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 pushed back suddenly, a look of panic on her face. "W-what?"

"I said I love you," Spike repeated, slower this time, savoring every word.

'Damn, that's what I thought he said!' she thought. Glancing back to the road, Buffy noticed that they were only two blocks from her house. "I need to go," she said hurriedly. Opening the passenger side door, Buffy climbed out and slammed it behind her, taking off in the direction of her home.

"Buffy!" Spike shouted, "Wait!" But it was no use; the girl made no indication of waiting or even hearing his voice for that matter. "Bloody hell," Spike groaned tossing his head back on the seat, "What the hell did I do now?"

----

'What the hell just happened back there?' Buffy asked herself. 'He can't mean those things. I mean, it's not possible. We've only known each other for a few weeks. Love? What the hell am I going to do? I can't face him now, I just ran out on him after he told me that he loves me! I mean, usually it's the guy that leaves right? Oh man.' Her mind was so caught up in the jumble of thoughts that Buffy didn't realize that she'd walked right passed her house. Only when the Anderson's dog began barking at her was she snapped back to reality.

"Don't worry," Mr. Anderson called hefting a handful of weeds from his garden, "he won't bite ya."

Buffy just smiled at the older man and kept walking. She didn't know where she was going or even care, she just kept walking. Trees stood on either side of the road, reaching their green branches toward the heavens. Cars whizzed passed stirring up the dirt that lay on the cracked and pot hole infested road.

'I knew this was going to happen. Feelings grow, I leave, and people get hurt. I never should have started this relationship!' Turning down a side street, Buffy looked up and notice Dawn walked her way, waving cheerfully.

"What's happenin' sis?" she called joyfully.

"Why are you in such a good mood? And what's in the bag?" Buffy asked nodding to the plastic grocery story bag dangling at her sister's side.

"Well if you must know," Dawn laughed, "I'm happy because there's a dance at my school next week and this boy, Conner, asked me to go with him."

Buffy couldn't help but notice how happy Dawn was; her face was literally shining with a bright smile. She tried to feel glad for her younger sibling, but the emotion just wasn't there at the moment. The only thing that clouded her mind was confusion and depression.

"As for the bag," Dawn continued not noticing her older sister's lack of excitement, "we have to do a nature project for Biology. I'm supposed to collect ten different leaves and identify them."

"Uh huh," Buffy mumbled, remembering a similar project she'd done in middle school. "I'll meet you back at the house, Dawn. Mom should have dinner ready soon."

"I was just heading back now," the girl answered then turned to Buffy who had already walked passed her in the opposite direction, "Where are you going?" When Buffy didn't answer Dawn sighed in annoyance, "Her mind's a million miles away. Probably day-dreaming about boys!"

----

Saturday morning Buffy awoke around 10:30 to a shrill ringing next to her head. Quickly realizing what it was she called out, "Will someone please get the phone?" When no one answered and the ringing continued, the tired and grumpy blonde plucked the handset off the stand. "Hello," she said in a rather annoyed voice.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" Willow asked from the other end.

Immediately Buffy's mood brightened; Willow was one person she could stand to deal with this early in the morning.

"Sorry Will," she apologized sitting up in her bed, "Didn't get much sleep."

"Sorry again," Willow repeated. "I was just calling to make sure we were still on for tonight."

"Tonight?" Buffy asked herself aloud. 'What's going on tonig-oh right, Cordelia's party.'

"Cordy's party." Willow said, echoing Buffy's own thoughts.

"I don't think I'm going." Buffy said.

"What? Why not?" Will blurted.

"I'm just not in the party mood," Buffy lied. The real reason she wasn't up for the party lied with Spike and her avoidance of him.

"And that's exactly why you should go-to get into the party mood." Buffy made a sighing noise on her end and Willow continued, "Are you sure this doesn't have anything to do with a certain bottle blonde we both know?"

'How does she do that?' Buffy wondered. "How'd you know?"

"It's just that best friend vibe thing," Willow laughed. "Also I kind of noticed that you've been avoiding him for the past few days. So what's up?"

"It's nothing really." Buffy attempted to assure her best friend.

Willow saw right through it. "If you won't tell me on the phone I'll come over and weasel it out of you."

"I'm fine, I swear. You don't have to-" Before she could finish her sentence, Buffy heard a click on the other end followed by the deafening sound of a dial tone. 'Great,' she thought placing the handset back on the receiver, 'now I have to get out of bed.'

----

Buffy barely had enough time to throw on a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt and run a comb through her hair before Willow was at the front door.

"I'm here and I brought ice cream," the red head announced skipping through the door, a plastic bag swinging at her side.

"What kind?" Buffy asked hopeful.

"Moose Tracks for you and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough for me," she answered.

The girls moved to the kitchen. Buffy grabbed two spoons out of the drawer and handed one to Willow before taking a seat at the aisle.

"So what's the matter?" Will asked, shoving a hefty spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.

"It's nothing big," Buffy answered. She hadn't looked up from her container in over ten minutes.

"Yes it is, don't lie."

"How do you know?" Buffy asked, feeling a little defensive.

"It's the best friend's job. We have to know everything that's going on at every minute or we get replaced." Both girls shared a laugh that died quickly. "So really, what's the what here?"

Buffy looked around for a moment, just checking to make sure that her family wasn't lurking anywhere. They seem to all be out for the day.

"After the whole Angel thing, Spike was giving me a ride home." Buffy paused but seeing Willow's insistent face continued quickly. "And we were kissing and-he told me he loved me."

"He actually said-" Will asked but didn't say the words. "Wow."

"Yeah wow," Buffy repeated. "And I pretty much freaked out big time. I jumped out of the car and walked home."

"Wow. Well-what do you-I mean how do you-" Try as she might, Willow just couldn't find the right words.

"Do I love Spike?" Buffy filled in. Willow nodded shyly. "No. I mean.well.maybe. But you know I can't have a relationship, cause I'll be moving away and it'll all just end horribly."

"Yeah," Will agreed. "Well have you told Spike that?"

"Not exactly."

"Why not?"

"I don't know," Buffy admitted. "I guess I thought if I ignored the fact that I would eventually leave it would never happen. This place is so- nice. For once I feel normal, part of the crowd, not just like I'm passing through. I don't want to leave."

"No one wants you to leave," Will added. She looked up at Buffy and smiled, feeling sympathy for her. "Maybe you should just tell Spike how it is. You know, how you can't get involved because of your step dad."

"I guess I kinda have to, don't' I?" Buffy asked; Willow nodded. "When?"

"Tonight at Cordy's party," Willow answered.

"I guess that's as best a time as ever," Buffy groaned. "Tonight then."