Chapter 6: Getting to know you.

A week later, Willow and Xander sat at their usual table at the Bronze. Spike was sat opposite and unfortunately, so was Drusilla. It was almost like the calm before the storm. Willow avoided looking, attempting to focus on the live band, while Xander was covertly attempting to remove any sharp objects and finish his drink before it went hurtling towards the wall again.

"It's a shame Buffy couldn't come," Willow said when there was a break in the music, in an attempt to make conversation, "you did ask her, didn't you Spike?" she probed.

Before Spike could answer, his girlfriend interrupted, "I'm bored now," Drusilla whined in her annoying sing-song voice, "take me home Spike."

Spike threw her a look, "Not now, when the band's finished pet," he said. Drusilla, feeling his focus being away from her, positioned herself in front of him, kissing and licking his neck, like a puppy pining for affection, "Spikey, I want to go home and…" she began whispering in his ear.

Spike was getting really fed up of this. He had been looking forward to seeing the Dingo's ate my Baby for months, Dru wasn't even supposed to be here. It was his night out with his friends, but she had whinged and begged and almost blackmailed so he relented and let her come along.

He'd regretted his decision the minute they had arrived. She made it very clear that she wasn't happy about sitting with Willow and Xander, she'd talked all the way through the songs and she'd been drinking. That's what annoyed him the most, her drinking. Sure he'd blagged the odd drink, but Dru had got a taste and a gift for conning older men into buying her whatever she wanted, no questions asked. Her whispered seductions in his ear pulled him out of his thoughts and he practically threw her off his lap, gripping her by the arm, "Dru, you insisted on coming, we didn't actually want you here, so shut your bloody trap or walk back."

Drusilla looked at him with her big puppy dog eyes and whimpered. As she did, she wobbled unsteadily on her feet. Willow and Xander exchanged worried glances, but Spike surprised them, "I'm sorry luv," he said raising to stand by her side in case she fell, "let's get you home."

Drusilla gave a devilish grin at having got her own way. She knew she could break him, after all who would want to stay and listen to music when she was offering herself as the alternative. She glanced back at Willow and Xander, letting them know Spike was hers and then allowed herself to be led out of the club.

Back at home, Buffy was having her own issues. The signal in her room wasn't perfect by any means, true she could use any other room in the house, but if she wanted privacy, she soon discovered that she practically had to dangle out of her bedroom window to get any reception at all. This is where she was at the moment.

"Angel," Buffy said excitedly as the ringing finally stopped and he answered the phone.

"Buffy," he replied, "hey, I've been trying to call you, how is everything?"

Buffy began giving him the full low down on the past week, she was careful not to leave out any detail. The signal started to break and Buffy shifted her position so she was now completely out of the window and sat on the branch of the tree. Angel was listening patiently as Buffy talked, but he became concerned and interrupted her, "who's Spike?" he asked, the twinge of jealousy in his voice going unnoticed. Buffy sighed, thinking he hadn't heard her because of the signal, so she shifted further along the branch and onto the next one; it was lower down but further out.

"I already told you, he's my next door neighbour, we didn't get off to the best start but… I can't wait for you to meet him…" Buffy answered.

"Who?" Angel asked as Buffy shifted again.

"Spike!" she almost shouted down the phone, getting more and more exasperated. Without warning, Buffy lost her footing and slipped downwards and her shout became a scream as her phone clattered to the ground. She braced herself for the hard ground but it never came.

Instead, she landed in a pair of strong arms, and soon found herself staring up into a pair of brilliant blue eyes, "not even a week and I've got you screaming my name," Spike smirked and then raised his eyebrow suggestively, "can't keep away from me can you, pet?"

Buffy swatted him playfully, her phone call momentarily forgotten. She'd grown accustomed to his sense of humour and she gave him a cheeky look, "well you did say I could drop by anytime."

Spike laughed. "That's not quite what I meant," he said steadying Buffy on her feet once more, "you OK though, right?"

Buffy nodded and then a thought struck her and an embarrassed expression spread across her face, "Angel!" she shrieked causing Spike to wince, "Oh God if he heard you…"

"Jealous type?" Spike queried as he watched her scrabble on the ground for her phone.

"Like you wouldn't believe!" she said as she pressed the phone to her ear, "lines dead… that's probably a good thing right?"

Spike just shrugged his shoulders and slumped backwards so he rested on the wall of his house and lit a cigarette.

"Those aren't good for you," Buffy said.

Spike smirked, "Willow and Xander keep saying that, if they can't get me to stop don't know how you think you can."

Buffy snatched the fag out of his hand and stamped it out on the ground, before giving him a triumphant grin.

"They didn't try that," Spike said almost expressionless. He reached back into his pocket for another.

"I can do that all night," Buffy warned.

Instead, Spike pulled out a hip flask he had stolen from his dad and took a very long swig. Buffy was growing concerned, "what are you doing back so early? It's a weekend," she asked.

Spike's expression darkened instantly, "three words pet, Dru…bloody…silla"

"Oh," Buffy reasoned, "I've got just the thing," she grabbed Spike by the hand and dragged him into her house.

The pair sat across from each other on the breakfast bar. Buffy placed a large pot of Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough ice cream in front of Spike and retrieved two spoons. Spike was staring at her like she had two heads and she blushed, "what!" she questioned, "I've only ever had to comfort girls before, this is uncharted territory for me!"

She was rewarded when Spike smiled, one of his rare genuine smiles, "you know, you don't do that nearly enough," she said fixated.

"What?" Spike asked still with a slight smile on his face.

"Smile," Buffy stated simply.

"I do to smile," Spike retorted indignantly.

"No… you smirk," Buffy clarified, "there's a difference…so let's hear it, what makes for a no smiley Spike."

Spike wasn't sure why, he'd only met Buffy earlier that week and yet somehow she was breaking down his walls, brick by brick. He told her everything, "so I walk her home, she passes out and I left. She never used to be like this you know, I miss the old Dru." Once he finished, he half expected her to tell him he was an idiot or a hot head or any of the other derogatory terms thrown his way when he talked about Drusilla.

Instead, Buffy squeezed his hand and considered, "It's obvious you care about her and she must care about you to still be with you…it just sounds like you've both had a tough year. If it's what you want, find a way to make it work…just…not at the expense of your happiness…or sanity."

"I've never told anyone half of the things I've told you tonight, not even Xander and Willow…how do you do it Summers?" Spike asked amazed by how much he had opened up and how comfortable she made him feel. Buffy winked and patted the ice cream tub, "my boys never let me down."