By Ripe Wicked Plum

Buffy yawned widely, opening her eyes when she felt Spike sit up in bed, "What...?"

He smiled, shushing her as he cocked his head, quickly pulling on his boxers, Buffy already having stolen his shirt. He quietly counted down beneath his breath, and Buffy frowned, wondering what he was doing, then glanced towards the door as Dawn opened the door, peeking in causitiously as soon as he reached one.

Without a word, Spike pulled up the sheets, and the girl gave him a grateful smile before crawling between him and Buffy, murmuring that she couldn't sleep.

Spike smiled knowingly at Buffy as she stroked her sister's hair, Dawn falling asleep almost right away, and he laid back down, reaching his arm over her to rest on Buffy's waist.

Buffy smiled at him, kissing him over Dawn's head before falling back to the pillows, watching with sleepy eyes as Spike kissed the top of Dawn's head and settling down to sleep. She spooned against her sister's back as the two blonds embraced the Key protectively and lovingly between them.

"An allowence...?"

Dawn nodded, grinning at Spike's doubtful look, "Yeah. Mom gave me one...thirty dollars a week."

"Thirty dollars a week," Spike looked thoughtful, raising an eyebrow, "And, praytell, what exactly did you do to earn it?"

"Um...kept my room clean?"

"Nibblet, your room is never clean."

"Well, you haven't been giving me thirty bucks to do it."

Spike threw a look at Buffy, "Is she pullin' my leg?"

"Not telling," Buffy grinned at the vampire's confusion, "But if she gets an allowence, I get one too."

"Right...Slayer, you do nothing. You don't deserve an allowence," He said, rolling his eyes, "How about you chits start paying me for cooking, cleaning, doing your bleeding laundry, helping you with your homework..."

"Oh my God..." Buffy gave him a look of mock shock, "He's turning into MY mother!"

Spike scowled, popping a marshmallow in his mouth, then looked back at Dawn, "Fifteen, and you do your room, and the bathroom. Got it?"

Dawn pouted, "Fifteen? That's all?"

"Fine. Ten."

"Hey!" Dawn's eyes widened, "You're not supposed..."

"Five."

"Fine! Fifteen!" Dawn rolled her eyes as she headed to her room, and Spike chuckled, glancing at Buffy, "That worked on Dru too."

"Dru got an allowence?"

"No. Miss Edith did," Spike shook his head, "And let me tell you, that doll never lifted a finger around the lair..."

Buffy eyed him like he was still insane, "You're kidding, right?"

He grinned, "Not telling."

"Please...you can't do this to me!" Giles pleaded with Buffy, "Please, anything but this..."

Spike smirked at him as he pulled on a short, black leather jacket, "Welcome to my hell."

Giles looked towards the stairs in horror as a Backstreet Boys song started, "My life is flashing before my eyes, Buffy!"

"Too bad," Buffy grinned unashamedly, "We've been planning this for the last week...so it's not our fault that Anya and Xander copped out, and Tara and Willow are doing a Wiccan thing. You're the only one that didn't have a li--" Spike slapped a hand over Buffy's mouth before they lost a baby-sitter, "Only one without plans," he finished, "Come on, Slayer."

Buffy glared at him, and Spike sighed, glancing at Giles, "Make sure she's in bed by ten...she has school tomorrow...and make sure she did all her homework..."

"Spike, he knows, he's done it before," Buffy tugged on his arm before they were late and started dragging him towards the door, still calling out instructions, "Casserole's in the fridge, but don't let her have any dessert till she finishes what she has on her plate...oh, and if she says Spike and Buffy let her do it, she's lying..."

"Spike! Come on!"

"And if she says..."

Buffy yanked him out the door and slammed it shut behind them, and Giles shook his head as Spike called from the hall, "And don't let her watch HBO after eight!"

He chuckled wryly, heading instinctevly to the scotch supply Spike had tipped him off too, "That must be the only vampire on the planet with seperation anxiety."

"This one?"

"No."

"This one?"

"No."

Buffy put the duster back on the rack, giving Spike an exasperated look, "You're not helping! I'm tired of hearing about your precious jacket being blown up!"

"Stupid Hell-God," Spike muttered beneath his breath, scowling at his feet. After a very nice dinner filled with him threatening to eat the waiter for being so slow and Buffy threatening to stake him for threatening the waiter, she had dragged him into a store filled with leather goods.

The smell was kinda sickening. Who would want that much dead cow skin in one store?

I miss my poor jacket...never did anything to anyone...

"Just pick one!" Buffy said, her voice teetering on annoyance, and Spike looked up, shaking his head, "Slayer, that jacket and I had history! You can't replace it!"

"You took it off a corpse, Spike...it wasn't a happy history."

Spike was about to point out that it was important because it came off his second Slayer, but decided just in time that she probably wouldn't like that line of reasoning.

"History's history," he groused.

Buffy sighed, glancing at the rack before picking a coat that looked exactly like his old one, then grabbed his arm. He frowned as she dragged him into a dressing room, locking the door behind them.

Fifteen minutes later, a dishevled Spike stumbled out, his hair mussed and a goofy grin on his face as he headed towards the cash register, deciding he liked the history of the coat Buffy picked a hell of a lot better.

"Dawn...wake up..."

Dawn groaned, pulling a pillow over head, "Go away, I'm trying to sleep..."

Buffy and Spike exchanged an amused look before the vampire shrugged, "Fine, but now you don't get your presents."

"Presents?" That got her attention, and Spike chuckled as the girl lifted the pillow, staring at them.

"Happy Birthday, Dawnie," Buffy held out a cupcake with a candle lighted on it, and the girl grinned, "Hey! I'm fifteen!"

"Techinically, you're almost one," Spike reminded her, and Dawn rolled her eyes, "Still...presents!"

Buffy laughed as Dawn bounced out of bed, "Aren't you gonna blow out your candle?"

Dawn smiled sadly, looking up at her, "Mom used to do that for us every birthday," She said softly, and Buffy nodded, "I know," She replied sadly, then smiled, "So, make a wish!"

Dawn scrunched up her face, thinking, then smiled widely, blowing it out and grabbing the cupcake, "Presents?"

"Eager little chit, isn't she?" Spike said fondly, shaking his head, "Not till breakfast, nibblet."

"Not later, want now."

Buffy rolled her eyes, ruffling Dawn's hair, "Get dressed. Breakfast is in ten minutes."

Dawn sighed dramatically, "Fine, fine," She said, "You know you're killing me here with the anticipation."

"We know," Spike laughed as Buffy led him out, and Dawn stuck her tongue out before grinning and scarving her cupcake before getting dressed.

She flew down the stairs, seeing Spike had made her favorite, chocolate chip pancakes, then scowled when she saw the shapes. "Mickey Mouse? How old do you think I am?"

"Those are mine," Spike huffed, taking the plate, and Dawn stared at him, "Huh?"

"What? So, I like the bleedin' mouse," Spike plopped a plate in front of Buffy, then handed Dawn a plate of vaguely panda-shaped pamcakes, her favorite animal. "Course, you should be eatin' cereal...considering you stuck your bloody hand in all the boxes," He said, giving her a pointed look.

"Are you still doing that?" Buffy rolled her eyes, "That is so gross."

"Hey, at least I washed my hands this time," Dawn shrugged, then beamed brightly, "Presents!"

Spike chuckled, glancing at Buffy, "What do you think?"

"Don't think she deserves one...not till she does it," Buffy said, grinning evilly, and Dawn's eyes widened, "No...I am so not doing that! I haven't done it since I was five!"

"Please? I told Spike how cute it was and he wants to see it."

"NO!" Dawn looked horrified, "No present is worth that!"

"What about...a learner's permit?" Buffy asked, raising an eyebrow, and Dawn's eyes widened, "You're letting me...oh, Buffy, that's so cool!"

"You can kiss it good-bye, unless..."

"Please, Buffy," Dawn pleaded, "Anything but that! I'll...I'll streak down the hall at school naked! I'll shave a demon's back hair! I'll let Spike dye my hair green and purple! Anything but that!"

"Oh, now I really have to see this!" Spike was grinning widely and Dawn groaned, thumping her head on the dinner table, "Kill me now."

"Why? This is waaayyy more fun."

Dawn grumbled as she stood up, glaring daggers at her sister, and Buffy leaned back in her chair, "Remember, you have to do the whole song...and dance!"

"Just the chorus and a little bit of dance," Dawn negotiated, and Buffy sighed expansively, "Fine, fine."

Dawn was blushing furiously as she swallowed, "Promise not to laugh?"

"Cross my heart, hope to die," Spike said, using the spatula to cross over his chest, and Dawn nodded, inwardly screaming at the top of her lungs.

"I so hate you for this," She muttered to Buffy before starting to spin in a circle, doing a series of small hops and high threatrical kicks.

"A very merry unbirthday to you, to you! A very merry unbirthday to you, to you! It's great to drink to someone and I guess that you will do! A very merry unbirthday to you!"

She glared at Spike, who was biting his knuckles to keep from bursting out in hysterics, tears shining in his eyes. "Scuse me," He said, then bolted for the bathroom.

A few seconds later, he was howling with laughter, and Dawn groaned, slumping back into her seat. It was several minutes before Spike finally calmed down enough to emerge, but he took one look at Dawn and rushed back, slamming the door behind him as another fit of laughter overcame him.

"You promised!" Dawn glared at him, still blushing furiously when he finally recovered enough, and this time he was able to look at her, but was unable to stop a chuckle from escaping, "Yeah, but I'm already dead."

She groaned again as Buffy giggled, "Gotta hate the small print," Her sister said, and Dawn glared at her, "You better have brought me a Jaguar for that!"

Spike grinned, "Think if we hold out on her long enough, she'll do it again?"

"Do that, and I'll tell Xander about your love affair with the mop!" Dawn threatened, and Spike sobered, "Right then, presents."

Dawn clapped, "Yah! Presents, now!"

Buffy smiled as she set an envelope on the table, pushing it towards Dawn. Dawn frowned as she opened it, and quickly skimmed the writing, "Custody papers?" She said, seeing her father's signature at the bottom, right below Buffy's...and Spike's!

She looked up in confusion as Spike shuffled his feet, running a hand through his hair as he grinned somewhat abashedly. "Spike's your guardian," Buffy told her, "After me, of course...but if something ever happened to me...he's promised to take care of you."

Dawn stared at Spike in shock, "Why?"

Spike shrugged, "You kinda grow on people, nibblet..." His grin turned to one of pure happiness as Dawn flew at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly, "Thanks so much! This is the best present ever!"

Buffy watched as Spike almost shyly stroked her hair, a tender look in his eyes, and knew she had made the right decision. She had agonized over it for the past month, trying to decide if she should chose Spike or Giles.

She was worried, if she asked Spike, that he would refuse, and she thought that somehow that would have meant he didn't really care about her or Dawn. But right away, the vampire had said yes, with no hesistation. He even added that he would have eaten Giles if he had gotten picked over him. No one was going to take care of his 'family' but him.

She finally let go of him, still clutching the papers in her hand, and bouncing towards Buffy to give her a hug too. "I love you guys, you know that, right?"

"Of course we do," Buffy said, then grinned, "If you didn't, you would never have done the Unbirthday dance."

"You ever ask me to do it again, and I'll take you out myself," Dawn said, but her bright smile belied her words. "And you can't trick me! You said presents...plural!"

Spike chuckled, "That was from Buffy," he disappeared for a few moments, then reappeared, his hands behind his back, and Dawn eagerly tried to look around him, but he twisted his body so she couldn't see, "Please...do it again..."

"No way, buddy! I'm going to be down one guardian if I don't see what's behind your back!"

"Bossy little chit," He said fondly, then rolled his eyes when a small 'meow' gave him away, "Bloody hell...just ruin it," He grumbled, and Dawn squealed as he handed her a small, black and tan kitten. It opened it's wide, amber-colored eyes, it's little pink mouth opening wide with a tinny mewl.

"Found him outside last night," Spike said, "Thought you'd like the little bugger..."

"He's so cute!" Dawn exclaimed happily, stroking it's soft fur, and looked up at Spike, "Thank you, Spike!" She said before hugging him with one arm, the other holding the kitten cradled to her chest.

"Yeah, well, find one mess on my floor, and I'm eating the little bastard for breakfast," He said gruffly, and Dawn rolled her eyes, "You so wouldn't!"

"Would."

"Wouldn't."

"Would."

"Whatever you say, Spike," Dawn stood up on her tiptoes, planting a kiss on his cheek before rushing off to make a place in her room for the kitten to stay.

When Spike turned, Buffy was looking at him with an arched eyebrow, "What?"

"You're such a softie," She teased, and Spike rolled his eyes, "Am not."

"Are."

"Not."

"Are."

"Not."

"Hey, Dawnster," Xander ruffled the birthday girl's hair as he and Anya came in, bearing gifts, and she grinned widely to put them with the other stuff before joining her friends in the living room.

Xander chuckled as he joined Buffy, Tara, Willow and Giles in the kitchen, where the adults were hiding out.

"Where's Deadboy Jr?" Xander asked, and Buffy smiled, "Trying to avoid Dawn's friends. He went in there with chips and nearly got mauled."

"Yeah, well, I remember when I was that age and at a party...food was pivotal..."

Willow and Buffy exchanged a look, "Um...Xander, I don't think she was talking about food," Willow told her friend, and he frowned in confusion, "Then what were you talking about?"

"I'll tell you when you're older, honey," Anya teased, and Xander shuddered, "Ew! He's...Spike!"

"He's also kinda cu-cute..." Tara supplied, then blushed furiously as Spike came in, carrying Dawn's kitten. He appeared oblivious to the stares he was getting as he handed the cat off to Buffy, and she smiled, petting him as Giles glanced at her, "When did you get a cat?"

"Spike gave it to Dawn," Buffy grinned, "She named it Chewy, but for a while it was going to be B.G.C."

"What's that mean?"

"It's short for 'bloody goddam cat'," Buffy said, grinning at Spike, who rolled his eyes, "She decided on Chewy cause Spike's already threatened to eat it six times."

"Seven," He corrected, "He made a mess."

Buffy put Chewy on the ground, and he meowed, stalking away with his tail pointed straight up, his head jutted up proudly, looking very snobbish.

Spike chuckled, glancing at the others, "Beer's in the fridge if you want it, kiddies. I gotta make a quick run to Willy's," he gave Buffy a quick peck on the cheek, and Buffy smiled as he grabbed his new duster.

"Be back in a few, nibblet," Spike called into the living room, rolling his eyes when the seven girls giggled, leaning towards each other to whisper, and he shook his head at Dawn, deciding it was gonna be one hell of a long evening, and she grinned at him unrepentantly.

Lisa gave him a small wave and he smiled at her before heading out the door, and Dawn turned back to her friends as one of them said, "You are so lucky, Dawn...he's sooo cute."

Dawn rolled her eyes, "Spike? Ew! Come on, he's like my brother!"

"But your extremely fine brother," Another girl put in, "I'm so moving in with you."

"Oops...sounds like I got some competittion," Buffy said as she sat down a plate of cookies, leaping back when the teenagers dived for them, shaking her head as she went back into the safety of the kitchen, "I almost lost a hand to those little monsters! They're way scarier then any demon I faced."

"Even Bezoar? The one that swallowed you?" Willow asked, and Buffy considered this, "Definitly way scarier."

Spike chuckled as he let himself into Willy's through the backdoor, shaking his head at himself. Never in a million years would he have thought that'd he be hosting a kid's birthday party. Then again, he never thought he would be in love with the woman who killed his kind and her baby sister.

Spike shrugged as he leaned against a crate as Willy came in the back, jumping in surprise when he saw Spike, "Spike! I thought you were dead!"

"Not likely, mate," Spike removed some cash from his pocket, "Need a couple of bags to tide me over for the night, and any info you got on a bird named Glory."

Willy shook his head, "No can do, Spike. She's bad news and there's no way in hell I'm telling you anything."

"Ah...cause little ole me has a chip and can't hurt you anymore," Spike grinned darkly, then lunged towards the weasel, wrapping an hand around his throat and lifting him clear off the floor, "Guess what I lost, Willy, ole boy."

Willy's eyes widened, knowing the viciousness of the vampire first hand, squeaking out, "I'll talk, I'll talk!"

Spike dropped him, grabbing a vodka bottle out of a box beside him, unscrewing the cap with his teeth, raising his scarred eyebrow, "Well, talk."

"Okay," Willy took a deep breath, "Coupla weeks ago, this guy showed up in here, looking to get majorly wasted...and when he really got into his cups, he started yappin' about Glory...and how she blown up the Slayer or some weird shit...which I know isn't true, cause I still got vamps in here complaining about her..." Spike's eyes narrowed, and he added hastily, "But I didn' tell him otherwise, Spike! I swear!"

"Good boy," Spike nodded for him to go on.

"Well anyway...he's starts to sweat then and babble to himself all kinda weird like...and suddenly, foosh! He's some hot, blond chick! Let me tell you, I was freakin' out 'bout that and you know I see some weird shit in here..."

Spike rolled his eyes, "Get on with it, Willy. I'm not in the mood for idle chitchat, I got places to be, people to kill."

Willy swallowed heavily, "She just kinda stomped out...complaining about some guy named Ben...and I...uh...I decided to close up shop right about then...I didn't know what the hell was goin' on and I sure as hell didn't want to know."

"Anything else? What she might have been planning?"

"No, man, I swear...she didn't say a thing...neither did the guy..."

Spike nodded, slipping him a fifty and grabbing the blood packets he had in his hands. He sniffed them and scowled, "These are human."

"Uh...yeah..." Willy frowned, and Spike growled at him, "I know you got a little side-trade going, Will, but if I find out you're ripping off blood-banks..."

"It's cool! I swear! That's my last delivery! I won't take anymore!" He promised and Spike shoved the packets at his chest, "Animal blood, mate. Now."

Willy disappeared for a few seconds, then reappeared with the right ones, more then confused. Spike said the chip was out, but he was still bagging it...and animal, no less. Something's going on there...Willy vowed silently to find out what, knowing some would pay a fuckload of money to figure out what William the Bloody was up to these days.

Hell, he'd pay to know.

"Thanks bunches," Spike growled sarcastically, turning and stalking out as Willy stared after him, after him thoughtfully. He mentally reminded himself to do some of his own research on Glory and figure out what she had to do with the Slayer and Spike.

"Alright! Who gave her the bleedin' crossbow?!"

"Um...without admitting anything, it seemed like a good idea at the time," Xander said sheepishly, "And the hole in the wall is really fixable..."

"SPIKE! Put Xander down, now!"

Buffy smiled, sittting up in bed as she watched Spike staring at the door worriedly, while appearing to be nonchalently lighting a cigarette. He glanced at the clock, then back at the door again, and Buffy giggled, "She's not comin', Spike, go back to sleep."

"As soon as I bloody do, she'd be in here," He told her, and Buffy shook her head, leaning forward to plant a kiss on Spike's lips, "She didn't come last night, and she's not coming tonight. She's sleeping with that cat of hers now."

"Well...she could be...sick or sumpin'..." Spike looked at the door. "Maybe I should check on her..." He muttered, and she laughed, rolling towards him and resting her head on his chest, "This is kinda nice, you know," She said, stroking his skin absently, "All alone, by ourselves...no sister between us..."

"Be right back."

Buffy groaned, dropping her head back as Spike slipped out of bed, and went to check on Dawn. After a few minutes, he returned, "She's sleeping."

"Well, duh, blondie," Buffy rolled her eyes, pulling the covers over her. Spike grinned, leaning towards her, "You were sayin' something about being all alone."

"Sorry, missed your chance, not in the mood anymore."

"You sure about that?" Spike kissed her throat, and Buffy nodded, "Yep."

"Doubly sure?" He asked, nipping at her skin as he started to travel down her body, kissing the top of one breast.

"Yes and yes."

"Sure you're sure you're sure?" He asked before sucking a nipple into his mouth, and Buffy gasped, "Yes!"

"Liar," He growled and Buffy grabbed his head, jerking him up for a kiss.

Spike moaned, rolling to his back as someone knocked on the door, "DAWN! GO AWAY!"

"Slayer..."

"Fine, fine, " Dawn muttered, heading back to her room, and Spike gave Buffy a look, "That wasn't nice."

"Spike, cut the imbilical cord and get back to work!" She ordered, regally lounging back on the bed, and Spike raised an eyebrow, "Who died and made you the Queen Mum?"

"Someone's gonna be clogging a vacuum in a minute," She nearly growled and a seductive smile curled his lips, "When you put it that way..."

"Why are you still talking?"

Spike growled, kissing her passionatly, and when he broke the kiss, she had to gasp for breath, and Spike smirked at her, "Well, your majesty, are you going to bow before the king?"

"Oh yeah," She pulled his head back down to her, and Spike grinned against her lips, wondering if he could ever be happier then he was at that moment.

He looked at the mark of his Sire adorning her throat. Well, almost...

Riley Finn looked around the empty street before looking at the door to the Magic Box, trying to decide what he should do.

His duffel bag lay at his feet, and he sighed, picking it up. He looked around once more before removing a kit from it, then used a screwdriver to jimmy the door open. He slipped inside, closing the door behind him, immediately heading towards the cash register.

Beneath the register, he flipped a knob, sliding open a hidden door. He looked down at Giles' journals before shuffling through them till he found the Watcher's address book, hoping against hope. Buffy had stopped writing exactly four months before, and he was afraid that she had died. He had seen the ruins of her home and his heart had stopped.

He flipped through the address book to the S's, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw Buffy's old address crossed out and a new one written in. He found a pen and piece of paper and jotted it down.

He shouldered his duffel, and headed out.

Buffy gritted her teeth together as Chewy sank her little teeth into her sock-clad foot, picking the kitten up by the scruff of the neck. "Remind me to kill Spike," She said, plopping him down on Dawn's lap, and the girl smiled brightly, looking up at Buffy, "You love him."

"The cat or Spike?"

"Both."

Buffy raised an eyebrow, "Well, I guess they're both a little fangy..."

Dawn rolled her eyes as she took the popcorn from Buffy. They were waiting for Spike to get back from the video store so they could spend a stress-free night on the couch. "What you two do in the bedroom is between you and him."

Buffy shook her head, giving her a quick noogie before heading up the stairs to change out of her patrol clothes, and Dawn looked towards the TV, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth as the doorbell rang.

"Ugh...if he forgets his keys one more time..." She threw open the door, her eyes widening when she saw Riley. "You!"

"Hey, Dawn," Riley looked over her shoulder, "Is Buffy home?"

"Uh..." Dawn hesistated, staring at him in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"I got Buffy's letter...I'm sorry, Dawn, about your mom..."

"Uh-uh," Dawn crossed her arms over her chest, "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried..."

"Oh...really. My mom died five months ago, Riley. You never wrote Buffy. You never called her...you didn't even give her a card for her birthday...as far as I'm concerned, you can take your worry and shove it up you ass."

Riley stared at Dawn in shock, "What?"

"You heard me."

"Dawn..." Riley sighed heavily, as if dealing with a difficult child, "Can I come in, please?"

"I don't know. Can you?"

"That's what I'm askin--oh..." He looked sheepish, "You know about that?"

"You're not getting an invite, buddy."

Riley rolled his eyes and stuck his hand inside the door, "See? No invite needed."

Dawn stepped aside relunctantly, and he stepped inside, looking in appreciatvely, "Nice place."

"Yeah, we thought so," Dawn said irritably, closing the door behind him, "BUFFY!"

Buffy came down the stairs, "Ready for movie fun--uh..." She froze seeing Riley. "Ri-Riley?"

He smiled, going towards her, and pulling the shocked blond into a tight hug, "It's so good to see you again, Buffy..."

Buffy stared at him in surprise, shock and hurt, unable to figure out what to say.

"Honey, I'm hooommmeee!" Spike called cheerfully as he came in, dropping the video bag on the ground as he started to take off his duster, "And daddy's brought--" He stopped, finally seeing his Buffy...in Riley's arms. "What the fuck is going on?!" He asked, his eyes narrowing, even as Riley's did.

Buffy's eyes widened as she finally recovered enough to jerk away from Riley, and met Spike's shocked, hurt gaze, "Spike...it isn't..."

Riley suddenly charged the vampire, driving a fist into his face, "I told you to stay away from her!" He snapped, then kneed him in the groin, and Spike snarled, shoving him away as if he didn't just get hit in the most sensistive area of his body, "Big mistake, boy," He growled, vamping out before punching him back.

Riley's eyes widened when he realized the chip didn't activate, but the vampire took a step back, his fists clenched, "Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My. Home." He bit out angrily, using all the control he had to keep from ripping the boy's throat out.

"Your home?!" Riley straightened, looking towards Buffy for an explanation as Dawn moved closer to Spike, taking his hand. Spike looked down at her, and forced his human mask into place with a great deal of effort. "Buffy, what's going on?"

Buffy shuffled on her feet nervously as both men watched her, waiting for her to say something. "You left, Riley, and I moved on..."

"To Spike?!" Riley shouted angrily, "In case you haven't noticed, he's a vampire!"

"Oh, so it's all right to pay them to suck off you, but I can't be in love with one?!" Buffy snapped angrily, arms crossing over her chest. She almost smiled when she saw the relieved look on Spike's face. He had doubts?

"It's not the same thing!" Riley was unable to believe his 'Buffy' would do something like that. "He can't love you! He has no soul! Just because you couldn't get over me..."

"Whoa! Full of yourself much?" Buffy rolled her eyes, "Got news for you, Riley. I was over you the second you got on that goddamn helicopter and took off. You promised you wouldn't hurt me, Riley, but you did. And you left. You didn't write, or call...you acted like I never existed. So screw you!"

"I never stopped loving you, Buffy..."

"Great. On some level, I love you too..." Riley gave her a hopeful look, but she shook her head, "You haven't been here for the last six months, Riley. You don't know what I've been through...you weren't there. Spike was, and I love him for it...and I'm in love with him now."

Riley's eyes narrowed even more as she talked, his fury increasingly growing with every word she said. Spike was looking at his woman with something akin to adoration, and Riley saw red as he reached into his jacket pocket.

"SPIKE!" Dawn screamed as Riley suddenly whirled towards the blond vampire, stake in hand. Spike twisted his body, the stake plunging just past his left shoulder, and his hand clamped onto Riley's arm as he used his momentum to send him flying into the door.

It rattled on it's hinges, and Spike let go of him, taking a step away from Riley. The soldier stumbled back to his feet, touching his bloody nose. "Riley, just go...please," Buffy said softly.

Instead of listening, he charged Spike again, and the vampire looked amused as he side-stepped him, leaving his leg in place and Riley tripped over him, crashing into the back of the couch.

He got up again, and Spike glanced at Buffy, looking exasperated, "Does he ever give up?"

"Would you?"

Spike shrugged as Riley came at him again, ducking a punch to grab his arm and twist it around his back, "Dawn, get the door," Spike said, holding the struggling boy, and Dawn grinned as Buffy shook her head.

She opened the door, and Riley yelped as Spike sent him flying out into the hall, crashing into the wall outside the door. Spike slammed and locked it behind him.

"BUFFY!" Riley started to pound on the door, "Let me in! Now!"

"Riley, go away!" Buffy shouted at him.

"Tell them you can be friends...guys hate that," Spike said, and Buffy glared at him as the pounding ceased, then sighed, shaking her head. "Very funny."

Spike waited a few minutes before checking the hall, then glanced at Buffy when he saw it was empty, "I guess he got the hint. Stupid bastard. I would have stayed at the door for a hell of a lot longer."

"We know," Buffy smiled at him, "Thanks for not hurting him...I know that you really wanted too..."

"Yeah, well, I kinda like seeing you naked. In this century," Spike said, and Buffy rolled her eyes, still smiling, "What movies did you get?"

"Sleeping with the Enemy, and My Boyfriend's Back," He teased and Buffy smacked his arm, and then screeched as Spike scooped her up into his arms, planting a passionate kiss on her lips.

"Ew! Get a room!" Dawn gagged, and Buffy glanced at Spike, her smile widening as she pulled him back down to her, exgerrating the sounds of kissing, and Dawn groaned, covering her eyes, "Ugh! I didn't know you could mate with your mouths!"

"Dawn, grow up," Buffy teased, then caught the look of love and ill-repressed passion in Spike's eyes. "Um...you might want to start the movie without us...we...got stuff...to...do..."

Dawn rolled her eyes as Spike pratically flew up the stairs with Buffy. "God...they are so weird!"

Riley downed his drink, the hard liquor burning a fiery path down his throat, his eyes narrowed to tiny slits. He was well onto his tenth vodka, techinically twenty since he was ordering doubles, and was well on his way to sloshedville.

"Goddamn son of a bitch," He grumbled to himself, then glared at Willy as the weasel put another drink in front of him. "I told him to stay away from Buffy, but did he listen? Should have used a real stake."

"Who?" Willy asked nonchalently, listening interestedly, as well as another party just down the bar from Riley. "Spike...he's with my girl! No one can touch my Buffy! No one!"

Murk slowly stood, approaching Riley from behind, glad he had taken his night off from Glory worship to enjoy a mint julep. Willy glanced at him, then turned away as Murk smashed Riley in the back of the head, then headed to a phone.

"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..."

The End

Next in Series: Camping