Title: Christmas Frost and Fairies Author: Pattyanne snapkik@yahoo.com Disclaimer: Nothings's mine Summary: Takes place shortly after 'Smashed'. Buffy has an unexpected encounter in a cemetery. Part Four.... Buffy felt a slow smile creeping over her face. She knew she shouldn't laugh, but it was difficult not to. "So, she's..." she began. "She's where she deserves to be...and let's leave it at that," Joyce said. "Anyway, my original point was that the chip didn't make Spike fall in love with you. It didn't force him to help you or to protect your sister, or to help save the world. He chose to do these things...and it will not be for- gotten." She smoothed Buffy's hair back from her face. "Someday, you'll know what I mean by that, and when that day comes I want you to remember what we talked about tonight." Buffy nodded. "I will, Mom. Promise." "Good." Joyce took a deep breath and stood up. "Honey, I'm sorry, but I have to go back." She tugged Buffy to her feet and swept her into a tight embrace. Buffy clung to her mother, desperate and frightened of losing her again. "Mommy, no...not yet. Please. Just a little longer. Don't leave me alone," she begged. "You're not alone, honey. I'm always with you," Joyce said gently, her daughter's arms from around her neck. Buffy began to cry. "Don't, honey. Don't cry. I promise you...Buffy, listen to me...I promise you that someday we'll be together again." Joyce cupped Buffy's face in her hands and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead. "It will be a very long time from now, but it WILL happen." "But...but I need you NOW," Buffy sobbed, heartsick at losing her mother again. "Buffy, stop crying and listen to me." Her mother spoke in the tone that she'd always reserved for her most important lectures, gentle but firm. "I know that you think you're not doing things right and that you can't manage...but it isn't true. You are doing a fine job, honey. You've been so strong and so brave...and I am VERY proud of you." "Really?" Buffy sniffled. "You are?" "Yes," Joyce assured her. "And I love you very much. Remember that...all right? When- ever you're afraid...or you think you can't cope...you remember how much I love you, and that I'm always with you. Always." "I love you, too." Throwing her arms around her mother's neck again, Buffy stood very still. She wanted to imprint everything on her memory...the feel of Joyce's arms, the scent of her hair, and the tenderness of her touch. They remained that way for a moment more, before Joyce finally had to pull away. Buffy couldn't force herself to let go first. "I'll be close, honey," Joyce said as she backed away. "Now, go and tell him. Don't waste one more minute." "I will," Buffy nodded, then remembered. "But, Mom...I don't know where he is." Her mother smiled and blew her a kiss. "Just turn around." ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** "You...are a stupid little girl. So, you run along and find yourself an equally stupid little boy and live happily ever after...as well as you can." Buffy whipped her head around so violently that her neck popped, just in time to see Spike turn and walk away. "Oh, and don't worry about running into me somewhere around town. "I'll make sure that never happens. Christ, will I EVER make sure of it." Turning back to her mother, Buffy saw nothing but an inifinitesimal sparkle, as though some- one had tossed a handful of gold glitter into the air. "Remember..." A soft voice spoke in her ear. "I will...Goodbye, Mommy," she whispered, watching the sparkle fade away. "Thank you." She turned on one heel. "SPIKE!" she nearly screamed. "Wait for me! Please don't leave without me....I love you!" The man she was crying out to stopped and swung around, watching in mute shock as she ran towards him, her arms reaching for him as she called his name. He barely had time to raise his own arms to catch her as she rocketed into him. "Oh, God," Buffy whispered fiercely, clinging to him. "Please don't go...please...I love you so much...I do...I really do..." Although he had no idea of the divine inter- ference that had caused things to change with such dazzling and delightful speed, Spike had never been one to question good fortune. He returned Buffy's embrace with equal fervor. "Hold me tighter," she pleaded. "Tighter." He obeyed, tightening his arms to the point where they would have hurt an ordinary girl. "Buffy..." "Shhh." She pulled back slightly and placed one finger against his lips. He said nothing, silently urging her to continue. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I'm so sorry for those things I said...and I didn't mean them. I was just...just being stupid and scared..." "Buffy.." Spike's tone was soothing, trying to calm her. "Slow down, baby. Everything's all right," he said, moving one hand up her back and stroking her hair gently. She shook her head, stubbornly. "It's NOT all right...and it wasn't true." She drew him down until their lips barely met. "I love you," she said. "And what we have is all that I want." "Me, too," Spike said. "Baby, I love you...I love you so much..." "Then kiss me," she demanded. "Kiss me right now, or I'll die from wanting you to." "I'll never let that happen," he promised, pressing his lips to hers. Buffy's head began to feel pleasantly dizzy. When he sensed her need to breathe, Spike brought her out of the kiss slowly, keeping her close. She smiled, pressing her cheek against his chest, feeling completely happy for the first time since her return from Heaven. "Don't let go," she murmured. Spike's voice rumbled in his chest, sounding more at peace than she'd ever heard it. "I won't if you won't." They stood that way together, in the biting December air, until he noticed that she was beginning to shiver. "You should get inside, luv," he said. "You're getting cold." Buffy shook her head. "Don't care." Spike chuckled. "Well, I DO care," he replied, playfully stern. "Come on and I'll walk you home." "But I don't want to go home," she said, looking into his eyes with serious intent. "There's too many people there," she added, hiding her face against him in a sudden attack of shyness. "I want to be alone with you." Her words thrilled him, making him catch an unnecessary breath of excitement. "Oh, baby," he whispered, kissing the top of her head, "I want that, too." "Good." Buffy smiled up at him, her eyes dancing with a mixture of amusement, arousal, and pure happiness. "Let's go to your place." Spike smiled back at her. "Yeah, let's do that." They walked to his crypt in a contented and comfortable silence, never letting go of each other's hand. ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** "Christ...you've worn me out, girl..." "Poor baby. Can't keep up with the slayer, huh?" Buffy rolled onto her back, stretch- ing like a sleepy kitten. "Give me a minute." Spike watched her with admiring eyes. "Although, if you do THAT again, I'm not gonna need one." So, of course, she did it again. "Arrgh," he growled, a sound that would frighten most people, but only aroused Buffy. "And you call ME evil." Turning on his side, he propped his head on his hand, staring at her until she noticed him doing it. "What?" she asked. Spike hesitated briefly. "Not that I'm com- plaining, luv, but...what happened? What made you change your mind?" Buffy had already decided that the visit she'd had with her mother would be something she kept to herself, at least for now. Some- day, she'd tell him everything. Remembering her mother's cryptic words, she knew that someday she would HAVE to tell him. Apparently, something big would be coming to them, hopefully some- thing 'reward like'. Even if it was something truly wonderful and unbelievably impossible, Buffy had no doubt that it could, and would, happen...because someone important and powerful was watching...and cared. Still, she had to give him an answer, one that wouldn't make her sound as though she wasn't completely bolted together. "When I saw you leaving...that you really meant it...I was scared. Not scared of losing another man." She placed her hand on his cheek, caressingly. "I was scared of losing YOU." Seeing tears begin to shimmer in her eyes, Spike rushed to comfort her. "Baby, that is NEVER gonna happen. You're stuck with me and...don't cry, baby, please...you know I can't stand it when you cry." Buffy was struggling to hold back another crying jag. "I just feel like we've wasted...I'VE wasted...so much time. Time we can never get back." "We'll make up for it, luv. No worries." "Promise?" "Yes." He smiled down at her as he smoothed her tousled hair. "I promise. And I never break a promise to a lady...especially MY lady." Buffy wiped her eyes and gave him her prettiest smile. "God, you're beautiful!" Spike whispered fiercely. "There oughta be a law against you, little girl." "If there was," she asked teasingly, "would you break it?" "Every chance I got." Buffy sighed. "I love you," she said, pulling him down for a kiss. "And I'm gonna say that until you're sick and tired of hearing it." "Like THAT'LL ever happen!" he scoffed. The emotional roller coaster they'd been riding, coupled with with physical activity they'd been engaging in, suddenly caught up with Buffy, and she stifled a yawn. "You go to sleep, baby," Spike urged. "I'll be here when you wake up." She closed her eyes, moving closer to the strong and comforting presence of his body next to hers. He tucked the blanket around her like a child, then leaned down and kissed her. "Buffy?" He spoke softly into her ear. "I swear I'll never leave you. Never." She turned her head, allowing him to nuzzle the tender flesh of her throat. "I know..." The End (I know this was a little on the emotionally gooey side, but I felt so pissed about their last scene together on the show that I had to do it...)