Chapter 18.
Faith awoke to the distant sound of the television. Some chirpy woman was describing the weather for the day, in a far too enthusiastic manner. The brunette pulled her pillow over her head to muffle the noise. Buffy was in the kitchen making some coffee, she heard Faith groan loudly as she realised she was still fully clothed, and the events of the previous evening came back to haunt her. She appeared at Faith's door, cup of coffee in one hand and a glass of Alka Seltzer in the other.
"I thought you could do with some of this!" She smiled meekly as she placed both by the side of Faith's bed.
"Thanks B, you're a life saver!" She replied, voice a little croaky from sitting in a smoky bar all night.
Buffy sat on the edge of her friend's bed, still racked with guilt about her behaviour the day before. She pulled her hand back through her hair.
"Faith, about last night, look I am so sor.." She began.
Faith jumped up from her bed interrupting the apology. "Don't sweat it B! Seriously it's no big deal. I just needed some time out last night that's all."
She padded into the living room, stopping to pick up the mail from the table on the way. She flicked swiftly through the letters, her attention was grabbed by the sight of two empty mugs on the coffee table, and a lighter, Spike's lighter!
'Shit, shit, shit!' She thought to herself, 'I am so dead!'
Buffy sat down on the couch and sipped at her coffee, she picked the silver lighter up from the table and began to flick it open and closed, oblivious to the look of panic on Faith's face.
"So, um, yeah guess who I bumped into last night?" She mumbled.
Buffy turned to look at Faith and held up the lighter. "Would Spike be a wild but scarily accurate guess?" She replied.
"Yeah, I must have, like, picked up his lighter or something, in the bar," she lied unconvincingly.
Buffy smiled at her and decided to put her out of her misery.
"No you didn't pick up his lighter, you did manage to pick up something else though. Spike asked me to give you this," she handed her a business card. Faith looked at the front.
Charles Gunn Private Investigations.
She flipped the card over, on the reverse was written 'Faith, call me xxx'.
"Oh god!" She exclaimed, "And it's all coming back to me now! I hit on Spike's friend!" She slapped herself on the forehead and sunk down into the armchair.
"Aaaaargh! What am I like! I didn't know he knew Spike honest B! I was just...Oh god! He must think I am such a tramp!"
Buffy stood up and squeezed onto the chair next to Faith.
"Actually Spike said he was kind of taken with you," she said as she gave her friend a big hug.
"He did!" Her eyes lit up, and then realization dawned. "Hang on, Spike said that! You spoke to Spike!"
Buffy nodded, "Yeah, we had a pretty good chat actually. He said you two got a lot out in the open as well, that's good you know. It's all good!"
Faith noticed for the first time that Buffy was actually rivalling the weather girl on the television for early morning chirpiness.
"So, it's ok. I mean you're not mad then," Faith searched her friends face for the answer.
"No, it feels kinda nice actually." With that she bounced into the kitchen and put the washing up into the sink.
The morning passed swiftly at WP Publications. Faith's hangover has completely dissipated and she was skipping around the office like a schoolgirl with a crush. Buffy meanwhile had spent the morning looking at Spike over the top of the manuscript she was supposed to be reading. She hadn't meant to, but the way her desk was positioned meant that, when the office door was open, which it had been all morning, she had a clear view. Every now and then she would peek over the papers, when he wasn't looking of course.
It was coming up to twelve o'clock. Buffy was actually immersed in a chapter she was reading when she was approached from behind.
"So Summer's, see anything you like?" He whispered in her ear. His breath was hot on her neck, and he seemed to linger there just a little too long. She became aware that she was holding her breath. Before she could turn around he had moved, and was now perched on the side of her desk, head cocked to one side, that familiar smirk on his face.
"Yeah, this is a good read, definite potential," she replied waving the manuscript at him in a flustered manner.
"Is that right!" He grinned back at her.
Buffy pouted, she tried really hard not to, but it was almost an involuntary reaction when she was being teased.
"You look a bit hot pet, everything ok?" he said softly, raising his eyebrow.
"We still have to get the air conditioning fixed," she replied fanning herself with the manuscript. "Its hot in here today don't you think?" She continued, breaking eye contact to pretend to read a post it Faith had stuck to her monitor.
He reached over and pulled the note off, examining it, then looked back to Buffy, "Yeah, very hot!"
Spike had decided he'd had enough fun teasing the blonde for the moment, so decided to change the conversation.
"Is Faith okay today then?" He asked looking up at where the brunette was sitting. "Has she given Gunn a call?"
Buffy was glad at the topic change and relaxed back into her seat. She picked up her pen and began to fiddle with the cap, popping it on and off.
"Whatever you said to her it really made an impact, she is, well she is different today, but your friend shouldn't expect a call anytime soon. I think its small steps for her, you know what I mean."
Spike nodded, "Well so long as she knows she can come to me if she needs to talk," he said honestly. "You too love, I mean it, anytime." He touched her gently on her shoulder and held her gaze until she looked away.
Spike jumped up from the desk, "right, well I got um things to do, so I'll leave you to it then," he made his way back to the office.
Buffy's phone began to ring.
"Elizabeth Summ..."
"Yeah, yeah B! It's me. Lunch, now!"
Buffy grabbed her purse and headed for the exit with Faith in tow. The lift doors had barely closed before Faith spoke up excitedly.
"So, what was all that in there?" She quizzed, eyes wide.
Buffy undid the clip in her hair and shook it out. "All what?" she replied in the most innocent voice she could muster.
"You, Spike, all with the flirting!" The lift doors slid open.
"Flirting, there was no flirting, absolutely no flirting of any description!" The two girls burst out into the street.
Faith laughed loudly and pulled Buffy back. "Oh Spike, it's so hot in here!" She mimicked Buffy, and fluttered her eyelashes madly.
Buffy snorted and started to cross the road heading towards the coffee shop.
"Well its hot today! So what!" She snapped, "That doesn't mean I am all 'flirty Buffy'"
"Yeah right!" Faith continued unconvinced, "Well its not just you, I have been watching you both today. All with the sneaky looks and the leaning all over each other!"
Buffy pulled out a seat by the window and started to flick through the menu.
"I know what you think Faith, but its not happening, I am so not going back there."
Faith raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah right B! Sure you're not!"
Buffy finished giving her order to the waitress who had rudely interrupted their conversation.
"Nope, been there, done that, never going back." She said decisively.
Faith looked confused, and picked at the tablecloth.
"Why not? I mean yeah you had the whole breaking your heart thing, but you both seem kinda happy today, you know. One little chat last night and already you are happy."
Buffy grabbed her soda from the waitress and took a big sip. "You hit the nail on the head there Faith, with the' breaking my heart and leaving' thing. I can't go back now, can I?"
"Buffy, I got a hell of a lot of good advice last night, the way I see it is, he screwed up bad, really bad, but he came back. That can't have been easy. Its obvious he still has feelings for you, and I am pretty sure you are the same. If neither of you cared then you wouldn't have hurt each other so much since he came back. Would you?"
Buffy couldn't help but nod in agreement, Faith did have a point. If she didn't care anymore then why had he got under her skin so much, and why was she so happy just being around him today. "Well there you are then," Faith continued, "He left, but he came back didn't he, so why don't you try living in the now, and not in the past. Its good advice B! I am gonna take it."
She reached for her purse and pulled out her cell phone and the business card Buffy had given her that morning.
"I'll see you back at the office B, I got something I need to do. "
Faith awoke to the distant sound of the television. Some chirpy woman was describing the weather for the day, in a far too enthusiastic manner. The brunette pulled her pillow over her head to muffle the noise. Buffy was in the kitchen making some coffee, she heard Faith groan loudly as she realised she was still fully clothed, and the events of the previous evening came back to haunt her. She appeared at Faith's door, cup of coffee in one hand and a glass of Alka Seltzer in the other.
"I thought you could do with some of this!" She smiled meekly as she placed both by the side of Faith's bed.
"Thanks B, you're a life saver!" She replied, voice a little croaky from sitting in a smoky bar all night.
Buffy sat on the edge of her friend's bed, still racked with guilt about her behaviour the day before. She pulled her hand back through her hair.
"Faith, about last night, look I am so sor.." She began.
Faith jumped up from her bed interrupting the apology. "Don't sweat it B! Seriously it's no big deal. I just needed some time out last night that's all."
She padded into the living room, stopping to pick up the mail from the table on the way. She flicked swiftly through the letters, her attention was grabbed by the sight of two empty mugs on the coffee table, and a lighter, Spike's lighter!
'Shit, shit, shit!' She thought to herself, 'I am so dead!'
Buffy sat down on the couch and sipped at her coffee, she picked the silver lighter up from the table and began to flick it open and closed, oblivious to the look of panic on Faith's face.
"So, um, yeah guess who I bumped into last night?" She mumbled.
Buffy turned to look at Faith and held up the lighter. "Would Spike be a wild but scarily accurate guess?" She replied.
"Yeah, I must have, like, picked up his lighter or something, in the bar," she lied unconvincingly.
Buffy smiled at her and decided to put her out of her misery.
"No you didn't pick up his lighter, you did manage to pick up something else though. Spike asked me to give you this," she handed her a business card. Faith looked at the front.
Charles Gunn Private Investigations.
She flipped the card over, on the reverse was written 'Faith, call me xxx'.
"Oh god!" She exclaimed, "And it's all coming back to me now! I hit on Spike's friend!" She slapped herself on the forehead and sunk down into the armchair.
"Aaaaargh! What am I like! I didn't know he knew Spike honest B! I was just...Oh god! He must think I am such a tramp!"
Buffy stood up and squeezed onto the chair next to Faith.
"Actually Spike said he was kind of taken with you," she said as she gave her friend a big hug.
"He did!" Her eyes lit up, and then realization dawned. "Hang on, Spike said that! You spoke to Spike!"
Buffy nodded, "Yeah, we had a pretty good chat actually. He said you two got a lot out in the open as well, that's good you know. It's all good!"
Faith noticed for the first time that Buffy was actually rivalling the weather girl on the television for early morning chirpiness.
"So, it's ok. I mean you're not mad then," Faith searched her friends face for the answer.
"No, it feels kinda nice actually." With that she bounced into the kitchen and put the washing up into the sink.
The morning passed swiftly at WP Publications. Faith's hangover has completely dissipated and she was skipping around the office like a schoolgirl with a crush. Buffy meanwhile had spent the morning looking at Spike over the top of the manuscript she was supposed to be reading. She hadn't meant to, but the way her desk was positioned meant that, when the office door was open, which it had been all morning, she had a clear view. Every now and then she would peek over the papers, when he wasn't looking of course.
It was coming up to twelve o'clock. Buffy was actually immersed in a chapter she was reading when she was approached from behind.
"So Summer's, see anything you like?" He whispered in her ear. His breath was hot on her neck, and he seemed to linger there just a little too long. She became aware that she was holding her breath. Before she could turn around he had moved, and was now perched on the side of her desk, head cocked to one side, that familiar smirk on his face.
"Yeah, this is a good read, definite potential," she replied waving the manuscript at him in a flustered manner.
"Is that right!" He grinned back at her.
Buffy pouted, she tried really hard not to, but it was almost an involuntary reaction when she was being teased.
"You look a bit hot pet, everything ok?" he said softly, raising his eyebrow.
"We still have to get the air conditioning fixed," she replied fanning herself with the manuscript. "Its hot in here today don't you think?" She continued, breaking eye contact to pretend to read a post it Faith had stuck to her monitor.
He reached over and pulled the note off, examining it, then looked back to Buffy, "Yeah, very hot!"
Spike had decided he'd had enough fun teasing the blonde for the moment, so decided to change the conversation.
"Is Faith okay today then?" He asked looking up at where the brunette was sitting. "Has she given Gunn a call?"
Buffy was glad at the topic change and relaxed back into her seat. She picked up her pen and began to fiddle with the cap, popping it on and off.
"Whatever you said to her it really made an impact, she is, well she is different today, but your friend shouldn't expect a call anytime soon. I think its small steps for her, you know what I mean."
Spike nodded, "Well so long as she knows she can come to me if she needs to talk," he said honestly. "You too love, I mean it, anytime." He touched her gently on her shoulder and held her gaze until she looked away.
Spike jumped up from the desk, "right, well I got um things to do, so I'll leave you to it then," he made his way back to the office.
Buffy's phone began to ring.
"Elizabeth Summ..."
"Yeah, yeah B! It's me. Lunch, now!"
Buffy grabbed her purse and headed for the exit with Faith in tow. The lift doors had barely closed before Faith spoke up excitedly.
"So, what was all that in there?" She quizzed, eyes wide.
Buffy undid the clip in her hair and shook it out. "All what?" she replied in the most innocent voice she could muster.
"You, Spike, all with the flirting!" The lift doors slid open.
"Flirting, there was no flirting, absolutely no flirting of any description!" The two girls burst out into the street.
Faith laughed loudly and pulled Buffy back. "Oh Spike, it's so hot in here!" She mimicked Buffy, and fluttered her eyelashes madly.
Buffy snorted and started to cross the road heading towards the coffee shop.
"Well its hot today! So what!" She snapped, "That doesn't mean I am all 'flirty Buffy'"
"Yeah right!" Faith continued unconvinced, "Well its not just you, I have been watching you both today. All with the sneaky looks and the leaning all over each other!"
Buffy pulled out a seat by the window and started to flick through the menu.
"I know what you think Faith, but its not happening, I am so not going back there."
Faith raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah right B! Sure you're not!"
Buffy finished giving her order to the waitress who had rudely interrupted their conversation.
"Nope, been there, done that, never going back." She said decisively.
Faith looked confused, and picked at the tablecloth.
"Why not? I mean yeah you had the whole breaking your heart thing, but you both seem kinda happy today, you know. One little chat last night and already you are happy."
Buffy grabbed her soda from the waitress and took a big sip. "You hit the nail on the head there Faith, with the' breaking my heart and leaving' thing. I can't go back now, can I?"
"Buffy, I got a hell of a lot of good advice last night, the way I see it is, he screwed up bad, really bad, but he came back. That can't have been easy. Its obvious he still has feelings for you, and I am pretty sure you are the same. If neither of you cared then you wouldn't have hurt each other so much since he came back. Would you?"
Buffy couldn't help but nod in agreement, Faith did have a point. If she didn't care anymore then why had he got under her skin so much, and why was she so happy just being around him today. "Well there you are then," Faith continued, "He left, but he came back didn't he, so why don't you try living in the now, and not in the past. Its good advice B! I am gonna take it."
She reached for her purse and pulled out her cell phone and the business card Buffy had given her that morning.
"I'll see you back at the office B, I got something I need to do. "