A/N: Hello all. Okay so I was having trouble posting. I didn't want this story to have an extra chappy because of the Author's Note I wrote so I tried to take it out. When I replaced it with other chapters it didn't update so the real chapter twelve has been sitting there with no one reading it. So good news for all my faithful readers: two new chapters!

Chapter 13:

The sound of the heart monitor woke him up. Spike hadn't even realized that he was still in Angel's hospital room. They had talked about brotherly stuff until late last night. Angel kept coming in an out of sleep. Spike had spent most of the night working on Buffy's case. Sure he never spent that much time on one case ever in his life, but Buffy was a friend.

Just a friend and not anything else like everyone said. He might want there to be something more, but that wouldn't happen any time soon. He wasn't even sure that he really should start anything. He didn't have the best track record with women. He knew what it meant to be in a long-term relationship, but they never lasted.

Spike started to gather up all his stuff. It was close to nine. He wasn't supposed to be in court until eleven, but he was going to meet Buffy at his office for some last minute preparations.

"Hey you stayed?" Cordy said. She was standing in the doorway.

"Yeah I guess I really didn't feel like going home to an empty house." Spike said.

"Your house isn't empty. You still have your dog."

"Sure, but he only pays attention to me when he's hungry."

"Going to court today?"

"Yeah at eleven. I really should be going. I'm supposed to meet Buffy at my office before."

"Ah Buffy. I saw her yesterday at the mall. Just so you know you'll be taking Dawn with you to the movies and the park Saturday."

"Sure Dawn's great."

"So what's up with you and Buffy? I know you just think that it's a friendship thing, but I know it's not."

Spike sighed. "I have to deal with you too. Angel was giving me shit about it as well."

"Yeah so re-hash your conversation with Angel, but with less swearing because it's too early in the morning."

"We are just friends. We're not going down that road."

"But you want to?"

"I'm not sure. She's nice and sweet and kind and everything I could possibly want in a girl, but I don't know if I know myself well enough to enter another relationship. And then there's Dawn to think about. I don't want to be there and get to know Dawn only for it to end up badly."

"You have to have more faith my friend. What happened to the guy who used to believe that there was such a thing soul mates? What happened to the guy who used to take a chance on love no matter what?"

"I'll tell you what I told Peaches over there. He died a long time ago."

"Well I think that you better hurry up with Buffy. I can tell that she really likes you and that you really like her. Stop playing it like you're in high school and hook it up already." Cordy said.

"It's not that easy. Look just let me run my life the way I want. I love you to death, but you people are so controlling. I have to go now. I'll see you guys later."

"Yeah okay."

Cordy watched as Spike left the hospital room and sat in the seat that he was sitting in.

"So he's still in denial even after our nice little chat?" a voice said. Cordy jumped and looked over at Angel he was sitting up in his bed.

"You scared me." Cordy said.

"Sorry honey. I think you're right though. He should just go for it."

"Yeah, but Spike has always been known to do things on his own time."

"Sure, but let's hope he doesn't let this one get away. She's good for him and he has to know that."

"Yeah and I intend to show him."

"Okay your not trying to play Matchmaker are you? That's Will's job."

"Just give me some credit. I introduced Xander and Anya. That worked out."

"Yeah, but it took them like three years to get it through their heads."

"Well this will be different. There is already the introduction and the feelings. They just need a push."

"Just be careful."

"Am I ever not careful?"

"Sometimes."

- - - -- - -- - - -- - -- - - -- ------- - - -- --- - -

"Sorry Warren can't show up until Saturday. At least it will give us some only adult people time. Dawn is going to be over at Cordy's house." Buffy said to Andrew as they walked up the steps to Spike's office. Today was the day that her mother was going to testify against her. She was a little nervous by everything, but Spike said that he had a trick up his sleeve and Buffy believed him.

"Do you think that it's wise to let Dawn stay over at a boy's house? I mean I met Cordy and she seems like a nice lady and the kids seem really great, but it's still a boy." Andrew said.

"Dawn's six. Thoughts like that don't enter her mind. Besides there'll be a girl there and I think that Dawn will spend most of her time with her. And Spike is taking them to the movies and the park. Things will be fine. Dawn doesn't have that many friends and she seems to really like Connor and Maddy. Just except that." Buffy said. They were in front of Spike's door by this point.

"So are you going to knock or shall I?" Andrew said. He knew that this had to be hard for Buffy what with Joyce testifying against her. Andrew was sure that Joyce didn't know what she was doing, but he still didn't know if he could forgive and forget.

"No I can do this." Buffy lifted up her hand and knocked. She heard Spike say to come in and she did.

"Hey Buffy, Andrew you guys are early." Spike said looking at the clock on his wall.

"Oh sorry." Buffy said.

"No it's okay. I was just noting it. So I'm not going to ask you if you're ready because I don't think that anyone can be ready for this, but why don't' you sit down." Spike said. Buffy and Andrew sat in the chairs. Andrew was calm, but Buffy was visible shaken.

"So what's the plan?" Andrew said taking the initiative for Buffy.

"Well I know that Buffy and I discussed using Dawn as a witness. I know that I said I wanted to avoid it at all cost, but we're running out of options here." Spike said.

Everyone was quiet for a little while until Buffy said, "You want to use Dawn as a witness." It was a question and a statement at the same time.

"Yes, I know that it is going to be very traumatic, but we have limited options."

"How can you? I thought you already used up all your witnesses?" Andrew asked. He wasn't entirely sure how these things worked, but he thought that their turn was over.

"Well I can use Dawn as a rebuttal witness to their rebuttal witness." Spike said.

"How can we do that?" Buffy asked.

"Well it won't be easy. I'll have to get Joyce to open the door herself and that could be tricky. I'm not entirely sure what her testimony will do to the judge. I'll have to make the decision on what to do when I'm in there, but I have ran scenarios. If I can get Joyce to say exactly what I want her to say I can use Dawn."

"So we're going on what she says. A little risky don't' you think?" Andrew said not wanting to seem like he was telling Spike how to do his job.

"Well yeah it is risky. I'm not putting all our eggs in one basket, but this is our best shot."

Buffy was quiet for a while. She wasn't sure what this would do to Dawn. It couldn't be much worse then letting her be near Riley without supervision, but it would scar.

"So if we do this, if we get her to say what you need her to say, what will happen with Dawn?" Buffy asked quietly.

"I'll have to give it a couple of days. I'm thinking that we should be ready by Tuesday maybe Wednesday at the latest. You'll have to convince Dawn that she needs to do this. That might take some time, but you have to do it. It's going to be scarring and I know that, but you have to try, Buffy. This has to be done." Spike said. He knew that it would be hard for Dawn to do this, but it was necessary. He had tried his hardest to make it so that she didn't have to testify, but he had failed at doing that.

"Okay I think that I can convince her to do this. She'll be upset, but if you get her to see that this is the only way then she'll do it. She's scared of Riley, but she needs a father. She's trying to hold on to that." Buffy said.

"Father figures are important. Do you really think that you could get her to do this?" Spike asked. He needed to know that if he got Joyce to say the right words and the judge decided that Dawn's testimony would be relevant that Dawn would do it. He would look pretty stupid if she backed out.

"Yeah I think that there'll be major convincing, but she'll do the right thing in the end."

"Well that's good. Now it's almost ten-thirty and we have a court appearance at eleven. Let's get going. I'll meet you guys there."

"Yeah sure." Buffy said. She stood up and came face to face with Spike. He was brimming with confidence and care. She knew that everything with the case was going to be all right. Her love life was another story.

- - - -- -- - -- - -- - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - -- -- - -

Spike couldn't stop thinking about Giles's call on the way over to the courthouse. He had gotten it before Buffy and Andrew showed up. He had offered him a job at his new law firm. Sure it was supposed to be great.

It was a defense law firm and Giles was going to make him a partner. The down side was that he was opening it in San Francisco, which didn't come as a big shock considering Giles and his wife Jenny lived there. Spike replayed the conversation in his head.

"Will Flannery's office."

"William it's me, Giles."

"Oh hi Giles. Why are you calling?" Spike asked.

"Sorry if I bothered you, Will, it's just that we never got to talk at your brother's barbecue."

"Oh right. Sorry about that Giles, but you've probably heard from the grapevine about Angel."

"Yes I heard and I was terribly saddened."

"Yeah so was I. Anyway so you called here because you had something to say."

"Oh right I was going to tell you that I'm opening up another firm."

"Really that's great."

"I wanted to know if you would like to join in. I was thinking about making you a partner."

"A partner!? You're kidding right. You're thinking about making me a partner at your new firm. Did you go totally over the deep end?"

"I thought that you'd be happy."

"Well I'm insanely happy, but I'm wondering if you're insane."

Spike could hear Giles laughing on the other end of the phone.

"That's great to hear. So do you think that you want the job?"

"Sure!" Spike said. He was very happy. This was a step in the right direction. This was a good thing.

"Good I thought that you would like it here in San Francisco."

"Wait. San Francisco?"

"Yes that's where I'm opening the new law firm."

"Oh. I didn't know that. I think that maybe now I have to think about it."

"Why? William there is nothing keeping you in Sunnydale."

"Well Angel's sick and that's a big deal. I have to be here for him."

"I'm sure that you can come every weekend. Will, you have to think about your future. This is a big step in your career. You have to take it."

"I don't know if I can. Look just give me some time to think about it."

"You really should do this. I hope that you think about it and realize that this is the best choice. I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to, but give it some thought."

"I will." Giles hung up the phone and Spike did the same. Then Buffy and Andrew walked inside the room.

Now Spike thought about Giles's offer. It would be a great step in his career. He would be a partner and at one of Giles's firms. Both of the firms that Giles had were big time. What was holding him back in Sunnydale? He could see Angel every weekend and things would get good. If he didn't take this job what would happen once Angel got better. He wouldn't be able to live with himself and the fact that he didn't take this great job. So why was he thinking about saying no?

The answer to that question was simple. It was the possibility that anything could happen with Buffy. Sure he could tell all his friends and family that they were just friends, but he knew that he didn't want that to be true. He wanted to be with her and the possibility that that would happen was what was keeping him here. So he had a decision to make and it wouldn't be a small one. It would be one of those keep you up all night decisions. Of course he couldn't think about that right now. He was on his way to court and he had to think about the case.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _

Buffy sat in the courtroom waiting for Riley, his lawyer, and her mother to show up. They were a few minutes early, but they were waiting. Patience wasn't one of her best virtues and it was clearly not Spike's either. He was fidgeting with his pen and tapping his feet on the ground.

"Stop that you're making me nervous." Buffy whispered to him.

"Sorry, it's just I hate waiting."

"Well so do I. How can Andrew be so calm? This is totally nerve racking and look at him. Cool as a cucumber."

"I think that he figures someone has to be. I know you haven't broken down which is amazing on your part, but I think that he doesn't know what to do. Guys like to remain indifferent about things."

"Even gay guys?"

"It would appear so. He's just trying to be the strong one just in case you decide to break down."

"Well I'm not going to break down. I need to be strong for Dawn and I just can't. Not over Riley. Not anymore."

"That's the attitude to have." Spike was going to say something more, but just then Riley, Dru and Joyce walked in the courtroom.

Joyce looked over at her daughter. Buffy looked distraught, but was keeping her emotion at bay. Sure Joyce knew that this wouldn't crown her mother of the year, but the truth had to be spoken. She was going along with everything Riley's lawyer had asked her to do. She was lying she was telling the truth. Joyce looked over to see Andrew sitting on one of the benches. He was very angry with her and glaring.

Andrew had always had a soft spot for Buffy, but Joyce knew better then to just trust her. She lied for too much and now the court would know about it. Dawn deserved a father. Buffy had had a father and even though there was no love at the end of her marriage with Hank she had stayed with him. Kids needed their fathers and Joyce gave Buffy hers. Joyce thought it was selfish to even consider divorce, but here Buffy was divorcing her husband. She couldn't allow Buffy to take away Dawn's father. So she sat quietly in her seat and waited for instructions.

Dru told Riley to sit and he sat. The guy was trouble that much Dru knew. And boy did he have a temper. It was the worst. He blew up at every little thing. Dru almost felt guilty for lying about him beating his kid, but she was all about winning no matter what the cost. She walked over to Spike to see if he would take her offer to settle.

"So are you still going to be stupid and not take my offer. It's still on the table you know." Dru said. Spike looked up at her and had a smug look on his face.

"I'm sorry. I'm going to have to pass. Thanks for the offer though." Spike said calmly.

"Now Spike you know that I have something up me sleeve I don't understand why you don't just take the offer. Look I'll even make it so that he only sees the kid only ever other weekend. It's going to be much better then half-custody or perhaps even soul custody." Dru said.

"Well them I'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get some things together." Spike said.

Dru knew that he was trying to play it off cool.

"Well let's just see who the best lawyer is." Dru said hoping to provoke him.

"Yeah we'll see who wins." Spike said not bothering to look up at her. His mind was a million different places and he didn't have time for her before the hearing banter. Dru glared at him and then stalked off to her seat. He was being too cool. Either he had something else on his mind or he had something up his sleeve and wasn't affected by her threats. Dru thought that the latter was probably the best one to go with.

"Well you certainly showed her." Buffy said with a little sarcasm.

"Yeah I don't really care what she thinks or says. She thinks that she's got this thing one, but she doesn't know. Besides I've got about a thousand things on my mind that don't include her." Spike said.

"Are you sure you're okay to be all lawyer-y? I mean if you've got other things on you mind then that might be a bad thing."

"No I'm good. The main thing on my mind is this case."

"Yeah and the other is Angel."

"Yes he's in there, but it's no big deal. Just brotherly stuff that means nothing, but I keep it in my head just because." Spike was partially lying. He did have Angel on the brain, but it was more about the Giles decision that he would have to make.

"Okay if you say so."

The judge entered the room and the bailiff instructed everyone to rise.

"You may be seated." The judge said.

"Miss Collins please call your witness to the stand." The judge said. Dru called Joyce up to the stand and Joyce went to the witness stand. The bailiff made her raise her right hand and swear to tell the truth. After that was done Dru went over to Joyce.

"Please state for the court your relationship with Mrs. Finn." Dru said.

"I'm her mother."

"Tell me Mrs. Schafer, did you ever see my client hit his wife or his child."

"No."

"And you've been over at their house plenty of times right."

"Yes."

"How was Mrs. Finn as a child?"

"Objection, relevance." Spike said. He wasn't sure what Dru was getting at, but he wasn't sure he liked it.

"It goes against Mrs. Finn's character. She was been attacking my client's and I just wanted the court to know hers."

"Overruled. You may answer the question, Mrs. Schafer."

"Well she was a good kid, but there was this one incident."

"Can you elaborate?"

"Yes when she was a child, around the time she was ten, she had this problem telling the truth."

"How so?"

"Well the specialist said that she was had some sort of problem with attention. That she would make up stories and such to get our attention.

Spike looked a little nervous. He wondered why Buffy hadn't told him about that. It was nothing, but it still mattered. Buffy was shifting in her seat. She had forgotten to tell Spike that, but it was such a long time ago and it was something she did for attention her parents weren't giving her any.

"So she would tell a lie when she felt that she wasn't getting attention?"

"Yes."

"What kind of stories?"

"Just ridiculous things like she tripped when she didn't."

"So she pretended to get hurt."

"Mostly. She used to get her friends to play a long."

"Friends like Willow Osbourne?"

"Yes Willow used to play a long all the time."

"How about Andrew Schafer?"

"Andy used to help her come up with stories."

"Did you ever see any evidence that Mr. Finn beat her?"

"No."

"Did anyone ever tell you he did these things?"

"No."

"No further questions your honor." Dru said with a smug smile on her face.

"Your witness counselor." The judge said to Spike. Spike looked down at his papers. There was nothing on them, but he was buying time. He looked over at Buffy and then stood up. He took a deep breath and then walked over to Joyce.

"Mrs. Schafer you say that your daughter used to makeup stories about getting hurt to gain attention right?"

"Yes."

"And no one ever told you that Mr. Finn was beating on my client?"

"That's right."

"What kind of relationship did you have with Mr. Finn?"

"Riley and I got a long very good. He was a nice boy."

"What kind of relationship did you have with your daughter?

" "We were sort of fighting all the time. We didn't have a very good relationship after she became an adult."

"After you met Mr. Finn, did you talk to him a lot?"

"Not a lot. I don't think I ever talked to him unless he was around Buffy."

"So you didn't have a special relationship with Mr. Finn?"

"What are you insinuating?"

"I'm insinuating that you and Mr. Finn were very close."

"If you think that I had an affair with my daughter's husband then you're out of line. I would never do that."

"Oh I'm sorry for bringing it up. So tell me how is your relationship with your granddaughter?"

"Dawn and I have a good relationship."

"Did your granddaughter ever tell you that Mr. Finn was hitting her?"

"No she never said anything."

"Did you ever find out if she had this attention problem?"

"Yes and she didn't have it."

"So let's say that we brought Dawn in here right now and she told you what was really going on. She wouldn't say anything that could be misconstrued as trying to get attention?"

"No she wouldn't say anything that wasn't true. She doesn't have the same disorder as Buffy."

"Well isn't that interesting. Your honor I'd like to call a rebuttal witness against their rebuttal witness."

"What you can't do that." Dru said.

"Oh, but I think that I can. See Mrs. Schafer opened the door. I would like to have Dawn testify. Although I would also like to ask for a recess till Tuesday morning seeing as Monday is a holiday and I need time to talk to the witness."

Judge Stevens thought about this. The man that stood before him was a very good lawyer. He had probably planned it this way and it was true that Mrs. Schafer had opened the door.

"I'm going to grant that because you have a point. Court will convene at eleven on Tuesday morning." Judge Stevens said as he walked back to his chambers

. Joyce walked over to Dru and Riley and asked, "What happened?"

"It turns out that Mr. Flannery is still as good as ever." Dru said glaring at Spike.

"Well you do know first hand. Should've known I had something up my sleeve. I always do."

"The kid isn't going to do anything. Your witness testimony is shot to hell after this."

"Oh contraire. See I think that Dawn's testimony will be icing on the cake. Should be fun to watch you squirm again."

"Well will see."

"We sure will. Let's go." Spike said to Buffy. She got up and started to walk away when her mother caught her by the arm.

"Why are you doing this? You know how important it is to have a dad and you're denying Dawn that. And you." Joyce said looking at Spike. "Do you even know the importance of having a dad?"

"Let go of my arm." Buffy said. Joyce let go of her arm.

"Riley hit us." Buffy said.

"It's not a lie."

"Of course it is Buffy. You're just making this up." Riley said. Dru had told him to play a long with the little charade and he accepted.

"Oh that's right. I'm the liar. You can go to hell for all I care. Our marriage is over and that's it. You won't hurt my daughter though. I won't let that happen." Buffy said.

"It's all just a lie. Dawn needs to be around people that won't lie to her." Joyce said.

"It's not a lie Joyce. I've seen him beat on Buffy badly." Andrew said. He had come over after seeing Joyce grab Buffy's arm.

"You always lied for her, Andy. How am I supposed to believe you?" Joyce said.

"Yeah everybody but Riley is lying here." Buffy said.

"Look I hate to break up this little family reunion, but we have to go." Spike said.

"Again I ask why are you helping her? Is it because it's your job? Do you know how important a father figure is?" Joyce asked.

"A father figure, yes, but fathers aren't all that they're cracked up to be. Now we must go before any more words are exchanged." Spike said ushering Buffy and Andrew out of the courtroom.

- - - - -- - - - -- - - --- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Willow in one of the many chairs in her office. She didn't have any clients until two and was using her free time to just browse the Internet. She wished that she could be there for Buffy, but she had a client at eleven and it was now twelve. Even if she made it over there things would surely be done by that time. So here she was just sitting and doing nothing.

It was really boring. She was thinking about the news that she had received from the doctor. She would have to tell Buffy soon, but not before she told Oz. She was thinking about how they would take the news when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in." Willow said. When she looked up to see who it was she was surprised.

"I didn't expect you to be showing up today." Willow said.

"Yeah well I had some free time after court and decided to drop by." Spike said.

"So what's on your mind?" Willow asked.

"Nothing really. Okay that's a lie, but I just wanted to see if you were still interested in listening to my problems for free." Spike said.

"Well I didn't have a chance to talk to you about it what with the interrogation and such, but I guess now is as good a time as any." Willow said.

"Good because I've come to grips with the fact that I need professional help."

"So let's start off by setting a time that fits your life best."

"Well see that's the thing. I'm not exactly sure what time that'll be."

"Why not?" Willow asked.

"I got this really good job offer, but it's in San Francisco." Spike said.

"Oh. Are you considering taking the job?" Willow asked. The professional in her was saying to encourage this, but the friend in her was saying to talk him into staying no matter the costs.

"I was thinking about it. I mean this is a great job opportunity for me. But San Francisco is far away and I want be able to see Angel when he needs me." Spike said.

"Well what do you think is the logical answer?" Willow asked.

"There is no logic. I mean the work orientated me is saying take the fucking job and get out of this shitty hellhole. The family friend me is saying you have to stay because your life is here. I'm not sure which one to listen to." Spike said.

"Well listen to the one that makes the most sense."

"That's just it I don't know which one makes the most sense."

"You have some time to think about it right?"

"Yes I do."

"Well then you have to figure out what's keeping you here and all the things that would be good about the other job."

"Yeah I guess. I have to get back to Giles soon though."

"Then you better start working on it."

Spike looked down at his watch. It was almost twelve thirty.

"Okay well let's set a time just in case I decide not to take the job."

"Okay so what are your free days?"

"As a lawyer I don't have any free days."

"Oh well I know how that is. Are you sure there aren't any days that you could come?"

"Well I could probably come on Monday at noon. Does that work out for you?" Willow looked through her agenda. She didn't have anyone at that time.

"Well it'll be a tight fit. I have a patient right after that."

"Well I guess it's a date. Excuse me I have to go know. I'll see you later."

"Bye." She watched him walk out.

As a professional she wasn't allowed to breech confidentiality, but if she didn't tell Buffy then he might leave. He couldn't leave and Willow hoped that he would see that. She was being selfish on her friend's behalf, but he made Buffy happy and vise verse. Willow could only hope that they would realize that.

A/N: read and review. Please! Purty Please! I just LOVE reviews!