Under the Sun

Author: enigmaticblue

Rating: PG-13

Archive: Sure, if you already have my stuff. If not, just ask.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters herein; Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and other lucky folks do. Of course, I'm not the one making money off of them.

Summary: Set after Avocation in an alternate S4 where many events of canon get thrown out the window. This one won't make any sense if you haven't read the previous story.

A/N: The title comes from Ecclesiastes, which most people know from the phrase, "A time for everything, and a season for everything under heaven." Really, this story is based on the entire book, which is probably my favorite in the Bible. It talks about making the most of what one has now, and while some find it depressing, I love it. If you've got the time, I'd really recommend you read the whole thing.

 

Chapter 1

 

"What does a man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises... What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun... There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die... a time to kill and a time to heal... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance..." ~Ecclesiastes 1:3-5, 9; 3:1-4

 

"I really am sorry."

Spike bit back an impatient sigh. "Apologize one more time, and I will fire you," he warned.

Wesley gulped back his next attempt at apologizing. "Spike—"

The vampire rolled his eyes. "Look. Go home, get some sleep. Come over to my place tomorrow, and we'll talk, alright?"

A very subdued Wesley nodded, hesitating before he got out of the car. Spike drove back to his place, shaking his head. The whole fiasco wasn't technically Wesley's fault. Spike had had a few mishaps on the job, and he knew that accidents happen. The difference was that if he screwed up in the past, he was the one who paid the price. Well, that and he typically made sure he didn't leave any witnesses alive.

There was something to be said for being the boss, and a vampire mercenary. He could take steps to ensure his reputation remained intact.

Wesley had improved immensely over the summer, but he still had his occasional lapses, and this had been one of them. They'd both been lucky to get out unscathed and with the book they'd been hired to steal.

Actually, the book they'd been hired to "recover," considering that their client had purchased the volume at auction, and then it had gone missing. Not that Spike was completely against a little larceny now and then.

What with Wesley tripping over his own feet and sending a very expensive vase crashing to the floor, combined with the alarms going off immediately thereafter, the job had become a lot more complicated than Spike had anticipated.

Wesley had wound up getting shot—just a graze, not a serious wound—but Spike had bawled him out for his carelessness. It had been more fear than anything else, though. Spike was growing fond of the git, and he didn't want to see him killed.

Spike froze in the doorway of his house, sensing the beating heart. "H'lo?"

"Hey, there,"

His lips curved in a smile when he saw Buffy coming to greet him. "How'd you know when I was getting back?"

"I'm a good guesser," Buffy replied. "How did things go?"

"Wesley nearly got himself killed," Spike said, tilting his head to kiss her.

Buffy snickered. "Told you so."

"He's improving," Spike said in defense of his assistant. "Could have happened to anybody. It's not like you haven't tripped out on patrol before."

"Mmm," Buffy replied, not giving him an answer one way or another. "But no one's lived to tell the tale."

"I could say the same," Spike murmured.

For a long, comfortable moment, there was nothing except the feel of her lips, and Spike lost himself in her embrace. Four days was too damn long.

"Mom wants you to come for dinner tonight if you're up for it," Buffy said. "I think she's beginning to feel like you've abandoned us."

"Bite your tongue." Spike gave her one last kiss, heading into the kitchen for the fridge and his blood supply. He hadn't eaten in the last couple of days, and he was starving. "That'll never happen, and you know it."

"Oh, I think we're both well aware of the fact that we're never going to get rid of you," Buffy teased. "You've been really busy this summer, though."

"I have been. Should slow up a bit now, though. I don't have anything on the line for the next week or two."

Buffy mock-sighed. "I suppose I can put up with you being around for that long."

Spike drew back, raising an eyebrow. "If that's going to be too difficult for you, I can always leave town for a bit."

"Don't you dare," Buffy replied sharply, tugging him towards her by his jacket. "I want you right here, where you belong."

All pretense gone, they moved together again, hanging on to one another tightly. "You sure we have to see your mum tonight?" Spike murmured in her ear.

"Probably better," Buffy said. "We can tell her we have to patrol later, though. Just think, when I'm in college, no one will know how often I'm staying here."

Spike groaned. He had absolutely no desire to leave his cozy little place. What he wanted was something best done in the bedroom.

Well, in his house, anyway. He wasn't picky about the choice of room.

On the other hand, Spike knew that it was in his best interests to keep Joyce happy.

"How long?"

"Four days until I move in," she replied. Buffy ran a hand over his cheek. "Although, I'm not sure it's going to get much better. I have no idea how busy college is going to keep me."

"You and Willow take my advice and get a room together?" Spike asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes, but finally nodded reluctantly. "Yes. You were right. It would be easier not having to explain the fact that my boyfriend can't go out in the daylight. And, since Willow has a boyfriend of her own, she can't look disapproving when I don't come home."

Spike smirked. "I'll never get tired of hearing those words come out of your mouth."

Buffy frowned in confusion. "What?"

"That I'm right." He laughed as she smacked him, although not hard enough to hurt. "Now, how long do we have before we have to be at your mum's?"

Buffy sighed. "Not long enough to do what you're thinking about doing. That, I'm afraid, will have to wait for tonight."

"Let's get going, then," Spike said. "Wouldn't do to keep your mum waiting."

Buffy gave him a wry grin. "I doubt she's getting too anxious, since Giles is there to keep her company."

~~~~~

"How much longer before they get here?" Giles asked.

Joyce peeked over his bare chest at the clock next to the bed, grimacing. "It depends on how distracted they get, but I don't want to leave that to chance."

"Probably better not," Giles agreed, pushing himself up and reaching for his clothing. "How are you feeling about Buffy moving out in a few days?"

Joyce just smiled. It was an expression only worn by the most satisfied of women. "You can ask me that when I don't have to worry about Buffy walking in at an inopportune time?"

Giles chuckled, a rich sound that didn't fail to make Joyce tingle in the best of ways. "Forget I asked. I will assume that the empty nest will agree with you and leave it at that."

"And you?" Joyce asked. "What about your empty nest?"

Giles grimaced. "I've been thinking about remedying that. The life of a man of leisure turns out to be a bit more boring than I would have thought."

Joyce raised an eyebrow. "I could have told you that."

Giles gave her a dirty look that was only briefly obscured as he pulled his shirt over his head. "I thought it would be a good idea to consider my options before jumping into something new. I'm still Buffy's Watcher, and there are other reasons to stay in Sunnydale, of course."

Joyce made a pleased sound, and then continued, "You're an active man, Rupert. I didn't think that sitting around and cataloguing your books would occupy you for long."

"Yes, well..."

"What are you thinking about?" Joyce asked. "Anything I can help with?"

"Perhaps," Giles replied. "You know, when I was a boy I wanted to be a grocer, or a fighter pilot. I think I've passed the age to join the RAF, however, so..."

Joyce's eyebrows went up, trying to determine whether he was serious or not. "You want to open a grocery store?"

"Actually, most likely not," Giles replied. "I was thinking something more along the lines of a bookstore."

Joyce thought that over, trying out the idea in her mind. "I think that's a wonderful idea."

"It's still in the planning stages," Giles said dismissively. "We'll have to see whether or not it comes about. It would give me a certain amount of freedom that other positions would not."

"Being your own boss does have its advantages," she agreed, checking her makeup and hair in the mirror. She could see Giles coming up behind her, resting his strong, capable hands on her shoulders. Joyce leaned back against him, enjoying the picture that they made together.

She felt more alive now than she had in years.

The moment was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. "Mom!"

Giles exchanged an amused look with her. "A mother's job is never done," he murmured.

"Neither is a Watcher's," she replied, turning to give him a quick kiss. "I should get dinner started."

He watched her leave the bedroom, then made certain his appearance didn't give away the afternoon's activities. Not that it wouldn't be fairly obvious to a casual observer, but Buffy had proven herself capable of ignoring a great many things about his relationship with Joyce.

It seemed that the Slayer was just as good at using her selective memory as Joyce had been at one time.

~~~~~

Wesley stood in front of Spike's door with a feeling of trepidation. He had no doubt that Spike was going to tell him that it wasn't working out, and Wesley honestly had no idea what his next move would be if the vampire let him go.

The summer had been a revelation. Spike had been—well, "kind" was probably an exaggeration, but he'd exhibited a sort of rough care that the best of Wesley's teachers had shown back in school. He'd learned so much...

And he'd failed again.

The door swung open before he could knock. "Are you going to stand on the porch all day, or are you coming in?" Spike asked, the amusement in his voice obvious.

Wesley stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. "I, uh—"

"Tea?"

"Please." Wesley realized that Spike wasn't going to start the conversation before he was good and ready.

"First off, I'm not going to fire you," Spike said in a conversational tone. "I'm enjoying not having to do all the research myself. It's a nice change."

Wesley nodded, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief. It shouldn't have been that big of a deal, but it was, somehow. He wanted to succeed badly. "I—thank you."

"Oh, bugger that," Spike replied rudely. "Even the Slayer trips up on occasion, Wes. You're not perfect. Get over it."

"I am perhaps rather more of a klutz than you would want with you, though," Wesley replied.

Spike resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Barely. "You'll get over that. Get a few more jobs under your belt, and you won't be so nervous. You want a little confidence, that's all."

Wesley wasn't quite sure what to say to that. "Is there another job coming up that you'll need my assistance for?"

"A couple actually," Spike replied. "But nothing immediate. Until then, I suggest you take a break, have some fun."

Wesley winced. "Fun?"

"You do know what that is?"

"I may have forgotten," Wesley replied dryly.

Spike chuckled appreciatively. "Then you've got some time to figure it out. Meanwhile, I expect you back here tomorrow afternoon, four sharp."

"What happens tomorrow?"

"You start your training," Spike replied. "If you're going to be going out on your own at all, you're going to be prepared for it."

~~~~~

Spike stood at the door of Buffy's dorm room, his fingers just brushing the invisible barrier. The Slayer seemed fairly intent on unpacking her things, and Spike was content to watch, even though he hated the thought of walls between them.

"Come in, Spike."

Just like that, it was gone, and he crossed the threshold. "How long did you know I was there?"

"Long enough," Buffy replied. She turned to smile at him. "I can feel you."

"Your mom said you were moving in today. You should have waited. I could have helped."

She shrugged. "It wasn't that big of a deal. Mom roped Giles into helping Willow and me, and it didn't take very long."

"Where's Harris?"

"Still doing his tour of the fifty states, as far as we know." Buffy came to sit down next to him on the bed. "We haven't heard from him in a while."

"And that doesn't worry you?"

"We figure he's too busy having fun." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I don't want classes to start tomorrow."

"You'll be fine," he encouraged.

Buffy pouted. "That's not the problem. The summer wasn't long enough. I'm not ready for school to start up again, and I have to spend the night here."

"Wouldn't have to spend the whole night here," Spike replied.

"Early morning with orientation and getting the student ID and all of that," Buffy said apologetically. "That means I actually have to get out of bed."

"So we patrol, make a quick stop at my place, and then I drop you back here," Spike replied. "Piece of cake."

"Or I come over tomorrow after classes are over, and join you in bed," Buffy suggested.

Spike winced. "Sorry, luv. I've got a standing date with Wesley."

"I hope you don't mean date in any other sense than you have to meet him." Buffy's eyes had a teasing light in them. "Because I'm going to get very suspicious of those business trips otherwise."

Spike raised an eyebrow, obviously not amused. "Ha, bloody ha, Summers. You know I am, and always will be, yours. No, I'm giving Wesley some training so I can trust him on his own for small jobs. It might actually free up some time for you."

"I can't argue with that, but what happened to the 'hand-to-hand' techniques that he likes to boast about?"

"Lots of training, and virtually no practice means the git doesn't have a chance if he's faced with a real opponent," Spike said. "Well, maybe a small chance."

Buffy shook her head. "I still don't see why you even hired him in the first place. He's gotten better, but he's still..." She searched for the word. "Wesley."

"He's not so bad," was all Spike said. It was, in fact, pretty much all he would ever say about Wesley. Buffy hardly viewed it as a reasonable explanation, but she didn't push. From the hints that Spike would occasionally drop, she thought it might have something to do with his human past, and that was a topic that Spike still regarded as off-limits.

As well as Buffy had come to know him, Spike was still largely a mystery to her in certain areas. He would occasionally share anecdotes about his clients that had her laughing, and yet she got the feeling that he wasn't telling her everything. She didn't think he was doing it to protect her. It was more that he'd never been in the habit of telling anyone anything, and so to have someone to talk to was still very new.

Buffy was also well aware that Spike was a better listener than she was, which meant that she was the one who ended up doing a lot of the talking.

"What is it that you see in him?"

Spike raised his eyebrows at the question, obviously trying to decide how to answer it. "Don't know what you mean," he said carefully.

"Yes, you do," Buffy argued. "You know exactly what I mean. When everybody else had no problem with the idea of Wesley dropping off the face of the planet, you asked him to work with you. It's like you saw something that no one else did."

Spike stood in one liquid motion, and Buffy could feel him distancing himself from her. It worried her, but at the same time, she wondered if he didn't need the space to say what he needed to say. "Someone once saw potential in me," Spike said quietly. "Suppose that's all it was."

She snorted. "I doubt you were ever as bad as Wesley."

"Seems I remember you telling me you were once as bad as Cordelia," Spike pointed out.

"Yeah, but..." Buffy trailed off. "You're serious."

Spike winced. "Maybe not quite as bad, but I had my moments."

"You never talk about what it was like to be human," Buffy said. "Is that why?"

"One reason," Spike admitted. "It's like a dream, you know? A dream of a different life, a different man. Doesn't have anything to do with where I am now. At least, not much of anything."

Buffy leaned back on her bed. "So what were you like?" At his closed-off expression, she changed tactics. "Okay, so what did you want to be when you grew up? I've got to choose a major at some point, and I'm looking for ideas."

The barest hint of a smile pulled at Spike's lips. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He shrugged. "Besides, you've got time yet, right?"

"Willow already knows," Buffy pouted. "She's known since kindergarten, and I have no idea what I want to do."

Spike flopped down on the bed beside her. "Buffy, luv, Willow isn't you, and as much as I like her, I'm grateful for it. Don't be thinking you have to compare yourself to her."

"Did I hear my name?" Willow asked, poking her head in the door. "Oh, hey, Spike!"

"Red," he replied, greeting her fondly. "Where's your boy?"

She waved a hand. "Out doing boy-things. We'll meet up tomorrow." Willow sat down on her own twin bed, looking at Buffy and Spike dubiously. "You guys weren't both planning on staying here tonight, were you? I mean, if you were, that's okay. I can find another place, if you want to be alone, but—"

"Relax, Will," Buffy said with a smile. "We aren't going to kick you out. One of the benefits to dating an older guy is that he has his own place."

Willow frowned. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" At their twin expressions of surprise, she quickly added, "Oh! I didn't mean dating an older guy, I just meant sleeping over tonight. We've got an early day tomorrow."

Spike smirked. "It's already been discussed. I'll have Buffy back here before eleven. How does that work for you?"

Buffy's elbowed him. "Less sarcasm," she ordered. "I'll be back right after patrol."

"Well, be careful," Willow said. "It wouldn't do to miss your first day."

~~~~~

Everything was changing.

Buffy lay in the darkness of her room, staring up at the ceiling. She knew that Willow was looking forward to classes starting, to the challenges that it presented. Buffy wasn't so sure. She had always known that she would go to college, but she couldn't picture herself as anything but the Slayer. How could she? It sometimes seemed as though that one word defined her entire being.

Her last summer at home had mostly been spent slaying, with little time for Spike. Even when he was in town, they were usually patrolling together. Xander had been gone. Willow and Oz spent every minute they could together. Cordelia was off in L.A., even if Buffy would have wanted to hang out with her, which she wouldn't have.

The real trouble was that she couldn't see herself as a grown up. She'd died once. Making plans for the future seemed a little silly when your chances of having a future were slim to none. Not to mention the fact that, if Buffy had her way, she would probably want to do what Spike did—travel the world, kill demons, and get paid to do it. She had her sacred duty, though, and that didn't include leaving the Hellmouth anytime soon.

Even Spike, whom she had considered her one constant, was changing. He had his own life, his own job, and—if you counted Wesley—even his own friends. Not that he wasn't there for her, not that he wasn't attentive when he was in town, but it was different.

Not for the first time, Buffy wondered if it wouldn't be possible to slow time down a bit, to have a day to savor, to cherish. She wished she taken more time over the summer to—do something. To mark it out as a turning point. To create a milestone.

Buffy wanted more time.

She listened to Willow's even breathing across the room, and sighed into the darkness, wondering why, when her friends all seemed certain that this was the right thing to do, she felt so unsure.

 

 

Chapter 2

 

"the trick of finding what you didn't lose/(existing's tricky:but to live's a gift)/the teachable imposture of always/arriving at the place you never left/(and i refer to thinking)rests upon/a dismal misconception;namely that/some neither ape nor angel called a man/is measured by his quote eye cue unquote./Much better than which,every woman who's/ (despite the ultramachinations of/some loveless infraworld)a woman knows;/and certain men quite possibly may have/shall we say guessed?"/ "we shall" quoth gifted she:/and played the hostess to my morethanme" e. e. cummings, "the trick of finding what you didn't lose"

 

If Buffy had been concerned about the first day of college beforehand, the day itself did nothing to alleviate her anxiety. Nothing felt right. Willow seemed to slip right into the flow, as did Oz, but Buffy found herself floundering.

Everything was bigger, and there were so many people, all wanting to tell her something or get her to join them. Buffy wasn't really a joiner. After all, when you were the Chosen One it made being part of a group a little difficult.

Willow was the one that fit in and made friends and influenced people, not Buffy.

And even the very nice evening with Spike wasn't enough to take the sting off the events of the first day of classes. If her professors weren't busy being scary, they were kicking her out of the classroom. Buffy didn't remember the last time she'd been that humiliated.

She had to wonder if that was who she was now. Just "blonde girl." No other identity but that.

"Do you want me to eat him?" Spike asked as she told him about the mean professor. "I'll bet he's evil enough."

Buffy laughed, in spite of herself. Spike talking about eating someone probably shouldn't have made the Slayer giggle, but it was funny. Maybe it was stupid, but when they were walking through campus, his arm slung over her shoulders, she felt okay again.

Well, mostly okay.

"No, that's okay. I just won't take the class." She sighed. "I don't know if I'm supposed to be here, Spike."

"College, here, or with me, here?" he asked, although he already knew the answer to that. He thought he did, anyway.

"College, and you know it. You're the best thing that's happened to me today."

Spike was silent for a moment. "Do you want to be here?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "I mean, I was always supposed to go to college, but school isn't my thing. It's Willow's, and..."

"Doesn't have to be your thing," Spike replied. When she gave him a look, he clarified, "Look, college is just something to get through for some people. You don't go because you want to, you go because it'll help you out in the long run, and it'll make your mum happy. It's four years. That's not so long."

"So says the vampire," Buffy responded. "Four years is an eternity if that's all the time you've got left."

Spike pulled her to a stop, lifting an eyebrow. "You know something that you're not telling me, luv?"

Buffy shook her head. "No, I—ignore me, Spike. It's just been a really long, lousy day."

"Think I know how to make it better," he suggested, pulling her in for a kiss.

Buffy relaxed, gripping the back of his head. If nothing else in her life was going right, at least her love life was running fairly smoothly.

She pulled back abruptly. "Did you hear that?"

Spike raised his head. "Yeah. Sounded like a scuffle to me."

They exchanged twin grimaces and took off in pursuit of the trouble. Buffy had to wonder if they were ever going to get a chance just to be a couple. The scene of the incident wasn't hard to find with Spike's presence. Not only were there marks in the grass, but also the faint scent of blood on the air.

"Can you track it?" Buffy asked.

Spike looked around, taking a deep breath to see if he could catch the trail, finally shaking his head. "Sorry, luv. There's blood, but whoever they are, they're careful."

"Great," she muttered. "Now I have a vampire gang to worry about."

Spike frowned. "You want me to take Wes and track it down?" he asked. "I'll have to wait 'til tomorrow, but we can look into it."

"No, that's okay," Buffy said. "I'm on campus. I'll check it out tomorrow after classes are over. I doubt it's a big deal."

"You sure?"

"I'm the Slayer, Spike. It's my job."

His eyebrows went up at her rather snappy response. "Right. Okay."

Buffy knew she should probably apologize, but she didn't want to. She wanted to be bitchy and upset, and if Spike had a problem with that, too bad. "I should get back. It's late, and I've got an early class tomorrow."

"You want me to walk you back?"

She knew she'd probably angered him a bit by his slightly cool tone, but Buffy decided to ignore it. If she let it go, it would be forgotten soon enough. "No, that's okay. I'll be fine."

Spike hesitated, and then finally nodded. "Sure thing. I'll see you later, then."

Buffy regretted the whole thing immediately after he'd left, of course. She'd wanted to spend time with Spike, and now she'd gone and chased him off. Buffy sighed. Maybe she'd call him after she got back to the dorm room, apologize, and ask him to come along the next night.

Once she got back to her room, Willow immediately wanted to talk about her first day of classes and the potential of going to see Oz when he played at the Alpha Delta party. By the time they had finished up their gossip session, Buffy had forgotten all about calling Spike, and she dropped into a restless slumber.

~~~~~

Spike was a little disgruntled at how his evening with Buffy had ended. He'd had other plans completely, and instead they'd parted on less than positive terms. Spike told himself that Buffy just needed some time to adjust. She always got a little cranky when she was upset about something. If he gave her a little time, she'd be fine.

He couldn't help but wonder if their relationship was going to survive her college years, though. Not that he had any plans for breaking up with her, but he knew that they were in a very different place than they had been last year when his entire focus had been on the Slayer and keeping her safe—whether she wanted him there or not.

Things were different now. Buffy was in college, and still very young. She might get tired of having an older boyfriend, or decide she wanted to play the field a bit. It was hard to know.

Spike hadn't said anything about it, but the incident from the previous spring still bothered him. He had chosen to bite her, to take her blood rather than lose his own life. That had never been a decision that he'd wanted to make again, and Spike had told himself that it wouldn't happen. He would never again choose to save himself at the cost of someone else's life.

While Buffy hadn't been seriously injured, the image of her pale face and bleeding neck still haunted him. The question was whether or not he'd make the same decision again. Would he kill an innocent to save his own life?

With a sigh, Spike shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind. There was no way of knowing; that much he had learned. No one really knew how they'd act until they were in the heat of the moment.

Speaking of moments...

"What are you doing here?" Spike asked Wesley as he approached the house.

Wesley startled. He'd been facing Spike's door, and had apparently not been terribly aware of his surroundings. "Oh! I, uh, I ran across this passage that might be helpful, and..." He trailed off. "Anyway, I thought you might be interested."

"I doubt it," Spike replied. "But you can try me."

Wesley hesitated. "It has to do with the Gem of Amara."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "That's something that might be better left buried, mate. Not that it wouldn't be nice to have, but if it falls into the wrong hands, we'd have a bit of a problem." He unlocked the door and allowed Wesley to precede him inside.

"You could make certain that it didn't fall into the wrongs hands," Wesley pointed out. "You could also take on a wider range of jobs that way."

"While alerting the entire demon world that I have it." Spike paused. "Although, you've got a point. No one would have to know necessarily. How much have you found out?"

Wesley shook his head. "Just a vague reference to the fact that it might actually be in the area. I was doing some research into Sunnydale history, and—"

Spike held up a hand to silence him. "What happened to having some fun while you had a chance?"

Wesley looked sheepish. "Yes, well, history is interesting, and—"

"You need to find yourself a girlfriend," Spike opined.

Wesley tried not to flush, and couldn't quite manage it. He did attempt to get a little of his own back, however. "Oh? Where's your girlfriend this evening?"

"Back at her room," Spike replied. "She had an early class."

"She gave you the brush off?"

Spike gave him a sour look. "If you must know, she was acting a bit bitchy."

"Ah." Wesley was silent, shuffling his feet a bit.

Spike finally shook his head. "Do you want to watch a vid, or—" He glanced at the clock. "Should be a football game on somewhere."

Wesley brightened. "Do you get football?"

Spike grinned. "Sure, got a whole channel with just football. There's one in Spanish, too, but..."

"I speak Spanish fluently," Wesley replied, sounding slightly offended.

Spike just smirked. "Why doesn't that surprise me? We'll have our choice of channels, then."

~~~~~

"Thank you so much for coming, Spike," Joyce said, ushering him through the door. "I just couldn't get the bolts loosened, and I didn't know who else to ask."

Spike didn't mind helping out in the least. He'd changed more than a few tires in his time, and he enjoyed spending time with Joyce. At the same time, he couldn't resist teasing her a little. "You couldn't have called Rupert?"

She flushed slightly. "I could have," she agreed. "And then when he couldn't get the bolts off..."

"Don't have much faith in your beau, do you?"

Joyce shrugged. "I got you on the phone first. I'm assuming Rupert is out running an errand or something."

"It's no trouble," he assured her with an easy smile. "Didn't have any other plans for the evening anyway."

"You weren't planning on seeing Buffy tonight?" Joyce asked innocently. "I was sure—"

Spike dismissed her concerns with a nonchalance he didn't feel. "She's got enough on her hands, settling in and all. We'll catch up when she's ready for it."

Joyce had a mother's nose for trouble. "Is everything okay?"

The vampire shrugged. "Yeah, sure. She was a bit short last night, but it had been a long day for her. Like I said, once she gets settled in, everything will be fine."

"Of course." Joyce didn't want to push, and so she said nothing more. She honestly wasn't expecting to hear from Buffy for a couple of weeks at least. Her daughter had seemed more than ready to get out of the house, excited about being out from under Joyce's roof. It was only natural, and so Joyce couldn't completely regret that she'd raised such a capable, independent young woman.

There was still the pang of release, however.

"The car is around the side of the building," she explained. "I don't know what happened. I just came outside and the tire was flat."

"Probably just had a slow leak you didn't notice right off," Spike said. "I'll get the spare on, and you can take the other in for repairs." He glanced around the darkened parking lot. "If you don't mind, though, I think I'll drive you home. Hate for something to happen on the way."

"I'll be fine," Joyce protested, and then sighed. "But I'll be glad for your company." She knew better than to think that Spike would actually let her head out on her own if he was concerned.

With his enhanced strength, Spike had her Jeep jacked up and the tire off in just a few minutes, and only a couple of minutes after that, he had the spare out of the back and in place.

"Thank you very much," Joyce said, handing him a towel from inside the gallery to wipe his hands on. "I really appreciate it."

"I don't mind," he said mildly, but the warmth in his eyes told Joyce that he was happy to help. Spike frowned as he started up the car, once Joyce had gotten her things from the gallery. "Has it been running like this for a while?" he asked, referring to the subtle knocking sound only he could pick up.

Joyce frowned, not hearing the noise he was apparently referring to. "Running like what?"

Spike shook his head. "Doesn't sound right," he explained briefly. "When we get back to your place, I'll check under the hood."

The ringing of Spike's cell phone interrupted the pleasant silence that had fallen, and Spike patted his pockets, trying to find it before it stopped ringing. "H'lo," he said, once he'd managed to locate it inside an inner pocket.

"Spike?"

"Hey, luv," he said, turning the steering wheel one-handed. "What's up?"

"I just wondered if maybe you still wanted to go hunting with me tonight," Buffy said. "I thought I'd see if I could find that vampire gang."

Spike glanced at the car's clock. "Can you give me a bit? I was just helping your mum out with a flat tire, and I'm going to check the car engine. Thought I heard a sound that shouldn't be there, and I don't want her caught out after dark."

"Oh." There was a short pause. "No, that's okay. Don't worry about it. I'll catch you tomorrow night."

"You sure?" Spike asked. "This won't take me too long."

"No, I'll go do a patrol, and then I probably should do some reading or something."

"If you're sure." Spike frowned. He thought he caught a wistful note in Buffy's voice, as though all was not right. "You know, I could meet you now, then come back later to check the car. I'm sure your mum wouldn't mind if I worked on it a bit later."

Buffy's voice turned cheerfully brisk. "Really, Spike that's okay. You're there now, and it's not like we made plans. I'll just see you tomorrow."

"It's a date," he said warmly, sighing when she hung up the phone.

Joyce raised an eyebrow, glancing over at him. "Are you certain everything is okay?"

Spike shook his head, frowning thoughtfully. "Don't know. I hope so."

~~~~~

Buffy was beginning to wonder where she'd gone wrong. College was supposed to be fun, right? She already had a hot, older boyfriend, so it wasn't like she had to worry about entering the scary waters of dating. She thought she was reasonably intelligent, and UC Sunnydale was billed as a party school, so classes should be doable.

She nursed her hurt wrist, sitting on the edge of her bed. Willow was asleep across from her, and Buffy didn't want to wake her up. It was just that she felt so...alone.

In truth, she wanted Spike, but she didn't want to be so weak as to have to run to him over the big, bad vampire. That was so pathetic. Buffy wasn't that kind of girl, but she sorely wanted the comfort of the familiar, and Spike was nothing if not familiar.

The soft tapping at the door had her frowning. She opened the door quietly, seeing Spike framed in the doorway. "What are you doing here?" Buffy hissed, knowing that she sounded pissed off, although she didn't mean to.

Spike sighed and shook his head. "I'm here because you wanted my help, and I figured even if you were done, you might want the company."

"I'm fine," she said. Buffy knew that she was whining, but she really didn't want Spike to think that she couldn't cut it. She was the Slayer.

He rolled his eyes. "What time is your first class tomorrow?"

"What?"

"First class? What time?"

Buffy frowned. "Not until ten, but—"

"Good. You've still got some stuff at my house. Let's go." Spike held out an arm, and Buffy immediately drew back.

"No, Spike! I've got things, and—"

"You're hurt," he said flatly, looking at her wrist.

Buffy put it down at her side as though it wasn't really hurt and immediately winced. "I appreciate your concern, but really I'm fine."

"You've had a rough couple of days," Spike argued. "And now you're going to go back in your room and feel sorry for yourself because you don't want anybody to think that you can't hack it. How am I doing?"

Buffy pouted. "Pretty good," she finally admitted, knowing that there was no arguing with him when he was in this sort of mood.

"So now I'm going to leave Red a note to keep her from worrying over you, and I'm going to make sure that whatever the last couple of days have been like, you have a good night." Spike's face softened, and he touched a gentle hand to her cheek. "I just want to spend a little time with my girl."

Buffy melted instantly. "How the hell am I supposed to argue with you when you say things like that?" she demanded.

Spike just smirked. "That's the point. You aren't. Are you going to come quietly?"

"Yes, but only because you wouldn't let me say no." Buffy leaned against his chest briefly. "Thank you."

"Anytime, luv. You know that."

~~~~~

Buffy woke the next morning feeling more comfortable than she had since school had started. If that made her weak, then she could live with that.

The really scary part, though, the part she didn't let herself think about, was what would it do to her to lose Spike.

"Hey."

His soft voice roused her further, and she stretched. "'Morning."

"How's the arm?"

"Better. Thanks for wrapping it." Buffy sat up, looking around for her clothing. "I should probably get going soon."

"Let me make you breakfast first," he urged. "Won't do to start the day off hungry, yeah?"

Buffy turned to him, and he could see a tinge of fear in her gaze. "You're too good to me."

"No such thing," Spike countered. Side by side against his black sheets, the contrast in their skin tones was obvious—Buffy's sun-kissed gold and his alabaster. The thought flitted through his mind that if he had the Gem of Amara, that could change. He could join Buffy in her sunlit world, bridging one more gap that separated them.

"What would I do without you?" she asked.

Spike pressed his lips to her bare shoulder. "You'd get by, luv." He raised his eyes and saw the scar on her neck, the one he'd put there.

She sighed. "Maybe."

"Do you want my help with this vamp?" Spike asked. "You know I'll be there if you want me, but if you'd rather kick her arse yourself I'd understand."

"Tell you what," Buffy said brightly, basking in the confidence he had in her. "I'll call you if I need backup."

Spike smirked. "Or a cheering section."

"You got it." Buffy batted her eyelashes at him. "You said something about breakfast?"

Spike chuckled. "Yeah, I did."

~~~~~

Buffy absolutely couldn't believe what she was seeing. That ho-bag of a vampire had stolen her stuff, and now she was making fun of it? And she had Mr. Gordo? And her diary?

"Go check my room for the weapons chest. It's at the foot of my bed. If Willow's there, she can tell you where it is," Buffy ordered Xander.

Xander had stopped by campus after he'd called her house to find out where she and Willow were and had arrived just as Buffy was discovering her empty dorm room. Buffy had gone into immediate Slayer mode, and Xander had been happy to pitch in.

It had been a long and lonely summer washing dishes in The Fabulous Ladies' Night Club for Xander. Although he probably could have called someone—even Spike—the last thing he'd wanted was to come back to Sunnydale with his tail between his legs. Of course, if it hadn't been for the one night where he'd had to fill in for one of the regular strippers when he was sick, he probably would still be washing dishes.

Honestly, it had taken him a lot longer to earn the money to fix his car than he'd thought it would.

Still, he had a new car out of the deal, and he'd gotten through with minimum embarrassment, even if that was only because no one he knew was a witness to his stage debut.

He and Buffy had researched disappearances on the Sunnydale campus, and located the potential vampires' nest in the basement of one of the old fraternity houses. It was just like old times.

"Do you want me to get anything else?" Xander asked.

Buffy frowned. "Can you call Spike and tell him where I'm at? He always likes it when he can watch me fight."

Xander winced at the mental image that brought up, even though he couldn't really disagree with the vampire. "Sure. Call Spike first?"

Buffy dug in her pocket for some change. "Please." She watched as Xander hurried off, turning back to watch the vampires dig through the things they'd stolen from her room. They thought they could mess with her? "I'll show them," she muttered. "If there's one thing I still can do it's—"

She over-balanced somehow, tumbling through the skylight, landing in the midst of the vampires.

Sunday smirked down at her. "Oh, look. The Slayer brought delivery."

"Just thought I'd drop in," Buffy replied, standing slowly and brushing herself off. When no one seemed to appreciate her pun, she sighed. "Tough room."

"I appreciate the thought," Sunday said. "I'll appreciate it even more when I kill you."

Buffy gave her a tight smile. "You get to try." She ducked the punch that Sunday sent her way. "Oh, please. I hope you can do better than that."

The fight was a little more challenging than it would have been if Buffy had two good arms. As it was, there were definitely moments where it could easily have gone either way. A lucky hit on her bad arm sent Buffy stumbling, gasping with pain.

"You want some help?"

Spike's voice came from behind her, but Buffy couldn't afford the distraction to turn to look at him. "No, I think I've got it." She struggled to stay upright, holding her injured arm to her chest and executing a round house kick that caught Sunday in the chin.

"What's with the hair?" Spike mused, moving around the perimeter of the room, easily staking the one vampire brave enough to attack him. "Looks like she's got a rats' nest on top of her head."

Sunday snarled, turning to face him. "You're next."

Buffy sent a knee into Sunday's unprotected side. "You know, Spike's right," she said conversationally. "You were giving me fashion advice, and you're stuck in—some decade that probably never existed."

Sunday attacked furiously pushing Buffy back. "Oh, yeah? At least I'm not wearing last year's clothes."

"Oh, I don't know," Buffy replied. "I think I'd prefer my clothes not to scream, 'I'm a great big slut.'"

"Speaking for the male sex, I quite like your clothes, pet," Spike said.

Buffy smiled smugly, feinting with a right punch and ending with a left spin-kick, sending Sunday flying. She barely noticed that the other vampires were trying to flee. Spike was standing in the door now anyway, so it wasn't like they were going to get past him. "I'm pretty sure that Sunday is too big of a skank to keep a boyfriend," she informed Spike. "But we shouldn't rub her nose in it."

Buffy caught the stake Spike threw to her, spinning and ramming it through Sunday's heart without breaking stride. She looked around for more vampires, but they were all dust or had managed to escape. "Too bad," she observed. "I was just getting started." She turned to look at Spike. "Good job on the cheering section, by the way."

"Watching you in action gives a bloke plenty to cheer about," Spike replied. He leaned in when Buffy wrapped her good arm around his neck, obliging her silent demand for a kiss.

It really worked out nicely. Buffy got revved up from the fight, and Spike got revved up watching her.

If only every aspect of their relationship were that easy. And if only Sunday was the only resident threat on the UC Sunnydale campus.