Now and Then

Buffy stood for a moment contemplating the ten foot cement retaining wall in front of her.

Someone’s got something to hide

Rolling her neck, she crouched down like she was starting a race.

On your mark……

Buffy rose and started to run at the wall

Get set…….

Coiling her muscles, Buffy let go and rose straight up and over the wall in a powerful jump. Landing on the other side, she resumed her crouch and surveyed the gardens of the property line she had just breached.

And go…

She took off in flat run for the patio doors she could see above a row of shrubs. If anyone hatherthered to look, they would have seen a white blur passing by at a speed that was definitely not natural. The fact that no one did should have raised an alarm in her head. Intent on her goal, Buffy missed the signs. Quietly easing open the doors, she scanned the interior of the darkened room that appeared to be some kind of study. Relaxing somewhat as she found it empty, Buffy slid her foot over the entrance checking for alarms. That is, she tried to slide her foot inside.

Really should have seen that one coming.

Buffy raised her eyes to the sky in a classic ‘why me’ gesture.

Stupid invite rules

Turning around, Buffy leaned back against the unseen barrier and surveyed the grounds.

There’s got to be another way in. Maybe if I…

"Right on time, you can come in"

Buffy landed flat on her back and raised her eyes to the smirking face above her.

"Abby," Buffy sighed, "Long time no see."

"Not long enough in my opinion. Care to tell me what’s with the Mission Impossible look"

Buffy rose slowly to her feet and glanced down at the all-black spandex outfit Willow had insisted on.

"No, not especially."

The room suddenly flooded with light and Buffy realized for the first time that Abby was holding a gun on her. Buffy’s first reaction was to dive for cover, until she realized a gun wasn’t quite the deterrent it used to be. Instead, she sighed and leaned on the door frame. "You know, this so isn’t going the way I planned."

Abby laughed. The cruel sound sent a shiver down Buffy’s spine.

"Well, nothing ever does. I had a plan too, but a certain little bitch with an affection for Loreal screwed it up. Everything was exactly where I wanted it and now…..well, now we will have to wait and see. Sit down. I’m going to tell you what happens next."

"I don’t suppose my complete lack of interest is going to stop you. So sure, fly at it"

If possible, Abby’s nose shot up even higher. Spinning around on her designer heels, she crossed to a desk at the back of the room. She sat herself in a huge wingback chair and motioned to a stool placed in front of the desk. Buffy glanced at the empty room and back to the over-glorified Prom Queen. Shrugging she moved towards the seat. Curiosity was getting the better of her and besides, finding Dawn and Spike was not looking like a current option.


Abby leaned forward in her seat and rested her chin on her hands, giving the impression of a girl about to impart the juiciest of gossip. Despite herself, Buffy leaned towards her.

"I first saw Spike at the club three years ago. I knew then that he was something I wanted."

Buffy cringed slightly at the ‘thing’ reference, but in all fairness she had described him much the same way. A different memory pushed at her brain and Buffy latched on. "Spike said you met two years ago, not three."

"There were certain obstacles that needed to be taken care of first. Besides, back then he was hitting on any girl that moved and I don’t share."

"Funny, you seem like such a generous person to me. So how did you decide he was up to your standards?" Sarcasm dripped from her voice and she couldn’t muster the energy to stop it.

Unaffected, Abby continued. "I had daddy do a little investigating and we determined he could be an asset to the company, with a few small changes"

"Sounds so romantic."

"It proved he was ready for me," Abby sniffed.

"Sure it did," Buffy said dryly. "So you two got together and all was roses and sunshine."

"Yes it was. Perfect, in fact. Then you had to come along and bring her back into the picture."

"Her?"

"The Slayer"

Buffy stared at Abby in shock, her mind trying to process this latest turn of events. "Don’t mind me but…..Huh?"

"If he hadn’t been protecting you, he never would have come back here. If he hadn’t come back here, he never would have seen her. I told you I don’t share. The slayer could be a very big obstacle in the complete devotion to me category."

"Can we just back up? First off, the only reason we came back here was to get away from the guys you and your father sent to kill us"

Abby jumped out of her seat and slammed her hands on the desk. "They weren’t going to kill Spike! Just you. It was all planned…..see, something else you messed up."

"Oh, please forgive me for screwing with the schedule." Buffy glared at the girl, anger dripping from every syllable. " I must have missed the memo"

Abby nodded, like that was the first intelligent thing Buffy had said. "Good, you should be"

Buffy felt her jaw drop at the single-minded audacity of the rich. "Anyway! You still lost me on the whole ‘Spike and Slayer’ thing"

"Oh, don’t think for one second I’m going to get over that in a hurry. I mean, really, Daddy practically tied a bow on her. All Spike had to do was kill the Slayer. Isn’t that what you" Abby paused trying to find the right words to describe Buffy and Spike’s kind. "….people are supposed to do? We could have been together again. But noooo, he had to get all noble and-"

Buffy had had enough of the polite chit chat. "Where are they!"

"Oh" Abby waved a hand in the air like she was dismissing a servant. "Locked in the basement. He’ll give up and kill her sooner or later. But maybe I won’t be waiting for him this time. Maybe I-"

Buffy launched herself over the desk at Abby and started to squeeze the girl’s neck. "Take me to them right-"

A sharp pain radiated down her arm. Buffy stared dumbly at the top of tranquilizer dart embedded there. Not losing her grip on Abby’s neck, she flipped her head to look at the door and saw Jules standing there, holding a gun.

"None of that now. The party’s just begun." Grinning maliciously, he pulled the trigger again. Buffy felt the second dart hit her neck. She collapsed gracefully on the desk.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Spike heard the voices long before they arrived at the cell door. He couldn’t tell what they were saying but he heard the slight scuffling noise of something being dragged with them. Rising stiffly to his feet, he positioned himself between Dawn and the door. A slight squeaking noise erupted into the room. Spike threw up an arm to block the sudden burst of light as the door swung open. A slight thump radiated through the silent cell and something soft rolled against his feet. He lowered his arm and peered at the mass of hair and limbs sprawled out before him. A slow, burning rage built up in his stomach when he recognized Buffy’s body.

"She’s not dead….just sleeping."

Spike’s head shot up at the sound of Jules’ voice in the entryway. He flew across the two feet separating them and twisted the front of Jules’ shirt in his fist. Shoving him through the doorway, Spike pinned Jules against the wall opposite from his cell.

"What did you do to her?" Spike growled

Jules ignored the question and smirked in Spike’s face. "I really thought it would take more to get you out there."

Confusion marred Spike’s face for a moment before comprehension reared its ugly head. Dropping Jules, he ran back to the doors that were already slamming shut. Spike was still scrambling for the handle when the first dart entered his back. He slid slowly down the door as the drugs took effect.

"Buffy!" he screamed and then again louder still as the full implications of the situation set in. "Dawn!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Spike fought viciously against the drug-induced coma. Breaking the surface, he stared wildly around the room and cursed loudly when he discovered himself tied to a chair.

"Baby. I missed you," A low voice purred in his ear. Spike blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to see the source.

Recognizing Abby, Spike’s lip curled up into a sneer. "Can’t say the same."

Abby pouted. "Don’t be like that. Pretty soon all this unpleasantness will be over and we can get back to our lives."

Spike leaned forward as far as he could and motioned her closer with a slight tilt of his head. When she came into range, he whispered softly in her ear. "Abby…….the only thing I am going to miss about you is the complete willingness you have to drop on your back at a moments notice." Spike flinched slightly when she screamed and rushed at his face, her hands twisted into claws.

"Enough!" The shout was punctuated by Jules’ hand slamming against the desk. "Abby, go sit down. We have business to attend to here. Your drama act can wait."

Spike’s grin at Abby’s sulky departure faded swiftly as his eyes locked with Jules’.

"What’s this business bit, Jules? Thought you would just stake me and be done with it."

Jules sat down in the chair Abby had occupied earlier and steepled his fingers. "I’ve had some time to ponder this situation over the last few days. It came to my attention that maybe you and that girl downstairs are a golden opportunity just waiting for me to exploit."

Spike growled and pulled at the ropes pinning him to the chair. "The Slayer ain’t gonna work for you and I don’t see myself taking any more orders from you in the near future. So, if you’ll untie these blasted ropes, I’ll take the girl and be on my way."

Jules’ laugh was sharp and void of amusement. "I’m not talking about the Slayer. She needs to be eliminated…always did, as a matter of fact. This little escapade of yours just speeded up the process. That girl can’t keep her nose out of places it don’t belong. I should be thanking you really. We’ve been trying to track her down for months now and you led us right to her."

Jules stood up and crossed the room to stand in front of Spike. "But I’m getting off topic. I was referring to the sister. You and her would make a perfect team. Of course, you do excellent work on your own, but with both of you….. I could own any city I wanted."

"Are you daft? She’d never do it. Buffy’s not like that, she…." Spike trailed off as visions of the boy in the alley flashed through his head.

"She what, Spike? She’s good? Noble? She’s a vampire for Christ’s sake. Besides, any bit of emotion she possessed is going to be gone soon. How do you think she’s going to react when she realizes the tasty meal she just ate was her very own sister?"

Spike glared at him, refusing to answer. He was still clinging to the hope that Buffy could resist the obvious temptation she was facing.

"I’ll tell you how she’s going to react, Spike. Either she will lose it and kill herself or she’ll become what I’m betting on……….a perfect little killing machine that I can manipulate for my purposes."

"How do you expect her to work for you like that? What makes you think she won’t turn on you? My kind aren’t exactly known for our deep abiding loyalty."

"I’ve got it all worked out. A little trip to the same doctors that fixed you up and she’ll be all mine. "

"You’re going to chip her?"

"Well, with a few variations on your model. By the way, you’ll be going in for an upgrade soon. "

"Like bloody hell I will!’

"You really don’t have a choice, Spike. I own you and I’m going to own her."

Spike sunk further into the chair as the cold hard truth sank in. He was screwed……again. And yet again, everything was depending on Buffy’s actions to get his ass out of it. Sighing deeply, Spike played along. "What variation"

"Well, we’ll give her your model, complete with the inability to harm me and my family but we will be adding this fascinating new remote to it."

Spike watched as Jules walked to thsk ask and picked up a small black box that resembled a garage door opener. "Remote?"

"Yes, just added insurance really. If either of you step out of line, all I have to do is push a button and bang! Big pile of dust. Ingenious little invention."

A slight knock sounded at the door and Jules crossed to open it. Spike craned his neck to see who the new arrival was but stopped the motion at the sound of Jules’ voice ."That’s my girl. I knew she had it in her. Now we just have to wait and see where the chips are going to fall."

Spike watched as they dragged Buffy into the room and dumped her in front of him.

"Get it, Spike? Chips fall?"

Spike lowered his eyes from Jules to Buffy. Tiny specks of blood covered her face and shoulders. Spike searched her eyes. He found nothing in them. His gaze flicked back to the blood. Dawn’s blood. Shifting his foot back slightly, Spike propelled it forward in a vicious kick to her face. "You stupid fucking bitch! You lasted two hours. Two fucking hours! She was your sister. She saved you. I’ll kill you for this, Buffy…..."

Buffy scooted away and sat up, slowly licking blood off her lips. She smiled calmly at Spike and raised her hands in front of her. "I am what I am, Spike. What we are. You should have known that."

Spike struggled at the ropes, rage blinding him. "You’re nothing now. You hear me? Nothing. And soon you’ll be even less."

Buffy got to her feet and walked saucily towards him, raising her hands in front of her again as if to ward him off . "Ooohh, save me from the big, bad, lovesick vampire. Can’t kill the slayer cause he’s too weak. You’re pathetic. I did you a favor. Too bad about that chip not working on them though, we could have had some fun."

It took a few minutes but her words eventually broke through the waves of anger and pain in his mind. Buffy said she had killed the Slayer. She knew the chip didn’t work on Abby or Jules. He had never told her that. The only way she would have known was if she talked to Dawn. Focusing on the arms Buffy held in front of him, Spike examined the pattern of ragged cuts starting at her forearms and ending at her wrists. They had been sliced open. Inhaling deeply, he searched the blood for Dawn’s scent. It was completely absent, which only left one conclusion…..

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Buffy watched the small flicker of comprehension pass through Spikes eyes It slowed the shaking she hadn’t previously noticed in her body. Hiding the evidence of her massacred wrists by wrapping them around her waist, she surveyed the room. Abby was off in a corner. She sat slumped in a chair doing a very astute impression of a sulky two year old. Jules was sitting at his desk, trying not to bounce in place with excitement over his latest success. Buffy focused on him and headed for the desk. Perching a hip on the desk, she ran her fingers over Jules’ hand.

"So, tell me why I shouldn’t just snap your neck like a twig."

Jules didn’t even blink. "That wouldn’t be smart. I hold all the cards. I can make your life very easy or I can make it very hard."

Buffy studied him for a moment and then nodded. "I’m listening."

"I’m talking about a mutually beneficial arrangement. You get to satisfy certain cravings you creatures seem to have and I get to, shall we say, dispose of my competitors in a permanent manner."

Buffy leaned forward and smiled coldly at him. "I can do that without you."

Jules grinned. "But I can make it financially worth you time."

Buffy stood up and walked back across the room to where Spike sat. Standing behind him she ran her hands over his head and down the back of the chair. Watching Abby out of the corner of her eye, she began to loosen the ropes keeping him in the chair.

"What about him? She," Buffy said, jerking her head towards Abby, "can’t have him, he’s mine to play with. That’s part of the deal."

Jules clapped his hands together, the deal already a fact in his mind. "Oh that can be arranged."

"What? Daddy! You said……"

Buffy stalked over to Abby and pinned her to the seat. "You don’t get to win this time. "

Jules glared at his daughter. "Never mind what I said, Abby. This is business and business comes first."

Spike took that opportunity to stand up now that Buffy had freed his bonds.
"Buffy is not going to be your business. Now or ever."
Jules still looked confident. "Now that’s not your choice, Spike. Besides, all this bravado of yours means nothing. You know you can’t touch me. And I’m starting to think that maybe you are becoming too big of a liability."

Buffy looked over her shoulder from where she still had Abby pinned in the chair. " If you kill him, I walk."

"Do you really think I ever had any intention of letting either of you leave here? I own you now, just like I own him. This is the end of the road. Either you cooperate or you die. There are no other options." Moving in front of his desk, Jules motioned to his daughter. " Abby, now."

Buffy looked slowly down at the stake pressed to her chest and then up at the malevolent grin on Abby’s face.

Where in the hell did that come from?

Buffy stood up and then moved back a pace. Keeping her eyes on Abby, she called over her shoulder to Spike. "Go get Dawn"

After a moment’s hesitation, she heard Spike shuffling towards the door.

"What?" Jules started to sputter behind her. "You didn’t kill her? That little stunt just diminished your current options to one, Buffy."

Buffy reached over and flicked the stake out Abby’s hand before the girl had the time to track the movement. Seizing her by the throat, Buffy turned to see Spike watching her with apprehension. Smiling slightly, she nodded at the door.

"There’s an option you didn’t consider, Jules."

"Really. What’s that, you stupid bitch?’

Buffy turned to face him and emitted a low growl as her vamp countenance came to the front. "Why don’t you take a wild guess?"

The door clicked softly shut behind Spike.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Spike motioned for Dawn to stay outside when they reached the study doors. Steeling himself against the possibilities of what lay behind it, he stalled by brushing a stray hair off Dawn’s face. She grabbed his hand and shifted her gaze from his eyes to the door.

"Is she okay? I mean, do you think she….?"

Spike pulled his hand free and backed slowly away from the pleading look in her eyes. He didn’t have an answer for her. "Just wait here. I’ll be right back"

Spike twisted the handle quietly and then paused for a moment. "Do not come in here. Understand, bit?"

At her nod, he pulled open the door slightly and slipped through the small opening. He knew Dawn wouldn’t follow him but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t try to peek over his shoulder. The first thing to assault his senses was the overpowering aroma of fresh blood. Detaching himself from the automatic hunger that churned in his stomach, he moved slowly towards the desk. Spike studiously avoided looking at Jules’ and Abby’s bodies, not out of any sense of residual attachment he might have felt for them but simply because he couldn’t deal with the reality of what Buffy had done. She was crouched under the desk, her entire body vibrating. Her face kept shifting between vamp and human.

Crooning softly, he gently lifted her out and cradled her in his arms. "It’s okay baby, time to go home."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Buffy sat on her old couch in her old living room, staring at her old wallpaper. For the first time since all this had started, she felt truly dead. Spike’s voice floated across the apartment. He was talking to Willow, assuring her that everything would be fine…..that Dawn was safe.

Safe from Jules now, but who’s safe from me?

Buffy felt tears well up in her eyes and scrubbed angrily at them. She wasn’t allowed to cry anymore. The line that she had lived by had been crossed and then wiped from existence. No more Slayer, no more Buffy…

A demon in a Buffy-shaped body

She may have won the battle, but she hadn’t taken the time to notice she was losing the war. Killing Jules and Abby had been the last move in an intricate game she’d played against herself. Nothing was ever going to be the same.

I am nothing….I am no one.

"What’s that, luv?"

Buffy shook slightly at the sound of Spike’s voice coming closer. He was still protecting her……just like he always had. He didn’t tell her friends what had really happened…….what she had done. Buffy was grateful for that. She couldn’t have handled the fear and revulsion that would surely be in their eyes if certain truths came out. Staring down at the dried blood beneath her nails, Buffy stood and walked calmly towards the bathroom. "I’m going to take a shower."

Closing the door softly behind her, she stared absently into the empty mirror. Her lack of reflection wasn’t quite so funny anymore. The sound of voices drifted under the door and she turned on the water to drown out the concern she could hear in them.

No more worry….no more love….don’t deserve it…..not anymore.

Slowly removing her clothes, Buffy stepped into the shower and stood quietly under the spray. Her gaze strayed to the drain and she watched the water turn pink as the sprays of blood left on her skin washed off her body. A small choking sound filled the bathroom and she slid down the shower wall until she was huddled in the corner, letting the water beat down on her head.

One more time…..I get to cry one more time

That was how Spike found her an hour later.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Spike approached with caution. The last few hours were bringing back all the memories of Drusilla he had fought to bury. Buffy had seemed to collapse into herself and he had no idea how to fix it. "Buffy? Luv?" He reached into the shower and flipped the tap to turn off the icy water she sat under. Grabbing a towel, he lifted her shaking body and tried to rub some warmth into it.

"Buffy? What is it, luv? What can I do?"

Something seemed to snap in her dead eyes. He was shocked when she pitched forward, pressing her lips desperately against his. Her blatant attempt to use him crawled under his skin and stared to burn at his mind. Spike shoved her away in disgust. Grabbing her shoulders, he snarled in her face. "That’s your answer for everything, isn’t it? I’m not playing this game again, Buffy. This thing that we keep doing….it’s going to stop."

Buffy blinked slightly in confusion and then replaced the emotion with hate. "What, you’re too good for me now, is that it? I’m not pure anymore. You want pure? Go find Dawn."

Buffy grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her. Stalking into the bedroom, she began pulling clothes out of the closet and piling them on the bed.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Spike had traced her flight into the bedroom and was leaning in the doorway, glaring at her.

"You’re so smart, you figure it out," she sneered

"You know, I’d hoped that maybe the years would have knocked that enormous chip off your shoulder, but I was wrong-"

"I’ve got news for you Spike, you’ve never been right. Not about me. Not about anything."

"I may have misjudged things Slayer, but I can guarantee that I’ve never been wrong about you. Not where it counts."

Buffy dropped the shirt she was holding and stalked across the room, shoving him against the wall when she reached him. "I forgot, you know me. You see me. That tune has gotten real old, Spike.’"

"Bloody well right I know you."

"You don’t see shit." Buffy realized her exit was being blocked. She shifted her features and dropped her voice. "Get out of my way."

"Hardly a deterrent, Slayer. You forget who you’re dealing with."

"No." Buffy pulled back her arm ."You did. I’m not the Slayer anymore, quit calling me that." She slammed her fist into his face with a sickening crack of bone.

Spike grabbed her and threw her onto the bed. Wrestling her arms above her head, he straddled her hips and growled down at her his face changing to match hers.

"Think being turned changed what you are? You. Are. A. Killer. The rules may have changed but the game is still the same." Spike twisted her wrists painfully and sneered in her face. There’s no more denying it, pet. All those years of slaying…..the greater good…..over. Can’t hide your true nature behind some morality clause anymore, can you? I didn’t see a drop of compassion in your eyes when I closed that door tonight. No matter how much you beat me or yourself up, that’s not going to change."

"I had to! " she screamed. " Dawn-"

"You didn't have to and we both know it. You did it cause’ you wanted to. Just like you did with that kid at the dorms and the guy in the alley. This is you now. This is what you’ve always been. Accept it."

"No, you’re wrong…it’s not the same."

"Who are you trying to fool? Me or yourself? It’s exactly the same."

"I didn’t…..the dorms…..I didn’t." Buffy’s words had broken down into sobs.

"Maybe not the dorms, but don’t even try to deny the alley. I was there, I saw you."

Buffy went still beneath him. "What did you see, Spike?"

"I saw you covered in blood. I saw his throat ripped out."

"What else did you see? What about me?"

Spike stared at her for a moment, trying to piece together his memories of that night. " I saw you…..I saw your clothes…they were ripped…." Spike’s grip on her arms loosened as realization dawned on him. "Your top was ripped clean down the middle and your pants were…."

Facts assimilated in his brain as the implications of what he was saying registered. Rolling off her, he sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall. She didn’t move.

"I don’t know a bloody thing. Do I?"

Buffy was silent for a moment and then he felt her light touch on his back as she began to speak." Yes, you do. I can make excuses to myself for that bastard in the alley. I can’t excuse what I did tonight. They were screaming and….. I didn’t listen. I just……… I’m not who I was. I don’t know what I am anymore."

Spike turned around and laced his fingers through hers. He stared intently into her eyes. "You are what you have always been. Buffy. Nothing more…nothing less."

Neither spoke again for a long time as they both processed everything that was forever lost to them.

"Do you….did you love her?"

Spike smiled at the question. "No, I liked her, but I never loved her."

"Why?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why do you bloody think?"

"Oh." Buffy sat up and stared at the way their hands meshed together as if trying to figure out a giant puzzle.

"Well, that was an intelligent answer. Yes Buffy, I am destined to be your slave for the rest of our unnatural lives. No matter how twisted or screwed up you get. Happy now? You’ve got your own personal puppy."

"I don’t want a puppy.’

"Tough. You’ve got one. No refunds."

Buffy smiled slightly and raised her eyes. The pieces of life, love, everything he had handed her years ago, were finally falling into place. "Can I get you a leash?"

"I don’t bloody think so."

Buffy’s grin widened and Spike felt like he might be swallowed up in the power of it. "You’re not my pet, Spike. You’ll never be my pet."

"Well then….what am I…. to you?"

"A pain in my ass…..the only one left I can count….my….my past…..my future… I really don’t care, you pick."

Spike felt like all the borrowed blood in his system simultaneously rushed to his head. Through the haze he managed to ask, "What are you saying?"

"I’m saying… this is going to take time. I’m saying that I don’t really know who I am right now. I don’t know where I’m going or how I’m going to get there. The only thing I know is that I am not going anywhere without you. That’s what I am saying."

"Buffy?" Spike gathered up every last ounce of courage he possessed for the final time he would ever ask her this question and swallowed hard "Do you love me?"

"No." He felt his last hope shatter wide open and tried to pull his hand free. Buffy gripped it tighter and leaned over brushing her lips across his. "But I won’t fight the fall anymore."

Spike’s gaze shot up to her eyes. "Are you…. do you…. could you…..?"

Buffy stopped the stammer of halftenctences with her mouth touching his. The words she whispered softly against his lips dove straight to his heart. "Me. You. Big cliff. Start with the catching part."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Spike rolled over and looked at the clock. It was five in the afternoon, at least another hour before they could safely leave Sunnydale. Stretching sore muscles, he shifted his body and propped himself up on an elbow. Smiling at the memory of how he got all those aches and pains, Spike gently shook the sleeping girl beside him. One eye pried open and Buffy blinked sleepily at him.

"Is it time to go?"

"Not yet, we have a little while before the sun sets."

"Okay, I’m going back to sleep."

Spike leaned in and started to nibble at the bare shoulder that peeked out from the covers. Buffy growled and swatted at his head. "Go away, tired."

Spike slid his hand under the covers and ran his fingers over a curve of smooth, naked thigh. Slipping the sheet down, Spike followed its path with his mouth. Buffy’s growl turned into a sigh and Spike grinned.

"What are you doing?" she moaned sleepily.

Spike lifted her foot from his new position at the bottom of the bed. Bending forward slightly, he placed a soft kiss on her ankle and began a slow journey up the length of her leg. "Marking my territory."

"Didn’t you mark me enough last-" Buffy’s speech ground to a halt as Spike’s tongue encountered the juncture between her thighs.

Lifting his head slightly, he grinned up at her. "You were saying….?"

Buffy growled low in the back of her throat and lifted her hips. "Nothing. Mark away. Mark anything. Just keep marking."

Spike laughed and went back to his self-appointed task.

"Buffy?………. Spike?….." Willow’s voice carried into the room and stilled the movements of the couple on the bed.

Spike dropped his head onto Buffy’s stomach and grumbled against her skin. "Bloody hell"

Buffy sat up, laughing, and pushed at him when he wrapped his arms around her waist like a petulant child.

"I’ll be right there." she called out to door and to the waiting Willow beyond it.

Turning back to the pouting vampire, she brushed a kiss over the top of his head. "Soon you’ll have me all to yourself. No more Scoobies, no more Hellmouth. Don’t be so greedy."

Spike grinned as he watched Buffy bounce off the bed and pull on her clothes. She had a long way to go before she came to terms with her life but he was going to be there every step of the way. It was going to be a long, rough road for both of them. He was looking forward to the trip.

Buffy turned at the door and raised an eyebrow at him. "Coming with?"

"Wherever you want, luv. Wherever you want."

The end

(For more Spuffy with a twist I have included an epilogue. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review this, your support has been incredible and I am eternally thankful.)