"Please Mom, just let me go to the Bronze with Riley tonight? I'll be the best daughter ever."
"I already think you are, Buffy. But that doesn't mean I'm overly fond of you."
"You're already going out with Giles. You won't be home, and you wouldn't want the best daughter ever staying home to an empty house on a Friday night, would you?" Joyce sighed. It'd been a month since she'd begun seeing Rupert, and she was falling hard. At first, the man had refused to go out with her at night, but over time, he'd become more willing. Joyce just didn't know that it was because zero Spike sightings had occurred.
Buffy's 'training' had progressed to moderate defense, and basic offense. It wouldn't help her against Spike, but if a really stupid minion stumbled in her path, she could take the sucker out. Her words, not Giles's.
"Fine. But I want you back by 10:30, and I WILL call here at precisely 10:30."
"You're suggesting you won't be back by 10:30?"
"I don't know exactly what we're going to do after dinner yet." Buffy nodded as she hugged her mother.
"Thank you Mom! I'll be home by then!" Joyce smiled as Buffy ran upstairs to find something suitable to wear to the Bronze.
It managed to take Buffy over an hour to find a stringy red halter top and tight black pants. She was pinning her hair up in some or other sexy twist when Joyce knocked on her bathroom door and requested to borrow hairspray.
"Oh, I'm sorry, it must be your other mother who lets you leave the house looking like that." Buffy rolled her eyes as she held out the desired hairspray, and Joyce entered the room to take it.
"Oh, I'm sorry. It must be my other mother whose dignity would prevent her from ever leaving the house looking like that." Joyce anxiously looked at herself in the mirror, standing next to Buffy.
"It isn't too much, is it?" she asked nervously. Buffy had to smile at the look on her mother's face. Giles was a good friend and teacher to her, but she knew he was a lot more to her mom.
"Tell you what. You don't say anything about my halter top, I won't say anything about that skirt. Speaking of, when did you get that? The eighties?"
"Somehwere around there, yes." Joyce headed back to her own bathroom, still pulling on her skirt to see if it was capable of covering more skin than it did at present.
Riley and Giles managed to arrive at the same time to pick the Summers girls up, so awkwardly the men made small-talk as their dates put the finishing touches on their stunning outfits.
Giles didn't mind Riley, because he'd never heard anything but positive remarks from both his girlfriend and Buffy about him. Riley, on the other hand, did not like Giles's sudden protectiveness over the girl who, in his mind, was only the daughter of his new girlfriend. There was a bond there, however, that was forged from experiencing near-death situations together, bearing the burden of being the only ones to know the painful truths about the world, and training together to fight those very truths. But if that wasn't enough, Giles had been willing to give his life to save Buffy, and though she didn't know how strong his resolve had been, she silently understood some of the sacrifices he had made by showing up at the time and place requested by Spike in hopes of rescuing her. Buffy hadn't heard from Hank Summers in weeks, and if her father wasn't careful, Giles could easily and skillfully fill his shoes. He was well on his way already.
"Bye Mom, bye Giles."
"Buffy, for the hundredth time, you can feel free to call me Rupert outside of school hours."
"But you're Giles."
"I understand it may be hard for you to be on a first-name basis with someone you regard somewhat as a teacher, but you make it sound so uncomfortable to have me around your house."
"No, if I was doing that, I'd say Mr. Giles." He exhaled as he raised his hand in goodbye to Buffy and Riley who were already halfway down the front walk.
"Giles is getting on my nerves," Riley commented as they were almost at the Bronze.
"What? Why?"
"All the pressuring you to call him by his first name. If you're not comfortable, say something to your mom."
"No, that's not it. It's not a comfort thing at all, I've just…always called him Giles. Calling him Rupert sounds weird, not awkward." He didn't look convinced. "Look, Riley, my mom's dated some losers in the past. There was this jerk named Ted that sticks out first and foremost- he tried to control both of us. But now she's with a really sweet, caring, protective-but not overprotective- guy, who it just so happens that I already had a good relationship with before he became her boyfriend. We're both happy that Giles is around now. And if you're very vocal in your dislike of him, it might cause problems." He sighed.
"What if I be quiet in my dislike of him?" She smiled, and stopped walking to give him a light kiss on the lips.
"That'd be a good start. Though I actually think you would like him if you tried." He shrugged, and they continued walking.
A few minutes after ten, he suggested that they leave. She pouted; they'd been having a great time, dancing during some songs, and sitting and talking during others. He had been telling her about a killer professor who seemed bent on failing him, mimicking the man's voice and gestures, making Buffy laugh.
"We need to leave now if we're going to get you home by curfew."
"Well set your watch back a few minutes, one more dance." She stuck out her lower lip, and Riley gave in soon after.
"Fine. One more dance." She beamed as he took her hand and led her back towards the dance floor. As they took their places near the edge of the crowd, and began moving to the remixed Biggie song that had just came on, it felt like her heart stopped, her breathing halted, and her guts fell to the floor.
That was due to the fact that she'd just seen a Vampire in game face, something she had hoped very much to never ever see again. The whole time she had been captured, none of the Vamps had let their human face slip, but by intent or oversight she didn't know. Even Spike had refrained from one of the few things that could terrify her shitless in her Zen-like state of mind.
"Buffy?" Riley was asking, and she realized she was on the floor. Strange faces peered down at her, as Riley tried to get people away from her. "Back off, she's hurt!"
Strong arms lifted her easily from the ground, and she was carried out of the Bronze into the clear night air. She didn't know who'd lifted her; all she knew was that it hadn't been Riley. She knew this because this person didn't smell like her cuddly boyfriend, and because her cuddly boyfriend was currently running and screaming after her.
"Put her down, you son of a bitch!"
"Riley?" she asked hesitantly, reaching a hand out towards him.
"Shhh, little birdie. Spikey's gotcha."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
By the time he was setting her down, she had mostly recovered. When she turned to him, she saw with relief that he looked normal, and slightly worried.
'Spike was worried about me?' In spite of herself, she smiled. She knew very well that a demon face lurked behind his sharp cheekbones, and twin sapphire eyes, but her reaction was still that of any teenager girl realizing their crush MIGHT reciprocate some of their feelings.
'I have a crush on Spike? Huh. That's new.' But it wasn't. For a month, she'd seen nothing of him. Giles only said that Spike hadn't shown up trying to kill him lately, and beyond that, he didn't know anything else. She'd been worried also. Another Protector, or a rival Vampire Master could have showed up and turned him to dust. And no one would ever know, because every pile of dust looked exactly alike. 126 years of hard, if evil, work…just gone. Reduced to nothingness.
He'd said he would see her around, and she'd been keenly awaiting for whenever that would be. She missed his company, missed his eyes, missed his style of doing things. Add that to the worry, and she'd been craning her neck for him whenever she went out at night lately. But she hadn't seen him, and so hadn't been able to confirm the slight suspicion she'd always managed to squish down with a quick thought about Riley. She saw him standing in front of her now, and she knew. She liked Spike.
"Where are we?" she asked as she got to her feet, half-reeling from this development, and half-blushing. She knew she was with Riley, and she knew what lurked within Spike, but she couldn't help twirling a loose lock of hair around her finger as she spoke. Half out of nervousness, half out of flirtatiousness. Spike was beginning to tear her in two after only a few minutes in his presence. Wow, she had it bad.
"Old abandoned house near the Bronze."
"In the center of town? That's prime real estate, why is it abandoned?"
"Well, I'm not entirely positive the realtors know the owners don't really live here anymore. They've since relocated to the factory." She cringed good-naturedly, wondering if Riley had followed them. When she voiced this, however, he shook his head. "Lost the wanker early on. Not much of a tracker, is he?"
"Nope. Wait, back up a minute, you said you were at the factory? Giles swept the place; said there was no one there."
"Well, when they came to live with us, we were there. We have moved, though. I'd tell you where to, but I'm not entirely sure I trust you."
"Hey, I saved your life with that arrow thingy."
"Yes, but you've been training with the Protector a lot lately. Or, that's what my spies tell me." She squirmed happily at the info that he was spying on her. Or maybe not her in particular, but news of her was getting back to him.
"So I'm like a double agent?" she asked, eyes widening at the thought. She'd apparently gone from being normal-as-pie Buffy to double-agent Buffy, and it was a cool thought.
"You haven't truly lived 'til you've fought on both sides of a major war." She grinned as she sat down on the floor, him following.
"How have you been, Spike?" He smirked.
"Wonderin' about me, have you been?"
"Just a little. I was scared something had happened to you."
"Not really. Movin' took a lotta time, and a slew of nonblood minions poured in from other towns, wanting training in exchange for allegiance. Turned some of 'em down, but I do have some new recruits."
"I'm not sure how I respond to that. Congratulate you? Call pest control?"
"Just nod and smile, kitten." She nodded and smiled. "And how have you been, Buffy Summers?"
"You found out my last name," she accused with an arched eyebrow.
"Was in the paper, talkin' about your kidnappin'."
"Well, I'm fine. I was at the Bronze with Riley tonight, and I have been training with Giles lately. I could probably take you now if I wanted to." He cracked up.
"You'd do no such thing."
"Oh, I think I could."
"Where's your stake?" She looked at her outfit, remembering the tight pants didn't offer pocket space.
"Or not." She was still looking at her pants as he pounced, tackling her to the floor with a loud gasp. The moonlight pouring in from a grimy window illuminated his white-blonde hair as he smirked from atop her, holding her down. She wiggled underneath him on the floor, not sure if what to do.
"You couldn't take me, my little Protectette."
"That's not a word," she felt compelled to point out. He lowered himself so his teeth were inches from her neck, and closing. Gasping again as he began to nibble with human teeth, he laughed against her skin.
"You're so pretty. You shouldn't be 'taking' Vampires." Oh, girlish giddiness does not mix well with mortal terror. She felt like she was about to explode.
"Why'd you collapse inside?" he asked a few minutes later, when he had apparently decided that his teeth had had their fun with her neck, and moved on to his tongue. She could barely think, much less answer.
"Saw someone. With game face," she muttered.
"You could have been hurt. Tonight was open buffet."
"Didn't know." He finally stopped his administrations, looking closely as he pulled back to make sure he hadn't left any visible evidence. He had a feeling Buffy would be upset if he did, so he merely stood up and helped her to her feet when it became apparent she couldn't do it herself. He could see her cheeks flaming through the darkness, and the satisfaction it gave him would have made him blush as well, if he could.
"We should get you back to your prince," he said quietly, frowning as he spoke the words. His inner demon growled. No. Buffy MINE. No Prince. He silenced it with a mental kick, and took her hand to lead her down to the street. She still looked quite dazed, but pleased. Now it was his inner ponce coming out to growl. Or at least mutter. Buffy is a nice girl. Spike is bad for nice girls.
'I know I'm bad for Buffy. That's the reason why I'm returnin' her,' he spoke sanely to the voice in his head. Around the corner, Riley was practically weeping as he tried to explain to a police officer what had happened.
"Some guy…blonde hair…took my girlfriend."
"Riley." She spoke clearly, and confidently. Her voice carried from yards away to his ears, as the policeman saw her walking hand-in-hand with Spike, and rolled his eyes.
"For future reference, running off with another guy is not a crime." He headed off, annoyed, as Riley walked slowly towards her and Spike.
"Buffy, what's going on?" Hadn't this asshole just kidnapped Buffy? He'd been even guessing that it might be the same guy that had first taken her, but here she was, holding the bleached wonder's hand.
"I felt dizzy in there, so Spike took me to get some air." They let go of each other's hand at the same time, as she walked to stand beside Riley.
"Well, I have a party to get back to. I'll leave her with you then, Captain Cardboard?" He chuckled to himself as he turned to leave, but the demon gave another growl. He stopped with surprise. Yes, he knew he had a thing for Buffy. He just didn't realize exactly how much of a thing. Because apparently, in the dark corners of his mind, he was beginning to think of her as his.
He turned. Buffy was standing there, lit by a streetlight, looking at him like he was bloody amazing. It was the look girls had on TV when their motorcross boyfriends had just won some big show or something. He didn't know what show, as he didn't watch much sports. But Buffy was looking at him like that, and he found himself crossing the distance between them to plant a chaste, but possessive kiss on her lips. She received him contentedly, kissing back for a second before Spike shot a glare at Riley.
This one belongs to me. But I will let you have her for now.
Riley took her hand and pulled her towards home as his head spun. He had no idea what to think, and Buffy wasn't making it any easier by pressing her fingertips to her lips as she began to speak.
"I'm thinking that if you take off your watch, we could say you lost it, and call her right when I get home. We shouldn't get in much trouble that way." He agreed without knowing what he was doing. They walked the rest of the way to her house in contemplative silence. He thought about what this meant for him and Buffy. Buffy thought about the next time she'd see Spike- their meetings were short, few, and far between…but always eventful. And the person quietly following them in the shadows thought about how screwed he was going to be. Enthralled by a human. It went against the laws of nature, of God. And yet, he found himself not regretting tonight's activities, nor its revelations.
