Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch

By Nickeltaffy

Disclaimer: The characters used in this story are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. I do not own them.

Synopsis: After Chosen, what if Anya and Spike were given a second chance, this time in Texas with new lives, new memories and new friends. What if Xander and Buffy find out and come to reclaim them, but discover that they're now the outsiders.

….

Chapter 9

Holding Buffy's hand, Spike ambled out to the dance floor as a romantic song the DJ was playing was ending. The next song started slow with just a guitar and a man's melodic voice. Spike turned around once he was a few feet from the edge of the dance floor. He stood still and held up his other arm as he continued to hold her right hand in his. Buffy came forward with a bashful smile as she placed her left hand on his shoulder. Spike pulled her to him as he began to move forward in the slow-slow-quick-quick rhythm of the Two-step. Buffy blushed as she looked up into his face.

The beat began to pick up when the chorus of the song began and Spike extended his stride with the first line of the chorus to time with song. He leaned back pulled Buffy forward. Garth Brooks' song of Friends in Low Places seemed to be a favorite as the dance floor quickly filled up. There was a rolling of their bodies together as Spike's familiar strut was in perfect keeping with the twanging rhythm of the song. Buffy was thrilled to recognize that move in his dancing. Buffy's smile gave way to a slight chuckle as she looked into his eyes. Suddenly, Spike pulled her hand he was holding into his chest as he leaned forward and began to dance Buffy in small circles as they moved along with the other dancers on the floor. Buffy moved closer so she wrap her arm around Spike's bicep, so her arm came up his back and her hand was turned around on his shoulder. The rocking of their bodies brought her breast in contact with his chest, something she did not find unpleasant. They continued to dance until the song ended when Spike spun them around with a big flourish. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck as she laughed as they spun together.

There was a moment of silence between songs as Buffy and Spike broke apart. Spike looked down briefly before looking at Buffy. It was something he used to do in Sunnydale, which always endeared him to her.

"Thank you for the dance." Spike said as he put up his arm to shepherd her off the dance floor.

Spike guided her over to where Ruby was standing. Ruby was not shy about hiding her smile as she looked at the pair. They stopped at the edge of the dance floor. Buffy turned around and looked at him expectantly.

"I really enjoyed it. You're really a good dancer." Buffy said with her chin tilted down as she looked up at him through her lashes. She held her arms straight down in front of her, grasping her hands as she reveled in her joy that bubbled within her.

"Yeah, well. You did pretty well yourself. Uh, look I gotta get back up on the stage since the break almost over…Uh, you going to be around this weekend?" Spike asked, with genuineness in his voice.

"That's the plan." Buffy responded as she tried to underplay the eagerness that even she didn't know she possessed.

"Good. I hope to see you around then." Spike said. Buffy could see a little blush color his tanned face. Spike took a little step back with a sappy grin on his face. Blinking, Spike suddenly became aware of how awkward he must appear. He quickly spun on his heel and shuffled ungainly around the dance floor to go back to the stage.

With the amusement evident in her eyes, Ruby leaned forward and whispered in Buffy's ear.

"That's funny." Looking away from watching Spike making his way to the stage, Ruby cocked her head to regard the woman who seemed to set her always steady older brother on his ear.

"What is?" Buffy asked, not taking her eyes off Spike as he finally reached the stage.

"I know my brother. Hardly anything ever ruffles him." Ruby commented confidentially. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone make him blush like that."

Buffy turned with a smile and cast her eyes at the ceiling for a moment to acknowledge the achievement. She saw Xander standing at a table with Clay and Anya, doing his best to ingratiate himself to the pair. She pointed out to group to Ruby as she nodded her head. She and Ruby slowly approached the group.

"Hey!" Buffy said as she came alongside Xander, bumping him playfully on the arm. Ruby sidled up to the table alongside Buffy. Buffy stared for a moment at Anya before remembering to nod a hello to this new stranger in front of her.

"Hey, yourself. Having a good time?" Xander answered, looking at his friend's flushed face.

"Quite momentous. You?" Buffy commented, shifting her eyes toward Anya for a second.

"Getting there." Xander responded. Suddenly becoming aware that Anya would not recognize Buffy, Xander stood up a little straighter. "Oh, let me introduce you. This is my old friend, Buffy Summers. Buffy, this is Annalee Sorensen and her brother, Clay Hartwell. Annalee has that truck I am so interested in."

"Oh..Hi, nice to me you." Anya smiled at Buffy as she waved across the table. There was no recognition in her face.

"Pleasure." Clay added after swallowing a mouthful of beer and putting down his longneck.

"Hi." Buffy responded. "Wow, this is some little place you guys have here."

"It's nothing special. You two don't sound like you're from Texas. So, where ya'll from?" Clay asked, picking up his longneck again.

"Uh..California, but don't hold that against us. We got here as quick as we could." Xander joked with a smooth smile aimed right at Anya. The Texans at the table snickered at the small joke and looked at each other, shaking their heads.

"Normally, we would run you out of town…but in your case, I'll make an exception" Clay pronounced on the visitors' presence. Chuckling, Anya rolled her eyes at her brother's humor.

"Buffy, I hope you're coming with us on the tubing trip tomorrow?" Anya asked with a friendly smile.

"Sure. It sounds like fun." Buffy said, nodding back at Anya.

"Oh, no!" Ruby grumpily uttered. She had been looking out at the crowd and had seen Serena moving toward their little group. Ruby turned her back, hoping Serena would just pass by. Unfortunately, luck was not on her side tonight.

"Hi, everybody!" Serena inserted her way into the group at the table. As she reached the table, she stood straight with her shoulders back, so her ample bosom trapped in the halter top caught the attention of both males at the table.

A number of "Hi's" floated back across the table to Serena from the group. Ruby looked away from the dark haired woman standing next to her. Moving up her hand to cover her face from Serena, she made an expression of disgust for an instant to Buffy before turning back to the group. Buffy with a smile in her eyes for Ruby, looked around at Serena with an innocent expression on her face.

"Let's see. Who don't I know here?" Serena said as she made a pretense of looking around the table, and finally fixing her eyes on Buffy and Xander.

"Xander, Buffy, this is Serena Reinhammer." Anya spoke up with a maturity that Xander and Buffy had never witnessed before. "Serena, this is Xander Harris and Buffy..Summers. Is that right?"

Xander nodded and raised his beer as he said a small "Hi."

"Yes, that's right. Hi, nice to meet you, Serena." Buffy said with a tight smile, as she measured the sexy competition for Spike in front of her.

"Hi. Well, aren't you cute? I'm sure the other girls in the area are going to have to bring their game, if they want any attention from the male population around here, now that you're in town." Serena said, with an overly sweet sentiment and a smile on her face that Buffy found immensely irritating.

Although, nothing slighting was said emphatically, Buffy somehow felt insulted by what Serena's comment. 'Well, two can play that game' Buffy thought.

"Oh, I wouldn't think you would have anything to worry about. A man would be crazy to refuse such a pretty girl like you." Buffy responded in kind to Serena.

The girls stood in silence with sweet smiles aimed at each other, but their eyes were telling a different story. Xander began to feel uncomfortable, as he began to fidget due to the tension between the two women.

"Please, somebody tell a joke!" He pleaded to the group with a dramatic hand to his chest.

The rest of the group began to chuckle which broke the impasse as Ruby nudged Buffy. Ruby inserted her head in Buffy's line of sight of Serena. Ruby wrinkled her face and rolled her eyes which brought a real smile to Buffy's face.

"So, RJ told me that ya'll are going tubin tomorrow. He's invited me to come along. I'm really looking forward to it." Serena spoke up as she turned her head to address Anya and Clay.

"Yeah, it should be a lotta fun." Anya answered in a calm measured tone.

"I love this song!" Serena said suddenly, turning toward Clay. She gave him a direct look which spoke volumes. Ruby wrinkled her face at the ploy being played out beside her.

"Well, let's dance." Clay said with a bit of resignation in his tone. He placed his longneck on the table and held out his hand to Serena. The rest of the group watched the pair make their way toward the dance floor.

"Hmm. No one's asked me to dance for a while." Ruby grumbled as she leaned over to look pointedly at Xander.

"Oh. Uh." Xander said as if he was suddenly caught in headlights. "I would love to, but I don't know how to do that kind of dancing…"

"Well, you're in luck! I just happen to be an excellent teacher of the Texas Two-step." Ruby announced as she made her way around Buffy to claim Xander. "Come on, your lesson is about to start!"

Xander raised his eyebrows, set down his beer with a smirk as he got caught up in Ruby's enthusiasm. He turned and soon found that Ruby had a hold of his hand.

"Will you excuse me?" Xander said to the two women at the table.

"Sure." Buffy said, thoroughly entertained by the antics of the pair.

Anya and Buffy smiled at each other as they watched Ruby and Xander begin to tackle the Two-step out on the dance floor.

"He doesn't stand a chance." A bemused Anya confided as she leaned over to a surprised Buffy.