Part 9:


It was yellow. Not just yellow, but BRIGHT yellow. The kind of sunshine yellow that belonged on postcards of Hawaii. But it wasn't on a postcard, it was currently a yellow that was being used as the tablecloth at the Summer's back to school dinner.

"I don't think it's that bad." Joyce said, ever the optimist. Buffy looked at her mother like she had grown two heads.

"It's terrible. He's going to hate the table cloth, and therefore not be able to enjoy dinner, and than he's going to hate me because I helped cook the dinner, and…" Buffy trailed off, staring at her mother with eyes wide with fear. The doorbell had just wrung.

Buffy stood in front of the oak door, hesitating before opening it. Glancing quickly at the hallway mirror she took one last look at herself. The slayer's hair was up in a loose bun that exposed a long, tan, neck. She wore a beige, off the shoulder peasant top that cut off just above her belly button, and a deep blue skirt that flowed down to her light brown sandals. "Perfect" Buffy whispered before opening the door, a wide smile on her face.

Buffy's smile dropped when she saw who was at the door. Not Spike, as she'd expected, but Xander, Willow, Giles and Cordelia. Xander smiled widely at Buffy. Willow waved shyly, Giles greeted her with a terse but cheerful, "hello" and Cordelia raised one eyebrow, letting Buffy know that she was only here to meet Spike, and make Buffy's night a living hell.

"What's wrong Buff?" Xander up, picking up on Buffy's dissapointment.

"I thought you were Spike." She said, shrugging slightly. Buffy looked down at her feet and then up at her friends again. This time, however, a smile was once again on her face.

"Your excited." Willow said, coming into the Summer's home with the rest of the scoobie gang following behind her. Buffy led them to the living room couches as they gossiped.

"Terrified, excited, lonely. It's only been one day and I miss him." The slayer admitted, giggling.

"I bet he's not that great." Xander muttered softly. However, Cordelia and Buffy heard him. Cordelia rolled her eyes however, Buffy paused for a moment.

The slayer knew that Xander had a crush on her. However, she hoped that Xander had gotten over her. And, she hoped that he would be kind to Spike. Buffy pushed those thoughts out of her head when the doorbell rang once more.

"Hey." Buffy said, when she opened the door and found Spike on the other side, waving to her. Buffy's eyes widened as she got a better look at him. She could tell, even though she knew most other people wouldn't be able to, that Spike had made an effort to look nice. His black jeans had been replaced by nice black slacks, and his normally slightly grungy shirt had been replaced by a new, crisp, black, tank top. Spike's trademark duster was on. However, in his hands he carried a small bouquet of assorted flowers.

"For your mum." Spike said, sliding his tongue along his top teeth in the obnoxious way he did when he knew Buffy was thinking inappropriate thoughts.

"Slayer." Spike said, snapping Buffy out of her train of thoughts.

'Huh?" Buffy asked, her mouth opened in awe.

"Best close your mouth before the flies come in it love." Spike said, grinning.

"No, I mean what did you call me?" Buffy asked.

"I called you slayer." Spike responded.

"That's what vampire's sometimes call me." Buffy said, eyes narrowing in confusion.

"That's what you are, isn't it." Spike answered easily.

"No." Buffy said defensively. Spike corrected himself.

"Your right, it's more than that. It's who you are, or at least part of it. There were tons of slayer's before you love, but right now you're the slayer. And your Buffy. It's who you are."

"Thank you." Buffy said, kissing Spike lightly on the cheek. Spike smirked, not needing to ask what the "thank you" was for. Knowing it was for many things. The two paused for a moment. Spike broke the silence.

"Don't I get a good luck kiss. You know, before meeting your mates and all?" Spike asked. Buffy rolled her eyes, trying to conceal her happiness, before tilting her head to the side and kissing Spike soundly.

The kiss heated up slightly, with Spike's tongue creeping into Buffy's mouth and dancing erotically with her own. However, a creak of the floorboards reminded them where they were and the pair quickly parted. Spike nodded, showing that he was ready to enter the parlor, and Buffy placed a chaste, but firm, kiss on his lips before grabbing his hand and pulling him into the parlor.

"Everyone, this is…" Buffy began.

"William." Spike cut in. "William Crawford. But my friends call me Spike."

"And this is Willow, Giles, Xander and Cordelia." Buffy said, pointing to everyone in turn. A nervous smile on her face. "Mom's in the kitchen." She added, catching Spike's confused look.

"Hello all." Spike said, waving and smirking. Spike took a seat in a large armchair across from the couch where the scoobies sat.

"So…you're English?" Giles asked, trying to get conversation started. Spike nodded.

"I'm interning for the mayor. I attend college, though I'm only 19." Spike explained, the lie coming so easily he almost forgot it was a lie.

"Wow…19." Cordelia said, staring at Spike.

Buffy narrowed her eyes at Cordelia. The cheerleader was obviously very taken with Spike. Her eyes hadn't left his tight abs, which could be seen clearly under his black t-shirt. Willow coughed, trying to distract Cordelia from Spike, as she saw how angrily Buffy was looking at Cordelia.

"What?" Cordelia asked in a whiny voice.

"Just had a frog in my throat." Willow lied. Spike however, had seen the exchange and winked at Willow when she turned in his direction. Willow smiled. She liked Spike.

"So. How long have you two been an item?" Xander asked, his voice taking on an even quality that Buffy knew meant trouble.

"An item?" Spike asked, giving the boy a hard time. Something about the way he looked at Buffy disturbed Xander.

"You know. Dating, in a relationship. Dancing the tango of loooove." Xander explained. "Forget about the last one." He added.

"Gladly." Buffy said. "And to answer your question…" The slayer began counting on her fingers.

"3 weeks and two days." Spike answered without hesitation. Buffy turned to him and smiled. Spike smirked. "I'm good with numbers is all." He whispered self consciously. However, Buffy seemed to take well to the fact that he had been keeping track of how long they had been dating, and walked over to where he was sitting and sat on the armrest, placing her hand lovingly and possessively on the nape of his kneck.

Giles took his glasses of and began cleaning. "Well." He said, scrubbing vigorously with his handkerchief. The conversation stopped for a few moments of awkward silence until Giles continued. "Buffy. May I speak to you after dinner. I don't want to forget to ask you about something." Giles said.

"Tell me now." Buffy said, looking slightly concerned.

"It's about…" Giles paused, glancing at Spike, who was looking at him with great interest. "…work." Spike concluded lamely. Suddenly Spike snapped his fingers loudly.

"You're her watcher!" He exclaimed excitedly, finally putting the pieces of the puzzle that was his slayer's life together.

"What?" All the scoobies asked in unison.

"I said…" Spike began, however, Buffy cut him off.

"He knows, Giles." The slayer explained. Giles opened his mouth to say something, but Buffy spoke once more. "And before you reprimand me, know that I didn't tell him." Buffy said, fudging the truth slightly. Ignoring the fact that she was planning on telling him. "His great grandmother, a while back, was a slayer."

"That's amazing." Giles said. I didn't remember hearing of any slayers who bore children.

"Well, she did." Spike said. "We're not like normal children though. Slayer's children are born with supernatural strength." Spike explained.

"That's fascinating." Giles said, his lips turning upward in a smile. Buffy grinned at Spike as he and Giles began to talk about England, and about slayer's and vampires. Giles seemed to be warming up to Spike, and seemed to be impressed with the amount Spike knew about slayers and vampires.

"Three down, one to go." Buffy said, glancing at Xander, who was scowling. However, Buffy didn't have time to try and make the boys play nice, because just then her mother appeared in the doorway, announcing that dinner was ready, and all slayer related conversation ended.

"The food's delicious Joyce." Spike said honestly. He felt no need to be extra nice to Joyce, he liked her. Spike was slightly worried about himself. He found that he fit in well in the slayer's world. Spike respected Giles. He knew a bit about watcher's and, in the short time he had been speaking with him, he found that Giles was an exceptional watcher. He honestly respected the man who seemed to have a fatherly affection for the amazing girl he was courting. Spike also liked Willow. The redhead, whom he had begun to affectionately call Red, seemed like a nice girl and good friend to Buffy. Spike found himself liking Cordelia. She reminded him of Cecily, a woman from Spike's past. And though memories relating to Cecily tended not to be pleasant. The girl made Spike think of ways that he and Buffy were alike, and that eased his mind when he became guilty from lying to her. The only one that Spike disliked at this time was Xander. It wasn't that the boy was a bad person, as he seemed to be loyal to the slayer. It was just that Spike got the unsettling feeling that not only did Xander not like him, but that his love for Buffy ran much deeper than a friendship.

"Spike?" Buffy asked, tapping Spike lightly on the arm. Spike looked up at her, smiling.

"Sorry, I zoned out for a bit, love." Spike said, squeezing her arm reassuringly." Buffy smiled back at him.

"I was just wondering if I could talk to you for a minute?" Buffy asked. Spike's eyes clouded over in concern for a moment. However, Buffy smiled at him reassuringly.

Outside in the hallway Buffy paced a moment before speaking. "Everyone seems to like you." She said. Spike nodded, wondering where this was going. "And I like you." Buffy added. Spike nodded once more and Buffy began to pace.

"Just spit it out love." Spike said, becoming impatient, as his curiosity got the best of him.

"Mom has this shore house and I thought maybe she'd let us go up for the weekend, since this week we won't see each other much. Me being at school, and you being at work." Buffy said, in one breath.

"Are you asking me if I want to?" Spike asked, arching an eyebrow playfully.

"Yes." Buffy said, curving her lips into a smile as she caught onto Spike's playful mood.

"Well I'd have to think about it." Spike said. The seconds ticked by. One….two….. "Alright, I'll go." Spike said, happily, as he fingered the charmed necklace that he was wearing, underneath his shirt.

"I'll ask after dinner." Buffy said happily. Leaning up and allowing Spike to capture her mouth in a firm kiss.

"I can't wait Buffy." Spike said honestly. Smiling as he saw the slayer, so full of life, bound into the dining room to ask her mother. Spike waited a few seconds and used his vampiric hearing to make out the delighted squeals coming from Buffy and Willow. He smiled. "God I love her." Spike whispered, truly forgetting all the lies he was telling the slayer for the first time since he'd met her.

Love is much like the wild rose, beautiful and calm,

but willing to draw blood in its defense

Mark A. Overby