A/N : This should've been posted yesterday but I ran out of time. Apologies for making you guys wait so long - I hope this chapter makes up for the delay...
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 19
"Yo, Cor!" Faith called across the bar to the other girl who seemed to be in somewhat of a daze, "You havin' a breakdown or what?" she checked.
"Huh? Oh, no" Cordy shook her head as she realised she'd not been paying attention as she should've been, "You need something?"
"Nah, it's all good" Faith assured her, "Just wonderin' what had you in such deep thought, but I can probably guess. Wouldn't be a couple of blondes we both know and want to shake some sense into now would it?" she asked, making Cordelia smile.
"How'd you guess?" she rolled her eyes, "I just keep wondering how things are going. Knowing Buffy she'll be equal parts happy to see him, and mad at him for busting in on her party weekend"
"You miss it?" Faith asked her, "Y'know the high society life and all?"
"Sometimes" the other brunette shrugged as she cleared some empty glasses off the bar, "but the whole rich bitch thing, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Life's pretty good right now" she smiled as she gazed over at Doyle on the other side of the club, laughing and joking with some friends of his who'd popped in for a drink and a dance.
"Here's hoping our Miss Summers is as happy to see Spike as you are staring at Doyle" Faith smirked, "Or we should warn the hotel in LA to be prepared for fireworks, man"
"Before you say anythin'" Spike said to Buffy, one hand held up in surrender as she looked at him, "I just want you to know, I didn't plan on busting in here and snogging you like that" he said seriously, "Just, well, it felt like a good idea at the time"
"What are you even doing here?" the blonde asked, glancing over his shoulder at a group of her father's acquaintances who seemed to be talking about her and her 'new boyfriend' which of course is what any innocent bystander might mistake Spike for after the display of affection that had just occurred.
"You invited me, luv" Spike reminded her, "Alright so I said no at first but... well, 'm here now, aren't I? Thought you just might be pleased to see me"
Buffy's mind was racing at a mile a minute. Of course she was pleased to see Spike, she was absolutely thrilled that he'd shown up like this and she was still trying to breathe properly and bring her pulse rate down to normal after that kiss. Still, it wouldn't do for him to think she was too enthusiastic about this.
"I'm not unhappy that you're here" she admitted, not loving the self-satisfied smirk that immediately appeared on her face, "But that is not an excuse for you to get a fat head, okay?" she told him and he fought to make his expression neutral, but it proved impossible.
"Buffy, sweetheart" a voice said behind them, and Spike swung round to face an older man he didn't recognise at all, "Er, I thought you were bringing that fiance of yours tonight" the man said to the girl who glanced awkwardly at Spike who was being tactfully ignored by the man who did not know him and did not wish too.
"Dad, you know me and Angel aren't engaged anymore" she whispered, not wishing the whole world to know her business, "I know Mom told you when you talked last week"
"But that was just a lovers tiff you two had" Hank shook his head, still refusing to pay any attention to Spike it seemed, "You know you'll make it up in no time"
"Dad, please" Buffy sighed, "Angel's not here, and to be perfectly honest, right now I don't care" she said honestly as her eyes shifted to Spike, "But there is somebody here that I want you to meet" she said with a smile, "Hank Summers, this is Sp..."
"William Blackstone" Spike interrupted, holding out his hand for Buffy's father to shake, "Reckon I ought to be thanking you, Mr Summers" he told the puzzled older man as they shook hands.
"On what grounds, Mr Blackstone?" Hank answered him in kind, as Buffy looked between the two of them as if following a tennis match.
"Well, for one thing buying the Bronze and putting such an excellent businesswoman in charge of the operation" he smiled, "and second, for being the very man to produce the gorgeous young woman in question, and putting her in this world for me to fall in love with" he said honestly, eyes leaving Hank and meeting Buffy's as he spoke. He wasn't exactly sure what reaction to expect from her, but he took the smile and teary eyes as a good sign.
"Summers, there you are" said a voice behind Hank as he looked between his daughter and the bleached blond in front of him, with a frown on his face, "Come on over here, there's someone I want you to meet" said another man as he steered Buffy's father away. Though Hank was not eager to leave this strange conversation he allowed himself to be led away, business as usual came before his daughter, and she wasn't at all surprised.
"You never fail to surprise me" she said as she looked at Spike.
"That a good thing, you reckon?" he asked her, head tilted to one side as he stared at her, glad when Buffy nodded her head.
"It's a good thing" she admitted, as she stepped in closer to him. Her eyes flitted up from the ground to meet his and he wondered vaguely is she had plans to kiss him this time around. Instead she smiled and spoke softly to him.
"Dance with me?" she drew his attention to the other couples who had moved through the doors just a few feet away and into the ballroom beyond where music was being played by a fancily dressed set of musicians.
"'S not really the sort of dancin' I'm used to" Spike made a face as he looked in that direction, "But, what the hell?" he shrugged, smirking as he reached to take Buffy's hand in his, "I'll try anything once" he told her with a look as they walked through to the ballroom together.
In the centre of the room, they put their arms around each other, somewhat uncertainly. His problem was not really knowing how to dance this way, whilst hers was just being so close to Spike again. Last time things had gotten way out of hand, and now just dancing was evoking strong feelings in her too, the like of which she'd never felt in the presence of any other man. There was no denying she was extremely attracted to Spike, and it was so far from being purely physical. She was falling in love with him, maybe she already was in love though that thought scared her enough that she quickly wracked her brain for a completely different topic to talk about so she couldn't dwell on it too long in silence.
"Y'know you scrub up pretty well, for a night-club bartender" she told Spike will a smirk to rival his own.
"Yeah, well" he rolled his eyes, "Gotta make an effort if you're gonna impress a lady" he told her as they moved slowly around the floor to the music, "Though I gotta say, your big high society party's not so different to the Bronze"
Buffy laughed at that particular comment.
"Not so different?" she echoed in disbelief, "Are you kidding me?"
"Think about it, pet" Spike shook his head, "Blokes gettin' hammered, silly bints flittin' about in their designer gear tryin' to outshine each other for kicks, folks wishing they weren't here and others just wishing they had someone to be here with" he told her as they both looked around the room and Buffy realised he was right, "Course the house band is better back in SunnyD" he smirked, getting her attention back on him as she smiled.
"Maybe" she conceded, "Still, right now I like it better here" she admitted, the look in her eyes telling Spike it was all because he was there with her.
"Yeah, me too luv" he told her with a smile. He was equally as glad to be here, in his uncomfortable borrowed suit, dancing to some waltz or other that was as old as father time. He'd be happy anywhere so long as Buffy was in his arms, looking at him like she was right now, and he showed her just how glad he was to have her there, bringing his lips down onto hers in a tender kiss.
"Man, I am so wired" Faith declared as Doyle closed up the front door of the Bronze and locked it up for the night, "I always figured this kinda work would bore the hell out of me, but I could stand to do this" she told him and Cordy as they worked on cleaning up around the bar.
"I guess you did pretty good, for a new girl" Cordelia told Faith with a look that said she was at least half-joking. Forced to spend time working together the two had found they could stand to be in the same room for a while without wanting to kill each other, besides which they'd both been somewhat worried about their friends in LA, and that shared uneasiness meant they had little time to bitch at each other.
"You two were like bar angels tonight" Doyle told them both with a smile, "I honestly don't know how we ever ran the place without you" he winked as the two girls rolled their eyes.
"Doyle, man, you are so full of crap" Faith told him, though she was smiling when she said it. He knew the girl well enough to know she meant no harm.
"Well, I think you're incredibly sweet" Cordy told her man, leaning over the bar to kiss him on the lips, "If not a little overly corny"
"Hey, bein' corny is not a crime" he told her as he brought some more empty glasses over from the tables across the room, "Just cos I'm not as badass as my good buddy Spike does not mean I'm not just as wonderful a guy y'know"
Faith smirked at that.
"It's not like Spike's gonna be competition much longer anyhow" she told him as she grabbed a cloth and wiped down the bar, "Once him and the boss-lady hook up, he's gonna be out of the game"
"As weird as it sounds, Faithie, I think you might be right" Doyle admitted, "I never did see Spikey as the type to settle, 'specially not after the way Drusilla burned him"
"Man, that was harsh" Faith agreed with a nod.
"But Buffy, reckon she got under his skin from day one" the Irishman continued, "I never saw him like this about a woman"
"Yeah, stupid lunk-head went and fell in love again" Faith shook her head, "First I thought she was too much of a bitch for him, way too high and mighty and a total waste of time for a guy like Spike but, I guess she's not so bad" she shrugged.
"Not so bad?" Doyle repeated, "This from the girl who was so jealous of our new boss lady she actually wrote a song that screamed 'I hate Miss Buffy Summers' in every note?" he asked with an amused smile.
Faith threw the cloth in her hands at him, which just missed his face as he dodged to the left.
"I was never jealous" she said firmly, "Not of her and Spike having whatever the hell they have. He's like a brother, man. Me and him were never groin buddies and we never will be, got it?"
"Crystal clear, princess" Doyle nodded, wondering just how close his good pal Spike was getting with Buffy right now. He knew they'd made time together before but it had just been a physical thing then. Now it seemed pretty obvious they were all loved up, and staying in a posh hotel in LA together, surely that could only lead to one thing.
Buffy attempted to stifle a yawn in her hand but failed miserably as Spike spotted her.
"Not boring you am I, pet?" he checked and she coloured slightly at being caught.
"Never" she promised him, "It's just been kind of a long day, and... well, this party isn't exactly the most exciting event in the history of ever" she admitted.
"Thank God for that" Spike sighed, "I thought I was the only one who'd soddin' noticed" he smiled, a little surprised when he felt Buffy's hand slide into his.
"You wanna bail?" she asked, looking towards the door, "We can go on up to my room and... y'know talk or whatever" she said a little awkwardly, knowing she had way more than talking on her mind and that he probably did too. Still, Buffy was uncertain as to exactly how tonight would go as Spike agreed to leave the party with her and they headed for the doors to make their escape. Thankfully none of the few people Buffy knew, including her father, noticed her hasty exit with the bleached blond.
They rode the elevator up to her room in silence as they both contemplated tonight's chain of events and where they went from here. Spike was sure he was in love with Buffy, so sure it scared the hell out of him though he'd never admit it. He wanted her so badly and it seemed as though she were giving him a chance here but Spike was wary of how fast they moved with this. The last time they'd gotten so close she'd freaked out right afterwards and made it pretty clear she didn't feel half so much for him as he did for her. As yet he was the only one to admit any kind of feelings of love and that made him much more nervous than he was used to.
Buffy herself was just about petrified of what she was really feeling for Spike, and yet at the same time, everything felt as if it was turning out right tonight, the way it was supposed to be. Spike showing up here at this party, in a place where he was obviously uncomfortable, just so he could tell her and show her how much she meant to him, it was amazing, especially after the way she'd treated him before. She wanted to show him what he meant to her too but the thought of getting in too deep with a guy like him still bothered her somewhat as she wondered if this kind of relationship between two people like them could ever work out at all.
"This is it" she said as they exited the elevator and crossed the hall to her door, the true meaning of her words not lost on either of them as Buffy put the key in the lock and went inside, Spike right behind her.
"Reckon you could fit mine and Doyle's whole flat in this bloody room" he said, eyes a little wide as he looked around and crossed to the window that looked out across Los Angeles, all the lights shining brightly in the night sky.
"Sure, it's big" Buffy shrugged, "And the view is pretty" she said as she came over to stand beside him, "But it's not much fun when you have no-one to share it with" she said looking sideways at Spike.
"Buffy" he said softly as he turned to face her, hands going to the top of her arms, "I meant what I said before" he told her seriously, "Bloody love you, y'know? Never soddin' meant to but I fell for you and... and now I feel like I'm drowning in all these feelings I've got in here" he said, one hand going over his heart, "As much as I want you I can't just... this can't just be about sharing a bed and what all"
"I know" Buffy nodded, stepping closer to him, taking hold of his hand and putting it back on her shoulder, "I never should've... What we did before wasn't right, but everything can be now" she said, eyes coming up from the floor to meet his as she smiled, "Spike, I love you" she admitted in a whisper, barely allowed a chance to breathe before his lips landed on hers, kissing her with a passion.
This was it, and they both knew it, and felt it. They were alone, they were in love, there was nothing to stop them being together the way they so desperately wanted to be, but this would be different to before. Last time it had been physical, pure and simple, just lust and passion that needed to be vented somehow and though the experience was exhilarating, this felt better already, they both thought so as they lie down on the bed together, lips and hands exploring each other's bodies as clothes became unnecessary and were therefore removed. There was no turning back, no more excuses, only love as they did what came naturally to a man and woman that felt so much for each other. This was how it was supposed to be.
To Be Continued...