A/N: Yay! Only a week between updates. Umm … sorta Spuffy-centric chapter, not much action …
Thanks to KelleyTheSelfToastablePopTart, Buffycoo999, spk, kim, Serrafina, Stawberry Girl, pinky-blue ice, and funkydevil206 for reviewing …
Disclaimer: Bow down to Joss and his evil geniuses … not mine ….
Rating: PG-13. Swearing, angst, violence. You have been warned …
Pairings: B/S eventually. W/T, X/A.
Distribution: Yeah, sure, take it. Tell me first, though.
Reviews: Much appreciated. Much loved.
Previously: The police department haven't discovered anything. The gang goes about their day as normal, and Buffy and Spike visit Giles …
"Buffy, what's wrong?" Dawn watched the blonde pace back and forth.
Buffy stopped for a moment and sighed. "I dunno, Dawnie…"
Willow looked up from her laptop and tilted her head questioningly. "What are you so worried about? Everything's been going better this past week. There hasn't been a single you-know-what from you-know-who."
The redhead had taken to stepping around any reference to whoever was terrorizing them, but her friend still understood what she meant.
"I know," Buffy answered, "but I can't shake the feeling that something wrong's about to happen …"
Anya walked into the living room, effectively cutting their conversation short. "Hey, you guys. Xander and I were wondering if you'd want to triple date with us tonight."
"Maybe that was the crisis you were looking for," Willow quipped to Buffy. Buffy hid a smile behind her hand while Anya frowned, but chose to ignore that comment.
"Yes, I've noticed that you have been more repressed – sexually and otherwise – lately, and decided a night out would all of us good," she smiled proudly at her explanation.
Willow blushed, but grinned and joked sarcastically, "That's a persuasive argument."
"Don't laugh," Buffy smiled, "she's won many a client with her talk."
"Stop avoiding the question," Anya pouted. "Come with us."
Buffy turned to her. "Um, in case you haven't noticed, it's not like I have a boyfriend."
"That's perfect, 'cause Spike doesn't, either," Willow immediately jumped at the chance of setting her friends up. "Both of you guys can come with us."
Buffy raised her eyebrows. "You're going?"
Willow shrugged. "Yeah, why not? Tara and I haven't been out for a while, and I'm pretty sure she's free tonight. C'mon Buffy, it'll be fun …"
Buffy was beginning to cave. "What about Dawn? I don't want her home all alone."
All eyes shifted to the girl.
"Fine, but you guys owe me," Dawn huffed. "I'll just go sleep over at Janice's or something – leave you lovebirds to your fun."
"Hey," Buffy protested. "I don't have a boyfriend."
Her sister smirked. "You get to spend the night with a certain still-clueless, bleached-blonde Brit. Make a move, before someone else snatches him up."
"Dawnie --"
"Really, go have some fun," Dawn grinned. "You need it."
Buffy rolled her eyes, but smiled back. "You sure you'll be ok?"
"Positive," the teenager said firmly.
"Great!" enthused Anya. "It's settled, then."
oOoOo
The two men stood awkwardly in the Summer's living room, waiting for the girls to get ready. Dawn had already been safely driven to her friend's house, where – before going in – she winked at Spike and told him to make sure Buffy had a good time that night. Now …
"Remind me again why I agreed to come along?" Spike questioned Xander.
"Umm, so yours truly wouldn't be completely overwhelmed by gossip and girl talk?" Xander offered.
Spike sighed. "How did I ever end up being your best mate? 'Ell, how did I ever end up bein' your only guy mate?"
Bu before Xander could protest, or Spike could further lament his fate, they saw their friends descend the stairs.
Willow and Tara had their arms linked, and were smiling at each other, while Anya immediately went over to her boyfriend. Spike took one look at Buffy and decided that whatever happened that evening would be worth the trouble.
"You look beautiful, luv," he said to her softly once she reached the bottom of the stairs.
Buffy blushed, but returned cheekily, "You don't look so bad, yourself."
Spike smirked, but before he could say anything, they were ushered out the door by Anya, who grinned knowingly.
"So, where to tonight?" Spike asked curiously.
"Dinner," Anya planned, "then we'll see …"
"'K, then, let's go," Xander said.
oOoOo
Dinner passed by uneventfully, but somehow, the gang ended up at the Bronze.
"Xander and I will go get the drinks," Anya announced, once they found a table.
"We will?" Xander was confused. Anya glared at him pointedly and elbowed him in an unexpected show of tact.
"Oh, right, we will," Xander quickly amended.
"Oh! And Tara and I will help!" Willow volunteered. "Buffy, Spike, want anything?"
"Diet Coke, please," Buffy requested.
"No thanks, Red," Spike declined.
Buffy watched amusedly as the four filed towards the bar.
"Get the feeling we're being set up, pet?" Spike asked loudly over the music.
"It was a bit obvious when Anya insisted we sit next to each other during dinner," Buffy laughed.
The grinned at each other.
A long silence followed, and finally, Buffy suddenly blurted, "Would … would it be so bad if we were? Being set up, I mean."
She mentally smacked herself for saying something that could potentially ruin their newly rekindled friendship, but still glance out of the corner of her eye for his reaction.
"No …" Spike ventured slowly, "it wouldn't …"
Buffy smiled a little and pressed further. "Really?"
He looked at her, then decided to throw caution to the wind. "Yeah … 'cause I like you, luv. I have for bloody ever."
This time, Buffy's smile was wide. "I like you, too," she confessed softly.
Spike smirked back.
They sat quietly for a while, unsure of what their next move should be, after making their confessions, but happy that they did so.
Finally Spike asked, "Dance with me, luv?" Gone was the shy, uncertain self of a minute ago, with his confident, cocky persona back in place.
Buffy nodded, and they walked to the dance floor together. Then she asked, "If you've like me for so long, why didn't you say anything?"
"Why didn't you?" Spike countered.
"Because I didn't know how you felt," Buffy protested as they swayed to the music.
Spike raised an eyebrow, "Well, I didn't know how you felt."
Buffy stuck her tongue out at him childishly, then quickly retracted it.
They smiled as they fell back into bantering, glad that some things didn't change...
oOoOo
Back at the table …
"That was Dawn," Willow explained as she ended her call and saw everyone watching her questioningly. "She wanted to know if Buffy and Spike have 'managed to realized that they're made for each other,' yet."
The group of friends laughed.
"Glad to see that they've finally come to their senses," Anya voiced what they were all thinking as they watched the two blondes in question dance.
"Took them long enough," Tara quipped absent-mindedly.
Everyone glanced at her, mildly surprised at the usually quiet girl. She grinned at them mischievously, and they all smiled a bemused smile. Willow wrapped her arm more tightly around her girlfriend as they settled back, content with the way the night turned out …
yay! reviews are pretty! (no, i don't know what i'm on; but you can't have any, so there :P)
le faye