Arrived
By Chani
Buffy.
Before Spike opened the door to his crypt, he sensed her. When he stepped inside, however, she was nowhere in sight. But he could still smell her…feel her.
He went downstairs, unable to stop himself from smiling when he saw her on the bed. Asleep. In his bed. Under his covers. Curled up like a little kitten.
Slowly, he moved toward the bed. He was drawn toward it, toward her. Quietly, he took his shirt and shoes off and crawled into bed with her, wearing only his jeans. She was still dressed, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she was there, sleeping so deeply. Peacefully.
How long had she been there? And why? He had known she would seek him out again, but he hadn’t expected it to be so soon after their night together, especially considering the way she had left things. He gently pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the forehead, knowing she might wake up but not caring. She was in his bed, so he’d do as he pleased. If she hadn’t wanted to be near him, she shouldn’t have come there.
A soft sigh escaped her in her sleep and she instinctively snuggled closer to him. He was tempted to pinch himself to make sure that this was real, but he knew more movement might cause her to wake up and it just wasn’t worth the risk.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting his body relax. This was good.
Very good.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing??”
Spike’s eyes flew open at the combination of a loud screeching noise and the feeling of being shoved. The slayer. He glared at her, trying to shake the disoriented feeling that was so familiar after having had a long nap. It wasn’t like he intended to go to sleep, especially after being asleep on and off for several days straight.
She pushed him again, then scrambled up from the bed. “I asked you a question! What the hell did you think you were doing?”
“I was sleeping, you stupid bint.”
“You were all over me!” she yelled. “I told you I didn’t ever want you to touch me again!”
“Well, luv, maybe you should stay out of my bed then.”
“I wasn’t! I mean…”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not in the mood for one of those ‘no means yes’ games. If you want the touch, say so.”
“Pig!” She picked up a candle and lobbed it at him. “I didn’t come here for that.”
He leaned back on the pillows and copied her infamous eye roll. “Then why were you in my bed?”
“I came here looking for you in the middle of the day and you weren’t here. So I was waiting for you to get back…but I was tired.”
“Still haven’t recovered from last week, luv?”
She scowled. “There was nothing to recover from.”
“Tell it to someone who didn’t see you limpin’ outta that fallen down house, slayer,” Spike told her with a smirk, getting off the bed.
“I don’t even know why I bothered coming here. You’re so disgusting and-”
He didn’t need this. The whole ‘you’re an evil disgusting thing’ speech was getting old and really beginning to hack him off. “Why did you come here?”
Her face softened a little…very little. “I, umm…a demon. When I was patrolling last night I saw a big demon - and he got away.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t believe her, but he had a feeling there was more to it than that. “And you want me to…help you find it?”
“No. I mean, I don’t want you to patrol with me, but you could keep an eye out for it. If you’re still patrolling, that is.”
Was that an accusation? Or worry? He wasn’t sure which, but her tone wasn’t one he had heard before, and the fight was draining out of her slowly but surely. “What’s wrong, Buffy?”
She looked up at him when he said her name and looked like she was on the verge of telling him, but her eyes almost immediately turned cold again. “Nothing.” She turned around and started up the steps, but paused when he spoke again.
“You didn’t tell me anything about the demon that got away. How will I know what to look for?” The lack of emotion in her eyes wasn’t something he’d ever get used to, but it seemed to be even more pronounced at that moment.
“It’s just a demon. Doesn’t make any difference what kind.” She paused, obviously planning her next words. “They’re all evil.”
He knew what she was getting at, and he didn’t like it. Not one bit. “And they all need to die?”
“You said it, not me.”
A frown appeared on his face as he watched her disappear through the opening. She was right; she didn’t say it, at least not with words.
She didn’t have to.