'Auurrgghhhh.' Buffy groaned as the light split her skull in two. She tried
to move her head, but the pounding and nausea stopped her abruptly.
She scrunched her eyes closed, trying to block out all the light in the room.
Huh? Light in the room? But she always slept with the curtains closed. That was weird.and what had happened, she remembered going to the Bronze.Angel.the Bar.Spike.then nothing.
'Oh, God.'
A cool hand pressed against her forehead. 'How do ya feel this mornin, luv?'
'Grraaauuugghhhhh.'
Spike chuckled. 'I brought you some aspirin, lots of aspirin.'
'Stop the light.'
Spike looked at her. 'Stop the what? Oh, the light.'
He reached over and clicked off the overhead light, leaving them in semi- darkness.
Buffy half opened her eyes see Spikes smirk swimming before her. 'Where am I?'
'I didn't know where you live, pet, so I brought you to old Rupes house when you passed out. He's puttin' me up, until I can find somewhere else.'
'Oh, thanks.' She took the bottle of Aspirin and took three, before sipping the glass of water slowly.
Spike sat on the edge of the bed, taking the glass and putting it on the small table near the bed.
Buffy lay back, taking in the room. It was obviously Spike's. posters of heavy metal bands she had never heard of and the general untidiness of the boxes strewn around the room attested to that.
Anyway, it smelt like a guys room. Not that she had been in many, but Angels room had had that same guy smell.
Angel.
Tears welled up again in her eyes and she turned her head away from Spike so he couldn't see.
'Wanna talk about it?'
'No.'
Spike gently dabbed her face with a cold cloth. 'Sometimes it can help.'
Buffy didn't move. 'Not this time. He's gone. he's not coming back. Nothing can help.'
'The bloke at the Bronze?'
'U-huh.'
'He looked a bit old for you, luv.'
Buffy turned and faced him, anger blazing in her eyes, but it faded to depair as she muttered. 'Why do you think he left?'
'Oh.'
Buffy sighed. 'He was my kick-boxing instructor. He took over the business with another woman, Cordelia. When I saw him the first time I nearly fell over. he was so. everything. Everything about him was perfect.'
Spike looked away and rolled his eyes. trying to ignore the tightness in his chest.
'Yeah, so we got together. Casual dates, stuff like that, movies, blah blah. We dated for about a year. We knew there was an age difference. but it made him uncomfortable so we never discussed it. I never knew his exact age and he never knew mine.'
Spike raised an eyebrow. 'Not built for trust, this relationship.'
Another tear ran down Buffy's cheek. 'I know. I never even told my mum I was dating anyone. It was just him and me. I didn't want anything to get in the way of that. Then on my seventeenth birthday he took me out. Mum had gone away for the night, cuz I said I wanted a party with friends. And we. ok, I'll stop before we cross the "too much info" line.'
'On your seventeenth birthday?' Spike couldn't mask the surprise, sure the dancing was pretty raunchy but she didn't seem like the kind of girl who would sleep around, especially so young.
'You don't get it - I loved him, so much. I haven't been with anyone since.sorry getting close to that line again.'
Spike just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
Then, afterwards he got out of bed to look around my room and found my Happy 17th Birthday card. He asked me if it was a joke. he thought I had been about eighteen or nineteen. not sixteen for the majority of our relationship. Then he left. I rang him and he never answered the phone I went to his place but he never answered the door.'
Spike tightened his jaw.
'For three weeks he avoided me. He cancelled lessons for the whole kick- boxing school.' Buffy let out a choked sob. 'When training resumed I didn't go for the first week, I couldn't face him. Then when mom made me go back. he had left. Sold the place to a buyer who had been hounding him for ages. Left me a note.I can recite it, I've read it so many times. He said he was sorry, he loved me, but a ten to eleven year age-gap was to big. He also said he was leaving town. not to try and find him, he was going to move on.
'And he did move on. I heard from the new owners that he got engaged to Cordelia not a month after he left. Less than a month.'
Buffy broke down, her shoulders shaking. 'I couldn't even talk to anyone. We hadn't told anyone and I had to act like nothing had happened. I loved him. so much. That was three years ago and I'm still messed up about it. I don't even date, my dad left as well when I was young. and I don't think I could handle it if another guy left, so I don't date.'
Spike looked away from her, studying his lap with such an intense scrutiny that she was sure she had royally screwed up.
*Stupid Buffy. First you hate him, then you start crying on his shoulder about your ex. He's probably dying to get out of the room, he was only asking to be polite and go and.*
'Know how you feel, luv. There was this girl. we grew up together, she was the daughter of some big business type. I loved her from the age of about seven. She never saw me, never noticed me until about two years ago. Then when she did notice me I wasn't quite good enough. I changed everything about myself for her, clothes, hair colour, my whole bleedin' life changed just to accommodate her.'
Buffy snapped her head up to look at him, wincing as her head pounded - the aspirin clearly not having completely worked yet. Why was he telling her this?
'I didn't mind, though. How could I when I would have died for her, and if it amused her then she would have made me. She was everything I wanted, everything I'd dreamed of. Although. she probably was the only thing I wanted and dreamed of. We were together for exactly a year. Then, on our anniversary she said she had the flu. was too sick to go out. So like the muggins I was, I believed her. I thought well if she can't out, I'll go and see her, bring her a gift. make it all romantic like.'
Spike returned to gazing at his lap. 'Except she was. shall we say already occupied with two very attractive and strong men.'
'I'm sorry.' Buffy's soft voice startled him. He had forgotten she was there.
'What you got to be sorry for, luv? S'not your fault.'
'No, but. when we met and I said that stuff.'
Spike waved his hand, 'Forget it happened, now get some sleep so I can take you home.'
Buffy smiled and turned over, snuggling beneath the sheets on Spike's bed. He sat on the bed for a while looking at her. What was she doing to him? Why had he told her that? He had sworn never to tell another living soul about Dru.
*You also swore you'd never fall in love again, but you're going the right way to do that as well.* A little voice at the back of his mind mocked.
Well that's different, Buffy is.hang on. Who ever said anything about love. he didn't love Buffy.
*I didn't say you did. I said you were going the right way to love Buffy.*
'Bleeding hell.' Spike groaned. Putting his head in his hands. 'You can't like her, she hates you. Once she feels better she will go right back to taunting and mockin' you and you just gave her all the ammunition she needs, you wanker.'
He jerked suddenly and looked down a Buffy to check she hadn't heard his little declaration.
*Stop talking to yourself, mate. One, she's gonna think you're two sandwiches short of a bloody picnic; and two, wouldn't anyone any good for her to hear you talking 'bout her like that'.
'Aurgh.'
********************
Buffy hung up the phone to Willow and lay back on her bed thoughtfully. They would all be back at college soon, in three days in fact. The rest of the gang were going straight from the retreat to the dorm, stopping in to say hi to their parents along the way.
Buffy had been looking forward to meeting them a few days before they went back, to catch up and unpack and stuff, but their schedules conflicted and the only day that Buffy wasn't working before they had to return was today, where as evetyone else was returning the day before.
So Buffy had to get a lift with her mom down to the dorm today to unpack most of her stuff, and then go back home for two nights, before returning the night before the semester officially restarted.
Sighing, she clambered off her bed, and after checking that she hadn't packed anything that she would need the next few days, she grabbed her purse and ran out to the car where her mom was sounding the horn impatiently.
'Sorry, Willow rang. She and the others aren't getting back until Sunday morning and I have to work then so I wont see them until Sunday night, and we'll end up staying up late talking and be tired for class the next day. Happy times.'
Her mother shot her a glance out of the corner of her eye. 'Don't stay up too late, honey.'
Buffy rolled her eyes. 'No, mommy. I wont wanna hear about their wonderful time away and all the fun they had so I will be in bed by 7:30 so I can get up bright and early for the fun class I will have.'
'You missed them, didn't you.'
'Yeah, it was just so lonely with no-one to hang out with.'
'What about that boy from work who took you to the Bronze? You hung out with him.'
Buffy shot her mom a look. 'No, he practically forced me to get in his car so he could protect me from the 'Big Bad Gang Rapists' that frequent Sunnydale so often.' She heavily emphasized the 'so'.
'Then when I saw An- er, and old friend and I got a headache so he took me back to Giles', cuz I uh, fell asleep, yeah I fell asleep in the car.'
'Are you okay, honey? You look a bit flushed?'
'Fine, I'm fine. It's just a bit hot in here, that's all.' Buffy turned to look out the window, effectively hiding her face from her mom's probing eyes.
She and Spike hadn't spoken about their conversation, or that night again. In fact, she could swear that he was completely ignoring her, although she had looked up to find him staring at her sometimes but he always looked away.
She didn't understand him, she didn't really want to understand him. She just wanted him to go away. He was like an moving itch, always on her peripheral vision, but never acknowledging that she existed. And for the life of her, Buffy couldn't figure out why it bothered her so much. She put it down to still feeling a combination of anger toward him for being a jerk, and remorse for having been so harsh about his girlfriend.
She leaned back into the car seat and sighed. Well, in three days she would be back at college and she would forget all about the stupid bleached jerk with the gorgeous blue eyes.
*******************
Buffy finished wiping down the last table at the Magic Box. Today was the last day that she would see Spike, as he wasn't working the next morning. She debated saying goodbye to him, they hadn't exactly been the best of friends since they met. Still, she thought it would be rude not to say goodbye.
Buffy took the keys from the office and went to lock up out the back. Spike was waiting by the door when she returned, so she could give him the keys to give back o Giles. This was the first time they had closed together since the Angel incident.
Spike watched her move around the tables. He knew it was likely that he would never see her again; they were going separate ways. He wanted to talk to her, say goodbye, and tell her. what did he want to tell her? That he was sorry for being such a wanker? That he hadn't meant to ignore her for the past two weeks, he was just scared what she was doing to him?
*You bloody idiot. She would laugh in your face, just like all the other bints, chew you up and spit you out. And why not, you are no where near good enough for her. She is so much better than you, she would never even consider.* His train of thought continued like this while he waited for her to lock up, so it was no wonder that he was almost simmering with rage by he time she came up to him.
'Um, here are the keys. Can you tell Giles I'll see him tomorrow?'
He nodded tightly.
'So, I guess we won't be seeing each other again.' Buffy looked up at him as they walked along the street, his face was unreadable.
Why was this so hard? Why did it matter that she said goodbye to him properly?
'So, um, Giles said you'd be going to college too, huh? Are you going back to England? Oh, of course you would be, well have a great time and it was nice knowing you. Are you starting a freshman, or whatever they call it over there? Is it nice?'
'What do you care?'
Buffy stopped talking at the sudden interruption. 'Er, trivia? I dunno, I'm just interested?'
'Well, not everyone wants to listen to your yammerin' all night, bottle blonde.'
Buffy felt like she'd been slapped. His tone was so angry. 'I - I'm sorry. I didn't mean.'
'No!' She flinched as he began to yell, all the tension he had been holding in, finally exploding.
'You didn't mean.that's right, it's the same with all you chits, you never mean to. Well I'm sick to death of you fucking girls never meaning. You get a bloke and you mess with his head and then leave, and you bloody get off on it. You don't care about goodbye's you just wanna see how far you can push. Ignore him a week, then be all sweet an' innocent like. Well I fucking sick of it.' Buffy was trembling when he finished.
'What the hell? What did I do now? I was trying to say goodbye. Trying to be nice, since we'll never see each other again. I didn't have to, I almost didn't. I thought, well, he wont care. I was trying to be polite.'
Her voice rose as she stood in front if him, her eyes flashing, hands balled up in fury.
'I don't know what the hell is wrong with you? Nice just isn't in your vocabulary. Why the hell I tried to befriend you after you hit me, I don't know. You seemed nicer that night, maybe it was the alcohol talking. I told you my deepest secret, that night. Not even my bestest friend in the whole world knows about it. And then you get all avoidy for the next week. Well, bully for you, you jerk. You are a fucking ass-hole, you really are, no wonder your precious Drusilla left, if this is how you behave. God, I'm glad I'll never have to see you again. I've wasted three weeks of my life knowing you, and I sure as hell don't wanna waste anymore. Goodbye William, have a nice life.'
And she stormed off to where her mother was waiting in the car for her, half asleep with a book in her lap.
**************
Ring ring. Ring ring.
Buffy looked groggily up from her pillow at her clock. 2:00 am. Who the hell would be ringing at 2:00 am?
She reached over to the phone, hoping it hadn't woken her mother.
'Whu?'
'Buffy?'
Buffy sat up, rubbing her eyes. 'Unfortunately. This better be worth waking me up at 2 am for.'
'Do you know who this is?'
The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but she was too tired to try and place it.'
'If you just woke me up to play guessing games you can damn well think again. I don't give a rats ass who you are, all I care about is that it is 2 in the morning, I have to both work and early shift and then leave for a pretty long drive straight after; and some jerk is ringing me up to play guessing games. Go away.'
She hung up the phone with a click.
It immediately began ringing again.
'what?'
'Please, hear me out, pet.'
Pet. Now she knew who it was.
'And now my night is complete. Did you ring up to have another fight, Spike. Cuz, I'm kinda tired and if I don't get any sleep I will call in sick tomorrow and you will have to work.'
'That's half the reason I'm calling. I got old Rupes to give you the day off tomorrow, so you can sleep in a bit.'
Buffy smiled to herself. *yummy sleeping time*
Then she scowled. 'So you didn't think to ring me sometime that isn't the middle of the night to tell me this?'
'I'm leaving early tomorrow. Didn't wanna wake you.'
Buffy rolled her eyes. 'Cuz, there is no way in the world I would be asleep at 2 in the morning.'
'Yeah, well, sorry about that. I didn't realize it was so late.'
'Is that it? Can I go to sleep now? You know, I was really happy when I went to sleep. I thought I would never have to see you or hear you again. And now, just to prove be wrong, you ring me in the middle of the night. Go away, Spike.'
'Look,' she heard Spike sigh. 'I'm sorry, alright. I was out of line, way out of line. I didn't mean to say all those things.'
'Yeah, Spike, they just fell out of your mouth, you had no control over anything that happened.'
'I didn't mean to upset you, pet. That's the last thing I want.'
'Because, on the other hand, being ignored for two weeks is just what would make my life sunshine and roses. Or was that also not your fault?'
'I can't explain, I mean I could. but I'm not going to. The reason doesn't matter.I just, I couldn't let things go like that. I'm a wanker, luv, I know it. It wasn't anything that you did, I was going through some stuff and was takin it out on you. I was just being.'
'A wanker?' Buffy put in, but she was smiling slightly.
'Yeah, a wanker.'
'What is a wanker? I know it's like another word for a jerk, but what does it mean?' Spike chuckled. 'Are you sure you wanna know, pet?'
'U-huh.'
'Well, if you really think you wanna know - a wanker is someone whose best friend is their hand.'
'Huh? How is that even rem- Oh!'
'Get it, Slayer?'
'Yep, I'm getting it. So, jerk wasn't a bad simile then, huh? And don't call me slayer.'
Spike burst out laughing. 'No, that it wasn't.'
'So is that it, can I sleep now?' There was no malice in her voice now.
'Ok, luv, I may see you next time, if you still work at Rupes then.'
'Yeah, bye Spike.
****************
Buffy groaned. 'Great, I'm gonna be late and have no time to catch up with everyone.'
Dong dong.
'I'll get it, mom.' Buffy yelled back up the stairs where Joyce was getting ready. 'And tell whoever it is to go the hell away,' she muttered to herself.
She swung the door open to see Oz standing in the doorway.
'Oh my God, Oz!'
'Buffy.'
'Your hair! It's black, you aren't turning goth on me are ya?'
'Yes it is and no I'm not.'
Buffy turned to see Joyce coming down the stairs. 'Mom! Oz is here.'
'Hey, Mrs Summers.'
Buffy looked at her mom who was still no where near ready to go, back to Oz who had picked up her bag from the floor.
'Now I'm confused. What are you doing here? Where are the others?'
'Well, Oz rang up a few days ago when you were at work, and we arranged for him to come and get you.'
'How long have you been back?'
'We got our dates mixed up, so since yesterday instead of today.'
'Told you not to let a guy, especially Xander to the organizing.'
'I feel I must say something in defense of my sex, so: hey!'
Buffy laughed. 'Stop talking so much, Oz. You'll get a sore throat. Mom, we're gonna go now. I'll come back next week and have dinner with you.'
'And bring your washing?'
'Mom, whatever would make you suggest such an awful thing?'
'Alright, honey. Whatever you say. You go and I'll talk to you soon.'
Joyce watched in amusement as Buffy pecked her on the cheek and began skipping down the drive to Oz's van.
'You'd never know she was twenty.'
'Bye, Mrs Summers.'
'Goodbye Oz, drive safely.'
*****************
'and then Anya told the shopkeeper to leave Xander alone because he was such a good orgasm giver and she didn't want him to feel inadequate.'
Buffy grinned and Willow rolled around her bed in glee. 'You should have seen his face. We'd all figured out that they were together by then anyway. but it was so funny. Oh, and Dawn isn't coming, back did you hear? She had some problems with her family and had to leave. And they did that room up for the new member of The Top Floor.'
Buffy nodded, only half listening. She was tired and wanted to go to bed.
'.exchange program, there are like thirty of them and he's a good looker.although I have Oz and therefore no need to look. So, you wanna meet him?'
Buffy groaned. 'Do I have to Wills? You know how sleepy being in Oz's van makes me and I just wanna curl up and go to sleep on my bed. Oh, and Dracula fell off my door, and it looks so naked so I have to put him back up.'
'You can do that after. Come on, it's only polite.'
'Yeah, look where politeness got me last time I tried it.'
'Huh?'
Buffy shook her head. 'Just some guy at work was a wanker.er I mean an asshole and we had a fight and he ran and apologized at like 2 in the morning so I'm kinda tired of being polite.'
'Buffy, look at me. Do you know what this is?'
Buffy sighed as she rose from the bed. 'Stupid resolve face.'
'Yay! Come on, you may even like him.'
Willow dragged Buffy from her room to another door in the corridor and knocked.
A half grunt came from the room which Willow took as a 'come in'. She pushed the door open and went in. Buffy leaned against the wall outside, hearing the rumble of a guy's voice followed by Willow higher octave.
'Well, she isn't in the mood for meeting anyone, she's tired, was up late on the phone or something, so she may not be.'
'Gee, Willow. I can introduce myself to the poor guy.'
'Well get your ass in here and do it then.'
Buffy rolled her eyes and entered the dim room, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the bad lighting.
'Woah, you need to get a better light or something, Mister, cuz if you want anyone in here without tripping and breaking.Oh my God.'
'Bloody hell.'
'But.but. you're in England.'
'Beginning to wish I was.'
'Hey! You said you weren't gonna be a wan- er a jerk. And you said you were leaving this morning for England.'
'I said I was leavin this morning, pet, never said I was going back to merry old England. Glad you're so happy I'm here.'
'Don't be like that, Spike, I'm just shocked. I mean.you're here.
'We've covered this one, slayer.'
'Don't call me that,' said Buffy absently.
She sat down on the bed, looking slightly sick. 'So, you're gonna live here.'
'Yes.'
'In this room.'
'Looks like it.'
'Which is opposite my room.' Buffy's voice was getting a little high.
'Bloody hell.'
'I think that sums it up pretty nicely.' Buffy sank down on the bed and put her head in her hands.
Willow was still hovering by the door. 'So. you two know each other then.'
******************************
This chappy is a bit shorter than the others and I'm not really sure about posting it, I don't like the meeting, but I promised myself I would post one before the week was over.I won't be offended if you don't like it. Please review.
She scrunched her eyes closed, trying to block out all the light in the room.
Huh? Light in the room? But she always slept with the curtains closed. That was weird.and what had happened, she remembered going to the Bronze.Angel.the Bar.Spike.then nothing.
'Oh, God.'
A cool hand pressed against her forehead. 'How do ya feel this mornin, luv?'
'Grraaauuugghhhhh.'
Spike chuckled. 'I brought you some aspirin, lots of aspirin.'
'Stop the light.'
Spike looked at her. 'Stop the what? Oh, the light.'
He reached over and clicked off the overhead light, leaving them in semi- darkness.
Buffy half opened her eyes see Spikes smirk swimming before her. 'Where am I?'
'I didn't know where you live, pet, so I brought you to old Rupes house when you passed out. He's puttin' me up, until I can find somewhere else.'
'Oh, thanks.' She took the bottle of Aspirin and took three, before sipping the glass of water slowly.
Spike sat on the edge of the bed, taking the glass and putting it on the small table near the bed.
Buffy lay back, taking in the room. It was obviously Spike's. posters of heavy metal bands she had never heard of and the general untidiness of the boxes strewn around the room attested to that.
Anyway, it smelt like a guys room. Not that she had been in many, but Angels room had had that same guy smell.
Angel.
Tears welled up again in her eyes and she turned her head away from Spike so he couldn't see.
'Wanna talk about it?'
'No.'
Spike gently dabbed her face with a cold cloth. 'Sometimes it can help.'
Buffy didn't move. 'Not this time. He's gone. he's not coming back. Nothing can help.'
'The bloke at the Bronze?'
'U-huh.'
'He looked a bit old for you, luv.'
Buffy turned and faced him, anger blazing in her eyes, but it faded to depair as she muttered. 'Why do you think he left?'
'Oh.'
Buffy sighed. 'He was my kick-boxing instructor. He took over the business with another woman, Cordelia. When I saw him the first time I nearly fell over. he was so. everything. Everything about him was perfect.'
Spike looked away and rolled his eyes. trying to ignore the tightness in his chest.
'Yeah, so we got together. Casual dates, stuff like that, movies, blah blah. We dated for about a year. We knew there was an age difference. but it made him uncomfortable so we never discussed it. I never knew his exact age and he never knew mine.'
Spike raised an eyebrow. 'Not built for trust, this relationship.'
Another tear ran down Buffy's cheek. 'I know. I never even told my mum I was dating anyone. It was just him and me. I didn't want anything to get in the way of that. Then on my seventeenth birthday he took me out. Mum had gone away for the night, cuz I said I wanted a party with friends. And we. ok, I'll stop before we cross the "too much info" line.'
'On your seventeenth birthday?' Spike couldn't mask the surprise, sure the dancing was pretty raunchy but she didn't seem like the kind of girl who would sleep around, especially so young.
'You don't get it - I loved him, so much. I haven't been with anyone since.sorry getting close to that line again.'
Spike just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
Then, afterwards he got out of bed to look around my room and found my Happy 17th Birthday card. He asked me if it was a joke. he thought I had been about eighteen or nineteen. not sixteen for the majority of our relationship. Then he left. I rang him and he never answered the phone I went to his place but he never answered the door.'
Spike tightened his jaw.
'For three weeks he avoided me. He cancelled lessons for the whole kick- boxing school.' Buffy let out a choked sob. 'When training resumed I didn't go for the first week, I couldn't face him. Then when mom made me go back. he had left. Sold the place to a buyer who had been hounding him for ages. Left me a note.I can recite it, I've read it so many times. He said he was sorry, he loved me, but a ten to eleven year age-gap was to big. He also said he was leaving town. not to try and find him, he was going to move on.
'And he did move on. I heard from the new owners that he got engaged to Cordelia not a month after he left. Less than a month.'
Buffy broke down, her shoulders shaking. 'I couldn't even talk to anyone. We hadn't told anyone and I had to act like nothing had happened. I loved him. so much. That was three years ago and I'm still messed up about it. I don't even date, my dad left as well when I was young. and I don't think I could handle it if another guy left, so I don't date.'
Spike looked away from her, studying his lap with such an intense scrutiny that she was sure she had royally screwed up.
*Stupid Buffy. First you hate him, then you start crying on his shoulder about your ex. He's probably dying to get out of the room, he was only asking to be polite and go and.*
'Know how you feel, luv. There was this girl. we grew up together, she was the daughter of some big business type. I loved her from the age of about seven. She never saw me, never noticed me until about two years ago. Then when she did notice me I wasn't quite good enough. I changed everything about myself for her, clothes, hair colour, my whole bleedin' life changed just to accommodate her.'
Buffy snapped her head up to look at him, wincing as her head pounded - the aspirin clearly not having completely worked yet. Why was he telling her this?
'I didn't mind, though. How could I when I would have died for her, and if it amused her then she would have made me. She was everything I wanted, everything I'd dreamed of. Although. she probably was the only thing I wanted and dreamed of. We were together for exactly a year. Then, on our anniversary she said she had the flu. was too sick to go out. So like the muggins I was, I believed her. I thought well if she can't out, I'll go and see her, bring her a gift. make it all romantic like.'
Spike returned to gazing at his lap. 'Except she was. shall we say already occupied with two very attractive and strong men.'
'I'm sorry.' Buffy's soft voice startled him. He had forgotten she was there.
'What you got to be sorry for, luv? S'not your fault.'
'No, but. when we met and I said that stuff.'
Spike waved his hand, 'Forget it happened, now get some sleep so I can take you home.'
Buffy smiled and turned over, snuggling beneath the sheets on Spike's bed. He sat on the bed for a while looking at her. What was she doing to him? Why had he told her that? He had sworn never to tell another living soul about Dru.
*You also swore you'd never fall in love again, but you're going the right way to do that as well.* A little voice at the back of his mind mocked.
Well that's different, Buffy is.hang on. Who ever said anything about love. he didn't love Buffy.
*I didn't say you did. I said you were going the right way to love Buffy.*
'Bleeding hell.' Spike groaned. Putting his head in his hands. 'You can't like her, she hates you. Once she feels better she will go right back to taunting and mockin' you and you just gave her all the ammunition she needs, you wanker.'
He jerked suddenly and looked down a Buffy to check she hadn't heard his little declaration.
*Stop talking to yourself, mate. One, she's gonna think you're two sandwiches short of a bloody picnic; and two, wouldn't anyone any good for her to hear you talking 'bout her like that'.
'Aurgh.'
********************
Buffy hung up the phone to Willow and lay back on her bed thoughtfully. They would all be back at college soon, in three days in fact. The rest of the gang were going straight from the retreat to the dorm, stopping in to say hi to their parents along the way.
Buffy had been looking forward to meeting them a few days before they went back, to catch up and unpack and stuff, but their schedules conflicted and the only day that Buffy wasn't working before they had to return was today, where as evetyone else was returning the day before.
So Buffy had to get a lift with her mom down to the dorm today to unpack most of her stuff, and then go back home for two nights, before returning the night before the semester officially restarted.
Sighing, she clambered off her bed, and after checking that she hadn't packed anything that she would need the next few days, she grabbed her purse and ran out to the car where her mom was sounding the horn impatiently.
'Sorry, Willow rang. She and the others aren't getting back until Sunday morning and I have to work then so I wont see them until Sunday night, and we'll end up staying up late talking and be tired for class the next day. Happy times.'
Her mother shot her a glance out of the corner of her eye. 'Don't stay up too late, honey.'
Buffy rolled her eyes. 'No, mommy. I wont wanna hear about their wonderful time away and all the fun they had so I will be in bed by 7:30 so I can get up bright and early for the fun class I will have.'
'You missed them, didn't you.'
'Yeah, it was just so lonely with no-one to hang out with.'
'What about that boy from work who took you to the Bronze? You hung out with him.'
Buffy shot her mom a look. 'No, he practically forced me to get in his car so he could protect me from the 'Big Bad Gang Rapists' that frequent Sunnydale so often.' She heavily emphasized the 'so'.
'Then when I saw An- er, and old friend and I got a headache so he took me back to Giles', cuz I uh, fell asleep, yeah I fell asleep in the car.'
'Are you okay, honey? You look a bit flushed?'
'Fine, I'm fine. It's just a bit hot in here, that's all.' Buffy turned to look out the window, effectively hiding her face from her mom's probing eyes.
She and Spike hadn't spoken about their conversation, or that night again. In fact, she could swear that he was completely ignoring her, although she had looked up to find him staring at her sometimes but he always looked away.
She didn't understand him, she didn't really want to understand him. She just wanted him to go away. He was like an moving itch, always on her peripheral vision, but never acknowledging that she existed. And for the life of her, Buffy couldn't figure out why it bothered her so much. She put it down to still feeling a combination of anger toward him for being a jerk, and remorse for having been so harsh about his girlfriend.
She leaned back into the car seat and sighed. Well, in three days she would be back at college and she would forget all about the stupid bleached jerk with the gorgeous blue eyes.
*******************
Buffy finished wiping down the last table at the Magic Box. Today was the last day that she would see Spike, as he wasn't working the next morning. She debated saying goodbye to him, they hadn't exactly been the best of friends since they met. Still, she thought it would be rude not to say goodbye.
Buffy took the keys from the office and went to lock up out the back. Spike was waiting by the door when she returned, so she could give him the keys to give back o Giles. This was the first time they had closed together since the Angel incident.
Spike watched her move around the tables. He knew it was likely that he would never see her again; they were going separate ways. He wanted to talk to her, say goodbye, and tell her. what did he want to tell her? That he was sorry for being such a wanker? That he hadn't meant to ignore her for the past two weeks, he was just scared what she was doing to him?
*You bloody idiot. She would laugh in your face, just like all the other bints, chew you up and spit you out. And why not, you are no where near good enough for her. She is so much better than you, she would never even consider.* His train of thought continued like this while he waited for her to lock up, so it was no wonder that he was almost simmering with rage by he time she came up to him.
'Um, here are the keys. Can you tell Giles I'll see him tomorrow?'
He nodded tightly.
'So, I guess we won't be seeing each other again.' Buffy looked up at him as they walked along the street, his face was unreadable.
Why was this so hard? Why did it matter that she said goodbye to him properly?
'So, um, Giles said you'd be going to college too, huh? Are you going back to England? Oh, of course you would be, well have a great time and it was nice knowing you. Are you starting a freshman, or whatever they call it over there? Is it nice?'
'What do you care?'
Buffy stopped talking at the sudden interruption. 'Er, trivia? I dunno, I'm just interested?'
'Well, not everyone wants to listen to your yammerin' all night, bottle blonde.'
Buffy felt like she'd been slapped. His tone was so angry. 'I - I'm sorry. I didn't mean.'
'No!' She flinched as he began to yell, all the tension he had been holding in, finally exploding.
'You didn't mean.that's right, it's the same with all you chits, you never mean to. Well I'm sick to death of you fucking girls never meaning. You get a bloke and you mess with his head and then leave, and you bloody get off on it. You don't care about goodbye's you just wanna see how far you can push. Ignore him a week, then be all sweet an' innocent like. Well I fucking sick of it.' Buffy was trembling when he finished.
'What the hell? What did I do now? I was trying to say goodbye. Trying to be nice, since we'll never see each other again. I didn't have to, I almost didn't. I thought, well, he wont care. I was trying to be polite.'
Her voice rose as she stood in front if him, her eyes flashing, hands balled up in fury.
'I don't know what the hell is wrong with you? Nice just isn't in your vocabulary. Why the hell I tried to befriend you after you hit me, I don't know. You seemed nicer that night, maybe it was the alcohol talking. I told you my deepest secret, that night. Not even my bestest friend in the whole world knows about it. And then you get all avoidy for the next week. Well, bully for you, you jerk. You are a fucking ass-hole, you really are, no wonder your precious Drusilla left, if this is how you behave. God, I'm glad I'll never have to see you again. I've wasted three weeks of my life knowing you, and I sure as hell don't wanna waste anymore. Goodbye William, have a nice life.'
And she stormed off to where her mother was waiting in the car for her, half asleep with a book in her lap.
**************
Ring ring. Ring ring.
Buffy looked groggily up from her pillow at her clock. 2:00 am. Who the hell would be ringing at 2:00 am?
She reached over to the phone, hoping it hadn't woken her mother.
'Whu?'
'Buffy?'
Buffy sat up, rubbing her eyes. 'Unfortunately. This better be worth waking me up at 2 am for.'
'Do you know who this is?'
The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but she was too tired to try and place it.'
'If you just woke me up to play guessing games you can damn well think again. I don't give a rats ass who you are, all I care about is that it is 2 in the morning, I have to both work and early shift and then leave for a pretty long drive straight after; and some jerk is ringing me up to play guessing games. Go away.'
She hung up the phone with a click.
It immediately began ringing again.
'what?'
'Please, hear me out, pet.'
Pet. Now she knew who it was.
'And now my night is complete. Did you ring up to have another fight, Spike. Cuz, I'm kinda tired and if I don't get any sleep I will call in sick tomorrow and you will have to work.'
'That's half the reason I'm calling. I got old Rupes to give you the day off tomorrow, so you can sleep in a bit.'
Buffy smiled to herself. *yummy sleeping time*
Then she scowled. 'So you didn't think to ring me sometime that isn't the middle of the night to tell me this?'
'I'm leaving early tomorrow. Didn't wanna wake you.'
Buffy rolled her eyes. 'Cuz, there is no way in the world I would be asleep at 2 in the morning.'
'Yeah, well, sorry about that. I didn't realize it was so late.'
'Is that it? Can I go to sleep now? You know, I was really happy when I went to sleep. I thought I would never have to see you or hear you again. And now, just to prove be wrong, you ring me in the middle of the night. Go away, Spike.'
'Look,' she heard Spike sigh. 'I'm sorry, alright. I was out of line, way out of line. I didn't mean to say all those things.'
'Yeah, Spike, they just fell out of your mouth, you had no control over anything that happened.'
'I didn't mean to upset you, pet. That's the last thing I want.'
'Because, on the other hand, being ignored for two weeks is just what would make my life sunshine and roses. Or was that also not your fault?'
'I can't explain, I mean I could. but I'm not going to. The reason doesn't matter.I just, I couldn't let things go like that. I'm a wanker, luv, I know it. It wasn't anything that you did, I was going through some stuff and was takin it out on you. I was just being.'
'A wanker?' Buffy put in, but she was smiling slightly.
'Yeah, a wanker.'
'What is a wanker? I know it's like another word for a jerk, but what does it mean?' Spike chuckled. 'Are you sure you wanna know, pet?'
'U-huh.'
'Well, if you really think you wanna know - a wanker is someone whose best friend is their hand.'
'Huh? How is that even rem- Oh!'
'Get it, Slayer?'
'Yep, I'm getting it. So, jerk wasn't a bad simile then, huh? And don't call me slayer.'
Spike burst out laughing. 'No, that it wasn't.'
'So is that it, can I sleep now?' There was no malice in her voice now.
'Ok, luv, I may see you next time, if you still work at Rupes then.'
'Yeah, bye Spike.
****************
Buffy groaned. 'Great, I'm gonna be late and have no time to catch up with everyone.'
Dong dong.
'I'll get it, mom.' Buffy yelled back up the stairs where Joyce was getting ready. 'And tell whoever it is to go the hell away,' she muttered to herself.
She swung the door open to see Oz standing in the doorway.
'Oh my God, Oz!'
'Buffy.'
'Your hair! It's black, you aren't turning goth on me are ya?'
'Yes it is and no I'm not.'
Buffy turned to see Joyce coming down the stairs. 'Mom! Oz is here.'
'Hey, Mrs Summers.'
Buffy looked at her mom who was still no where near ready to go, back to Oz who had picked up her bag from the floor.
'Now I'm confused. What are you doing here? Where are the others?'
'Well, Oz rang up a few days ago when you were at work, and we arranged for him to come and get you.'
'How long have you been back?'
'We got our dates mixed up, so since yesterday instead of today.'
'Told you not to let a guy, especially Xander to the organizing.'
'I feel I must say something in defense of my sex, so: hey!'
Buffy laughed. 'Stop talking so much, Oz. You'll get a sore throat. Mom, we're gonna go now. I'll come back next week and have dinner with you.'
'And bring your washing?'
'Mom, whatever would make you suggest such an awful thing?'
'Alright, honey. Whatever you say. You go and I'll talk to you soon.'
Joyce watched in amusement as Buffy pecked her on the cheek and began skipping down the drive to Oz's van.
'You'd never know she was twenty.'
'Bye, Mrs Summers.'
'Goodbye Oz, drive safely.'
*****************
'and then Anya told the shopkeeper to leave Xander alone because he was such a good orgasm giver and she didn't want him to feel inadequate.'
Buffy grinned and Willow rolled around her bed in glee. 'You should have seen his face. We'd all figured out that they were together by then anyway. but it was so funny. Oh, and Dawn isn't coming, back did you hear? She had some problems with her family and had to leave. And they did that room up for the new member of The Top Floor.'
Buffy nodded, only half listening. She was tired and wanted to go to bed.
'.exchange program, there are like thirty of them and he's a good looker.although I have Oz and therefore no need to look. So, you wanna meet him?'
Buffy groaned. 'Do I have to Wills? You know how sleepy being in Oz's van makes me and I just wanna curl up and go to sleep on my bed. Oh, and Dracula fell off my door, and it looks so naked so I have to put him back up.'
'You can do that after. Come on, it's only polite.'
'Yeah, look where politeness got me last time I tried it.'
'Huh?'
Buffy shook her head. 'Just some guy at work was a wanker.er I mean an asshole and we had a fight and he ran and apologized at like 2 in the morning so I'm kinda tired of being polite.'
'Buffy, look at me. Do you know what this is?'
Buffy sighed as she rose from the bed. 'Stupid resolve face.'
'Yay! Come on, you may even like him.'
Willow dragged Buffy from her room to another door in the corridor and knocked.
A half grunt came from the room which Willow took as a 'come in'. She pushed the door open and went in. Buffy leaned against the wall outside, hearing the rumble of a guy's voice followed by Willow higher octave.
'Well, she isn't in the mood for meeting anyone, she's tired, was up late on the phone or something, so she may not be.'
'Gee, Willow. I can introduce myself to the poor guy.'
'Well get your ass in here and do it then.'
Buffy rolled her eyes and entered the dim room, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the bad lighting.
'Woah, you need to get a better light or something, Mister, cuz if you want anyone in here without tripping and breaking.Oh my God.'
'Bloody hell.'
'But.but. you're in England.'
'Beginning to wish I was.'
'Hey! You said you weren't gonna be a wan- er a jerk. And you said you were leaving this morning for England.'
'I said I was leavin this morning, pet, never said I was going back to merry old England. Glad you're so happy I'm here.'
'Don't be like that, Spike, I'm just shocked. I mean.you're here.
'We've covered this one, slayer.'
'Don't call me that,' said Buffy absently.
She sat down on the bed, looking slightly sick. 'So, you're gonna live here.'
'Yes.'
'In this room.'
'Looks like it.'
'Which is opposite my room.' Buffy's voice was getting a little high.
'Bloody hell.'
'I think that sums it up pretty nicely.' Buffy sank down on the bed and put her head in her hands.
Willow was still hovering by the door. 'So. you two know each other then.'
******************************
This chappy is a bit shorter than the others and I'm not really sure about posting it, I don't like the meeting, but I promised myself I would post one before the week was over.I won't be offended if you don't like it. Please review.