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Chapter 4: Conversations

It was three days since Buffy and Spike had coffee together and she had played the conversation they had shared over and over in her mind. She had been shocked at how much they had to talk about whether it was something frivolous or an important subject. They had a lot of views that differed, but neither minded. The reason being that each felt strongly about their opinions and therefore neither questioned the others opinion. They simply agreed to disagree. They had talked about a range of subjects from their families and pastimes through to the biggest political issues of the moment. Buffy was surprised that she hadn't seen Anya, after all she had said she would 'speak to her later' and she knew what that meant in her friend's mind. She suddenly discovered that she had perhaps thought that so soon, because as she was sitting in bed going over that day with Spike for the hundredth time she saw her door creak open and Anya come in. She sighed, knowing that an interrogation was imminent.

"Hello Buffy" Anya greeted cheerfully "I told you we would talk" Buffy grimaced and gave a weak smile and motioned for Anya to take a seat.

"Look, Anya, I know what you're thinking but-"

"No, Buffy I don't think you do" Anya disagreed "you have no idea how crazy I think you are. Speaking of thinking, what were you?" she shouted

"What" Buffy squeaked "What was I what?"

"What were you thinking telling Drusilla's brother that you work here?" said Anya

"Look, Ahn, I don't know I just"

"Just what?"

"I just really liked him, and I knew he wouldn't want anything to do with me if he knew the truth" she sighed

"Buffy, you don't know that, he seemed to like you from what I saw and that was before you told him you were a volunteer" Anya reassured her

"But Anya, if he knew the reason why I'm here. I can't tell him that. His sister is sick and he has a bad enough time taking care of her, he wouldn't want to be with me if he knew why I'm here. It would be too much for him" she told her friend

"But Buffy, that should be his decision. And besides, the illness you have is completely different to what Drusilla has. Chances are Drusilla is never getting better, she's crazy, something happened to her and she's looked away somewhere that she's probably never coming back from. You on the other hand, with a little help, you can get better. You need emotional scarring healed sure, but at the end of the day, eventually you will leave here. Drusilla may not, unless she gets taken to an institution of course" Anya told he bluntly

"Anya-"

"No, don't Anya me" the girl snapped "stop feeling sorry for yourself, Spike deserves to know the truth. It's not fair to be this dishonest with him. If you think he wants a relationship with you and you want one with him, then you have to tell him. It's only fair. You wouldn't want him to find out later would you"

Buffy shook her head in the negative and continued to listen to her friend's rant

"You should tell him, maybe he's what you need to get over what happened. You won't ever forget but you have to move on, start over. He could be the perfect person to help you do that" she finished

"I know" Buffy agreed "I have to tell him. So I'll tell you what, if he wants a relationship, if I think anything is going to happen then I will tell him the truth. But not yet. I'm just not ready. But soon I will tell him" Buffy promised

"Good" Anya said "it's the right thing to do. Oh and when you do anything with him, will you tell me the answer to my enquiry" Anya asked

"What enquiry" Buffy was puzzled, she couldn't remember anything Anya had said about Spike other than...

"Tell me what his eyes look like when he's horny" she exclaimed with a wide grin, Buffy groaned and threw a pillow at her.

While Buffy was having the talk with Anya, Spike was meeting up with his best friend. He was sitting at a table in a bistro waiting for him to arrive, he was thinking about Buffy when he saw the figure sit down at the table across from him. He looked up with a smile

"He Gunn, how's things man?" he asked

"Ok, I guess, been busy." The other man told him

Charles Gunn had been the first person Spike met upon arriving in town. He was in a couple of Spike's classes and they had talked on the first day, becoming firm friends. Gunn was currently in graduate school training to be a lawyer.

"So what about you man. How have you been?" the other man asked

"Not great" Spike told him "Dru's in a hospital has been for over a month. She's really sick. Tried to kill herself. I tried to help her but I don't think she's gonna get better" he said sadly

"That's rough" Gunn sympathized "any silver linings?" Spike got a silly grin on his face and nodded

"Met a girl. She volunteers at the hospital. Man, this girl is amazing. She is absolutely gorgeous, smart and funny and kind and-"he babbled

"I think I get the picture" Gunn cut him off knowing his friend would go on forever otherwise

"Sorry, it's just I really like her" Spike informed him

"So does the chick have a name"

"Buffy"

"Buffy, what kind of name is that?" asked Gunn

"It's unique, just like her" Spike chastised

"Ok, whatever. Looks like this girl really did a number on you. She's got you whipped already" he laughed

"As if asshole" Spike growled "besides I haven't even been on a date with her yet. Gonna ask her next time I see her"

"Wait a minute, you're this crazy of a girl you haven't even on a date with yet? Man you're more whipped than I thought" Gunn taunted Spike gave out another low growl to show his displeasure at his friends teasing

"Yeah well say what you want she's special. I really like her."

"Well, you deserve someone descent so I hope she's as great as you say" Gunn said. Spike gave a small smile, and the conversation ended there. Both deciding to catch up on other new developments.

Buff was still sitting on her bed an hour later when the doctor came in and smiled at her

"Hello Buffy, I've got some good news for you"

"What?" she asked "You get to go home" the doctor informed her

"Oh my god really, I do?" she squealed excitedly

"Yes but only for the weekend. Your mother is coming in so you get to go home for the weekend, for a visit. But you will be back here on Monday" he added Buffy's excitement decreased only slightly, she hadn't been out of the hospital in over three months or seen her mother so any time away was great.

"Thank you doctor" she said genuinely. Just as she said this she saw a flash of blonde hair and a black leather jacket pass by her door and quickly told the doctor she had to do something as she ran from the room. The doctor had been about to leave anyway, she had her checks in the morning.

She ran outside and called Spike's name. She flashed a smile when he turned round. He walked back towards her

"Hi pet, fancy seeing you here" he greeted

"I know, I'm usually never in this place" she joked "so how have you been?"

"Good. You?"

"Also good" she smiled

"Um,. Buffy I wanted to ask you something" he shuffled nervously from foot to foot, trying to think how to ask her, he hadn't asked anyone out in a while "Well I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me Saturday night"

"Um" she pretended to think before answering "yeah I would like that"

"Great" he exclaimed "well tell me your address and I will pick you up on Saturday" She was glad her mom had kept her flat when she moved away and even gladder for home visits. She quickly told him the address and gave him a bright smile "Well, pet, I should probably get to my sister. She'll be wondering where I am. I'll see you Saturday. Pick you up at seven"

"Sure I'll see you then" they said their goodbyes and Buffy retreated to the television room. Feeling like she was walking on air. And she couldn't help but think Anya was right maybe he was the one.