Part Seven

Spike couldn't believe he told Buffy he loved her. Granted, he had been thinking it and he'd just had mind-blowing sex, so he wasn't in full control of his facilities, but he shouldn't have said it. It wasn't that it wasn't true and she had responded in kind, which meant that everything was good, but still... What if she hadn't felt the same way? What if she had was only caught up in the moment? What if she had only said it because he had said it? What if she only said it and didn't mean it?

He had to get out of the bedroom. He had to think. He had to run far away. He had to blow out the candles before something caught fire. Was she snoring?

Spike glanced down at the woman curled up against him. Yes, she was snoring. A light little feminine snore that made a smile curl up his lips. She looked so peaceful and content. She looked so very beautiful. She looked like she'd just made love or had won a really vigorous fight. He needed to blow out the candles.

Carefully, he extracted himself from under her and climbed out of the bed. He adjusted the covers over her, then picked up his pants and slid them on. He blew out all the candles in the bedroom except for two, turned off his portable stereo and paused at the end of the bed to look at the sleeping Slayer.

He couldn't believe he told her he loved her. He had only figured it out for himself the night before and his first reaction had been to curse. Why hadn't she cursed? Why hadn't she figured it out for herself? Why did he tell her? Why did she say she loved him back? Why was he standing and looking at her when he had candles to blow out?

Spike's feet cracked as he quickly made his way to the door. He opened it and reared back, startled. Nia was standing across from the door, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. He stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind him before hissing, "You almost bloody scared the demon right out of me."

Nia grinned. "That would have been an interesting sight."

He glared at her, then bent to pick up the candle next to the door and blew it out. He set it down and picked up the one on the other side of the door, then blew it out. He set it down, walked forward three feet, picked up the candle on the left side of the hallway, blew it out and set it down again. He turned and picked up the candle on the right side of the hallway...

"What's wrong, Billy-boy?" Nia asked. "You're concentrating awful hard on blowing out those candles."

"Nothing," Spike said quickly. Of course, that was a lie. He told Buffy he loved her. She told him she loved him. He didn't know if it was true. He didn't know if she was lying. He didn't know if she knew if she was telling the truth. He didn't know if she knew if she was lying. He didn't know why the hell he had lit so many damn candles.

"Oh, this is fun," Nia commented. "You're even more hyper after sex then you are after sleeping too much."

"I'm not hyper," Spike told her, grabbing yet another candle and blowing it out.

"Whatever the term is then," Nia said. "And you told her that you loved her? Already?"

"Like you didn't know," he scowled. "Bloody peeping ghost."

"I did not listen in on you two," she said. "I promised that your bedroom was your sanctuary. I would only know if you tried to munch on her. I'm not into porn."

"Go away," Spike said.

Nia waved her hand and the rest of the candles went out. "Not on your unlife, this is too much fun."

Spike put the candle in his hand down, then stomped to the kitchen. He practically ripped the refrigerator door off before he grabbed a container of blood and plunked it down on the counter. Nia appeared on the counter beside the container and he jumped back. "Bloody hell, Nia!"

"You really need to relax," Nia said seriously. The grin on her face belied her serious tone.

"You need to leave me the fuck alone," he growled.

"Never going to happen," she stated.

Spike rubbed a hand over his face and wondered how long it would take for the sun to burn him into a little pile of ash.

"15.7 seconds."

"Bugger off."

"Hey, I left you alone all morning while you pranced around lighting candles and throwing flower petals everywhere," Nia said. "Well, I really left you alone because it was so amusing. I still don't believe that you went out into the garden in the sun to get those flowers."

Spike didn't believe that he did that, either. He had wanted everything to be perfect for some odd reason. Flowers seemed like a good idea at the time. Flowers were a good idea anytime. Women liked flowers. Nancyboys like his sire liked flowers. Would Buffy like a flower? Maybe he should go out and get one. He could put it on the night-stand where she would see it when she woke up. But what if she didn't like flowers? She could be the one woman who didn't...

"Oh, for pete's sake," Nia said. She waved her hand and a flower appeared in front of Spike on the counter. "Will you just give her the flower and stop thinking about it? I'm the one who's suppose to annoy you, not the other way around."

"Stay out of my head and you wouldn't have a bleedin' problem," Spike told her. He picked up the white daisy and headed back out of the kitchen.

He came to an abrupt stop in front of his bedroom door, debating whether or not to enter. She could be awake already. She could be awake and thinking about how she told him she loved him. She could be awake and thinking about how she told him she loved him and how it was a lie. She could be awake and thinking that she'd just had the worst sex of her life. She could be awake and comparing him to Angel. She could be awake and comparing him to Angel and deciding his sire was better.

He heard Nia yell, "Just give her the flower already!!"

"Sod off!" Spike yelled back. He glowered at the door, clenched his jaw, then opened it and walked into the bedroom before he smartened up.

Buffy was still sleeping. And snoring. She had a cute snore. He wondered if he snored. Could someone who didn't breathe snore? Could he get any more pathetic?

Spike quickly set the flower on the night-stand and left the bedroom again, closing the door firmly behind him. He leaned against it and thumped the back of his head on the hard wood. He had to be the biggest wanker on the face of the earth. Maybe even the galaxy. Or galaxies. Or the universe. Aliens were probably laughing their parts off at him. Antennae and tentacles were littering spaceships everywhere.

"You are so strange," Nia said, appearing in front of him.

"AH!" Spike yelped, smacking his head hard on the door. He glared at her, his head throbbing. "Don't fucking do that!"

"And miss out on all the fun of you screaming like a wimp? Never," she said.

"If you weren't already dead, I'd kill you," he growled.

"Hostility is a sign of sexual frustration," Nia said. "Was she not good in the sack?"

Spike's eyes flashed gold. "Don't."

"Are you telling me what to do?" Nia asked threateningly.

"Yes," Spike replied, his true face appearing as he lost control. Too many emotions and thoughts, combined with his current hyper-active state of mind, were rolling through him to keep a handle on it. He took a step away from the door towards the ghost.

Nia narrowed her eyes at him. "Watch it, Billy."

"I FUCKING TOLD YOU TO STOP CALLING ME BILLY!!!" Spike roared. He drew back his left arm and threw a punch with all his might at Nia. It went through her and straight into the wall, cracking the stone and shattering the bones in his hand.

The bedroom door flew open and Buffy stood in a fighting stance wearing Spike's discarded black t-shirt, her hair sticking up, a wild look in her eyes from being woken suddenly. Spike spun around to face her, snarling, his broken hand pulled protectively near his waist. Buffy fell back, looking like someone punched her in the gut, her face paling.

Nia threw out her arm as if brushing someone away and Spike flew back and was pinned to the wall. She put herself between him and Buffy, her anger causing a ghostly wind to whip through the hallway, raising her hair and that of the Slayer's, and the door to the bedroom slammed shut with Buffy on the other side. A bolt of blue-white energy exploded from her hand and struck Spike on his bare stomach. He howled in pain, unable to move to protect himself. His skin burned from the inside, the top-most layer turning black and charring.

The ghost let him go and he fell forward to the ground. He put his hands out to catch himself and collapsed onto his left forearm as the broken bones connected with the stone floor. The door was wrenched open by his head and he caught a glimpse of the Slayer as she dashed past him.

"Slayer, wait!" he yelled out, his voice wracked with pain. "Slayer!"

The slam of the front door rang throughout the mansion.

"Damn you, Nia," Spike growled, pushing himself to his feet.

"Serves you right," Nia snapped.

"But the Slayer didn't do anything and you're bloody punishing her!"

"Me?!" Nia said. "You're the one who went to hit me, which wasn't one of your most shining moments. Ghost, remember?"

"She's going to think I've pulled an Angelus on her!" Spike yelled. "Bloody hell! You don't know what the fuck you've done to her!"

"Oh crap," Nia cursed. Spike knew that she was reading from his mind the images and thoughts of the past and what he pieced together from when Angelus had returned to the 'family.'

"Yeah, 'oh crap,'" he said sardonically. He walked painfully to the kitchen and opened the freezer, then stuck his broken hand in the ice bin. He urged the sun to set faster. He had a woman to find.

*****

Buffy sat on her bed in her dorm room, clutching her pillow to her chest. She stared blankly across the wall at the Wiccan wall-hanging Willow had put up. She was still wearing Spike's t- shirt and nothing else, which had gotten her many catcalls as she ran onto campus and to her dorm. Luckily, her RA had been able to let her into her room with a simple lie of Willow having accidentally locked her out while she was in the bathroom.

Her mind had shut itself down protectively once she'd sat down on her bed. It refused to let her think the worst. She could only sit numbly and stare at the hanging.

"Um, Buffy?"

Buffy slowly turned her head and saw someone standing in her room. She blinked in surprise, pulling her away from the numbness. Her hands clenched into fists and she focused on the different ways to kill the person if she wasn't human. "Who are you and how the hell did you get in my room?"

"I'm Nia," Nia said, staying near the door. "And I need to talk to you about Spike."

Her expression grew wary and her heart started to hurt. "What about him?"

"What happened at the mansion wasn't his fault," Nia said. "Well, it was his fault, but it had nothing to do with you."

Buffy's wariness of the girl went off the charts. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Nia sighed. "I guess I should explain so you stop thinking of ways to off me and get back to the mansion before Billy drives himself insane waiting for the sun to set. I swear, that vampire can get so hyper, he makes coffee nervous."

Buffy was off the bed and in a fighting stance in an instant. "Alright, chicky, you have five seconds to explain or I'm going to use your head as my new doorstop."

"Now I can see why Billy lo-likes you," Nia said. "Both of you have the 'shoot first, ask questions later' mentality."

"Who the hell is this 'Billy' you keep referring to?" Buffy scowled. "Your five seconds is almost up. Two...one..."

"Spike and Billy are one in the same. I just call him that to annoy him," Nia replied. "And before you open your can of whup-ass, I have to tell you, you can't hurt me."

"And why is that?" Buffy asked sarcastically.

"Because I'm a ghost."

Part Eight

"So, Spike couldn't tell me about you," Buffy said a little while later. "And here I thought he was just strange."

"Oh, he is," Nia said. "There's no doubt about that."

Buffy was pretty smart, to Nia's relief. By choice, she hadn't told the Slayer about the entire curse, just that Spike had killed her and now she haunted him. Buffy had figured out that was the reason he was helping her with slaying, why he got blood from the butcher's shop and why he seemed to be not all together upstairs. Nia didn't have the heart to tell her his elevator didn't go all the way to the top.

"Sometimes I wonder who has it worse -- him or me," Nia said with a grin.

"And you're with him all the time?" Buffy asked.

"No, I didn't spy on you two," she reassured her. Even if she couldn't read minds, what Buffy was asking was obvious. "I saw you come in and then I blocked everything out."

Buffy nodded, then twisted her hands nervously. "Um, you said you can read his thoughts..."

"Buffy, he was so flustered when he came out of the bedroom earlier, his mind flitted from one thing to another faster than a hummingbird," Nia said. "I know there's a word for something like that..."

"ADHD," Buffy supplied. "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, according to my psych book." She blushed. "I kinda suspected he had it, especially after spending every night with him for a month."

"Well, I'd better get back before he notices he's not being watched," Nia said. "Now that I know how to do it, you'll be able to see me when you get there."

"Um, Nia..."

"Yes, Buffy. He really wants you to come back," Nia told her, then she disappeared.

*****

Spike really wanted Buffy to come back. He paced relentlessly in front of the empty fireplace, his left hand splinted and bandaged so it would heal correctly. The bottom three buttons on the black shirt he'd retrieved from the bedroom were buttoned lopsided and his hair was sticking up from him continuously trying to run a frustrated hand through it, only to forget that his left hand was bandaged. Nia was gone, he hoped for good, but he doubted it considering he wasn't a pacing dust pile.

He glared at the sun coming from behind the dark curtains for the umpteenth time. It was almost as if the sun were taunting him, stretching out the day so he couldn't go after Buffy and tell her...what? That he had lost control because he told her he loved her and he didn't know if her response was true or not? Or that he was being punished by a ghost and then be punished by that ghost for telling Buffy about the ghost? Or, to top it all off, he was out of fags?

"Are you still wound up?" Nia asked.

Spike started, his step faltering at the ghost's sudden appearance, but he picked it right back up. "Great, you're back," he growled unhappily. "Just what I bloody wanted."

Actually, he wanted a smoke and Buffy, not necessarily in that order. Although, he knew what to do with the smokes and not with Buffy, so maybe the original order was the better order. And he really wanted the sun to go down already before he went out of his ever-lovin' mind.

"You're already out of your mind," Nia commented.

"Bugger off."

"You do know that you're wearing a hole in the stone floor."

"I repeat, bugger off," he said. He needed Nia to shut up before he did something idiotic again, like break his other hand. If that happened, he wouldn't be able to touch Buffy's lush, soft skin or make her moan in delight as he ran his fingers along her inner thighs, unless he used his mouth. On second thought, maybe having both hands incapacitated wouldn't be such a bad thing. He could almost taste her hot, salty skin...

"Billy, if you're going to think X-rated thoughts, go lock yourself in your bedroom," Nia said. "You're broadcasting Skinamax wide-band."

Spike stopped pacing and glared at Nia. He tried to run a frustrated hand through his hair, but his peroxide locks got caught on the bandage. Dropping his hand, he stalked out of the room towards his bedroom.

He came to a halt outside of his closed door, hand on the knob, but he couldn't seem to turn it. He'd told Buffy he loved her in that room, which was even dumber than trying to punch a ghost. He shouldn't have said it, even though he knew it was true. It was too soon. It was too new. It was too cliche to say it at such a highly sexual moment. Was it too late to take it back? Was it too late to hope he had a cigarette hidden somewhere?

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Spike swore. He forcefully opened the door, took one step in the room, smelled the heady scent of sex and candles, saw Buffy writhing under him on the bed, turned right back around and left.

The kitchen was always a good place to go. It had shiny surfaces. It had pots and pans and utensils. It had a refrigerator. It had a refrigerator that held containers of blood. It had a microwave. It had a microwave that was used to heat up the containers of blood. It didn't have Buffy laying on the counter with her legs spread, waiting for him to dip his tongue into her core and taste her juices. Although, her petite form would easily fit up there...

The kitchen wasn't a good place to go. Spike quickly went back into the main room and glared at the ghost still sitting on the couch. "This is all your bloody fault."

"Oh really?" Nia said.

Spike resumed pacing in front of the fireplace. "Yes. I don't want to love her."

"Why not?" Nia asked. "She's cute. She's pretty smart. She knows how to put you in your place. She has some great insults."

"Vampire's don't love humans," he stated firmly. Nia snorted and he glared at her. "They don't."

"You said 'they' instead of 'we,'" Nia pointed out. "Does that mean you're not a vampire anymore?"

"I am too a bleedin' vampire," he growled. His pacing became more rapid. "I am one of the most feared master vampires in the world. My death toll is staggering. My strength and skill is renown. Mortals quake in their puny shoes when they see me coming. Vampires, too. I've loved two Slayers, for bloody's sake!"

"Um, don't you mean you killed two Slayers?" Nia asked, trying to suppress her giggles.

"That's it, I don't care about the friggin' sun, I'm going to find the Slayer and tell her under no uncertain terms will I ever not love her." Spike punctuated his declaration with a firm nod of his head.

He took a few steps towards the curtain, then paused. He was going to tell her that he would ever not love her? Why didn't that make sense to him? Why was Nia almost falling off the couch in laughter? Why did he have to tell Buffy he loved her? Why was there someone knocking on the door?

"Are you going to answer the door, Billy, or are you going to continue ranting about how you're not a vampire who is not in love with the Slayer?" Nia asked.

Spike frowned and headed for the door to open it. His mouth dropped open when he saw who was on the other side. Or rather, when he saw who was on the other side looking so beautiful, his eyes hurt.

Buffy's head was ducked in shyness and she was looking up at him from under her long lashes. Her hair was loose, fanning around her face and glowing gold in the fading sunlight beyond the door. Her face was lightly flushed from memories and awkwardness. Her light yellow slip dress clung to her every curve and emphasized her sexy legs. Sexy, strong, wickedly wonderful legs that went all the way up to...

"Oh, you're hurt," Buffy said, taking his bandaged hand as he continued to stand there like a wanker with his mouth hanging open.

Spike closed it with a clack, but continued to stare at her like she was Venus herself. Her touch was gentle on his fingertips, which poked out of the top of the bandage, and he felt a sharp longing pierce through him to have that touch on places besides his broken hand.

"Is it painful?" she asked softly.

"You came back," Spike blurted in response. Now that wasn't too pathetic. "Er, I mean, I can explain. About earlier."

"Aren't you going to let me in first?" Buffy asked, an amused smile tilting up the corners of her mouth.

Spike wanted to kiss that smile. He wanted to run his tongue along her lips, the push his way inside to taste her and con her tongue into twining with his. He wanted to hold her up against him while he kissed her until she went weak in his arms from the pleasure. He wanted to...

"Are you going to let the poor girl in or not?" Nia called over to him. Buffy giggled.

"Right, er, come in," Spike said, stepping back from the door. Doing so caused her to let go of his injured hand and he immediately felt bereft. He was such a nancyboy. He was turning into Angel. The irony of that thought hit him. He was turning into his 'father.'

With a mental groan, he shut the door behind Buffy. He so did not want to turn into his sire. Angel was a pathetic excuse for a vampire, all mopey and broody. He didn't have a single, good witticism and had left the Slayer. What kind of moron does that? Spike would have stuck around, just so as no one else could touch the sweet piece of femininity and power that was his woman. No sir, he wouldn't take a single step out of Sunnydale unless Buffy was by his side. No curse was going to prevent him from loving the Slayer.

"It's not," Nia informed him. "You'll have to excuse the blank look in his eyes, Buffy." She tapped the side of her head. "The house is lit, but no one is home."

"Oh, I knew that long ago," Buffy replied.

Spike's mouth dropped open again. "You...her...she...I..."

"I am so proud of Billy. Today he learned what a pronoun was," Nia said in a motherly voice.

"He's kinda cute all fershimmeled," Buffy said, giving Spike an impish grin. She reached forward and tugged at his lopsided shirt.

Spike was trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Buffy not only knew about Nia, she could see and hear the ghost, as well. He felt as though he took a pisser during a picture and missed the pivotal scene. It didn't help that Buffy was so damn gorgeous that his other head was rapidly taking over his thinking.

*****

He really was adorable, with his shirt buttoned wrong, his hair sticking up and a confused expression on his face. He was always so perfect in his cocky and arrogant way, which made how he was now all the more endearing. Buffy had thought she had fallen for him before, but now she was certain. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from the wonder and joy caused by being in love again. A thought entered her mind. She felt the same as those few precious weeks she'd had with Angel, between the time the blond in front of her had kidnaped him and her seventeenth birthday.

She couldn't help the silly smile that crossed her face and she dropped her head. Here she was, going on nineteen, in love with the vampire who tried to kill the vampire she used to love. "Love makes you do the wacky," she said quietly.

Raising her head, Buffy met Spike's blue eyes and saw that confusion had given way to a softness that made her stomach flip-flop. His non-bandaged hand came up and brushed the side of her cheek before pushing back into her hair.

"Then I must be certifiable," Spike murmured. Then he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.

Buffy sighed and slid her arms around his lean waist. She felt his other arm move around behind her and she was pulled closer to him. The evidence of his desire was pressed against her abdomen and she could feel a small vibration against her breasts as he made soft purring noises. She knew from experience that the sound was associated with a vampire's happiness when emitted unconsciously. Angel had purred on occasion and she'd wager that Drusilla had, as well.

It didn't bother her that Spike had loved Drusilla intensely, just as she hoped it didn't bother Spike that she had loved Angel with equal passion. The experience had helped her to learn about life and love and desire, and she wouldn't trade it for anything. Certainly, she would have spent her life with Angel if it were possible, but it wasn't meant to be.

Now she was being given the opportunity to love someone else and she was going to grab the reigns with both hands and hang on tight. She was sure loving Spike would be quite a thrill ride.

Spike broke away from her mouth to kiss down her throat as she lifted her chin for him. When he moved towards the side of her neck, she dropped her head to the side, baring herself in a way that showed her trust in him. Like it did in the music store, his purr got louder for a moment, then settled back into its pleasing softness as he ran his tongue over her pulse-point.

She felt herself being lowered to the hard floor, and anticipation and arousal shot through her. Soon she would be touching his firm body, tasting his salty skin, feeling him fill her...

"Ahem."

Buffy's eyes shot open and she saw Nia standing beside them. The ghost waggled her fingers. "Hi, remember me?"

"Bloody hell," Spike growled in Buffy's ear. "I hate that ghost."

"And I love you, too, Billy-goat," Nia said. "However, I figured neither of you wished to greet our guests in such a...revealing manner."

"Guests?" Spike asked, standing up and pulling Buffy back to her feet.

"A great car is pulling up the drive," Nia said. "Complete with blacked-out windows."

"You don't think..." Buffy exchanged a look with Spike. "Angel?"

"Let's see, I was having a perfect moment and it was interrupted," Spike said, striking a thoughtful pose. "Since it wasn't Nia the Peeping Thomasina..."

"Hey," Nia scowled.

"...It could only be my trotting sire," Spike finished. He looked at the candle and flower petal path and sighed. "Nia, be a luv and make all this poof, will you?"

"And here I thought you'd want to rub it in," Nia commented, waving her hand. A bowl filled with the flower petals appeared on the coffee table and the candles disappeared, leaving no trace of the path that had been on the floor.

He shook his head. "Some moments are much too personal to share."

Buffy could have been knocked over with a feather at his reply. Her mouth dropped open slightly and she stared at him with disbelief.

Spike caught her look and chuckled. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Do you want to stick around, pet, and tell the sod about us, or would you rather wait?"

"Ok, he looks like Spike," Buffy said to Nia. She reached out and ran her fingers over his chest. "And he feels like Spike..."

"Ha, ha, Slayer," Spike said, capturing her hand. He lifted it to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. "It's up to you, luv."

Buffy didn't know how to answer. On one hand, she wanted to shout her new-found love from the rooftops. On the other, she didn't want to hurt Angel. She also didn't want things to be uncomfortable between them. If Angel was in Sunnydale, there had to be an important reason, and she would need to work with him without problems.

"Let's wait, ok?" Buffy said. "If it is Angel, he has to be here because something big is going down, and I'd rather not have-"

"Say no more, ducks," Spike interrupted. "I understand."

"That's a first," Nia said.

"Sod off," he told the ghost.

"Nia, will you check and see if it is Angel?" Buffy asked. Nia nodded and vanished as she turned to Spike. Lifting her hands, she ran her fingers through his hair, straightening it, then went to work on his shirt.

"There," she said, patting the last button. "All fixed."

She raised her gaze and saw that he was looking at her strangely. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"Fuck," Spike swore softly.

"O-k," Buffy said, touching her face with her hands. "Something tells me that's not a good thing."

"Bloody fucking hell," Spike cursed again quietly, pressing his non-bandaged hand over hers on her cheek. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her mouth, then whispered against her lips, "I love you."

"It's Angel and some leggy brunette," Nia reported, appearing beside them. They jumped apart in surprise, then glared at her. "Um, oops. Sorry."

"Yeah, right," Spike growled at her. He sighed and brushed a kiss across Buffy's forehead. "I'll see you later, luv."

Buffy frowned at him. "I'm not going anywhere. I want to find out why Angel's here."

"But I thought you wanted to wait?" Spike said.

"I do," Buffy replied. "But that doesn't mean that I can't be here. You are my friend, too, you know."

"Oh," he said.

"As you can see, Billy has perfected the art of public speaking," Nia commented.

"Stop calling me Billy," Spike growled.

Buffy giggled and moved to sit on the couch. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Spike muttered something about the kitchen and headed in that direction at a quick clip.

"Remember, Buffy," Nia said, sitting down beside her. "Only you and Spike can see and hear me."

"Right," Buffy said. "Wouldn't want Angel to think I'm as strange as Spike."

"No one is as strange as Billy," Nia said.

"True," Buffy agreed.

Nia grinned, then glanced over her shoulder at the doors. "Here they come."

Part Nine

Buffy expected to feel awkward or heartbreak or sadness when Angel entered the mansion. Instead, she was having a very hard time not laughing. It didn't help that Nia was giggling like a maniac on the couch beside her, tempting her to join in.

The expression on Angel's face was what had done her in. She had never seen him so surprised before. One time she'd startled him pretty decently, but the look on his face then was nothing like the look on his face when he came through the door, followed by Cordelia. If she had a camera, she would have taken his picture to commemorate the moment.

"Buffy?" Angel said, dropping his bag inside the door.

"Hi, Angel," Buffy greeted, her voice full of mirth.

"I can't believe you're hanging around the mansion, Buffy," Cordelia said, brushing past the still stunned Angel to enter the main portion of the large home. "Pathetic much?"

"It's so nice to see you, too, Cordelia," Buffy said sarcastically.

"Whatever," Cordelia said. "Angel, what room is mine? I so need to get out of these clothes."

"Any of them," Angel said absently. He continued to stare at Buffy as Cordelia headed for the hallway that led to the many bedrooms. "What are you doing here?"

"It's nice to see you again, too, Angel," Buffy said.

"It's always nice to see you, Buffy," Angel said, giving her a slightly sheepish look. He picked up his bag and headed over towards her.

"Damn, what is it with vampires looking so sexy?" Nia commented. "I'm surprised there are any females left alive on earth."

Buffy tittered quietly. Angel set his bag by the master bedroom doorway and turned to her with a confused look. She smiled at him and patted the couch. "Come talk to me. What dragged you all the way from LA back to this black hole?"

As Angel moved to take a seat on the other couch, which was perpendicular to the one where she was sitting, she felt the pang she expected when he'd first walked in. But it wasn't a harsh hurt, like in the early weeks, when she felt as though her heart was bleeding. Instead, it was a sweet pang of memories and of first love, of things that had been and of a future that was never meant to be. It probably would have been worse if a certain peroxide-blond vampire hadn't come into her life.

"Oh no," Nia suddenly said. Buffy glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and saw her disappear.

"We're following a sorcerer," Angel said, unaware of the ghost or her sudden departure. He leaned forward on the couch and rested his forearms on his knees. "Now, what about you? Why are you here?"

"I came to visit the current resident," Buffy replied, truthfully. She had also returned to feel Spike's hard body pressed against hers, but Angel didn't need to know that.

"Current resident?"

"'Allo, Angel," Spike greeted, sauntering into the room. Gone was the flustered, mussed-up, tender man she loved from a few minutes ago. In his place was the cocky, arrogant vampire she knew and loved just as much. She noted that his left hand was no longer bandaged and wondered why.

"Spike," Angel practically growled.

"Angel, I think someone is using the mansion for sex." Cordelia's voice reached them before the brunette entered the room. "Recent sex, too, unless there's a new air freshener I don't want to know about."

Nia trailed in behind Cordelia. "I tried to get there first, but I was too late. Sorry,"

Buffy's eyes widened, and her gaze went from Cordelia to Spike. She refused to look at Angel, to see the questions, recriminations and hurt in his brown eyes. She didn't want him finding out about her and Spike like this.

Spike met her gaze with no reaction to Cordelia's announcement and smirked. "A man's got needs you know, Slayer. You didn't expect me to be a monk as well as a saint."

*****

Spike was proud of his quick thinking. He was also proud of his control, even though he was itching to brag to Angel that he was pretty sure he was the love in Buffy's life and he was definitely the one to make her writhe and gasp in pleasure as he loved her body. He was looking forward to when they did tell his sire, just to see the look on Angel's face. He had a feeling it was going to be priceless.

He tapped his fingers of his right hand absently against his leg. His thoughts weren't as skittish as they were earlier. Buffy's return and Angel's arrival helped to bring him back down to normal. Well, as normal as he'd ever be. He had a brief thought. What if he was the normal one and everyone else was off?

"Trust me, Billy, it's just you," Nia commented.

Spike rolled his eyes and looked over at the brunette. "Did you enjoy snooping through my things, ducks?"

"Please," Cordelia said disdainfully. "Do not even attempt to go there."

Spike noticed that she wasn't even wary of him as she walked over and sat on the couch next to Angel. That gave him a pause. She should have at least looked a little fearful.

"I hate to tell you this, Billy," Nia said. "You're about as scary as a shorn sheep."

Buffy dropped her head and covered her mouth with her hand to suppress a giggle. Spike ignored both females in his life and turned his attention back to his sire. "I take it I'm going to have house guests?"

Angel frowned, looking back and forth between Spike and Buffy. "It's my house, not yours, and is there something I should know?"

"Spike's good now," Buffy informed Angel.

"Buffy says to tell you 'in more ways than one,'" Nia said to Spike.

A cocky grin spread over his face and he glanced down at the Slayer. He couldn't believe she was teasing him with Angel right there. He couldn't believe how ridiculously happy that made him feel. He couldn't believe how well he could see down her top.

"Since when?" Angel asked skeptically.

"Since he has been," Buffy replied. "Now, tell us more about this sorcerer. Should we worry?"

She leaned forward slightly, preparing to listen, and her yellow slip dress gaped further out, giving Spike quite a perfect view of the top swells of her breasts. They rose and fell with each breath she took and he found himself purposely inhaling and exhaling with her. His trousers became uncomfortably tight in the front and he was glad he was wearing a longer dress shirt.

He ripped his gaze away from her cleavage and found himself looking up into a pair of amused brown eyes, a sculpted brow arched mockingly. He played it up and shrugged at Cordelia. He was male, therefore, he could look when opportunity presented itself. Not that he had any desire to look at anyone else's breasts but Buffy's, and he'd much prefer Buffy's to be uncovered.

"Billy, you'd better get your other head in gear," Nia said. "They're talking about saving lives now. You remember, that thing you're suppose to do?"

Spike pulled himself back into the conversation, glad for once of the ghosts presence. He had no desire to see those perfect breasts get marred in any way and to prevent that, he'd better pay attention. Then later, when they were alone, he'd give them the attention they deserved.

"You are a sick, sick vampire," Nia commented. "Just how are you planning on getting Buffy's boobs off of her? Don't you think she'd protest?"

Buffy slowly turned her head and looked up at Spike. He gave her a sheepish grin, lifted his right hand slightly and flicked Nia off. He took back his gratitude for the ghosts presence.

"At least you know what this guy looks like," Buffy said, shaking her head slightly and returning her gaze to Angel.

"You don't know the things I had to do to get a look at him," Cordelia complained. "I had to wear ruffles! In public!"

"But we don't know the extent of his magickal abilities," Angel said, ignoring Cordelia. "Or if he's really that dangerous or not."

"Well, we can assume since he came to the good ol' Hellmouth, he's got something up his sleeve," Buffy said. "No one just comes here for a visit."

"What about Spike?" Cordelia asked. "Why did he come back?"

"I'd like to know that myself," Angel said, leaning back on the couch in a deceptively casual pose.

Spike resisted the childish urge to stick his tongue out at his sire. Barely. "I came back because I got roped into helping the Slayer."

"And to look down her top," Nia added. Buffy shot Spike an evil glare and leaned back on the couch, pulling her dress against her. Nia laughed.

"Oh really?" Angel said, dark brow raised.

"Yes, really," Spike said in an exaggerated, mocking manner.

"Now, why don't I believe you?" Angel asked.

"Because you're about as smart as belly-button lint," Spike replied.

Buffy went to smack his leg with the back of her hand, but instead hit his broken hand, which was resting lightly on his left leg. He hissed in pain, his teeth clenching together as he willed himself not to move and show any weakness in front of Angel. He was through with being mocked as the lesser vampire in his sire's eyes. Buffy, however, didn't know a thing about being a male.

"Oh god, I'm sorry," she said, reaching out to touch his hand gently. Her hit, although light, had been strong enough to knock the bones of his pinkie out of line. She stood and took his arm. "Come on. We need to splinter that back up."

"Slayer, it's fine," Spike said between his clenched teeth.

"I don't see why you took it off to begin with," Buffy continued, tugging on his arm. "I can't have my slaying partner disabled..."

It was the wrong thing to say. With a growl, Spike stood and pushed her away. "I said it was fine, Slayer. I don't need your bloody help or your sympathy, so shove off."

Buffy stared at him, her beautiful eyes filled with hurt and the beginnings of tears. "Fine. Sorry for giving a damn." She lifted her head proudly and headed for the front door. "I'm going on patrol. Angel, meet me at Giles' in a little while so we can discuss this sorcerer."

Spike watched her leave, a feeling of helplessness engulfing him. The door closed with a silent click, but it might as well have been slammed. He stared at the door for a moment, then turned on his heel and stormed back to his room.

Nia was standing in front of his door. "I don't have the patience for this, woman," he growled at the ghost.

"You have got to be the biggest jerk I have ever known," Nia told him.

"She treated me like a bloody invalid in front of-" Spike clamped his mouth shut and reached through the ghost to grab the doorknob.

"So this is a penis thing," Nia said.

"Sod off," he growled. He opened his door and walked through her, then stopped when the smell of the room hit him. Despite what had just happened, he became immediately aroused. He ground his teeth together and stalked purposely to his dresser. He struggled to open the drawer one handed. "Bloody fucking hell."

"If you weren't such a typical male, Buffy could have helped you," Nia commented, hovering outside of the open door.

"Would a bloody typical male be trying..." He trailed off and slammed his good hand on top of the dresser. "Damn it, Nia, can you fucking help me?"

"Not on your unlife," Nia said, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him.

"I'm going to go after her, you dumb chit, and explain," he snapped.

"Yell at yourself often, Spike?"

Spike looked over at the doorway and saw Angel standing where Nia had been. "Go to hell, Angel. Again." He turned back to the dresser and began to struggle with it again.

Angel walked into the room. "Cordelia was right. It smells like a brothel in here."

"Then get the fuck out," Spike growled. He got one side of the drawer open, but the angle prevented the other side from sliding out. Angel sighed and pushed him none-too-lightly out of the way, then opened the drawer for him. He glared at his sire, then grabbed a pair of jeans and tossed them on the unmade bed. He shoved the drawer closed with his hip, walked over to the side of the bed and knelt awkwardly on the floor to get a small gym bag out from under it.

When he stood back up and saw Angel still standing there, he snarled, "What the bloody hell do you want already?!"

"I didn't believe a single word about you helping Buffy," Angel stated. "I'll be watching you."

Spike shoved his jeans, as well as the t-shirt he'd grabbed off of the chair in the corner of the room, into the bag one-handed, then picked it up. Without a word, he stalked past Angel, down the hall and to the kitchen. There, he shoved the splints and bandages into the bag, grabbed his car keys off the counter and left the mansion.

*****

Buffy had just tied her second shoelace when there was a knock on her door. Although she had no desire to see anyone, she got up to answer it anyway. Big mistake.

"What do you want?" she asked, scowling at the blond vampire at her door.

"To apologize for snapping at you," Spike replied unhappily.

"You don't sound too sorry," Buffy said, stepping back. Spike entered her room and she closed the door behind him.

"That's because I'm not," he grumbled, dropping his bag on the floor. He glared at her. "You made a bloody fool out of me in front of Angel."

"I did what?" Buffy asked, staring at him with confusion.

"Weakness, Slayer. Angelus thrives on the weakness of others," Spike said. "And you made me look weak."

Buffy looked at his rigid posture, the stubborn set to his jaw and sighed. "I pulled a Larry."

"Come again?" Spike said, frowning at her.

"I stopped Larry from beating up Xander and...never mind," she said, moving to her bed. She sank down onto it. "I'm sorry I invaded your male space or whatever it is. If it'll make you happy, I'll let you stake more vamps tonight."

Spike studied her for a moment, then shrugged. "It might." He sat down next to her on the bed and looked at his shoes. "So, am I forgiven?"

"I don't know," Buffy said mischievously. She stood and straddled his lap, being careful of his hand. "I think you may have to persuade me to forgive you."

"You think so, huh?" Spike said, a smile crossing his own face. "Any particular way you have in mind?"

Buffy leaned back slightly and pulled her shirt off, tossing it onto the floor behind her. Her bra followed. "Why don't you just use your imagination?"

She quickly learned just how imaginative a vampire with a broken hand really was.

Part Ten

"Where's Nia?" Buffy asked, pulling her wet hair up from the quick shower she took.

"In the car, sulking," Spike answered, laying casually on the bed. He was dressed in the jeans and t-shirt he'd brought, and his hand was re-bandaged, all courtesy of Buffy's assistance. Of course, it had taken awhile to get him dressed, considering the Slayer insisted on kissing every inch of skin before it became covered. "She's probably happy now that I apologized to you."

"Well, it was nice of her not to join us," Buffy said. She wrinkled her nose at her reflection in the mirror. "I'm so not into menage a trois. Especially not with dead people."

"I'm dead people."

Buffy rolled her eyes and swatted his booted foot. "Come on. Everyone's probably wondering where the heck we are. Willow headed over to Giles' a few minutes after I got here."

Spike stood and looked down at his bandaged hand. "Er, Slayer?"

"Yeah?" Buffy said, sliding the bag of slaying equipment on her shoulder. She looked back at him.

He held up his left hand. "Thanks."

The smile that lit up Buffy's face made his heart melt. He was completely sunk. How he was not going to tell or show anyone how head over heels he was, he didn't know.

*****

Spike was as far away from Buffy as he could get in Giles' small living room. Buffy had to force herself not to look at him in order to keep the huge grin off of her face. She was also having trouble concentrating on the discussion revolving around the sorcerer. All she wanted to do was grab the blond vampire and kiss him until he was breathless.

"What do you think, Buffy?" Willow asked.

"Um...," Buffy trailed off.

"They want to know if you're ready to go look for the sorcerer," Nia supplied helpfully from her seat next to Spike.

"I think I'm ready to kick sorcerer butt," Buffy said, flashing a thankful grin to the ghost. When she did that, her eyes locked with Spike's and she was surprised everyone couldn't hear her heart start to pound in her chest. She pulled her gaze away and stared down at the coffee table in front of her. How in the world was she going to get through the night?

She glanced over at Angel, who stood near the door, and saw that he was watching Spike with an undisguised look of distrust on his face. Thankfully, Xander was working, so she didn't have two males bristling at the blond vampire. In the month that Spike had been helping her, he'd had to also work with the small group of friends in researching and planning. Xander had been the biggest protestor of the addition of Spike, but Giles, although wary, had supported the vampire's involvement. Willow was glad that Buffy had help, but was also wary of Spike's sudden goodness, and Oz normally went with whatever Willow's opinion was.

She wanted to tell all of them that Spike was trustworthy because of Nia, but she realized that she felt that he was trustworthy before she even knew the ghost existed. Either that made her a good judge of character or a really, really bad one.

Buffy shook her head slightly and pulled herself back into the conversation. She had possible disaster to prevent. There would be time later to strip Spike naked and have her wicked way with him.

*****

"Ok, everyone know the plan?" Buffy whispered. She peered through the bushes into the clearing where the sorcerer was chanting.

"We distract him, the hocus pocus group does their thing, we go home," Cordelia replied.

"That about sums it up," Oz said.

It had only taken the group an hour to find the man. While Willow, Giles and Angel had stayed at the former Watcher's gathering spellbooks and supplies to stop whatever the sorcerer was planning, Buffy, Spike, Oz and Cordelia went hunting for him. Oz had led the small team to the different clearings he knew of from Willow's Wiccan rituals, and they found him at the sixth location. The werewolf and Spike then returned to Giles' to get the others while Buffy and Cordelia kept an eye on him.

Buffy looked back at Angel, Willow and Giles. Angel nodded at her, indicating they were ready. She took a short breath and blew it out. Something wasn't sitting right with her. She glanced at Spike and saw him shifting his weight from foot to foot, scanning the area behind them, indicating he felt the same. Nia was standing beside him, as usual, observing silently.

She gripped the magickal knife in her hand tighter. "Let's do it."

Quietly, she went around the bushes and positioned herself at the edge of the circle markers behind the sorcerer. He was an extremely tall and slender man, bordering on waifish, with shoulder-length ebony hair and a long, black goatee with a slash of silver-grey straight down the center. He was dressed in navy blue robes and his deep voice rolled to her from his position in the circle.

Oz was slightly behind her, holding a two-way radio steady, the side button depressed in order for the magick users of the Slayer's team to hear the sorcerer. Cordelia was beside him, acting as his guard and Spike was on the other side of her, ready to assist her in distracting the sorcerer. Just as she was about to insert the knife in the bottom of the protection circle to cut an entry, the blond vampire put his hand on her shoulder.

Buffy turned her head and met his steady blue gaze. His eyes were filled with worry. He lifted his non-bandaged hand and brushed it against the side of her cheek.

"Be careful," he mouthed.

She nodded and took another short breath, then slid the knife flat against the ground at the bottom of the circle. She turned the magickal blade ninety degrees and slowly brought her hand straight up. She could see a faint outline of blue where the knife cut into the protective magick, fading away in a few seconds. She cut the doorway as high as she could reach and two feet wide, watching the sorcerer warily. He did not turn or give any indication he knew they were there.

Once the door was cut, she passed the knife to Cordelia. She raised herself up to her full height and sauntered into the circle. "Nothing like a clear night to do a little black magick," she said loudly.

The sorcerer turned and Buffy had to steel herself against showing the instant fear she felt. His eyes were completely white, sunken into his long, narrow face. His teeth were yellow and rotting as he hissed at her. On the ground in front of him was a pattern of bones, both animal and human, and was glowing a faint reddish color.

"Who dares interrupt me?" he growled.

"Well, me, for one," Buffy answered conversationally. She pointed behind the sorcerer. "And him."

The sorcerer turned and was met with a right cross to his face. Spike then back-fisted him with the same hand, knocking his head the other direction. The sorcerer's gaze snapped back to Spike and Buffy cried out when the blond vampire flew backwards. He hit the invisible wall of the protection circle and fell to the ground with a hard thud.

Anger infused the Slayer, and she attacked the sorcerer. She lashed her foot out, kicking the man in the back of the knee, and he jerked forward slightly, off balance. She drove her fist into his back, then found herself falling to the ground as the sorcerer spun around, back-fisting her with his right hand. She rolled out of the way as he attempted to stomp on her back and she jumped to her feet.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Willow and Angel duck into the doorway cut in the protective circle, magickal implements in their hands. She spun and kicked at the sorcerer, but he ducked under her leg. He brought his hand up and she suddenly felt as though she was slammed in the chest by a two-by-four. She staggered backwards with a grunt.

Spike jumped on the sorcerer from behind, wrapping his forearm around the taller man's neck. The man arched backwards as Spike's weight pulled on him. Buffy watched in amazed horror as the sorcerer grabbed Spike's arm and threw the vampire over his shoulder. Spike let go and went with the throw, rolling with the impact of his body on the ground right to his feet beside Buffy.

"Bloody hell, this human's tough," Spike growled.

"Just keep him away from Angel and Willow," Buffy said before attacking again.

The Slayer hit the sorcerer with a powerful side kick, causing him to fall back. She followed up with a snap kick, but it was blocked. She dropped her foot and punched him in the stomach. He grabbed her wrist on her next hit and she cried out as her skin started to burn.

Spike grabbed her shoulder and yanked her away from the sorcerer with a loud snarl. She stumbled back and found herself right next to the pattern of bones. Spike's right palm shot up, clipping the man in the chin and snapping his head back. He grabbed the material of the robe with the same, uninjured hand and spun, causing the sorcerer to swing around and fall to the ground when Spike let go.

The faint reddish glow coming from the pile of bones suddenly erupted into a bright, red column of light shooting straight up into the air. The sorcerer cackled as he rose to his feet near the doorway that had been cut into the circle. Willow made a noise of great distress on the far side of the circle and Buffy turned to see her and Angel run forward towards the light and kneel beside it.

Buffy's eyes widened when she saw a claw emerging from the ground in the center of the bone pattern. She could hear Willow and Angel chanting something as they threw things into a small bowl between them on the ground. Then she was suddenly jolted forward towards the light. Her arms flailed out to the sides as she tried to keep her balance.

A loud roar ripped through the night and Buffy found herself being thrown away from the light, as the vampire who had her shirt pivoted on his heel in the same manner he had thrown the sorcerer. The momentum of the movement sent her falling to the ground on her left shoulder several feet away, giving her a clear, terrifying view of Spike as he lost his counter-balance.

His golden eyes met hers for one brief second, then the circle flashed brilliant red as he fell into the light.

Buffy stared in horror at the spot where Spike had been, the sorcerer's loud cackles echoing around her. The magick in the air was suffocating her, pressing her down into the earth. Her heart stopped beating in her chest.

Then she was on her feet, her scream of fury and anguish shattering all other sounds. She launched herself at the sorcerer, kicking and punching with the strength and power borne from pure rage. The man's body jerked with each of her blows, creating a macabre dance of pain as he struggled to stay on his feet.

She was unexpectedly tackled to the ground by Oz and watched as Giles bashed the sorcerer on the back of the head. The man crumpled to the earth, his head landing near her feet and she began to kick him in the face. Her legs were abruptly pinned by Cordelia and she let out another raw cry as she tried to get away.

Suddenly, the area exploded into blinding green light and a magickal wind whipped through the protection circle. Over the wind, the loud voices of Willow and Angel could be heard as their counter-spell reached its crux. The crackle of magickal energy ran along the protective barrier, illuminating it with blue-white bolts of lightning. A resounding boom of thunder rang throughout the area, drowning out everything else.

Then silence.

Part Eleven

Buffy shoved Oz off of her and knocked Cordelia to the side, then scrambled forward to the body in the center of the clearing. She began shaking the body, yelling at it, tears streaming down her face. She looked up at Angel and questioned him, cried for him to do something.

Nia looked at the ghost standing beside her and saw him studying the scene with a frown on his face. He tapped the fingers of his right hand on the side of his leg, then gestured with it and asked, "What's all this?"

"It's time, Billy," Nia told Spike.

Spike turned his frown on her. "For what?"

"Justice has been served," Nia said. "Of your own free will, you saved a human's life at the expense of yours."

"I'm dead...er, more dead?" Spike asked, confused. He looked at the group surrounding his body. "But I'm not dust."

"Not yet," Nia replied.

Spike felt his heart breaking as he watched Buffy and a tear slid down his face. "Cor, this is going to devastate her."

"Have you decided if you love her or not?" Nia asked.

"More than my unlife," Spike answered. His lips curled up in a wry smile. "Guess I proved that true."

"Then it is decided," Nia said. "I choose your death to be from physical old age."

Spike gave Nia a puzzled frown. "But vampires don't grow older, we stay the same physical age we were turned."

"I guess you'll be around for a very long time then." Nia grinned at him.

"Wha-" Spike's question cut off when he suddenly found himself in extreme pain. He squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth, unable to stop himself from whimpering, "Nia, stop."

"Billy, open your eyes."

Spike forced his eyes open and found himself staring into the hazel ones of Buffy. The pain faded away, as did the voices of everyone else surrounding him, and he smiled and sang quietly, "'Dead I am the dog, hound of hell you cry. Devil on your back, I can never die.'"

Buffy let out a small cry and crushed her lips to his, kissing him fervently. He kissed her back with equal passion, uncaring of who saw them.

She slowly broke away and stared down into his eyes. "I love you," she said, tears running down her cheeks.

Happiness filled him at her words, threatening to make his heart burst from joy. "I love you," he repeated back.

"That's great that you love each other and all, but can we get out of here?" Cordelia said.

Buffy blushed and Spike chuckled. He met Angel's gaze as he sat up and barely stopped himself from going "nyah, nyah" at him. There would be time for that later. At that moment, he had an intense desire to do as Cordelia suggested and get out of there so he could show Buffy how much he loved her.

He groaned as pain wracked his body when he stood up. Perhaps Buffy would have to show him how much she loved him instead.

*****

Buffy smiled tenderly at the sleeping vampire beside her, reaching over to run her fingers through his soft hair. She heard a knock at the bedroom door and looked up to see Nia standing in front of it, inside the bedroom. "Hi," she greeted softly.

"Hi," Nia said. "I just wanted to check on Billy one more time before I left."

"You're leaving?" Buffy said.

Nia nodded. "He has you to keep him in line now."

"True," she said, smiling again as she looked down at the vampire. "Will you be back?"

"One day," Nia told her. "When Billy turns you." At Buffy's startled look, she laughed. "Don't worry, Buffy. I can be your soul as well as his. Plus, I'm sure Angel will help, too."

"Did you see him?" Buffy asked, nibbling on her lower lip. "How is he taking me and Spike...?"

"That man has got some serious brooding skills," Nia said. "I don't envy you when you give him 'the talk.'"

"You could do it," she suggested hopefully.

"Sorry, Buffy, you and Billy are on your own," Nia said. She dropped her eyes and looked fondly at the vampire. "He's going to be hyper when he wakes up."

"Am not," Spike muttered, rolling onto his side and snuggling up to Buffy.

Nia smiled. "Goodbye, Buffy. Take care of him."

"I will," Buffy replied.

"Nia, go away," Spike mumbled against Buffy's neck.

"Goodbye, Billy," Nia said.

"Goodbye, Nia," Spike replied. He looked over his shoulder at the ghost. "And stop calling me Billy."

Nia laughed, waved to them both and disappeared.

Spike turned back and nuzzled Buffy's neck, nipping at the skin. "Now, where was I?"

"Right about there..," Buffy said, then grinned. "...Billy."

Back