A/N: First I just want to apologize it's been so long everyone! A huge thanks to everyone who reviewed though, on ff and bloodshedverse. Well though, I don't want to bore you guys with my babbling, so here's the next chappie!


Chapter 2: Old Friend in Town

Buffy stretched, soaking up the warm sunlight spilling into her room. She smiled as she sat up before languidly rising from the bed and walking over to her dresser. She smiled even wider as she stared at herself in the mirror. To her, it looked like she was glowing when normally Buffy and glowing were two very un-mixy things. Yesterday had given her a new perspective on things. She didn't care about Cordelia and everyone at school anymore; they weren't there to bother her and she wouldn't let them. Now, Buffy had someone who cared about her, someone who would be there with her and wouldn't put her down. Or at least, she hoped with her childish fantasies that was where this would be heading. He had somehow managed to romance her all in one night.

Suddenly remembering Spike's promise of another box, she went downstairs to check the back door. Just as he'd said, there was a large, white box at her feet once again. Only this time, Buffy wasn't afraid. With a smile, she bent down to pick up the box before carrying it up to her room. Setting it on her unmade bed, she carefully detached the envelope from the lid. As she pulled out the note inside, she smiled, eager to see what he had to say this time.

Pet,

Last night was brilliant, love. Can't wait to see you again. I hope you like to play in the dark.

Spike

Buffy could practically hear his smirk as she read the last part. She set down the note before carefully pulling the lid off the box. One by one, Buffy pulled out a light pink tank top; a dark blue pair of jeans; black, leather ankle boots; and a black, corduroy purse. She grinned; all though it was completely different from her normal style, which she supposed was the point, she did like Spike's tastes so far.

Buffy changed from her pajamas into what Spike had given her. She looked at herself in her mirror, admiring how the outfit looked on her. Buffy walked over to her bed to put the lid back on the box, but noticed a smaller one inside again. Curious as to what else he would give her, she picked it up and opened it.

Inside was a pair of silver hoop earrings, and about a dozen silver bangles. Buffy put everything on before walking back over to the mirror. She smiled at herself, shaking her wrist to make the bangles clink together.

Buffy decided she'd go to the store and get some magazines for ideas on how to do her hair and make-up for that night. She changed into a white, long-sleeve shirt, a pair of loose-fitting jeans, and her white sneakers before grabbing her purse to leave. With a pause, Buffy looked at the new purse lying on her bed. She grinned before transferring the contents of her purse to the one Spike had given her and leaving.


Buffy browsed the aisles at the supermarket. She had no idea what she should get. There were shelves full of magazines, and each one seemed to demand her attention. Buffy was beginning to think this just might be a bad idea…
Over an hour later, Buffy had managed to find a couple of magazines that seemed all right and was currently sitting on the floor of her room as she flipped through them. She was trying to find the perfect look, but so far she didn't seem to be getting anywhere. She sighed in frustration as she flipped past yet another advertisement, it seemed like that's all these magazines had. She was nearly ready to give up hope and just try to improvise when she saw it. The girl in the picture had her hair down, straightened with the ends curled. Her make-up would be fairly simple to recreate: her eyelids were brushed with a soft pink eye shadow, her lower eyes were lined in black, and her eyelashes were pitch black. But what really grabbed Buffy's attention were the girl's lips painted in a soft, glittery pink gloss. Buffy thought she had everything she would need for that, so with a smile she stood, found what she needed, and locked herself in the bathroom for a few hours of experimentation.
A few hours later, Buffy was finally finished. She had nearly burned herself countless times while trying to curl her hair, which she had miraculously managed in the end. Her make-up had proved to be much more difficult than she had originally thought, and apparently plucking her eyebrows was an incredibly painful thing. She was just glad that the redness had disappeared by nightfall. That had taken a lot of effort too, since she kept missing spots or strays. She guessed it was something she would have to do almost daily to keep up. She sighed before picking up her lip-gloss. All ready dressed, she just needed to apply the shiny, pink gloss and wait for Spike. She smiled as she put it on.

The sound of the doorbell filled the house. Buffy grabbed her purse before taking one final look at herself in the mirror. She froze. She hadn't actually had the chance to look at her transformation. Last night, she had thought she looked incredible. Even though the clothes were much less flattering tonight, she liked the result much better. She smiled; her mother would have been proud.

A knock on the door brought her back to reality. Buffy flew out of her room and down the stairs, halting when she reached the front door. She took a deep breath and let it out, calming herself, before she opened the door.

"Hey," she cheerily greeted the man on the other side with a wide smile.

Spike stood transfixed. She was breath taking. Of course she had looked good last night, but tonight… He could tell how much effort she had made to look good for him. He smiled, taking her hand in his once she shut and locked the door. He was glad he had managed to apparently sweep her off her feet and earn her trust the night before. Not that he'd imagined it would be too hard, what with how neglected she was by everyone else.

"Hey yourself," he said before leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her cheek. Buffy felt her knees get weak. When he pulled back, she took in his attire; he was clothed almost completely in black. Black t-shirt, black jeans, black boots, and black leather duster. The only color was a red button up shirt she could see the edges of peeking out from underneath his duster. It was a stark contrast to the clean-cut appearance he had the previous night. Of course, that didn't mean Buffy didn't like it.

"C'mon, pet. You're gonna love this," Spike gently pulled her behind him.

"Really? And how would you know?" she challenged.

He looked over his shoulder at her with a rakish grin. "Trust me, you will." He stopped and turned to face her. "Well, pet, you ready?" he smirked before climbing on the motorcycle Buffy had completely failed to notice. Why was it she kept missing the mode of transportation, leaving herself in total shock when they got to it?

Buffy stared at him and the bike, wide-eyed.

"You mean you actually expect me to get on that thing?" she pointed at the bike accusingly. Spike chuckled.

"C'mon, pet. You'll have fun."

Buffy eyed it warily, but she climbed on the back behind Spike.

"Do you have any helmets for this thing?" she asked hopefully.

Spike just ginned at her over his shoulder before turning back around and revving the engine. Buffy gulped, taking that as a no.

"You ready?" he asked her.

"Just a sec," she said as she realized just how messed up her hair was going to get. She had not made all that effort for nothing, and suddenly she was glad she had a hair tie with her as she pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail.

"Ok," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Hang on tight," Spike said. He felt her tighten her grip, clasping her hands together in front of him, before he took off.

The pair sped through the town, flying past their surroundings. At first, Buffy had her eyes squeezed shut and was clinging to Spike for dear life, but gradually she began to loosen up a little. She opened her eyes to watch everything go by. They rode out past the "You Are Now Leaving Sunnydale" sign. It was at least another fifteen minutes later that Spike turned off the main road onto a side path before finally coming to a stop a few minutes into the dense forest.

Buffy's heart had been slamming against her chest ever since they left town. Why had he taken her out into the middle of no where, stuck in this forest she felt she'd never get out of as he switched off the headlight, plunging them into darkness. Buffy could barely even see the back of his head right in front of her. She doubted she would have been able to at all were it not for his shock-white hair. She gulped, releasing her hold on him and scrambling off. Spike swung himself off as soon as she had gotten off, grabbing her hand, which she had no idea how he found.

Spike had switched to his vampiric face to be able to see in the dark, knowing she wouldn't be able to tell. "C'mon, love," he whispered in her ear, leading her carefully through the trees. Buffy followed reluctantly behind him, terrified.

Spike smelled her fear, but knew the best thing to do was just wait. As long as she didn't try to run, he was fine. Just a little bit further…

Spike switched back to his human guise as they emerged from the trees onto a smooth, white beach. The water glistened in the moonlight and the sand look untouched. Buffy gasped at the beauty of it all.

"Spike, it's, it's gorgeous," she breathed in awe. He smirked.

"Told you you'd love it."

Playfully she hit him on his arm. "Cocky much?" she teased him.

Spike gave an impish growl before lunging at her. With a delighted yelp, Buffy sprang away from him. Spike gave chase. They ran down the beach, leaving a trail of footsteps behind them. Soon, Spike caught up to Buffy and grabbed her around the waist, spinning her around. She giggled, feeling like a carefree child. They fell to the sand as Spike began to tickle her sides, and Buffy half-heartedly tried to push him away.

After a while, they lay next to each other on the sand, panting for breath as they stared up at the stars. Buffy turned her head sideways to look at Spike. She couldn't believe how comfortable she felt with this man that she had just met. And one that had been stalking her! She couldn't understand it, but there was just this… This pull that she felt towards him. He just made her feel so relaxed, at least most of the time. She smirked at the memory of when they had stopped in the woods just a short while ago. She didn't know how she could go from terrified of him to playing with him in the sand so quickly. While Buffy didn't understand it, she wasn't one to let someone who seemed to actually care so much slip away. Shyly, Buffy slid her hand over to his, slipping hers in his own before looking back up at the sky.

Spike felt Buffy's hand slip into his own and smiled, giving it a light squeeze. He felt so carefree around her. She made him forget everything. He had started out this whole thing for that, to forget… certain people, just picking the first pretty girl he saw one night to take his mind off of things, but somehow, things were changing. There was this odd pull he felt towards her, and he couldn't explain it. He wasn't even sure he wanted to. He rather liked how things seemed to be going, and he wasn't sure he wanted any extra information that might change it. And there was this fire in her. Something that said she wouldn't just be taken, but instead she would put up one hell of a fight. It was such a contrast to Drusilla's needing his every care. He had gotten used to being Drusilla's lifeline. But now, with this girl… Things would be different. He grinned at the thought.


Hours later found the pair back in town at an ice cream parlor. Buffy waited for Spike to look away before sneaking a spoonful of his chocolate mint ice cream even though both of them knew he could still see her. She giggled as she put the spoon in her mouth. Spike raised his eyebrow as he turned back to her. He opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off before he even began.

"Spike? Is that you?" a girl with long, brown hair walked up to the pair. She looked to be a few years older than Buffy.

"Oh, wow. It's been so long!" the girl smiled at Spike. He smiled back.

"Yeah. You're what? In college now?" Spike asked the girl.

"What? Oh! Yeah, college," the girl agreed as she glanced at Buffy. "Sunnydale U. Do you go there?" she directed the question at Buffy.

"Um. No. I'm still in high school," Buffy shifter in her seat uncomfortably.

"Bloody hell! Sorry, love. This is Dawn, my li'l sister. Don't get to see her often. Dawn, this is Buffy," Spike introduced the pair.

"Nice to meet you," Dawn held her hand out to Buffy.

Buffy shook it. "You, too," she said with a smile, more comfortable now that their relationship had been explained. At least Spike wasn't stalking hundreds of girls then, but still, his little sister? In college? Just how old was this guy? And what did he want with a high school girl like her?

"So, Spike, you in town for a while then?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah," Spike nodded.

"Well," Dawn searched around in her purse for a moment before pulling out a pen and scrap of paper. She quickly scribbled something on the paper before handing it to him. "Here's my number. Call, and we'll catch up," she smiled.

"Sure, pet. See you later," he waved.

"Bye," Dawn called back as she walked out.

"Sorry 'bout that," Spike apologized to Buffy.

"It's fine. Don't worry," she said.

The pair then returned to their easy companionship and conversation as they finished their ice cream.


Buffy lay in bed, turning over the night's events in her mind. It had been a truly spectacular night. From an exciting motorcycle ride to a moonlit beach and finally ice cream for two. And she had met his sister, so unless that was all a set-up, he seemed kind of normal then. Only, he used to stalk her. Rolling over, Buffy sighed as she shut her eyes. She fell asleep with thoughts of Spike filling her mind.
Spike watched as Buffy fell asleep. Gracefully, he jumped from the roof to the ground. He stuck his hands in his pockets as he began to walk back to his crypt, but something unfamiliar brushed against his hand. Pulling it out, he realized it was the scrap of paper Dawn had given him.

"Restfield Cemetery. Midnight," was all it read. Spike's internal clock told him it was getting fairly close to midnight, so he hurried off.

When he got there, Spike began looking around for Dawn. After a few minutes, he spotted her sitting on a tombstone.

"So, what are you doing here, pet?" Spike began.

Dawn shrugged. "Could ask you the same thing."

Spike paused. "Good a shithole as any to loose myself in. Keep away from 'family,' too," Spike said the last part a bit sarcastically.

Dawn tilted her head to the side slightly. "You sure you're not finding yourself?" she asked in an odd tone with a blank look.

"What do you mean?" Spike asked defensively.

Dawn shook her head and shrugged once again. "Dunno, really. Just another one of my feelings."

"Oh," Spike said dumbly, staring at the ground.

"So," Dawn started tentatively. "What happened with you and Dru?"

Spike scowled. "Angelus came back, that's what."

"Hate that prick," Dawn muttered. Spike nodded in agreement.

"You and Andrew?" he asked about the boy she had turned to be her own companion about a decade ago.

"Dust. Ran into a branch. Always knew the stupid ass would kill himself one day," she shook her head.

Spike looked over at her, knowing that in some way, Dawn had cared for Andrew. "I'm sorry, love."

Dawn sighed with a nod. "Me, too." The two sat in silence for a few moments after that.

"So, who's the new girl?" Dawn questioned suddenly.

"Er, just a girl. Nothing special," Spike said. "So how long are you going to be in town?" he tried to change the subject. Dawn wasn't budging though.

"You always were a bad liar, Spike. So, Buffy, huh? Odd name," Dawn commented.

"S'pose so. But then, so is Dawn for a vampire," he smirked at her. Dawn shoved his arm.

"So what are you doing with her, Spike?" Dawn looked at him.

Spike sighed. "I don't know. She was just supposed to be a way to get over Dru, and then I'd kill her but… I obviously haven't killed her yet. Now, I don't know. I've gotten to know her a bit, and she's kind of growing on me. I don't know what I'm doing anymore." He ran a hand through his hair. Dawn watched him through the whole thing.

"But just cuz I haven't killed her doesn't mean-" Dawn interrupted him.

"Of course, Spike. So, where you staying?" she changed the subject for his sake.

"Just some old crypt," he shrugged as he lit up a cigarette. "You?"

"Hotel. Was just passing through. Might stay now though," she grinned at him. He smiled back.

It had been a long time since the two had last been together, and Dawn had been the only one he could ever truly confide in. He had never liked anything Angelus did, except for when he turned Dawn twenty or so years ago. She hadn't been just some ruthless monster like the rest of his family, but like him, could actually care about things on occasion. The two had been able to relate with some things and become fast companions. He hadn't seen her in about three years though and was glad they had run into each other.

While Spike was thinking over this, Dawn knew she probably should find out just what happened with him and Drusilla, much as Dawn hated Dru.

"Spike," she began tentatively. "What exactly happened with you and Dru?"

Spike's face immediately darkened. "Like I said, poofter came back," he said in a clipped tone.

"Yeah, but I mean, exactly? Why are you still here, in this town? What the hell is going on?" she stared at him.

He sighed as he turned to look away from her. "Well, things were goin' great with me an' Dru. We were down in Brazil. She really seemed to like it there. Then we ran into Peaches, and things just got bullocksed up from there. You know how she's always been with her 'daddy.' So I got sick of it and left. Well, she basically said she wanted me to first," Spike looked down.

"Always knew I had a good reason for hating that bitch," Dawn shook her head. "You're better off without her."

Spike didn't say anything, just let his eyes keep wandering the ground.

"What about this new chick?" Dawn asked.

Spike shrugged before flicking away his cigarette and lighting a new one. "Dunno, really. Just… Kinda thought I might toy with her. Forget about Dru a bit."

"How's that going?"

Spike let out a long breath. "Haven't thought 'bout Dru much," he said.

"Getting attached?" Dawn pushed.

"I don't bloody know!" Spike began to pace. "I don't know anything where that bloody bint is concerned. I stalk her for a while, then think, 'sure, she'll do,' and what happens? I don't know what happens, but it isn't what I planned would happen!" he growled.

"Well, maybe I can help with some of that," Dawn suggested, a grin forming on her lips.

Spike jerked his head to look at her as he stopped his pacing. "How?" he half demanded, half pleaded.

"C'mon. Let's go back to where I'm staying, and I'll explain there," Dawn said before hopping off the tombstone she'd been on top off and walking off into the night, Spike close on her heels.


A/N: So what do you all think? Reviews are very appreciated! And Dawn's little "feelings" will be explained in a later chapter, I'm not sure when, but they will be. Probably somewhere around when Buffy finds out Spike's a vampire, which should be in another chapter or two.