A/N : Just want to thank everyone who left a review on chapter six - it's always nice to know that what you write is enjoyed by the readers. I hope you all continue to enjoy this story (and continue with the nice reviews too ;-) )

(For disclaimer, etc - see chapter 1)

Chapter 7

"Oh bloody buggering hell!" Spike cursed as he woke up and saw his clock telling him if he was going to be seriously late for school if he didn't move it. He threw on his clothes, hurriedly did something with his hair, grabbed his bag and ran down to the kitchen where his Mum was making tea and toast.

"William, I need to talk to you..." she started as her son grabbed a slice of toast from the plate and kept moving.

"Later Mum, I'm gonna be late for school" he called as he breezed out again.

"But I...late for school?" Jessica echoed her son's words, wondering why on earth it would bother him if he was late for school? Did he not hate the place? Something very strange was going on, and it seemed as though she would have to wait til tonight to find out what it was and also to tell Spike the secret she was dreading revealing. And then of course there was Rupert, she was going to have to talk to him too.

* * * * *

Buffy and Willow walked together, outside of Sunnydale High School, holding their books to their chests. Buffy had felt uncomfortable about having to walk to school with Spike and she hadn't promised she would or anything so she had left ten minutes early and walked by herself. She had met Willow by the school gates.

"So, did you manage to get to patrolling last night?" the red-head asked and Buffy started to look uncomfortable.

"Er, yeah, I did" she smiled nervously.

"Anything interesting happen?" her friend asked, wondering why the Slayer was acting so weird all of a sudden.

"Er, no, not really. Dusted a couple of vamps, met Spike, he knows about the Slayer, knows it's me, and then he totally kissed me - no big" she said all in the same flat tone. Willow abruptly stopped walking, and Buffy stopped two steps ahead, turning back to see her friends reaction.

"No big?" the young witch said incredulously "Sounds like major 'big' to me!"

Buffy almost laughed at her friends wide eyes and open mouth. They started to walk again as Willow rambled.

"I can't believe you kissed him! I thought you hated him! And you've only known him a day! And, no offence, but you were kind of, well, anti-social with him yesterday..."

"Woah" Buffy put up a hand to silence her friend "okay, first of all he kissed me, I did not kiss him" she said forcefully, before admending with "well, maybe I did a little bit but he started it, and second..." all the major points of her argument flew out of her head as she thought of that kiss "oh, I don't know he's just, when he wants to be he can be really...sweet"

"Sweet?" Willow echoed with a little laugh for good measure "Of course, cos I mean he looks really sweet" she smiled as she tapped Buffy's shoulder and pointed at the figure coming towards them.

Clad in his usual black outfit, leather jacket and boots included, Spike strode towards the two girls, his bleached spikes of hair maybe not as neat as they were the day before.

"Morning ladies" he grinned at Willow and then slightly nervously at Buffy.

"Hey Spike" Willow smiled back as Buffy ducked her head and said a quiet 'hi'.

There was an awkward silence as the red-head glanced between the two.

"I have to go and..." she trailed off, walking away, and Buffy inwardly promised to throttle her later.

"Buffy we need to talk..." Spike started only to be interrupted by an annoying brunette.

"Hey Buffster" Xander called as he came over to the two, before giving a curt nod to Spike and angering him by addessing him as William.

"I told you, it's Spike" he seethed "and d'ya mind Harris I'm trying to have a conversation with the lady"

"Oh, you mean another argument?" the young man grinned and Buffy watched uncomfortably as the two guys eyed each other.

"No, a conversation" Spike tried to keep his cool "so d'ya think you could leave us alone for two seconds?"

"You seriously telling me Buffy wants to be alone with you?" Xander laughed aloud and Spike grabbed him by the shirt, resisting the temptation to kick him into next century. He yanked the boy forward and dropped his voice to a whisper near Xander's ear.

"One more word out of you and I'm gonna sing 'Buffy's a vampire slayer' at the top of my voice whilst playing the accompaniment on your thick skull, understand?"

Spike pushed him away and Xander coughed nervously before pointing in the direction Willow had gone before.

"I'll be over here..."

"Good choice" Spike nodded and smiled with satisfaction.

Buffy turned to glance at Xander and then eyed Spike suspiciously.

"What did you say to him?" she asked.

"Nothing much, pet" the bleach blond shrugged, "Now about last night..."

"Which part of last night?" Buffy shook her head slightly, like she didn't understand "The Bronze? My slaying? Your tears?"

"Hey, keep your voice down luv" Spike reprimanded on the word 'tears' "our little secrets, remember?"

Buffy rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Spike, whatever it is you want to say, spit it out"

"We kissed, Buffy" he said quietly and she tried to hide the colour that rushed into her cheeks. Buffy remembered only too well the kissing that they had done and there was no denying she had enjoyed herself but a large part of her felt it was wrong. She had only known this guy for a day, what did that say about her character? Also, how did she know she could trust him? Did she even really like him?

"I'm aware of that, I was there at the time" she said calmly, as it were nothing.

"So..." Spike prompted, hoping she would say something more. He liked this girl, a lot, she had to know that after what had happened between them and he had assumed she liked him too but now.

"So, what?" Buffy asked innocently, knowing he wanted her to say she liked him, that she wanted to date him,or something, but she wasn't even sure of that herself so how was she supposed to tell him?!

"You are unbelievable!" Spike exploded when he realised what was going on. She was just stringing him along to get her kicks, wasn't she?

"Thank you" Buffy frowned, not sure where the compliment had come from. Actually perhaps he hadn't meant it in the nice way...

"No, seriously, you are the most annoying bitch I have ever had the misfortune to meet!" he yelled, waving his arms for emphasis, before turning and stalking away from her.

"What?" Buffy looked confused and hurt, but he was walking away too fast and with his back to her, he didn't even notice "Spike, hey I..."

It was too late, he was out of ear shot, he was gone.

* * * * *

"I'm an idiot!" Buffy exclaimed, slumping into a chair in the back room of the library. She threw her bag down on the table in front of her and threw her arms over her head before flopping forward onto the table. Giles watched the performance with a slightly amused expression.

"Problem of some kind Buffy?" he asked her, closing the book in his hands.

"No" she said raising her head "well yes, but it's not Slayer stuff" she amended "well, it kind of is, I guess..." she changed her mind again before trailing off completely.

"How about you start from the beginning" Giles suggested putting his book down on the table and leaning on the back of the nearest chair.

"Well, I..." Buffy started but she was interrupted by Xander bursting into the room.

"Hey Giles, my man, we've got a problem"

"More than one apparently" the Watcher informed him, taking off his glasses and cleaning them.

"Buffy, good thing you're here too" he pointed at her and spoke seriously "Spike knows you're the Slayer"

"I know" she shrugged, putting her head back down on the table.

"Please tell me you didn't tell him" Xander felt sick, he did not like this guy, he did not trust this guy and all of a sudden he knew everything!

"I didn't, not really" Buffy quickly explained "he saw me, slaying, and he already knew what a Slayer was"

"But how is that possible...?" Giles wondered aloud, but there was yet another interruption as a voice called from the main part of the library.

"Hello?"

"Oh, who on earth is that?" the librarian/watcher sounded annoyed at the constant interruption and he hurried through to the main room.

"Can I help you?" he asked and the woman in front of him turned to face him. After all these years it was still clear to him who she was, his first and only love.

"Jessica?"

"Hello Rupert" Buffy's new next door neighbour smiled nervously and Giles dropped to the floor in a dead faint.

* * * * *

A/N : Just a quick note about my other fics...

Anyone reading 'Always Remember - I Love You' I should have the third chapter ready to post tomorrow.

Also I want to thank everyone who submitted reviews on my one shot fic 'Of Slays & Lays' and my poem 'I Hate...' - thank you all so much.