A/N : This is an AU story, but Buffy is still the Slayer and they are in Sunnydale and everything, but I’ve changed some stuff around. I think the first chapter should explain everything and I hope you all like what I have written so far. This is my first proper Buffy fic (I’ve only written a couple of songfics before this) so if you do review (which I hope you do) please be kind to me.
Title : The Guy Next Door
Author : Ultrawoman
Rating : PG-13 to be safe for later
Spoilers : no specific episode since this is partly AU.
Feedback : Yes, please, I love reviews - so long as they’re not flames!
Summary : Buffy Summers has enough problems with her life as it is and things only get worse when her best friend who lives next door moves away and a new family moves in. B/S eventually.
Disclaimer : Buffy The Vampire Slayer and it’s characters does not belong to me in any way, it all belongs to important people like Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
Chapter 1
"I’m going to miss you so much" Buffy’s eyes began to water as she hugged her best friend. Cordelia Chase and her family had lived next door to the Summers family since Cordy and Buffy were five years old. Now, eleven years later, the Chase’s were moving out and the two best friends didn’t know how they would cope without the other.
"I’ll miss you too" Cordelia sighed as she pulled out of the hug and headed over to the car where her parents were waiting. "I’ll write and call and email and everything" she promised as she climbed into the back of the car and waved wildly at the Summers family as the vehicle pulled away.
"Come on, honey" Buffy’s mother, Joyce, put a comforting arm around her daughter as they stood on the sidewalk watching the car disappear, "It’s not the end of the world"
"But she was my best friend" the girl cried.
"But you still have your other friends" her mother reminded her, leading her into the house, "Like Willow and Xander and..." she trailed off realising that maybe her daughter didn’t have as many friends as she’d originally thought.
"And you have me" Dawn smiled.
"That’s different" Buffy shrugged as she pushed passed the thirteen year old to go upstairs, "You’re my sister"
The blonde teen went to her room and flopped down on her bed. As if life wasn’t hard enough already! She was the Slayer, the one girl chosen to fight all vampires and other evil in the world and despite the help she got from Willow and Xander, and her Watcher, Mr Giles, it wasn’t a whole lot of fun, especially living in Sunnydale, home of the hellmouth. She didn’t have time to be popular and her circle of friends was small, and to top it all off her best friend, out of the few she had, was gone. To sum up, Buffy had every reason to be depressed, or at least that was the way she saw it. A sixteen year old with hardly any friends, no boyfriend, no father, an annoying little sister, slipping grades at school, and the responsibility of keeping the world all anti-evil and non-apocalypse-y. Where would it all end.
* * * * *
"So, Cordy’s gone for good?" Buffy’s friend Xander Harris asked through a mouthful of his lunch.
"Yep" Buffy nodded sadly, "Left yesterday, no intention of return" she sighed, picking at the food in front of her before dismissing it completely.
"Well, you still have us" Willow said cheerfully, although she wondered if that was actually as much of a comfort as she’d originally thought.
"I know" Buffy forced a smile, "and I love you guys, of course I do, but, I’m still gonna miss Cordy, I mean, I’ve known her all my life"
"Well, how about we go to the Bronze tonight?" Xander suggested, finally swallowing, "Dance all your cares away?"
"Wish I could but got the whole patrolling thing and stack of homework a mile high" the blonde sighed.
"How about tomorrow?" Willow tried as her friend stood up, "You can’t mourn forever" she said with a small smile and Buffy relented.
"Okay, tomorrow it is" she agreed before wandering off, leaving the red headed witch and Xander behind.
* * * * *
"Hi Buffy, how was school?" Joyce asked as her older daughter arrived home.
"Fine" she called back, "I’m going to my room - homework" she explained briefly before hurrying up the stairs. She didn’t want to be social right now, not with her family or her friends, she just wanted to be alone. In fact, she was actually quite looking forward to patrolling tonight. Just her, the stakes, the vamps, the peace and quiet...
"Buffy?"
"What is it Mom?" she called from the top of the stairs and Joyce appeared at the bottom.
"I just found out that the new neighbours arrive tomorrow afternoon so I hope you weren’t planning on going anywhere tomorrow after school"
"But I’m supposed to be going out with Xander and Willow..."
"Sorry Buffy, but I want us to be sociable with the new neighbours"
"We shouldn’t have new neighbours" Buffy muttered as she walked into her room, "Cordy never should have left" she slumped down on her bed and cursed under her breath.
She didn’t want to meet the new neighbours, because she didn’t want them to be there. She wanted everything to go back to normal, not that her life was very normal anyway, but when Cordy was next door there was at least some normalcy in her life. They would do what all sixteen year olds do; go shopping for clothes at weekends, discuss guys and make-up while they do their homework together, watch sappy films and eat ice-cream together when they got depressed. But now it was all different. Who knows what the new neighbours would be like.
"Well, this time tomorrow, I guess I’ll find out" Buffy sighed as she got out her books and made a start on her homework.
* * * * *
"That’s okay" Willow smiled despite her disappointment, "We can go dancing any time"
"Believe me" Buffy said, putting her books in her locker, "I would much rather be at the Bronze with you guys tonight than at home meeting the new neighbours. I never asked for new neighbours"
"Come on Buff" Xander out his hand on her shoulder, "It might not be so bad. They might be good people"
"I guess" the girl shrugged, "but I’d still rather have the Chase’s living there"
"How was patrol last night?" Willow changed the subject as the three friends walked to class.
"Fine" Buffy nodded, "dusted two vamps, no biggy. That’s another problem though"
"What is?" Xander didn’t understand.
"Well, I have to hide that I’m..." she dropped her voice, "the Slayer" she whispered, "but you two know and so did Cordy but now who knows what kind of people will live next door, and I’m gonna have to be more careful"
"Well, maybe they’ll be a new girl you can be friends with, like Cordy, and they can join the Scoobies" Willow tried to be positive.
"I guess it could happen" Buffy shrugged for the fourth time in as many minutes, "I don’t even know if there are any kids in the new family"
"Well, just a few more hours and you’ll find out"
* * * * *
"Buffy! Buffy!" Dawn yelled as she ran up the stairs, "the new neighbours are here!"
"Big deal" the older girl said to herself as she came out of her room to meet her sister.
"There’s just two people" Dawn explained, "A woman and a guy"
"Like a couple?" Buffy asked as the two sisters went back downstairs. That was all she needed, loves young dream living next door.
"No" Dawn laughed, "She’s too old to be married to him, I think she’s his mother. I didn’t get a good look at him though, he was carrying a box into the house but he could be cute"
Buffy laughed a little. Trust her sister to think of that. She’d had her nose up against the window since she’d got home from school hoping to catch a glimpse of anything, or anyone, worth seeing.
"Come and look!" she begged, dragging her sister toward the living room window, but there was no-one outside.
"They must still be inside the house" Dawn guessed, "but keep watching they’ll come out soon"
It turned out the young girl was wrong. Whilst she’d been busy finding Buffy and telling her about the neighbours, said neighbours had come out of the house and were making there way to the Summer’s front door to introduce themselves.
Joyce answered the doorbell and it never occurred to the girls in the living room that it would be their new neighbours behind it and so they didn’t move.
"Girls what are you doing?" Joyce asked, causing both of them to turn suddenly. In the doorway was their mother, another woman of a similar age and a third person behind them who was barely visible from this angle.
Joyce didn’t wait for an answer to her question she just introduced the new neighbours and her daughters.
"This is Buffy" she gestured "and Dawn" she told the woman beside her "and this is Jessica Hart" she told her daughters.
"It’s very nice to meet you" Jessica smile kindly, she seemed like a nice enough woman. "And this is my son" she added, stepping aside to reveal the young man behind her, "this is William"
* * * * *
Chapter 2
Dawn’s mouth hung open and her eyes went wide. She couldn’t remember ever seeing such a gorgeous guy. Buffy shoved her sister slightly to bring her out of her daze, although she could see why Dawn would be so enamoured.
This guy, William apparently, was taller than Buffy and wore mostly black. His hair was peroxide blonde and styled in spikes on top of his head, beneath which was his smiling face, with high cheek bones and blue eyes so bright they could blind you if you looked at them too long.
"Nice to meet you" he said smoothly, in an accent Dawn wasn’t familiar with. It was almost completely English but it had an edge to it that was all it’s own.
"You too" Buffy replied, when her sister said nothing. Dawn just blushed furiously after realising she’d been staring so obviously. William barely noticed the embarrassed girl since his attention was caught on her older sister. Buffy noticed the way he was staring at her and it was making her decidedly uncomfortable.
"Er, I’ll go and make some coffee" she smiled, desperate to get out of the room.
"Oh, thankyou, Buffy" her mother was slightly surprised by her older daughters helpfulness, she wasn’t usually so willing to do things like that.
"I’ll lend a hand" William offered and was out of the room, following Buffy before anyone could object.
Joyce and Jessica just smiled at each other and sat down and Dawn frowned as she took a seat beside her mother, finally realising that the most gorgeous guy she’d ever seen seemed to prefer her sister.
"Thought I’d help out" William said from the kitchen doorway, as Buffy got some cups from the cupboard.
"It’s fine" Buffy told him without actually turning around, "I can do it"
"Buffy" he said her name, which finally got her full attention, "That’s an interesting name" he smiled, moving over and leaning back on the worktop.
"Thankyou" she smiled with fake sweetness, "My mother gave it to me, just like your mother gave you yours, William"
As easy on the eye as this person was, she didn’t have time for bad pick up lines. Her life was busy enough, complicated enough and, recently, depressing enough, without the attentions of some Goth-type guy who’d replaced her best friend next door.
"Please don’t call me that" he winced, "only my mother calls me William"
"So, what am I supposed to call you?" Buffy asked curiously.
"Well, my friends call me Spike" he grinned and Buffy looked strangely at him.
"The hair" he added as way of an explanation, and she nodded as she glanced up at his spiked, peroxide-coated hair, before going back to her coffee making.
"So" she sighed after a while, her curiosity getting the better of her, "where are you from, Spike?"
"London originally" he told her, happy she was showing some interest in him.
"Oh, in England" Buffy nodded, "hence the accent" she said, more to herself than to him, "But your Mom, she didn’t sound English"
"Oh no, Mum’s not a Brit, she was working over there, met my Dad there, he was English"
"Was?" Buffy echoed, "you mean he’s..." she was about to say dead before realising how tactless she was being. She was so used to life and death situations because of what and who she was, it never occurred to her she shouldn’t just say it until it was too late.
"No, he’s alive" Spike told her, "At least I reckon so"
Buffy didn’t understand and told him as much as she put the cups of coffee on a tray.
"He doesn’t even know I exist" the young man admitted bitterly, "Got my Mum pregnant and disappeared"
"That’s awful" Buffy gasped but he shrugged like it was no big deal.
"In fairness to the old man he didn’t know about it. Mum tried to find him but seemed he’d flitted the country. I never even met him"
"I’m sorry" the blonde girl said honestly, and she thought her life was tough. Her Mum and Dad might be divorced but at least she knew who he was.
"Not your fault, pet" Spike gave her a half smile and offered to carry the tray of coffee for her. She let him take it and held the kitchen door open for him.
When the two young people arrived back in the living room, they found their mothers and Dawn laughing loudly. It seemed Joyce and Jessica had a lot in common and were getting on like a house on fire. Even Dawn was enjoying herself although her enjoyment increased when William returned to the room.
"So have you two been getting to know each other?" Jessica asked them and Buffy smiled back at her.
"Yes, Spike was just telling me a little fmaily history"
"Spike?" Joyce repeated what she thought her daughter had said.
"William’s friends call him Spike" Jessica explained to her new friend and neighbour, "because of his hair" Buffy noticed she didn’t look as if she approved of either the name or the reason for it.
"Spike’s a cool name" Dawn grinned at him and Buffy rolled her eyes at how much of a child her sister really was. She was so obvious!
"Well thankyou Dawn" he smiled back at her, "You have a very nice name yourself"
The younger girl blushed at that, which got another eye roll from Buffy and Spike saw this one. Did the older girl not approve of his attention to her younger sister? Well that was worth knowing. Anything that got Buffy’s attention, in any way, was well worth knowing about.
* * * * *
"Well, I think perhaps we should be going" said Jessica as she checked her watch. She and her son had spent several hours in their new next door neighbours house getting better acquanted and drinking a lot of coffee.
"It was lovely to meet you all" she continued, getting up from her seat, "but I have a lot to do tomorrow and William has to start at his new school"
"You going to Sunnydale High, Spike?" Dawn asked him as she too stood up.
"Yes, looks that way" he smiled as he turned to Buffy, "I guess I’ll see you there"
"Oh I’m sure Buffy would walk in with you tomorrow and show you around" Joyce offered and her daughter inwardly cringed. She was already considered a freak by half of the school, hanging around with a guy like Spike was going to lower her cred rating even further, even if he was kind of cute...still, the eldest Summers girl painted on a fake smile and agreed to her mothers suggestion.
"That’s very kind of you Buffy" Jessica smiled brightly.
"Yes, thanks Buffy" her son smirked, seeing the annoyance visible on the girls face, despite her best efforts to hide it. She wouldn’t look at him, she was getting really bored of his staring at her all the time.
"No problem" she said quickly as the new neighbours, followed by Dawn and Joyce, left the room and made for the front door.
Buffy stayed behind and flopped back down into the chair again.
Jessica seemed like a nice enough woman and she’d be a new friend for Joyce which was good. Then Buffy thought of Wiliam, of Spike, and he was probably an okay person too but it was annoyingly obvious that Dawn was head over heels for him. He wasn’t half bad to look at but what was with the whole black wardrobe thing? No doubt it was some kind of statement that wouldn’t make sense to her, plus all the staring he did was drivng her crazy.
All in all, Buffy wished Cordy and her family would just come back. The new neighbours would be okay but she preffered the old ones and who knew what kind of negative reaction she’d get tomorrow when she showed up for school with Spike in tow.
* * * * *
"So, Will, you think you’re going to like it here?" Jessica asked her son as they headed for their own front door.
"Don’t see why not" he shrugged.
"Well, you certainly seemed to like the neighbours" his mother smiled as she unlocked the door and they went inside.
"Nice enough people" he answered, pretending not to understand, but of course he did.
There was something about Buffy Summers, he didn’t know what it was, but he knew he liked it, whatever it was. For some reason she didn’t seem to be his biggest fan, he thought as he went up to his room, no, that title seemed to belong to Dawn. She was nice enough, but too young for Spike, and she hadn’t got whatever it was Buffy had. Besides, the older Summers was more of a challenge, and if there was one thing Spike enjoyed, it was a good challenge.
* * * * *
Chapter 3
"Buffy! Dawn! Can you two girls please hurry up!"
"Ready Mom!" Dawn replied, thundering down the stairs to where her mother was waiting for her. Joyce drove her younger daughter to school most mornings whilst Buffy used to walk to the high school with Cordelia. Today, however, she would be accompanied by the new boy next door.
"Buffy!" Joyce yelled again, "I’m taking Dawn to school now. Hurry up, you don’t want to make William late on his first day"
"Yes, Mom" Buffy called back just before she heard two shouts of ‘goodbye’ and the front door clicking shut behind her mother and sister.
Finally the girl came down the stairs, dressed in a fairly tight, red short sleeved T-shirt and black pants. Her hair was pushed back into a ponytail and she hadn’t had much time to put a whole lot of make-up on. Still, it was only school so it didn’t matter.
Buffy glanced in the hall mirror for no particular reason as she pulled on her jacket and picked up her bag. As she came out of the front door, as if it were planned, Spike emerged from his house too.
"Good morning, luv" he smiled as he came over to her.
"Hi" she said flatly, noticing he was obviously very into the all-over-black look, since he was wearing jeans, T-shirt, leather jacket and boots all in that colour. The bag slung over his shoulder was also black and blended in with the rest of him. The only thing that really stood out was the hair that gave him his nickname.
She wasn’t really aware she was staring at him until he spoke again.
"Something wrong?"
"What?" Buffy shook her head as if to clear it before she answered, "No, nothing wrong, except it’s a school day" she smiled and started walking, expecting him to follow her, which he did.
"Schools not your favourite place to be then?" he asked as he fell into step with her.
"Not really" she shook her head before adding "especially not since everyone started leaving" She hadn’t really meant to say that part aloud but it was a little late now.
"Who left?" he asked and half of her wanted to tell him while the other half felt like telling him to mind his own business. She was conflicted for a second and then decided it might be nice to have someone to talk to about it all.
"First my boyfriend, Angel, well, ex-boyfriend" she corrected herself, and had to swallow hard as she felt a lump in her throat even now when she thought about him.
"You don’t have to tell me, pet" Spike smiled, kindly, "Not if it upsets you"
"It’s okay" she smiled back, bravely, "I’m fine" she lied, "It just didn’t work out, we were too...different"
‘If only he understood just how different’ she thought to herself.
"Well that’s only one person who left you" Spike pointed out, "and he must have been a bloody stupid bloke to let you go" he added not actually looking at her when he said it and she was glad as she felt herself blush.
"Well, then Cordy left" Buffy continued after a moment, looking at ground as she walked, "she was my best friend, used to live next door, but she left and now..."
"Now, you’re stuck with me instead" Spike interrupted.
"Yeah" Buffy answered without thinking, "Oh, I’m sorry" she said quickly, realising she had probably offended him without really meaning to.
"No, that’s okay, pet" he told her, even though it had hurt a little. He had sort of hoped she might at least like him a bit.
"Anyway you must have other friends, besides this Cordy" he continued, "and plenty of male hearts must be under your command" he added, quietly, but she heard it. Despite the fact she wasn’t really interested in liking him in that way, or at all really, he was being sweet.
"I only have three real friends" she found herself telling him, before catching herself and putting the barriers back up, "And not that it’s any of your business but I don’t have a boyfriend"
Spike silently thanked all the forces above that at least the girl was single, as Buffy’s curiosity got the better of her.
"So what about you?" she asked, glancing at him.
"Well, I haven’t got a boyfriend" he smirked and she laughed genuinely at that.
"You know what I mean - friends? girlfriend?" she prompted, ‘not that I actually care’ she tried to convince herself, as they entered the school gates now.
"To be honest I didn’t have a whole lot of time for friends, and people didn’t have a lot of time for me either so that worked out nicely" he laughed humourlessly before turning serious again and continuing, "There was a girl, we grew up together and then dated for a while about a year ago" he sighed "but me and Dru, we were just too different I s’pose"
"Like me and Angel" Buffy said without thinking, causing them both to glance at the other at the same time.
"Yeah" said Spike as their eyes met for a second, "Looks like we might have more in common than you thought, luv"
"Buffy!"
Their would-be ‘moment’ was interrupted by a loud yell of her name from an approaching red-headed female.
"Hey Will, Xander" Buffy greeted as her two friends wandered over, staring a lot at the young man beside her.
"Guys this is my new next door neighbour William Hart" she used his full name simply to annoy him, and she smirked when she did it, "This is Willow Rosenburg and Xander Harris" she introduced.
"Good to meet you, Will" Xander shook his hand and Spike smiled.
"Call me Spike" he told him.
"Spike?" he echoed as if the word were foreign looking at Buffy for some kind of explanation.
"The hair, right?" Willow guessed and smiled brightly when the black clad figure nodded.
"Smart friend you’ve got here, Buffy" he said, still looking at Willow who blushed furiously, "Sunnydale must be the place for beautiful, intelligent women"
Willow smiled, glancing at Buffy who rolled her eyes. Xander just looked decidedly annoyed ‘I’m not going to like this guy’ he thought to himself. Spike thought a similar thing about Xander, knowing almost instantly that this guy liked the girl he wanted more than he might admit.
"Well, I guess I should take you to the main office, get your timetable and stuff" Buffy said suddenly, breaking the glare between the two young men.
"Oh, actually Buffy" Xander had a thought "Giles wanted to see you about that slay..." he stopped mid-word when he realised what he was saying in front of the new boy.
"...slay-very project you’re doing for history class" he amended and Buffy and Willow sighed with relief that there less than smart friend had not let out the secret.
"Who’s Giles?" Spike wondered aloud, suspicious about Xander’s problem with getting out his sentence.
"Librarian" Buffy explained a little too quickly "helping me to find some books for my history project, just like Xander said"
Spike watched a strange glance pass between the three people in front of him. There was definitely something going on.
"So" Willow said, suddenly turning to Buffy "how about I take Spike to the office while you and Xander go see Giles"
"Sounds like a plan" the girl nodded and Xander grinned, happy to get the new boy away from the girl he wanted.
"Lead the way, Willow" Spike smiled, causing her to blush again. "See you at lunch, Buffy?" he called as she started to walk away in the opposite direction.
"Yeah, I guess so" she replied, before turning back to her other friend.
"Nice going, Xander" she commented sarcastically on his earlier slip.
"Sorry" he said quietly, thinking perhaps he didn’t want to be alone with the Slayer right now after all.
* * * * *
"So your friend Xander" Spike said to Willow as they walked to the school office together "he likes Buffy, right?"
"Yeah" the red-head sighed "it is the unfortunate truth" she added quietly, but he still heard her.
"You like him?" he guessed.
"What?" she answered too fast "Well, I guess, I kind of, well, yeah" she finally admitted after much rambling. She sighed again "I bet you don’t have any problem getting dates" she glanced at him as she said it and he smiled a gorgeous smile.
"As nice a compliment as that is, pet, you’d be surprised" he sighed too "Not quite as popular with some young ladies as I’d like to be" he admitted, thinking primarily of Buffy.
"I’d date you" Willow remarked, before adding "oh god, did I say that out loud?!"
"Yes, luv, you did" Spike told her, trying to stifle a giggle.
"Sorry" she apologise immediately "I mean, why would you want to date me...?" she mumbled.
"Now, come on, Red" he stopped walking and she did too, deciding in that moment she really liked the nickname he used for her "Why not? Just because this Xander bloke can’t see your girlfriend potential doesn’t mean the rest of the male population is blind"
Willow really appreciated the thought, even though she knew he was probably just being nice. She smiled genuinely and then turned to keep walking.
"Still, you’d rather date Buffy" she stated rather than asked.
"Didn’t know I was so obvious" he said, tilting his head at her.
"You’re probably not" the red-head admitted "I’m just perceptive" she paused before adding "and anyway, no offence, but I don’t think I could date you either. A lot of people don’t like him, but to me, Xander Harrs is the greatest guy I ever met" she said almost dreamily.
"Well, I guess that means you and me will just have to be the dreaded F word" Spike smirked and she looked at him oddly.
"Friends" he explained simply.
"Oh, right yes, friends" Willow laughed at her own lack of brain power "Of course, I think we could be very good friends"
TBC
Chapter 4
Buffy sighed as the lunch bell rang. She had spent hours in the school library with Giles, training, discussing patrol, reading up on demons.
"I can’t believe how much time I’ve spent in here today" she said, closing the book she’d been reading until her eyes gave in and the words started to blur.
"Yes, we have worked rather hard, haven’t we?" Giles admitted, surveying the room.
"First thing this morning, through two study periods" Buffy rubbed her eyes "please could I have a little of my lunch break to myself?" she pleaded.
"Very well" her Watcher nodded "just put those books back over there for me" he pointed to the far side shelf "and you’re free to go"
With that he disappeared behind another bookcase at the back of the room, as Buffy went to the shelves behind the door and put away various volumes about vampires, demons and other creatures of the night.
"Buffy?" startled by the sound of her name, the girl almost jumped out of her skin. She peered round the door to greet the owner of the voice, making him jump too.
"Spike, hi, did you want something?"
"Found the library on my map" he smiled, waving the piece of paper he’d been given at her "thought I’d walk you to lunch"
Before she could give any kind of answer, Giles reappeared, unaware of Spike’s presence in the room.
"Buffy, about last nights patrol..." he started, looking at the book in his hands rather than at the person he was talking to.
"Giles" she interrupted, causing him to look up suddenly and realise there was a non-Slayer-secret-knowing person in the room.
"I’d like you to meet a new student and my new next door neighbour" Buffy continued "this is Spike"
"Pleased to meet you, er, Spike" Giles held out a hand to shake the young mans and Spike took it.
"Good to know you, Mr Giles" he said with a smile but the librarian glanced at Buffy with a questioning look.
"His real name is William Hart, Spike’s just a nick-name" she explained "...the hair" she added as further explanation.
"Ah, indeed" the older man nodded as he released the boys hand "and you’re British too by the sounds of that accent"
"Technically, yes" Spike started, but Buffy did not want to go over the entire explanation again, she just wanted to get out of the library for five minutes.
"Well, I’m gonna go grab some lunch with Willow and Xander" she said, grabbing her jacket and bag "and Spike apparently" she added, a slight annoyance in her tone "See you tomorrow Giles" she called, practically flying out the door, Spike close behind her.
They walked side by side toward the cafeteria in silence. Spike was beginning to think he was more right than he thought with his idea that there was something different about Buffy Summers. Twice already today people had started to say things to Buffy and seemed to change their mind when they realised he was there. He was more than intrigued now.
"You so friendly with all the staff, pet?" he asked the blonde beside him.
"What?" she answered, too loud and too fast.
"You seem pretty close to that Giles bloke and you’ve spent half your day in that library" he commented.
"I had work to do, requiring books, that’s all" she shrugged. It was only a half lie after all. When Spike was silent she thought she’d won - he was going to let the subject go. She was wrong.
"So, what’s ‘patrol’?" he asked next.
"Patrol?" she echoed as if she didn’t understand him.
"Yeah, when your friend Giles came over to us he mentioned ‘last night’s patrol’" he said, watching her face turn a little paler.
"Really?" she made a face as if she had no idea what he meant but he could see in her eyes that she understood completely "I don’t know...." she trailed off, suddenly becoming very grateful when she saw her friends at a nearby table.
"Hey Willow!" she called as she bounded over to her. Spike shook his head as he followed her. She was covering something, he knew it, and he would find out what it was.
Spike didn’t talk much during lunch, he just listened and watched, waiting for someone to say or do something that might help him better understand what was going on, because something was going on, he just didn’t know what yet.
Buffy had been too uncomfortable about the whole ‘patrol’ thing and Xander had changed what he was going to say in the morning - what was it they were hiding? Whatever it was the chances were that Willow and that librarian, Giles, were in on it too.
‘Willow’ he thought to himself, ‘we agreed to be friends, me and her, maybe she’ll tell me something’ But lunch was over and they headed off to their different classes. Spike sighed, it didn’t matter. The friends had all decide to go out together in the evening and Willow had insisted Spike come along, much to Buffy’s, and more notably Xander’s, annoyance.
* * * * *
Spike had planned to walk home from school in the same company as he had walked to it, but Buffy had said she needed to stay behind to see Giles again. Spike couldn’t decide whether that was her way of telling him she didn’t want to be anywhere near him or whether she really did need to see the librarian again, but either way he wasn’t happy about it.
He walked fairly quickly home, just wanting to get there, almost as if getting to his house faster would make the night come quicker, make the time when he could see Buffy again arrive sooner. ‘God, what is wrong with me?!’ he wondered to himself as his house came into view ‘All wound up over some secretive girl who doesn’t even like me! I must be crazy’
Jessica came from the kitchen when she heard her son at the front door.
"Good first day at school Will?" she smiled, still drying a plate on a dish towel in her hands.
"Not so bad" he shrugged following her back toward the kitchen, but then changing his mind and heading for the stairs.
"Well don’t just disappear, tell be about it" she called and he stopped short on the bottom step. Sighing he turned back.
"Not much to tell" he shrugged, entering the room behind her as she dried the rest of the dishes "Met Buffy’s friends, went to classes, came home, no big deal"
"Does Buffy have a lot of friends?" his mother asked, glancing over at him, then back at what she was doing.
"No, not really" he told her, suddenly thinking how strange it was that someone that seemed so nice and beautiful and everything could be so short of friends.
"There’s a girl called Willow" he explained "she’s okay, and then Xander..." he made a face as he remembered that particular friend of Buffy’s. He wanted to be more than her friend and that made him competition to Spike.
"Oh and she seems pretty close to the librarian bloke Mr Giles..." he continued, but stopped speaking as his Mum spun on her heel and sent the plate in her hand crashing to the tiled floor. Shards of porcelain shot out in all directions and Jessica gripped the worktop.
"You alright Mum?" Spike checked, moving toward her.
She steadied herself and smiled a fake smile.
"Er, yes, I’m fine" she assured him.
"You sure?" he asked, moving forward and taking her arm "You look pale"
"Honestly" she said, taking his hand off her arm so she could move and find the dustpan and brush "the plate just slipped, that’s all"
"Okay" said Spike, dubiously, clearly not convince but willing to let it go for now "if you’re sure then I’m going to get to the homework because Buffy and her mates invited me to go out with them tonight. That’s okay, right?" he asked, turning back from the kitchen door.
"Er, yeah, of course" his mother smiled, now on her hands and knees, clearing up the shattered crockery.
* * * * *
Buffy was getting ready to go to the Bronze. She was happy to be going out with her friends as she always had a good time, but knowing Spike was going to be there made things different. She didn’t like him and she didn’t want him there, but it wasn’t just her dislike of him that made her wish he wouldn’t be joining them tonight. She felt guilty and she hated herself for it, but she had told Spike she had to see Giles after school so she could get out of walking home from school with him. Truth is, she had waited ten minutes and then followed on home. Why she felt guilty about it she couldn’t understand at all.
‘It’s not like I care about him or anything’ she thought to herself, pulling on her jacket and checking her hair in the mirror, ‘even if he is gorgeous and sweet and...’ her mind started to ramble and Buffy wanted to scream at her own brain for thinking such things. He wasn’t gorgeous and sweet, he was ugly and annoying, she told herself as she said goodbye to her Mom and Dawn and promised not to be late back.
Buffy came out of the front door, still telling herself how much she hated her new next door neighbour and she was doing quite well until she saw him standing there, waiting for her.
Still in the same black boots and leather jacket he had been in earlier, but now Spike wore dark blue jeans and a paler blue T-shirt that brought out a similar shade in his eyes. He looked striking, just standing there by the light of the street lamps.
"Something the matter, luv ?" he asked her when she didn’t move or speak. It hadn’t occurred to her she’d been staring quite so much and it annoyed her that she had.
"Yes" she snapped, "I have to spend an evening with you, that’s what the matter is"
He just smirked at her, a smirk that she noticed was annoyingly attractive, and Buffy found herself thinking thoughts about this guy that were disturbing to her.
The more she thought about it, as they walked towards the Bronze in silence, the more Buffy was finding it hard to remember why she was fighting so hard to hate this guy, it would be much easier to like him right now.
Then she thought of Angel, her first and only love. ‘Look how well that turned out’, she thought to herself. She really didn’t know Spike that well and she was determined not to go falling for someone unsuitable again. She tried to put the thoughts out of her head and just concentrate on enjoying herself as they reached the hang-out where Willow and Xander would be waiting for them.
Chapter 5
"Hey Buff, good timing I’m just getting drinks" Xander smiled as his friend came toward the table at the Bronze, deliberately ignoring the man with her.
"Soda would be good" Buffy replied and Spike nodded that he wanted one too, "Tell you what, I’ll come with and help carry" she offered, and Xander was only too pleased to take the girl with him and away from the bleached boy wonder.
"Hey Red" Spike greeted, hopping onto the stool next to Willow.
"Hi Spike, you okay?" she smiled.
"Yeah, kind of glad those two disappeared though I wanted a word" he leaned closer to her as he spoke and she eyed his suspisciously.
"What’s up?"
"That’s what I wanted to ask you actually" he admitted, "Twice today people have been talking to Buffy and changed what they were saying when they saw me there. What’s the big secret?"
"Secret?" Willow echoed, like she didn’t understand. She shifted uncomfortably as Spike continued to stare at her, awaiting an answer, "I d-don’t know what you mean, th-there’s no secret"
"You sure?" he checked, not at all convinced, "Cos I thought we were going to be friends, I hope you wouldn’t lie to me"
"Of course not" Willow giggled nervously, "Why would I lie?"
At that moment Xander and Buffy came back with drinks for everybody and the conversation changed to other topics.
Spike knew Willow was lying, he could tell, and she made sure they were never alone long enough for him to ask anymore, which made him all the more suspicious. Whatever this secret was it had to be something big otherwise she wouldn’t have looked so scared when he asked about it. Spike was determined he would find out what was going on, and if Willow wouldn’t tell him, maybe he should get the information straight from Buffy.
* * * * *
A knock on the front door startled Joyce as she sat half asleep watching TV. Dawn was in bed and Buffy had gone out with her friends and their mother had just been relaxing in front of a soap opera after a hard days work. She turned off the TV and went to the front door and she was a little surprised to see Jessica on the other side.
"Hi Jessica, did you need something?" Mrs Summers asked the woman.
"Hi Joyce, I just, this is really awkward but can I come in?" the woman rambled and Joyce nodded and opened the door wider to let her new neighbour into the house.
She took her new friend through to the living room and they sat down on the sofa.
"Is everything okay?" Joyce asked, noticing that Jessica seemed to be very nervous or upset about something.
"Not really" she admitted, "And I know this seems strange because we’ve only known each other for a day but I really needed someone to talk to and I don’t know anyone around here and..." she stopped talking as a lump came to her throat and tears came to her eyes.
"Oh, it’s okay, I don’t mind" Joyce said comfortingly as she handed her a tissue. Jessica managed a small smile.
"Thankyou" she sniffed, "It’s just I found out today...I think Will’s father is in Sunnydale and it was a shock finding out"
"William’s father?" Joyce echoed, "I think you said he didn’t know his father?" she checked she remembered correctly what she had been told by this woman the day before.
"No, he doesn’t know him" Jessica confirmed, "In fact Rupert doesn’t even know Will exists" she admitted, "My family moved to England when I was just sixteen. I met him there and we fell head over heels for each other. We dated for two years and I thought it was forever but then one day he just disappeared and I never saw him again. I was broken hearted, then I found out I was pregnant with Will. I didn’t know where to look for his father, I had no way of contacting him. Anyway, we got along without him and I never expected to see him again but then Will came home from school today and told me about the librarian, Mr Giles, and, well, it could be a coincidence but..."
"Rupert Giles is William’s father?" Joyce finally thought she understood. Jessica nodded that it was true before she started crying again.
There was a moment of silence as Jessica tried to be calm and Joyce was unsure what the most tactful thing to say next was. Eventually she thought of something neutral.
"Can I get you a coffee?" she offered and her friend nodded.
"Yes please, that would be great"
* * * * *
It was getting pretty late at the Bronze and Buffy realised maybe she should get to the patrolling and then home to bed.
"Okay guys" she said, standing up from her stool, three pairs of eyes following her, "I’m beat, I’m gonna head home"
Xander and Willow nodded, knowing that Buffy meant she needed to patrol.
"Want us to come with?" the male of the two asked her but Buffy shook her head.
"No, I’ll be fine. You guys stay and have fun"
"Actually I’m getting kind of tired myself" Spike said suddenly, "I’m gonna call it a night too"
"You don’t have to leave just cos I am" Buffy told him, knowing that if he left she was going to have to walk home with him and she couldn’t go patrolling as planned.
"Well, I told you I’m tired anyway" he shrugged, "Besides, can’t have a lady walking home alone in the dark" he smiled, but Buffy just pushed past him on her way out of the Bronze, muttering something about being able to take care of herself on the way.
"Hey wait up, Goldilocks" Spike called as he hurried to reach her.
"That’s not my name" she snapped ‘God, this guy is irritating’
"Sorry, Buffy" he stressed her name, not wanting to annoy her anymore than was necessary.
Buffy walked quickly with big strides, wanting to get home and away from Spike as fast as possible. It had annoyed her intensely that he had wanted to walk her home anyway since now she would have to pretend to go to bed and go out of her window for patrol like she had done before. Neither her mother or her sister had any idea that she was the Slayer or even that vampires and demons existed and she planned to keep it that way ‘They’d probably have me certified if I tried to explain’.
"Y’know for someone who’s supposed to be tired you walk bloody fast" Spike complained, struggling to keep up with her.
"I didn’t ask you to walk with me" she pointed out, accelerating all the time. Spike decided maybe now wasn’t the best time to question the girl. She didn’t seem in a very good mood with him - again, and besides at their current speed they would be home very soon.
* * * * *
"So" Joyce sighed as she sipped her coffee and Jessica sipped hers, "Are you going to talk to Rupert about William"
"I should" Jessica admitted, "But, I haven’t seen him for over sixteen years, I wouldn’t know where to start"
"It’s a difficult situation" Joyce nodded, "But in the end it could be a good thing, for William to have a father"
"I know" Jessica agreed, "And I want to tell them, both of them, I just never expected all this when I came here"
The sound of the front door opening and closing again, interrupted the conversation between the two women and Joyce spotted Buffy as she came past the living room door.
"Buffy, you’re back early" she smiled and her daughter came into the room.
"I was a little tired" she fake yawned, "So was Spike, so we came home"
Jessica got up from her seat.
"If Will’s home then I should go" she said as she stood, "Thanks so much, Joyce" she smiled.
"Anytime you need to talk, I’m here" Mrs Summers replied, following her new friend to the door and seeing her out. As soon as the door was closed Buffy turned to her mother.
"That was Spike’s Mom, right? Is she okay?"
"Yeah, honey, she’s fine" Joyce faked a smile which Buffy was sure looked dubious but she let it go for now.
"Well, I’m going to bed" she said, hugging her mother, "Night Mom"
"Goodnight Buffy" Joyce replied as her eldest daughter went up the stairs, unaware that as soon as she got to her room she would be leaving it again via the window to go and fight the undead evils of Sunnydale.
TBC
Chapter 6
Spike came in the front door and headed straight for his room, assuming his mother was already in bed. He quite fancied a cigarette so he quietly opened the bedroom window and grabbed the hidden packet from under his bed. His mum would kill him if she found out he smoked, and he knew it, so he kept the habit hidden, either smoking when he was out of the house or if he fancied one when he was at home he’d make sure his mother was out or busy and sit by the open window.
Spike took a cigarette from the box along with his lighter and sat on the sill, hanging half out of the window as he lit up. He put the cigarette to his lips and then breathed the smoke out into the blackness of the night. The moon was almost full and shone brightly in the sky along with many sparkling stars. If he wasn’t usually so un-emotional, Spike might have thought it was romantic.
Suddenly a sound broke the idyllic peacefulness of the night and Spike glanced over to the source of the noise. He saw another window open, a way along from his own. A leg appeared followed by another and it was soon obvious the figure coming out of the upstairs window was Buffy.
‘What the bloody hell is she doing?’ Spike thought to himself as Buffy expertly climbed down the outside of her house and landed with a soft thump as her feet hit the ground. She made it down too easily for this to be the first time she’d done such a thing, but why was she doing it? Spike was curious. Holding his cigarette carefully between his lips, he swung both his legs out of the window and managed to scramble down to the ground, making sure he grabbed the leather jacket he had shed just moments before.
Staying a reasonable distance behind the girl, Spike followed Buffy through the darkness of Sunnydale for several minutes.
‘Well, this isn’t what I was expecting’ Spike thought to himself as the girl turned a corner and crept into a graveyard. He continued to follow, ducking behind trees and tombstones so as not to be seen. Perhaps she was just visiting someone’s grave but why sneak out in the middle of the night to do it? Buffy already behaved suspiciously and things were getting more and more strange, Spike was determined to know what her secret was.
Suddenly, Buffy swung around and Spike only just made it behind a large tree before she saw him.
"Let’s make this quick and painful" she said and the young man peered around the tree to see two men standing opposite Buffy, "painful for *you*" she amended as she began to kick and punch in the direction of the two strangers. Spike couldn’t see their faces at first and was about to run from his hiding place to lend a hand, but as Buffy flipped the ‘man’ nearest the tree, Spike saw that it wasn’t a man at all. The top of it’s face was ridged and lumpy and fangs stuck out from it’s mouth. It was deathly pale and had an evil yellow gleam in it’s eyes.
Spike didn’t have time to take in what he’d seen and shock rooted him to the spot as Buffy pulled a wooden stake from her back pocket and plunged it through the creatures heart.
Spike watched, astounded, as the creature disappeared, leaving just dust behind as Buffy turned her attention to the second. It had come up behind her as she dealt with it’s accomplice but she swung around before it had even touched her as if she had sensed it’s presence. A sharp kick to the face knocked it flying and a stake was soon through it’s heart, the remnant dust of the creature falling to the ground with the first.
Buffy brushed the dust from her hands, put the stake back in her pocket and continued to walk through the cemetery as Spike blinked hard, trying to make sense of what he’d seen. Then it occurred to him. The creatures; yellow eyes, fangs, pale skin and lumpy faces, and a stake through the heart to kill them. They were vampires. Now he understood Buffy’s secret.
He hurried from his hiding place and followed Buffy down the path. he grabbed at her arm as he caught up to her but that was a big mistake.
Buffy twisted her arm to grab his as his hand caught her. She knocked Spike to the ground, flipping him flat on his back and landing on top of him. She sat straddling him, whipping a stake from her pocket again and raising it above his chest, before realising he was not a demon at all, it was just...
"Spike?" she gasped, breathing heavily from her earlier fight and the struggle just now.
"Slayer?" he guessed, also breathing rapidly, partly from her attack on him but also as a consequence of the position they were currently in.
"What?" Buffy’s eyes went wide as she realised he seemed to know her secret. Her raised arms dropped down in shock and the stake passed gently past Spike’s chest where it had been aimed. He smirked annoyingly.
"Lucky I’m not a vampire, ain’t it?"
Buffy looked down and then up at his eyes, which was a big mistake she realised as she felt lost in them for a brief moment.
"Oh God..." she said suddenly realising where she was and what she was doing. She rolled off of Spike and got to her feet, offering him a hand up too. They both brushed their clothes off and neither was sure what to say next.
"What are you doing out here?" Buffy said suddenly, hoping he didn’t know as much as he seemed to.
"Well I could ask you the same thing" he said, tilting his head at her " ‘cept I think I know already. You’re the slayer, right?"
Buffy just stared for a second before putting a confused yet defiant look on her face.
"I don’t know what you’re taking about" she huffed "You’re delusional"
She turned to walk away but he dared to grab her arm as she turned again, hoping that now she knew it was him, he might stay on his feet.
"Buffy! You’re in a graveyard, past midnight, putting lumps of would through the undead" he exclaimed "now how exactly would you explain that if not with the words ‘I am the Slayer’?"
She looked at him carefully and realised he was right. There was no way she could deny it if he’d seen her kill those vampires.
"How do you know about the Slayer?" she wanted to know and Spike looked uncomfortable. He let go of her arm and turned away.
"Does it matter?" he mumbled.
"Yes!" she said incredulously. How could he think it didn’t matter?
"I read about it in a book" he sighed in annoyance at having to explain himself "when I was a kid. I found it in the closet in the spare room, I was about ten or something" he explained as he walked and Buffy followed intrigued "It was all about demons and vampires and this Chosen One called the Slayer" he stopped and sat down on a bench and Buffy followed suit, taking a seat beside him "I was gonna ask my mum about it but I wasn’t s’posed to be in that room and she’d have gone crazy if she’d have known I’d been in there..." he trailed off, all the time looking away.
"So, you’re Mom knows about the Slayer too?" Buffy asked "I mean, it was her book?"
"I dunno" Spike shrugged, leaning his elbows on his knees and looking at the ground "wondered if maybe it was my dad’s..." he mumbled.
"Well, maybe we should ask Giles about it" the blonde girl suggested, standing up and walking in front of him "he’s actually my Watcher" she explained "he could probably figure out who your father was..."
"Now wait a minute" Spike interrupted, jumping up from the bench "why?"
"Why what?" the girl frowned in confusion as Spike paced.
"Why does it matter who my father was?" he stopped suddenly and asked her with an angry side to his voice.
"Maybe you have a destiny Spike, like I do" she explained "Your father, he might be somebody important in the world of vamps and demons, maybe you are too. If we could find out who he was..."
"I don’t want to know!" he yelled over her words, drowning her out completely "I don’t want to talk about my bloody father!"
With that, he stormed off, out of the graveyard and back the way they had come. Buffy was shocked by his outburst but soon got over it and hurried after him.
"What’s the matter with you?!" she asked as she caught up to him, spinning him around to face her. He tried not to look at her as he could feel the tears forming in his eyes.
"I don’t want to know him, okay?!" he shouted "He obviously didn’t want to know me"
"I thought you said he didn’t know you existed?" Buffy said, confused.
"He didn’t" Spike admitted, his volume dropping "he doesn’t, I just..." he trailed off, still looking away. Buffy brought her hand up to his face and made him look at her, just in time to see the tears escape and run down his cheeks.
"Spike..." she spoke softly "I’m sorry"
She moved her hand away, suddenly realising what she was doing and any ‘moment’ that might have been starting was broken.
"Not really your fault, pet" Spike sighed, rubbing his face with the back of his hand "Touchy subject is all"
There was silence and they started to walk back home. Buffy couldn’t bear the oppressive quiet so she tried to think of something to say.
"Y’know my Dad left too" she said, eventually "My parents got a divorce"
"Doesn’t sound like much fun" the young man beside her replied.
"Nope, not at all" she sighed "but I mean, I don’t hate him - I can’t cos he’s my Dad"
"I know what you mean" Spike admitted "God I’m an idiot, I try to act like the big man and look at me now" he laughed humourlessly at himself, wiping away one last stray tear.
"Getting upset about stuff like that doesn’t make you any less of a man, Spike" Buffy told him, hoping to help but he just got defensive.
"What do you know?!" he said, somewhat angrily.
"Plenty" Buffy told him, as she stopped walking, and he turned to look at her properly "Haven’t you heard? Supreme knowledge comes free with the Slayer strength" she smirked and was pleased to see she’d managed to get a small smile out of him "Oh, thing is, I need you to keep it a secret" she hurriedly added "Willow and Xander know and obviously Giles but no-one else can know"
"That you’re the Slayer? Sure, I won’t tell" he promised "So long as you don’t blab about my ‘emotional moment’ tonight" he said, air quotes included.
"Okay, it’s a deal" the girl nodded as they started to walk again.
The silence returned and this time it was Spike’s turn to break it.
"Why’d you hate me?" he asked her, watching the stone he was kicking along the ground.
"I don’t *hate* you exactly" she told him, almost feeling guilty for the way she’d treated him, especially since she’d seen him cry tonight.
"But you don’t like me, from the minute you first met me I knew you didn’t" he pointed out "Why?" he asked again and Buffy found herself unable to form a proper answer. Right at that moment there was nothing she didn’t like about him. In fact back there when he’d had what he called his ‘emotional moment’ she could quite happily have reached up and...no Buffy, don’t go there! She scolded herself, inwardly.
"Because, well, I don’t know, I..." she rambled and Spike smirked at her.
"Inarticulacy come free with the Slayer strength too, luv?"
"That’s why!" she exploded, flinging her arms in the air for emphasis, continuing to walk as Spike stopped.
"What?" he asked genuinely confused by her outburst and she turned back to face him.
"The sarcasm!" she said loudly before beginning to count off his more annoying points on her fingers "The comments, the smirk, the attitude, not to mention, the all over black, the staring, the fact that my sister thinks you’re God’s gift and you seem inclined to agree..."
"Woah, easy Slayer, I get it" he interrupted, trying to take in all that she’d just said. He really liked this girl and this was what she thought of him "Can’t believe there’s so much to hate about me" he sounded decidedly sulky about it as he walked straight past Buffy.
"I never said hate" she pointed out, starting to wonder if she’d gone too far with her little outburst "besides" she continued, falling into step with him again "I’ve only known you a day so my opinion doesn’t count for much" she shrugged "...seems like longer than just a day though" she thought aloud, startling herself.
Spike looked at her strangely and the nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, for me too" he smiled slightly and Buffy found herself smiling back, glad to see him happier than he had been earlier.
"Well, maybe we knew each other in a past life or something" she suggested and Spike laughed.
"You believe in that stuff?"
"I dunno" Buffy shrugged her shoulders again, "I believe in vampires and demons and stuff so, who’s to say people don’t get reincarnated too. If I come back I don’t want to be the Slayer next time" she admitted, starting to wonder why she was telling some strange guy she hardly knew all these thoughts she had.
"What would you rather be?" he was curious to know and Buffy’s answer spilled out of her mouth before she’d even considered to implications.
"Ice skater" she announced, before suddenly realising what she’d done "I can’t believe I just told you that" she looked away, blushing.
"Too late now, pet" Spike smiled "Besides, not a bad idea, bet you’d look good in a leotard"
She looked dangerously at him and he wondered if he’d gone too far. He didn’t fancy being flipped again, although the landing position from last time hadn’t been so bad...
"I don’t think I should ask your opinion of what I should come back as" he said, quickly.
"Probably not a good idea" Buffy agreed, smiling widely, before suddenly realising their little ‘getting to know you’ conversation was about to end as they reached the back of their houses again.
"Well, looks like we’re home" she sighed, looking up at her window.
"Yeah" Spike nodded "Buffy?"
"What?" she turned from looking at her house to looking directly at him.
"Y’know we were sharing secrets before? Can I share one more with you?" he asked her, looking uncomfortable.
"Depends" she said looking dubiously at him.
"On what?" he wondered aloud.
"Am I gonna like it?" she checked and he smiled at her.
"I hope so, but you have to close your eyes"
Buffy laughed out loud.
"You’re kidding right? I’ve seen that trick"
"Buffy" he sighed in annoyance "if I do anything you don’t like you can use your Slayer powers and beat me to a pulp afterwards, okay, luv?" he declared, wondering what he was getting himself into. He had a fifty-fifty chance of getting his backside kicked very soon, but he thought it would be worth the risk.
"It’s a deal" Buffy nodded, giving in and closing her eyes.
She felt Spike’s body get closer to her and his hands gripped her waist as he lowered his head and covered her lips with his. For a moment, Buffy thought about pushing him off but it didn’t take long for her to change her mind. Her arms wound around his neck pulling him closer as she responded to his kiss, wondering why on earth she was doing this, but thoroughly enjoying it anyway.
TBC
Chapter 7
"Oh bloody buggering hell!" Spike cursed as he woke up and saw his clock telling him if he was going to be seriously late for school if he didn’t move it. He threw on his clothes, hurriedly did something with his hair, grabbed his bag and ran down to the kitchen where his Mum was making tea and toast.
"William, I need to talk to you..." she started as her son grabbed a slice of toast from the plate and kept moving.
"Later Mum, I’m gonna be late for school" he called as he breezed out again.
"But I...late for school?" Jessica echoed her son’s words, wondering why on earth it would bother him if he was late for school? Did he not hate the place? Something very strange was going on, and it seemed as though she would have to wait til tonight to find out what it was and also to tell Spike the secret she was dreading revealing. And then of course there was Rupert, she was going to have to talk to him too.
* * * * *
Buffy and Willow walked together, outside of Sunnydale High School, holding their books to their chests. Buffy had felt uncomfortable about having to walk to school with Spike and she hadn’t promised she would or anything so she had left ten minutes early and walked by herself. She had met Willow by the school gates.
"So, did you manage to get to patrolling last night?" the red-head asked and Buffy started to look uncomfortable.
"Er, yeah, I did" she smiled nervously.
"Anything interesting happen?" her friend asked, wondering why the Slayer was acting so weird all of a sudden.
"Er, no, not really. Dusted a couple of vamps, met Spike, he knows about the Slayer, knows it’s me, and then he totally kissed me - no big" she said all in the same flat tone. Willow abruptly stopped walking, and Buffy stopped two steps ahead, turning back to see her friends reaction.
"No big?" the young witch said incredulously "Sounds like major ‘big’ to me!"
Buffy almost laughed at her friends wide eyes and open mouth. They started to walk again as Willow rambled.
"I can’t believe you kissed him! I thought you hated him! And you’ve only known him a day! And, no offence, but you were kind of, well, anti-social with him yesterday..."
"Woah" Buffy put up a hand to silence her friend "okay, first of all he kissed me, I did not kiss him" she said forcefully, before admending with "well, maybe I did a little bit but he started it, and second..." all the major points of her argument flew out of her head as she thought of that kiss "oh, I don’t know he’s just, when he wants to be he can be really...sweet"
"Sweet?" Willow echoed with a little laugh for good measure "Of course, cos I mean he looks really sweet" she smiled as she tapped Buffy’s shoulder and pointed at the figure coming towards them.
Clad in his usual black outfit, leather jacket and boots included, Spike strode towards the two girls, his bleached spikes of hair maybe not as neat as they were the day before.
"Morning ladies" he grinned at Willow and then slightly nervously at Buffy.
"Hey Spike" Willow smiled back as Buffy ducked her head and said a quiet ‘hi’.
There was an awkward silence as the red-head glanced between the two.
"I have to go and..." she trailed off, walking away, and Buffy inwardly promised to throttle her later.
"Buffy we need to talk..." Spike started only to be interrupted by an annoying brunette.
"Hey Buffster" Xander called as he came over to the two, before giving a curt nod to Spike and angering him by addessing him as William.
"I told you, it’s Spike" he seethed "and d’ya mind Harris I’m trying to have a conversation with the lady"
"Oh, you mean another argument?" the young man grinned and Buffy watched uncomfortably as the two guys eyed each other.
"No, a conversation" Spike tried to keep his cool "so d’ya think you could leave us alone for two seconds?"
"You seriously telling me Buffy wants to be alone with you?" Xander laughed aloud and Spike grabbed him by the shirt, resisting the temptation to kick him into next century. He yanked the boy forward and dropped his voice to a whisper near Xander’s ear.
"One more word out of you and I’m gonna sing ‘Buffy’s a vampire slayer’ at the top of my voice whilst playing the accompaniment on your thick skull, understand?"
Spike pushed him away and Xander coughed nervously before pointing in the direction Willow had gone before.
"I’ll be over here..."
"Good choice" Spike nodded and smiled with satisfaction.
Buffy turned to glance at Xander and then eyed Spike suspiciously.
"What did you say to him?" she asked.
"Nothing much, pet" the bleach blond shrugged, "Now about last night..."
"Which part of last night?" Buffy shook her head slightly, like she didn’t understand "The Bronze? My slaying? Your tears?"
"Hey, keep your voice down luv" Spike reprimanded on the word ‘tears’ "our little secrets, remember?"
Buffy rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Spike, whatever it is you want to say, spit it out"
"We kissed, Buffy" he said quietly and she tried to hide the colour that rushed into her cheeks. Buffy remembered only too well the kissing that they had done and there was no denying she had enjoyed herself but a large part of her felt it was wrong. She had only known this guy for a day, what did that say about her character? Also, how did she know she could trust him? Did she even really like him?
"I’m aware of that, I was there at the time" she said calmly, as it were nothing.
"So..." Spike prompted, hoping she would say something more. He liked this girl, a lot, she had to know that after what had happened between them and he had assumed she liked him too but now.
"So, what?" Buffy asked innocently, knowing he wanted her to say she liked him, that she wanted to date him,or something, but she wasn’t even sure of that herself so how was she supposed to tell him?!
"You are unbelievable!" Spike exploded when he realised what was going on. She was just stringing him along to get her kicks, wasn’t she?
"Thank you" Buffy frowned, not sure where the compliment had come from. Actually perhaps he hadn’t meant it in the nice way...
"No, seriously, you are the most annoying bitch I have ever had the misfortune to meet!" he yelled, waving his arms for emphasis, before turning and stalking away from her.
"What?" Buffy looked confused and hurt, but he was walking away too fast and with his back to her, he didn’t even notice "Spike, hey I..."
It was too late, he was out of ear shot, he was gone.
* * * * *
"I’m an idiot!" Buffy exclaimed, slumping into a chair in the back room of the library. She threw her bag down on the table in front of her and threw her arms over her head before flopping forward onto the table. Giles watched the performance with a slightly amused expression.
"Problem of some kind Buffy?" he asked her, closing the book in his hands.
"No" she said raising her head "well yes, but it’s not Slayer stuff" she amended "well, it kind of is, I guess..." she changed her mind again before trailing off completely.
"How about you start from the beginning" Giles suggested putting his book down on the table and leaning on the back of the nearest chair.
"Well, I..." Buffy started but she was interrupted by Xander bursting into the room.
"Hey Giles, my man, we’ve got a problem"
"More than one apparently" the Watcher informed him, taking off his glasses and cleaning them.
"Buffy, good thing you’re here too" he pointed at her and spoke seriously "Spike knows you’re the Slayer"
"I know" she shrugged, putting her head back down on the table.
"Please tell me you didn’t tell him" Xander felt sick, he did not like this guy, he did not trust this guy and all of a sudden he knew everything!
"I didn’t, not really" Buffy quickly explained "he saw me, slaying, and he already knew what a Slayer was"
"But how is that possible...?" Giles wondered aloud, but there was yet another interruption as a voice called from the main part of the library.
"Hello?"
"Oh, who on earth is that?" the librarian/watcher sounded annoyed at the constant interruption and he hurried through to the main room.
"Can I help you?" he asked and the woman in front of him turned to face him. After all these years it was still clear to him who she was, his first and only love.
"Jessica?"
"Hello Rupert" Buffy’s new next door neighbour smiled nervously and Giles dropped to the floor in a dead faint.
* * * * *