It had been Joyce to announce that she was tired and should really head to bed. She, after all, had an appointment with the doctor in the morning.
After that Spike along with his father stood as Joyce stood. Riley and the others just stared at the two men, as Joyce smiled.
"Such gentlemen. I could get use to this." Joyce said with a smirk and a wink at Buffy, who couldn't help but suppress a laugh of her own.
Giles of course blushed and Spike just rolled his eyes.
"I was going to make sure you got to the car safely." Spike insisted as he realized that everyone was looking at him strangely.
"Sure you were sweetheart! So thoughtful considering Rupert drove me here." Joyce smothered her smile but gave in as she looked at William.
William took a second but then adjusted his stance and gave a wicked grin.
"Then it's a miracle you made it here in that piece of tin!"
"Oh hush up! It's a new car!" Giles said as he shoved his hands in his pockets and gave Spike an annoyed look. After all Spike had crashed his old car. He had a new sporty red car which William continually made fun of. Of all the blasted things, midlife crisis.
Spike rolled his eyes at his father.
"Well then I'll just see that Red and Glinda make it back to campus." Spike said and everyone looked oddly at him.
"What?!" He said as he had already agreed to do so earlier and no one had a problem with it.
"The…um…nickname. It's re-really kind of you to see me like that." Tara said shyly with a little smile at the end.
Spike just gave her a cooked grin. "If the shoe fits luv."
"Ohhhhhh, I see what you did there! Good pun! Four stars." Xander raising his soda at Spike and then taking a drink with a giddy smile on his face as the amount of humor had been going on for hours.
"Speaking of night…I think I'm gonna go do a patrol around the cemeteries." Faith said to Spike more than the others as she stood up, Riley oddly standing at the same time.
"Do you need any help?" Riley asked as Buffy looked up between the two with shock.
Faith obviously stared for a second at Riley, then at Buffy who looked as confused as she felt, and then to Buffy's amazement at Spike.
"Soldier boy is good help. I can check in after I leave the birds at the dorm." Spike said to Faith.
Faith looked at Buffy, who for a few seconds looked at her and then finally gave a small nod.
Faith then looked at Riley, "If you can handle it."
Riley gave a small smile. "Consider it done."
Faith nodded and then began to move towards the exit.
Riley looked down at a still seated Buffy. "Are you staying at the dorm tonight? I can swing by afterwards."
Buffy shook her head. "I'll be at home with mom. Kind of…feel super protecto mode right now."
Riley just smiled at her joke. "Understandable."
With a heavy heart he leaned down and gave her a small kiss.
Buffy felt herself blush slightly as Spike again watched them and didn't even flinch.
"Xander lets go home and have sex." Anya said with a contemplative look on her face which contradicted the words she said.
"Uhhh…" Xander honestly didn't know how to respond with the group of people there.
"Give him hell Anyanka." Spike said with a shit eating grin.
Anya looked up at Spike saying her full demon name and smiled and nodded her head enthusiastically.
"Nono! Let's not give me hell…" Xander began to protest as Anya began to yank him up and out of The Bronze.
"Johnathan, Andrew. Make sure you two stop by Willow's tomorrow to talk shop. Security cameras and the sort." Spike said as he began to move along with Willow and Tara who had finally gotten up.
"Ok. Is it ok if I bring my own laptop? I just got the new Windows 2000…" Johnathan started and Willow's eyes almost bugged out of her head as she twirled around and looked at Johnathan.
"Oh,oh, oh! I haven't had the chance to look at it yet…" Willow said with enthusiasm.
"Well then I'll bring it." Johnathan said with a smile which Willow returned with a little bouncing nod.
"I got the new Playstation 2." Andrew said making Xander stop being pulled by Anya and immediately rushed back towards the tables.
"That's impossible. It doesn't come out until October." Xander immediately said.
Andrew's eyes suddenly bloomed with joy. "My uncle lives in Japan working for them. He sent me it as soon as he could along with some prototype games."
"Why don't you bring it by Buffy's tomorrow Andrew. I'll get a new telly and the four of us could have a grand old time." Spike said making everyone again stop and stare at him.
Now everyone was just being ridiculous. "What?!"
"You…play video games?!" Xander asked with such skepticism that everyone glanced over the part of him bringing a 'telly.'
It would have been awkward to tell him that after his hands had been chopped off it had become a habit to keep his dexterity in his hands. So he immediately told a half truth with an eyeroll.
"I get bored easily. Helps pass the time." He grumbled the last bit and with that the three other men nodded as they believed the half-truth as they understood all too well that feeling.
Just as Spike was about to turn back towards Tara and Willow a girl was suddenly in front of him.
"Hey there. Saw you dancing earlier and am a big fan of your music." The girl said with cherry red lipstick, blonde long hair, and tits that were basically pushed up to his face.
"Uhhh…" Spike was slightly speechless as the girl shoved a piece of paper into his slightly open hand.
"In case it doesn't work out with my friend Stephanie. Come see me for a good time." With that the girl winked and turned when another girl with long black hair, bright blue eyes, and legs that seemed to never end did the same then both girls continued to turn and gave flirty stares backwards as they walked away.
Of course…he was bewildered. He knew he was a good looking bloke, but he had never gotten reactions like this before. Then again he'd always kept to the shadows of places. Choosing when to be seen and boldly at that. It was a bit of an ego boost for sure.
"HOW!?" Xander basically yelled as he and just about every other male watched the two women sashay away. Johnathan almost drooling as he watched the girls walk away.
Giles oddly felt a sense of pride he couldn't quite fully understand and just barely kept himself from smiling, which Joyce caught despite his best efforts.
Buffy was fuming. Her body felt like she had been ready to pounce at the girls that had been in her class all year long and had not said two words to her, but now were macking on her man.
Buffy's eyes almost bulged out of her head.
No!No! Not her man! Most definitely not her man! Absolute not! She was not…
He was not…
When Faith started laughing as the girls walked by her she looked back and saw the absolute rage in Buffy's face and her laugh and smile dropped off her face.
B was most definitely feeling something towards any woman showing interest in Spike. Faith's eyebrows furrowed.
Buffy didn't feel that about her did she?
She thought it was obvious that though she could admit that Spike was …hot…now the thought was kind of nasty to her. He was…her brother. The only guy not wanting to get in her pants and still proved he loved her without a shadow of doubt.
Buffy didn't see her as a threat because of Spike…did she?
After tonight she wasn't going to hold anything back from Buffy. It had felt like she had finally allowed Buffy to see her. The real her. And by some weird miracle Buffy had accepted her.
And if that was the case…Faith was going to make sure that Buffy knew that Spike was absolutely off the…ewww…hottie list.
With that she turned and saw Riley looking back as well, and for a second she saw the pain in his face, and somehow knew whatever the Captain America wannabe wanted to say to her…it was definitely going to involve Buffy AND Spike.
Joy.
Riley also saw the look on Buffy's face and the shock on Spike's. Torn between his own pain and hurt…he had to admit in a tiny corner of his brain that it was funny the expression on Spike's face.
Turning back to look at Faith he swallowed. As much as she had violated him, he could see now that she was an extremely guarded person.
And he couldn't blame her. Not one bit.
He nodded at her and together they made their way through the door out of the club.
It was Tara that with a small smile walked over to Spike to bring his gaping mouth up to close it for him and then turned back around and joined arms with Willow who was looking as shocked as Spike and spun them both to make their way out.
Spike finally shook himself out of his stupor, and looked at his father and Joyce.
"Boxers or briefs." Joyce said with a smirk and a pointed look at William.
Spike slowly gave her a true big smile. "You pick mum."
With that Spike shook his head and went after Tara and Willow by squeezing himself between the two girls and hooked his arms around the both of their shoulders then yelled.
"Don't these birds look like candy!"
Xander, Johnathan, and Andrew immediately laughed as they recognized the quote from Rocky.
"Like flying candy!" Johnathan yelled back as Willow and Tara seemed at ease in Spike's immediate vicinity as they both had smiles on their faces.
The dancing incredibly intimately with him had left Willow feeling way more at ease with Spike which oddly she felt a little vindictive about, since Tara had also danced with Spike but obviously not as hip groiny as she had or she would have seriously lost her cool.
Finally when they were close to the campus Spike carefully removed his arms from the two and without saying a word took each girls hand in each of his own and joined there's as he turned and said, "You two love birds have fun tonight, yeah?"
Willow's shocked wide eyes looked up at him with fear in her eyes.
Spike knew that look too well.
"No worries Red. No judgements on who you love are gonna come from me. Know Oz hurt you something awful. Just…don't forget he can come back anytime, yeah? Take it from someone who knows all too well about long lost loves coming back for their exes. It stings…no matter how long it's been."
Spike would have left it at that were in not for the confusion and immediate response from Willow.
"Are you threatening me about…"
"No!" Spike immediately said his eyes bulging like they usually did when denying something and realized that this Willow had absolutely no idea how alike they were and how much they had grown to understand each other. God they really lived a parallel life and only figured it out together in Vegas in the future. But she had trusted him. She had removed his soul and knew he would still be with her and not against her and that…that is what made her his family now didn't it.
"Just…" how could he let her know that her 'secret' was going to be spilled soon and it could cost hurting a person she loved, "I know what it's like. I know I'm just…an evil thing…but I know what it's like to love someone and have them walk away from you. You may not think I can love…but… you know that I do know pain. And it is painful. And you don't deserve that. Neither of you do."
Willow remained looking at him with a shocked look, and Spike knew that was all he could really get from Willow at the moment.
He started to back up still looking at Willow then looking over at Tara gave a small smile, "Night Glinda." Then with a nod he turned around and began to walk towards the cemetery where he knew Faith was making her rounds.
Willow continued to watch him leave and felt the fear she had draining from her as her mind really began to examine how Spike really had seen her at her worst. As in bite me to end this feeling worst. But…she had never considered the fact that he knew how she had felt. He knew and right now he knew…and…he knew before anyone. Before Xander or Buffy and…and…
She suddenly felt very sad for him. She had never stopped and thought of the pain he had felt after…gosh…one hundred years. Maybe he couldn't love but…he…he could feel pain right? She had seen him wallow, seen him trying to even commit suicide. She totally understood that. In some…demented logical way that's how she had felt.
Holy bejezes! Her eyes widened. She didn't just feel bad for Spike! She totally understood him suddenly!
"He's..um…very charming. I kind of understand why those women were throwing themselves at him." Tara said as she tried to ease Willow's tension and maybe make her laugh.
Instead Willow turned panicked eyes at Tara. "I really didn't try to do anything with him! He really tried to bite me!"
Tara's small smile fell, "He said you let him try. Was it…was it really because of Oz?" Her voice almost a whisper at the end, almost as if saying the name would make him appear right there in front of them.
Tara had heard all about Oz. She knew how much he meant to Willow, just, after what Spike had said…
Tara felt her heart suddenly heave that maybe he had been wrong.
"Yes..no…I mean…I went through some stuff." Willow said in her cute little voice, trying to make Tara see into her large innocent eyes that it wasn't what she thought.
"W-Well…" Tara stuttered slightly, "you can tell me about…stuff. I…I don't mind. For you I'd never mind."
Slowly Willow smiled at Tara. But what Spike had said made her think that Oz really could show up at any time.
What would she do if…when! When he did! Oz said he would come back…because he loved her. But she had…moved on! Found something…different…but powerful. Very powerful.
She didn't go looking for it…it just…kind of found her.
And she was grateful!
Yeah grateful!
And…and Oz…he would…he would have to understand. He had to! Just…she would tell him she'll always love him. Always! Because…he was Oz! And…and…she'll always be there for him no matter what…but…but
She most definitely had very confusing thoughts…and she didn't know just how she felt about Oz now. Not really. She still loved him.
But…Tara…
"Do you really think it's his first date tomorrow? I mean…you told me he was with someone f-for a hundred years!" Tara said distracting Willow.
Willow's eyebrows furrowed in that cute way that Tara adored so much.
"I mean…he looked like Andrew had let out his big secret but…I don't really know. He seems soo…soo…" Willow tried to find the right word to describe Spike.
Tara smiled a little knowingly. "Confident?"
"Yeah! Exactly! Confident! It doesn't seem possible that…" Willow let her statement hang.
"Well…S-Stephanie did get him to speak differently." Tara said with a little nod as they finally continued into the dormitory.
Willow turned towards Tara again as they continued to hold hands, "I know! Total heebee geebees hearing him sound just like Giles…which was also kind of like…still super sexy but…not my kind of super sexy!" Willow said immediately and blushed.
She still appreciated a person's physique and Spike had put it on full display that night.
Tara laughed slightly. "He's a-a hottie Willow. Just not our kind of hottie!"
"Yeah! That's what I meant!" Willow agreed wholeheartedly, still blushing.
"Well…he did seem kind of scared…about his date I mean. Maybe…maybe we should g-go over tomorrow and help him."
Willow's brow furrowed. "Help how?"
Tara raised the shoulder in which she was holding Willow's hand still after Spike had placed it there. "I don't know. Mmmaybe help him get dressed up? If…if he's never been on a date before he might not know the right thing to wear. Mrs. Summers kind of told us he was staying with her and…I don't think she has any men's clothes he could use."
Willow suddenly remembered the Hawaiian shirts that Spike had worn and the constant leather jacket and gloom clothes he wore and realized that she had never seen him in anything other than baggy oversized clothes until tonight. Huh! Tara actually might have a very valid point.
"Maybe we could get him a nice dress shirt?" Tara said as they made it to her dorm room.
"As weird as it sounds…I think it's a great idea." Willow said looking at Tara with a confident smile.
Tara gave Willow a smile back.
Giles had just opened the door to sit in the driver's seat after having closed Joyce's door on the passenger side of the vehicle.
"I think everyone had a great time tonight. Even with Faith finally opening up to Buffy…and everyone else." Joyce said as she settled into the vehicle. Rupert had placed the top up. It was a small car but…it was nice.
"William does have a remarkable amount of foresight to have been able to accomplish what he did tonight. Honestly I never thought Xander would so willingly enjoy himself in Spike's presence after his ordeal with Spike not that long ago." Giles said as he clipped his seat belt and turned over the car and began to back out.
"Well…I had never noticed the way Buffy looked at him before…William I mean." Joyce clarified as Giles finally backed out enough to begin to drive forward on the road.
"It's just…after everything he's told me, I don't understand why he's chosen to keep himself so distant from her. He's insistent on her remaining oblivious to him or any hint of his soul…which…under the circumstances I understand with Buffy's unfortunate past with Angel but…" Giles tried to rationalize his son's decision. And boy how quickly his mind had the habit of using the term 'son' when it came to William.
"You mean…he hasn't told you?" Joyce felt a sudden fear that William had not told Rupert the whole truth which…she honestly could understand but…William had been brutal honest with her.
Why not his own father.
"Told me what precisely?" Giles asked as he continued to drive towards the suburbs.
Joyce braced herself. Giles had showed her in the last few months just how much he loved Buffy. And she knew that Rupert Giles would react quite differently than one would expect.
"Why he went to get his soul." Joyce said slowly.
"For Buffy. I'd assumed as much but…" Rupert began but Joyce immediately interrupted.
"He tried to rape her."
The way the vehicle immediately screeched to a halt jerked them both back in their seats and the way he whipped his head to look at Joyce with pure rage in his eyes caused Joyce's heart to pump out a feeling of love towards the man.
"What?!" Rupert's voice deep and angry caused something in Joyce's frame to remind her of the time they had been intimate and knew now was NOT the time to be thinking of that.
"Your son…who was a vampire without a soul…tried to rape her. And when he realized he shouldn't have cared but did…he went to get a soul…to be worthy of her." Joyce said all of this slowly as she saw just how tightly Rupert had gripped the wheel and how they were in the middle of the street and stopped. She knew just how much Buffy meant to him in that moment, and no man had ever been more desirable to her then IN that moment. She could see the war in his eyes and knew she couldn't explain her calm demeanor until she showed him why she had known William was telling the truth.
"Rupert…I admit I don't know much about the supernatural world like you or Buffy do, but what I do know," Joyce looked from him and down as she reached for her purse, "I know well."
From within her purse she unzipped a pocket and extracted what looked to be a piece of paper that had been wadded up and then flattened out once more and folded up.
Joyce opened up the piece of paper and handed it to Giles.
Giles took the piece of paper with a look of curiosity as Joyce spoke again.
"I saw him drawing in the kitchen the day before he told me about…about the night he tried to hurt her. When I walked in he acted like it was something about the money he had made and some math but…I waited until he was out of the house to go to the trash and look at it."
Giles stared in awe at what he was looking at. "Dear God…"
Joyce let out a huge sigh, "He see's her Rupert…he really see's her."
Giles stared down at the artwork. A picture with how perfectly he had drawn Buffy's likeness. She had this twinkling in her eyes and this smile that was so classic of Buffy that he had seen it too often himself to say how perfectly he had captured her. But it was the way the pencil drawing seemed to show how vibrant she was. How she almost…she almost…
"He see's how she glows Rupert. He see's how good she is. And when he told me everything…I knew he wasn't lying or trying to hide anything from me…he…he really feels like this. And if it's one thing I know Rupert…it's art."
That's when Rupert saw all the words around Buffy's face. His eyes skipping around as he read them.
Splendor.
Mighty.
Clever.
Miraculous.
Self-Sacrificing.
Kind Hearted.
But the last word…as odd of a word as it was…it…was probably the most accurate of all.
Effulgent.
Yes. Yes. He agreed. Most ardently so.
Then at the very bottom of the paper he could see that it had one word circled over and over again.
As if he was reaffirming to himself the word. And in that moment he understood why Joyce had kept herself from hurting William for trying to hurt Buffy.
The word said it all now didn't it.
Unworthy.
"He said he wanted to hurt her for making him care. That he did something called…a…a demon…trial? He asked for his reward to get what Buffy deserved. And that's how he won his soul for her. "
The words sunk into Rupert's brain and something about them made him look straight up and out the windshield. His eyes not focusing on anything as the words whirled around in his mind as it struck him that something about those words made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
And then it hit him.
What Spike had not told them. What he had asked for…and what he had received…
Dear lord…William how long have you suffered?
Part of him wanted to be wrong and the other part right, but if he was right…he couldn't imagine the implications.
"Rupert…what is it?!" Joyce asked as she saw the blood drain from his face.
"I hope that I am wrong Joyce. If what William has told us is true I hope with everything in me that I am wrong. For both of their sakes." Rupert said softly. Almost as if saying anything out loud would allow ear's to twitch that should not be listening.
" Rupert…if it involves Buffy…"
"Joyce I swear if I confirm my suspicion you'll be the absolute first to know." Rupert said immediately as he kept his head down and gripped the steering wheel even more forcefully as he realized just how truly buggered they all were if he was right.
He had thought William to be stubborn for not wanting to tell Buffy about the circumstances of how he came to be here. But given if what he had just learned was true…it meant that William was more than just determined to keep away from Buffy.
It meant he was going to push her away.
And in doing so hurt both of them on a level that he did not think possible just one hour ago as he watched his son laughing joyously with everyone. And the way Buffy's eyes seemed drawn to William.
Despite what he knew William had become. Killer. Monster. Evil. Spike.
He had seen the way his eyes lit up when with Faith and Joyce. And he knew…despite everything that if he said he loved Buffy before having the soul…it meant one of three things.
And all three of them were horrible things.
"The point is that I trust William. Rupert…when he told me I wanted to kill him right then and there. And the next second when I thought about this…this…drawing…and I knew…I…I just knew."
Rupert suddenly looked up shocked into Joyce's face. Understanding finally occurring to him that his own thoughts of what had occurred when Spike gained his soul, that Joyce had somehow come to the same conclusion.
He could see the pain in her eyes.
"Rupert…I don't want Buffy to miss it." Joyce said then looked out at the empty road in front of them at the night sky with only street lamps. "How many people can say…"
"Don't! Don't say!" Giles quickly said. Truly afraid that even saying the words would somehow turn the universe once more against them.
Joyce looked at Rupert, not understanding how afraid he was to even have her say the words.
Suddenly a car's horn beeped at them, startling the two.
Giles looked in the rearview mirror and removed his foot from the break and began to accelerate the car once more.
"Of course the two of them have to be the most stubborn two people on the planet! Convincing Buffy of anything requires a force of nature!" Joyce said shaking her head and grimacing at her daughter's personality.
Giles laughed humorlessly, "William is no better. I swear that boy has way to much of me in his blood. And then…when I see him with Faith…I see Anne there too." Giles whispered the last words.
Joyce looked over at Rupert, intrigued to finally hear something of the woman that had this man's child.
"What was her name?" Joyce whispered, afraid to upset Rupert as he seemed to be reminiscing in his head as a small smile formed on his lips.
"Anne…Anne Margret. And she was…the sweetest person I have ever met in my entire life." Rupert's eyes suddenly showed pain. Even in the dim lights from the street lamps that passed by, Joyce could see it clearly.
"I was…well…rebellious as you know. Very much like Spike." Giles admitted with a grimace.
"She was…beyond beautiful. Bright. Courteous. Kind beyond what I deserved. She made me into the man I became. Leaving her…was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I regretted it immediately. And…by then…there was no way back."
Joyce let the words mull over for a second.
"So…what William is doing now…" Joyce left the rest of the question unvoiced.
"Yes." Taking in a huge breathe and letting it out, "I too have gone through something similar."
Joyce said nothing for a while as they travelled back to her house. Then less than two blocks away she finally turned and looked at Rupert again.
"She must have been an incredible person to gain your love, and have a son like William." Joyce said with a smile at Rupert.
Rupert felt his heart lurch as he pictured her in his mind.
"She was." He whispered.
The rest of the car ride was made in silence.
Faith felt awkward as Riley walked right beside her in the cemetery. Her denim jacket kept her warm, but she felt a little cold as Riley kept quiet as they patrolled.
Finally she couldn't take the quiet anymore and finally blurted out, "I'm sorry what I did to you. You…you didn't deserve it."
Riley kept walking beside her, glanced at her, and then down at his feet. "I'm sorry too. For…making you feel for one second like any of those men did."
Faith said nothing but nodded her head. Then looked over at him. "You're nothing like them."
Riley stopped then and looked at Faith.
He could see the pain in her eyes as she thought back to the men that had hurt her.
"If you ever…just…need to talk…" Riley began to offer, but the crooked grin that formed on her face as she looked away from him said a lot about her.
"I got my brother for that. Besides…he's got me seeing…a pro about…head stuff."
Riley's eyebrows went up and down, "Brother…never thought of an HST as a brother before."
That made Faith stop moving and become as still and lethal as steel as she looked over at him.
"You come near him…" Faith's voice low and firm.
Riley put up both of his hands, "Whoa…look…not threatening him…like…at all. Just…after tonight I'm having to admit that…" Riley let out a frustrated sigh and dropped his hands.
"I'm having to admit that I don't know what I'm doing. And…I was being a bit of a…bigot."
Faith's eyes opened wide as she looked at Riley in shock. "Wow! Now that's some strong self-awareness."
Riley gave crooked little smirk, "Thanks. Takes…a lot of self-reflection to realize you're not part of the solution but…part of the problem." He said as they continued to walk forward.
"Tell me about it. Took me…well…until Spike shoved it in my face that I didn't really hate B…" When Riley looked confused at her she elaborated. "Buffy."
Riley nodded and she took it as a cue to keep talking. "I just always felt like I didn't belong. Like…I wasn't supposed to exist. Because…Buffy was THE Slayer and…I was the spare. And then…my Watcher got killed…and I ran. Ran straight here to Buffy. But…I didn't tell her what happened. Just…hoped it would all just go away…and it didn't."
"I'm sorry." Riley said softly, "If your Watcher was anything like Giles…they must have been very important to you."
Faith stopped at that and just turned and looked at Riley. "She was."
Riley stood still and Faith looked at him with this look of almost…gratitude.
"Spike tried to stop me…from…what I did. But…he couldn't really stop me. He…he knows things about me…and he still loves me. He's the first one to say it to me."
Riley felt himself still as he understood immediately what had happened that night…that night he had thought he was saying it to Buffy.
The look he was giving her suddenly was enough to make Faith want to stop talking all together but then he said what Spike had been saying over and over to her.
"You deserve to hear those words Faith. Every girl does…especially when doing that."
Faith wanted to stop talking then, and thankfully out of the corner of her eye she saw a fledgling.
"Bout damn time!" Faith moved and Riley was immediately behind her as another two vampires appeared.
Faith knew she couldn't waste time fighting as much as she wanted to. She didn't know how much Riley could handle. Quickly she killed the vampire and turned to help Riley.
That's when more vampires started to appear and suddenly there was seven of them, and Faith felt fear for the first time in a long time that a human was going to die because of her. She was going to be responsible for Riley's death…and Buffy would never forgive her.
And then she heard him before she felt him.
Spike was suddenly there and two vampires were suddenly dust. Faith managed to kill two and both soon were helping Riley as he fought off three vampires unsuccessfully as he was kicked back and went flying.
Spike realizing that Riley would hit his head against a tombstone jumped and stopped the impact with his own body.
"REST TIME LATER BOYS!" Faith yelled as she fought the three who had been about to advance on the two of them on the ground.
Scrambling up both took on one of the vampires on and soon all of them were dust.
"DAMN! Where the hell did they all come from?!" Faith said catching her breath.
"Soldier boys probably found their nest. Too soon for Adam to start recruiting just yet." Spike said outloud as he tried to suss out the timeline in his head.
"Recruiting? As in…" Riley's eyebrows furrowing and his worrying kicking up to full gear at Spike's words.
Spike nodded. "Adam's idea of making more like himself. But…needs both humans and demons to do it. So…" Spike allowed his sentence to hang and Faith immediately understood.
"So get them to kill each other and…what? Use the body parts?" Her whole face grimaced at the very idea.
"This is not good." Riley said as he tried to imagine Professor Walsh creating more than one monstrosity.
"But like I said…it's too early for that. Won't be for another few weeks."
"You're telling the truth aren't you? That you're really from the future." Riley said shocking Faith.
"Wait! You told him?!" Faith said completely shocked that Spike had told Riley anything at all.
"He's a friend pet. A good friend believe it or not." Spike said with a shrug of one shoulder.
Riley shook his head. He had been hoping that Spike had just been messing with him…but after what he had just said…there was no doubt he was from the future.
How else could he possibly know what Adam was planning, as a messed up plan as it was, without having seen it firsthand. Let alone everything else he knew about him. And it made one fact very clear.
"Buffy doesn't love me does she?" Riley suddenly said as Spike was now the one shocked. Faith was even shocked.
"Of course she does you dolt!" Spike said completely pissed that he honestly didn't understand Buffy at all if that's what he thought.
"But you said…" Riley was about to argue about what Spike had told him.
Spike rolled his eyes in annoyance. "That doesn't mean that she doesn't love you! It means you need to keep your head out of your ass and just BE there for her!"
Riley just looked at Spike in complete bewilderment. "And you're trying to say that I'm the one that is going to mess up our relationship and not the fact that she falls in love with someone else."
Faith was suddenly extremely worried that Riley knew without having been told that Spike was in love with Buffy…but nothing would have prepared her for what Spike said next.
"She never falls in love with anyone else."
Riley just looked at Spike. It took him a second but…for some reason…it seemed as if Spike was actually telling the truth. Or at least what Spike thought was the truth. Because he didn't sense anything that normally let him know that he was being lied to.
Faith however, felt like she had been slapped. There was no way with what Spike had told her that Buffy had NOT fallen in love with him. There just wasn't. But damn if it didn't sound like Spike was telling the truth.
And something inside her suddenly hurt. The idea that Spike loved Buffy enough to go through all of this, and not think he had been loved back.
Damn.
"Why shouldn't I tell Buffy what you're telling me?" And there was the question that Spike had been waiting for Riley to ask. The one he knew he'd ask because…after all…he was Riley Finn.
"Because I won't be able to save her…or anyone else…if you do. I won't know what's coming. The less you all know the better. You keep being her beau and love her with everything you've got." Spike said with a pointed stare.
Riley looked away for a second, his mind and heart a complete mess as he realized that he could change his fate if he listened to Spike. The life Spike had spoken about…with children…and a wife…he knew that wouldn't be possible if he stayed with Buffy. That future would be gone.
But his heart…his heart loved Buffy and couldn't imagine being with anyone else.
Yet when he looked at her earlier that night everything in him told him that his time with her was limited. That she would always be the one that got away. The fact that Spike was pretty much confirming that it was his choice. His decision. It bothered him to no end.
Because he saw it in her eyes that night. The way she had looked at the vampire before him. And somehow he seemed to be oblivious to it…something in him was irked at that idea.
Faith though was considering what Spike had said, and knew from what he had told her that morning that she technically wasn't supposed to be here. He was gambling by keeping her here. Unless…
"You really do have a plan don't you?!" Faith said suddenly very aware that Spike was using all of them like chess pieces.
Spike looked at Faith and he gave her a small smile. It had taken her until now to figure out how delicate his predicament was. "You're my family Faith. I'll do anything to keep you all safe. I love all of you." And with that he looked at Riley.
Riley felt extremely uncomfortable in that moment as Spike looked at him.
"As annoying, predictable, and boring as some of you are! You're my family." Spike said shrugging both of his shoulders. With that he turned and began to make his way towards the house.
Faith and Riley looked at each other then. Both communicating with just a look that they wouldn't be saying anything to Buffy.
Then with a nod, both followed Spike back to Rovello Drive.
Buffy gasped awake and immediately started shivering as the nightmare she had still echoed through her body.
And she was still gasping.
As the trembling seemed to intensify her mind kept whirling back to what she had seen.
She saw herself beating Spike down, saw herself say vile things as she did, she heard herself say things she would never say even when provoked…but she had said them…she had said them over and over to him.
She had yelled at the images, tried to make herself stop but…she hadn't.
Then…he was asking her to 'make it stop' and…
He had been on top of her the same way she had been on top of him…but this time he wanted to hurt her. Hurt her in a way that she had been hurting him. She had understood it immediately and it seemed that the thought somehow disturbed the image somehow. It seemed as though her thoughts had caused the image to stop as she watched herself kick Spike off.
Then she heard her own voice again, as she continued to watch the scene unfold.
I never thought of it that way. I just…was hurting…and I hated him. I hated him for trying to hurt me. I hated him for doing what Angel never could.
She had realized that it was indeed her own voice talking to her…but…there was no real connection. As if the distance between them was just too vast. But she had pushed her own mind to ask the only question that mattered to her.
What could Angel never do?
And then she felt the biggest feeling of despair she had ever felt hit her like a surge as she heard Spike's voice once more say the three words that explained everything.
I love you.
He couldn't love me without a soul.
Now she tried to control her breathing as the tears to her eyes began to form.
The firm belief that without a soul love was impossible seemed so preposterous to her in that moment it hurt her head to even think about.
Finally she calmed down and tried to reach back into her head for that other voice of hers…but…nothing.
Her body felt like it was weighed down, unable to really move as her insides recoiled at everything she had seen.
The fact that she felt betrayed by Spike and disgusted by her own actions confusing her as she knew none of what she saw had ever happened…yet…it felt sooo real.
How could she ever explain any of this to Giles, let alone her friends. Her friends that seemed to be getting friendly with the chipped menace. Just because things weren't complicated enough.
And even after seeing all of that…she still felt the need to see him. To be near him…and after what she had seen, she wanted to reassure herself that she wasn't that kind of person. That she wouldn't hurt…wouldn't beat someone, even a vampire, down.
She was extremely confused. All she knew was that she was beyond freaked out at what was happening and had absolutely no one she could tell these dreams…or…whatever they were…to.
Buffy finally calmed her breathing and laid back down on the bed she had slept on since coming to Sunnydale. She hadn't felt this way since Angel lost his soul.
Looking up at the ceiling she wondered for a moment what it would have been like if…if Spike had been sent instead of Angel.
Her body instantly flushed as she imagined the way Spike would have made love to her…and God how that made everything in her feel like she was exploding inside her chest.
The idea of that with him instead of Angel…
She shivered again at just the idea. The 'what if' making her body tingle as she realized that not once in her 'dreams' had she felt anything even close to making love to him.
The thought made her heart tighten suddenly.
Even after the nightmare that night…the idea of…of not feeling that way. Not ONCE feeling that what she was doing in her dreams was making love but just…just…
She couldn't bring herself to even think it. She couldn't.
Why did it hurt soo bad then…when he was trying to hurt her in the nightmare.
Why did it hurt soo much that he was trying to hurt her after everything she had done to him. Why did she feel this way?
Buffy felt herself crying and couldn't stop herself as the ache inside her rivaled that of when Angel had become Angelus. The suddenness of the feelings overwhelming her as she remembered the feeling of betrayal in the nightmare…the way she had just stayed crying on the ground as he scrambled away…the look on his face…
He looked…ashamed.
Buffy shook her head. These dreams were messing with her head too much. Soulless vampires did not feel…shame. They just…didn't.
She drifted off to sleep once more…where another new dream of ecstasy of the naughty kind of the soulless vampire played.
In the morning she would feel euphoria again and instant pain that he was not there with her.
Spike looked at the dark blue collar shirt as he held it up and then back at Willow and Tara who were looking at him with smiles on their faces.
Why the two of them were soo happy was beyond him as he inspected the 'present' they had brought him.
"It's a shirt."
Willow rolled her eyes. "Yeah! But it's a new shirt that will fit you! I made sure!" Willow looked over at Mrs. Summer's who gave a wink to Willow as she had been more than willing to give the information she had acquired after having done laundry for the bleached menace.
Spike looked over with a glare at the woman who was apparently sharing way too intimate details about him. He had on a pair of medium blue boxers that almost matched too perfectly with the shirt for it to be a coincidence.
"That will go nicely with the dark blue jeans I happened to buy this morning." Joyce said as her lips twitched trying to keep from laughing at the look on William's face as she continued to fold the remaining laundry.
Faith laughed at the look on Spike's face. They all seemed to have congregated at Buffy's home as everyone seemed to want to make fun of Spike and his 'very first date'.
Of course Buffy was leaning against the door jamb of the dining room as everyone was in the living room staring at Spike as both Tara and Willow seemed to be enjoying playing 'dress up' with the very oddly willing soulless vampire.
It didn't matter at all that morning she couldn't look at him at all as she fought blushes at the particularly erotic dream she had just woke up to that morning.
It didn't matter that hearing Xander joke about how women seemed to throw themselves after his 'strip tease' and how could a dead guy get that 'lucky' caused an anger in her that she couldn't in anyway calm.
It didn't matter that at the moment she was able to steal glances at his backside that she somehow knew would move against her in just the right way.
What mattered was the next second Spike's pants were once more on the ground and the sight of the very tight pair of boxes was the only thing keeping her from seeing the very real sculpted ass of her enemy.
She fought the blush she felt away again, anger the only thing keeping her from having a constant scarlet face, even as Faith laughed and Tara and Willow whirled away as Joyce immediately scolded Spike and threw him the pair of pants that she had bought him.
Spike just laughed and said "Thanks Mum!"
Buffy felt her heart swell hearing him call her mother that.
It was odd how he didn't have on his shoes as almost all the women including Joyce had said no boots, and he had on a pair of brand new white socks.
It had struck Buffy odd and had quirked her mouth thinking about Spike in socks. Then she had had to fight another blush as she pictured Spike in JUST socks.
Spike smiled as he quickly removed his usually baggy pants and quickly inserted himself into the still tag barring new ones. Which to Buffy's horror sculpted his backside incredibly too perfectly upon immediate inspection which made her look away immediately as she realized she was openly staring at his ass.
Hopefully no one had noticed as Spike was turned by Willow and Tara as they inspected him, which caused a surge of jealousy in her she couldn't explain as she saw the way Willow was looking at Spike and smiling at his figure.
Last night she had felt the almost overwhelming 'WHAT THE HELL!' sensation she had ever felt at the information that Willow had let Spike, SPIKE, to try and bite her not once…but TWICE!
Willow had looked as if her secret of being attracted to Spike was revealed with the way she had stared back at her begging with her eyes to understand.
And Buffy did not understand whatsoever!
Willow was sooo not into the bad boy thing. At least…at least she thought she wasn't.
"So where are you going to take Stephanie tonight?" Willow asked as she nodded her head in approval at the outfit he was wearing.
"Um…didn't…really think about it." Spike answered hesitantly as he honestly had not thought anything over them staying at The Bronze as Stephanie had herself indicated. Let alone that he had ab-solutely no clue where he could take her. He couldn't believe the Scoobies were alright with him being anywhere near human women really.
"Oh oh…maybe you can take her to go see that new romantic comedy movie!" Andrew said excited that he had thought of the idea.
"Which one?" Johnathan asked as he looked at Andrew with a furrowed brow.
"Oh..it…it has Fox Mulder in it….I mean…David Duchovny!"
"Oh and Minnie Driver!" Joyce exclaimed excitedly as she realized the movie Andrew was referring to. Whatever drugs in her system from earlier were sure making her quite happy and energetic as she felt like she couldn't stop moving and was in front of William as she assessed the way he looked herself and moved to grab a bag she had by the door.
Andrew nodded his head with a huge smile on his face.
Buffy scowled. Immediate thoughts of dark corners and roaming hands entered her mind and she couldn't have been more disturbed by the thought of that…that…hoe…trying to cop a feel.
Her eyes widened. No! No! She was worried that Spike would try and drain her dry even if he had a chip in his head, and there was no way he could hurt humans…and…and…and Stephanie's boobs had to be fake!
She would have scowled at herself with the way her mind kept picturing Stephanie touching Spike in some way.
She sooooooo should not care!
"Um…ok…but…how do I do that?" Spike asked quietly as he looked down at the shoe's Joyce had pulled out as if they were the first pair of shoes he had ever seen.
"Whad'ya mean?" Xander asked distracted by the Playstation 2 he was playing as Anya sat next to him completely bored as she watched Xander play.
"Well…you know…not like I know how humans do this sort of thing…" Spike said not daring to look up from putting on his shoes.
Xander laughed. "Yeah…cause asking out girls has changed in the last 100 years. Just…yah know…do what you did back then."
Buffy felt anger at Xander for not even saying anything about how HE- Spike- the undead was going on a date with a human and he hadn't said one WORD about how wrong it was!
She had always thought Xander reliable until then. She was soo not pouting.
"Yeah but…I…I don't know how it was done back then." Spike said softly and he continued to lace his brand new shoes and avoided looking up as he suddenly heard the constant sound of button smashing stop as Harris finally figured out what he meant.
"Waitwaitwait…" Xander said as he turned and looked over at Spike.
Willow's brow was furrowed in worry and sympathy as she too had understood what it meant. Along with almost everyone else in the room, including one Rupert Giles that had remained in the dining room studying books.
Rupert turned his head as he too was struck with William's soft admission.
"You mean to tell me…that you never asked a girl out?" Xander asked.
" Like…never?!" Faith asked as she too couldn't fathom the man in front of her not being suave with the ladies when he looked up distinctly at her and then back down.
Oh shit…he couldn't mean…oh crap!
"You died a virgin. So Druscilla is the only woman you've ever been with?" Anya asked not at all perturbed as the conversation had gone towards sex, which was a topic she could speak on since she more than understood Spike for such a thing.
After all…Xander was the first human she had been with in almost 1000 years.
Spike said nothing and continued tying his shoes as Harris' mouth dropped open along with the rest of the men as they finally realized why Spike was so freaked at the club last night.
He had absolutely no idea how to act on a date…because he had never even been on one. Because he had died a VIRGIN!
"This…this is really your first date? " Johnathan asked completely shocked at the fact that the man in front of him that exuded so much sexuality about himself had only ever been with one woman.
And he had been dead by then.
Buffy's eyes widened as a voice in her head spoke.
Wait…I was…I was his first?!
Buffy felt a surge of jealousy take hold of her. REALLY strong.
I swear to God if she touches him I don't care how I got stuck here but I will CUT her hands off!
Buffy suddenly had images of Stephanie grinding against Spike last night flash through her mind and her own voice seemed to respond to the anger she felt in her body.
Too late! She growled as she realized the truth.
Buffy scowled again. She wasn't even freaked out by the voice anymore. If anything she had never agreed more with the sentiment.
Spike shrugged his shoulders not looking up. "Dru's the only thing I ever knew…and…she picked me. Didn't really think more than I had to be special for her to do that. Just…didn't know…"
When Spike stopped talking Buffy felt a wave of sadness fill her. She knew that feeling. Way too well and the idea that he had only ever felt that way about a vampire and…he had only ever touched Druscilla…
Buffy suddenly pictured Druscilla moving against Spike the way she had in her dreams and her hands instantly formed into fists and her knuckles cracked as they turned white as the very real urge to throttle the vamp skank all but overwhelmed her. The idea of Dru touching him like that…of him looking at Dru and whispering those three words to her like he did to her in her dreams making her want to vomit as a jealousy caused her entire body to tighten.
He had been completely devoted to Druscilla, infatuated. Because she was the first and only one.
If she comes back, would he leave with her?
She tries and I'll stake her!
Buffy rolled her eyes.
Yeah…and then he'd spout his whole 'dark princess' garbage and be back to trying to kill me! Maybe that would be better.
She doesn't love him! Not the way I do…not the way I could…a dark princess is nothing compared to a golden goddess yah know.
Buffy stilled as she realized that the voice was talking with her…it was talking WITH her. Buffy moved towards the kitchen as she took a deep breath and spoke in her own mind.
Who are you? Can…can you hear me? Buffy asked in her mind as her eyes zoned out as she focused inside her mind.
Wait…you…you're not…me? You're…wait! That means…look if you're you…and I'm me…and…and what I'm seeing is what's really happening…you need to stop this! This Stephanie…I don't know who the hell she is…but she most definitely is not supposed to be there!
Who are you?! Why are you in my head?! And how the hell do I get you out?!
"Buffy is everything quite alright?" Giles asked causing Buffy to jump back making Giles reach out and grab her instinctively even though she had basically been staring at him as she stood in the kitchen.
"No. Imeanyes! Yes…everything is alright." Buffy said quickly as she really wanted to get back to the voice that had been speaking to her IN HER HEAD!
"Are you…quite sure? You…you looked as if you were about to faint."
Buffy did feel like a little…well…dizzy.
"BUFFY!" Giles yelled out as Buffy's eyes rolled back in her head causing a fear Giles had not felt in a very long time to surge through him as he caught the girl he considered his daughter into his arms – just barely.
Spike had never run so fast in his entire unlife hearing his father yell out Buffy's name. It didn't take but a second before everyone else was behind him but he was already grabbing Buffy from his father's hold and sitting her down at a stool.
"Buffy! Slayer! Slayer wake up!" Spike knew he sounded hysterical, but to hell with everything. Nothing like this had happened to Buffy originally. He sure as hell was not going to do all this just to have something hurt or kill her just when he was tying his damn shoes!
"SLAYER!" He screamed as he shook her once more as she seemed to have completely blacked out.
Finally her eyes flinched and her little nose twitched as it always seemed to when in pain. Small motion of her trying to lift her head final occurred and Spike felt himself sigh out in relief.
Giles was instantly there helping her lift her head and Spike let go of her as his father took his place.
"What the bloody hell happened?" Spike asked his father as Buffy barely opened her eyes.
"She was just…staring at me one second…and when I finally asked her if she was alright…she fainted." Giles explained as he noticed that Buffy was pale.
"Mmaybe her sugar's low. I didn't see her eat or drink anything last night or this morning." Tara said as she stared like the rest of them.
"I haven't either." Willow said with a furrowed brow as she tried to remember the last time she saw Buffy eat or drink anything.
Had it been…days?!
"Stupid bint." Spike wanted to be angry with her, really he would have been if he had not been in an encampment with her and had to ration food alongside her. There had been one time where she had outright fainted in front of him as they had been short rations on all sides that week.
Spike moved to the fridge as Buffy finally had regained conscious enough to begin to straighten up.
"Buffy…sweetheart…when was the last time you ate?" Joyce asked caressing her daughter's face as Spike pulled out the orange juice and grapefruit juice.
"I don't remember." Buffy muttered as she finally sat up by herself.
Turning she saw everyone staring at her and turned back towards the sink when she heard, "Here…"
Spike poured the glass two thirds of the way with orange juice and then took the grapefruit juice and filled it up the rest of the way.
Faith's face scrunched up. Why the hell would he do that? Who the hell adds grapefruit juice to their orange juice.
Joyce however watched in astonishment. She didn't know why after what Spike had told her. But it was so highly intimate a detail that it solidified in her mind that Spike had truly lived with her daughter. And loved her enough to know how she liked her juice.
Buffy's hazy eyes watched as Spike mixed the juice just the way she liked and her heart tightened incredibly in her chest.
"Drink this." Spike said gruffly and placed it down immediately in front of Buffy.
Buffy did as she was told and grabbed the glass but as she brought it up she began to shake terribly causing Spike to quickly wrap his hand around hers and bring the glass up to her mouth tilting her head back to drink.
That's when her eyes locked with his.
I love you. The voice whispered as she looked at those eyes. The overwhelming feeling of love for him washing over her from head to toe.
Buffy swallowed the juice as she felt her eyes tear up as she looked at him, and the immediate furrowing of his brow resulted at the sight of it.
"Buffy you may be the Slayer but you need to keep up your strength and not neglect your body's basic needs." Giles said as he watched at how Buffy did not once flinch or even pull away from Spike's touch as he continued to help her drink her juice.
The casual way he had known how she took the juice astounding Giles, but he no longer doubted his son or his intentions. Especially not now as he stared at her with a worry on his face that he recognized made him look just like his mother.
"You can't be that bloody stupid." Came Spike's angry voice.
Buffy felt indignation rise in her chest at the insult and suddenly she was able to hold the glass as anger surged through her.
Bringing it down with a slam, she glared at Spike, even though he never lifted his hand away from on top of hers.
"A fledge could have taken you out just now. A FLEDGE! I swear Slayer if it's not my hands wringing that neck of yours to death it better not be some newly risen pimple faced berk who can BARELY STAND!" Spike yelled into her face causing Buffy's anger to surge.
Who the hell does he think he is?!
Um…the slayer of slayers?! And um…yummy…Angry Spike. Forgot how that use to turn me on.
The words in her mind made Buffy blush furiously all of a sudden as she realized that her body had indeed responded to his anger in the opposite way it should have.
"Not that it's any of your business but I've been busy with school, the Initiative, my mother getting sick, my Watcher telling me he's marrying my mother, and not to mention my mortal enemy suddenly acting like he's a part of my friends after he's tried repeatedly to try and kill me AND my friends. Watch it Spikey!" Buffy using the term she had heard Harmony use with him with a death glare he hadn't seen in hundred's of years.
And Spike would have been angry if it wasn't for how he couldn't stop looking at her. God how his heart ached as he looked at her. It was hard to keep angry at her since his heart wasn't really in it. But the thought of her being soo weak when she had been the picture of health during this time period disturbed him way too much not to put some heat in his words.
And at her 'threat', words that she had used while he was chained to a bathtub all those years ago – now only weeks- came back to him as he looked at her pissed off face as she glared at him.
Giles and Joyce were about to say something when Spike immediately spoke.
"Giles Help! She's trying to scold me!" Spike immediately smiled…well…wickedly was the only way both parents would have described it, at Buffy.
Buffy…Buffy thought it was his sexy tongue smile that she had seen in her dreams waaayyyy to many times not to affect her. Then the actually words penetrated her mind and she couldn't even fight the smirk almost laugh that formed on her lips as he dished back the words she had used on him not but a few weeks ago.
Spike was shocked to see the smirk form on her lips and found his soul rejoicing at the sight. He hadn't really looked at her the night before unless he absolutely had to. Even then he had to suppress all reaction as he looked at her.
It hurt…just to look at her.
When his face fell and a look of pain suddenly appeared on his face, Buffy felt her own fall. There was…something…in his eyes that…what was it she was seeing there?
"Umm… Spike. It's almost 6:30! You're going to be late for your date." Johnathan said as he looked at the clock in the room.
Spike turned to look at the clock himself and his eyes bulged as it registered that he was going to be late.
"SHIT!"
And suddenly he was running around the kitchen island and back into the living room.
Buffy's jealousy came back tenfold watching him RUN out of the room. Something she had never seen him do and it made her beyond angry that it was for that stupid bimbo!
Of course Willow and Tara followed and 'eepped' as Spike slid and fell as he had only managed to put one shoe on and slid with the one sock on.
Spike scrambled up and immediately grabbed the shoe and shoved it on his foot and hurriedly began to lace it.
"HERE HERE!" Faith yelled as she jumped over the sofa and handed him a denim jacket that still had tags on it.
"HOW THE HELL DID IT GET SO LATE!" Spike yelled as he officially began to panic. He didn't want to mess this up. Yeah those other two girls had offered themselves up, but this girl was the key to him becoming mates with Xander without any mistrust. And damn it, he was gonna muck it up because he had been having fun with his family and not paying attention to the time.
Pulling the jacket on he was muttering to himself nervously on how to say hello to her. Pulling the tags off of the jacket and his eyes were staring at the clock.
Buffy moved away from Giles' hold as she walked into the hallway and watched and listened to Spike spaz out. Jealousy surging through her at the way this date was important to him. So important that his worry had ended almost as soon as she had snarked back at him. Why did seeing him act like this hurt so much?
"Hello…hello ducks…hi…no..bugger…" Spike looked like he was shaking and even Xander's smirk at Spike's ineptitude started to drop as he saw just how truly freaked out Spike was becoming. And a freaked out vampire was truly not a good thing.
His hands were going through his hair as he moved towards the door and then stopped and backed away shaking his head his eyes moving side to side as he was worried he would mess this up. He hadn't planned this. He hadn't planned any of this to happen and he was about to do something just to try and be one of them. Just so Buffy didn't have to worry about him and his feelings and this new girl…she could distract them all. She could distract him! She could…
Spike found himself being turned around by none other than Xander.
"Spike. Chill! This girl is already into you! Now…stop acting like a spaz and making me act like someone that cares!"
Spike looked at Xander for a second completely stunned, along with almost everyone else. Spike slowly let a small smile form and nodded his head slightly.
Xander kind of pushed him away in a 'go get her' kind of way and turned and made his way back to the game he had been playing.
With one look at Buffy to make sure she was ok, and then a look at a smiling Anya he smiled back at her and sat down and began to play his game again.
Spike looked at Willow and Tara who nodded and smiled at him, and his heart clenched incredibly when he realized that somehow…they accepted him.
God…this date really meant they would look at him differently. He had to make this work. He had to!
Joyce moved from behind Buffy and walked over to cup Spike's face.
"You'll be fine sweety. Just…be your charming self." Joyce said with a smirk and a look that said 'behave yourself' and then gave him a peck on his cheek and pulled back from him and turned around and caught the look Buffy had on her face.
The look of pain in her daughter's face was like a slap to her own, but when Buffy noticed her mother looking she quickly schooled her face, but Joyce had seen it.
Buffy felt the overwhelming urge to follow him. That the voice in her head knew something but couldn't tell her exactly what. And if it said that this…Stephanie…was not supposed to be there…she believed it! Buffy was fighting her own battle of reconciling the Spike she thought she knew with the vampire in front of her.
The vampire that wanted to kill her was no where to be seen, and this creature was completely different and exactly the same. And her stomach hurt thinking about how this Stephanie had already pretty much jumped him, and what Stephanie would do with no one there.
No one would be there and everything in Buffy said that the skank would try and get Spike into…
No. No. She didn't care. She didn't CARE! It was SPIKE! Spike was evil! Soulless. Disgusting.
Riley walked through the door and almost ran into the back of Spike.
Buffy immediately smiled and grabbed him and dragged him to her.
"Wanna go to the Bronze?"
Fine! She cared enough to make sure that Spike wasn't going to hurt the stupid hoe bag. She didn't care about anything else.
Everyone looked between themselves. No one was going to say anything to Buffy about her super obvious choice of places she could have gone excluding where Spike's date was going to take place.
Of course maybe Buffy should have thought better when the pleading didn't come from her lips, but Spike's.
"Please mate!" Spike said with pleading eyes at Riley.
Buffy tampted down the feeling that this had been a very bad idea.
"Ah…I guess, but…weren't you supposed to meet Stephanie there in like…20 minutes?" Riley asked looking at Spike.
Spike just looked at him for a few seconds and Riley suddenly understood that he was actually scared. Seeing Spike scared was something he didn't think he would ever see so openly and had to shake himself as yet again the evidence of Spike telling the truth and being from the future was beyond irrefutable.
"I'll drive." Riley said sighing out.
"Buffy please eat something!" Joyce admonished and gave Buffy a pointed stare and then looked at Spike who was distracted and back at Buffy, "And make sure William and Stephanie have a good time and don't run into trouble."
Buffy would have blushed with the way her mother was giving her the 'I know the real reason you are going and we will talk about this later' look.
But Buffy was not about to let this Stephanie girl have total access to a master vampire without someone there to be able to protect her. And that was Buffy's official stance.
"I'll make sure Mum." Spike said as he passed the couple, his mind always cognizant of taking care of Buffy even as he was jumping inside his skin at what he had gotten himself into without really wanting to.
He was about to face his greatest challenge.
He had to gain a girlfriend to protect the woman he loved.
Talk about being in hell.