"Xander says we should pick something you
can wear again." Anya picked up a chartreuse dress with a big bow
over the butt. "How about this?"
Willow shook her head. "No one looks
good with a bow over their butt Anya. It's an unwritten law."
Tara squeezed her lover's hand. "Or
it should be."
Anya dropped the dress. "Fine. You two gang up on me. It's not like I've ever done this before. Human mating I understand. But this wedding business is too complicated. And I don't even have a dowry. Not even one ox or cow. I don't
know why Xander even wants to marry me."
"He loves you." Buffy's eyes filled
with tears. "He really loves you." Quickly she hid behind a
rack of dresses.
"Oh, I know he loves me, but marriage isn't
about love. It's about money. Uniting two families to increase
their wealth." Anya selected a black sheath from the rack and examined
the price tag. "Hey! I actually do have some wealth! I manage the Magic Shop, right? And Xander! He earns the money
from carpentry. So we are making a good financial match!" She
sighed happily. "What do you think about black Buffy? You could
wear it to your next funeral."
Buffy couldn't hold back the tears any
longer.
Willow glared. "What the hell Anya. Watch what you say."
"Oh God." Anya grew pale. "Buffy,
I didn't mean . . ."
"I'm sorry Anya. It's not you, really. I'm just a bit emotional today."
"Y . . . y . . . you're allowed Buffy."
Tara offered. "You've b . . been through a lot."
"It's not just . . . that. Quentin
Travers called me last night. They're coming to Sunnydale. They want to test me and talk to Spike."
"Those pesky Watchers. I wish they'd
all just go away . . . except Giles of course, because Giles is nice and
I really miss him now he's back in England and . . . " Willow
paused. "I'm babbling aren't I?"
"I don't like the Watchers' Council any
more than you do Will, but I have to let them do what they want this time."
"W . . why? Last time you really
laid down the law with them, right?" Tara asked.
"Right. But this time if I let them
have their way they'll pay all my bills . . . for the rest of my life."
"That's blackmail!" Anya observed
cheerfully.
"Bingo. But I don't have much of
a choice but to go along with it. Now I just have to convince Spike
to make nice."
Willow laughed. "I don't think you'll
have any problem getting him to do anything you want."
Buffy suddenly found the tiled floor of
the shop immensely interesting. "I know. Believe me, I know."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
She didn't come.
For the second night in a row Buffy had
skipped patrol. She was avoiding him. Stupid bint. Spike
thrust the stake into the newly-risen vampire and watched as he disintegrated
into satisfyingly dusty bits. Now if only a demon would come along,
he'd kill it good. Yeah. His happiness would be complete then. Blood, violence, and sod-all else. Forget about the other Spike. Forget it.
Love's bitch, that's all I am. A
stupid, fucking lovesick vampire with no purpose but to moon about, hoping
the Slayer throws him a fucking crumb. Well no more. No more! He swung the axe and severed the growling Vexus demon's head with a single
slice. Too bloody easy.
Spike lit a cigarette and leaned against
a gravestone. So bored. "I. can't. get. no . . ." He started
to sing and softly finished the phrase. "Bloody satisfaction." Furtively
he looked around. Nope. All clear. He kicked a gravestone
violently, breaking it in two. No respect for the dead. He
grinned maniacally. "But I try." Kick boot into marble. "And I try." Slam fist into mausoleum. "And I try." Angel's
head went flying off a statue. Liked that. "And I try." Then the air guitar. "I can't get no!"
"Spike?"
Shit.
"Buffy."
"What the hell were you doing?"
"Um. Having a bit of fun." He smirked and raised an eyebrow suggestively. "You oughta try it
sometime."
Buffy reluctantly smiled and considered
the cracked tombstone. "Next time leave Beloved Auntie Bertha's grave
alone."
She twirled a stake and continued to stroll
through the graveyard.
Fine, let her go. I bloody well won't
lope along after her like some fanged fluffy puppy dog.
Who the bloody hell am I kidding?
"Buffy! Where've you been?"
Silence.
"I mean, you haven't been on patrol the
last two nights and I was worried . . . that something might be up with
Niblet, you know, not sleeping well or maybe she'd gotten into trouble
in the evening's and hadn't told old Spike about it or maybe . . ."
"The Council. They're coming to town."
"Oh, that's all. Bunch of wankers."
Buffy nodded. "I couldn't agree with
you more Spike. But they're coming to Sunnydale whether I like it
or not." She shifted her stake to the other hand. "It's not
every day a Slayer comes back." Her gaze met his. "And it's
not every day a vampire's responsible. They want to talk to you."
"I bet they do." He sucked down another
lungful of smoke. "Talking's fine. Prodding and poking ain't. Last time I was given a good poke," he paused and leered, "I ended up with
a chip in me brain."
Buffy sighed. "I'll be the one they're
prodding and poking Spike. They want to find out what you did to
me." Her voice dropped. "And why you did it."
"None of their bloody business."
"They're going to make it their business."
"Whatever. I'm leaving town. Give me a ring when they're gone."
"Spike, you don't have a phone. And
if you don't help me with this I'll be in real trouble."
"Why? You took care of the Council
before."
"But this time I need something from them." Buffy glanced away, no longer able to meet his eyes. "I need their
money."
"Didn't Joyce . . . "
"There's barely anything left. The
gallery brings in some money, but not enough. Besides, I don't know
anything about art."
"I do."
Buffy smiled wanly. "I know you do
Spike."
"How do you know?" Then Spike remembered. "Oh, that's right. You're all knowing now, right Buffy? No
more bloody secrets between us, eh?" He laughed bitterly and took
another deep drag.
"Look Spike, I'm sure you'd be very helpful,
but we already have a store manager."
"Yeah, but you have to pay him."
"I'd have to pay you too, Spike. I don't take charity from anyone."
He considered her closely. "'Specially
not me, right?" Her eyes gave him the answer he didn't want. "Wouldn't do to be indebted to the pitiful lovesick vampire, right? Might give the poor wanker hope, right? Can't have that, right?"
"I'm already indebted to you Spike. I owe you my life."
"You owe me nothing Buffy." Spike
made a gallant little anachronistic bow. "I absolve you from your
debt. Now leave me the bloody hell alone."
"Will you help me with the Council?"
"Don't have much of a bloody choice do
I? Don't want the Niblet to starve on the street." His eyes
bore coldly into hers. "But Slayer, from here on out it's just business
between us. Got it?"
Buffy's heart sank and she scrambled for
a reply that would make things better. Unfortunately she said, "Fine. It's better that way."
Spike watched Buffy leave the graveyard. Time to get drunk.
END PART SIX