A/N : Wow, so many reviews on this fic! I guess you're all liking it then, huh? lol. Thanx muchly to everyone who wrote a lovely review for me - Aleesha, SweetBitter, aphelant, luvin-echo16, Spike's Hottie, courtney, Rachel, barcode-babe-210, Brittany, buffspike, Noreen, ms trick, charles, SpIkEs AnGeL, Moluvsnumber17, Spikes-gal787, SouthernRain, RougeCrayon, golden+girl736, spikezbaybee, Veggie-Babu-chan. You guys are all so cool! Hope you like this next chapter. Just another three maybe four chapters to go after this one I think, if all goes according to plan :-)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 16 - Spiked

"Spike?!" Buffy gasped, almost unable to believe what she was seeing. He looked different, out of his usual black and leather look, instead dressed in a smart dark grey suit, but there was no mistaking it was him. No-one else had hair that bright or eyes that deep.

"Buffy?" Spike was equally as shocked to see her as she was to see him. He took her in from blonde hair to strappy sandals, eyes wide at the sight of her in her evening dress, so far from the attire he'd seen her in before now.

Though a hundred thoughts ran through both their minds, the most prominent words were more or less the same in both their heads - If it's possible I think s/he looks even more gorgeous like this than s/he did before!

As thrilled as Buffy was to see the man she had only dreamt of seeing again, she was far too aware of where they were and what event they were attending. Grabbing Spike's wrist she pulled him to one side and hissed in a sharp whisper;

"What the hell are you doing here?"

She didn't mean to sound so harsh. In reality she was thrilled just to be in the same room as him again but it didn't solve anything, especially not now, she was engaged to Angel! This was her engagement party!

"Could ask you the same thing, pet" Spike grinned, not realising what had her so distressed "You look a little different to the last time I saw you" he commented "but then I guess I do too" he half frowned, he hated the way he looked in a suit, much preferred denim and leather.

Buffy didn't even hear him as she scanned the room full of people, desperate to keep an eye on where her mother and her 'fiancé' were.

"So this is why you called it all off?" Spike asked her with a puzzled look, before smiling again, "Thought you were too good for me, eh?"

"Yeah, well, kind of..." Buffy admitted, she shook her head to clear the fog in it, everything was getting so muddled up "You're Sir Giles's son?" she checked.

"For my sins" Spike shrugged, and Buffy couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

"I can't believe it" she said, still shaking her head as she took in the sight of this man she'd shared several evenings with, never revealing her true identity and never knowing his until tonight.

"It's true" Spike said, suddenly becoming much more serious "Oh God Buffy, you've got no idea how much I've missed you" he told her "the thought of never seeing you again, it nearly killed me" his hands went to her waist as he moved his head down to kiss her, still completely unaware of who she truly was.

"No, Spike, it's no good" she said, pushing his hands away and hating the fact she had to do it. She backed up a couple of steps and winced at the pain in his eyes as he spoke to her.

"What? Why not? What's to stop us being together now?" he needed to know "I love you, I thought you loved me too?"

He just couldn't take all of this in, first he lost this girl, now he'd found her again, and here she was backing away from him like he was contagious with something!

"I do love you" she whispered, afraid she might be heard "you'll never know how much but, you don't understand..." she tried to explain, tears forming in her eyes, but half way through her sentence, she was interrupted by the worst possible person.

"Lizzy, I've been looking all over for you" said Angel as he appeared at her side "It's our party, we can't hide in corners all night" he mock-scolded her with a smile, but Buffy wasn't in the mood for jokes. And neither was Spike.

"Your party?" the bleach blond frowned, the cogs in his head already working over-drive, he just didn't know how to process what was going on.

"Hi, I don't think we've met" Angel's smile slipped as he turned to the man he'd found talking to his future wife.

"Er, Angel" Buffy sighed, trying to keep a hold on her emotions "this is Sp..."

"William Giles" Spike interrupted, giving his 'official name' "And you're Angel apparently?"

"Liam O'Connor, my friends call me Angel" the taller man held out his hand to the other.

"Interesting nickname" 'William' commented, grasping the offered hand briefly, "How'd you get it?" he asked, before shaking his head "Y'know what actually, don't tell me" he told a confused Angel "with you looking like such a nancy boy and everything, I think I can guess" he smirked.

"Watch your mouth, Will" Angel all but growled but the other young man was unphased.

"Call me Spike, please" he continued to smirk and Buffy watched the whole thing wishing the floor would swallow her while the two guys weren't looking.

"Spike?" Angel echoed the strange name, although it was no stranger than Angel really.

"Yeah, you're not the only one with an interesting nickname" Spike nodded, before getting right in Angel's face "but I guarantee" he said in a menacingly low voice "you're not man enough to hear the tale behind mine"

Before Angel could reply or any kind of fight could ensue, Lady Joyce interrupted and for once Buffy was glad her mother was being both drunk and loud.

"May I have everybody's attention..." she all but yelled, waving a glass in one hand and a hors-d'œurve in the other, a rather embarrassed Sir Giles standing to the side of her, "Elizabeth, Liam" she smiled at her daughter and her soon to be son-in-law "today is about the two of you and the love you share"

Buffy couldn't bare to look at Spike as he suddenly realised what was going on.

"You've made us so proud as you have grown up and we know you will continue to make us proud as you travel through life together" Joyce continued a huge and stupid grin on her face "Congratulations on your engagement, kids"

Buffy felt sick as Spike brushed past her and all but ran from the hall. She wished she could run after him but Angel held her hand tightly, smiling down at her, so proud and in love. She smiled back as best she could, trying to put Spike from her mind, but he would never be gone, she knew that now, more than ever.

"To Elizabeth and Liam, forever" Lady Joyce concluded, knocking back her latest double vodka in one.

"To Elizabeth and Liam, forever" the crowd echoed, drinks raised.

"To Buffy and Angel" Xander whispered to himself, deliberately missing off the forever part. His sister would make the biggest mistake of her life if she married for anything less than true love, and he hoped to God she wasn't that stupid.

* * * * *

As soon as she got the chance, Buffy removed herself from Angel's grasp and hurriedly tried to find Spike. He hadn't gone far, and she found him in the main foyer, pacing and mumbling to himself in sheer frustration, or so it seemed.

"Spike!" she called, running to him, tears already in her eyes as she knew she'd caused him so much pain.

"That's why you really left" he snapped, stepping back as she came toward him "It's why you said goodbye to me, you were engaged!" he fumed "I'm such an idiot!" he laughed manically at himself as he shook his head, making Buffy's tears finally fall down her cheeks.

"No, no, Spike you're not" she assured him, putting her hands to his face and making him look at her "I am, but you, oh God you're everything I'll ever want, and the only man I'll ever love" she told him, pulling him close to her and sobbing on his shoulder. He couldn't be so angry with her, when she was so broken and upset. He hugged her to him and tried to calm down.

"Then explain to me why you're marrying that great git!" he said as patiently as he could. After a long moment, Buffy raised her head from his shoulder and looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes.

"I don't want to" she assured him "I used to think I did but then I realised what a better life I could have" she said in all honesty "and after I met you, oh Spike you've no idea what I've been through with all this. All I have is here and I was afraid of what my mother might do" she tried so hard not to cry but it was hard. Here before her was the man she loved, the man she now knew was someone even her mother might accept and it was all too late. If she broke off her engagement with Angel there'd be a social uproar and her mother would never forgive her.

"So what happens now?" Spike asked cautiously, still holding onto this girl as if his life depended on her, his future certainly did, of that he was sure.

"I don't know..." she told him sadly "I guess we just have to forget about each other"

"Forget you?" he echoed incredulously "Buffy, I could never..." he trailed off as he looked into her eyes and knew without doubt she felt the same. She was just scared. A little girl that had got out of her depth and needed someone to be strong for her, to tell her how to deal with what she was feeling.

Not knowing what to say to her, Spike leaned down and kissed her instead. He poured all that he felt for her into that one moment, that one kiss, unable to know whether it'd be their last.

And from a few feet away, a young man watched the scene, sick with jealousy and angry beyond words, as his fiancee revelled in the feeling of being in her true loves arms.

To Be Continued...