345A/N: So here we are, the final chapter! Here's where all of that yummy sexual tension is finally resolved. In keeping with the guidelines of this site, and because I know lots of you aren't fans of smut, this is the (relatively) clean version. If it's still getting a bit too much for you, you can skip to the last three or four paragraphs without losing any plot detail. However, I couldn't help myself from writing an NC-17 version too, which I'll post on another Spuffy fansite! If you'd like to read it, leave a review or message me and I'll let you know where to find it.
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Giles was barely inside his front door before Joyce was there, eyes wide.
'Oh thank God,' she breathed, looking past him for her daughter. 'Where's Buffy? Did something happen?'
'No, Buffy is fine, I assure you,' Giles said, taking Joyce's hands in his. 'It all went remarkably well, considering. Everyone survived, nobody was significantly hurt, and order has been restored once more.'
'So where is she?' Joyce demanded.
'She went back to your home,' Giles explained. 'She said she needed to sleep in her own bed tonight, in order to properly rest.'
'Then I should go too,' Joyce said. 'I'm her mother, she needs me.'
'She does,' Giles agreed, squeezing her hands to keep her from moving away. 'But she's quite safe in Spike's care and in all likelihood is fast asleep by now. Now, I'll take you over there first thing in the morning, but for now I believe you're best served by getting some rest yourself. This has all been quite an ordeal for you too, one way or another. You deserve some time to relax.'
'Relax?' Joyce repeated with a smile. 'You mean major brain surgery followed by my daughter's possession by an ancient hellgod doesn't count as relaxation?'
'I don't believe I've ever seen it in a spa brochure, no,' Giles smiled gently. 'You should get some sleep.'
'I don't know if I can,' Joyce admitted. 'I just feel so tightly wound, you know?'
'Perhaps I could make you a warm drink,' Giles offered. 'I always find chamomile tea very soothing.'
'Perhaps,' Joyce said, a glint in her eye. 'I can think of other relaxing things we could do.'
'Is that so?' Giles asked with a Ripper grin.
In reply, Joyce gently lifted his glasses from his face and ran her hands through his hair, ruffling it with her fingers. 'You're always so proper,' she said. 'Makes me want to mess you up.'
'Be my guest,' Giles said, swooping in to kiss her.
They sighed into the kiss, each finally realising how much they'd wanted this to happen. As they hurried up the stairs, breaking apart only long enough to remove a shirt or shoe before pressing together once more, they felt like giddy teenagers again. Only this time it wasn't a spell making them feel that way, just the joy of their bodies joining together and changing everything forever.
Spike helped Buffy up the porch steps, taking her house key from her fumbling fingers and sliding it into the lock.
'Too bright,' Buffy said, flinching away as he turned on the hall light.
'Right, sorry,' Spike said, flicking the switch again. He guided her up the stairs and through the cool, quiet house until they were in her room, moonlight slanting through the blinds.
'Thanks,' Buffy said, still clinging to his arm.
'Welcome,' Spike said, looking around and chuckling. 'Can't believe I was foiled on an almost weekly basis by someone who falls asleep looking at posters of New Kids on the bloody Block.'
'Hey, they were good,' Buffy protested, then smiled sleepily. 'When I was 12…'
'Alright kitten, time for a good long sleep,' Spike said, reluctantly prying her fingers from his sleeve and heading her towards the bed.
'Wait, I can't…help me get these boots off?' Buffy asked, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed. Her eyelids were drooping and she stifled a yawn.
Spike dropped to one knee and unzipped her boots, slipping them gently from her feet. 'There we go – now, clothes off and into beddy-bye.' He kissed her forehead and whispered, 'Night, Slayer.'
Buffy yawned, flopping onto her back. She fumbled at her fly for a moment before mewling, 'Spike, Tara's pants don't work. Help?'
With a suppressed groan, Spike turned back from the doorway. He leaned over her and unfastened her trousers, grumbling, 'Can't believe you're making me undress you now – you tryin' to torture me to death?'
'Whadya mean?' Buffy mumbled, eyes barely open.
'This,' he said meaningfully, sliding her pants over her smooth bare legs and trying not to peek. 'All look but no touch, when I know you're not wearing underwear, after the day we've had.'
'Oh,' Buffy said. 'Why no touch?'
'Because you're mostly asleep, and call me old-fashioned but I like my women conscious when I'm shagging 'em senseless. How else can they scream my name in ecstasy?' he finished with a cocky grin.
'Spike, c'mere,' Buffy said, gesturing him closer.
'What now?' he mock-groused, leaning over her.
Buffy's eyes snapped open and one hand grasped the back of his neck. 'I'm not actually feeling all that sleepy,' she grinned mischievously.
'You little tease,' Spike growled, smiling, letting her draw his face down and kiss him.
Buffy sighed as their lips met, turning to a groan of pleasure when his tongue slipped into her mouth. Spike crawled onto the bed, both of them moving up until they were in the centre.
'Sure you want this now?' he asked, pressing his lips to the soft column of her throat, wrestling his duster off.
'God, yes,' Buffy whimpered. 'If I have to wait another minute I might do something crazy.'
'Such as?' Spike asked, raising his head and cocking his scarred eyebrow at her.
'Such as,' Buffy said, ripping his shirt open and fastening her mouth to his nipple.
Spike threw his head back and groaned. 'You bad girl,' he panted. 'This is your Watcher's shirt, y'know.'
'Collateral damage,' Buffy murmured against his skin, biting gently.
'You make it sound like a battle,' Spike said, sliding his hands under her borrowed shirt to pull it over her head.
'With us, it kinda is,' she said, shivering in delight as his hands found her naked breasts and squeezed firmly.
'Perfect,' he sighed. 'Knew they would be. Wanted this for so long, Buffy…' he murmured, pressing open kisses down her throat, 'so bloody long…'
'Me too,' she admitted, scrabbling to unfasten his jeans. Once he was totally, gloriously naked she rolled them over so she was straddling him. He grasped her hips in his cool fingers and thrust upwards.
'Spike,' Buffy gasped, head dropping back. 'Yes…'
'You like that?' he asked her, voice rough, smile wicked.
'Really a lot,' she agreed, breath catching in her throat as they moved together. Her eyes squeezed shut, cheeks flushing deliciously. 'Spike,' she moaned. 'Oh…love this…love you…'
It almost undid him but he managed to hang onto his self-control with every last shred of his willpower. 'Love you too, Buffy,' he grunted.
With a shriek Buffy gave in to her orgasm, trembling with the force of it. 'Oh, God,' she moaned, slumping to his chest. 'That was incredible.'
'It really was,' he said, brushing her hair back from her face.
She looked up at him. 'But you didn't…you haven't…'
'All in good time,' he said. 'Haven't finished with you yet.'
Buffy moaned in anticipation, lust shooting through her again as he rolled her over and shuffled down the bed. 'You don't have to do that,' she breathed as he spread her knees open, desperately hoping he would.
'What if I want to?' he asked. 'What if I want to take my time over it, too? Think you can take it?'
'I can take anything you can dish,' she said, her competitive streak coming out to play.
'That right?' he grinned. 'I do like a challenge.' He took one long, slow lick that made her squirm and gasp.
'Yes,' she hissed, eyes closing in sheer carnal bliss. She sighed and cooed and moaned as his clever tongue worked its magic, bringing her to bliss remarkably quickly.
Spike crawled up the bed to lie beside her, holding her loosely as her breathing calmed and her heartbeat slowed.
'You are really, really good at that,' Buffy told him, pressing a kiss to his jaw.
Spike smirked. 'Glad you liked.'
'Liked?' Buffy repeated, laughing a little. 'More like loved.' Their eyes met, desire sparking once again.
'Ready to go again?' Spike asked, and Buffy nodded. 'Good,' he said, rolling on top of her and kissing her, hard and hungry as he claimed her body once more.
They both groaned at the sensation, Spike perilously close to the edge already after holding off for so long. He began rocking his hips and Buffy wiggled happily. They moved in perfect synchronicity, eyes locked to each other, until they crested the wave together and slid joyfully down the other side.
They collapsed to the bed, limbs entangled, chests heaving as he instinctively mirrored her breathlessness.
'Knew it would be good,' Buffy whispered.
'Was better than good,' Spike said, pressing soft kisses to her damp hair. 'Was bloody well life-changing.'
'Really was,' Buffy mumbled, already falling asleep.
Spike drew up the comforter over them both, revelling in the way Buffy snuggled up against him with the last of her energy. He knew that in the morning they'd have to have a serious talk about Ereshkigal's offer and what he was going to do about it. But for now, he was content to hold his warm, soft Slayer in his arms and watch her sleep.
THE END
A/N: Finally, I finished! [Does happy dance] Thanks so much for following my story to the bitter end, I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Your reviews and encouragement have really kept me going, and I appreciate each one of you more than my Britishness will allow me to say ;o)
I know this ending is pretty open, but I wanted to leave it to you to decide whether or not Spike takes up the offer to become human. If it turns out that lots of you want a resolution one way or the other then I may write an epilogue, but I liked the idea of letting each reader choose how they want things to end.
Also, the Elysian Fields Spuffy fan site is holding a special charity auction where successful bidders can request a Spuffy story written to their own specs. Lots of great writers are signing up to write, including myself (not that I'm saying I'm great, but you know what I mean...), and money raised is going to a really great cause. I'd recommend checking it out :o)