A/N : I love writing this fic, and it seems you all love reading it so that works out real well! Here's another chapter...
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 8

"Damn and bugger!" Spike complained when the flip up part of the bar came off on one side in his hand. The hinge had been loose for a while but he never had got around to tightening the screws and now the whole thing had come apart. For the sake of tonight, given that it was less than hour to opening, he could easily bodge it if he could just grab the screwdriver from the office drawer. He wondered if it'd still be there since Princess Buffy took over. Probably chucked out anything remotely manly and replaced it with a diamante something-or-other of no use to anyone but the rich and flashy. Spike sighed as he set the bar top back carefully and called over to where Doyle was half heartedly wiping down the other end of the bar whilst staring at Cordy across the room.

"Don't let anyone touch that til I get back, hinge has finally given" he told him before disappearing through to the back. He got as far as the office door when he remembered he hadn't got an access all areas pass these days. Still, Buffy wasn't in yet and if she happened to catch him he didn't mind the slanging match that'd follow. He found he quite enjoyed having a good banter with the silly chit, and getting her all worked up the other day just to walk out on her, well he was sort of proud of himself for that.

It was two days ago, and Spike hadn't seen Buffy since. He didn't work the Sunday and she'd yet to show her face today, though he was sure she wouldn't be much longer. Miss Summers seemed to like ruling over her little kingdom as much as possible.

Spike was crouched down by the desk with his hands in the top drawer, digging through the assorted contents in search of the screwdriver that ought to be there. When it wasn't there, he slammed it shut and moved to get back to his feet, only to be confronted by a pair of female legs at his current eye-level. He got the shock of his life when his eyes travelled up past a too short skirt and beyond to the face of his boss.

"Spike" Buffy smiled slightly, "What exactly are you doing in my office?" she asked him. He smirked as he got to his feet and looked her over from top to bottom this time.

"Just having a rummage through your drawers, pet" he told her frankly, "Didn't think you'd mind"

"Well, that all depends" she told him, sitting down on the edge of the desk and crossing one leg over the other, making Spike subconsciously lick his lips, "What exactly were you looking for?" she wanted to know. When he looked at her with a slightly confused expression she was not surprised to realise he hadn't heard a word she'd said.

"What was that, luv?" he checked and she held in a laugh as she repeated her question, "Just needed a screwdriver, is all" he told her immediately, "Broke the bar a little bit, nothin' I can't mend though"

"Uh-huh" she nodded once, hopping down off the edge of her desk and bending right over to open the bottom drawer. The state of her top was such that if he looked Spike could see so far down her toes were almost visible via her chest.

"Here" she said as she produced the screwdriver and handed it to him. He took it from her without a word, just a vague nod of thanks before he turned to walk out of the office.

"Oh, and Spike" she called behind him, smiling sweetly when he turned back to see what she wanted, "Do me favour and keep your tool to yourself from now on" she said suggestively, eyes travelling down his body as she walked across the room and closed the door in his face with a satisfying click.

Buffy was laughing silently as she leant her back on the door. Spike thought he could play her, well, she'd proved she was just as capable as he was. He wanted a battle that was fine, and if it turned into a war so much the better. Buffy was worried she'd get bored of running the Bronze. No chance of that with Spike around to torture.

"Stupid soddin' bitch!" Spike was cursing when Doyle walked over to him.

"Had a nice little chat with the boss-lady today then have we?" the Irishman tried not to smile too much as his friend fixed the broken hinge on the bar, still muttering curses about Buffy.

"Who the bleedin' hell does she think she is, that's what I want to know?" he asked his friend who shook his head not understanding, "One minute she's all high and mighty, treatin' us all like dirt on her Prada shoes, next she's..."

"She's... what exactly?" Doyle prompted, "Come on, Spikey, don't leave me in suspenders, man. Tell me this wonderful new attitude change in our Miss Summers that's got you so wound up all of a sudden"

"Thinks she's so bloody smart, she does" Spike shook his head, "Reckons she can play me, make me want her. No bleedin' chance" he scoffed, though back in that office it had taken all the strength he'd had not to bend her backwards over the desk and give her a right good seeing to.

Doyle laughed.

"You seriously tellin' me Buffy's got a thing for you now?" he chuckled, "And you're not interested at all?"

"She does not have any kind of thing for me, Doyle" Spike explained, "I'm not stupid enough to believe that. Reckon she thinks she can get me going just enough to drive me insane. Stupid bint thinks she's actually turnin' me on with her flirting and her... Bloody hell, Doyle you shoulda seen her" he sighed all the fight going out of him, "She thinks she can wrap me round her little finger and, well you tell anyone I said this I'll break every bone in your body but, she keeps acting like that she might just succeed"

"Blimey" Doyle exclaimed, "She must be pulling out all the stops on this one. I never seen her give a bloke the time of day since she's been here, but then I did hear she's got some rich, successful beefcake stashed away so..."

"You guys talking about Buffy again?" Cordy asked as she walked over to them, "Cos the rumours true y'know. She's been dating Angel since we were in High School, total love city" she told them.

"Don't tell me I saw a flash of the green eyed monster just then, did I princess?" Doyle asked her, since her tone sounded as if it were edged just a little with jealousy.

"No way" she smiled, "Maybe once, I mean, back in High School, everybody was jealous of Buffy. She had everything, even more of everything than the rest of us, and to top it all off she got the most gorgeous eligible bachelor to go along with" she sighed.

"Yeah, well, don't reckon Mr Eligible Bachelor would be too impressed if he spotted his girl doing what she was doing two minutes ago right in front of yours truly" Spike said as he closed the bar down and wiped it over with a cloth.

"Buffy was getting up close and personal... with you?" Cordy asked with a look of disbelief, "Yeah, right" she scoffed.

"Y'know for someone who came tumblin' down from their pedestal into the gutter with us lot not so long ago" Spike said, tilting his head as he stared at her, "You still do that demeaning rich bitch look awful well, pet" he smirked.

"Whatever, Blondie" she snapped back at him good-naturedly, "All I'm saying is, there is no way a girl like Buffy is going to have any interest in a guy like you. It's like she's water and you're oil. Entirely not of the mixy kind" she said before walking away once again.

"Think she's tryin' to tell me somethin'?" Doyle sighed, "Like how just like Buffy's too good for you, Cordy herself's too good for me?"

"Not a bit of it, mate" Spike assured his friend, giving him a slap on the back, "You can get the Beauty Queen if you want her, she's in our league now" he said, looking back behind him where the Manager's office resided, "and as for her former High School chum, well, she's in for a surprise"

"Spike" Doyle said in a warning tone, "You're playin' with fire there, man" he warned the bleached blond, "You mess around with her you're only gonna get burned, or worse fired and then punched out by her gorilla of a rich and classy boyfriend"

"We'll see" Spike nodded, smirking still.

He may have inadvertently started this little flirtatious war with Buffy Summers, but she was the one keeping it going. One thing was for certain, he'd be the one to finish it, and in style too.

Monday night was never especially busy at the Bronze, but they pulled quite a crowd this particular day. Perhaps it was because of the re-vamping of the place and how well it had done on it's grand re-opening on Saturday that drew the crowds, whatever it was they were doing pretty well and Spike and Doyle worked the bar like pros.

Buffy hadn't shown her face as yet, she'd been doing paperwork in the office most of the afternoon and had popped out just the once to unlock and say she was not to be disturbed. That was hours ago and as the bar got busier and busier, it was Doyle who suggested someone ought to give the boss a yell and ask if they couldn't call in a couple of extra pairs of hands. It was her decision after all.

"We can cope on our own" Spike told his friend, "Ain't that right, Cordelia?" he said as she came towards the bar that once contained a whole mass of drinks and now had just cash on it.

"The less amount of ways the tips get split tonight the better for me" she smiled, "The blisters on my feet are so worth it, I got ten dollars from that guy over there" she grinned as she popped the bills into the tips jar.

"You're not gonna get too far on that darlin'" Doyle pointed out and she looked a little pained, "But it's still good" the Irishman back-pedalled fast, hating to think he might have hurt her in anyway, "All I'm sayin' is if we ever plan on taking that cruise to the Bahamas together, we're gonna need a lot more cash in the jar yet" he smirked.

"And an alternate reality where you're James Marsters" she said smartly, picking up a full tray of drinks and strutting away again.

"Where I'm who?" Doyle asked Spike who shook his head.

"Not a soddin' clue, mate" he admitted, "probably some Yank who thinks he's the dogs Balearics, y'know" he shrugged as the beer in the pump ran out half way through the pint he was pulling, "Bugger" he swore, "Think you might be right, mate. Gonna have to get Buffy to call in some extra hands" he said, "I'll go change this barrel and then swing past the office let her know what's happening. You alright til I get back?"

"Sure thing" Doyle nodded, "Next time Cordelia swings round here I'll get her to pop behind the bar a while. She can go back to doin' the tables when you get back"

"Right then" Spike nodded, disappearing down into the cellar first to change the beer barrel. Ten minutes later he came running back up and headed out to the back.

He was about to knock on the office door when Buffy yelled and he stopped to hear what she was bellowing about.

"You said a few days Angel!" she said loudly, presumably down the phone since nobody had been in or out of there all night, "And now you're not coming back for two weeks? You know I need you here" she said, starting to sound more upset than angry, "This club means a lot to me, I'm working so hard and I could use some support"

Spike was sort of wishing he could hear what Buffy's git of a boyfriend was saying now, what excuses he was making for not being there when she needed him. She might be a bitch, and she'd driven him crazy since the day they'd met, but Spike had a little respect for her at least. She could give as good as she got and he liked that in a woman, and she was working bloody hard at making a go of the Bronze. Seemed that theory about when one part of your life goes up, another comes crashing down was ringing true though. As her business career took off, Miss Summers was having a few difficulties in the love life department.

"I know that" he heard her say next, "But why now? And why so long?" she complained, a moments pause and she spoke again, "Well, if that's how it's going to be maybe I don't care if you don't come back at all" she snapped, slamming the phone down.

Spike guessed she was probably pretty upset right now, though whether she'd bite his head off or just cry all over the place was as yet uncertain as he raised his fist to knock on the door.

"I'm not to be disturbed" she called, a slight quiver in her voice - she was definitely crying.

"Didn't have much of a choice, luv" Spike said as he opened the door and let himself in, thinking it was probably best if he ignored the state she was in, "Bar's awful busy and we're havin' a bit of a problem with coping" he told her, "Reckon you could give someone a call, get us a couple of extra pairs of hands?"

"Er, I don't know" she said, trying to wipe away a few stray tears without him noticing and sniffing as she rifled through the top drawer and pulled out a chart with various coloured blocks. Spike recognised it as a copy of the staff rota.

"I might be able to get one other person but most people had plans for their night off" she sighed, "Is there no way you guys can handle it?"

"Would I be in here talking to you if I could avoid it?" he shot back, instantly regretting hurting her when she was already fighting tears over her boyfriend, "Sorry, luv, that was uncalled for" he said quickly, "but fact is, if we don't get at least one more person behind that bar we're gonna be turning customers away" he told her.

"Okay" she said, suddenly getting to her feet. She picked up a rubber band from her desk, stretched it over her hand and had her hair up in a ponytail in seconds, before taking off her jacket and hanging it on the back of the chair, "Let's go"

"Er, go where, luv?" Spike asked not understanding what she meant, but liking the view once again when her whole body came into view. He'd stand a better chance hating the silly bint if she were less soddin' hot.

"You need hands behind the bar" she said, "I've got two, and I know how to pour drinks" she shrugged, "Alright I'm no expert but I should be able to get us through the rush"

"You?" Spike almost laughed at that, "No offence, pet, but you as barmaid is sort of a funny concept, what with you usually being so in charge and all"

"My Mom says you can't expect people to do something for you if you wouldn't be willing to do it yourself" she told him, a little irritated by the fact he had to bite his lip so as not to laugh at her. When he made her uncomfortable, she reminded herself, all she had to do was use her charms and turn the tables.

"Besides, if I get into any trouble" she said, stepping in close to him, "I'm sure you can give me a few... pointers" she said, eyes travelling up and down his body before their gazes met and she smiled almost suggestively.

"No problem, pet" he replied, not missing a beat, "Can't wait to see you in action" he said, smirking as he opened the door and let her out first.

He thought things were fun before, it seemed they were about to get better.

To Be Continued...