Chapter 7
Spike knocked on the office door not waiting for a reply before he barged in, dragging Faith behind him.
"Get out!" Buffy yelled immediately, but Spike just ignored her, shutting the door behind Faith as she pulled her arm from his grasp, telling him in no uncertain terms where to shove himself.
"I knocked, didn't I?" he said to the blonde, ignoring his band mate who he would quite happily flattened into the ground had she been a fellow male.
"When you knock you wait for an answer before you barge in" Buffy snapped at him, desperately scrubbing the tears from her face before they were spotted, of course it was too late for that.
Getting a grip on his anger Spike took a breath and tried to explain.
"Look, pet, the thing of it is, me and the band, we could do with a retraction on the whole fired thing" he told her, "You know how much we wanna stay here"
"You should have thought about that before you made me look like an idiot" she yelled at him, "That was the plan, right? You sweet talk me into thinking you're a half decent human being whilst your friend Gothy McSlut gets lyrical about me?"
"Watch your mouth, B!" Faith yelled, not loving the insult thrown her way and a little surprised that a supposed lady like Buffy had said such a thing.
"How about you watch yours, F!" the blonde retaliated in similar style, "How dare you stand on the stage in my club and say those things about me!" she snapped as the two women squared up to each other, albeit with a desk between them.
"Er, ladies" Spike interjected, despite the fact he knew Faith was so far from being a lady it was untrue, "Maybe we could not have the cat fight right now" he suggested, "As much fun as it'd be for me as a bloke to watch you to go at it, it's hardly the time and the place" he told them, earning a nasty look from both girls.
"You're sick and disgusting" Buffy told him in no uncertain terms, "You and your whole stupid band. Now I said you were fired, and I meant it. So get out of my club!" she all but screamed.
"Fine, not like we can't find another place" Faith yelled back turning towards the door, forgetting all that Spike had said to her in a moment of fury.
"Oh no, you don't" he said as he grabbed her arm and hauled her back from the door, "We came in here to figure this out and we're damn well gonna do it" he said, getting up in her face and pointing a finger at her in the way a parent might do when scolding a child.
"I am not apologising to that bitch" she said in a low voice, and Buffy almost laughed. Like she'd ever really expected the brunette to say she was sorry, she really wouldn't have believed her even if she'd said it.
Spike and Faith locked gazes and he stared at her with a look that told her she'd better do the right thing and in the next five seconds or the bleached blond's head might just explode.
With a sigh, Faith switched her looks from angry to sweet and smiley, something that would be truly disturbing if Spike didn't know her so well.
"Y'know what, Spike" she said leaning into him, "You're damn hot when you're mad at me" she smirked and her friend rolled his eyes.
"Try it on someone who doesn't know you inside out, Lehane" he sighed, "and just do as you're told for once, there's a good girl" he told her, shoving her towards Buffy who had spent the last couple of minutes with her back to the pair desperately trying to wipe tears and smudged make-up from her cheeks. She would not let them see how much they'd upset her, she was stronger than them, she really was.
"Er, Buffy" Faith said, making the blonde turn around suddenly.
"Are you still here?" she snapped and Faith bit her lip so she wouldn't answer back and make matters worse.
"Faith here has something to say" Spike said, elbowing the girl in the back, "Don't you, Faithie?" he urged her.
After a long moment the brunette sighed.
"I'm sorry, okay?" she shrugged, looking far from apologetic, "I shouldn't have sung the frickin' song, I get it, I know... but don't kick the whole band out of their home just cos of me, cos that ain't fair" she told Buffy who's eyes switched from the girl to Spike. His own eyes were begging her to say she forgave them, that she'd let them stay at the Bronze, and he'd been so sweet to her before.
"This was all you?" she checked with Faith, "Your song, your idea?"
"Yeah, all me" she agreed, "I got Xand and Oz to go along with it, practically had to twist their arms up their backs and I knew I didn't stand a chance convincing Spike here so I never asked, just did it when he wasn't lookin'" she admitted, eyes going to the ground. Despite her big mouth and bravado, she did look a little ashamed of herself now. Perhaps, Spike thought, the reality was sinking in at last. The fact that she might lose her place in The Chosen and/or the gig at the Bronze, the two things that mattered most to her, that had to have an impact.
"Okay" Buffy said suddenly, causing two pairs of eyes to shift to her face, "This time, I'm gonna let it go" she explained, "Only because The Chosen are so popular, for some inexplicable reason, and because the whole band were not to blame"
"Oh pet" Spike grinned, "You won't regret this"
"Oh I won't" Buffy agreed, "It'll only be you that has regrets if you screw up again. We're talking best behaviour from all of you or else" she told them both, though mostly she looked at Faith.
"You got it, boss" the girl grinned, mock saluting as she headed for the door.
Buffy sat down at her desk and put her face in her hands. It was a rough first night so far and it wasn't over yet. As she took a deep breath and looked up she jumped a little as she realised Spike was still standing there.
"She might not have looked very sincere when she said it" he told her "but Faithie wasn't out to do any major damage, she just likes sounding off is all. Felt like you were treading on her toes a bit I reckon, what with her being sort of the Queen of the club till you came along"
"She's just a kid" Buffy shrugged, "It doesn't matter now" she said, looking so tired suddenly.
"Just a kid" Spike echoed, "Can't be much older than her yourself, pet" he realised as he studied her, head tilted to one side.
"I'm twenty two" she told him, "But it's none of your business and you should never ask a lady her age" she snapped half heartedly and Spike smirked.
"First off, luv, I didn't ask" he pointed out, "Second, if it makes you feel any better about sharing, Faith's twenty, the boys are both your age and I've got a couple of years on the lot of you"
"You being older than me doesn't make me any the less your boss" she pointed out as he smiled at her. The last thing she wanted was him getting the wrong idea, that suddenly because they'd had a couple of civil conversations and she'd allowed the band to stay that they were great friends and she was going to let everything slide.
"Never knew anyone could have an inferiority complex about their superiority complex" he smirked, "But I reckon you might've just managed it pet"
Buffy narrowed her eyes at him.
"When you're done with the psycho-babble" she told him coolly, "I think you have a gig to finish playing, before I change my mind and fire you again"
"Good as gone, luv" Spike assured her, hands up in mock surrender as he backed towards the door. As he disappeared from sight Buffy got out her mirror and make-up to fix up her face before she headed back out to her public. The night wasn't over yet, not by a long shot.
"I am wiped" Cordy sighed as she sat down heavily on a bar stool by the door she'd just locked, "This job is gonna kill me" she complained as she slipped off her shoes and reached down to rub her foot with her hand. Hours of running up and down behind the bar, serving the public that were in constant need of beverages between dancing and talking had left poor Miss Chase feeling ready to sleep for a week!
"You get used to it, darlin'" Doyle assured her as he swung back behind the bar and poured drinks for her and himself. He dutifully put some money in the register when she gave him a look.
"All that work and you bearly broke a sweat" Cordy noticed, "That's actually kind of amazing"
"Amazin's my middle name, princess" Doyle grinned, "Well, actually it's Francis but I'd appreciate you not tellin' the whole world that one"
Cordy laughed lightly as she sipped her drink. He really was sort of sweet and really seemed to be set on hanging around with her.
"So Allen Francis Doyle" she said, resetting her glass on the bar, "I guess we have some serious cleaning up to do before we go home"
"You guess right, sweetheart" he nodded, "Although, if you wanted to go take a break somewhere for a while, I wouldn't tell, y'know?" he told her.
"Uh-uh" Cordy shook her head, "No way, that's very sweet and everything but I can do my share. I'm a lot tougher than I look" she told him, putting her shoes back on and getting to her feet.
"Well then, get your cute little backside round here and we'll get down to it" Doyle told her, suddenly realising what he'd said, "Er, the cleaning, obviously, nothin' else meant by that at all" he covered quickly.
Cordelia stifled a grin as she came behind the bar and squeezed past him.
"That's almost a shame" she told him before disappearing from his sight. Doyle let out a breath he was hardly aware he'd been holding. She really was a hell of a woman.
Down the other end of the bar, Spike was making fast work of collecting glasses and disposing of empty packets. Buffy watched from across the floor for a while before approaching him. He'd been so great tonight, helping out behind the bar when he wasn't on stage performing, and now staying late to help clean up despite the fact he didn't have to and wasn't getting paid for doing it. He'd got her a new contact that was always good for an extra beer delivery if she mis-ordered at all, and Buffy was convinced tonight would have been a disaster if Spike hadn't been there. Of course she'd never tell him that, she said to herself, as she walked over.
"I think tonight went pretty well" she said as she sat down by the bar, "I could get to love running this place but, seems the clean up is kind of a bitch" she smiled.
"'S not as bad as all that, luv" Spike told her, "'Sides I don't mind bein' here when everyone else has gone. Sort of nice to see the place empty and calm, good for the inspiration too, wrote some of my best songs in this place in the early hours" he told her, gazing thoughtfully off into space.
"Some of your stuff is okay, I guess" she admitted, earning herself an incredulous look, "I guess I'm just not punk-loving girl" she shrugged.
"World'd be bloody boring if we were all the same" Spike replied as he cleaned up around the cash register at the end of the bar, "You want to do the takings or you trust me to do it"
"I'll do it" Buffy said as she got up from the stool, "Not that I don't trust you" she back-pedalled fast, "I mean, I just, I kinda thought it'd be cool to check out the money situation for myself, see how my little business is doing"
"Go for it, luv" he said standing aside as Buffy opened up the register and looked inside.
"My God" she gasped at how much cash there was inside, "We really made a killing in here tonight"
"'S not just tonight, luv" Spike smiled, "Make a pretty penny most nights in here, 'specially when The Chosen play"
"Good job I decided not to fire you then" Buffy smirked as she looked over at him. He was right beside her, looking down at the cash same as she was. It meant a lot to her that her own club could make so much money, but she was used to having everything she wanted, pretty much. She realised then that there really were so many differences between her and Spike, as well as the rest of the staff. They didn't have money like this, it meant a great deal to them.
"Here" she said, reaching into the register and pulling out several bills, "You should have this" she told Spike, pushing the money into his hand.
"What for?" he asked with a frown, "You paid the band already"
"It's not for the singing" Buffy shook her head, "You earned that tonight, helping out behind the bar, and helping me not wreck everything" she smiled, "In the absence of my selfish boyfriend you did pretty good at holding my hand... in the metaphorical sense, obviously" she said almost shyly, looking at the ground until Spike slamming the cash down on the bar made her physically jump.
"You bitch" he snapped when she looked up at him.
"Excuse me?" she gasped, not getting where that was coming from at all.
"I'm not your lackey, Buffy" he told her angrily, "I'm not your butler, or your servent or whatever it is you have at Casa de Summers!" he raved, "Yeah I work here, and my band plays here, and I'll take money for that, it's my job, but I don't want your cash for helping out, for being a friend or apparently a bloody replacement for your absentee other half!" he told her looking quite angry and upset about it.
"I was trying to be nice" Buffy yelled back but Spike shook his head.
"No, you were trying to pay off the hired help" he snapped at her, "Make sure I know my place, cos heaven forbid you and I should actually be mates or anything, y'know one human being helping out another just for the sake of it"
"I never meant to..." she began, suddenly starting to understand what he was saying, "It wasn't supposed to be an insult, I was just grateful"
"Yeah, well, thanks very much Spike would've done" he told her, as he gathered up a couple of bags of trash, "I'll take these out back" he muttered as he disappeared from her sight, still seething. Buffy watched him go and felt ridiculously tearful and stunned.
She and Spike had hated each other on sight, and argued and bickered from day one. Tonight he'd helped her out, she'd accepted that help and more than once they'd actually spoken to each other civilly. He paid her compliments, he handled the bar beautifully, and she really appreciated it. What she realised as she took the crumpled bills back from the bar top was that she'd just done something truly awful despite the fact she had meant to be nice. Thanking someone with cash wasn't the way, that was her father's idea, instead of spending time with her, he spent money. Spike had said that to her the first day they met and it had really hurt, but only because she knew it was true. What she wanted was to be loved and respected, not to be paid off. She guessed Spike felt similar about this situation. He wanted a decent thankyou, and a smile maybe, not money.
"Almost done here, Buffy" Doyle told her as he came down the bar, "I told the rest to go home and I'm gonna give Cordelia a ride now if that's okay"
"Sure, it's fine" the blonde smiled at her old and new friends together, "You guys were great tonight, thank you for all your efforts"
"'S what you pay us for" the Irishman shrugged.
"Yeah but it was actually kinda fun too" Cordy smiled, "And not as freaky as I thought working for my friend"
Buffy came forward and hugged her then.
"We will always be friends" she assured the brunette, "Money doesn't change that"
Cordy smiled as the two young women parted. The blonde's words had made her feel stupidly emotional, although she supposed some of it might be the fact she was very tired.
"We off then, princess?" Doyle checked and Cordelia nodded, following him out. They met Spike coming in from the back alley.
"I'm takin' our Miss Chase here home" Doyle told him, "I'll see you back at the flat?"
"S'pose" Spike snapped a little too harshly, as he pushed past them and went back into the building.
"What is his childhood trauma?" Cordy asked, with a look.
"'S called sexual tension, darlin'" Doyle chuckled, "He'll get over it... just as soon as she gets under him" he added under his breathe. Wouldn't do for a lady such as Cordelia to here him speak in such a way about her friend, not if he wanted to convince this girl to date him.
Back inside the almost empty club, just Buffy and Spike remained. Most of the lights were out and just a few towards one end of the bar remained lit. Buffy sat alone there, still with the few bills in her hand that she'd offered to Spike and now felt horrible for doing so.
"S'pose I'll be pushing off then" the bleached blond sighed as he fetched his leather coat and pulled it on, "Unless you need anything else, m'lady?" he mock bowed and Buffy looked away.
"Stop it" she told him, "Stop being a stupid jerk. I'm sorry, okay? I made a mistake. It's not like you're perfect"
"Never for a moment said I was, pet" Spike said evenly, head tilted as he stared at her, "Problem is you seem to have got it into your head that you are"
"No" she shook her head, "I'm not perfect, but it's not my fault that I have more money and power than you" she pointed out.
"Money, maybe" Spike agreed as he stepped closer to her, "Power, well, luv, that all depends on how you mean it" he told her, voice growing softer as he leaned in incredibly close to her, "Seems to me you got plenty of power in your own little world of business, got a little influence where Mum and Dad are concerned I'll bet... but let me tell you something, luv" he said, staring into Buffy's eyes and making her swallow hard, "You have no power over me" he said definitely, his lips almost touching hers, "Can you say the same?" he asked, as her eyes fell shut.
Buffy was stunned when a second later she opened her eyes only to see Spike striding away across the club, leaving her alone. The slam of the front door closing behind him made her jump in her seat, despite the fact she'd watched him go and knew the thud was coming. Her breathing was uneven and her heartbeat too fast as she tried to make sense of what just happened.
How dare Spike think he had any kind of power over her! she thought as she hopped down from her stool onto shaky legs. He hadn't even kissed her and yet the anticipation that he might had made her shiver all over in a deliscious way.
"This is insane" she told herself, shaking her head. She was dating Angel, and she loved him, one day she'd probably marry him and that would be that, she thought as she walked through to the office and picked up her coat and purse. Spike was just an employee, less than nothing, not even a blip on the radar. He wanted to play games with her, well that was just fine. Two could play his game, and though she didn't know exactly how yet, Buffy was determined she was going to win.
To Be Continued...