*****
Chapter 25: Party Time
*****
Buffy sighed as she gazed sympathetically down at Spike. He looked so pathetic, sitting on her couch with a cup of hot chocolate and mini marshmallows while he watched Passions.
"Spike, get up," she ordered. He looked up at her.
"What's that, love?"
"Get off your ass and stop moping. It's extremely loser-ish."
"What exactly do you expect me to do?"
"We're going to Andrea's. And when we get there, I'm going to beat her until she admits she loves you." She grabbed Spike by the arm and yanked him to his feet.
"Look, Slayer, I don't think -"
"I don't care what you think." She set his drink on the nightstand, and pushed him out the door.
The sun shone brightly as Buffy led him by the hand down the street to Andrea's house.
"She doesn't want me," Spike protested.
"Oh, yes, she does. She just doesn't realize how much. She may be a genius, but she can be downright dense at times."
"I'm not sure that made a lot of sense," he said, frowning.
"Too bad." They had reached the stone path that led to Andrea's front door.
"I'm not going up there," he said vehemently.
"Oh, yes, you are." Buffy drew back and hit him in the jaw.
"Bloody hell," he cursed, rubbing his face. "That really hurts when you're human."
"Go." Buffy stuck her arm out and pointed toward the door. He frowned indignantly and trudged up the path. He glared at her and pressed the doorbell. He glanced behind him when he heard footsteps inside the house, but Buffy had disappeared. The door opened, and there stood a good- looking blond man. Spike was shocked as jealousy spread through him like wild fire.
"Who the bloody hell are you?" Ben arched an eyebrow.
"I could ask you the same question."
"I don't have 'nything to hide, mate. Name's Spike." Ben's eyes widened.
"You're the guy that kno-" A hand clamped over Ben's mouth, effectively stifling anything he had been about to say.
"Spike, this is Ben. My brother," Andrea introduced before removing her hand from Ben's mouth. Spike nodded.
"Should've known. Looks like you." Andrea smiled slightly and pushed Ben out of the way so Spike could come inside.
He frowned. He knew it was daytime, but was it not customary have the lights turned on when the curtains were drawn. He shrugged and turned to Andrea.
"Look, pet, we have to talk," he started.
"You mind getting the lights, please?" she asked, ignoring his statement. He groaned, but obediently flipped the switch.
"Surprise!" He gaped at the Scoobies, who had appeared in Andrea's livingroom with the lights.
"What's the occasion?" he asked.
"It's your birthday," Dawn said. "Duh!"
"Oh. Yeah, I guess it is."
Everyone began a horrible rendition of 'Happy Birthday' and, in spite of himself, he blushed. Andrea shyly took his hand, brushing her thumb over his knuckles, and led him to the couch. Only once she had pushed him onto the table in front of him. The numbers '2' and '9' were spelled out in burning candles on the icing.
"Oh, wow," he said, swallowing with emotion. "I haven't had a birthday party since 1836." They laughed at his obvious embarrassment.
"Make a wish," ordered Tara. He grinned, thought for a moment and then blew out the candles.
"Alright, Bleach Boy, present time," Xander said jokingly. Ever since Spike had become human, the two had become increasingly friendly.
"Oh, you guys didn't have to-"
"Yes, we did," Willow said. "Andrea said she'd kill us if we didn't." Spike smirked at Andrea, who shrugged.
He opened Dawn's first. She'd spent three weeks allowance on the first season of Passions on DVD. He laughed when he opened a box of nicotine patches from Xander and snorted in amusement at the gift certificate for Snake's House of Leather from Willow. Not surprisingly, Anya had bought him a 10% off card for anything in the Stag Shop, the local adult toy store. Buffy had somehow been able to locate two tickets to a Sex Pistols concert in LA. Tara got him hot chocolate mix, complete with mini marshmallows. Even Giles got him a present; the latest Anne Rice vampire novel.
Spike frowned. He'd opened a present from everyone but Andrea, yet there were still three wrapped gifts on the chair next to the TV.
"Who are these from, love?" he asked curiously. Andrea just smiled and handed two of the presents to him.
"You get mine last. Open those." He shrugged and tore into a smaller gift. An expensive-looking silver chain poured out of the box and he gaped.
"Who's this from?"
"As much as I'd like to say I can afford that, it wasn't me," Xander said. Spike looked questioningly around the room, his gaze eventually falling on Ben, Andrea's brother.
"I confess," he sighed.
"I just met you. Why would you get me a birthday present?"
"You'll see," was the only explanation Ben offered.
Rightly figuring he wouldn't get anything else from Ben, Spike turned to the other box. His jaw dropped when he held up a silk Wonder Bra. Andrea snorted at the look on Spike's face. He chuckled as the Scoobies erupted in laughter.
"Who in their right bleeding minds would get me this?"
"Read the card," Andrea gasped between gales of laughter, wiping tears from her cheeks. He lifted a small white slip of paper to his face.
"'To Wonder Boy. Hope you like the Wonder Bra.'" He looked up. "Nice pun. Who's the wise guy?"
"How many people do you know that call you Wonder Boy?" offered Dawn. Spike thought for a moment.
"None. . .Wait a minute. Your cousin April got me a present?" Andrea nodded, starting to regain composure. "Why?"
"Because she could. She's not the most. . .conventional person in the world."
"I should say not," Giles observed.
"Okay, cough it up, pet." She smiled and handed Spike his last present.
A large paper envelope was hidden beneath masses of tissue paper inside a bag. He lifted it out and tentatively opened the package.
The interior housed various papers and plastic cards. A drivers license with 'William Joseph Sinclair' on it, the birth date August 20th on it, complete with a year that would make him twenty-nine. A birth certificate. Credit cards. A health card. Even American citizenship papers.
"Oh, wow," he said. "How's you get all this?" he asked Andrea. She smiled coyly.
"I have my ways." She inhaled deeply. "I thought they'd come in handy sometime . . ."
"They will. Thanks."
"Let's have cake now."
* * *
"So if Ben's here, where's April?" Spike asked, licking some icing off his finger.
"She wanted to go shopping. Asked me to make sure you got your present. I honestly had no idea what she'd given you," Andrea promised.
They sat on the couch together, watching everyone else play pin-the- tail-on-Xander.
"How did they take it when you told them about that poof and his poncy ritual?"
"They were understandably pissed off. If you hadn't done it for him, Ben would have killed James. But I guess they weren't as surprised as I was. I feel so stupid. Why couldn't I see it before?"
"Hey, it's alright. There's no way you could have known your boss was gunna play slice-and-dice with your organs."
"Nice visual, there, Spike," she commented sarcastically. After a short pause, she spoke.
"We gotta talk, love." She sighed.
"I know. But I was still kinda hoping you'd develop sudden amnesia and I wouldn't have to deal with this." He chuckled.
"No such luck, I'm afraid." Then his voice dropped all trace of humor. "These last weeks have been hell without you," he said, swallowing nervously. She turned to gaze into his intense blue eyes. She saw so much emotion there, she actually felt tears begin to well in her eyes. "Andrea, I love you. And I know you love me." He waited for her to nod before he continued. When she did, joy flashed through his eyes. "I want to spend the rest of my life loving you." He brushed her hair away from her face, not noticing or caring that everyone had stopped their game and was staring at them. "Marry me, Andrea." Her eyes widened as he pulled a velvety box out of his pocket and opened it. Inside, sat a beautiful sapphire on a yellow gold band, surrounded by tiny diamonds. He slowly slipped it on the third finger of her left hand.
"Oh, my God. Oh, my God." He smiled softly.
"Can I take that as a yes?"
"Yes. Yes. I love you and I want to be with you forever." He hauled her into his lap, pulling her lips to meet his. They ignored the clapping and whistles that ensured around them, too wrapped up in each other to notice. Her lips parted invitingly and he slipped his tongue inside to flirt with hers.
"Guys? Little eyes here," Buffy warned, slapping her hand over Dawn's eyes.
"Buffy, for Pete's sake, I've seen people kiss before," she complained. Andrea pulled away from Spike, blushing as she gazed up at her friends and brother.
"Let me be the first to congratulate you," Ben said from the corner. "But I think it fair to warn you that if you damage my baby sister emotionally, I will punish you in ways you can't even imagine."
"I'll keep that in mind, mate."
Buffy sighed as she gazed sympathetically down at Spike. He looked so pathetic, sitting on her couch with a cup of hot chocolate and mini marshmallows while he watched Passions.
"Spike, get up," she ordered. He looked up at her.
"What's that, love?"
"Get off your ass and stop moping. It's extremely loser-ish."
"What exactly do you expect me to do?"
"We're going to Andrea's. And when we get there, I'm going to beat her until she admits she loves you." She grabbed Spike by the arm and yanked him to his feet.
"Look, Slayer, I don't think -"
"I don't care what you think." She set his drink on the nightstand, and pushed him out the door.
The sun shone brightly as Buffy led him by the hand down the street to Andrea's house.
"She doesn't want me," Spike protested.
"Oh, yes, she does. She just doesn't realize how much. She may be a genius, but she can be downright dense at times."
"I'm not sure that made a lot of sense," he said, frowning.
"Too bad." They had reached the stone path that led to Andrea's front door.
"I'm not going up there," he said vehemently.
"Oh, yes, you are." Buffy drew back and hit him in the jaw.
"Bloody hell," he cursed, rubbing his face. "That really hurts when you're human."
"Go." Buffy stuck her arm out and pointed toward the door. He frowned indignantly and trudged up the path. He glared at her and pressed the doorbell. He glanced behind him when he heard footsteps inside the house, but Buffy had disappeared. The door opened, and there stood a good- looking blond man. Spike was shocked as jealousy spread through him like wild fire.
"Who the bloody hell are you?" Ben arched an eyebrow.
"I could ask you the same question."
"I don't have 'nything to hide, mate. Name's Spike." Ben's eyes widened.
"You're the guy that kno-" A hand clamped over Ben's mouth, effectively stifling anything he had been about to say.
"Spike, this is Ben. My brother," Andrea introduced before removing her hand from Ben's mouth. Spike nodded.
"Should've known. Looks like you." Andrea smiled slightly and pushed Ben out of the way so Spike could come inside.
He frowned. He knew it was daytime, but was it not customary have the lights turned on when the curtains were drawn. He shrugged and turned to Andrea.
"Look, pet, we have to talk," he started.
"You mind getting the lights, please?" she asked, ignoring his statement. He groaned, but obediently flipped the switch.
"Surprise!" He gaped at the Scoobies, who had appeared in Andrea's livingroom with the lights.
"What's the occasion?" he asked.
"It's your birthday," Dawn said. "Duh!"
"Oh. Yeah, I guess it is."
Everyone began a horrible rendition of 'Happy Birthday' and, in spite of himself, he blushed. Andrea shyly took his hand, brushing her thumb over his knuckles, and led him to the couch. Only once she had pushed him onto the table in front of him. The numbers '2' and '9' were spelled out in burning candles on the icing.
"Oh, wow," he said, swallowing with emotion. "I haven't had a birthday party since 1836." They laughed at his obvious embarrassment.
"Make a wish," ordered Tara. He grinned, thought for a moment and then blew out the candles.
"Alright, Bleach Boy, present time," Xander said jokingly. Ever since Spike had become human, the two had become increasingly friendly.
"Oh, you guys didn't have to-"
"Yes, we did," Willow said. "Andrea said she'd kill us if we didn't." Spike smirked at Andrea, who shrugged.
He opened Dawn's first. She'd spent three weeks allowance on the first season of Passions on DVD. He laughed when he opened a box of nicotine patches from Xander and snorted in amusement at the gift certificate for Snake's House of Leather from Willow. Not surprisingly, Anya had bought him a 10% off card for anything in the Stag Shop, the local adult toy store. Buffy had somehow been able to locate two tickets to a Sex Pistols concert in LA. Tara got him hot chocolate mix, complete with mini marshmallows. Even Giles got him a present; the latest Anne Rice vampire novel.
Spike frowned. He'd opened a present from everyone but Andrea, yet there were still three wrapped gifts on the chair next to the TV.
"Who are these from, love?" he asked curiously. Andrea just smiled and handed two of the presents to him.
"You get mine last. Open those." He shrugged and tore into a smaller gift. An expensive-looking silver chain poured out of the box and he gaped.
"Who's this from?"
"As much as I'd like to say I can afford that, it wasn't me," Xander said. Spike looked questioningly around the room, his gaze eventually falling on Ben, Andrea's brother.
"I confess," he sighed.
"I just met you. Why would you get me a birthday present?"
"You'll see," was the only explanation Ben offered.
Rightly figuring he wouldn't get anything else from Ben, Spike turned to the other box. His jaw dropped when he held up a silk Wonder Bra. Andrea snorted at the look on Spike's face. He chuckled as the Scoobies erupted in laughter.
"Who in their right bleeding minds would get me this?"
"Read the card," Andrea gasped between gales of laughter, wiping tears from her cheeks. He lifted a small white slip of paper to his face.
"'To Wonder Boy. Hope you like the Wonder Bra.'" He looked up. "Nice pun. Who's the wise guy?"
"How many people do you know that call you Wonder Boy?" offered Dawn. Spike thought for a moment.
"None. . .Wait a minute. Your cousin April got me a present?" Andrea nodded, starting to regain composure. "Why?"
"Because she could. She's not the most. . .conventional person in the world."
"I should say not," Giles observed.
"Okay, cough it up, pet." She smiled and handed Spike his last present.
A large paper envelope was hidden beneath masses of tissue paper inside a bag. He lifted it out and tentatively opened the package.
The interior housed various papers and plastic cards. A drivers license with 'William Joseph Sinclair' on it, the birth date August 20th on it, complete with a year that would make him twenty-nine. A birth certificate. Credit cards. A health card. Even American citizenship papers.
"Oh, wow," he said. "How's you get all this?" he asked Andrea. She smiled coyly.
"I have my ways." She inhaled deeply. "I thought they'd come in handy sometime . . ."
"They will. Thanks."
"Let's have cake now."
* * *
"So if Ben's here, where's April?" Spike asked, licking some icing off his finger.
"She wanted to go shopping. Asked me to make sure you got your present. I honestly had no idea what she'd given you," Andrea promised.
They sat on the couch together, watching everyone else play pin-the- tail-on-Xander.
"How did they take it when you told them about that poof and his poncy ritual?"
"They were understandably pissed off. If you hadn't done it for him, Ben would have killed James. But I guess they weren't as surprised as I was. I feel so stupid. Why couldn't I see it before?"
"Hey, it's alright. There's no way you could have known your boss was gunna play slice-and-dice with your organs."
"Nice visual, there, Spike," she commented sarcastically. After a short pause, she spoke.
"We gotta talk, love." She sighed.
"I know. But I was still kinda hoping you'd develop sudden amnesia and I wouldn't have to deal with this." He chuckled.
"No such luck, I'm afraid." Then his voice dropped all trace of humor. "These last weeks have been hell without you," he said, swallowing nervously. She turned to gaze into his intense blue eyes. She saw so much emotion there, she actually felt tears begin to well in her eyes. "Andrea, I love you. And I know you love me." He waited for her to nod before he continued. When she did, joy flashed through his eyes. "I want to spend the rest of my life loving you." He brushed her hair away from her face, not noticing or caring that everyone had stopped their game and was staring at them. "Marry me, Andrea." Her eyes widened as he pulled a velvety box out of his pocket and opened it. Inside, sat a beautiful sapphire on a yellow gold band, surrounded by tiny diamonds. He slowly slipped it on the third finger of her left hand.
"Oh, my God. Oh, my God." He smiled softly.
"Can I take that as a yes?"
"Yes. Yes. I love you and I want to be with you forever." He hauled her into his lap, pulling her lips to meet his. They ignored the clapping and whistles that ensured around them, too wrapped up in each other to notice. Her lips parted invitingly and he slipped his tongue inside to flirt with hers.
"Guys? Little eyes here," Buffy warned, slapping her hand over Dawn's eyes.
"Buffy, for Pete's sake, I've seen people kiss before," she complained. Andrea pulled away from Spike, blushing as she gazed up at her friends and brother.
"Let me be the first to congratulate you," Ben said from the corner. "But I think it fair to warn you that if you damage my baby sister emotionally, I will punish you in ways you can't even imagine."
"I'll keep that in mind, mate."