Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or Gilmore Girls they belong to their respective creators.

A/N: So, thanks for all the reviews! I've slowed down a bit thanks to college. It's great fun—not. Hmm, so I've gotten a lot of people asking if Lindsey is WRH Lindsey—well he is, just he hasn't met WRH yet—maybe he never will.

"Hey pet, miss you too. Not much on the ooky-spooky front…London's rainy. Sounds like you've settled down, eh pet? Not the Big Bad, I've got things to massacre and people to kill…Don't worry about the Big Bad. I'm gonna go get pissed, bye Goldilocks."

Lying on her back, Buffy kept the phone pressed to her ear and hit repeat, not for the first time. The soft, warm voice filled her head and made her stomach turn.

It was a good thing, and a bad thing. Warmth flooded through her at Spike's voice, it was good to have something familiar to cling on to. The bad thing was the stinging tears that threatened to fall, it was a reminder of the man she loved and the man she killed.

She hit the repeat button again.

Jess smirked and set down the plate of toast and the cup of coffee.

"Well, well, well, look what the…two addicts dragged in."

Rory glared at the other teen before turning to her mother, "I think that was an insult."

Lorelai's lip quirked, "You wanna help me give him a swirly?"

Buffy rolled her eyes bit her toast and reached for her coffee only to have it whisked away. Buffy growled under her breath and in the middle of the crowded diner she broke rule numero uno: Don't ever go behind the counter.

Ignoring the stares and the warnings from others in the diner, Buffy slid around the counter and after Luke. He dumped her precious liquid down the drain and pulled out a new mug. Buffy's resolve face set in place, she stepped into Luke's personal space.

"Cute Clyde, but I want something to drink, and if I don't get something to drink, I'm going to have to hurt you," Buffy finished sweetly.

Luke held back the gulp at her tone and leaned forward, "You didn't want to drink that swill, Jess made it."

"Luke," Jess cried indignantly.

"What," Luke yelled back.

"My ears are burning," Luke scoffed and threw his towel down.

Buffy sucked on her bottom lip for a second before letting it pop out, "Fine."

Luke shook his head and dropped a teabag into the mug of steaming water, "Don't use that look on me."

Buff's pout became more pronounced, "The only way I could love you more right now, was if that was in a to-go cup and you weren't wearing a shirt."

Planting a big kiss on Luke's cheek Buffy took the mug from his hands and waltzed back to the table.

No one in the diner had moved, all eyes were flashing between Buffy and Luke.

Lorelai leaned forward, "Is his cheek all scraggly and itchy?"

Rory rolled her eyes, "You kissed Luke, Luke let you behind the counter!"

"You kissed my uncle," Jess swallowed in disgust.

Buffy quirked and eyebrow, took a few bites of her toast, stood up with her extra big mug in hand. She made it all the way to the door before she couldn't hold back.

"Hey Luke, you can have your mug back, when you get me one to-go," she smirked before starting out the door.

Luke didn't even try to stop her he just chuckled and went back into the kitchen.

"Well good morning to you," Michel tittered from behind the front desk.

Buffy sipped her tea and leaned against the reception desk, her mind trailing off to a man who was staying upstairs.

As if to read her thoughts, Michel leaned over as if to share a dirty little secret, "I heard a funny little rumor from Tobin this morning. He said that a certain blonde came in last night with a handsome southern man by the name of Lindsey McDonald, a lawyer."

"Oh yeah," Buffy tried to sound unconcerned, but her heart was rabbiting. "So what am I up for today?"

Sighing as heavily as he dared, Michel glanced down at the schedule, "A nature tour, just try to make sure they don't fall and kill themselves. They tend to ooh and aah over every bug and leaf."

"So Nature for Dummies: Look a flower, oh, an indigenous squirrel, and there, that's big foot."

"Precisely," Michel snickered. "Hiking boots are in the back."

"Eh, I'm good," Michel peeked over the counter to stare at Buffy's not so sensible boots.

Buffy smiled brightly and introduced herself to the dozen and a half men, women, and children in the lobby.

"Try and keep up, we'll go fairly slow, ask any questions you like, and have some fun," turning, her smile slid off and she started out the door and towards the trail.

They'd been walking for all of ten minutes when a familiar arm looped through hers.

"I have a question, have dinner with me," Lindsey smiled charmingly.

"That wasn't a question," Buffy pointed out.

He chuckled and nudged her, "You're right. So is that a yes?"

"It's not a 'no'," Buffy wheedled.

"Here's what I propose, you, me, dinner, anywhere you want, maybe I take you home, give you a kiss on the doorstep," Lindsey explained it as casually as he could.

Buffy bit down on her smirk, "Uh-huh, and then what? You sweep me off my feet and we get hitched in Vegas?"

"And live happily ever after," he confirmed.

Buffy paused to look back at the rest of the group trailing after them, "And for those of us who live in reality?"

"I go home to Hartford, play lawyer until noon, maybe go to a bar or two, call you and leave an unbelievably sweet message on your machine," Lindsey's hand slid down her arm to interlock with hers.

Buffy spun to face the hikers, "Alright everyone, we're going to head back!"

Turning back to Lindsey she opened her mouth to speak but for once couldn't think of something to say, instead she jogged towards the head of the group. Lindsey remained behind.

Buffy exchanged a few words with each of the guests, last of all was Lindsey. He stuck his hand out for a handshake. Buffy crossed her arms.

"I'm just losing today aren't I," Lindsey chuckled dryly.

"Why are you really here," she didn't have it in her to be hurt again.

Lindsey met her eyes, with his steel blue ones, "The truth?"

"The truth."

"I couldn't let you walk out of my life."

Buffy's arms dropped in frustration. She'd seen the thrill seeking type before, "Why? Because I pushed you out of the way of spooked horse!"

True the horse had been spooked by a vampire attempting to feed on it, but Lindsey didn't need to know that.

There was silence, it was all she needed. Turning she called a goodbye to Michel and started down the front steps.

"Wait," Lindsey called. "You looked so sad that night, but you were so bubbly, and every time you smiled at me—made looking like a wimp the best thing in the world."

Buffy laughed in pure surprise, before surprising herself, "KC's Tavern, seven on Sunday."

Buffy plunked herself down at the first open bar seat. Luke plunked down a cup of what Buffy could tell, was coffee. Buffy moaned softly.

"Love is a warm cup of black gold."

Luke just rolled his eyes, "When do I get my mug back?"

"Tomorrow, if you have the proper ransom," Buffy told him lightly after a hearty swallow of scalding coffee.

A half dozen more swallows, and a few dollars on the table and Buffy was out the door with a customary wave over the shoulder. Library, it was high time to start the whole studying part of the learning thing.

Buffy's heart swelled up into her throat, this was the first time she'd stepped foot into a library since…Sunnydale…Giles.

"Ms. Summers!"

Forget her heart being in her throat—it was now plummeting to the depths of hell. She spun and the sight only confirmed her growing unease.

Crossing her arms under her chest and leaning back, Buffy glared, "Judging by the suit, and the British accent, I'd guess you're my new watcher."

Reviews? Pleases. I am trying.