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Chapter 8

Wednesday, May 26, 2004 – one week after the battle in the alley…

“Vi, could you gather up all the girls? I have an announcement to make.”

“Sure, Buffy. I’ll be quick.”

“Was that Giles on the phone?” Dawn asked.

“Yep.”

“I take it he wants us home?” Willow asked.

The Slayers quickly flocked into the lobby and stood before their leader.

“That was Giles on the phone, guys. You’re going home Friday night, wherever you had been previously stationed.”

“We’re all from the Cleveland team, Buffy.”

“Okay. Giles said that the tickets will be waiting for you at the airport, and his secretary is faxing the details here. So, until then, have fun and explore the city.”

The girls dispersed, happy that they had official time off. They were soon out of the hotel and roaming L.A.

“What about us?” Dawn asked.

“Well, the two of us are free to set our own schedule, of course. Wills, he said to check in with the coven, and then decide if you’re needed anywhere right away.”

“Okay. I can only imagine what the desk’s going to look like when I get home. I’ve discovered Giles’ Watcher weakness is that he hates doing paperwork. All he wants to do is skim it, sign it, and get back to his research projects. Why don’t we hit an amusement park, or something, if I don’t need to get back right away?” Willow suggested.

“That’s cool with me!” Dawn agreed.

“Well, it has been forever since we went to Disneyland…” Buffy admitted.
~+~
Not bad, girl. A week after losing her home, Charlotte’s new apartment already looked lived-in, her knick-knacks and pictures scattered about the living room and bedroom. The bedroom had been bare, besides the plain pine bed and grey carpet. The living room had only an old couch and an end table with a lamp on it. She’d gone shopping for a coffee table yesterday after unpacking, and found one to match the end table that was cheap. The TV was propped on a box of books. The previous occupant had left the refrigerator and toaster oven, too, so along with her microwave, and the stove that came with the apartment, Charlotte was set for all her cooking needs. She still needed to find a bedside table. Her lamp was currently sitting on top of a couple boxes, in its place. The full bath had all of her beauty supplies set out, towels on the rack, and felt claimed. It was a small place to live, but cozy.

With two days to heal unmolested, her wounds had finally made significant progress, so that they didn’t need to be bandaged anymore. The small scabs were firmly in place, and the skin around them wasn’t pink anymore. Once the scabs fell off, she’d be able to conceal the scars with a little make-up.

Charlotte had finished moving ahead of schedule, so there was no reason she couldn’t go back to work tomorrow. It would help her paycheck, and the kids and her boss would be happy, too. Folding up the last of the empty boxes and stowing it in the closet, she brushed off her hands, and went to check her messages.

The first was from her mother, the next from her best friend, another from work saying that a different sub would be covering tomorrow and Friday so she might want to call and go over the lesson plan, and the last, was unexpected.

“Message 4, left at 3:58 AM. ‘Hey, luv…it’s me, Spike, but I guess you’d guess that anyway because who else is going to call you ‘luv’. Listen…I’m sorry for being such a wanker the other night. You didn’t deserve to be yelled at…I was just worried, and Dawn can tell you what I’m like when I care about someone I want to keep safe. So, that’s all I wanted to say…and I hope you’ll come by soon. The girls are wonderin’ about you. Well…goodnight, or good mornin’, however you want to think about it…I…bye, kitten.’”

He sounded horrible, and she wondered what had happened yesterday to make him sound drunk. She would have been happier with a quicker apology, but a day late was better than never. And he missed her, which was nice. Charlotte was thinking that she would stop by after work tomorrow night…if she didn’t already have plans. It would be nice to see Dawn, Willow, and Vi again.
~+~
Buffy was really trying to focus on having fun in the Magic Kingdom, but icky, serious thoughts kept creeping into her head. Things that Angel had said, and Spike, too. They made her question how well she was doing with this new life of hers, and Buffy didn’t like that. Even with her new motto of ‘not shutting her sister out’, she still liked to live in denial when something made her uncomfortable. And thoughts that complicated her new, simple life were definitely uncomfortable.

Thoughts like the man in any erotic dream she had was always Spike, and thoughts of her arousal being limited because the Immortal’s hands were too warm and didn’t feel right, and then, there was the crying she did all day on the anniversary of Spike’s death, only to find out that evening that he was alive again and Giles wanted her to interrogate Angel in person. No, these things she never admitted.

“Ready to try Splash Mountain?” Dawn asked, interrupting her musing.

“Sure. It has to be cooler in there, right? And who doesn’t love ‘Dippity-Doo-Dah’?”

“’Zippity-Do-Da’, Buffy.”
~+~
There was a bouquet of purple hyacinths in a square vase on Charlotte’s desk when she walked into her classroom Thursday morning. The card said, “Forgive me? There’s Chinese food and chocolate in it for you.” Leave it to a Victorian vampire to remember the language of flowers. She shook her head, chuckling at the stubborn vampire, and wondered how he was getting on with Buffy.

The warning bell rang, and her students started flooding into the band room.

“Miss Taylor!”

“Surprise…I finished moving early, so I just had to come back and see what trouble you guys might have gotten in to,” she teased the group.

“Aw, Ms. T, you know we don’t cause trouble. That’s the drama crowd.”

“Or the marching band,” added the teen next to him.

“I’m sure I’ve missed a lot of stories in a week, but for now, we need to get practicing. Warm-ups, please?”
~+~
Dawn spotted Connor heading up the stairs to Angel’s third floor apartment, and followed him.

“Hey…Connor, right?” He stopped and waited for her to catch up.

“Yeah…”

“We were kinda curious…how you know Angel?” he voice giving away her nerves at approaching the cute boy.

“He’s my dad,” Connor said simply.

“Huh?” Dawn blinked in surprise.

“I know, it was hard for me to believe, too, but it’s true. And you’re…?”

“Dawn, Dawn Summers. So how does that work?” she asked, too curious not to get an explanation.

“I was a prophecy kid. You?” he asked politely.

“Mystical Key turned human girl and sister of the Slayer.”

“Right…Dad explained who you all were the other day. I know Faith, too. She helped out last year, before Willow restored Dad’s soul again. Um, I don’t mean to be rude…” He gestured down the hallway.

“Oh! Sure, he’s expecting you…sorry for the intrusiveness. We’ve just all been curious for days…well, except for Willow, I guess. See you around?”

“Yeah. Bye, Dawn. It was nice to meet you.” He smiled softly, then continued on his way.

Dawn turned back and hurried to find Willow. She had a witch with some explaining to do.
~+~
“How could you not tell me that you know the hot guy?!” Dawn greeted the redhead, finding her in the kitchen.

“Huh?” Willow asked, not following.

“Connor! Angel’s kid? He said you know him, and you never dished the dirt. Very bad friend etiquette,” the teen clarified.

“Well, we only met briefly. I came up here, did my thing, and rushed back to Sunnydale. And he was different then. All with the petulant and broody. Makes sense, with his parents being Darla and Angel,” Willow replied.

“Two vampires? Whoa, he wasn’t kidding about being a prophecy baby. Do you know how old he is?” Dawn asked hopefully.

“A year ahead of you, I think. Which makes him too old for you until after your birthday. I don’t think Buffy will approve if you pursue Angel’s son, Dawnie,” Willow warned.

“Pfft! She’d only be weirded out because Angel’s her ex. Any other college boy wouldn’t even make her blink unless he’s a demon. One year older is nothing compared to her dating Angel, or Spike. And anyway, all we’ve done is introduce ourselves. I said nothing about trying to make him my new boyfriend…only that I’m curious about the hottie,” she justified.

“Are you going to tell Buffy about Connor’s heritage?”

“Nah…I don’t want Angel to kick us out early, ‘cause I’m sure she’s going to flip.”
~+~
Charlotte left the matching cardigan that went with her top in the car. She was wearing a halter top that disguised the marks on her neck, but accentuated her curves nicely, and a dark denim ankle-length skirt, with sandals. The evening was unusually muggy, so the slight breeze felt good on her bare shoulders. Charlotte paused on the sidewalk, before continuing up the steps into the Hyperion. It was bound to be a bit awkward to see Spike again, at least at first, so she took a steadying breath, and continued on. From the view through the glass doors, it looked like the mini-Slayers were having a party.

They didn’t hear her come in because of the music, but Angel noticed, his head lifting from something he was reading at the counter. She nodded to him, and moved on. The dark vampire still made her feel a little edgy. Not seeing Dawn or Willow, she walked down the hall and knocked on Dawn’s door.

“Yeah?”

Charlotte opened the door a crack and said, “Hey, it’s me.”

“Oh, come in, come in! I was just finishing my make-up before we head out,” she called.

“Oh? Where’s everybody going?”

“Dance club. They let in 16 and over, as long as you get a hand stamp. The Slayers are flying out tomorrow night, so this is their last hurrah in L.A.,” Dawn replied, coming out of the bathroom. She whistled at the older woman. “Simple but sexy – good choice. Trying to impress anyone?” the teen asked hopefully.

“Nope. I came from work. I can get away with this top as long as I keep a sweater on all day around the students. If anyone’s impressive, that’d be you, kiddo,” Charlotte complimented in return.

Dawn was wearing a skinny-strap tank that said “Rock Chic” on it, and a denim mini. Stiletto ankle boots were on her feet, and her hair fell in bouncy waves around her pretty face.

“I get by,” Dawn said, shrugging nonchalantly. She couldn’t keep the grin off her face that said she knew she looked good, though. “Come with!”

“I don’t know…I can’t make it a late night. Got work in the morning.”

“Well, it’s not late, yet, so you could come for a little while. Please?” she pleaded.

“We’ll see. I still have to talk to Spike.”

Dawn brightened even further. “Oh! Did you get the flowers?! It was my idea to send you something.”

“You were the little helper, huh? I did, and they’re lovely. It was nice to get something different. How have things been around here?” Charlotte asked pointedly.

“If you’re wondering whether Spike and Buffy talked – yes. Did it go well? No. They still have a lot of issues to get through if they’re going to try anything, and they haven’t decided to try, yet…so, I don’t know what’s going to happen. They’re both really stubborn!”

“Ah…well, I’ll tread lightly on the subject, then. Do you think Spike’s awake?”

“Should be, unless he’s too hung-over,” Dawn replied. “Go wake him up, anyway.”
~+~
“Come on, Wills! You have to come! I can’t keep an eye on all these girls by myself,” Buffy pleaded. “You might even meet someone.”

“I don’t know…L.A.’s a little beyond my speed…”

“Please? I need somebody I can dance with. It’ll be just like back at the Bronze,” Buffy begged.

“Okay, okay…but you’re buying drinks,” Willow conceded, resolve face active.
~+~
Knock, knock…

“What?!” Spike barked, from inside his room.

“Well, that’s a nice way to greet people,” Charlotte said through the door.

Charlotte? Spike bolted for the door and opened it. “Hey,” he said, trying to sound indifferent. She came back! his inner William thought.

“Do you always answer the door by yelling through it?” she asked, amused. Yum, abs of Spike. If you have to make a new friend, might as well be one who’s nice scenery.

“Most of the time,” he replied. “What’s up?”

“Well…I got the flowers…”

Spike dropped his head, scratching the back of his neck self-consciously. “Ah…I should have warned you that my mouth often runs off without me. I’m sorry, pet.”

She smiled reassuringly. “I believe you, from both the phone message, and the card. I can’t make it a late night because of work tomorrow, but we can hang out? Dawn already mentioned that the group’s going to a club tonight…”

“Did you want to join them? We can get food anytime…” he said, not wanting to press.

“I meant that we could go, Spike. I came over to accept your apology, and say thank you for the flowers. My students were asking about them all day,” she said, blushing.

“You’re pretty cute when you blush, luv,” he teased.

“Shut up! It’s just that I don’t get flowers at work, so they were really curious. I’m not used to my students putting me on the spot.”

“Well, in or out, pet. I need to put on some clean clothes if we’re going to go anywhere.” Charlotte moved inside far enough so he could close the door, then walked over to the chair by the window.

Spike grabbed a shirt out of the closet and walked into the bathroom to do his hair. He’d taken a shower when he got up, and only put on his jeans. She regretted seeing the curls slicked down.

“So, where’s this club the Bit mentioned?” he called out.

“Don’t know. She didn’t say. The Slayers are all downstairs practicing their dance moves.”

He let out a sarcastic snort. “If you can call what they do these days ‘dancing’. Spastic bouncing and wriggling, is more like it.”

“Sounding your age, there, Blondie,” Charlotte teased.

Spike stuck his head out the door. “And proud of it! I’ve had 152 years to refine my tastes.”

She quickly did the math. “1852? An interesting era, around the world. Let’s see…Pierce was President, Napoleon III became Emperor of France, and Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published, among other things…” Charlotte recited. The curse of having a trivia memory.

“I’ll be sure to pick you if I ever play ‘Trivial Pursuit’. I thought you were a music major?”

“I was. My mother taught history for 30 years. She wanted me to follow in her footsteps from an early age. They called me a walking encyclopedia in elementary school,” she grumbled.

He came out of the bathroom, hair gelled back, a splash of cologne on, and a navy blue shirt added to the jeans. Spike picked up his coat and checked his pockets, not wanting to forget anything. Charlotte thought he smelled really good.

“Ready, luv?”

“Yep. Did you decide what we’re doing tonight?”

“Well, I could have you screaming my name, but somehow, I don’t think that’s what you meant,” he replied, enjoying her blush again.

“Spike! Behave!” As she passed him, out the door, he leaned in with his answer.

“No.”

“Pig,” Charlotte retorted, smacking him in the stomach. Spike laughed, and locked the door to his room.

They came down to a discussion about getting food before, or after, the club.

“You guys are going to burn it all off, anyway, and then we’ll have to stop again afterwards,” Buffy argued. “Just grab something from the kitchen, if you’re that hungry.”

“Tough playin’ den mother, eh, Slayer?”

“Shut up, Spike.”

“I have to say that all the time,” he heard Angel mutter.

“If they’re going to bicker all night, we might as well get while the getting’s good, luv,” Spike murmured to the petite brunette.

“Okay. You’re the one that’s buying, anyway.”

“Later, Peaches!”

“The name’s Angel!”

Spike held up the finger without bothering to turn around as he and Charlotte walked out. Dawn spotted them leaving, and followed.

“You guys aren’t gonna come?” she asked, disappointed.

“It’s a bloody circus, Bit. I’d rather not stand around for 20 minutes while they argue about nothin’.”

“Well, call me after dinner, and I’ll tell you where we’re at. Who knows when Buffy’s going to whisk me back to Rome?” She affected the pout that he couldn’t resist, and watched him cave.

“Fair enough,” he sighed. “If it’s not too late for Charlotte.”

“Cool! You’re the best, Spike.” She kissed his cheek, then ran back inside.

“Lord help ya if you ever end up raising kids, Spike,” Charlotte teased.

“Bite your tongue, Shorty. I’m perfectly capable of telling her ‘no’. Done it plenty of times,” he insisted.

Charlotte smiled to herself and followed him to the garage. He hit the button to disengage the alarm and the locks, and opened her door for her.

“Thank you, sir.”

“My pleasure, milady. Buckle in, pet. You’re in for a treat.” Spike shut the door and hurried around to the other side. He loved this car.
~+~
They ended up at an Italian restaurant this time. After lasagna (for Spike) and veal marsala, they shared a piece of cheesecake, which became a race for who could get the last bite. Charlotte poked his hand with her fork, trying to make him drop the last piece on the plate before it was out of her reach. She couldn’t compete with vampire speed.

“Mmm, that was good,” he taunted.

“Meanie. You don’t even need food,” she pouted.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it. Like chocolate sauce, for example,” he countered, curling his tongue behind his teeth.

“Did you have oysters in your blood today? Geesh!”

Spike smirked. “I just like seeing you squirm, kitten. What time is it?”

“Quarter to nine. I should be in bed by eleven,” Charlotte replied.

“In bed, or at home.”

“Quit it!”

It was so refreshing to not get bopped in the nose for teasing a woman. Spike paid the check, and offered his arm to Charlotte as they left.

“You look lovely today. I should have mentioned that earlier,” he stated genuinely.

“Thanks. I don’t have to wear a skirt every day, but I still have to set a ‘good example’. Did you have a job as a human?” she asked curiously.

“Managed the family affairs. It was just Mother and I. We lived quite comfortably for the time.”

“That’s good. Life’s hard when you’re poor, and even harder without modern amenities. People here don’t realize how good they have it.”

Spike let her into the Viper. “So, should we call Dawn, or…?”

“Well, she did practically beg us to drop by…”

“Right…(Spike brought out his cellphone)…Bit! Yeah, I’ll wait.” He shifted the phone to his left ear while Dawn found a spot she could hear him. “Yeah…uh-huh…alright, luv. See you in a few. Bye.” He fired up the engine and headed for the address.

“I take it you know where the club is?”

“Yeah, I’m familiar with the intersection. Do you really think I’d get us lost?”

“Only intentionally,” she joked.

Well, she has me there.

Spike had two modes to his driving: floorboard, and brake. Whenever the light turned green, he took full advantage of the vehicle’s speed off the line and zipped around the other cars. It was fun, and yet, completely nerve-wracking. Charlotte closed her eyes and focused on the feel of the car, instead.

“Somehow, I can’t see you ever owning a car that lacks pavement-ripping torque,” she commented. Not that she minded.

He laughed. It was a good sound.
~+~
Somehow, Spike got them past the line and right into the club. Charlotte wasn’t sure she wanted to know. She kept hold of his arm as he wove through the crowd, searching for Dawn, or one of the other girls he knew. A tall blonde more than slightly drunk stepped into their path. She stroked her free hand down Spike’s chest, trying to be seductive.

“Hey, handsome. Care to dance,” she slurred.

“Sorry, honey. He’s taken for the night,” Charlotte interjected.

The drunken woman looked down her nose at the petite brunette. “By you?” she scoffed.

“Yeah,” Charlotte replied, twining her arm around his neck. “Aren’t you, baby?” she purred, leaning into him possessively.

He smirked. “All night, luv,” Spike replied, ignoring the other woman. The drunk snorted in disgust and wobbled off to find other prey. “Had fun with that, didn’t you?” he said to Charlotte.

“Mmm-hmm. I can’t stand skanky hoes. They give the rest of us women a bad name. Drunks usually don’t take a hint, so they’re even worse.”

They continued their search, finally finding some of the group at a back table.

“Hey! Good to see you guys!” Vi greeted. “Dawn, Buffy, and Willow are up dancing,” she added, pointing the way.

“Ta, luv.” Spike turned to head where she had directed.

“Are you going to be okay around Buffy?” Charlotte asked. She kept hold of his arm so they wouldn’t get separated.

He stopped and looked back at her. “I’ll manage. With all the noise in the bloody place, we won’t have to talk.” She nodded, and he continued. When he found Dawn, he tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hey! Good, you’re here. Buffy and Willow are in the middle, in case you want an avoidance zone,” she told him.

“Thanks, luv. Just lookin’ to relax tonight. Anybody been harassin’ you?”

“Nah, I’m good. Go, have fun!” She shooed them away and turned back to the group of Slayers she’d been dancing with.

“I guess we’ve been dismissed,” Charlotte commented.

“Story of my life, pet. Drink or dance?”

“Dance.” She put her hands on his shoulders and started to sway to the beat, Spike joining in seamlessly.

He pulled her closer, comfortable in her presence.

Twenty feet away, two hazel-green eyes narrowed in jealousy.





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