A/N: Keep up the good reviews, my muse enjoys them a lot. 

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Chapter 13:  Possibilities

Willow felt wonderful.  Oz was the sweetest, nicest, yummiest man alive.  Their walk turned into plans to watch a movie at Willows apartment, and then maybe, an actual date at a later time.  Their movie night started with horror and "The House on Haunted Hill".  That movie was creepy beyond all that is creepy.  After that was over, Willow insisted on watching a comedy to erase the images from her mind.  They decided on "Office Space" when Oz admitted that he'd never seen it.  Willow was amazed at that and insisted he watch it.  Halfway through the movie, Willow laid down on the couch they were sharing.  Ten minutes later, Oz lay down behind her and that's how they woke up the next morning. 

"Crap!  What time is it?" Willow asked worriedly as she ran to her room.

Oz looked at his watch.  "About eight thirty," he answered her.

She ran out of her room again, in a pair of red jogging pants and a white sweatshirt.  "I have a group meeting at nine, and I'm going to be late," she said, running around the small apartment and throwing things into her book bag.  "I'm sorry to rush out on you, but feel free to hang out, take a shower, whatever.  There's a spare key hanging by the door, when you're ready to leave just lock it up behind you and leave the key under the doormat.  Please call me or come by later, I really want to see you."  Willow blushed slightly as she said this and then chuckled at herself.  Cripes, getting all shy around a guy.  But he is really cute and sweet. 

Oz just nodded at the end of her whirlwind dissertation and Willow flew out the door.  Oz sat down and looked around the apartment, wondering what to do first.  Then the door flew open and Willow launched herself into his arms.  She kissed him hotly, fiercely and with an intense amount of unrestrained passion.  Oz matched her hunger and when she pulled away, Willow was red and her chest was heaving.  Oz's was sucking in deep breaths as well, the only outward sign of his emotion.  They grinned at the same time, and Oz brushed a gentle kiss across Willow's lips.  "Have fun at class, I'll call you later," he said.

Willow smiled, and then hurried out of the apartment.  Oz stood up and headed toward the shower. 

On her way to campus, Willow pulled out her cell phone and called Buffy.  It rang, but no one answered and her voice mail came on.  "Hey, Buff, it's Will.  Just calling to see how your night went.  I'll see you on Thursday, if I don't talk to you before then, later."  That's weird; I wonder what Buffy's doing?

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Buffy woke up with a smile on her face.  She heard her phone ring, but she ignored it.  Last night had been wonderful.  After spending time with Porgy and Bess, Spike had dropped her off at home, walking her to the door and giving her a goodnight kiss.  Buffy practically floated inside and to her bedroom.  Once inside, Buffy fell asleep with a smile on her face and it had yet to leave. 

Joyce was in the kitchen drinking coffee when Buffy bounded in.  "Hi, Mom," she said in an entirely too perky voice.

"Good morning, Buffy, did you have a nice time last night?" Joyce asked as Buffy bounced around the small kitchen. 

She grabbed the cereal, milk and a banana.  Dumping all three items in a bowl, Buffy sat next to her mom. In between bites of her cereal concoction, Buffy told her mother the edited version of last night's events. 

Joyce smiled.  "He sounds like a nice boy, Buffy.  Just be careful, okay?  Maybe take things slow the next few days; after all, you really don't know a whole lot about him.  You should probably bring him over to meet me.  That would be nice too."

Buffy rolled her eyes.  "Sure, Mom, that'll happen," Buffy said then headed out of the kitchen.  Joyce shook her head at her daughter, positive that Buffy had completely ignored everything she had just said.  After Buffy's relationship with that man (even now Joyce couldn't bring herself to say his name) ended, Buffy was not only brokenhearted, but just seemed shattered as a whole.  Joyce was positive Buffy never told her the full story behind the break-up, but with all the harassment and aftermath she did see, Joyce was sure that Buffy would be scarred forever.  It wasn't everyday that a girls first boyfriend went psycho and she had to put a restraining order on him.

Joyce shook her head to clear it and took her coffee cup to the counter and rinsed it.  Rupert Giles, the owner of the new antique shop that was replacing the gallery, had called her and said he had heard through the local grapevine that she was someone with a vast experience in art history as well as fine antiques.  As he planned on opening an antique shop, he wondered if she would interview for the position of general store manager.  It was a far better position than the one at the gallery, and Joyce was absolutely thrilled about the prospect of it.  Not only would she essentially be running the shop, but she would make enough money to support herself as well as A.J and Buffy could quit stripping and go back to school.  Joyce desperately wanted to tell Buffy, but she was half afraid of jinxing the opportunity, so she decided to wait until she knew if she was hired or not.  This could be the start of a wonderful new life, Joyce thought as she gathered the breakfast dishes.

"A.J," she called, "You better be out here in five minutes so Buffy can drive you to school."

A.J bustled out of his room and into the kitchen.  Joyce's heart tugged at the sight of him.  He was a perfect picture of Hank, from his brown hair to his slumping posture and bright eyes.  He was tall too, a constant source of amusement to him because Buffy still referred to him as "little brother".  Buffy and A.J shared a tight bond, Joyce knew, party because of their combined loss of a father.  Hank was not dead, but for all intents and purposes, he might as well be. 

Joyce shrugged.  "Do you have basketball practice after school today?" she asked.

A.J nodded.  "Yeah, but Duncan said he'd give me a ride home, so you don't need to come get me."  Hey, he was in high school, thank-you very much, even though he loved his mom, it was embarrassing for her to pick him up.  It was also embarrassing when Buffy did, but that was for entirely different reasons.

Joyce nodded in understanding.  "Okay, just make sure he doesn't drive like a bat out of hell, I'd like for you to finish high school," she joked and kissed his cheek. 

A.J smiled and rolled his eyes in a patented teenage fashion.  "Yes, mom, I'll try and survive high school." 

He walked to Buffy's door and began to bang on it.  "C'mon Buffy, get your ass in gear, I'm going to be late," he yelled through the door.

Buffy opened the door and sailed through, smacking A.J on the head at the same time.  "Language," she said and headed toward the front door. 

A.J trailed behind her, talking under his breath about the pains of older sisters.  Joyce laughed at her children, and then went to change and prepare for her interview. 

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Spike was certain that God had forsaken him.  Not only did he already go head-to-head with his father about Drusilla again, so over her, but his latest client that he had been assigned was a real pain in the ass.  The boy couldn't keep it in his pants, pure and simple.  He'd been up for various sex and drug-related charges before and always got away scot-free.  This time, Parker De Luca was going to get busted down, and there was nothing Spike could do about it.  The worst part about the case was that Parker's dad was a big mob boss who demanded Parker's acquittal. 

Supposed mob boss Spike corrected himself.  After all, one must be politically correct at all times, even when it came to the mafia and their children.  The door to his office flew open and the mob bosses son waltzed through it.  Speak of the devil.

"Hey, Will, don't suppose this'll take too long, eh?  I've got a nice little piece outside, just waiting for a good time, if you know what I mean." Parker punctuated this with some suggestive hip thrusting and eyebrow waggling. 

Oh please, the only piece you've got waiting is probably plastic and inflatable.  "Actually, Parker, I've got some bad news.  Our motion to suppress has been denied, which means the testimony will be allowed as well as her clothing.  The evidence against you is damming, to say the least.  As your lawyer, I suggest you take the plea bargain offered and spend five years in prison instead of the required ten-to-fifteen."  Spike sat down at his desk and waited for Parker's reaction. 

He didn't have to wait long.  Parker flew up to Spike's desk and slapped both hands down.  "Oh, man, I don't think so.  Look, do you know who I am?  I'm Parker De Luca, son of Roberto De Luca, not some little insignificant peon you can bully around.  You are going to tell the D.A to stick the deal up his ass and then you're going to get me acquitted.  That's what you do and that's whole reason my dad hires this incompetent law firm.  TO GET ME OFF!  So, either you come up with some magic to find an acquittal, or something bad will happen, you got me?"

Parker didn't even have the chance to move before Spike flew over his desk and grabbed him by his throat.  "Listen to me, you ungrateful little shit.  You are slime stuck on the bottom of the worst smelling stench in the world.  You are a bloody parasite and if it wasn't for me, your ass would already be in jail and intimately acquainted with Bruno.  I have kept you out thus far, but you fucked up and now you're going to pay.  I can't do anything about it.  Do you hear me?  Not a bleedin' thing.  It's not my fault you can't keep your pathetic wanker in your pants, or that you don't comprehend the word no.  You are guilty of the crime and I'm offering you the sweetest deal you're ever gonna get, even though you don't deserve it.  Now, you either tell me to accept or deny the deal, but let me warn you; if you deny it and get convicted, it's your own bloody fault.  Not mine, not the systems and most absolutely not the poor girl you terrorized.  It's yours and yours alone.  And, just as a side note, I'll be sure to let Bruno know what you are and how you like to be buggered."

After speaking, Spike threw Parker away from him.  "Now, get the hell out of my office and don't come back until you've decided what to do."

Parker picked himself off the floor and turned to Spike.  "Oh man.  You just fucked up royally, you know that?  Now, after I tell my father what happened in here, nothing in the world is gonna save you.  You're ass is toast, and I'm going to enjoy watching you burn."  He walked out and slammed the door behind him. 

Spike sighed and rolled his shoulders.  Should've kicked his pathetic nancyboy ass.  Stupid sod, attacking that poor girl and thinking he could get away with it.  God, I need to find a new line of work, this is getting pathetic.  He grumbled some more and then waited for his next client to show up.

The door to his office opened and it wasn't his client that walked in but Drusilla and his father.  Damn, did I kill someone in a past life?  Is that why the torture never ends for me?

"'Ello, Dru, dad, what can I do for you?" Spike asked and leaned against his desk. 

"Hello, William.  Drusilla just stopped by to tell us that she's got a doctors appointment this afternoon, sonogram to see the baby and everything.  We thought it would be nice if you accompanied her, seeing you are a possible candidate for fatherhood," Edward said and Drusilla stepped forward.

"Please, my William, will you go?  It would be so exciting to see our child."  She looked at Spike with limpid, beseeching eyes, and Spike wavered.  He almost said what the hell, but just as he was about to talk, he saw the look flash between Drusilla and his father, a look of victory.  Spike felt his heart harden, and he knew that anything he ever felt for Drusilla was now completely crushed. 

"No, thank-you, but I'll have to pass.  I don't fancy pretending to be daddy and seeing another man's child, and as Drusilla made aptly clear last week, we are no longer together.  Now, if you two will excuse me, I have a client coming in."  Spike turned his back to them and fiddled with a case file. 

Drusilla turned and left.  She cast one last long look inside, but when Spike didn't return it, she left, quietly shutting the door behind her.  Spike was left alone with Edward.  Dum, dum, dum. 

Edward calmly walked behind Spike's desk and sat down.  He meticulously rearranged the various pens, pencils and folders before speaking.  "I have tried to be patient with you, William.  I understood your anger with Drusilla, in the beginning.  Her betrayal and subsequent behavior was shocking and substandard, to say the least.  Her father and I discussed the problem and we both agreed on a course of action.  Liam was reprimanded and warned against such action in the future.  Can't you see the destiny you and Drusilla could create together?  The merging of these two firms would make us a force to be reckoned with, politically as well as socially.  Now, I've already told you once what would happen if you failed to resolve your issues and do the right thing.  Step up and be a man, take responsibility for what's yours.  I raised you to do the right thing, now do it, or you'll find yourself cut off and out of work.  Don't make me tell you again."

Edward stood up and walked to Spike.  Spike yearned to say something, anything to him, tell him that he didn't raise anything but a thug, spit out his contempt for the whole situation, ask why the hell marriage was needed for the merger, but the words stuck in his throat.  Instead he reached over, grabbed his folder and walked away from his father.  Stupid, bloody pillock.   He slammed the door to his office and shouted to his secretary to cancel the rest of his appointments.  He was going to see Xander, and then going home and avoiding all human contact, ever. 

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Buffy flexed her arms and rolled her shoulders.  The club was really active for it being ten o'clock on a Thursday night.  There was a rowdy group of college boys in the corner, but so far, they stuck to drinking beer and letting out an occasional cat call to the girls onstage.  Riley worked the bar and sporadically threw dirty looks to the boys and watched Buffy intently.  Buffy was almost through her third set and had one more to do.  Willow was running late, so Buffy covered her first set.  Of course, Buffy blackmailed Willow for full Oz disclosure after work.  Such was the way of friends, of course.

Currently, Buffy was dancing to "Lady Marmalade" from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack and counting the number of times Riley looked at the college boys.  She was up to seven dirty looks and three annoyed ones.  He'd looked at her quite a few times too, and Buffy secretly feared Riley was going to try and corner her yet again, asking for a date.  She didn't know how to get it through to him that she wasn't interested, without hurting his feelings.  Actually, Buffy was almost past the point of feelings consideration and about to just flat-out-tell him to fuck off.  She wouldn't, though, not until he really deserved it.  I need to stop being so damn nice all the time. 

She sighed as the song ended, signaling the end of her set.  After collecting her money, Buffy gave a last, long hip roll and with a devilish smile, and a wink to the corner, she sauntered off the stage.  Maureen passed her and Buffy gave a nod of hello to the stately brunette.  Maureen narrowed her eyes at Buffy and deliberately looked the other way.  She stepped on stage without even acknowledging Buffy. 

Well, in the immortal words of Willow, what crawled up her ass and died?  Buffy pondered this as she sat at the counter in the back.  Shrugging, she chalked it up to PMS.  She and Maureen had never been close, but never been unkind either.    She heard an excited voice call out her name, a distinctively Willow voice. 

"Hey, Wills, over here," she yelled and pulled on a white tee-shirt.  No point in dressing until she was completely done. 

Willow bustled in a flying whirl of red hair and clothes.  "Oh, Buffy, guess what!" she exclaimed as a red shirt went flying through the air.

"Hey, that's my shirt," Buffy exclaimed. 

Willow rolled her eyes.  "You gonna bitch about your shirt or listen to the major details about Oz?" she asked.

Buffy didn't have to think twice about it.  "Spill," she commanded.

Willow giggled like a madwoman.  "Well, last night, we watched movies, oh and House on Haunted Hill is like the scariest movie in existence, anyway, we were watching movies, eating popcorn and relaxing.  And then after the scary movie, I had to check and make sure all my parts were intact and dry, and then we watched Office Space because Oz said he hadn't seen it yet, can you believe that?  I mean, isn't there something fundamentally un-American about not seeing Office Space, and-"

Buffy interrupted her.  "Willow, breathe, then finish."

Willow took a deep breath.  "Okay, we were watching Office Space and I got really sleepy, so I laid down and fell asleep.  And when I woke up this morning, Oz was asleep behind me!  Isn't that the sweetest thing ever?  Oh man, and then I was late for this stupid group meeting, I really hate those by the way, and I ran around the apartment like a chicken with it's head cut off, and who came up with that anyway?  'Cause the thought of that, major wiggage, anyway, I'm running around looking for my books and Oz is just sitting there, all quiet and calm.  I ran out and then, I couldn't help myself, I ran back in and, oh man Buffy; let me tell you, that man has one great mouth for kissing.  It was wonderful, tingles and little electric squiggles and everything.  Oh my." Willow took another deep breath and sank down next to Buffy.

Buffy grinned at her friend.  "Sounds like you had a blast.  After work, I'll tell you about Porgy and Bess."  She stood up and walked over to the costumes. 

Willow lost no time in catching up to her.  "Oh no you don't.  I demand major detail spillage, who are Porgy and Bess?"

Buffy quickly told Willow the events of last night, and Willow couldn't help but smile at the romanticism of it all.  Buffy finally found someone who was worthy of her.  Willow knew that sounded pompous and arrogant, but Buffy was one of the sweetest, nicest and strongest people Willow had ever known.  She had survived great catastrophes in her life, and now she deserved a little happiness.  If Spike was going to be the one to give it to her, then Willow said whoo hoo to Spike.  Thinking about Spike, Oz and how life was so weird, Willow almost didn't notice Maureen come off stage.  Almost, but not quite.

Maureen was a pretty brunette who had recently been hired.  She was quiet and kept to herself, but right now, if looks could kill, Buffy would be on the ground in a large amount of pain.  Buffy was oblivious to her, but Willow wasn't.  She marched up to Maureen and tapped her on the shoulder. 

Maureen turned.  "What?' she snapped.

"Nothing much, Reenie, just wondering what got your thong in a twist?" she asked, eyeing the cuticles on her nails.  Need to get a manicure, Willow thought absentmindedly, and then turned her attention back to Maureen. 

"It's Maureen, and I don't have any idea what you're talking about, now excuse me," she said and pushed past Willow.

"No biggie, Reenie, we'll talk later," Willow called out.  Maureen stopped and glared at Willow, then continued on into the room. 

Buffy came up behind Willow.  "What was that about?" she asked.

Willow shook her head.  "Nothing.  What song should I dance to?"

Buffy shrugged.  "I dunno.  I've been using fast songs, there's a group of college boys and they seem to tip better if I move faster.  Use the mermaid costume, they'll love it."  Buffy pulled a sea-green costume off a hanger and handed it to Willow.

As Willow contemplated song ideas, Buffy perused through the costumes looking for one for her last set.  And thank God for that, Buffy thought.  Her legs and feet were staring to cramp from both the dancing and the ridiculously high heels. Buffy put on a french maid costume and debated her music choices.  Sure, it wasn't the most original costume, but who really cared when it stayed on for about two seconds? 

Buffy heard the cheering and shouts that usually accompanied the removal of clothing.  She laughed to herself and rolled her eyes.  Anything to see some flesh, I guess.  Thinking  about the normal patrons of the club Buffy wondered how Spike ended up here.  The group of college boy's was celebrating a birthday, splurging for a night of debauchery.  Spike had showed up with only one other person, and neither of them really fit in with the other patrons who frequented the club, bored old men and boys with too much time and money.  Buffy shook her head at that, you would think they'd have something better to do.  But then, if they did, you wouldn't be getting paid, now would you?  Still, seeing men Spike and Xander, I think that's his name, was not wholly unheard of, it wasn't that expensive to get into the club, it was just so out of the way that most men simply stayed in Sunnydale.  The more Buffy thought about it, the more she realized what a stranger to her Spike really was.  She knew his name, Spike Winters, and she knew he worked as a waiter, but that's was about it.  Not true, you know he kisses like the devil, has a soft spot for large mammals and has a ticklish spot on his neck right below his ear.  Maybe, just this once, it would be wise to listen to her mother and slow things down a bit, until they knew one another better.  The only problem with that was, Buffy had told herself that before, but once she looked at Spike, reasoning went out the window and lust-bunny Buffy took control.  Next time I see him, control girl's my name. 

Willow returned from her one and only set of the night.  She gave Buffy a grin and a pinch as they passed each other.  Buffy turned to Willow and raised an eyebrow in question, but Willow shook her head and went into the back room.  Whatever, Buffy thought as she heard her cue.  With visions of a bubble bath dancing in her head, Buffy took a breath and stepped on stage, rolling her golden body to the music of D'Angelo's "How does it feel".  She closed her eyes and felt the song play through her like a lover, rotating her hips and caressing her body.  Reaching behind her, Buffy pulled the tie holding up the costume and it fell to the ground around her, leaving her clad in a sheer black bra and lace thong and six-inch black heels. 

Every man's fantasy had just come to life up on the stage.  The naughty maid gave way to a supple temptress in black lace.  She captivated the patrons with her grace and beauty, and enthralled them with her blatant eroticism.  Two men in the audience were oblivious to the sensual display.  One man in the audience didn't see her as a siren or a goddess, but as a carefully selected target.  The other saw her as his and his alone, and he glowered at the men who openly ogled what he deemed his.  As Buffy's set wore one, Spike's mood got worse.  She had yet to see him, but when she did, Spike knew she would flip.