A/N : Thanx so much to; Moonjava, msberry, Caitie02, SlaYeRGiRLkaL, Rowan Rice, Celestia Nailo, katie, trueblue, spuffygrl, sheilamarie, Dark Drusilla, and susan pero. You guys are great, I always worry about new stories and if anyone will like them. Seems I have support for this one so that's great. trueblue asked about Spike's age, he's about thirty four/thirty five and Buffy is twenty nine, almost thirty, hope that helps you. Here's the new chapter.
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 2 - Clouds In Your Coffee

"I hope it's not too hard to get a job around here" Xander sighed as he sat on one of the beds of the cheap motel room and counted up their cash, "We're gonna need some income and we can't live in a motel forever even if we could afford it"

Buffy re-entered from the bathroom where she'd been putting away her toiletries.

"It shouldn't be too difficult for you" she told her cousin, "I mean, a town always needs carpenters right? Always something needs building or fixing"

"Good point" Xander nodded, putting away their money in a safe place and gesturing for Buffy to come and sit beside him, "And what about you?" he asked, throwing an arm over her shoulders.

"I don't know" the blonde sighed, "I know I should have but I haven't really been thinking about jobs and money...just her"

"I get that" he assured her, giving her a squeeze, "and it'll all turn out okay in the end, I just know it will"

"How can you be so sure?" his cousin asked, flopping back on the bed and taking him down with her.

"When have you ever known me to be wrong?" he asked the ceiling, not daring to look at her incredulous face, "Okay, okay" he conceded, "So I'm not known for my right-ness, but I'm trying here"

She laughed at him then, he was such a great guy and so much fun, but far too much of a brother figure for him to ever be boyfriend or husband material. Xander was her rock, her strength, and her one true friend through everything that had happened to her. He never let her down and she appreciated it so much. He'd even left his home town to come along with her to Sunnydale so she could find a person she hadn't seen in over fourteen years.

"Maybe I should go find a local newspaper, look at the vacancies" she suggested, finally pulling herself to her feet. Xander stared at her, propping himself on his elbows, but making no effort to get up at all.

"Sounds like a plan" he agreed, "You mind if I stay here? I'm wiped after that long journey" he let his arms go slack and fell back into the bedclothes for emphasis and Buffy smiled.

"You get some rest grandpa" she teased, "I'll go fetch that paper and take a look around town"

"Grandpa!" his head popped up as he yelled incredulously and grabbed a pillow to launch at her. It hit the back of the door as she ran out giggling, wishing life could always be so simple and fun as in that moment. Of course, it never had been and was never likely to be.

"I make it just about lunch time" Spike said as soon as his watch said 12.29, "Who fancies joining me at the Espresso Pump for half an hour?" he asked his two work mates that he shared the office with as he stood and pulled on his leather coat.

"Sounds good" Willow nodded, looking to Oz who agreed.

The three headed down to the ground floor and walked out onto the street together, chatting about their work and their families as always. Spike was so involved in his conversation that he didn't see the young woman exiting the coffee shop until he'd ploughed right into her, causing her to spill her take-away drink all down the front of her white top and partly over Spike's hand.

"Watch where you're going, jerk!" she screeched, but the man was too releived to realise it was iced-coffee to really hear her.

"Sorry pet, didn't see you there" he apologised as she moved back into the building and he, Willow and Oz filed in too.

"Well maybe if you looked where you were going, you idiot!" she continued as she grabbed a handful of paper napkins and tried to fix the damage to her clothes.

Spike was about to launch into full yelling mode when Willow blocked his view of the other woman and tried to help.

"Hey, let me give you a hand with that" the red-head offered, leading the blonde off towards the bathroom.

"Spike, you do have a way with women" Oz smiled, as the two men walked over to the counter. His sarcastic tone was hardly any different to his normal voice, but Spike knew what he meant.

"Don't be a git" he snapped, as they sat down on two stools "The silly bint should have looked where she was going"

"As should you" his friend bit back, one of the few people who would ever dare argue when Spike got into one of his moods.

The bleached blond opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted as the waitress asked what they wanted. The guys told her what they wanted, Oz also ordering his wife's favourite, just as she arrived back at his side with the blonde woman in tow.

"Hey guys, I asked Buffy to come sit with us" the red-head smiled, Buffy pulled at her damp top uncomfortably, shooting Spike a look, "She's new in town and I thought we should make her feel welcome in Sunnydale"

There was a tone in her voice and a look on her face that both Oz and Spike knew only too well. It was the same as when your mother is telling you off for doing something without actually yelling or using the words. Somehow it was worse.

"Hey there, pet" Spike smiled with fake sweetness, holding out his hand, "Names William Giles, but most call me Spike" warily she took the hand he held out to her, "Sorry about before, I'm just a little edgy today is all" he admitted, his mind had been half on Dawn all day and how she'd be doing at Sunnydale High.

"That's okay" Buffy conceded as they shook hands, "Guess I should have been watching where I was going too"

Willow smiled proudly as she sat down on the stool by Oz and gestured that Buffy should take the spare seat next to Spike.

"Now you two are friends" she said next, "Buffy Summers, this is Daniel Osbourne, my Oz" she grinned and Buffy reached across in front of Spike to shake the other man's hand.

"Pleasure" he nodded and she smiled as she told him 'likewise'.

Spike studied the girl as she pulled herself back into her seat. She wasn't bad looking now that he paid attention. Slightly built and maybe a might younger than himself, still, she looked like she could hold her own. He shook his head as he realised he was staring, and a moment later coffee and lunch arrived in front of them.

The half an hour lunch break of the employees of Giles Electronics passed swiftly, as Willow and Oz became better acquainted with Buffy. Spike kept mostly to himself, he wasn't one for telling his life story to strangers. Since Dru had died he reverted to being less forthcoming amongst company. Still, blindness and yelling not withstanding, Buffy thought he seemed pleasant enough, he had a nice smile and these gorgeous eyes that said everything.

"Oh my God" Willow gasped as she checked her watch and realised they'd been out of the office longer than they ought to have been. She got Oz up from his seat and made a hasty retreat as Spike told them to get gone, he'd deal with the bill.

Buffy stayed and began digging in her pocket and counting out change onto the bar so she could pay for her coffee. Spike pushed the coins back toward her.

"'S'on me, pet" he told her, "least I can do"

"If you're sure" she checked, collecting up the change again. She looked away from him and those bright eyes again, it was sort of embarrassing.

"I'm sure" the bleached blond nodded, paying the bill himself, "Call it a welcome to Sunnydale if nothing else" he smiled.

"Seems like a nice place to move to" she commented as they made to leave together, "the natives are friendly...though from your accent I'm guessing you're not from around here" she was glad to get the opportunity to ask him a couple of questions at last.

"Nah, I hail from across the Atlantic" he told her as they exited the Espresso Pump and headed down the street, "Dad emigrated out here and we followed not long after the wedding"

"Oh, you're married" she asked with a slight frown, somehow he didn't seem the married kind.

"Widowed" he admitted quietly, "Dru's gone now"

Buffy felt horribly guilty for mentioning it now, presumably that's why he was so quiet in conversations about family and so forth.

"I'm so sorry" she apologised immediately a hand on his arm as they stopped walking outside where he worked.

"S'not your fault pet" he smiled good-naturedly, "You weren't to know"

There was a moments silence when she realised where her hand had strayed to and she pulled it back.

"Can I ask how long?" she said carefully, concerned she might be upsetting him.

"It'd be our sixteenth anniversary in a few months, but she's been gone five years" he told her, unsure which was the answer she was looking for. Part of him was glad to talk about it with someone who didn't already know all the details near as good as he himself did, but another part was just reminded of what he'd lost, and what Dawn had lost, "This is me" he said, suddenly feeling the need to get away, he pointed toward the building bearing the name of his father's company and Buffy nodded.

"It was nice meeting you Spike" she told him, "Coffee spillage not withstanding" she smiled, almost laughing at the ridiculous little spat they'd had in that first minute of meeting. It had been sort of stupid.

"Yeah, nice meeting you too, Buffy" he agreed, "Maybe I'll see you around"

"Maybe" she nodded a she went into the building and she headed back towards the motel. At least she'd made a few friends in this town, but they were not the people she had in mind to be meeting...

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : Reviews make me want to write more and post faster, it's a proven fact, so please hit that little button down there and review!