Chapter 4

            Five years later…

            Leather duster whipping behind him, Spike stalked down the corridor of the Las Vegas airport. He didn't want to be late for his plane, but there was something to be said for not being in too much of a hurry. He had spent years perfecting his "Bad Boy" image, and he was hoping to get a few silly chits to notice him, swoon, or something, before he had to board his flight. As he headed towards the gate where his plane was sitting, he walked past a couple kissing passionately. He stopped, turning abruptly to stare at them. There was something about one of them that seemed really familiar… The girl of course, but he kept trying to figure out who her boyfriend was. He looked a while longer, before he recognized him.

            Ah, yes. Riley Finn. That pompous Army asshole. Damn girl could do so much better than the likes of him… Wonder what kind of reaction I'd get from her if I went up there and talked to him? he thought to himself.

            Stepping up to the couple, he tapped Riley on the shoulder. "Finn? That you?" He stuck his hands out. "Spike Benton, you remember?"

            Riley smiled, shaking Spike's hand. "Benton, you old dog, you! How've you been?"

            "Everything's comin' up roses, mate. And you?"

            "Fine," Riley smiled, squeezing his girlfriend around the waist. "Just fine."

            Spike nodded. "Thought it was you. So, still with that Army setup?"

            "Yeah, got a small elite group setup somewhere back home, now." Riley laughed. "The Initiative, they call it. In Sunnydale, of all places. I'm on leave for a few weeks though," he finished, smiling down at his female companion.

            Spike grinned. "No place like home, they say. Me, I'm with a small company, agents for talent on the Strip." He waggled his eyebrows. "It's a fun job, mate."

            Riley chuckled. "I'll bet." He squeezed his girl around the waist again, motioning her forward towards Spike. "Benton, I'd like you to meet my girl, Buffy Summers. Buffy, this is William Benton, we grew up together before I went back to live with my mom in Iowa. We all called him Spike, though. Never really knew where he got the name…"

            Spike looked at Buffy with a raised eyebrow and a smile. "The ladies gave it to me, of course."

            Riley laughed outright at that, only to be elbowed in the ribs by a not-amused Buffy. "Oh, right. Sorry, honey."

            Spike stood there for a moment, looking at her, trying to see if she remembered him. Finally he nodded. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Betty…"

            "Buffy," she said icily.

            "Right," he said, covering up for his intentional mistake. "Buffy. Nice chattin' with you Riley, but I have to be catching my flight." He raised two fingers to his forehead in a mock salute. "See you 'round, Captain." He turned and headed off to his gate.

            Stupid bint didn't even remember me, he thought in irritation. Guess I'm not all that memorable after all…

            As he walked off, Buffy breathed a sigh of relief, turning to Riley. "Whew. Thank god he didn't recognize me."

            "Why?" Riley asked, confused.

            "I drove from Sunnydale to Vegas with him on graduation night and it was the longest night of my life!" She rolled her eyes for emphasis.

            "What happened?"

            "He made a pass at me and I said no… He was going out with a friend of mine, oh what was her name?" She batted his arm playfully, wagging a finger at him. "Don't get involved with me, Riley. I can't even remember the name of the friend that I turned her boyfriend down out of respect for…"

            He laughed. "So what happened?"

            "When?"

            "He made a pass at you and you said no…"

            "Uhh," she replied, thinking hard. "Oh! I said 'Can we just be friends?' This part I remember, because he told me men and women couldn't be friends…"

            Riley leaned in and kissed her again, attempting to deepen it when she pulled back.

            "Do you think it's true?" she asked.

            "Do I think what is true?"

            "Do you have any women friends? Just friends?" she persisted.

            He smiled. "No, but I'll go out and find me some if it's that important to you…"

            "Drusilla!" Buffy suddenly exclaimed, puzzling the hell out of Riley. "That was her name!"

            He laughed and leaned in to kiss her again. Their tongues battled for dominance as the kiss became more and more passionate. Finally, he pulled back, leaning his forehead against hers. "I'll miss you." Then he paused and said. "I love you."

            She sighed. "You do?"

            "Yes."

            She smiled and pecked him on the lips. "I love you."

            He growled. "Now go. Before I take you home and screw the living daylights out of you."

            She laughed lightly. "All right. But promise you'll do that when I get home?"

            "Definitely."

            She picked up the bag at her feet and, giving him a goodbye wave, walked up to her gate and boarded the plane. She settled into her seat after placing her bag in the overhead storage compartment and waited for the plane to take off. She opened her copy of Vibe Magazine and tried to read the articles while the already-crowded coach seating area became even more filled. Finally, everyone that packed him or herself onto the plane managed to get settled and the craft began to taxi down the runway. She sighed and leaned back, trying to relax. Flying made her nervous.

            She glanced around and inwardly groaned as she saw who was sitting across the aisle from her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him darting glances at her, as if he were trying to place her still. She prayed that he wouldn't and that she could get through the entire flight with out him recognizing her.

            He snapped his fingers. "Sunnydale High School, right?"

            So much for answered prayers. "Yes."

            He waggled his eyebrows. "Did you look this good in high school?"

            She laughed a little. "No."

            There was a moment of silence before he leaned over and said suggestively, "Did we ever…?"

            "No!" she yelped as she noticed the look on the face of the woman next to her. To the woman, she said, "We drove from Sunnydale, California to Las Vegas on the day we graduated." Buffy leaned back in her seat and sighed.

            "Would you two like to sit together?" the woman asked pleasantly.

            Before Buffy could object, she heard Spike say, "Great, thanks, ducks." And he and the lady quickly switched places. He smiled, still looking at her as if he was trying to place her identity. "You were a friend of…Oh, what was her name?"

            Buffy rolled her eyes. "Drusilla. I can't believe you don't remember her name."

            "What do you mean? Of course I remember her name… Drusilla Kent."

            "Kennedy," she bit off, shooting him an annoyed glance.

            "Kennedy, right." He smirked. "That's what I said. Whatever happened to her?"

            "I have no idea," Buffy sighed, shaking her head.

            Spike raised an eyebrow in irritation. "You have no idea? You were such good friends with her. We didn't make it because you were such good friends with her," he said sarcastically.

            "You went with her," Buffy said simply.

            "Was it worth it?" Spike insisted. "This sacrifice for a friend you haven't even kept in touch with?"

            Buffy batted her eyes at him dramatically, before leaning in for a conspiratorial whisper. "Spike, you may not believe this, but I have never considered not sleeping with you to be a sacrifice." She leaned back in her chair and stared straight ahead.

            Spike winced as if wounded to the heart. Mentally, he commented, Chit's still got fire in her… "Touche, luv." He thought for a moment. "You were going to be a swinger…"

            "Singer," Buffy corrected.

            "That's right. So, whatever happened with that?"

            She shrugged. "I've worked at some odd clubs here and there along the Strip. I'm on my way to L.A. to find myself an agent."

            "You know, I just so happen to be one, don't you?" he winked.

            She feigned astonishment. "No, really? I completely didn't hear you tell Riley that a while ago."

            He nodded. "Great. A little less with the sarcasm and we'll be doin' fine, pet." He smiled. "And you're with Riley. That's peachy. You two have been together, what… three weeks?"

            Her eyes narrowed. "A month this Saturday. How do you know?"

            He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. "You take someone to the airport it's clearly the beginning of a relationship. That's why I, myself, have never taken anyone to the airport at the beginning of a relationship."

            "Why?"

            "Because eventually things move on and you don't take them to the airport anymore. I never wanted anyone to be able to say to me, 'How come you never take me to the airport anymore?'" He shrugged as he glanced over at her.

            Buffy looked at him for a moment before saying pensively. "It's amazing. You look like a normal person, but actually you're the angel of death…"

            Spike held back his laughter and just looked at her askance. "Are you going to marry him?"

            "We've only known each other a month. Besides, neither one of us is looking to get married right now."

            "I'm getting married."

            "You are?"

            "Yep," Spike stated, matter-of-factly.

            Buffy did a double take. "You are?"

            "That's what I said, didn't I?" he replied, looking insufferably pleased with himself.

            "To whom?"

            "Harmony Kendall. She's a showgirl, therefore she's keeping her name when we tie the knot."

            Buffy shook her head and smiled. "You're getting married."

            Spike looked positively offended. "What's so funny about it?"

            "It's just so optimistic of you."

            "You'd be amazed what falling madly in love will do for you."

            There was a moment of silence there. They stole glances at one another and finally the conversation picked up here and there before the plane finally landed at LAX.

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TBC