Chapter 3: A Walk in Paradise

Buffy went to Willow, "Oz is bringing you home right?"

Willow's eyes sparkled as she spoke, "Oh yes. Doesn't he look amazing tonight? He's ordering drinks for us. Are you leaving now?"

Buffy was tempted to admit she was leaving with someone but another part of her wanted to keep this sexy junior all to herself. She decided to just play it safe, "Yea. My dad is coming for me in a few. I just wanted to make sure you didn't need a ride."

Willow looked past Buffy as her eyes glazed over slightly. Buffy knew Willow was definitely in love with Oz. It shown in her face anytime he entered the room, smiled at her or someone even mentioned his name.

"I'm just fine. Oz will take good care of me. Look here he comes now with our drinks."

Buffy smiled eager to get back to Spike and leaned towards her friend's ear, "Have fun but not too much fun."

Willow giggled and gave a wave to Buffy and Buffy disappeared to make sure Xander and Anya were ok. She found them sitting together in a booth talking. She sat down across from them, "You guys going to be ok with a ride tonight?"

Xander nodded, "Anya's aunt will take us home when the dance is over. You leaving now Buff?"

Buffy found herself nodding even as her eyes met Spike's from across the room. He toasted her with his drink and she felt herself grow warm, "Yea. My dad is on his way. Have fun you two!"

Anya smiled at Buffy as Xander gave a slight wave, "We will Buffster. Have fun yourself."

Buffy practically sped-walked back to where Spike was holding her drink and her coat. She looked at him curiously and he answered with her even asking, "I watched you walk in and saw which coat was yours, Buffy Summers."

Buffy smiled and put it over her arm. She didn't want it on. She had too many layers on already and was feeling way too hot. She drank up her drink in a hurry setting her glass down and watched as Spike took a shot of whatever he had been drinking and finishing it in one swallow. God he even looked great drinking.

She felt her knees go weak as he held out a hand towards her, "Shall we go?"

Buffy had no choice but to follow in step beside him as he wrapped one arm around her waist guiding her out of the Bronze for the night.

Less than 10 minutes later, Buffy found herself on the back of a motorcycle taken to Sunnydale Park. It was near a cemetery but surprisingly so peaceful. Since all the younger people were at the dance, no one was in sight. Spike led her to the gazebo in the center of the park allowing her to sit down in the breeze. She longed for less clothing but couldn't see how she could remove anything.

She frowned as she looked down and Spike chuckled, "I don't know what all you have on under that dress but if you want, I'll turn around and you can take some of those bloody layers off. You have got to be hot in that."

Buffy's frown deepened as he continued, "I don't mean for you to strip. I'm not going to shag you, at least not tonight. I just wanted you more comfortable. I'm not sure why your class thought 1800s was a great year for the style of dresses. You look amazing but the layers and the heat, they don't mix luv."

Buffy took the coat he offered and watched as he turned around. She slipped the coat over her for a minute and lowered the stockings down her leg. Just removing them felt great. She struggled with the buttons managing to get enough undone so she could loosen the petticoat under it leaving that drop to the ground. The dress seemed huge to her now but it allowed for air.

She managed to get the dress re-zippered leaving herself in only her corset, which she needed to not have the dress showing off her breasts and the dress itself. She didn't even bother to slip on her shoes as she removed the coat and sat down, "You can turn around now."

Spike shook his head as he sat down beside her noticing the pile of clothes she had next to her, "I don't know how those girls back then bloody well did it. I imagine most would die from heat exhaustion with no air conditioning."

Buffy grinned, "All they did was sit around and fan themselves. That's probably why there was no fast dancing so that they didn't pass out. Besides passing out can be romantic."

Spike laughed out loud on that one, "Like being rescued as a damsel in distress? Somehow passing out on the bleeding floor and busting your head wide open doesn't seem so romantic to me."

Buffy adjusted her dress that was bellowing out around her ankles as she moved closer to him. Eager to change the topic she opted for another safer topic, "So what do you plan to be when you grow up?"

Spike chuckled and Buffy felt embarrassed having worded it that way. Spike didn't seem to mind as he answered, "I'm thinking of being an English major. I've always wanted to write for a living but I'd hate to be stuck with newspaper articles or history books only. I want to write adventure novels and science fiction but I know the money isn't to be had in there. I was tempted to be a self-defense instructor so that all my karate training doesn't go to waste but I don't want it to seem like a sodding chore. It's something I do to escape life not to make a living."

Buffy still was amazed by his accent as she struggled to keep up with the conversation and not disappear into dreamland. She came back to earth in time to hear him say, "So what about you Buffy? Got any dreams?"

Buffy smiled, "I want to be a counselor. I love helping people."

Spike looked surprised, "What made you decide you wanted to do that?"

Buffy hesitated for a slight moment before deciding that she trusted Spike enough, "I went to counseling for a few years after my parents were divorced. The counselor I had was wonderful. I trusted her and she would always listen. She understood how I felt and seemed to respect my feelings even when I was confused as to why I felt them. I want to help people like that."

Spike was quiet for a moment and she wondered if she had gotten too personal but then he smiled slightly at her as he cocked his head to the side, "You would make a great counselor Buffy."

Buffy practically swooned hearing the way he said her name. He made her name sound like it was heavenly. She barely noticed when he took her hand and carried her items to the back of the motorcycle where he placed them into a bag that was tied to the back.

He then kept her hand in his as he started to walk by her side. She felt the breeze pick up as they continued to walk. As they walked, they talked about where he was from, "I'm from England as you probably figured. I was born there and lived there for the first 10 years of my life until my dad got ill. He died and my mum picked up our stuff and took us both to California where her parents were from. After searching for a house, she found this one we live at in Sunnydale. It's a nice house, quiet and such. Much different from the bloody amazing cobblestone roads and the smell of salt in the air from the ocean that surrounds England."

He explained how he had visited England only once since he had come to Sunnydale. His grandparents were in England still. Buffy felt no fear after an hour of her walk with him. She was intrigued and amazed the more they talked. He had such a bad boy appearance but was gentle around Buffy. He led her through the woods to a small garden near the school that Buffy never knew existed.

Spike smiled at her as he watched her gaze around at the beauty of the garden under the tiny spot lights placed for walking at night. The flowers were beautiful even in the night sky especially with the moonlight gazing down on them. Buffy looked at Spike who looked at her and in the moonlight in the garden, she knew she would remember this night always as the night she fell in love.

At a quarter til 2, Spike drove Buffy up to her doorstep. She stood up shaking her skirt slightly so it was hanging down by her ankles rather than tucked up in her waist, which is how Spike had arranged it so it didn't get stuck in the wheels. She smiled at him as he removed the extra clothing from the bag behind his bike and handed them to her. Then he took her hand in his and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

It was Buffy's first real kiss unless you count those by relatives. She felt her heart race and her head soared as she clung onto Spike. When he finally released her, she knew she was flushed and breathless. She swayed slightly as Spike smiled at her whispering, "I'll be by tomorrow night at 7 for the movies. Be ready luv and wear something more appropriate for a motorcycle. None of those big fluffy skirts."

Buffy giggled but she was really amazed by her night. It had been perfect. She turned around walking to the door to her house and paused turning around looking at him. The smile on his face was still there and he seemed to glow. She turned around again to walk into the house and turned around once inside to watch as he got onto his bike and drove away.

Buffy just about floated to her room barely pausing to tell her parents goodnight. That night she dreamed of Spike.