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DISCLAIMER: These characters belong to Joss Whedon and company - not me.

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Entering the back room the of the Magic Shop, Spike was immediately annoyed that the Scoobies were talking and not practicing. When he saw that Riley was sitting in a chair in the back, he was peeved.

"There won't be any talking tonight. We have a lot we need to catch up on." Spike turned to Buffy. "People who are not in the band do not need to be here. Especially those who work for rival bands."

Fire danced in Buffy's eyes. It only made her look more beautiful. "This is my band, and if I want the entire town to watch us practice, they can."

"Well, if you want my help.."

Riley spoke up then, his voice flat. "You don't need to worry about me working for the Initiative - I quit a few days ago." He stood up. "If you still want me to leave, I can go."

"Riley, stay." Buffy looked at Riley with sympathetic eyes. Then, she turned to Spike and dared him to defy her.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Fine, he can stay."

Spike pushed them for the rest of the evening, taking out his frustrations with Buffy on them. He was still hurt from when Buffy shoved him to the side to take comfort from Riley at the hospital. When Riley had showed up, Spike had never been more angry. Then, Spike was angry because he was angry. He had recognized the feeling. It was jealousy.

Now, Riley was here, apparently having just quit the Initiative. Spike didn't have that as an excuse to dislike him. Riley was kind and, if Spike was honest with himself, he could be a good man for Buffy. It would be so much easier if he was an abuser or cheater. Instead, the only thing that seemed wrong about their relationship was that Buffy didn't seem to love him as much as Riley loved her.

That little crumb is what kept Spike from walking out the door, for he realized that he was in love with her.

He pushed his feelings down into the pit of his stomach, refusing half the time to look at Buffy. By the time practice was over, he realized he had only concentrated on the rest of the band. They wearily said their goodbyes because he had worked them harder than he meant.

Spike was tired by the time he got home. The light outside his apartment was out, making it difficult to unlock his front door. His spine tingled, telling him that someone else was nearby. He swirled around, raising his keys up as a weapon.

"Spike, I need to talk to you." Adam stood stoic behind him.

Spike eyed him wearily. "About what?"

"I understand that you're suspicious, but we can both help each other. There is something I need and something you want."

Spike raised his eyebrow. "Is this about the Scoobies knowing that you pretend to sing up there? Riley had such an interesting story to tell us all. I wasn't really surprised."

"Yes, well all you have is the word of a disgruntled ex-employee as evidence. I'm not really worried about that."

"What's this all about, then?" Spike leaned on the door.

Adam took a step closer. "You've been helping the Scoobies, and now they have a good chance at winning the Battle of the Bands."

"And you want me to do a little sabotage."

"I want the band gone."

Spike crossed his arms over this chest. "Why would I do that? If they broke up, I'd be out of a job."

"You could have your column back. One word from mother, and the newspapers would change their minds."

Red hot anger burned through Spike. Maggie Walsh was the reason he lost his column, and now they want him to betray the Scoobies to get it back. But, he could have it again. The anger was slowly replaced by a feeling of resignation. It wasn't like there was anything holding him to the band. Buffy hadn't said three words to him at practice that night, unless they were about Riley or the band. Who was he kidding? He didn't have a chance with her, even if she dumped Riley.

"Okay, I'll do it. I want that column back, so you'd better deliver."

Adam smiled and shook his hand. "You have my word."

A feeling of dread came over Spike. He tried to get rid of it, but he couldn't shake it. What did he just agree to do?

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"Mom! What are you doing out of bed?" Buffy's heart beat wildly in her chest. Her mother was in the kitchen, washing dishes. "I can do that."

"I'm fine." Joyce rinsed a glass and put it on the dish rack. "Dr. Issacs said I could get up if I felt better. If I spend one more minute in that bed, I'm going to go crazy."

Buffy picked up the glass and began to dry it. "You are looking better. I'm just worried."

"Enough about me. How are things? I heard your band is really improving."

Buffy smiled. "Giles and Spike both think we have a good chance at winning the Battle of the Bands in a few months."

"That's great, honey! I'm sure you are all are excited."

"We are." Buffy thought about the last practice. "Spike's been acting strange, though, ever since we started practicing again."

Joyce furrowed her brow and looked at her. "How so?"

"He doesn't talk to anybody, unless it's to give us directions. He never asked about you."

"Has Riley been at these practices?" Joyce placed the sponge on the counter.

Buffy nodded. "I don't think Riley has anything to do with it. Spike knows he quit the Initiative."

Joyce raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

"You think he's jealous of Riley? Spike doesn't even like me."

Joyce toweled her hands off and turned to her. "I don't know. Usually, if a man doesn't like someone, he doesn't spend a week in her mother's hospital room."

Everything made sense - Spike's attitude and disappearance from the hospital. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought. She shook her head. She already had a boyfriend, she told herself. But the idea of being with Spike wouldn't leave her mind.

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Buffy frowned and wiped the sweat from her brow. Usually, she was completely calm after a show. She tried to enjoy her first performance since her mom's surgery, but she had nagging worries about her mom. Hopefully, it didn't affect her performance, she thought.

"You did good." Willow smiled and handed her a water bottle.

Buffy returned the smile. "Thanks. I kept thinking of my mom."

"And it showed." Spike took a sip of his beer. "I hope you're one hundred percent into the performance for the Battle of the Bands."

Buffy glared at him. "Well, by then she'll be completely recovered, so don't worry." She turned away from him and mumbled, "Not that you care."

He brushed past her, walking to the other side of the club. She tried to ignore the rush in her chest at the contact.

Riley walked up and hugged her. "You were wonderful. I can never get tired of watching you perform."

Buffy saw Spike glowering at the bar and hugged Riley back. "I'm kind of tired, and I want to check on my mom. Do you mind if we left early?"

"No. We can leave now." Riley took her hand and led her out the door.

Buffy or Riley didn't speak much on the ride home. The house was dark when she arrived. Softly kissing Riley, she moved to get out of the car.

"Do you want to come inside?" Buffy paused at the door.

Riley brushed her hand with his fingertips. "I should probably pass. Looks like your mom is asleep."

Buffy nodded and got out of the car. A little relieved, she made her way in the house. She hadn't felt much like being intimate with Riley since her mom became sick. Her mom was getting better, though. Deep down, a nagging guilt told her that her mom was just an excuse.

After glancing in her mom's room, she flopped on the couch and watched television. She wasn't really tired, but she didn't want to be around Spike. Would it hurt him to say something nice after a show?

After the movie she was watching was over, she found a band that was playing a similar rock style that the Scoobies played. While she admired the lead singer playing, she suddenly realized that she left her own guitar at the bar. Jumping up, she grabbed her cell phone and called Willow.

"Are you still at the club?" Buffy rushed to her car.

"We left ten minutes ago. What's wrong?"

"I left my guitar. Did you see it?"

"No. Do you want me to go back?"

"No, I'm on my way."

How could she be so stupid? That guitar was her baby. Pulling into the parking lot, she was relieved that the club was still open.

A quick glance at the stage, and her heart dropped. It wasn't there. She ran over and searched behind the stage and the nearby tables, turning up nothing. Trying to stay calm, she asked the bartender if anyone had turned in a guitar. A tear trickled down her cheek, when he shook his head.

A man sitting at a table under the stairs caught her eye. Spike. At his feet, was her guitar. She was so overjoyed, she didn't wonder why he was still there or see the man sitting next to him.

"Spike, I thought we had a deal. You were supposed to make sure the Scoobies didn't play anymore." Adam's voice broke through to her.

Buffy stopped dead a few feet from the table. "You're working with him against us?"

"Buffy, it's not what you think." Spike scrambled to stand up.

She couldn't hold back her tears. Blindly, she grabbed her guitar and ran. She didn't know where she was going, but she had to get out of there. She had trusted him.

Somehow, she made it to the alley behind the bar. Clutching her guitar, the pain from his betrayal wracked through her body. She leaned against the wall of the club and cried. It seemed like when something good happened, something terrible came along. When she got closer to Riley, her mom became sick. When her mom was getting better, Spike betrayed her. Her mom was wrong, he wasn't interested in her at all. This Adam thing was the reason he was acting funny.

The creak of the club door brought her attention to the fact that Spike had followed her.

"He promised to give me my column back." He slowly walked up to her.

Buffy looked up at him in disgust. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"It was the most important thing in my life. You would have done the same thing to get your band back."

"No, I wouldn't. I would never take someone's dream away for my own." Buffy shook her head, then suddenly snorted. "You're no better than Maggie Walsh."

She had to get away from him. Shifting the guitar to her right hand, she started to walk away from him. He grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"I was going to tell Adam that the deal was off," Spike pleaded. "I couldn't hurt you."

Buffy turned to face him and pushed away his hand. "Why? You can't stand me." Her voice choked.

"I do." Spike stepped closer.

Buffy's head was spinning, and he was too close. Her emotions strained, she let out a feeble, "No."

His eyes flared, and his mouth crashed down on hers. She didn't push him away, because deep down she wanted and needed this. Instead, she responded immediately, drawing strength and comfort from him. His lips, firm but yielding, softly caressed her own. A spark, deep in her belly, suddenly exploded into a wave of desire that touched every nerve of her body.

He had her against the wall. All she was aware of was the hard body pressed into hers and the smooth tongue seeking her mouth. Her fingers ran through his hair, holding him tightly against her as she gave him access.

His hand skimmed down her shoulder and touched her breast, jarring her back to reality. Pushing him away, she scrambled to the other side of the alley.

"I have a boyfriend. We can't do this."

There was something in his expression - pain? Confused, she ran to her car. He didn't follow her.


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