Chapter 8:

Spike followed the group into The Bronze, a small bar near the camp, watching as Buffy and Willow easily sweet talked their way in, without having to show IDs. He had turned 21 the previous July but didn't mind avoiding the hassle of explaining his International Identification. Spike looked around, chuckling at just how right Xander was about this local crew. There were more mullets in the small room than he had ever seen in his entire life.

The friends took a table near the bar and sent Xander to get the first round.

"Red, how'd you get us in so quick?" Spike asked as he banged his new pack of cigarettes on the table.

"Simple economics really," Willow said with a shrug. "When the camp season is on, The Bronze pulls in more money than this town sees all year."

Buffy smiled at Spike and Oz. "You see, the counselors spend every night here for seven weeks straight, drinking like you wouldn't believe. So in return, the bar lets us in...hassle free."

As Spike began lighting his cigarette, he looked towards the bar to see Xander struggling with the drinks. He signaled to Oz and the two rose to help the boy before he dropped the lot.

"So did I sense a little sparkage between you two on the walk over, or was I hallucinating?" Willow asked, leaning towards her now blushing friend.

"I don't know," Buffy said quietly. "He seemed kind of into Drusilla when she was pawing at him earlier."

Willow waved a hand at her friend, "Don't worry about that psychotic. As far as I can tell, Spike only has eyes for YOU."

"Really?" The blonde asked, peering over her friend's shoulder to where Spike stood trying to help Xander balance two pitchers in one arm. "I'm not so sure. Besides, Angel told me that he and Darla broke up last night," Buffy said, chewing on a pretzel.

"I'd be careful with him, Buffy. Angel's not exactly big with the truth, or monogamy for that matter." Buffy began asking Willow what she meant, when the redhead quickly shushed her. She looked up to see the three young men approaching the table, arms full of glasses of various sizes.

Soon the table was filled with two pitchers of Corona, five pint glasses, five shots of tequila, five lime slices, a salt shaker, and the basket of pretzels Buffy had been munching on. Xander raised his shot glass, "I propose a toast." The other four raised their shot glasses as well. "To a terrific summer…May our heads stay empty and our beds stay full." The group laughed and proceeded to down their shots. Spike looked at Buffy out of the corner of his eye and saw that she had finished her shot before the rest, slamming the glass to the table, letting out a little squeal as she sucked her lime.

Buffy quirked an eyebrow at Spike. "What?" she asked innocently.

"You sure you can handle that luv?" he asked, eyeing her warily.

"Don't let her fool you Spike." Willow responded for her friend. "She may weigh only a little over 100 pounds, but the girl can drink like a 500 pound trucker." Willow yelped as Buffy punched her in the shoulder. She rubbed her arm gingerly, "But Jaggermeister is a whole ‘nother ballgame."

Buffy made a sour face and stuck out her tongue, "Bleccch."

Spike gave Buffy an amused glance. She looked really cute with that disgusted look on her face. Little nose all scrunched up.

Willow continued, "Last summer, she probably did about five shots of that stuff, in under two hours, not to mention a couple of beers. She was fun for awhile. Bustin' a move all over the dance floor upstairs." She pointed towards the ceiling. "But afterwards, there was an ick factor…" she said with a shudder.

"Also all over the dance floor upstairs." Xander added, patting Buffy on the head like a puppy.

Spike smiled at the blonde, who seemed surprisingly unembarrassed by the story. "Let's just say, I found my trigger," she explained with a straight face. "I can't even smell the stuff anymore."

One shot and another pitcher later, Buffy decided it was Karaoke time. "Ok, who's first?" She asked excitedly waving the microphone in Spike's face.

"Sorry luv. I still need a few more pints before I succumb to complete public humiliation." The blonde laughed, "Plus, I don't want my wings to go to waste," he added, indicating the basket of Buffalo wings in front of him.

Buffy used one finger to wipe a bit of the orange sauce from Spike's chin. "Too late..." She grinned at the shocked boy, and licked her finger clean.

"Ok, break it up." Xander said, getting to his feet, "I'll go." All eyes turned to Xander as he went straight to the machine and plugged in a set of numbers from memory. He grabbed the microphone and the crowd cheered. The young man raised one hand asking for silence, holding the microphone to his lips, serious _expression on his face he began -

Willow and Buffy stood up and began cheering for their friend. The blonde turned to Spike who was struck dumb by Xander's newfound rap skills, "He does 'Rapper's Delight' every summer on the first night out. You should hear him do 'Funky Cold Medina.'"

Spike turned his attention back to Xander, who was now making his way through the crowd.

The whole room was on their feet, even Cordelia and Harmony. After Xander finished his song, he took a bow and sat down with his friends again. A local woman with bangs that looked like they’d been teased close to five inches high took over the Karaoke spotlight with some Celine Dion song.

"Uggh…" Willow groaned. "It looks like Big Bertha's back," she said, indicating the woman with the microphone. She pulled Buffy from her stool. "Come on Buffy. You have to blow her away. She tries to take you on every year."

Buffy sighed at the redhead and looked at four expectant faces. "Shot please?" Xander jumped from his seat and quickly returned from the bar with a tall shot of tequila and a fresh lime. Spike watched in amazement as he watched the small girl slam yet another shot. "Quarters?" Buffy held out her palm to Spike who quickly placed a few in her palm. He was stunned when she rewarded him with a quick kiss on the cheek then ran to the stage.

After 'Bertha's' applause died down, a big cheer erupted from the Sunny-D section of the bar. Willow let out a loud whistle as Spike waited to hear what song Buffy had chosen.

****

Buffy took a deep breath, and stood stiffly as the intro to the song began. Spike looked at the calm faces at his table, wondering why Buffy wasn't cutting loose. He gave a little silent prayer and looked back at the seemingly nervous girl.

He heard a hushed voice from the speakers, and looked at Buffy, who was still staring at the top of her microphone.

**Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell.
Jimmy Rogers on the victrola up high.
Mama's dancin' with a baby on her shoulder.
The sun is settin' like molasses in the sky.**

Buffy faced the crowd, her eyes sparkling, and began to sway her hips to the music.

Finally, she let it rip as Willow and Xander let out ear-shattering whistles, and all the men in the crowd whooped at the small girl.

Buffy's voice lowered, only slightly above a whisper.

Spike was in heaven. He couldn't see anything in the bar except Buffy. He watched as she circled the room, teasing the locals mercilessly, sitting on a few laps here and there. Spike pouted as he watched Buffy pull Angel to her and laughed when the poof went to grab her ass, only to have Buffy push him back in his seat.

Reaching the bridge, Spike felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Buffy's sweet voice in his right ear.

Spike felt his heart pounding in his chest. Buffy's lips were just inches from his own. He placed his hands on her hips, only to have her pull away and strut back to the small stage.

**In a flash he was gone, it happened so soon, what could you do?**

Spike fell back in his seat as his breathing began to slow. He looked up to see Willow smiling brightly at him.

Buffy had made it back to the stage with minimal difficulty; only a few of the locals had tried grabbing her on the journey back. She finished up the last chorus and felt the buzz leave her body as she sang the last 'If you please' into the microphone. Buffy laughed giddily and curtseyed to the crowd that was now on their feet. She bounced back to her table, took a large swig of her beer and pointed at Willow, "You're up."

Willow shook her head rapidly. "No way I'm going after you." She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Oz looking at her in that calming way only he could do.

"Come on. We'll do something together. That way we can share the humiliation." Willow gave him a grateful smile as he took her hand and led her up to the stage.

Just as the duo began the first verse of "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart," Spike grimaced when he saw Angel approaching the table.

Buffy felt a hand on her stomach and hot breath in her ear, as the words: "How 'bout that drink sexy?" were whispered in her ears. She turned around to see Angel looming above her. A little uncomfortable at his nearness, Buffy shrugged away the strange feeling, and smiled, nodding her head. He grabbed her hand and led her to the bar.

Spike watched as Buffy and Angel did another shot. Jealousy consumed him as he watched Angel wipe a small piece of the lime from Buffy's lower lip.

**Don't go breakin' my
Don't go breakin' my
Don't go breakin' my heart**

The song ended and Willow and Oz joined their friends again. The redhead turned to Spike, taking his chin in her small hand, forcing him to look away from Angel and Buffy at the bar. "You're up hot stuff."

Spike shook his head, taking another drag from his cigarette, "Not likely pet."

"The rock star look all show then?" Spike turned to see Angel standing next to him, one arm draped over Buffy's shoulders.

Off of Buffy's apologetic smile and hopeful gaze, Spike made a command decision. "Alright then…If you insist." He rose from the table, stomped on his cigarette, and walked purposefully towards the Karaoke machine. To everyone else in the bar, he seemed to ooze confidence. A closer look would have revealed a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead and a look of panic flickering across his handsome features.

Buffy watched in amazement as Spike flipped through the song selections, finally making his choice. Never in a hundred years had she expected him to go through with it. Making a fool out of oneself in front of 20 camp counselors is one thing, but in a public place? That was a completely different story. She took a seat on Spike's now vacated stool and waited patiently for the song to begin.

A hush filled the room as a soft; gravely voice leaked its way through the speakers -

Before the word fire, Spike looked to the audience, smirked in his usual seductive manner, and let out a low Mmmmmm.

Buffy looked around the room. The women were now swaying to the music, fanning themselves, or whistling at the newly discovered talent.

She couldn't believe it. He was a natural. He had this way of making every woman in the room want him. Suddenly, she found herself staring directly into a pair of clear blue eyes. Spike hadn't left the stage, but she could feel his eyes piercing right through her.

**You had a hold on me
Right from the start
A grip so tight I couldn't tear it apart
My nerves all jumpin'. Actin' like a fool
Well your kisses they burn
But your heart stays cool**

Buffy felt her pulse quicken as her entire body turned to mush. She had to break eye contact and take another sip of her beer before she slid right off the stool.

Angel noticed Buffy shifting uncomfortably in her seat, "You ok?"

Buffy gasped when Angel put a hand on her shoulder and quickly shook him away. "I'm fine. A few too many shots, I think."

Angel furrowed his eyebrows and looked at the man on stage, working a few of the local ladies, and then looked back to Buffy, who sat in silence, staring into her pint glass intently. Angel shot a dirty look in Spike's direction, and walked back to his own table. Buffy was too involved with her favorite pint glass to notice Angel grab Darla's hand, pulling her out the door.

**Romeo and Juliet
Samson and Delilah
Baby you can bet
Their love they didn't deny
Your words say split
But your words they lie
'Cause when we kiss Fire**

Buffy let out a sigh of relief when the song ended. If he sang even one more word she was going to have an orgasm right there, at the table.

The female portion of the audience cheered. The men remained silent, too upset that this new boy had stolen their women’s hearts, as Spike made his way back to the table. Willow jumped from her seat and pulled the young man into a warm embrace. "So I did alright then?" he asked shyly. Willow playfully smacked him on his arm; he mocked a wince and looked at the rest of the table.

"If I ever have a girlfriend, remind me never to leave her alone with you for too long." Xander said, shaking his roommate's hand. Oz just nodded in agreement.

Spike turned his gaze to Buffy who was still fixated on her pint glass. "Pet?"

Buffy slowly lifted her eyes from the glass, refusing to look directly in the blue eyes awaiting her green ones "Bruce Springsteen . . . well done," she said quietly. Turning to Willow she added, "I don't think I'm feeling well, I'm going to get out of here." With that, Buffy stood up and made her way towards the door.

Spike felt a sharp poke in his ribs and heard Willow say quietly, "What are you waiting for? Get going doofus." Spike gave the girl a questioning look, and suddenly felt himself being pushed towards the EXIT, where Buffy now stood.

Buffy jumped as she felt an arm brush her own and saw the door open in front of her. She turned and met Spike's eyes. "I'm not feelin' too well myself luv. Mind if I walk with you?" Buffy shrugged and the two made their way out into the night.

Chapter 9: Self-Control

Buffy could sense Spike's closeness as they walked side-by-side, in silence back to the camp grounds. The sleeve of his jacket brushed her arm, causing her to shiver in response. She was still completely turned on from his performance, and the slightest touch would set her off.

Spike stopped walking and reached for Buffy, who again shivered at his touch, but stopped to turn to him.

"Are you cold pet?" he asked, running his hands up and down her arms trying to warm them.

Buffy continued to shake and just nodded, closing her eyes, trying to force herself to relax. She could feel the tequila moving through her body, and didn't want to make a complete fool of herself by jumping him on the sidewalk.

Spike looked at her; eyes filled with concern, and gently placed his jacket on her trembling form. He placed one hand on the small of her back, leaving it there for several moments as they began walking again.

As they continued on, Spike shoved his hands into his pockets, fished out a new cigarette, and lit it. He offered one to Buffy, who just shook her head quietly as she wrapped the jacket tighter around her body.

When they reached the front of the campus, Spike opened the gate for Buffy, allowing her to walk in first. He sighed, closing the gate behind him and jogged to catch up with her.

"Pet, about what happened earlier today…"

Buffy raised a hand to shush him. "You know….it's no big deal. And I'd rather we just not talk about it…"

Spike nodded, and continued to walk alongside the now blushing girl. "It was fun though," he chuckled. "I mean, before we made with the embarrassing touchy-feelies," he quickly amended.

Buffy smiled; relieved at the light-hearted approach he was taking with the situation. "It was," she said softly. "And the look on Darla's face was priceless," she added with a giggle.

"Yah…she looked like she was about to shit bricks."

Spike and Buffy were so caught up in conversation that they didn't notice they had already arrived at Hemory Hills. His face filled with disappointment when he finally realized where they were standing.

"So I guess this is me." Buffy said, indicating the door adjacent to the wall they were now leaning against, their bodies mirroring each other. She began to remove his jacket, only to have Spike slide it back on.

"It looks better on you anyway," he answered off her curious look. "But I do want it back eventually."

"Thanks," she said, looking deeply into his sparkling blue eyes. Pausing for a moment, she then added, "Well, I better get inside."

Spike's face fell. He nodded, "Goodnight then." He turned around to make his way back to The Razorback, berating himself for not kissing her senseless, or atleast giving her a nice friendly hug.

Suddenly he was turned around, and he felt Buffy crush her lips to his. Spike was shocked at first, and then relaxed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her small frame. He felt her warm tongue tease his closed lips, and opened slowly to allow her entrance. He pulled her body tighter against him, running one hand up her back to the base of her neck.

Buffy sighed as she felt Spike deepen the kiss. He tasted so good. Maybe it was the alcohol, but the slight hint of ashes was much tastier than she'd imagined. She pulled away from him, gasping for air, as she felt him rest his forehead to her own. She lightly tugged him towards her as she backed up towards the side of the building, until she was pressed against it.

Spike dipped in again, taking her lower lip into his mouth, nibbling gently. Buffy pulled his body closer, seizing his mouth again. Their tongues battled for dominance as Buffy raised her left leg up to wrap below his hip, trapping his body against her. She felt him lower himself, only to lift her slightly, his erection now grinding against her center. She gasped as his lips moved to her neck, his other movements causing heat to spread from her core throughout her body. A knot began forming low in her stomach, as she rocked her hips hard against him, capturing his lips once again.

Spike's mind was everywhere, his thoughts hazy. A low rumble filled his chest at the feel of her warm center pressed firmly against his throbbing erection. His pants were unbelievably tight, and all he wanted to do was unzip and have his way with the moaning girl before him.

Buffy jumped up, wrapping both legs around his hips, and pushed down on Spike more forcefully. She began thrashing against the wall, panting heavily, lower body gyrating in time with his. Spike had to brace his arms on either side of her head to keep them from falling. He felt like he was going to explode, the heat and slight dampness seeping through her pants burned him. He nuzzled his face into her neck, alternating between nipping and sucking the soft flesh. His hips picked up the pace as Buffy's moans became more frequent and her breathing more erratic.

Buffy took one of Spike's earlobes into her mouth, gently scraping the outer edge with her teeth. She couldn't believe the sensations that filled her body. And they were both still fully clothed! She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have him inside of her.

Spike felt Buffy's hot breath in his ear. "Do you-" She let out sharp gasp as he circled his hips hitting her clitoris at a new angle. "-want to-" They both grunted in unison as Buffy changed the direction, grinding their body's even closer. "-come inside?" She forced out finally between gasps, accentuating the invitation by nibbling along his jaw line, before finding his lips once more.

Spike stopped suddenly, realizing where they were and what they were about to do. He lowered his hands from the wall, cupping Buffy's small backside and slowly lowered her to the ground.

Off her wounded look, Spike took her shaking hands with his own, kissing each knuckle softly.

"Pet, it's late. I think we've both had a lot to drink- I know I have," he added. "And I don't want to do anything either one of us might regret in the morning."

Buffy pulled her hands back, wrapping the jacket tightly around her body. Feeling like a complete idiot she asked, "You don't want me?" lower lip quivering.

Spike chuckled, taking one of her hands and placing it on his bulging jeans. "You really need me to answer that luv?"

Buffy smiled shyly, squeezing him firmly in her hand. She watched in awe as his eyes rolled back in his head, tongue pressing against his teeth. He slowly covered her hand, removing it from his erection. "Now, now luv…I don't think I could stop this time." He said, voice quaking.

Buffy pouted, "That was kind of the idea."

Spike smiled and ran his knuckles down the side of her right cheek. "When it happens, I want us both to remember everything. Every kiss," he said, kissing her lightly above one eye. "Every touch," he lowered his knuckles from her cheek down her body, lightly tracing the side of her right breast. "Every moan," at that his hand moved down between her legs, cupping her sex, palm pressed firmly to her clitoris. Buffy let out a sharp gasp, placing her head in the curve of his neck, and bit her lower lip as he began rubbing her slowly through her pants. Soon she was shaking uncontrollably in his arms as he brought her closer and closer to climax.

"It's ok, luv. Let it go," he whispered soothingly in her ear. Panting desperately, she finally allowed it to consume her, and let a loud moan escape her lips, stifled by Spike's shoulder.

Spike felt her come down, and rubbed small circles into her lower back. She reluctantly pulled away from him, only to meet his comforting eyes, her own filled with wonder. "What about you?" she asked softly, indicating the bulge in his pants. She moved to slide her hand down the front, only to have Spike stop her quickly.

"Not tonight luv." He said, placing a small kiss on the inside of her wrist. "That was all for you."

Buffy nodded, struck dumb by his selflessness. If he had let HER walk away unsatisfied, she would have KILLED him. "Are you sure?" she asked quietly.

Spike pulled her towards him, kissing her softly on the forehead. "Don't worry about me." He nudged her towards the door, "Now get inside and snuggle up warm in your bed, before the big bad changes his mind." At that he let out a low growl, and wriggled his eyebrows in her direction.

Buffy giggled and ran inside, teetering slightly from the tequila and the post-orgasm euphoria.

As soon as she was out of sight, Spike let out a deep breath, he felt like he had been holding forever. He quickly unfastened the top two buttons of his jeans, allowing himself a little more room. Examining his predicament, he muttered under his breath that Xander had better not be back from The Bronze yet, before taking off towards his own cabin.

Chapter 10: Locker Room Talk

The Razorback

The pain was indescribable . . . pulsating, throbbing, like nothing he ever felt before.

Spike decided it was time to take action. He reached into his bag, digging deeply, searching for his salvation. The white bottle he sought held the cure for all of his discomfort. 'It would make it so much easier,' he thought, 'Help me release this godawful tension.' He breathed a sigh of relief when he reached his goal. He opened the bottle, pouring just enough into his hand to be sufficient. He knew that too much of the contents would eliminate all feeling completely. Spike rested his head against his pillow. Slowly he brought his hand closer and closer . . .

Quickly he popped the three small white pills into his mouth, taking a huge gulp from the water glass next to his bed. He relaxed as he felt the Asprin making its way into his system, ready to cure this bleedin' hangover from hell.

He couldn't believe how shitty he felt. He didn't think he had all that much to drink the night before - didn't feel that pissed at the time - but somehow he still had the worst headache known to man.

Slowly he sat upright in his bunk, ducking to avoid the board above him, unlike the previous morning. He wiped the sleep from his eyes and made his way over to the mirror. 'Don't I look smashing,' he thought as he examined the circles under his eyes. He hadn't slept a wink the night before. "I always have to be so goddamn noble," he muttered under his breath as he recalled the earlier night's events.

A low groan snapped Spike from his memories of the quivering blonde girl pressed against him.

"What the hell time is it?" A groggy voice said from across the room.

Spike turned around to see Xander - in a similar state to his own - hair sticking up in a hundred directions, and a fresh drool trail visible on his t-shirt. "Tequila?" the blonde asked.

"Tequila," was the emotionless response.

Xander slid from the top bunk, legs giving out when he reached the floor. He sat there for a few seconds before finally attempting to stand. "Where'd you run off to last night?" The brunette asked with a yawn.

"Decided to walk Buffy back." Spike answered, turning back towards the mirror.

Xander quickly perked up, "So, did you hit that or what?"

Spike looked at the boy incredulously. "No. I didn't HIT that. I walked her back is all." He ran his fingers through his hair, trying desperately to get the curls to lay flat. "I didn't want her to take that trek by herself. I saw how she pounded that tequila."

Xander looked at Spike full of doubt, "So nothing happened?"

Spike turned to Xander once more. "Not a thing mate. I walked her back. . .said goodnight. . .and came straight back here."

Xander walked over to his roommate, patting him on the back. "You're a better man than me my friend. MUCH better man."

Spike smiled at his reflection in the mirror. "Indeed."

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

Willow groaned into her pillow as a loud alarm clock sounded through the speakers near her bed.

'When I wake up in the morning
And the clock lets out a warning
I don't think I'll ever make it on time.'

"That just keeps getting funnier Jonathan," Willow mumbled unhappily as she swung her feet to the cold floor. The sleepy girl was startled to see Buffy already dressed, singing happily in front of the mirror, "It's alright cause I'm saved by the bell." "Morning sleepyhead . . . I thought you were never going to wake up." Buffy said, tossing a water bottle to her friend.

Willow grunted a 'thank you,' took a large swig, and slowly rose to her feet. "What's gotten into you this morning?" She said, slowly walking towards her dresser. "You threw back more shots than I did - how come you're not making with the throbbing head pain?"

Buffy shook a bottle of Aspirin, tossed it to Willow, then proudly displayed her now empty Evian. "Plus a really good night's sleep. For some reason, I slept like a baby," the girl said pointedly, smiling brightly.

Willow turned slowly towards Buffy, realization hitting her, even in her current state. "Oh my god . . . he kissed you, didn't he?!" she squealed.

"Still not 100 percent here Will," Buffy grimaced, holding one hand to her forehead. Willow mouthed an apology and waited for her friend to continue. "And actually . . . I kissed him. But less with the kissing, more with the jumping."

Willow's eyes went wide, "You slut!" she said proudly. The excitement-combined with the extreme hangover she was sporting-became too much for the girl. Willow resumed her position on the bed, patting the mattress for Buffy to join her.

Buffy plopped on the bed, folding her legs beneath her. "I did. I don't know what came over me," Willow raised an eyebrow at that statement. "Fine, the complete need to have him then and there came over me."

Willow leaned in closer to her friend. "And how many of your . . . um . . . needs were satisfied exactly."

Buffy lowered her voice, and whispered conspiratorially. "ALL of them. And, I'm STILL all tingly."

"Buffy, you didn't . . .?" Willow asked her friend warily.

"Nope," Buffy said shaking her ponytail. "Not that I wouldn't have." She said with a mischievous smile. "But he put a stop to it. Said something about us being too drunk and wanting to remember everything. It was really sweet." She added wistfully.

"So, did you. . .?" she made a jerking motion with her left fist.

Buffy caught her friend's hand mid stroke, "No. All garments remained firmly in place. Hands above clothes only."

"Oh my god . . . and you still . . . arrived?" She asked with disbelief.

Buffy nodded happily, "Definitely one big one. And a few little ones just for kicks." The blonde giggled, "And, what's more - He wouldn't let me finish him off!"

"You're shitting me!" the redhead yelled, only to be hushed by Buffy.

"I shit you not." Buffy began to giggle uncontrollably. "You should have seen the hard-on he was sporting when I finally went inside. Poor guy."

Willow eyed her friend suspiciously. "Inside? Where exactly did this little exchange occur?"

Buffy blushed a fire engine red and suddenly found the mattress springs above her head very interesting. "Right outside the front door," she finally said quietly.

Willow covered her mouth with one hand, shocked at her friend's new outdoor recreational activities.

Buffy scrunched up her face into a pout and buried her head in Willow's lap. "Now I feel like a complete idiot."

"Why?" Willow asked, petting her friend's hair. "You enjoyed yourself. What's wrong with that?"

Buffy sat upright, facing Willow, cheeks still flushed, "Come on Wills. I know the guy like two days, and I'm on him like a bitch in heat?!" She covered her face with her hands, shaking her head back and forth. "I am so embarrassed."

Willow lifted Buffy's chin so she was looking directly into her eyes. "First of all, I don't think Spike had any objections . . . considering he is CRAZY about you! Secondly, it sounds like he stopped before things went too far. And finally-" she took one of Buffy's hands and quickly slapped it, causing the blonde to let out a small yelp. "-you are not using the, 'I've only known him for two days' excuse with me Missy-" Willow gave Buffy her resolve face, pointing directly at her nose,"-because you know damn well that 'camp time,' is COMPLETELY different from 'real time.' "

Buffy sighed, slowly nodding her head in agreement. "But what if he changes his mind. What if we took it too fast and things are weird? What if . . .?

Willow rolled her eyes at Buffy's ranting, "Bored now!" she said, grabbing Buffy's hand once more, slapping it sharply.

"Owwww!" Buffy screeched. "Will you PLEASE stop doing that!"

"Not until you stop being such a baby!" Buffy's mouth dropped open at Willow's forcefulness. "So why don't you just quit the whining, and let yourself have a good time." Her eyes flashed at the blonde in anger and frustration.

There was a long silence until Buffy finally decided it was safe to speak again. "Wow, Willow." Buffy said with amazement, "Finally decide to unleash you inner dominatrix?"

Willow mouth quirked in a sideways smile. "I guess so." She let out a deep breath, looking at Buffy with sheer surprise, her lips forming an evil grin. "I think I like it."

Chapter 11: Better Than Coffee

DAY 3

Buffy and Willow arrived at the mess hall earlier than usual. They looked around to see only three or four other counselors already sitting down. Taking advantage of the short line the two girls hurried to get their usual - hashbrowns and scrambled eggs - before the rush hit at 9:15 a.m. After setting her tray down at their table, Buffy skipped happily over to the coffee pots. She may have avoided the 'ultimate' hangover, but caffeine was still a necessity. She ran back to the table, anxiously awaiting Spike's arrival. After Willow's pep talk, she wanted to be sure to let him know first thing that she wasn't regretting what had happened the previous evening.

Spike and Xander stumbled into the cafeteria. The aspirin had helped the blonde's pounding head slightly, but he still needed a whole pot of coffee before he could face the world. He made a beeline for the coffeemakers, avoiding all human interaction until he'd had at least one cup.

Buffy's face fell when she saw Spike hurry past her. A knot started to form in her chest as she decided that he probably regretted their make-out session. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and began picking at her soggy eggs.

Spike made his way back to the table, two fresh, and very black, cups of coffee in hand. He stared into the first mug, and quickly gulped the entire lot down. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes forcefully. That bloody aspirin hadn't worked quite as well as he thought. He laid his head down on the table, trying to ignore the pounding that was invading his brain.

Buffy's eyes began to tear as she saw Spike put his head down. 'This can't be happening again,' she thought sadly, heart beating in her chest. 'He can't even look at me. Was it really that awful?'

Spike heard a chair scrape the floor next to him and saw Xander sit down, tray piled with eggs, hashbrowns, and a bowl of Cream of Wheat. He slowly lifted his head, realizing where he was, and looked at the faces before him. He caught the teary eyes of the girl in front of him and smiled sheepishly. 'I knew it. She regrets everything that happened last night.' Spike once again dropped his forehead to the table.

Willow looked to the girl sitting to her right. Buffy looked like she was about to burst into tears. 'This is not good.' Swiftly, she kicked Spike's shin under the table.

Spike bolted upright in his chair, causing Buffy to jump and drop her fork. He glanced towards the redhead, who looked like she was ready to cut off his balls. Willow jerked her head towards Buffy, who was now playing with her hashbrowns, and mouthed the words: 'Say something.'

"Anyone else feel like they were run over by a Mack Truck?" Willow shot Spike a dirty look at his choice of conversation, who shrugged in response.

Buffy felt her lower lip begin to quiver and took a sip of her coffee, trying desperately to hold back the tears that were ready to spill. She chanced a glance at Spike, who was gazing at her with longing. Holding his eyes for a brief moment, she soon returned to her hashbrowns. She heard another chair scrape against the floor, and felt someone squeeze her knee gently.

She raised her head and was met with the sapphire glow of Spike's eyes, which were filled with comfort and hope. "Mornin' luv. Slept well I hope?"

Buffy finally released a sigh, and nodded, smiling at the man beside her.

Spike smiled at the girl's response. "Glad to hear that pet." He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I couldn't sleep at all after what you put me through." With that he placed a quick kiss on her temple and reached for his second coffee cup.

Buffy felt the tension leave her body and proudly announced that she had 'slept like a baby.' "In fact," she added, "it was the best sleep I've had in years."

Willow bounced giddily in her seat and watched Spike chuckle to himself as he took a sip of his coffee.

Xander froze with a spooful of Cream of Wheat milimeters from his lips. "Huh?" He looked around the table. "Did I miss something?" The entire table burst out laughing at the boy's response.

The rest of the breakfast passed in a comfortable silence, only interuppted once by Oz's arrival.

Soon Joyce made her way to the podium to make the morning's announcements. She informed the staff that the day would be filled with meetings about staff rules and the proper ways in which to handle difficult situations, a rehearsal of the welcome song, and a lot of moving of large objects. The campers' trunks would be arriving that afternoon and the correct number of beds had to be placed in each cabin. She went on to say that each counselor would be assigned an age group, as well as a day off, later in the day.

After she dismissed the group, Spike grabbed Buffy's hand, pulling her towards him. "Join me in the lounge Goldilocks?" Buffy nodded shyly as he led her to a room adjacent to the cafeteria.

Closing the door softly behind them, Spike took a seat on a couch near the back of the room. Buffy walked in the same direction and took a seat beside him. Nervously, she raised her eyes to his.

Slowly he dipped his head down, capturing her lips in a soft kiss. Buffy relaxed as she felt him rest his forehead to her own. "I've been wanting to do that since last night." He said quietly, eyes still closed.

Buffy took one hand, and cupped his cheek gently, placing a sweet kiss on each of his closed lids.

He nuzzled into her palm further, covering her hand with his own. He opened his eyes wide and looked deeply into the green orbs in front of him. "I just wanted to tell you that I had an amazing time. . ." He whispered, lips close to hers.

"Me too," Buffy said, her hot breath passing over his mouth.

Spike licked his lips slowly. "No regrets?" He asked, inching closer.

"No regrets . . ." the girl responded, lifting her legs from the floor and placing them next to his body.

Spike closed the gap between them, placing his lips tentatively against Buffy's. He felt her open her mouth, and entered hungrily.

Buffy removed one leg from the couch and swung it around the other side of his body. She needed to be closer. Needed to feel every inch of him touching her.

Spike moved so he was sitting with his back firmly pressed to the back of the couch. Buffy scrambled to sit on top of him - legs straddling his. A low moan filled the room as she pressed herself down on his forming erection. His hands were now cupping her behind, rocking her to him. The sensations were even stronger than the night before, now that they were both sober and the fabric of their clothing much thinner.

Buffy moaned as Spike thrust his hips up to hers, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Spike placed feather-lite kisses along her collar bone, clutching her to him as closely as possible.

Buffy placed her chin atop his head, murmuring incoherently as they rocked faster and faster together. In an instant, Spike was on top of her. Buffy instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. He took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him as continued pushing his pelvis against her. Buffy slid her own hands down the back of Spike's shorts, grabbing hold of the firm flesh beneath. She looked into his eyes hungrily as she pulled him towards her harder and faster.

Spike was unable to keep his eyes open. The sensations were just too much. He squeezed his eyes shut and removed one hand from Buffy's face and placed it between their aching bodies. Quickly he yanked his shorts down so the only thing between himself and Buffy's core was the thin material of her silk pajama bottoms.

Buffy gasped as she looked down to see Spike's erection probing her center through the light pink material. Cupping his ass firmly she pulled him to her forcefully.

He groaned, equally in pleasure and pain, from the incredible friction their bodies were creating.

Buffy held on to Spike's strong forearms as she arched into him. It was her turn to reach between them as she grasped the base of his erection. She watched his head loll back, as he gripped his bottom lip between his teeth. She moved her hand upwards as he began circling her clitoris with the head of his penis. Her movements increased speed as he swirled his hips in one direction, then the other. The were both gasping for air as she pulled on him faster and faster.

Spike scooted back a few inches, creating an empty space where he was previously against her. Buffy's eyes shot open, but didn't stop stroking him, as she searched his eyes for an answer to why he stopped. She let out a squeal as she felt two of his fingers enter her, his thumb massaging her sensitive bundle of nerves.

Spike curved his fingers upwards inside of her, searching for that secret spot. He was trying not to concentrate on the incredible hand job Buffy was giving him - instead focusing on bringing her off first. He felt her vaginal muscles clench around his fingers as he found the spot, pressing his fingertips to it in an constant rhythm.

Buffy bit her lip, trying to contain the moans from escaping. She continued to massage him, running her thumb over the slit. She couldn't take it anymore. Buffy pushed herself up against Spike's hand, grinding her pelvic bone into his palm.

He saw that she was about to climax and caught the scream as he covered her mouth with his own. Even as she quaked beneath him, she continued her own ministrations, pulling him faster and tighter in her tiny fist.

Spike wrenched his lips away from hers as he let out a loud grunt. Buffy nipped at his chin as he spurt not once, not twice, but three times into her hand and on her silk pjs. Completely spent, his body collapsed.

A strange silence filled the room that had been filled with moans and sighs only moments before.

"Sticky." Buffy said, breaking the silence, as she patted his behind playfully. Soon they were both laughing at the mess they made of themselves.

Spike lifted himself on his forearms to take a good look at the girl beneath him. "If that won't cure this bloody hangover, I don't know what will." He placed a kiss to her neck, removed himself from her arms, and stood up, pulling his soccer shorts up as he rose.

Buffy stood up next him, using the edge of his t-shirt to wipe his fluids from herself. "We have to stop meeting like this." She said with mock seriousness.

Spike turned to the girl next to him and gave her a small peck on the lips. "Seriously though luv, we should really slow this down before it becomes all about having lots of orgasms and less about us."

Buffy sighed, wiping the rest of the stickiness off her hand on his hair. "I suppose you're right." Spike looked at her aghast. "But you better not hold out on me for too long." Spike chuckled, feeling the disgusting goop in his hair begin to harden.

"We should both go hop in the shower before the meeting." Buffy sidled up next to him, only to be pushed away gently. "Separately, you little minx," he added. "Wouldn't want your mom getting too close a look at your attire . . . I think she's just starting to like me."

"Fine." Buffy pouted. "I guess I'll see you at the meeting then." She began to walk away but Spike pulled her into another bruising kiss. She savored the taste of him. Sucking his tongue slowly into her mouth.

He finally pulled back, looking into her eyes. "Movie night tonight? Just you and me?"

Buffy was about to say yes when she realized she was going to be in LA that night. . . with Angel! She smiled at Spike sweetly, "Let me see what I can do."

Chapter 12:

Buffy quickly twirled her wet hair into a knot and fastened it to her head with a butterfly clip. Examining herself in the mirror she couldn't help but notice the slight glow to her skin. She brought one hand to her cheek, feeling the warmth. 'So, this is what it's supposed to feel like.' She applied a layer of lip-gloss, kissed the mirror, leaving a light pink mark, and ran out of the cabin.

'I have to get to mom before she announces who is going to L.A.' she thought as she jogged over to Turner Hall. 'She'll change it for me - I know it. She can just put it back the way it was before I hastily switched it all around. Her way was better anyway.'

Buffy took the steps of Turner Hall two at a time and ran into the building. She stepped into the business office panting, and only saw the new assistant sitting at her desk.

Anya glanced up at Buffy, and quickly resumed typing. "Was it good?" she asked in an even voice.

"What?" Buffy asked, slightly confused.

"Whatever you were doing that let to the orgasms?" She said as she continued to type.

Buffy's mouth opened and closed rapidly. She was at a loss for words.

Anya stopped her clicking and looked up at the stunned girl. "Come on. It's all over your face. You have that whole 'My world has been rocked' sheen to you." Off of Buffy's silence, "Fine, if you don't want to share, I understand. But if I were getting the kind of orgasms that you obviously are, I'd tell EVERYONE." The brunette paused for a moment. "What am I saying? I usually do." She shrugged and resumed typing.

"Hi honey." Joyce said as she arrived in the office. Looking at her daughter she added, "You ok, you look a little flushed."

Buffy's eyes shot to Anya, who just gave her a little wink. "I'm fine mom. Just hopped out of the shower and ran over here."

Joyce chuckled, "You ran?" Her daughter running was a sight to behold; it had always reminded her of a duck - toes out and wings flapping.

Buffy ignored that, and continued. "So, when were you planning to announce who's going to L.A.?"

The woman took a seat behind her large desk and looked sharply at Buffy. "No."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Absolutely not."

"What did I say?" Buffy said with a questioning look.

"It's what you were about to. You were about to ask me to change the bus arrangements again . . . were you not?" Joyce gave her daughter a knowing look, and the girl just nodded guiltily. "Oh Buffy. . ." She said shaking her head. "You have got to learn to be more responsible."

"What?!" Buffy said, snapping to attention. "I am ALWAYS responsible. You know how hard I work in that dance studio putting the shows together."

"I meant with your decision-making sweetie." The older Summers woman sighed. "You can't just keep coming to me to fix a situation to your liking. Whatever happened to change your mind . . . work it out."

"But I thought you liked Spike?" Buffy said quietly.

"I do dear. But that is beside the point. You asked me to treat you like every other staff member. I already broke that by changing the L.A. group once. And I am NOT going to do it again." Buffy slumped down into the chair across from her mom, who took her hands in her own. "It's not like he is going to disappear overnight." Buffy nodded quietly. "You'll be back in the morning."

"I know it's just that-"

"It's all new and exciting and you don't want to miss one second of it?" Joyce said, completing her daughter's sentence. Buffy smiled and quirked an eyebrow at her mom, "What, you think I don't remember what it's like to be 20 years old?" Buffy laughed, but Joyce could see that the girl was still upset. "Look. I'll make you a deal. You work your butt off for the rest of the day and make the best of this little L.A. trip, and I'll switch Spike over to your day off with Willow, Xander, Oz and Cordelia.

At the last name Buffy stuck out her tongue, but couldn't help practically jumping over the desk to hug her mom, thanking her profusely.

"Ok, now get over to that meeting, we have work to do." Buffy ran out of the office. Sure she hadn't convinced her mom to switch the L.A. trip, but she now was going to have FOUR extra days with Spike - without any kids to interrupt them!

Anya watched Buffy leave the room and turned to Joyce, "That must have been one hell of an orgasm."

The two women laughed, "I'll bet," the blonde added.

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

Xander, Willow, Oz, Spike, and Buffy exited the meeting room to see the rest of the staff clustered around the Day Off/Cabin Assignment List. Buffy had kept her promise to her mother and told no one what the pieces of paper contained.

"Cover me, I'm goin' in." Xander said before he pushed his way through the crowd.

'"I can't believe they put me on a day off with them!" Cordelia said to Harmony with disgust as she eyed the list. Truthfully, she had requested to be with Xander, but, of course, she could never tell anyone that little fact.

"Well, you get to go on the buses with Angel atleast." Harmony said, trying to calm her friend. She was happy with her day off group of Angel, Darla, Gunn, and Dru, and didn't want Cordelia to cause a stink and have it changed around.

"Yuck. Five hours trapped in a car with Xander Harris all the way to Los Angeles is NOT my idea of a good time."

"You're no picnic either sweetheart," Cordelia turned to see Xander behind her, peering at the list intently. She smacked his arm and dragged Harmony out of the clump.

Buffy saw Xander make his way back to them, big smile plastered across his face.

Rubbing his left arm he whined, "Cordelia hit me really hard! She should be tested for steroids."

Willow looked at Xander impatiently, "So, what's the situation?"

"Okay, not only do we all have the same day off, but you, Miss Summers will be accompanying me to LA tonight to get the kids. Of course Angel and Cordelia will also be in attendance." He added with a grimace.

Spike looked at Buffy, disappointed that he wouldn't get to see her tonight as planned, but smiled at his good luck of getting their day off together. He was a little worried that she would be spending 20 or so hours with the poof - but what could he do?

Buffy saw the troubled look mar Spike's features. She took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, indicating that he had nothing to worry about.

Understanding the gesture, Spike smiled at her gratefully and lifted her hand to his lips, giving it a quick kiss.

"Now that the important question has been answered . . .what age groups do we each have?" The redhead asked Xander.

"Willow, you have the 13-year olds in Hemory Hills."

She rolled her eyes, "Goody, I get the PMS squad again."

Buffy giggled, "Come on, they're not that bad. Besides, you won't have to move your stuff that far." Willow considered that momentarily and nodded to her friend. The 13 year-olds really were kind of a riot. Sure, they were a hormonal nightmare; but when the campers hit that age they finally start getting interesting - having problems with boys and wanting fashion advice. Not so many problems of the 'homesickness' variety.

"Oz has the 14 year-olds with Gunn. And I have the 11 year-old boys with one of the new guys."

"Buffy, of course, has her girls again." Off of Oz and Spike's blank looks he added, "The 15-year olds in Revello - with Anya." Buffy, smiled at that, she figured she was getting her kids again; and having Anya as a co-counselor might be kind of fun. She was quirky, but that was all part of her charm.

"What about me mate?" Spike asked, full of curiosity. He loved little kids, but really hoped Miss Summers had placed him with an older group. He could have fun with the littluns on the soccer field, but in a one-on-one capacity, he related to older guys much better.

"Well," the brunette responded, placing a hand on Spike's shoulder, squeezing it. "Spike here has the oldest boys all by himself-" he paused for emphasis, "-in The Crypt."

Buffy and Willow looked at each other with wide eyes. Buffy was shocked that her mom didn't tell her that little bit of info.

Spike looked around with confusion as the other boys looked at him, eyes filled with envy. He saw Gunn and Angel shoot him dirty looks from across the room. "Did I miss something?"

"The Crypt is only the COOLEST cabin on the grounds." Willow explained. "It's all the way in the back of camp, near the trees . . . very secluded . . .and the counselor room is enormous."

"With a private bathroom," Buffy added.

Spike smiled brightly at the girl next to him. The summer was getting better and better by the minute.

Willow continued, "Angel was supposed to get it this summer, as those were his boys last year. I can't believe they gave you his kids AND his room!" Spike chuckled to himself. 'Serves the poof right for goin' after my lady.'

Xander pulled the group closer, "Well, I heard, that Conner, one of his guys from last summer, refused to come back unless Miss Summers promised he wouldn't have Angel as a counselor again."

"Some 16 year-old kid could do that?" Spike said doubtfully.

Buffy shook her head at Spike, "You don't know Conner. He is a big pain in the ass. Giant chip on his shoulder. . ." She sighed, "But his family has been sending kids our way for years; the money alone in enough to make mom pull a few strings."

'Wonderful,' Spike thought, 'I get to deal with a spoiled little shit right off the bat.' His scowl quickly changed to a wide smirk. The kid had the guts to stick it to Angel. Spike liked the boy already. 'I'll be sure to thank him for the nice gig and private pad.'

"So, who's hungry?" Xander asked rubbing his hands together.

"I can't believe it's lunchtime already," Willow said, linking arms with Oz.

"I know," Buffy said following the couple out, with Xander and Spike on each arm, "that meeting just flew by. . ."

Suddenly, the two girls burst out laughing. The meeting had been excruciating. Giles had gone over all of the camp rules again, beating them into their brains repeatedly, using five-dollar words like 'imperative,' 'pivotal,' and 'compulsory,' for emphasis. They had talked about the on-grounds rules - basically that atleast four counselors had to stay on grounds every night to deal with any emergencies that may arise. The On Grounds counselors, or 'OG,' also had to do periodic sweeps around the campus with flashlights to catch the kids trying to sneak out for midnight make-out meetings. They went through medical forms and discussed different medications and the proper way to heal a nosebleed.

After they calmed and resumed walking, Xander spoke up, "But seriously, I'm hungry."

Oz turned around to look at the brunette, "You're always hungry."

The sudden jibe from the usually silent guitarist made Spike, Willow and Buffy start laughing again.

"I resent that." Xander said flexing his muscles. "I need my nourishment. I'm still growing you know."

In all honesty, Xander did have a good body, but his appetite was mind-boggling, so Buffy couldn't help teasing him further. "Out maybe." She said playfully squeezing Xander's side.

"Whatever, Skinny Minnie." He retorted, poking Buffy in the ribs.

Spike chuckled, earning him a slap from the tiny blonde. He scooped her up and threw her over one shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Let's go fatten you up." He squeezed her behind roughly, and ran towards the cafeteria, Buffy screaming and smacking his back the entire way.

Chapter 13:

"Is this the last of it?" Buffy asked, as she dragged the final trunk into The Crypt. Wiping sweat off her brow she turned to her moving partner. "It better be, 'cuz I feel all spaghetti-like," she said shaking her arms rapidly.

Spike looked around the cluttered hallway, dropping the suitcase he held. "Yah, luv. That should be it." He walked over to the small girl and pulling her into a tight hug, "Thanks for the help."

She pulled away, rubbing her swollen hands, "Well, it's all I could do after you helped me lug all my girls' shit over to Revello."

The exhausted man slid to floor. "Those things were so damn heavy. I could've sworn each of them contained a dead body."

Buffy smiled, joining him on the hardwood floor. "Girls pack differently than guys do," she explained, defending females everywhere. "We have certain necessities that you don't."

Spike looked at Buffy, eyebrows raised, "Like what?"

"You don't think we just snap our fingers and look perfect do you? Without all the extra junk, as you call it, we look like I do now. . .pale and yucky." At that, she stuck out her tongue at Spike and rested her head to his shoulder.

He stroked her hair, now sticky with sweat, and whispered, "I think you look beautiful."

Buffy chuckled at that, knowing perfectly well that she must look atrocious. "You're just saying that to score brownie points so I'll let you have your way with me." She said jokingly. However, she couldn't help but wonder what his real motives were. This thing they had for the last sixteen odd hours had been based on hooking up, and flirtatious banter - not much conversation involved.

Spike pulled on Buffy's ponytail, causing her to lift her head and meet his eyes. "Buffy, this thing we have . . ." Before he could finish his sentence Buffy leaned forward and caught his lips with her own. Unlike most of their previous kisses, this one was slow and full of promise for things to come.

Spike reluctantly pulled away from the girl and stood up. Buffy sat on the floor, confused over why he had stopped. He reached a hand to her, "Come on, I want to show you something."

"And what is this 'thing' of which you speak." She said, eyeing him up and down.

Spike rolled his eyes and shook his hand impatiently at Buffy.

The flustered girl let out a groan, grabbed his outstretched hand, and rose to her feet. Soon she felt herself being pulled down the hallway, dodging loose baggage that threatened to trip her as she ran. Next thing she knew Spike's hand had mysteriously disappeared from her own, and she was surrounded in darkness. Suddenly, the room was flooded with light as she looked around in awe. In all her years at Sunny-D she had never been in the counselor room in The Crypt. It was absolutely gorgeous. Exposed brick donned every wall. A large oak chest sat in one corner, with a long matching dresser placed beside it. Against the far wall sat a queen-sized bed, covered in flannel blankets. Flanking the bed were two small end tables that matched the chest and dresser, with small reading lamps resting on each. She looked to her left and saw a large grey recliner. A closed door was on the wall to her right, which she assumed led to the private bathroom.

"It's a little small . . . but it'll do." Buffy turned around to see Spike leaning in the doorway next to the light switch, with a silly grin plastered on his face. He brushed past her, and went to sit on the large bed. He smiled shyly and patted the mattress for her to join him.

Slowly, Buffy made her way over to where he sat. As soon as she was beside him she leaned in to kiss him again, only to have him lie back on the bed. "Come here." Spike motioned for her to lie next to him.

She fell back against the soft pillow, and turned her body to face his, tucked her hands underneath her head.

"There was something else I wanted to show you." He said, voice barely above a whisper.

"Really," she said seductively. "I wonder what that could be."

Spike took one arm and placed it behind her, pulling her towards him. Soon she was resting against his body, head placed to his chest, their legs intertwined. "I wanted to prove to you that I could have you alone, in a secluded cabin, and not behave like a sex fiend." He said softly, running one hand up and down her back.

Buffy lifted her head from his chest and whispered huskily, "What if I want you to?" She moved in towards his lips, only to have his fingers stop her just short of her goal.

"Now's not the time pet." He brushed a few stray hairs that had fallen onto her forehead, and lightly pushed her back to his chest. "Remember how I said I didn't want this to be more about orgasms than us?" He felt her nod against him. "Well, I want to just hold you and talk. Feel out the situation. Without any actually feeling," he amended quickly, as he felt her start to move again. "Let it be about us for awhile. Without the lust part getting in the way."

Buffy smiled into his chest and breathed a sigh of relief. She really wanted to attack him, and do it like bunnies, but knowing that he wanted to get to know her was comforting - and a pleasant change from her previous encounters with the opposite sex. "So, what do you want to know William?"

Spike laughed at her use of his proper name. "Everything."

"Okay-" she started, "-my name is Buffy Summers. I'm a Capricorn -on the cusp of Aquarius. I enjoy moonlit strolls on the beach, and long, slow kisses that last for days."

"No," he said seriously, "Tell me something real. Like," he thought for a moment, "what are you interested in? Besides me," he added. "When did you start dancing? Why do you keep coming back here year after year when there are a million other things you could be doing?" He paused momentarily before posing the next question. "Where is your father?"

Buffy sighed into his chest. "I love performing, which is obvious. I've been studying psychology at UCLA for the past three years. It's okay I guess," she said with a shrug. "I would say my hobbies aren't that different from other girls my age . . .I like watching movies, going to the beach, hanging out with friends. . . the usual." She began moving her hand in light circles on Spike's stomach, enjoying the feel of his rippling muscles beneath the cotton t-shirt. "One could say that I've been dancing since I was in my mother's tummy. She was the dance instructor here, and continued to teach up until she went into labor." Spike laughed as the vision of a very pregnant Joyce in a leotard and tutu filled his head. "I used to watch her from my little play pen next to the stage. I finally took my first real dance class when I was three years old. My mom had to lie and say I was five so they would let me in. I guess I never stopped."

Silence filled the room and Spike looked down at the top of Buffy's head. He moved one hand to her shoulder and started massaging her sore muscles. "Go on." He urged, as he began to work one tight knot, undoubtedly caused from carrying trunks across the campgrounds.

Buffy stretched out her body, resting on top of him completely, her head placed on his right shoulder. "I've spent every summer at Sunny-D for as long as I can remember. I've never done anything else." She hissed when she felt him nudge a particularly sore spot in her back.

"You ok?" He asked, worried he had hurt her.

"No, it's great . . . don't stop." She said feeling the tension leave her body. "At the end of the summer everyone goes around asking 'Are you coming back next summer?' No one ever asks me." She said, turning her neck so he could work that area as well. "Everyone just expects that I'll be here." She took one of his hands, allowing him only one free one to rub her neck, and stared at their intertwined fingers. "You know, my own mother doesn't even ask me anymore. She assumes that I'll always be here, ready to choreograph numbers for the final shows, no questions asked." She pulled their joined hands closer to her and rested them next to her face. "I wish that just once someone would ask about my plans. Ask me what I want."

"And what's that, luv," he asked as he moved his free hand into her hair, massaging her scalp.

"Funny thing is, I really don't know." She laughed at that. "Stupid right?"

"It's not stupid to not know what you want. You're twenty-years old. You don't have a bleedin' road map telling you which path is best."

Buffy brought their joined hands to her lips, and kissed each of his fingertips gently. "I do know that I want this place to be mine someday. I want to continue the family tradition. Bring joy to kids everywhere." She chuckled at how cheesy that sounded. "But I also want to make a name for myself first. I'm tired of being the owner's daughter. Being known as the heir to the Sunny-D thrown. I need something that's just mine. I just have to figure out what that thing is." She lifted her head from Spike's shoulder and looked into Spike's calm gaze, "Does that make any sense?"

"Of course it does." She smiled and resumed her previous position. "You still haven't answered my last question luv."

Buffy felt a lump begin to form in the back of her throat. "What question is that?" She said, voice trembling.

"Your dad . . . where is he?" The man responded slowly.

"I don't know." She said simply. "I haven't seen him in about ten years. My parents got a divorce a long time ago and I haven't seen him since it was finalized."

"Has he tried calling you . . . or communicating with you in any way?" He asked, sadness consuming him for the girl above him.

Buffy felt wetness forming in the corners of her eyes. "I used to get a card on my birthday. Suddenly, three years ago, they just stopped coming. Nothing since then."

Spike lifted her chin, looking deeply in her tear filled eyes. "He's a fool." He placed a soft kiss to her lips.

Buffy sniffled, and smiled. She released his hand from her tight grasp, and tucked her arms underneath her chin. "So what about you? What's your story? Why did you leave London to become a father-figure to a bunch of kids?"

Spike traced Buffy's features as he spoke; she let her eyes close as she listened to him intently. "I grew up in the heart of London. Two parents, kid sister, and a dog. When I was fourteen I started causing all kinds of trouble. Nothing major really, just stupid kids stuff. Like nicking things from Smoke Shops. That sort." He breathed heavily. "When I turned sixteen my folks decided it would be best if they sent me to a boarding school in the Northern part of England. Thought they could slap some sense into me." He laughed at the thought, "Little did they know that the best place to learn how to be a juvenile delinquent, is a place where they all congregate."

"Like where they sent you." Buffy answered for him.

"Exactly." He nodded, and went on, "After the hundredth letter home from the headmaster, my parents decided to bring me home. I spent my last year in the house brooding in my room, writing horrid poetry, waiting for the day I could get out of there and attend university."

"So what do you study there?" She asked, running her fingers through his soft locks, which were slightly matted from the sweat.

"Literature mostly, a little philosophy, and little politics and history as well. I only have another year to go, then I'm going to pack my bags, hop a train, and explore the world."

"That sounds like a good plan to me. Travel around . . . no worries, no responsibilities." She ran her fingers down Spike's cheekbones, marveling at their sharpness. It was amazing how with such strong features, he still looked so boyish and peaceful lying beneath her. "So any girlfriends I should know about?" She asked as she passed her fingertips over his lips.

He caught one of her hands, and brought her fingers to his mouth, nipping them playfully. "You mean besides the wife in Rome, mistress in Paris, and floozy in Madrid?"

"Oh you think you're funny don't you?" She said, pulling her hand away to tickle his sides.

Spike began to laugh and scream as she tortured him. Finally grabbing her hands, he flipped them over so she was now lying beneath him, hands raised above her head. "There was one a few months back. She treated me like dirt and pretty much shagged every man within a 50-mile radius. I had to get as far away from her as possible. So, when a friend told me about Camp America, I signed up. Of course, at the time I didn't know I'd have to prance around a stage like a nancy-boy."

Buffy mocked disgust, "Whatever. . .you love it."

Spike smiled at the girl beneath him and knew at that moment that it wasn't the stage he loved. He was falling for her - hard and fast.

"What number was that?" Buffy asked, snapping Spike out of his head momentarily.

"Number? I don't quite follow . . ."

Buffy gulped and looked him straight in the eyes. She hated asking this question. "How many women have you slept with?" Off of his silence, she added nervously. "Not that it matters of course," turning her face away from his widening eyes.

He felt her start to pull away when he didn't answer. After his conversation with Willow, he knew that the girl did not have much sexual experience. He needed to reassure her that they were on a similar level. "Buffy . . ." he brought one of his hands to her face, and gently nudged her to look at him. Her eyes flickered with fear as she searched his for an answer. "Cecily was the fourth. There have been two at University. And one while I was at boarding school - which I don't think really counts considering I was 16 and it was over pretty quick."

Buffy sighed and nodded. 'Four isn't that many' she thought. "My first time was a similar situation. The second wasn't all that memorable either. I have had other boyfriends, and done things with them, but all for intents and purposes . . . it's 2."

Spike smiled; Willow had told him this as well. "I know, luv."

Buffy's eyes went wide. "How? Who told you?" After a few seconds of silence, she chanced a guess. "It was Willow wasn't it."

Spike avoided her eyes. He had promised Red not to tell Buffy what had transpired on the bench after lunch that day.

"I'm so gonna kill her." Buffy rolled away from him, and lay on her side facing the other direction.

Spike scooted closer to her and placed one hand on her hip. "Don't. I was upset about what happened at the lake and she was just trying to help." He nuzzled into her neck and placed a kiss behind her ear. He was now spooned behind her and had moved his hand from her hip to her stomach.

"I know." Buffy said with a sigh. "I mean, I've told people things about Wills too. It's kind of understood that there's a time and place for information to be shared. I'm sure she thought it was one of those times. It's just that . . ." she took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "I don't have a lot of experience, and I'm afraid I'll disappoint you."

Spike pulled at Buffy's shoulder, causing her to roll towards his body. Now facing each other he looked at her, voice steady he spoke slowly, "Impossible." Buffy's eyes fluttered closed as he placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. "In our last few. . . encounters, I've felt more than I ever 'ave before. The things you do to me." She giggled and met his eyes. The desire she saw in them took her breath away. "It burns." He ran his hand down her exposed arm and grasped her hand tightly. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply.

Buffy moaned as she felt his tongue find its way into her mouth. She relaxed back to allow him to lie partially on top of her, freeing her other arm to wrap around his body, pulling him even closer. Their kisses alternated between slow and lazy, and hard and fast. Buffy could feel Spike's heart pounding against hers. During one particularly slow kiss Buffy opened her eyes to look at the man above her. She was stunned to see that his were already open and searching her face for the answer to a question she didn't know. He pushed his tongue further into her inviting mouth, never breaking eye contact, and deepened the kiss. Buffy had never kissed anyone with her eyes open before, and was amazed at the intensity of something so simple.

The two finally broke apart when they realized breathing was still a necessity. Spike ran his fingers down Buffy's face, trying to burn her image into his memory. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and placed feathery kisses over every feature. Buffy closed her eyes again, and let herself enjoy the sweetness of his actions.

Spike shifted so Buffy was lying on top of him once again. She ran her fingers up and down the length of his body and pressed a firm kiss to his chest. "This is nice," she said sleepily, and snuggled closer.

"That it is, pet." He said, enjoying this new level of intimacy between them. "What time do you have to leave for L.A?" He asked quietly as he took her hand in his.

Buffy turned their joined hands to her face, inspecting the watch she wore. "Another hour or so," she said with a small sigh. "Can we just lie here like this til I have to go pack my things?"

"Stay as long as you like."

"How does forever sound?" She asked quietly.

Spike squeezed her tightly, and closed his eyes, wishing he had the power to make time stand still.

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Buffy watched as Spike closed the trunk to Angel's SUV. The other three counselors were already waiting in the car. Buffy looked through the rear window to see Xander and Cordelia bickering in the back seat. 'This is going to be a fun trip.' She thought sarcastically.

"All set, pet?" Spike asked, leaning against the back of the car.

"I think I have everything I need." She said with a sigh, kicking the bumper softly.

"I hope so. Because god knows you might have forgotten another six pairs of shoes that you couldn't possibly live without for one whole night." He teased, indicating the three large bags in the trunk.

Buffy smirked, and grabbed his hand, yanking him away from the car. The two walked side-by-side to the front passenger door. The girl relaxed as she felt him rub light circles on the back of her hand, sending tingles up her arm. She pulled him to her and kissed him hungrily.

The couple was rudely interrupted by a loud horn. The passenger-side window rolled down to reveal Angel's scowling face. "Come on Buff, we gotta get a move on if we want to hit LA at a decent hour. Parking in my neighborhood is a bitch after 10 o'clock."

Spike shot Angel a dirty look, and resumed kissing his girl. Maybe he was showing off a little, but he also needed to feel her against him one more time.

When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily, and Buffy's lips were swollen from being so thoroughly kissed. She rose to her toes and placed a quick peck on his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow. Along with a couple hundred screaming kids."

He brought her to his body, enveloping her in a tight hug. "Hurry back." He whispered before kissing her temple.

Buffy smiled sweetly and hopped into the front seat, closing the door behind her. "Be good." She said, before rolling up the window.

Spike stood there and watched the car drive away, taking his heart with him. He let out a loud sigh and began the trek back to The Crypt. He still had to make stupid signs for the doors, and finish up a few lesson plans. 'At least it will help pass the-' he glanced at his watch, '-20 hours and 42 minutes until she's back.'

Buffy sat quietly in the car, trying to drown out the voices of Xander and Cordelia coming from the back seat. She looked out the window at Spike's retreating form, as they drove off. 'I can't believe I miss him already.' She smiled, closing her eyes, head resting against the window. 'We've only been together for one day - been apart for a little over 30 seconds - and I'm going crazy. Only 20 hours and,' she looked at her watch, '41 minutes til I'll be back. This is so lame,' she chuckled softly, 'if I miss him this much now what's going to happen in 7 weeks when he . . .' Buffy's eyes shot open as she felt a knot start to form in the pit of her stomach. 'This is not good . . . not good at all.'

Chapter 14: Resolutions

Buffy felt herself begin to panic, and rolled down the window for some much needed fresh air. She breathed deeply and fell back against the seat, eyes closed. 'What do I do? If I keep this up I'm going to be a wreck in August. At this rate there's no way I'm going to be able to watch him get on a plane bound for England, possibly never to be heard from again.'

She knew how 'camp relationships' worked. Everything was fine and dandy until the camp shut down at the end of the summer. Then people resumed their normal lives, completely forgetting about the 7-weeks at Sunny-D.

Over the last 24-hours Buffy felt herself falling for the gentle soul, and hotness, that was Spike. How would she be able to just walk away after seven-weeks of intimate conversations, flirtatious banter, snuggling, kisses, and probably, mind-blowing sex? 'I've had too many men leave me already. I can't go through it again. It will be easier if I end it now before things go any further.'

Spike's clear blue eyes entered her mind and she relaxed. 'Maybe this time it will be different?' a quiet voiced asked from deep inside her. 'Maybe this time . . . No-' She tried shaking the picture away, and failed miserably. 'It's best for all involved if I end it when I get back. Before I . . . errrr. . . WE get really hurt here,' she amended quickly.

'But what if he's worth the heartache?' the nagging voice spoke more loudly this time. 'What if these 7-weeks go really well and you two try to make a go of it at the end of the summer.'

Buffy groaned internally. 'Where the hell was Willow when she needed her? Probably off with Oz in some secret makeout spot; Definitely not freaking out about the implications and turning into a complete basket case like some people.'

She took her right hand and gave it a loud slap, startling the other three passengers. "Sorry," she said weakly. "Damn mosquitoes." Xander gave her a concerned look and went back to arguing with Cordy. Angel looked at Buffy out of the corner of his eye, grin spreading across his face.

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

Five hours later, Buffy awoke to the sounds of the still screaming brunette pair in the back seat. Buffy had nodded off shortly after they left Sunny-D, passing out when the two began arguing about the importance of the 'spork' to the existence of the fast-food industry. She yawned and turned around to see that Xander had Cordelia's foot in his hand, pulling at her shoe. "And what is the purpose of these things. Is it a sandal or a sneaker? I don't get it."

The brunette wrestled her leg away from his grip. "These just happen to be the latest fashion-craze. Something that you obviously know NOTHING about."

"Will you two cut it out already!" boomed an annoyed voice from the driver's seat. "I've had to listen to this shit for the last five hours." He turned his attention to his now awake, blonde passenger. "How the hell did you sleep through all their yapping?"

Buffy shrugged at Angel. "Lots of practice."

The man smiled and focused on the road again. Soon he turned onto a small side street and proceeded into a large parking lot. "We're here," he said as he put the gearshift in park. The quartet hopped out of the car and followed Angel to the trunk. "Everybody have everything?" Buffy nodded, as she struggled to hold onto her three large suitcases. "Ok, follow me."

How Joyce had convinced him to let this group stay at his place for the night was beyond him. He led the way to the entrance of the high-rise apartment building. Buffy lagged behind, trying not to drop any of her belongings. One suitcase slipped from her grasp and tumbled to the ground. She leaned over to pick it up, only to have a large hand stop her. Angel lifted the bag, and gave her a brilliant smile, before continuing to the door.

Once inside, Angel showed them to the elevators, which went directly to the top floor. The doors opened, revealing a large penthouse apartment - decorated in all black, white, and grey. Antiques were proudly displayed in cases throughout the main room. Paintings hung on every wall. It wasn't really Buffy's taste, but she couldn't help but be impressed at all Angel had accumulated at such a young age.

"Wow," Cordelia breathed. "How can you afford a place like this?"

"My parents are helping me out until I get my MBA," he said, dropping the bags to the ground. He walked into the kitchen that was visible from the living room, and opened the refrigerator. "Anyone want a beer?" The three of them answered in the affirmative, before placing their suitcases next to Angel's.

He brought them each a bottle of Heinekin, took them further into the apartment, and sat down on one of the couches. Buffy chose to sit on the black loveseat, trying carefully not to spill a drop on the expensive leather.

"There is one guest bedroom down the hall on the left. My master bedroom is on the right. And the couches here." He said pointing out the different areas where they could crash. "I don't care who sleeps where, as long as nothing gets damaged. The security deposit on this place is enormous and I don't want to piss off my dad." The three guests nodded, assuring him not to worry.

"So what's the plan?" Xander asked, breaking the ice. "I'm hungry. I can't believe you wouldn't let us stop on the way."

Angel looked at the younger man, full of contempt, "And risk you making a mess of my new interior? I don't think so."

Buffy sat quietly as the rest of the group argued about whether to order Pizza or Chinese for their late dinner. Her mind wandered to Spike, thinking of where he was and what he was doing. The staff had a rehearsal for the Welcome Song at 8 p.m., so they were probably just getting out of the theater. 'Bad Buffy,' she thought to herself. 'Stop worrying about what he's up to. You can't let this thing control you.'

"Hey Buffster," she heard Xander say from across the room. "What do you want on your pizza?"

"Huh? Oh, um, whatever you guys want is fine."

The group decided on three large pizzas - one supreme for Xander, one sausage and mushroom for Angel, and a plain cheese for Buffy and Cordelia to share.

"Man. That is one kick-ass DVD collection you got goin' on." Xander walked over to the entertainment center and started looking through the movies. "How do you have "Austin Powers in Goldmember" already? It doesn't even hit theaters until next month."

"Well my dad is a bigwig over at Sony, so he talked a friend from New Line into getting me a screening copy." Angel said, taking another gulp from his beer.

"You so have to let us watch this." Xander said, pleading to Angel, who just shrugged.

"Buffy. . .?" He asked, shaking the box in her face.

"Fine by me," she said smiling at her giddy friend.

"Cordelia. . .?" He said eyeing the brunette, giving her a look that said: 'If you say NO I'll give your favorite pair of Manolo Blahnik's to the homeless.

The girl let out a groan. "Fine. But this one better not have Heather Graham in it . . . she RUINED "The Spy Who Shagged Me."

Angel popped the DVD into the player and everyone watched as the words: 'Not for sales purposes,' flew across the screen. The doorbell rang, and Xander ran to get the pizza, money in hand. He came running back into the living room with the three pizza boxes, and four cans of coke balancing precariously on top.

"We can put that down here." Angel said pressing pause, and clearing off a glass coffee table. "I find any red sauce on the upholstery tomorrow, and it's coming out of your measly salary." He pointed at Xander.

After everyone had eaten their fill, they were ready to try the movie again. Xander joined Cordelia on the couch, and pulled her feet into his lap. "Hey!" she said, trying to pull them away; but he held on and shushed her, "Simmer down woman." She relaxed and let Xander take off her shoes, not letting him see the huge smile that was forming on her pretty face.

Buffy curled up on the black love seat. She felt someone nudge her shoulder and looked up to see Angel. "Scootch over," he whispered, patting her legs.

She moved over to allow him room to squeeze on the small piece of furniture, getting as close to the corner as possible.

He laughed as he looked at her trying to get comfortable. "It's ok, I won't bite," he said, pulling her over to him, wrapping an arm around her. Buffy let her head fall to Angel's shoulder. 'This isn't so bad,' she thought to herself. 'Three days ago I would have killed to be in this position.' She turned her attention to the movie playing on the large flat-screen tv, ignoring the guilt building within her.

At the end of the movie Buffy was the first to speak, "Xander, don't you think the actor who plays Scott Evil looks kinda like Oz?"

Xander and Cordelia had been so wrapped up in the movie, and each other, they didn't notice Buffy and Angel sitting all cozy-like on the loveseat until that instant. "Nah-" he said eyeing his friend's position, "-the hair's all wrong." He watched Angel move a hand to Buffy's knee. When she didn't push him away, a frown crossed his face. 'What are you doin' Buffster?' he thought. No one had told him outright that Buffy and Spike had something goin' on, but he wasn't a complete idiot. He saw the little looks and stolen kisses, not to mention the way they kept mysteriously disappearing at the exact same time all afternoon.

"I am exhausted," Cordelia said, yawning loudly into her hand. "I think I'm going to hit the sack, so I can be all cheery for the kids tomorrow."

"Cordy, do you need me to show you to the guest room?" Angel asked, annoyed at the possibility of leaving Buffy's side.

"It's ok," she pulled Xander to his feet. "You remember the way, right Xander?" At that, she dragged him from the living room and the couple disappeared down the hallway.

'Alone at last,' Angel thought. Last night when he was sneaking out of Darla's room in Hemory Hills, he saw Buffy and Spike going at it by the front door. He never would have expected that the girl on his left had that much energy. He was dying to give her a test drive. Pissing off Spike in the process was an added bonus. The new guy had taken his room and his boys - he wasn't going to let him steal his girl too. Angel knew that Buffy had wanted him ever since she was a junior counselor - and there was no way he was going to let some British guy with bad hair snag her away.

"So what do you think of the apartment Buff?" he asked as Buffy sat up and stretched her arms.

"It's nice. . ." she didn't know what to say. She had never been alone with Angel before, and her gift of speech was suffering greatly. "It's really . . . um . . .big?"

Angel chuckled and stood up next to the blonde girl. She had never noticed just how tall he was. She felt like a dwarf in comparison. "You know, my mom's house is only a couple miles away if you would rather we all stay there," she said, apologizing for the intrusion into his home.

His eyes stayed on her lips as he spoke. "I can't believe that after all the years we've known each other, I've never seen your place, and you're finally seeing mine for the first time."

"Yah, weird," she said, nervously. In truth, her mom had invited him over a number of times for dinner, but he always seemed to be busy.

"Maybe after camp is over, we can start making a habit of it - considering we are practically neighbors."

Buffy eyed Angel curiously. He had never shown any interest in her before last night. Sure she caught him staring at her once in a while, but this was new territory. 'Would it be so bad?' she thought as she watched him take a step towards her. 'He lives so close. It would be easy to maintain contact after the seven-weeks are up.'

Angel lowered his head to kiss her. Buffy had to strain her neck to reach his lips. Without warning, he forced his tongue into her mouth. The kiss was all over the place. Buffy tried to keep up, but every time she thought she figured out where it was going, he went off licking her in another direction.

She broke away and sat down on the loveseat. Angel took this as a cue to move their making out to a new venue. He dove in again, only to have Buffy raise her hand, halting his descent. She took a few deep breaths. Her mind was racing. 'Where were the tinglies?' 'Where was the passion?'

She looked at Angel again, who was getting ready to pounce again. "Can we try this again? A little slower this time. Follow my lead?" Buffy asked.

"Whatever," Angel said with a shrug.

'The tinglies and passion are leaving for England in seven-weeks,' she reminded herself. She leaned towards him and pressed her lips to his. Slowly she opened her mouth, allowing him to slip his tongue in, and kept trying to control the pace of the kiss. She didn't feel the excitement and electricity she had with . . . that other guy leaving for England in seven-weeks. . . but it was a definite improvement from their first botched attempt.

'This isn't so bad.' she thought. 'I've wanted this for years and it's finally happening.' Buffy continued to kiss Angel, and felt overwhelmed when he took her in his arms, his large body threatening to crush her small frame. 'I want Angel . . . I do . . .I always have.' Spike's handsome face entered her mind, his eyes filled with anguish. 'It's the best for everyone involved.' She felt a lump form in her throat, and her eyes begin to tear. 'This is what I want.'

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