Part 17:


"Where to now?" Spike asked. The pair was walking through the school halls after a class bell had just wrung.

"Lunch." Buffy said. Spike smiled and took hold of the slayers hand. Buffy weaved her fingers through Spike's and sighed. When the pair entered the cafeteria most eyes turned. Though many of the students had already seen Spike and Buffy together, many had not. Spike watched, grinning cockily, as most female heads turned his way. However, when a few of the male heads also turned, obviously looking at Buffy in all her mini skirt, belly shirt glory, Spike growled slightly. However, Buffy ignored everything that was happening and pulled Spike toward a table where her friends already sat. Willow smiled and she and Buffy began chatting. Spike listened with half an ear.

"So. You think he likes me?" Willow asked.

"Definitely." Buffy responded. The girls leaned closer to one another. "I don't know much about him. All I found out from visiting the girls bathroom was that he's a senior, he plays guitar for a band…I forget the name, and everyone calls him Oz."

"He makes my palms sweat." Willow said, an excited gleam lighting up her eyes.

"I know what you mean." Buffy said, turning to Spike and placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Break it up!" A familiar voice yelled. Buffy and Spike felt small hands pushing them apart, only moments later.

"Principal Snyder, I…" Buffy began, however Snyder cut her off.

"This is not an orgy people. I'm watching you Summer's. You and…" Principal Snyder trailed off and looked strait into Spike's eyes, unflinching. However, Spike didn't like principal Snyder very much. On occasion, Buffy had talked about the principal, and Spike had learned that Snydar was a rude bastard, with no respect for Buffy, or the work she did. Spike had been around a long time, and he was pretty good at reading people. Snydar definitely gave him a bad feeling. Therefore, Spike stared strait into Principal Snydar's eyes, and when no one was watching, flashed his game face. Snydar stuttered something about a staff meeting, and left quickly.

"What did you do?" Buffy asked.

"Just showed the bastard who he'd be dealing with if he messed with you." Spike said, his voice confident and proud.

"I can take care of myself." Buffy said, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"I know love." Spike said, not wanting to start an argument with the slayer. "I just like getting to protect you from time to time. Besides, you can't slay principal's."

"But it would be fun." Willow added quickly. Buffy smiled at that and the two girls continued their discussion. Spike turned to Xander who was staring at him like he was the devil himself.

"What is it boy?" Spike asked. The vampire couldn't help but act like master vampire when talking to Xander. Call it male ego, but Spike didn't like the idea that Xander, who always seemed to be looking at Buffy in a way that made it seem like they were more than just friends, was always hanging around.

"Buffy has a lot of people who love her." Xander said.

"I know. I count myself among them."

"If you hurt her. I'll hurt you." Xander said.

"I'd like to see you try." Spike said, looking Xander strait in the eye.

"Try what?" Buffy asked, cutting into the conversation.

"Nothing love." Spike said.

"Yeah Buffster, just guy talk. You know, football, women…" Xander stopped when Buffy hit Spike lightly on the arm.

"Hey!" Spike protested. "I was simply saying how other woman don't hold a candle to you love." Buffy smiled at that comment and when she turned to Xander, he was also smiling slightly.

Xander liked Spike. They weren't best friends, and you definitely couldn't tell by the way he acted, But Xander liked him. Angel always made Buffy cry. With Spike, Buffy always seemed happy. She smiled more and laughed at his jokes. And certainly he loved her, but what he was learning he loved most about her was the way she acted when with Spike. Besides, there were other fish in the sea. And Xander couldn't stop thinking that Cordelia was looking pretty nice today…

"So, the school day is over." Spike said.

"Yup." Buffy replied.

"So. I thought, if you don't have plans. We could go back to your place, and…get our money's worth out of the silk sheets." Spike finished in a whisper. Buffy shivered in anticipation.

"That sounds nice." Buffy answered. However, at that moment Giles came down the hall.

"Buffy. Excellent. I was afraid that you and William had left." Giles said, smiling brightly. Buffy groaned.

"What is it Giles. End of the world?" Buffy asked, keeping a strait face.

"Ha, ha, ha." Giles said, clearly not amused. "Actually, I just thought we could train for a bit."

"I guess I should." Buffy said, turning to Spike with a look of apology on her face. "I know that you said there was a demon coming."

"What demon?" Spike asked, worried. Though he knew the slayer could handle herself, he didn't like the thought of any demon that she and her watcher wold be worried about, getting near her.

"Some master vampire named William the Bloody." Buffy said flippantly. Spike's eyes widened.

"How do you know?" Spike asked, worried. From stories Buffy had told the scoobies seemed to always find what they were looking for. Of course, Spike was glad of that fact, he knew it was what kept Buffy alive. However, he was also slightly worried that they would discover him. But it wasn't time yet, he couldn't tell Buffy, he couldn't risk losing her, not yet.

"A friend told me." Buffy said, not ready to talk about Angel.

"Oh." Spike said. "Well, you have to train, I'll meet you at the mansion later tonight. Right?"

"Sure." Buffy responded. Then, leaning up and whispering in Spike ear the petite blonde said, "clean up my room for me? I don't want mom finding it."

"Sure." Spike responded. "You train, I'll clean, then meet me at the mansion and we can patrol together." Buffy smiled and went into the library with Giles. Spike headed out of school and toward Buffy's home, trying not to think too much on what would happen if he told Buffy he was a vampire, if he told her he had lied to her. One think was for sure things were going to get very interesting…

"So I'm done?" Buffy asked eagerly.

"That's all for today." Giles said, smiling as Buffy ran to the bathroom to change back from her training clothes to her school clothes. When she returned the blonde grabbed her bag off the table, waved and headed to the door. However, Giles stopped her.

"Actually, wait one moment." Giles said. "I've been going through as many books as I could find on our mysterious William the Bloody. However, I haven't been able to find much on him. I think these last few books will prove more fruitful."

"And you want me to be research gal?" Buffy asked.

"Just take one with you and look through it please." Giles said.

"Good!" Buffy said, happy not to have to stay at school and research. Giles smiled and said goodbye to Buffy. In all honesty he had wanted her to stay and research with him. However, seeing Buffy and Spike together made him happy. Buffy looked so happy, when she was with Spike she didn't seem to feel the burden of her sacred duty. Giles watched the swinging doors of the library until they stopped moving and then sat down and continued his research. His sayer was happy, and Spike seemed like a good guy. Things were finally falling into place. Giles was sure whatever demon was heading their way would be no problem. Things were finally falling into place…






"No one can ever promise you they will never hurt you, because at one time or another it will happen. The real promise is if the time you spent together will be worth the pain in the end."

-anonymous