| > Summary: Riley returned and caught Buffy and Spike 'in flagrante delicto.' Now that the cat's out of the bag, what will our heroes do? > Timeline: Summer after Season 5. In my happy-ending version of the finale, thanks to Willow's fabulous powers, the key was magickally transferred out of Dawn just in time to close the portals and defeat Glory. So everyone, including Buffy, is alive and well. (This was started before 'The Gift'. Please engage your denial and suspend your disbelief now.) > Series: Part Ten of the "In Heat" Series. Sequel to 'Truth and Consequences'. > Pairing: S/B > Rating: R, for naughty language. > Nods: Mad props to the S/B fanfic queens, especially Laure Alexander and Saber ShadowKitten, from whom I may have inadvertently borrowed since I'm a huge fan. > Disclaimer: Buffy, Spike and Sunnydale, et al, are property of Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. I merely use them as pawns in my perverse fantasies, and sometimes for chores. > Feedback: Makes me feel all manly. (nautibitz@yahoo.com) ************************************************************** "Fuck." Buffy stood under a stream of hot water, banging her head against the cold tile with each expletive. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck." What the hell is Riley doing back now? How could I ever explain this to him? She exhaled, and said out loud, "What's to explain. It's pretty damn obvious." I'm a monster lover. She hit the wall in frustration. Who the fuck do you think you are, Spike? A goddamn psychic? Think you know everything about me. You don't know me! I know me! She sighed. Spike. "He's right," she said out loud. "As usual." Gotta go make things right again. Buffy stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. Out in the hallway, Dawn surprised her. "Buffy." "Dawn! Where'd you come from?" "Uh, I've been here all along," she said. "I mean, since Riley showed up." "Yeah. Riley." Buffy nodded and looked down at the rug. "I'm so sorry, Buffy. I really tried to stop him." "It's. It's okay. It's not your fault." "I wouldn't have even been here if Giles didn't need that stupid book so badly." "Oh god. I totally forgot about Giles!" "It's okay, he came by to pick it up." Buffy's eyes widened. "While you were in the shower," Dawn clarified. "I told him that Riley came back and you were a little freaked. He understood." She smiled. "Thanks." "Are you...okay?" Dawn asked. Buffy answered honestly. "Not really." "Are you gonna go after him?" "He's...not gonna be in the mood to talk for a long while," she said, referring to Riley with a bitter smile. "That I know for sure." "Are you kidding?" Dawn asked, amazed that her sister had no idea just how whipped Spike really was. "He'll be back tonight with flowers or candy or something." "It's a little more complicated than that. The reason Riley ran out of here was...complicated." She steeled herself. "There's... something you should know." "What's to know?" Dawn said with a shrug. "You and Spike are doing it." Buffy looked horrified. "Did you see something?" Dawn rolled her eyes. "I didn't have to." "You heard something?" "Buffy," she said. "I've known for like, weeks now. It doesn't take a genius. Spike's been weirdly giddy and you...well, you're always making up some lame excuse to be with him. Plus there's the whole, 'stay over at Willow's', 'stay over at Xander's' thing." "That wasn't to get you out of the house--I was really concerned about those demons!" Buffy caved at her sister's expression. "At first." Dawn folded her arms and smirked. Buffy smiled. "So you're...okay with this?" "For some weird reason, yeah," she said. Feeling compelled to work in a little sibling rivalry, she added with a tilt of her chin, "Even though I liked him first." Buffy pursed her lips and lifted an eyebrow. "So over it, by the way. He's way too old for me." Buffy snorted. "Plus it'd never work with him all ga-ga over my sister." "He is kinda ga-ga isn't he?" "Kinda?? It's sickening how ga-ga he is. He's all," faking a British cockney accent, Dawn quoted, "'Only if big sis thinks its alroight!' 'Whot does big sis loike fah breakfast?'" She added a little jig for accompaniment. "'Patrollin' with big sis tonoite!' Ugh! Hurl-worthy." "Him or your accent?" Buffy teased. Dawn smiled and eyed Buffy carefully. "So...what are you gonna do?" "I don't know. I screwed up. I told him to leave." Buffy sighed. "And I'm guessing he left?" "A few minutes after Riley." "God!" Buffy threw her hands in the air. "Who does he think he is, leaving when I tell him to? And walking out in daylight, no less!" She stomped into her room and grabbed some clothing. "Doesn't he realize he's a vampire?" * * * * Spike's crypt was empty. "Where else would you be?" Buffy asked the dank air. She felt a bolt of worry. What if he lost the blanket and... No. He's not stupid. He's not helpless. That's why I like him, remember? But what if I hurt him so much he didn't want to live anymore? No. It'd take a lot more than that. Right? Now if I can just find him I'll kick his ass for making me worry. * * * * "Oh no, not you again." "This isn't business, Willy." Buffy scanned the bar. "Oh? You want a drink? I'd have to see some I.D. though--" "Has Spike been here today?" "Spike? Vampire Spike?" Buffy nodded. "Nah. Demons don't like him hangin' around here. He came a few weeks ago, askin' questions--" Buffy turned to leave. "But uh, your soldier was here." She stopped. Riley was here? "Yeah, uh, yey tall, brown hair, baby face? He just left, about a, a half hour ago." Buffy walked out. "Thanks." * * * * "I've never seen you here before," the girl in Spike's lap cooed. "Play your cards right, you might see me again." "Mmm...I like your accent," she said, gyrating harder. "And I like your...hips," he said, moving to caress them. "Hey! Buddy! No touching!" the big burly guy standing three feet away said. "Fish Tank policy." "I could let you touch me," she whispered in his ear. "If you come downstairs with me." "I bet that'll cost me," he said. "A little. But it'll be fun." She ran her fingers through his tousled hair. "Anything goes." "Maybe later, sweet bit," he seductively murmured into her neck. "Ooh. That accent!" "Time's up," the big burly guy said. The girl kissed his cheek. "I'll be back for you, sexy." He winked at her before she walked away, and took a swig of his eighth or ninth beer. When he opened his eyes again, Riley was there. Oh, hell. Riley was trembling. Every muscle in his body seemed to be tightly wound. "So this is how you treat her?" "Relax, boy. Have a seat. Talk about old ti--" In a flash, Riley dove down to grab Spike's shirt collar. Nose to nose, his sweat dripped onto the vampire's face. "I'm not your boy." At Spike's amused expression, Riley picked him up and threw him against the stage. A half-naked girl hopped backwards. "Alright, you two, take it outside!" "Yeah," Riley growled to Spike. "Why don't we take it outside." It was still light out. "Hey," Spike said to the bouncer, arms up. "I got no trouble here. I'm a payin' customer. On my way downstairs." "Alright. You. Out," the bouncer said to Riley. Spike smiled, victorious. "She doesn't love you," Riley said before he turned and left. The victorious smile slowly faded. While escaping from a sinking ship, Spike once encountered a Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish. Its constricting tentacles injected enough poison to kill ten men, and he was certain then that he'd felt the most painful sting of his life. He was wrong. Swinging around, Spike stopped a girl with a tray. "Oi. Jack, straight up." |