Chapter 10:
"Oh, my God, Willow. I don't know what to do. I'm so confused," Buffy groaned into the telephone receiver.
"Why? What's wrong? What happened? Did Spike do something?" Willow asked, sounding panicked.
"No, no. Well, yes. But not like you think. It's just. . .He wants us to have a fling, Will."
"A fling? A fling? You and Spike Giles? Did I miss something here?"
"Well, last night he dropped me off at my place, right? My parents had taken Dawn out somewhere. We're the only ones in the house. One thing, kinda leads to another and. . ." She trailed off, biting her lips nervously, tapping a pen on her desk in the law firm.
"Oh, my God. Buffy! You slept with Spike? Again?" Willow paused. "And you were SOBER?" Buffy winced on the other end of the line.
"Kinda. Will, am I screwed up?" Her red-headed friend immediately felt bad for tearing into her. She was obviously very, very confused and needed advice.
"No, Buffy, no. Not at all. I mean, it's entirely natural to want what you shouldn't have, right? And it's perfectly harmless as long as you don't. . .um. . .tell anyone."
"I guess. And it's only for a little while."
"Exactly. Perfectly harmless. Look, I have to go. Recess is almost over and I need to get back to my class."
"Okay. I'll call you later."
Buffy disconnected the call as her father entered her office. Buffy had never been one to lie to her parents, and she turned bright red as Hank Summers sat down on the edge of her desk.
"You okay, hun? You look kind of flushed," he said frowning.
"I'm fine, Daddy. Did you want something?" She was surprised by how composed she sounded. Probably had something to do with being a lawyer.
"I just came to give you this." He flopped a file down on the wooden desk. She opened it and scanned the front page.
"You're assigning me to the Belding case?" She looked surprised as her emerald eyes returned to her father. He smiled.
"Well, you did such a good job with the Anderson divorce, I thought you could handle this one." Buffy nodded.
"Sure. I mean, it's only a robbery. I'm sure I can get a conviction. No problem."
"That's my girl." He patted her lovingly on the shoulder and left her office.
"Dad, wait," she called. He obligingly stuck his head back inside the office.
"What is it, hun?" Buffy swallowed before answering and shuffled some papers around on her desk.
"What did Rupert Giles do to you?" Hank stiffened noticeably. "I know you used to be friends. That much is mentioned whenever you're both in the news together. What happened?"
"It's not important now," he said softly. Buffy stood up.
"If it's so unimportant then why are you still holding a grudge?"
"Why are you bringing this up now? Why the sudden interest in old family vendettas?"
"I ran into Spike Giles the other day in Legends." Her father frowned.
"Who?"
"William."
"Oh, that Billy Idol wannabe? He's calling himself Spike nowadays, is he?" She didn't answer, but her hand curled into a fist at her side when he insulted Spike. "He's always been no good, that one. Stay away from him."
`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
"Don't let that one get away from you," said the woman across the table from her. Buffy gave her a smile and watched Spike stroll to the stage after introducing her to Cordelia Chase, the bass guitarist's girlfriend. "I'm glad Spike started bringing someone to gigs again," she continued. "After Druscilla dumped him he didn't even try to commit. He just kinda. . . toyed with groupies." Cordelia seemed oblivious to the tightening of Buffy's jaw. "We're groupies, too. Just the permanent kind. If you show up for four more gigs we can make you an honorary member of the groupie club. Right now it's just me and Fred, but soon you and Willow can join."
"So you're dating the guy on bass?"
"Yeah. That's Angel." Her voice sounded almost wistful. "And the guy on keyboard is Charles. Everyone calls him Gunn. It's his last name. I think you've already met Xander?"
"Yes, I have." Spike shot her a cocky smirk when he caught her staring as he tuned his guitar. When he was done, he returned to his fully upright position and looked around at the guys behind him to make sure they were ready to begin the first song. He received thumbs up all around and turned back to the microphone in front of him.
"This song is one I always liked, but never found a reason to sing until now."
They began to play and music filled the air. He started to sing.
"Opened my eyes today
And I knew there's something different
Saw you in a brand new way
Like the clouds had somehow lifted
And if yesterday I heard
Myself saying these words
I would swear it was a lie
I don't know why but suddenly I'm falling
Was I so blind
I was loving you all the time
Now I'm hopelessly addicted
Helplessly attracted
I'll make a wish this day
And I'll send it to the heavens
That we will always stay
Entwined like this forever
And though the world may change
Coz nothing stays the same
I know will survive
I don't know why but suddenly I'm falling
Was I so blind
I was loving you all the time
Now I'm hopelessly addicted
Helplessly attracted
Naturally we acted
Hopelessly addicted
Helplessly attracted
Chemically reacted
Naturally we acted."
The song ended, and Buffy exhaled a breath she hadn't knew she'd been holding.
"Oh, my God, Willow. I don't know what to do. I'm so confused," Buffy groaned into the telephone receiver.
"Why? What's wrong? What happened? Did Spike do something?" Willow asked, sounding panicked.
"No, no. Well, yes. But not like you think. It's just. . .He wants us to have a fling, Will."
"A fling? A fling? You and Spike Giles? Did I miss something here?"
"Well, last night he dropped me off at my place, right? My parents had taken Dawn out somewhere. We're the only ones in the house. One thing, kinda leads to another and. . ." She trailed off, biting her lips nervously, tapping a pen on her desk in the law firm.
"Oh, my God. Buffy! You slept with Spike? Again?" Willow paused. "And you were SOBER?" Buffy winced on the other end of the line.
"Kinda. Will, am I screwed up?" Her red-headed friend immediately felt bad for tearing into her. She was obviously very, very confused and needed advice.
"No, Buffy, no. Not at all. I mean, it's entirely natural to want what you shouldn't have, right? And it's perfectly harmless as long as you don't. . .um. . .tell anyone."
"I guess. And it's only for a little while."
"Exactly. Perfectly harmless. Look, I have to go. Recess is almost over and I need to get back to my class."
"Okay. I'll call you later."
Buffy disconnected the call as her father entered her office. Buffy had never been one to lie to her parents, and she turned bright red as Hank Summers sat down on the edge of her desk.
"You okay, hun? You look kind of flushed," he said frowning.
"I'm fine, Daddy. Did you want something?" She was surprised by how composed she sounded. Probably had something to do with being a lawyer.
"I just came to give you this." He flopped a file down on the wooden desk. She opened it and scanned the front page.
"You're assigning me to the Belding case?" She looked surprised as her emerald eyes returned to her father. He smiled.
"Well, you did such a good job with the Anderson divorce, I thought you could handle this one." Buffy nodded.
"Sure. I mean, it's only a robbery. I'm sure I can get a conviction. No problem."
"That's my girl." He patted her lovingly on the shoulder and left her office.
"Dad, wait," she called. He obligingly stuck his head back inside the office.
"What is it, hun?" Buffy swallowed before answering and shuffled some papers around on her desk.
"What did Rupert Giles do to you?" Hank stiffened noticeably. "I know you used to be friends. That much is mentioned whenever you're both in the news together. What happened?"
"It's not important now," he said softly. Buffy stood up.
"If it's so unimportant then why are you still holding a grudge?"
"Why are you bringing this up now? Why the sudden interest in old family vendettas?"
"I ran into Spike Giles the other day in Legends." Her father frowned.
"Who?"
"William."
"Oh, that Billy Idol wannabe? He's calling himself Spike nowadays, is he?" She didn't answer, but her hand curled into a fist at her side when he insulted Spike. "He's always been no good, that one. Stay away from him."
`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`*`
"Don't let that one get away from you," said the woman across the table from her. Buffy gave her a smile and watched Spike stroll to the stage after introducing her to Cordelia Chase, the bass guitarist's girlfriend. "I'm glad Spike started bringing someone to gigs again," she continued. "After Druscilla dumped him he didn't even try to commit. He just kinda. . . toyed with groupies." Cordelia seemed oblivious to the tightening of Buffy's jaw. "We're groupies, too. Just the permanent kind. If you show up for four more gigs we can make you an honorary member of the groupie club. Right now it's just me and Fred, but soon you and Willow can join."
"So you're dating the guy on bass?"
"Yeah. That's Angel." Her voice sounded almost wistful. "And the guy on keyboard is Charles. Everyone calls him Gunn. It's his last name. I think you've already met Xander?"
"Yes, I have." Spike shot her a cocky smirk when he caught her staring as he tuned his guitar. When he was done, he returned to his fully upright position and looked around at the guys behind him to make sure they were ready to begin the first song. He received thumbs up all around and turned back to the microphone in front of him.
"This song is one I always liked, but never found a reason to sing until now."
They began to play and music filled the air. He started to sing.
"Opened my eyes today
And I knew there's something different
Saw you in a brand new way
Like the clouds had somehow lifted
And if yesterday I heard
Myself saying these words
I would swear it was a lie
I don't know why but suddenly I'm falling
Was I so blind
I was loving you all the time
Now I'm hopelessly addicted
Helplessly attracted
I'll make a wish this day
And I'll send it to the heavens
That we will always stay
Entwined like this forever
And though the world may change
Coz nothing stays the same
I know will survive
I don't know why but suddenly I'm falling
Was I so blind
I was loving you all the time
Now I'm hopelessly addicted
Helplessly attracted
Naturally we acted
Hopelessly addicted
Helplessly attracted
Chemically reacted
Naturally we acted."
The song ended, and Buffy exhaled a breath she hadn't knew she'd been holding.