An- Sorry it was so long in coming. I finished this chapter, and kept writing, however, so Chapter 10 is already half finished. Now, whether or not it gets completely finished is another story. Anyway, enjoy this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed the end of
Buffy stood off to the side just a bit as her eyes eagerly took in all the people in the room. Most of them she had never met before, but there were also quite a few of her old friends as well as some that had not been friends. Buffy swayed side to side to the fast beat of the rock music spinning away on the record player set up in a corner.
All the furniture had been shoved against the sides of the room, while the television had been put into her room. Willow was curled up on the sofa next to Liam, and Xander and Cordelia were making out in a corner. Buffy glanced to the left, and saw several people she didn't know starting a card game. As she stood near the side, Spike came up behind her, and slipped his arms around her waist, while placing a large cup in her hands.
Without thought, Buffy took a drink and swallowed, but soon started coughing. "What IS this?" Buffy asked between sputtering coughs. She turned to look at Spike, who had a rather smug grin on his face.
"Jus a bit of rum in the soda, nothing to worry about, pet. Relax, you are an adult now."
"Figuratively speaking, sure." Buffy said, before tentatively risking another sip on the soda. After a few sips, it tasted a bit better, though, so she continued to nurse the drink as Spike led her over to a pile of large cushions set up in a corner.
"You never said how the job hunting went, ducks. Find anything decent in this one horse town?" Buffy looked up at Spike over the rim of her glass, and smiled.
"Yes, I found a small art store down town that needed some help during the day. I work 4 days a week, starting next week, and get almost $80 a week! I am so glad I found something, because I hate being dependant on Lee. I mean I know he doesn't mind, but he's not exactly rolling in it. He's going to give me a ride in the mornings, and then I walk back in the afternoons. I start Tuesday morning." Buffy took another sip of the drink, and leaned back a bit, relaxing against the cushions. Her body felt warm and soft, different some how.
"What time you get off work, then? I might be able to give you a ride, you know. All you have to do is beg a bit, plead some, and I'm sure I can be bothered to do so." Spike told her this with a twinkling smirk on his face.
"Oh, um, I get out at 3pm, Spike. But you don't have to pick me up. I can walk, it's not that far."
"Tough, I'll be there promptly at 3am, and you can work out your payment later in stolen kisses." His voice was teasing, but looking in his eyes, Buffy could see the insecure William almost begging her to accept him. It puzzled her how he could be so different on the outside, yet on the inside, he seemed just the same as the day she had met him by the movie house.
"Payment? I… um…" she trailed off, and shifted her gaze to her drink in hand.
"You really should lighten up ducks, was only a joke. Care for a game of cards?" The look in his eyes was replaced by a friendly smile, and Buffy sighed in relief. Or was it in disappointment? She couldn't tell. She only knew that it felt like the room was swaying. Or was it her that was swaying. Shaking her head a tad, she accepted Spike's hand and stood up to walk over to the table where the cards were. He dug up an old crate, and a spare chair, and sat her in the chair before taking the crate for himself.
"Ok, love, you know how to play good old poker? 5 card stud, draw, that sort of rot?" Spike shuffled the cards as the others at the table looked on. There were 3 guys, and a girl, who had short blonde hair. Buffy focused on Spike's mouth as he talked, and she frowned slightly. The words seemed to be coming at her in slow motion.
Her eyes were slit as she tried to make sense of the words, before putting the drink to her mouth again. Her eyes slipped closed as she drank the coke and rum mix. The green orbs popped open when she felt Spike shaking her arm slightly.
"Buffy? Wake up, princess. Let's play some cards."
"Cards, I can play cards. What're we playing?" She looked up at him with a sheepish smile.
"Buffy, love, I think maybe it's time to put the cup down, and maybe we should go sit back down." Spike was looking at her funny, she thought. And he wasn't sitting still.
Spike dropped the cards just in time to catch the girl as she toppled from the chair. With a loud giggle, she wrapped her arms around him. The giggle she started quickly escalated to full out laughing as he half carried, half dragged her to the cushions. The people at the card table went back to dealing their own game, and while Spike positioned Buffy on the cushion, Liam tapped his shoulder.
"What did you give her, man? Is she tripping?" His voice was quiet, but Spike could hear the hard edge and the threat in the voice.
"No, mate, just some rum. Not much more than a single shot worth, either. Girl's a bloody lightweight." Spike pointed to her cup, which was nearly empty.
"Well, she's cut off. Get her some coffee, Spike. And so help me, William, you take advantage of her…" Liam emphasized the name William as he leaned over Spike. He then turned back towards Buffy, whose eyes were closed. She had her body leaning against the wall, and appeared to be asleep. With one more warning glance at Spike, he went back to Willow.
"Coffee, bloody git thinks I don't know how to handle a drunk girl. He's one to talk…" Spike trailed off as he went to the kitchen to find the coffee. He wasn't talking to anyone really, just himself. Buffy wasn't responding much at all, and he had the idea she was likely just enjoying the spinning feeling the alcohol caused. When he came back, he couldn't help but laugh at the soft snoring she was emitting.
Setting the coffee down, he went over and motioned for Liam to come help him move her into her bed. Liam easily picked the snoring girl up, and carried her through the throng of people, before depositing her on top of the hand made quilt. He turned back and nearly ran into Spike, and gave the bleached blonde a bit of a glare.
"Out, Spike. She doesn't need you in here."
"Oh, lay off, mate. Wasn't going to do anything more than take those boots off her. You try sleeping in boots and see how comfortable you are." He smirked and pushed past Liam, and unzipped the boots before tugging each of them off, one at a time. He turned as Liam was leaving the room, then glanced back at Buffy. With out much thought, he leaned down and placed a kiss on her soft lips, and then pulled back and left the room, shutting the door quietly.