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Author's Chapter Notes:
thanks once again to my beta!
Chapter 9: Lonely

(This scene with Buffy and a student is partly taken from Season 7-so don’t be mad!)

“…and my parents won’t get off my back about college. They keep telling me: ‘football won’t get you anywhere.’ Then my girlfriend keeps saying she doesn’t wanna- hey are you listening to me?” The brown-haired teenager demanded angrily.

Buffy nodded eagerly, “Of course I am…” She trailed off trying desperately to remember the boy’s name.

“Mike. Mike Hannigan,” The boy replied angrily and shook his head. “God, you’re just like everyone else. Too busy with their own damn problems.” Mike stood up and grabbed his backpack, looking forlorn.

“Wait! Don’t go!” Buffy cried. “I’m hip, I can relate to you a-and,” She paused with a frown, “You really shouldn’t swear.”

Mike just closed the door, ignoring her protests.

Buffy sighed and doodled on her blank paper. Honestly, she tried but today was just not her day. Her mind kept playing over the previous night from the dance with Spike to Riley’s unnerving reaction.

She stood up and switched the sign on the door so it said ‘Closed’, then headed over to Principal Robin Wood’s office.

He was way cooler than the old Principal Snyder ever was and she often went to him after a not quite so successful appointment.

Pushing the door open without knocking, Buffy began her venting.

“Do you know a Mike Hannigan? Cause I’m starting to think-“ She broke off mid-sentence at the sight in front of her.

Faith, topless, was straddling Principal Wood, also sans shirt, and both were looking at her with guilty expressions.

“Um…we can explain,” Faith began, jumping off Robin and reaching for her top. Buffy averted her eyes politely and responded, “I think I have an idea.”

“We’re dating,” Faith said quickly and exchanged a glance with Robin, who just flashed her an encouraging smile.

“Oh,” Buffy replied, her eyes darting between them. “Dating like…”

“Boyfriend-girlfriend shit,” Faith clarified, giving Robin a soft smile. Buffy gaped at her friend in surprise. Faith was definitely not one for dating. Buffy was pretty sure Faith had invented the meaning of “use ‘em and lose ‘em.”

“Th-that’s good,” Buffy replied, her shock wearing off. “Really, really good.” Her eyes flitted to Robin’s bare chest.

He quickly threw on a shirt and spoke. “Look Buffy, I’d appreciate if you didn’t say anything to anyone right now. The school doesn’t exactly condone teacher-teacher relationships.”

“Also they don’t like it when people make out in their offices,” Buffy added pointedly.

Faith had the decency to look slightly embarrassed. “We’ll keep that in mind.”

There was a moment of silence before Buffy spoke again.

“I’m happy for you guys, really,” She said sincerely. “And I promise I’ll knock from now on.”
Robin chuckled, “Thanks.”

Faith headed towards the door. “Well B and I better get back. See you later Robin.” Her voice was full of promise and Buffy felt a little embarrassed being there.

“Yeah,” Robin replied softly then cleared his throat. “Bye Buffy.”

Both girls exited his office and as soon as Faith closed the door Buffy shoved her lightly.

“I can’t believe you didn’t say anything!” She pouted.

Faith shrugged, uncharacteristically quiet. “It’s new. I didn’t want to bust it before it went anywhere.”

Buffy nodded, understanding exactly what her friend meant.

“So what about you and Riley?” Faith asked.

“What about us?” Buffy responded cautiously. Okay, so things hadn’t been the best recently, but what couple didn’t have their ups and downs?

“You guys all sweet and lovey-dovey as usual?” Faith teased and Buffy just shrugged.

Faith chortled. “Oh. I know what that means,” She said knowingly.

“What what means?” Buffy said almost too defensively.
“That shrug,” Faith motioned to Buffy with her hand. “That’s a ‘the sex ain’t good’ shrug.”

“What?” Buffy screeched, and then lowered her voice as a guidance counselor glanced up, looking annoyed.

“We’re fine!” Buffy hissed. “And how can you tell that from a gesture, F?”

Faith held her hands up in mock surrender. “Hey I’m just saying…”

“Well don’t,” Buffy snapped and slammed her door in Faith’s face, fuming.

Buffy sighed and ran her hand through her hair. She felt bad for snapping at Faith, but did she really have to tell her that?

Buffy knew the answer: yes. She needed to face up to the facts; she and Riley weren’t doing all that great right now. And it wasn’t Spike’s fault, Buffy admitted to herself. It had started before that. Spike just made the cracks visible.

But still, her optimistic side argued, that didn’t mean she should just give up on their relationship.

“I’m going to make it work,” Buffy said out loud with determination. All she needed were vanilla-scented candles, a hot bath and sexy new lingerie.

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

At the mall, Buffy made her way to Victoria’s Secret. She had exactly 27 minutes to find something to blow Riley’s mind before Dawn needed to be picked up.

She entered the store and headed towards the lace teddies, fingering the delicate material between her fingers.

“Can I help you?” A breathy, feminine voiced asked and Buffy turned to see an eager saleswoman looking at her expectantly.

“Um…” Buffy paused. “I was actually looking for something…sexy. Something for me and my-“

“Say no more,” The woman stopped her with an impish grin. “I know just the thing.”

The saleslady led her to the back to the back and pulled out something red and lacy with a flourish.
“This is guaranteed to make your lover lose it,” She said confidently.

Make my lover lose it? Buffy thought with distaste. Hopefully they were paying her to say that.

Buffy warily took the item and eyed the fancy loops and laces. It was a bit much for her taste.

“Uh, do have something more…simple? But still sexy?” She questioned.

The woman pursed her lips and then brightened. “Follow me,” she ordered, leading Buffy to yet another display and pulling out a dark emerald flimsy slip.

Buffy took it and smiled. It was silky, short and very low cut with two tiny straps holding it up. The color matched her eyes and she knew it would look good.
“I’ll take it.”

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

Buffy had persuaded Dawn to stay with Janice that night so the house was empty. She spent the rest of her afternoon spreading out thick white candles in her room and drawing a bath with the same candles surrounding it.

She put in a CD and turned the volume low. She glanced at the clock and smiled with satisfaction. Everything was ready just in time. Now all Buffy had to do was run upstairs to put her new purchase on and run a brush through her straightened hair.

She just made it down the stairs when the doorbell rang. Her stomach fluttered and she smoothed the emerald silk before opening the door with a seductive smile.
“Hi Riley. Come in.” She purred, giving her hair a toss.
Riley stood there, mouth wide open for a second before snapping his jaw shut.

“Uh…you’re not wearing that to the movies are you?” He asked worriedly.

Buffy giggled. “No silly. I thought we could spend the night…in.”

“Um…” Riley began, hesitantly stepping inside. “I wasn’t aware of that.”

“I know,” Buffy said cheerfully. “It was a surprise. I figured it’s been a while since we really did something special. I even drew you a bath…” She trailed off, stepping forward to take his coat and brushing a promising kiss against his lips.

Riley stood there stiffly. “I wish you’d told me about this,” he muttered, rubbing his neck.

Buffy drew back, her romantic intentions disappearing rapidly. The air seemed cooler, less inviting.

“Why? Can’t I plan something nice for you? For us?” Buffy questioned, crossing her bare arms over her chest.

“It’s just I thought we were going to the movies and I’m kind of beat,” Riley admitted.

Buffy bristled, annoyed her plans were falling part.
“So I make everything look nice, get Dawn out of the house and wear this,” She motioned to her outfit, “And you decide you’d rather see a movie?”

Riley sighed, his irritation breaking through. “I’m just not in the mood, okay! And you’re making it sound like we never do anything like this!”

Buffy looked at him coldly. “That’s because we don’t,” She said shortly and went up the stairs to her room, slamming the door hard enough to make the walls shake.

“You can show yourself out,” She yelled through the door while rifling through her clothes for a pair of jeans and comfy top.

Downstairs, Riley stared down at the floor, his gaze briefly flicking up the stairs before he slowly opened the door and closed it quietly behind him.

As soon as Buffy heard the door close, she blew out all the candles, drained the bathtub and grabbed her keys and shoes. She made it to the car before she wondered where the hell she was going.

Then Buffy got an idea. Taking out her cell, she quickly dialed Willow’s number.

“Hey Wills, can you tell me where Spike is staying?”

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

Buffy knew it was a bad idea, a horrible one in fact, and she’d probably regret it later, but right now she didn’t care.

She turned sharply into the parking lot of Spike’s hotel, pulling into a parking spot and jumping out. Inside the hotel, Buffy asked the hotel clerk if he could call up to Spike’s room.

“I’m sorry ma’am, there was no response,” The man informed her. Buffy sighed and asked him to try again.

“It’s important,” She told him. Her voice must have conveyed her urgency because he tried again. No response.

Dejected, Buffy thanked him and slowly walked out of the hotel. She was almost to her car when a dark figure sitting against the hotel wall caught her eye. Buffy watched a trail of smoke curl upward and the orange ember flicker brightly. Could it be…?

Spike sat on the ground, his back against the hotel wall, smoking his cigarette. He’d been doing so well, almost three weeks before he broke down and resumed the habit. He blamed Buffy; she made him need the release.

The night before, the dance they’d shared had been a small flicker of hope for him. Hope that maybe Buffy felt more for him then she was letting on. It was barely anything, but the look in her eyes…it made him want her and love her a thousand times more than before.

“That fucker.” He muttered.

Spike tossed his cigarette on the ground, crushing it with his scuffed booted foot.

“Wow, I think they call that littering,” A deceptively sweet, feminine voice remarked from above him.
Spike looked up to see Buffy standing there, her long golden hair framing her beautiful golden face and her green eyes studying him. His heart flip-flopped at the sight of her.

“Hey Summers,” He said casually.

“Hi,” Buffy replied, her voice soft. A silence stretched between them and Buffy lowered herself next to him.

“I was looking for you inside,” Buffy informed him, hugging her knees.

“Really?” Spike replied trying to sound disinterested.

“Yeah,” Buffy replied, staring off into the distance. “You weren’t in your room so I was going to check around but then I saw you sitting here.”

“Why?” Spike asked abruptly, turning to face Buffy head-on. She looked back at him, her eyes unreadable.

“Wanna go do something?” She asked, half-answering his question. She wasn’t exactly sure what the other part of the answer was anyway.

“Always,” Spike replied with a smirk. Buffy stood up and brushed any dirt off her jeans.

Spike followed suit and they walked to her car.
“So, where’re we going?”





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