By Ripe Wicked Plum

Lyrics: Frankie Goes to Hollywood, The Power of Love

"Wake up, pretty boy," A seductive, femimine voice purred to Riley from the blackness, and he opened his eyes to see a beautiful woman with short blond hair standing over him, smiling evilly. "Good, you're up." Her smile intensified as she gripped his hair, and jerked him up to face her. "We're going to have a nice chat about your Slayer and my Key, little boy..."

Riley's eyes widened, "You leave her alone!"

Glory laughed before grabbing his nose between two fingers and giving it a vicious twist, smiling as she heard it break. Riley screamed in pain, tears blinding him.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

Riley dropped his head in defeat, "I'll talk..."

I'll protect you from the hooded claw

Keep the vampires from your door

Feels like fire

I'm so in love with you

Dreams are like angels

They keep bad at bay-bad at bay

Love is the light

Scaring darkness away-yeah

I'm so in love with you

Purge the soul

Make love your goal

The power of love

A force from above

Cleaning my soul

Flame on burn desire

Love with tongues of fire

Purge the soul

Make love your goal

Glory ran her fingers along a stubbled cheek, and Riley forced his eyes open. Dried blood was caked to the side of his face, and his lips were cut.

"I already told you...I don't know what a Key is..." He said in a dry, raspy voice, "I really don't know..." He was silently pleading with her, "If I did...I'd tell...I swear..."

"Shh...shh..." Glory said soothingly, "I believe you, pretty boy," She told him, then grabbed him by the neck, forcing him to his feet. "And I know you want to help me anyway you can, right?"

Riley nodded eagerly, and Glory smiled widely, letting go of him so that he slumped to the floor with a groan, "Good boy. MURK!"

One of her scaly minions appeared in the doorway, and she smiled at him, "Send our guest in."

Buffy stared at the wall in front of her, absently stroking Spike's arm, her back pressed against his front. Deep purrs was reverbating from his chest, his face buried against her neck. She smiled slightly, deciding the purrs were his version of snoring.

As the sun rose, his purrs tapered off as he entered the true vampiric sleep, his body becoming rigid against hers, and his arm tightened around her waist instinctevely. Between sunrise and sunset, most vampires entered a sort of stasis that they were unable to wake from, but Buffy knew that Spike was always up by ten to intercept Dawn.

Buffy carefully disentangled herself from his arms, trying not to wake him, but when she started her morning stretches, she saw him watching her through sleepy eyes, a small smile on his face, "Love watchin' you do that," He murmured quietly in the morning silence, and she smiled wanly.

Spike frowned slightly as he threw off the pull of The Sleep and sat up, curling his knees to his chin, his tousled hair and sleepy expression making him look boyish and innocent, two things which Buffy knew he wasn't. Not by a long shot.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," She said, starting to dress, and Spike's frown deepened, "Nothing's wrong, or just nothing you want to tell me?"

"Nothing's wrong," She said, and Spike shook his head, "Buffy..."

She glanced at him, and saw the slightly hurt look in his eyes, then jerked on her boots, "I'm going to be late for class."

"Slayer...it's June...your summer classes don't start till July."

"I need to go for a walk, all right?" She snapped at him, then stalked out of the room.

Spike watched her go, then sighed, flopping back into bed, "Son of a bitch," He breathed in annoyance, jerking the covers to his chin and allowing sleep to overcome him. He idly wondered if it was a PMS day for her.

Buffy sighed as she sat on the bench in the park, the same bench she had sat on when talking to Warren about April the one time. She stared forward at the swings and slides, trying to figure out what was wrong with her.

Since Riley had showed up on her doorstep, she had been trying to come to terms with what he meant to her. She did love him...sort of, and had felt bad about the way they had parted ways. However, she couldn't bring herself to admit that it was her fault. Spike had said so himself. Riley had mental problems...and she didn't cause mental problems. Right?

But I could've...every man she had loved had been hurt in someway. Angel had lost his soul after sleeping with her, and then had run off to LA, rather then risk losing it again. Riley had started to let vampires suck off him, and somehow, she felt that was her fault. He hadn't been doing stuff like that before they started dating. And then Spike...getting hurt so many times by Glory...and then losing his mind...

She closed her eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Riley had accused her of pushing people away, and Spike had pointed out the same thing to her. Why did I do that? She wondered, If Riley was the rebound guy after Angel...what does that make Spike?

She shook her head slightly. She was pretty sure Spike wasn't just a rebound. She loved him, she was really sure of that...but it was a different love then she had with Angel and Riley.

Angel...Angel had been darkly handsome...and their love was one that was angsty...and she was usually crying over something involving him or the both of them. Rarely did she laugh with him over something, or just have some fun.

Riley was...Riley. Dependable, sweet, smart, predictable...and there. He was someone she could depend on to show up when she asked him too. Their love had been different from Angel's. He was there...not just showing up when a new evil had come to town. He was...punctual. Probably not a real good thing to describe someone you were supposed to love...but the Powers help her, that was what he was.

Spike...she smiled, despite herself, thinking of her lover. Spike was something completely different altogether. There were a million words to describe him, but none that did it fully. He was unpredictable, sweet, deadly, beautiful, acid-tongued, charming, evil, witty, cunning, smart, sensitve... and the list went on.

The thing about Spike was, there was nothing really dark about him, if you got past the whole undead thing. While Angel would brood, Spike would laugh, his blue eyes dancing with mischievousness. Even when she had seen him in his deepest despair, a bit of violence was all it took to bring back his usual good-natured self.

Even when they had been enemies, he'd be joking around, even with his life in her hands, he would grin as he fought her, enjoying the verbal battles as well as the physical between them. And she could admit, she had enjoyed them too.

He was the contrast to his grandsire, light where Angel was dark, laughing when Angel was brooding, eager and fast while Angel preferred to think things through.

He was a fighter, like she was. A stake first, then question the ashes type of person. If Angel was her soulmate, Spike was her match.

She sighed as she stood, then how come I'm having doubts?

I'll protect you from the hooded claw

Keep the vampires from your door

When the chips are down I'll be around

With my undying, death-defying

Love for you

Envy will hurt itself

Let yourself be beautiful

Sparkling love, flowers

And pearls and pretty girls

Love is like an energy

Rushin' rushin' inside of me

Dawn looked up from her cartoons as Spike shuffled into the living room, plopping on the couch behind her, yawning widely. "Bloody humans and their unnatural hours," the vampire muttered beneath his breath, and Dawn smiled as she jumped up and plopped on his lap, earning a surprised grunt from the vampire.

"When does school start?" He asked grumpily, and her smile widened, "Not till September."

"Damn."

She turned back towards her cartoons, and Spike leaned his head back against the couch, closing his eyes to try and get a little more sleep.

"What were you like when you were alive?" Dawn asked suddenly.

"Whorin', brawlin' and drinkin'," He answered automatically, and Dawn punched his arm lightly, "Seriously, Spike."

"I was a bad, evil man," He asserted, and Dawn sighed deeply, turning off the television. "Why are you interested in my past anyhow?"

"Cause...you have one," She replied softly, and Spike opened his eyes, surprised to see the saddened look on her face, and brushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear, "Hey, now, Little Bit...what brought this on?"

"I had a dream last night...one I had since dad left," She said, then sighed deeply, "I"m...running down the stairs, yelling his name...but he can't hear me and he doesn't turn around as he goes out the door...and no matter how loud I yell, or how fast I run...I can't get to him..."

Spike frowned slightly, stroking her hair as he listened, and she snuggled against his chest, "And then I woke up...and remembered that it never really happened. I never saw my dad walk out on us...and I never had this dream before, even though I remember having it..." Tears filled her eyes, and Spike wrapped his arms around her small body, holding her as she cried.

"Hey now, pet..." He cooed soothingly, "None of that now..."

She sniffled, wiping her eyes, "I hate this...having memories that hurt me...but never really happened...it's not fair..."

"Well, could be you're focusing on the bad ones," Spike consoled, "How 'bout telling me a good one, huh? Make you feel better."

Dawn sighed as she looked down at her hands, then smiled slightly.

"The first week we moved to Sunnydale, we didn't have much furniture yet...so mom set up a tent in the living room for a camp out...we had a latern and made s'mores...and told scary stories. Buffy's were sooo lame, and me and mom would tease her about them. And then we played hide-n-go-seek...and Buffy always had the awesomest hiding places. When I was near her, she'd jump out and scream...and then I'd scream and mom would tell her not to scare me...and then we laughed and did it all over again."

Spike chuckled, kissing the top of her head, "When I was near one of her hiding spots, she'd jump out and try to stake me."

"I think mom would've been really mad if she tried to do that to me," Dawn said with a giggle, and Spike smiled, "Feelin' better?"

"Sorta," Dawn said, and Spike glanced around the living room with a grin, "You know what? Your sister's been a bit down since soldier boy showed back up...how 'bout we try and cheer her up?"

Dawn smiled at him, "What do you have in mind?"

He lifted her off his lap, then stretched out on the couch, "I nap till sundown, you stay out of trouble...and then we'll talk."

Dawn pouted, "You didn't tell me what you were like."

"Maybe later," Spike said, smiling as he closed his eyes, and Dawn rolled her eyes, turning back on her 'toons. "Bet you were a big freak."

Spike popped open one eye, smiling as he watched her settle her head against the couch cushion and reached out, tenderely stroking her hair, "Wouldn't you like to know."

The power of love

A force from above

Cleaning my soul

Flame on burn desire

Love with tongues of fire

Purge the soul

Make love your goal

This time we go sublime

Lovers entwine-divine divine

Love is danger, love is pleasure

Love is pure-the only treasure

I'm so in love with you

Purge the soul

Make love your goal

Buffy sighed as she returned from an uneventful patrol, bag of groceries cradled in her arms. She struggled with the keys, swearing beneath her breath. She had a bad day, and it wasn't looking to get any better.

First, she had nearly maimed Giles with a quarterstaff during blind training, then had tripped and fell into the weights, nearly breaking her nose on one. Then had found out that she hadn't gotten into three of the classes she really wanted because her grades weren't quite good enough. And then, when she had come home earlier, a note had been left for her, including a shopping list, saying that Spike and Dawn had gone to a movie. She was kinda miffed about that, wondering why neither of them thought that she would want to go.

She shook her head as she finally got the key in the lock, groaning when Chewy rushed past her feet and down the hallway. Goddamn cat...she thought, then sighed, deciding that it would come back when it was hungry.

She went to switch on the light, groaning again when it didn't work. "Great...power's out...could my night get any worse?" She asked aloud as she slammed the door behind her.

She jumped when the fireplace suddenly leapt into life, eyes widening as she sat the grocery bag down on the table in the foyer.

Spike and Dawn exchanged a grin, the two of them sitting in front of a tent in the middle of the living room, and Spike blew out his match after lighting the latern between them.

"What is this?" Buffy asked in amazement as she shed her jacket and Spike stood up, going towards her and planting a quick kiss on her forehead, "Thought we'd cheer you up with a camping trip, pet," He said, and she looked up at him in surprise before smiling as he took her hand and pulled her towards Dawn eagerly.

Dawn had a wide smile on her face as she took out the sticks she and Spike had picked up near the woods and tossed one to Buffy, "This time, we got a fire," She said, and Buffy's smile widened as she ruffled her sister's hair. "This is sweet, guys."

"Spike's idea...he said you were feeling kinda bad about Riley, and wanted to make you feel better."

Buffy looked at Spike in surprise again, but the vampire had already turned to grab the groceries she had bought and began to put them away, not meeting her gaze.

"We're goin' to roast marshmallows...and make s'mores and tell ghost stories," Dawn continued, waving her stick around dangerously, and Buffy had to duck it as she sat down. "Sounds like a lot of fun."

"Oh...and Spike's said he was going to tell us about his past."

Spike looked up, his eyes wide, "I didn't use the plural, nibblet!"

"Uh? Why? Don't you want Buffy to know what you were like when you were alive?"

Buffy raised an eyebrow in his direction, and Spike seemed very focused on putting cans of soup away in a cabinent. "Oh...I just have to hear this. The story of Spike as a juvenile delinquent."

"Shows what you know," Spike muttered beneath his breath, glaring at Dawn, "That was supposed to be 'tween you and me."

"Sorry," Dawn looked puzzled, "You couldn't have been all that bad, though. I mean...compared to like...three years ago, y'know...cause you totally weren't trying to kill Buffy then."

Spike rubbed the bride of his nose and sighed, "Good Lord."

Buffy snorted, "You look like Giles when you do that," She teased him, "And she's right...you couldn't have been all that bad, considering you didn't get your nickname till after you were turned..." She frowned slightly, "At least...I hope you didn't."

Spike raised an eyebrow, "Which one?"

Buffy frowned as Dawn whipped out a bag of marshmallows, "Can we get to the s'mores now?"

"And then I leapt down the mama Bezoar's throat...and it was all slimy and greasy feeling..."

Spike and Dawn exchanged a twin grimace as Buffy told about the time she had to face off against creepy egg-zombies and the Mama Bezoar.

"That's not a scary story," Dawn complained as Buffy finished "It's just...ick."

"I, on the other hand, am impressed," Spike said, popping a marshmallow in his mouth.

"Why's that?"

"Gettin' Gorch to help you fight her? That takes some doin'...even if he's the biggest bloody red-neck on the planet."

"I just want to know who the hell would Sire such morons," Dawn said, and Spike coughed into his hand, looking away, "So...who's up next?"

"You are," Buffy said, eyeing him suspiciously, and Spike frowned, "Scary story huh?"

"Yep..." Dawn grinned, "This oughta be good."

"Don't know any, really."

"Oh...come on, Spike," Buffy prombted, "Just tell about the scariest thing that ever happened to you."

Spike raised an eyebrow, "Well...it was my birthday...and Dru was making this whole big deal about it," He rolled his eyes, "She terrorized the minions into puttin' up banners and crap like that. She even convinced them and Darla into getting me presents..."

Buffy started to make fake snoring sounds as Dawn flopped to the side, feigning unconciousness.

Spike snorted, smacking Dawn's knee lightly, and the girl grinned as she sat up, "Anyway, everyone got me something, 'cept Peaches...since he's a wanker..."

"Boo hoo," Buffy said, and Spike scowled, "Hey, did I interrupt your crappy story?"

"No...but..."

"Yeah, so shut up," Buffy stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend, and he rolled his eyes again, "Anyway...Drusilla kicked up a fuss about that, and sent him packing to get me something."

"Whatcha get?"

"What?"

"Whatcha get from the others?"

"Young virgins...if either one of you interrupt me one more time...I'll eat you."

Dawn pretended to zip her lips, and Buffy only raised an eyebrow, "Right...so...he buggered off for the rest of the night, and while Dru and Darla forced the minions to clean up, I went to put my stuff away in my room..."

"You were putting the young virgins in your room?"

Spike growled and Buffy giggled, "Sorry..."

"Yeah...right..." Spike shook his head, then affected a creepy voice, "And as I slowly opened the door with a creak...it threw some light into my room...and lo and behold...on my bed...was Peaches...naked as the day he was borne...with a bloody ribbon wrapped around himself!"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww!"

The power of love

A force from above

Cleaning my soul

The power of love

A force from above

A sky-scraping dove

Flame on burn desire

Love with tongues of fire

Purge the soul

Make love your goal

Buffy smiled to herself, watching as Spike threw more wood on the fire, the flames lighting up his face as he laughed at something Dawn said, then caught a marshmallow in his mouth that Dawn lopped at him in response, grinning around it.

He saw Buffy watching him, and his face crossed with a tender look as he went to lie down beside her, spooning himself against her back. She rested her head against his forearm, facing Dawn across the latern as she finished her 'scary' story, titled the 'Teddy Bear from...HELL!'

"...And then the bear's eyes glowed bright red as he lifted his knife..."

"Let me guess...he goes to stab the kid and the dad rushes in with a 12-gauge and blows the teddy bear's head off..."

Dawn pouted at Spike, "You heard that one before?"

"No..." Spike grinned, "But I had to do that one time to one of Dru's dolls."

"You blew away one of her doll's with a shotgun?"

Spike shrugged, "She said that the damn thing was tellin' her to do naughty things to the minions. So...'blam, blam, blam! Down went Dolly."

"When you say naughty things..." Buffy raised an eyebrow as she tilted her head towards him, and he scowled, "Shut up."

"Big ho, big ho," Dawn coughed into her hand, and Spike rolled his eyes, "All right...enough with the ex-bashing. Unless it's Harmony."

"Oh...I can feel the love in the room," Buffy rolled her eyes, "What is with you and that airhead?"

"Desperation?" Dawn suggested.

Spike did the 'scratch his head while flipping off someone,' trick, and Dawn rolled her eyes, "That was lame, Spike."

"Yeah, well...can't really tell you too fu--oof!" Buffy elbowed him none too gently and Spike winced, "See?"

"Better watch yourself, Fang Breath," Buffy warned him, "I can still stake your ass."

"For swearing in front of your sister? That's a little harsh. Course, in Peaches day, if you swore in front of a lady, they put you in the stocks..."

Buffy snorted, "Bet you'd have liked that too much. Everyone knows about your bondage obsession."

Spike chuckled, kissing the back of Buffy's neck, "I'm impressed, pet. You didn't think I was talking about the Dow-Jones."

"Ha bloody ha."

Dawn giggled, "Bloody?"

Buffy scowled at her, then glanced up at Spike, "Which reminds me...William..."

Spike groaned, "Don' call me that. I hate that name...it's a poncy bugger's name."

Buffy rolled her eyes at Dawn, "He complains about his name?!"

Spike tickled her side lightly, and she giggled, snuggling closer against him, smiling as he subtly tightened his grip on her waist. "Anyway, as I was saying...I think you mentioned something about telling us about your sordid past."

Dawn watched interestedly as Spike blanched a bit, "Um...anyone want some more chocolate...?" He muttered, about to stand, but Buffy gave him a look, "Spike..."

"What? Come on, Slayer...it's not as interesting as you two seem to think..."

"Yeah, maybe...but we would like to know what the Spike we know...and love was like before. Is that so bad?" Buffy asked, and he sighed, settling down. "Fine...I'll tell you one thing..."

"What's that?"

"I lived with my mother till I was twenty-five. There, I'm done."

"Please," Dawn scoffed, "You weren't married or nothing. People in your days lived with their parents till they married."

Smart arse, Spike thought with a small scowl, wishing that Dawn wasn't quite so sharp. She'd be the death of him, he was sure.

"Tell us about Cecily," Buffy said, and Spike started in surprise, "What?!"

"Cecily...you mentioned her as one of your bad love experiences, remember?"

"Did I?" He looked surprised, then cursed beneath his breath. He had never, ever wanted to tell the Slayer that. He had considered it the night he had told her about the other Slayers, but had decided that she wasn't ready to see that side of him yet.

What about now? He looked down at her slightly expectant face, the firelight glinting in her golden hair, then sighed, glancing up at Dawn, "Promise not to laugh?"

"No," Buffy said, then giggled when he growled at her, "Okay...promise," She said, giving him a quick, but reassuring peck on the mouth.

He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes briefly. Where to start? He thought to himself. The problem with digging up past uglies was that it was difficult to determine where to begin.

"Well...once upon a time...there was a poncy little prat named William. He wasn' exactly high-society, but he wasn't lower class nor middle class either," He started, narrating like it was a fairy tale, and he had really nothing to do with it. However, he nervously toyed with Buffy's hair as she lay against his arm, gazing up at his face as he stared intently into the fire.

"He was a fop, no two ways about it...he sat around at parties...sitting in the corner...acting like the moony school-boy he really was. Now, our...hero fancied himself a poet, but it really sucked. He could find nothing to inspire him to true greatness.

Now...one day...at one of those nancy-boy parties, he saw her...his vision of Venus herself. Her name was Cecily. She didn't know he existed, a'course. He sit around, watchin' her all the time, and writing his damned poems about how beautiful...and effulgent he thought she was..."

"Effulgent? Is that even a word?" Buffy asked, and Dawn rolled her eyes, "It's another word for gleaming, doofus. Now shut up."

Buffy sent a glare at her sister, while Spike smiled, shaking his head slightly, "Anyway, one day...at one of those drasted parties, he was working on his...greatest masterpiece yet. Just as he completed it, she came down to join the unworthy masses.

"Poor, stupid William went towards her, and when he was about to speak to her, one of his...rivals took his masterpiece...and read it aloud, immediately sending Cecily scurrying away. As he went to follow her, he heard the others...making fun of him. Calling him...William the Bloody...because of his bloody awful poetry...and another saying he'd rather have a railroad spike through his head then listen to that sort of drivel..."

Buffy watched as Spike's jaw clenched tightly, and instinctevly rested a hand against his chest in a comforting manner, and he glanced down at her briefly before looking back into the fire, "William followed Cecily into a corner of the parlour...and in his own...stuttering, nervous...idiotic way...proposed to her...only to have her tell him that it could never happen...and that...that he was bene--"

Spike paused, sighing deeply as he felt Buffy's hand grip his t-shirt, and he looked down into wide, hazel eyes, and wondered if he should go on. In for a penny, he thought before sighing again, still staring down at her.

"His Venus...told him that he was...beneath her...and he didn't think any other words could cut that deep. That anything could shatter his soul so very much. That night...he was turned. He fulfilled the one pillock's wish, and drove a railroad spike through his skull...he killed every single one of the bloody bastards that were there...that humilated him. But...when he showed up on Cecily's doorstep...he panicked. He couldn't do it...because...he still loved her, despite what she had told him...Dru, of course...had no problem doing it for him...as a gift. Didn't understand why he was angry with her. Couldn't understand..."

Buffy chewed on her lower lip, watching the emotions play across his features. Dawn's eyes were slightly wide, her mouth hanging open a bit. Never had she imagined that Spike was...had been...so much like she was now.

"He had thought at the time that Cecily's words were the most hurtful things that could be said to him...but he was wrong...his dark goddess...when she left him...told him that he was soft...not demon enough for the likes of her...and he felt a little bit more of what he had once been...the bits of William that sill resided him in him...break. Once more, he thought nothing could ever hurt him like that again...then I returned to Sunnydale..."

"Spike?" Buffy squeaked softly, tears shining slightly in her eyes, and Spike brushed his hand against her cheek, meeting her gaze, "Then...then he fell again...with a golden Madonna...who was witty, smart, beautiful...and had a mean back flip..." She smiled slightly, but it wavered a tiny bit.

"Course...he thought she could never love...a monster like him. The irony of it struck him. Once he was too poor, then he was too little of a demon...and then he was too much of one. And once more...he felt himself break a little more when words from over a hundred years before were echoed back at him...telling him...that he was beneath her...that it would never be him..."

His eyes were shining with his own unshed tears, and Buffy reached up to him, cupping his face with his hands, and she gave him a watery smile. "Wow...she's kinda of a bitch, isn't she?"

"Not at all," Spike muttered, "Just misinformed." He leaned over, pressing his lips against her forehead. "What happened next?" She asked softly, and Spike smiled, "Well...the heroine suddenly got over her whole 'vamp' complex...and admitted...eventually...that she loved and couldn't live without our hero...and they lived happily ever after...shagging like minxes, a'course..."

"Of course..." Buffy smiled, drawing Spike's head down to her, and his lips played across hers before he deepened the kiss, his tongue lazily exploring her mouth.

"Um...I can see you guys are havin' a moment...so I'm going to go..." The two blonds comepletly ignored her, and Dawn sighed, "Yeah...good night to you too, Dawn..." She muttered, then smiled as she stood, shaking her head slightly as she headed up the stairs.

Spike finally broke the kiss to allow Buffy to breath, and was surprised to see tears making their way down her cheeks, frowning slightly as he brushed them away with the pad of his thumb, "What's this then?"

"I'm sorry, I've been so horrible to you," She replied tearfully, "How could you still want me after that?"

Spike looked incredulous, "How could I not?" He asked in some surprise, softly stroking her face, brushing his lips across her cheeks and tasting the salt of her tears, "I love you, Buffy. And if it isn't obvious, you're bloody blind as a bat."

She kissed his lips chastely, "I love you too."

The pair finally noticed Dawn's absence, and Buffy smiled, glancing at the tent, then scrambled out of his grasp to go into it. Spike grinned as he blew out the lantern and threw another log on the fire.

When he opened the flap to the tent, he saw Buffy's clothes thrown about all over the place, and she was laying in the middle of the sleeping bags, completely nude. One arm was draped casually over her slim waist, and her head was propped up by her free hand. She was smiling at him coyly, lifting an eyebrow and blushing slightly when he just stared at her, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing...not one bloody thing..." he murmured in a soft voice, zipping the flap closed behind him as he tried to adjust the erection biting painfully into his zipper. Owowow...

He felt Buffy's small, but strong arms wrap around his waist, her warm lips caressing the back of his neck, "I'm sorry..." She repeated, and he turned in her grasp so that she was pressed against his chest, her face uplifted towards him. He cupped her chin, shaking his head slightly, "Don't, Slayer, you have nothing to be sorry about."

"Liar," She muttered, lifting his shirt over his head, and Spike captured her lips in a deep kiss as he pressed her back down on the sleeping bag. He trailed his lips along her jaw-line, then whispered in her ear, "You're so bloody beautiful." He nipped and sucked at the artery in her throat, listening to the rich blood pumping just beneath the skin.

As he kissed down her throat, she idly noticed that he always avoided the side with Angel's mark, and frowned slightly, about to ask him why, but all thoughts fled as his cool mouth fastened over a puckered nipple, and she arched her back towards him, closing her eyes with a soft gasp of his name. He smiled around her nipple, before biting down gently, earning a mewl of pleasure from the woman beneath him. As he suckled at her breasts, his pale hand traveled down her stomach, combing through her light brown curls before thrusting a finger into her, causing her to cry out as she arched off the bedding.

He moved to capture her lips again as he insterted a second finger, capturing her cries with his lips as her hips rose up to meet the thrust of his fingers. He lifted his head, staring down at her flushed face before raining soft, featherly-like kisses down her body, pausing to dip his tongue into her navel with a small smile.

As he buried his face between her thighs, Buffy threaded her fingers through his short, lightening-blond hair, holding him to her as she arched her back towards him, moaning at the expert minsitrations of his tongue against her clit.

Spike was nearly purring at the taste of the honeyed sweetness flowing onto his tongue, content to remain the rest of his unlife between the legs of his blond Madonna. She was pratically purring as his tongue plunged into her moist cavern, the heat of her nearly searing the organ. "Mine..." he growled against her clit, making her nearly squeal at the vibration, and he did it again only to hear the sound of her pleasure.

He sucked her clit into his mouth, nibbling on it gently as her legs clamped around his head, holding him prisoner as she rode out her orgasm. He was grateful he didn't need to breath as he continued to tongue her, prolonging the sensation till she was pulling at his hair, trying to force him away, but he refused to move, torturing her.

She scissored her legs around his head and flipped him onto his back, his lips and chin drenched with her juices. He groaned as she kissed him, tasting her own release, her hands running along his hard body, feeling the hard muscles ripple beneath her fingers.

She fumbled with the button on his jeans, then stripped the confining material down his legs. He watched her through heavy-lidded eyes, and she dodged his hands when he tried to draw her back to him, settling between his legs.

He nearly swallowed his tongue when her warm mouth encased his hard shaft, resisting the urge to buck, lest he choke her. She rested her hands on his hips, holding him still as she slowly drew her mouth up, sucking lightly as his velvety skin before swirling her tongue around the head, smiling when she tasted the pre-cum forming.

He squirmed beneath her, her mouth creating a delightfully hot vortex, and he was very willing to burn away as long as her wonderful mouth, tongue and teeth kept up their work on him. He hissed as her teeth raked along his hard cock. Christ...she's going to kill me...but what a fuckin' way to go...

Buffy ran her fingers lightly along his shaft as she moved her head upwards, smiling as he jumped at the light tickling and lifted her head with a smile, "Where aren't you ticklish?" She teased, then giggled when he growled, flipping her over and attacking her mouth passionately.

She ran her hands along his chest, spreading her legs as his lean body settled between her thighs, fitting perfectly to her. She marveled at that fact as he kissed her throat gently, still avoiding Angel's mark. Angel was so large...and hulky...and Riley was broad...

She nearly swore at herself, wondering what in the hell she was doing thinking about either one of them when Spike was running his tongue along her throat, positioning himself at her opening. His hands cupped her head, his midnight blue eyes meeting Buffy's as he entered her slowly, and she arched her hips towards him to sheath him completely in her warmth.

He watched her expressive face as he slowly made love to her, watching how every stroke made her eyes widen slightly, and her mouth formed a delightful little 'O'. He rested his forehead against hers, smiling tenderly as his hands roamed her body, brushing against her nipples, causing her to gasp as she moved her body with his in a timeless rhythm.

She turned her head slightly to the side, her hair falling away and he could see his mark...Angel's mark...on her throat, reminding him of what the dark-haired vampire had meant to her. His jaw suddenly clenched, and Buffy looked up at him in surprise, reading the anger behind his eyes, then threw her head back as stars exploded in her vision from her orgasm, causing her to gasp as he whispered, "Mine...my Slayer...my love..."

She turned her head all the way to the side, her hand finding the back of his head and pulled him down to the mark on her throat, "Make me yours," She said softly, closing her eyes as his thrusts stopped.

Spike hesistated for just a moment before his fangs were buried in her throat, and he plunged into her supple body as she let out a small cry, her nails digging into the back of his neck, drawing blood that dripped down his back and unto her sweat-glistened body. Once more, an orgasm more intense then the first two slammed into her, and she arched her back upwards as Spike drank from her, her vision wavering. She caught glimpses of scarlet blood running down his chest and she moved her mouth to catch the droplets that fell towards her.

Spike was pounding into her so hard that it was bruising the both of them, and as her inner muscles squeezed down on him, he came with a roar that probably woke the neighbors. Her body willingly milked him of his release, and he withdrew his fangs from her throat. He lapped at the twin wounds lovingly, his mark now covering Angel's, proclaiming to all the world that she belonged to him, not the wanker in LA who didn't deserve her.

He lifted his head, looking down at Buffy's face. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing heavily...and her mouth was covered with blood, "Luv...?"

She opened her eyes at his worried tone, and smiled, tongue darting out to lick her blood-stained lips, and he nearly groaned at the highly erotic image she presented with the blood droplets shimmering on her skin. "I didn' hurt you?" He asked in a husky whisper, touching his mark, and she shook her head, "I liked it," She admitted, her lids lowering slightly, feeling as though there were weights on them.

Spike relunctunantly withdrew from her body, both feeling an incredible sense of loss at the disconnection, and she rolled to her side as Spike spooned against her back, kissing his mark tenderly. She closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her, still smiling as she drifted off into a sated sleep.

Spike remained awake for a good while after that, watching his sweet love sleeping, her face devoid of all worry and care. He stroked her hair and arm as he settled down beside her, then nuzzled her throat lovingly before tightening his grip on her and allowing himself to follow her into sleep.

The power of love

A force from above

Cleaning my soul

Flame on burn desire

Love with tongues of fire

Purge the soul

Make love your goal

I'll protect you from the hooded claw

Keep the vampires from your door

Buffy groaned, rolling over when she heard the tv blasting almost right next to the tent. Spike growled as his grip tightened on her, his face buried in her hair, "I'm goin' to pull an Elvis on the telly in about three seconds..."

Buffy smiled, sitting up and stretching her sore body, then touched the mark Spike had left on her, her smile widening.

Spike opened one eye as she dressed, then burrowed himself in the sleeping bag they had been sharing, trying to block out the world. It was too damned early to be listening to Pinky and the Brain plotting to take-over the world.

"Hey, Dawn...fang breath's trying to sleep...turn it down," Buffy said as she climbed out of the tent, and Dawn glanced at her, seeing the bite on her neck, "Jeez, Buffy...what's with you and letting vamps bite you?"

"Shut up," Buffy said, but felt no real ire towards her sister. She felt too good, too well-loved...not to mention too well-fucked after waking up three times during the course of the night to a repeat performance, too let a little thing like her little sister bother her. She now had matching bite marks on her thigh and on her left breast to go with the one on her neck, and all them ached, but in a good way.

Althrough...I probably shouldn't go bike-riding anytime soon, Buffy thought to herself, or wear tight pants...

Dawn rolled her eyes, turning back to her cartoons as Buffy pratically waddled towards the front door to pick up the newspaper. She yawned as she opened it, her hand resting on the outside knob as she bent and picked up the Sunnydale Times, then frowned, feeling something dripping on her hand.

She looked up, and yelped, stumbling back and wiping her hand on her shirt frantically, "Oh God..." She gasped out, then looked into the hallway, repeating, "Oh God, oh God, oh God..."

"What is it?" Dawn looked over her shoulder and screamed, jumping to her feet.

Spike pratically brought the tent down on him as he scrambled out of it, eyes wide and sleeping bag wrapped around his waist, "What the fuc--" His words died on his tongue as he looked towards the doorway, where Buffy was staring at the spectacle, and Dawn was sobbing uncontrollably.

On the door, with a large nail sticking out of the middle of his body, was Chewy, his blood dripping down the wood. As if that wasn't bad enough, a message written in the kitten's blood was on the outside hall, directly across from them. You belong to me...

"Slayer...take Dawn upstairs," He ordered quietly, pulling on his pants, and Buffy nodded numbly, taking her sister's hand, and leading her up there, trying to comfort her, leaving Spike to clean up the mess.

The vampire's eyes were narrowed as he removed the nail from the animals body, gently setting the kitten in a shoebox so that Dawn could bury it later, then set to cleaning up the blood and message, the entire time thinking of all sorts of evil and horrible things he was going to do to the bastard that did this.

After an hour, Buffy came back down the stairs, her eyes wide and her skin a deathly pale as Spike picked up the phone, "Spike...do you think...it could've been..." She closed her eyes, unable to even voice that fear out loud.

Spike wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head, "Finding out right now," he muttered as the phone on the other end rang. He only knew of one person who could be that cruel.

"Angel Investigations...Cordelia speaking..."

"Hey, luv...have you seen Peaches this morning?" Spike asked as he stroked Buffy's hair absently, unaware that his hand was shaking slightly.

"Spike? Yeah...he's standing right here..." He sighed deeply in relief as Angel took the phone, "Spike, what's wrong? Is Buffy okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine, mate...we were just checkin' something..." He glanced at Buffy, who nodded weakly, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest, also relieved.

"Some sick fuck nailed the nibblet's cat to the door this mornin'. We were...uh..."

"Making sure I was still ensouled..." Angel sighed on the other end, "I understand...something like that happens...and he's the usual suspect."

"That's about the way of it," Spike answered, realizing they had very little to be assured about at the moment. Someone had to know that cat belonged to them...and that meant someone was watching them...fuck!

"Well...that's about it, mate...sorry to bother you this bleedin' early," Spike said, "Give us a call if you do lose your soul...kind of a ten-second warning, ya know?"

"Yeah...tell Buffy I said hi, will you?"

Spike told he would and hung up, turning to face her, "Are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

"Glory...talking about her key, maybe...but she would've just kicked the door down," Buffy reminded him. "She's not into the fun mind games. Whoever did this is trying to cause a scene."

Spike nodded slowly, kissing her forehead lightly before sighing, "Come on...let's check on the nibblet...and you can take her to the park to bury her cat...closure or somethin'."

"Yeah..." Buffy sighed, her earlier good mood definitatly gone for the remainder of the day. She wished she could just have one good day..."Let's go..." She said softly, enthreading her fingers with Spike's and he followed her up the stairs, his eyes narrowing again, I'll rip 'is fucking heart out!

No one messed with his girls and got away with it. Haven't used my railroad spikes in a while...he thought as he grinned darkly. They didn't call him William the Bloody for nothing.

The End

Next Part: Harsh Choices