January 19, 2008 7:41 PM

It was difficult but Spike managed to ignore the possessiveness, intense jealousy and blinding anger that wanted to take hold of him. Instead he focused on being the loving, understanding husband. The emotions still swirled through his belly and he was only able to maintain the façade because he knew Max feared for his life. And as long as fear echoed in Max’s blue eyes and the scent still wafted from him, Spike would keep his distance and only watch. Watch as Buffy danced with their friend, leaning back against him, her arm curved up so her hand could play with the black curls along his nape and her bottom swished seductively against Max’s crotch. She had danced with every male in the room and Willow but this was the first time she had danced so provocatively, so openly defiant of his role in her life.

His eyes flickered over her body. Her shoes had been discarded awhile ago because they had been causing her ankles to swell. Her legs were bare beneath her dress that flared out when she moved giving flashes of thighs meant to hold a man between them. The strapless dress left her shoulders bare and hung on by some miracle to breasts swollen in preparation for the child she carried. How could one woman exude so much sex while six months pregnant? Spike licked his lips as her hand drifted along her thigh exposing ample skin to him. He followed that hand as it stroked her belly, lingered for a moment on her breast before the tip of her index finger slipped between her lips. Their eyes met and he saw her scheme. She was enticing him to the edge of control with her game of allurement. She wanted the control. She wanted him to lose it so she could bend him to her will. And he knew he was dealing with the Drusilla side of her and he returned her smile. She pouted. She had been found out and she walked away from Max as if he was an insignificant toy that she no longer wanted.

Buffy stopped for a moment to slip her feet into the slippers that Sean had brought down for her before continuing her approach to him. Spike crossed his arms and waited. Her seductive stroll was more of a lumbering gait but she still had the pout and the smoky gaze. Her hands lingered on his hips as she looked up at him. He bent down and kissed the tip of her nose. He glanced around to make sure no one else could hear.

“If you want to play dominatrix,” Spike whispered in her ear, “I’ll let you.”

Buffy giggled but her words were cut off as the front door opened. Cordelia entered the room, dressed to kill in a black satin dress. It clung to every curve with a slit along her thigh. Her dark hair was piled on top of her head in a careless bun but it showed the diamond earrings and necklace that she wore off to perfection. Angel walked in behind her. Nervously he glanced around the room and slipped an arm around his wife.

Giving a delighted squeal, Buffy approached them as fast as she could waddle.

“I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me,” Buffy cooed, her hands wrapping around Angel’s arm. “You came to my party.”

“Look, Buffy,” Cordelia said, pulling Angel back to her. “Or Drusilla or whoever the hell you are tonight, Angel is my husband. We only came here because you cried and begged but keep your mitts to yourself. Understand?”

Everyone in the room had turned to listen to the exchange. As usual, Buffy’s attempted seduction had been told to everyone where it was speculated on and sides had been chosen. The air was tense as they waited for Buffy to reply but she didn’t say a word. She hissed and growled instead. Cordelia’s eyes opened wide and she stepped back but never let go of Angel.

Spike laughed and couldn’t stop. It was pure Dru and coming out of Buffy it was completely hilarious. He stumbled through the kitchen door and ended up on the floor. The laughter continued as it released all the other emotions in him. If he wasn’t laughing he’d be crying so he laughed. Xander and Max stepped into the room eyeing him suspiciously.

“You okay, buddy?” Xander asked.

“I’m fine,” Spike laughed, wiping tears from his face. “My wife has turned into a cat now.”

“Did you take something or drink too much?” Max asked, squatting next to him and shaking his head.

“Bloody hell, mate,” Spike chortled. “Buffy…it’s funny. Laugh with me.”

The three man turned as Buffy walked in.

“What are you doing?” Buffy asked, standing over him. “What’s so funny?”

It was Buffy again and that started Spike off on a new laughing fit. She attempted to squat next to him and her slipper skidded on the tile. Landing on her bottom, her hands behind her to keep her from toppling over completely while her legs flew out in front of her, Buffy looked more surprised than the men around her.

“You okay?” Max asked and reached a hand out to make sure she was steady.

“I’m fine,” Buffy said, shaking her head.

“Careful, Luv,” Spike said. “You don’t want to be showing your knickers to our guests.”

Her hand slid along her thigh and she said, “Knickers? Oops, think I lost them somewhere.”

Xander and Max both looked away as she pulled her skirt along her thigh. Spike caught the hem with his foot before she exposed too much.

“Well, then don’t want to be flashing your fancy, now do you?”

Buffy smiled and snapped the band of her panties.

“Found them,” She quipped, reaching hands to Xander so he could haul her off the floor. “It’s time for cake and presents before Elijah has to go to bed. So, come on.”

They all hesitated as she sashayed to the door, glanced at each other and followed her. There wasn’t much else to do except follow the birthday girl’s lead even if she was intent on giving them all engraved invitations to join her on her trip through the land of insanity.

January 19, 2008 8:27 PM

This was much better. Buffy was curled on his lap with an afghan covering her legs and a sweater covering her shoulders. She said she was cold now and he rubbed her back to try and give her a little more warmth. Her presents were stacked on one side of the chair and on the other were the discarded wrappings. Buffy was herself as she unwrapped her goodies. She behaved as she oohed and awed over each one and everyone relaxed under the normalcy of it. Elijah was her little delivery man as he kept bringing her presents from the table. He handed her a brightly wrapped one without a card and Buffy turned it over in her hands before looking up at her friends.

“Who is this from?”

“I think it came with those other packages from LA,” Sean said. “It didn’t have a return address on it.”

“Buffy,” Max said, “Maybe you should let me open it.”

But she was already peeling the pink wrapping paper from it. Her hands ran over the box for a second before opening it. It seemed that everyone had leaned forward to see what it was as she peeled back the tissue paper. When it flipped back and he couldn’t see, Spike pulled it away from the gift and scowled when he saw what it was. Buffy picked the picture up, inspecting it before handing it to him. He didn’t want to see it as anger flooded him. It was a framed photo of him from Miami. He was in a chair by the pool with sunglasses on. His chest was bare and the scar was clearly visible. Buffy handed him the card that was with it.

Happy Birthday. Enjoy him while you can. The scar won’t hold him not when our love is more real than any pathetic infatuation you can offer him. As soon as that brat is born all you will have is this picture to remind the child who fathered it.

“I’m sorry, Baby,” Spike said, taking the picture and note and handing them to Max. “Don’t let it ruin your party.”

Her eyes were closed and he pulled her to him. For a moment she relaxed against him before sitting up again.

“Bring Mummy another present,” Buffy told Elijah. She cast a forced smile out to her family and friends. “It’s all right. I won’t let her win.”

Everyone sighed and leaned back into their seats. Spike couldn’t be prouder of his wife at that moment. He had feared a moment filled with drama with either histrionics from Buffy or a violent threat of retribution from her Drusilla side. But she had come through with grace and dignity and was holding a bracelet up for his inspection. It was a simple silver rope chain from Willow and Tara. He fastened it on her wrist.

“Thank you both,” Buffy said, smiling. She glanced back to the empty table before turning to everyone again. “Is it time for cake yet? I’m starving.”

Her question brought the laughter she wanted and Raven and Connor fetched the cake from the kitchen. It was chocolate with chocolate frosting covered in red roses. It was what Buffy had requested and she slid from Spike’s lap as the cake was placed on the coffee table. He watched as she knelt in front of it and waited for her children to light the candles; twenty-seven with one to grow on and one for the baby. She reached for his hand as she made her wish. Taking a deep breath she blew out the candles. Smiling at the applause Buffy made a slight bow in acceptance of the praise.

“Cut the first piece,” Raven said. “It’s bad luck otherwise.”

Buffy accepted the knife, slid two roses off the cake and deposited them carefully on a plate.

“Would you put these in the frig?” Buffy asked, handing the plate to Connor.

“Like the roses?” Max asked.

With a saucy grin Buffy looked up at him. “They’re for later,” she whispered and winked at him as she leaned back between Spike’s legs.

Spike laughed as a flush covered Max’s face. It was time for the man to get himself a girlfriend because Buffy was going to drive him over the edge with her teasing. He reached and clapped his friend on the back.

“Just breathe, man, just breathe,” Spike said, laughing.

Everyone within ear shot laughed as Max accepted a piece of cake. Buffy continued to hand the pieces to Raven to pass out. Spike relaxed as he watched her play the gracious hostess and was relieved that despite the present from SB maybe things weren’t so bad. After the cake was finished, Buffy returned to his lap with a huge slice on a plate for them to share. For each bite she fed him, she would feed herself two and he patted her belly as he grabbed a forkful passing him by. It was almost too normal and he felt the first twinge of warning sounding deep within his belly. But it was forgotten as Buffy pressed her lips to his, tasting of chocolate and love.

January 19, 2008 9.51 PM

The party was slowing down and it was almost time for Angel and Cordelia to return home. It was mostly the kids that were left. Xander and Anya had taken Elijah home with them right after the cake had been served. Buffy had accepted the invitation from them to take her son to a fair tomorrow. Angel was glad he wouldn’t be there when she found out the truth. He searched the living room and found Buffy deep in conversation with Willow. Cordelia was conversing with Clem and Max and he smiled, slipping from the room. All evening he made sure that he wasn’t alone with Buffy and hoped she would stay busy with Willow long enough for him to find a moment alone in the bathroom. He needed to shake off the feelings of warning. Concluding that it was from just being around Buffy again, he forced himself to return to the party.

He opened the door and was pushed back by the very person he had been trying to avoid. She locked the door behind her and gave him the once over before smiling.

“You scared of me?” Buffy asked, baiting him.

“No, actually, I’m more afraid of my wife finding us in here together,” Angel answered honestly. “Do you mind if I leave?”

“Yeah, I do,” Buffy said, taking a seat on the toilet lid. She waved to the edge of the tub indicating she wanted him to sit. “I need to talk to you.” A please was added when he hesitated.

Knowing that no good would come out of this no matter what she wanted, Angel gingerly sat on the tub and waited. He pressed his fingers together forming an arch and avoided looking at her.

“Angel, I need your help. Spike…he’s a good man in spite of all his talk. I don’t doubt when push comes to shove what he would do for me but what I need is something colder and more calculating. Something that will come easy to you.”

Angel wasn’t sure if he should be insulted or not. And he wasn’t sure if it was Buffy talking or her illness and he searched her eyes for a clue and got nothing.

“What do you need?”

Her hands caressed her stomach and her face softened with love.

“This baby is going to change everything. For all of us,” Buffy said, looking up at him. “You said at Christmas that you could have taken care of this woman already.” She hesitated and covered his hands with one of hers. They were warm and soft as she wrapped her fingers in his. “I need you to find her and destroy the threat to my family. I’m afraid that when her delusions come crashing down around her that she will try to harm my baby.”

“Buffy, do you know what you are asking me to do?”

“Yes, I do,” Buffy said, laughing softly. “I know exactly what I am doing and who I am asking. Spike couldn’t handle the spilling of blood on his hands now. He is torn between worlds but you understand.”

Angel stalked to the other side of the small bathroom. Yes, he understood exactly what Buffy wanted and what she was alluding to. He just wasn’t sure she understood. She stood and approached him and he could see the darkness that was clouding her eyes and he shivered.

“This is my baby,” Buffy said, taking his hands and putting them on her stomach. “And there is nothing I won’t do to protect it.”

“If I go behind Spike’s back he won’t forgive me,” Angel argued. “We have just come to an understanding. If he agrees then I will.”

“Don’t be weak,” Buffy spat. “You know it needs to be done as well as I do. I’m asking you to protect your family. Are you going to do it or not?”

Someone pounded on the door and they both jumped.

“I know that you two are in there,” Cordelia shouted. “Open this door now.”

They ignored it as they stared at each other. Angel remembered the incident with Nikki and wondered if Buffy had arranged it after all. If he didn’t do as she asked, there was a very real possibility that she would ask someone else. Someone who wouldn’t care about the consequences.

“Consider it done,” Angel said, nodding slowly. He opened the door to an irate Cordelia and a worried Spike.

“Is she trying to seduce you again?” Cordelia asked, turning to Buffy. “I told you to stay away from him.”

“Don’t be so threatened, dear,” Buffy said. “It’s not attractive at all. Besides he was mine first and you’ll always be second choice.”

His wife turned to him with fire in her eyes and Angel took a step back. He looked up to see Spike snickering at him and Max grinning. This was just great and he wondered how long it would take before Cordelia would forgive him. With as much as dignity as he could muster, Angel stepped from the bathroom. At least Spike wasn’t trying to kill him this time. He waited as Cordy kept hinting it was time to go and through her point blank telling him they were leaving. He waited until Buffy had gone upstairs before grabbing Max. Pulling him outside to the backyard, he told Cordelia to watch out for Buffy and let them know when she came downstairs again.

Angel shoved Max against the side of the house and held him there with his forearm pressed against the human’s throat with just enough force to make him think about breathing.

“Listen carefully,” Angel snarled. “I’m only going to say this once. Buffy is scared. Buffy is worried that something might happen to her baby. She doesn’t need that on top of everything else. You have one…one week to find that crazy bitch and lock her up or I’ll do it. Do we understand each other?”

Max nodded. Angel stepped back. Their eyes met briefly before Max walked back into the house.

“So, what exactly are you going to do?”

It was Cordy standing on the edge of the porch. Angel hated doing this to her. Worrying her with actions that she knew could eventually ruin the life they had carefully constructed. She had tamed him in so many ways. She was the sun that he orbited around and had kept him from following instincts that could only stem from Angleus. This time Buffy was right. Spike had more to lose than he did. And it was ultimately his place to protect them. With a sadness and hope that it wouldn’t come to that, he met his wife’s eyes.

“Take care of my family.”

To be continued in Chapter 43 – Hell Hath No Fury
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