A/N : Thanx for all the great reviews on this story - here's the next chapter.
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 14 - Catching Up
"Cordy?!" Buffy gasped as she realised who the girl outside the door was.
"The one and only" the brunette smiled, stepping forward and grabbing the blonde in a hug.
"Oh my God it's so great to see you" Buffy gushed, almost unabe to believe her best friend was back, for now at least.
"I've missed you so much" Cordelia told her frind as they came out of their hug and she came inside the house "it's been the longest few weeks of my life since I left Sunnydale! I mean LA is totally cool but I missed having my friends, my real friends, like you..."
"Buffy...can we...?" Spike started as he came down the stairs, but he soon stopped when he saw Cordelia "Hey there" he nodded toward her.
"Hi" she replied, as they both looked at Buffy for an explanation.
"Oh, right, sorry" the blonde shook her head at her mistake in assuming everyone else knew what was going on like she did "Cordelia Chase this is my new next door neighbour Spike Hart"
Spike smiled at the beautiful brunette and although Cordy smiled back she also looked confused.
"Spike? That's a name?" she looked strangely at Buffy and spoke in a low voice, speaking as if the boy she was talking about wasn't even in the room.
"It's a nickname" Buffy explained "his real name's William but he hates it..." she turned to the bleach blond "Spike this is my best friend and old next door neighbour Cordelia Chase"
"It's nice to meet you, Spike" Cordy nodded once and Spike did the same.
"Likewise, Cordy"
There was a moment as the two looked at each other but Buffy soon interrupted it.
"Spike, could we call off the study thing for now?" she asked finally gaining his attention "I'm sorry but I haven't seen Cordy in a while and..."
"Oh no Buffy that's okay..." Cordelia interupted "Don't leave on my account" she told Spike "I mean, Buffy's old best friend should get to know her new boyfriend..."
"No!" Buffy interrupted loudly "He is not my boyfriend!"
She hadn't meant to say it quite so loud and forcefully but it was too late now. She was so busy with her denial she didn't notice the hurt look on Spike's face when she said it.
"Oh, sorry, my mistake" Cordelia said quickly, she had seen the sad look on his face even if her friend hadn't.
Buffy turned to one frind and then the other.
"Cordy, could you just wait in the living room and Spike if you could get your stuff together from upstairs" turning back to the girl she promised she'd be no more than two seconds before bounding up the stairs behind Spike.
"Not your boyfriend?" Spike turned to face her as she came into the bedroom "So what is my title, Buffy?"
The blonde girl sighed in sheer annoyance.
"Not now Spike, please" she told him "just, not now"
Spike sighed in defeat as he picked up his books and his jacket and followed Buffy down the stairs. He thought about arguing with her, trying to make her listen but what good would it do? She opened the front door without a word and he left the same way.
Buffy closed the door with a thump and went into the living room towrads Cordelia who was sittng on the couch. The blonde sat beside her friend with a smile on her face.
"So, how are things with you?" she asked, hoping to Spike out of her mind for a while - no such luck.
"Nevermind me" Cordelia waved away the question with her hand "spill about the hottie!"
"What hottie...?" Buffy started before realising what she meant "You mean Spike? I told you, we're just friends" the blonde found she couldn't look her friend in the eye when she said it, but Cordy didn't notice. She glanced at the door Spike had disappeared through and then looked seriously back at her friend.
"Is he gay?" she asked solemnly and Buffy burst out laughing like she'd never stop.
"Spike? Are you kidding?" she gasped for air as she laughed.
"Well, that's the only way I can see that you wouldn't want to date him" Cordelia said seriously "even then you should at least try to convert him" she pressed "I would"
"Cordy!" Buffy snapped, her laughter finally dying down "He is my next door neighbour and he is my friend, that's all" she really didn't want this conversation.
"Please, tell me you noticed he was hot?" the brunette countered.
"Well, yeah, I guess..." Buffy mumbled.
"You guess?" Cordelia practically yelled "Buffy the guy is stunning!"
"Could we please talk about something other than Spike?" Buffy tried not to beg too much. She didn't want to be asked why it was such a big deal for them to change the subject, but she really did want Cordelia to let it go.
"Okay, okay" her friend relented "but I still think you're crazy" she added quietly.
Finally, Buffy could breathe a sigh of relief as Cordy told her all about her new home and friends. She explained that her parents had wanted to go away for the wekend and since they didn't like the idea of leaving their daughter home alone and she wanted to come back to Sunnydale to see her friends anyway, they let her stay with her grandmother who still lived there. Buffy didn't care where she was staying or why, she was just so glad to have her best friend back, even if it was only for a couple of days.
"How are Will and Xander?" the brunette asked suddenly.
"Oh, they're good" Buffy nodded "Willow is well on her way to being a really cool Wicca and Xander, well, he's still Xander, he tries really hard to help with the slayage and his fighting has definitely improved" without thinking she added "Spike's pretty much a natural and I patrol more with him than the others"
That just made Cordy laugh to herself, but she was loud enough that Buffy noticed.
"What was that for?" she eyed her friend suspiciously.
"Buffy, you spend hours patrolling with Spike?" she said, hoping Buffy would get it but the blonde gave her a distainctly lost look "In the dark? In the moonlight? Alone?" Cordy continued.
Buffy was still at a loss and with an exsasperated sigh Cordy asked her; "Is there kissing?"
"No!" her friend shouted immediatly "No, no, no....okay, maybe once" she added quietly.
"Once?" Cordelia checked.
"Okay it was twice" Buffy admitted with a slight red tint to her cheeks "but only once on patrol, the other time was at school" she added, trying to make it sound less than it was. Cordelia just grinned in satisfaction at the information she had managed to extract. In all honesty, Buffy didn't mind that she knew since Willow and Xander knew anyway, and it was never going to happen again...
"So, what? You just changed your mind?" the brunette was intrigued as to why her best friend would give up the chance to date such a gorgeous guy. He couldn't be annoying or stupid or anything since Buffy seemed to like him as a friend, so why not more than that?
"Yes" Buffy noddded once and Cordy shook her head.
"You sure you don't want him?" she checked a final time.
"Absolutely" the blonde nodded again "me and Spike - friends forever, but nothing more than that, ever" she was really trying to convince Cordy but more than that she was trying to convince herself.
To Be Continued...
A/N2 : I have also updated 'Always Remember - I Love You', for those who are interested.
