Authors note: Okay so I realize it's been practically a century since I've updated and for that I apologize sincerely!!! However I am back (and better than ever) and I intend to keep this story going because it means too much for me to just give up and put it on hiatus!!! So I (along with my amazing and wonderful Beta chrisVIII who gave me some much needed criticism in order to keep me on track with the characters as they were in Joss' mind) present to you Where Do We Go From Here? Please enjoy!!!

Disclaimer: Ya know what??? I own it all *evil laughter* yeah that's right I own everything!!!! I own Joss even!!!! Be jealous be jealous!!! Wait hang on a second *answers phone* "Yeah? Oh…uh huh…I see…yes of course Mr. Whedon sir…I apologize…Buh bye…" Okay well according to Joss I don't own anything and if I continue to say so I'll be sued for every penny I have (and I don't have many) and left to rot in jail…so…I don't own anything…but I will!!!!! *EVIL LAUGHTER fades to faint coughing*

Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 7: Just A Little Static Electricity

It was his fault really. He figured a road trip would give her a break from her friends and problems, give her a chance to drive on the highway, and maybe even give them a chance to talk. He had really good intentions. Then again we all know where the road paved with good intentions leads to…

The cemetery was cool and the only noise around was the rustling of leaves. Buffy leaned against the car, waiting for Spike to show up. She was parked in the cemetery just as she had been instructed when he called. The phone call had been brief only giving minimal instructions and offering no explanation. They hadn't talked about what had happened the other night and Buffy was extremely grateful. She didn't know how to explain what had happened. It was quite obvious that she'd been so fearful for Spike's life, or unlife as the case may be, that she'd done the impossible and driven without killing twenty old ladies in the process. She didn't really know how to feel about that. Why had she cared so much? Why had she cared period? That was something that scared her. She didn't know. Buffy was constantly in control of her life and being with Spike, feeling whatever it was she felt for him, made her lose that control. That night was so out of character, especially hugging him, that was something she didn't know if she'd ever be able to explain, but God it had felt so right!

Buffy stood up straighter and scolded herself. Well it didn't change things! She couldn't just start hugging strange vampires off the street! Okay so Spike wasn't just some random vampire, he was her friend…sort of. Buffy sighed in exasperation. She didn't know what the hell was going on. It was truly amazing that the one person she could stand to be around was the one person that made her really long for the simplicity of Heaven. She sighed again. How ironic that Spike, the vampire she had accused of not being able to have emotions, was the one person who could make her feel some. 'Well that's a disturbing thought.' Buffy shook her head. 'Where's something to kill when ya need it?' Suddenly a vampire launched at her from behind a crypt. "Wow, God really does answer prayers huh?" she asked the vampire before punching him brutally, sending him flying. He growled her, "Slayer!" She rolled her eyes. "Who else would it be, Santa?"

Spike walked out of his crypt, stolen bag in hand. He smiled slightly to himself, quite proud of his ingenious plan. The Slayer was going to love him for this. He stopped in his tracks. 'Love him?' His smile faltered. That was never going to happen. Spike knew she cared for him, even if she didn't want to admit it. But he also knew that no matter how much he tried to deny it, he wasn't going to be able to win her love like he desperately wished. 'So then what's the point mate? If you know she's never going to give you that crumb?' Before Spike could think about it further he heard the sounds of fighting coming from the exact location he'd told the Slayer to park. He raced towards the sounds and stopped short at the sight of her. He watched her fight, her blonde hair flirting with the night air. Her gentle curls bouncing almost joyfully as she landed hit after hit. Her bright hazel eyes gleaming with a spark that he hadn't seen in a long time. Her heartbeat was pounding in his ears, a glorious sound that he could feel from head to toe, even in the practically empty cavity that held his long dead heart. He could feel his chest heave in time with her heartbeat. She was his heartbeat. Spike watched as she staked the vampire, his ashes swirling in the air. He shook the romantic thoughts from his head. 'Guess once a poet always a poet.' He reached out and touched her shoulder slightly.

Buffy felt a hand on her shoulder and she flipped the vampire quickly before jumping on top of him, stake poised above his heart. Spike barely flinched anymore. Buffy pulled the stake back quickly. "Bloody hell, we back to you tryin to kill me again Slayer? Or'd you just wanna be on top of my hot little body?" He raised an eyebrow and ran his tongue seductively along his teeth, leering. She laughed slightly before catching herself. "You're a pig Spike," but for once though the statement held a lot less disgust and a lot more humor. Spike smiled, surprised at the change. "Been called worse in my time. Sorry to startle you pet." She rolled her eyes. "You didn't startle me! I'm the Slayer, I don't get startled! I have anti-startle senses!" Spike grinned up at her, amused by her ramblings. "Oh so you meant for us to end up in this position eh love? Can't say I'm surprised but…" She shook her head and got up, much slower than it would have usually taken; freaking out a little bit by how much force it took to make her body move from its position of straddling Spike's lean body. She was surprised at how much muscle was actually on his form, like a big cat or something else completely predatory. He was lean and every inch of him screamed strength. Well right now every inch of him was screaming something else but Buffy chose to ignore that thought and took a little step back.

Spike breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she was off of him. He really didn't know how much longer he could have controlled himself. He was grinding his teeth and trying to recite some of Shakespeare's sonnets in order to keep his arousal from showing too obviously. God this was just too bloody much. He moved to get up when a small hand appeared before his eyes. He looked up to see Buffy looking down at him; hand outstretched as if it were the most normal occurrence in the world. Then again, Spike really didn't know what was normal anymore. Nothing that was happening between them these days was normal. But Spike definitely wasn't going to be the one to complain. He reached up and grasped her hand as she pulled him up. Her tiny hand was almost completely enveloped by his. Spike could feel the heat from her hand coursing through his own veins, sending electric sparks through his blood making him sizzle. He tried to play off how completely awed he was that this girl, this little wisp of a thing, could make him feel things that no one, not even his own sire Drusilla, had made him feel. Spike felt Buffy yank her hand away and wondered why reality always had to come back and slam the door in this face just when he thought he was getting somewhere. He was glad he had gotten his footing before she had let go because he figured she would have let him fall on his arse.

He instantly regretted moving when he felt his injuries, which for some reason had yet to heal, rip open and send a searing pain throughout his entire body. He hissed his pain and pressed his hand against the wounds forcefully to stop whatever bleeding had begun. Buffy looked at him, still a bit dazed from all the…she shook her head, as though to shake the thoughts away. 'Static electricity Buffy, that's all it was. Don't go making something out of this freak show of a situation!' "Did you open those wounds again?" Spike clenched his jaw at how condescending her tone was. "Nope, no need to worry about Ol' Spike here. You know we Big Bads heal pretty fast Slayer!" She rolled her eyes. "You are so full of it. And you know you're totally telling me what happened on this trip." Spike flashed his cocky smirk and Buffy had to smile at the sight of it. "Gonna make me Slayer? Punish me till I talk?" She rolled her eyes again. "Dream on Spike." He stepped a bit closer, gazing down into her eyes, his seemingly endless blue ones sucking her in. "Always." She blinked a few times and looked away, finding the pavement extremely interesting.

"So, where are we going anyway?" Spike smirked, glad as always that he could get a reaction out of her, which is a lot more than most of those bloody Scoobies could say! He rummaged around in the bag that he'd brought with him and then pulled out his prize a large map of California. "Wherever the hell you want pet! Well, within state limits of course. Can't exactly take an unlicensed driver on the interstate; just the highway for you ducks." Buffy looked up at him her eyebrows crinkled together in a look that always stopped Spike's heart, metaphorically speaking of course. It was almost childlike in innocence and yet held something underneath that had Spike shifting slightly. "Isn't it just as illegal for me to drive on the highway as it is on the interstate? I mean sure I wasn't exactly awake for that part of the lesson but I'm pretty sure that's how this works." Spike smirked slightly but didn't answer the question. "So where'll it be love? San Fran? Sacramento? Anywhere you want." Buffy thought about the question, turning it over in her head. Something about this rang bells in her head. "I was supposed to do something." She thought hard, the memory hazy, barely there, but she could feel it. A promise. "What were you 'sposed to do? Slayer? Buffy?" She shook her head, thinking. "I don't…" she trailed off as the memory flashed brightly before her eyes. She could see herself nodding up to another woman. Her hair was dark, shoulder length; her eyes were startlingly familiar and full to the brim with tears. A promise. The promise. "L.A. I need to go to L.A."

Authors Note: Don't hate me for the cliffy….it's coming I promise!!! Ooh speaking of promises…any guesses??? Any guesses to who the woman is??? The first person with a right answer will get a prize!!! Well not a physical one but I will fulfill one wish from the person with the right answer!!! SO HAVE AT IT!!!! Hehe…