A/N : Angel sucks! Spuffy rules! (Sometimes I'm just so childish!) Hope you like this latest chapter!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 22

"Well, as much fun as it may be sittin' here watching you to make googly eyes at each other" Spike smirked, "My lady awaits" he said as he grabbed up his keys and stuffed them into the pocket of his leather coat.

"I thought you said you weren't meetin' Buffy til later, at the club?" Doyle frowned slightly as he looked up from the couch where he sat, his arm firmly around Cordelia who had no objections at all.

"Yeah, well, a bloke can change his mind, can't he?" Spike shrugged as he opened the door and let himself out. Before he closed the door behind himself he stopped and turned back to his friends, "You two be good whilst I'm gone, right?" he smirked, "And if you can't be good..."

"Be careful" Doyle filled in, rolling his eyes as he did so.

"Actually, I was going to go with set the alarm clock so you're not late for work tonight" Spike told his room-mate and Cordelia who blushed profusely. The bleached blond just winked at her before stepping out of the apartment and closing the door.

"He is so bad!" Cordy complained when he was gone, but despite her cross words, she was having to try hard not to laugh.

"It's nice to see him like this again" Doyle shrugged, "He can say what he bloody likes, within reason obviously, if it means he's gonna be happy" he told his girlfriend, "His heart's been through the wringer one way an' another. He deserves to find some happiness with Buffy"

"They both deserve it" Cordelia agreed as she cuddled up closer to her man. Though his eyes went back to the TV, she had other ideas about how she wanted to spend their time alone, something made very obvious by the hand that wandered across Doyle's chest and worked on the buttons of his shirt.

"Whatcha doin' there, princess?" he asked her with a look that said he knew already as she glanced up at him.

"Making us late for work?" she suggested with a grin, seconds before his lips landed on hers and they kissed passionately.

Spike was grinning like an idiot as he arrived at Buffy's door. It was crazy but he'd missed her these past few hours, despite the fact they'd only been officially together since last night. He wasn't sure how or why he'd fallen in love with her in the first place, but she'd stolen his heart and at last she'd admitted that she felt the same way about him.

Knocking on her door, he waited for her to answer, his smile wavering a little when she didn't appear. He tried knocking again and called her name only to hear a clatter and a yell in response as she stumbled towards the door and finally opened it. Since she was dressed in only a robe, her hair dripping water all over the place, Spike assumed he'd got her out of the shower.

"Clearly my timin' leaves a lot to be desired" he said guilty, "Sorry, luv, didn't know you'd be... otherwise engaged" he apologised, enjoying the sight of her in such a state of undress immensely.

"Spike" she smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes and he noticed, despite the fact she was in his arms in a second, kissing him with a force, and distracting his mind from anything else.

"Hey" he said, pushing her away slightly, knowing this wasn't like her and that something must be wrong, "You okay, luv?" he checked, holding her at arms length.

"Better now you're here" she told him, trying to kiss him again, but Spike kept her at a distance. As much as he loved the idea of being with her again this way, first he wanted to know what was wrong, because there definitely was something.

"C'mon, pet" he shook his head, "'S bleedin' obvious you've been crying. What the bloody hell's going on?"

"It's nothing" Buffy lied, shying away from him. She pulled away and turned her back on him, which made Spike worry more. The way she was behaving, looking so upset and turning away from him like this made him wonder if she'd changed her mind since this morning, that she no longer wanted to be with him. The problem with that explanation was, why would she have kissed him so forcefully when he arrived at her door if she now believed she didn't love him?

"It's not nothing Buffy" he said, reaching a hand out to her shoulder, "Please luv, tell me what's happened since this morning, what's got you so upset?

"Angel" she admitted when she eventually turned around, her eyes wet with fresh tears as she pushed her damp hair out of her face. Despite the fact he hated to see her in pain, Spike was wary of trying to comfort her right now. Whatever had happened with the great ponce, and clearly something had, it was best they talk about it, not just shag like bunnies and hope Buffy got over it.

"You talked to him then, did you?" he asked, head tilting to one side as he looked at her, and she nodded slowly.

"He came back early" she explained, "and I started trying to tell him what had happened, how I love you and that me and him had to be over now..." she sniffed, trying to regain her composure and continue, "He never loved me, Spike, or if he did, he stopped a long time ago. He was using me" she said, with a painful laugh, "I was trying to let him down gently and he didn't even care"

"Bloody git" Spike sighed as he stepped towards Buffy and pulled her into his arms at last. Now he understood why she was so hurt. Obviously it was better for the two of them if Buffy's ex was happy to be dropped like a hot brick, but Spike could see why Buffy would be so upset. Nobody wants to be told they mean nothing, even by someone who they no longer love enough to be with.

"I know it doesn't matter" she said, her words muffled against his shoulder, "At least it shouldn't" she sniffed as she pulled away a little and looked up at him, so glad to be held in his arms still, "I love you, I do" she swore, "It's just... it still hurt. Stupid, huh?"

"No pet, not stupid" he assured her, "Nobody wants to be so easily let go of, even by a git like him" he told her, pulling her close once again and kissing the top of her head, "Now, why don't you get back in that bathroom, do all your girly things you gotta do" he smirked, "And I'll be out here, waiting to escort the most gorgeous woman in Sunnydale to the best night-club in the state"

"Sounds good" Buffy nodded as she stepped out of his embrace.

"Go on then" Spike urged her, "That's my girl"

"Yeah" she smiled as she backed up towards the bathroom, "I really am"

"Willow, honey, please stop bouncing" Oz urged her, "You're actually making me nervous, which is a little weird" he considered, since he rarely felt such emotions as a rule, he was just too cool for that!

"I can't help it" his girlfriend whined, "I just keep thinking about Buffy and Spike, and hoping they're okay and not all fighty again"

"You bouncin' on your toes and having a crazy fit won't make no difference to it, Red" Faith pointed out as she leant casually on the side of the building, smoking a cigarette.

They'd all arrived at the club early, all with different excuses as to why, but each of them knew they really wanted to know what was happening with Spike and Buffy, and that was why they were really there at least a half hour before they needed to be.

"Hey, everybody's here" Xander said uncertainly as he arrived, "And here was me thinking I was of the early type"

"You are" Willow bounced towards him, "We just... well, honestly, we want to see Buffy and Spike"

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about that" the brunette lied badly. Obviously he'd had the same idea as everybody else, but didn't want to seem too eager about it. After all, it wouldn't do for a guy to be too interested in his friend's love life.

As the gang waited outside the club, they had no idea the couple they awaited were just around the corner, getting out if Spike's car, Buffy shaking badly.

"I don't know what's the matter with me" she laughed nervously, "I guess it just feels a little weird... but in the good way obviously" she said quickly. Knowing she and Spike were together and that Angel was out of her life, it all made her happy, and yet it felt strange. She'd never seriously dated anyone but her first love, and Spike was so far removed from the world she knew. Still she loved him, and together there was nothing they couldn't face. Besides it was unlikely the gang at the club would be at all bothered by them being together. Spike himself had told her that it was Faith who encouraged him to travel to LA to talk to her about how he really felt.

"'S not like this is easy for me either, pet" Spike told her as they both walked around the car and met at the front of it, "I gotta walk in there holdin' hands with the boss-lady. You just know I'm gonna get beaten up at break for being teacher's pet" he smirked as she swatted him across the arm for teasing her.

"You see my point, luv" he laughed, "We're not in High School anymore, we're all adults. Nobody's gonna care if we're together or what all. The class divide fell years ago, baby, or haven't you heard?"

"I know, I'm being irrational" Buffy rolled her eyes, turning to face her lover, "I just... You know I love you, right?"

"Course, pet" he assured her, being serious suddenly, "Love you too, more than anything else in the world, you know that"

She nodded that she did know, just needing the confirmation right now as they sealed the deal with a kiss. Moments later they were walking hand in hand around the corner, only to come face to face with four anxious people waiting outside the Bronze.

"Oh look, a welcoming committee" Buffy smiled, only half surprised to find them all there.

"Buffy!" Willow was on her in a second, hugging her so tight she nearly knocked her flying.

"Hey Will" the blonde smiled as she hugged her back, "What's up?"

"No, nothing, nothing up at all" the red-head rambled as she pulled away from her friend grinning like an idiot, "Hey Oz, there's nothing up, right?" she said, giving him a look.

"Not a thing that I noticed" he shrugged, though the slight smile at his lips made Spike smirk. As if he and Buffy were so stupid they didn't know what the congregation was for. Everybody wanted to know if it was a sink or swim situation in LA, and now they could see for themselves.

"Right, now that little bit of non-excitement is over" he said, "What say we let the boss open the doors so we can get some work done?"

With the general hum of agreement taken as her cue, Buffy did indeed unlock the doors to the Bronze and the gang filed in, Faith and Spike bringing up the rear.

"So, the boy did good, huh?" she smirked.

"Yeah, but only cos the girl made sure he did" the bleached blond reminded her, "Thanks, Faithie"

"Hey, no problem man" she shrugged, "Glad to be of service, cos honestly, a couple more days of you two and your Romeo and Juliet, tortured love routine and I was gonna start breakin' heads, y'know?" she told him with a look as she walked away towards the stage.

"Doesn't get better than this" Spike said to himself as he watched his band setting up on stage and his girlfriend behind the bar of the club, laughing with her friend.

He had no idea what was yet to come tonight.

To Be Continued...