Chapter 10:

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A long moment of silence passed as Buffy and her father looked at each other.

‘I can’t believe I didn’t prepare myself for this,’ Spike thought. ‘I knew he’d be here. Why didn’t I ever think of what’d happen when they saw each other again? I deserve whatever happens to me after this.’

“Buffy, honey, it’s been a long time,” Hank said, moving towards Buffy and hugging her. She shut her eyes as she hugged him back, her head spinning.

‘He told me Dad wouldn’t be here,’ she said to herself. ‘But he knew all along, didn’t he? He lied to me.’ She looked at Spike over her father’s shoulder and glared at him. He looked caught and averted his eyes, focusing on something off to the side. ‘How could he do this to me? He knew I wasn’t ready to see Dad. I can’t believe this.’ Buffy and Hank separated, looking at each other again.

“I didn’t know you were in L.A.,” Hank said. “Have you been here long?”

“Not too long, no,” she answered hesitantly. “I was going to look you up, but a lot of things arose.”

“I’m just glad you’re here,” he smiled warmly. “Are you living here now?” She nodded. “Great! We should go out to lunch together sometime soon.” She nodded again, still incredibly angry at Spike.

“Sounds like a plan, Dad,” Buffy replied, seeing a blonde woman approaching them. As she got nearer, Buffy raised an eyebrow. “Harmony?” The woman looked at Buffy and seemed surprised.

“Buffy!” Harmony smiled, hugging Buffy. Buffy felt even more uncomfortable and hugged Harmony back for a moment before pulling away. “What’re you doing here?”

“I came with Spike,” she answered, and she noticed Hank looking at Spike quizzically. Spike smiled sheepishly before looking down at the ground. “What’re you doing here?”

“Well,” Harmony began, looking at Hank for a moment before he nodded at her. “I’m here with your dad.”

“What?” Buffy asked, trying to contain the rage that flooded her. “You’re here with my father?”

“Yes,” Hank cut in, trying to stop the scene from growing. “Harmony and I have been dating for several months now.”

“But she used to be my babysitter!” Buffy said in shock, staring at her father. “Do you know how gross that is?”

“It’s not that gross,” Harmony replied defensively, crossing her arms. “I’m only ten years older than you.”

“So what?” Buffy said loudly. “It’s still wrong.” Harmony grabbed Hank’s hand in hers and began to tug him away from his daughter.

“I still want to have lunch with you,” Hank said before he disappeared in the crowd. Buffy clenched her fists before turning her attention to Spike.

“Your office, right now,” she said in a low tone. He nodded and took her hand in his, but she pulled it away from him. He frowned and led her down a hallway and into his office, shutting the door behind him. She walked to the windows and didn’t say anything, just staring outside, collecting her thoughts. It was at least five minutes before she turned to look at him.

‘And here it comes,’ he thought, preparing for a well-deserved tirade.

* * *

“You knew he’d be here tonight, didn’t you?” she asked, a dangerous edge to her voice.

“Yes,” he answered, looking down, trying to figure out how he was going to explain himself.

“How could you lie to me?” she hissed, staring at him. “You knew I didn’t want to see him! How could you bring me here, knowing that my father would be here, too?”

“Because I thought that maybe you and him could attempt to try working things out,” Spike answered, looking away. “I figured that Hank could help you out more, and it’s not like you can hide forever.”

“This wasn’t your call!” she yelled, throwing her arms up. “It was my decision when I wanted to see him, not yours. You had no right to do this, Spike. I can’t believe you would do this.” She turned around again and looked out the windows at the buildings surrounding them.

“I’m sorry, Buffy,” he said sincerely, noticing how the moonlight was cascading over her figure. “I made a big mistake. I never should have lied to you about it. You’re right- it wasn’t for me to decide. I’m sorry.” She stood up straighter, looking over her shoulder at him. “But I don’t regret the fact I brought you here, luv.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Because I wanted to go out with you tonight,” he answered, putting his hands in his pockets. “I haven’t really seen you this week because we’ve both been busy, and I’ve missed you.” She tried not to smile at him, trying to look as if she was still extremely upset.

‘But I think my anger is fading fast,’ she thought. ‘If he keeps talking like that, it’ll be completely absent shortly.’

“I’m sorry, pet,” he said, looking at his desk. “I didn’t want to hurt you, and it was stupid of me to lie to you. Will you forgive me?”

“After a good amount of groveling,” she replied, turning to face him, her arms crossed. He nodded slightly. “But yeah, I forgive you.” He looked at her, surprised. “Not that I should, because frankly, I still can’t believe you did this to me, but I don’t think your intentions were bad, so I’ll get over it.” He smiled softly.

“Thank you,” he said quietly. “So, are we still friends?”

‘Well, while you’re bringing it up,’ she thought, taking a deep breath.

“Is that what you want us to be?” she asked. He raised an eyebrow. “I mean, you said before that we couldn’t be together primarily because of Hank.” She paused. “Well, he saw us together tonight, and nothing bad happened.”

“What’re you saying, Buffy?” he asked, trying not to get his hopes up.

“I’m saying that the reasoning you had behind us not being together isn’t really a reason anymore,” she answered, slowly approaching him. He watched her move towards him, trying to restrain himself from pulling her to him and kissing her until she was breathless. “And I know we have a lot to work through, and I probably won’t be over what happened tonight for a while, but I like you, Spike. I have since we met, practically.” He smiled at her, too.

“I like you, too, Buffy,” he said. She stopped about a foot away from him, looking into his eyes.

“So why aren’t we together then?” she asked quietly, feeling both nervous and excited.

“Because I’m a ponce who shouldn’t have kept us apart because of Hank,” he answered, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close to him.

“Yeah, sounds about right,” she smiled. He leaned down and kissed her, not at all surprised when she kissed him back. The kiss intensified pretty quickly until they broke away to breath. “I don’t want to do this here.” He nodded, sad at the idea of having to stop. She took his hand in hers. “Let’s go to my dad’s office instead.”
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Chapter 11:

“Whoa, hold up, luv,” Spike said, stopping her from dragging him to the door. “You want to…here? Don’t you think this is all moving kind of fast?” She looked at him. “God, I sound like a girl.” She giggled and opened the door.

“Come on,” she said, tugging on his hand. “Where’s his office?” Spike sighed before looking at her.

“Down the hallway to the left,” he answered. “The last door.” She smiled and pulled him out of his office, following the directions he gave her. “Buffy, we don’t have to do this tonight.”

“I know,” she agreed, looking at him. “But I want to.” He saw sincerity in her eyes and knew he felt the same way.

“Alright then,” he said. She grinned and opened the wood and glass door of her father’s office, seeing how spacious it was. Spike shut and locked the door behind them before switching on the lights.

“Wow,” Buffy said. “Seems like Dad still has pretty nice taste.” She paused and made a disgusted face. “I take that back. What the hell is he thinking with Harmony? She’s skanky, and young, and she was my babysitter! That’s…icky! He used to drive her home.” Her eyes widened in horror. “You don’t think…” Spike was staring at her, surprised at her sudden outburst. “Eww! If he liked her back then…that’s so gross!”

“Yes it is, pet,” he replied.

‘Is she stalling?’ he thought, becoming anxious. ‘Or maybe she just needs to rant. Be patient, mate.’

“She was always such a whore,” Buffy continued, not noticing the way Spike was looking at her. “I remember she used to invite guys over when she was watching me. You should’ve seen some of the losers…” She trailed off as she looked at Spike, seeing how nervous he appeared. “Wow, sorry. I’m babbling Buffy apparently.” He managed a small smile. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he answered. “Are you?” She raised an eyebrow. “I just mean, after the Harmony diatribe…”

“I’m fine,” she shrugged. “I should’ve known that Dad wouldn’t change. He’s always done stuff like this.” Spike nodded, looking down. “Spike?”

“Yeah?” he asked, deciding not to look at her, fearing that she had changed her mind about everything.

“We don’t have to do this here,” she said. He nodded slightly. “I’m fine with waiting, if you’d like.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Spike said, getting the courage to look at her. “I do, honestly. It’s just that…well, we’re at a party at my place of employment, we’ve hardly known each other for two weeks, and I don’t want you to think that I’m expecting anything from you just because you worked at Miss Kitty’s.”

“I know,” she said, smiling softly. “And I appreciate the fact that you don’t treat me like the others did.”

“How did the others treat you?” he asked, frowning.

“Like I was convenient,” she answered, moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. “You’re a good man, Spike. I was very lucky to meet you.” He grazed her cheek, looking into her eyes. “So, are we going to do this then?” He hesitated before nodding, and she smirked. “How about on the desk?”

* * *

The couple didn’t bother masking how much they wanted each other, instantly engaging in a passionate kiss as Buffy stumbled back towards the desk. She broke away as she hopped up to sit on the edge of it.

“You know, I’m quite fond of this dress,” Spike said, gingerly pushing one of its straps down her shoulder. “But I think I might be even more fond of what’s beneath it.” Buffy pushed his suit coat off of his arms, tossing it onto a couch nearby. He pushed down the other strap, watching as the dress slipped down her body to pool at her hips. “You’re not wearing a bra.”

“You can’t with a dress like this,” she replied, noticing how dark his eyes had gotten. “Is that a problem?”

“I hope you’re joking,” he said in a low voice, cupping her cheeks and kissing her. “You’re flawless, kitten.”

“Thanks,” she said quietly, taking off his tie. “And I already know you are.” She reflected back on the Spike-in-a-towel incident.

‘If I was smart, I would’ve just went for the kill that day,’ she said to herself. Her thoughts were interrupted as Spike ran his hands down her arms slowly, eliciting a slight shiver to run through her. He kissed the crook of her neck before descending, his hands moving up to cup her breasts in his hands. She arched her back slightly, craving more contact. ‘He has incredibly sexy hands.’ His thumbs slowly traced circles around her nipples, and she closed her eyes for a moment. ‘Maybe we should’ve done this a long time ago.’ She began unbuttoning his shirt, reaching the bottom and tossing it by his coat and tie. She slowly ran her hands down his torso, hearing a low growl coming from Spike. She smirked and unzipped his pants, pushing them down his hips and watching as they reached the floor. Her eyes widened as she realized he was now completely naked. ‘Wow.’ For the first time in her life, she was rendered speechless. ‘Yeah, this definitely should’ve happened a long time ago.’

“Stand for a second, princess,” he said quietly. She did, and her dress dropped to the ground. She stepped out of it and sat back down on the desk, leaning back on her hands and watching his expression as he studied her body. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel self-conscious at all. Maybe because he was as confident as usual. “So beautiful.” He hooked his fingers under the sides of her thong and slid it down her legs, letting it fall onto her dress. “Absolutely perfect.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he stood between her legs, his erection slightly poking at her folds. “Are you sure, luv?”

“I’ve never been more sure in my life,” she answered, looking into his eyes as he entered inside of her gently. Both made low sounds at the new sense of pleasure coursing through them. He stilled when he was fully sheathed inside of her, letting her get adjusted to him. The momentary wait was much akin to torture for them both- the passion they felt was consuming them and wasn’t being sated. Spike began thrusting slowly, setting a slow and gentle pace, watching her expressions as he moved within her. It wasn’t long before both were moving quicker, working towards a mutual release.

“Buffy…” Spike groaned as he felt his abdomen tighten up somewhat. “Luv, I’m going to come…”

“So am I,” she managed to get out, practically breathless. It was only seconds later when Spike came inside of her, Buffy’s inner muscles clamping down on him as she climaxed. Spike rested his face in her neck, breathing heavily, and Buffy wrapped her arms around him, running her hands over the strong muscles in his back and shoulders.

‘Now the question is, where do we go from here?’ she asked herself, shutting her eyes for a brief moment and basking in the afterglow.
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Chapter 12:

The blonde couple didn’t move for a while, but when they did, the loss of contact and silence was practically unbearable for them both. Spike was the one who began getting dressed first, afraid to look at her expression.

‘God, I hope she doesn’t regret tonight,’ he thought to himself, sliding on his pants. In the meantime, Buffy was trying to look somewhat presentable again, getting dressed, keeping her back to Spike.

‘He won’t even look at me,’ she thought sadly, willing herself not to cry. ‘Was I…bad?’ She stifled a sniffle as a couple of tears fell from her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and finished getting done.

“Buffy?” he asked quietly, buttoning his shirt and putting on his tie. She continued to look down but turned to face him. “I…wasn’t wearing a condom.”

“I know,” she replied. “It’s…okay.” He raised an eyebrow. “I mean, I guess we got a little carried away. It’s my fault, too.” She looked at him. “I’m on the Pill, so I’m good on my end.”

“But what about STDs?” he asked cautiously. “I haven’t been with anyone since I was tested last and got a clean bill of health.” He hesitated. “Have you been…tested?” He noticed a flicker of hurt in her eyes before anger replaced it.

“Yes, I’ve been tested,” she replied sternly, crossing her arms. He frowned.

“I just meant, with you working at Miss Kitty’s and all…” he trailed off, noticing that her eyes had gotten wide.

“Yes, with me being a whore for a living,” she said sharply. “I guess I’d have all kinds of diseases, now wouldn’t I?”

“I didn’t mean it like that, luv,” he said, tilting his head, trying not to piss her off more. “You’re not a whore anymore.” She nodded slightly.

“But I was, wasn’t I?” she asked, studying the way he was looking at her. “You met me when I was one, and you wanted to help me out because of it. I was just Buffy the whore to you before you even knew who I was.”

“I’ve never thought of you as a whore,” he said quietly. She scoffed and let her arms fall to her sides.

“I want to go,” she said, looking away. “Take me home.” He frowned, anger coursing through him.

“What? Why?” he asked, not willing to leave the argument end where it had.

“Because I want to leave,” she said, looking at him. “It’s just easier if…I want to go. Please take me home.”

“Buffy,” he said, but she walked to the door and opened it as he slid on his suit coat and followed her into the hallway. “We can’t just stop talking about this, pet. It’s not like you and I just kissed. We…”

“Fucked?” she offered, looking at him with an angry expression. He clenched his jaw and opened his mouth to correct her. “No. Just take me home. I don’t want to deal with this anymore tonight.” He grabbed her arm, but she wrenched it away, out of his grasp.

“Let me try making it better,” he said, practically pleading.

“What makes you think you can make it better?” she asked, shaking her head. “All you’ve done since we…” She paused. “All you’ve done is hurt me.” He was both sad and hurt by her comment but realized she was right.

“I know,” he admitted, putting his hands in his pockets. “And I’m sorry, Buffy. Please believe me.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore when it comes to you,” she said, turning and walking down the hall, back to the party. He followed her, upset that in a matter of less than fifteen minutes, everything had gone downhill.

* * *

When Buffy and Spike reached the party together and began walking to the elevator, they ran into Gunn. He looked at them and smirked knowingly, noticing that Buffy’s hair was now completely down and that Spike’s normally gelled hair was tousled and disheveled. Not wanting to jump to conclusions but not willing to let it go without saying something, Gunn playfully nudged Spike.

“Should I send janitorial up here?” he joked. Buffy scowled and stormed towards the elevators. Gunn raised an eyebrow and looked at Spike, who was watching Buffy with a sad expression.

“Don’t even ask, Charlie boy,” Spike said forlornly, sighing.

“You pissed her off already?” Gunn asked. “The party’s not even close to being over yet.”

“Oh, it is for us,” Spike replied, looking at his friend. “You know me- I have a habit of not thinking before speaking.”

“Yeah, you can be a dick sometimes,” Gunn chuckled. Spike flipped him off before going after Buffy.

‘He’s got it bad,’ Gunn thought before going back to Gwen, Wesley, and Fred.

Buffy and Spike got into the elevator and took it down to the main floor, getting out and exiting the building. Spike retrieved his car after the valet drove it out to him, and when he tried to open the door for Buffy, she wrenched it open on her own and got in, slamming the door. Spike growled slightly and got in on the driver’s side, starting the car and looking at her, but she was focused on something outside.

‘At least we’re not that far from our apartments,’ he thought gratefully, pulling away from the curb and driving towards their neighborhood.

After a silent drive, he parked in the lot beneath his building, and when they got out, Buffy immediately walked away from him, going towards the stairwell that would lead her up to the street level. He walked quickly to catch up to her, following her up the steps and to the front door of her building.

“Buffy,” he said quietly, stopping her from opening the door. “Please, luv, let me explain.”

“I can’t do this tonight,” she replied, letting herself in and going to her apartment. Spike watched her through the glass door until she disappeared.

‘Having cigarettes on me would be really great right now,’ he thought, patting down his pockets. ‘But apparently I’m not a lucky bloke tonight.’ He clenched his fists and cracked his neck, trying to relieve some of the tension that had built up. ‘Why was I such a wanker before? I don’t blame her for being pissed off.’ He raised an eyebrow as a thought struck him. He looked at his key ring, staring at her apartment’s key. He smirked and let himself into the building, going to her door.

After knocking several times and not getting a response, he unlocked the door and stepped in. “Buffy?” She appeared seconds later, securing a robe around her tightly, staring at him in shock. Her hair was now in a ponytail, and she had removed her minimal amount of make-up.

‘I don’t think she’s ever looked more beautiful,’ he thought, looking up and down her petite frame.

“Why are you here?” she asked, interrupting his appraising stare. He looked at her and sighed.

“Because I want to apologize for what I said before,” he said quietly. “All of it. I’m sorry, luv.”

“Just go, Spike,” she replied, crossing her arms. He frowned.

“Baby, listen to me,” he began, but she raised her hand, effectively stopping him.

“No, you listen to me, Spike,” she said sharply, glaring daggers at him. “I don’t want to hear this from you. What you said to me, the way you acted…I have never felt so degraded in my entire life, and that’s saying a lot after working at a place like Miss Kitty’s. I don’t want to hear you apologize, and I don’t really feel like talking about this anymore. Just leave.”

“Buffy, let me just say some things,” he replied, seeing tears forming in her eyes.

“No, let me say something,” she said quietly, wiping off the corners of her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is going to work.” She looked at him one last time before turning around and going to her room, closing the door behind her. He watched her and sighed defeatedly, pausing for a moment before letting himself out.

‘What the bloody hell is my problem?’ he asked himself, leaving the building and going to his.
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Chapter 13:

Over a week had passed, and Buffy did everything in her power to not see or talk to Spike. He had left several messages on her answering machine for the first couple of days, and then he reduced it to two calls after that. Buffy couldn’t bring herself to answer the phone when she saw his name appear on her Caller ID, and returning his calls wasn’t much of an option for her, either. It hurt to think that she was the reason things fell apart between them, but when she remembered what he had said that night, her guilt was replaced by hurt.

‘You should’ve known it wasn’t going to end well, Summers,’ she thought to herself. ‘Does anything ever go well for you anymore?’

When her father’s secretary had called Buffy to schedule a lunch date for them, Buffy hesitantly agreed to meet him at a restaurant a block away from the law firm, praying that Spike wouldn’t decide to have lunch there at the same time.

‘For that matter, I wonder how Dad’s going to approach the Spike situation with me. I have a feeling he wasn’t too pleased seeing me at the party with him. But then again, I wasn’t stoked to see him there with Harmony, so if he brings up Spike, I’m definitely going to retaliate. I mean, Harmony? Has my dad gone completely crazy? Or maybe it’s just a mid-life crisis.’ She sighed. ‘Nonetheless, there is no excuse he’s with her. The thought alone makes me want to throw up.’ She looked at the mirror in her bedroom, staring at her sad expression. ‘I’m going to face my father and prove that I’m not the girl everyone else thinks I am.’

* * *

When Monday afternoon arrived, Buffy got dressed up conservatively, wearing a nice khaki skirt, a light green blouse, and matching sandals, her hair down and cascading over her shoulders. She put on a little make-up and grabbed her keys and a purse, leaving her apartment and taking a taxi to the restaurant.

When she walked in, she was slightly surprised to see her father sitting at a booth, waiting for her.

‘I don’t think he’s ever been on time before,’ she thought. ‘I know he definitely wasn’t whenever I was in a school play or when I played soccer in grade school. In fact, the few times he even bothered showing up, I know he was at least late by half an hour. Mom always apologized for him. I still can’t imagine why. It was always his fault, never hers.’ She took a deep breath and approached the table. Her father looked at her and smiled before standing up, hugging her.

“Glad you could make it,” he said, motioning for her to sit down across from him. “I didn’t know if you had off from work.”

“I took the day off after your secretary called,” she shrugged. “She said that you wanted to talk about something.”

“Actually, yes, there are a few things I’d like to address,” he replied, clasping his hands together and resting them on the table. “But I figured we could at least order first.” She smiled slightly.

“Okay,” she agreed, looking through her menu, trying to decide on something cheap.

‘Because knowing him, I’ll have to cover my own meal,’ she said to herself.

“So, are you and William dating?” he asked. Buffy raised an eyebrow, looking at him. “William Giles?”

‘I always forget that his real name is William.’

“No, him and I were just friends,” she answered, focusing on the menu again.

“‘Were’?” Hank asked, confused. “You’re not friends anymore?” Buffy shook her head, hoping he wouldn’t question the topic further. “Did you two have a fight?” She nodded, thankful she had the menu to look at instead of at her father’s inquisitive eyes. “I guess that would explain why he’s seemed so distant this week.” Buffy put the menu down, looking at her father, suddenly wanting to hear more about Spike. “He lost a case the other day. I suspected it was because he was preoccupied with something. I guess he was.” Buffy averted her gaze. “His work has been very sloppy this week. You’re the reason for it then, I’d assume.” She frowned. “Well, thanks to you, Buffy, the firm lost out on a good sum of money because you distracted one of our head lawyers due to your selfish choices.” She stared at him, outraged and shocked that he’d say something like that.

“What the hell are you talking about?” she hissed, trying to keep her voice down so other patrons couldn’t hear her. “You’re blaming the fact that Spike lost a case on me? I didn’t have anything to do with it! If he lost, it’s because of him, not me. Him being ‘distracted’ is his own problem. I refuse to take responsibility for something that I didn’t do.”

“You played a part in him being mentally off this week,” he replied. “That’s something you should take responsibility for. You’re an adult now, Buffy. Act like one.” She felt rage spread throughout her body as she clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms.

“Is that why you invited me here?” she asked sharply. “Because you think it’s my fault Spike lost a case? Because you and your precious company lost money?” Hank nodded, not backing down from her angry stare. “Screw you!”

“Buffy, calm down,” Hank said in an even tone. She scoffed, looking away. “That’s not the only reason I asked to meet up with you today.”

“What’s the other reason then?” she asked. “Blaming me for your divorce from Mom? Because Dad, you’ve discussed that with me before, and I don’t need to hear it again.”

“No, Buffy, I wanted to talk about you,” Hank replied. She raised an eyebrow. “Your mom contacted me when you left Sunnydale, hoping you had come to L.A. to live with me, and her and I talked a bit about you.” He hesitated. “Honey, according to your mom, you’re sullen, and you’ve been rude to me, and you’re not nearly as bright as I thought you’d be.” Buffy froze, feeling herself pale. “I thought you’d turn out differently.”

“Is that right?” she asked, willing herself to not start crying in front of him. He nodded, his expression neutral. “Yeah, I bet you thought I’d amount to something more, didn’t you, Dad? I’m sure the thought of your only child not going to college right away was sheer torture for you.” A thought struck her, and she smiled widely, seeing it as the perfect time to fess up to something. “Do you know what Miss Kitty’s Boudoir is?”

“Yeah,” he answered, his gaze quizzical. “The owner donates a lot of money to the firm. Why?”

“Because I worked there for two months,” she admitted proudly, wanting nothing more than to piss him off. His eyes widened, apparently letting the new information sink in. “Yep, I was a slut professionally. But I bet that doesn’t surprise you, now does it, Dad? You used to tell me before the divorce that you thought that I’d grow up to be a whore. Well, guess what? I did! I worked at Miss Kitty’s to get by, and here I am in L.A. All because Spike brought me here to put me on the right track, something you would’ve never offered to do.” She stood up and took a deep breath again. “You never were much of a father, Hank.” Before he could say anything, she walked out of the restaurant, finally letting tears fall as she dialed the number for a cab.

* * *

After Spike’s lunch break, he went to Hank’s office to discuss the case he had lost a couple days prior. The door was locked, so he went over to Hank’s secretary Lilah. “When is Hank returning?”

“Whenever he finishes up his lunch date with his daughter,” she answered. Spike’s eyes widened.

“Hank is with his daughter right now?” Spike asked. She nodded, looking at the appointment book in front of her.

‘Oh God,’ Spike thought, becoming worried about Buffy. ‘Why did she ever agree to meet him for lunch?’ It was moments later when Hank walked off the elevator, heading over to them. Spike stared at the man, becoming even more concerned,

“Well, hello, William,” Hank said curtly. “How can I help you?”

“You just had lunch with Buffy?” Spike asked, deciding against beating around the bush.

“Yes,” Hank answered, looking at Lilah. “When is my next meeting?”

“About an hour,” she answered. “You must’ve had a short lunch.” Hank nodded dismissively, going to his office and closing the door behind him.

‘Now why does that not strike me as being a good thing?’ Spike thought.

“When were they supposed to meet?” Spike asked Lilah. She looked at the book again.

“At noon,” she answered. Spike looked at his watch, noticing the time.

‘It’s not even 12:30. There’s no way they had lunch in that amount of time.’ He paused, frowning. ‘Bloody hell.’ He walked to his office, grabbed his car keys, and went to the parking garage, getting in his car, speeding towards her apartment, not caring if he got in trouble for cutting out of work early.

When he got there, he let himself into her building with the key she gave him and knocked on her door. When she didn’t open it, he unlocked it and walked in, seeing her sitting on the couch, her face buried in her hands. His heart instantly sank.

‘Just as I suspected- Hank did something to hurt her,’ Spike thought, noticing that her shoulders were shaking as the sound of her sobs finally hit his ears. ‘Bollocks.’ He slowly approached the couch, not wanting to scare her. One of the floorboards creaked, and Buffy turned around quickly, staring at him. He saw how red and puffy her eyes were and felt anger course through him. ‘I’ll kill him.’

“What’re you doing here?” she asked quietly, her voice cracking slightly as she wiped off her eyes.

“I found out you met up with Hank for lunch,” Spike answered, crouching down in front of her. “Something didn’t seem right, so I thought I’d come over to check on you.”

‘And I’m glad I did,’ he said to himself, pushing a strand of stray hair behind her ear and off of her face.

“What happened, luv?” he asked, trying to sound more concerned than angry.

“Dad…Dad said I was stupid, and rude…and he blamed me for you losing your case,” she said before sobbing again. Spike frowned and pulled her into a hug, letting her cry against his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “But Hank was wrong. You’re not stupid or rude, and it’s not your fault I lost, baby. Don’t even think of believing what he said to you.” She pulled away from him to wipe off her eyes again.

“I know, but it just hurt to hear him say all of that,” she replied, frowning. “He’s such a jerk sometimes.”

“That he is,” he agreed, looking at her, tilting his head.

“I told him about Miss Kitty’s,” she said quietly, averting her gaze from his. He raised an eyebrow. “I figured it’d be a good time to tell him and blame him for calling me a whore when I was younger.”

“What?” Spike asked, not bothering to mask the rage that flooded him.

“When I was about twelve or thirteen and began hanging out with guys, even if I wasn’t dating them, he called me a whore,” she said, shutting her eyes as she remembered nights when she’d come home and have to deal with him. “He always said I’d grow up to be one, that I was a cheap slut.” Spike stood up, his jaw and fists clenched tightly. “What?”

“I need to go somewhere,” he said, heading towards the door. Buffy jumped up, stopping him before he got to it. “Don’t, I need to do this.”

“Where are you going?” she asked quietly, seeing how dark his eyes had gotten.

“I have to take care of some business,” he answered, wrenching open the door and leaving before she could stop him again.

‘That bastard is going to pay,’ he thought, getting into his car and driving off.
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Chapter 14:

After returning to the firm, Spike took the elevator up to the 19th floor and headed to Hank’s office. Lilah had just gotten off of the phone when Spike passed by her desk. “Is he still in?”

“Yes,” she answered, surprised at the anger in his voice. “He’s got a meeting in a few minutes.”

“This won’t take long,” Spike replied, letting himself into his boss’ office. Hank was walking around, looking at a file and mumbling something to himself. He noticed Spike and frowned as he closed the door behind him.

“Is there something I can do for you, William?” Hank asked, putting the file down on his desk.

“Yeah, actually, there is,” Spike replied, crossing his arms. “What gives you the right to treat your daughter like she’s nothing?” Hank sat on the edge of his desk, and Spike suppressed a smile, remembering that only a week before, Buffy was sitting in that exact spot.

‘It’d be even better if his desk hadn’t been cleaned since then,’ he thought to himself before realizing he was getting off-topic.

“So you talked to Buffy, I assume?” Hank asked. Spike nodded, his jaw clenched. “Buffy is a lovely girl, William, but she’s not exactly what I expected.”

“Then obviously, you did a shitty job of being a father to her,” Spike replied sharply. Hank raised an eyebrow.

“And where exactly do you get off judging me?” Hank replied. “If I was informed correctly by your uncle, you didn’t have much of a father around either.” He paused. “It shows, too, by the way.”

“Leave Rupert out of this,” Spike said, realizing that his uncle was going to have a fit whenever he found out about Spike going off on Hank. “I might not have had a father around, but I made a life for myself, one that didn’t require me to bribe anyone to gain more power. Not like you.” Hank slightly paled.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, becoming worried. Spike saw a window of opportunity opening and decided to run with it.

‘It’s not like I care what I say to this wanker anymore,’ he thought. ‘I might as well divulge what I know.’

“You don’t think Rupert ever told me?” Spike asked. “About your deal with Holland Manners before he retired?” Hank frowned. “I know you paid him a large amount of money to become one of the partners, Hank. So apparently, you weren’t worthy enough to get this far in the system without paying your way.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hank said sternly. “There’s no proof, either.”

“There isn’t?” Spike asked, smirking. “What makes you think that Holland didn’t leave any information lying around that proves otherwise?” Hank’s face fell. “You really shouldn’t mess with a guy who knows your secrets, Hank. Could get you in a bit of a bind.” The older man stood up straight, looking at his employee.

“What makes you think that I can’t fire you right now, you worthless piece of trash?” Hank asked with a slight smile. Spike took several steps forward until he was about two feet away from his boss.

“Go ahead, fire me,” he shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I can’t sell you out to a newspaper or TV station. I bet they’d love to hear about your little deal, along with the other ones you’ve made since then.”

“Like what?” Hank asked, trying to feign innocence.

“Like the deal you made with Miss Kitty’s Boudoir to have several of their employees work for you at your home, cleaning your house in bikinis,” Spike grinned. Hank froze. “Oh come on, Hank, you didn’t think I knew that? Rupert informed me a long time ago after going to your house for a conference one day and seeing a few half-naked women cleaning bedrooms on the second floor of your mansion.” He paused, realizing that he had a lot of secret ammo that he could throw at Hank. “I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to get some of those women to admit to the deal, especially if we paid them off.” Spike made a face. “You know, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Buffy that little piece of information. What if she was one of the women contracted to be a maid for you, you bloody pervert? How would you feel then?” Hank looked away, clenching his fists. “Your daughter never should have had to resort to that. She’s better than that, and you know it.”

“What makes you think she’s so great?” Hank asked, looking at Spike. “You slept with her a couple of times and decided she’s ‘the one’?” Before Spike knew it, one of his balled up fists smashed into Hank’s nose, a loud yelp coming from Hank as his hands flew up to coddle his now bleeding and broken nose. “You’re fired, you pathetic son of a bitch!”

“Too late- I already quit, you pillock,” Spike replied, noticing that one of his knuckles had split open a little as he shook off his hand, trying to get the pain to subside. “And you wonder why no one loves you, Hank. Because you’re a miserable bastard who puts everyone around him down.” Spike walked to the door. “You don’t deserve to be a father to an amazing girl like Buffy. And if I ever see you near her or hear that you tried talking to her again, I’m coming after you myself, understand?” Hank glared at Spike before he let himself out of the office and slammed the door behind him. Lilah saw him exit and stared at him.

“What’d you do?” she asked, sounding concerned. “It sounded like Hank got hurt.” Spike smirked.

“I didn’t do anything,” Spike answered. “I just showed him who’s boss.” She raised an eyebrow and watched as Spike went into his office, closing the door behind him.

‘Time to pack everything up,’ he said to himself. ‘Before security comes to kick me out.’ He grinned at the thought and began collecting everything he needed and wanted to keep. He began to think of how Buffy would react when she found out what he had done. ‘I don’t deserve her either, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try to win her back.’
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Chapter 15:

After a couple hours had passed and Buffy hadn’t heard from Spike, she decided to go to his apartment to see if he had returned. She let herself into the building and went to his apartment, knocking on the door.

‘I really hope he didn’t do something stupid,’ she thought. ‘But knowing Spike, he probably did. Which I guess could be a good thing.’ She paused. ‘But I highly doubt it was of the good. And why didn’t he call or come over or anything? You can’t just have an exit like that and not tell me what’s going on.’

A minute passed before the door opened to reveal Spike standing there with a surprised expression. “Hi.”

“Hey, luv,” he replied. “Is everything okay?” She nodded, looking past him to see a man sitting on a stool at the island in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had company,” she said, turning to leave. He gently grabbed her arm, turning her around to face him again.

“It’s okay,” he smiled slightly. “Would you like to come in and meet my uncle?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Your uncle?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah, Rupert Giles,” he answered, seeing her eyes widen in recognition.

“Your uncle is the other partner at the firm,” she said, looking at the man in the kitchen. “I didn’t know.” She paused. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize it. I mean, Rupert Giles and William Giles have to be related somehow.” He smiled, listening to her continue. “Which probably explains why you work there.” She looked at him. “Sorry. You already know I tend to babble.” He nodded and opened the door wider, motioning for her to enter the apartment. She hesitantly did, and the other man stood up, looking at her.

“Rupert, this is Buffy,” Spike said, introducing them. “And Buffy, this is my uncle.” The older man extended his hand, which she politely shook.

“I must say, Buffy, that you look a lot like Joyce,” Rupert said. She looked at him.

“You know my mother?” she asked. He nodded, smiling softly.

“She was good friends with my wife before you two moved to Sunnydale,” Rupert said. “I believe you and I actually met once, but that must’ve been a decade ago almost. You’ve grown up quite a bit.” She blushed slightly. “I’m sorry that we didn’t get a chance to meet at the party last weekend. William informed me you two left early.” She looked at Spike, who averted his gaze quickly. She sighed and looked at his uncle again. “I’m sure Jenny would love to see you again, Buffy. Maybe we can set up a dinner or something for the four of us.”

“I’d like that,” she replied, giving him a genuine smile. “I’m sorry for interrupting you and Spike.”

“It’s alright, pet,” Spike shrugged. “You probably should hear this now anyways.” She looked at him.

“Hear what?” she asked, worried. Spike and Rupert exchanged a look. “What’s going on?”

“I quit working at the firm,” Spike said, looking down. She looked at him. “I kind of…said some things to Hank and punched him.” Her eyes widened.

“You did what?” she asked loudly. He looked at her with a sheepish expression before it turned angry.

“He provoked me- what was I supposed to do? Just let it go? You should’ve heard everything he said to me,” he replied, crossing his arms. “I think you’d have punched him, too.”

“Probably, but he’s my father,” she said sternly. “He’s your boss! You can’t just punch your boss because he pissed you off, Spike.” Rupert took off his glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief.

“It seems William also disclosed some of the information I told him to Hank, therefore possibly getting me in a fair amount of trouble, as well,” Rupert said, looking at his nephew. Spike frowned.

“I already said I’m sorry for that,” he replied. “It was the heat of the moment, and I guess I wanted him to know that if he tried messing with me, I could really screw him over.” He paused. “Which I still might do just because I can.”

“William,” his uncle warned, putting on his glasses again. Buffy looked between the two men.

“What exactly has my father done that’s so bad?” she asked, concerned. Spike looked at her.

“Would you like me to make you a list, luv?” he asked somewhat sarcastically. “It might take me a while.”

“Look, I know he’s not such a great guy, but he’s my dad,” she said quietly. “And as much as he’s a jerk to me, I don’t want him to wind up in jail or all over the news for doing something wrong.”

“William wouldn’t do that,” Rupert said before looking at his nephew with a mild glare. “Now would you?”

“What if he deserves it?” Spike asked, looking down, sounding like a scolded child.

“I can assure you that your father will not be in the midst of a public scandal, Buffy,” Rupert said, looking at her.

“Thank you,” she said, looking down. “So what’s going to happen from here? Spike’s no longer an employee at the firm?” Both men nodded. “How much of your new unemployment is because of me?” Spike frowned. “Tell me.”

“He hurt you, so I hurt him back,” he replied, putting his hands in his pockets. “He deserved it, pet. And it’s not like I can’t survive without that place. I’ve got money, and there are several other firms I can work at instead.”

“I wish there was a way we could get you back, William,” Rupert said. “But I don’t think Hank would stand for that.”

“Unless there’s some way you can bump him out of the position he’s in,” Buffy said. Both men looked at her before sharing a glance between them. “I mean, not that I want my father to go down in flames…” She paused, making a face. “What am I saying? Maybe he deserves to be taken down a notch.” She smiled. “What can I do to help?”
***************************************************************************

Chapter 16:

“I can’t get you involved in this,” Spike said firmly. She frowned.

“Why not?” she asked. “You stood up for me and got fired for it. The least I can do is help you take down Hank and get you to have your old job back again.” Spike smiled at her before looking down.

“But what if it doesn’t work out?” Rupert asked. “You two could wind up in even more trouble if your plan fails.”

“I really don’t think my plan will fail,” Buffy said, smirking as she sat on a stool. Rupert looked at her.

“And what exactly is your plan?” he asked.

“You don’t think I know all kinds of things that will get Hank in trouble?” she asked. Spike looked at her.

“Is it something that could potentially make him lose his position as one of the partners at the firm?” he asked.

“You bet,” she replied. “Let me go in and talk to him. I have a feeling what I have to say to him will do the trick.”

“I don’t want you going alone,” Spike said. She looked at him. “I’d like to be there with you, just in case.”

“My dad’s not physically abusive,” she said. “He just likes to put me down.” Spike reflected back on what he had said to Hank only hours before.

“I’d still like to be there,” Spike said. “And Rupert, you can go back to work, as well. If anything comes up, I’ll call you.”

“Just be careful, you two,” his uncle said, heading to the door. “If you get arrested, William, I’m not bailing you out.”

“You’re funny,” Spike replied sarcastically, smiling. Rupert smiled back at Spike and opened the door.

“It was good to see you again, Buffy,” he said. “I’ll be sure to talk to Jenny about a dinner for all of us.”

“Thank you,” she smiled at the older man. He nodded and left, shutting the door behind him. Buffy took a deep breath, standing up.

“You know what you’re going to say to Hank?” Spike asked. She nodded, looking down. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she answered. “I’ve held a grudge against him for so long, and I have a feeling that’s all going to end today after I talk to him again.” She looked at Spike, smiling. “Almost feels like the end of an era.” He chuckled and grabbed his keys.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.

“Positive,” she answered. “Like I said before, it’s the least I can do.” He paused, averting his gaze.

“Does this mean you might forgive me for what happened last weekend?” he asked. She sighed.

“You were fired after trying to protect my honor,” she said quietly. “I don’t see why I wouldn’t forgive you.” He smiled at her before she opened the door. “Let’s get this over with. I’ve been waiting for years to do this.” He nodded and they left, getting into his car and driving to the firm.

* * *

When they got up to 19th floor, they went to Lilah’s desk. She looked at them with a surprised expression.

“You must be Buffy,” she said, looking at the woman in front of her. Buffy nodded. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“You, too,” Buffy said politely, not having any issues with Hank’s secretary.

‘But I can’t see why a woman like her would want to work for a prick like my dad,’ Buffy thought.

“Is Hank in his meeting still?” Spike asked. Lilah looked at Hank’s afternoon schedule and then at a clock.

“No,” she answered. “I believe it ended about fifteen minutes ago. He doesn’t have any other meetings or appointments for about an hour.” Spike nodded and took Buffy’s hand in his. She hesitated for a moment before looking at him, smiling softly. He looked at her for a moment before squeezing her hand, trying to reassure her that it would all work out, and led her to Hank’s office. Spike didn’t bother knocking first as he opened the door and ushered Buffy in first before following her and closing the door. Hank got off the phone as soon as he saw the two people standing in front of him.

“Buffy?” Hank asked, surprised to see her there. She noticed how bruised and swollen his nose was.

“Hello, Hank,” she said in an even tone, sitting down in front of him. “You might want to get your nose looked at. Or perhaps some ice.” Spike smirked as he sat beside her. Hank stared at him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked sharply. “I thought I told security not to let you into the building.”

“It’s too bad the security guards at the door are friends of mine,” Spike replied, relaxing in his chair and smiling at Hank. “And I think Buffy’s right about your nose. Doesn’t look too good, mate.”

“I should have you arrested,” Hank said sternly, glaring at Spike.

“I could say the same about you,” Buffy said, watching as her father’s eyes focused on hers.

“What’re you talking about?” he asked, confused. “What’ve I done?”

“It’s more like what haven’t you done, daddy dearest,” she said, crossing her legs and sitting up straight. Spike noticed how confident she suddenly seemed.

‘Good, Buffy being calm and collected should help,’ he thought.

“And what haven’t I done?” Hank asked in a neutral tone.

“Spike, it’s illegal for a father to not pay child support after a divorce, correct?” she asked, looking at the man beside her. Spike raised an eyebrow at what she was implying.

“Yes,” he answered, looking at Hank, noticing how pale he had gotten. “So, Mr. High and Mighty didn’t pay alimony?” Hank looked down, and Spike smirked. “That’s a serious crime there, Hank. I could throw the book at you for that one.”

“It’s not like you and your mother didn’t get by,” Hank said quietly, looking at his daughter.

“Sure, we got by,” Buffy shrugged. “After Mom spent a couple of years working two jobs just to make ends meet. If you had actually given her the money she deserved, she wouldn’t have had to do that, now would she have?”

“So what do you want me to do? Pay her the money I owe her?” Hank asked, going in his desk to grab his checkbook. “How much will do the trick?”

“I don’t want your money, and neither does she,” Buffy replied. “Mom’s doing perfectly fine now, no thanks to you.”

“So what do you want from me, Buffy?” Hank asked, looking at her.

“I want you out,” she said, crossing her arms. He raised an eyebrow, confused. “I believe that between Spike and I, we have enough information on you to get you to lose your partner title.” She looked at Spike. “Don’t you think?”

“Absolutely,” he replied, looking at Hank.

“So you want me to quit?” Hank asked, smiling. “Why would I do that? You really think you two can take me down?”

“No, I think the three of us can,” a voice said from the doorway. Buffy and Spike turned to see Rupert standing there, a serious look on his face. Hank stood up. “After hearing what Buffy has said, and knowing what I know about you, Hank, I believe I can do a good enough job of taking you out of this place.”

“You wouldn’t do that,” Hank replied. “You and I’ve been colleagues for years now.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m your friend or on your side,” Rupert said. Spike smiled at his uncle, seeing his somewhat rebellious side come into play. “You never deserved to be a partner, Hank, and you’ve always known it. And nothing would give me greater pleasure than to get you out of here. Do you understand me?” Hank looked at his partner before looking at his daughter.

“I’m not giving up without a fight,” Hank said firmly. Buffy stood up.

“And I’m not going to stop fighting you until the day you die,” she replied. For the first time, Buffy saw that her father was actually afraid of her. “Quit, retire- do whatever you want to. Just leave this place before I sue you for screwing both Mom and I over for the last few years.”

“Will you two excuse us?” Hank asked, looking at Spike and Rupert. Rupert nodded, and when he noticed that Spike wasn’t moving, he grabbed his nephew’s arm and led him out of the office. Hank then turned his attention to Buffy. “You know I never meant to hurt you or your mother, honey.”

“Maybe you didn’t mean to, but you did,” she shrugged. “I dealt with your cruelty for years, and I can honestly say that Mom and I moving away from you was one of the best days of my life.” Hank looked down. “I’m sorry things can’t be different for you, but I will do everything in my power to take you down. It’s what you deserve, and I won’t stop until I’m satisfied.”

“I know,” Hank said quietly. She raised an eyebrow, surprised. “And you’re right- I probably do deserve everything that you want to do to me.” He paused. “But I’m still your father. That’s got to count for something.”

“Sure it does,” she replied, noticing a brief flicker of hope in his eyes. “If you weren’t my father, I would’ve already tried suing you for damages and the like.” He nodded slightly. “Just leave, Hank, and this will all be over. You never have to see me again, and vice versa.” He frowned. “And don’t pretend to be hurt by that, either, because it won’t change things. When I leave this office, every tie between you and I should be considered severed. Pack up your things and leave. That’s the least you can do for me.”

“And what do you get out of it?” he asked.

“My boyfriend will get his job back,” she answered, somewhat surprised at the word she used to describe Spike.

‘It’s not like I’d mind him being my boyfriend,’ she thought. Hank scoffed and looked down.

“Do we have a deal?” she asked. He looked at his daughter sadly before nodding. She extended her hand, and he looked at it with a funny expression before shaking it. “It was a pleasure doing business with you, Hank.” She walked to the door and heard him sigh quietly.

“Goodbye, Buffy,” he said. She turned to look at him for a moment before nodding and walking out. Spike was right beside the door, looking at her with both a puzzled and happy expression.

“‘Boyfriend’?” he asked, smirking. She blushed slightly, and he chuckled. “Come on, princess, let’s get out of here.” She nodded, and when he wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked out, she didn’t hesitate in moving closer to him, leaning against his side. ***************************************************************************

Chapter 17:

A Month Later

Buffy and Spike arrived at his uncle’s mansion, Spike ringing the doorbell and fidgeting slightly. Buffy smiled at him.

“Is everything okay?” she asked. He looked at her and smiled softly before kissing her temple.

“I’m perfectly fine,” he answered. “I’m just afraid of the questions Aunt Jenny is going to bombard me with.”

“It’s smart to be afraid,” a voice said beside them. The couple turned to face a brunette woman standing in the doorway, smiling. “Hello, William. And I’d recognize you from anywhere, Buffy.” She moved forward to hug the young blonde woman, and Buffy surprisingly felt comfortable despite the unexpected gesture. “It’s been ages.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Giles,” Buffy said politely, remembering Jenny from her past.

‘When times were not too bad in L.A.,’ Buffy thought. ‘When Mom and I were still happy here.’

“Call me Jenny,” the older woman replied. “Won’t you two come in?” Spike motioned for Buffy to go in first before following her in and closing the door. He noticed her looking around the house with a slight smile on her face.

“What is it, luv?” he asked quietly, running a hand over her wavy hair. She looked at him.

“I remember running around this place when I was little,” she answered. He smiled and noticed Jenny watching them.

“Rupert is already in the dining room,” she said, smiling. “Seems he’s a bit impatient to eat.” The blondes laughed, following her into the large dining room, seeing Rupert sitting at the head of the table. He promptly stood up.

“Well, hello Buffy, William,” he said, extending a hand to Buffy. She shook it and giggled as he brought her hand to his lips to place a soft kiss on her skin. “Please sit down.” She chose to sit beside him on one side while Spike sat beside her and Jenny was across from them. “I trust you both are doing well?”

“Yes,” Spike smiled, looking at Buffy. “We’re doing fairly well together.” She returned his smile.

“And how has everything been going for you, dear?” Jenny asked, looking at the young woman. “All of the changes and such?”

“Everything is great,” Buffy answered, smiling as Spike took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. “I love my Photography course, and my job at Belinda’s Boutique has actually been a lot of fun. We just got this neat shipment of Halloween costumes in.”

“That’s one of William’s favorite holidays,” Jenny smiled, looking at her nephew. He ducked his head, and Buffy nudged him, giggling.

“Why am I not surprised?” she laughed. “Big bad Spike would of course love Halloween.”

“I thought we weren’t supposed to be talking about me tonight?” Spike asked, looking between his aunt and uncle.

“I’m just talking to Buffy,” Jenny replied innocently. “So, William told me you went back to Sunnydale for a bit.”

“Yeah, I went back for a week,” Buffy answered, relaxing in her seat. “I saw Mom and my friends again.”

“And how is Joyce doing?” Jenny asked, noticing Buffy’s eyes light up slightly.

“She’s doing pretty well,” Buffy smiled. “Now that Ted’s out of the picture, Mom has apparently been enjoying life more. She joined a book club and went to New York for an art convention recently.”

“That sounds like the Joyce I remember,” Jenny replied, smiling softly. “I should really get in touch with her soon.”

“I know Mom would love to see you again,” Buffy said honestly, looking at Jenny, who then turned her attention back to her nephew.

“And how is working at Wolfram and Hart again going?” she asked. Spike shrugged, smiling at his uncle.

“After Hank decided to retire, everything’s been going smoothly,” he answered. Buffy smiled, thinking about the fact that her father had left the company the same day she and the two Giles men threatened him.

‘He’s been in Spain with Harmony ever since,’ she thought. ‘And I hope he never comes back.’

“So when can we expect you to become the other partner?” Jenny asked, smirking at Spike.

“After old Rupes here retires,” Spike chuckled, looking at his aunt. “Think you can arrange that?”

“Give me a couple of years,” Rupert smiled. “Until then, it looks like I’ll be the head of the firm on my own.”

“It’s probably easier that way,” Jenny said. “All of the other lawyers are a couple of decades younger than you.”

“Thanks for reminding me how bloody old I am,” Rupert sarcastically said, frowning at his wife. Jenny smiled at him and patted his hand. “Not like you’re a spring chicken, dear.” Jenny shot him a look, and both Spike and Buffy laughed before looking at each other.

“It’s refreshing to see a young couple so in love,” Jenny said, getting their attention. Buffy blushed as Spike squeezed her hand in his and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “And when can I expect the next Summers and Giles partnership?” Buffy giggled.

“Whenever the stubborn chit will let me propose to her,” Spike replied. Buffy frowned at him.

“I’ve known you for barely two months,” she said. “I think you can wait a while to propose, buster.” Spike grinned.

“You’ll have to mind him, Buffy,” Rupert said, smiling. “Us Giles men get a little impatient in our old age.” Spike shot his uncle a look while the three others at the table laughed.

“Jenny mentioned something like that before,” Buffy said, noticing the look that Rupert directed at his wife.

“Come on, time to kick off dinner,” Jenny said, deciding it was a good time to change the subject. She stood, holding her glass of water up. “I think I’d like to propose a toast.” Rupert smiled adoringly at his wife. “But not to you, sweetie. Sorry.” He chuckled. “To Buffy and Spike- for reminding me of what it means to be young and in love again.”

“To Buffy and William,” Rupert said, holding up his glass. Spike and Buffy raised their glasses, clinking them with the older couples’.

“To us,” Spike said, sipping his wine before leaning over and kissing his girlfriend. “And to having good jobs.”

THE END
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