Title: Day long date
Name: Joy
Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com
Buffy started to pace in her kitchen as her sister just stared at her. "Do you know what's going on?" she questioned Dawn.
She smiled, "Just wait."
"You do know!" Buffy stalked over to her sister. "Is he sick? Is he trying to protect me from something?"
Dawn looked her sister in the eye and said, "You remember last week when I started to freak because Gunn told me he was falling for me?" Buffy nodded. "What did you say?"
"Not the same!"
"But what did you say?" Dawn insisted.
"There is no point getting scared of what might be…the future just comes and you deal with it as it comes," Buffy recited.
"Right… Now relax… If anyone should be nervous it's Spike." Dawn turned to her confused sister. "He's the one that's been keeping you at arms length and now he's shot himself in the foot… You'll be eating with him, hanging with him, talking with him, and the thing he's freaking the most about, sleeping next to him." Buffy stared at her sister. "I'm betting with in the first five hours Spike is going to lose it… tears will definitely be in effect."
"What the Hell!" Buffy swore not understanding any of this.
Three minutes before six Spike ran up the stairs and out the back door. "What was that?" the slayer asked.
"Picking you up…like a date," Dawn replied.
"A day long date?"
"Basically."
"Should I be scared?" Buffy asked.
"Maybe… After this day is done, if you weren't really in love with Spike…you will be."
"You sound way too confident."
Dawn smiled, "Benefit of having the inside scoop."
The front doorbell rang, starling Buffy. "It's the guy from the basement… Ready to face him?"
"No," Buffy said scared.
"Yeah you are," Dawn assured and pushed her sister to the door.
Buffy opened the door cautiously with shy eyes. Spike looked at her and handed her a bunch of wild flowers tied together with a ribbon. "Thank you… they're beautiful."
"So are you," he said seriously.
Dawn approached her blushing sister, "I'll put those in water. You two have fun."
Suddenly Buffy felt Spike take her hand and tug her outside. "Ready to go pet."
"Sure… Where we off to?" she asked simply.
"Fun," he responded.
The Desoto pulled up to a near by amusement park. The lights flashed brilliantly as a small smile crept over Buffy's face. Spike opened her door and led her through the noisy children and gamers. He was quiet…very quiet, but she didn't object.
Spike steered them to a merry-go-around with painted horses and spinning cherubs. Buffy's face was all lit up with child like joy over the evening's entertainment. "Up you go love," he said as she admired one horse in particular.
"No…that's okay," she said.
"Please."
"Only if you ride next to me," Buffy said sweetly.
Spike smiled softly, "Okay."
Buffy and Spike both climbed on their horses to the amusement of several parents. Buffy half giggled at the silliness of their actions. Spike however just sat sideways and watched Buffy's face full of joy. "I love merry-go-arounds," she said over the loud music.
"I know," he called back. They stared at one another for a minute.
"Mommy? Are they going to kiss?" a little boy sitting behind Buffy asked.
The couple was brought back to reality. Spike turned to the kid and said with a smile, "Not right now… Maybe later though, when there isn't an audience." The child's mother laughed as Buffy blushed.
The ride ended and Spike helped Buffy down pulling her close to him. "Where now pet? Bumper cars? Ferris Wheel?"
"Roller coaster," she said tugging him along.
They stood in a very long line waiting to get on a 'death trap' according to Spike. "Look at this," he pointed to the warning sign. "Can't ride on it if you're short, pregnant or have a pace maker…All reasons to think it isn't safe."
"You asked what I wanted to do," she countered.
"If you said jump off a skyscraper I would be pitching a fit too," he retorted.
Buffy leaned up and kissed Spike lightly on the mouth. "I've done enough nose drives off tall structures don't you think?" she said flippantly. Spike's whole body went rigid. "I was joking," she soothed.
"Please don't," he said in a broken voice. His big watering eyes found hers, "Please don't joke about that."
"Okay," she whispered and drew Spike into a hug. He clutched her for all she was worth. "I'm not going anywhere Spike… I won't disappear."
He pulled back and rubbed her face with his thumb. "Not while I'm here…not again."
"Don't do that… It wasn't your fault."
Spike was about to cry but he growled instead. "I can't talk to you about this now."
"We need to talk about it some time," Buffy insisted.
"Not in line for a roller coaster."
"Okay…"
The line started moving again which was fine with Spike who could no longer look at Buffy. He completely shut off all emotion until they were through with the ride. Buffy attempted to talk about light non-threatening topics but Spike just couldn't do small talk. Eventually he said he was going to take a smoke break and left her sitting at the calliope.
Standing alone in a side alley Spike battled his demon. His demon face came forth and receded several times before he could be around humans again. "Sorry luv," he said sitting down next to Buffy smiling completely repressing all the emotions just below the surface.
"It's okay," she said quietly noting the lack of tobacco smell around him. She'd confront him about it after they left.
"Ferris Wheel?" he ventured.
After cotton candy, popcorn, and corndogs Buffy was ready to leave. "Come on Spike… Time to go home… Too much food," she stated.
"Nope… Next stop…" he insisted with a smile. "But we have to get our costumes and props."
"Costumes?" Spike nodded. "What do I have to wear?" she asked.
"White bra, white slip, and a little yellow raincoat," he said with a smirk.
"Really?" she said raising her eyebrows. "What will you be wearing?"
"Well… That's kind of your choice."
"Why?"
"Conservative or out there," Spike said simply.
"How far out there is out there?" Buffy questioned.
"Well your costume is pretty conservative on that scale."
"I'm scared now so you're going conservative as well."
"Right then…off we go."
Spike and Buffy showed up at this tiny little shop in town that was obviously not human owned. "Lois," Spike called.
"Spike… did you decided which you wanted?" this little old woman said from a side room.
"Yeah… The suit."
"Suit… I get bra and slip while you get a suit," Buffy said flabbergasted.
The old woman smiled at her, "Virgin. I should have guessed."
"What?" the slayer said confusedly.
"Quiet pet or you'll really embarrass yourself… After we're dressed I'll show you the other costume." Lois continued to laugh.
Buffy changed into her outfit buttoning the raincoat. "This is some cheap thrill for you isn't it Spike?" she called.
"Come on Buffy… A little faith."
She came out of the dressing room to see Spike in a black suit with a white vest and no shirt, with white wing tip shoes. "Okay now I want to see the other outfit," she said folding her arms over her chest.
Spike roguishly smiled as he pulled out the black corset and fish net stockings from behind his back. "You're right I never would have worn that in public," she insisted.
Lois really started to laugh at Buffy then. "Virgin!"
"Why does she keep saying that?" the slayer fussed.
Spike couldn't keep a straight face as he said, "Because luv, this was my other outfit…not yours."
Buffy's jaw dropped. "Where the hell are you taking me?"
"You'll see…now put these in your pockets," he stated.
"Why am I putting bread in my pockets?"
"Not bread Buffy…Toast!" Spike said with a smile.
"You are a terrifying individual," she fumed.
"But you love me… Now lets go. Have to be there by Midnight. Otherwise we'll be stuck standing with the whackos," he said taking her hand.
"Whackos?" she said stopping in her tracks.
"If we're seated I can shield you from the Virgin torture… If we're standing it will be obvious so trust me, we want seats."
"You are going to pay for this," Buffy growled.
"Now, now… It will be fun. I promise…" getting her back in the car. "We'll have a blast." Spike had one of his genuine smiles so all she could do was trust him as they drove into the night.
TBC…
A/N: What are Buffy and Spike going to see? Put answers in the reviews.