Chapter 4

A few weeks later, Buffy stood at the bus stop in the pouring rain, hugging her thin jacket round her body, trying in vain to regain some warmth. The one thing she hated about this damned country was the rain. It could come out of nowhere. She would never get used to it. It hadn't looked like rain a few hours ago when she'd left for lectures and she didn't have an umbrella with her but here it was anyway. And it wasn't just any rain, it was that horrible, nasty rain that soaks you to the skin in seconds, worms its way down the back of your neck and drips off your eyelashes. Buffy was miserable and to make it worse her bus was late – again.

She silently cursed the fact that there was no parking on campus. She thought longingly about the little car parked outside the flat. She'd bought it last year so she and Willow could go exploring the country – usually with Xander, Tara and Riley as guides. It was always a squash to fit five into such a little car but no one seemed to mind too much and it was fun. If she could only park on campus she could be in home in minutes, warm and dry, instead of standing for what seemed like hours at a bus stop in the pouring rain, freezing cold and soaking wet. Buffy sighed and pushed her wet hair out of her eyes again, pulling her jacket further round her small frame.

It was another ten minutes before the bus finally arrived and Buffy could climb aboard, pay the fare and find a seat. She stared out of the window at the sheeting rain, wondering if it would ever stop.

Buffy slammed the door shut behind her when she finally reached home – 'wet and cold Buffy' generally equalled 'severely pissed off Buffy' – and bumped right into Spike who was just coming up the stairs.

"Hey pet, watch where you're going will ya – you'll do a guy an injury!" He eyed her sodden state. "Raining, I take it?"

She growled at him, "Ha ha – very funny. Yes! Oh great observant one – it's raining. And what are you doing here again anyway?"

"'Nother assignment. Got'em every week now, so you'd better get used to having me around."

"And you're always going to do them here – don't you have a home to go to?"

"Yes, and yes. But they're always going to be group work – that means working with Oz. Also I have a tiny little room and flatmates from hell – it's much nicer here. Anyway, it's hard enough as it is to drag Oz away from band rehearsals to get these assignments done without having to rely on his ability to get off his arse and come round mine – much easier to come here," he looked down at her feet, "And luv? You're dripping on the carpet."

Buffy looked down to see that he was right – a definite damp patch was forming around her feet. "Fine. If this is going to be your second home you can make yourself useful – mine's a tea, one sugar, not much milk. I'm going to have a shower and get changed – and no hogging the sofa!"

Ten minutes later Buffy came down stairs dressed in a pair of shorts and a baggy t-shirt, her feet clad in her furry bunny slippers as she busily towel-dried her hair.

Spike looked up from his position, sprawled on the couch, "Better pet? Tea's there." He indicated the steaming mug of brown liquid on the coffee table by his knee.

Buffy threw herself down onto the couch beside Spike and eagerly grabbed the mug, warming her hands round it. She brought it to her lips and took a sip, feeling the hot liquid travel down her throat and the heat spread through her body. "God, I needed that! How can you live in a country that has so much rain?"

"You deal with it – and you carry an umbrella."

"Yeah. I have one, but it didn't look like rain when I left for classes."

"Luv?" Spike glanced over at her and raised an eyebrow. "You've been here for over a year now, right?"

"Yes"

"And you still don't carry an umbrella with you at all times in autumn?"

Buffy pouted, "It doesn't fit in my bag."

Spike chuckled at that. "Then I suggest you either get a smaller umbrella or a bigger bag because I hate to tell you this, but the 'drowned rat' look is out this season."

"Thanks – tell me something I don't already know! What are you, the fountain of all knowledge?" Buffy teased, poking Spike gently in the ribs.

"Oi! You stop that right now!"

"Or what?" She smirked and poked him again.

"Or this!" Spike launched himself at her, hands diving to her waist as he began to tickle her mercilessly.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Buffy gasped between laughs.

"Promise you'll never poke me again!"

"I. Can't. Promise. That." She wheezed.

"Say it!" He continued to tickle her with one hand as he held her down on the sofa with his other arm.

She gazed into his clear blue eyes, only inches away from her own and smiled. "No" she said sweetly before kicking up with her legs and neatly flipping him off her and on to the floor.

Xander and Riley chose that minute to enter the room. They both looked at Spike lying collapsed on the floor with Buffy laughing hysterically at the sight.

"You okay mate?" Xander asked, helping Spike up off the floor.

"Yeah – just learned an important lesson. Always pin her legs down before tickling that one." He indicated, Buffy who was now trying desperately to stop laughing.

Riley walked across the room towards Buffy, patting Spike on the shoulder as he passed. "Let me give you a word of advice: don't go for the feet. Very, very painful." He sat down next to Buffy and laid an arm round her shoulder to bring her into his embrace. "Well done sweetie – you managed to get one over on the big bad." The two looked at each other and both burst out laughing.

"Hey, no need to be like that about it. She just caught me by surprise, that's all." Spike sulked as he straightened his clothes.

"Hey man, it's not you. It's their private little joke. No one beats Buffy in a tickling fight. Just accept it and try to escape with some sort of manly pride left intact. And don't go for her feet." Xander advised before turning to the couple on the sofa. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

"Plan? There's no plan" said Buffy.

"Buffy and were thinking of having a quiet night in," agreed Riley

Xander turned to Spike.

"How about you? Up for a night on the town?"

"Sorry mate, no can do – as soon as Oz is back we're hard at work on the latest project."

"When's it in for?" Buffy asked.

"Tomorrow morning."

"How much you got left to do?" Riley asked.

"Hmm. All of it."

"You haven't started yet?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"Not really. I mean we got as far as organising for me to come over tonight but that's about it." Spike shrugged and sat down in the armchair.

"Aren't you worried you won't get it done?"

"Not really. At worst we'll just work through the night. Done it before, do it again."

"You can't do that!" She exclaimed.

"Why not? Gets the work done."

"But what about your grade?"

"Trust me – the mark we get will be generally the same as the one we'd get anyway. Between Oz and me, these assignments aren't that hard."

"So, if this doesn't take you all night, what you gonna do?" Buffy asked.

"Walk home, most likely. Don't have a car at the moment – totalled the last one over the summer and the student loan won't stretch to cover another one – and the buses will probably have stopped running, so no real choice there."

"Spike, it's probably miles and," Buffy pointed to the small basement window that was still being battered by the storm raging outside, "in case it had escaped your notice it is still raining out there."

"You have a better idea?"

"Yeah – this sofa's a pullout bed. We have spare bedding. You can sleep here." She looked at Xander and Riley for confirmation.

"Sure, fine by me." Xander shrugged.

"Sounds like a plan. Though this isn't actually my house, in case you hadn't noticed," said Riley.

"Yeah, but as you're like a permanent resident, I thought you'd like a say in this one."

"Thanks sweetie."

"No big."

"So, back to me," Xander interrupted the brewing moment of sickening sweetness from the couple on the sofa, "is there no one who'll go out with me tonight?"

"Doesn't look that way mate." Spike commiserated.

"Nope. Willow and Tara have gone out to a romantic meal at La Tasca down on Deansgate so they're not due back for hours and I'm sure that they won't want disturbing when they do get back." Buffy glared meaningfully at Xander.

"Hey! As if I would!"

The rest of the room just turned and looked at him in astonishment.

"What?"