CRASH ( OR CRUSH?)
Author: Lu
Pairing: whichever could it be??
Disclaimer: I know these characters don’t belong to me
Thanks to: Maribel and Jill, you’re sooo great!! :-)
Feedback: Yeah, pleeeeeaase ,I’d like it

Setting: End of Season 3, after ‘ Graduation Day ‘, but I’ve also taken something from Season 5 sometimes.

Summary: Let Buffy drive… and get ready for all the consequences!


Hello, this is my very new FF, hope you’ll like it! :-)

PART 1
( It refers to ‘ Bad Eggs ‘ . I don’t have the slightest idea about the closing time of a Dry Cleaner Shop in Sunnydale, let’s pretend it’s around nine- ten o’ clock p.m. , otherwise I would have troubles with the sunset… due to the fact that this story takes place in the middle of Summer..)

Buffy still couldn’t believe it: her mom had let her drive her car.
Correction: her mom had lent her car to her daughter on condition that she sorted out a long list of urgent things to do.
The blonde had almost finished every item on the list, she just missed the last one, but not the least, quite the contrary!

< I gotta hurry up! I’ve got just ten minutes before the dry- cleaner’s shop closes… if I don’t pick up Mom’s dress… I’m dead!>

Joyce had asked her to go to that shop to pick up a dress she absolutely needed due to a business trip.
Buffy still remembered the last time her mother had asked her a similar favor, that she hadn’t manage to do, no matter if the reason why was to rescue an ingénue girl from a vampire’s clutches.
After all, Buffy couldn’t tell the truth to her mother who still ignored who her daughter really was, back to those days.
So, the poor girl had appeared to her eyes as a careless, absent-minded and totally unreliable person, and that had lead her to a solemn punishment: a ‘ house arrest ‘ period, saving school duties.
After all, that punishment hadn’t been that hard for her, because every night, at her window…

< Ouch, Buffy, you have pushed the wrong button: stop hurting yourself, stop thinking about him: he’s moved far away and he’ll never come back… well, maybe just to warn you about an impending apocalypse… but nothing more. He said he left for my own good… ah! My own good, as he knew what the best for me is… not even I do!>

With all those thoughts about Angel, by then the minutes at her disposal had become five.
She stepped on the accelerator and she dashed into the nearest parking area, frustrated when she saw it was very crowded.
Maybe due to her Slayer’s senses, she managed to find a place, and she hurried to manoeuvre the car into the space, obsessed by the time that was running out.
“Well, well, I have lots of space in the front…” she commented out loud, swerving.
“I’ve been careful not to scratch the car with the wall on the left side… just a little reverse to be perfectly right and..”
TUMP!!!

“Well done, Buffy, when the hell will you learn that the rear-view mirror is not just a doodad to make up and arrange hair? Oh, God! No, please, tell me it was just a fly.. right, a 100 kg iron fly! Who am I kidding? I’m dead!” she gasped, startling due to both the harsh impact and the scare.
But she hadn’t time to despair then, so she locked the car and she rushed towards the Dry-cleaner ‘s shop.

< First thing first: now I gotta get that dress absolutely; then I’ll think about the crash with that big black car… Uhmm.. big black car? No, NOT now, Buffy, think about it LATER! And most of all… there are thousands big black cars in the world!> she said to herself, as after a breath-taking run, she pushed the door of the shop, picking the dress up just before the closing time.

After laying it on the back seat, being careful not to crumple it, Buffy took a deep breath and she went to inspect the back of the jeep.
She was very relieved to find out that her mother’s car showed just a few traces, only some little scratches.

< Alright! Just a bit of spray-paint… and maybe she’ll never notice it! And now, let’s see if the other car had the same luck…>

When she looked at the other car, she felt a long cold shiver run from her feet to the roots of her hair.

TBC
 

PART 2
( It refers to ‘ Lover’s walk ‘ and ‘ Fool for love ‘ )

< C’mon, Buffy, how many black ( swallowing) De- Desoto cars with ( another swallow) windows, darkened … by black paint.. do you know?> she said to herself, alarming when she noticed the huge dent she had done under the right headlight.

To confirm her suspicious about who was the owner of the car, Buffy took a look around, discovering that nearby there was also a cigarette case and a liquor store.
She hadn’t any doubts anymore.

< I’ve dented nonetheless Spike’s car! Now, I’m officially, seriously, inevitably, * really * dead! >

She hadn’t time enough to decide what to do ( most of all, in which country to refuge and which new identity to assume!), because the direct interested popped out just from the liquor store, catching immediately sight of the Slayer who instinctively had come back to the bonnet of her car, preparing herself to the worse.
She was lucky, because instead of reaching his car, he went towards her.
“Scchlayyerrrr! So, haven’t anyone killed ya yeeet? Weeell, that’s bettterrr: it’s still a job that Iiiiii caaan dooo!” he exclaimed with a sneer, approaching and gulping down one of the two bottles of scotch he held, the one he had recently opened, emptying half content.

< Just look at your car and you’ll do that job in a heartbeat!> she thought worried, but she didn’t let him know it.

“Spike! What the flaming hell are you doing here?” she snapped, forgetting for a moment the situation she was in.
He stopped drinking, bursting out laughing madly.
“Confessh: did ya two agreeeee? ‘ Cause theeese arrrrre the sssame wordsh Druuu told meee, when Iiiiii came baaack to heerrrrrr ..” he slurred, resuming drinking.
“So, I guess your dumb theory ‘ I love you, so I torture you ‘ didn’t work!” she derided him.

< Very smart, Buffy: you have almost destroyed a very dangerous strong vamp’s car, he’s scary drunk and you * are making fun * of his sentimental situation? Well, I must have a death wish!>

But it was stronger than her… that vampire always managed to annoy her in a incredible way!
“I’ve tried to be rude with my Princessh, to hurt heerrrrrr a lot, beating and punching heerrrrrr, to talk to heerrrrrr roughly… jusssst like every lover does with hisss beloved… But it waaash uselessh, she kept blathering the sssame bloooody meaningless things, and sheeeee carried on and on and on…” he said, emptying the bottle at all and smashing it on the wall.
He brought both of his hands to his temples, lolling his head and half closing his eyes.
“Baby doesn’t loooove heerrrrrr Mooommy anymoooore. My pooor Spikeeeyyy, by then ya’re sooo full
light… and light buurns.. and I won’t let ya buurn meee…” he exclaimed with a strident voice.

Buffy made a huge effort not to burst out laughing. She knew it was the desperation and not his usual sense of humor to dominate in Spike then, but she had to admit that, maybe due to the high alcoholic level in his organism, but … he managed to imitate Drusilla perfectly, so good that she couldn’t understand the meaning of those words and that hermetic language, but probably neither did Spike.
As he carried on blathering, he had closed his eyes to concentrate better.
“I have to fiiind my pleasurrre, Spiiiiiiiiike, ya taassste like asheees, ya can’t blaaaame the ghoul, Spiiiiiiiiike, ya’re all cooovered… I look at ya… all I see is..”
He opened them, stopping all of a sudden.

< Bloooody idiot! Ya and your bloooody mouth: shut uuup, for your own saaake!>

TBC
 

PART 3

Buffy stared intently at him, wondering why he had stopped himself.
But Spike was shrewder than her, managing to change the subject before she dared to ask some compromising questions.
“What ‘bout ya, Buffy?” he exclaimed, dragging out a packet of cigarette from the pocket of his shirt, and a lighter from the others.
He didn’t notice her startling.

< Since when does he know my name… and since when do I care about what he calls me? Alright, here we go with the shivers again, it’s just the * cold * wind, blowing in a * very cold * night * in the middle of July * ! > she thought, unaware that she had stepped closer to Spike to observe how he lightened that cigarette.

“Are ya and your bloooody preciooous- boooring- lacking-in-seeeense- of –humooorrrr- souuulmaaate stiiill together? Or maybe nooow issh he your ssssoulessmate again? It depends on the faaaact if ya decided toooo weeelcooome him not only wiiith ooopen arrmsss… but alsooo * ooopen leeegss *!” he commented with a smirk, dragging and blowing the smoke on her face, on purpose, making her cough.
“ Shut up, you stupid smoke-addicted- drunk pig! You don’t know anything about Angel and me, and it’s none of your business! Hearing you whining about your ridiculous sentimental life, if I can even call it that, doesn’t give you the right to find out something about mine!” she snapped coldly, being overwhelmed by her temper once again.
“Hey, hey, caaalm down, peeeet!” he answered back, with the cigarette dangling in his mouth and the bottle in his hand, holding his arms up as a sign of surrender.
“ Iiiiii don’t care, anywaaaay! Ya know what? Iiiiii ‘d better go nooow …” he said, opening the second bottle and starting to gulp down the liquor as he moved away from the bonnet he was leaning on.

“Yeah, brilliant idea, so… NO! Wait!” she wavered, grabbing him by an arm, remembering that the length of her life was related to the time she managed to keep him far away from his car.
But the vampire, maybe insulted by her previous sharp reaction, carried on approaching to his car, step by step.
“ There’s still sooo damn much two old mortal enemies such as us have to talk about…” Buffy kept talking, placing herself in front of him, preventing him from going on.
“Hey, Scchlayyerrrr, what’s the maaaatterrr with ya? Why all of a sudden..”
He didn’t manage to end his sentence, because of the shock of the vision that made him slip the bottle that crashed on the ground, spilling the few amount of liquor inside it.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODYY HEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! My car, my beloved car!” he yelled, vamping out due to his rage.
“SHHHLAYYERRRR!!!” he roared and she could see the fire in his glowing golden eyes.
“C’mon… don’t jump to conclusions… I didn’t do it intentionally …” she justified, backing up prudently, cursing herself for not taking stakes with her, taking a look around searching for any piece of wood, but she didn’t manage to find any.
“Intentionally orrr not… ya bloooody * did it *, sssooo… ya’re SSSOOO DEAD!” he growled, lunging at her, but she managed to dodge in time, making him fall to the ground with a thump, but before she could run away, he grabbed her by the ankle, dragging her to the ground with him.
He crawled over her, immobilizing her with his weight.
Although she was terrified, she didn’t give him the satisfaction of letting him know, she didn’t even let out the tiniest noise.
“Sssooo, Scchlayyerrrr, it’s beeeen bloooody good…. But all the good thiiiings… musssst end!” the vampire warned her, opening his mouth and showing her his fangs.

TBC

PART 4 (It refers to ‘ Lover’s walk ‘)

Spike bent on her… but he fell asleep senseless, overwhelmed by the alcohol.
“I’d never thought I’d say this someday, but.. God bless scotch!” Buffy exclaimed in a whisper, pushing Spike off of her and turning him with his back on the ground, without any chance of him waking up.

< Well, I guess now I’ll come back and…> she thought getting up, but she stared at the senseless vampire. Although he still wore his game-face, that vision touched her.

< After all, he’s like that just because he is in pain for love… and you’re a member of the same club… on the other hand, he’s always a vampire, a bad vampire who tried to kill you countless times, the last one just about two minutes ago… he deserves that, I should kill him…>

Another gaze, more guilty and compassion.

< I’ll do things that way: I won’t kill him, God only knows why, I’ll go and leave him alone. Maybe he’ll recover and escape before sunrise…>

Another glimpse at the bleached blond, a more detailed one, with consequent pangs to her stomach.

< Oh, damn it! Hello heart? Where are you? Not even my worst enemy deserves that!> she said resolutely to herself, lifting him up by an arm and putting it on her shoulders to place him inside his car.

After that, she took the towline in the jeep’s trunk, and she attached it to the less lucky car.
She stopped nearby Revello Drive, unhooked the towline and parked her mother’s car.
She got inside the house, giving her mom the dress as quickly as she could, found an excuse to leave again and she went away, not before taking something fundamental from her room.

Relieved that Joyce hadn’t checked out the jeep, Buffy sprayed the metallic paint on the car, noticing joyfully that the scratches were completely hidden.

< Eh, eh: the perfect crime! > she thought satisfied.

She came back where she had parked the Desoto and its owner inside who hadn’t recovered yet.

< And now? Still wonder what the hell made me help him! I should take him to the warehouse before sunrise..>

Then, she noticed the car key that popped out of Spike’s shirt pocket.

< … or better, I should * drive * him there! After all, when will I ever get a chance like this again? >

An evil smile crossed her face, as she snatched the keys from the pocket with extreme caution.

“Desoto, now you’re mine!” she exclaimed, inserting the keys in the proper fissure, turning them on and setting the precious vehicle in motion.

She remembered perfectly where the old warehouse was. After all, the last time she went there was when Spike had come back, creating trouble as always.

< And it’s also the time he opened my eyes about Angel. Angel.. how could I fool myself so bad? Spike was right: he and I will never be friends… but I wonder why he said we would fight… Angel and I have never fought, maybe he meant Angelus…>

She stopped thinking about that as she arrived.
She was a little upset due to the fact the travel had been too short.
She was growing fond of that car, she would drive it endlessly.
She heard some noises coming from the inside of the building, and she realized someone was there.

Buffy got off the car and she headed towards the warehouse: there were just three vampires, and it took only a glance from her to realize they were fledglings.
“I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, but the master of this mansion is back, so you three gotta leave, now!” she informed them, getting calmly into the building.
The vampires were quiet, also, too much so: maybe they were ignorant to what a Slayer was and they thought they were dealing with an easy snack. In fact, one of them approached her, laughing.
“I don’t have the slightest idea of what you’re talking about, little girl, but we’re not going anywhere…”
“.. and neither do you!” his fellows ended up that sentence, reaching him.
“Ok, I understand perfectly.. “ she exclaimed, raising her hands as she was surrendering, but she put them inside the pocket of her sweatshirt.
“.. now, explain that to my stakes!” she said, dusting them in a heartbeat, without giving them any chances.

After the unpleasant episode with Spike earlier, she had had the wise idea of bringing some stakes with her, before going to the warehouse.

TBC
 

PART 5
(It refers to these episodes: from ‘What’s my line pt2’ to ‘The beginning pt2’)

Buffy headed towards the car, dragging Spike out of it.

< Lucky for me, he’s still unconscious… what if he had seen me while I was dusting those dumb fledglings to make the house free for him? I’m still wondering why I did this favor to him!> she thought, as she brought him inside the warehouse.

She laid him on the bed, then she took a little bottle of water out from her rucksack, which she opened, flinging the whole content over his face, getting what she wanted.
“What the fu…” Spike snapped, waking up startled.
“I haven’t the whole night, and I need you to be awake for what I’m gonna say…” she explained, as he rubbed his face and squeezed his hair, bothered due to the water that was taking away his hair-gel.
“You have time ‘till sunrise to sober up and leave town…” she announced, smiling when she noticed his rebel curls, as he took a look around, recognizing the place she had brought him to.
“It’s the old warehouse! Just how…”
Suddenly, realization hit him.
“Just tell me you didn’t dare to put your claws on my car…” he exclaimed, but not matter all his efforts to get up, he was just too dizzy.
“Calm down, Spike: yes, I drove your car, but I didn’t damage it this time..” she reassured him.
“By the way, tell me about the crash, how did it happen?” he asked, sitting up laboriously.
“Well, I was just trying to park my car, but while I was doing the reverse… I accidentally hit yours and didn’t know what to do..”
“Oh, my poor baby! It must be terrible…” he commented, concerned.
“Well, it wasn’t so tragic after all, I’ve faced worse things… Anyway, I don’t like all this sudden confidence with me from you…” she answered, a little bit puzzled, leaning against the wall, far away from the bed.
“Look, I was talking about * my car* !” he explained coldly, even if at the very end he was amused by her misunderstanding and now she was embarrassed as ever.
“Oh! The car! Of course, sure…” she repeated, shaking her head.

“Just tell me, Slayer: how can it be that I’m not on the asphalt unconscious, waiting for the sun to burn me?” he wondered.
“Let’s just say that I felt guilty, couldn’t leave you like that!” she admitted, staring at the floor.
“What? * You* feeling * guilty* over me?!”
“It seems so…” she answered, without taking her eyes off of the floor.
“ You didn’t feel guilty when you threw the whole bloody organ on me, and now you feel guilty about my car?”
“ First: about the organ episode, you were looking for trouble that day, and trouble is what you found! Anyway, I didn’t do it on purpose, and I bet it wasn’t pleasant!”
“ Yeah, bloody true!” he grumbled, thinking back to those days he had spent on a wheelchair, as Angelus stole Drusilla right in front of him; sure, when that sadistic pervert wasn’t too busy trying to turn the Slayer’s life into a hell.
After all, that hadn’t been a good period for her either.
At least, they sympathized in that, and maybe that sympathy had brought them to their fateful truce.

TBC

PART 6

Buffy resumed talking, taking his mind off of his thoughts.
“There’s no reason to still hold it against me; you healed, after all. And believe me, I know what it feels like: many years ago, before becoming the Chosen One, I broke my arm, so I spent whole months – you know, there wasn’t any healing power back to those days, quite the contrary, I was way too fragile – with my arm in plaster, doing nothing all time long, and it was damn boring … Well, I don’t even know why I told you this story..” she commented.

“Well, it’s good to know that even the invincible Slayer has got her weakness ..” Spike exclaimed, chuckling.
“But I said it was before..”
“Pet, I’m not talking about your broken arm, I mean the way you’re acting now: far away from me, looking at the ground, feeling bloody awkward , so much that you keep talking whenever the silence falls between you and me, babbling about anything.. even your past! Being alone with me makes you uncomfortable, admit it, that’s your weakness!” he explained, calm as ever.
“You’re wrong! I’m not blathering about the first thing jumping in my mind to cover the silence between you and me…” she defended herself.

He looked at her in a daring way, being silent on purpose and gazing at his watch.
“Coming back to what I was saying before…” she exclaimed and he stopped her, chuckling as soon as she resumed her speech.
“My compliments, pet, you have held on for a whole twenty-three seconds!” he mocked her, clapping his hands.
“Grrr! Ok, you’re right, silence makes me nervous, happy now?” she snapped, approaching him on purpose, to show him that at least she didn’t fear being close to him.
“Where does all this sudden wisdom come from? Maybe from all the alcohol you’ve gulped down?” she struck back, sitting on the bed.

“Call it wisdom, call it drunken attitude, call it what-bloody-ever you want… but I’m sure you didn’t tell me all the truth. I know there’s something more than the guilty sense.. Why haven’t you killed me or let me die there?” he asked, as serious as ever.
“ Actually… I couldn’t. I mean, you’re William the Bloody, the dangerous killer of two Slayers, the ex-Master of this town, such a great vampire deserves a great death: lying drunk on a street due to a sentimental delusion is for losers!”
“You think I’m great?” he asked in disbelief.
“I can recognize a good opponent when I meet one, and believe me, you are one hell of opponent! Anyway, now don’t flatter yourself!” she added, getting up and reaching the exit.

“Where are you going now?” he asked, confused.
“I think it’s kinda clear: I let you sober up, so you can leave town as soon as possible!”
“I’m already perfectly sober now, so I guess I’ll go around creating some havoc…” he protested, getting up quickly.
He didn’t have time enough to say it, that he lost balance, but fortunately he fell on the bed again.
“Trust me, now the only havoc you can create is to attack the pillow and drink all its feathers!” she mocked him.
“Just think about resting, ok? Maybe one day we’ll meet again, so I can give you a death worthy of you!”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t be so sure about that: I would kill you so fast that you wouldn’t have even the time to say ‘Ha’!” he struck back, turning on the bed and falling asleep immediately after.
She smiled and left, deciding to let him have the last word, for once!

TBC
 

PART 7

The sudden ring of the alarm clock, which she had set very early that morning, startled Buffy who turned off the bothering object with a punch, as she tried to remember who and where she was, and then she headed towards the bathroom.
About half an hour later, revitalized by the cold shower, Buffy headed downstairs, as she still was taking on her T-shirt.
She went into the kitchen, where she found Joyce.

“Still here? Ok, I mean, that sounded a little rude; good morning, mom, I thought you had already left…”
“It’s just a matter of minutes, Buffy, the taxi is on its way. Anyway, what are you doing already up at this time, you, Miss Don’t-Wake-Me-Up-Before-Midday-When-I’m-On-Holiday ?” her mother struck back, as she checked out her baggage for the last time.
“Well, it’s such a beautiful day… and I don’t feel much like wasting all this sunny morning sleeping lazily…” the blonde justified, as she was making some pancakes.
“I don’t know why, but I don’t believe you… After all, you are Mystery Girl, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you were hiding something from me..” Joyce inquired.
“Mommy, it’s nothing, I just feel like taking a walk…I’m not hiding anything…” Buffy tried to reassure her, judging herself a terrible liar.

At the very end, there was a little bit of truth in that sentence: she was really planning to take a walk… to a certain old abandoned warehouse…
“Sure, as you didn’t hide the scratches at the back of my car!” Joyce retorted, crossing her arms.
Buffy choked with her pancake.
“Well, I didn’t want you to worry about that, it was just a little crash, nothing serious…”
“Little or big, a crash is always something serious! You should have let me know it immediately! Well, thank your lucky star that I’m leaving now, but when I’m back I’ll sort you out, Missy!” she summoned her, leaving and shutting the door very hard, reaching the taxi that had just arrived to take her to the airport.

“It was kind of sour as a goodbye… and I’ll also get a scolding, and maybe a punishment, perfect!” Buffy said to herself ironically, as she looked from the window how the taxi went further and further away.
“Well, I’ll think about it when it’s the moment, now I’ve got a mission!” she muttered, putting on her shoes and leaving.

< I wonder why I’m this rushed to verify if he left… He surely has, and now he must be far away from this town… so I can go back to my life… as empty as it is…> Buffy thought as she crossed the road leading to the warehouse.

< I bet this long walk is perfectly useless. There will be nothing and no one..>

She hadn’t even finished saying it, when her heart leapt (and she wondered why) as she saw the DeSoto, parked in the same bad way she had parked it the night before.

< This can only mean that… Well, honestly, I don’t know if I’m surprised for the discovery, mad at him ‘cause he didn’t keep his word and obeyed… or comforted for not being alone in this town, deserted as ever now that everyone is on holiday… Well, he’s not the best of the companies, of course, but.. Alright, now I’m lying even to myself! Bad Buffy, you can’t be… happy about it! He’s not a friend to spend the summer with, he’s a mortal enemy!> she said resolutely to herself, and then she rushed into the warehouse, decided to be overwhelmed by rage.

“Hey, when I said that we could have met again someday, I didn’t mean THAT SOON! What the flaming hell are you doing still here? May I talk Double Dutch?” she snapped, dragging him out of the bed roughly.
“Actually, you talk *too bloody loud *! Please, have a bit of mercy for a poor little vamp in the middle of the scariest hang-over of his un-life!” Spike said with a faint, voice, barely opening his eyes and coming back to bed immediately, massaging his temples.

Buffy looked at him astonished and speechless.
“Could you possibly quit this bloody racket?” he snapped, burying his head under the pillow.
“Spike, I’m just breathing!” she justified in a whisper, stunned.
“Well, don’t do it so loud!” he retorted.
“Bloody alcohol and bloodier its inventor!” he grumbled, turning nervously on the bed.
“Do you need an aspirin?” she asked in a whisper once again, opening her rucksack.
“I’m afraid it wouldn’t be enough to gulp down the whole packet!” he struck back.
“If a soft breath annoys you so bad, I guess what it would be for you to drive in the middle of the traffic in the highway..” she commented ironically.
“Yeah, sorry if I’m not keeping my word, but I’m going no-bloody-where, not now! So, if you don’t agree… you’re free to stake me, maybe that way this bloody headache will fade away.. with me!”
“I’ve already told you: there’s no way I’d dust you like that, I’m a fair opponent after all, call it respect for the enemy!” Buffy said, reaching to the exit.
“I’ll be back tonight, hope to see you in all your glory!” she added sarcastically, waving her hand at him.

When he was sure she was far away, Spike jumped off the bed, laughing.
“I’m a bloody amazing actor!” he said to himself, pleased.
“Go back home, Slayer… when you’re back tonight, I’ll know how to welcome you…” he muttered with the most sinister of sneers.

TBC
 

PART 8

< I don’t know how much that vampire can hold his alcohol, but I imagine he must have sobered up by now! Maybe.. he didn’t even wait for me and is already on his way… Ok, Buffy: now try to say it again with a little less sadness! > the Slayer chastised herself as she parked the Jeep next to the warehouse, getting off the vehicle and heading towards the entrance.

“Scchlayyerrrr! C’mon, get in, Iii waaash waiting for ya..” Spike welcomed her, running into her with a bottle of vodka in his hand, dragging her inside by an arm.
Buffy was blind with rage and she roughly freed herself from his grip.
“I can’t believe it, you are drinking again! Are you nuts? Just this morning you cursed alcohol and its inventors!” she snapped, trying to snatch the bottle from him.
“Yeah, but then the night fell down, I felt miserable … aaand this issh the answeeer.. “ he slurred, raising the bottle to prevent her from taking it.
“You’re helpless. I’ve had enough patience, but now I don’t care anymore: you gotta..”
“Driiink wiiith meee..” he invited her, ignoring her words.
“What?” she said astonished, staring at the bottle.
“Ya heard me. Something tells meee ya’re not happier than meee… I’m just thiiinking about.. Look, if ya thiiiink your life issh perfect the way it issh, and ya miss nothing and ya’re happy.. ya’re freeee to leave nooow ..”
And that was what Buffy did.

He was going to curse, but she saw her coming back.
“I just went to lock my car… I thought I would be here for no more than five minutes, instead I’m afraid it will be a very long night..” she explained, sitting on the ground, as he gave her a glass, happy to have her as a drinking mate.
“I’ve just bought it frooom a store nearby, it’s stiiill fresh!” he informed her, showing the bottle, adding another one, still of vodka.

“Yummy.. mint and lemon … my fave flavors.. how did you know it?” she wondered, playing with the glass.
“Maybe, because they are my fave ones, too!” he explained, sitting next to her.
“ Honestly, my real faaave flavor issh another one.. but thee shop-boy looked at me as I waaash fool when Iii asked him if there waaash a blood flavorrred vodka… “ he added, making Buffy laugh.

“Hey, don’t you know I’m not even old enough to drink?” she teased him, stretching the glass towards the bottle of lemon flavored vodka.
“Ya’re right, sooo maybe ya’d rather have a coke or an orange juiiice..” he struck back, pretending to go look for them.
But she made him sit again, pulling him by his shirt.
“Shut up.. and POUR!”
“As my Mistress wishes!” he said ironically, opening the bottle and pouring the liquid into her glass, as he filled his with mint flavored vodka, the one he had already opened, emptying a quarter of the bottle.
“Mm.. so good, so icy!” Buffy murmured, gulping it down in one shot.
Spike smiled.
“Hey pet, easy or ya’ll end up drunk after the first glass!”
“Naaah, I think I can hold my alcohol much beeetter than ya…” she struck back, without even noticing she was already slurring.
“Sure, pet, sure!” he muttered, filling her glass, without even waiting for her to ask.

TBC
 

PART 9 ( It refers to the whole season 3 )

“C’mon, update me a bit ‘bout this wonderful town of Sunnyhell! Any news during my absence?”

Buffy and Spike chatted for hours about all the events that had created havoc in town, from Buffy’s short escape with following change of identity, to the Apocalypse involving the Mayor’s ascension.
It was Buffy who did the most of the talk, drunker and drunker…
She started and cheered excessively every time she remembered some curious episode.

“I told ya ‘bout the other Scchlayyerrrr, the rebel one, the Council had captured heerrrrrr, but sheeeee escaped… Oh! I haven’t’ yeeet told ya there waaash a neew Waatcherrr, too; but he’s suuuch a perfect idiot!” Buffy told him, pausing to drink, without noticing that he hadn’t filled his glass since the first one.
In fact, Spike confined himself just to listen to her, with a live (although he was anything but live!) interest.

“Ya’ll be wondering: why a neew Waatcherrr? ‘ Cause Giles is no looonger my Waatcherrr. Ya know why? For my 18th birthday he drugged me, making me looose all my powerrrs, and making me faaaace a huuuge vamp… What a nice way to celebrate eighteen yearrsh old!” she commented sarcastically, pulling the bottle of mint flavored, pouring it into her glass.
“Whaaat? He really do it? Why? Waaash he planning to kill ya?” he wondered confused.
“ Wooorse! It’s the typicaaal test every Scchlayyerrrr ’s gotta faaaace when she turns eighteen … if she manages to be that ooooold! Anyway, at the eend Giles changeeed his mind, helping meee, so when the Council found ooouut…” she explained.

“I can imagine… nothing else?”
“Uhmm.. yeah! There waaash a Vamp-Willoooww, from another dimension and sheeeee waaash determined to tuuurn half Sunnydale .. ‘cause sheeeee didn’t feel hooome, poor giiirl; inshhtead, the truue Willoooww issh a witch that’s getting stronger day by day… that’s why sheeeee almost went to the stake when theeere waaash the Inquisition here for a day… Oh! Theeere ’s more: I was able to read people’s miiinds for a while, buuut then I waaash gonna be crazy.. buuut Angel saved meee..”

Spike snorted and rolled his eyes hearing that name, but he smiled when Buffy shook her glass to make him fill it.
“Ya know, I used that power to tryyy to read his miiind, buuut with ya vamps it issh not possible … I wanted to fiind out if he had felt something foor Faiith, the rebel Scchlayyerrrr, when he pretended to bee sooullessh again and joined forces with heerrrrrr and the Mayor in order too discover their plans..”
“Peaches, double crossing?! I caan’t believe it!” Spike exclaimed, shaking his head.
“Yeah, and he waaash kinda good, belieeeve me!”

“Anywaaaay, I waaash thinking, here ya are, the Goood Scchlayyerrrr full of principles… spending the night with Baaad Vamps… Why aren’t ya with your bloody scooby gang?” he wondered, filling her umpteenth glass.. with extreme attention.

“Ah, my friends… if I can call them so! They are on holidaay on theirrr own: Will with Ooz, and Xaan has decided he caan’t live withooout Cordelia, so he left searching for heerrrrrr to start it all overrr again! Mooommy doesn’t even know the meaning ooof the wooord ‘holidaay’ and she issh away working, and Giles alwaaysh comes baaack to his beloveeed London whenever he gets a bunch of freeee time” she explained.
“Ya can’t blame him, Loondon is something magic …” he commented melancholically.
“Ya know what? I saved the world once more, so whooo cares if Buuufffyy issh heartbroken since Angel left? Quite theeee contrary, I knooow they are all happy ‘bout it, they all expected nooothing but thaaat!” she complained, tracing the edge of the glass with a finger, but without drinking.

“Theeee Poof left?!” he repeated with a clear excitement, as he noticed satisfied that Buffy had brought the glass to her lips, drinking half content.
“Yeeeaahh, he saaaid that Iii couldn’t live like that, that Iii had too fiiind a normal guy to live a normal liiife, and ya can’t dare to tell him anything , caaause maybe ya don’t knooow, but heee has a degree in Buffyology: heee * does* knooow meee, bettterrr than myself, ya know?” she said, sarcastically.
“I bet I know ya bettterrr than everyone, I knooow what ya really need, ‘cause it’s the same thing I need…” he said, as she watched him puzzled.

“Both of us need to pull the plug out… Slayer, why don’t we take a break and leave for a while? Just you and me, far away from this town and all the bad memories… no Vampire and no Slayer, just two people having their more than deserved holiday… what do you say?” he suggested, tilting his head to one side to look better into her eyes.
“Iii just saaay that ya’re a fool and ya’re delirious! There issh no damn waaaay of meee and ya spending time tooogether…” she protested.
“I’m sure there is , for three simple reasons, pet…” Spike informed her, getting up and turning around her slowly, as a predator with his prey.
“Number one: you know you want it..” he said with a deep voice, extremely sensual.
Buffy confined herself to watch him, without saying anything.
“Number two: I’m not drunk, I was just pretending…” he confessed with a smirk.
“What..” she exclaimed, but he prevented her from talking.
“And number three: you didn’t even notice that I drugged your last glass with a powerful sleeping potion, so you should fall asleep..”
“Ya what?! Ya, dam..” she struck back, trying to get up to leave, but before she could do it her eyelids became heavy and she fell to the ground, deeply asleep.
“… now!” he ended up his sentence with an evil sneer.

TBC

 

PART 10 ( It refers to ‘ Out of mind ‘)

Spike lifted her in his arms, approaching his DeSoto.
He took a strong rope from his trunk and he used it to tie the girl to the front seat, then he seated behind the wheel.
“Well, pet, make yourself comfortable ‘cause we are leaving for a nice road-trip!” he exclaimed, setting the car in motion and departing without even having a determined goal. The most important thing was to go as far away as possible from Sunnydale.
-------------------------------------------------------

He had been driving for hours, looking at Buffy every now and then to check on her.
She slept peacefully, grasping with a hand the part of the seat that the rope allowed her to reach.
Spike couldn’t help noticing how much she looked just like a fragile and defenseless girl at that moment.

< So, my Sire’s deputy, you left her, you sodding coward! You had her unconditioned love and you gave it up to protect your bloody soul! You are dumb; if I had been you I would have… Wait a moment! What the bloody hell am I saying? I couldn’t care less about her… that nasty little face, that bouncing shampoo- commercial hair, that whole sodding holier-than-thou attitude… I just can’t stand her! > he told himself convincingly, then he realized she was stirring.

In fact, at that precise moment Buffy popped her eyes open, immediately noticing the rope that was keeping her captive to the seat.
“You, damn pervert psychotic bastard double-crosser liar cheater!” she roared, waggling and watching him with fire in her eyes.
He returned her rage with the cockiest of smirks.
“Well, pet, I see that you don’t like leaving speeches half-done! Anyway, good morning to you, too, sunshine!” he struck back, as he took a better look at her.
“How can it be that you’re not complaining ‘bout a terrible hang-over? After all, you have drunk hell more than I did two days ago…” he commented astonished.
“It’s a Slayer advantage: all the alcohol I can take… without the day after headache!” she sang song with a smile of satisfaction.

“So, now what are you going to do with me? And where the hell are we going?” she snapped, trying to set herself free again.
“Exactly what I told you: we are leaving for a while… so shut up and enjoy this holiday!” he explained, without taking his eyes off the road.
“This is so not what I use to call a holiday: you fooled me, made me drunk and drugged me!” she struck back furiously.
“Yeah, but I haven’t used violence this time, hope you’ll appreciate that!” he justified.
“And what the hell do you call * these *?” she asked sarcastically, pointing with her eyes at the ropes that tied her.
“Don’t tell me these are the safety belts of your car!”
“Well, I’m not that stupid to let you free to kill me…” he justified.
“You abducted me!” she yelled.
“Easy with the big words! I’ve already told you we are just going to spend some time together far away from Sunnyhell.”
“I can’t understand why: you know that I violently dislike you!”
“Don’t worry, I hate you, too; but I hate spending my holiday alone more..” he explained, smiling and pulling over the car as soon as he could.

“Buffy, can you swear that you won’t try to escape if I set you free, now?” he asked her seriously.
And due to the fact he had used her real name once again, Buffy believed in his paradoxically good and innocent intentions.
“You know, I wouldn’t know where to go anyway, and even if I managed to go back to Sunnydale it wouldn’t be worth it: there’s no one left there, so I’d just better accept your proposal and enjoy this odd Summer… In a few words, you’re free to free me, I swear I won’t try anything funny, most of all ‘cause now I’m curious to find out what you’re planning!” she admitted, as he began loosening her ropes.

Once she was free, after stretching for a while, she punched him hard in his nose, making it bleed.
“ Ouch! Bloody Hell, Slayer! You had promised … why did you do that for?” he grumbled, covering his nose in pain with both of his hands.
“ Well, * never* take your number one mortal enemy’s word too seriously ! Besides, you just deserved it! Now, I feel better, so we can go on with this crazy holiday-thing!” she assured him with an innocent smile, as he set the car in motion again.

TBC

 

PART 11 ( It refers to ‘Anne‘, ‘The wish’ and ‘Nightmares’ )

“You know, it’s just perfect, you don’t even have to bother yourself letting the others know where you are, you said they all are away on their own..” Spike commented, starting the car.
“.. maybe your mother would come back before you do.. and notice that her car is missing.. but that’s not a problem for me: she will just think you have run away from home .. after all it wouldn’t be the first time, would it, * Anne*? “ he said as he called her on purpose with the name she used when she had run away from Sunnydale.
Buffy watched him astonished, most of all due to the fact that if he had called her that way it only meant one thing: he had really listened to everything she had told him the night before, he had really cared about her adventures; that was what really astonished her.

“You told me such funny things… I’m still thinking ‘bout the vampire version of the Red, it must have been lots of fun…” Spike chuckled amused, imagining that shy girl devoted to study creating havoc through the streets of Sunnydale.
“Well, believe me, you didn’t miss on anything special… it wasn’t such a big fun after all..” she grumbled.
Maybe was she jealous ‘cause the blond wasn’t paying attention to her anymore?
“Anyway, don’t you know that I’ve been a vampire, too?” Buffy wondered, pretending not to care too much about revealing it.

His only answer, Spike’s eyes went wide, and he turned to look at her, losing the control of the wheel.
The car skidded and ended in the lane against traffic, as a lorry was about to run into them at high speed.
But the vampire was very skilled, he regained the control of the wheel and put the car into the right lane immediately, not without receiving a strong hoot from the other driver they almost collided.

Spike stopped at the first footpath they found, with a screeching halt.
Due to the scare, Buffy was even paler than Spike!

“Ok, note to myself: never ever tell you such big news when you’re driving!” she exclaimed, putting a hand to her heart that still beat madly.
“I bloody agree, Slayer!” he commented as shocked as her.

“Anyway, you haven’t’ explained that story to me yet!” he added, tilting his head to one side.
“Right. Well, there was a kid with the power to make everyone’s worst nightmare come true; so… try to guess what mine was!” she explained.
“So, what? One fine day you woke up in your bed as a vamp?” he asked very interested.
“Are you kidding? I’ve crossed every phase of the damn process: turned by the Master, I guess at least, stuck in a coffin, digging my way out to arise from the ground, already in full game-face…”
“Fascinating! I would have given anything to see you like that! And tell me: were you a soulless or soulful vampy? And honestly… was it so horrible?”
“Actually, I can’t say if I was totally soulful or not, ‘cause when I awoke I was kinda hungry, my friends were there, scared as ever, and.. if I hadn’t found immediately the enemy I have to kill in order to break the spell.. well, I’m afraid I could have attacked them..” she figured out, worried.
His only answer, Spike chuckled.

“You know… I wouldn’t say it was so horrible after all.. I just felt .. different! Anyway, I can’t tell you properly: I‘ve been a vamp just for a night…”
“Well, pet, if you wanna repeat that experience for a longer period… let’s say forever..” he smiled, vamping out.
“.. just ask! My fangs and I are at your whole disposal!”
“Uh! Thanks for the gentle offer… but you know, I like myself better.. *alive *!” she answered, kind of amused by the absurdity of their speech.
He melted away his demonic visage immediately after.
“Suit yourself!” he snorted, setting the car in motion.
--------------------------------------------------

“If my memory serves me right … there’s a very nice hotel nearby, you know?” he exclaimed, turning at a junction.
From the darkened window Buffy admired the few she managed to see, but that was enough to make her understand they were in a seaside resort nonetheless, with wide beaches and lots of people on the promenade.
“Do you mean that* you* have already been * there*?” she wondered puzzled: a vampire going to the beach instead of hiding in a comfy grey and dark graveyard?
But there was another question she was dying to ask, without figuring out why.
“… with Dru?” she added with a faint voice.

Spike was startled hearing that name. It was like a stab to his stomach, no, it was even more painful!
“No. my Princess doesn’t love sunny places, full of funny people..” he murmured.
“And you do? If I’m not wrong… sun and vampires don’t get along very well!” she commented sarcastic.
“Yeah, but don’t you know that sunny places are even more amazing at night?” he smiled at her, shifting down.
“And contrary to what you think… I happen to like people… when I’m not too busy eating them!” he sneered.
“Anyway, if you wanna know so bad, I came here perfectly alone… then I created some minions, just to have some company… told you I don’t like my holiday in solitude..” he explained, turning off the car.

TBC
 

PART 12

“We are here!” Spike informed her, locking the car doors.
“Just relax and take a nap, pet. We won’t get out before sundown!” he murmured, stretching, reclining his seat and closing his eyes.
“What? I’m not gonna be stuck here! I wanna go taking a walk outside!” Buffy protested.
“No, thanks, I don’t fancy myself a s a pile of ashes..” he answered sarcastically, without opening his eyes.
“It’s not right, I bet you’re tired after all the driving.. but I’ve slept all the damn night long, and even further: I’m more than awake.. and I’m getting bored here!”
Spike opened his eyes, staring at her and wondering which difference there was between the most spoiled little girl and her… without finding any!

“Be a good little girl, shut up and behave… and good old Spikey will reward you…” he murmured, glancing slyly at her.
“Pervert pig! Don’t even dare to think that I..” she started to lash out at him, but he chuckled, closing her mouth with a hand, putting the others into his pocket.
“I was just thinking about *this*!” he informed her, waving in front of her eyes the car key.
Buffy felt a complete idiot for the second time in three days.
“If you let me rest and stay here being good, I swear that tonight I’ll let you drive my car for a while… I know how much you like it, who wouldn’t do?”

“Really? You are not kidding? Will you really lend me your car?” she asked enthused as ever.
“Sure, with my supervision, of course… and you’ll need it a lot!” he commented, laying on his seat again.
“You know, on second thought.. I don’t feel like taking that walk very much..” she exclaimed, allowing him to sleep.
“Anyway, I’m flattered to be in your dirtiest thoughts, pet!” he smirked, but before she could strike back he had already fallen deeply asleep.. with that satisfied smirk on his face.
After all.. Buffy was too embarrassed to strike back!

---------------------------------------------------------

Spike awoke, feeling her eyes on him for a while.
That meant just one thing: Buffy had stayed there, and he met her eyes, but only for a second, because the girl turned her head immediately.
“About time, too! Hey, Sleeping Beauty, it’s been already sundown for a while !” she informed him.
“Since only vampires can feel sundown approaching and you are not a vamp, how the hell can you tell ?” he questioned her, puzzled.
“I’ve just pulled down the window half an hour ago, and..” Buffy explained, but she stopped herself at half sentence, realizing that she had talked too much.
“You what? Bloody Hell, Slayer! What if the sun was still shining in the sky?” he snapped.
“Uff! You would have just burnt a bit… anyway, it was dark, so get out and don’t make a fuss!” she exhorted him, doing the same.

Buffy was astonished: she was sure they were going to stay at a dismal cheap motel; instead in front of her there was a very elegant four stars hotel, and it was huge, with view of the sea… and the sea, or better, the ocean, was something incredible.
“It’s a joke, isn’t it? Now that you showed me this Eight Wonder in the World, bring me to the hovel we’re really gonna stay…”
“*This* happens to be our hovel… Just after you, Milady..” he smiled, inviting her to go to the entrance.
Buffy obeyed excitedly, keeping on wondering if she was dreaming.

< Well, there’s Spike with me… number one reason why this can’t be a dream!> she said to herself, getting in the hall, staring stunned at every corner of the room.

She didn’t even notice the arm Spike had wrapped around her waist, going with her towards the Reception, where an old easy-going old man greeted them.
“Welcome to ‘Blue Moon’ Hotel, Sir and Milady, can I help you?” he smiled kindly to them.
“Well, we’d like to stay here for a while … although we didn’t book in advance…” Spike explained.
“You’re lucky, Sir: there are still some rooms free… By the way, would you like a double or two single ones?”
“Double!” Spike answered, but meantime Buffy recovered from the initial shock and she parted from Spike, exclaiming quickly: “Single!”.
The old man watched them puzzled.

TBC
 

PART 13

Spike laughed, holding her tight, and that confused Buffy, but she didn’t try to break free this time.

“Please, forgive my wife… we have traveled a lot, so maybe now she’s so tired she doesn’t even know what she says..” Spike explained, drawing out from his pocket what it seemed to be a wallet.
Buffy watched him puzzled, most of all due to how he had called her.

“See, honey? We found a room!” Spike smiled to her, caressing her hair.
She was too confused and let him do it.
“You know, my lady was afraid we wouldn’t find any rooms..” he kept talking, turning to the hotel’s clerk.
“Anyway, here’s my credit card to pay the account, plus my id..” he said, giving them to him, as Buffy kept on wondering how could anything that was happening make any sense at all.
.
“My wife’s documents are in my car, if you need them..” he warned him, ready to go out.
“There’s no need, Sir. I just needed yours!” the old man informed him, giving both the documents and the credit card back to Spike.
“ Alright, Sir and Madame, enjoy your stay, Room 215!” the man smiled, giving them the magnetic card.

( Author’s note: at this point you have surely realized that this is pure fantasy, since there’s no way you can find available rooms in peak season at an elegant Hotel, without booking in advance. And besides, they don’t ask for the documents of their clients, either; plus the rest, coming soon.. so please, suspend your disbelief..)

They were about to go, when Spike turned suddenly towards the clerk.
“Sorry, I almost forgot: my wife and I are kind of.. night-time people.. you know.. I was wondering if it was possible not to be disturbed during the day..”
“Sure, no problem: I’ll tell the maintenance employee to clean your room at night, when you are outside..” the receptionist assured him, as he had already taken a liking to the young couple whom he had labeled as two seasoned discothèque-addicted!

As soon as they got in the room, Buffy gave Spike the third degree, just after taking a look around, amazed.
“How did you dare to call me your wife? Why the hugging? Why that whole scene? Since when do you like expensive hotels and where did you get the money to pay for it? And most of all… WHY THE DOUBLE?” she said, without taking a breath, and then she sat on the comfy bed.

“I’ve got much money, but that’s not a good reason to pay for two rooms, that’s the why for the double. It’s easier to get a double room if we pretend to be a couple. Sure, I could pretend to be your brother, or cousin… but I hadn’t much time, had to think quickly… by then, the damage is done. Anyway, at least you don’t have to show your documents, as I seriously doubt you have brought them..” he explained.
“I may be a vampire, but I haven’t lost my taste for the nice things life has to offer, that’s why I like expensive hotels.. and about the money..”

“Did you steal it from all your victims?” Buffy accused him.
“Contrary to what you think.. I’m a killer, but I’m * not * a thief!” he declared proudly.
“Oooh! And that makes it all better!” she clapped her hands sarcastically.
“So, how?” she asked, curious.

“Just as every bloody human that pushes his luck and tries to get some money: instant lottery, hitting the jackpot.. and I’m kinda lucky!” he admitted.
Buffy burst out laughing.
“I can’t believe it, it’s too absurd! I can figure out the instant lottery… but you.. placing a bet on a lottery number!” and she ended up laughing hysterically again.
“Hey, there’s nothing funny in it!” he protested, feeling visibly insulted in his self-respect.

She calmed down.
“Does it mean (chuckling) Does it mean. * you * dream?”
He limited to nod.
“That’s odd! I was sure that vamps couldn’t dream. Angel never..”

“Here we go again with your bloody Mr. Soul, if you like your precious Angel so much, you’re free to run into his arms to let him break your heart again, ‘cause we’re just few miles away from L.A…”
Buffy watched him confused.

< He’s acting as .. he * cares * about me.. and.. he’s jealous?>

“Stop thinking about him! Look at me, am I thinking about my (pausing) Princess? No, I don’t talk ‘bout my (pausing again) beloved Sire, I don’t even miss my (grieving) beautiful Black Goddess ! See? I guess I totally forgot her!”
“Yeah, sure, ‘cause to carry on naming her, using three different ways to call her, really shows how damn much you forgot Dru!” she struck back, roughly.

< Now… why the hell am * I* acting as the jealous type? I don’t care, he’s free to run to that crazy ho again and let her play with his feelings as he was just one of her damn dolls!>

TBC
 

PART 14

“Ok, we are even!” Spike surrendered, drawing out his fake I.D. from his pocket.
“Here! Have a good laugh!” he said, throwing it to her.
As soon as she opened it, Buffy began chuckling.
“William * Winters* ?” she questioned him.
“Ok, I guess you inspired my fake surname a little bit, * Summers*!” he confessed.
She smiled, carrying on reading.
“Born in NY?”
“So, there’s not trouble with citizenship.” he explained.
“Very clever!”
“Yeah, anyway, nothing compares to my London!”
“Well,.. Dec 12 1970.. that makes you… 28 yrs old. Uhmm.. yeah, believable ..” she commented, glancing at him.
“Married… it makes sense..”

When Buffy read what his profession was, she rolled on the bed, laughing madly.
“Journalist!?!?!” *You*, a journalist?” and she resumed laughing.
“Hey, that’s enough! If you don’t give up immediately, I’m really gonna be a journalist, writing about crime news, reporting on a terrible mysterious death… yours!” he threatened her.
Her only answer, she threw the pillow to his face.
“Shut up, my * dear husband *!” she sneered haughty.
“Slayer, now it’s open warfare!” he struck back, paying her back with the same prank.

So, they began a pillow fight, chasing and throwing each other on the bed, giggling frantically.
After a lot of flying feathers, they surrendered exhausted.
It was unbelievable: since the day of their crash, Spike hadn’t got drunk anymore, and Buffy… well, she had never laughed so much!

“Spike, I’m starving. Can we call the room service?” Buffy proposed, taking the phone.
“Brilliant idea, pet: you take the dinner… I take the waiter, sounds good!” he sneered.
“Spike!”
“Just kidding, Slayer! Anyway, there must be a nice buffet downstairs. Why don’t we go there to eat something?” he suggested, hooking the phone, and the only short contact between their hands gave them a shake.
“Something.. or someone?” she mocked him.
“Pet, I swear I just wanna sink my teeth in a very .. rare steak!” he smiled.
“No human blood? After all, you haven’t fed for a while… not that I’m complaining..” she explained.
“Actually, the night before leaving, when you were unconscious … I fed so much that I could go on for a week without drinking a single drop of blood… and anyway, in an emergency there’s some blood in my car..” he explained, amused as he saw her grimacing into a more and more disgusted face.
“Eeeww! Well, my fault: I was the one asking. So, ready to go?”
“I thought I had made you lost your appetite after my explanation…”
“Nothing could do it!” she said, inviting him to follow her downstairs.

Buffy did justice to almost every dish of the buffet… and she found out that incredibly Spike liked food!
“So, now that we have eaten half hotel… metaphorically speaking, are you ready to leave?” he smiled, waving the car keys.
“Sure! Your DeSoto and I have a date!” she smiled back, snatching the keys from him.

“Remind me why I’m letting you do it?” he exclaimed, opening the car door, as she put herself behind the wheel.
He hadn’t forgotten the dent, of course!
“Just because you like a little thrill in your existence!” she explained, turning on the headlights, turning the key, moving gear-change and pushing the clutch.
“Look, pet, you’re in…”
“Shh! I’m the driver now, and I perfectly know what I’m doing!” she interrupted him, letting out the clutch gradually and stepping on the gas that made the car jump a little, then start laboriously, with an odd noise in the engine.
“What was that?” she asked perplexed as she left the lane.
“You know, usually a car acts like that… WHEN YOU LEAVE IN A BLOODY THIRD GEAR! That’s what I wanted to tell you, Miss I-perfectly-know-what-I’m-doing! ” Spike roared, between ironic and desperate, thinking about what would have happened if that was the beginning.
“Oops…” she smiled innocently, shifting in the right gear.
--------------------------------------------

“It was fun, wasn’t it?” a satisfied Buffy exclaimed, getting off the car, once they were back at the hotel after a little more than a hour of dare driving.
“Sure, save the no-admittance road you entered, the right of way you didn’t give, and the man on a bicycle you were about to knock down… Yeah, you drove bloody good. Forget to drive my poor car again, Slayer!” Spike snapped, as they came back to the Hotel.

TBC
 

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