Chapter 9 Dates and Realizations

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated recently. I've been grounded off of the computer, for some reason COMPLETLEY unknown to me, and for some stupid reason ff.net hasn't been letting me upload! Any ways, please r/r. I already have the next chapter done, and I'm gonna need reviews to post it. (OK, I lied; I'll post it either way, but please send reviews! They give me happies.) Enjoy!

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Buffy walked into her apartment later that night feeling as if she was on cloud nine. Spike had asked her to go out with him the next night, proclaiming that he wanted to see her right away.

Buffy picked up her phone and dialed Willow's number from memory.

"Hi, Willow here," a cheery voice said into the speakerphone.

"Wills? It's me, Buffy. Oh my god, we have to go shopping tomorrow. I need pretty clothes! Please, please, please-"

"OK, but what do you need new clothes for?" She asked.

"I've got a date tomorrow night with Spike." Buffy replied, sounding absolutely giddy at the prospect.

"Oh, then I guess pretty, new clothes would most definitely be in order."

"Absolutely," Buffy replied.

They talked for a little longer until Willow announced that they both needed sleep, and then they hung up.

Buffy slipped into her pajamas and was asleep no more than 5 seconds after hitting the pillow.

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With Willow's help, Buffy had picked out the perfect dress for her date that night. It was purple silk with spaghetti straps and a straight neckline, and a short flowy skirt that went down to just above her knees.

As Willow proclaimed, "Spike is so definitely going to flip!"

They then went back to Buffy's apartment, where Willow piled Buffy's hair up into a loose bun on top of her head, with loose curly tendril of hair framing her face.

Just as Buffy was applying her make-up, the doorbell rang.

"Oh God, he's early! Or wait, Willow what time is it? I'm late! Oh God, he's gonna hate me, 'cuz I'm so totally late! Willow, why didn't you tell me?"

Willow rolled her eyes at her frantic friend and walked out of the room and opened the front door.

"Hey Red, Buffy ready yet?" He asked.

Willow rolled her eyes again and said, "What do you think?"

Spike smirked. "Guess I'll take that as a no."

Willow smiled and said, "Why don't you go sit on the couch. She'll be ready in a minute." With that, she walked back to Buffy's room, and Spike sat down to wait.

"I keep having a problem with my eyeliner! Willow, help!" Buffy said to her friend as she walked into the room. Willow, noticing that Buffy was near hysterics, forced herself not to laugh at her distraught friend.

"Hush, sweetie, turn around." Buffy turned towards her and held out the eyeliner. After it was applied, they both decided that Buffy was ready to go.

"Have a great time, you two!" She yelled as they walked out the door.

"So where are we going?" Buffy asked Spike as he led her down to his old Desoto.

"I was thinking we could go down to that new Italian restaurant, Marianna's." He replied.

"Oh, awesome! I've always wan- Wait. You're a senior partner who can afford to go to one of the ritziest restaurants in town and you don't have the money to get a car that DOESN'T belong in a trash heap?"

"HEY! Go find some other car to rag on. This car is a classic!" He said.

"Fine. Just know that you will SO have to make up for carting me around in this dump if you ever want me to go out with you again." Spike opened up the car door.

"Right this way, m'lady."

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The date had gone off perfectly, and after 15 minutes of a "Good-night kiss," they had made arrangements to go out again another night.

Buffy was thinking about it as she walked into her office, where Giles was waiting.

"Hello, Buffy, how was your weekend?" He asked.

"Great! I had dinner at mom's house on Friday, went out with Spike on Saturday, partook and mucho vegging on Sunday, and asking me how my weekend went is NOT what you came here for, so just spit out whatever it is you wanted to tell, pretty please."

"Well, I thought that you should be the first to know, but BDA and this company are merging, and starting next Monday, Mr. Binks and Mr. Detherow-" "Spike," Buffy interjected.

"Yes, well, they will be coming back and forth between our building and theirs, and tomorrow they are coming over for a tour. Just so you are aware." Giles searched Buffy's face for any emotion, but found none.

"Yes, well, I believe I will be going now." He said, walking out of the room.

"Tata," She said with a trace of sarcasm.

As soon as he was out of the office, she walked calmly over to the phone and dialed Spike's office number.

"Detherow speaking," sounded over the phone.

"Spike," she began calmly, "Do you think that maybe you could've told me that our companies were merging? Did you think that I didn't have a RIGHT to that knowledge? DO I MEAN THAT LITTLE TO YOU?!"

"Buffy, pet, I wasn't allow-"

"BULL! What the heck were you thinking, I couldn't be TRUSTED?! No, wait, I don't want to know. GOODBYE!" She slammed the receiver down and promptly dropped into her chair to indulge in major pouting and fuming.

Preferably for the next 8 hours.

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A/N: OK, controllment issues will have to come later. For now, please R/R! Lots of love,

Andi