Chapter 1:


Buffy Summers let out a frustrated groan as she heard her parents’ car pull into the driveway. ‘Faith is going to kill me,’ she thought, before running around her room throwing clothes over the top of the skimpy outfit she had chosen to wear that evening. She had hoped to escape her mother’s elusive questioning but it seemed that tonight, luck was not on her side.


“Buffy!” her mother yelled from the bottom on the staircase. “We’re home.”


“I noticed,” Buffy grumbled to herself, pulling a pair of jeans and a hideous pink jumper over the top of her dress. Her mother had given the jumper to her for her 18th birthday; God knows what she was thinking. With her head tilted to the side, Buffy let out a grimace seeing the arrangement of pink and purple hearts across her chest. ‘Kill me now.’


“Buffy!” Buffy spun around, startled by her mother who was now standing in the doorway to her room, a scowl on her face. What had she done now?


“Did you not hear me?”


It was six o’clock already and she was due at Faith’s half an hour ago. Letting out a sigh Buffy knew she was going to be at least another half hour late.


Her brows creased together, a frown marring her face. “Huh?”


“You didn’t answer me when I yelled out to you before. Are you going deaf?” Her mother walked further into the room, hands gesturing to her ears.


“No, I heard you.” Buffy picked up her shoulder bag and made a move to gather a few of her belongings from her vanity table. “I was just getting my bag ready.”


“Bag ready?”


Despite Buffy having already told her she could hear fine, Joyce still spoke with her voice at a higher pitch than normal. “Are you going over to Willow’s?”


“No.”


“She’s such a nice girl-” Joyce stopped, not registering what Buffy had just said straight away. “No? Whose house are you staying at then?”


“Faith’s.” Buffy zipped up her shoulder bag, flicking the hair from her eyes.


“You know I don’t like her very much a-”


“Mom!” Buffy sighed, exasperated, “You don’t have to like my friends.” She slipped on her worn out sneakers, fixing her mother with a dull look. “They’re my friends.” She let out a sigh, hoping her mother wouldn’t push the issue.


Joyce slowly nodded her head, not commenting. “You’ll be home for the weekend though?” To which Buffy’s reply was a shrug. “I want you home Sunday morning at the latest.”


“Fine, whatever.” Buffy pushed passed her mother and rushed down the stairs. “I’m late.”


“That jumper looks so gorgeous on you, honey.” Joyce smiled, watching her daughter walk towards the door, completely missing her grimace and her scoff ‘Eough.’


……………….


“I know, I know,” Buffy sighed, rushing through Faith’s front door before her friend could say anything. “My mother decided to have another one of her chats.”


“Ha,” Faith laughed, following Buffy down the hall to her bedroom. “What is it this time? Staying at Willow’s? Studying at Willow’s?”


“No.” Buffy was pulling the hideous pink jumper off and over her head. “I told her I was staying at yours.” She pulled her hair loose from its ponytail.


Faith had a bemused look on her face, staring at Buffy from her position on the edge of her bed.


“She wasn’t as riled up as I thought she’d be.” Faith raised an eyebrow. “Ok, she was.”


Buffy pulled down her pants, revealing bare legs. She was wearing a black dress that stopped mid thigh. “But I was in a rush and didn’t have time to argue with her.”


“Do you really think your parents are going to stay that oblivious for much longer?”


“Truthfully?” Buffy said, making her way over to Faith’s vanity table to fix her hair and makeup, “I have no idea.” She shrugged, scrunching her hair to give it a wavy look. Faith picked up Buffy’s shoulder bag and started rifling through its contents.


“So they still haven’t figured out what you do every Friday night?”


From the mirror, Buffy could see Faith going through her bag, their gaze met and all movements ceased.


“No,” she stood, her back straightening as she turned to face Faith. “And I hope they never do,” she grinned.


“What your parents don’t know, won’t hurt them.” Faith laughed, pulling Buffy’s makeup bag out and tossing it to her.


“Exactly,” Buffy agreed, zipping open her makeup bag. “Now will you please come and help me?” she sighed. “You’ve had longer to get ready than I have.”


“Blame that on your mother.” Faith laughed, coming to stand next to Buffy and picking up her hair spray.


“Oh, I so do.” She smiled before coughing as Faith sprayed the hairspray all over her hair, half catching her face. “Watch where you’re spraying, woman!”


“Quit your whinging. Beauty is pain.” Buffy stuck her tongue out and glared at her friend. Buffy applied her mascara and eyeliner whilst Faith worked on scrunching her hair some more.


“Do you think there’s going to be any good looking guys tonight?”


Faith shot Buffy a ‘Duh’ look through the mirror.


“B, it’s the Bronze.” She resumed scrunching. “There are always good looking guys there.”


“Peach?” Buffy turned to face Faith. “Or red?” In her hands she held two lipsticks.


“Red.” Faith had chosen correctly as Buffy gave her a huge grin. “It just screams temptress.”


“My words exactly.” After applying the lipstick, Buffy smacked her lips together a few times, fixed the straps on her black dress, lowering it on her breasts to show a hint of cleavage and stepped back from the mirror. “How do I look?”


Faith was checking herself out in the mirror as well, a smirk on her face. “Not as hot as me. Now come on, were late.” She pulled Buffy’s hand towards the door.


“You had longer to get ready than I di- Shoes! I don’t have any shoes.” Buffy’s eyes were wide, her voice panicked.


“You can borrow these.” Faith thrust a pair of black heels into her hands, laughing as Buffy hopped from one foot to the other, taking her old sneakers off and placing the heels on.


“Ooo stilettos,” she grinned. “My favourite.”


“Have fun walking in them for the rest of the night.” Faith laughed shutting and locking the front door. “They’re a killer.”


…………………


“You need to get up.” Thick crimson red curtains were thrust open and a bright light filled the once dark room. “You’ve been holed up in here for 2 weeks, man.” There was a sigh. “It’s not healthy. She’s not coming back. You need to get over it.”


“Piss off, Gunn.”


Theere was another groan.


“Spike,” Gunn sighed, resting against the door frame. “She’s not coming back. You need to get up and go and have some fun. Get out of this room.”


“I don’ wan’ to have fun. I wan’ to die.” Spike rolled onto his back and sent Gunn a pitiful look, his British accent coming in thick as he spoke.


“Too bad. I don’t give a shit what you want.”


Gunn pulled the covers off of Spike, shielding his eyes from the nakedness Spike seemed to sleep in.


“Fred, Angel and Wood are on their way over. We’re going out, Wood got the promotion he was aiming for.” He turned, walking towards the door. “We’re leaving in half an hour, so your ass better be ready or you’re going naked.”


“Wanker.” Spike growled, pulling himself up from his bed. He stumbled towards the bathroom, knocking his bedside table over in the process. Photos of him and the love of his life spilled all over the floor. With a shaky hand he picked them up and deposited them in the trash. ‘Goodbye Dru.’


After finishing his shower and getting rid of the 2 week growth of hair from his face, Spike trudged back to his room and pulled his clothes out from his cupboard. He’d been hollow for days, Drusilla’s betrayal having crushed and burnt him to no end. They’d been together for 3 years, having met shortly after his twenty-second birthday. He was now 25 and single and hating it. With a weary sigh he pulled on his jeans and a black t-shirt, a red button down shirt following over the top.


Without a glance in the mirror he pulled on his boots and made his way to the lounge room of the apartment he shared with Gunn. Fred, Angel, Wood and Gunn were all chattering, all conversation ceasing as he entered.


Fred was the first to break the silence. Spike smiled when he saw her tentatively make her way over to him.


“C’mere luv.” Spike opened his arms and embraced her small frame.


“How are you?” she whispered into his ear.


“I’m falling to pieces, pet,” Spike whispered back, squeezing her tight one last time before letting go.


“Don’t be making your smooth moves on my woman, Spike,” Gunn laughed, pulling Fred into his arms.


“Wouldn’t dream of it, mate.”


“Are we going or what?” Angel asked, impatiently shifting his weight from foot to foot.


“Yeah, yeah,” Wood sighed, flicking his car keys in his hand and opening the front door to let everyone out.


“You ready to party Spike?” Gunn asked.


“Ask me when I’m completely sloshed, mate.”


“Will do,” Gun laughed, watching Spike walk out the door.


“Are you sure he’s ready for this?” Fred asked, slipping her arm into her boyfriends.


“He’s got to get over it some time.”


“I know,” she sighed following Gunn to the car.


…………………………


The Bronze was usually packed most nights during the week, Friday nights being the busiest. This Friday night was no exception. People were everywhere when Faith and Buffy walked through the entry, letting the musky scents enter their systems.


The pair normally arrived at the Bronze at about 6:30pm, but by the time Buffy had arrived at Faith’s they both knew they weren’t going to get there until well after 7pm. The dance floor was getting more crowded by the minute and the bar line was getting longer.


Buffy followed Faith as they weaved their way in through the throngs of people, making a beeline towards the bar. She let out a smile upon seeing who was working behind it.


“Ladies!” Xander beamed. “I was beginning to think you weren‘t going to make it tonight.” Buffy and Faith sided up to the bar, matching smiles on their face.


“Aw baby,” Faith pouted, leaning over the bar top. “We wouldn’t leave you hanging like that. Would we, B?” Buffy smiled, shaking her head ‘no’.


“Can we get two double blacks, please?” Buffy asked, fishing money out of her wallet.


“These are on the house tonight.” Xander smiled, placing the two bottles on the bar top.


“You didn’t have t-”


“I insist.” He pushed their drinks towards them. “Save me a dance for later?” His question was aimed at Faith, who sent him a wink in return.


As they were walking away from the bar to find a spare table, Buffy leant to whisper in Faith’s ear.


“You know, I think you sleeping with him only made his obsession with you worse.”


She laughed, pulling away and walking faster towards a table that a couple had just left. Faith slowly walked over and plonked herself on the stool.


“It’s paying for the free drinks he keeps giving us.” She took a swig from her bottle. “Do I hear you complaining?” Faith raised an eyebrow as Buffy’s eyes widened.


“Complaining,” Buffy scoffed. “Me? No?” She laughed, taking a swig from her own drink.


“Two o’clock.” Faith grinned, a smirk marring her features as she scanned over the body of the man she’d just spotted. “I’d like to get my hands on that! Damn.”


Buffy spun around in her chair and let her gaze follow Faith’s. Her heart skipped a beat upon seeing the creature before her. ‘Wow’.