Chapter 7 – Pretending


Buffy came home from her history midterm about a week later and sighed as she walked through the door. Spike was in the kitchen, grabbing a beer, when she walked in.

‘All right, mate, time to be on guard again,’ he thought. ‘You should’ve just admitted to her that day that you’re as straight as an arrow. That you’d rather shag her than a guy, but no, you set yourself up to play this game.’

“Hey, luv,” he said, noticing her weary expression. “Everything okay?”

She looked at him and smiled. “Well, I’m pretty sure I passed my test,” she said, coming over by him. He smiled back at her.

“I knew you would,” he replied. “You’ve been studying a lot for it. You and Angel both.”

‘Stupid sod has been here this last week, more than I have,’ he thought bitterly.

“Yeah, he helped me a lot,” she said, getting a soda for herself. “So, I was thinking I’d go out and pamper myself. You know, de-stress after the last few days. Since you so rudely pointed out that my roots are showing, I think I’m going to go get my hair redone. Want to come with me? They can bleach your hair back to its usual radioactive color.” He narrowed his eyes at her.

‘There’s no way you’d catch me in a poncy beauty salon,’ he thought, crossing his arms. ‘But that’s straight Spike, not gay Spike. Gay Spike would probably enjoy getting his hair done. Maybe it wouldn’t sting as bad as it usually does.’

“Sure,” he replied. “Sounds like a deal.”

“Great, it’s my treat, too,” she said with a smile. “Well, actually, it’s Dad’s treat. He just doesn’t know it yet.” Spike laughed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She sighed quietly.

‘I wish more guys would do that,’ she thought sadly. ‘I love that sign of affection, even if it’s from an unattainable guy.’

“I’ll take you out for dinner then,” Spike offered. “We’ll make it a celebratory meal. On me.”

“Oh, I like the way you think,” she said. “We’ll get our hair done, dress up, and go out to eat. Three of my favorite things.” Spike laughed, seeing how her eyes sparkled. “I’ll just go and set up an appointment. Any day you’re free for the late afternoon hours?”

“How about Friday?” he asked. She nodded and grabbed the phone book, paging through it. He opened his beer and drank from it.

‘This charade shouldn’t be too hard to play into,’ he shrugged. ‘But I’ll have to come clean, and probably the sooner, the better.’

* * * * *

Later on that night, they were sitting on the couch, watching TV, when a re-run of “Will and Grace” came on. Buffy laughed to herself, shaking her head in amusement. He looked at her, confused.

“We’re so similar to this show,” she pointed out, looking back at him. “I’m Grace, you’re Will, and we’ve already established that Andrew is a dead-ringer for Jack.”

‘Does she really think I’m like Will?’ he asked himself. ‘Didn’t I express the fact before that Will isn’t always a nice guy?’ He paused. ‘Yes, well, I’ve been known to be quite a jerk on occasion, so maybe I am like Will. And isn’t that guy straight in real life? Right, I’m fine. I’m straight and I’m fine.’

“So is Andrew just going to walk in whenever he feels like it then?” Spike asked, motioning to the screen after Jack barged into Will’s apartment. Buffy giggled.

“I could give him a key,” she offered. “I’m sure I’ve got a spare one somewhere.” He growled, and she raised an eyebrow. “Did you just growl?” Spike averted his gaze and frowned. “No way! I’ve never heard you do that before. Do it again!” He raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not a dog who performs tricks for its owner,” he replied, trying to mask how embarrassed he was about her hearing that. “I won’t be commanded by my puppet-master, thanks.”

“I’m the master in this situation?” she asked jokingly. “What does that make you? My mistress?” Spike was shocked at what she said and felt slightly stunned when she burst out laughing. “Can guys be mistresses? That’d be hilarious!”

“Right, bloody funny,” he said, returning his attention to the show, watching how Will and Grace interacted.

‘See, they’re happy,’ he thought. ‘Buffy and I are happy, too, but there’s a connection there between them that she and I don’t have yet. How do I get to that level? She’s comfortable with me, which is good, but I don’t know if everything is right with us.’ He paused. ‘Probably because you’re lying to her, ponce.’

“Spike?” she asked suddenly, her laughter dying out. He looked at her. “We need a Karen.”

“I think three’s enough,” he replied. “I figure I’ve already got my hands full with you, luv.”

“Don’t forget Andrew,” she said. “He absolutely adores you.” She paused and grinned. “Hey, didn’t Jack and Will used to date?” She crumbled into hysterics again before the phone rang.

‘And my night is now complete,’ he thought sadly, shaking his head at the girl beside him.

* * * * *

After she hung up, she returned to sitting beside Spike, who was still intently watching the show.

“That was Mom,” she said. “She invited us over for dinner this weekend. If you’re up for it, at least.”

“Sure,” Spike replied, looking at her. “I like your mom. She’s a sweet bird.”

“And the British terms just keep on coming out of nowhere,” Buffy smiled. He chose to smile back at her instead of replying with a sharp, witty comment about her choice of diction half of the time.

‘It’s the same language, but I’d say Americans have definitely made English flawed.’

“Anyways, she invited Angel, and she said you could bring anyone you wanted, too,” Buffy said. Spike looked at her, trying to mask his feelings.

“You’re bringing Angel?” he asked. She shrugged. “What does that mean?”

“I’ll think about it,” she answered. “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. Are you going to bring anyone? Mom seems to be interested in your type of guy.”

“Hold up- your mum knows I’m gay, too?” he asked, panicking as she nodded.

‘Bloody hell. I’ve dug myself in deep, haven’t I? Does the whole state think I’m gay?’

“Is that okay?” she asked quickly. “I mean, she asked why we weren’t dating before, so I kind of told her. I’m sorry if I shouldn’t have, but it just happened. Sorry.”

“It’s okay, pet,” he replied with a sigh, sinking down on the couch. “The truth is bound to come out sometime.”

She saw how sad he looked and cuddled up against him. He smiled softly as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her to him.

‘Well, as long as she’s still with me, I think I can pretend to be gay for a while.’

Chapter 8 - The ‘Oops’ Factor


“See, it’s not so bad,” Buffy said, grabbing Spike’s hand as they walked out
of the salon. “And you weren’t the only guy in there.”

Spike raised an eyebrow to her. “That was the mailman.”

“Still,” Buffy said with a giggle as they walked down the street. “Are we
still on for dinner tonight?”

“You bet,” Spike replied as Buffy let go of his hand, only to wrap her small
body around his arm. He smiled at the comforting feel of having her pressed
so close to him.

Spike was about to ask if they were still going to her mother’s for dinner
the following night but stopped when he saw Angel walking toward them. His
eyes automatically narrowed in response to seeing the poofter.

“There’s Angel,” Buffy said, letting go of his arm and picking up her pace.
“I’ll be right back.”

Spike watched as she walked toward him, feeling jealousy wash over him in
waves as he leaned against the side of a building, lighting a cigarette. He
watched as Angel made eye contact with him for a brief moment before
turning back to Buffy and giving her a sickening smile.

Buffy laughed at something he said before nodding her head and waving
good-bye.

“All done, pet?” Spike asked as she leaned against the wall next to him.

“Yeah…Angel’s coming with us tomorrow.”

“Is that right?” Spike replied, trying to appear uninterested and cover up
the seething jealousy he was feeling.

“Have you invited anyone?” she asked, tilting her head to look at him.

Spike tried not to notice how her highlights shimmered in the sunlight as
her wide green eyes looked at him inquisitively. “No,” Spike said, crushing
the cigarette under the heel of his boot.

“You could always invite Andrew,” Buffy said, her eyes wide in fake
innocence as Spike shot her a look.

“Very funny.”

“What time are we eating tonight?” Buffy asked, changing the subject.

“Eight.”

“Alright,” Buffy replied, walking away.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“To buy a new dress,” she said, turning around to wave as she walked away.
“I’ll see you at home, I want it to be a surprise.”

Spike smiled, waving good-bye as she disappeared around the corner. “At
least she wants to impress you, even though she thinks there’s not a chance,”
he muttered to himself. “That’s gotta mean something.”

* * * * *

Buffy walked into the apartment two hours later, holding the garment bag
that contained her new dress. “Spike!” she called, throwing her keys on the
kitchen counter, waiting for an answer. She frowned when none came, but
eventually shrugged, figuring he must be out for a little while.

She headed for the bathroom, deciding to start getting ready early, not
wanting to end up running late and missing their reservations. Opening the
bathroom door, Buffy froze seeing Spike standing on the bathmat, completely
naked.

Her hand flew to her mouth as she squeaked, causing Spike to look up, his
eyes widening. “Buffy.”

“I’m so sorry!” Buffy cried as she spun around, slamming the door shut as
she ran for her room, flying up the stairs faster than she ever had in the
past.

“Bloody hell,” Spike muttered, not bothering to dry off from his shower as
he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before running after
her.

Buffy was sitting on the edge of her bed, her hands fisted in the comforter
as she looked at the floor. Spike had to smile at the exquisite shade of
red that her face had turned.

“Well, I know I’m impressive to look at, pet, but I’ve never had that
reaction,” he said with a chuckle as he sat down next to her.

Buffy couldn’t help it as she smiled, silently thanking him for lightening
the mood. “I’m so sorry, Spike. I didn’t think you were home.”

Spike leaned forward until he was in her eye-line, silently asking her to
face him and smiling when she finally looked up. “Buffy, we’re roommates.
This kind of thing happens, don’t worry about it.”

‘I could probably focus better if he wasn’t sitting here in nothing but a
towel,’ she thought, watching the small droplets of water slide down his
muscular chest and suppressing the urge to moisten her lips.

“I’m still sorry,” she said softly, forcing her eyes back to his.

“Well,” Spike said with a smile. “If it will make you feel any better, you
can always strip down so that we’re on even ground.”

Buffy smacked him on the chest, finally laughing at the situation. “As if
you’d get any type of thrill out of it,” she replied.

‘If you only knew,’ he thought with a grin.

Buffy looked at him for a long moment, tilting her head thoughtfully. “I
like your hair this way,” she said softly, reaching up to play with the soft
curls as Spike briefly closed his eyes at the wonderful feeling. “It’s more
natural. Well…as natural as you can get with all the chemicals on it.”

Spike chuckled with her, watching as she looked down at the floor, still
obviously a little shaken.

“So, it’s forgotten?” he asked, tilting her chin up to look in her eyes,
never removing his hand as she looked at him.

“Forgotten,” she confirmed, even though it was the furthest thing from the
truth.

“Great,” Spike murmured, the mood instantly changing as they looked into
each other’s eyes. Both were suddenly very aware of their close proximity
as they slowly moved toward each other.

Seconds before their lips met, the mood was instantly shattered as the
telephone rang, causing Spike to nearly leap from the bed, running a hand
through his damp hair. “Right…you get the phone and I’ll get dressed.”

Buffy was almost in a state of shock. On one hand, they had almost kissed.
On the other, Spike had nearly run away once the phone rang. “He’s not
interested, Buffy,” she muttered to herself as she went to answer it. “You
walked in on the guy naked- of course he’s going to be a little out of
sorts.”

It took everything Buffy had not to yell into the phone when she answered
it, frowning when she heard her mother on the other end, wanting to make
sure they would still be making the trip to L.A. the following night. She
made pleasant small talk, using every ounce of willpower not to think about
the muscular body whose image was now burned in her brain.

Chapter 9


The following morning, a mental war was raging in Spike’s head after he woke up.

‘She’s bringing Angel to dinner tonight, and there’s no way I can sit in a car with that wanker for a few hours, round-trip. Maybe I could lie and say I’m sick or something,’ he thought before frowning. ‘And then leave Angel and Buffy alone in a car that long? No way in hell.’ He sighed and lay back on his pillows. ‘Maybe if I have someone else along with me, I won’t want to throttle that ponce. But who? It’s going to have to be a guy, because hey- she still thinks I’m gay.’ He ran through his options for a moment before stopping on one. ‘Jackpot!’

He leaned over and grabbed the phone on his bedside table, dialing it quickly.

“Hello?” a tired voice asked, sounding somewhat cranky.

“Xander, I need a favor,” Spike said, grinning. “And trust me, you’ll be financially rewarded.”

* * * * *

Buffy was sitting on the couch, reading the morning paper, finding herself distracted by several thoughts plaguing her.

‘I saw Spike naked,’ she grinned. ‘Andrew would’ve died for that opportunity. Actually, I think most people would’ve.’ She sighed. ‘But he’s off-limits.’ Her mind switched targets. ‘And then there’s Angel. He’s incredibly nice, and humble, and quite good-looking. I hope Mom will like him.’

She heard Spike’s door open and pretended not to notice as he walked towards her, running a hand through his hair.

“Good morning, luv,” he said before sitting beside her. “I…I’m bringing someone tonight.” She looked at him, surprised.

“Oh? And who’s the lucky man?” she asked, putting down the newspaper on her lap.

“Xander,” he answered, smiling at the stunned look on her face.

‘I knew it! I knew there was something going on behind the surface!’ She paused. ‘Explains why he was practically throwing himself at me last week at the construction site. He must’ve been overcompensating when he thought that I didn’t know Spike was gay. How nice of him.’

“Well, I think that’s great,” Buffy said, looking at the paper. “I mean, he seems like a great guy.”

“Yeah, he is,” Spike said, taking the paper from her, his fingers lightly brushing across her thigh as he picked it up. Both felt a tiny jolt run through them, but Buffy wrote it off instantly.

‘Just an accident. Kind of impossible to grab it without him touching me a little.’

“So, Angel’s going to meet us here around four,” she said, standing up. “Is Xander coming here, too?”

“Yep,” Spike answered. “I told him to look nice. I want your mum to approve of him.” Spike held back a laugh at the priceless expression that crossed over her features.

‘Oh God, they’re serious, aren’t they?’ she frowned. ‘I mean, I suspected them dating, but I guess I never really put too much thought into it.’ She paused and sighed. ‘Well, at least Xander seems nice. I guess it wouldn’t be too bad having him here every once in awhile.’

“I’m sure Mom will like him,” she replied, heading to the stairs leading up to her room. “I’ve got a little bit of homework to do this afternoon, so if you need me, I’ll be up here.” He nodded and watched her go upstairs, smiling as he noticed how her hips swayed.

He wished they would be alone like they were the night before, enjoying a nice dinner together and talking like old friends. But after seeing her reaction to his announcement, he changed his mind.

‘Was it just me, or did she actually seem somewhat jealous about Xander?’ he thought to himself, finally chuckling. ‘I think tonight is going to be quite interesting after all.’

* * * * *

Around four o’clock, Spike wasn’t shocked to open the door for Angel. He let him in, and both men stood silently for a moment, exchanging a stern look.

“Hi, Angel,” Buffy said, walking down the stairs. The two men looked at her in awe.

‘She looks like a bloody angel,’ Spike thought, taking in the white dress she was wearing and how her golden hair made her face look like she was glowing. ‘She’s breath-taking.’

Buffy came over to them and smiled up at Angel.

“You look nice,” she said before turning to Spike. “As do you, roomie.”

Spike couldn’t tell if he should be happy or hurt by that comment.

‘She compliments him first and calls me roomie?’ he thought. ‘Is that all I am?’

Thankfully, someone knocked on the door, and Spike sighed in relief when he opened it to see Xander, standing there in khakis and a pink collared shirt.

‘He’s definitely getting a tip for wearing pink,’ Spike smirked.

“Hey,” Spike said, motioning for him to come in. “I believe you remember Buffy, and this is her friend, Angel. Angel, this is Xander.” The look Angel gave Spike didn’t go unnoticed by both him and Buffy. The strangers shook hands as Buffy grabbed her car keys.

“So, are we all ready to go?” she asked, looking between the three men. Spike took her keys.

“Yep, let’s go.” He smiled at the frown she gave him before leading the way out to her car.

* * * * *

When they finally arrived at her childhood home, Spike wanted nothing more than to get away from Buffy’s date. They had spent the whole ride chatting in the backseat, and Spike caught his eyes looking at them in the rearview mirror at least every two minutes, making sure they were only talking. After one glance, he caught himself swerving over into the next lane and mentally chastised himself.

‘Don’t let them get to you,’ he thought. ‘They’re just talking. Besides, Buffy wouldn’t do anything stupid with him.’ He paused. ‘Would she?’

The four exited the car and went to her front door, Buffy letting them all in. Joyce and Dawn were waiting in the living room and instantly stood up to greet everyone. Buffy hugged them both before deciding to introduce the two new men with them. For a second, Joyce almost suspected that the tall brunette man beside Spike was his date, but when she saw the glare Angel sent Spike’s way, she figured she was wrong.

“Mom, this is Angel,” Buffy said, motioning to him. “And this is Xander, Spike’s date.” Xander shot Spike a look of his own before coming forward to shake Joyce’s hand and smile at Buffy’s sister.

“It’s great to meet you both,” Joyce said, smiling warmly. “I’m happy you could all make it tonight. And I’m sure you’re all pretty hungry, so shall we get to it?”

Five heads nodded, and she led them into the dining room. Spike suppressed a glare as Angel sat beside Buffy, but he figured he could at least sit across from her.

‘It’s only tonight, Spike,’ he thought to himself. ‘Things are going to change from here on out.’

* * * * *

Spike kept a close eye on Angel as Joyce began serving the food. He found himself glaring at the subtle touches and secret smiles that were being exchanged between the couple across the table.

Dawn and Buffy made small talk as they all settled in to eat, catching up with each other.

“How’ve you been, Spike?” Joyce asked a moment later with a warm smile.

“Fine, Joyce,” he responded with his own smile. “Keeping busy, you know how it is.”

“And how do you two know each other?” she asked, directing her gaze at Xander, who in turn, threw his arm around Spike’s shoulders, nearly causing the blonde to choke.

“We’ve been friends for a while,” Xander replied with a friendly grin. “We work together now, and things just have a way of…evolving.”

Joyce’s smile faded when she heard Angel scoff. She turned to face him, but he made a show of looking at the food on his plate, trying to cover it with a cough, but it didn’t go unnoticed by anyone at the table and it made Spike's hatred of him grow. So what if he wasn’t gay? That’s still no reason for Angel to act the way he was.

'How can Buffy like a guy like this? One who's obviously a homophobe,' he thought, fury coursing through his veins.

“Something wrong, mate?” Spike asked with venom in his voice as he raised an
eyebrow at the larger man.

“Did I say anything was wrong?” Angel replied, taking a sip of his drink.

Buffy nervously worried her bottom lip as she looked between the two men. She was really wanting them to get along. After all, Spike was rapidly turning into her best friend, and she wanted him to approve of anyone she could
potentially begin dating. On the other hand, that was no reason for Angel to act the way he was.

“Great soup, Mom,” Buffy said, a little too loud, trying to overcompensate for the tension that filled the room.

“Thank you, Buffy,” Joyce replied. “So Angel, what do you do?” she asked, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, since he could be around for a while.

“I’m a student at UCSunnydale. That’s how I met Buffy.”

“And are you two…seeing each other?”

Buffy was about to shake her head ‘no’ when Angel replied. “Yes.”

Spike’s eyes shot up to Buffy’s, the pain evident in his gaze as she offered him a small smile. She was confused by the look in his eyes, but she assumed that he was worried she would start ignoring him if she got a boyfriend. She would have to reassure him later that he would always be in her life.

Spike wanted nothing more that to get up for a cigarette, but he didn’t want to insult Joyce. Actually, he wanted nothing more than to throw a punch at Angel, but he didn’t think that would be such a good idea. 'Buffy would probably hit me back before kicking me out of the apartment,' he thought, clenching his fists indiscreetly under the table.

The Summers’ women made pleasant small talk, trying to involve the men as much as possible throughout the course of the meal, but it was apparent that none of them felt like talking.

When dinner was finally over, Spike helped with the dishes, in spite of Joyce’s protesting that ‘guests don’t do dishes.’ He insisted that his mother would yell at him if he didn’t offer to help, and Joyce had to smile at that.

'See, why can't Buffy meet a guy like this?' Joyce thought. 'A man who respects his mother and the mothers of everyone else?'

Spike and Joyce were laughing as they walked into the living room, and his smile immediately faded when he saw Buffy cuddled on the couch next to Angel.

‘That’s supposed to be me,’ he thought bitterly.

Xander and Dawn were laughing about something as Joyce sat next to her youngest daughter.

“Excuse me,” Spike mumbled, grabbing his duster and walking to the back of
the house and out onto the back porch.

He sighed, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag, trying to relax as the normally comforting nicotine flowed into his lungs. Unfortunately, tonight it offered no comfort.

“Get it together, you pillock,” he muttered to himself, biting his bottom
lip as he tried to forget all about the happy couple in the house.

“Are you okay?”

Spike turned, surprised to see Buffy behind him, rubbing her bare arms against the slight chill in the air. Spike immediately put out his cigarette before shrugging out of his duster. Buffy gave him a grateful smile as he wrapped it around her body and began running his hands up and down her arms to warm her.

“You shouldn’t be out here, Buffy,” he said softly. “You’ve got a date
inside.”

“So do you,” Buffy replied, and Spike had to swallow his laugh.

“Maybe,” he replied. “But I think my guy is more comfortable here than
yours.”

“You don’t like him very much, do you?”

“Xander?” Spike asked, knowing that she was asking about Angel.

“Spike,” Buffy replied in a warning tone.

Spike sighed, his hands stilling their movements but never leaving her
arms. “I think you could do better, luv,” he said softly.

“Spike, you don’t even know him,” Buffy protested weakly.

“I know enough,” he said with a sigh, looking toward the house before
meeting her gaze again. “I know he’s not the right guy for you.”

“Is that right? And who is?”

“The exact opposite.”

“Spike, the exact opposite kind of guy would be…well…you.”

Spike gave her a gentle smile, leaning forward to brush his lips lightly
against hers in an innocent kiss.

Buffy watched with wide eyes as he turned and walked back into the house,
her hand coming up to touch her lips.

Buffy sighed, turning to lean against the railing of the porch. “Why
couldn’t it be you?” she whispered sadly, staring into the night.

Chapter 10 – Bonding


The next day, Buffy accepted Angel’s invitation to go out to dinner, even though Spike protested strongly against it.

‘I could handle him much easier when he wasn’t in the picture so much,’ Spike thought, watching Buffy scour through her closet for clothes to wear while he sat on her bed.

“What do you think about this dress?” Buffy asked, holding up a light lavender sundress.

“It’s nice,” he answered, shrugging. She frowned, sighed exasperatedly, and looked at him.

“You’ve called everything I’ve shown you ‘nice’,” she said. “You’re supposed to be helping me.”

‘Why would I help you look beautiful for him?’ Spike thought bitterly. ‘I don’t want him to be with you.’ She went back to her closet and pulled out a black skirt and a red blouse. ‘And she picks out my favorite colors- brilliant.’

“That will work,” Spike said, standing up and walking down the stairs, not willing to subject himself to watching her primp more for a date, considering he didn’t support it in the slightest.

Spike had called Xander to come over, hoping that his friend would keep him from killing Angel. Also, a part of him kind of hoped that Angel would make the mistake of saying something discriminatory about homosexuals, thus getting more evidence against the nancyboy.

‘Then I’d have an even better reason to punch him,’ Spike thought, sitting on the couch with Xander. This thought brought a smile to Spike’s face. They were watching a football game when Angel arrived. They watched Buffy come out of the bathroom, looking just as gorgeous as she always had. Both men let out a sigh as she went to the door, looking excited. ‘I wish she’d be that excited to see me.’

She opened the door and smiled up at Angel. “Hey.”

“Hey, Buffy,” he replied, handing her a bouquet of daisies. She looked at them, surprised.

“Daisies are my favorite,” she said. “Thank you.” He smiled at her and watched as she put them in a vase. Both men on the couch looked at each other, obviously displeased with the fact that Angel was trying to charm her. Spike was grateful that Xander was there. His friend was starting to look at Buffy as a little sister and, luckily, didn’t like Angel anymore than Spike did.

Buffy looked at Spike and Xander. ‘Why do I feel so uncomfortable about having them here? Alone, especially?’ she asked herself. ‘Perhaps it’s because you’d rather be here alone with him.’ She sighed and tried to clear her head.

“Well, we’re heading out,” she said. Spike looked at her and nodded, trying to mask how he felt. “We’ll see you two later. Have good night.”

“You too, luv,” Spike replied, averting his eyes as he clenched his jaw slightly. Buffy and Angel left the apartment, and Xander looked at Spike.

“I can see why you hate him, man,” he said. “There’s got to be some way of getting Buffy to see that she shouldn’t be with him.” Spike nodded and sank down on the couch. “I wouldn’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”

‘I just hope it isn’t too late when we do,’ Spike thought sadly, running a hand through his hair.

* * * * *

Buffy and Angel showed up at the restaurant that she and Spike had been to a couple of nights before. Angel must’ve noticed the look on her face because he instantly frowned.

“If you don’t like this place, we can go somewhere else,” he quickly offered. She looked at him.

“No, I love this place,” she said, managing a small smile. “Let’s go in and eat.”

They got out of the car and went inside, being seated in a booth. As it turned out, it was the same one she and Spike had occupied.

‘This is starting to be weird,’ she thought, opening her menu. ‘I feel like I’m disrespecting Spike by being here. Almost like I’m cheating on him, but that’s just silly. I mean really, how many restaurants are there in this town? It’s not like we have a whole lot of options.’ She paused. ‘Maybe sitting in this booth is an omen. Of what, I don’t exactly know, but this all feels incredibly strange.’

“Is everything okay?” Angel asked, looking at her. She nodded and looked at her menu.

‘How come I don’t exactly believe her?’ he thought to himself, trying to brush off the insecurities he was feeling.

After ordering and getting their wine, Angel filled their glasses and suggested he propose a toast.

‘Well, that’s kind of romantic,’ she thought, raising her glass to his.

“May this relationship last and grow into something more,” he said, and she tapped her glass against his, drinking some of the Merlot.

‘And may I stop lusting after Spike,’ she thought, putting down the glass and looking at Angel.

* * * * *

A couple of hours later, Spike was happy to see that Buffy had returned and that Angel didn’t come in with her. She put her keys and purse down before going over to Spike and sitting beside him on the couch.

“Hey,” she said, looking somewhat tired. “Xander already left?” Spike nodded, looking at her.

“How did the date go?” he asked, trying his best to keep his tone neutral.

“It went great,” she smiled softly, curling up. “He’s a really nice guy.” Spike frowned. “And I know you don’t like him, but I…I enjoy spending time with him.”

“Your mum doesn’t seem to fancy him too much either,” he said. She looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “When we were washing dishes last night, she mentioned how she didn’t really think Angel was your type.” Buffy sat up quickly, crossing her arms.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said that to her,’ he thought, his eyes widening slightly, noticing how defensive she became suddenly.

“Angel’s a great guy, and I don’t think it’s her place to say he isn’t my type,” she said sternly. “She doesn’t even know what my type is. I like Angel, and I’m not going to stop seeing him because you two don’t like him.”

“Not to burst your bubble, pet, but I’d say your mum knows your type,” Spike replied. “Give her some credit- she was the one who raised you and saw who you brought home during your teenage years. Parents know a lot more about their kids than their children think they do. And I’d have to agree with her that I don’t think he’s your type at all.” Buffy stood up and straightened out her skirt.

“You don’t know my type either, Spike,” she said. “You haven’t been around long enough to know, so don’t judge my choices on who I date. Okay?” Spike stood up and looked at her, their eyes locking.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt,” he said, choosing not to start an argument with her.

“I’ll be fine,” she replied, trying to lose the defensive edge to her voice. “Good night.” She walked away and went up to her room. Spike sighed and sat back down on the couch, resting his head on the back of the couch and shutting his eyes.

'What would she do if she knew I was straight?' he asked himself. 'Would she ditch him and be with me instead?' He clenched his fists. 'You're the reason she's not with you, mate. You should've told her the truth right away, and maybe you wouldn't be in this mess right now.'

* * * * *

Buffy tossed and turned in her bed later that night, sleep continually
eluding her. She felt guilty about what she’d said to Spike a few hours
before. It wasn’t fair for her to have told him that he hadn’t been around
long enough to know her. He knew her better than anyone.

Buffy sighed, climbing out of her bed, and wrapped her arms around herself,
warding off the chill of the drafty apartment. She padded down the stairs,
not bothering to notice that she was only wearing a sports bra and a pair of
short shorts. All of the lights were turned off, so Buffy headed down the
short hallway to his bedroom.

She knocked lightly, not really expecting an answer as she pushed the door
open. The moonlight streamed through the window, bathing Spike in a blue
and silver glow as he peacefully slept.

Buffy felt her stomach clench as she, once again, thought of the hurtful
things she had said to a man who had done nothing more than acted as her
friend. Crossing the room, Buffy crawled into bed with him, scooting closer
to the warmth of his body until she was cuddled against his bare chest, her
leg brushing against the soft fabric of his sweatpants as Spike stirred in
his sleep.

“Buffy?” he asked in a hoarse whisper, trying to wake up a little more.
“What’s wrong, luv?”

Buffy looked up, her eyes meeting his, and Spike frowned at the pain that he
saw there.

“Tell me,” he whispered, pulling her closer when he felt how cool her skin
was.

“I’m sorry,” Buffy said softly. “About earlier…it wasn’t fair to you.”

“What’s that, pet?” he asked drowsily.

“When I said that you didn’t know me. You’re my best friend, Spike, and I
don’t want you mad at me.”

Spike gave her a tender smile, letting his hand trail over her arm and up to
her face, brushing the hair away from her eyes. “Don’t worry about it,” he
said quietly, never breaking eye contact with her.

“Can I stay here tonight?” she asked, the innocence of her simple question
causing Spike’s heart to flip.

“Of course you can stay here,” he whispered, smiling as she snuggled into
his chest.

Buffy sighed in contentment when she felt his lips brush over the top of her
head. ‘Why does this feel so right?’ she asked herself as her hand lightly
played along the strong muscles of his chest. ‘Why do I have the feeling
that every man I meet will be compared to this man?’

Buffy sighed again, this time in frustration.

“Something else bothering you?” Spike asked, frowning when Buffy shook her
head. He wasn’t about to be fooled by that. “Tell me, Buffy.”

Buffy kept her head where it was against his chest, avoiding his eyes as she
spoke. “Why don’t you like Angel?”

Spike tensed slightly, licking his lips as he thought of an unbiased
response to her question. “Bad vibes, I guess.”

“You don’t think I’m safe with him?” she asked, propping her head up on his
chest as she looked into his eyes.

Spike gently played with a strand of hair, letting it fall through his
fingers before picking it up again, enjoying the feel of the silky locks.
“If I didn’t think you were safe, I would never let you go out with him
alone,” he whispered honestly, trying to convey his emotions through his
eyes.

Buffy felt tears shimmer in her eyes at the tenderness in his voice. “You
really do care about me, don’t you?”

“You know I do,” Spike whispered in a husky voice, feeling his heartbeat
speed up as Buffy leaned forward to leave a gentle kiss on his lips.

The kiss was a little longer than the one they had shared the night before,
but it was just as sweet. Spike felt a slight panic fill him as Buffy began
to pull away, his hands coming up to lace through her hair, pulling her lips
back to his in a more passionate kiss.

Buffy gasped into his mouth as his tongue slipped past her lips, dueling
with hers as his hands held her in place. She quickly made herself forget
all of the reasons why this shouldn’t be happening and lost herself in the
kiss, moaning when Spike rolled them, their lips never separating as he
settled himself on top of her.

Buffy’s hands ran up the defined muscles of his arms, to thread through his
hair, holding him to her as the kiss deepened. Spike felt as if a fire was
burning inside of him as his hands wandered her body, relishing the soft
curves under his fingertips.

He could feel his muscles tense as her body arched beneath his, causing his
already painfully hard erection to grow even larger. He couldn’t stop the
natural response to push back against her, letting his hands leave her body
to fist in the sheets next to her head, trying to control his raging
emotions.

Their lips stayed firmly locked as they slowly moved together, moaning as
their bodies seemed to fit together perfectly, even with the few layers of
clothing that still separated them.

Slowly breaking away, Spike’s lips trailed down her throat, swirling his
tongue along her collarbone and eliciting a moan before moving back up to
meet her lips again. He pulled back for a moment to catch his breath,
realizing his mistake when Buffy’s eyes widened as she realized what they
were doing.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, her expression one of shock.

Spike immediately rolled off of her, not wanting her to think he was going
to force her into something. Buffy sat up, her heart pounding from a
mixture of lust and embarrassment as she realized what just happened.

Spike watched, still in too much shock to do anything, as Buffy climbed out
of the bed and hurriedly left the room. He felt his stomach drop as he
flopped back onto the bed, looking at the ceiling.

“Bloody hell.”

Chapter 11 – Denial


The next morning, Spike woke up early and hopped in the shower, praying that he could avoid Buffy at all costs. He had no idea what he was going to say to her, knowing that she’d definitely need answers to what had happened.

‘Well, here’s what happened- I’ve wanted her since the first moment I saw her, and I decided to take a chance last night like the bloody moron I am,’ he thought, standing under the hot spray of water. ‘How do I even begin to explain this to her? Am I ready to admit the truth to her?’ He paused. ‘She’s going to kick me out when she finds out, isn’t she? Our friendship is based on a lie. A big one, at that. I have a feeling she’s never going to forgive me for letting it get this bad.’

After getting dressed and ready to leave the apartment for a few hours, he got out of the bathroom and headed towards the kitchen to get his keys. Unfortunately for him, Buffy was awake and standing in front of a set of cabinets, grabbing a box of cereal. She looked at him and instantly averted her eyes, too afraid to address the situation they had found themselves in the night before.

‘Why did I kiss him back?’ she asked herself. ‘I mean, besides the fact I have Angel, I know Spike doesn’t like me like that. We’re friends, and he has Xander. Why did he kiss me like that in the first place? Maybe he’s bi,’ this thought caused Buffy to pause before another one fluttered through her brain. ‘Oh God, maybe it was more like I forced myself on him. Maybe he was just going with what I was doing and didn’t want to stop for fear of hurting me.’ She shut her eyes, cursing herself. ‘Good job, Summers. How’re you going to explain your way out of this one?’ She noticed him looking at her. ‘How do you explain to your gay roommate that you want him?’

“Buffy, I don’t know what happened last night,” Spike began, shoving his hands in his pockets, trying to figure out what he should tell her. “I’m sorry if I was out of line, and I didn’t mean for it to get that far. I hope you can forgive me.” She looked at him, surprised.

‘He’s blaming this all on him?’ she thought to herself, raising an eyebrow.

“Um, yeah,” she said quietly. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” He nodded and headed to the door. “Where are you going?” He stopped as he gripped the doorknob, not turning to look at her for fear that she’d see how he was really feeling about their situation.

“To see Xander,” he answered, letting himself out and closing the door behind him. Buffy leaned back against the counters and sighed, upset.

‘Things aren’t going to be the same ever again, are they?’

* * * * *

Xander looked at his friend sitting across from him at the dining room table, trying to be helpful.

“Do you think she was mad that you kissed her?” Xander asked. Spike shrugged.

“I have no idea how she feels about it besides the fact she looked freaked out before she ran out of my room and up to hers,” he answered, drinking from his beer bottle. “I mean, I’d be upset if my gay roommate forced himself on me, wouldn’t you?” Xander laughed slightly. “Shut up, whelp, this is serious. What the sodding hell am I going to do now? I’ve dug myself into this hole and I don’t know how to get out without serious consequences. She probably wants me to move out.”

“Did she say that?” Xander asked. Spike shook his head. “What exactly did she say?”

“I asked her if she’d forgive me, and she said ‘it’s okay’ and ‘don’t worry about it’,” Spike muttered. “Obviously it’s not okay and I’m worrying about it.” He finished his beer. “I don’t want to go back there, Xand. Not yet.” Xander looked at his watch.

“You can stay here for a while if you’d like,” he offered. “Anya and I are meeting up in a couple of minutes for lunch.” Spike looked at him graciously. “Try to be gone before we come back, though. I’ve been trying to prove my masculinity ever since the charade we pulled in L.A.” Spike chuckled and patted his friend on the back.

“Thanks,” Spike replied. “I owe you one, Xander.” The two exchanged a smile before Xander stood up and left the apartment. Spike stared down the neck of the empty beer bottle, lost in thought again.

‘You’ve got to face her sometime, Spike. You dug your own grave, and now it’s time to crawl your way out of it.’ He paused. ‘Right, I’ve got all day to get out of it.’ He rested his head down on the table and shut his eyes, hoping he wouldn’t have any dreams of Buffy.

* * * * *

Buffy spent most of her time in town that day, avoiding her apartment. She knew she and Spike would have to talk about everything eventually.

‘There’s no way you can just ignore a make-out session like that,’ she thought sadly.

After spending sordid amounts of money at the mall for the second time that month, she decided to walk through the art gallery that was nearby.

‘At least that might take my mind off of him,’ she thought. ‘Hopefully.’

She spent at least an hour there, looking at the art and watching a class of students take notes on several paintings. She smiled at them, remembering how she had several field trips here for her college art classes.

After leaving, she walked into the local coffee shop next door and had just placed her order when she saw Xander sitting at a table with a pretty blonde woman.

‘I wonder if those two are like me and Spike,’ she said, studying the two, laughing at something Xander had just said. Xander took the woman’s hand in his and kissed the top of it, looking into her eyes. She raised an eyebrow at the display but shrugged it off, grabbing her drink from the guy behind the counter.

When Buffy turned back around to leave, her eyes fell on Xander and the woman, watching as he leaned over and kissed her. She stopped walking.

‘That’s nothing- just a chaste kiss,’ she thought, watching them intently. ‘A chaste kiss with tongue…oh my god.” She quickly left the café, going back to the apartment and having a mental breakdown. ‘What am I going to tell Spike?’

* * * * *

When Spike finally mustered up the courage to return to the apartment, it was almost dinnertime. He still was at a loss of what to say to Buffy, but he knew there was no use in putting off.

‘Time to face it like a man,’ he frowned. ‘Because you’re the pillock who kissed her.’

When he walked into the apartment, he saw Buffy sitting on a chair in the living room area, her head in her hands. He raised an eyebrow, instantly worried.

“Buffy?” he asked, and her head shot up, her eyes looking at him. “What’s wrong, luv?”

“I have something I need to tell you,” she said quietly. Spike put down his keys and walked over to her, crouching down in front of her. She looked at him and took a deep breath.

“You can tell me what’s wrong, pet,” he said, scared that she was going to ask him to move out.

‘You probably deserve it,’ he thought sadly. ‘Or maybe I should offer to leave.’ Before he could open his mouth to suggest it, she spoke.

"I saw Xander and a woman in town today," she began, looking down. "He's cheating on you."

Spike couldn’t help the smile that overtook his features as he looked at Buffy. She was so stressed out and obviously concerned that this bit of information was going to hurt him that he felt so much sympathy for the
poor girl. He also found her even more attractive since she was worried about him.

‘Now’s the time,’ Spike thought. 'It’s perfect, just come out…bad choice of
words…just tell her the truth.’

“Buffy,” he said softly, taking her hand in his as she looked into his eyes.
“Xander’s not gay.”

‘Coward.’

Buffy’s eyes widened in shock. “What?”

“I asked him to go with me to your mum’s, but he’s not gay. He’s just my
best friend…nothing more. He has a girlfriend, and I’m guessing she’s who
you saw today.” Spike paused for a moment, his brow furrowing as he thought
of something. “And if she wasn’t the one you saw, I’m going to have to go
kick his ass.”

“Wh-why did you say he was gay?”

“I never really did,” Spike said with a shrug. “I didn’t want you to think
I was a ponce since I didn’t invite anyone."

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief hearing the news. She didn’t know if she
was relieved because, more or less, that let her off the hook for the kiss
last night, or because Spike was still single.

Spike watched as Buffy gave him a dazzling smile before wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug. Realizing what she was doing, Buffy jumped away, causing Spike to look at her in confusion. “Something wrong, pet?” When Buffy didn’t answer, Spike gently took her chin in his hands, turning her to face him. “I don’t want things to be weird between us, Buffy,” he said softly, looking directly in her eyes.

“It’s just last night…”

Spike brought his other hand up to cup her face as he looked at her. “Was
special,” he finished in a whisper. “It’s a night I will always
remember...in a very good way.”

Buffy gave him a tentative smile as his hands left her face to pull her
closer to him for another hug. She clung to him, thankful that things were
getting back to the way they were supposed to be.

“What do you say we have a movie night, pet?” Spike asked, pulling away to look at her with a hopeful expression. ‘And maybe I can get the courage to tell you the truth.’

Buffy looked at him with remorseful eyes. “I can’t,” she said softly. “I
have a date.”

Spike pulled back slightly, feeling more hurt than he had any right to be.
“With Angel?”

Buffy nodded, biting her lip.

“Right then,” Spike replied, backing toward the door.

“Spike, please don’t be mad-“

“Not mad, luv,” Spike replied with an obviously fake smile. “I’ll be out
for the evening.”

“Spike-“

‘It’s fine, Buffy, really,” he said in a tone that was almost uncaring.

“Okay,” she said softly, breathing a heavy sigh when the door closed behind
him.

* * * * *

Spike had waited until he was sure Buffy had left for her date before
returning to the apartment. It was now close to midnight, and Spike could
hear the front door opening and closing. He was relieved she was back. He
always felt better when she was safe and sound inside their apartment.

He gave Buffy a few minutes, knowing she would want to change, before he
would go see how her date went. Closing his book, he walked out of his
bedroom, down the hall, and into the living room, surprised to see the lights
were all turned off.

‘Surely she wouldn’t go to sleep without saying goodnight…or at the very
least making sure I was home.’

Spike felt along the wall until he found the switch and flipped it on.

‘Bloody hell, I should have left it off,’ he thought as Buffy jumped,
disentangling herself from Angel’s arms as Angel shot the other man a death
look at what he had obviously interrupted.

Buffy stood, straightening her clothes as she offered nervous smiles to both
men. Neither of whom noticed, since they were too busy glaring at each
other.

“Spike,” she said in a voice that was abnormally high pitched. “I didn’t
think you were home.”

Spike took a deep breath, trying to control every nerve in his body from
attacking the other man. “Just on my way out, luv.”

“No! You don’t have to do that- we’ll leave.”

“We will?” Angel asked, his eyebrows raised. “It seems to me this
apartment is big enough for all of us.” Spike glared at him as he stood up,
walking over to Buffy and wrapping an arm around her waist. “We can just go
to your bedroom,” he said to her in a low tone.

Buffy’s eyes never left Spike’s as she tried to gauge his reaction. Spike
kept a careful mask in place as he looked at her. “You two stay down here,”
he said softly, ignoring her date. “I’m just going out to buy some
smokes…I’ll be back in a little while.” The last statement was directed at
Angel as he smirked at the other man.

Buffy nodded, her eyes saddened for reasons Spike didn’t understand as he
turned and walked out of the apartment. Shutting the door behind him, Spike
leaned back and squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to think about what
might be going on behind that door.

“Spike?”

Normally, that voice would grate on his nerves, but tonight it was a welcome
distraction. “”Yeah, Andrew?”

“Is something wrong?”

Spike opened his eyes, looking at the younger man. “Just had to get out for
a while…needed some space.”

“Oh…I get that. You know, as long as you…need some space, you could always come over to my place.”

For some strange reason, Spike found the invitation as a comforting break
from his life. Andrew really was a nice guy, and he was nothing if not
entertaining. “You got beer?” Spike asked, walking toward his door.

* * * * *

After Andrew let Spike into his apartment, Spike couldn’t help but look at all of the action figures and posters scattered about. The apartment was in the same set-up as Buffy’s, but Andrew had obviously filled it up with a lot of geek paraphernalia.

‘Why are you shocked?’ he thought to himself. ‘He’s the type of guy you’d picture enjoying Star Trek.’ Spike eyed a little figurine on a stand and picked it up. He heard Andrew gasp.

“That’s a limited edition, 1979 mint condition Boba Fett,” Andrew said, looking terrified. Spike raised an eyebrow, looking at him. “Will you please put that down?” Spike did as asked and raised his hands in surrender, taking a step back. Andrew breathed a sigh of relief. “Sorry, I’m just very skittish about people touching my collectibles.”

“I can see that,” Spike replied, managing a smile. Andrew walked to the refrigerator and pulled out two beers before handing Spike one. “Thanks.” Andrew smiled, and the two men opened the bottles, drinking some. Spike noticed the odd look Andrew had after drinking his.

‘The kid has beer but doesn’t drink it?’ he thought, confused. ‘Maybe it’s only for company.’

“So, why did you need space?” Andrew asked casually, leaning back against the kitchen counter.

“Buffy has her great oaf of a boy-toy over,” Spike muttered, drinking a large gulp of beer.

“Riley’s back?” Andrew asked, shocked. Spike looked at him and shook his head. “Then who?”

“Angel, a fellow student at UC-Sunnydale,” he answered sarcastically. “You know about Riley?”

“That I do,” Andrew said. “Do you know about him, too?” Spike shrugged. “She didn’t tell you all about it?” Spike shook his head. “Well, how about we have a seat then? This could take a bit of time.” Andrew motioned to his couch, and Spike sat down. Andrew sat on a parallel couch, looking at Spike.

“How long were they dating? What went wrong? What was he like?” Spike asked quickly, his mind spinning with questions he wanted answered.

‘If Buffy won’t tell me, I’ll get my information from the next best thing- gossipy Andrew.’

“Slow down, tiger,” Andrew said before smiling. “Let me tell it my way.” Spike motioned for him to proceed. “Well, they began dating about two years ago, when she was a freshman in college.” Spike relaxed on the couch, eager for more. “Well, the long and short of it is, they were a happy couple, always together, the picture of perfection. Until things started going wrong for them.”

“What exactly went wrong?” Spike asked, becoming worried. Andrew sighed. “Andrew?”

“Well, Riley wanted to get married, and Buffy wasn’t ready,” Andrew shrugged. “It all started to go downhill after that. I began seeing Riley come back to the apartment with random girls while she was out.” Spike clenched his fists, becoming furious. “Buffy found out about two months ago and kicked him out. As far as I know, she hasn’t talked to him since.”

‘At least my girl is smart enough to not keep him around after he’s shagging behind her back,’ he thought to himself.

“I think it really hurt her because her father cheated on her mother,” Andrew said, looking at the 98 % full bottle in his hand. Spike raised an eyebrow.

‘That explains why she called her father ‘absentee’ before,’ he sighed. ‘And why she freaked out when we were kissing the other night- she doesn’t want to cheat on Angel.’ Spike looked down and shut his eyes.

“Spike, are you okay?” Andrew asked, causing Spike to look at him.

“I’m fine, Andrew,” Spike answered, smiling softly. “Thank you for telling me about Riley.”

* * * * *

An hour had passed since Spike left, and Buffy was really starting to get worried. Around one o’clock, she pulled away from Angel and stood up. He looked at her, confused.

“I have an early morning tomorrow,” she lied. “Do you mind if we call it a night?”

“Oh,” Angel said, standing up. “Okay.” She smiled politely at him and led him to the door.

“Good night, Angel,” she said, leaning up to kiss him softly. He smiled at her.

“Good night, Buffy,” he replied. She let him out and watched him get into the elevator before going back inside the apartment and quickly dialing Spike’s cell phone number. After about two rings, he finally picked up.

“Where are you?” she practically hissed. “It’s one o’clock in the morning!”

“I’m just visiting with my old pal Andrew here,” Spike answered. Buffy raised an eyebrow.

‘What? He’s hanging out with Andrew?’ she thought, shocked. She hung up the phone and stormed down the hallway, knocking on Andrew’s door. Andrew opened it, smiling at her.

“Hi,” he said. “Would you like to come in?” She shot him a look, and he backed off, letting her go over to Spike. He looked at her, smirking.

“Come to take me home, pet?” he asked, putting down his second beer bottle of the night.

“Let’s go,” she said. “It’s getting late.”

He sighed. “Yes, Mum,” he muttered, following her to the door.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Night, Andrew.”

“Thanks,” Spike said, smiling at the younger man.

Andrew smiled back at him. “Good night, you two,” he said, watching them go to their apartment. “See you around.” Buffy opened their door and let them in before locking it behind her. She walked to her stairs, ready to go to sleep, when Spike gently grabbed her arm.

“Why do you seem so upset?” he asked, looking at her, concerned. “Did that ponce do something to you?”

“No, it was you,” she replied, tilting her head. “You said you’d be back soon, and you weren’t. Not that I believed you were really going out for cigarettes at midnight, but I gave you the benefit of the doubt.” She crossed her arms, frowning.

‘She’s pretty cute when she’s angry,’ he thought, looking at the fire in her eyes.

“Do you know how worried I’ve been?” she asked, looking down. “Anything could’ve happened to you.” He smiled and tilted her chin up, looking into her eyes.

“I’m fine, luv,” he replied. “And I’m sorry I worried you.” He kissed her forehead softly. “Now why don’t you go to bed? You look exhausted.” She nodded and hugged him. He hugged her back, not wanting to let her go but finally releasing her from his embrace. “Good night, Buffy.”

“Good night, Spike,” she said quietly before yawning. She walked up the steps to her room while Spike made his way down the hallway and into his own room.

'I didn't mean to worry her,' he thought, sitting on his bed. 'Maybe I can make it up to her tomorrow.' He smiled at the thought and laid back on his pillows, looking out the open window.