A/N sorry that this is so short, I have much longer chapters ahead, I just needed this short one to set the mood, ya know do what prologues do. It is PG-15 for now, it goes into some racy stuff later on. I am currently looking for a beta so email me, and one more thing, this is my first story so be kind, I am working out the kinks now


Buffy sat in the corner, hands folded neatly in her lap. Her head was bowed in an attempt to hide the shame that was gracing her face. How could they treat her like this? Weren’t they family?

“This is the third one Elizabeth, the third one!” Her father, Hank, yelled, his face reddening with every muttered syllable. “And yet you sit there acting as if you hadn’t the slightest care what you are doing to your family.”

“Hank dear, do sit down.” His wife Joyce pleaded with him.

“Frankly, I agree with Elizabeth. She had no buisness with Riley, he couldn’t supply her with nearly enough orgasms to……”

“Anya!” everyone in the room screamed, humiliated at Anya signature bluntness.

“That isn’t the least bit relevant in this situation, Anya. The fact is that Elizabeth has cried off an engangment less than a week before the wedding, for the third time. Next time Elizabeth, when you get the urge to be wed again… Please do not tell me untill you have said ‘I do’.”

For the first time since telling her family about canceling her engagment to one Riley Finn, the small blonde in the corner rose and spoke. “You won’t have to worry about that, father” she began, ice dripping off of every word. “I fully intend on marrying the next man I lay eyes on.” And with that, she stormed out of the family room and ran to her special spot on the dock, leaving behind a very flabbergasted family.

Buffy cradled her head in her lap, tears falling on her jade green dress. She didn’t want to hurt her family, there was just no love between her and Riley. She had tried to make it happen, to let the love blossom on its own. But it never did. She waited until the last minute, but the spark wasn’t there. Riley was kind enough, but dull. She knew planks of wood that had more character than he did. Her father just didn’t understand that. He couldn’t see that Buffy desired to have a love like her Aunt Anya and Xanders, Giles and Jenny or her parents. She wanted a love that simmered inside of her, burned her on the outside. A love like no one had ever known, a love like they told in fairytales. Perhaps there was no such love for her, but she wouldn’t settle until she found it. It seemed almost everyone in her family had their perfect match, and Buffy was left alone.

Off in the distance, Buffy heard a familiar sound. Slowly she raised her head in the direction of the noise. Spikes ploon was slicing through the water at a fast speed. Buffy saw Spike’s sun-bleached head in the distance. She rose to her feet, waiving and hollering like she had in years past. All troubles were forgotten as Spike came closer and closer.

Spike saw her waiving like a mad man from the docks, just like she used to when he came back to the Summers home. His heart swelled, seeing her again. He had been in love with Miss Elizabeth Summers ever since he started working for her father as a cabin boy on Mr. Summers ship. He had been 10 then, and she was 6. Now as the 22 year-old came closer to the dock, he took a closer look at Buffy. She had changed so much since he had seen her last. What had it been, a year? It seemed so much longer than that. It was painfully difficult for him to be away from his best friend for that long, even though he loved having his very own ship to captain, He jumped on the dock after securring his ploon to the dock.

Just as soon as his feet hit the dock he was alomost knocked over as a small blonde catapulted herself into his arms. “Spike, it is so good to see you again. Oh I have missed you so much,” she said smiling into his chest. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, for I am, but why are you here? I haven’t heard from you in months.” She finished in a rush

“Well it is brilliant to see you to pet. Why am I here, you ask. Are you daft? Tomorrow is Christmas and your wedding, I wouldn’t miss either” he said with a laugh. “Speaking of weddings, where is.. Ryan no Robert, Russel, bloody hell, you know who I am talking about?”

“Riley, and he isn’t here.” She said mournfully.

“Oh right, can’t see the bride before the wedding and all that rot.” He said as if it were the dumbest thing he’d ever heard.

“That’s not why he’s gone, I pulled a Buffy.” She muttered harshly

“A what?” Spike asked confused.

“A Buffy, or at least that’s what Willow calls it. I called off the wedding again.”

“Gotta love your family,” he started, thinking fondly of the younger redhead. “Why did you call it off?” He asked trying to keep his voice steady and not give away his joy at the prospect of an avilable Buffy.

“I didn’t love him. In fact, I think I grew to despise him. He was quite dull, was he not?”

“Rusty was as dull as cardboard, luv. I never did fancy him.”

“Riley, his name is Riley.” She corrected quietly.

“Oh forget his name, I shall call him Captain Cardboard” he said in an uppercrust accent. “Pet, are you okay? Considering you weren’t aware I was coming, I don’t understand why you were out on the docks, it’s bloody freezing out here.”

“Oh Spike” she said on a sob, and proceeded to tell him the days events.