Chapter 11

Madison passed Spike's office to hear screaming come from within its four walls.

She peered her head around the corner, inside were a mass of screaming women, probably mothers of the dead slayers.

Spike looked like he needed saving, and fast.

"Excuse me ladies." She said making her way to stand boldly in front of spike's desk. She prayed she knew what she was doing.

"I am sorry for your losses, really I am. But this guy here is not to blame." She pointed to Spike. "Your daughters were killed saving this country, saving their country, just like they would have if they joined the army or marines, or the CIA and so on. Now, I know you've all lost and need time to grieve, but I hope you will feel better knowing that, that all your daughters were wonderful girls. And, they saved mine and other people's lives. You would have been so proud of them, of all of them."

"How the hell did you do that?" Spike asked, he was amazed that Madison had managed to talk the women into leaving.

"What can I say? I', good." They both laughed.

"Too good." Spike muttered under his breath, Madison had heard but didn't say anything. She cradled her cup of tea and drank from it whenever it was necessary to avoid eye contact with Spike. He had noticed and was doing the same with his gloomy dark red liquid he called blood. It looked nothing like the stuff; it was all dark and lumpy. It had the worst smell ever. Madison could never understand why vampires enjoyed the stuff, they craved for it, killed for it.

"So…" Madison said ending the silence which seemed to surround Spike's office.

"So..." he repeated. They both laughed slightly.

"Has anyone found out anything on the attacks yet?"

"No. I'm sorry." Spike answered taking another sip from his mug.

They both sat in silence again for a long time, until Madison stood up.

"Hey, I should go." Spike just nodded and watched her leave.

Madison knocked on Dawn's door, no answer. She knocked again, this time louder and a topless Andrew answered the door.

"Hey." Madison said.

"Erm... Dawn's busy at the moment." Andrew said giving Madison a look that said, you know what I mean. Madison did, she laughed to herself and walked away as Andrew shut the door again.

It seemed like them two had been at it like rabbits the last couple of days. Madison was sort of jealous. She wished she had someone to stay in bed all day with and to watch her falling asleep in his arms, it would be nice.

Spike came back into Madison's mind, maybe he was the one? She would ask herself. But, thinking about it confused her more. And his proposal of marriage, it was insane. She couldn't. But she could still have a relationship with the guy, couldn't she? Madison decided to talk to Spike. But it seemed that whenever she did, something got in the way and it was put on hold. Not this time.

Madison marched around the corner to Spike's office, they were going to talk. She stopped as soon as she heard voices from inside.

It was Xander and Giles, they were talking to Spike.

"Come on Spike. Your like what… 200?" Xander said.

"No you git, I'm going to be 126." Spike said in a hushed tone.

"It's still a reason to celebrate." Giles butted in.

Madison held her ear to the door.

"No, it is not. I don't want my age broadcasting. I feel old."

Xander and Giles laughed, Spike gave them a cold look.

"Well you are old." Xander said adjusting his eye patch.

"It's not funny, and I'm not that bloody old."

"Spike," Giles cut Xander off before them two got into an argument. "With all the bad things happening around here, myself and Xander think that a party would get the girls minds off the bad things."

Xander nodded in agreement.

"The girls need something to look forward to Spike; they need to be focused when we fight this thing. Whatever it is." Xander said.

"The answers still no. why don't you let the girls out or something. But they are not celebrating my birthday."

Spike got out of his chair and marched out of his office.

Madison had to duck around the corner so Spike didn't catch her.

Xander and Giles stood speechless in Spike's office. Madison walked in, they both greeted her with confused expressions.

"It's okay." She began. "I heard everything. I have an idea."

Spike awoke to the shower running in his apartment. At first he thought it may have been people breaking in, but then he realized it was just Madison.

We got up and rubbed his eyes. Getting dressed he looked in the mirror, he had no reflection there but he knew he was starting to look old. He needed something to make him feel young again. Maybe if he went out and got laid, everyone knew he hadn't had that in a while. Nah, he didn't feel like it.

Spike buttoned up his shirt and didn't even see Madison come in and stand behind him. He didn't need to, he could sense her.

She smelt so good. She looked it too when he turned around to look at her. He gave a weak smile.

"Morning." She said. Her hair was curly and had some bits pinned back on the top of her head, it was sort of half up half down.

She was wearing blue jeans with pink converses and a pink vest top which said, 'blondes do it better.'

Spike had to laugh at the top. It held her curvy figure quite nicely.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"What's right with me?" spike shot back, he couldn't help being sarcastic, even when he didn't mean to. It just came naturally.

She gave a soft laugh.

"You got any classes today?" spike asked changing the subject.

"Yeah, just Faith's in an hour." Spike nodded, he didn't know what he was nodding at, he just did anyway.

"You should get going." Spike said, it pained him to see her leave, but he couldn't keep an eye on her all day. At night Spike sat and watched her sleeping, he did this every night; it was the only way he could get some sleep. To watch her. It sounded pretty creepy, but Spike loved her, he just wanted to hold her.

Madison said goodbye and left, a hole appeared in Spike's heart again, it was the one he got when she wasn't there. The one only she could fill.

After Faith's class, everyone went into the library. All the slayers, Willow, Faith, Xander, Gunn, Dawn and Andrew and Giles of course.

Madison had had a idea about a surprise party for Spike. Everyone was in on it. Even Spike's secretary and the other workers. Their job was to distract him and keep him in his office until six o clock. It shouldn't be too hard, all they had to do was go in Spike's office, a few at a time and make ridicules complaints. Spike wasn't going to find it funny at all.

"Okay, why don't you tell me the problem one more time." Spike said trying to be as calm as possible. He was getting even more pissed by the minute.