Quid Pro Quo

Special thanks to Lacrimosa, Bloodshedbaby, Kimber, PS, Jane, spikestheman, and Krya Storm. You guys rock. Thanks so much for the feedback. It gives me the kick in the ass to keep going.


Ok, guys, this is where the tide starts turning.


Chapter 9: Men Will Be Boys

By nightfall, the four supernaturals making the trip were ensconced in a private jet hired by Angel. Before the airplane ever left the ground, everyone was getting annoyed with the lengths that Spike was going to make his injured leg comfortable. One pillow, three pillows, a different seat, a different angle to sit in… Gritting her teeth, Nina finally was forced step in. “Spike, have you tortured Angel enough yet?”

Spike looked the broody vampire up and down. “Just one more pillow…Yeah, the scowl is frowning enough.” That got him a growl from Angel.

The beginning of the trip fascinated Buffy. Up until the last couple of days, she had never seen Spike and Angel in the same room without them wanting to kill each other. It was…Their antics were major league freaky and surprisingly funny. She had never associated the word, “funny,” with Angel, but she did now. She spent the first hour on the plane just soaking up the atmosphere. Unbelievably, Angel was relaxed. Almost kicked back if it wasn’t for Spike who was doing his best to be annoying. He even smiled at Nina from time to time. Nina was soaking it all up, obviously loving the interaction between the two males.

Concerning Spike’s words on the current topic, Angel threw up his hands in disgust. “You have got to be kidding me. Of course an outhouse is better looking than a port-a-potty. An outhouse can be built to look good and be painted any color. And it has that cute little sliver of a moon.”

Spike did his wimpy imitation of Angel. “’That cute little moon?’ You pansy, the port-a-potty is a nice, electric blue body and a white roof. It never fades or chips because it is plastic.”

“Electric blue is gaudy.” Angel thought that went without saying. “It should be some sort of dark color.” Typical Angel, Buffy thought.

Nodding his head, Spike did find some ground to agree on. “It would be better black and red.”

And typical Spike, she thought with a smile. Some things just don’t change, thank goodness. ‘Black and red?’ That was her Spike, Buffy reflected. She anticipated the next round as they both looked lost in thought…just for a moment.

Angel let loose the next volley. “But comfort…You have GOT to admit that there isn’t a huge difference in comfort.”

“No, I have not ‘got’ to admit that rubbish. The port-a-potty is more comfy.”

“A grown man shouldn’t say ‘potty’ and ‘comfy’ in the same sentence,” Nina dared to observe and then laughed when they gave her the dear caught in a headlight looks.

It took Spike a moment to recover. “But…” He looked back over at Angel. “But the port-a-potty is more comfy, luv.”

Chiming in, Angel laughed at the bleach blonde. “Ha, brain donor, the outhouse could have a seat custom fit.”

“And get splinters in your arse, you nit. Now, I will give you that the outhouse smells better…”

Buffy tried not to laugh, but she did a few instances along with Nina. She loved seeing Spike like this, carefree and laughing. It took all of her control to stay in her seat and not go over and plant one on Spike’s sexy lips. Just being this close to him was enough for now, but the teasing of Angel was just an added bonus to this in-flight entertainment.

After a time, a long time, Spike and Angel finally wound down and fell asleep. Buffy did the same, knowing that once they were on the ground.

What she didn’t know was that while everyone slept, Spike had woken up and slipped away to use the restroom. When he returned, he paused and looked his fill down at Buffy. He couldn’t stand it. He had been suppressing his feelings too much over the last few days, so he took the dare and leaned down, kissed her forehead and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. Then he watched her smile blossom. Had she woken up? Did she know who kissed her? Was she dreaming of him? A bloke could hope, couldn’t he?

Later, Buffy was woken up by more of the Angel and Spike show currently appearing on the card game channel. They were arguing over who was cheating the most at the gin rummy they were playing. Believe it or not, she found it a pretty good way to wake up. But of course, any way where she woke up to Spike was a good one, even if she wasn’t in his arms. She would work on that, she promised herself.

Trying to be subtle but wanting to stare, Buffy avoided looking at Spike directly. She would occasionally make eye contact with Angel, which was not too bad since Angel didn’t seem as hostile towards her as he had that first day at the mansion. It was like they had signed a peace agreement over the trust issue. She had Nina to thank for the little improvement. What she really wanted to do was glance at Spike, but didn’t. She didn’t want to see the fury in his eyes. In her peripheral vision, she could see how animated he was in his argument with Angel. Under the circumstances, she would have to be satisfied with that tidbit of a view. No. No way, she was satisfied. She wanted to look at him, and there was no rule, no law against it. So she turned in her chair as Nina had and watched the men like it was a tennis match, not talking but openly laughing.

Spike was actually glad to have his grandsire in the plane to argue with since it helped take his mind off of the slayer sitting four feet away. Kissing her had only made it worse for himself and his control. He wondered if she had chosen the seat next to him on purpose. That close, he could smell not only her perfume, but also the aroma underneath that was uniquely her. His sensory memories went crazy. The most predominate was the last time he held her while they slept, before fighting the First Evil. But he didn’t want to think about a cherished memory that he tried to keep buried. No matter his effort to shore up his will, slips still occurred-- such as the kiss. While he and Angel argued, he couldn’t help but feel good that he was able to make her smile and laugh. He had seen it directed at him so rarely, and that last year in Sunnydale she hadn’t had much to smile about. But no, he couldn’t cave in. To stay away from her he was going to have to stay strong and ignore those beautiful smiles. Ah, hell, now she was facing him, which only made it worse. It wasn’t like he was known for refusing temptations.

*****

They landed shortly after nightfall. An hour later, they were no closer to leaving than when Buffy and Nina had begrudgingly finished loading the luggage. The men were…preoccupied.

Men. Buffy and Nina stood on a bustling street of Cozemel. Tourists and natives were all mixed together, but they were all getting along better than the dysfunctional pair of alpha males standing in front of the jeep, arguing. Men. They were getting on Nina’s last nerve. “What was it about driving and remote controls that makes a man think he should be in control of everything?” Men.

Buffy finally stepped in between them. “Okay, guys. Okay. Since we are acting like twelve year olds, let’s solve this as twelve year olds would. Odds or evens.”

“Good one,” Nina told Buffy. Holding back her mirth, she made the assignments. “Angel, you’re odd, and Spike, you’re even.”

Spike and Angel stood with mouths agape. Finally Nina popped both of the men on the shoulders.

“Ready, boys?” When both were looking at her, she started the count. “One…two…three.”

Angel held out three fingers while Spike held out two. Three plus two equals five. Odd. Therefore, Angel.

Not surprised, Buffy sputtered and then laughed when Spike quickly changed the number of his fingers to three, making the total six and therefore even. And the argument was on again.

It didn’t help when Angel gloated. “Ha. Five. I drive.”

“What are you blind, lug head? Three plus three is six. Even. I drive.” Spike made for the driver’s seat.

Angel stopped him by catching his arm. “What? No, you had two out there, bleach boy. Five.”

“Peaches, needing some specs in your advanced age? You would probably run into a tree anyway. I had three out so it was even. Give me the keys.”

Before Spike could, Buffy plucked the rental jeep’s keys out of Angel’s hand. “Nina, what’s the ruling?”

Nina pointed at Spike and laid down the law. “Only two fingers, so it was odd. Angel.”

Buffy handed over the keys back to Angel, who immediately headed for the jeep’s driver’s seat while Spike grumbled about a rigged game. Nina set him straight. “You’re always saying you’re a big bad. How about a big baby?”

Spike hesitated before getting into the jeep. He hadn’t thought about this. Of course Nina would sit next to Angel, leaving him sitting only six inches at best away from Buffy. He also had no doubt that many of the Mexican roads would be bumpy, throwing the jeep and its occupants around.

However, all went well-- at least from Spike’s point of view. He had no interaction with Buffy but had reveled in back seat driving, thoroughly angering his grandsire, who was using a GPS monitor and a map to guide them.

Spike started yelling. “Right, right, turn right.”

Angel hit the brakes before he recovered. “Shut up, Spike. We don’t go right.”

“Left, left, turn left.”

Angel glared back at Spike. “Spike, we go straight. If you don’t stop, I’m going to reach back there…”

“What, DAD? Spank me?”

Spike could hear Buffy laughing next to him. He had forgotten how much her laughter drew him to her. Moth to a flame, and now her laugh was only a few inches away. A bump startled him out of his thoughts.

Bump and suddenly Buffy was in his lap. “Sorry.” That was the first word that had been said directly between them since he had refused her entrance into the hellmouth. Not what Spike had ever envisioned as the second interaction. And how wonderful she felt in his lap, and… and she didn’t seem to want to move anytime soon. Then Spike made the mistake of looking into her face. She was smiling at him. He felt his heart start to melt. He could see her pert little nose and wanted to kiss the light sprinkle of freckles across the bridge. Catching his traitorous lips before they could get him in trouble, Spike couldn’t get her off his lap fast enough. He mentally chanted his mantra. The Immortal, the Immortal, the Immortal.

Buffy had been waiting for such an opportunity the entire time they were in the jeep. One good bump, and she practically jumped into his lap-- just where she wanted to be. But she didn’t turn out to be a fluent orator as she would have wanted. “Sorry.” That was the exact opposite of how she felt. Not sorry, but glad. She hoped that this would help break the ice. Spike still avoided any eye contact. But not this time. The next thing she knew, she was looking into his beautiful, blue eyes. And they weren’t that hard, arctic blue but softer and slightly darker. For a moment, just a second, she could see the old Spike; the one that she had loved in Sunnydale. But then she was practically flying back into her seat as he tossed her off his lap. She wanted to laugh. Judging by the bulge she felt in his pants, he wasn’t as immune to her as he was letting on. Hope grew, no pun intended. The second time she landed in his lap, she even got in a little wiggle and then giggled when he groaned.

Once they reached the area where they needed to enter the jungle, they hid the jeep behind some vegetation, strapped on their packs, broke out the lanterns they kept tethered to their belts for emergencies, and started walking. Angel led with the GPS.

They walked all night and rested during the day so that Angel could stay out of the sun under a tent. While they were resting, Buffy was trying to think up more ways to make physical contact with Spike. At the moment she was fascinated by watching Spike touch up his eye liner. It reminded her again that this was the old, temperamental Spike-- not the insightful, gentle, supportive one. Both were good, though.

Luck was with her. Some opportunities did open up. In the line they naturally walked in, Angel took the lead, followed by first Nina, Buffy and Spike in back. She had already stopped short once, and his body became flush with her back. He was warm. That was something she was going to have to get use to. If he let her. No, she would make him let her. Next she thought she would try tripping and see if he would help her up.

The strategy worked well that night. She made sure her foot hooked in a vine, and she fell down on her knees. He was instantly there, helping her up. He grabbed her hand and politely drew her to her feet, and best of all, her eyes locked with his for a good twenty seconds. Definitely progress.

When Buffy had stopped the first time and his body came in contact with hers, Spike’s first instinct was to wrap his arms around her-- feel her as one with him. And then when she tripped and he automatically helped her up, they had locked gazes. Blue to hazel. She was hard to resist. But he scolded himself and moved away. What the hell was going on? He was being such a pansy. He didn’t want her. She had broken the trust with Angel, which bled over to him also. She had fucked the Immortal. She was not wanted. So why was he having such a hard time resisting her? He didn’t want an answer to that.

The next night, they arrived. They hadn’t known just what they were looking for, but they did now. Actually Spike ran into it, bruising his toes. The overgrowth was heavy, disguising what appeared to be a large but low, stone pyramid.

Buffy pulled vines aside. “It’s a lot of stones.”

“Yep, it’s a big bugger.” Spike yanked at more of the foliage.

Looking over her shoulder at the others, Buffy asked, “So what do we do about this pyramid?”

“I’m guessing that we should go inside.” Angel actually said it with a straight face.

Turning to face his grandsire, Spike put his hands on his hips. “Ya think, peaches?”

“So we need a door,” Nina added.

Spike rounded on Nina. “What? Is big brow rubbing off on you?”

“Okay, big rocks. Need in. Need plan.” Buffy interrupted before a full blown fight could break out and took the initiative. “Spike and I will go to the right, and you two, go to the left. There has to be a door somewhere.” When they just looked at her, she asked in a hesitant voice. “Doesn’t there?”

All was fine. It was just that Spike and Angel weren’t use to Buffy making the plans. They barely let each other. “Yes, luv, there does. Let’s go.”

‘If he would just keep calling me ‘luv,’ I would follow him anywhere.’ She took off behind him, admiring his back through his t-shirt. Since it seemed to snag on so much, he had shed his coat when they had first entered the forest. Actually, if she could watch his ass in his tight black jeans, she would follow him anywhere. ‘Great buns!’ she thought with a smirk.

Pulling foliage back as they searched their way around the pyramid, all Spike and Buffy found was carvings in the stone. The pyramid was definitely not small. The side was longer than a football field. When Buffy and Spike were working on the end of their second side, they ran into Nina and Angel.

Nina gave them a small wave in greeting. “We didn’t find a door.”

Spike winked at her. “Not so much as a mouse’s hole, sweetness.”

Tilting his head, Angel looked up towards the top of the pyramid. “There has to be a way in. Let’s hunt again, and this time look for unconventional doors in.”

Spike and Buffy had only gone a few yards when Buffy stopped him. “Spike, look. All these stones have carvings, but this stone has an impression of a hand. Maybe that is a way in. You know, like you see in science fiction movies. Some guy puts his hand on a plate, and he is let in a door.”

“It’s as good a guess as any, pet.” Spike turned away and called for Angel

Buffy was happy. He was talking to her more, he was using nicknames, and he had just now smiled at her. Maybe the ice had a crack in it.

Angel rushed back. “So what do you have?”

“A handprint.” Buffy gestured towards the indentation.

Angel looked nonplussed. “So…?”

After rolling her eyes, Buffy explained. “Ya know. Think about all those movies that somebody gets into a room using their handprint like a finger print.”

Spike looked at the stone closely. “Something tells me that the people that built this temple have never seen those movies, luv, but you probably have a point worth a go. So who’s game?”

“I will. I’m the one who found it.” Buffy walked up to the hand impression and paused before putting her hand in the imprint. Nothing happened.

“Angel, shine your flashlight on this.” Nina pointed to a carving next to the hand imprint. It showed a Mayan warrior cutting his hand while crouching under the imprint. “I think this is what we are missing.”

Angel squinted at the carving, “You have to cut your hand?”

“Blood thirsty lot.” Spike smiled. “Gotta love’em.”

Buffy put her pack on the ground and scrounged around until she found a knife. “Ok, let’s try it.” She cut her hand and placed it in the imprint. A portal opened up, and after a second of hesitation, she stepped in. The portal immediately closed behind her.

*****

TBC

Several of my stories have been nominated for the Lovebite Awards,and they need your vote. If you would go to http://home.arcor.de/lovebite/Lovebite%20Awards/LA-Vote.html and vote for Memory Redux in the Best Long & Best Original Plot categories, Cretian Escape in the Angst, and With A Little Help in the Fluff category. Thanks so much for your support.