Fighting For Love

Author's Note: Warnings: Torture, Extreme Language, Rape/Actual, Sexual Situations, Violence (offending chapters will be noted)

Pairings: Riley/Buffy; Spike/Buffy


Challenge Requirements at the end

Chapter 7



Buffy awoke to silence. She turned over on her back and found Riley gone from the bed. She literally crawled out of the bed and over to the closet on her hands and knees. It was so hard to wake up in the mornings when your body protested each movement you made. She grabbed the doorknob of her closet and picked herself up off the floor. She opened the door and sorted through her clothes for a fashionable yet, dressed down outfit.



After dressing, she went to the bathroom mirror and saw the darkened bruise around her eye. Who knew Riley could hit so hard after the drugs that Professor Walsh gave him wore off? She fingered the bruise to gauge the damage. She reached over, opened her make up drawer and found her True Match Foundation. Leaning closer to the mirror, she applied the foundation, careful to blend the color into her skin until the bruise wasn’t even there anymore. After making sure the bruise wasn’t noticeable, she made a cup of coffee and walked out of the apartment locking the door behind her.

**************************



Buffy walked into the Magic Box feeling a little self-conscious. She hoped no one noticed anything on her out of place. Anya and Giles were behind the counter, bickering over how to treat the customers. Willow, Tara and Xander were sitting around the big table at the end of the room.



Buffy went up to the counter and leaned against it, watching Giles and Anya bicker until one of them noticed her. Usually she would be over with Willow, Tara and Xander, but she didn’t feel up to their bubbly emotion at the moment. They spotted her nonetheless and a chorus of hellos came from them.



“Hey, guys,” Buffy tried to sound as cheerful as they were.



“Uh, hello, Buffy,” Giles said noticing her, forgetting Anya and their bicker.



“Hi, Giles,” Buffy answered.




“So tell me what happened on your patrol last night,” Giles asked.



“It was two fledgling vamps. They dusted pretty easy,” Buffy said, going on to describe the fights.



“Yeah. I saw her dust one of them. They didn’t put up much of a fight, Watcher Boy,” A soft British voice said.



“Spike,” Giles rolled his eyes, none too amused.



“What are you doing here, Spike? In broad daylight? Doesn’t that make it flammable for you?” Buffy asked annoyed that Spike was even there.



Spike walked from the basement door over to the counter in the cocky, self-assured manner he always has. To Buffy he seemed to fill the room. It made her skin feel warm to be in the presence of the room-temperature vampire. That fact bothered her and she tried to shake it off.




“I’m here to steal junk from the basement. Came up when I heard voices,” Spike answered with a smirk.



“Of course you heard voices, evil undead. Daylight time is business hours; not chipped-vampire outing time,” Xander chimed in, sounding more annoyed that Spike was there than anyone.



“Well, I’ll be in the training room,” Buffy said as she walked toward the back room.



“What’s wrong with her?” Anya asked.



“I wouldn’t know, could be from patrolling and little sleep” Giles said as they heard the echo of Buffy hitting the punching bag.



No one saw Spike follow her through the stacks and into the back room.




Spike stayed in the doorway and watched Buffy. He watched her move around the room reminiscent of when he had first seen her in the Bronze. He loved to watch her fight. She moved with grace. She danced so well with him in a fight. He was her match. She was his mate. The stubborn woman just refused to see it – yet.



Buffy ignored him, wrapped up in her frustrating thoughts, even as his presence made the room get warmer around her. She stretched her body with the help of the balance beam. Then went through her calisthenics on the floor mat. It was until she took her sweatshirt off to use the punching bag that she heard the low growl coming from the doorway.



Spike was admiring the stretching of Buffy’s body during her calisthenics. He was so involved in imagining his hands on her body as it arched under his touch that he didn’t notice she was done and taking her sweatshirt off. Then he saw it – them – the bruises on her upper arms. They were an ugly gray color. His penetrating blue eyes focused on them and he felt a low deadly growl rise in his throat.



Buffy turned her head towards him. The look in his eyes and the growl that emanated from him startled and fascinated her. She followed his gaze until her own hit her arm. Her face reddened and she tried to cover her arms. She didn’t know why she was so self-conscious around Spike. The bruises made her feel like she was unclean. For some reason, she didn’t want Spike see them.



“I watched you fight that fledgling. That vamp didn’t leave those bruises.” Spike growled.



“Spike it’s – it’s not what you think,” Buffy stammered.




“It’s Riley, isn’t it?” Spike asked in a shaky voice.



“No, it’s not Ri—“ Buffy stammered.



“Don’t lie to me, Buffy. Not now. I feel your underlying fear and tension when I mention his name,” Spike said moving closer to her.



“That’s not fear, that’s revulsion over you, Spike.” Buffy grew agitated.



Spike prowled toward her stopping when he was a breath away from her. He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, “Riley.” He felt her shudder against him, heard her whimper, and felt the blood rush through her veins.



“Just as I thought, Slayer. What’s going on?” Spike nearly purred near her ear.




“Please, Spike? It’s not as bad as it looks.” She grabbed the lapels of Spike’s duster. “Don’t tell anyone, Spike. Please? For me?” Buffy asked, with unshed tears in her eyes.



Spike stared down at her. He saw her watery eyes. Her tears tugged at his dead heart. She always knew how to get him to bend to her. He may be the Big Bad, but the chip in his head changed him. It made him soft towards her. First, he wanted to kill her and add her as his third Slayer. Next thing he knew, he was falling in love with her. There’s a thin line between love and hate. “Okay, Buffy. I won’t tell.”



Buffy sighed in relief, resting her head on his chest. She ran her hands along his sides, resting them on his hips. She felt his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her against him; his lips in her hair. It soothed her. Her mortal enemy was comforting her and she was letting him. It felt right to be in Spike’s arms. For some reason that didn’t sound right. Anything to do with Spike should not feel good. Well, staking him should have. But the very thought of that sickened her. She knew she couldn’t stake him. He was too good of an opponent to stake.



Buffy ran her hands along Spike’s sides and hard stomach. She didn’t realize she was doing it. She just had to touch him. She had to make sure he was real. Her silent tears fell, wetting the front of his shirt.



Spike gritted his teeth when he felt her hands explore his sides. Then he felt her tears. He rubbed her back. He tried to comfort her. But her touch wasn’t helping his good intentions. Her touch ignited his lust. He couldn’t stand much more of it and not act on his impulse to make love to her right there. “Buffy,” he said in a strangled whisper. “Love, you don’t know what you do to me. I can’t touch you and leave it at that.”




Buffy pulled back and looked at him with sad unreadable eyes. Oh, God. I sought comfort from Spike. The reality that was Riley came crashing down on her. She reluctantly pulled away from Spike. “Sorry.”



“It’s alright.” Spikes watched her collect herself and rebuild the barrier again. “Why won’t you leave him, pet?”



“He’s what I wanted. A normal boyfriend. I finally have a chance at a normal life, Spike.” Buffy defended herself.



Spike rolled his eyes and heaved an aggravated sigh. “Right then.” He knew when she was like this you couldn’t argue with her. So he moved beside her, leaning against the balance beam. He watched her for the longest time. Imprinting her features in his mind. Her soft, shiny hair; her bone structure; her beautiful hazel eyes; her curves and planes.



Buffy blushed under Spike’s intense gaze. She squirmed a bit, uncomfortable and warm from being around him. She grew warmer as she felt his eyes travel down her body. When his gaze hit her lips, throat, breasts, and moved lower, a pool of liquid formed in her panties unexpectedly. The feel of her juices jolted her out of her reverie.




“Oh, God,” Buffy breathed. “Spike. I can’t do this right now.”



“Do what, pet?” Spike asked a smile in his voice.



“This. I have Riley. A normal boyfriend. I can’t screw it up.” Buffy said.



“Pet, you are the Slayer. You aren’t made for normal,” Spike sighed and pinched his nose between his eyes, then looked at her bowed head. “Buffy. You need someone strong to be at your side.”



“Riley is strong. Professor Walsh made sure of that,” Buffy reminded him.



“No, pet. It’s not the same. He has scientifically enhanced strength. He doesn’t have demon strength. One is false, and can only last so long. The other – the demon – is pure strength. Just like you, pet. You fight with your heart and instincts.” Spike explained.




Buffy beamed with pride hearing Spike’s view of her. Her mind ran through the differences between Spike and Riley. They were so alike, yet so different. She furrowed her brow in confusion as she tried to think. Spike was supposed to be her enemy yet here he was. He was leaning against the balance beam beside her. His presence was giving her strength and he was barely touching her.



Spike caressed her bruised arm. “Soldier Boy may have brute strength, Buffy, but you’re the true warrior. The best slayer I’ve ever danced with.” Spike took on the Big Bad persona. “Uh, well. You know where to find me, love.”



Spike touched his cool lips to her temple then walked away from her. Her voice stopped him at the door. Thank his demon he had enhanced hearing.



“Spike. Thank you,” Buffy said quietly.



Spike tipped his head her way and left the way he came -- through the stacks and down through the basement. None of the Scooby gang saw him leave. They just heard the door click shut.



“Good riddance,” Xander grumbled.




In the training room, Buffy hit the punching bag harder and harder to get her emotions out. Her mind lingered on Spike’s words. Her thoughts fueled her punches into the bag and raised her spirits. She was nearly smiling near the end of her training.



**************************



Riley walked into the Magic Box and quietly closed the door. He looked up to see Buffy joining the others. She was wiping her brow with a towel, fresh from training. He walked over to the counter.



“Hey, Giles, Anya,” Riley greeted them as he waved to Willow, Tara and Xander. He moved closer to Buffy and kissed her. He had missed her all day long. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his side.



Buffy tensed when she heard his voice. She walked out of the training room, drying the sweat on her face. She kissed him with a peck to his lips and begrudgingly let him hold her in his arms. She felt uneasy and pulled away a bit. To anyone watching, the just didn’t want to be cuddled after training and sweating.



“So, what do you want to do today, Buffy?” Riley asked.




“I was thinking lunch maybe and just hanging out. I would like to spend some time with Mom,” Buffy suggested.



“Sure, honey. We’ll go to lunch. I’ll drop you off at your mom’s and see you tonight,” Riley said, kissing her again.