"Come on, Will. You have to go," Buffy pleaded as she
dogged Willow's heels out of Giles' kitchen and into
the living room.
The redhead handed a mug of blood to Spike and sat
down next to him, "I don't know, Buffy. I mean, it
sounds fun and everything, but--"
"What are we talking about?" Spike asked the two
women.
"The New Year's Eve celebration at the Manor House
Lodge. Don't ask me how he pulled it off, but Riley
managed to get reservations for all of us. He came
back early so he can take me. Everyone else has agreed
to go, but Willow's playing hard to get."
"I am not," Willow laughed.
"Are, too," the slayer insisted. "You can't not go!
How many times do you get to celebrate the turn of a
century?"
"About every hundred years or so," Spike answered
dryly.
"Shut up, you," Buffy ordered and looked back over at
her best friend. "How can you pass on a party like
this?"
"The Manor House is a place for people who have more
money than sense," Willow said. "I don't belong in a
place like that."
"Says who?" Spike asked sharply.
"It isn't going to be like that, anyway," Buffy told
her. "All kinds of people are going to be there. You
don't have to go formal. Wear jeans, if you want to.
Just go with us. Come on, Will. It'll be fun."
"Well," Willow reconsidered and looked questioningly
at Spike.
"Up to you, ducks," he shrugged.
"Okay," she nodded. "We'll go."
***
The ballroom in the Manor House was filled to capacity
when Willow and Spike followed Buffy and Riley inside.
Xander waved to them from a table in the corner, and
they made their way over to where he was seated beside
Anya. Riley offered to order their drinks as the
others sat down.
"Just a soda for me," Buffy requested.
"Make that two," Willow nodded.
"I'll have the bartender," Spike said and flashed
Willow a quick grin as she shot him a look. "Never
mind, pet. I'll just have you."
She blushed to her roots, and Riley shook his head and
left them to wend his way through the crowd and over
to the bar.
***
"There you two are," Buffy said as she stepped out
onto the terrace. "I was afraid you'd run off."
Willow smiled and shook her head, "Just needed some
air."
"It's almost midnight," the slayer told her as she
handed each of them a glass of champaign.
The redhead stared down into the bubbly drink and
spoke softly, "I never would have dreamed the year
would be ending this way. I thought I'd be celebrating
the start of a new century with--"
Spike took her hand and squeezed it as she looked over
at him, "It's okay, luv."
Riley appeared through the open door as a drum roll
sounded, and the people inside began to count down the
seconds.
"To a better year," Buffy suggested as she slipped her
arm around him, raised her glass, and looked over at
Willow.
She nodded and gazed up at Spike, "To a century of
better years."
They drank to the toast, and Spike took Willow's glass
and set it down with his own as multi-colored lights
began to flash from inside the building amidst the
loud whoop of celebration from the crowd. He pulled
her close to him and brought his lips to hers,
heedless of the embrace the slayer and Riley were
sharing, his mind centered only on the young woman in
his arms. She put her arms around his neck and
returned the kiss, lost in the feeling of his mouth
against hers.
"Willow," the hesitant voice broke the passionate
moment, and she pulled away from Spike to look toward
the speaker.
Her eyes flew open and her jaw dropped as she
squealed, "Oz?!?"
He nodded, his uneasy expression quickly replaced by a
wide smile as Willow flung herself into his arms.
"Oz!" she breathed excitedly as he hugged her
fiercely.
Buffy's eyes darted anxiously from Riley to Spike, and
she reached out and put her hand on the vampire's arm
as a low growl rumbled in his chest.
End.