A/N : Hello there, gentle viewers..er, I mean, readers...my god that was freaky, I think I was channelling Andrew! Yikes! Anyway, on with the important Spuffy fic! This chapter is a little short but I loved writing it and I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy reading it, although I must apologies in advance for the slight cliffhanger at the end...Thanks for all the wonderful reviews; bherycherry, RoboShiflo, SpIkEs AnGeL, SouthernRain, Annette, tinkerbell42, Azrielle, SlayerGirl1, tears-of-silver, fictionfreak2 - you guys rock! And I think you'll all approve of this chapter, I'm hoping so anyway, so here it is...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 20 - Normal Again?

After Willow and Xander left the apartment, Spike and Buffy decided that ordering a pizza was still a good plan. They managed to make conversation until it arrived and carried on as they ate. Things were getting easier, more comfortable again and they really needed to. The two best friends were really starting to feel like that's what they were again - truly best friends, nothing more, nothing less, whether they liked it or not.

When the last of the pizza had been eaten, Buffy took the boxes to the trash and got a drink for both her and Spike. He insisted on doing it or at least helping but she told him he'd done quite enough for her the past few weeks and she was okay now, at least physically fit enough to take out trash and fetch drinks, how much energy did it really take?

When the blonde finally made it back to the living room with a bottle of beer in each hand, Spike was on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table, watching TV.

"Whatcha watchin'?" Buffy asked him, yawning her head off afterwards, it had been a long day.

"Some movie..." Spike replied absently, eyes on the screen, at least until Buffy shoved his feet off the table so she could put the beer down. "Stupid bint's trying to stop a wedding" he said next, gesturing towards the TV and ignoring Buffy's glare, if he wanted his feet on his own table he would bloody well have them there! Still, he didn't put them back "reckons she's in love with the groom or something" he continued his explanation of the movie as Buffy came to sit close beside him.

"Doesn't sound so bad" she shrugged and he just smirked at her.

"Total chick flick luv, not really my cup of tea" he shook his head and she was about to answer when she spotted a guy she liked on the TV and pointed at him.

"Ooh, he's cute" she nodded appreciatively of the man she'd spotted as she made herself comfortable on the couch, her head leaning on Spike's shoulder, making him feel things he wished he didn't. She finally seemed to feel completely comfortable being close to him again, and he wasn't going to spoil it.

"Your reason for watching this movie is cos you just spotted some guy you think is cute?" he asked her, despite the fact he could no longer see her face, his arm winding around her for lack of anywhere else to go.

"You have a better reason for watching other than the fact you like Julia Roberts?" she retorted, her arm also finding it had few places to reside and ending up around her friend.

"Yes, actually" he answered back, desperately trying to keep his breathing even and the conversation going, because God help him if things got quiet and he had to think about what was happening he was going to do something stupid.

"Well...?"she prompted when he didn't continue.

"I can't be arsed to move and find the remote" he grinned as she moved her head to look up at him.

"Typical" she giggled, playfully swatting him for being so lazy and daring to admit it, but she turned more serious again as she glanced back at the TV, pointing and sighing "Oh look" as she saw a wedding scene and the bridesmaid who'd been in love with the groom giving her congratulations to the happy couple. Two girls soon appeared on stage and began to sing The Way You Look Tonight causing another sigh from the blonde girl leaning on Spike.

"I love this song" she said not so much to him or anyone in particular, and it was all Spike could do not to turn around and kiss her. Did she have to be so bloody sweet? Did her body have to fit so perfectly against his? Did she have to smell so nice?

"Stupid bint let him marry the blonde piece?" he snorted in disgust at the TV, desperate to think of something else, hopefully starting a small argument, that would stop the thoughts he was having "Must be off her bleedin' bird"

"She loves him enough to let him go" came Buffy's reply in a whisper, she obviously did not feel like arguing.

"And whats she got to show for it?" Spike continued "Some poofter! Never gonna get anywhere dancing around with him is she?"

At that, Buffy burst into giggles.

"Do you have no romance in you, Spike?" she asked, glancing up at him with eyes he could drown in, so he looked away, back at the TV for lack of anywhere else to look.

"Romance is for ponces" he muttered half-heartedly and Buffy just smiled as her head dropped back onto Spike's shoulder and they watched the end of the movie in silence.

As the credits finished rolling and the screen went briefly black, Spike realised from Buffy's even breathing and complete silence that she had fallen asleep. He could've moved her slightly and escaped her clutches or even woken her up, he was sure she wouldn't have minded, but he didn't want to.

It had been too long since they'd done something like that, sat together comfortably, arms around each other, watching TV. It wasn't as comfortable as it used to be, not after all that had happened and all that he felt, but it was close enough for now.

Edited 01.05.05 - Spike sings the first four lines of 'The Way You Look Tonight' to Buffy as she sleeps. This has been removed due to the lyrics ban enforced at smiled as she stirred ever so slightly, not knowing she was not quite asleep and had heard his lullaby, a smile on her lips as she shifted closer to him, never wanting to leave his arms. Dropping a kiss on top of her head and holding her close, he closed his own tired eyes and let sleep come to him too, knowing he would not dream tonight, since having her there was like a dream come true.

They both slept all night through, not stirring once until a noise at the front door made Spike wake up with a jolt, the shifting of his body making Buffy open her eyes too.

"What happened?" Buffy asked, sitting up just a little and rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Reckon we fell asleep, luv" Spike told her, "Must have been more comfortable than we thought"

"Yeah" Buffy smiled back, "Very comfortable"

Spike found he had to look away from her eyes and that was when he spotted an envelope under the front door. Presumably whoever put it there was the culprit that had woken himself and Buffy, but his mail didn't get delivered to the door, it got left in the box downstairs so...

Getting up and going over to the door, he pulled the white envelope from beneath it and frowned at the fact it said just 'Buffy' on the front in neat handwriting.

"S'for you, pet" he made a face as he handed it to her and a frowned covered her own face as she yawned and opened up the envelope.

"I don't believe it" she gasped as her eyes travelled over the first few lines of writing.

"What's wrong?" Spike asked, only half paying attention, as he returned from the kitchen where he'd taken the beer bottles from last night. When he saw how pale she was he moved to her side and sat down beside her as she slumped back onto the sofa.

The girl shook her head as she began to read the letter aloud.

"My dear Buffy, you will be surprised to know that this letter is from someone you've never really met - I now go by the name Darla Johnson, but you would know me as Mrs Darla O'Connor..."

To Be Continued

A/N2 : Anyone know what movie they were watching? Spike-bots for those who guess correctly, answers in the reviews please, lol. Anyway, as always, please review and I'll update very soon.

Extra disclaimer : Neither the song 'The Way You Look Tonight' or the mentioned movie it was featured in belong to me.