Blue Eyed Devil
Parts 45-47


Written by: Pattyanne
Author's Website

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Summary: AU. (Here I go again) Spike is an up and coming rock star. His band is called "Blue Eyed Devil". Buffy is a pre-school teacher, who meets him one night in a club where his band is singing.
Disclaimer: The show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all of it's characters belong to Joss, Mutant Enemy, & Fox Prod.
AN: Since I can't write music, and music is going to be a major theme in this story, I'll be using other songs that I like. Unless it's noted that the song belongs to someone else, I need you to suspend a little belief and pretend it's a Blue Eyed Devil song. I'm sure none of you will have any problem imagining "him" singing a love song...to whoever.
Feedback: snapkik@yahoo.com

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Part Forty-five:



Buffy literally couldn't move. She kept staring at the car, staring into Spike's angry eyes, almost feeling as though she was standing off to one side observing rather than participating.

This couldn't actually be happening because Spike was many miles away from Sunnydale. He was, she had no doubt, standing on a stage right now, singing his heart out.

No, this person before her, sitting in the drivers seat of a car that was definitely ringing a bell in her memory, had to be an amazing look alike....an exact duplicate in fact, right down to the scar through his left eyebrow.

Perhaps this was a fan, someone who idolized Devlin to the point of wanting to resemble him physically, who had gone to the extreme measure of some pretty extensive plastic surgery, who had somehow found out that he was thinking about buying a fully restored 1974 MG Midget convertible and....

But how likely was that, really?

"Hey," Riley said, releasing his hold on her face and following the direction of her gaze, "isn't that him?"

Buffy finally shook off her shock and regained her ability to move. Her eyes darted to meet Riley's, then snapped back to Spike.

"I think...." was all she was able to say before her disbelief of what was happening climbed to an all new level.

Instead of doing what she expected, which would be pulling to the curb, climbing out, and coming over to start at the very least a verbal confrontation, Spike threw the car into gear and peeled away from the corner with a scream of acceleration.

"Wow," Riley continued after a moment. "What was THAT all about?"

It was a valid question, one she had no idea how to reply to.

"Buffy? That WAS him....wasn't it? Spike Devlin?"

She nodded silently, trying to marshal her thoughts together and decide her next course of action. "Yes," she finally said. "That was him....and...and I have to go. Um...thank you for the coffee."

Feeling as though she was moving in the right direction, she picked up her purse and fumbled around for her keys.

"You're welcome. Buffy....is everything going to be all right for you?" Riley was still talking.

Well, that was another damn good question for which she had no answer.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



She drove home, not knowing what to expect or what she would find until she saw the car sitting in her driveway.

Pulling in next to it, she set the parking brake with ridiculous care and switched off the engine.

Spike was sitting on the front porch swing, his guitar in his lap, picking out some tune she didn't recognize.

Buffy tried to assess his mood by his facial _expression, but he was in shadow and she had no clear view.

At this point, there was nothing to do but get out of the car and find out for herself how bad the fallout of this incident was going to be.

Taking in and releasing a deep breath, she climbed out of the car and walked up the front pathway.

The music stopped and Spike raised his head and glared at her, waiting, head tilted to one side and that scarred eyebrow arched.

Buffy sighed. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Looking at you like what?" he queried calmly.

"Like I'm a cross between Hitler and the Whore of Babylon," she said.

Much to her surprise, she saw a smile tug at the corner of his mouth....a look he quickly took control of.

"Who was that?" he asked, still holding a quiet tone.

Buffy steeled herself for the outburst that would surely follow her reply. "That was Riley Finn."

"Mmm," Spike nodded. "The banker? The friend?"

She narrowed her eyes. What was THIS all about? Was he trying to lull her into a false sense of 'See? Nothing bad is going to happen here as long as you're honest with me'...only to lower the boom on her afterwards?

"Yes, Riley is....that person."

He strummed a few chords. "Mmm," he said again. "Did you have a nice time?"

This whole scene was getting more surreal by the moment.

"It was all right." She shivered a little, although the evening air was far from cold. "Do you want to...come inside?"

"Yes. Thank you."

All this politeness was unnerving her, and she dropped her keys twice trying to unlock the door.

"Need some help?"

"No...I've got it."

Once they were in the house, with the door secured behind them, Buffy dropped her purse on the table and turned to face him again.

"Want anything?" she asked.

"No, thank you." He leaned his guitar against the wall.

"Coffee?"

"No."

"A beer?"

"No." He shook his head. "I'm fine, thanks."

Now that the niceties has been performed, she was free to ask, "Spike....what are you doing here?"

His eyebrows arched at her tone.

"I just meant," she added quickly, "aren't you supposed to be in Cleveland or something tonight?"

He was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Columbus, actually....but the concert had to be canceled."

"How come?"

Dropping to the sofa in a graceful sprawl, he stretched his arms out along the back and crossed one leg over the other.

"It was a fairly new concert hall...and it must have been built on the cheap," he explained, looking her right in the eye. "Sometime during the night bad wiring sparked a fire. Sprinkler system failed. Gutted the whole interior. It was too late to try and reschedule anywhere else."

Buffy stared at him in horror. "Oh, my god....well....well, that's awful....I'm just....I'm glad it happened while no one was there."

While HE hadn't been there, is what she'd truly meant. Just the thought of such a thing happening...of him being in that place...around all that electrical equipment that surrounded him every time he set foot on stage....equipment plugged into faulty wiring....

She sank down on the sofa next to him, feeling a sudden need for physical contact with his alive and healthy body. "You're all right?"

Spike acknowledged her concern with a slight nod. "I'm fine, Buffy. We were nowhere near the place when it caught fire."

She swallowed hard, sending a silent thank you somewhere in the direction she judged heaven might be.

"Anyway," he continued briskly. "Since I suddenly found myself with a couple of days free....I decided to surprise you."

It had worked....beautifully.

"So I caught a flight to San Francisco....picked up the car...and drove like hell to get here. To you."

His eyes darted across the room, spotting the video he'd sent her. "You've got mail."

That comment reminded her of the content of the video; his sorta/kinda/ marriage proposal, deal sweetening diamond ring included. "Uh-huh. It came today. It was just....."

"Too bad," he cut her off, rising to his feet and crossing the room. Picking up the envelope it had arrived in, he slipped the tape back into it and placed it on the coffee table. "Here I was, hoping it hadn't arrived yet."

Buffy's heart took a sickening dive into her stomach. "You were?"

He gave her an impassive look. "Yeah, when I pulled up I checked your mailbox to see if I could intercept it."

Well, this couldn't be going anywhere good at all.

Sticking his hands into the pockets of his short leather jacket, he leaned against the wall, watching her...a cat with a jittery mouse.

Disappointment began to settle around her, a heavy blanket she was determined to shrug off. "Why?" she asked simply.

His lips quirked in a small smile. "Did you watch the entire tape?"

"Yes....the song was beautiful, by the way."

"Glad you liked it."

Her thoughts were skittering around like leaves in a wind eddy. "About the last part....where you...."

"Yeah, about that," he interrupted again, then shrugged his shoulders. "All the way over here, I was hoping you hadn't gotten that far."

She could almost feel the rug tightening below her feet, about to be yanked out from under her. "Spike..."

"No....let me say this." He looked down at his feet for a moment, then back up into her eyes. "I shouldn't have said all that stuff at the end. It was obviously a mistake, and I'm sorry I did it...."

Buffy swallowed a tight lump in her throat. This was grossly unfair. She hadn't done anything to deserve this, hadn't been unfaithful...hadn't even THOUGHT about being unfaithful. A hectic color mounted in her cheeks and she opened her mouth to tell him exactly where he could go and how he could get there.

"...that way," he went on calmly, his devilish grin finally breaking through as he withdrew a small satin box from his pocket, tossed it once, then caught it on the palm of his hand and extended it towards her. "A gentleman should always propose to a lady.....in person."

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Part Forty-six:



Relief fought with shock for dominance as her primary emotion, with a slight tinge of anger coming up on the inside track. Buffy's jaw sagged at the same time her eyes narrowed.

"What?" she yelped, jumping to her feet as she decided to let that slight infusion of anger carry her along for the moment. "Spike....William Christopher....you....is that supposed to be funny?!"

"My proposal?" He looked at the box balancing on his palm and smiled at her broadly. "Wasn't supposed to be, no. Why, do you feel like laughing?"

It was a dangerous question, since she hardly looked amused.

"No! No, I don't!" she announced loudly. Turning, she grabbed one of the throw pillows from the sofa and flung it directly at his head. "You scared the life out of me...letting me think you....you were going to....OH!"

Spike ducked the first cushion, then moved quickly out of range when he saw her looking for more ammunition. Rather than apologize, he chuckled, which only infuriated her more. "Buffy....come on, love....can't you take a joke?"

Another cushion came flying straight at him, whomping him right in the face, but he still managed to keep grinning at her.

"I can take a joke." She picked up the TV guide and lobbed it at him. "If that had been funny, I'd be laughing right about now!"

Lifting one arm, Spike deflected the magazine and ducked behind the armchair. "Well...all that aside, luv...you gonna marry me?"

Panting, her chest heaving, she glared at him. "I wouldn't marry you if....."

"Wait, wait, I know," he cut her off, still laughing like a hyena. "If I was the last fellow on earth?"

".....my life depended on it!" she finished, picking up a glass candy dish and hefting its weight in her hand.

His smile finally dropped away. "You throw THAT at me and it just might," he warned her.

"I'll take my chances." The undercurrent of arousal that was always laced through their encounters was growing stronger inside her by the instant. Although she was fairly certain at this point that she would be accepting his proposal, she surely wasn't about to let him win this round easily. "If you think I'm going to.....wait!.....no, Spike!...."

Her final word ended on a squeal that slid up the scale as he lowered his head and dove straight at her. Before she even knew it had happened, he had the candy dish out of her hand and dropped harmlessly on the sofa. He then bent over and scooped her up, dropping her over his shoulder and heading for the stairs.

"Say you'll marry me!" he demanded, stomping upstairs, letting his feet hit each riser a bit on the hard side which elicited soft "oomphs' from her parted lips.

"Don't....don't hold.....your breath," she managed to say, keeping the giddy laughter at bay.

"Wrong answer, love." His hand landed on her bottom, a gentle spank that ended with a playful pinch. "I'll give you another chance."

Buffy's heart pounded with mad excitement. "Forget it!" This time the spank was a little harder. "Hey!"

"I can keep this up all night," he said, rubbing her bottom and crossing the threshold into the bedroom. "Among other things."

"You're pushing it, Spike," she informed him, then squealed once again when he dumped her on the bed.

He just gave her another one of his cocky smiles and winked at her. "Come on, love," he said, holding up the jewelers box and slowly opening the lid. "Look what I've got for you. Just say the magic words and this beautiful two and one quarter carat heart shaped diamond ring will be on your finger where it belongs...."

Buffy stared at the ring in question, nestled in it's bed of black satin box. "Oh, my gosh..." Her voice was a whisper. "Oh, Spike..."

He looked immensely pleased with himself. "You like it, baby?"

She couldn't come up with a word strong enough to signify just how very much she liked this ring. Her lower lip quivered and her eyes misted a little.

Spike instantly snapped the box closed. "You cry and you can't have it," he warned her.

He was most certainly teasing, which she knew, but she was willing to play along. "I won't cry," she promised, holding out her left hand and wiggling her fingers.

The bed shifted as he placed one knee on it. Removing the ring from it's box, he took her hand. "This is an official accept- ance then?"

Care and caution could go to hell and never come back as far she was concerned. If his absence had taught her one thing, it was the plain fact that ANY life with him, no matter the limits, was better than a perfect life without him. "Yes," she nodded.

"You can't take it back you know. Once the ring goes on, you're stuck with me."

"I know."

The gold band hovered at the tip of her left ring finger, its gem winking in the lamplight.

"Last chance to back out," he said quietly.

The serious turn of his voice caught her attention, and she turned her gaze from the mesmerizing ring to look up at him. "Why would I want to do that?"

He shrugged. "We haven't known each other very long."

This was new. Normally she was the hesitant half of their whole, and Spike the one who jumped head first without looking to see if there was water in the pool.

Her heart thudded in her chest. "That doesn't matter," she heard herself say. "I love you...and I know what I want." Taking a deep breath and releasing it, he lowered himself to the mattress beside her. "I'll be gone for a long time."

It was the last thing in the world she wanted a reminder of, but she pushed the gloomy thought to one side. "I know. I'll be all right."

Their normal dichotomy seemed to have shifted, as though their contradictory qualities and personalities had swapped places.

Now, HE was warning HER to be sure and look before she leapt.

It was too late, though. She was already teetering on the edge and ready to jump.

"Look," she said briskly. "if you're trying to wriggle out of this on a technicality then you're wasting your time. You already asked and I accepted, so quit trying to talk me out of it."

"I wasn't trying to....."

She placed her right hand over his mouth. "Does the phrase 'breach of promise' mean anything to you?"

He nodded, his eyes crinkling at the corners as she felt him smile beneath her hand.

"Good," she added, smiling back at him. "Can I have my ring now?"

Spike took her right hand away from his mouth and raised her left, finally securing the ring in its proper place. "Well, Miss Buffy......looks like we're engaged."

Hypnotized by the sparkle and brilliance of the stone, Buffy tilted her hand to catch the light in it. "So it would seem."

Suddenly tumbling her backwards onto the bed, he pinned her with his own body and caught her wrists. "Now...let's talk about where you were earlier this evening."

She made a face. "Oh, do we have to?"

Hot gentian eyes glittered in the low light. "Tell me."

Since there was no way out of it...and since she wanted to move on to a proper reunion...Buffy sighed and capitulated. "What do you want to know?"

"I want to know why my girlfriend appeared to be out on a date with another man."

"It wasn't a date," she protested.

One eyebrow arched. "You were out with him...in a public place....having a meal....."

"No," she put in quickly, "having coffee."

Lying beside her, he propped his head on one hand. "Let's not shuffle semantics. You were out with him."

"Well....I was. Yes. But I had a good reason for it."

Spike's lower lip curved in a smile. "I'm waiting to hear it."

As quickly and concisely as she could, Buffy presented her explanation. Spike listened, inserting an occasional ques- tion or remark.

Upon the conclusion of her story, she shut her mouth and waited for his response.

He gave the appearance of man thinking something over with grave care, but as he was shifting on the bed in order to move on top of her, she was content to wait it out.

"So...it's done with him?" he asked, leaning down to kiss her throat.

"Mm-hmm....all done." Buffy's head tilted back, offering him more access.

"Good." He took a taste of her skin. "Now...it's time for some payback."

She could hardly wait!



***************************************



Spike kissed her mouth, muffling the soft moan that rose inside of her when she felt one of his hands caress her breast through her blouse.

Coaxing her tongue into his mouth, he sucked on it gently, tugging at her nipple with the same rhythmic pull.

Her pleasure level was rising fast, making her arch her back.

Spike drew back, then kissed his way down her neck, nuzzling the soft skin over her collar bone. "Buffy...I've missed you so much," he murmured.

"S-Spike....."

"Shhh." His hand came up and worked open the buttons of her blouse. "Mmm.....nice," he added upon spying the frilly little nothings of her underwear. "You are so damn sexy."

His voice was husky, unbearably arousing. She smiled up into his eyes. "You, too."

Spike made quick work of unhooking her bra, then bent his head again, licking each hard nipple. "You feel how hard I am?" he whispered, grinding his pelvis against her. "You do that to me."

He kissed and licked his way down her body, tugging her skirt off. His tongue darted into her navel, tickling her until she was twisting to get away from the teasing torture.

"Hold still, Miss Buffy," he breathed hotly against her skin while he pulled her panties down and off. His hand slipped up between her thighs and he slipped one finger up inside of her.

She was shocked to realize that the mere touch of that one finger had her close to climax. Her internal muscles tightened around it without her control, the rest of her body remaining rigidly still.

"That's my girl." Giving her navel one last kiss, he pro- ceeded on down, nuzzling the warm skin over her flat abdomen.

Something about that particular touch set off bells inside of her. Her fingers playing with his silky hair, she sighed and closed her eyes. "Spike...?"

"Hmm?" he replied, the sound muffled against her flesh.

"I want children, you know?"

That made him raise his head and look at her. "Good, cuz I plan on giving you several."

Buffy opened her eyes and met his intent gaze. "Really?"

He grinned. "Yeah, really. Lots of beautiful babies."

Lots of them? "How many is lots of them?"

Spike shrugged. "How about three...with an option on a fourth?"

That sounded reasonable to her. "Perfect."

He nodded and went back to his task. Kissing and nibbling her hipbones, he seemed to want to taste her everywhere as his finger began to slide smoothly in and out.

A small orgasm hit her with no warning, making her gasp loudly and lift her hips. Her head thrashed on the pillow as he helped her through it by rubbing her clit with his thumb.

The moment she relaxed, he shoved himself up and off the bed, undressing quickly.

Buffy lay on the bed, watching him, panting for air and holding out her arms. He fell into her embrace and buried his face against the side of her neck.

"I want inside you," he rasped in her ear, wedging her thighs further apart with his knee.

She wanted that just as badly. "Yes....Spike..." Reaching down, she touched him. When her fingers wrapped around his erection, he sucked in air.

Grasping both her wrists, he pinned them to the bed over her head, settled himself more fully on top of her, and began pushing in, stretching her, using their combined moisture to ease his way in.

Buffy looked up at him, seeing his features taut with fierce concentration, his eyes almost black with heat and lust.

His mouth came down on hers, his tongue thrusting deeply, as he buried himself completely.

She knew almost immediately that this wasn't going to be a slow, lingering experience. They'd been apart just long enough to insure that their first time back together would be a hard, fast, and wildly exciting ride.

Once he began to thrust steadily, there was no stopping him. His pace never slowed, his rhythm never faltered. It was a steady pounding, designed to bring them both the maximum amount of pleasure as quickly as possible.

His hips grinding against hers with each impaling thrust, he made sure that she felt the friction on her clit, giving her what she needed to take her over the edge.

No sooner was she through one climax than he had her heading for another one. This time, he rolled them both over until she was on top. "Get up on your knees," he ordered.

She did as he asked, placing her hands on his chest. "This way?"

"Yeah." He held his shaft in one hand, repositioning himself at her entrance. "Now take it in."

Her smile teased him. "Kind of bossy, aren't you?"

He grabbed her hips. "Sit on it, Buffy."

She laughed, letting him pull her down until he was back inside of her, tightly clasped by her body.

"More," he grunted, his jaw clenched. Grabbing her backside, he pushed up when she came down. It was a tight fit.

Her nails dug into his chest, leaving marks on his skin.

Steadily pumping in and out, he raised his head from the pillow and latched on to one tightly peaked nipple, sucking it until she felt a stinging ache that he soothed with his tongue.

Upon finishing with one breast, he moved his face to the other, licking her with long strokes of his tongue, then flicking the nipple rapidly.

Buffy moaned, pushing herself more fully forward, urging him to open his mouth, then pushing her breast inside to be sucked. She felt every pull of his mouth all the way down to her core.

He released her from his mouth, panting for oxygen. "Come on, baby," he grunted harshly. "Come for me. I want to feel you come... I want to watch it...do it for me....that's it....good girl..make it tighter... unh.... yeah.... tighter.... harder....."

Those softly muttered words did the trick. She let herself go completely, barely noticing that he was once again turning her over. Her climax was still fluttering through her when he got up on his knees and hauled her down.

Draping her legs over his shoulders, he pounded into her hard and fast, seeking his own release, straining for that powerful rush of sensation.

To her own everlasting shock, Buffy climaxed again with intoxicating speed. This time, he came along with her, ejaculating thick spurts of semen inside her, roaring with his own pleasure which was magnified by hers.



*************************************



"Oh...my....god...."

Lying next to her, he chuckled. "You're welcome."

"Three times!"

"You're a wonder to behold, baby. An absolute wonder."

He sounded sleepy, so she reached over and turned off the bedside lamp, then snuggled down next to him. His arm curved around her, keeping her close.

"Still gonna marry me?" he asked softly.

"Mm-hmm. Still....."

"Good. Sleep now."

Unwilling to sleep their precious time away, in the end, she couldn't control it and gave in.

---

Part Forty-seven:



Kissing him goodbye at the airport wasn't getting any easier, but that particular ache was dulled somewhat by the overshadowing dread at the ordeal facing her.

The time had come to tell her mother that she was getting married....to a musician....a man she hadn't known for very long and that her mother didn't even know existed.

It wasn't going to be easy, and all during her long drive to Pasadena Buffy had felt more and more like a teenage girl again...regressing back to a time when arguments over boys and how short the hems of her skirts should be had gone on day after day after day.

Due to the disappointments she herself had suffered, Joyce Summers had a jaundiced view of any male who entered her daughter's orbit. She had treated Buffy's boyfriends cordially enough, but never completely thawed towards any of them.

Pulling her car into the driveway of her mother's neat little red brick house, Buffy switched off the ignition and paused to observe it.

Everything about it was immaculate. The lawn was a deep, rich green...freshly mowed...and the garden was nothing short of amazing. Her mom had a green thumb that was unbelievable. Everything she planted...the morning glories that grew over the lattice work arch by the front door, the rose bushes that lined the driveway, the long beds of marigolds and pansies that lay beneath the bay window in the living room....was all growing in a lush and riotous display of glorious color in the late afternoon sun.

The front yard sprinkler was gently swishing back and forth, and the porch wind chime tinkled in the slight breeze. All in all, the place closely resembled paradise.

Hopefully, it would still look that way to her when it was time to leave.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Joyce Summers, a tall and well built woman with ash blond hair framing her attractive features, set a cup of tea and a slice of coffee cake in front of Buffy, then took the seat opposite her at the kitchen table.

"This is a nice surprise." She smiled and picked up her fork. "It's so good to see you, sweetie."

Buffy cut off a bite of cake, chewed it slowly and swallowed, chasing it down with a sip of her tea. "You, too, Mom. It's been a while."

'I know...so, tell me how you've been. And the children? How are they doing?"

Grateful for the small distraction, Buffy went into detail about her class, regaling her mother with amusing stories about their progress and development, finishing up with a tale about the class hamster escaping from her hand and disappearing up the sleeve of her blouse.

After the laughter died and down and the table was cleared, they went down the back porch steps and sat at the patio table to watch the sunset.

Buffy cleared her throat and looked directly at her mother. "I have some news for you," she said. Leaning back in her chair, she slipped her hands into the pockets of her jacket, squeezing her ring and rubbing her thumb over the diamond. "I've met someone..."

Joyce's brow quirked, but her mouth curved in a small smile. "By 'someone' I take it you mean a man?"

"Yes."

"So, you're dating?"

It was as good a place as any to start. "Um...yes." Buffy took a deep breath. "We met a few weeks ago, and....."

"And?" Joyce prompted.

"We've been seeing each other ever since."

"I see." Folding her hands together, Joyce studied her nails. "Well, I think that's wonderful, darling."

A lazy breeze ruffled the awning over their heads, drawing Buffy's eyes to it for a brief moment. So far, so good. A little of the nervous tension drained out of her....

"May I ask where the two of you met?"

.....then came rushing right back! She had known she'd have to field this question, but hadn't been looking forward to it one bit. Briefly considering a white lie, she shook off the urge to speak it. Sooner or later the truth would come out anyway, there was no point in trying to dodge it. It was something her mother was just going to have to accept graciously.

"We met in a club...a nightclub. A place in Sunnydale called 'Union Jack's'. Willow and I went there to hear this band she likes...."

"And this man...what's his name, dear?"

Buffy opened her mouth to say 'Spike', then changed her mind at the last second. "William Devlin."

"He was there, too? To hear the band?"

"N...not exactly. He...he was there to...to..."

Joyce sat back, folding her arms across her chest and giving her daughter a look of exasperation. "He was there to what? Buffy, why do you look so nervous? What's going on?"

Meeting her mother's probing gaze, Buffy opened her mouth and let the words pour out. "He wasn't there to hear the band...he was performing there."

Joyce's mouth visibly tightened. "Performing in a nightclub," she stated flatly. "You mean he's WITH the band."

"Yes...actually, it's his band. He started it." Once the words began to flow, Buffy couldn't stop. "And you might as well know now, it's a rock band, and they've just signed a contract with a recording company...their first single went platinum just a few days after it was released. They're on tour right now, but...."

"On tour?" Joyce interrupted. "You mean he's not in Sunnydale?"

Buffy sighed and shook her head. "Not at the moment. But he calls me every night, and he's already been back to see me once."

Joyce obviously found that bit of information suspect. "Oh? When was that, if he's gone again already?"

"He flew in on Friday night...and I took him back to the airport this morning."

The question Joyce wanted to ask was plainly written on her face, but she kept it inside. "I see....well, I hope you know what you're doing, Buffy."

Her tone made it clear that she didn't think Buffy had the slightest idea in the world what she was doing and would live to regret it, a sentiment that irked her daughter to no end.

"Musicians aren't exactly known for being dependable, you know. They travel all over the place and there's usually a girl in every city...sometimes more than one. USUALLY, more than one," Joyce added grimly.

"This is different," Buffy began, spots of color appearing on her cheeks.

"Oh, they always say THAT," her mother interjected. "They tell you that you're the only one...that no one else means anything to them...whatever they think you want to hear. Whatever will get you to let them....."

"Mom!"

"All right! I'm sorry. I just....I hate to think you're being led on by this man, Buffy. Off on tour, doing God knows what with God knows who, filling your head with moonlight and roses!"

"No!" Buffy said loudly. "You don't understand..."

"I understand men, Buffy...and musicians." Joyce nearly spat the last word.

"Not this one, you don't," Buffy insisted. "Spike isn't like that. He's....."

Joyce's chin jerked up. "Spike? Who's Spike?"

Staring with wide eyes at her mother's rigid face, Buffy felt suddenly calm. Like it or lump it, Joyce was simply going to have to accept this. "Spike is William. It's the name he goes by....Spike Devlin. He...."

"From...from 'Blue Eyed Devil'?" Joyce asked suddenly.

The surprise Buffy had felt upon being informed that Riley Finn knew all about Spike and the band was nothing at all compared to the revelation she was NOW faced with....that her mother also knew just who they were.

She couldn't be any more shocked had Joyce just informed her that she was running away to join the circus!

"You...you know about 'Blue Eyed Devil'? You've heard of them?"

Joyce let out a little "huh" sound and nodded. "It's all the younger girls at the gallery talk about these days...how great the band is and how...handsome and...and sexy Spike Devlin is." Rather than reassuring her, this new knowledge only seemed to be making matters worse. "Oh, Buffy...this man is...well, he must have girls crawling all over him! Honey, I just don't think this is a good idea AT ALL!"

"Mother...."

"No, I'm serious, Buffy. I mean...a man like him...away so much of the time. How in the world could you ever be sure of him? The temptation that would be...THROWN at him constantly. How could you trust him?"

Buffy refused to let those seeds of thought take any root in her mind. "I can trust him because he loves me," she said firmly.

Joyce's jaw dropped. She apparently considered THAT to be the biggest line of them all. "Is THAT what he TOLD you?" she scoffed. "Oh, Buffy....honey, don't you see? That's how it works. He must say that to dozens of girls...then after he's had what he wants..." Her voice trailed off.

"You're wrong." Buffy shook her head. "Wrong about musicians and wrong about Spike."

"Buffy...."

"Mom.....Spike isn't Simon."

Joyce's face flushed as her eyes opened wide and her fists clenched. "He could be just like Simon," she said, "and you wouldn't have the first clue. You're not accustomed to men like him, men who tell you one thing and mean something entirely different...men who lie to you with a straight face."

"Not Spike. He doesn't lie to me...about anything."

Joyce just shook her head. "Because he LOVES you?" she asked, a little bitterly.

"Yes," Buffy replied simply. "He loves me."

"And you just believe him? You just take his words at face value? This man you've only known for a short time?"

"That's right."

Their voices were rising in volume.

"How can you be so sure?" Joyce demanded. "For all you know he could be saying the same thing to a dozen different girls. Telling them he loves them, that they're the only ones, that he'll.....be back."

"He's not doing that! He loves ME and I am the only one he's coming back to!"

"How do you KNOW?"

"Because he gave me this!" Buffy withdrew her hand from her pocket and opened it, displaying her engagement ring before Joyce's astonished eyes. "NOW do you believe me?!"

There was a long and uncomfortable silence before Joyce spoke. "Buffy...is that what it appears to be?"

"It's my engagement ring," Buffy confirmed, sliding the gold band onto her left ring finger. "Spike asked me to marry him...and I accepted."

Her mother took in and released a shaky sounding breath. "You're going to marry a man you barely know? A man you've never even introduced to me...or told me about?"

Squirming just a little, Buffy nodded. "I'm going to marry him, Mom." She was alarmed to see tears mist Joyce's eyes. Taking her hand, she squeezed it. "Oh, Mom...everything's going to be all right. You don't need to worry, I promise. Spike won't hurt me. I...I know it happened fast...maybe a little too fast....but it doesn't matter. It's good, and it's right, and we're going to be just fine."

"Oh, Buffy..." Joyce blinked back her tears. "I wish...I wish I could believe that. I really do."



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



All during her drive home, their final exchange echoed in Buffy's mind.....

"I still think you're being foolish, Buffy."

"You're entitled to your opinion, Mom."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"So, how badly does she hate me? Should I hire someone to taste my food for me?"

"Let's just say I wouldn't walk down any dark alleys in Pasadena right now if I were you."

Spike laughed. "Seriously, though...still want to marry me? Mum didn't manage to change your mind?"

Buffy smiled into the phone. "Not a chance."




TBC...


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