Chapter Thirty-Seven: Strike!

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I'm sooooo sorry it took so long for me to update. My main beta was having computer problems (still is) and my chapters kept erasing from her system. Anyway, this chapter is only 1/2 beta'd so please go easy on me.

Read and review (I'm going through withdrawal)

Enjoy!

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DAY 18

"Hey Mom," Buffy said, taking a seat next to Joyce at the staff table.

The woman pushed aside her yellow notepad and examined her daughter. "You look happy this morning. I take it you had a good night."

Buffy blushed and shrugged. "It was ok."

"Ok?!" Joyce exclaimed in disbelief. "It better have been more than ok, for me to take on a bunch of teenagers like I had to yesterday."

Buffy's smile widened. "It was great, I caught a movie and just hung out for awhile. Thank you," she said, taking her mom's hand, "I really needed the time off."

Joyce patted her daughter's hand and took a sip of her coffee. "I know, and you deserved it. Plus, having a handsome gentleman defending your case didn't hurt either." She gave Buffy a knowing look before returning to her notepad.

Buffy blushed again and turned towards where Spike was sitting. When she caught his eye, she smiled at him shyly, unsure if her 'true confessions' the night before had made him uncomfortable. To her delight, he nodded at her and gave her a wide grin. He pointed towards Dawn, who was perched atop Conner's lap, then rolled his eyes at Buffy. She mimicked his actions, and giggled, before turning back to her mom. "I'm just lucky, I guess."

Joyce smiled to herself and took another sip of the coffee. She liked Spike, but didn't want to push the pairing too hard, knowing that Buffy would be more likely to doubt the relationship if she showed her support.

"Mom," Buffy started, unsure of how to approach the topic, "when you were my age, and grandma ran the camp . . .did you ever . . ." she paused, trying to choose her words. "I mean, were you ever involved . . .was there ever . . ."

Joyce sighed and turned towards her daughter. "Yes."

"How did you know what . . ." Buffy began, confused at her mother's quick response to a question that hadn't even been asked yet.

"Buffy, I know how hard it is to be in your position. I've been there. But try not to let it consume you, ok? This is supposed to be fun."

Buffy gulped and nodded. "So . . .I should just . . ."

"Go back to your table, eat with your kids, and flash your pretty smile at a man who's obviously smitten with you." Joyce nudged Buffy, pushing her slightly from the chair.

"Ok," Buffy pouted and rose from her chair, before speaking again. "So . . .how many times were you in my position exactly? I always thought that dad was the first . . ."

Before Buffy could finish, Joyce choked on her coffee, causing her to spit it back in the mug. "Go!" she said, pointing towards her table.

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"Ugggh," Cordy groaned as she eyed the new events calendar. "I HATE Bowl-A-Rama."

"I'm sorry sweetie. I know Prada doesn't make bowling shoes," Xander said, patting his girlfriend's shoulder in a sign of mock support.

Cordelia pulled away from his touch. "It's not that Xander. I just . . .suck!!"

"That you do," the young man said, poking his girlfriend in the sides playfully.

"Eww!" Cordy squealed, trying to avoid his attack. "You are soooo gross!" she giggled, smacking his hands away.

"That's not what you said last night when you were . . ."

Cordy blushed and slapped a hand over his mouth, making sure none of the campers had heard what he said. "If you ever what to know the love of this woman again," she muttered through gritted teeth, "I would suggest keeping your voice down."

Xander's eyes went wide and he nodded slowly, before sticking out his tongue to quickly lick her hand.

"Yuck," she groaned, removing her hand from his mouth, wiping his saliva on his shirt. "Why do I torture myself?" she asked the blue sky above her, placing her hands on her hips. She sighed and looked back to her boyfriend. "So what's the plan for tonight?"

"Well, we could try the pads. They make it a little easier, and it's kind of fun watching the balls bounce all over the place."

"What?! Is this some sort of kinky sex thing, cuz handcuffs and silk scarves are one thing, but I am NOT . . ." Cordy huffed, unsure of where he was going with this.

"No," Xander said rolling his eyes. "The bowling alley has these blue bumpers you can put in the gutter so you knock pins down every time. Usually they only let little kids use them, but since you're so cute, they may make an exception."

Cordy shrugged, breathing out a sigh of relief. "Ok, we can try that."

"Good," Xander began, before her words finally sunk in, "Handcuffs?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not another word Harris," she pointed a finger at him, then stalked back to her cabin to prepare for her afternoon classes.

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Bowl-A-Rama

Buffy counted her girls as they got off the bus. She knew a bunch of them didn't want to bowl, and was afraid they might try to stay on the bus and make-out with their boyfriends. After the last one was accounted for she made her way to the entrance. Cordy, Xander, Oz, Willow and Spike - who unfortunately was on a different bus this trip - were all waiting for her at the front door.

"I don't know about this," Willow said as Buffy approached the group.

"Don't know about what?" Buffy asked, taking her spot in the circle.

"Well Buffster, we were thinking of putting a little wager on the game. You know, make it a little more interesting," Xander responded, rubbing his hands together.

"And what is this wager of which you speak? It's not like money is an option, considering we all make squat," Buffy reminded him.

"Oh no it's much better than that, luv." Spike said, flashing Buffy an innocent smile.

"Is that right?" Buffy asked skeptically. "If you think it's good, then it must be REALLY bad."

Spike shrugged and quirked an eyebrow at the petite blonde. "Well, I have to admit, it's not quite the prize I'd like to play for-" Buffy blushed in response to his seductive leer, to which he could only chuckle, "-but it should be entertaining, none the less."

Buffy turned away from his captivating glance and faced Willow. "So what is it exactly?"

"Basically, the person with the highest score gets to pick out a townie for the loser to hit on," the redhead explained.

"No way. I'm so not doing that." Buffy raised her hands and shook her head rapidly, not wanting to get involved in the sick game.

"Afraid you're going to lose, pet?" Spike asked, knowing that Buffy wouldn't back away from a challenge.

"Not likely, bleach-boy. I'll have you know that I can kick a little bowling-ass. I've only been coming here since I was seven." She punched him lightly on the arm and opened the door for them to enter.

Spike rubbed his shoulder tenderly and walked partially through the door. "Fine . . .I still think you're scared of a little competition."

"Do they even have bowling in the mother country?" Buffy asked, releasing her hold on the door, allowing it to smack into his ass.

"Hey!" Spike yelped, following Buffy into the bowling alley. "We do have bowling in England-" he paused to watch a teenager run by with his newly selected bowling ball. "-Except the balls are a little smaller."

Buffy turned around to face Spike once more, and looked him up and down, allowing her gaze to linger over his pelvis longer than usual. She patted him lightly on the cheek, gazing deeply into his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" Spike's mouth dropped open as he watched her saunter off, hips swaying. Before he could catch up and offer a quippy retort, two hands grabbed his own and pulled on his arms excitedly.

"Spike, come play with us!" Rona shrieked excitedly, dragging him towards their lane.

"Let's show these Yanks how the game is played!" Molly giggled, as she pushed him down into a seat.

"Girls, I still need my shoes," he protested, attempting to stand up again.

"I'll get them!" Vi shrieked, waving her hand. She lifted his foot and examined his boot. "You're a 10, right?"

"How did you know?" Spike asked, shocked at her lucky guess.

"Instinct," Vi said with a shrug, before running over to the counter.

Spike felt someone tap him on the shoulder and turned to face the person behind him. "Decide to play against people more your own speed?" Buffy asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Oh it's on, pet. I don't care about everyone else. . .you're going down, Goldilocks."

She leaned in closer and whispered into his ear huskily. "You beat me, and that could be arranged."

Spike stammered, and watched as Buffy grabbed her bowling ball and bowl a perfect strike in the next lane. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath.

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In the ninth frame the scores were tight - except for Cordy who had them all beat, due to her game of 'bumper bowling.' Because of the unfair advantage, the rest of the counselors had decided to disqualify her from the bet. As it stood, Xander and Buffy were tied for the lead, with Oz, Willow and Spike trailing closely behind.

"You're up Spike!" Rona yelled, pointing towards the ball return.

He rose to his feet and went to retrieve his ball.

Buffy took the opportunity to throw him slightly off his game. There was no way she was going to let him beat her. "Hey, Molly, I need to ask you something," she said walking towards Spike. "Oh, excuse me, Spike." She squeezed between him and the scoring table, holding still to allow her breasts to rub against his back.

Spike inhaled sharply as he felt her squirm behind him, rubbing her crotch into his backside. "That's alright," he said, trying to regain control over his raging hormones, as she took a seat next to Molly. 'Brush it off Spike. She's just toying with you,' he thought as he prepared to roll his ball towards the pins. 'Can't let her get to you.'

"Oh, too bad Spike," Buffy said sarcastically as his ball headed straight for the gutter. "Maybe on the next one."

Spike picked up his ball from the return, and lined up his next shot. He clenched his jaw and let it go. "Hah! Spare! That's right!" he yelled, doing a little dance to where Buffy was sitting. "I believe you're up in your own lane, sweetheart."

Buffy groaned and shuffled back to her own lane, Spike following closely behind. She took a deep breath and leaned over to pick up her ball, gasping when she felt his erection poking her behind. "Looks like someone took one of our balls," Spike said innocently, making his presence seem normal. He leaned in more closely, grasping for the ball, pressing into her more closely. He chuckled as he heard a small whimper escape Buffy's lips. He leaned into her hair, careful not to let anyone see, and whispered hotly. "Two can play at this game, luv." Laughing, he picked up the ball and held it in front of him, masking his predicament. He walked back to his seat, sitting with the ball in his lap, forcing his body to relax.

Buffy tried desperately not to let him get to her, but nevertheless, she only managed to knock down five pins. "That's alright, I'll pick it up in the tenth," she shrugged, grinning when she saw the scores light up the end of the alley. She was leading Spike by fifteen pins going into the final frame of the game. 'No way he's going to pick that up.'

"Hey, how's it going down here?" Willow asked, skipping towards Buffy.

"Shhh," Buffy said, hushing her friend. "I've got a 156. Spike's at 141. How'd you do?"

"Her all time high," Oz beamed. "167. I got a 169."

"Wow, nice job," Buffy said, impressed at the results. "What about Xander?"

"I think he had a 170 or something; so it's up to you guys. I know I'm going to lose," Willow pouted.

Buffy watched as Spike rolled a strike for the first ball. 'Shit,' she thought, as he smirked in her direction. 'Calm down Buffy, there's no way he can do that twice in a row.' Her face fell when he rolled a second strike.

"What do you think I should do?" Spike asked the counselors who had congregated in his lane. "I'm not sure I want to win this one," he said in Buffy's direction. "Sometimes losing can taste just as sweet," he added, drinking in the young woman's form.

"Are you kidding?" Xander asked in disbelief. "Have you seen the local ladies over there."

Spike shrugged and grinned towards the young man, before taking his place in the lane once more.

Buffy watched in fear as he sent the ball in for another strike. 'You can do this Buffy. All you need is sixteen. You can get that easy.'

Buffy grabbed her ball and the group watched as she knocked down eight pins. She picked up the spare in the second part of the tenth frame.

"According to my calculations," Cordy began, "that makes it Spike - 172, Buffy - 166. So, unless Buffy totally chokes, it looks like Willow may lose this one."

Willow shrugged, "That's ok, I think I can handle it."

"Without actually handling it, right?" Oz asked with a straight face.

Willow giggled and slapped her boyfriend playfully.

Spike walked over to where Buffy was standing with her ball. "Looks like I may be the one going down after all." He stepped away from her as she prepared to release her ball. "Unless, you've got your little heart set on it."

Buffy's eyes went wide as she sent the ball spiraling down the lane, directly into the gutter. "Ahhhh!" Buffy screamed. "Shhhguuufff," she quickly corrected herself, before swearing in front of the kids.

"Oh my god!" Willow squealed. "I didn't lose!!!"

Buffy's heart pounded in her chest as she walked back to her friends. "I don't know what happened," she said softly, avoiding Spike's eyes.

"I guess you choked," Spike commented, trying to hold his composure. Buffy shot him a dirty look and took a few steps closer towards him. "About our little side bet, you didn't really think . . ."

Spike raised an eyebrow at her, "You're not trying to be a sore loser are you, pet?"

"Come on," she protested, "we can't!"

"Oh, I think we can," he said, continuing to tease her.

"But what about our . . .arrangement," she whispered.

"So what's it gonna be Spike?" Xander asked.

"Huh?" Two blonde heads turned in Xander's direction.

"Which townie is going to be the Buffster's lucky victim?"

"Damn," Buffy muttered, stepping away from Spike. She had completely forgotten about the original wager. "Go easy on me," she pleaded.

Spike grabbed her arm. "Let's take a little tour," he said leading her around the bowling alley, the other counselors trailing closely behind. "That one," he decided, pointing towards a young man in the game room.

"No way," Buffy said, trying to flee the scene. Willow caught her and pushed her back to Spike. "But he has all that chest hair," she groaned, eyeing Spike's selection, and the patch sticking out from his button-down shirt. Buffy looked around at the expectant faces. "Fine," she whined. "How long do I have to keep up the charade?"

"Just a few minutes," Cordy said. "Longer if you don't quit your whining."

Buffy rolled her eyes and took a deep breath, heading into the game room. Before she could get too far, Spike pulled her back to him and whispered into her ear. "Remember, you're still my girl."

Buffy grinned up at him sweetly. "I'm not your girl." She winked at him and walked towards the young man who was now playing pinball. "Hi there," she said huskily, leaning onto the machine.

"Hi," the young man said, ignoring her.

Buffy turned to face her friends, who coaxed her to continue.

"I'm Buffy . . .what's your name?" she asked sweetly, tracing light circles on the glass.

The young man finally look up, taken aback by the beautiful girl standing in front of him. "I'm Warren, doll."

She lifted her hand and shook his gently. "Pleasure to meet you, Warren." When he placed a soft kiss to the back of her hand she had to hold herself back from yacking, and instead giggled.

"No, it's all mine, I'm sure," he eyed her body up and down, licking his lips.

Buffy shivered and took a step away from him, twirling a piece of hair between her fingers. "So what brings you to Bowl-A-Rama, Warren?"

"My friend Andrew likes the games," he tilted his head to indicate a young man playing Dragon Ball-Z. "But, lucky for me, you're here to make it more interesting." He took a few steps closer and placed his hands on Buffy's hips.

She squirmed out of his grasp. "Uh, uh, uh," she said, waving one finger at him. "No touching just yet."

"The buses are here!" she heard a booming voice yell from the alleys. 'Thank god! Get me out of here!'

"I guess that's me," Buffy sighed, feigning disappointment.

"You with those theater kids?" Warren asked. When she nodded, he leaned in closer. "Maybe you could give me a private show some time?"

Buffy giggled again, "We'll see." 'In your dreams sleeze-bag.'

"When will I see you again?" he asked, his eyes burning holes through her.

"I'll be around," she winked, and ran a finger down his chest, before turning on her heels to return to her friends.

"That was masterful!" Xander said, patting Buffy on the back as they walked from the bowling alley.

"Gross, I so need to take a long hot shower," Buffy groaned, trying to forget the creepiness that was Warren.

"From where I was standing, you seemed to be enjoying yourself," Spike said with a twinge of jealousy.

Buffy turned to the man and shook her head. "The only thing you should be jealous of is the loofah, which in about 15 minutes will be scrubbing away that guy's germs from my dripping body."

"Why use a loofah, when you've got me?" he asked, really wanting to lend a hand. After all, he was the cause of her feeling dirty. It was the least he could do.

Buffy leaned in closer and smacked his cheek softly. "Not. Likely." At her sharp words, she climbed onto her bus, leaving Spike smirking behind her.

"She hates losing; but she'll get over it . . .someday." Willow giggled and pulled Spike to their bus.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Adult Swim

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Well, about the bowling scores, I said it was unbeta'd. . .so . . .oops. I'm not a bowler. I rarely break 90. I kept asking people, but no one knew. Oh well, it's no biggee to me.

Anyway, here's another chappy for ya. Enjoy!

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DAY 19

"Come on, Buffy," Spike said, as he followed Buffy into the food line, "you can't still be sore about last night. Just because you lost . . ."

Buffy spun around and poked a painted fingernail into Spike's chest. "For your information I did not lose. You cheated," she lifted her chin in defiance and took a tray from the stand beside her.

Spike chuckled, "I cheated?!" he exclaimed in disbelief. When she turned around and raised her eyebrows in his direction he conceded. "Fine, I cheated. But so did you, pet. And I believe YOU started it."

Buffy crossed her arms under her breasts and rolled her eyes. "Whatever Spike. I could so have kicked your ass if you hadn't gotten me all . . ."

Spike smirked at her and finished the statement. "Worked up? Hot and bothered?"

Buffy groaned and pulled out her silverware, waving the knife at him. "No!! I just got distracted."

Spike dodged the flailing butterknife and caught her wrist. "Don't worry, pet. We can have a rematch. This time you choose the stakes. And I promise to fulfill all of the terms," he said, licking his lower lip, "unlike some people."

"Arrrgh!" she shrieked in exasperation, pulling her hand from his grasp. "I'll have hashbrowns, eggs, and sausage," she said to the cafeteria worker.

"Fine, if you don't want to take me on again, I'd understand," he shrugged. "I'll have the same," he instructed the woman before him. "I know you're not up to the challenge," he said, turning back to Buffy.

Buffy groaned and put her plate of food on her tray. "You are so . . ."

"Irresistable," Spike said, smiling widely.

Buffy rolled her eyes and picked up a sausage from her plate, taking a small bite. "No . . .I've been doing very well with the resisting, thank you."

"Is that why your bowling ball wasn't the only thing in the gutter last night?" Spike asked sweetly.

Buffy waved the sausage at him. "You . . .little-" Instead of finishing the statement, she threw her half-eaten sausage in his direction, smacking him square in the forehead. His eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open. "So there!" she said, nodding her head, before storming out of the cafeteria, leaving him speechless for the first time in his young life.

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Spike decided to give Buffy a little time to cool off. He loved sparring with her, but didn't want other, sharper objects, flying at his head. Smoothing things over wasn't going to be that difficult, considering she wasn't really angry - just miffed that she had lost to him. Seeing her hit on that Warren guy wasn't easy for him either; so, in a way, they had both lost. In the short break before lunch he had gone to pick her up a little gift, in an attempt to form a truce. He entered the cafeteria and looking around the crowded room, finally spotting Buffy sitting with her campers.

Buffy caught his eye, and rose to fill her water glass, muttering something about "stupid British cheater guys" under her breath.

Spike walked towards her now empty seat. 'I hope she doesn't take this the wrong way,' he thought, as he placed the bottle on the table in front of her chair. He shuffled over to the next table, taking a seat next to Conner, waiting patiently for Buffy to return.

"You're the cheater," Buffy muttered in a bad British accent. "Did I get you hot and bothered?" She carried her water glass towards the table. "Who does he think he is?" she asked herself before plopping down in her seat. She slammed her glass down on the table, letting water splash over the surface. Grabbing a napkin she began wiping up her mess, finally noticing the blue bottle in front of her. "Super Bubbles," she said aloud, reading the name on the bottle. She unscrewed the cap, and lifted the soapy piece of plastic. Screwing the cap back on she looked around the room, her eyes finally landing on Spike's. Her confused expression softened at the small smile she received. 'Oh my god! He remembered?!' Buffy blushed and removed the cap from the bottle once more, sending a trail of bubbles in his direction.

"Oooh, bubbles!" Dawn shrieked, reaching towards one floating in her direction.

"Let it go, bitlet," Spike said, grabbing her hand, allowing the bubble to fly towards the ceiling unharmed.

Buffy watched mesmerized as he saved the small bubble from Dawn's fingers. Her eyes went wide and she smiled at him, stunned with amazement.

Spike shrugged and responded nonchalantly. "Wouldn't want to pop it too soon - you know, when it still has time to float free."

Buffy gulped and nodded. "Thanks," she said, lifting the bottle in his direction.

Spike cleared his throat and smirked in her direction. "Think of it as a consolation prize," he said, not wanting the moment to get too serious.

"Cheater," Buffy said with a laugh, before returning to her lunch.

At the end of lunch, Jonathan went before the microphone to give the usual post-meal announcements. When he finished, Darla took his place at the mic. "Would all counselors please meet in the lounge immediately following lunch. Some things pertaining to the waterfront have been brought to my attention."

The sound of 'ooohhs' and 'you're in trouble' filled the cafeteria at the announcement.

"I wonder what the ice-queen wants?" Willow asked, walking beside Buffy towards the lounge.

"Don't call her that," Buffy said softly.

"What? Why?" Willow asked in confusion.

"Darla's not that bad," the blonde responded simply. Off her friend's odd look, she elaborated. "We're not friends or anything . . .but, she's ok."

"Whatever you say," Willow shrugged, taking a seat on one of the couches. Buffy plopped down next to her, holding her precious bubbles in her lap. "What are those?" the redhead asked, pointing towards the small blue bottle.

Buffy shrugged. "Nothing. Just my consolation prize," she said with a grin.

Spike walked into the lounge and saw Buffy sitting with Willow on the couch. He headed in her direction, but was stopped by a hand pulling him into another seat.

"Hey stranger," a sticky sweet voice said from beside him.

"Oh, hey Dru," Spike said with a sigh, stealing a quick look in Buffy's direction. She raised an eyebrow at him and he answered her unspoken question with a shake of his head, before he returned his attention to the raven haired girl next to him. "What do you think this is about, princess?" he asked Drusilla, tilting his head in Darla's direction.

Dru grinned evilly at him. "She told me earlier, I wouldn't be too worried," she said, giving his knee a small squeeze.

Spike jumped, and looked over to Buffy again, whose face was now turning a bright shade of red. He shook his head at her quickly once more. "Who's worried?" he asked weakly.

"Quiet down!" Darla yelled, taking her place at the front of the room. She furrowed her brows at the group before her, and spoke harshly. "It has been brought to my attention-" she glanced around the room, and finally let her expression soften into a brilliant smile "-that we haven't had any fun down at the lake yet this summer."

A collective sigh sounded throughout the room at Darla's change in tone. No one wanted to see her pissed off. A happy Darla was much easier to deal with.

"So, I propose," the blonde continued, "a little counselor gathering at the waterfront tonight. No booze - just fun. How does that sound?"

"I'm on grounds tonight," Harmony whined, upset she was going to miss the fun.

"And we'll miss you," Xander retorted, receiving a light smack from Cordy. She wasn't all buddy-buddy with Harmony anymore, but things had been getting better between them since their argument, and she didn't want Xander to ruin things.

"For everyone not on grounds," Darla said, eyeing a now pouting Harmony, "we'll be at the lake starting at 11 o'clock tonight." When no one budged from the room, Darla waved her hands at them. "That's it; you can go."

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"Anya, aren't you coming?" Buffy finished fastening the straps of her light blue bikini, pulling on a tanktop to cover her exposed skin.

"That was the plan," the woman said huffily under her breath, as she paged through her latest issue of Cosmo.

"What was that?" Buffy asked, turning towards her co-counselor, as she slid her feet into her flip flops.

Anya yawned loudly. "Not tonight. I think I'm going to stay in."

"Anya," Buffy began, grabbing the towel from her chair, "I've been meaning to ask you-"

"You ready?" Willow burst through the door, beach bag in hand. "Hey Anya," she said, waving happily to the other woman.

"Willow," Anya nodded in greeting, before returning to her magazine. "You guys better get going before some ladies try to steal your men."

Buffy sighed, "Fine . . .but we're finishing this later."

"Of course, go, go!" Anya shooed them out of the room with her magazine. When the door closed behind Willow and Buffy, she sat up in her bed. "Finally!" she sighed, slamming her magazine closed. She walked over to her dresser and picked up her cell phone, hitting the first number in her memory. "I'll be there in five," she said quickly, before hanging up.

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Buffy and Willow approached the group of counselors who were congregating in the grass in front of the water. "Did we miss anything?" Buffy asked, looking around for Spike.

"Besides the yucky mosquitoes?" Cordelia whined, as she slapped another bug from her arm. "No."

Willow tossed her bag to the ground and sat next to her boyfriend, tucking her head next to his chest. "Hey you."

Oz placed a quick kiss to the top of her head. "Glad you finally made it."

Willow sighed and looked around the group, noticing Spike's absence. "Where's Billy Idol? He told me he was coming."

"He got tied up with camper issues, but should be down soon." Xander moved towards Buffy and squeezed her cheeks. "So, don't you worry."

Buffy smacked his hand away. "I'm not. I think I can manage a few minutes without him." When her friends turned to stare at her in silence, she lifted her hands. "What? I can, you know."

"It's ok, Buffy," Cordy said, peeling off her t-shirt. "We get it."

"Get what?" Buffy placed her hands on her hips, not liking the way this was going.

Willow elbowed Cordelia in the ribs, trying to get the brunette to shut up. "Nothing. She didn't mean anything," she said to Buffy apologetically. She knew the blonde pair was making real progress, and she didn't want Cordy's mouth to take them back to square one. Willow popped to her feet. "Who wants to go in the water?"

"Getting wet without me?"

Buffy turned around to see Spike approaching, she began to smile - armed with a witty retort - but saw Drusilla move from behind him. "Oh, hi," she said, coldly.

"I'd love to take a dip," Dru drawled, removing her t-shirt, revealing a shiny black bikini beneath. The men gawked as she removed her running pants, revealing tiny bottoms and long lean legs. "Coming Spike?" she asked, sweetly, running her hand over his shoulder.

He gulped and looked at Buffy, who was shaking her head and chuckling softly. "In a minute."

Drusilla shrugged and ran into the water, where a few counselors were already swimming and having a good time.

"Coming Spoike," Buffy mimicked. She removed her tanktop, "Don't you just love my smooth pale skin, Spoike."

The bleach-blonde's eyes went wide as he watched Buffy strip down to her bikini. The light blue color of the suit complemented her tan beautifully. "Jealous, pet?" he squeaked out, as he removed his own t-shirt.

It was Buffy's turn to gasp as she eyed his rippling muscles. She had seen his naked chest before, but their recent 'no touching' policy had left her wanting him desperately. "Of her?" She laughed, pointing in Dru's direction, before taking a few steps towards him. "I'm completely confident in my talents . . .and assets," she added, running one finger over her collarbone, drawing his eyes to her breasts.

"That's it!" Spike yelled, causing Buffy to jump. She looked around the empty grass, noticing everyone had made their way into the water.

"Spike, I'm sorry, I thought we . . ." she apologized, trying to calm the storm brewing behind his eyes. Before she could finish, he scooped her up in his arms, running towards the water.

Spike ran down the pier, tossing her off the end, into the lake. Buffy screamed as she went flying through the air, crashing into the cold water. She burst through the water gasping for air. "You asshole!" she screamed.

Spike chuckled and reached out a hand to help her out of the water. Buffy rolled her eyes and grabbed onto his outstretched hand, yanking him into the water beside her. When he came to the surface, she shook her head at him while treading water. "You fall for that every time." She snorted and swam towards the group of counselors.

When the couple reached the group, Spike found himself in Drusilla's arms. "Isn't this fun?"

"It's a riot, princess," Spike said, wiping the water from his eyes.

Buffy shook her head and swam towards Willow who was in the middle of a splashing fight with Oz. "Can you believe her?"

"Who?" Willow squeaked out between splashes.

"Drusilla," Buffy whined. "She's all over Spike, and I know she's doing it to piss me off."

"Then do something about it," Willow said, swimming towards Oz, preparing to dunk him. "All's fair in love and watersports," she proclaimed, before pushing his head under the water.

"Flip me!" Buffy heard Dru squeal, and turned around to see what was going on. Her co-dance instructor had her arms wrapped around Spike.

When he caught Buffy's eye, he quickly tossed Dru, throwing her into the water. 'That takes care of that,' he thought proudly, proceeding towards Buffy.

Dru splashed through the water. "Now I've lost my top," she pouted looking down at the tops of her breasts floating just above the water.

"Lose the clothes!" Angel boomed, as he tossed his shorts towards the rocks. "Skinny-dipping time!" He dove towards Darla, who screamed as he unclasped her bikini top. Soon, bathing suits lined the pier and the rocks surrounding them.

"You don't have to, luv," Spike said, swimming slowly towards Buffy and spitting a small trail of water in her direction.

Buffy quirked one eyebrow at him and dipped lower into the water. She slowly removed her top and tossed it towards the pier, hiding her breasts from Spike's view. "I'm all for a little fun and games." She squirmed out of her bottoms and dangled them in front of his face before tossing them to the pier as well. "How 'bout you?"

Spike grinned and dove under the water to remove his trunks. When he surfaced, he tossed them alongside Buffy's suit. "Game on, luv," he said, softly.

Buffy gulped as he swam towards her slowly, a predatory glint in his eyes. She yelped when he pounced, and dove out of his way.

Spike shook the water from his face and looked around for Buffy. Without warning, she had him by the shoulders forcing him into the water. Buffy laughed and swam away, splashing him playfully when he shot up from the water. He dove under once more, scooping her up in his arms. He took a hold of one of her feet, as she placed her hands to her shoulders. Laughing, she struggled to get out of his grasp, coming close to kicking him in the nuts. "Nah, uh, pet. Watch the family jewels," he said, before throwing her in the air as he had done with Drusilla earlier.

"Woohoo!" Angel cheered as Buffy's naked body hurled in the air before landing back in the water. The exclamation received a smack from Darla. "Hey, baby, you know your's is the only body I want." Before she could respond, Angel flung her in the air, mimicking Spike's actions.

Buffy swam towards Spike, circling him like a shark to its prey.

"They look happy," Spike said, trying to avoid Buffy's advances.

"Well," Buffy spit a small stream of water that had collected in her mouth, back into the lake, "Lucky for me, Angel's lips are otherwise occupied. Or should I say . . .lucky for you," she said, splashing water at him.

Spike lifted his hands to his face, removing the water from his eyes. He ran one hand through his hair and looked over Buffy's shoulder. "Dru seems to be having a right good time with Gunn," he paused, giving Buffy a small smirk, "maybe I should go break it up." He began swimming to Dru, only to have Buffy jump on his back, pushing him under the water again. She swam towards the far end of the pier, laughing at their game.

Spike came up again and searched for Buffy, finally spotting her apart from the rest of the group in the deep end of the water.

Buffy held onto the edge of the pier, dangling by her arms. She faced into the water trying to see where Spike had disappeared to. "If he went over to the vamp-ho, I swear-" she felt someone grab her feet and squealed as Spike burst up in front of her.

"Miss me?" he asked innocently, treading water before her.

"No," she said with a straight face as she kicked water in his direction.

Spike chuckled at the annoyed look he received and closed the gap between them, grabbing hold of the pier behind her. "Liar," he whispered, licking the water droplets from his lips.

Buffy's gaze traveled down to his mouth, and she licked her own lips in return. "I am not," she managed to squeak out. Her legs floated beneath the water, toes playfully running up and down his calves. She gasped when she felt his erection press against her naked stomach.

"May I?" Spike asked softly as he dipped his head close to hers.

Buffy nodded weakly, and her eyes fluttered closed as she felt him lightly brush his lips across her own. Opening her eyes, she looked at him staring down at her in the moonlight. Making a decision, she grabbed the back of his neck with one hand and pulled him towards her, crushing his lips with her own.

Spike groaned as her tongue invaded his mouth, battling his own for dominance. It had been so long since they had kissed this way that he couldn't think of anything else but touching her.

Buffy tore her lips from his, gasping for air, before diving in once more. She lifted her legs to rest around his waist pulling him against her.

Spike panted into her mouth as she wrapped herself around him, his erection nestled beneath her ass.

Buffy kissed along his jawline, moving her attention to his earlobe. She sucked the small piece of flesh into her mouth, as she rubbed her naked sex against his abdomen. Moaning into his ear, she panted in reaction to friction from their flesh grinding together.

Spike placed a wet kiss to her temple, and moved one hand to her ass, kneading it gently. "Are you sure about this, pet?" he asked, voice wavering - unsure if he could stop if she said no.

Buffy gasped and wrapped one arm around his back, pulling him as close as possible. "Ahhhh. . .absolutely," she squeaked out, and breathed into his ear, a tight knot forming in her belly. "Are you?"

"Yes," he moaned, thrusting his hips at her, eliciting a moan from the woman in his arms, "god yes." He captured her lips once more, nibbling her lower lip gently.

"Ohh god," Buffy gasped into his mouth, as she felt the heat spreading through her body. She moved her head to his shoulder, nipping at his skin. "I want you . . .ahhhh . . .in me . . .ahhh. . .now."

Spike panted and tried to gain control of his body. He kissed the side of her face, before nuzzling her gently, moving his hand to the back of her neck.

She lifted her eyes to his questioningly, her lower body trembling against his in need.

"Not here. . .uuuuuhhh," he squeezed his eyes closed, feeling his body prepare to come. He took a few quick breaths and gazed at her through hooded eyes. "Not yet," he managed to say quietly.

Buffy nodded in understanding and dipped her head to his shoulder once again, still quivering in his arms.

Spike slid his hand back to her ass, and pulled her tightly against him. She whimpered as he pushed her rhythmically against his stomach - the base of her sex rubbing against his cock. "Just let it go," he whispered, trying to help her find release.

Buffy gasped for air, and ground herself harder against him. "Errrahhh!" she cried, into his shoulder, biting his neck gently to stifle the sounds of her orgasm.

"Uuuuhhh," Spike groaned, spending himself into the water.

The couple clung to each other, invisible to the rest of the young adults in the shallow end. Spike moved his hand to her back, holding her tightly. He kissed her shoulder tenderly, and lifted his head, shallow breaths escaping his parted lips.

Buffy raised her head from his shoulder and examined his handsome face, running her thumb over his scarred eyebrow. "You ok?" she asked softly.

Spike's eyes fluttered open, and he grinned at the young woman before him. "Never better," he whispered, cupping her face in his hand.

"What in the hell is going on here?!"

Buffy and Spike froze, turning towards the voice. The young woman quickly released her legs from Spike's waist when she spotted her mother at the other end of the pier.

"I could hear you all the way up at the main grounds!" Joyce yelled at the group of naked counselors. "I don't care if you come down here at night - but you CANNOT behave this way. If I heard you up at the main building, I know the campers could hear you as well." She spotted the bodies at the other end of the pier, and squinted in their direction. "Who's down there?"

Buffy looked at Spike, her eyes filled with fear. He nodded in support and took her hand as they swam towards the group, who were already putting their suits back on and exiting the water.

Buffy huddled in the water, trying to hide her naked form from her mother. "It's us," she said, softly, avoiding her mother's eyes.

The angry woman shook her head at the blonde couple. "Is this how you repay me for my favor the other night?" Joyce tossed the suits at the two young people. "Get dressed and go back to your cabins." She placed her hands to her hips. "I expect this from the others, but you? I'm very disappointed in you Buffy." Shooting a glare in Spike's direction, she turned and walked off the pier, back to the main grounds.

Buffy put her suit back on in silence, trying to hold in the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She climbed onto the pier and walked dejectedly towards the rest of her belongings. Most of the counselors had already dispersed, except for a few stragglers.

Spike followed close behind her as she made the trek back to Revello. When they made it to the back door, she turned around and grabbed onto him, finally allowing the tears to come.

He held her tightly, allowing her to sob into his chest. "It will be ok, Buffy. Shhhh." He petted her hair gently, placing a kiss to the top of her head. "Hey," he said quietly, lifting her chin to look at him. "We weren't the only ones there. She'll get over it." He kissed the tip of her nose quickly, and wiped her tears away.

"Did you see the way she looked at us? At ME?" she sobbed.

"I know. Just give her time." He pulled her into another tight hug and rocked her slowly, letting her get the rest of her tears out.

Buffy breathed deeply, and clung to Spike's damp t-shirt. "I think I'm ok now," she said softly, sniffling back the last few tears.

"Good." He rubbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"Not just about my mom . . .about us too." She said, trying to reassure him that she wouldn't give a repeat performance of their past encounters.

"Well, that's a relief. As I was preparing for you to kick me in the head and run off, virtue fluttering," he teased, pulling her wet hair playfully.

"That's the plan," she grinned, before kissing him lightly. She pulled back, and squeezed his hand. "I should go inside. . .get some sleep."

Spike nodded, and pulled her to him for another chaste kiss. "I'll see you in the morning." He watched her enter the cabin, closing the door behind her quietly.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Trigger Effect

DAY 20

Buffy closed the door to Revello and glanced at her watch. 'Damn. . .only two minutes til classes start.' She skipped down the steps and began making her way towards the front of the building. Without warning, a pair of hands grabbed her around the waist, pulling her backwards into a hard lean body.

"I missed you at breakfast. Where were you?" Spike whispered softly into Buffy's ear, before placing a sweet kiss to her temple.

Buffy turned around in his arms, smiling widely at the handsome man before her. "Decided to skip it. I'm not ready to face my Mom yet; so, I had Anya cover for me."

Spike smoothed his hands over her shoulders to cup her face. "You still upset about that?"

"A little," she admitted softly, avoiding his eyes.

"Hey," he said, rubbing his thumbs gently over her cheeks. "You're not upset about anything else are you?"

Buffy's eyes went wide. "No. . .absolutely not. I'm way sure about . . .everything else." She bit her lip gently, and searched his eyes. "Are you?"

Spike laughed softly, and tilted his head to the side slightly, before leaning closer to capture her lips in a soft, yet firm, kiss. Their lips moved against each other slowly and tentatively, as though they were both merely enjoying being able to touch one another without needing to rush it. He teased her lips with the tip of his tongue, imploring her to allow him access. He smiled into her mouth, when he heard a small sigh escape her lips, using the opportunity to slip his tongue inside. As he deepened the kiss, he moved his hands into her hair, brushing his thumbs over her temples in small circles.

"I've got to get to class," Buffy said, breaking the kiss momentarily, before leaning in to capture his lips once more.

"Fine," Spike said into her mouth. He kissed her three times; the first, long and hard, the second, a deep, open-mouth kiss, the last, a gentle peck. Watching the look of peace cross her beautiful face, he decided that one more wouldn't hurt. He pulled her lower lip into his mouth, nibbling her lower lip gently before pulling away. "Meet me tonight?" he asked softly, kissing each of her closed eyes. "At The Bronze, maybe?"

Buffy's eyes shot open, and she quirked an eyebrow at him questioningly. "What? For like a date, or something?"

Spike shook his head nervously, thinking that he may have jumped the gun on that one. "Please . . . .A date?" He tried to cover for his snafu and looked at Buffy with an expression of disbelief. When she grinned slyly at him, his face softened. "Do you want it to be?"

Buffy giggled and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Meet me there at 11. I'll show you the upstairs dance floor. But you have to do one thing first," she said, pointing one finger in his face.

"If you think I'm wearin' leather, you've completely lost it," he protested, only half-serious.

Buffy laughed again, and shook her head. Taking one of his hands in her own, she slowly lifted them to her face.

Spike looked at her questioningly, "Buffy, I don't . . ."

She used her free hand to unwrap his fingers, so his palm was open wide. Moving his hand in front of her face, she waited patiently for him to realize what she wanted.

Spike furrowed his brows for a moment, and looked from his hand to her face, her eyes sparkling into his. A small smile spread across his face when he finally figured out what she was waiting for. Slowly, he slid his hand down her face, tracing her features.

Buffy smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the light sensation. When she opened her eyes again, she was taken aback by the sweetness, caring, and love emanating from his blue orbs. "Well, I really have to go now; but I'll see you later, ok?" She kissed him on the cheek, squeezed his hand gently and ran off in the direction of the dance studio.

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

"So did you have a good time last night?" Drusilla asked, flinging her dance bag over one shoulder.

Buffy smiled broadly at her reflection in the mirror, as she pulled her damp hair into a fresh ponytail. "As a matter of fact, I had a great time." The blonde spun around, and sighed dramatically, before pushing her way past her co-instructor.

"He does know how to kiss, doesn't he?" Drusilla yelled, halting Buffy's movements.

"What was that?" Buffy asked, turning to face Drusilla once more.

The woman chuckled and took a few steps closer to Buffy, leaning in as though she were going to let her in on a little secret. "He has the most fantastic mouth, " Dru's eyes flashed as she continued to torment Buffy. "The way he likes to nibble your lower lip, while he's kissing you," she grasped her own between her teeth and quickly released it, " is just delicious," she said, drawing out the last word.

Buffy gulped and tried not to let her anger get the best of her - she knew Dru was only trying to get her riled up. Although, a sharp twang of jealousy and doubt was ringing softly in the back of her mind. Instead of yanking the pretty hair out of Dru's skull, she merely rolled her eyes. "I'm soooo out of here." She continued out the door.

Drusilla placed her hands on her hips, and grinned at Buffy's back wickedly. "Don't think he's all yours, dearie. A man like that isn't satisfied by one little girl. I felt it when he kissed me the other night; the animal beneath just waiting to be unleashed."

Buffy walked back to Dru, her body shaking with anger. "He would never touch you," she spat, voice trembling.

"Is that right?" Drusilla said with a crooked smile. Slowly she lifted her hand to Buffy's face, tracing her palm over her features. "Shhhh," she said in a hushed voice, as she slowly rocked her head from side to side.

Buffy's eyes went wide at the familiar motion. "You're lying," Buffy gulped down the tight knot that had formed in her throat. 'That's MY thing . . .he would never do that to her . . .would he?'

"You don't sound so sure anymore, pet," she said, with a pout. "Poor, little lost girl." Drusilla furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head sadly. "Did you really think you could satisfy his appetite all by your pretty little self?"

Tears burned in the corners of Buffy's eyes. 'Don't let her get to you . . .Spike would never . . .get control Buffy.' Buffy squeezed her eyes shut momentarily, then opened them wide, glaring at the woman before her. "Know what Dru? . . .Sod off." At that Buffy pushed her way out the door, leaving a stunned Dru standing alone in the empty dance studio.

The young woman giggled softly, and shook her finger at the closing door. "I'm not finished with him yet. . .not nearly."

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

At 11 o'clock on the dot, Buffy found herself in the upstairs of The Bronze. Taking a seat at one of the small tables near the dance floor she eyed her surroundings. There was no one else from Sunny-D in the place. Willow and Oz were both on-grounds, and Cordy and Xander had decided to stay in. With a sigh, Buffy rose to her feet, smoothing out the black miniskirt she wore. She had paired the skirt with a fitted red top, with capped sleeves - knowing how much Spike loved that color combination. Deciding that it would be better to wait with a drink in her hand, Buffy made her way to the bar. She went to give the bartender the money for her Corona, but felt a strong hand stopping hers. "Glad you finally made it," she said with a smile, without turning around.

"Didn't know you were expecting me."

Buffy froze when the voice behind her was not Spike's. She turned around slowly to see the creep from Bowl-A-Rama standing behind her, a little too close for her liking.

"I got this one," Warren said, waving a wad of cash at the bartender. "And get me two shots of my favorite poison."

"I'm sorry," Buffy said, taking a step away from Warren. "I'm kind of expecting someone. But thanks for the drink," she said with a weak smile. When she tried to walk away, she felt a firm hand clamp around her wrist.

"Just one drink. . .until your friend gets here," the young man said sweetly.

Buffy sighed and turned her eyes towards the entrance. When she didn't see Spike she faced Warren again. "Fine . . .ONE drink."

Warren grinned at her and pulled two stools over to the bar. Buffy felt herself zoning out as he droned on and on about how much better the original Star Wars films were than the prequels. She was ready to kiss the bartender when he arrived with the drinks Warren had ordered.

"Here you go, beautiful," Warren said, placing the shot in front of Buffy.

The petite blonde eyed the small glass warily. "Is that Jägermeister?" she asked, as she felt her stomach churn.

"It's the best," he said, quickly downing his shot. "See . . .easy."

Buffy grimaced and pushed her still full shot glass away from her. "Sorry, I don't drink that stuff."

"Come on, Buffy - one shot won't kill you."

Buffy shook her head quickly, "No way." 'Spike, where the hell are you?' she thought as she scanned the bar for him. She almost jumped off the stool when she saw him enter the club, duster draped over one arm. He was wearing dark jeans and a tight white long-sleeved shirt, that had black arms with oriental patterns on the sleeves. 'Yummy.' "Sorry, Warren. My boyfriend just got here. Maybe another time?" Buffy stood up from the stool and turned to shake Warren's hand goodbye.

Warren looked over Buffy's shoulder towards Spike. "Well, it looks like your boyfriend had other plans tonight," he said, tilting his head towards the entrance.

"What?" Buffy asked, furrowing her eyebrows at the young man in front of her. When he pointed to the door, she turned around slowly. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Drusilla standing slightly behind Spike, with her hand on his shoulder. She turned back to the bar and placed both hands on the counter, taking deep breaths.

"Are you ok?" Warren asked softly, feigning concern.

Buffy closed her eyes, and shook her head slowly. When she opened them, she glanced at the shot glass beside her. Making a decision, she tossed her head back, and slammed down the thick liquid in one gulp. She turned to face Warren and grinned evilly, "I am now."

Spike looked around the crowded dance floor for Buffy. "Do you see her?"

"See who?" Drusilla asked.

"Buffy," Spike said rolling his eyes. "You know, the woman I'm supposed to be meeting here tonight."

Drusilla let out a shrill laugh. "How silly of me." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for letting me tag along Spike."

"I didn't," he muttered under his breath. Drusilla had followed him to The Bronze, using the excuse that she didn't want to walk by herself. Being the gentleman that he was, Spike didn't give much protest.

"There she is." Drusilla pointed towards the bar. "Looks like she started without you."

Spike's eyes followed to where Drusilla was pointing and spotted Buffy sitting with that Warren guy. His jaw clenched when he watched her slam down a shot then giggle with Warren. He approached the bar, Drusilla following closely behind him.

"Hey," he said softly, trying to interrupt the conversation between the two.

"Hi Spike," Buffy said with a strained smile, before turning to the woman next to him. "Dru." She turned back to Warren and placed a hand on his knee. "You do remember Warren, don't you Spike?"

"What's going on, Buffy?" Spike asked, unable to conceal the pained expression in his eyes.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" she spat, looking back and forth between Spike and Dru.

"No, Buffy. That is not. . ." he tried to explain, but was cut off when Buffy shrieked with delight.

"Oooo, more shots!!" Buffy squealed when the bartender placed another pair of shots in front of herself and Warren.

"How rude of me. Did you want one?" Warren asked of Spike and Dru. When neither responded, he went ahead and ordered two more for the newcomers.

After they had all arrived, Buffy lifted her glass to her lips, only to have her motions halted by Spike's hand. He tightened his hold on her wrist and brought her arm closer to his face, inhaling the scent of the alcohol. "Is this Jägermeister?"

"Yup," Buffy said, popping the 'p.'

Spike loosened his hold on her wrist and lightly brushed his thumb over her hand. "You sure you want to do that, luv? I've heard stories about you and that stuff."

Buffy gazed into Spike's hopeful eyes, and found herself lost in them momentarily. When Dru cleared her throat, she snapped out of the haze, shrugged his hand away, and downed the drink. "You don't mind do you?" Buffy asked Dru, lifting the other woman's shot. "I know you like to share," she said, spitting the last word in Spike's direction. When Drusilla shrugged, Buffy gulped that shot as well.

"Don't do this Buffy," Spike said slowly, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You've got it all wrong. Can't you just trust me?"

Buffy laughed and jumped to her feet. "Do what you want. I don't care," she said pushing her way past Spike. "I'm going to dance. Coming Warren?" she said, leering at the young man at the bar.

Warren shrugged and walked past the British duo, following Buffy to the dance floor.

Spike slumped to the stool and put his face in his hands. "Eerrahhh!" he howled, digging his palms into his eyes. "Why is it always so hard with her?!"

Drusilla sat down next to him and placed a tender hand to his shoulder. "It could be easy, you know."

Spike turned to look at Dru, his eyes rimmed with tears. "Dru . . .I told you . . ."

Before he could finish, Drusilla captured his lips in a kiss, forcing her tongue into his mouth. Spike shook his head, "No," he muttered against her lips, before gently pushing her away. "I thought you said you were ok with being friends?" he asked, softly.

"Friends?!" Drusilla scoffed at the idea. "This is because of her, isn't it?" she asked coldly, tilting her head towards the dance floor. When Spike nodded, she grabbed his face and forced him to look to where Buffy was now dancing with Warren. "I see her. . .floating all around you. Laughing."

Spike gulped as he watched Buffy grind her backside against Warren, holding her arms above her head. He looked to the ground, and shook his head.

Drusilla raised her hand to his cheek, petting it softly. "Why don't you push her away?" she asked, pleadingly.

Spike gently removed Drusilla's hand, and met her dark eyes. "Because I NEED her."

Dru shook her head sadly, pulling her hand from Spike's grasp. "Poor Spike. . .so lost. Even I can't help you now." With that said, she stood up and exited The Bronze.

Spike took a deep breath and rose to his feet. He walked towards the dance floor and approached Buffy and Warren. "Buffy, we need to talk."

"Sorry, Spike. I'm dancing with Warren," she slurred out, wrapping her arms around her dance partner.

"Yeah, she's dancing with Warren," the young man said, shooing Spike away.

Spike roughly pulled Buffy away from him, his eyes burning into hers. "You're drunk . . . and we're going."

"No!" Buffy yelled, storming off towards the bar, Warren in tow.

Spike followed behind and fumed as he watched Warren order Buffy another shot. "No . . .you're not having another one."

"I can do what I want," she said sharply, before taking her shot of Jägermeister.

"Calm down, Sparky," Warren said, giving Spike a small shove. "The girl doesn't belong to you."

Spike furrowed his eyebrows at the shorter man, and took a step closer. "You do NOT want to get into it with me, little boy. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Warren smirked and backed away. "She obviously wants nothing to do with you, so back off."

Buffy smiled at Warren sweetly. "Give me a second, ok?"

Warren nodded and took a few steps away, not wanting to get involved in the war of words that was about to take place.

Spike relaxed, and took Buffy's hand to help her stand up. "Let's go, please?" he begged.

"Do you know what gets me, Spike?" she asked, softly. "Here, I am - I can do anything I want, and instead I just pout and whine and feel the burden of my position at Sunny-D."

"Buffy-"

"I mean, I'm going to be rich. I could have anything . . .anyone. Whenever I want." She sidled up closer to Spike, pressing her body intimately against his. She wrapped her arm around his body, looking up into his questioning eyes. "I could ride you at a gallop till your legs buckled and your eyes rolled up. I've got muscles you've never even dreamed of. I could squeeze you till you popped like warm champagne and you'd beg me to hurt you just a little bit more."

Spike inhaled sharply at her closeness, feeling his body respond.

She leaned in closer to whisper in his ear. "And you know why I don't?"

Spike felt tears burn in his eyes. 'Why is she doing this?'

She lightly licked his jawline, and gazed up into his reddening eyes. "Because it would be wrong." At that, she spun on her heels and walked towards Warren. "Let's get out of here."

Spike chased after her. "Buffy! Buffy wait!" Before he knew what had happened, she was out the door.

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

"Well, I guess you told him," Warren said, placing one arm around Buffy's shoulder, to pull her closer.

Buffy stepped away from him and continued walking. "Can you just walk me back to the campus. I'm not feeling well." Her stomach had started churning, and she really just wanted to get back to Revello to have a good cry.

"What?" Warren asked, confused. "I thought you wanted to. . ."

"I'm sorry," Buffy said apologetically. "Things got really crazy back there. I didn't mean to get you involved that way." She lifted a hand to her head, feeling woozy from the alcohol.

"So you just used me then?" he asked, the realization finally hitting him.

"I'm sorry," she said again softly.

"You think you can just do that to me?"

Buffy was taken aback by the anger in his tone. "I think I can get myself home. Goodnight Warren," she said, skipping ahead of him, heading back towards the campgrounds, trying desperately to stay on her feet.

"I don't think so, sweetie," he said, grabbing onto her arm, spinning her around. "You can't just get a guy worked up like that, then walk away."

"Excuse me?" she asked, in disbelief. "This is the 21st Century. I can do as I please," she yelled, her body teetering back and forth.

"You're right," he said, holding his hands up. "I was out of line. Let me walk you home?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Buffy glared at him and continued walking. "I don't think so." She took a gulp, trying to force down the Jägermeister that was rushing to the surface.

Warren's eyes went dark, and he took hold of her wrist. "Cock tease." Buffy turned around, ready to slap him, but he caught her hand just before it made contact. "You owe me, you little bitch." He yanked her to the side of the street, pulling her into a nearby alley.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she yelled, trying to pull away from him. When he pushed her against the brick wall, she screamed, only to have him place a hand over her mouth. She bit his hand, causing him to hiss in pain.

"You're going to pay for that!" Warren pulled her hands above her head and held them there with one hand.

Buffy continued to squirm and fight against him, but the alcohol in her system made it difficult to fend him off. "Don't touch me! Stop!" she yelled, as his hand traveled to her skirt. 'This isn't happening!'

"Get away from her!" Buffy heard an angry voice yell. The next thing she knew, she was free; Warren was no longer touching her. She opened her eyes and saw Spike pummeling Warren.

"You don't get to touch her . . .EVER!" the angry man growled out between punches.

Warren couldn't fight back as Spike punched him repeatedly. "Please . . .stop," he pleaded, his face bloodied by the assault.

Spike picked up Warren from the ground and slammed him against the brick wall. "Why? You didn't when she was begging you to stop - so why should I?" he asked, eyes flashing.

"Spike?" Buffy asked weakly, placed a soft hand to his shoulder. "Please take me home."

Spike turned to look at the shaking blonde behind him. He nodded and dropped Warren to the ground. Pointing at the cowering young man, he growled out one last instruction. "Stay away from her." When Warren didn't respond, Spike wrapped his duster around Buffy's shoulders, pulled her close, and helped her walk back towards Sunny-D.

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tbc...

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