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A Dinner Date Part 2

"Favorite ice cream?" questioned Buffy while walking leisure by the pier. It was a nice California night. It was cool as random gusts of wind blew through them, picking up Buffy's hair along the way.

Spike automatically answered "Vanilla Bean OR Butter Pecan. You?"

"Cookie-n-cream or cookie dough" she answered.

Spike paused thinking of a question. "How is it that you're still single?"

Buffy slowed her pace further. She remained silent for a long time. Spike felt like bloody bint now. Things since the restaurant had been going great. They were so relaxed and comfortable with each other as they ate a random fast food restaurant and he had to ruin that; him and his big mouth.

"My little sister Faith, you might meet her when she visits in a week or two weeks, always says I have horrible taste in men." Buffy answered slowly. Finally finding a bench, the two sat down a good distance from the brightest lights of civilization and looked up at the starry night sky. "She says that if Mr. Wrong is in the room, I'll find him. It's like a curse.' She glanced over at his slightly crestfallen face and realized how she had unknowingly insulted him. She decided to elaborate so he knew she wasn't being lumping into that group.

"I've had a fling or two and stuff but in my whole life, I've had three serious relationships. First there was Parker who turned out to be a total arshole. He kept trying to get me to sleep with me. For months, four to exact, he kept that up. He said things that at the time sounded sweet. So one night, I almost agreed but changed my mind. He kicked me out of his house saying if I wouldn't give it up, then I wasn't worth his time." Buffy stopped talking. She hated that even now, even through she knew she'd been right, the memory hurt too much.

"Go on" encouraged Spike gently. Buffy elevated her eyes until were staring up at the sky.

She sighed and nodded before looking up again. It made retelling a little easier. "Angel was next. For a while, I was in love with him but her just left. He took off without a word or even a note in the middle of the night. That was two years ago." Buffy sighed sadly. She didn't see Spike jaw tighten in resentment. How could they leave her? Either they were blind, stupid, but mostly likely both. "I bumped into him a while back. Apparently he found a woman who he loves completely. More power to him."

"The last was Riley. He was everything I wanted. He was everything I thought I needed. He was nice, caring, charming…an all around good guy ya know?" Spike nodded although he knew she wouldn't see."

"So what happened?" he prodded. He didn't want to push but now he was curious; curious of his competition, curious about Buffy's past, curious about everything.

"Perfection gets boring. Being happy with him felt mundane, total dullsville. I figured that if I hated being around him...and almost everything he did agitated me; maybe I wasn't in love after all. So I broke it off. I didn't want to lead him on; I thought it'd be better for the both of us."

"Makes sense" Spike responded meeting her eyes once more.

She sighed "So I thought, but when he was promoted to publisher of the company I'm in essence writing, he had made me feel it. He's a total ars about it."

"That was his name again?"

"Riley, Riley Finn." Spike nodded. Why did he recognize that name?

Buffy looked at him apparently oblivious to his reaction. "Can I ask you a question?"

Spike shook his head slightly to clear it and said "Sure."

"What happened to Dawn's mother?"

"Heavy question" mumbled Spike eyes downcast.

"Once fair" Buffy shrugged.

"The short version. We were young and so very stupid. I was totally in love with her, completely blind love. She wasn't though. When she got pregnant, she didn't even tell me. I had to find out about it after her mum calls me to tell me off." Spike sighed. "That hurt but I knew I couldn't leave her, wouldn't. Nine months later, just after dawn, Dawn was born. Just seemed appropriate to name her that. Anyway, we started renting this horrid little death trap apartment but at least it was ours."

"Romantic…kinda." Buffy said thoughtfully. She could see the pain in his eyes as clearly as she could the moon in the sky. He'd been hurt, badly. Although his voice was indifferent, she could hear an undertone of resentment however subtle.

"I woke up one morning" Spike continued. "Only to find her packing. Dawn had to be one or maybe a little younger. Dru told me she couldn't do this, take care of a baby. She couldn't take the late night crying and that shithole apartment. When I tried to stop her, talk some sense into her, she chucked a plate at my head and ran out." He subconsciously rubbed a hand over his scarred brow. "Two weeks later, I got the divorce papers which stated very clearly that I was to have soul custody. Dru even attached a letter saying she never wanted to see either of us again and for the past ten years, she hadn't even called."

Spike and Buffy sat in silence each thinking of the pain they'd experienced in the past. Just because it happened a while ago didn't mean it hurt much less.

"Our lives suck" Buffy spoke up a few minutes later. Spike chuckled at the unexpected comment.

"Kinda' he agreed. "But, I know this will sound unbelievably cheesy but I love my daughter. I love my job and things could be worse."

Buffy paused. "Yeah. The rest of my life isn't totally horrible. Romance can come when it comes." Spike nodded as another silence, this one more comfortable then its predecessor, settle over them.

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Spike drove Buffy home an hour or two later. He even went so far as to walk her into the apartment building and, standing outside her door, watched as she fumbled with her keys. It wasn't just his gentlemanly instincts, although they were a part of it, Spike just didn't want the date to end but even if she invited him in, he wouldn't go. He had to pick up Dawn and relieve his sister of her aunt-ly duties.

Buffy finally got the door open. She hated this building; it was falling apart but she didn't have the money to find anything better. Especially not for the money she could dish out until her next book.

She turned to Spike and smiled. She stopped herself from inviting him in. Her sister had these rules they had affectionately named "DATING CONDUCT."(Me: original huh? lol) The first rule was: Don't let the guy in on the first date. It might give him the wrong idea and Buffy really liked Spike.

"So, I'll see you?" asked Buffy tentatively. For all she knew, he could've hated her guts and never wanted to see her again.

"Tomorrow" he promised then before she knew what was happening, Spike leaned in and gently brushed his lips against hers. He grinned as he pulled back. "See you tomorrow luv." With that, he turned ad left glancing back only once, very subtly, out of curiosity. To his delight, she was watching him walk away. He stepped onto the elevator and grinned even wider right before the door opened.

Author's Note-

So, I felt bad for updating my other story three times and leaving this bone to lie in its wake. Therefore, the update. Hope you're still reading and reviews are much appreciated. (hint, hint) Oh! I think you should know that I'm planning to force them together soon, not romantically although I'll do that too. Stay tuned and, oh yeah, REVIEW!

P.S. check out my new story which I should publish very soon. Another AU…or is it? Lol.

Until next time gentle viewers.