A/N: Sorry it took so long for Chapter 3. As always, thank you duckies for being so patient. You're all so good to me. Thanks to Harm Marie, buffsterangelicxws, Spikes-gal787, SweetBitter, Ultrawoman, SpIkEs AnGeL, Ben is Glory, Kubla Khun, and MsBigBad for your reviews! Yes, I've finally written a Buffy/Spike meet chapter into a story (well aside from my Spuffy one-shot "Dancing")!!! Buffy's thoughts are interspersed with her actions in this chapter, and sometimes they are in italics and some aren't. I hope it doesn't get too confusing. ENJOY! :)
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Lovers Walk: Advice for the Under-30 Crowd
by Fashiongrrl
Chapter 3: Traffic
"The look of love is in your eyes, the look your smile can't disguise," sang Dusty Springfield through the speakers in Buffy's green Jeep as she cruised down the highway. Making a face, she quickly switched the radio station, "Love, love, love me do," came the strains of the Beatles. Next channel please. "Love me tender," sang out Elvis.
"Okay, can we get out of the 60s for a minute here?" Buffy thought. Next channel.
"With or without you..." crooned Bono from U2.
Buffy glanced up to see an advertisement for Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler's latest romantic comedy plastered all over a billboard on the side of the road. She sighed, reaching to switch the radio station one last time. Valentine's Day was coming up in a few weeks and the entire world was going crazy. Love this, love that, love love love love love. It was a regular lovefest. A regular flower power hippie crazed love-making and love having good time. She could almost scream she was so frustrated. She wasn't feeling the love.
"What is wrong with me?" she thought. Last year Angel hadn't made a big deal about Valentine's Day, knowing it wasn't one of Buffy's most favorite holidays. This year all of a sudden he wanted to throw an engagement party on that day. Well to be fair his parents decided to throw one, in 3 weeks. On Valentine's Day. Joy. Wonderment. Exciting. Fun times for all. Everyone and anyone that Angel Fitzpatrick's family knew was invited. And everyone and anyone Buffy knew was suddenly invited too. These people were the elite of LA and whatever Angel's parents wanted, Angel's parents got. Nothing was too good for their little angel and angelic daughter-in-law to-be, puns fully intended.
Buffy kept telling herself it was just cold feet. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Buff," she muttered aloud, switching lanes as she navigated into downtown LA.
Traffic was starting to pick up so she had to concentrate. There was an accident up ahead and one of the lanes was blocked. Three lanes of heavy morning traffic were suddenly jammed into two, and everything came to a standstill. She hadn't intended to move at a snail's pace that morning, since she'd even left a little early for once. She had maybe 2 miles to go until she hit downtown, but sometimes life sends the unexpected. Buffy sighed, finally settled on a radio station, and let her mind wander as the cars around her inched by.
She remembered a conversation with Willow over dinner a few nights ago.
***Flashback to Buffy and Willow a few nights ago over dinner and drinks at Magiano's ***
"Why is love this complicated? Wait, am I making it complicated? Boy meets girl. Boy asks girl on date. Girl says yes. Boy takes girl out. Girl doesn't have urge to want to kill a boy on the first date," Buffy joked.
"Buffy, you forgot to add 'Girl stands in front of closet and asks best friend what to wear because she doesn't know if she wants to appear shy, coy, and naïve or unrestrained, insatiable, and aggressive'," Willow continued, reminding Buffy a particularly memorable date she'd had with a boy named Owen. He'd followed her around the entire night, making doe-eyes at her, believing she was the next best thing to sliced bread. Buffy liked a doting guy as much as the next girl, but on some level it just got creepy.
"Girl is very grateful to best friend for making sure she didn't walk out of the house looking like a slut," Buffy laughed.
"Darn tootin'!" Willow replied, using one of her favorite phrases. "You know, Buffy it's... it's not like this is all bad. Angel will be glued to you the entire night. It's just one party."
"One party on Valentine's Day. Are we forgetting that Buffy and Valentine's Day are very unmixy things?" she replied.
Every year on Valentine's Day, something always went wrong without fail. A few times she had been dateless and that really wasn't a big deal. But one year she got stood up at a high school Valentine's formal, and one year her car broke down on the way to a date and she was stranded for a few hours. Then there was the Valentine's Day she walked into a restaurant to see her date kissing another girl, after which she turned and ran out, spraining her ankle as she tripped over her particularly unsteady high heels. Let's not forget the shining Valentine's Day she and Dawn had to sit through the agony of watching their father get married to his brand new full-of-plastic-chain-smoking-loves-cheap-perfume trophy wife. Buffy took Dawn and fled before the ceremony ended. He'd said he wanted them there, but he never paid any attention to his daughters the entire visit, and Buffy gave up trying. And finally, there was that one year her date ate something that had eggs in it and had an allergic reaction causing his head to swell up to the size of a balloon. She'd spent that Valentine's Day in the ER. So Buffy and Valentine's Day tended to be as unmixy as possible.
"Everything will be perfect this year, I promise," Willow encouraged her friend.
"But what if it isn't?" Buffy worried.
"What's the worst that could happen? You rip your dress, spill punch on the groom's mother, get really drunk, throw up in the pool, and Angel decides to quit being a lawyer so you both can move to Tahiti while he pursues a career learning to play the bongo drums?"
Buffy couldn't help laughing, "Bongo drums?"
"I'm having an 'I Love Lucy' moment. Don't tell me you couldn't see Angel going all 'babaloo! babaloo!'" Willow said.
"Wills, are all you red heads naturally insane? Or is it something in the water?" Buffy joked, looking at her glass.
"Who said this was water?" Willow giggled, motioning towards the table.
Buffy laughed again before saying, "It doesn't matter anyways, the Fitzpatricks have already set the date, and I don't want to mess up their plans. It is kind of sweet that they want to do this for me and Angel. His mother is really excited about planning it."
"See there's always a platinum lining to everything, Buffy. And hey, I'll be all big with the supportiveness the entire night. Oooh! Xander and I can glare down any of Angel's crazy rich relatives that want to come up and kiss the bride-to-be?"
"You guys could be like my ladies in waiting. Well, sort-of. If I was a princess? And if Xander was a lady, and I so don't know where that came out of. I really don't think they refilled this with water," Buffy laughed.
"Buffy, martini glass, water glass. Big difference," Willow said, pointing out her friend's not-so-innocent drinks. She continued, "Well the lady part, I don't think he'd go for. But I'm sure if we got enough alcohol in him too, we could manage to throw a dress on him?" Willow said.
"I think I'll let that idea pass, Wills," Buffy giggled. "Although I think Anya might like it..."
"Aww c'mon. What could be more fun that embarrassing Xander in something pink? Oh! Oh! And frilly?" Willow said, with a completely straight face.
Buffy couldn't take it. She burst out laughing at the image of manly Xander twirling around drunk in a frothy, frilly, pink dress. Willow caught her infectious laughter and the two best friends giggled over desert. Neither could believe that in a few short months Buffy would be Mrs. Angel Fitzpatrick.
Willow knew of Buffy's cold feet, but tried to be as encouraging with her best friend as she could. Leave it to Willow for the sound advice, telling Buffy to do what she wanted, to be happy, and to follow her heart. It was a roller coaster of emotions, one that she'd been through herself when she had decided to cement her union to Tara with a commitment ceremony. She understood the stress of wedding, or at least partially, but no one save Buffy herself really had any idea of how nervous she truly was.
***End flashback***
The cars in her lane were finally starting to edge by whatever was blocking traffic up ahead. She drove by and was surprised to see that it was nothing big. Just some car the cops had pulled over, probably for speeding. She glanced at the black vehicle, trying to figure out what it was. It was vintage or a relic or whatever they called old cars, -- that much she knew. Buffy didn't have a chance to glance over at the upset driver with the blonde hair. She thought if the car were shined up it would have looked good. Angel would probably know, he always knew cars. She let her thoughts wander back to Angel as she navigated through the heavy LA rush hour.
Buffy had ranted and raved about love before, and how she'd never find that perfect guy. When she first met Angel, they had been so in love, almost like teenagers. Her last long term relationship left her scarred after she found her college boyfriend Riley in bed with some goth-vampire-wannabe-ho-bag, a technical term of course. A few dates here and there, and then almost 2 years ago she met Angel. They'd been friends first for several months, and she'd thought he was so cute and he'd thought she was so cute and there had been some sparkage. Yeah, definite sparkage in those first few weeks.
After the first few dates it almost started to die down and Buffy convinced herself that it was just that she was settling into a relationship, like she had done in the past. She willed herself to stick it out and not run away from this one. To give love one last chance. Relationships are always so much more exciting when you're busy dancing around each other, caught in the thrill of the chase, breathless and drowning, ready for more, but there's no commitment yet. And then you finally cross paths and everything seems right, and those first few moments are magical and tender.
After the initial getting to know you stage, she felt they really started to click. Buffy was glad she'd opened herself up and given Angel a real chance. They'd have late night conversations about nothing and everything. She'd write him little love notes every now and then. He'd send her flowers for no apparent reason. Angel was nothing if not a gentleman. Nights on the town, because he was so refined, so manly, and yes he would even accompany her to the ballet for her sake.
Or maybe he is just really fond of ballet? Buffy thought to herself, chuckling, and breaking up the monotony of the drive for a moment. She checked her rear-view mirror and some idiot was on her tail.
"Yes, please follow me closely and try to crash into me," she said sarcastically to herself. More driving, more switching lanes, and there was her exit. LA DOWNTOWN, right lane, Exit 144. Half-concentrating on merging into downtown traffic, she was thinking about Angel once again.
Buffy started to fall for him hard. He seemed so steady, like a rock. So different from any boyfriend she'd had in the past and Buffy convinced herself this is what she wanted. She was great at convincing herself of things.
As the year rolled by, the passion seemed to dissipate but the romance was still there underneath it all. Their relationship was slowly evolving to the next level, and they were learning to be comfortable with each other. But as the seasons changed, Buffy tried to ignore the nagging feeling in the back of her head telling her that something about them had changed, as they settled into a steady routine.
They developed normal comfortable patterns, like most couples do. Buffy didn't have to try as hard anymore because she'd found her guy, or so she thought. Angel knew he had her and he didn't have to try anymore. Like all men. Buffy was his and that was that. He could even get fat and let himself go if he wanted, but Angel was much to vain for that. With good reason of course, seeing as he was quite the looker. All American, football and apple pie good looks. Every girl's dream.
Her focus shifted back to the road. The sun was in her eyes. She flipped down her visor and put on her sunglasses. Buffy glanced in the rear-view mirror. The same idiot was following her. It was the black car she'd seen earlier on the side of the road. You'd think he'd be more careful since he was just pulled over? Buffy thought, puzzled. What an idiot. The car revved it's engine and moved to the next lane. She looked over and saw DeSoto written on the side. Buffy saw a shock of white hair on the driver's side as the car passed by her in a blur. Ahh, so that's what it is -- a DeSoto, Buffy thought again before moving her eyes back to the road. That has got to be the ugliest car ever.
Buffy looked at the clock, 7:45 AM. She'd spent 15 minutes in traffic to go less than one mile. She had to motor if she was going to make it to work on time. And again, she went back to Angel daydreaming once more. Not the best habit, but what else was she going to think about?
Buffy woke up one day and realized that it wasn't Angel who changed. She had changed. She was afraid she had outgrown him, and she was scared. She wasn't supposed to be bored by Angel, he was... Angel. She couldn't call it quits now. It wasn't right. This was Angel. The love of her life. The one she was meant to be with. By the time you hit your 20s you were supposed to find him. Find that right guy. The one Buffy had honestly given up on after that one night stand with Parker.
Then the proposal.
Of course they'd discussed it a little, but mostly it was out of the blue. Marvelous diamond ring, marvelous Angel. Down on one knee, telling her she was the girl for him. "You're my best friend. You complete me, Buffy. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" She'd cried of course. Said yes. Blinded by the moment, blinded by her steady rock Angel, of course she said yes.
So, they were going to make it official. She was going to be Mrs. Angel Fitzpatrick.
That was about 3 months ago. Her steady sweetie, Tom Brokaw at 6:30 pm , 2 or 3 wonderful kids, little white picket fence, room with a view. Or so she thought. Buffy was very good at convincing herself of anything.
It wasn't that she was never in love with Angel. She definitely had been, perhaps for a fleeting moment or two. Or maybe in love with the thought of being in love. Or in love with the initial passion and romance. Or something along those crazy lines.
Buffy snapped out of her daydream finally. She was getting close to work. She reached over to switch the radio station one last time. Dave Matthews Band came blaring through, ironically with, "And you come crash into me."
Buffy looked up to see the hulking black DeSoto jump into her lane. The idiot driver managed to cram his monstrosity into the almost nonexistent space between Buffy and the stoplight. Buffy had thought she'd lost the DeSoto long ago, but then again there is was. She honked her horn furiously and slammed on her brakes, swerving across the median into oncoming traffic for a moment before coming back into her lane, narrowly avoiding the black monstrosity in front of her. The whole ordeal had taken less than 10 seconds, but Buffy felt like she had just taken 10 years off of her life. She blared her horn in anger, but the driver of the DeSoto sped up and ran through a red light before she had a chance to follow the car through.
"Calm down, Buffy. Easy now," she said to herself, thankful that she hadn't crashed her car. She looked over into the passenger's seat to find her cup of coffee been jarred from the cupholder and had spilled all over her leather briefcase and the cream-colored velour seats.
"Fuck!" she said, hitting the steering wheel hard. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Bad move, bad move!" she said, shaking her hand out as the pain coursed through her body.
Right on cue, the faithful radio started singing, "It's been a bad day, please don't take a picture, please!" by REM.
"Shut up!" she said furiously, stabbing at the radio's OFF
button. She glanced at the clock, 7:55
AM. She put her hand down into the
pocket on her door, searching for her parking decal for the employee parking
lot. Her hands closed around something,
but it was just a coffee card. "Dammit! Where did I put it?" She couldn't take her eyes off the road, so
her hand continued it's frantic search for the decal. There was no guard to lift the gate, it was all controlled by an
electronic sensor. Without that parking
pass she'd have to try and find a spot on the street. Parallel parking, another one of the joys of downtown.
She was so late. There was coffee all over her car. And now she couldn't find her parking tag. Great! And Giles' needed her articles by 8 AM. Looks like it just wasn't going to happen. She drove down the street searching for a parking spot. Nothing! Of course what was she expecting on a busy LA morning. She circled round the block and tried to find something again. She saw a spot a block farther up on the right. Buffy put her foot on the accelerator, hoping to make it to the spot before someone else took it.
She was so close, and then she saw the black DeSoto. She hadn't noticed it before, but was horrified as she watched it pull back into the space. She wasn't more than 5 feet from it. Her mouth fell open in shock. She was so mad. She'd had her blinker on and rightfully that space was hers, or at least she wanted to feel like it was. The driver stepped out, dressed completely in black from head to toe. Black leather duster, black pants, black shirt, black combat boots, silver chain around his neck and silver rings on his fingers. So this was the guy who didn't know how to drive. Buffy took in his shockingly white-blonde hair, bleached of course, and ruggedly handsome face. But she wasn't busy concentrating on his looks.
He spun around, duster trailing behind him, and inadvertently looked up, his bright blue eyes making contact with her green ones. He must have seen the half-broken and half-very-pissed-that-was-my-parking-space-I'm-late-and-about-ready-to-bite-your-head-off-you-jerk expression on her face and was slightly taken aback. He shrugged, mouthed an "I'm sorry" her way, looked both ways, and ran across the street.
A car behind her honked and she went through the light as it turned yellow, turning right at the next block, and pulling over in a no-parking zone. Where is that fucking decal?! she thought, looking down. It was on the floor next to her foot. She had no idea how it got there, and at the moment she didn't care. Yanking out some napkins she wiped at her briefcase and mopped up what coffee she could. She shifted into Drive, went around the block, back to the offices of the LA Daily Tribune. Buffy's wheels squealed as she turned into the employee parking deck. She flashed the parking tag at the sensor, waited impatiently for the gate to lift, sped inside and took the first spot she found. 8:15 AM, she saw in the clock. She checked her face in the mirror, got out, locked the door and took off for the elevators.
She stepped off on the 4th floor, and almost ran into Giles as he rounded the corner. He looked up, pleased to see her. She gave him a weak smile, juggling her briefcase and struggling to put her keys away.
"Buffy! Good morning!" Giles greeted her. She got into step with him as they walked towards his office. They neared the doorway and she started to speak.
Buffy's words tumbled out in a rush, "Giles! I'm so sorry I'm late! I even left early, and I know you needed these articles early! I'm so sorry! Traffic got backed up because some idiot in an ugly black DeSoto got pulled over on the highway and everyone had to stop and look. Then the same bleached blonde moron cut me off at Marsters Street! I almost crashed! I ended up spilling coffee all over my car and my briefcase, and almost lost my parking tag and thought I'd have to park on the street. Then the same jerk cuts me off as I'm trying to parallel park. He takes the last damn spot on First Street, looks at me and walks away. Who the hell dies their hair white-ugly-I look like Billy Idol-blonde? And he was wearing this long black leather coat. What kind of a freak walks around in full black in LA? Didn't he get the memo? It's hot in California! Argh! I'm so mad, sorry Giles! I think he walked in here, and I swear if I ever see that blonde ass again, I'll..."
"You'll what, luv?" came a voice from behind Buffy. She turned to see the desk chair swivel around and watched almost in slow motion as the very bleach blonde ass with the black DeSoto, the long black leather coat, platinum 80s hair, and a very sexy smile stood up. He had been there the whole time, and out of Buffy's view as she and Giles' had walked into his office.
"That's him!" Buffy said, pointing. She felt like she was in fourth grade, tattling to the teacher, but she couldn't help it. This Friday wasn't getting off to a good start.
"Oh my," said Giles, taking off his glasses to clean them. "Your hair? What ever did you do to it?"
"I thought it could use a change. I didn't like the old look, it was too poncy and curly for me."
"You're going to teach like that?" Giles asked the blonde man.
"What, don't you like it?" said the stranger, pulling a face. "It's better than your tattoo."
Buffy stared from Giles' face to that of the stranger. "You know this guy?" Buffy said, very irate, looking in the direction of the annoyingly handsome bleach blonde stranger.
"He does inspire a particular feeling of familiarity and disappointment," Giles said, with a slight smile.
"Disappointment, eh? Oh, God, how I must've hated you years ago!" the stranger laughed. He turned to Buffy and said, "Yeah, I know him. Rupert and I go way back," the bleached-blonde man said.
"I don't think I was talking to you," Buffy snapped.
"Quite honestly, I don't care if you were, pet. And you know, it's not my fault if women can't drive," the stranger said, grinning, his tongue peeking out from between his teeth as he egged Buffy on.
"Spi--William!" Giles' sharp voice cut through their argument.
Ahh so it has a name, thought Buffy, really having no idea why she was arguing with a random stranger in the middle of Giles' office.
"Buffy, I'm sorry for William's complete lack of manners," Giles said, turning to his favorite employee. "You see, this charming gentleman here is my son."
A/N: Hi, me again! So what famous season 6 quote did I used in here? Did you recognize it? What episode? Wasn't that a brilliant scene the Buffy writer's thought up? I laughed so hard, so I thought the quote was fitting here. *Spuffy Love and Spike Shaped Cookies for all*