Upsetting the Applecart

Spike exited the kitchen with a fresh beer and walked over to where Buffy sat. "We're running out of cold ones," he told her, before glancing briefly at the small notepad she had in her hand. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," she said, a little too defensively, as she shut the pad and slid it under the couch.

Spike cocked an eyebrow at her, but was then distracted by yet another knock at the door.

"That better be pizza," he exclaimed while getting up to answer it. "Any more guests and it'll be standing room only." Buffy ignored his grousing until she heard his exclamation of "Peaches!" from the hallway and forced herself to her feet.

When she reached the front door Spike was taunting the vampire - telling him, in no uncertain terms, "'m not inviting you in."

Buffy rolled her eyes before looking at Angel. "You are Angel? Not Angelous?"

"Yes, I'm Angel!" he said, exasperated, "Will you please get bleach-boy outta my face and gimmie a proper welcome?"

"Can't blame me for checking," said Buffy, in her defense.

"What?" said Spike, "Simply asking him doesn't prove a damn thing!" Then he turned back to the brooding figure standing before him. "Go on. Say something soulful."

"Will you stop it?" said Buffy, shaking her head. "We have no reason to believe he's gone evil."

"Yeah!" said Angel, sneering at him.

"Shut up," both Spike and Buffy told him in unison.

Then Buffy added, "God, you're both so immature. Making it rub off on me."
Sighing, she tried a new tact. "Spike, honey, if you don't wanna invite Angel in then fine; I'm just gonna go outside and talk to him there."

"But-" he interjected.

"No," she said, holding up a finger in warning. "You don't tell me what to do."

Angel grinned at the exchange but then she turned on him saying, "Don't be too happy. If you're here to have the conversation I think we're gonna have then I'm probably gonna end up kicking you. Fair warning."

The vampire frowned, but gestured for her to come outside anyway. She did, but not before telling Spike to return to their guests and tell Andrew to do a beer run.

"No peeping through the spy hole. Let me deal with this, okay? Trust me."

He glowered at both of them but did as she asked.

Upon stalking back to guests to give Andrew his orders, Spike saw the boy being pulled off into the bathroom by Willow for their 'chat' and Xander headed his way with a purposeful look in his eye.

"Oh bollocks."

As soon as the front door was shut Angel jumped right into his conversation with Buffy.

"It's not too late," he told her.

True to her word, the slayer delivered a kick to the vampire's shin before gently massaging her temples in preparation for her incoming stress and asking, "To late for what? Me to walk out on the man I love? Or for me to give us one last chance?"

Titling his head a little, Angel silently implied 'both'.

"You are unbelievable. Really. You came all this way… How deluded are you? Actually, scratch that. I've given you plenty of reason over the years that maybe someday we'd find a way to be together, despite finally realizing the truth of it-"

He went to interrupt her, but she held up her hand to silence him until she was done. "I changed my mind, Angel. When I swore to always be your girl I was wrong. And I have every right to go against that now. But if you're unwilling to see that, then let's talk about the other issues here. I think a part of you only wants me now because it's Spike I'm marrying. Tell me, honestly, do you hate him that much?"

"Buffy, come on."

"No, you come on! This is cruel. Do you have any idea how much what you're saying would destroy him? Have you no compassion?!"

"It's not like he would expect any different…"

"Cut the crap. You know how much he loves me, even if you can't admit it. If I was here now waiting to take my vows with Riley would we even be having this conversation?"

He was silent at that.

"You don't get to have me, Angel," she shook her head, simultaneously holding back tears and looking disgusted. "God! When are you gonna get that?! You don't deserve me. I loved you so much, but you hurt me so much more. Do you remember that time, I said I wanted my life to be with you, and you said you didn't? Well that's it isn't it?! You left. It was your choice. Now you have to deal with it. I refuse to feel bad because I've found love with someone who will never do that to me. Go lay your guilt trips somewhere else. I'll take your calls when the next apocalypse comes, until then I'm done."

She turned to leave but he pulled her back. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I never knew you felt that strongly."

Buffy raised her eyebrows at him, "You think I could be talked into a relationship? Have we met? Do you know me at all?"

Angel pouted, "Spike can be really persuasive."

Silence fell between them, before he recanted, "Fine. I knew you must love him, to be doing this. I just…" he broke off into a mumble.

"What?" she asked him, and he sighed, before repeating himself more clearly.

"I didn't want to believe it."

"Thank you," she said, genuinely, and he was taken aback.

"What for?"

"For finally dropping the pretense and just being honest with me."

"I was kinda childish, huh?"

She smiled, "Yeah. You and Spike kinda bring that out in each other, but, really, I'm flattered."

"You are?"

"I am," she confirmed, "But let's never have this conversation again. Never ever again, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed, hesitantly. "But, Buffy?"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure he makes you happy."

"I will," she promised, "And he does."

He gave a nod before saying, "This really wasn't worth the airfare."

She had to chuckle at that. "Take care," she told him, as he turned to go.

The slayer returned to her living room to find Giles telling her sister about appropriate topics of conversation, and about how his "romantic affairs," were not one of them. She giggled, a little, at Dawn's eye rolling, and that only turned the older man on her.

"Don't encourage her Buffy, please."
Trying to straighten her face, Buffy nodded and agreed, "Better do as he says. Don't want him to kick you out."

"Glad you're both taking this so seriously," the ex-watcher said, sarcastically, before waving in the direction of the kitchen, "If you're looking for Spike, he's in there, having a heart-to-heart with Xander."

"Uh oh!" was all she said, deciding to not get involved unless one of them started screaming.

To be continued...