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Author's Chapter Notes:
thanks to my beta!
Chapter 14: Red and Black

The Bronze was nearly empty, with only a few groups scattered around the tables and a DJ playing requests. Buffy easily located Willow, Xander and Anya all sitting at a table, talking animatedly.

Xander noticed her first and waved, “Hey Buffster!”

Buffy waved back and ducked under the stairs to their table. “Hey guys!”

Willow was eyeing her outfit with a wide eyed look, “Wow Buffy, nice outfit…kinda…”

“Slutty?” Anya supplied, popping a peanut in her mouth.

Xander gaped at her leather pants, “I like the pants.”

This earned a swat on the head from Anya as Buffy crossed her arms defensively.
“I do not look slutty, I look-you know…sexy."

“Uh huh,” Willow replied, still staring at her outfit warily, “Sexy.”

Buffy shifted, feeling uncomfortable under her friends’ scrutiny, “Can we stop, please?”

Tara approached from behind Willow bearing drinks and smiled at Buffy and then her glance flickered down. “You look very nice tonight Buffy. Any reason why?”

Buffy shrugged, her gaze trained on the table. “No reason.”

She looked around, “Where’s Spike? I thought you cornered him into coming,” Buffy teased and Willow shrugged, a smile tugging on her lips. “I think he’ll be here soon.”

“Where’s Riley?” Xander asked, stuffing his mouth with chips.

Buffy wrinkled her nose, “Swallowing does help, Xand. Riley’ll be here soon. I think he has some stuff to finish up at work, phone calls and stuff.”

Willow watched her friend worriedly and Tara also noticed Buffy’s discomfort, but neither commented on it.

“Oh, I see him now!” Anya said cheerfully, de-shelling another peanut. Buffy turned to see Riley walking towards them, looking like his mind was elsewhere.

“Hey Buffy,” he greeted, his voice flat, “hey everyone.”

The gang all said their hello’s and Xander offered to get the new arrivals drinks.

“Oh,” Anya said excitedly, “I’ve finally picked out a cake. Hallie recommended this catering company in LA…”

Riley lowered his voice and leaned into Buffy’s ear, “Can we talk somewhere, it’s important.”

Buffy bristled, not wanting to abandon her friends for a private conversation, “Not now. Later.”

Riley looked like he was about to object but nodded in agreement and turned to Xander, who’d arrived with their drinks, and started talking about the Sunnydale college football team.

“Buffy?”

Buffy glanced up from her cocktail at the sound her name.

“Are you okay?” Tara asked, her face sympathetic.

Buffy nodded with a brief smile, “Yeah I’m-“

She was cut off as Spike walked, or more like staggered, over to the table, his eyes glassy and unfocused, a goofy smile on his face.

“’Lo all,” he slurred. Buffy’s nose wrinkled as the stench of his alcohol-saturated breath hit her.

“Jeez Spike,” Willow pinched her nose, “what did you do? Take a bath in whiskey?”

Spike ignored her comment and smiled wider, which just made him look drunker.

“Fine day isn’t it?” he laughed bitterly, “Absolutely bloody fantastic!”

Buffy stiffened as she realized he was being sarcastic.
Willow edged her chair away from him and Buffy followed suit, praying he wouldn’t comment about the other night and get Riley angry.

“Um…Spike do you need a ride home?” Tara asked timidly and Spike slugged an arm around her neck.

“Nope, I bloody well do not,” he said cheerfully. “I want to hang out with my mates,” he paused and turned to Riley. “Except you.”

Buffy rolled her eyes, “Spike, shut up.”

Spike turned to her, his eyes unreadable. He took a swig of his bottle and scoffed. “Funny thing coming from you, bloody queen of blabbering on.”

Buffy went rigid and her jaw tightened. “I’m the queen of blabbering? Please Spike, you couldn’t keep your big mouth shut if someone paid you.”

Spike’s steely gaze fixated on her. “Piss off,” he growled and Riley jumped up.

“Hey man, back off,” he demanded, drawing up to his full stature which was considerably taller than Spike.

Spike just laughed and pointed a swaying finger at him. “Nice try farmer boy,” he sneered.

Riley’s eyes narrowed and he pushed Spike, causing him to stumble back and begin to laugh harder.

“Ooh,” he wiggled his fingers, “I’m sooo scared of your manliness”. A malicious grin broke across his face, “So tell me something, Finn, does she scream when you fuck her too?”

It went completely silent at the table and everyone stared at the two men. Riley’s face was white and he whipped his head to stare at Buffy, pinpointing her as the ‘she’ in Spike’s statement.

Buffy’s stomach churned and she could’ve sworn her heart stopped beating. How could he? She felt tears pricking her eyes. How could Spike so blatantly betray her like that?

Willow was staring at her best friend looking a little hurt and Anya was uncharacteristically quiet, her gaze trained on the peanut shell in her hand.

Xander blinked, his confusion clearly displayed on his face and Tara had backed away slightly from the group.
Spike, realizing exactly what it was he’d said out loud, looked guilty and opened his mouth, presumably to apologize when Buffy jumped out of her seat and ran out of the club, trying to hold back her tears.

Riley followed her out the back door and saw her sitting on the curb, staring absently at the brick wall. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and her eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

“So that’s what you wouldn’t tell me,” Riley said with a sigh as he stood on the street, facing her.

Buffy scoffed and tilted her head upwards. “It was four years ago!”

Riley stared down at her, his eyes remorseful. “But you couldn’t tell me.”

Buffy didn’t know what to say to that. Her anger and shame made her turn her head away and after a moment Riley walked away, leaving her sitting alone.

Inside the table was silent and Spike closed his eyes and swore. “Bloody fuckin’ hell.”

Willow stared up at him, finally snapping out of her shock.

“Oh my god,” she whispered and stood up, her chair scraping against the floor as she rushed out in the direction Buffy and Riley had gone.

Tara frowned, watching her girlfriend go, but made no move to follow. Xander and Anya were both avoiding everyone’s eyes and focusing on their glasses, unsure of what to say.

Willow opened the back door to see Buffy with her head in her hands, a lone tear traveling down her face. Willow tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear and sat next to her friend. Her heart went out to Buffy but at the same time, a thousand questions raced in her mind.

“It was him,” Willow spoke, her voice soft, “It was Spike, wasn’t it? Not Angel?”

Buffy nodded, squeezing her eyes shut.

Willow stared at her friend helplessly and instead of asking another of those million questions, she reached out and hugged her. After a few seconds Buffy began to shake as large sobs tore from her throat, making her friend hug her tighter.

A/N: now I know you might be thinking 'what the hell is Riahannon doing? She's chasing the Spuffyness away!'
But trust me, this will definitely work out, just be patient!





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