Infidelity

Spike and Buffy drove the rest of the way to Sunnydale in mostly silence. He attempted to make conversation a few times here and there but Buffy only responded with one word answers for the most part. This time the silence wasn’t due to her grief but to the awkwardness both of them felt after their obvious attraction to the other earlier at the diner.

Spike pulled into the driveway of a nice house and stopped the car’s engine. “We’re here” he sighed.

He got out of the car and came around to open the door for Buffy. Once opened she looked at him funny, “What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?” Spike asked, confused.

“Opening the door for me; like I’m your date or something. You’re starting to creep me out.” Buffy said, deliberately trying to make Spike uncomfortable hoping it would squash any fresh feelings that had erupted between the two.

“Bloody hell. I was just being a gentleman. MY folks did teach me manners. Open it yourself then!” he said and slammed the door closed again and started to walk away.

Buffy opened the door and jumout,out, “Yeah well, my mom is dead. Guess she died before she could teach me any fucking manners.” Buffy screamed at him.

Spike’s back stiffened and he turned around and came towards her first with the intent to bite back but he saw her trembling lip and the tears forming in her eyes and his shoulders slumped, “Come on, pet. I’ll get your things.”

Spike walked back to the car and began removing bags from the trunk.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Buffy asked him as she drew closer.

Spike turned and stared at her. He reached out and wiped away a tear with his thumb. Just as he was opening his mouth to speak, Cecily yelled from the front door.

“What the hell is taking so long and was that shouting I heard? What will the neighbors think? Jesus, Buffy, you haven’t even been here 5 minutes and already you’re causing trouble. I don’t know how Mom put up with you for as long as she did. And for God’s sake, Spike. Can’t you control her?” Cecily said coldly.

Spike had immediately removed his hand as soon as Cecily’s presence was made known but the two were still standing next to each other by the trunk. He clenched his jaw and lowered his head then looked back up at Buffy. “That’s why, pet. I figure you need at least one person who will be nice to you.” He grabbed a few bags and started towards the door, plastering a smile to his face he leaned over and kissed Cecily on the cheek, “Sorry Dear. She is a teenager after all and she’s still upset about her mum. She will be alright. Just give her some time.”

“Whatever. Hurry up and get her things in here so you can start dinner. I’m starving.” Cecily ordered him.

“Yes, Dear.” Spike said, setting the bags down in the front hall and going out to get more.

Buffy walked past Spike on her way inside and followed Cecily into the living room.

“I’ve had Spike fix up the basement for you. I need my guest room to stay for my guests, not you. Anyway, he really out did himself. It’s quite nice. I hope you realize the expense it cost me. I took it out of the portion Mom left you. Anyway, he can show you around later. I’m going to go take a bath. Tell Spike to call me when dinner is ready.” Cecily started to leave the room.

“Umm...Cecily? Are you going to introduce me to my niece? Where is Dawn?” Buffy asked.

“Oh, yeah. She is napping now. Spike can show you her later. Ta ta.” Cecily replied and left the room.

Buffy rolled her eyes and went back into the hall to help Spike with her things. “If you show me where the basement is, I can help you carry all these down.”

“Right this way, luv. Follow me.” Spike said as Buffy slung a few bags over her shoulder.

It secretly thrilled her every time Spike used a pet name for her but she tried not to let it show. Spike led her to a door off the kitchen and she followed him down the steps. She couldn’t believe her eyes when she got to the bottom. Cecily, for once in her life, had been right. Spike really had outdone himself. The basement had been transformed into a bedroom with a sitting room and her own bathroom. The laundry area was curtained off so you could get to it from the steps without invading into Buffy’s space. She had her own entertainment center set up in the sitting area along with a comfy looking sofa and recliner. The bathroom was decorated in lighthouses and sailboats and had a nice crisp, airy feeling to it, especially for being in a basement. The last thing she looked at was the bedroom area. There were several drawer chests and up against one wall was an enormous 4 poster bed. Buffy looked at the bed and then at Spike and then back at the bed and felt a blush begin to creep up her neck.

“Do you like it? I wasn’t sure if you’d like the colors. I kind of did them in what I like, not really knowing what you like. If you don’t like it, I can change it.” Spike babbled on.

“I love it Spike. It’s perfect. Thank you.” Buffy smiled at him and threw her arms around him in a great big hug.

“You’re welcome, luv.” Spike held her just a little bit longer than what was appropriate. He inhaled the scent of her hair as it brushed against his face. He closed his eyes and then bolted them open wide as he felt the tell tale signs of an erection begin to form. He immediately withdrew from the embrace and stepped away, turning around as to avoid Buffy noticing his current state. Buffy, however, had already felt the evidence of his arousal before he had pulled away.

“I’ll go get the rest of your things, pet. You start to get settled in.” Spike said and then darted up the steps.

Buffy felt a warm feeling spread throughout her belly. She went over to the bed and flopped down on it, staring up at the ceiling. Spike returned moments later with the rest of her things and dropped them down. He saw her laying way too temptingly on the bed.

“I need to start dinner. I’ll come get you when it’s ready.” He told her and returned upstairs.

Buffy didn’t feel like unpacking so she decided to explore instead. She came up the basement steps and into the kitchen. Spike had his back turned to her and appeared to be cutting some vegetables on the counter. She slipped out into the hall without him noticing and looked around the rest of the downstairs before taking the steps up to the second level. She heard music coming from behind one door which she assumed was the bath, where Cecily was. She looked into a room that had the door opened and it appeared to be the guest room. She opened another door and saw her little niece sound asleep in her toddler bed. She was beautiful and looked so angelic in her sleep. Buffy closed the door, not wanting to wake her. She went to the last door she hadn’t opened yet and it was as she expected, her sister’s and Spike’s master bedroom.

Buffy walked in and looked around. She picked up some of his cologne she saw sitting on one of the dressers and smelled it. She opened the closet door and ran her hands over his clothes. She absently took one white dress shirt out and brought it up to her face. She could smell his scent mixed with fabric softener.

Spike had heard a noise and being the over-protective dad that he was, he had gone to investigate. He checked on Dawn first and found her sleeping soundly. On his way back from her room, he noticed his bedroom door open slightly. He could still hear Cecily in the bathroom and she never left their bedroom door open. He walked over and pushed it open the rest of the way only to find Buffy standing at his closet, holding one of his shirts and smelling it. Bloody hell.

“What are you doing, Buffy?” came Spike’s voice at the doorway.

Buffy jumped and turned to find him watching her. The look he had on his face was one of pure and raw hunger. She had never seen such a look before. She inhaled sharply.

“I’m sorry…I was just…I was…I…” Buffy stumbled for words.

“You better get out of here before your sister finds you. Con, dn, dinner is almost ready.” Spike said.

Buffy, still gripping his shirt, rushed from the room past him and ran down the steps to the first floor and then down the basement steps. She didn’t stop to breathe until she had made it to her room. Only then did she notice that she was still holding Spike’s shirt.
“Oh God.” She sunk down onto the couch and tried to figure out what on earth she was feeling.

Thirty minutes later they were all sitting down to dinner. Cecily proceeded to explain the rules to Buffy. Basically she wasn’t allowed to do anything that interfered with anything regarding Cecily. She figured if she just stayed in her basement then things would be O.K. She couldn’t get in anyone’s way. When she was finished she thanked Spike for a wonderful dinner. He beamed at her praise. Cecily never thanked him for anything. She even offered to do the dishes. Cecily piped up that she was expected to anyway. She would need to do chores and pull her own weight around here after all.

Cecily had retired to the living room while Spike and Buffy cleaned up dinner.

“Daddy! Daddy! You home!” cried out Dawn as she came racing into the kitchen, a stuffed squirrel under her arm.

“Hi princess! I’m home. You were sleeping and Daddy didn’t want to wake you up. How’s my big girl?” Spike lifted Dawn and hugged her closely.

“I’m hungy, Daddy. Who dat?” Dawn said pointing at Buffy.

“This is your Aunt Buffy, little bit. She is your mommy’s sister. She is going to be staying with us now.” Spike explained.

“Cause Grammy went live with angels?” Dawn asked.

“Hi Dawn. Yes, Grammy went to live with the angels. Speaking of angels. You look just like one. You’re very pretty.” Buffy said, smiling at Dawn. She looked just like Spike except with raven hair. She had his deep blue eyes though.

“You not mean like Mommy?” Dawn asked and Spike grimaced.

“No, sweetheart. You want me to fix you something to eat?” Buffy asked trying to get on the child’s good side.

“Daddy uzally does it Aunt Buff but he let you help.” Dawn smiled at her.

Buffy fell in love with Dawn at that moment. “O.K. sweetheart. How about you help me and your daddy too?” Buffy asked.

“I always help Daddy. I his best girl” Dawn beamed then looked up at her father’s adoring face and then watched how he looked at her new Aunt Buffy. She lowered her voice and whispered, “But you be his next best girl, Aunt Buff. Just don’t tell Mummy.” She put her finger up to her lips in a “ssshhh” sound.

Buffy looked at Spike and then blushed.

“Alright, what do you want to eat pumpkin?” Buffy changed the subject and prayed Spike hadn’t noticed her blushing.

Cecily appeared in the doorway and silently watched “the little family” “play house” together. She narrowed her eyes and turned and left the room. Spike, Buffy and Dawn never even noticed her there.

Continued in Chapter 2- Settling In