Author's Note: Thanks again for all of the reviews! I really appreciate the comments/encouragement :) I'm uploading this chapter later than expected because I kept going back and forth on some of these scenes. Not to give anything away, but the scene with Buffy and Spike at the new Bronze was originally longer and somewhat different (I toyed with the idea of them dancing together, but had trouble imagining that happening if this was a real episode...at least at this point in their relationship). Also, the last scene in this chapter is tiny. That's because the entire scene (including what they say after they go upstairs) is pretty important to the story, but I'm having trouble getting the phrasing right and I didn't want to post the whole scene it before it was done...so I figured I'd post the first part while I try to fix up the rest.
[Scene: Spike is in the cemetery, leaning against a mausoleum. He lights a cigarette, looking all stoic and hot :) ]
Buffy: Find any bad guys?
(Spike turns around to see Buffy)
Spike: Not as of yet. You?
Buffy: Nope.
(She pauses)
Buffy: Willow saw you leaving the house.
Spike: I take it you didn't tell red about my reappearing act?
Buffy: No. And she, uh, kind of wigged out when she saw you.
(There's a moment of silence between them)
Spike: So, how is red these days? Still shagging that prissy school girl?
Buffy: Kennedy? They broke up. But Xander might be visiting, so she's pretty happy about that.
Spike: (sighs and smiles to himself) Another reason to leave this sodding place…
Buffy: (compassionately) Spike—
(Spike looks up at her, straight in the eyes. She wants to talk to him about what she's thinking, feeling, but she can't bring herself to do it)
Spike: (sighs in exasperation) Look Buffy, if you want to play out this happily ever after diddy with the Scoobies, I won't stop you. But…(sighs heavily)…it's probably better for the both of us if I leave. (there's a moment of silence, Spike smiles sheepishly) Can't say as I would be much use to the nine to five crowd anyway—don't much fancy catching on fire.
(Spike looks at her, hoping for a response, but receives none. He nods in understanding and turns around to leave)
Buffy: (yells out) Spike!
(Spike turns around, looks at Buffy wearily)
(Buffy sighs, unable to express herself—finally she just gives up)
Buffy: You wanna get drunk?
Spike: (frowns at first) Um… (shrugs) yeah, all right…
[Scene: Spike and Buffy are sitting across from each other at a table in the Bronze Deux, drinking]
(Spike looks around, somewhat put off)
Spike: not quite what I had in mind.
Buffy: Yeah, well, not like I know the nearest demon bar in town…Besides, I'm pretty sure they have that onion thingy—or whatever it's called—that you like here.
Spike: (raising his eyebrows) That right?
(cut to Spike and Buffy an hour later. Buffy is tipsy, Spike isn't ("vampire constitution"), and they are still drinking at the table together, sharing stories)
Spike: (chuckles) Compound or recurve?
(Buffy says with guilt…but in that cutesy Buffy-esque way)
Buffy: Compound….
(Spike smiles)
Buffy: (protesting) …but I thought she could handle it. I mean, I didn't think she was that small.
(Spike chuckles and Buffy smiles, both of them leaning in across the table at each other. Buffy looks up from the table at Spike and he stares into her eyes for a long moment. Buffy gazes back at him with a smile)
A guy off screen: Buffy?
(Buffy and Spike are torn out of the moment—Buffy turns her head to see Kevin looking back at her. Buffy immediately straightens up, the smile leaving her face. Spike sighs silently and leans back)
Buffy: Kevin? Uh…hi.
Kevin: I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. Um, how have you been…did you get my messages?
Buffy: Uh…yeah. Sorry. I've been meaning to call you back. It's just…things have kind of been…hectic…you know, with work and, and…work.
(She notices that he is staring at Spike)
Buffy: Oh—um, sorry. Kevin this is Spike. Spike Kevin. He's um, just one of my old friends from work.
Kevin: Nice to meet you (he sticks out his hand)
(Spike looks at Buffy, who shoots him a panicked glance, and then looks at Kevin disdainfully before finally taking his hand. Kevin shakes it firmly…while Spike looks annoyed)
Buffy: Um…do you wanna sit down?
(Kevin nods and looks around for a chair)
Spike: (solemnly) Here mate, take mine. Wanted to get another pint anyway.
(Spike gets up and passes Buffy without looking at her. Her eyes follow him as he leaves)
Buffy: (looking back at Kevin) So, um…what're you up to?
Kevin: Uh, not much. I talked to Willow—actually today—about getting in touch with you. She said you were going through a rough patch…some personal stuff.
Buffy: Yeah…that's me, with the giant rough patch. It's so big, it's, it's like a swath. Like a giant rough swath…wait, is a swath bigger than a patch?
Kevin: So…is there anything I can do?
Buffy: Oh, no. Thanks Kevin, I'm fine. Really. I just needed some time alone.
Kevin: But, I thought—
Buffy: Oh right…Spike? Um, yeah, we're just good friends.
Kevin: From work.
Buffy: Yup. He and I…we used to…teach…together. Actually, Spike—
(Buffy turns around to look for him, but notices that he's completely gone. The forced smile she had on her face drops)
Buffy: (frowning with concern, under her breath) …is…gone.
[Scene: Buffy enters her house. She closes the door and leans back against it, sighing heavily.]
(Buffy walks into the living room and plops down on the couch, closing her eyes. Willow enters from the kitchen area, and sits down next to Buffy)
Willow: Rough night?
Buffy: You could say that.
Willow: Did you, uh, find Spike?
Buffy: Yup…
Willow: I'll take it it didn't go well…(pauses)…or it went so well that you're completely exhausted…(Buffy looks over at her, frowning)…from…how…well it went (Willow frowns in shame) ...but probably not.
Buffy: (sighs) I don't know what I'm doing.
Willow: hmm, well I'd say you're sitting on a couch looking tired and smelling kinda like…tequila.
Buffy: with Spike.
Willow: oh.
Buffy: Am I completely crazy? I mean, you guys don't even like him.
Willow: Not true.
(Buffy looks over, frowning in surprise)
Willow: Well, uh, when he was all soulless and evil, I always kind of thought of him like one of those little chocolate truffles
(Buffy looks totally confused)
Willow: You know, hard shell but soft on the inside?
(Buffy frowns at her like "wtf?")
Willow: And I'm not just saying this—I think he really opened up to me. Like, remember that time he kidnapped me to make a love potion for Drusilla? (Willow notices that this isn't really making Buffy feel better) But, uh, moving on… after he was all soul-having, he was like the just a pile of chocolatey truffley goo…(Buffy looks up confused again and Willow elaborates)…without the hard shell of evil soullessness.
(Willow sits there in silence for a moment, her eyebrows raised in concern, waiting for Buffy to respond)
Buffy: Okay, first of all…why a truffle?
Willow: I like truffles. They have the structural integrity of a hard candy, but when you bite into them, its smooth chocolatey goodness…(frowns, embarrassed) Um, anyway…the point is, if it makes a difference, I don't mind Spike so much.
Buffy: (sarcastically) Thanks Will, that really helped.
(Buffy gets up to leave)
Willow: Wait—uh, also, I kind of…checked out his story.
(Buffy freezes in place…and then turns to face Willow)
Willow: It's not that I didn't believe him…
(Buffy sits back down on the couch)
Willow: it's just, well, I…okay, I wanted to make sure he wasn't…accidentally…intentionally…lying to you. But…what he said checks out. Even about the not killing Angel part. Apparently they kind of like, bonded—
Buffy: Bonded?
Willow: Well, I mean, they're not BFFs or anything, but, uh, yeah, they fought together.
(A beat of silence)
Buffy: (leaning forward and changing to a more somber tone) Have you heard from Angel at all?
Willow: Not in a while…but last time we did we had a really nice, long conversation.
Buffy: About what?
Willow: Hey, I can have conversations with your vampire ex-boyfriends that don't completely revolve around you. I'll have you know we talked about very diverse and, and…interesting…subjects. (smiles) Like we got into this debate about whether cavemen or astronauts would win in a fight—
Buffy: definitely cavemen
Willow: —or, or what it's like to cage and date a werewolf.
Buffy: Oh, right…Nina
Willow: Oh, um…sorry Buffy. I didn't mean…
Buffy: No, Will, it's fine. (changing tone) Listen, I need to find Spike. Could you let me know if he comes by tomorrow when I'm at work?
Willow: Um, Buffy, tomorrow's Friday.
Buffy: …which is weird because….today is Thursday?
Willow: No, I mean, it's the second Friday of the month. (Buffy looks back blankly)…I told you I'm leaving…(Buffy still has no idea what she's talking about)…for Detroit…the big Wicca thing.
Buffy: Was that this month?
(Willow nods)
Willow: Which means no Spike watch…
Buffy: Eh, it's okay. I'll figure something out.
(Willow looks down and nods)
Willow: (looking up) Oh, hey almost forgot. Xander called while you were gone. (A big grin spreads across her face) Said he's flying in on Sunday. I figure maybe I could pick him up on the way back.
Buffy: Does he have anything to say about your truffle analogy?
Willow: I didn't ask…but I'm guessing he'd consider Spike the tootsie roll of the chocolate candy eating world.
[Scene: Next day. Buffy is in her house, having just returned from work. She goes upstairs to change her clothes. When she comes back downstairs she hears something in the kitchen]
Buffy: Spike?
(Buffy slowly walks toward the kitchen. She sees Spike looking in the fridge)
Buffy: Spike?
(Spike turns around, and relaxes his shoulders a little when he sees it's Buffy)
Spike: Sorry, didn't mean to drop by like this Just, uh, left a pint of blood in the fridge…I'll get out of your hair
Buffy: Actually….I think you left your lighter upstairs.
Spike: (quietly in a somber tone) Right.
(the two start to head upstairs)