Clarke parked on the street. There were a lot of other cars.
"Seems like a hot party," Dawn said to Clarke as they walked towards the house. They entered. Music was booming, and the ground floor was packed.
"Maybe a little too hot," Clarke said to Dawn as they entered. They edged their way from the foyer into the living room. Alexandra and Sofia, the two popular girls who were jealous of Dawn at the Homecoming Dance because she was with Connor, approached.
"Hey Alex, hey Sophie," Clarke greeted them.
"So Dawny, what happened to your boyfriend?," Alex asked.
"Couldn't hold on to him?," Sophie added derisively. These questions put Dawn on the spot.
"Oh, wait, you mean Steven, right? I almost forgot about that one. He was fun while it lasted. What, you want to make a move on him, go after my hand-me-downs? Knock yourself out. Funny how you two always seem to want what I have," she added while putting her left arm around Clarke's waist.
"So Clarke, what is this, dork charity month?," Sophie asked.
"Look, Al, Soph, jealousy's an ugly thing, even on pretty women like yourselves." He put his right arm around Dawn's shoulder and walked by them. She had humiliated them once again. They walked into the kitchen.
"Looks like Randy went all out with the kegs," Dawn observed.
"Want something?," Clarke asked tentatively.
"Sure, why not?," she answered. "Might make it easier to stomach some of your friends."
"Don't let them bother you," Clarke replied. "The girls, they're just jealous of you. The guys, well, they're jealous of me, cause I'm with you."
"I'll drink to that," Dawn joked. Clark smiled, they drank. Dawn peered into the living room. "Janice! Omigod. Janice is here!" She took Clarke by the hand and went to greet these welcome familiar faces.
"Janice, you didn't tell me you and Brandon were coming."
"We just assumed you weren't interested."
"I wasn't. But then Clarke asked me."
"Hey there Clarke," Brandon said. "How are things?"
"Pretty good, Brandon. How are you doing?"
"I'm good. Care to talk?"
Clarke was a little surprised. "Uh, sure." The two guys went off to chat.
"What is that all about?," Dawn asked Janice.
"I think it's just his way of looking out for you."
Dawn laughed. "Brandon protecting me? That's a laugh." Then something less humorous occurred to her. "He doesn't still, you know. He's not jealous, is he? He can't be. He's with you."
"It's not like that. He just worries. He knows what guys can be like cause, well, he is one."
"Why the sudden interest in Dawn?," Brandon asked.
"I guess I had, whadya call it, an epiphany. Like the blinders came off or something. She's an amazing girl."
"Yes, she is. But she's been amazing for a long time. And you've known Dawn a long time, right?"
"I mean, I knew of her. I saw her around. But I didn't really know her."
"You mean you ignored her. You ignored for years. Am I right?"
"Brandon, I see where you're going. You care about Dawn. You don't want anyone to hurt her. I respect that. But seriously, is there anything I could tell you right now that would end your suspicions?" There was a pause. "I didn't think so. Guess I'll just have to prove myself to you."
"Hope for your sake I'm wrong," Brandon answered. "Cause if I'm right, you'll be sorry."
Clarke thought that was a veiled threat. A ridiculous threat, since he was much tougher than Brandon. Clarke patted him on the shoulder. "Dawn's lucky to have a friend like you. See you round."
"So Dawny. You and Clarkey. This your first date?," Janice asked.
"It's our first time out, if you can call this a date."
"He ask you, right?"
"This afternoon. He actually seemed nervous, which was kind of adorable."
"Hafta say, he's quite the catch. If you're gonna start dating again, might as well begin at the top."
Brandon and Clarke came back over. "Brandon didn't try to scare you away, did he?," Janice asked Clarke.
"Course not. But we did have an argument. I said I was the luckiest guy in town because I'm here with Dawn, and he claimed he was the luckiest because he was here with you, Janice. In the end, we just agreed to disagree." Janice smiled. Like Buffy, she was blown away by Clarke's charm offensive.
"Brandon, how bout we go dance?," Janice asked. They went off.
"He seems like a really sweet guy," Janice told Brandon as they danced.
"I don't trust him," Brandon answered.
"You're being paranoid."
"I'm being a guy. And he's being TOO nice. When guys are that nice, it's only to get what they want."
Spike's band finished their set. It had gone well. Better than Spike expected, considering his stressful pre-show activities. He was just glad it was over. He quickly left and walked a few blocks to his apartment. He thought about all of Clem's rubbish about fate and how things were meant to be. He knew it wasn't true, and he would prove it. It was time for Spike to stop being so bloody tortured.
He took off his black t-shirt. It smelled like (parallel world) Buffy. He wanted to put her, and their whole tortuous relationship, behind him forever. Each of them would be much better off without the other. He put on a dark button-down shirt, fixed his hair, and went from backstage to the club's floor.
Spike saw four of his female fans – women he had noticed at other shows. This was his perfect opportunity. He walked over, stood awkwardly nearby, looking shy. He noticed them noticing him. They noticed him noticing them. Time to move in.
"You ladies enjoy the show?" They were stunned. He had never talked to them before. Never even seemed the least bit interested in them. Or in any of his fans.
"It was good," one of them said.
"It was great," another added.
"Thanks," Spike humbly replied. "By the way, I'm sorry if I ever seemed rude in the past. You see, all this attention, it's new to me. I'm still kind of uncomfortable with it. But I'm glad you like my music. Honored, actually." If Spike realized how sleazy it was to play the humble artist, he didn't care.
"I'm glad you're getting over the shyness. It's great to finally meet you," one of them answered.
"Great to meet you lovely ladies as well," Spike responded. "Maybe I'll see one of you around sometime." Then Spike walked backstage. He didn't want to appear too predatory. Also, to pick up one of the women in front of the other three would be tactless. He'd have to wait until they split up. It was a lot like hunting. With the show over, it shouldn't take too long for the herd to split up.
When he saw the one he was interested in walk out the front door, he slipped out the back and walked around the building to intercept her. She noticed him. "Hello again," Spike began. "I never got your name."
"Jane," she replied. Jane was a tall brunette, about an inch shorter than Spike, and very pretty.
"Sweet Jane," Spike said with a smile. "So Jane, fancy going somewhere to have a drink together?"
Jane smiled. "You mean now?"
"Unless you have plans."
"Oh, no," she replied with a laugh. "I was going home. But I guess I could postpone that for a, half-hour." Spike liked the insinuation.
Dawn and Clarke danced a bit. Then they hung out. Dawn finished a second drink, and was starting on a third. She looked pretty bored. Dawn almost began to hope some demon would pop up to make the night interesting. That always seemed to happen whenever Buffy went to a party. She scoped out the place, looking perhaps for a vampire. As they stood along the wall, Clarke noticed her distraction.
"Is something on your mind, Dawn?," he asked.
"It's nothing. I'm just not much of a party person."
"I know what you mean. After a while they're all the same. To be honest, I just used this as an excuse to spend time with you. Sorry I couldn't show you a good time."
"No Clarke. You've been great. You're fun to hang out with. Heck, you're the only reason I'm here." A slow song by Portishead started playing.
"Do you wanna dance?," Clarke asked.
"Sounds better than just standing around," Dawn answered, taking another sip of her drink before putting the cup down on an end table. They walked away from the wall, put their arms around each other, and started dancing. After a few seconds, Clarke moved his head back a little and looked down into Dawn's eyes. "What is it?," she asked with a smile.
"Nothing. Just that, when I'm with you, when we're together, here, or at school, or wherever, the crowds, the other people, they melt away. The only person I see is you." He holds her tighter, and puts his left cheek against her right check. She holds him tighter. After thirty more seconds of slowly swaying back and forth, Clark moved his head back six inches and tilted it slightly, as if was going to kiss her, but doesn't. The tips of their noses touched. Clarke smiled nervously. So did Dawn. He held her closer.
Spike sat next to Jane at a more upscale bar than he was used to - the kind with $10 drinks. "This is kinda surreal for me," Jane said haltingly.
"I know what you mean. I'm not the sort of musician who picks women up after the show. Actually, I've never done it before. So I guess it's surreal for the both of us."
"So I'm your first?," she asked.
"In a manner of speaking, yes, I suppose you are. This isn't how I usually behave. But once I saw you, I knew I'd be a bloody fool if I let you get away."
"Well then, glad you caught me."
"Tell me about yourself, Jane. What do you do? During the day."
"I'm in advertising."
Spike laughed. "So you've sold your soul. I like that in a woman. I'm kidding. Well, half-kidding The whole stuffed-suit, corporate thing's just not my cup of tea. Bet it pays well."
"Selling your soul? Wouldn't know anything about that," Jane replied, taking Spike's comments in jest.
"No. Advertising. The Fortune 500 gig."
"A lot more than a starving artist like yourself pulls in."
"Oh, I'm hardly starving."
"Wanna bet? You're nothing but skin and bones." She put her hand against his ribs. Spike smiled. He put a hand on her leg.
"I think you'll find I'm a lot more than that." He kissed her. Jane smiled.
The slow dance ended. Dawn and her date slowly separated. Clarke looked at his watch. "It's 11:30. Maybe I should get you home. Wouldn't want your sister mad at me."
"She won't mind if I'm a few minutes late. Besides, this is just starting to get fun." She saw Janice and Brandon. They were talking with a skinny little blonde kid. Dawn walked over with Clarke. Upon seeing them approach, the blonde kid walked away.
"Why'd Elijah split?," Dawn asked.
"Dunno. Probably saw someone else he knew," Brandon shrugged.
"You two looked like you were having a good time," Janice said to Dawn and Clarke.
"Hard not to when I'm with Dawn," Clarke replied.
Dawn touched him on the shoulder. "He is such a sweetie," she whispers to Janice.
"I'll leave you two alone," Janice replied with a wink. Brandon gave her a dirty look. But Janice walked away, so Brandon followed.
"I don't believe you!," an obviously peeved Brandon said to his girlfriend.
"Me? I don't believe you. You're jealous!"
"That's insane! Janice, you're the only girl I want. I love you. You know that. I don't look at Dawn that way. Not anymore."
"And when exactly did that happen?," she asked skeptically.
"Around the time I starting seeing you that way." Janice would accept that for the time being. "I don't trust Clarke. He's using Dawn. I don't know why she can't see that."
"I think Dawn take care of herself," Janice responded.
Clarke went to kiss Dawn. She didn't know what to do. To rebuff him completely might seem rude. And he was really nice. And really good looking. And it was only a mere kiss. No harm in that. So she went along.
Spike was at Jane's apartment. They were ripping each other's clothes off. She was very excited, almost trembling with anticipation. Spike felt liberated. Here he was, with a beautiful naked woman who wanted him desperately. All was finally right with the world. They leaped onto the bed. She was ecstatic. And things were just getting started.
But after a few minutes, Spike realized he wasn't getting started. That was highly unprecedented. After a few more frustrating minutes, he stood up and started cursing.
Jane seemed far more patient than Spike. "Is something the matter?"
"Well yes, obviously. This, this can't be happening. This can't be real. Bloody hell, this is a nightmare."
Jane stood up and walked over to Spike. "Relax. You're just nervous. This is new for you."
"Well yes. Kind of," he answered haltingly. It is his first time with a (music) groupie. And also his first time since becoming human again.
"Just take your time. We got all night. And you do want me?"
She was standing right in front of Spike, completely naked, making this a purely rhetorical question. He grabbed her. Pulled her close. Kissed her. She kissed his neck, his chest, his stomach. "I'm gonna make damn sure you don't regret giving women a chance."
That sounded odd to Spike. He looked downward. "Pardon?," he asked.
She stood up. "Don't be coy. I know what you were. We all know what you were."
"Is that why you're interested in me? Because of what I was?" Just what Spike needed – another vampire groupie.
She laughed. "Of course not! I know, and I don't care. It's behind you. It is, right?"
"Of course. I can't go back. I don't want to go back. Whatever you heard about me, believe me when I say I've changed."
She put her hands on him. "I know. That's why we're here, together." She went back to kissing him. "Now you can make me happy." This was getting a bit odd. She seemed to know too much. But then again, she was beautiful, she was naked, she had her legs wrapped around Spike, so who was he to quibble. He presses her back into the wall. She moans.
"I don't want to hear another word about the blood past," Spike told her. "The past is dead."
Jane heartily concurred. "All that matters is right now. I don't care about those other guys."
Spike was even more confused. "Excuse me? Just what the devil are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb, Spike. It's not like you tried to keep it a big secret. I even saw you out a couple times last year with your boyfriend. Emphasis on boy. The cutie with the brown bangs and the pretty face?"
Spike realized she was talking about Connor. Of all the sick, disturbing things he had seen and heard that day, this was the most stomach-turning. And that was saying an awful lot. "I cannot even begin to tell you how wrong you are. You don't know the first bloody thing about me. "
"You don't need to be so defensive," Jane responded.
Spike quickly got dressed. "I'll tell you one thing, Jane. You really know how to get a bloke out of the mood. You're crazy. Usually, I don't mind that in a girl. Truth be told, I've been known to kind of like it." Spike zipped up his pants and grabbed his shirt. "You have no idea how off the mark you are about me. Not a bloody clue." He slammed the door behind him. Spike threw his shirt on and buttoned it as he walked out to the street.
Spike was livid. This had never happened before to him. It was all Buffy's fault. It had to be. She had stripped everything away from him. His power. His dignity. His pride. And now this. The Slayer's ability to torment his knew no bounds. He couldn't escape her, no matter how hard he tried.
Clarke kept kissing Dawn. It was beginning to get a little too intense for her. What started as a sweet little kiss was rapidly evolving into an unseemly makeout session. And it only got worse. Clarke's hands were roaming into new places. Dawn did not appreciate the unsolicited groping. She pulled her head back and tried to cool things down diplomatically.
"Wait. Clarke, this is too fast."
"Relax," he responded as he kissed her neck and failed to heed her objections.
"Clarke, please, stop."
"Oh come on, Dawn. Just a little more." Dawn tried to break free of his grasp. That just encouraged him.
"Don't be such a tease." Clarke didn't seem to be responding to reason. He was all over her. If he wasn't going to stop himself, she would have to do it for him. She pulled her head back and gave him a quick head butt in the nose.
Clarke let go. He grabbed his nose. "You little bitch!," he yelled. Dawn felt deeply betrayed. What a phony Clarke had turned out to be. She spun around clockwise, landing a right roundhouse kick to Clarke's chin. Clarke was standing behind a couch. The force of the kick knocked him back into and over the couch. He went chest-first through the coffee table in front of the couch, and landed face-first on the rug. Dawn had sent Clarke on a 270 degree backflip. It all happen so fast. There wasn't time to think. Dawn felt threatened, and reacted.
Everyone saw Clarke's face-plant. The house fell silent. No music, no talking. All eyes on Dawn. She looked around nervously, feeling deeply embarrassed. All those people looking at her like she was some psycho freak. She smiled nervously and slowly inched her way to the door. She walked by dozens of people, trying as best she could to avoid eye contact. Dawn walked out the door, and didn't look back. Her reputation as an outcaste was now sealed.
Standing alone along the wall, watching the whole thing with a smile, was Elijah. Clarke used to pick on him and beat him up in fourth and fifth grade. The jock still intimidated him. And now here was this girl who had pummelled him, with an almost balletic grace. He left the party to chase her down. This was a girl he wanted to know better.
A scowl on his face, he ego in shambles, Spike walked back home. He just wanted this terrible day to end. Then he heard a familiar voice from behind. "Spike, what are you doing out here?," Dawn called out. He turned around, saw her quickly approaching, and jumped backwards. She definitely spooked him. Last time he saw her, she had been a vampire.
"What am I doing here? What about you? Does Buffy know you're out this late?"
"Course she does."
Spike smelled alcohol on Dawn's breath. "Have you been drinking?"
"This, from you? Come on," she responded. "It's not like I'm even drunk." She certainly was in possession of all her motor skills. Dawn looked at Spike's face. "How'd you get that scratch?," she asked, putting her hand to Spike's cheek.
Spike flinched and moved back a step. "Oh, this. It's nothing, really. Just something I got from a vampire right before I dusted it." All true, even though it leaves out ninety-nine percent of the relevant details.
"You've been really jumpy these last couple days," Dawn observed.
"Relax. I don't know what's up with you and Buffy. Most of the time I don't want to know. But you and me, we're cool."
Elijah saw Dawn with Spike. Before dropping in at the party, Elijah had been at Spike's concert. What was he doing with Dawn? Eli decides to get in his car and drive off. Looked like when it came to Dawn he had some very stiff competition.
"You're not walking home by yourself, are you?," Spike asked. "It can get kind of dangerous round these parts at night."
"Is that you're way of saying you need me to walk you home and protect you?," Dawn joked.
"Ha ha. I'm merely saying, it's a long walk, and it's late."
"You're right," Dawn answered. She looked behind and saw her friends. "Janice! Brandon! Wait up!" She turned back around. "There's my ride," she said to Spike before walking away. "You need a lift?" Spike laughed at her question, turned, and continued on foot for home.
"I told you Clarke was trouble," Brandon said to Janice.
"And I told you Dawn could take care of herself," Janice replied.
"But you didn't mean like that," Brandon added. Dawn approached.
"Dawn, where did you learn how to do that?," Janice asked.
"Oh. That," she responds before pausing nervously. "Something I picked up from my sister."
"Your sister knows how to fight like that?," Brandon asked. "I didn't know she could, I mean, I didn't know you could. I mean, WOW. What you did in there, that was just, WOW." It was a good thing Brandon had already been going with Janice for two months. Otherwise, he would have been completely and irreversibly smitten with Dawn.
"I'd rather not talk about that right now. Can I get a ride home?," Dawn asked.
"Absolutely," Brandon told her. "I'm not gonna say no to you. Not after that."
"Can we please drop the subject? It's not something I'm proud of."
"Well it should be," Janice countered. They got in the car, Brandon driving, Janice shotgun, Dawn in the back.
"I don't think I've met your sister," Brandon noted. "Have you, Janice?"
"I think I met her once. I'm not sure."
"Is she friends with that guy who came with you to the Homecoming Dance?," Brandon asked Dawn. "You know, that older guy, short black hair, kinda goofy."
"You mean Xander? You know him?," Dawn asked, rather surprised.
"We talked a bit. He seemed pretty cool. Is he friends with your sister?"
"Yeah. They're good friends."
"Cool. We should really hang out with them sometime," Brandon proposed.
Janice had something to add. "Look, Dawn, I'm sorry we've haven't been spending much time together the last few months. Brandon and I have been so wrapped up in each other we weren't there for you when Steven left."
"It's okay, Janice. I know how it is. When you fall in love, you stop noticing the rest of the world."
"But that doesn't mean I want to stopped being your best friend," Janice replied.
"I miss Steven," Brandon said out of the blue.
Dawn laughed. "You're joking, right?," she asked with astonishment.
"No. I really miss him. Sure, he's a little strange. Okay, a lot strange. And disturbingly morbid. But I trusted him. He was totally upfront about his feelings. Alarmingly upfront, at times. He definitely wasn't a phony. What you saw was what you got."
Spike staggered into his flat, weary and demoralized. He had already proven he couldn't be good. This unforgettably horrible day proved he couldn't be bad. So what was he to be?