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 4

 

"It is enough for me by day/To walk the same bright earth with him;/Enough that over us by night/The same great roof of stars is dim./I do not hope to bind the wind/Or set a fetter on the sea—/It is enough to feel his love/Blow by like music over me." ~Sara Teasdale, "Enough"

 

"Get back," Oz said, thrusting the music stand between Harmony and Willow, pushing the vampire back.

Willow managed to find her cross, brandishing it with one hand, keeping her other hand over the wound in her neck. "Get out of here, Harmony."

"Fine. Hide behind your boyfriend," Harmony replied. "But you just wait. I have a boyfriend, too, and he's going to be mad that you were mean to me." She ran off down the alley.

Oz came up beside Willow, pulling her hand away gently to see the damage. "Are you okay?"

"I think so." Willow was quiet for a moment. "You know, I never really liked Harmony, but..."

"I know." Oz put a tender hand to her cheek. "We should get you cleaned up, and then we should probably find Buffy."

Willow made a face. "She was going over to Spike's, and they're not going to be happy about being interrupted."

"I think they'll understand," Oz said. "Harmony said she had a boyfriend. It might be a concern."

Willow rolled her eyes and made a face. "Harmony lied about having a boyfriend all the time back in high school. She's probably lying now."

"Still," Oz said.

She sighed. "Okay, but I'm making you ring Spike's doorbell."

~~~~~

"Don't answer it," Buffy ordered as the doorbell sounded. Spike's shirt was off, as was hers, although neither one of them was in a hurry to get to the main event. "They can take care of their own damn problems for once."

Spike groaned. "Luv, the only people who know we're here and would just drop in are Willow and Oz. Anybody else would have called first. And since they know bloody well not to disturb us..."

"Damn." Buffy rested her head on Spike's bare shoulder. "Double damn."

When the doorbell sounded again, she pulled back, reaching for her shirt. "If this isn't end of the world, I'm going to kill them."

"You'll have to stand in line," Spike remarked, heading for the front door, without bothering to put his shirt back on. His tune changed as soon as he smelled the blood on Willow. "What happened?" he asked immediately, ushering both of them inside.

"Harmony attacked Willow," Oz said. "She threatened to come back with a boyfriend."

"Wait. Harmony's a vampire?" Buffy asked, coming out of the bedroom. "When did that happen?"

"She was there at graduation," Oz commented. "I remember seeing her."

Buffy grimaced. "So she got turned sometime during the fight? Crap. I hate having to stake people I used to know."

"Why don't you let me do it?" Spike asked. "I'll take Wes, and we'll track her down. If she's still in town, we'll find her."

"Do you really have to?" Willow protested. "I mean, not that I'm for getting eaten, but she didn't put up much of a fight. It's Harmony. It's not like she's going to be that much of a threat. I'll bet she doesn't even have a boyfriend!"

Buffy sank down on the couch. "I don't know, Will. Harmony might not be much of a threat, but she's still a vampire. If she's attacking people, it's my job to stop her."

"I doubt you'd have to do it tonight," Oz said.

Buffy sighed, then nodded. "Okay, we'll wait and see what happens. I don't think it'll take much to track her down either way."

"You sure you don't want me to handle it?" Spike asked. "I don't mind."

"I know you don't," Buffy replied. "But I want you to myself tonight."

"Which is our cue to leave," Willow announced, standing. "Sorry for interrupting."

Buffy shrugged. "It's part of the job. I'll see you sometime tomorrow probably, Willow."

Spike saw them to the door, and then came back into the living room. "A hero's work is never done."

"I'm tired of being a hero," Buffy said. "I want to be a normal college student for a change."

"You'd get bored."

"Probably." Buffy flopped down onto her back on the couch. "Sometimes I really do hate this job, though. I don't like having to stake people I know."

Spike prodded Buffy to lift her head a bit so he could sit down, and then he pulled her down to lay with her head in his lap. "No one does."

"Did you ever have to stake someone you knew before?"

"Yes."

That one word was laden with so much emotion, Buffy had no idea how to respond. "Will you tell me about it?"

"It's not a topic conducive to what we were planning."

She grabbed onto his hand. "Plans change." Feeling his tension, she placed a kiss on his palm. "You don't have to tell me."

"It was my mum." Spike waited to see how Buffy would react, if she would pull away from him. It was one of the many things he had never told her, although to be fair, he'd never told anyone what had transpired between him and his mother.

She frowned. "Your mom got turned?" Her green eyes widened in understanding. "You turned her."

"Yeah, that's right."

He tried to pull away, but Buffy kept a tight grip on him. "You never told me about your mom before."

Spike relaxed ever-so-slightly as he realized that she wasn't angry. "No, I suppose not." He was silent for a moment, remembering. "She was sick, yeah? And she wasn't going to get better. When I was turned, it was—it was the biggest rush. I was powerful for the first time in my life."

"You wanted to save her." Buffy thought she could understand. It made a perverted kind of sense. "Then what?"

"She wasn't my mum," Spike said simply. "She just looked like her."

Buffy closed her eyes. "Oh, Spike."

"Didn't tell you that to get your pity," he said, sounding almost angry. "It was over and done with a long time ago."

Buffy reached up to caress his face. "It doesn't mean that the hurt is gone."

"No, it doesn't," he agreed.

Buffy shifted so that kissing him wasn't so awkward. They weren't exactly picking up where they'd left off. Everything this time was slower, a little gentler, with an edge of wistfulness to it.

Everything slipped away so quickly. No matter what she'd told Spike about savoring their time together, all she really wanted was more of it. They had so little as it was.

~~~~~

Giles looked around the interior of the small shop with a feeling of satisfaction. There was work to be done, including quite a bit of cleaning before he was ready to do business, but it was serviceable. In time, it might even be profitable.

"You moved on this quickly," Joyce said from behind him.

He turned. "You came. I didn't think you'd be able to get away."

"That's what assistants are for," she replied. "I take it you got a good deal on this place."

Giles shrugged. "There seems to be a rather high turnover of shopkeepers in the area. Something about owners going missing or being killed rather frequently." His smile was ironic. "I think I might be able to prevent the same from happening to me."

"I sincerely hope so," Joyce replied fervently, although with plenty of humor in her voice. "I really don't think I can do without you."

Giles bent to steal a quick, heartfelt kiss. "We'll have to see what we can do about that."

"What exactly are you planning on selling?" Joyce asked.

"Books, mainly," Giles replied. "I do have a number of contacts who will most likely pay me to locate and acquire rare volumes, and the more sensitive material I can no doubt entrust to Spike. Otherwise, I plan on selling your typical kinds of stock, possibly some other odds and ends."

Joyce hesitated, and then asked, "Have you spoken to the bank about a loan, or..." She trailed off, wondering if she was crossing some unspoken boundary. They had never really spoken about finances. Joyce didn't think that Giles was hurting for money, but the issue had never come up before.

Giles chuckled. "I have enough capital to set myself up."

Joyce's eyes widened. She'd been in business long enough to know what kind of money that required. "Oh."

"I probably haven't been as forthcoming about that as I should have been," Giles admitted slowly. "While I am not rich, my family has a certain amount of money. It's not an inexhaustible source, but I don't have expensive tastes."

"So what you're telling me is that you wouldn't have to work again," Joyce commented.

Giles shrugged. "Perhaps, but I've found myself rather bored with that prospect." He looked over at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, but I believe you'll find that most of the old Council families have a great deal of money, and also a great deal of snobbery. I've managed to distance myself from both."

Joyce laughed. "You surprise me," she admitted. "I was wondering how you were going to manage to take a year off, but I suppose I shouldn't have worried."

"Were you really worried?" Giles asked.

"Mildly concerned," she admitted. Then, softly, "You're on my mind a lot, Rupert."

"Not all worry, I hope," he replied, brushing her hair back from her face with a gentle hand.

"Not all."

The corners of his lips lifted. "You did realize that the gallery is only a couple of blocks away?"

Joyce returned the smile. "I did notice that as I was walking over."

"You know, I was thinking," he said quietly.

"Thinking about what?"

"About spending more time with you," Giles replied.

Joyce pulled back slightly. "What were you thinking?"

Seeing her sudden distancing, he shook his head. "Never mind. It's nothing important."

She frowned. "Were you thinking about moving in together?"

"I would still keep my apartment," Giles said quickly. "But I was just thinking..." He stopped. "It was a bad idea."

"It wasn't a bad idea," Joyce said. "It just surprised me, that's all. I haven't lived with a man in a very long time, and I hadn't really given it much thought."

"Will you think about it?" Giles asked softly. "There's no rush, of course, but I find myself unwilling to spend anymore time apart from you than I have to."

When he put it that way, Joyce had a hard time saying no. In truth, she wasn't even sure why she was hesitating. If Giles kept his apartment, it wouldn't be like they couldn't get some time away from each other. Besides, this relationship was very nearly everything she could have ever wanted.

Giles made her feel alive again—like a sexy, desirable woman—in a way she hadn't experienced since early in her marriage, perhaps since before Buffy was born. Not that her relationship with Hank had been horrible, except for those last couple of years, but before that they had simply been drifting apart. There had been no fire.

If Joyce was to be perfectly honest with herself, she knew that part of her hesitation to take the next step was fear that she would lose that spark. That things would become stale. It was an unjustified concern, but it was there all the same.

"I don't have to think about it," she replied. At the disappointment that flashed across his face, she added, "Because I don't want to spend anymore time away from you than I have to."

~~~~~~

"So what do you think?"

"I don't know," Buffy admitted.

Spike sighed. "I haven't decided what I'm going to do about it yet. Wesley thinks it might take a weekend, or more to get to it. I'm inclined to say that it's probably going to take a week or more."

She looked out into the night. They had taken a break from patrolling, stopping to sit in a deserted park. Buffy had her head on Spike's shoulder, his voice hardly more than a whisper as he told her what he knew about the Gem of Amara. "Part of me would love to walk in the sunlight with you," she said quietly. "The thought of going to the beach, or...anything really. But what happens when the other vampires figure it out and come after you, Spike?"

"That's what I said to Wesley," Spike said. "It's hard to say. Long as I don't start spreading it around, I think I might pull it off. Don't think I'd use it for business much. It would be more for here. For you."

"I don't need you to do that for me," Buffy said. "If you did, if you could be with me all times of the day and night, I would love it. I won't lie to you. But I fell in love with you knowing that I would never walk in the sunlight with you, Spike. I made my peace with that a long time ago."

Spike was quiet. "Sometimes I wonder, Buffy. Not that I doubt your word, but you've got a life at school that I can't touch. Boys that'll see you as I do."

"Boys," Buffy said, her tone taking on a scoffing tone. "What do I want with them? What we've been through...How could I ever be with anyone else, Spike?"

He kissed her then, tasting her. Spike thought that she tasted of sunlight and hope. If he was to lose her, Spike didn't know what it would do to him. He wasn't sure he could live without her at this point—losing Buffy would likely destroy him completely.

Losing Buffy would be like losing hope.

Buffy could sense his desperation, and she wondered why Spike seemed so worried about her affections lately. Possibly for the same reason that she worried about losing him. She loved him so much, and although she thought she might be able to survive it, there was a piece of her that would die.

What Spike was talking about, the Gem of Amara, it could keep him that much safer, even as it put him in more danger.

But it might be worth it.

"I think you should go for it if you want it," she said when they'd both broken off the kiss.

Spike nodded. "It won't be today, or even tomorrow, but probably soon." He raised an eyebrow. "How's the hunt for Harmony coming?"

Buffy sighed. "I haven't seen her anywhere. I have no idea where she is, and I don't know if I even care. I don't think she's public enemy number one."

"From what you've told me, I doubt it." Spike stood, holding out a hand to help her up.

Buffy took it, even though she didn't need his help. She appreciated the gesture. "When do you leave again?"

"Tomorrow evening," Spike replied. "We've got a short trip to L.A. I've got a client there who needs my expert opinion on his security system. I want to introduce him to Wesley."

"More of the fobbing?" Buffy asked with a smile.

Spike smirked. "Yeah, more of that. We should be back after that for a while, though. Don't have anything else set up until later in November."

"Oh! Then you can be my date for Halloween!" Buffy said. "You will, won't you?"

He gave her a skeptical look. "You do know that vampires don't celebrate Halloween, don't you? It's tacky."

"It's a night out with your girlfriend," Buffy responded. "In costume."

"I don't do costumes."

"Come on, Spike," Buffy pleaded. "You can protect me from all those big, bad college boys."

"I'm bigger and badder," he said, but a smile was beginning to break out on his face. "Right. What should I dress up as?"

Buffy frowned. "We should probably match." At his horrified expression, she quickly added, "I just meant that we should probably go together. Not like we have to wear the same clothes or anything."

"I know I'm going to regret this, but why don't you come up with an idea, and I promise that I'll go along with it," Spike offered. "As long as you don't make me look like a complete prat."

"I promise to pick something appropriately macho," Buffy said.

Spike hesitated, then asked, "You mind if I ask Wesley to come along?"

Her eyebrows shot up. "You're serious?"

"Buffy, I told Wesley to have some fun, and he went off and researched the history of Sunnydale. That's how we figured out the Gem of Amara was here, so I can't be disappointed, but he needs some serious help."

"I'll say," Buffy muttered. "I don't know, Spike. This is supposed to be a fun night out."

Spike gave her a look. "Let me guess. Willow and Oz are going to be there, and I'll bet Harris will make an appearance as well."

Buffy knew exactly what he was referring to. "Yes, if I can ask my friends, you can ask yours," she conceded. "But you're going to have to figure out Wesley's costume on your own."

"Wes'll have to figure out his own costume," Spike shot back.

~~~~~

"Anya." Xander waved her into his basement. "Nice to see you again."

It wasn't nice, not really. Well, the sex had been good. Anya smelled nice, and she seemed to have a good time, and he certainly had. All in all, it was a hundred times better than his first time. What she'd said though, about being over him—Xander hadn't appreciated that much.

Not that he had much of an interest in Anya as a girlfriend. She was pretty, but he wasn't sure he could put up with her for long periods of time.

Then again, that didn't explain why she'd been on his mind the last few days.

"I wanted to talk to you," she said. "About what I said."

Xander frowned. "What you said about what?"

"About being over you," Anya replied. "I keep thinking about you, and I don't know why."

"Then we're in the same boat," Xander replied. "Because you've kinda been on my mind, too."

Her whole face lit up at that. "Really?"

"Yeah, really," Xander replied. "I have no idea why, but I can't seem to stop thinking about you."

"Then maybe we could go out sometime," Anya suggested.

Xander gave her a lop-sided grin. "I think I could be persuaded." An idea occurred to him. "Hey, you want to go to a party with me?"

"A party?" Anya asked. "Like a date?"

"Yeah, you'll need a costume, but I think it'll be fun."

"What kind of costume?" Anya asked. "I'm not sure what you mean."

Xander shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Something scary." He didn't give her a chance to reply, instead kissing her tentatively, encouraged when she returned the embrace. "I'm glad you came by."

Anya didn't reply. She was too busy kissing Xander, while a tiny corner of her brain worked on what she was going to wear for their date.

 

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 5

 

"I think of thee!—my thoughts do twine and bud/About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,/Put out broad leaves, and soon there's naught to see/Except the straggling green which hides the wood./Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood/I will not have my thoughts instead of thee/Who are dearer, better! Rather, instantly/Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should...Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee/And breathe within thy shadow a new air,/I do not think of thee—I am too near thee." ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Sonnet XXIX"

 

Wesley was panting heavily, his shirt soaked through with sweat. He watched Spike warily, knowing that the vampire had no qualms about giving him a few bruises in the name of teaching him a lesson. He gripped the rubber stake tighter, then feinted right, moving to strike from the left at the last moment. He'd thought it was a rather sneaky mode of attack, but Spike recognized the feint for what it was and blocked his movement, putting him on the floor, face-down. "Not bad."

"Not bad?" Wesley asked, staying on the floor even after Spike released him. "I haven't managed a hit on you yet tonight."

"You're improving, though," Spike pointed out. "Quite a bit actually. You have to remember that I've been doing this for a lot longer than you've been alive."

Wesley pushed himself up off the floor, taking up his defensive posture again wearily. "I'll just have to take your word for it."

Spike shook his head. "That's enough for today. Better get cleaned up. We've got to leave for L.A. shortly."

"You called Cordelia?" Wesley asked, dropping the rubber stake to the floor.

Spike picked up the stake, giving Wesley a stern look. "Never drop your weapons," he admonished. "Not unless you have to. And, yes, I did call her. We're picking her up for a late dinner." He smirked. "Apparently, she could manage to find time for us in her busy social calendar."

"It will be good to see her again," Wesley said softly. "I'd like to know that she's doing well."

"Sounds like she was." Spike didn't say that he knew quite well that Cordelia wouldn't hesitate to lie in order to keep up appearances. It wasn't any of his business.

Wesley nodded. "That's good."

"You still carrying a torch for her?" Spike asked.

The ex-Watcher shrugged uncomfortably. "No, not really. It's just that..."

"Sure," Spike said. "Let's get a move on. We'll be late otherwise."

~~~~~

"Hey, Buffy."

She looked up to see Parker standing next to her table in the cafeteria. "Hi."

"Do you mind if I sit down?" he asked.

Buffy actually did mind a little. His attention was flattering, but she knew a guy on the prowl when she saw one, and Parker knew she had a boyfriend. There really wasn't any way she could politely refuse him a seat, though. "It's a free country."

Parker sat down next to her. "So, how's college life treating you?"

"It's treating me just great," Buffy replied. She hadn't eaten more than half her meal, and there was no way she was going to let Parker chase her off.

"That's good." He gave her a charming grin. "I hate to see someone eating alone, so I thought I'd come over and keep you company."

"That was nice of you," Buffy replied, thinking that it was nothing of the sort. He was flirting with her full-out. If she'd been single, it might have been fun. As it was, it just meant that he was being slimy.

He took a bite of his sandwich. "Where's your boyfriend tonight? He's not a student here, is he?"

"He's already out of school," Buffy replied. "Spike has his own business."

"That must be really hard," Parker observed sympathetically. "With you being on campus all the time, and him not being around. I know I'd hate it."

Buffy unbent slightly. "It's no picnic sometimes."

"Are you doing anything for Halloween?" Parker asked. "I mean, if your boyfriend is going to be out of town, we could do something. Just as friends," he was quick to assure her.

Buffy was glad she had an excuse—a real one. "We're going to a party with some friends," she replied.

"Oh, of course. That's good," Parker was quick to say.

"It is." Buffy gave him a tight smile. "Look, Parker, I'm sure you're a really nice guy, but Spike's the jealous kind."

Parker held up his hands. "Buffy, I wasn't trying—"

"Yes, you were." She sighed. "I might be a blonde, but I'm not dumb. Excuse me. I think I've got some homework to do."

Buffy walked away, wondering if she was going to have to put up with Parker's advances every time he came upon her alone. She really wouldn't have minded if he weren't so obvious about flirting. It seemed friendly, but Buffy got the feeling that he was after something other than her company.

In truth, it kind of pissed her off.

Willow was gone when Buffy got back to the room. The Slayer was fairly certain that her best friend was off with Oz.

Buffy looked at the phone, wondering if it would make her a clingy girlfriend to call Spike. She knew he was probably on his way to L.A. if he wasn't there already. Spike turned off his phone when he was in a meeting, so she didn't have to worry about interrupting him.

Hesitating only a moment more, Buffy picked up the phone, quickly dialing Spike's number. He picked up on the second ring. "You alright, luv?" he asked immediately.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Buffy asked brightly, when in truth she was missing him with an ache she couldn't deny.

"The fact that you're calling me seems to indicate otherwise," Spike pointed out. "You rarely call when I'm out on a trip."

"Is this a bad time?" Buffy asked. "I mean, if you can't talk that's fine."

Spike chuckled. "We've got a half hour before we hit L.A., so as long as you don't mind Wes listening in on my half of the conversation, it's a perfect time."

Buffy didn't know what to say. "Maybe I should call back some other time. I don't want you to be too distracted when you're driving."

"If you don't talk to me, I'm going to be distracted with worrying," Spike replied. "What's wrong, luv?"

"Nothing. Really." She sighed. "I just wanted to hear your voice."

There was a long silence. "You know, if I didn't have to take this meeting, I'd turn the car around right now," Spike finally said.

"I know." Buffy held onto the phone, not wanting to break the connection, and yet not wanting to admit to just how deep her need for him went.

"What happened, Buffy?"

"Nothing big," Buffy assured him. She wouldn't put it past Spike to do something rash to warn Parker off. "Nothing I can't handle on my own. In fact, I think I'm going to patrol tonight. Maybe see what I can dig up on Harmony and those disappearances you were talking about."

"Be careful," Spike warned her. "They did say demon disappearances, but there's no guarantee that humans aren't a target. The student population is big enough so you probably wouldn't hear about kids going missing, judging on how long that Sunday bitch had been operating."

"I'll be careful," Buffy assured him. "I'll talk to you tomorrow sometime?"

"We're coming back tomorrow evening," he replied. "Meet you then?"

"You'd better," Buffy replied. "I'll see you."

"Love you, Buffy."

"I love you, too."

~~~~~

The meeting with the client went as well as Spike had expected it to. He'd had a feeling that Robert and Wesley would get along swimmingly, and he'd been right. Within a few minutes of the first introductions, they were debating the best way to authenticate ancient artifacts, leaving Spike to look on in amusement.

Robert gave them both a firm handshake on their way out, clapping Spike on the shoulder approvingly. "You made a good choice in Wesley here, Spike," he said, his odd silver eyes shining. "If I hear you're not treating him right, I'll snatch him up."

"You know better than that, Robbie," Spike replied. "I know a good man when I see one."

"That you do," he said jovially, waving them out the door.

"Is he completely human?" Wesley asked as Spike drove away. "His eyes..."

"No, he's not, but I've never asked which family member he takes after," Spike replied. "It's my understanding that he can pass well enough when he wants to. Doesn't matter around me, though."

"No, I suppose not," Wesley replied, falling silent.

Spike glanced over at him. "Something wrong, mate?"

"No." The man frowned. "Most of your clients aren't human," he pointed out.

"That's right." Spike didn't take his eyes off the road. "You got a problem with that?"

"No, it's just..." Wesley searched for the words. "They've all been remarkably kind to me."

Spike shrugged. "You're with me, which will buy you a certain amount of leeway." He sighed. "You're not going to give me the Council's 'all demons are evil' rhetoric, are you?"

"How can I?" Wesley asked. "The evidence doesn't support the Council's conclusions. I've seen that with my own eyes. I just don't understand how they could have been so wrong."

Spike was silent for a long moment. "It's easier living in a world that's black and white, where you can distinguish your enemies on sight. You start looking into the shades of gray, and you've got to ask yourself some hard questions, and when you're in the middle of a war, you might not feel like you can do that."

"How can you not do that?" Wesley demanded. "You end up destroying innocents, or good people, for lack of a better word. You lose your chance at recruiting allies that may make a difference to the final outcome. It's short sighted and—" He broke off.

Spike smiled. "I'm glad you see that."

"You didn't think that I would."

"I had my hopes." Spike took a sharp corner with ease. "Figured if you'd go to bat for me with the Council there'd be hope for you." He considered his next words carefully. "When we get back to Sunnydale, I want to start taking you around to some of my contacts there. They're nervous around the Slayer, but they might talk to you, and it might become necessary to have a second contact person."

"Are you expecting trouble?" Wesley asked.

Spike shook his head. "I don't know what I'm expecting, but I don't like the rumors I'm hearing."

~~~~~

The campus was curiously demon-free, so Buffy headed to one of the nearby cemeteries. She'd been keeping an eye out for Harmony, but the vampire had been a no-show so far. As was the rest of the demon population, apparently.

Buffy wondered what it was exactly that was causing the dearth of the undead around the campus. Spike had been concerned, which worried her. Spike rarely got freaked out, so if his spider-sense was going haywire, there was a damn good reason for it.

She was walking back towards campus when she heard a commotion. There was a brief shout—quickly cut off—and then scuffling sounds that signaled some kind of fight. Buffy approached the source of the noise carefully, keeping in mind Spike's warning and the fact that she didn't have backup.

By the time she reached the area where she judged the cry to have come from there was no one there, although she could detect signs of a struggle. Buffy frowned, putting her stake away and looking around. She turned from the spot, heading back towards her dorm—and ran straight into a very solid chest.

"Buffy!"

She looked up, startled to see Riley standing there. "Oh, hey, Riley. What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He had grabbed her upper arms to steady her, and now he gave her a look of concern. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Buffy asked, taking a step back. She was a little surprised to see the TA from her psychology class wandering around campus in the middle of the night. He didn't seem like the partying sort, and she couldn't smell any alcohol on him. Buffy knew she couldn't press him for information without risking him doing the same, however. "I just wanted to get a breath of fresh air."

"Right," he replied. "Can I walk you back to your dorm?"

Buffy was going to tell him that she would be fine, but she had the feeling that he would insist on it. "Sure. Thanks."

They walked side by side in silence for a few minutes before Riley asked, "Are you enjoying Professor Walsh's class?"

"Oh, yeah," Buffy replied. "It's great. I'm all about the psychology."

Riley nodded enthusiastically. "It's a fascinating subject. I feel as though I've learned so much from her."

"I know what you mean," Buffy agreed. "Knowing how people tick is fun. Willow's the brainy one, though. She's a little more into that sort of thing. You know, school and all."

"Where is she tonight?" Riley asked. When Buffy gave him a sharp look, he quickly said, "Not that it's any of my business. I was just wondering why you'd be out by yourself. It's not really safe after dark."

Buffy shrugged. "Willow's out with her boyfriend, and my boyfriend is out of town. I just thought I'd take a walk, maybe it would help me sleep."

"Does your boyfriend go to school here?" Riley asked.

Buffy shook her head. "No, he's out of school, although sometimes I wish he did. It would be easier."

Riley gave her a sympathetic look. "You missing him?"

"Kind of," Buffy admitted. "Plus, it might prevent some of the more pushy sorts from pushing their luck." Riley looked alarmed, and she hastened to assure him, "Not you. There's another guy. Parker. He's been persistently flirty."

Riley hesitated, then said, "I know I'm probably out of line, but you need to watch out for Parker. He's not a great guy."

"That was the impression I was beginning to get," Buffy replied. She pointed to the brick building rising in front of them. "This is me."

Riley smiled at her. "Okay. Hey, Buffy? Be careful out after dark. I know it seems like a pretty safe campus, but a lot of strange folks come out at night."

"Will do," she replied. Buffy went into her dorm feeling pretty good about her evening. Riley's platonic concern was rather soothing.

He really was a nice guy.

~~~~~

Spike couldn't deny that Cordelia looked good. He'd asked if she'd lost weight and watched as she preened a bit. Wesley had seemed gratified at her excitement upon seeing him, flushing slightly when she'd hugged him hard.

He had chosen a fairly nice restaurant, having a feeling that it had been a long time since Cordelia had been able to dine out in a nice place, even though she kept insisting that her life was wonderful.

"My agent tells me that I'll get my big break any day now," Cordelia said.

"Have you had many auditions?" Wesley asked.

She nodded. "Tons, but that's the way it is, you know. They almost chose me—well, my hands—for a lotion commercial. I'm taking some acting classes, and doing auditions, and life is really great. Coming to L.A. was the best thing for me."

Spike could hear the brittleness in her voice that said she was lying. Things weren't nearly as peachy as she insisted they were, so he made a note to keep a closer eye on the chit. She had brass, which he admired in a girl. He'd just have to make sure that he and Wesley made runs up to L.A. a little more frequently.

"I'm glad you're doing well, pet," he said. "This is a tough town."

She waved a hand breezily. "I'm tougher."

"Sure you are," he replied.

Spike listened as Wesley questioned her about the other aspects of life in the big city, and Cordelia discussed the clubs and restaurants as if she regularly saw the inside of them. He found that hard to believe, but he didn't say anything about it.

Not until Wesley had left the table to use the facilities, anyway. "You really doing okay?"

"Sure, I'm fine," Cordelia replied, but she wouldn't meet his eyes.

Spike nodded, then scribbled down an address on a piece of paper. "Look, if that agent doesn't start getting you some work, check out this guy. It's a bit of a different angle, but he might be able to help."

"Is he a demon?" Cordelia asked.

Spike shrugged. "Yeah, but this guy's a different sort of demon. He runs a club. I've been there a few times, and we've talked. He's a decent bloke, and he'll be able to point you in the right direction."

Cordelia stared at the address, feeling as though someone had just tossed her a lifeline. Her parents were basically out of the picture, and no one in Sunnydale seemed to care whether she lived or died. She barely knew Spike, but here he was helping her out.

And taking her out to dinner. Cordelia couldn't remember the last time she'd had a meal this good.

"Thanks," she said, meeting his eyes, all pretense gone.

Spike nodded. "Anytime."

Wesley came back to the table, and the conversation turned once again to other matters, but Spike felt satisfied that he'd done what he could.

He just hoped that it was enough.

 

 

Chapter 6

 

"My cup is empty to-night,/Cold and dry are its sides,/Chilled by the wind from the open window./Empty and void, it sparkles white in the moonlight./The room is filled with the strange scent of the wisteria blossoms./They sway in the moon's radiance/And tap against the wall./But the cup of my heart is still,/And cold, and empty./When you come, it brims/Red and trembling with blood,/Heart's blood for your drinking;/To fill your mouth with love/And the bitter-sweet taste of a soul." ~Amy Lowell, "Absence"

 

Spike didn't broach the topic of the party until they were settling into their hotel room for the night. Wesley turned to stare at him. "You what?"

"I'm going to a Halloween party with Buffy, and you're invited," Spike replied. "Costume required."

Wesley snorted. "Very funny, Spike."

"I'm serious," Spike said. "Look, the last time I told you to go out and have fun, you spent your time researching the history of Sunnydale."

Wesley shrugged uncomfortably. "I found out where the gem was, didn't I?"

"That's not the point," Spike replied. "The point is that you wouldn't know a good time if it bit you in the arse."

Wesley sighed. "Spike, I hardly think that spending an evening at a Halloween party with people who despise me constitutes fun. I am not a glutton for punishment, whatever you might believe."

"They don't despise you."

"Please." Wesley looked over at him. "They think I'm useless."

"You were useless," Spike retorted. "You're not anymore. You want them to think differently of you? You'll have to do something about that."

"What's the point?" Wesley demanded.

"Remember what I said about introducing you to my sources?" Spike asked. "It's the same principle."

Wesley didn't like what he was hearing. "You're speaking as though something is going to happen to you."

"Better safe than sorry," was all Spike would say.

Wesley sighed. "I'll go to the party if you insist."

"I do," Spike said. "It'll be good for you."

~~~~~

Buffy took Spike at his word, slipping into the empty townhouse in the early afternoon. Willow was with a study group, getting ready for the last of her midterms, and Buffy had just wanted to get away from the campus.

She wondered how much trouble she'd have convincing Spike to wear the costume she'd gotten for him. From the little he'd told her of his past, and the scant bits of information Giles had been able to give her, Buffy had managed to figure out when Spike had been turned.

One of the costume shops in town had had what she wanted, so she'd paid the rental fee, hoping that Spike wouldn't turn her down cold. Buffy just thought that it would be kind of fun to dress up as a Victorian couple for the evening.

Minus the corset, anyway. It might be Halloween, and therefore unlikely to require much slaying on her part, but she wanted to be able to breathe.

Briefly, Buffy wondered if Spike had asked Wesley to come, and what he would wear if he did tag along. It seemed strange for the ex-Watcher to be accompanying them to a party with a bunch of people years younger, but then again, Spike probably felt the same way.

Not for the first time did Buffy wonder about the difference in age, and what it was going to mean for the future. If she stuck college out, she had another three and a half years to look forward to, although she probably wouldn't live on campus the entire time. In fact, after this year, she would see if Spike minded her moving in with him.

When she'd been with Angel, Buffy hadn't thought about that sort of thing. It had been enough that they were in love, because love conquers all.

Then he'd lost his soul, and Buffy had learned what a lie that was.

Now, Buffy knew that she and Spike loved each other, and that they had a good shot at making things work, but there were times when the doubt ate at her. When she wondered how all of this was going to work out in the long run.

The thought of losing him, though...

She turned at the sound of the garage door opening. "Buffy?"

"I'm in here," she replied, coming out of the living room.

Spike wrapped her in his arms, and Buffy could smell cigarette smoke and leather. "Hey."

"Hey there." Their chaste embrace turned heated when he met her lips with his own.

"Tell me we don't have to be anywhere," Spike said.

Buffy pushed his jacket off of his shoulders, feeling suddenly desperate for him, to feel him. "We don't have to be anywhere. Party's tomorrow night. We've got twenty-four hours."

"Good. It might take that long," Spike replied.

~~~~~

Harmony knew she hadn't had a prayer against the guys who grabbed her. They had all been bigger, and they'd shot her with a taser before she'd had a chance to run.

She had no idea where she was, but the blood that kept dropping from the ceiling tasted kind of funny, and she was beginning to feel really claustrophobic. There weren't any personal grooming tools available, and she wanted her makeup bag and a chance to get cleaned up like nobody's business.

Her favorite stuffed unicorn would have been nice to have, too.

There was a demon in another cell across the way from her, and Harmony had spoken to the vampire on one side a couple of times. She'd noticed that the soldiers would sometimes pass with a demon or a vampire on a gurney, unconscious.

Harmony hadn't seen them bring anyone back yet.

The first day she'd yelled plenty, trying to tell them that they'd made a mistake; that she hadn't done whatever it was they thought she'd done. The vampire next to her had laughed, telling her that the only thing she'd done was to be a vampire.

So then she'd started yelling about how it was discrimination, and they'd better let her out or she would sue them. Harmony knew that it was an idle threat, but people usually listened to her dad when he said the same thing. It wouldn't hurt to try the technique herself.

Harmony had no idea how long she'd been in this strange prison. She'd lost track of the days, after the first couple. It was kind of disturbing not knowing what time it was, or what day it was. She wanted nothing more than to be able to go home.

Harmony had never felt so helpless in her life.

~~~~~

"You have got to be kidding me," Spike said flatly when he saw the costume. "I'm not wearing that."

Buffy frowned. "Why not? I thought it would be fun." She held up her dress. "See? It's not any worse than what I'm wearing." The stubborn expression on his face remained. "What's the real problem, Spike?"

"Nothing," he replied, knowing that if he kept making a fuss, Buffy would insist on knowing what had put his back up. "It's fine. I'll wear it."

"Oh, no, you don't, mister," Buffy said. "You freaked when you saw that costume. What's up?"

"It's nothing," he repeated, stripping off his jeans and heading for the shower.

Spike heard the door open a few minutes later. "That exit would have been a lot more effective if you'd locked the door, you know."

"Buffy—"

She slipped in behind him, putting her arms around his waist. "You know as well as I do that this shower isn't big enough for two people, but here I am anyway. Will you at least tell me what it is you won't tell me?"

"That doesn't make any sense," Spike muttered.

"Ballpark idea?"

"Figured you already knew that I wasn't much as a human, Buffy." Spike sighed, twisting in her embrace. "It's not a time I like to remember."

She winced. "I'm sorry, Spike. I just thought it would be fun. I thought it might be cool to dress up like the girls you liked back then."

"If you were a girl I liked back then, you wouldn't have given me a second's notice," Spike replied dryly.

Buffy stared at him in disbelief. "Spike, I know you can't see yourself in a mirror, but you're gorgeous. You can't have changed that much."

"More than you know," he murmured.

She set her jaw. "Just because those other girls were too stupid to know a good thing when they saw it doesn't mean I would be. I'll bet I'd have been head over heels."

Spike's face softened, even as he raised a skeptical eyebrow. "That right? Took you long enough to fall for me in the first place."

"Grief has a tendency to short circuit a person's brain," she replied.

"Know how that can be," he acknowledged.

Their shower turned into a game to see who could get clean the fastest, and who could hog the most hot water, considering that it would only hit one of them at a time.

Spike felt strange as he put on the Victorian garb. It was like putting on the skin of a man he'd long since outgrown. He fumbled with the neck cloth, trying to remember how to tie it properly without the benefit of having a mirror. "Buffy, I—" He stopped, his memories assaulting him as he saw her in the Victorian dress, reminiscent of another time. Of another girl, who had turned him down so cruelly.

"You look really good," she commented softly, reaching up to straighten out his cravat. "Very handsome."

"You look amazing, luv." There she was, checking him over. In another time, another place, they might have been married. It did something to him, to be in this clothing, to see Buffy dressed as she was.

She touched his cheek. "So you're not mad at me for picking out these costumes?"

"No, I'm not." Spike took a deep, unnecessary breath. "We'd better go. Wes is going to be waiting for us."

"Let's go, then." Buffy smiled at him. "They might have been blind, Spike, but I'm not."

Spike didn't have to ask who she was referring to.

~~~~~

Wesley shifted uncomfortably. "Who are we meeting?" he asked, resisting the urge to tug at his collar. The fact that neither Spike nor Buffy had laughed at his costume should have been reassuring, but Wesley was still unsure about this whole thing. He wasn't the party-going sort.

"Relax, Sherlock," Spike said. "We've got two more couples on the way. They'll meet us at the frat house."

Spike and Buffy were walking ahead, Wesley trailing them like a disconsolate third wheel. The tweed he was wearing, along with the cape and hat he'd been able to locate on such short notice, were hot and itchy. Late October in California bore no resemblance to the cooler temperatures of his native England. What he wouldn't give for a gloomy day.

Wesley heard a noise behind them, and he turned to look. Four men were crossing the path, all of them dressed in black and wearing masks. Even though it was Halloween, and it was entirely conceivable that they were planning on attending the very same party—or another just like it—the sight triggered his suspicions. They didn't move like college students on their way to a party, and Wesley opened his mouth to say something to Spike.

He stopped, seeing Spike lean in and whisper something into Buffy's ear, causing the Slayer to giggle. Wesley's stomach twisted as he wondered if Spike was talking about him, and all thoughts of the strange men were blocked by his own insecurity.

"Wes!" Spike looked over his shoulder. "You coming or not?"

Wesley quickened his pace, although it was more because he didn't want to broadcast his concerns across the entire campus. "I don't know that this is a good idea," he said. "What if there's an emergency? One of us ought to be on duty, and really, I don't mind."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "You know, Wesley, as much as I appreciate the offer, it's Halloween. Do yourself a favor and loosen up." He appeared so affronted by her suggestion that she rolled her eyes. "And I would be saying that to Willow in this situation, too. In fact, I think I have said the same thing to Willow."

"What exactly are we doing?" Wesley asked, wanting to get the focus off of his inability to have a good time.

"Haunted house," Buffy replied. "Oz said it's pretty decent, although I'm expecting to be more amused than scared. It's kind of hard to take a haunted house seriously after you've watched the Mayor turn into a big snake."

Wesley fervently hoped that he wouldn't do anything to embarrass himself. "Right."

"The party upstairs is what's worth seeing, according to Oz," Buffy continued. She glanced over at Spike. "We don't have to stay for long if you don't want to. I know it's a college scene."

"Let's just see how it goes," Spike suggested. "We'll play things by ear."

~~~~~

Joyce bit her lip to stifle the laughter that was bubbling up. Giles looked so pleased with himself that she didn't want to break it to him that he looked absolutely ridiculous. "You look festive."

Giles hesitated and then removed the big sombrero. "It's too much, isn't it?"

"Well, I don't know about too much," she replied.

Giles knew when she was hiding something from him. "I thought it would be fun. You're bound to have children come by tonight."

She didn't say that she'd had every intention of leaving the porch light off, but Giles had the costume, and Joyce had bought candy, which meant that she really didn't have a good excuse for avoiding the trick-or-treaters, even if she wanted to. "I'm sure they'll appreciate it." Joyce headed into the kitchen, sensing Giles right behind her.

It was still strange. Giles still had his apartment, as he'd said, but he spent nearly every night with her now. There was a part of Joyce—a very small part—that missed the silence of an empty house. She'd only just begun getting used to Buffy being gone. A part of her wanted to see what it would have been like to live completely alone for longer than a couple of months.

At the same time, it was so nice to wake up next to someone in the morning, to be able to watch television at night and look up to see another person there. It felt right to bicker over groceries, and what they should have, to feel lips and hands at unexpected and not pre-arranged times.

In many ways, it was better than anything Joyce had ever experienced with Hank. She felt bad thinking that, in a way. While her first husband hadn't been perfect, he hadn't been a villain either. Looking back now, though, Joyce had to look through the fights, the attempts to stay civil during the divorce, the look of disappointment on Buffy's face when her father let her down.

Joyce had loved Hank, and she couldn't regret that, not when she'd gotten Buffy out of the deal. Now, however, with Giles, there was a mutuality to their relationship, brought about by time, and age, and possibly a little wisdom.

Oddly enough, when Giles put on that silly sombrero, it only made her love him more.

"You know, we could turn the porch light off," Giles offered.

She laughed. "After you went to all that trouble to dress up? I don't think so."

Giles sighed. "A man can try, I suppose."

"It was a very good try." Joyce smiled at him. "Are you hungry? I could make us something."

"Why don't you let me cook tonight?" he suggested. "You've been on your feet all day."

She sat down gratefully, watching as Giles started pulling foodstuffs out of the fridge. There were actually quite a few reasons that she loved him.

~~~~~

They weren't waiting long. Willow and Oz were the first to join them, and the redhead beamed at Buffy and Spike. "You guys look great!" Then, glancing at Wesley, she added, "Oh, so do you, Wesley."

"Thanks," he mumbled, beginning to think that he had made a huge mistake.

Spike shrugged. "It was Buffy's idea, so she gets all the credit—or the blame."

Buffy gave him a dirty look and swatted him on the chest. "Thanks so much." She grinned at Willow. "You look good, too, Will. Who are you again?"

"Joan of Arc," Willow said proudly.

Spike raised an eyebrow, looking over at Oz, who didn't appear to be in costume at all. "And you, mate?"

Oz pulled aside his flannel shirt to reveal a nametag that read: "Hello, my name is: God."

"Joan of Arc had a very close relationship with God," Willow supplied.

Spike snickered. "Where's Harris?"

"Right behind you, actually," Xander said. "Anya's coming. She said she was going to be a little late."

"Do you think we should go ahead?" Willow asked. "I'm in the party mood."

Xander shrugged. "I don't know. You guys can go ahead. I can wait here for her."

"By the way, what are you supposed to be?" Buffy asked. Xander was wearing a tux, but that didn't give her a lot to go on.

"Bond. James Bond," Xander replied, trying to sound suave and not quite making it. "I figured if we got caught in some freaky Halloween spell again, I'd at least end up somebody cool."

"Either that or you'll end up being head waiter-guy," Buffy pointed out, amused.

Xander sighed. "Yeah, that would be just my luck." He glanced around, looking for Anya. "Why don't you guys go on ahead? We'll catch up."

Spike leaned in towards Buffy as they walked away. "What did he mean by the 'freaky Halloween spell?'" he asked. His imitation of Xander wasn't too bad.

"Where did you learn how to do an American accent?" Buffy asked.

Spike shrugged. "There are times when the accent makes you stand out when you want to blend in. You're not answering me."

"Oh, this guy, Ethan Rayne did a spell." Buffy shrugged. "Remember the band candy?"

"Yeah," Spike replied with a grin.

"It was like that, only worse."

"Worse?"

Willow, who had been following the conversation with amusement, added in, "Buffy means it was worse because she was affected."

"Affected how?" Spike asked, his grin growing.

Willow shrugged. "She dressed up like an 18^th century woman, and that's pretty much how she acted. It was very un-Slayer-like. Oh, and I was a ghost. That was weird."

"You were a gorgeous ghost," Oz murmured.

Willow looked puzzled. "I don't remember seeing you."

"I was driving the van, and you were walking across the street," Oz replied. "I wanted to get to know you."

Willow flushed, beaming at him. "I have the best boyfriend in the world."

"I think I'd have to argue with you over that one," Buffy said.

And Wesley trailed them inside the frat house, now feeling like a fifth wheel.