Chapter Twenty-Five: Unwanted Bonding

"Again" Buffy shouted commands as Joy attacked the swinging punching bag. "Left, right, lunge, hold..." She kept up her shouting as Joy obediently followed each of the orders. They had been working out all night, at least three hours, but Joy wasn't complaining and she didn't stop. She had agreed to do whatever she was told and tonight that involved rigorous training. "Duck" Buffy joined the training and jump kicked over Joy's head.

"You don't have to tell me how to defend myself Buff" Joy exclaimed, stopping the kick by grabbing Buffy's ankle in her hand.

"Okay, fine, then let's see how you do." Buffy's instructions ceased and their 'battle' began. Buffy was surprised at how well Joy was able to keep up with her vigor and her strength. Joy quickly learned that she had over-rated her own ability and she was shocked at how hard she had to work to avoid Buffy's attacks. She was doing well though and she assumed that she would be able to defeat the almighty slayer, but just as her pride was rising, Buffy's offense overwhelmed her and before she realized what had happened, Joy found herself lying on her backside with Buffy pinning her down by holding a knife to Joy's throat. Joy gasped and frowned as she realized that she had lost.

"Wow, that was impressive" Joy sputtered as Buffy held out her hand to pull Joy to her feet.

"You weren't half bad yourself." Buffy felt a cut on her cheek and grinned. "Actually, you were pretty damn tough"

"Thanks" Joy stretched out her arm, trying to relax her newly sore limbs.

"So, you ready to go patrol now" Buffy led Joy back upstairs of the basement where the gym was set up.

Joy stopped in front of the hallway mirror to fix her mussed hair. "Sure, let's go." She glanced around the living room and noticed that the room was surprisingly empty. "Isn't anyone else coming with us"

"Giles is going to meet us there. He had to get a few supplies first." Buffy explained. "Riley might stop by later too, but he had some other things going on tonight, so that's not for sure yet." She shrugged.

"Oh yea, Riley, I haven't seen much of him around." Joy grinned. "What's the deal with him anyway? Are you two dating" Buffy smiled. "Or do you just wish the two of you were dating..."

"Well, it's not that easy..." Buffy sighed. "Never mind, it's not important. Let's go."

Joy rolled her eyes as she followed Buffy out of the house and down the street towards the cemetery. I think I have a right to know! I mean she expects me to be all up front and honest with her and everything, and then she doesn't tell me a thing! That's real fair. Joy complained in her thoughts the entire walk towards the vampire hangout, leaving an awkward silence in the air between the two slayers.

When the arrived at the graveyard, Buffy's instructions began.

"Now tonight, instead of beating on the undead for hours before actually staking them." Buffy suggested. "Seriously, just try it" She begged when she realized that Joy was about to protest. "Find your target and stake them. I'll time you"

Joy sighed. "I still don't see why it makes a difference" She pulled out her stake and started pacing through the rows of the graves.

"Come on Joy, just do it this once, for me" Buffy withdrew her own stake and kept an eye open as she let Joy explore the dark cemetery. Before Joy had a chance to explore far, they were joined by Giles.

"Good evening ladies" Giles greeted the slayers with a nervous smile.

"Hey Giles" Buffy smiled and motioned for him to be quiet. "Tonight we're letting Joy free. Neither of us are going to give her any instructions, okay" Giles nodded to Buffy. "If she wants to fight all night with a single vampire before actually killing it, then let her. It's all up to her tonight. I'm not saying anything, and neither are you"

"That is just fine, Buffy." Giles agreed.

Joy frowned. "Really? You're not going to be shouting from the sidelines, Rupert"

He shook his head.

"Cool" Joy returned to her careful exploration. She hadn't taken three steps when one of the fresh graves began to tremble and a pale, bony hand crept up through the soil. Joy waited patiently while the vampire unearthed itself. "Welcome back from the dead" She greeted the vampire with a mock grin.

The vampire growled. "I wasn't expecting a welcoming committee."

Joy shrugged. "Not so much a welcoming as a killing committee." She winked. "Ready to die...again" And the fight began. Of course Joy didn't heed any of Buffy's earlier instructions about a short fight. She was in the mood for a real battle and she had a feeling that this vampire could give her just that.

It began simple, obviously the vampire was still getting use to not being dead. Joy understood that and she took it easy on him at first. She didn't want to wear him out too fast, then there would be no enjoyment for her. A few punches, lunges, kicks...and then things became more aggressive. The vampire pounced on her, knocking her onto her back and she used her feet to toss him over her head, throwing the creature against a nearby tombstone. The marble stone cracked from the force. Joy leapt to her feet and continued the attack on the vampire.

Joy snuck a glance back at Buffy and Giles and she could tell that they were both getting frustrated. But she didn't stop the battle. She leapt on top of a tombstone and swung her leg around until it contacted with the vampire's face. He growled ferociously and jumped after, succeeding in pinning her to the ground and knocking the stake out of her hand. Still Joy continued to fight with him. She shoved him off of her and started a purely punching and kicking match.

Buffy couldn't hold back any longer. "Stop teasing him, Joy"

Joy ignored her and managed to pin the vampire against a tree. But instead of staking him right away like she should have, she began furiously punching him, smacking his head back against the tree trunk with every punch. She let the energy of the fight consume her, blocking out all of her surroundings as she pounded on the beast. Finally she broke a branch from the tree and drove it deep into the vampire's chest. Before she had a chance to remove herself from her tense and energetic high she was ripped from her unconscious reality as she felt someone lunge at her, grabbing her body and forcing her onto the ground. Joy's disillusioned fighting instantly turned to shock and a little bit of panic as she struggled against the strength holding her down.

"What the hell" She dug her knee hard into the stomach of her assailant and shoved him off of her. It only took her a moment to regain her abilities and in less than a second she had turned the attack onto her attacker, pouncing on top of him and holding his arms above his head. "Wait a minute..." She frowned as she recognized the body beneath her.

"Bloody hell lil' slayer" Spike glared at the tough girl straddling him. "Get off"

Joy didn't move. "What the hell were you doing, grabbing me like that" She was holding the tree branch-stake above his neck threateningly. She didn't plan on using it, considering Joy had no idea that Spike was actually a vampire.

"Get off" He shoved her off of him and she fell onto her back. Before she had a chance to scramble up to her feet, he had leapt onto her, holding her down to the ground. Joy couldn't hold back a small yelp in surprise.

Buffy came to their side and stared down at Joy. "See what happens when you lose yourself in the fighting." She smirked and motioned for Spike to let the younger slayer stand.

"God Buffy! I thought you were going to let me fight my own style without interfering" Joy sat up with a glare at Spike who had obligingly moved away from her.

"Sorry, but we had to make you understand" Buffy glanced back at Giles for support. "Giles and I thought it was the best way." She offered a hand to Joy but the younger girl refused and pushed herself up without help. "Come on Joy, don't be all pissy! We're only trying to help."

"I wish you'd stop helping" Joy yelled angrily. "I don't need your help! I'm here as a favor to you remember! I don't think I deserve all your annoying advice" Her voice was continually rising. "It's very offensive you know! If you gave me half a chance, I could be just a good a fighter as you" Buffy rolled her eyes. "See! That's exactly the type of attitude I mean! You're so quick to give me advice but you have no faith in me" She turned to leave. "I don't need this"

"Joy please wait" Buffy called after her, trying to stop her.

As Joy headed away from the slayer, a vampire leapt out from behind a stone crypt and lunged towards Joy. Before Buffy had a chance to shout Joy a warning, the young slayer had avoided the lunge, retrieved her previously discarded stake and fiercely sent it flying through the air straight into the unexpecting vampire's chest. She looked over her shoulder to see Buffy and Giles in awed shock before returning to her direction away from them and fleeing from the graveyard.

"Damn" Buffy sighed after Joy had left them.

"If only she'd let us mold her fighting skills! She could be incredible" Giles agreed.

Spike took out a cigarette and lighter. "I told you the miniature slayer had talent." He grinned at the older slayer and the watcher. "Too bad you can't see it." He stuck the cigarette between his lips and returned the lighter to his pocket. "I've done my part." He turned to Giles. "Don't get used to asking for favors." And he disappeared into the darkness of the night, blending into the shadows of the trees and gravestones. In a moment he was gone.

"I don't get it." Buffy told Giles when they were alone. "She is an amazing fighter, I don't see why she won't apply herself more"

Giles agreed"She does not seem to have the desire to excel." He shrugged. "We will do our best to train her, and perhaps in time she will come around."

"Let's hope so." Buffy agreed.

"Joy, over here" Dawn called to Joy from across the room at the Bronze the next night. She was perched on a high stool at a table with Colin.

Joy glided through the crowded room, weaving gracefully in and out of the dancing and partying masses. She arrived at the table and smiled politely at her friends. "What's up" Joy took a sip of Dawn's drink and looked around the room. "Is Blake here"

Colin shook his head. "I don't think he could make it tonight. He said he had some family thing going on."

Joy frowned. "Right, family stuff." He never does family stuff! She added to herself.

"Sit down Joy" Dawn offered, pointing to the empty seat. Colin nodded.

"Umm..." Joy glanced around again. She hated to intrude on her friends' date, but she hated even more to be alone on a Friday night. She had assumed that Blake would be hanging around after the game like all of his teammates, so she had hurried over to the Bronze as soon as the game was over. She hadn't even changed first. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll just go home."

"Don't be stubborn Joy" Dawn demanded. "Stay and have fun with us. We don't mind, and I don't want you to have to be home alone on a Friday night" Dawn looked to her boyfriend. "We're going to dance. Do you want to come with us Colin" She stood and took Joy's hand, leading her towards the crowded dance floor.

Joy didn't protest. She did want to dance. She loved to dance. Joy was an excellent dancer and everyone knew it. Dawn wasn't quite as talented on the dance floor but she did her best to keep up to Joy's movements. It was pretty much useless though. Joy's body was skilled and her arms were languid, she always seemed to know exactly how to move and when to move. Dawn ended up floundering along trying to match Joy's motions.

"You're not very good at clubbing are you Dawn" Joy laughed as the song changed to an even more upbeat song.

"Sorry, but not all of us can have the skills from Dirty Dancing" Dawn told her dancing friend.

Joy laughed. "Come on Dawn, you've just got to let loose. Don't force it so much" She took Dawn's hands and held them together with her own above their heads. "You've got to move with the music, let it control you" Joy closed her eyes and let the rhythm of the music flow through her body as she swayed her hips sultrily in tune with the song. "Relax Dawn! Just relax." Joy hummed along with the familiar song. Dawn watched Joy's every move and tried to mimic her. Her movements were jerky and short though. Joy noticed her struggle to keep up and smiled. She placed her hands on Dawn's hips and guided them slowly. "You've got to flow..." Joy whispered in Dawn's ear, moving closer. "Turn around and flow." Dawn turned around obediently and let Joy press their bodies together, leading Dawn's motions with her own body. "Now can you feel the music"

"Yea, I think I'm getting it now" Dawn giggled and took her own initiative letting her hands glide above her head and then back down her body.

Colin had noticed the girls' sexy dancing and didn't want to sit out any longer. He came over to them and took Dawn's hand, pulling her away from Joy. "It's my turn to dance with my girlfriend"

Joy laughed and watched Colin dance Dawn away. She didn't care that she was suddenly alone. She'd find someone soon enough. Or rather, someone would find her. They always did at places like this. The next song's speed picked up and Joy's dancing speed picked up in rhythm. Her eyes remained shut as she bounced, twirled, and swayed to the band's music. A moment later her solitary dancing was interrupted as an arm slipped around her waist.

"I noticed from across the room" his voice sounded familiar. "You're hot. I thought you could use some company."

"Well, thanks for noticing" Joy slowly turned around to face the intruder. She gasped when she recognized his face.

"Oh...bollocks" Spike instantly removed his hands from her body and stepped away from her. "I didn't realize it was you, slayer" he spat out the word 'slayer' as though he had just tasted bad wine.

"Does that take my 'hotness' down a few notches" Joy asked sarcastically.

"Oh bloody hell" He seemed disgusted at his previous compliment. He headed towards the bar. She followed him. "Go on, get away from me, slayer"

"What's the matter, Spike? Embarrassed for flirting with me" Joy sighed. "You know, you're not the only guys who's hit on me while I've been dancing." She tossed her long hair behind her shoulder. "Hell, I've even been hit on by girls! So you don't need to be embarrassed at all." She smiled. "I'm used to the attention."

"You're not very modest are you, gidget" Spike grinned down at the short slayer.

"I don't like to be called that." Joy decided.

"Sorry, can't help myself, gidget." Spike arched an eyebrow. "You're just so little."

"I'm not either" Joy tried standing up taller, but even with her stiletto heels on she was short in comparison to Spike. "Anyway, I could take you in a fight any day."

"Don't threaten me with something you can't follow through." Spike ordered a beer from the bartender.

"I'll have one too." Joy told the bartender.

He frowned at her. "Got any ID"

Spike waited with a mocking grin. "Yea gidget, got any ID"

"Not on me. This outfit doesn't exactly have pockets." She indicated her cheer uniform and then realized her mistake. "Right, high school cheer outfit, fine, whatever." She turned away from the bartender and Spike and returned to the dance floor.

A moment later Spike was at her side again. "We could still dance if you wanted to, gidget." He suggested, drinking the bottle of beer an inch from her face.

"No thanks." Joy watched him for a moment before grabbing the bottle away from him and taking a drink.

"Hey" He took the bottle back. "I'm not going to be responsible for underage drinking, got it? The slayer would kill me if she found out."

"It was one sip" Joy argued. "You're as uptight as she is"

"Am not"

"Are too"

Spike frowned and handed her the half empty bottle. "Suit yourself." She drank with satisfied victory. "I'm not uptight" He insisted sulkily. "This music blows."

"Seriously." Joy agreed.

Spike looked at her in surprise. "You're not a typical high schooler are you" She shook her head. "That's good. High schoolers are all bloody sheep. Crowd followers." He shrugged. "It's better not to follow the crowd, I always say."

"So I should be listening to Spike's words of wisdom" Joy questioned.

"Hell no! I haven't got any words of wisdom." He smirked as she finished off the beer. "Just personal choices. But then again I'm not the best role model."

"You're not really any kind of role model Spike." She laughed. "I don't even know you very well and I can see that. God! My boyfriend's a better role model than you..."

"You've got a boyfriend" Spike cut her off with a tone of unmistakable surprise.

She glared at him. "Does that shock you"

"What? No, not at all! I should have assumed you had a boyfriend. I mean, you're a cheerleader"

"What's that supposed to mean" Joy exclaimed. "Do you have something against cheerleaders? Because you know, I didn't want to be a cheerleader, it's not like I've spent my whole life trying to become a high school cheerleader! It's not exactly my thing! In fact, I've been thinking about dropping cheer..."

"Joy, stop" Spike tried to calm her down. "I didn't mean anything negative by it! You shouldn't drop cheerleading, I think it could definitely be your thing! You've got the energy and you've got the athletic ability. I was just pointing out that cheerleaders usually have boyfriends, he's probably a jock, huh"

Joy sighed. "Yes, he's a jock."

Spike grunted. "Well, good for him. And for you. I bet the two of you make a real cute couple, with your matching red and gold uniforms and your lovely little high school lives, where nothing would ever go wrong, 'cause you're bloody Barbie and Ken"

Joy was fuming. She shoved the empty bottle into his hands and stormed out of the Bronze.