Chapter Eighteen

Spike opened car the door for Buffy so she could get out. The drive home had been a lot quieter than the drive to Dru's. All the way home to Sunnydale Spike had been thinking of all the things he liked about Buffy, so he could understand why he was so attracted to her. She had a lot of great, amazing even, assets, but still Spike's life had been full of girls with a of lot different and some even better assets. However Buffy... She was perfect, well, maybe not exactly, but she amazed him with every move. Every smile sent his way could light a fire in his heart. Buffy... God, he was falling, deeper and harder than ever in his life. The only thing he couldn't understand was why? Why her? In his mind she was too good for him. She was... perfect in so many aspects. But you can't stop love, now can you?

Buffy smiled to where she felt Spike standing and slowly started to get out of the car. The ride home had been different than the ride to Dru's. She knew Spike had been thinking and could just imagine what it was. She knew, because she thought about it too. The relationship they shared was fast progressing into something else entirely. From the moment she first met Angel, she had thought that she loved him, but now... This feeling she had when she was with Spike. It was so different. Spike made her heart do a little dance every time she just thought about him. Buffy felt that she was falling for him, and falling hard. But how could it be possible to fall for someone in so little time? What did he have that no one else she had ever dated have? Yeah, he was a gentleman, a good listener and had charm to spare. Still all of this she could find in Riley... Ok, maybe not the gentleman part... or the good listener part, and the charm wasn't his strong point... But still... Spike was... Lovable? All Buffy could think about was how was it possible to fall for someone so soon, for someone you've never even... seen?

Spike gently took Buffy's hand and walked her to the door. He held Buffy's bag in one hand and turned her around with the other hand when they reached the door. They were now face-to-face with each other. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, but as he tried to pull back Buffy didn't let him, starting a much more passionate kiss. *Yeah, one more of his good assets: best kisser I've ever had.* Spike added to himself.

*Still like candy.* Buffy thought to herself. *He makes my legs collapse under these kisses. I wonder what else he could do with that amazing tongue?* As Spike touched his tongue to Buffy's she moaned loudly. Spike's hand started to stroke Buffy's back as her hand went around his neck. He moaned even louder than Buffy had when the petite blonde's leg touched his crotch. From Buffy's side it had been accidental, but hearing his aroused moan she let her leg slowly move between his legs. He moaned even louder. Buffy smiled into the kiss, which was becoming increasingly heated.

God, he wanted to shove her up against the house and have his wicked ways with her. This spark in her... God, he wanted her, so much it was painful. Spike pulled Buffy so close she had to slide one of her legs up Spike's side. Her other leg still rubbed Spike's crotch. Buffy felt herself getting hotter and hotter. If they didn't stop soon she would jump on his bones right here and right now. God, she wanted him, so much it was painful. As one of Spike's hand started to slide under Buffy's shirt they were interrupted by Dawn's voice.

"Oh, yeah, mom, they're here!" She called to her mother watching her sister and bleach blond's make out session.

"Dawn!" Buffy yelped jumping away from Spike. How did Dawn always pick the wrong moment to interrupt?

"Oh, don't stop because of me." She smiled. "Or Mr. Ripley for that matter. I bet that ninety year old doesn't mind to watch free porno." Dawn said and waved to the old neighbor. Spike, seeing her actions, turned to where Dawn waved. He saw an old man quickly closing his curtains. Well, who could blame him, they had been hot. VERY hot!

"Damn!" Buffy cursed. "Bet he wasn't the only one." The thought that all the neighbors could have seen her and Spike made her feel a bit dizzy. "Mom! Where's mom?" She asked suddenly, she knew Joyce wasn't with Dawn out here, but she still could have seen this.

"No worries, she's in the kitchen, she didn't see anything. But next time maybe at least wait till dark?" Dawn responded playfully. All Buffy did was give an evil look over at Dawn.

"I... um, have to go." Spike spoke up. Buffy again turned to him.

"Yeah, or you'll be late." She said leaning to kiss him goodbye. This time making the kiss much more like a peck, so they wouldn't get too hot again. "I had an amazing time. Thank you." Buffy said pulling back from him.

"Me too." Spike whispered. "I'll call you from L.A. tomorrow." He said to Buffy and handed her bag to Dawn. "Was nice to see you again, Nibblet." Spike gave her a grin, under which Dawn's legs nearly collapsed. "Bye." He said kissing Buffy again. Buffy heard him walk to the car and then drive down the street.

"So, how about a lot of cheesy details?" Dawn asked turning to Buffy.

"Let's eat and then call Willow and Cordy. I'm sure they want to hear all about it too." Buffy answered smiling and walked inside. Dawn grinned. She loved to listen to good gossip, and after seeing her sister and Spike's make out session, she knew it needed to be hot.

***

"That's it?!" Dawn yelped out after Buffy had told her, Willow and Cordy about the two days spent with Spike.

"Yep. That's it." Buffy answered.

"All that happened between you and Spike in two days were a few kisses and one night actually SLEEPING?" Cordy asked shocked.

"For God's sake, who do you think I am?" Buffy yelped annoyed. "I haven't known him for even a week!"

"Ok, we're sorry, but... Come on! He's hot! And you didn't even get naked!" Cordy apologized still not hiding her shock. Screw 'not even a week', she WOULD have fucked him, what ever it would have took.

"Well..." Buffy started unsure. "There was a moment when Spike was naked in front of me." She said quietly, remembering the accident with towel.

"What!?" All three of her listeners called out.

"What... How? When? How did he look?" Dawn asked puzzled.

"Gee, Dawn, sorry couldn't take a good look." Buffy answered sarcastically. She was also very irritated that her friends thought that she would just jump into bed with the first hot guy she met.

"Sorry, Buff..." Dawn apologized. "It's just... He's hot!" She nearly yelled out the last part.

"Yes, I know. But my code of ethics and morals doesn't let me have sex with him, yet." Buffy explained. It was true, after Parker she had gotten a lesson, she never let a guy near her for at least two weeks, and Spike already had came closer than any other guy ever could in a week. With Angel it had taken more than six months, of course then she had been a virgin, but still... She had been burned with Parker, letting him get too close in so little time, that's why she had taken her time with Riley. The first time they had been together was after three months of dating and it still took Buffy a lot to trust him. She didn't want to rush it now, with Spike, but damn! She wanted him! "Ask for some more details after a week and you'll probably get it." Buffy added and then cringed at her own words. "God, did I really just said that out loud?"

"Yup!" Cordy and Dawn let out a laugh and Willow giggled as well.

"So how many details will we get to hear?" Willow asked trying not to laugh at Buffy's expression.

"Mom!" Buffy called out, "Do I really have to explain the birds and the bees to them?"

Joyce laughed and said, "Well at least I don't have to explain it to you and your sister."

"Mom!" Buffy exclaimed mortified as Cordy and Willow just laughed.

***

Chapter Nineteen

Buffy heard the phone ringing. She could tell that it was nearly six am. Who would call this early? And who ever it was had a huge problem now; a rudely awakened Buffy was not the nicest. Still very sleepy, she picked the phone up.

"Who ever you are, you're dead." She said into the phone, annoyed as hell. She had finally gone to sleep just after three when they were done with their girls' night out.

"I'm sorry, pet." An English accent said on the line. Now Buffy was fully awake. "I told you I'd call today, and... well, six am counts as today. Sorry I didn't want to wake you. I'm just... I think I've gone mad." He admitted and Buffy giggled a little.

"It's ok. I'll get some sleep later." Although it was a lie since Buffy had work in a few hours she couldn't give up an opportunity to talk to Spike. "So, how's L.A.?"

"Not as good as it could be." Spike admitted softly. The truth was everything to do with his book was going splendidly but he already ached to see Buffy. And it hadn't even been a day! "So how're you?"

"Besides the fact that it's nearly six in the morning and I'm not sleeping and having sweet dreams?" She asked playfully. Spike winced. He knew it was selfish to call her so early.

"I'm sorry, luv... I-You better go get some sleep I'll call back later." He said, but before he could put the phone down Buffy spoke up.

"No, no. It's ok, I'll sleep later. Don't hang up." She said and Spike smiled to himself. At least he wasn't the only one who felt slightly bereft at not being around the other. He sighed and thought to himself *I'm turning into such a Nancy boy!* "You're turning into a what?" Buffy asked surprised as Spike understand that he had said the last part out loud.

"Oh.. uh, nothing. Just thinking out loud." Spike winced, but smiled when he heard giggles from the phone. "You know for someone who was woken up so early in the morning you sound very happy." He said, commenting on her giggle-fest.

"Guess you bring out the best in me." Buffy said with a smile. Spike smiled as well.

"Who knows?" He mouthed. "So, what are you gonna do today?"

"Work. What else? I have some paperwork to catch up on." She admitted.

"Guess it's my fault." Spike said remembering the last two days, but he didn't regret anything that had happened.

"Probably." Buffy responded playfully. "But it's not like I'm complaining." She added with an evil grin on her face.

"Neither do I, pet, but I hafta say..." Spike was interrupted by a sharp beep in his ear. "Just a minute, luv, someone's calling me on the other line." He said and then, before pressing the receiver's button added, more to him self. "What kind of idiot would call so early in the morning?" Buffy laughed as she heard the phone line go quiet. It took Spike a few minutes to get back to Buffy. She had nearly fallen asleep again. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to leave you like that."

"Huh? Oh, right the phone." She said sheepishly. "Who called?"

"Gabriela. She thinks that if it's 5 p.m. in Europe that it will be the same in California. She never has been good with a clock." Spike said still thinking about his conversation with his friend. She had asked what he wanted for his birthday. That meant she should be coming to Sunnydale somewhere in the near future. Spike didn't know why, but this fact made him worry. Gabriela was an amazing friend, but she was drastically different than most people. And of course she had a tendency to scare away Spike's girlfriends and almost all the female friends he had ever had. He was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't hear what Buffy had been talking about. "Huh?" He asked her.

"I asked why is she in Europe; you didn't answer me last time." Buffy repeated remembering what happened last time when she asked him this. "Oh, and then I yawned." She added, trying to wave aside thoughts about sex with Spike. True it was VERY hard.

"Oh, um, she's a professor in a university over in France." He answered remembering the previous time when Buffy had asked about Gabry as well.

"A professor? How old is she?" She asked slightly confused.

"She's twenty four. Gabry is some kind of a prodigy or something like that." Spike explained. "But let's leave all talk of Gabry for later. I wanted to talk to you."

"Ok, so talk."

"I have so much to tell you, luv, but at the moment I really can't remember." Spike admitted. It was true, he wanted to talk to her SO much, to tell her how much he missed her, but how could he? He couldn't even admit it to himself. Just then Buffy's alarm clock went off.

"Shit!" Buffy cursed smacking the alarm clock to stop the beeping.

"What's that?" Spike asked.

"My alarm clock. I thought I had two more hours, but I just remembered I promised to help Dawnie get ready for a test this morning. What normal person wants to study for a test at seven a.m.?"

"It's still not seven." Spike said looking at his watch. "So, luv, our little chat is over?" He asked half playfully, half disappointed. Buffy heard both and smiled at that. Even though she didn't understand why she missed Spike so much, she liked the thought that he missed her too.

"Call tonight... Damn!"

"What?"

"I won't be home tonight. A friend of mine is having a birthday party. Call me tomorrow ok?" Buffy asked still cursing in her mind, she wanted to talk to him for hours, but it was Fred's birthday, so she really didn't have a choice. Fred was an old friend from school and a very sweet girl.

"Oh, ok. Tomorrow." Spike said and added in his mind *If I will survive that long. I'm bloody hooked!*

"Ok, I'll wait. So goodbye then?" She asked sadly.

"Yeah, just one last question, pet."

"Shoot."

"What're you wearing?" Spike asked playfully. Buffy giggled again.

"Socks." She responded before hanging up the phone.

***

"We'll send the painting to your mansion in a few hours, Mr. Rouge." Buffy said to the client as she handed back his credit card.

"So what did he say?" Willow asked the petite blond when Mr. Rouge left the gallery.

"Nothing special. Just some things." Buffy answered truthfully. And slowly sat down.

"You know, you look miserable." Willow said looking at her blond friend, who started to scribble little hearts on a pad of paper.

"Gee, thanks." Buffy responded, lifting her head to face Willow.

"No, I'm serious; I can see that you miss him." She said and moved the sheet of paper when Buffy started to scribble on the table. Buffy, feeling her best friend's action touched the paper.

"Damn, I hate this!" She yelled crumpling the paper and throwing it away.

"And I think that missing him is driving you crazy." Willow said commenting on Buffy's action. "He's gone half a day and you already behave like an insane person. I think you're hooked." She said laughing.

"Yeah, it's real funny." Buffy said sarcastically. "Wills, I think I'm hooked." She added few seconds later. All Willow did was laugh. "Ok, enough with my miserable..."

"Ha! You admitted it!" Willow said smiling smugly.

"What did you buy for Fred?" Buffy asked ignoring the redhead's comment.

"Lingerie."

"I thought you were already over your crush on her." Buffy said teasingly. Every time since she had heard Willow saying that Fred was sexy she teased her mercilessly about the crush.

"Very funny." Willow said obviously annoyed. Buffy had to giggle, because even though she was blind she still could feel the irritation coming from her best friend. "So what did you get her?"

"Not really sure. I know it's a dress, and Dawnie said it's really pretty. So all I can do is trust her." Buffy answered. "But no worries, I bet Gunn will love her in anything." She said smiling. Gunn had been Fred's boyfriend since college and everyone, including Fred, knew he wanted to propose to her in the near future.

"Well I bet that he will like the lingerie much more than the dress."

"That's for sure." Buffy said as both girls let out a laugh.

***

Chapter Twenty

"God, I'm tired." Buffy said to no one, but herself, as she entered her room. She slowly moved from the door to the bed and pressed the button on the answering machine on her way. As she started to undress the machine beeped and announced that she had two messages.

Buffy missed how she had to hear everything now instead of being able to just see the light on the answering machine. It was small things like that that got her down sometimes. But it had been a great night. Fred had loved all her gifts, the cake was very tasty and the most important thing was that Gunn had finally proposed her. It was nice and sweet but had been very long and now Buffy was extremely tired. She started to remove her pants as a cheery voice from the answering machine interrupted her thoughts.

"Hey, B! How ya doing? I feel like shit, thanks for asking. All this pregnancy stuff sucks. Got your mail and no, I don't think calling my baby Blond Wonder would be a good idea. Especially if neither of its parents are blond. Can you imagine Wesley's expression if the baby IS blond?!" Buffy let out a slight chuckle at that. It was a joke between the two of them from the day Faith found she's pregnant. Buffy met Faith shortly before she lost her eyesight. Faith lived in San Francisco with her fiancé, Wesley, and now she was pregnant with their first child. Buffy didn't get together with Faith often, but they called each other and e-mailed nearly every day. Faith was a great person and was one of the more honest people that Buffy knew. "Anyway. How are Fred and her pet? I wanted to come to her birthday party, but Wesley didn't want me to fly *in my condition*. Ha! He acts like I'm dying!" Faith let out an ironic laugh.

"Your pregnant Faith! You can not fly!" Called a man's voice in the background. "And tell Buffy I said 'hi'!"

"Right, right! Wesley says 'hi'. But who cares anyway?" There was some crashing noise in the background and Faith cursed into the phone. "Bastard! Can you believe the father of my child just threw a pillow at me. A pillow, for God's sake! B, I'm gonna marry an idiot." Buffy laugh at that. For now she already was fully changed into her pj's that was composed only of a black t-shirt and cotton panties. She slowly slid into her cold bed. *I need a warm man with me in this bed. A warm Spike. And soon!* Buffy thought to herself as Faith's message continued. "Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment. We'll finally know if the baby's a boy or a girl. At least then we can look at names. Don't tell anyone, but I'm a little excited."

"Faith, hon, she isn't even home. Please come to bed." Wesley's voice called.

"Right away!" Faith called back. "Ok, B, duty calls. God that sounded weird. Night, B. Call me or send an e-mail, k? And I want to know more about your new boy toy, got it?"

"Sweetie, bring the pillow with you, k?" Wesley called just before the message ended. Buffy smiled to herself. Faith and Wesley were really great friends. A bit weird, but great. Another beep sounded from the machine and a new message came on.

"Hey, pet!" Spike's melodic baritone said. Buffy smiled enormously. "So how was your friend's party? Hope you had a great time. True, I wanted to talk to you. I miss you. Shit. Does this machine have a button that deletes the phrases I didn't mean to say?" But that part Buffy didn't hear anymore. Her mind was stuck on Spike admitting that he missed her. He said it. How great was that? "Ok, I think the phone twists my words around. Is it possible? Guess not. Well, ok I do miss you, but... um... Buffy, what's going on with us? I mean we barely know each other, but I feel like I've known you all my life." Spike's voice softened even more. "And I don't know what I will do if after hearing all this you decide that you don't feel the same." Buffy could hear the fear in his voice. The thing was she *did* feel the same. She was just a bit shocked he was the one who admitted it first. She had always thought that guys knew nothing when it came to emotions. "So ok, I'll end this little monologue now, before I say something else to embarrass myself. I'll call you tomorrow night, I would love to do it sooner, but I have work. I really hate work. Ok, night luv." And with that the message ended.

"Night." Buffy whispered before closing her eyes. All night long a small smile was stuck on her face.

***

"No, Dawn. You hear me? I said no!" Buffy said doing some paperwork at the gallery the next day. Dawn was beside her and was nearly jumping up and down.

"Come on, Buffy. You won't even see it! Please, just say ok!" Dawn begged her sister.

"I will never ever say ok to that. You hear me, young lady? No, and that's all." Buffy said calmly not taking her hands off of the Brailed text on the desk.

"But... but..." Dawn tried again. "Why do you get to and not me?"

"Because it wouldn't look right." Buffy turned to face her sister. "Look, sweetie, I really want you to be happy and get that guy's... What was his name again?"

"A.J." Dawn reminded her.

"Right. As I said changing your haircolor will not change what he thinks about you." She tried to explain. "And, hun, blond isn't you. See, if you wanted to change it to red I might agree. But Dawnie, you just aren't the blond type."

"Dumb and with a boyfriend?" She asked sarcastically.

"Yes... No. Did you just call me dumb?" Buffy felt dizzy.

"All I want Buffy is a boyfriend like Spike. How can I get one like that?" Dawn asked desperately. All Buffy could do was stand up and hug her little sister.

"I have no idea, sweetie, but I'm sure you'll meet a guy like Spike." She said trying to cheer up her sister. "But you sure as hell can't have the real deal." Buffy added playfully.

"Well you've been together for what... three or four days? He still can change sisters." Dawn responded letting her sister go. Buffy smiled and sat back down at the table, slowly starting to go through the papers again. Then quietly adding.

"He said he misses me, so I think your chances are low, sis."

"He said he misses you?! How cool is that?" Dawn nearly jumped for joy. Even though she had met Spike just two times she liked him, a lot. Of course not enough to stop her from being jealous of Buffy, but enough to be happy for her. If there was one person who deserved to be happy, then it was her sister.

"Yeah, I know." Buffy said with smile on her lips.

"And how do you feel about all this?"

"I... I don't really know, Dawnie. I know I miss being with him, but I..." Buffy took a deep breath; she really didn't know how to say out loud what she felt.

"You don't wanna open your heart and get hurt again, is that it?" Dawn asked carefully.

"Yeah, that's it." Buffy admitted quietly and then turned her head towards Dawn. "And when did you become so smart anyway?" At that Dawn smiled.

"Soaps, sis. Only by watching those could I become psychic." She answered playfully.

"Soaps." Buffy repeated to her self and then again turned back to her work. "Ok, I need to finish this and you need to go back to school."

"Yeah, yeah. You up for Bronzing tonight?" Dawn asked picking up her bag that rested on the floor. Buffy thought for a minute, the last time at the Bronze she had met Spike, that definitely wasn't going to happen tonight. But she had been working herself hard lately and need a break.

"Sure, why not? When are we going?"

"Around six. Ok?"

"Ok. Now go or you'll be late!" Buffy pushed.

"I'm gone. Love you, sis." Dawn said as she pecked Buffy on cheek and walked out from gallery.

"Damn! Back to work." Buffy said to herself and started to work on her Braille paperwork.

***

Buffy entered The Bronze with Dawn. Loud music instantly hit Buffy's ears. She really hated being so sensitive. She had finished work an hour ago and after that had called Willow. The redhead had promised to meet Buffy at the club. All night with nineteen year olds wasn't her idea of fun.

"Hey, Dawnie!" Buffy heard a young man's voice say. She could feel her sister start to blush. So this must be A... A... A.Something. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh, s-sorry." Dawn managed to mumble. "T-this is Buffy, my sister. Buffy, this is A.J." She said. A.J. smiled and offered his hand to Buffy. She, of course, didn't see it. Dawn on the other hand saw and placed Buffy's hand into A.J.'s. First Buffy was confused by her action, but feeling smooth skin under her palm she smiled.

"Sorry, didn't see it." She said trying to concentrate her gaze towards A.J.'s face.

"Um... That's ok, I guess." He responded weakly. Obviously he didn't know Buffy was blind. "So, Dawnie, wanna dance?" A.J. asked turning to Dawn.

"Oh, um, sure." Dawn answered happily. This was good! "I'll find a table for Buffy and then we can go dance." She said as if it was the most normal thing to do: lead her twenty three year older sister to a table in a nightclub full of people.

"Cool, Dawnie, you make me sound like an invalid." Buffy said a bit angrily.

"I didn't mean that." Dawn defended herself. "Come on." She said pushing Buffy toward a free table.

"Hey!" Came a cheery voice from beside Dawn and Buffy.

"Willow, hey!" Dawn smiled to the redhead. "Please take Buffy to a free table, would you?" She didn't even wait for an answer as she ran away, leaving her, now angry, sister and her confused best friend standing in the middle of the Bronze.

"What was that?" The redhead asked. Buffy just shrugged.

"A.Something." She answered as Willow took her hand and walked to a table.

Buffy was unaware that at that very moment her phone was ringing back home.

"Where are you Buffy?" Spike asked himself putting the phone down. He sat next to the window and watched the lights and cars in the city. He didn't like big cities; they never made him feel at home. The phone rang. Immediately Spike picked it up. "Buffy?" He asked into the receiver.

"No, but I really want to know who she is." Came the answer from the other end of the line. Spike instantly knew who this voice belonged to. The accent was unique.

"How are you?" He asked.

"I guess better than you, because I'm not considering that there could be only one person calling me. And even if I did, I don't think this persons name would be *Buffy*. What kinda name is that?"

"Hey, watch it!" Spike hissed.

"Hmm, so you have a thing for her. I definitely want to meet the girl."

"So why don't you come and meet her?" Spike asked not really thinking about what he was saying. His thoughts were concentrated on Buffy and the fact that he hadn't spoke to her all day.

"Actually that's the reason I'm calling. I don't think I can come to your birthday." That had Spike coming out of his daydream.

"Something wrong?" He asked a tad worried.

"Nothing special, just work. But I really have to finish it. You won't be mad at me?"

"Course not. But I'll miss you."

"I know. Sorry. I'll call you, ok?" She asked.

"Sure."

"Ok. Love you. Bye." With that the phone went dead.

"Love you too." Spike said as he closed the curtains.

***

Chapter Twenty One

It was nearly eleven a.m. Spike sat in his L.A. hotel room in front of black laptop. His publisher had asked him to write a prologue for Spike's third book. He hated this. *It's not bloody possible to write on purpose!* He thought to himself. He couldn't write if he didn't have any inspiration and at the moment he just didn't have it.

"Damn it!" He said angrily closing laptop. "This is bloody stupid!"

Ring. Ring.

Immediately Spike picked the phone up. Any reason for NOT writing was good. "'Ello?" He said in phone receiver.

"Spike, hi!" Came a cheery voice. Spike smiled. Buffy. Finally something good.

"Hey, pet! I called you last night, no one picked up."

"So sorry. I totally forgot and I didn't turn on the answering machine." She apologized. Truth be told, last night, when Buffy came home from Bronze, after God damn awful night out, not just that she had felt strange all the time trying to sense Spike near, but Dawnie's new *boyfriend* had been total idiot. God, she hadn't met so self centred guy, since Parker! Anyway, she had come home and only when she pushed her answering machine's button she had remembered that she forget to turn it on. At the moment she had felt like crying, she didn't understand why, but she wanted to cry over the fact that she won't hear Spike's voice before going to sleep. Buffy had considered the thought calling him last night, but it had been nearly three a.m. so she decided to wait till morning.

"That's ok, those bloody machines makes me woozy." Spike said choking. Buffy smiled, yeah, she remembered why he said that, he had said something like that in his previous message too.

"Dunno. I think they make you even sweeter." Buffy admitted seriously.

"So... um... what do you think about... about what I said previous time?" He asked very quietly. *Please, don't let her laugh over me!* Spike begged in his mind.

"I think, that... this, whatever this is between us... is progressing really fast and really seriously. I honesty don't know why, but I miss you too, Spike, I really do." Buffy said trying to sound calm as much as it was possible.

Spike smiled wildly. He had never felt like this way in his whole life. Never in his whole life had he been falling so hard, fast and strong, not even understanding what happens himself.

"Spike?" Buffy asked unsure when no sound came from other lines end. God, she hoped she hadn't scared him away with her confession. But he had said it first hadn't he?

"Sorry, luv. Got side kicked by my thoughts." He responded immediately as he heard Buffy saying his name. Couldn't let the girl think she said something wrong. Indeed she had said exactly the thing he felt. "I'm glad you feel like that too, luv. It's strange, but nice feeling." *Except does times when I'm feeling like ripping my head off if I won't hear your voice or see your face.* He added in his thoughts.

"Strange." Buffy repeated smiling. "But nice. When are you coming home?" She asked changing the subject. Spike gave a deep sigh.

"As soon as I submit a prologue for my new book to my publisher. Hopefully tomorrow."

"Oh." Was all Buffy said. Yes, she knew he was going to come back just tomorrow, but she secretly had hoped for him to be home today.

"I'll try my best. I promise." Spike said hearing the disappointment in Buffy's voice. Damn, he wanted to go back so badly!

"Ok. Call me later?"

"Of course. Bye, pet."

"Bye." She said and hanged up. Spike turned back to his laptop. Opening it he started to type. Fast. He had got his inspiration. He had pretty, blond muse, who made him write faster.

***

"What're you watching, Dawnie?" Buffy asked her younger sister when coming downstairs that evening she heard strange sound coming from TV. Usually she pretty good could tell what was on, but now it gave some weird noises.

"Teletubbies." Brunette answered not taking her look of the TV.

Well that definitely explained the strange noises.

"What else could you expect from nineteen years old?" She shrugged and asked sarcastically.

"Shush. They will sing!" Dawn said pointing at the screen. Buffy slowly made her way to coach and sat down.

"Dunno. When you can't see them they don't make the same effect." The blonde one drew a conclusion after couple of minutes with some cheesy lyrics about sun and friendship.

"You hated them even when you could see." Dawn pointed.

"Not true. I loved how their butts looked. So puffy." She said smiling. Dawn just looked at her sister like she was and weirdo.

"Whatever." At that Joyce walked in the living room and faced both her daughters.

"What're you two doing?"

"I'm watching Teletubbies, Buffy making comments about their asses." Dawn explained turning back to TV.

"Languish, Dawn." Joyce pointed. "And why exactly are you two watching this kind of crap?"

"Languish, mom." Buffy pointed happily. "And I'm not counting as watcher. Only enough strange for that here is Dawnie."

"Ok. What I wanted to ask was: when is William coming back?" Joyce asked turning to her eldest.

"Um... Well, he said that he needs to finish a prologue for his new book, so probably tomorrow." Buffy answered still bit disappointed about that fact.

"I wanted to invite him to dinner. Will you ask him when he will come home?"

"Yeah, sure." Buffy responded happily. It was nice that her mom wanted to meet Spike. These past weeks Buffy had speak only about him and Joyce had started to get annoyed, even thought she was very happy for her daughter. Buffy hadn't been this happy since she lost her ability to see. Never with Riley had she smiled this much. Beside Joyce didn't really like Riley or Angel, for that matter, but she really like this young man, who her daughter dated now. "When you want this dinner to happen?"

"Oh, whenever William can come." Joyce said sitting beside Buffy and turning to TV. "God, I can't look at that cheery thing." She said changing the channel.

"Hey!" Dawn protested.

"Not even a sound." Joyce warned. Came a ring from doorbell.

"I'll open." Still pouting Dawn made her way to door. Not even minute later Buffy heard a man's voice coming from living room's entrance.

"Evenin', pet."

***

Buffy nearly jumped hearing Spike's voice.

"What are you doing here?" She asked standing up.

"Should I leave?" Spike asked playfully, still with eyes taking everything from the blond in front of him. God, she looked even better then before he leaved.

"No!" Buffy cried out. She slowly started to walk at Spike's direction. Before she even could blink she was in Spike's arms and he was kissing her passionately. *This feels so good. How can just kiss feel so good?* Buffy thought to herself, well as possible it was to think while Spike's tongue danced in her mouth. When Spike let her go they both tried to catch breath.

"Nice to see you back, William." Joyce said smiling. Spike, turning to Joyce direction, blushed a little. Only seeing the older woman he had remembered that she, as well as Dawn, was in the room where he so passionately had kissed Buffy few seconds early.

"Yeah, nice to feel you back." Buffy whispered in Spike's ear pressing her body to Spike's.

"Nice to be back." Spike said smiling. God, this felt like home, even thought he didn't know this women even a two weeks.

"I'll make some hot cocoa. Someone wants?" Joyce asked walking to kitchen's direction.

"Do you have some of those little marshmallows?" Spike asked hopefully. Dawn giggled a little. *Who would thought that guy, all in black, liked marshmallows?*

"I think so. Dawn, you'll help me?" Joyce turned to her younger daughter.

"Sure. Whatever. You didn't let me Teletubbies, now I don't have anything better." Brunette complained and walked after her mother.

"Teletubbies?" Spike asked turning to Buffy again.

"You really don't want to know." She responded knowingly and leaned after a kiss from her boyfriend. *Boyfriend. That sounds gooooood.*

Few seconds later Spike let Buffy go and looked in her eyes. Her gaze was concentrated somewhere trough his head. It made him feel bit weird, but it didn't really seem important to him, she saw him or not.

"Stay tonight at my house." He whispered. Over Buffy's face slide a slight of shock. After that she looked at Spike. Well at least she did her best so her eyes would be concentred at his face.

"I won't have sex with you." She said clearly. "Tonight." Buffy added much quietly and with deep blush. Spike only smiled.

"I didn't say anything about sex, luv. Well, not that it haven't crossed my mind, thought... But, that wasn't the point, now was it?" He asked smoothing back her blond locks. "I want to sleep beside you, Buffy. See you in the morning, kiss you, smell you, hear you. I want you." Spike whispered the last part.

"Ok." Buffy whispered back. "But no sex." She pointed louder.

Spike chuckled. "No sex. For now." He added.

"For now."

"Cocoa's ready." Dawn yelled from kitchen. Both blonds, hand in hand, walked into the Summers' kitchen.

***

A/N: For those who asked if they needed to know who Spike spoke with at the phone in last chapters end, the answer is: if you knew- good, if you didn't- good too. The conversation I needed for future so don't bother your pretty selves, later you will be reminded :) Oh, and yes I know my timing in fic is pretty slow, but I need this time and I'm really not the best at skipping something, so sorry if the story seems circulating. The next chappie will be up as I get it back from my beta (hopefully). I promise I will try REAL hard not to skip so much time between updates. Be sweet, leave review :)

Chapter Twenty Two

"Hey, Spike, you're a writer, right?" Dawn asked the bleached blond while she slowly sipped her cocoa.

"Um, yeah. Why?" Spike looked at Dawn unsure.

"Could you help me with Shakespeare? I need to write an essay, but... well, all the literary talent in our family went to the cat Buffy once had."

"Not true. I'm good at literature." Buffy protested. "Besides I don't think Stinky the Cat had any talent except pissing in every possible place." She muttered.

"So you want to help me with Shakespeare?" Dawn asked sarcastically.

"God, no!"

"Spike?" Dawn asked again turning to her sister's boyfriend.

"Sure. Why not?"

"Great, come on!" The brunette took Spike's hand and started to drag him out of the kitchen. "It won't take more than ten minutes, I promise."

"Ok, then. Buffy?" Spike turned to the blond one last time. "I'll try to be back as soon as I can." Was all he had time to say before Dawn had dragged him out of the kitchen.

"Ten minutes with Dawn and he'll be wishing he had never agreed." Buffy said to herself and then turned to where her mother sat. "Mom?"

"Yes, honey?" Joyce looked up from her cocoa.

"I'm staying at Spike's tonight." Buffy said as calmly as she could. Yes, maybe, she was twenty three years old, but it still was strange to tell her mother that she was sleeping over a guy's house. Buffy felt Joyce's piercing look on her. "Mom, I'm old enough to know what I'm doing."

"Yes, I know. Sorry." Joyce managed to say as she looked back down to her cocoa cup. Well, what else could she say a daughter that all but declared she was going to have sex that night?

"We won't have sex." Buffy added as if reading her mother's thoughts. "Tonight."

"It's not any of my business." Joyce looked up. "But I'm happy you're trusting me and I trust you, so I know you understand what you're doing and what can happen. Just call me if you won't be home for dinner."

"Thanks, mommy." Buffy said smiling and stood up. Slowly walking around the table she hugged her mother. "I love you. You're the best mommy ever."

"Yeah, I am. Now go pack the things you'll need." Joyce said hugging her eldest back.

"Ok." With that Buffy walked out of the kitchen.

"God, let Dawnie be as responsible as Buffy." Joyce said to herself and started to clean the table.

***

An hour later Buffy and Joyce sat on the couch and watched TV. Buffy was extremely bored. Spike had been upstairs with Dawn for nearly an hour and Buffy had already seen this episode. Why did the WB air new episodes for the first half of the season and then started repeats? That was annoying.

"Well if you don't get an A, pet, I'll go complain to the principal." Spike said as he and Dawn walked downstairs.

"Took you long enough." Buffy said getting up from the couch. "Ready to go?" She asked reaching her hand toward Spike's, trying to find where he stood.

"Yes. You?" He asked taking Buffy's hand and pulling her close. She only nodded. God, she loved to be pressed against him.

"Where are you guys going?" Dawn asked sitting beside Joyce on the couch.

"To Spike's." Buffy answered casually and touched Spike's face so she could know where his lips were. After that she slowly reached up and placed a soft kiss on them.

"Oh." Was all Dawn said and then looked at her mother. Joyce just watched TV, not really caring what happened around her, secure in the knowledge that her Buffy knew what she was doing, and knew that her mouth was okay with that.

"We're going?" Spike asked to Buffy, but his gaze was focused at Joyce as well. Like he was waiting for explosion from the older woman.

"Yep. Somewhere beside the door are my things." Buffy pointed towards the door. "And can we walk? I would love to know the way to your house." She said and then quietly added. "Maybe later I will be able to walk there myself."

"Sure we can walk." Spike said getting a warm feeling filling his body. She wanted to be able to come over by herself. That was promising.

"Ok, then, lets go. Goodnight, mommy, Dawnie!" Buffy wished both women on the couch.

"Same here. Sweet dreams ladies." Spike said opening the door for Buffy. As they both left, Dawn wondered aloud.

"Right, good night. But for us or them?"

***

"So your cat's name really was 'Stinky the Cat'?" Spike asked still laughing. They had been walking for about fifteen minutes.

"Well, I was six when I named it and it really did stink." She pointed. The walk was nice. Buffy felt the warm evening enveloping her and she did love Spike's presence. They had been walking hand-in-hand all the way from Buffy's house. Buffy felt safe being with Spike, like he could take away all her insecurity and feeling of loneliness.

"Finally." Spike stopped walking.

"What?" Buffy asked stopping as well.

"We're here, luv." Spike pointed and looked up at his white house.

"Here where? Oh, your house. I thought it would take a larger number."

"You counted?" Spike asked surprised. All the way to his house they had been talking. When had she been able to count?

"Yeah, I did." Buffy smiled proudly. "I think being blind for three years has made me count even when it's not necessary. I just do it automatically." She explained.

"You're counting in feet?" Spike wondered.

"God, no! Can you imagine the huge numbers I would need to remember? I have my own method of counting, but it's really complicated and I won't tell you it now. Better tell me about your house. Where it's located, maybe I know the place."

"Well it's not far from Sunnydale High School and it's white." Spike said looking at the house. "Nothing special, really."

"White house? Only white house around here is Hanson's." Buffy remembered.

"Hanson's, eh? Well I think that was the last name of the family who sold this house to me."

"Really? I loved that house. It had amazingly big windows."

"Then, that's the one. I hate those windows."

"Why's that?" Buffy asked.

"Don't like sunlight very much." Spike answered honestly.

"Ok." Was all Buffy said. Spike chuckled.

"Let's go in, it's staring to get cold." He said placing a light kiss on Buffy's cheek.

"Oh, right. I forgot we were still outside." She responded.

"You're weird." Spike concluded smiling.

"Thank you, creature of night. Can we go in now?"

"Sure." With that the blonde couple walked up to the front door.

***

Chapter Twenty Three

“Shit!” Buffy cursed loudly.

“What’s the matter?” Spike asked walking in the living room where Buffy was. She was standing in living room’s middle, beside the couch, and was rubbing her leg.

“You should get rid of this thing!” She pointed at the table to her left.

“Table? Why?” Spike looked at her and then at table feeling bit confused.

“It’s evil.” She said matter-of-fact.

“Evil, huh? And what so evil it did?”

“It kicked me. So it’s evil!” She responded slowly sitting down in couch trying not to touch the table. Spike slowly made the way to couch and sat beside blond girl.

“You’re hurt?” He asked looking down at her leg where Buffy’s hand still was.

“I’m gonna have a bruise.” She pouted. Spike was sure he never seen more beautiful lower lip in his whole life. Buffy looked simple adorable.

“Want me to kiss it better?” Spike asked playfully. Buffy smiled and nodded.

“Actually, yes. That would make me feel better.” Saying that Buffy pulled up a little the skirt she was wearing so now Spike had a great view at her legs. Spike chuckled a little hoping that his growing erection will go away. *Yeah, right! Like that would happen, mate, while the woman of your dream is sitting right beside you.*

Spike slowly touched the place where Buffy’s hand was, she instinctively took it away so Spike could do the entire job. *Sounds good...*

Still fondling Buffy’s leg Spike slowly bent down and pressed a careful kiss at the place on Buffy’s leg where started to make the bruise (can I say that?). Buffy moaned lightly. God, it was great to feel his lips on her skin. Spike smiled an slowly, so slowly, started to move up her leg all the time pressing small kisses at her skin.

One of Spike’s hand slipped under her skirt and started to stroke Buffy’s left tight while his lips moved to her right one. Buffy gave a slight moan. Feeling him so close to her centre made her shiver from pleasure.

As Spike moved up to her tight Buffy sank against the couch back. The feeling of him between her legs was amazing and it felt so right. Spike’s hand, that before had been stroking Buffy’s tight, now had made its way to her panties.

Spike pressed one of finger at the place where her cilt was. Buffy now moaned very loud. Spike smiled still kissing her tights. *She’s already wet!* He thought to himself feeling the wetness against his fingers.

Buffy’s hand slit in Spike’s bleached hair. His hand still played around Buffy’s soaking panties.

“Oh... Spike...” She moaned. “Ah... Spike, wait... mmmm... stop...” That caught his attention and he instantly pulled away from Buffy looking at her shyly.

“Did... did I did something wrong?” He asked worried. Buffy just smiled.

“No... we just decided not to have sex tonight, remember?”

“Who said anything about sex, pet?” He asked playfully but in his mind cursing himself. *Nice going, wanker, interesting could you tried to push it even more?!*

“I think we both know to what would have leaded this... um... ‘kiss it better’ thing.” Buffy said still smiling. *Ok, who normal person stops in moment like that!? Are you dumb or what, B?* Ok, now Buffy’s own thoughts started to sound like Faith’s voice. *Hmm, maybe I really should get laid?*

“But the leg doesn’t hurt any more, does it?” Spike asked grinning evilly. Buffy giggled.

“No, it doesn’t. But there still will be a bruise. All my legs are in bruises.” At that Spike looked down. She was right her legs were cover with small and bigger bruises.

“Luv, why is your legs in bruises?”

“Cos damn furniture all the time hit me!” She pouted again. Spike slowly kissed her, sucking her lower lip.

“Bad furniture.” He whispered and Buffy giggled again.

“No sex, remember?”

“You sure you don’t want to?” Spike asked letting her go.

“Are you crazy?! Of course I want to!” She yelped. “BUT we can’t. It’s too soon for me.” Buffy looked down, well, ok she just declined her head, cos all she saw looking down was black hole. “I’m sorry.” She whispered so quietly that Spike nearly heard it.

“Hey! Don’t be sorry. You don’t have anything to be sorry about. We won’t do anything you don’t want to or not ready to, luv.” He said smoothing back one of Buffy’s blond locks.

“Thanks.” She whispered back. *He’s so fucking perfect.*

“So if we won’t have sex, what are we gonna do?” Spike asked his had still stroking Buffy’s hair. “Just pick something sure so you won’t jump on my bones.” He added smirking.

“Oh, you’re funny... not.” *Like he’s wrong!* She added in her thoughts. “So... I guess it’s too early to go to sleep... So let’s watch TV?” Buffy asked turning her head at Spike.

“If that’s what you want.” He said taking the remote and turning on TV. He leaned against the couch so Buffy could lean against him. This felt so right. Even thought both of their bodies still trembled from oh-so-close-to- sex feeling they had shared early.

*If we can get so turned on even not getting really anywhere, what will happen when we will get SOMEWHERE?* Spike thought to him self changing the TV channel.

***

“That so isn’t scary!” Buffy said pointing at TV. She with Spike sat on couch and watched (well Spike watched and Buffy just enjoyed his presence) DVD. All Spike did was shrugged. “What?” Buffy looked, well theoretically, up at Spike. “Wait, you’re...” She started but Spike interrupted.

“Um, no. Not even close.” He said too fast. Buffy giggled.

“Yes, yes you are.”

“No. I’m not.” Spike repeated.

“Oh, honey, that’s just too cute.” She said trying to repress her laugh.

“I’m not.” Spike said looking at Buffy. It was obviously she had hard time not to laugh. “And I’m not bloody cute either!”

“Didn’t say anything about you being bloody, now did I?” She asked innocently.

“You just can’t get it. The most important things are shown not said.” He pointed. Buffy just smiled and pressed a kiss at Spike’s cheek.

“Uh huh. But that’s ok, baby, it’s not a crime to be scared from a horror movie.”

“I’m not bloody scared!” Well the fact that saying that he pulled Buffy even closer to himself didn’t prove his point pretty much. Buffy just let it be and enjoyed the feeling Spike could give her. They both turned back to the movie.

Well, Buffy had to admit that if she could see she probably would have been scared to death from this movie. She remembered that Dawn had said that she had nightmares from this movie for a week. So, um, what was the movies name again? Oh, yeah, “The Ring”.

***

Spike looked down at Buffy as she tried to repress a yawn. They both still lay at the couch.

“You’re tired.” It wasn’t a question. “We should go to sleep.” Spike said and stood up. Buffy yawned again.

“I guess you’re right. Can you show me where’s the bathroom is, so I could go and change?” She asked standing up from the couch as well.

“Sure. Come.” With that Spike took one of Buffy’s hands and slowly, trying not to let her walk into something, leaded her to bathroom, taking her bag with him. “Here,” he gave her the bag. “Right in front of the bathroom is the bedroom so when you done you just go straight, you shouldn’t bump into anything.”

“Thanks.” With that Buffy walked in the bathroom and closed the door beside her.

***

Spike was sitting in the bed when the bedroom door opened and Buffy walked in. She was wearing a lightly green pj pants and short, green t-shirt.

“Ready for the bed.” She announced happily. “Now, where’s the bed?” Spike smiled getting up from bed and walking to Buffy.

“This way, pet.” He said pressing a kiss to her lips. “Here,” he uncovered the blanket of bed, “get in.” Buffy obey implicitly crawled into the bed.

“I’m not taking your side of bed, am I now?” She asked making her self comfortable in his bed.

“The bed is big, luv. And I really don’t care where you sleep as long as I can sleep beside you.” Spike answered crawling beside the petite blond girl under the blanket.

“Good.” Buffy responded sleepily. “You’ll hold me, right?”

“Of course, pet.” With that Spike placed one hand around Buffy’s waist and kissed her hair carefully. “Good night, luv.”

“Night, Spike.” With that they both drifted to sleep feeling filled. Even thought in this house was a guest bedroom it never accorded any to them to actually use it. It just seemed naturally to both of them sleep together.

***

***
Chapter Twenty-Four


Buffy woke up feeling of the warm sun playing on her face and smelling coffee. She travelled her arm over Spike's side of the bed and found that no one was there.

"Good mornin', sleeping beauty." Spike said watching from the doorway as Buffy yawned and stretched. She gave a smile to the direction from which Spike's voice came.

"Mmmm... Do I smell coffee?" Buffy asked pretending to smell the air. Spike walked to the bed and placed the food tray beside him as he sat down.

"Probably. In addition, there’s toast, milk, eggs, strawberries, cookies and juice as well. What ever your heart wishes." Spike commented the tray's content. "Now, open your pretty mouth." Buffy did as he said and Spike slipped a strawberry in her mouth.

"Tasty, but you know I’m capable of eating by myself." She asked still tasting the berry in her mouth.

"Yeah, I know that, but this way it's much more pleasurable for me." Spike said smirking as he slipped one more berry in Buffy's mouth.

"Well, who am I to deny pleasure from you?" She asked playfully.

"Exactly. Now, open up!" Again, Buffy bended to Spike's will and opened her mouth, and again he slipped a berry in it just this time covering her lips with his own, tasting the strawberry.

"You know I could get used to this." Buffy whispered when Spike let her go.

"Mhhmm..." Spike purred in her ear sending a shiver down her body. "Who said you shouldn't?"

"That's true, too." Buffy murmured back.

"So, what're we going to do today?" Spike asked leaning against the headboard. Buffy smiled shyly and took a slip from the coffee Spike brought her.

"Well, I have all day free so I was thinking we could..." She was interrupt by mobile phone's call. "Damn! How do people always know the worst moment to call?" Buffy asked to herself as Spike passed her the ringing phone. "Better have a good reason..." She said picking the phone up.

"Buffy?" Came a question from the other end of the line.

"Wes? Why are you calling? Something's wrong?" She asked sitting up. It wasn't often that Wesley was the one who called her. Mostly it was Faith.

"Faith and I had a fight. A big one and she left; I thought maybe she drove to you. God, I'm such an idiot, the fight didn't even have a point, we... we just yelled at each other and... and she... she left, Buffy." He said and Buffy could hear in his voice that he was very worried about his lover.

"Calm down, Wes. Did you call her?" Buffy asked starting to worry as well. Faith wasn't a helpless girl, but still she was pregnant and that meant a lot of pregnant woman hormones too.

"Yes, I did, but she isn't answering to my calls." He explained desperately.

"Ok, just calm down. I will call her, maybe seeing my ID she'll answer. I promise I'll try to get her to call you. Deal?"

"Yeah, call me please if you get in touch with her. Ok?"

"Ok."

"And... and, Buffy? Could you please tell her I love her?" Wesley asked quietly.

"Yeah, I will, but she knows it anyway, Wes." Buffy explained trying to calm Wesley down.

"Thanks. I'll wait for your call." With that, the phone line went dead. Buffy gave a deep sigh and sank back in the pillows.

"What's wrong, pet?" Spike, who had heard only Buffy's parts of conversation, asked lying beside Buffy and slowly playing with her hair.

"That was Faith's, one of my best friend's, boyfriend. Apparently they had a fight and Faith left, now Wesley's worried as hell." She sighed again and sat up. Opening her mobile phone again, Buffy pressed five. It did not even reach three rings when Faith picked up the phone at the other end of the line.

"Guess he called you, huh?" She asked not even bothering to say 'hi'.

"He's worried, Faith." Buffy explained. "Where are you?"

"On my way to Sunnydale."

"When will you be here?" Buffy asked enjoying the feeling of Spike's finger playing at her hip.

"In an hour. Meet me?"

"Sure. At my place?" Buffy tried to hide the disappointment in her voice. Damn, she really had looked into spending all day with Spike. However, friendship still was in first place.

"Yeah. Let's meet there." Faith was ready to hang up when Buffy spoke again.

"Please, Faith, call to Wesley. He's really worried and said me to tell you he loves you."

"I'll call him, no worries, B. And thanks." With that she finally hang up.

"How come there's always a phone call that interrupts us?" Buffy asked falling back beside Spike and placing her hand on his cheek.

"Let's turn off all phones next time." He whispered pressing a lightly kiss on Buffy's lips. "When do you need to meet that girl?" Spike asked still playing with Buffy's hairs.

"In an hour." She responded caressing his cheek. "I should probably take a shower and get ready. You'll walk me home right?" Buffy asked bit worried. She definitely couldn't walk home by herself.

"Of course, luv." Spike assured. "Now, do you want me to help you get to the shower?" He asked with a grin.

"There'll be no taking advantage of my blindness, mister!" She pointed playfully. "Anyway, I think I can manage to get there my self and I remember where I put my clothes as well, so no worries." With that, Buffy stepped out from bed and walked to the door. Well, ok, she did bump into the wall, not hard, thought, but discounting that she got to bathroom with out any problems.

***

"Spike?" Buffy turned to the man beside her. They had been walking nearly twelve minutes and Buffy was enjoying the morning sun that played in her face.

"Yeah, luv?" Spike looked at the petite, blonde beside him. She was walking with her eyes close. At first, it had surprised Spike, but then remembering that she couldn't see anyway it even seemed normal. Really, why should she bother by opening eyes if it didn't change anything? "Open your eyes, pet." He said it even not thinking.

"What?" Buffy opened her eyes confused, but then remembered that her eyes had been closed before. "Oh. Sorry, it's just my eyes sometimes feels too tired to be opened." She explained smiling to the direction Spike stood.

"It's ok. I just love to look in your eyes, they're beautiful." He explained kissing pressing a kiss at her lips. Buffy blushed a little. God, she loved the compliments Spike could tell her.

"Thanks. Anyway, before we get back I meant to ask you if you wanted to come to the dinner tomorrow. I wanted you to come tonight, but with all that shit Faith's gonna bring up I don't want to... well you got the point... but... but, if you can't tomorrow, that's ok too, it's just my mom wanted to invite you to dinner... and... and well I'm inviting you now, but if you can't I..." She was hush up by a kiss, a passionate one.

"You were babbling, pet. And I'll love to come to dinner tomorrow."

"Phew. That's good." Buffy smiled and again kissed Spike. The kiss was interrupt by a woman's voice.

"Stop with the smooches, B, and help a friend with the bags." Faith called stepping out from the car. Strange neither Spike nor Buffy had noticed a car pulling by, or the fact that they already had come to Buffy's house... *Gooooood kisser...*

***

Chapter Twenty-Five

"So what happened?" Buffy asked, sitting beside Faith on the couch. Spike had helped to get Faiths stuff in the house and left, saying that Buffy and Faith probably had a lot to talk over. Kissing her, he had promised to call in the evening. Still Buffy wanted him here more than she wanted Faith, but... oh, well, that's what friends are for.

"We had a fight. Not a big one. It actually started because we couldn't agree on pregnancy vitamins." Faith sighed. "It just turned to bring up all the shits that we were carrying and well... I left, obviously..."

"What did he said when you called him? You did call him, right?"

"Yes, mom, I called him." Faith responded sarcastically. "He apologized, of course. Even though I have no fucking clue why he should apologize as we both did the yelling. God, B, he's so fucking sweet. Why would I ever consider leaving him?" Buffy smiled at that.

"Wes is very sweet, and he loves you a lot."

"Yeah, that he does." Faith sighed dreamily. "I'll drive home as soon as we finish our little catch up." She finished.

"Oh. So you're not staying?" Buffy asked a little disappointed. She loved to have Faith around.

"No, sorry, I'm not. But you still have that blond piece of cake to keep you company." The brunette said. "So have you fucked him yet?"

"Faith!" Buffy laughed. "I really don't understand why everyone asks me that." She said more to her self than to her friend.

"Oh, come on, B! Have you seen how hot he is?"

"Was that a rhetorical question?" Buffy asked rolling her eyes. "And I don't need to see him to know he's hot. He like... glows with hotness." The blond said giggling.

"Yeah, that's for sure. So you haven't bedded him yet?" Faith asked again.

"No, Faith, I haven't had sex with him yet, is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Well, no. I was hoping more to the lines 'Yeah, I laid him and now I'm gonna give you all the juicy details.'" Buffy sighed.

"It's not like I wouldn't want to... I mean the got laid part not the retelling juicy details one... I want it a lot; I'm just... not ready, yet." Buffy whispered the last part. Faith slowly taking Buffy's hand placed it on her swollen stomach.

"I met him, B. I can tell that he's far from Angel and even farer from Parker." Faith said letting her best friend slowly stroke her pregnant stomach.

"I know, it's just... I need to make sure my subconscious knows it as well." She said sighing. And then changed the subject to something Faith could spend hours talking about. "So do you know the baby's sex?" Buffy asked with smile on her lips.

"Yeah, it's gonna be a girl." She said happily. "A little baby girl, with twenty little fingers in all the right places!"

"I'm so happy for you and Wes." Buffy said hugging her friend.

"Yeah, Wes is stunning about it. He hasn't stopped smiling since the day I told him I'm pregnant."

"I'm gonna be a godmother, right?" Buffy asked playfully.

"Of course you will. That is if you want to."

"Thank you, Faith. I'd be honoured to." She said again hugging her friend. "So you're sure you hafta go? I mean you could at least stay for dinner." Buffy asked again. It was nice to have Faith here; they didn't get a lot time to spend together as they lived in three-hour drive from each other.

"And drive to San Francisco at night? You want Wes to kill me, and you for that matter? Don't think so." Faith looked shyly at her friend and added. "Besides I miss him." Buffy smiled at that.

"I know you do, and I know you need to drive home. I'm just a little selfish, I miss you too and it's nice to have you here."

"I know, and I miss you too." She said giving Buffy a hug. "But I miss Wesley more." Faith added smiling.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You should probably go to get home before the dark." With that Buffy stood up from the couch. "You'll give me a call when you get home, right?"

"'Course I will." Faith answered standing up as well. "And you bed that hottie of yours for me, got it?"

"Faith..." Buffy started but the brunette interrupted.

"You know you want to, so just let go of all your issues and crawl naked in his bed. Won't take much from him."

"Huh?"

"I mean, you should see the way he's looking at you." Faith pointed slipping in her jacket. "He's got it bad, and seeing the way you look thinking about him you've got it as bad as he."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go!"

"Ok, ok." She opened the door. "I'll call you. Talk ta ya latter, B!" The brunette pecked Buffy on the cheek and left.

"Bye." Buffy called out and closed the door. Leaning against it, she thought about what Faith had said. *Interesting, how does he look at me? What wouldn't I give to see it.*

***

"Ok, so here is a silver tray where we can engrave something." Dawn commented on one of the things in jewellery store to her sister. Yesterday after Faith's leaving Buffy had fought the urge to ask Spike to come over when he had called to wish her sweet dreams, though, she had to admit it was hard. *It's not as if you won't meet him tomorrow at the dinner.* She had said to herself, and finally hadn't asked to him. Today Joyce had sent her and Dawn out of the house so she could cook the dinner with out comments from both of her daughters. Therefore, both Summers’ sisters had decided to go to the mall and buy an engagement gift to Fred and Gunn.

Buffy liked to shop with Dawn; she always managed to comment things she liked that Buffy could not buy them, and those Dawn didn't as she commented so Buffy hated them as well. Dawn had always had a talent in making people do what she wanted.

"What can a person do with an engraved silver tray?" Buffy wondered aloud.

"Have no freaking idea." Dawn murmured.

"Language Dawnie." The blond pointed and even, though, she couldn't see her sister Buffy could feel Dawn rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Movin'?" She asked taking Buffy's hand.

"Not if you want to buy this." Buffy pointed to the tray, nearly hitting the woman passing by. Dawn immediately took Buffy's other hand as well.

"Movin'," she said "before you kill someone, or worse- break something really expensive." The brunette started to walk down the aisle taking her older sister with her.

"Buffy! Dawnie!" Both girls turned to the caller's direction.

"Xander!" Dawn yelled happily hugging the brunette guy. "What're you doing here?" She asked while Xander hugged her sister.

"I was doing groceries shopping for Anya. You?"

"We’re looking for a gift for Fred and Gunn." Buffy explained.

"Oh. Ok, so what're you doing tonight? Anyone's Bronzing?" Xander asked trying to hold all the grocery bags.

"No, sorry, can't. Spike's coming to dinner, mom's cooking." Buffy apologized.

"Oh, that's ok, I guess. So when are we, your mortal friends, get to know this Prince I-didn't-notice-the-80's-is-gone Charming?"

"Soon, probably." Buffy said shyly. She knew what Xander was thinking and he was right. She was spending so much time with Spike that she already was forgetting about her friends. *Not what good friends do, Buffy!* She thought to herself.

"Well, I hope so, we’re starting to feel forgotten, Buffster." Xander said playfully unaware speaking out Buffy's thoughts.

"I promise not to forget about you, ok?" The blond asked spreading out her hands in silent invitation for a hug, which Xander accepted happily.

"Call me, ok? And we’ll make some plans later that would include your new boyfriend as well."

"Deal. You should go, Anya's probably waiting."

"Right. Off I go. See ya later Buff, Dawnie." With that Xander turned and walked away, both girls calling their byes after him.

"So how about silver handcuffs?" Dawn asked turning back to her sister. "At least they would make some sense."

***

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