A/N : Thanx to; Moonjava, sf-former-mk, spuffygrl, Brunettepet, demonica mills, ness345, Baby Girl Geller-Green, katie, Mita427, bella-lover, Moluvsnumber17, Ape18, and msberry, for the latest reviews. I love hearing your opinions on what has happened and your ideas on what could happen next.
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 10 - Falling

Spike couldn't believe he was here, but Dawn had spent the last hour telling him that the only way to fix things with Buffy was to talk to her, and work was not really the place for that. His daughter had suggested he pick Buffy up on the way to work, just like he had the previous day, and whilst he was a little uncomfortable in taking dating advice from his own little girl, Spike had to agree what she said made sense.

So here they were, car parked outside the building, engine still running. Spike was just debating whether to wait til she came out or go in to find her when Xander emerged from the doors.

"Hey, Xander" he called, winding the window down.

The brunette turned and came over to the car.

"Spike, what are you doing here?" he asked, "Buffy already left"

"Bugger it" the beached blond cursed as Xander walked away, headed towards work, "I dunno, Bit, maybe I'm just not meant to like this woman" he said sadly, "Powers That Be reckon so it seems"

"There must be a reason why she went all crazy last night" Dawn told him, "And I'll bet anything he knows" she said, gesturing to Xander as he strode on own the street.

Spike hesitated a moment before turning off the engine and scrambling from the car.

"Two minutes" he promised Dawn through the window, knowing he was running the risk of making her late for school. He hurried after Buffy's cousin and called his name to get him to stop.

"Look, I know I must have done something last night to piss off your cousin" he told him, "but I swear I don't bloody know what. You got any ideas?"

Xander sighed, not really sure what he should and shouldn't say for the best.

"Look, I probably shouldn't be telling you this but...Buffy hasn't had the greatest luck with guys" he explained eventually, "She just, she's cautious cos she doesn't want to get hurt again"

"Great" Spike sighed, "So now she thinks I'm a git for coming on to her, just great" he complained, kicking the fire hydrant to the side.

"Don't beat yourself up over it" Xander told him, "You didn't know, you couldn't have"

"Gotta say" Spike smirked in spite of himself, "I half expected you to smack me in the face when you saw me today. Didn't know what Buffy would've said to you after last night"

"Really don't think I would've" Xander smiled, "Not so much with the fightage, unless I have to, but anyway, it's not like you really did anything wrong as such, it was just a kiss, right?"

"Right" Spike nodded in agreement.

"See, that's no big to me or you" Xander shrugged, "or most girls actually but Buff, she's...I guess you might say fragile when it comes to dating, which is insane cos in everything else she's pretty tough" he smiled.

"Advice would be good , if you have any" Spike asked, "You must know Buffy better than anyone, and I don't want her avoiding me all the time, that's the last thing I want"

"To be honest, I wouldn't know where to start" Xander admitted, "and if the Buffster ever found out we were talking about her behind her back" he made a slicing motion across his neck with his finger, and Spike understood.

"Guess I'll just have to go it alone then, hope for the best" he realised as Xander checked his watch.

"Er, I think your daughter is worried about being late for school" he gestured over to the car where Dawn was frantically gesturing out of the back window.

Spike glanced as his watch and swore colourfully as he hurried back to her.

"Sorry, luv" he apologised, jumping into the drivers seat, "Teacher gives you any bother for being late you tell her it was my fault" he told her, "She argues tell her to call me and I'll put her straight, got it?"

"Got it" Dawn agreed as they sped off down the road.

"Where is that boy?" Giles complained as he stood by his son's desk, tapping his foot.

"He's only a little late" Willow tried to defend her friend, "Maybe he got stuck in traffic"

Giles gave her a look that said he really didn't believe her and the red-head went back to her work.

"Er, Mr Giles" Buffy said as she appeared from the door to his office, "Anne just called up to say Mr Pryce and Mr Gunn are here" she told him.

"Ah yes, thankyou Buffy" he smiled, turning to her, "If you could turn on the coffee machine and make sure everything is ready for the meeting"

She nodded and ducked back into the office, glancing briefly at Spike's empty desk as she did so. She really felt awful about last night, running out on him like she did. He probably thought he'd done something wrong, and really he hadn't. She'd been awake half the night going over it in her head, and she knew she needed to apologise and explain as much as she could, though she wasn't quite prepared yet to mention Angel or his baby that she'd been forced to give up. Now it seemed she would be trapped in a meeting for hours without getting a chance to talk to him.

Buffy had no idea that Spike was thinking the same thing as he almost fell through the office door, attracting everyone's attention.

"William" Giles sighed at the sight of his son who breathed unevenly as he came towards him, "How is it that you have such trouble being at work on time, and yet you can consistently be ten minutes late?" he asked, as he polished his glasses.

"Sheer talent?" Spike ventured with a slight smile that soon disappeared, "Sorry Dad, not exactly having the best morning ever" he said, sitting down at his desk and turning his back on the room. Giles rolled his eyes as Oz and Willow shared a look.

"I am going downstairs to meet with two very important gentleman from Wolfram and Hart" Giles told them, "Our meeting will probably last much of the morning and possibly spill into the afternoon. I am not to be disturbed unless it is of the utmost urgency"

The staff nodded they understood as the watched the boss disappear out of the door.

"S'pose Buffy's trapped in that meeting too then?" Spike checked with Willow who nodded sadly. Oz had told her what had happened last night, since she'd missed much of it. She felt awful for Spike, since he was such a sweet guy. He really deserved to find a woman to love and who would love him too. No-one could ever replace Drusilla, but it'd do him good to move on. He deserved to be happy again, though it seemed they'd have to wait until at least Buffy emerged from the possible all-day meeting.

Spike could hardly concentrate on his work at all. His mind was on Buffy alone and it was slowly driving him round the bend. He'd known the girl three days for God sakes and somehow he was obsessed with her. The last person he'd ever felt this strongly for was his precious Drusilla who he'd fallen in love with on sight. She was everything he'd ever wanted and infinitely more. By some miracle she'd felt the same about him and together they were the ultimate team.

Now here was Buffy, a very different woman to Drusilla in looks and personality but still, from almost the first moment he'd laid eyes on her, Spike had wanted her, felt things for her, realised he was starting to fall in love with her.

The clock hands shifted a little more, almost time to go home. The meeting had dragged on even longer than Giles had predicted, and though they'd broken for lunch, Spike still hadn't managed to get even a moment alone with Buffy. She was ferried out with the two visiting gents and brought back in again an hour or so later, having dined out at a restaurant for lunch.

Finally the door swung open and Spike tried to make himself look busy as Giles emerged shaking hands with his business associates before allowing Buffy to lead them out of the office. The bleached blond checked the clock on his computer screen, quickly hit the off button when he saw he could get away with leaving and swinging his coat over his shoulder he practically ran for the door. He took the stairs when he saw Buffy enter the elevator with Gunn and Pryce. She was shaking hands with them and laughing at some joke when Spike saw them next in the reception area. When the two men were gone he walked towards her.

"Buffy" he said as he reached her and whilst she didn't move away, she wouldn't look at him either.

"Spike" she replied in kind and he felt like such a fool suddenly. Neither of them seemed prepared to say any of the things they'd been planning all day long and when they finally decided to speak it was the same phrase both at once.

"I'm sorry about last night" they said in unison, both smiling when their realised what they'd done.

"Really, Buffy, I never meant to upset you" Spike told her.

"You didn't" she shook her head, "I mean, it wasn't really your fault, I just..." she tried to explain and failed badly, instead opting for the highly popular running away tactic.

"I should get back to the office" she said, moving to walk past him, "Mr Giles will be wondering where I am..."

"Buffy" Spike stopped her leaving, his hand on her arm. Her eyes met his then glanced down at his fingers on her forearm, "Let me drive you home" he almost begged her. He just needed some time to talk to her, explain he wasn't there git she probably thought he was.

She considered his offer for a moment, finding that she was unable to think straight with his hand gently gripping her arm as it still was.

"I...you have to pick up your daughter from school" she said, part of her really wanting to say yes but not sure that she should. This guy could be anybody, she'd only known him three days, and yet in some insane way she felt like she'd known him for years. She instinctively knew she could trust him.

"I'm running Dawnie home for a change of clothes and such, then I'm taking her to a mates" he explained, "Some science project or whatever they have to do together. I can easily come and pick you up when you clock off at five"

"I don't want to put you to any trouble" Buffy shook her head, pulling her arm free and taking a couple of steps away. He looked almost hurt that she wanted to get away so fast and she took a deep breath before she spoke again, "Can you be here a little earlier?" she asked almost shyly, "Giles was talking about letting me go home sooner because I did so well with the clients today"

"I'll be here" Spike smiled, so pleased she'd finally said yes and that she was smiling at him so brightly. He watched her until the elevator doors closed and blocked his view.

"That's so sweet" he heard a voice say and he turned to see Anne smiling at him too, "You and Buffy, huh? I think it's nice"

"You would" Spike told her, rolling is eyes but grinning still, as he went to fetch Dawn from school.

'I'm an idiot' Spike was thinking as he sat outside the building where he worked. Buffy had said a little earlier than five but it was barely four-twenty and he was already there. Dawn had made an extra effort to change and grab her bag extra fast so her Dad could get her to her mates house as quick as possible and then come here to wait for Buffy. Spike loved his little girl, of course he did, but always he felt that little bit more of a connection to her when she was trying to help him out like this. When she said she was so happy for him having found a woman he might be able to be with, when she hugged him and said that Dru would want him to be happy. God he'd nearly cried like a ponce but he was so glad Dawnie approved. Of course there was nothing to say he'd definitely end up with Buffy in any kind of long term way, but right now he was wishing he would.

"Earth to Spike" said her voice through the small gap where he had the window down a little, "God, what were you thinking about?" Buffy asked, "I called your name three times"

"Sorry, luv" he apologised, "I was in a whole other world" he realised as he'd been picturing how great things might go with Buffy. Dates they could go on, days spent as a family with Dawn, nights alone together, that last one was where his mind got the most stuck and he tried not to look too guilty when Buffy got into the car, for fear she'd ask him to actually tell her what he'd been thinking. One kiss had scared the poor girl half to death, not that he really understood why, but now was not the time to start mentioning spending their lives together.

"So, did Dawn have a good day at school?" she asked as he pulled way from the kerb.

"Er, yeah, seemed to" he replied, a little confused by the question. He hadn't really expected he to ask about his daughter, but if she wanted to know, he would tell her.

"S'not easy for her, being a teenager without a Mum, but I do what I can"

"Well, I think you're a great Dad" Buffy let slip out without thinking, "I mean, she seems so happy and she loves you so much, just in the couple of times I've seen you two together I can see that"

"Thanks, luv" Spike said a little more softly than he meant to, "Means a lot"

He meant that, really and truly. He wanted to be with Buffy, saw a future with her hopefully, but that was never going to work if she couldn't accept Dawn as a part of his life. It seemed she could, in fact she thought he was a great father. Although he thought it he didn't dare say that perhaps one day he'd be a good father to her children too, it made a pretty picture in his head though.

"Spike?" Buffy's voice interrupted his thoughts once again and he glanced at her before putting his eyes back on the road, "Y'know you said you wanted to drive me home so we could talk and now...you keep zoning out on me" she pointed out, "Are you okay?" she asked, just as he pulled the car up outside the motel.

"To be honest, luv" he sighed as he shut off the engine, "No, I'm not okay" he admitted as he took off his seat belt and turned a little more towards her, "I like you Buffy, maybe more than I should after only three days of knowing you" he told her, "but that doesn't make it any less real"

She glanced away, feeling terribly awkward, but he couldn't stop now.

"I don't know what this is between us, maybe you don't even feel it but..."

"I do" she interrupted, eyes flicking up to meet his, "I do feel it Spike and...it scares me half to death" she admitted, "Like you said, it's been three days and, I didn't come here looking for a guy, I came here..." she stopped when she realised what she was saying, "I came here for a lot of reasons but finding a man really wasn't on my list"

Spike looked away then, fearing what she was about to say. Not just that she was scared of falling for him but that she'd make damn sure she never did.

"You took me by surprise" she smiled when she got his attention back, "and not just because you threw coffee all over me" she laughed slightly as he did the same, "You're a great person, William Giles, and I really mean that" she assured him, putting a hand to his face, "I just think...three days isn't long, and maybe we could take this all very slow. Is that okay?" she asked cautiously. She really did want to get to know this guy better, thought maybe there could be something good between them, but after the last guy she'd fallen head over heels for as she felt she a falling for Spike, she couldn't risk rushing into this.

Spike nodded in agreement to her question, taking her hand in his.

"We can take this any speed you like, pet" he assured her, knowing it was going to be hell trying to keep any large amount of distance between them, but he'd do it for now, and see what happened.

"Thankyou" she answered him softly, leaning over to kiss his cheek before hopping out of the car. The thanks could easily have been for the lift home and their serious conversation might never have taken place, but they both knew it had.

"So, when you say slow" he called through the window as she walked around the car, "Where do we start?" he checked, not wanting to screw this up.

"Well..." Buffy smiled playfully, "You could offer to drive me to work tomorrow?" she suggested. He smiled back at her, liking this game.

"Would I be pushing if I offered to drive you to work every day?" he asked carefully, the smile returning to his face when she said that'd be great.

When Spike pulled away from the kerb and began to drive home his mind went straight to Drusilla, but he didn't stop smiling. When he pulled up outside his house he took his wallet from his pocket and stared at the picture of his wife inside.

"Oh, pet" he said as if she could hear him, "When you told me I'd find another I could love, I never believed you...but I think I've found her" he told the photograph.

Buffy would never replace his beloved Dru, no-one ever could, but she'd told him so many times during her illness that all she really wanted now was to leave this plane of existence, safe in the knowledge that Spike and Dawn would live happily ever after. She talked of him finding another woman and it had near killed him to hear it. Now years later he understood what she'd been saying to him. He was sure if she was up there looking down on him now, she was smiling.

To Be Continued...