A/N: No, I've never read that article where James said his head was like a Q-tip! Co-in-ci-dence. hehe. Sorry this has taken so long and if you're following any of my other stories...my computer has practically blown up (okay, maybe not that bad) and it may take a long while for updates to get back to normal speed.
Spike glanced at the Slayer as they walked down the street "You know we're going to end up at the Bronze"
"What?" Buffy frowned "How do you know that?"
He shrugged "It's where you lot always go on your dates, or your night's out, or on the day's that end with y"
"That is so not true"
"I think you'll find it is" Spike smirked.
"We won't end up the Bronze" She turned to him, pointing "So, that's that"
-------------
"Okay," Buffy acquiesced as a waitress set her drink down in front of her "so we ended up at the Bronze. Nothing wrong with that."
Spike nodded, sipping his beer "Right. Good to go with what you know"
"Exactly. The Bronze is reliable and comfy and not too costly and…"
"…and you're describing Giles" Spike grinned.
Buffy shook her head, outraged "I am not...Giles has been known to charge exorbitant rates"
She watched as his smile grew and a short chuckle escaped his lips. Maybe, this wouldn't be so bad. It was good to see Spike smile and laugh and it was good to feel herself smile back. Everything had been chock full of doom and gloom for the latter part of this year. Maybe Willow had been right and it was time to unwind. They were both adults. Okay, so, technically, Spike was a lot older and deader than she was. No point in thinking too much about that, though.
The Slayer picked up her drink and swallowed it. It had low alcohol content and didn't taste too much like cat urine, which was why she had chosen it. Not that she knew much about the taste of cat urine. The point of the matter was that she wouldn't get drunk. Tonight would not be a good night to get drunk. Partly, because they were in the middle of the end of the world but mostly because she was in Spike's company and soberness was good.
The vampire was grousing about the menu "Where the hell is the onion?"
"What?" She asked, eyebrow raised.
"Flowering onion, hello!" Spike said matter-of-factly "It's the best thing on here, or it was at least. It had a major comeback last year but now they've ballsed it around again! God, I hate America"
Buffy nodded "Sure. That's why you've been here for... how many decades is it now?"
"Gives me something to bitch over" He explained "it's the only reason I stay"
"Why do you even care about food?"
"Come again?"
"You don't need to eat. And it's been my understanding that you can't taste the food, so what's the big deal?"
Spike snorted "I can taste it. If the food's strong enough I can just about taste it"
"Hence the onion love."
He put the menu down and looked down at the tabletop awkwardly "So, what exactly do people do on dates?"
Buffy's face registered her surprise "You've never been on one?"
"Well, yes," Spike laughed loudly and forced "of course I have! Just, not, you know…okay, no. No, I haven't. Not really. I mean, I've been out with girls but I've never been on a date date. Why do they call it that, anyway? Could be named after the fruit I suppose –"
"Spike!" She said quickly to cut him off "One thing people do on dates? Not talk so much"
He stared at her sullenly.
"Okay, they also don't go all silent." Buffy held her hands up to represent weighing scales "There's supposed to be a healthy balance."
Spike snorted "I'm not five, you know"
"Yeah, I know. You're totally old. How old are you anyway?"
"It's rude to ask, Buffy"
She snorted "Right. I forgot you're such a lady"
He leaned back in his chair; arms folded "Know what? That insane notion about me ever being in love with you is getting even more insane"
"Oh, please" Buffy rolled her eyes "We're not programmed to get on"
Spike sat forward again, wicked gleam in his eyes "But we are programmed to get it on?"
"No! No. That wasn't even…that was a total disaster"
He nodded, looking sombre "Must have been. I can't imagine you could have held my attention for very long. I probably moved on to better things"
She looked offended "Hey, I rocked your world, bucko!"
"Oh, I'm sure" Spike looked unaffected.
"We had balcony sex on that very balcony!" She yelled, pointing towards the offending object.
Several people in the club turned to look at her and Spike glanced up at where she was pointing before turning back to her with a wolfish grin on his face.
Buffy glared at him as she felt her face heat up. He had sotricked her into that one. She tipped the remainder of her drink down her throat and ordered herself up another one. Maybe being a little drunk wouldn't do any harm. Eventually people went back to their own conversation and Spike sat opposite her looking very smug indeed. She'd have to wipe that look off his face as soon as possible, that was clear.
Spike quirked an eyebrow "I wouldn't have seen you as the type who likes to be watched. Well, actually, I would have seen that but that's because I'm a filthy sod. S'pose it makes sense, though -"
"This is the part where you crack some really witty joke about me having a Watcher, isn't it? Well, don't even! Giles and my sex life must be kept seperate. At. All. Times"
He saluted "Aye, aye. So...about this sex life..."
"Spike," Buffy locked eyes with him "I'm not about to discuss that with you"
"What! But I was supposedly a part of it"
She gave a half-shrug "Do the spell, you get all the memories back"
Spike paused then shook his head "Providing I take your word for it that all this even happened"
"Oh, come on!" She rolled her eyes "Do you reallythink I'd make that up?"
"Well...I do suppose it might be outside your realm of intelligence to think of something so dirty. Then again, you're a crafty one, Slayer"
Buffy folded her arms and glared "You are calling me dumb? At least Ididn't go and get myself knocked up by an anti-love spell"
"Knocked...?" Spike just sighed and smiled "I bet you wish you had, though, right? Get me out of your pretty little head"
She arched an eyebrow "What makes you think you're in my head?"
"Well, I must be. I figure there must be some reciprocation of these so-called feelings, otherwise why would you care? I'm still willing to fight the good fight. Love of a good woman, or no love of a good woman"
Buffy eyed him for a moment before looking down at the table-top. The complete picture of non-commital.
Spike smiled slowly "Stumped you there, love."
She looked up, something new in her eyes that he couldn't quite fathom. Slowly she ran her gaze over his face and then she stood. He was worried he'd pissed her off enough for her to storm out. That'd be no fun at all.
"Let's dance." She suggested.
"Dance?" He nearly gaped, "You and me?"
She smiled slyly, eyes twinkling "It's all we ever do"
Spike frowned, puzzled "You've lost me, pet"
"Not yet, hopefully" Buffy took his hand and pulled him up "And, you know what? The world's ending. I haven't been dancing in so long and I'm well aware that everyone thinks I'm now the biggest square on the planet"
Spike looked down at their hands entiwned but remained lighthearted "No one thinks that. Mostly because no one uses the word 'square' in that context anymore but -"
She gave his arm a jerk and started off towards the dancefloor before he could say another word. Spike let himself be led. There were a few people on the dance floor and there was music playing but he couldn't concentrate on what it was. He was too busy noticing how strange it felt to have the Slayer's tiny, but pleasantly warm, hand in his.
"Time to see if Spikey can dance" Buffy teased him playfully, turning towards him.
Spike placed his hands on her hips without hesitation "I can hold my own. Might have a bit of trouble with the bump and grind, though."
"Not that I noticed" She grinned.
His lips parted incredulously but he said nothing as the girl in his arms linked her hands behind his neck and pressed their chests flush against one another.
It was strange being this close to the Slayer. She never let him this close. At least, not that he remembered. She felt small and delicate in his hands. Had lost a fair bit of weight recently but the tired resignment her face usually portrayed was gone, replaced by something Spike didn't get to see enough - she was okay. She was alright. She wasn't overjoyed but she looked as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, if only for a little while.
He found himself wanting to make her look that way all the time.
Careful, Spike his subconscious whispered, you don't actuallywant to fall for her
They moved together slowly. Just getting the feel for each other, choosing a rhythm that worked. Spike had always thought that dancing was akin to sex in a lot of ways. Not as fun, of course. But similar, nevertheless.
"What are you thinking?" She asked.
He smiled wryly, "Trust me - you don't want to know"
A blush instantly spread across her neck and face causing his smile to widen.
"I'm dancing with Spike as the world's about to fall down around us..." Buffy mused, eyes averted away from him "it's kind of unreal"
"Fitting, I'd say. When the apocalypse is coming what better way to spend your last moments but dancing with the enemy?"
She did look at him then "You're not the enemy, Spike. You haven't been for a long time."
"You say that but...not one of your lot really trusts me"
"I do"
Spike shook his head "You shouldn't, you know. The First found a way to mess with me...who says something else won't?"
"If it does? We'll beat 'em." Buffy shrugged "We always do"
"And if we don't?"
"In a few days time...none of it will matter, anyway"
He sighed, a small smile playing at his lips "What I want to know is when you became the logical one"
"I don't know." Buffy pulled a face of faux shock "But we must put a stop to it immediately!"
Spike chuckled and Buffy's face melted into a smile. He tentatively pulled her closer. He was prepared for a scolding but she said nothing. He wasn't even sure she noticed. She seemed comfortable around him. As though they weren't a Slayer and a vampire - two polar opposites.
He asked a question he needed to know the answer to.
"So, why am I in love with you then?"
Buffy swallowed, and didn't speak for a long while "I don't know. I've been nothing but a bitch to you"
"Always was a bit of a masochist"
She sighed "Me too, I guess. Considering what went on last year"
"What's that, then?"
Her eyes met his again and she looked like what she was going to say would hurt "I used you, after I came back from the grave. It started out as talk and ended up as...more. As worse. Just to feel. I didn't love you but...I hated myself and I hated you for still loving me. So, it all just...stuff just hit the fan"
"I..." He paused, absorbing this "I can't imagine me complaining"
"You didn't. That's what made it worse. It was like you were saying it was okay for me to treat you that way when it really wasn't"
Spike cleared his throat, shifted on his feet awkwardly "I have a hard time believing I was a completely innocent party in all this"
Buffy paused and they both just stood in the middle of the dance floor, still holding onto one another but no longer moving.
"No. You weren't. But...the details aren't important. We pretty much came up even in the abusing each other stakes. That's what made you get a soul"
Spike tilted his head "I think the details are important. What did I do? What did I do to you?"
"Spike..."
"No. Tell me, Buffy" He demanded "It must have been...if I went and got a soul it must have been bad. Really..."
She took a deep breath and her arms fell away from him "You tried..."
"I tried what?"
"You tried to rape me." Buffy finished finally, looking at him steadily.
The words swirled around in his head and Spike felt like he was going to throw up. He stumbled backwards a couple of steps away from her. She seemed to be saying something to him but he could no longer hear her.
Instead he knew he had to get out. He turned and ran leaving her standing in the middle of the club, alone.