Buffy absently tapped the pencil in her hand against her desk. Her head was
propped up by her hand in a bored gesture.
The Chemistry teacher, Mr.Gregory, continued his lecture about this big project that was due in two weeks.
"You will have a five page essay written. No more. No less. This project will count for one-fourth of your finale grade. No more. No less."
'This is about as exciting as watching the home shopping channel. No more. No less,' Buffy thought.
Mr.Gregory looked up. "You have something to add, Miss Summers?"
'Oh, shit! Did I say that out loud?'
"Uh, no, sir," she said, her face turning red.
He gave her a look before continuing his lecture.
Buffy gave an internal sigh of relief.
Willow, who was sitting two seats over, looked over at her, her eyes wide.
Buffy smiled and rolled her eyes.
Her seat was nudged from behind. She turned around and saw Spike sitting behind her.
He held up a piece of notebook paper with writing on it.
BUSTED.
She flipped a bird and turned around.
Spike grinned.
Science class soon ended and the students filed out of the room in an unorderly fashion.
The end of the hall had been repaired. The fire had started from a student who had been smoking outside of the school. He had been sued by the school and held responsible for Willow's injuries.
Speaking of Willow, she was now up on her feet and out of any casts. She still had a slight limp, but that was all. She was no longer teaching computer class. The new teacher, Miss Jenny Calendar, had taken over, but she didn't seem so bad. Kind of perky, but in a totally cool and controlled way.
****
"I think the librarian has a crush on her."
"And, since when do we monitor the librarian's love life?" Xander asked Willow, biting into a piece of pepperoni pizza.
Xander, Willow, and Buffy were sitting in Buffy's room, a pizza on the bed, Buffy at the end, and Willow and Xander across from her.
Willow shrugged. "It's just..."
"Sweet," Buffy finished.
"I think 'weird' comes to mind," Xander added.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Everything is weird to you."
"That's because everything is weird."
"So, Anya's weird."
"No."
Buffy sighed.
Xander grinned. "Insane troll logic. Look it up."
Buffy grabbed a particularly large slice of pizza. "How can something so bad for you be so good?"
"I'san trool lojik," Xander answered around a mouthful of pizza.
Buffy shrugged and took a bite.
Rrring. Rrring.
Willow grabbed the phone out from under the pillow she was laying on and tossed it to Buffy, who was choking down that huge bite.
"Swallow," Xander instructed her.
She glared at him, swallowed, and pushed 'talk' on the phone.
"Hello?... Hey. What's up?... Yeah.... Well, maybe... I'd have to ask my mom... Here?... Oh, okay... No, it's okay, I don't mind... I'm sure... I'll ask... Okay... Bye."
"I'm guessing by the way you were talking that it was Spike," Xander predicted, "but I have no clue what he wanted; I'm guessing it wasn't a date."
Buffy pushed 'off' on the phone and set it in her lap. "He wanted to know if I could watch Chris tomorrow night."
"That's Spike's little brother, right?" Willow asked.
Buffy nodded. "Yep." She tilted her head to the side. "I've never actually met him. Spike said he'd a pretty good kid. I mean, once he looked past the bratty little brother side of him. Spike said Dawn might like him."
"Oh, big sis' plays matchmaker," Xander taunted her.
"No," Buffy protested, "he just said they might like to hang out."
"Buffy," Willow said, "since when does anyone below the age of ten just 'hang out' with a member of the opposite sex by themselves."
"We do," Xander reminded them.
"We'll we've known each other forever. I mean, like, someone you just met. You don't just 'hang out'."
"I'll remember that," Buffy noted, taking another bite of the pizza. "Might have to keep an eye on those two."
****
Spike told Buffy that he would drive Buffy home after school, and pick up Chris before he dropped her off. Buffy would watch Chris until about seven while Spike and Lila go to see her sister in Los Angeles. They just didn't trust Chris with John.
But, before the end of the day came, Buffy had worse problems.
Science. Big test.
Give you one guess on whether or not she studied.
"I am so dead!" Buffy cried, standing next to Spike's locker.
He grinned at her. "Maybe you shoulda studied, luv."
"Oh, and you did?" she asked, unbelieving.
Spike smirked. "I may not make perfect grades, but I don't *try* to fail."
"I don't want to fail, either!"
Spike slammed his locker shut. "That looks like what's going to happen."
"You're not helping," she pouted, crossing her arms.
"Aw, poor you," he taunted, lifting her chin up and kissing her lightly.
When he moved away, she glared at him. "You suck."
He grinned and started to walk by her. "I don't suck, I bite," he whispered in her ear before walking away.
She watched him walk to a class that she wasn't in and stomped her foot. "Dammit!"
Buffy turned to stomp off and ran smack into someone.
They both stepped back before they fell over each other.
It was a guy she had never seen before. Dark brown hair, soulful brown eyes, a good size taller than her.
"Oh, God, I'm sorry," Buffy apologized, her small tantrum forgotten.
"That's okay," he said, smiling. "I should have been paying attention."
Buffy crossed her arms. "Um, are you new, or something?"
"Yeah. Angel," he introduced himself.
"Buffy."
"Uh, do you know where math class is?"
"You a junior or senior?"
"Junior."
"Me, too. Um," she looked down the hall, "it'll be the fifth door past the water fountain on the left. It's the same class that my *boyfriend* is in."
"Ah," he said, grinning. "Boyfriend. I gotchya. Well, I'll see you around."
"Okay."
Angel walked off the down the hall.
Buffy watched him walk for about two seconds before she remembered she was about to fail science and be grounded for all eternity.
"Shit!" she cried, and dashed off down the hall.
****
If looks could kill, that science test would be extra crispy.
Buffy scowled at it as she looked over the questions. There were a few that she had picked up during the time when she had nothing better to do except actually pay attention. The rest looked like a bunch of gibberish.
They were about ten minutes into test when there was a knock at the door.
Ms. Lisa, the science teacher, got up from her desk and walked over to the door. A teacher was outside and asked for Ms. Lisa to come outside for a second. As soon as the door was closed behind her, the room filled with hushed whispers.
Buffy turned around in her desk to Willow. "What's the answer to questions one through a hundred?"
Willow smiled. "Didn't study?"
Buffy shook her head.
"And didn't I offer to help you study?"
She nodded.
"And have I ever in my life let you or Xander or anyone else, for that matter, look off my paper?"
"No, but-"
"Ah!" Willow scowled. She shooed Buffy away. "Go. Turn around."
"But-"
"Shoo!"
Buffy pouted and turned around.
The door opened back up and Ms. Lisa walked back in, with someone behind her.
This time it was a girl Buffy had never seen before. She had shoulder- length, wavy brown hair that looked like she had just towl-dried it and sprayed hairspray on it to make it stay down, and looked like someone who owned a Harley. Her arms were crossed like she had major attitude, she had on a small black T-shirt that was tight and showed a good five inches of her flat stomach, baggy camouflage pants, and normal sneakers. She had a chain that hooked on the front loop of her pants and came around to her back pocket, a small chain necklace, and she was chewing her gum with her mouth open.
Ms. Lisa was sorting through some papers on her desk. "Class, this is Faith O' Connor. And no," she said as soon as she saw a hand go up, "this does not mean the test is postponed. You will continue, and Faith," she turned to her, "you can just do what you want as long as its in your seat and you don't talk. And could you please lose the gum."
Faith rolled her eyes and spit the gum in the trash can by her feet.
Ms. Lisa looked around the room. "Um, you take a seat in the corner, next to Willow."
Faith eyed the people around the seat and headed towards it.
Buffy watched her as she walked. This girl looked like she had a badass attitude and didn't take shit from anyone. Willow just kind of shied away, keeping her head down and eyes on her paper. There still was that little bit of shy geekness in her.
Faith plopped down in her seat and proceeded to do absolutely nothing.
****
Buffy leaned against the window of Spike's car and closed her eyes.
"What's the matter, luv?" Spike asked her.
"Um, I probably just failed science and this new girl looks like a psycho."
"New girl?" he asked, looking over at her. "You got a new girl? There was a new guy in my sixth period."
"Yeah, I saw him. His names Angel."
"And your new girl?"
"Faith."
"Uh huh."
Spike pulled into the middle school parking lot to pick up Chris. He was with a group of kids huddled around, waiting for their rides.
Chris opened the door. "Who's she?"
"She's your baby-sitter, now get in the back," Spike said.
Buffy leaned forward so Chris could climb in the back.
Spike waited for him to get strapped in before pulling out of the parking lot. The school was only about ten blocks from Buffy's house, but Spike didn't trust him to go straight there by himself.
"You listen to her, you hear?" Spike told Chris.
Chris rolled his eyes. "Yeah."
"You do what she says and don't give her lip."
"I know," Chris whined.
"And-"
"Hey," Buffy said softly, "I think he gets it."
Spike smirked at her.
They pulled up in front of Buffy's house.
Buffy got out of the car and Chris climbed out behind her.
She leaned over the seat to kiss Spike quickly before climbing back out. "See you."
"Bye, luv."
She waved as he drove off, then turned around to face a scowling Chris, who obviously didn't want to be there.
"So, what do you want to do?" she asked.
He shrugged.
"Well, let's go inside and we can see what there is to do."
She started walking towards her house and Chris trailed behind her.
"My Mom isn't home," she called over her shoulder. "But, my sister is. Dawn?"
"Dawn's your sister?" That had caught his interest.
"Yeah. You know her?"
He shrugged. "She's in a few of my classes."
"Well, she lives here. Unfortunately," Buffy added as an afterthought.
Chris grinned slightly.
Buffy opened the door and walked in. "Dawn!"
"What do you want!?!" she called from upstairs.
"I want to come down and say 'hi' to Chris!"
Dawn appeared at the top of the stairs in two seconds flat. "Hey, Chris."
Buffy hid a smile. "Why don't you guys find something to do? I'll go make something to eat."
"You? Make something to eat? Please tell me you mean you're ordering."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Pizza sound good?"
"Sure."
She turned Chris. "Sound good to you?"
"Yeah," he shrugged.
"Great."
****
Dawn and Chris were sitting on the couch, watching Fast and the Furious.
"Vin Diesel is so hot," Dawn squealed.
Chris smiled at her. "I wouldn't call him hot, but he seems pretty cool."
Buffy, who was watching from the doorway, smiled and shook her head. 'Just like his brother.'
"The cars are awesome," Chris said. "I would give anything for a ten-second car and a tank of NOS."
"They go so fast. How do they act so calm?" Dawn asked. "I mean, one wrong move could kill you. As in, blow you up into tiny little pieces."
Chris shrugged. "Doesn't seem so scary."
'Oh, yeah. Just like his brother.'
"You're insane."
Chris grinned. "I know."
Dawn laughed and shook her head.
The movie ended about an hour later.
Spike called and told Buffy that he and Lila had gotten caught up in traffic and might be a few hours late. Joyce was out with some friends and wasn't even due back until nine.
"So, what do you guys wanna do?" Buffy asked. "Another movie? TV? What?"
"Isn't Armageddon coming on the USA channel in a few minutes?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah. You wanna watch that?"
"Do you?" she asked Chris.
"Sure," he replied. "That's a good movie. Bruce Willis rocks. The ending is awesome."
"I think the ending is sad. It used to make me cry."
"Oh, well, I've had movies make me cry."
"Really? You?"
He shrugged. "Sometimes you just get caught up in the moment..." His voice kind of trailed off.
'Okay, that's a little too much like Spike.' "Hey, guys!" she said loudly, drawing their attention away from the sexual tension that was *not* supposed to be around her twelve year-old sister. "So, is Armageddon a go?"
Dawn glared at Buffy for interrupted the moment. "Yeah."
"Well, turn it on, and I'll go make some popcorn."
"Whatever," Dawn muttered, flopping back against the couch and flipped the channels over to USA.
Buffy walked into the kitchen and pulled a bag out of the pantry. She tossed it in the microwave and pushed 'POPCORN'. It turned on the circular platter for about three minutes before beeping, signaling that the popcorn was popped and ready for eating. She poured it in a bowl and walked back into the living room.
Dawn and Chris were at opposite ends of the couch, but Buffy decided to give Dawn a break and sat in the chair. Dawn glanced at her for a second, a small 'thank you' that only another sister could recognize.
Buffy smiled and laid back in her seat to eat.
****
A knock at the door woke Buffy from her supposedly short nap. She yawned and glanced at the couch to find the both Chris and Dawn were asleep, Dawn stretched out, her head on Chris's leg.
Buffy raised an eyebrow as she walked by to answer the door.
Spike was leaning against the doorway.
"Hey," she said softly, still half-asleep.
"Hey," he replied. "Did I wake you?"
Buffy smiled. "Only a little."
"How was he?"
"Perfect. Besides putting the moves on my kid sister."
Spike grinned. "Where are they now?"
Buffy tilted her head towards the living room. "Come look."
Spike smirked as he followed her, closing the door behind him.
They both walked into the living room.
"Ooh, such a questioning position," Spike teased her.
Buffy smacked his arm lightly. "Stop. It's sweet."
"No, this is sweet." He leaned over to her and captured her mouth in his.
She grinned against his mouth and kissed him back.
They pulled away.
Buffy looked back over to Chris and Dawn. "Should we wake them?"
"No reason."
Spike walked over to Chris and slipped his arm under his neck and legs, carefully slipping him away from Dawn. Chris shifted slightly, but settled back down once Spike stopped moving.
Spike moved back past Buffy. She opened the front door for him.
"Well, I'll see you later, I guess," he said.
"Okay."
Spike leaned down and kissed her lightly. "Bye."
"Bye."
Spike carried Chris to his car.
Buffy watched until they drove off and closed the door.
TBC...
The Chemistry teacher, Mr.Gregory, continued his lecture about this big project that was due in two weeks.
"You will have a five page essay written. No more. No less. This project will count for one-fourth of your finale grade. No more. No less."
'This is about as exciting as watching the home shopping channel. No more. No less,' Buffy thought.
Mr.Gregory looked up. "You have something to add, Miss Summers?"
'Oh, shit! Did I say that out loud?'
"Uh, no, sir," she said, her face turning red.
He gave her a look before continuing his lecture.
Buffy gave an internal sigh of relief.
Willow, who was sitting two seats over, looked over at her, her eyes wide.
Buffy smiled and rolled her eyes.
Her seat was nudged from behind. She turned around and saw Spike sitting behind her.
He held up a piece of notebook paper with writing on it.
BUSTED.
She flipped a bird and turned around.
Spike grinned.
Science class soon ended and the students filed out of the room in an unorderly fashion.
The end of the hall had been repaired. The fire had started from a student who had been smoking outside of the school. He had been sued by the school and held responsible for Willow's injuries.
Speaking of Willow, she was now up on her feet and out of any casts. She still had a slight limp, but that was all. She was no longer teaching computer class. The new teacher, Miss Jenny Calendar, had taken over, but she didn't seem so bad. Kind of perky, but in a totally cool and controlled way.
****
"I think the librarian has a crush on her."
"And, since when do we monitor the librarian's love life?" Xander asked Willow, biting into a piece of pepperoni pizza.
Xander, Willow, and Buffy were sitting in Buffy's room, a pizza on the bed, Buffy at the end, and Willow and Xander across from her.
Willow shrugged. "It's just..."
"Sweet," Buffy finished.
"I think 'weird' comes to mind," Xander added.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Everything is weird to you."
"That's because everything is weird."
"So, Anya's weird."
"No."
Buffy sighed.
Xander grinned. "Insane troll logic. Look it up."
Buffy grabbed a particularly large slice of pizza. "How can something so bad for you be so good?"
"I'san trool lojik," Xander answered around a mouthful of pizza.
Buffy shrugged and took a bite.
Rrring. Rrring.
Willow grabbed the phone out from under the pillow she was laying on and tossed it to Buffy, who was choking down that huge bite.
"Swallow," Xander instructed her.
She glared at him, swallowed, and pushed 'talk' on the phone.
"Hello?... Hey. What's up?... Yeah.... Well, maybe... I'd have to ask my mom... Here?... Oh, okay... No, it's okay, I don't mind... I'm sure... I'll ask... Okay... Bye."
"I'm guessing by the way you were talking that it was Spike," Xander predicted, "but I have no clue what he wanted; I'm guessing it wasn't a date."
Buffy pushed 'off' on the phone and set it in her lap. "He wanted to know if I could watch Chris tomorrow night."
"That's Spike's little brother, right?" Willow asked.
Buffy nodded. "Yep." She tilted her head to the side. "I've never actually met him. Spike said he'd a pretty good kid. I mean, once he looked past the bratty little brother side of him. Spike said Dawn might like him."
"Oh, big sis' plays matchmaker," Xander taunted her.
"No," Buffy protested, "he just said they might like to hang out."
"Buffy," Willow said, "since when does anyone below the age of ten just 'hang out' with a member of the opposite sex by themselves."
"We do," Xander reminded them.
"We'll we've known each other forever. I mean, like, someone you just met. You don't just 'hang out'."
"I'll remember that," Buffy noted, taking another bite of the pizza. "Might have to keep an eye on those two."
****
Spike told Buffy that he would drive Buffy home after school, and pick up Chris before he dropped her off. Buffy would watch Chris until about seven while Spike and Lila go to see her sister in Los Angeles. They just didn't trust Chris with John.
But, before the end of the day came, Buffy had worse problems.
Science. Big test.
Give you one guess on whether or not she studied.
"I am so dead!" Buffy cried, standing next to Spike's locker.
He grinned at her. "Maybe you shoulda studied, luv."
"Oh, and you did?" she asked, unbelieving.
Spike smirked. "I may not make perfect grades, but I don't *try* to fail."
"I don't want to fail, either!"
Spike slammed his locker shut. "That looks like what's going to happen."
"You're not helping," she pouted, crossing her arms.
"Aw, poor you," he taunted, lifting her chin up and kissing her lightly.
When he moved away, she glared at him. "You suck."
He grinned and started to walk by her. "I don't suck, I bite," he whispered in her ear before walking away.
She watched him walk to a class that she wasn't in and stomped her foot. "Dammit!"
Buffy turned to stomp off and ran smack into someone.
They both stepped back before they fell over each other.
It was a guy she had never seen before. Dark brown hair, soulful brown eyes, a good size taller than her.
"Oh, God, I'm sorry," Buffy apologized, her small tantrum forgotten.
"That's okay," he said, smiling. "I should have been paying attention."
Buffy crossed her arms. "Um, are you new, or something?"
"Yeah. Angel," he introduced himself.
"Buffy."
"Uh, do you know where math class is?"
"You a junior or senior?"
"Junior."
"Me, too. Um," she looked down the hall, "it'll be the fifth door past the water fountain on the left. It's the same class that my *boyfriend* is in."
"Ah," he said, grinning. "Boyfriend. I gotchya. Well, I'll see you around."
"Okay."
Angel walked off the down the hall.
Buffy watched him walk for about two seconds before she remembered she was about to fail science and be grounded for all eternity.
"Shit!" she cried, and dashed off down the hall.
****
If looks could kill, that science test would be extra crispy.
Buffy scowled at it as she looked over the questions. There were a few that she had picked up during the time when she had nothing better to do except actually pay attention. The rest looked like a bunch of gibberish.
They were about ten minutes into test when there was a knock at the door.
Ms. Lisa, the science teacher, got up from her desk and walked over to the door. A teacher was outside and asked for Ms. Lisa to come outside for a second. As soon as the door was closed behind her, the room filled with hushed whispers.
Buffy turned around in her desk to Willow. "What's the answer to questions one through a hundred?"
Willow smiled. "Didn't study?"
Buffy shook her head.
"And didn't I offer to help you study?"
She nodded.
"And have I ever in my life let you or Xander or anyone else, for that matter, look off my paper?"
"No, but-"
"Ah!" Willow scowled. She shooed Buffy away. "Go. Turn around."
"But-"
"Shoo!"
Buffy pouted and turned around.
The door opened back up and Ms. Lisa walked back in, with someone behind her.
This time it was a girl Buffy had never seen before. She had shoulder- length, wavy brown hair that looked like she had just towl-dried it and sprayed hairspray on it to make it stay down, and looked like someone who owned a Harley. Her arms were crossed like she had major attitude, she had on a small black T-shirt that was tight and showed a good five inches of her flat stomach, baggy camouflage pants, and normal sneakers. She had a chain that hooked on the front loop of her pants and came around to her back pocket, a small chain necklace, and she was chewing her gum with her mouth open.
Ms. Lisa was sorting through some papers on her desk. "Class, this is Faith O' Connor. And no," she said as soon as she saw a hand go up, "this does not mean the test is postponed. You will continue, and Faith," she turned to her, "you can just do what you want as long as its in your seat and you don't talk. And could you please lose the gum."
Faith rolled her eyes and spit the gum in the trash can by her feet.
Ms. Lisa looked around the room. "Um, you take a seat in the corner, next to Willow."
Faith eyed the people around the seat and headed towards it.
Buffy watched her as she walked. This girl looked like she had a badass attitude and didn't take shit from anyone. Willow just kind of shied away, keeping her head down and eyes on her paper. There still was that little bit of shy geekness in her.
Faith plopped down in her seat and proceeded to do absolutely nothing.
****
Buffy leaned against the window of Spike's car and closed her eyes.
"What's the matter, luv?" Spike asked her.
"Um, I probably just failed science and this new girl looks like a psycho."
"New girl?" he asked, looking over at her. "You got a new girl? There was a new guy in my sixth period."
"Yeah, I saw him. His names Angel."
"And your new girl?"
"Faith."
"Uh huh."
Spike pulled into the middle school parking lot to pick up Chris. He was with a group of kids huddled around, waiting for their rides.
Chris opened the door. "Who's she?"
"She's your baby-sitter, now get in the back," Spike said.
Buffy leaned forward so Chris could climb in the back.
Spike waited for him to get strapped in before pulling out of the parking lot. The school was only about ten blocks from Buffy's house, but Spike didn't trust him to go straight there by himself.
"You listen to her, you hear?" Spike told Chris.
Chris rolled his eyes. "Yeah."
"You do what she says and don't give her lip."
"I know," Chris whined.
"And-"
"Hey," Buffy said softly, "I think he gets it."
Spike smirked at her.
They pulled up in front of Buffy's house.
Buffy got out of the car and Chris climbed out behind her.
She leaned over the seat to kiss Spike quickly before climbing back out. "See you."
"Bye, luv."
She waved as he drove off, then turned around to face a scowling Chris, who obviously didn't want to be there.
"So, what do you want to do?" she asked.
He shrugged.
"Well, let's go inside and we can see what there is to do."
She started walking towards her house and Chris trailed behind her.
"My Mom isn't home," she called over her shoulder. "But, my sister is. Dawn?"
"Dawn's your sister?" That had caught his interest.
"Yeah. You know her?"
He shrugged. "She's in a few of my classes."
"Well, she lives here. Unfortunately," Buffy added as an afterthought.
Chris grinned slightly.
Buffy opened the door and walked in. "Dawn!"
"What do you want!?!" she called from upstairs.
"I want to come down and say 'hi' to Chris!"
Dawn appeared at the top of the stairs in two seconds flat. "Hey, Chris."
Buffy hid a smile. "Why don't you guys find something to do? I'll go make something to eat."
"You? Make something to eat? Please tell me you mean you're ordering."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Pizza sound good?"
"Sure."
She turned Chris. "Sound good to you?"
"Yeah," he shrugged.
"Great."
****
Dawn and Chris were sitting on the couch, watching Fast and the Furious.
"Vin Diesel is so hot," Dawn squealed.
Chris smiled at her. "I wouldn't call him hot, but he seems pretty cool."
Buffy, who was watching from the doorway, smiled and shook her head. 'Just like his brother.'
"The cars are awesome," Chris said. "I would give anything for a ten-second car and a tank of NOS."
"They go so fast. How do they act so calm?" Dawn asked. "I mean, one wrong move could kill you. As in, blow you up into tiny little pieces."
Chris shrugged. "Doesn't seem so scary."
'Oh, yeah. Just like his brother.'
"You're insane."
Chris grinned. "I know."
Dawn laughed and shook her head.
The movie ended about an hour later.
Spike called and told Buffy that he and Lila had gotten caught up in traffic and might be a few hours late. Joyce was out with some friends and wasn't even due back until nine.
"So, what do you guys wanna do?" Buffy asked. "Another movie? TV? What?"
"Isn't Armageddon coming on the USA channel in a few minutes?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah. You wanna watch that?"
"Do you?" she asked Chris.
"Sure," he replied. "That's a good movie. Bruce Willis rocks. The ending is awesome."
"I think the ending is sad. It used to make me cry."
"Oh, well, I've had movies make me cry."
"Really? You?"
He shrugged. "Sometimes you just get caught up in the moment..." His voice kind of trailed off.
'Okay, that's a little too much like Spike.' "Hey, guys!" she said loudly, drawing their attention away from the sexual tension that was *not* supposed to be around her twelve year-old sister. "So, is Armageddon a go?"
Dawn glared at Buffy for interrupted the moment. "Yeah."
"Well, turn it on, and I'll go make some popcorn."
"Whatever," Dawn muttered, flopping back against the couch and flipped the channels over to USA.
Buffy walked into the kitchen and pulled a bag out of the pantry. She tossed it in the microwave and pushed 'POPCORN'. It turned on the circular platter for about three minutes before beeping, signaling that the popcorn was popped and ready for eating. She poured it in a bowl and walked back into the living room.
Dawn and Chris were at opposite ends of the couch, but Buffy decided to give Dawn a break and sat in the chair. Dawn glanced at her for a second, a small 'thank you' that only another sister could recognize.
Buffy smiled and laid back in her seat to eat.
****
A knock at the door woke Buffy from her supposedly short nap. She yawned and glanced at the couch to find the both Chris and Dawn were asleep, Dawn stretched out, her head on Chris's leg.
Buffy raised an eyebrow as she walked by to answer the door.
Spike was leaning against the doorway.
"Hey," she said softly, still half-asleep.
"Hey," he replied. "Did I wake you?"
Buffy smiled. "Only a little."
"How was he?"
"Perfect. Besides putting the moves on my kid sister."
Spike grinned. "Where are they now?"
Buffy tilted her head towards the living room. "Come look."
Spike smirked as he followed her, closing the door behind him.
They both walked into the living room.
"Ooh, such a questioning position," Spike teased her.
Buffy smacked his arm lightly. "Stop. It's sweet."
"No, this is sweet." He leaned over to her and captured her mouth in his.
She grinned against his mouth and kissed him back.
They pulled away.
Buffy looked back over to Chris and Dawn. "Should we wake them?"
"No reason."
Spike walked over to Chris and slipped his arm under his neck and legs, carefully slipping him away from Dawn. Chris shifted slightly, but settled back down once Spike stopped moving.
Spike moved back past Buffy. She opened the front door for him.
"Well, I'll see you later, I guess," he said.
"Okay."
Spike leaned down and kissed her lightly. "Bye."
"Bye."
Spike carried Chris to his car.
Buffy watched until they drove off and closed the door.
TBC...