Morning peeked through the window as Buffy finally awoke, feeling pretty stiff after their run in the night before; she smiled smelling breakfast that her mom was preparing. For the moment though she snuggled down and grasped Spike tightly. He yawned having already been awake for about 15 minutes by now. His hands slowly roamed up and down Buffy's back as she sighed contently, "You awake, my love?"
Buffy nodded and peeked up, "Yeah… is mom mad?"
Spike shook his head slowly and looked at her with sleepy eyes, "Nah… she seemed fine when I said good morning… but I know she's worried… Should go give her a hug…" He smiled.
Buffy nodded slowly slipping out from the covers, giving Spike a soft kiss before she went to the kitchen. She peered around the corner for a moment before entering, "Hi mommy…"
Joyce gave a small smile and put down the spatula she was using. "Are you alright honey?" Buffy nodded as Joyce closed the space between them to give her daughter a strong protective hug. Buffy sighed and hugged back, "I was so worried about you last night. William explained everything, and it's alright, I just wish you would have said something sooner about that boy…"
Buffy nodded, "I know… I'm just happy we made it home. But I'm worried about Spike… His whole career is in jeopardy and it's because of me…"
Joyce quickly hushed Buffy with another hug, "It's alright, he's a strong smart man, I'm confident that the boy won't breathe a word…"
Spike stood outside the kitchen door, shirt on by now, and smiled hearing Joyce's comment about him. He entered the kitchen and smiled, "Morning family…" He scratched the back of his head and looked around the kitchen, feeling slightly out of place.
Joyce pet his head and went back to the food she was making, quickly plating it and handing Buffy and Spike their food, "Go and watch some television, I'll be in there in a moment…"
They both nodded and left for the living room with their food.
At about noon Spike bid his farewell to his soon to be mother-in-law. Buffy pouted slightly as they stood in the foyer, "I don't want you to go… we just had a traumatic experience…" She played with the lapels of his jacket, "I don't know if I'm fully recovered…"
Spike waggled his eyebrows, "I'll help you recover later luv…" She giggled, "But I have work and you have a lot to talk to your mom about…" He grabbed her hand and kissed her newest ring for emphasis. "Plus I've been stealing you from your friends… you should go out tonight with Red, The Whelp and his sex-o-maniac of a girl…" Buffy giggled again, "I'm just a phone call away, my love…"
She smiled and gave Spike a long kiss, taking her time and keeping him there as long as possible, "I love you…" She whispered.
"Love you too, baby…" He smiled and said goodbye before leaving out the door.
Buffy leaned against the door already missing him; Buffy jumped hearing her mom's voice as she descended the stairs.
"What do you need to talk to me about?"
"Oh well…" Buffy bit her lip for a moment, "Spike kind of, well… Might have…" She stuttered for a moment, "Proposedtomelastnight…" She blabbed the last bit out, "Okay we've talked. I'm going upstairs…"
Joyce caught her arm, "No no no… He proposed!" She said and sighed, "What am I saying? The man loves you, and in his position something like this would be rushed…" She was talking more to herself than to Buffy.
Buffy nodded, "I know…" She looked at the ring and smiled, "I know it's rushed but honestly… he's amazing… I never thought I could feel so much love from one person…"
Joyce smiled and gave Buffy a hug, "I love you…" She kissed Buffy's temple and let her go, "Now go call Willow, William's right; you need to spend some time with your friends." Joyce smiled and left.
Buffy sighed, leaning against the rail for a moment before bounding up the stairs four steps at a time.
A night at the bronze, it was exactly what Buffy needed. Some time with some real friends, the ones that even though she's been on the outs for the last few months, have still remained her loyal friends. For the last hour Buffy bounced around her house as she waited for Willow to arrive so they could get ready. Sure she was in a car accident last night but she also got away with an amazingly hot fiancé and hopefully would get a break from Riley.
The door bell rang and Buffy ran to the door quickly opening it and jumping into her friend's arms. Immediately they began chatting, non-stop in fact, it would have been impossible for anyone outside of the conversation to understand. Quickly they went up stairs and started going through Buffy's entire wardrobe.
"Did you hear that Riley got into a car accident?" Willow said after an hour of matching outfits.
Buffy stiffened immediately, "Oh really? What-ah… happened?"
Willow shrugged and held up a rather skiddish tank top, "Dunno, Xander saw him, he said him and Angel were drinking and he forgot to put the parking brake on… Said something about rolling into a wall. Xander says it not likely, and that it looked like he tried to bulldoze through someone's front window…"
Buffy relaxed and looked at the skirt she had on in the mirror, "What do you think? I want to make all the boys jealous because I'm taken…" She smiled and turned to Willow.
Willow smiled back, "You could go a tiny bit shorter before you look available…" She looked around, dreading to bring up this topic, but and intervention was needed, "Buffy, I love you, but I think it's time you revealed something about your mystery man to your best friend…"
Buffy sighed and sat on the bed next to Willow, "I know you guys don't like the fact he's a mystery… and I know my love life has become talk of the school since him… but he's really amazing. Just if I told you much more… it would get him in trouble… a lot of trouble…"
"Can you at least tell me about him? Something? Anything?" Willow practically pleaded as she took Buffy's hands. She looked down feeling the ring on her finger, "Oh my god!" She held up Buffy's hand to inspect it, "Buffy… this looks like a lot more than a promise ring…"
Buffy bit her lip quickly pulling her hand away, "That's because it is…" She said weakly as she looked at it, "I'm engaged… to said mystery man." Willow opened her mouth but Buffy quickly stopped her, "Just hear me out… Okay… He's sweet and kind, and so so thoughtful. Plus super super hot, with extra hot. He has an uber amazing job, with another job that I still can't figure out why he has it…" She admitted thinking about his teaching career, "Mom has met him, and she immensely approves, Willow… he's full-proof… well except for the whole potential imprisonment for being with me…."
Willow giggled a little, "Buffy, I'm your best friend. If you really love this guy, I wouldn't jeopardize this for you both. Either would Xander or Anya, though Anya would have to learn when to shut up…" They both giggled when the phone started ringing.
Buffy quickly jumped across the bed, already knowing who it was, "Hello honey…" She said as she picked it up.
"Hello darling, what are up to? Busy being beautiful?" Spike's voice flowed through the phone sending wonderful shivers down her spine.
She glanced back at Willow, "I'm picking out an outfit for the bronze tonight with Willow." She winked at Willow giving her an excited look and Willow quickly understood as she scrambled across the bed and tried to squeeze her ear in with Buffy's.
"Nothing too sexy I hope…" There was slight growl in his voice and Willow let out a little squeak of excitement which Buffy quickly hushed.
"Nope, I'm dressing to tease jealous boys…" She smiled hearing him chuckle, "What did you call for honey?"
"Just thinking about you…" He sighed as his office chair making an audible squeak as he leaned back, "Got about zero work done 'cause my mind kept wandering back to my golden goddess…"
Willow giggled and leaned back mouthing, 'He's English?' Buffy nodded and returned to the phone, "Honey, you know how close of a friend Willow is to me?"
Spike nodded, "Yeah…" He felt a favour coming on.
"Well… I was wondering if maybe… she could stay the night at your place with me… if my mom says I can…" Willow squealed this time and jumped on the bed.
Spike cleared his throat and thought very deeply, he knew Willow fairly well, she was sweet and trustworthy and one of the last of Buffy's real friends, "What time around you lot leaving the bronze?"
Buffy smiled, "Dunno… around 11 or 12… its only Saturday…." She tried to sound as sweet as possible hoping that some sultry talking would help her get her way.
Spike sighed into the phone, "If it's alright with your mum… me and the boys will come and get you two at 12. Tell your mum 11 so she doesn't go bonkers…"
Buffy smiled, "Okay! Hold on honey…" She set the phone down and bolted out of the room leaving Willow with a phone that held Spike on the line.
She slowly picked it up, "Buffy will be back in a couple of minutes…" She said quietly, "I'm going to put the phone down now…" She said slightly flushed.
"Alright you do that, luv…" He said with a chuckle.
Buffy's feet pounded up the stairs and she joyously jumped on the bed, "Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!" She exclaimed through the phone and Willow jumped off the bed as she began her own little happy dance.
Spike sighed, still not entirely sure but still couldn't help but give in to Buffy, "Alright we'll be there at 12, on the dot… you two lucky birds better be out there…"
Buffy nodded, "Of course honey, I love you…" She said still excited.
"Love you too goldilocks…" With that they both hung up the phone.
There was a moment of silence before Buffy and Willow started squealing in unison. "Oh I need to call my mom!" Willow suddenly exclaimed.
Two hours later and the whole gang was at the bronze, they had swung by Willows to pick up some over night clothes. Buffy smiled, linking arms with Willow as they stood in line outside. All four friends chattered away, "Excuse me, are you Buffy summers?" The manager approached them in the line after they had been waiting only a few minutes.
Buffy's eyes went wide thinking she was in trouble, "Y-yes…" She stuttered looking up.
"Oh good… my… good friend…" He winked hoping she'd understand his code for Spike, "Said I should let you guys in, bring your friends."
Buffy's mouth dropped then it turned into a large smile, "Oh well thank you…" She said and started following him in, her friends in tow.
Cordelia stood towards the front of the line and frowned seeing Buffy and her friends walk in, "WHAT!" She turned and punched Angel in the arm, "Why can't you get us in there like that! Her mystery guy isn't even here and he got her in!"
Angel frowned and rubbed his arm thoroughly confused.
Two more hours later and Buffy and Willow were sitting out a slow dance that Xander and Anya were sharing. "They're sweet together…" Willow said as she smiled.
Buffy giggled seeing Anya reach for a rather inappropriate part of Xander's body and him jump, "They're crazy together…"
Tara a girl from their school stood across from them and Willow glanced up meeting her eye's for a moment before glancing down. Buffy looked behind her and spotted the girl, "Crushing much on a girl, Will?"
"No… n-not crushing… just liking… She's… nice…" Willow blushed clearly giving away her true feelings.
"Willow!" Buffy exclaimed surprised about her friend.
"Well she's really sweet… and nice and fun to talk too… besides… she probably thinks of me as more of an acquaintance than a friend…" She sighed thinking about the few conversations they'd shared about various text books and pencil erasures.
Buffy glanced back once more, "Sure doesn't seem like an acquaintance with the stare she's sending your way…" Willow glanced up one more and looked back down, "Oh she's coming over…" Buffy said, quickly turning around.
Tara approached the table, "H-hi…" She said nervously, "I kn-now we've only hung out in large g-groups with each other… but… Willow… would you dance with me?"
Willow bit her lip as she nodded and slowly rose from her seat, taking Tara's hand. Slowly they went out to the dance floor leaving Buffy at the table. To her it didn't matter, her friends were happy and she celebrated in her mind seeing Willow give Tara a soft kiss as they danced. She glanced at her watch, "11:48…" She sighed, sad to end the night, but excited to see her man.
She looked up seeing Cordelia approach the table, "Jesus Buffy got a big enough rock from your sugar daddy? That thing was blinding me from across the room…" Cordelia sneered as she crossed her arms across her chest putting up the bitchiest attitude she could muster.
"Cordelia… when in the last few months did you start to hate me?" She said honestly not knowing when.
"When you started getting all kinds of expensive things from your pimp…" She snipped.
Buffy wouldn't take that. She stood up and slapped Cordelia across the face, quickly picking up her things and going outside before the manager got on her case. Cordelia was left holding a hand to her face in complete shock as Buffy's friends and newly acquired Tara grabbed their things and followed her out.
They found her sitting on the curb in front of the bronze with tears in her eyes. Willow immediately joined her and wrapped an arm tightly around her friend, "Buffy… what happened?"
Buffy sniffed, "Everyone thinks I'm a whore because I'm not dating some football player from school!" She sniffed again, "What's so special about high school boys? Their dumb and immature and inexperienced…"
"High school boy standing right here!" Xander exclaimed and received a strong swat from Anya.
"You're not a high school boy…" She looked up with a smile, happy to see her friends, "Your just Xander…" Xander returned the smile and leaned down hugging Buffy.
Suddenly there was a man with a Batman mask sliding across the pavement to hug Buffy, "Darling… what's wrong? What happened?" Spike said not even bothering to hide his accent as he held Buffy in front of her friends.
"Wha-?" She was surprised not expected Spike to show up this early, "Oh it's nothing, I'll tell you later…" He leaned back and nodded, his eyes shining brightly through his mask. She giggled suddenly looking him over, "You're so weird…" She said flicking the bat ear on his mask.
He smirked leaning back for a moment, people now chattering as they looked over his black jeans, black shirt, and boots. His mask was a full head mask that covered his hair and only left his face exposed from the nose to neck. He smiled leaning in and kissing Buffy, "I'm sorry we came a bit early and I saw you…" He hugged her, "I was just worried…"
By now Buffy's gang had moved from shocked to confused as they waited for an explanation. Buffy stood up holding Spike's hand, "This is mystery man…" She introduced him.
"Batman…" He corrected her.
Buffy let out a full laugh, "Oh my god… you don't seriously…"
"Yes… I am Batman…" He said with a serious face. He looked almost offended she was laughing at him. "I'm Batman…" She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued her giggling in his chest, and he turned back to her friends, "Don't tell anyone…" He looked around and leaned in, "But I'm really a millionaire named Bruce Wayne…"
With that her friends started laughing as well and he smiled feeling accepted. He gestured to his car, "Just out on patrol with my other super friends… The Flash and Spiderman…" He nodded to Nick and David who leaned against the car as they smoked, David with The Flash mask and Nick with the Spiderman mask. The group continued laughing until Nick whistled signalling it was past 12, he nodded. "Right, get your things, luvs… I'll go start the car…" He kissed her cheek and went to the car.
Buffy smiled watching him go, "I love that man…" She said looking up at her friends. They all nodded.
"He seems nice…" (Willow)
"Really funny." (Xander)
"Such a passionate aura." (Tara)
"He must have a lot of sexual stamina."
Everyone turned to Anya after her comment and Xander just shook his head, "Well, we'll just be going now, you guys should come and get your things from the car…"
"I'll do it!" Buffy spoke up suddenly and everyone turned to her, "I'll just go and get our things so Willow can say goodnight to Tara…" Buffy grabbed Xander and Anya, dragging them to the car quickly as possible.
There was an awkward silence before Tara spoke up, "I had fun t-tonight…" Willow nodded as she stared at the ground.
Spike watched Buffy wander off and glanced back to Willow, "Oh dear…" He said then smiled seeing Tara give Willow a long kiss.
"Oh! Lesbians!" Nick chimed in with excitment as he took a drag of his cigarette.
"Their 17…" Spike ground out as he lit his cigarette.
"Didn't stop you…" Nick retorted then winced in pain when his comment received a firm punch in the shoulder, "Ow…"
"I'll see you at school?" Willow asked as she held Tara's hands.
"Most definitely." Tara said smiling as she gave Willow one last kiss before parting.
Lovestruck, Willow wandered in a direction somewhere between Spike's car and Xander's car, but was quickly caught by Buffy and directed to the correct vehicle. "Details later…" She whispered, "Okay, Willow and I will sit in back since she doesn't know anyone…"
Willow looked around at the three men, with a very confused look, "Willow you can have window and I'll take the middle seat." She looked around once more as Batman jingled the keys.
"Shotgun!" Spiderman exclaimed as he hopped in the front.
"Bollocks…" David sighed and got into the back with the girls.
"Don't worry David!" Buffy said giving him a hug like he was a big brother, "We'll all have girl time!" She teased and Willow relaxed slightly with help from their humour.
David glared at Nick from the back; he returned it with a chuckle as Spike started the car, "Keep laughin' Spiderman… I'll take tha' web an' shove it so far up yer arse you'll beh coughin' up cobwebs fer a week…"