A/N: Wow. Over a hundred reviews! Thank you all so much! I'm gonna see how long I can make this chapter – Hope everyone likes! Thank you again for all the reviews!

Oh, and I've put my other stories on Hiatus for the time being… I like this one more…

Pulchra Nex: Thankyou! More it is!

fobroks21: He's on tour? Cool! Hope you like this chapter!

General Mac: Thank you so much!

Mony19: That's okay! I think it's sweet too, which is tacky 'coz I'm the writer, but hey. Hope you like this chapter!

AnononA: Thankyou! I am definitely going to use your idea, and I know exactly when. Thankyou for it!

spikegothicchick: lol, thanks!

Spuffy2008: And update, I will.

Lifes-Slayer: Oh, I will. EXTRA long.

Peyton: Thankyou!

Thankyou all for the reviews! You guys are such champs!

Buffy walked to school, wishing her mum would come home from visiting Aunt Rita. It was becoming lonely around the house.

As she reached the front gates, she took in a deep breath and entered the school campus. So many things to fear today. Would Spike be able to step off his 'popularity stool' to come see her? Would anyone give her a hard time because of her solo? Would she get in trouble for beating up those guys?

She kept her eyes to the ground as she walked over to her friends. She didn't want to see what sort of looks she was attracting.

"Yo B! Somethin' goin' on between you and Willy Marson?" Faith yelled when she was in line of view.

"Willy who…" Buffy trailed off when she looked up and into the eyes of Spike. He smiled sheepishly at her and his eyes found hers; reassuring her he was with her.

"Hey there, Summers," he said, his voice slightly nerve-invaded.

"Spike," she said brightly, and Faith gave her a look. She walked over to Spike, her hand finding his almost naturally as their fingers entwined. She looked over at her friends, who were all looking at her and frowning. "Spike and I… are… uh…"

"Together?" asked Willow, looking at them softly as she rested her head on Oz's chest.

Buffy nodded, "Well… yeah…"

Faith remained on her case, as expected. "Do you guys even know each other that well?"

"Well, we haven't twenty-questioned each other or anything but-"

"Maybe you should, Buff… just to get to know each other better… like Faith said," Xander mumbled, "You don't want to be getting into a relationship and not know anything about him…"

Buffy thought about it. What would she like to know about him? Anything. Everything. She wanted to know everything about him. Maybe twenty-questions was the way to go…

She smiled, "Maybe."

The day passed quickly. Buffy had invited Spike back to her place and he had gladly accepted, though, he was going to have to go home at about six to help around the house, which Buffy though was sweet. He likes to sing, he watches sunrises and he helps around the house.

As the bell rang signifying that the final period of the day had finished, Buffy rushed over to Spike's English classroom to meet him, though, on her way, the ran into someone.

Looking up, she saw a familiar pair of blue eyes. "Hey you!" she smiled, "I was just coming to meet you…"

"Funny that, love. I was just coming to find you," he laughed, "Shall we?"

"We shall."

Hand in hand, they walked out of the school building. Buffy smiled as she saw Cordelia's face. The look of pure horror that Spike and Buffy were together.

After leaving the campus, Buffy thought about the conversation her friends had been having with her that morning.

"Wanna play twenty questions?" she asked him suddenly.

He turned to her, eyebrow cocked, "What's that, love?"

"Twenty Questions. It's a get-to-know-you thing. I ask you twenty questions, you answer them. We can play fair though. I ask one, we both answer it, and you ask one, we both answer it. How's that?" he nodded. "Okay… number one. Full name?" Buffy asked, already knowing most of it, but wanting to start with something basic.

"William James Marson. You?"

"Buffy Anne Summers."

"Okay… Birthdate?"

"19th of January… nineteen eighty-nine…"

Spike smiled. "Fourteenth of November nineteen eighty-eight. I'm older."

Buffy giggled, "Only just…"

The wider he smiled, the bluer his eyes got…

"Any brothers or sisters?"

"Lots. You want to know their ages too?"

"Sounds good… the more I know about you the better," she said, her head tilting as she glanced at their hands, which were still palm-to-palm.

"Okay, there's Alex. He's sixteen – at that age where he thinks he knows everything. Then there's Ally… She's fourteen-going-on-twenty, and Natalie who is ten – but she's so sweet. And Joey, who's five. He's really clingy – loves to be involved. Finally, there's Emmy. That's Emma-Maye. She's nine months old, and I love her to bits. Reminds me a lot of dad…" he said with a smile.

"Your dad?"

"Your turn, pet. Any siblings?"

"One. Dawn. She's fifteen. She's my world."

Spike looked down at her softly, "I know the feelin'… Next question… Favourite song?"

"Lullaby by Shawn Mullins. There's no question, there's just something about that song that I love. You?"

"Rockstar. It's a Nickelback song. Bloody brilliant."

"I'll have to get it then. The album. Okay… uh… question five. Biggest secret?" she asked, smiling evilly.

"Wouldn't be a secret if I told you, sweet."

"You have to answer. It's twenty questions!"

"Okay… biggest secret would have to be… that I love cars. Everyone thinks I'm this guy that's 'different' to the others, but I'm really not. I love cars. What's yours?"

"Well…" she began to blush before the words even left her mouth, "I'm a virgin."

Spike looked taken aback, "Are you serious?"

She felt her blush deepen, "Well… yes… I… everyone made assumptions about me living in L.A. Big city. I must have been a slut or a prostitute or some thing, right? Wrong… I'm just little Buffy Summers. Innocent little Buffy Anne Summers."

"Favourite food?"

"What?"

Spike grinned, "Next question. Favourite food?"

"Italian. You?"

"Definitely Italian."

Buffy liked the similarity between them. It was great to know that there was at least one thing they had in common.

"Favourite television show?"

"Passions."

"24."

"Least Favourite food?"

She didn't even have to think about it, "Meat loaf."

"I hate sushi. I mean seaweed! With fish?" he pulled a face.

"Favourite movie?"

Spike's head tilted; something Buffy figured he did a lot, "Doom. It's very recent."

"I like the Notebook. It's really feminine, I know – but I love it. Plus, I'm female, so I'm allowed to like it."

Spike chuckled, "Number ten – Any pets?"

She sighed, "No, but I'd love to get a Maltese cross. So cute and fluffy? I've wanted one for years."

"I don't have any either. Emma-Maye is enough responsibility."

"Yeah… She sounds nice though. Emma-Maye… such a pretty name… oh. Number twelve. Any tattoos?"

"No. But I want one."

"Ooh! I can help you choose. I have four. Two here," she lifted her shirt and showed him her back which had the Chinese Symbol for Integrity on her right shoulder blade, and two dragonflies on her lower back, "One here," She pulled up her jeans to reveal a heart and dagger on her ankle, "And one here," She lifted her top and pulled down her jeans at the front to expose the Ancient script form of the Chinese word xi, which meant happiness or good luck, on her left hip.

Spike smiled. She was a rebel. But she was a virgin. A beautiful shining Buffy-virgin. He frowned slightly. God, his thoughts were weird.

"So… Favourite… uh… Day of the Week?"

"Saturday. Nothing ever goes wrong on Saturday's…"

"Saturday's are good," he said.

"Favourite pass-time?"

"Singing."

"Me too! And my music," she exclaimed, loving the similarities.

Spike laughed at her enthusiasm, "Mother's name?"

"Joyce."

"Laurie."

Buffy cocked an eyebrow, "Parent's story?"

He sighed, knowing it was going to end up like this. He kept his eyes straight forward as they walked, nearing her street, "About six months ago… there was an accident, and… dad… my old man… he was caught in a shooting. Two guys in an alley… he was shot twice. Once through the stomach, once through the chest. He didn't die straight away. If he'd been submitted to hospital straight away he would have lived. But the bloody ponces ran off and left him. Some homeless guy found him and took him to the hospital."

Tears sprang to Buffy's eyes as she stopped walking, "I'm sorry."

He turned to face her, "I'm dealing."

The tears fell down her cheeks and Spike didn't know what to do. Then it came naturally. He wrapped his arms around her fragile frame and kissed her forehead. He whispered soft comforting words into her hair, trying to make her understand that her was okay. His father was gone, but it had made him stronger.

She looked up into his eyes, showing him her mascara streaked cheeks. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs and bought his mouth down to hers instinctively. A kiss of reassurance.

She smiled, "I'm sorry. I'm such a girl. Getting all teary. And hey – you have Buffy-scent all over you now. Sorry."

"Hey, s'okay. Buffy, he was a great guy, my father. It's nice to know that you care that he's gone."

Her bottom lip trembled, threatening him that she would cry again.

"Your father?" he asked gently.

"Mine? He was a bastard. He divorced my mother for some skank, took soul custody of my sister, Dawn, and left me behind. I haven't seen Dawnie for about five years."

Spike nodded. A child of divorce. Fortunately, he'd never know that kind of pain. Unfortunately, he'd known worse. Losing a loved one was the worst possible pain you could feel.

"Hobbies?" he asked, quickly jumping to the next question. She started to walk again and he followed her.

"Music… gymnastics… oh, and swimming. At the leisure centre on West Quarry Street. Laps, spa, whatever. Swimming is always good."

"I like music… and cars. I love to drive. I'll have to take you out sometime, I'm getting a better car soon. Been saving forever."

Buffy smiled, wiping desperately at her face to clear away the mascara. "Sports?"

"Do I do any? Not really. Just casual work-outs. You?"

"Swimming and Tai Kwon Do. And I go to the gym at the leisure centre."

"First Job?"

She grimaced, "the Double-Meat Palace. Never again. Those hats…. Have you see their hats?"

He laughed, "Mine was at the Bronze. Just a gig up their as a musician, but they started paying me to sing. I go on Monday nights, because none of the students go then."

"Pretty damn cool way of making money. Getting to do something you love and getting money for it? Huge bonus… Drivers license?"

"Hell yeah!"

"Not for me. Mum's worried about little old me on the road…"

Spike chuckled, "I would be too…"

"Oi! Just get on to the next question!"

"Okay. Final Question. Number Twenty. Best day of your life so far?"

She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes, "Know what? I really don't know yet. What's yours?"

"Well, Emmy's birth is in there… but nothing can top my first kiss. That was amazing…"

"You can remember that far back!"

He laughed, "Oh, I definitely can."

The afternoon had passed quickly. Spike had to leave about an hour after he had arrived because Alex had called saying that his mum was going to be late home from her shift at the hospital and Natalie was having trouble with Emma-Maye.

The night dragged on slowly, but Buffy had rewound and replayed the whole day through her head over and over. She was trying to remember every part of it as best she could.

Unfortunately, it was Friday morning. Normally, this would make her overjoyed, but today, she just felt sick. She was so nervous about meeting Laurie Marson that she had considered skipping school.

But she knew that was ridiculous. Instead, she was on her way to school, dressed in her peasant skirt and singlet. This wasn't what she was going to wear tonight. Definitely not. It wasn't half as civilized or perfect as she'd like.

She was about two blocks away from the school when she tripped on Liam Conner's foot. She went flying onto the pavement, landing on her front. Sprawled out on the ground she looked up into his eyes.

"Buffy Summers," he smirked.

She groaned, moving slightly to feel for any damage, "Angel."

"What have you done to my boy, Spike?" when she didn't answer, he kicked her in the ribs, "Well? What have you done to him? Why is he all over… you?"

She curled up slightly on the ground, attempting to get up. He kicked her again and she fell back down. A gasp escaped her lips as one hand went to her stomach. The other went to her face where she could feel a graze on her right cheekbone. She felt like a six year old girl who'd just run down a steep hill and crashed.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she brushed them away roughly. Didn't want Angel to see her cry. Only her friends were allowed to see her weaker sides.

She went to get up and he kicked her down again. "You think you're good enough for him? Believe me, you aren't. There are plenty of girls at Sunnydale High that deserve him. You aren't one of them."

She tried one more time to get to her feet and he punched her in the face. Women weren't made for this. The beating. A grown man could barely have stood this. She felt blood trickling down from her already open-cut cheek.

"You? You're barely good enough for Xander Harris," he spat. Finally he turned to walk away.

She gathered her last spark of energy to get to her feet. With all she had, she tapped him on the shoulder.

The only reason she had accepted the punishment was because he was Spike's friend. She couldn't hurt Spike's friend. But Angel had gone one step too far.

As soon as he turned around, she stomped on his foot, brought her fist to his face and her knee to his groin.

He curled up on the ground in a ball, groaning about feminine strength or something. Buffy picked up her books and put her bag on her shoulder tenderly. Taking out her mobile phone AUTHOR: Mobile, cell-phone, whatever, she dialed Willow's number.

"Hello?"

"Wills?"

"Buffy! Where are you? School starts in less than five minutes!"

"Can you sign me in for roll call? Then meet me in the bathrooms? I can't explain right now. But I'll be there in ten minutes… make that fifteen."

She hung up the phone and moaned softly. One arm went around her middle, trying to restrict her from breathing too deep and damaging her ribs more. She felt blood leaking out of her cut on her cheek, and her knees and palms stung.

Fifteen minutes later, she walked through the school gates.

Everyone had gone to class, but one student stood by the gates.

"Buffy! What happened?" Buffy looked over at Spike, her expression blank.

"Leonard Street," she muttered, limping into the school and over to the front doors where she went into the girls bathroom, "Might need an ambulance…"

A/N: How's that for a long chapter? It isn't as long as I'd hoped… but hey. Maybe at two hundred reviews it can be double this… I mean, this is about a thousand words more than what I normally write.

Poor Buffy… She didn't deserve that, huh? Well, review – suggestions are welcomed!

If anyone still has a song – I'd love to hear it! So, what did you think?