The weeks drifted by in a long haze of warm summer days spent happily ensconced in their cool basement apartment, and long evenings spent patrolling, dancing or hanging out with their friends.

Some nights they'd join Joyce and Dawn for a nice family dinner—dinners to which Giles was invited more and more often. Other nights Buffy would cook—which was something she was surprised to find she enjoyed, and wasn't half bad at when she wasn't trying to fight off Chumash vengeance spirits at the same time—or they'd grab a meal at the Bronze after patrol. Spike had always seemed to enjoy human food, and he took to regular meals with gusto, praising her on her culinary skills and making her blush 'prettily', as he put it.

~*~

Buffy ran, laughing, with Spike in pursuit. "Come on, vampire," she called over her shoulder. "Race you to the park."

"What do I get if I win?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'm sure you'll think of something."

"And if you win?" Spike asked.

"I'll think of something."

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Spike put on a burst of speed, closing the gap and drawing almost level with her. She flashed him a challenging grin, cutting across in front of him and easily jumping the small fence to short-cut across the grass to the little playground.

The air whooshed out of her lungs as she was tackled from behind. She laughed, rolling and twisting to come up on top, straddling Spike's chest as she pinned him to the grass. "I win."

"Not from where I'm sitting," Spike responded, inhaling deeply and dropping his gaze to leer hungrily at her thinly clad crotch. "'sides, not there yet, pet," he added, grinning as he grabbed her leg and flipped her away. Kipping quickly to his feet, he lunged for where the grass met the ring of soft sand, one hand outstretched to reach for his goal while the other snagged her ankle, tripping her as she rushed to beat him.

They came up laughing once more, each lying fully stretched on the grass with one hand buried in the sand.

"Tie," Buffy declared.

"That mean we both win?" Spike asked with a smirk.

"Always do," Buffy responded, scooting closer and capturing his lips with hers.

Buffy grinned as Spike rolled them once more, bringing her up to lay on top of him, one hand on her ass and the other tangling in her hair as he deepened the kiss.

She wriggled, humming happily against his lips when his erection settled between her legs. Grinding slowly against him, she allowed her hands to roam hungrily across his body, wrenching his t-shirt out from his waistband and sliding them under the soft cotton and up over his belly.

Spike moaned, his eyes closing and his head dropping back exposing his throat for her attention. Kissing and nibbling along his jaw and down his throat, she worked her way slowly but surely to the Adams apple that bobbed urgently as he swallowed hard.

The hand in her hair continued its rhythmic stroking, the one on her ass clutched tighter and he ground back up against her, sending thrills of pleasure singing through her. She continued to lick and nibble at his Adams apple before working her lips slowly lower to the soft hollow where his throat met his chest.

She reached for his hands, linking their fingers and bringing them up over his head as she leant forward to claim his lips once more in a scorching kiss.

"God, I love you," she murmured against his lips as they both gasped for breath.

"Love you, Buffy. Gonna show you just how much," he promised.

Buffy smiled, shaking her head and slid further down his body. Sitting up, she straddled his legs, ignoring his moan of protest at the loss of contact. She pulled the t-shirt over his head and continued the slow trail of kisses from his throat to the silky skin of his belly.

Grasping denim in her teeth, she tugged quickly, popping the fly and exposing his eagerly twitching cock for her attention.

"Fuck," he groaned as she slid her lips down his length and smiled around him before flicking her tongue lovingly against his sensitive flesh.

~*~

"Swings! Spike, push me?" she asked as he finished re-tucking his t-shirt.

He laughed, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her before replying, "Anything you want, love."

She ran to the swings, laughing giddily as he began to push.

"Higher," she demanded.

"As my lady commands," Spike replied mock-bowing.

He pushed her so high she felt like she could reach out and touch the stars. She leaned back, watching the stars twinkle dizzyingly like bright specks of dust against the dark velvet sky. It was all so beautiful. She'd never known she could be this happy. This is heaven, she thought with a smile, her hair trailing out behind her as she swung, the rush of air cool against her flushed cheeks and Spike's strong hands soaring her higher with each pass.

Suddenly, the swing was gone and she was falling.

Falling fast.

The wind that had felt so good as she swung now tore at her, grabbing and snatching, tossing her this way and that, hurtling her through the night.

Sharp, stinging pain brought tears to her eyes as she cried out for—someone. There was someone who should be there—was always there. Someone who loved her. Someone who—

Pain.

Her breath caught like fire in her lungs and she gasped, only to draw more burning agony into her. Why? she screamed silently.

Everything hurt and she was falling.

Losing.

Losing what?

Her mind tried desperately to reach for the answer.

Everything! it supplied and she gulped in more fiery air as she sobbed with loss.

More pain screamed through her, every nerve alive and tingling with agony as the falling stopped and the ground rushed to meet her with mind-shattering ferocity.

When she opened her eyes the darkness encompassed her, her lungs ached with need as she drew a ragged, pain-filled breath of stale, musty air.

Her mind screamed. Adrenaline shot through her, and she lashed out blindly. Her fist contacted with something hard, cracking it, and she continued to punch her way through, clawing and scrabbling her way up.

Up.

Back.

Back to—something.

Somewhere.

Wherever she'd fallen from.