CHAPTER EIGHT: RIK
Erika looked up and smiled as she saw Buffy take the seat next to her.
"Heya," Erika said brightly.
"Morning," Buffy greeted cheerily.
Erika recognised the smile and tried to keep the smirk to herself. Buffy just glared at her half-heartedly and watched as Giles went to the front of the lecture theatre.
"Don't suppose you have this afternoon off do you?" Buffy asked.
Erika nodded. "Yes, thank god. Too much learning really isn't good for me."
Buffy laughed quietly, ignoring the glare that she got from Giles.
"Good cos…I was wondering if you wanted to come and meet the gang," Buffy said.
Erika hesitated but finally nodded. She was being reluctant about opening herself up to people, but, there was also a need for complete acceptance, especially for acceptance from her sister-Slayer. And, to get along with Buffy, she knew that she would have to get along with Buffy's friends, which didn't sound like an altogether hard thing from what she had been told.
"Yeah sure. Just tell me when and where," Erika replied.
Buffy nodded, thankful that Erika had agreed.
"Bout twelve at the front of this building. I told the others we'd meet 'em for lunch at the shop," Buffy explained.
"What shop?" Erika asked quietly.
"Oh…Giles owns the Magic Shop here in Sunnydale. It's kinda the Scooby headquarters."
Erika nodded. A few seconds later she looked at Buffy confused. "What's a Scooby?"
------------------------
"So, who's this new 'friend' of Buffy's anyway?" Xander asked impatiently.
Willow and Tara grinned.
"You mean Rik?" Tara asked.
"You will love Rik. That accent, ugh! To die for," Willow exclaimed. "And…not that I was, you know, looking or anything, but…very nice-looking as well."
Tara shot her a mock glare. "But no where near the perfection of you though," Willow added quickly.
The two witches shared a small kiss, Xander watching on in interest. Anya hit him across the arm, making him yelp slightly.
"So…Buffy and Rik are…close?" Xander asked with interest.
Willow shrugged. "Well, they only really met yesterday, but…yeah. They're just going through the 'getting to know you' phase. But…I think Rik will be really good for Buffy. Maybe get her out of this funk she's been in."
Xander gave her a confused look. "I thought Giles was getting her out of her funk."
Willow nodded. "Oh yeah, totally. He's been really good for her, but…I just think…well, it'll be good for Buffy to have someone her own age that's kinda…new."
"I don't get it Will," Xander said. "You think that this thing with Giles and Buffy isn't…isn't gonna work out?"
Willow looked at him, confusion written across both of their faces.
"What does Giles have to do with Rik?" she asked.
"Everything!" Xander exclaimed, outraged that Willow would think that Buffy having someone on the sides would be good for her mental well-being. "I don't think Buffy should be hanging out with Rik while she's with Giles."
"Why not? She's not allowed to have friends besides us now?" Willow asked, standing up and walking towards him.
"I didn't say that," Xander defended himself. "But…"
"But what Xander?" Willow asked.
The bell on the front door rang cheerily and the group turned to see Giles walk through.
"Does he know about this?" Xander whispered.
"Do I know about what?" Giles asked, his hearing better than everyone gave him credit for.
Xander swallowed nervously.
"Well…about Buffy and Rik," Xander said.
Giles gave a small shrug and placed his briefcase on the table. "Why wouldn't I know about them? They spent the better part of yesterday getting to know each other. Buffy told me all about it last night."
"And it doesn't bother you?" Xander asked incredulously.
The bell rang again and Buffy walked in, Erika walking in behind her.
"What doesn't bother who?" Buffy asked, walking over to Giles and giving him a quick kiss. She stood in front of him and leant back on his chest, his arms circling her waist.
"How can you do this to him?" Xander accused angrily.
Buffy turned in Giles' arms and looked up, a little panicked. "What have I done?"
Giles shrugged and looked at Xander.
"What exactly is Buffy meant to have done?" Giles asked.
Erika went to sit at the table with Tara who gave her a shy smile.
"Are they always like this?" Erika whispered.
Tara laughed a little. "Oh, this is a good day."
Erika just grinned and watched in fascination.
"She's…she's…she's cheating on you," Xander said angrily.
Buffy glared at him, stepping away from Giles, advancing on Xander who suddenly took a step backwards.
"You have about five seconds to explain yourself before I pull out my stake," she said quietly.
Xander swallowed hard and took another step back, standing behind Anya who instantly moved aside, not wanting to get in the middle of a fight.
"Well…Will said that you and some guy called Rik were going through the 'getting to know you' phase, and…and that it was better for you to have someone your own age so you wouldn't be all upset all the time, and…" Xander stopped his ramblings as he saw a smile break out on Buffy's face. "And I've made a really, really huge mistake in thinking that, haven't I?"
Giles nodded. "To say the very least."
Erika stood up and walked towards him. "We haven't been introduced properly. I'm Erika. Better known as Rik," she said, a grin on her face. She put her hand out for him to shake.
Xander looked at her, completely confused. He shook her hand, still a little baffled by what had happened.
"But…Will was saying…oh, wait. Never mind," he said. It still sometimes slipped his mind that Willow was checking out girls instead of boys.
Buffy grinned. "Rik, this is Xander. And Anya."
Anya nodded politely and shook Erika's proffered hand.
"And you know Will and Tara already. And…this is my Giles," Buffy said, walking back and taking Giles' hand.
Erika grinned, seeing Giles smile at Buffy's claim of possession over him.
"Nice to meet you all."
The bell above the door rang again and a steaming blanket raced through the door. The blanket was thrown to the floor, a blonde figure stamping the fire out with his heavy boots.
Erika looked up at Buffy in concern, but Buffy made no attempt to move except to roll her eyes and sit down on Giles' lap.
"What do you want?" Xander asked disdainfully.
Spike glared at Xander and jumped off the landing onto the lowered ground.
"Out for a run," Spike said casually.
Buffy stood up wearily and walked over to him.
"What's so important that it couldn't wait until after sunset?" she asked.
He hesitated and pulled her aside.
"Word is there's a new vamp in town. Pretty powerful bugger as well. Said he's gunning for the Slayer," he warned.
Buffy crossed her arms over her chest. "So, I find him before anything bad happens, and make with the staking," she said.
He smirked a little at her arrogance. She was slowly regaining some of the fire that she had lost when she had died. And, even though it wasn't him who was putting it back there, he was glad to see that her eyes weren't just emotionless pits anymore.
"He's strong. He knows his stuff. And…he's not just looking to kill, Slayer. He's looking to turn," he said.
She paled at the thought. Maybe last nights conversation with Giles hadn't been a coincidence after all.
"I just thought I'd give you a heads up. You do have one thing on your side though," Spike said.
"And what's that?" she asked.
"He's working alone. He doesn't have minions, and he apparently hasn't turned anyone. He's pretty gung-ho about this," he said.
"Has he got a name?" Buffy asked.
Spike nodded. "Ryan something or other," he replied.
Buffy shot a look towards Erika who was busy talking with Tara and Willow.
"He's not after me," Buffy said quietly.
Spike shook his head, confused. "What do you mean, of course he's after you. Everyone said he was after the Slayer," Spike said.
"Well, you're telling the wrong Slayer. There's two of us, remember," she said.
"Well, I ain't heard nothin' about no new Slayer in Sunnydale," he said.
"I can introduce you to her if you don't believe me," Buffy told him.
He looked up and finally noticed the extra person sitting at the table with the witches.
"She's the new Slayer?" he asked.
Buffy nodded. "I think you kinda shocked her a bit with your dramatic entrance. I'm surprised you're not all dusty yet."
"She any good in a fight?" he asked.
Buffy nodded. "Yeah, she was holding her own last night."
"But…against a master. Word has it he's quite the fighter," Spike said.
Buffy regarded him curiously. He sounded almost worried about the new Slayer's life span.
"He should be. He trained her," Buffy said.
Spike's jaw nearly dropped. "The git's her bloody Watcher?"
Buffy nodded and quietly shushed him, hoping that the others wouldn't begin to take notice of their whispered conversation. Especially not Erika.
"Look, this vamp is serious about taking that girl out," Spike said. "It looks like he's not gonna rest until she's been turned and…a vamped Slayer isn't something you really wanna see. Just…keep your eye out for her. Watch her back. I'll see what else I can dig up on this guy."
Buffy nodded and shot a quick look back at Erika who caught her eye curiously. Buffy turned away and looked back at Spike.
"Why are you so concerned about this anyway?" she asked.
Spike looked like a kid caught with his hand in a cookie jar. He tried to relax and play it cool.
"Look, it's bleedin' obvious that I like you and your lot Slayer. When I heard this guy wanted to kill you…well, it felt like I was losing you all over again," he admitted softly.
"Spike…you know that…there's never gonna be anything between you and I-"
"I know," he said, holding up his hand to get her to stop. "I know. You and Rupert belong together. I hate to say it, but you do. And…you're getting' better pet. I can see it in your eyes. And if you and I can be friends, or…almost friends, then I'll take what I can bloody get."
She gave him a small smile. She was somehow incredibly thankful that Spike had taken her and Giles extremely well. She had to admit that she was a little worried that Spike would be violently opposed to the new relationship between Watcher and Slayer, but he appeared to be genuinely happy for them.
"The point is…they can't lose you again. And neither can I," he said. "So…I just wanted you to know that you were in a bit of danger."
"Thank you," she said softly.
He smiled and tilted his head to the side, reminding her of a lost puppy dog.
"You're welcome."
He stood there, just taking her in, still a little unable to believe that she was standing in front of him and that they were friends…or almost friends at least.
He cleared his throat, obviously becoming uncomfortable with their little deep and meaningful.
"Anyways, I'll drop by your place tonight, tell you what I can find out."
Buffy nodded and watched as Spike grabbed his blanket and ran out the door.
She turned and walked back to the group, eyeing Erika who stared back, confused.
"Can we talk?" Buffy asked.
Erika looked taken aback by the request but slowly stood up and followed Buffy out to the backroom.