This chapter doesn't have a lot of Spuffy action, but it was necessary to
set up a few points.
Oh, and of course you guys know the drill none of them are mine, yada yada yada yada.
After 10 minutes of stalling Spike finally had Buffy in the isle with the pregnancy tests. As they stood there looking blankly at all the different tests available the pharmacist approached them.
"Can I help you find anything?"
"Which one of these is the most accurate?" Spike spoke up, knowing Buffy had no intentions of doing so herself.
"This one is the best one we carry." Handing over the pink and blue box.
Buffy's curiosity finally got the best of her.
"How early can they determine whether or not I'm . .er. someone is pregnant?" Sure that she was now beet red she decided that her shoes were very interesting. Spike's hand came up and rested in the small of her back.
"That one is accurate as early as one week."
"That early eh. Well, we'll take that one. Thanks." Spike took the box and tossed it into the basket he had in his hand.
"If you need anything else just ask." The pharmacist headed back to the counter leaving them to finish their shopping.
After he had gone Buffy's head fell to Spike's shoulder. He thought she might be in need of comforting. Maybe she was upset over this possible baby thing. He was wrong.
"That was so embarrassing."
"What was embarrassing luv? He was just doing his job. S'not like he was just being nosy."
"It's just strange having people know that we've been, you know..." She half giggled into his chest.
"What do you think your chums think we've been doin the past 2 days?" He couldn't help but grin at her innocence.
"Yeah, but that's the gang. He was old enough to be my grandpa."
"Luv, technically, I'm older than your grandpa's grandpa." He teased.
Playfully smacking his chest Buffy looked up at him. He leaned down to meet her halfway as she stood on her toes to get a quick kiss. Off to the condom isle.
After a good fifteen minutes of choices the two were headed back to the hotel to pack.
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Dawn was on her way to see if Buffy and Spike were back yet when the elevator door opened and there they were.
"Hey guys." After thinking it over, Dawn had decided to tell them both at the same time. Kind of a two birds with one stone thing.
"Luv, I'll go see if Xander has our route planned and let you two birds talk." Spike started out the door when Dawn stopped him.
"No, I need to talk to both of you if that's ok."
"Dawn is everything ok?" Buffy could see that she was nervous.
"I just have something important to tell you. . . both." Wringing her hands and shifting from one foot to the other. This was going to be so much fun. Not.
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"Willow, where's the munchies bag for tomorrow?" Xander needed something crunchy.
"Right here." Coming from the bedroom with a large brown paper bag.
"Did you get me any of that crunch and munch stuff?"
"Hang on," putting the bag down on the table in front of the couch.
Willow sat down next to him and they began going through the contents of the bag
"Did Dawn get the 'details' worked out with Andrew yesterday?" Willow inquired, not looking at him, trying not to grin.
"Yeah I think she did, he said something about the list they got from us last week." Xander leaned down so that he could see Willow's face. 'She knows too!'
Turning her head she could see the concern in his face.
"Don't worry, their secret is safe with me."
"How did you. . .you ok with it?" placing a hand on top of Willow's.
"Yeah, I'm ok. I can't let myself go to that place. There lies evil veiny Willow. I mean he was part of the nerds of doom, but he didn't have anything to do with what Warren did and he's been working with us for a while. He's been trying to make up for what bad things he did do. Besides, I think it's cute. Dawn in love. Can't believe she's already old enough have a boyfriend."
"I know. Feels like she should still be trying to tag along with Buffy to scoobie meetings."
They both fell back on the couch, Willow's head resting on Xander's shoulder.
"I'm glad you're here."
"Me too Wil."
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Buffy and Spike sat on the couch. Dawn sat in a chair on the other side of the table.
"Ok, boy this is weird." Taking a deep breath, pushing those butterflies down, she began.
"I know we're all supposed to be going to Modesto tomorrow but I don't want to. I want to go on to Cleveland."
"Why not? What's in Cleveland?"
Spike patted Buffy's hand.
"Bit, why don't you get to whatever it is that's makin you so jumpy, ok?"
"Ok, but you have to promise me something. No yelling, no threats of bodily harm and you have to stay calm."
"Ok, now I really need to know. Dawn, what's going on?"
"You have to promise first."
"Oh alright. I promise"
"Here goes." Taking a deep breath. "I've been sort of seeing someone for the past few months. Well, seeing is kind of a strange word to use since we haven't really 'seen' each other in a few months, unless you count that time I talked Willow into letting me use her web cam, and did I just say that outloud?" Dawn couldn't help her nervous ramblings.
Buffy had the deer caught in headlights look.
"Who are you talking about? The only people you've been around are us." This made no sense.
"You promised to stay calm" Those butterflies were now working overtime.
"Dawn. Who is it?"
"Luv, try and stay calm. Bit, why haven't you told us about all this before?
"It's Andrew. I was afraid you'd hurt him. He wanted to tell you before they left but we were supposed to follow them in a few weeks and we were going to tell you after we got there." There, it was out in the open. She had actually said it out loud to someone.
"Andrew? I thought Andrew was gay?"
"He's not gay! He's just. . not as macho as other guys." Defended Dawn.
"Well, luv, there are those women who tend to go for the more feminine males. You dated Angel didn't you?" Knowing full well that he would pay for it later, but that was just too good an opportunity to pass up.
"Spike this is so not funny! And this is so not about me." Buffy then realized how calm Spike was.
"How can you be so calm about this? Why aren't you all 'let's dismember him for even looking at my bit'? Angel was not feminine. "
"I think she's old enough to make some choices for herself. Besides, S'not like he's a real Casanova. She's completely safe." In his head, Spike was making a list of things to go over with the boy when he saw him next. Starting with the dismemberment part if he harmed so much as a hair on the girls head.
"Thanks Spike! You're the best!" Dawn crossed the distance and hugged him tightly.
"Don't worry Nib, I'll talk to her." Spike whispered in her ear.
"Why don't you go get some rest for tomorrow. Call your sweety and tell him all is well and that we'll work something out."
"Spike! All is not well." Buffy pouted but before she could object further Dawn had already disappeared out the door.
"Luv, she's almost 17. How old were you when you first fell in love?"
"I was 15, but this is different." She insisted.
"Do you think he would ever do anything to hurt her?"
"No. He's afraid of us. Or he really does love her, he would almost have to love her to be willing to risk seeing her like this for months." Realizing for the first time how ridiculous she was being. "Ok, so we'll work something out in the morning." She smiled up at him.
Kissing her on the nose, Spike got up to find the bag they had brought home with them. He needed to find that test and read up on it.
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Walking back to her room Dawn smiled to herself. That went so much better than expected. Spike didn't threaten to kill Andrew and he even promised to help out with Buffy. She couldn't wait to tell Andrew the news.
Fighting with her card key she finally got the door open and went in. Xander and Willow were asleep on the couch. Sitting just as they had been earlier, Willow's head resting on his shoulder.
Quietly, she slipped into the bedroom and closed the door. Finding the phone, she dialed the number.
"Hello"
"Hi"
"How'd it go? Should I be trying to get into the witness protection program?"
Oh, and of course you guys know the drill none of them are mine, yada yada yada yada.
After 10 minutes of stalling Spike finally had Buffy in the isle with the pregnancy tests. As they stood there looking blankly at all the different tests available the pharmacist approached them.
"Can I help you find anything?"
"Which one of these is the most accurate?" Spike spoke up, knowing Buffy had no intentions of doing so herself.
"This one is the best one we carry." Handing over the pink and blue box.
Buffy's curiosity finally got the best of her.
"How early can they determine whether or not I'm . .er. someone is pregnant?" Sure that she was now beet red she decided that her shoes were very interesting. Spike's hand came up and rested in the small of her back.
"That one is accurate as early as one week."
"That early eh. Well, we'll take that one. Thanks." Spike took the box and tossed it into the basket he had in his hand.
"If you need anything else just ask." The pharmacist headed back to the counter leaving them to finish their shopping.
After he had gone Buffy's head fell to Spike's shoulder. He thought she might be in need of comforting. Maybe she was upset over this possible baby thing. He was wrong.
"That was so embarrassing."
"What was embarrassing luv? He was just doing his job. S'not like he was just being nosy."
"It's just strange having people know that we've been, you know..." She half giggled into his chest.
"What do you think your chums think we've been doin the past 2 days?" He couldn't help but grin at her innocence.
"Yeah, but that's the gang. He was old enough to be my grandpa."
"Luv, technically, I'm older than your grandpa's grandpa." He teased.
Playfully smacking his chest Buffy looked up at him. He leaned down to meet her halfway as she stood on her toes to get a quick kiss. Off to the condom isle.
After a good fifteen minutes of choices the two were headed back to the hotel to pack.
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Dawn was on her way to see if Buffy and Spike were back yet when the elevator door opened and there they were.
"Hey guys." After thinking it over, Dawn had decided to tell them both at the same time. Kind of a two birds with one stone thing.
"Luv, I'll go see if Xander has our route planned and let you two birds talk." Spike started out the door when Dawn stopped him.
"No, I need to talk to both of you if that's ok."
"Dawn is everything ok?" Buffy could see that she was nervous.
"I just have something important to tell you. . . both." Wringing her hands and shifting from one foot to the other. This was going to be so much fun. Not.
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"Willow, where's the munchies bag for tomorrow?" Xander needed something crunchy.
"Right here." Coming from the bedroom with a large brown paper bag.
"Did you get me any of that crunch and munch stuff?"
"Hang on," putting the bag down on the table in front of the couch.
Willow sat down next to him and they began going through the contents of the bag
"Did Dawn get the 'details' worked out with Andrew yesterday?" Willow inquired, not looking at him, trying not to grin.
"Yeah I think she did, he said something about the list they got from us last week." Xander leaned down so that he could see Willow's face. 'She knows too!'
Turning her head she could see the concern in his face.
"Don't worry, their secret is safe with me."
"How did you. . .you ok with it?" placing a hand on top of Willow's.
"Yeah, I'm ok. I can't let myself go to that place. There lies evil veiny Willow. I mean he was part of the nerds of doom, but he didn't have anything to do with what Warren did and he's been working with us for a while. He's been trying to make up for what bad things he did do. Besides, I think it's cute. Dawn in love. Can't believe she's already old enough have a boyfriend."
"I know. Feels like she should still be trying to tag along with Buffy to scoobie meetings."
They both fell back on the couch, Willow's head resting on Xander's shoulder.
"I'm glad you're here."
"Me too Wil."
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Buffy and Spike sat on the couch. Dawn sat in a chair on the other side of the table.
"Ok, boy this is weird." Taking a deep breath, pushing those butterflies down, she began.
"I know we're all supposed to be going to Modesto tomorrow but I don't want to. I want to go on to Cleveland."
"Why not? What's in Cleveland?"
Spike patted Buffy's hand.
"Bit, why don't you get to whatever it is that's makin you so jumpy, ok?"
"Ok, but you have to promise me something. No yelling, no threats of bodily harm and you have to stay calm."
"Ok, now I really need to know. Dawn, what's going on?"
"You have to promise first."
"Oh alright. I promise"
"Here goes." Taking a deep breath. "I've been sort of seeing someone for the past few months. Well, seeing is kind of a strange word to use since we haven't really 'seen' each other in a few months, unless you count that time I talked Willow into letting me use her web cam, and did I just say that outloud?" Dawn couldn't help her nervous ramblings.
Buffy had the deer caught in headlights look.
"Who are you talking about? The only people you've been around are us." This made no sense.
"You promised to stay calm" Those butterflies were now working overtime.
"Dawn. Who is it?"
"Luv, try and stay calm. Bit, why haven't you told us about all this before?
"It's Andrew. I was afraid you'd hurt him. He wanted to tell you before they left but we were supposed to follow them in a few weeks and we were going to tell you after we got there." There, it was out in the open. She had actually said it out loud to someone.
"Andrew? I thought Andrew was gay?"
"He's not gay! He's just. . not as macho as other guys." Defended Dawn.
"Well, luv, there are those women who tend to go for the more feminine males. You dated Angel didn't you?" Knowing full well that he would pay for it later, but that was just too good an opportunity to pass up.
"Spike this is so not funny! And this is so not about me." Buffy then realized how calm Spike was.
"How can you be so calm about this? Why aren't you all 'let's dismember him for even looking at my bit'? Angel was not feminine. "
"I think she's old enough to make some choices for herself. Besides, S'not like he's a real Casanova. She's completely safe." In his head, Spike was making a list of things to go over with the boy when he saw him next. Starting with the dismemberment part if he harmed so much as a hair on the girls head.
"Thanks Spike! You're the best!" Dawn crossed the distance and hugged him tightly.
"Don't worry Nib, I'll talk to her." Spike whispered in her ear.
"Why don't you go get some rest for tomorrow. Call your sweety and tell him all is well and that we'll work something out."
"Spike! All is not well." Buffy pouted but before she could object further Dawn had already disappeared out the door.
"Luv, she's almost 17. How old were you when you first fell in love?"
"I was 15, but this is different." She insisted.
"Do you think he would ever do anything to hurt her?"
"No. He's afraid of us. Or he really does love her, he would almost have to love her to be willing to risk seeing her like this for months." Realizing for the first time how ridiculous she was being. "Ok, so we'll work something out in the morning." She smiled up at him.
Kissing her on the nose, Spike got up to find the bag they had brought home with them. He needed to find that test and read up on it.
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Walking back to her room Dawn smiled to herself. That went so much better than expected. Spike didn't threaten to kill Andrew and he even promised to help out with Buffy. She couldn't wait to tell Andrew the news.
Fighting with her card key she finally got the door open and went in. Xander and Willow were asleep on the couch. Sitting just as they had been earlier, Willow's head resting on his shoulder.
Quietly, she slipped into the bedroom and closed the door. Finding the phone, she dialed the number.
"Hello"
"Hi"
"How'd it go? Should I be trying to get into the witness protection program?"