FIC: Sundowning-Together Again 2/2

[Mad-Hamlet@xxxxxxx]

***

"Buffy?" Giles gaped. "I..uh..wha..."

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "What's the big?" She 
asked. "So I offered you a coke, what is it with you British types 
anyway? Tea, tea, tea, tea, tea...try something surgarishly bubbly 
every once in a while."

"My God." Giles said still staring. "It...really is you?" 

"BUFFY!!" Dawn screamed. She was wrapped around her sister in 
a heartbeat. I could tell you how she was crying tears of joy, I could 
tell you how she was laughing and sobbing, screaming, and crying, 
giggling, hugging, holding and a score of other adjectives. Not one 
would even come close though.

She was radiating joy, great heaping waves that shot around 
the room and burrowed into the heart of everyone. Looking back on it, 
I'm not so sure it was just her joy. She is The Key, who knows what 
that kind of ecstacy could produce. 

Xander and I glanced at each other. He looked content. Ever 
since that horrible night, I'd watched him get better, recover his 
eqilibrium and get on with his life. Their lives actually, his and 
Anya's. Course he had been changed, he had recovered his balance but's 
axis had shifted a bit. Now it looked like it had shifted back to what 
he once had been. He caught me looking at him and we shared a smile; 
both under the case of thorough case of the warm and fuzzies.

I noticed Spike out of the corner of my eye, he was resting 
his head in one hand, staring at the scene. His features were set in a 
permanent scowl and he appeared to be grumbling. The eyes gave him 
away though. Were they bright and shiny? Dancing with hidden amusement 
and maybe a little regretful longing?

Come on, this was Spike. Even his eyes were bored.

He glanced in my direction. "Lookin' for something?" He 
mumbled.

"Confirming a theory." I said back quietly.

"That being?"

"You really don't not care." I said.

"Course I care." He said shrugging his shoulders. "I care that 
Summers is back and I care that, once I get this techno thingie in my 
head out; it's Govement Issue recall, can't last that much longer, 
that'll I'll have a chance to wack the bitch."

"Liar." I said.

He shrugged again. "Maybe. The Bit's happy though. Good enuff 
for now. Eh?"

I turned in and drank in the scene. Giles still just sitting 
is his seat, hands folded together as he too watched the goings on. 
Occasionally he'd smile a little bit wider and shake his head. Dawn 
was just ..an entire menagerie of expression and talk. The complete 
ensamble of being human, and getting back something..irriplacelable. I 
knew, and still know, the feeling. Xander and Anya also were just 
watching the Summers sisters reunion special, smiling at them, then at 
each other. 

"Yeah." I said nodding. "It's good enough for now."


Giles stood up. "Eh..excuse me." He fumbled. "I..must..er..go 
to the kitchen to..find..something or other. Tea perhaps. I'll be 
right back." He ducked out of the room.

"Giles?" Buffy asked, looking confused.

"Relax yourself Summers." Spike breathed. "He's just gone off 
to be utterly british. S'not you."

"Oh." Buffy nodded. "Course." 

"Buuufffyyyy," Dawn whined. "I was telling you how the gang 
took me on patrol!!"

"They did what?" Buffy's sweeping glare took us all in. 

Xander laughed that 'I must talk fast now, or I shall die' 
laugh of his. "Oh..ah..well, it wasn't my idea and..er..by speaking up 
I've made myself the center of attention havn't I? Uh..whoops?"

"Scuse me." I said. "I'll be right back." Discresction being 
the better part of valor.

"You're not off the hook Wiccan!" Buffy shouted after me as 
Dawn continued telling her about her very first staking. I'd have 
liked to have heard the story too. I'd missed that night. I'd missed 
lots of nights. 

I entered the kitchen and found Giles leaning against the 
counter. He had taken off his glasses and was staring off into space 
at nothing. He had his arms crossed and just seemed to appear very 
relaxed though his eyes were shiny. An unopened bottle of champagne 
stood next to him patiently. 

"Giles?" I hesitated, I didn't want to spoil his moment.

"It is a wonderful feeling." He said slowly. "To have your 
faith in the general goodness of things restored."

I didn't have words enough to agree. 

"Ah, Willow." He said, noticing me. "I thought something a bit 
more celebreatory than carbonated beverages might be called for. Do 
you have any idea where the ice bucket is?"

***


"You deserve this Slayer." I mumble gently scraping my teeth 
along the curve of her neck. "You've earned it."

"You've earned love." I kiss her neck.
"You've earned respect." Moving lower I kiss the top of her 
collar bone. 
"You've earned friends." My hands slide down the material of 
bathrobe, it's not easy in the dark but I manage to undo the knot 
holding it together. Finally.

I move my fingers along the smooth surface of her belly. Her 
breath catches in her throat with a 'hic' sound. 

"You're earned passion." I dip my head a bit lower and nibble 
just above the swell of her breast. The hic sound becomes a quit hum, 
growing and waning in intensity with the increased pace of her 
breathing. 

"And you've earned this." I whisper. "Buffy. I love you. 
Always." And I move my lips, sliding over the rise, cresting the top 
and catching her between my teeth. Lightly..ever so lightly. 

***

The bottle of Champagne..actually it was empty now, sat on the 
table surrounded by unopened and, now warm, bottles of cola. 

We all had had some of the chapagne, even Dawnie, though she 
had to do some serious pouting to go about getting permission. Even 
Spike had chipped in in her defense.

"Just think how awful it would look, seven glasses of brightly 
colored bubbly and one glass of sullen coke. Okay, so it's fizzes, big 
whoop. Jeeze Summers, you only come back from the dead once..if I have 
anything say about it... let the lil Bit live a little." 

So Dawnie had a half glass of champagne. Spike had three. 

"Just..just how did this all go about happening?" Giles 
finally inquired.

"I'm not really sure." I said. "It's...surreal. Beyond the 
capacities of or limitations of ..us."

"Easy there Willow." Buffy said leaning against me. We were 
both seated on the sofa. Dawn, Xander and Anya had moved to the floor 
with Tara at the other end. Spike merely snarled if anyone tried to 
take his seat. "You're going to blow something critical.

"Well..this is just..unheard of." Giles insisted.

"Oh oh." Xander crowed. "Book Man is excited. Prepare for a 
royal grilling!"

"I think it should be documented Xander, yes. That..uh..isn't 
a problem is it?" Giles said shooting a glance at Buffy and myself. 


"Well..I can give you some basics now." Buffy says. "It 
was..nice." She gets a far away look on her face. "Willow was there, I 
was young, so was she. We were playing. I taught her to jump rope and 
she taught me how to make a cat's cradle."

"Willow was there?" Giles asked. "You mean a copy or 
simulicrum don't you?"

Buffy shook her head. "No. It was Willow, my Willow, friend, 
companion. It was her. Then Willow came and me and Willow and Willow 
went home."

Xander looked confused. Indeed everyone looked confused. "Care 
to run that by me again?" Xander asked.

Tara spoke up. "I..I think I understand. Maybe..as much as I'm 
able I mean." She paused, looking thoughful. "It was paradise, and 
there were all things there, even if they existed elsewhere. Our rules 
don't apply do they?"

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know for sure. It 
was..dreamy..not..it's sorta outta touch right now, the memories I 
mean."

"All that we are, or ever will be, is just a dream, within a 
dream."

We all looked startled at Spike who had just finished 
speaking.

"Not quite right Spike." Giles said. "But a fairly close 
approximation to Poe's work."

"Really?" Spike asked. "Poe eh? I just got it from a fortune 
cookie one time."

"Oh I love fortune cookies" Anya burbled. "One time I met a 
woman in the bathroom of a chinese resteraunt, her husband had cheated 
on her of course something about her best friend; funny how it's 
always the best friends. If Xander's best friend is female I'm going 
to very, very..

"AHEM!" Buffy interupted. I echoed it with an 'Ahem' of my 
own.

"You two don't count. I'm talking about another best friend of 
the female persuasion." Anya waved us off. "Now where was I?"

"I'm not sure." Spike grouched. "I passed boredom when I sat 
down."

"Yes, anyway the wife wished that justice would prevail. 
That's pretty opened ended so I decided to use my form of justice. His 
fortune cookie read, 'Something very sudden will surprise you.' And he 
suddenly was surprised by an oncoming truck!"

You'd think we'd get used to her but Anya is..and was..an 
aquired taste. So far only Xander has manged to make do.

"Ha!" Xander forced a smile. "That's my fiancée always a 
barrel of outrageous, homicidal chuckles!"

"Oh look." Spike said. "There goes the point on top of that 
passing car."

***

Her back arches a bit, but I don't let go. Buffy threads her 
fingers through my hair, one hand pushing away, the other pulling me 
closer, it's kinda nice. My right hand is still slowly tracing lazy 
circles on her belly, I'm using her navel as the center, I start there 
and slowly, slowly move outward, the first circle is small, then I 
move it back toward the center, I start over, spiraling out a bit 
farther before moving back toward the center, repeat..lower this 
time..back in..

She's started to shudder. I release her nipple from my mouth, 
using my other hand to wipe away the sweat that is matting her hair to 
her forehead. I move so I'm lying directly next to her, my body, I 
shrugged out of my own robe long ago, nestled next to her own. I roll 
her over on her side with out stopping the ever growing spirals along 
her belly. 

I move again a bit more so I'm spooning her perfectly. 

"Can you feel it?" I whisper, running the tip of my tounge 
along the nape of her neck. "Good things. Can you feel them?"

Lower, and back..back toward the center. I slide my left arm 
under her head so she's resting on it like a pillow, and wrap my 
forearm around so these fingers can dance along with the rest. 

"Good things." I whisper again, nipping her earlobe. "All for 
you."

"Oh." She gasps.

Lower still..slowly...round n'round.

"I love you." I say.

She grabs my left hand and pulls it to her face, she starts 
kissing it rapidly, finger tips, fingers, my palm. She finally sucks 
two fingers into her mouth for an instant before going back to kissing 
them. I've begining to have a hard time concentrating. 

"Oh." She gasps between kisses. "Oh..."

Finally, low enough. I touch her. I touch her again..after so 
long.

"AH!" She pushes at the bedding with her feet, her legs 
bending and going straigh, sliding around and catching. I can hear 
the material tearing. "Ah..ah..Oh.." She keeps going.

"Love you." I repeat. "Forever n'ever' n'ever." With every 
whispered ever I move my hand, just enough, just right. 

"Oh..nn.." She's whimpering, she never was very loud. Quiet, 
controlled, Buffy. "Ssss.." She inhales between clenched teeth.

I drag teeth along her jawline, down her neck and to her 
shoulder.

"Oh God!"

"No." I whisper to her. Just right, tiny 
circles..tiny..tiny..circles."All Willow."

"Willoooww.." She breathes. 

Her upper arm reaches back blindly and her hand carresses my 
face, almost desperetly, to make sure I'm really here maybe. I'm here, 
I'll always be here. 

I bite down hard where shoulder meets neck and pinch just a 
teensy eensy bit with my fingers.

Her back arches away from me, her fingers, seconds ago running 
through my hair, clench into a fist and hold me tight. Her other arm, 
I can't see it, but the sheet is being pulled out from under me. Her 
legs snap together trapping my hand, her mouth is open, loud heaving 
breaths with tiny whimpers from the back of her throat. 

"Oh Willow!"

"My Willow!"
"Oh Willow!"
	
"Willow."

"Willow."
	
"Willow." She whispers one last coming back down. 

She lazily rolls over, wrapping one leg around my own, 
nestles her hands between the two of us and rests her head on my 
shoulder.

"All good things." I say holding her close.

"Mmmhmmm." She says lazily. "S'all..goood things.."

And her breathing is quiet, and regular and she's falling 
asleep.

***

"I really have to go." Tara said glancing at the clock on the 
wall. "I don't want to understand..it's just.."

"It's cool Tara." Buffy interupted Tara's self admonishment. 
"It's not like this is a weekend pass or anything. I'm sticking around 
for the duration."

"Duration being until you leap into the next multi-dimensional 
stew or will you pass on that?" Spike suddenly asked.

"Spike!" Dawn cried. "Shut up!"

Spike actually looked chastened. 
Spike..actually..looked..chastened!

"Er.." He said. "Is that anyway to talk to your protector?" 

"It is when they're being an asshole!" Dawn countered. 

"Dawn!" Buffy shouted and looked at all of us again. "What 
have you been letting her get away with anyway?"

"Uh..heh.." Xander said. "Look at the time. Anya honey, arn't 
you sleepy?"

"No." She said. "I want more champagne."

"I have a bottle at home." Xander said.

"You mean we won't have to share?" Anya asked.

"Nope." Xander replied with a nod and a nervous glance at us.

"Great" Anya lept to her feet. "Buffy, so glad you're back 
from the dead. C'mon honey!"

Xander stumbled out of here being dragged by Anya, wearing a 
big smile on his face. Anya was saying something about him having two 
months to catch up on.
	
Tara had just hugged us both, eyes brimming with tears. "The 
Goddess's blessings." She said.

Buffy nodded. "You have no idea." She said.

Tara turned to leave after giving us both one last hug.

"Tara!" I called after her. "Do..you...want to get together? 
Practice some..big bad mojo or something?" I shrugged.

She put her hand to her mouth and choked off a small laugh. 
"Yes Willow." She said, now she was crying, but in a good way. "I'd 
like that. It'll be fun. G'night."

Giles wanted to stay but it was, surprisingly, Dawn who 
insisted they leave. She'd tugged and tugged on his hand. I didn't 
understand her at first. Her family was back. Her sister was alive and 
here and she was still willing to be away from her so we...Buffy and 
I..could be together. 

"C'mon Giles." She said. "Let's get outta here. You can help 
me pack my stuff."

"Are..are you sure that's wise Dawn?" Giles objected. 
"Buffy..might be..that is..I'm sure it would..."

"Everything Buffy needs is right here." Dawn insisited. "All 
romantic and yucky. Bleah. Sooner I get out of here the better. Let's 
_go_!" 

She looked at me and gave me a slow wink. I mouthed the words 
'Thank You'. Dawn smiled slightly, nodded a little and dragged poor 
Giles, still sputtering protests out the door. 

Spike, who hadn't said much the entire evening just walked 
past us. Turning to Buffy he said. "I cannot say how good it is to 
have you back Slayer." He paused. "Really." 

Buffy yelled out the door after him. "Love you too big guy!"

"Sod off!"

***

I'm standing in front of the open window. A breeze is finally 
blowing into the room, I'm all hot and sweaty. That's okay though, the 
air feels wonderful. I feel whole..stuffed even. I'm looking out into 
the sky, trying to see some stars through the light clouds and bright 
lights of the party that's still going on. Don't they ever get tired 
of that song?


Buffy fell asleep a little while ago. She's still sleeping I 
think. The sheets are a mess, torn and twisted all around her. The 
covers are half on, half off the bed. Yet, she looks so comfortable, 
so at peace.

I want to see the stars, I want to thank them, those behind 
the stars. I want to let them know how much I'm thankful. For Buffy, 
for me. I want to thank one little boy with white hair and golden 
eyes. He didn't just give me back Buffy though, he gave me back me. Oh 
sure, there's that whole Free Will stuff he mentioned..mentioned a lot 
actually. But I still feel grateful.

I'm also considering a small curse to place on the neighbors 
stero. Something to make it explode..safely of course.

"Willow?"

I turn my head. She's lying on her back, resting on her 
elbows, one knee raised a little. I can see her eyes in the light. 
Wish it were moonlight but right now the bright sparkly blue Buffy 
eyes are good enough in any light.

"Yeah Buffy?" I ask. 

She lifts and hand and beckons me back to the bed with the 
crook of a finger and half smile. 

I lie down next to her and she rolls on top of me. Her arms 
are on either side of my head, her blond hair hanging free, the tips 
tickling my face, neck...all over. Her breathe is hot, sweet...heavy.

"It's your turn my Willow."

END-(For real) SUNDOWNING