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CHAPTER 2
The Invitation
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Buffy stopped in her tracks right away, she was quite lucky not to drop her cup. Leaving? Did he really say that? Why? How? When? And once more, why? Well, Buffy knew why. Because of her. Because of how she had treated him, how she had... used him.

She swallowed her tears and turned to face him. "Leaving?"

"Yeah. Must behavin' a party in that pretty head of yours, ain't that true, luv?"

A party? Did he really believe she was actually happy about it? After all of what they had been through together? Sure, it hadn't been pretty, but it was real, even if she kept telling herself it wasn't.

Buffy couldn't bring herself to say anything, she was too busy trying to hold back the tears even though she had no reason to. She knew Spike could see right through her, no matter what.

"Somethin' wrong, luv? You don't seem all that happy 'bout it."

"Do I have a reason to be?" Buffy asked him in a shaky voice.

"Thought that's what you always wanted. Getting me out of here." He looked calmly at the Slayer, knowing how his words and the act of I-don't-care were hurting her. But that was the point – to teach the girl a lesson, even if it meant hurting her a little.

"You're an idiot!" Buffy said angrily as she went towards Spike, putting her cup down next to him on the counter. "Do you honestly believe I want you gone?" She looked straight into his bright blue eyes. "Even though I don't want this, you're the one damn person that..." Buffy looked away. How was she supposed to tell him that he was the only reason really keeping her alive. In the literal sense.

"Yeah?" Spike turned her to face him. "What person am I?"

"The only one I do want here." Buffy whispered, everything in her asking him not to go.

"See, you can let it out if you want to." Spike gently played with her hair. "Now comes the better part – I'm not leaving forever, y'know."

"You're not?" Buffy was surprised. In a good way.

"Nope. Just takin' a vacation."

Buffy took a step back to observe the blond vamp. A vacation? What was that supposed to mean?

"Are you kidding me?" Buffy asked him, still with that surprised and now confused tone in her voice.

"I dunno, 's there are reason to?" Spike liked to see her like that. Partly happy about him not leaving for good, partly confused about what he had just said, emotions playing all over her face.

"Well... vampires don't exactly take holidays... right?"

"Right." Spike responded cheerily. "But then again, vampires don't love Slayers. And they don't sleep with them either."

Buffy rolled her eyes.

"What can I say, pet, I've always been the different kind." Spike smiled at her.

"More like the annoying kind." There was a momentary silence between them. "Fine, I listened. You're gonna take a holiday, have fun. Now get out."

"You haven't heard half the story yet."

"Really? Too bad I don't care either." Buffy wanted to leave, but Spike grabbed her arm and turned her back to face him. "Let go of me!" she hissed angrily at him.

"First you've got to see this."

Spike took a couple of plane tickets out of the back of his jeans, showing them to Buffy.

"Rome. One week. Flights at night."

Buffy stared at the tickets. Rome. Italy. God, she'd want to go.

"So?"

"So whaddaya say?"

"About what?"

"Rome, of course. What else?"

"Why the hell are you asking me about this? You're the one to go." Buffy was starting to get sick of this. Why'd he have to shove this pretty dream to her face?

Now it was Spike's turn to roll eyes. "Come on, Slayer, I'm asking you to come with me."

Buffy just stared at him, completely dumbfounded.

Sorry for the chappy being so short. Again. Been a busy girl. Anyway, hope you like it. Lots of fun in the next chapter... whaddaya think Buffy'll say? Come back and find out! And review! ... BTW, I chose Rome cause I had just been there and completely fell in love with the city. It's the second most beautiful place on Earth. Lol.