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Bound By Fate

Classes dragged by. Buffy felt twitchy and uncomfortable. She was acutely aware of Spike. She knew when he was laying down, when he was pacing, and finally when he fell back asleep. She missed him. It wasn't the burning need to see him that she had experienced two nights ago. She wasn't having trouble concentrating or having to fight the urge to go see him. She just missed him. That was beyond disturbing.

Finally in her last class Buffy found herself not really paying attention to the lecture and watching the clock instead. Finally people began to shuffle around and put their books away and Buffy realized with a start that class had ended early. Willow leaned into her space and whispered conspiratorially, "Riley watched you all through the lecture."

Buffy frowned. Three days ago she would have been thrilled. She might have very well melted into a puddle of girly excitement. He was definitely boyfriendly. Now the first thing that popped into her head was that Spike wouldn't like it. Screw that! She forced herself to turn and give Riley a cheery smile. She didn't want to burn her bridges with attitude. Soon this whole thing would be over and she would be on the prowl for a nice normal boyfriend again. And you didn't get more normal than corn-fed, polite, Iowa farm-boy Riley. He beamed back at her and she beat a hasty retreat before she actually had to talk to him. Willow caught up to her in the hall.

"What was that all about? I thought you liked Riley?"

"I do." Buffy fidgeted nervously even as she hurried away from class. She didn't want to chance running into him. "Things are just weird right now."

"I called Giles this morning, he wants us to pick up Spike and meet him at the Magic Box." Buffy nodded. Good they were picking up Spike. She should be annoyed. She tried to make an annoyed face but was sure she didn't pull it off. "So uhm Spike, is he being all Vampiry?"

"Vampiry? Willow he's definitely a vampire. But he's not acting all Night of the Living Dead or anything. You know Spike, he plays human awfully well. He even drank some of that blood Giles left, which is a good thing because I'm not sure I'm up to staking him." Willow paused and turned to her, putting on her serious face.

"About Yesterday, Buffy I am really sorry."

"It's OK Willow. I'm kinda embarrassed about it actually. I mean I don't really know why I acted like that, I just lost my head I guess."

"Oh Oh, don't be embarrassed. We all know it was totally because of the spell. Uhm, what does it feel like? Is it horrible?" Buffy started walking again, trying to decide how much to tell her friend. Finally she sat down on one of the benches and Willow joined her.

"It's really kind of intimate. I know what he's feeling and doing, and I know he knows what I'm feeling and doing. Even while he's there and I'm here, I know he's asleep. The really freaky thing about it is, it's kind of nice actually. Being around him makes me feel all safe and warm, and I don't get that a lot, ya know?" Willow nodded, slightly dumb struck. "And he's being weirdly nice to me. You'd think he'd be all giving me a hard time about it, but I guess he feels weird too. He’s all protective and I don't know, concerned about me. I guess he's used to taking care of Drusilla and now he wants to take care of me."

"So uh, you like it than?" Buffy could tell that she was trying to choose her words carefully; she probably wanted to jump up and run in horror.

"Well, it's not torture but Hello, Evil Dead Guy. Arrogant, Rude Serial Killer in my head. Definitely not of the good."

Willow looked vastly relieved. "So uh, what kind of nice things? Did he cook again? That seriously wigged me out."

"Uh yeah, actually I overslept this morning. We traded insults, he made me Waffles while I was in the shower. And um, I was late so he drove me to school."

"Wow, that's boyfriendly. Wait, its daylight!"

"Don't ask." Xander suddenly popped up behind them and Buffy was glad that he had missed the beginning of this conversation. After the whole Angel thing she wasn't sure Xander was the person to talk to about Spike. Actually she was quite sure that he was not.

"So, you girls ready to go? The Xan-Mobil is gassed up and ready to go." Buffy couldn't help but smile, would he never grow up? No Xander would eternally be immature and silly, and she loved him just the way he was.

"Yep." Willow chirped. And Buffy got the impression that she was relieved with the turn of conversation. Not that she could blame her. She just wasn't the same without Oz. Oh she put on a brave face, but she had wrapped so much of herself in Oz that she had ceased to be her own person. They had been like some kind of weird hybrid and now that Oz was gone a big part of Willow was missing. It must be hard to listen to her ramble on about being completed by someone. "We need to pick up Spike." At Xander's face she wrinkled her nose at him. "Giles Orders."

"Spike, Great." His former liveliness gone. Buffy frowned at Xander's downtrodden words. She hoped he could learn to accept Spike. That thought stopped her cold; she literally stopped walking and gaped like a fish. Her friends turned to her. "Alright there? Buffy?" She smiled and nodded, hurrying to catch up to them. It so didn't matter what Xander thought about Spike cause this was sooo temporary.

But Buffy couldn't fight the zap of excitement that rushed through her veins when they pulled into the driveway next to Spike's old Desoto. She really didn't see that attraction of a classic as he liked to call it, it was old. But she supposed Spike was old and felt some kind of weird kinship. But it wasn't just him. She'd seen other guys go all slack jawed and glassy eyed over old cars too. Must just be a guy thing.

She was kind of disappointed when Willow and Xander got out of the car to go in with her. But they weren't really the type to wait in the car, and probably had no clue why she might want them to. Xander raided the kitchen and Willow followed her up the stairs. She found herself hesitating slightly, blushing. She knew Spike was in her bed. Had slept there because it smelled like her. But what would Willow think. Oh well, it couldn't be helped. She could have hollered for him at the bottom of the stairs and he would have come. But it was too late now. She opened her door and walked in with false confidence. She just hoped he wasn't naked.

He was sprawled out on the comforter in just his jeans. Belly down, head turned on her pillow. His bare back was all smooth lines and muscle. The long furrows she had left the other night were gone, to be replaced by fading finger shaped bruises on his forearms and a fading redness where she had bitten him. He had liked that. He'd finished instantly, gripping her to him, leaving his own marks on her. They hadn't faded yet either. His hair was strangely ordered; apparently it took wicked sex to bring out his curls. After all he didn't move when he slept.

He was completely still. It was unnerving. He was so animated when he was awake. Pacing and fighting and smirking and kissing. And now he was completely motionlessness. No breath stirred his breast, no twitch in his ivory skin. Outside of asleep she didn't think she'd ever seen him still. There was no reflection of him in her dresser mirror. It unsettled her and she reached out and touched him. As if to prove to herself that he was there, that he was real and solid. She trailed her fingers from the nape of his neck, down his spine over the waistband of his jeans and cupped the swell of his ass. He immediately woke to her touch and watched her with hooded azure eyes that pierced right through to her soul. He was real. More real than anything else in the room, in her world.

Willow made a surprised sound and Buffy realized with a start that she had completely forgotten about the presence of her friend. She jerked her hand away from her mate and peeked at Willow. Her friend had a shocked and curious look on her face. Almost like longing. Willow noticed her looking and put her resolve face on. Buffy resigned herself to in depth conversation. Willow might be oblivious sometimes but she wasn't blind. The way she had touched this Vampire was the way a woman touched her lover, there was no mistaking it. The possessive sure sweep of her hand, the calm way he accepted it spoke volumes more than any words.

Spike rolled over onto his back and reached for his cigarettes. "Giles wants us at the magic box." He nodded and propped himself up against the headboard, lighting a smoke. Completely at ease in her bed, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room. Willow perched nervously on the bench of her vanity table and Buffy narrowed her eyes at the way that her friend kept looking at Spike. Not like she'd never seen a bare chested man before. She had been lovers with Oz. Just to keep herself busy she went to the closet and got out her weapons bag. She checked the contents even though she already knew what was in there. She ignored the thin stream of amusement she got from Spike. He knew she was uncomfortable and just keeping busy. Screw him. She dug some workout clothes out of her dresser and tossed them in the bag. Her internal language had definitely taken a turn for the worst since she became linked to him.

"Got time for a shower?" Spike asked, snubbing his cigarette out in a pop can. God the stink of smoke was going to linger in her room forever.

"You sure wash a lot for a Vampire." She snapped. He wasn't nearly as bothered by this whole thing as he ought to be. She'd obviously been being too nice to him. He was getting all comfortable, in her house, in her bed.

"Vampires don't eat, Vampires don't wash." He mimicked in a high pitched tone of voice. "The poof may have given you some odd preconceptions about Vamps, but I know for a fact that he was clean." He smirked up at her, eyes almost flirting. He was obnoxious and she couldn't believe she had ever let him touch her in the first place. He frowned suddenly. "Well, other than that hundred year stint of grungy guilt he dwelled on while he adjusted to his shiny new soul. Pathetic that was."

"I'd really rather you didn't talk about Angel. You really didn't know him at all." Buffy was proud of her flippant tone. Not so proud of the fact that she had to work to achieve it around him. It should come easy. "He was completely different than Angelus."

"That right? I know him a lot better than you think little girl. He hid a lot from your innocent sweet eyes." His smirk came back full blown. And she was hard pressed not to focus on his full, surprisingly soft, lips. She met his eyes instead and that might have been a mistake because they touched her deep inside and made her hum. "So are you trying to tell me that the great and powerful Angel didn't have good hygiene?"

Willow suddenly broke in, ever the peacemaker. "Giles didn't say it was urgent. I'm sure you could shower before we go." Spike nodded to Willow, glided to his feet, and sauntered from the room without giving her a second glance. Willow turned to her friend and smiled far too sweetly. "Soooo, was it just me or was Spike sporting a nice bite mark? I'm sure it wasn't there yesterday."

"Sshhh, He'll hear you." She hissed. The shower started up. Would he be able to hear them talk over the shower? Cause there was going to be talking. No way was Willow going to let this go. Buffy was feeling much kinder towards her friend all of a sudden. She had been staring at the bite mark, not his chest.

"The showers on Buffy, he can't hear us." Willow crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows.

"I'll tell you all about it later, but I'm not sure he can't hear us. I so don't want to discuss this in front of him." She frowned. "Besides, Spike is freakishly quick in the shower." Buffy grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. Even Willow wouldn't pressure her to talk about something like this in front of Xander. The three of them sat at the table, the atmosphere comfortable. Xander was throwing popcorn in the air and catching it in his mouth.

Spike entered the room silently. She had told Willow that she was over the whole bad boy thing. That she wanted a nice wholesome boyfriend, normal and slay free, like Riley. She'd lied. The way Spike moved turned her on. He was violence walking. Like a deadly panther, all graceful and sure. His cocky strut just screamed, fuck with me, I dare you. Each move he made, precise and lethal. He exuded danger and sexuality. He knew it too.

"Ready Kiddies?" He drawled in his distinct accent. She would never admit, even to herself that it gave her the shivers every time she heard him speak. Long before this whole mate thing. Nope, some things should never be acknowledged or spoken, ever. Xander bristled at his tone and of course being referred to as a kiddie. You'd have to be an ancient old man to not be a kid to Spike. Who would most likely live forever.

Spike had a blanket tossed over one arm, and he's keys in his other hand. Obviously he meant to drive his own car, and it made sense. If they managed to separate today he wouldn't want a reason to have to come back here. And she didn't care. She wanted to be rid of him as much as he wanted to be rid of her. She did. Xander guffawed in amusement when Spike made his mad dash to his car. Buffy didn't think it was funny, it was foolish. Courting his own death that way. Of course what else would she expect from a Vampire who purposely sought out the Slayer because she was a challenge?

Buffy was disgusted with herself when she actually took a second to consider which car to get in. She slammed Xander's door a little harder than she ought to and he made a wounded sound. Xander drove the speed limit, and Spike drove disturbingly close to his rear bumper. Just what did Spike intend to do if he got pulled over in broad daylight? Probably would consider it a challenge. Freak.

The interior of the Magic Box was cheery and familiar. Giles sat at a corner table, surrounded by his books. He would figure this out. One of life's few certainties was that she could depend on Giles. The nervous look he gave her was not at all reassuring. She sat down next to him and smiled. Spike tossed his blanket over the chair next to her and sprawled out in the seat. Buffy sniffed at him and tossed her hair. He just grinned at her and ran his tongue over his teeth. He was so annoying. "So, hunted down a cure for us yet Giles?"

"What you have isn't a disease Buffy." He took off his glasses and looked seriously at them both. Uh Oh, This was not of the good. "How are you two doing?"

"Don't dance around the question Watcher." Spike's tone of voice was low and ominous. His previous good humor forgotten. "Do you have a Soddin' solution or should I start searching elsewhere?"

"Do you have other sources?" Giles replied, voice sharp and hard. His earlier forced friendliness overblown by his natural hostility.

"Nowhere I'd take my Slayer." Giles snapped his pencil in half. He took a deep breath and unclenched his fist. Xander and Willow finally sat down. Giles hadn't missed Spike calling her his. And she should be pissed off. But she felt his alarm in her head and knew he hadn't meant to say it that way. Hadn't meant to claim her out loud. She had found herself calling him hers several times in the last few days. Of course her friends thought that he had done it to irritate. Spike turned and frowned at her, he surely could feel her amusement despite her strait face.

"Then we had best get strait to what I've found then." Giles eyes softened when he turned to her. "It's quite disturbing actually. Have you eaten?"

"No, Why?"

"Because it's probably best if you eat before I tell you." Buffy felt the blood drain from her face. This did not sound pleasant. Spike's hand twitched on his leg and Buffy knew he was fighting the urge to touch her. Giles dug out his wallet. "Xander, Willow. Perhaps you could get us some sandwiches from down the road?" Her two friends walked out silently, side by side. He placed his glasses firmly on his nose and leaned in on his elbows. "Now Buffy, really how are you feeling? I was very worried about you yesterday. Your reaction to the spell leads me to believe that this connection between you runs much deeper than we originally thought." He looked very uncomfortable. "I must apologize to you dear; I rather rushed into that spell because of the disturbing state I found things that morning."

"So you sent the kiddies away to chat about the sex?" Spike drawled bluntly, while dipping into his pockets for his cigarettes. Chain Smoker, Much? "It was a temporary side effect, if that's what's got you all bollixed up." Giles paled. Buffy didn't realize she had swung until her fist was crashing towards his arrogant smirking face. He must have sensed her coming because he shoved himself back away from the table, dropping his cigarettes and falling gracelessly. "Bloody Hell Bitch!" He glared up from the floor with his sapphire eyes sparkling with anger. "What?"

She jumped up and aimed a kick at his midsection. What? What? She would show him what. He caught her ankle, twisted it and sent her sprawling too. By the time she had leapt to her feet he had gotten up as well. They squared off and Buffy was about to seriously get down to kicking his undead ass when Giles interrupted. "That's quite enough you two; there really isn't time for this." He sighed dramatically and they both sat down. A seat between them and Spike glaring menacingly. "Are there any other side effects I should be aware of? Honesty is critical here. I can't fix it if I don't know what I'm dealing with."

She stared at Spike and he stared back. She had explained the way she felt as best she could to Giles before. Spike reached down and snatched his cigarettes off the floor. "It's really intense Giles, I feel…" He'd said honesty was important but she wished Spike wasn't here listening to every word. "Close to him." She finished lamely. Spike blew smoke over the table and arched his back, like a big cat stretching.

"I'm channeling her loyalties and feelings." Buffy nodded smartly. That was probably important. Giles leaned back and waved his hand as if for Spike to continue. Spike wore his look of disgust openly. "Couldn't hurt the lot of you if I wanted to. Feel all warm and fuzzy towards you. It's stronger when the Slayer's with me. It's not nearly as strong as she feels I think, more like an echo, an impression. But it's more concentrated today than it was yesterday."

"Yeah I've noticed the same thing, and I'm protective and sympathetic towards him too."

"But are there negative things?" Giles paused, took off his glasses and faced her resolutely. "Buffy are you craving blood?" He asked baldly. He couldn't have shocked her more if he had told her that Harmony had wings and was planning the next apocalypse.

"What? No Giles, No. The worst thing is just that it's Spike. If it wasn't Spike it might actually be kind of nice. But it's Spike. But no, no blood cravage of any kind. No! Giles I would have told you something like that." Buffy knew she was rambling but she was horrified. Giles had thought she might be craving blood and yet had left her alone with only a Vampire for company How sick was that?

"Calm down Ripper. She's not turning into a bloody demon!" He stood and walked behind her chair. She started violently when he laid his hands on her. He ran his calloused fingers up her arms and rested his hands on her shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. She realized she was leaning into his touch and stiffened back up. He stepped away from her and paced. She felt calmer, but infinitely more embarrassed. He had after all just told her watcher, her watcher of all people, that they had slept together. She had known that he knew but she would have rather it never be spoken of out loud.

Giles gave him a very dirty look but looked relieved against his will. He opened his mouth to speak but Xander and Willow came bumbling in the door with two bags from the sandwich shop. Everyone dug in; they had even picked up a sandwich for Spike. He sat again and munched with them. Xander and Willow made silly jokes and Xander snorted pop through his nose. "This is the crack team that foils my every plan? I am deeply shamed." Spike muttered, shaking his head. Buffy found herself smiling at him and stopped abruptly.

Finally Giles cleared his throat and reached for one of his books. "Remember I mentioned that there were other references to the original prophecy. I believe now that they are actually related more to the results. In fact I have confirmed seventeen separate citation’s referring to your current condition. In truth I have found countless obscure references that may point to this event as well."

"You comin' to a point anytime soon Watcher?" Spike asked, using his foot to push his chair back on its hind legs. Giles glared at him and Spike ignored it, lighting yet another cigarette. "Night's falling, I got places to be."

"Oh no!" Xander exclaimed. "Were talking apocalypse now, aren't we?" Willow gasped and sat up strait.

"I'll admit that there are dire portends that refer to the "Slayer's blood bond." And "Enemies bound by purpose" Which was the exact phrasing of the original prophesy. Also there are references to "The chosen's mate", "The Vampire's light with a beating heart." And others." He sat the book down and removed his glasses. "These could advocate a single event or a series of events. The fact is that this requires further research before I designate any course of action. I believe that it would be disastrous to sever this mating. Until I know more I think it imperative that things remain as they are."

Spike crashed to the floor. Buffy jumped to her feet and cried "What! You are so kidding with me, aren't you Giles?" He shook his head at her and she gasped helplessly. "You can't be serious Giles, you can't propose you just leave us like this?" Spike growled and leapt up to stand behind her. He radiated hostility and she couldn't fault him.

"I am not just going to keep the Slayer you bleedin idiot." His voice was low and threatening again and Buffy shivered.

"Spike, calm down" Giles said wearily, with far too much patience. "I'm not saying forever just until we make sure that ending it is in the best interest of everyone."

Spike smashed his foot into the table, sending the table, books and sandwiches flying. Amazingly it didn't hit any of her friends and she realized with a flinch that he hadn't meant it to. He spun and grabbed a shelf, sending it airborne as well.

"Spike, that's enough." She said quietly. He visibly struggled with himself. His need to please her warring with his need to destroy things in his frustration. Finally he through up his hands and strode towards the door with a "Bugger this."

She ran to catch up with him. "Spike, where are you going?"

"Gonna go kill something Slayer. Being hungry makes me edgy." She stepped resolutely in his way.

"Let's get something strait right now Spike. You are not going to slaughter innocent people and live. I am the Slayer and I will do my duty."

"That right?" He smirked and got up close to her. "Your not gonna do anything to me, you haven't the stones."

"I shoved a sword through the stomach of my soul-mate. I won't shed any tears over your dust Vampire."

"Yeah to save the world sweetheart. But for some barmy thug? Some idiot stupid enough to walk the streets after sunset? They're asking for it Goldilocks. It's what I do."

She stepped closer to him and titled back her head so she could look him in the eye. "Giles, get some chains. I'm taking blood breath here down."

He gripped her waist, hard. Pulling her lower body into his. She could feel proof of his arousal pressing firmly into her pelvis and her breath caught. His voice was low and rough, pitched for her ears alone. "That an invitation luv? Fighting s'not the only way I can think of to burn off tension."

She gripped the lapels of his coat and pulled him even closer. "I'm serious Spike, your itch'n for a fight I'll serve it up. But the blood of the innocent is out." His mouth was inches from hers, his eyes hard as glass. Her heart was beating so fast; surly it must sound like a drum to him. His hands softened at her waist, his fingers flexed possessively and his thumbs rotated in a smooth circle. She pushed him hard and he stumbled away from her. "We've got blood at my house, we'll get as much as you need."

He cocked his head to one side, a feral look to him. "And if I want it strait from the tap?"

"Shit in one hand, want in the other. We'll see which one fills up first." Willow made a squeaking sound at her language and Buffy turned, blushing. Giles had a look of disapproval on his face as well. The table was destroyed and they were still all in their seats, shocked expressions in tact. Spike reached up and stroked her neck, his thumb brushing firmly over his bite mark. He removed his touch before she could react and he smirked back at her dirty look.

"So research party?" Willow spoke up nervously. "Uhm, What about Patrolling? If this isn't getting fixed she's going to have to go out sooner or later." Spike growled at her back and Buffy smiled.

"There you go Spike, all the violence you could possibly want." He growled again and began to pace.

"I'm not Peaches, Buffy. I'm not going to exterminate my own kind."

"You're trying to tell me you've never killed other Vampire's?" Xander was incredulous. As he should be. Spike was volatile.

"Only if they piss me off." He muttered. And Buffy laughed.

"You'd best come along then. With your attitude someone is bound to piss you off." He glared at her and she glared back. But he snatched his cigarettes off the table and swept out of the door without further argument.







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