Chapter 34


“I feel like some sort of star! When that guy was holding up a card at the airport printed ‘Riley Finn’ – and then he took us to the waiting limo – oh god! Riley – JUST LOOK AT THE BATHROOM!”

Sam hadn’t stopped beaming since they boarded the plane back home.

“I know…and look, here’s the hotel brochure, it’s got an Olympic sized swimming pool, a fully equipped gym, a solarium, a sauna – tennis courts – and they’ll be enough time to go site-seeing after the TV studios tomorrow!”

Riley cuddled his wife up – who thought all her birthdays and Christmas had come at once!

“So, are you going to tell me about the studio? – Are you a game show contestant or what?”

“You wait and find – oh…hang on” Riley opened the door and two waiters came in, one carrying a bottle of Champagne in an ice-bucket, the other a big fancy box of candy.

“Wow – thankyou – um…here!” he tipped them and they left. Closing the door behind them.

“Here you go baby………hmm…just look at those luscious looking grapes in the fruit-basket”

“Champagne! Hey…remember the last time we had Champagne?”

“That would be…our wedding night, we took a bottle and sneaked to our honeymoon suite!” Riley said grinning

“Uh huh…and do you remember what we were doing, in between drinking it?” Sam giggled

“I do indeed…you took my innocence!” Sam shrieked with laughter, swatting her husband on the arm

“WHAT! - it was me that was innocent!” She flopped back on the four-poster bed, still giggling

Then Riley suggested (with a glint in his eye) that they could re-enact their wedding night now, pouncing on the bed, right next to her………


**********


“Come to mine Kitten, I promise you, if all you want to do is have a bath and go to bed to sleep, then that’s what you can do”

“I was thinking we could –oh” Buffy had her arms loosely around Spike’s neck.

“Sorry! Sorry…this is getting to be a bad habit of mine, isn’t it…I’m sorry to disturb you, but um…we’ve got a problem,” Xander said. Buffy dropped her arms and Spike frowned

“What now?”

“There’s a failure on the mixing desk, a fuse blew and the computers automatically shut down to save the work, but we can’t get them back on-line again – the auto transmission’s gone kerbluey” Xander said.
Spike closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.

“Well, send for the engineers…I can’t be doing with it – I know I usually fix it – but well…t’isn’t my job. Send for………here you go, Eddie Dempsey – he knows what he’s doing” Spike went to his desk and wrote down a number and gave it to Xander, who took it and then he looked at Spike.

“You want to keep that number Xand – what that guy doesn’t know about mixing desks from the 1960’s to the modern digital ones – isn’t worth knowing, he’ll never let you down”

“Why would I want to do that? – If you’re around, I can always get it from you, can’t I?” Xander reasoned, but Spike didn’t answer, or even smile, he just looked down at his shoes, and then at Buffy.


Xander looked at the couple, and decided to scoot, that was the second time he’d interrupted them.

“So Kitten, what’s it to be, hmm? Back to mine or do you want me to take you home?”

“Back to yours please?” She looked a little worried, but Spike grinned, and pulled her close and kissed her forehead and said,

“Good, I’m SO glad you said that!”

**********


“There you are, sir. There’s a $200 limit on room service and bar for you, and breakfast is served from 7.30-9am on a ‘help-yourself’ buffet regime”

The bellhop opened the door to room 312, handed him the key-card and placed his holdall on a chair.

Hank Summers smiled and said ‘thankyou’, tipped the bellhop who left. He immediately went over to the window, opened it, then he turned and surveyed the room – it was very nice. Painted a cool mint green, there was a huge bed, large TV - and the bathroom had walk-in shower big enough for – well…he came and sat on one of the leather recliners. All this, at somebody else’s expense, AND he was going to surprise and see his daughter too!

**********



The Winds cocktail bar was full. Not heaving full, because Giles didn’t like crowds. But it was full enough for him, and everyone a famous face. He and Anya were perched on barstools, waiting for Jenny Calendar to arrive.

From the restaurant downstairs the M’aitre D phoned the bar upstairs.

“Sir, Miss Calendar’s arrived, shall Henri send her up?”

“Please” Giles said

“Time for me to powder my nose…I won’t be long” Anya said, slipping off the stool

She and Giles had agreed that Giles would tell Jenny about their relationship, and then Anya would come back to her seat and they would take it from there, all nice and civilised.

“Okay baby”

Meanwhile, a little distance from the bar………

“Hey, Lilah…Li, look”

“What?”

“This could be interesting”

“What could?” Lilah finished her cocktail and turned to look where Faith was grinning at.

“DON’T turn around! – You’ll make it look obvious…come sit next to me”

“Okay………………right, what am I supposed to be looking at?”

“I reckon that there’s more to old Rupe’s than meets the eye!”

Lilah gave Faith a, huh? Look, and Faith continued.

“Well, you know that mouthy cow, Anya ‘I say what I think’ Anya, I hasten to add…”

“Yeah, what about her – where is she?”

“Gone to the restroom…look who’s now canoodling up to Giles now while she’s gone………”

“Who’s that then?”

“I don’t know, but she’s pretty………seems strange, Anya leaves, and another arrives and slips onto the still warm stool – oh hey –see that!”

“What, he kissed that new one on the cheek – yeah, so what?”

“SHE looked like she wanted to, you know, give him the works – a proper kiss!”

“And he didn’t let her, so?”

“Shut up and watch…there’s something going on here, I just know it!”

Lilah shrugged, grabbed her glass and said,

“Want another?”

Faith grinned and stood, draining her glass.

“I’m coming with you………their conversation could be interesting - quick, look who’s coming out of the restroom – get to that space by the bar!”


“But…but I don’t understand Rupert – you – I thought that you and Anya were just friends!” Jenny said, frowning.

“We were, to start with” Anya said, sliding her arm around Giles’s shoulders. Giles slipped his arm around Anya’s middle, hugging her to him.

“Isn’t that how the best relationships start? – As friends…we realised that we are good together, VERY good, in fact were going into partnership in more ways than one, Giles is going to open a lounge bar and I’m going to-“

Jenny stood up angrily and shouted,

“You couldn’t wait, could you!”

“Wha-what – wait for what?” Anya dropped her arm from around Giles’s shoulder.

Everybody stopped talking and looked at Jenny. The barman looked slightly alarmed at his boss, who was looking everywhere except at the two women, but he said,

“Jenny, be quiet before you say something you might regr-“

“I WON’T REGRET IT! You, you low down thieving little TRAMP! – As soon as you hear he’s an absolute stallion in bed, as SOON as I tell you he’s got a foot long cock – that’s it, you’re there – you just couldn’t resist it!

Giles leant his elbow on the bar and covered his eyes.

“Oh dear Lord!”

Everybody else around exchanged highly amused grins, including Faith and Lilah, the latter whispering to her friend,

“A foot long cock – Aye Carrumba!!”

“An absolute STALLION in bed eh?” Faith said, grinning

A catfight ensued, Jenny grabbing handfuls of Anya’s hair, they were screaming and thumping and scratching and hair pulling, screeching insults at each other. Giles got up off his stool, turned to the barman to call security, but the barman had already pre-empt his boss’s request and was on the phone. Giles backed away from the two fighting girls…so much for not causing a scene and being civilised………

“Giles! Dear, dear…it used to be so lovely and quiet up here…why don’t you come and sit and have a drink with Faith, and me hmm? Leave those two…’wildcats’ to their little spat” Lilah drawled.

Security came up and parted the two girls, each guy holding a girl around the waist and picking them up off the floor, so they were flailing arms and kicking legs trying to reach each other, still shouting obscenities at each other…

“Hmm? – Sorry?” Giles looked at Lilah

“Come and sit with us…I think everything’s under control now…yes, look, security have sorted them out…” She patted the plush velvet seat in between her and Faith

“I must go and, um, oh dear Lord…”

“If you ignore it, it’ll go away – SIT!”

Faith pulled him down by his elbow, and Giles plonked down heavily in the seat.

“Here, drink this, it’ll calm you down” Lilah handed him what appeared to be a glass of white wine.

All around people were highly amused about this new bit of information about Giles…’Mr Foot-long’………

Giles grabbed the glass and downed it. Faith and Lilah grinned at each other…Tonight looked like being fun after all!

Except Giles suddenly jumped up, and said

“I must go to Anya! – Sorry girls………Harry…Harry!” The barman looked up

“Give these two ladies a complimentary bottle of Champagne, would you please?” The barman nodded and opened the fridge.

“Oh well…we got a bottle of champers out of it” Lilah sighed

“Yes, but I wanted to-“

“I KNOW what you wanted Fay………I did too, still, look at it this way…we can always be on hand to ‘console’ him, if anything happens between him and little miss Tinkle the Ivories Anya!”


**********

“Don’t go TOO mad darling, I mean have what you want, but the oysters are SO expensive!” Riley said

“Ew, I don’t want oysters – god, isn’t it lovely here, anyway, dinner is in the package, I checked!”

“Is it –oh, well, great! So, what are you having?”

“Um…the melon basket with berries to start………then the char-broiled pork tender-loin wrapped in bacon and sage with a calvados cream sauce. What are you having?”

“Pâté, then a steak”

“Oh Riley!”

“What?”

“You ALWAYS have pâté then a steak when we go out!”

“So, I’m having it now, I like pâté and then steak!”

They grinned at each other over the hotel menu. Sam couldn’t stop grinning – the whole trip was just so WOW – and tomorrow she’d find out at last about the TV show - she could hardly wait!

**********


“Come on Kitten, you’ve got to eat something, you’ve got nothing in your tummy, you’ll make yourself ill”

Buffy cuddled up to Spike and murmured something that he didn’t hear.

He shifted so he could listen to her and said,

“What’s wrong baby, hmm?”

“Nothing…well…I’m just a bit worried, that’s all” Spike moved around and sat up completely to face her, and then he cupped her cheek.

“What are you worried about kitten, tell me – is it this show, coz if you don’t want to do it, then don’t. Sod the expense, I’ll pay it myself!”

“No, no it’s not that…Glory – (she waved a dismissive hand) – bring her on. No, what would happen if…well just say on Monday, Sweet-“

“I’ll stop you there, Kitten. Don’t worry about Monday, nothing bad will happen, I promise you” Buffy looked at him with large luminous eyes.

“You’ll still be my manager?” Spike grinned and gently pulled her close.

“Oh Kitten…is that what you are worried about? – Come here, let me cuddle you and I’ll tell you something.”

Buffy rested her back against his chest, leaning her head in his neck. She played with his fingers as he spoke.

“Ok Kitten, just say worst case scenario, and Sweet sacks me, yes?” Buffy nodded

“Well, then it would be somebody like Xander who would take you on”

“But…what would you do, where would you go?”

“You mean job wise?” Again Buffy nodded

“Well, I don’t really know, I haven’t thought about it, but well, this house is mine, so I wouldn’t be homeless, and I’ve got a fair bit put by, so I could think on my options for a few months – and although I say it myself, I’m pretty good at my job, I’ve got contacts all over, I wouldn’t be out of work long”

“But, well…would you still want to be with me?” Buffy asked in a tiny little voice. Spike frowned

“Of course! I LOVE you Buffy…Oh baby, don’t doubt it, please…you are my one constant at the moment” Buffy felt relief flood through her and she turned and knelt up to face him and began to kiss him passionately.

“Love you…don’t leave me will you?”

“Never, I promise baby”

Buffy began to push him back on the sofa, Spike let her, he had absolutely no objections when she started to undo his shirt, then his pants and kiss him down his neck, over his chest and six-pack, down the fine line of downy hairs that led to –

“OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Spike pressed his head back into the sofa arm and raised his hips slightly as Buffy’s warm wet lips slid over the head of his rock hard length, sucking and gently pumping him. She cupped his balls, massaging and lightly tugging them, making Spike groan with delight.

She took as much of him into her mouth as she could, flicking her tongue over the sensitive glands, making him buck and writhe. His hand tangled in her hair and Buffy could feel the slight pull when she did something he particularly liked…

“Hhhhmmmmmmmmmm…that good baby?” Buffy stroked and pumped, licked and sucked for twenty minutes, teasing, bringing him right to the edge, then easing off…

“Yeah………oh yes babe, don’t stop!” Spike gasped out, and Buffy knew he wouldn’t last, she pumped for all she was worth, clamping her mouth over the head, still sucking, she flicked her tongue back and forth over the little slit as his essence filled her mouth, Spike crying out in sheer ecstasy.

She let him slip from her mouth, and smiled she asked softly,

“That good baby?” Spike’s head lolled and he croaked it was the best. He sat up, pulling her to him, kissing her, their tongues fighting a duel.

Eventually Spike broke the kiss and whispered,

“Lets go upstairs and be comfy…I want to make love to you all night” Buffy eagerly jumped up, holding out her hand to him she pulled him up off the sofa, Spike followed, just holding up his pants as he trotted upstairs.

**********

Hank Summers lay propped up on the bed, drinking out of a bottle of beer. He had a whisky chaser on the nightstand, and a Lakers game on the TV.

The irony of this didn’t strike him, the fact that if he’d been at home, rather than this plush hotel, he’d have been doing the same thing, except it would be a can of beer rather than a bottle, but it would be the same lying on the bed watching the ballgame.

The other thing that was different was that he’d had a good steak dinner, rather than the usual take-away Chinese or some such, and somebody else was paying. Life was sweet.

**********

“What shall we do now?”

“Give you three guesses!” Riley trailed his fingers up his wife’s leg.

“Riley!”

“What – we ARE married – we are in the swankiest hotel we’ve ever been in…and I’m dying to try the massage bed…”

“But on a full stomach?”

“Won’t hurt, just for once!”

“Once…you said that this afternoon!”

“Shh…lie back…where’s the remote for the massager………………there, that’s slow
ooooohhhhh, that’s nice………shall I go to number 2…………now three………”

“Ah, turn it down…it’ll shake my dinner up!” Sam lay back and closed her eyes.

“You have too many clothes on Mrs Finn…”

“Well, do something about it then!”

**********


“Pookie…do you think Spike will leave – will Sweet sack him do you think?”

“No”

“But Pookie…are you SURE, because, well, he seemed pretty mad when he left, you said so, I hope he doesn’t sack Spike…Buffy’ll be all upset”

They were both sitting on the sofa, having eaten a pizza, and Xander was watching TV. Harmony was feeling neglected.

“Hmm, what – no, course not………he’d be an idiot if he – oh yes, go on……go on – yes – SCORE!” Xander was engrossed in the game, so Harmony stood, went behind the sofa and took off her top and jeans to reveal a very sexy Victoria’s Secret satin and lace bra in pale green, with a matching thong, with a little kitten gold charm on the front, her current favourites. Smiling, she came and stood in front of Xander.

“Game’s over”

“No it’s not -aye, yay-yay! WOW!” Xander almost went cross-eyed confronted with Harmony’s delicious golden curves undulating right before his eyes.

“Game IS over, isn’t it?” Harmony picked up the TV remote and switched off. Xander concurred, the ballgame was DEFINITLY over!


**********


Glory snatched up her ringing cell-phone, answered and said,

“Yes, what? – Tell me some good news!”

“Sorry – same old story Glory, nobody has seen him, he’s not at work, or his home, he’s just gone to ground – so when do we get paid?……………………… Glory, I said when do we-“

“When you do I as fuckin’ ask, and bring that snivelling little wimp to me, that’s when!” Glory hissed through gritted teeth, ending the call.

She resisted the temptation to throw it against the wall, people needed to contact her…not that anybody had anything good to tell her lately. Moodily she got up and went over to the drinks cabinet.

Snatching the stopper out of the brandy decanter, she poured herself another generous measure and downed half of it, topped her glass up with a little more and reached for her cigarettes, lighting one angrily so the sparks flew off it.

“Useless! Useless fucking no-good oh!………Where do I find these bloody morons…they couldn’t find their own ass’s with both hands, never mind Willy or Al!”

Glory was talking to herself. She found she got more sense that way…she was, she decided, surrounded by morons and imbeciles. Idiots that needed everything telling them twice.

Well, she was due some luck, she thought. Good luck, for a change. She was padding around her apartment like a caged animal, drink in one hand, cigarette in the other. She was going to torture Willy when they found him for her, and she’d make Al go for an AIDS test.

But before all that, she was going to ruin that little smug-bitch blonde’s career, on LIVE TV too…Then Sweet would see sense. See that She, Glory Benson could move and shake as much as he could, she was a force to be reckoned with - and he’d sit up and take notice! Then he’d either pay her off, or she hoped, make her his number two at Aphrodite…else she’d ruin ALL the artistes careers………she was going somewhere – and it was about time SOMEBODY sat up and took notice!

**********


“Ppppppsssssssttttt! Jon…Jonathan…it’s me, Willy” Willy hissed at the barman from behind a rather large beard.

Jonathan swiftly turned around and faced the bar, surprised to say the least.
“WILLY – At last! Where have you - is that really you?”

“Shh! Shut up will you! I’m incognito” Willy glanced round the empty bar surreptitiously

“Where?” Jonathan frowned; Willy rolled his eyes and said testily,

“I’m in disguise!”

“You don’t say…we don’t get many Rabbi’s coming in here!”

“Rabbi?”

“All you need are those little ringlet things at the side by your ears, and with that beard and hat, you look like an Hasidic Jew!”

“Do I – oh well, whatever. As long as I don’t look like Willy that’s all”

“There are an awful lot of men looking for you, BIG men…look like they mean to hurt you. What have you done?”

“Never you mind that now, look, be a mate, go and ask Warren for my wages, will you?”

“I can’t”

“What – of course you can!”

“Well, okay, I could, BUT – it won’t do any good, he won’t give them to me. He said, if you were to come in, I was to send you to him immediately – he’s been going spare, he reckons he hasn’t had a decent Vodka Martini since you went missing”

“He hasn’t, has he? - Oh that’s –bloody hell!” Willy scrabbled in his pocket and quickly slipped on thick black-rimmed glasses as Warren came down to the bar.

“Here you go Jonathan, some change for you, and um…just watch the measures, would you, we seem to be getting through an awful lot of Scotch”

“Boss? Yes boss…thanks” Jonathan took the change bag off his boss, and Warren cast a weary eye around the empty all-apart-from-the-one-customer bar.

“Well, I can see you are rushed off your feet…” Warren said sarcastically

“It’ll pick up later boss”

“Yeah…well I hope…………evening Rabbi” Warren nodded to ‘Willy’

“Bless you my child!” Willy said, raising his right hand as if in benediction.

Warren and Jonathan frowned at each other, then looked back at the ‘Rabbi’

“I mean, Oye Vay!” Willy said nervously.

Warren shook his head and wandered off thinking,

**Weirdo’s…bloody junkies, freaks and weirdo’s, that’s what this place had come down to**

Willy needed money – he was lying low, and he needed his wages.

“Have YOU got any cash, Jon?”

“No!”

“I mean…at home, a bit put by for a rainy day”

“N-n-n-not r-r-really”

“I’ll take that as a yes then” Willy said, and then he continued,

“How would you like to get into the boss’s good books?”

“What – how do you mean? – He’s okay, we’re okay”

“I mean, REALLY be in his good books”

Nervously, Jonathan asked ‘How?’

“How would you like a pay-rise?”

“I’d LIKE to get back to my old job, I earned more doing the floor, got more tips – Willy – come back to work, security will protect you!”

“I can’t, not yet, look how about I let you in on the secret of the boss’s favourite little drinkie-poos?”

“Yeah – wow – great! He’d sure to stop being moody then!” Jonathan grinned

“I bet, there you go then! Okay, I’ll tell you the secret, but it’ll cost you…how much have you got at home?”

“$300, but it’s for my-“

“That’ll do. Think of it as being an investment………think of how happy the boss’ll be sipping his favourite vodka Martini, and you’ll also be saving me from a thumping I don’t deserve”

“I don’t know………the money was for a comic convention in –“

“COMICS? Fuckin’ hell Jon, how old are you?”

Jonathan looked a little discomfited and said,

“I was hoping to get the Captain America issue no. 138…” he looked almost wistful………………

Willy was loosing his patience

“Look, it’s either that, or I empty the cash-register!”

“There’s only $50 in it…and it’s all in small change” Jonathan said quietly

Willy spluttered behind his beard, which had started to really irritate him, along with Jonathan himself.

“Okay, look…meet me after work………this recipe better be worth it”

“Good man, you know it makes sense! I’ll wait in the alley for you” Willy said

Jonathan nodded, and then saw three customers walk in.

He smartened himself and stood up straight and said,

“Yes sir, what can I get you?”

Jonathan turned to get the drinks ordered, and when he turned back to face the bar and serve the drinks, he saw (much to his relief) Willy had gone.

**********
 

Chapter 35



Buffy woke, turned her head, but instinctively, she knew she was alone. Leaning up and looked at the clock, it was 8.10am. She ran her hand over the rumpled sheets next to her, the sheets were cold, Spike had been up for some time.

Putting on her robe, she padded down stairs. She could see Spike still in his dressing robe, talking on the phone. There was a large brown envelope torn open, with several pieces of paper on the dining room table.

She heard Spike say,

“Yes, well, if you think it will be financially viable, then go ahead…………no, not fully yet, but I promise you I’ll read the projected figures properly………I will”

Spike heard a noise behind him, turned and saw Buffy. He grinned and winked at her, she smiled back. Moving the mouthpiece of the receiver away from his lips he whispered,

“Be with you in moment babe” Buffy nodded and headed towards the kitchen for juice.

She could hear Spike on the phone.

“Please believe me Charles…”

When she opened the fridge door, the compressor motor kicked in, drowning out the conversation. Buffy selected the juice and let the door close.

“…………Just because I said I’ll be coming home is in no way detrimental to either you, or your standing. Charles, please believe me. My father trusted you implicitly to run the Carrisbrooke estate, and you have no fear of me changing that, I assure you”

Buffy gulped juice from the glass, and gave a start when she heard Spike say,
‘I’ll be coming home’…she felt the tears prick the back of her eyes. Perhaps he WAS thinking of leaving after all…

She rinsed the glass and left it upside down on the drainer.

“………………I promise, and yes I let you know, okay then Charles, take care, bye-bye……………………Kitten, where are you?………Baby? – Oh there you are!” Spike came into the kitchen, and cuddled her up.

“Sorry about that Kitten, but I had to phone England” Spike said smiling. When Buffy couldn’t even raise half a smile, or return the cuddle, Spike frowned and looked at her, raising her chin to look him in the eyes.

“What’s up love?”

Buffy bucked herself up, and gave a rueful smile.

“Nothing! I um, I woke alone” Spike resumed the cuddling; Buffy still saddened half-heartedly put her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder.

“I know pet, but with the time difference between here and good old England, I have to phone him early from here to get him quite late in the evening there, else I can never catch hold of Charles, as he’s always SO busy…he’s the head honcho there, runs the estate for me”

Buffy just nodded. With his trademark head-tilt and his ‘who’s a sexy boy then’ grin, Spike whispered,

“So…wanna go back to bed?” He began kissing and nuzzling her neck. She wanted to resist, talk things through, she wanted him to arrest her fears that he was leaving, leaving LA, leaving Aphrodite and leaving her, but he was now doing wondrous things to her throat and her body automatically responded, she shivered and let out a gasp and let her head fall back. Suddenly she felt herself being swiftly picked up and carried upstairs.

Their lovemaking was gentle at first, building to a terrific climax that made Buffy want to weep. When Spike carefully moved off her, she wanted to just curl up into the foetal position and cry.

“What’s the matter Kitten…am I being too much for you? Did I hurt you or if you didn’t want to, you only have to –“

Buffy couldn’t trust herself not to cry, so she put a finger on his lips and cuddled him to her.

“You worried about tonight then?” Spike gently rubbed her back, holding her to him

He felt Buffy shake her head.

“What is it then Kitten…come on sweetheart, you can tell me”

“Hold me,” She whispered, feeling the tears pricking her eyes again.

She realised that she was holding her breath in a bid not to cry, and when his arms tightened around her, she let out a gasp and the tears leaked out.

He felt her body heave slightly, and knew she was crying.

“Hey now…come on Kitten, please don’t cry…is there something worrying you? – I wish you’d tell me, I can’t bear it when you cry…”

“I’m………I’m okay…being silly is all” Spike went to lean out to stroke her hair out of her face, but Buffy kept her arms tightly around him. They stayed like that, quietly holding each other for some minutes. When he felt that she’d calmed, Spike said

“Do you like sheep?” Spike suddenly asked her. Buffy had stopped crying, she opened her eyes and looked puzzled.

“Huh?”

“I said…” Spike shifted to look at her, and this time she let him move

“Do you like sheep? Well, lambs actually. And pigs, little baby piggies – they are adorable, apparently”

Spike could register the look on her face: he knew she was thinking that he’d totally flipped. So he continued,

“Only Charles said he thinks that for one of the new attractions for the visitors to the Carrisbrooke estate in 2005 would be to have a ‘Petting Zoo’ for the children – it would be in keeping with the whole wild-life, animal husbandry thing we’ve got going on there, along with the stables, rare breeds, the bird sanctuary and the falconry exhibitions………from the projected figures he’s sent me, it looks financially sound…anyway, I can’t wait for you to see it!”

“Wha-what?”

“Carrisbrooke – my estate – you’ll love it – I can’t wait to take you. I just said to Charles, we’re more than likely to go over there after Christmas”

“We? You mean…you want me to see it too?” Buffy felt elated

“COURSE! I thought that it would be ideal for us to stay there when you’re on tour there…use it as our base. You can meet all the staff, and show you all around, the history of the place is amazing – goes right back to the 16th century you know – ooohh!”

Buffy squealed with excitement, and cuddled Spike up tight. Spike grinned. What ever had made her blue had passed, thank goodness!

“Poor old Charles…he always gets a bee in his bonnet when I say I’m going over there, he thinks he’s going to be out of a job – he’s silly – even if I did eventually decide to go back, I’d still need him there, he’s like the heart of the place………is that your tummy rumbling?”

“Um yeah, I really, really AM starving now!”

“Well………what do you fancy, besides me of course!”

Buffy giggled and said,

“Hmm…bacon…scrambled eggs…sausages…grilled tomatoes, and toast”

“ I see…good job I went shopping then, isn’t it!” Spike got up out of bed, and Buffy went to follow.

“A-a, not you, you my darling, you stay there, and I’ll bring you breakfast in bed”

Spike kissed her nose and Buffy giggled, reached for a magazine and snuggled down, she loved being waited on hand and foot………

*********


Cassie Newton was on tenter-hooks about Glory finding out about Riley Finn’s wife being there with him, it would spoil everything.

“Are the two guests aware what time they have to be here for rehearsals?”

“T-two? Cassie stammered, thinking she’d been rumbled.

“That bitch’s soldier toy and her father”

“Oh um, y-yes, don’t worry – golly, is that the time, you better go, you know how the traffic is!” Cassie said willing Glory to leave for the other studio’s to do her chart show.

“Hmm…yes…right, I’ll leave you to show them the run-through………I don’t want any cock-ups tonight, do you hear me Cassie, I’ll hold you personally responsible if-“

“Yes, yes, YES! Go, I’ll cope – go, you’re drivers having a fit!” Cassie practically pushed Glory out into reception.

Glory’s driver was actually sitting there calm as you like reading the paper – he didn’t look panicked at all.

“And see if you can get some stories from them, about her child-hood – or teenage years from her dad if possible. Stuff to make her squirm”

“Glory…just go, have faith in me!” Glory left. A young couple passed her on the way in, the automatic doors staying open for them. Cassie leaned back against the wall, eyes closed trying to control her breathing, she fumbled for one of her anti-stress tablets as she could feel her already weak heart pounding.

With the tablet under her tongue, Cassie took a few seconds to calm, when she heard her name being called.

“Miss Newton…………Miss Newton – are you alright?”

“Wha-oh um yes, yes, I’m fine...did you-“

“This is Mr and Mrs Finn – here for the Friends show,” The receptionist said.

Cassie gulped, god! That had been a close-run thing…

“Oh, um, right – would you like to come this way please?” Cassie led them both down a corridor and into a hospitality room.

“As it will be only Mr Finn we require, you will be able to enjoy our hospitality facilities, Mrs Finn, while I take your husband through his paces for tonight. I will fetch you your security pass to sit in hospitality this evening later, okay – help yourself to anything you like”

“Um…how long will we be here?” Sam asked, still in the dark as to what sort of show it was.

“Half and hour, tops – then he’s all yours until tonight!” Cassie smiled and held her arm out towards the door, Riley left after kissing his wife and saying he’d see her later.

Sam helped herself to coffee, and ignoring the magazines and newspapers provided, she took out the tourist guide to LA from her purse and began to read.

The door opened again, and a man entered, with a woman carrying a clipboard.

“If you just stay here for a moment Mr Summers I’ll find out which studio the rehearsal is going on in”

Sam looked up briefly and smiled, but she didn’t speak.

The man nodded politely.

The door had barely closed, and Hank Summers was poised, halfway to a sitting position, when the lady that bought him there re-entered the room and said,

“This way please, you’re in studio 5” he left with her.

After ten minutes, a few other people came in, and Sam ventured to ask one of the ladies with clipboards what the show was about, as Riley had been decidedly cagey about the whole deal.

“What show is it?”

“Something about friends? A reunion of some sort, I think – it’s my husband on the show, he’s one of the guests I think” Sam said

“Oh, this is that new show…um I’m sorry, I don’t know anything about it myself really…it’s Glory Benson’s new show”

“That’s right”

“Um, I could see if I could find out anything for you, how long are you-“

“OH, um, no, no it’s alright, my husband is here now, thankyou all the same, I’ll find out soon enough I suppose!” Sam said brightly.

“Hey!” Riley rubbed his hands together and smiled nervously at his wife. He still hadn’t quite plucked up the courage to tell Sam exactly whom the show was about yet………

“Hey…so, good rehearsal?”

“Yeah, you know, do’s and don’ts, don’t clap loudly when you have a microphone on, don’t mumble – speak when spoken to…the length of the anecdote I’m going to tell”

“So, who is-“

“Come on baby, why don’t we go do some sight-seeing, hmm? – And maybe a little shopping too – Then I’ll buy you lunch” Riley took his wife by the elbow and steered her towards the door.

“Okay, but I’ve got to wait for my security pass yet, so I can sit in here and wait for you while you do the show. That girl, the one who bought us in here said that she’d – oh look, here she is” Cassie came in, handing Sam a small card.

“There you go, there’s your pass – just show that at reception and somebody will take you down there, please don’t be late, now you must excuse me – I will see you both later, bye-bye” Cassie left, and Riley and Sam went out into the hot LA sunshine.

“So babe, where shall we go for lunch?”

“Outside! – I want to be outside on a day like this!!” Sam twirled around happily as they walked towards the car that had bought them to the studios.

**********

“Okay then Mr Summers, have you got all that? You will be the final guest, and you come out from behind the screens, greet your daughter, greet Glory, a handshake only, kissing is strictly forbidden, that includes ‘air-kissing’ Miss Benson is very insistent upon that, if you do have contact with her in any other way other than a handshake, she will prosecute, will you sign here please, to say you’ve been told and understand the rules”

Hank scribbled his signature on the sheet, and the lady with the clipboard said that he could go, but to return not any later than 5.30pm, as he had to be ‘locked away’ so not as to spoil the surprise – the main element of the show.

*************


“I’m sorry pet, but with Cordelia out, I’ll have to do a couple of hours in the office at least” Spike said, loading the dishwasher.

“Oh yes, she’s got that big date with 007, hasn’t she!”

“Uh huh, so have you thought, what are you going to do today?”

“I might go shopping…see what’s new at Victoria’s Secret…………”

Spike rinsed his hands and grinned.

“Well………as long as you promise to model it for me!”

“You are naughty!” Buffy said, grinning

“It’s YOU that makes me naughty – c’mere you, MINX!” Buffy squealed laughing as Spike grabbed her and began to tickle her.

“Have a look to see if they do anything for the winter…you know, thermal long-johns!” Spike said, grinning

“Ohh, kinky! That what turns you on is it? - Long-johns!” Buffy giggled

“No, but you’ll need something warmer than a thong for England in the middle of January!” Smiling, they were just about to kiss when Spike’s phone rang.
Both sighing, their shoulders sagging in unison Spike went to answer it. He came back saying it was Xander, asking what time he was going into the office, as he wanted to go and take Harmony to the dentists to have the new crown fitted.

“You go on, I’ll sort the dishwasher and that…if you see Harmony tell her not to worry” Buffy said

“Thanks, Kitten…I will – bye then” he snatched a quick kiss and was gone, leaving Buffy to go shopping.


*********

“Is that you, Mr Pavayne?”

“Just Pavayne, no Mr – yes it is”

“Cassie Newton from Glory Benson’s show, this is just to remind you about tonight, Miss Benson said that you can be at the side of the stage – but you must keep well hidden until she says, understand?”

“Yup, I will, thanks, bye”

*******

“OOF – Why don’t you watch were you’re………hey, don’t I know you?” Glory frowned up at the big guy, who had been coming along the corridor in the opposite direction.

“Well, well…Glory B. I’m Angel Stebson – Angel O’Connor, as I was when I fronted the Sharks”

“That’s it!” Something clicked in Glory’s mind, and she suddenly remembered the photo in the papers earlier on in the week, of him and Buffy.

“So…you know Buffy Summers”

“Yes, VERY well actually. We dated for a while…now I think it’s just a matter of time before she comes round, she’s playing hard to get, but -“

“Are you busy tonight?” Glory smiled a big false smile and linked arms with him.

“Tonight, no, why?”

“Only, how would you like to guest on my new show…the first guest is Buffy Summers…………(Glory went on to explain the concept of the show) …………and that’s about it. You come on, tell a little story… naughty one if you like, all adds to the fun!”

“Yeah – well great, I have a story, one day we were coming out of school, and her gym knickers fell out of her bag, but she didn’t notice, so I picked them up and stuffed them into my pocket, and-“

“YES! Well great, that’ll be fine, you’ll come then?” Glory couldn’t be bothered to listen so she cut him short.

“I’d LOVE to…where is it?”

“Tonight, you have to be at Studio 5, car-lot 9 Burbank studios, no later than 5.30pm I’ll leave you a pass at reception”

“Brilliant – well thankyou Glory…it’s been……...great” Angel smiled and began to think of ways to spice the story up a little - Buffy could hardly object, could she, if she didn’t know what he was going to say.


**********


“There, comfy? Shall I open a window – are you warm enough?”

Dru fussed over Cecily, straightening her pillows and comforter.

“I’m…ow…I’m okay – god my throat is SO sore!”

“That was from where they put the endoscope down your throat and into your stomach!” Dru said brightly.

Cecily winced and closed her eyes.

“Oh Dru, shush! I don’t…I don’t want to know, pass me my drink, will you?” She croaked.

“Here you go – now, when you’re ready, I‘ve got LOTS to tell you!”

Cecily to be truthful was almost wishing Dru to be her usual morose self; all this ‘full-of-the-joys’ was too much, she was almost bouncing off the walls with happiness, and although it WAS better than her being Zombie-like, Dru’s incessant bright chatter was too much for her to take at the moment.

She was trying to cope with the pain in her throat and stomach, and withdrawl symptoms; the painkillers the doctor had given her hardly touched her.

“………And I picked these this morning, although the gardener gave me a stern look, aren’t they pretty!” Dru messed with some cut mixed blooms she’d put in a vase on the side.

“Hmm, yeah lovely, um, Dru would you mind if-“

“Come along now – time for your medicine!” Lorne came carefully into the room backwards, having shouldered the door open. He turned and walked normally to the bed carrying a tray laden with medicine bottles and water.

“How are you feeling?” He asked setting the tray down on the nightstand.

“Oh…you know…sore, tired”

“Well, um, let me see…these first, can you swallow okay?”

“Just about” Cecily accepted the tablets and water and took them, and then Lorne gave her a thick chalky white liquid to drink.

“And this should sooth the acid-burning…………there’s a good girl”

He took the medicine cup off her and placed it back on the tray, but not before Cecily caught his eye.

“What?” he whispered, hoping to goodness she wasn’t going to ask him to get her something ‘stronger’ in the drug department.

Cecily’s eyes held a pained look and slid to look at Dru, then back to Lorne. He immediately knew what she meant, that she needed to be alone for a while, and not have to listen to Dru wittering on and on, which he must admit, had begun to grate on his nerves in the car. He gave Cecily a smile and a little nod, patting her hand.

“Right then, that’s you all seen to – I shall bring you an egg-white omelette, then some rice pudding – you are only to have soft bland food this week, nothing acidic. Come along then Cup-cake, it’s time for Cecily to have some sleep – you can come up for a little while later, okay if Ceccy feels up to it?”

Dru looked across to Cecily, who had snuggled down and looked asleep already.

“Oh, alright, but I was…never mind, it will keep!!!” She said brightly, opening the door for Lorne and following him out.

Once the door was shut, Cecily shifted and lay on her back, wide-awake. Lorne had told her about Rack and his heart attack, and with her own health problems caused by drugs, she knew she had to clean up her act before it was too late.

Downstairs, Dru wandered about the sitting room listlessly. She couldn’t put music on, as it would disturb Cecily, whose room was directly above.

“Lorne………” She began, but then decided against asking him what she was thinking – he tending to get a little short with her when she asked about Spike, he kept telling her Spike had another girlfriend now, and that she was to forget him……...huh – like she EVER could!

“Hmm, sweet-cheeks? – Which one do you think…this one, or…………this one?” From a sample book, Lorne had laid two swatches of fabric over the back of the sofa. He continued,

“Daddy wants a change, what do you think, the burgundy, or the bottle green?”

“Oh…the red. When does Daddy come home?”

“Really – oh…I thought the green…perhaps we should try – oh no, the purple’s DEFINITLEY out…hmm, this is a possibility………what do you think, mustard yellow – it’s supposed to be old gold, but…?” Lorne looked at her expectantly, and she screwed up her face and shook her head vigorously.

“Ew, no way. Lorne, Daddy – when is he due back?”

“Oh...um perhaps not……… let me see, Daddy - um (Lorne closed his eyes and tipped his head back thinking, then righted it again when he’d got the answer) Tonight. Yes, tonight, he’ll be home well before dinner he said, why shortcake? What about this colour, the tan?”

“Oh. No reason…no, I still prefer the red”

“Do you? But we have so much red already”

Dru knew, that with Daddy being home, she hadn’t got a chance of going out on her own…and she’d got something planned.

“We could go black leather………and have white and silver Regency striped walls,” Lorne suggested.

“Whatever…I’m going to my room to read”

“Okay kitty-cat, but don’t disturb little Ceccy will you, she needs lots of sleep to hurry and get better, okay?”

“Promise” Dru said, and went quietly upstairs to her room. She’d locked her door so she wouldn’t be disturbed, and drew out a vanity case from under the bed. She opened it and took out the photos of Spike, kissed each one, and laid them on the bed, touching and sighing over them.

“Don’t worry my Sweet…you’ll soon be mine, and we can be together again!” She smiled and lay down amongst the pictures, closed her eyes and began to dream of what they would do when they were reunited………

*********



Anya and Giles’ relationship had been strained to say the least since the ‘incident’ in the Winds bar. It had been unfortunate for Giles that there had been a couple of journalists in there at the time of the girls ‘spat’, and now all sorts of comments were being made in various newspapers and magazines, little funny jibes about the size of his manhood, and the offers he was getting were unbelievable.

Anya was pouring herself more coffee when the phone rang. Giles had just put the last bite of toast in his mouth; he dusted off his fingers, wiped his mouth on a napkin and answered it.

“Rupert Giles……………………who is this, please? – I see, well Mandy Smallwood, no, I DO NOT want to pose for Playgirl, thankyou very much – or any other magazine of that ilk – goodbye!” he slammed the receiver down and strode back over to the dining table.

“Another call wanting you to-“ Anya began

With a flourish, Giles swiftly removed his jacket from the back of the dining chair and hastily put it on.

“YES, it was, and I’m TOTALLY, and HEARTILY SICK OF IT!” Anya winced and said quietly,

“I’ve said I’m sorry Giles, and it wasn’t me that said it, Jenny-“

“I KNOW who said it, where and why, I was THERE wasn’t I – it happened in MY bloody bar, didn’t it – now I’m a laughing stock!”

Anya rose and went to him, began to tidy his collar and said

“No – baby no, they are not laughing at you – envious yes, I mean what guy wouldn’t want a co…um, all I’m saying is, they are not laughing at you honey, far from it!”

“No – but what am I famous for now, hmm? – My award winning, five star restaurant, huh? That I used to be in one of the top selling bands that were awarded 17 platinum gold discs? – My cocktail bar, that serves the finest Martini this side of Manhattan? – My award winning film review programme? – No. I’m now known as ‘Mr foot-long’ – I’m just thought of as a piece of meat, that people think they can make smutty remarks and innuendoes about!”

“But honey…I LOVE your mea - um, all I’m trying to say is, there are far worse things that you could renown for, that’s all - look lets stay home tonight, I’ll cook us dinner and-“

“I can’t, I’m interviewing Robert Niro and Kevin Pacey tonight about their new film, before they fly back to New York”

“Well come straight home afterwards”

“I’ll see, I gotta go” Giles finished the last of his coffee and left, without even giving her a kiss.

Anya sighed and felt really sad. She knew things would eventually die down, but it was beginning to get to her too, people, strangers grinning at her, and she just knew what they were thinking, that the only reason that she was with Giles was because………she could kill Jenny, she really could.

*********

Buffy hailed herself a cab and loaded her shopping, giving Spike’s address. When she got back, she set about putting together her outfit for tonight.

Having spent a fortune in Victoria’s Secret, She selected a black lacy push-up bra, with matching black and fuchsia lacy panties. They were very pretty, lacy fronted with roses ‘climbing’ up through the lace. She knew Spike would like them anyway!

She laid three outfits on the bed, trying to decide which one to wear for tonight’s show. Her cell phone rang and she answered.

“Hi babe, been shopping?”

“Yup…spent a fortune in Victoria’s Secret…I’m just trying to decide what to wear for tonight”

“Well, I’ve just about finished up here, how about if I come home, and you can model them for me, and we can decide together” Buffy grinned and said,

“I suppose me flitting around, in the bedroom, in my scanty little undies would have nothing to do with this kind offer of yours, would it?” Spike rumbled a deep chuckle making Buffy shiver, and her stomach go all soft…

“ABSOLUTELY! Why, have you any objections?”

“None whatsoever! Just get yourself back here, NOW!!!” Buffy still grinning ended the call, and Spike left the office taking the stairs, he didn’t have time to hang around for the lift!

**********
 

Chapter 36



“Are you okay Poppet………baby…Harm?” Xander worriedly tapped on the bathroom door

Harmony panted for breath, and stood up from bending over the toilet.

“Yeah, um, yes, fine Pookie, don’t worry”

“You want eggs for supper? – I know you can’t have anything hard at the moment because of the new crown”

The thought of eggs in her already queasy stomach had her heaving again.

“Poppet…let me in – I’m worried about you”

“No, I’ll be okay, don’t worry…look – um – I’m not really hungry at the moment, baby, I’ll be in very soon”

“Have you been sick?”

“A little, I um, I think it was the er, the anaesthetic the dentist gave me”

“Okay then, if you’re sure” Xander went back into the lounge.

Harmony sat on the bathroom floor, and leaned against the wall. She didn’t like lying to Xander, but she needed a little time and space. The dentist hadn’t given her any anaesthesia at all, all he’d done was cemented the new crown in place. She reached for her purse and took out the bag from the pharmacy.

Taking out the little box, she read for the umpteenth time the instructions. With shaky fingers she took out the small plastic wand, and looked at the little blank window. Praying that it would stay that way, blank, instead of indicating a blue line. All she had to do was to pee on the end of the wand, and wait for a minute. She new it would be the longest minute of her life.

“HARM, DON’T FORGET TO SET THE TAPE TO DO BUFFY’S SHOW, YOU KNOW I CAN’T DO IT!” Xander bellowed from the lounge.

Harmony had just been ready to sit on the toilet when Xander had called, and her nerve went, and she stood up and leaned against the sink.

**Do it tomorrow, do it tomorrow** was the thought running through her head, and she reached for the box to put the predictor back.

She felt the need to pee, and suddenly spurred into action, she sat, did what was required and after flushing the toilet and washing her hands, she sat on the edge of the bath, holding the wand, with her eyes closed, she was supposed to be counting, but instead she was praying…………


It had to be a minute up by now, surely…just a few more seconds…how was it she used to count when she was little? One, Mississippi, two, Mississippi, three Mississippi…that was when there was a thunderstorm, to see how far away it was…in the lounge, she could hear Xander laughing, then he called out,

“Hey babe, you should come and see this dog, it’s on the ‘World’s Whackiest Animal Show, he’s in Loveland, Colorado, and he’s snow-boarding with his master – he’s got his own board, and he’s better than the humans, they are falling off, and he isn’t!”

Harmony knew, that a minute was definitely up by now, probably nearer three or four, truth be known. She opened her eyes, but didn’t dare look down at her shaky hands.

“It’s now or never” she whispered to herself, she closed her eyes again, and let her head drop forward………opening her eyes, she focused on the wand. She let out a gasp and covered her mouth, her eyes filling with tears.

***********


“Spike – concentrate!” Buffy giggled and ran around the bed, away from him. He was grinning like a mad thing, intent on grabbing her.

“That’s easy for you to say – I’m not the one running around in black and pink lacy knickers!”

The imagery of this set them both giggling, and then Buffy chided,

“It’s not pink, it’s fuchsia!”

“Fuchsia, pink, it’s all the same to me pet”

“So, you like?”

“Yup, BUT”

“But what?”

“I prefer YOUR pink bits!”

Buffy blushed beet red and in a trice Spike had caught hold of her around the waist from behind, then he slid his hands up and cupped her breasts, ‘pretend’ ravaging her neck, making piggy-grunt noises, making her helpless with laughter.

“You give in?” Spike asked, holding her firmly, which was just as well, because she her legs had turned to jello and couldn’t stand up. She sagged in his arms.

“Think I‘ll have to, I’m too weak to protest now!” Spike nibbled her neck again; he knew just the right spot to render her helpless.

“S-Sp-Spike – I’m sup-supposed to be – oh – s-s-s-sorting out my OUT-ooohh, my outfit!”

“Hmmm………we got bunches of time yet, now………where was I? – Oh yes, right here I believe…………”

Buffy’s eyes rolled and closed, she let out a wail of pleasure.

************


“Poppet, come on babe, you’re missing this, there’s this kangaroo on now…in Australia, well, that goes without saying, but there’s this place called Bogan, well Bogan’s Gate, and the kangaroo thinks he’s in a gymkhana, he bounds around, then jumps over this gate, turns around, and does it again, all day long…………ha-ha-ha-ha…” The programme had put ‘cartoon’ type springy noises over the film to make it seem even funnier.

Harmony put her hand on her chest to calm herself. She sniffed, snatched off a few squares of toilet tissue and wiped her eyes and blew her nose.

“Be right there, Pookie” She called, and shoved the wand back into it’s box and threw it into the bin. Splashed her face with cool water and patted it dry. She checked her appearance in the mirror.

“Well………thank you god………you gave me a scare there for a moment…so it must have been something I ate…that or nerves because of the dentist” Harmony said to herself

She walked into the lounge to see Xander giggling away at a dog chasing it’s own tail.

“There you are, baby…are you okay?” he patted the sofa by him, and Harmony immediately sat next to him and snuggled. Xander put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

The commercials came on and Xander leaned towards her and said,

“There’s a new blank tape here, I thought we could tape Buffy’s show, then there’s a good film on channel 9 later………I thought we could tape that too…we could have an early night – that’s if you feel okay?”

Harmony swallowed, thought about the ‘close call’ she’d just had and said,

“Well, my tummy feels a little delicate still, but I could always…………” she reached for his zipper and slowly ran it down, smiling at him.

***********


“What do you think, up or down?” Buffy was standing in her underwear in front of the wardrobe mirror, holding her hair piled up on top of her head.

“Which feels more comfy – tell you what, wear it up, you have a very pretty neck –in fact, you have a very pretty everything!” Spike came up behind her, and dropped a light kiss on the side of her throat. Buffy smiled and said,

“Hey, you – don’t get me started AGAIN – wait until later – I’ve got a show to do!”

“So, I’m on a promise, am I - great!” Spike said cheekily, and ‘twanged’ her knicker elastic making Buffy shriek and let loose her hair.

“You’ll pay for that!”

“Oh yeah…can’t wait – bring it on, little girl!” Spike said cockily, they grinned at each other through the mirror.

“I’ll go grab a shower, leave you to get dressed in peace”

“M’kay, what time have I got to be there?” Buffy asked, taking out her make-up bag.

“Well, there was a Post-it note on my monitor screen saying you’re to be at the Burbank studio 5 at 7PM – I know where it is, if we leave here in…roughly three quarters of an hour, we’ll be there in plenty of time, okay Kitten?”

“Great!”

**********


“Looking good! – She won’t be able to resist you!” Angel said to his own reflection in the mirror. He was grinning broadly. He was wearing leather trousers and a white shirt. For some reason, the trousers felt a little more snug since he last wore them, but he told himself it was just because they were ‘cold’, as soon as they warmed up a bit, they’d soon stretch again. He picked up the photo he’d taken out of his High School year book.

You could tell instantly it was Buffy, same long blonde hair and sunny smile, she just looked younger. The caption he’d written under her photo in the year book had been,
‘Girl most likely to………serve you in Walmart.

A little cruel perhaps, but it was true, she’d been no great shakes academically. Under Willow’s picture he’d written, ………’Always to be a geek’, and under Oz’s picture he’d written ‘Always one step behind everybody else.’

To Angel, Oz didn’t appear to be ‘laidback’ like everyone else thought, Angel just thought he was slow. The thing he’d never know was, in Buffy’s yearbook, she’d written (after they’d split up, that is) ‘Always to be a fat jerk!’ Willow had put, ‘destined to be a failure’ and Oz had written Guy most likely to………’Still be playing ‘air-guitar’ in front of the mirror when he’s 35’.

Of course, these comments were in their own private yearbooks, for their own private consumption, but it just went to show how SOME of the comments rang very true………

**********


“Ready then Kitten?”

“Yes, oh, hang on………I want to wear my ‘lucky’ earrings…”

“Lucky?” Spike asked with a quirked eyebrow

“I wore them the night I won Search For a Star, the night I met you, how much more lucky can they get?” Buffy reasoned.

“Aww, you’re sweet…come on then Kitten, let’s get this over with, and remember, don’t let Glory give you any shit”

“I won’t”

**********


Waiting to be taken down to the hospitality room, Riley and his wife Sam sat in reception. A woman came over and asked them to follow her.

“Would you like to come this way.” She led them down a series of corridors, telling them the rules as they walked.

“We ask you to please not leave this room until somebody comes for you, so there is no risk of the guest seeing you. There is every facility you need, rest room, and there is food and drink, TV, but no alcohol until after the show. Would you please turn off any mobile phones you have, there is a direct land-line telephone for use in the room, somebody will be along to take you to your appropriate places when the time is right.” The woman left and the couple sat.

“So honey…are you going to let me in on the big secret?” Sam asked standing and going over to the hospitality table and getting herself a drink.

“Want one?”

Riley looked decidedly uncomfortable, he had never been this nervous before in his life. Live TV………

“Riley………hey, you, Mr!”

“Wha-what?”

“Drink?” Sam waggled a bottle of water at him.

“Oh, no, no thanks…it’ll only make me want to go, you know, and I’m nervous enough already”

“So who is it? An old colonel - headmaster? “ Sam sipped her water and studied her husbands face. He looked decidedly uneasy.

“Riley, in less than half an hour, I’m going to find out anyway, and I’d much rather you tell me now”

“It’s…” Riley was just about to say, when the door opened and Angel came in with the lady who had bought them down.

“If you’d like to wait in here, Mr Stebson, there are some guests already here, be back later”

Angel smiled at the woman, then turned and noticed Riley sitting down.

“Hi…um Angel, Angel Stebson, you might know me as Angel O’Connor, I used to front the Sharks” Sam still wouldn’t have known him from a hole in the ground, but smiled and shook his hand politely.

“I’m Sam Finn, and this is my husband Riley” both men shook hands, saying ‘how do you do’.

“Can I get you a drink, um, Angel?” Sam asked putting her own drink down.

“Oh, um, oh not for me, thanks…so, how do you know Buffy then?”

Sam frowned, and looked at Riley, then at Angel. Riley could have died a thousand deaths, he closed his eyes and let his head drop into his hands. The smile on Angel’s face faded when he realised that he’d possibly said something wrong.

“Buffy, as in Buffy Summers?” repeated Sam, glaring at her husband

“Um, er, well, ye-yes” Angel said, looking back and forth between the couple. Suddenly, it all clicked into place for Sam. His reluctance to tell her who it was, and last time she was there, yesterday, that older guy she saw briefly in hospitality, the woman had called him ‘Mr Summers’, but she never connected the name until just.

The door opened again, and in walked the very guy Sam had just thought about, Hank Summers, who smiled and nodded to everyone.


Sam wanted to hurl the water over Riley, it had taken 18 months for him to get over Buffy – and of course – oh god – how STUPID was she – this Buffy, now a singer – won a competition with a song about lost love, her soldier…there was so OBVIOUSLY unfinished business between them!

Sam angrily snatched her purse up off the side and wrenched the door open.

“Sam, wait, come back, I can explain – I – please love, were not supposed to leave the room – Sam, SAM………” Riley dashed out into the corridor, where his distraught wife rounded on him.

“You KNEW! All this time you knew we were here to see your supposed EX girlfriend, a girl you SWORE to me you were well over, a girl that has written you a love song, you think you can buy me off, staying in a fancy hotel, when all along – “

“Sam, no, it wasn’t, it isn’t like that! Please honey, I love YOU, I just thought that well, look, how else could we afford to stay in a fancy hotel like that if it was not for somebody else paying – and I think you’re over-reacting, don’t you?”

This made Sam even more angry, and she stabbed the air with her finger

“So why didn’t you tell me from the start who it was, huh? YOU tell me it’s all over, YOU tell me you don’t think of her, she’s written you a love song Riley – you must think me SO stupid…it was in all the papers and magazines, and I’ve only just put two and two together…she wrote the song about her soldier she’d lost contact with”

“We lost contact because our group was lost in the jungles of Borneo!” Riley said, not thinking that this didn’t help matters at all.

“Exactly – so if you hadn’t got lost, you’d be together, happy ever after…well, you’ve found each other again, I hope you’ll be very …hap – “ Sam let out a sob and ran down the corridor.

“Sam, Sam please, come back love, oh god, this is SO how I not planned this!
***

Buffy and Spike entered the studio, Buffy was immediately whisked off to make-up, despite her best efforts. Spike thought he’d go to hospitality. Walking down the corridor, suddenly one of the fire doors flew wide open and a very upset woman came bounding through, nearly running full-pelt into him and bowling them over. Luckily Spike caught her shoulders.

“Hey, hold up! Whoa! Are you alright, love?”

“Yes, no, I’m sorry, I must go – excuse –“ She carried on down the corridor. Spike rounded the corner to see a guy standing by hospitality room wall, bent over with his hands on his thighs.

“Are you okay, mate?” Riley looked up

“Actually that would be no” Riley said quietly

“Was that upset woman anything to do with you?” Spike asked, looking back down the corridor, but she’d well gone by then, and Riley nodded.

“I’m here to do a show, Buffy Summers, I used to date her, and my wife, well…I kept it a secret why we were here, now she’s got it into her head that there’s something going on, and I swear to you there isn’t”

“I know mate”

“You do? How?”

“Because, Buffy’s MY girl now”

“Oh, right. I wouldn’t have come, but well, the hotel they offered was really swanky, and since we’ve been married, well we haven’t been able to afford much, I thought it would be a nice break for her, and easy on my pocket to…but it’s all gone wrong”

“Go after her then, put it right”

“But, well, from what I gather this Glory Benson, she doesn’t stand any messing if I don’t do the show now, what if she tries to sue us – I couldn’t even afford the cost of the hotel we’ve stayed in, let alone…”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll sort it for you”

“You will, but how, I mean-“

“I’m Buffy’s manager as well as her boyfriend, I also work out of Aphrodite the same stable as Glory. I promise you, there won’t be any come-backs on you, I’ll see the hotel is paid, just get and sort things out with your wife, okay – oh, what hotel were you at?”

“The Holiday Inn…you’d do that – fantastic – I don’t know how to thank you!”
Riley shook hands vigorously with Spike, and took off down the corridor.

“You already did mate…you left Buffy” Spike said quietly after the retreating figure.


*************
 

Chapter 37


The door to hospitality opened and Angel came out and stood there. He looked at the back of Spike, not realising who it was at first.

“Is everything alright, I think, well, not sure, but well I may have put my foot in it with-“

“YOU are ALWAYS putting your foot in things…” Spike turned and advanced on Angel, who began to back down the corridor.

“I want a word with you…I want you to keep away from my girl, do you understand me?” Spike said menacingly

“Now hold on, just a minute, who do you think-“ Spike saw red and grabbed Angel by the shirt front and head butted him. There was a loud crack, and Angel sagged to his knees clutching his face.

“You so much as LOOK at her wrong again – don’t think I didn’t see how uncomfortable you made her on the quiz show, you kept on touching her even though she repeatedly asked you not to…or that little stunt you pulled outside Scandals…well don’t forget, Angel, I know more people in this business than you can shake a stick at, I suggest you re-locate and soon, do you understand me – coz I’ll make sure you’ll never work in this city again!” Spike gave him a hard shove, there was a loud ripping sound, and Angel fell backwards clutching his face.

Spike turned on his heel and went back to the hospitality room to see if there was any more nasty little surprises. There was. One.

“So…you are?” Spike asked, thinking he could take an educated guess. The guy held out his hand, but Spike didn’t shake it, so Hank dropped it.

“Hank Summers, Buffy’s father, and you are?”

“Never mind. Well Mr Summers, you’ve had a wasted journey”

“What – oh, but I was-“

“Do you honestly think that Buffy would want to see you, like this?”

“I’m sorry, but who are you to know who and what my daughter-“

“Look. I know you haven’t seen Buffy since you divorced her mother. I know when she won the talent show, you contacted Aphrodite records, and I also know you phoned her at home, and I also know that she asked you for some time so she could think about things”

“I only want a chance to explain, to put my side of the story, her mind had been poisoned by my ex-wife, and-“

Spike held his hand up in the recognised ‘Halt’ signal.

“Mr Summers………I can appreciate that, I really can, but do you really think this is the way to go about things – a forced reunion, on live TV, in front of roughly…what, three million people? – How much humiliation can you face – because if you back Buffy into a corner, which is exactly what you’d be doing by being here tonight, she’ll come out all guns blazing, it’ll be ‘My dad left me in my formative years, never contacted me when my mom died, only when he thought I was famous did he deign to get in touch…how much of a caring father do you think you’re going to sound like?”

“I just want to see her, that’s all” Spike almost felt sorry for the poor sap, and sat down next to him.

“You seem to know my daughter very well” Hank said

“I’ll make no bones about it Mr Summers, I love your daughter very much, and I won’t see her hurt, not by you or anybody. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I can’t promise you that she’ll meet or even contact you, BUT, if you leave now I’ll tell Buffy you had a change of heart, and would rather see her under her terms and conditions, than a surprised forced meeting on a show. And actually, the woman doing this show is totally devious, she has some hidden agenda, and I’m sure she’s trying to harm Buffy’s career” Hank Summers studied Spike.


“You really do care for her, don’t you” Hank said, and Spike replied,

“Don’t ever doubt it” Hank nodded

“You British?”

“Yes, I’m from London, originally”

Hank nodded again and thought for a moment.

“What about the hotel bill?”

“Don’t worry about anything like that, I’ll make sure your bill is paid, and there will be no come-backs on you”

“And you’ll tell her what you said, about seeing her on her terms and that?”

“I promise I’ll tell her that, but I can’t or won’t force her to see you” Spike stood and held out his hand. Hank stood slowly and shook the offered hand.

“If she doesn’t decide to contact me………well, look after her okay?” Spike smiled

“You got it”

“Well, I’ll go then”

“What hotel were you at?” Spike asked, and Hank told him.

“Well…see you” Hank left. Spike went out and closed the door. Coming towards him was a researcher Spike recognised.

Cassie Newton had wrestled with her conscience for long enough, and she KNEW she had to do or say something, and quick. Then she spotted him, Mr Carling, Buffy’s manager………
“Mr Carling – look…we haven’t got long, but we’ve GOT to stop Glory!”

Spike frowned at the frail looking girl.

“I know you, you work for her don’t you” Spike said, wondering if this was another one of Glory’s devious ploys.

“Unfortunately, yes, but she’s turned into a monster – I just can’t let her get away with what she wants to do. She’s trying to force Riley and Buffy back together on-screen, and of course Buffy will reject him, but it will put her in a bad light – the guy that got her fame being shunned, then there’s her father – Buffy will probably shun him too – it’ll look awful for her, like she’s some sort of Diva, which I know isn’t true…Oh god, I wish I’d never heard of Glory Benson, she’s evil – pure evil!!” Cassie said

“I know – but-“ Spike began

“Look, we don’t have time, she’s become this real megalomaniac – a complete tyrant who wants to ruin Buffy’s career…she thinks Sweet will sit up and notice her then and make her his number two, as she’s so ruthless”

“And you’re telling me this, why?” Spike asked

“Because, well, it isn’t fair, Buffy’s done nothing wrong, I loved her song, she was just a regular girl, a role model for young girls to aspire to, and it isn’t fair!”

“You’ve got that right love, but look, don’t worry, all the guests have gone”

“GONE? – Gone where?” Cassie looked wide-eyed at Spike. A rest-room door opened a little way down the corridor, and out came Angel, his white shirtfront covered in blood from the broken nose Spike had given him.

“Oh my god, what happened to you?” Cassie asked Angel

“He took a nasty tumble in the hospitality room, didn’t you mate – ooh, looks nasty, you want to get some ice on that” Spike said daring Angel to contradict him.

“I’ll be okay, I just want my jacket – my pants have ripped………I can’t appear on the show looking like this, I’m going home” Angel said, wanting to leave as he felt scared of Spike.

“That’s it my friend, you get yourself off home…” Spike put his arm around Angel’s shoulder, giving it a warning squeeze.

“I will, don’t worry, bye”

“But what about her father – and that soldier – I let him bring his wife, Glory didn’t know about her I thought it would soften the blow of what Glory was trying to do if his wife was here too – she’d realise that she couldn’t force -”

Spike gently put his arm around Cassie’s shoulders and they began to walk down the corridor slowly.

“Cassie, Cassie, calm down………has anybody told you, you worry too much?”

“Yes, my cardiologist – I have a weak heart…she’ll be the death of me Glory Benson will, and I just know she’ll blame me for tonight”

“No she won’t”

“She will, she said she’s holding ME responsible for tonight if anything goes wrong”

“Cassie, look. I’ll take the blame I’ve got to see Sweet on Monday anyway and if there are any repercussions, I will make sure that you are totally exonerated”

“Could you write me a reference too – coz I’ll be out of a job!”

“No you won’t, come and work out of my office, I’m always telling Cordelia she works far too hard. Look, if Buffy asks, just don’t say anything about her father being here okay, I sort of made him a deal that I’d tell her he decided to go and not force the issue of seeing her, okay?” Cassie nodded

“I promise – oh you’d really let me work for you? – Oh wow – oh hell…can you hear her – quick, let’s hide in here!” Cassie opened a door marked ‘Makeup’ she and Spike went inside.

They could both hear the loud sanctimonious tone of Glory barking out orders.

“Hey, so have you found out anything about the show?” Spike and Cassie turned to see Buffy in the makeup chair.

“Oh, hi. Um, Plenty, there isn’t going to be one…the guests have gone” Spike said

“Guests? - Gone, gone where, why?” Buffy looked slightly worried

“Don’t fret, I’ll let Cassie fill you in, I – Oh, excuse me”

Spike’s mobile rang, he saw it was Xander.

“Spike – have you heard the news, Rack’s dead. He’d been put on a ventilator and a dialysis machine as his kidneys packed up, but he had a final cardiac arrest an hour ago.”

“I see - look, I’ve just had a brainwave – Xand, can you get to the office, bring those tapes and DVD’s I’ve made for the ‘Best Of Noiz…the interviews and stuff, we’re going to have a change of programme…”

“Sure, I can be with you in…half an hour”

“Perfect” Spike ended the call to hear Buffy almost shriek,

“She WHAT – I’ll kill her, you wait until I get my hands on that-“

“Kitten, don’t fret”

“Fret – I’m SO-“ Buffy was incandescent with rage

“Baby, look, no time to loose, Rack’s dead – over the last few weeks I’ve been putting together interviews and clips of Noiz concerts and back-stage stuff – we can run it as a ‘Tribute’ show instead, I was just going to leave Glory in it up to her neck, but, THIS is too good an opportunity to miss. I’ll try and get hold of Ford…Cassie, you go to reception and find out if we can stall broadcasting”


**********

Spike, Cassie and Buffy came out of makeup, and Spike suddenly spied a very dejected looking Riley coming back in to the building.

As neither Cassie nor Buffy saw this, Spike told them to carry on down to the studio, he’d follow.

Riley came back in.

“What’s up?”

“She’s taken the hospitality car - we had a car and driver – I don’t even have cab-fare to get back to the hotel”

Spike turned and saw Glory’s driver sitting reading in reception.

“George, take this man to the Holiday Inn, then onto the airport, okay”

“But Glory-“ he began

“Don’t worry, I’ll square it with her”

“Thanks mate…I just hope I can salvage my marriage”

“You will – now go!” Spike said and the two men left.

Spike took out his mobile and phoned Ford, his favourite cameraman, but got no joy.

He tried phoning Sweet’s mansion, but only got the Ansa-phone.

He’d wing it, front the show himself, as he had been their manager, Spike had an encyclopaedic memory of all Noiz’s album releases and general info of them, with the DVD’s he’d burned and tapes he’d made, he could put together a decent show.


From above him, Spike heard a shriek, and guessed that Glory had found out something was wrong.

A few seconds later, a very harassed woman, the one who’d taken the guests up to hospitality came flying into reception looking ashen.

“Oh my god, oh my GOD! – Please, has ANYONE seen the guests for Glory’s show – I took them to hospitality ten minutes ago – I TOLD them not to leave the room, but they’re gone – GONE vanished off the face of the earth, and Glory is having a blue fit up there!” The woman fumbled with her glasses and clipboard.

“Don’t fret pet, I’ve sort it”

“Do you know where they are – oh please, for the love of-“

“CASSIE…CASSIE NEWTON, YOU GET YOUR SORRY CARCASS HERE THIS MINUTE!” Glory strode into reception. She narrowed her eyes at Spike

“WHAT, are YOU doing here?”

“Saving the day, apparently, you know Glory, you REALLY ought to be a little more grateful…”

“What do you mean?”

“You want the guests – I’ll show you where they are”

“You don’t even know who I’ve got coming”

“Oh…let me think…Angel Stebson…Hank Summers…Riley – whatever, anyway, the soldier boy”

“So? One of my researchers, couldn’t keep her mouth shut, proves nothing…I know which one it is too…the one that’s conspicuous by her absence now…well she better just wait, when I-“

“You can go love, I’ll take it from here” Spike said to the harassed woman. She looked scared, and glanced from Spike to Glory. Spike smiled and nodded, quietly said,

“Go on pet, I’ve got everything covered here” The woman scooted and Spike grabbed Glory by the elbow.

“You want the guests, come with me”

Glory tried to get her arm out of his grasp, to no avail,

“Get your hands off me! If you’ve done anything to ruin this show, I’ll – “ Glory threatened

“You’ll what? – Glory, you’re not half as scary as you like to think you are…and definitely not as clever…you want your guests, they are in there” Spike nodded towards a door. Glory frowned, looked at the door, then at Spike

“Go on…” Glory slowly turned the handle and pushed open the door, it was pitch black in there.

Suddenly Spike gave her an almighty shove and she flew inside, Spike quickly followed slamming the door behind him and switching on the light.

Glory looked around what was essentially a linen cupboard

“What the fuck is-“

“I’ve never hit a woman in my life before, but in YOUR case I’m willing to make an exception, if you give me cause to, now sit down…………I SAID sit DOWN!” Glory looked around, and plonked herself on the floor.

“Sweet’s going to be so angry with you, you’ll be lucky to come out of this with any money left at all – he’ll sue your sorry ass from here to kingdom come!” Glory sneered.

“S’that right? - Well, let me worry about that, it’s of no concern to you. Now, I’m under the impression that you are getting quite used to being tied up so to speak, so…turn around……………Glory, don’t make me ask you twice”

“I’ll kill you…I fucking kill you mysel-hmm uh” Spike rolled a dish-cloth corner to corner to make a gag, and tied it quite tightly around her mouth. He then unrolled one of the roller-towels and tied her hands and feet to the framework of shelves.

He squatted down, and re-arranged her hair tidily.

“Comfy? – Good. Oh, and Riley’s wife was with him, but you didn’t know that, did you…I know what you were going to do, trying to ruin Buffy’s career, well you had better put as much energy into salvaging yours, because otherwise ……… well, like you say, you KNOW how un-forgiving Daddy can be.”

Glory was trying to shout and wriggle, all to no avail.

“Don’t worry, I’ll let somebody know where you are, I shan’t leave you ‘hanging’ around, like that boyfriend of yours did………later”

Spike left quickly closing the door behind him Glory tried to scream, but all she succeeded in doing, was to give herself a headache nearly bursting a blood-vessel.

Spike went down to the studio. Trying to contact Ford on the way, again to no avail.

“Kitten, you know how the DVD player works don’t you, you’ve seen Ford do it often enough”

“Sure”

“Cassie, can you work a video camera?”

“Yes, but – “

“But nothing – could we delay the scheduling at all?”

“There’s been a big load of trouble in the Middle East, some leader has been killed in a suicide bombing, the news will over-run but ten minutes, and then we can run four minutes of commercials, then announce the change in scheduling, and say we are going to show a tribute to the singer Rack, that gives us 16½ minutes extra, the network boss said if you can run this show for 38 minutes, that will give you two commercial breaks of four minutes each, and end transmission at the allotted time, so nothing else will over-run – they’d be very grateful to you”

“No problem, I can waffle on and show clips – how long until we’re due on air?”

Cassie looked at her watch and calculated…

“50 minutes – yes, that’s right…50”

“Good girl, right, Buffy, help me shift this sofa”

“Excuse me…excuse me has anybody seen Glory Benson?” a rather nervous director asked Spike, then he asked,

“Um, what are you doing? – Miss Benson specifically asked to have the sofa’s arranged like-“

“Don’t sweat it, mate, Miss Benson is a bit tied up at the moment, there’s to be a change in programming…we’re screening a tribute to Rack – lead singer with Noiz, he died today”

“Oh, um why wasn’t I told of this?”

“Well, I’m telling you now, and because it’s only just been decided…there, that’s better – um, you, yes you, and you, can you get me a video and a DVD player – and I want a spot light on that sofa, and you can get rid of the autocue, it won’t be needed” The two floor hands looked at the director, who relieved at not having to work with Glory Benson shouted,

“Come along, chop-chop, you heard him, do as the man says!” This spurred them into action.

“Cassie, go to reception and get onto security, tell them a Mr Xander Harris is coming in with vital show tapes – to wave him through, okay?”

“I’m on it”

“Buffy, don’t look so worried pet, when I want you to run the DVD, I’ll say just that, you hit the play button – the first DVD I’ve burned runs for 18 minutes, should take us nicely to a commercial break – then we can set up the next” Buffy nodded, but she felt nervous.

Cassie came back from the errand and said

“I’ve okayed it with security about Mr Harris, and put the schedule announcer on stand-by for the programme change announcement”

“Good girl! – I can see you are going to be a great asset in our office! Right…I need access to a computer?”

“Through there” One of the floor hands pointed to a door and Spike went off.

“I’m sorry what Glory was going to do, I said to Mr Carling, that I thought it was horrible…” Cassie went onto explain a little more to Buffy.

“So Riley’s married eh – well, well!” Buffy said smiling

In the computer room, Spike hastily drew up a copyright on the DVD, and videos he was about to use, he emailed Sweet with some scant details, and downloaded a previously unheard-by-the-public track from his own personal music file to use as backing music.

Cassie was just about to go to him, when Spike came out of the office

“How are things, how are we doing for time?” he asked

“We have 19 minutes before start, and Mr Harris has just driven onto the lot”
Cassie informed him

“Good work...well – relax, take five everybody, this is going to work out fine, I know it!” Spike said putting his arm around Buffy.

*************

Riley had just missed his wife at the hotel, she’d packed her things but left his there, the flight ticket had gone, so he quickly threw everything he could find into the suitcase left, and raced out to the car.

“Airport, and quick!”

Fifteen minutes later, the car screeched onto the forecourt outside the airport entrance. Riley looked around for the flight information desks, and went over. The queues were horrendously long at all three, and he quickly scanned the people waiting, looking for his wife. It was only when a family moved away from the middle desk, he spotted her, and pushing through the queues, excusing himself as he went he heard her say,

“Change this double ticket to two singles, and can I leave the one here for him to collect? We weren’t due to fly until tomorrow, but – oh!” Riley’s hand covered hers and Sam dropped the pen.

“That won’t be necessary – we’ll be flying together” Riley said, looking hopefully at his wife.

“Mrs Finn? – What do you want me to do, I have rather a large queue of people waiting” The ground staff lady behind the desk said.

“Oh, um, I erm…sorry…it’ll be fine, thankyou” She took the double ticket back and they both moved out of the queue.

“So, you didn’t do the show then?”

“No. I didn’t want to be there without you. I - where do I start………I kept getting these phone calls from Glory Benson to contact her………………I asked if you could come, and I was told yes of course, I wanted you to have a nice break, that’s all, I would have never come on my own, baby it’s YOU I love……………Buffy was never really in love with me…”

“How can you say that – she wrote you a love song?”

“Did she? Does it say, Oh Riley where are you, I love you, come home to me?”

“Well, no but, she always said that-“

“That song…to be truthful – I think it was more about missing her mom as much as she was missing me, she’d not long died, then Buffy didn’t hear from me, so, for one reason or another…you know how things are when you’re a teenager, you moon around in your bedroom listening to sad songs, writing poetry, thinking nobody understands…”

“I’m sorry.. over-reacted some, didn’t I?” Sam felt silly and embarrassed at her actions and looked down at her feet. Riley raised her chin so she’d look at him.

“Just a little…I don’t know why I didn’t really tell you who it was I , well we were coming here to see………well, perhaps I do, but I didn’t want you to say no. I WANTED us to have a few days in a swanky hotel full of luxuries that I couldn’t afford to give you. You deserve nice things, I thought it would be a treat, but I got it wrong, and I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you”

“No…no you didn’t get it wrong, I did…well perhaps we both did! I shouldn’t have over-reacted, and you should have told me who it was in the first place!”

“Um, excuse me sir, but will you be needing me again?” Riley turned to look at Glory’s driver.

“Well baby, we DO have another night booked and paid for, shall we?”

“But as you haven’t done the show, oh my god, what if they try and-“

“Got it covered, come on, I’ll tell you on the way back to the hotel!” Grinning, Riley and Sam went back to the car to be driven to the hotel.

“……………So this guy who is Buffy’s boyfriend by the way said not to worry, he works for the same company as Glory, he’ll make sure everything is okay, she won’t sue us”

“Her boyfriend – oh!”

“Yeah, he’s her manager too – seemed to know what he was talking about anyway” Riley said, and safe in the knowledge that she had been really silly, Sam slipped down into the comfort of her husbands embrace as they were driven back to the hotel.

**********

“………Change in tonight’s scheduling, Due to the untimely death of one of rock and roll’s more outrageous characters, we will now screen a Tribute to Rack, who sadly died today”

Inside the studio, the director counted down and pointed to Spike. Much to Buffy’s relief, Xander stayed and helped her, he’d also bought Harmony with him, and she said she’d do a ‘live’ interview with Spike about Rack when they were both at the ‘Party in the Park’ in London the previous year.

**********

Lorne was sitting on the sofa, Dru was curled up asleep next to him, and Daddy was in the office. Not really listening to the announcer, he was expecting to hear the name Glory Benson and the show’s title. The video timer kicked in, and when he heard the words, Tribute to Rack, Lorne looked up sharply at the screen, Daddy needed to see this, NOW!”

“Daddy!” He knocked and didn’t wait to be told to go in, he just entered the office.

Sweet was seated behind his desk, looking at papers.

“Daddy, you better come and see this”

“What – oh god…don’t tell me I’ve played right into one of Glory’s fucked-up stunts – she made me promise to-!”

“No, nothing like that at all – it’s been pulled!” Lorne said excitedly walking on ahead back towards the lounge.

When they got in there, Dru was sitting up grinning, she had the remote control in her hand and she’d turned up the volume. On screen was a scene of Noiz on stage, playing one of their huge stadium gigs. Rack was sweaty and screaming down the microphone, the camera panned around to show a crowd of thousands, absolutely loving it, jumping up and down singing. Spike was doing the voice-over.

“So I take it you didn’t know about this…it’s brilliant – the timing is perfect – that man Spike is a genius!” Lorne said. They listened as Spike said,

“………………………The band’s meteoric rise to fame gave them the Midas touch, with their first three singles, Slayer, Devil Child and Exorcist all hit the Billboard chart at number one, their first album, Rite of Passage went double platinum in a week of it’s release, selling in excess of half a million copies a day.”

Sweet stared at the screen, leering his leery grin. – Perfect! He had to hand it to Spike…Lorne was right, the guy WAS a genius, and how on EARTH Spike had persuaded Glory to give up her prime-time slot for this, he’d NEVER know!

********

Spike ended the show with a series of clips of Rack and the whole band, then the final still of Rack on his own, with the words Rack- 1959-2004 RIP. The song faded and Spike watched the director count him out.

“That’s a wrap”

Everybody cheered, it had been an absolutely BRILLIANT success, the switchboard was jammed with calls, and Buffy went up and hugged him

“You were totally awesome!”

“Why, thank you Kitten!”

“Mr Carling…Mr Carling, excuse me, but um – “

“Call me Spike, Cassie!”

“Spike…Mr Sweetly’s on the phone for you” Cassie passed Spike one of the studios mobile phones.

“Spike – that was brilliant – the tribute show – best I’ve ever seen - totally amazing – I want you in my office first thing – well, not first thing but-“

“Actually Sweet…I think I’ll leave it until our scheduled meeting on Monday, if you don’t mind – I have plans for my weekend, I’ll see you on Monday 9am, as arranged”

Buffy, Cassie, Harmony and Xander looked at him in total awe – usually when the boss said ‘jump,’ you said, ‘how high’ – and here was Spike telling Sweet just exactly how it was going to be!

“Oh, very well then, yes, you deserve some time off, Monday then” Sweet acquiesced

“Yeah, bye” Spike ended the call with a grin.

“WOW – Kudos my friend – no one else would DARE speak to him like that!” Xander said totally awestruck.

“Nobody else just got the network out of the mire like Spike did!” Buffy said.

Cassie declined going for a drink with them, saying she was tired, and said goodnight.

“Come on then, shall we go back to mine – I’ve got some Champagne in the fridge…I’ve been looking for an excuse to open it!”

Outside security were having an argument with a paparazzo, who insisted that he’d got a pass from Glory Benson to be inside.

“Pavayne, my name is Pavayne, she SAID she’d leave me a pass”

“I’m sorry sir, but Miss Benson has left, her show didn’t air, there was a tribute show broadcast instead”

“Tribute show?”

“Yes, the rock-star Rack died this evening”

“WHAT – OH FUCK!” Pavayne should have been outside the clinic taking photos, not hanging around here, arguing the toss like a dick…he stormed off to his car promising himself to see Miss Benson, and thank her for not letting him know her show had been cancelled.

“There’s always one…come on, let’s go get ourselves a break” the one security officer said to the other, and they went inside.

“Shh…did you hear that?” The one officer stopped and listened

“What?”

“I don’t know…tapping?”

The other guy listened, and heard nothing

“No”

“Just me then…actually, my ears could be water-logged from swimming”

“Swimming eh, my Mrs has got me onto tennis………”

Inside the linen cupboard, Glory stopped trying to tap on the wall with her heel, she was getting cramp in her leg from doing it, not that anybody could hear it. She resigned herself to the fact that she’s be there until the cleaners found her in the morning…
***********


At twenty past midnight, Harmony and Xander left. Buffy and Spike waved them from the doorstep.

“Are you tired, kitten?”

“No………but then, we’ve got the whole weekend to ourselves!”

“Baby, can I talk to you?” Spike looked serious and Buffy felt a little ominous chill, and nodded.

They sat on the sofa, nursing a brandy apiece, Spike had cuddled her to him.

“……………So, I told him I wouldn’t force or ask you to see him, nothing like that was promised, but I did say I’d tell you that he thought better of his actions, changed his mind, wouldn’t force a meeting on you and decided to leave it up to you.”

“Half of me wants to see him………but, well, I don’t want him to start doing a character assassination on my mom…it would be so easy for him to say, oh, your mom did and said this, your mom said and did that – she’s not here to defend herself”

“I know Kitten…it can’t be easy”

“When he first went…it was a relief that I didn’t have to hear them arguing………sometimes I’d sit on the stairs and listen. They always used to wait until I was in bed, thinking I was asleep…and then after he’d gone, I didn’t hear arguing, but I used to hear mom cry herself to sleep. If I went in to her, course she’d pretend nothing was wrong, that everything was all right”

Spike stroked the hair out of her face.

“Nobody can force you to do what you don’t want to do baby – take your time – and if you don’t feel ready to see him, then you could always write him a letter or something first – you don’t even have to send it, sometimes it helps to see things written down” Buffy nodded and downed her brandy, put her glass on the coffee table and stood up.

“Come on………enough talking for now………I want some action from my ‘Superhero!’”

She pulled a grinning Spike to his feet, and he swiftly scooped her up making her giggle. She immediately threw her arms around his neck and said,

“My Hero!”

Spike carried her carefully upstairs – they were both giggling at first, but that soon gave way to passionate kisses and a swift removal of clothing…………


********