Title: Past Glory Author: Sandy Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Spike/Buffy Spoilers: S5 up to Tough Love, AU after that although elements of S6 will appear throughout the story. Disclaimer: Alas, not mine, I just borrow them occasionally Feedback: Gives me the warm fuzzies A/N: For the purposes of this story, the Knights of Byzamtium, although suspecting that the Slayer is protecting the Key are not aware that Dawn is the Key. I just want to add a note to thank everyone for all the wonderful feedback I've been getting on this story. I was very depressed after hearing about the cancellation of Angel and had decided to not even post it. You've really helped get me back into the swing of it. Thanks, everyone! And now on to our regularly scheduled chapter. Sandy Chapter 9 He stood outside the apartment door just long enough to light a cigarette. His plan to get over Buffy didn't seem to be working so well. He'd first thought that if he stayed away from her, acted as if he was no longer interested, she'd start chasing after him. That plan didn't seem to be bearing much fruit. Then when he'd decided tonight to actively try to get over her, to move on, he'd come face to face with the fact that he really wasn't ready to move on. Bugger. Pathetic. There really was no other word for it. The Big Bad mooning over a girl who was never going to admit to wanting him. And not just any girl but a Vampire Slayer, his mortal enemy. Just when the hell had William the Bloody turned back into William the Bloody Awful Poet, all soft and squishy and useless? Deep in his morose thoughts, he started walking towards his crypt. *** Buffy stuck it out at The Bronze for another hour trying her best to pretend she was having fun. She'd danced a few dances with the gang, had another Diet Coke and talked to some random guy who'd come up to the table with the intention of picking her up. Her obvious lack of interest eventually drove the guy off. When she couldn't stand it any longer, she made an excuse of wanting to make another sweep before heading home to bed and left the club. She tried not to think about Spike and the woman he'd left with. Unfortunately her brain wasn't obeying her orders to think about something – anything – else. As she walked down the street not really paying any attention to her surroundings, her mind's eye kept replaying the image of Spike leading the woman out of the club. Well apparently all his disclaimers of love for Buffy had been so much bull. When she hadn't fallen into his bed, he'd found some tramp that would. Well, fine then! If he was that much of a man whore that he had to pick up the first easy piece that looked his way then Buffy had been wise to stay away from him. And besides, he was an evil, soulless demon. Which he so proved tonight. Deep in her morose thoughts, she turned a corner and slammed right into someone coming from the opposite direction. Hands reached out to steady her and she looked up into surprised blue eyes. Knocking his hands away, Buffy stepped back and took a quick glance around. "Where's your new girlfriend?" she snapped. Shit! She hadn't meant to say that. Spike looked surprised and then a sly smile played about his lips. "Jealous, love?" "Don't be ridiculous. I'm just making sure you didn't hurt her." "Sure, Slayer. Well if you're concerned you needn't be. She's safe and warm all tucked up in her bed where I left her." Buffy felt her heart fall into her stomach. She'd been pretty sure that he'd planned to take the girl to bed when they'd left the club, but to hear it from his own lips made it all too painfully real. "If I find out anything's happened to her, Spike, you're dust," she snarled as she pushed past him. She hadn't gotten very far when he was there in front of her blocking her way. "Define anything, Slayer. Is shagging someone who isn't you a dustable offense?" "I don't want you to... to..." "Shag you?" "Yes." "Yes, you do want me to shag you?" "No! Damn it, Spike, you know exactly what I mean." She moved to go around him but he danced in front of her blocking her way again. "If you don't want me to shag you, then why are you so upset because you think I shagged someone else?" "Spike, just get away from me." "Answer my question, Buffy. Why are you so upset?" "I'm not upset. Now get away from me!" "Doing a good imitation of someone who's upset." Buffy stopped trying to get around him and closed her eyes in an attempt to regain control. "Look, Spike, I don't care what you do or who you do it to as long as it doesn't involve eating them." The look of amusement on Spike's face and raised eyebrow confused her for a moment until she silently replayed what she'd just said. Getting the unintentional double entendre, she blushed furiously. "You know what I meant, Spike," she ground out. "Yeah, I know," he sighed suddenly tired of the game. "Look, Slayer, if it makes you feel any better, the girl's alive and well and uneaten in any sense of the word." Buffy looked up at him in surprise. "You mean you didn't..." "No, I didn't. Wanted to. Couldn't." Buffy's heart started pounding in her chest and she felt just a little giddy. The anger faded from her eyes and was replaced with a more tender emotion. "Why?" she asked softly, unable to keep the question from coming out. Spike reached out a hand and gently caressed her face. "Do you really have to ask, Buffy? There's only one girl I want and she's standing right here." "Spike," Buffy whispered, her gaze locked with his. Responding to the warmth he saw in her eyes, Spike lowered his head and brushed a light kiss across her mouth. Buffy's lips parted automatically and Spike accepted the invitation. Claiming her mouth, he pulled her into his arms. Her arms slid around his neck and she pressed herself as tightly up against him as was humanly possible. Swinging her around, Spike pushed her up against the wall of the building. Buffy gave a little leap and wrapped her legs around his waist. The kisses were frenetic, lips and teeth and tongues meeting and parting, mouths grinding against each other. Spike was rocking his hips, rubbing his throbbing erection between her parted thighs. He was going insane with his need for her. "God, baby, please, please. I need you so much, Buffy. Please, love." Buffy tore her mouth free of his and lifted her head gasping for breath. His mouth immediately found her neck where he pressed hot, needy kisses against her skin all the while begging her to let him love her. She was incoherent with need, ready to take him right there on the sidewalk. It was the blare of a car horn and the raucous cries of "Get a room!" that snapped her out of her passion-fueled trance. Pushing Spike back, she lowered her legs to the sidewalk. "Spike, stop! Stop!" It took all her Slayer strength to push him away from her. Uncomprehending, he tried to take her back into his arms and she pushed him away again. "Spike, stop it! For god's sake we're right out in the open!" Shaking his head in an effort to clear it, he finally regained a semblance of control. Glancing around, he realized what Buffy was saying. Swallowing hard, he said, "Right then. What do you say we take this to my crypt?" "No." He started at her blankly for a moment. "No?" "No. Spike, I'm sorry. I-I can't..." "Don't! Don't you tell me you can't when you bloody well nearly did right here on the sodding sidewalk. You want me as much as I want you, Buffy, and it's time you stopped denying it." Buffy's head went up proudly. "I'm denying nothing, Spike. I already told you, what I want or don't want, feel or don't feel has nothing to do with it. It's about what's right. And being with you is not right." "And being a cocktease is?" he snarled. Buffy flushed, embarrassed and ashamed. "I didn't mean to-to tease you, Spike. What just happened was a mistake." "You seem to be making a habit of making mistakes with me, Buffy. You better be careful. You make too many mistakes and you'll fall off that marble pedestal you're perching on." Turning on his heel, he walked away from her. tbc...