*Chapter Seven: Sunday Afternoon*

Luckily for me this day on our trip was saved for personal study whereas most of the other days in Paris were predominately organised, structured trips. Even though this was the case, we still had to report to Mr Giles before we left so he could make sure we were actually studying and not playing hooky. In addition to letting him know where we were going we had to see him so he could give us our assignment for the day.

Today we had to study architecture, I decided to tag along with Willow and Oz and we jointly decided that we would head to the Arc de Triomphe. I was really excited about visiting the landmark, as it was somewhere I really wanted to go to since I learnt we were going to Paris. I wasn't too keen on going anywhere on my own and I really wanted to avoid Faith and Spike, I wasn't in the mood for another full-blown argument with either of them.

Once I had let my massive breakfast digest, we collected our assignments from Giles and I quickly made my way up to my room to collect my camera and my sketchbook. I was hoping to avoid Faith as I wasn't exactly ready for round two and frankly really didn't know why it got so heated in the first place. I still wasn't sure why I let talking about Spike affect me so much.

Unfortunately for me the object of my thoughts was standing in our hallway looking very worse for wear, which made me smile. Then I felt bad once I saw the pain in his eyes, which was something I definitely couldn't put my finger on.

"Spike." I said coldly, trying to walk past him, which proved quite difficult as he was stood right in the middle of the hallway.

"Buffy, wait," He said in an almost pained tone, grabbing hold of my arm as I tried to walk past him. The tone in his voice made me stop instantly and look straight at him. "I wanted to apologise for yesterday … you know for what I said to you when you got off the phone to Angel, it was stupid and I didn't mean to upset you."

I was so taken aback and completely lost for words, the last thing I expected was for him to apologise. Spike wasn't one for apologies but the sincerity in his voice was unmistakeable, all I could do was stare back at him. We just continued to hold each other's gaze, lost in our own little world.

Once I found my voice again, I still struggled to express what I wanted to say. Again in his eyes, I saw something I didn't want to admit to, that I couldn't believe, but it filled me with confidence none the less.

"Spike I …"

At that moment, Faith chose to make her exit from our room and break the moment.

"Hey Guys. What's up?" She asked looking between us, clearly noticing that neither of us could look the other in the eye.

"I just come up to get my stuff." I mumbled rushing past Faith into our room, slamming the door shut behind me. This seemed to break Spike out of his daze.

"Did I just interrupt something?" Faith asked. Spike said nothing and after that, the only sound that could be heard was the slamming of his door. "What is up with everyone today?" Faith shouted into the empty corridor, making her way to the elevator.

It took me a while to calm myself down; however once I got it together, I grabbed my stuff and headed down to the lobby to meet Willow and Oz.

We took the metro to The Arc de Triomphe, which is located at the western end of the Champs-Elysées and spent a good two hours there taking pictures and making sketches of the sculptured sides and the magnificent arch itself. When we were done we took the metro back to our hotel, meeting everyone in the canteen for lunch. We used the rest of the afternoon to write up notes of our day and to relax.

That night we all decided to make a night of it, seeming as it was our first proper night in Paris. After all the guys in our group had discovered that we were in the Montmartre district they booked us a table at the Moulin Rouge for a champagne dinner and to watch the full cancan show.

I looked around as we entered the building and was glad to see that the Moulin Rouge was just as distinctive and gaudy as I imagined it would be. As we sat down for dinner and I felt someone tap me on the shoulder.

"B can I have a word?" I turned to see a sheepish looking Faith stood behind my chair wringing her hands.

"Sure. I'll be back in a minute guy's." I announced to the rest of the table, Oz nodded in my direction to acknowledge that he had heard me. We walked over to a quieter corner, over near the toilets, where there wasn't as much going on.

"What's up?" I said crossing my arms over my chest.

"Look I'm sorry B; I don't want to fight with you. You're my best friend and I hate to say it, I've missed you today, Spike hasn't exactly been the easiest person to spend a day with."

"I'm sorry too, I don't know why I got so angry at you this morning, I should have apologised sooner. I guess I was just being stubborn," Faith snorted at this, it was definitely what she was thinking "But I want you to know something … Your right." I said quietly.

"About what?" Faith said genuinely confused.

"I'm not happy, I haven't been happy for a long time. I'm not in love with Angel, I never have been." I said taking a deep breath when I was finished talking, it felt so good to get it off my chest.

"I'm not going to say I knew it or anything like that, even though I did," I smiled at that, my Faith never changes "But I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you ever need to talk, I promise I won't judge you, ever." I hugged her fiercely.

"You want to go back?"

"Sure." I said smiling back at her. Arm in arm we walked back to the group. I made to sit back down at my place at the table. However I changed my mind when I saw a lone figure stood at the bar, so I excused myself and made my way over to him.

"Hey you." I said leaning my back to the bar so I could face him "Decided to join us after all?"

"Yea, better than sitting alone in my hotel room and all." Spike said giving me a genuine smile.

"Planning on drinking yourself into another stupor?" he glared at me "I was kidding." I said putting my hands up in defence.

"You heard about that then?" he said taking a swig on his beer.

"Oh yea, big time, got a big earful about it from Faith."

"You did?" he said with a frown.

"Yea, she thinks it had something to do with me." I said turning around to face the bar, trying to get the attention of the bartender, failing miserably.

"Oh, why would she think that?" he said turning to face me.

"Coz you kept saying my name over and over again." I said unable to look him in the eye.

"Oh." it was his turn to look uncomfortable.

I suddenly thought it was time to change the subject. "I didn't get chance to thank you earlier," at his confused look I elaborated "You know for apologising to me -"

"No problem Summers." he said giving me a knee weakening smile "You want a drink?" he said turning to face the bar.

"Sure" I said smiling up at him.