A/N : I'm so glad you guys are willing to keep on reading through the lack of Spuffy when all they seem to do is bitch at each other! Hey, to actually seems like you enjoy the arguments, so that's cool. I do assure you that eventually there will be a happy Spuffy ending, emphasis on the 'eventually'!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5

'Don't wanna know what you did wrong
I've lived in your fake world so long
It won't change the way I feel
I don't care if it's not real

You told me once, you told me twice
I didn't hear a word!

Lie to me, baby, tell me anything untrue
Just can't bear the honesty from you
Lie to me, honey, tell me it's okay
Save the heartbreak for another day'

As The Chosen prepared to launch into the next verse of Lie To Me, Spike suddenly found he was without some much needed volume for his guitar.

"What the bloody hell?" he cursed looking at his mates who also seemed to have a problem, "You!" Spike boomed through the microphone as he spotted Buffy emerging from the gloom below. She stood before the stage, arms folded over her chest, not the least bit phased by the dirty looks she was getting from both Spike and Faith.

"Maybe now you'll be able to hear me when I talk" the blonde snapped.

"Well, maybe you could have just waited til we'd finished the song, pet" Spike shot back, emphasising the little name he knew annoyed her.

"I don't have time to listen to you people make noise" she rolled her eyes, "Although I'm trusting Mr Giles' by letting you play here for the customers, it doesn't mean I have to like your so-called music"

"You stopped us playin' to tell us you don't like the song?" Faith asked incredulously, "Newsflash Blondie, not caring so much"

"Faith!" Xander reprimanded. She just gave him the finger for daring to snap at her.

"I actually stopped you to talk about tonight" Buffy explained, "It's kind of a big deal that it goes well, which means I want you all on your best behaviour. You will not show me up in front of my friends or any of the patrons of this establishment. I am your boss, I pay you to be here, and you will show me some respect" she told them clearly. Spike and Faith looked particularly aggravated but what could they do? They needed the Bronze, and loved it too much to give it up even if they didn't.

"Right, fine, best behaviour, whatever" Spike rolled his eyes, barely keeping is temper in check "That agreed, you think you could put the power back on so we can get to rehearsing?" he asked the blonde with a tilt of his head, "Can't very well be at our best for your big deal of an opening if you don't let us get our practise in, can we?"

Buffy didn't say a word, just flounced back the way she'd come, flipping the switch back to on as she went.

"You don't think you were a little harsh?" Willow asked from the door where she'd been watching the whole scene.

"Harsh?" Buffy scoffed, "Will, it's the only way I can get them to understand me" she told her friend as they left the club.

They were going to grab something to eat and then get changed for the big party that would start in just a few hours. Buffy was grateful to have her best friend back at her side as of yesterday. It made things a little easier to handle, since Angel had been very busy with work and his family and had little time for her and her club.

"He's still gonna be there tonight though, right?" Willow checked and Buffy nodded.

"Oh yeah, definite show-up-age tonight" she said, "He'd never let me down"

"Angel, don't do this to me!" Buffy complained into the phone, "I accepted you'd been too busy to help me out these last couple of days, I can even accept you being late to my very important Grand Opening, but you cannot expect me to be okay about you not showing at all"

"Baby, I'm sorry" Angel tried to placate her, "You know I really wanted to be there, and I would be if I could, but this business trip could make or break my career"

"And the flight just happens to be at the same time as my party" she said grumpily, seriously wondering if it were true or if she was being lied to. She hated herself for thinking he would be unfaithful or anything, but Buffy had major trust issues with men after her father's betrayal of her Mom. Angel was a great guy, there was no real reason to think he'd mess her around, she was just so disappointed that he wouldn't be at her side tonight of all nights.

"It was a last minute thing" he continued to explain, "This was supposed to Lindsey's gig, but he took a fall down some stairs and did some serious damage to his leg, there's no way he can fly tonight. Miss Mackenzie asked me to go in his place and I'd be an idiot to say no"

"Miss Mackenzie?" Buffy echoed softly, feeling sick, "You mean Darla?" she asked, swallowing hard.

Darla MacKenzie was older than her by a good four or five years, but age difference not withstanding the two young women were very similar. Both blonde, both beautiful, both big fans of Angel. Darla had been jealous of Buffy for years. So used to snapping her fingers and having things just go her way thanks to Daddy's millions, Angel was one thing that hadn't come easily, instead of Darla he'd chosen to date Buffy Summers.

Determined to get her way, Darla made a big deal about getting a job at Daddy's law firm, a favour she was granted and as such she was Angel's boss on a technicality. Buffy trusted her boyfriend, but she didn't trust Miss Mackenzie, especially not if they were going on a business trip alone together.

"You know she means nothing to me, Buffy" Angel assured his girlfriend, "I love you"

"I love you too" she replied, "Doesn't mean I like the fact you're not going to be here tonight"
"I don't like it either" he told her, "but I know you'll do just fine without me there"

The couple said their goodbyes and hung up shortly afterwards.

Buffy sighed deeply and sat down in the chair behind her desk, checking her watch. One hour and the party started, she had to prove she could manage a club and do it well, and now she had to do all that without the support of the man she loved.

The door swung open startling her from her thoughts and she glanced up to see Spike in front of her.

"Don't you knock?" she snapped angrily.

"Er, no, not usually" he smirked back at her, but not for long as he noticed her eyes were glassy with tears, "What's up with you?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant as he tilted his head and stared at her.

"Nothing" she said, rummaging through her bag to find a mirror, "It's none of your business" she told him coldly as she checked her appearance, forced her tears back and made sure she still looked presentable.

"Suit yourself, luv" Spike shrugged, "'S not like I care" he reminded her, wondering why he'd even bothered to ask. Like he said, it wasn't as if he cared at all.

"Was there a reason you came in here, Spike?" Buffy asked, snapping her compact mirror shut, putting it back in her bag and standing up from her seat.

"I was just... bloody hell" his sentence took a complete change of course as she walked around the desk and he got a proper view of her whole body. She wore a short, figure-hugging back dress that covered everything at the front but left much of her back exposed, as well as showing off her legs. Before all he'd ever seen her wear was tailored pants and jackets, always smart but never really sexy. Now he was having trouble forming words.

"Spit it out, Spike, I don't have all night" she complained when he went silent on her.

"I, er, I was just gonna tell you the band and me, we're gonna go get changed and everything, we'll be back in plenty of time" he said, eventually finding his voice, attempting to keep his eyes above her neck where it was safe and finding it almost impossible.

"Okay" she nodded, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze "Don't be late"

"Wouldn't dare, boss" he smirked at her obvious discomfort before turning to leave. Okay so the bint was an infuriating cow most of the time. Didn't mean a fella couldn't enjoy the view, right?

"Okay, what did you say this time?" Doyle asked as Spike walked over to the bar where his friend was polishing up glasses.

"What're you yammering about?" the bleached blond asked him.

"You've got that big smirk on your face there" the Irishman pointed out, "Which means you either threw our Miss Summers over the desk and had your way with her, which is unlikely since you were gone less than two minutes, or you said something bloody nasty and made the poor girl cry"

"You really think I'm some sort of bastard, don'tcha Doyle?" Spike said, feigning hurt but finding it hard to keep his smirk at bay.

"Hey man, you're like a brother to me" his friend assured him, "Best friend I ever had, but there is no way in hell you got through a whole conversation with the boss, however short, without saying something to upset her"

"Didn't say a bloody word" Spike said honestly, "Nothin' to make her cry anyway, seems someone else beat me to it"

"She okay?" Doyle frowned.

"I dunno, heard some yellin' and then some soppy 'I love you' crap right before I went in there" Spike shrugged, "Reckon maybe there's a boyfriend or whatever that's let her down" he commented, glancing back towards the door he'd just come out of, "Still, gotta admit, your first suggestion wasn't bad"

"What did I suggest?" Doyle thought aloud, replaying the conversion in his head.

"Bit about having a go with 'our Miss Summers'" he air quoted, "Looks pretty decent in her little black number" he admitted.

"Pretty decent, huh?" Doyle smirked, "Pretty decent like an eight or a nine out of ten?" he checked.

"Put it this way" Spike smirked as he got up from the stool he'd been perched on and headed for the exit, "If I didn't hate her so damn much, I'd still be in that office... door firmly locked" he said with a look that conveyed his full mentioning.

Doyle laughed as he watched his friend walk away. He shook his head at the ridiculous situation. It was so obvious that Spike and Buffy were attracted to each other, despite the fact they fought like cat and dog at very opportunity. Nobody could keep up that kind of fighting on a daily basis if they didn't feel something deep for each other.

"Hello Sunnydale!" Faith yelled from atop the stage as she grabbed the mike from the stand and walked up and down in front of the crowd, "In case anybody missed the frickin' huge banners in here" she grinned, "This is the Grand Re-Opening bash for The Bronze, and before you all start having a big-ass panic about what's been changin' around here, I'm here to tell you one thing has not changed" she said, pausing for effect, before yelling her main point, "The Chosen still rock this joint!"

As the crowd cheered, the lights on the stage went up, revealing the rest of the band all ready to play.

Buffy had watched the whole thing from below with Willow and some other friends at her side. She'd only seen Faith just briefly since the group had left to change earlier, and that was only just to say they were back and ready for when she wanted to open the doors.

As the brunette on stage took her place behind the drum kit, Spike welcomed the whole room to the party and the first song began. Buffy couldn't believe how incredibly hot he looked up there, all in black like he usually was and with this long leather coat that made him look dangerous in a really good way. The music wasn't really to her taste but the crowd went wild for the black-leather clad rockers on the stage.

"They're kinda loud" Willow winced, "but it's not bad"

"Since when did you get an appreciation for punk-type rock songs?" Buffy asked her with a look, realising her friend wasn't looking back at her but instead staring at the guy on stage.

"Since guys like that played it" the red-head sighed, "How hot is he?"

"He's okay" Buffy shrugged, assuming her friend was referring to Spike, "I guess he's kinda hot, if you like Billy Idol or whatever"

"Huh?" Willow frowned finally looking at her friend, "No, no, not him" she made herself clear, "Although he's hot too... the guy on the left of him, playing the other guitar"

"Oh" Buffy said in realisation as her eyes shifted across the stage to Oz.

"He's dreamy" Willow smiled, drifting off into her own little world as she stared at him. Buffy rolled her eyes but was smiling as she did so. Oz had been decent enough to her when she'd first arrived, he wasn't loud and obnoxious like Spike and Faith seemed to be. Still, she wasn't sure he and Will were an obvious pairing, or if she'd really want them to be.

"So, Angel really couldn't come, huh?" Harmony said to Buffy as she sipped her margarita, "That's too bad"

"He had a business trip thing, it's no big" the other blonde shrugged.

"No big?" Glory snapped, "Oh come on, this is like the biggest night of your life, hello!" she reminded her old friend, "The least he could do was send flowers"

Buffy didn't have an answer to that. She knew her friends were right, Angel should've made some kind of effort for her, she always attended all the big events and parties he needed her to go to. Always did the trophy girl thing, hanging on his arm and looking good. Tonight she'd really needed his support of her new venture and he wasn't around.

"Oh my God!" Harmony suddenly squeaked, "Why didn't you tell me you'd got Cordelia Chase working here!" she demanded to know. Buffy glanced over at her friend behind the bar and then back at the one beside her.

"Must've slipped my mind" she replied.

"Oh my God, her Dad is such a screw up" Glory said, getting hand gestury, "I mean, they lost absolutely everything, and now she's living in this scabby little apartment. I mean can you say hovel?"

"It's not Cordy's fault" Buffy defended the girl she always liked better than these two at her side, "She needed a job and I gave her work, there's no shame in that"

"No shame?" Harmony echoed with a look of disbelief, "She's tending bar at a night club" she laughed, "The only worse thing would be table dancing, and at least the outfits are flattering for that"

"Well, you would know" Buffy snapped, storming away from her so-called friend who's mouth opened and closed like a landed fish.

"Buffy!" Willow hurried after her as the blonde slammed her way through to the back office, "Buffy, wait up"

"It's all going wrong, Will!" she complained as she paced the office floor, "This was supposed to be a big break for me, running a business, like my dream, and it's a disaster! I don't know how to run a night-club, Angel couldn't even be bothered to show up tonight, my staff are barely coping and my friends are bitching about each other..."

"Hey, calm down" Willow told her, getting hold of Buffy's arms and stilling her movement, "It's okay. It's just the first night, it'll get better, and as for Harmony, you know what she can be like"

"I know" she sighed, calming down a little, "I don't even think she was my problem. Mostly it's just..."
"Angel missage?" her friend guessed.

"Yeah" Buffy nodded sadly, "I so wanted him to be here Will, and he promised and then... I'd just feel better if he were here"

"Buffy, don't take this the wrong way but, you can do stuff without him y'know?" she told her friend, "I mean, I get that you wanted him here and all and you guys are all big with the love but... lately it's like you feel you can't do stuff without him"

"It's not that I can't" the blonde shook her head, "I just... I don't want to I guess"

"That's okay" Willow agreed, "but if you're going to be big business lady you're gonna have to do stuff alone sometimes, and I know you can"

"Thanks, Will" Buffy smiled, hugging her, "I'm glad that at least you're here"

"Hey, I'm your best friend" she smiled back "Where else would I be?"

"Chatting to the bass guitarist of The Chosen?" Buffy suggested with a smirk as they walked out of the office again, arm in arm, "I could introduce you when they take a break"

"Really?" Willow checked, her whole face aglow at the prospect. Buffy smiled and nodded a definite yes. If her friend really liked this guy she should at least get a chance to talk to him. Just because his band-mates had some attitude issues, Oz might be a really nice guy, and just what Willow needed right now.

To Be Continued...