Chapter 1 – You Never Know


“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” Buffy whispered, sitting down as she nervously scanned the room. Seeing the look that her friend was giving her, she quickly turned away from the accusing glare.

“Buffy,” Willow hissed. “This was your idea in the first place. I was the one who was against it from the start.”

“Well… we weren’t doing anything else and it looked… kind of fun,” she replied, knowing her argument was weak, at best. “Besides, it’s only five minutes.”

“With each guy,” Willow said, looking around the room at the people who were milling around.

“Yeah… but there’re only eight guys. Forty-five minutes and we’re outta here. Who knows- maybe one of us will get lucky.” Seeing the horrified look on her friend’s face, Buffy’s eyes widened. “Not that kind of lucky. God, Wills, get your mind out of the gutter,” she added with a giggle.

“Well, there are a few cute guys here,” her friend finally said with a small smile.

“That’s all we can ask for,” Buffy said with a nod. “Besides, it’s only a few minutes, and it’s not like we’re forced to give out any personal information. Just a fun-filled, girl’s night out.”

“You seem awfully sure of yourself,” Willow said with a smile.

“I just figured that if this is a complete bust, we can always hit a club later.”

“Deal,” the redhead replied with a giggle.

* * * * *

Date #1

“I’m Doyle.”

“Buffy,” she replied, smiling at the attractive man and shaking his hand.

“Well, what brings you here tonight, Buffy?” he asked with a thick Irish accent, sitting down across from her.

“My friend and I were bored. Thought that this sounded like an interesting idea, so here we are. What about you?”

“Pretty much the same,” he replied with a slight shrug. “I’ve been kind of out of the whole dating arena for a while.”

“Why’s that?”

“You see, I kind of fell for a bad girl type, and I’m sure you know how that goes. I started thinking that she was The One and it turned out that she was only looking for something fun. After she married me, left me for another man, and then came back and asked for me to bless their marriage, I became a little jaded. But when I met this other woman, I thought she was the girl for me. Until she ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it with her Prada heels, then I sort of forgot about dating. So now, I’m a pathetic, broken shell of a man with no heart, who has to rely on one of these speed-daters to actually get a date.”

“Uh huh… and how’s that working out for you?” Buffy asked, trying to discreetly check her watch.

“To be honest, it hasn’t. Kind of surprising.”

“Truly is,” she said with a falsely bright smile.

* * * * *

Date #2

“Are you here by yourself, Angel?” she asked, looking around to see what could be the cause of this man’s gloomy expression.

“No, one of my friends dragged me along. Said it would get me out of my ‘brooding phase’.”

“Oh,” Buffy replied with a nod, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe if he snapped out of whatever was bothering him, he would be kind of fun to be around. “So, what do you do for fun?” she asked with a bright smile.

“Nothing,” he responded, playing with his drink, never making direct eye contact with her. “What’s the point of doing anything fun in the world? It’s all the same. We’re all going to end up being miserable and alone until the day we drink ourselves to death or explode because of a car bomb or whatever else the government has planned for us.”

“Excuse me?” Buffy replied skeptically, startled when his eyes finally raised to hers.

“You don’t believe in it?”

“What’s that?”

“Conspiracy theories?”

“Can’t say I’ve ever given them much thought. I’ve been one of those foolish people who actually get out and interact with the world.”

* * * * *

Date #3

“You seem like a really great person, Buffy,” the brunette said with a bright smile.

“You do, too, Ford. So, what do you do for a living?”

“Nothing, right now. I’m more focused on my goal in life.”

“Well, that’s good. What is it? If you don’t mind my asking, of course.”

“No,” he replied, shaking his head. “It’s not like I try and keep it a big secret or something. I’m going to be immortal. I’ve found a group of people who accept me for who I really am and know what I’m going through and what I believe in.”

I’m really going to regret asking this.

“And…what’s that?”

“Vampirism,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “Immortality, aversion to sunlight- I have all the traits. They’ve put me on the right track and now I just have to find my mate. That’s why I’m here tonight.”

“Well, this has been fun,” Buffy said, shooting out of her chair.

“But we still have a few minutes left,” Ford argued, standing with her.

“Sorry, ladies room is calling my name,” she replied, practically running from the other man.

* * * * *

Date #4

“Hi, I’m RJ,” the man said, shaking her head with a friendly smile.

“Buffy.”

“You certainly are.”

Taking a deep breath, Buffy narrowed her eyes to study the man in front of her. “And what do you do for a living?”

“Nothing yet,” he replied. “I’m still in high school… but my older brother is a pizza delivery guy, and he says that he can get me a job there after I graduate. I can move up the ladder of success.”

“Delivering pizzas?” Buffy said slowly.

“Yeah,” RJ replied, the excitement tingeing his words.

“Wouldn’t that interrupt your curfew?” she asked with a slight smile, trying to keep from laughing.

“Oh no, that’s not a problem. I can stay out as late as I want,” he said with a smile. “Tonight, for example. We can go back to your place, have a drink, maybe have a little more than that,” he said with an immature leer that he probably thought was seductive.

“Well… as much fun as that would be, I really don’t feel like committing a felony tonight, so if you’ll excuse me.”

* * * * *

Date #5

“Are you here alone, Andrew?” she asked, seeing the looks he was casting toward the other side of the room.

“No,” he said with a dreamy expression. “I came with one of my friends. His name’s Warren and he’s sitting right over there. Isn’t he just the dreamiest,” Andrew said, resting his chin in his hand as he watched the other man.

“Unbelievable,” Buffy muttered under her breath.

* * * * *

Date #6

“Tell me a little about yourself, Robin Wood,” she said with a flirty smile. “Do you live in town?” she asked. At least this guy seemed to be relatively normal.

“No, I’m only in town on business.”

“Business?” Buffy repeated, tilting her head in question.

“This is just my night off. I’ve been trying to hunt down the scumbag who killed my mother. I’m not stopping until he dies a slow, painful death at my hands.”

“And… how long have you been searching for him?” she asked, feeling the need to lean away from the table and put even more distance between the two.

“Twenty years. But he’s gonna stop running eventually. I know just how I’m going to make him pay. All my plans have been carefully laid out, and he’s going to suffer in ways he never imagined.”

“Well…at least you’re goal-oriented.”

* * * * *

Date #7

Finally, a seemingly normal guy.

“What do you do for a living, Wesley?” she asked, taking a sip of her drink.

“I’m a part-time librarian and I work for an organization in England. Of course, it’s via the internet, so I don’t have to commute,” he said with a laugh that Buffy returned. “I’m very interested in old books and historical figures.

Figures. The one decent guy in the whole bunch and he’s not even my type.

“Have you met my friend Willow?”

* * * * *

Date #8

“And what have we here?”

Turning around at the unfamiliar voice, Buffy raised an eyebrow at the man standing behind her, taking in the black leather duster, chiseled cheekbones that any woman would die for, and bleached hair.

“Looks like my night is looking up,” he said with a slow smile, making sure he took in every curve of her figure. “What do you say we skip this whole sodding ‘Five Minutes in Heaven’ and make our way over to the hotel across the street, cutie?”

“Excuse me?” Buffy replied, feeling the urge to reach over and slap the man. “I don’t even know your name, and you expect me to sleep with you?”

“The name’s Spike. And you can’t say it wouldn’t be fun,” he said with a smile, biting his lip as his gaze perused her bare skin and exposed legs, barely offering any coverage by the short skirt she was wearing.

“Maybe for you,” she replied, raising an eyebrow in a challenge.

“Oh, I can guarantee a good time, pet,” he said with a slow smile forming on his face.

“I think I’ll pass.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“Oh, I think I do,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“What’s your name, kitten?”

“Now, why would I want to tell you that?” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest, inadvertently drawing his attention there.

“Now, now…none of that. Fair’s fair. You know mine and all I’m asking for is a name, Goldilocks.”

“Buffy,” she said with a heavy sigh, turning her attention away from him to scan the room for her friend.

“Buffy?”

“Have a problem with it?” she asked, whirling around to face him.

“Retract the claws,” he said with a grin. “What do you say we head out?”

“Do you need something to hit you over the head?” she asked, looking at him in contempt. “I’m not interested. You can go find someone who is… if there’s any woman out there who’s that desperate.”

“Trust me, sweetheart, I don’t have any problems finding company, but I do like a challenge.”

“Well, find a different target,” she snapped.

“I don’t think so,” he replied, leaning against a nearby wall, watching as she became more frustrated. “I’m having a little too much fun right here.”

“Fine. I’ll leave,” Buffy said, spinning on her heel and walking toward the front of the building. “Amazing,” she muttered to herself. “Six losers, one guy who wasn’t my type, and one asshole. Must be my lucky night.”

Motioning to Willow that she would be outside, Buffy smiled when she saw her friend talking to Wesley, obviously enjoying herself. At least one of them had a good night.

I’ll have some good stories to tell.

Smiling at the thought, she shook her head, walking through the door. Looking around, Buffy saw a bar down the street and quickly made her way toward it, deciding that it sounded more appealing than standing outside. She knew that Willow would call her cell phone when she was ready to leave.

Walking through the door, she made her way to the bar and ordered a beer, sitting down with a heavy sigh. Closing her eyes for a moment, she ignored the sounds of the people who were talking around her.

“Trying to run off, pet?”

Her eyes snapped open at the familiar voice before her jaw tightened. “Trying to get away from you.”

“Now, why would you want to do that?” he asked with a grin, sitting next to her.

“Maybe because you’re a pig.”

“Oink, oink, baby.”

“I’m not looking to get picked up.”

“Oh, so that’s why you were speed-dating a few minutes ago and sitting in a bar right now.”

“I wanted to have fun. I didn’t think I’d run into the most unappealing men on the planet.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough.”

“Not yet,” he said with a soft smile that Buffy tried to ignore, not wanting to notice how good he looked when he dropped the bravado. “But I’m more than willing to let you in and find out.”

“And why would I want to do that?” she asked, turning toward him with an indifferent expression.

“Because, love, you never know what you might be missing.”

Chapter 2 – Liquid Courage


“You know what your problem is, Spike?” Buffy said with a slur evident in her voice as she swayed toward him.

“Other than buying you three drinks without knowing you’d get pissed?” he replied, taking his shot off the bar and turning to face her.

“Not pissed,” she said with a bright smile, standing up straight and letting the liquid slosh out of her glass and onto Spike’s coat, causing him to grit his teeth as he swiped at it with a handful of napkins. “Happy. See? Happy, happy Buffy.”

“Drunk, Goldilocks. Not pissed off- it means you’re plastered.”

“I’m not drunk,” she said, gesturing to herself. “I feel good… good enough for another drink,” she continued, taking the shot glass out of his hand and downing it before Spike could object.

Staring at the woman in shock, Spike rolled his eyes, suddenly wishing that he had never walked into the bar. Or followed her in.

“Because, love. You never know what you might be missing.”

“I think it’s safe to say that I know what I’d be missing, Spike,” Buffy replied in an agitated voice. “And right now, the only thing that’s missing from my life is a beer.”

Grabbing a drink off a waitress’ tray as she passed by, Spike set it in front of the small blonde. “How ‘bout a rum and coke?” he asked with a smile.

Seeing her expression soften for the first time that night as she gave him a half-smile, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, Buffy nodded, accepting the drink.

“Can’t complain about that,” she said with a grin, taking a sip of the drink and feeling herself immediately relax as the alcohol soothed her nerves.

Three drinks and one shot later, Buffy was wondering why she didn’t give Spike a chance when she first saw him.

“You know,” she said over-pronouncing her words as she leaned toward him. “You’re not as bad as I thought you were.”

“That a fact?” Spike replied, unable to stop smiling when she leaned heavily against him.

“You really are cute,” she said with a bright smile. “If you could just shut up, you would be okay company.”

“If I would just shut up?” he repeated with a raised eyebrow.

Taking on a British accent, Buffy stood up a little straighter. “What do you say we skip this whole soddin’ thing and go to the hotel across the street, cutie?”

“I don’t sound like that. And the offer still stands, love,” he teased with a smile.

“Might have to take you up on that,” she said with her own smile, raising an eyebrow when he turned to look at her in surprise.

“‘Fraid I can’t do that now, Goldilocks. Not gonna take advantage of you when you’re like this.”

“Like what?” she asked innocently, widening her eyes as she walked over to him. “There’s nothing wrong with me,” she continued, running her hand along his chest. “I know exactly what I want.”

Hearing her whispered words while she pressed her body against his, Spike took a deep breath, closing his eyes when her hands ran along the muscles of his abdomen before traveling lower. Catching them as they began to work on his belt buckle, he raised an eyebrow, leading Buffy away from the bar, trying to control his body’s reaction to her.

“We going somewhere?” she asked, her voice taking on a husky quality as she stretched to gently bite his ear before slowly kissing along his neck.

“I think it’s time I get you home, pet,” Spike replied in a choked voice, closing his eyes as he tried to ward off her advances.

“Don’t wanna,” she murmured, smiling when he groaned at the feel of her hands slipping lower to cup the bulge of his pants.

“Not taking advantage of you, Buffy,” he said softly, trying to maintain his resolve.

“Not taking advantage if I want it,” she murmured, tightening her hand around his growing erection while the other hand began working on his zipper, wanting to feel him.

Pushing her into a dark corner, Spike smashed his lips against hers, letting his hands wander over her curves before pulling away, leaving Buffy slightly stunned, her lips still puckered as she wondered where the warm body was.

Wishing that the stunt he pulled had curbed his desire for her, Spike nearly groaned in frustration when he realized that he just wanted her more.

“What’s wrong?” she asked with a coy smile, reaching out to pull him back to her.

“Already told you, love,” he said, his voice slightly breathless as his traitorous hands reached out to wrap around her waist, pulling her closer. “Not doing this… I need to get you home.”

“Not going home,” she said with a pout and a slight whine in her voice. “Wanna have fun. Don’t you want to have fun with me?” she asked, a slow smile spreading across her lips.

“You have no idea,” Spike groaned. “But I’m not doing this while you’re drunk.”

“Not drunk,” she replied, the same smile still in place. “Just lowered inhibitions… it’s more fun.”

Gotta get out of here, Spike thought as his hands tightened around her waist. Before she talks me into something that I really want to do.

“Can’t do this,” he said softly.

Glancing over at the bar, a slow smile spread on her face. “Fine,” she said with a slight huff in her voice before pouting. “I’m sorry… didn’t mean to do that… let me buy you a drink?”

Sensing that he was out of the woods, Spike nodded. “Sounds good, pet.”

* * * * *

Opening her eyes with a slight groan, Buffy looked around the unfamiliar room, pressing a hand to her forehead to try and stave off the pounding headache that was rapidly forming.

Where the hell am I?

Looking around, Buffy nearly gasped when she saw the man lying in bed next to her, sleeping like the dead.

What happened? she asked herself. What the hell was his name?

Pressing her fingertips to her temples, she closed her eyes to stop the pounding that the sunlight was causing.

Spike! His name is Spike.

Thinking for a few more minutes, the events of the night before came back to her. From the alcohol that had her drunk in a matter of minutes to coming on to him in the darkened corner to offering to buy him a drink, Buffy nearly groaned when she realized that Drunk Buffy’s plan had worked like a charm. Lowering Spike’s inhibitions enough to get him to the hotel across the street.

Who would have thought that Drunk Buffy would turn into Slut Buffy?

Her cheeks tinted a bright shade of red as the aching soreness made itself known, spreading from her thighs to her lower back and the pleasant numbness that told her exactly how sated she was. Remembering how they had drunkenly stumbled into the hotel and Spike quickly paid for it, they barely made it up to the room before they were all over each other.

It wasn’t long before he had her up against the wall, and on the chair, and over the chair… and the floor… before finally making it to the bed.

Easing her way out of bed, Buffy bit her lip when Spike rolled onto his side, smacking his lips together as he settled into a deeper sleep.

Slipping out of the bed, she held her breath while gathering her clothes. Her eyes widened when she saw her skirt laying on the balcony.

Oh, we didn’t… we… couldn’t.

Even as the thought flitted through her mind, she vividly remembered Spike pushing her against the outside railing before falling to his knees.

”Spike, anyone can see,” Buffy whispered, betraying her own words as her back arched against the iron rail, feeling his hands traveling up her thighs and practically jerking her skirt down her legs.

“Yeah,” he said with a devilish smirk. “That’s half the fun, Goldilocks.”

Unable to dispute what he was saying, Buffy gasped when he ripped the thong from her body before nearly screaming in pleasure when he immediately latched onto her clit.

The feel of his hot mouth against her and the fact that they could be seen at any moment had Buffy coming almost instantly, twining her fingers through his hair and holding him to her as she rode out her orgasm.

Blushing a violent shade of red at the memory, Buffy tried to ignore the sudden wetness between her legs as she thought of the night before. Quietly opening the balcony door, she grabbed her skirt and slipped it on before continuing to look for the rest of her clothes.

Finding her bra hanging over the lampshade, she continued to search for her shoes and shirt. Seeing one shoe on the floor next to the bed, she dropped to her knees, lifting the comforter and breathing a sigh of relief when she saw the other shoe.

“Shirt,” she muttered quietly to herself. “Need my shirt.”

Standing up, Buffy nearly groaned when she saw it partially beneath Spike’s naked hips. Worrying her bottom lip for a moment, she took a deep breath before her eyes lit up, seeing his red shirt on the floor next to the bathroom, lying next to his black t-shirt.

Glancing at the bed once more, Buffy quickly put the shirt on, hoping he would understand. Catching a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror, her eyes widened. Doing what she could to smooth down her tousled hair, she worked the knots out of the long strands, trying not to pay attention to the bite marks that layered her neck and the exposed part of her chest. Buttoning the shirt even more, she nervously licked her swollen lips, shivering when she tasted him.

Get out of here, she told herself, casting a long look at the bed before quietly grabbing her purse that was dropped next to the door and slipping out of the room.

It was a mistake… just a fun night in a strange city. Time to go home.








Thanks so much to: Cordykitten, Caitie, TammyAsh666, blondiebear, willowmouse, Stephanie, M & baby spikes for reviewing!

Chapter 3 – Life is a Parody


1 Year Later


Walking through the building, Buffy tiredly tucked the loose tendrils of hair behind her ears that managed to escape her elegant chignon.

“Will you stop?” Willow said with a smile. “Your hair looks fine, Buffy. You always play with it when there’s something on your mind.”

“I guess so,” she replied with a sheepish grin, smoothing out her navy blue silk shirt and white dress pants. “Just a little bit overworked, I guess.”

“You should take a vacation.”

“No time,” Buffy said with a sigh. Smiling when she saw Willow open her mouth to say something else, Buffy shook her head, cutting off her friend. “There’s no reason to be ‘voice of reason’ gal, Wills. I really don’t have the time.”

“But it’s what I’m best at,” the redhead replied with a playful pout. “Alright… I guess I can leave you alone, for now. So, what do you need me to do, boss lady?”

Glancing around the offices, Buffy smiled as an idea came to her. “You can be in charge of Cordelia.”

“What? No. Please tell me you’re kidding,” Willow pleaded.

“Come on, Wills,” she continued, wrapping an arm around her friend’s shoulders and walking her through the halls of her building until they came to Buffy’s spacious office, closing the door behind them to give them some privacy from the prying eyes and ears of the other women in the building. “A girl’s wedding is supposed to be the most beautiful, idyllic day of her life. You don’t want Cordy to go without that, do you?”

“But she works here. Wouldn’t it make sense for her to do everything and then have someone else coordinate it all on the big day?”

“She wants an authentic wedding experience,” Buffy replied with a shrug. “Besides, she’s been bugging me about starting on it and I just don’t have the time.”

“And what are you doing?” Willow asked skeptically.

“Meeting with a new client, Anya Jenkins,” she said, holding up a photo of the young woman, standing next to an older man. “Her father is some big Hollywood exec who wants his daughter to have everything she wants and she’s his financial consultant.”

“We talking rich?”

“We’re talking millions… possibly a million-dollar wedding.”

“And that commission alone… Buffy, you’d be set for life! What are they doing getting married in Sunnydale?”

“I believe her exact words were- ‘We want a quaint, little out of the way place and I want a wedding planner who doesn’t take any crap from anyone and can give me the wedding of my dreams’.”

“Yikes,” Willow said with a sympathetic smile.

“Yeah, I know. Total Bridezilla alert, but I’ve dealt with them before.”

“Cordy’s starting to look better and better. When are you meeting with the new client?”

“Hopefully new client,” Buffy corrected, looking at her watch. “Damn it, I’m late. I’m supposed to be downstairs in five minutes.” Quickly grabbing her notes and filing them away, she collected her cell phone, pager, and palm pilot off the mahogany desk and threw them in her purse. Picking up her file and scattered notes, she made her way toward the door. “Just get the basic rundown from Cordy and I’ll talk to you later.”

* * * * *

Looking around the lobby, Buffy was relieved to see that she had made it on time. Nervously brushing the hair out of her eyes as she sat down and flipped through the files she needed, pulling out the appropriate information, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the voice behind her.

“Elizabeth Summers?”

Quickly standing up, Buffy turned around with a bright smile. “Yes. You must be Anya.”

“Nice to meet you,” the young blonde replied, shaking Buffy’s hand with a chipper smile. “I can’t tell you how excited I am. I have a very good feeling about this. Over here!” she yelled, waving her arm above her head, effectively startling Buffy with the abrupt change in topic.

“Elizabeth, I’d like you to meet my fiancée.”

Turning around, Buffy’s eyes widened when they settled on the man she thought she’d never see again. She felt her mouth go dry as her lips parted in shock. Seeing his eyes widen after a moment, Buffy knew that he remembered her as well.

“Elizabeth Summers, this is William Crawford,” Anya said, walking over to him and wrapping an arm around his waist.

Perfect end to a perfect day.

“Nice to meet you,” Buffy said in a choked voice, holding out her hand. Gently taking it in his own, Spike brought it up to his lips, leaving a tender kiss on the back of it that sent her memories spiraling out of control.

“Pleased to meet you… Elizabeth.”

Looking away under his strong gaze, Buffy practically jerked her hand out of his grasp, turning around to gather her things. Taking a deep breath, she looked around the lobby, resisting the urge to worry her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Elizabeth,” Spike said slowly, letting the name roll off his tongue and drawing her attention toward him. “Seems a little stuffy to me.”

“Maybe so, William,” she replied through gritted teeth, unable to make eye contact with him as she looked over his shoulder. “If you feel more comfortable, call me Buffy.”

Looking up at Anya as she said it, Buffy tried to remember that this woman was a potential client, no matter what she might feel toward her fiancée.

“Buffy,” Anya said with a nod. “That’s more you. But honestly, I thought you’d be older. Owning your own business that’s so successful.”

“Well, Something Blue was started by my mom. She was ready to retire a few years ago and I took over.”

“You must have extraordinary monetary sense,” Anya said with wide eyes and an appreciative smile. “You have to be the most successful wedding coordinator in California.”

“I don’t know about that,” Buffy said sheepishly, trying not to think about the man whose eyes had never left her. “It’s not like I live in Hollywood, so I rarely get a lot of people from the industry.”

“Yes, but the cost of living here is so much lower,” Anya said, her gaze turning to the large file that was sitting in front of Buffy. “So, what are the plans for my big day?”

“Our big day,” Spike muttered, unheard by his fiancée.

“That’s really up to you,” Buffy replied, trying to shake off the case of nerves that she had. “I’m here to make sure everything runs smoothly. Would you like to sit down?” she asked, gesturing to the comfortable lounge with its plush, white leather furniture, glossy black tables, and vases of lilies scattered around the area.

“Lovely,” Anya said with a smile, grabbing Spike’s hand in a firm grip and leading him toward the loveseat.

Buffy shifted nervously as they sat down before sitting across them, spreading the package offers out on the coffee table. “These are some of the weddings that I’ve planned in the past,” she said, gesturing toward the table. “All of them have a different and unique theme. If there’s something you see that you like, we can easily plan based on the prior wedding. If you’d like to mix and match several ideas, that’s fine, as well. Or we can build the idea from scratch, based entirely on your ideas.”

Buffy wasn’t sure that the other woman had heard a word that she’d said as Anya was already flipping through one of the folders, studying the ‘Passion’ wedding that was more popular with Valentine’s Day weddings with its vibrant splashes of pink and red throughout the ceremony.

Unable to resist the temptation to look up, Buffy leaned back slightly when she saw Spike’s strong gaze watching every move she made.

Were his eyes always that expressive?’ she asked herself. ‘No… you were just drunk most of the time.

She couldn’t tell what was running through his mind as he continued to watch her, but Buffy found that she couldn’t look into his eyes.

“Can you tell me about some of these?” Anya asked, now flipping through the ‘Hell’s Bells’ package, specializing in a more chaotic theme for the wedding.

“Sure,” Buffy agreed, pasting a bright smile on her face as she nodded. “As you can see, there are several to choose from. These are just the most popular. We have ‘I Was Made to Love You’ which is one of the most popular. It’s a little flashy for some people, but it’s definitely a memorable wedding. ‘Once More, With Feeling’ focuses mainly on the musical aspects. That one is generally an outdoor wedding, complete with harpist, full band, grand piano, soloists. And the ‘Fool For Love’ package is for the whimsical romantics. Lots of flowers, candles, netting draped over every surface, usually wrapped in ivy or flowers.”

“What are these?” Spike asked, pointing to the small pile of folders that Buffy set on the chair next to the coffee table.

Buffy heard the question but focused on the man who asked as she swallowed. “Um… they’re mainly for the grooms.”

Leaning back in his chair, Spike smirked. “I think I like the sound of those, already. Do tell.”

“Well,” Buffy said slowly, a part of her not wanting to show them the folders, knowing that it might cut her commission. “We have ‘Same Time, Same Place’ which is basically a hassle-free eloping. We would set up everything so that all you would have to do is pack. The ‘Get it Done’ package is for grooms,” she said, seeing Spike smile a little. “A much smaller wedding, but still very tasteful.”

“And this one?” Spike asked, picking up a folder that had a hotel showcased on the front.

“‘Bring on the Night’,” Buffy filled in. “Strictly for honeymooners. Basically if you wanted to go to the courthouse or justice of the peace, we set up the hotel room for the wedding night. The most hassle-free of the group.”

“There oughtta be a ‘Love’s Bitch’ package,” Spike muttered, earning a smack on the arm from Anya and a slight smile from Buffy that she tried to hide from him.

Hearing the ringing of a cell phone, Buffy quickly grabbed hers, frowning when she noticed that it wasn’t hers.

“Hello?”

Looking up in time to see Anya answer her phone and motion that she would be back in a minute, Buffy’s eyes widened at the idea of being alone with Spike. Watching as Anya walked through the building and stood next to the front windows, Buffy took a deep breath before straightening her shoulders. She was a professional. She could handle a few minutes alone with a man she hardly knew. Whether she’d had a deep sexual connection with him at one point was irrelevant.

“So… how’ve you been?” he asked with a smile that was overly bright. “You left.”

Buffy’s mouth dropped open at the abrupt change in his tone. “Excuse me?”

“What? You don’t think I remember? I remember everything, love. And I remember waking up alone.”

“What are you? The woman in this situation?” Buffy hissed. “It was a drunken night of fun. Not like it was life-changing.”

“Maybe not,” Spike agreed with a nod. “But I think you owed me more than that.”

“I owed you more?” Buffy nearly cried out as she gestured to herself. “You’re the one who was making lewd advances all night long!”

“No,” he replied, tilting his head to look at her. “You’re just the one who tricked me up to a hotel room.”

“So… what? You think I took advantage of you or something?” she asked with a smirk.

“Never said I was complaining, Goldilocks,” he said, returning her smirk. “And I want my shirt back.”

“You’re kidding, right?” she asked with a smile that soon faded when she saw his raised eyebrow. “That was over a year ago! I don’t have your shirt!”

“Funny,” he replied in a low voice. “Because I have yours.”

Looking around quickly, Buffy narrowed her eyes as her gaze settled back on Spike. “Does your fiancée know about this?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“No,” he said with a slow smile. “You and anything belonging to you have remained my dirty little secrets.”

Glaring at him, Buffy opened her mouth to respond seconds before Anya walked back to the couple and sat down next to her fiancé.

“Sorry about that. You have no idea what a hassle it is to be in charge of this fundraiser.”

Not asking the other woman to elaborate, Buffy began gathering her things together, needing time away from the infuriating man in front of her.

“That’s okay,” she said, throwing some things into her bag. “Why don’t you take this?” she added, handing Anya a folder of options. “We’ll see where we can take it from there.”

“Very ‘to the point’,” Anya said with a smile. “I like that in a wedding planner.”

“It’s my job to make this as easy as possible for you,” Buffy said, easily falling into her speech to please her client.

“I find nothing wrong with that philosophy,” Anya said with a smile, standing up with Spike and looping her arm through his, causing Buffy to grit her teeth at the sight. Something that did not go unnoticed by Spike. “When shall we meet again?”

Buffy inwardly groaned at the question. These next few months were going to be excruciatingly long.







Thanks so much to: Cynthia, Cordykitten, spuffette, Franchesca, gotkona, Deborah, BuffyandSpikeForever, Karma, blondiebear, jennybean, Noelle, seraiza, willowmouse, mjspuff, Roz, baby spikes & spikestheman for reviewing!

Chapter 4 – The Tables Turn


Walking into her house later that night, Buffy sighed as she threw her purse onto the kitchen counter, smiling at the sounds coming from the other room. Quickly walking through the house, she couldn’t help but giggle at the sight in front of her.

“Has he been any trouble?” she asked, smiling when her boyfriend jumped and spun around to face her.

“Sorry, Buff. Didn’t hear you.”

“That’s alright,” she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek as she walked by, crouching in front of the bouncy seat on the floor. “How’s my Jordan?” she asked, tickling the baby’s feet, giggling when his little mouth formed an ‘O’ as he excitedly kicked his legs.

“He’s excited Mommy’s home,” Xander said, rubbing her shoulder.

“I am, too,” Buffy said, standing up and rubbing her eyes tiredly.

“Long day?”

“You have no idea,” she said, unbuckling the little boy and lifting him into her arms.

“What happened?” Xander asked, walking into the kitchen and taking a plate of food out of the oven.

“I think I’m overworked,” Buffy said, walking over to the table and sitting down, smiling gratefully at him when he set the food in front of her. “I swear, my stress level is entering the red zone.”

“No particular reason?” he asked, sitting down next to her, rubbing her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

“Just taking on too much,” she said, taking a bite of chicken, rocking the baby back and forth as she ate.

“Take a few weeks off.”

“You know I can’t do that,” Buffy said, shaking her head. “I think I just landed this huge account and with the percentage I’ll get, it will practically pay for Jordan’s college bills.”

“Buffy, he’s only three months old. You’ll have plenty more weddings to plan between now and then and I’ve already told you if you ever need help-”

“I’m not taking money from you, Xander,” she said with a sigh. “You know that. It’s bad enough I have to depend on you to pick him up from daycare everyday.”

“You know I don’t care about that,” he said, standing up and walking over to the counter, filling up a bottle for the baby. “Why don’t you let me feed him?” he said, taking the baby from Buffy as she finished her dinner.

“See?” she said, pointing at him as if it would prove her point. “I depend on you too much as it is.”

“Buffy, I’m giving your baby a bottle. I don’t think this qualifies as needing an ‘IOU’.”

“It’s the principle,” she muttered, leaning back against her chair, letting her eyes close in exhaustion.

“Tell you what- why don’t I get little Jordan here ready for night-night,” he said, his voice softening as he spoke to the baby. “And you grab a nap on the couch?”

“It’s only seven thirty,” Buffy protested meekly.

“What’s your point? I go to sleep on the jobsite everyday,” he said, smiling when Buffy giggled.

“Okay… I’ll rest,” she said, looking at him in warning. “But no napping for me or I’ll never get to sleep tonight.”

“Whatever you say, Chief,” Xander replied, mock-saluting her.

Buffy watched as Xander carried the baby toward the hallway, talking to him the entire time. “You really lucked out, Summers,” she murmured, climbing to her feet and stretching her tired muscles before walking into the living room. Halfway to the couch, she stopped when she heard the doorbell ring. “I’ll get it,” she called softly, kicking off her high heels as she walked toward the front door, her hands coming up to loosen the bun from its tight hold.

Shaking out her hair as she opened the door, Buffy froze when she saw Spike standing on the other side. Hastily looking over her shoulder, she left the house, pulling the door shut behind her.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered quietly, her hand never leaving the doorknob in case she felt the need to make a quick escape. “Scratch that – how the hell do you know where I live?” she hissed, seeing him smile in amusement.

“You’re in the book, love.”

Pouting slightly at the lack of her own common sense, Buffy nervously ran a hand through her hair. “You can’t be here.”

Spike raised an eyebrow, looking at the door before turning his gaze back to Buffy, tilting his head thoughtfully. “Someone in there you don’t want me to meet?”

“Try the opposite,” she said raising an eyebrow as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Aah, so you’re keeping me a secret, then, baby?” he asked, biting his lip as he looked her up and down.

“You bet your ass I am,” she said, tightening her jaw when he smirked at her.

“Moving on already?” he asked in a condescending tone.

“Says the man who has a fiancée,” Buffy replied, rolling her eyes. “A fiancée whose wedding I’m planning, no less. Were you with her when you were with me, Spike?”

“No,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I was free and clear that night, Goldilocks. You?” he asked, his voice taking on a harder edge.

“I wasn’t seeing anyone,” she admitted, avoiding his gaze.

“But you are now?” he clarified.

“Yes,” she said, looking up at him after a moment. “I am now.”

“And he’s inside?” Spike asked in amusement, trying to look through the windows in the door. “I’d like to meet him.”

“Are you insane?” Buffy asked, her eyes widening comically.

“Seems only fair, love,” he continued with a slight smile. “You met my significant other… My turn.”

“You’re not meeting him,” Buffy said, breathing heavily as she tightened her hold on the doorknob.

“Brave man.”

“What’re you talking about?” she asked warily, trying to pretend as if the way he was looking at her wasn’t doing things to her.

“Letting his woman out of his sight for this long.”

“I’m not ‘his woman’,” she said irritably.

Spike smiled, stepping forward and pressing his hands to the door on each side of her head. “That right?”

“That’s not an invitation,” she said, pushing at his chest, her eyes widening when his arms wrapped around her waist. “What the hell are you doing?” she asked, hating the breathless quality of her voice as she leaned away from him. “You have a girlfriend!”

“Your point?”

Buffy’s eyes widened before she drew back her hand to slap him, struggling when he grabbed her wrist in a firm grip.

“I’m kidding, Buffy,” he said with a slight chuckle, letting go of her and stepping back. “It’s just fun to see your eyes bug out when you hear something like that.”

Narrowing her eyes in response, Buffy’s fists clenched at her sides. “You are such an asshole,” she said, breathing heavily. “What the hell are you doing here, anyway?”

Watching as he leaned down, Buffy noticed the plastic bag leaning against the side of the house for the first time, catching it when he threw it at her. Opening it up, she couldn’t help the smile that pulled at her lips when she saw her shirt inside.

“You’re not going to be one of those creepy stalker guys who keeps souvenirs of the women he sleeps with?”

“I’ve had it for a year, love,” he said with a smile. “I think I’ve fulfilled the stalker quota.”

Closing the bag, Buffy grudgingly looked up at him. “Thank you,” she muttered, almost hoping that he didn’t hear her.

He nodded and turned, beginning to walk away.

“That was it?” Buffy asked in disbelief. “That was the entire point of this little visit?”

Spike turned around again to face her, raising an eyebrow. “Not like I could’ve brought that with me when Anya’s around,” he said, seeing Buffy nod in acceptance. Looking at the house, he tilted his head for a moment. And I wanted to make sure you’re okay.

“You’re doing well for yourself,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Turning around to look behind her, Buffy tried to suppress the shiver that threatened to race through her body when she felt his eyes on her. “Yeah,” she murmured with a slight nod. “I am.”

“Glad to see it,” he said before nodding at her. “Goodnight, Buffy.”

Tell him… tell him he has a child… you won’t get a better opportunity than this…

“Goodnight, Spike,” she said in a strained voice, closing her eyes and leaning against the door when he walked away.






Thanks so much to: shelly, Franchesca, Cynthia, Suzee, spufette, klylu, Noelle, Cordykitten, caatje, DaniD, Pam S., hotlipedjen, gotkona, kim, jennybean, jt, BuffyandSpikeForever, jenny, spikestheman, demona424, mjspuff, phantomwriter & baby spikes for reviewing!

Chapter 5 – Cats in the Bag


“Buffy, you’re late,” Willow said, running around the counter to greet her as she walked through the doors of Something Blue.

“I know, I know,” she said, barely able to maneuver through the spinning doors as she held Jordan’s car-seat in one hand, her purse, files, and briefcase in the other with a diaper bag slung over her shoulder. “Jordan woke up sick this morning, I couldn’t take him to daycare and it’s not like Xander could take him to the site.”

“You should’ve taken a sick day,” Willow said, hurrying up to her friend to help relieve her of some of the weight. “You own the business, Buffy, it’s okay for-”

“Yes, I own it, which means I should be here,” Buffy said, breathing a sigh of relief as she rearranged what she was holding, checking on the sleeping baby. Walking into the elevator, she pressed the button for the third floor, leaning against the wall as the doors closed.

“At least it’s not a Saturday,” Willow said, seeing her friend roll her head around to look at her.

“There’s no way I could plan a garden party today, let alone a wedding,” Buffy replied, stepping out of the elevator when the doors opened.

“Morning, Miss Summers,” her receptionist Harmony called as Buffy walked toward her office.

“Morning,” Buffy replied, smiling at Willow when the redhead opened the door for her.

Dropping her files on the desk and the diaper bag on the floor, Buffy carefully placed the car-seat next to her desk, leaning down to tuck the blanket more securely around the sleeping baby.

“Do you need anything?” Willow asked.

“No, but thanks, Wills.”

“Okay, I better get back to work.”

“Yeah, I should try and get something accomplished while he’s asleep,” Buffy said, looking at the baby with a tender smile.

“I’ll check in on you later,” Willow said, walking out the door, closing it quietly behind her.

Buffy exhaled heavily as she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror. Picking up her purse, she grabbed a brush, pulling it through her hair until it fell in soft waves around her shoulders and down her back. Putting on a touch of mascara and some lip gloss, she recapped both tubes as she walked back to her desk.

Straightening the black pants she was wearing, Buffy sat down in the comfortable chair, leaning back for a moment, closing her eyes. After a night of walking Jordan through every room of the house, she’d barely managed to get two restless hours of sleep before having to get up and go to work.

“Miss Summers?”

Buffy sighed, pushing the button on her phone when she heard Harmony’s nasal voice float through her office. “Yes?” she asked, feeling slightly contrite at the irritable tone of her voice.

“You have a client here who is dropping off a check.”

“That’s fine,” Buffy said, shaking her head, wondering why the woman was still her assistant.

“Insisting that it be given to you personally.”

Buffy sighed. Of all days…

“Send her in.”

Slowly rising from her chair, she ran a hand over her face as she fought back a yawn.

“Not exactly a her.”

Buffy’s eyes snapped up at the sound of the familiar voice. Unable to say anything, she felt as if her entire body had paralyzed. “Oh,” she said, staring at him for a long moment before walking around the side of the desk that was furthest away from him, hoping to draw his attention from the car-seat resting on the floor. “So… you want to drop off a check? You know, for future reference, you can do that in the Accounting office.”

“I like to know where my money is going,” he said with a smile.

“Your fiancée’s money, actually,” she said with a slight smile, trying to stay relaxed.

Spike opened his mouth to respond, frowning when he heard a tiny whimper, seeing Buffy straighten immediately. Looking around the office, he raised an eyebrow at the sight of the partially concealed car-seat, tilting his head to get a better look at it.

“Yours?” he asked, taking a few steps forward.

Buffy briefly closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she nodded. “Yeah,” she murmured, biting her lip as he stepped around her desk, smiling down at the baby.

A horrible thought ran through Buffy’s head as Spike crouched down to look at the baby. What if I tell him and he’s mad? What if he tries to take Jordan away? Tears nearly entered her eyes at the terrible thought. She knew it would take a lot for a man to take a baby away from his biological mother, but Spike obviously had powerful contacts if he was marrying Anya Jenkins.

“Feels a little warm. Should take him to the doctor, love,” he said, tenderly touching the baby’s forehead before picking up a dry cloth and wiping the tiny nose.

“I will,” she said, vaguely seeing his eyes turn to hers.

“You alright?” he asked, frowning when he saw her ghostly white face as she unseeingly stared at the wall.

“Fine,” she said in a chipper voice, turning to look at him with a smile. “I’m just fine.”

Spike tried to stamp out the jealousy that was spreading through him that Buffy and her boyfriend were obviously turning into a happy family. You’re getting married, you wanker. It’s not like you want her.

Standing up, Spike crossed his arms over his chest. “Hope your boy-toy knows what he’s got.”

“He’s not my ‘boy-toy’,” she said, never letting her gaze leave his.

“What’s he do?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but he’s a contractor.”

“Never would’ve figured you for a blue-collar wife,” he said with a smile.

Buffy’s face flushed as she restrained every urge inside of her not to yell at the man. “You don’t know anything about me,” she said, her eyes flashing with rage. “If you did, you’d know I don’t care what kind of job my boyfriend has-”

“Relax, love,” Spike said, holding out his hands in a gesture of surrender. “My father is a plumber, I wasn’t knockin’ any chosen professions. You just seemed a little… uptight,” he said, knowing that he was going to catch hell for that word, surprised when Buffy looked down with a pout. “Don’t give me that face, Goldilocks.”

“Maybe I am,” she said with a shrug. “But I had enough sense to leave you before it got worse.”

“Worse?” Spike repeated in disbelief. “I don’t know what you remember from that night, but don’t pretend that it was meaningless.”

“It was-” she began to insist.

“Bollocks!” he replied, louder than intended. “It was a bloody revelation!”

“And what would that be?” Buffy asked, swallowing heavily as Spike narrowed his eyes on her.

“Never mind,” he muttered, turning toward the door. “Have a nice life with your happy family.”

“You’re one to talk,” she murmured, looking at the floor, closing her eyes when Spike turned to face her again.

“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?” he asked, taking a step toward her.

“You’re a big person to judge things you don’t understand,” she said, sucking in a deep breath when he stepped even closer to her.

Spike tried to control his breathing, not wanting to yell with a child in the room. “Care to enlighten me on whatever it is that I don’t understand?”

“Because the baby is yours, you moron!” she cried, seconds before her eyes widened as she realized what she’d said. “Oooh… crap,” she muttered, looking at the floor before hesitantly looking up and meeting his stricken gaze. “Don’t suppose we could just shove that particular cat back into the bag, huh?”

“What did you say?”

“Cat in bag equals good?” she said in a hopeful voice, her eyebrows raised as if to prove her innocence.

“You know what I’m talking about,” Spike said, his voice a rasping whisper as he tried to come to terms with what she’d said.

Buffy opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to think of anything to say as she looked at the floor. “The night that we were… together… we weren’t exactly playing it safe.”

Spike looked over at the baby in stunned silence, blinking several times before refocusing on Buffy. “I’m a father,” he whispered, unable to wrap his mind around the fact.

“Not if you don’t want to be,” she said quietly, taking a step back when Spike’s eyes snapped back to her.

“What?”

“I-I just mean… we don’t know each other, Spike. You’re getting married, your fiancée has no idea that we know each other, let alone slept together. This was kind of thrown at you out of leftfield, which is my fault, but…”

“I’m a father, Buffy,” he said, slowly walking over to the car-seat, crouching down to get a better look at the baby. “Nothing will change that. I’m not abandoning him.”








Thanks so much to: DaniD., Olivia-luv, Dee, Noelle, Pam S, NEO_trinityknot, fen, Whitelighter354, spufette, Cordykitten, caatje, Franchesca, spikestheman, ChrissieLinnit, blondiebear, MarstersGirl13, mjspuff, BuffyandSpikeForever, kim, jt, shelly, melissa g, jenny, Tuesday, willowmouse, Brittany, baby spikes & phantomwriter for reviewing!

Chapter 6 – Three’s a Crowd, Four’s a Circus


Buffy watched with mixed feelings as Spike picked their son up out of the car-seat, quietly shushing him when he began fidgeting and moving around.

“Shh… shhh… It’s okay, poppet, it’s your daddy.”

Buffy looked at the floor, biting her lip to fight the tears in her eyes.

“What’s his name?” he asked, looking up in time to see Buffy wipe her cheeks.

“Jordan,” she said in a choked voice. “His name is Jordan.”

Spike smiled, looking down at his son, tenderly touching the tiny fists and nose, almost reassuring himself that he was real.

Buffy felt that weighing pressure against her chest that seemed to accompany a life-changing experience. She knew that nothing would ever be the same again. She and Spike would forever be linked by the tiny bundle in his arms – he would be in her life forever.

“A little unnerved, Goldilocks?” he asked with a slight tilt of his head.

“I never would’ve kept him from you,” she said, raising her eyes to his. “But I didn’t know who you were or where to find you and I just…”

“And last night?” Spike asked, raising an eyebrow in her direction.

“You caught me off guard,” she said with a nervous smile. “Like you did today.”

“Guess this changes a few things, huh?” he asked, taking in a deep breath as he gave her a hopeful look.

“What’re you going to tell Anya?” she asked, seeing his face go blank.

“God, Anya… I forgot…”

“You forgot your fiancée?” she asked gently, trying to keep her voice low, not wanting to wake Jordan.

Spike didn’t have a chance to answer as the door opened, revealing the woman in question. “Anya!” Spike said in surprise, looking at the baby in his arms before raising his eyes to his fiancée, trying not to let it be known how panicked he was. “What are you doing here, love?”

Seeing Buffy practically cringe as he called the other woman ‘love’, Spike nearly winced, feeling as if he was being unfaithful to a woman he’d only spent a few hours with, rather than a woman he was engaged to.

“I had an appointment with Buffy,” Anya said, looking at the baby with a puzzled expression on her face. “Her receptionist told me to enter.”

“I’m going to kill Harmony,” Buffy muttered under her breath before her eyes widened in surprise. Looking up at Spike, she studied him for a moment, realizing that he’d gone out of his way to make an excuse to see her. He could’ve just as easily sent the check for the down payment with Anya. Or mailed it. He’d chosen to see her. The knowledge shook her as she looked away.

“Whose baby?” Anya asked, looking back and forth between the two, shaking Buffy from her thoughts.

Hazarding a glance at Spike, she swallowed heavily before plastering a smile on her face. “He’s mine,” she said, walking over and taking the baby from Spike, noticing the reluctance on his face as he let go.

“I see,” Anya replied, still slightly puzzled. “And why were you holding him?” she asked Spike.

“I love kids, pet- you know that.”

Buffy quickly stepped forward, not sure why she felt the need to stop a potential fight before it started. “Anya, this is my son Jordan.”

Spike frowned, feeling his emotions warring inside of him. Hearing Buffy refer to their son as hers and hers only, he felt his stomach drop. If Anya was going to be in his life, she deserved to know everything. “Ahn, I-”

“Not exactly like Fort Knox getting in here.”

Everyone turned toward the voice at the door. Buffy inhaled sharply, seeing Xander standing there, her eyes widening as she briefly glanced at Spike before walking toward her boyfriend.

Spike’s brow furrowed as he watched the man approach, bending down to leave a soft kiss on Buffy’s lips. He found himself looking away, clenching his jaw at the sight.

“Xander, what’re you doing here?” Buffy asked quietly, shifting the baby slightly in her arms.

“Worked it out so I could take the day off. The site’s well enough off the ground- they don’t need me today. Figured you’d need someone to take the little guy off your hands,” he said, picking up Jordan, glancing at the people in the room. “Appointments and whatnot.”

Buffy saw Spike’s eyes flashing as he watched Xander. Quickly turning to Anya, she smiled at the other woman.

“Anya Jenkins and Spike Crawford, meet Xander Harris,” she said, seeing Anya and Xander talk pleasantly for a moment as her eyes settled on Spike. Seeing something in his gaze, she quickly looked away, taking a deep breath as she smiled at Anya. “Was there anything in particular you needed today?”

“I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be taking the Hell’s Bells package.”

How appropriate, Buffy thought, keeping her smile firmly in place.

“We didn’t decide on that, Anya,” Spike said in a tight voice, his gaze turning back to Xander and the baby.

“We didn’t have to. I decided. So, Buffy, when can we start planning?” she replied, completely ignoring her fiancé.

“Why don’t you go outside and schedule an appointment with Harmony,” Buffy said, slipping into her professional role, guiding the other woman toward the door. “I have several open times this week when we can begin,” she continued, hating the tightening in her stomach as she glanced at Spike, feeling pained with the knowledge that she would be planning his wedding to another woman.

Shaking her head, she quickly reminded herself that she had a boyfriend whom she’d been seeing for well over a month – she didn’t need to be lusting or even thinking about other men. Even if said man was the father of her child.

Clearing her throat, she turned to Xander, “Willow wants to see Jordan, honey, if you wouldn’t mind taking him down there before you leave.”

“No problem,” Xander said, buckling the baby into his car-seat and picking it up with the diaper bag. “We’ll see you tonight,” he continued, pressing a kiss to Buffy’s cheek before walking out the door, making idle chitchat with Anya as she walked into the reception area, leaving Spike and Buffy standing in the office, each looking at the floor before glancing at each other.

Stepping forward and grabbing her arm, Spike pulled her out of the eye-line of the door, his eyes never leaving hers. Seeing how close her lips were to his, he resisted everything inside of him that was telling him to kiss her. Glancing at the door to ensure their privacy, he spoke quietly, “Have lunch with me today.”

“Spike, I can’t-”

“We’re going to have this out, one way or another, Buffy,” he said softly, his eyes searching her face.

Looking toward the door for a moment, she hesitantly nodded. “There’s a coffee shop on Maple,” she whispered, looking into his eyes. “Meet me there in two hours… Don’t be late.”

Spike nodded, leaning down to brush a gentle kiss to her cheek, feeling a moderate amount of satisfaction when she closed her eyes, seemingly taking more pleasure out of his kiss than the one the whelp had given her.

“See you then, love.”







Thanks so much to: DaniD, demona424, spuffette, Franchesca, NEO_trinityknot, Tuesday, Sharon, Brittany, spikestheman, Whitelighter354, baby spikes, Devin, Juanita, Cordykitten, caatje, bluebird, kim, tina, Dee, BuffyandSpikeForever, Melissa g, shelly, willowmouse, Olivia-luv, mjspuff, Seraiza, M, phantomwriter & Crystal Pegasus for reviewing!

Chapter 7 – Food For Thought


Spike wasn’t late. He was actually early, beating her to the coffee shop with time to spare. Buffy hesitantly walked toward the back of the shop, sitting across from him and folding her hands in front of her, trying not to nervously fidget with them like she really wanted to do.

Both stayed quiet for a long moment, each focusing anywhere but on the other person.

“So…” Buffy began, looking down at the table.

“Were you ever planning on telling me?”

Buffy looked up, stunned at the question. “What do you think?” she asked, her lips setting in a firm line. “You fall into my life yesterday, completely out of the blue, and you just expect me to…” Trailing off, knowing that she was being unfair, Buffy nervously pulled her hands from the table surface, resting them in her lap. “I don’t know,” she finally admitted in a tired voice. “It was such a shock to see you at all, and then on top of that, I just let it slip and… I didn’t really get a chance to process it all. I’d like to think that I would’ve told you, but I’m not going to pretend that the idea of you finding out didn’t scare me.”

“What’re you talking about, love?” he asked, leaning across the table.

“How am I supposed to know you won’t try and take him away from me?” she asked, looking up at him with a pained expression.

“That’s not my intention,” he said, shaking his head, seeing her relax slightly. “I’m not heartless, Buffy.”

“I-I don’t… That’s not what I think,” she said, shaking her head as she watched him.

“Can I take your order?”

Blinking at the new voice, Buffy took a deep breath, trying to get her nerves and emotions under control as Spike ordered lunch for himself.

“And for you, ma’am?”

Glancing up at the waitress, Buffy nearly shook her head. “Coffee,” she murmured a moment later, knowing that she would need something.

Both sat in silence for several moments, both looking at anything but the person across the table from them.

“You should eat something,” Spike said a moment later.

“I don’t think my stomach would agree with that sentiment,” she replied, trying to force a smile.

“Why did you leave that night, Buffy?” he asked, causing her eyes to practically snap to his, taken by surprise at the new turn in the conversation.

Staring at him as she tried to think of a valid excuse, Buffy studied the sharply-angled cheekbones, the full lips that she remembered all too well, in spite of her brief acquaintance with them.

“It just never would’ve worked,” she said suddenly, blurting out the first thing that came to her, hoping to steer her mind from the dangerous course it seemed to be set on. “We don’t even know each other… We don’t…”

“I’ve thought of you, you know?” he said, looking at her, nervously biting his lip. “I’ve never been that… affected,” he continued, choosing his words carefully.

“Spike, don’t do this,” she said, a panicked look in her eyes as she shook her head. “There’s nothing between us-”

“Nothing but a son,” he protested, causing Buffy to flinch as she looked around the coffee shop, seeing a few eyes turn in their direction as a result of the sudden outburst.

Seeing the waitress approach with her coffee and Spike’s sandwich, Buffy avoided his eyes as she stared at the mug placed in front of her. Trailing her fingers around the rim of the cup, her teeth worried her bottom lip. “What’re you going to tell Anya?” she asked a moment later.

“The truth,” Spike replied with a convincing nod, shoving the sandwich away from him, obviously having lost his appetite. “Just give me a minute to come up with it.” Seeing Buffy glaring at him from across the table, he rolled his eyes. “Only kidding, love. I’ll think of some way to break the news to her… Wouldn’t be surprised if she didn’t want you working on the wedding, though.”

Buffy briefly closed her eyes, thinking about what losing that commission could mean for Jordan’s future.

“Hey, now, what’s with that face?”

“What? Nothing,” she said, shaking her head as she turned her gaze back to him. “It’s nothing.”

“That’s not a nothing kind of face,” he said, leaning over the table, tilting his head in her direction. “What’s on your mind, Summers?”

“I was just… the money was…” Trailing off, Buffy clenched her jaw in frustration, unable to raise her eyes to Spike’s, not wanting to see the look of superiority – or worse – pity.

“I can help you out with the money part,” he said, watching her expression change, seeing every nuance that seemed to cross her face.

“That’s not necessary, I-”

“Buffy,” he interrupted in a firm voice. “I’m going to support my son.”

“Spike-”

“I’m not negotiating on that point.”

Buffy sighed, knowing that there was no point in arguing with him. She hadn’t known him for very long, but she had the feeling that he was as stubborn as she was. Glancing around the interior of the small café, she did what she could to keep her eyes averted, not wanting to look in his direction. She knew that staying in his presence too long was going to wreak havoc on her imagination. It had become painfully clear that seeing Spike in a darkened bar was a completely different experience than seeing him in the harsh light of day. And the difference was tormenting her resolve to keep a professional amount of distance between them. Especially the more that she saw of him.

Fidgeting nervously in her seat, Buffy was unaccustomed to the sudden nerves that seemed to take over her body. She knew she had to get out of there before he did something that would make her want to leap across the table and say ‘to hell with the consequences’.

Spike offered her a soft, almost shy smile before glancing at the table. Looking up at her a moment later, he raised an eyebrow in question, his smirk firmly in place.

Like that.

Bolting to her feet, Buffy gasped as she stumbled into the waitress who had stepped up to the table, her arm nearly sending the tray that the other woman was holding crashing to the ground. “I’m sorry,” she said, helping the girl regain her balance as Spike stood up to take the tray.

Standing in front of him for a long moment as the waitress put their order on the table and made a hasty retreat, Buffy nearly closed her eyes when she felt Spike’s ice blue gaze settle on her. “I better go,” she mumbled, walking past him, inhaling sharply when he grabbed her arm, refusing to let her pass.

“Sit down, Buffy,” he said in a low voice.

Buffy knew that he expected no argument when he used that tone. It spoke of authority and years of getting what he wanted when the timber of his voice seemed to change. And she knew that he was completely unprepared for her pulling away from him, firm resolve practically etched in her features. “I have to go,” she said, not waiting for an argument as she walked out of the café.

Spike muttered a curse under his breath before tossing some money on the table for the untouched food. Turning and practically running through the door, he chased after her, catching up to her nearly a block away. Grabbing her arm and jerking her into an alley, Spike clenched his jaw, ignoring her cry of outrage at the abrupt treatment.

Staring at Buffy for a long minute, he took in everything about her. The windswept blonde hair, curling softly around her shoulders, the eyes that were currently flashing with repressed anger, causing him to smile at the realization that he was the cause of all of her pent-up hostility, and the way her lips seemed to tighten and relax, as if she was restraining the urge to yell at him. Realizing that he was the one who had the right to do the yelling, Spike narrowed his eyes, remembering his purpose for chasing after her as he opened his mouth to begin what he predicted to be a very heated argument.

And he kissed her.








Thanks so much to: daisy, franchesca, gotkona, olivia-luv, Spuffette, Stephanie, DaniD, Tuesday, Cordykitten, Brunettepet, demona424, spikestheman, Delicia, hotlipedjen, BuffyandSpikeForever, Annette, shelly, kim, Devin, M, kassie, melissa g, katj, willowmouse, flibble, baby spuffy, seraiza, Lyns, Emma, phantomwriter & bluebird for reviewing!

Chapter 8 - The Right to be Wrong


Everything around her seemed to fade away. The soft feel of his lips moving over hers in a sensual caress, the way his hands seemed to skate over her skin, leaving her shivering in their wake. The warmth of his breath against her. Everything inside of her seemed to scream at her to push him away, but a long, dormant part of her cried out at the potential loss of what she had secretly craved for so long.

And then a face swam through her fogged mind. Xander. Dear, sweet, trusting Xander, who had never done anything to warrant this kind of treatment from her. He deserved better.

Planting her hands on Spike’s chest, Buffy pushed him firmly away, panting softly as she looked up into his glazed-over eyes, seeing the same need reflected in his gaze.

Nervously running her tongue over her swollen lips, Buffy blinked to clear her mind, dragging a hand through her hair as she stepped away from him. “Don’t,” she warned, holding up a hand to him as he stepped toward her.

“Don’t what?” he asked, a challenging note in his voice as he continued to approach her.

“Spike, you’re engaged,” Buffy hissed through clenched teeth, as if they were in front of a crowd of onlookers and not alone in an alley. “You don’t want me. You saw it fit to propose to another woman, and at the very least, she deserves faithfulness.”

“First of all, she was the one who proposed,” he said, glancing over her shoulder with a grin.

Buffy paused, tilting her head to look at him, the tension of the moment temporarily fading away as she thought of the hilarity of that statement. “So that’s what it takes to get you to the altar,” she said, trying to keep the smile from her face. “I should’ve known you’d have to be dragged there with a collar around your neck.”

Raising an eyebrow as he looked her up and down, Spike smiled. “Is it a nice leather one, pet?”

Her smile immediately fading, Buffy took another instinctive step away. “That’s not funny.”

“It was a little funny,” he replied with a shrug.

“Do you not even care that by doing this, you would be hurting the woman you love?”

“Who said anything about love?” Spike practically yelled, pausing to stare at her after a moment before looking away with a sigh. “But you’re right. She does deserve better than this.”

Buffy nodded, trying not to dwell on the disappointment that seemed to curl through her chest. “We just… we just have to remember the reason we’re here.”

“Right,” Spike agreed with a nod, keeping his gaze firmly away from Buffy as if by looking at her, he would do something he’d regret. “Jordan. He’s the most important thing.”

“We need to figure out how to tell… them.”

“Tell them?”

“About Jordan,” Buffy clarified hurriedly. “Not about… this,” she muttered, gesturing back and forth between them. “Because this is… it’s nothing.”

“Nothing,” Spike repeated, not sounding as if he agreed with her at all. Looking at the ground for a moment, his voice was soft as it traveled through the alley. “I’ll tell Anya tomorrow.”

“And I’ll tell Xander,” Buffy replied, anxiously rubbing the back of her neck.

“Then it’s agreed?”

“It’s agreed,” she said, wishing that she could disappear, hating the awkward tension between them.

“I better go.”

“Yeah… me, too,” she said, glancing up to meet Spike’s gaze as he stared at her.

“It’s forgotten?”

With the feel of his lips still fresh in her mind, Buffy nodded. “Forgotten.”

* * * * *

Angrily scrubbing the remaining dish in her sink, Buffy nearly snapped the plate in half as she continued to relive every moment of her afternoon with Spike. “Stop thinking about him,” she lectured herself angrily.

“Talking to yourself again, love?”

With a shriek, Buffy spun around to the doorway, sending a stream of water cascading over the floor, seeing Spike standing behind her with a broad smile on his face, obviously pleased at the reaction he’d received.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Buffy asked, staring at him in bewilderment.

“Thought I could stop by and see my son. Don’t worry, I checked to make sure the whelp’s truck wasn’t here before I walked in. You really should keep the door locked, Goldilocks. Anyone could get in here.”

“Anyone did,” she replied through clenched teeth, grabbing a towel from the counter and bending down to mop up the water. “And what about Anya?”

“Out doing some wedding thing,” he said, reaching for another towel to help her clean up.

“Jordan’s not here,” Buffy said, brushing a lock of hair away from her forehead. “My friend Willow wanted to give me the night off, so she took him for a few hours.” Looking up to see his reaction, Buffy nearly gasped when she noticed how close he was to her. Clearing her throat, she quickly turned away, standing up to throw the towel in the sink, painfully aware of Spike rising to his feet behind her and leaning over her to do the same. The heat from his body made her painfully aware of the distance between them. Smoothing the invisible wrinkles in her pants, Buffy took a calming breath as she turned to face him. “You should go,” she said softly.

Spike nodded, his eyes still firmly on hers. “I should,” he agreed in a quiet tone.

“It’s… we shouldn’t be alone… together,” she continued, struggling to find the right words. “We don’t… we barely know each other and… and we don’t feel that way about…”

Unable to look into eyes as her words trailed off, Buffy began to step around him, inhaling sharply when she felt his hand settle on her arm. Turning toward him, she stared into his soft blue eyes, feeling an unusual mixture of feelings. Hope and remorse. Remorse because she knew she should be a better person. And hope…

Practically dragging him down toward her, Buffy met his lips in a frantic kiss, her hands sliding from the back of his neck into his hair, freeing it from the gel as he wrapped his arms around her back, bending her slightly to gain more control.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispered in a strained voice, breaking away long enough for him to leave soft kisses over her cheeks and forehead. Her eyes closed at the feelings he invoked, contradicting her words as she pulled him closer to her.

“No,” Spike agreed, clenching his jaw as she spread her legs slightly, allowing him the room to thrust his growing erection against her abdomen. “But we are.”

Looking into his eyes, Buffy nearly trembled at the lust she saw there. “Oh God, Spike, I need you,” she whispered, her voice partially resigned as she realized how true it was, united with the fact that she could never truly have all of him.

Smashing his mouth against hers, Spike hungrily ran his tongue along her lips, feeling her shiver when she opened to him. Nearly pulling back in surprise when he felt her hands on the zipper of his pants, he kissed her with bruising intensity as he practically ripped her clothes in his haste to feel her skin against his.

Briefly pulling away, Spike grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it aside, reaching for Buffy again as she finished removing her pants. Grasping her hips in his hands, he eagerly lifted her to the counter behind her, groaning as he kissed her again, feeling her legs wrap around his waist. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted this,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes as he thrust into her. Hearing Buffy cry out in pleasure, he firmly held her back as she arched against him, his eyes never leaving her face while she adjusted to his size.

Their frantic breathing filled the room as they slowly began to move with each other. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered, brushing soft kisses over her bare shoulder and pulling her hips toward his.

“Don’t,” Buffy said, shaking her head as she held onto his shoulders. “Don’t say that, Spike.”

“Why not?” he asked, pulling away from her until she whimpered before slamming his hips against hers with brutal force that had her nearly collapsing against him as a small orgasm raced through her. “You can’t tell me it’s not true.”

Lifting her up, Spike spun around, pressing her against the wall, feeling Buffy shiver as her skin was met with the cool surface. “Say you need me,” he whispered, his sensual lips caressing her pulse points as he plunged into her. “Say you’ve missed me.”

Buffy trembled, nearly burying her face against his shoulder as feelings continued to overwhelm her. Feeling Spike tighten his hold on her body, she gasped when he gave her a firm shake.

“Say it,” he growled.

“Why do you need to hear it?” she asked, pulling away breathlessly, her face flushed as he continued to move within her. “Will it make any of this easier tomorrow? Fine, I need you,” she said feverishly. “I need you. There won’t be a day that goes by that I won’t remember that. Does that make you happy? Is that what you want to hear?”

Not saying anything, Spike pushed her against the wall, thrusting into her until she was nearly sobbing with need, clawing at his back.

Moving with him, Buffy trembled as her climax seemed to slam into her. Arching her back, she screamed as the waves seemed to crash over her.

Feeling her muscles clenching around him, Spike pressed his face against her neck, his teeth involuntarily fastening onto her skin as he found his release, spilling himself into her.

Buffy gasped at the feel of his mouth, sliding her hand along the back of his neck, into his hair to briefly hold him in place as more tremors shook through her.

Gently kissing her throat, Spike tried to catch his breath, his hold slowly loosening on her as he held her tenderly. Pulling back after a moment, he saw the uneasy look in Buffy’s eyes.

Taking in his appearance, Buffy idly played with a curl that had fallen over his forehead. “Where do we go from here?”

Chapter 9 - Where Do We Go From Here?


Where do we go from here?

The words seemed to echo through Spike’s brain as he stared blankly at the woman in his arms.

The woman in his arms.

There was a woman in his arms who was not his fiancée, while said fiancée was preparing for their wedding.

Something that probably resembled guilt must have been reflected in his eyes as he looked at Buffy, seeing that she dropped her own gaze and awkwardly moved to disentangle herself from his arms and his body.

Picking up her discarded clothes, Buffy felt the first wave of embarrassment begin to set in as she hurriedly began redressing. Feeling the need to fill the uncomfortable silence, she glanced at Spike. “Look, this… we both know that this was just a moment of insanity, so no need to make a big deal out of it,” she said, nervously smoothing her hair, unable to look directly into his eyes.

“Do you love him?”

Jerking her head up at the abrupt change of topic, Buffy stared at him in confusion. “What?”

“Xander,” he muttered, as if saying the other man’s name was physically painful for him. “Do you love him?”

“I… I’ve known him my entire life,” she replied, stumbling over the answer. “Of course I love him.”

“I don’t mean as a friend.”

“I know that,” Buffy snapped.

“Do you?” Spike retaliated, a menacing look in his eyes as he approached her. “You wanna know what I think?”

“Not really,” she said, looking up at him with barely suppressed anger.

“I think you’re scared,” he replied as if he’d never heard her response.

“What? I’m not-”

“I think you’re afraid that you could find someone you could genuinely love. Someone who could love you back. And that would mean taking a risk.” Spike paused, raising an eyebrow as he watched her take in what he was saying.

Buffy took a deep breath, trying to hold on to what was left of her composure as she met his steady gaze. “And what if you’re right?” she asked calmly. “Is that so wrong? Is it such a bad thing to find someone who I can feel safe with?”

“Not wrong,” he replied, with an almost sad smile. “But it doesn’t feel exactly right, does it, love?”

The question was rhetorical, but Buffy felt compelled to answer it anyway, even as she choked on whatever words she wanted to say.

“I don’t think you’re happy with him,” Spike continued, hooking a finger under her chin, tilting her face up to his. “I think you both deserve better than what you’re offering each other.”

“And what about Jordan?” Buffy replied, finally finding her voice, seeing the confusion in Spike’s eyes at the uncharacteristic response.

“What about him?” he asked, his eyes searching hers as he waited for her answer.

“It’s better that I find someone who’s good for him,” she said, her voice cool and emotionless. “That’s more important than finding someone who’s good for me.”

“Buffy-”

“He needs a father,” she interjected, looking away when she realized what she’d said. Closing her eyes at the implications of it, Buffy took a deep breath. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“That right?” Spike said, his voice low and unreadable.

Wanting to look at him to see what he was really thinking, Buffy bit her lip as she took a few steps away, keeping her back turned on him. “I’m not shopping for a father for him, if that’s what it sounded like. Xander was just… he was so supportive throughout the pregnancy, and he was with me in the hospital and… when he asked me out on a date, it just seemed like a logical step.”

“I’m not letting another man raise my son,” he replied, his voice deceptively calm.

Finally turning around to face him, Buffy wrapped her arms around herself. “How do you want me to respond to that, Spike?” she asked in a tired voice. “‘I’ll give up everything I’ve worked for and move to L.A. to be closer to you and your new wife’? ‘Let’s start the legal work and you can have custody of my child before the month is out’? ‘Set me up as your mistress and Jordan and I will be set for life’? There‘s no answer that can be accomplished between the two of us.”

“You’re not particularly cute when you’re being sarcastic,” Spike said in a dry tone.

Buffy sighed, feeling emotionally drained from the hectic day. “Maybe you should go,” she murmured, looking at the floor as she ran a hand through her hair. “We’re obviously not going to get anything settled tonight, and it seems like whenever the two of us are alone for a long period of time… badness happens.”

“Didn’t seem so bad earlier,” he replied, his voice dropping seductively as he approached her.

“Spike… Anya,” she said, feeling more than a little desperate as she stepped away from him. “You’re engaged, remember?”

Spike paused, cracking his neck as her words affected him. “I am,” he muttered.

Buffy stared at him, seeing the conflict he was going through, knowing that she was experiencing a version of it herself. And yet, still wanting to walk into his arms and let him take her away for just a few hours before she had to go back to reality.

“Please go,” she whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat, hating herself for the signs of weakness that seemed to be displayed all over her face.

“We have a lot to work through,” Spike said softly.

Buffy looked at the floor, blinking back tears as she nervously worried her bottom lip. “We can work through everything when Xander and Anya learn the truth… or at least, part of the truth,” she corrected, shooting a nervous glance in Spike’s direction before looking away. “But right now, the consequences of being alone together are too…”

Tempting.

The word seemed to run unspoken through both of them.

“You’re right,” he said with a sigh, nodding as he repeated, “You’re right.”

Closing her eyes when he walked toward the door, Buffy inhaled sharply as she listened to the sound of his footsteps taking him farther away.

Looking over his shoulder as he reached for the doorknob, Spike clenched his jaw, taking in the image of her, looking so small. “Bloody hell,” he muttered, spinning around and closing the distance between them.

Buffy looked up in surprise when she was spun around, locked firmly in his embrace, Spike’s hand bracing the back of her neck as he stared into her eyes. Reaching a decision, his fingertips caressed her cheek. “Fuck the consequences,” he growled, smashing his lips to hers.






Thanks so much to: DaniD, jeanie, demona424, Brittany, Pam S, gotkona, spufette, saettie, Tuesday, willowmouse, jennybean, bozakka, pj, shelly, dirktavian, SarahandJamesFanatic, Caatje, hotlipedjen, Brunettepet, Cordykitten, baby spikes & Delicia for reviewing!

Chapter 10 - It Takes a First Step to Walk a Mile


“What are we doing?” Buffy whispered against his lips, closing her eyes as Spike backed her against the wall.

“I believe it’s called kissing, love.”

“You know what I mean,” she said, pulling back to look into his eyes. “Spike, we can’t do this.”

Spike sighed, resting his forehead against hers. “Then let’s tell ‘em. Tonight.”

“Tonight,” Buffy repeated, her voice holding a questioning note.

Pulling back slightly, Spike’s eyes narrowed as he studied her. “Having second thoughts?”

“No,” Buffy said, shaking her head. “They have to know… I mean… Jordan is your son and they need to know.”

Taking a step away from her, Spike shook his head as if to clear it. “Jordan,” he murmured, taking a deep breath as he looked away. “Right.”

Watching him in confusion, Buffy tilted her head to study him. “What were you talking about?”

“Not important,” he replied, shaking his head as he backed away. “Tonight,” he repeated, turning toward the door.

“Spike-”

“No… don’t.”

Buffy watched as he opened the door, a feeling of loss sweeping through her as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “I thought about you, you know,” she said as he was about to close the door. Breathing a sigh of relief when she saw him stop, his hand tightening on the doorknob, Buffy continued, “Even before I found out I was pregnant… I thought of you. You were such an amazing part of my life and I…” Trailing off, Buffy looked at the floor, searching for what she wanted to say. “It was just one night,” she whispered, almost to herself. “How could I feel this way after one night together?”

“Maybe because it was the result of the one night that caused it to be amazing.”

Buffy looked up in surprise, seeing Spike standing in front of her.

“It wasn’t supposed to mean anything.”

“Apparently we both missed the memo,” he said with a smile, lightly tracing her jaw.

Inhaling sharply at the feel of his hand on her skin, Buffy looked away. “I don’t love you,” she said, looking up at him when she heard him laugh softly.

“I would be surprised if you did.”

“And I’m not the ‘other woman’ kind of girl.”

“Never said you were.”

“I can’t be that person,” she whispered, shaking her head. “I just can’t.”

“I know that,” Spike replied, staring at her in amusement.

“You’re not mad?” Buffy asked in surprise, nervously shifting her weight from foot to foot.

“About what? Love at first sight is for people who’ve never had their heart broken and for men who want to score on the first date.”

“What a romantic you are,” she said dryly, rolling her eyes.

“Buffy,” Spike whispered, tilting her chin up until she was looking into his eyes. “I don’t love Anya.”

Staring at him in confusion, Buffy’s brows furrowed as she watched him. “Then why…?”

“Seemed like it was time to settle down. Figured it would never get easier than having a woman propose to me,” he added with a smirk.

“Does she love you?”

“If she does, she’s being tightlipped about it.”

Buffy breathed an inaudible sigh of relief as she closed the distance between them. “And that means…”

“That means,” Spike filled in, cupping her face in his hands. “Something was holding me back. Something that wanted me to find you.”

“Do you believe in soul mates?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I believe that anything worth having in this world is worth fighting for. Most of all - love. You have to work for what you want and work to keep it.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

A strangled gasp left Buffy’s throat as she froze, her breathing becoming labored at the sound of the voice behind her. Feeling Spike stiffen as he held her, she slowly turned around, looking into the expressionless gaze of her boyfriend. “Xander…”

“I don’t know why I’m not more surprised,” he said softly, almost to himself.

“Xander, I can explain… sort of,” Buffy muttered, looking guiltily at the floor, nearly flinching when she felt Spike’s hand rest on the small of her back.

“It doesn’t matter, Buffy.”

“But-”

“Trust me,” Xander said with a self-deprecating smile. “It doesn’t matter.”

Finally looking at him, Buffy’s eyes widened at the implications of what he was saying. “You…”

“I’m in love with someone else.”

* * * * *

One Day Later

“That’s that. It’s over.”

“You could evoke a little more emotion with that statement. It’s not like it was a football game.”

“Much more important than any game I’ve played, Goldilocks.”

“Now the age old question… what do we do now?”

“I’ll leave that one up to you.”

“Me? Why do I get all the tough questions? Alright, think, Spike, think.”

“It's a novel approach, but I'm sure your brain can handle it.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, love.”

“I suppose we could always take a few months off. I mean, you would see Jordan, of course. He is your son, after all, but you and I…” Buffy trailed off in a squeal as Spike lifted her into his arms, swinging her around in a circle around the backyard as Jordan played on a blanket nearby.

“And let someone else come along and steal you away? Not bloody likely.”

“Not likely at all,” Buffy agreed with a smile. “But I’ve gotta admit, you’re taking this whole revelation a little too well.”

“Are you kidding? They solved our problem for us.”

“That they did, but that doesn’t mean you have to take it this gracefully. She was your fiancée, Spike. I wouldn’t be too upset if you showed a little more emotion considering you lost her to my boyfriend.”

“The only emotion I feel is gratitude, love. They were in the same boat we were - they just managed to get out of it a little earlier. We all helped each other.”

“Yeah, but Anya and Xander,” Buffy murmured with a smile. “Seems like such a weird fit, doesn’t it?”

“You weren’t the one who had to listen to your former fiancée explain about the wonders of the female orgasm when the right partner is involved. Trust me, pet, after listening to three straight hours of that, in what should’ve been a break-up talk, I’m more than happy to leave them to their own devices. And I firmly believe that they were made for each other. Literally.”

Buffy giggled as Spike shuddered at the memories of the night before. “Come on… it couldn’t be that bad.”

“Easy for you to say! You got the guy to take the first step and tell you it was over. The guy is always the one to make it short and to the point, wanting to get out of harm’s way before the tears start-”

“Hey! There were no tears, buster. I was just as relieved as Xander was. And it’s not like I’ll never see him again. He’s one of my best friends.”

“We’re going to have to limit the alone time that the two of you have together, lamb,” Spike whispered, nuzzling her neck and feeling her smile against him.

“You don’t trust me?” she asked in a teasing voice.

“Trust you,” Spike replied, resting his hands on her hips as he checked on Jordan over her shoulder. “It’s all those other blokes who think they can steal you away.”

“Why are you looking at our son when you say that?”

“Because when that little guy so much as whimpers, I find my arms conspicuously empty.”

Buffy laughed as she looked over her shoulder at their son, hearing Spike sigh in contentment as they both watched him.

“You never answered your own question,” she said after a moment, turning to face him. “What do we do now?”

“I think I have an answer.”

Buffy narrowed her eyes, warily watching him when he pulled her closer to fully close the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her waist as if he would never let her go.

“Marry me,” Spike murmured, resting his forehead against hers.

Buffy stared into his eyes for a long moment before finally shaking her head. “Yeah, right,” she scoffed.

“Hmm… that was a little over the top, wasn’t it?”

“Not over the top,” Buffy said, shaking her head. “As far as proposals go, it was really good. But it was a little too high on the schmaltz meter. How about toning it down a little?” she said with a smile.

“Alright,” Spike said, pressing his lips to her forehead as they each shifted back and forth in the beginning of a dance. “Love me.”

Buffy pulled back, a surprised look on her face. Seeing his serious expression, she smiled. “That can be arranged.”



~The End~



Thanks so much to: DaniD, Stephanie, caatje, jeanie, DK, Burnz, Brunettepet, Elanor, demona424, spuffette, willowmouse, Tuesday, hotlipedjen, SarahandJamesFanatic, Pam S, flibble, scaryscouse, gotkona, Dirktavian, 3988Akasha, sunshine, Roz, Cordykitten, spikestheman, M, Bekah Leigh & everyone who has stuck with this story from the beginning!