Now and then she threw a glance at him, as if she wanted to make sure he was still there. Like he could leave now. She was still Buffy, no doubt, but there was a light in her eyes that his Buffy didn’t have. His Buffy... it seemed like this one was more his than the younger.
“So, you’re all future-Buffy?” Dawn said.
Buffy had gone through that she didn’t know how or why she had come to be here, her gaze flickering back and forth between him and the girls. Now she nodded slowly.
“Yes,” she said, “Yesterday I was in Rome, almost two years forward in time.”
“Cool!” the girl exclaimed, “Was I there too? What about Tara and Spike? Are you and Spike a couple? Has someone died?”
For a second pain flashed over Buffy’s face, so brief that Spike nearly missed it.
“Whoa girl!” she said, contemplenting with the plastic smile he knew so well from the younger version, “I probably shouldn’t say anything.”
Dawn pouted.
“It may change the future,” Buffy said, “We don’t want that.”
“So, we have a good future?” Dawn asked.
“You have a good future.”
Spike frowned. What did she mean with that? Buffy’s attention was on him again and he shifted his weight from one foot to another. Never had he thought that it would feel so strange to have her focus on him so shamlessly, but then again, he’d never really thought that would happen.
“Dawn, shouldn’t you be in school?” she said, her eyes still on him.
He raised his eyebrows and she winked at him. She winked at him. Dawn looked back and forth between them.
“You just want me out of the house so you and Spike can go at it like bunnies.”
“Dawn!”
The girl raised her hands and walked past Spike out in the hall. Far away he noticed Glinda saying something, he registrered the word “Scoobie meeting” and then the witch was gone also. Buffy was smiling at him and he couldn’t keep from staring. All desperation and rage was just.... gone from her and she sparkled with.... life. But still, something weighed heavy over her. Something he couldn’t put his finger on. Something that had made her break down in tears this morning.
“So...” he said.
“So...”
She turned to him fully and he tilted his head.
“You gonna tell me my future?” he asked with a grin.
It melted away when she flinched. She tried to cover it with a laugh, but there was no humor in it.
“Didn’t you listen to what I said to Dawn?”
Spike shrugged and Buffy rolled her eyes. Next second she’d risen from her chair and stood before him. The air around them was suddenly heavy. Her heart was thundering in her chest and her hand trembled when she lifted it.
“You...” she mumbled, “you just... I don’t....”
“Buffy, what –”
A index finger against his lips silenced him. Her eyes was glittering of tears she desperately tried to blink back, but it almost seemed like it was automatic. Her eyes were focused on the finger. For a second she paused, looking into his eyes for a brief moment before closing her own. So was the finger replaced it with her mouth. Her lips brushed against his, so softly he barely felt it, as if she was afraid he would be gone if she was rougher. But all carfulness disappered nex moment ond her mouth was fused together with his, her tongue begging entrance he gladly gave. A soft sigh escaped her when he pulled her closer and her arms snaked around his neck. The kiss was different from the younger versions, that Buffy kissed him with despair and hunger, this like she wanted to devour him; licking every corner in his mouth, teasing the gums where his fangs bursted forward and battling his tongue. And god, she taste sweet, sweeter than he was used to.
When he remembered she needed oxygen to survive he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. A small smile played on her lips as she panted. Eyes still closed she murmured something inaudible even for him.
“Love?”
“You taste so good,” she mumbled, stealing another quick kiss, “Like...like...”
“Like what, sweetling?”
Slowly she opened her eyes and met his. “You,” she whispered, “You taste like you.”
That made him chuckle, even though a part of him was awed of her sincere tone.
“Would’ve been a bit strange otherwise, huh?”
The delicious sound of her giggle ringed in his ears and her hands, still lying around him, stroked his neck.
It was when it hit him.
He searched her eyes again and she still looked at him that way. The tears. The way she touched him, like she wanted to memorize every inch of him. The way she kept glancing towards him. Her reaction this morning, the tears, the words; as if she’d lost someone she... she loved. Buffy loved him.
Spike swallowed hard and had to force himself not to push her away.
It wasn’t the reaction he had thought he’d have when she finally came to love him. He had been almost sure that some day she would feel it, but he had imagined that he would kiss her when that time came; press her up against the nearest wall and shag her senseless. Murmur his own “I love you” into her ear over and over again, hoping she’d declare the words out loud too.
He took a step backwards.
“I need to go.”
“What?” she said, “What did i do?”
She looked... concerned, hurt.
“Nothing luv,” He hurried himself to say, even though he walked towards the door. “I’ll be back, yeah?”
“You’ll be back.” She swallowed. “Will you come by to the Magic box later?”
Buffy wanted him with her, together with her friends. He stopped and took in the sight of her; eyes uncertain and arms around herself.
“I’ll be there.”
There was something in the air, something that wasn’t magic, something he couldn’t grip. Something that had to do with her. Buffy. A part of him was giddy with happiness and wanted only to go back to her. She loved him. The other part wondered how long this would last. What had really happened this morning? Spike wasn’t a fool. Thinking about it, he couldn’t imaging the her who was supposed to be here, to ever just fall into his arms this morning. There had been too much desperation through the night, to much need. Her hands so hungry as they roamed his body and the words she’d spoken... He supposed it was a way to flee, letting the body take over and shutting the brain off. It wasn’t like he could blame her, hell, he’d be her willing partner anytime.
Slowly Spike came to stand still. But Buffy who was here now loved him. Why wasn’t he just making the most of it?
That was a very good question.
The slayerettes were buried in a sea of books when he walked into the Magic Box soon after sunset. All of them seemed more or less bored. Spike had a feeling that they hadn’t done this since the Watcher left. Buffy didn’t even pretend to be reading, just rested her arms against the open book. For a second she could’ve fooled him she was the girl who had just been ripped out of heaven by her friends, that was, until she saw him and her whole being seemed to lit up. He couldn’t keep himself from grinning.
“Hey,” she said.
Xander startled, looking at the Slayer with wide eyes.
“Buffy!” he said, “Why are you greeting the evil undead?”
Suddenly his eyes grew even wider.
“Don’t tell me Spike becomes a part of the gang!”
“We just agreed that I wouldn’t say anything about the future.” Buffy said.
Quickly she rose to her feet and closed the book in front of her. She walked over to the counter and picked up her jacket. As she pulled it on all the Scoobies was staring at her. Well, everyone except Dawn who just rolled her eyes and returned to her book.
“Buffy, where are you going?” Willow asked.
“Spike and I are gonna patrol.” Buffy opened her mouth again, but then abruptly turned to Xander instead. “Can you take care of Dawn please?”
The girl in question opened her mouth to protest, but one look from her sister and she turned back to her book, grumbling under her breath.
“Buffy, don’t you think you should help us research?” Xander said. “We have to get you back to your time.”
“I know.” Buffy smiled weakly. “And sooner or later we’re gonna find a way, but until then...” She glanced at Spike. “...I’m going to make the most of the time I’ve got here.”
“With Spike?!”
“Listen guys,” She took a deep breath. “I already know what you think and to be honest, I don’t give a damn.”
Ignoring her friends calls after her, she walked up to Spike. Grabbing his hand she pulled him with her through the door, into the night.
As the first vampire for tonight came in sight, Spike propped himself up against a headstone, left hand going into his pocket to fish up a cigarette. She moved differently; a little more gracefully, a little more coinfident. It was addictive to watch.
A left hook had the vampire stumble backwards and she went after it, following up with smashing her fist into it’s nose. The move had Spike wincing, then shaking his head amused. So that move hadn’t lost on her yet, huh? Couldn’t really blame her though, it could really get a vamp’s dizzy. After all the ends it had been delivered to him, he was just happy he had his vampire healing. Otherwise his nose would really have a funny shape by now.
She ended the fight with cracking some bad joke about the vamp “being too bad smelling to live” and thrust the piece of wood through its chest. And she was left with heaving breast and twirling the stake between her fingers. Spike smirked at her and took one last drag of his cigarette before dropping it to the ground.
“You know Red and the Whelp most likely are researching the possibility that you’ve been brainwashed right now.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I’d say I’m a lot more clear in my head then the me who’s supposed to be here.”
“Is that right?” Slowly he took a step towards her, leering when she gulped and nodded.
“Uh-huh.”
“So love, what do....”
Two new fledglings stepped out of nowhere, one of them aiming at his head. Swearing under his breath he took on one of them, ignoring the vamps surprised “Hey dude! You’re one of us!” as Spike slipped into game face. The newbie was dust flying with the wind a moment later.
The next minute he had an armful of warm Slayer, her mouth glued to his. He pulled her close, his hands wandering hungirly over her body. She nibbled on his lips, murmuring something so softly he couldn’t even catch it even with his vampire hearing.
When she pulled back were her eyes dark of desire.
“Wanna go back to your place?”
It took a second for him to register what she’d said, but then he nodded, taking her hand and dragging her along with him.
She followed without hesitation.
TBC