It seemed such a short time that Buffy and Spike had been in the place of the First Slayer, time had no meaning, they weren't even sure if time even existed where they were. Yet it was beginning to plague both of their thoughts. As pleasantly as they passed the time, the truth of the matter was that they had to get out there, they had to find away home. Even if it meant going through the hoards of the Power's and the First Slayer herself, they had to get out of there.

Buffy watched Spike as he slept on their bed, the sheet covering his sleeping form.  She watched him just laying there, not taking a single breath within his lifeless body. She thought more on Gemma's words about 'accepting the man Spike has become, but having to truly accepted the demon?' as well, before he would truly be her champion.  She would have thought that the last few months had proven that she'd accepted all that he was, and had been in the past. Spike had proven himself worthy of the title of champion with his self-sacrifice. What else were they demanding from him? Most importantly what were they demanding from her to truly accept him?  Buffy had an immense feeling that Spike had an idea what they meant, but he wasn't willing to share it with her.

She couldn't decide whether he was holding back, because she wouldn't do what was needed, or just couldn't. Yet how could she know if she couldn't, if he didn't want to share.  The vampire that lay in the bed had many secrets within him, many she was sure that she didn't want to know, but this one she did. Making her way back to the bed, she pulled the dividing curtain back and sat on her side of the bed, it dipped under her weight.  Her lover rolled over to her side, his arm shot out grappling to find her in what he thought was sleep. Realising she wasn't under his arm, he quickly awoke to find her perched on her side of the bed, her eyes filled with concern and worry.

"Come back to bed, Luv." Spike pulled the linen up, to try and persuade her back beneath them.

"I can't. Too many thoughts."

"About what?" Spike tilted his head to the side, in questioning response.

"What Gemma said about us?"

"Us?"

"Yeah, the 'I have to accept the demon and the man, for you to truly be my champion'."

"Oh that bit?" Spike looked away from her line of sight, not willing to meet her stare, a typical sign that he was hiding something, usually something big.

"Spike!"

"Please luv, don't ask me! I don't think that you'd like what I have to say…" Spike's voice trailed off from the sentence, his voice couldn't hide his inclination to answer her.

"Is it that bad?"

"Depends on your perspective luv."

"Does it include puppies or kittens?"  

"No." Spike laughter filled her ears at her response to his answer.

"Will it mean one of us doing some silly dance or ritual?"

Spike stayed silent, he pulled away from her slightly to rest his back on the headboard of the bed. He pursed his lips together, as he bit the inner flesh of his lips with his teeth, he clearly didn't want to comment on any aspect of her question.

"Come on Spike! Spill!"

"Buffy, it's serious! More than you can imagine, and probably more than you could ever give of yourself to another person."

"Riddles! Stop with the bloody riddles!" Buffy scooted up the bed and straddled him over his hips, "Just say it Spike!"

"I think Gemma meant for you to truly accept me…that you…that I would have to..." Spike stumbled over his words; he just couldn't find the right words to say what he meant to tell her.

"Can you say it in five words or less? Would that be simpler?"

"I don't need five words luv."

"Then how many?"

"One."

"And that being?"

"Claim." Silence spilled into the cavern in reply to Spike's single utterance, Buffy looked stunned, but not too shocked at the revelation Spike had just released.

"As in bite me claim? Share blood claim? I'm gonna have a big scar claim?" Buffy hesitantly asked the vampire.

"Yes Buffy, as in making it clear to the world, that 'you belong to me' claim!"

Spike watched as Buffy swallowed the information down, he could see the thought of a claim by him whirl around in her head. The fear that she would flatly reject him haunted his mind, this was a twist in the tale that he never would have expected. It was something that later on down, a long time down, that Spike may have asked Buffy to do, but not so early into their relationship. Spike had a feeling that it only would have made her flip out, and scare her away, but for him it was the ultimate sign of love and commitment that one can show towards their lover in the vamp world. Even despite her being a human, it was only a minor exchange of blood for both of them, and would never lead to a thrall, or him ever imposing his will onto her like a childe.

"I don't know Spike, but if it means…oh god...I don't know?"

"You don't have to sweetheart."

"But Gemma?"

"I'd never get you to do anything that you didn't want to Buffy," Spike turned away from her, "It won't work if either partner is unsure, you both have to give free consent to each other, or it doesn't work."

"Spike it doesn't mean that I care any less for you."

Spike remained silent, he didn't know what to say, he knew that in a way she wasn't rejecting him, just the ritual, but it was the one ritual that meant everything to him. It represented,  he hoped over time, her recognition of him totally as he was, a demon and a man. As Buffy said the words he could feel his heartstrings pull, they pained at her response, he could understand her reluctance, but it still struck him deep inside. Once again, he felt like she was rejecting his demon, when funnily enough she revelled in it once.

Buffy couldn't help but see the disappointment on his face, she knew that it probably meant a lot to him, and would represent the final acceptance of him. Yet it was something she just couldn't feel totally comfortable with, it was more the fear of doing it, than what it actually meant. If there was some other way then maybe she would do it, but she knew there was no other way.  Leaning into him she put her arms around him, gently placing a kiss on his lips, she tried to reassure him of her commitment to him, to show that she did love him.

"Is there another way Spike? Surely there has to be."

"No Buffy, there isn't. It's the only way that we can, words aren't enough." Spike looked at her with a flash of regret in his eyes, "Maybe they're enough in the human world, but in the vamp world, it's shown by the mark that defines you as mine."

"But what about the scars left by Angel, you know when he was poisoned?" Buffy unconsciously raised her hand, and rubbed the spot where Angel had bitten her.

"They cancel them out and heal leaving my mark instead!" Spike moved his hand and covered her hand with is, "My claim!"

"It's too much to ask at the moment Spike," Buffy replied, "Just too much and too early."

"Don't you think I know that." Spike kissed her check, "But I want it, and you have to want it too! I won't ask you to do something that you don't want to do!"

"You never asked or tried when we where together before, why?" Buffy asked him.

"Because I knew I'd get the same response you're giving me now, and probably another broken nose to go with it!"

Buffy looked at her lover, "At least this time I promise no broken noses! I can't promise you that I will ever go through with it, but that doesn't mean that I never will."

"Are you saying maybe one day?"

"Maybe Spike, maybe," Buffy kissed him again with more passion and need, intensifying the heat between them, "Never say never."

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A/N Thanks to Darcy and Kirsty for a great beta job once again…..and thanks for being such a great support of my fic and better yet great friends……summer's coming!!!
 

To continue very soon....