Part I

Spike turned off his car, and instead of leaving the driver’s seat, he yawned. His head fell back and with his eyes closed, he patted down his pockets in search of a cigarette.

“Why do I even bother?” he mumbled, remembering that a particular blonde girl had pinched both his cigarettes and lighter days ago in an attempt to help him overcome the nasty habit.

“I love you,” she had said, her green eyes glittering with affection. “And I’m telling you this because I care about you. You stink, William. Your teeth are going to turn yellow and your lungs are already turning black as we speak. It’s so gross and you need to quit. Can’t you at least try? For me?”

That afternoon he allowed Buffy to raid his belongings and he quit cold turkey. He suffered from withdrawals because Buffy Summers asked him to—because he loved her—and because no matter how addictive nicotine was, nothing was comparable to his cravings for her.

“Spike?” At the sound of knuckles tapping glass, he opened his eyes to find a very sleepy Buffy staring at him through the window. “Hey,” she continued with an embarrassed smile. “I'm so sorry, but I kinda overslept.”

“Oh, that's alright.” He stepped from his car and his jaw dropped slightly, seeing that Buffy was wearing nothing but one of his old t-shirts as a nightie.

“No, it's not alright. I'll hurry. I'll get dressed so fast—we'll be on the road in fifteen minutes, I swear.”

“Buffy, it should be fine. I'll just pack the trunk with your bags while you get ready.”

“Are you sure? I still want to have time for breakfast.”

“Hey, I promised you pancakes, and you're going to get them no matter what, even if we have to get them to-go and you scarf them while I speed down the highway.”

A soft smile crept across her face and Spike witnessed some of her anxiety melt away. “You' d let me eat something messy and syrupy in your precious car? I'm touched, Will.”

“Yeah, well…” He trailed off and was pleasantly surprised once Buffy wrapped her arms around him. Spike closed his eyes and hugged her tight, determined to savor the intimate moment shared between them. Quiet minutes slipped away as they clung to each other in the middle of the Summers' driveway while the rest of Sunnydale slept on the early Sunday morning.

“Thank you for doing this, Spike. Thank you so much.”

“It's my pleasure.”

“I know you hate getting up early, but taking the bus to camp would've killed me.”

“It's nothing, really…”

“It's something to me.” She kissed his cheek and let out an exaggerated sigh. “I guess I should get moving…”

“You're right. Just don't worry about the time; I'll get you there with minutes to spare.”

“To be perfectly honest, that's what I'm afraid of. I don't want to go.”

“Oh, love, I know, but maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe you'll enjoy yourself and have a blast.”

“Maybe, but it seems very unlikely. I'll be the oldest person there thanks to my dad. I won’t know anyone—God, I'll be the camp loser, I can feel it.”

“Or you could pick yourself up some minions, boss them around, and become the queen of camp. Has that possibility ever crossed your mind? It could happen, you know.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I’d even place a bet on it,” Spike said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans once they broke apart.

“Spike, I really should go…”

“We wouldn’t want to keep your pancakes waiting, would we?”

“My bags, I have them stacked by the front door. Some of them are really heavy, I should help you--.”

“Go, Buffy. Run along, I’ll be fine.”

“But--.”

“The more you stall, love--.”

“Okay! I’m going! I’m going!”

Spike grinned, watching as Buffy scurried up the driveway. He yawned once more before following in her footsteps.
***

“God, there’s a lot of food here. William, you have to share with me.”

“Oh, I’d rather not. Thank you, but no thank you, pet.”

“But why? Are you afraid of my cooties or something?”

“No, you know that. I’m just a little squeamish of all that chocolate and whipped cream. If you wanted dessert, Buffy, we could’ve gone directly to the ice cream parlor.”

“Hey,” she chuckled, sliding an extra fork in Spike’s direction. “If you know of one that’s open twenty-four hours, just lead the way. I could always take some non-fat watermelon sorbet, especially in the summer.”

“Please share this with me,” she continued. “Please? I’d hate to waste it. You’ll love it, I promise. Chocolate chip pancakes are the best breakfast foods on the planet.”

“If I get a stomachache…”

“I’m sorry, but I’ll be forced to laugh at you. I’ll make fun of you and call you a big fat wuss.”

“What if I refuse to eat them period?”

“I’ll make fun of you and call you a big fat wuss, but I’ll also be very disappointed.”

“Oh, heaven forbid.” Spike grimaced playfully before shoving a big bite of pancake past his lips. “So, are you happy now?”

“Well…yeah. Of course.”

“With that pause, your words aren’t very convincing…”

“I’m happy that you’re helping me eat all this food, okay? But in general, I’m not feeling too great.”

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“Not really,” she replied with a faint smile.

“I have syrup on my face, don’t I?”

“That’s what happens when you bite off more than you can chew. Let me get that for you.”

“You enjoy this too much, cleaning me up like a bloody child…”

Her smile grew as she licked her thumb and wiped the corner of his mouth. “There, you’re all better now.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I don’t mind your cooties, because that could’ve been disgusting.” He wrinkled his nose and re-cleaned his mouth and chin with a napkin. “Have you, eh, heard from Angel this morning? Maybe speaking with him would cheer you up?”

“Oh, let’s not talk about Angel.”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“No—well, it’s nothing new,” she shrugged. “It’s nothing that I haven’t been crying about for weeks. I’m going to summer camp, even though I just graduated from high school. My dad pulled tons of strings to get me enrolled, even though my eighteenth birthday’s on Tuesday. And in the middle of all this, my boyfriend decides to go to Las Vegas without me. See? It’s just the same old crap.”

“God, love, I wish there were something that I could do.”

“You’ve already done more than enough. You’re giving me a ride, a yummy breakfast, and—hey, you’re still planning to drive up for my birthday, right?”

“Nothing could keep me away, and if your boyfriend had a brain in his head, he’d be doing everything in his power to do the same exact thing.”

“William, I can’t expect Angel to be like you, it wouldn’t be fair. I love you, but the way you act sometimes…God, you’re just too good to be true! And it’s not just the way you act. You’re handsome, funny, charming—you’re a total hottie and so close to perfect that it’s freaking annoying!”

“Ah…wow.” Spike covered his mouth with his fist and coughed before he swallowed another mouthful of food. “Are you trying to make me go red in the face here? I’m flattered, but--.”

“I don’t mean to dump a ton of compliments on you. I’ve just been thinking about you a lot.”

“You have?” Spike asked, his brow lifting with interest. “How so?”

“You’re such a great guy. Why aren’t you moving on? We haven’t been dating for two months now; maybe it’s time you found somebody--.”

“It’s been only a month and a half, forty-six days tomorrow.”

“You’re keeping track of the days?”

“I don’t need to find somebody,” he grumbled, intentionally ignoring her question. “I’ve got somebody, thank you.”

“You do? What’s her name?”

“God, Buffy, what do you think her name is? We’ve been over this before; I won’t be getting over you anytime soon. Just because you’ve moved on, you can’t expect me to be able to do the same so easily.”

“I don’t want to fight over this--.”

“Then why’d you bring it up?”

“Because I want to see you happy. Because I want you to pine over a girl who can freely pine for you back. I want you to have a girlfriend--.”

“I don’t need a fucking girlfriend.”

“Okay, then will you settle for a girl who’s somewhat friendly that you can, you know--.”

“Finish that sentence, Summers, and you’ll be walking to your bloody summer camp.”

“Okay, alright, I guess that was a bad joke. But I didn’t just move on, William. You meant so much to me—you still do. God, you were my first. I loved you first, dated you first, kissed you first…”

“You were my first too,” he mumbled, his eyes downcast.

“But I wasn’t your last. When you cheated on me, you broke my heart.”

He blinked, startled but not shocked by her words. When he glanced at her again, he saw drops of tears gathering in her eyes. “It was a mistake. Dru kissed me first…”

“Yeah, well,” she laughed bitterly. “You could’ve pushed her away. You could’ve told me that she was hitting on you and I would’ve kicked her ass.”

“I tried to, but—damn it, you wouldn’t go to the party with me. You were spending so much time with Angel--.”

“We were friends! We studied together, we—I told you that I’d be late for that stupid party. But when I got there, I was right on time, wasn’t I? I showed up just in time to see you and Drusilla all over each other.”

“You waited only a week before hooking up with Angel…barely a week--.”

“Well—God, I had to do something! I had to—I couldn’t just sit around like you! I couldn’t mope and be pathetic, I had to--.”

“I’m pathetic? I’m pathetic for wanting you back? For not going out and finding some random rebound fuck?”

“Wait a minute, Angel is not--.”

“You know what, just don’t. I’m done here. I’ll pay, finish your pancakes or don’t, I don’t care. I’ll be waiting in the car.”
***

It was a painfully quiet and painfully long ride to the summer camp. Not a word was spoken and not once did their eyes meet. Spike glued his eyes on the approaching road and Buffy kept her entire body turned away from him as she sulked in the passenger’s seat of the DeSoto.

“I’ll help you with your bags,” he mumbled, once he parked the car. “Should I wait here until you find out where you’re staying?”

“I’m sure it’ll be on a dirty floor somewhere.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“My dad didn’t enroll me completely. He got me in the door, but that’s it. Last that I checked, the camp was full, out of beds, and only a few classes were available for me to squeeze into, so==.”

“Buffy, do you want me to wait here or not?”

“William, I really don’t care.”

He listened to the door slam and watched her stomp angrily across the parking lot to what looked like a main building.

After ten minutes of waiting, Spike cursed under his breath. He locked his car and headed out to find Buffy.
***

“Welcome to Mountain View Summer Camp. My name is Riley Finn, how can I help you?”

“I’m looking for a girl. She walked in here not too long ago. Her name’s Buffy--.”

“Buffy Summers?”

“The one and only. Can you point me in the direction where you saw her last?”

“Sure, I just took her to her room. Are you a relative? A boyfriend maybe?”

“No, I’m her friend.”

“And your name is…”

“Spike.”

“Is that your real name?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“I’d like to see Buffy, and now if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all.” Riley’s smile never sagged as he emerged from behind the front desk. Once he stood, the other man towered a head above Spike. “You probably know about Buffy’s problem with registration…”

“Did you find some extra room? Where are you keeping her?”

“With the staff. It’s a shame that she’ll be isolated from the other campers at night, but on the brighter side she’ll have some privacy.”

“And what about her classes and whatnot? Can you get her into the ones that she wants?”

“Well,” Riley began as he led Spike through the lobby. “I printed her off a list of all the open sessions. She can pick and choose from there. All she has to do is give me a list of what she wants before lunch. Are you staying for lunch?”

“I’m not sure.”

“You should stick around. There’ll be free food, fun, and entertainment. You can even take a tour of the camp if you’d care to. We like to use this first day as a kind of meet-and-greet for campers, counselors, family members, and our other guests.”

“Riley, if we’re getting close, you can just tell me where to find her. I bet you don’t want to leave the desk unattended for long.”

“Are you sure? I’d hate for you to get lost or turned around.”

“If all fails, I can give Buffy a ring on her cell.”

“Okay. Go through the double doors and outside to a wooded area. To your left will be the cabins, but to your right will be the staff quarters. Once you reach that building, she’ll be easy to find. Just make another right. And if you or Buffy need anything--.

“We know where to find you, thanks.”
***

“Shit…”

“Hey,” Spike said, knocking on the open door.

“Come in.”

He took in the tiny room and token pieces of furniture before sitting next to Buffy on the twin bed. “What are you looking at?”

“My schedule. It sucks big time.”

“That Riley guy up front said you had a list to choose from.”

“It’s a list of thirteen. Want to guess how many classes I need? Twelve.”

“It sounds like they aim to keep you busy…”

“Not really. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are different from Tuesdays and Thursdays. The weekends are kept open for—let’s see,” Buffy said, squinting at the paper. “Camp enrichment activities.”

“Oh, now that sounds terrifying.”

“Just wait until you see this.” She tossed the schedule in his general direction before collapsing on the bed with a whine. “Damn, this bedspread is scratchy…”

“The, eh, art workshops don’t look so bad,” he mumbled, reading off the page.

“I’m not artistic.”

“The pre-college classes might be helpful…”

“I’ve graduated, William. My brain’s on hiatus until August.”

“So I’m guessing you aren’t excited about Creative Writing and, um Expressing Yourself Through Poetry?”

“What kind of summer camp is this?! Shouldn’t we be making trail mix and stupid little crafts that we can take home to our mommies?!”

“Sorry, love, but it looks like those classes are full.”

“God! I hate my life!”

“At least you can take some outdoor actives. Swimming, softball, yoga… You like that, right?”

“Yeah, but right afterward I have Etiquette and Ballroom Dancing.”

“Ballroom Dancing?”

“Continue to snicker, Spike, and I will push you off this bed.”

“At least you don’t have a bunk bed, there’s a plus. You don’t have to share a room with any snot-nosed kids either. You can shut the door, and hey, you’ve got a closet all to yourself.”

“Bedspread’s still scratchy,” Buffy said with a frown. “The bed’s way too small.”

“Well, you are on the small side, I say it’s a perfect fit.”

“That reminds me, did you see on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays that I’m in the weight loss class? That should be a scream, it’ll teach me not to eat so many Twinkies and Ring-Dings. It’s all about self-control I hear.”

“Buffy, you’re terrible.”

“It’ll just get worse. I’ll get bitter, bitchy and snarky. I won’t make any friends, I’ll be lonely and—William, can’t we just make a run for it?”

“Your dad paid good money--.”

“I bet if we explained the situation to what’s-his-face, he’d give us a full refund.”

“And then, what? What would you want to do next? Go back home? What would your mother say?”

“We could…William, why didn’t I think of this earlier? We could go to Las Vegas!”

“What?”

“I’ve never been there, have you?”

“No, but--.”

“It’s a great idea!” she exclaimed, sitting up to grab Spike’s arm. “We could drive there and surprise Angel!”

“And why would I want to surprise your boyfriend?”

“Because…well, it’d be fun! We’d stay in a nice hotel and do some shopping--.”

“All with your dad’s money? Your great idea is going to get us put behind bars.”

“Not necessarily. Don’t underestimate my skill at talking my way out of things--.”

“First, I’ll probably get accused of kidnapping. Then, what would you call what you plan on doing with the money? Just stealing, or something worse? How many years do you think we’d get?”

“I don’t think it’d be a big deal. My dad didn’t want to spend time with me in the first place, and that’s why I was shipped off to camp. He’s probably ecstatic at I’m finally turning eighteen. He won’t have to bother with me anymore.”

“You don’t know that--.”

“Don’t I? I could be here, or I could be having fun with my boyfriend and best friend, he wouldn’t care either way. It’s not like he’ll check up on me.”

“This could completely blow up in our faces. What-what if we waited until Tuesday? At least you’d be eighteen then.”

“William, please? Don’t make me stay here.” She crawled towards him on her knees and gave him her best flirtatious pout. “Please? I want to be with you.”

“I think I liked it better when we weren’t speaking. Pet, you’re being crazy.”

“Please?” she whispered before kissing the sides of his face. “Please? You’ll do it for me, won’t you?”

“I don’t know…”

“Please?” She slipped into his lap and kissed his face again and again with a mischievous gleam in her eye. “Don’t let me spend the summer without you. Don’t let me miss you, Spike.”

“You’re taking advantage of me.”

“Am I?”

To Spike’s surprise, she lightly brushed their lips together for the first time since their breakup. Stunned speechless, he blinked twice and forced his body to stay still as she wiggled against the sensitive mound in his jeans.

“I’d make it worth your while…”

“Bloody hell.” He squeezed his eyes shut as her kisses continued down his chin, throat and back up the curve of his neck. “You don’t have to do this,” he croaked. “You don’t have to play with me. I’ll drive you to Vegas; I’ll drive you to the end of the world. You don’t have to play with me.”

“I’m not playing with you, silly.”

“Buffy, are you insane? Can’t you see that you’re killing me?”

She pulled back and her smile vanished a minute later. Her eyes grew wide and she flew out of his lap and off the bed. “I-I’m so embarrassed,” she whispered, her hand over her mouth. “You must think I’m a slut.”

“I think you’re very unhappy. I think you’d do anything to leave this place.”

“William—no, no. I wouldn’t—God, don’t even think that way! I was just having fun. I was excited to think that we could go to Las Vegas together. I wouldn’t have you used that way, not for your car or Angel or anything, I swear.”

“Well, let’s not worry about it then.”

“Spike, don’t you believe me? I love you.”

“I know.”

“Oh, God, I’m such a bad person! No wonder you can’t move on! I tell you to find someone new, but then I lead you on--.”

“Buffy, that’s enough. It was a mistake. You didn’t realize what you were doing.”

“I’m sorry.”

“And I forgive you, pet.”

“William…” She tiptoed across the room while chewing her bottom lip. She ran her fingers along his skin as if to brush away any trace of her kisses. “I take it back. My idea was stupid. I’m just being a brat. I need to give camp a chance.”

“You don’t want to go now?”

“No.”

“You want to stay here, take classes on etiquette, sleep in this bed with its scratchy blankets and--.”

“What are you trying to do? I said that I would stay--.”

“Yeah, and I’m getting ready to tell you that I’m taking you to Nevada.”

“But--.”

“I just don’t have any clothes, and could be a problem.”

“William, you don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

“Is this because I…”

“No. I’ll do anything for you, should’ve figured that out by now.”

“Oh, Spike, I want to hug you so much.”

“Do it then,” he said, standing and opening his arms. “Come on.”

“I am so sorry.”

“Hush,” he whispered, holding her close. “There’s nothing to forgive.”
***

“Was it your room? If it was your room, you can tell me.”

“It wasn’t my room. It was a very nice room.”

“Was it the selection of classes then? It was Pre-college Math that got you spooked, right? What if I replaced that with a study hall period?”

“I don’t think so, Riley.”

“You’re really set on leaving?”

“No offense, but I never really wanted to come here in the first place. I just graduated…”

“And it’s your first summer of freedom?”

“Yeah,” Buffy answered, giving Spike a quick glance as they stood in the lobby with Riley Finn.

“Well, I guess there’s a reason why kids stop coming to camp once they turn eighteen.”

“Thank you for all your help, Riley.”

“Yeah, mate, it wasn’t your fault,” Spike added.

Riley nodded and followed them to the front door. “I’m just glad you had the credit card that your tuition was paid with, with you, Buffy. Every penny’s been put back in the account.”

“Thank you.”

“Take care, guys.”

“Bye.”

Spike and Buffy stepped out of the building and remained silent until they were both settled in the car.

“William?”

“Yeah?” he replied while driving through the parking lot.

“I think we ruined Riley’s day.”

“His chin was quivering a bit, wasn’t it?”

“I think so,” Buffy laughed. “How cute was he? I’ve never seen a guy smile so much.”

“I’d say he wasn’t very cute at all.”

“I wanted so much to jump for joy the second we left that place, but I knew it’d break his little heart, so I held it back.”

“You can still do that, jump for joy, you know. Are you hungry, love?”

“I could eat a little something.”

“We could find a bite to eat. We could sit and plan out trip…”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Buffy smiled. “Let’s do that.”
***

To be continued...

Part II

“Who in his right mind would choose to go to Las Vegas during this time of year? Do you realize how hot it gets there, Buffy? The temperatures reach well over one hundred degrees.”

“Don’t the hotels lower their prices because of the heat?”

“It would definitely make a lot of sense if they did.”

“I hope we can stay in one of the really nice ones. I’ve heard that the hotels are just gorgeous and that they all have different themes…”

“But why Las Vegas? We’re just eighteen, pet. We can’t gamble or drink legally. I’m sure there are some underage clubs, but so what? He could’ve gone to LA for that. Does your beau like twinkling neon lights that much?”

“Well, he told me why he was going there, and I didn’t exactly pay attention to what he was saying.”

“Hey now, that’s my girl. Ignore the man, I say,” Spike chuckled as he nibbled on the basket of fries that was between them as he and Buffy sat in their second booth of the day. Once again Buffy had ordered what she considered to be too much food and Spike was given the task of helping her finish her plate.

“I was mad at him, okay?” Buffy smiled, amused by Spike’s reaction. “I didn’t want to hear about him staying in a fancy hotel, seeing shows, and eating at buffet after buffet.”

“If he was flaunting it, good for you.”

“I was jealous. Maybe it makes me a bad girlfriend, but I couldn’t be happy about his fabulous vacation while I was heading to camp.”

“So you have no idea where he is right now?”

“Not a clue.”

“But somehow you expect us to find the guy?”

“Yeah,” she shrugged. “The city can’t be that big. On TV it looks like one long street.”

“Buffy…pet, you need to call him.”

“But wouldn’t that ruin the surprise?”

“There won’t be a surprise period if you expect to just run into Angel while we walk up and down the strip.”

“Oh. I’ll call him later then.”

“Later?”

“Yeah.” Buffy smiled and took a long sip from her soft drink. “I don’t want to bother him.”

“So, I’ve heard…”

“William, stop it.”

“Hey!” he yelped once her shoe hit his shin from under the table. “What was that for?

“Hush, you big baby, that didn’t hurt.”

“I just don’t understand it. You’re Angel’s girlfriend. How could a telephone call from you be a bother?”

“Come on, you never found it a little annoying when I called you over and over again? I was so clingy. If you weren’t with me, I had you on the phone. I gave you zero space.”

“I was never annoyed by that. I wanted you in my space.”

“Well, some people might consider that as smothering.”

“Does Angel?”

“Everything was so new and exciting for us,” Buffy mused, ignoring Spike’s question. “You and I had puppy love to the extreme. You remember my chem notebook, right? It was ‘Buffy hearts Spike’ this and ‘William and Buffy forever’ that. It was crazy.”

“No, it was amazing. We were happy and completely infatuated with each other…you haven’t been dating Angel for that long, are you hinting around that the newness has already worn off between you two?”

“I’m not making any hints, not one.”

“I see.”

“Stop it.”

He was ready for another kick, but instead Buffy stretched out her legs so he had a barefoot resting on each thigh. “And is there a reason why you’re doing this? Using me as your footstool?”

“I’m stiff,” she explained in a groan, while stretching her arms overhead. “We’ve been sitting all day. We should walk around somewhere. Can’t we do some sightseeing? Since we’re kinda going backwards from where we came from, can we go to that house or whatever that’s in the shape of a shoe? I saw the sign, it looked really neat.”

“We’ve already got nine hours ahead of us. I’m not really looking forward to driving all night long.”

“We can stop at a hotel on the way.”

“Oh, can we? I’m sure we can do just about anything with the aid of your daddy’s credit card.”

“Hey, it’s my card too.”

“Do you make the payments?”

“Sometimes…”

“Sometimes? Sometimes, my ass.”

“Oh, we’re talking about your ass now? Good, that so happens to be one of my most favorite things to talk about.”

“No, let’s talk about yours, back to Angel.”

“Funny, Will. You’re really hilarious.”

“Just tell me if you’re not calling him because he accused you of smothering him. That’s all I want to know, then we’ll drop it.”

“Would it be so terrible if I waited until he called me? If I wanted him to call me first?”

“Are you playing hard to get or something?”

“You could call it that.”

“I see… So after his stupid comment about smothering, you’ve been keeping your distance. You’re waiting for him to call first because then you’ll know that he misses you.”

“Hey, how’d you know that?”

“I know you,” Spike grumbled. “Too well for my own good, I think.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Damn it, Summers, is your phone even on? Do you have the ring on silence? Vibrate?”

“No, I wouldn’t—oh my God, let me look.” She dug through her purse and a light blush touched her cheeks. “I did have the ring on vibrate. Aww, Spike, he’s called four times, and he left four messages.”

“Oh, be still my heart.”

“Aww, he’s so—Spike? Where are you going?”

“To get some air. You don’t need me hanging around while you’re gushing over your new honey. Send peaches my love.”

“Peaches? You don’t have to—Spike!”

“I’ll just be outside. No worries, love. Take your time.”
***

“So…you needed some air?” After a few minutes, Buffy emerged from the fast food restaurant with a satisfied smile on her face. “I almost feel bad for swiping your cigarettes.”

“Why?”

“I took away your excuse.”

“Come again?”

“William, you used to require a nicotine fix at the most convenient times: when you were bored, lonely, uncomfortable, upset… Smoking gave you an excuse to run and hide.”

“Needing fresh air is a fain excuse.”

“Only if you’re an old lady. Who goes outside for air nowadays?”

“Ah, how about just anyone who breathes?”

“Okay,” she laughed, “I guess you’re right, smartass.”

“You’re in an awfully good mood. I’m guessing your call went well.”

“He misses me,” Buffy announced with a dreamy sigh that made Spike’s stomach sick with jealousy.

“Well, that’s understandable.”

“He was worried about me too.”

“Good for him.”

“William, don’t be grumpy. He’s excited that we’re coming.”

“What about the surprise?”

“Oh, you know how I get when it comes to secrets. Angel’s even trying to find you a room in our hotel.”

“Your hotel…?”

“Yeah, you want to stay nearby, right?”

“You’ll be staying with him… In his room…”

“Spike, he is my boyfriend--.”

“Are you sure about this joint vacation thing? I’d rather not be the third wheel.”

“What’s wrong with three wheels? I had a tricycle once and, it was super fun.”

“Buffy,” Spike began, his mood darkening. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Why not? Can’t you try? For me?”

“Oh, great, you’re starting that up again? I gave up smoking for you, what else could you want?”

“I want the two most important men in my life to get along and become friends.”

“I’d rather eat glass.”

“Spike, Angel’s not so bad! You just need to give him a chance.”

“No, thank you.”

“William…” She stuck out her lower lip and he looked away as she pouted. “God, you’re really being a pain about this!”

“I’ll stay until Tuesday and that’s it. I’ll be there for your birthday, and then I’m off. If you want to come back with me, fine; if not, Angel can find a way to get you home.”

“Are you getting all worked up about the hotel? The sleeping arrangements? If we stay somewhere tonight, where do you think I’ll be sleeping? Not in my own room.”

“Does peaches know about that?”

“I won’t be sleeping in your bed, and—William, who the hell is peaches?”

“Tuesday and I’m leaving. You can pout all you want.”

“Okay, but I won’t pretend like I’m not disappointed.” She hooked her left arm with his right and gave it a loving squeeze. “If you stayed a little longer, I’d give you your cigarettes back…”

“Oh, so Angel’s in your good graces again and you suddenly don’t care if I get lung cancer or not?”

“I care, you dope, probably more than I should. We just went over this. Just because I’d give them to you, that doesn’t mean that I’d want you to smoke them.”

“You want to tease me from another angle then? Great.”

“What? I don’t tease you, I--.”

“It’s always ‘you can look, but not touch’ with you.”

“What are you talking about? We touch. Spike, we touch all the time!”

“Yeah, but it’s always the same: you hug me, you hold my hand, you kiss my cheek—you initiate everything. I never make the first move, and I always follow your lead, terrified that I might overstep my bounds.”

“That’s not…why are you saying this? You’ve never complained…”

“No, I’ve been selfish, but not as selfish as you.”

Buffy’s mouth fell open and her smile vanished, replaced by a hurt expression. “You don’t want me to touch you anymore?”

“It doesn’t matter what I want. You can’t have us both. You can’t hang on me while we’re on holiday with your boyfriend. It wouldn’t be right.”

“I-I hang on you?”

“You need to choose. I’m telling you this because,” he swallowed, struggling to get out the words, “because I care about you. It’s got to be all or nothing; him or me.”

“Is this because of what happened at camp? Because I wanted to stay in Angel’s room? I won’t, Will. I’ll stay in an entirely different hotel. Please don’t do this.”

“Kitten, you knew this was coming. It was just a matter of time.”

“But why now?” she asked, warm tears sliding down her cheeks. “I’m not ready… What if I can’t stay away? I don’t think I’ll be able to just stop…”

“Then maybe you should use the next nine hours to think through some things.”

“Are you not going to talk to me again? I won’t be able to handle nine hours of silence.”

“I’ll talk to you, sweetheart. About anything, everything.”

“No touching period?” she whispered while wiping her eyes. “If I trip, you’ll just let me fall on my face? You won’t catch me?”

“Buffy…”

“Sorry, that wasn’t fair. I just wasn’t expecting this. I don’t know how to react. I don’t know what to do. What should I do, Will?”

“I’ve found in similar situations that it’s best to just quit and to not look back.”

“In certain situations… So there isn’t a patch for this? Something that could help me do this in stages,” she laughed weakly. “Like first we’ll cut out anything that involves our lips and then in a week or two, we’ll take out something else.” Frowning, her gaze went from his eyes to his mouth and back. “I’m being melodramatic about this, I know that, but it feels like we’re breaking up again. I always…it didn’t hurt so bad before because I knew I could still bring you close. I miss you so much sometimes, and it helps, knowing that I can be near you…”

“Without being with me,” Spike finished for her softly. “Not all the way. We’ve cut it close, but we’ve never crossed that line--.”

“Until today. I kissed you today.”

“It was just a peck.”

“But then I was in your lap. I knew what it was doing to you, and I didn’t stop. I didn’t want to.”

Spike swallowed, not sure what to say and equally uncertain of where Buffy was heading with their conversation. “We should get out of here.” He took several steps across the parking lot and turned back once she failed to follow. “Buffy?”

Without saying a word, she chewed her bottom lip.

“Hey, are you alright?”

“I need to make a call. Wait in the car.”

“Who are you going to call?” His eyes narrowed, struggling to read her blank expression. “Buffy, baby…”

“My mom,” she replied shortly before turning on her heel and walking away.
***

Half an hour crawled by and Spike’s forehead never left the steering wheel as he analyzed and reanalyzed his prior conversation with Buffy.

“I was too hard on her,” he said, announcing his final verdict to the empty car. “She’s already made a decision, she’s with Angel. So what if we’re affectionate? It wasn’t a problem until I made it one. I need to apologize.”

Leaving the car, he walked into the fast food joint and tried not to panic when he didn’t see Buffy’s petite form in any of the booths. He took a deep breath and headed straight for the women’s bathroom. After checking each empty stall, he questioned the cashier before jogging out of the building.
***

“What the bloody hell are you doing? Are you out of your mind?”

“What does it look like?” Buffy responded, lifting her thumb higher as her eyes stayed on the road. “I’m trying to get a ride.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You don’t want to talk about it?” William shouted out the window, competing with the noise of passing traffic. “Oh, yes you are!” He pulled over and jumped out of the car. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for a girl like you to be hitching a ride?”

“A girl like me? Go to hell, Spike.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it! What’s going on? Where are you trying to go?”

“Home, maybe even back to camp. I’ll go wherever I can.”

“What about Vegas?”

“I don’t want to go there anymore. I have no reason to.”

“What? Why not?”

“Go away, William. Leave me alone.”

“Summers, we need to talk about this.” He walked up to her and tried to lower her arm. “Please get in the car.”

“No.”

“God damn it! Why are you doing this?”

Ignoring him, she ran down the street and turned to flash her best smile for an upcoming car. “Please help me!” she cried. “Please, I just need a ride!”

A lump gathered in Spike’s throat, watching in disbelief as Buffy leaned over to speak to a random driver. Before she could get into the stranger’s vehicle, he slammed the door and grabbed her by the wrists.

“I won’t let you do this,” he hissed. “Whatever made you so upset, it’s not worth taking this kind of risk. This guy could hurt you.”

“Let go! I just want to go home!”

“I’ll take you home!”

“I don’t want to be near you right now!”

“Hey, buddy,” the driver began, but Spike didn’t listen, all his attention on Buffy.

“Please…just talk to me, Buffy.”

“Your girlfriend doesn’t have to go anywhere if she doesn’t want to. And if you have a problem with that, we’ll have a bigger problem on our hands.”

“He’s not my boyfriend! I don’t have one anymore!”

“What?” Spike asked. “What do you mean?”

“Miss, is this jerk hurting you?”

“You heard me, William. Aren’t you happy now?”

He released her wrists, never breaking their intense eye contact. “Tell the nice man that we’re fine here,” he spoke calmly. “You can take the next ride, alright? You can’t go without giving me an explanation. You were going to leave me?”

“I… You can go. Thanks, but I’ve changed my mind. He won’t hurt me. He loves me.”

“I do, pet, more than anything. You’ll get in the car, won’t you?”

“I love you too,” Buffy whispered, watching as the stranger—her would-be hero—drove away.
***

“You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“I didn’t mean to. I wanted to get away.”

Spike ran all ten fingers through his hair and sighed heavily. “What happened back there?”

“I dumped Angel. I did it over the phone. I told him everything.”

“What? What everything?”

“About camp, about not being able to keep my hands off you… That I cheated on him.”

“But you haven’t—God, what did he say?”

“Nothing. I hung up before he could.”

“And you did this because…why, pet?”

“You said it yourself; we cut it close all the time. We’re always a kiss and a fuck away.”

Spike swallowed, a larger more unbearable lump in his throat.

“I care about Angel,” Buffy continued. “No, not as much as you, but I won’t hurt him like you hurt me. No one deserves to go through that.”

“You did it because of me…”

“I bet that makes your day, knowing that my life revolves around you.”

“That’s why you left me?”

“I wanted to be alone. I wanted to go home.”

“I’ll take you home,” he mumbled, watching a fresh crop of tears slide down her face. He reached for the keys in the ignition and instead of starting the car; he slipped the keys into his pocket.

“What are you doing? Don’t touch me.”

“I’ll talk to him.” Ignoring her protests, he scooped Buffy into his arms and held her as she cried. “I’ll take care of this. If he’s worth your tears, he’ll understand.”

“He won’t. I’m a slut and I’m selfish. I’m a selfish slut.”

“No. Buffy, I will fix this.”

“It’s done. It’s over. You win.”

“This isn’t about winning—God, Buffy, please stop crying.”

“I can’t,” she whimpered, snuggling deeper into his chest. “Shouldn’t we be driving? It’s a long way home.”

“Not yet. Not until you feel better.”

“We’ll be here forever.”

“That’s alright with me,” he said, holding Buffy tighter each time she trembled.
***

“This is not a good idea.”

“It’s a great idea.”

“If this is your way of trying to make up something to me, save it.”

“You wanted a vacation, right? We can make do with what we have here. This is the nicest place in town, love. It’s got free movie channels, a pool, a little refrigerator…” As Spike trailed on, Buffy curled into a ball on the bed closest to the bathroom. “At least the sheets aren’t scratchy, right?”

“No. They’re comfy.”

“Let me do this for you,” Spike pleaded quietly. He sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand in his. “We can hang out here for a little, or we can do some shopping. It’s up to you. You saw that mall, yes? Tonight, we’ll have a nice meal and tomorrow, we’ll leave for Sunnydale.”

“I wouldn’t mind taking a bath. Then we should probably get you something clean to wear for tomorrow.”

“Sure, sure,” he whispered, kissing her temple. “We’ll do that.”

“Spike…you kissed me.”

“I…sorry… I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s not like Angel cares anymore.”

“About that, can I have his number? I’ll give him a ring as soon as possible.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he swallowed. “I said I would straighten everything out.”

“Why bother? We can date again.”

“You say that like it’s the last thing you’d want to do, Buffy.” Avoiding her eyes, he let go of her hand. “I never imagined you’d break up with him because of what I said. If I could take it back…”

“You wouldn’t.”

“I’ve been waiting for days for you to leave him, why do I feel like shit?”

“Because you’re a good guy.”

“A good guy that you tried to leave in the parking lot of a fucking McDonald’s.”

“I am sorry about that.”

“I would’ve given you space. Just because you dumped him… I won’t make a move on you.”

“I’ve been treating you and Angel so badly.” Reaching forward, Buffy cupped the side of his face. “Thank you for pointing that out. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I just wanted you to be happy, and I knew if you were torn between him and me…”

“Spike, I--.”

“Shhh,” he interrupted once he saw her chin wobble. “You need your bags from the car, right?”

“My hot pink duffle has my bubble bath in it.”

“Alright, one hot pink duffle, coming up.”
***

To be continued... (March 1st, if you are wondering)

Part III

Spike was mindlessly flipping through television channels when the fresh, seductive scents left over from Buffy’s bath filled his nostrils. Inhaling deeply, he turned his head just in time to see her emerge from the bathroom in a short pink robe. Though Spike was determined to give Buffy all the time and space that she needed after breaking up with Angel, he couldn’t control his wandering eyes. He hungrily swept up and down her body, studying each inch of her exposed skin.

“I’m not going to dry my hair,” she announced, plopping on the other full bed amongst the pile of suitcases. “I’m not in the mood and I’d like to go in the pool later. I bought this new bikini, and it has the cutest pattern.” As she spoke, Buffy squeezed a thick cream into her palms and smoothed it over her arms, legs, and feet. “I want to wear it at least once before we go home. It’s white and--.”

“White?”

“Yeah, and it has these colorful little stars… It is so cute. I know you’ll love it.”

“I’m sure…but white? Won’t it be transparent once it gets wet? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“God, Will. Could you sound any more like my mother?”

“Joyce has always seemed like an awfully smart lady to me. Buffy, you’re not exactly a natural blonde--.”

“Whoa, and how would you know that?”

“I’ve seen your dark roots. On your head,” he added, rolling his eyes. “You know very well that I haven’t seen them anywhere else. I don’t think anyone has been that lucky,” he joked.

“Yeah, well, I don’t understand how seeing me naked could make anyone lucky. It sure as hell didn’t do Angel any good.”

“What? Sorry, but I must’ve misunderstood. For a second I thought you were saying that Angel’s seen you without any clothes on, and that’s ridiculous, right?”

“Will, let’s talk about something else,” she answered briskly. “You’ll go in the pool with me, won’t you? You can protect me as I parade around in my see-through bikini. You can stand in the shallow end, or—oh, we can go in the hot tub! I love hot tubs. I don’t think it would be possible for even you to drown in one of those. Of course we’ll have to pick you up a suit from somewhere… I wonder how long that mall stays open. Gosh, it’s already four and it’s a Sunday. Maybe I should get dressed, what do you think?”

“I think—,” he paused, growing more and more suspicious of Buffy’s anxious behavior. “Have you had sex with him?”

She froze, and her eyes grew wide. “Oh my God, Will. That’s…that’s not very polite.”

“Just answer the question.”

“No.”

“No? No, you haven’t, or--.”

“William, don’t do this. All it will do is start a fight, and that’s the last thing I want. It’s not worth it,” she whispered, looking as uncomfortable as Spike felt. “I hate to say this, but what I have or haven’t done with Angel is really none of your business.”

Spike blinked, instantly drawing his own conclusions. Silently, he clicked off the TV and placed the remote on the nightstand. He clutched the edge of the bed, trying to collect his cool as his heart ached and his stomach felt sick. He ignored Buffy as she sympathetically called his name. His body became rigid once the mattress sagged and she sat next to him.

“I never wanted you to get hurt…”

“You’ve always wanted me close, Buffy, but never that close. We were together for three years. You always told me you wanted to wait. You should’ve mentioned that you wanted to wait until after we broke up to have sex.”

“William--.”

“Did you lie to me?” he croaked, struggling to keep his voice even. “Did you have no intention of sleeping with me? Were you just stringing me along until you found someone that you really wanted?”

“You can’t believe a word of that. You can’t—hey, hey, look at me.” Tenderly cupping his face, she tried to turn his head. When he refused to cooperate, she hid her hands in her lap. ”Don’t be like this, please Spike.”

“Just go get dressed. You won’t see me hitchhiking my way down the interstate, but I’d rather be alone right now.”

“Spike, Angel and I, we--.”

“Oh please, spare me the bloody details, unless you’d like to be reintroduced to my lunch.”

“Are you feeling sick?” Warily, she touched the back of her palm to his forehead. ”God, you’re burning up. Is there something that I can do for you? If you have an upset stomach, I-I have some medicine--.”

“I don’t need any medicine. I’m fine.”

“What did you eat today? I can’t remember anything too weird, but you should rest. Just for a minute. You’ve been up for a long time. Your face is as white as a sheet.”

“Buffy…” He groaned as she nudged him back, gently forcing him against the bed pillows. “This isn’t necessary. I’m not sick. It’s just the jealousy, alright? It’s killing me. Even with Angel in the picture, I—damn it, pet, I’ve always thought we’d be together for our first time.”

“I’ve always thought so too…”

“Guess we were both proved wrong then.”

“It just…happened…”

“I’m sure.”

“Things fell apart. Everything was crazy. Angel was there for me. He was so supportive and--.”

“Right,” Spike mumbled, turning his head to stare blankly at the corner of the hotel room. “I’m sure you couldn’t resist.”

“Actually, I--.”

“Buffy, please.”

“Oh. You don’t want to hear about…sorry,” she muttered, biting her lower lip. “I’m sorry.”

“You moved on, I should’ve taken the hint.”

“But--.”

“It’s alright. I understand. Sure, my feelings are smarting a bit, but the painful, gut-wrenching jealousy should ease up at sometime or another.”

Buffy opened her mouth, and closed it, deciding not to speak. She climbed over Spike’s legs as gracefully as possible and settled close to his side. Touching his forehead, she checked his temperature again before giving him a kiss. Her lips lingered on his mouth until Spike gave in to temptation and allowed the kiss to deepen. He ached to surrender wholly to the gesture, but held back as Angel continued to invade his thoughts.

“Don’t be jealous,” Buffy pleaded softly. “I love you.”

“I love you too, but I’m beginning to think that it doesn’t matter. I could tell you that I love you until I’m blue in the face and it wouldn’t do me any good.”

“What? What do you mean by that?” She stared at him, her mouth curved in a deep frown. “William, I broke up with Angel for a reason.”

“Yes, and it was entirely my fault, but I’m going to make that up to you. I’ve already called him, he didn’t pick up, but I left him a message. I explained everything, and I’m sure that you and your boyfriend will be reunited in no time.”

“Spike, I…thank you,” she mumbled after a pause. “That must’ve been a difficult call for you to make.”

“I got through it.”

They sat in an awkward silence until Buffy cleared her throat. “I should go get dressed.”

“Buffy?” Spike called before she could disappear into the bathroom. “Don’t beat yourself up over a few meaningless kisses, alright? There’s a difference between kissing someone out of lust, and then out of, well, pity--.”

“Meaningless?”

“I know you were just trying to make me feel better, and…I appreciate that.”

“William, I kissed you, because I wanted to, because I—do I really have to explain myself?”

“A few hours ago, you were in tears over losing Angel. You made it very clear that you wanted to patch things up with him. And,” he continued, standing on his feet, “I think the sooner that happens, the better it’ll be for all of us. In fact, I’m going to head down to the lobby now, and I’ll try to get a hold of him again. You can have the room to yourself while you change, and I’ll meet you downstairs when you’re ready, alright?”

“Spike…are we okay? Are you—you aren’t trying to avoid me, are you?”

“We’re fine,” he answered, forcing a smile. “Like I said earlier, I’d just like to be alone for a minute or two. But we’re fine, pet, I mean it.” To prove his point, he walked over to pull Buffy against his chest in a hug. “We’re great. See?”

“Well, if you say so,” she sighed, squeezing him tight. “I’ll be down in ten minutes, fifteen at the most.”
***

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Forty minutes later, after driving to the mall and finding it closed, Spike entered Wal-Mart with Buffy trailing at his heels.

“Will, I could’ve moved a lot faster. I could’ve--.”

“Hey, it’s not a big deal. Besides, when you think about it, it makes more sense to come here anyway. Thank you,” he said, receiving a shopping cart from the greeter near the entrance of the super center. “Alright, pet, where should we head to first?”

“Do you want to stick together? I mean, if you still want to be alone, we can shop separately, on separate sides of the store.”

“Now, Buffy--.”

“Or not,” she added with a shrug. “We can start with clothes and work our way from there. I’m not sure what all you need to buy.”

“Well, I haven’t put that much thought into it really, but I can’t imagine needing a hell of a lot for just the drive home. I’m not high-maintenance like some people.”

“Ha, aren’t you funny. So,” Buffy continued once they reached the men’s clothing department, “I’m guessing that I should just skim all the racks for black, right? It’s not like you wear actual colors anymore.”

“You can never go wrong with black.”

“You wore a plaid shirt to our first date. Of course, that was before you wanted to be called Spike, but I remember thinking that you looked unbelievably attractive.”

“Oh, is that right?”

“Yeah,” she said, pushing a white t-shirt against his chest. “See, this? You’d look really hot in this.”

“But it’s too small.”

“I know.”

Spike raised one brow, and watched as Buffy thumbed through a line of swimming trunks.

“You don’t really need to buy these, you know,” she said, dropping a dark colored pair into the cart. “You don’t swim, so it’d be a waste of money--.”

“I could always use a new suit.”

“You don’t have to buy something just to make me happy.”

“Please. Like I’d do that.” Trying to look as casual as possible, he tossed the white t-shirt into the cart.

“So, you’re getting the shirt that I picked out because…? Will, you’re going to have to help me out here.”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with a little change. Especially now, I need all the potential hotness that I can get.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I’ve never been too fond of the dating scene…”

“The dating what now?”

“I should at least try, shouldn’t I? The first break up-make up solidifies things. If—well, when you and Angel get back together, and with the college coming up—you know what I mean, right?”

“You want to look hot for all the sexed up, I’m-away-from-my-parents-for-the-first-time-therefore-I-instantly-become-a-hussy college girls?”

“So, you’re looking forward to them as well?”

“No,” Buffy mumbled in response to his teasing. “But what goes around, comes around, I guess.”

“Buffy, what--.”

“Nothing. Do you need jeans? You could always wear the ones that you have on twice. A shirt from here, I can handle, but jeans? That’s traveling a little too close to lame territory for me. Don’t you need a toothbrush? Let’s head this way,” she said, turning on her heel.

With a silent nod, Spike followed her through the store.
***

“Are you sure you want to eat here?”

“Positive,” Buffy answered, walking through the door that Spike held open. She placed their shopping bags on top of her suitcases before sitting on the other bed in the hotel room.

“We didn’t drive by anyplace that looked good?”

“I can’t have anymore fast food, or I’ll bust.”

“Who said anything about fast food? We saw a lot of nice restaurants. What kind of food are you in the mood for?”

“The kind that you order from a telephone and it shows up fifteen minutes later, delivered right to that door.”

“I wanted to take you somewhere nice--.”

“This hotel is nice, why should the food here be any different? Come here,” she said, patting the spot next to her. “Look at the menu, we can split something. Would you mind if we did that?”

“Not at all. I’ve been eating for two all day.”

“Hey, I get full easily and I hate to waste food. Since we’re on the road and all, it’s not like I can get a doggie bag.”

“Yeah, who needs a doggie when you can shove everything down my throat…”

“Spike—William, that made absolutely no sense,” she laughed, playfully knocking into his side. “I’d like something green and leafy, how about you?”

“Order whatever you want, I’m not too hard to please.” He sat quietly as she placed their order. Once she put down the receiver, he noticed that her eyes went directly to her cell phone. “It’s rude when people fail to return your calls, isn’t it?”

“It’s frustrating. I’m starting to wonder if I should be worried, but he’s never been good with cell phones. He hates them, he leaves them in random places, and a lot of the times, he can’t even figure out how to check his voicemail.”

“Sounds like your Angel is quite the brainy type, hmmm?”

“At least with you, I’d know to be worried. If you were in Angel’s shoes, you would’ve called me on the phone seconds after I hung up. You’d be upset, you’d demand an explanation, you’d try to change my mind—God, you’d do something to make me feel as if you cared if I were in your life or not.

“Not everyone can be like me, I’m a one of a kind, you know.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” she answered, grinning softly. “I just want the closure. I have to talk to him before I can move on.”

“Move on?”

“After a very insightful bubble bath and our…conversation, I’ve decided that you won’t be the only one reentering the single scene.”

“You want to be single? What about Angel? Why-why didn’t you say something about this earlier?”

“You wouldn’t have believed me. You seemed so hell-bent to get me back with Angel, I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

“But you—you don’t want him now?”

“I told you that I broke up with him for a reason.”

“What does that mean? What was your reason? It wasn’t me?”

“William, I can’t stop thinking about you. I know Angel’s not like you, and I’ve tried to convince myself that that’s okay, that it’s a good thing, but I can’t stop comparing you two. And I’m not sure if I’m doing it because you’re just my first boyfriend, or if we’re destined to be together, but--.”

“Can I place my vote on the latter of the two?”

“But,” she continued, her close-lipped smile growing, “I know that it’s not fair to Angel and that it makes me a horrible girlfriend. Angel doesn’t deserve a girlfriend like me.”

“But why be single? If you feel that way about me…”

“I wasn’t sure if you were still interested. The way you acted after finding out about me and Angel…the way you talked about college girls… I was thinking that maybe since I’ve slept with somebody else that maybe I wasn’t as appealing to you anymore.”

“Buffy--.”

“You said that when I kissed you it was meaningless. You said the way that we felt about each other didn’t matter. I thought it was safe to assume that since I--.”

“You’re wrong.”

“But I hurt you.”

“I’ll get over it—consider me over it.”

“Like it could be that easy--.”

“Why can’t it be? I’m in love with you, Buffy. Sure I’m a jealous bastard, but I’m not completely stupid. If I had you back, baby…hell, I wouldn’t give a damn about what you did with Angel.”

“You’re lying.”

“Well, I’d try, alright? I’d make a bloody good attempt. And if you dated someone else, I bet you’d do the same thing; you’d compare him to me.”

“Because we’re meant to be together…”

“Pet, if you can’t stop thinking about me--.”

“I miss you.”

“You don’t have to be missing me, kitten.”

“But wouldn’t it be wrong? I’ve been single for just a few hours.”

“I love you.”

“I know.” Their lips barely touched, but Buffy pulled back once Spike placed his hand over hers.

“Buffy? Is something wrong?”

“Did you hear something?”

Spike just shook his head, unable to hear anything over the pounding of his own nervous heart.

“There it is again, I knew I heard a knock. I bet it’s our food.”

“Oh, you’re right. I’ll get it. Bloody bastards,” Spike grumbled while unlocking the door. “Bloody bastards and their bloody bad timing, I ought to—Joyce? W-what are you doing here?”

“Spike?” Buffy called. “You have enough for the tip, right? If not, I have a few—mom?”

“Buffy Anne Summers, you are in so much trouble. I want you out of that hotel room this instant.”

“Mom, I can--.”

“Now, young lady.”

Buffy stepped out from behind Spike with her head held as high as possible. “I told you that I didn’t want to go to camp. I told that I--.”

“Are you okay?” Joyce asked, pulling her in for a tight embrace. “I was on my way to surprise you, but you weren’t at camp. Before I could completely panic, William called me, and he--.”

“He did what?”

“I can’t believe you left the camp with your father’s money, Buffy.”

“I—mom, it’s all back on the card. I haven’t spent much. Spike’s going to pay for our room.”

“H-how’d you find us?” Spike asked, once the women broke apart. “I told you that I was bringing her home, but I never told you where we were.”

“You used a phone from the hotel. I read off the number from my caller id and called it back for the address.”

“Oh…shit.”

“When did he call you?”

“When you were in the bath,” he answered with a sympathetic grin. “I knew you wouldn’t remember with all mess that’s going on, so I called and forgot to tell you.”

“Is there anyone that you haven’t called today?”

“I didn’t want her to worry…”

“It was the right thing to do,” Joyce said. She smiled at Spike and stepped forward to hug him as well. “It almost makes me think twice before punishing you two.”

“What?”

“Just because you’re both eighteen—or close to it, Buffy—that doesn’t mean you can get away with murder. You’re still under my roof until you move into the dorms. And William, I’m not your mother, but I’m sure we can negotiate a punishment that will be suitable for everyone.”

“Wait, we negotiate punishments now?” Buffy asked. “I think I like this adulthood thing--.”

“I wouldn’t say that so soon, young lady.”
***

“Well, that was…surprisingly painless.”

“Yeah, thanks to you.” Buffy smiled and Spike smiled back as they ate their dinner. “Can I steal your croutons? Would you mind?”

“Has my minding ever stopped you before?”

“Jerk,” Buffy teased, briefly sticking out her tongue before picking at his plate. Under the table, her bare feet snuck up the edges of his pant leg. “I thought it’d be more like the time she caught us in my room, do you remember that? Now, that was terrible.”

“Do I remember? Buffy, I didn’t kiss you within twenty feet of your house for a fucking year after that.”

“I was just fifteen; we had the door locked.”

“She didn’t even see what we were doing.”

“Thank God,” Buffy laughed. “Right after that she rehashed the entire birds and the bees deal. She was convinced that I’d be pregnant before I turned sixteen.”

“Little did she know, right?”

Her eyes narrowed and she lightly kicked his leg. “Are we really going to bring this up? Again?”

“You started it.”

“I can’t believe you thought for even a second that could stop wanting you. I’ve always wanted you.”

“Really now? I’ve never noticed.”

“Spike, you can’t be serious.”

“We dated for three years, pet--.”

“Yeah, and during those three years, I wanted you.”

“But you never did anything about it.”

Buffy sat quietly for a moment. “I guess not.”

“You could do something about it now, you know,” Spike suggested carefully.

“Could I? And how could I do that? It’s not like we could just go at it right now on this table, my mom is going to come back at any minute.”

“You could kiss me.”

“Could I?” Buffy repeated with an amused shimmer in her eye. “I don’t know; you kind of smell like salad dressing.”

“Kiss me, Buffy.”

“Okay...” she whispered. Their lips meet and neither of them tried to keep the kiss soft. It deepened in no time and desperate moans filled Spike’s ears. Like a woman who had been denied water for days, she drank him in with passionate kiss after passionate kiss. And Spike kept up with her every step of the way.

“Buffy,” he gasped. “Come here.”

In flash, she was across the small table and in his lap. “I wanted to sleep with you,” she relieved between kisses. “I wanted to marry you.”

“Buffy…you what?”

“Excuse me?” Their heads spun around to find Joyce in the doorway. “What did you just say?”

“N-nothing,” Buffy replied, slipping guiltily out of Spike’s chair. “Mom, it didn’t take you long to get another hotel room…”

“No.” Joyce cleared her throat and placed her purse on the foot of the bed. “I could only get a room on the first floor. It’s right next to the pool.”

“Really? Spike and I were planning on going down there tonight--.”

“Don’t you think that you and Spike have spent enough time together today?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I think Spike should take the room downstairs.”

“But--.”

“We’ll share this one. It’d be for the best, don’t you think? How about you, William, don’t you want a room all to yourself?”

“I…I guess…”

“Mom--.”

“Because you can survive a few hours without him, Buffy. He will be here in the morning.”

“This isn’t fair. You can’t keep him from me--.”

“Pet,” Spike interrupted softly. “It’s alright.”

“But you bought a swimming suit—mom, he--.”

“There are plenty of pools in Sunnydale. You can swim together at the community pool once we get home.”

“Can I…can’t I at least walk him to his room?”

“I think it’d be better if he just went. You’ve already kissed him goodnight…and then some.”

Buffy stared at her mom and then looked back at Spike, who could only shrug. “Well, don’t forget your shopping bags.” She walked him to the door and kissed his cheek before he stepped into the hallway. “I’ll see you as soon as I can,” she whispered. “Have your suit ready.”
***

To be continued…