(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 15 - Homecoming

Joyce was just enjoying a glass of wine as she watched a documentary on TV that she'd been looking forward to, when a clatter at the top of the stairs caught her attention. She turned her head just in time to see Buffy coming down into the hallway, trying to put the high-heeled shoes back on that had hampered her walking down the steps in the first place.

"Buffy?" Joyce frowned as she got up and came over to her. It looked a little like her eldest daughter but she was sure she hadn't seen the blonde in a dress like this since she was little. Silky fabric clung to her body at the top and then splayed out at the bottom, shining pale pink or gold depending on how the light caught it. Her hair was piled up on her head in a pretty style, with tiny flowers running through it, and her make-up had been subtly applied.

"Hey Mom" Buffy smiled uncertainly as she finished forcing her shoes back on, straightened out her dress and checked the contents of her purse, "Oh, yeah, I'm kinda going to the Homecoming Dance " she told her startled mother, glancing at the clock, "And I really should be gone by now, so I'll see ya later" she said, kissing Joyce on the cheek and hurrying to the front door, "Don't wait up!" she called behind her before the door clicked shut.

"What...?" was all Joyce managed to say before her younger daughter appeared, also in a dress and grown-up hairstyle, all ready for the Homecoming Dance it would seem.

"Thanks Buffy, don't wait or anything" Dawn sighed to herself as she reached the bottom of the stairs where her mother was still standing, and staring.

"Dawn, what on Earth is going on?" she asked quite confused.

"Oh yeah" the young brunette grinned, realising her mother didn't have all the information right now, "Buffy kinda decided she wanted to go to the Dance with Spike after all, and since she was going that meant I could too, cos y'know, that's the rule and all" she smiled, loving the fact she was able to go to Homecoming like she'd promised Andrew. As if thinking of him summoned him to the house, the boy knocked on the door at that very moment and Dawn moved to let him in.

"Wow" he said when he saw his date, in her elegant blue dress that made her look so grown up and sophisticated, "You look amazing" he told her with a smile, causing Dawn to blush.

"Thanks" she said, ducking her face behind her hair, "You look great too, but we should really go" she said, noting her mother's still stunned expression and not wanting to wait for her to snap out of it.

Despite the deal that had been made, saying that Dawn could date if Buffy did, the littlest Summers really didn't want to hang around and risk another change in the rules. With a quick yell of goodbye to her mother, Dawn grabbed Andrew's hand and hurried him away from the house. Tonight was going to be so great!

Spike felt a little out of place as he waited in the hall outside the main gym where the Homecoming Dance was being held. He hadn't worn a tux since he was seven and his mother had taken him to her best friends wedding. He hadn't minded quite so much then, he'd felt so grown up and important, now he just felt ridiculous and stupidly nervous that his date might not even show up. This was hardly her scene, and it certainly wasn't his, but Buffy had called him up and apologised for her behaviour, saying she'd love to go to Homecoming with him if he still wanted too.

As much as Spike agreed because he did indeed want to, he knew he couldn't say no anyway. Angel had paid him to be here with Buffy tonight, and Andrew was counting on him too. He felt sick as he realised that at some point Buffy was bound to find out how this whole thing had started. Spike only hoped that by that time, she would realise his love now was real, and all that had gone before with the money and sordid deals didn't matter.

"Hey there, handsome" said a voice behind him and Spike turned around to find the very girl he'd been thinking about standing right behind him, looking more beautiful than she ever had before if it were possible.

"Bloody hell, luv" he smiled as he looked her over, head tilting to one side as he did so, "You scrub up soddin' well" he smirked.

"Well, you don't look so bad either" she admitted, reaching out to straighten his collar that had got a little crumpled, "I guess it's not a big deal for you, since black is kind of your colour" she smirked.

"Gotta say, didn't think pink was yours" he told her, hands going to her waist as her arms went up around his neck, "But you look stunning, pet, really you do"

"Yeah, well" she said, a little uncomfortable about compliments still, "This stunning girl is thirsty, so how about we get into that dance and find some punch or something?" she suggested.

"Sounds like a plan, luv" Spike agreed, kissing her briefly before taking hold of her hand and leading her into the highly-decorated gym.

The dance was soon in full swing and most people were having a good time. It didn't take long for Spike and Buffy to spot Faith who was getting up close and personal with some guy who might have been a member of the football team, or possibly the swim team, neither Buffy or Spike cared enough about the in-crowd to be able to identify each person, they were all just a bunch of sheep, but Faith wasn't so bothered by the many categories the students of Sunnydale High fell into. She was just out for a good time and from the looks of things that's what she was going to get with this guy.

"Now I see how she got her reputation" Spike smirked as she danced close with Buffy, one eye on Faith in her short, slutty, black attire, rubbing up against nameless jock guy, both of them making their intentions all too clear.

"Yeah" Buffy rolled her eyes at her friend, before switching her attention back to her date and making sure he was paying attention to her too, "How about you?" she smiled but Spike didn't understand.

"How about me, what, luv?" he checked as they moved around the dance floor with their arms around each other.

"Well, I've heard all the stories, you told me yourself some of them aren't true" Buffy explained, "So how did you get this bad ass rep you have?" she was interested to know, "When really, underneath it all, you're such a sweet guy" she smiled, kissing him softly.

"Sweet now am I?" he smirked, both of them talking quietly so no-one else heard, "'S not what the girls used to say about me. Right bloody geek I was" he admitted, to her surprise, "Got sick of that though, bein' treated like a doormat and all. Decided to start fightin' back against the world. I changed my image, the hair, the coat, got into some punk music and told a few untruths to the right people. Before you know it, rumour has it I'm the biggest bad ass in the northern hemisphere" he shrugged, making Buffy giggle.

"You never did anything, did you?" she said, still laughing, "No fights, no crime"

"Oh I did things, pet" he assured her, "Not absolutely everything is as fake as the blond hair" he smirked, "but 'm not the sod people think I am"

"I know that" Buffy nodded as they drifted closer together once again, and enjoyed another kiss as they swayed to the music.

"What the hell is going on!" Angel said angrily as he stormed across the room towards the doors, abandoning Darla, his exchange-student date that he'd got last minute when he realised it was impossible for him to bring the woman he really wanted to a High School dance.

"Angel, breathe" Cordy told him, putting a hand on his chest as he reached her and Connor who looked more than a little bit awkward. He'd called his step-mother shortly after he'd arrived at Dawn's house and was told by her mother that Dawn had already left for the dance with Andrew. Cordy was supposed to just come pick Connor up and take him home but instead she's arrived in a dress fit for a fairytale ball, telling the boy she would be his date for the dance and kissed him til he couldn't think straight enough to argue. It was sort of weird for him, entering the hall with his mother-figure on his arm, but she looked so stunning and was actually nearer high school age than her husbands, he was also very proud to be see with her.

"Angel" Cordy said as she took him to one side for a moment, whispering so Connor wouldn't hear, "That little Summers bitch was already gone when he got to her house, you didn't expect him to stay home and cry about it, did you?"

"I didn't expect to see you and him together on a date, Cordy!" Angel seethed, "Not after what we said" he looked both hurt and angry as Connor approached them, wondering why his brother was looking at Cordy like he was, and had hold of her wrist so tight.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking between them and his step-mother painted on a smile as she turned to look at him.

"Nothing, sweetie" she assured him, giving Angel a look that told him to let go of her and he did so even though he wasn't happy about it, "Angel was just worried you might be embarrassed having me here with you, instead of a proper date" she rolled her eyes.

"You look gorgeous, Cordy" Connor promised her, "Way better than the girls here, cos you're a real woman" he said with a look in eyes that Angel didn't like. What bothered him more was the way Cordelia returned said look as she told the boy he was much more a man than he seemed too. Angel grimaced at that, but he knew he could get any girl he wanted and if this was just a ploy by Cordy to make him jealous, well then, two could play that game.

As Connor and Cordy went away to dance, Angel looked around the room and spotted Faith alone by the punch bowl. From her slightly rumpled appearance, Angel guessed she'd had her fun with the jock she'd been dancing with before and was now looking for fresh meat as she scanned the room just as he had been.

"Faith Lehane" he smiled to himself as he approached her. She'd go with just about any guy that asked, he knew that, though he himself had never taken a shot at her. The game was little fun when you knew you were guaranteed to win, but it would drive Cordelia nuts to see him getting up close and personal with another girl he was certain, and Faith would play along, he had no doubt.

"You're looking good tonight, Faith" he said in a low voice near her ear and Faith flinched away from him.

"Wish I could say the same, Liam" she said, with emphasis on the name she knew he despised, "I guess you don't need to keep in such good shape to keep Little Miss Old-Timer satisfied" she smirked, causing Angel to look a little stunned. No-one was supposed to know about him and Cordy, nobody at all.

"Oh come on, Angel" Faith shook her head as she drank down a glass of punch in one, happily finding someone had spiked it already, "I know people, a lot better that most since I've always been on the outside lookin' in at everybody. You and her, definitely had some groin action"

"Yeah, well, not anymore" Angel told her, glancing at the woman he so adored as she laughed and danced with his younger brother, "I'm on the market again, Faithie" he said, looking back at her, running his fingers down the length of her bare arm, "So if you're feeling... free and easy, we could...?"

"No way, man" Faith told him firmly as she took a step away from him so he had to reach to touch her again, "After the way you treated, B? I wouldn't go with you if you were the only guy here, hell I wouldn't touch you if you were the last guy breathin'!" she swore as she poured herself another drink. Angel's hand shot out and closed around her wrist, making her spill punch on the table.

"I think I could change your mind" he said in a low voice, and Faith wasn't certain whether he was going for sexy or threatening. Either way, she wasn't playing this game. She was two seconds away from flipping the guy on his back and kicking the crap out of him when she heard someone clear their throat from behind Angel.

The big idiot let go of Faith and turned around just as a fist came flying out of nowhere and caught him right between the eyes. The shock more than the force of the punch brought him to his knees and Faith couldn't help but laugh when the attacker was revealed.

"Harris?" she gasped, "What the hell, man!"

"I'm sick of guys like him" Xander said, shaking his hand that was throbbing badly from the strike, "And I heard you say no, cos of what he did to Buffy. Kinda surprised me"

"Cos you thought I was a heartless bitch and a whore?" she checked with a smirk, knowing what her rep was and not caring at all. She didn't give Xander a chance to answer her as Angel tried to see straight and scrambled to get back on his feet.

"C'mon, hero" Faith joked as she grabbed Xander's hand, "Let's get out of here before BroodBoy here starts lookin' for pay back" she said as they hurried away, "Not that I couldn't kick his ass..." she mused as she pulled him onto he dancefloor and forced his arms around her body. He'd proved himself to be a little less of a wimp than she'd thought and he looked way cute in a tux. It was unlikely he'd try anything with her and the honest truth was she was eager to see what it'd be like to have a guy around that wasn't powered purely by his animal urges. Seemed to be working out for B pretty well, after all.

"What the hell were you doing with that ho!" Cordy yelled as she stormed over to Angel. He'd only just managed to get his bearings back and was standing shakily by the buffet table, checking his face for serious damage in the back of a fake silver platter.

"I was trying to make you see" he told Cordelia, sparing her a glance, "You were making me jealous and I wanted to get back at you!" he yelled, anger and frustration rising til he forgot where he was, the words booming out for all to here as he shouted, "For God sake Cordy, last night when we were together, you said you loved me!"

"What!" Connor gasped as he approached and Cordy put her hands to her face, this was so not how it was supposed to work out.

"You and him, you..." Connor looked at her then his brother and back as he gaped, "but you told me I was special, and we..."

"Boys" Cordelia forced a smile as she stood between the two, trying to ignore all the students that gathered around to see the show, "I didn't mean to... Angel..."

"I don't wanna hear this!" he said, looking so hurt and disgusted as he turned away.

In desperation Cordy went over to the younger boy.

"Connor, baby" she smiled, but he slapped her hand away when she reached out to him.

"Get away from me" he said, sounding almost tearful as he turned on his heel and hurried from the room.

All attention then turned to the angry Angel as he glanced around at the circle of students surrounding him. His eyes eventually settled on Spike.

"You!" he practically roared as he pointed a finger at him and stalked on over, "This is all your fault"

"What the hell...!" Buffy began only to be spoken over by the enthused Angel.

"I didn't pay you to date Buffy just so that little geek could get Dawn" Angel said angrily gesturing to where Andrew stood with his date, "and so Connor could take what was mine!" he stamped his foot like an angry eight year old girl having a tantrum, but Spike barely noticed his anger, only the shock and hurt on Buffy's face as she took in what had been said.

"What!" she gasped, hand going over her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Faith grimaced and turned away from the painful scene, feeling worse for Buffy than she thought she ever could.

Spike's pain that was directly connected to Buffy's own soon turned to anger as Angel smirked with delight. At least he'd managed to make a couple of people's nights as bad as his own.

"You son of a bitch!" the bleached blond yelled as he brought back his fist and smacked Angel in the mouth with such a force he went down for a second time. Spike immediately rushed to Buffy's side, "Buffy, luv, it's not what it sounds like, I swear" he told her but she shook her head and backed away from him. She couldn't find words enough to explain how much she was hurting, how angry she was.

"Asshole!" was all she managed to yell as she too let her fist do the talking, striking Spike across the face before running from the gym.

Andrew and Dawn who'd missed the beginning of the scene as they'd been kissing beyond the back doors, arrived at that moment, and the young brunette saw her sister fleeing from the room. Seeing Spike clutching his nose, and Angel on the floor she gasped.

"Oh God, she knows?" she checked, she was fairly certain only Buffy's finding out the truth could've caused all this.

"Yeah, she bloody knows" Spike sighed, "speaking of bloody noses..." he swore as he realised the red stuff was pouring from where Buffy had hit him. The girl really did have a hell of a right hook.

"Get out of my way, freak" Angel yelled as he got to his feet and pushed Andrew aside who happened to be blocking his way to Spike. As the bleached blond prepared for an attack, he was somewhat stunned to hear Buffy's sister yell at Liam Angelus.

"Hey!" she said poking him in the back til he turned around. Angel was much larger than Dawn and glared down at her angrily. The little girl was not at all phased. This guy had pissed her off so much and ruined what should have been her perfect night. For that he was going to pay and, thanks to her sister, Dawn knew how to make sure he did. Putting her foot between his she slammed her knee up into his groin.

"That's for pushing my date around" she yelled, putting her hands together and slamming adjoined fists into his back as he keeled over, "that's for making my sister cry!"

Spike smirked at the kid's balls, stepping up for his turn, as the poor girl shook her aching hands in pain.

"And this" he said angrily, kicking Angel in the stomach as he writhed in pain on the ground, "is for damaging the good lady's knuckles on your back, you right bastard"

"Dawn!" Connor called from the doorway. Buffy had run past him on the stairs and alerted his attention to the screaming and shouting from inside the gym. Worried that Cordy might be in trouble, no matter what she'd done, he'd ran back into the room just in time to see Dawn strike his brother down with some help from Spike.

"Stay away from me, Connor!" Dawn backed up when he came near her, clinging to Andrew's side, "God, I can't believe how gross your family is" she made a face as she glanced between Connor, his brother, and his step-mom, "I can't believe I ever wanted to go out with you"

With that she hurried from the room with Andrew holding onto her hand. Spike followed, wanting to get out of this place just as much as the other two, but mostly needing to just find Buffy and fix this mess if he could.

"Dawn!" he called behind the girl, "Let me take you two home, I need to..."
"No" the young girl shook her head, "I'm sorry, Spike, but I don't think you should talk to Buffy yet" she told him, "She really didn't wanna come here tonight, bad memories and stuff, but we convinced her" she explained, "Now we've ruined another night for her... I think she'll need some time"

Spike nodded dumbly as Dawn and Andrew left together and he stood by himself in the empty hall, hating himself for what he'd done, and wondering if he'd ever get the chance to make things right with Buffy again.

To Be Continued...

A/N : Sorry to disappoint anybody but this fic is almost over now. As anybody who has seen '10 Things...' knows, there's just a little more and then the finale. In the meantime, reviews would be of the good :-)