Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Note: Italized words are Buffy's personal/Slayer thoughts. Some dialog taken from School Hard by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt.

(O.O)

Buffy

"Many people would tell you to think of your principal as your 'pal'. I say think of me as your judge, jury and executioner," sneered Snyder, the little troll, at me and Sheila Martini. She was another one of his pet hate projects and had gotten called into his office along with me.

I never could understand why he was always out to get me, or why he had placed me in the same category as Miss I-stabbed-someone-with-scissors. She was sitting beside me looking bored to tears while I was nearly panicking over getting in troubled again. For no reason. I really hated the man in front of me.

"Tell me, who do you think is the most troublesome student in this school?" he looked between the two of us, darting those beady eyes back and forth.

Well, why don't you TELL ME who you think saves your sniveling butt from getting killed by the monsters that go bump in the night? Better quit stalling, hobbit-man, and tell us already why you called us here, or I might just accidentally forget you're one of the humans I am supposed to be protecting.

My inner Slayer was being a right bitch and I had to struggle to keep my face neutral.

"Well, it is quite the match between you two," he stated with a smirk, which confused me. How could I have done anything near as bad as Sheila? I even did my homework. Sometimes.

With a shrewd look on his face Snyder opened the two thick files on his desk. One still had a fading stamp that read 'Hemery High' on it. Guessed that answered that question. "On the one hand, Buffy hasn't stabbed a horticulture teacher with a trowel, yet."

"I never stabbed anyone with a trowel!" Sheila said angrily. Apparently she was suddenly ready to defend herself. She tapped the file in front of Snyder with her finger hard enough to make the weasel involuntarily edge backwards. "It was pruning shears. It should say pruning shears."

I stared at her. Really? So not the point here missy.

Recovering quickly, Snyder ignored her outburst and continued with his lecture. He switched his gaze to look pointedly at me. "On the other hand, Sheila's never burnt down a school building."

"That was never proved. The fire marshal said it could have been mice…"

Way to look even more guilty, Buff.

"Mice?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Mice…that were smoking?" I added with what I hoped was an innocent expression on my face.

And you just proved to the man just how blonde you really are.

Snyder, again ignoring what was said, continued talking as he flipped through the files. "And the two of you seem to be tied in the class-cutting and fight-starting events. You're really neck and neck here. It's very exciting."

Again, I was trying to save the world here! Sacred duty and all that. Everybody not being dead was slightly more important that an Algebra test, or two. Could be three now.

"What does the winner get?" Sheila asked.

"Expelled," the troll said with a sly smile.

It finally registered with me just how serious the situation was.

"This Thursday is parent-teacher night. Your parents..." he paused to look at me before continuing, "...assuming you have any, will meet your teachers..." this time he looked at Sheila, "...assuming you have any left. And I have decided to put you two in charge of this event. You have three days to prepare the refreshments, make the banners, and transform the school lounge into a habitable place for adults. This will incur my goodwill, and may even affect what I tell your parents when I meet them. Are we clear?"

That's it? Totally clear and can do.

"We're clear." I told him and nodded my head. I wanted him to know I really, really understood. "Don't you feel clear?" I asked Sheila, who still looked indifferent, before turning back to Snyder. "We're very clear."

"Good. Because you mess up this time, and your parents will be coming to clean out your lockers."

Well, phewy.

(O.O)

After the meeting with Snyder I walked out with Sheila to talk further about the Parent-Teacher thing we were supposed to be preparing for together.

"It really shouldn't be that hard. We'll work on banners tomorrow at lunch and we can figure out refreshments then," I told her.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," she answered me distractedly. I was about to ask her what color she thought the banners should be when her head jerked up and she forgot all about me. With an excited yell she called out to an older, mean looking, tattooed guy. "Hey, Meatpie! Wait up!" And walked away from me without so much as a backward glance.

Well so much for teamwork. I'm doomed! I shook my head.

"Heard Snyder's got you guys making party favors," Xander, one of my bestest friends, said as he came up beside me. Him just being there made me feel at least a little smidgen better.

"Yeah, his two worst students." I answered while keeping my eyes on Sheila. "When my Mom looks at me, that's what she sees. A Sheila."

"Sheila's definitely intense. That guy with her? That's the one she CAN bring home to her mother," Xander said. My other good friend, Willow, joined us and I started feeling a whole lot better. I didn't know what I'd do without the two of them.

"She smoked when we were in fifth grade. Once I was lookout for her," Willow told us while trying to sound tough. It made me smile.

Cute Wils. Bet she threatened you back then.

"You're bad to the bone," Xander told her teasingly.

"I'm a rebel," she said with a carless shrug.

"It's just not fair. I'm the Slayer, which requires a certain amount of fighting and cutting. What's Sheila's excuse?" I whined. I never expected ticker tape parades down Main Street but it'd be nice if once in while I got cut some slack.

"Homework, she won't do it, and most of the teachers respect that now. You'll probably want to keep her away from sharp implements while you're working." Xander didn't sound like he was kidding.

"Do you think any of the other Slayers ever had to go to high school?" I asked my friends.

Sensing my melancholy, Xander tried to cheer me up. "Hey, it's no biggie. You'll put on a nice little affair. The parents'll love it, as long as nothing really bad comes along between now and then, you'll be fine."

Great! Now the whole thing was cursed. Thanks Xan!

"Are you nuts? Why'd you say that for? Now something bad is gonna happen!" Genuine fear found its way into my voice.

"What do you mean? Nothing is gonna happen!" He started to panic right along with me.

"Not until some dummy says: 'As long as nothing bad happens…'" Willow reiterated.

Leave it to Willow to be the smart one in this group.

"That's like the ultimate jinx!" I told him in explanation.

"What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking?" Willow added accusingly.

Xander immediately got defensive. "Well, you don't know. Maybe this time is different."

Yeah right. Knowing my luck. It's highly doubtful.

(O.O)

I was out enjoying a lovely moonlight stroll through a cemetery all by my lonesome. At least that's what I wanted the baddies to think when I was on patrol. I was lucky that so far nothing had taken the bait becausen I know I was distracted. I just couldn't get the conversation I had from earlier with my mom out of my mind.

She had made my life sound so easy, but it wasn't. Living the life of a slayer never is. I had it extra hard because I was juggling with not only my calling, but also being a teenager in a high school with an impish troll for a principal. Now that's hell. Why couldn't Snyder have turned out to be a demon?

This job that I supposedly "don't have", well it's my destiny and calling. It's not something I could easily quit, escape from and forget about. No, it's not. It was something I was born to do. It's not like anyone ever asked me if I wanted to go around risking my life each night and sticking stakes in vampires. I'd had zero choice in the matter. I'd tried to pretend I could retire when I'd first moved here. I don't know what I'd been smoking to believe that would work. All that'd happened is that someone I knew turned up dead. Just add him to the list of people I've failed or disappointed. He can go right next to Merrick and my parents.

I really didn't want to disappoint Mom again. God, I really didn't. In fact, what I truly wished for was to make her proud of me for once. This Parent-Teacher thing seemed to be the way to do it and I was planning to give 110% of myself to making it perfect.

Please, just don't let any baddies show up to ruin it!

(O.O)

Sheila was a no show, again, and I'd ended up doing almost all the decorating by myself. Thank goodness for my two trusty best-friends who'd helped me paint banners for tomorrow night. Things were starting to look up. I mean, sure, banner painting was boring and teal paint in my hair was not a good look for me, but, hey, at least I was almost done with everything . Not to mention that after school we'd be meeting up at the Bronze to see if Angel would show up. Er- I mean to study for French. I didn't need Monsieur Dejean telling my mom that her daughter was très stupide.

So, anyway, everything is going to be okay. Or not. I could see Giles and Miss Calendar coming over here with an old, dusty book and by the looks they were wearing and the conversation they were having, I didn't think they were bringing anything of the good variety.

"What's the up, guys?" Xander broke into their tense argument.

"I don't suppose this is something about happy squirrels?" I asked a little too hopefully.

"Vampires," Giles said grimly breaking whatever hope I had.

"That was my next guess," I told him and matched his expression.

"Ms. Calendar has been researching-er, surfing on her computer. And according to her calendar, this Saturday is the Night of Saint Vigeous."

It sounded like your run of the mill Catholic feast day, but on the Hellmouth I was positive it wouldn't be anything as such. I wasn't that lucky.

"Lemme guess," I snarked. "He didn't make balloon animals."

"He led a crusade. Of vampires. They swept through Edessa, Harran, and points east," Giles again with his grim, THIS IS SERIOUS, Watcher's tone.

"They didn't leave much behind." Miss Calendar finished with a similar worried expression.

"So Saturday's kind of a big to do for bloodsuckers?" it was Xander again who asked the pertinent question.

"It's a Holy Night of Attack. They'll come in numbers," Miss Calendar explained.

"If I survive parent teacher night tomorrow," I nodded at banners. "I'll see what I can do about Saturday."

"You're being a tad flip, don't you think? This is serious," Giles scolded me.

Well Giles, what I'm doing is serious, too. I can't let my Mom down one more time

"And being kicked out of school is laughs aplenty?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"You know what happens when you let your life interfere with your slaying?" He asked me gruffly.

Oh, I know it too well, Watcher mine.

"Yes, I found that out the last time I had a date, back in the Restoration era," I reminded him, anger creeping into my voice.

"You just need to keep the two things separate."

Easy for you to say, Giles, nobody was expecting a lot from you. Heck, he could easily mix Watcher stuff with your librarian duties because no one ever really went to the library anymore! It wasn't fair.

"Yes, well, if my slaying doesn't get me expelled, I promise my banner making won't get me killed. Just let me get through the week," I begged.

"Saturday will require a great deal of preparation," he said, not giving up easily.

"Well, we'll help," Willow offered

"Yeah! I can whittle stakes!" Xander volunteered.

Thank God for cool best-friends. I gave them grateful smiles.

"And I can research stuff," added Wils.

"Your help will be appreciated," Giles told them before facing me again. "But when it comes to battle, Buffy must be prepared to fight alone. You are, after all, a slay-" but he had to cut himself off when he saw Snyder approaching. "-slay…ve. Slave. You're all slaves to the… television. You young people nowadays. Goodbye."

That was not at all obviously awkward, and he gets after me about keeping my identity a secret.

He and Jenny immediately took off, leaving us to deal with my very least favorite imp.

Snyder gave Xander and Willow the once over. "You wouldn't be helping Buffy in Sheila's place would you?"

Xander hid a paintbrush behind his back before answering. "No."

"We're hindering," Willow said with an innocent smile.

Snyder didn't fall for it. "She ditched. Mmm, I feel an expulsion coming on," he said a little bit too enthusiastic for my taste. It made me feel a little bit bad for Sheila. Under different, more demon-y circumstances, it could be me that wouldn't be able to be here.

"She's been helping for hours. She's just out getting more paint." I tried to reason, but I noticed that he wasn't listening to me. He had shifted and was staring at something behind me. I followed his gaze to the door as Sheila stumbled through it in full Courtney Love mode. She looked awful and was still wearing the previous day's rumpled clothes along with a pair of dark glasses. I immediately rushed to her side and guided her to one of the banners.

I pretended to have a conversation with her and then plopped a brush in her hand.

"Just make sure everything is perfect on Thursday," the troll said, eyes narrowed, before huffing away from us.

To my surprise Sheila was actually grateful.

Well, guess she isn't all that bad after all.

We continued working until it was time for us to leave.

(O.O)

Darla

We'd been keeping a low profile ever since arriving two days ago in Sunnydale. Among the town's human populace at least . We'd made some wave in the demon community by dusting the Anointed One and most of his followers. I'd allowed a few minions to live by either letting them pledge loyalty to me or permitting them to skip town immediately. I had been trying my best to not let it get back to either the Slayer or Angelus that we were here, so it'd been an unpleasant surprise to wake up and find one of my family members missing.

"Where the hell is William?" I thundered at the group of minions.

Dalton, the wimpy little vamp who'd been among the few that had pledged loyalty to us, answered. "He said something about exploring the town and its 'exotic sites.'"

I immediately knew what he meant. William went out to check out the Slayer. Damn that boy and his Slayer obsession. I cursed the day Angelus had told him about them. Ever since, he did nothing but seek them out. It had been bad enough that he goes looking for them, but William had formed the habit of befriending them. He'd start off fighting them, then would become friends with them and finally he'd help train them. Then it'd be left to me and Dru to pick up the pieces when the stupid girls met their inevitable and untimely deaths. William would be devastated. Every time he'd trick himself into believing that this go around things would be different and the girl would live longer. I hated seeing the aftermath when he was invariably disappointed.

He'd spend years being grouchy and broody and talk to anybody that'd listen about all they ways he'd come up with to save them if only he'd been able to be a little better, or faster, or whatever. He'd be ten times more annoying than usual and he tended to end up testing the limits of my soul's ability to keep me from dusting him. Well, I probably wouldn't really do it, but it makes me feel better to imagine it.

After my outburst at finding William gone, which had been an epic one that'd involved throwing furniture and screaming, I calmed down enough to realize the full implications of what the boy was doing. William had gone to see the Slayer. The Slayer who just happened to be friends with Angelus.

This was a fine to do. If Angelus was with her, or she told my Childe about seeing William, then it wouldn't be long before Angelus would figure out that we were all here. And that just wouldn't do.

I hadn't come up with a plan yet that would get Angelus to voluntarily agree to help Dru. I knew William was thinking that I could use a blood bind ritual, and I would if I could, but it was an impossibility. The ritual required a secure Sire-Childe relationship and after what I did to Angelus in Bejing our bond had essentially been severed. To renew it both Angelus and I would have to mutually agree that it should be, and I couldn't see any way that would ever happen. We could try it the other way and have Dru invoke Angelus' help as his Childe, but it was a tricky thing and after a century of believing that he was dead, I had the feeling that it wouldn't work. Angelus may have even formally broke the bond at some point, and if he hadn't he might do so now just to spite me. I don't think Drusilla could take a blow like right now. To severe a Sire-Childe bond is like removing someone's finger, sure they still have nine more, but they will forever know that one's missing. It could take decades to recover the blow, which I knew first hand, and the emotional and psychological trauma would probably kill Dru in her current state. There was no way I was going to be having her beg Angelus for anything.

That's why I'd yet to come up with a workable plan, even though I'd had the whole trip here to think about it. Damn that William bringing this to a head already. When that boy got home I was chaining him to bed with no supper. Then we'd see if he still thought it was good idea to take off without so much as a 'by your leave.'

(O.O)

Buffy

It was official: I hated French. Why was it the people who made amazing foods like French fries and French toast had to have the hardest language on Earth? Why couldn't they just stick to English? The two countries were really pretty close together. Things would've been a lot easier for me if they had. I was also bummed since Angel was a complete no show for the evening. Well, it wasn't like we had some sort of date, but a girl could get really tired of waiting for a guy to make a move. Not that I was expecting him to hit on me, but it wouldn't exactly be unwelcome if he ever got around to it. It wasn't like I was getting any younger here. I just really wished I could get the guy out of the shadows, you know. I mean he was all sweet and mysterious and unav-wow! Check out the hottie that just walked in.

"Wils, yumminess at six o'clock. Don't stare." I whispered to my friend.

She glanced behind her and looked backed at me with a bemused smile. "He's cute. I mean if you dig the whole black on black look with that bad boy persona."

Bad boy? He was just confident. Whole different vibe.

I snorted. "C'mon Wils. That, my friend, is a perfect specimen of hotness of the male variety," I told her as I shamelessly tilted my head to admire his backside as he sauntered towards the bar.

"Um, what about Angel?" she asked uncertainly.

"Angel is another kind of tasty, but of the vampire variety. What I am looking at now is deliciousness of the human kind." I told her, sotto voce, as I continued my oogling. It never hurt to look. "I wonder who he is and why I've never seen him before."

"Maybe he's new in town?" Willow suggested.

"Who's new in town?" Xander asked as he joined us at the table.

"Buffy's human specimen of hotness," Willow answered while waving her hand in the direction of the man I am still staring at.

"Oh," Xander said in a disappointed tone. "By the way he looks I bet he's one of those new musicians here in the Bronze. I mean he's already got the whole punk look going on."

"If he is, I think I just found another reason to keep visiting the Bronze. God he's hot" I wasn't sure I'd blinked since first laying eyes on him.

"We get it Buff. Now why don't you go ask him to dance," Willow suggested.

"What?! -er, I mean are you for reals? The dude looks like he's old enough to have a job." Xander was shifting around uncomfortably in his seat. "Why is he here in the Bronze anyway? Y'know other than to check out the kids that come here. He could be some pedo-serial killer or something for all we know." Xander's voice was getting squeaky.

I simply stared at my friend and wondered if he'd been hit by the idiot train."Xander, I'm the Slayer. If he does end up being Hannibal Lecter I think I can still take care of myself. Y'know I regularly handle far worse." I hadn't really intended to go through with going over there and talking to the guy, because while looking was one thing getting sweaty on the dance floor was another, but Xander's diatribe had really bothered me. I needed to prove myself. It's not like Angel ever needed to know. If he'd bothered to show up this whole situation would be a moot point.

"Well what about studying for French? Isn't that what you came here for in the first place?" Xander continued to try and wheedle me.

"Yeah, but I'm taking a break with Mr. Hottie on the dancefloor." I left my friends before they could say something else and headed towards the bar.

If it was any other night I would've been surprised at my sudden burst of confidence that came to me as I approached the guy. I usually wasn't the kind of girl to get all determined about meeting a perfect stranger, especially a ridiculously gorgeous one. I didn't know what had gotten into me, but it was primal and it knew what I wanted better than I did. Frankly I was too far gone to particularly care about things like common sense at that moment.

"Hello cutie," I whispered in his ear from behind. I'd had to raise myself up on my tiptoes to reachhis ear and I was nearly leaning on the guy's leather clad back. Personal space wasn't very high on my priority list at that time.

He immediately spun to face me, his eyebrows high in surprise. I found myself getting lost in his face. He had a pale complexion, sharp cheek bones and very kissable lips. I licked my own as they had gone dry. Then I looked into his eyes and nearly drowned there. They were the deepest bluest eyes that I had ever seen. I forgot to breath.

"See something you like, pet?" He smirked and I nearly died at the sexy English accent.

Wow Buff, you sure know how to pick them, you'd better check for drool.

"All of it. Wanna dance, handsome?" Our mouths were only narrow inches apart.

He simply winked at me and grabbed my hand to lead me the dancefloor. I noticed how cold his fingers were, but I barely had enough time to think about it before we were in the middle of the crowd and moving to the music. Our bodies were so close, and it was like we'd known each other for years. We'd instantaneously known how to move as a couple. Everyone else in the club faded away as we both found endless reasons for our hands to wander over each other. He brushed my hips while I grasped his shoulders. He slid a hand down to feel my behind while I learned the planes of his chest. I ran my fingers through his hair and he moved his own slowly up and down my sides. We were always connected. Several times he buried his face into the crook of my neck, and I could've swore I felt him smelling me. It seemed a little weird until I did the same, and then I wanted more of him.

We left no reachable parts on the other untouched. It was the single most erotic experience of my life. I couldn't even begin to explain what was happening, but I loved every moment of it.

He had his arms around me and it was the safest that I'd felt since becoming the Slayer. I had an undeniable feeling that this was where I belonged, and by the slightly stunned but adoring look on his face, I believed the feeling was mutual.

I could have danced with him all night, but the spell was broken when another teen bumped into us. He looked wild and was yelling. "Phone! Where's the phone? Some guy outside tried to bite me, and he took off with two of my companions! We gotta call the cops!"

I was pissed at the universe. Some vamp just had to ruin my perfect evening. I gave an apologetic look to my hottie dance partner before running off to be the Slayer.

I immediately found the menaces and had dusted them with no problem. Amateurs. Luckily both victims were still alive, if a little worse for wear, and I called an ambulance to come and take them to the nearest hospital.

By the time I was able to go back inside and look for the new guy, he'd vanished without a trace.

"I didn't even get to know his name," I uttered in bitter disappointment as I left for home.

(O.O)

A/N: Yehey! I'm so happy with this chapter. It's my first Spuffy encounter and I found it extremely satisfying, well not really considering I never got to introduce Spike and ended the encounter like that. But anyway, if you're wondering about why Buffy felt the way she did, well it'll be explained in due time, just remember that Buffy wasn't in control of herself the entire time. So don't go off thinking she's become a horny teenager, because she isn't, same goes thing can be said for Spike, though he's so not a teenager. Also most of the dialogues for this chapter was taken from BTVS episode "School Hard" S2Ep3, just so you know. Thank you again for reading and special thanks to RKF22 for being an amazing fan and saying that I had nailed my Spike. Thank you for letting me know that my hard work wasn't for nothing. And thanks to everyone else for supporting me. Now I just hope more of you will review because I love reviews! See you next time. Bhu-bye!