New beginnings

Chapter 3


By the time Saturday lunchtime came around Spike was glad to see Buffy reappear after fetching Dawn from her first self-defence class, as it gave him a chance for a much needed rest. He had spent most of the morning carrying boxes. First to help Giles as he moved into his new house down the block, then to help Tara as she moved back into the Summers house with Willow. He had reached the stage of seriously reconsidering his position as the local ‘tame’ vampire. He was a Master Vampire for pity’s sake, he wasn’t supposed to have to do menial labour, that’s what minions were for!

As she came bursting through the front door Dawn was whining. “I spent the whole morning learning how to fall over. It’s so stupid, I already know how to fall over, I’ve been doing it all my life!”

Buffy followed her more slowly. She had obviously been listening to the same litany of complaints since she’d picked her sister up. In a voice that spoke of rapidly fading patience she explained, “As I keep telling you Dawnie, you need to learn how to fall… Without. Hurting. Yourself.”

Spike laughed at Dawn’s sulky pout as he slipped his arms around Buffy’s waist from behind, drawing her back to lean against his chest so he could nuzzle her neck and inhale her scent. Over her shoulder he explained, “Takes time, Niblet. The whole point of a self-defence class is learning how to not get dead. There’s no point starting off with teaching you how to toss someone over your shoulder or kick ‘em in the teeth. First step is learning the best way to fall, so instead of ending up lying there hurt and helpless when someone knocks you down you can jump up again and get back in the bloody fight.”

Dawn stared at him for a moment, then turned on her sister. “Why couldn’t you explain it like that Buffy? Now it makes sense!” She went clomping up the stairs muttering about sisters who couldn’t explain things properly.

As Buffy turned in his arms and raised her face for a kiss Spike asked, “Is the class any good? How’d Harris do?”

When she’d got her breath back Buffy chuckled. “The class is really good, but I think Xander’s going to feel a bit sore tomorrow.” She frowned briefly. “I’m not sure what was wrong with him, he seemed much clumsier than usual.” Cocking her head thoughtfully she mused, “I think he’s still very upset. Anya calling off the wedding must have come as a big shock.”

Spike considered for a moment. “Not too sure that’s the main problem darlin’. From what I overheard yesterday he wasn’t moaning about the cancelled wedding. It was Demon Girl’s decision to move out that’s got Harris’ knickers in a twist. Strikes me he’d go for just keeping the status quo, but she’s having none of it. She’s decided it’s all or nothing and he’s having so much trouble dealing with her demony past she’s going for a clean break.”

Lunch was prepared and eaten, and then Spike was banished from the bedroom while Buffy packed for their hotel stay. He was left lolling on the couch idly channel surfing trying to find something to occupy himself while he waited. When she emerged carrying two large suitcases, her vanity case and a holdall after nearly two hours of feminine whispers and giggles with Dawn Tara and Willow, Spike was astounded. Finally managing to catch her alone on the shady part of the front porch as he prepared to make the sun run to the DeSoto he gestured at the luggage and quietly commented, “I thought we were just going for one night Buffy.” He leered at her and ran his fingers up and down her upper arms. “The way I saw it we’d go into the hotel room and get naked until it’s time to check out tomorrow… then we’d get dressed again.”

Buffy chuckled helplessly. “Well you would…” She shook her head and held up a hand to keep him quiet as she explained, “I want to make this special. It looks as if our Claim is as close to marriage as I’m ever gonna get, so doing it properly means a lot to me.” She looked up at him uncertainly. “I thought it meant a lot to you too?”

Spike’s teasing attitude faded away. He declared seriously, “Yeah, it really does. It means everything to me.”

Nodding in satisfaction Buffy continued, “It cost a bit more but I’ve done a deal with them about check in and check out times, we’ve got the room from sunset today until sunset tomorrow.”

Spike snorted, “Only in Sunnyhell…”

Buffy chuckled. “I know.” She went on, “I’ve already booked us a table for dinner. I thought we could get into the mood for the Claim with a good meal and some dancing… then there could be soft music and lots of candles.”

Spike smiled as he understood. “You want to make it romantic.” He brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers and whispered throatily, “I can do romantic…”

Buffy pointed to the smaller suitcase. “I packed for you too, I’ve got everything you could need.” Nervously she added, “I bought you a suit…” Seeing Spike about to protest she hurriedly defended herself, “I know… but I ordered it before we had that whole ‘I wanna pay for my own stuff’ discussion. That gorgeous one you had in LA got trashed and you really need a suit for dinner at the Buena Vista…”

******


They arrived under the portico at the hotel entrance just as the sun was setting over the ocean, and Spike reluctantly handed the keys to his baby over to the parking attendant. Their luggage was loaded onto a little trolley and the porter guided them into the lobby to reception where they signed in, and he received a pair of key cards for them. He then led them along the covered walkway on the shoreward side of a long row of pretty little detached cottages that followed the curve of the beach.

At the door of the last cottage in the row he swiped one of the key cards through the lock and ushered the couple in, then passed both cards to Buffy and brought the cases in after them. He showed them all the features of the room, then explained the procedure for using the house phone and demonstrated the sliding glass doors onto the private deck that housed the covered hot tub which was sheltered by a huge canvas awning. A few weathered wooden steps led from the deck directly onto the beach. As he prepared to leave he looked at his notebook and confirmed, “Ms Summers, your dinner reservation has been confirmed for seven thirty in the roof restaurant and the hot tub has been switched on for you. It should be up to temperature by now.” As Buffy ushered him out of the door with a tip he hurriedly added, “Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything…”

As soon as he heard the door close Spike started shedding his clothes. When her head emerged from the huge closet where she had been hanging something up Buffy noticed and grinned, “Not wasting any time are you?”

All he said as he slid the glass doors open and walked naked out onto the deck was, “Hot tub!” He slid the wooden cover off the round pool and stepped down, sinking up to his neck in the steaming water. Looking over his shoulder to see Buffy watching from the doorway he tempted her. “Water’s bloody lovely darlin’… come soak for a while until dinner.”

Buffy looked around the deserted beach nervously. “I didn’t bring a costume.”

Spike shrugged, “So?”

Buffy hesitated a moment then said, “Oh… all right, just a minute…”

She disappeared back into the cottage then almost immediately reappeared wearing one of the hotel’s fluffy white towelling robes. Right beside the hot tub she let the robe slip from her shoulders as she stepped down into the water. Quivering slightly as she slowly lowered herself to a seated position opposite him she gasped, “Oooh hothothot!”

Spike chuckled. “Yeah... that’s why they call it a bloody hot tub.” He gave her a few moments to accustom herself to the heat then reached out and pulled her over to sit across his lap, cradling her in his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder and relaxed against him. For a few minutes they rested in comfortable silence, watching the moon shimmering on the ocean and listening to the crash and hiss of the waves hitting the shore.

Their reverie was rudely disturbed by the sound of a telephone ringing behind them. Buffy immediately moved to go and answer it while Spike tried to hang on to her. “Let it ring sweetheart.”

Buffy kissed him and gently but firmly unclasped his hands from around her. “I can’t. That’s one thing I can never do. It might be Giles with an apocalypse.” She climbed out of the tub, catching up her robe and slipping it on as she went back inside. Spike sighed with loss as her nude figure glistening with moonlight was covered up, and sat back again waiting for her to return. He didn’t consciously try to listen to her side of the conversation, but when he clearly heard the words ‘Mr Angel’ his head jerked around and he focussed his hearing on her. In an irritated tone she was saying, “…you could move our dinner reservation to eight o’clock. Offer him a drink on our tab while he’s waiting and then show him to our table. We’ll meet him there.” After a pause she quietly continued, “No, he won’t be joining us for dinner, we just have some business to discuss then he’ll be leaving.” Spike heard her add under her breath, “I hope…” After a few polite pleasantries she hung up and came back out onto the deck.

She stood awkwardly beside the tub, wringing her hands nervously. She began, “I know you heard. Will you give me a chance to explain?”

Spike shrugged, affecting nonchalance. “I can feel you’re impatience and your irritation, but also some guilt so I guess the Magnificent Poof has done what he usually does and bollixed up some carefully laid plan I was kept out of?” He half turned and looked up at her. “Were you expecting him?”

Buffy sat on the deck beside him and ran her fingers through his hair. “Well, yes and no…” When Spike snorted she continued, “I asked him to come, but he wasn’t supposed to be here until tomorrow evening before the Portal trial run. You remember I said I had thought of something to do with Drusilla?” When Spike nodded she smirked and slyly said, “Well then I had a better idea. When I found out that Angel was trying to manipulate Giles into breaking our Claim it came to me.” Playfully she asked, “Spike… who is responsible for Drusilla’s condition?”

He growled the hated name, “Angelus.”

Almost giggling Buffy asked, “And who is the last person on earth who wants to be given responsibility for looking after her?”

Spike began to get an idea of what Buffy was planning. Still feeling slightly insecure he needed a bit of further reassurance. “And that’s all you asked him to come for? To take Dru off our hands?”

Now she did giggle. “Well… for that and to have his nose rubbed in our Claim… our newly complete… unbreakable… Eternal Claim.” She flapped her hand impatiently and her bottom lip began to quiver. “That’s why I asked him to come tomorrow, to give us time to Claim each other properly tonight.” She begged, “Please, we simply have to do the ritual before we meet him. I wanted to make it special and romantic and now we’re going to be all rushed and I hate it!”

Spike stood and stepped up out of the tub, lifting her into his arms as he did so. “We mustn’t let him ruin it for us Buffy, we can still make it special. We’ll just have to have the romantic dinner afterwards to celebrate, instead of beforehand.” He carried her back into the room and sat her on the edge of the bed. He went to pull the cover back over the hot tub, then slid the glass doors closed. He turned to look at her and asked, “Where are the candles?”

She nodded purposefully. “You’re right, we mustn’t let him spoil it, not again. I’ll get the candles lit and you find us some mood music… not punk!” While she took a box of scented candles from the holdall and set them out around the room Spike fiddled with the sound system. As some quiet lilting piano music filled the air she lit the candles and turned out the lights, and he prepared the bed by stripping the covers down and piling all the pillows high against the headboard.

Their hurried preparations complete they stopped and regarded each other, both of them suddenly self-conscious. Buffy folded her arms under her breasts and quietly asked, “What now?”

Taking his heart in his hands Spike strode over to where his duster hung beside the door and felt in its pocket. Under his breath he muttered, “My lady wants romantic… My lady gets romantic.” He crossed to stand right in front of Buffy, then dropped to one knee at her feet. Looking up at her puzzled expression he took a deep breath and cleared his throat nervously. “Sla… um… Buffy,” He began. “Please would you do me the honour of becoming my Mate, and allow me to fight beside you and be your lover and companion until the end of time?” He opened the little burgundy velvet ring box and lifted it for Buffy to see.

Buffy gasped and held her hand in front of her mouth for a second before a little twinkle appeared in her eyes. Her mouth twitched at the corner as she whispered, “It's just so sudden. I don't know what to say.”

Spike faltered for a second then he smiled, and picking up his cue replied, “Just say yes, and make me the happiest man on earth.”

Buffy giggled as she completed her line, “Oh, Spike! Of course it's yes!” She held out her left hand for Spike to slip the garnet ring on. Just as it touched her finger she pulled back slightly and with a faltering voice asked, “Spike, it’s not…”

He reassured her, “It’s mine to give darlin’. I didn’t steal it, it was my mother’s and her mother’s before her. And before you ask, Dru never wore it, she never even knew it existed.”

She sank to the floor beside him and extended her left hand again. As the ring slipped snugly over the knuckle on her third finger she breathed, “Thank you Spike, it’s gorgeous... and it fits perfectly.” To Spike’s surprise she jumped up and evaded his arms as he reached for her. She held out a commanding finger, “Wait there a moment…” She rummaged about in her vanity case and came back to kneel beside him. She explained, “I was going to give you this for Valentine’s… but now it’s even more perfect.” She held out a little dark blue velvet box. She quietly asked, “Spike, please would you be my Mate, and fight beside me and let me love you and care for you until the end of time?”

Spike breathed, “Oh Buffy… ‘Course I will.” He opened the little box to reveal a shiny silver chunky signet ring. The face was in the shape of a rounded off square. In one corner there was a letter S in fancy Gothic script and opposite it there was a diagonal cross.

Buffy pointed as she excitedly explained, “I know you never wear gold, so this is white gold, it’ll go with all your silver punk jewellery. And look… this is one of your railroad spikes crossed with Mr Pointy. It symbolises us together…”

Spike held out his left hand. He huskily whispered, “Together forever.” Buffy slipped the ring onto his third finger, and a second later their lips met and their arms went around each other.

Spike had eased the towelling robe off Buffy’s shoulders and they were lying entwined on the floor with passion mounting when Spike’s mouth found his mark on Buffy’s neck and he was jerked back to reality with a start. He pulled back, gasping, “Buffy love… wait a minute… not like this… not on the soddin’ floor for Christ’s sake.”

Their eyes met and they both began laughing. Buffy shook her head in despair, “Well we’ve done it worse places… but I agree, the Claim is too…” She was grasping for the right word and couldn’t find it.

Spike prompted, “Important? Sacred?”

Buffy nodded. “Sacred, yeah, that’s exactly it. Our Claim is too sacred to be all quick and dirty on the floor.” She stood up and pulled Spike with her, slipped her arms around his waist to rest her cheek on his chest, trapping his erection against her belly. “How are we gonna do this?” She looked at the clock. “We’ve got less than an hour until we’re supposed to meet… him.”

Spike nodded, “Right then.” He led her across the room and drew her onto the bed. He turned and kneeled up with the piled pillows at his back and held out his hand for her. Solemnly he invited her, “Come to me Buffy.” Slowly Buffy crawled up the bed towards him. She took his hand, coming to rest kneeling facing him. He asked, “You know what you’ve got to say and when?” She nodded. This time their movements as they came together were slow and measured. They kissed, almost chastely, and each nuzzled at the mark they had left the previous time they had Claimed each other.

Taking a deep breath Buffy parted her legs and guided Spike into her. With a little moan of pleasure he sat on his feet, leaning back into the piled pillows with Buffy settling down to take him completely inside her. She leant forward, wrapping her legs around his hips so they rested chest to chest. They kissed again, their passion re-igniting as Buffy’s inner muscles contracted around Spike causing his hips to jerk upwards slightly.

Buffy began to move, rocking in an automatic search for pleasure, but Spike gripped her hips to still her. “Wait, Buffy. This isn’t about sex,” He smirked, “Well… not just about sex.” Seriously he continued, “This is about us both surrendering ourselves to become half of a whole. It’s about making a commitment, sharing everything we are with each other. The sex and the sharing of blood, with the words of the ritual, are what go to create our Bond.” He looked deep into her eyes, “Last chance Buffy, what we’re about to do is for the rest of our lives, there’s no going back. It’s truly forever.”

Buffy caressed his cheek. She whispered, “Forever sounds good. Forever sounds just perfect.”

Spike closed his eyes and tried to compose himself. He was still having trouble convincing himself it was actually happening. Finally he took a deep breath, opened his eyes and allowed his eager demon to rise to the surface. Grasping Buffy by the hair at the base of her skull he firmly eased her head to one side and teased his mark with his rough demonic tongue until she was whimpering and trying to press herself even closer to him. He eased his fangs into her flesh and drank deep, holding tight as she began to writhe in his grip making little mewling sounds of pleasure. After taking three long swallows of pure heaven he withdrew his fangs, and nuzzling the still bleeding wound he recited, “Tu propria mei es, te adsero ut coniunx aeterna et comes sis.”

After taking a few moments to get her breath back Buffy hesitantly replied, “Ego proprius… tibi sum… ut coniunx aeternus… et comes sim.”

Spike continued nuzzling and licking the wound until Buffy collected herself. After taking a couple of deep breaths she took a grip in the soft curls at the back of his head and tilted his head to the side. She licked and nibbled at her mark, then bit down hard. Spike closed his eyes and shuddered with painful pleasure as he felt his blood being drawn from his body. He heard Buffy’s voice as if from a distance as she recited slightly uncertainly, “Tu proprius mei es… te adsero ut coniunx… aeternus… et comes sis.”

Spike croaked and had to clear his throat, then he replied, “Ego propria tibi sum, ut coniunx aeterna et comes sim.”

As the last syllable left his mouth Spike was seized by a sensation of overwhelming ecstasy. A tingling so pleasurable it was almost painful rippled from the top of his head to his toes, galvanising his hips into movement and leaving him gasping for unneeded breath.

He came to himself with his fangs once more embedded in Buffy’s neck. He wasn’t drinking though, it just felt completely natural that he should be holding on to his Mate this way. His hips were pumping lazily into her welcoming heat as they lay across the bed.

Reluctantly Spike withdrew his fangs, gently licking the wound to seal it. He propped himself up on one elbow and examined it critically. It was neat and clean and… perfect. He felt a rush of proprietary pride that his Slayer would forever display such a beautiful symbol of their Claim. He absently noted that all traces of the Master’s, Angel’s and Dracula’s bites had vanished, leaving his the only mark evident on an otherwise flawless throat.

It gradually dawned on him exactly what Buffy’s whimpers and mewls signified and he twisted his hips to thrust at a slightly different angle, dipping his mouth to hers. As their lips met in a passionate kiss she dug her fingernails into his flanks and wailed into his mouth as her inner muscles went into convulsions, drawing him with her into another powerful orgasm. He closed his eyes and lifted his head releasing Buffy’s scream to join with his demon’s primal roar as he proclaimed his triumphant good fortune to every creature within earshot.

As he recovered Spike rolled onto his back drawing Buffy over to lie on top of him, taking care to keep them intimately connected. He caressed and kissed her as a wave of warmth and peace and sheer joy washed over him. He was loved. His supremely smug demon purred contentedly and subsided, allowing his human face to emerge. Spike felt like pinching himself. He still occasionally woke expecting to find that he’d been dreaming the events of the past couple of weeks, but at last he could allow himself to believe that his beloved Slayer honestly loved him back.

Buffy soon got her breath back and started returning his kisses and caresses. For several minutes they lay with limbs tangled, luxuriating in their closeness. It was a sheer fluke that once when she turned her head from Spike’s mouth to breathe she caught a glimpse of the bright red digital display of the bedside clock. She gasped, “Oh God… we’ve got less than ten minutes…”

Spike whined, “Nooo… wanna stay inside you.” He kissed and sucked at his mark and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

Buffy giggled, “I don’t think the Buena Vista’s restaurant is quite ready for us to turn up for dinner still attached.” Her stomach added a grace note to the discussion by rumbling loudly.

Spike nodded and quietly declared, “Right, gotta feed my lady. You gonna break the world record for getting yourself dolled up?”

Smirking, Buffy nodded. “Just watch me!”

Spike sighed sulkily and spread his arms to allow Buffy to lift herself off him, and chuckled when her whimper of loss harmonised with his own. She playfully slapped him on the belly and jumped up before he could retaliate, skipping out of his reach to open the closet door. She took out a garment bag and hung it on the top of the door, then pointed out two shirts hanging inside. “Here’s your suit, and I brought two of your new shirts for you to choose between.” She leaned in and took another longer garment bag and then scooped up a shoebox and her vanity case. Grinning she explained, “I’m gonna get dressed in the bathroom, if I stay in here with you we’ll never manage to get any clothes on!” As she closed the bathroom door behind her she poked her head around its edge and cheekily assured him, “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna wash. I want him to know exactly what we’ve been doing just as much as you do!”

Laughing out loud with delight at the thought of taunting his self-important Grandsire, Spike rolled off the bed and investigated the clothes he was expected to wear. He was pleased to find a smart black single-breasted suit and a choice between a black silk shirt and a blood red one. Without hesitation he slipped the black shirt on leaving the top three buttons undone, then donned the suit. He wavered for a few seconds as to whether to tuck the shirt in or not, then elected to leave it hanging loose outside the trousers in an attempt to disguise the rampant erection he would be sporting until the effects of his Slayer’s blood wore off. He ran his fingers through his tousled hair in a futile attempt to tame it, and called through the bathroom door, “You got my hair gel in there, Buffy?”

She called back, “No, I didn’t bring it. You don’t have to slick your hair back and pretend to be the Big Bad here. ‘Sides I like your hair all curly and sexy. You’ll find your comb in the inside jacket pocket though.” A couple of minutes later Spike was sitting on the side of the bed pulling his Cuban heeled boots on when the bathroom door opened. He looked up and he suddenly couldn’t move… or even think.

Buffy stood there in a plain black dress with long sleeves and a deep scooped neckline. The fine jersey fabric fitted like a second skin down to the swell of her hips then flared out slightly, falling to the floor in gentle folds. She smiled in pure satisfaction at his reaction. “That good huh? The assistant was right then.” Spike could only grunt. Buffy continued, “I was favouring a lovely sky blue satin dress, but when I tried this one on the assistant said it was made for me and insisted I took it.” She looked down at herself. “I wasn’t sure about plain black…” Spike still couldn’t speak. Buffy regarded him thoughtfully. “I’m not having to concentrate at all, you’re right here…” She touched her temple. “I know exactly what you’re feeling without even having to try.”

Spike managed to get up and went to stand before her. He took both her hands and held them out to her sides and stood back slightly taking in the vision of elegant femininity before him. He breathed, “Perfect, just perfect. I can’t believe you’re mine. What did I ever do to deserve you?” He took in the way she had caught up one side of her hair in a black diamanté comb leaving the other side to fall free. The artfully simple style clearly exposed his mark and he couldn’t resist leaning forward and kissing it.

He cocked his head on one side in consideration and commented, “Yeah, I can feel you too.” He chuckled, “My smug little Slayer.” He released her hands and gestured to her neck. “You saw all your other bite marks have gone?” He frowned slightly, “And my new mark is all healed already… that was quick!”

Buffy nodded and reached up to arrange his shirt collar to expose her own mark and suddenly froze. She breathed, “Spike? Drusilla’s mark is all gone too.” She brushed her finger over the newly pristine flesh that for over a century had borne the evidence of his turning. “And mine is all healed…” She examined the silvery scar carefully and murmured, “Beautiful…” She reached up and kissed it lightly then hesitantly asked, “Did you feel a sort of tingle? It seemed to flow through me when we did the ritual...”

“You too? It was…”

“Weird… yeah. Everything all sort of clicked into place.” Buffy gazed at him pensively. “That was our Bond being set up properly wasn’t it? Like… magic. I didn’t realise it, but it felt awkward before. I was struggling with it as if it didn’t quite fit. Now I don’t even have to think about it. This is what it should have been like from the start isn’t it?”

Spike smiled, “It’s bloody great, feels so natural.” He shook his head slowly in disbelief and fondly stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers. “You know what? For the first time in my unlife I know I’ll never need to be jealous of the Prancing Poof again.”

Buffy grinned, “And now I’m not nervous of seeing him…” She turned to the closet and took out her black pashmina shawl. With a mischievous smirk she suggested, “Come on, let’s go and make his unlife miserable.”

As she turned away Spike saw that the dress had a very low back, scooped down almost to her waist showing an expanse of golden toned back, then his attention was drawn to where the skirt had caught on the corner of the bed. He was treated to a display of Buffy’s slim left leg clad in sheer black nylon with just a hint of fancy lace showing at the top. The picture was completed by a black high heeled evening sandal, the instep and ankle straps decorated with the same diamanté trim as the comb. The low back combined with the way the fabric clung to every delightful curve and the off-centre slit in the skirt that reached to the top of her leg suddenly made the elegant evening dress the sexiest garment he had ever seen, and he was overcome with renewed desire.

As Buffy held the shawl out to him to drape across her back she paused, closed her eyes and moaned sexily. Taking a deep breath she shook herself slightly and murmured, “Patience, Spike darling, patience. We have to deal with Angel and I really have to eat something, then we’ve got until tomorrow sunset to play.” As he wrapped the shawl around her shoulders she gave him a teasing sideways look and added, “I’m definitely going to be wearing this dress again if that’s the effect it has!” She took up a tiny black diamanté trimmed evening bag, then picked up a keycard from the little table by the door to put in it and passed the other to Spike to put in his pocket.

They walked quickly to the main hotel building and took the elevator to the top floor. Buffy checked the clock over the entrance to the restaurant and commented, “Ten minutes late, that’s just perfect.” She turned to look up at Spike and asked, “Can you let me do all the talking? I need you to sit there and be all calm and superior.” She grinned cheekily, “If he loses it you have my permission to gloat, but it has to be quiet classy gloating. If anyone is going to make a scene it has to be him. Okay?”

Spike smirked gleefully, “It’s a deal. Calm and superior with a touch of classy gloating coming up.”

The greeter checked their identities, then took Buffy’s shawl and guided them past the tiny circular dance floor to a table by the wide windows overlooking the ocean, where Angel was already sitting waiting for them.

Spike held Buffy’s chair for her as she sat down, then he took the seat to her left so that the two blondes were facing the brunette vampire across the brilliant white tablecloth. “Hello Buffy,” Angel said quietly with a smile. “You’re looking even more beautiful than usual tonight.”

Hidden from Angel’s view by the table, Buffy took Spike’s right hand and placed it on her nylon-covered thigh. She laid her own left hand on top and squeezed it gently. Spike realised that she was slightly nervous after all and tried to concentrate on silently reassuring her. “Angel,” Buffy responded calmly. “How is everything in LA? Connor okay?”

Angel replied slightly tersely, “We’re all very well thank you Buffy.” He deliberately ignored Spike’s presence despite the flaring of his nostrils and slight sneer of distaste that made it clear to both of them that he could smell the evidence of their recent sexual activities.

Eventually after a slightly awkward silence Angel asked, “So… why did you want to see me Buffy? When I got to the house on Revello they told me this was where you were… I’ve left a few things there for you.” He gestured impatiently between Buffy and Spike. “I could have helped explain how to break this unfortunate Claim over the phone you know. We’re actually very lucky that it doesn’t appear to have been a complete Mating after all. I know you’re going to need Spike around for a while because of the prophecies, but there’s no reason you have to suffer being his Mate. As long as you’re careful not to do anything to reinforce it, it shouldn’t be too hard to break.”

“Well, the Mating Claim is one of the reasons I asked you to come Angel.” Buffy took a deep breath to summon up her courage and asked, “First though, I’d like to ask you why you told us the Claim you put on me when you bit me was a simple Feeding Claim when it clearly wasn’t.”

Angel managed to look surprised. “Huh?”

Spike accused his Grandsire angrily, “Bleedin’ wanker… I knew you’d never admit…”

“Spike.” Buffy’s voice was quiet, almost gentle, yet it carried the full weight of her Slayer authority. Spike’s mouth closed with an audible snap. Angel raised an eyebrow in surprise as the blonde vampire subsided into silence. Spike contented himself with directing a furious glare across the table.

Buffy continued, “We’ve been researching vampire Claims, Angel. It seems the Council knows a lot more about them than Giles ever realised. From the obvious change in my feelings for you since I became Spike’s Mate it has become clear that you actually had a Controlling Claim over me.” She regarded Angel expectantly.

Angel looked puzzled. “A Controlling Claim? I didn’t even know there was such a thing, Buffy. Your feelings for me have changed? I don’t understand.”

Thoughtfully Buffy admitted, “Well… I was a bit preoccupied with being drained at the time so I don’t know what you said when you bit me, although I do remember a certain amount of growling. I don’t suppose you can remember what you said, Angel?”

Angel raised his hands defensively. “I don’t really remember much of anything of that time Buffy, I was pretty out of it. The first thing I can clearly recall was coming to on the floor at the mansion and seeing you unconscious beside me, and realising I needed to get you to the hospital.” He frowned slightly. “If you say I was growling I suppose my demon might have made a stronger Claim than I realised while I was too ill to resist…”

Buffy looked at Spike. “Do you think that’s possible?”

Spike shrugged. “No idea, Slayer. The Claim is an instinctive demon thing though, so I guess it might be, yeah.”

Turning back to Angel, Buffy sighed. “Well, whether you were aware of it or not, Angel, your Claim was more powerful than you said. My emotions have been in a real mess since you left me. None of my relationships have worked out well, and it seems likely that your Controlling Claim has been responsible. Since Spike and I Mated and erased your Claim, everything seems to be falling into place for me.”

Angel spluttered and stammered, “I… I… I don’t know what to say Buffy... I had no idea.” He closed his eyes for a moment, evidently trying to gather his thoughts, then reopened them and said, “You say your feelings for me have changed… uh… how?” Abruptly completely altering his manner he smiled and leant forward over the table, reaching out to try to take her hand. Using a charming persuasive tone he lowered his voice and continued, “You must still be able to feel that our love is eternal. You know that we’re soulmates. We are destined to be together one day.”

Spike shuddered. Did his Grandsire really think those ‘oh poor me’ sad puppy dog eyes would work on his Slayer? Did the idiot think he was being seductive? All he was doing was making himself look ridiculous. He gave a mental shrug. Angelus had always been a manipulative bastard, perhaps the ensouled version just wasn’t as skilled? Spike’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. Or was he trying to test his Controlling Claim? If so, he was in for a disappointment.

Quickly withdrawing her hand out of reach Buffy rolled her eyes and made a very impatient little ‘humph’ noise. “Oh puhlease, Angel. You left me. You said you loved me, you promised me ‘always’, you even Claimed me… Then. You. Walked. Out. On. Me. Does that sound like the actions of a true love? Of a soulmate?”

Angel appeared hurt and rather taken aback. As if the fact should be self-evident he declared in an injured tone, “Leaving you was the hardest thing I have ever done Buffy. I did it for you, so you could have a normal life. You know we couldn’t be together yet. The curse…”

Buffy shook her head sadly. “No Angel, when you left me you did it for you. The hard thing would have been to stay and help me as you had promised. The hard thing would have been to stand by my side as my friend, fulfilling the mission given to you by the Powers to help me with my Slaying duties. Leaving was so much easier. As for telling me I should have a normal life… I think that was probably the cruellest thing you ever did to me, as Angel or as Angelus. For three years I’ve been trying to live that normal life because you convinced me it’s what I should want. I’m the Slayer. I live on the Hellmouth. I have a sacred mission to go out every night and fight vampires and demons. My friends are witches and vampires, demons, ex-demons and werewolves. My sister is an ancient mystical key who has only recently become human. Centuries ago people wrote prophecies about me. My life isn’t normal Angel. It will never be normal. You could have shared that life with me but you decided that you couldn’t resist the temptation to want more than just being my friend. Even so you never tried to find a way to fix the curse to make your soul permanent, so we could be together. You didn’t even do me the courtesy of discussing your decision with me. You just made your announcement and walked away from me, abandoning your Claim. Face it Angel, you just gave up and took the easy way out.”

She took a deep breath. “Anyway… none of that matters now. It seems it was your Controlling Claim that was distorting my love for you, making it linger far longer than it should have, making me compare every man I met to an impossible ideal that never really existed.” With tears threatening to fall Buffy turned and gazed into Spike’s eyes and admitted, “I think it’s what made me so eager to agree to things that now I so wish I hadn’t…”

Spike realised what she meant and was horrified. He breathed, “Oh Buffy love… I’m so sorry… I thought I was doing the right thing for you.”

Buffy took both his hands in hers and squeezed gently. Her love and understanding flooded down the newly augmented link between them. “It wasn’t your fault Spike, you made a huge personal sacrifice to give me what you thought was a great gift. At the time I thought it was a great gift. You gave me every chance to refuse, but I just couldn’t.” She explained. “If we’d done the Claim ritual properly in the first place instead of doing it in bits and pieces you would never even have thought of suggesting it. We’d have broken Angel’s Claim immediately, our Bond would have snapped into place and you’d have known exactly how I felt about you…” She snorted softly in self-deprecation, “…despite my long vacation cruising up and down that river in Egypt.”

Angel broke into the tender moment, his voice rising with disbelief. “So you’re saying you don’t love me any more Buffy? You’d rather be with this idiot, this… this… Spike!”

“Yes Angel, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Using the information we found about the ritual we have renewed our Claim. We’ve done it properly. It is now a complete Mating Claim. What’s more it’s an Eternal Claim. You will stop trying to manipulate Giles, or anyone else for that matter, into trying to break it.” Buffy smiled happily at Spike who was gleefully relishing Angel’s astonished dismay. For the first time since they had sat down Buffy lifted her left hand into view and deliberately laid it flat on the tablecloth. Angel’s eyes went very wide when he registered the garnet ring. Buffy nudged Spike and he responded with a smirk as he lifted his left hand to display his new ring.

Angel spluttered angrily. “An Eternal Claim? Oh my God! But… but Buffy, it’s Spike!”

Buffy grinned cheekily at him. “Yes Angel, I had actually noticed that.”

Angel gestured at Spike, sneering, “You know he hasn’t got a soul, Buffy. I’ll admit he seems to care for you a little, but how can you possibly believe he truly loves you? You know soulless demons can’t love. He will hurt you eventually… it’s what he does. He goes after Slayers… he has always been obsessed with Slayers.” His expression became pleading. “You must realise that he’s only using you to get to me.”

Spike snorted and shook his head in false sympathy. Mockingly he asked, “Oh poor Granddad, when are you going to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around you?”

Buffy smiled sadly. “Oh Angel, just because you couldn’t love me without your soul doesn’t mean that Spike can’t. The man in you loves me but your demon hates me. Spike’s demon loves me just as much as the man in him does.” She had a sudden realisation. “You and Darla never claimed each other as Mates did you? I never thought… ‘Cos if you had… You really don’t have any idea what the Bond between Mates means do you? I know Spike loves me, I can feel his devotion enveloping me, warming me. It is so powerful it seeps into every single part of me.” She smirked mischievously. “The satisfaction he feels in knowing that the fact we’re together gets to you, is very much an extra bonus.”

Angel gaped at her in utter bewilderment, his mouth opening and closing redundantly as his brain failed spectacularly in its attempt to furnish it with words.

Spike couldn’t help chuckling wickedly. He squeezed Buffy’s leg affectionately, leant over and kissed her cheek. He breathed into her ear, “Oh thank you, beloved. I wouldn’t have missed this for the bloody world. The look on his face…”

Angel began to get up from the table, his face a picture of sulky resentment. Buffy stretched out a hand to delay him. “Just a minute Angel, there’s one more thing we need to discuss. It’s about Drusilla...”

Pausing half way out of his chair Angel turned back and retorted coldly, “I have nothing to do with Drusilla any more Buffy. Since I saw her in LA last year I don’t even have any idea where she’s been.”

“Well for the last week at least, she’s been here in Sunnydale,” Buffy declared. Going into full Slayer mode she ordered, “Sit down, Angel.” As if he was powerless to resist, Angel sank back into his chair and regarded her in amazement. She continued, “Drusilla apparently had a vision about Spike claiming me as his Mate. She came to town to try to break us up. She was going around turning dozens of people into minions, then she captured Spike and tortured him to try to get him to kill me. We thought we’d lost Xander…” Her voice broke and she paused for a moment to recover her composure. “It seems when we did the Mating Claim, the Sire Bond that Dru has always had with Spike was erased in the same way your Claim was. Her mind has finally gone completely Angel. I’m the Slayer, I can’t let her go free to continue killing… and anyway she’s so broken she’s not able to look after…”

Angel broke in fiercely. “So why don’t you stake her then Buffy. It’s your duty to kill vampires isn’t it?”

Over a very quiet angry snarl that Spike couldn’t hold in Buffy explained. “I promised Spike he wouldn’t have to do it, she’s his Sire for heaven’s sake, that’s like the ultimate no-no for vampires isn’t it? Besides he loved her for so long… and now with the Bond even if I do it he will feel it too, he’ll feel responsible. I just can’t…” Buffy took a deep breath and tackled the real reason she had asked Angel to come to Sunnydale. “Once, you told me that driving Drusilla insane and turning her was the worst thing you did after you became a vampire. You are the direct cause of her condition, Angel. It’s time you accepted responsibility for your actions and took care of her yourself.” She leaned down to where she had dropped her little evening bag beside her chair and straightened up holding a large black key. “This is the key to her manacles Angel, she’s in the mansion. Don’t harm Nathan, the young vampire watching her. He’s an Aurelian and he’s trying to reform. We’re helping him. Just take Drusilla away with you and make sure she’s never free to hurt anyone else.” She passed the key over. When Angel just stared at it without making any move to take it she carefully placed it on the table in front of him.

“B-but I can’t…” Angel stammered. “How can I take Dru back to LA with me? Connor…” His expression cleared suddenly and he confidently declared, “Anyway that wasn’t me, that was Angelus.”

Spike simply couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “Oh knock it off you tosser. That excuse won’t wash. Why do you keep trying to pretend you’re two different people sharing the same soddin’ body? You know it’s not so!”

Gently squeezing Spike’s hand to encourage him to be quiet, Buffy shook her head in disappointment. “Angel, you know that argument just doesn’t make sense don’t you? You always seem to refer to Angelus as a completely different person, when he isn’t. You managed to make me believe that for a while, but I don’t accept it any more. Now I understand that Angelus is just you with the safety catch off. The Powers have given you the chance to atone for all the terrible evil things you did as a vampire to earn your redemption. How can you possibly begin to pay for those actions if you keep denying that you’re responsible for them? It’s not Angel the vampire with a soul, the Champion of the Powers who needs redemption. It’s Angelus, the combination of Liam the weak man who let himself be turned and his demon who he allowed to totally control him before he was cursed with a soul, and who he even has trouble keeping in check when he has a soul! Your first step has to be accepting that you did terrible things and that you are wholly responsible for them all. Only then can you begin to make amends. You can make a start with what you’ve already admitted was your worst crime. You can take charge of Drusilla and try in some small way to make up for what you did to her.”

Angel sat slumped in his chair with his head bowed dejectedly, his large hands idly toying with the ugly key. So quietly that they could barely hear him he asked, “What do you expect me to do with her?”

Buffy sighed wearily. “Frankly Angel, I don’t care.” She exchanged a look with Spike, who shrugged slightly. “I don’t think either of us really wants to know what you do with her Angel, as long as you make sure she’s no longer a danger.

Angel slipped the key into his jacket pocket, slowly got up and turned to leave. He paused, and over his shoulder with sad regret clear in his voice he said quietly, “Goodbye Buffy, I hope you’ll be happy. If you ever need anything…”

Gently, Buffy replied, “Thank you Angel, I know.” Just before he left the restaurant, knowing that his vampire hearing would pick it up she said clearly, “If she’s still there tomorrow evening Angel, we’ll send Xander in to stake her. You know he would do it in a heartbeat.” Angel inclined his head briefly to let her know he had heard her, then he turned out of the door and was gone.

After a few moments Buffy turned to Spike with a puzzled little frown and asked, “Did I really used to fall for that angstorama? And those pathetic ‘take pity on poor me’ eyes? What on earth was wrong with me?”

Spike chuckled. “You were sixteen.”

She breathed, “Yeah.” She turned to stare blindly at where Angel had disappeared from view, shook her head slowly and sighed despairingly, “God, I must have been so naïve.”

When she had remained silent and unmoving for a couple of minutes Spike hesitantly asked, “You okay, Buffy?”

She turned a slightly wobbly smile towards him and admitted, “I am now. I’m so glad that’s over.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, making a conscious effort to relax the tense muscles in her jaw, neck and shoulders. “Let’s order dinner now, then we have the rest of the night and all day tomorrow to just be us. No ex-lovers, no irritating little sisters, no awkward questions, no needy friends, no Portals… just Buffy and Spike.” As Spike shifted into the seat Angel had vacated opposite Buffy so he could see her better she picked up the menu lying on the table and ran her eyes down the choices she found. “What should I have? The seafood salad looks good…”

Spike chuckled. “You’re going to need more than that darlin’. You’re forgetting that Slayer metabolism of yours again. You need some red meat to help make up for the blood I took. Don’t forget I’ll need to drink from you again tomorrow for the Portal trial run. Why not have a nice big steak and all the trimmings, I’ll have one too as long as it’s blood rare. We’ll get us a bottle of red wine too, that’s good for the blood.” Spike raised his arm and beckoned the waiter who had been hovering at a diplomatic distance through their conversation with Angel.

TBC


A/N:
I don’t know any Latin. The phrases that make up the Eternal Mating Claim ritual were provided for me by a friend who tells me they mean what I intended. If you know different, please forgive any errors as honest mistakes.
I am assured they (literally) translate as follows:
The claim: “Thou art my very own, I lay claim to thee so that thou wilt be my eternal mate and companion.”
The response: “I am thy very own, so that I will be thy eternal mate and companion.”
(The slight variations between what Spike says and what Buffy says are due to their different genders.)