42. A Little Taste

DAY 22

There were only three days left until the final performances of the first session, and Buffy was going crazy. She was running from rehearsal to rehearsal and barely had any time to stop and think about anything. . .even Spike. Sure, he had kind of broken up with her the night before last, but she was partly to blame. Even she couldn't deny that. But why wasn't he coming to her now? Why wasn't he apologizing on his hands and knees, trying to get her back? Where were the bubbles? The flowers? The smoochies?

"Errrrahhh - STOP!" Buffy heard herself scream, trying to silence her thoughts. She really didn't have time to agonize over her camp relationship.

The campers on stage froze in their tracks, eyeing their instructor nervously. One bold girl raised her hand and walked towards the front of the stage. "Buffy, we stopped. . .now what?"

Buffy's eyes went wide and she nodded to the accompanist to begin playing again. "Start again from the top. Just watch your . . ." Buffy paused for a moment, trying to find something to correct them on, "spacing. . .yeah, watch your spacing."

The kids nodded and went back to work. Buffy inhaled deeply and plopped down into her seat. Placing her face in her hands she rubbed her eyes lightly, desperately trying to quiet the voices in her head.

"Still feelin' it, huh?"

"What's that?" Buffy's head shot up, only to find Spike standing in front of her.

"I know of a great cure. Takes the pain away like that," he snapped his fingers at the final word before flashing her his usual seductive smirk.

"I. . .uh. . .ah" Buffy stammered out a long trail of unintelligible syllables ending with a very confused, "Huh?" Spike hadn't spoken with her since she left his room and now he was being all flirtatious, what was going on?

"Fine," he chuckled low in his throat at the woman's response. "I've got a nice big empty bed if you decide to take me up on the offer later."

Spike stalked away, leaving a shell-shocked Buffy staring off behind him. Just as she was about to turn back to the campers on stage, he was at her side again. Chills shot up her spine when she felt his hot breath in her ear. "Although, a bed really isn't a necessity for us, is it pet?"

Buffy's face flushed a deep shade of red at his comment. Before she could respond he was out the door. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked up to the ceiling. "What the hell is going on?"

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"I don't get it?!?"

Willow and Cordy looked at each other and then back at Buffy. "Spike," they said in unison before looking back down at their magazines.

Buffy rolled her eyes and grabbed the magazines from her friends' hands, tossing them aside. "No. . .Jonathan and the pool. Of course, Spike!" she screeched. She sunk to the grass and began picking out individual blades and tying them into knots. "Get this. First, he ends things with me because he thinks we're not ready. . .or, I'm not ready. Then he doesn't even talk to me for a day and a half. And not five minutes ago he majorly came on to me in the middle of one of my rehearsals. When is he going to make up his mind?!?"

Cordy and Willow glanced at each other again before bursting out into laughter. "How does it taste?" the redhead asked Buffy through giggles.

"What?" Buffy asked in confusion.

"You're own medicine, doofus," Willow replied, smacking her friend lightly on the forehead.

Buffy jutted out her lower lip into a pout. "Whatever, I sooo did not. . ."

Willow and Cordy froze and eyed their friend skeptically.

"Fine," Buffy admitted with a huff, "maybe I did. But that doesn't mean he can do it now!" Buffy tore at the grass she'd been playing with and threw the little bits at her friends.

Cordy brushed the green fragments from her top and shook her head at the petite blonde. "Hey, at least your guy is even talking to you. Xander hasn't said two words to me since yesterday."

"What did you do?" Buffy asked seriously.

"What did I do? More like what you did!!" She said sharply to the woman in front of her. "If I hadn't been so adamantly defending you I would be back in the broom closet with my man, instead of talking to you right now."

Buffy and Willow started laughing at that. "You, defended me!?!" Buffy squeaked out through her giggles. "Really Cordy, I appreciate it, but next time. . .don't bother."

Cordelia opened her to protest, but decided better of it, and instead joined them in laughter. "What about you Wills? How's the Oz-man doing?"

"I have no idea!" Willow burst out in laughter again. "He's been avoiding me!!!"

The women were nearly rolling on the grass with laughter. After a few moments they calmed down, and lay prone on the grass.

"Seriously, what are the odds?" Buffy said, her chest still heaving from her erratic breathing.

"Of what?" Willow questioned, looking up at the clear sky.

Buffy rolled over to look at her friends. "That in the same summer we all have boyfriends - who all happen to be friends, making us better friends - and on the same day, they all start getting weird with us?"

Buffy, Willow and Cordelia eyed each other curiously, finally taking note of the weirdness of the situation.

Cordy was the first to break the silence. "Well, I always have a boyfriend at camp," she said with a small shrug.

Willow and Buffy's eyes went wide, then after a few moments, the two girls were rolling with laughter once more.

Cordy furrowed her brow as she watched the two girls rolling on the grass, laughing at her expense. "What? I do!"

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"Let's start with the 'Somewhere Ballet,' then run the whole show from the top." Buffy took her usual seat at the front of the theater and watched as the Maria and Tony danced the first part of the Ballet flawlessly. She and the rest of the cast applauded loudly when they executed the most difficult lift. "Beautiful!" she shrieked in excitement. Soon the other couples entered the stage and continued with the next segment of music. It looked good, but Buffy could tell something was off. She rose to her feet and approached the stage, signaling them to continue. Finally, she spotted the problem. "Wait! Wait! Hold it!" The accompaniment stopped and she hopped up onto the stage, approaching the couple on stage left. "Janice, where are your usual partners?"

Janice eyed Ryan nervously before looking back to Buffy. "I don't know," she said softly, before looking down to her ballet-shoe clad feet.

Buffy sighed and turned her attention to Ryan. "Do you know where Conner and Dawn are, Ryan?"

The teenager chanced a glance at the counselor and shook his head slowly.

Buffy let out a strained laugh and turned around to face the rest of the cast. "Does anyone know where Conner and Dawn are?"

"We're here! We're here!"

Buffy looked to the back of the theater and saw Conner and Dawn running down the aisle, out of breath. She glanced down at her watch then placed her hands on her hips. "You're fifteen minutes late. Where have you been?"

Dawn tore off her sneakers and hopped up onto the stage, struggling to put on her dance shoes as she ran to her partner. "I'm soooo sorry, Buffy. We were. . ." she looked over to Conner, then back to her counselor, "We lost track of time. I'm really sorry."

"Oh. . .as sorry as you were last night when you showed up a half an hour past in-time? This behavior is inexcusable, Dawn." Buffy shook her head at the young woman.

"Buffy, please don't do this in front of everybody," the teenager pleaded. "It's not what you think. I swear."

Buffy laughed in disbelief. "Is that right? So you weren't off making out behind the scoreboard again with your little boyfriend?"

"Buffy it's not. . ." Conner said, stepping in their defense.

"Conner, Conner, Conner," Buffy waved her finger at him. "And you were doing so well since I busted you the last time. What is Spike going to say when he finds out?"

"He already knows. We were with him." Conner exclaimed, only to receive a sharp jab in the ribs from Dawn.

"Oh, that's rich!" Buffy let out a loud chuckle. "Spike is now keeping you from my rehearsals. Should I be surprised?"

Dawn took a step towards her counselor, her lower lip quivering. "Buffy, don't get mad at him. He's the one who told us to get our butts over here. He knew you'd be mad."

"Enough!" Buffy lifted her hands to silence the young girl. "Let's get back to work. We've wasted enough time already." With that, Buffy jumped off the stage, and took her seat once again. "From the top!!"

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A few hours later the rehearsal was finally finished. "Good rehearsal guys," Buffy said, applauding their efforts. "If you're in my cabin, you have twenty minutes til in-time. Use them wisely!" Buffy turned around and began gathering up her own items. When everything was in place, she swung her dance bag over her shoulder and exited the theater through the side doors. Buffy stopped in her tracks when she saw Spike sitting on the cement steps next to the doors, smoking a cigarette.

Finally noticing her presence he jumped to his feet and quickly stomped out his 'fag.' "Hey, I was waiting for you."

Buffy looked down at the pile of cigarette butts near his feet and laughed. "I hope you weren't waiting too long?" She shook her head at him and bounded down the steps in the direction of Revello.

After jogging a few steps, Spike caught up with her. He placed a light hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. His blue eyes gazed deeply into hers as he spoke. "Look, I'm sorry I kept them from your rehearsal thing."

"Rehearsal thing?" Buffy scoffed. "The 'rehearsal thing' you are referring to is the reason they come to this camp, in case you've forgotten. This was the last night rehearsal they have before the big performance." Buffy lifted her right hand and counted the time remaining on her fingers. "Tomorrow night, banquet. The next, curtain goes up."

"I know-" Spike covered her hand with his own and lowered in gently. "-and I'm sorry."

Buffy found herself lost in Spike's comforting gaze. She gulped back the knot that was forming in her throat. "Yeah, well," she shook off the goose-bumps that were forming on her arms from the close contact with him, "it's hard for you to understand. You're not in the theater department. But in a few days, I start this all over again." She waved her hand towards the theater. "With a whole new batch of kids, and a few that decide to stick around for the second session." She tilted her head to the side and gazed into his eyes seriously. "I can't have them coming in with the impression that I can't control my rehearsals, ok?"

Spike nodded and gently ran his fingers through her silken hair. Buffy relaxed into his touch and felt her eyes flutter close, and her heart begin to race. "I didn't mean to get snappish," she whispered softly, her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

Spike smiled and proceeded to run light circles over her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "It's understandable. Feel better?"

Buffy opened her eyes slowly, her breath hitching in her throat at his closeness. Their faces were mere inches apart, the heat coming off of him in waves. "Yeah," she responded, barely above a whisper.

Spike took a deep breath and lifted his other hand to cup Buffy's face. 'This is not part of the plan, Spike,' a little voice sounded in the back of his mind. 'Sod the bleedin' plan,' another replied. He leaned in closer, licking his lips lightly in preparation for the kiss.

Buffy closed her eyes once more, anticipating his next move. Her hands made their way to his waist, pulling him closer to her. Ever so lightly, she felt Spike graze her lips with his own. The kiss was soft and sweet and light as a feather. Buffy sighed and leaned forward to meet his lips again. 'Just one more taste, Buffy, then you can get the campers inside.'

Spike grinned and captured her full lips in a searing kiss. He slid his tongue inside her waiting mouth, exploring its depths. He let out a low groan, as he felt one of her hands slide down to cup his ass. 'Looks like grand gestures weren't necessary after all!' Spike snaked his hands into Buffy's hair and walked her backwards towards the side of the theater building.

Buffy snorted when he tripped over a loose branch, causing them both to stumble into the brick. Before he could protest, and defend his male ego, Buffy pulled him into another liplock.

After a few moments, they broke apart for much needed air. Spike grinned widely and placed light pecks on Buffy's lips, trailing across her jaw to her neck.

When he nuzzled into her neck and nibbled lightly, Buffy let out a soft giggle. "Careful, if you leave marks, the kids are going to know what we were doing."

"Don't care," Spike said, still buried in her neck. He placed a soft, open-mouth, bite to her jugular, allowing his tongue and teeth to linger against her smooth skin for a few seconds.

Buffy gasped at the action and felt her legs get wobbly. "We should probably go," she panted, twirling his hair between her fingers, not really wanting to separate from him.

He nipped on her earlobe, before sucking the piece of flesh into his mouth. "Wouldn't want to be late," he agreed, and kissed her full on the mouth once more.

"Why. . .were. . .they?" Buffy managed to say between kisses.

Spike ignored the question and instead deepened to kiss.

"Wait," she said, pushing his shoulder's lightly. "Why were they late?"

Spike looked at her through hooded eyes, still in his kiss-induced haze. "What?" he asked, trailing his fingers down her arms, before finally clasping her hands with his own.

Buffy laughed and pulled their hands between their bodies. "For my rehearsal."

"Oh, that!" Spike's eyes went wide and he quickly looked down to the ground. "It was no big deal," he shrugged and leaned in to kiss her again.

Buffy released one hand from his grasp and placed it over his mouth, halting his approach. "If it's no big deal, why won't you tell me?" She eyed him curiously.

"Oh, come on!" Spike protested as he pulled her hand away from his mouth. "You're gonna ruin it!! Can't you just trust me for once?" Buffy's eyes flashed with anger, causing Spike to back-pedal as quickly as possible. "That's not what I meant," he insisted, raising his hands in the air. "Bad choice of words. I'm sorry."

"No that's fine, I get it. . ." she said as she picked up her dance bag. Buffy shook her head at the young Brit and pushed her way past him. She let out a deep sigh and took off towards her cabin.

"Buffy!" Spike called after her. "Damn!" He kicked the brick wall and placed his hands against the rough surface. "Nice going, Spike," he told himself, shaking his head dejectedly. "I guess it's back to Plan A."