AN: Thanks again for the reviews guys - I couldn't believe how many there
were for chapter two!
Also, you're free to put this on your site/archive if you want. Someone e-
mailed me and asked if they could... I didn't mention it when I first
posted because I assumed no-one would want it. I'm *seriously* flattered
that someone does.
CHAPTER THREE
They walked along in awkward silence. Riley stole a glance at Buffy as they continued together down the street - she was being pulled along by an over- eager Spike and sure didn't look too happy about it. Why didn't she just let go of the guy's wrist? He wondered. Strange.
Soon, the hall came into view and Riley led the way inside. It wasn't that big and was kinda dingy. It was also filled with children aging from about five to eleven years old, and a middle-aged woman who was trying desperately to control them.
Riley waved a greeting and the kids streamed in his direction. He smiled indulgently at Buffy and shrugged as if to say 'What can I do? They love me!'
Unfortunately they ran right past the awaiting Riley and began crowding round a surprised Spike, the younger ones clutching at his duster and bombarding him with questions.
"Are you a friend of Riley's? Cuz you look way cooler!" Riley frowned, hurt. Children could be so cruel.
"Can I try on your coat?" Said another kid excitedly. Spike pulled it around himself more firmly and blanched, slightly worried now. He began to reconsider how clever it had been agreeing to come here, realising these children could attack him and take his duster if they felt like it, him powerless to stop them...
"How did you get that scar on your eyebrow?"
"Will you be my friend?" A little girl with pigtails asked shyly. He stared at her, aghast.
"Are you staying to play with us?"
What the hell? Spike gazed at them in undisguised horror and attempted to shake off a child that had attached itself to his leg. He looked wildly around for the Slayer, imploring her with his eyes to help him. She looked like she didn't know whether to be amused or worried for the children. Riley just seemed annoyed.
"It's not my fault, mate!" Spike said to him desperately. "You can have 'em! Just get them *off* me!"
"Have you ever been in prison?" a thin little boy with glasses demanded, "Because you look *bad*. Like you've been in prison."
"Ha!" Spike pointed at Buffy triumphantly. "See? Timelessly bad-ass! I. Look. Bad."
She rolled her eyes. What did that kid know anyway.
"Now children," said the woman, who had bustled over to rein in the unruly kids again, "Lets give the nice man some room to breathe, shall we?"
After much fussing they backed off, and Spike sank to the ground in relief.
She beamed. "Thank you! Now Riley," she said, turning to him in welcome. "Did you bring some help this evening?"
Riley stopped sulking just long enough to introduce them.
Meanwhile, a boy in a wheelchair who looked about ten rolled himself over to where Spike sat catching his unneeded breath.
"Mister?"
He studied the child warily and decided he posed no immediate threat. "It's *Spike*. And what?"
The kid indicated the cast on his leg. "Could you sign this?"
Spike studied it a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, okay."
He took the pen and just as he'd thought of the most *perfect* message, Buffy loomed behind him in all her self-righteous glory.
"Don't you *dare* write anything inappropriate Spike. I'm watching you." she said ominously.
He glowered and had to settle for writing his name.
"So," Buffy said kindly to the kid, "A wheelchair, huh? That's gotta suck."
He grimaced. "Yeah."
"I know how you feel." Spike said pointedly, giving Buffy a dirty look. She smiled back, the picture of innocence. "I've been there, it was bloody awful. But hey! Look at me now!" He struck a manly pose.
Yeah, look at you now, Buffy thought. You neutered loser! Ha! She was gonna say it, but the kid seemed heartened by Spike's words and instead she headed for the small kitchen, completely weirded out that he was actually being nice to someone. Maybe he wouldn't be a complete asshole and cause trouble all evening after all...
She snorted. Yeah, and then they'd go get married for real. That'd be the day.
Spike watched her go. "Right then you lot," He stood up and addressed the kids, and they all stopped what they were doing and listened. Brilliant, he thought. Like minions, except they weren't obeying out of fear, but out of... awe. Respect. He stood a little taller. I'm like a God to these children!
He grinned wickedly. "Who wants to play a game?"
A while later, Buffy was enjoying a cup of coffee with the woman, who she had discovered was called June. They were discussing shoes (the woman had atrocious taste, but then... she *was* pretty old, reasoned Buffy) when a moody Riley came in and joined them.
She smiled flirtatiously. "So Riley," she began, determined to win him over again, "You help here every week?"
"He sure does!" burst in June. "He's a lifesaver! The kids *love* him."
Riley crossed his arms. "Usually." he muttered, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice.
At that jealous comment, Buffy remembered who else had come with them to the hall. That wasn't with them now. The same person... vampire... that was at this time alone with a large group of adoring children.
"Oh crap!" she cried. "Spike!"
"I wouldn't worry, Buffy," June quickly assured her, "The kids seemed to love him. I'm sure they're doing exactly as he tells them."
"Uh... yeah," groaned Buffy, setting down her cup. "Kinda the problem!"
Who knew what he could be doing with them? Or had he done a runner and disappeared altogether? She dreaded to think.
*CRASH*
(Guess where that came from.)
Buffy gulped. Well that couldn't be good. She squeezed her eyes shut. He can't hurt anyone... he can't hurt anyone... he *can't* hurt anyone... she tried unsuccessfully to reassure herself. Why had she left him alone?
"Oh my goodness!" shrieked June at the noise, abandoning her coffee and rushing to investigate. Riley was close behind, cracking his knuckles menacingly at the thought of harm coming to the youngsters.
Buffy followed slowly, not sure she wanted to know.
TBC...... if you really wanna know what's coming next. Shyeah.
(Gotta say: I've never been to a youth club. Ever. Nor have I been to the U.S. Don't know what possessed me to write about it. So... I made it all up. That said, hope you suspended your disbelief and I apologise for any suckiness.)
ast*P
CHAPTER THREE
They walked along in awkward silence. Riley stole a glance at Buffy as they continued together down the street - she was being pulled along by an over- eager Spike and sure didn't look too happy about it. Why didn't she just let go of the guy's wrist? He wondered. Strange.
Soon, the hall came into view and Riley led the way inside. It wasn't that big and was kinda dingy. It was also filled with children aging from about five to eleven years old, and a middle-aged woman who was trying desperately to control them.
Riley waved a greeting and the kids streamed in his direction. He smiled indulgently at Buffy and shrugged as if to say 'What can I do? They love me!'
Unfortunately they ran right past the awaiting Riley and began crowding round a surprised Spike, the younger ones clutching at his duster and bombarding him with questions.
"Are you a friend of Riley's? Cuz you look way cooler!" Riley frowned, hurt. Children could be so cruel.
"Can I try on your coat?" Said another kid excitedly. Spike pulled it around himself more firmly and blanched, slightly worried now. He began to reconsider how clever it had been agreeing to come here, realising these children could attack him and take his duster if they felt like it, him powerless to stop them...
"How did you get that scar on your eyebrow?"
"Will you be my friend?" A little girl with pigtails asked shyly. He stared at her, aghast.
"Are you staying to play with us?"
What the hell? Spike gazed at them in undisguised horror and attempted to shake off a child that had attached itself to his leg. He looked wildly around for the Slayer, imploring her with his eyes to help him. She looked like she didn't know whether to be amused or worried for the children. Riley just seemed annoyed.
"It's not my fault, mate!" Spike said to him desperately. "You can have 'em! Just get them *off* me!"
"Have you ever been in prison?" a thin little boy with glasses demanded, "Because you look *bad*. Like you've been in prison."
"Ha!" Spike pointed at Buffy triumphantly. "See? Timelessly bad-ass! I. Look. Bad."
She rolled her eyes. What did that kid know anyway.
"Now children," said the woman, who had bustled over to rein in the unruly kids again, "Lets give the nice man some room to breathe, shall we?"
After much fussing they backed off, and Spike sank to the ground in relief.
She beamed. "Thank you! Now Riley," she said, turning to him in welcome. "Did you bring some help this evening?"
Riley stopped sulking just long enough to introduce them.
Meanwhile, a boy in a wheelchair who looked about ten rolled himself over to where Spike sat catching his unneeded breath.
"Mister?"
He studied the child warily and decided he posed no immediate threat. "It's *Spike*. And what?"
The kid indicated the cast on his leg. "Could you sign this?"
Spike studied it a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, okay."
He took the pen and just as he'd thought of the most *perfect* message, Buffy loomed behind him in all her self-righteous glory.
"Don't you *dare* write anything inappropriate Spike. I'm watching you." she said ominously.
He glowered and had to settle for writing his name.
"So," Buffy said kindly to the kid, "A wheelchair, huh? That's gotta suck."
He grimaced. "Yeah."
"I know how you feel." Spike said pointedly, giving Buffy a dirty look. She smiled back, the picture of innocence. "I've been there, it was bloody awful. But hey! Look at me now!" He struck a manly pose.
Yeah, look at you now, Buffy thought. You neutered loser! Ha! She was gonna say it, but the kid seemed heartened by Spike's words and instead she headed for the small kitchen, completely weirded out that he was actually being nice to someone. Maybe he wouldn't be a complete asshole and cause trouble all evening after all...
She snorted. Yeah, and then they'd go get married for real. That'd be the day.
Spike watched her go. "Right then you lot," He stood up and addressed the kids, and they all stopped what they were doing and listened. Brilliant, he thought. Like minions, except they weren't obeying out of fear, but out of... awe. Respect. He stood a little taller. I'm like a God to these children!
He grinned wickedly. "Who wants to play a game?"
A while later, Buffy was enjoying a cup of coffee with the woman, who she had discovered was called June. They were discussing shoes (the woman had atrocious taste, but then... she *was* pretty old, reasoned Buffy) when a moody Riley came in and joined them.
She smiled flirtatiously. "So Riley," she began, determined to win him over again, "You help here every week?"
"He sure does!" burst in June. "He's a lifesaver! The kids *love* him."
Riley crossed his arms. "Usually." he muttered, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice.
At that jealous comment, Buffy remembered who else had come with them to the hall. That wasn't with them now. The same person... vampire... that was at this time alone with a large group of adoring children.
"Oh crap!" she cried. "Spike!"
"I wouldn't worry, Buffy," June quickly assured her, "The kids seemed to love him. I'm sure they're doing exactly as he tells them."
"Uh... yeah," groaned Buffy, setting down her cup. "Kinda the problem!"
Who knew what he could be doing with them? Or had he done a runner and disappeared altogether? She dreaded to think.
*CRASH*
(Guess where that came from.)
Buffy gulped. Well that couldn't be good. She squeezed her eyes shut. He can't hurt anyone... he can't hurt anyone... he *can't* hurt anyone... she tried unsuccessfully to reassure herself. Why had she left him alone?
"Oh my goodness!" shrieked June at the noise, abandoning her coffee and rushing to investigate. Riley was close behind, cracking his knuckles menacingly at the thought of harm coming to the youngsters.
Buffy followed slowly, not sure she wanted to know.
TBC...... if you really wanna know what's coming next. Shyeah.
(Gotta say: I've never been to a youth club. Ever. Nor have I been to the U.S. Don't know what possessed me to write about it. So... I made it all up. That said, hope you suspended your disbelief and I apologise for any suckiness.)
ast*P
