"Reflection of a Dream"
Author: Ashlee
Contact: ashlee_999@hotmail.com
Notes: Based on Challenge 91 at the Bloodshedverse.
I want to thank Allison for betaing every word I've ever written and kicking me into action more than a few times; Alwaysjbj for the wonderful challenge that I had to work with (that effectively got me out of my writing slump a few months ago) *huggles you*; Bloodshedbaby for running the amazing Bloodshedverse where I got the challenge; Noaluvjames for the beautiful graphic that she made for this fic and last but certainly not least- all of my reviewers, who continue to amaze me at every turn.
A Fresh Start
Opening her eyes, Buffy was vaguely aware of the comforting feelings surrounding her. Frowning for a moment, she smiled when she remembered where she was, burrowing into Spike’s arms as he slept.
Breathing a sigh of contentment, her hand rubbed small circles along his abdomen, idly feeling the defined muscles beneath her fingertips.
“Having fun, pet?” he asked in a groggy voice.
Looking up at him with a soft smile, Buffy slowly sat up, looking down at him with an unreadable expression. “Good morning,” she said, brushing a gentle kiss to his lips.
Closing his eyes as the warm feel of her lips moved over his, Spike reached up, gently threading his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss.
Pulling away to give Buffy a chance to breathe, Spike pressed his forehead against hers. “I’ve missed you,” he said, seeing the look of indecision on her face.
“Even when you had me here?”
“What?” he asked before his eyes widened in realization. “Anne?”
“Yeah,” she murmured, picking at some imaginary lint on the comforter.
“She’s not you,” he said, cupping her face in his hands, bringing her lips to his for another tender kiss. “You’re the one I want,” he whispered against her lips.
Tentatively pushing his shirt along his muscular stomach, Buffy pulled away to look at him before moving any farther. “Are we ready for this?” she asked, moving closer to him.
Glancing downward for a second, Spike smirked at her. “I know I am.”
“Spike!” she said, laughing softly as she smacked him on the chest.
Spike’s smile faded at the sound of her laughter, shocked that he had been the one to cause it.
“What is it?” she asked, noticing that he wasn’t smiling. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head before flipping their positions on the mattress and gently nibbling at her neck. “Nothing at all.”
Buffy didn’t know how long they lay in their bed, kissing and cuddling, but by the time Spike began to undress her, she felt like she was going to scream with repressed desire.
Helping him take off his clothes, Buffy slowly took the time to explore his body with her mouth and hands, never taking the time to do that in the past.
‘Stupid mistake,’ she thought, kissing along his chest until she reached his neck, biting until she heard Spike groan beneath her.
“Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it,” Spike said in a raspy whisper.
Kissing the column of his neck, she gently swirled her tongue around his ear before whispering, “Who says I can’t take it?”
Growling as he flipped them over on the bed, Buffy moaned when Spike slowly removed her clothes. Trailing kisses along every inch of exposed skin, he smiled as she moved beneath him, seeking out his touch.
Making his way up her body, he paused when Buffy looked up at him with an expression he’d never seen.
“Something wrong?” he asked. Seeing her hesitantly shake her head, he gently brushed his lips against hers. Easing his hips forward, he watched her face as he entered her. Moving in and out of her slowly until his hips met hers, he saw the emotions playing across her face.
Moving together, their eyes never broke contact as their hips rocked back and forth, neither wanting to rush things.
Spike nearly closed his eyes, overcome with emotions. It felt like the first time he’d ever been inside of her, and the feeling was overwhelming.
Crying out when he angled his thrusts upward, Buffy lightly dragged her nails along his skin, smiling when he lightly growled his approval. Looking into his eyes, she slowly moved her hands to cup his face, bringing his lips to hers in a tender kiss.
Pulling away after a long moment, Buffy met his gaze, seeing the love and affection that was always plain in his eyes. Vaguely realizing that a form of it had always been there, Buffy smiled.
Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he pulled back in time to see the unguarded emotion in her eyes.
Buffy arched her body against his, gasping for breath when he pumped into her. “I love you,” she whispered, the words out of her mouth before she realized what she said. Feeling Spike’s body practically paralyze in shock, she looked at him, trying to show him the truth behind it.
“You mean it?” he asked in disbelief.
Nodding her head, Buffy smiled at him. “I do. I should have told you a long time ago.”
Crushing his lips against hers in a passionate kiss, Spike pulled away with a bright smile on his face. “I love you, too,” he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.
Lifting her hips off the bed, Buffy urged him to move, briefly closing her eyes when he thrust into her. Kissing along her neck, she could hear his whispered declarations of love. Threading her fingers through his hair, she clamped her inner muscles around his cock in anticipation.
“Do it,” she whispered, feeling him tense, using her Slayer strength to keep him where he was. “If you want me, then take me,” she whispered, smiling when she felt his face shift against her skin. Waiting in anticipation, she frowned when she didn’t feel anything. “Spike?”
The word was barely out of her mouth when she felt the razor-sharp teeth cutting into her neck.
Holding her in place, Spike’s hips moved with hers at a frantic pace as he tasted his Slayer’s blood for the first time. Feeling Buffy’s muscles clench around him as she screamed out her orgasm, he followed her over the edge, letting her grasping muscles trigger his own climax.
Taking a few more sips of her blood, he reluctantly pulled away, licking the marks on her neck, pausing to admire them for a moment before shifting back into his human guise. Seeing Buffy watching him, he gave her a tender kiss, taking his time, enjoying every second of intimacy he had with her. Pulling away after a moment, Spike looked into her eyes before kissing the tip of her nose as he pulled her close to him.
“I’m yours, you know,” she whispered, seeing him turn toward her with a loving expression. “I’ll always be yours.”
Wishful Thinking
A week later, Buffy sat on Spike’s lap in the middle of her living room, listening to Anya and Xander tell them about their honeymoon.
Anne smiled at them from across the room, seeing Buffy playing with the hairs on the back of Spike’s neck and the tender way she kissed his temple. She sighed, happy that she had accomplished something as long as she was stuck in this dimension.
The initial shock had passed, once Buffy made sure that everyone knew Spike would be a part of her life, no matter what her friends said. After the stunned silence had passed - and to the surprise of Anne, Buffy, and Spike – everyone readily accepted Spike into Buffy’s love-life, already having grown accustomed to seeing him with Anne.
“Why are you still here?” Anya asked after a moment, looking over at Anne.
“Forgive her. That’s Anya-Speak for- have you found out what caused you to switch dimensions?” Xander said, pinching his wife lightly on the leg, earning a sharp glare from her that was easily forgotten when he kissed her.
“No,” Anne said, shaking her head. “Willow and Tara are doing everything, but there’s no luck.”
“What were you doing when you changed planes?” Anya asked.
“She didn’t fly here, Ahn, honey,” Xander said in a patronizing voice.
“Planes of existence,” she clarified in an annoyed voice.
“Oh.”
“I wasn’t doing anything,” she said with a shrug. “I was getting Spike… my Spike a drink and then - voila. Here I am.”
“Strange,” Anya murmured, looking at the happy couple on the couch. “What were you doing?”
“Me?” Spike asked, gesturing to himself. Seeing her nod, he slowly cleared his throat, not eager to point out that he had been crying in a cemetery. “I was, uh… making some foolish wishes. Or what I thought were foolish, at the time,” he said, glancing at Buffy, feeling her hand trail along his shoulders in silent understanding.
“Wishes?” Anya asked.
Everyone seemed to flash back to a few weeks earlier, remembering the night of Buffy’s birthday party.
“Bloody hell,” Spike muttered, letting his head fall back against the couch.
“Any ideas who could have heard?” Buffy asked, glancing over and seeing Anne’s hopeful expression as she leaned forward in the chair.
“I can find out,” Anya said, giving the group déjà vu as she looked up at the ceiling. “Halfrek! Hallie, get your ass down here!”
Everyone turned toward the puff of smoke as the vengeance demon appeared. “Anyanka, back from your honeymoon so soon?” she asked, walking over and kissing her friend once on each cheek. “Did you have a good time?”
“Yes, but that’s not why I called you here. Do you know who could have granted a wish for Spike over a week ago?” she asked, gesturing toward the couch.
“Well, of course I know,” she said with a smile. “It was me.”
“What?”
Every voice in the living room could be heard at the admission.
“Why?” Spike asked, tempted to stand up, only to stop when Buffy cuddled closer to him.
“Do you not remember what you were saying that night?” she asked.
Spike nervously glanced around the room with wide eyes. “I remember.”
“What was it?” Anne asked, looking at her friend as he glanced down in embarrassment.
“Why couldn’t it be different?” he repeated what he remembered saying that night.
“Why couldn’t she just see how good it could have been between us?” Halfrek supplied. “Why couldn’t she love me?”
Tensing in his lap, Buffy turned her sad gaze to his, seeing him smile and gently tap her nose. “All fixed now, Goldilocks.”
Relaxing slightly, Buffy nodded, turning back to the demon.
“But why would you cast a spell on Spike if he didn’t ask you directly?” Anya asked, still confused.
“Well, I felt a little guilty for what I told you all those years ago,” she said with a slight shrug. “I wasn’t the nicest person back then, and I’m afraid poor William got on the bad end of one of my snippety moments. He died later that night, and I’ve always wanted to apologize. This was my way of apologizing,” she finished, gesturing toward Anne.
“By taking me away from the man I love?” she asked, standing up to face the demon.
“I haven’t taken you away,” Halfrek replied. “If everything is fixed the way it should be, you can leave now.”
Relaxing at the admission, Anne looked around the room, smiling in acceptance. Nodding slightly, she said her goodbyes, stopping in front of Spike and Buffy as they stood up.
Buffy was the first to move, hugging the other woman with tears in her eyes, clinging to the other Slayer. “Thank you,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “Thank you, so much… for everything.”
“You just needed a little push in the right direction,” Anne said, pulling back to smile at Buffy. “Or a big push,” she added with a shrug. “Either way, it worked.”
Turning toward Spike, she gave him a friendly hug, briefly tightening her hold on him before letting go.
“I don’t know what to say,” Spike said with a slight smile.
“Nothing to say,” Anne replied, looking back and forth between the couple. “You’re a perfect match.”
Turning toward Halfrek, Anne took a deep breath, steeling herself before walking forward.
“I’m ready.”
“Have a safe trip!” Anya called cheerily.
Looking back at the room, Anne smiled seconds before she was enveloped in a cloud of smoke.
Waiting for the smoke to clear, the seven people remaining each looked at each other, feeling closer than they’d been in years.
“Everything okay now, love?” he asked, nuzzling the fresh mark on her neck.
“Yeah,” she said, looking up at him. “Everything is the way it should be.”
Opening her eyes, Buffy coughed as she gasped for breath.
“Buffy? Buffy, are you okay?”
Turning toward the sound of the voice, she relaxed, seeing Spike staring down at her, his eyes filled with concern.
“Spike,” she breathed, reaching up to touch his face, needing to feel the connection. “My Spike.”
“Are you alright?”
“Never been better,” she said, sighing as she moved closer to him, feeling his arms tighten around her before noticing that she was in the kitchen.
“How long was I out?” she asked, looking up at the man she loved.
“A little over a minute. Longest of my life,” he said, exhaling softly, realizing that she really was okay.
“About a minute?” she murmured.
“What happened?” Spike asked, gently kissing her forehead.
“Nothing for you to worry about,” Buffy said, shaking her head with a slight smile. “Just something that needed fixing.”
Spike pulled back to look at her in amusement. “Did you fix it?”
“Yeah,” Buffy said, smiling as she thought of what she’d accomplished. “I did.”
The End