rewarded by the feel of a happy Buffy squirming in his lap until she was perfectly content.

Spike took a bite of the popcorn Buffy fed him and thought about his unlife, ‘Now this has to be a type of heaven; Buffy nestled in his lap while watching a good flick on a wide screen TV.’

*****

A knock on the front door woke them all up early the next morning with the first of the day’s deliveries, and as it turned out, that day was a good prediction for the rest of the week.

As more deliveries came, Spike explained he was taking over the Magic Box from Giles and Anya and setting up an antique shop. Giles had said that was what the vampire was the most qualified to do for a living since Spike was an antique himself, and Anya had said that Spike would make a fantastic salesperson because he could talk a female customer into buying anything. Buffy, needless to say, wasn’t too thrilled with that comment about Anya. In fact, she preferred not to hear Spike’s and Anya’s names used in the same sentence at all and had no hesitancy telling everyone just that.

When the first shipment of antiques arrived from Giles and Anya in England, the whole gang had been at the shop admiring the new signage. Spike had let Dawn name the shop. Spike that it to be a nancy-boy name, the Vitorian Gentleman’s Antiques, but Bite Size had been elated and that was enough for him.

When the all the crates were finally off the truck and in the shop, Spike watched the Nibblet squeal with excitement as Buffy began to pull the crates apart, both anxious to see the secrets inside. Xander sat back to watch while Willow took charge of the packing slips, and all three girls oo’d and awe’d over every piece of furniture revealed.

When every last piece of furniture and knick knacks had been accounted for Willow walked back, handing the packing slips to Spike. However, she was totally befuddled when Spike promptly handed them back to her. “No, Red. I think you should keep them. I wouldn’t want to keep you from that musty ole lab, but I was thinking you would be an excellent shop manager, if you’re interested, that is?”

Willow’s face lit up as she glanced back at all the beautiful antiques and then back down at the packing slips. “Well, I could get your inventory computerized and help out some.”

Nevertheless, Spike knew he already had her hooked, “I’ll need help in the early part of the day since that’s when I sleep.” Spike focused a confident leer towards Buffy, “That’s when someone lets me get some sleep.”

Buffy tried her best to act innocent but knew her blush gave her away. “Why are you looking at me?”

“Maybe I just like looking my fill, pet.”

God, he said the nicest things. Walking into his arms, Buffy murmured, “Well, ok, then.”

Becoming embarrassed watching the two passionately kiss, Dawn turned away, “Get a room already.”

*****

Sunnydale had been unusually quiet during the next week as a new pattern started to form, Scoobie Central subtly shifted, following its leader from Revello Drive to the apartment above the new antique store. Dawn practically moved into one of the guest rooms at the shop to be close to Spike and Buffy, and most nights, Buffy and Spike found Willow and Xander over watching movies with Dawn when they returned from patrol.

*****

It was Sunday, and Spike and Buffy had spent the morning working out with Dawn. Since Dawn had been feeling a little neglected that past week, Spike had promised her a little "Quality Bit Time" which translated to a movie and ice cream afterwards. Accordingly, Dawn was in the bathroom taking a shower and getting ready which in teenager time was an hour or two. But much to Buffy and Spike’s delight, Dawn grooming left the lovers a little adult time to indulge with each other in the master bedroom.

Buffy was presently curled up in Spike's lap, sitting in the oversized chair, while Spike waited for the Nibblet to finish dressing. They had just come down from the master suite.

Breaking their comfortable if not unusual silence, Buffy asked, "When will you two be back?"

"We'll catch up with you on patrol. The Bit would like that."

"How will you know which cemetery I’ll be patrolling?"

"Love, I’ll always find you. I can feel whenever you are near just like you can feel me."

"You know, while you were gone, I never thought you were dead. I would have known if you were gone for good. I think I’ve always felt a connection between you and me, but you know, it devastated me when the others left. I knew Angel would never come back, and deep down, I don’t think I wanted Riley back. But I knew you’d pop back up like an old penny. I never questioned that.”

"Always, love. I will always make it back to you." Normally, Spike hated the very mention of the Great Gelled One or the Soldier Poof, putting him into a snarky mood, but this time, she was ranking him on top. He thought he could make an exception this one time.

With her fingers, Buffy played with the hair at the nape of his neck, twisting a curl and avoiding his direct stare. “Do you still love me?

Spike took a deep, unnecessary breath, realizing that it was his turn to get a little uncomfortable. Never being able to hold his tongue, Spike had been trying keep from telling her how much he loved her. In fact, he could feel the words on the tip of his tongue at least twenty times a day.. However, he felt a real need for a little reassurance before he committed that part of himself again, until Buffy told him something about what was in her own heart. “The last time I told you that I love you, pet, and then got lucky, you dumped me shortly thereafter. Now granted, the order would be different this time since I got lucky first this afternoon, but I'm not too apt to go through that whole dumping bit again. I like how things have been going lately between us, and besides, I'd prefer Captain Cardboard didn't blow this place up. Red would be crushed, don’t ya think?”

Buffy ran a fingertip across one of his sharp cheek bones and then down his cheek towards his mouth. “And if I promise not to blow up anything or dump you later?”

"Then I do still love you. But you already knew that, didn't you, love?"

She ran her finger tip slowly across his lower lip, “Yeah, but I’d like to hear it again.”

"Makes you all tingly inside, pet?" However, Spike suspected that Buffy wasn't finished yet and was still fishing around for something. "And…?"

"I wasn't in a place back then to really accept or give love. Not even to Dawn. Not even to my friends." Buffy took a deep breath and wasn’t sure if she could continue.

Sensing her dilemma, Spike ran a hand up her neck to cup her cheek, trying to pon son some confidence, trying to give her the courage to continue.

But then Buffy looked in his beautiful blue eyes, and the words came tumbling out. "But now…I trust you. I care about you, and I know I want to be with you…I just need a little more time to work everything else out." Unable to continue holding his intense gaze, Buffy turned her head to place a kiss on the palm of his hand. Spike was reminded of the time, before returning to London, when he had placed a kiss on the palm of her small hand in much the same fashion. But today when he and Dawn returned after the movie, instead of leaving town, Spike would be returning to his Slayer waiting with her arms wide open.

As their lips came together, Dawn chose that moment to finally come out of the bathroom. "Eew! You two are going to make me too nauseated to eat popcorn."

Buffy pulled back long enough to reply, "Mmmm…then go back in the bathroom if you don't want to see."

"Sorry, sis. If Spike and I go through the sewers to the theatre, we need to leave now. And I don't want to miss the trailers."

After kissing Buffy once more, Spike headed out with Dawn who was happily chattering at his side.

*****

The pair made it from the sewer system to the theatre with only a small amount of sun exposure. After purchasing a decadent amount of popcorn, Spike and Dawn scanned the theatre for the perfect seats. Dawn wanted to sit in the middle, but the vamp insisted that no one be able to sit behind them. Hence they settled on the middle of the back row with a wall to their backs. Spike had his feet casually slung over the seat in front of him and was throwing popcorn on those seats in front to discourage anyone who dared thinking about sitting in front of them.

About twenty minutes into the film, the screen suddenly went blank causing Spike to redirect his popcorn, throwing it at the tiny window of the projection room in protest. A man that looked to be a manager type walked in from the back, announced that there was a small fire in the food preparation area, politely asked everyone to remain calm, and to quickly exit the building using the doors next to the screen.

Spike pulled Dawn back into her seat when she started to comply. "Nibblet, something isn't right here. Hold on a sec." The vampire couldn't smell any smoke or hear any fire alarms which was very strange if there were a fire. His suspicions grew by leaps and bounds when two more men walked in the back of the theatre and nodded towards Spike and Dawn.

Dawn knew Spike was right that something was peculiar when two more men came in the exits as the other theatergoers quickly streamed out. Dawn grabbed hold of his arm and asked in a nervous sounding whisper, "Spike? SPIKE? What should we do now?"

Spike was presently considering all their options, the good and the bad ones. But the dilemma was that all their options looked really looked more like the bad and the worse. This theatre with all the rows of seats just wasn't the best place to wage a battle, let alone try to escape safely with the Bit in tow. She was still so big in guts but low in fighting skills. "Ok, Bite Size, first we need make it out of this row into the wider aisle. We need to get ourselves a little elbow room. Let's go towards the side that only has one bloke. But whatever I say, follow my lead. No arguing, Platelet. None."

Taking her hand, Spike led the way. He was proud of this girl. He knew she was scared, but she showed no signs of outward fear. Her head was up, back ramrod straight and confidently walking with eyes shooting sparks in defiance of their imminent peril.

As Spike and Dawn made their way to the end of their row, the man who Spike now suspected was a demon stepped into their path. Without even looking back, Spike knew the demons on the far side entered their row, blocking any retreat.

Well, it was time for the Big Bad to bluff. “Excuse me, mate. Seeing as this is my first date with this bird, I think she would like to avoid burning alive. So if you would move out of our way, I’d like to go and see if I can get my blunt back. Maybe take her to dinner instead…”

Dawn’s grip on Spike’s hand tightened when she realized that he was trying to make them look as if they barely knew each other, but why? What was he planning?

The guy that had cleared the theatre was currently not budging out of Spike’s way. He just nodded his head towards Spike as he addressed the approaching man. “What would you like us to do with them, Father?”

Well dressed in tweed, “Father” looked to be in his sixties and replied in a cultured British accent that fit his look. Father directed his reply to Spike. “William the Bloody, we are here to invite you on a little excursion.” Dawn thought the slight curl to his lips belied his cordial words.

Spike took a moment to look over the other two blokes that had walked up behind them and were currently covering the only open sides to escape. Turning back to look at the obvious leader, Spike pulled out a cigarette and lit it, blowing smoke in the nancy-boy’s face before answering. “It’s Spike and thanks for the offer, mate, but I’ve already been abroad enough this year. Don’t really fancy leaving the Hellmouth anytime soon.”

When he spoke again, Father smiled a smile that chilled Dawn down to the tips of her toes. “I thought that might be your reply, but you see, I would like to further our accaintance. Get to know the vampire who helped kill my first son and who personally killed my second.”

Spike blew out the next puff of smoke rather forcibly. Balls! Sometimes it didn’t pay to have such a well known reputation. This really wasn’t the time or the place for the past to come back to bite him on the ass. He started to continue his banter further out of sheer perversity until he remembered the Nibblet standing behind him. Bloody Hell! “Well, Dad, you asked so nicely, I’ll stick around and chat but first you have to let the bint go. She’s nothing to me and has nothing to do with my past. It’s hard to do that whole male bonding rot with a gel around.”

When Father nodded his agreement to Spike’s request, the other man at his elbow looked ready to argue, but Dawn beat him to it. “No way I’m running out on you, Spike. I can…”

Spike turned on her, cutting her off, “Look, you silly chit, bugger off.” Spike violently jerked Dawn out of the row and shoved her towards the exit.

Stumbling, Dawn caught herself on the door handle, “But I…”

“I. SAID. PISS. OFF!” Spike snarled, flashing his yellow eyes. Before turning his back on Dawn, his cold, hard voice lashed out one more time. “Why don’t you go run and tell big sis what wrong the Big Bad did now.”

Spike could hear Dawn stifle a sob as she pushed through the door out into the lobby. He felt like a total bastard, but he was desperate to make sure she was away, out of this load of rubbish.
The man standing beside Father spoke up as Dawn left, “But Father, that girl was the Slayer’s sister!”

“I’m aware of that, Jacob. Now she’ll run to her ‘big sis’ as our dear William calls her, and then both girls will try to save her vampire lover. But that will gave us time to get him where we want to snare her. It all works out nicely. You see, I get three for the price of one: A highly successful slayer, a mysterious key, whatever that is, and a vamp that goes against his nature. All three unique and extremely worthy of study.”

Not caring what happened to him, Spike changed to game face and lunged at Father, “There’s no bloody way I’m going to let you…” He spun around as he felt a prick and passed out before he could switch directions and tear into the ponce that had just stuck him with a hypodermic. “Bloody Hell…Buffy…”

Father smiled a malicious smile down at Spike now lying on the filthy movie theatre carpet, nudging the vampire with the toe of his shoe. “This was definitely worth the trip. Bring him, Jacob. We have a plane to catch so be quick about it. I’m anxious to get him back to the lab and find out what makes this Slayer of Slayers so different from all other vampires, forsaking his natural urges to sleep with his food instead of eating her.


TBC…