“When was the last time you had an orgasm?” Anya Jenkins asked, looking at her boss and friend Buffy Summers.

“We’re at work, Anya- this isn’t a suitable conversation to have right now,” Buffy muttered as she walked into her office, sitting down at her desk and opening her laptop.

“There’s no one here,” Anya replied, crossing her arms. “We’re closing the gallery in five minutes- not like anyone is going to walk in suddenly.” She sighed and looked down. “No one ever does.”

“What was that?” Buffy asked, raising her eyes from the laptop’s screen.

“It’s a slow night,” Anya said. “No one is going to come in. I think it’s a perfectly fine time to talk about your lack of a love life.”

“I’m busy,” Buffy said, glaring at the other woman for a moment before focusing her attention on a spreadsheet she had opened.

“I don’t see why you’re trying to be evasive,” Anya replied, walking to sit down on a chair in front of Buffy’s desk. “Friends talk about guys, relationships, sex…”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Buffy said, waving it off.

“I know!” Anya said, throwing her hands up in frustration, ignoring Buffy’s confused expression. “You’re young, beautiful, and not to mention fairly financially stable- I don’t understand why you aren’t sitting on the lap of some thirty-something stud.”

“Because I don’t have good luck when it comes to men,” Buffy said. “You know that as well as I do.”

“But that doesn’t mean you should suddenly become asexual,” Anya said sharply. “There are plenty of guys out there who’d love to sleep with you.”

“Anya, if I wanted a one-night stand, I’d go to a bar, get extremely drunk, and throw myself at the first somewhat attractive man I came upon.”

“Then have at it,” Anya suggested. “I’m begging you.”

“Where is this coming from?” Buffy asked, clasping her hands on top of the desk.

“I’m sick of seeing you mope around here all day,” her friend answered. “You haven’t dated anyone since-”

“Don’t say his name,” Buffy cut in, narrowing her eyes at Anya.

“You’ve been single for almost a year- haven’t you had enough time to move on?” Anya asked. “Not like he was the love of your life.”

“We dated for seven years,” Buffy replied, crossing her arms. “You don’t get over a seven-year relationship in a week, you know.”

“Yes, I realize that, but I don’t understand why you’re shutting yourself off from every person you meet with a penis,” Anya said.

Buffy ran a hand over her face, not knowing whether to giggle at the absurdity of her friend’s claim or cry as memories of the last man she loved ran rampant in her head.

“Hear me out,” Anya said, standing up and walking behind the desk, looking over Buffy’s shoulder. “There’s a website I found a couple of weeks ago that sounds right up your alley.”

“A website?” Buffy asked, looking at Anya as she shooed Buffy out of her seat.

Buffy got up and watched as Anya sat down, quickly typing a link before a page came up on the screen.

“See?” Anya asked, motioning to it as she looked at Buffy.

“The International Love Agency?” Buffy asked, raising an eyebrow. “What the hell is this?”

“It’s a site created for single people all over the globe to visit and maybe find a match,” Anya answered, standing and ushering Buffy to sit down. “You’d be amazed at how many men use it. I came across a local hottie and had a good time with him.”

“You went on a date with someone you met online?” Buffy asked, her eyes widening. “Do you know how unsafe that is?”

“It worked out for the best,” Anya said, shrugging. “He was a Viking in the sack.”

“Have you seen him since?” Buffy asked as she casually clicked on a link that said Find a Match Near You.

“No, but I have his number somewhere,” Anya answered, walking towards the door of the office. “I’ll go lock up while you look around.”

“No, I’ll do it,” Buffy replied, making a face as she got up. “I’m not going to meet a guy online- that kind of thing doesn’t work out all that well.”

“You never know who you’ll find,” Anya said, watching as Buffy walked past her.

“My point exactly,” Buffy muttered as she went to the front door, switching the lock before turning off the lights in the main part of the gallery, sighing as she heard Anya let herself out, leaving her all alone.

Don’t think about looking for a guy on that site, Buffy told herself as she returned to her office. It will either lead to a world of bad or end up being a waste of time.

Five minutes later, she had a list of available men in her area on the laptop’s screen, making her smile at all of the possibilities she suddenly had right at her fingertips.

* * * * *

The following morning, Buffy opened the door of the gallery and headed to her office, whistling a song she had heard in the car. She set her purse down on the desk before setting up her laptop and turning it on.

When Anya arrived twenty minutes later, she heard the sound of Buffy giggling and followed it, tracking her to the office. She stood in the doorway and watched as Buffy looked up from the laptop with a sheepish smile on her face.

“What’re you looking at?” Anya asked curiously, tilting her head. “Did you find male porn?”

“No, but it’s pretty close,” Buffy replied, moving the laptop so Anya could see the screen. “I’ve been scanning through profiles of guys since I came in. You wouldn’t believe how many men have their… penis size somewhere on the page. And not only that, but most of them sound so cocky, so arrogant- it doesn’t speak well for the future of the world if this is what type of men exist nowadays.”

“There are some good ones out there,” Anya said, walking towards the desk and sitting down. “You just have to look around a bit. You might find a diamond in the rough.”

“Even if I do, it’s not like I’m going to contact one of them,” Buffy said, shrugging. “It’s just fun to see what options I potentially have.”

“I don’t see why you wouldn’t send out any messages,” Anya said. “You can leave little notes, and if they’re interested, they will reply.”

“How do I know if these guys are being honest?” Buffy asked, getting a new profile to appear on the screen. “For all I know, the pictures I’m seeing aren’t actually of the person the profile belongs to. Either that, or they’ve been enhanced or fixed.”

“Got to love technology these days,” Anya replied, smiling. “My chest looks bigger in the picture on my profile.”

“You have a profile on here?” Buffy asked, practically hissing. “Are you crazy?”

“Need I remind you of the stallion I rode a couple of weeks ago?” Anya asked, grinning. “I wouldn’t mind finding another one.” She sighed wistfully before turning serious. “You should have a profile, too. That way you can contact a guy and he can find out more about you without you having to hold a conversation with him.”

“I don’t have time to make one,” Buffy said, getting up. “I have a gallery to run.”

“Then I’ll do it,” Anya replied, getting up and sitting behind Buffy’s desk.

“Fine,” Buffy murmured before walking out of the room, hearing the keys on her laptop clicking as Anya began creating a profile for her.

* * * * *

Half an hour passed by before Anya emerged from the office, looking fairly smug.

“It’s done,” she said. “Go look at it and make sure it’s okay.”

“We have a customer looking at the little Greek statue in the corner,” Buffy replied quietly, motioning to the man. “See if you can convince him to buy it. We’ve had it for months and I think it’s hideous- it’s time to get rid of it.”

“Sounds good,” Anya said, taking a deep breath before approaching the man.

Buffy turned and walked into her office, sitting down and looking at the profile Anya made.

Name: Buffy Summers
Age: 29
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Looking for: Single Male
Likes: Painting, reading romance novels, renting movies and curling up on the couch, and traveling
Dislikes: Poorly-done works of art, liars, people who lack intelligent thoughts, and men with brown hair

Buffy laughed as she finished reading it before clicking on a button to submit the profile. Anya appeared soon after, clapping excitedly.

“Do you like it?” she asked.

“It’s perfect,” Buffy answered. “Any sales while I was back here?”

“I off-loaded the statue to Mr. Adams,” Anya said, grinning. “He even paid full price for it.”

“How did you manage to convince him to purchase it?” Buffy asked, surprised.

“I told him that the statue undoubtedly has a smaller penis than he does and that it would be a wise investment because he’d always be grateful for his nicely-sized package,” Anya said brightly, not noticing Buffy’s eyes as they bugged out. “He seemed to appreciate the compliment and instantly said he’d buy it. I’ll arrange for Owen to deliver it tomorrow.”

“Great,” Buffy replied, watching as Anya left the office, a slight bounce in her step. “And hopefully there won’t be any sexual harassment charges pressed against her this week.”

* * * * *

Buffy spent her lunch-hour scouring through profiles, not finding any that looked interesting. It was as noon rolled around that she came across one that seemed fairly appealing.

Name: William Brooks
Age: 32
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Looking for: Single Female
Likes: Traveling, photography, and going to concerts
Dislikes: Deceitful women who are emotional vampires and suck the life out of a man

“Well, that’s enlightening,” Buffy joked as she studied the picture that accompanied the profile, remembering that she’d have to add one to her own profile at some point. “Well, Mr. Brooks, you’re not all that bad on the eyes.”

Anya came in and moved to stand behind Buffy, looking at the picture she was analyzing with a pensive expression.

“He looks kind of… nerdy,” Anya said, frowning. “His hair is a sandy brown, which I wouldn’t normally go for, he would look better with contacts than those glasses, and he seems kind of frail.”

“I think his hair is nice,” Buffy replied. “And behind those glasses are pretty blue eyes, something I’m a sucker for.” She turned her attention to his lean frame. “I’ve dated enough muscular guys, Anya- I think it’s time to try something new.”

“You’re going to send him a message?” Anya asked excitedly, clapping when Buffy nodded.

“Now I just have to figure out what to say to him,” Buffy said, sighing. “I’m not good with things like this.”

“Want me to do it?” Anya asked with a hopeful expression.

“No,” Buffy answered a shade too quickly. “I’ll figure something out.”

“Suit yourself,” Anya replied, shrugging and leaving the office as Buffy began to type.

Dear William,

I saw your profile on the LVA site and was interested in what I read. I don’t really know the proper protocol for situations like this, but I would like to know more about you if you’re open to maybe talking sometime.

With regards,
Buffy

She clicked the send button before putting more thought into it, taking a deep breath before standing up and shutting the laptop.

Time to go live a normal life, she told herself as she exited the office. And as a reward, you can skim through more profiles tonight.

She smiled broadly at the thought before heading in the direction of a customer, hoping the day would pass by quickly.

Buffy eagerly logged online several times a day, hoping to see a reply from William, but after a week without any word from him, she figured he either wasn’t interested or perhaps had someone in his life already.

Ten days after sending the message, she was surprised to see a response in her e-mail inbox. She quickly opened it up before looking out the window of her office to make sure Anya was busy consulting a customer and that there wasn’t anyone else in the gallery who might’ve needed her assistance. Once she finished her perusal, she focused on the screen and read his note.

Dear Buffy,

I genuinely apologize for not replying to you sooner. I’m afraid my job requires me to travel often and I’ve been in New York for a couple of weeks. If you would still like to converse sometime, I would be interested in learning more about you.

Sincerely,

W. Brooks

Buffy smiled and decided to type a message back to him, instantly freezing in her tracks when Anya suddenly appeared in the office, a knowing look on her face.

“He finally responded, didn’t he?” she asked, smirking. “What’d he say?”

“He was in New York for work and is interested in me,” Buffy answered, trying to keep the level of excitement she was feeling out of her voice. “So I’m going to reply.”

“Now?” Anya asked, quickly shaking her head. “Wait a day or so. Otherwise, he’ll know how desperate you really are.”

“I’m not desperate!” Buffy defensively shot back.

“Whatever you say,” Anya replied. “But give it a little time so it doesn’t look like you’ve been dying for a message from him.”

“Fine,” Buffy said, sighing as she closed her laptop. “Have I missed anything out on the floor?”

“Not at all,” Anya answered as she sat down. “We’ve had three customers all day- that might be a new record.”

“Business booms around the holidays,” Buffy said, shrugging. “I’m not too concerned about making profits this year.”

“I would be if I were you,” Anya said sadly. “Buffy, this gallery costs more than I will ever know, I’m sure, but I do know that you’re not cashing out too much.”

“Mom had better luck,” Buffy replied, looking down. “She’s a savvy businesswoman, something that I’m definitely not.”

“You know, if you told her about this place and that you might need a little…” she trailed off as Buffy glared at her. “If you ask for some help or input, you know she’ll gladly step in.”

“I’m almost thirty- I shouldn’t need my mommy around to watch my back,” Buffy mumbled. “If things get really bad, then I’ll call her.”

Anya stood up and headed out of the office, saying, “That might be sooner rather than later.”

Don’t I know it, Buffy thought before opening her laptop and rereading William’s message. I don’t care what Anya said- I’m doing this now. It’ll help me take my mind off of how big a failure I am.

Little did she know that on the other side of the city, William Brooks was just as excited as she was to meet someone new.

* * * * *

Over the course of the following week, Buffy and William began to correspond through e-mails, finding out more about each other and developing a friendship. When he invited Buffy out for dinner, she was skittish about it but decided that there wasn’t any harm in meeting him in a public place. She happily accepted the offer, and they planned to meet up on a Friday night at a restaurant near the gallery so she could work until closing time.

When she told Anya about it, she was pleasantly surprised but reminded Buffy of what she had said before about meeting people from online and how unsafe it is.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to tag along?” Anya asked. “I mean, I could go in with you and sit off to the side to make sure everything goes smoothly.”

“I couldn’t ask you to forego spending a night out on the town to baby-sit me,” Buffy replied. “But thank you. I’m sure it will be fine.” She paused and shrugged. “And if it’s not, I’ll abandon ship before he can even blink.”

“I don’t want to see you get hurt again,” Anya said. “After what happened between you and-”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to say his name?” Buffy asked, crossing her arms.

“Just be careful, okay?” Anya asked. “I don’t want to have to beat the guy to death with a shovel and figure out a way to hide the body. Been there, done that.”

“Not funny,” Buffy replied, smiling a little. “Everything will be fine.”

“Yes, keep telling yourself that,” Anya said, grinning. “Optimism helps.”

“I hope so,” Buffy said, taking a deep breath. “It’d be nice if William ends up being worthwhile, you know? I wouldn’t be opposed to something good coming out of this meeting, like a real relationship.”

“Don’t jump the gun,” Anya said, heading to the office’s door. “See how things go before you start planning your wedding.”

“Will do,” Buffy replied, giggling. “Either way, thanks for telling me about the site- it’s given me a reason to believe that I don’t have to be single for the rest of my life if I don’t want to be.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “All I ask in return is that if this William guy has hot friends, set me up with one.”

“Gladly,” Buffy said, smiling as Anya exited the office, looking at the last message William had sent her, feeling a surge of excitement course through her for the hundredth time that week.

This could end up being something great, she thought. It could also end up being suck-worthy, but I’ll take my chances. She sighed and opened up William’s profile, looking at his picture and smiling softly. He seems like he really might be worth it.

---

A/N (Part 2): I'll be the first to admit that this chapter isn't long, but there needed to be a bridge between their online chatting and meeting. William will definitely be making an appearance in the next chapter! The question is, will he be the man she thinks he is?

After closing the gallery and changing into a more casual, yet sophisticated outfit, Buffy perfected her appearance meticulously in the gallery’s bathroom before leaving and getting into her car, driving a few blocks over and giving herself a mental pep-talk.

If he doesn’t seem like the guy you think he is, you can leave at any time. There is such a thing as pretending to feel sick and getting away with it, provided you use those acting skills you picked up while sleeping with… Don’t think of him right now, Summers- those thoughts are enough to make you go home and curl up on the couch with a carton of ice cream.

When she parked in the restaurant’s lot, she took a calming breath and smoothed out her skirt before walking inside and to the host’s stand, checking in and asking if William had arrived yet. After finding out that she had gotten there first, she sat down on a bench to wait, fidgeting mindlessly as she became nervous once again.

Maybe he isn’t coming, she thought. Maybe he’s changed his mind and doesn’t want to meet me.

Before she could consider standing up and leaving, she saw a good-looking man walk in and look around for a moment before his eyes focused on her, a slow smile forming on his lips.

“Buffy?” he asked, walking towards her. “Buffy Summers?”

She stared at him, noticing that he no longer looked like the man in the picture she had stared at for weeks. Gone were the glasses, now replaced undoubtedly by contacts, and his hair was bleached a platinum-blonde shade.

He’s definitely not thin- he has some muscles under that tight black shirt- and the way he said my name was… swoon-worthy. He told me he’s from London originally, but I guess I never expected his voice to sound that sexy.

As her perusal continued, her eyes roaming across his body and studying every part of him that she could, he did his best to keep from blushing, still not used to women being so attracted to his new look, having only changed his appearance months before.

“You are Buffy Summers, right?” he asked, smirking when she nodded, still looking at him before shaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts and standing, extending a hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You, too,” she said, smiling brightly when he took her hand in his and brought it up to his mouth, brushing his lips over her skin and noting the blush that began to cover her cheeks.

“Are you ready to eat, luv?” he asked, smiling when she nodded and returned to the host, surprised when she felt his hand on her lower back as they waited to be shown to their table.

After they sat down, he opened his menu and felt her eyes on him, not bothering to mask his amusement when he raised his eyes to hers.

“Not that I mind being gawked at, pet, but I think you’re starting to drool,” he said, grinning when her eyes widened and she opened her menu quickly.

“I wasn’t drooling,” she mumbled. “Although you’re drool-worthy, William.”

“You can call me Spike,” he said. “Everyone else does.”

“Where did you get a nickname like that from?” she asked curiously before blushing when he leered at her. “Never mind.”

“Sure you don’t want to know?” he asked, laughing when she shook her head vigorously. “Don’t know what you’re missing, kitten.”

“Yeah, you’re not wrong,” she murmured, focusing on her menu and ignoring him as he chuckled quietly.

* * * * *

“So, tell me all about London,” she said conversationally after they finished eating dinner. “I feel like I’ve told you all there is to know about me, but yet you’ve hardly told me anything.”

“I like listening to you speak,” he replied, smiling when she blushed. “London is a wonderful place, really. Great to grow up in, that’s for sure. There’s so much to see and do, and even though it gets a bit old after a while, it’s wonderful to return to.” He looked into his wine glass and sighed. “Although I don’t want to go back next week.”

“What?” she asked, confused. “You’re going to London next week?”

“Yeah,” he said, looking at her. “I’ve been asked to move back so I can be a photographer for a local magazine there. It’s a great opportunity, I think, so I said I would.”

“You’re moving?” she asked, frowning. “Am I really that bad that you want to move away from me already?”

He laughed, causing her to smile softly before looking down.

“You’re more than welcome to come visit me any time you’d like to,” he replied. “I almost wish we hadn’t met, Goldilocks- it won’t be easy to leave L.A. knowing I’m walking away from a girl like you.”

Their eyes stayed locked for a long moment before the spell was broken as the waitress put their bill on the edge of the table. Buffy put her hand on it as Spike reached to grab it.

“I’d like to cover it,” she said. “Consider it a going-away gift.”

“How about we split it?” he asked. “It’s only fair.”

“Alright,” she said, both opening their wallets and combining their money to pay for their meals.

“I’m glad we went out tonight,” Spike said after hesitating slightly. “I wasn’t expecting it to go this well.”

“Me either,” she replied, smiling. “I’m happy we decided to meet.”

“Me, too,” he agreed, returning her smile as he handed their waitress the bill and money.

* * * * *

Spike escorted her to her car, wanting to spend as much time with her as possible before they ended their date. Once arriving beside her vehicle, they stood in awkward silence, neither knowing how to proceed.

“So,” Buffy said quietly, looking at him. “Thank you for suggesting the restaurant- I enjoyed it.”

“I’m glad,” he replied. “Thank you for showing up and being such a wonderful date.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, blushing slightly. “Am I… going to see you again, or-”

“I’d like to,” he said, cutting her off. “I had a wonderful time tonight with you.”

“Me, too,” she replied, smiling. “I guess I’ll see you soon, then.”

“I’d like that,” he said. “Have a good night, Buffy.”

“Good night, Spike,” she said, watching as he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers for a brief kiss, smiling when he took a small step back.

“Goodbye, luv,” he replied, turning on his heel and walking to his car.

She watched him walk away and brought her fingers to her lips, wishing they were still kissing.

“Goodbye, Spike,” she whispered, getting in her car and starting it before taking her cell phone out of her purse and calling Anya.

“The night is already over?” Anya asked, sounding surprised. “Didn’t it go well?”

“It went perfectly,” Buffy said sincerely, contently sighing.

“Then why aren’t you going off to his place or yours to continue the fun?” Anya asked. “Wasn’t he worthy of several orgasms?”

“You have no idea,” Buffy answered, grinning mischievously. “But I don’t sleep with guys after one date- they have to earn it.”

“That’s right- you and I differ like that,” Anya said good-naturedly. “I’m happy you had a nice time.”

“Thank you,” Buffy said, looking out her window and seeing Spike’s car drive off. “And thank you for convincing me to go.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied. “I hope you see him again- you deserve to take a test-drive with him.”

“I definitely don’t disagree with you,” Buffy said quietly, running her fingers over her lips again and taking a deep breath.

Throughout the following week, Buffy and Spike met up several times, both wanting to spend as much time together as possible before Spike was to move back to London. It was undeniable that they had feelings for one another, and the last thing Buffy wanted to do was say goodbye to him, hoping he felt the same way.

When it came time for Spike to leave for the airport, Buffy offered to accompany him, picking him up early in the morning and trying to figure out a way to see him again, knowing in her heart that it was entirely possible that they would split up that day and never see each other or talk again.

As they waited for his flight to be called, Buffy nervously fidgeted, knowing sooner or later that it would be best to at least admit that she liked him and was open to meeting up again someday.

No harm in being honest, she told herself. Otherwise, you might regret not saying something for the rest of your life.

“Something on your mind, pidge?” Spike asked, noticing the indecisive look on her face.

“Just thinking,” she answered, managing to sound dismissive. “Excited to go home?”

“Yes and no,” he said, shrugging. “Moving is never fun- too much work and more of a hassle than anything else. The job sounds fun, though, especially since photography has always been a passion of mine. I wasn’t cut out to be a businessman- art is practically an obsession.” He looked at her. “We’ve got that in common.”

“Yes, we do,” she agreed, smiling.

“And then there’s you in the equation,” he said, sighing.

“What do you mean?” she asked, the butterflies in her stomach beginning to stage a coup.

“Don’t fancy leaving you,” he answered, putting his hand on hers. “It would’ve been nice to spend a lot more time with you, you know? You’re an amazing woman, and I almost wish I wasn’t leaving so that we could explore a relationship.”

Before she could respond, his flight number was called over the loudspeakers, signaling the end of their time together. Both hesitantly stood up, awkwardly turning to face each other.

“Well, luv, looks like it’s time for me to go,” he said quietly, watching her sadly nod. “It’s not forever… unless you want it to be.”

“No, I’d like to see you again,” she replied quickly before smiling sheepishly. “I mean, that’d be nice.”

“Great,” he said, grinning. “I guess this is goodbye for now, then.”

“Guess so,” she said, taking a deep breath to calm the emotions warring inside her as he hugged her close, not wanting to let her go.

“Goodbye, Buffy,” he whispered before pressing his lips to hers for a brief kiss, hearing his flight announced again.

“Goodbye, Spike,” she replied, managing a brave smile as he picked up his carry-on bag and kissed her forehead before their eyes locked for a long moment. “I’ll talk to you soon, alright?”

“Soon won’t be fast enough,” he said, winking at her. “I’ll be seeing you.”

She nodded before he turned and walked towards a flight attendant who was taking tickets from passengers. She watched him head to the terminal before he turned and waved at her, smiling when she waved back.

Best leave now, mate, before you change your mind, he thought, turning again and walking down the narrow hall that led to the plane, inwardly berating himself for leaving behind a woman that he was beginning to truly care about.

* * * * *

Over the course of the next couple of months, Buffy and Spike wrote each other e-mails and occasionally talked on the phone, doing everything in their power to maintain a friendship despite their busy schedules, locations, and time differences.

It was as Buffy remembered a trip she had planned before she had met Spike that she realized it would be possible for her to see him again faster than they had both anticipated.

Anya came in to the gallery one morning and saw Buffy sitting at her desk, frantically typing an e-mail and grinning mischievously.

“Alright, what have I missed?” she asked as she sat across from Buffy. “Did you get lucky last night?”

“No,” Buffy replied, still typing. “Do you remember when I mentioned that one artist in London a while ago? Drusilla Adams?”

“Yeah, what about her?” Anya asked, confused.

“Well, I scheduled a trip there so I could meet up with her and see if we could sell some of her things here,” Buffy answered, finally looking up from the laptop. “I put the trip on the backburner because of the financial stuff we’ve had going on but didn’t ever cancel my flight.”

“I’m still lost,” Anya replied. “Why does this have you in such a good mood?”

“Because I get to go to London and kill two birds with one stone,” Buffy said excitedly. “I can meet this artist and visit Spike- it’s perfect!”

“Buffy, not to be the face of reason in an otherwise ‘perfect’ plan, but do you really have the money to do this?” Anya asked. “I mean, business has been really bad these last two weeks, stress on ‘really’. I’m not naïve enough to ignore how much you’ve been cutting back on little things lately- I know a penny-pincher when I see one.”

“Anya, not even money is going to stop me from going,” Buffy said, standing up. “If I have to ask my mom for a loan, I’ll do it. You don’t know how perfect this trip is- it couldn’t come at a better time.”

“And you’re sure that Spike will want you there?” Anya asked quietly.

“What do you mean?” Buffy asked, quirking an eyebrow as she closed her laptop.

“Is he seeing anyone there?” she asked. “Is he going to be around when you’re there?” She hesitated. “Are you sure getting involved with him is a good idea? I mean, long-distance relationships are more likely to flounder than float.”

“Thank you for being logical,” Buffy mumbled as she walked out of the office, not surprised to hear Anya’s heels clicking on the ground behind her.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt,” she said, sighing. “When I told you about the website, I thought you’d maybe find a guy in the city and start a relationship with him.”

“Yeah, what’s your point?” Buffy asked, turning around when Anya grabbed her arm.

“You can go out to London and boink Spike all you want, but what will happen when the party’s over and you’re thousands of miles apart again?” Anya asked. “I’m happy that you’ve found a great guy like him, but it’s important to be realistic about this, Buffy.”

“I’m not some schoolgirl with a crush,” Buffy said, breaking away from Anya’s hold and walking into the main part of the gallery, officially opening it for the day.

“Couldn’t she have found a guy to sleep with and walk away from?” Anya asked quietly, watching her boss walk around before heading into the storage room. “This one will break her heart, mark my words.”

* * * * *

Spike checked his e-mail while he was at the magazine’s main office, waiting for some rolls of film to develop. He immediately opened the latest one from Buffy, reading through it with a smile on his face.

Dear Spike,

I am going to be taking a business trip to London the first week of January so that I can meet up with an artist there. I’ll only be staying for a few days before briefly going to Wales and Dublin for about a week, but if you’re interested, I’d like to see you while I’m in England. If you’re available during that time, let me know.

With Hope,

Buffy

Spike instantly began to reply to her message, ecstatic that he would be seeing her so soon.

Pet, of course I’d like to see you when you’re in London. In fact, I would be privileged to have you stay with me while you’re here. Plus, it’d make the trip cheaper, and I’m sure you’re already in the midst of figuring out the least expensive ways of traveling throughout the UK.

I can’t stress enough how happy I am that you’ll be coming here, luv. I’ve missed you more than words can ever express.

Sincerely,

Spike

“What’s got you glowing so much?” his co-worker Wesley joked, watching as Spike sent the e-mail with a grin forming on his lips.

“A girl I met in L.A. is coming here on a business trip,” Spike answered cheerfully.

“A ‘business’ trip?” Wesley asked, raising an eyebrow. “Please tell me you’re not daft enough to believe that she’s coming here on ‘business’, Spike.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, confused. “She runs a gallery and is meeting with an artist here- she’ll be doing work while she’s in the city.”

“Awfully convenient that the artist she’s meeting with is here,” Wesley said, smiling.

“Yes, it is,” Spike agreed, narrowing his eyes at his friend. “Why do you look so amused, mate?”

“We both know there’s more to the story than whatever she told you,” Wesley replied. “She’s coming here more for you than to meet some artist. Artists are all across the globe- she could go anywhere, but she’s coming here to see you, not some bloke with a paintbrush who’s probably mediocre.”

“I had thought of that, yes,” Spike said, smirking. “Did you really think I hadn’t figured that out?”

“Just making sure you’re not naïve,” Wesley said before walking away.

She’s coming to see me, Spike said to himself as he walked into the darkroom, glad that he would be done with work soon and that the girl he had been dreaming about would be in London with him within a couple of weeks’ time.

---

A/N (Part II): Now, before anyone points out the airport thing with Buffy waiting with Spike and how you can't do that anymore due to security, I just want to say that I do know this, but it sounded much more romantic to have her sit with him and wait instead of just dropping him off. Hopefully that's okay with everyone else :)

“Are you aware that this place looks like a fire hazard?” Anya asked as she let herself into Buffy’s apartment the day before she was to fly to London.

“I have a lot of stuff to bring along,” Buffy replied, folding up clothes and putting them in her luggage. “I’m sorting through my wardrobe to see what I should take. I know I’ll need at least one or two dresses and a professional-looking outfit for when I meet with Drusilla, but I’m not sure what else I should bring.”

“Sweaters, pants, jeans… condoms,” Anya rattled off, smiling when Buffy looked at her with wide eyes. “Oh, come on- we both know you and Spike will be ‘shagging’ like rabbits while you’re staying with him.” She made a face. “Rabbits are horrid animals- why would anyone want to have the mating habits of such a disgusting creature?”

“Um, Anya, I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not, but you might as well be a ‘rabbit’ when it comes to your sexual endeavors,” Buffy said, giggling quietly.

“Only half the time, thank you,” Anya replied, sitting down on Buffy’s bed. “Speaking of rabbits, have you ever heard of the vibrator that’s named-”

“You can stop there,” Buffy cut in, wrinkling her nose in disgust. “Did you need something, or did you stop by to talk about sex with me?”

“Just wanted to check in before you go,” Anya said, sighing. “It’s not going to be fun to run the gallery without you for two weeks, especially if no one comes in.”

“It’ll be fine,” Buffy said, going into her closet and grabbing a couple of dresses, beginning to pack them. “Just don’t spend all of your time on the phone or Internet if there aren’t customers. Oh, and… avoid saying anything sexual to customers, okay? I don’t want to come back and find out that there’s a harassment suit against you suddenly.”

“That’s only happened once,” Anya said, waving it off. “And I still stand by the fact that the man was blatantly ogling my breasts, which would be fine had he not asked what size they were.”

“But you didn’t have to grab his… you know and ask what his size was,” Buffy pointed out sternly. “You’re lucky you went to high school with his lawyer and convinced him to drop the whole case.”

“And slept with him,” Anya added cheerfully, ignoring Buffy’s shocked expression. “Well, I guess I’ll be on my way. If you need anything tonight, call my cell phone.”

“Going out on a date?” Buffy asked curiously.

“I found someone online who seems interesting enough,” Anya said, standing up and shrugging. “If there’s anything to report, I’ll tell you when you come home.” She walked to the door. “And if you and Spike do the deed, I want the full scoop, too.”

“Whatever you say,” Buffy replied.

“Hopefully he’s a lot better in bed than-” Anya began.

“See you in two weeks,” Buffy said, interrupting her quickly before she could finish.

“Have a safe trip,” she said before leaving, shutting the door behind her as Buffy sat on her bed, looking at the clothes strewn about the room.

Hopefully this goes as well as I want it to, she thought. I think both Spike and I deserve a shot at something more.

* * * * *

The following morning, Buffy took a cab to the airport and eagerly waited to board her plane, reading through a couple of magazines to bide her time before her flight was announced.

After getting on the plane, she put her carry-on bag into the overhead compartment and sat down, raising an eyebrow when she saw a familiar man come onboard, too. Her eyes widened before she sank down in her seat, quietly praying that he wouldn’t see her.

Of all of the places I could see him again, he has to be on a flight with me, Buffy thought, frowning. A confined space for an extremely long period of time.

She watched him walk past her seat out of the corner of her eye and sighed with relief, grateful that he hadn’t noticed her.

Now all I need to do is not use the bathroom, she told herself. He won’t see me if I sit right here. Oh, who are you kidding, Buffy? Your bladder is the size of a peanut and you drank two cups of coffee this morning.

“Is this seat taken?” a woman asked, standing beside Buffy’s row.

“No, it’s just me,” Buffy said, moving her legs to allow the woman to sit down beside her.

“I’m Tara,” the other female said, shaking Buffy’s hand.

“I’m Buffy,” she said, smiling. “So, what’s your reason for heading to London?”

“I have a friend who lives there,” Tara answered, and Buffy noticed the faint blush forming on her cheeks. “She lives about a mile from Heathrow Airport.”

“I’m sure it’s a nice area,” Buffy replied.

“What about you?” Tara asked. “Business or pleasure?”

“A little bit of both, actually,” Buffy said, smirking.

“I know exactly what you mean,” Tara said, both women giggling as the other passengers continued to board.

* * * * *

After taking a nap for several hours, Buffy woke up when the flight attendants began passing out snacks. She graciously grabbed a bag of pretzels and soda before sitting up straight in her seat and opening the bag.

“So, tell me all about this guy you’re going to meet up with while you’re in London,” Tara said conversationally, sipping her soda.

“Well, he’s absolutely gorgeous,” Buffy said wistfully before eating a pretzel and clearing her throat in an attempt to get a handle on her feelings. “He’s a photographer for a small magazine in the city.”

“That’s a noble career,” Tara replied. “So, what is the situation between you two? Just friends, beginning to date, long-term relationship, engaged… divorced? I don’t see a ring on your finger, but you never know- you could be one of those women who don’t wear jewelry or who won’t take their husband’s last name.”

“I don’t really know what we are,” Buffy answered, looking down as she continued to munch on pretzels. “We have feelings for one another, but before we could establish any type of relationship, he had to move, and we haven’t seen each other since.”

“Well, maybe the trip will help you two figure things out,” Tara said.

“I hope so,” Buffy replied. “What’s your story? Just a trip out to England to see your friend?”

“She’s actually more of a… girlfriend than a friend,” Tara answered quietly, the familiar blush returning to her cheeks.

“That must be hard, living in the States while she’s across the pond,” Buffy replied, drinking some of her soda.

“It has its ups and downs,” Tara said, smiling warmly. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder, or say they say, at least.”

“Yeah, I can understand that,” Buffy said, smirking. “Not to change the subject, but I think I might need to use the bathroom.”

“You don’t seem too happy about that,” Tara replied. “Do you feel alright?”

“As coincidental as it seems, one of my ex-boyfriends is on this plane,” Buffy said in a hushed tone. “He’s towards the back, near the bathrooms, and the last thing I want is for him to see me and wonder why I’m going to London because knowing me, I’ll end up telling him about Spike, and that wouldn’t be good.”

“Spike?” Tara asked, looking amused.

“Well, his real name is William,” Buffy said, sitting up in her seat even more and casually looking over her shoulder, making sure she had a direct path to the bathrooms and wouldn’t be blocked by anyone.

“Going to go?” Tara asked curiously.

“Yes, I think I’m going to risk it,” Buffy said, taking a deep breath as she stood up. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” Tara replied encouragingly.

Buffy lowered her head and tried to avoid eye contact with everyone as she made her way to the back of the plane, sighing with relief when she got inside the small bathroom.

See, that wasn’t so bad, was it? she asked herself as she washed her hands minutes later, smiling as she opened the door.

“Buffy?”

The color drained from her face as she heard the familiar voice behind her, slowly turning around to come face-to-face with the man she least wanted to see.

“Hi, Xander.”

“Buffy,” Xander said, smiling as he hugged her for a moment before Buffy took a small step back. “What a small world, isn’t it? The last thing I would ever expect is for us to meet up again on a plane. I mean, we haven’t seen each other since-”

“I walked in on you sleeping with Faith, my ex-roommate,” Buffy finished for him, crossing her arms.

“Yeah,” he replied, shifting awkwardly as he looked down. “How is she, by the way?”

“How should I know?” she asked, tilting her head. “I haven’t seen her since the day I kicked her out of the apartment. I thought you two were dating…” At his sheepish expression, she raised an eyebrow. “Right?”

“It was more of a one-time deal,” Xander said.

“From what Faith told me, I’d say it was more of a couple-time deal,” Buffy shot back, annoyed.

“It wouldn’t have worked out,” Xander said, shrugging. “She’s too wild for me.”

“Well, as long as you don’t regret what you did, in the process throwing away our relationship just for a few quick fucks,” Buffy replied quietly, narrowing her eyes at him. “I know I don’t regret breaking it off with you.”

“Are we really going to have this discussion next to the bathrooms?” he asked, looking at the row of doors behind her.

“No,” she answered, pasting a smile on her face. “We’re not going to talk at all. You can go on with your day while I go on with mine.”

“Kind of hard not to see you, though, when we’re on the same plane together for a few more hours,” he replied. “Why are you going to London? The girl I knew never spent money on frivolous things, like trips across the globe.”

“It’s for the gallery,” she said, only partially lying. “I’m supposed to be meeting up with an artist in the city before going around the United Kingdom for a bit.” She paused, her curiosity getting the better of her. “What prompted your trip to England?”

“I have a girlfriend there,” he answered, noticing the look of surprise cover her features. “I met her on a plane a couple of months ago, and we started dating. I have time off of work for a bit, so I figured I’d fly over to be with her for a while.”

And the coincidences never stop, Buffy thought. Well, not that Spike is my boyfriend. Yet, at least.

“Well, I hope you enjoy your trip,” he said, walking past her to open the door of the bathroom she had exited minutes before. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”

“Not if I have a say in it,” she replied, tilting her chin up as she walked away, returning to her seat and sighing as she slouched down.

“I’m guessing something not so pleasant happened while you were away,” Tara said, giving her a sympathetic look.

“Guys are trouble,” Buffy murmured, closing her eyes as she rested her head back.

“And people wonder why I’m dating a girl,” Tara replied quietly, smiling when Buffy giggled quietly.

* * * * *

As the end of the flight neared, Buffy was grateful that she hadn’t seen Xander at all since the incident hours before. She was becoming giddy to get off of the plane, excited to be in a new place with a guy that she missed and was anxious to spend more time with. Tara saw Buffy fidgeting and put her hand on hers, giving her an encouraging smile.

“Don’t be nervous,” Tara said. “You survived being on a plane this long with an ex and lived to tell the tale- spending time with Spike should be a breeze after this.”

“I hope so,” Buffy replied. “I’m just worried that this trip will change things for us.” She sighed and looked down. “Not for the better, I mean.”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” Tara said. “Take it from a girl who knows- long-distance relationships can be tough, but if you really care about someone, a few thousand miles separating you is nothing.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Buffy agreed, nodding. “Thank you, Tara. It’s been a pleasure to meet you.”

“You, too,” Tara replied, smiling. “I hope you have a good time while you’re in London. I know I will.”

“I’m going to think positively,” Buffy said, taking a deep breath as she buckled her seatbelt, noticing an overhead light flashing to signal it was time to stay seated as the flight prepared to land.

“Sometimes being optimistic is the best thing you can do,” Tara said before looking out the window at the ocean below them and land in the distance.

The two women sat in silence as the plane landed, giving each other a small hug before grabbing their carry-on bags and walking through the small hallway that led them inside of the airport. Buffy watched as Tara walked towards a redheaded woman, holding a small sign with a grin on her face. Buffy smiled softly as the two women embraced before looking around for a moment and spotting Spike, sitting down and holding a red rose in one of his hands. It was as he felt someone watching him that he raised his eyes and saw Buffy, a smile spreading across his face as he stood up and walked to her.

“Hi,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound as nervous as she felt.

“Hi,” he replied, studying her.

She looks even more beautiful than I remember, he thought.

“How was the flight?” he asked quietly.

“Long, but it was okay,” she answered, shrugging.

“I bought this for you,” he said, handing her the rose. She gingerly took it from him and smirked.

“Thank you,” she replied, leaning over to kiss his cheek. “It’s perfect.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, hesitating for a moment before wrapping his arms around her, hugging her close to his body.

Buffy relaxed in his embrace, nuzzling her face into his chest and smiling. When they separated, she saw Tara watching them a few feet away and winked at her. Tara gave her a small wave before she walked away with her girlfriend.

“Ready to go get your luggage?” Spike asked, his eyes darkening as he looked past Buffy and saw a familiar woman, hugging a brunette man.

Buffy followed his gaze and raised an eyebrow as she saw Xander in the arms of a dark-haired woman, surprised when she realized that she didn’t feel even a tinge of jealousy. Buffy looked at Spike again and saw the weird expression on his face before worrying that maybe something was wrong.

“Spike?” she asked, nudging him slightly. “Is everything okay?”

“Dru,” he whispered, staring at the woman with Xander. When he looked away and saw the confused look on Buffy’s face, he sighed. “We dated before I moved to Los Angeles. I haven’t seen her since we broke up.”

“Wait, you dated that woman?” Buffy asked, her eyes widening when he nodded. “Oh my god.”

“What?” Spike asked, raising an eyebrow when Buffy paled.

“I kind of… dated the guy she’s standing with right now,” Buffy said, her focus shifting towards Xander.

“What a coincidence,” Spike said quietly, making a face when he watched his ex-girlfriend kiss the other man. “It really is a small world if Drusilla is dating a man you used to be in a relationship with. I wonder how they met in the first place.”

“Spike?” Buffy asked, looking at him with a shocked expression. “What did you say her name is?”

“Drusilla,” he answered. “Drusilla Adams.” Buffy’s jaw dropped as she looked at Xander and the woman. “Why?”

“Because she’s the artist I came here to meet,” she murmured, beginning to feel nauseas.

“Bugger.”

Buffy and Spike watched as Xander and Drusilla walked away, undoubtedly going to pick up Xander’s luggage. Buffy shifted awkwardly in place as a long period of silence passed before looking at Spike and hesitating before nudging him, getting his attention.

“Are you alright?” she asked quietly, frowning when he shrugged and looked down. “Want me to take the next plane home?”

“You’re not the person I want to get on a plane and fly away,” he replied, managing a small smile. “For that matter, I don’t think I ever want to see you fly home. Having you here in London is already a surreal experience.”

“Yeah, I’d say,” Buffy said, beginning to look around the airport in an attempt to forget the fact that she was still in the same building with a man she despised and a woman who had a past with Spike, one that seemingly didn’t go too well.

“Sorry for being so quiet,” Spike said, putting his hands in his pockets. “I’m still a little thrown from seeing Dru again, let alone knowing she’s dating one of your ex-boyfriends. I definitely didn’t expect our little reunion to go like this.”

“Could be worse,” Buffy said, trying to be positive. “I could’ve shown up wearing an engagement ring or something.”

Spike took her left hand in his and looked at her fingers before saying, “I don’t know what I would do if you were engaged.”

Their eyes locked for a moment before Spike cleared his throat and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

“So, what now?” Buffy asked. “Should we risk going to get my luggage and running into Xander and Drusilla?”

“Are you hungry?” Spike asked, smiling when she nodded vigorously. “How about we pick up your bags quickly and leave the airport before Dru and the whelp spot us? We can go to a restaurant near my apartment before we settle you in. I can show you around London tomorrow, if you’d like.”

“I like the way you think,” Buffy replied, grinning when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began to lead her in the direction that Xander and Drusilla had walked in minutes earlier.

* * * * *

Buffy wiped off her mouth with her napkin after finishing the last bite of her sandwich. Spike watched her with an amused expression before chuckling when she blushed.

“Why were you looking at me like that?” Buffy asked, looking down at her empty plate.

“It amazes me how much you can eat,” he answered. “Most women don’t eat a lot when they’re in the company of men, but you don’t seem to care about keeping up feminine appearances. You’re not like other girls, luv.”

“Thank you,” she said, taking a deep breath and looking around the restaurant while she tried to collect her thoughts. “So, tell me about Drusilla.”

“Why do you want to know?” Spike asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“I like to get an idea of my potential clients,” Buffy answered. “I mean, I’m meeting up with her tomorrow, and I’d like to know a little about her before I go to lunch with her.”

“Do you remember my profile on The International Love Agency site?” he asked, sighing when she nodded. “The bit about not liking ‘emotional vampires’ was alluding to Dru.”

“So, she’s not exactly the nicest girl around,” Buffy said, looking down. “Is she a good artist?” He nodded and picked at the steak in front of him. “Do you think it would be wise for me to feature some of her art in my gallery?”

“I don’t see much harm in it,” he answered. “She won’t screw you out of money or something, if that’s what you’re worried about. She can be an excellent businesswoman.”

“That’s good, at least,” she replied. “I’m happy we didn’t run into them in the baggage claim area.”

“Me, too,” Spike said, putting down his utensils. “So, tell me about Xander.”

“Why?” Buffy asked, surprised. “You’re not asking to find out if he’s a good guy for Drusilla, are you? I mean, you don’t still have…”

“Feelings for her?” Spike finished for her. “Not in the slightest. Well, unless hatred counts. I don’t think I had much in the way of feelings for her around the time we broke up, as it was. She doesn’t exactly know the meaning of the word faithful.”

“She has that in common with Xander, then,” Buffy said.

“He cheated on you?” Spike asked, angered at the thought of Buffy being hurt by a man that she trusted.

“Several times, it seems,” Buffy answered. “But it’s for the best, I guess. I’m glad I realized what he was doing behind my back before I wasted any more time with him.” She paused. “And if he and I hadn’t split up, I wouldn’t have met you.”

“You’re right- it was for the best,” he replied, putting one of his hands on hers and lacing their fingers together. “Do I have permission to dislike him?”

“Absolutely,” Buffy said, grinning. “I certainly won’t stop you.”

* * * * *

After paying their bill, Buffy and Spike headed to his apartment. Once he unlocked the door, Buffy looked around with a surprised expression on her face, not expecting it to look as posh as it did.

“Like my flat?” Spike asked curiously, smiling when she looked at him in awe. “Make yourself at home, princess- mi casa es su casa, as they say.”

“Thank you,” she said sincerely, putting down the bag she was holding and beginning to walk around. “I can’t believe a single man lives in such a spacious place.” She looked over her shoulder at him, amused. “Are you hiding something from me?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, walking closer to her.

“Are you secretly married with a dozen children?” she asked jokingly, giggling when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.

“Do I look like a married man to you?” he asked, grinning.

“Nope,” she answered. “You definitely have bachelor written all over you.”

“Not for long, though,” he said, running his hand over her hair. “And can’t really be a bachelor when I’ve got my girlfriend living with me for a little while.”

“I’m your girlfriend?” she asked, surprised when he cupped her cheeks in his hands and pressed his lips to hers.

“Don’t you want to be?” he asked, smiling when she nodded instantly. “Then it’s settled- we’re dating.”

“I liked the sound of that,” she replied.

“So do I,” he agreed, kissing the tip of her nose softly. “Now, want to see my bedroom, pidge?”

“What?” she asked, caught off-guard slightly by the question.

“You’re sleeping in my bedroom, aren’t you?” he asked, confused. “I figured you’d want to unpack before we go to sleep.”

“Oh,” she said, blushing slightly, which didn’t go unnoticed by Spike.

“What did you think I meant?” he asked curiously.

“That you wanted to… partake in some type of… funny business,” she mumbled, taking a step back from him when he began laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“I don’t think I’m ever going to let you live that sentence down,” he replied, continuing to laugh as he walked down a hallway, Buffy following him.

“It’s not that funny, Spike,” she said, pouting. “I’m tired and have an early morning with Drusilla, not to mention that jet lag could kick in at any moment. I need my beauty sleep, you know.”

“You’re already beautiful, Buffy,” he said, turning around and smiling at her. “And you should have known that I wasn’t implying we should shag. I do have some tact, pet.”

“And the fact that we only know each other so much,” she said, looking down.

“Precisely,” he replied.

“Although, I’m not against the idea of us possibly… shagging while I’m here,” she said, slowly raising her eyes to his to gauge his reaction.

“On two conditions,” he said, and she looked at him expectantly. “The first is that if and when it happens, it will be meaningful and not just some one-time thing.”

“Agreed,” she said. “What’s the second condition?”

“That you never say the word ‘shagging’ again,” he said, smirking. “Yanks never sound right saying British words.”

“But didn’t I sound cute when I said it?” she asked, smiling when he kissed her softly.

“You always sound cute,” he answered. “But it’s debatable.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, frowning when he continued to walk down the hallway, laughing.

“Come on, luv- let’s get you unpacked so you can meet up with the wicked witch tomorrow.”

---

A/N: I hope everyone has a Happy (and safe) New Years!

When Buffy woke up the next morning, she was surprised to see that Spike wasn’t lying beside her. She yawned as she stood up, slowly walking into the kitchen and smiling when the aroma of brewing coffee reached her.

“My hero,” she said as she snuck up on Spike and wrapped her arms around his back. “Good morning.”

“Morning, luv,” he replied, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “I know coffee isn’t terribly British, but I figured you probably would prefer it over tea.”

“Much appreciated,” she said, leaning back against a counter and looking down. “Should I be worried about meeting up with Drusilla? I feel like I should be on my guard or something, but then again, this is just business and I should be professional about everything.”

“Don’t show her your claws until she shows hers,” he advised, looking at her. “Dru can be vicious, but when it comes to her art, she’s very serious. I don’t think she’d jeopardize making money from her work- just see how things go.”

“Okay,” Buffy said, nodding as she walked to his refrigerator.

“And if she pisses you off, let me know,” he replied, walking up behind her and pressing a series of light kisses to her shoulders. “I don’t want her to put you in a bad situation.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, turning around to face him.

“What happened between Dru and I in the past is done and over with- if she mentions stuff that happened before you and I met and tries to make it seem like she had every right to cheat on me, don’t believe her,” he said, cupping her cheeks in his hands. “She’s just bitter that I left her for Los Angeles and to have a better job. She never exactly got a big break in life and despises me for leaving her here.”

“You really think I’d believe something she says over what you’ve told me?” Buffy asked, jokingly smacking his chest. “Come on, Spike- I know better than that. Besides, I know she’s not the smartest apple on the tree because she’s dating one of the most pathetic men I’ve ever known.” She paused, her eyes widening. “You don’t think Xander will be there, do you? Or that it’ll be a tag-team effort to hurt me?”

“Pet, I wouldn’t be so nervous- I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Spike said soothingly, even though he was having the same doubts that she was. “And if anything happens, you can call my cell phone and I’ll swoop in to rescue you.”

“Yep, you really are my hero,” she said, kissing his cheek before walking away, letting herself into the bathroom and closing the door.

Spike looked at his coffeemaker and sighed, running a hand over his face.

If Dru does anything to hurt Buffy, I’ll kill the bint, he thought. I care about Buffy, and the last thing I want is to lose her.

* * * * *

Spike walked Buffy to the restaurant she had arranged to meet Drusilla in and wished her luck before kissing her and returning to his apartment, inwardly praying that everything would go alright.

Buffy smoothed out her skirt as she saw Drusilla waiting near the host’s stand, looking around impatiently. She took a calming breath before approaching the brunette woman, pasting a smile on her face.

“Drusilla Adams?” Buffy asked, extending a hand when Drusilla looked at her. “I’m Buffy Summers. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Welcome to London,” Drusilla replied, shaking her hand. “You’re running late.”

“Sorry about that- I had some trouble finding the place,” Buffy lied, images of Spike and her kissing in his kitchen before they left running through her head. “Shall we have a seat?”

“We’re ready,” Drusilla said to the hostess, who had been watching them.

Moments later, both women sat at a booth and opened their menus, minutes of silence ensuing as they chose what they wanted to order for lunch.

After their waiter took their drink orders, Drusilla looked at Buffy appraisingly before raising an eyebrow when Buffy frowned at her.

“Is something the matter?” Buffy asked, feeling slightly unsettled by how the other woman was studying her.

“You know, I knew I’d seen you before when you walked in,” she replied. “You’re the woman I saw with my William at the airport yesterday.”

The color drained from Buffy’s face as Drusilla smirked, tapping her long fingernails against the top of their table.

“So, tell me, Buffy,” Drusilla began after hesitating for a while. “Did you really come here for my artwork, or did you come here for him? Because if you think he’s actually worth a trip overseas, you’re either very naïve or incredibly daft.”

“I don’t see how my relationship with Spike should matter,” Buffy said, trying to stay calm despite the anger that was beginning to form inside of her. “Let’s discuss my gallery featuring your work, especially since that’s why we arranged this meeting in the first place.”

“I’m just trying to get to know you first,” Drusilla replied. “I mean, if you’re going to sell my art, I think it’s my right to know who I’ll be dealing with, don’t you?”

“I don’t think it’s your right to ask about my relationship with your ex-boyfriend,” Buffy said, crossing her arms. “You don’t hear me asking about you and Xander, do you?”

“How do you know about Xander?” Drusilla asked, surprised.

“Because your boyfriend and I ran into each other on our flight yesterday,” Buffy answered. “And he and I used to date.”

“He told me he saw an ex-girlfriend on his plane,” Drusilla said. “But I didn’t know it was you- he omitted telling me a name.” She began to study Buffy again. “I think I can see why he left you- you’re not all that attractive. I think hours spent in the sun are aging you a bit quickly.”

“I think hours spent in the dark are starting to make you look translucent,” Buffy shot back, her resolve beginning to fade. “And I was the one who broke it off with Xander, not the other way around.” She leaned across the table, her eyes locking with the other woman’s. “Did he tell you why? That he was sleeping with my roommate?”

“You must not have been good enough in bed for him,” Drusilla replied dismissively. “Which would explain why you’re dating a guy like William- he’s one of the worst lovers I’ve ever known. Tell me, have you two shagged? I’d hope he’s improved a bit since we broke up.”

“It’s none of your business,” Buffy said sternly, standing up. “And speaking of business, I don’t think I want to sell your art at my gallery. Peddle your mediocre work somewhere else because as far as I’m concerned, you’re not worth my time.”

Before Drusilla could respond, Buffy stormed out of the restaurant, calling Spike’s cell phone from a payphone and restraining herself from returning inside and doing something she’d regret.

* * * * *

“I’m sorry she’s such a bitch,” Spike said sadly as he opened the door of his apartment twenty minutes later, letting both he and Buffy inside.

“It’s not your fault,” Buffy replied quietly. “I should’ve called off the meeting as soon as you told me about her. It would’ve saved me from having to deal with her.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Spike asked, watching as she walked to his couch and sat down, kicking off her shoes before lying down.

“No, I’m fine,” she answered, sighing. “Would it be okay if I call Anya? I’ll pay the long-distance charges.”

“That’s not necessary, pet,” he replied, beginning to make two mugs of hot chocolate. “Go ahead and call her.”

Buffy grabbed his cordless phone and dialed her friend’s number, happy when she heard Anya answer the phone on the other line.

“You’ve reached Anya, the dominatrix of pain,” the other woman said, yawning. “How may I help you?”

“Please tell me you don’t always answer the phone like that,” Buffy said, making a face.

“Only when my Caller ID shows a foreign number and it’s incredibly late at night,” Anya replied. “Or super early in the morning- whichever way you want to look at it.”

“Sorry, I forgot about the time difference,” Buffy said apologetically. “I just wanted to check in quickly and see how the gallery is.”

“How did the meeting go today?” Anya asked, ignoring Buffy’s question.

“Horrible,” she answered, frowning at the subject change. “It’s a long story- one that I’ll tell you later- but I didn’t end up offering Drusilla Adams a contract. How is the gallery?”

“Well, you see… your mom came in yesterday,” Anya said sheepishly, pausing for a moment. “She said something about wanting to check the money situation in your absence since she thought you weren’t being honest with her.”

Uh oh.

“Seems she was right,” Anya continued. “She told me that the gallery’s in even worse financial shape than we both thought.”

“I didn’t tell you two about some minor problems- there’s nothing to worry about,” Buffy said, knowing that what she was saying wasn’t close to being true.

“Problems that are leaving the gallery in debt?” Anya asked sharply. “We’re talking about a couple of thousand dollars here- this isn’t some ‘minor’ matter.”

“We’ll worry about it when I come home,” Buffy replied. “I’m not wasting more money by calling long-distance to discuss it.”

“Your mom mentioned closing the gallery, Buffy,” Anya said forlornly. “If things don’t get better around here, it’ll shut down and we’ll both be out of jobs.”

“It won’t get that bad,” Buffy replied, trying to keep the tears that were forming in her eyes at bay. “I promise.”

“I hope you’re right,” Anya said. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Bye,” Buffy said, hanging up the phone and feeling her eyes begin to water more as Spike appeared in front of her, holding a mug of hot chocolate.

“What’s wrong, luv?” he asked, becoming concerned as tears rolled down her cheeks. “It’s not the hot chocolate, is it?” She managed a weak smile as she wiped off her cheeks, taking the mug from him.

“Today sucks,” she murmured, looking down.

“Want to talk about it?” he asked, sitting beside her and running his hand over her hair.

“Want to kiss it and make it better?” she asked jokingly, her eyes widening when she realized what she had said. “I didn’t...”

“Is that really what you want?” he asked, noticing the emotions that crossed her features.

“I don’t know,” she answered, averting her eyes from his. “Maybe.”

“Then let Spike make it better for you,” he replied, taking her mug and setting it on the coffee table in front of the couch before leaning over to kiss her, surprised when she crawled onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. He broke away a minute later, looking into her eyes to gauge what she was feeling. “Luv-”

“Make today better, Spike,” she whispered, her chest heaving for breath. “Please?”

Before she could ask him again or have second thoughts, he stood up and took her hand in his, pulling her up and leading her down the hallway and into his bedroom.

As Buffy stepped into Spike’s bedroom, she felt butterflies begin to form in her stomach and swallowed hard, hoping to put herself at ease a little. Her nerves increased when Spike looked at her, noticing her worried expression.

“Pet, are you okay?” he asked, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

No. Yes. Maybe, she thought, managing a brave smile when he began to look concerned.

“I’m fine,” she answered, nodding slightly.

“We don’t have to do anything,” he replied, trying to ignore the feeling of insecurity that washed over him.

“No, I want to,” she said, walking closer to his bed. “Unless you’re having second thoughts…”

“Not at all, luv,” he said, grazing her cheek and kissing her softly. “I want this, too.”

“Then what’re we waiting for?” she asked, her tone light.

He smirked and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body against his and pressing his lips to hers, pleased when her lips parted and allowed his tongue to meet hers, the kiss intensifying as she took a small step back, feeling the edge of his bed against her knees.

Spike broke the kiss as she ran her hands down his chest before she sat on his bed, looking up at him with a nervous expression.

“What’s wrong?” he asked quietly, running his hand over her hair.

“I’m just… scared,” she answered, looking down. “I haven’t slept with someone in a long time… Well, since Xander and I broke up-”

“Let’s try to avoid saying the whelp’s name, shall we?” he asked, tilting her chin up.

“He said I wasn’t good, that he was sleeping around because I didn’t satisfy him,” she murmured. “I don’t want to disappoint you, Spike.”

“That’s not possible, sweetheart,” he replied, crouching down in front of her. “I’m not going to judge you, and if anything, I’m going to disappoint you, not the other way around.”

“What makes you think that?” she asked, frowning.

“Dru said I was awful in bed,” he muttered, looking away.

“If we can’t talk about ‘the whelp’, then we can’t mention the bitch,” she replied, getting him to smile. “I don’t trust her judgment and neither should you.” She laid down, her head on his pillow. “Besides, I want to find out for myself exactly how good you are.”

“Yeah?” he asked, standing before he got on the bed, covering her body with his and holding himself up on his forearms.

“Show me what you’ve got,” she said, leaning up to kiss him.

When they broke apart to breathe, Buffy tugged on the hem of Spike’s shirt before pulling it off, her eyes beginning to study his naked upper body.

“Like what you see?” he asked in a low tone, groaning when she bent her knees up and cradled him between her thighs, his hardness pressing against her.

“So far,” she answered, unbuttoning his jeans and pouting when he brushed her hands away.

“I want to catch you up first,” he said, smirking when she took her shirt off and tossed it aside. “I thought I was going to do that.”

“Sorry, I’m impatient,” she replied, quickly unclasping her bra and discarding it before taking a deep breath when she saw the almost predatory look in his eyes.

“Absolutely beautiful,” he said, lowering his head to place soft kisses across her skin before taking one of her nipples into his mouth and gently tugging on it with his teeth.

“Spike,” she whispered, grasping his shoulders and tilting her head back, reveling in the feel of his tongue lightly sweeping across her nipple.

“Like this?” he asked, repeating his actions on her other nipple.

“Yes,” she answered, opening her eyes and looking at him. “It feels amazing.”

“It’ll feel even better soon,” he said, gingerly lowering the zipper of her pants before pushing them down her hips and legs, watching as her tan legs were revealed to him.

“Your turn,” she replied, smiling when he finally allowed her to unbutton his jeans, both working together to take them off.

When Buffy saw his fully nude body, her eyes widened, studying how perfect he was.

“Something catch your eye, baby?” he asked, beginning to slide her thong down her slim legs. “Christ, you’re magnificent.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she replied, watching as he leaned over to his bedside table and opened a drawer, extracting a small silver wrapper.

“Are you sure about this, pet?” he asked, surprised when she took the package from him and opened it, taking out the condom and slowly rolling it down his erection.

Spike clenched his jaw as he felt her warm fingers touch his manhood, nuzzling his face into her neck in an attempt to abstain from making a fool of himself and coming early.

“Slow down, baby,” he said in a strained voice, looking at her with wide eyes when she guided his erection to her center.

“Please, Spike,” she said, wrapping her legs around his waist as he began to move inside of her.

Spike nearly lost control as he fully sheathed himself inside of her, feeling her tight muscles squeeze his shaft.

“Buffy,” he whispered, kissing her as he began to rock his hips against hers.

“Don’t stop,” she replied, moaning when he pulled back and thrust into her again.

They began moving together, each working towards their releases while trying to give the other as much pleasure as possible. It was as Buffy’s body began to tremble and her inner walls clamped down on him that Spike began pumping faster, spilling himself inside of the condom as he climaxed.

Spike looked down into Buffy’s eyes and raised an eyebrow when he saw a tear escape one of her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” she answered, wrapping her arms around his neck. “It was perfect.”

“Yeah, it really was,” he replied, kissing her and hoping that he was conveying how he felt about her without vocalizing it.

The last thing I want to do is scare her off, he thought. But I think I’m falling in love with her, and I hope she feels the same way I do.

* * * * *

An hour later, Buffy awoke from her nap and tensed up as she remembered what she and Spike had done. She looked beside her and saw that he was still asleep, a small smile on his lips.

What did I do? she asked herself, her eyes beginning to water. He and I shouldn’t have… We weren’t ready to…

She carefully got out of bed and began to get dressed, and before she knew it, her bags were packed and were waiting by his door. Buffy wrote a quick note to him and put it on her pillow before taking one last look at him, whispering an apology, and letting herself out of his flat.

Minutes later, Buffy was in a cab, on her way to the airport. She began to wring her hands nervously, knowing that Spike would be angry with her but hoped that he would understand why she had left.

I didn’t use him, she thought, trying to collect her thoughts. I care about him, but it won’t work. He’s here, I’m in California, and we’re living two very different lives.

Meanwhile, Spike woke up and slowly opened his eyes, the blood draining from his face as he saw Buffy’s side of the bed empty and her clothes no longer on the floor. His eyes widened when he saw the note she had left him, his hand quickly snatching it and opening it up.

After he finished reading it, he put the note down and tried to hold the tears that were forming in his eyes at bay.

She’s gone, he thought, clenching his fists as anger began to course through him. But if she thinks it’s over because she left, then she’s bloody wrong.

---

A/N: You’ll soon find out why I chose the title of this fic. If you thought it was because Buffy went to London to meet up with Spike, you were only partially right ;)

The first thing Spike did was calling Buffy’s cell phone, hoping she’d pick up, but when she didn’t, he slammed the phone down in frustration and began pacing.

Where would she go? he asked himself. No, the main question is why would she go? The only thing her note said was that she needed time to think about things and that she was sorry.

He grabbed his coat and stormed out of his flat, walking down the street and going into a bar, sitting down at a table and ordering a beer.

After a few minutes, he saw Drusilla and Xander walk in and cursed fate for making their paths cross again.

Today truly is a horrible day.

“Well, if it isn’t William,” Drusilla said as she approached his table, Xander following her. “Where’s Betty?”

“Buffy,” both Xander and Spike said in unison before giving each other scathing looks.

“Is she here?” Dru asked, looking around. “I want to apologize to her for our meeting earlier.”

“No, you don’t,” Spike replied, angry. “There isn’t an apologetic bone in your body- trust me, I know.”

“Not my fault that she’s so sensitive,” Dru said, crossing her arms. “Besides, my art deserves to be sold in the States- she could help me with that.” She began looking around again. “Where is she?”

“Gone,” Spike answered, standing up and putting money on the table. “Have a drink, on me- I hope you both choke on it.”

He walked out and ignored Drusilla’s voice as she called after him.

He returned to his apartment and sat down on his couch, turning on the television and flipping through channels, trying to get his mind off of Buffy, which was a useless effort.

As the sun went down, Spike became more upset about the situation with Buffy and tried calling her again, but this time, her cell phone was turned off.

“Bloody bint,” he muttered, hanging up. “I need to know where she went. There has to be someone I can talk to.”

It was then that he had an idea and grabbed the phone again, going through an operator to call Buffy’s gallery. When he heard someone answer, he sighed with relief, happy that he might be able to find a way to track her down.

“Is this Anya?” Spike asked, hoping she didn’t notice the desperate tone in his voice.

“Yes, it is,” she replied, sounding confused. “Who is this?”

“Spike,” he answered. “Anya, have you by any chance heard from Buffy?”

“Why are you calling here?” Anya asked, sounding annoyed.

“I need to speak to her,” he answered. “Please tell me where she is.”

“Paris,” Anya said in a hushed tone.

“What?” Spike asked loudly, his eyes widening.

“She called her mom a couple of hours ago and told her that she hopped on a flight to Paris,” Anya explained quietly. “Apparently, she wants to clear her head a bit before she comes home.” She hesitated. “She didn’t tell Joyce what happened to make her want to go to Paris, but I know something went wrong, Spike. Buffy was supposed to go to Ireland and Scotland after she left London, so tell me why she would’ve gone to Paris to ‘clear her head’?”

“How the hell should I know?” Spike asked, practically shouting, clenching his jaw. “Why would I call if I knew she went to France?”

“What happened there?” Anya asked, worried. “If you hurt her, I swear I will fly to England and eviscerate you.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Spike replied, sighing. “She and I… slept together.”

“Buffy got laid?” Anya asked, sounding excited. “Good for you two!”

“We fell asleep afterwards, and when I woke up, she was gone,” Spike said, looking down. “She left me a note that said she didn’t think things could work out for us because of the long-distance thing and that she was sorry for what happened.”

“For sleeping with you?” Anya asked.

“That’s what it seems like, yeah,” Spike answered. “She regrets being with me. I mean, I don’t understand how in the course of twenty-four hours, we decide to date and then she leaves me.”

“Spike, let me fill you in a little on my friend Buffy,” Anya said. “She has relationship issues, some of which I’m sure she’s told you about, right?”

“Just stuff about what happened with Xander,” he answered.

“Then you know how hurt she was by him and why she’s been skittish of dating men since then,” Anya replied.

“I’m not like him!” Spike said, becoming angry.

“I never said you were,” Anya said calmly. “Here’s what I figure, although I’m in the dark nearly as much as you are- she’s running scared.”

“Of what?” he asked. “Me?”

“Knowing Buffy as much as I do, I think she was happy with you but became scared that you’d hurt her like Xander did,” Anya answered. “Or, there’s another scenario.”

“And that would be what?” Spike asked, tilting his head.

“She realized that the fairytale romance you two had going in London wouldn’t last after she left and bailed before it became too hard to walk away from,” she said. “Though I’m sure it was hard enough for her to leave you today, in the first place.”

“So you think she left because it was beginning to be too good for us here?” he asked, confused.

“I think her leaving was a defense mechanism,” she answered. “The last thing Buffy wants is for her heart to be broken again, and I think that she might have left because she wanted to keep that from happening.” She hesitated. “Breaking someone else’s heart is a lot easier than someone breaking yours, you know?”

“Yes, but-”

“Not that she purposely broke your heart,” Anya said quickly. “If I had to guess why she left, I’d say it’s because she was trying to save her heart from being torn out again.”

“I wouldn’t have done that to her,” he replied sadly.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t have,” Anya said. “But Buffy can be paranoid- she’s been hurt too much in her life.” She paused for a long moment. “Spike, do us all a favor and figure things out with her- she deserves to be happy.”

“I know that,” he said. “But what do you suggest I do? I can’t force her to come back or to be with me.”

“She’s flying home in three days,” she replied cryptically. “Use that information wisely.”

Before he could ask what she meant, he heard her hang up on the other line. He frowned and looked around his apartment as a flood of thoughts filled his head.

Buffy will be back in L.A. on Saturday, he said to himself. What do I do now? Come on, you wanker- the ball’s in your court. Figure out a way to use it.

* * * * *

Saturday afternoon, Buffy walked into the gallery and pasted a smile on her face as she saw Anya exit her office.

“Hey,” Buffy said, hoping she sounded cheerful and not as melancholy as she felt.

“Hi,” Anya replied, hugging her. “How was France?”

“Interesting,” she answered. “I saw a lot of priceless pieces of art, which is always wonderful. How’s the gallery?”

“Afloat… for now,” Anya said, beginning to walk towards the office, Buffy beside her. “You should talk to your mom more about that- I only know so much.”

“So, what’ve you been up to?” Buffy asked, trying to avoid the subject of why she had left London days earlier than she was expected to in order to go to Paris.

I don’t think I’m ready to talk to anyone about that yet, she thought, nearing the door of the office.

“Keeping your visitor entertained,” Anya said, leaning against the doorframe.

“My visitor?” Buffy asked, confused.

Anya motioned to the inside of the office, and Buffy’s jaw dropped when she saw who was sitting on top of her desk.

“Hello, cutie.”

Buffy stared at Spike, tensing up as he got off of the desk and began to walk towards her. She took a small step back, flinching when Anya gave her a slight push forward.

“I’ll let you two talk,” she said, closing the office’s door before walking into the main showroom of the gallery.

“What are you doing here?” Buffy asked in a whisper, keeping herself from reaching out to touch him in order to see if he was real or simply a mirage.

It’s just a dream, she told herself, even though she knew better. This isn’t of the good… He shouldn’t be here… not now.

“I needed to see you,” he said, putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans and taking a deep breath, trying to calm down his nerves.

“Well, you’ve seen me,” she replied, moving backwards until she felt the door behind her, putting her hand on the doorknob.

Before she could turn it, Spike moved forward and covered her hand with his, noticing her jolt at his close proximity.

“Can we talk, luv?” he asked quietly. “I mean, I flew halfway around the world to see you- I think you can spare a few minutes of your time to talk to me.”

“I’m not ready to talk,” she answered, removing her hand from under his before walking towards her desk and picking up a pile of mail.

Spike leaned against the door for a moment before asking, “Ready now?”

“I’m sorry,” she said after scouring through the envelopes in her hands, slowly raising her eyes to his. “I don’t know what else to say besides I’m sorry.”

“Why did you leave?” he asked. “Your note did little to explain what was going on in your head, Buffy.”

“I couldn’t stay with you,” she answered, sitting down on the edge of the desk and looking down. “We both know things between us won’t work, Spike.”

“According to whom?” he asked, crossing his arms.

“It’s a fact that most long-distance relationships don’t last,” she replied, sighing. “And I’d rather cut things off before they become even more serious.”

“Weren’t things serious enough in London?” he asked, frowning. “I don’t have casual sex, pet, and I’m fairly sure that you don’t, either. It meant something to me… You felt it, too, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” she said, looking at him and seeing the hopeful look on his face. “But it still won’t work for us.”

“Why the bloody hell not?” he asked, his voice raising a few levels. “When two people care about each other, they do everything in their power to make it work. Distance is something couples can deal with, Buffy- it shouldn’t deter them from staying together.”

“I know that, but-”

“Did you change your mind that day?” he asked, hearing the hurt tone in his own voice. “Was it a goodbye shag?” She raised an eyebrow, confused. “Why did you agree to date me one minute and then do a complete one-eighty not even a day later?”

“I don’t know,” she murmured, averting her eyes quickly and focusing on the ground.

“Yes, I think you do,” he replied sternly. “Tell me why you left, luv.”

“What do you want to hear, Spike?” she asked sharply, standing up and walking towards him. “That I made a bad call? That I regret going to London, sleeping with you?”

“Do you?” he asked, his heart pounding faster as she looked away. “Answer me.”

“No, I don’t regret things,” she answered. “I regret leading you on, yes, and I regret leaving you like I did, but I don’t regret visiting you or leaving in general.” She looked at him. “I was trying to keep us both from getting hurt even more down the road.”

“So Anya was right, then,” he replied, scoffing.

“What’re you talking about?” Buffy asked, studying him. “You talked to Anya about what happened?”

“How else would I have known to come here today?” he asked, smiling a little. “Called her the day you left to find out where you went- she told me you were returning today, so I flew in late last night.” He paused when she took a couple of steps back and leaned against her desk. “She suggested it was a defense mechanism.”

“What was?” Buffy asked. “Me leaving you?” When he nodded, she looked away and sighed. “No one wants to be hurt by someone they care about, Spike. I knew things were becoming serious between us- sleeping together probably didn’t help matters- and I couldn’t stand the thought of us breaking up later if we were in…”

“Love,” he supplied, not surprised when she nodded. “You don’t think you broke my heart when you left?”

“Spike, I-” she began, feeling tears form in her eyes as he opened the office door and looked down.

“I’m leaving in a couple of days,” he said, not willing to look at her. “If you want to see me, you can call my cell phone.”

“Where will you be?” she asked quietly, hearing how shaky her voice was.

“Around,” he answered simply.

“Don’t go yet,” she said when he began to walk away, feeling slightly relieved when he stopped and looked at her. “Please don’t leave right now.”

“You want me to stay, to listen to you break my heart even more?” he asked, noticing a tear roll down her cheek as he spoke. “We need to talk more- I agree completely with that- but I can’t stand here and pretend that things are alright. Not now, at least. You hurt me, Buffy- there isn’t much you can say to fix that. I don’t think I want you to try, even.”

“What are you saying?” she asked, feeling her stomach sink when he turned his back to her.

“Maybe you were right about us needing time to figure things out,” he said sadly. “You had your time, and now I need mine.” He looked over his shoulder at her. “I want to be with you, pet- you should know that by now.”

“I do,” she replied, walking to him again. “And I want to be with you, too, but it can’t work, Spike.”

“I don’t believe that,” he said, shaking his head and turning once again to face her. “It can work- we just need to deal with the distance issue.” He paused. “That’s the only reason, right?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, frowning. “That distance is the only reason we wouldn’t work?”

“Yes,” he answered, watching as she began to wring her hands. “Is it?”

“Probably,” she said quietly.

“Probably?” he hissed, not bothering to hide his anger. “What else is the matter?”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to be in a serious relationship again,” she murmured. “I didn’t think it would ever become as intense as it did.”

“You wanted it, too, though!” he shouted.

“Yes, but I…” she trailed off with a sigh. “I thought I was ready, but I’m not. I care about you, Spike, and-”

“If you really did, you wouldn’t have walked out on me,” he replied, beginning to walk out the door.

“Spike, don’t,” she said pleadingly, feeling tears begin to escape the corners of her eyes.

“I’ll be around if you change your mind,” he said, not looking back at her. “But I won’t wait forever, Buffy, and don’t expect me to. Just because I might have started to fall in love with you doesn’t mean I’ll patiently wait for you to change your mind for the rest of my life.”

Before she could respond, he stormed off, leaving the gallery. She watched him go, realizing what he had said as Anya walked towards her, frowning.

“What just happened?” she asked, flinching when Buffy slammed the door of her office.

She could hear the sound of Buffy crying from the other side of the door and slowly ran her hand over the wooden surface, sighing.

I never imagined she’d be the one to hurt him, she thought. They both deserve to be happy, and if she thinks that I’m going to support her choice to not be with Spike, then she’s got another thing coming.

“Buffy?” she asked, knocking on the door.

“I don’t want to talk, Anya,” she heard Buffy reply in a choked voice.

“Let me ask you one question,” Anya said as she opened the door a crack, peeking in to see Buffy sitting at her desk, her eyes red and puffy. “Do you honestly and sincerely care about Spike?”

“Yes,” Buffy answered, quickly wiping off her cheeks, even as more tears streamed down them.

“Do you think someday you might love him?” Anya asked.

“Yes,” Buffy said as she covered her face with her hands.

“Then get off your ass and go after him,” Anya said sternly, ignoring Buffy’s surprised expression as she looked at her. “He flew all the way from London to see you! How many men do you think would do something like that for a girl?”

“But-”

“Buffy, he’s the best thing you’ve ever had in your life,” Anya cut in. “I’ve seen how happy you are when he’s around, and-”

“He’s doesn’t live here anymore,” Buffy interrupted.

“He’s here right now!” Anya yelled, becoming upset. “Don’t be stupid and give up on what you two have… and might have in the future. I know how rough things were between you and Xander, but I think you need to get over it once and for all and give this a shot. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“He breaks my heart,” Buffy mumbled.

“Well, you broke his, so it would only be fair,” Anya said sternly. “If you don’t see him before he leaves and try working things out more, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life.”

“What makes you so sure?” Buffy asked, a part of her knowing Anya was right.

“Because I know you better than you know yourself,” Anya said, studying her for a moment before walking out.

Buffy looked at her desk and took several deep breaths to calm down before closing her eyes.

She’s right, she thought. I need to see him again and figure things out. We had something great going… and I messed it up. She opened her eyes and stood up. It could be even better than before if you’d give it a try, Summers. He deserves it, doesn’t he?

“Yeah, he really does,” she whispered to herself.

---

A/N The question is, where will things go from here? There's more angst ahead, folks, before the fluff and romance returns. I hope you stick with me as the story progresses!

As Buffy exited her office a moment later, she was surprised to see her mother standing beside Anya, the two women talking quietly.

Well, this will make my day complete, Buffy thought, sighing.

“Hello, honey,” Joyce Summers said, walking over to her daughter and hugging her. “How was the trip?”

“Interesting,” Buffy answered. “And possibly life-altering.” At her mother’s confused expression, Buffy dismissively waved her hand. “It’s not something I want to talk about right now. What brings you in today?”

“Can’t a mom visit her daughter who just returned from a European adventure?” Joyce asked, smiling when Buffy crossed her arms and gave her an expectant look. “We have some things to discuss, dear. I believe Anya filled you in on a couple of things I discovered while you were away.”

“Can’t we save this conversation for a later day?” Buffy asked, beginning to walk towards the front door of the gallery. “I have some other issues I want to attend to first before I focus on the gallery.”

“Buffy, this is a serious situation,” Joyce said firmly. “The quicker we come up with a way to save this place, the faster you can deal with other things.”

“I don’t want to do this right now,” Buffy replied sternly.

“Her hot British boy-toy made a surprise appearance this morning,” Anya said, looking at Joyce. “You should probably let her go after him.”

“What?” Joyce asked, caught off-guard. “Who?”

“Long story, Mom,” Buffy said, narrowing her eyes at Anya.

“Well, you can tell me all about this man, then,” Joyce said, walking towards the office and motioning for Buffy to follow her.

Buffy took a deep breath before going to the office, muttering, “This must be my karmic punishment for being such a bitch to Spike.”

* * * * *

An hour later, Buffy stormed out of the office and ignored her mother as she called after her. Anya watched as Buffy left the gallery, raising an eyebrow when she saw her speed off minutes later. Joyce walked out of the office, sighing as she approached Anya.

“What was that all about?” Anya asked, frowning.

“I’m afraid I gave her some news she wasn’t ready to face yet,” Joyce answered. “If there isn’t a drastic improvement in the amount of profits the gallery is taking in, it will need to close earlier than I expected. I thought Internet sales were helping around here, which was an excellent suggestion on your part, by the way, to set up a website so that the gallery can sell to a wider range of customers.”

“Thank you,” Anya replied. “Here to help- I like my job.”

“But it seems that the financial situation is a bit worse than I thought it was.”

“Things got worse over the course of the last week?” Anya asked, surprised.

“Buffy told me she’s been paying off things around here with her own money,” Joyce said sadly. “Money that she inherited from her father when he passed away.”

“I thought she wasn’t supposed to touch that until after she got married and had kids or something,” Anya replied.

“She wasn’t,” Joyce agreed, walking into the office to grab her purse before heading to the front of the gallery. “Try to talk some sense into her, Anya. She knows she’d be better off closing this place, but she’s stubborn. I’m afraid she gets that from me.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Anya said, managing a weak smile as Joyce left.

Meanwhile, Buffy drove to her apartment, dialing a number on her cell phone as she made her way home. When she heard a familiar voice answer, she sighed with relief.

“I need to talk to you,” she said. “Can I see you tonight?”

“Sure, luv.”

* * * * *

A few hours later, Buffy got dressed up and drove to the restaurant she and Spike had met in months before, having arranged to see him there on the phone that afternoon. She wasn’t surprised to see him waiting inside for her and reflected on their first meeting, remembering how wonderful things had been that night.

I hope it can be that amazing again for us, she thought, giving him a small smile when he saw her enter the building.

“Hi,” she said quietly, raising an eyebrow when he hugged her. “What’s that all about?”

“You deserve it after having such a bad talk with your mum,” he answered. “Or should I not have done that?”

“No, it’s… appreciated,” she replied. “Ready to eat?”

“Yes,” he said, going to the host’s stand before they were led to a booth and sat down. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon- I figured you’d want a day or two to think about things.”

“I wasn’t about to sit at home alone tonight and wallow over the demise of the gallery,” she said, opening her menu. At his crestfallen expression, she continued, “And you and I need to talk more.”

“Glad to know you want me around more than just to keep you company,” he murmured, looking at his menu.

After they ordered drinks and entrees, Spike cleared his throat and looked at Buffy.

“So, what did you come up with in regards to our situation?” he asked, hoping he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt.

“Actually, I haven’t really… come to a conclusion yet,” she answered, looking down when he frowned, tilting his head. “I mean, I care about you, Spike, and I’m sure you don’t really believe that… which is understandable because I haven’t given you much of a reason to trust what I say, but-”

“You’re starting to babble,” he mumbled.

“Like I told you before, I’m not ready for something serious, and I don’t know when I will be,” she replied. “I don’t expect you to wait for me, either- that would be selfish, and I’ve already been selfish enough.”

Their waitress came to the table and set down their drinks, feeling the tension between the couple before she walked away.

“Yes, you have been selfish,” Spike said, looking at the beer bottle in front of him. “It’s not like I can force you to be with me, Buffy, even though it chokes me to think of not having you in my life. If you don’t want to do the whole long-distance dating thing, then we won’t. I can grow to accept that. It won’t come easily or quickly, but it’ll happen… eventually.”

“Then can we maybe… be friends?” she asked. “Until I’m ready for more? I know I want to be with you, Spike- I just need time to learn how to trust men again… and how to love someone.”

“Do you think maybe you’ll let me teach you?” he asked, his tone hopeful.

“I think I’d like that,” she replied, smiling softly before taking a sip of her drink. “I’m sorry you flew all the way to California to deal with this. I’m sure this isn’t what you expected.”

“I don’t really know what I was hoping for,” Spike said, scratching his forehead.

“Maybe for me to apologize profusely, tell you I messed up, and throw myself at you,” Buffy suggested in a light tone, happy when he smirked. “We can be friends, can’t we? I mean, I know it’s backwards to sleep with someone and then be friends… but it’d be nice if that could happen.”

“If that’s what you want, to be friends, then I guess that’s what will happen,” he replied. “Not like I’m going to turn the offer down.”

“Thank you,” she said sincerely, smiling when he put his hand on top of hers and squeezed it.

“You’re welcome, Goldilocks.”

* * * * *

After they finished eating, Spike escorted Buffy to the parking lot and was surprised when she kissed his cheek before she got into her car. He walked to his rental car and took his cell phone out of his pocket when it began to ring. He smirked when he saw his boss’ name appear on the screen before he answered it.

“Hello, Andrew,” Spike said. “Did you do that favor I requested this afternoon?”

“Yes, I did,” Andrew replied. “You’re lucky I like you so much- it wasn’t easy to do, and it definitely isn’t cheap. You owe me when you get back.”

“Told you I’d pay you in full for it,” Spike said.

“This girl must mean a lot to you,” Andrew said.

“She really does,” Spike replied, getting into the car and starting it.

“When are you going to tell her about this secret plan of yours?” his boss asked.

“Who says I’m going to tell her?” Spike asked. “She’ll find out if and when she needs to.”

---

A/N What is Spike hiding from her, you ask? I don't think anyone will guess what exactly it is, but you can try;)

As the next couple of days passed, Buffy and Spike spent a lot of time together, trying to rebuild their friendship and ignore what had happened between them in London. Even though it was hard to wipe the slate clean, they did their best to move on and enjoy their time together until he had to return home.

Buffy drove Spike to the airport and remembered when she had done the same thing months before, feeling the same sense of anxiety that she had felt back then as they waited for his flight to be announced, sitting in the same spot that they had been in when he left the first time.

“So, any progress on the gallery situation?” Spike asked casually, looking at her.

“Not really,” Buffy answered. “Mom’s still pretty upset that I tapped into some of my inheritance money. But, in my defense, I don’t think Dad would be too angry about it if he was still alive. He knows how much the gallery means to both Mom and I.”

“I’m sure things will work out,” he replied. “Have some faith, luv.”

“I have plenty of it,” she said, sighing. “It’s Mom that lacks it. That place used to be her life- I don’t understand why she seems so okay with shutting it down.”

“I’m sure the thought saddens her, too,” he said, taking her hand in his and lacing their fingers together.

“Do you really have to go?” Buffy asked, looking at him and pouting. “It’s nice to have you here, keeping me sane.”

“It’s nice to be here, keeping you sane,” he replied, smirking. “But all good things must come to an end.”

His flight number was called overhead, which prompted them both to stand from the hard plastic seats and slowly head towards the terminal. When they got close to it, Spike turned to Buffy and studied her sad expression before hugging her to him.

“I’ll be seeing you soon, Goldilocks,” he said. “You can count on that.”

“I hope so,” she replied. “Have a safe trip… and take care of yourself.”

“You, too, Buffy,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “This isn’t forever, you know- one day we’ll be together again.”

“I know,” she replied, giving him a small smile. “Bye, Spike.”

“Bye, kitten,” he said, their eyes locking for a long moment before he turned and walked away, handing a flight attendant his ticket before going through the terminal and disappearing from view.

It’s not forever, she reminded herself. I know I’ll see him again… I need to.

* * * * *

The day after Spike flew home, he went to the magazine’s main headquarters and took an elevator up to his boss’ office. He wasn’t surprised to see Andrew sitting behind his desk, playing with Star Wars action figures and talking to them. When he saw Spike standing in his doorway, he cleared his throat and tried to indiscreetly shove the plastic figurines into one of his desk drawers.

“So, I see you’re back,” Andrew said, feeling his face flush from embarrassment.

“I see you’re keeping yourself amused during your downtime,” Spike said, smirking.

“Did you bring the money you owe me?” Andrew asked, holding out a hand expectantly.

“Every pound you asked for,” Spike said, giving him a stack of dollar bills. “Do you have a preview of what I’m paying for? I’d like to see the finished product before it goes public.”

“Of course,” Andrew replied, opening one of his drawers and extracting a folder, pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to Spike.

He perused it for a moment before smiling and giving it back to Andrew.

“It’s perfect, mate,” Spike said. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome,” Andrew said. “Anything to help you get your girl back.”

“This isn’t about getting her back,” Spike replied. “It’s about making her happy.”

* * * * *

As the following days and weeks passed by, Buffy and Joyce continued to argue about the future of the gallery. It was around a month later when they began to notice an upsurge in the amount of online purchases.

“I don’t know where it’s coming from,” Buffy said as she walked in one morning with Anya at her side. “Not that I’m complaining- it’s wonderful- but it’s very odd. I mean, we’ve had the website up for a while now with a fairly good amount of people buying art, but it seems like there are ten times as many purchases this week than usual.”

“Maybe one of your guardian angels is looking over you,” Anya suggested, smiling. “Or maybe you’re finally getting a break.”

“That’d be nice,” Buffy replied, stopping in front of her office when she saw her mother seated at her desk. “Fancy seeing you here so early. I didn’t think you’d come in until this weekend.”

“The weather isn’t conducive to going outside and being productive,” Joyce said. “If we have one more day of clouds and rain, I might need to take a trip. I hear Europe is a nice place to visit.”

“It can be,” Buffy said, confused when she saw pages of paper going through the printer. “What are those for?”

“They’re all purchases,” Joyce answered, waiting until the printer stopped to grab the stack of papers. “Have you looked at the locations of the buyers, dear?”

“No,” Buffy said, looking at Anya for a moment. “I let Anya do all of the packaging and shipping.”

“I’m sure you’ve noticed a trend, haven’t you?” Joyce asked, looking at the other young woman.

“I might’ve,” Anya said, averting her eyes when Buffy looked at her, crossing her arms. “I was told to keep my mouth shut.”

“About what?” Buffy asked, becoming angry. “What ‘trend’? Who told you to keep something quiet?”

“The British hottie,” Anya said sheepishly, taking the papers from Joyce and holding them out to Buffy. “I’m sure you can figure things out for yourself.”

“What have you been hiding?” Buffy asked as she stared at the print-outs Anya had handed her.

“I’ve only been doing what Spike asked me to,” Anya said. “Just look at where the buyers generally are from- I’m sure you can figure it out on your own.”

Buffy began to skim through the words on the pages in front of her, flipping through the stack for a moment before raising an eyebrow and handing the sheets back to Anya.

“Will you two excuse me for a moment?” Buffy asked, moving to sit down on the edge of her desk.

“He just wanted to help you without you ever finding out,” Anya said as she walked out of the office, Joyce following her.

Buffy took a deep breath and collected herself before grabbing the phone and dialing a number, impatiently tapping her fingers along the wooden surface next to her as she waited for Spike to answer.

When he did a moment later, she cleared her throat and tried to keep her emotions from surfacing as she asked, “What did you do?”

“Hello to you, too, luv,” Spike said cheerfully. “I’m doing well. How are you?”

“Answer the question,” Buffy replied sharply before repeating, “What did you do?”

“What are you talking about?” he asked casually, sitting down on his couch.

“Did you think I wouldn’t figure something out?” she asked. “I mean, it’s pretty suspicious when I suddenly have a deluge of orders from overseas, don’t you think?”

“What makes you think I had anything to do with that?” Spike asked, smirking.

“I’m not dumb, William,” she said, surprising him at the use of his real name. “What did you do?”

“I bought space for a half-page ad in the magazine to advertise your gallery,” he answered, sighing. “I figured every little bit helps, right? The last time we spoke, you said that you were making a lot of profits, yes? The ad was a help, not a hindrance.”

“You shouldn’t have done it,” she said quietly.

“Why not?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow. “I would’ve thought you’d be happy about it. Besides, I’m not about to watch the gallery go down in flames- I figured advertising it in the magazine would be beneficial.”

“Yes, it was, but…” she trailed off as she felt tears forming in her eyes. “I’m sorry if I sound upset- I’m not. Well, I was for a couple of minutes, but… Thank you. It means a lot to me.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, pleased with the change in her tone. “I’m glad I could help.”

“You did an excellent job, Mr. Stealthy,” she said jokingly. “How long did you think you’d get away with it?”

“Lasted longer than I had anticipated,” he answered, chuckling. “I thought I’d play your secret benefactor, in a manner of speaking. Anya suggested spreading the word about the gallery when I flew in last month, and I-”

“Anya?” Buffy asked, stunned.

“Well, she gave me the idea,” Spike said. “I already knew things weren’t on the up-and-up when it came to the gallery, although I had no idea how bad it was getting. I called Andrew, my boss, the day you returned to L.A. and asked that he do me a favor.”

“Which was getting space for the ad?” she asked.

“Exactly,” Spike said. “And making sure it would run in the latest issue of the magazine. Who knew my little plan would blossom so well?”

“Such a clever man you are,” she replied, smiling. “How much do I owe you?”

“Not a cent,” he said. “Well, kisses and lap-dances are always accepted, but you don’t have to feel obligated to provide me with them.”

“Good, I don’t,” she said, giggling. “But your generosity will be paid back in full sometime, I promise.”

“I can’t wait,” he said. “Now, you should get back to work. You’ve got loads of orders to send out, right?”

“As far as I know,” she answered. “Thank you, Spike. I can’t say that enough.”

“You deserve it, Buffy,” he said. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Bye,” she replied before hanging up the phone and taking a deep breath.

He really is one in a million.

* * * * *

“Forgive me?” Anya asked as Buffy emerged from her office minutes later.

“I wasn’t mad at you,” Buffy said. “I mean, you kept a secret from me, which isn’t something I particularly like, but there was a good reason for it. I’ll let it slide… this time.”

“I think I’d like to meet this man of yours,” Joyce said, coming out from the back storage room. “Maybe I should go to London and deliver a couple of pieces myself.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Buffy replied, crossing her arms.

“What makes you so sure?” Joyce asked, smiling warmly. “I think I owe him a thank you, too.”

“He and I are just friends,” Buffy said, surprised by her mother’s disbelieving expression. “What?”

“For some reason, I doubt that,” Joyce said before looking at Anya. “How about you?”

“I know better than to believe that,” Anya answered, winking at Buffy. “Now, who wants to help me pack up some artwork? I want to send a few things out tomorrow.”

“Go ahead,” Joyce said. “We’ll help after we talk for a moment.”

This can’t be good, Buffy thought, looking down as Anya walked into the back room.

“If this is about Spike-”

“It’s not,” Joyce cut in. “But we’ll get to him later.” Buffy raised her eyes to her mother’s. “I know you took it upon yourself to pay off things around here, but you should’ve known that I’d be willing to chip in, too. I’m still angry that you used some of the money your father left you, but I’m more upset that you didn’t tell me about things around here. This place means a lot to both of us, and I would’ve been happy to help out more. I don’t like being shut out of your life.”

“I didn’t want to let you down,” Buffy murmured. “I thought that if things looked good on the outside, you wouldn’t notice how poor it was doing on the inside. I wanted to run the gallery as well as you used to… I didn’t have the heart to tell you that I was running it into the ground instead, slowly but surely.”

“I wouldn’t have been disappointed,” Joyce said. “I understand how trying this business can be- art doesn’t exactly sell itself, and sometimes people aren’t willing to waste their money on things they don’t need. You’ve done an excellent job, Buffy, and I value your determination to make things better, but you can’t have the weight of the world resting on your shoulders all of the time. You need to let people in and allow them to help with burdens.”

“Yes, Mom,” Buffy replied, looking down. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I was scared that you’d be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad about the financial state here,” Joyce said. “Business is starting to pick up now, especially in England. I’m irritated that you took it upon yourself to keep paying off things that you shouldn’t have been with money you weren’t supposed to touch, but I’ll live with it.”

“Thank you,” Buffy said, smiling.

“But I do expect you to take some of the profits you earn and replenish your bank account,” Joyce said, walking towards her daughter and hugging her. “The last thing I need is to have a bankrupt gallery and a homeless daughter.”

“I know,” Buffy replied. “I’ll see what I can do to prevent that.”

“And you’ll keep me informed of everything around here from now on?”

“Of course,” Buffy answered petulantly. “I’d rather not be lectured again on the subject.”

“Good,” Joyce replied, pleased. “Now, update me on the situation with your savior in London.”

* * * * *

A couple of days later, Spike arrived at work and headed to his desk, surprised to see a Post-It note stuck to the monitor of his computer. He grabbed it and raised an eyebrow after reading that Andrew wanted to see him in his office in a few minutes.

What did I do wrong now? he asked himself as he turned on his computer before going to see Andrew.

Once he got to the office’s door, he knocked once and heard Andrew say, “Come in.”

“Heard you wanted to see me,” Spike said as he opened the door and walked in, stopping mid-step when he saw who was sitting across from Andrew, smirking at him.

“We both wanted to,” Andrew replied, grinning. “I was just getting acquainted with-”

“Buffy?”

“Hello, Spike,” Buffy replied, standing up.

“You’re late,” Andrew said, tapping the face of his watch.

“Sorry,” Spike apologized quietly, still staring at the woman he had grown to love, even despite all of the upsets and setbacks in their relationship. “What’re you doing here?”

“I wanted to thank your boss,” Buffy answered, smiling at Andrew. “Along with seeing the ad you had made for the gallery.” She picked up a magazine from the top of Andrew’s desk and paged through it. “I must say, it’s quite a nice publication.”

“Thank you,” Andrew replied, beaming. “You’re a peach.”

“And the ad is perfect,” she added. “I owe you both a debt of gratitude.”

“I’m happy it worked out,” Andrew said. “I’m sure Spike considers it a worthwhile investment.”

“Of course,” he murmured, the shock still evident in his tone. “You flew all the way to London to thank Andrew?”

“What’s so wrong with that?” Andrew asked, crossing his arms and frowning.

“Could’ve called him instead,” Spike said. “Would’ve saved you a bushel of cash.”

“He’s not the only reason I came here,” Buffy replied, hesitantly taking a few steps towards Spike. “I wanted to see you, too.”

“I’ll let you two catch up,” Andrew said, moving out from behind his desk and grabbing a stack of comic books that were resting atop a file cabinet. “I’ll be at your desk, Spike.” He walked to the door and paused as he opened it. “And no funny business- this office better be in tip-top shape when I return.”

“Thanks, Andrew,” Buffy said, smiling as he exited his office and shut the door behind him. She took a deep breath before focusing on Spike. “So, not happy to see me?”

“What gave you that idea?” he asked, tilting his head.

“The barrage of questions,” she answered, moving back a couple of feet and sitting on the edge of Andrew’s desk. “I can fly home now, if you want.”

“You really think I want you to?” he asked, taking a few steps towards her. “Not bloody likely.”

“So you’re happy I’m here?” she asked, smirking.

“You have no idea, pet,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. “Quite an expensive way to say thank you, though. Flying halfway across the globe isn’t a cheap adventure.”

“I think it’s worth the money, don’t you?” she asked, looking up at him. “It’s the least I can do to pay you back. I figured a surprise visit might brighten up your day.”

“You were right,” he said, running his hand over her hair. “How long are you here?”

“Couple of days,” she answered, shrugging. “Enough time to get over jet-lag before flying home and dealing with it again.”

“Is it really a good time for you to be away from the gallery, now that business is booming?”

“Anya can handle herself,” Buffy said, shrugging. “And Mom is there, too, to help with orders and packing things up to send out.”

“Did you bring anything to deliver while you’re here?” he asked curiously.

“Would’ve been a smart idea, but no, this trip is all about pleasure, not business,” she answered, grinning.

“Is that right?” he asked, not bothering to hide the intrigue in his voice.

“So to speak, at least,” she replied warningly, gently poking his chest. “I’m not jumping you in your boss’ office. Sounds good in theory, but that wasn’t the point of me coming here today.” She paused and looked down for a moment. “I have some things I want to say to you.”

“I’m all ears,” he said, becoming nervous as he thought about all of the possible topics she could bring up.

“I’m not good when it comes to romance,” she began, keeping her eyes averted from his. “My past relationships haven’t been stellar- you know most of the details already. I’ve never been lucky when it comes to finding a good man who’s worthy of entering into a relationship with.” She exhaled the breath she didn’t realize she was holding as she raised her eyes to his. “Not until I met you.”

Spike’s eyes widened at her words, slightly caught off-guard by the emotions in her voice. Before he could say anything, she continued speaking.

“I know I messed up things for us before, and that is definitely something I’m going to regret for the rest of my life,” she said, cautiously choosing her words as she tried to express how she felt. “But the things I’d regret the most are not trying to fix things between us even more… and not giving you and I another shot.”

“Buffy-”

“Let me finish,” she cut in, taking one of his hands in hers. “I don’t know if I’m ready to be in a serious relationship yet. For that matter, I don’t know when I will be. I’m scared of getting my heart ripped in two down the road again- I think once is more than enough for one lifetime.”

“I wouldn’t ever hurt you like that,” Spike said, squeezing her hand. “You should know that by now, luv.”

“I do know that,” she replied. “That’s kind of the driving force behind me flying here.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, his anxiety increasing as he began to figure out what she was talking about.

“There are plenty of men out there who I could date,” she said, hearing a quiet, possessive growl coming from him, which caused her to smile. “Plenty of men who I could potentially have feelings for and convince myself that they’re worthy of being with. I could tell myself repeatedly that they’re right for me, that they’ll help me deal with my issues and-”

“What’re you trying to get at, Buffy?” he asked, interrupting her before she could continue to babble.

“My point is that I don’t want any other men,” she said. “I want you.”

Spike stared at her in stunned silence, not being able to tell if she had really said the words or if he had simply imagined them.

“Can you say that again?” he whispered, feeling his heartbeat quicken as she got off of the desk and rested her hands on his chest.

“I want you, Spike,” she said. “I want you to be the one who helps me figure out leftover issues from my past, who teaches me how to trust men again and how to love someone so much that they’re the only thing you ever think about, dream about.”

For the first time since he had known her, he was rendered speechless. She nudged him after a moment, trying to keep a smile on her face even as worry began to course through her.

“Spike?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he managed to get out, nodding slowly. “I don’t know what to say, pet.”

“I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” she said, feeling her happy expression fade into one of concern.

“Why would it be bad?” he asked after a moment, a grin forming on his lips before he pulled her flush up against his body and hugged her to him, crushing his lips to hers and delighting in the gasp he heard from her. “Did you really think I’d turn you down, luv? That speech of yours could make a grown man cry.”

“I don’t see any tears in your eyes, mister,” she said jokingly, cupping his cheeks in her hands.

“Then you’re not looking hard enough,” he replied. “Or I’m doing a fine job of keeping myself together.”

“Can’t look like a pansy, eh?” she asked. “Even in front of the woman who just proclaimed her feelings for you.”

“You do realize what you’re asking of me, right?” he asked, his tone becoming serious. “If we start a relationship, you can’t just walk away again when you get scared. You can’t push me away when things get rough or too hard to handle.”

“I know that,” she replied. “Besides, you’d just get on a plane and track me down.”

“Damn right, I would,” he said, smiling.

“So, do you accept my proposition?” she asked. “Of playing teacher and being the only man in my life?”

“We have a lot of things to talk about still,” he said. “Like the location differences, how we’re going to conduct a relationship…” She nodded, nuzzling her face into his chest and familiarizing herself with his scent after being apart for over a month. “But yes, Buffy- I’m in this one hundred percent… as long as you are.”

“One hundred percent,” she agreed before wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his.

---

A/N Things are finally well and fine for Buffy and Spike. The question is, what will become of them? Will they stay together or go separate ways once and for all? What will happen with the gallery? All will be answered in due time;)

One Year Later


Buffy frantically moved throughout the gallery, making sure that everything was perfect and spotless for the twentieth anniversary gala that was to take place in less than an hour.

“Everything looks great,” Anya said as she adjusted a small ceramic statue. “Stop walking around so much- you’re making me nervous.”

“Sorry,” Buffy mumbled as she moved the statue in front of Anya back to the way it had been a moment before. “I just want everything to be amazing tonight. It’s a big deal, you know? I never thought I’d see this place turn twenty. We barely made it to nineteen.”

“It’s been a whirlwind year, hasn’t it?” Joyce asked, exiting Buffy’s office and closing the door behind her. “I must admit that I had my reservations about keeping this place open, but you’ve done an excellent job with it, dear.”

“Thank you,” Buffy replied, her eyes traveling around the room in an attempt to notice any small flaws.

“Where’s Spike?” Anya asked, sharing a look with Joyce. “He’s supposed to be here, right?”

“He had issues with his flights,” Buffy answered, stopping her perusal of the gallery to look at Anya instead. “The plane he took to New York arrived half an hour later than it was supposed to, which caused him to miss the flight to Los Angeles.” She paused and anxiously wrung her hands. “I don’t know if he’ll be here or not.”

“Who?” a voice asked from behind her.

She whirled around and grinned when she saw Spike standing near the front of the building, already dressed in a black, pinstriped suit. She walked to him and hugged him tightly, grateful that he had arrived and would be there for the party.

“I didn’t know if you’d make it,” she murmured into his chest.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” he replied, kissing her forehead. “If necessary, I would’ve run across the country to be here.”

“With those lungs of yours?” Buffy joked, playfully nudging him. “Smokers don’t tend to do well when it comes to running.”

“I haven’t smoked in a long time, thank you,” he said, narrowing his eyes at her. “My lungs are fine.”

“Hello, William,” Joyce said, walking towards the couple and hugging him. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“You, too, Joyce,” he replied, smiling. “How have you been?”

“Not much has changed since I saw you last month,” she answered. “You must be practically broke from all of the traveling you do.”

“It’s worth the money,” he said, winking at Buffy, who slightly blushed and averted her eyes from his.

“How were your flights?” Joyce asked conversationally, linking her arm with his as she escorted him towards the refreshments that covered a nearby table.

“Long,” he said, shrugging. “But I sat next to this wonderful redhead on my way to New York named Willow.” He looked over his shoulder at Buffy. “I thought she seemed familiar- it turns out that I saw her at the airport when you arrived in London that first time.” At Buffy’s confused expression, he continued. “She’s dating that girl you got off of the plane with. I believe her name is Tara.”

“Wow,” Buffy replied, her eyes widening slightly. “That’s quite coincidental.”

“That’s what I thought, too,” he said, grabbing a flute of champagne and handing it to her. “Want some liquid courage before people arrive?”

“That’s probably a good idea,” Buffy said, taking the glass from him. “I have to give a speech, something I loathe doing.”

“I understand completely,” he replied. “You’ll be fine, luv.”

“I hope so,” she said, sipping the champagne. “It means a lot that you’re here.”

“Told you before that I wouldn’t have missed tonight,” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissing her temple.

* * * * *

Nearly two hours later, the gallery was filled with a large crowd of people, many of whom had been customers throughout the years.

“What an amazing turnout,” Joyce whispered to Buffy as they both tapped the sides of their champagne flutes with forks to get everyone’s attention.

As the group quieted down, Buffy cleared her throat and silently prayed that she wouldn’t embarrass herself somehow.

“First, on behalf of my mother, dear friend Anya, and I, I’d like to thank you all for being here tonight,” she began. “This gallery means a lot to us, and we’re happy that you’re here to celebrate this occasion with us.” As many people clapped, she smiled warmly before continuing. “It is because of our wonderful customers that not only are we celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the gallery, but we’re also celebrating the recent purchase of space for a gallery in London.”

Buffy’s eyes locked with Spike’s as more clapping ensued, the look of shock on his face amusing Buffy and causing her to giggle quietly.

“We hope to launch the new gallery overseas within the year, and I will be moving there in a couple of weeks to get things off and running,” Buffy said, sharing a smile with her mother. “I’ll be running the gallery in London, which will leave Anya in charge of everything around here.”

Joyce hugged Anya, who had no idea of Buffy and Joyce’s plan to leave the gallery in her hands.

“Are you serious?” Anya asked, looking at Joyce.

“We know you’ll do a wonderful job,” the older woman replied, smiling.

“We hope that you all will continue to support the gallery, and once again, thank you for your help and patronage over the last twenty years,” Buffy said, raising her champagne flute. “It’s because of you that the gallery is still open today, and we can’t express our gratitude enough for that. Cheers!”

Before Joyce and Buffy could clink their glasses together, Spike embraced Buffy tightly, still stunned by her announcement.

“You’re moving to London?” he asked, cupping her cheeks in his hands.

“Is that alright?” she asked, smirking. “Us sharing the city together?”

“You have no idea,” he answered, pressing his lips to hers. “I’ve dreamt of something like this for so long, Buffy.”

“Me, too,” she replied, grazing his cheek. “Especially since it means I won’t have to keep flying over an ocean to see you.”

“And we won’t have to keep chasing each other across the globe,” he added, smiling.

“Probably,” she joked, laughing when he growled warningly. “So, where can I find an apartment there?”

“Well, I know of one that has ample space for you,” he said. “And you’d have a devilishly handsome roommate, too, who’d protect you… pamper you… and shag you until you can’t walk straight.”

“Andrew needs a roommate?” she asked in faux seriousness.

He crushed his lips to hers, surprising her at the intensity of the kiss.

“Andrew knows better than to try touching my woman,” he replied in a low tone, his eyes darkening with lust.

“Your woman?” she asked. “I like the sound of that. Then again, you usually sound sexy when you’re being possessive.”

“I thought I always sound sexy?” he asked, pouting.

“Yeah, you do,” she agreed. “But you’re almost always possessive.”

“Only because I don’t want to lose you again,” he replied, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“You won’t lose me again,” she said sincerely. “I’m yours, Spike.”

“I love you,” he whispered before kissing her.

“I love you, too,” she said, noticing the sparkle in his eyes. “Thank you for showing me how amazing love can be.”

“Thank you for giving me a shot,” he replied. “And for contacting me through The International Love Agency last year.”

“It was the best decision I’ve ever made,” she said, grinning.

“The Internet is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?” Spike asked, pulling her even closer to him.

“Yes, it really is, William.”



The End

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A/N Before I do anything else, I want to say that although this story could potentially be longer, that would inevitably involve more angst and whatnot, and this story was never intended to break away too much from being purely fluffy. I think the characters (and the gallery) have reached a good place, and I’ve accomplished everything that I wanted to with this fic.

For the final time, I’d like to thank everyone for their support and kindness throughout the duration of this story. I had a wonderful time writing it, and I’m pleased that people enjoyed it just as much as I have. It’s sad to see it end- I’m taking the end of this harder than I usually do with my stories, and that’s saying something. I hope that you enjoyed the epilogue (and the entire story), and any final comments (as usual) are encouraged and appreciated.

Oh, and have a good weekend! :)