Taking back the Slayer

	
	Spike shoved Buffy against a cold concrete pillar, attacking her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck and 
 attacked right back, biting at his lips. She had to pull away for air finally, panting, leaning against the stone at her 
 back. Spike ran kisses down her neck, detouring to toy with her ear. 	
	
	Buffy's arms drifted down, hands running down the line of his spine, coming to rest on his hips. She let her head 
 fall back, her eyes closed. She was tired.
	
	The Slaying had been heavy the last few nights - A sorceress attempting to gain power by sacrificing virgins - Dawn 
 had tipped them to that, when she connected the disappearances in her school to destructive magic around the 'Dale. Xander 
 had found a Krelnach demon holed up in the sewers under a construction site. That had been a hard one, and then of course, 
 there was the regular vamp slayage.
	
	Spike was purring inn her ear, nuzzling her neck. Turning her head, Buffy pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. Spike 
 pulled back, meeting her eyes, puzzled. Buffy looked back steadily, letting her weariness rise to the surface. She wanted 
 to be held. She wanted Spike to be tender. She wanted to be made love to.
	
	Spike studied her face. Her eyes held the sadness that had been there since her return, but the circles under her 
 eyes were new, as was the bruise on her cheekbone. He ran his fingers over it. "What's this, then?"
	
	Buffy sighed. "An acolyte with a large, brass-bound book."
	
	"Haven't you learned to duck?" he mocked, trying to get a retort.
	
	"I did duck. It was tripping over the sorcerer's severed hand and falling on a gravestone that got me."
	
	He cupped her cheek. "Shouldn't this be all gone by now?"
	
	She shrugged. "Giles thinks my Slayer healing abilities are still playing catch-up from dealing with my deadness."
		
	He scowled and looked her up and down. "When was the last time you ate, pet?"
	
	Buffy blinked at him.
	
	Spike sighed and grabbed her hand. "Come on, luv. The ravishing can wait."
	
	He hauled her down to a late-night coffee shop and forcibly sat her down, despite her protests. He put his finger 
 in her face. "You, sit here. Stay."
	
	"I don't obey orders, Spike," she snapped, slapping his hand aside.
	
	Spike smirked. "That's the Slayer I know."
	
	Buffy huffed and looked away. Sauntering over to the counter, Spike collected a bag of bagels complete with cream 
 cheese, and some sort of hot sandwich, a cup of soup, hot chocolate, and a plate of buffalo wings for himself. He walked 
 carefully back, juggling the stuff.
	
	Buffy's eyes grew round as he laid it all before her. "You know, Spike, a salad would do me just fine."
	
	"You need something more that rabbit food. If you keep on like this, I'll be able to kick your ass soon."
	
	She hooked her black-booted foot behind his knee and yanked, toppling him to the floor. A convenient chair followed 
 him down, landing with a satisfying smack on his head.
	
	As Spike lay cursing on the floor, Buffy pried the lid off the cream cheese and peered in. "Is this Lite?"
	

	She eventually finished the food, after Spike threatened to hold her down and force-feed her. She sneered that he 
 couldn't and he retorted that the crypt was private and came complete with chains...
	
	Buffy groaned as she snatched the last buffalo wing from Spike's plate. "I'd groan and say I can't believe I ate 
the whole thing...no, actually, I am going to say it."
	
	Spike smirked. "Leave it to me to fix you up. Isn't there anybody looking out for you besides me?"
	
	"Of course there is," she snapped. "I've got the whole gang, though admittedly, they're still on tenterhooks trying 
 to deal with 'oh wait she's not dead anymore.'"
	
	Spike crossed his arms on the table and leaned toward her. "No, pet, I don't mean the whole Slayer-bit, I mean 
 looking after you. Buffy Summers. Recently undeceased, skinny-assed, barely out of high-school you."
	
	"My ass is not skinny!" She paused. "Does that mean I think I'm fat?"