A Touch of Jealousy (COMPLETE)

Epilogue

Buffy wiggled her bare toes once again as she spread out on the comfortable blanket; the balls of her feet coming into contact with the fresh grass while her head rested on a strong t-shirt-clad chest. She closed her eyes and let her fingers trace the contours of the white fabric against which she rested her cheek. It felt good to just stand still for a while after the madness of the last few days.

“What are you thinking about, luv?” Spike’s deep, raspy voice caused his chest to rumble a bit.

“Nothing… Everything.” She answered, wiggling closer to him.

“Oh, we’re in ‘deep thought’ mode today.” He joked, earning him a swat across his arm.

She looked up and rested her chin on his chest as she gazed into his eyes; his head propped up on his hands which were folded behind his neck.

“I was just thinking about this last year…” She spoke with a soft smile. “Everything seemed to happen so quickly and so slowly at the same time.”

He frowned and she tried to explain:

“It’s just that I remember everything so clearly, still it seems like it happened so long ago. You know what I mean?”

“Sure.”

She paused for a second; her index finger trailing over his t-shirt, drawing secret patterns.

“I can’t believe we graduated from high school. It seemed like this year would never end.”

“You’re not getting nostalgic already, are you? We only graduated two days ago.” He noted.

“I don’t know. It’s just that I get this sinking feeling that nothing’s going to be the same. Everything’s gonna change. I’m just gonna miss everything so much.”

“Change is good. A lot of things changed this year, most of them were good.” He countered.

“Maybe, but…” She let out a long sigh. “High school’s over.”

“Kind of inevitable, luv.”

“I know. I’m just gonna miss everyone.”

“What do you mean? You’re gonna see everyone next year. You, me, Willow, Oz and Cordy are going off to Sunnydale College. Xander’s gonna take a year of to ‘find himself’, which means he’ll just gonna sit around in his parents’ basement all year until he decides to get off his lazy ass and go to college.” Spike rationalized.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She smiled once again.

“Of course I am!” He said haughtily. “Now, stop moping around and let us enjoy the free time before the others arrive.”

“When did they say they were coming?” Buffy asked.

“At six. They’re coming in Oz’s van so they have to wait till he wraps up band practice. Which means…” He propped himself up on his elbow and reached for Buffy’s wrist turning it so he could read the time. “…we have exactly two and a half hours to enjoy this amazing scenery.” He said outstretching his arm and pointing at the lake that spread out before them.

“Enjoy the scenery… Right. I like the euphemism.” Buffy joked as she crawled up his body and brushed her smiling lips against his.

“What? I’m serious. You gotta admit that my father’s cabin has the greatest view ever.” Spike tried to sound innocent.

“I wouldn’t know. Last time I was here I was too… distracted with other things to notice the view.” Buffy mumbled mischievously as her hand trailed down his chest and boldly brushed against his crotch.

“Oh, really…?” Spike questioned with a leer as he put his hand on the back of her neck and forced her down for a hungry kiss.

“Mmmm…” She tried to reply but it was impossible, so she simply nodded as they rolled over and she found herself laying on her back with Spike’s body hovering over hers.

Suddenly, he was off her. It took a few seconds for Buffy to focus her eyes and realise what had happened. When she looked up he was sitting next to her; an impish grin on his lips.

“Better not distract you from the view.” He said.

“Why you little…” She scolded sitting up straight and swinging her hand toward him but he was on his feet in a flash.

She stumbled upward and chased him around for a few minutes before she gave up.

“What? Can’t keep up?” Spike asked a bit breathless.

“Not really.” She replied shrugging.

“Oh, poor little Buffy is too tired to chase after me.” He mocked with a babyish tone.

“No. I don’t need to chase you.” She said as she kicked off her shoes.

“I’m just too fast for you, baby.” He continued, daring her to come after him as he stuck out his tongue and ran it over his teeth.

“I told you Spike.” She started, as her hands hid behind her back for a few seconds before the sound of a zipper was heard. “I don’t…” She let the strings that held her sundress in place fall off her shoulders and soon the fabric pooled around her ankles.

Spike closed his mouth, swallowing hard when he saw her standing there, bathed in sunlight, wearing nothing but a flimsy thong.

“… need to chance you...” And the thong was gone too. “…if I can get you…” She stepped away from him as he walked closer to her. “… to chase me.”

And they were off, giggling and chuckling. Buffy ran as fast as she could, but running barefoot, even if it was on the gr was wasn’t very comfortable and pretty soon she realised that the only way to avoid being caught was racing into the lake. And that’s what she did.

Spike grumbled frustrated when he saw her diving into the cool water. After a few seconds she came up, her hair wet and slicked back. Without thinking, Spike quickly disposed himself of his clothes. Jeans, t-shirt, boots and socks flew in every direction as he took them off. Soon he was diving into the lake after her.

Buffy couldn’t escape for too long and eventually she found herself trapped between two very strong, very pale arms.

“Gotcha!” He said triumphantly.

“We really gotta work on your tan, you know that?” She asked breathless.

“Later. Maybe.” He gasped before he smashed his lips against hers, her legs instinctively coming to wrap themselves around his waist.

Buffy mewled into the kiss when she felt something long and hard stab the inside of her thigh. She quickly moved her hips to position him when:

“Oh, my God! They’re going at it again!” Cordy’s voice was heard loudly.

The two blondes froze. When they turned around they were met by four pairs of shocked eyes. Well, more like two pairs of shocked eyes, because Cordy’s were more of an angry/frustrated kind and Oz’s were just… Oz’s.

“You guys are like rabbits, you know that?” Cordy grumbled from the shore.

Nervously, the other three teens started retreating. When Cordelia failed to follow them, Xander grabbed her arms and stuttered as he dragged her away:

“O-Oz’s band practice was cancelled.” Noting how ridiculous explaining was at that moment, Xander simply added: “W-We’ll just be at the cabin, unloading our stuff.”

And with that they were out of sight. Without a second to lose, Spike’s lips returned to Buffy’s neck, while her eyes were still locked on the spot where her friends had just stood two seconds before.

“Spike, what are you doing?”

“What does it feel like?” He moaned with a hoarse voice as his tongue trance up the column of her neck.

“Not now. The others are here.” She scolded him, trying to free herself.

“They’re not anymore.” He continued his ministrations but was stopped when Buffy finally managed to push him away.

“But, Buffy…” He mewled after her as he watched her swim to shore.

“No, buts, we can do that later.” She said as she started picking up clo clothes.

“Bloody hell…” He grumbled as he reluctantly exited the water and started to get dressed. “Whose idea was it to invite to to spend the week here at the cabin with us anyway?”

“Yours.” Buffy answered promptly as she threw his t-shirt at him while he was zipping up his jeans.

“Oh, right.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make it up to you later.” She said with a smile, folding the blanket as she waited for him.

When he caught up with her, she wrapped her arms around his waist and the blonde duo made their way up to the cabin.

The End

Author’s Note: Well flocks, that’s the end of “A Touch of Jealousy”. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, it’s been the most fun I’ve ever had writing a fic. At the beginning, it was just supposed to be a small AU fic. You know, an experiment. It ended up being a “War and Peace” length AU fic, as someone once said.

Thanks to all who sent feedback and encouraged me to write this. Thanks to those who have been reading this since the beginning, since December. God, I can’t believe eight months have gone by! Anyway, thanks. ;) You guys are GREAT!

I’d like to thank all those you inspired me to write an AU. I never thought I’d be writing an all human fic, but after reading RWP’s Pride and Prejudice I realised that AU fics actually work. That it’s not just the fact that Buffy is a Slayer or Spike is a vampire that define them. So thanks so much to RWP for writing P&P which I still think is one of the best fics out there (AU or non-AU), regardless of the controversy surrounding the ending (which I like!). Also, I’d like to thanks Kantayra for writing Blue Horizon, an equally amazing story which made me fall in love with the AU world even more. Thanks to Sweetie for writing Anything but Ordinary which has kept me inspired during the rough times during and after the BtVS season finale.

A very special thanks to Spuffy Archives which started it all and fuelled the AU love all around. You guys are AMAZING! The work you do at the site is INCREDIBLE!

And finally, last but not least, my great beta-mom, Ali, without whom I wouldn’t even have written this. I was kinda unsure over actually writing it and she was the one who told me ‘go for it!’ and so I did and voilá “A Touch of Jealousy” was written. Thank you so much, Ali, you’re AMAZING! You’re the world’s bestest (I know that’s not an actual word, no need to beta it ;) beta! Thanks!

So that’s all folks! Hope you enjoyed it! ;)