Disclaimer: Still not mine.

AN: Reviews make me very, very happy.

Previously: The scoobies hold a surprise birthday party for Buffy, but they're the ones who get surprised when they find Buffy and Spike kissing . . .

Truth or Dare

Chapter Thirteen: Surprise

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"Oh dear lord." Giles said, cleaning his glasses.

"Honey." Joyce said in a motherly voice. "I think we need to have a little mother-daughter talk."

"Buffy?" Was all Willow said.

"A spell!" Xander called out. "It's got to be a love spell!"

"Whatever happened to, 'happy birthday, Buffy?'" Buffy muttered, saying aloud, "No Xander, there is no spell."

"But I just saw you kissing Spike." Xander said. "And I know that my friend Buffy would not kiss Spike unless she was under a spell."

"It's not-"

"A bloody spell!" Spike finished for her. "Now sod off, y' wanker."

"But," Xander said triumphantly, "If you were under a spell, you wouldn't know it!"

"I-I think I would have f-felt something, i-if there was a s-spell." Tara stammered, speaking up for the first time.

"She's right." Willow agreed. "I don't sense any magic either."

"If it's not a spell, then why did I just see Buffy kissing Spike?"

All eyes turned to the blond pair standing awkwardly in the living room.

"Well, I guess I have something to tell you guys." Buffy said, trying to figure out what to say and how to say it. Spike gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Spike and I are, and have been, going out."

"For how long?" Giles asked.

"A few weeks."

"How come I didn't know about this?" Willow asked. "You're supposed to tell me when you get a boyfriend, so we can talk about smoochies and everything." Noticing Giles' angry stare, she quickly added, "Especially if he's a vampire. 'Cause you're not supposed to date vampires."

"Buffy, honey. I know you like Spike but-" Joyce paused mid-sentence. "Actually, don't you hate Spike?"

"Well, I used too." Buffy agreed. "But . . . not anymore."

"Well, I think you should be careful." Joyce continued. "Because he is a vampire, and that didn't go so well last time."

"I am not Angel." Spike said with a growl. "Angel's as dull as table lamp. And besides, we've got very different coloring."

"You may not be Angel." Giles pointed out. "But you're still a vampire."

"That doesn't change anything!" Spike argued, even though he knew it did. Knew that was what made this whole thing so complicated.

"It changes everything!" Xander practically yelled. "You're an evil, disgusting monster and-"

He was cut off as Anya elbowed him in the side.

"Hello? Demon here."

"Ex-demon, sweetie."

"It's the same thing!"

"No, it's very different."

"Keep badmouthing demons and you won't get any sex!" Anya threatened.

"Ahn . . ."

"I'm serious!"

Xander glanced around the room in desperation and closed his mouth.

"Xander does have a point." Giles started, before being cut off by Willow.

"So maybe we don't really approve of their, ah, relationship." The witch said. "But if you've got strong enough feelings for someone, then it doesn't matter who, or what they are." Tara gave Willow's hand an encouraging squeeze. "If there's passion between two people, then nothing else matters. And if we're Buffy's friends, then we'll just have to accept that."

Spike silently thanked the red haired girl-he was starting to like her more and more every day.

"I guess Willow's right . . ." Xander agreed. "But I still want you to be careful Buffy, don't get too caught up in all of this."

"Giles?" Buffy asked, wanting his approval but knowing it was unlikely she would get it.

"I don't like Spike." The watcher said. "But it's your choice, not mine."

Buffy was feeling very relieved. So her friends weren't exactly celebrating the fact that she and Spike were together, but they weren't attacking him with stakes either.

"Buffy, I still want to talk to you." Joyce said, and Buffy reluctantly left Spike's side to follow Joyce into another room.

Five pairs of eyes immediately turned to the vampire in the living room.

"I guess I'll be goin' then." Spike said hurriedly, turning towards the door.

"Oh no you're not." Giles said, grabbing Spike's arm and pulling the Billy Idol look alike into the kitchen.

* * *

"Anyone else think that we were a little more surprised at Buffy's surprise party then she was?" Willow asked as the kitchen door slammed behind Giles.

"Definitely." Xander agreed.

"Well I'm not surprised." Anya stated. "You guys are just so oblivious to everything!"

"You knew?" Xander asked in disbelief. "How?"

"I like to keep on top of who's having orgasms."

Xander's eyes widened. "You don't think they've, you know . . ."

"Come on, Xander." Anya said, rolling her eyes. "This is Buffy and Spike. Of course they've had sex."

* * *

"If I find out that this is just some twisted, evil plan of yours," Giles said as he shut the kitchen door firmly behind them. "Then you'll wish you had never met Buffy or come to Sunnydale."

Spike sat down comfortably on one of the kitchen stools. "Don' get your knickers in a twist. I'm not goin' t' hurt the girl."

"You better not. Because if you do you're going to come face to face with Ripper, and he is not some one you want to meet."

"I'm-"

"If you hurt her, in anyway, you're going to find yourself very, very dusty."

"Listen Rupert, I'm not going to hurt her. And if I ever did, I'd probably stake myself first."

"Good. I just felt the need to warn you." Giles said, and left the kitchen. Spike stood up to leave, only to find himself being pushed back onto the stool by Joyce.

"Not so fast."

"What is this, Spike interrogation day?" Spike asked as he sat down again.

"You'll just have to live with it." Joyce told him. "I like you Spike, I think you could be a good person. Buffy says you love her, and while I don't know if that's true of not,"

"I'm not-" Spike started to say, but was cut off my Joyce.

"But the important thing is that you make her happy, because above all, I want my daughter to be happy. But if you hurt her, then I know where to find an axe. And you know how handy I am with an axe."

"That I do." Spike agreed, twinkle of laughter in his eyes.

"Good. Well then, since you're going to be hanging around here a lot more often, I'm going to have to teach you how to make hot chocolate for yourself." Joyce said, becoming the normal, happy, Joyce again.

"I do love her." Spike added softly.

"Good." Joyce said with a smile. "That's very good."

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AN: So, how was this chapter? Please review and tell me!