Star Struck
Author: Callie West
Summary: AU, William 'Spike' Edwards is the lead singer/guitar player in the top selling rock band in America. After a very harsh, very public break-up with one of the biggest Soap-Star actress in the country, he is crushed and throws himself even further into his music, swearing himself off women. While promoting his bands new record he reluctantly agrees to be the goal of a nation wide contest. The Winner------Buffy Summers.
Authors Note: Tell me if this is way too cheesy...oh.... And this is loosely based on Silverflakes 'I'M IN LOVE WITH A ROCK STAR'.
Disclaimer: I own nothing at all…am I just a sad, delusional fan fiction writer that likes to imagine that I own BTVS instead of Joss and all his riches.
Distribution: Like I've said before, if your drunk enough to read my lame fiction's much less want the to be posted some where else then go ahead, I'm not gonna stop you. But boy, I sure don't envy that hangover you'll have tomorrow.
Feedback: Like all writers I love to hear about what you think after reading anything I've done. Whether it's good, bad and ugly, I need it, I want it, and I crave it. Come on, it'll take like two minutes, please?
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Chapter One (The Contest)
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(September 20, 2002 L.A California)
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"I can't believe that I signed up for this bloody contest...this is all your fault you do realize that, right?"
"Oh, really. It's my fault that you got piss ass drunk and then decided to still attend that very important meeting at the record company. It's my fault that your vision was shot from the hangover, meaning that you couldn't see a damn thing that you were signing. And it's also my fault that you got yourself stuck in a nation wide contest, that means that your gonna have to spend the day with some prissy ass, fake bimbo that only wants you for your millions and really doesn't give a shit about you.... Just your name and only wants to use you for sex and to have a story to one day tell her grand kids...All of that's MY fault.... Hmmm. Good to know."
"I hate you." Spike muttered, clenching his already white knuckles around the steering wheel. Xander just shook his head with a laugh. "Well, look at it like this.... It's only one day, and it's sure to double album sales… and hey, maybe she'll be cute." The brunette said shrugging, desperately trying not to piss on himself.
"Oh, yeah. Cute he says. And I'm Bill-fucking-Clinton. It's gonna be a bloody nightmare that's gonna take me two weeks, a shit-load of Brandy's and a hell-of-a-lot of Aspirins to forget." The blonde growled resentfully.
Normally he wasn't such a jackass about spending times with fans. Most of the time he loved them. I mean, he had to respect them. They paid his bills, didn't they? But he had been in a really nasty mood the past few weeks. Ever since Dru up and dumped him, and the media really started to tear his life apart had he been an ass-hole.
Break-ups where hard enough as it is, but with everyone in the world throwing in his or her own ideas and advice it was down right heart wrenching. He and Druscilla had been together for almost five years, and he had been prepared to spend the rest of his life with her.
Then one after-noon, about six weeks ago he had come in from the studio to a machine full of messages. It was a shock considering he only gave out his private number to family and close friends, when he played the phone messages back he got the shock of his young life.
He collapsed onto his plush leather couch as he listened to person after person express how sorry they were about his break-up with Dru. Some told him he was to good for her, some asked if he finally found out about her screwing around. But after the 20th message he just sort of blocked it out and went into a kind of daze.
For the next few days, every time he turned on the television all he saw was reporters and fans, and just people walking down the street expressing their feelings about HIS life, and telling what they had thought was the reason behind it all.
And for the first time since he had signed his name on his very first record contract had he regretted being famous. Everywhere he went for the next month he was followed by cameras, he couldn't even go buy a pack of smokes at the local service station without someone asking what had he done to screw things up with Dru.
It had only died down about a week before he had agreed to do that damn contest. Not his best decision ever. But maybe, just maybe it would help people start to forget about his broken heart.
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(One Week Earlier, Sunnydale California)
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"I what?" Buffy Summers asked stunned.
"I said you won!" Willow screeched into the phone.
"I.... As in me, won a day with Spike Edwards...'The' Spike Edwards. The oh-so-fine lead singer of Ghost of the Robot. I actually won the contest, me? Me, I won, Are you sure you meant me? I won?" Buffy's voice steadily rose with every word until she was practically screaming into the phone.
'She is in total melt-down mode.' thought Dawn as she watched her big sister jump up a good foot in the air, her blonde hair bouncing. 'Oh yeah, I'm a good sister.' she thought grinning. If it weren't for her, Buffy would never have even come close to winning. Dawn had found out about it from her best friend, Janice's Dad about the contest like two weeks before anyone else. He worked for the record company that practically owned Spike's band. Then Dawn and Janice together had filled out almost three hundred entry cards for Buffy.
Dawn didn't enter herself, personally she would much rather have a day with Daniel Bedingfield any old time. She thought that Spike was cute and all but she was eleven, she couldn't understand half the words that Spike sang, much less dance to the loud music. But Buffy had been in love with Spike Edwards for almost three years now, not that she let anyone know it. Only her close family and friends had any idea, she always said she would rather be boiled alive than classified as some 'groupie bimbo'.
Dawn was jostled from her thoughts when her sister practically slammed the phone down onto the receiver and bounced into the living room, and Dawn cringed when the booming music suddenly filled the house.
As expected, Buffy soon came dancing back into the kitchen, her 'G. o. t. R' T-shirt firmly in place and Dawn had to smile when her sister practically swooned when Spike sensual voice sounded through the room.
Dawn's eyes bulged when Buffy squealed and practically jumped her, squeezing with all her might. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, so much, Dawn your the best sister ever!" Dawn cringed, but patted Buffy on the pack as best she could with her arms pinned to her side and grinned when Buffy let her go and then hopped up on the counter when her favorite song 'Goodbye' started up.
It was gonna be a very long week.
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(Six Days Later L. A California)
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This whole thing had been a major mistake. She couldn't do this. There was absolutely no way in hell that she could walk up to the sexiest man alive and not faint dead away. It just wasn't possible.
In less than 24 hours she was expected to go on National television and meet, for the very first time, the guy that millions of girls, and few hundred guys, lusted after on a daily bases. 'Oh, no. No pressure at all.'
"Buffy!" Willow screeched. "What are you doing?"
"Huh?" Buffy looked up from the windowsill that she had been leaning out of, desperately wishing that she would just fall out of, and faced her best friend. "Oh, nothing. Just seeing if I can transfer my mind-numbing fear from meeting Spike Edwards to heights…. Think it might work?" She asked, with only a slight glimmer of hope.
Willow calmed her pounding heart and looked at her friend sympathetically, glad that she had come along for moral support, closing the hotel door behind her and locking it. She pulled her high ponytail a little tighter and walked over to the nervous blonde. "Cold feet, huh?" She asked wishing she could give her friend a little more confidence.
"Well, I would say 'duh' but I'm not that pathetic, " Taking another look out the window she sighed then slipped back into the room, "…yet." She added with a whimper. Scoffing, Willow hugged the blonde from behind and said, "You are not pathetic. Your great and he is going to love you. You! Out of almost a million girls all over the world. You won this contest and you deserved it just as much as anyone else. You're going to be great. I want you to go up to him and just treat him like you do any other guy we know. Prove to him that you're not some bubbled headed, bleach blonde bimbo that dreams of kissing the ground his combat boots walk on…. He doesn't have know that that's really who you are."
Willow and Buffy's screams and laughter could be heard from the Penthouse floor all the way to the lobby.
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(The Next Day, L. A. California)
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'Breathe. Breathe. You are going to get through this. Then you can kick Xander's arse all the way back to that hole in the wall town he came from.' Spike groaned. There was no way that this was going to be anything less than horrible.
He knew very well that none of this was Xander's fault. But he had to blame someone other than himself. And blaming Xander was just sssoooo much fun. He had been dreading this moment for almost two weeks now. He could feel it in the deepest pits of his stomach that this was going to end very badly. With his luck he'd get some delusional little trailer-trash bimbo that sold some faux story to the tabloids about him harassing her or something.
Oh yeah. This was going to be a VERY long day.
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(Same time, Same place, well maybe like 100 feet away)
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"Okay, here's what you do." Willow began, but then she noticed that Buffy wasn't paying her the slightest bit of attention, in fact, Willow doubted that Buffy even knew that she was even aware of her presence.
It was amazing no matter where that girl went she always found a cutie. Currently she was making eyes with some football player type. Not bad, but really not Willow's kind of guy. Now see this was the part that Buffy was always really great at, the across-the-room-flirty thing, but when it came to the whole open-your-mouth-and-talk-to-the-lust-worthy-dude thing, she really sucked at it.
After calling her name three more times, Willow resorted to desperate measures…which involved smacking Buffy on the back of the head. When she finally had her attention, Willow smiled slightly at the annoyed look that her best pal wore, but she still had very little time to give her advice before the interview started.
"Okay, what you're gonna do is go out there and act like you could really care less whether you won this contest or not. Okay?" At Buffy's confused nod the redhead continued. "Now, I want you to make sure that you let him know that no matter who he is or what he makes or how incredibly sexy he is, that you think of him as just any other guy. Got it?"
"Okay so basically I go in there, in front of the world and treat the best looking guy ever like shit. That's your plan?" When Willow nodded seriously. "Okay then. Sounds good." With a whimper Buffy turned and went to stand by the curtain that led to the stage. 10 minutes from now, she would be on National T.V, and less than an hour from now, she would be spending the entire day with the man of her dreams.
'Okay Summers, get it together. Stay calm, don't act like a slut, and remember to not throw up.'
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(Same time, Across the studio)
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"Okay, Mr. Edwards, here's the drill. In about ten minutes we're going to go get the contest winner and take her on stage. Ms. Chase is going to do a quick interview and then we're going to announce you, okay? Then, we want you to come up on stage. And after that, Ms Chase, is going to introduce you to the girl, you hug, she freaks out and makes a fool of herself then you sit, lie about just how excited you are about this contest and about spending time with a fan. After that Ms. Chase will ask you about the upcoming album and tour, that is really the only reason you're here anyway. Then we go to commercial and during the break you and the contest winner will both exit to stage right, and then be escorted to wherever she chooses got it?" Spike's eyebrows shot up, wondering if the Stage Manager was going to collapse from lack of oxygen. Then he realized that the blonde woman was waiting for his answer and he nodded lamely.
"Oh, and also a few key things to remember, you must compliment Ms. Chase on how great she looks, you must take the seat beside the contest winner and I suggest you use your little endearments as much as possible… You get the idea, you know that shit you British people always say, like bloody, pet, luv, all that crape…. And I must remind you that our contest winner is only 17, not above age, so if I were you I'd keep it zipped, I guess that's all, are we good here, need anything?"
"Nope, I think I'm good." Spike answered, amazed at the woman's bluntness.
"Good, don't forget, we're on in eight." He called back as she rushed down the hall as fast as her legs wood carry her.
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(Two minutes to air)
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"Okay, Buffy here we go, have fun, you look great and knock them dead. Oh and don't forget your secret signal to Dawn." Willow coached. Buffy nodded meekly and squeaked when the anxious stage manager came into her line of vision. That girl could make a biker blush.
"Anya-alert" Buffy whispered to Willow. Looking around the redhead shuddered. "That girl has problem's" Willow muttered, making Buffy release a nervous giggle.
"Betty! Hey Betty!" Anya called. Buffy rolled her eyes and then reluctantly gave all her attention the bossy Stage Manager. "Okay, now you go out there and giggle and be a regular girly-girl, tell Ms. Chase how you love her dress, tell her it must have cost a fortune then you tell her how you watch her show all the time and just idolize her, got that?" When Buffy nodded Anya seemed to relax slightly.
"So…" She said suddenly in an overly perky voice. "Nervous?"
"Terribly so." The girl responded immediately.
"Good, you should be. I mean have you seen Spike Edwards. He's extremely handsome. I bet he's great in bed. Oh, but you can't sleep with him, you know. You are underage. You can't have sex with him until your 18." Anya insisted.
"We got that Anya…after the tenth time you told us." Willow groaned.
Anya appeared as if she was going to respond but then she grabbed her head set and her brown eyes bulged comically. "One minute to air. One minute people." She yelled loudly, startling several people and causing one near-by man to spill a cup of hot coffee in his lap.
She grabbed Buffy tightly by her wrist and yanked her away from Willow and towards the stage, almost side-swiping the snack table. Buffy looked back at her laughing best friend with fear in her eyes. Willow just waved and looked around for a cute guy to hit on.
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(On stage, on air, scared to death)
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"So, Ms. Summers? How does it feel?" Cordelia Chase beamed into the camera as she addressed the terrified teenager beside her.
"Huh?" Buffy asked startled.
Frowning Cordelia softly cleared her throat and turned to the contest winner with a slight glare in her large Hazel eyes. "I said how does it feel? To have beat all of those hopeful women out there? How does it feel to know that you're about to meet, and spend the day with one of the worlds sexiest men?" The brunette asked, trying to keep the sneer out of her angelic voice.
Remembering her best friends advice Buffy sat up straighter and faced the Ex-Ms. America with a grin. "Well, Cordy…. Do you mind if I call you Cordy?" When the woman shook her head, Buffy continued "I am extremely excited about meeting Spike Edwards, I mean what woman, or man for that matter wouldn't be. He is an amazing singer, he can play the guitar like nobody's business and he also fills out a pair of black Levies quite nicely too." She finished with a smirk.
Buffy could almost imagine the look on Willow's face. A combination of shock and pride mixed in with a desire to laugh her ass off. And Dawnie had to be rolling all around the living room floor gripping her stomach. And Joyce was most likely in shock.
"Well, I guess that would be the thoughts of most of America's teenagers." Cordelia said a little stunned.
"Well, then I guess it's time to introduce our special guest for today. Put your hands together for Mr. Spike Edwards." She announced, her voice raising slightly to be heard over the sudden cheering from the in-studio crowd.
Buffy glanced around the stage to the left entrance just in time to see him step up onto the stage. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning like a complete idiot and settled instead for a polite grin. Taking her Que. from Ms. Chase she stood from her plush seat as he drew nearer, and her breath caught in her throat when he sent a wink in her direction. He looked absolutely amazing the studio lights glinting off his bleached locks and making his sharp, defined cheekbones stand out even more.
His long, black, leather duster fanned out behind him as he practically stalked across the stage, almost swallowing his lean form whole. Buffy could easily see his amazing abs beneath his tight black T-shirt and she had to glance away to keep from drooling as his jeans gripped his toned thighs with each step he took.
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(Two minutes earlier, Backstage)
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Spike looked down and checked his watch for the tenth time. He knew what time it was, he knew looking at his watch was unnecessary, everyone backstage new what the damn time was, that sodden Stage Manager Anya or something was constantly screaming when he had to go on. It was doing wonders for his nerves, not.
"Umm, excuse me?" Spike's eyes shot open and he dropped his hand for his pounding forehead to look at the beautiful redhead standing bravely in front of him. "Yeah?" He asked wearily. He really wasn't in the mood to sign autographs right now.
"I'm Willow, Willow Rosenburg. Buffy's my best friend. " Willow explained simply, when his eyes squinted slightly in confusion. " Do I know a Buffy?" He asked tentatively. A look of realization Willow nodded and said "Ah. So that's the thing. I get it. It wasn't exactly your idea to do the whole contest…was it?" She asked knowingly.
"Well, not really. Why? And who the bloody hell is Buffy?" He asked, only slightly impatient.
"The contest winner. She the girl that won the 'date with Spike' contest. And it's so obvious by your 'tude that she's gonna have a fab time." The redhead said sarcastically.
Spike had the decency to look a bit guilty. "Sorry, luv. Am I that obvious?"
"Oh yeah Sparky. And if you got out there like that then Buff's gonna be crushed. I mean we all know that you'd rather be boiled alive than spend the day with a fan, celebrities are ass-holes like that. But you are gonna go out there and enjoy today. You know why?"
"I'm guessing your gonna tell me, huh, red?" He asked, his eyes full of laughter.
"Because, even if you spend the day with her, and are a total jackass she's still going to adore you. She'll still buy your CD's and her room will still have your posters up and she'll still blush scarlet every time that video comes on with you and the band running around with no shirts and low riding jeans."
Spike looked at the redhead with a mixture of fear and awe. "Let me guess you're not a fan?" He asked with a chuckle.
Willow smiled. "Eh, not really. Now don't get me wrong, I have few of your CDs and a cute pin-up of the drummer on my wall. And not to mention you have a great ass, but I'm more of a R&B girl. You know Nelly, P Diddy, Murder INC. Rock just doesn't do it for me like it used to." She paused with she saw the Stage Manager furiously pointing at her watch and mouthing '10 seconds.' "Ugh, looks like you're on, Blondie. Good luck and just remember, you hurt her feelings and I'll beat you to death with a shovel." At his shocked look. "Hey, a vague disclaimer's nobody's friend, have fun." She said cheerfully, patting him on his leather clad shoulder.
Shaking his head, feeling only slightly better, Spike turned from the confident redhead and headed for the stage entrance.
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(Stage Entrance 10 seconds later)
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Spike took a deep breath, ran a nervous hand through his hair and stepped up onto the platform that led to the stage. Taking long strides he forced his trademark smirk onto his lips and trained his ears to block out the overly excited cheering. The last thing he needed right now was a headache.
"Okay, mate. You can do this." He coached himself. "It's just one day, one girl, and her nutty friend, it's gonna be a piece of cake."
He braced himself and walked into the room, the studio lights blinding him for a second. He turned his face from the audience and the glaring lights and his breath caught in his throat. She was exquisite.
Her striking, light, blonde hair flowed just below her bronzed shoulders which where were exposed by her lavender form-fitting peasant top. Her narrow curves where out-lined by her airtight black denim jeans. She was so tiny and delicate looking, she couldn't have weighed more than 105lbs soaking wet and she stood at no more that 5'3, even with her thick, clunky boots.
She was smiling at him charmingly her tremendous emerald eyes crinkling slightly in the expression. Her small, pixie-like features enchanting him immensely.
Trying not to falter in his steps at the sight of her, Spike simply sent a wink her way and glanced away from her, somewhat reluctantly and smiled forcibly at Ms. Chase. He really despised that woman. She just loved to spill someone's guts out for the entire world to see.
"Spike!" She greeted him cheerfully when he finally reached his seat. He took her offered hand and placed a polite and chaste kiss on her palm…attempting to be civil.
Then he turned toward the contest winner who was starring intently at her shoes.
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(Same time, Buff's head)
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Buffy had froze…she couldn't believe it…. Just seconds ago she thought that she had everything under control. She was brave and confident, ready to face him… then she started to have these very naughty thoughts about what kind of power his toned thighs really held…. That could only led to intense badness and unexplainable drool…. All in all…. A very bad scene…oh great now she was channeling Pike…just peachy with a side of keen.
Oh God… now he was right in front of her…. Could he smell any better…umm … tobacco and peppermint…yummy. Oh no…. No…. She was not going down that road. Get a grip Summers…he's a freaking' Rock Star…he has luscious girls throwing themselves at him constantly…he doesn't need your sexual reject ass.
Shit…now he's looking at me…don't, don't do that. Don't you dare look at me with those piercing blue eyes that I'm constantly reading about in 'Seventeen'…. You can't do this to me…I can't handle it…Fuck…I just wanna go home now.
Wait… did he just say something? Yep…there he goes again…what's with the talking…and to me of all people? Oh. God. He must expect me to say something…whoa boy.
"Hey." Smooth, Buff. Real, freaking smooth…. Want a side of common sense to go with that?
"Hello, cutie." Oh…oh…oh my God. Was that low or is it just me…no wait no…oh great here comes the blushing… can I be a bigger loser?
"Um, I'm Buffy…it's nice to meet you." Can we say lame much?
"The feeling's entirely mutual, pet." He purred…. Oh shit he so just purred. God he's so sexy.
"Now that the intro's are over…sit." Ms. Chase practically hissed, but still managing to keep her sparkling smile on her ravishing face. Rolling her eyes, despite her nerves Buffy smiled shyly at Spike and took her seat beside her previous one, wanting Spike to be able to talk to Ms. Chase.
Spike chuckled at her gesture and then took his own seat… wondering silently about what the ex-Ms. America had in store for him this time.
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(15 Minutes Later, Backstage)
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"Oh My God! You did so great.. I loved the whole 'Cordy' thing. That was so cool!" Willow squealed, pouncing on the relieved Buffy the second that she left the stage. Buffy couldn't help but grin at Willow child-like enthusiasm…. Sometimes she had to remind herself that they were almost in college and not playing with Barbie's in the sandbox.
"Thanks, Wills. I couldn't have done it without you though." Buffy sighed, hugging the red head. The two pulled apart when they heard a polite cough behind them. Willow's eyes widened when she saw who it was.
"Buffy!" The girl hissed, turning the blonde around. Buffy then came face to face with not only Spike Edwards.. Whom, she was slowly starting to be comfortable around, but the entire make-up of Ghost of the Robot. Including Willow's only Rock-Star crush, Daniel Osbourne. Or better known as Oz…. The drummer and back up guitarist.
'Hmm." Buffy thought smugly…'let Willow be a nervous groupie for awhile…see how she likes it.'
"Red, Goldilocks, this is Oz, Xander, and Lindsay. Guys this is Buffy Summers, contest winner. And her, best friend, and protector, Willow Rosenburg. I believe that she wanted to meet our friend Ozzy here… am I wrong?" The blonde asked a deeply failed innocent expression on his sculpted face.
"N-no. Not wrong. Just hated. But not wrong." Willow said, a stutter that had vanished years ago was making a remarkable come back.
Buffy, gaining some courage by his generosity smiled at him gratefully, mouthing a 'thank you' and throwing in a wink just for fun. His eyes widened for a spilt second, her mood change completely throwing him, but then he smirked back at her. Glad he had called the gang in.
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Chapter Two (The Prize) *coming soon*
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Pages: 7
Words: 4,668
Review Please…should I continue? Yes? No? Maybe, so? Tell me? Please?
~ Callie West