(A/N: Sorry for the late update. Just got the beta'd chap two days ago and I couldn't post it straight away because of my ridiculous software pre-work, which took me a whole day to do it and was only worth 0.5%!! Why did I bother to do it?? Hmm...I don't know, maybe because my tutor was so darn cute and I wanted to please him?? LOL Okay, end of my rant here. Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews! You guys surely know how to make a girl blush in six shades of red :) )

Chapter 18: Drenched in Rain and Tears

The street was dark, lit only by the light of cars passing by. The rain was pouring heavily; the drops hit Buffy's skin almost too severely. She wrapped her arms around herself protectively, her lips trembling both from the coldness and fear. Her tears were already washed away by the rain and she couldn't tell if she was still crying or not.

A faint luminosity from the distance neared her. She was torn between looking forward to see the car or hiding from it. After all, she should be alert with strangers in the middle of the night. The car did stop in front of her. She could have jumped in joy as soon as she recognized it, but she was too weak and freezing.

Buffy rushed towards the person who had just exited the car and jumped into his arms.

"Buffy…" Spike's voice trailed off. 'Warm her up first, ask questions later.' He thought decidedly. He shrugged his duster off and covered her thin body with it. "Come on, get inside the car." Stroking her upper arms as if to warm her up, he led her to the car.

Inside the car, Spike immediately turned the heater on, making it as hot as possible. Buffy pulled her feet onto the seat and curled next to him, seeking his body heat. As he put his arm around her, he felt her attempting to restrain her sobs and her body still shivering from the chill of the night. The tears ran freely down her cheeks and she buried her head into his chest. "Shh…s'okay, baby. I'm here with you," Spike murmured soothingly, he planted a kiss on the top of her head and stroked her upper arm again with his free hand.

"Just take me to your place, please…" Her voice still trembled. "I…I don't wanna see my mum like this." Spike gave a nod at her inquiry.

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Once they arrived at the Giles' residence, he guided her to his room quietly. It was midnight now and Spike didn't want to disturb his father from sleeping.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a low voice.

"NO!" Buffy practically yelled in between her sniffles.

"Shhh…dad's sleeping, keep your voice down," he whispered, glancing outside his room before closing the door. Buffy was still sobbing and sniffling. She glared at him through her swollen eyes, then wiped her tears away and her nose with the back of her hand.

"What happened?" Spike inquired gently.

"Riley…" He sighed at that instant. He should have guessed it. He reminded himself why he let her date that ponce. Oh, yeah…because she was too bleeding stubborn! "He—" Buffy paused to swipe her hand under her running nose. "He cheated on me on our FIRST date!" She let out a shriek at the last part.

"WHAT?!?" Spike yelled in shock. He took a deep breath, composing himself after realizing he had made a loud noise. "What. Happened. Tonight?" He asked between gritted teeth, his fists were on each side, ready to punch on the person who had made her cry.

To his relief, Buffy managed to control herself. Her sobs had died down even though her voice still cracked. "Well, we went to dinner. Then we decided to go to the Bronze. I excused myself to go to the rest room and when I came back, he…he was making out with another girl!" Buffy wailed.

Spike closed his eyes momentarily. His knuckles already turned white as his jaw clenched achingly. This was why she should have listened to him. A part of his brain wanted to tell her "I told you so," but it wouldn't be wise now after looking at her state. God, how he wanted to rip Riley's head off of his bulgy frame. Guess it had to wait until she could calm down.

Looking at her soaked clothes, he decided to put Riley bashing aside for now. "You need to get out of your clothes, luv. You're gonna be sick in no time."

Buffy looked down at her own clothes. She nodded and started unbuttoning her long-sleeved shirt. She stopped when something registered in her mind. "You know what the ironic thing was? Harmony, was the one he was kissing! Can you believe it? It's Harmony for god's sake." She whined, already forgetting her recent task.

Spike sighed in exasperation. "Buffy, you're going to be sick if you don't get out of your sodding clothes," he stated again.

"I know, but I just don't get him, Spike…" She ignored his warning. She was too deep into rationalizing what the hell she had done wrong that made Riley turned to Harmony of all people. She really felt like an idiot. The last time she felt like one was in the first encounter with Angel, when she kept stuttering and staring at him dumbfounded while he offered her his most charming smile. She thought there might be the words 'I'm such an idiot Part 2. Now showing in my nearest anatomy part.' plastered on her forehead. How could she let Riley's charming smile and overloaded compliments fool her? She really WAS an idiot.

Spike heaved a sigh before stepping towards her. If she didn't dry herself in a minute, he would need to take care of her being ill and keep up with her constant whining. No, nobody would want that. Whiny Buffy equalled irritated Spike, which equalled the death of Spike. He began unclasping her top buttons, taking over her task. Buffy didn't seem to mind, she continued to fuss over Riley and the fact that he kissed Harmony on his and Buffy's first date.

"I mean, how could he choose her over me? Come on, this is Harmony we're talking about. What did he see in her anyway?" Spike only nodded repeatedly as his response.

He stopped his nodding when her soaked bra was uncovered fully from her blouse. It was black, matching the colour of her top. The straps were thin and black laces embroidered the bottom line of each cup. Spike swallowed hard at the vision, his drenched jeans becoming tight especially once he saw her nipples hardened from the cold against the thin fabric.

"Nice lingerie, luv," he couldn't help but quip. Buffy only looked down at her bra and shrugged. "Oh, thanks. Anyway…" She continued her rambling. Spike raised a scarred brow at her casual reply. He adjusted his jeans from his tightness, which thankfully Buffy didn't notice. He discarded the shirt on the floor and started unbuttoning her denim skirt and unzipping it. Then he let the skirt drop and was met with a pair of matching panties. He sucked in his breath sharply and couldn't stop himself from remarking. "And you've got matching knickers too," Spike mumbled, more to himself.

He took a step back as he observed her whole figure. She was truly magnificent. Her skin was tan and flawless. Tiny droplets of rain still remained on around her body. Her taut stomach looked smooth and glistening. Her young breasts seemed soft and supple, not like he had ever touched them anyway. Buffy had grown up into a beautiful young woman. The last time he saw her half-naked…or fully naked for that matter was when they were still kids, having a bath together.

"Spike, have you been listening to what I've said?" Buffy interrupted his train of thought. He snapped his head to face her.

"Yeah…I have," he answered unsurely, contemplating what he would say to her if she asked him to repeat the words she said. Unlike the last time, Spike's ears still paid attention to Xander's praises to Star Wars.

In a flash, he fled to the bathroom to get some towels and handed one to her. "Here, dry yourself." Stepping out of the loop of her skirt, she took the white towel from him and began drying her hair. Spike couldn't take her half-naked form in anymore. His shaft was throbbing painfully, only by glancing at her nipples that were seen through her bra. He unfolded the other towel in his hand and wrapped it around her protectively. As soon as she was covered up, he moved to the wardrobe, grabbed a t-shirt and boxers, and gave them to her. "Wear these," Spike ordered. He bent down, collecting her discarded clothes, then he turned around to face her again.

"I'll…just put these into the washer and then call your mom." At her nod, he exited his room and strode widely to the basement, he couldn't wait to get far from her.

Spike tossed her clothes into the washer, poured the amount of liquid detergent and set the water level and temperature up. Turning the switch on, he waited for the water to start filling up the barrel as he put his hands on the lid and hung his head down. He took a necessary deep breath, shaking his head and letting a small humourless laugh escape his lips.

Never in his life did he struggle to compose himself for controlling his libido. After all, girls had always given themselves to him. There was no unnecessary lust-restraining, grunts stifling in his chest, or jeans adjusting. But this girl was different. This girl was his best friend for Christ's sake. The person who he supposedly claimed as his non-existent sister. He laughed bitterly as he thought of how Xander would react if he told him that he had been lusting for his surrogate sister. Stripping out off his wet clothes, he grabbed freshly washed sweats, and slipped them on.

As he re-entered his room, Buffy was just about done drying her hair in the open bathroom. He decided he needed to call Joyce soon, unless if he wanted to give her a panic disorder. When he picked the wireless from its cradle, Buffy walked out of the bathroom and headed to the door. She mumbled to him while bringing damp towels in her arms. "I'm going to put the rest of the clothing in the washer too."

Spike frowned at her declaration. The rest of the clothing? What the hell did she mean with the rest…oh my god, he realized, she wore nothing underneath her borrowed clothes! The thought made him groan loudly and his member throb harder. "Bloody hell!" He muttered his curse. Did she have to tell him that? His mind led him to a sleeping Buffy sans panties. Damn, now he had to sleep as far from her as he could so that he wouldn't accidentally touch her on the forbidden areas.

Snapping out of his dazed mind, he made a quick dial to Joyce, telling her that Buffy would spent the night with him, during which, he promised himself, he would not let anything illicit happen between them. He heaved a sigh as he put the wireless back on its cradle. Then he let his body slump into the bed and lay flat on his back.

Buffy came in just when he clasped his hands under his head. 'Here we go, to snuggle or not to struggle…that is the question.' He thought ridiculously as he peered at her out the corner of his eyes.

To answer his question, Buffy climbed over the bed and curled up against him, draping one arm over his waist and resting her head on his chest. Her breasts, though covered with an old t-shirt, sent their warmth through his chest.

Spike bit back his groan at the feel of her. Well, putting a distance between them just wouldn't work. Sighing, he finally gave in and enveloped her in his arms.

After a long silence, "Spike, no bashing okay." She stated simply in a childlike voice. Spike tossed his head back to look at her, furrowed his brows, acting like he didn't know what she was talking about.

"What do you mean, pet?" She rolled her eyes, sniffling once or twice.

"You know damn well what I mean, Spike. No bashing, no harming Riley after this incident. I don't want everyone to start mocking me with 'Ooh...here goes Spike, Buffy's personal hitman!'...again..."

Spike feigned shock, then defended himself, "And it's alright for you to attack Dru when she cheated on me?"

Buffy gave a weak, sheepish smile before responding, "Well she totally deserved it though...and that's the only time I attacked one of your exes. Unlike you who kept leaving bruises on every guy I dated."

She punched his arm playfully. Spike only chuckled as he rubbed his punched arm briefly. "Just go to sleep, luv. We'll discuss this tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Okay but please, please promise me, no bashing Riley at all."

Spike heaved a sigh, finally conceded, "Oh bugger! Y'know my hands were itchy to get to that thick skull of his." Buffy immediately punched him again, this time was serious. She gave a stern look, telling him she would hear none of it. "Oww! Okay okay...Fine. I promise, no bashing Riley..." He gave a truce sign, but silently added '...only when you're around, pet, only when you're around.'

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Buffy glanced at her surroundings. Everyone shot her what seemed like murderous glares, especially the cheerleaders and well, mostly the girls her age. She felt as if she was an outsider in the school she had attended for like decades. 'Man…what did I do wrong now?' She mentally groaned, exasperated at the students' attitudes towards her.

Choosing to ignore them, she shoved her books inside her locker and took the needed ones from it and put them into her bag. The course of her action was halted when she caught sight of Riley heading towards her. "Great, do I need to face him at this time of day?" Buffy muttered her question to no one in particular. Her brows soon creased into a frown as soon as she saw his face marred with bruises. The young man instead smirked at her, but it wasn't charming or sexy. It was rather vicious or disturbing to say the least.

"Well Buffy, I won't say I was surprised to see your hero came after me yesterday. After all, you surely begged him for it." He threw her a sickeningly sweet smile before strolling past her. Buffy was left shocked, though she recovered soon enough and quickly finished her packing. Stomping her heels through the hall, Buffy scowled at the explanation that had formed in her brain.

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"I told I made it clear with the no bashing Riley," she burst inside Spike's room, her face was flushed with wrath. Spike only rolled his eyes. He kept tending his left swollen purple eye.

"Well, then I forgot to make it clear to you that my promise only applied when you're around," he retorted.

"Spike!" Buffy uttered a growl at him, hands firmly attached on her hips. Ugh, he's impossible! He would never listen, would he?

He ignored her, continuing to mend his bruised eye. He was lucky enough he was smaller and nimbler than the captain cardboard. Hence, the only damages he got were his black eye and split lip.

Buffy sighed in exasperation and pity for him. She exited the room but soon re-entered with a bag of frozen vegies. "Come here," taking his hand from his face, she motioned for him to sit next to her on the bed. Spike complied. After examining his eye shortly, she pressed the frozen bag against it callously. Spike winced sharply in an instant.

"Oi! It hurts, woman!" He glared at her with one unharmed eye.

"Good. This is for not keeping your promise."

"I've told you my promise only- Oww!" Spike doubled over his yell as she pressed the bag harder against his face. "What the hell was that for?"

"THAT was for getting away from said promise," she said calmly. Spike rolled his eyes. Buffy spoke again, but more quietly, "and for causing me to gain death glares from the cheerleaders."

"What?!? I can't believe those silly bints defended that wanker," Spike snarled, incredulous. The petite blond only heaved a sigh and shrugged her shoulders.

"Just forget about it," she stated, putting an end to this conversation. A sly smile then crept over her lips when she looked up to him under her eyelashes. "Did you kick him in the groin?"

A proud grin slowly curved in his mouth. "Wasn't that the point of bashing him after all?"

to be continued

(A/N: Hmm…did someone ask for a naked Buffy before?? **nudges InfoGal and snickers** Okay, so it's a half-naked Buffy, but hey that's enough to make Spike goggle-eyed! LOL MissKitty, your 'term' would be in the next chappy and it's coming up pretty soon ;) Oh btw, I'm still posting the chaps to Spuffyarchives.com. Just hope the elves won't have so much trouble updating the stories.)