A/N : Hopefully everybody who is reading this will stick with this story, despite the fact the real Spuffy action might be a while coming...
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 4

Buffy smiled to herself as she got into her bed and settled down to sleep. It had been an eventful night one way or another, but it had ended better than she expected. The way Faith had told it, Buffy had quite expected her mother to be in crazy yelling mode when she arrived home, and whilst Joyce had been pretty loud when the blonde girl re-entered the house it was tears of joy and relief that were shed as she hugged her baby tight and scolded her only a little for worrying her as she had.

"Mom, I only went to Faith's place" she'd defended her actions, "and I am almost seventeen y'know"

"Buffy, my dear, we know you're eager to grow up and be an adult" Giles had sympathised, "but we worry about you a great deal, we only wish to keep you safe"
"And I am" Buffy smiled as she'd hugged her father next, "I promise, I would never put myself in danger"

It was really quite insane, the blonde realised as she thought about it. She put herself in apparent danger, according to her parents, and all they cared about was that she was safe. When Faith did things that were obviously dangerous she just got yelled at and punished. Buffy smiled to herself, it was kind of unfair, but she couldn't quite find it in her to feel really bad about the situation. She liked being Mom and Dad's favourite, and Faith seemed to kind of enjoy being the outcast trouble-maker, so it all worked out nicely.

Thoughts of her sister led Buffy to think of Spike. Mom and Dad would totally disapprove of Faith living with a guy like that, but they'd create a whole knew extreme form of freaking especially for her if Buffy were to bring home a boyfriend of that kind. All leather and bleached hair and Brit-punk attitude. As wrong as Buffy knew it was she did think he was pretty cool, and definitely sexy, but she'd never actually date a guy like him.

Parker was her type, or so she'd thought. He looked normal, cute even, and he was incredibly sweet. When he'd driven her home he'd made her feel special and important, especially since he was a Senior. Still, if what Spike and Faith said about the young Mr Abrams was true she should probably stay away from him.

Buffy yawned and glanced at the clock. It was way past eleven, gaining on midnight and whilst she felt as if she really should sleep her brain was not ready to relax. Thoughts of her sister, her sister's boyfriend, and the guy she thought might soon be her boyfriend swirled in her mind. She could date Parker if she wanted to, maybe his reputation was just rumours and he was actually a real nice guy. After all Spike probably had a reputation for badness too, and he seemed really sweet when he drove Buffy home tonight. Then there was Wes, the stereotypical geek who was in fact Spike's cousin and could apparently handle himself on a motorcycle. Appearances could be deceiving it seemed, and reputations could be faked. Life seemed to be getting decidedly grey lately, and not the simple black and white it had been when Buffy was younger.

All the complicated thoughts began to swirl together until sleep claimed the blonde, leaving only room for teenage dreams of hot celebrity guys sweeping her off her feet, and the school burning down so she didn't have to attend anymore.

"'Bout bloody time you rolled in" Spike said from the couch as Faith came crashing through the door, "Talk Illyria down off her pill bottle did you?" he checked, though in all honesty he didn't care much for Faith's friend with the blue streaked hair and superiority complex that only failed her everytime she got dumped, which was fairly regularly of late.

"Not funny, Spike" the brunette complained, putting her hand to her head as she flopped down next to him on the couch, "Man, that girl gives me a headache and then some. She needs a shrink or a serious kick in the ass" she explained, "Probably both"

"So find her a shrink that'll kick her ass, problem solved" Spike smirked and Faith playfully punched him in the shoulder as she laughed.

"Ain't you just the best comedian ever?" she said sarcastically, glancing at the TV to see what he'd been watching, "Geez Spike, for a badass you watch some lame shows" she said, dissing his beloved Passions re-runs and making Spike a little annoyed.

"Piss off, Lehane" he said a little nastily, "My apartment remember, watch what I bloody like in it"

"Ooh, cranky" Faith smiled, "Y'know it turns me on when you get mad" she said seductively into his ear, pressing her body up close to his.

Spike soon lost all interest in the TV as her hand travelled up his thigh and she started to kiss him. The soap opera was forgotten as their own passion took over and they moved to the bedroom, removing their clothing on the way.

"That's a damn unhappy face for a guy who just spent two hours doin' what we were doin'?" Faith mused as she lie next to Spike in their bed, "What's the matter, baby?"

"Nothin' much, luv" the bleached blond said absently, "I was just thinking about Buffy"

"Geez, Spike, way to make a woman feel good" Faith complained, "And you better not have been thinkin' about her when we were getting it on cos I swear to God, man, I will smack you down so hard, and not in a way you'd enjoy" she assured him.

This was not to be mistaken for a sex game, she meant what she said. If she thought for one second Spike had been thinking about her little sister in any kind of inappropriate ways she would rip his knee caps off in a second.

"Bloody hell, pet, what do you take me for!" Spike said, looking a little shocked that she'd even suggest such a thing, "Little bit's only sixteen, and I'm not into cradle robbing, you get me?" he told her firmly.

"Yeah, I know" Faith admitted with a sigh, "But if you weren't thinkin' that, what was on your mind?" she asked him.

"Just wondering if she was listening when we told her to steer clear of that bloody Abrams git" Spike explained, "I mean, she doesn't even know me, can't expect her to trust in my judgement, and at sixteen, well, teenagers don't exactly think with their heads at the best of times" he reminded her, knowing it had been all too true of him at least, "He might talk his way out of it, and she'll be victim number a hundred and whatever on his bleedin' list"

"Nah, B's smarter than that" Faith shook her head, "No way she'd go with a guy like him, or any guy for that matter. She's all into love and romantic fairytales and all that crap" she rolled her eyes and Spike looked over at her.

"None of that for you, eh pet?" he said, staring at her with his head tilted to one side.

"I'm older and wiser than she is" Faith reminded her lover, "I know the world don't work that way. What you and me got, it works right? And when it don't, we split, no strings" she shrugged as she shifted under the covers and settled down to sleep.

"Right" Spike said to himself, although he wasn't sure he absolutely agreed with what she said.

Of course he wasn't stupid enough to think he and Faith were going to end up married with two point four kids in a little rose covered home with a white picket fence. Like she said, life wasn't a fairytale and dreams of love, romance, and happiness rarely if ever came true. Best to get what you want and get out, that way no-one gets hurt. He knew that was Faith's philosophy and he'd adopted it as his own several years ago when he'd been burned himself. Before that he'd been very like Buffy, believing there was good in everyone and that happily ever afters were indeed possible.

Drusilla had changed his outlook so drastically. He'd been stunned when she returned his affections, and he'd had their whole lives together planned out by the time they'd had their third date. It was a few months later when he'd gone around to her apartment to surprise her with an engagement ring for her birthday. Though they were just seventeen years old, he'd believed they were forever. Drusilla, of course, had other ideas.

Spike, or William as he'd been then having yet to earn his reputation, had been panicked when he'd found the door to his girlfriends apartment left open. He refrained from calling her name as he went inside, wary that any attacker or burglar might still be present. He ventured into the living room and then through to the bedroom as he heard sounds from within. The sight that met his eyes burned itself into his retinas and to this day he still saw the scene in nightmares he never spoke of. His beloved Dru, the girl he'd planned to spend his life with, beneath her ex-boyfriend and seemingly having a wonderful time.

The worst part was she hadn't even tried to apologise. She thought it was perfectly reasonable and normal for her to be sleeping with both her current boyfriend and Angel, her ex. She convinced him it was normal, that nothing lasted forever and that what they'd had was great but if he couldn't handle her seeing other people too maybe it should be over.

William had gone off the rails terribly after that, and earned his nick name of Spike from some of the girls he'd used to make his reputation. He bleached his hair, retreated into black and leather clothing, and took up drinking and smoking to numb his pain.

Sometimes he thought he'd done pretty well, though none of his changes and attitude alterations were bothering Dru. He couldn't get back at her for hurting him, she didn't care enough to be bothered much by what he did or didn't do.

A long string of women had come to a brief halt when he met Faith. She was something else, he thought to himself as he lay awake in the dark and watched her sleep. She rarely looked as peaceful and angelic as she did right now, in fact he'd never seen her looking so... innocent, almost. It was the strangest thing but it was only now he saw the resemblance between Faith and Buffy. When the little blonde had introduced herself he could hardly believe what he was hearing, that she was his girlfriends half-sister. The similarity was more obvious now.

Perhaps Buffy was the more innocent version of Faith, perhaps once upon a time the older girl had been innocent too, though Spike had never been offered the full explanation of her turn for the worse and would never dream of asking unless she decided she wanted to share. Faith wasn't the sharing type so he doubted he'd ever know. They mostly stayed together for the sex and the fact they got along well enough as mates.

Spike's mind got stuck on thoughts of Buffy again and he wondered why. For the same reasons as he told Faith, he said to himself as he shifted down under the covers of the bed and closed his eyes to go to sleep. That bleedin' Parker Abrams was a slimeball that was for sure. Spike had his share of women, several mens' share of women if truth be told, but they always knew the deal with him. He slept with girls who knew the score, who were out to get the same thing he was, just fun and pleasure, no strings. He did not prey on innocent young things like Buffy Giles, pretend to be something he wasn't to seduce them and then break their hearts. That was a nastier version of what had happened to him and he would not let it happen to Faith's kid sister. He'd do whatever it took to see that didn't happen.

"Buffy" Parker called to her and she spun around to see him in the centre of the parking lot, breeze blowing through his hair, sun glinting off his perfectly white teeth, other girls all around turning green with envy as his eyes stayed fixed on her alone.

"Hey Parker" she called back dreamily as she watched him jump into his sports car and drive forward, pulling up beside her.

"Wanna ride?" he asked smoothly and the blonde barely had breath to answer.

"I... I'm not sure" she said, doubt in her mind after what her sister and Spike had said about the young Mr Abrams.

"Please, Buffy" Parker said, looking pained as he took hold of her hand in both of his, "I know I've done some bad things in my past, but... I'm so completely in love with you. I want to shower you with gifts, put you on a pedestal, marry you, and worship you forever"

"Oh Parker" Buffy sighed, hand over her heart as it hammered wildly in her chest.

"Please, Buffy" he continued to beg, "Let me drive you home. Let us begin a journey together that will never end"

"Okay" the blonde agreed, running around the back of the car and climbing in beside the man that adored her. They were both grinning as he started the engine and drove away into the sunset, rising music adding to the romantic mood...

"Good Morning, Sunnydale! It's 7 am, and this is Radio SunnyD, bringing you the best music to brighten up your morning..."

The crackling voice of the radio host woke Buffy with a start from her beautiful dream and she groaned as she turned over and attempted to hide her face beneath her pillow.

"Buffy! I hope you're getting out of bed!" Joyce called up the stairs, "Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes!"

Buffy sighed, pulling herself out to bed and stopping suddenly as her dream came back to her in glorious technicolor. She smiled in spite of herself. Parker was so charming and sweet, and not just in her dream either. Yesterday she'd felt so special when he brought her home in his car and kissed her hand like a gentleman.

Maybe what Faith and Spike had told her about him was wrong. It wasn't as if her sister and her latest freak of a boyfriend were world-renowned truth tellers, and even if Parker had done bad things in the past, he could be sorry. He might genuinely like Buffy, and she didn't want to throw that chance away over a few rumours that might not even be one hundred percent true.

By the time she was washed and dressed and heading down to breakfast she'd quite decided she would do as she pleased where Parker was concerned, she had no real reason not to be nice to him if he was nice to her. She was sure it would all end well.

To Be Continued...