Note: Okay, so sorry it took ages to get this chapter finished but I've
been in Spoiler Shock Mode the past week. I've calmed down though, and
heres the 4th part. Hope ya like it! B/S forever!
******
Buffy sat nervously in the Magic Box, glancing out the window for what seemed the millionth time. Was the sun fully down yet? She squinted.
"You waiting for someone? You've stared out of that window a million times already." Xander's voice interrupted Buffy.
"Huh?" blinked Buffy, "Oh. Uh, not really, no."
Xander looked at Buffy suspiciously. Boy, she'd been acting strange lately. Always preoccupied with something or other. He made up his mind to investigate it eventually, sometime when he wasn't feeling so confused about stuff himself.
Buffy continued staring out of the window. Boy, he was getting nosy lately. She looked into the street, trying to spot Spike. She'd definitely said sundown, right? She was beginning to panic - was this such a good idea? When Spike got here, she'd have to admit their secret relationship to the whole gang, and there was bound to be an uproar. Maybe he wouldn't show. That would be good, she thought, because then she could just cancel telling everyone, at least for a time. Good old Spike, she thought relieved. If he'd turned up it might have all been a terrible mess.
At that moment the door swung open and Spike strode in. Buffy felt a surge of panic. How was she going to get out of this?
"Spike. You wanting something?" Xander looked at the vampire with dislike. The vampire looked back at him with equal hatred.
"Oh," He grinned, "Just thought I'd see how the gang was doing. Wouldn't want to miss out on the fun of a scooby meeting now, would I?"
Buffy tried to catch Spike's attention, giving him a huge scowl. She wanted things to go ok, and him being snarky towards Xander wasn't exactly putting everything off to a good start. Spike stared huffily at Buffy. "He started it" she could almost hear him say.
*He started it* thought Spike, sitting down opposite Buffy. He crossed his arms and stared at her, eyebrows raised, fully expecting her to announce their relationship.
She didn't. Instead, she opened a huge book and pushed it towards Spike, indicating a huge colour portrait of a demon.
"You seen any of these lately?" she asked him. There was a moment of silence as it occured to Spike that Buffy must be scared of admitting their relationship. He'd put a right stop to that.
"I dunno." He said pointedly, "But if I had, I'd say so right away - not act like a complete coward and keep it secret."
Buffy scowled at him, and pulled the book back. Everyone else looked at Spike liked he'd just grown a horn.
"Huh?" said Xander, "are you making some sort of point we're all not in on?"
"Why, yes," smirked Spike, "You're just too thick to comprehend."
Buffy, desperate to stop a fight, "accidently" pushed a large stack of books on to the floor.
"Whoops!" She said, "Spike, you wanna help me with these?" Spike looked at her with a raised eyebrow, before kneeling down to help her.
Buffy immediatly punched him in the arm.
"Owww!" yelled Spike, scowling at Buffy. Buffy glared at him, before silently drawing her finger across her throat. Spike scowled, again thinking that it was Xander who had started it. He pulled up a big stack of fallen books and sat them on the table with a bang. Buffy rolled her eyes and sat down. Spike glared at her. Buffy glared right back, before glancing up at the rest of the room.
Everyone was staring at them.
"What?" asked Buffy innocently.
"Okay, what's going on?" asked Willow, sounding confused.
"Yeah," Xander said suspiciously, "You two have been acting weird for a while now."
There was a moment of silence. Spike started to turn his lighter on and off, whilst Buffy tried to think of something to say.
"Well?" Xander pressed.
"I'm thinking!" Buffy began to panic again. What was she going to say? Should she make up a lie? Or should she come clean? *Oh God!* she thought, looking at Spike. He was scowling, and, when he glanced up and met Buffy's eyes there was the faintest trace of hurt in them. Buffy's heart melted and she made up her mind. She stood up.
"Ok guys," she began, "I have something to tell you."
Spike looked up with surprise. She was actually going to do it? He caught Buffy's eye and she gave him a small smile. Xander and Willow looked at each other, confused. What the hell was going on?
"Um, okay." Buffy took a deep breath. "This is pretty big news, and I don't want you to freak."
Willow smiled at Buffy reassuringly, "We won't freak. What is it?"
"Okay, I want you to remember you said that." said Buffy, "Because you most likely will freak. A lot. Big time. Majorly."
"Well, what is it?" asked Xander. He was beginning to grow more and more suspicous as small pieces of information started to add up in his brain. All of them involving Spike in some shape or form. Surely not...
Buffy closed her eyes. Here goes.
"I'm seeing Spike."
There was a beat. Spike glanced at the door, trying to judge the distance in case he had to make a quick dash. Willow, mouth agape just stared from Buffy to Spike and back again. Xander was in pretty much the same state.
"Is this...I mean...Are you joking?" Xander said finally, desperately hoping that this was the case.
"I'm not joking." said Buffy calmly, mind made up. They could like it or lump it.
Suddenly Xander lunged out of his chair and grabbed Spike by the collar. "You put a spell on her didn't you?!"
Buffy pulled Xander off of Spike. "Xander, no! He didn't put a spell on me."
"How would you know?" Xander said bitterly, "He could have done it anytime!"
"Because I know." Buffy looked towards Spike, who was looking back at her with a smile on his face. God he loved this woman.
Willow, who had remained speechless, finally spoke.
"Wow," she said nervously, "I mean, I don't know what to say. I promised not to freak, and I'll try not to, but Buffy! Are you crazy?"
Buffy glared at Willow. "Crazy for dating Spike?" she said, "Maybe" Spike looked at her, hurt. "But if I'm crazy, then fine. Because right now I like being crazy. I like the choices I've made, and if you think I'm going to give them up because you two don't agree, then your wrong." She silenced Xander, who was about to speak.
"No, listen." she said, " Yes, it's Spike. Yes, he's a vampire. But I trust him. He's been helping us for a long time now, even after I was...after there was no reason that he should. That's loyalty - helping you even after you've died. And since I came back he's been a solace when none of you were. Right now, I want to be with him. He wants to be with me, and goddamm it I'd be a pretty weak person if I didn't date someone I wanted because my friends didn't like him."
Buffy's words sank in. The room was totally silent. Buffy picked her coat up from the chair.
"Now we're going out to patrol," she said, indicating Spike, "I hope that when I get back this will have sunk in." She took Spike's hand and led him out of the door. It slammed shut behind them. Willow looked at Xander. Xander looked at Willow.
"Did that just happen?"
******
"Oh my God!" exclaimed Buffy frantically, "What the hell did we just do?"
Spike remained silent as the pair of them walked towards the nearest cemetery. Buffy was jittery and on edge. She had actually done it! Her relationship with Spike was out in the open! But now the panic was beginning to set in, and the calmness of mind she had shown in the Magic Box was quickly leaving.
"What do you think they'll do?" she asked Spike, a bit peeved that he was so calm about it all.
"Nothing." stated Spike, looking down at his girlfriend, "Because there's nothing they can do - you've already told them that."
Buffy looked up at Spike, finding comfort in his words.
"You think?" she asked, "I didn't really want to go into Boss Mode with them, but if you think it worked..."
"It did. They'll be pissed off and shocked for a while, but they won't argue with you again." Spike lit a cigarette, "Me, on the other hand, I'll probably get a visit from one of them. Telling me I'd better treat you right." Spike smiled, "You'd think they'd know by now that I don't want to hurt you."
They walked together in comfortable silence. Buffy, though still a little worried, was slowly beginning to relax. Spike was right - they would eventually come around. Willow would soon be ok with it, anyway. Xander, on the other hand, well, he'd be difficult. But she knew that even he'd get used to it someday. She glanced at Spike and smiled. How had he managed to calm her down so quickly? It used to be the opposite with him - getting her all riled up.
Buffy took Spike's hand as they walked into the next chapter of their lives together.
******
Literally! Hope you liked this chapter (please review!) The next chapter will have Spike getting the visit he predicted and B/S trying to begin their lives as an out in the open couple.
******
Buffy sat nervously in the Magic Box, glancing out the window for what seemed the millionth time. Was the sun fully down yet? She squinted.
"You waiting for someone? You've stared out of that window a million times already." Xander's voice interrupted Buffy.
"Huh?" blinked Buffy, "Oh. Uh, not really, no."
Xander looked at Buffy suspiciously. Boy, she'd been acting strange lately. Always preoccupied with something or other. He made up his mind to investigate it eventually, sometime when he wasn't feeling so confused about stuff himself.
Buffy continued staring out of the window. Boy, he was getting nosy lately. She looked into the street, trying to spot Spike. She'd definitely said sundown, right? She was beginning to panic - was this such a good idea? When Spike got here, she'd have to admit their secret relationship to the whole gang, and there was bound to be an uproar. Maybe he wouldn't show. That would be good, she thought, because then she could just cancel telling everyone, at least for a time. Good old Spike, she thought relieved. If he'd turned up it might have all been a terrible mess.
At that moment the door swung open and Spike strode in. Buffy felt a surge of panic. How was she going to get out of this?
"Spike. You wanting something?" Xander looked at the vampire with dislike. The vampire looked back at him with equal hatred.
"Oh," He grinned, "Just thought I'd see how the gang was doing. Wouldn't want to miss out on the fun of a scooby meeting now, would I?"
Buffy tried to catch Spike's attention, giving him a huge scowl. She wanted things to go ok, and him being snarky towards Xander wasn't exactly putting everything off to a good start. Spike stared huffily at Buffy. "He started it" she could almost hear him say.
*He started it* thought Spike, sitting down opposite Buffy. He crossed his arms and stared at her, eyebrows raised, fully expecting her to announce their relationship.
She didn't. Instead, she opened a huge book and pushed it towards Spike, indicating a huge colour portrait of a demon.
"You seen any of these lately?" she asked him. There was a moment of silence as it occured to Spike that Buffy must be scared of admitting their relationship. He'd put a right stop to that.
"I dunno." He said pointedly, "But if I had, I'd say so right away - not act like a complete coward and keep it secret."
Buffy scowled at him, and pulled the book back. Everyone else looked at Spike liked he'd just grown a horn.
"Huh?" said Xander, "are you making some sort of point we're all not in on?"
"Why, yes," smirked Spike, "You're just too thick to comprehend."
Buffy, desperate to stop a fight, "accidently" pushed a large stack of books on to the floor.
"Whoops!" She said, "Spike, you wanna help me with these?" Spike looked at her with a raised eyebrow, before kneeling down to help her.
Buffy immediatly punched him in the arm.
"Owww!" yelled Spike, scowling at Buffy. Buffy glared at him, before silently drawing her finger across her throat. Spike scowled, again thinking that it was Xander who had started it. He pulled up a big stack of fallen books and sat them on the table with a bang. Buffy rolled her eyes and sat down. Spike glared at her. Buffy glared right back, before glancing up at the rest of the room.
Everyone was staring at them.
"What?" asked Buffy innocently.
"Okay, what's going on?" asked Willow, sounding confused.
"Yeah," Xander said suspiciously, "You two have been acting weird for a while now."
There was a moment of silence. Spike started to turn his lighter on and off, whilst Buffy tried to think of something to say.
"Well?" Xander pressed.
"I'm thinking!" Buffy began to panic again. What was she going to say? Should she make up a lie? Or should she come clean? *Oh God!* she thought, looking at Spike. He was scowling, and, when he glanced up and met Buffy's eyes there was the faintest trace of hurt in them. Buffy's heart melted and she made up her mind. She stood up.
"Ok guys," she began, "I have something to tell you."
Spike looked up with surprise. She was actually going to do it? He caught Buffy's eye and she gave him a small smile. Xander and Willow looked at each other, confused. What the hell was going on?
"Um, okay." Buffy took a deep breath. "This is pretty big news, and I don't want you to freak."
Willow smiled at Buffy reassuringly, "We won't freak. What is it?"
"Okay, I want you to remember you said that." said Buffy, "Because you most likely will freak. A lot. Big time. Majorly."
"Well, what is it?" asked Xander. He was beginning to grow more and more suspicous as small pieces of information started to add up in his brain. All of them involving Spike in some shape or form. Surely not...
Buffy closed her eyes. Here goes.
"I'm seeing Spike."
There was a beat. Spike glanced at the door, trying to judge the distance in case he had to make a quick dash. Willow, mouth agape just stared from Buffy to Spike and back again. Xander was in pretty much the same state.
"Is this...I mean...Are you joking?" Xander said finally, desperately hoping that this was the case.
"I'm not joking." said Buffy calmly, mind made up. They could like it or lump it.
Suddenly Xander lunged out of his chair and grabbed Spike by the collar. "You put a spell on her didn't you?!"
Buffy pulled Xander off of Spike. "Xander, no! He didn't put a spell on me."
"How would you know?" Xander said bitterly, "He could have done it anytime!"
"Because I know." Buffy looked towards Spike, who was looking back at her with a smile on his face. God he loved this woman.
Willow, who had remained speechless, finally spoke.
"Wow," she said nervously, "I mean, I don't know what to say. I promised not to freak, and I'll try not to, but Buffy! Are you crazy?"
Buffy glared at Willow. "Crazy for dating Spike?" she said, "Maybe" Spike looked at her, hurt. "But if I'm crazy, then fine. Because right now I like being crazy. I like the choices I've made, and if you think I'm going to give them up because you two don't agree, then your wrong." She silenced Xander, who was about to speak.
"No, listen." she said, " Yes, it's Spike. Yes, he's a vampire. But I trust him. He's been helping us for a long time now, even after I was...after there was no reason that he should. That's loyalty - helping you even after you've died. And since I came back he's been a solace when none of you were. Right now, I want to be with him. He wants to be with me, and goddamm it I'd be a pretty weak person if I didn't date someone I wanted because my friends didn't like him."
Buffy's words sank in. The room was totally silent. Buffy picked her coat up from the chair.
"Now we're going out to patrol," she said, indicating Spike, "I hope that when I get back this will have sunk in." She took Spike's hand and led him out of the door. It slammed shut behind them. Willow looked at Xander. Xander looked at Willow.
"Did that just happen?"
******
"Oh my God!" exclaimed Buffy frantically, "What the hell did we just do?"
Spike remained silent as the pair of them walked towards the nearest cemetery. Buffy was jittery and on edge. She had actually done it! Her relationship with Spike was out in the open! But now the panic was beginning to set in, and the calmness of mind she had shown in the Magic Box was quickly leaving.
"What do you think they'll do?" she asked Spike, a bit peeved that he was so calm about it all.
"Nothing." stated Spike, looking down at his girlfriend, "Because there's nothing they can do - you've already told them that."
Buffy looked up at Spike, finding comfort in his words.
"You think?" she asked, "I didn't really want to go into Boss Mode with them, but if you think it worked..."
"It did. They'll be pissed off and shocked for a while, but they won't argue with you again." Spike lit a cigarette, "Me, on the other hand, I'll probably get a visit from one of them. Telling me I'd better treat you right." Spike smiled, "You'd think they'd know by now that I don't want to hurt you."
They walked together in comfortable silence. Buffy, though still a little worried, was slowly beginning to relax. Spike was right - they would eventually come around. Willow would soon be ok with it, anyway. Xander, on the other hand, well, he'd be difficult. But she knew that even he'd get used to it someday. She glanced at Spike and smiled. How had he managed to calm her down so quickly? It used to be the opposite with him - getting her all riled up.
Buffy took Spike's hand as they walked into the next chapter of their lives together.
******
Literally! Hope you liked this chapter (please review!) The next chapter will have Spike getting the visit he predicted and B/S trying to begin their lives as an out in the open couple.