So...some of you may hate me with the development in this chapter and some of you may actually wonder where the hell I am going with this story. Please rest assured...It's a long story! So...I stole part of the scenes from the movie Conviction, Superman 1, and the last thing I leave you with is...for the original character in this...think Jennifer Love Hewitt in the year 1999!. Music in here is from Dirty Dancing! Remember...comic book stuff is included in this Fic and the rest is kind of my invention. Don't kill me! I beg of you! Oh...and forgive typos...doing this on my own has a total disadvantage!
Spike knew he should have been more prepared for the scrutinizing looks from Buffy after such a performance, and really Anya, Xander, and Willow were looking at him just as oddly. Trying to decipher this apparent new part of himself that was way too upbeat and not nearly enough evil for their liking.
But at the moment there was nothing he could do to rectify the situation, so he just hugged Joyce a little longer and finally said 'ta hell with it' and dragged Joyce out to dance.
And they danced around to Nora's singing, not paying attention as they laughed and talked as they moved around the small dance floor.
When Spike accidentally bumped into a man his chip didn't even flare as he hadn't even been aware of the man behind him.
Turning he quickly said without thought, "Sorry there mate." He had turned back around to Joyce when the man grabbed his shoulder.
What he didn't see was the fact that the bump had caused the man's beer to spill all over him and he had quickly become enraged.
"Who the hell brings their mother to a bar?!"
Spike's hackles instantly raised at the tone of voice and the dig at Joyce, instantly turning to look at the man.
" I'm the one that got that bird here to sing. " Spike said as the people he considered family in his life realized something was most definitely about to go down.
Faith could see the way Spike was still holding onto Joyce, and how she was trying to keep Spike faced towards her and not towards the obviously angry man.
"Well if your dad can't take care of her himself, your father should have just kept his dick in his pants." The man said motioning with his thumb towards Giles who everyone had seen and heard sing with Spike.
Spike kept himself in check by just a hair as he heard the words as Joyce immediately began to grab at him and say his name.
"William…"
"What did you say?!" Spike asked as he realized he was honestly keeping himself from ripping the man's throat out for just talking like that in front of Joyce. Let alone about his father.
Faith and Buffy immediately saw in the way that Spike sudden posture reeked of predator and immediately both began to stand as they realized whatever the man had said, it had set Spike off.
"You heard me." The man said without backing down from Spike.
And why would he have.
He stood over a foot taller than Spike and looked like a through and true beef head.
Then it was like a switch went off as Spike suddenly nodded his head and said, "Absolutely, I'm sorry mate."
Then without waiting he took Joyce swiftly but firmly by the hands and allowed the pulling of him back to the table where he was about to leave her when both Buffy and Faith looked at him as Joyce again called out his name as well as Giles.
"William…"
"Spike…"
"What are you doin?" Faith asked as without waiting for a second Spike turned and made his way back towards the beef head.
"Spike!" Faith called immediately moving through the throng of people which Spike had expertly maneuvered around with full knowing of the consequences and the pain, hauled the man up and turned him around and head butted him.
The chip immediately went off and Spike fought through the pain as the anger inside him blazed at how this pathetic loser spoke in front of his 'mother.'
Blood instantly trickled down his nose as the chip had caused a searing pain, but as he followed the bloke down onto the ground with the pain, Spike gained enough awareness to grab a bottle and break it and hold it over the man's face.
The band immediately stopped playing.
"You ever say another word about my parents and I'll kill you. You understand me pillock?!" Spike allowed his eyes to glow yellow for just a second as the man's fear shown with fear.
But then hands were grabbing him and hauling him away by Faith saying "Easy Spike! Get off him"
Then Spike relaxed and said, "He's ok. Alright." Reaching back down he helped haul the oaf up once more.
"No, he's alright. He's alright. Come on." Lifting the bloke up to barely stand on his own.
"We clear? We clear, right? Mano a mano, huh?" Bringing the man over to a chair as everyone watched the blood gush from the man's nose.
"Hey, we're cool." Spike said staring at the man's face who held out his bloody hand as he wiped at his nose.
"We're cool, he's all right. Get some Wild Turkey." Spike said as Buffy watched horrified from a distance along with everyone else at the table.
Faith and Joyce both pulled him backwards and away as Spike continued to speak.
"Wild Turkey for my buddy here. You okay mate?"
Finally Faith whirled him around as Spike continued. "Get some ice for my buddy here."
"Sit Down William. Sit down!" Joyce said in a no nonsense threatening way which he obeyed, but not before Faith smacked him in the face two times.
Spike just laughed though as the situation made him laugh at how long it had been since he had done something…so him!
"It's ok. He's fine." Spike laughed again. Then turned as Faith spoke.
"We're sitting here having fun and you had to go and do that!" Faith said angrily as everyone at the table was biting their tongue in front of Joyce who oddly had not scolded Spike at all.
But none of them had heard what the idiot man had said to Spike. Honestly Joyce had expected Spike to do much worse than what he had done.
Joyce shared a look with Rupert and immediately the man understood that she did not in any way blame Spike for what he had done or said.
"Buffy…he…he just hurt a human." Xander got out as he realized how many times he had insulted Spike recently and how little it had taken for Spike to recover from the chip firing. And Buffy always knew that Spike was dangerous despite the chip, but she didn't resond to Xander as she continued to watch Spike almost in shock herself. Even as the blood pooled around Spike's nose as he smiled as he pulled out a pair of ridiculous looking white sunglasses.
A classic rock song began that instantly everyone knew as Spike looked at Faith.
"Who's your buddy?" With that Spike put on the sunglasses that for some reason looked good on the beach blonde. "Who's your pal?"
Faith looked annoyed and turned and held her head as she tried to come to terms with how annoying Spike truly was.
"Come on, now it's a party." Spike said with some laughter in his throat.
But Faith looked at him angrily. She had been gearing herself up to talk to Buffy…about her past …when they noticed something was about to go down.
Buffy had sat down when Faith had slapped Spike, wanting to go over the table and throttle him herself. The only thing that had stopped her was a look from her mother.
Spike pulled out his cigarette's, those which he had when first coming back all those weeks ago.
He never touched them. Not after…not after everything that happened in the future.
But at the moment…he knew the death glare coming his way from the Slayer and gang he needed some form of distraction.
Placing the cigarette in his mouth and lighting it with his old trusty lighter he said. "Come on. Come on! Comeoncomeoncomeon."
Whipping out his trusty lighter he lit up in the bar, which made everyone turn and look at each other not understanding the vampire in front of them.
"Come on, let's dance." He said to Faith who immediately glared at him and turned him down by slapping his hands away as they reached for her, but the words triggered something inside Buffy.
She felt herself go rigid as Spike said those words to Faith. Despite hearing how Spike thought of Faith as a sister from her mother, hearing Spike say 'let's dance' to Faith brought a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Faith didn't move though. Obviously pissed off at him.
"Come on, let's dance." Spike said again reaching for Faith with one hand and his bottle of bear in the other, and Faith angrily batted his reaching hands away.
"Fuck you." Faith said.
Spike just stood up and very comically began to shimmy with his arms pumping side to side as he held the beer bottle in one hand and his cigarette dangled out of his mouth.
The comical dancing continued making both Joyce and Faith fight the smiles his normal antics brought out. Even Willow and Tara found the dancing comical. More comical then normal with the stupid looking sunglasses on.
Especially when Spike turned and shimmied his rear end at Faith.
Faith couldn't hide a laugh at that, nor could Joyce.
Giles just shook his head at his son and laughed as well. The obvious chip firing in his head worrying him immensely but seeing his antics felt secure that he was fine.
Then removing his cigarette from his mouth he shimmied without pumping his arms.
The song 'My Sharona' continued to play in the background and Spike placed the beer down and the cigarette back in his mouth.
He continued dancing but then began to remove his leather jacket making a show of it and then throwing it towards Joyce, causing both Faith and Joyce to laugh and stare at him as he 'danced'.
Knowing that he was getting laughs, even from the unwilling Buffy who was watching him trying to conceal a laugh Spike didn't stop.
Stepping back from the table and more into the crowd, he began to unbutton his burgundy shirt from the bottom up exposing his incredibly chiseled torso.
It was at this point that all of the women at the table looked on shocked as other women began to look and others in the club began to encourage the display with whistles and yells.
Spike took off his shirt and began to spin it above his head as everyone's eyes were focused on him.
Peals of laughter and women screaming was heard, encouraging Spike to continue on.
He tossed his shirt at Faith who cringed and laughed as she tossed it on to the table.
Everyone's mood completely shifted from just minutes ago as they watched the ridiculous strip tease that he was apparently doing.
He placed his hands on his hips and thrust forward a few times causing all the young women to stare down at his pants.
Someone yelled out, 'take it off.'
Spike turned his head and held his ear to the crowd to make sure it's what they wanted.
The group of young women closest to him immediately screamed the request.
"Take it off!"
Spike immediately turned and went up on the stage.
"Oh my God he's not…" Joyce began trying to contain her own laughter at the display.
"Oh God he is." Harris said as he shifted then, completely uncomfortable with what he knew was coming but still laughing nervously at the complete imbecile that Spike was showing himself to be.
"Lord help us." Giles said shaking his head at his son and despite himself laughed along with the others as Spike continued on with the charade.
Spike kept his back to the crowd and all of the women and shimmied his ass for everyone in the crowd as they all encouraged him as the band continued to play.
That's when the voice came back into Buffy's head.
He doesn't wear underwear.
The shock of hearing the words was nothing compared to the fact that Buffy immediately saw white flesh flash as Spike teased the crowd by slightly lowering his jeans up and down causing the women in the club to go completely crazy.
And then…all at once…he dropped trou.
All of the girls immediately went crazy as Faith and Joyce looked away covering the side of their faces so they didn't see anything and stared at each other laughing.
Willow blushed pure red and laughed, as did Tara who couldn't help but stare at the entirely nude man who had just changed her world.
Anya smiled widely as she watched Spike thrusting forward while remaining in one spot, flashing the band with his manliness.
Riley despite himself couldn't help but shake his head and try not to laugh.
Buffy though, her mind immediately had brought up images of all those dreams in her mind as she openly stared at Spike's flesh.
Her mind slamming with the many ways she knew exactly what he looked like before his pants hit the stage floor.
Hundreds of images flashed. The feel of those globes being held in her hands. Her fingers digging into them as he moved.
Her body suddenly throbbed as she remembered all the small details that the dreams provided about the way he fit so perfectly with her.
"HEY! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Faith suddenly jumped out her seat screaming as men began making their way towards the stage. Big men.
Buffy finally looked back at the man that Spike had hit and realized belatedly that the man was obviously an Initiative Soldier.
Immediately she was up, but not fast enough as her mother was already moving towards the stage.
Thanks to the scream from Faith and Spike's own hyper-awareness, he quickly bent down and pulled up his pants. But the Initiative soldiers were already on the stage.
"HEY! YOU LEAVE MY SON ALONE!" Joyce yelled out as she made her way to Spike, yanking him off the stage and next to her, not even caring how he almost fell on her. Only caring that the men trying to grab him stay away from Spike.
"He's just letting off some steam!" Someone yelled in the back at the men that were obviously about to take Spike 'out' of the club. Other's mumbling quite loudly.
Buffy was by her mother's side as well as Faith as they formed an instant barricade in front of the two without having stared at each other.
Riley was a little slow, but immediately understood that the situation was not a winning one for his men.
"Stand down." Riley said as subtly as he could to the men, who were still keeping their eyes trained on Spike.
"You leave my son alone! I don't care if this tumor in my head kills me, but you are not taking my son away from me!" Joyce Summer's stared daggers at the man not a foot away and five feet off the ground looking at Spike.
"MUM!" Spike immediately worried his little stint of trying to have fun back firing completely. Yet at the same time, a joy surging through him at the words coming out of Joyce's mouth.
Buffy too was beyond shocked as she whirled around and stared wide eyed at her mother, but one glance from her mother's eyes and she whirled back around again and stood vigilant against the men who had made a move to grab Spike.
"You heard her! Get lost!"
Spike whirled around and stared oddly at the person that was suddenly right beside him yelling at the soldiers as if he had all the authority in the world to do so.
Johnathan looked up at the men and stared daggers at the men.
"Ables, Holts. You grab your man down and take him back. You tell the General he's going to make sure Miss Summer's gets all of the medical attention she deserves as quickly as possible, to leave her son William alone and I'll have those designs for him by the end of the week." Johnathan said with a confidence that Spike would have sworn had ended the day before.
Spike gave a small grin as he looked over at the small man. Here was hoping that the residual effects of his spell gave them enough to double think their actions.
Slowly the men looked between Johnathan and Spike and slowly began to back away. Which oddly caused people to start cheering.
As soon as the two had their backs towards him Johnathan instantly deflated.
"Good on you mate." Spike whispered to Johnathan and then turned and stared daggers at a brassed off Joyce Summers.
"You're never going to do that again." Spike said even as Buffy turned staring daggers at him as well as Faith.
Didn't matter much what the two Slayers did to him. Joyce risking herself wasn't an option.
Then his face crumbled as he continued to stare at the angry woman before him, "Did you mean it?"
And the question made Joyce's glare instantly drop as she realized that for some reason Spike still didn't understand just how much he had become a part of her life.
"Of course I meant it William." Making a sound of displeasure she immediately moved and wrapped her arms around the bare chested man with not a shred of discomfort.
Spike closed his eyes as her scent permeated his being, his mind flashing back to those many years ago and tears instantly sprang into his eyes.
He had fucked up tonight. He had gotten too happy and forgot himself. Forgot how this wasn't a dream, how it wasn't a fantasy he was having. He was really back. This woman was still alive in front of him. And she basically had just told the world around them that he belonged to her.
He had never felt his unbeating heart swell so full of love for someone like it did for his own mother.
It was liberating.
Buffy just watched in complete horror and shock as Spike returned her mother's embrace and…he couldn't be…he couldn't be crying…
She didn't know if she could come to grips with the fact that Spike cared about his mother. To truly care that would mean…
Buffy stopped her train of thought and immediately that voice came back.
Spike thrives on love.
It didn't freak her out as much this time as she realized that in some weird way, she knew that was true.
She had heard it in his voice when speaking to Faith.
Joyce pulled back and kissed Spike on his forehead, the same way she had done to Buffy a million times.
"You do know that I'm buying you underwear the second I leave the house tomorrow don't you?" Joyce said against his forehead, causing just about everyone around them to laugh along with her as she pulled back and surrounded Spike's face with her hands.
His smiling face.
No malice, or even sexuality behind the face. And for some reason it caused Buffy's heart to stutter.
The only time she had ever seen his face look like that was during Willow's spell.
He had genuinely been happy then because of the spell, and that's how he was looking at her mother. With genuine happiness.
She shook her head as her mother moved to Johnathan and smiled as she placed a hand on his shoulder, and the look of sorrow that passed over Johnathan's face instantly let her know that Johnathan believed he was indeed the cause of her mother's suffering.
"I'm very sorry Miss Summer's." Johnathan whispered the words trying not to cry in front of the woman he had caused such harm to.
"Thank you Johnathan. For helping me tonight." Joyce said with another pat to Johnathan's shoulder. Johnathan nodded and was only barely able to keep himself from shedding any tears.
"Soldier boys sure know how to downgrade a party." Faith mumbled as she stared at everyone who was obviously staring at their small little group.
Spike slowly smiled as Faith had turned to him. "Oh the party just started pet."
Spike moved past Buffy and Faith and moved to talk to the person on the side of the black curtains surrounding the stage and quickly spoke with one of the guys who nodded his head a few times.
Spike knowing that it was his last shot for a happy memorable night quickly walked back to their tables and shocked everyone as he grabbed Willow's hand and said, "Come on Red."
Willow was too shocked to even protest as suddenly Spike pulled up out of her seat and towards the dance floor before the music even started to play and her eyes kept switching between Spike and back to Tara.
"Spike!" Willow finally managed but then Spike just smiled at her.
"Just dancing Red. Nothing more, just…follow me."
Then the sound of the music intro was finally heard and Willow's eyes bugged out of her head as she recognized the song, not knowing how in the good goddess Spike thought she could dance to this song with him.
"You can do it Red."
Spike then positioned them in the most sexually ridiculous close dance position that anyone would ever think Willow Rosenberg would ever be in. His hands holding one of her thighs and the other on her lower back as he fit himself between her legs. And he began to move with her in a way that spoke of a high intimacy which this Willow did not have with him, but something of either jealousy or Willow's determination made the girl move with him even with the small bit of fear he smelled on her.
Do you love me?
(I can really move)
Do you love me?
(I'm in the groove)
Now do you love me?
(Do you love me)
Xander and Buffy's eyes bugged out of their heads open mouthed as Willow basically grinded against Spike as they moved back and forth into each other.
"GO WILLS!" Faith screamed with her own delighted shocked face, grabbing Johnathan and beginning to dance with the startled boy.
Joyce moving to grab a startled Giles out of his chair, as Anya dragged a very disturbed Xander out of his and to the dance floor. Andrew jumping up to join the dancing as Tara stayed seated as she hid a small smirk at the way Spike had initiated to make Willow more at ease with him like he told her he would do. All the other people joining in on the dance floor.
Now that I can dance
(Dance)
Spike just smiled at Willow as she finally gave a small smile and she finally moved with him in a way that showed she had gained confidence of her body. Something he knew would take her many years to truly have.
Seeing her like this…young and truly unburdened with the futures horrors haunting her eyes…it made his soul burst with happiness. God how he missed this side of Willow.
He dipped her and moved her side to side as she imitated one of her favorite movies perfectly with the words.
Watch me now, hey
(Work, work)
Willow raising her head and smiling joyously at Spike who smiled back just as widely as he kept them dancing to the rhythm of the song.
Unfortunately as Riley looked back at Buffy ready to reach out his hand to dance with her, he saw the un-hidden look of jealousy on her face. Turning his head he looked to where her eyes were looking, and despite his initial thought that it would be at Faith, he was disturbed to see that it was directed towards Willow…and Spike.
The niggling feeling he had had when he had first seen Hostile 17 at Giles home returned with a vengeance as he looked back at Buffy whom had not noticed him looking at her.
Her eyes were focused on Spike and Willow alone.
Riley didn't move as he considered the situation before flying off the handle with theories, but God was it hard. The idea of someone as pure as Buffy being in anyway tainted by the impure…thing…it was beyond painful and disgusting for him to even think about.
"COME ON SOLDIER BOY! GRAB YOUR GIRL AND KEEP THE PARTY GOING!"
Spike yelling at him such a thing made him stare at him for a second before Spike turned his attention completely back on Willow, moving them in a completely provocative way that would have made him blush normally if it wasn't for the fact that he had just been told to dance with the only person he cared about at the moment. It was beyond awkward how the person he hated was the one telling him to do so.
When he turned back to Buffy the song was halfway through but her eyes were finally on him, a small blush tinting her features as she looked at him.
Buffy smiled sheepishly and took the hand he offered and began to dance uncomfortably with Riley.
Maybe it was because all he wanted to do was hold her closely to slow music, but he felt how out of sync they were in that moment. And it hurt much more then he could have ever thought.
Another song began and everyone began laughing and squealing with a few whistles thrown in as the theme continued.
I'm a love man
Call me the love man
Oh, baby I'm the love man
That's what they call me I'm a love man
Buffy looked over as Spike continued dancing with Willow, but the proximity of their bodies thankfully was nothing like before.
Then she watched with a laugh as her mother and Giles danced to the music, her mother leaning over and grabbing Spike as Giles moved to dance with Willow.
Buffy's fears of Spike put firmly on the back burner as she watched the two begin to dance together.
Spike bringing her close and dancing a much more timid version with her mother, but it was the way he was looking at her mother that made that ever present worry of Spike's intentions vanish.
Spike said a lot of things, she had learned when she first met him not to put much stock into what he said, but she could always read his face.
It had been why she had made the truce with him in the first place. She could read his face even when he was lying. For some reason, she understood him. And she hated him for that.
Spike moved from his mother to Faith who had practically been dry humping Johnathan on the dance floor and not to the total distraught of the small man.
The huge bout of jealousy she had once felt as he began to dance even seductively with Faith all but a twinge as she realized that Faith was truly laughing while they danced.
She had never really seen her laugh. It was…a sight to see. Her whole face lit up.
Finally Spike pulled back and relinquished her back to Johnathan.
Riley's hands were suddenly on her and she refocused herself on him and smiled up at the man who had been trying to get back in her good graces, and reached up and around his neck and moved her body to be against him as best she could with their height difference and they gazed at each other just having fun for the first time in a long time.
And she would have continued to have fun, if her eyes not a few seconds later just turned to make sure that everyone was safe and having fun within sight of her when she felt like she had been kicked in the stomach.
Spike had been just about to reach their table again and grabbed his shirt and placed it back on loosely and was about to grab Tara and bring her out to the dance floor when a woman that had been dancing on the dance floor spun and looked up at Spike with a huge smile and continued to dance right into his personal space.
Now Spike's instinct had naturally been to go around the girl when she turned and slid herself into a similar position that he had been dancing with Willow with.
Long Brown hair and beautiful brown eyes looked back at him. He hadn't even gotten a look at the girl's body as he felt her grind against him unashamedly matching the beat of the music.
Spike smiled and decided not to rock the boat again tonight and toss the chit on her ass as he had initially wanted to and danced with her. Gorgeous of a creature as she was, he was most definitely not trying to have a conquest.
Unlike Willow the woman in his hold was absolutely confident, and he had to smile back at her own smile as they moved as if they had danced a thousand times. Her body reacting to his as the music continued to play.
Of course Buffy's shock was seen by Riley as well as something he could only name as anger immediately filling her eyes and again Riley found himself staring in the direction her eyes were looking.
His spirit deflated as again…it was at Spike. And that's when he himself stiffened as he realized who exactly the other person was.
Pulling away from Buffy he immediately went towards the two just as the song was ending and both were in an incredibly erotic position.
"Stephanie! What are you doing here?" Riley asked in a tone that made the woman look up at him startled.
"Riley!" Stephanie said and then laughed as she pulled away from Spike. "What am I doing here? Shouldn't you be grading papers tonight?"
Riley glared at Spike and then looked back at Stephanie. "I finished my work earlier. I thought you were leaving town tonight."
By then Buffy had made her way over, crossing her arms she couldn't help but glare at Spike.
Spike for his part had absolutely no idea what the Slayer could be angry at him about. The whole thing with the Initiative blokes was handled. Not exceptionally well, but Mum had settled it with him.
"Um…I ah…I was but…" Stephanie's head and eyes turning to look at Spike and then back at Riley, "I came in to say goodbye to the girls before I left and ended up staying for the music."
Her eyes turned back to look at Spike and Spike knew that the woman was trying to be subtle as to why she had stayed. Obviously to try and shag him, but- the girl had absolutely no clue about his supernatural status.
Not with the way they had been intertwined just seconds before. And she most definitely was completely human.
Buffy looked the girl up and down, appraising the woman before her. Wavy brown hair. Pretty face. She obviously took care of herself. Flawless tanned complexion along with a bluish grey dress that was short and breezy showing off her legs all the way to just below her buttocks which were smaller than the breast the girl had as they were barely contained even with the rest of the dress seeming to be loose.
Buffy instantly hated her.
"And you were obviously just indulging in a quick snack before leaving." Buffy said as she glared at the woman from toes to head once more and then back at Spike.
Despite himself, Spike knew that smiling at her would only lead to Buffy punching him. A habit she had kept for several years. He remembered well. But something in him felt thrilled at the slight indication that she was in some way – perhaps - jealous. And even though he swore up and down that he wouldn't touch her in this lifetime, something in him felt a small thrill.
Only for a second though, because he knew it was not just impossible for that to be the case, but completely the opposite of the way Buffy had felt about him during this period of time. She despised him. The way it always should have been.
Stephanie showed her anger at the statement but immediately stopped what Buffy could feel was a rebuttal and looked back at Spike and seemed to think better of it and then looked back at Riley.
"I don't technically need to be at Berkley for another 2 months. I was just being anxious to check out the University." With that she gave Riley a huge smile, one he returned good naturedly.
"Umm…aren't you going to introduce me?" Stephanie asked motioning towards Buffy.
"Oh! Um…Buffy Summers…this is Stephanie Yates. Stephanie…my girlfriend Buffy." Riley said with a slight blush and then looked over at Spike and glared at him.
Spike didn't move a muscle. He wasn't stupid enough to risk getting soldier boy angry and ruining Joyce's chance of getting treatment. Besides, he knew Riley way too well and knew he would look for any excuse to keep him in line.
Took years to admit how the dolt had become one of the last friends he had on the planet. Those had been the worst years of his life. Watching the life slip away from the last of them.
"Girlfriend! Wow…nice catch there Riley!" Stephanie said with a little too much enthusiasm as she stole another glance at Spike. An almost imperceptible relief at the news.
Buffy's eyes narrowed as she looked at Stephanie.
No one moved even as another song continued to play and people danced around them.
Spike knew better than to even speak as he realized that this Stephanie girl was waiting to be invited to sit with them, which he knew would end up being a disaster.
Something about the girl made him leery as to her almost sudden appearance. He didn't remember her. She wasn't even a blimp on his radar. Apparently he had just changed something from the first time he had lived these days. He felt a sudden fissure of fear at the possibility.
"Would you like to join us?" Riley finally asked with a small smile. A smile that Stephanie returned with a large one of her own.
Riley extended his arm towards their tables and found Buffy glaring at him suddenly.
Spike waited for everyone else to move before he followed. His mood of happiness returning as soon as he saw the smiling faces and laughing of everyone else.
"Spike! Nice action out there B.T.!" Faith said with a nod at Stephanie, as Andrew pulled another chair towards the tables.
Stephanie as well as Buffy furrowed their brows at the use of the two letters.
"Um…thank you? But my name is Stephanie Yates." Stephanie moved to extend her hand and Faith put out her hand and smirked as she shook the girls perfectly manicured hand.
"Yeah, well I figured I'd have to nick name you Big Tits with the way you were crushed up against my brother. Name's Faith."
Buffy jerked her head and stared angrily at Faith who was smiling wickedly at the blush that covered Stephanie's face.
Spike who sat down next to his father and close to Joyce took a second to finally look at her figure and couldn't fault Faith.
He hadn't really had the opportunity to glance down while they danced. The stupid ponce of an Englishmen still in him had all but refused to take advantage of the complete stranger who had thrust herself onto him. Quite literally.
Buffy was seething at how everyone's eyes were now on Stephanie's figure. Her anger doubling when she saw that Spike was staring at Stephanie too.
"So Stephanie…are you from Sunnydale?" Joyce asked as the ice breaker question and then promptly gave a motherly glare at Faith for her words.
Faith stopped smiling and sat back in her chair and looked over at Spike when she caught the glare that Buffy was sending his way then looked at Stephanie with a clear look of jealousy on her face.
Damn B. Jealousy is definitely not a good color on you.
Faith knew that look from her own experience with Buffy. It was kind of refreshing to see it pointed at someone else. And more than confirmed that Spike had most definitely had not known everything about how Buffy felt about him.
Buffy was too focused between the interaction between Spike and Stephanie, not catching Faith's stare.
"No. I'm originally from New York." Stephanie's eyes going to Spike and staying there.
Buffy felt anger in the pit of her stomach and she hated herself for it. In no way should she care if…if Spike…if this Stephanie…she….she just shouldn't care!
But it didn't stop the instant want to slap the hell out of her for giving Spike a small smile.
"Stephanie was interning here last Summer. She's been accepted to interning at Berkley this year. Stephanie…this is Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara, Mrs. Summers, and Mr. Giles." Riley introduced who he could as the two new boys were unknown to him, and completely dismissing Spike from introductions.
"Nice to meet you all." Stephanie nodded and her eyes immediately went back to look at Spike.
"That's quite impressive there ducks. What you interning for?" Spike said immediately, and the way Stephanie's eyebrow went up made Spike suddenly weary.
"Linguistics. Dialect specialist. Which…is why I find you so fascinating." Stephanie said and then bit the corner of her bottom right lip as she stared at him.
Buffy felt her blood boiling at the open way this girl was ogling Spike in front of all of them.
"Oh?" Spike raised one of his eyebrows.
"Yes. I noticed the way you were speaking earlier and found it fascinating how you're trying to imitate a Cockney accent." Stephanie said with a raise of her eyebrow.
Fuck!
Spike just stared at Stephanie wanting to bash her pretty face in for outing him in front of everyone soo early in his time back.
"My ah…son…did not grow up with me Miss Yates. I'm afraid if you were comparing our speech patterns..." Giles tried to save his son from the obvious dissection of character when Stephanie spoke again.
"Oh! I'm sorry Mr. Giles," Stephanie laughed out the apology, "But it has nothing to do with your speech pattern. I do detect by your lithe and pronunciation…Camden? Though your RP shows you went to Oxford almost certainly."
Giles looked completely shocked for a second and Stephanie took that opportunity to focus her attention back on Spike.
"But your son was mispronouncing words the way a person with a typical Cockney accent would be pronouncing them. Which leads me to believe that it's a use to help his style of living and less where he lived. As a matter of fact I think he attended Oxford and Cambridge, but I'd say…Westminister is where he grew up…would I be correct?"
Spike just stared at Stephanie, truly impressed that she had figured out where he had lived just by hearing him speak. Tilting his head as he tended to do when he was considering someone with a smile forming his lips.
She returned the smile.
"It's a pity to know one can be so easily recognized by ones speech in this day and age."
Buffy felt her heart almost stop at the smooth way Spike suddenly spoke. A wave of arousal filled her as her body recognized it from some of her dreams.
Hot much?
I know, right?
Buffy's eyes widened at the response in her brain. She was officially going insane.
Willow and Xander looked at each other wide eyed and then back over at Spike.
Stephanie blew out a breathe and looked away and then back at Spike with a huge smile on her face.
"With that kind of smoothness you would think women would have thrown themselves at you without the Cockney accent." Stephanie was blushing as she looked at Spike.
Spike said nothing, just smiled back at the girl that seemed to only have eyes for him.
"Well my William just came out of a very long relationship." Joyce said as a way of trying to stop the wrecking ball of a girl that seemed determine to keep Spike zoned in on her.
Joyce was actually quite impressed by the girl, but another glance at her daughter confirmed what she had thought all those months ago when Spike had told her everything.
Joyce knew her daughter. And there was no way that her attraction to Spike happened all of a sudden. Buffy tended to deny things like her feelings until she couldn't any longer. Seeing the way Buffy seemed to be glaring at the girl spoke volumes to her 'mom brain.'
"Oh." Stephanie said and then stared at Willow and then back at Spike.
"No!" "Nononono." Both Willow and Spike both jumped at the implication.
Joyce almost laughed at the reaction as Spike had told her that he had come to view Willow as a sister later in life. How he had tried to 'save her from herself' and had failed. Whatever he had meant by that, it was hilarious to see how flustered the implication meant to Spike.
"No! Not that he's not like dreamy body and all.." Willow stopped her word vomit as she caught the look Buffy was giving her.
"No! I mean…not that I don't think she's attractive. I mean I found her attractive enough to go after her once to try but…" Spike stopped talking suddenly as he realized how it sounded. Sure enough when he turned his head to look at Willow her face was turning a deep red from embarrassment and she looked as if she had been caught.
But her eyes were on Buffy who looked like she was ready to yell at Willow, which was something he never thought he would ever see. Ever! Buffy did not yell at Willow, even after being pulled out of Heaven!
"Damn blondie! You tried to shack up with Willow?!" Faith said smiling and looking between the two who obviously had never mentioned this to the others as Xander looked like he was ready to explode.
"You tried to mack on Willow?" Xander got out of his mouth making Willow wince and Spike roll his eyes.
"No!" Spike almost yelled as Willow looked over at him suddenly almost offended.
"You tried twice." Willow said causing Tara this time to look at Willow with a furrowed brow.
"What?!" Buffy's question had a weight to it that made Willow's eyes bug out as she realized she had never told Buffy that little tidbit.
"You let me!" Spike tried to defend himself at trying to bite Willow more than once, but again it sounded WAY worse than him just trying to be a vampire.
"I was still trying to get over Oz!" Willow said with eyes that said 'I'm sorry' towards Buffy.
"So…you two have never been together?" Stephanie said with a smirk.
"No!" "NO!" Both said together.
"So you're both trying to get over someone?" Stephanie asked again as she once more looked intently at Spike.
Willow didn't say a word as she looked over at Tara. Tara gave her a small smile but said nothing.
"So to speak, yeah." Spike finally looked less panicked, until he saw the smile forming on the bird's mouth.
"So it's been a while since you've been single?" Stephanie asked again.
"You could say that." Spike's Cockney accent resurging at the feeling of misery he felt thinking about the last moment he saw Buffy. He relived it over and over in his mind. It haunted him.
Stephanie must have heard something in his voice. "I'm sorry."
Spike looked at her shocked for second at the sound of sympathy in her voice.
"Thank you." Spike said softly.
"It's hard getting back out there, especially after a very long relationship." Stephanie said a she gave a small smile.
Spike looked down and away as the vision of Buffy staring back at him in those last moments would forever be ingrained in his mind.
"Don't think I'll know how." Spike said and grabbed the bottle of beer on the table and took a swig of it.
"Well…I might be able to help with that. I mean…I don't really have anything to do tomorrow. It could be like a toe in the water." Stephanie said making Spike jerk his head up towards her.
"What?" Spike said truly shocked at the turn of conversation.
"Say…seven o'clock? Here? It's a date?"
"Date?" Spike asked in confusion as he realized she had managed to distract him with the whole Willow bit to get what she had been wanting from him. But…a date?!
Buffy felt a rage enter her as she realized that Stephanie had just asked Spike out on a date in front of her. It didn't matter that it was irrational for her to hate this girl at all. But for some reason Buffy couldn't stand her! Let alone how she had not been able to tear her eyes away from Spike the entire time she was sitting with them.
With that Stephanie stood up and turned to the rest of the group with a bright white smile on her face. "It was really nice meeting all of you. See you Riley!"
With that she nodded her head at them and left.
Riley, Xander, and Johnathan turned and looked at Spike with eyes that read 'How the hell do you do it?'
"Well looks like you have a date tomorrow night! Patrol's on me." Faith said with a smile as she looked at the still shocked Spike.
"Date?!" Spike said again as a sudden fear enveloped him.
"You sound like it's your first one." Andrew laughed and stopped at the look on Spike's face. Suddenly everyone at the table became quiet as Spike looked at him as if he hit the nail on the head
"I couldn't get a date my entire high school life, and evil dead here gets one of the hottest girls I've seen to ask HIM out." Xander said annoyed and immediately looked apologetically as Anya glared at him.
"William it isn't your first date ever with a…human girl…is it?" Joyce asked softly with a hand going to rest on his shoulder at seeing the look of distress on his face that she had not seen before.
Buffy felt indignation suddenly surge through her.
Like hell it is!
The voice came again, sounding angry and hurt. Buffy's eyes became huge and round as she realized that it most definitely was not her feelings that were coursing through her.
She wanted to jump up and get out of there, afraid that she would start screaming. But the fact that Xander hadn't even protested that a human was trying to date a vampire made even her own feelings start to go a bit on overdrive.
"No way. Bleach brain could not be having his first date tomorrow! I'm takin' pictures!" Faith said with a laugh. The smile from laughing sliding off her face as she looked at him and saw the seriously fearful look he had in his eyes.
Holy crap it really is his first date ever. Faith thought as she looked back at the man that had become her family.
"Well…I mean…she seemed very nice." Tara said softly and gave Spike a small smile.
"She seems very attractive and can probably give you a number of satisfying orgasms."
Everyone looked at Anya.
"Well she couldn't stop looking at Spike, which means she's physically attracted to him and will probably want sexual gratification…" Anya began to explain as everyone had looked at her when Xander said "OK! Let's not talk about dead boys more than likely awkward first date ever's sexual anything Ahn."
It did effectively cut off Anya's verbal barrage of sex talk which made everyone uncomfortable.
It also didn't stop Buffy's inner turmoil at the idea that Spike was going on a date!
Riley's eyes were on Buffy and he could see that she was just staring at Spike. And weirdly, Spike was now staring at him.
Riley was about to say something when Spike's eyes turned and looked at Faith for a second, and then back at him.
Riley stiffened as he realized that things were about to become uncomfortable.
"Blink…I think you need to start to do what we talked about earlier." Spike said softly with a look across at Faith. He needed to refocus himself. No more distractions for the night.
Faith instantly stiffened and looked at Spike and then at Buffy.
Buffy looked between the two and was finally out of her own head enough to see that Faith was suddenly very uncomfortable.
"Go on then…" Spike said with a raised brow and jerking of his head towards Buffy.
Faith's mood instantly changed as she looked between Buffy and Riley, and then at the others in their group.
Joyce suddenly understood what she was about to do and leaned over and rubbed Faith's arm. "It's ok sweetheart."
Faith swallowed as she looked from Joyce back at Buffy.
"I'm sorry B." Faith said softly, even as the music continued to play it was heard by the blonde Slayer.
Buffy was stunned for a few seconds. Then looking from Faith to Riley she said. "I know."
Riley felt extremely uncomfortable as he looked at Faith who was suddenly looking at him.
"I'm sorry I tricked you. I'm sorry…I'm sorry you thought you were saying the words to her…and it was me. I'm sorry I freaked out after you said them. It…" Faith stopped as the shame she buried deep suddenly clogged her throat, "It was hearing those words while…"
Faith stopped herself as she realized she was really doing this, and in front of everyone. But Spike told her he would be there, and that if anyone said anything he would rip out their spine. And she believed him.
Riley suddenly panicked as he realized exactly what Faith was talking about.
"I had to believe that…doing that meant nothing. That it didn't mean anything at all…because that's what my mom made me believe." Faith paused as she looked down and fiddled with her hands.
"What her boyfriends made me believe." Faith admitted and continued to keep her head down as she let those around her know her secret.
Buffy felt her spine suddenly stiffen as what Faith said finally filtered into her brain. She immediately turned startled eyes to her mother who was staring with tear filled eyes at Faith.
Buffy's mind finally went…No..she doesn't mean…she doesn't mean…
Xander, Johnathan, Andrew, and Riley immediately felt they had been kicked in the balls as they immediately understood what Faith was trying to say.
Giles was grinding his teeth as he relistened to what Faith had already told him. His alter ego wanting to smash the entire bar around them as his anger bubbled almost to the surface as he thought of the ingrates who had touched Faith.
Anya was suddenly paying attention at the last sentence left Faith's mouth. Her eyes staring at Faith as she avoided everyones eyes and continued to look down as something in the back of Anya's mind suddenly making it to the front.
Years ago…a small girl…huddled in a closet. Pain. But to her demon…not enough.
Anya suddenly felt something she had yet to feel in her mortal body. Remorse.
"Mom loved her drugs more than she loved me and…when she didn't have money for it…" Faith let the sentence hang in the air.
Tara felt herself staring at Faith, a person she didn't know but somehow understood just how much pain she must have been in. Keeping these secrets inside. She knew what that felt like. Imagining keeping these kind of secrets…Tara found herself compelled almost at the same time as Anya.
Both were suddenly moving towards Faith and Faith was shocked for a few seconds when she felt both women hugging her.
Faith couldn't stop the sudden wash of pain that consumed her and the tears came without warning.
Buffy's eyes moved to Spike, horror written in her features as she looked at him almost wanting him to deny what Faith was saying.
And she saw the anger in his face, the way his cheeks stood out when he was trying to keep his demon in check…and she knew. In that second she knew that not only was Faith telling the truth…but Spike had been the one to know before any of them.
Spike looked up straight into her eyes then. It didn't matter that in this life they had never touched as lovers, it didn't matter that Buffy had absolutely no reason to trust Spike. In that look she understood what he was trying to keep from saying.
She needs me.
The voice that had been speaking to her all night said as she understood that's what Spike was saying to her with a look.
Not waiting a second more Buffy stood up and made her way over to Faith and engulfed her arms around her and closed her eyes as she let her eyes fill with tears.
Anya and Tara moved away as they suddenly felt the strength of the Slayers embrace and moved as Faith was suddenly squeezing Buffy back with equal strength as she suddenly started crying her heart out.
"I'm soo sorry B!" Faith's strained crying voice said as she kept her head buried against Buffy.
Buffy just shook her head against Faith. In that moment Faith didn't need to apologize to her. As messed up as Faith had been to do what she did, Buffy remembered the beating in the church too well to not understand that Faith hated herself. That she had wanted to hurt herself more than she had wanted to hurt her.
Riley felt sick. The idea that Faith had felt that way while he had...
He couldn't even think with how angry he was that someone would to that to their own daughter, and knew without a shadow of doubt that if he knew the names of those that had touched Faith like that…he would take Spike's chips out and let him have his merry way with them.
Getting up he knew he needed to settle his anger down before he spoke. As violated as Buffy had felt, he suddenly felt like he had violated Faith in a way that he never expected.
Spike followed Riley to the bar not really sure what he was going to say to the big oaf, but knowing Riley the way he did, he knew he needed someone to just bounce words off of. It wasn't in his nature to shut himself off until he felt he had been pushed away.
He knew from experience. The idiot was still a kid. Eventually…with time…he would become a man. A man with a wife, and not soon after children.
Following him in that moment he remembered the last moment he had seen him.
He had managed to grow old. White haired and wrinkled.
Sam, his wife, had died a few months before. It had taken years to get on her good side, but he had managed eventually. He cried the day she died.
Finn's kids had grown up with him being in the background. They knew what he was…and what he was capable of. They had become grandparents by then themselves. The Finn's had become quite the brood. After retiring from the Military…unofficially that is…Riley had moved his family back to Huxley, Iowa. They continued the traditions of holding the Thanksgiving feasts and walking down to the river with their three dogs, just as his grandparents had done.
But he had been there the day Riley Finn drew his last breathe. He had held his hand, joked about wanting to kill his vampire 'butt' even at the age of 89.
Spike watched him go as he held his once enemy's hand. One of the last links to the past that he had had.
And he had promised him, promised to watch over his own. Spike had accept the burden immediately, almost without thought.
Years passed, then decades, then centuries.
He watched the two 'nephews' and one 'niece' become grandparents and then the next generation, and the next, and the next. He stayed in the shadows well before the 6th generation was born. Never seen, but always watching. He had kept his promise. He had watched them until their numbers were scattered over the world. But he had still kept it.
And now the patriarch was once more here, alive, and in front of him. And he couldn't hate him even a little. As much as he had made his life hell, as annoying as he had been…he had always been on Buffy's side.
And he had made sure in the end to be one her side, even after she was gone.
He was family.
And the demon inside him had wanted to paint the world red when he died. It had wanted destruction as his soul had felt sorrow of losing one of the last of them.
"Oi Cornfed!" Still, had to keep up appearances didn't he.
"Not now Spike." Riley dismissed the insult and kept moving towards the bar.
"Hey…you didn't do anything wrong." Spike said as he followed the big oaf and stood next to him at the bar.
Riley looked over at Spike in what could only be described as an incredulous look on his Norwegian descent face.
"If you don't think what happened was anything wrong…" Riley started but Spike rolled his eyes and shook his head closing said eyes as second before opening them and looking at Riley.
"That's not what I said you dolt! I said you didn't do anything wrong. Faith obviously didn't think she could ever have that feeling. You made her see it was possible…" Spike stopped and watched as Riley looked away in embarrassment and shame.
"If I ever find out who touched her…" Riley said as he finally received the beer he had motioned to the bartender for, and took a swig.
"You wouldn't find a drop of blood in them because I'd have gotten to the bastards before you even knew where they were. And you'd just have them arrested…" Spike stopped when Riley slammed down the bottle and turned and looked at him with anger that he hadn't seen in so long he had forgotten the boy had it in him.
"No. I wouldn't."
Spike just looked at him, and knew he wasn't lying. He gave a small nod.
"What are you doing here Spike. What's your angle in all of this? Because I haven't known you long, but I know a…thing…like you…" Riley looked at him with mild disgust showing on his face, "only does things for their benefit."
Spike had thought he had prepared himself for everything. He really thought he had.
But the sting of those words…it made him realize he couldn't keep to his original plan.
He hadn't planned on telling Riley until well after Oz was going to be on the scene…but he couldn't deal with Finn already hating his guts. It had taken months and siding with Adam the last time to make Finn truly hate him.
Now it seemed that all this time it had really just been his presence. And still the words reverberated in his mind.
A thing like you…
Riley saw the glossy eyed look in Spike's eyes and the look of a man that seemed to have pulled himself back from some internal struggle.
"I can't do this again." Spike said softly.
Riley looked confused a second.
"I knew I'd eventually have to tell you like I did Tara tonight…just…you always were one to bugger up my plans you know. Just…" Spike paused, trying to reason with himself that Riley would still have his choice.
Even if he chose Buffy this time, Spike had to make sure that Riley knew that the life he chose would be by his doing, and not a decision that Spike would make.
Maybe, maybe this time Riley would choose Buffy and she would have the person she needed by her side. Everything about him the opposite of Angel. And God help him he could live with that. He honestly could. He could live with it if that's what Buffy needed.
Spike slowly swallowed as Finn looked ready to move away from him at his babbling, and that's when the speech he had prepared over years of preparation suddenly sprang out of his mouth.
"They named you Riley because your mother Janice thought you were going to be a girl. Your father Kenneth still named you it because even after 12 years of marriage…he couldn't deny her anything. Even if he won the bet to name the boys."
Riley felt his body stiffen at the incredibly intimate knowledge.
"Your older brother Simon and you went to West Ballard Elementary school. By the time you went to Ballard High your best mates Chad and Marc were star athletes…and you…you thought the only way out of that town was sports or the military. And Simon was more athletic then you…and he still couldn't make all-state." Spike continued watching Riley's mouth begin to hang open the more he said.
"Your favorite spot is by the lake where your grand-da Robert…Bob…use to take you fishing every Sunday after going to church. And you'll do the same with your own someday…if you still choose it. I know for certain they'll make fun of how you do the same boring jokes that your grandfather told you because…I watched you do it. I watched that stupid face of yours grow old and the sprogs were first born." Spike said as Riley's face had finally turned pale.
Riley was barely breathing as his mind raced as he stared at Spike, trying to work out if he was saying what he was almost positive he was saying. But…for that to be possible…
"You were my friend Rye. You are my friend…despite you wanting to end me good and proper." Spike stared at him with obvious pain in his eyes.
" You're part of my family, just as much as all of the people back at that table, not knowing that I'd wait a thousand years just to come back and try and change it all. To try and make sure the girl you wanted to say 'I love you" to last night lives an entire life along with all of the others who mean the world to her. And I know you love her. Enough to understand that a thing like me that should simply not exist would risk telling the one person in the world that could truly end him…" Spike paused as he tried to control his emotions.
" that the reason I'm even telling you this is because no one would ever think that you could look at a creature like me and ever think you could be helping me. Because…"
Spike raised and lowered his shoulders, "You're Riley Finn. You're wholesome and good…and you'd never debase yourself by helping out evil, no matter what the Military would order you to do. That's just not who you are."
Riley felt like he was about to throw up.
There was no way that Spike could know about his brother, let alone his parents' names. With everything else Spike was saying he knew by just the use of his nickname that Spike wasn't lying about what he had said…and what he was implying.
"You're from the future…" Riley said almost sounding like a question, but was just trying to state what his mind had concluded.
Spike just looked at him and slowly nodded his head.
"Hey…are you ok?" Buffy asked as she finally made it over to Riley as Giles and her mother had suggested that they take Faith back home. It was only then she had noticed that Riley had left. She had felt Spike move more than see it as she had become more aware of his presence lately then she had in the last few years. The something inside her immediately noticing a feeling that read 'Spike' in her very core.
It also didn't help that when she finally did see Riley, he looked like he had seen a ghost.
Spike kept his eyes on Finn, knowing that in that moment Riley could destroy every plan that he had by telling Buffy what he had just said, but the way he was looking back at him showed that he actually believed him.
"I'm just…trying to process everything." Riley finally said as he finally looked at Buffy.
"I understand." Buffy said with a wince, not knowing that he wasn't referring to Faith, but Spike.
Spike felt some of the tension leave his body and watched as Finn expertly put Buffy's mind at ease. Something that he had never been able to do, Finn managed in just a few seconds.
"I'll be right over." Finn said and gave Buffy a small smile.
Buffy returned the smile and with just a little bouncing managed to gain enough courage to peck a kiss to his lips and immediately felt awkward as her head turned and saw Spike watching them both. As odd of a sensation it was to feel anything towards Spike, it was an entirely different feeling that settled in the pit of her stomach when Spike made absolutely no snide comments or rude innuendo's towards them.
"Buffy."
All three turned as Giles approached the trio.
"I feel a bit unnerved taking Faith back home while Willow and Tara are left to walk back to the college…" Giles began fully trying to get some time with William to speak about the events of that night when the damn stubborn vampire immediately stood up.
"I can take the birds back to campus. Not like I could hurt either of them." Spike said looking over at Buffy and giving her a pointed look towards Riley.
Riley felt something in the pit of his stomach at the easy silent communication that Spike seemed to have with Buffy.
"Sides…soldier boy here wants me to report with him before taking mum to into the lab tomorrow to talk with those medical types." Spike easily said as he began to make his way over to the table.
It was like Buffy's thoughts earlier.
Weird and emotional roller coaster most definitely. The instant jealousy she felt at the idea of Spike being around Willow after their provocative dancing not settling down even after everything that had happened.
Besides! When did Spike become their guard dog?
When was her life ever going to hit a trek of normal-ly gravel?
Buffy watched Spike go and found herself becoming angry as the women left at the Bronze stare at Spike as he moved through the place towards Willow and Tara.
When Buffy turned her eyes to look at Riley, she caught that he had been staring at her.
"Maybe we should follow them. I don't know why Spike is trying to act all protective boyfriend with Willow…but it's wigsome." Buffy said to Riley, who seemed to be looking at her like he had seen something that he hadn't expected.
And he had.
His mind had replayed what Spike had said and suddenly without a shadow of doubt knew that Spike was implying that Buffy was the reason he was there trying to change things.
All night he had seen the looks she had been giving Spike. Hoping that he had been wrong about the way Buffy was looking at Spike. Now with what he had just heard, he knew in his heart he had been right.
"Well he had been speaking with your mother lately about all of the patrolling he and Faith have been doing. She was the one that asked me if you and Riley would make sure they arrived safely with all that has been going on." Giles said as he turned back from watching William leave with the girls as he stayed near Buffy.
"Giles…you and me need to have a conversation about not telling me about Faith." Buffy said firmly and with authority.
Giles winced and nodded his head as he looked down. "I know. I won't lie Buffy. I made the decision out of fear that Faith needed someone that could understand her more than you needed assurances that she would behave."
Buffy felt herself becoming stiff at the implication that he knew what he had done was wrong but did it anyway.
"But Spike managed to make her talk to me about what had happened to her…and I couldn't walk away." Giles said as he looked at her with an expression that says 'Can you walk away from her now?'
Buffy swallowed as an image of Faith as a little girl entered her mind, and the idea of her being touched…
Buffy shook her head. No…she didn't think she could have walked away either.
"It doesn't mean you shouldn't have told me." Buffy said but suddenly the commotion at their table made her jerk her head to see what was going on.
"I don't want to go! We can stay!" Faith basically yelled out into Spike's face.
"Bloody hell! Fine!" Spike said whipping out a chair causing a banging and then sat down roughly onto it staring up at a still pissed off and standing Faith.
Tara and Willow sat back down as well, both unwilling to leave after hearing Faith's worry that she had destroyed the night.
"Hey Fangbreathe! I suggest not yelling at the girl that can dust you any time she wants!" Xander said as Buffy, Riley, and Giles came towards the table.
Faith whirled and glared at Xander. "He's the last vampire in the world I would ever stake! And if you want to keep all of your digits you keep out of staking distance from him!"
"Faith!" Spike yelled causing their attentions back on the bleached headed man.
"Apologize to him." Spike said with a glare that spoke volumes.
"But…" Faith was about to protest.
"Apologize…to him." Spike said with more intent.
Faith suddenly understood what he meant and felt herself reel back in her anger.
Riley watched fascinated that he saw Faith stick her hands in her back pockets and almost sink into herself.
"I'm sorry Xander." Faith said softly.
"It's ok." Xander tried to brush off the fake apology when her head swirled and looked at him.
"No. I mean…I'm sorry…" Faith said the words in such a way that Xander understood that the apology wasn't for her warning, but for the way she had treated him after they had been intimate.
Xander lowered his head and swallowed and looked back up at Faith. He understood now it had nothing to do with him back then. And he understood it even more after what she had confessed to them.
"Thanks." Xander said softly in return.
Faith's stance loosened, the tension in her draining some.
"Xander's mine now." Came Anya's quip as she felt threatened by the darker Slayer. "I feel sorry for you but I won't lend you Xander."
Spike couldn't help but smile. He had missed her candor all these years.
Xander smiled and squeezed Anya to his side as Faith just smiled and nodded, "Don't worry doll face...he's all yours."
Anya smiled and nodded happily as she turned and kissed Xander.
Harris then turned and shook his head at Spike, "Still have no idea why a girl like that would be interested in a guy like you!"
Spike raised one eyebrow and smiled. "Think she got a look at my naughty bits Harris. Woman seems to know what she wants."
"There's really no accounting for taste." Xander said shaking his head.
It was interesting he fact that Xander wasn't so much protesting him going out on a date with a human, as he always pointed out that he was evil. It was interesting to not hear the argument. Which honestly he never could have imagined. He had never considered how Harris could have been ok with him being with someone...as long as it wasn't Buffy, Willow, or Anya. Maybe that was the key to actually getting closer to Xander. Maybe Xander would feel better if he wasn't a threat to him.
Staring at him like this, with two eyes and not the least bit weighed down by double guessing himself, he looked at a man that he would be like a brother to him.
The overwhelming need to be close to him like he had been in the future making him realize that the Stephanie girl might be a great way to help him achieve a sort of camaraderie with Xander. No messing about with Anya or Buffy this time.
Especially since the Little Bit was going to marry the man again.
His heart felt like it seized as his mind traveled back to the last moment he was seen the man in front of him alive and felt the soul in him shudder. It wouldn't happen this time.
This time if Dawn and he married and had little Joyce, Max, and Brian he would make sure that what happened before would never even be able to happen again.
Spike felt his hand crush the cigarette's in his pocket as he decided to actually try and date this Stephanie girl.
"Says the man who thinks Stan Lee is more important than Jack Kirby?! Please! I at least think DC is better than Marvel!" Spike said with a sniff and took a pull from his beer and looked away fighting the smirk on his face as both Johnathan and Andrew groaned and covered their mouths as they looked at Xander as if they mortified for him.
"Hey! I...do not think Marvel is better!" Xander immediately defended himself and then jerked his head as he realized that Spike knew about comics and that the information somehow disturbed him.
"It's just...full of different characters. If they got their act together and pulled a good movie like Superman one and two then I think there'd be an actual competition." Xander said as he drank some soda.
Spike smiled. If only Xander knew how accurate that was. "Now Superman one was a great comedy."
Xander looked over with a furrowed brow at Johnathan and Andrew who looked just as perplexed as he was.
"Um...Spike. Superman one is not a comedy!" Xander said with one eyebrow raised in his usal manner when trying to state an obvious thing.
Spike just smiled. "Yes it bloody well is!"
By this time Riley, Buffy and Giles had retaken the seats they had once had.
"No! It's not!" Xander argued.
Spike leaned over the table and raised a finger. "If I can say one word! One word and guarantee to make you laugh, not only do you have to admit I'm right, but you owe me one favor to be paid back whenever I say!" Spike turned the hand with the raised finger into a hand extended. "Bet?!" One raised brow as he did.
Xander looked at Spike's hand, then at Johnathan and Andrew. They obviously understood the insult that Spike had served up. And they looked as confused as he was.
Looking back at Spike he then glanced at Buffy who shrugged her shoulders not understanding a thing that was being said.
Xander looked back at Spike and extended his hand, shaking it. "Bet."
Spike smiled evilly and leaned back in his chair.
"You're not going to make me laugh Bleach boy." Xander said and was about to take a drink of his soda.
Spike timed it perfectly, waiting as he himself took a swig of beer and then while Xander was still drinking quickly said one word.
"Otisburg?!"
Xander, Johanthan, and Andrew spit out their drinks not able to contain the laugh that came out spewing out of them as all of them had been drinking.
Spike couldn't contain the wicked smile as he looked at Xander who had one pissed off Anya next to him.
"Xander! You said you weren't going to laugh!"
"Otisburg?!" Spike continued making the three continue laughing as that moment in the movie when the word was repeated once more.
"Oh gee Mr. Luthor! I guess my arm wasn't long enough see." Spike continued, "Otis! Would you like to see a long arm? Otis! Would you like to see a really long arm?!"
"Awww nawww Mr. Luthor!" All four of them said at the same time and even Spike burst out laughing and rolled to the side as he remembered when Xander and he had discovered just how funny the movie had been after years of not having seen it.
"Stop! Please God stop!" Xander laughed inbetween pleas as it had become hard to breathe with all the laughing as Spike had continued to prove that Superman had indeed been a comedy.
Buffy smiled as everyone else suddenly was smiling holding back their own laugh at the burst of humor by the four men.
The peals of laughter continuing for some bit before Xander finally said. "How did I forget about Otis?"
"Not your fault mate." Spike laughed out. " lackey's tend to be forgettable." Spike shrugged, then took another pull of his drink.
Spike smiled as he started quoting more from the movie causing more laughter, and sometimes by more than just the four of them as the others listened in.
Spike led the laughing fits with his own bursts feeling like he was home for the first time in the centuries that he had been away from this group of people.
Buffy just stared at Spike most of the night, not understanding why she felt content just to watch him be happy. Something deep inside her feeling more at ease then she had ever been as she watched his eyes light up in a way she had never seen before.
But Riley saw all of it.
Though Buffy would occasionally look at him and share a look and laugh with him, she didn't realize just how much her eyes were glued to Spike.
And something in Riley knew then, knew in that moment that though he loved her...she wasn't destined to be his.
Despite Spike's vagueness, the look that Buffy had when she looked at Spike as he continued to entertain their group spoke volumes.
Buffy just...seemed soo happy.
And the simple fact is because...she was. Yet her reasoning was completely oblivious as to the real reason.
She thought it was that seeing everyone smiling and laughing and all together made her happy. No big bad's, no emergencies, everyone she cared about in the room with her having a good time.
She didn't notice how most of the night her eyes were glued to Spike. She didn't notice the way she watched him laugh with her mother or even Giles. Even sharing a laugh with Tara and Willow.
Buffy Summers didn't know the only reason she felt that way was sitting across from her and not beside her.
And unfortunately, she was going to realize it in the worst possible way she could ever hope to learn that fact.
Chapter End Notes:
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