Memory Redux

A/N: Hi! Yes, I am still alive and writing. Here is the next chapter in Memory Redux, and the next chapter of WALH will be posted in two or three days. So, saying all that, huge thanks to my beta, Isis, since she is putting up with the different stories at one. There is even a third one she is looking over for me that I haven’t posted yet.

So, thanks for the reviews, and even the prodding to get new chapters out. A few have even threatened to kick my butt, which were so funny and actually helped. All have helped greatly.

I am going to start a list for let people know when I post a chapter of any of the stories. If you want to be added, email me, and I'll put you on the list. I tried to do this before, but I am more organized now.

A special note to someone that sent me an email recently about one of the other stories. If I didn't answer, my apologies. I was cleaning out my email and accidently deleted it.That is way enough annoucements, don't you think? Enjoy the chapter!


Chapter 13: Wanted: Missing Heart

Still talking about her friends, Beth casually held Spike’s pitcher of blood. “The gang and I got together yesterday for lunch. Willow had invited Tara, her new witch friend, to come eat with us, but she couldn’t make it. I really wanted to meet her, but once lunch got under way, I was relieved that she couldn’t make it since the food fest turned out to be a little informal meeting so Xander, Willow, and Anya could give me the full court press. Their goal line was to convince me to not walk but run back to you. The extra point was scored when, with short yardage, they told me I was Stupidity Girl for leaving in the first place. Well, duh on my part!”

If she hadn’t been holding his supply of blood, Spike would have enjoyed her words so much more. Running his hand through his hair, Spike didn’t want to take it from her and bring more attention to the pitcher, so he just watched in horror as she poured the blood into the mug. He hated hocus pocus, but what he couldn’t give at that moment to cast a spell, making the whole pitcher and its contents disappear. Beth turned and popped the mug into the microwave and then turned back to look at Spike, still telling her tale. “They knew I was miserable without you so I guess they were determined to give me a swift kick in the ass, with you as the goal posts.” Totally missing the brilliant smile she sent his way, Spike, holding a breath he didn’t need, watched as she put the pitcher back in the refrigerator, pulled out a can of diet coke from the refrigerator and poured that into her glass.

Beth was happy to see the diet cokes because she knew William never drank them, so she smiled thinking that he still kept them for her. “Ok, who else? Giles is doing great with The Magic Box. Who would have thought that so many people in Sunnydale practiced magic? In fact, Giles is doing so well that he hired Anya to work for him.” At that point, the microwave dinged, interrupting her story, Beth pulled out the mug and casually handed it to him with a smile.

With the mug now in his hand, he tried to casually rest his palm over the top, blocking her view into it and most certainly did not take a drink, and he certainly didn’t dare pour the blood down the sink, fearing that the blood would be even more obvious swirling down. And he most certainly did not want to take a drink. Wouldn’t that be great if he ended up with a blood mustache like people get milk mustaches?

Beth leaned her elbows on the counter, preparing to tell him her next news. News that would make Spike glad that the shock over the blood had pretty much receded before this new bomb was dropped on him. “So now for a Beth story, and I warn you, ‘You’re fixing to enter the Twilight Zone.’ One day a couple of weeks ago, for some reason I walked home a different way than usual from the Magic Box. I passed this abandoned house. It was dirty and overall yuky, so I don’t have any idea why I didn’t just keep walking. The freak factor came when I walked inside. Can you believe that I realized that I knew the layout of the first two rooms before I even looked around? I knew there would be a wall to the left, stairs in front, and right, of the entry would open up ano another room with a fire place on the far wall. Being drawn into that house was strange enough, but when I started to daydream, the weird meter soared. Since it was daytime when I walked in, I knew that I must have been dreaming because when I looked around the rooms, I could tell that it was nighttime.”

As Beth talked, Spike’s gaze glossed over with his memory of when he and Buffy first made love played in his mind in techno-color. And with Beth retelling that particular night sent chills from head to toe.

“Now this tale gets a little embarrassing. Weird but still incredibly…uh…personal.” Beth stopped and took a big breath. “You were up against the wall, holding me up, and my legs were wrapped around your waist. We were kissing and furiously making love while the house was falling down around us. Then we fell through the floor. I have no idea how we survived that fall, but we continued making love the rest of the night. The next morning, we were sleeping in the rubble. That night felt like one of the best nights of my life, like we had never made love before, and the next morning only got better. There was a hole in the roof, letting the sun shine down on both of us.” Her eyes took on a dreamy look, and her mouth tilted up in a small smile. “It was dazzling. Anyway, I woke up first and just enjoyed looking at you, beautiful in the sunlight, until you woke up. We spent the rest of the day there, making love and just enjoying being together, not leaving until the afternoon when we were starving. I know you can’t go out in the sun or that you have never even been to Sunnydale, but the dream felt so real, so right. But not that I didn’t love this dream, but isn’t that extreme strangeness?”

What in the bloody world does he answer? ‘Yes, pet, the sex there that night had been mind blowing.’ Or ‘That had been one of the best nights of my life, but you shattered that the next morning with your fear and bias.’ Better yet, ‘Take a vampire, add sunlight, and you’ve got yourself a nice bar-b-que.’

Spike tried frantically to get a grip on his swirling thoughts. First, Beth had started to dream not just when she was asleep, but also while awake. Second, the beginning of the dream was accurate. Actually he was surprised that her subconscious picked that particular story to rise up to the surface in her consciousness. Third, despite the accuracy of the night, her mind changed her memory of the next morning. Yes, they had woken up lying in the rubble, and yes, he had wanted her to stay with him. However, she threw in his face her disgust of him and of what they had done together. In return, he was an arrogant ass. Contrarily, in her dream, she had woken up happy and stayed with him, making love all the day. Really, her dream sounded more like it should have been one of his own. In Spike’s opinion, the fourth point was mos most bizarre, which was the sunlight streaming down on him. All in all, the night part of her daydream had been true, the morning could have been true if Buffy hadn’t been so afraid of her feelings and her friends’ opinions, but the last part about the sunshine was impossible unless the owner of the house wanted a vampire to be the spark that burned his house down. Even in a dream, Spike had no desire to become a fire ball.

He felt guilty that her memories may be resurfacing because of her contact with him, but his guilt receded when it struck him that in the last two months, she had memories surface without him being there to trigger them. Another plus for him was that she didn’t seem to be consciously aware that she had just se him him a nice, warm cup of blood.

Standing up and taking a sip of her drink, Beth continued her one sided dialogue, “Oh, I forgot Xander, but I guess you are caught up on his life since you’ve talked to our brunette cupid this week. So I won’t even go there. But let me say I still can’t believe that he went to such an effort to come here and make sure you were still interested in me.”

At the mention of Xander’s name, Beth watched William’s expression cloud over and could see the tension flow through his body. Really not what she had hoped for their reunion. Her woman’s intuition was screaming now. “What? Did Xander say something he shouldn’t have or offend you in some way? He does have a PhD in ‘putting your foot in your mouth’ techniques.”

Since the whelp’s visit, Spike had been trying to shrug off his jealousy. However when she mentioned Xander again, he was reminded of his biggest worry that had eaten away at his heart, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out about another git in her life. After all, he didn’t kill humans anymore, but such delicious temptations were not needed. “Harris…ah…may have mentioned that you had some other bloke sniffing around, wanting to take you out…and that you were thinking about taking this wanker up on his offer.”

Beth’s jaw dropped, and her wide eyes looked at him like he was speaking to her in a Martian dialect. As she processed that bombshell, she couldn’t yet force any words out of her mouth.

Taking in her reaction, he stepped back from the counte if if burned. Insecurity and paranoia took hold of his thought processes causing Spike to interpret her reaction as of guf guilt, one of being caught in something she wanted to keep a secret from him. Then his assumptions were totally thrown off balance when she started…laughing. Considering the twists and turns in Spike’s world since Beth started talking about recent events in Sunnydale, he was understandably wary when she came around the counter, and as she reached out for William, he took another step back.

Taking in his response to her silence and then laughter, Beth quickly put a hand over her mouth and kept it there until she managed to stifle her mirth. When composed, she reached for him again and was relieved when he let her catch his hands in her own. However, Beth didn’t laugh, but she couldn’t help but tease, “William, I think we both fell for Xander’s match making.” Sadly, she could tell he wasn’t buying the Xander Match Maker explanation; in fact, his expression grew even darker.

Beth stepped up closer, wrapping her arms around him before he could move farther away and held her breath until she felt his arms wrapped tightly around her back. After a few moments of body against body, she pulled back but only far enough to see his face. “Ok, William, let’s try to look at this in another way. I have a question for you. Did Xander give you a kiss good bye?”

“Hell no!” He tried to pull away, but she held on to him firmly.

Laughing at the disgusted look on William’s face, Beth shook her head. “I know, eewww, but funny. Lighten up already. I was just teasing. Really, my question is this. During the last two months, did you talk to or meet any single girls? Maybe in a store, at a gas station, in a nightclub, a restaurant, or something like that. Just a girl without a wedding band, no hubby at home.”

“Yeah, but…” Tilting his head, William closely examined her expression, looking for clues but didn’t have any idea where this minx was headed with her question, which made him worry. Still, it couldn’t be all bad since her arms were wrapped around him, and her body was pressed against his. Being a male and naturally suspicious when his girlfriend asks about looking at or talking to other women, Spike was cautious in what he said.

“Did you want or think about going out with them?”

Spike looked horrified. “No! Didn’t even cder der any other bint.”

Pleased at his reaction and words, Beth got to her point. “I was the same way. When it comes to other guys, I haven’t been out with anyone, I haven’t considered going out with anyone, and I haven’t even thought of anyone in that kinda of way the whole time I was away from you. Got it?” When he nodded, she kept going. “Xander came here to see if you were still wanted me, and then he and my other friends pushed me to quit being a scaredy cat and come back to you. The only bad part was that I think Xander might have gone a little over board, trying to make you jealous with another guy thingy.”

In an attempt to eliminate his unnecessary worries away, she reached up and tried to rub away the wrinkles between his eyes before saying, “William, it’s only you for me since I first saw you in the music store, and even then, it felt like you were the only one for me before we even met, like I had been waiting for years to be with you.” She rubbed her index finger along one of his eyebrows and then over the other. “Even though I was so stupid to stay away for sixty-four days, and yes, I counted, I’m smart enough to know what I’m talking about now. So know this, every day that I was in my home in Sunnydale, I wanted to be here with you in your home.” Beth let her hand slide down, she cup the side of his face, rubbing her thumb back and forth across his cheek.

As her hand caressed his face, his heart melted and his expression of worry changed to one of wonder and awe. He was touched beyond belief by her words and that she counted the days she had been away from him just as he had counted the days between her death after fighting Glory to when she was resurrected.

Relieved as well as encouragaed by his gaze, Beth slipped her hand behind his head and pulled him down until her lips touched his. They had already shared kisses after he discovered her sleeping in her car, but this kiss was finally free of worries, Spike’s worry of losing her to another man and Beth’s fear that William wouldn’t forgive her.

“As much as I am enjoying this, and believe me, I so missed the kissage with you. But I feel ick ick all over. See, when I finished my lunch with my friends, I walked home, told mom where I was going, packed and got on the road. Then once here, I fell asleep in my car. Sooo, I need some soapy goodness.” She snuggled up closer to William’s cool body. “Want to join me? It’s not the bed, but I am sure we can make it just as fun and save the bed for later.” In all honesty, she wasn’t that dirty, but she thought it was a good time to live out one of her fantasies. William. Wet. Sudsy muscles sliding against her body. Yummm!

“Join you, pet? Don’t even doubt it.” This time, Spike cupped the back of her head, bringing her mouth to his again. As their tongues met, enjoying the pressure of his hand pressing her closer, Beth wondered if she was insane for not telling him to take her right that very second. Actually, the floor would be just fine with her.

When he pulled back away, she was breathless but eager for more. “When you can breathe again, love, why don’t you go get the water hot?” Instead of leading her as he wanted to, he turned her toward the bedroom and sent her on her way with a pat on her sexy ass. Jumpingm thm the unexpe swa swat, she glanced at him over her shoulder. “Oooh, so you do that while I’m walking away. What? Are you just too scared to do that when I’m walking towards you?”

Spike licked his lips in anticipation. “You’re just asking for it, missy.”

“Duh!” She stuck her tongue out at him and disappeared into the bathroom.

Spike could hear her laughter floating out of the bathroom right before she shut the door, and then heard the water start up.
If he didn’t have an extremely good reason to keep him out of the bathroom, he would be running into that shower with all the speed that his vampiric nature could muster. Where he did rush over to was the refrigerator. Grabbing his supply of blood, he moved it to the library’s hidden refrigerator. Thus done, he still couldn’t go into the bathroom. One word. Mirror. He had to wait foe mie mirror to fog up. Of course, he could have an refection in some of the chrome trim, but he would take that chance. No way could he resist a shower with that blonde beauty.

With his body and mind equally frustrated, Spike leaned his forehead on the warming door and cooled his heals until he could see steam rolling out from under the door. Just in case, he sincerely hoped that she was already in the shower and not near the mirror. Spike’s cock was rigid before hen een entered the bathroom, but was painfully hard when he actually stepped in the room. He completely forgot to check that the mirror was fogged up when, with the shower door open, he saw Beth crooking her finger at him in an invitation to join her. It never ceased to amaze him how Beth, an innocent Buffy, was so open in demonstrating her desire for him.

Spike could have made it into the Guinness Book of Records by how fast he stripped off his clothes and jumped into the shower. His hands were on her as fast as she was immediately all over him. They shared deep, passionate kisses where both could feel the other trying with their hands and lips to make up time lost in the past couple of mouths.

Finally pulling her desire back in check so she could to clear her head enough to continue her fantasy, she reached over and grabbed the soap.

Spike was surprised when she turned him so that his back was to her before she began with the soap. Hearing him sigh when he felt her soapy hands touched his skin, she started at the back of his neck, and then down making random patterns on his back, lightly dragging her finger nails through the suds. Next her hands slid down his legs. Totally seduced by her technique, his eyes rolled up into his head and his body slightly trembled as he felt her start upwards on the front of his body. Spike gave a deep heartfelt groan when as she straightened her legs, she slid her chest along his back, and her warm hands cupped his balls. After massaging for a moment, one hand stayed in place as the other wrapped around his erection. Stroking forward and back, forward and back. Between his groans, Spike heard her husky whisper, “Wouldn’t want to miss any spot on your body, would I?” She continued fondling under his balls again as she continued to stroke his shaft. But his groans quickly turned to whimpers when her hands let go and moved on up to his chest, paying special attention to scrapping her fingernails across his nipples several times. He wanted to beg for more when her hands left his body entirely to get the shower head and wash the soap off his body. He had just thought his erection was painful when he had entered the bathroom. Wrong. He thought he was going to have to go to an emergency room if he didn’t get relief soon.

But two could play at that game. Turning around to face her, Spike kissed hard and intense before grabbing the soap. “You may have taught me a lesson here, but I think I need to practice to make sure I got it right,” he said just before he turned her to face away as she had done him. Following her lead, he started with the back of her n alo along her smooth back to cup the cheeks of her ass, down to her calves, and started back up back up the front. When he reached her sex, he smiled evilly. Payback wasn’t a bitch this time. Payback was a tease. After lathering up her curly hair where her legs met, his hands just brushed the top of the lips of her sex. She moved her legs apart in anticipation and whimpered in a mix of pleasure and frustration as he slid his fingers on the outside of her lip, stroking, before finally sliding one finger between her folds. He slid across her clit but not paying it any special attention and did the same at her entrance to her core. He stroked her a few more times until as her pleasure increased her head fell back on his shoulder, and he smiled a wicked smile when she groaned and then begged. “Please, William. Please.”

Her words pushed him past the point of play. Quickly rinsing her off, he growled in her ear, “You had better brace yourself, love,” and gently but firmly bent her over at the waist.

“Just need you inside of me. Now!” Then she cried out as he thrust inside of her, filling her, stretching her. Spike snarled as Beth shoved back, matching his every thrust. Quickly, too quickly, they felt each others orgasms begin to build, their bodies in sync with both motions and feelings of pleasure. As the walls of her sex contract around his shaft as she came, he pumped his seed deep inside her.

Her orgasm had been hard and heavenly, making her want to keep him inside her as long as possible, but her legs were quivering and weak. She slowly stood up and whimpered as she felt his shaft leave her. Leaning against his chest, Beth sighed when Spike wrapped his arms tight around her, kissing her neck before resting his cheek on top of her shoulder.

******

Two hours later, they lay in his bed sated. For the moment. Beth lay nestled up against Spike’s side with her head resting on his shoulder; their legs were entwined while Spike ran his fingers through her hair and her fingers made random patterns across his chest. He placed a lingering kiss on the top of her head before asking, “Have I already thanked you for coming back to me?”

Since he had already thanked her several times before, when she leaned back to look into his face, she could tell by the twinkle in his eyes that he was just teasing her, but Beth’s reply was serious. “Well, to fess up…I was really scared that you wouldn’t want me back.”

Shifting them so that they were both on their sides, facing each other, Spike tried to dispel her fears. He laid his hand on the side of her face, brushing her cheek with his thumb. “I would always want you to return to me. Always, no matter wh


As a tear rolled down her face, she rested her hand gently against his cheek. “I had to come back. My heart is here with you.”

Spike rolled her on her back, kissing her deeply, pouring all his feelings into the kiss. When he finally pulled back, Beth could see the glistening in his eyes of unshed tears. His voice was choked, full of feelings. “My heart was there with you in Sunnydale.”

Hugging him tight, she whispered in his ear, “How about I just don’t leave you again? Never ever.”

With her quiet words, Spike could have sworn that with his love for this woman, his dead heart that belonged to her started again, matching her beat for beat.


***TBC***


Please review. I would love to know what you think, and I promise the posting will be closer together for this story and WALH. : )

Dana (MadRog)
madrog@ev1.net