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CHAPTER 14 -- Must Get Out (Several Miles From The Sun)

One month later . . .

Buffy weeded her way through the smoky crowd, her steps consistent with the downbeat of the base. Bodies crowded the entire floor, grinding against each other to the beat of the music. Her steps were purposeful and any man that attempted to approach her quickly retreated.

She smiled when she peered through the crowd and spotted two familiar heads. Over at the table they had sat at the night Spike brought her there was Xander and Willow. As she approached the table, the song ended, plunging the crowd into a light buzz of conversation.

“Hey guys,” she said quietly, just loud enough to be heard over the noise of the Bronze.

Willow and Xander whipped around, both startled to see her. The straw Willow was sipping her fruity drink from fell out of her mouth.

“Buffy?” Willow asked. Buffy gave a nervous smile in response.

Xander glanced warily around the club, “Hey, Buff, not that we’re not glad to see you but . . . What are you doing here?”

A painful expression crossed over her features, “Where’s Spike?” Buffy prodded gently.

“Um, Buffy . . .” Willow started.

Buffy interrupted her, “Please, Will, I need to see him.” She scanned the club, “Is he here? Did he move to another city? I know he would have told you guys if he had.”

The two glanced nervously at each other, a raging debate in both their eyes -- the redhead more sympathetic to Buffy’s cause, but Xander overprotective of his friend.

Buffy turned her gaze to the brunette, “Please Xander,” her eyes begged, trying to convince him.

“Buff, you came in here, used him, and broke his heart. How do you expect us to treat you?”

“I understand what your doing. You’re protecting him. But Xander, you have to believe me when I tell you I’m different. I made a mistake -- a huge, heartbreaking mistake. I knew how Spike felt about me and I hurt him. I knew how I felt about him and didn’t tell him. And I’m so sorry.” Buffy’s voice cracked, “Please, you have to tell me.”

“Buffy, I’d be lying if I said his heart healed overnight, but he’s just starting to move on with his life. He started his own law practice in . . .” Xander froze at his slipup.

Buffy’s eyes bulged, “Where? Here?”

“I won’t let you hurt him again,” Xander replied, set on not seeing his friend go through the lowest point in his life again.

“I know, and I’m sorry . . . . He told me . . . I didn’t know . . .” She rambled as she began to break down.

“Here, Red, the wankers ran out of vodka, so you got a Rum and Coke.”

Buffy gasp at the deep rumble of the accent she hadn’t heard in a month, her eyes instantly watering. She whipped her head around, her hair flailing behind her.

He broke through the crowd, twisting his body around a couple who failed to get out of his way, a drink balancing in each hand, his eyes on the ground so not to trip.

“How can you run a bloody bar without . . .” he glanced up for the first time.

As their eyes connected the band started up again. Pure shock set over his face. Gazing into those azure eyes she’d been dreaming about for the past month, the loud music was nothing but dull buzz to her.

“Hi,” she gave him a watery smile, the word coming out as nothing more than a sigh.

“Buffy,” he breathed. Willow reached over the table and gently extracted the drinks from Spike’s fingers before he dropped them.

When a minute past and he hadn’t made a move or said anything, “I saved the house,” Buffy blurted.

He looked confused, “You what?”

“My mom’s house . . . it’s mine again.” Spike gave her no reaction and Buffy continued nervously, “I work at the gallery now. I . . . I own it actually. Well, not all of it,” she continued to ramble, “Not yet anyway. I’m not ready to run the entire place . . . but I’m learning.” Her voice became firm, “And I will own it one day, when I get enough money I’ll buy the other half.”

She took steps towards him, “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“You hair’s longer,” he remarked.

Buffy smiled at the random notice, “I remembered how much you liked it.” He reached out a hesitant hand, lightly brushing the golden strands. He’d know she hadn’t married Angel. After he left he had obsessed over the society pages, until one day when he had seen the ad announcing Angel’s marriage . . . to Darla Travers.

The shaking hand he had barely touching her face wasn’t enough. Buffy took a step closer, nuzzling her cheek into his hand, wrapping her hands around his outstretched one.

Feeling her warm skin under his fingertips, seeing her bright smile, the smell of vanilla overtaking him, was all too much. He shot his hand out, wrapping it around her waist, and pulled her flush against him, taking her lips to his.

Buffy smiled against his mouth, winding her arms tightly around his neck. With a swipe of his tongue, she let him in to explore her, kissing her more thoroughly than he ever had.

Spike pulled back, breathless, “God how I never stopped loving you.”

Buffy gave him a bright smile, giving his lips a chaste kiss before traveling up his jaw, “Love you,” she sighed contentedly in his ear. She pulled back as much as she could from his tight grip, “Let’s go away, anywhere but here, please. I’m over L.A.”

Spike smiled, running his hands over her features before intertwining them into her tresses, “Me too, luv.”

TBC





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