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Author's Chapter Notes:
Okay, so since it's been over a year since my last update, I suppose I should apologize to my readers. I am very very sorry that it's taken me this long to add a new chapter. All I can say is that I've had a very very rough year, but I'm not going to go into details because it's been my experience that people don't actually care about my problems. Everyone has enough of their own problems, they don't need to hear about mine. So, I'm just going to shutup and smile and say thank you to all you readers who still have enough faith in me to e-mail me and ask for more, and encourage me to continue on.

This chapter is not my best, and after fighting with myself over how to go about it, this is what I settled on. Sorry if it's screwey. The next one is better.

Okay... here it is. Please R&R =)
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: Misunderstandings

Thursday afternoon…

Buffy had managed to avoid any contact with Spike for a few days now, too disgusted with him and his lies to even try and talk to him.

Willow was the one to tell her Drusilla had finally left town, and where Buffy should have been happy, all she could think about was those pictures Dru had intentionally left behind, and the web of lies that had come from Spike only hours before they had been taken.

She wished she could say that it wasn’t the actual act that hurt, that it was just that he was lying about it, but all that would be a lie. It royally pissed her off that another girl got to be with him, got to feel how he had made her feel once.

All the Buffy-Spike drama flooded her head as she straightened up the living room for when her mom got home. The last thing she wanted today was her mom nagging her about the house being a mess.

Just as she was about to head upstairs there was a knock on the door.

Buffy was confused. They never got visitors at the door. With a furrowed brow, Buffy made her way over to the door and stepped up on her toes to see through the peep hole. What she saw on the other side made her breath hitch a little and she couldn’t hide the blush that formed on her cheeks.

Quickly, she backed up and swung the door open. “Parker… Hi…”

“Hey Buffy.”

Buffy just stood there and smiled at him, feeling giddy yet shy all at once. She wasn’t exactly sure how she should feel.

Parker looked around, smiling, and when she didn’t say anything else, looked back to her.

Buffy closed her eyes and laughed a little. “I’m sorry, I’m so rude. Please, come in.”

“Thanks,” he chuckled as he stepped inside and stepped toward the living room. Buffy closed the front door behind him and followed him toward the living room.

“So,” she began. “What’s up?”

“Uh,” he began. Buffy noticed he looked a little nervous and it dawned on her that he was here… in her house… and she had only just met him a day or two ago.

“Um,” she shuffled a little. “How did you know where I live?”

“Oh, um, I hope you don’t mind… I asked around. I wasn’t sure if you had a cell phone or not, so…”

Buffy reassured him. “I don’t mind. I-I was just curious.”

“Okay,” he seemed relieved. “So, um, I came here to ask you if maybe you would want to go to this party with me tomorrow night.”

Buffy was shocked, to say the least. She hadn’t really thought that he was actually into her, yet, here he was, asking her to go to a party with him. Although she was still a little sheltered after everything that blew up in her face, she actually felt excited to go out and party.

“I know we just met, and we don’t really know each other, but I really like you and, you know, maybe at the party we could-“

“I’d love to.”

Parker didn’t really look surprised, but he did look pleased. “Great,” he smiled. “So, um, cam I pick you up here tomorrow… around eight?”

“Yeah, that sounds great. I’ll be ready,” Buffy said, smiling.

“Alright,” Parker said as he made his way back over to the front door. “I’ll see you tomorrow night at eight, then,” he said as he opened the door to let himself out.

Buffy couldn’t help but notice the familiar black car that pulled up to the house across the street as she said her goodbyes to Parker.

Familiar pangs shot through her as she watched Parker walk off and she began to close the door, smile no longer on her face and suddenly a foot in the door kept her from closing it all the way.

“Huh? What the- Spike!”

He pushed his way into the house and closed the door behind him. “We need to talk.”

Buffy huffed and crossed her arms. “About what? You walked away from me remember?”

Big drama king…

Spike huffed in frustration and he too crossed his arms. “I was upset. Doesn’t mean we ignore and avoid each other for the rest of the year.”

“What do you want?” she asked suddenly.

He was a bit taken back by the clear aggravation in her voice. “I needed to tell you,” he said taking a deep breath. “Dru left. She’s gone.”

Buffy stood there looking unaffected and calm. She shrugged. “So?”

Spike physically moved back this time. “So? So you said you and I could talk this out when she went home,” he said letting his arms fall to his sides. “She’s gone Buffy, out of our lives for good.”

Buffy couldn’t hold back her anger after that last statement. “Out of your life, huh? Just not without a little fun first, right?” she seethed.

He crossed his arms again. “Wha’s that supposed to mean?”

Buffy shook her head and held one finger up. “Don’t you dare play dumb, Spike. I’ve seen what you two were up to as you supposedly tried to get her out of your house,” she said looking him up and down. “I can’t believe I even bothered talking to you the other night.”

Spike was in shock, to say the least. “Wha- You- Where is this coming from? What is it you think I did?”

Buffy’s chin quivered in anger as she stared over at him, arms crossed in front of her chest. She shook her head and laughed a little. “You know what… I don’t even care. I just want my life to go back to the way it was before.”

He clenched his jaw as he tried to keep his eyes off of her. So she wanted things the way they were before… just minus him… He was hurt, but he couldn’t help but be mad at himself. He never should have let Dru stay. If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be in this situation.

Buffy raised a brow at Spike as he stood there speechless. “You had a point when you were mad at me about Riley, but you must not think very highly of me to do something like this,” she said as she opened the front door and held it open, waiting for him to get out.

Spike clenched his jaw and looked at Buffy with a pained look on his face.

Spike, wait! Please… I love you!

It was almost hard to believe this was the same girl in front of him. As she seemed to get more irritated Spike finally got the hint. He walked over and stood in the threshold.

“I’m sorry, for whatever I did that hurt you so much. I’m sorry,” he said and left. Buffy quickly closed the door behind him, not bothering to look after him.

A single tear fell from Buffy’s eye as she struggled to calm herself. It was a lot harder than she thought. She was so angry at him, yet his presence still moved her.

Buffy angrily wiped away the fallen tear and stormed up to her room.


x X x X x X x


Spike was disappointed beyond belief at this entire situation. And it pissed him off to see poof Parker Abrams coming out of Buffy’s house with a smile on his face. He was so tempted to put his fist through the wankers face.

Of course Parker would be interested in Buffy. Who woulnd’t be? There was a very brief time when she had been interested in him, and that ended in disaster.

He was tired of this back and forth, I like you, I don’t like you bullshit. He couldn’t deny that he wanted Buffy and so now he would work toward making things right between them, and they would do things right this time.

Spike stormed though his front door and up the stairs, taking two or three at a time until he reached the top and got to his room. Once inside he pulled his cell out of his pocket and dialed, waiting and getting nothing but the ringing tone.

“Xander, call me back when you get this message, I need a favor.”

He snapped his phone shut and clenched his jaw as he stared at the now framed picture of him and Buffy on his dresser.

Nothing would keep him from her, of this he was sure.


x X x X x X x


“Buffy, I know I was all excited and supportive of you earlier, but… don’t you think it’s too soon for you to go out on a date with Parker? I mean, you only just met him…”

Buffy frowned a little to herself as she carefully painted her nails, holding the phone to her ear using her shoulder. “It’s not really… a date, it’s just getting together to get to know each other a little better…”

Willows shoulders sagged a little on her end. “…At a party…”

“Uh huh.”

“With people, and dancing, and alcohol…”

“What’s your point, Wil?”

Willow sighed a little. “Buffy, I asked Spike about him and Dru…”

Buffy tensed up a little, angry that even Willow seemed to be back on his side so quickly.

“Buffy he swears he never slept with her. He said they made her stay in the guest bedroom.”

“Willow, I have picture proof okay? He’s lying, I know he is.”

“But, Buf-“

“No, Wil. Okay? I’m not going to talk about this anymore. Why is everyone on his side?”

Willow started to panic. “Okay, okay, backing off the subject now. I didn’t mean to make you all mad. I’m just… concerned about this thing with Parker.”

Buffy calmed down a little and immediately felt bad for snapping. They were, after all, his friends first.

“I just don’t want you jumping into anything too quickly then getting hurt.”

Buffy sighed. “I know, Wil, and I appreciate your concern. But I am a big girl, I know what I’m doing.”

Willow chose this moment to end that particular conversation before she made Buffy any madder. She was, however, determined to make sure Buffy didn’t do anything stupid with this Parker guy. She couldn’t help but feel somewhat guilty for encouraging her the day she first bumped into Parker, but she was mad at Spike over the Drusilla brain fart he had. Only now she was regretting it more than she ever thought she would.

It was definitely going to be a challenge getting these two back together, but she was determined.


x X x X x X x


“Alright,” Xander said as he flopped down into the oversized chair in Spikes living room. “I got the scoop on Buffy and Parker from Willow.”

Spike quirked a brow. “She willingly gave you info on what’s going on? I thought Red was more private…”

Xander tilted his head and pursed his lips as he shrugged. “Lets just say she’s concerned, and feeling pretty guilty.”

“Guilty about what?”

“The other day when Buffy and Parker were chatting it up in the lunch line? Yeah well Wil was all pissed at you so she kind of egged Buffy on with the Parker flirtage,” Xander said with a shrug.

Spikes face fell a little. “Why is everybody so mad at me? I didn’t do anything with Dru.”

“The ladies seem to think otherwise.”

“But why? That’s what’s pissing me off. I was down right mean to Dru while she was here, what could I possibly have done to make them think I was-“

“Doing the naughty?”

Spike looked at Xander with a brow arched.

Xander, feeling foolish after his little outburst, cleared his throat and shrugged. “I’ll talk to Wil a little more to see what I can find out.”

“Yeah, do that, ‘cause I’m getting very sick of being scowled and yelled at for something I’m completely unaware of.”

Seeing the stress this all seemed to be causing his friend, Xander felt bad and quit joking. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “We’ll figure it out, man. Whatever it takes…”


x X x X x X x


“I don’t like it, Xander, it doesn’t feel right,” Willow said as she paced back and forth in her best friends basement. “I’m worried about her.”

Xander snorted as he picked at his fingernails. “Why? She’s the one who’s so eager to go out and move on. She’s been pretty selfish if you as me…”

“Xander…”

“What? It’s true. Don’t get me wrong I like the Buffster, but what she’s doing isn’t right, and, I marvel at myself saying this… it’s immature.”

Willow, looking disappointed, flopped down on the couch next to him. “I’m just worried that deep down she’s just hurt, and this is her way of coping. I-I don’t really know her well enough yet, you know? A-and she’s so sure that she has proof of Spike sleeping with Drusilla, but she won’t tell me how. And I’m not even sure I really wanna know…”

“Well, all I know is that my friend is being accused of something with no evidence to back it up, and that even with all this drama and backlash, all he wants is Buffy back.”

Willow and Xander were both silent for a few minutes, both of them mulling over all the events of the last few weeks in their heads. Both Buffy and Spike had their high points and both certainly had their lows. Buffy should have told the truth about Riley, and Spike never should have let Drusilla stay in his home. Spike had been the first of the two to be-friend them. But Buffy had proven herself when she let her former best friends tear her apart in school. Plus, if it weren’t for Buffy, Willow and Oz may have never gotten together.

Willow and Xander looked at each other in defeat. “How are we going to fix this mess so we can all be friends again?” Willow asked.

Xander shook his head. “You gotta find out why Buffy thinks Spike had sex with Dru… and we gotta hope this Parker thing fizzles out.”

Willow pouted. “Why do I get stuck with the stressful stuff?”

Xander smiled sadly at his friend. “Because right now, Buffy is where the problem is. You do Buffy, and I do Spike,” he said then paused. “Okay that sounded wrong… at least the part about me and Spike. But you and Buffy could… you know… and no one would complain…”

Willow shook her head and ignored his attempt at making her laugh. “Xander what happens if this thing with them can’t be fixed?”

He smiled a sad smile again. “Then we assume everything happens for a reason, and we know there’s nothing more we can do.”

Willow smiled. “Sometimes you can be very wise…”

“I may not know much about history or French or geometry, but I know a little bit about people.”

Willow looked back and forth between his eyes and smiled.

It was silent for a moment as they looked at each other, both minds spinning to figure out what to do.

“We’ll figure it out, Wil,” Xander said. “One way or another we’ll figure it out.”


x X x X x X x


Buffy tip toed around her room in her robe, carefully fingering through her closet. She wasn’t sure what she should wear to the party with Parker. Something cute and sporty? Something casual? Something sexy? After the fiasco that has been the last few weeks, she really didn’t want to come off as some giant slut. That would just give Cordy more ammo to use against her. At least Cordy’s only been with one guy for almost all of high school.

With a sigh Buffy pulled out a pair of tight fitting black pants and a pair of short heeled shoes. Picking a top was difficult. Every top made her outfit look completely different and she still wasn’t sure how she even wanted to come across to Parker. True, she was available, but to jump into another relationship with another different guy… she didn’t think she could handle it.

She had been with Riley for so long, and had put up with his crap for so long… it was as if Spike had been her knight in shining armor, come to rescue her from materialism and superficial needs and selfishness. Well, that blew up in her face. She wasn’t sure if she could ever trust a guy for real again.

Buffy suddenly felt guilty, and felt like she was using Parker as a rebound, to try and prove to everybody that she was okay.

Buffy took a deep breath and looked in the mirror. Her lip quivered.

She wasn’t okay.

Quickly she tossed her outfit onto the chair in the corner and walked over to her bedside table and picked up the phone, dialing.

She chewed her lip as she waited for the person on the other end to pick up, and her heart started to race.

“Parker, hi. It’s Buffy. Look, I’m really flattered that you asked me to go to the party with you tomorrow, but I’m sure you’ve heard about me and everything that’s been going on lately…”

“Yeah…” Parker said, waiting for her to continue with her point.

“I just,” she paused to take a breath, blushing to herself. “I don’t want to lead you on in any way, or make you think-“

“Buffy, you don’t have to explain. I understand what you mean. And, I’m not upset.”

Buffy was surprised, and relieved. “Really?”

“Yeah. But, I think you should come out with me anyway, to get your mind off of things and have some fun.”

Buffy smiled a little to herself. “I don’t know-“

“As friends… come on, please?”

Buffy could hear him smiling and it made it hard to say no. “Alright. I guess I could use a night of fun.”

“I promise you won’t regret it. It’ll be a great time.”

She felt a little better about going out with Parker now that she knew it was on a friends-only basis. It wasn’t a date. They were just… hanging out. “Okay well I will see you tomorrow then,” she said with a sigh of relief.

“Great. See you then,” Parker said promptly before hanging up.

Buffy looked at the receiver for a moment before hanging up the phone, feeling slightly better but still not one hundred percent. However, she wasn’t sure she would feel one hundred percent for a while. It came with the territory.

Hearing familiar laughter coming from outside, Buffy stood and walked around her bed to look out the window. Immediately she saw Willow and Xander walk together up to Spike’s front door.

She found herself smiling at the memory of her sneaking into Spikes room only to be caught red handed by Wil and Xander. Buffy knew she had to stop reminiscing about the few weeks she found herself changing into a different person. All it did was remind her of the situation she was in now, and make that reality a much harsher feeling one.

She put her chin up and decided she just needed to keep pushing forward and forget about what happened. She would call Willow in a few hours after she’d gone home and tell her about her phone conversation with Parker, and hopefully get herself excited for the night to come.

Hopefully nothing else would go wrong.


x X x X x X x


Parker flipped his phone shut with a smirk on his face and spun on his desk chair to face his buddy who was throwing darts nearby.

“Was that your latest victim?” his friend asked.

Parker chuckled and stood. “You could say that. We’re going to the party tomorrow as ‘just friends…’ ha! Friend with benefits maybe,” he said picking up a dart and positioning himself.

His friend just laughed and shook his head. “You’re gonna do it again aren’t you?”

“I have yet to get caught, my friend. It’s the easiest way to get a girl in bed and not have to worry about the baggage the next morning. It’s perfect.”

“It’s also illegal…”

“Not if I don’t get charged. Don’t you worry, by about six a.m. Saturday morning…” he said as he threw the dart, hitting it on the bull’s-eye and smiling. “Buffy Summers will be sore and won’t remember a thing.”


TBC





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