(4/5)
Spike had spent most of the day in the bedroom, only coming out to use the restroom or grab blood from the fridge. He didn't know if Xander had in fact gone to work or if Xander was just wandering around the neighborhood. But Spike did know that he didn't want to see Xander when he walked in the house.
So Spike spent most of the day in his room and as soon as the sun started setting he began planning his escape from the apartment. Spike figured that he'd have to just make a break past Xander and not stop even if Xander called out to him. But Xander didn't come home and as the sun set Spike grew more and more anxious.
Where was Xander? Did he go to work? Was he at Buffys'? Was he hurt, in trouble, did he need Spike's help? At six o'clock on the dot Spike began pacing the space from the door to the front room window. By eight o'clock Spike was debating with himself if he should go outside and look for Xander and chance missing him if he came home, or wait and kill Xander when he got home, assuming he was going to come home.
Spike had just decided to go out and search for Xander when the door opened.
"Well," Spike said loudly, "thank god! I was worried sick. You could call or something instead of letting the people that care about you sit and worry like-"
"I'm sorry Spike," Buffy said and stepped into the room shutting the door behind her. "I just had to get out of the house, clear my head. Sorry if they called and made you worry."
Spike nodded.
"They get so clingy sometimes, and all of those girls, and... I just needed to get some time away," Buffy said.
She took her jacket off and draped it over a chair in the kitchen. Spike looked at himself and shrugged off his leather duster as well. He threw it into Xander's room through the open door where it landed with a thud.
"Xander said you were over here alone and you probably needed company so I-"
"Xander said?"
"decided to come over and... sit with you."
"Xander. Said?" Spike said softly through gritted teeth.
"Yeah," Buffy said and sat down on a kitchen chair, "he's been over at the house all day. Working with Willow on the spell and what went wrong. They're getting closer I guess," Buffy said.
"That's... good, nice," Spike said.
He walked over to the couch and plopped down on it. Buffy watched him carefully.
"You seem... different," Buffy said. She got up and walked slowly over to Spike. "You and Xander."
"What?" Spike asked snapping his attention to Buffy. "What about me and Xander?"
"You seem... different," Buffy said and sat down on the couch next to Spike.
"Yeah?" Spike said and stared off into space again.
"Mmm hmm," Buffy nodded.
She scooted closer to Spike then reached over and ran her hand down his cheek. Spike snapped out of his reverie and looked at her aghast.
"What are you doing?" Spike asked.
"Changing my mind," Buffy said huskily.
"Changing your mind about what?" Spike asked and scooted away as Buffy moved closer to him.
"Us, silly," Buffy laughed. "About me and you and us."
"Us? Pet, there is no... us," Spike said. "You do remember that, right? Let me help you." Spike stood up and backed away from the couch as Buffy scooted closer and began pawing at him. "Spike," Spike said putting on a falsetto and imitating Buffy, "I can't do this anymore. I'm not in love with you; I'm using you. And it's killing me."
Buffy gave a small giggle and rose gracefully from the couch in one swift motion.
"I've changed my mind," Buffy said and began advancing on Spike.
"Look, Buffy-"
"Spike," Buffy panted.
"I, stop," Spike said and began batting away Buffy's hands. "I can't do this. Buffy stop!"
Buffy stopped and dropped her hands to her sides.
"See," Buffy said and took a step back, "different."
"What?" Spike asked.
Buffy sighed and walked back over to the couch.
"You're telling me that before this spell thing happened you wouldn't have gone for me if I came to you and did that?" Buffy asked.
"I... what?" Spike said.
"Xander's like this too," Buffy said sighing loudly.
"You came on to Xander?!" Spike exclaimed.
"What? No," Buffy said and scrunched her face in disgust. "No. He's just been zoning out and really inattentive."
"That sounds like Xander," Spike said.
"That's the thing," Buffy said and stood up, "it's not. At least not when it comes to helping in the supernatural department."
"Hmm," Spike said. "Anyway, do you think he'll be coming home tonight?"
"He's doing that too," Buffy said with a sigh and stood up.
"Doing what?"
"He's been talking about you, non-stop. It's all 'Spike this' and 'Spike that' it's really gotten annoying."
"Sp... what did he say, a-about me?"
"Ugh," Buffy sighed and walked over to the door grabbing her jacket on the way. "It's the same as he'd talk about you any other day. It's just more and every few seconds, and he gets this weird look in his eyes... kinda like the one you have now. Which just proves my point that instead of leaving you two together we should separate you."
"No," Spike said quickly, "no. I'll be good, promise."
Buffy gave him an irritated look.
"Spike," Buffy sighed but was cut off when the phone rang.
"I've got it," Spike said and walked over to the phone. "Harris residence," Spike overly enunciated into the phone. "Oh," Spike said and his face fell somber, "yeah she's here. Uh huh. I'll tell her. Are you... *sigh* good. See you then, bye."
Spike hung up the phone and gave a soft laugh.
"You are totally freaking me out," Buffy said.
"Huh? Oh, Willow thinks she found something on the first and she thinks you should return."
Buffy gave a curt nod, slipped on her jacket, and slipped out of the apartment. Spike looked around the apartment thinking he should tidy up but not knowing what exactly to do that would be considered tidying up.
Xander was coming home. Xander was done at the Summer's residence and was now on his way home, back to Spike, where Spike could look after him and protect him.
Spike looked around and decided that even if he did pick up Xander probably wouldn't appreciate him moving all of his stuff. A shower, Spike decided that he should take a shower. After all there was that saying: cleanliness is close to godliness.
Spike rushed off into the shower and took, what he hoped, was his sweet time. All he knew was that he was in there until he heard the front door open which to him felt like forever.
Spike jumped out of the shower and pulled on his pants on. He raced into the front room still buttoning up his pants and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Hey roomie," Willow said with a smile.
Willow, Xander, and about seven potentials were unpacking a tremendous amount of food and rolling out sleeping bags all over the floor.
"Wha... I thought you had something important to tell Buffy," Spike said shaking his finger at Willow and finishing the button on his pants.
"Dawnie is really the one who found it so I'll let her tell it, plus Giles is there so they don't really need me," Willow said.
"We got more potentials," Xander said gesturing around himself to the seven girls, all of whom were giggling and staring at Spike.
Spike rolled his eyes and pulled his black tee shirt over his heads and a few of the girls let out low moans of disapproval.
"Can I talk to you for a second?" Spike said and grabbed hold of Xander's arm.
Spike pulled Xander into his bedroom where there were sleeping bags spread all over his bed and shut the door behind them.
"Sure Spike," Xander said and wretched his arm free from Spike's grip.
"I'm not sleeping in here with all of these giggling girls," Spike said.
"No you're sleeping with me," Xander said and someone cleared their throat loudly on the other side of the door. "I mean you're sleeping in my room, on the floor, really, really far away from the bed."
Spike gave Xander a mischievous smile.
"You've been seeing it too, haven't you pet?" Spike said and took a step towards Xander.
"S-seeing what?" Xander asked.
"Me," Spike said and pointed to himself, "and you." Spike pointed at Xander. Xander backed up against the wall as Spike got closer. "Together," Spike said and pinned Xander to the wall with his body, "like this."
Spike leaned forward and kissed Xander softly on the lips.
"Xander?" Willow called through the door.
"Hmm?" Xander called deliriously as Spike pulled away.
"You're being an impolite host," Willow tittered.
"Wouldn't want that," Spike said with a small smile.
Spike walked over to the door, opened it, and looked back at Xander.
"Coming?" Spike asked.