Summer Vacation: Chapter Five

The Great Outdoors

By Sailor Lum

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Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Same goes for any characters from Angel that should appear. Any other characters are mine and may be used for other fanfic (Just note that they’re mine if you use them.)

Content rating note: This fic is rated NC-17 for Spuffy hijinks.

Continuity note: This story takes place after “Showered With Love”, which takes place after the seventh season of Buffy assuming that the apocalypse is averted and all the Scoobies live. Giles has gone back to England (with any Slayers in training that survived) and Anya has decided not to go along. The story also assumes that Cordelia and Angel are dating by this time or, are at least on fairly friendly terms and acknowledge feelings for one another. The last episode I saw before starting this series was “Showtime” for Buffy and “Spin the Bottle” for Angel, so anything that occurs after may or may not apply to this series. See the prequel From Then Till Now for the details of what happens in Sunnydale between Showtime and Summer Vacation.

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1

The Winnebago barreled down the road at speeds approaching 70. Spike was at the wheel belting out David Bowie’s ‘Modern Love’ at the top of his lungs. And the others were prepared to let it go…until the road began to get curvy.

“Modern Love~!” Spike sang as he jerked the wheel and the RV screeched into the first curve.

“Modern Love~!” Spike sang again as he jerked the wheel in the other direction for the next curve.

“I don’t believe in Modern Love~!” Spike sang as he screeched into the final curve, and everyone was finally thrown to the floor.

“Spike!! Slow down!!” they screamed.

“Are you trying to get us all killed?!” Buffy exclaimed.

“Crazy vampire!!” yelled Xander.

“Sorry, mates! Got carried away. Won’t happen again,” he said, still bopping in his seat to the music and smiling.

The group picked themselves up off of the floor, grumbled, reclaimed their seats, and returned to their respective reading.

Spike smiled and gazed out the windows at the thick trees and greenery on either side of the road. It was about midday, so everything was bright and beautiful outside the tinted windows of the Winnebago. ‘Absolute Beginners’ was coming on and Spike swayed to it in his seat, watching the scenery fly by. He hadn’t had a bad dream since that incident with Dru back at the Red Lodge, and was feeling migh-ty fine.

Finally, they came to the campground station and Spike pulled in and parked the car. The big RV lurched as he brought it to a stop.

“Here we are, kiddies,” Spike said as he cut the motor.

“Jeez, Spike. What’s with you today? You’re all herky-jerky on the road,” said Dawn. “Not that it wasn’t kind of fun. Except for when it was kinda scary.”

“You know,” said Xander, “I’m starting to think that putting a hyperactive vampire in charge of a large recreational vehicle wasn’t our best idea ever.”

“C’mon, mate! Where’s your sense of adventure?” Spike said, walking over.

“It’s three miles back, along with my stomach,” Xander replied.

“Bitch, bitch, bitch,” Spike said, unfazed. “Anyway, you lot didn’t plan this out very well. It’s in the middle of the bloody day. Sun is shining. Birds are chirpin’. The hike up to the campground is a right long one. And yours truly will be combustin’.”

Sly grins spread across the girls’ faces, and even Xander smiled a little as they got up from the table.

Spike eyed them warily. “You’re all up to something,” he said.

“Willow has a surprise for you,” said Buffy.

“Will I like this surprise?” he asked.

“I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” said Dawn.

Willow rustled through a red book bag, and then brought her fist out. She walked up to Spike and asked, “Do you remember the Gem of Amara?”

Spike gave her a look. “I was the one who found the bloody thing in the first place, if you remember.”

Willow smiled and opened her hand. In it was a silver ring with a purple stone. Not the Gem of Amara.

“Uh, huh. It’s a ring,” Spike said dryly.

“I enchanted it,” said Willow, gleefully. Although, her glee made her a little nervous.

Spike quirked an eyebrow at her. “Enchanted? What, to be like the Gem of Amara?”

“Well, not exactly. It will only protect you from sunlight, not staking, or crosses, or holy water. And it only lasts for a day. Once you put it on it activates and then when the sun goes down on that day, it disintegrates. I enchanted a whole bunch of ‘em at once, so in my bag there’s a zip lock full of ‘em,” Willow said.

Spike stared at her blankly.

“She did it last night, while you and Xander were playing video games in the pizza arcade,” added Dawn.

Spike stared at the ring in the palm of the young witch’s hand and picked it up. “That’s really…neat,” he said, still staring at it dumbly. Then he looked up at her and said, “Thanks, Red.”

“Don’t I get a hug?” Willow asked, holding out her arms.

Spike put the ring on his finger and then threw his arms around her in a big bear hug. “Thanks, Willow,” he whispered. “Know how hard it is for you to do big spells like that. Scary, and what-not. Means a lot to me.” He gave her an added squeeze, being careful not to crush her.

“And I had to come up with the enchantment myself too,” she said.

Spike pulled away from her, slightly teary eyed, and gave her a smile.

“I would have had it for you sooner, but some of the ingredients hadn’t aged enough yet. And they didn’t have any properly aged ones at the store.”

Spike chuckled, and absentmindedly brushed a tear out of the corner of one eye.

“You’re not gonna start cryin’ are you, buddy?” Xander said, smiling and punching Spike in the shoulder playfully.

“No~ Sod off~!” Spike said, returning Xander’s punch with a push.

“All right, boys. Settle down. Let’s get our packs packed and head on over to the campground station, m’kay?” Buffy said.

Everyone nodded and set about packing their supplies.

“Can’t boys ever bond non-violently?” Dawn asked Buffy as they packed.

“I’m sure they can,” said Buffy. “But somehow, I don’t think I can picture Spike and Xander having a heartfelt conversation about their hopes and dreams.”

Dawn snorted. “If that ever happens, we’ll know hell has frozen over,” she said.

2

“C’mon, Spike~!” called Willow. “Don’t you have confidence in my magical abilities?”

Spike was standing in the stairwell of the Winnebago. Just out of daylight’s normally deadly rays.

“No one’s perfect, Red,” said Spike, looking down at the white light glinting on the front step.

“C’mon, ya wuss!” called Xander.

Spike narrowed his eyes at Xander. Then he inhaled noisily, and catapulted out the door with a snarl. His Doc Martin’s hit the dirt with a dusty scuffle and he was off after Xander at high speed.

“Whoa, shit!” said Xander, as he turned and started to run. His speed was impeded buy the heavy gear on his back but he managed to chug along pretty good. Spike let him run halfway to the station before tackling him.

Buffy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the sight of the two grown men rolling around in the dirt, heavy packs strapped to each of their backs. Buffy hitched up her own pack and sighed.

“Buffy~!” Xander wailed, before being put in a headlock.

“Who’s the wuss, now, huh?! Who’s the wuss, now!?” yelled Spike gleefully as he pinned one of Xander’s arms behind his back for good measure.

“Buffy~!! Help!” Xander wailed again, as he kicked and struggled fruitlessly.

Spike giggled maniacally, let the boy struggle a bit more, and then let him go.

“You ass-wipe! Now I’m all dusty,” said Xander as he picked himself up off the ground.

Spike laughed as he began dusting himself off. “Shouldna’ messed with me, then, mate.”

“Do you see the kind of man you’re dating here, Buffy?? Do you see the violence inherent in his system??” Xander asked.

“You look pretty unharmed to me. I’d say this is more a case of immaturity. On both parts,” she said, giving them a look before she continued on her way to the station.

“Hey, I couldn’t just let that go~!” Spike said spreading his arms out.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Wasn’t that just a shameful display?” asked Willow slyly, walking by.

“Yep, shameful~,” replied Dawn in mock seriousness, as she followed.

Spike stuck his tongue out at them.

“Yeah! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Spike,” Xander said looking back indignantly as he joined the two girls.

“I think they were referring to you too, Monkey Boy,” Spike said, following.

Buffy and the others walked onto the deck of the campground station house, the dusty floorboards creaking under them. Buffy opened the door and the old fashioned bell attached to it sounded.

A middle-aged man looked up from his paper. He gave the group of young folks a curious look. Then cleared his throat. “Can I help you?” he asked.

“Yes. We have a campground reservation under Summers,” said Buffy.

“Let’s see…Summers…” he said opening the yellowed reservation book and flipping through it. “Ah, here we are. Let me just get you a trail map.” He brought out a small map and used a red magic marker to outline the path they should take to get to their campsite. “If you want to stop and have lunch, there’s a picnic site here by the canyon,” he pointed to the spot on the map.

“Thanks,” replied Buffy as she handed him the money for the campsite rental.

“You kids have fun now and stay on the trails. You don’t want to get yourselves lost out there.”

“Don’t worry, mister,” Dawn said brightly. “If one of us gets lost, Spike can just sniff us out,” she said, motioning to Spike.

The man gave them a funny look.

“I’m a good tracker,” Spike said.

The man narrowed his eyes and continued with his look. There was something funny about the young man, even beyond his platinum blonde Billy Idol look. “Still…best to stay on the path,” the man finally said.

“Don’t worry. We can take care of ourselves,” Buffy said and then ushered everyone out.

3

“He travels on to where-ever he must~” sang Xander as they walked up the trail. “A chess knight of silver is his badge of trust~ There are campfire legends that the plainsmen spin~ Of the man with the gun, of the man called --- Pal-a-din~.”

“Paladin, Paladin, where do you roam~” sang Spike from up ahead. “Paladin, Paladin, far, far from home~.”

“How do you know that song, Spike?” asked Xander, giving the vampire an incredulous look.

“It’s from a bloody TV series. ‘Have Gun Will Travel’. Old black and white western. I watch more on the telly than just soaps, you ponce.”

“Okay, Mr. Sensitive. You don’t have to get all huffy,” Xander said.

“Was I being huffy, Buffy?” Spike asked, placing his hand on his chest with mock concern.

“Huffy Buffy. You’re a poet and you don’t know it, Spike!” Xander said, chortling.

Spike started to scowl, but it faded instantly when Buffy chuckled and then smiled at him and touched his arm.

“Let’s sing it some more,” Dawn said. “I like that song.”

“Okay, Dawnster. From the top, everybody!” said Xander before leading everyone in an encore.

Spike smiled and sang with the others. He looked around at the beautiful scenery and glanced at Buffy every now and then, soaking up the sun. It felt like some beautiful dream, perfect and pure. As if nothing bad had ever happened or been done. He felt utterly content. Xander Harris notwithstanding.

Spike blinked and felt tears roll down his cheeks. Dammit, you are not going to cry! he mentally scolded himself as he quickly brushed the errant tears away.

“Phfft,” Spike said, shaking it off. No way was he going to waste his time brooding. Not when he finally had everything he wanted.

Walking in the sun with Buffy, he thought, looking over at her. On a bleedin’ family trip. He smiled bemusedly and closed his eyes as he turned his head forward, fresh tears sliding down his cheeks.

Dammit, you stupid git! Now you’ve gone and made yourself tear up again. He wiped his tears away quickly, hoping they would continue to go unnoticed. But they kept coming. Bloody Hell! Fucking tears of joy!! he mentally cursed.

Buffy squeezed his hand. “Spike, is the sun hurting your eyes? We can stop for a bit and go in the shade, if it is,” she said.

He looked over at her, his cheeks glistening. She knows, he thought. He could see it in her face. She knows it’s not the bloody sun. He shook his head yes.

“C’mon,” she said. Then she turned her head and yelled to the others that she was taking Spike into the shade for a bit. She led him by the hand into the trees.

“Sunshine headache?” pondered Dawn as she paused with Xander and Willow.

Xander shrugged.

Willow’s brow creased as she thought. Were those tears she saw? If they were, she didn’t have to wonder why. She understood all too well how good times could hurt, or be such a relief that you just had to cry.

And it was a beautiful day.

“What’s the matter Wills?” asked Xander, putting his hand on her shoulder.

She placed her hand over his. “Nothin’,” she said, smiling and misty eyed.

4

When they’d walked a short distance from the path they stopped. Spike sighed and leaned into a tree, resting his head on his forearm. He sniffled as his tears splashed down onto the leaves below. Buffy stood in front of him, waiting patiently for him to let it out.

He sobbed. “I’m just…so happy. So sodding happy~,” he said, choking the words out. Then he completely dissolved and sunk to the ground. Buffy knelt down and held him. She cuddled him as he cried into her shoulder. “So goddamn beautiful. It’s unreal,” he continued.

Buffy wanted to say something. But she couldn’t think of anything that wasn’t completely corny, so she simply said, “I know.”

She pulled back and caressed his face with her hands, brushing the tears away.

“Sorry, luv. I don’t know what’s come over me. Really I don’t,” he said, managing a pained smile.

“It’s okay,” she said, and kissed his forehead. And then his lips.

She kept kissing him, impassioned and sweet. They slipped their packs off and Buffy gently pushed him to the ground. She straddled and bent over him for another kiss. Spike hugged her and rubbed her back as he moved his mouth against hers. Then he moaned as he felt himself harden.

Buffy sat up and began riding him, rubbing herself into his erection through the fabric of their jeans and whispering his name soothingly. Spike inhaled and growled softly, arching his hips up. He squirmed underneath her, feeling the soft grass and leaves beneath his body. Little shafts of light poked through the trees above him landing harmlessly on his flesh.

Spike massaged her thighs and bottom as she continued to gyrate on top of him, and Buffy moaned softly and pushed his shirt up, exposing his chest and abdomen. She ran her hands over his stomach, causing him to quiver and moan and begin jerking his hips up faster. The wind howled and rustled through the trees around them, muffling the sounds they made as they continued to fuck through their clothes.

Spike groaned and whispered her name, tears dried and forgotten on his face. She tweaked his nipples and he cried out. He ground up into her, holding her hips firmly with his hands.

“Spike~!” Buffy cried out as she came on top of him, her heat radiating through her jeans and into his groin.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” he chanted as he spilled into his jeans. “Ahg~!” He shuddered beneath her as he came down.

Buffy panted and mewled a little as she came down, herself. Then she bent down, kissed him, and pulled his shirt back down when she sat back up.

“You sure know how to cheer a guy up, luv,” Spike said, smiling up at her and cocking an eyebrow.

“Did I soak through my jeans any?” she asked, tilting her pelvis up.

“Nope. Me?”

“Doesn’t look like,” she said, feeling his crotch for wetness. “Nope, you didn’t,” she said, pulling her hand away.

Spike chuckled and sat up. He kissed her earlobe and said, “Thanks, luv. Not just for the bloody marvelous hump…but for being here. Knowing that I needed a moment.” Then he growled and said, “And what a moment it was, pet.” He hugged her and nuzzled her neck, purring and uttering little growls.

Buffy giggled and said, “You’re welcome, you bloody animal.”

Spike tittered into her neck.

“Wouldn’ it’a been quite a row if our travel-mates had wandered out to check on us?” he said.

5

Xander paced up and down the path. “How long does it take to comfort a weepy vampire?!” he asked.

“Maybe they’re doin’ it,” Dawn teased, smiling wickedly.

Xander whipped around. “Don’t even joke about that!”

“Oh, would it really be so bad,” Willow said, light enough to let them think she might not be totally serious.

“Hello! Do you have amnesia?! Have you forgotten what he’s done?”

“No…But…well…he didn’t have a soul then. The pre-soul stuff and the First-controlled stuff doesn’t count,” Willow said.

“Okay, I’ll give you the First-controlled stuff. And I wouldn’t be happy, but I’d deal, with the whole ‘soulless killer for over a hundred years’ thing. But- But- Dawn help me out here.”

Dawn shrugged and gave him an awkward look.

“C’mon Dawnie~. You used to be with me on this~. He’s a-” Xander looked around. “A would-be rapist!” he finished with a harsh whisper. “It’s icky!”

“But- but he didn’t be! There was no be! Right?” Willow said. “I mean, I could understand if it had actually happened but it didn’t.”

“And it’s not like that was his intention,” added Dawn. “It would have still counted as…you know…if it happened but it didn’t. He was confused and screwed-up and missing that part of you that tells you when stuff doesn’t feel right. But now he has that part, and from what I’ve seen, I believe that if he had that part then, he would have stopped before he crossed the line,” she finished crossing her arms against her chest.

“What else could his intention have been?!” asked Xander, the vein in his neck starting to pop out.

“That’s where the confused and screwed-up part comes in,” Dawn answered.

“And we’re basing this on?”

“Talking with both Buffy and Spike. Separately. After she rescued him from The First.”

“Listen, can we just drop this please?” asked Willow. “It’s our vacation~! If Buffy can move on and forgive, then can’t we?”

“No,” said Xander. “I’m not even comfortable with the dating, the kissing, the cuddling and sleeping in the same bed together. I don’t think I can handle the thought of them doing it, right now.”

“Well, Dawn was only teasing you. And I’m sure she’s very sorry.”

“Not really. It’s fun to watch that vein pop out on Xander’s neck,” she said, giggling.

Xander gave her a sour look.

“Hey, guys! We’re back!” Buffy called, walking out of the woods, hand in hand with Spike.

“Finally! Let’s go, I’m starving,” Xander said, and turned on his heel to continue walking up the path.

Willow gave Buffy and Spike a look and then they all followed Xander.

6

The Scoobies sat around one of the picnic tables at the canyon-adjacent picnic site, stuffing their faces with sandwiches and chips. Spike popped open a container of blood and began using it as chip dip.

“Can’t you just drink your blood, like a normal vampire?” asked Buffy, with a smile and the quirk of an eyebrow.

“No, not unless you want me to start eating people, luv,” Spike said, popping another blood covered chip in his mouth.

“Not quite what I meant,” she said.

“S’more fun this way,” Spike explained.

“Makes ya feel a little more human, huh?” said Willow, with a smile.

Spike gave her an affirming look.

After they finished with their meal they took a quick look at the canyon and then continued on up the trail. Boulders framed the sides of the trail for about a quarter of a mile. They’d only gotten a few yards from the picnic site when Xander noticed that he’d forgotten his thermos of Jolt cola.

“Damn!” he said. “Hey, guys! Can we stop a minute? I forgot my drink.”

“Sure. Go on back and get it,” said Buffy.

Xander ran back to the picnic site, grabbed his thermos of Jolt and chugged some down.

“Ah, sweet carbonated nectar of the gods,” he said, flipping the spigot back down.

Then Xander felt the hairs on the back of his neck prick up. And he heard a soft growling coming from his right.

“Spike? Please let that be you.”

Xander turned and saw a big mountain lion standing across from him at the edge of the small picnic site. It snarled at him, baring its fangs and digging its claws into the ground.

Now all the hairs on his body stood at attention.

“B-big kitty~ Niiiice kitty~” he said taking a step back. The big cat growled and advanced forward.

Omygod, what do I do?! Xander thought. If it were a demon or a vampire I’d know what to do, but it’s not. It’s a big, big cat and and it’s going to eat me…Or maybe just rip my throat out. Either way – not good.

Xander stood still. Perfectly still. The cat stopped its advance and swished its tail with a soft growl.

Should I yell? Maybe I should yell. Xander thought. Or would that just make it attack sooner?

Xander could feel his pulse speed up. He wanted to run, but it was so close. Surely it would catch him. Catch him and rip him to shreds.

Oh, I am so boned~, he thought.

7

Spike leaned against a boulder looking up at the clouds in the bright day sky, while Buffy and the girls chatted on about how pretty everything was, and how cute the little woodland creatures were, and so forth. Spike smiled and closed his eyes, soaking up the sun and inhaling the sent of the forest.

And the sent of fear. Human fear.

Spike’s eyes shot open and he sniffed the air more intently, turning his head towards the source of the scent. It was coming from back down the path.

And it was the Boy.

“Harris-!” Spike said, and tore down the path. He arrived at the site and skidded to a halt, catching the attention of the big cat.

The cat roared at the vampire and arched its back. Spike morphed into vamp-face and snarled, baring his fangs. The cat leapt at him and Spike rolled on his back and kicked the cat into the railing separating the picnic site from the canyon drop.

“Yeah! Go, Spike, go!” Xander yelled, waving his thermos like a pom-pom.

The cat righted itself and swiped at Spike, nearly tagging him with its claws. Buffy and the girls arrived in time to see the exchange between cat and vampire, and yelped at the near miss.

“Separate!” Willow yelled repelling Spike and Xander away from the cat with magic. Then she walked towards it and said, “Shoo!”

The cat flicked its ears back flat against its head and growled.

“You heard me. Shoo!” Willow said.

The cat growled once more and began to move cautiously, eyeing the witch. Finally, it turned its head forward and stalked away.

“Three cheers for Willow and her magic mojo!” said Xander, hoisting his thermos in the air.

“Yeah…thanks, Red,” said Spike.

“Sure. Are you guys okay?” she asked.

They indicated that they were. Buffy made her way over to Spike and scanned him for injuries, nonetheless.

“M’okay, pet,” he said.

“Just checking,” she said, smiling.

Spike gave Buffy a sweet look, and then put his arm around her.

“So, do you think it escaped from the zoo or something?” asked Dawn.

“No, pet. This is its home,” Spike said.

“Oh. I guess I pictured bears or something.”

“I’m sure there’re bears too.”

“And tigers?”

“Wrong continent.”

“I know,” Dawn said, giggling.

“What say we get to the campsite, so I can lie down and have a heart attack,” said Xander.

“Sounds good to me, Harris,” Spike quipped with a smile and the quirk of an eyebrow.

“Although, first you have to help us set up camp,” Willow said.

8

Once they got to the campsite, it took them the rest of the day to get everything set up. The big tents were already pitched, slightly above ground and on wooden pallets, but there were still latrines to clean and stock with toilet paper, beds to make, and dinner to cook. After they were all done with the chores, they retired to bed. Willow, Xander and Dawn took one tent and Buffy and Spike took the other, much to Xander’s chagrin.

“How can we let them share a tent? Alone? What if he tries something?” Xander asked, as he got into his PJs.

“He won’t. They just want to cuddle and sleep. It’s no big,” Willow said from the other side of the privacy sheet they had strung up in the middle of the tent.

“Well I don’t like it,” said Xander.

“There’s a newsflash,” said Dawn.

“How can you not think it’s at least a little bit creepy? I get that Spike is different now but…well…he’s still Spike,” Xander said.

“You know, I’m starting to think it’s not so much about the past as it is about you just not liking Spike,” Dawn said.

“It’s at least a little bit about the past. But okay, yeah.”

“It’s ‘cause he’s vampire, isn’t it?”

“Well, duh. That and he’s annoying.”

“Oh, you’re just being a grump,” said Willow.

“It’s just wrong, okay. She deserves someone halfway normal.”

“I don’t think anyone normal could put up with her,” quipped Dawn.

“What about Riley?” asked Xander. “He was halfway normal.”

“He left town. In fact, he left the country. Only someone as stubborn as Spike could put up with my sister long term,” Dawn continued.

“What about me? I’ve been by Buffy’s side for seven whole years.”

“But never as her boyfriend.”

“I think someone’s jealous,” Willow said.

Xander whipped the curtain aside. “Am not! I haven’t felt that way about Buffy in a long time. I’m just a concerned friend.”

The girls stared at him for a moment. Then Willow sighed. “Let’s just push the bed back in the middle of the tent and go to sleep.”

“Well, she wouldn’t, would she? She wouldn’t. Not this soon. Right?” asked Xander grabbing an end of the rusty metal bed.

“Probably not,” said Dawn.

“I’m sure she isn’t,” Willow said. She hated to fib but she wanted to get some sleep.

“I’m really not jealous. I was rooting for Riley you know,” Xander said as they all moved to bed into place.

“I know,” said Willow, sliding under the covers and scooting into the middle. Xander and Dawn lay down on either side of her.

Xander sighed. “I just don’t understand…Sure he’s hot and he can even be charming but- what?” The girls were giving him a funny look. “What?”

“Nothing,” said Willow, chuckling a little. “Maybe it’s just ‘cause you haven’t connected with Spike, yet.”

“Well if that’s the case, then I don’t think I’ll ever get it.”

“Who knows? Maybe some day you’ll be best friends,” Dawn teased.

“Stop, you’ll give me nightmares.”

“The horror,” said Willow.

Xander shuddered dramatically and they all giggled.

9

Spike dropped his clothes to the floor and slid onto the bed. It was nice not to have to put those ruddy sweatpants on for a change. He fluffed his pillow and leaned it against the wire-framed headboard of the bed and then made himself comfortable, resting his forearm on one knee.

“Comin’ to bed, pet?” Spike asked.

Buffy finished pulling on her nightclothes and then turned around. Spike was sitting open-legged and displaying himself casually. No big shock at this point, but it always brought a smile to Buffy’s face to see him be so laid-back about it.

“Should I even have bothered to put on my PJs?” she asked, giving him a flirty look and fiddling with the straps of her tank-top nightshirt.

Spike sat up a little straighter. “You can always take them off, luv,” he said, eyes twinkling and excitement barely contained on his face. His excitement was not so well contained between his legs.

“Getting hard already and I haven’t even taken anything off yet. You are a horny, horny vampire,” Buffy said, putting her hands on her hips, still smiling.

“Can’t help myself, luv. You have me all aflutter,” he said, smiling and giving her one of his most seductive looks.

Buffy laughed and whipped her top off, shedding her bottoms and underwear next. Then she crawled towards him on the bed, eliciting a rumbly growl from his chest. She crawled up until she was nose to nose with him. “So what do you want to do?” Buffy asked softly, as she placed her finger to the tip of his cock and began fiddling with it.

Spike moaned and caressed her back. “Buffy-”

She placed her lips on his and began kissing him softly. It was sweet and tender and Spike couldn’t help making a few kittenish noises at the arousing TLC he was receiving. It was one of those dream-like moments that felt too sweet to be real. Spike could feel a panic mix in with the arousal.

When Buffy broke off the kissing to gaze at Spike’s face, his eyes were filled with desperation. “Tell me you love me,” he said.

It made Buffy heartsick to realize that any part of him could still be so unsure, even after her earlier assurances. It was as if he expected her to pull the rug out from under him, if he didn’t hear her say the words. Not that she could blame him. “I love you, Spike,” she said placing one hand on his cheek and the other over his non-beating heart. “I promise I won’t take it away, like I used to,” she added leaning into him for a cuddle.

Spike’s brow creased and he blinked. “When- when did you ‘used to’?”

“You know, when we were first…involved. When you didn’t have a soul,” she said, looking up and wondering if he was suffering from some sort of amnesia. Maybe sunstroke.

“But…you never loved me then. So it wasn’t there to take away. Was it??”

“Oh,” Buffy said. She didn’t. She wouldn’t let herself. But her heart…

You always hurt the one you love, pet.

“Was I right?” Spike asked.

“Oh God, that makes it worse~,” Buffy said, running her fingers through her hair. “But- But I wouldn’t let myself. My brain- I almost- but then Riley- and my heart- Oh God, that makes it worse.”

She wasn’t making a lot of sense, but fortunately Spike was good with that type of situation. Spike nodded his head and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “No, I think it was pretty bad no matter how you slice it.”

“Do you even know what I’m talking about?” Buffy said, her voice wavering and her eyes starting to water.

“Shh, yes, luv. Don’t cry,” Spike said drawing her back into an embrace. “You loved me in your heart but not your brain. Brain overruled heart. Brain was almost convinced to give it a go until The Enormous Hall Monitor returned and bollocksed things up. Granted I was holding demon eggs for cash. But I was not any bleedin’ Doctor.”

Buffy giggled a little and sniffled. “You’re pretty good. Maybe you should get a job at a mental ward. You could be a crazy people interpreter.”

Spike laughed.

Then Buffy looked up and asked, “Do you think I’m a bad person for loving you in my heart?”

Spike laughed again. “Now you’ve really gone over the bend, luv!”

“I meant back then,” she said, giving him a look.

“I stand by my original statement.”

Buffy frowned. “I’m serious.”

“I don’t know if I’m the best judge. In terms of the ugliness between us, I don’t think it matters. Twisted either way. In terms of loving a person without a soul…well I would love you even if you didn’t have one. There would be some challenges, but I’d love you all the same. That’s why they didn’t let me in on bringing you back in the first place, remember.”

“But you were soulless then.”

“Doesn’t matter. With me, heart overrules brain. No contest. As you may know. I may not be love’s bitch anymore, but I’m still a fool for love.”

“I’m well aware,” Buffy said wryly.

“I’m sorry I upset you, pet. I didn’t mean to get all strange and weepy,” Spike said. “It was just so…sweet…That never used to last long.”

It was true. Anytime a little sweetness crept in, it was followed up by cruelty. Buffy’s face started to fall again.

“Don’t be sad, luv,” Spike said, caressing her face. “We can’t change the past, right?”

Buffy nodded.

“And we’ve already sorted the issue of our past out, between us. No need to beat that horse again,” Spike said.

Buffy couldn’t suppress her amusement, and a giggle popped out before she could stifle it. “Sorry…you being the reasonable one always strikes me as funny,” she quipped.

“Ha, bloody, ha,” said Spike dryly, as he gave her a look.

“Sorry. Go on,” said Buffy, trying to suppress her smile.

“Just sprinkle ‘I love you’s’ liberally around and the still slightly-screwed-up bits of me will get better,” Spike said. “And shag me rotten. Often. With an ‘I love you’ or two, of course. And blowjobs. Lots of blowjobs,” he added.

Buffy laughed. “Blowjobs, huh?”

“Yes. Lots of them.”

“Is that what you want now?” she asked, with a chuckle.

Spike looked up and thought a second. “For starters,” he said. “And suck my balls, too. I really like that.”

“I know,” Buffy chuckled, and quirked an eyebrow at him.

“And then let me make love to you.”

“Sounds good.”

Spike leaned back into the pillow with his legs up and spread. Then he put his hands on his knees and waited. Buffy gave him a quirky grin, and then grabbed his cock and gave it a squeeze. “Mmmmmmm,” Spike said. Then Buffy hooked one arm around his thigh and swallowed him down, squeezing him at the base in a pulsing manner. “Ohhhhhhhh~!” Spike moaned deep in his throat. Then she sucked him all the way up, making a wet sound as she released him from her mouth.

“Love you,” she said sweetly, and batted her eyes at him.

Spike face lit up with one of the goofiest, sappiest, horniest grins she had ever seen. Buffy smiled and moved her mouth down to his balls. First she sucked one, and then the other, and then both at the same time. Spike arched his back, plunged his fingers into her hair and moaned in ecstasy. When his hips began twitching and his moans became more frantic, she released him and sat up.

“Warmed up?” she asked, smiling.

Spike nodded his head and said, “Lie down, pet.”

Buffy lay down on her back and Spike moved over top of her. It was then she realized that it was the first time he’d really been on top since that whole mess in the bathroom at Revello Drive. She could see the uncertainty creep across his face and so she put her arms around his neck and said, “I love you.”

Spike closed his eyes, and felt himself relax. “I love you, too.”

Then Buffy wrapped her legs around him and hugged him as he entered her. He held her close and put his forehead to hers, moaning softly while he made love to her. Buffy kept on holding him tightly and calling out his name occasionally.

Spike dipped his head into the crook of her neck and sucked on the pulse point there while Buffy ruffled his hair and gave his member a good hard squeeze with her pussy. Then she began squeezing in waves and Spike released her neck and sped up his rhythm to match hers. They made happy grunting noises as they neared their climax and finally came together looking into each other’s eyes and calling each other’s name.

They continued laying there for a while, keeping each other’s gaze.

“Say you love me.”

“I love you.”

Spike then let his body rest fully on hers and Buffy wrapped her arms more fully around him. Then she closed her eyes and smiled.

And prayed that Xander wouldn’t burst into their tent in the morning, find them tangled together, and start shrieking like a howler monkey.

As if he read her mind, Spike asked sleepily, “Should I roll off, luv? Do you want to get dressed…just in case?”

“No,” she said holding him with her legs. “It’s worth the risk.”

Spike gave her a quick squeeze and a rumbling purr. “Mmmmm~. Good night, then, my love.”

“Good night, Spikey William, love.”

Spike chuckled lightly and then purred till they were both asleep.

--- To be continued

Grrrr! Arg!

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