Two days till Christmas

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Two days till Christmas chapter 5

"Spike...another one for you...This one's from me." Dawn smiled handing him a small box. Spike smiled shyly at her and opened the box.
~~~~~`

Riley walked towards her purposefully. "I need to be more than I am."

"I've already given you too much Riley. I can not let you be damaged further."

"You can give me a new arm but you can not make me more?" He growled grabbing her by the throat and pushing her up against the nearest wall. "Why not Mother? Got someone else for the job?"

Professor Walsh choked as she tried to speak.

Riley slowly let his grasp loosen until she slipped towards the floor. He caught her to steady her. "Fix me." He growled angrily.

"Oh...Oh...OK." She gasped out. "Go and lay down on the operating table."

Riley climbed up on the table and lay flat. An expression of peace lighting his features. "Make me a vampire mother. I want to taste her blood..."
~~~~~`

Spike gasped in shock as he stared into the box.

"Do you like it?" Dawn asked timidly. It was the first gift she had ever bought for him.

"Love it Bit." Spike replied softly. He pulled the zippo from the folds of black tissue paper. He realized she'd had his name engraved on the front.

"It's to replace the one Buffy destroyed." Dawn smiled at the indignant expression on her sister's face.

"Hey! I didn't do it on purpose. If I didn't throw it at that demon we'd have been covered in his gunk."

Spike smiled indulgently at her. "S' OK Luv. Got one to replace it now. No worries."

Buffy laced her fingers with his and rested her head on his shoulder, seeking comfort from his touch as well as his words.

Spike stared silently at her. ~ She doesn't know how much this means to me. I don't want to ruin this new...thing...we have. I can't tell her. Yet. ~ He made up his mind.

Everyone tried to look elsewhere as she shared a private moment with him.

They continued exchanging presents through half the night. Everyone was getting tired and they started to break up the party.

"Well Slayer. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Spike said softly.

"Can you...would you stay?" She pleaded lacing her fingers in his once again.

~ In plain sight of her friends and family. She doesn't know how hard she's making it for me not to declare my undying love for her here and now. ~ Spike was shocked speechless for the second time that night.

Buffy mistook his silence for reluctance. "If...you know if you have stuff to do..." She loosened her fingers in his grasp.

"No!" Spike growled. "I don't want to leave you."
~~~~~`

The Summers women had said good-bye to all of their guests, and Dawn headed off to bed.

"Mom...is it OK if Spike stays?" Buffy questioned. "I...I really want and need him here."

Joyce looked up into her daughter's hazel gaze. "You are an adult Buffy. Who you chose to share your bed with is your business." She said before hugging them both and heading up to bed.
~~~~~`

"Did your mum just give us permission to..."

"Yeah." Buffy breathed. "I'm a little wigged." Buffy replied resting her head against him.

"Must be tired to Pet, You've had a long day." Spike murmured wrapping his arms around her.

"I am." Buffy said stifling a yawn.

"Head on up to bed then Luv. I'll give you a few minutes to change, ensure we're locked away tight." Spike said as he pulled her up from the couch.
~~~~~`

Buffy quickly changed into her yummy sushi pajama's and grabbed an old pair of sweats and a T-shirt for Spike.

She laid them out on the end of the bed, crawled under the covers and was almost instantly asleep.
~~~~~`

Spike made it up to her room about ten minutes later. ~ Slayer's fast asleep. ~ Spike smiled down at her sleeping form.

He quickly shed his clothes and changed into the ones she had laid out for him. Buffy sighed contentedly as he wrapped his arms around her and snuggled further into his embrace.

Spike closed his eyes, bent his head and inhaled her scent. His soft purring roused her from her dreaming state.

"I love you Buffy." Spike whispered softly into her hair, thinking she was asleep.

~ OHMYGODOHMYGOD! ~ Her mind frantically screamed as she tried to understand the depth of the meaning behind those four simple words. It was long after Spike was sleeping, purring softly in her ear, that sleep finally claimed her.
~~~~~`

"Won't be long now." Professor Walsh smiled down at the sleeping monster on the operating table.
~~~~~`

Dawn came bounding into Buffy's room at Seven AM Sharp. "Presents Presents...I wanna open my presents!!!" She was just about to jump onto her sister's bed to wake her when she noticed another body in her bed. ~ Another Spike shaped body. ~ She smiled to herself as she saw his shock of bleached hair poke up from under the blanket.

"Bit?" Spike asked confused.

"Sorry." She whispered and backed out of the room shutting the door softly behind herself.
~~~~~`

Dawn leaned up against the outside of the door for a second smiling happily.

"Are Buffy and Spike awake yet?" Joyce startled her as she came out of her room.

"You KNEW?" Dawn shrieked hugging her mother fiercely.
~~~~~`

"Uhhhh." Buffy groaned and rolled over as Dawn's shrieking echoed in her ears. "Sorry." She whispered to Spike.

"T's Ok. Don't mind at all being woken up by the Bit." Spike smiled shyly.

Buffy smiled up at him. They could hear Dawn running down the stairs. "We better hurry, she has to open all of her presents as soon as she wakes up." Buffy smiled sadly.

"Hey. None of that now." Spike said tilting her chin up so she met his gaze. "Not allowed to be sad on Christmas Luv." He whispered. ~ Want to kiss you so bad. ~

Buffy moistened her lips as she looked into his eyes. She leaned forward slightly and let her lips brush lightly across his mouth.

Spike gasped in surprise and took her face in his hands. He looked deep into her eyes. "Buffy...I..."

His words were interrupted by a soft tap at the door. "Buffy? Dawn wants to open her presents. You know how she is Christmas morning. Hurry. Please." Joyce called through the door.

"Go on down Luv. I'll be there in two shakes."

"What were you going to say?" She questioned. ~ Did you mean what you said last night?" Her heart started triphammering in her chest.

"T's not important Luv." He murmured looking down at his hands. ~ Why's her heart racing? ~

"Buffy...." Dawn screamed from downstairs. "I can't start without you!"

Spike gave her a nudge. Buffy climbed slowly off the bed. She walked slowly to the door and glanced back at him. "Spike...I really want to know what you were going to say."

"Maybe I'll tell you one day Slayer. Now hurry down there 'fore the Bit is yelling for you again."
~~~~~`

"Isn't Spike coming down?" Joyce asked when he wasn't glued to Buffy's side.

"Yeah...he said to give him a minute." Buffy smiled at the mountain of presents Dawn had piled around her.
~~~~~`

He could smell her fear. Fear. It was tantalizing. ~ Blood. ~ He grew hard when he recognized the scent.

He sat upright and heard the whimpering mewls coming from the delicate creature. "Please....please don't hurt me. I'll do anything you want." The woman trembled with fear.

Riely felt his face shift. He growled softly in anticipation. He jumped gracefully from the bed to stand infront of the kneeling woman. "Will you feed me?" He growled softly.

"Yes. Yes. Anything." She whimpered.

Riley held out his hand helping her to her feet. "Th...thank you...there was a horrible woman...she locked me in here."

"Really?" Riely asked conversationally as he ripped his jeans off at the seams.

"No....Please..." She begged as she realized his intent. Her eyes bulged at the sight of his erection, pointing at her, she started backing away.

Riley was too fast for her and grabbed her arm in a vise grip. He ripped her pants off quickly.

Riley picked the struggling girl up and threw her viciously on the operating table. "You were brought here for me. " He growled wildly as he thrust into her.

The girl screamed as his demon emerged. She tried to fight, to get away. She slapped and bit him.

Riley held her down forcefully and sank his fangs into her tender flesh. Savoring his first taste of warm human blood rolling over his tongue and down his throat.
~~~~~`

Spike walked into the livingroom carrying three identical packages. He passed one to each Summers woman.

"Thank you." Dawn giggled happily adding it to her pile.

"Welcome Bit." He smiled sweetly.

Buffy was about to open her mouth to speak when a loud banging on the front door startled them all.

"Who in the world..." Joyce murmured walking towards the door.

"Rupert?" She asked stunned at his appearance. He was disheveled, his hair a mess. His suit was obviously slept in from the creases that were evident, and he had pink sleep lines from his couch still embedded in his cheek. ~ What did you do wake up and run over here? ~

"Damn it Joyce. I have had enough. I love you and I want to share my life with you, I will not hide our relationship any longer! It is Christmas and I want to be with you. Can we please tell the girls?" Giles ranted. He stepped over the threshold and walked towards the livingroom, leaving a stunned Joyce standing at the door holding it open. ~ Oh God. They heard him. Buffy heard him. Oh God. ~

Giles stopped in his tracks, blushing crimson to his roots as he realized his little speech meant only for her ears had been heard by an audience. ~ Guess they know now eh mate. ~ his inner voice taunted.
~~~~~`

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