Disclaimer: Didn't create the characters, but i treat most of them better than Joss...so don't complain...I'm not making any money out of this so please don't sue me.

Beta'd by AtheneHahn, with special thanks to Maryperk for her advice and help.

by Jackofspikes

Chapter 47

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"Slayer," Spike sing-songed as he let himself into the house. "Here kitty, kitty."

Letting out his senses, he moved towards the stairs. It seemed as though his slayer might be ready to take their relationship to the next level. He grinned in anticipation, because the only rooms upstairs were bathrooms and bedrooms.

He followed the alluring trail of her scent up the stairs and towards the master bedroom. As he continued to follow the scent, he was drawn to the closed door of the ensuite bathroom. The closed and locked door.

Frowning in confusion, Spike tried the door again, briefly wondering if he had been mistaken the first time he had tried to open it. When the door remained locked on the second try, his curiosity laden voice called her name.

"Please, don't come in," Buffy shouted, her voice filled with panic.

"Pet?"

"I'm fine...just a bit, um, freaked," she replied to his unasked question.

"Not the only one, Slayer," Spike mumbled to himself. "'S okay, luv. I'll stay out here." He wasn't happy about the distance, but he couldn't remember the last time he had heard Buffy so wound up. He needed to know what was going on. "So...wanna tell a bloke why you're holed up in his bathroom?" He tried to offer some levity to the conversation, hoping that by lightening her mood, they could get to the crux of the problem as quickly as possible, which might mean that he could quite possibly be then able to talk his girl into finishing their game. Unfortunately, something was telling him that their games were over for the evening. Spike pouted.

"I need you to explain something to me without asking me why," Buffy insisted quietly. Her tone of voice alerted the vampire to the serious nature of the strange conversation.

"If I can, you know I will, luv," he replied just as quietly as he desperately tried to think of anything he might have done wrong, because he was pretty sure he was in trouble, he just didn't know what he was in trouble for.

He sat down next to the bathroom door, unknowingly mirroring the actions of his love.

"Is there any significance to biting someone, drinking their blood, and saying the word 'mine'?"

"Oh, pet...you'd best have a bloody good reason for asking that question," the Master Vampire snarled before he had chance to think about the question.

He managed to stop himself from tearing the door from its hinges when he realised that the only thing he was sensing from his bathroom was slayer, there was definitely not even a hint of a claim. Perplexed confusion replaced blossoming rage and he resumed his earlier position with more questions than answers.

"Sheesh, calm down there, Blondie." Buffy snickered in amusement. "But you could explain the whole what's-got-Spike-pissed thingy while you're making with the explaining."

Letting his head hit the door frame he was leaning against, Spike sighed deeply and gazed up at the ceiling. "You're talkin' about a claim, pet. If one does it, it's a normal claim. You belong to the person who claims you. If both do it, it's a mating claim, which is the equivalent of a human marriage, only there's no bloody divorce and the only way the claim can be broken is if an older vampire in your line challenges the mating and wins a challenge fight."

He didn't want to be talking about claims with the woman he wanted as his mate while they had a door between them. He had wanted this conversation to take place later, when she was ready to make a commitment to him. His William side was lamenting the timing and the circumstances of this particular conversation. William knew she wasn't ready to get married yet. William wanted everything to be perfect. William wanted to be the one to bring it up.

"Can you think of any reason at all, why I would be suddenly getting visions of claiming you? And sort of uncontrollable urges to do the whole biting and sucking your blood thing-y and can I just say...ewww?"

"WHAT?!"

*~*~*

The summer drifted slowly by, each person facing their options from different points of view.

Everyone had been told of Tara's decision and the situation that had arisen from that. She refused to tell anyone what she had learned, saying it was immaterial, what she had learned related directly to her choice. It had helped her make an informed decision, and now that she had made her final decision and accepted the mantle and all the responsibilities that went with it, she was not allowed to tell them what she had learned...not yet; not until they had all reached their final decisions too.

She was quick to offer to speak with each of them privately, but wasn't really surprised that Drusilla was the first to request time and that Buffy was the last.

Drusilla knew what she needed to do, and was a little impatient. She wasn't at all happy that she had to wait for three other people to make their decisions. She tried to explain, in her unique way, that her own visions had told her they would all be going. She didn't understand why she couldn't just tell the other three that so that they could just get on with it.

Tara mollified her slightly by reminding her that the others needed to make their choices freely, just as she had.

Dawn snuck in to see her next. She was impatient to give her decision, but terrified that someone would stop her and tell her that she was too young, or that she needed to be protected or some other equally irritating reason that was basically designed to stop her from doing something she really wanted to do. Nobody seemed to understand her need. She didn't feel that she had a real past. She desperately wanted to make her future count more than her past.

Willow called her, telling Tara she was proud of her and re-affirming her dedication to the forces of light. Her choice had been easy.

Giles came, asking many questions, learning once again why he distrusted the Council of Watchers. He smiled proudly when he said clearly that this time the choice was his and that he chose to fight.

Anya was a surprise. She was so unsure of her place. Her acceptance and knowledge were now sought after but it was still so new. She needed Tara's conformation that she was of use. That she had something to offer. That she was more than just Xander's girlfriend.

Once Tara assured her that she was indeed a valued member of the team, Anya happily made her decision to continue the fight.

Spike and Xander came together, arguing playfully the whole time. Xander smiled his goofy smile and jokingly told them that as official sugary goodness supplier he didn't have a choice – it was a dirty job but somebody had to do it.

Spike spoke softly, his eye's focused on the floor. He wanted to fight, but he wanted to do something first. He wanted an all encompassing soul. He wanted the balance that it would give him. He wanted to be worthy. To be whole.

Xander complained of having something in his eye.

*~*~*

"Am I the last?" Buffy said, smiling at the honey blond Guardian from her position leaning against the door frame.

Tara smiled in response and moved slightly to make room on her bed for the petite blond to sit. "Yup, just you, sweetie.

Moving slowly and a little self-consciously, Buffy made her way to the bed. Indecision marred her features. She tried to voice her thoughts several times before looking at Tara helplessly.

"What's troubling you, Buffy?" the gentle Wiccan asked.

"It's just...I don't know...when did I get a choice? I'm the slayer. It's a part of me...who I am. I get that. But I don't have the option to say no. So what do I need to decide?"

"The prophecy, sweetie," Tara started cautiously. "You get to decide if it's about you and Spike, or about Spike and some other slayer. Spike's decision marked him as the Eternal Champion; you need to decide if you want to be joined to him as the Immortal Slayer."

"He made his decision?" Buffy asked in a small voice. Hoping again hope that Spike hadn't arbitrarily made her decision for her like every other man in her life.

"He didn't know, Buffy." The gentle Wiccan informed her insecure friend. "His decision to fight for an all encompassing soul was the final requirement. It had to be free choice; pre-knowledge may have affected his decision."

Buffy relaxed slightly, before stiffening again and asking in a tight voice, "So basically, my choices are immortality and I get to keep my boyfriend, or mortality and I'm virtually agreeing to hand him over to somebody else to spend eternity with?"

"That about sums it up, sweetie."

"Okay... can I just say that that really sucks?" Buffy pouted in displeasure.

"Do you love him?" Tara smiled softly as she asked the all important question.

Buffy smiled blissfully. "More than anything."

"Then that's what you need to think about. Take your time. The prophecy can't be fulfilled until the Immortal Slayer is in place, so take the time you need to make your decision. But, Buffy?" Tara paused, waiting for the blond to look at her. "You can't tell anyone, sweetie, it must be your decision."

Buffy agreed with a short nod, her mind whirling and spinning in many different directions. She needed to find a focus. Something that she could concentrate on that didn't make her forget the decision that she faced but maybe could help her put it all into perspective.

"Can you at least tell me about the prophecy?" Buffy asked hopefully.

Tara smiled, and when she started speaking, her voice was filled with a delicate musical undertone. "From poet to warrior, monster to man, the Eternal Champion loves. From child to warrior to woman combined, the Immortal Slayer cries. Both have been snatched from the cold arms of death. Both have been spurned by false love. Joined for all time in true love, strength, and soul, the union produces the One."

"Why do I get the feeling that this 'One' isn't a puppy?"

*~*~*

"When do you leave?" Buffy asked quietly snuggled into the arms of her love. She'd woken him early by climbing onto his bed and kissing him awake. She knew the answer to her question already, but she had plans for them and she needed to do this her way, she just hoped he would understand.

"Rupert managed to get us on a direct flight that takes off and lands during the night, so we don't have to worry about the sunlight problem. Plane leaves at nine o'clock tonight." He replied carefully, trying to gage her mood. She hadn't said much about their plans up until now, so he had no idea what she was thinking. He had to admit it was driving him a little nuts.

"And the plan?"

"Anya, Harris, Dru, and I go to Africa. Anya made sure through her contacts that we can get to the village nearest to the cave first off and that they know we're comin'. Dru and I enter the cave. She goes first so that we can be sure the humans will be safe. When we've got her sorted, she can look out for Harris and the demon girl while I take my turn. Then Harris and his bird get us back home. The way we figure it, the guilt is gonna be pretty crippling, so we'll need them to be able to take care of everything." Spike kept his voice evenly modulated. He prayed to whoever was listening that she would start talking to him. He didn't want to push her, but he also didn't want to be leaving on this particular journey without knowing what she was feeling.

He knew his ability to tell black and white, right from wrong was fine, but all the bloody shades of grey and lesser of two evils were driving him to distraction. He wasn't about to give up, but he needed more; he felt his in-balance keenly. He wanted to be able to look his girl in the eye and be satisfied that he was worthy of being called a champion...worthy of her.

She just seemed so dammed unapproachable lately. Ever since they'd talked about the claim, truth be known. Giles hadn't been able to help them and bloody Oxford had only been able to come up with a supposition. Penny had been the one to tell them it was because the first Slayer had been created using a vampire demon, and that Buffy's slayer side clearly wanted to claim Spike.

That was when she'd started shutting him out.

He tried to tell her that he'd never claim her without her permission and that he knew she wasn't ready for that type of commitment. He thought at the time that she understood, but now he wasn't so sure. The trouble was he didn't know how to fix it; how to get her to talk about it. His girl hated being pushed.

"Spike?" she asked in a small voice, biting her lip in indecision.

"Yeah, pet?" he replied softly, kissing her forehead as he continued to run his fingers through her hair.

"I've been thinking," she started speaking, turning her body so that she could lean on his chest and see his eyes.

"Always a danger in that, pet," he lightly teased.

"Gee, I guess if you think it's a danger, I probably shouldn't tell you what I've been thinking about then," she quipped in return, her eyelashes fluttering innocently.

Alarm bells rang in his head, he was struck by the sudden knowledge that he really really wanted to know what she had been thinking. "Now, now, kitten, let's not be hasty. You know I always want to hear everything you have to say."

Buffy smirked at the back-peddling vampire, he was too easy, sometimes.

His hopeful little grin had her biting back a giggle; he really was undeniably cute. "I want to claim you."

Spike's eyes slowly got wider and wider, his mouth opened and closed repeatedly. He clearly had something to say but it was as if he wasn't sure what to say or where to start. He wondered if he had heard her correctly. He wondered if she had caught what ever insanity bug Dru had, maybe the poof was some sort of carrier. Or maybe he'd caught it and it was only manifesting itself now. So...choices? Spike is deaf, Buffy is insane, or Spike is insane. He really wasn't loving his choices.

"Maybe you should hear my reason before you decide I'm insane or you're deaf," Buffy lifted a delicate eyebrow in challenge.

Spike said nothing, just nodded his head cautiously and waited for her to speak.

"First thing - I'm not talking about a mating claim...not yet. Second thing - I really do want this. I love you and my family loves you. We discussed it, and we all want this. Regardless of what happens between us, as in you and me, you'll always be a part of our family." Buffy watched as his eyes filled with tears.

"As a family, we want to do it before you go to Africa so that the empty spot you have inside can be filled up and your demon knows we want him, too. We want you to know we're with you on this fight. That you will never be alone again," she continued, ignoring his tears. Giving him a cheeky grin, she offered him her own reasons. "Now, I'm all up there with the family reasons, but if I'm honest, I have a couple of other reasons for wanting to do this, too. You're going to Africa with the woman you loved for a hundred years. Insecure Buffy wants her territory well and truly marked."

Spike grinned at her through his tears. Dragging her up his body, he kissed her fiercely before uttering his heartfelt words. "God, I love you, woman."

Buffy preened proudly before realising that they hadn't covered the other little matter she wanted to discuss. "So, if we're all with the nakedness and the groin-yness and the biting, how are you going to stop going all 'grr' and biting me too?"

And wide-eyed, fish-faced Spike was back.

Spike sat up and carefully moved Buffy so that she was facing him. Taking a calming breath and both her hands, he tried to decipher what she was suggesting. Because he had to admit that he might have missed something after the word nakedness was used.

"Pet, I think were having one of those 'failure to communicate' moments here. How 'bout we go over it again more slowly this time."

Buffy tilted her head to the side, suddenly unsure that she understood the claiming process as much as she'd thought she had. "Well, for me to claim you, I have to initiate the bite, right?"

Spike nodded his agreement.

"Then how do we make sure that your demon won't try and complete the claim?"

"I control my demon, pet."

"Is that some freaky vampire thing? 'Cause when I get happy, control is the last thing I'm thinking about."

"Happy?"

"Well, yeah, you know...um, an Anya moment." Buffy blushed a pretty shade of rouge.

Spike grinned in delight. "Slayer, you don't actually have sex with a familial claim."

"Huh?" she pouted in disappointment. "But what if you want to?"

The vampire's eyes grew wide as he chuckled in amusement, "Well then I think that could be arranged," he said pulling her close, his love shining through his eyes. "And just for the record; I'm nothing like the poof. 'Happiness' doesn't automatically make someone lose all their senses...or their souls," he squeaked out the last few words as Buffy used his distraction to bite him over Drusilla's mark.

She allowed her slayer side to perform the ritual, instinctively knowing that part of her knew what it was doing. She tasted his blood as it slowly filled her mouth and swallowed, aroused by his taste. Emotions swirled through the blood, adding to the experience; awe, respect, admiration, humility and love. Love unlike any she had every known before. Love that spoke of safety, peace, and completion. Love that protected as it warmed and enveloped. Firm pulls were required to satisfy her inner slayer's need for more. The second time she swallowed her body tingled with anticipation, she could feel him on the edges of her consciousness. The emotions she was experiencing from the blood were now clearer, more defined. His.

Once more she filled her mouth with his blood. Everywhere they touched, their skin tingled. The scent of her arousal filled the air. She could feel his imbalance, his demon and his man, and she could feel the love that all of him felt for her. It was humbling.

"MINE," she insisted, her voice guttural and fierce.

His eye's filled with tears as he felt the missing piece replaced. "Yours."

His demon purred.

As the Slayer tended his neck with delicate licks, Spike held her close and tested out the bond. Buffy came to him immediately, he could sense her satisfaction with the situation and her love for him. Her sister and mother were further away, but he could feel them too. The positive emotion he was getting from them was having a bizarre effect on his demon. The stupid thing was acting like a bloody puppy rolling on his back and waiting for a belly rub. His William side was quietly sobbing and Spike was trying to find some sort of balance between the two of them.

He had never known such joy.

He had easily survived the separation from his vampiric family, but he was under no doubt that he would not survive the separation with his new family.

Soft kisses caressed his neck as she moved to nibble on his ear, grabbing his complete attention. His ardour made its presence known, nudging her hip from its hiding place under the sheets. Unable to wait for her to reach the place he needed her to be; Spike growled as he grabbed her hair and dragged her lips to his; devouring her with his intensity. Her kisses drugged him; need and urgency were replaced with languid wallowing in bone curling action.

Buffy had rarely been in the dominating position in her previous relationships, usually she followed where her partner led. This time was different. Aside from the initial kiss that Spike had instigated, he had allowed her to set their pace. This thrilled and frightened her at the same time.

Silently she straddled him, grabbing each of his hands in hers, she pulled them up above his head, encouraging him to hold onto the firm slats of the headboard. Locking her eyes with his, she slowly unbuttoned her shirt. Her smile was feline in nature when she finally removed it, making him wait, feeling his anticipation through their connection. Leaning into him, she gave his exposed nipple a quick lick and groaned in answer to his soft moan.

Smiling to herself she asked him, "Hmmm, wonder what I should do now?"

"You should bloody well let me touch you," Spike whined in frustration, her lace covered nipples making his mouth water in need.

Her softly whispered, "What's stopping you?" was all the invitation he needed.

Her bra was gone before her back touched the bed, his mouth latching on to one nipple as his hand reached for the other. Her senses were overloaded as his licked, nibbled, and suckled one pebbled tip and ran the peak of the other through his fingers, pulling gently, kneading, stroking.

Bolts of pleasure shot straight to her center, a combination of what he was doing and what he was feeling intensified her own levels of arousal. Underneath it all, the softness of their love cushioned and embraced.

The remainder of her clothes disappeared as if by magic. Skin touching skin; velvet passing over cool marble surfaces. Touching, tasting, kisses that cooled over heated skin and touches that brought warmth with them.

Buffy marvelled at the sensations, even without the joining of the claim, she knew that she had never experienced anything like this before. Spike's touch showed her love that Angel's never had, his exploration and worship of her body made Riley seem amateurish, and Parker didn't even deserve to be mentioned. From his gentle embrace, his exploring hands, and his soft kisses, Spike made her body sing. His voice soothed as it enticed, making her bold and adventurous, encouraging her timid explorations with a litany of praise that made her blush and preen at the same time.

Their eyes met and held as he entered her, her heat warming him as he'd never been warmed before. Words seemed insignificant as they moved together in the timeless dance of the ages, the silence intensifying the strength of the bond.

Passion built, higher and higher, threatening to explode. Their coupling became frenzied as they both moved ever closer to the edge. Spike moved his fingers to her clit, gently rubbing in circles that increased in speed until she came, crying his name in exultation. Her own name spilled from her lover's lips as he followed her over the edge.

*~*~*

Buffy allowed herself to take in the night. He had only been gone a couple of days, but the miss-age factor was still on high alert.

Patrolling was just one of the things that was different with him gone. Summer usually meant a lessoning of demonic activity around the Hellmouth and that had meant that their patrols had been more like moonlight strolls than actual patrols. They had talked about so many different subjects including their personal fantasies and dreams for the future. No mention had been made of the fact that she was mortal and he wasn't. That she had been living on borrowed time for quite a while now. She didn't tell him what Tara had told her, even when everything within her screamed to tell him, to ask him, to share with him, anything that would help her reach her decision.

The hardest thing about her decision was not the Spike factor. There was no doubt in her mind that he was the one she would love with her last breath. The question was always going to be - did she want to live forever?

As her mind wandered over the possibilities, she failed to notice the familiar figure that moved to intercept her. By the time the electricity from the tazer hit her, it was too late to do anything at all.