Chapter 1

“Get up, you lazy ass! I told you not to drink at the party last night. We’re not in London anymore, you’re underage here and that could have gotten us in serious trouble.”

Spike groaned, wiping the sleep from his eyes. “Bloody hell, Angel, do you have to be so loud? You’re my agent, not my father. What time is it?”

“Almost ten, you’re supposed to be at the school in an hour, so get moving.”

Spike sat up, waiting for the room to stop spinning. “I didn’t bring anyone back here, did I?” he said in a panic, that being the last thing he needed. This was why he tended not to drink much, if he could help it. It wouldn’t do well for his reputation to have a drunken one night stand, even though that would be what everyone expected of him.

Angel rolled his eyes. “No, you were macking on some pretty brunette, but I got you out of there before you did something stupid. Come on, if you want this movie to be a success, it might help to start shooting it.”

“Why do we have to shoot in some hick town? Nothing exciting probably ever happens here, I’d rather be in Los Angeles. I haven’t been back in a while.”

Angel rubbed his head, starting to feel a migraine coming on. “I told you, Spike. The movie is about a big city guy, who falls in love with a small town girl. I used to visit Sunnydale as a kid, trust me, it’s the perfect setting. We already got permission to use the local high school; they’re expecting you in less than an hour. You can’t back out now. It was your idea to use a regular girl for this movie, instead of a big time actress after your experience with Drusilla. This is the perfect place to find exactly who you’re looking for; the auditions alone will probably take two or three days. If we want to be on schedule, we have to start filming by next week.”

“Fine, but this better be worth it. Hand me my pants, would you?”

Angel did as he was told, turning his back to give the younger man some privacy.

“All right, let’s get this bloody show on the road,” Spike stated, rubbing his hands together.

Angel smiled, glancing to Spike’s wrist with a sigh. “Okay, I have to ask, why do you keep wearing that girly bracelet?”

He scoffed. “It’s not girly, you git. It means a lot to me, and that’s all you need to know.”

Angel held his hands up in surrender, following Spike out of the hotel room.


* * * * *


“Oh my God! Spike is coming to our school to shoot scenes for his new movie? Living in this hellhole has finally paid off,” Cordelia Chase claimed as she walked the halls of Sunnydale High proudly, knowing that all eyes were on her. It really helped to be the most popular girl in school.

Her best friend, Harmony Kendall, was just as ecstatic. “He’s my all time favorite actor, what I wouldn’t give for some alone time with him. You heard about his break up with Drusilla Edwards, right? The chick was psycho; I can’t believe he ever fell for someone like that.”

“Please, when Spike gets here and notices me, he won’t even remember her name. No one else better think about auditioning, that part is as good as mine.”


* * * * *


“Wow, this whole place has gone insane since the news about Spike got out. Can you believe he’s actually choosing our school to film in? This sort of thing never happens here.”

Buffy Summers opened her locker door, giving her friend a look. “I don’t see what the big deal is, Willow. He’s just a guy.”

Willow Rosenberg was stunned. “Just a guy? He’s more than just a guy, Spike is only nineteen and he’s already the biggest actor in the world. You can’t deny that you’re a fan, I know you’ve seen his movies.”

She shrugged. “Okay, fine, I like his movies, but I’m not so crazy about him. You’ve heard the stories about him; the guy is nothing but trouble. What kind of name is Spike, anyway? No one even knows his last name, that seems a bit suspicious to me. This school is vain enough as it is; he’ll just make everything ten times worse. We have midterms coming up, but now everyone will probably be too busy trying to get a part in that movie. I don’t know how the principal could allow this.”

Willow shook her head. “I’m all about schoolwork as much as the next geek, but even I think this is a great idea. I heard he’s looking for a specific person to play his leading lady.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Well, that’s obviously going to be Cordelia. She gets everything at this school and although she can’t act her way out of a paper bag, she’s still head of the drama department. No one else would even stand a chance, and if they tried, she’d make their life a living hell.”

Willow nodded, a pout forming on her face. “Good point, but it’s just not fair. She treats everyone horribly, and yet she always gets rewarded. I hope Spike sees right through her and chooses someone more deserving. You would be perfect, Buffy.”

The blonde laughed. “You can’t be serious. I don’t act, the only time I was ever in a play was in the second grade, and I was a pumpkin. All I had to do was stand there, but I got such bad stage fright and ended up puking all over the lead turkey. Not only did it scar me from ever performing again in front of a crowd, but it also made me hate Thanksgiving.”

Willow cringed, but the image was pretty funny. “Right, maybe you’re not good for this part, but I hope he picks someone else.”

Buffy had to concur with that as she shut her locker, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“That’s pretty,” Willow spoke up, indicating the bracelet on her wrist. “You haven’t worn it before, but then again, you always wear long sleeves. I’ve never thought to ask why, aren’t you hot?”

She smiled, changing the subject. “I just found it the other day, must have gotten lost in the move. I’ve been looking everywhere for it, and I find it under my bed of all places. A friend made it for me, and I made him one. We were big with arts and crafts back then.”

“Cute, was this an old boyfriend?”

Buffy blushed. “No, but he was my very first crush. He’s two years older, but we practically grew up together. He moved away when I was twelve, I remember being so devastated. We kept in touch for a while, but then it just stopped. I haven’t heard anything from him in years. My parents got divorced, and Mom and I moved here. I sent him one last letter to give him my new address, but I never heard from him again. I tried calling once, but the number I had was disconnected. I guess he just moved on and forgot about me, it happens.”

Willow could tell that her friend was still hurt by the rejection, even though she’d never admit it. Laughter in the distance put on hold anything else she would have said, glaring at Cordelia chatting with her cheerleading posse, and Willow had a feeling of what they were talking about. “Oh, I really hope someone else gets that role. Her bad acting will stink up the whole movie.”

Buffy couldn’t agree more.

Chapter 2

“I know I say this a lot, but it’s so awesome that you live only a block from the school. I like coming to your house for lunch, it beats always sitting in the smelly cafeteria.”

Buffy smiled at her friend. “Glad I could help with that, and I would like to avoid the crazy mob of students trying to audition for a role they really have no chance of getting.”

Willow agreed. “True, I’m hoping to just catch a glimpse of Spike. I’m dying to see what he looks like in person.”

Buffy rolled her eyes as they headed upstairs to her room, hoping to get some studying done before returning to school.

“Is your mom in LA again?” the red head wondered.

“Yeah, for business, what else is new? I’m not about to complain because at least when she’s not here, I don’t have to deal with Ted,” Buffy commented with distaste.

Willow nodded in understanding, knowing how much Buffy didn’t like her mom’s boyfriend and wanting to be a supportive friend. “He seems like an okay guy, but I think he’s trying too hard to get people to like him. When he made those cookies for the bake sale, everyone was fawning over them for weeks. What the hell is his secret? I didn’t think they were that good.”

Buffy shrugged, deciding to change the subject. “Oh, I have something to show you.” She got up to retrieve a picture from her dresser, handing it to Willow. “Since you seemed so interested in my bracelet, this is the friend who made it. Unfortunately, it’s the only picture I have of us.”

She smiled at the chubby, dark haired girl staring at her in the frame, her front tooth missing. Next to her was a skinny boy, with a mop of brown curls and glasses. “You were so cute, but you looked a lot different back then. What was his name?”

“William Pratt,” Buffy responded, gazing nostalgically at the photo. “This was taken a few months before he left. He’s from England, but moved to Los Angeles when he was about eight-years-old, that’s when we met. He was the awkward, shy, new kid, and I offered to sit with him. He was two years older than me, but we ended up in the same class. I think he was held back for some reason. He only knows me as Elizabeth, but I’ve always hated that name. As I got older, Buffy just stuck. Anyway, we were inseparable for six years, but his dad ended up getting relocated back to England and they moved away. I cried in my room for days after that, but my mom was all about how I’m young and would make a ton of new friends. Then she moved us here, and I was known as a social outcast. Honestly, Will, I don’t know what I would have done if you never came over to me. I wouldn’t have any friends in that school if it wasn’t for you.”

Willow put her arm around the blonde. “Hey, you were the same for me. I didn’t have a lot of friends before you came along; it was just me and Xander. You never know, maybe you’ll see William again. He’s probably still living in England, right?”

She shrugged. “I have no idea, but a lot can change in five years. Even if he did, he probably won’t be the same guy I knew. It’s best to just keep the memories I have of him, and now I’ve found my friendship bracelet. That’s all I really need.”


* * * * *


“God, this is a cruel punishment. I haven’t found a decent actress yet.”

Angel grinned, slapping him on the back. “How about that Cordelia chick? Yeah, she’s awful, but from what I hear, she’s the most popular girl in this school. Her dad is pretty rich; we could use her for this movie. Come on, man, she’s hot.”

He cringed. “For crying out loud, can you possibly not pick up a high school girl while we’re here? You’re thirty-two, Angel, it’s very disturbing.”

The brunet shrugged. “As long as she’s eighteen, I don’t see the harm in it.”

“I don’t care who the fuck she is, or that your perverted self has the hots for her. That chit may possibly be the worst actor I’ve ever seen, and I’ve worked with a lot of them. There’s no way I could do a love scene with her and actually make it believable, we’ll just have to keep looking. I’m taking a break; we’ll start again in half an hour.” Spike headed out of the auditorium before Angel could protest, needing some fresh air. He wasn’t paying attention and collided with another body, causing her to fall down. “Sorry about that, love, I didn’t see you.”

Buffy glared at him, brushing the hair out of her face. “Yeah, that’s pretty obvious.”

Spike was taken aback, helping her to stand up. She was blonde, petite, and one of the most beautiful girls he’d ever seen. There was something very familiar about her, but he couldn’t place it. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Dandy, just watch where you’re going next time.”

He was stunned as she walked away; no one had ever spoken to him like that before, at least not since he became famous. Spike was used to girls being flirty and stuttering in his presence, this one was definitely different, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit intrigued by her.


* * * * *


Spike saw the gorgeous blonde talking with a cute red head in the halls, waiting until she was alone before he approached her. Hopefully his disguise of a cap and sunglasses would be enough that he didn’t have to risk getting mobbed by the rest of the student body. He followed her outside, keeping at a distance as to not startle her.

“You know, stalking is illegal.”

He stopped, cursing himself for not being stealthier. “Not stalking, I was just curious.”

Buffy gave him a look. “Curious about what?”

Spike rubbed the back of his neck, which was somewhat of a nervous habit. “Just wondering why you haven’t tried out for the movie, is all. We’re still doing auditions after school, if you’re interested to stop by.”

“No thanks, I’m not an actor. You have so many people to choose from as it is. I hear Cordelia is a popular choice with your manager. She gets all the lead roles in our plays, and pretty much has already decided this part will be hers.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m going to kill that ponce. Whether she’s popular or not, the girl can’t act for shit. I’m not putting her in my movie. I need someone more down to earth, sweet natured, someone who doesn’t think they’re a diva and that we should all worship the ground she walks on.”

Buffy smiled at that. “It’s good to see that you weren’t taken in by her feminine wiles, but I know just the person for you. Her name is Tara Maclay; she’s exactly what you described. I doubt she auditioned because she’s very shy, but she’s an amazing person and always gets put in the background during our school plays. If I promise to get her to audition, can she do it privately? Just for you, I don’t think she would want the whole school watching.”

Spike gave that some consideration. He really wanted to share the spotlight with this girl, but couldn’t exactly force her. Tara sounded nice enough, and it was better than having to put up with Cordelia Chase. “It’s a deal.”

Chapter 3

Tara Maclay was extremely shy, but when it came to being on stage, she was a natural. She ran her lines perfectly, not messing up once, and she said them with such emotion. It was official, Spike certainly found his star.

“This girl doesn’t have the sex appeal your audience will be expecting. Sure, she’s cute, but can she pull off a decent love scene? She does know there is some partial nudity involved, right?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “I explained it to her, and while she is reluctant about that, she agreed to cooperate. I told her that I will do everything in my power to make her comfortable. I’ve made my choice, end of bloody discussion.”

Angel nodded, deciding to let it go. “All right, will she be able to work with our schedule?”

He nodded as well. “We’re negotiating it right now; I assured her that the movie won’t interfere with her school activities.”

Spike helped Tara down from the stage once Angel left to make a few phone calls, gracing her with a smile. “You did an excellent job, love. Don’t mind my wanker of an agent, he wouldn’t know real talent if it bit him in the bum. He’s just lucky I’ve put up with him this long.”

She blushed. “I just hope I don’t disappoint you.”

Spike had a feeling this girl dealt with a lot of insecurity in her life, and he had an urge to protect her from the big, bad world. If he didn’t think she was perfect for the role, he would seriously reconsider exposing her to this business. It could be brutal at times; he would just have to keep an eye out for her.


* * * * *


“You were right about Tara; she’s just the one I’ve been looking for.”

Buffy was pleased. “I have pretty good instincts about people.”

Spike moved closer to her, taking in a deep breath. Her perfume was intoxicating. “I think I’ve been looking for you as well, just for different reasons.”

She stepped back at his intense proximity. “Does that line usually work? I’m not like the other girls you’ve been involved with. I see right through you, now if you’ll excuse me, I have a class to get to.”

“Can you at least tell me your name?” he asked to stop her from leaving. “I was a bit forward, but I’m not generally like that. If you can believe it, perhaps we should start over. I’m Spike; it’s nice to meet you.” He held his hand out to her, but she didn’t take it.

“Somehow, I doubt your parents decided to call you that on purpose. What’s your real name?”

He shrugged. “I’m just Spike.”

His hand was still in the air, and she decided to take some pity on him by shaking it with hers. “In that case, I’m just Buffy.”

Spike watched her walk away, a smile forming on his lips.


* * * * *


“Dude, what has gotten into you? That girl was practically all over you at the Bronze tonight, and you completely turned her down. We need to get you out of this Drusilla funk; she’s not even worth it.”

He let out a sigh. “I just wasn’t interested, that has been known to happen before. Lately, I’m starting to think I might be more attracted to blondes, at least one in particular.”

Angel groaned. “Oh, God, don’t tell me you’ve already fallen for that Tara chick? What is with you in hooking up with your leading ladies? Is this going to be a common thing now?”

“I’m not talking about her, Peaches. I’m referring to the girl who told me I should give Tara a chance. Her name is Buffy, and she’s not at all interested in me. You don’t know how great it is to meet someone who doesn’t give a fuck who I am. Most girls only care about the fame; they don’t even care to really get to know me. Dru was a bloody train wreck waiting to happen. She became famous because of me, and the second she realized that I had nothing more to offer, she was done. I’m tired of getting involved with these vapid, shallow, idiots. I want more.”

“Damn, and this girl made you realize all of that? You don’t even know her,” Angel commented.

“No,” Spike answered with a grin, “but I will soon enough.”


* * * * *


“I’m running late, Mom.”

Joyce Summers nodded. “I need you to be home by six tonight. Ted is coming over and we’re going to have a nice, family dinner. You can’t keep avoiding it, Buffy. Ted is starting to think you don’t like him, but I know if you just take the time to get to know him like I have, you’ll find that he’s a very nice man.”

Buffy kept her opinions to herself, or she’d likely never get to school on time. “Fine, I’ll be here. Can I go now?” Without waiting for a response, she left the house.


* * * * *


She slammed her locker door shut, being more forceful than usual.

“Is everything okay?”

Buffy turned to see a concerned Spike standing behind her. “Perfect, my mom’s awesome boyfriend is coming over for dinner tonight, and I’m supposed to be on my best behavior. It’s enough to make me want to hurl.”

He raised his eyebrows, not expecting such a strong reaction from her. “Not a fan of the bloke, are you? I get that, my dad started dating a complete bitch last year. I knew she was only with him for his money, but he just couldn’t see it.”

Buffy nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Your parents are divorced, too?”

Spike looked uncomfortable for a moment, shaking his head. “No, my mum passed a while ago. My dad didn’t handle it very well; he got too hard to be around. Once I started to make something of myself, it didn’t take me long to move out. I don’t talk to him much anymore.”

“Oh, I’m sorry about that. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

He waved his hand in the air. “No worries, I’m fine with talking about it. What’s the story with your dad, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Buffy shrugged. “He’s currently in Spain with his secretary, living the cliché. He cheated on my mom a couple years ago. She got a new job offer here and we moved, no hesitation on her part. I’ve been here for the last two years now, but I grew up in Los Angeles.”

His eyes widened at that. “Really? I used to live in LA for a while when I was younger, been meaning to go back, but it has yet to happen. I’ve mostly been in London since then.”

She nodded, taking in a deep breath. “I hope you don’t mind, but I got a hold of one of your scripts. It’s really good. I had no idea you actually wrote it.”

Spike blushed, which wasn’t something he did often. “I prefer acting, but writing is something I’ve always dabbled in. I never thought I would be starring in my own movie, but I just can’t see anyone else in that role. It wouldn’t feel right, you know?”

Buffy nodded again, tilting her head to the side. “You’re not what I expected.”

He smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment. I suppose you’ve heard the rumors about me. That I’m a womanizer, a drug addict, alcoholic, and God knows what else has been spread. Honestly, I’ve only ever had two actual relationships. If I’m ever seen with several women at a time, it’s mostly just for publicity, and not my choice. The only drugs I take are the legal kind, and yes, I have been known to drink a bit, but I hardly ever get completely pissed. It’s typically just once in a blue moon, and that’s only if I’ve been having a shitty day.”

Buffy returned his smile, holding her hand up. “You don’t have to prove anything to me.”

Spike stepped closer to her, a serious expression on his face. “I think I do. Normally, I don’t care what anyone thinks of me, but you’re different. Go out with me tomorrow night, please?” He never pleaded, especially not when it involved asking a woman out, but this girl had the ability to bring back the ponce he used to be.

“I don’t know if that would be such a good idea.”

“Please,” he repeated, taking her hand in his and giving it a light squeeze. Spike wondered if she could feel the same spark that he did, or if it was just his imagination.

Buffy took in another deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I thought I was immune to your charms, but I guess not. Okay, one date, but that’s all you’re getting.”

Spike smiled, bringing her hand to his lips and placing a kiss on her knuckles. “That’s good enough for me.”

Chapter 4

“What did you do to get that part, huh? Did you bribe Spike? That’s the only reason he would let a freak in his movie.”

Buffy pulled the head cheerleader away from a quivering Tara, after witnessing the whole exchange. “Back off, she hasn’t done anything to you.”

Cordelia scowled at her. “I should have known you were involved, freaks always stick together. That part should have been mine.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “God, could you contemplate getting over yourself for a second? You suck at acting, okay? What part of that is so hard to understand? The rest of your sheep may say you’re the greatest thing since sliced bread, but they’re all full of shit. Everyone in this school is too damn intimidated to stand up to you, but I’ve about had enough. Walk away slowly, or I might do something to damage that pretty nose of yours. I hear you didn’t get it cheap, but if you want my advice, you really should ask for a refund.”

The cheerleader gasped, her hand flying up to cover her nose. “This is real!”

Buffy laughed. “Right, and I suppose you’re gonna tell me the boobs are real, too? Yeah, we’re done here.” She led Tara away, not saying anything until they were out of earshot. “Don’t let those girls get to you, it’s about time someone put the diva in her place. You deserve that part, Tara. Spike didn’t have to choose you; he did it because you have amazing talent. You’ve been in the shadows far too long now; I don’t want you to have any regrets.”

Tara wiped her eyes, giving the blonde a small smile. “Thanks, Buffy, you’re a good friend.”

She shrugged. “Hey, us freaks have to stick together.” When Tara walked away, Buffy was broken out of her reverie by someone clapping.

“That was so fucking hot.”

Buffy blushed at his admiration. “It’s not a big deal, her bark is usually worse than her bite.”

Spike graced her with a warm smile. “Not just that, the way you were with Tara. I think more people should be like you. I was bullied a lot as a kid, but it gave me the confidence to be who I am today. If anyone else gives her trouble, you just let me know. I don’t want my movie to cause problems for her. I’ll go to the school board if I have to.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary, but it’s nice of you to offer. I should probably get going. Are we still on for tonight?”

He nodded. “It’s all I’ve been thinking about. I could pick you up, or we can meet at the hotel. That’s actually a good idea, it has a nice restaurant. My treat, and then maybe after you can come back to my room.” Spike knew how that sounded, and decided to clarify before she got the wrong idea. “Only to talk, of course, I just want to get to know you better outside of school. My agent shouldn’t bother us.”

Buffy thought it over, nodding after a moment. “Sounds good, but I can’t stay out too late. I can be there at seven, if that’s okay.”

“Perfect,” he replied, taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it. “I’ll see you then.”

Buffy let out a breath once he was gone, resting her head against the wall, and praying that she knew what she was getting herself into.


* * * * *


She was putting the finishing touches on her make up when a throat cleared behind her, Buffy didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

“Could you please leave my room?”

He chuckled, stepping further inside. “Now, is that very nice? Joyce means a lot to me, I don’t appreciate you upsetting her. She wants us to get along, all I’m doing is checking on you before your big date. I’m going to be a part of your family, after all.”

That stopped Buffy cold, finally turning to glare at him. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, it’s really no immense surprise. Your mother and I are going to be married, and I’m not about to let you or anyone else get in my way.” Ted grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a firm squeeze. “You’re important to her, but if you continue to misbehave, I will have to suggest sending you away to boarding school. I know you don’t want that, am I right? It would be best for all of us to have your blessing on this very happy union,” he finished, trailing a finger down her arm.

Buffy jerked away, snatching up her purse. “You’re a monster, and my mother will see that soon enough.” She headed for the door, but was grabbed again in a tight grip.

“Beg to differ, little lady. It would be my word against yours. I hope your fellow values all that you have to offer, but I’ll be staying here tonight, so I suggest that you return home at a decent hour. If not, I just might be waiting up for you, but as of right now, your mother is waiting for me in what will soon be our bedroom. I wonder why you asked for a lock on your door, I doubt you’ll need it.” Ted yanked her hair, pulling her head back as he licked a fallen tear from her cheek. “If you whore yourself to that man, I will cause you unbearable pain. I am the only one allowed to touch you, do you understand?”

Buffy ran as soon as he let her go, not stopping until she was out of the house. For six months, ever since her mother started dating that psycho, Buffy had been afraid of being in her own home. She could hardly even stand to be there when he was around, and her mom had no idea why. Ted made it very clear that no one would believe her. He was a very prominent member of society, and everyone in town practically idolized him, but Buffy didn’t know how much more she could take. At school, she was seen as a confident person, someone who stood up for herself and didn’t take crap from anybody, but at home it was a completely different story. Buffy needed a lock for her door because she was tired of him always waltzing in like he owned the place; she wanted some way to keep him out. Ted took things too far last time, and Buffy awoke to find her hands tied up, with tape over her mouth to keep her from screaming. He robbed her of her virginity that night, and he did it with a sadistic grin on his face. How he could show the whole world an entirely different side was beyond her, but why was she getting the shitty end of the deal? What did Buffy do to ever deserve that? And would she ever find a way to make it stop? Maybe this was her punishment for driving her father away, if she had been a better daughter, he might have stayed with them and Buffy never would have had to move to Sunnydale.

She stopped once the hotel finally came in view, trying to calm herself before meeting Spike. Things would be better now, Buffy was sure of it. They had to be, or she would slowly go out of her mind.


* * * * *


Buffy laughed at one of Spike’s stories as he let her into his hotel room, the evening was going a lot better than she thought it would.

“I’m having a hard time picturing you as an awkward kid.”

He smiled. “Oh, I was, too busy with my nose stuck in books. I was basically a poetry writing git, could never get a girl to look twice at me. Hell, before my first movie came out, no one even knew that I existed.”

Buffy sat down on the bed, pulling her sleeve up a bit to fondle with her bracelet. She hadn’t worn it the last couple of days, but needed the courage it gave her right about now. “I don’t believe that.”

Spike shrugged, sitting down beside her. “I guess not all of my childhood was bad, but enough about me, we’re here to learn more about you. What are your likes, dislikes, what are you looking for in a boyfriend?”

Heat kissed her cheeks, deciding it was best not to open that door just yet. “Where will you go once the movie is done?”

“Ah, nice subject change. I haven’t really thought much about that, maybe just move back to LA. I never realized how much I missed California, and a bonus is having you only two hours away.”

“Is it your mission to keep making me blush?” she wondered.

Spike chuckled. “Well, it is a very lovely color on you.” He took her hand in his, running his fingers up her arm, and instantly pulling away when she winced. “I’m sorry, did I hurt you?”

Buffy shook her head, but before she could reply, noticed that his eyes were staring at her arm.

“Where did you get that?”

She let out a breath, figuring he must have seen her bruises, but it was her bracelet that he seemed to be fixated on. “Oh, a friend made it for me a while ago. Why do you ask?”

He quickly stood, pulling up his pant leg and indicating the matching bracelet on his ankle, deciding to put it there after Angel wouldn’t get off his case. The shock on her face told him all that he needed to know. “I think things are about to get a lot more interesting.”

Chapter 5

Buffy sat there in silence after the big reveal was made. She couldn’t believe that her William was Spike, the famous actor. He always dreamed about making something of himself one day, but with how shy he was, Buffy never thought he would ever become a celebrity. He must be so disappointed in the way she turned out, but once the shock wore off a bit, he had the biggest grin on his face that she’d ever seen.

“I don’t bloody believe this!” he exclaimed, yanking her off the bed and wrapping his arms around her, inhaling the scent of her lavender shampoo. “I always knew there was something about you, but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. God, I can’t believe you’re really here. I went back to your old house about a year ago, but there were different people living there. They wouldn’t tell me what your newest location was, probably thought I was a bloody stalker, but I never imagined I would see you again.” Spike pulled away to look at her, brushing the hair out of her face. “You are so beautiful, not that you weren’t before, but you’re a woman now. I feel like I’m babbling like an idiot here, are you going to say anything?”

Buffy didn’t know what to say, this was a lot to take in all at once. “You bleached your hair,” was all she could manage to get out.

Spike laughed. “Yeah, for a while now, I needed a new image. Got contacts, too, clear ones, you always said how you loved the color of my eyes. And hey, I’m not the only one who decided to go blonde,” he finished, flicking a strand of her hair.

Before Buffy knew what she was doing, she reached out to caress his cheek, tears clouding her vision. This was the first time she really took notice of how blue his eyes were. “William? It’s really you.”

He felt tears as well, normally hating to hear his given name, but it didn’t sound so bad coming from her. “So, you’re Buffy now, what’s the story behind that?”

She wiped at her eyes. “No story, I just needed a change. The name kind of grew on me after a while. Are you going to tell me how you came up with Spike?”

He shook his head. “Maybe later, if you’re good.” Spike looked her over, still not believing that his former best friend was standing in front of him again.

“Wait, I sent you a letter before I moved, telling you what my new address was.”

Spike shrugged. “I’ve lived in lots of different places, guess it never got to me. I’ve had to change so much, it got too overwhelming that I knew I could no longer keep contact with you, but I planned on visiting again as soon as I got things settled. I never counted on you leaving Los Angeles, what happened?”

She sat back down, pulling him with her. “My dad cheated on my mom, they went through a pretty nasty divorce. My mom wanted a fresh start and when she got a job offer in Sunnydale, it was like an answer to her prayers. We moved here, and my dad left with his secretary to Spain, apparently she has family there, but I already told you most of the story. You just didn’t realize it was me at the time.”

“Sorry about that, love, your father always was a bit of a wanker. And now Joyce is dating a new man, but you’re not so fond of him? Why is that, you still want your parents together?”

Buffy laughed humorlessly. “Hardly, my mom is better off without my dad, but Ted is just not good enough for her. He’s not the perfect guy everyone thinks he is. I’m just tired of living in a town where he keeps getting praised. And now he’s talking about marriage, my mother never once told me anything about that. I don’t care about my parents getting back together, but I can’t have him as a step-father. One way or another, I have to stop that from happening.”

Spike had a feeling there was more going on than what she was telling him, but he would let it go for the time being. He was positive she’d tell him when she was ready. Instead, he was finding it hard to keep calm with her sitting so close to him. This was his Elizabeth, his best friend, the first girl he ever truly loved, whether she knew that or not. Spike couldn’t take it anymore, with that thought in mind, he pulled her closer and smashed his mouth to hers in a passionate embrace. It took only a second for her to return the kiss, backing off a bit as to not scare her. He took her succulent bottom lip into his mouth, tasting her strawberry gloss in the process.

When Buffy finally came back to reality, she shoved him away. “Where did that come from?”

He tried to get his breathing under control, thinking of what to tell her. “Sorry again, love, guess I got a bit too carried away. You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that, I just couldn’t control myself.”

She raised her eyebrows. “You have?”

Spike nodded, trailing his fingers through his hair. “When we were kids, I had a huge crush on you.”

That was the last thing she expected to hear. “Are you serious? I was such a loser.”

“You were not; I thought you were bloody adorable.”

Buffy blushed for what felt like the millionth time that night. “I had a crush on you, too.”

It was his turn to be shocked now. “Right, tell me a new one. You were adorable; I was nothing but a geek.”

“Well, you were the sexiest geek I’ve ever known. I was so devastated when you left. I don’t think I’ll be able to go through that again.”

He took her in his arms, guiding her head to rest on his shoulder. “You won’t have to worry about that, pet. Now that I’ve finally found you, there’s no way I’m going anywhere.”

“But you can’t stay here forever, what about your job?”

Spike shrugged. “We’ll cross that bridge later, but I’m going to find a way to make this work. I can’t lose you again.”

Buffy pulled away to look at him, seeing how sincere he was. No more words needed to be said as she touched her lips to his in a tender caress, feeling that everything would really be okay now.

Chapter 6

Buffy walked into school the next day, her hand clutched tightly in Spike’s, and immediately knew that all eyes were on them.

“Wow, everyone is staring daggers at me. Do I have something on my face?”

He chuckled. “You’re a gorgeous woman, why shouldn’t they stare?” Spike gently pushed her against a wall, tucking a lock of golden hair behind her ear. “I say we really give them something to gawk at.”

Buffy smiled as his lips caressed hers, and she was completely lost in new sensations. It was as if they were the only two people in the world. She could truly get used to this.


* * * * *


“No way, Spike is your William? And you guys are together now? Why does nothing like this ever happen to me?”

Buffy rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on her face. “It’s just a coincidence.”

“Doubtful, it sounds more like fate. What are the odds that he would be filming a movie at the same place where you go to school? It’s so meant to be,” Willow responded, seeing Cordelia glower in their direction. “It looks like Cordy will have another reason to hate you. Not only did you cause her to lose that part, even though she likely still wouldn’t have gotten it, but now you’re with the one guy she wants. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was staking out his hotel.”

“God, I hope not. I deal with her enough during school. Even if I wasn’t in the picture, she never would have had a shot with him. I really worry about this delusional world Cordy lives in, it can’t be healthy.”

Willow had to agree.


* * * * *


“Morning, Peaches,” Spike said cheerily, pecking the older man on the cheek.

“Ugh, get off,” Angel cringed, wiping his face. “What’s your deal?”

“I found her, mate, Buffy is my Elizabeth. We realized it last night when we saw each other’s friendship bracelet. I still can’t bloody believe I found her, and that she kept my bracelet this whole time.”

His eyes widened. “Wait, that chick you knew as a kid? This is the same girl?”

Spike nodded. “The one and only, but it’s more than that. She’s my girlfriend now and before you say anything, I’m not crazy. I’ve waited for what seems like sodding forever to find her again and now that I have, there’s no way I’m letting her go. I’ll finish this movie, but I’m done after that. This life has been nothing but lonely, I love my fans, but there has always been something missing. It’s not really what I want anymore. What I want is to spend my life with her, and I can’t do that in London, even Los Angeles is too bloody far away.”

“Let me get this straight, I basically had to drag you here just to film a few scenes and now you’re telling me that you want to move here permanently, all for some girl?”

He rolled his eyes. “Did you not hear anything I said? She’s not just some girl. Buffy’s the real reason it didn’t work out with Drusilla, I was about to break up with the bitch before I found her cheating on me. I know what I’m doing, this is the first good decision I’ve made in a while.”

Angel nodded, letting out a sigh. “Okay, I suppose there’s no changing your mind. We’ll film the scenes we came here to do, and then you’re needed in London for a couple of months to shoot the rest of it. After that, I guess we go our separate ways. Are you really sure about this? You’ve worked so hard to get where you are, I’d hate to see you throw all of that away.”

Spike nodded as well. “I won’t have any regrets. I’ve loved being in this business, most people my age only dream about having this much success, let alone actually accomplishing it. I just think it was time I moved on. I’m still young, there will be lots of other opportunities out there, but Buffy is once in a lifetime. I’m not giving her up.”

“Damn, she must be something special.”

He smiled at that. “You have no idea.”


* * * * *


Buffy was walking the halls, minding her own business when she was suddenly yanked into the girl’s restroom and found herself surrounded by the cheerleading squad.

“This is really starting to get pathetic. What’s your problem?”

“It now makes perfect sense as to why Spike gave Tara my role,” Cordelia spat. “You’re sleeping with him, you little slut. What? Are you that desperate for your loser friend to be in his movie? I would have so had sex with him, and I guarantee it would be way better than anything you can offer.”

Buffy couldn’t help the laughter that burst forth. “You have really hit an all time low. We’re not sleeping together, but we do go way back. He’s an old friend, and the only reason Tara got that part is because she actually has talent. You just admitted that you would have had to sleep with a guy in order to get the role, but see, Spike would never touch you. He’s got a bit too much class for that, but why don’t you try his manager? You’ve got a thing for old guys, right? Our History teacher, for example? We all know how horrible your grades are, but this last semester, they seemed to improve tremendously. I wonder why that is.”

Her eyes widened. “Bitch, you can’t prove anything.”

Buffy glanced at the confused faces around her, apparently most of them didn’t know about their leader’s after school activities. “I wouldn’t say that. You got careless, Cordy, and didn’t take in the fact that not everyone leaves school at the same time. When you thought the place was empty and decided to have a quickie in his room, I just happened to be staying late for a tutoring session. Imagine my surprise when I walked by our History class to see you all spread out on top of his desk, doing things I would rather scrub from my brain entirely. Working hard for another A, were you?”

Cordelia had enough, grabbing Buffy’s arm and pulling her out of the bathroom, leaving her friends to stare after them in utter shock. “If you tell anyone about this, I will end you.”

Buffy shrugged. “It’s not me you should be worrying about. Your squad involves Harmony, who can’t keep a secret to save her life. As for the others, well, you know them better than I do.”

The brunette crossed her arms over her chest. “My friends would never rat me out if they know what’s good for them, so it’ll be your word against mine. I can get them all to confess that you are a very disturbed person, and no one would ever believe anything you have to say. I own this school, honey, and everyone in it. You’ve got nothing on me.”

Buffy shook her head at the other girl’s stupidity. “You do realize this is the twenty-first century, right? Everyone has a cell phone; did you think I wouldn’t have taken any pictures?” She held her phone up; scrolling through the photos to show Cordelia a very clear shot of exactly what she was doing in that classroom. “Just one push of a button, and this gets sent straight to the principal’s office.” The look of fear was back on her face, and Buffy wondered if she was a horrible person for getting any pleasure out of it.

“What do you want?”

Buffy put her phone away, staring the cheerleader down. “I want you to back the fuck off. If I hear that you’ve done anything to make Tara turn down this role, the picture gets sent. You are to stay away from me and my friends for the remainder of the school year, hell; I don’t even want to see you after that. And Spike is off limits, this obsession you have for him ends now. I’m so sick and tired of you getting everything handed to you on a silver platter, there’s going to be a few changes from now on. Do we have an understanding?”

Cordelia gave her a look that could kill. “Fine, but I seriously hate you.”

“The feeling is very mutual,” Buffy retorted, watching in satisfaction as Cordelia walked away, and letting out a relieved breath. That could have gone a lot worse, but Buffy just wished she could show the same confidence when it came to dealing with Ted. She turned to see Spike standing there, a look of absolute delight on his features.

“You are so fucking hot,” with that said, he wrapped his arms around her and planted a hard kiss on her mouth. “I’ve missed you so much, pet. Just look at you,” Spike claimed in awe, pulling away to do just that. “Blackmailing the head cheerleader, you’ve sure come a long way. I remember how shy you used to be, it’s one reason of why we got on so well. You never would have had the guts to do anything like that before. I know it’s not something I should be happy about, but she had it coming. I’m so bloody proud of you.”

Buffy rested her head against his chest when he took her back in his arms, really wishing that she could be proud of herself.

Chapter 7

“You can’t be serious about giving everything up. This is your career; do you know how guilty I would feel?”

Spike let out a sigh. “You may be a big part of my decision, but I’m doing it for myself just as much. I feel smothered, like I was robbed of having a real childhood. The only time anything made sense was when I was with you. When we would play at the park every weekend, it was the only time I really felt free. Maybe now I’ll have a chance to do all the things I never would have been able to before, like possibly go to college. Everything leading up to this point has been a dream, but so is being with you. I promise there won’t be any regrets. I’ll be finishing this movie, and after that I’m free to do whatever I want. I really need you with me, Buffy.”

She nodded, seeing the fear on his face at the thought of her rejecting him. “I’m with you. Whatever you decide to do, I’ll be supportive as hell. I can’t lose you again, but I’m afraid that after spending years in the limelight, a normal life would never be enough.”

He shook his head. “I’ll have you, and that’s really all I need.”

Buffy let him wrap her in his strong embrace, praying that there really wouldn’t be any regrets.


* * * * *


“William? My God, you have really grown up. I almost didn’t believe Buffy when she told me the news.”

Spike smiled, hugging the woman who had always been like a second mother to him. “It’s great to see you again, Joyce. You haven’t aged at all.”

She smiled as well, leading him into the living room. “I would like you to meet Ted Buchanan, my boyfriend. This is William, or Spike now, I guess I should say. He’s Buffy’s old friend, and a very famous actor. Who would have thought?” Joyce finished, making the introductions.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” Spike said, holding his hand out to the older man.

Ted nodded and took his proffered hand. “Very well mannered, I like that. It’s nice to meet you, but I’m afraid I don’t know any of your work. If it involves a lot of violence, chances are I haven’t seen it.”

Buffy rolled her eyes, but decided to keep quiet.

“They do, actually, I think I’ve probably only done one romantic comedy. I’m more of an action man.”

“Since you’re practically family to these lovely ladies, I think I might check one out,” Ted told him. “I’m very intrigued, and really hate to show my age. I have to keep up with this one, after all.”

Joyce blushed. “I think you’re doing just fine.”

“We’re going to the Bronze now,” Buffy cut in, really wanting to be elsewhere.

“All right, but it’s a school night. I want you home by eleven.”

Buffy nodded and ushered Spike out of the house, not waiting for her mother to say anything else. Being around Ted made her skin crawl, and she was looking for any excuse to get out of there.

“That was a bit rude, love. I know you’re not too crazy about the bloke, but he seemed decent enough to me. A little old fashioned, but to each their own. If your mum is happy, shouldn’t that be what’s important?”

“You just don’t know him, okay? I don’t expect for you to understand,” she responded.

Spike looked taken aback. “Why don’t you enlighten me, then? If you don’t care about your parents getting back together, what’s with all of the hostility? Joyce has a right to move on.”

“I know she does, but why him? He’s not good enough for her, and nothing I say will make her see that. No one believes anything negative I say about him, so why do I even bother to try? Look, I don’t want to argue about this. Can we please talk about something else? Ted is just a sore subject for me.”

Spike agreed, deciding to get to the bottom of whatever was really bothering her. It was obvious that now wasn’t the time, but he had a feeling this was about more than just her mother dating.


* * * * *


The night was awkward, and they spent most of it sitting in a corner in silence, but Spike eventually had enough.

“Would you like to dance?”

Buffy nodded, taking his hand as he led her over to the dance floor. Once he wrapped his arms around her, she finally let herself relax.

Spike pressed his cheek to the top of her head, feeling at peace. He had to admit, it was nice being in a small town. Unlike the city, he wasn’t mobbed everywhere he went. It was nice to just spend quality time with his girlfriend and not have to worry about someone asking for an autograph every few minutes. Spike never could have done that with Drusilla, she craved the attention. She always chose extravagant places for them to meet at, and never would have been caught dead in Sunnydale. He actually felt guilty when he decided to finally end things with her. That was until he found her with another man in her bed, and she actually had the nerve to ask him to join in. Before her was Cecily Addams, an uptight bitch, who once again only cared about his fame. There had been girls every now and then that he would flirt with at parties, or certain events, but that’s all it ever was. Spike had never really been for one night stands, despite what some people might say about him. There was only one girl he had ever truly loved, and she was currently in his arms where she rightfully belonged.

“The song ended,” Buffy whispered in his ear. “You can let go now.”

Instead, that just made him cling to her even tighter. “Never.”


* * * * *


Buffy hated returning home, but didn’t think it would be a good idea to defy her mom’s rules by staying out later. Watching Spike walk away was heartbreaking, even though she knew that she would be seeing him the next day. Now that he was back in her life, she never wanted to be apart from him.

She headed straight upstairs to her room, but before she could turn on her light, a hand clapped over her mouth. Buffy shut her eyes when a tongue licked up her neck, feeling tears form, but wasn’t about to give in.

“Did you have a nice time tonight, sweetheart? I don’t know if it’s such a good idea for you to continue seeing that boy, he looks like trouble. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt, kids today always give false manners to try and impress the parents, but I’m not falling for it. He’s not the kind of man you should be with,” Ted claimed, cupping her breast through her shirt and giving it a firm squeeze. “Did you get all pretty for him, or was this because you knew I would be waiting for you? I’m going to take my hand away now, so we can have an actual conversation. If you even think of screaming, I will kill your mother in her sleep. Do I make myself clear?”

Buffy nodded, finding it hard to stop the tears now.

“Good girl,” he said, slowly removing his hand. “I’ll make this simple, take your clothes off and get on the bed.”

She backed away, shaking her head as the tears streamed down her face. “Please, don’t make me do this.”

Ted rolled his eyes. “You’re such a whiny little bitch, you know that? I don’t think I have to remind you what will happen if you disobey me. Now, take off your fucking clothes, or I’ll do it for you and I won’t be gentle about it. If you cooperate, I might not tie you up this time.”

Buffy unsteadily did as he said, wishing her nightmare would end.

Chapter 8

Once Ted was done with her, Buffy hurried to the bathroom to scrub every inch of her body. Luckily, there was no actual penetration this time, only his sick idea of foreplay. Just the thought of having him fully inside of her again was enough to make her want to throw up, the man was beyond disgusting. She didn’t understand what her mom could possibly see in him, but then again, Joyce didn’t know his true nature. The worst thing about being sexually abused by your own mother’s boyfriend was having her not believe you, and without actual proof, that’s exactly what would happen. She had the bruises to show for it, but worried that wouldn’t be enough. She’d always been very clumsy, and her mother would probably find something else to blame them on. Joyce believed her boyfriend was perfect and could do no wrong, just like the rest of the world.

Buffy splashed some cold water on her face, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. The girl staring back at her was hardly even recognizable anymore. The tears came with a vengeance then, falling to the floor and burying her head in her hands as she sobbed her heart out.


* * * * *


“What’s wrong with this picture?”

She broke out of her reverie at his voice. “What?”

Spike shook his head. “We’re on the beach. It’s a beautiful day, the sun is shining down on us, and you’re sitting there in a sweater. It’s nearly ninety degrees out here, how can you stand it?”

Buffy shrugged. “Guess I’ve just gotten used to it, I didn’t even want to come here. You’ll be sorry when your pasty skin gets burned.”

He waved his hand in the air. “Small price to pay, I haven’t felt this relaxed in a long time. Come on, love, you’re too covered up. It’s just not natural, are you nervous about me seeing you in a bikini or something? Trust me; you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.”

She flinched at that, wrapping her arms around herself. “So, how’s the movie going?”

Spike rolled his eyes, another bloody subject change. She was really good at that. “Fine, Tara’s a natural, we’re almost finished. I can’t wait for everyone to see the final product.”

“And you’ll be leaving when it’s done?”

“Only for a couple of months, we’re finishing up in London. As soon as that’s done, I’ll be coming right back here. I meant what I said, Buffy. This is the start of a whole new world for us,” he said, taking her hand in his.

She pulled away out of habit, hearing his sigh of disappointment.

“Okay, what’s going on? You haven’t let me get close to you in days, and you act weird whenever I touch you. Are you having second thoughts about us?”

Buffy shook her head. “No, I just have a lot on my mind. It has nothing to do with you.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I’m finding that a little hard to believe. Please, love, just tell me what’s wrong. You used to be able to tell me anything. I know we haven’t been involved in each other’s lives for five years, but I like to think that still applies.”

“It does, and if something was wrong, I would tell you. I’m just tired; the heat is really starting to get to me.”

Spike knew she was lying, but wasn’t about to push her if she really didn’t want to talk. He packed up their few belongings and walked her over to his car. She was quiet the whole way home, and it was really starting to worry him.


* * * * *


She ran as fast as she could, holding her torn shirt to keep it from falling down. She was drenched in the sudden downpour, but even that couldn’t stop her. Buffy ran until she reached her destination, heading straight for his room and pounding on the door.

Spike swung the door open, expecting to see a crazed fan about to pounce on him, but was shocked by the sight of Buffy. “God, pet, what the fuck happened?” He pulled her into the room, closing the door behind her and rubbing her shivering form as he led her over to the bed. “Who did this to you?” he asked, anger lacing his tone.

Buffy couldn’t find the words; instead she buried her face against his shoulder, crying uncontrollably when he wrapped his arms around her and knowing that for now, she was safe.


* * * * *


Spike was seething when Buffy finally confessed about what had been going on with her, and this was the last thing he expected. He had a conversation with that wanker. He was polite to him, and the whole time the git was hurting his girl. How could he have not seen it? She tried to tell him that the man wasn’t trustworthy, but he wouldn’t even listen. Buffy had always been a good judge of character, he should have remembered that. He clenched his fists, trying to control his temper. When he turned back to face her, seeing her newly blackened eye and split lip, that was not going to be easy.

“I thought I would be fine with my mom out of town. Ted usually never comes over when she’s not home, but he was there waiting for me. I forgot that she gave him a key. He was so mad, and I could tell that he’d been drinking. He grabbed me and threw me into the coffee table, the glass cut my back, but that didn’t stop him from hitting me. He…He tried to rip my shirt off, and that’s when I just snapped. I kicked him hard in the crotch and got the hell out of there, all I could think about was getting to you.”

Spike pulled her closer when she started to cry again, kissing the top of her head and whispering soothing words in her ear, but doubted that she even heard them. “You’re safe now, baby; I won’t let him hurt you ever again. God, I wish you would have told me about this. I would have believed you.”

Buffy wiped her eyes, pulling away to look at him. “I just didn’t know what to say. He always threatens to hurt my mom if I ever told and with his reputation in town, I didn’t think anyone would listen. But this was the last straw, he’s never tried to beat me like that before and I never want to be in that position again. I knew keeping it quiet would no longer be an option. My mom is coming back tomorrow, and he knows I probably went straight to you. I can’t go back to that house, but there’s no telling what he’ll do when she does.”

Spike nodded, helping her to stand up. “You’re not going back there. We’re going to the police station. You’ve kept this inside far too long now. If you and your mother ever hope to be safe from him, you need to tell the cops everything you told me. It’s the only way, love; he’ll just end up hurting someone else. This is a very sick man, and as much as I would love to murder him right now, he belongs behind bars.”

Buffy agreed and followed him out of the hotel room; it was time for this to end.

Chapter 9

As Buffy expected, the police were a bit suspicious about her accusations, even with the evidence all over her face. Spike’s blow up at them to get their act together didn’t really help any, but they followed up by checking her house first. Buffy knew he likely wouldn’t be there, but the proof of her attack was still in the living room. Ted apparently didn’t care to fix his mess before he took off. His apartment was empty as well, along with most of his belongings, but Buffy wouldn’t get her hopes up just yet. It may seem like he gave up and left town, but if she knew Ted at all, he was far from done with her.

“What if they never find him? He could be anywhere by now.”

Spike took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. “They’ve got officers checking every inch of this town for him; he couldn’t have gotten that far. The police now know how serious this is, and everyone is going to be pretty reluctant of him. Like you said, Ted has a reputation in this place, everyone knows who he is and will hopefully report to the police if he’s spotted. They’ll have patrol cars guarding your house until he’s found, and I’m not about to let you out of my sight. You and your mother are safe now.”

Buffy groaned. “God, my mother is going to freak. She thought she finally found a decent guy after my dad’s betrayal, and this is what happens? She’ll never date again; therefore we’ll both end up being miserable. At least she was somewhat happy with Ted, even though it made me nauseated to see her with him.”

“Your mum will find someone else, love. Maybe someone who’s not a complete psychopath, but him being here wasn’t good for either of you. Joyce will understand that when she realizes what he’s done to you.”

Buffy knew he was right, but had a feeling things would never be the same between them again.


* * * * *


“Mom, I’m so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

When the shock wore off a bit, Joyce shook her head. “You have nothing to be sorry about, Buffy. I brought that monster into this house, and for that I can never apologize enough. Just the thought of what he tried to reduce you to…” her voice trailed off, taking in a deep breath to calm herself. “I can never forgive myself for that.”

Buffy wiped her eyes, sitting next to her mother on the couch. “It was my fault for not saying something sooner. I should have at least tried; I was just so scared about what he might do.”

Joyce nodded. “And you didn’t think I would believe you, which you had every right to think. I didn’t listen when you first tried to tell me about your father’s infidelity. You thought you were protecting me by keeping this a secret, but all it did was put you even more at risk. I just can’t believe I was ever with that man. From now on, it’s just you and me. I’m not bringing anyone else into this family unless they have both of our trust. If you feel someone isn’t good enough, I’ll take your word for it. You are the most important person in my life, honey. Nothing could ever change that.”

The tears fell more now as Buffy accepted her mom’s embrace. “I love you, Mommy.”

Joyce kissed the top of her daughter’s head, holding her tighter. “I love you, too.”


* * * * *


Buffy let out a soft moan as Spike trailed his lips down her smooth neck, sucking on her pulse point.

“You’re trembling, is this too much?”

She shook her head. “No, it just tickles.”

He slid his fingers under her shirt, rubbing her stomach affectionately. “If I ever make you uncomfortable…”

Buffy held up a hand, effectively cutting him off. “I don’t mind the touching when it’s coming from you. I may tense up every now and then, but that’s not because you’re making me uncomfortable. I’ve only ever been with one person in the physical sense, and it wasn’t because I gave myself to him freely. I just don’t think I’m ready for more yet, but when it does happen for us, I know it’ll be amazing.”

Spike nodded. “That’s perfectly understandable, pet. I’ll wait for however long you need, there’s no hurry, but I want you to know this isn’t just something casual for me. I’m in love with you, Buffy. Have been for as long as I can remember, and when I finally saw you again, it was like a bloody revelation. I never believed in fate before, but there’s no doubt in my mind that me coming here was more than just a coincidence. We’re meant to be together, and I really hope I’m not the only one who feels that.”

“You’re not, everything you said is exactly how I feel, but it’s all so overwhelming right now. You have this whole other life that I’m not a part of, and I honestly don’t know if I ever can be. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very proud of your success, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fit into your world.”

“We’ll make it work, Buffy. I’m not about to let you go again, I don’t have it in me. Finding you was the best bloody thing that could have happened to me, we have so much to catch up on. It would break my heart if you were having any doubts,” he claimed, praying that she wouldn’t give up on them before they’d even started. “I told you that’s not a part of my life anymore. I’m giving it all up after this film, you won’t have to worry.”

She took in a deep breath. “Yeah, but for how long? Another movie offer could come your way, one you won’t be able to turn down. This has been such a huge part of your life for years now, how can you just be expected to give it all up? I know how devoted your fans are. If they find out the real reason for you leaving this business, I’ll be the most hated woman around. Not to mention all of the guilt for you giving up something I know you love.”

Spike sat up, putting some distance between them. “Is this really about me leaving my career, or about something else? I know for a fact you could care less what anyone thinks of you. You’ve been through something pretty traumatic with Ted, I get that you’re scared to start something with me. You’re only seventeen and he took away your innocence, among other things. It’s too much for anyone to deal with, but I don’t want you to use him as an excuse to not be with me. If you really don’t love me, then I can respect that and try to move on. If you do love me, nothing should stand in the way.” He took the friendship bracelet off that she gave him, placing it on her wrist over the one he gave her. “There has to be a reason of why we kept these for so long. We knew that we’d probably never see each other again, but we still kept them. I think a part of me knew I would find you some day, and I know you were thinking the same thing. We are so good together, sweetheart, always have been. This is our actual second chance, something most people never even get to experience. I love you so much,” Spike finished, cupping her cheek and kissing her lips tenderly.

Buffy returned his kiss, shutting her eyes at the sensations going through her and before she knew it, she was on her back as the kiss continued.

Spike released her mouth when breathing became an issue, touching his lips to her closed eyelids, cheeks, chin, and then back to her mouth, slipping his tongue inside. He pulled away after a moment, gazing down at the pure bliss on her features. “What do you say, love? Are you willing to give us a chance?”

All she did was smile, meeting her lips with his once more.

Chapter 10

It didn’t take long for the news about Ted to spread throughout school, and now Buffy was causing stares for more than just the fact she was dating a celebrity. Luckily, no one brought up what happened in front of her. She just wanted to put the whole thing behind her and move on.

“Tara’s an excellent actress, don’t get me wrong, but she’s having a problem with the intimate scenes,” Spike said, stopping to look at her when she remained quiet. “Is this okay to talk about? I know she’s your friend.”

Buffy shrugged. “It’s fine, what is she having trouble with?”

“Whenever we’re supposed to kiss, she gets very tense. I don’t know if it’s just because she’s shy, but I’ve tried to make her feel comfortable. I don’t know what else I can do.”

Buffy smiled. “Well, I can tell you it’s not because she’s shy. This is all new for Tara; she’s never had to kiss a guy before. I guess it would be a little awkward.”

He raised his eyebrows in confusion. “I was her first kiss?”

She shook her head, trying to keep a straight face. “No, you’re just her first kiss with a man. Tara’s interests lie elsewhere, which could explain why she keeps tensing up, but I know she’ll get better at it.”

“Ah, yeah, that would explain it. All right, we have a lot more work than I thought.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Buffy replied. “She knows we’re together now and Tara is very loyal, she probably sees it as a betrayal to be kissing my boyfriend, but I’ll tell her not to worry about it.”

Spike was relieved for that, pecking her on the cheek. “Thanks ever so, have you seen Angel today? I’ve been calling the wanker’s cell phone, but I keep getting sent to voice mail.”

She shrugged again. “Nope, haven’t seen him.”


* * * * *



Buffy threw open the door of the janitor’s closet, glaring at the two people inside.

“Oh, look, new blackmail material. You know, I would expect this from her, but not from someone in his thirties. You’re just lucky the principal didn’t find you instead,” Buffy told the bane of her existence.

Angel looked ashamed of his actions, stepping out of the closet.

“God, is it your mission to keep ruining my life? You’re dating Spike, why do you care who I fool around with? It’s not even a teacher this time,” Cordelia whined.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Right, this is such a step up. No offense,” she said to Angel. “Spike’s been calling you, I covered for you this time, but it’s not something I’ll be making a habit of.”

“Yeah, thanks, I’ll see you later,” he said the last part to Cordelia, taking off down the hall.

The brunette crossed her arms over her chest. “You are such a buzz kill, and a fucking hypocrite on top of that. Getting on my case for screwing older men, when you were doing the same thing with your mother’s boyfriend. That’s just disgusting.”

Buffy clenched her fists at her side. “That was not the same thing and you know it, I wasn’t with him by choice. He forced me, and if you think I could possibly get any pleasure from that, you’re beyond delusional.”

“I see why Spike hasn’t left you yet. It’s because he feels sorry for you, but do you think he’ll be faithful when he goes back to England? He’ll be gone for months, lots of temptation to keep him busy. I guarantee you’re the last person he’ll be thinking about.”

Buffy watched her walk away, a look of hatred on her features. Cordelia was just jealous, that’s all there was to it. For once in her life, she wasn’t picked first and the cheerleader couldn’t stand that. Buffy refused to believe there was any truth to her words, but a part of her wondered if maybe things were moving too fast between her and Spike.


* * * * *


“Is he mad at me?”

Buffy shook her head. “He’s not mad, but you really don’t have to hold back. I know he’s not your type, but it’s only acting, you can do whatever you want. If it helps, close your eyes during the kissing scenes and picture someone you’re actually interested in.”

Tara blushed at that, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m not really interested in anyone. Spike is a very attractive man, whether he’s my type or not, but are you sure you don’t mind?”

She waved her hand in the air. “Don’t worry about me; I’m not even a factor. You have so much potential to make this an amazing movie, Tara. Just go out there and kick some ass, or something a little less violent.”

Tara laughed. “I’ll try my best. Thanks again for recommending me; this whole experience has been pretty great. I never thought I would get the chance to do anything like this. I’m…I’m glad you’re okay.”

Buffy agreed, knowing what she was referring to without needing to ask. “I will be.”


* * * * *


“I don’t know what you said to her, but it’s like Tara is a changed woman. She performs those scenes like an expert, the awkwardness is still there, but she’s better about hiding it. We only have one scene left to complete.”

One more scene, and then he was off to London. Buffy never realized until now just how much she would miss him. They’ve already spent five years away from each other; a couple of months would even be too long. “I’m glad for that.”

Spike gave her a squeeze as they headed out of the school. “Am I taking you home?”

She shook her head, her mom was working late and being alone in that house was the last thing she wanted at the moment. “Could we go back to your hotel? I just hate being at the house by myself. He’s still out there somewhere, and even with a patrol car watching us, I still don’t feel safe.”

He nodded in understanding. “To the hotel it is, anything special you have in mind?”

A sly grin was his only response.


* * * * *


“Fuck, love, we don’t have to do this.”

Buffy prowled up his naked body, licking his toned chest. “I want to. It’s a little something to remember me by when you leave.”

He stopped her from sucking his neck, pulling away to look at her. “I will be coming back, pet. You don’t have to do anything for me to remember you, if you’re not ready, we can wait for my return. There’s no rush, I would wait forever if I had to.”

She sat up, letting out a sigh. “I know, but a lot could happen in a few months. This isn’t just about you, I hate knowing that Ted was the last person I was with. Hell, the only person, I want his memory wiped away. I want us to completely start over and I know that if we do this, I won’t have any regrets.”

Spike kissed her then, slowly removing the rest of her clothes. “I love you. Nothing could ever change that. Whether I spend a few months, or even a few years in London, I will always love you.”

“Make love to me,” she whispered.

He wasn’t one to be told twice, lowering her down on the bed and covering her body with his. “I don’t have any condoms on me, but I can probably borrow one from Angel.”

Buffy stopped him from getting up, shaking her head. “That’s okay; I’ve been on the pill for over a year now. It was first to regulate my periods, but then everything with Ted…” her voice trailed off, not wanting to finish that sentence. This was about making new memories, not reliving the dreadful ones.

“Just look at me, baby. We’re the only two people in the world,” he told her, cupping her cheek before meeting his lips with hers in a soft caress. Spike sucked and licked every inch of her delectable body, licking a path down her breasts, to her smooth stomach, and finally reaching her bare pussy. He pushed two fingers inside of her, feeling how wet she was already. “If anything gets to be too much, feel free to let me know. We can stop at any time.”

Buffy nodded, moaning when she felt a tongue invade her moist center, and biting her bottom lip to keep from screaming.

“So bloody delicious,” he muttered, feasting on her pussy like a man starved. “Let yourself go, love, I’ll catch you.”

She cried out her release, digging her nails in his shoulders.

Spike lapped up every bit of her juices, not letting any of it go to waste. Before she could come down from her high, he positioned his cock over her entrance and slid home in one quick thrust.

Buffy gasped, throwing her head back as he fucked her hard and fast. “God, don’t stop,” she panted.

“No intention of that,” he responded, making his thrusts harder. Spike felt that she was close, lowering his hand to slip his thumb into her cunny, rubbing her clit and bringing her even closer to release. He smashed his mouth to hers when her orgasm hit, following right behind her as they both rode out their orgasms together. Spike lay on top of her, breathing heavily in the afterglow, moving to her side after a moment as to not crush her.

Buffy rested her head on his chest, trying to catch her breath. “That was wonderful.”

He smiled, nuzzling her cheek. “Took the words right out of my mouth, sweetheart. I’ve never felt anything so incredible in my life.”

She wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace; nothing had ever felt more right to her. This was where she belonged, and for the first time in a long while, Buffy finally felt safe, but the doubts were still clouding her mind. She tried to push them away as she drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

Chapter 11

“Hey, where did you get off to this morning? I woke up and found you gone,” Spike said with a pout.

Buffy stopped to look at him, taking in a deep breath. “Sorry, I had to get to school after assuring my mother that I was still alive. I forgot to call her last night and didn’t have the heart to wake you before I left; I knew that would have only made me later.”

He raised his eyebrows, not completely believing that was the only reason. “Are you all right? You don’t regret what happened, do you?”

“No, but I really should get to class now.”

Spike grabbed her arm before she could take off again. “What’s wrong?”

Buffy ran her fingers through her hair, deciding to just be honest with him. “Don’t you think we’re moving kind of fast? Sure, we’ve known each other since we were kids, but a lot has changed. We’re not the same people anymore, and I think we need to slow things down a bit.”

“Where was this attitude last night? I thought we were on the same page, love. You said you wanted to be with me.”

She nodded. “I do, but I think we should take a break, at least until you come back. If we still want to be together then, we’ll make it work. I just feel like we’re rushing everything, what with you choosing to give up your career just because we suddenly found each other again. Normal people don’t make that kind of decision over night, Spike. I feel like I would be holding you back and you may not think so now, but you could end up resenting me for it. You need to take more time to really think about what you want.”

“I don’t understand any of this. I already know what I want; it seems to me that I’m not the one confused here. You’re running scared again, and you’re using the fact I’m going back to London as an excuse to hide how you really feel. Do you want us to see other people while I’m gone; is that what this is about? A test to see if I’ll really stay true to you? Fine, but whether you like it or not, I’m going to London with the knowledge that I have a girlfriend in the states waiting for me. That’s exactly what I plan on telling anyone who asks, you can just do whatever the hell you want.”

Buffy felt tears in her eyes when he walked away, wondering if she did the right thing.


* * * * *


“He’s leaving in a week, Will, and he’s hardly said anything to me. Am I making a huge mistake?”

Willow shrugged, seeing how hurt her friend was and wishing she knew what to say to make her feel better. “I don’t know what to tell you, Buffy, but I do know that you’ve been a lot happier since he got here. I haven’t seen you really smile like that in a long time. You love him; anyone can see that, I think you’re just scared of what it means.”

She let out a sigh. “You sound like him; I just don’t know what to do. I’ve spent the last few months feeling like I was worthless, that I deserved everything Ted did to me. He made me feel like he was the only one I could rely on, that no one else could ever love me. It got so bad that I actually started to believe everything he said, and then Spike comes along. This amazing guy who took notice of me before he even knew who I really was, he made me feel things that I didn’t know were possible. I’m just so terrified of losing him when he goes back to England, that’s why I figured it would be safer to just end things now. He could go off for a couple of months, meet someone else and realize that I’m not the one he wants. The guy could get anyone; I’m just finding it hard to believe that he would actually choose me.”

“And here I was thinking you were a smart bird, my mistake.”

Buffy turned at the voice in her doorway, startled to see Spike standing there. “How did you get in here?”

He shrugged, stepping into her room. “You hide the spare key in the same place you used to.”

Willow picked up her books, giving him a small smile. “I’ll just let you two talk. See you later, Buffy.”

She tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear when Willow retreated, not knowing how to start this particular conversation, but Spike decided to break the ice.

“Is that really what you believe? You honestly have no idea what you mean to me, do you? When I first moved to LA, I absolutely hated it. I thought I could never fit in there, until a little angel came over to me out of nowhere. You befriended me when no one else would, made me realize that living there wasn’t all bad. As we got older, my feelings for you continued to grow and I started to look at you differently. I no longer only thought of you as a friend, but I knew there was no way I could tell you that. We were just kids, and you probably would have thought I was crazy. The truth of it was, I fell in love with you at first sight and when I found out we were moving away, I was distraught at the idea of never seeing you again. I played it cool for you, but I was so upset. It was never my intention to lose touch with you, and I regret that every day. We have a real second chance here, pet. I don’t know about you, but I’m not willing to throw that away. I didn’t think it was possible, but I love you even more now. To see the woman you’ve become, and know that I’m the lucky bloke who gets to be with you. So, no, I won’t have any regrets. Being an actor may have been a dream for me, but you are a once in a lifetime opportunity. I never once doubted that.”

Buffy was sobbing uncontrollably at his speech and before she knew it, she threw herself in his arms, crying against his chest and feeling content when he wrapped her in his strong embrace. “I love you,” she whispered, holding him tighter. “I always have, and I’ll be here when you get back. If anyone asks, I’ll tell them all about my wonderful boyfriend.”

He laughed, kissing her tears away. “If anyone can make this relationship work, it would be us. I love you, baby. It’s just you and me now.”

She pulled away, gracing him with a smile. “I can live with that.”

Chapter 12

“When’s your mum coming home?”

Buffy flung her head back to give him better access to her throat as he lavished her with kisses. “Not until later, I’d say we have at least five hours.”

He grinned, loving the sound of that.

It wasn’t long before they were both entirely naked.

Spike sucked her nipples, lowering his hand down to her pussy and sliding three fingers into her, delighted by how wet she was already. His mouth met hers as he continued to thrust his digits inside, catching her scream when she came. He immediately replaced his fingers with his tongue, tasting every bit of her delectable juice. “Fuck, you’re delicious.”

Buffy shut her eyes as he ate her out, biting her bottom lip in the process. Nothing had ever felt so good before. “Please, need you inside,” she panted, surprised to even say that much.

He was happy to oblige once he brought her off a second time, positioning his cock at her entrance and sliding home in one quick thrust. Spike crashed his lips to hers, pounding her into the mattress. For the next several minutes, all that could be heard were the sounds of their bodies slapping together, and heavy breathing. He buried his head against her neck, making his thrusts faster and roaring out his release a moment later, feeling her come undone right behind him. “I love you so much,” he whispered, pulling out of her after a few seconds. He moved to her side, wrapping his arms around her and feeling content when she rested her head on his chest.

“I love you, too.”

Spike gave her a squeeze, kissing the top of her head. There was no doubt in his mind that this was definitely where he belonged.


* * * * *


He strolled through the cafeteria without a care in the world, heading over to a specific table where Buffy was seated with her mates. Spike smiled when he reached his destination, handing over a bouquet of roses to a certain blonde.

“For my beautiful costar,” he said, noticing the blush that tinted Tara’s cheeks. Spike then took one of the roses from the bouquet and gave it to Buffy. “For my beautiful girlfriend,” he claimed, a kiss to her lips following his gesture. Spike could sense envious stares on them from the rest of the student body, but his attention was only on the three women in front of him. He decided to take out another rose for Willow, not wanting her to feel left out. After giving Buffy an additional kiss, he cleared his throat before addressing the rest of the students, figuring it was time to make a statement. “I wanted to thank everyone for letting me use your lovely school these last few weeks. I really enjoyed my time here, and I do hope you all will like the movie when it comes out. It’s very close to my heart. If anyone is interested, I will be signing autographs in the gym after the final bell.” His declaration was followed by a burst of applause, sitting down to join the ladies until their lunch hour was over.

“What? I don’t get a flower?”

Spike rolled his eyes at the appearance of Xander Harris, remembering him as one of Buffy’s friends, but also knew the bloke had a crush on his girl. It seemed Buffy was oblivious to it, though. “Sorry, mate, you’re just not pretty enough.”

Xander sat down at the table. “So, guess you’ll be leaving us soon, huh?”

Spike pulled Buffy closer to his side, glaring at the boy. “It’s only temporary; I’ll be back before you know it. Have a very important reason for sticking around now,” he remarked, kissing her cheek.

It was Xander’s turn to roll his eyes. “You’re out of your league here, bleach boy. The small town life will never be enough for you; I don’t want my friend getting hurt when you realize that and come to your senses.”

“Xander, that’s enough,” Buffy spoke up. “My relationship is none of your business.”

He shrugged. “I’m just looking out for you, Buffster. How do you know you can really trust this guy? You’re vulnerable right now, and he’s just taking advantage.”

“Excuse me, but this guy is sitting right here. If you have something to say to me, say it to my face.”

“Fine, I don’t think you’re good enough for her,” Xander spat.

Spike noticed that everyone in the cafeteria was now focused on them, but wouldn’t lower himself to this wanker’s level. “I don’t really care what you think of me, all that matters is what she thinks. If she wants to be with me, there’s really nothing you can do about it.”

Buffy placed a calming hand on his arm. “Let’s go for a walk, I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.” She pulled Spike up, scowling at Xander as they left the cafeteria, and feeling satisfied when she heard Willow smack him across the head.


* * * * *


“I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what his problem is,” Buffy explained when they got outside.

“I do, the bloke has a thing for you. He’s just lucky I save all the fighting for my films, you don’t know how badly I wanted to hit him.”

She shook her head. “Xander doesn’t think of me that way, he’s just a friend.”

Spike chuckled, leading her over to a nearby bench. “Oh, love, you are so adorably dense. Trust me, he thinks of you as more than a friend. The moron is too busy lusting after you to notice that Red has it bad for him.”

Her eyes widened. “Wait, Willow has a crush on Xander? How could I not know this? We usually tell each other everything.”

He shrugged. “She probably didn’t say anything because of his crush on you, but I’m generally good at detecting these things.”

“Obviously, you’ve only been here for a little over a month and you seem to know my friends better than I do.”

Spike kissed her pout away, guiding her head to his shoulder. “I just have good instincts, but that doesn’t mean you don’t know all the important stuff.”

She agreed, deciding that a change of subject was in order. “You leave in two days, is it possible to miss you already?”

“It’s very possible, because I’m missing the hell out of you right now. Just keep in mind that this isn’t the end, love. I’m not losing touch with you again. I plan on writing every other day; we still have phone calls and e-mail. It’ll be as if I never left. Perhaps I can even introduce you to the joys of phone sex.”

Buffy laughed, snuggling up to him. “Something to look forward to.”


* * * * *


They made it back to her house later that night, after hours of love making in his hotel room, but instantly knew that something was very wrong.

Buffy had a habit of waving to the officer who was parked on her street, it was always a different guy, but this time felt off. She broke away from Spike and ran to the patrol car, covering her mouth in shock as tears filled her eyes. He was slumped over in the passenger seat, with a slit throat and no signs of life. When realization struck, her eyes widened. “Mom!”

Spike stopped her from storming the house, wrapping an arm around her. “You don’t know what you’ll be walking into.” He grabbed the walkie talkie from the car, flipping a switch. “If anyone can hear me, we need back up over at 1630 Revello Drive. An officer is down, and there could be a hostage inside the house.” There was no answer, but Spike had to hope that help was on the way.

“I can’t wait for the police to get here. Mom could be hurt, there’s no telling what he’s doing to her.”

Before Spike knew what happened, Buffy shoved him away and rushed to her house as if the devil himself was after her. He silently cursed, and then took off after her. He caught up to her before she went inside, taking her hand in his as they both entered together, only to find that the power was cut off. Spike could feel how badly Buffy was shaking and prayed more than anything to get her through this, but she wouldn’t have to do it alone.

“She’s probably upstairs,” Buffy whispered. “If Ted has done anything to her, I’ll fucking kill him.”

Spike was taken aback by her murderous tone, but it was utterly justified in this situation. He was too busy focusing on Buffy to notice the presence behind him, until a frying pan smashed over his head.

Buffy gasped when her boyfriend fell to the floor unconscious, glancing up to see Ted standing over him with a vicious expression on his face.

“Beg to differ, little lady.”

Chapter 13

Buffy cried out when Ted gripped her hard by the wrist, yanking her upstairs and shoving her into her room, where her mother was tied to a chair, a piece of cloth in her mouth. Buffy ran to the older woman’s side. Her mom had cuts and bruises adorning her features, but she was alive.

“I’m so sorry, Mom. I should have been here.” She turned back to Ted, a look of pure malice on her face. “Why can’t you just leave us alone?”

He scowled at her. “You don’t know how awful it is to have to hide in your own town. I knew I had to make you pay, one way or another. You have been a very bad girl, Buffy. I think your mother has a right to know what a little whore she raised. I installed a camera in here before I took off, and caught every nasty little thing you did with that boy. It was disgusting; you need to pay for your sins.”

“God, do you even listen to yourself? It’s nothing but bullshit, you killed a man and now you’re accusing me of being a sinner? You’re demented.”

Ted shrugged, grabbing her by the shirt and throwing her down on the bed. “This is how it’s going to be, little lady.” He snatched up the knife that he left on her desk, trailing the sharp blade down her cheek. “To teach you a lesson, I’m going to rape you while your mother watches. Joyce will see that you enjoy everything I do to you, therefore proving even more what a complete slut her daughter is. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll kill her right in front of you. And then, I will torture that boyfriend of yours for daring to touch what is mine.”

Buffy spat in his face, not about to let him intimidate her any longer. “I was never yours, you sick fuck! You’re not touching me ever again.”

He took a step back, nodding after a moment. “I see you wish to do this the hard way. So be it.”

Buffy screamed when Ted raised the weapon in her mother’s direction, but before he could do anything, gunshots filled the room and Ted dropped the knife, blood oozing out of two holes in his chest, causing him to crash to the floor. She was stunned, looking up to see Spike in the doorway, a gun in his hand. Buffy broke herself out of her stupor and hurried over to her mother’s side, untying the elder woman, who burst into tears as soon as she was free. Buffy wrapped her arms around Joyce, relieved that they were both safe. Once the crying died down a bit, she focused her attention on Spike, who still looked shocked by what just happened. Buffy stood up to move over to him, taking the gun out of his hand. “Where did you get this?”

Spike broke out of his reverie at her concerned voice. “I went back out to the patrol car, found it on the floor. Is he really dead?”

Buffy glanced back at Ted to see him in the same position; it didn’t look like he would be going anywhere. “I think so.”

“I’ve killed a lot of people, but it’s never been real before.”

“You did it to save us, Spike. There’s no telling what could have happened if you didn’t show up when you did, and for that we’re very grateful,” Buffy explained.

He took her in his arms, smothering kisses all along her face to assure himself that she was all right.

Police barged through the house then, firearms raised as they stormed the upstairs.

“Is everyone okay?”

Spike nodded. “We are now; he’s the one you want.”

One of the officers felt for a pulse to determine that Ted was really dead, carrying him outside to be taken to the local morgue.

“I would like you all to come down to the station; we just have a few questions to ask.”

“Can that wait until tomorrow?” Spike wondered. “It’s been a very stressful night. I think we could use some sleep right now.”

The officer nodded and left the house.

Buffy pulled away from her boyfriend after a few seconds, locating the camera that Ted admitted he installed to spy on her, and crushing it under her foot.


* * * * *


“You can’t expect for me to leave now. After everything that’s happened, I need to be here for you.”

Buffy shook her head. “You have to go, this movie is really important to you. I’ll be fine; Ted’s not an issue anymore. We told the police everything that happened, and his death was a result of self defense. There’s nothing more for you to do, you’re already behind schedule since you chose to stay a few extra days.”

Spike agreed, even though he didn’t like it. “As soon as filming is done, I’m coming straight back here.”

“I have no doubts,” she replied.

“Okay, time to head to the airport,” Angel told them. “Are you coming with us?”

Buffy gave Spike’s hand a squeeze as they left the hotel. “No, I’ll be an even bigger spaz if I have to say goodbye at the airport. Besides, I promised my friends I would meet them at the Bronze.”

He hugged her one more time, kissing her lips sweetly. “I’ll call as soon as I land.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Spike followed Angel to the car, and with one last look at his love, got in after him.

She watched as they drove away, finally letting the tears fall.


* * * * *


“Come on, ladies, I’m dancing all by my lonesome out there.”

Buffy let out a sigh. “You go ahead, Will, I’m not in a dancing mood.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Yeah, one of us should be having fun tonight.”

Willow got up to join Xander on the dance floor, laughing at his crazy moves.

Buffy still hadn’t forgiven her friend for his remarks about Spike, and now realizing it was most likely because he had feelings for her in the romantic sense, she was finding it hard to be around him. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, she went to answer it to see that Spike left her a text message before he boarded the plane, basically just saying how much he loved her. The next couple of months could not go by fast enough.


* * * * *


She entered the house to see her mom sitting on the couch, watching some old movie. Buffy sat beside her, not knowing what to say. Her mother hadn’t spoken much since what happened with Ted, and Buffy was really beginning to worry about her.

“Have you eaten anything yet?”

Joyce remained silent, only shaking her head.

Buffy stood up. “I’ll make us something, and that hot chocolate you love. With those little marshmallows, right?” She left to the kitchen without waiting for a response, not that she was expecting one. Everything was becoming too much for her, she covered her face and sobbed into her hands. Buffy thought things would start getting back to normal now that Ted was gone, but some scars would take a lot longer to heal.

Chapter 14

“I don’t know what to do, Will. I’ve never seen my mom like this before, it has me terrified. She’s hardly eating, she doesn’t sleep, I hear her crying in her room every night and she’s not even really talking to me. I’ll be lucky if I can get two words out of her.”

Willow put an arm around her distressed friend. “Maybe she should see a therapist or something, it might help and if you don’t kill me for suggesting it, I think you should do the same.”

Buffy shook her head. “I don’t need therapy, and it’s doubtful she would agree to that. I haven’t told Spike any of this, but he can tell something’s wrong whenever we talk on the phone. I just don’t want to worry him right now. He’s only been gone for a month and I’m already losing it, I didn’t think this would be so hard.”

“That’s what happens when you’re in love. So I hear, anyway.”

This was the perfect opportunity for Buffy to turn the subject off of her. “You should really tell Xander how you feel. I’m still mad at him, but I think you guys would be good together. If he ever gets that stick out of his ass, of course.”

Willow’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? I don’t have feelings for Xander.”

“Please, Will, I’m not completely blind. I see the way you’ve been looking at him. He needs to realize that I’ll never be interested in him as more than a friend, but you are a total catch. Sometimes we have to make the first move, guys are pretty dense.”

She let out a sigh. “They’re so frustrating; I think Tara has the right idea.”

Buffy had to agree with her there.


* * * * *


“Well, would you look at that? I just stumbled across this magazine at my doctor’s office, and couldn’t help noticing who was plastered all over the cover.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “What are you on about now?”

Cordelia grinned, shoving the magazine in her face. “Spike with Drusilla Edwards, the former love of his life. Or should I say current? These pictures were dated as being taken two weeks ago. I’m sure it’s just a publicity stunt, but they look pretty damn cozy to me. I wouldn’t trust him, if I were you. The guy is sex on a stick; he can’t be faithful to one woman, especially when she’s in another country. I did warn you, after all.”

“Wow, Cordy, this is just truly sad. Jealousy does not become you.”

The brunette scoffed. “Whatever, I’m just trying to save you some heartache. First the thing with your mom’s boyfriend, and now this? How much more could you possibly take before you just snap?”

Buffy clenched her fists at her side. “You really don’t want to test that theory.”

“Yeah, I think I do. This is my fucking town, I owned this school way before you ever got here. I was supposed to be Spike’s girlfriend, being with him and starring in his movie would have helped me finally become famous, but you took that away from me. You’re nothing but cheap trash, the kind that isn’t even fit to lick his boots. He’ll realize that soon enough, and you’re going to end up all alone like the miserable whore you are.”

Before Buffy could stop herself, she pulled back her fist and clocked Cordelia right in the face, causing the other girl to cry out, covering her now bleeding nose.

“You stupid bitch!”

Buffy was stunned, taking a step back as a bunch of students started to form around them. Without waiting for a teacher to make their presence known, Buffy ran in the other direction, not stopping until she was clear of the building.


* * * * *


Running away didn’t really solve anything, and Buffy was given a three day suspension, which she would welcome right about now. Except that meant spending even more time with her mute mother, who couldn’t even manage to yell at her for punching the head cheerleader.

When she talked to Spike later that night, Buffy kept the truth of what happened to herself, but did bring up the photos of him with his ex-girlfriend. As she expected, he explained it was for publicity and that he hated having to pose with Drusilla. He made it very clear to the press that they were more than over, but some people just hadn’t taken the hint yet.

She tried to get some sleep, but that wasn’t likely to happen with the loud sobs going on in the next room. When would things ever get back to normal? It was times like this where she missed Spike the most, and wished more than anything that he was laying beside her.


* * * * *


Those three days seemed to go by very slowly for Buffy and at the end of her sentence, she was actually glad to be returning to school. There was only so much of her mother’s silence that she could stand.

“Man, Buff, you’re a legend. Everyone has wanted to put Cordy in her place, but never had the guts to do it. I bow down to you.”

She took a drink of her soda, not about to acknowledge his praise. “Right, because punching a person in the face is really something to be proud of. No matter how much she may have deserved it, what I did wasn’t cool and you’re an idiot for thinking it was.”

Xander nodded. “Okay, I get it; you’re still pissed at me.”

“No, I’m not still pissed at you. I’m not really anything at you. I’m too busy dealing with a practically comatose mother, a boyfriend who I never get to see, and being suspended from school because I can’t control my violent outbursts, to really think much about being pissed at you.”

He held his hands up in surrender, glad when Willow finally showed up. “So, Will, can I borrow your notes for History class?”


* * * * *


Something was wrong when Buffy entered her house later that day, only to find the sight of her mother baking in the kitchen, a smile on her face that she thought to never see again.

“Mom, what’s going on? Are you okay?”

“Everything is better now, sweetheart. He’s come to take us home,” Joyce explained, the smile still plastered all over her features.

That was the most her mother had spoken in weeks, and before Buffy could ask what she meant, another presence appeared behind her. To say she was shocked would have been an understatement. “Dad?”

Chapter 15

“Is this some kind of sick joke? What the hell is he doing here?”

Hank Summers took a step forward. “I know I’m probably the last person you wanted to see, Buffy, but I came here to check up on both of you. Joyce called me in drunken hysterics the other night and told me everything that happened; I came as soon as I could. I’ve moved back to Los Angeles for the time being, I’ve talked it over with your mother and she thinks it would be best if you both came to live with me. I have a big enough place for the three of us.”

Buffy gave a humorless laugh. “You have to be kidding me. I’m sorry the midlife crisis didn’t work out the way you hoped, but you left us for some halfwit and you expect to just be forgiven for that? No, I’m not going anywhere, especially not with you. God, Mom, how can you even agree to this?”

“You don’t know how hard it’s been these last few weeks, Buffy. I can’t be here anymore, it’s just too much. Everywhere I go people are whispering about me, taking pity on what I went through. I’m so tired of the judgmental looks. I used to be a strong woman, and it took one man to break me of that. I know your father hurt us in the past, but now he’s come to make things better. He promised not to abandon us again.”

She threw her hands up in the air. “And he never lies, right? This isn’t just about you, Mom. Do you think you were the only victim? I have to listen to judgmental idiots every day, but I’ve learned how to deal with it. Running away won’t solve anything, you can leave this town behind all you want, but what he did will still be there. You think I don’t know how hard it’s been these last few weeks? I’ve been the one to put up with your mood swings, to make sure you eat a decent meal. I’ve tried to get you to talk to me, but you wouldn’t budge. Instead, you tell all of our problems to him. This is only about him playing the big hero, wanting to save us. I guarantee it has nothing to do with our wellbeing. If you just want to give up, fine, that’s on you. Leave with him for all I care, but I’m staying here. This is where my life is now, even with all the shit I’ve been getting, I’m not about to run away.”

Hank tried to take his daughter’s arm, but she jerked out of his reach.

“Don’t touch me,” Buffy spat. “You are not my father anymore. I remember everything about our life in LA, all the crap you put us through. You two were miserable together, and I’ll be damned to put up with it again.” She left the house then, not looking back once.


* * * * *


“Thanks for letting me stay over, Will. I’m sorry to show up so late.”

The red head shrugged. “It’s fine, you can stay for as long as you need. Are you sure you don’t wanna talk about it?”

“There’s really nothing to say. My dad showed up, basically saying all kinds of crap about wanting to do right by us. He wants us to go back to LA with him, but it’ll be a cold day in hell before that happens.”

Willow nodded, taking in a deep breath. “I think you should tell Spike about what’s going on. Things have taken a more serious turn; you would want him to know if the situation was reversed.”

Buffy let out a sigh. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“I’ll give you some privacy,” Willow said, making her leave.

She took out her cell phone to make the call, dreading the conversation that would take place.


* * * * *


“Are you mad at me?”

“I’m not mad, love. I just wish you would have told me sooner,” Spike explained on the other line.

Buffy nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “I know, but I didn’t want to ruin things for you. It’s not like you could really do anything. I just never expected to see my dad again. I can’t believe she called him. What do you think I should do?”

“I can’t tell you that, but just know that whatever you decided to do, it won’t change things with us. Whether you live in Sunnydale or LA, I’ll be right there with you. I can get a flat anywhere.”

“That takes some of the pressure off,” she admitted. “I’m only two months away from graduation, and I’m determined to finish up this school year if it kills me. I’ll make a decision then, but I’m not about to leave everything behind just because things haven’t exactly been perfect. My mom just doesn’t get that.”

“So, do you have a date for the Prom yet?”

Buffy smiled at his subject change. “Obviously not since you won’t be here, I’ll probably just skip out on it. I’ve never really been one for school dances before; it won’t be a big deal.”

“It’s your Senior Prom, love, you have to go. I’m not saying I want you to go with another man, but you deserve to have some fun. You can go with Willow if she hasn’t gotten the prat to ask her out himself.”

She rolled her eyes. “I really don’t see that happening, he’s just as oblivious as always. I’m not making any promises.”

“That’s more than enough for me, just do me a favor and talk to your mum about this. I know you regret how you left things with her, make her see your side of it. This whole ordeal has been just as hard on you.”

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow, but right now I really could use some sleep. I miss you,” Buffy finished, wishing more than anything that he was there with her. Having a long distance relationship sucked beyond the telling of it.

“I miss you, too. Get some rest, we’ll talk later. Love you, baby.”

“I love you,” she replied, right before he hung up.


* * * * *


“Look, I know we’ve had our ups and downs lately, but I like you. I mean, I really like you. I’m sure you’ve noticed by now, but what I’m trying to say is, would you go to Prom with me?”

Buffy rubbed her temples, feeling a migraine coming on. “Are you seriously asking me that right now? I have a boyfriend, Xander. Why can’t you get that through your head? There’s a girl in this school who actually worships you, and you’re too blind to see it. You and me, we’ll never be more than friends. Maybe not even that if you keep pissing me off.”

He was taken aback, but chose only to hear a certain part of her rant. “Who worships me?”

“It’s so obvious, but you’ll have to figure that out for yourself. I have more important things to worry about than a stupid dance.”

Xander watched her go, a confused expression on his face.


* * * * *


“I get that you’re scared. You think Dad’s here to help, but I know he can’t be trusted. I can’t move back with him, Mom. I just can’t. It took me so long to finally get over what he did to us, and even with the hell Ted put me through, I still can’t let dad back in my life. I’m not saying it’ll never happen, but I’m just not ready. I’m almost eighteen now, about to be a high school graduate. You won’t have to take care of me anymore, so if you want to go with him, that’s your choice. I can’t exactly stop you, but to me he’ll always be the man who left us.”

Joyce nodded, tears in her eyes. “I just want you to be safe. I feel like I was a horrible parent for not seeing what that animal was doing right under my own roof. I should have seen that something was wrong, you tried to warn me many times, but I wouldn’t listen. I make awful decisions, like when I decided to contact your father. I knew it wasn’t the right choice, but I just wanted to feel safe again. He used to make me feel wonderful, that I could do anything I wanted. No other man had ever been able to do that, and I tried to force a relationship on Ted that didn’t even exist. I trusted him, I brought him into our home, and he repaid me by coming after my child. Despite all that your father has put us through, I felt safer in Los Angeles than I ever did here. I know the man is dead now, but I still have nightmares about him coming back. I see him attacking you, and I can’t do anything to stop him. I woke up and your father was the first person I thought of, I wanted him to protect us.”

Buffy put an arm around her sobbing mother. “It was just a bad dream, he’s never coming back. Dad can’t protect us from this, Mom. The shadow of Ted will always hang over us, but we’re the only ones who can truly defeat him. We have to be strong for each other and not let him get the best of us anymore. I’ve had nightmares, too. It’s hard just being in this house after everything that’s happened, but running away is like we’re saying he wins. We’re giving him all the power to hurt us, but I believe the only way to finally get over this is by not giving in. Dad doesn’t understand anything about what we went through, it’ll be just like it always was with him before. He’ll give us several lame excuses about why he has to work late, and when he is home, he’ll just ignore us like we don’t even matter. We don’t need him anymore; all we need is each other.”

Joyce wiped her eyes, giving her daughter a small smile. “My brave girl, you’re so grown up. I don’t know where I would be without you. I didn’t really want to go back with him, you’re right about everything. I just thought it was the most logical option, but I know better now. Did you see the earring?”

Buffy laughed, feeling more lighthearted than she had in a while. “Unfortunately, the midlife crisis is still going strong. I bet the halfwit talked him into getting it. I wonder what happened between them.”

“Oh, she left him for a younger man. It was so hard not to laugh at his expense, but I decided it wouldn’t have been appropriate.”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “Well, serves him right for dating someone in her twenties. They only stick around for so long.”

Joyce patted her hand. “Prom is coming up; we could shop for a pretty dress if you want.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know if I’m going. I promised Spike that I would at least think about it, but it won’t be the same if I can’t go with him.”

“Don’t worry, honey, I’m sure everything will work out.”

Chapter 16

Buffy gazed at herself in the mirror, feeling beautiful for the first real time in her life. She was wearing an elegant, pink dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Her hair was down in soft waves, light make up adorning her features. She just wished more than anything that Spike was there to enjoy this with her.

“Honey, Willow’s here!”

Buffy took in a deep breath before making her way downstairs, stopping when she saw that Willow wasn’t alone.

“Hey, change of plans,” the red head revealed, pulling Buffy away to talk in private. “Xander kind of asked me last minute, and I was completely stunned that I had to say yes. Not that I could have told him no, anyway. I know he probably only did it because he didn’t have anyone else to ask, but I’ll take what I can get.”

“It’s fine, Will, I know how much you like him. I might not understand it, but if you want to ditch me as your date, I will just have to manage on my own.”

Willow smiled, pushing her back over to the doorway. “Actually, I kind of found another date for you.”

Before Buffy could protest, she saw him standing outside by the limo. He always looked good, but there was just something about him in a tux that she found incredibly sexy. With that thought in mind, she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck and planting a firm kiss on his lips, pulling away when breathing became an issue. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

Spike tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, pecking her nose. “I wasn’t about to let you go to your Prom alone. We finished early, and I came as soon as I could. I went to Red first to keep my return a surprise for you. Did it work?”

She nodded. “I would say so.”

After Joyce snapped what felt like a million pictures of everyone, they got in the limo and took off for the dance.


* * * * *


“Have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?”

Buffy blushed, moving with him slowly to the music that was playing. “A few times, but I don’t mind hearing it again.”

Spike leaned closer to her ear, brushing her hair aside. “You are by far the most stunning woman in this room.”

She rested her head against his shoulder, being in his arms was the most natural feeling in the world. “I’ve decided to go to UC Sunnydale; I guess I’m not ready to leave this place yet. My dad wasn’t happy when he found out we wouldn’t be moving back to LA with him, but I realized that’s not where I belong anymore.”

Spike gave that some consideration. “It’s a good thing I bought an apartment close to the college, then. In fact, I’ll be enrolled there as well. If you didn’t want to live in the dorms, my place is always available. I have plenty of space, just a suggestion.”

Her eyes widened. “You already bought a place? How did you even know I planned on going there?”

He shrugged. “I have my sources.”

Buffy had a feeling he was referring to her mother, but went back to the second part. “You really want to live together? Doesn’t it feel too soon?”

Spike shook his head, leading her off the dance floor when a fast song began. “We’ve been apart for five years, Buffy, and these last months without you have nearly killed me. It’s hardly too soon; I would move you in next week if I could. I already discussed this with your mum; she agreed that it would be entirely your decision.”

“My mom is actually okay with this?”

“I’m not saying that, but you’re almost eighteen. She knows you’re not a child anymore, and this way she won’t have to pay for you to live on campus,” he admitted.

Buffy nodded, taking in a deep breath. “But what if we end up driving each other crazy? I’m not exactly an easy person to live with, and what about all the attention you’re bound to cause? I don’t want people stalking the house at all hours of the night.”

He laughed. “This is Sunnydale, love; I doubt you have to worry about that. I’ve hardly had any problems since I’ve been here. I can walk through the streets without worrying about getting attacked all the bloody time; you don’t know how refreshing that is. Besides everyone at your school, I’ve probably only had a few people ask me for an autograph, or to take a picture with them. The movie doesn’t come out for another six months, all I have to do is some press and attend the Hollywood premiere. After that, I’m all yours. Things might get hectic every now and then, but I think the outcome would be more than worth it.”

“Can I at least have some time to think about this before I make any big decisions? It’s just a lot to process right now.”

Spike nodded, kissing the palm of her hand. “Take all the time you need, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Excuse me? I don’t mean to interrupt, but can I get your autograph? I was absent the day you gave them out at school.”

He smiled at the young girl, taking the pen and paper she offered to him. “Of course, pet, who should I make this out to?”

“Dawn,” the girl replied, a blush tinting her cheeks.

“That’s a very beautiful name,” Spike stated, signing the paper and handing it back to her.

She took it with a smile, and with a quiet “thank you,” headed over to her friends.

Buffy let out a sigh. “And so it begins,” she commented, only somewhat teasingly.

“Like I said, it happens a few times. I’m not going to turn anyone away.”

“I know that, and I wouldn’t want you to. I know how much you love your fans; they’re always going to be a very big part of your life. I just don’t think you realize how hard it’s gonna be to leave that part behind. Going to college, having a normal life, that’s not who you are anymore. I know you’ve said it won’t happen, but I’m still scared that you’ll end up regretting that choice. You’ll realize it’s not enough for you, or that I’m not enough and you’ll want more,” Buffy explained.

Spike shook his head. “We’ve been over this before; it’s never going to happen. I told you that I wasn’t always happy with this life, that I felt a part of me was missing. There won’t be any regrets, love. Yes, there will be plenty that I’ll miss, but I think I’m getting the better end of the deal. Now, enough about this, you’re not changing my mind. You haven’t told me what you wanted for your birthday yet.”

Buffy smiled, wiping her eyes of the tears that she didn’t even realize was there. “Surprise me.”

Chapter 17

“If I catch you checking out my tits again, I’ll fucking castrate you!”

Spike’s eyes widened when he entered the high school, seeing a small brunette with her hand around a jock’s throat was definitely not something he expected.

Once she let him go, he couldn’t get away from her fast enough, throwing a “crazy bitch!” behind him.

Spike didn’t know what to say, but he couldn’t help being impressed by her, that was until she turned seething eyes on him.

“You like the show, famous boy? I don’t care who the fuck you are, but I hate being stared at like I’m some kind of circus freak. If you ever hope to make another movie again, you better take a hike.”

He held his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, that’s definitely not the case here. I was just admiring how you handled that bloke, it was bloody impressive.”

She relaxed a bit at that. “Whatever, he’s just a moron. Guys like that are all talk, no action. He’ll be too embarrassed to tell the principal on me, good thing since I can’t afford another suspension so close to finally getting out of this hellhole. I should probably make an appearance in my next class, nice chatting with you. By the way, your last flick kinda sucked,” she told him before taking off down the hall.

Spike smiled after her departure, it wasn’t very often that some chit talked back to him like that. For some reason, he wanted to find out more about her and knew just who to ask.


* * * * *


“You’re asking me about some other girl? Sweetie, know your audience, that’s not something you should be talking to me about.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I want to date her, you should know by now that you’re the only girl for me. I’m just intrigued; the bint nearly scared the piss out of some bloke who doubles her in size. Not saying you probably couldn’t have done the same, but that’s not something I’m usually fortunate enough to witness. I was just curious.”

Buffy nodded. “You’re probably referring to Faith Lehane; she’s one of the toughest girls in school. Anyone smart enough knows not to mess with her, guess he didn’t get the memo. She’s only been here for about seven months, a transfer from Boston. I heard she burned the gym down at her last school, and Sunnydale was the only place that would accept her. As far as I know, I don’t think she really has any friends.”

“And there’s a reason for that,” Xander chimed in. “The chick is psychotic. She’s seriously hot, don’t get me wrong, but no guy would ever even think of asking her out unless they wanted to experience bodily harm. Some dude grabbed her ass once, and ended up with a broken hand for his troubles. If you wanna keep that pretty face of yours, you’d be better off staying away from her.”

“Think I’m pretty, do you? I always knew you wanted me, Harris.”

Buffy swatted his arm playfully, while Xander choked on his soda at the implication.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he claimed. “I just mean since you’re an actor, you guys usually like to stay pretty. Not that it really matters, what with you quitting and all. So, yeah, go ahead, I dare you to talk to her again. Let’s see if the psycho goes easy on you.”

“Stop calling her that.”

They all turned in shock at Tara’s voice; she wasn’t normally one to join in, unless she really had something important to say.

Tara’s cheeks heated up under their stares, grabbing her books as she stood. “You…You don’t even know her. You shouldn’t call her names like that.” She hurried out of the cafeteria, not looking back once.

Willow watched her friend in concern, wondering what could have caused such a reaction from the usually quiet girl. She smacked her somewhat boyfriend across the head, sending him a glare. “That wasn’t nice.”

“Ow, what the hell was that for? Since when do you care what I say about Faith?”

“I don’t, but it obviously bothers Tara. She’s right; we don’t know Faith well enough to talk bad about her. That just makes us as horrible as Cordelia,” Willow stated with a shudder.

Buffy gave Spike’s hand a squeeze, pecking him on the cheek. “I’ll go check on her.” She left the cafeteria, heading outside when she couldn’t find Tara by her locker. She finally spotted her at the back of the building, where it was pretty much deserted, but she wasn’t alone. She was talking with Faith; both looked to be very close, which was confirmed even more when they met in a passionate kiss. Buffy’s eyes widened, that would certainly explain a lot.

Faith pulled away when she noticed they had an audience, scowling at the blonde. “This place sure is fucking nosy.”

Tara turned to see Buffy standing there, a blush tinting her cheeks.

“I didn’t mean to intrude, just wanted to see if you were okay,” she said to her friend.

“I’m fine,” Tara replied. “I didn’t mean to be so rude earlier.”

“Hey, it was completely justified. Xander shouldn’t have said what he did, but you could have told us the truth. Did you think we wouldn’t have understood?”

She shrugged. “I knew what everyone thought of her. I wasn’t sure how to tell you.”

Faith tightened her embrace on Tara, looking slightly ashamed for a moment. “It’s mostly my fault; I didn’t want her to say anything. I’m not exactly out yet, not that anyone would probably be shocked at this point. It should be no real secret that I can’t fucking stand men, especially not these loser high school boys. You’re Buffy, right, the one dating that actor guy? Yeah, Tara’s told me all about you, how you got her that role and totally stuck it to the head cheerleader. You got major points in my book for that, B. I would have told the bitch where to shove it myself, but I was too busy being suspended at the time. I’m lucky enough to even be graduating with everyone else, but I can’t wait to get out of here. She’s the only one that’s been keeping me sane these last few months.”

Buffy smiled at the couple, now understanding more about why Tara wasn’t around as often. “I won’t say anything if you don’t want me to, but you should know that we’ll all be supportive. We’re your friends, and all we care about is your happiness. Xander may have foot in mouth disease a lot of the time, but he means well.”

The bell rang to signal that lunch was over, which meant the halls would be full of students.

Faith grabbed Tara’s hand. “Fuck it,” she said, pulling her girlfriend back inside the school, and planting a firm kiss on her mouth for all to see.

Buffy smiled at the display, noticing the stunned faces around them, but really couldn’t care less. Before she knew it, Spike wrapped his arms around her from behind.

“Well, now that makes perfect sense.”

She couldn’t agree more.

Chapter 18

Graduation came and went, Buffy was officially eighteen and couldn’t be happier about that. She would be starting at UC Sunnydale in another couple of months, but until then, enjoyed spending time with her boyfriend in his new apartment. After much debating and discussing with her mother, Buffy decided to move in with him. It was really the best solution. There were two rooms, so she would have her own space when needed.

“Okay, what if an amazing offer came your way? One that you just couldn’t pass up on, let’s say it involved Tom Cruise or Leonardo Dicaprio. How would you be able to say no to that? You could be passing up on another Inception.”

Spike rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on his face at her adorable ramblings. “Honestly, that film didn’t really impress me. I told you, love, all I would have to think about is the wonderful woman I’ll be leaving behind, and my decision is made for me. I don’t doubt that movie roles will continue coming my way, but I’ve turned down plenty before. This will be no different, you worry too much.”

She gave that some thought, shaking her head. “But what if…”

He cut her off with a kiss, touching his forehead to hers. “Trust me; I’m exactly where I want to be. We’ve already talked about this, there will be no regrets. If you hope to decorate that room of yours any time soon, we best be off to the store.”

Buffy decided to let it go for now, following him to the door. She guessed that only time would tell if they could really do this.


* * * * *


“Have you heard anything from Angel lately?”

Spike shrugged. “We talked once on the phone a while back, but agreed to go our separate ways. He was only my agent, it’s not like we were really friends. I never cared for the bloke’s way of playing the field; it was a bloody bad influence on me.”

Buffy laughed. “I could imagine. He had awful taste; I found him and Cordelia going at it in the janitor’s closet at school.”

His eyes widened. “Are you bloody kidding me? I know the ponce mentioned having a thing for her, but I didn’t think he actually would have been stupid enough to try something. Yeah, it’s official, he’s definitely out of my life. I can’t be around someone who finds that bitch appealing.”

“Glad to know she’s not your type.”

He cringed. “Not in a million years, there’s only one type for me and she’s standing right here.”

Buffy smiled, taking his hand in hers. “Corny, but I’ll accept it.”

Spike smiled as well, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Good to know.”


* * * * *


Buffy locked her legs around Spike’s waist as he thrust into her, hard and fast, causing the headboard to bang against the wall. A plus for not living in the dorms, they could be as loud as they wanted. All they had to deal with was a grouchy neighbor, who had never even heard of Spike, it’s safe to say his charm did not work on her. Luckily for them, she was away visiting family at the moment.

“Fuck, baby, squeeze me harder. God, yes, just like that. You’re going to be the bloody death of me.”

She raked her nails down his muscled back as he pounded her like a machine, never able to get enough. Stars burst before her eyes as she was brought to an intense orgasm, biting his shoulder to muffle the screams.

Spike roared his release right behind her, panting in the afterglow. “Are you tired?”

“Not even close.”

With a grin, he picked her up, turning her around to face the wall, her back pressed against his chest. He reached over to caress her pussy, coating his fingers in her juices, and then stroking his cock with them. Spike positioned his still hard erection at her ass, and slowly pushed inside of her tight hole.

Buffy took in a deep breath at the penetration. They had only tried this once before, but it took some getting used to. The last time it was attempted, they were in the bathtub.

“Am I hurting you?” he wondered, concern lacing his tone.

She shook her head. “No, don’t stop.”

Stopping was the last thing he had in mind, making his thrusts faster. He kissed her shoulder blade, pumping in and out, and feeling even more turned on when he saw her start to finger herself. He was about to explode at the sounds she made, but had to distract himself. Spike was determined to let her come first. “Did you find your clit, baby?”

She nodded, speech seeming to be very difficult at the moment.

“Good girl, flick it for me, get your fingers nice and wet. Push them all the way inside, pet.”

Buffy did as he said, biting her bottom lip in the process. She cried out when she came, drenching her fingers, and feeling herself be split in half when Spike came right behind her as he fondled her tits, pinching both of her nipples. Once they were brought down from their high, Buffy reached over to give him her hand, as he promptly licked her fingers clean.

He picked her up gently, laying her down and covering her with the blanket.

She broke the silence a few seconds later. “Can you believe Willow and Xander are engaged now? I never would have seen that coming.”

“If it gets the wanker away from you, I’m all for it.”

Buffy rested her head on his chest. “It’s only been two years since high school ended. I just can’t believe we’ve made it this far with no problems, and really hope I didn’t just jinx us.”

He smiled. “I told you there was nothing to worry about.”

“Can we watch your movie again? It’s so good.”

“Depends, are you going to close your eyes every time the love scene comes on?” he commented, dodging the pillow she threw at his head.

“I can handle it, but you two look beautiful together. I forget for a second that you’re just acting. I’m so glad I recommended Tara for this role; she was amazing and got a lot of movie offers because of it. Soon enough, she’ll be more famous than you.”

Spike started up the movie, pulling her even closer to his side. “She’s welcome to it. I have everything I need right here.”

The End