Chapter 9

Buffy tapped her foot impatiently. He was late. Vampires, demons…as if. If he was joking about any of this, she was going to put him in a coma. She shivered under her thin sweater, and looked around uncomfortably. Being in a cemetery in the mid of night, wasn't the best place to be.

She snapped her head to the right. 'What was that?' She thought she heard a slight cracking noise. As if someone was walking on dead leaves. She snapped her head to the right. She heard that again. 'Its probably just the wind.', she reassured herself, uneasily. 'Oh, what the hell. I'm getting out of here.', she turned around and found herself faced with Merrick.

"Going so soon?", he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Well, I've been waiting here forever. You're late."

"I know. My apologies."

" Whatever. So, you wanna explain why I'm here?"

Merrick stood there, staring past her shoulder. He shoved a stake into her hands.

Buffy stood there with a puzzled look upon her. "Uh, whats the stick for?" Buffy turned around, and saw. Her eyes wide, and opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out.

Merrick looked at her. " Stake him. Now, hurry." He pushed Buffy toward the vamp.

Buffy stood there, still as a tree. The vamp hissed at her, and jumped onto her. She tried to struggle out of its grasp, but it was too strong. It reached down to her neck, closely ready to bite her, but she quickly flipped him over. 'Whoa, how did I do that? What now?' She looked down at the stake that was in her hand. And instantly staked him, turning it to dust. She stared at ashes. "Was that a-"

"Vampire?", Merrick finished. "Yes, it was."

Buffy looked up at her watcher. Just realizing her life was about to change completely.

~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*

" Is there something wrong, luv?"

"What? No. Nothing. Just thinking.", Buffy answered quickly.

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Right."

Buffy nodded, and started fidgeting with her napkin. She and Spike were on a date. Okay, not exactly a date, but they were having lunch together. As friends. She didn't know why, she wasn't happier. 'Maybe because you just found out last night you are a slayer, and that your life completely changed.

" A penny for your thoughts."

Buffy stared at Spike, confused. That came out of nowhere.

" My mum used to say that a lot. It means-"

Buffy smiled. "Yeah, I know what it means."

"So, you mind telling me whats on your mind?", he asked.

" Just, you know, I never thought we -you and I- be having lunch together. You, us, being friends.", she said. Liar.

" Oh, well you better believe it ducks.", Spike said, grinning. " Although, I don't think our friends will accept it very well."

"Especially Faith.", Buffy added.

Spike shrugged. "I don't know. I think she already knows. And she won't mind, I don't think."

" Then you don't know her."

" Maybe you don't."

Buffy sighed. "Whatever. I'm really tired. I didn't get a good night sleep last night."

"So, I would guess, you wouldn't come to the bronze with me tonight? You know being tired and all."

" You're asking me?"

"Maybe. What would you say?"

" I don't know. Ask me."

"Fine. Buffy, do you want to go to the Bronze with me tonight?", Spike said, a little annoyed.

Buffy grinned. She loved watching him squirm. "Sure.", she said too quickly. " I guess. I mean whatever.", she tried to hide her excitement.

Spike smiled back at her relieved. He was afraid she would turn him down.

"As a date?"

Spike smiled at her shyly. "Yeah, I mean, if you want it to be."

Buffy blushed, and smiled back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hey Buff! Whats up?", Xander asked her, plopping into the seat next to her.

"Oh, hey Xander. Where's Willow?", Buffy asked, looking for the redhead.

"Right here.", a voice acme from behind. Willow sat down, wrinkling her nose at the mystery lunch meat. "Sorry. The line was soo long."

"That's why, today, I brought my lunch.", Xander said, taking out his sandwich from his bag.

Willow rolled her eyes. " So, Buffy, where were you yesterday?"

"Yeah, I mean, we tried calling you but you weren't home again.", Xander added. "I feel like we haven't hung out in a long time."

Buffy sighed. " I just been busy."

"With what?"

"God, do I have to tell you everything?", Buffy said, irritated. " I just been busy okay? You guys don't have to be so nosy in everything I do!"

Willow and Xander was taken back. They were just asking where she'd been yesterday. "Uh, okay. You don't have to yell.", Willow said, a little hurt.

Buffy sighed. "I'm sorry. I just have a lot of stress lately. Look, I'll catch with you guys later." And with that she took off.

"I have no idea, why she's like this.", Xander said. "She's been acting weird."

" Yeah.", Willow replied.

" You think its Spike? It could be his influence on her.", Xander said.

Willow looked up at Xander. " I think she's hiding something from us, that she won't or can't tell us."

" Maybe."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy hurried to the library. She opened the doors, to find Merrick hiding behind books that were piling up on each other. "Sorry I'm late. Mrs. Perry had to keep me after class for awhile."

Merrick looked up. "Oh, never mind that. I'm just glad you're here. Shall we start training?"

Buffy nodded, taking off her jacket. "So, do we get to use a weapon today?"

Merrick shook his head. "No, not today. I think it is best we start weapon-less. Just fists."

Buffy groaned. "Okay, fine." Merrick just stood there.

"Well ,come on. Give me your best shot.", he said.

Buffy stared at him, as if he grew another head. "You want me to fight you?"

Merrick nodded. " I'm tougher than I look."

Buffy laughed. "But you don't have on any protective gear."

Merrick rolled his eyes. "I think I can handle this without any gear."

Buffy shrugged. "Okay, I'm just saying." She threw a punch at his face, but he quickly blocked it. It was pretty much the same routine on and on. She punched, he blocked. " Do you ever give up?", she said, catching her breath.

"Like I said, I'm tougher than I look."

Buffy punched, kicked, and punched, punched. And Merrick kept on blocking. Never, did he give a attack yet. " Why aren't you punching or kicking me? You're just blocking all my hits.", she pointed out.

Merrick raised an eyebrow, and punched her in the stomach. Buffy groaned and doubled over. "What was that for?"

" Nothing. I just had the opportunity to attack.", Merrick said. "Keep your guard on all time."

Buffy frowned. "Dick.", she muttered.

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing.", she said innocently.

A/N: okay, you know the routine. Read and review!! I need some help on the spuffy writing , so if someone can I really appreciate it. :^)

The next chapter soon coming.

~*~ Di~*~