Chapter 1: Recognition
"So you really like this guy, huh, Will?" Buffy Summers asked, smiling at her friend's enthusiasm as they entered the restaurant.
"Yeah. He's cute and funny and. . ." The redhead sighed dreamily. "I think he could be the one, Buff." They sat at a vacant table and took the menus that a waiter thrust in their faces.
"That is so great. I'm so happy for you."
Willow Rosenburg had been Buffy's best friend ever since they'd started high school together, nine years ago. Now, the pair were twenty-three and as close as ever.
Lately, Willow had been dating this guy Xander, whom Buffy had never personally met. But Willow seemed to like him well enough, so Buffy approved for now.
"Thanks. I really want you to meet him. He's a real sweetheart. You'll love him, I'm sure." Buffy laughed softly, pushing a stray blonde hair out of her sparkling green eyes.
"I know I will. If you like him this much, I'm sure he's a keeper." The waiter returned and took their orders. The restaurant they were at was called Legend's. It served various dishes named after movie stars and other celebrities. "Where did you meet him again?"
"I was shopping for supplies for class. You know, crayons, glue, colored paper. The usual. And he reached for a box of crayons at the same time." By the end of the sentence, Willow's gaze had drifted off into space. Buffy frowned.
"Why would a grown man be reaching for crayons? I mean aside from teaching kindergarten, like you, which is unlikely at best." Willow giggled.
"I reached for the box at the same time as him, and then he holds them out to me and says, 'Here, you can have this box,' and I told him to keep it, that I would get another box, so he goes, 'No, it's okay. I really didn't need them, I was just looking for a good way to initiate conversation with you that didn't result in me bleeding from any part of my body.'" The redhead laughed again and sipped at the Coke that was placed in front of her. Buffy smiled.
"So what does he do for a living? I mean, he isn't in construction and doesn't live in his parent's basement, does he?"
"No. And you're one to talk," Willow scolded.
"Hey, first of all, I do not sweep garbage. And second, I told you, I'm looking for a place. Besides, technically, I'm not living with my parents when I'm in another wing of the house. Right?"
"Whatever."
Spike lazily tossed another fry into his mouth, observing the people around him in the restaurant. As he scanned the crowd, a beautiful blonde girl caught his attention. She was laughing with a redhead at a table on the other side of the bar & grill. She looked vaguely familiar. Was she a groupie? No. That wasn't it. One-night stand? Nope. Looked too classy to be anyone that he might've boned during a particularly drunk moment. Wait a second. A seductive smirk spread across his gorgeous face. He waved the waiter over to his table.
"Hey, Buff. That guy over there just totally checked you out." Willow grinned.
"What guy?" Buffy turned around, scanning the crowd for anyone she knew.
"That hot blond one." She faced Willow again. "Never mind. The waiter's blocking him now."
"Whatever. It's not like I've never had a guy check me out before. Anyway, what were you saying?"
"I was saying that I could get Dawn some babysitting jobs with kids from my class. I know some of the mothers are looking."
"Oh, that's great, Will. I know Dawn could use the cash. She's going through her 'I don't need your stupid money' phase and wants a little spending cash. I'll mention it to her tonight."
"Alright."
"Miss?" A waiter interrupted them, holding out two bottles of beer toward Buffy and Willow. "Complements of the gentleman by the window." Buffy looked over to the window. A man with curly blond hair that was carelessly gelled into something uniquely stylish smirked and waved at her.
"Told you, Buff," Willow said, picking up her beer and taking a swig from the bottle. Buffy frowned as the waiter left.
"I know him."
"You do? How?"
"I don't. . ." She trailed off. There was something familiar about him. The sharp features, the full lips, the killer cheekbones. The blue eyes. She knew those eyes. . . "Oh, my God."
"What? Who is he?"
"William Giles," Buffy said softly. Panic rushed through her. She had to get out of there now. She stood, grabbing her purse and laying a twenty and a ten on the table. "Come on, Will, we're leaving."
"What? Why?" Willow frowned at her friend's uncharacteristically jumpy movements.
"I'll explain later. Come on, before he -"
"Well, hello, cutie."
"So you really like this guy, huh, Will?" Buffy Summers asked, smiling at her friend's enthusiasm as they entered the restaurant.
"Yeah. He's cute and funny and. . ." The redhead sighed dreamily. "I think he could be the one, Buff." They sat at a vacant table and took the menus that a waiter thrust in their faces.
"That is so great. I'm so happy for you."
Willow Rosenburg had been Buffy's best friend ever since they'd started high school together, nine years ago. Now, the pair were twenty-three and as close as ever.
Lately, Willow had been dating this guy Xander, whom Buffy had never personally met. But Willow seemed to like him well enough, so Buffy approved for now.
"Thanks. I really want you to meet him. He's a real sweetheart. You'll love him, I'm sure." Buffy laughed softly, pushing a stray blonde hair out of her sparkling green eyes.
"I know I will. If you like him this much, I'm sure he's a keeper." The waiter returned and took their orders. The restaurant they were at was called Legend's. It served various dishes named after movie stars and other celebrities. "Where did you meet him again?"
"I was shopping for supplies for class. You know, crayons, glue, colored paper. The usual. And he reached for a box of crayons at the same time." By the end of the sentence, Willow's gaze had drifted off into space. Buffy frowned.
"Why would a grown man be reaching for crayons? I mean aside from teaching kindergarten, like you, which is unlikely at best." Willow giggled.
"I reached for the box at the same time as him, and then he holds them out to me and says, 'Here, you can have this box,' and I told him to keep it, that I would get another box, so he goes, 'No, it's okay. I really didn't need them, I was just looking for a good way to initiate conversation with you that didn't result in me bleeding from any part of my body.'" The redhead laughed again and sipped at the Coke that was placed in front of her. Buffy smiled.
"So what does he do for a living? I mean, he isn't in construction and doesn't live in his parent's basement, does he?"
"No. And you're one to talk," Willow scolded.
"Hey, first of all, I do not sweep garbage. And second, I told you, I'm looking for a place. Besides, technically, I'm not living with my parents when I'm in another wing of the house. Right?"
"Whatever."
Spike lazily tossed another fry into his mouth, observing the people around him in the restaurant. As he scanned the crowd, a beautiful blonde girl caught his attention. She was laughing with a redhead at a table on the other side of the bar & grill. She looked vaguely familiar. Was she a groupie? No. That wasn't it. One-night stand? Nope. Looked too classy to be anyone that he might've boned during a particularly drunk moment. Wait a second. A seductive smirk spread across his gorgeous face. He waved the waiter over to his table.
"Hey, Buff. That guy over there just totally checked you out." Willow grinned.
"What guy?" Buffy turned around, scanning the crowd for anyone she knew.
"That hot blond one." She faced Willow again. "Never mind. The waiter's blocking him now."
"Whatever. It's not like I've never had a guy check me out before. Anyway, what were you saying?"
"I was saying that I could get Dawn some babysitting jobs with kids from my class. I know some of the mothers are looking."
"Oh, that's great, Will. I know Dawn could use the cash. She's going through her 'I don't need your stupid money' phase and wants a little spending cash. I'll mention it to her tonight."
"Alright."
"Miss?" A waiter interrupted them, holding out two bottles of beer toward Buffy and Willow. "Complements of the gentleman by the window." Buffy looked over to the window. A man with curly blond hair that was carelessly gelled into something uniquely stylish smirked and waved at her.
"Told you, Buff," Willow said, picking up her beer and taking a swig from the bottle. Buffy frowned as the waiter left.
"I know him."
"You do? How?"
"I don't. . ." She trailed off. There was something familiar about him. The sharp features, the full lips, the killer cheekbones. The blue eyes. She knew those eyes. . . "Oh, my God."
"What? Who is he?"
"William Giles," Buffy said softly. Panic rushed through her. She had to get out of there now. She stood, grabbing her purse and laying a twenty and a ten on the table. "Come on, Will, we're leaving."
"What? Why?" Willow frowned at her friend's uncharacteristically jumpy movements.
"I'll explain later. Come on, before he -"
"Well, hello, cutie."