Chapter 11: Perfect Rain
“Spin again,” Buffy instructed and Dawn complied, her dress flaring out, shimmering in the light. Her gown was a soft light blue silk that hugged her slender figure and fell just past her knees.
“You look so pretty Dawnie,” Willow chimed in from Buffy’s bed. Dawn gave her a huge grin. “Thanks!”
Anya, who was trying to curl Dawn’s hair, smacked her arm. “Don’t move or this curling iron will burn you and then you won’t be going to the dance,” Anya warned, pushing Dawn into a chair.
She was too excited to care about Anya’s remark and let out a little squeal. “What time is it?” Dawn asked eagerly.
Buffy glanced at her watch, “7:25, only three minutes since you last asked.”
Dawn bit her lip, “I’m just so nervous!” She cast a glance in the mirror, studying her reflection with a frown. “Is my hair too poofy? Oh god is that a zit?”
Buffy rolled her eyes and swiveled the chair around so Dawn couldn’t see herself.
“You look amazing, honest.” Buffy said with conviction and Dawn gave her a thankful smile.
“Now,” Anya commanded, “go show the guys downstairs.”
Dawn stood up and slipped on her matching blue ankle-breakers and, with a little help from Willow and Buffy, wobbled down the stairs.
Spike and Xander were sitting on the couch waiting for what seemed like forever for the girls to come down from the bedroom. Finally Anya skipped down the stairs and motioned for Dawn to show off her stunning outfit.
She walked into living room and spun once, the dress swirling around her knees.
“You look very pretty Ms. Summers,” Xander complimented with a goofy grin. Dawn grinned back and turned expectantly to Spike.
“Lovely Nibblet,” He agreed with a warm smile.
The doorbell rang and Dawn jumped, her eyes wide. “Oh god, he’s here!” She raced over to the stair railing, grabbing her purse and shawl.
Buffy went to open the door, Willow hovering behind her, eager to see Dawn’s date.
“Hey Scott, come in,” Buffy greeted, opening the door wide.
Scott nodded in her direction, “Hi Buffy.” Then his gaze turned to Dawn and his jaw dropped slightly.
“W-wow Dawn, you look amazing,” He stuttered, his face flushing. Dawn smiled beatifically and looped her arm through his.
“I’ll be back around midnight,” Dawn informed her sister, praying she’d agree.
Buffy paused before nodding. “Fine. Call if you need a ride.”
Dawn tightened her grip around her boyfriend’s arm and nearly made it out the door when Willow cried out.
“Oh! I almost forgot! Tara asked me to take a couple of pictures since she has classes.”
Willow quickly fished her camera out of her purse and took a few pictures of the couple. As soon as she finished, the pair raced out of the house.
“Midnight!” Buffy called out as they walked down the driveway.
“I know!” Dawn yelled back as Buffy shut the door with a sigh.
“Well that was extremely entertaining,” Anya commented before tugging on her fiancé’s hand, urging him to get up off the couch.
“We should probably get going,” Xander explained, “if we’re going to make it to the movie.”
Willow bit her lip as she glanced at the clock. “I should probably get going too. I was going to meet Tara outside of class and then we have our Wicca group.”
Buffy felt a little disappointed they weren’t going to hang out and wait for Dawn to return, but graciously led them to the door, waving her goodbyes.
“Well, I guess it’s just you and me,” Spike commented and Buffy’s heart fluttered in her chest.
“I guess so,” she said casually and headed into the kitchen to avoid looking at him. She began scrubbing dishes, pressing hard with the sponge.
Spike, however, followed her, leaning against the fridge and watching her clean.
“Want to watch a movie? Believe you own some good films,” Spike teased.
Buffy shrugged. “Sure, I guess. You don’t have to stay, you know.”
Spike cocked his head and stared at her for a moment before speaking. “I want to.”
Buffy finally looked straight into his eyes. “Okay.”
****
“This is so stupid,” Buffy announced with distaste as Spike roared with laughter.
They were sitting on the couch watching a movie, Buffy curled up into one corner to leave a safe amount of space between them.
“Oh come on Summers, how can you not be entertained by Monty Python and the Holy Grail?”
Buffy huffed, “It’s pointless.”
Spike smirked, “And therein lies the point of this movie.”
She rolled her eyes. “Please, let’s watch something else. Anything else.”
Spike picked up the remote and clicked the TV off. “Let’s do something then.”
“Like what?” Buffy asked cautiously.
“Well for starters,” Spike glanced around, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “Where do you keep the good stuff?”
****
Buffy giggled and attempted to pour herself another shot. “I cannot believe you convinced me to do this.”
Spike smirked, “It’s all part of my charm, Summers.”
Buffy let out an unlady-like snort, “Charm, my ass.”
They were enjoying their liquor and each other’s company out on Buffy’s front porch and currently Buffy was reclining against one of the posts.
Her mind was swimming slightly and her skin felt hot. She studied Spike out of the corner of her eye, noticing he didn’t look even a little tipsy, which begged the question exactly how much of the bottle she’d had.
He also, Buffy observed, looked extremely hot.
“Come on Goldilocks,” Spike had slipped back into his pet names for her as the night progressed. “Have another.”
Buffy downed her who-knows-what-number shot of the evening and made her ‘blech’ face.
“I wonder how Dawn’s dance is going,” She mused after recovering from the aftertaste of the drink
Spike shrugged, “Good I suppose.”
Buffy toyed with her shot glass. “I just hope she’s having fun. I want her to have a good prom experience… dancing with friends and boyfriends, enjoying life.”
Spike bumped her shoulder gently, “What, like your prom was bad?”
Buffy tensed at his comment and Spike tried not to let her response hurt him. Buffy relaxed, defeated. “No, I guess it wasn’t.”
The mood took a serious turn and Spike suddenly turned to face her, watching her face intently. “Do you ever think about that night?” He questioned.
There was a long pause before Buffy’s answer came, so quiet Spike almost thought he hadn’t really heard it.
“Sometimes.”
Buffy had made it as far as the park when her tears began blurring her vision. She pulled over to the side of the road and let them fall. Soon, she was all out sobbing and why? She wasn’t even sure. Angel was an ass, she knew that, but she felt like she’d lost a part of herself.
“This is stupid,” Buffy said out loud, wiping the tears away. She pulled down the mirror and half-heartedly fixed her makeup. She was fishing through her purse when a lone figure caught her eye out the window. She stiffened, a thread of fear making its way up her spine. Then the saw the bleached hair and let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. It was Spike.
Despite her aversion to him, she really didn’t feel like being alone right now. She’d even settle for arguing with the bleached wonder, just to feel normal.
Buffy rolled down her window to call out but stopped when she saw his face.
The moonlight glinted off his hair, which was damp and curled from the light rain. He was wearing a tux, minus the jacket and his shirt was untucked and rumpled. His whole appearance made him look like a lost little boy.
“Spike?” She said softly and he looked up, startled. She saw him relax when he recognized her.
“Hello Goldilocks,” He drawled as if seeing her in the middle of nowhere was normal.
“Hi,” Buffy cautiously replied. “What are you doing out here?”
Spike let out a maniac laugh that made her shiver.
“Listening to the rain,” he chuckled. “Listening to the bloody rain.”
“Oh.” She was at lost for words. “Do you-I mean- do you need a ride?”
Spike wandered closer and his sway made her believe he probably wasn’t sober.
“No, but thanks pet,” He said quietly then frowned. “Why aren’t you at the prom thing with Peaches?”
Stupid, she berated herself, she should’ve known this would come up.
“I didn’t feel like going,” She answered quickly, not meeting his gaze.
“Yeah,” Spike muttered, “Me neither.”
They were silent for a moment before Buffy took a deep breath. “Wanna sit for a minute? Get out of the rain?”
Spike looked down at her in astonishment for a moment, and she could feel a blush working its way up her face when suddenly, he moved around the car and climbed into the passenger seat.
Once again, a silence filled the car and all Buffy could hear was the soft pitter-patter of the rain and their breathing.
“She dumped me, you know,” Spike said finally , staring out the window at the dark woods. His voice was low, “Drusilla, she dumped me.”
Buffy swallowed, “Angel dumped me. Right outside the gym.”
Instead of making a snide remark, Spike just muttered, “Ponce.”
He was paused before speaking again. “I don’t know why it surprised me. Bloody hell, with all the cheating I don’t know why I didn’t dump her,” He turned and gave Buffy a self-mocking bitter smile.
“’Cause you love her,” She said softly meeting his intense blue eyes.
“Yeah maybe,” He mumbled then looked at her. “Or maybe I’m just love’s bitch.”
Buffy cracked a small grin at that and Spike returned it. Then her grin disappeared.
“It surprised the hell out of me, Angel dumping me, I mean,” She gave a disbelieving laugh. “I was going to give him my virginity tonight.”
As soon as she realized what she said, a scarlet blush bloomed in her cheeks.
Once again Spike surprised her by grabbing her hands and staring straight her. “An arse like that doesn’t deserve your love, let alone your virginity, Buffy.”
The sound of her name coming from Spike sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.
“Thanks,” She mumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She glanced up to see Spike staring at her strangely, like he wasn’t sure what he was seeing.
“Spike? Something wrong?”
He blinked. “No-uh- nice dress.”
Buffy glanced down and fingered the soft ivory material. Her mom had surprised her by buying it, insisting her daughter only went to Senior Prom once, and might as well be spoiled. Buffy felt a slight twinge of guilt that the dress hadn’t even made it into the gym.
“Thanks,” She replied, unsure.
“Really,” Spike emphasized as if sensing her doubt. Buffy gawked at him. Now he was freaking her out.
“Why are you being so…” She stopped.
“So what?” Spike asked with an edge to his voice.
“So nice,” Buffy finished.
“Well in case you didn’t notice, we’re both sitting here looking bloody pathetic because we were both just dumped. ‘Scuse me if I don’t feel like fighting with the only person I can talk to right now,” Spike snapped.
“I know what you mean,” Buffy agreed, risking a look at Spike who was looking straight back at her. “This has been a sucky night.”
Spike shrugged, “Could be worse.” He propped his feet up on the dashboard.
“Really?” Buffy asked skeptically.
“Sure, you could have gone to the dance, had a bloody wonderful time, gone home with the poof, made love and then he could’ve dumped you.”
“Oh,” Buffy paused. “That does sound worse.”
“See,” Spike said pointedly.
“Thanks for trying to cheer me up.”
“I wasn’t,” he protested, “I was merely putting things into perspective.”
“Oh. Right,” Buffy said, trying to ignore that stupid sinking feeling.
“Do you want me to drive you home?” She asked, fidgeting slightly.
“God no, don’t want Dad’s soddin’ questioning,” Spike responded with a shudder.
“Yeah,” Buffy replied, “I know the feeling.”
Suddenly she was well aware of his presence, how close he was. Had he always had those cheekbones? she found herself wondering and turned away. Bad Buffy! She told herself. It was Spike!
“Buffy,” There it was again, that shiver when he said her name.
“What?” She snapped, her voice loud.
Spike frowned, “Just wondering where your mind went off to.”
Buffy forced herself to relax. “Just thinking.”
She met his eyes and found herself unable to look away from his mesmerizing eyes. They swirled with every possible blue and tiny flecks of yellow and green. She wondered if it would be weird to tell him his eyes were pretty.
“Spike,” She whispered.
“Yeah?” He replied, not breaking their eye contact.
Why were their voices so low and husky? Buffy wondered. And, she added, why was Spike’s face getting closer?
At the moment their lips touched, she felt shivers sweep up and down her spine. The kiss started off soft and hesitant, neither of them sure what was going on. Then something inside her took a hold of her reason and threw it out the proverbial window.
She wanted him right now with a hunger that terrified and excited her. Buffy pulled his head closer, kissing him ferociously. Spike instantly responded to her advances, pressing their bodies closer, their tongues intertwined.
More, Buffy thought incoherently. She needed more.
Buffy wasn’t sure whether it was the drinks or the memories, but soon she found herself leaning against Spike, feeling his warm hand tentatively running up and down her arm.
She titled her head up to see his face. “Do you ever wonder-“
Spike never got to hear what she was going to say because a car swung into the driveway, the headlights momentarily blinding them.
All of a sudden whatever confusion and drunkenness Buffy felt dissipated, and she sat up as she realized who was there.
Riley.
sorry-evil cliffhanger-damn them!
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Author's Chapter Notes:
once again, thanks to my beta and all readers and reviewers-you make my day! Reviews are always welcomed.