Prompt 370 - Storm - Meanwhile Ten Years Later - Chapter 9 - Grown Up - comlodge - BTVS

[comlodge.livejournal.com]

Title:  Grown Up
Author: comlodge
Artwork: Her fabulousness Blondebitz
Charachters: Spike, Buffy
Genre: Mystery, Romance, Adventure
Rating:  PG
Words: 1000
Prompt:  sb_fag_ends Just a Little Heat - the Black Keys tamingthemuse Storm
Disclaimer: Charachters belong to someone cleverer than I. Just having a free for all play with them. The sandbox is big enough for all of us.
Summary: Ten years post Chosen. Buffy found Spike, not dead, in a supermarket. Chapter 9 of ? Previous parts here.

"You know what?" She slid out from the booth and stood at the end of the table looking at Spike, "I have to go. Dawn's at home, by herself, and she's due any day now. So, um, got things to think about."

"Buffy, please. I'm... I'm sorry for being an idiot, again. I'm sorry..." Spike was looking up at her, pain running across his face.

"You have been an idiot, Spike. Again. I don't know what to say right now. It's late. Maybe I'll see you around. Sometime." She stared into that face she'd thought she'd never see again; saw the heat rising in his eyes as he looked up at her, just a little heat on this cold day. She knew that if she leant across the table, got in his face, his tongue would snake out, wet and glistening and he'd moan, just a little, in the back of his throat. His eyes would get that heavy lidded look that she'd thought of, back then, as his bedroom eyes; even when she'd been busy hating him and herself, for what they were doing.

"You know what? We're all grown ups here, or supposed to be. If you'd wanted to get in touch with me, Spike, you would have. The only reason I know you're back again, is stupid dumb luck. I guess you've moved on. I know I had. Probably should leave it at that. I'm sure one of you will get the bill. Thanks for the pancakes. See you around. Or not!" She turned, ready to storm out of the restaurant and out of his life, again, and ran into a solid black clad chest. Stupid vampire speed!

She looked up into his face, the face that had filled so many of her dreams, over the past ten years. Nightly for a long time, not so much lately, but often enough, that she still knew every bit of it, intimately. His bottom lip disappeared behind his teeth as he looked into her eyes, his nostrils flaring gently. She groaned softly, felt little tendrils of fire race through her veins.

"Two idiots don't make a happily ever after, Spike." She snorted as she said it. Like they were ever going to get a happy ever after; took her courage in her hands, squared her shoulders. "I'm willing to give it a try, though. If you are." She leant into him and up, towards his lips. His eyes opened a little more; crinkling at the corners; flashing brilliant blue at her. The lip came out and so did his tongue, as his eyelids dropped over darkening irises. She groaned again and almost missed his moan. Oh yeah, he was still hers. She stepped into him and his arms came up to circle her body, as his head came down towards hers; his lips parting just a little as they whispered her name.

"Dawn's been calling me, Buffy. She sounded pretty mad. I rang her back, told her I was going to see if you were still here. Said I'd ring her back."  Buffy sighed, turned her head toward the annoying voice and saw Angel looking up at her, at them. He had that stupid, sheepish look of guilt flicking across his face. So predictable. He's the arsehole in all this and she's supposed to melt at his puppy dog look and forgive him. As if!

"I already rang Dawn and left a message. Before you interrupted our night." She dropped her hands from Spike and turned to glare at the man still sitting at the table. "I do recall that I made a promise, when I left a message on your phone, Angel. A fairly specific promise." She looked back at Spike, gave him an apologetic smile before turning to look down at Angel, again, rather enjoying being the one doing that, for a change. "If I were you, I'd back away now and go home to your wife and family. Before I become a very pissed off slayer and forget that you're not the vamp you used to be." She glared at him, anger at his duplicity running like fire through her veins. And there's a big word in her vocabulary that he put there.

"Um, er, Buffy.."

"Don't whine, Angel. You're older than dirt, it's time you learned to act like it. Or at least, like a grown-up. You've got your own family. Stop trying to do what you think is best for me and mine. I'm not sixteen anymore. Haven't been for a long time. I'd have thought you'd ve noticed that by now and noticed how much I hate people telling me how to live my life and doing things for my own good. I will do what's good for me. Even if it isn't sometimes. I'll make that decision and I'll deal with what happens. Now, run along home to Nina and let me and Spike get back to what we were doing. What I decided I want to do. For me." She stared at Angel for a little longer, until he dropped his eyes.

"Fine. You're right. You're a grown woman. It's just I thought you should know why he is back..."

"Not now Angel. Spike's a grown man, er, vampire. He can tell me what he wants to, when he wants to. We're two grown ups that can talk for ourselves without someone deciding what we need or don't need to hear. Go home, Angel. While you still can!" She turned back to Spike, a smile playing on her lips. It felt good to put Angel in his place but she knew something that would feel even better. She stepped back into those cool, strong arms that had only held in her dreams, for far too long. Cool, surprisingly soft, lips descended onto hers and she went up on her toes as she pressed into them; felt the arms she'd missed forever, envelope her. Felt...

"Spike! Spike! You bastard!" Damn! Dawn!

TBC