Chapter Five

          While William apologized profusely and scrambled to pick up the ice cubes from the floor and the Watcher’s chair, Riley rolled his eyes and wondered how someone as athletic as Buffy could be related to someone so uncoordinated and clumsy.  He watched idly as the embarrassed young man gathered the ice cubes and carried them out to the kitchen.  When William returned with a fresh bowl minutes later, the other man had completely dismissed him and barely noticed when he sat down in the only vacant seat, next to Buffy.

          After some general conversation about Sunnydale, the town, and the University, Willow asked innocently, “How well do you know Professor Walsh, Riley?”

           He surprised everyone by saying quickly, “Well, hardly at all.  I mean I work for her, so obviously I know her, but not well.  No, not well.  I hardly see her outside of class.  No more than you do, probably.  Why do you ask?”

         His nervous, and clearly dishonest, response set off alarms bells for both the Watcher and Spike.  Their eyes met briefly, and in response to the Watcher’s raised eyebrow the vampire nodded briefly, indicating that the man’s increased breathing and heart rate indicated he was lying.  It occurred to Giles that having a vampire around to assist with integrations, especially surreptitious ones, could be a good thing.  He also reminded himself not to play poker with the blond vamp.

         (Did you catch that, pet?   The wanker is lying through his teeth.)

        (So it seems.)

        Spike frowned at the slight tone of regret in her voice.  (Was she starting to like the git? Had she forgotten what he was?)   He barely controlled his possessive growl as his demon reacted to the thought of his mate being interested in anyone else.  He forced the demon back down and made sure his jealous urge wasn’t projected to Buffy.

          (He is one of them, Slayer.  I recognize his scent.  He was definitely there the other night.)

           Buffy didn’t answer him, but she shifted around in her seat so as to be facing Riley and asked him with feigned indifference, “Why were you so curious about my martial arts training, Riley?  Are you interested in things like that?”

           Startled, he blurted out without thinking,  “Yes, I’m a bit of an expert myself.  I was the leading…” recovering himself, he quickly amended, “but you don’t want to hear about me, let’s talk about your training.  What have you studied?”

       (Staking 101, Advanced beheading, Demon pummeling, Save-the-World 203…)

         Spike smothered a laugh when Buffy punched him on the leg, then blushed when everyone looked at her curiously. 

        “Has William done something to anger you, Buffy?” her Watcher inquired with a warning glare.

         “Uh, no, no.  My hand fell asleep and I was just shaking it out.  It was an accident.”  She turned to Spike and rubbed his thigh gently,  “I’m sorry William, “ she said sweetly, “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

         The vampire hissed at the heat from her hand on his leg and shifted to hide his immediate reaction. 

        “No, that’s quite all right, love.  You just go back to your conversation about your barbaric hobby.”  He gave a shudder that caused Riley to roll his eyes again and everyone else, including Giles to have to hide smiles.  “Perhaps he’d like to, oh dear, what is that word? To train with you sometime.  What do you call it? Sparring?  Yes, perhaps he would spar with you.”  He bestowed a proud smile on Buffy and said to the astonished man, “Buffy is quite good, you know.  Amazing, actually.  If you like that sort of thing.”

        “Yes, I’m sure she is,” Riley said with a hard look at the embarrassed girl. 

         (I am soooo going to kill you)

       (You keep telling yourself  that, pet, and maybe you’ll come to believe it.)

         Deciding he wasn’t going to learn any more about Buffy from the very strange people she hung out with, Riley reached for her hand and turned to Xander and Anya.

       “I thought we’d finish our evening by spending some time in the Bronze.  Would you guys like to join us?” he addressed Xander and Anya, but turned to include Willow and William in his question.

        “Oh yes!”  Anya spoke up quickly.  “ Going to the Bronze.  Just the thing an average human couple would do on a weekend night.  We would do that.  We do things like go to the Bronze all the time!  We’re very normal that way.”

         Xander quickly grabbed his girlfriend and hustled her into the kitchen to explain why referring to themselves as an average HUMAN couple might not have been the best way to avoid suspicion about her ex demon status.

        Willow and Spike exchanged looks and he gave her a wink and a shrug as he said, “Well, if that’s acceptable to Ms Rosenberg, I might…that’s if Uncle Rupert doesn’t mind my running off on my first night in his home?”

          “Oh, please,” Giles said, “By all means, you…young people should go out and enjoy yourselves.  We have all day tomorrow to visit.”

          “Well, that’s settled then.  We’ll hit the Bronze for some music and liquid refreshment.”  Riley pulled Buffy to her feet and steered her toward the door.  “We’ll just go get my car and be right back.”

         “Uh, why don’t I wait here for you?” Buffy looked up at him appealingly and pointed to her very high-heeled shoes.

         “Oh, okay, sure.  I’ll be right back.”  He went out the door, pulling it quietly shut behind him.  Instead of heading for his car, he paused outside the door and looked around, spotting a window that was slightly ajar and moving closer to it.

         “So, Miss Rosenberg, you and I?  Are you sure you don’t mind?  I’m not really much of a club goer.  I much prefer to spend my time in the library…”  As he spoke, Spike was gesturing with his eyes and head toward the window and understanding slowly spread across everyone’s face. 

          Everyone except Xander who started, “Taking this a little too much to heart, aren’t you,  dea-“  He was mercifully cut off by Anya’s hand on his mouth.  When she was sure he was not going to continue, she removed her hand remarking, “I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.  Now you know how it feels, Xander.”

         (Spike?  Is he out there? Listening to us?)  The anger came through loud and clear and he had to smile.

         He just nodded and held his hand to his ear and cocked his head as though he was listening.  Again, Giles was reminding of the value of having vampiric enhancements when dealing with humans.

        “Well, he seems nice enough, Buffy.  Have long did you say you’ve been seeing him?”

         “This is our first actual, night-time date.  We usually meet for coffee or lunch.  He took me on a picnic last week,” she added brightly.  “That was fun.”

         “Rather a large fellow, isn’t he, pet?”  William put in with a roll of his eyes.

        “Yes, he’s very big and strong,” Buffy chirped, giving the vampire a glare.  “I like that in a man.”

No one but Buffy noticed the vampire’s eyes flash amber for a second and she stuck her tongue out at him.

          (That meant as an invitation, pet?)

         (Nope, just my way of dissing you.)  She took the sting out of her thought by smiling at him and was rewarded with a genuine, non-smirking smile in return.

Fortunately the other people in the room were all trying to maintain a conversation about the band at the Bronze, primarily for Riley’s benefit, and no one noticed the silent by play between Slayer and vampire.

            When Spike nodded his head and said, “Okay, he’s out of human earshot now – wait!” He stopped everyone and ran to the open window, leaning out to hear what Riley was saying and to whom.

            He turned around, looking much more like Spike wearing glasses than William at that moment.

            “The bloody wanker is talkin’ to someone about Buffy on a cell phone,” he snarled.  “Sayin’ he’ll take her to the Bronze and they can ‘observe’ her there.”

            “Dear lord!”  the Watcher frowned and took off his glasses.  “Perhaps you shouldn’t go Buffy.”

            “Relax, Giles. I’ll be fine.  So they ‘observe’ me – what are they gonna see?  Buffy dancing?  Buffy having fun?  Nothing demony or Slayerish.  And, anyway, I’ll have all my friends around.  What are they gonna do to me with four other people around?

           “Considering that the only one of those four that would be of much assistance in a struggle with someone Riley’s size is not able to harm humans, I would guess they could do whatever they wanted.”

            “We’ll be fine, Giles.  It’s not like they’re going to kidnap me from a public place for heaven’s sake.”

            She stuck her lower lip out in a pout that made Spike groan to himself.

           “And, anyway, I kicked their butts before and I can do it again.”

           “Yes, well, you had surprise on your side that time.  Just be sure you do not go anywhere by yourself.  Or allow Riley to get you alone.  And, please. Call me when you are safely home.”

           
          The sound of car horn beeping cheerfully outside ended the discussion and with a, “See you later, G-Man,” from Xander, they all walked out to get into the large SUV the commando was driving.  Before Riley could get out and come around to open the door for Buffy, William had already opened it and handed her into the large vehicle.  He closed the door with a wink at the astonished Slayer and squeezed into the back with the Scoobies.

          He never took his eyes off Riley on the drive to the club, only speaking when the big man went to put his arm across the back of the seat so that he could touch Buffy’s hair. 

          Swallowing his growl, William said in his most unassuming and worried voice, “Wouldn’t it be better to keep both hands on the wheel, Mr. Finn?  Just for safety’s sake?”

           “Don’t worry, William,” he replied expansively,  “I’ve been driving for years.  And it’s not like Sunnydale has all that much traffic.”

         He left his arm where it was, but quite trying to reach Buffy who had slid over toward the window as far as her seat belt would let her.  She risked one look into the back seat, but the eyes behind William’s glasses were uncomfortably warm and she quickly faced front again.

           (This is going to be an interesting night,) she sighed to herself.  She took another quick peek at Spike to see if she had unintentionally sent that thought out, but he didn’t seem to have noticed.

           (Maybe I’m getting the hang of this stuff.) she though proudly, only to be rudely disillusioned when she heard, (And maybe I’m just ignoring you, pet.  ‘S not like your thoughts are all that interestin’)

           (Screw you, Spike)  She regretted immediately her choice of comeback, but instead of the off-color reply she was expecting all she got was a sense of great amusement from the vampire.  Face flaming, she shut down her thoughts as much as possible for the rest of the ride.

          When they had reached the Bronze and Riley had put the huge vehicle into one of the parking places outside, William threw open his door and promptly fell out onto the asphalt.  With an embarrassed whimper, he rubbed his knee as he stood up and opened Buffy’s door for her. 

         “Come, love.  Let me help you down from there.  It’s quite a drop to the ground.”

          Buffy rolled her eyes at him, but took his offered hand and stepped daintily to the ground beside him.  He held her fingers just a bit longer than necessary, but let go as soon as Riley came around the side of the car.  He suppressed his growl when Riley took Buffy’s tiny hand in his large one and led her toward the door, not bothering to look back to see if her friends were keeping up.

           The three Scoobies and William followed the pair in front of them, trailing them to a table near the dance floor.  A table that was conveniently vacated, just as they came in, by four athletic looking young men with military haircuts.  Spike caught the exchange of glances between Riley and one of the men, and made sure to memorize their faces.

            As they took their seats, William made sure he was seated where he could see Buffy and Riley.  He clumsily pulled out a chair for Willow, almost dumping her on the floor as he went to push it in.

            “You don’t have to be so convincing that you kill me,” she hissed at him as she grabbed the sides of chair to keep from falling off.

             “Sorry, Red,” he whispered.  “William’s just not very comfortable around ladies.”

            When the drink orders were taken, William gazed longingly at the long necked beer bottles being carried past their table, but forced himself to order a soft drink, insisting that,  “I have absolutely no head for alcoholic beverages.  I become quite rowdy when I drink.  I certainly wouldn’t want to take a chance on embarrassing any of these ladies with my behavior.”

            Willow and Buffy, both of which had seen Spike drunk on more than one occasion, smothered their laughter with simultaneous coughing, causing Riley to look at them curiously.

           With drinks dispersed around the table and the band beginning to warm up, the small group settled back to enjoy themselves as much as was possible for a group of individuals all trying to pretend to be something they weren’t.

Chapter Six

         As the band began to play, Anya grabbed Xander and pulled him onto the dance floor leaving the two blonds, Willow, and the secret commando to stare uncomfortably at each other.

         “Do you dance, William?” Buffy asked with a sly grin, hoping to embarrass the vampire.

         Right on cue, William ducked his head shyly and raked at the soft curls falling over his forehead as he fumbled for something to say.  He looked at Willow pleadingly as he stammered, “I…Of course, I Iearned the proper steps for dancing with a lady when I was…that is, I’ve been taught how to dance, but I’m afraid I am not very good at it.  And this,”  he waved his hand at the gyrating bodies on the dance floor in front of them, “this is not something I’ve ever even attempted.”

         “Oh? Well I think you should,” Buffy responded with an evil look in her eye.  “Willow?  Wouldn’t you like to dance?”

          “Wha?  Me?  With S-William?”  Her friends eyes were open so wide Buffy was afraid they would fall out.

         “Sure. You.  You don’t mind dancing with my cousin, do you?  He doesn’t get to meet many American girls and this may be his only chance to dance with one.”

          (I know one that’s going to be ‘dancing’ with me as soon as get this soddin’ chip out, Slayer) came the angry growl in her head.

          (Come on, what’s so hard about it?  You can dance with Willow a little bit. It won’t kill you…oh that’s right, you’re already dead.)  Buffy’s internal giggle made him smile in spite of himself.

         (Jus’ remember, payback’s a bitch, luv.) he sent back as he offered Willow his hand and escorted the nervous witch to the floor.

          “Relax, Red, I can’t bite you anymore.  An’ dancin’ with me can’t be any worse than dancin’ with the whelp.  In fact, I’d imitate his style, if he actually had one.”

           With Willow’s embarrassed reluctance to dance with a vampire, and William’s obvious lack of comfort with the heavy beat of the music, they made an amusing couple to watch.  Riley was openly sneering at William’s timid attempts to move with the music without actually moving any body parts besides his feet, and Buffy felt a protective bolt of anger go through her before she remembered that William was not really her cousin and didn’t need her to worry about his feelings.

          When Riley’s sneer had almost turned to outright laughter, and Buffy could see Willow redden with embarrassment while William just looked more and more lost, she had had all she could take of Riley’s attitude toward her friends.  She took his hand, and with a yank that barely concealed her Slayer strength, she pulled him onto the dance floor and began to move around him.

         As she had suspected, the big man’s amusement at Willow and Wliliam was because he, himself, had absolutely no sense of rhythm or timing.  While Buffy moved around him, her body responding almost unconsciously to the music, he stood in place and jerked his arms around, trying to look like he was enjoying the beat that he obviously didn’t hear.

         He breathed a sigh of relief when the band switched to a slow tune and he could pull Buffy into his arms and just sway in one place with her.  Of course that meant her face was smushed into his chest and she couldn’t see anything but the buttons on his shirt.  Which was just as well, as William and Willow were attempting to move around the dance floor without tripping each other, to the great amusement of both Riley and the four commandos leaning on the bar.

         “If you step on my feet one more time, I am going to turn you into a toad,” the red-haired witch growled into William’s ear.

         “Sorry, pet.  Jus’ tryin’ to make it look good for the peanut gallery over there.  I’ll be more careful.  Don’t fancy being a toad just now.”

         There was a subtle shift in his demeanor and suddenly, although he still held her awkwardly, he was no longer treading on her feet and they were no longer bumping into other couples as they moved around the floor.  She just had time to register that Spike appeared to be quite a good dancer, when they crashed, quite hard, into another couple and she heard him apologizing profusely.

        “Oh, I am so sorry, Mr. Finn, Buffy.  I’m so clumsy.  Please forgive me.  I hope we didn’t hurt anyone?”

         Riley glared back at him briefly, then relaxed and laughed.  “No problem, William.  You just pushed us a little closer together.  Can’t complain about that now, can I?  Not with something as beautiful as Buffy in my arms.”

        The fact that he referred to Buffy as something, rather than someone, was not lost on the three people watching him.  Nor was the possessive way he held her against him and stroked her back.

        Biting back the snarl that threatened to break out of his throat, William smiled shyly and suggested,  “Perhaps Ms. Rosenberg would like a break from my abuse of her feet and we could switch partners for the next song.  If my cousin is willing to risk her own toes, that is?”  He gave Buffy a shy sweet smile that had her responding in spite of herself.

        “Oh, I’d love to, William.  You don’t mind, do you, Riley?” She turned to her date with a smile.

        “Huh?  No, of course not, Buffy.  You and your cousin go dance and Willow and I will get to know each other better.”

        Riley spent several minutes trying to figure out how to dance with Willow so that he could talk to her about Buffy without causing her a serious neck injury and he missed the first few minutes of William and Buffy’s dancing.  When he finally sorted out the best way to be able to talk to Willow, seem to be dancing, and keep and eye on Buffy at the same time, he almost tripped as he spotted the blond duo.

        Contrary to the awkward and self conscious way William had been dancing with Willow, he and Buffy were moving together in perfect rhythm, twirling and dipping as the music called for it.  Just as the music slowed down to a very romantic and lush section, Riley lost sight of the two cousins.  Even with his height, he couldn’t see over the crowd between them to follow what they were doing.

        What they were doing was swaying together on the other side of the club, as far away from Riley and the Scoobies as Spike could get them.  When he was sure no one could see them anymore, he wrapped his arms around Buffy’s waist and pulled her unresisting body closer.  She rested her head on his shoulder and slid her arms up to wrap around his neck as her body nestled into his as though it belonged there.

        Neither was willing to break the spell by talking, so they just let themselves get lost in the music, forgetting for a few precious moments that they were Slayer and vampire.  And forgetting that there were four other people in the club whose job it was to watch Buffy.   At the end of the bar, Graham craned his neck to keep them in sight, frowning slightly at their seeming involvement.

        Although none of Riley’s friends were particularly happy that he’d taken such an interest in the strange little blond, Graham’s loyalty to his friend caused a stab of anger when he saw her dancing so closely with the dorky-looking man who had come in with them.  He relaxed when the slow song ended and they broke apart, both looking slightly embarrassed about their previous closeness.

        Buffy broke the awkward silence first, saying with a reddened face, “That was…you’re actually are a very good dancer…I…I liked it.”

        “Me, too, Love,” he said softly.  “Could have stayed like that all night.”

        Any further conversation was drowned out as the band went back into another song with a pounding beat and Buffy began moving her body to the music.  Before she could stop him, William’s hands were on her hips and he was matching her move for move as he danced behind her.  Every shift of her hips brought her ass into contact with his body and it wasn’t long before she could feel the proof of what he whispered that she was doing to him.

        Buffy pulled away and spun around to face him, still dancing, but keeping her distance. (Stop that!) she glared at him.  (William would never behave like that!)
        He laughed, and reached for her again as he said, (You got that right, pet. That ponce wouldn’t have known what to do with a girl like you.)

        She danced just out of reach of his hands and studied him speculatively.

        (Is that what you were like before you were turned?  Is William really you?)

        (What? Me?  A light weight like that?  Are you crazy, Slayer?  You know I’ve always been bad.)  He gave her his most evil leer, but Buffy could see the panic behind his eyes.

         “Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much,” she snarked at him, putting her hands on her hips.  “I’ll bet that’s exactly what you were like.  No wonder you like being a vampire so much!  I’ll bet guys like Riley picked on you all the time.  Didn’t they?”

        “You don’t know what your talking’ about, Slayer,” he growled.  “I don’t take anything off wankers like that and you know it.”

        “Not now, you don’t…didn’t…before your…disability, anyway.  But what about when you were human?  When you were a sweet, gentle man who read poetry and wore glasses?  Huh?  What about then, Spike?”

             “I never!   You don’t know what you’re talkin’ ab—wait, did you just say I was sweet?”

         “I said William was a sweet man,” she struggled to control the rush of color to her face and the increase in her heart rate.  “You’re just pretending to be him. Aren’t you?” she asked almost pleadingly.

         “Of course I am, pet.  You know me.  Big Bad, evil undead, just waiting to get this thing out of my head to go back to my killin’ ways.”

        “Yeah,” she said quietly.  “That’s what I thought.  I almost forgot for a few minutes,” she added so softly he wasn’t sure he heard her. “Silly me.”

           She turned and began walking back toward the table where Riley waited with undisguised impatience.

            (Buffy…)

       (Don’t, Spike.  Just…don’t)

Chapter Seven

         The whole time Buffy and William were dancing, in addition to trying to watch them, Riley was grilling Willow about how well she knew her friend and if she had noticed anything “unusual” about her.  Willow, never a good liar, was doing her best to field his questions with more questions of her own.

        “Gee, Riley, that’s a funny thing to ask about someone you’re dating.  If you though she was strange, why would you ask her out?”

         “I didn’t mean strange in a bad way, Willow.  I just meant…is she stronger than normal?  Maybe she runs faster?  Does she believe in vampires?”

         “Well, she runs faster than I do!” Willow responded brightly.  “But then, my five year old cousin runs faster than I do, so…”  She tried to ignore the vampire comment, and Riley wisely didn’t pursue it.

         “William seems to have discovered his dancing gene,” he commented dryly, watching the two blonds moving gracefully around the floor.

         “Yeah, well, Buffy can do that to a guy.  She’s a really, really good dancer and she makes the guy look good.  Even somebody like William can look good if he’s dancing with Buffy,” she said cheerfully, not having noticed what a terrible dancer Riley was when he was with Buffy.

          “Apparently so,” he grumbled, leading Willow back to the table.  “I don’t dance like that with MY cousins, “ he muttered as he yanked a chair out for Willow.

          As Buffy approached the table, he watched her work her way gracefully across the crowded dance floor and wondered what it was about the tiny blond that attracted him so.  Yes, she was pretty, and obviously very athletic if her actions the other night were to be considered; and, despite her lack of attention sometimes in class, he thought she was very bright; but there was something about her…something almost otherworldly, that drew him.

         (She can’t be a demon.  She’s just too…pure…too full of light.  But, something’s not quite right, there.  I’ve got to find out what it is before Maggie goes into “Let’s cut it up and see what it is” mode.)I

         Buffy gave Riley a plastered-on smile and sat down beside him with a sigh.  She looked back toward the dance floor, but there was no sign of William and she briefly worried before she remembered he wasn’t actually a timid bookworm who was unfamiliar with Sunnydale.  (Although, he IS still kinda helpless if somebody picks a fight with him.)

         Shoving worry about William to the back of her mind, she turned to her date and tried to answer his implied question.

        “William seemed to pick up some pretty amazing dancing skills when he left Willow for you…” the jealousy and suspicion were palpable.

        Buffy shot a panicked look at Willow before replying, “Uh, yeah.  See, the thing is, William isn’t really as clumsy as he seems to be.  He’s just really, really…lacking in self-confidence around girls.”  She ignored Willows attempt to muffle a snort of laughter.  “But since I’m related to him, and we’ve danced together before, he doesn’t get all left-footed and tongue-tied around me.  It’s a family thing, I guess.”  She blushed prettily.  “I get sort of tongue-tied and clumsy around guys I…like.”
         
        Riley fixed her with an intense, but hopeful stare.  “I’d like to think that explains some of things you say and do around me,” he said carefully.

         Deciding she’d lied quite enough for one evening, Buffy settled for ducking her head and looking embarrassed, hoping he would take that for an answer.  It must have worked, as he beamed at her and put his big arm across the back of her chair.

         Sticking to safe subjects like Sunnydale U. and the various courses available there, they were able to manage several minutes of actual, non-probing conversation before Xander and Anya returned to the table.  Xander tried to catch Buffy’s eye as he said carefully,  “Buff?  Think you might want to check on William.  He’s having a bit of a problem.”

        Her head flew up and she sat up straight.  “Problem?  What kind of problem?”

         “Four problems, actually.  Four, large, muscular problems.”

        “Somebody’s picking on…William?”  She rose to her feet, only to be stopped by Riley’s hand on her arm.

         In a deceptively mild tone he asked, “Why didn’t you stop it, Xander?  Why come and get Buffy?  Surely you don’t expect a small girl to intervene?”

         Xander’s “deer in headlights” look lasted until, with a disgusted snort, Anya said,  “Of course, he came to get Buffy.  It’s her cousin, after all.  And she can-“

        Recovering himself quickly, the boy interrupted, “Yeah, the thing is?  The Buffster?  She’s got this real knack of…calming people down, you know?  They just kind of…back off…when she gets involved.”

        Standing up to loom over her, Riley said,  “Well, you aren’t going off alone to break up a fight on my watch.   Where are they, Xander?”

         He pointed silently toward the hallway where the restrooms were located and trailed behind as Buffy and Riley moved quickly in that direction.  They arrived to find William crouched against the wall, holding his hands over his face defensively.  Surrounding him were the four commandos that had been watching all night.  One of them sported a swelling eye and another was nursing a bruised hand as they advanced on the cowering man.

        “What the hell is going on here?”  Buffy’s voice was not what you would expect from a frightened coed.  There was no scream, no shout for the bouncers, not even, if appeared, any real concern for the welfare of her cousin.  There was just cold steel that demanded an answer.

         Riley looked angrily over her head at his men and added his, “An explanation would be really good right now.”

        “We were just watching your back, Finn,” the one with the blackened eye grumbled.  “We thought he was getting little too friendly with your girl friend there, so we decided to scare him.  The asshole swung on me so we had to rough him up a little.”

         “He’s her COUSIN, you morons,” Riley glared at the surprised men.  “They’re supposed to be friendly.”

         Buffy felt a stab of guilt at Riley’s defense of their deception, but then she looked at William, sliding fearfully along the wall in her direction and got over it.

         “What did you do to him?” she asked, pulling the cringing man behind her.

        (And why didn’t you tell me something was happening?)

       (Didn’t want to blow your cover, pet.  I had it under control.)

          “Nothing,” Graham replied, nursing his hand.  “We just pushed him around a little and said we were going to take him outside.  Then he went nuts on us and tried to get away and when we stopped him, he hit Forrest in the eye.” 

          Buffy shot Spike a surprised look, wondering why he wasn’t on the ground in pain from his head, but he indicated the blood trickling from his split lip and she understood that the commandos had assumed his pain was from the retaliatory punch.

        “So, he tried to get away from you, you manhandled him, he tried to fight back and you hit him?  Do I have that quite right, guys?”  Buffy’s expression belied the cheery tone of her voice and suddenly they all remembered what had happened to them the last time they’d tangled with her over someone she was protecting.

        Behind her back, William was peering fearfully at the large angry men being faced down by a small girl.  Spike was sorely tempted to stick his tongue out at them, but smothered the urge as something William would never do.  He settled for getting as close to Buffy as he could and glaring at them over her head.

        Riley stepped between the angry Slayer and his men, saying,  “Buffy, why don’t you take William back to the table and get some ice on that lip while I talk to these guys?  Obviously this was a misunderstanding of some sort and I think I can straighten it out.”

         Giving the men one last glare, Buffy took William’s arm and began walking away with him.  She didn’t let go of him until they got back to the table, where she fished some ice out of her glass and rubbed it gently on his rapidly swelling lip.

          If the Scoobies were surprised at her solicitous behavior, they didn’t say anything.  They attributed it to play acting for Riley’s sake as he made his way back to the table.

          (What the hell were you doin, going off by yourself like that?  They might have really hurt you.) Along with the residual anger, there was an edge of concern that she didn’t try to hide.

        (They were just tryin’ to scare me, pet.  If I hadn’t whacked one accidentally, they probably wouldn’t have touched me.  You should have let it go.  Thought for a minute there you were gonna go all Slayer on them in public.)   The warmth, gratitude, and fear for her that accompanied his thought was strong enough to make her hand shake slightly.

         (I guess that’s all I can do for that lip.  You’ll be okay tomorrow.)

        (I’ll be fine, love.  It’s already startin’ to heal. ..unless you want to kiss it better…?)

        (You wish!)  She gave him a push on his shoulder and moved away quickly.

        (You know I do, pet.)

        Riley’s arrival back at the table put an end to the private conversation before she had to respond and Buffy quickly focused on the other man.

        “So, what was that all about?” she demanded, hands on hips.  “What will William think of Americans now?”

        Riley blew out his breath and readied his explanation.  “Those are some of my…fraternity brothers.  They didn’t know who William was and they thought they’d try to discourage him from any thoughts of…They just thought they were helping me out, that’s all.”  He turned to William.  “I’m sorry, William.  I hope they didn’t hurt you badly.  Or frighten you too much,” he added, barely smothering a smile.

         Buffy felt the surge of anger that went through Spike, but William replied meekly, “No, no.  I’m quite used to being…bullied, actually.  I’m usually better than that at getting myself out of such situations without harm.  I’m grateful that you and Buffy stepped in, though.  I’m afraid I may have made them very angry when I accidentally hit that unpleasant man.  There’s no telling what they might have done to me.”

         “Somehow, I think they would’ve been extremely sorry if they had,” he replied with a speculative look at Buffy.  “Your cousin seems quite…protective of the defenseless.”

          Everyone tensed as Riley came so close to describing such a big part of a Slayer’s mission, but William snorted and said,  “Well, yes, when we were children if she wasn’t pummeling me herself, she was taking up for me when someone else tried to.”

           “Yep,” Buffy said with a glare in his direction, “Nobody hits William except for me.  That’s the way it’s always been.”

            “An interesting relationship.”

             He smiled at Buffy to show he was kidding, so missed the flashes of amusement that went across the face of the Scoobies. 

            (Doesn’t know the half of it, does he, pet?)

           Buffy didn’t answer him, but had to duck her head to hide her grin and he smirked in spite of himself.  He was quickly back to being William as Willow stood up and said, “It’s getting late.  I guess we’d better be getting back…”

          “Back? Back too where?” Riley was genuinely puzzled.  “Surely, you don’t all live with Buffy’s uncle?  Willow, I know you live in the dorm.  Won’t you want to be going there?” 

           As he spoke, it occurred to him she might have been planning to go home with William so as to give Buffy and him some privacy.  The idea that anyone would want to spend time alone with the wimpy William was so ludicrous he didn’t even consider it.  Even a bookworm like Willow could do better than Buffy’s cousin.

         “But, I’ll be happy to take all of you back there before I take Buffy home, if that’s what you want.”  He spoke up quickly before Willow could change her mind.

         “No, I think Willow just meant we need to get William back to Giles’ before she comes back to the dorm with me.  That’s what you meant, isn’t it, Willow?”

        Buffy’s eyes were sending very clear signals, and remembering Giles’ admonishment that she wasn’t to be left alone with Riley, Willow quickly corrected herself.

        “Oh, yes!  That’s what I meant.  We’ll take William home, and then you’ll take me back to the dorm, and since that’s where Buffy lives too, we’ll all be where we need to be…”  she trailed off when she realized she was starting to babble.

         Trying to hide his disappointment, Riley sighed and began to herd them toward the door.

         “All right.  We’ll drop William off at his uncle’s and Xander and Anya at his house, and then I’ll take you girls back to the dorm.”

          The ride to Giles’ apartment was made in silence as everyone was afraid to say what they were really thinking.  If Riley seriously wanted to take Buffy away, there wasn’t going to be much Willow could do about it. 

         (If he does anything to make you at all nervous, pet, you holler. Got it?)

       (So you can do what? Scold him to death?)

         He tried to smother the hurt her words caused, but the apologetic look she sent toward him told him she’d felt it.

        (Jus’ sayin’, pet.  We’ve got this thing, might as well use it.  Consider me your 911.)

       (Yeah, I can’t wait to hear you explain to Giles why you know what’s going on with me when I’m not there.  I don’t think you’ll be real helpful with that stake in your chest.) 

         The wave of gratitude she sent him took the sting out of her words and he agreed ruefully.

       (Good point.  Pun not intended.  Not saying I’m gonna tell him how I know.  I’ll think of something if I need to. Somethin’ that won’t get me dusted.)

           They pulled up in front of the apartment complex and Buffy sat in the passenger seat while Xander and Anya and William got out.  Xander thanked Riley for the ride and said he lived close enough for them to walk home. He and Anya waved and began the short walk to the Harris’s house.

          “Will they be all right?” Riley inquired.  “Walking home at night like that?”

           “Oh yes. Xander grew up in Sunnydale.  He knows how to avoid the…bad neighborhoods.”

           William stood outside the big vehicle, shuffling his feet and looking around apprehensively. 

           “Uncle Rupert was quite clear that I was to avoid being by myself in the dark,” he said nervously. 

           “You want me to walk you to the door?” Riley asked incredulously.

          “What?  Oh, no!  No, my goodness, of course not.  I just thought…no, that’s quite all right.  I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

           “Well, good night then,” Riley was clearly impatient and anxious to get going. “You’d best get in and take care of that lip.”

           “Good night, William,” Buffy said softly.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

            “Good night, Buffy, Ms Rosenberg.  Thank you for a lovely evening.  And thank you, Mr. Finn, for helping to rescue me from your overzealous…fraternity brothers.”

            “No problem,” he replied, climbing back into the car.  “I’m sorry they misunderstood the situation like that.”

           As they pulled away, Buffy asked in a mild tone, “So, if William weren’t my cousin, you would have been okay with that behavior?”

           Riley was not a stupid man.  He thought long and hard before he answered her.  Buffy waited, tapping her fingers impatiently as the man clearly struggled to find the right thing to say.

         “Well, of course, I don’t approve of their bullying anyone.  But they thought they were looking out for my interests,” he gave Buffy what was meant to be a flirty smile.  “I’m sure if he hadn’t panicked and hit Forrest when then said they were talking him outside, they wouldn’t have actually punched him.  They’ve been trai- I mean, you know how guys are.  Someone hits us, we hit back.  It’s a guy thing.”

          “Uh, huh,” was Buffy’s only comment and they rode the rest of the way to the dorm in silence.

         When they reached the campus, Riley parked and insisted on walking the girls to their room.  Willow hastily said “good-night” and went inside, leaving Buffy standing in the hall while Riley obviously tried to think of way to get close enough to kiss her. Finally growing impatient with the foot shuffling and throat clearing, she went up on her toes and quickly kissed his cheek, thanking him for the nice evening.

         Clearly disappointed, he stopped her as she went to enter the room and asked, “Can I see you again?  Maybe without all the friends and relatives?”  He smiled anxiously and she was reminded that she had actually enjoyed his company earlier in the evening.

          “Of course.  I’d like that.”  She gave him a smile and said warmly, “Maybe we can have another one of those picnics.”

        Buffy went in the room and closed the door on Riley’s happy face.  She walked over to her bed and threw herself down with a sigh.

        “Why does life have to be so complicated?” she complained.

        “Uh, cause you’re the Slayer,” Willow ventured from her bed. 

        When there was no answer, she went on, “He seems nice, in an I’m-not-telling-you-who-I-really-am kind of way.  Do you like him?”

         “Not as much as I did before his buddies tried to beat up William,” Buffy growled.

        “Uh, Buffy?  You do remember that William is really Spike, don’t you?  You know, evil undead vampire, tried to kill us?  Tried to kill me, right here in this room just a couple of weeks ago.”

        She sighed and rolled her head over to look at Willow.  “I know, Will.  I know he is.  But he’s just so…” she shook herself.  “Must be something left over from the spell.”

        “He’s sweet, isn’t he?”  Willow surprised her by saying.

        “William?  Yeah. Yeah he is. I wonder if that’s what he was like before he was turned?”

        “I think so,” Willow said quietly.  “I’m pretty sure he was.”

       Buffy looked over at her friend in astonishment.  “You do? Why?”

        Looking uncomfortable, the red-haired witch said, “Well, in the first place – it takes one to know one.  I don’t think he could be that convincing if he hadn’t been like that at one time.  And….”

        “And?”

       “And every time he tried to kill me?  Or threatened to, anyway.  He was really very sweet about it.”

        “Spike was sweet?  About killing you?  Splainy, please.”

         “Well, when he wanted me to do that spell for him.  You know, to get him back together with Drusilla?”

          Buffy smothered the pang of jealousy she felt at being reminded of Spike’s hundred-year love affair with the dark haired vampire.

        “I don’t think he ever was actually planning to kill me.  He just wanted me to do the spell.  He was so unhappy.  I really felt sorry for him.  All he wanted was to get his girl friend back.”

        “Hmph!” was the only response to that.

        “And when he came here looking for you?  I was so unhappy about…Oz…and I thought nobody wanted me and he, he tried to make me feel better.  He told me I was pretty, and that he’d bite me in a minute, if he could…and…okay, maybe that’s not such a good example; but he was trying to make me feel better.  Even when he was worried about what was causing him so much pain when he tried to bite me.  He stopped and talked to me.  He was a lot like William, only scarier.”

         “And the complications go on,” Buffy muttered to herself as she turned over to go to sleep.  She told Willow “good-night” and shut her eyes resolutely, vowing not to think about sweet vampires or nice secret commandos or anything except peaceful sleep.

          (You alright, luv?)

        (Yes, I’m fine.  Safely in my bed.)

       (By yourself?) The anxiety was palpable.

      (Of course, by myself!  What do you think I am, some kind of slut?) She made no attempt to hide the hurt and anger his question generated.

        (I’m sorry, Buffy.  That was William’s insecurity…or the demon’s possessiveness.  Not sure which.  I didn’t mean to suggest you-I’m sorry, love, truly, I am.) Spike sounded so much like William, Buffy smiled in spite of herself.

       (Buffy?  Slayer?) 

       (Relax, Spike.  It’s okay.)  She gave a mental sigh. (I didn’t even kiss him good-night.)

      (Didn’t kiss me good-night, either.)  Buffy had no idea how a person could send a pout telepathically, but there it was, and she had to smile.

       (Good night…William) Buffy pictured herself pressing her lips to his cool soft ones and wasn’t surprised when she felt an answering pressure.  Before the kiss could turn into anything that would lead to embarrassing movements and noises, Buffy broke it off and snuggled into her bed.

         (Good night, love.) was the last thing she heard before she closed her eyes and allowed sleep to overtake her.

Chapter Eight

          “Well, Agent Finn?”  Maggie Walsh tapped her foot and waited for Riley to tell her what he’d learned about Buffy.

           “I’m sure she’s not a demon.  Although…I can’t say I don’t think there’s something going on with her.  I just can’t put my finger on what it is.”

          “She’s scary as hell,” Graham put in.  “That’s what it is.”

          Maggie looked at him with astonishment and not a little dismay.

          “You are afraid of this girl?”

          “Well, not most of the time,” he squirmed and looked to his friends for help. “But when she stepped in last night…there was just something about her…”

          “Her friend, Xander, said she’s really good at defusing situations.  Maybe that’s how she does it.  By sounding scary.”  Riley was reaching for explanations, knowing that no one was buying it.

           “Tell me about her friends, and the family you met.”

          “Not much to tell.  Her uncle seems nice enough. Very English, very bookish.  Her cousin’s kind of a younger version of the uncle.  Neither one looks like he could fight his way out of a paper bag.  Whatever Buffy has going for her, it certainly isn’t genetic.”

            “Got that right!”  Forrest and Graham exchanged high fives, remembering how frightened her cousin had been.  Conveniently forgotten were the black eye and bruised hand, both courtesy of the wimpy cousin.

          “Her friends are okay.  Willow, you know from class.  She’s a brain. Very conscientious, not really very outgoing.  Xander’s kind of a…I don’t know.  I think he and Willow are childhood friends or something.  His girl friend is a little strange. Comes out with the oddest things sometimes.  They’re always shushing her.  That’s about it.”

         “Nothing demonic or strange about them?”

         “Nope, just regular old people.  Oh, the cousin has one hell of a grip when he shakes hands…”

         “Stronger than yours?”  Maggie’s voice indicated her sudden interest.

         “Hard to say.  He was giving me a run for my money when he stopped and apologized.  Don’t know where it would have gone from there.  There’s no way he’s a fighter, though.  He’s afraid of his own shadow.  Just wants to sit around reading poetry.”

        “Things are not always what they seem, Agent Finn.  You, of all people, should know that.”  Maggie paused to think, then said with an air of decision, “All right, I’ll give you the rest of the week to learn what you can about this girl while we try to obtain information about this mythical ‘Slayer’.  We’ll meet again on Friday and decide on a course of action then.

        “And, gentlemen?  I haven’t forgotten that Hostile Seventeen is still out there somewhere, nor that Ms. Summers is the reason he got away the second time. I want this situation rectified, soon.”

        “Yes, Ma’am,” they chorused as they left her office.

        “Where do you think we should start looking for the hostile?” Forrest asked as they walked back to the elevator that would carry them back up to Lowell House.

        “I think we should begin with her uncle.  She seems to spend a lot of time there.  Maybe we can get him to tell us something.  Or that wimpy cousin of hers.  I doubt he’d stand up to an interrogation.”

       “I think we’d better be damn sure we know what we’re looking for, before we start harassing her family,” Graham said mildly.  “I’ve got a feeling she wouldn’t like it very much, and I’m not sure I want to see her get mad again.”

        “Come on, guys.  You’re talking about Buffy like she was six feet tall and had big teeth and claws.  She’s an athletic little girl, with martial arts training who caught us by surprise.  That’s all.”  Riley shook his head at his men.

        “Tell you what.  I’ll ask her to come in and spar with us.  Give us a chance to really size her up and see how good she is.”

         “I’m not sparring with some woman that only comes up to my belt buckle!”

        “Fine, I’ll spar with her.  It shouldn’t take long to prove she’s just a human girl who got lucky.”

         ************

         “You want me to what?”  Buffy put her hands on her hips and glared at her watcher indignantly.

         “I want you to take Sp-William shopping for some clothes.  My things are too large for him and if he’s going to continue to pretend to be your cousin, he is going to need more than one shirt and one pair of pants.”

        “If Buffy doesn’t want to go, she doesn’t have to,” the vampire said quietly from his place in the big chair.  “I’m perfectly capable of buying my own clothes.”

        “I am not sending out a vampire who may, or may not, be permanently harmless, to roam through the Sunnydale Mall without someone to watch him.”

        “Haven’t hurt anybody yet, Watcher.  And I got to mingle with all sorts of plump, blood-filled bodies the other night at the Bronze.”

       “You also almost got yourself re-captured and/or beat up,” Buffy said with a sigh.  “Okay, I guess we can do this.  We’ll hit the mall tonight.  Find clothes for the vampire.”

        She gave William a sideways look and said with an evil grin, “This could actually be a lot of fun…”
        “Hey!  Don’t get any ideas there, Missy.   You might get to hold my leash, but you are NOT picking out clothes for me.  I’ll stake myself before I let you dress me.”

         (Now, if you want to undress me, pet, that’s a different story.)

        He gave her a most un-William-like leer and she tossed her head and turned away with a sniff. 

        “Let’s go, William.  I have things to do later tonight.”

         “That right, Slayer?” he asked as they walked out the door with a wave to the Watcher.  “Gonna let Capt’n Cardboard find his way to second base, are you?”

          He was careful to keep any trace of real worry or fear from reaching her, but she shot him a suspicious look all the same.

          “He’s a nice guy, Spike.  Don’t blame Riley for his what his obnoxious friends did.”

          “Are you starting to have feelings for that pillock, Slayer?  Have you forgotten that he’s been lying to you since you met him?  That HE knows somethin’ about what you are and you know nothin’ about him except that he wears dark clothes and prowls around in the dark pickin’ on innocent vampires?”

          “I’m lying too, Spike.  I haven’t admitted to him that I’m anything more than a martial arts expert – or told him that I know it was him the other night.  OR,” she cocked her head at the scowling vampire, “that my ‘cousin’, William is actually the vampire he was trying to recapture.”

          “Yeah, well, you’re lyin’ for a good reason,” he grumbled, brushing his hand against hers as they walked down the street.  When she didn’t pull away, he moved closer and they finished their walk to the mall touching briefly with every step.

        They wandered around the men’s department of the first store, arguing about what they should and shouldn’t buy.

         “Okay,” Buffy agreed with exasperation, “you can buy a pair of jeans, but they have to be blue ones – no black.  And no tight tee shirts.  Here, this will look good on you.”  She held a light blue button down shirt up under his chin, admiring the way it brought out the blue in his eyes.

          “Think it’ll look good, do you?”  He took the shirt and held it at arm’s length.  “Guess I’ll have to take your word for it, luv.  ‘S not like I can see myself in the mirror, is it?”

          Sunnydale being what it was, none of the clerks in the store commented on the fact that the cute little guy in glasses never tried anything on or looked in the mirror.  They just smiled and agreed with the pretty girl helping him pick things out that he needed a little color in his wardrobe.

         When Buffy thought they had got enough “nancy-boy wear” as Spike called it, to get through the next week or so, they walked though the mall looking into windows.  Spike kept Buffy giggling with his comments on the people passing by. He would try to guess what they were thinking and kept trying to get her to stop them and ask if he was right.

         When a rowdy group of boys walked by, ogling Buffy and commenting on her body parts, he began to growl and she had to grab his hand and pull him away.

        “Okay, okay.  We both know what they were thinking.  But, growling? So not a William thing to do.”

         “William wouldn’t like them talkin’ about you like that either, pet,” he said with a glare back over his shoulder. 

        “Maybe not, but he wouldn’t GROWL.  You’ve got to be more careful when we’re out in public.  More William, less Spike.”

         As Buffy spoke, she stopped in front of the Victoria’s Secret store to admire the display.   She felt William step up behind her and he rested his hands lightly on her shoulders as he growled softly.

         “What did I just tell you?” she turned around and glared at him.  “William would NOT be growling at everything!”

         “Trust me, love,  standin’ here in front of this window with you?  William would be growling – you jus’ wouldn’t have been able to hear him like you can me.  He’d be embarrassed, but he’d be growlin’.”

         The truth of what he was saying was evident in his heated gaze that went from her angry face down to her suddenly hard nipples and damp crotch and back up again.  He licked his lips as he scented her arousal and felt her leaning toward him.  Before he could capture the lips so near his, he was jostled by a passing shopper and the moment was lost.

        Blushing furiously, Buffy started walking again, pulling him away from the lingerie store, only to find that the next store, based on the things in the window, might as well have been called, “Spike’s store.”  The window was done almost completely in black and red and contained various leather articles of clothing as well as an assortment of spandex tops. 

         He pulled Buffy into the store and held a leather mini skirt up to her as he turned her around to look at herself in the mirror.

        “It’s you, pet.  This skirt and one of those stretchy tops…you’d turn William into a wild animal.”

         “Why am I thinking that isn’t such a stretch for him?” she laughed, pushing the skirt away.  “And it isn’t William that wants me to dress like that…he’d be ashamed to be seen with me in that outfit.”

          “You wouldn’t have to wear it out in public, Slayer…”

         “No!  We are not using the money Giles gave me to buy things for me to wear just for you.”

         “Would you wear it if I paid for it, Slayer?”  He wiggled his eyebrows at her hopefully and gave her his sexiest smile. 

         Before she could answer him, he suddenly dropped the leering look he’d been giving her and, grabbing her hand, he pulled her out of the store quickly.  Buffy was just opening her mouth to ask him if he’d lost his mind, when William was tugging her away from the store, head down and mortified expression on his face.

          “Good lord, Buffy!” he said in a close imitation of Giles at his most incensed.  “Mother would throw me out of the house if I brought one of those spouse-abuser shirts home to wear!   How could you even think about taking me into that kind of store?”

         Buffy was torn between picturing Spike’s ripped body in a tight wife-beater, and wondering what the hell had gotten into him all of a sudden.  Then she felt the hand on her arm as Riley said,  “Buffy!  Imagine running into you here.  What are you doing?”

          Shooting Spike a grateful look, she covered smoothly, and only slightly dishonestly, “ Oh, I just took William out to see a shopping mall and maybe pick up some more California-friendly clothes.  Tweed coats and heavy sweaters aren’t all that useful here in Sunnydale.”

         “I suppose that’s true.”  He turned to the embarrassed looking young man. “So, William.  What do you think of our local mall?  Bet there’s nothing like this back in England, huh?”

          “Quite so, quite so.  Buffy is showing me many strange and wonderful things here in her city.  I’m quite exhausted from all the sight seeing.”

          “Well, why don’t I give you two a ride back then?  You can rest at your uncle’s and I’ll take Buffy back to the dorm.”

          Since neither one of them could think quickly enough to offer a good excuse why not, they soon found themselves back in the SUV and heading for the Watcher’s apartment complex.

           Riley pulled up near the door and waited for William to get out, frowning slightly when Buffy reached for her door also.

           “I said I’d take you back to the dorm, Buffy.  I thought we might stop and have a drink or some ice cream on the way.”  He looked hurt and disappointed and Buffy sighed.

           “I have to check in with Giles first, Riley.  Be sure he knows I brought William home safely and with his credit rating still intact.”

          “Fine,” he said, opening his own door.  “I’ll just come in with you and then we’ll leave from here.”  As they walked toward the door, he commented lightly, “I’m just amazed that everyone keeps expecting you to keep William safe.  It’s like they think you have…oh, I don’t know….super powers or something.”

         “Hee, hee,”  Buffy laughed weakly.  “What a silly idea, Riley.  It’s just that he’s new to the city and not very…adventuresome.”

          “I’m actually quite cowardly when Buffy isn’t around,” William volunteered eagerly.  “She brings out the explorer in me.”

           Riley rolled his eyes at that amazing remark and held the door open for them.  Only to be met by a very surprised Giles and an attractive woman with café–au-lait skin.

          “Buffy!  W-william.  I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.  This…this is Olivia.  An old friend.  She just popped in and we were…catching up.”

         “Uncle Rupert, you old dog, you,”  William snarked as he walked into the living room with his packages.

          Giles shot him a dirty look and then turned to Buffy.

          “I, ah, I’ve been trying to, ah,  resolve the…sleeping arrangements…and I…um…I spoke to your mother, Buffy.”

          “My mom?  What for?  Do you want Olivia to stay there?  I’m sure it’s okay.”

         (Don’t believe it’s the bird he’s trying to get rid of, love.)  She could feel the amusement in Spike’s voice, even as she saw him turn away to hide his smile.

        (What? What do you mean?  You mean he wants you to…  But why? Then he’d be alone here with…oh!  Oh my!  Ewwww!)

          “Um, er, actually, I had hoped that your mother would be willing to give William a place to stay for the night.  And she has graciously agreed, although she requested that you accompany him – just for the, um…fun of it,” he finished lamely.

           Riley’s disappointment was palpable, but he cheered himself with the thought that meeting Buffy’s mother would add another piece to the puzzle that was Buffy Summers.

          “I’d be happy to drive you there, Buffy – William.  I’d like to meet your mother, anyway, Buffy.”

          “Uh, okay, sure, that would be…great…I guess.”  She gave Giles a look, clearly asking if he’d filled her mother in on what was going on.  He gave her a brief nod and began shepherding them to the door.

          “Well, good.  That’s settled then.  I’ll see you all tomorrow sometime.  Nice to see you again, Riley. “  He practically shoved them out the door.

           “Well, that was just…”  Buffy was at a loss for words.  She’d not seen Giles express any interest in a woman since Jenny Calendar had met her death at the hands of Angelus, and to be practically thrown out of the apartment so that he could be alone with one she’d never heard of or met was throwing her for a loop.

            Spike’s obvious amusement at her distress and surprise was becoming irritating.  He made no attempt to hide his internal laughter, even though he was outwardly very controlled.  Finally, Buffy could take it no longer and she blurted out, “Stop it!”

         Riley turned to her in surprise.  “Stop what?” he asked in genuine confusion.

          “Uh…I…uh…I thought I saw something run in front of the car,” she explained weakly.  “I guess it was nothing, though, cause, you know, no bump in the night…”

          Shaking his head at more inexplicable behavior from her, Riley turned onto the road to Buffy’s mother’s neighborhood.  They drove in apparent silence for a while as Riley allowed Buffy to remain lost in thought.  He would have been less accommodating if he’d known that he was the subject of her thoughts.  Hers and William’s.

         (Spike?  He never asked me where Mom lives.  He still hasn’t asked me for directions or an address.  He’s just going there.)

        (Noticed that, pet. Kinda makes you wonder what else the wanker knows that he shouldn’t, doesn’t it?)

        As they pulled up in the driveway of the house on Revello Drive, Spike began to worry about getting into the house.  Hoping Joyce would have enough sense to ask him in, he slowly followed Buffy and Riley up the sidewalk.  When she notice how slowly he was walking, Buffy turned around and said, “Come on, William.  You know Mom is anxious to see you.”

        (Is she gonna be anxious enough to remember I need an invite?  Cause I don’t feature having soldier boy watchin’ me bounce off the barrier.)

       (What barrier?)

        (Vampire?  Ringin’ any bells here, Slayer?)

       (Oh, THAT barrier.  Doesn’t exist.  I never took you off the guest list.)

        With that blithe remark, Buffy opened the front door and held it for William and Riley, ushering them in with a flourish.  Before Spike could get over the fact that the Slayer had never done a dis-invite spell for him, her mother was hugging him and cooing over the “handsome man” he’d turned in to since she’d last seen him.

          When William and Joyce had finishing pretending to be long lost relatives, rather than a barely acquainted vampire and mother of the Slayer, Riley was introduced as someone from Sunnydale University that Buffy seeing.  If he was disappointed at not being introduced as a boy friend, he hid it well, shaking Joyce’s hand and complementing her on the décor of the house.

         It wasn’t long before Riley became uncomfortable with his clearly unnecessary presence at what he assumed was a family reunion and he finally excused himself for the evening.  Telling Buffy he’d see her in class the next day, he shook hands with Joyce and flipped a wave at William as he went out the door. He lingered for a minute in the doorway, apparently hoping Buffy would step out onto the porch with him for a kiss, but when she didn’t, he gave up with a sigh and left.

       He was half-way back to the base before he realized what he’d done.  (Shit! I never once asked her where her mother lived.  Just went right there.  And she never asked me how I knew where it was.  I wonder why?) 

Chapter Nine

         Once Riley was gone, and Spike had walked around the house to confirm that he was not listening outside a window, Joyce and Buffy went into the kitchen where there was hot chocolate simmering on the stove.   Spike hesitated in the doorway of the kitchen, looking very unsure of himself and more like William than he had at any point yet.  When Joyce noticed him hovering bashfully just outside the room, she gave him a genuine smile and said, “Come on in, Spike – er, William.  I know you like my hot chocolate.”

        “Remember that, do you?” he smirked as he regained his confidence and took a seat next to Buffy.

        “Well, yes.  It’s not every day a lovesick, drunk vampire appears on my door step looking for my daughter,” she said with a wry smile.  “Those kinds of things tend to stick with you.   Especially,” she added, “when said daughter comes home and tells you how dangerous the vampire is and yells at you for letting him in while she beats on him.”

       “Ah, good times,” Buffy laughed as Spike glared at her. 

       He turned to Joyce and said with complete sincerity,  “I would never hurt you, Joyce.  In spite of what your daughter might say about me.  You have my word.”

        “So, the Summers women have nothing to fear from the Big Bad, even if you get the chip out?  Is that what you’re saying?”  Buffy’s voice was teasing, but her eyes bored into his looking for an answer she knew she had no reason to expect from the vampire.

         “I was talkin’ ‘bout your mother, pet.  She’s always nice to me…well, except for that axe thing…You, on the other hand…”

         “Hey! I’m nice to you.  This is me, letting you sit in my mother’s kitchen and drink hot chocolate.” 

          She stuck her lower lip out in a pout and watched with great interest as his eyes zeroed in on her lip.  She flashed back to the spell and how he sucked on her lower lip every time she stuck it out.  Suddenly the room was very warm and she felt her underwear growing damp.  Spike’s eyes flew open wider and she flushed, sat up straighter, picked up her cup and made a show of finishing off her cocoa.

           “Well, that was really great, Mom.  I – we – really appreciate you letting ‘William’ stay here while Giles has company.  Where do you want him to sleep?”

         “I fixed up the cot in the basement,” she said, turning to Spike apologetically.  “It’s not very fancy, but I thought you’d be safe from the sun there.”

         “That’s very thoughtful of you, Joyce.  I’m sure it will be fine.  I’m just sorry the tin soldier had to be there when we made the arrangements.  I’d rather he not know that you are involved in this.”

       “I gave birth to the Slayer, Spike,” she said dryly.  “I couldn’t get uninvolved if I wanted to.  Not that I want to, honey!” she turned quickly to Buffy and smiled brightly at her daughter.  “I’m very proud of you and what you do every night.”

       Buffy rolled her eyes, knowing her mother would give almost anything to have a normal daughter who was going to marry, have children and more than likely outlive her mother by many years.

       “Thanks, Mom. I know you are.  And speaking of what I do every night – I haven’t patrolled much lately.  You up for a little violence, vampire?”

       “You’re playin’ my song, luv.” 

       Spike bounced to his feet and stood eagerly by the door.  Buffy and Joyce had to laugh at him.

       “You look like a puppy dog, that can’t wait to go out.”

        “You might at least have said I looked like a big, mean guard dog,” he grumbled as they went out the door.

         Still laughing at him, Buffy waved at her mother and told her they’d be back late.  Joyce said she was going to bed and fumbled for something to say, finally settling on, “Have fun slaying, dear.”  She shook her head at herself as they Buffy rolled her eyes and closed the door.

         “I probably shouldn’t be letting you come with me,” Buffy said quietly after she’d quit chuckling at him.  “We don’t know where those commandos are or how many of them might be out tonight.”

        “All the more reason for me to be with you, pet.”

       She stopped and faced him.  “You won’t be able to do anything to help me.  They are all obviously human.  You’d just get yourself captured again.”

        “I’m not lettin’ you go out by yourself until we know those sadists in that lab aren’t plannin’ to add you to the ‘let’s see if it bleeds when we cut it’ list!”

         Buffy stared at him, watching his eyes flash amber and his forehead begin to wrinkle until he fought the demon down.

         “You won’t LET me?” she asked in a voice that was cold steel.

         (Bollocks!)

          He tried his best to look repentant, even as his lower lip came out and he repeated stubbornly, “Didn’t mean to sound all ‘me Tarzan, you Jane,’ on you, pet.  That was the demon speakin’ to his mate.  But, you don’t know what those people are like, Slayer. And I don’t want you to find out the hard way.  Won’t apologize for that.” He glared at her defiantly.

         She glared back just as defiantly, daring him to repeat what he’d said.  For several long minutes the two powerful blonds challenged each other, neither one willing to back down.  Finally, Buffy threw up her hands and spun away from him.

         “Fine!” she snarled. “Don’t come complaining to me when you have to spend another week in their lab nursing a giant headache!”

          They walked silently toward the nearest cemetery.  Spike kept the mental barriers up between them so that she wouldn’t sense the profound fear he had for her.  He knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t want to be coddled or protected.

          (Know it’s her job to be the protector, don’t I?   But she could let me help her out.  Not tryin’ to take her job.  Just want to keep her alive.)

          “So,” Buffy said quietly as the reached the gates to Restfield, “sadists?”

         “Don’t know what else you’d call someone who performs autopsies on livin’ demons, do you pet?”

          “What?”  Buffy’s stomach churned at the mental picture.  “You must be wrong.  No one would do that. Even to a demon.  That’s…that’s….” she couldn’t think of what to call it.

        “Called it vivisection in my day, pet.  That’s what they called it when they did it to kittens and puppies.  Nasty business, that.”

        Buffy shuddered and unconsciously moved closer to the vampire.  She tried to wrap her brain around the idea that humans could be so cruel.  Suddenly she turned to Spike.

        “What did they do to you?”

        “Nothin’ I couldn’t handle.  Vampire, here, you know.  Pain is like…foreplay to us.”

          He grinned at her, but his eyes slid away from her probing look.  He could tell she was trying to get into his head, and he deliberately conjured up visions of naked dancing girls and leather-clad women carrying whips.

          “Ewww, Spike!” She slapped him on the arm and made a face, while he laughed.

          “Gotta be careful goin’ into my head, pet.  Never know what you might find there.”

           “Hmph!”  Any further discussion was delayed by the arrival of a group of hungry looking fledglings.  One look at the small blond and her meek looking escort and they were salivating.

            “See, guys?  I told you we’d find something to eat soon.”

            The first one in line reached for Buffy, saying, “I’m taking the tasty blond. One of you can have her date.”

            “What do think, William?  Play a little or just dust them right away?”

            “I’m thinking, RUN, pet.”

            Before Buffy could register her disbelief, Spike was in her head telling her that he could hear heartbeats from the surrounding brush and thought there were at least four or five humans watching them. 

        (Commandos?)

       (Don’t know what else would be hiding in a cemetery in the middle of the night, pet. Do you?)

      (Shit, shit-shit-shit! Okay, there’s nothing I can do about it.  This moron is going to bite me if I don’t stop him.  But you can still be William.  Maybe they won’t notice you.)

      (I’ll play – but only as long as you’re winnin’, Slayer.  One slip and these wankers meet a master vampire.)

      (Deal.  Now start screaming, William!)

     (I’ll make you proud, love.) 

        During the course of their rapid mental communication, Buffy had held the puzzled vampire off with one hand, trying not to be obvious about it.  As soon as Spike began backing up and shouting, “Oh dear, Oh my god, oh, help!  Someone help us!”  she shrugged and plunged a stake into his heart with her other hand.

          Figuring she was busted no matter what she did, Buffy began to fight in earnest, dusting them as she got a good opening and punching and kicking when she didn’t.  She could see from the corner of her eye, that even as he appeared to be shrinking back in fear, William was moving around so as to be able to guard her back no matter how she changed position.

        In no time, fledglings being inexperienced and stupid, she had dusted all but one of them.  The remaining vamp tried to grab William on his way out of the cemetery, only to find himself being held by a hand that was gradually crushing the bones in his arm.

        Still shrieking hysterically, William held on to the panicked vamp until Buffy had strolled over and put her stake through it’s chest.  When it exploded into a dust cloud, the man threw himself into her arms sobbing in relief.   Buffy put her arms around him and whispered comforting things in his ear until she realized he had buried his head between her breasts for a reason.  Pushing him away, she stood up and yanked him to his feet.

         “All right, William, pull yourself together or I’ll have to slap you,” she snapped at the smirking blond man.  “I told you, you shouldn’t have come with me tonight.  Maybe next time you’ll listen!”

          As she scolded Wlilliam, and he shuffled his feet in embarrassment, they were working their way toward the gate of the cemetery.  As soon as they knew they were out of sight, they sprinted away, only slowing as they neared the house on Revello Drive.

          They paused once when a strange-looking man appeared behind a hedge, but didn’t stop to look at him more closely when Spike couldn’t sense anything demonic about him.

         “Ugly bugger,” he commented, looking back over his shoulder at the tall, skinny man.

         “Slaying ugly people is not in my job description,” Buffy said, tugging him along with her.  “Let’s get back to the house before I have to do more explaining than I feel up to right now.”

          They had no sooner reached Buffy’s home, than Spike heard the roar of engines rapidly approaching.  Tumbling through the door, they quickly hit all the light switches, plunging the house into darkness to match all the others in the sleeping neighborhood.

          They knelt down, side by side, to peer out the front window and watched as two black SUVs, just like the one Riley drove, came roaring up the street. The vehicles slowed when they got close to the house and rolled to a gradually stop across the street.

            After several minutes of waiting, they saw doors open and men wearing infra-red glasses got out and stared at the house. They then reached into the vehicle and pulled out a binocular-like device which they began to point at the house.

            “Basement!” Buffy hissed, grabbing Spike and yanking him toward the kitchen.

            They threw open the basement door and jumped down the stairs, landing easily at the bottom.  Buffy stumbled slightly and Spike caught her, frozen in place as her warmth was pressed up against his cool body.  He was ordering his arms to open and let her go, but they refused to listen; instead, pulling her in closer and sliding around to encircle her waist.

          Buffy was mesmerized by the feeling of his hard, cool body pressed against hers.  Except for the short time they’d spent dancing in the Bronze, she’d had very few opportunities to feel how well their bodies fit together.  Without her volition, her arms went around his neck and she raised her mouth to his descending lips.

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