They stood there in silence, staring at each other, none of them daring to speak.

“I better go.” Buffy suddenly uttered, nervously looking around the room, finally turning on her heels and making her way towards the stairs with ground-eating steps.

“Buffy. Wait, Stop.” Spike snapped out of his trance. He tried to follow her but the sheet kept getting in his way and eventually he fell on the floor.

************************************

Buffy ran as fast as her legs could carry her out of that cemetery. Reaching her from porch, she fiddled with the keys as she desperately tried to fit them into the keyhole. Eventually Dawn came to her aid as she opened the door.

“Buffy, where were you? We were worried sick about you.”

Buffy completely ignored her sister’s question and made her way up the stairs, taking three steps at a time.

“What’s gotten into her?” Xander asked scratching his head.

She slammed the door behind her and started walking around in circled in front of her bed.

“Oh my God, I said it!” she thought out loud. “I said it. I can’t believe I said it.”

She could feel her heart racing in her chest, her breathing was erratic and she anxiously snapped her fingers against the palm of her cold hand.

“Where is she?” Spike asked as he came in the house.

“What did you do to her?” Xander immediately stepped in.

Spike ignored him and started to make his way up the stairs when the young man blocked his passage.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Xander spoke arrogantly.

“If you don’t get your ugly mug out of my face I swear I’ll bash your teeth in.” Spike hissed, but Xander didn’t give any sign of backing down. “Whelp, I’m warning you.”

“I don’t know what you did to her, but I’m not letting you hurt her anymore.”

“Hurt her? I’m in love with her, you bleeding brainless twit.” Spike replied angrily.

“Ha! In love with her.” Xander laughed out loud. “You-“ he wasn’t able to finish his sentence as Spike’s fist connected with his face.

“Ouch!” the young man cried out in pain as his hand rested on his bleeding nose.

Spike was so wound up he barely felt the jolt of pain that came from the chip in the back of his head as he continued his way up the stairs.

“Willow, do something.” Xander protested. When the Wicca didn’t move he turned to Dawn, but the young teenager simply crossed her arms, raised her chin and said nonchalantly:

“Don’t look at me, you’ve been asking for it, buddy.”

********************************************

Buffy jumped up as the door to her bedroom burst open. In front of her stood Spike; his hair tussled and his chest rising and falling at an even more frenetic pace than her own.

“Buffy…” he finally whispered taking a step towards her.

She responded by taking one back.

“Buffy…” he breathed again. One more step and she moved closer to bed, away from him. “We…” he couldn’t even form a straight sentence as her words still echoed in his head and in his ears.

“Spike…” she struggled with the words, taking a deep breath.

“Luv, we need to talk.” He was able to say closing the distance between them.

“There is no- ouch!” as she tried to move away she stumbled at the edge of her bed and nearly fell flat on the floor. Nervously, she straightened her clothes, frenetically running her hands over them. “There’s nothing to talk about!” she stated matter-of-factly, praying he would just let the subject go.

“What?! What do you mean ‘there’s nothing to talk about’? Buffy, you said you-“

“I didn’t say anything. I-I was…” she searched her mind and finally came up with an excuse. “confused and-and angry.”

Spike stared at her in disbelief.

“Can you just forget about it?” she tilted her head slightly to the side staring at him with pleading eyes.

“Forget it?! You can’t just say what you said and expect me to forget about.” It took all of his strength no to close the distance between them, grab her and kiss her.

“Why not?” she pouted, frenetically trying to hide her shaking hands from him.

“Why?!” he repeated astonished. “Because… Bec-Because you… Do you have any idea of how many times I’ve dreamt about this? Do you?”

“I have to think about this. I-I can’t th-think w-when you’re too close.” She stuttered nervously outstretching her arm took keep the distance between them, but when she realized how much she was shaking she immediately recoiled it placing her hand on her forehead. “I-I can’t do… I c-can’t… DAMMIT!” she yelled frustrated at her jumpiness. “I can’t do this right now, Spike.”

She stood and looked at him, her mind racing and her heart pounding against the walls of her chest. In the air, the only thing that cut the silence were the shallow and short gulps of air coming from both of them.

“I’m sorry.” She finally whispered.

Spike’s face fell as he listened to her. For some strange reason he felt he the need to breathe, but couldn’t as someone tightly clutched his chest.

“What?” he finally managed to ask.

“I-I… Why are you making this so hard?” she cried out, stomping her right foot on the wooden floor.

“Fine! I’ll make it easier. Tell me you don’t love me.” He ordered. He stared at her with maddening pain and desperation in his eyes.

“I-“ she started to speak but he cut her off.

“Tell me you don’t love me and I’ll leave. I’ll leave your house, this city; I’ll even leave the bloody country if you want. Just say it!” he cried out with a faltering voice as he waved his arms around.

Silence crept around them once more but Spike soon broke it with a whisper:

“It’s the only way you’ll ever get me out of this room. I’ll leave if you tell me you don’t love me.” He stared at her like a defendant awaiting the sentence that will change his life.

“I…” she breathed, preparing herself but when the words came out of her mouth there was no sign of hesitation. “I don’t!”

He stood there, his eyes blank, a sense of numbness taking over him. But it didn’t last, soon an excruciating pain that started in his gut and gradually spread all over him replaced it. Centuries went by before he could get his body to obey his command. He pressed his lips together and gave her a slight nod. All his efforts focused on not allowing the tears that welled up in his eyes to stream down his face as he turned around to leave.

She felt a pang in her chest as she saw him turn to leave. In a blink of an eye she was in front of him blocking his passage.

“No!”

“Buffy, I can’t be around you anymore!” he tried to speak calmly but failed miserably at it as anger and pain seeped into his voice and the tears rolled down his chiselled face. “Just hurts too much, I-“

“I don’t…” she tried to explain what she had meant looking up at him. “…want you to leave.”

He stared at her and was about to speak but she stopped him, bringing her mouth to his. He was stunned for a second, but at the feel of her body crushed against his and her wet tongue running across the edge of his lips he gave into the powerful turmoil of emotion that the kiss turned inside him.

The kissing intensified as hands came into play. Spike ran his fingers over her shoulder, down her naked arms until they rested softly on her waist. There he tugged at the shirt, pulling it out of her jeans and snaking his hand under the cotton fabric. The tips of his long finger hover over the sensitive skin around her navel and a giggle escaped the Slayer’s lips. He continued teasing her and she was forced to bring her hand over his.

“That tickles.” She breathed; a babyish smile dancing on her lips as she rested her forehead on his cool lips.

Her hands abandoned his and travelled the small space between their bodies to play with the buttons of his shirt. She looked up into his eyes as she began to undress him. In seconds the red fabric was on the floor and she turned her attention to the tight black t-shirt that covered his chest.

****************************************

“You guys are just gonna sit down here and continued playing Scrabble like nothing’s happening?” Xander asked in disbelief, looking at the four women and the funny looking demon that sat around the table.

“That’s the plan.” Willow shrugged.

“Me eat piece now?” It begged looking at Dawn wide-eyed.

“No, It! You can’t eat them.” Dawn told him for the fifth time that night and It inevitably pouted.

“You guys are unbelievable. I’m going up there.” Xander protested stomping out of the room.

“Xander Harris, you take one more step towards those stairs and your nose won’t be the only thing bleeding!” Anya warned him, her eyes never leaving the small square pieces in front of her.

Xander stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face his ex-demon.

“I’m Buffy’s friend, I’m-“ he started but Tara cut him off.

“Annoying!”

Everyone stopped and turned to look at the Wicca.

“What? It’s my word.” She explained setting the pieces on the cardboard with an unusual wicked smile.

*****************************************

“Ah!” Buffy moaned as he sluggishly traced the edge of her panties. She opened her eyes to see him hovering naked over her.

His index finger moved over her leg and dove into the valley between her thighs, but refused to breach the sanctity of her underwear. With a feather-like touch, he moved over the damp cotton fabric.

She bucked her hips towards his hands in a desperate attempt to increase the pressure and to her amazement he didn’t pull back. The connection between his fingers and her swollen clit sent a shock of electricity through her entire body.

“Ah!” she cried out.

He smiled at her. It never ceased to amaze him the effect he had on her and he wondered why it had taken her so long to realise they were meant to be.

Without warning, he pushed her panties aside and slid one long finger into her heat.

Her eyes popped open and she was about to say something, but when she felt him move in and out of her she lost all ability to speak and all she could do was moan and thrust her hips into his hand.

Never stopping his ministrations, his bent down and plundered her mouth. With every bit as much intensity and hunger she responded, prying his lips apart with her tongue to explore.

Instinctively, her hand found the dark nest of curls between his legs and she wrapped her long fingers around his swollen member.

“God!” Spike breathed into her mouth.

He could feel her lips against his mouth curling up into a cocky smile. He broke the kiss and looked at her.

“Tease!” the word barely escaped his lips as she moved her small hand up and down his cock at a steady rhythm. “Ah!”

Knowing he was close, he reluctantly pushed her hand away from him and travelled down her body, bringing with him the last item of clothing she had on. When he reached her calves, he reversed direction and began trailing soft kisses up her leg, her dimpled knees and her outer thigh.

Buffy’s breathing came in quick and short pants as anticipation took over her senses. With her eyes tightly shut, she could feel every soft peck he placed on her leg as he moved to the inside of her thigh. He was taking too long and she decided he needed a little encouragement, so she entangled her finger in his tussled hair and pulled him towards her centre. He obeyed and his lips now grazed over her soaked lower lips. Gently he pushed her legs apart and cupped her cheeks to gain better access and then he waited.

Buffy pried her eyes open and looked down on him. Between her legs, hovering just a bit over her dark curls was his bleached head, his gazed falling on her face. The sight of him in that position only served to heighten her desire and she found herself begging him: “Please… Please…”

“Tell me what you want.” He whispered. The cold hair coming fro his lips grazed over her soaked lips and it sent a bolt of electricity over her entire body. She arched her back off the mattress and pushed his face towards her aching centre, but this time he didn’t budge and he repeated: “Tell me what you want, luv."

“I-I want you…” she breathed looking down on him.

“You want me to what, pet?” he teased.

“You know what I want, Spike…”

“Enlighten me.” He continued to provoke her.

“I-I can’t say it…” she pouted.

“You don’t say it, I won’t do it.” He looked up at her. God, she looked gorgeous from that point of view. Two lustful eyes looking down on him between two perfectly shaped breasts. He didn’t know how long he could keep teasing her like this.

“I want you… Spike, please don’t make me say it.” She begged, but when she saw the determination in his eyes she knew she had no choice. “I want you to… kiss me… down there.”

“Smart chit, but you’re not getting off that easy.” He thought to himself and leaned into her and gave her a quick peck on her outer lips.

Buffy groaned in protest.

“Spike, please.”

“You said a kiss, I gave you one, luv.” A devilish smile crept over his lips.

“I want you to…” “God, I can’t believe I’m saying this” “…lick me… down there.”

“That’s my girl.” Was the last thing she heard him say, even if he had said anything else she wouldn’t have heard it, she was lost in ecstasy as his mouth ravaged her hot centre.

After tracing her tortuous contours of her lips he focussed all his ministrations on her clit. First curling his tongue around it, then lightly nibbling it and finally sucking in into his mouth as his tongue quickly ran over the swollen bud of nerves.

Buffy shut her eyes, arching her back off the mattress, violently thrusting her hips into his face as an intense orgasm seemed to consume her. With her head thrown back, her hands frantically searched for something to grab a hold of and finally they settled on the sheet that covered her bed. She pulled at the white fabric with all her might as a series of waves washed over her. It seemed to take forever, but eventually she came down from her moment of pure bliss and when she finally opened her eyes she saw his beautiful face hovering over her.

He reached out his hand, cupping her jaw and lightly running his thumb over her flushed cheek. Slowly, he bent down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips, but if wasn’t chaste for long. Soon she was clutching the back of his head in her hand and pulling him into a passionate battle of tongues.

The intensity of her desire overwhelmed him and he struggled to keep his demon face in check as he felt her nails dig into the skin on his back. Cat like, she snaked her legs around his thighs and cupped his ass in her hands pushing him down into her inviting heat. It took all of his strength and willpower not to thrust into her.

“Say it.” He looked at her with begging eyes. She stood there in silence with a cryptic gaze, so he supplicated once more. “I need to hear you say it.”

She never broke her tormenting silence as she placed a kiss on his lips and returned her head to the pillow to gaze up at him. Spike felt a pang in his chest as he realised she didn’t have the strength to say it. His eyes began to well up once, but he pushed the tears back and gave her a forced smile. He dropped his head to her neck and began to mechanically kiss the soft skin under her earlobe when he heard it. It was a faint whisper, but it was there and it was impossible for his vampire senses not to pick it up.

“I love you, Spike…”

He slowly raised his eyes to meet hers. He found her sweetly smiling at him. He had seen that smile so many times, but it had never been directed at him. He brought a hand to her face and brushed a rebellious string of hair away from her perfect face.

“I love you so much, Buffy Summers.” He whispered before bending down for a kiss.

Slowly he lowered his hips to hers, easing himself into her inviting centre. Buffy drew a sharp breath at the intensity of the moment. The emotions that his lovemaking to her stirred inside her were only rivalled by the ones she’d felt in that perfect place, in heaven. But that memory seemed so ancient and dimmed in that instant. Suddenly it dawned on her, for the first time since she’s come back, she had looked back on her ethereal experience without felling lost and broken inside. The realisation brought a smile on her face.

“What? Something wrong?” he asked concerned, stopping immediately and hovering over her.

“Nothing’s wrong… finally.” She whispered encouraging him to move inside of her.

Slowly he resumed pulling in and out of her in long, smooth stokes. His lips found hers for a passionate kiss, while his hands travelled down from her shoulders to caress her entire body. They completely ignored the loud protesting of the bed as it squealed in pain under their burden and the headboard was mercilessly banged against the wall of the room.

Buffy could feel the energy build up inside her, the intensity of their emotions becoming too over whelming as they truly made love for the first time.

“Spike!” she cried out as her orgasm washed over her body, causing her inner muscles to contract and clamp around him.

He pulled in and out of her one more time before joining her in ecstasy. It seemed to take forever, but when they came down from their orgasms, Spike was laying on top of her and Buffy had her arms wrapped around the emotionally knocked-out vampire.

***********************************

“Oh my God!” Xander cried out, standing up as he heard the strange noise coming from upstairs. “He’s trying to kill her.”

“Oh, he’s killing her alright…” Anya sighed envious of the Slayer. She had gone too long without any. Ever since she had made up with Xander they had always been in death threatening situations, which meant – no sex. She pouted at the thought.

“I wish I would die like that.” Willow spoke hopefully.

“Really?” Tara asked with a serious look on her face.

“Oh-oh! No-no, not in that way. In-in a happy way, you know. In a with you way and-and so not in a with a guy way.” Willow desperately tried to explain herself, she really didn’t want to lose Tara, not again. She sighed in relief when she saw the edges of her lover’s lips curl up into a sweet smile.

**************************************

“Hum!” Buffy sighed, resting her head on Spike’s marble chest. “This is good!” she drooled the words, running her index finger over the contour of his abdominal muscles. “Why didn’t I think of this earlier?”

“Think of what, luv?” Spike asked.

She turned to face him with her trademark smile and answered:

“Telling you I love you.”

Spike could swear he felt his heart beat that time. He still hadn’t gotten used to hearing her say it. He felt he was living a dream… “Hell, I am living a dream!” he thought.

“Really?” he smiled at her.

“Really. You get all…” her hand stopped caressing his belly and travelled south. “…pointy.” She finished her sentence.

“So, you only told me you love me so I’d get… pointy.”

“Yeah.” She said matter-of-factly. “Why else would I say it?”

In a blink of an eye, she was laying on the bed, crushed under his weight.

“Don’t even joke about that, Slayer!” he warned her. His face was as serious as a heart attack.

She looked up at him and smiled.

“Boy, I guess I found your sensitive spot, haven’t I.”

“You ARE my sensitive spot.” He stated without any hesitation.

They stared at each other for a while in silence, until he broke it.

“Say it.” He looked at her with pleading eyes.

“I love you.” She whispered.

“God, Buffy, I love you!” he breathed before crushing her mouth with his.

Slowly he manoeuvred his way between her legs and prepared to enter her, when she pushed him off of her.

“No. No more… pointy Spike.” She sat up on the bed, covering her chest with the sheet and pointed at his swollen member.

“But I thought you liked…” with vampire speed he grabbed her by her arms and once more he was laying on top of her. “…pointy Spike.” He finished his sentence placing himself at the edge of her entrance.

“Spike, we have to go downstairs. I thought you wanted me to tell my friends and Dawn about us.”

He looked down on her and pouted like a child that doesn’t get to eat its desert.

“Ok, fine! Just one more.” She warned him.

“Four!” Spike tried to bargain.

“Four? No way!” she flung her head from side to side to emphasise her resolve.

“Yes way.” He spoke in a child like tone. “Puity puisssss.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

“Spike!”

“Two and a half.”

“Two and a half? How do you make two and a half?” she asked confused.

“You have a lot of things to learn, luv.” He smiled at her wickedly.

*****************************************

“Finally!” Xander ran towards the Slayer who was coming down the stairs, with Spike following her close behind. “Are you ok? What did he do? Did he hurt you? Do you want me to beat him up for you?”

“Xander? What?” she looked around a bit confused.

“Well?”

“Yes. None of your business. No. And a very bug NO on that last one. No one’s beating him up except me.” She answered.

“Huh?” Xander ran after her into the living room like a lost little puppy, but she ignored him.

Buffy breathed in sharply. This was probably one of the most difficult things she would ever have to do in her life.

“Dawn!” she called out to her sister.

“Hey, Buffy.” The young teenager gleefully greeted, her eyes never leaving the cardboard on the centre of the table.

“Can you come here for a second?”

“What for?”

“I need to talk to you. In private.” Buffy begged.

“About what?”

“Dawn!”

“Is it about you and Spike doing the wild thing for mouths now and finally deciding to share the news with the rest of us, mere mortals.” Dawn asked matter-of-factly.

Buffy chocked at her sister’s words.

“You know?”

“Spike and Buffy what?” Xander asked astonished.

“Of course. We all do.” Dawn announced.

“Spike, how could you!” she yelled.

“Hey, I didn’t say a word.”

Realising he was telling the truth she turned to…

“Tara?”

“Oh, no-no. I-I didn’t say anything. No-not a word. I swear.” Tara tried to explain.

“Who and who is doing the what?” Xander continued to question, trapped in his own little world of make believe.

“Then how?”

“Well, we’re not dumb, blind or deaf.” Dawn began.

“Specially not deaf!” Anya emphasised, pointing at the ceiling.

“Oh!” Buffy managed to say as it dawned on her.

“Oh, it wasn’t today. I’ve known it for centuries. You guys are really bad at keeping secrets.”

“So you all know?” Spike finally spoke.

“All, even It.” Dawn began to answer, when she finally noticed the hysterical man next to her.

“Buffy and Spike? Spike and Buffy are-“

“Well, all except for Xander. He just refused to come down from his fantasy world.” Dawn explained.

“Me more smart that dumb Xander.” It squealed joyfully.

“Buffy and Spike have been doing what?”

“You know, honey, that thing we love to do. Well, used to do. We haven’t done it in a really, really, really long time. You know, the thing you don’t like me mentioning in public! The S-E-X.” Anya, gently caressed her lover’s back.

“Anya, we can all read and write. I don’t think the spelling trick is going to work on us.” Willow offered.

“Oh, sorry!” Anya apologized.

“You… and you have what?” Xander’s index finger frenetically alternated between pointing at the vampire and the Slayer.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s not permanent.” Willow spoke.

“Yeah, he gets this way when he gets too surprised. Once, he were doing the… thing, and I pushed my finger into-“

“ANYA!” Xander cut her off, snapping out of his trance.

“Yeah, please, spare us the gruelling details.” Spike begged with a cocky grin.

“I think I’m gonna be sick.” Xander said resting his hand over his stomach and crunching up his face in disgust.

“Honey, are you ok?” Anya asked, seemingly concerned. “Oh, please don’t be sick.”

“I’ll be fine once I get home. Let’s go.” Xander said as he made his way out of the Summers residence.

Anya quickly followed him out, but not before grabbing her coat and shouting after him:

“Does that mean we get to have sex tonight?!”

“ANYA!” Xander’s angry voice was heard from the front porch.

“I guess not…” the ex-demon grumbled under her breath, dragging her feet as she exited the house.

“You think he’ll be ok?” Buffy asked concerned.

“Oh, the whelp will be fine. Just give him time.” Spike reassured her putting his arm around her shoulder.

A thundering silence settled in the air, as they all stared at the new couple. It just seemed so odd to see them so close and… not punching each other senseless. Dawn was the one to break the awkwardness.

“So, you guys in for a game on scrabble?”

“Yes!” Buffy immediately answered, relieved someone had actually spoken.

Hurriedly she made her way to the table. She stopped dead in her tracks when she realised there was only one chair vacant. Spike easily noticed her discomfort. She wasn’t ready just yet to show too much intimacy in front of the gang. He understood and quickly offered:

“Hum, I’ll get a chair from the kitchen.” With slumped shoulders he turned around to leave.

“No, Spike.” He heard Buffy’s voice and turned around. “You can sit here. I’ll sit on your lap. That’s, if you don’t mind.”

Spike’s face immediately lit put and he jogged his way to the table, offering his knee as a chair to Buffy.

“So, how do you play this thing?” the vampire asked, gently running his hand over Buffy’s lower back.

“Easy. We give seven pieces to each player. Each piece has a letter written on it. See?” Willow began to explain, showing the small squares to the vampire. “The goal of the game is to-“

“Oh, I know this. Clem has this game. He made me play once.”

“Clem? Really?” Buffy asked.

“Yep. So, what are we waiting for?” Spike asked rubbing his hand together. “I’m real jammy at this game.”

“You’re what?” Buffy turned to face the vampire. “Let’s get this straight. No British slang is allowed. No fags, whelp, bugger, bollocks, none of those count as words. Just good old fashion American lingo.”

“That’s not bloody fair.” Spike protested.

“I don’t care. You’re out numbered, buddy.” Buffy grinned wildly at the pouting vampire.

“Hey, Dawn, there are pieces missing.” Willow noticed as she handed out the smalls squares to everyone.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I check everywhere.” Willow explained.

“But, I-“ Dawn looked around. Something… no someone was missing. “IT!” she yelled.

“Yesssss.” A shy squeal was heard from the dark corner of the living room.

“Come here.” Dawn ordered.

The small demon obeyed, hopping his way to her.

“Did you eat the pieces?”

“Noooooooo!” It drooled, frenetically moving his head from side to side.

“It, don’t lie to me.” Dawn warned.