Summary: Spike is Buffy's swimming coach. He has been hateful to her since day one, a fact that hurts her because she is in love with him. Little does she know that his behaviour only serves to hide his own feelings. Tragic circumstances bring them closer together.
The whole team found the rest of Sunday fairly boring. They had to attend the obligatory medal giving at the same stadium with everyone else who had participated the previous day which went on for at least three hours. Buffy’s hands were red and sore by the end after such prolonged clapping. The oppressing heat that pervaded the swimming arena made everybody sleepy and limp so that they were glad to finally climb aboard the bus for the journey home. Spike told Buffy to remain at the front as he gathered everyone’s attention.
“Everybody! Oy, you lot! Listen up, we’ve got some important news.”
Spike waited until everyone was quiet before going on.
“Miss Summers here is no longer a team mate. From now on she’s my Assistant Coach, which is especially important if I’m sick ’cos she’ll be the one taking you. So, lets welcome her to the position!” Everybody cheered and stomped their feet on the ground. Buffy winced when she heard Harmony’s whiny voice speak up.
“Oh come on coach! We all know you’re only doing this ’cos you’re screwing her!”
Spike turned furious eyes on her in the absolute silence that had occurred. “Miss Kendall. I seriously hope I didn’t just hear you say that about your new Assistant Coach.”
“She wasn’t my coach last night when she slept with you! God, Riley only just dumped her. What, is she going through the whole team or something?”
Buffy glared at Riley who had the decency to look ashamed of his lie.
“Miss Kendall! If I hear one more unproven, derogatory comment out of your mouth about Miss Summers or anyone else, you’re off this team. Do you understand me? I’m not joking in the slightest.”
Harmony pouted, hurt. “Fine,” she grumbled, “but you’ll all see.”
Spike sat next to Buffy in the front two seats of the bus, now an acceptable position considering they had a lot of things to discuss with regards to her new position. Knowing he couldn’t be seen, he intertwined his fingers with hers between their bodies, stroking the back of her hand and smiling at her soft sigh of pleasure.
***
The bus had dropped everyone back at the Sunnydale swimming pool where most people had parked their cars. Spike waited around with the ones who were getting lifts, and eventually turned to Buffy after everyone had left. He took her in his arms so that he was nestled against his chest and stroked her golden hair, placing gentle kisses on the crown of her head.
“God Buffy. I haven’t been able to touch you properly for hours and it was driving me insane. I think I might have a problem.”
Buffy giggled into his torso. “Well, if you have a problem then I do too ’cos by the end of that bus trip I was beginning to not care if everyone saw me maul you. I was that close, you know?”
He sighed. “Yeah. So, its too late to visit your mum. We can do that tomorrow morning and you can show off all your pretty medals. But uh, for tonight, would you like to sleep over at my place?”
Buffy smiled to herself, remembering the mission she’d set for herself to be invited over. She was still slightly concerned about his living area – would it be a dump? Maybe even a dirty, messy dump? Because, lets face it, he’s a guy. And guys aren’t known for their fabulous housekeeping skills. But she was going to have to see it sooner or later. Especially if she wanted to imagine what their house would look like one day – if they ever got one, that is. No one was even suggesting it. Or even thinking it. Out loud. But hey, a girl’s allowed to dream.
***
Someone had lied to her. The television had lied to her. Books had lied to her. Spike’s house wasn’t even close to a dirty, messy dump like every bachelor’s place was supposed to be. Hell, it was better than her own house. A great deal bigger, to start off with. And inside it was all clean lines, modern furniture scattered sparsely and open spaces. Maybe he was a bit of a minimalist?
Buffy turned to him as they stood in the giant, stainless steel kitchen. “Spike, do you have another job? You know, like when I’m at uni during the day, are you out doing brain surgery? Or playing the stock market? Perhaps defending people in court?”
He looked bemused at her questions. “Uh, not quite sweetheart. You know me. Bit of a bum, really.”
She shook her head. “Bums don’t live like this. Hell, most people don’t live like this. And the hotel, the dress, the shoes. Who are you?”
“Buffy, it really isn’t what you think. Although knowing your crazy mind God knows what you’re thinking. I don’t sell drugs, I’m not in the mafia. Uh, actually I wish I didn’t have all this.”
“Why? I’d kill for this.”
He raised pained eyes. “Yeah. I have all this because my parents were killed.”
Buffy almost swallowed her tongue, in between kicking herself violently. “Spike, oh Jesus, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it.” She took his hand and led him to the spotless white couch in the living room, wanting to be there for him as he always was for her.
“Tell me, please?”
He swallowed and looked down. “It was three years ago. A year before I started coaching. My parents, Rupert and Jenny, they…they were really in love. And as you can see, very wealthy. I was an only child, so when they were run off the road late one night everything they owned went to me. I took a year to just get myself back to normal, you know, just try and live again? I wasn’t really prepared to start a career or anything so I started coaching. And you know the rest, sweetheart.”
She placed a palm against his cheek and leaned in to gently kiss him. “Spike, I’m so terribly sorry. I can’t even imagine, God, if I were to lose my mom I don’t think I could deal. You’re so strong.”
“I think it helps me understand a bit what you’re going through with your mum, pet. The emotions of it all. I’ll be with you the whole way, Buffy. Don’t ever doubt that.”
Buffy looked around at the high ceiling and large walls of the room they were in. “Doesn’t it get lonely living here by yourself, Spike?”
He nodded. “You have no idea just how much, pet. God, those two years before I really found you… they were just so empty. Like this house. But uh,” he glanced sideways at her, “I’m hoping I won’t have to live here by myself too much longer.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Spike?”
He grabbed her hand. “I don’t want to rush you, kitten, and believe me I understand that things with your mum are a bit difficult. But you’re an adult now, and I couldn’t think of anything I want more than for you to move in with me. Being able to hold you every night, seeing your personality shine through in the rooms…God pet, it’d be like a dream come true.”
Buffy paused for a moment, then looked up at him. “Me too, Spike. I couldn’t think of anything better. How about we say, I’ll live at home until mom gets back and she’s been there for a while, just so we can monitor things. Then once everything calms down, I’ll move in.”
He pulled her quickly to him in a hug, dotting kisses all over her face until she squealed and tried to escape. Finally they calmed down and Spike picked Buffy up, heading for the bedroom.
Almost two hours later, Buffy sighed to herself as she watched over Spike in his sleep. They’d made love slowly and deeply in his large bed, Spike whispering tender words of adoration and devotion in her ear as he moved inside her, Buffy reverentially sobbing his name when she came. No more words had been needed as they curled up into eachother, looking forward to the day when they would both call this place home.
***
Buffy ran to her mom’s bedside and engulfed her in a hug. “Mom! I missed you so much!”
“Oh Buffy, I missed you too sweetheart. Spike told me about your races, I knew you’d make me so proud. You’re a champion, honey.”
Buffy smiled and gestured for Spike to take a seat in the one next to hers.
Joyce took in their glowing faces and relaxed body language. She smirked. “So, the trip to LA was…enjoyable, then?”
Spike blushed slightly and drawled, “Well, we certainly had some ups and downs. But it all turned out amazingly well in the end. Our Buffy here is the teams new Assistant Coach.”
“Honey, how fantastic! You’ll finally be able to boss people around just like I know you’ve wanted to your whole life.” Joyce laughed.
Buffy tried to look affronted. “Mom! I’m not bossy…well, not too much. Am I Spike?” Her look dared him to oppose her.
“No sweetheart, not at all. Of course you’re not. Cross my heart.” He smirked at the look on her face.
Joyce looked at the two of them and could feel the love radiating off of them. She was so glad Buffy had found someone she could trust with her heart.
“Actually Buffy, I got some fantastic news yesterday afternoon. The doctors are letting me go home tomorrow.”
“Mom, that’s great! Have they found out what’s wrong?”
“Not exactly. All the brain scans came up negative for any growths or tumors. None of the blood or bone marrow tests showed anything. They say it’s a positive sign that I haven’t fainted in at least a fortnight. I have been given some medication to keep my blood pressure down though, and I have to come in for regular check ups. But apart from that, I’m free to go. They just wanted to keep me in here for so long to watch for anymore symptoms that might alert them to what was wrong, but I’m feeling completely fine now.”
“I’m so glad, mom. I can’t wait to have you home.” Buffy was beaming at Joyce.
“And I’ll be here tomorrow to drive you two lovely ladies home,” Spike declared. Buffy squeezed his hand in appreciation.
Walking out to the car park later on, Buffy glanced at Spike.
“Its all coming together, Spike.”
“What is, pet?”
“My life.”
***
*Six Months later*
“Spike!” Buffy squealed as he tackled her to the couch, nuzzling her neck whilst pinning her arms down.
“Spike stop it! We have to get to practice! Come on, we’re gonna be late.”
He pouted up at her. “Don’t wanna.” Licking the line of her neck up to the sensitive spot behind her ear, he smirked when she shivered.
“You’re not – oooh – you’re not gonna distract me like that. They’re depending on you, baby.”
He rolled his eyes. “If I have to watch Harmony make bloody googly eyes at Finn one more time, I swear…”
Buffy giggled. “Honey, you’ve got it all wrong. Those are her normal eyes.”
He chuckled. “Well, that money I gave him in LA paid off, huh? Jesus, I only told him to keep her till after midnight. I didn’t say anything about six months. Poor guy.”
“Poor guy? Can you imagine putting up with her as a girlfriend?”
Spike sat up, pulling her onto his lap and winding his arms around her waist. “Guess you’re right. I suppose that if you can’t tell who you feel more sorry for in a relationship, it must be a perfect match.” He went back to nibbling on her earlobe.
“Hmmm, yeah…oooh, there…Spike! Stop it! Now listen, I spoke to Mom this morning and she’s definitely coming over for dinner tonight, can’t wait apparently. She says she’s jealous that I found someone who puts Martha Stewart to shame.”
Spike pulled back incredulously. “You didn’t! You did not just compare me to Martha bloody Stewart!”
Buffy laughed and smacked a kiss on his lips open in indignation. “No honey, there’s no competition. Although, I didn’t bother to inform her that it wasn’t exactly your skill in the kitchen that first drew me to you…” She trailed off seductively and traced his lips with her finger.
He bit down gently on the tip of it. “Oh I don’t know sweetheart, I seem to remember a particularly…pleasing…encounter in the kitchen just last week.”
Buffy blushed, remembering the way he’d taken her over the kitchen bench and then again on the kitchen floor. She’d been scrubbing surfaces for a long time after.
Feeling his hands creep up under her top, she jumped up and straightened her clothes. “Right. We’re off.” He didn’t budge. “ Now, Spike. Responsibilities and all that.”
He got up, still pouting and grumbled, “Fine, but as soon as your mum’s gone tonight you’re making it up to me in three different rooms of the house.”
Buffy really didn’t have a problem with that. She grabbed his hand as they left their house, smiling down at the diamond ring glinting on her finger. Yep, her life had definitely come together.
******** A/N - Woo hoo! Finished. I'm not sure if that was a bit rushed and I hadn't expected to finish on this chapter, but I need it out of my brain! Thanks for reading