Just One Little Kiss

:: CHAPTER THREE ::

Patrick walked back into the room to find Spike sat up in the bed with a book half open, reading, and Buffy asleep on her side, facing the other way. "What the heck happened?" He asked, angered that he'd just got the girl clean, and now one of the actors was asleep.

"Shh!" Whispered Spike, holding a finger to his mouth. "You know what they say about models – never eat, never sleep. Why don't we go and shoot the scene in the bathroom with the dad and the kid brushing her teeth, eh, mate?"

A moment later they were gone, and Buffy opened her eyes, hearing the door softly close. It had worked like a charm! She sat up and looked around. Without other people their to fill it, the room seemed much more formal. The strong, wooden furniture, unobtrusive art, and the cream and brown colours all added together to make the room strong and empowering.

What had just happened? She had just let a man she hardly knew, (and hardly liked!) kiss her and touch her. How could she do that? She tried to focus her mind on anger, but her heart kept racing as she thought of him pressed against her, the weight of his body, the taste of his skin…

FLASHBACK

Buffy had to admit it; she was lost. She didn't know how, but a series of wrong turns had led her finally to a dark corner of the town that she previously hadn't known existed. A door banged shut from a large warehouse, not too far away. No streetlamps made it harder for her to realise where she was.

She realised she shouldn't be there, and turned back, pulling her coat tighter around her for comfort. Her steps weren't the only ones she heard. She quickened her pace, desperate to avoid confrontation; so unlike her in the day, but this was the night and the rules had changed. Whoever was following her, sped up too.

Her heart pounded within her ribcage, fear gripped her, desperate to paralyse her muscles, but always just out of reach. She began to run and fumbled in her bag for her keys, anything that she could use to protect herself. She could feel it, if only she could reach it. Just…a…little…bit…lower…

She turned, pulling her house key out and holding it between her fingers, but no one was there. She let out a sigh of relief before turning, bumping into someone's chest.

"Argh!" She cried, before looking up to see Spike. He stared back and raised an eyebrow, before looking out across the darkness. He fitted in so well with the night; his black and blood red clothes disappearing into the air.

As if sensing her fear, he spoke loudly; "I'll give you a ride back to your house." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. He stood for a moment, before turning, putting a commanding arm around her and leading her away.

::

Buffy awoke to find it night time; no light fell through the curtains. She didn't know how long she had slept, but a memory kept playing in her mind. Her heart was racing from reliving it in her dream, and her body felt the glow of perspiration to her skin.

She pulled back the covers and stepped out of the bed, rubbing her hands across her face. Wrapping herself up in the bed's throw, she yawned and stretched out. A noise from behind the bedroom door froze her limbs. She held her breath to listen, but, realising it was the TV, forced herself to blink and open the door.

Spike was asleep on the sofa in front of the screen. He lay in scruffy jeans and a black t-shirt with Leah asleep on top of him, still in her Spiderman costume. He looked so peaceful; not like the moody teenager she remembered from high school, nor like the cool, organised businessman she'd seen earlier. Just peaceful.

She walked over to them and turned the TV off, before covering them with the throw she'd brought and returning back to the room to lie down.

FLASHBACK

Buffy was sat up straight in the lunchroom, waiting for Spike to arrive. Lunch was about the one part of the day he always turned up for. The hall doors pushed open as he walked in, his arm around his Goth-girlfriend. She didn't know why, but she hadn't expected it today.

She caught his eye as, holding a sandwich in one hand, he stopped in the lunch-line and, with one arm around her neck and the other at her waist, he began bite and suck at her neck. His dark eyes flashed something at her for a moment, before seemingly looking straight through her.

Nothing had changed.

::

Spike barely acknowledged her entrance as she emerged from the bedroom the next morning to find the suite teeming with life again. He had changed again, back to his suit, and was busy talking with Pete. God, he looked gorgeous in that suit! It roughly hinted at the man beneath, the man she'd felt pressed against her. Buffy considered going to join them, but both their expressions seemed serious and severe.

"Christ, man! I thought you were Mr Smooth, but…heck!" Pete said, his eyes wide with surprise. Spike blinked, again, and brushed his hair back.

"What the bloody hell am I supposed to do?"

Pete raised his eyebrows and nodded. "You've got yourself a problem there, mate."

"Oh, for fu--" He began to shout, but was cut short by Patrick's shouts.

"PREPARE FOR THE SOFA SCENE! FIVE MINUTES, TOPS!"

"What am I going to do?" He spat out in a whisper. Pete continued to nod. "Stop NODDING!" Pete glared at him. "Sorry, man."

"You're just going to have to focus on something completely non-sexual. Picture her with…hey, look!" He said, pointing at Buffy who had cream all over her face from a large cake that Leah was making her eat. "There you go, problem sorted." He dusted his hands.

"No!" His friend whined, "Not sorted. Now, I want to lick it off, taste her lips, her tongue, her body…" Spike closed his eyes and bit his lip, suppressing his natural risings.

"Really?" Pete asked, looking at Buffy and then back at Spike. "Bizarre." He dismissed. "I've got to go – I'm meeting Marie at the Deli across the street in twenty minutes and need time to swing by the florist's." He checked his watch and passed the clipboard to Spike.

"Look at you, Casanova!" Spike, mocked.

"Spike, mate, I'm flattered. But I'm afraid I don't swing that way. In fact, there appears to be only one way that I do, and that's towards Miss Marie Murie. Gotta go! Remember, non-sexual thoughts." And with that, he was gone.

Spike stood there for a moment, before clearing his throat and picking the two cans of coke he was supposed to bring in on the next scene.

Buffy looked up at him from her new costume; a pale blue summer dress, modestly cut. He looked so calm and composed. She watched him for a moment, before tucking her hair behind her ears and holding Leah's hand, walking over to the sofa.

"We're ready, Patrick." She said, trying to keep her voice from sounding nervous. He looked at her for a moment before calling Spike and the others to get ready.

Action was called, and Spike stepped into frame, carrying the two cans, passing one to Buffy. He sat next to her and Leah crawled all over him. The whole time, he didn't look at Buffy, and didn't smile. His eyes seemed cold to her, distant, regretful.

"Spike – you need to show some emotion. That's your kid!" Patrick cried from behind a camera.

Leah lifted her head, her faced screwed up in thought. "He's not my daddy." She said, indignantly.

"Yes, I know sweetheart, but for the advert we need you to pretend he is." Patrick said, softly, cautious to start a fire.

The young girl tilted her head to one side and thought in silence for a moment before responding. "Pretend?"

"Yes, sweetheart…"

"You mean lie?" She asked, but before he had a chance to reply, she continued. "Lying is a bad thing to do. I wont do it." She folded her arms and sat in a sulked position.

Patrick bit his tongue and took a deep breath. "Spike, will you have a word with her?" Spike looked at her for a moment before complying.

"You see, pet, sometimes lying is alright. Not all the time, but it's alright now." He could see her thinking. "Will you lie with us?"

She looked at him in earnest before a huge smile broke out across her face. "Yes." She said, cheerily.

"Really, that's great!" Patrick said, shifting back in his chair, ready to continue shooting.

"I like lying." She said, jumping off his lap and disappearing under a table.

Spike couldn't help grinning at her. He blinked and shook his head. "Patrick, when you've got her, come and get me. I'll be in my office." He added, standing up and leaving the room. Buffy watched him. He didn't once turn to look at her. She snapped her eyes shut and turned her head in a different direction. She couldn't believe she was watching the way he walked!

::