Repercussions, Part 11





Buffy stared unbelievingly at the horror before her. Then Dawn and Willow entered the kitchen and gasped. "Buffy! My God! What have you done?"

"I've slain them all," she admitted, waving her hand over the carnage.

"Buffy! You ate all my Haagen Dazs!"

"Actually, one was Ben and Jerry's." Three empty ice cream containers sat on the kitchen table. "And they weren't all full! Well, one wasn't. But hey, let me just change the subject. Looks like you guys are up for a fun movie night. And as luck would have it, the DMP had a flood - nasty bathroom incident, resulting in a night off for me. So, what are we watching?" she asked, grabbing for the Blockbuster bag.

Willow and Dawn exchanged a look. "Buffy, we're going to Spike's place to watch movies," said Dawn gently.

"Oh."

"And you're coming with us," decided Willow.

"No. No, I am not. I will stay here and have lots of fun with myself. And that came out way dirtier than it sounded in my head."

"Willow's right, Buffy. How is anything going to happen with you two if you keep avoiding each other?"

"But, he didn't invite me," she pouted.

"He didn't invite us either, Buff, we invited ourselves. Come on, you guys are supposed to be friends." Willow did the little air quotes with her fingers. "Friends hang out and watch movies. No biggie. You're coming with us, and that's final."

"No, no, not the resolve face! Anything but that!" Buffy cried, but to no avail.

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Spike flung open the door. "How are my two favorite girls?" Dawn and Willow entered, each pecking him on the cheek.

"That's women to you!" said Dawn.

"So sorry for being non-PC."

"And then came Buffy." She stood in the doorway uncertainly.

"Slayer." A slow smile spread across his face. "Make that, three favorite." She blushed, and scooted through the doorway. He shook his head as he shut the door. "Too damn cute."

Spike walked into the living room. "So, what are we watching?" Dawn handed him the bag, and he took out two DVD's. "Oh, no. Slayer!"

She held up her hands. "I didn't have anything to do with it. They'd already rented them before I became involved. And I share your pain."

"Serendipity? Isn't that an ice cream shop or something?"

Willow shrugged. "I like Kate Beckinsdale. She's hot."

"John Cusack, also with the hotness," commented Dawn.

"The Royal Tenenbaums? What the bloody hell is this?"

"It's quirky," smiled Willow.

"Don't bother to argue, I can tell you, it's hopeless. Where's the popcorn?" asked Buffy. Spike pointed her towards the kitchen, where he found her on her tip toes, trying to reach the top shelf a few moments later.

"Why do you have it up so high?"

"Here, shorty. Let me help you." He came up behind her and reached over her head to grab the box, his chest brushing against her back. When she turned around he was still standing close to her. He handed her the popcorn.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Shorty?"

"I guess I shouldn't comment. I'm not exactly in danger of being recruited by the NBA, now, am I?"

She regarded him for a moment. "That's good, because if you were, you'd be way too tall for me." He watched her every move as she threw a bag of popcorn in the microwave, punched the button, and sauntered out of the room. It was only then that he noticed Dawn standing in the doorway. She came in and grabbed several sodas out of the fridge.

"You do realize," she said coolly, "that you are so, so doomed." She flounced out with the certainty that only comes with being almost 16 years old.

"Yeah," he said to the closed door. "But, what a way to go."

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The four of them sat on the sofa, Buffy and Spike on either end, Willow and Dawn sandwiched between them. By the time the second movie was halfway finished, the pair in the middle had fallen asleep, their heads resting together against the back of the sofa.

"Oh, thank God. Now we can put something decent on," said Buffy.

"My thoughts exactly." Spike got up and rifled through his small movie collection. "How about this one?" He tossed her the DVD case.

"Ooh, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I've always wanted to see this." She tossed it back to him and he put it in the machine.

"I'm surprised you never did," he said, adjusting the volume with the remote control.

"Well, I guess I was dating Riley at the time it came out. I think the subtitles scared him off."

Spike smirked at her. "Did you just say something vaguely negative about Captain Cardboard?"

"You mean that giant boy scout I used to date?" He laughed. "Riley is a nice guy, Spike. But he's not the one for me." Spike swallowed hard and fiddled with the remote again.

As they watched the film, Buffy kept stealing glances at Spike sprawled on the other end of the sofa, his arm draped over the back. He sprawls like no one else, she thought with a smile. A particularly spectacular move in the film caught her eye.

"Hey Spike, maybe I should try that one, what do you think? Hmm? Spike?" She looked over to find him staring off into space. She placed her hand on his. "Hey, you."

He slowly turned his head to look at her, and smiled. "Hey. Sorry."

"Where'd you go?"

"You don't want to know." He was smiling, but his eyes held so much pain, and somehow that made them even more beautiful to her.

"Try me."

He shook his head. "Can't."

Her hand was still on his, and she squeezed it. "I'm worried about you. I wish you would let me help you."

He lifted his hand and laced their fingers together, gazing at her down the length of the sofa. "You are."

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The next day, Buffy picked Dawn up after school, and they headed to the Magic Box, so Buffy could 'gawk at Spike,' as Dawn put it. Buffy didn't bother to protest. "He's very gawkable," was her reply.

For Spike's part, he couldn't quite keep a big grin off his face when he saw them come in. He was busy with a customer, though, so Buffy sat down at the table with Dawn while she started in on her home work. Buffy's cell phone rang. Spike walked over after she was done with her call.

"That was Giles," she said.

"Any news?" asked Spike.

"Well, yes," Buffy answered without enthusiasm.

"The presentation didn't go well?" he asked, with a pained expression.

"Well," she said, "let's put it this way. Giles said I can burn my cow hat."

Spike and Dawn looked at each other. "Really?" squealed Dawn.

"Really," smiled Buffy. She looked at Spike. "You did it."

He looked amazed. "I did?"

She stood up. "You did."

"They actually went for it. I can't believe it."

"Yup," she said, walking towards him. "You did it. You incredible, smart, beautiful man." She grabbed his face in her hands. "You are my hero." And she kissed him, full on the mouth.

The Magic Box patrons erupted in applause, although they had no idea what they were clapping about. Meanwhile, Dawn jumped up and down screaming "No more Doublemeat Medleys!" Spike looked stunned, pleased, and embarrassed all at the same time.

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To celebrate, Spike took them out to dinner at a restaurant of their choice, anywhere that did not serve burgers. After he drove them home, Dawn gave him a big hug and then sprinted into the house. Spike walked Buffy up to the front door. He took her hand, and kissed it, looking up into her eyes.

"Wow," was all she could manage.

"Victorian manners. Can't seem to shake 'em."

"Not a problem," she smiled.

He hopped down the steps to the walk.

"Hey, Spike? I'm sorry I kissed you like that, in front of everybody."

He smiled at her and bit his bottom lip thoughtfully. "S'okay, slayer. Buffy kisses..." He put a hand over his heart. "...among the seven wonders of my world."

She opened her mouth in surprise. "Is that so? What are the other six?"

He laughed and began to walk backwards down the walk. "Oh, you consistently hold the top five spots, luv." He opened his car door, still facing her.

"And what are the other two, then?"

"Hmm, let's see." He folded himself into the car. "A pint of AB-, quite rare, and," he slammed the door, "oh! That bloomin' onion thing they got at the Bronze. Bloody brilliant, that."

"I'm on the same list as food?!" He grinned at her and started the car. As it rumbled to life she laughed and yelled, "you are still evil!" He blew her a kiss, and drove away.



TBC