Disclaimer:
[It's now nighttime outside. Fun stuff.]
Spike: (runs out of mysterious cave that no one else seems to be able to find) Oh, night sky! How I've missed you!
Drusilla: (puts down her umbrella) The stars can sing again!
[Spike and Drusilla do an impromptu dance on the sand.]
Buffy: (watching from a distance with the others) Is anyone else disturbed?
[Kelley and Shelley run, dragging Xander, to the makeshift dance floor.]
Xander: Where's the music?
Kelley: Music? Who dances to music?
Shelley: It messes up my natural rhythm.
Kelley: And what would that be, Shelley?
[Shelley starts jumping up in down in response as if in a mosh pit.]
Shelley: You're just jealous.
Xander: (does the Snoopy Dance) Now THAT'S real dancing.
Cordelia: What IS going on?
Willow: Dancing…I think.
Cordelia: To what?
[The two girls think for a moment.]
Cordelia: (shrugs) Oh well. There isn't anything else to do. (she drags Angel to the dance floor)
Angel: No! I must brood and captivate with my great looks and mysterious persona! I cannot do the Macarena!
Cordelia: (rolls eyes) Oh, please!
[Buffy and Willow look at each other and shrug.]
Willow: Oh well.
Buffy: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. (they start to tango)
Giles: (watches the group) Oh all right. Someone has to do it. I am owned by Joss as are all of these other characters…except for Kelley and Shelley. They own themselves…mostly. And they want to own Spike and Xander. Gunn too…truth be told. They don't mean to infringe on anyone's rights. They just want to have fun. Now, if you'll excuse me… (runs to join Shelley's one woman mosh pit)
A/N: Yeah yeah. We took awhile updating. SORRY. Here ya go. We love you guys. We promise this chapter isn't quite as depressing. And there will be a plot soon. We promise.
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Buffy walked into the Magic Box. Willow and Giles were already there, talking.
"What's up, guys? Apocalypse?"
"Oh no. Nothing of that magnitude. Just a point of curiosity is all," Giles stated.
"Oh wow. Free time. Leisure research. Never thought I'd see the day," Buffy replied sarcastically.
"It all kinda started with the conversation I had with Tara. When she got captured, she did a spell," Willow said.
"What kind of spell?" Buffy asked, leery of the whole spell thing.
Giles noticed Buffy's nervousness.
"Tara sent out a cry for help," Giles explained. "It's what made Xander see the visions."
"Yeah. I noticed. Xander…big headaches. What's the problem?" Buffy questioned.
"The spell wasn't meant for Xander. It was directed at me. We don't know why he got them," Willow replied.
"Oh, that's a problem," Buffy said, nodding slowly.
*****
"Did Xander get home ok?" Dawn asked Spike.
"Yeah. Got home. Sat on the couch. Watched television. Drank blood. Well, ok, I did that last part."
"Is he ok though?" Dawn asked worriedly.
"He's fine, Bit. Still a little banged up, but ok."
"Oh good," Dawn replied with a smile.
"He said something about watching 'The Princess Bride' on Friday. He told me I need to watch it."
"I love that movie!" Dawn cried happily. "Cary Elwes is hot!"
Spike rolled his eyes. "Bugger."
"You'll like it," Dawn reassured Spike. "There are sword fights. People die."
"Fine, it's not like I have anything else to do. You got any fours?"
"Go fish," Dawn responded as if they'd never stopped paying attention to the game. "You're turn, Drusilla."
"Do you have the King of Hearts, my Spike?"
"Dammit, Dru! Cut it out!"
"Spike, she's cheating again," Dawn protested.
"She's evi, Nibblet. What do you expect?"
"Well, you're evil and you're not cheating."
"I'm not the bloody psychic either. She is."
Drusilla began to laugh. She looked at Dawn. "Do you have the Ace of Spades?"
"Aaaah! I'm the green glowy key! Why didn't the monks give me nifty psychic powers?"
"That's the breaks, dearie," Drusilla responded, deadpan. "I win!" she said, setting all her matches out for everyone to see. "Can we play again?"
"No, Dru. You've won seven times in a row. That's enough, pet," Spike said with a sigh.
"When is the boy going to come see me?" Drusilla asked with a pout. "I miss his voice in my head."
"I don't know, Dru. Frankly, he's a bit frightened of you."
Drusilla began to whimper. Dawn glared at Spike. Spike shrugged.
"I didn't mean to frighten him. Grandmum was being mean to him."
Dawn placed a reassuring hand on Drusilla's arm. She continued to glare at Spike.
Spike rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll talk to the whelp later."
Dawn smiled. "Thank you, Spike."
Spike stood up. "We better go, Nibblet. Buffy will be here soon and I don't think she'll be happy to see you playing cards with one of her mortal enemies.J"
"Who? You?"
Spike grinned. "Well, yeah."
"Tell the White Knight not to be afraid. I wouldn't hurt a hair on his head," Drusilla said quietly.
Spike nodded. "All right, Dru."
Spike and Dawn left the room and shut the door behind them. They walked quietly down the stairs and say on Giles' couch.
Almost immediately, Buffy walked in the door.
"Hey. Have fun watching the nutty vamp?" Buffy asked.
"Hey. How would you like if it I called you stupid slayer?" Spike asked with a grin.
"You do call me stupid slayer."
"Oh. Well. Never mind then."
"I did find out something interesting at the Magic Box tonight," Buffy said.
"What? Are Giles and Anya into bondage?" Dawn asked.
Spike pinched Dawn's arm. "Nibblet!"
"Ow!" she complained. "What?"
"Don't put images like that into my head!"
Buffy scrunched her nose. "Ew! No! It has to do with Xander!"
"Oh really? What is it?" Spike asked with interest.
"Tara's call for help to Willow whammied Xander instead. Apparently, that's why he had the visions. The spell usually wears off whenever the person in trouble gets helped. But since it went screwy, they're not exactly sure what will happen." Buffy looked at Spike. "Has Xander been acting strange?"
"Well, he has been too tired for sex lately. What do I look like? His boyfriend?"
"Spike!" Buffy squealed.
Dawn looked mildly interested however.
"No, he hasn't been acting any stranger than he usually does."
Dawn spoke up. "I'm gonna go get some blood."
Buffy looked Dawn over for bite marks. "Dawn?"
Dawn scowled. "For Drusilla! Stupid slayer!"
"You can't go up there by yourself, Dawn," Buffy said.
"Oh please. There is a barrier around her room. You guys are right here. What's she gonna do?" Dawn walked to the kitchen, heated up some blood, and walked upstairs.
Buffy looked at Spike after she heard the door shut.
"Should I be worried?"
"Don't worry. I don't think she's becoming a groupie. She just knows Drusilla is lonely."
"Ok, if you say so."
Buffy turned her body towards Spike. "Angel called today."
"Bloody terrific."
"He called to tell me about Cordelia."
"What about it?"
"He said they were kinda dating. He got all remorseful trying to soften the blow. It was all I could do not to laugh."
"Why?"
"Cordelia already told me."
Spike laughed. "I think they're perfect for each other. He gets all broody, she smacks him around, he gets over it."
"Yeah. They really are perfect for each other."
"Does it bother you?"
"No. Not at all actually. He's happy. Not Angelus happy, but happy nonetheless.
"Well, that's good to hear, pet. Any specific reason you mentioned this?"
"No, just working up the courage."
"For what, luv?"
Buffy placed her hand on Spike's shoulder. He tilted his head and looked at her quizzically. Buffy smiled. She leaned toward him and closed her eyes…
"I'm ready to go, guys!" Dawn hollered from the top of the stairs.
Buffy and Spike sprang apart, both nearly toppling off the couch in shock.
Buffy smiled at Spike apologetically. "Giles should be back in a little while." She stood up. "All right, Dawn! Let's go!" She walked to the front door and waved at Spike as Dawn gave him a big hug, then followed Buffy out the door.
Spike sighed. "Bugger."