Ring on her Finger

By Nickeltaffy

Disclaimer: I would like to thank Joss for the use of his characters. They are still his and will never be mine. (heavy sigh).

Synopsis: Anyone ever notice that Buffy never returned Spike's ring from when they were engaged? What if Willow's reversal of the Will Be Done spell from the Something Blue episode was not exactly 100% effective? What if Buffy was still under a spell and still considered herself engaged to a horrified Spike?

…

Chapter 12

Spike struggled to back away from the table as he tried unsuccessfully to disengage Buffy's hands from his collar. The various noises of disgust from Scoobies and Giles erupted from the other end of the table. As the couple struggled, Willow began to move forward to Buffy's side with a look of concern for her friend.

"Oh Dear Lord, Buffy!" Giles implored, when he was once again able to speak.

Giles stood up as Anya retreated into Xander's arms, keeping her eyes averted from the troubling sight. Xander's face perfectly captured the combination of horror and astonishment as he pulled Anya to his chest. He yelled over her head at the pair.

"Spike! What are you doing? Let Buffy go!" Xander commanded angrily at the vampire.

"Buffy. Buffy." Willow called with concern as she neared Buffy.

As Willow reached her friend, she pulled Buffy back and Buffy's grasp on Spike was broken. Spike staggered back from the table, shuddering and obviously freaked out. He turned his body away from the table retreating as he tried to gain control. He held his hands up in front of him jerking from position to position. His hands were up in front of him and clenching and opening his fingers as if to deflect some sort of attack. He couldn't make a coherent word; the only sounds coming from his were "Eech!" "Wuuh" and "Uugh!" Finally, Spike finally froze into a tense stance as he let go a gigantic deep breath. He stared before him as his hand traveled up toward his mouth and stopped a few inches from his mouth. It was as if there were acid on his mouth and he didn't want to spread it on his person. He slowly shifted his eyes to look over at Buffy who was looking back at him with Willow's arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"That's it! That's it! I have bloody well had enough of this!" yelled the vampire as he threw his hand down.

The ring had maintained his brilliant red color on Buffy's hand, but no one noticed, since they were all still in a state of astonishment regarding the recent event at the table. Buffy looked at Spike with bewilderment.

"What's the matter, honey?" She said with obvious concern on her face.

Everyone in the room was shocked at what Buffy had just said. Willow pulled back and looked at Buffy with shock clearly on her face. Spike's eyes widened at the sound of the endearment, he then looked over at Giles. Giles' forehead was creased with worry lines as he began to slightly mangle his glasses in his hand. Anya was busy trying to slip into some type of catatonia in order to avoid acknowledging the act she had just witnessed. Meanwhile, Xander who could never think ill of Buffy, looked over to Spike, his eyes narrowing at the vampire.

"What did you do, deadboy?" Xander testily demanded of the vampire. He was sure that Spike was responsible somehow.

"You lay off him!" Buffy broke away from Willow's arms and suddenly wheeled around to address Xander. "I hate how you're always picking on him."

Willow could see Buffy's eyes as she said those words and saw the genuine feeling behind them. She first brought her hand up in surprise but then reached down to hold her friend's hand in sympathy. Giles abruptly sat down with a look that was reminiscent of the after effects of a blow to the head. His head was swimming with thoughts as he tried to put some perceptive on what he had just witnessed. Anya pointedly kept her eyes away from the vampire and slayer and proceeded to curl her arm around Xander's bicep, looking for comfort. Xander, on the other head, had a stunned expression on his face over the fact that Buffy had challenged him over such a thing as Spike.

The vampire was going through a crisis of his own a few feet away. Spike was torn between warring emotions going on inside of him. He had now had proof before the entire group, that he wasn't crazy which gave him some sort of crazy satisfaction. On the other hand, Buffy was still playing her silly game with him, even extending the torture so far as to kiss in front of everyone. What the hell was going on with the slayer? Then on top of that, did he just hear her jump to his defense? For the second time this evening, he was at unease with his conflicting emotions.

"Everyone, just stop for a moment." Giles called out. "We need to analyze this whole situation."

"What situation is that?" Buffy asked innocently.

"Buffy, you don't think something odd happened here this evening?" Willow gently prodded.

"Well, there was that thing on campus, obviously." Buffy answered diffidently. "Is that what you're talking about?"

"No, I think Giles is talking about what just happened." Willow said lowly to her friend.

"What do you mean?" Buffy scrunched up one side of her face in puzzlement.

"Buffy, you don't think what just happened was oh, you know … WIERD?" Xander asked pointedly.

"What just happened?" Buffy looked over at Xander in disbelief. "I mean I just kissed Spike."

"Yahah! You don't think that was weird? Or let's say unnatural? Or abnormal? Or deviant? Or …?" Xander responded with some exasperation.

The vampire made a little huffing sound and rolled his eyes. He had had enough of this stupid little game and it was time for it to end right now he thought.

"Oh, come on, Slayer. I think it is now time that you confessed up to your little game." Spike confronted Buffy from his spot a few feet away. "Everyone just saw you kiss me!"

"Spike, baby, what's going on with you this evening? Are you okay? You really seem out of sorts." Buffy looked at her vampire, cocking her head and looking at him with concerned affection.

"What's going on with me?" Spike threw up his hand and turned away from the slayer. "That's bleedin rich!" He walked a few steps away and then turned back to look at the slayer.

"Buffy, let me understand you." Giles interrupted. "What made you kiss Spike just then?"

"Why not? He looked like he needed a good kiss" Buffy said, smiling at the vampire.

Anya made a little noise and pushed face into Xander's chest.

"Eegh! I mean Ohh." Giles said looking away while trying to concentrate on scientific methods.

"Why are you all acting this way?" Buffy looked around at her friends. "I mean this can't be unknown activity for an engaged couple?"

It was like a bomb had been set off in the room, everyone reared back at the last comment. Giles and Xander looked over to Willow. Willow took a step back and raised her upturned hands while shaking her head.

"Honestly guys! I haven't cast any more spells." Willow announced, with her hand in the air like taking an oath.

Spike put his hand to head and groaned. He couldn't believe that the Slayer was trotting out the whole engagement scenario out again. He looked up to the ceiling, looking for any sort of strength to get him through this evening. When he found none, he resigned himself to the fact that he would have to deal with the situation himself. With a huge sigh, he looked down as he relaxed his shoulders in preparation of what was turning out to be an extremely long evening.

"Willow, are you sure that you were able to undo your Will Be Done spell?" Giles asked, giving Willow a serious glance.

"Yeah. I am sure. I mean you're not blind anymore. Xander is not attracting demons anymore, except at his normal rate." Willow asked and then turning to the vampire. "And Spike….Spike, you don't think you're engaged."

"No, I do not!" Spike loudly declared.

"See…." Willow held up her hand toward the vampire.

A hurt sound came out of Buffy, as everyone turned to see her face crumple. "Spike..." was all that came out of her mouth as her eyes became filled with unspilled tears.

Spike looked over at Buffy. Her reaction to his declaration disconcerted him; the tears, the look of hurt all added up to one emotional weapon against the vampire. He urgently looked over to Giles and the Scoobies, not knowing what move he should next make. They were consumed staring at Buffy, so there was little they could offer in response to his questioning look. Although, Buffy was not among his favorite people, he did not want to make her cry. He knew he had to say something…something to make it stop…

"Buffy, pet, uuh… don't' cry. I wasn't …you know" Spike said haltingly.

Buffy suddenly brightened, the tears quickly disappearing. She remembered the vampire had wanted to keep their engagement secret. She was disappointed with herself for letting it slip out. Oh well, the cat is out the bag.

"No, I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know you weren't ready for everyone to know we were engaged and I just spilled the beans." Buffy apologized. "Oh well, too late now." She ran over the other side of the table and wrapped her arm around the vampire's, and announced. "If you haven't figured it out yet. Spike and I are engaged."

She held up her left hand for everyone as the ring glowed a brilliant red. Spike had a pained expression as he looked at Buffy's gleeful demeanor beside him. Everyone was looking at the strange couple, then all of sudden, Giles noticed the change in the color of the ring.