A/N- Look look! New AOI! I hope to have part 16 done ASAP along with 17 and then more MLIT. Hopefully this week. Hopefully. MLIT (Mortal Love, Immortal Tears) is the new fic that I am working on. Both fics and other can be found on my brand spankin' new website- w w w . still- believe. org / marishna. (without spaces, of course). So come and read! Remember to review!.
"What the hell was that?" Charlie asked Spike as the band packed up their equipment.
"What are you talking about?" Spike avoided Charlie's gaze.
"Will." Charlie laid his hand on the other man's back to get him to still his motions. "She's something, isn't she?"
"That's putting it mildly." Spike chuckled, sitting on an amp. Charlie sat beside him on another amp as Steve, Kevin and Aaron same to stand with them. "She's… fire. She's ice and fire all in one. She's passion and calm mixed with temptation and quick wit and –"
"Whoa man, we get it. She's cool." Steve cut him off before he could go on further.
"No, you don't get it. She's everything in the world and so much more. She's… amazing." Spike said with a silly grin on his face.
"How long have you known her, again?" Kevin asked.
"Almost a month. But we've only been able to get along for the past couple of days." Spike said, almost dreamily.
"Right. Well, anything's better than Dru, I guess." Kevin reasoned, which earned him an elbow in the ribs from Aaron.
Charlie shook his head at the bunch. "Look, if she's all that you're saying she is than she's ok in my books. It's been far too long since you showed interest in anyone, let alone brought them to the club to watch us."
"Well, that was actually by decree. It was shape up or ship out from the director. So here we are."
"Lucky coincidence or surprise meeting of the minds?" Charlie asked.
"Little of both, I think. I knew that I had felt something since I had ran into her, literally, in the hallways that first day," Charlie nodded, remembering the story. "But everything else made me want to tear my hair out. She was rude, mean, spiteful, mouthy, not willing to give me a chance at all. I had just about given up on her. Especially after she clocked me good Thursday." Spike rubbed his nose, slightly embarrassed at telling the guys she had got a good shot in on him.
"Little scrapper, is she?" Steve chuckled. Spike laughed along with him, thinking about the tiny tiger he had on his hands.
"Yeah, that's putting it mildly."
"So what changed?" Charlie prodded. He was happy to know that Spike had finally found someone he felt strongly about again. It had been a long time since Dru. There had been a few meaningless flings here and there but Charlie knew that Spike was really looking for that special someone, or at least someone who wouldn't be gone the next morning. The fact that he had been doting on her all day, making sure she was comfortable, had someone to chat with, brought her up on stage to sing and then was dumbfounded by her performance said a lot. It took more than a sexy girl and a wiggle in her walk to turn Spike's head nowadays.
"She dropped her walls and I stopped being a pig." He smiled. Not a smirk, or a grin but true, bonafide Spike smile. Yup, this girl is here to stay, Charlie thought. "She just… knocks me off my feet with a look, a sound, a mere breath." Spike trailed off at the looks in the faces of the men around him. "Yeah, I'll cut out the poetry."
"Well you'll have to bring her around again when you're not so busy being Mr. Big-Shot Movie Star so we can get to know her better. She's already hit it off with the girls, which could be bad for us, if she turns out to be as hard on us as they are." Steve pointed to the three girls, still sitting at the table laughing over something.
"I'll do that. Lets get this stuff packed up so we can go home. Mr. Big-Shot Movie Star has a nine o'clock call time on set." Spike said, standing up. Guy time was over.
* * * * *
"Talk to you later Buffy!" Anya called as she and Steve made their way out of the club. Buffy waved and smiled, finally beginning to come down from the night. It was almost three in the morning and everyone had finally gone home but for she and Spike.
"I called the cab, it should be here soon." Spike told her as he led her to the side entrance of the club backstage. There were some die-hard fans still waiting in the front for some of the band members to emerge so they could sign autographs but Spike decided to spare Buffy that, as it was late and they both needed to get back to the hotel.
"I don't know how you do this. I mean, I'm tired and I didn't really do anything today. But you were up there singing and performing all night. Then we have to get up tomorrow at an ungodly hour and keep going."
"We do this every night when we're on tour, luv. This is nothing. After we were nominated for the Grammy we went on a worldwide tour for a year. I don't think I got more than five hours of sleep a week for the whole year."
Buffy just shook her head, as they opened the side door. "You can keep it. I much prefer my filming schedules. Erratic at times, but keeps me sane."
"You? Sane? Ha." Spike joked with her. They were just through the door when he stopped. "Crap. I forgot one of my songbooks."
"You go ahead and I'll wait here for the cab."
"Luv, it's after three in the morning in LA. I'm not leaving you here. Just come with me, I'll just be a second."
"And then we'll miss our cab and we'll have to call another to get a half decent one and it'll take forever. I'll keep the door open and I have mace in my bag. Hurry and I'll be fine."
"Buffy-"
"Go. Mace, see? I'll keep the door open. Go," She repeated. Spike looked like he was about to argue with her again but she scowled at him and shook her can of mace. He nodded and took off quickly, not wanting to leave her there any longer than necessary. Buffy wasn't worried. She took self-defense and she did have the spray. There was no one in the alley anyway.
The air was heavy and thick, signaling rain. She hoped it would wait until the cab came to open up on them. But not even rain could make her upset at that point. Tonight had been a lot of fun. In high school she had been a social butterfly, always out and about but since she had been focusing on her acting she really didn't have time or friends to go out with anymore. In university she had tried to get involved in some activities but after her relationship with Parker she kept to herself a lot, only hanging out with Willow and a few other girls from her dorm. It had not been a bad way to spend her short time there because she focused more on her studies. Tonight had meant a lot to her though, just to get out and do something with real people. And Spike had been electric. So vibrant and wild on the stage, wooing the ladies but always seeming a little out of their reach. A bad boy who could not be tamed. That was a far cry from the fun, obnoxious, flirty Spike she had seen before tonight. The stage act was just that- an act.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice someone walking up the dark alley until they cleared their throat. Buffy jumped, on guard and cursing herself for not being more cautious. She gripped her mace tighter, ready to let the person have it if they made a move. But they just stood there.
"Buffy? Buffy Summers?" They took a step closer, allowing their face to be lit by the single bulb over the door. He was tall, and hulking, incredibly built. He looked familiar but she couldn't place him in her momentary state of surprise.
"Don't come any closer." She said, edging back towards to door.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just saw the show and thought you were great, was walking by and thought I saw you. I wanted to say hi. I don't know if you remember me." He stepped back a little, so as to reassure her and put his hands up.
"Um," Buffy studied his face, trying to recall where she had seen him but came up blank. "Sorry. It's been a long day."
He just laughed. "I understand. We were seatmates on the flight here from New York last month? You had the tension with a side of fear from the flying and I had the moron entrée and annoying soup?"
Buffy laughed as she remembered. "Oh yeah. I remember you now. I mean-"
"No, it's ok. I was a dork. I was just so excited to meet you. It was a nice surprise to see you here tonight, as unexpected as it was. I never in a million years thought I would see you up there with 'Band of Buggered'."
"Well, stranger things have happened, right?" Buffy gave a small smile. He smiled back, a big, toothy grin from ear to ear. He stepped forward cautiously.
"I'm Riley. Riley Finn." Buffy just nodded, not offering her hand to him.
"Nice to meet you. Did you enjoy the show?"
"Um… not quite. To tell the truth I really don't like the band. My friend had tickets and dragged me along. It was worth it though, just to see you up on stage. You were amazing." Riley looked at her with such adoration that Buffy felt a little uncomfortable.
"Thanks." Buffy stood, watching him warily as he gazed at her. He seemed nice enough but the way he was looking at her gave her the wiggins.
"Do you need a ride? Is that why you are waiting? I have a car, I could take you anywhere you wanted to go, anywhere." Riley offered.
Buffy just smiled a little. "No, that's fine. Spike and I are waiting for a cab. Thanks anyway, though."
"Spike? The guy who sang tonight?" Riley's face fell at the mention of Spike.
"Yeah, Spike. He's starring in the movie I am shooting with me."
"Why are you going home with him? Are you two together?" Riley asked, anxious.
"No, we're just catching a cab together." Buffy told him slowly.
"That's good. He just isn't right for you. You're so perfect, and he has had a questionable past. Not right for you at all."
Buffy didn't know what to say to that. "Well, uh-"
"That's why it was such a shock for me to see you singing with him. You're so much better than him. Are you sure you don't want me to drive you home? I can get you there in just a second." Riley took a step closer, adoration all over his face. Buffy took a step backwards, moving closer to the door, getting read to spray him with mace if she had to, but he didn't even notice.
"You know, that's really ok and I should be getting inside now-"
"Do you want to go out sometime? I know this great little place, not too far from here. It's always open, we could go now! You'd love it! It's the perfect place to sit and talk." Riley looked hopeful and took another step towards her.
"Um, I really can't. I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I have- I have to get inside. I'm sure that Spike is waiting for me." She shuffled back farther for the door to get inside the building.
"He shouldn't be around you, you know. He doesn't deserve to be around you." The tall man moved quicker than she expected to her side, hulking over her, looking menacing in the dim light. "You need someone to treat you like a princess. Someone who won't leave you in a dingy alley for any freak to come along and hurt."
His hand reached out to touch her but he jerked it back when a car pulled up, headlights blinding them both a little. Also at that moment Spike came out of the door and ran into the still stunned Buffy.
"Buffy? Are you alright?" Spike laid an arm across her shoulders as he noticed Riley standing far too close to her for his liking.
"I'm fine. The cab is here, lets just go." Buffy said hurriedly. She just wanted to get into the car as fast as possible and leave this overly concerned giant behind. Spike ushered her to the cab, casting a wary glance at Riley who stood, glaring at Spike.
"Buffy," Riley called out. "If you ever want to get in touch with me I am attending school at UCLA. I'm in dorm so the residence office can track me down for you." He flashed a winning smile at her, completely oblivious to her discomfort.
Buffy didn't look at Riley as they got in the cab and drive away. If she had she might have noticed the hardened look of hatred on his face, aimed directly at the back of Spike's head.
* * * * *
"So what was that?" Spike asked when they were on the road back to the hotel.
"Damned if I know." Buffy replied, shaken from the encounter.
"Who was he?" Spike asked, trying to hide the note of jealousy that crept into the question. When Buffy didn't reply right away he looked closer at her and noticed she was pale and shivering slightly.
"Hey, hey. It's okay, luv. We're gone. He's back there, it's okay. I should never have left you there alone."
"I'm fine, Spike. Really. I just didn't expect that." Buffy wrapped her arms around herself to try to stop the shivering. Spike moved closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him, hoping to warm her a little.
"Tell your manager about that, eh?"
"About what? He was just an over excited fan." Buffy tried to brush it off but when she didn't push away from him he knew that the encounter was more than just an 'over excited fan'.
"It's good to let them know what's going on, you know that. I've dealt with more than a few rabid fans who want to have my babies, or send me their underwear. That's cool and all, but when they start to reach out beyond that, letters and phone calls, tracking you down- that's when you have to nip it in the bud. Please, just tell me that you'll call your manager in the morning?" Spike had true concern in his voice so Buffy relented.
"Fine, but it wasn't that big a deal. He just- wanted to go out for dinner." Buffy started to calm down as her adrenaline stopped pumping through her veins, and the shivering stopped but neither made a move to separate.
"Captain Cardboard is what that one was. Just a Midwestern farm boy, looking to score big with a city gal." Spike told her.
"How do you know he was Midwest?" Buffy asked him.
"Just a guess. He looked like the whole-wheat, well brought up type. They're the ones that tend to go psychotic too."
"Gee, Spike. Thanks for trying to make me feel safe." Buffy said sarcastically.
"No worries, luv. I'll protect you I'll be a manly man for you, defend your honor and all that." Buffy just laughed and pushed away from him slightly. Spike internally mourned the closeness and warmth from her body.
"Oh dear. Left to the defenses of Spike Giles. What would I ever do with myself, having such a big strong, 'manly man' around?" Buffy snickered. Spike leaned in close to whisper to her.
"I'm probably more of a man than Captain Cardboard, if you catch my drift, luv." Buffy just shook her head at him, too tired and drained to correct him innuendoes and changed the subject.
"Crap. It's raining."
"Don't like the rain, luv?" Spike asked.
"Not when it frizzes my hair."
"Oh, poor princess. Do you melt just like sugar too?"
"More than likely." Buffy grinned at him.
"Well rest assured luv, I wouldn't tell anyone if your hair frizzes. You know," he mused. "I've always had this kind of fantasy about the rain." Buffy just raised her eyebrows.
"Not like that! Get your mind out of the gutter! Have you ever danced in the rain?"
"Can't say as I have."
"Me neither. But I'm waiting for it."
"For what exactly?"
"For that moment when someone throws away all their inhibitions, grabs my hand and just dances in the rain with me. Like I'm the only one in the world, like I'm the only one who matters. They don't care about what others say or think when they see two nuts dancing in the rain. Someone who is secure enough to dance alone but wants to share it with me. It's also how I want to sing."
"In the rain?"
"No, like I'm singing only to one other person. There's just them and me, one-on-one. No preconceptions or expectations about who I am or what I do. Someone there who wants to be with me no matter what. Someone who is brave enough to dance alone but wants to dance with me." He finished with a wry smile, slightly embarrassed at sharing such a crazy and simple dream with her, but at the same time a seed of hope grew in his heart. Would she offer? After these past two days of growing closer and discovering more about each other and putting themselves to the test would she offer?
Buffy bit her lip, wondering if that was a hint that he wanted her to be the one to dance with him. She couldn't though, not after the speech she had given him. And this sounded serious. Like he was asking for someone she wasn't, that she couldn't be for him. He was hot and drove her crazy in more ways that one but that did not necessarily equate a relationship. And relationships were luxuries she couldn't afford at the moment as she was trying to get her career moving.
"When you find that person, I hope they make you very happy." She cautiously replied, feeling instant regret.
Spike's seed of hope shriveled a little, as did his ego but he gave her a trademark smirk. "So do I, luv."
* * * * *
"So what happens tomorrow?" Buffy asked as they reached her door at the hotel.
"What do you mean?"
"Are we suddenly all buddy-buddy or do we keep some sort of distance? Do we keep going like we are right now, or do we want to seem somewhat professional on set?"
"Nothing unprofessional about what we're doing right now."
"No, I guess not. I guess it's just going to seem weird that the two people who were physically fighting two days ago are suddenly friends."
"I wouldn't say so. And besides, who cares? Wes will be more than happy that we've worked it out and lets face it, this means a better environment for everyone on set. I imagine there was some tip-toeing around us at times in the past month."
"Yeah, I feel horrible about that. We were so nasty to everyone." Buffy thought back on her behavior in the past month and almost turned crimson, especially when she thought of her actions towards the man standing in front of her. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For the past month. Everything. The nasty comments, hitting you, thinking terrible thoughts about you."
"We've already talked about this Buffy, it's over. We're all good, starting over. Like you said, we're friends."
Buffy smiled and nodded. "Yes, friends. Good."
"And as friends, it would be wrong for either of us to discuss anything that we talked about in the past two days, right?" Spike asked her, thinking about his confession in the car. If that got out to the tabloids he's have every crazy person in the country trying to grab him and throw him into a thunderstorm.
"Of course. It goes without saying. Pal." Buffy grinned as she chucked him on the shoulder. Spike grinned.
"Ok, buddy." He reached out to pat her shoulder, but once his hand landed there it didn't move. Spike and Buffy stared at each other, gazes locked. The sight of Buffy from this morning in the water, in a two-piece bathing suit, her lips parted from their kiss flashed before his eyes and Spike almost groaned at that memory. He knew he couldn't do this, Buffy didn't want him to. She had told him so. Then why wasn't she pulling away, why did she just stand there, staring at him, her lips again parted slightly, just aching to be kissed?
Buffy stood, paralysed by Spike's gaze. She felt her face grew hot, her lips parting, waiting for him to lean down and kiss her. She knew that this was wrong, but at that very moment she wanted to throw the rulebook out the window, take him downstairs and do the rumba in the rain. But that couldn't happen. Not after she had made her guidelines abundantly clear, not after telling him they were friends, not after anything. This just couldn't happen, no matter how much she wanted it.
"Spike, wait." Buffy whispered, coming back to reality and realizing his lips were mere inches from hers. "This-"
"Can't happen, I know." He pulled away and backed up a couple steps, allowing her some personal space. "Sorry."
"It's okay. Just a – momentary lapse in our faculties, right?"
"Er- yeah, if that's what you call it."
"Okay, so I'm going to turn in. It's way late and I have to be up by at least seven thirty." Buffy fumbled with her keycard, pulling it from her purse.
"Right. So do you want to share a car in to the set?" Spike asked, as he backed up towards his own door.
"Sure. Um, I don't think I'll be eating before I get there, so how about we meet in the lobby at eight thirty?" Buffy asked as she opened her door.
"Right, no problem. See you then. Have a good sleep." He told her softly.
"You too." She replied, just as soft.
Buffy closed her door tightly, as if hoping every ounce of strength she put into it would build her resolve against the bleached wonder in the room next to her. She walked into the bedroom, pulling off her clothes as she did and flopped on the bed in her bra and panties, thinking about Spike. She called the front desk to request wake-up call before drifting off the sleep, not even bothering to get under the covers.
Spike mirrored her actions in his own room, except he stripped down to lay totally naked on his bed. Somehow he would have to resign himself to the fact that anything between he and Buffy wouldn't happen. She wouldn't allow it. Or wouldn't allow herself anyway. So he either had to break down her walls, or live with it. Live with never being near her, touching her, tasting her- ok that's it. Spike Giles has never backed down from a fight, and that's that. So SHE will just have to live with it.
Spike drifted off to sleep, dreaming of ways to get Buffy to fall for him.
Spike's on the path to winning Buffy's heart. But will he succeed? (Duh- it's a SPUFFY fic... I have to throw SOME uncertainty into the mix)
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