A/N: So sorry I forgot to post last week. Genuinely forgot, first time I've done that! Enjoy ~BB x

Buffy speed walked down the corridor, thankful that the sound of the rain battering the castle muffled her hurried footsteps and the pounding of her heart. With a heavy sigh of relief she collapsed onto the couch in the living room, even that large room populated with windows that didn't close properly, where wind whistled through every brick, was a haven as she allowed her eyes to close. Anything to get away from Angel's looming lips, begging for commitment and a relationship. She wasn't ready.

"Buffy?" Dawn yawned.

Buffy opened one eye sceptically. "Dawn? What are you still doing up?"

It was then she noticed her little sister curled up on the couch next to her, a fleecy blanket thrown over her body.

"Me and Spike were watching 10 Things I Hate About You." Dawn gestured to the TV, which was rolling the credits, and Spike slumbering in the armchair opposite them.

"Oh. That's okay, I'll go." Buffy made to leave but Dawn stopped her.

"Don't be stupid. Sit."

"Dawn can I ask you something?"

"Always, you know that."

"But can you promise not to like try and work out what I'm talking about and you know...stick your nose where it doesn't belong?" The last thing Buffy needed was Dawn discovering a newly human Angel had tried to kiss her and she'd turned him down. She'd spill the beans to Spike, making him even angrier and then the whole castle would be abuzz.

"What?" Dawn feigned ignorance then reluctantly agreed. "Fine."

"Good so...wait." Buffy crossed the room to Spike. She waved her hands crazily in front of his face, did a bit of a dance then flicked him on the nose for good measure. No reaction. "Okay good."

Buffy settled back into her seat and asked. "Have you ever wanted something, like really, truly wanted something for a long time, like forever...and then you got it. Just got it so easily and for some reason it just was kinda...so what-ish?"

"Is this about Angel being human?" Dawn questioned eagerly. Buffy gave her a stern look. "Right, sorry. Umm..yeah 'course."

"Like it's not...dumb? A part of me's like Buffy you got what you want just be happy. But at the same time..."

"You're just not." Dawn finished.

"Yeah. Am I mayor of Idiotsville?"

"No, I think it's totally normal. I mean you've built something up in your head for so long. It's like suspense, right? Imagine watching the beginning of a film for years and you've been all on tenterhooks. And then finally you watch the end and it's kinda what you expected all along. It's all...anti-climactic."

"Exactly!" Buffy loudly exclaimed.

"Nope, definitely not a freak." Dawn confirmed. "I tell you what is freakish? Still being up at this time. I'm exhausted so imma head to bed. You coming?"

"Nah I'll clean some of this stuff up." Buffy gestured to the empty popcorn bowl. "Night."

"Night." Dawn mumbled as she clumsily climbed the stairs to her bedroom.

Buffy set about cleaning up the Dawn devastation, hoping it would clear her mind. She was just sliding the DVD back into its case when Spike began to stir. Tentatively, he opened one eye.

"Slayer?"

"Dawn just went to bed. You fell asleep during the film." Buffy explained.

"Oh." Spike pulled himself up and stretched out like a cat.

He trundled across the room into a cupboard at the back and produced a bottle of Jack Daniels and two glasses.

"Fancy a drink?"

"You've been leaving that lying around in a house full of teenagers?!"

Spike shrugged. "They all know it's mine and they all know I'll bite 'em if they drink it. If anything it discourages alcohol."

"I'm too tired to argue over whether that made any sense, just pour me a drink."

"St Buffy is drinking? Well stone me." Spike slid a glass of the caramel liquid across the coffee table to her.

"Rough day."

"Yeah, me and Angel earlier, sorry. That was bloody stupid. Don't know what happened."

"Yeah pretty much. And for the record, I'm sorry if it sounded like I was siding with Angel. I didn't mean it that way." Buffy wanted to add 'after all he did start on you' but figured that wouldn't help the situation so kept her mouth shut.

"I know. I guess I just...overreacted."

Buffy nodded solemnly, thankful he wasn't trying to stir up a fight right now. She so wasn't in the mood.

"He's a better fighter though. That's a good sign."

"True, it is. Maybe one day we'll have another Wood on our hands." Buffy thought for a second. "Though hopefully with slightly less attempts on your life."

"I dunno, that Angel he's a temperamental bloke."

"Tell me about it." Buffy downed the last of her glass and held it out for a top-up.

"Let's pick up where we left off...So I told you what you missed while I was gone. What'd I miss, pet?"

"Hmm...let's see..." In her thinking time, Buffy knocked back her drink and gestured for another. "Well, we needed to search for slayers, and for a while that's what we did. But everyone everywhere was after us, right? 'Cause we created a buttload of slayers, so you know, fair enough." Buffy began hiccuping then and Spike chuckled at her whole body jumping every time she did so.

"Yeah? That it?"

"Hic...no...so we stopped...hic...going everywhere...and settled in Scotland...hic...Giles went to England to begin...hic...the new Watchers Council...hic."

"Slow down, Slayer."

"Yeah I will. Drinks help hiccups right?" Buffy giggled, finishing her next drink and pouring herself her next one. She took a deep breath, curing the hiccups and continued.

"The coven, Giles knows is now in constant contact. They use all that...magicky boom stuff to find us all the itty bitty slayers and we bring them here. Training them in a Buffy Hogwarts. BuffyWarts. HogBuffy? No I got it! Summers School." Buffy nodded dreamily, impressed with herself.

"Good one, pet." Spike chortled.

"I know right?!? So they get a free education in a school in the area if they're kids, they get trained in all kinds of combat and if they're super into it, we send them to Cleveland. It's been working so well..."

"But?" Spike prompted.

"But then your sexy self turned up and reminded me that it suckssssssssssss."

"You think I'm sexy?" Spike teased.

"So not the point..." Buffy wined.

"You're right, continue."

"It's just been kinda boring. Without someone around to throw sarcasm, doubt my methods and clock me one to the face when I'm being an idiot...it's just a little samey..."

"That's it. I'm cutting you off." Spike laughed, prying the glass and bottle from her hands.

"Big Bad gone all softttt? Am I Big Bad Buffy now? Buffy. Buffy. That's a funny name." Buffy cackled crazily to herself and fell straight off of her chair.

"Come on, you're going to bed."

Spike scooped her up bridal-style and began his ascent up the stairs.

"This is your fault. You know Buffy isn't friends with boozey."

Buffy took one last look into Spike's chuckling face and fell asleep.