Description: AU. Buffy as an army brat, imagine the possibilities. Anyway, she moves to Sunnydale and meets William "Spike" O'Connor. But Buffy's learned in the past not to get too close to people because she always ends up leaving. So what will happen when Buffy finally falls head over heels in love?

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Buffy/Spike (again.)

Buffy walked down the hallway of Sunnydale High with a bounce in her step. She'd woken up this morning refreshed and rejuvenated, feeling like a million bucks. Taking an extra few minutes to toy with her hair and apply some make-up, Buffy was out the door.

Approaching her locker, she twisted the dial and pulled on the handle; the door didn't move.

'Crap,' Buffy thought, 'now how did Xander do this?' With a swift kick to the bottom corner the door flew open. Buffy smiled broadly.

"Yep, you're officially a student of Sunnydale High."

She spun around quickly finding Spike leaning against a group of lockers directly across from her own. "Gee thanks," Buffy said dryly, "just what I've always wanted."

With a coy smile, the bleached blonde pushed himself off the lockers and sauntered over to her. His lips quickly captured hers in a fevered kiss. Spike's hands wormed their way around her waist and Buffy's around his neck.

"Ah hem," came the voice that broke them apart. Both blondes turned to find Willow looking at them with an amused look on her face.

"Hey Will," Buffy greeted sheepishly, her face turning slightly red. She made busy with the task of stuffing her books into her locker and pulling out the ones she would need for her morning classes.

"Sorry to interrupt," she apologized, "but Angel asked me to find you." She nodded to Spike for clarity.

"What's the great poof want?" Spike asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"I'm not sure. Something about your uncle's car." Willow told him.

"How does Angel know your uncle?" Buffy asked, grabbing a few last pencils from her backpack.

"Well they are brothers," Willow laughed. At Buffy's stunned face she added, "You didn't know that?"

"Angel-Angel's your brother?" Buffy asked, dumbfounded. She couldn't believe Spike had never told her that. After all, he'd told her a lot of stories about his childhood. Never once had he mentioned having a brother.

"Half brother," Spike corrected with a roll of his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she wondered aloud.

"Um.I'll see you guys at lunch alright?" Willow slipped backwards, trying to escape the mess she had made. 'Really need to learn how to keep my mouth shut!' she scolded herself.

Before saying a word, Spike tugged Buffy into a nearby empty classroom. Satisfied that there were no teachers or students lurking around, Spike shut the door and turned to Buffy.

"Look," he began, "Angel and I aren't related by blood--well not in my point of view anyhow. My da left my mum after she got pregnant with and hooked up with Angel's mum. After I was born, my mum and I moved in with my grandma. I didn't even know that the great poofter existed until I came to Sunnydale, after my mum died. He moved in with Uncle Wes too and the rest-as they say-is history."

Buffy took a moment to let it all sink in. Spike has a brother that he never told her about; he never mentioned anything about his dad leaving or about his mother dying. What else was he hiding from her? She couldn't help but wonder if there was something more that he was telling her. What if there was someone back in England that Spike had feelings for? The warm, confident feeling that had wrapped itself around her earlier like a soft blanket was gone now, replaced with feelings of doubt and wonder.

"Pet?" Spike ventured once Buffy hadn't answered. She'd done nothing but stare into space for the last minute or so.

"I-um-I better get to class," she mumbled pushing her way passed Spike and out the door. She disappeared down the hall in record time.

"Bugger," Spike cursed under his breath, watching her walk away.

----

"What's up Buff?" Xander greeted, loudly and with too much enthusiasm.

Buffy looked up from her lunch, startled at the sudden company. "Oh, hey." She said meekly.

Immediately Xander knew something was wrong. Buffy was usually perky at lunch time, always chatting it up with Willow and Tara, or scrambling to do some last minute homework; but today she was merely sitting at the table staring down at-whatever it was the school was serving today.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "Who died?"

"Someone died?" Tara asked taking a seat next to Buffy.

"I don't know," Xander said setting his tray down and dropping into a chair, "ask Miss Pouty face over there."

"No one died," Buffy explained, "I'm just a little distracted."

"With what?" Tara asked.

"Is it Trig, cause you know Willow is a wiz at that stuff." Xander offered.

Buffy smiled softly. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

Conversation took a brighter turn, laughing about things that had happened at the beach house, complaining about teachers, and dishing about the upcoming party.

"What party?" Buffy asked. She hadn't heard anything about a party this weekend, unless-maybe she had but simply wasn't listening.

"Cordelia is having a big party at her place this weekend," Willow answered. She and Oz had joined the table shortly after Tara and Xander. "It's full of all the popular jocks and cheerleaders, but if you avoid them it's usually a pretty good party."

"You should come with us," Xander invited.

"I don't know," Buffy sighed, "I mean I wasn't really invited."

"That's the beauty of it, you don't have to be," Xander said.

At Buffy's confused look Oz said, "It's pretty much a school wide thing. No one's ever invited, they just come."

She thought for a minute, "I guess it could be fun."

"It'll be fun," Willow assured her.

----

Spike had ducked out of eighth period early to make sure he'd be able to catch Buffy when she left school. Leaning against her locker when the final bell sounded, Spike jumping at the sound and waited for her. Finally she came; gliding down the hall books in her arms, a pencil stuck neatly behind her ear.

'She's beautiful,' he thought lustfully.

"Hi," Buffy greeted meekly as she approached her own locker.

"We need to talk," Spike put it bluntly. "Get your books and meet me at my car." Without waiting for a reply he took off for the student parking lot.

Buffy didn't know what to do. She could just leave through one of the other doors and walk home, but then nothing would get settled and she definitely needed closure. Stuffing a few textbooks and notebooks into her book bag, Buffy took off for Spike's car.

----

They were half way to Buffy's house by the time Spike finally spoke.

"I'm sorry,"

"For what?' Buffy asked.

"For not telling you about Angel. It's just that-a few years ago I met this girl name Cecily, and I fell madly in love with her. She was all I bloody thought about. Well once Angel found out about my little crush, he moved in wooing her until she was his willing slave. I've hated him from that day on." Spike's face took a look of pain and misery.

The minute he mentioned another girl's name, jealousy crept over Buffy's mind. She knew it was stupid of her, but still she felt it.

"I should have told you about him, but I was so scared that I'd lose you too." He added.

It was then that Buffy realized that she really did care for Spike; that it wasn't just a lusting after. Without a word she leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Spike, you will never lose me to Angel," she said to him. "No one has ever made me feel the way you do. You make me feel alive, like the world is spinning under my feet. I can't think of anything else I would rather do than to spend forever with you."

A small grin spread across Spike's face and grew wider until he feared that his lips would crack. Grabbing Buffy's face, he crushed his lips to hers. "I love you," he muttered between gasps of breath and more kissing.