Constraints of love.

AN: Wow. That's all I can say. I want to thank everyone who has read 'Edging Back In' and the rather rushed and risky 'Mad-Dog Theorems' - the start and prequel to the series respectively - and I want to especially thank my reviewers, who've been through thick and thin with the writing process. Special thanks to .-BITCH and drusillamalfoy, who pointed me in the right direction for this sequel! This is for you, guys! (And more thanks to L.M. Gray and youngandrestless who gave me masses of encouragement).

Also, I'm not so sure on the title - it might change!

Well....I'm now thanked out! Let's get rolling!

Giving Thanks for your woes.

"No."

Clenching my teeth in impatience, I sighed, "Please, Spike? You can't see my dad like-"

"Like bloody what?" He asked, glaring at me angrily, his own jaw tensing. God....he looks good-

I swung around from the mirror, my mascara in hand, waving the wand at him angrily, "Like a 'bloody' punk biker?"

His eyes pierced into mine, taking me in for a second before jamming me in between him and the sink, his hands clutching onto the edge of it, a smirk playing on his lips.

I had never seen him so close to vamping out, so angry over something before. It was scary. And a turn on. And he knew it.

"This 'bloody punk biker', it's pretty happy with what he has on right now. And he won't be puttin' on that pansy ass crap that Angel 'let me borrow'. So you'll just have to deal." Moving away, Spike's smirk grew more, his head cocked to the side, challenging me to compete with him further.

"He will if he wants a nice comfy bed to sleep on tonight."

Shaking his head in defeat, Spike sighed, "Fine. But it better be more than sleepin' tonight."

Running ahead of me to get into the car before he started to smoke, Spike lunged at the car door and threw himself inside the drivers seat with a sigh of relief.

Sighing, I rumbled through my purse for my chapstick, opening the car door and sitting down.

"Remember the days when you used to open the car door for me?" I joked, smiling at him lovingly.

"Yeah - sorry my burning's gettin' in the way."

Smirking, I shook my head gently, enjoying him grumbling.

It wasn't that I wanted him to be annoyed - I guess...every couple gets to that stage of their relationship where...they argue. All the time. Over the silliest of things like - him not brushing his teeth after drinking blood, or me putting his cigarettes in the bin. It's not like it's the end of the world - we stop talking to each other for an hour or so, and then someone caves in and flutters their eye lashes or raises that goddamned eye brow of his - and it's blown over. It's just the moving in syndrome. We need to get used to each other. All relationships go through it. Right?

Smiling, I placed my hand on his shoulder before he shoved the keys into the ignition of Angel's car, "Hey."

Shaking his head slightly, he shook his head, gripping his hands on the steering wheel a little tighter. I knew he was all wound up about meeting my dad - I could see his fingers itching to clutch at his leather duster and fire up a cancer stick. He wanted everything to go perfectly, he wanted to be able to smile and joke and laugh 'like a normal boyfriend'. Even though he hadn't told me any of this, I could sense it. It was in the way he tried to down play his accent. Or the way he sometimes tried to stop his swagger from showing. I guess it just annoyed him when he realised he couldn't change into this 'perfect guy' for daddy's little girl.

"What?"

"You look handsome. He'll love you."

A soft smile blemished his face for a split second before he smirked, "Who wouldn't?"

"I could write a list-"

"But?"

"But it would take a long time."

"Lies."

"Ready, pet?" Spike murmured, tapping his hands on the steering wheel nervously.

"No."

"She probably doesn't bite, you know."

"How do you know that?"

"Maddy - seriously. You're still angry that you dad-"

"Got stolen by some....blonde bimbo? Yes!"

"You've not even seen the woman before!"

"I don't need to! My mom told me all about her-"

"Will you stop being so bloody immature?"

"Immature?! I'm immature? This is rich, coming from the guy that didn't want to wear a God damn shirt because it belongs to his friend-"

"Angel is not my friend! We just...know each other! We're practically enemies!"

"Enemies that are on the same side?!"

"That's not the point! The point is, you can't be happy for your dad because you don't get why he left! He didn't love your mum anymore, Maddy! It - it just happens! Just....just be happy for him...and lets go!"

Grumbling, I opened the car door, slamming it behind me, "I hope you burn on the way up."