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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks again for the amazing reviews! It makes me feel really good and inspires me to write. Here's chapter three, I really hope you enjoy it.

I'm looking for another beta, my current second beta is on holidays and i don't want to delay this story because of it. So if you know someone, or am willing to beta, please send me an email! It's mainly grammar and structure that needs extra checking.

Chapter 3: Bad Endings of a Party


The band was coming onto the stage, the lights were dimmed and the crowd got ready for the performance.

Buffy looked around the club and noticed that it was completely packed. All the tables were occupied and people were standing in the back to see the show. She looked over at the bar to see Spike busying himself to get everybody drinks. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. The graceful way he moved, the smiles and smirks he gave his customers to entertain them. When Spike suddenly looked up and met her gaze, she blushed furiously and quickly looked back at the stage.


XXXXX


Spike felt someone was watching him and as he looked up and stared straight at the pretty little blond that had him mesmerized ever since he had looked into those beautiful green eyes. He noticed how she reddened and quickly looked away when he met her gaze. He smirked to himself and thought how adorably cute she looked with a blush on her cheeks.

Shaking himself out of his stare he looked up at the band playing on stage. Everything was going as planned. The night had gone on without any trouble and Spike was very happy with his success.


XXXXX


The band had been playing for almost and hour and announced their break and a DJ took over for the next half hour. Bouncy music filled the bar and more people started dancing.

Buffy and her friends were sitting at their table enjoying their drinks when the DJ’s music started. It was pop/rock sort of music that was excellent for dancing. Willow and Tara got up from their seats to head up to the dance floor.

“Come on Buffy, let’s dance, you know you want to!” Willow winked at her.

Buffy smile at her, got up from her chair, and walked over to the couple. She tentatively started to sway her hips to the music, and soon got a good rhythm, forgetting the world around her. Strangely enough, Buffy had always loved to dance, even though she was never really secure about herself. But when she was on the dance floor, she felt wonderful, as long as no one came near her and made a pass at her.

Cordelia and Xander soon followed. Buffy was completely oblivious to the stares she was getting from the men - one in particular, who was standing behind the bar, admiring her graceful moves.

Completely unaware of her surroundings, Buffy suddenly felt an arm wrap around her waist. She was being pulled backwards towards a hard chest. That’s when the world came crashing down and she immediately froze up. She could feel someone grinding his hips into her back and felt his breathing near her ear.

“Come on baby, you know you want to dance, don’t stop now,” he whispered into her ear.

Buffy had no idea what to do and struggled to get away from the man. He wouldn’t have any of it though, and tightened his grip on her. Buffy frantically looked around her with a pleading look in her eyes.

“Please let me go,” Buffy whimpered and struggled harder. Her friends were too occupied with their own dancing and didn’t see her trouble.

“Oh now baby, don’t be such a tease, you got me all hot and bothered with that little dance you just did there,” the stranger hissed in her ear while grinding his obvious erection against her bottom.

Tears threatened to spill over. She was too panicked to even think of screaming to get someone’s attention, and she didn’t want to make a scene either.

Just then she saw Cordelia looking her way who recognized the situation and stalked over to where Buffy was being held, seeing the fear in the girls face.

“Hey, why don’t you just let her go, isn’t it obvious she doesn’t want to dance with you? Just get your hands off of her and go harass someone else,” Cordelia said, attempting to take Buffy’s arm to lead her away.

The guy had other thoughts and turned his back to Cordelia, taking Buffy with him.

In the meantime the rest of Buffy’s friends realized something was wrong. Xander was just about to take action when he saw the bartender walk up to the stranger who had Buffy in his clenches.

XXXXX


Spike was having a wonderful time. The audience was obviously enjoying themselves and the bar was as busy as ever. His eyes wandered around and he saw people dancing and chatting. His eyes came to a halt when he saw his little blonde fantasy being grabbed by some guy. She had been dancing the night away, swaying her hips to the music and seemed oblivious to her surroundings. He saw her eyes shoot open when she was pulled against the guy’s chest. She was trying to get away, but failed and he could read the fear on her face. Her dark-haired friend was trying to pry her away, but her efforts seemed fruitless. Without thinking twice, Spike walked up to them and tapped the guy on the shoulder.

“I believe the lady made it clear she doesn’t want to dance with you, so why don’t you be a good lad and leave her alone?” The assaulter looked Spike up and down and unconsciously loosened his hold on Buffy.

Buffy disentangled herself from the stranger’s arms and ran over to her friends. Willow enveloped her in a tight hug.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” the assaulter asked walking towards Spike.

“The name’s Spike, I own this place and therefore am asking you to leave now before I call the police and have you removed from the property.” The guy was already backing up, not wanting to get into trouble.

“Fine, she’s not even worth it anyway.”

Watching the guy walk out of the bar, Spike turned around and walked over to Buffy and her friends.

“I’m really sorry about that, are you ok?” he asked Buffy.

Not really aware of what was happening and only half-comprehending what Spike was saying, she merely nodded. Willow led her back to the table where she sat down and was handed a glass of water that Spike had gotten for her.

“I think it is best we go home” Willow announced and got their stuff together.

Buffy again just nodded and mutely followed Willow’s lead.

Spike watched them go, not in the position to do anything than just stand there. He sighed and walked back to the bar. This was not how this night was supposed to end. A thorn in an otherwise wonderful evening.


XXXXX


The last two weeks had gone by in a blur. Buffy had been swamped with work and had visited her mom a few times to set things up for the exhibition at the gallery on the following night. Invitations had been sent out to all the major buyers and friends of the Summers’ household.

The events of the costume party had been on her mind and she wasn’t sure how to deal with it all. Why had she reacted the way she did? Why hadn’t she been able to tell him off, or stomp on his foot to get loose? And then there was Spike. What must he have thought of her? He’d probably thought she was a sad damsel in distress, who couldn’t even stand up for herself. That had been the main reason why she hadn’t gone back to the bar since, even though Willow tried to persuade her to go, telling her that no one would remember what had happened. Buffy was as stubborn as always, and simply refused to go. Willow had soon given up, knowing that there was no reasoning with her when she was in one of those moods.

Now, Buffy was putting some clothes in her weekend bag, since she was staying the weekend at her mother’s house. The gallery exhibition was going to take up most of the weekend, setting up the last bits and pieces, and of course, cleaning everything when the opening was over.

With a sigh she closed her weekend bag and hauled it down the stairs. She checked the windows and backdoor, grabbed her keys and locked the door behind her.


XXXXX


Rupert Giles walked into Spike’s office. He’d been coming here every day around noon to have lunch with the new young Brit. They’d hit it off right away, even though they had a completely different style of living, what with Giles being the somewhat stuffy librarian of Sunnydale State’s library and Spike being the owner of the bar with his ‘Big Bad’ image.

“Hello, Spike. Fancy a bite to eat?” Giles asked Spike as he sat down in one of the chairs in Spike’s office.

It wasn’t a large office - it only had one desk in it that stood right in the middle. At the back were two closets that held all the paperwork that was needed to run the place. There was a small sofa on the side and a chair, which Giles currently occupied.

Spike ran his hands through his hair.

“Yes, I think that’s a good idea. I could use a nice big lunch. This paperwork is giving me a headache. I should really get someone to help me out here. It’s getting too much to do this all on my own,” he wondered out loud.

Giles snickered at that.

“That’s what you get when you have so many things planned for this place. Why not take it easy first? Why expand it right away?”

Spike raised his eyebrow at that.

“Oy, I never said I was going to make changes right away! It just takes a lot of time planning and figuring things out before I can do that. But maybe you’re right, maybe I should take things a bit slower before I dig my own grave with things that I can’t accomplish anyway.”

Spike stood up from his chair and grabbed his coat. “Let’s go mate, lunch is waiting for us.”

They crossed the street to a small bistro where they served excellent lunches.

“Spike, I wanted to invite you to a small gallery exhibition that is being held this weekend. A dear friend of mine owns the gallery and I’ve got two free tickets. And since I know you love art, I was wondering if you were interested?” Giles asked after giving the waitress his order.

“A gallery exhibition? I’d love to go. I miss being able to just walk into the national museum back home to take my mind off things.”

“Great, that’s settled then,” Giles replied with a smile. He knew Spike had let his eyes fall on Joyce’s daughter. He’d noticed the way he would glance at her when she was around. He and Spike had talked about the incident a few times and the tone in Spike’s voice said enough to know he was worried and curious about the girl.

He would be good for Buffy. His bad boy image was just a safety blanket. Giles had seen the real ‘William’ to know he was a warm and worthy man.


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Right, that's chapter three. Was it good enough, too drastic or just right? Please tell me so I know what you guys think and how i can improve! Thanks!





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