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A/N: Sorry it's been a while but you know how it is – writers block, sulking, sleep – these things have a tendency to get in the way! Love you all!

Chapter 13: First day

It had been two weeks since Buffy's first counselling session, but she had yet to divulge anything that might explain her condition. Tara had confirmed that her silence was a mental affliction rather than a physical one, which they had already assumed, but at least it gave them something to work with. Every session Spike would sit next to Buffy and read out whatever she wrote in her note book – they had yet to find a more efficient form of communication – and every so often she would speak. It was never more than a whisper, and three words at a time appeared to be her limit, but every time she said something Spike's stomach would flip in excitement, feeding his hope that one day she would be able to talk for herself once more.

What they had managed to find out however was that Buffy was actually about six months younger than Spike. Buffy couldn't remember her actual birthday – a fact Spike found quite disturbing, but she could remember the month and the year, meaning she was seventeen and should be in her junior year of high school. Spike had been surprised when they found out – her eyes looked so much older than seventeen, although he had a feeling that perhaps she had been aged prematurely by circumstance. It was due to this knowledge, and encouragement from Tara that Joyce had enrolled Buffy at Sunnydale high with the reluctant permission of Buffy.

When her first day of classes came, Buffy was nervous as hell once more – it seemed to be happening to her a lot recently she thought idly. She had taken various exams to test her knowledge and make sure she had the requisite understanding to complete her junior year rather than repeat and she had passed with flying colours. She supposed that was what came from countless hours spent in school libraries in an attempt to avoid going home, and reading all of Spike's notes from his junior year had helped. She had surprised her self by remembering so much. One of the few things she'd confided in her sessions was that she had missed a lot of school over the last couple of years, though she hadn't explained why. And Dru and Liam had never let her forget that she was stupid…was it possible that they had been wrong?

Buffy's hand was held firmly in Spike's as they ascended the front steps of the school building. She knew that her palms were sweating but Spike didn't seem to care so she didn't let it worry her. Seeing more people running around than she could remember seeing in a very long time caused conflicting emotions to war within her. Part of her was terrified at being around so many new people, knowing it would be hard to communicate with them and having little experience at being part of a group larger than four or five people she felt she knew well. These were all strangers, people who had no need or desire to be nice to her. Even scarier was the fact that she would not even be in the same year as Spike so she would need to survive without him during classes.

Another part of her however was excited by all the activity surrounding her. This was a chance for her to blend in and be a part of something bigger – something that had been denied her for so long. The various 'looks' of the cliques and groups dotted all over told her she could be herself, that even if some disapproved she might just find one or two people who didn't look at her like a freak. Take Spike and Xander for example. Hanging out with the two teens for over a month had shown her that you could not find two more different people. While Spike was all harsh lines, charm and sarcasm, Xander was soft, disarming and goofy. Despite all this they were the best of friends. The same could be applied to Oz and Willow. This group of misfits had found each other, and she had found them. There was nothing to say that she could not be as lucky as Spike had been when he first joined the school. A world of possibilities was opening in front of her.

When she felt a gentle tugging on her hand Buffy ripped her gaze away from the sprawling mass of teens making their way into the building to fix it on Spike who was nervously chewing on his bottom lip, a habit he had unconsciously picked up from her. "You sure you're up to this?" he asked softly, determined not to put any pressure on her. Buffy offered him a small smile, pleased to be the one in the position of offering reassurance rather than seeking it for once, and nodded her head. She found this infinitely less torturous than the counselling session scheduled for this afternoon once school as out. "Want me to show you to your class?" Spike asked. Buffy nodded happily, not letting go of his hand as he led her through the teaming halls.

"This is it." Spike announced as they reached room 217. "I'll come meet you after class." Buffy shook her head and smiled, touched by his protectiveness. Without giving her self time to question her actions, she leaned up and kissed his cheek, delighting in the surprised wonder that filled his eyes as she pulled back. Spike stood staring at her for several seconds, opening and closing his mouth as if trying to say something but being unable to do so. He was further happily surprised when Buffy giggled as she noticed how much the action made him look like a long dead pet fish whose name she could no longer remember. They were broken from their quiet reverie by a pointed coughing from inside the classroom.

Spike turned to see Miss Calendar watching them, trying to look stern and suppress her smile at the cute picture the couple presented. "I believe you already took this class Mr Summers." She teased lightly "Unless you feel like repeating I suggest you get to your own class and let your girlfriend start hers." Jenny had always had a soft spot for the rebellious teen. She had made instant friends with his stepfather Rupert when he had joined the faculty two years ago, and she had been one of few teachers who had seen past the boys attitude and bravado and tried to draw out the talented young man she knew to be inside. She knew all the rumours and pranks that he had pulled, and she knew of all of Snyder's attempts to have him expelled. Jenny had done nothing but speak up in his defence – he wasn't the only one who thought Snyder was a little troll of a man who had no place in the education system.

Spike felt the heat in his face rise at the phrasing of Jenny's teasing, and when he glanced at Buffy he could see she was just as red as he was. He desperately wanted to see her eyes to see how she responded to the idea of being his 'girlfriend' but she was looking at the floor and shuffling her feet. "Right…" Spike mumbled, aware of the snickering within the classroom, the various juniors marvelling at the concept of one of the scariest seniors in the school blushing like a little girl around her first crush. He silently vowed to beat the crap out of any of them who dared say anything to either Buffy or himself – he had a reputation to uphold after all! "I'll see you later." He finished, smiling when Buffy glanced up at him with a shy smile of her own. With one last squeeze of her hand he turned and jogged down the now emptying halls to get to his own class.

Buffy watched him go, the smile never leaving her face as she turned and entered the room and prepared for her first class at Sunnydale high.

A/N: I think that's kind of a crappy chapter but I need a transition – I'm planning something for the next chapter you see and I needed a way to get there. Hope you weren't too bored. Remember I love you all!