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Buffy woke up the next morning to an empty bed.

She groaned, rolling over onto the cold side of the bed where Angel’s warm body must have left hours ago. She wasn’t surprised. Angel never really stayed over. Not all of him anyway. He had this irrepressible and frustrating urge not to commit. She understood clearly why he wouldn’t, but it didn’t make her feel any better.

She sighed again and crawled out of bed.

After taking a shower and then getting dressed, she grabbed the phone and dialed up her best friend.

“Hey Wills,” Buffy greeted when her best friend picked up the phone.

“Oh, hey Buffy,” Willow greeted back cheerfully. “I was just getting ready to call you. How was patrol last night? Sorry I couldn’t make it. Oz and I had the whole 3 month anniversary thing.”

Buffy smiled. “It’s fine. Patrol was pretty much just me walking around twirling a stake and humming various show tunes.”

“Ooh, sounds fun.”

“Yeah, until I came home to Angel sitting on my bed.”

“Uh oh. That was either real good or real bad.”

Buffy sighed. “It was somewhere in the middle. He slept over and snuck out real early this morning. You know, the usual.”

“I know you hate ‘the usual.’ Give him time to come around Buffy.”

“As if 3 years hasn’t been enough.”

“Well, if you love him…”

Buffy sighed again. It’s not like she didn’t love Angel. To be honest, she wasn’t sure what she felt for him. But she knew that they cared about each other, and for now, that would be enough.

“So are you excited for our day-at-the-beach-extravaganza?” Willow asked enthusiastically.

Buffy chuckled. “It’s hardly an extravaganza Wills. But that’s kinda what I wanted to talk to you about. There’s been a slight change in plans.”

Willow’s eyebrows furrowed. “Oh no! Don’t tell me you’re not coming Buffy! We planned this day for a whole week! Remember? Me? You? The gang? Last-week-before-school-starts-again-fun-and-shenanigans! I even made snacks and bought marshmallows and graham crackers and sandwiches and snicker doodles and I chilled drinks and even convinced Oz to bring the van and—”

“Wills,” Buffy cut her off. “You’re being overreact-o girl. Calm down. Breathe.”

She waited a couple beats while Willow took that deep breath. “Good now?”

“Good.”

“Ok, like I was saying. There’s been a slight change in plans. Remember the Billy Idol reject from the other day?”

“Ms. Calendar’s boy toy?”

“Yes, him. Except he’s more her nephew than he is her boy toy.”

“That’s good to know. It resolves potential future nightmares.”

“Well, he’s coming with us.”

“Oh, that’s good! I made extra sandwiches so—”

“No, it’s not good Wills! In fact, it’s very, very bad! The guy’s a total jerk!”

“Um, ok,” Willow answered. “Uh, don’t you think you’re being overreact-o girl now Buffy?”

“Not at all,” Buffy replied, then began to explain everything that happened the day before, from their ill-fated meeting, to his fakery during lunch, all the way up to his perviness last night after patrol.

“And to top it all off, Mom wants me to bring him with me today. Can’t he find other people to terrorize?”

“Well, look on the bright side Buffy,” Willow comforted. “At least we’s got s’mores!”

Buffy rolled her eyes and sighed. Obviously her best friend wasn’t fully comprehending her dire pain.

“Just kidding Buffy. Think of it this way. After today you probably won’t even see him that much.”

“I hope so,” Buffy sighed again.

“And if he starts coming around more often, I can whip up a quick repelling spell. Simple solution, right?”

That got a light laugh out of Buffy.

“Ok, well Oz and I will be on our way soon. We’re going to stop by and pick up Xander first.” After saying goodbye, Buffy sighed for the last time and headed downstairs. She only had a week left to be lazy before school started up again and she’d be damned if that bleached devil ruined it for her.

“Where’s mom?” Buffy asked Dawn when she got to the kitchen. She pulled out a bowl and some cereal from the cupboards.

“She’s at the gallery,” Dawn answered, chewing on a piece of toast. “She had to get some last minute inventory done.”

Buffy nodded, pouring milk into her bowl.

“So, you and the gang hanging out today?” Dawn prodded. “Sounds fun.”

“Oh, right. The beach day from hell, starring the next-door neighbor. Barrels of fun.”

Dawn rolled her eyes. “You can be so sarcastically dramatic sometimes Buffy. I mean, for a Slayer you sure do let things bother you pretty easily. He’s cool…you’re not. Get over it.”

Buffy glanced at her annoying younger sister. “He’s vile,” she countered.

“And so are you. Lookie, you guys have something in common!” Dawn mocked before heading into the living room to watch TV.

Buffy just shook her head and continued to eat her cereal.

After a few minutes, the doorbell rang, catapulting her out of her seat and towards the front door. Maybe it was Oz and Willow! They could get out of there before Spike even woke up!

To her disappointment, she opened the door to find her spiky-haired, punk rock neighbor on the other side smoking a cigarette.

“Look Summers, before you get all Xena, Warrior Princess on me, please note tha’ I was forced t’ your doorstep this morning,” he preambled. “Aunt Jenny dragged me outta bed today an’ threatened me with mass bodily harm if I didn’ accompany you an’ your pals on your little outing today. And trust me, I put up the fight of my life so please, as much as I know you want to, don’t delude yourself into thinkin’ that I want t’ be here.”

He shook his head and looked away with indifference.

Truth be told, he was a tad bit irritated after last night’s peep show starring Buffy and her Angel. Not merely because he saw them together… no that wasn’t it at all. Hell, he’d seen girls with guys all the time! But because there he was, trying to get some sodding fresh air before going to bed, and he was bombarded by the gag-tastic sight of the two lovebirds engaging in a bit of pre-coital activities. If they weren’t already in a room, he would have told them to get a room.

And sure, he had no proof that they went from the pre-coital to the coital, but he didn’t have to be a brain surgeon to know what went on after he left watch from his window. And from what Spike witnessed last night, if the poof couldn’t peel off the knickers by then, then Angel was probably just as gay as Spike assumed.

Buffy raised her eyebrows in surprise at his long-winded soliloquy. “Sounds like you’re doing that thing people do where they doth protest too much. Get over yourself Spike.”

He eyed her and took a drag of his cig. “I’ll let you know when I do.”

She scoped him out quickly and saw that he was wearing one of those retro, cutoff jean jackets with a million safety pins stuck on it. He wore ripped jeans and heavy black boots to match. Not the kind of style this suburban town was used to.

Actually, now that she thought about it Spike wasn’t the kind of guy that Sunnydale saw too much of in the first place. Screaming 80s punk, brandishing black nail polish, overly-confident, and majorly hot (although Buffy would never admit that last part to herself), he was the kind of guy that the good-girls of Sunnydale High would fall all over because of his bad boy demeanor. And Spike would probably love having the girls all over him. Buffy had experienced enough of his teasing to know that he’d flirt with anything on two legs.

“See somethin’ you like, Summers,” Spike asked, catching her stare.

Buffy looked up at him quickly. Something she liked? Not freakin’ likely! Sure, since she’d met him, she’d had the rare and far-in-between moments in which his sexiness caught her off guard. But really, who wouldn’t falter at his seductive and confident swagger? Obviously not even the Slayer.

“I was thinking that it’s a bit too hot for you to wear that jacket Spike,” she covered. “We’re going to the beach, not a concert headlining The Misfits. You might want to take it off.”

Spike raised a scarred eyebrow. “You’re already requesting that I undress? So soon, Summers? Well, usually I don’ take my clothes off ‘til after the first date, but for you, pet, ‘M willing t’ make a deal. I take off my jacket, an’ you take something off. It’s only fair,” he added innocently.

Buffy fought back a blush and failed, which only served to make her angrier. She knew he was teasing. And if anyone else had said it, she would have laughed. But when things came from Spike’s lips, they sounded downright… dirty.

“You’re a pig Spike.”

“I try.” He smirked, catching her blush.

She shook her head and looked away in disgust.

“Geez Summers get a grip.” He dropped his cigarette to the ground and buried it under his commando boot nonchalantly. “’M only joking. I promise I won’ try t’ sully your precious virtue. Wouldn’t dream of it actually. Although if I won’t, ‘M sure your poof Angel will soon. Did he get past the knickers last night?”

Buffy’s eyes widened. But before she could respond, he brushed past her and into the house, sitting on the couch next to Dawn who was perched on the floor watching television and snacking from a box of cereal.

Buffy shook her head and closed the front door, joining them on the other couch.

“Hey Spike,” Dawn greeted, eyes glued to the TV. She grabbed a handful of Fruit Loops from the box and popped them into her mouth.

“Hey lil’ bit,” he replied, grabbing the box and filching a handful of his own. “What ya watchin’?”

She shrugged. “I’m getting in my anime fix. They’re doing a marathon on Cartoon Network. Dragon Ball Z and Cowboy Bebop all afternoon. Needless to say, I’ll be camped out in front of the TV for the remainder of today,” she said with glee.

“Yeah, well lucky you. What I wouldn’t do t’ hang around the house watchin’ Sailor Moon an’ all that rot.”

“It’s not rot!” Dawn defended. “It’s smart, sophisticated television. Ask Buffy, she watches this stuff all the time.”

Buffy’s eyes widened in embarrassment. “That is so not true!... Not all the time.”

“You actually watch this stuff?” Spike asked, surprised and amused. He figured Buffy to be more of a General Hospital type of girl. Of course, he was a Passions type of guy, but he would never admit that to the girls.

“Well, it can be quite entertaining. And useful,” Buffy answered.

Spike chuckled. “You call it ‘entertaining.’ I call it ‘crap.’”

Dawn shook her head, eyes still on the TV. “You can’t knock it ‘til you try it. Right Buffy? I mean, he hasn’t even seen all the wonders that anime has to offer.”

“Yeah well, I’m sure Spike has better things to do. You know, like impersonating The Ramones.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Enough with the 80s punk band jokes Summers. I’ve heard them all. And I’d like t’ think you’re a bit more original than that.”

Buffy leaned her head to the side and smiled. “Nope. Unoriginal Buffy, that’s me. All with the un-originality.”

Spike smiled at that. She could be right adorable when she wasn’t being such a scathing b-word.

Buffy took a mental breath. She’d never actually seen him smile before. Not unless it was teasingly and at her expense. He was…dare she say it…kinda cute. Apart from the whole bad-boy appeal (which, just to let you know, she had absolutely no attraction towards), he also had this boyish appearance to him. His deep blue eyes sparkled attractively as he laughed. Coupled with to-die-for cheekbones, and that sexy accent, he was almost tolerable.

Almost.

“So when’re your mates comin’? ‘M tired of waitin’ an’ my clothes are goin’ out of style.” He smiled again, anticipating her obvious retort.

She just looked at him, refusing to take the bait.

He jutted out his lip as if he begging her to spar with him verbally.

At that moment however, a car honked on the street. They both looked outside the open window to see Oz’s van pull up to the curb.

“Hey Buffy!” Willow called from the passenger’s side.

“C’mon!” Xander shouted enthusiastically from the back window. “The fun day awaits!”

“Try not to embarrass me,” Buffy said to Spike after they’d said bye to Dawn and began to make their way towards the van.

“Embarrass you? I’m the one who has t’ be seen around town in this god-awful vehicle for the day. You owe me an apology when this is all over.”

She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Is that right?”

“Yes. An’ it doesn’t even ‘ave t’ be the conventional type of ‘sorry.’ Contrary t’ the claim that you’re unoriginal, ‘M sure you can get real creative if you know what I mean.”

Buffy just rolled her eyes. She had a feeling she’d be doing that a lot for the next few hours.


Chapter End Notes:
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