A/N : Thanx to; soccergirl2002uk, sheilamarie, Moonjava, spikes-slayer29590, Mistik07, RoleModelGirlie, Shadowhawke, Celestia Nailo, SlaYeRGiRLkaL, bella-lover, DarkEvilShadow, fashiongrrl, gypsy-jin, Amandamanda3, Brunettepet, for the great reviews. I'm a little worried about this new chapter, but hopefully you guys won't hate it too much...
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 15

It was just past seven on Wednesday morning when Buffy awoke and really kind of wished she hadn't. Her first thought of the day matched the last one of yesterday - it was all about Spike. For so long he'd meant the world to her, then he'd turned around and left, hurting her so badly she honestly thought she might never get over it. Then there was Riley and she'd found a way to move forward, up to the point where she was just days away from becoming Mrs Finn. In just one move, Spike had dragged her back four years, and she hadn't exactly been kicking and screaming about it. What had she been thinking when she'd kissed him? She knew exactly what she'd been thinking, because deep down she knew she had very strong feelings for him still. It didn't matter now though. Even if she wanted to make the insane choice and choose her untrustworthy ex over her stable and reliable fiance it was too late. Spike had left town yesterday, she'd seen him heading off with a bag on his back and since then no-one had heard from him. He was gone and it was for the best...wasn't it?

Buffy groaned and covered her face with her hands. She dreaded getting up this morning. Yesterday afternoon she'd made so many plans for the wedding to the point where there was hardly anything left to do today and she knew why. The busier she was, the less she thought about Spike. He was everywhere in her mind, everything she did triggered a thought or memory related to him and it would've driven her insane if she hadn't managed to find so much to do. The problem lie in the fact that now so many jobs were done, it left very few to fill the hours of today.

She turned over in bed hoping she could at least waste another hour or two in sleep, but she was startled by the abundance of space in the bed. It wasn't so late that Riley would've left for work yet, she was sure.

"Morning sweetheart" he said as he came through the bedroom door, wearing only his blue jeans. He carried a tray in his hands with toast and coffee on it and a flower in a thin vase.

"What's all this for?" Buffy asked as she pulled herself up to sitting position, expression halfway between a smile and a frown.

"Nothing really, I just..." Riley looked awkward as he put the tray down and climbed onto the bed beside her, "I just wanted to remind you how much I love you" he said solemnly, "and that I can't wait to marry you, and show everyone how much I want to be with you forever"

"I love you too Riley" she said, tears in her eyes as she leant over and kissed him softly on the lips. She meant it, she knew she did, but Buffy was beginning to ask herself 'Do I love him enough to spend the rest of my life with him?' She hated herself for even having to think about it, and she knew it was fruitless since it seemed Spike was gone and not an option. In absence of her first true love surely staying with Riley was better than not, and they were happy before, right?

An hour later Riley left for work and Buffy was only grateful that he didn't try for sex, even though she knew that was unfair and ridiculous. She'd been avoiding anything sexual or even slightly romantic happening betweem herself and her fiance, all because William had come back to Sunnydale, looking hotter than ever before. Now he was gone, life should return to normal, Buffy realised. She would be satisfied to love Riley, marry him, and live happily ever after just like he wanted. He loved her so much and he was so kind, caring, and sweet. All she'd done these last few days was push him away.

Today she was going to make an effort, she told herself as she got out of bed and pulled on some clothes. She was going to plan the most romantic evening ever known to mankind. She and Riley would have the perfect night in, and Spike would be completely forgotten. At least, that was the plan...

"Harris!" the young man heard his name barked at considerable volume by the foreman who hung out of the door of the site office. He knew what this would be about as he put down his tools and headed over to speak to his superior. Tomorrow he had to go pick up supplies for the job they were currently working on and because of the travelling distance he'd be staying over at a motel for the night. If he was going to fulfill his promise to Spike he had to make sure it was not him that made the trip tomorrow but Riley instead.

"Harris, sit down" the foreman ordered as Xander came in the door and did as he was told, "Now, as you know, someone from here needs to go and make a pick-up tomorrow, and the plan was for you to be the one to go" he reminded the younger man, "Well, I won't be around much tomorrow, the big boss wants to talk and I wanna know I'm leaving someone I can trust in charge here whilst I'm gone"

"Okay" Xander nodded, wondering where this was going.

"You're a good worker, Harris" the foreman complimented him, "You work hard, the other guys respect you, so I wanna leave you in charge here tomorrow"

"Thankyou, sir" Xander grinned, glad to have his dedication and hard work recognised by his superiors.

"Thing is, with you staying here I need someone else to make the pick-up" his boss explained, "You know better than anyone who out there is the most capable and trust-worthy. Give me a name" he asked him.

Xander couldn't believe what he was hearing. Spike's plan seemed to be working out just the way he wanted it too. All he had to do was give Riley's name now and the deed was done. It was almost as if the fates were smiling down on his old friend.

"Er, well, Riley's a good guy" he suggested, casually as he could, "Decent, trustworthy..."

"Finn, huh?" the foreman looked thoughful as he shifted the blinds and looked out of the window, "He's been here a while, nearly as long as you" he considered, "And you trust him?" he verified.

Xander nodded, confirming he was totally sure about his decision.

"Okay, send him in here and get back to work" the foreman ordered.

"Thankyou, sir" the young man said as he got up from his seat and hurried out of the office. He couldn't help but think how amazing it was that everything was fitting together. Spike would get one night alone with Buffy just like he wanted, or supposedly needed.

Of course, Xand knew if Buffy ever found out he'd helped with the plans, not only setting up for Riley to go away but fixing Spike up with a place to stay when he had to get out of his hotel room yesterday, he was in big trouble of the dead kind! But if it all worked out, and Buffy and Spike actually got back together, he might find himself to be even more popular with those two than he already was.

"Hey Riley!" he called across the site to his friend, "Boss needs to talk to you!"

His friend nodded that he'd heard and headed over to the office, having no idea what was going on at all.

It was all arranged, and Buffy was very proud of all she'd acheived today. The table was set with a table-cloth, the best crockery and cutlery, and a thin vase of flowers in the center. Candles sat either side of the centrepiece, the lights were down low and the food was simmering in the kitchen. Buffy walked through to the bedroom and checked her apperance in the full length mirror. She looked stunning, even if she did say so herslef, in the brand new dress she'd bought. She didn't feel too bad about her extra spending since it was all for a good cause, saving her almost-marriage, and besides it was on sale at the store.

The dress was black and hugged her figure, showing off all her best assets just like it was suposed to do. She wore her hair curled and mostly pinned up with a few strands hanging down around her face. Reapplying her lipstick, she realised she was totally ready for her romantic evening with her fiance, and it was a good thing too, since he'd be home any minute.

As if he knew she was thinking it, Riley's key could be heard in the lock right at that moment and Buffy hurried back out into the living room to greet him.

"Buffy, I..." he called as he let himself into the apartment, but the words died on his tongue when he saw the romantic setting, followed by his fiancee as she emerged from the bedroom looking incredibly sexy.

"This is a surprise" he said after a moment, "I didn't miss an anniversary or something, did I?" he checked, suddenly worried, "Like our first date or first kiss or something?"

"Don't look so panicky" Buffy smiled at his expression as she walked across the room towards him, "You didn't forget anything, I just...I wanted us to have a special night, y'know?" she said as she reached him, putting her hands on his chest and looking up through long lashes.

"Special, huh?" he grinned, "Gotta say, that dress is pretty special all by itself"

"Glad you like it" she smiled back as she leant in impossibly close, "Maybe later you can help me out of it" she whispered teasingly right before they kissed.

Once he had a hold of her he didn't want to let go, even when she started to pull away.

"Do we have to eat now?" he asked as he smothered her face with kisses, and his hands roamed her body, "Can't it wait a little while?"

"Uh-uh" Buffy grinned mischievously as she pulled out of his arms and backed away, "Eat first, play later" she winked as she headed for the kitchen.

As soon as her back was turned the smile fell from her lips as she mentally chanted 'Don't think about Spike, don't think about Spike...' as the task was proving fairly impossible so far. She only hoped it'd get easier as the night went on.

"So he's definitely going to be out of town tomorrow night?" Spike asked Xander via his cell phone as he headed down the street to find a place he could get a drink.

"Yeah, I don't know how it happened" Xander admitted, "Foreman wanted a name of someone I trusted so I said Riley, simple as. The Powers That Be must be smiling on you, man"

"Let's hope my luck stays in for tomorrow night" his friend smiled, "I've got big plans for our Miss Summers"

"Be careful, Will" the brunette on the other end of the line warned him, "You hurt her once, do it a second time and you really will have lost her for good, me and Willow too"

"I'm not gonna screw this up Xand, not again" Spike promised, "I love her so damn much, I just want to prove that to her. You know as well as I do, me and her, we're meant to be"

"I know it" Xander agreed, "doesn't mean it thrills me to know Riley's gonna get hurt" he explained sadly.

"Best man's gotta win, mate, that's just how it is" Spike smirked, "S'not my fault that I'm better than him"

As the evening progressed, Buffy found it a little easier to put Spike out of her head. She and Riley talked about nonsense things, memories of past dates and the such like together. It felt just like it had when they first started going out, flirting and messing around, without a care in the world.

When they'd eaten their meal they moved from the table to the couch to drink coffee and snuggle in front of the TV. After flipping through all the channels twice, Buffy couldn't find anything she wanted to watch and it was clear Riley wasn't the least bit interested in anything on the screen as his lips focused on her neck and his hand slipped further up her leg. His fingers tickled her skin and Buffy giggled as she turned off the TV and dropped the remote on the floor.

As he continued to caress her body, Buffy let her eyelids fall shut...and there was Spike again. Immediately, her eyes sprang open and she frantically tried to think of something else. What kind of awful person was she, thinking about another man whilsts she was making out with her fiance!

"Was dinner good?" she asked, desperately hoping for some kind of conversation to keep her mind off a certain bleached blond.

"Dinner was great" Riley assured her, letting up on the kissing for a whole ten seconds to answer her, "I was thinking maybe I could give my compliments to the chef" he grinned.

"And how did you plan on doing that?" Buffy forced a smile, as if she didn't already know the answer to her question.

She gasped when Riley's hand travelled further inside her dress and he kissed her lips, as he lowered her back onto the couch. His body pressed hers into the cushions as his hands and lips carressed her skin. The problem was Buffy's mind went racing back to the other day when she'd ended up in almost this exact same posintion with Spike. She felt sick.

"Riley, stop" she told him, trying to get away, "Please" she said, as she pushed him off. He looked hurt and a little angry until she took his hand and painted on another smile.

"Let's do this properly" she told him, as they both stood up, "Take me to bed?" she said, almost shyly, allowing him to lead her to their room.

He started to kiss her again as they lay down on the bed together, and he tenderly began to make love to her.

Buffy felt terrible the whole time as she despertaely tried to concentrate on the man in her arms, but it did no good. He was a nice guy and she did love him but only thoughts of Spike and a little imagination helped her get where she was going tonight. Nothing Riley did could ever excite her enough, and when she reached the point of ecstasy, tears were in her in eyes and Spike's name wanted to force itself from her lips.

As her fiance rolled off her, speaking words of love as he wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close, and settled down to sleep, Buffy turned her back to him and cried silent tears. She knew now for certain that Riley would never be enough for her, and that their marriage was doomed to fail unless she could really force herself to put William 'Spike' Anderson out of her head, and her heart.

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : I know, I know, you really wanna throw things at me right now, huh? Please just trust me! The B/R makes me nauseous too but there is a method to my madness. Buffy now knows putting William/Spike out of her head and heart is near impossible no matter how she tries, with that point made I promise not to subject you to anymore heinousness of the B/R sex kind during this fic. With all that in mind, please review!