A/N: This was slightly delayed. I'm in a reading race with my boyfriend and spent some time catching up. And YES, I was hoping for more reviews so I held out, but that didn't help, and I'm ahead in the race by a long shot, so here is the update! I hope that y'all are hanging in there, this is a pretty fun chapter, I think. Only two more after this, and that includes an epilogue. Enjoy! And reviews are always appreciated, but I won't beg… at least not yet.

Disclaimer: I don't own 70S SHOW nor BUFFY. Or Spike, and I pout about that.

Spike woke up, and looked at the nearest clock. 2 in the afternoon. He had time before the sun set, but it was November in Wisconsin. He had probably three hours. Three and a half at the most. Jackie was still asleep, and he sat up. For a split second he thought that they had slept together, but he then remembered that they had, but not in a sexual sense. He was happy for that, and also that the curtains were closed, and a dark purple so they absorbed the sunlight. She stirred, and sat up abruptly.

"What time is it?" she asked, voice dripping with slumber.

"It's two," he said.

"JEEZE, I hate sleeping this late!" she exclaimed, throwing the covers off. "Oh my God, I hope I wasn't supposed to work at the TV station today!"

"You work at a TV station?" Spike asked, and laughed a little bit. She snorted, and threw a pillow at him.

"Not for long," she said. "I don't think I work today." She yawned, and the phone rang. She leapt up and ran into the main room. Spike stood, and cracked his neck. He followed her into the main room, and avoided the sunlight. She was talking in the kitchen as she grabbed cereal from the cupboard, milk from the fridge, and bowls from the other cupboard. She was chatting into the phone as she poured cereal, getting more and more belligerent.

"Well I don't think it's your business who stays over night with me," she said, and set a bowl of Cheerios on the table. Spike figured it was for him, so he sat, wished he could have some blood, and reluctantly ate the cereal. "Oh for crying out loud, Steven, I don't understand why you're even-." Spike held out his hand, and Jackie handed it to him.

"Look, Steve, let the girl eat some cereal. And for being over her, you certainly do pester her like a lonely puppy," Spike said, and handed the phone back.

"Yes?...Well who do you think it was?" Jackie asked. "Goodbye, Steven." She hung up, and began to eat her cereal too. "Can you believe that joker?"

"You seem to be enjoying the attention," Spike said, referring to the smile on her face.

"It just feels nice to have the shoe on the other foot for once," she said. "That used to be me, when he first brought that slut home."

"It's good you got past that," he said. She nodded, and hummed as she ate her food. "Oh you are REALLY enjoying this, aren't you?" She laughed a little, and nodded.

They watched TV until it was dark out, and she did her nails and talked through most of the soap operas and news programs. While it probably annoyed most people, he found it endearing, and didn't mind it too much. She redid his nail polish, surprisingly she had black. She explained she bought it when she wanted to be seen as more badass. She even buffed his nails, which he thought was pointless, but she did a mean manicure.

"Very black," he said, and she nodded. "You didn't have to do them."

"They were chipped, I had to do something," she said. "It's SO cool you wear nail polish! I love it when men are in tune with their feminine sides."

"Whoa whoa, 'feminine' side?"

"Yeah!" she chirped. "The eyeliner, the nail polish, the rings you have on your hands…"

"Feminine nothing, it's the style," he snapped, and she clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "But Chroist you did a good job with the nails!"

"It's what I do," she said, flipping her hair back from around her neck. Adorned around her throat was a choker that had a silver cross on it. Better stay away from THAT thing, Spike thought, and pointed at it.

"Nice necklace," he said. "I didn't take you for the religious type."

"Huh?" she asked, and then touched it. "Oh, this. I'm not really. Daddy gave it to me right before he went to prison, he thought that if his family looked pious maybe they'd be easier on him in sentencing. I just tell myself that he gave it to me out of love for his only child." Spike snorted.

"Wanker."

"Well maybe, but he is my Dad. You have pretty jewelry too."

"It's not pretty, it's fearsome," he stated, and she examined his rings.

"I like this one especially," she stated, pointing to a simple obsidian ring on his ring finger. He would have said that he got it while in China right after the Boxer rebellion, but decided that would be too forthcoming.

"Glad you like it," he stated. "It's not feminine though."

"Fearsome?"

"Damn right."

The phone rang. Jackie huffed, and stalked to it.

"If that's Steven again I am going to tell him where he can put that phone of his," she stated. She answered it, and Spike leaned back on the couch.

"Oh hi, Kitty!" Jackie exclaimed, her voice filled with joy. "I'm good, how are you?... Oh, uh, tonight?... Well, yes, I guess it IS true that I have a friend in town… No, he's not my boyfriend…. Well I don't care what Steven said, he isn't…. Uh, let me ask." She covered the receiver, and turned to Spike.

"Want a free dinner at Eric's house?" she asked. Spike sat up.

"Pardon?"

"Well Kitty, I don't know if that's such a good idea," Jackie said, twisting the cord in her hands. "…. Well thank you for making sure Sam wasn't going to be there, but… Okay, hang on." She turned back to Spike.

"I guess they're having roast with potatoes and gravy," Jackie stated.

"Rare roast?"

"Is it a rare roast?... Yes, Spike, it's a rare roast." Spike licked his lips. Perhaps he'd get some blood tonight, even if it was watery cows blood. Blood was blood as far as he was concerned, at least at this point anyway.

"Okay, but after dinner I NEED to hit the road-."

"We'll be right over, Kitty!" Jackie said, and hung up, smiling at him. "Now you need to behave-."

"When haven't I behaved?"

"Because Kitty and Red are very important people in my life," Jackie continued. "And be polite because Steven is going to be there-."

"I've BEEN polite to HIM!" Spike snapped, and Jackie rolled her eyes.

"And I thank you for that," she said. "So let's go! We can take separate cars if you want to leave after dinner."

"Sure," Spike said. "Am I dressed okay?" She looked him up and down. He was wearing that cool leather jacket, but his jeans and tee shirt were torn, his hair had the hell bleached out of it, and he had eyeliner around his eyes and polish on his nails. Red would NOT approve.

"You're perfect," she lied.

"…. I don't believe you."

They stood on the stoop, the cold air blowing through their hair, and Jackie shivered.

"This wind would be worth it if the snow came with it," she said, frowning. Spike nodded, though without a body temperature he couldn't empathize. "I'm going to cuddle against you."

"That won't help," he said. She ignored him, and snuggled into his side.

"Oh GOD you're just as cold as the wind," she said, and pulled away.

The door opened, and Kitty Foreman smiled brightly at Jackie and the man she assumed Jackie had moved on to despite the girls protests.

"Welcome! Come in!" she exclaimed, not batting an eye at Spike's appearance. "We're having beef roast and potatoes, and for dessert I'm serving my famous chocolate cake!"

"Thank you for the invitation," Jackie said. "What's the occasion?"

"Oh, this is my pre-Thanksgiving warm up meal," Kitty said. "I just like to practice so I KNOW that I am ready for the Big One. And Jackie, who is your friend?" Spike waved a little bit, and Jackie gestured to him.

"This is my friend Spike," Jackie said, and Kitty smiled even bigger. It didn't matter that he looked dirty and perhaps a little scary: Jackie was smiling. That was something Kitty had missed.

"Hello," Spike said, and Kitty threw her arms around him. He gave Jackie a look, and she shrugged.

"So nice to meet you, you've been quite the talk of the house," Kitty said. "Red! Eric! Steven! Jackie and her friend are here! Come say hello!"

The three men trudged out. Spike had met Eric and Hyde, but the patriarch of the family was a stranger to him. Red looked him up and down, and then rolled his eyes.

"Jackie, what are you thinking?" he asked.

"Reeed," Kitty warned.

"Clearly she wasn't thinking at all," Spike said, sarcastically, and Red smirked. Good one, mate, Spike thought, though he didn't expect that kind of reaction. Jackie smiled smugly, and crossed her arms.

"I was thinking clearer than YOU'D like to think," she said, poking Spike in the chest.

"Jackie, you can help me with the potatoes, boys, why don't you take Spike down to the basement to watch some sort of sporting event?" Kitty asked.

"Sure," Red said. "Come with us. Is that a real British accent?"

"Yeah, I'm from London," Spike said, following them.

"Well then some good old American Football oughta be new to you," Red stated. Before they went through the kitchen door, Spike turned and made a 'I'm gonna get you for this' face at Jackie. She waved a little bit, snarkily, and Kitty turned to her.

"Well isn't he just a handsome thing?" Kitty asked.

"So you aren't put off by his… punkishness?" Jackie enquired.

"Sweetie, it would be downright hypocritical of me to let a stripper live in my house and then pass judgment on him," Kitty stated, flatly. "You're on potato duty, a ha ha ha!" Jackie followed her into the kitchen, and was handed a masher.
She mashed the potatoes as best she could as Kitty poured runoff blood and grease from the roast into a bowl.

"So tell me all about him," Kitty said. "Is he as charming as he seems? Did he just sweep you off your feet?"

"Kitty, we're just friends," Jackie insisted. "No one believes me on this. NO one."

"Well I've just heard so much about him from both Eric AND Steven," Kitty said. "Though Steven didn't have much nice to say about him."

"I bet not," Jackie said. "Well don't listen to whatever Steven has to say about Spike, because Spike is a GENTLEMAN and quite possibly the best guy friend I've ever had."

In the basement, Spike was watching the football game grudgingly. If this is the modern American life I'm glad I'm not part of it, he thought to himself.

"So Spike, what teams do you like?" Red asked. "You live in New York right? Jets fan?"

"Actually, Red, I'm not really a sports person," Spike said in all honesty. "I'm much more content at the movies or at a concert, or even at home with a good book."

"YES. Yes," Eric said, pointing at him. "I like this man. He knows the simple pleasures in life. Hey Spike. Star Wars 2 comes out in May. Seeing that?"

"Oh GOD yes," Spike said, leaning forward. "We've waited long enough, roight?"

"YES," Eric stated, and grinned. Hyde just scowled as he watched the football game, exceedingly mad that the person he considered an enemy was sitting in HIS chair talking with HIS friends, and most likely fucking HIS ex girlfriend. The green eyed monster had almost consumed Hyde, and he silently fumed.

"Oh spare me, you two," Red barked, and Spike and Eric both shut up. "Spike. What kind of name is that?" Spike shifted in his seat a little bit, and shrugged. Of course he was going to face an interrogation. These Foreman people were the family that Jackie had picked for herself when her biological family failed her. So he had to face the stereotypical overprotective Dad.

"Just a nickname," Spike muttered. "I just assumed that a name like Red was a nickname too."

"Kick his ass for insolence, Red," Hyde said, but Red just shook his head in an amused fashion.

"That's fair, if you don't like your real name I'll respect that," Red said. "But now I'm going after your heritage."

"Okay."

"You realize that we saved your ass in World War Two," Red stated.

"And we thank you for that," Spike stated. "I'm sure we would have extended the same courtesy in Vietnam had it been a winnable war."

"Oh my GOD he brought up 'Nam!" Eric exclaimed, and he and Hyde stood up, anticipating a showdown between Red and Spike. "Spike man, you may want to run."

"Vietnam was a tie," Red said gruffly. "Everyone knows that."

"I think that South Vietnam didn't see it that way when they fell to the North," Spike said, in his wise ass manner that made the ladies swoon. "All I'm saying is that maybe the US of A should hold off the puffed up chest beating until they've been the world's great super power for as long as Britain was, God Save the Bloody Queen."

Hyde's and Eric's jaws were dropped. Red and Spike stared at each other in a battle of the grit, and the only noise in the basement was the TV as the Packers played The Vikings. Red then smiled, and nodded.

"You make a good point," Red said. "Maybe we'll just have to agree to disagree. Good argument, kid. But let me just say that your country's time has passed as a superpower."

"Well, we can't hog all the glory," Spike said coolly, and smiled back. Eric and Hyde were shocked to say the very least.

"Boys, dinner's ready!" Kitty called, and Spike and Red walked towards the steps together.

"Want to argue about the Boston Tea Party?" Red asked.

"If that floats your boat," Spike stated. Eric and Hyde trailed.

"I think that he might just be a God," Eric stated. "Did you SEE that?!"

"Yeah yeah, I saw it," Hyde muttered.

The table was seated as follows. Kitty at the first end, then Hyde, Eric, Red at the other end, then Spike and Jackie.

"Boys, can we stop talking about Football versus soccer?" Kitty asked of Red and Spike firmly.

"Sorry Mrs. Foreman," Spike said.

"Yeah, sorry Kitty."

"Let's talk about how you two met," Kitty said, gesturing to Spike and Jackie. "How long have you known each other?"

"Well, let's see, it's about seven thirty," Jackie said. "So… almost twenty four hours!"

"Yeah, that sounds right," Spike said, picking at the potatoes. His stomach was growling, but not for root vegetables. "We just started chatting, hit it off, went on a date."

"Oh, was it romantic?" Kitty asked, living through Jackie vicariously.

"It was a zombie movie," Jackie said.

"Oh."

"But there WAS some ice skating," Eric said, and Jackie kicked him under the table. "Ow!"

"Ice skating?" Kitty asked. "That's refreshingly old fashioned."

"Jackie's idea," Spike said, motioning to her with his head. "I could barely stand."

"It was cute," Jackie stated, and Hyde set his fork down noisily.

"Steven are you okay?" Red asked, amused at his surrogate son's jealousy.

"Yes."

"So why couldn't Sam make it tonight?" Jackie asked, rubbing salt into the open wound upon his pride. Hyde didn't answer, so Eric piped in.

"She's out looking for remedies against vampires," Eric said, and it was Hyde's turn to kick him. "OW! Would everyone stop kicking me?!"

"Vampires?" Jackie asked, trying not to laugh. "Um….. May I ask why?"

"She had a bad dream she swore was real saying that a vampire was in her window last night," Kitty said, cutting her meat fiercely, as if she'd had quite enough of the little tramp and her antics. "I don't understand her sometimes."

"So is she out buying garlic or something?" Jackie asked. "Maybe stocking up on some holy water, getting some stakes or crosses. You know, if she wants she can always borrow this necklace-."

"Can it, Jackie," Hyde said, and Jackie shrugged.

"…. I thought vampires only went after pure girls," Eric said, pensively.

"Not necessarily," Spike said.

"Oh are you a professor in demonology now?" Hyde snapped.

"No," Spike spat back.

"Well you certainly seem to know a lot about vampires."

"I was just saying not necessarily!" Spike exclaimed, trying not to get TOO defensive. "No need to get all mad at me. S'not my fault your girlfriend's gone out of her mind and thinks she sees monsters round every turn."

"Listen, you Billy Idol wannabe-."

"No, YOU listen, Steven," Jackie said. "We're guests here and we will be treated as such! You are ruining a lovely dinner Mrs. Foreman has prepared and if you have a problem you can take it outside with Spike, but I warn you. He's from New York. He's SEEN things. Crazy things." Though it was true, Spike burst out laughing at her ad libbing.

"Jeeze Burk!"

"What?" she asked, incredulously.

"You sound like Dennis Hopper in 'Apocalypse Now'!" he guffawed, and then Eric began laughing too.

"Nice movie reference!" he exclaimed.

"Mrs. Foreman, this is lovely beef, but I was wondering if there was anymore gravy?" Spike said, using the false charm he usually used to lull people into a false sense of security to get in good with this Midwestern family.

"Oh, it's in the kitchen sweetie, let me get it," she said.

"No no, I'll get it," Spike said. He smiled at Jackie, who smiled back at him, and he walked through the doors into the kitchen.

"Isn't he just COOL?" Jackie asked as she turned back to them, absolutely giddy.

"Yes!" Eric agreed. "I think I might have a man crush on Spike… Yep, it's official. I'm the Fez to his Kelso."

"Lord Eric," Red muttered. " 'Man crush'?"

The reason Spike was out of gravy was because Kitty thickened it with the blood and grease from the run off of the meat. Spike had sensed blood right away and did his best not to vamp out at the table, but he did consume all his gravy in one fell swoop. Now that he was in the kitchen, it didn't matter if he did switch faces, as no one was there to see it. And the smell was even stronger. He sniffed, and found the bowl of extra run off on the counter by the stove. He licked his lips, and tried to push away the thought of being THIS desperate and uncivilized in his feeding, all because of his need to impress some human girl he would never see again after that night. He put on his vampire face, and began to drink from the bowl. He felt stronger and stronger as he drank the putrid concoction. He took what he could get.

In a case of the worst timing ever, Sam walked through the back door, carrying a bag of anti vampire paraphernalia, and stopped in her tracks. Spike put the bowl down, his game face still on, and she began screaming.

"VAMPIRE! HE'S HERE! HYDE, HE'S HERE!" she shrieked, and threw the garlic at him. He ducked, changing back to his human face just as everyone ran in.

"Samantha, what on Earth is the matter?!" Kitty exclaimed, and Sam kept pointing at Spike, in hysterics.

"Why is he here!?" she exclaimed. "I told you HE was the vampire! It was HIM!"

"Oh my GOD, would you chill out?" Jackie snapped, stepping in front of Spike and glaring up at the blonde. "He's not a vampire, you nit wit! Vampires don't exist!"

"But I SAW him!" she wailed, backing into a corner. "He had yellow eyes, and horrible fangs! He was going to eat me!"

"Samantha, I invited Jackie and her friend over for dinner," Kitty said, trying to temper her frustration with the blathering idiot. "He's just a charming young man from Europe, he isn't a vampire. CLASS does not equal VAMPIRE." Jackie turned to Spike.

"What happened?" Jackie asked him, earnestly.

"She just began yelling as soon as she walked in. And, she threw that at me," he said, pointing at the garlic necklace on the floor. Jackie picked up the garlic and threw it back at Sam, which hit her in the chest.

"You're a hysteric!" she snapped.

"Hey come on, don't throw that at her," Hyde said.

"She threw it at him first!" Jackie said, stamping her foot on the floor. "God, this is so pathetic! You're being a jerk to Spike because you're JEALOUS or something and your girlfriend is being hysterical because she's a total IDIOT! Everyone else likes Spike, why don't you?"

"He isn't right for you!" Hyde yelled back.

"You don't have any say in what's right for me anymore, Steven!" Jackie snarled. "Kitty, Red, this was a LOVELY dinner, it really was, but I think that Spike and I need to get going. He leaves town tonight and we want some alone time before he does."

"Okay," Kitty said. "Well, thank you for coming! A ha ha ha!" The awkward laugh made it's appearance, and Jackie took Spike by the hand, and pulled him out of the kitchen.

"Nice meeting you all," he called as the brunette yanked him out the door. In one last act of cruelty, he winked at Sam, which no else saw, and she whimpered and kept crying as she sank to the floor.

"Steven, tell your girlfriend to get a grip," Red muttered, and Hyde just stomped to the basement.

"…. So who wants cake?" Eric asked. "I wish Spike had stayed for cake…"

"I can't believe them!" Jackie stormed as they walked to their cars. "God, he's a jerk and she's completely off her rocker."

"No kidding," he said, acting completely innocent. "Well, it's getting late, and-."

"You wanna go to the Water tower with me? Just quickly?" she asked, sort of smiling up at him.

"What? For a shag?"

"What's a shag?"

"Sex."

"Uh, NO! I didn't mean it like that!" she exclaimed, hitting his chest with her hand. "You can see the whole town, and the guys managed to rig a radio up there, so we can listen to ABBA on the pop station."

"I hate bloody ABBA."

"For the last time, no one hates ABBA."

"I do!"

"Don't be such a baby," she said. "Besides… There's some beer up there too. It's Stevens, but-."

"Yeh, alright," he said.

"Great!" she said, and she put his arm around her shoulders. "We can take your car, I'll just leave mine here and get it tomorrow."

"Well I'll have the decency to drop you off," he muttered.

"Awww."

"Oh please, you make something out of nothing all the time."

As they were getting into the car, Eric rushed out with two slices of cake wrapped in plastic wrap.

"Mom wanted me to send this with you two and to apologize for… Oh what did she call Sam?... Oh that's right, the 'frantic hussy' and her accusations," Eric said. "No matter how crazy they may be."

"Thanks, Eric," Jackie said. "Frantic hussy. I like that."

"Well, again, it was nice meeting you, Spike," Eric said, shuffling his feet a little bit.

"Yeah, you too, Eric," he said, saluting as he climbed into the car. "See ya."

"Bye Eric," Jackie said. "I'll probably see you later this week." They drove off, and Eric grinned.

"So cool," he said to himself, and walked inside.