Love Will Find A Way

Chapter 18

“I know it’s a lot of work babe, but I promise you can have Saturday and Sunday off. Except, I want to take you out Saturday, somewhere special,” Spike added with a grin.

He cuddled her to him. Buffy wriggled closer, sitting on his lap, and leant her head against his. “Really, where?”

“Where would you like to go?”

“Um…anywhere?”

“Anywhere your little heart desires, kitten.”

Buffy began to think…

“Ooh, I know! Oh…you probably couldn’t get a table at such short notice…we tried once, as a treat for mom, but they said they were booked up for three months in advance………”

“Where was that then, pet?”

“The Four Seasons.”

“Really? You want to go there – okay then, just leave it to me. And afterwards, I shall take you to a quiet little club I know, very small, very exclusive, how about that?”

“Great! You can get a table, just like that? – Color me impressed – but then you’re so clever, I should have known you’d know what to do! I can’t wait! – I can wear my Prada and Manolo’s!”

Spike grinned and he gave her a light kiss.

Buffy reached for her itinerary and began to study it. From the Tuesday, she’d got an intensive four-day tour of interviews and appearances, mostly in Northern California; San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento, and a stop off in Bakersfield on the way home. “Golly, SIX interviews on Tuesday! That’s a busy day!”

“Two are for radio, pet. You can actually do the one in the car while you’re being driven to San Francisco, and the other you can do at the hotel. I know it’s a lot, baby, but I did warn you – oh, and another thing, the hotel in Sacramento on Thursday, they'll ask you to sign things for what you’ve had, and they’ll give you receipts, which is quite alright. You can have whatever you want, we just need them to claim back expenses.”

Buffy nodded and put the list down and resumed cuddling him. “I know, I don’t mind the work. I’ll hate it that you’re not with me though!”

“Me too, babe, but I’ve got so much to do here. I can assure you, I’d MUCH rather be with you, too!”

“I won’t know anybody there, will I?”

“Um, actually, Cordelia will travel with you there and back. She's going to see her sister and...oh, that big show, Entertainment USA...Andy and Larry will be there."

“Oh, I like them,they’re so funny – they bicker like an old married couple!”

Spike frown/smiled. "Yes…well, I suppose they are harmless enough!”

“But we’ll have a nice weekend to look forward to!”

“That we will,pet, that we will!”

************

“Hello?”

“Hello."

“Is that… Oh, er...hold on...is that Mr Brad Fin? I wonder if you could help me? Have you got a son called Riley, in the- hello...hello?"

“Sorry, I don’t have children, goodbye."

Undeterred, Glory pressed the cut-off digits and got the dialing tone again, then dialed for the umpteenth time. She had 27 other phone numbers left to do spelt Fin, 76 spelt Finn, and 35 spelt Fynn to get through, yet. It was going to be a l-o-n-g day………

*********

“Well, the doctor said these should be an improvement. I told him the last lot made her seem like a zombie,” Lorne said to Cecily, as he put Dru’s medication away in the cabinet.

“Where is she now?”

“In the garden, she loves it out there, that and the Gazebo, she said, ‘she feels at one with nature’."

“Really? Oh well, whatever floats her boat – I was getting very worried about her. She definitely isn’t the old Dru we used to know and love. Has she had this new stuff yet?”

“Yes, she had her first dose while the doctor was here, and she has to take another before bedtime."

“You know, you should have warned me that you were bringing her back here to be with you and Daddy. I got worried when I got home and found she’d gone."

“Didn’t think you’d notice darling. I thought you’d be either off your face, or fucking the living daylights out of somebody."

Cecily gave Lorne a ‘look’, but she didn’t say anything, as he was right. But, she HAD noticed Dru had gone after her guests had left.

“Lorne…Lorney………come play with me in the gar- CECILY!”

Cecily went over to a bright, wide-eyed grinning Dru, and gave her a hug, then smoothed back her loose flowing hair from her face. "Hello, love. You look better."

“Come with me, come and look at this!” Like a child, Dru grabbed Cecily’s hand and began to pull her through the patio doors.

Cecily turned to face Lorne, and said, "Oh, okay, I, oh – tell Daddy I’m here please – okay Dru, I’m coming, no need to pull my arm off!”

“Look, LOOK!” Dru pointed excitedly into a dense bush. Cecily wasn’t sure she wanted to look; hoping whatever it was, wasn’t yucky.

“What am I supposed to be-”?

“There, look, but shush, else you’ll frighten them!”

Cecily peered into the bush again, and saw for the first time a nest, with two birds in it. Her shoulders relaxed and she let out the breath she’d been holding, and smiled. "Yes, but we mustn’t disturb them, they’re asleep." Cecily let the bush gently spring back into shape, and then turned to see Dru taking off her shoes and begin to run around the garden with her arms outstretched, laughing and happy.

“Free! I’m free as a bird!” She ran past the sprinkler that suddenly sprang to life and began to do its job, making Dru shriek and laugh, and dance in the spray. Cecily looked up to the house to see Daddy watching them from his office, and she waved. He waved back, and Cecily called to Dru that she was going back indoors. Not that Dru took any notice, she was too busy stripping off and having fun, dancing around in the spray.

****************

“She looks a lot brighter, what did he give her?” Cecily asked Daddy.

“Some new stuff, don’t know what it’s called – she seems more like her old self."

“That all? She hasn’t...you know....had anything else?”

“Not to my knowledge."

“Must be good stuff, I might try some myself!”

“Want a ‘livener’, baby?” Daddy asked.

“Could do with something – what have you...?"

“Here. Don't ask, just take... not too much though, this is virgin pure."

“WOW! What is it?”

“Just inhale, go on…there, what do you think?”

Cecily’s eyes glazed over and she felt lost to the euphoria. Daddy’s leering face swam in and out of focus, and Cecily felt higher than she’d felt in a long time………

**********

“So, p-l-e-a-s-e tell me Pookie, I can’t wait any longer!” Harmony skipped along next to Xander as he walked down the corridor.

“Wait until we get into the office!” Xander laughed.

“Ok, NOW tell me!” Harmony stood with her back to the door she’d just slammed shut, as Xander went and sat down behind his desk.

“Ready for this?” he asked, grinning.

“Yes! Come ON, tell me!”

“Australia!” Xander said with a grin.

Harmony’s face fell, as she repeated his one word. “Australia?”

“Uh huh. Did you know, per capita, they buy more records of your's than anywhere else in the world? Outside great Britain, that is.”

Harmony went over to Xander’s desk and pulled up a chair. “But, well, Australia! I thought you were going to say London, or, or Paris, or Rome!” She didn’t even bother to hide her disappointment.

“It’s a fantastic country, Harm – so beautiful!”

“I know, but…” She sighed, and looked down at her knees and said in a little voice, “It’s so far away.”

“You’ll be there for two weeks, starting off in South West Australia, Perth to be exact, then you follow the Southern coast around to Adelaide, the Melbourne, then up towards the Eastern coast to Sydney, then finally Brisbane.”

“Two weeks to do five dates!? No way!”

“Okay, then, we could probably cut it down to ten days, but you’ll be very tired. It’s not like the venues are close. Oz is a vast country.”

“I know. I've been there before, on holiday, but I was in the Northern Territories. Just do it, make it ten days, I’ll cope. When do I go?”

“Oh, not until after Christmas...well, end of January really.”

Harmony brightened a little. It was still months away. “But I wanted a change of image before that!”

“But, Poppet....think about it. We already have your Christmas single done, and if we change your image now, and then you revert back to the ‘teeny bop’ you for Christmas, then nobody will take your transformation seriously.”

Harmony looked at him. It DID make sense, what he was saying, and she did SO want to be taken seriously with this total re-invention of herself....

“Besides which," Xander continued, "Anya and Buffy are doing European tours after Christmas, and all being well, if we are, you know, still…well, perhaps I might just come with you.”

Harmony really did brighten at this news. “Really? Oh Pookie! That would be fantastic!” She jumped up and ran around the desk and sat on his lap, then began to kiss his face all over.

Cordelia walked into the office, rolled her eyes, and just stopped short of making an ‘ugh’ face.

“Oh, um, I er, I was just getting something out of my Pookie’s, I-I-I m-mean his e-e-eye, his eye, yes!” Harmony had jumped up off Xander’s lap like a scalded cat, having gone beet red. She flashed Xander a worried look as Cordelia breezed past her and handed him several envelopes.

“I see, I’ll have to remember that one, you kiss all over the face do you? Personally, I find the corner of a clean hankie works better myself! Harmony, don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Besides which, you two are already the talk of the typing pool,” Cordelia said with a grin.

“Are we? – I mean, we are - why?”

“Do you think I listen to gossip? Anyway, there are some important tour date confirmations for Caleb in there Xander, and an invitation. See you!”

“Invitation, eh…hmm, wonder what to?"

“Surprise Party for Sweet ? Great, want to come with me Poppet?”

“I should think I’ve already been invited, but yes, we can go together. Where is it – at his house? I’ve never been to his house!”

“No, it’s got to be a surprise remember………oh, very swanky...it’s at that floating gin-palace moored off Long Beach, 'The Ship-Ashore'.”

“Oh. Will I get sea-sick?”

They both frowned.

“I hope not…I’m not too good on the water either…”

**********

Buffy had her front door opened as soon as Spike had pulled up in the drive. He got out of his car and was straight in her arms, kissing her.

Without breaking the kiss, Buffy closed the front door behind them and Spike pressed her up against it, kisses getting more urgent.

“Hmm, god, I missed you SO much today!” Spike whispered, kissing her neck and making her shiver with delight.

“Me too, oh…hmm...”

Suddenly a thought hit Spike. “Um where’s...er, Willow?”

Buffy pulled him towards her again, and Spike just caught her mumbling the word ‘out’.

There would have been no prizes for guessing where they went, as a trail of discarded clothes led upstairs………

They hit the bed naked, kissing and fondling, having both been on edge all day, waiting for this moment. The sheer anticipation was foreplay enough and Buffy felt bold enough to roll them over so she was on top. Leaning on her one knee, she rose up and put him at her opening, then sank down, her breath escaping in little gasps.

Spike groaned, catching hold of her hips, easing her down on him gently. Leaning forward, she held the top of the wrought iron bed head with her one hand, and using it for leverage, she began to raise and lower herself on him. Her head rolled back – oh, god it felt good, good, and SO good………

She felt Spike’s hands leave her hips, skim up her body and then he began to massage her bouncing breasts, thumbing her already hard nipples. She ground down hard, making them both groan with pure pleasure. Spike sat up, and Buffy shifted her legs to tighten around his back. In this position Spike was able to nuzzle her breasts, suck her nipples and kiss her sensuous mouth.

She tore her mouth away to cry out her orgasm. The tight, wet clench of her vaginal muscles had Spike frantic for his own release. Buffy let her head drop to his shoulder, and she began to bite/suck a hickey on the side of his neck.

Spike cried out and bucked up hard, pulling her down on him at the same time. She felt him swell and he hosed what seemed like a gallon of his essence into her, causing Buffy to climax again. Slowly, he lay back down, bringing her with him, both breathing hard.

Buffy carefully disengaged herself from him, cleaned up with some tissues and then snuggled up with his arm around her. She kissed him softly. “Been thinking of you all day,” she said, drawing patterns on his chest with her finger.

“Well, that’s good, because I couldn’t stop thinking about you, either…I nearly dropped by at lunchtime.” He kissed her forehead.

“I fell asleep in the chair! Willow woke me up when she came home at one.”

Spike yawned. “Sorry pet.”

“It’s okay, I can’t keep awake either, and poor baby, you’ve been to work all day! Was there lots to do this morning?”

“Wasn’t too bad, Cordelia’s very good.”

“Was she happy with the sunglasses you bought her?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Good. Are you hungry?”

“Starving.” Buffy made to get up, but Spike held her. “Don’t go, warm, comfy, soft, you smell delicious and I don’t want you to move – I love these cuddles!” he said. He had his eyes closed and was smiling.

Buffy giggled and snuggled up even more. “Hmm, my pleasure…” She gave him a soft kiss, and settled back into his arms. Her head on his shoulder, she slipped her arm around him and they both fell asleep.

Willow came in an hour and a half later.

The first thing she saw when she opened the front door was the trail of discarded clothes leading up the stairs, and she grinned. She couldn’t hear anything, so she thought that exhaustion must have set in!

She debated what to do, whether to pick up the clothes, or to just leave them. She was thirsty, so she went into the kitchen to make herself some tea. The kettle was just coming to the boil when Buffy padded into the kitchen, wearing a silky robe.

Hi, I’m making some tea. Do you want some?”

“Not for me, thanks.”

“What about Spike?”

“How did you…?” Buffy went red, but she was smiling.

“Um…the clothes trail…” Willow said with a grin.

Buffy was just relieved that Willow hadn’t heard them. As if reading her thoughts, Willow said, “Don’t mind me, I’ve got some revising to do, with my headphones on, so you can make as much noise as...um...”

It was Willow’s turn to go red, and they both giggled. She said goodnight to her friend and went to go upstairs. In the lounge, she saw Spike. He had his jeans on, and was just about to put his shirt on. Willow clocked the firm pecs, the well-defined biceps, the six-pack abs…and thought what a LUCKY girl Buffy was!

“Hello and goodbye, Spike! Please excuse me, I’ve got an exam and I need to revise, ‘night!”

“Oh, hi, Willow – I see, well, um, you know, good luck!”

Buffy came into the lounge, and handed Spike a glass of juice. “I need to go shopping – I’ve no food in the house!”

“You do? Well, come on then, lets go, we can pick up something to eat, too.”

“Sure you don’t mind?”

“No, you go get dressed. I could do with one or two bits and pieces, too.”

Buffy finished her juice and went to get dressed.