Disclaimer: Well I haven't actually gotten a formal apology from Joss himself, about the whole burning down my factory thing (even though it was only a tool shed and a wooden table, but that doesn't matter). However I have decided to forgive him for the time being seeing as he did create the whole Buffyverse and all, and without which Spike would not be around to make clones out of. So lets all hale Joss Whedon, founder of the Spike Clone, version 2.0! Rock on!
A/N: I'm sorry about the long ass update, really I am, but I was having a bit of writers block, and all that junk, plus I wanted to go back and re-edit the past chapters cuz I just love giving myself extra work! Whoopee. I'd also like to give a shout-out to StickyRice and LoveFuryEnergyPassion, for their Bitchin' reviews, you guys make a writer's dreams come true. This chapter was getting so damn long that I decided to split it into 2 parts, both parts happen in one day, hope its not too confusing. So enjoy chapter 8 kids!
Better Man
Chapter 8
Turnaround
Look at me losing control
Thinking I had a hold
But with feelings this strong
I'm no longer the master
Of my emotions
Summer's Home- A few days later- 10:32 p.m.
Spike puffed out a breath of air. His throat felt tight, and his head ached with a nauseating pain. He still hadn't answered her question, and for a while he just sat there, trying to think of the right way to put it. He continued to mess with the hem of his shirt, pulling the fabric back and forth through his fingers, his head hung low. He still couldn't come up with an answer for her and it was making him angry, mostly at himself.
"Did you ever have one of those day you wish you could start all over again," was his only reply.
*********************************************
Earlier that day- 9:35 a.m.
Buffy let a yawn as she made her way downstairs. Her mind felt hazy from just waking up, but she managed to contemplate the dream she'd just experienced. It was the same dream she always had, at least since everything happened last year.
Bit by bit she would walk her way through the dream, every night making it closer to finding out the source. She wasn't sure if it was some sort of slayer dream or not, but she wanted - no needed to find out why she was having them.
A thought began to occur to her before she walked into the kitchen.
"No way." She paused, wide eyed starring at the sight before her.
On the island was a beautiful blue vase, holding a single red rose. Just in front of that was a small glass of milk and a plate full of homemade waffles with a pitcher of syrup to the left, and a tiny note to the right.
Buffy peered around the kitchen, looking for the person who had gone to all this trouble for her.
"Spike," she called out, but received no answer.
She then sat down on the stool and picked up the white piece of folded paper.
Buffy,
Thought you deserved to wake up to breakfast already made. Waffles are your favorite right? Hope you enjoy.
Spike
She folded the note back to its original form and brought it up to her face, kissing it lightly before setting it back down on the table.
**********************************
Earlier that morning- 7:42 a.m.
He'd been watching t.v. for the past 9 hours in a state of zombie-like insomnia, until he heard Dawn come down stairs closely followed by Willow.
"Hey Spike, you just get up, "she asked coming into the living room.
"Not quite," he replied rubbing his eyes with his fingers.
She watched him for a moment, seeing that he hadn't moved from the position he was lying in from the night before.
"Spike, did you stay awake all night?"
"Pretty much."
"Spike! I can't believe you. I swear, if I wasn't in such a rush right now I'd give you a stern talking to mister, but unfortunately it'll have to wait till later," she shook her head at him in dismay.
"I'll look forward to it," he laughed.
******************************
11:00 a.m.
Here's the thing Spike wasn't really use to being this productive during the day, especially in the morning. But because he couldn't seem to sleep for any length of time, that left him with a lot of energy to burn off. So presently he was running through the streets of Sunnydale in a vain attempt to rid all the thoughts from his head.
What had that kiss meant? Why had neither of them spoken of it? He wanted to ask Buffy these questions, but feared that it might push her away, or scare her off. Part of him didn't care at this point either way, he just wanted to know how she felt. But a bigger part of him wanted to wait, knew it was important to give her space when it came down the two of them.
He made his way around the corner and down Revello Drive. He slowed to a jog as he crossed into the Summer's back yard and into the kitchen. God he was so thirsty. He needed about a gallon of water to cool him off.
He grabbed a cup from the cupboard and stuck it under the faucet, then brought the glass to his mouth letting the cool liquid fill his throat.
"Well I wondered when you were gonna reappear," Buffy said from behind him.
He turned from the sink to face her, pulling the shirt he wore off his body and balling it up in his hands so that he could wipe the sweat from his face.
Buffy watched him do this, fascinated by the way his muscles moved underneath his skin, the way his face was slightly flushed from running.
After he was finished, he brought the shirt from his face and placed it on the counter behind him, quickly catching Buffy's stare.
"Did you miss me while I was gone?"
" Huh, what............oh, you wish," she snapped back at him, regaining her composure.
"Well actually I was thinking we could finish that kiss we started a couple nights ago," he said, adding a silky smoothness to his voice. As he came around the island, he brushed his body slightly against hers, before stopping in front of her.
She watched him circle her, smelling the heady scent that was coming off of him. She tilted her head up to look into his eyes, as he slowly ran his had over her cheek and into her hair.
"Oh I see what it's like now."
"And what would that be luv?"
"You make me breakfast, and then all of a sudden I owe you something," she breathed out, smiling a little when she saw the shocked expression appear on his face.
"Well what's a bloke gotta do to get a a little thank you around here," he retorted bringing his lips closer to hers, stopping just before they touched.
He lingered a moment, searching her face, "Tell me what you want Buffy."
She looked into his eyes, feeling all the emotions that he was right at that second in time. Knowing she had all the power over the next step in their relationship.
"This," she whispered, raising her face to meet his.
**********************************************
It was around 11:05 a.m. when Willow made it to her student aid job on the UC Sunnydale campus. The class didn't actually begin until 11:45, but she didn't mind. Always be the early bird, was her motto. Always be anal and compulsive was what Xander called it.
She made her way down the corridor and into the 300 seat lecture hall for Professor Hilton's Organic Chemistry class.
A small wooden desk sat in the corner of the room, a few fill folders stacked on top with a note stuck to them.
Willow,
Please grade these exams before Monday.
Thank you,
Hilton
Even the professor knew she would be early, maybe she was a bit neurotic about being on time. She dispelled the thoughts from her head, grabbing the folders, and then sitting down at the desk. She sifted through them one by one, catching a few wrong answers here or there.
She glanced at her watch: 11:08, I better go over my notes, she thought, reaching into her bag. Once a week she taught the class herself, after going over the notes with Professor Hilton the week before.
Willow pulled her bag up onto the desk opening it wide for a better view. She realized after searching the backpack for a couple of moments that she'd accidently left them at home on the dining room table from the night before.
"Frilly heck," she said aloud, puffing a breath of air out
She had to hurry, she only had a half an hour before class started.
***************************************
Willow ran up to the front door of Casa de Summer's pausing a to take a breath. She pushed the door open softly, padding her way into the two-story home.
A few whispers from the other room caused her to look around the corner of the stairway.
And that's when she saw Spike and Buffy. She wasn't able to quite make out what they we're saying, but it really didn't matter, their physical actions were speaking louder than words.
Before Willow had time to think of a logical reason to come break up their moment, she was already in the room.
"You know what I hate," she said running into the kitchen.
Buffy and Spike jumped back from their embrace, standing side by side, neither one daring to move.
"Hey Will what's up," Buffy said calmly.
Willow paced around the kitchen nervously trying to find an excuse about being in the room. "I hate forgetting things. Like today I got all the way to class when I realized I forgot my notes and my sharpy."
"You're sharpy," Spike asked confused.
"My trusty blue pen, never lets me down, always full of ink, but that's what's great about pens ya know."
"Well I think I might have seen your notes in the dining room," Buffy stated watching Willow move back and forth.
"Right, right of course, I'll just be going and getting them then," she said a second later, leaving them alone.
Spike turned to Buffy looking at her somewhat frustrated. "That kinda ruined the moment."
"Pretty much," she chuckled.
"Well ducks, I'd wager that I'm not smellin' all that minty fresh right now, so I'm gonna hop in the shower. But will finish this later," he asked a sexy smirk spread across his face.
Buffy felt him run his hand up her back and through her hair, knowing full well what he was trying to do.
"Perhaps," she replied, biting her bottom lip innocently.
"You'll be the death of me Buffy."
"Too late."
"Oh, right," he laughed, stepping out of the room.
Buffy was so caught up in watching him walk away she didn't notice Willow come up on her other side.
"Buffy do you have any clue what you're doing," she asked feverishly.
Buffy ran a hand over her face, flustered as what to say to her friend's sudden out burst."I'm sorry, I'm confused, would you mind telling me what you're talking about?"
"I walk in here and I see you and Spike all ready to get you're freak on in the middle of the kitchen, when you're boyfriend, Angel, is three hours away pinning for you at this very moment."
"Whoa, wait a second. Me and Spike were not about to get any kind of Freak on what-so-ever, especially in my kitchen, it was a only going to be one kiss that's all."
Willow tilted her head, giving the blonde a stern look. "Only one? Buffy?"
"Ok, maybe it wasn't the first time but we didn't actually kiss this time s—."
"Buffy, what are you doing? I thought you loved Angel?"
"I do, it's just, I don't know......I can't.....things are different now, I feel different now," she paused unable to think of what to tell her friend. "I don't have all the answers Willow."
"Neither do I, but you gotta realize this is a sensitive situation Buffy. A lot of people's feelings hang in the balance here. You have to be careful with you're choices. I know you don't want to here that, and I'm sorry. But it's the truth."
"I just want to be happy," she softly said.
"And I just want you to be happy. I do. I've made my peace with the whole you and Spike thing along time ago, and whatever you choose, whoever you choose, I'll support it. That's what crazy friend's like me are for." Willow smiled, grabbing Buffy's hand and giving it a squeeze.
Buffy looked up at her friend, "Thank you," she smiled back. "You know I kinda love you right?"
"Yeah well, I'm awfully easy to love."
"Darn tootin'," Buffy replied, as they both came together in a hug.
*************************************************
12:25
A little later Buffy sat in the kitchen consumed with her thoughts. She sipped at the warm mug of herbal tea in her hand, contemplating what to do next. The logical answer of course would be to tell Spike about everything.
But would that make anyone feel better? It would obviously ease her guilt, but in the process also drudge up years of unresolved issues.
Spike vs. Angel. Why did it always come down to the two of them.
I have to tell him, it's the right thing to do, she told herself.
No sooner had she made up her mind when she then felt a pair of warm hands come around her waist, pulling her into a soft embrace.
"You look beautiful," Spike whispered, "sittin' here all by yourself. What are you thinking about?"
"Well it's funny that you should ask, because there was something that I wanted to tell you," Buffy said, pulling away and turning to face him.
"Is that right,"he asked, running his fingers lightly up and down her arm.
"Yeah, yep, that's right," she replied, as he moved his hand up to her face, brushing his fingers over her lips and causing her to close her eyes from the sensations he was provoking.
"And what would that be pet," he uttered, bringing his mouth to hers.
Buffy knew she should stop him because he needed to know the truth, but at that moment in time she couldn't seem to stop herself.
"Well..............."
***************************************
12:20 p.m.
Xander Harris slumped down in his plastic chair. He absolutely, positively loathed eating lunch in the lime green break room the construction company has set up for the employee's to dine in. A room in which he and his cow-workers had dutifully dammed the Pig Troff.
For one, it eternally smelled of questionable odor, it always seemed to have sticky table tops and floors, and the microwave never worked. Of course on the off chance you got lucky, it would inevitably burn your food to a black crispy inedible substance.
Yep, Xander truly despised eating lunch in the Pig Troff.
He continued to sulk for a moment before pulling out a roast-beef sandwich and a bag of barbeque chips from his lunch sack. He then placed them on top of the napkin covering his section of the table.
For some reason he really didn't feel like eating right then. Maybe it was the smell. Today the whole entire room reeked of rotten tuna fish.
He took a drink from his bottled water before grabbing his cell-phone from his pocket and hitting the speed dial. He waited a few seconds until he heard Buffy's agitated voice on the other end.
"Yeah?"
"Hey Buffster, it's me, whatcha doin'?"
"Uh...nothing, just talking with Spike, why? What do you need?"
"Well hello to you to Queen Crabby pants," he snapped back.
"I'm sorry Xander, I was just kind of in the middle of something, what's up?"
"Well first off know one would go to lunch with me today, so I thought about calling Willow but then I realized she was in class. Then I thought about going across the street to this little diner that sells hot cakes. Can you imagine that? I don't even know what a hot cake is, but it sounds cool ya know. So anyways I was gonna go over there but then I thought, heck, I already made my lunch might as well eat it," he said finishing his story.
Buffy waited for him to continue but when there was only silence on the other end she spoke, "Is that all?"
"Are you busy or something," he asked, picking at his sandwich.
"Yeah kinda am, so getting to the point would be of the good right about now," she replied watching Spike enter the living room.
"Oh right, um, are we having another research party thingy tonight," he asked nonchalantly.
"I don't know, actually I hadn't thought about it," she said walking into the other room towards Spike. "Do you want to research some more tonight," Xander heard her say through the phone.
"No we'll pass, but how about Friday," Buffy questioned a minute later.
"I'm down with that."
"Ok I'll talk to you later Xand."
"Catch ya on the flip side Buff," he responded flipping his phone shut and placing it back in his pocket.
He made a disgusted look at the food in front of him before grabbing a nearby trash can and shoving it all in. He gathered up his hard hat and tool belt on the chair beside him then turning to walk out the door, rubbing his belly with a smile.
"Hot cakes here I come."
**************************************
'We're not havin' much luck with this whole thing are we," Spike asked Buffy when she came back into the room.
"Not so much," she answered.
He watched her pick up a knife from the weapons chest in the corner of the room, fiddling with it as she walked up to him.
"So lets get out of here then, go some where with no distractions," he smiled, grabbing her arm, and linking it with is.
"And where would we go per say?"
"I was thinkin' you might show me that shiny new school of your's," he replied, pulling her towards the door.
"You don't fool me Speed Racer, you just want to try out the equipment," she said grabbing her purse and keys off the coffee table.
"You know it."
*************************************
A couple hours later, Buffy and Spike lay on the blue and red mats of the self-defense school, sweat dripping off their foreheads and through their clothes.
"Pay up."
"What", Buffy raised her head from where she was laying, an ambiguous expression on her face.
"I said, pay up."
"No way am I gonna pay you 20 bucks when I obviously won that round."
"Your lying out your ass slayer, I won that match fair and square, so pay me my 20 bucks, or I might have to resort to a more diabolical strategy," Spike said
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Come and get me bleach boy."
Spike jumped up from his position, running at Buffy full speed until he was in front of her. Without a blink of an eye she side swiped him with her leg, causing him to fall to the floor with crash. He pushed himself off the ground with the strength of his legs and tried to grab her by the arm, instead catching only air. At the same time Buffy circled Spike trying to hit him from behind with her foot.
They sparred back and forth for the next 30 minutes, until finally they both decided to call a truce, neither one willing to risk losing money.
"You're pretty good for an old timer," Buffy teased, "maybe you should come teach with me."
"I don't think you could afford me, I'm way over qualified," he said taking a seat beside her on the floor snatching his water bottle from the ground.
"Yeah, but most of your recommendations are evil, so there immediately canceled out."
"True," he responded, looking around the small building, noticing a few pictures scattered on the walls, a few ribbons here or there from some of the students who had won awards in karate competitions.
"You've got yourself a real nice set up here luv."
"Well it didn't start out that way, a lot of blood and sweat went into this place, and with the help of many people's hands," she said glancing to her favorite picture on the far wall. She stood in the middle of the photo, Willow to her right, Dawn to her left, and Xander to the left of her. Each of them had their arms out stretched, huge smiles crossing each of their faces, while Buffy's school stood in the background, a large red satin bow covering the glass the doors, an OPEN sign just above it.
Spike noticed the photo she was staring at and smiled to himself. "Your one hell of a resilient group, I'll give ya that."
"I guess so," she said almost uncertain.
"Why do I get the feeling your not all with the warm fuzzies," he searched her face, knowing she was thinking something that she wasn't telling him.
"Spike you know I love my friends, I'd do pretty much anything for them, but it's been a hard year and we've all had our own struggles, and blah blah blah. I'm just ready to move on now, I know Willow and Xander are," she finished, a far off look in her eyes.
Spike watched her emotions flash over her face and in her eyes, knew that deep down the past year had been the hardest for her. She'd had the most to lose when it came the end, and like many others she'd had to deal with the fall out afterward. He wanted ask her what it had been like, losing a father and so many friends, but knew that she would tell him when she was ready, when it was the right time.
"So tell me about what happened, with your friends I mean."
"You wanna know about my friends," Buffy asked in amazement.
"Hey when have I ever not cared about your friends," he retorted.
"Mostly, never."
"Ok, ok, I might not have been Mr. Rogers when it came to your mates, but I care now, is that enough," he said a look of sincere regret upon his face.
"You really want to know," she asked, continuing when he nodded in assent. "Well, after Giles and Anya's funeral we all kind of huddled into our own little cocoon for along time. This was the most loss any of us had ever had to deal with and we coped the way we usually do, first there was denial, then more denial, and finally more denial. I don't know, I mean know one had a mental break down, know one went on a killing spree, so overall I'd say the Scooby gang came out ok," she paused for a moment contemplating what she had just said.
"But it was really hard for Xander when Anya died, he saw everything, and I have no idea how he handled it. He's so strong. I swear I called him ten times a day, every day for like 6 months just to make sure he was ok. Willow and me kept trying to convince him to move in with us, but he wanted to stay in his apartment, said it held good memories. Willow's a whole other story. She's seriously been the rock, I don't know how she does it, but she takes care of us all now, like a little mother hen."
"Whatever happened to that Kennedy chick," Spike asked when he she didn't say anything for a while.
"Oh, um, they tried to stay together after everything happened but it was difficult. She just wanted to be near her family, and Willow wanted to be with us, they were in very different places in their lives. So in the end they went their separate ways. It was for the best."
"Do you wanna talk about something else pet," he asked a moment later, as he saw her eyes darken, her demeanor change.
"Actually I think I'm ready to go home, "Buffy answered quietly standing up.
"Lead the way luv."
******************************************
3:15 p.m.
Dawn strutted through the hallway of Sunnydale high-school, a black leather messenger bag slung over her left shoulder. She came around the corner involved in thinking of her plans for the weekend, when she suddenly slammed right into Maddox Kern.
"Ow, walk much," Dawn cried rubbing the side of her upper arm.
Maddox looked up from the ground where he was collecting his books, presently unable to think of anything to say.
"Watch where you're going when you run down the hall," she said, annoyed when he continued to just stare at her.
He ran a hand through his messy dark curls, "I'm sorry," he uttered.
Dawn suddenly felt a pang of regret. She didn't mean to be such a bitch to him, but the fact that he followed her around like puppy dog was turning out to be more irritating than cute, or so she thought.
"Here," she said picking up a book he'd forgotten on the ground, "I don' t mean to be so lame, it's just been a long day, and I found out last period that Mr. Dillflippo is going to give 45 question quiz tomorrow on D-Day, and unless I memorize the entire chapter in 24 hours, it's gonna be my own personal D-Day for my report card."
"Um, I actually was on my way to the public library, if you want you can come with and we could study together, it's totally up to you," he said shifting the books back and forth in his arms nervously.
"What's your grade in that class," she asked.
"An A minus."
"I'm there," she said smiling at him as they made their way down the hall, side by side.
*************************************************************
From the second they'd walked into the house, Spike knew things were different. All the closeness he'd felt before was slowly melting away right in front of him, and he was powerless to stop it.
As the couple treaded into the living room Spike found himself reaching out to touch her, to try to feel what she was thinking, but it was no use. She was already beginning to push him away. And he didn't know what he could do anymore.
He sat down on the sofa and watched her walk up the staircase, for a shower. He looked around the silent room, trying to think of way to make things better for her, she deserves such happiness, he thought.
Ten minutes later he was fast asleep.
Buffy meanwhile stood under the shower head, the heat of the water pouring down her back, her muscles inadvertently relaxing from all the pent up frustration she'd had since that morning. A million thoughts coursed through her mind, and she was able to concentrated on only one. Spike.
She knew she was pushing him away and she hated it. Hated herself for doing it. But it was the only answer right? Once she told him about Angel he would .......well she didn't know what he'd do, but the outcome would never end right. It was so difficult to tell him how she really felt, knew he needed to know. But how was she supposed to tell him, if she was unsure?
Buffy didn't know how long she was in the shower for, and it really didn't matter. What did matter as she came out of the bathroom and into her bedroom, was that she'd decided to tell him the truth, about the past, about the present, about how she felt, everything.
She pulled a pair of faded jeans from her dresser and a light blue v-neck shirt from her closet. When she was finished pulling her hair up into a simple ponytail, she padded her way downstairs.
I have to tell him......... I'm going to tell him.....he needs to know......he deserves to know, where the only thoughts running through her mind when she rounded the corner and came into the living room, Spike asleep on the sofa. He was resting on the far left side of the couch, his head lay on top of his arm, his chest constricting in and out with his even breaths.
Buffy observed him in silence. He was so innocent when he slept, so vulnerable, and she felt cruel for wanting to wake him up, only to hurt him. She had never watched him sleep before, all the times they had been together in the past, and even at the very end when they were the closest, she never took the time to truly see how beautiful he really was.
Slowly she padded over to where he was, easing herself down next him. Ever so carefully she molded herself to the side his body, feeling the warmth of his skin next to her, it felt so nice she thought, just to be here with him like this. She lay her head against his shoulder and just sat there, listening to his gentle heartbeat, his quiet breaths.
When she moved slightly Spike fluttered open his eyes, readjusting them to the light, when he saw Buffy lying next to him.
"Hey," she said smiling up at him.
"Hey yourself. Are you feelin' better?"
"What do you mean," she asked somewhat defensively.
"You seemed like you were a bit down earlier, or mad at me, can't ever really tell the difference with you," he yawned, with nonchalance, knowing he was teasing her.
She looked at him disdainfully, knowing that she needed to get it over with and tell him; but it was making her feel sick inside, like a swarm of butterflies were flopping around in her stomach. "Yeah I'm good, thanks."
He watched as she at up right on the couch, returning to her behavior at the gym. "What's wrong with you."
"There's nothing wrong with me, what's wrong with you," she snapped.
"See that right there, what have I done to piss you off?"
"Nothing, you haven't done anything, let's just drop it ok." She got up off the couch pacing around the room, adverting her eyes to anything but him.
He could tell she wasn't being honest about her feelings, and so he walked up behind her, lightly placing a hand on her shoulder to make her face his way. "Well something is obviously bothering you, why won't you just tell me?"
"Read my lips," she said jerking away," I'm fine. I. AM. FINE."
"Why are you lying to me," he shouted, as she walked into the kitchen.
Buffy didn't know why she was provoking an argument between them, but it always seemed easier to deal with things this way, when they fought. "I'm not lying to you Spike, see that's were you've got it wrong, you're the one that lies to me remember, not the other way around."
He stepped back from her, pain seeping through his blue eyes. "That's not fair," he spoke quietly, "I've changed, you know that. Now stop fighting with me, and tell me what the hell is going on. I know anything it's you Buffy, you don't get like this unless it's serious. Please, please don't shut me out."
She stood a few feet from him, staring out the window at the tree in the back yard. The sun was slowly beginning to set in the background, casting shadows across the lawn. It'ss now or never, she thought.
She didn't move at first just simply asked, "Did you miss me?"
"Every second," he replied coming closer to her.
"I missed you too," she stated, turning towards him now, "But things changed after we defeated the First. I changed."
"That doesn't matter to me. All that matters is right now," he grabbed her hand linking it with his own, softly rubbing the top with his thumb.
"No I'm trying to tell you that–," she tried to finish her sentence but was cut off when Spike's mouth collided with hers. His lips seared into hers with such passion and lust that Buffy felt weak in the knees. She grabbed onto his neck pulling him down to deepen the kiss. And for a moment neither of them felt anything else but the heat from each other's body, the softness of their lips. When they broke apart for air, Spike ran his hand over Buffy's cheek, an affectionate smile across his face. " Listen to me luv, there's something I want you to know. When I died I might have gone to heaven, or hell, or limbo, or somewhere in between, I don't know. What I do know is that you were always with me. You were my anchor through it all. And I never stopped loving you."
She looked into his eyes, tears welling up inside her, "Spike I–."
The ring of the phone behind them brought them back to reality. Buffy puffed out a breath of air, before picking it up.
"Hello. Hi dawn. You what? Oh ok, that's fine. What time? Oh my god, I gotta go, No it's ok I'll figure it out. OK bye."
She hung up the phone and turned back to Spike, a worried expression on his face. " That was Dawn, she needs someone to pick her up from the library. I told her I would do it, but I have a class to teach in 15 minutes. Is there any chance that you could get her?"
"Of course."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said running out of the room and up the stairs.
When she came back down a couple minutes later, she walked up to him seeing him sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea.
"Alright I've got to go, or I'll have about 25 angry paying customers on my hands," she said pulling his hand from the table into her own," but we'll talk when I get back."
"Don't be too long," he grinned, tilting his head slightly.
"I promise," she replied, bringing his hand up, and softly kissing his knuckles. Then smiling at him as she left the room.
He waited until he heard the front door click shut before he grabbed the motorcycle keys from the counter.
************************************
6:45 p.m.
Dawn and Spike leisurely made there way up the sidewalk in front of 1630 Revello Drive. It hadn't been to difficult for Dawn to convince Spike to take her for pizza, especially after he had made such a spectacle of seeing her and Maddox together in front of the library. Yes he had huffed and puffed like a good father figure should, completely terrifying Maddox into a withering pile of nervous jelly, all the while embarrassing Dawn. She didn't really mind too much, in fact she actually enjoyed his being over-protective, to a degree, of course she didn't tell him that. And so an hour and half later, they finally made their way through the front door and into the Summer's living room.
However, the exact second Spike sat down he knew something was different. He stood up, observing the room around him. Heavy shades had been drawn in front of all the windows, causing the house to take on a much darker appeal, something he couldn't remember ever noticing before.
He walked into the foyer, in front of the staircase, looking around.
"What's wrong," Dawn asked coming up beside him.
"What's with all the shades, bit," he asked, looking at her.
"Well, those would be for me," Angel declared, slowly clasping his hands together.
A/N: Is this like the longest chapter in history or what? Ok I know you're all dying to see what happens next, but only if you review ;) I'm evil, I know!!