A/N: I have had some comments mentioning action between Angel and Buffy. However, I have earlier mentioned that this story is most likely going to be purely Buffy/Spike, even though I prefer Angel/Buffy, I just think it works better for this story with Spike. I'm not guarenteeing that I won't change my mind later, but for now, it's going to be Spike and Buffy. I also got a comment, recommending a fight between Snape and Angel. I have to agree that'd be awesome! So, I'll try to work that into the story soon. Please continue to review and let me know what else you'd like to see happen in the upcoming chapters! Thanks for all the support!

"Stop it, I'm not going to dance with you!" Buffy hissed. "Go away."

"Come on Slayer, you know you want to. I can see it in your face when you look at me." Spike growled. He continued to move towards her, randomly putting his beer bottle up to his mouth to take a drink. He had been in a strange mood all day and in the Valentine's atmosphere, he just couldn't deny his desire to be near to his ex-lover.

"Spike, you're drunk." Buffy scrunched up her nose. "Please leave me alone." She tried to move further away from him. She couldn't entirely deny her own secret desire to dance with him, but her overwhelming self-pride refused to let her give into his pleas.

"Fine. Have it your way Slayer. But I know what you're really thinking inside that stubborn little blonde brain of yours…" He snarled in her face before turning and striding away with his dark duster flowing behind him like a shadow.

Buffy watched him leave with a deep and slightly grateful (and yet slightly disappointed) sigh. What's my problem? Buffy complained to herself as she stood alone in the corner of the banquet hall, watching all the happy couples waltzing around the magical music and wishing that she wasn't so alone. I'm so over Spike! Why do I care what he's doing right now. It's Valentines. I shouldn't be worrying about irritating ex-boyfriends! She spotted Tara and Willow standing close to each other at the opposite end of the room where they were supposed to be supervising the buffet table, but they had gotten a little preoccupied staring deep into each others' eyes. She wanted to join them so she wasn't standing all by herself but she felt a little guilty intruding on their private time. At the other side of the room, Fred was standing near the door with Charles Gunn's arms wrapped securely around her waist. God, why does everyone have to be so sickly in love!

"Professor Summers," A low, cold voice spoke from just behind Buffy's ear and she almost screamed in surprise. She couldn't believe that anybody had been able to sneak up on her.

"Professor Snape!" Buffy replied, turning around sharply to spy the intruder. "Hi!" She moved a couple of steps away, a little uncomfortable about his looming presence over her shoulder. "What're you doing?"

Professor Snape stared at her with his dark, unblinking eyes, which only made her feel more uncomfortable. "Enjoying yourself, Professor?" He asked in the same expressionless cold tone.

"Umm, sure, it's a party." Buffy stated with a sarcastic shrug. "Are you enjoying yourself?" She returned the question, not quite sure what else to say.

"I find very little enjoyment from being forced to attend a party for the juvenile delinquents that inhabit this school." He growled.

"Oh, right, well then why're you here?" Buffy raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Obviously it is a requirement for me to be here!" Snape's voice raised slightly in his frustration.

"Right, of course," Buffy turned away from him, hoping he would leave if she ignored him long enough. But he didn't seem to have any intention of leaving her alone. "I'm sorry, do you want something Professor? Because this whole hovering thing is sort of, umm, well it's making me a little uncomfortable."

"You were all alone, I didn't think you would mind the company." Snape retorted. Buffy could feel his cold eyes boring into the back of her head.

"Just because I don't have someone goggling at me and stuck to my side adoringly it doesn't mean that I'm alone!" Buffy insisted.

"Really? Because you look quite alone to me!" Snape informed her.

Wow, I didn't think it was possible for three of the world's most annoying men to be under the same roof, all determined to bother me. I'm not sure who's worst at the moment. I thought it was Spike, but now I'm thinking Snape! "Do you want something?" Buffy asked again, determined to be polite.

"No."

"Okay…then, umm, I think I'm going to go talk to my friends." Buffy glanced at him briefly and noticed that his expression seemed to have tweaked just a little as she started walking away from him. She ignored whatever his expression might have conveyed and made a quick beeline towards Willow and Tara, not caring about what she might be interrupting anymore. "Oh my gosh, please you have to save me!" Buffy begged her friends. "If I am cornered by Snape again I think I'll go crazy! He's so much worse then Spike with the whole hovering and stalking thing. It's really kind of creepy!"

"Snape is just a creepy person!" Willow agreed, easily welcoming Buffy into the conversation she was sharing with her girlfriend. "What was he talking to you about?"

"He wasn't really talking. He just sort of stood there, bugging me!" Buffy scrunched up her nose as she glanced back to where Snape was still lurking, casting judgmental glares around at all the students who were enjoying themselves. "He's so weird!"

"I saw Spike talking to you earlier…" Tara spoke up softly. "Was he bothering you?"

Buffy shook her head quickly to reassure her friends. "No, he was just talking to me. He wasn't bothering me." Willow and Tara looked unconvinced. "Seriously, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself you know! Spike's not going to screw with me!"

"Just make sure he doesn't screw you either." Willow reminded Buffy with a sly grin.

"Oh that was low Will!" Buffy scowled at her friend, but on the inside she wanted to laugh. Willow was very right. She could always read Buffy's thoughts and she knew very well that Buffy would have very real temptations to give into Spike. "Anyway…" Buffy rolled her eyes and tried to change the subject. "I see you two are enjoying the night…"

"Yea, it's kind of hard not to!" Willow smiled at Tara and held her hand up to her own mouth kissing the fingertips softly.

"Okay, yea I'm feeling a little bit like a third wheel, so I think I'm going to go now…" Buffy sighed and started to walk away.

"Where're you going to go?" Tara asked quickly.

"I don't know. It's getting late and I really have no point to be here any longer, so maybe I'll just go to bed." Buffy hated the thought of going to bed early, all alone, on Valentines day, but she couldn't see any other option.

"That's pathetic Buffy!" Willow scolded.

"Well what else am I supposed to do? If it wasn't illegal I'd ask one of these boys to dance with me…" She grinned. "But I could probably loose my job for that, huh?"

Tara tried to hide her smile. "I'm sure next Valentines will be more fun for you Buffy. It's just not your love season right now."

Buffy knew she was just trying to be encouraging, but Buffy couldn't help feeling a little depressed by Tara's words. "Thanks. Umm, have a good night girls." Buffy blew the two witches a quick kiss and strolled away towards the wide entryway of the banquet hall. She glanced around briefly, her eyes quickly scanning the dance floor for any signs of her sister but she didn't see her. Oh well, I'm sure Dawn's having a great time. And she should. She's young and a student, and there is no reason for her not to enjoy herself just because her poor old sister can't keep a guy…Buffy continued raging inside her mind as she headed up the main staircase, intent on going straight to her room and burying her woes in her pillows.

She meandered down the dark hallway leading towards her bedroom, unconsciously focusing on her feet and not paying attention to where she was headed. Her mind was so twisted with bitterness and regret and jealousy that she couldn't think about anything else. She was so wrapped up in her own problems that her slayer senses didn't even pick up on the presence lingering just a few feet in front of her, waiting in front of the doorway to her bedroom, impatiently waiting to see her. She didn't notice him until he reached out to her.

"You can't ignore me forever Slayer!" Spike demanded from the shadows, reaching out and grabbing her arm.

"Oh god Spike! Can't you just leave me alone?" Buffy whined, pulling her arm free from Spike's grip.

"Come on, don't deny it. Are you honestly content with spending the bloody lover's day all by your lonesome?" Spike moved into the soft light that shone through the windows from the stars outside.

"What's that supposed to mean Spike?" Buffy fumbled with the doorknob to her bedroom, desperate to get away from him because at the moment he was absolutely right. She couldn't deny her desire not to be alone, and she was starting to become afraid that she might not be able to resist him for very long. "Never mind Spike, don't answer that…" She was having much more difficulty with the doorknob then she should.

Spike was moving closer to her again. She could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck and his arm slowly creeping up towards her waist. His hand slid up her arm, tickling her skin and sending shivers down her spine. "Come on Buffy, don't resist it. Nobody should be alone tonight."

"Stop…" Buffy breathed out, trying to calm the excitement growing inside of her as Spike's fingers traced the familiar path from her shoulder up to her neck and up to her cheek. "Please Spike…I…we can't…" She shook her head, trying to shake him off of her, but his other arm had wrapped around her waist and she could feel his body pressing against her back. It felt so good and so safe to be back in his arms. Everything about him was familiar and comforting; his touch, his smell, his breath, his taste…oh god! "No!" Buffy whipped around and smacked Spike hard across the face, sending him stumbling backwards a few steps. "We can't do this Spike! Stay away from me!" She held up her fists again to threaten him to stay away.

Spike wasn't fazed by Buffy's attack but instantly returned to her and his arms held her hips forcefully, refusing to let her move again. "You know you can't refuse me Slayer!" His hands slipped low towards her backside and her hips jerked, trying to get away from him. He held her body tighter to herself, pressing his hips against hers.

"Stop…" Buffy mumbled again as her eyelids fluttered and her breathing started growing raspy. "I can't…"

"The tune's getting old, luv." Spike growled in her ear, slamming her back against the wall. He grasped her wrists and held them above her head. His fingers pressed hard into her skin, and Buffy knew the marks would be bruises later. Buffy lost all self-control as Spike captured her lips in a deep kiss. "Tell me to stop and I will Slayer." Spike whispered as he momentarily broke the kiss. "I'll walk away right now and never bother you again…just say the words."

"Are you crazy?" Buffy broke her hands free from his grip and her arms quickly circled around his neck and her lips took his again, passionately remembering how much she enjoyed him. "Don't you dare stop!"

Spike grinned and continued to devour Buffy's kisses. He tightened his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground a little as she reached her hands behind her back to try and open the bedroom door. As the door opened, Spike carried her through the doorway and kicked the door closed. "It's been so long!" He mumbled as he dropped Buffy on the bed and climbed on top of her eagerly.

"So what are you waiting for?" Buffy demanded, quickly helping Spike out of his duster.

"Nothing!" Spike pulled off his shirt and threw it on the floor beside his duster.

"Wait!" Buffy stopped him as he started removing her shirt. "We have to get something straight first."

"Now what?" Spike rolled his eyes in frustration as Buffy leaned up on her elbows, stopping the process that he was so anxious for.

"You can not tell anybody about this!" Buffy insisted.

"What?" Spike frowned. "Is that really relevant right now?"

"Promise me you won't tell anybody!" Buffy repeated.

"I promise Slayer, are you happy now?" Spike gritted his teeth, trying not to hate Buffy as she laid back down and smiled up at him.

"Okay, continue!" She raised her hands above her head and Spike immediately pulled off her shirt.

"God, finally!" Spike leaned down and their lips connected again.