“YES!! Classes are O.V.E.R!!!!!!”

“Pet, it’s only the weekend.”

“AND? Classes are OVER!”

Spike rolled his eyes as Buffy hugged herself with joy. Her body was wallowing in a huge sweatshirt and loose khakis making her appear much smaller and vulnerable than she really was. Spike grinned at her; she was the image of perfection in his mind, from her scruffy ponytail to her worn sneakers.

“What are you planning on doing then ducks? Going out for a daaaattttteeeeeeeeeee are you?”

Buffy grimaced. “No, thank goodness. He wouldn’t bloody leave me alone. And I SO wouldn’t let you miss your ritual whoopin’ of ASS.”

Ignoring the opening for a fight, Spike frowned slightly and, hesitantly spoke,

“I think you should head back into the world of girliness and dating a little more. Could make you feel nice.” There was a tinge of jealousy in his voice, after all - If Buffy started dating it wouldn’t be ‘Spike and Buffy’ anymore and however much Buffy needed to get that last bit of life into her, Spike felt a bittersweet ache when he pushed her towards it.

Buffy tensed and her smile dropped slightly. “Spike…I’m not read-”

“Whatever you say, pet. But it’s been two years now Buffy. We’ve done so well – you don’t need to hide anymore.”

Spike shrugged and the conversation was over…again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Hey Bella.” Buffy waved as she made her way to the court.

“Oh no. I forgot, its five o’clock.” Bella groaned and dragged herself behind Buffy.

“Nope, It’s 4:57PM.” Buffy chirped, starting to jog slightly.

“Buffy, you and Spike can give it a rest for ONE night.”

“Nope, this is my Slayer training.”

They managed to make it to the court where Spike was standing with a basketball in his hand.

“Slayer.”

“Cripple.”

“Oooh. Harsh, pet.”

“You’re right, you need a soft landing. I’ll be beating you pretty hard.”

“Now, pet, no need to be testy.”

“There’s nothing TESTING about it. You loose everyday. I don’t know why I bother playing.”

“I win everyday pet, remember that.”

“Lets just play bleachy.”

“Fine, she-man.”

“I resent that.”

“And?”

Bella grinned as they primped themselves for the hour of hard one-on-one that was to follow.

And the game was off. They played around at first, not really playing, still very much in the teasing mode. Through some silent synchrony, they both focussed and the real playing began. Buffy had the ball, Spike bouncing on the heel of his feet in front of her – and off they went, Spike made a lunge for the ball and in triumph turned his back on Buffy – his arms ready to take over the ball. What he hadn’t realised was that Buffy had managed to keep the ball and had taken his egotistical behaviour as an excuse to ‘leg it’ to the goal and shoot – to score.

She was easily the better player, but every now and again Spike would make his presence known with an amazing steal or shot. They took a short break and were back on the court, sweating and high on adrenaline.

Buffy smirked at her ‘arch-enemy’ and they were off again. They were quick, so in tune with each other that it looked like a choreographed sequence, an erratic dance of movements and gestures.

Finally it came to the final tied situation. There was one point to be played to determine the winner. Both of them loved when it came to this, as it often did. Truth be told, more often than not - it was Buffy that won – but the tension was no less thrilling each time.

“Well Slayer, I hate to do this to you pet, but – it’s just so bloody easy for me.”

“Spike?”

“Yeah?”

“Play the game so I can go home and get a work out.”

“As you wish, babe.”

Spike’s face was practically screwed up with concentration; Buffy was lightly swaying herself from foot to foot as they started the game for the final point.

The chip-less vampire started forward, an eye on Buffy – who took her chance, in his slow, easy-to-follow movements to dart and steal the ball and rocket to the side, away from him. Their roles were reversed and she made her way to the basket – Spike’s defence was weak and she bounced up and raised her hands to shoot, when his foot darted out and grabbed her at the ankle. She fell – Spike caught her in his left arm, and with his right: grabbed the ball and shot a final, fatal goal that sealed another rare victory.

“CHEATER!!!!” Buffy ripped herself from his arms and stood, angry, her hands on her hips.

“What, Slayer?”

“IF YOU CAN’T PLAY THE GAME, DON’T CHEAT!!!!”

“I do not cheat, pet.”

“CHEATER!”

“Don’t call me a cheater!”

“CHHEEEAAATTTEEERRRRRR”

“DON’T CALL ME A CHEATER!!!”

“CHEATER!”

“I’M NOT A CHEATER!!!”

“CHEATER!!!!”

“SLAAAAYYYERRRR!!!!”

“SSSSPPPIIIKKKKKEEEEEEE!!!!”

They launched at each other, landing some punches and kicks that had little effect.

“I’m tired.”

“Me too.”

And with that, they stormed off in opposite directions. It was all over the campus again – Spike and Buffy had had another argument. No one worried, they were usually resolved within the hour, if not sooner. The fact was endearing and an argument could be expected at least twice a week. Doors were slammed, tongues were protruded and ice cream was consumed. A normal day for Buffy and Spike.

-------------Flash back-------------

Now you won't catch me when I fall

Part 14:

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

“Oh, hi.” Buffy smiled, unsure of what to say. She has just left her room and bumped into the man she had been semi-avoiding.

“Uhm, Hi Buffy.”  Spike answered clumsily.

She was looking radiant. Her hair was pulled up in another wispy and finicky design with a complexly designed ornament in it - this time complimented by a wood red coloured dress and sandals that matched her earrings and bracelet. On the other hand, he too looked great, in a dark green sweater and fawn khakis. His hair was still something that startled her, it was in the same style but it was no longer the dangerously alluring bleached blond it used to be. Instead, it was a mousy brown that changed his main image from what it used to be.

“Hi.” She repeated.

“Hi.”

Spike cursed himself, but he couldn’t help it - there was a barrier of years that he couldn’t seem to get past, something formal and adult that seemed to have been born between them.

“I’m headed to the lake, Liz’ll probably be there, wanna head over?”

“Yeah, sure.” Spike smiled and they started towards the lake, a little apart, edgy and forced words passed between them and as they neared the lake, they were glad for the distraction from the playing fields.

“Whats going on over there?” Buffy asked, leaning forward and squinting to try and see what was going on.

“Looks like some kids are fighting, we’d better head over.”

“Yeah, come on.”

They moved forward at a brisk walk and then a jog when they realised it was Liz fighting with another kid.

“LIZ!”

“TOM!”

Buffy ran up to Tom while Spike grabbed Liz and they dragged the two children away from each other. Liz was still fighting against Spike’s hands and Tom was jutting his chin out from behind Buffy’s arms.

“Cut it out!”

“Liz! What the bloody hells were you playing at?”

“HE SATRED IT!!” Liz yelled, hoping she sounded as convincingly angry as possible.

“HE SAID THAT GIRLS CAN’T PLAY BASKETBALL!!!!”

“WELL THEY CAN’T!!!” Tom yelled, giggling inside. He had been happy to help his new friend on her mission and they had organised their little ‘fight’ previously.

“LIZ!” Spike yelled, turning her towards himself. “You can’t get angry at someone for telling the general truth.”

“SPIKE!” Buffy yelled, “Liz can play basketball if she wants to.”

“Of course she can, some gals can take it, but – most can’t. Take yourself for example, Buffy.”

“Spike, I beat you every day in college.”

“Slayer, its bad to lie in front of children.”

“Spike, I’m not lying, you lost every single day.”

“Buffy, you’ve made a mistake, remember – I won everyday.”

“The truth is Spike that the only way YOU could win was if you CHEATED.”

“Don’t call me a cheater.”

“That’s what you are. A cheater.”

“Don’t call me a cheater!!”

“CHEATER!!”

“ DON’T call me a cheater!”

“CHHEEEAAATTTEEERRRRRR.”

“DON’T CALL ME A CHEATER!!!”

“CHEATER!”

“I’M NOT A CHEATER!!!”

“CHEATER!!!!”

They were practically nose-to-nose, and that was the final straw. They launched at each other, Buffy elbowing him as he kicked her.

“Buffy, Spike. Please.” Peter broke in.

They both pulled back, embarrassed. The majority of the camp was crowding round and with sheepish and overly straight-backed movements they separated themselves.

“Spike, I challenge you right now. Play me and we’ll see.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*

Everyone was gathered round one of the basketball courts. All the girls were on one side and all the boys were on the other, just for fun. Even the teachers and camp staff were chuckling at the edge of the court as Buffy and Spike met in the middle. Spike had removed his sweater leaving a plain black shirt underneath. Buffy had removed her earrings and jewellery.

“Good luck Buffy.”

“Good luck Spike.”

She turned to move and he stopped her. “Hey, Buffy?”

“Yeah?”

“Watch the outfit, wouldn’t want it to get hurt now, would we?”

She rolled her eyes and they prepared themselves.

He was right, she used to live in baggy clothes – usually from the Men’s department. But times change, things happen and Buffy had slowly learnt to enjoy life more after leaving Spike. She had no one to lean on anymore and that allowed her to use the hidden store of bravery she didn’t use for her personal life. Things had changed even more dramatically when Faith had died, she no longer had to be a Slayer, and she could have ‘normal’…. so she took it. At first it had been strange, but being normal was what she had always wanted, wasn’t it?

So Buffy had bought more dresses, more jewellery and girly things and then she had Brian. It was perfect the way it was and Spike’s arrival was contrasting it in the most painful way possible.

Brushing away her thoughts, Buffy launched into the game.

It was hard, clumsy and difficult in her clothes. They restricted her movement and allowed Spike an advantage. Spike was officially better. His moves were smoother, his goals were better aimed and his dodging was far superior. In her defence, Buffy was not awful; she got her own back a few times but more often than not….

“YES!! Another one for the lads. C’mon, pet – don’t embarrass yourself too much.”

His smug attitude was so free of manners and formal restraints –things that she had learnt to rely on since he arrived. Now, the man she loved was being thrust into her face – the cocky, arrogant, hyperactive vampire-man was right there, being himself.

And that was something she couldn’t face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She was loosing. It went from bad to worse. Spike would steal the ball with such timing that she was continually defeated. Her hair was loosened, the beautiful design becoming a mesh of blond falling across her face.

Finally, she managed to get close to her goal, as she reached up to score; her hair accessory fell to the ground. Looking back to see it on the floor, she furrowed her eyebrows.

“Let me hold that for you, pet.”

Buffy nodded and passed Spike the ball so she could reach down to grab the black hair object.

Suddenly realising her mistake she looked up to see Spike’s smirking eyes meet hers, roll and then shrug as he made the goal.

Feeling thoroughly stupid, she finished re-doing her hair and looked away from his stare. She felt her breath catch as the vampire invaded her personal space and pulled the ornament from her hair causing it to fall naturally across her shoulders.

The ex-Slayer looked up into his glassy eyes and swallowed, trying to look defiant. Spike stayed there for a moment, a moment that seemed to drag on, and a moment that made her weak and crazy and yearning.

Then he moved to collect the ball. It had only been a few seconds.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“And now, the final point, and I think I should go a bit slow, make this a tad easier for your Ms Summers to handle. Don’t cry girls, it might just be Ms Summers that can’t play basketball.”

Buffy was enraged. Not only at his smug little speech but also that he was making her feel giddy and he was being himself, his old self and making her remember. The blonde watched as Spike finished addressing their audience and started, slowly dribbling, hinting to the ball. With determined strides she walked up to him and kicked him at the ankle causing him to fall to the ground, sprawled across the court.

“Hey!! If you can’t win, don’t cheat!” Spike yelled, standing up.

“I didn’t cheat!”

“Yes you did. You cheater.”

“Don’t call me a cheater!”

“Cheater.”

“I’m not a cheater.”

“CHEATER!”

“I’m NOT a cheater!!”

“CHEATER!!”

“I’M NO-”

Realising what she had been pulled into, she absorbed everyone’s laughter and Spike’s cocked eyebrow before smiling and then chuckling and then snorting and then laughing, fully laughing.

Carefree, light laughing.

The blonde could barely stop, tears came to her eyes, her tummy hurt and she laughed and laughed. Spike himself was shaking with laughter, long waited laughter, true laughter that he had missed for a long time. They came to each other and continued laughing as they shook their heads at each other.

Two friends hugged again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 15:
 

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

The next week was filled with all the trepidation, excitement and playfulness that pulling the past into the future should bring….

“RACE YA INTO THE LAKE SLAYER!!!”

Spike ran across the camp, kicking off his shoes into the moist grass as he did so. Diving in from the fishing pier, he did a few strokes while waiting for Buffy to jog up.

“Spike!” she laughed at the sight of him, wet through - with his hair mopped to his face.

“Come on Slayer, get in pet.”

“Spike, its nearly one in the morning. I thought we were going for a walk.”

“We were, but the lake was just waiting for us, ducks. Come on.”

“I’ll spoil my clothes and it’ll make a mess for when we go back-”

Spike grinned and seemed almost to sigh.  “My my. Buffy Summers, Slayer, Tomboy, my best friend. The most manly girl in UC Sunnydale…look at you.”

“Look at me? Whats changed?”

“My Buffy wouldn’t have given it a second thought. Clothes? A Puddle? Messy hair? My Buffy knew life, the chance of it – was worth so much more than that stuff. What was it you used to say, pet?”

Buffy frowned and turned away slightly. “I should seize the day, I’m not sure how many lives a Slayer can have, but I’ve lost two and I might only have one left.”

“That’s right. Two outta three you used to say. ‘Two out of three – I’ve lost whatever game it was, the last hand is just for fun.’”

“That was a long time ago, Spike.”

“You lost another life?”

“No.”

“Still holds true.”

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

“Right, so Ms Summers and Spike are at the game point!”

Buffy grinned, bouncing the ball. A fitting yellow long-sleeved shirt accompanied her baggy jogging bottoms and pony tailed hair. Blue trainers supported her feet and her cross and some bracelets were all the jewellery on her person. It was an unusual change, but a comfortable one. She no longer felt in necessary to overly-adorn herself with ‘normal’ girl things, they were a nuisance anyway now that Spike kept her active and moving.

“Alright, Spikey.”

“Bring. It. On.”

“Do you want some pom-poms? I’ll understand if you realise that watching is the only sport you’re capable of.”

“Harsh, pet – is talking all you’re worth? I need some action.”

“Oh, I’ll give you action.”

The game was a particularly tough one, Spike winning by luck instead of skill. Buffy’s performance had radically improved, and now they played everyday for the kids to watch. They preferred Buffy and Spike to television. Now that – is amazing.

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

They went fishing, Spike catching very little and becoming beyond proud with it. Buffy and Liz watched as he proudly held his fish up to the world before throwing it back into the lake where it flopped away.

“Dad!”

Spike grinned and came off the pier to join the two giggling figures on the picnic blanket. The day was a warm one, everyone was lazing about – not even the teachers could be bothered with anything when the atmosphere was a humid and hazy, sleep-inducing smudge.

“Spike, that was pathetic.”

“Buffy, I’d thank you to keep my honour in front of my child.”

“What honour, Dad?”

Buffy and Liz snorted as Spike deflated and grumbled at the two minxes opposite him. On the inside however, he was glowing. Buffy and Liz looked beautiful together – like those perfectly choreographed television adverts. The sun played across their faces and Liz, sitting on Buffy’s lap was playing with the elder woman’s hair and laughing.

“…shouldn’t we?”

Spike broke out of his daze and realised that Buffy and Liz were both looking at him expectantly.

“Yeah, pet.”

“See, Liz – there are two main features of a…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Buffy, luv.”

“Yeah?”

They were sitting together on the bench where they had first spoken. The night was dark as it had been that night, but on this occasion, Buffy was sitting much closer to Spike and they were in a comfortable silence before Spike had spoken.

“Tell me. About Faith and…giving it up.”

“She was killed by a Kzenmagh Demon.”

“Nasty gits.”

“I killed it.” She replied, tonelessly.

“Thought so.”

“And the rest of the demons in her town.”

“All of them?” Spike asked, though it was barely a question.

“Yeah.”

Buffy sighed and looked away from him, far into the sky as if watching a scene play out at the end of the universe.

“It was so fast. A few hours after her death, they located the next Slayer. She was a girl, 17 then. Her name was Claire. They asked me to go meet her, talk to her about being a Slayer. Then they told me she was The Slayer. The Chosen One. I was no longer needed. So I left it all. Freedom from slaying – that’s what I’d always been waiting for. I’d learnt to forget the possibility of a white picket fence. But Claire gave me the chance to take it, so I did, of course I did.”

“You did because you wanted to give something back to the scared, angry, 16 year old Buffy? Or you did it because you were STILL that scared, angry, 16 year old Buffy?”

“Spike.”

“Well?”

There was a pause, she seemed to begin another sentence, only to look away from the sky, to the ground, and speak.

“Claire died a year later. Then Annabel was called, she lasted two years. Now we’re on Holly, she’s been doing well – mainly because Giles decided to step in a little with her.”

“You didn’t answer me Buffy.”

“You know the answer, Spike.”

“Do you?” he snapped, barely containing his thoughts. This was the conversation he’d been dying to have since finding her again.

“Of course I do.”

“I’m not saying go back to it pet. You know I’d never wish you in that for one more second than you’d have to be, but you weren’t made for ‘normal’ luv - or at least not the traditionally normal. The Slayer in you didn’t just die. It’s still a part of your very soul. And we both know how particular you are about souls.”

“What are you trying to say, Spike?”

“You don’t need to force yourself into a ‘normal’ that you don’t fit into. Wearing a ton of jewellery, dresses and finicky make-up and beauty stuff - that restricts you pet. You’re made for running free with nature – natural in every sense of it, pet. You are a force of nature. You MAKE your own ‘normal’. You don’t fit in anywhere because you aren’t meant to. You’re above that.”

“How do you know, Spike? You don’t know me that well anymore.”

“Of course I don’t. It’s been a long time, pet. Not out of choice though, was it?”

“Look, you said we could move past that.”

“I lied. I want to know what took my best friend away from me.”

“Something even you can’t control.”

“WHAT? WHAT? Coz’ you’ve defeated EVERYTHING pet, every demon, every curse, every problem that could END THE WORLD. So, I find it hard to believe you couldn’t defeat whatever it was. Coz MY Buffy would never have given up.”

“It was the right thing to do at the time.”

“That’s great, pet.”

“Spike, just leave it.”

“Fine. I will.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So am I.”

“Friends?” she offered, wearily.

“I never stopped, ducks.”

~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~~~

“Alright kids!! Listen up!!”

It’d been two days since Buffy and Spike had argued, and the very next day things went back to how they had been. Both of them acted as if they had forgotten the painfully truthful words that had been yelled, though in reality – it was all they thought about.

Spike was helping at a sports lesson while Buffy had a class.

“Ok. Thanks. Now, I’ve had complaints from Mummies and Daddies who want letters home. So, today we’re all going to send our Mummies a pretty card and tomorrow we’ll do one for our Daddies!”

Buffy held out the paper box and the pencil box in each hand and started rallying all the children to tables. It was all quite hectic; everyone was excited at the thought of writing down everything they were doing.

“Come on Liz, write a letter to your mum.” Buffy realised what she was saying just as she said it, and the smile died on her face as Liz seemed to close in on herself and run out of the classroom. Buffy left the things with the other staff teacher and ran after the small figure in front of her.

“Liz!!”

*Dammit, Buffy! You idiot!*

Buffy slowed to a jog as Liz fell onto her bed and pulled her knees to up and cried.

“Hey, Liz. I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok.” Came the muffled, tear-stained reply.

Buffy noticed that the girl had managed to grab and cling to a picture of Sara. Not sure of how to go about things, Buffy sat on the bed next to Liz.

“Hey Sara.” Buffy began, watching as Liz looked up at her, “How are you?”

There was a pause, Buffy smiled. “If you were here today you’d be so proud of Liz. She’s so beautiful and smart and kind. The best thing about her though, Sara – she’s just like you. Her face, her smile, every time I see her I think of you and how proud you must be of her.”

They were silent for a few moments, Liz now silent, with a few understanding tears on her cheek, a comforted look on her face.

“Dear Buffy’s Mummy.” Liz began; her eyes meeting Buffy’s slightly scared ones,

“I’ve never met you, but I know who you are. Daddy’s galleries are named in your memory. He said that Joyce Summers was one of the most honourable and loving human beings he’d ever encountered in his whole existence. If you’re that amazing, Buffy must be pretty good too. Say hello to my mum if you see her.”

They smiled at each other and hugged, not noticing Spike’s retreating figure, tears streaming down his own face, his arm supported by Peter’s who was torn between rejoicing and crying.

~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next few days were a blur of laughter, colours, costumes, songs and jokes. Spike and Buffy were getting closer by second and Liz was getting more and more eager that something could happen between the two.

That night, there was a dance show on the grass. Small lanterns cast a beautiful yellow haze across the ‘stage’ as those not performing settled themselves on the grass, talking and waiting for the dancers to enter.

Spike and Peter settled themselves near to the edge of the lake. All of the audience were on one side of the lake, while the ‘stage’ was on the other. After glancing at Liz, who was giggling with Verity a few metres away, Spike continued his conversation with Peter. They were interrupted after a few minutes when some oriental music started to seep into the air and suddenly Spike’s heart seemed almost to beat.

She was beautiful. Her hair was pulled up into a splaying knot with slightly loosened wisps. A long flowing deep purple floating dress fell at her heels as she lifted her hands into the air and began to dance, a score of slightly older children behind her. But Spike’s eyes never even fully took in that anyone else was there. Buffy’s fluid movements and hypnotic arches of back seemed designed for him alone.

The dim, yellow haze that surrounded her was set off by the black sky, peppered with clear stars that reflected in the murky waters before them. It was entrancing, and when it was over it seemed only a few seconds had passed in a reality of close to half an hour.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~