Notes:

Heya guysa!! Here we go, expect another maybe tommoz. Tis the weekend after all! My back is killing me tho, so  I mite have 2 rest up a bit. Anyway, thank you everyone who feedbacked, ur fabulosa. Ur fucking gorgeous all of ya. Heres we go! Oh, btw –

IF ANYONE CAN EXPLAIN WHAT r n r n MEANS IN A REVIEW, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT!!!

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Jen Thank you, wot a review! Hmm, now that's a request I'll have to think about!

t_geyer heya! I thought you wanted Spuffyness? There, you got it just, in the past! Next time, be more exact ;)


Nshadows – he he yupsie  I work on them longer than the FIC

Slayerkid – AWW!!! U.R.SO.DAYM.CUTE!!!

Elfgirl I'm trryyyyinnnggggggg………

 

Frakie Hey! Well, yeah, things are weird, but its been a long time – a llot of explaining and…stuff… happen this chapter!!!!!

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Stuff between these lines:

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are song/poem lyrics, disclaimed at the beginning of a chapter if necessary.

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"Oh, hi." Buffy smiled, unsure of what to say. She has just left her room and bumped into the man she had been semi-avoiding.

"Uhm, Hi Buffy."  Spike answered clumsily.

She was looking radiant. Her hair was pulled up in another wispy and finicky design with a complexly designed ornament in it - this time complimented by a wood red coloured dress and sandals that matched her earrings and bracelet. On the other hand, he too looked great, in a dark green sweater and fawn khakis. His hair was still something that startled her, it was in the same style but it was no longer the dangerously alluring bleached blond it used to be. Instead, it was a mousy brown that changed his main image from what it used to be.

"Hi." She repeated.

"Hi."

Spike cursed himself, but he couldn't help it - there was a barrier of years that he couldn't seem to get past, something formal and adult that seemed to have been born between them.

"I'm headed to the lake, Liz'll probably be there, wanna head over?"

"Yeah, sure." Spike smiled and they started towards the lake, a little apart, edgy and forced words passed between them and as they neared the lake, they were glad for the distraction from the playing fields.

"Whats going on over there?" Buffy asked, leaning forward and squinting to try and see what was going on.

"Looks like some kids are fighting, we'd better head over."

"Yeah, come on."

They moved forward at a brisk walk and then a jog when they realised it was Liz fighting with another kid.

"LIZ!"

"TOM!"

Buffy ran up to Tom while Spike grabbed Liz and they dragged the two children away from each other. Liz was still fighting against Spike's hands and Tom was jutting his chin out from behind Buffy's arms.

"Cut it out!"

"Liz! What the bloody hells were you playing at?"

"HE SATRED IT!!" Liz yelled, hoping she sounded as convincingly angry as possible.

"HE SAID THAT GIRLS CAN'T PLAY BASKETBALL!!!!"

"WELL THEY CAN'T!!!" Tom yelled, giggling inside. He had been happy to help his new friend on her mission and they had organised their little 'fight' previously.

"LIZ!" Spike yelled, turning her towards himself. "You can't get angry at someone for telling the general truth."

"SPIKE!" Buffy yelled, "Liz can play basketball if she wants to."

"Of course she can, some gals can take it, but – most can't. Take yourself for example, Buffy."

"Spike, I beat you every day in college."

"Slayer, its bad to lie in front of children."

"Spike, I'm not lying, you lost every single day."

"Buffy, you've made a mistake, remember – I won everyday."

"The truth is Spike that the only way YOU could win was if you CHEATED."

"Don't call me a cheater."

"That's what you are. A cheater."

"Don't call me a cheater!!"

"CHEATER!!"

" DON'T call me a cheater!"

"CHHEEEAAATTTEEERRRRRR."

"DON'T CALL ME A CHEATER!!!"

"CHEATER!"

"I'M NOT A CHEATER!!!"

"CHEATER!!!!"

They were practically nose-to-nose, and that was the final straw. They launched at each other, Buffy elbowing him as he kicked her.

"Buffy, Spike. Please." Peter broke in.

They both pulled back, embarrassed. The majority of the camp was crowding round and with sheepish and overly straight-backed movements they separated themselves.

"Spike, I challenge you right now. Play me and we'll see."

"Fine."

"Fine."

~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*

Everyone was gathered round one of the basketball courts. All the girls were on one side and all the boys were on the other, just for fun. Even the teachers and camp staff were chuckling at the edge of the court as Buffy and Spike met in the middle. Spike had removed his sweater leaving a plain black shirt underneath. Buffy had removed her earrings and jewellery.

"Good luck Buffy."

"Good luck Spike."

She turned to move and he stopped her. "Hey, Buffy?"

"Yeah?"

"Watch the outfit, wouldn't want it to get hurt now, would we?"

She rolled her eyes and they prepared themselves.

He was right, she used to live in baggy clothes – usually from the Men's department. But times change, things happen and Buffy had slowly learnt to enjoy life more after leaving Spike. She had no one to lean on anymore and that allowed her to use the hidden store of bravery she didn't use for her personal life. Things had changed even more dramatically when Faith had died, she no longer had to be a Slayer, and she could have 'normal'…. so she took it. At first it had been strange, but being normal was what she had always wanted, wasn't it?

So Buffy had bought more dresses, more jewellery and girly things and then she had Brian. It was perfect the way it was and Spike's arrival was contrasting it in the most painful way possible.

Brushing away her thoughts, Buffy launched into the game.

It was hard, clumsy and difficult in her clothes. They restricted her movement and allowed Spike an advantage. Spike was officially better. His moves were smoother, his goals were better aimed and his dodging was far superior. In her defence, Buffy was not awful; she got her own back a few times but more often than not….

"YES!! Another one for the lads. C'mon, pet – don't embarrass yourself too much."

His smug attitude was so free of manners and formal restraints –things that she had learnt to rely on since he arrived. Now, the man she loved was being thrust into her face – the cocky, arrogant, hyperactive vampire-man was right there, being himself.

And that was something she couldn't face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She was loosing. It went from bad to worse. Spike would steal the ball with such timing that she was continually defeated. Her hair was loosened, the beautiful design becoming a mesh of blond falling across her face.

Finally, she managed to get close to her goal, as she reached up to score; her hair accessory fell to the ground. Looking back to see it on the floor, she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Let me hold that for you, pet."

Buffy nodded and passed Spike the ball so she could reach down to grab the black hair object.

Suddenly realising her mistake she looked up to see Spike's smirking eyes meet hers, roll and then shrug as he made the goal.

Feeling thoroughly stupid, she finished re-doing her hair and looked away from his stare. She felt her breath catch as the vampire invaded her personal space and pulled the ornament from her hair causing it to fall naturally across her shoulders.

The ex-Slayer looked up into his glassy eyes and swallowed, trying to look defiant. Spike stayed there for a moment, a moment that seemed to drag on, and a moment that made her weak and crazy and yearning.

Then he moved to collect the ball. It had only been a few seconds.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"And now, the final point, and I think I should go a bit slow, make this a tad easier for your Ms Summers to handle. Don't cry girls, it might just be Ms Summers that can't play basketball."

Buffy was enraged. Not only at his smug little speech but also that he was making her feel giddy and he was being himself, his old self and making her remember. The blonde watched as Spike finished addressing their audience and started, slowly dribbling, hinting to the ball. With determined strides she walked up to him and kicked him at the ankle causing him to fall to the ground, sprawled across the court.

"Hey!! If you can't win, don't cheat!" Spike yelled, standing up.

"I didn't cheat!"

"Yes you did. You cheater."

"Don't call me a cheater!"

"Cheater."

"I'm not a cheater."

"CHEATER!"

"I'm NOT a cheater!!"

"CHEATER!!"

"I'M NO-"

Realising what she had been pulled into, she absorbed everyone's laughter and Spike's cocked eyebrow before smiling and then chuckling and then snorting and then laughing, fully laughing.

Carefree, light laughing.

The blonde could barely stop, tears came to her eyes, her tummy hurt and she laughed and laughed. Spike himself was shaking with laughter, long waited laughter, true laughter that he had missed for a long time. They came to each other and continued laughing as they shook their heads at each other.

Two friends hugged again.

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Once there was a writer

Who worked very hard

Her workload seemed much lighter

When you sent her…lard

Aka feedback.