Chapter One


Buffy Summers climbed the bus leading to Sunnydale high school with trepidation. She let out a huge sigh which the bus driver must have mistook for sleepiness because she made a big deal out of rolling her eyes and muttering something about ‘sleeping late’ and ‘not knowing what early was’.

Letting it roll off her back, Buffy trudged to the middle of the bus, to an empty seat and plopped herself down, placing her bag next to her to send the message she wanted to sit alone. She then proceeded to make herself as inconspicuous as possible, and stared out the window, pressing her forehead against it.

She hated taking the bus. She hated the jerkiness, the so-called cliques that formed on the short bus ride, and how obnoxious some of her peers – namely the guys – could be.

She really could not wait to get her license. If only her Dad would take her out to practice. You have one accident with a pole and suddenly you’re marked as a ‘bad driver.’

Buffy grumbled to herself and then darted her eyes to the side, making sure no one heard her grumbling to herself. How embarrassing.

The bus jerked to a stop and Buffy lurched forward in her seat. Planting her feet hard into the floor, she managed to stop herself from going too far and glared at the bus driver who merely swung the doors open with great force. Glancing out the window at the pack of ‘kids’ outside, Buffy’s eyes were drawn to a tall guy with bleached blond hair.

That’s unnatural, she thought. That can’t be professionally done.

What contrasted the stunning white blond hair was the all black ensemble. Right down to the boots. And – he was wearing a duster? In California. Was he nuts?

She lost sight of him as the group piled onto the bus and trying not to stare, Buffy watched out of the corner of her eye for the guy to climb on. She just had to get a gander at this fool in the duster.

She however, did not expect the sight that greeted her. Stunning blue eyes, pouty lips, sharp cheekbones and – Oh. My. God. It was William Giles!

William Giles her childhood best friend that had moved away at eight without so much as a goodbye! William Giles whom she made eat a mud pie, convincing him it was chocolate cake batter. William Giles whom she used to swing on the swings with at the park until their respective mothers would bellow for them to come home for dinner.

William had grown up. Into a gorgeous ‘bad ass’ from the looks of it. Not only that, he was most obviously back in town.

Her heart was hammering in her chest at the sight of him and she turned her head so that he couldn’t see her. What would she say to him? ‘Hey William! How are you? What’s with the duster? When did you get back? Thanks for saying goodbye to me when you moved jackass’.

Nah, that wouldn’t sound right. Well, actually everything up to the jackass part sounded good. But she wasn’t going to say any of it!

What is your deal, Buffy? She scolded herself. William was your friend once upon a time. Surely he remembers you – or maybe not. And how much would that suck to have him look at her and say in his cute British accent “Who are you again?”

Keeping her back straight as a rod, Buffy faced forward, afraid to move even an inch and attract attention to herself.

Yep, Dad was taking her out tonight to practice. He just didn’t know it yet.

****************

“Buffy!” Willow Rosenberg, her red-headed best friend was waving frantically at her as Buffy all but charged off the bus. She got some strange looks for how she practically ran to get off the bus.

Great, now she looked like the dork that couldn’t wait to start school.

“Stop,” Buffy hissed at her and grabbed her arm, marching as far away from the bus as possible.

“What’s going on?” Willow asked, her hazel eyes wide with confusion. Stopping behind the bike racks, far enough for Buffy’s liking, she spun herself – and Willow – to the gaggle of kids loitering school grounds. Her eyes searched for William. Spotting him, she pointed.

“See that kid over there?”

Willow squinted, “With the unnatural white hair?”

“Yes!”

“Yeah. . . what about him?”

“Remember how I told you I had a friend named William when I was a kid?”

Willow’s eyes widened, “That’s him?”

“Yup, that’s him.”

“Buffy, that’s so awesome! What’s he doing here?”

“I don’t know.”

“He moved back then?”

“I guess so.”

“Does he remember you?”

“I don’t know!”

“Do you know anything?”

Buffy started to laugh. “Thanks Wills, I needed that.”

“You were on the bus with him and had the perfect opportunity to talk to him and didn’t?”

“Yep.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m chicken?”

“Buffy, honestly. What are you so afraid of?”

“I’m afraid of looking like a moron, mostly. Do you know how embarrassing it would be to start talking to him and have him get this blank look on his face and say ‘who are you?’ in front of all his . . . punky friends? Mortifying, I tell you, mortifying! Until I get my license, I have to ride that disgusting bus with the stale smell of sweat and food and – why do girls insist on spraying hairspray on a moving bus? Do they not know how nauseous it makes me? Why are you laughing?”

“Because you’re rambling. I can always tell when you’re nervous because you ramble.”

Buffy let out a puff of air through her mouth, and folded her arms across her chest. Her body language meant to say loud and clear: You don’t know what you’re talking about.

Willow raised a brow.

“Oh shut up.”

****************

Despite his outward appearance and ‘cool’ demeanor, William Giles, or as his new friends now called him – Spike -- was nervous.

First day of school; first day seeing faces that he looked at and thought, I kind of remember you.

He’d lived in this town once upon a time. Good ol’ SunnyD. He’d been two when he moved here and had spent his time, he supposed, being content and happy as any child could be when they didn’t know anything really of ‘friends’ and ‘hanging out’. When you’re two and have no siblings and don’t attend day care, you tend to find your own fun and don’t really notice other children until you’re out in the world.

When he started kindergarten, he’d met Buffy Summers. A blond little spitfire with green eyes and chubby cheeks that just loved to boss him around. Though with the memories he had, sometimes he pondered the idea that she’d really loved to just torment him. He remembered just before he’d moved due to his parents divorce, Buffy had a little sister on the way. He remembered warning her not to feed the baby mud pies or she would get into ‘big trouble’.

For three years, until he’d moved at eight, the two had been best friends. Inseparable. So inseparable in fact, he’d declared his intentions to her mother on more than one occasion. He was sure he was going to marry her.

She had truly been his best friend then. So, it was only natural that he was searching for her now.

Well, discreetly looking for her anyway.

He was actually really afraid to see her. Wasn’t sure if he could approach her. What if she looked at him and said ‘Who?’

Rounding the corner to find homeroom, he ran smack dab into someone. Female, he noted, by the long golden hair.

She stepped back and looked up at him. God, she was gorgeous. Lustrous hair, green eyes and the cutest little nose –

“Buffy?” he blurted on a breathless gasp.

She smiled and waved, “Hi, William.”

Chapter Two


Buffy and Spike stared at each other, taking one another in, studying and mentally noting how the other had changed.

For Buffy it was finally getting a good hard look at the guy she’d seen on the bus, and how he’d changed. Who knew the skinny kid with glasses that she’d known once upon a time was going to grow to be so, well, hot?

For Spike, it was much of the same. The tomboy he’d known had grown up to be a woman. Gone were the stringy pig tails she wore and now she had ‘shampoo commercial hair’. Here he was so nervous to see her and now there she was, standing right before him, smiling, and her emerald eyes studying him closely.

“This is so . . . “ she trailed off.

“Surreal?” he supplied.

They chuckled together nervously, and said at the same time, “Yeah.” Then started to laugh again.

The bell ringing shook them out of the awkward, goofy laugh fest they’d been engaging in and William looked at her helplessly. “Help a fellow out, pet?”

She gulped at the pet name, “How?”

“I don’t know where the bloody hell my homeroom is.”

“Oh, uh, do you have your schedule?”

Reaching into his duster, he extracted a folded up piece of paper, opened it, and shoved it at her. “Room 234.”

“Oh, okay, follow me,” she said and turned on heel around the corner and down the hall.

She looked over her shoulder, watching William scramble to reach her. She forced herself to slow down and relax. You won’t actually be helping him if loses you because you’re speed walking due to nerves, she scolded herself.

When he was by her side, she dared a glance at him and found him smiling at her. “Hi.”

She smiled, “Hi.”

“Done that part, haven’t we?” he asked sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, which, somehow, she found absolutely adorable.

“We have.”

“It’s weird bein’ here. I mean, I was part of this town once upon a time and now I see some faces that are familiar – and yet not. It’s strange.”

“Why did you move back?”

He looked down, a forlorn expression passing over his features. “My mum died.”

“Oh my God, William—“ she stopped in the middle of the hallway, not paying any attention to the annoyed looks she got for that.

“Spike,” he corrected.

“What?”

“It’s Spike now.”

She blinked. “Okay. Spike. I’m so sorry,” and she reached out and placed a hand on his arm. “What happened?”

“She went in for a routine surgery to get this lump removed before it could amount to anything serious and . . . well, there was some complications and hemorrhaging. She died on the table.”

“I’m so sorry.”

He shrugged, “I’m all right. Living with my Dad now.”

“If there’s anything you need—“

“I need to find homeroom, Buffy,” he said firmly.

“Of course,” she said, nodding, feeling suddenly very dazed. She felt as if she’d lived a lifetime so far and it was only 8 a.m.

******************

Settling her tray down at the table Willow saved for them at lunch, Buffy sat down and immediately started searching for Wil--Spike while trying to open her chocolate milk carton.

“So, he goes by Spike now?” Willow asked, munching on a carrot. “That’s weird.”

Buffy nodded, “Yeah, but it fits him, ya know?”

“Well, you know him better than I do.”

“No, I don’t. I knew William. William who had glasses and wore polo shirts and khaki’s to school. William, who was a mini version of his tweed-wearing father. I don’t know Spike. All black wearing Spike. He’s a mystery to me.”

“You love a good mystery!” Willow chirped.

“No, I don’t, “ Buffy frowned, “I hate mysteries. I like to know what’s going on at all times.”

“So, no surprise parties, ever, then?”

“Well . . . “ Buffy hedged.

Willow grinned.

“Hello, ladies,” Xander Harris, the ‘third’ in their little trio, greeted them and slid in next to Willow. “How has the first day back to hell been for everyone?”

Buffy and Willow giggled.

“Fine,” Buffy answered.

“Buffy re-met an old friend today,” Willow informed Xander.

Xander perked up, his brown eyes lighting up with interest. “Oh really? Is it a girl? She single? Hot? Hot and single?”

Buffy laughed, “It’s a he, not a she.”

“Oh,” Xander said, disappointed. “What’s his name?”

“William Giles. Though he seems to be going by ‘Spike’ now.”

“Spike? What the --?”

Buffy shrugged and watched Xander cram a yodel into his mouth.

“Have you seen Angel at all today, Buffy?” Willow asked her, tearing open the wrapper to her sandwich.

Buffy frowned, “No, I haven’t. Is it sad that I haven’t even really thought of him until now?”

“Well, you’ve had your mind on other things,” Willow rationalized. “And ‘other things’ just walked in the cafeteria.”

Buffy’s head jerked to the entrance to the cafeteria to see Spike and the friends he’d made – how long had he been back exactly to make them? –slide into a seat at one of the round tables, laughing.

“Whoa there, Buffster. You trying to get whiplash?” Xander asked and reached over to her tray, stealing half her brownie.

She slapped his hand, “What are you talking about?”

“The way you whipped your head around to see Spike,” Willow explained.

“Oh,” Buffy murmured, feeling her face turn red.

“So is he the guy with the leather jacket?” Xander asked, staring across the cafeteria. “Who wears a jacket like that in California? It’s eighty out!”

“I haven’t had the chance to ask him yet.”

“He must be sweltering,” Xander muttered, staring at Spike.

Buffy raised a brow, “Xander?”

“Yeah?” he said absently.

“You have a little crush on him?”

Xander snapped his head to her, “Very funny.”

“Well, I have to say, he does look cool. I mean, you can’t help but look at him and think ‘cool’,” Willow reasoned.

“He’s James Deanish in a way,” Xander noted.

“Question is, is he Rebel Without a Cause or Rebel Without a Clue?” Buffy asked.

“Well, I guess that’s a mystery you’re going to have to find out, isn’t it?” Willow said, smiling broadly.

*********

Spike surveyed the room, looking for Buffy. He felt bad for the way he’d shunned her attempts to comfort him that morning after he’d told her about his Mum.

It was still a touchy subject for him, and was living in a world of denial. He thought if he continued to act as if his mother’s sudden passing didn’t bother him, then one day, it really wouldn’t.

No one needed to know that he sometimes cried himself to sleep at night, missing her. And, no one needed to know that he could sometimes hear his Dad doing the same exact thing. It pained him to think about because he knew that his Dad had never stopped loving his mother. He also knew that his mother had always loved his Dad. They just could not make their marriage work for some reason and Spike had never felt quite comfortable asking. It seemed whenever he had started to ask, both his parents would clam up. After a while, he just stopped. He’d come to learn that sometimes love just wasn’t enough to make something work.

When he’d come back to town in the middle of July, he hadn’t been much in the mood for anything save for reading and writing in his journal. Glancing around the table he was currently sharing with the friends he’d made, finally, in August, he didn’t think they’d go too much for the fact that he kept a journal.

Buffy would understand though, he thought, finally spotting her across the crowded room. He smiled wanly in her direction, thinking how he’d like to start up a friendship with her again, and learn about the kind of person she was now.

Something told him she still didn’t take crap off boys, but then he liked to fancy himself as someone special in her life and not just a typical ‘boy’. After all, he gave her, her first kiss. Granted they were seven at the time, but it had to count for something right?

Watching her get up from the table she was sharing with her friends, his eyes followed her as she walked with them out the door and out to the quad. Losing her in the crowd, he sighed to himself.

Looked like he was going to have to pay Buffy a visit after school that day.

Chapter Three

Walking down the hall in a daze later that day, Buffy was jolted for her musings - about Spike of course - by slamming into something hard.

Looking up, her eyes widened when she realized it was Angel. The boy she was supposed to have a crush on, and might have even claimed to be madly in love with once under some kind of hormone-induced craze, but had not thought of all day long. Except for that brief moment when Willow brought him up at lunch to ask if she'd seen him.

"Hey, Buffy, how are ya?" Angel asked smoothly, grinning at her. Man, but he was hot. He fit into the mold of tall, dark and handsome perfectly. His dark hair spiked up - huh, Spike wonder what he's - and focus Buffy on the male goodness in front of you! His dark hair, his muscular body and chocolate brown eyes that were currently warmly gazing into hers.

She smiled up at him, almost dreamily. "Hi, Angel. I'm good, how are you?"

He shrugged, "I'm all right. First day back and all that. How was your summer?"

She frowned slightly, "Kind of boring, what about yours?"

"Same," he grinned. "But I'm sure we can make up for it somehow, don't you think?"

Her heart started to race. Oh God, he said we! He used the collective we, meaning her and him and oh god, was he going to ask her out? Then we would become us before long-

"Going to the Bronze tonight at all?" he asked, shifting his backpack on his back and tilting his head to the side.

She swallowed hard, thinking 'I wasn't, but I am now. ' "Yeah, I'm going. You going?"

"Of course. I'll see you there?"

"Yeah, sure, great," she said, nodding and smiling like an idiot. Stop nodding and smiling Buffy, you look like a bobble head!

"Cool, save me a dance," and with that he ran off, probably to practice or whatever.

She grinned to herself and hugged her books to her chest. She had to save him a dance. A dance, he requested a dance! Liam "Angel" O' Connor didn't just ask anyone to dance. Nope, not at all. He was a jock, yes, but he was also somewhat of a loner at the same time. Which wasn't saying 'loner jock' kind of an oxymoron? And considering that Buffy was not a cheerleader - like she could get past Miss High and Mighty Cordelia Chase on that - this was big. Jocks dated cheerleaders. Not Angel though, nope, he was going to date her.

And that's all there was to it.

Just as long no one was there to mess it up.

*******

Coming up Buffy's driveway, Spike grinned to himself as memories of himself as a youngster came rushing back. He saw himself in his mind's eye running at breakneck speeds down the sidewalk and tearing up her front lawn where he'd stand in the middle of her front yard and shout her name until she appeared. He'd come over so much when he was asked what his address was in kindergarten he always automatically replied "1630 Revello Drive".

Until the day her mother, put a sign in the middle of the yard that said, "Please come to the door and knock, William".

He wanted to shout for old time's sake, but he wouldn't. Besides, he didn't want to scare Buffy off, although, she'd probably laugh instead.

Jogging up the steps to her two story brown home, Spike knocked on the door, noticing with interest the little jumps his heart was taking. Could it be possible that he was nervous?

The door swung open and there was Miss Summers, standing there, shocked. "William?"

"Hi, Miss Summers," he said, grinning at her.

"Oh my goodness, you've grown! Look at how, well, tall you are, and blond."

He patted his head, "Yeah, that's fake."

She laughed, "I figured as much. Has Buffy seen you yet? Come in, come in."

"She saw me today at school, yeah,” Spike answered sauntering inside.

“When did you get back? Why?”

“I got back over the summer. Living with my Dad.”

“Is your mother all right?”

Spike looked down, “She died.”

“Oh William, I’m so sorry,” Miss Summers, or Joyce, said sympathetically, reaching out and patting Spike’s arm. “You poor dear, if you need anything, you just let me know, okay?”

“Thanks, Miss Summers. You were always like a second Mum to me, you know.”

Joyce smiled at him, blushing slightly at his kind words. “Thank you dear. And you were like the son I never had.”

“Mom, have you seen my black—hey,” Buffy stopped halfway down the stairs from the second floor. “Hey Spike.”

Joyce raised a brow, “Spike?”

“It’s his nickname now,” Buffy explained.

Joyce shook her head, “Well, I’m still going to call you William, William. You mind?”

Spike smiled and shook his head, “Not at all.”

“Good. Well, I’ll leave you two alone. Remember what I said, William.”

“I will. Thank you Miss Summers.”

Joyce smiled and headed towards the kitchen.

Buffy bounced the rest of the way down the stairs, “What’s up?”

Spike shifted slightly, feeling that nervous feeling welling up inside him once again. “I, uh, wanted to come over and talk to you.”

“About?”

“Well, remember how we used to be friends and all?”

She smiled and chuckled lightly, “I seem to have a recollection of that, yeah.”

“Well, I was wondering, more like hoping that maybe we could be friends again, yeah?”

She pouted slightly, sappily, “Spike, of course we can be friends. Friends don’t even have to ask that sort of question. It was a given, really, don’t you think?”

He smiled broadly, “It was at that. So, uh, what are you up to later? Thought maybe we could get an ice cream or something. Maybe go swinging at the park like old times?”

She eyed him, a smirk tugging the corners of her mouth. “Spike, look at you with the leather and all black – you go swinging on the swings?”

He chuckled, “Well, I’d do it for you, Summers. Had some bloody good talks on those swings, we did.”

“Yeah, over things like whether or not She-Ra or He-Man was the strongest.”

Spike laughed, “Well, I seem to remember you wanting to re-enact that game and I ended up getting a mouthful of mud and a new set of glasses after you broke them on me.”

She let out a sigh in disagreement and her mouth widened in surprise and disagreement. “I did not break your glasses. Not my fault if you’re a klutz and fell on your ass—“

“Buffy, language!” Joyce called from the kitchen.

Spike and Buffy looked at each other and laughed.

Buffy pulled him outside for privacy. “Some things never change huh?” she mused, smiling playfully.

He grinned, “No, guess they don’t. So, do you want to come out with me?”

She looked at him regretfully, “I can’t.”

“Why not?” he asked, pouting.

She smiled, “Are you pouting?”

“Maybe, will it help me get my way?”

She laughed, “No. I kind of have plans already – hey! You could come with us!”

“Us?”

“Me, Willow, Xander – my friends. Then you can meet them and become their friend too, so we can all be friends together. You, me, Willow and Xander.” Her eyes widened. “That sounds coupley, doesn’t it? I don’t mean for it to sound like that because really those two are just—“

He shushed her by placing a finger on her mouth. He smiled at her, a tad adoringly. “I forgot how you could ramble on, Summers. It’s adorable, you know?”

She smiled and blushed, “Thanks. So, do you want to come out with us? We’re going to the Bronze.”

“The Bronze, eh? I’ve heard about this ‘Bronze’. Quite the hangout, I hear.”

She nodded adamantly, “It is. If you wanted to take your friends so you don’t feel shackled to me all night, you could or –“

“You’re rambling again.”

“Sorry,” she said sheepishly.

“Don’t be sorry. I just told you it was cute, didn’t I?”

She nodded and swallowed, “Yep, you sure did. So, you’ll come out with us?”

“Sure, I’ll come out with you. What time?”

“Meet me here at seven?”

“I’ll be here, luv.”

She smiled broadly and lunged into his arms, hugging him. “Excellent!”

He wasn’t ready for an armful of Buffy, but he liked it, in fact, he liked it a lot. She was all soft and curvy, her hair felt soft as it brushed his fingers, and she seemed to be scenting herself with vanilla . . .

“I need to do my homework and get ready. See you in a while, okay?” she said, perky, as she disengaged from him.

He nodded, feeling suddenly very dumbfounded. All his mind was registering was ‘armful of Buffy’.

“Great, see you soon!” and she bounded in the house.

Spike stood there, staring at the door. “See you soon,” he murmured before finally turning around and walking home, feeling rather dazed.

Chapter Four


Promptly at seven, the doorbell rang. Buffy frowned at herself in the mirror, she felt nowhere near ready. Did she go with comfy casual or diva? Then there was the option of slut wear. She shook her head, nope, no slut wear.

“Buffy, Willow and Xander are here!” Joyce called up to her.

“Can you send them up, Mom?” she called back.

The pounding of footsteps came a second later and incessant rapping was heard on her door.

She flung the door open, “Help! Do I wear these jeans or black flares? Boots or shoes?”

Her friends stared at her as if she’d gone insane.

“So . . . what’s going on Buff? You must have talked to Angel today then huh?” Xander mused.

Buffy frowned, “Yeah, I did. Why?”

“Because you tweak out like this when you know you’re going to see Angel at the Bronze,” Willow explained.

“Well, um, there’s kind of another party joining us by the way,” Buffy said carefully.

Xander’s eyes narrowed, “Who?”

“Spike.”

Willow’s eyes widened, “Really? How did that happen?”

“He came over today to see me and he asked if we could be friends like we used to . . . well, you know minus making him eat mud pies, I’m sure, and I said yes. He’s technically still kind of new and he’s a really nice guy and – I’m rambling aren’t I?”

Xander grinned, “Got a crush?”

Buffy grinned, “No, that’s you remember?”

Xander scowled and the girls laughed at him. Plopping himself on her bed, he sprawled out on his stomach and propped his head up on his hands. “I think what you have on is fine.”

Buffy looked down at herself. Flared jeans and a simple soft blue frilly top, if she put on a pair of brown boots, she’d be good to go. “I look okay?”

Willow nodded, “Divine.”

“Who says that?” Buffy laughed.

“Well, I think it’s a perfect word to describe how you look, luv.”

Three heads swiveled to the door to see Spike, standing there, leaning against the door frame with a smile on his handsome face.

Buffy forgot for a minute how to breathe. How was it that every time she saw him, he seemed to get hotter and hotter? And he still had on what she saw him in earlier – so how was that possible?

“H-hi, Spike,” she managed to get out.

He nodded, “Hello,” he greeted her and then looked at her friends who were openly staring at him.

“Oh, uh, Spike, this is Willow and Xander, Willow and Xander, this is Spike.”

Xander rolled off the bed and stuck out his hand, “Hey there, Spike.”

Spike took his hand and they shook, shortly, “Hi, Xander.”

Willow was blushing profusely, as she did with all new people, especially men. Spike, seeming to sense her discomfort, smiled warmly at her, “Hello there, Red.”

Willow’s eyes widened.

Spike grinned sheepishly and looked down, “Sorry, that just came out. On account of the red hair and all –“

“No, I like it! No one’s ever given me a nickname before,” Willow rushed out. She was bobbing her head up and down profusely, “Really, really, I like it.”

Spike smiled, “All right, then. Red it is.” He looked at Buffy then, his ice blue eyes warm as they fell on her. “You ready, kitten?”

Now it was Buffy’s turn to blush to the roots of her hair. She smiled coyly at him and nodded. Standing back into the hallway he gestured for her to go, “Ladies first.”

Buffy’s heart was thumping and all thoughts of Angel were completely out the door.

****************

All thoughts of Angel came back as soon as they entered The Bronze and she saw him across the room. He was standing against the wall, chatting with a friend, and from the looks of it, his friend was doing most of the talking.

She looked up at Spike, who was taking it all in and she wondered just what to say to him about Angel. Did she really have to say anything? They were friends, yes, but it wasn’t as if she had to go into some deep explanation about it.

Did she?

No, she didn’t, she’d just take it as it came and explain --

“Hey Buffy.”

And here it was. “Hi, Angel.” She smiled up at him and darted a nervous glance up at Spike. Spike was studying Angel intently.

“Liam?” Spike finally said.

Angel looked at him, studying him closely. “William?”

How was it that she forgot they were friends once upon a time? Not as close as she and Spike had been, but when he needed to be with the boys, it was Angel he sought out.

“Yes, it’s me,” Spike answered, “I go by Spike now.”

Angel nodded slowly, “Okay, I go by Angel now.”

“Okay, sure.”

Angel grinned, “So when’d you get back, buddy?”

“Over the summer. I didn’t know you and Buffy were friends now.”

“Well, she was free and clear after you left,” Angel told him good – naturedly. “I didn’t have someone chasing me all over the playground because I asked her to be my girlfriend.”

"That's what you get for trying to steal your best friend's girl," Spike drawled.

Buffy laughed nervously and they both looked at her oddly. Oh, how history was sometimes doomed to repeat itself.

“So. Play a game of pool with an old friend?” Spike asked him, and then looked at Buffy. “Unless the lady objects?”

Buffy shook her head, “No, no objection here. You guys should play. Catch up and all that and –“

“I was um, hoping that maybe I could dance with the lady first?” Angel asked, looking at Buffy shyly.

Gulp. This was a bit of an awkward. But . . .why? She and Spike were friends. Nothing more. She had had a life after he left, and part of her current life was crushing on Angel. And now Angel was asking her to dance, so why should she feel guilty for that? She shouldn’t.

“Yes, I’d like that,” she said, smiling up at Angel. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Spike narrow his eyes.

Thankfully, her friends came to the rescue. Xander and Willow swarmed right around Spike.

“Hey buddy,” Xander said jovially, “Why don’t we get that table and warm up? You know, Willow doesn’t look like much—“

“Hey!” Willow exclaimed, smacking him on the arm.

“But she’s a demon at pool,” Xander continued, rubbing his arm. He looked at her warily, “And, incredibly strong.”

Spike nodded slowly, “Yeah…ok.” He stalked off, without a word and Buffy let out the breath she’d been holding.

Angel held out a hand, “Shall we?”

“We shall,” she replied and took his hand. Looking over her shoulder at Spike, as Angel drug her to the dance floor, she spied him with jaw clenched, racking up a pool table.

Suddenly, everything that seemed so light and fun earlier, seemed tense and dark now. She just wasn’t exactly sure why.

Chapter Five

Spike was barely concealing the fact that he was watching Buffy’s dance with Angel quite closely. His eyes were narrowed in concentration as he applied the blue chalk to the end of his pool stick.

“Hey there, buddy, I don’t think there’s gonna be any chalk left by the time you’re done and, you might start whittling the tip away too,” Xander said good-naturedly, though somewhat nervously.

Spike looked over at him, unconcerned. He held onto pool stick; though he did place the chalk on the table. “What’s the story over there?”

Xander came over to stand beside him. “Oh you mean the brunette that is failing miserably at not looking like a gigantic slut? That’s Cordelia and –“

“No, not her. Buffy and Angel. What’s the story with them? They like each other or something?”

“Well, or something kind of, but not. . . “ Xander trailed off looking hopelessly at Willow who was currently saving the table against the wall for them as the boys played pool, or rather, prepared to play pool.

Willow slid off the high stool and placed her coat on it and came over. “They’re friends.”

Spike raised a scarred brow, looking at her as if to say ‘I know you’re lying’. Xander nodded profusely.

“Friends don’t dance all close like that, all close and intimate,” Spike noted, frowning as he watched the pair. “You can tell me Red. I’m just looking out for our girl’s best interests.”

Willow chewed her bottom lip, “But, I don’t know that Buffy would want us to disclose her secrets like that—“

“Ah, so she does like him,” Spike said, nodding.

Willow flushed and looked at Xander with wild eyes.

Xander patted her back. “It’s okay, Wills. Why don’t you go back to the table, okay? Take a breather?”

Willow nodded dumbly and shuffled off.

“Okay, look,” Xander said forcefully and placed his hand on Spike’s leather-clad shoulder.

Spike rose his scarred brow yet again and Xander chuckled nervously, “Would you look at that? Not smart, right?” he took his hand off immediately, as if he’d been burned. “Now, we know that you and Buffy date back to under roo’s and all that stuff, but Buffy is our friend now. We’re just looking out for her—“

“So am I, mate. She was my best girl back in the day. Time’s passed, yeah, but I still don’t want anything to happen to her.”

“Sounds like Angel was your ‘mate’ too.”

Spike shrugged, “Was, past tense.”

“So. . . and I realize I risk my life and limb here, so does that mean that if he were interested in Buffy, he’s not your ‘mate’ any longer.”

Spike didn’t answer, but turned back to the pool table, eyeing it with critical eye. “We ready to start this or what?”

*********

Buffy nearly skipped back to her friends with Angel in tow. She was smiling, feeling light and happy and then, finally making it to her friends, the tension surrounding them hit her like a wall. Xander was shuffling nervously, Willow looked despondent and Spike wasn’t even looking up at her.

She frowned. “What’s up?”

Xander looked relieved to see her. “Spike’s kicking my ass,” he said with more gusto than necessary.

Spike finally looked up after sinking the 8 ball and smiled at her, just her. “Hello, cutie.”

Her pulse jumped-started at that and she swallowed, “Hi.”

“May I?” Angel asked, reaching for Xander’s pool stick.

Xander looked at him, “Thank you,” he said with serious gratitude.

Buffy came over to Willow and sat down on the stool across from her, “Everything okay?”

Willow nodded, but wouldn’t look at her.

“Willow Rosenberg, what’s going on?”

“Whaddya mean?”

“I mean, I know something is wrong when you won’t look at me.”

Willow finally looked up at her, full of regret, “Buffy, I’m sorry.”

“For?” Buffy asked slowly, bracing herself.

Xander came over, “She spilled the beans on you and Angel to Spike.”

“Thanks a lot, Xander! You weren’t exactly stealth-guy over there. Who had to come over and bail you out?” Willow exclaimed.

“Whoa, whoa, hold the phone,” Buffy gestured for them to get closer before asking quietly, “What does Spike exactly know regarding Angel and I?”

“That you kind of like each other,” Willow mumbled.

“Did you just offer the information?” Buffy asked, nearly shouting. Spike and Angel looked over and she smiled brightly before ducking her head.

“No, he asked what the story was and by our non-responses, he pretty much gathered the information he needed,” Xander confessed. “He’s good. He’s like. . . I don’t know what he’s like, but he’s good.”

Buffy sighed and sat back, her eyes closing briefly. “I kind of wanted to avoid him knowing that just yet.”

“We tried not to say anything, really!” Willow jumped in. She glared at Spike, “He’s relentless.”

“So, why did you want to keep it secret if he’s all with being your best friend again?” Xander asked slyly, trying to turn the tables on her.

Buffy gave him a look, “Because I. . . I. . . “

“Like him?” Willow supplied.

Buffy scrunched up her face in frustration.

“Well, judging by the deadly game of pool he’s playing over there with Angel, I think he might like you too,” Xander observed, popping some peanuts in his mouth.

Looking over, it did look as if Spike and Angel were engaged in quite a deadly game of pool. Spike was concentrating hard and the way his jaw was clenching and unclenching as Angel sunk a ball, he looked about ready to pounce. And not in a good way.

“Can I have a sodding go?” Spike barked at Angel.

Angel looked at him, taken back, “But I sunk it. I get to go again.”

“You’re cheating,” Spike accused.

Angel blinked and furrowed his brow, “Excuse me? How can I be cheating? I either get the ball in or I don’t –“

“You never said you were good at pool.”

Angel leaned a hip against the table and regarded him thoughtfully, “You never asked. Was I supposed to whip out my credentials when you asked me to play pool?”

“You could have given an opponent a hint.”

“Do you want to continue the game or --?”

“Just shoot the bloody ball,” Spike nearly snarled.

“What the hell crawled up your ass and died?” Angel demanded.

They faced off, glaring openly at each other and Buffy rushed in. “Hey, now, why don’t we take a break from pool then, okay?”

Spike threw his stick on the table, “I’m getting a drink,” he muttered angrily and stalked off.

**********

Leaning over the bar, trying to convince the bartender to put a little Jack in his coke, Spike was bumped into by someone. Looking up he noticed a pale, raven-haired beauty with ruby red lips.

“Hello, darling,” she purred and, he noted, she had an accent.

“Ah, another Brit.”

She smiled and leaned into him slightly, placing her hands on him lightly. She was. . . mesmerizing. He wasn’t sure what it was about her, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He wasn’t sure if it was because of how different she was from Buffy – while Buffy was golden and summer, this girl was dark and winter, or if he was intrigued by how bold she was to be coming up to him and placing her hands on him, looking at him with what could only be seen as seductive.

“I’m Drusilla. Your name?”

“Spike,” he answered.

She smiled, “Care to dance, my Spike?”

He hesitated and then caught sight of Buffy talking with Angel, and looked at Dru with a seductive grin of his own. “Sure thing, pet.”