CHAPTER 5: Where Broken Hearts Go

The apartment was quiet that Saturday evening. Outside the windows, the faint sound of honking cars and people walking up and down the New York sidewalk could be heard.

In the living room Buffy was sitting on the leather couch with a phone in hand. She was staring at the buttons, debating on whether to make a phone call or not. Spike sat at the kitchen table, engrossed in his daily newspaper, which he once in while would take a peek up from to see what Buffy was doing. He wanted to see if she finally decided to make her call, and in his mind he bet she wasn't going to make it.

'Should I or shouldn't I?' was the thought running in Buffy's head as she looked at all the numbers on the phone. She pressed the 'Talk' button and the sound of the dial tone could be heard in the quiet apartment, even at the distance Spike was at. He looked up to see if she would make the call, but then as quickly as he looked up she turned off the phone.. Spike laughed quietly to himself and went back to reading his paper.

'She could be so cute sometimes' he thought to himself.

Buffy looked at Spike for a moment to see if he was watching her but all she saw was his face buried in his paper. She looked back at the phone and pressed the 'Talk' button again and began to dial four numbers and then quickly hung up.

"You know…" Spike started, startling Buffy a little by the broken silence, "That' not how you make a phone call." He said and dropped his paper down to look at Buffy, "You have to dial all the numbers."

Buffy gave him a look telling him 'I'm not stupid.' And then said in an annoying tone, "I know…"

"Just making sure." Spike smiled, "Who are you calling anyway?"

"Riley…" Buffy simply said.

"Oh…" Spike said and then his smile faded. He cleared his throat and picked up his paper to read.

"Yeah…I know…I don't know what to say to him or even if I should be calling him." Buffy admitted.

She looked back at Spike and saw he was back to reading his paper, avoiding her crisis.

"Do you think I should call him?" Buffy asked.

"Not my decision luv." Spike said without looking at her.

However, in his mind he was yelling out what he wanted to say 'Don't call that git!'

"Yes it is…you're my friend and roommate and…and I give you permission to make this decision for me." Buffy begged.

"I'm sure whatever you decide to do will be alright pet." Spike said and turned a page of the newspaper.

Buffy looked down at the phone in her hand and pressed the 'Talk' button and began to dial slowly. Spike looked up at her once she got through the first five numbers, wanting to know if this was really it, this was THE call. And once Buffy entered all the numbers she held the phone to her ear and waited without glancing at Spike.

"Hi…" Buffy talked into the phone.

Spike's heart started to beat heavily and he held his paper just a little bit tighter. Thoughts started to rush through his head a million miles an hour, 'What if she goes back to him?' 'What if she moves out?'

"Yes it's me…" Buffy said looking down at her lap, "You want to do something tonight?"

'Do something tonight!' Spike was screaming in his head, 'What is this, a date!'

"Okay…okay…see ya soon." Buffy said and hung up the phone.

"You're…" Buffy looked up at Spike when he started to stutter, "You're…going to see…him?"

Buffy laughed at Spike's face expression. He looked like he was about to jump out a plane.

"That was Willow." Buffy said with a smile.

Spike gave a small sigh of relief.

"I think I'm not ready to face Riley yet." Buffy said sadly.

"So you and Will going out then?" Spike changed to subject.

"No…Xander, Angel, and you are going out too." Buffy smiled.

"Uhhh…I don't think so." Spike shook his head at the idea.

"It's Saturday William. Tonight we are going to have fun." Buffy demanded with a smirk. She got up off the couch and went into her bedroom.

"Buggar." Spike mumbled when Buffy left the room.

"I heard that!" Buffy yelled from her room.

Spike raised an eyebrow at the fact she heard him.

That night Willow, Xander, Angel, Spike, and Buffy entered The Bronze. This being Buffy's first time at New York club her eyes were wide open and she was full of energy.

"Let's dance!" Buffy yelled over the music and grabbed Spike's hand.

"I don't dance luv." Spike laughed.

Buffy shrugged, "Suit yourself…come on Will." Buffy said to Willow and they went into the crowd, leaving the guys alone.

"Nice move Spikey." Angel said with a laugh. Xander laughed too and started to walk to the bar with Angel following behind, leaving Spike.

"What!" Spike called out to them and followed.

"You had your chance to dance with her you idiot." Xander said.

"You passed up a chance of a lifetime." Angel said.

"Guys, I really don't dance well." Spike said and sat down on a bar stool.

"That's no the point…she asked you…she asked you." Xander said and sat up on bar stool and turned away to order a drink.

"Yeah so….she wouldn't ask you because she thinks you're kind of gay." Spike laughed at Xander, "And I already told her Angel here was a player."

"What!" Angel and Xander yelled and turned to Spike.

"Why did you say that!" Angel asked.

"She thinks I'm gay!" Xander said a little too loudly because two girls passing by gave him a look, "I'm not!" He called out, "Hey! I'm available…"and started to chase after the girls.

About a half hour later Spike was still hanging out by the bar, but Angel and Xander were no longer his company. Spike was hovering over the first beer he order earlier and listened to the band play song after song. Spike was about to call it a night and leave even without his friends when the sweet sound of her voice came up form behind him.

"Hey." Buffy said hopping on the bar stool next to him.

"Having fun?" Spike asked plainly without looking at her.

"Maybe too much fun." Buffy said and reached for Spike's beer but he didn't let her take it.

"Hey!" Spike said and pulled the drink away, "Get your own."

"Okay, what is up with you? Your ass has been on this seat all night." Buffy argued.

"Just leave me alone pet." Spike said, trying not to sound to nasty but enough to let her know he wasn't in the mood.

"If you want to leave we can go." Buffy said.

"Don't need your pity." Spike said.

"Good because I'm not giving it out. Come on William, tell me what's up…is it me?" Buffy asked in curiosity.

"No…yes…" Spike couldn't make up his mind.

"Well it's either 'yes' or 'no'." Buffy said.

Spike looked up at Buffy's eyes and stared at her. 'I don't want you to leave me luv.' Was what he wanted to say, 'I don't want to have a doubt that you will move away.' 'And I did want to dance with you…'

"William?" Buffy whispered quietly.

"Look I just-" Spike began but was cut off by Buffy.

"Oh my god…" she said to something in direction of the dance floor that caught her eye. She jumped off the stool subconsciously and continued to stare.

"What is it?" Spike asked and turned around and looked in the direction she was staring and saw a couple dancing on the dance floor, making out and having there hands all over each other.

"It's Riley…" Buffy said without taking his eyes off her former fiancée and the girl he was dancing with.

Spike was shocked beyond belief. He looked from the couple to Buffy and then back at the couple on the dance floor. 'I knew that git wasn't good for her…how could he—' he thought to himself but stopped when he noticed Buffy moving towards the couple.

"Uhh…Buffy…" Spike said and tried to grab her hand but was too late; Buffy made her way over to the happy couple.

Riley and his dance partner continued to dance to the music without noticing that Buffy was standing two feet away.

"Riley." Buffy spoke up.

Riley and his girl stopped dancing and looked at Buffy with surprised eyes, "Samantha…" Buffy said in a whisper as she saw who Riley was dancing with.

"Buffy…what are you doing here?" Riley asked with no guilt and some pleasure in his voice.

"What am I…how could you ask me that! What are you doing! What are you doing with her! How…how long has this been going on!" Buffy asked harshly.

"Does it matter? You dumped me at the alter without a goodbye." Riley said just as harsh as Buffy.

"And that gives you the right to be making out with my maid of honor!" Buffy yelled over the music. Some of the other dancers around them started to take notice of the argument, "How could you do this to me Sam!" Buffy turned to her former maid of honor.

"Oh come on Buffy, he's been around before!" she laughed and put her hands all over Riley.

"What!" Buffy looked Riley, "You've been cheating on me?"

Riley didn't say 'yes' or 'no, he just simply said, "Does it really matter now?"

Buffy stood there for a minute staring at the two people just weeks ago. Processing the new information was too much for her so in a flash she ran through the dancing crowd and towards the exit.

Spike watched the whole thing from a distance. He couldn't make out the words of the conversation but he had a pretty good idea what was being said. And when Spike saw Buffy instantly run towards the exit of The Bronze Spike followed. He was at the same rate of speed Buffy was going out, and the whole way he was blocking out the heavy music playing and the people he shoved away to get towards her. The only thing Spike was registering was the look on Buffy's face, which he got a glimpse of when she walked away from Riley.

When Spike reached the outside exit he looked up and down the sidewalk and shouted her name. However, it being a busy night he couldn't find her, she had become one with the streets of New York.

When Spike got home he noticed that all the lights were off. The only light that made it possible to see was coming from the streets outside. Spike walked in the entrance of his apartment and stopped to listen to hear if Buffy was anywhere in the apartment. He heard nothing. He walked towards Buffy's bedroom and opened the door slightly and saw no one inside.

"I'm right here." A voice came from behind him in the living room.

Spike turned around and saw Buffy sitting on the couch with Dingo by her side. From the glare of the street lights outside that were coming from the picture windows Spike could see her face and tears.

"God love you scared me running out like that." Spike said and stepped closer, "This isn't Sunnydale. It's New York and going out on the streets at night is like a professional sport."

"Sorry…" she said softly and sniffed.

"Look…" Spike started but was interrupted.

"I guess I deserve this." Buffy said, "I guess this is my punishment."

"Things just don't go as plan, love. You're not being punished." Spike said.

Buffy looked up at Spike, "Why not? Why aren't I getting punished! I left a man at the alter…I left my friends and family behind…I was selfish." She turned her face away to the side.

"Hey now…" Spike said, and moved towards the couch so he was right in front of her "That's not true."

"You don't know that." Buffy said and looked back at Spike.

"Yes I do." He said quickly so she wouldn't interrupt him again. He crouched down so he was eye to eye with her, "Riley's a ponce…"

"No, I'm the ponce." Buffy cut in.

"Hey now, I'm the one that calls the shots and says who's a ponce…and you are not a one of them. You see Riley's the ponce because he didn't run after you."

"That's sweet but…I don't deserve to be run after." She said.

"Now who is the one that is throwing at pity party love?" Spike said, "I thought it was me…but it looks like the tables are turned."

Buffy smiled a little and let out a small chuckle.

"It wasn't meant to be luv…you did the bloody right thing doing the hundred meter dash because tonight you found out what he really is like." Spike pointed out.

Buffy sighed, "I know…you're right…it just hurts…you know?"

"I know…I know that hurt." Spike said and got up and scooted Dingo away so he could sit next to Buffy and when he was seated he put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder, taking his comfort.

"You want to talk about it?" Spike asked.

"Not really…can you just sit here with me?" Buffy said and kept her head on his shoulder.

"I can do that." Spike said.

After a moment of silence Buffy spoke up. "Do you still hurt…from Drusilla?" Buffy asked without lifting her head up.

"Yeah…" Spike said, looking out the window. Buffy closed her eyes slowly, still listening. "But it's getting better..." Spike said glancing down Buffy, who was asleep. He smiled and looked back up out the window.

TBC…