*****
As he waited behind a crypt in Restfield Cemetery near 12 a.m. two nights later, Spike fidgeted and reached for his pack of cigarettes before remembering that he'd quit smoking. Because of Buffy. If she didn't show up, that would really prove his stupidity. And if she showed up with backup and a plan to stake him, he would look worse than stupid. Spike had already more or less convinced himself that Buffy genuinely regretted having drugged him, but the longer he stood outside alone, the more his doubts grew.
True, it wasn't yet midnight, but why hadn't she arrived already? *He* was there. Had been for nearly an hour. He always seemed to be waiting for Buffy, never sure if she would come. He was probably wasting his time. She'd given him little more than minimal encouragement even on a good day. In fact, she was probably sitting back in her dorm room laughing at the thought of the idiotic vampire who was lurking around a graveyard in the middle of the night waiting for someone who'd never had any intention of meeting him.
Spike had just about talked himself into giving up and retreating while a few shreds of his pride remained intact when he heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching. He peeked around the corner of the crypt, not getting his hopes up until he saw who was there. It could be another vampire, or a typically brainless Sunnydale resident just begging to be eaten.
Only when Spike looked, the person turned out to be Buffy. Of course, that fact wasn't immediate cause for celebration. First, Spike studied the area around her, hunting for signs of any other presence. He had to know if she'd come alone, like he'd requested.
Buffy's steps faltered as she reached the outskirts of the graveyard and she looked around, clearly uncertain. She stopped, paced forward a few steps, and stopped again. "Spike?"
He didn't answer, waiting to see what she would do.
"Spike!" Buffy called again, a little louder. When she again failed to receive a reply, she heaved a sigh and angled her arm in an effort to read her watch face despite the darkness.
Spike didn't hear or see anyone else in the area. Finally satisfied that Buffy was alone, he stepped out from the crypt and approached her. "Over here, Buffy."
She jumped and whirled around, visibly relaxing when she saw him. "Spike, are you going to make a habit out of startling me?"
"But you make it so easy." He crossed over to her and took her arm. "C'mon, let's get out of here."
Buffy obediently trailed him out of the graveyard and along the street, but balked when they reached the DeSoto parked around the corner. "Why did you want me to meet you out at the cemetery if we were just going to leave right away?"
"It was a test," Spike explained, opening the passenger door for her.
Buffy's voice rose in indignation. "You were testing me?" She quickly amended her statement. "All right, not that I didn't deserve it. So, I take it I passed the test?"
"If you get in the car, you will." Spike impatiently waited for Buffy to think this over and climb in, whereupon he slammed the door and went around to the driver's side.
As he started the engine, Buffy asked, "So what are you up to? Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"Are we past the whole 'truth potion/big mistake' deal? I guess I should have asked you that before I got in the car."
"I figured out why you did it. You had to know. Now you do. I made a few mistakes myself, I admit. For instance, anonymous gifts probably weren't the best initial approach to take with you." Choosing to ignore Buffy's muttered, "That's for sure," Spike turned right sharply and drove the DeSoto through a narrow path in the woods, ending up in a clearing at the top of a hill. "Here we are." He parked and got out, Buffy joining him.
She looked around. "What's up here?"
"Everything." Spike gestured at the panorama of Sunnydale spread out below them. The town was mostly dark, but a few lights here and there illuminated various sections. Spike had actually planned for this moment. He pulled a blanket out of the backseat of the car and spread it on the hilltop. "Come sit down."
Buffy did, and began, "I've been thinking a lot about this. About us, or a potential us. Sometimes it seems natural, and other times it seems like the craziest thing that could happen. After all, you're still a vampire, and I'm--"
"The Slayer," Spike picked up for her, "and we're supposed to kill each other. I've heard it all before, but it doesn't always work that way. Don't you think we're both special cases?"
"Yes. In fact, before you interrupted me, I was going to say that I've changed some of my opinions about you, and I know you've changed your life for me."
"Right," Spike agreed. "I quit smoking. Didn't even take up those herbal things afterwards."
"I *meant* that you had stopped killing."
"Oh, that."
"Yes, that. That's a huge deal." Buffy looked at him and added slyly, "From there, it's only a matter of weaning you over to refrigerated blood."
Spike shook his head. "That's where I draw the line. No bagged lunches for me. I drink warm, fresh, human blood straight from the source. Can't alter my basic nature *that* much."
"You can't say that for sure, Spike. You know, you're never too old to change."
"Good. I'll wait."
Sensing she was fighting a losing battle, Buffy backed down. "So like I was saying, I've been giving a potential relationship with you a lot of thought. Of course, I came up with some reasons why it wouldn't work, and--"
Spike interrupted. "Let's do it this way. You tell me all your possible objections and I'll tell you why they don't matter."
"All right. For starters, Xander definitely won't like it."
"Luv, Xander will probably never approve of anyone you date unless it's him, so stow that objection."
"Well, Xander would vote a definite *no*, but I figured out we have more support than I would have expected. For some reason, Willow approves of you. Plus, Oz will go along with her. And Anya, well, Anya won't care what we do, but that's better than being against it. That means we already have a majority opinion in support of us. Or at least neutral to the idea. On my side, anyway. What about *your*...friends?" Buffy ventured, referring to the vampires under Spike's command.
"My minions?" Spike waved a dismissive hand. "Won't matter what they think, seeing that they'll be dust soon. Stupid--the whole lot of 'em. Do you have any idea how long it took them to get cable TV installed in my lair?"
"So much for loyalty."
"You'd dust 'em if I didn't," Spike pointed out, which was so obviously true that Buffy didn't even bother to argue with him. "Next objection?"
"Different ways of life," Buffy brought up. "You've traveled all over, and I'm stuck monitoring the Hellmouth. You do vampire things all night and I do Slayer things. Our lives don't exactly mesh."
"I don't mind settling down for a while. As for the 'vampire things' I do, I can get my violence out by helping you on patrol. What else?"
"Um...." Buffy hesitated.
"That's it? We're done?"
"Wait!" Buffy blurted. "My mom..."
"Likes me," Spike finished smugly. Okay, so she had probably liked him a lot more when he wasn't dating her daughter, but surely he'd win her over to his side. "So? Anything else standing in our way?"
*****
Buffy had already touched on their main problems, and Spike had pretty much cleared them away. Still, she almost couldn't believe she was holding this sort of conversation with him. As recently as three months ago, she would have laughed herself sick at the very thought of being even the least bit friendly with Spike ever again.
Speaking of Spike, he was waiting for an answer to his question. "Well?"
"I think we've about covered things."
"Have I convinced you it can work?" Spike prompted.
Buffy hesitated before answering. If she said no, she could go back to her Spike-less college life. She no longer had any doubts that he would leave town if she told him to. In many ways, things would be a lot simpler if he was gone. On the other hand, she could say yes and they could try to make a go of it. She looked at Spike and found she really didn't have a choice to make. It had probably been inevitable from the day he'd returned to Sunnydale.
She shook her head. "I don't know exactly when or how you did it, Spike, but you won me over. My life hasn't been normal ever since I was called. Why try to change that now?"
"And that means...?"
He looked uncertain, so Buffy helped him along. "Come here, Spike." She pulled him down into a kiss, a move he definitely understood, judging from his enthusiastic reaction.
After an enjoyable few moments, Spike finally leaned back and looked at Buffy. "You're sure, then? No backing out? No more obstacles?"
"Just one," Buffy decided. "Giles is going to throw a fit! But who cares?"
End of the whole thing! As you can see by the dates, I started posting in June and here it is November, but it's finished. Hope you enjoyed, and leave a review on the way out if you like. :)