Buffy kissed Spike’s cheek before slipping from the bed. It was almost four and she hadn’t been able to sleep most of the night. She wished she had just made love to him when he had asked. The fight wouldn’t have happened. She could have returned to her book when they were finished and still maybe got a few hours of sleep. She sighed. Not only did she make him feel rejected but that led to the fight which led to hurting him. To top it off she still didn’t read the book and hadn’t slept a wink. And finally it had taken her less than twenty-four hours to break her vow to take care of them.

After tucking Spike in, Buffy headed downstairs. She retrieved her book from the bedroom and heated some coffee before curling up in the study. The words blurred in front of her but she tried to concentrate on what Nick and Daisy was up to in the current chapter. A noise caused her to look up. She smiled when she saw Spike standing in the doorway with the comforter wrapped tight around his body.

“Getting a little attached to your blankie, aren’t you?”

“Only thing keeping me warm these days,” Spike groused, wiping his blurry eyes with the heel of his hand.

Buffy melted at how much he looked like a little boy. She discarded the book without a second thought and swore she would keep her vow as she held her arms open wide.

“Come here, Baby,” Buffy said.

“Don’t want to keep you from your studying.”

“You’re more important,” Buffy whispered. “Come here.”

It was all it took. Spike shuffled to her, grinning when she slid to lie down on the couch. He covered her with his body, pulling the blanket over them creating a cocoon far away from the world. Her hands ran down the smooth skin of his back to clutch at the tightness of his ass.

“Angel doesn’t want us shagging on the couch,” Spike said, wiggling between her legs. “Its leather and he doesn’t want stains on it.”

“Well, now Daddy isn’t home is he?”

“You are such a bad girl,” Spike whispered, turning them so she was on top. “I think I like it.”

Buffy made love to him. Gave him everything that he needed as she moved over him and whispered constant reminders of how much he meant to her. She placed kisses on each scratch or bruise that stood out on the paleness of his flesh. It was warm and sweet and when it was over, Spike cushioned her between him and the back of the couch. She wrapped her arms around him, buried her nose in his neck and told him she loved him. Knowing that things were right between them again, Buffy let sleep claim her.

Spike knew the moment Buffy went to sleep because her body went totally lax. She was pure heat and he burned where her skin covered his. Unable to resist the flame he snuggled closer to the body that was draped over him so casually.

This situation he found himself in sometimes still didn’t feel real. The Big Bad in love with the Slayer and his Sire. And even more surreal was that they loved him. He knew it in his heart. It was his head that every once in a while needed reassurance that it was true. Never had he felt such contentment in his existence as he did with these two. The thought of spoiling it and ending up alone was unbearable and he shivered every time that thought crossed his mind.

Life was definitely good and it was only going to get better. Buffy and Angel had finally had sex. In his opinion it had been better that it had been a mad passionate shag instead of the tender scene they had both planned on. Less time to think about what they were doing and now that it was over with it left the three of them ready for new games. The last of Buffy’s inhibitions would be broken down one by one until she would be ready to try just about anything. He squeezed her a little tighter as he thought about it. That was one thing he hadn’t been wrong about in the beginning. She was a great little fuck and was getting better all the time. Spike contemplated waking her up to relieve the erection his thoughts had given him but he knew she needed sleep so he left her alone.

After their fight last night he had decided he would take better care of her. He would prove to her that he was worth keeping around. So, to pass the time until she woke up, Spike raised an arm above him and felt around on the table till he found her book. It was The Great Gatsby. One he had read decades ago. All he needed was a little refresher. With one hand he found the chapter she was on and started reading. This way if he read it he could summarize it for her. Argue points with her and help her in her class like he had with her poetry class. There would be no way that anyone could say that Spike wasn’t the perfect mate.

Buffy held the door of the magic shop open so Spike could make a dash from the car to the protective shade of the indoors. She smiled as he flung the blanket off and shook himself like a cat. It had been a perfect day so far. From the love making at dawn to the hours slept in his arms to the shared breakfast and to his volunteering to help her with her day. They were falling all over each other trying to out do one other in the race to be the best mate. It was silly and cute. It was exactly what she needed. She slipped her hand in his before turning to look for Giles.

“Giles are you here,” Buffy called, walking further into the shop. “Hello.”

“What do you think?” Her watcher asked as he stepped out from a back room. His arms flung out to encompass the shop in his question.

“Of?”

“The shop. I’ve bought it.”

“Oh,” Buffy said, looking around a little dubious about the announcement. “Are you sure? You know the life span of said shop owners in Sunnydale.”

“I am quite sure that I need something in my life besides watching Passions in the afternoon with your boyfriend,” Giles said. “Come with me.”

Patiently Buffy followed him with Spike still attached to her hand. He was bored already and she squeezed his hand in sympathy. Giles opened a door and gestured them into another room.

“I thought we could use this for a training room,” Giles said.

They stepped into the long room and Buffy could see the potential of it. Excitement danced in her eyes as she turned to her Watcher.

“Really? Not a library, not a ball room, but an actual training room,” Buffy said walking around. “It’s like a birthday present.” She turned back to the men when they chuckled at her excitement. “Don’t be mean,” she pouted. “It’s like I’m official or something.”

“You’ve always been bloody official,” Spike said. “Remember me? Breaking my back and all that lovely rot.”

Her arms crossed over her body. “And you’re one of the reasons that my birthdays are always bad.”

“That was Dru. Not me,” Spike said, stepping behind her and wrapping his arms around her. “And look around.” His hand waved around the room. “First birthday present making good with a new start and besides everything is better now because I was the best present you ever had.”

“Ha,” Buffy joked. “Stick a bow on…”

Giles cleared his throat loudly. “Please, no sticking of bows, at least not here and not within earshot of me.”

“Sorry,” Buffy said, laughing. “Let’s go and see the rest of your shop.”

Buffy put her hand on Giles arm and led him from the room. She tried to keep her interest as he led her around the shop and through the storage rooms and up the stairs to the loft. Spike followed them, behaving himself and asking questions on space and display possibilities. Buffy was surprised at his astuteness and the ease at which the two men spoke. Their television watching must have been a friendship building time, too. As they talked about Giles’ plans for the loft she wandered down toward the end. She was surprised to find there was a door tucked at the end of the shelves.

“What’s in here?”

“It’s a small room for storage,” Giles answered, unlocking the door. “It has an outside entrance.”

As soon as Buffy walked in the room, she knew. The windows along one wall faced north giving the room only indirect sunlight. As Giles said it had a door leading to stairs that ended in the alley between the Magic Box and the small store next door. It wasn’t really big but she put her hands out and measured.

“What are you thinking, Pet?”

With a huge grin she turned to them.

“I think we just found the office for the Sunnydale franchise of Angel Investigations,” Buffy said. “Look, its perfect. We don’t need a lot of space and it has its own entrance and I could come here after school and train and be close to you and you have access to research and…”

“You’re babbling, Buffy,” Giles interrupted. “I don’t have a problem with it. It would make sense.”

Buffy watched as Spike walked around the room, skirting the sunlight stretched on the floor. He nodded and grinned at her.

“Works for me,” Spike agreed.

“Yay,” Buffy said, launching herself at Spike. He caught her and swung her around. “I love you. This is going to be great. Just like being in high school again.”

As soon as Spike put her down, she hugged Giles. He was rigid in her arms for a moment but relaxed and hugged her back. It seemed like an omen that things were looking up and she sighed in relief. Her day was getting better by the moment.

“Hey, what are we celebrating?” Willow asked, from the door.

Behind the red head was Tara waving shyly at them. Buffy explained their news. The group headed back downstairs, discussing plans for the Magic Box along with the extra perks that were going along with it.

“And I even have the official first research for the new Scooby central,” Buffy announced, once they were downstairs again. She reached into her purse and pulled out the orb. “We found this last night on patrol.”

Giles took it from her to study it. “It appears to be paranormal in origin.”

“How can you tell?” Willow asked. Her brows furrowed as she took a closer look.

“That’s easy,” Giles said. “It’s because it’s so shiny.”

“And now we know why he is watcher man,” Spike drolly said. “We bow to your genius.”

Laughing, Buffy smacked him on the shoulder but Giles only smiled at the vampire.

“All right, evil dead one,” Giles shot back. “What is your assessment of the shiny, glowing sphere?”

“Oooh, Giles is getting down with it,” Spike said, laughing. “Why it’s magic of course. It has to be it’s all shimmering and glowy.”

“And my life so often hangs perilously in the balance dependent on these two to save me.” Buffy said. “Thank God they aren’t the only ones though.”

“That’s right,” Willow said, looping her arm through Buffy’s. “You have me and Tara and Xander and Anya.”

“I feel so much better,” Buffy joked, turning to hug her friend. “And you forgot Angel.”

“No, I didn’t,” Willow protested, “Because he’s Angel and you know you have him and you don’t need me to remind you.

The hug became a tight squeeze as Buffy rocked her friend back and forth. It was true. It had taken her running away to realize and accept that she did have people who cared about her in her life. All she had to do was go and be reassured that her mom was fine and the day would be perfect.

“I have to go by my Mom’s to check on her,” Buffy said turning to Giles. “Will you start looking into whatever this thing is? And I’ll check in with you later.”

“Certainly,” Giles said. “Tell her I hope that she feels better soon.”

“Thanks,” Buffy said.

She said her good-byes and led Spike from the shop. In the ride to her mother’s Buffy stayed on her side of the car and kept changing the radio station until Spike slapped her hand away. When the car pulled into the driveway she took a deep breath before scooting next to Spike. Her hand caressed his cheek.

“Baby, I really appreciate everything that we’ve done today but…”

“You want to spend some girl time with your Mum and Sis,” Spike finished. He smiled and pulled her close. “I understand, Luv. I’ll go home and crash since I didn’t get much sleep last night. Just call me when you’re ready to come home.”

The tension left her body replaced with an intense feeling of love for the demon holding her in his arms. Buffy pulled him down for a kiss. She put all the emotions she was feeling behind it as her tongue darted in to the warm recesses of his mouth to dance with his. The world slipped away as he sheltered her against him making her feel safer than she had in days.

“Thank you, Spike,” Buffy whispered. “I love you.”

“I know,” Spike answered, tugging on a lock of hair.

With one last small kiss, she slipped out of the car and waved good-bye to him before stepping into the house that had once been her home.

It was almost four hours later when Spike pulled into the drive at 1630 Revllo again. Buffy was sitting on the front steps and didn’t even look up when he walked over to her. Tears streaked her cheeks and he cursed whatever God had taken the light from her eyes again. She had been so happy all day and at this new turn he knew that Joyce had to be sicker than what they had thought. He sat beside her, running his hand down her back.

“What’s wrong?”

“Can we just get out of here?” Buffy asked. “If I start talking about it now then I’m going to fall apart completely.”

“Whatever you want,” Spike said, although he didn’t feel as generous as he felt. He knew it wouldn’t be him that she would confess her sorrow too. It would be Angel. He was her benefactor and the one she needed to be strong for her. Spike was her playmate. Her friend and the one she got into trouble with. He wasn’t the one she turned to when she needed to feel safe. But he would try to understand the role he was assigned as he led her to the car. As long as she still loved him then one day she might turn to him for security. One day he might be able to prove to her that he would be there until the end of the world for her.

At Buffy’s request they stopped at Giles apartment to find out if he had found anything out about the orb. Jenny opened the door and invited them in.

“How are you two doing?” Jenny asked.

“Okay,” Buffy said. “Is Giles around?”

“He’s upstairs but he’ll be right down. He was looking for a book or something. Come sit.”

Buffy and Spike settled on the couch while Jenny sat in what used to be Spike’s chair. Buffy had commented to him enough that she was glad that Giles had found someone in the woman that had helped to anchor Angel’s soul. Jenny was outspoken enough to cajole the Watcher from his stuffiness and bring out the relaxed side of him. They were practically living together even though they had only known each other a short time and she was already a welcome part of the group.

They all turned at the sound of Giles descending the stairs. He smiled at the visitors and sat on the arm of the chair that his girlfriend occupied.

“I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to research the orb yet,” Giles explained, looking slightly guilty but he rested his hand on Jenny’s back letting them know why he hadn’t. “I promise tomorrow and I’ll call you as soon as I do.”

“Tomorrow’s not good,” Spike said. “Remember we’re heading to LA for Buffy’s birthday dinner.”

“I…I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Buffy said, nibbling on her thumbnail. “My mom is supposed to go in for tests on Tuesday and I don’t think I should be that far away.”

Disappointment burned him but Spike understood. Buffy’s family was important to her. If anything happened to Joyce while she was off having fun, she’d never forgive herself or them. He reached out to take her hand.

“Its okay, Luv,” Spike said. “We’ll plan it for later when we know your Mum is okay.”

The relief shining in her eyes made him realize he had said the right thing. She leaned into him and all he wanted was to take her home and take care of her.

“How would you feel if someone,” Jenny said, “Say Giles and I spent time with your mother and Dawn tomorrow night? I know that the three of you have been planning this dinner for weeks. Maybe you could spend part of the day with her and we’ll go over right before you leave.”

Buffy looked at Spike then back to Giles.

“I don’t know,” Buffy said tremulously. “It seems selfish of me to just go off when my Mom is sick.”

“What did she say about it?” Spike asked.

“She told me to go and have a good time because I couldn’t do anything for her until we know for sure what’s going on.”

“I promise we’ll take good care of her for you,” Giles said, leaning forward and taking one of Buffy’s hands. “If you cancel it will only upset her and make her feel guilty. She knows how important this birthday celebration is for you. Go. I promise at the first sight of anything we’ll call.”

Buffy nodded and a part of Spike rejoiced at her decision. The three of them needed some time to relax together to solidify their relationship in the wake of all the changes. But Spike knew he would do whatever was best for her or whatever she felt she needed.

As soon as they arrived home, Buffy headed for the phone as he figured she would.

“I’m going to call Angel,” she said, heading for the bedroom.

Spike shrugged and threw his duster over the back of the chair and grabbed the remote. He may as well find something to occupy his mind while she talked to his Sire.

“Hey,” Buffy said, peering out from the bedroom. “Do you want to come in here and I could talk to you and Angel at the same time?”

Surprised that she had asked, Spike stared at her for a few seconds before following her into the bedroom. She patted the bed next to her and without hesitation he laid down beside her. Spike wrapped his arms around her as she settled against him and put the phone between their ears so the three of them could talk together. It was his hand she held as she told them about Joyce being sick and later when they had bid Angel good night it was his shoulder she cried on. It was suddenly scary to be the one she needed to comfort her and Spike could only hope that he could live up to her expectations.

To be continued in Chapter 7 – Steamy Encounters