Buffy was sitting behind the front desk, filing her nails, when a bunch of guys walked into the building. She raised an eyebrow, looking at the four guys standing in front of her suddenly. There was a tall, broody brunette, a good-looking black man, a brunette with glasses, and a platinum blonde.

‘Nice selection. Do I get to make my choice before everyone else?’ she thought to herself.

“Hello. What can I do for you?” she asked, looking at all of the men.

“Well, we are looking for some of your…services,” the tall brunette said, extending a hand. “I’m Angel.”

“Nice name,” she smiled. “Do you have an appointment?” He nodded. Buffy scrolled through the appointment book. “Ah yes, Angel at four for Faith. Good choice. Had her before?” He shook his head. “I hope you don’t mind scratches and bruises.” His eyes widened and a frown settled on his features. “I’ll give her a heads-up to go easy on you.” He looked at the other brunette man, afraid. “And the other three? Voyeurism a part of the package?” The one with glasses took a step forward.

“Wesley Wyndham-Pryce,” he said, extending a hand. Buffy shook it and looked at the listing.

‘I wonder if he’s mine,’ she thought. ‘I’ve always had a thing for Brits.’

“Oh, you’ve got Vi,” she smiled. “She’s a sweetheart. Very gentle, I’ve been told. You’ll like her.”

“Great,” he smiled, looking pleased. “And this is Charles Gunn.” He pointed to the black man.

“And you sir have Kennedy,” Buffy smiled. “She’s friends with Faith. I hope you like it rough, too.” He looked at Angel, frowning. “Did no one inform you of the girls?” They both shook their heads. “Well, I hope you like it nonetheless.” She looked at the blonde. “And your name?”

“Spike,” he said, smirking. “Who do I have?”

‘Another hottie with a British accent,’ she thought. Buffy smiled back at him and looked at the book, suddenly grinning.

“Apparently, that would be me,” she said, looking back up at him. He grinned, too.

“How come Spike gets the nice one?” Charles Gunn asked, crossing his arms and looking at Angel.

“Who says I’m nice?” Buffy asked coyly, standing up and grabbing Spike’s hand. “The girls will come for you. Enjoy.” She led Spike to her room, down the hallway. “So, Spike, what exactly are you looking for?”

* * *

“Well, luv, I’m looking for pretty much anything you’ll give me,” he said, watching her shut and lock the door. “What are your specialties? Do you leave bruises, too?”

“Do you want me to?” Buffy asked, slowly approaching him. His eyes lit up as he studied her.

“You’re a pretty nice choice,” he said, looking up and down her body. “How’d I land such a beauty?”

“The fates must’ve been looking out for you,” she smiled softly, lighting candles. “Who ordered your package?”

“That was Cordelia, our friend,” he said. She looked at him, intrigued. “Yes, a girl. She thought we needed time off.” Buffy stifled a giggle as she shut off the lights, the flickering candles giving off a romantic glow. “You’re laughing, aren’t you?”

“Sincerely trying not to,” she said, looking at him. He slowly walked to her and ran his hand over her cheek.

“So, you sleep with strangers for money in this nice little harem?” he asked, looking down at her lips momentarily.

“It’s just a job,” she replied. “Not like I enjoy it.” He cocked an eyebrow. “What? I need money, so this is what I do. I’ve been in the business for about two months and get by on my own. Men can be…generous.”

“Unless they give you some disease,” he said sadly, looking into her eyes. Buffy frowned.

“I’m safe,” she replied. “Just like I require every guy to be. I don’t risk chances like that.” He nodded.

“Good,” he replied, trailing his hand down to her neck. “So, luv, how do we do this?”

“Well, you pretty much call all of the shots,” she answered. “I bend to your will. You choose, I act.”

“Acting?” he asked, crossing his arms. Buffy looked at him. “You’d be acting with me?”

“I’ve been told I’m convincing,” she offered. He narrowed his gaze. “Spike, I don’t know you. I do what you ask and deal with it. You want me on the floor, fine. Against the wall, fine. Upside down, fine. I do it all and follow your orders. You live out what you want, and we all leave happy. Okay?”

“No, I’m not ‘okay’,” he said sharply. Buffy sighed, exasperated, and sat on the edge of the bed. “You live like this?”

“Yeah, what of it?” she asked, leaning back on her hands. “It’s not so bad. I’m happy and get by. And you do realize you’ve only got an hour in the first place with me, so why are you wasting time?”

“I’m wasting time now?” he asked loudly. She frowned and looked down. “Talking about this is a waste? I’m bloody sorry, pet, but something isn’t sitting right with me.” Buffy sighed. “How old are you?”

“Eighteen,” she answered, looking at him funny. “Why?” He sat down beside her, looking down at his hands.

“You’re just a young girl,” he said quietly. She looked away. “Why did you decide to do this? For the money?”

“Had to do something,” she shrugged. “Got kicked out on my birthday and fell upon the job. Here I am.”

“So you’re a runaway?” he asked. Buffy nodded. “God, pet, I’m sorry.” She looked at him. “That you resorted to this, that you’ve been screwed over at such a young age. I feel like a perverted man who shouldn’t be here.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, you’ve been the most considerate client I’ve ever had,” she said. He frowned. “Spike, this is what I do. I get paid for this, and I’d feel really awkward if I ended up rattling on for an hour and not giving you what you came for.” He frowned. “So do you want to get to this?”

“No,” he answered. She raised an eyebrow. “I want to talk. It’s not like I paid for this in the first place.” Buffy smiled softly. “Actually, I just want to get you out of here. Can we do that?” She shook her head. “Why not?”

“I’m working,” she replied. “I can’t just leave. I have…obligations. And appointments. I can’t just go.”

“Sure you can,” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her up. “We’re leaving.” She followed him hesitantly as he led her out of the building and to an old black convertible parked at the curb.

“What about your friends?” she asked, looking at him. He got her in the car before getting in on his side.

“They’ve got Gunn’s truck,” he replied, shrugging. “Angel can reclaim his car later. Right now, we’re going away.” Buffy nodded and took a deep breath, looking up at the building as he started the car and drove off. “You know, ducks, I don’t even know your name.” She looked at him and smiled.

“Buffy,” she said quietly. He smirked and kept on driving. “Are you mocking my name, Billy?”

“Hey!” he said loudly, looking at her for a moment before focusing on the road again. “I’m saving you right now, princess. The least you can do is be nice to me.”

“Yes, you’re absolutely right,” she agreed, giggling. “So, are you Prince Charming or something?”

“Do you want me to be?” he asked, amused. She ducked her head, blushing, and looked outside. “I saw that.”

* * *


A/N: This is my first story I've ever written on my own, so I'm a little worried. Some of you might know my work from "False Pretenses", the story I co-wrote with the lovely Ashlee. I hope you enjoy this story, and please post a review for a budding author! Thanks!

After a few minutes of silence, Buffy turned to look at him. “So, you said one of your friends set you four up with appointments at Miss Kitty’s Boudoir?” He nodded. “A girl, right?”

“Yeah,” he answered, mindlessly tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. “Cordelia Chase, Angel’s secretary.”

“May I ask why she did that?” she asked curiously, tilting her head. “Or is it a secret?”

“I tell you what,” he began, looking at her for a moment. “I’ll answer if you’ll answer any questions I ask you.” Buffy hesitated before nodding, looking at him expectantly for an answer. “Cordy bought us the packages because we solved a big case a couple of days ago and have been too busy and stressed out to have any fun lately.”

“A case?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Are you a lawyer?” He nodded. “Cool. My dad is one, too.”

“Then you know how hectic the life of one is,” he replied. She looked out the window, not choosing to respond to that. Spike noticed her reaction and wondered what she was hiding.

‘Did she run away from home because of her dad maybe?’ he thought, unconsciously gripping the wheel tighter as thoughts of reasons why she’d leave home flooded his head. ‘Don’t jump to conclusions so fast, mate. Drop the lawyer act for a minute and be a person.’

“Can I ask you a question?” he heard her say after a minute passed. She was looking at him with a pensive look on her face.

“Sure,” he answered, somewhat concerned to hear what she was going to ask about.

“If you’re a lawyer and all, why aren’t you trying to shut down Miss Kitty’s?” she asked. “I mean, a brothel isn’t exactly legal. I’d think that you’d be all for trying to close an establishment like that down.”

“Morally, yes, I should try to close it,” he said before smirking slightly. “But your employer gives a great deal of money to my firm to stay running. As long as we keep getting money, Miss Kitty’s should stay running.” She didn’t seem too surprised to hear the information and returned to watching the scenery fly by as Spike drove on the expressway. “So, I believe it’s my turn now.” She looked at him, confused. “So, luv, tell me about your past.”

“Well, I grew up here actually,” she said quietly. “But when my parents got divorced a few years ago, my mom and I moved down to Sunnydale. My life was a lot more fun after that. I had a couple of close friends, and I didn’t have to deal with my parents’ fighting anymore. Life was…perfect.” Spike noticed that the dreamy look in her eyes suddenly diminished. “And then my mom met Ted, a seemingly nice guy from town.”

“And I’m assuming this Ted guy wasn’t too great, was he?” Spike asked, worried that Ted might have hurt her.

“Nope, not great at all,” Buffy answered, wringing her hands in her lap. “I mean, he was in the beginning. He was good to my mom, baked cookies for my friends and I…but he wasn’t so nice when it was just him and I.”

‘Did that bastard touch her?’ Spike thought, clenching the wheel again. ‘So help me God, I’ll speed down there and beat him to death myself.’

“But somehow along the way, he started being able to convince my mom to do whatever he wanted,” she said, changing the subject off of her arguments with Ted. “And what he wanted was me out of the house, so I left on my birthday.” Spike felt sorry for the girl beside him again, not understanding how her mother could allow that to happen. “I came to L.A. looking for a fresh start and a chance for my life to maybe resort to the way it was before the divorce.” She looked outside again. “I haven’t spoken to my father since the day we moved, and I think a part of me believed that I’d get the chance when I got here.”

“I’m assuming you haven’t talked to him, have you?” Spike asked quietly, unsuccessfully masking his pity for her.

‘God knows my father wasn’t around either,’ he thought bitterly. ‘How come some men just up and leave their families? Is there no such thing as the sanctity of marriage anymore?’

“No,” she answered, sighing. “Apparently he’s moved since then a couple of times, and I haven’t been able to track down a permanent phone number or address.” She paused. “But it’s okay. I haven’t needed him since I got here. I found my job within a week, and I’ve been able to support myself on what I make.”

“You don’t really strike me as the type of girl who’d work at Miss Kitty’s Boudoir,” he said, sneaking a glance at her before his eyes returned to the road.

“No, I’m really not that type at all,” she said, shrugging. “But it’s good money, and it’s not as bad as it could be.”

“Even though you have to compromise your values daily?” he asked. She looked at him. “Morals outweigh money, pet. Don’t ever let money come in the way of your beliefs.”

“Even if I’m living in a box?” she asked, her tone surprisingly light. He frowned. “Which I’m not, by the way. I live in an apartment close by work.”

Another long moment of silence followed, and Spike had a few more questions he wanted to ask, but he wanted to hold off on them for a while until she was more comfortable with him. He looked at his watch and frowned.

“So, what would you like for dinner, Miss Buffy…” he trailed off, realizing he didn’t know her last name.

“Summers,” she filled in, smiling. He raised an eyebrow as he began processing the new information.

‘Summers?’ he asked himself. ‘No, that’s not possible. He doesn’t have a daughter.’ He paused. ‘Does he?’

“Buffy?” he asked, looking at her with an odd expression. She looked back at him. “Is your father Hank Summers?” She raised an eyebrow, surprised.

“Yeah, why?” she asked, noticing how Spike’s eyes widened. “Do you know him?”

“Know him?” Spike asked incredulously, willing himself not to freak out. “He’s my bloody boss.”
***************************************************************************



A/N I just want to thank everyone who reviewed this over the last 24 hours! I was shocked to see so many reviews, and I really appreciate it! Special thanks to Rana for giving me ideas for this chapter:) I hope to update at least once a day, so be on the lookout for that. Yet again, I've got to thank Ashlee for being so supportive of my work. She's the reason I have confidence to post! Have a great weekend, everyone!

“Excuse me?” Buffy asked, not believing it, staring at him, praying he was lying.

‘But why would he joke about that?’ she asked herself, turning her attention back outside. ‘My father is Spike’s boss. He knows my dad. I don’t even know my dad anymore. I…oh god.’

“Your father is my boss,” Spike said blankly, more thoughts flooding his head and plaguing him.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked quickly, panicking.

‘He’s not going to hurt you,’ she said to herself. ‘Probably. Right? Unless he has a vendetta against my dad.’ She paused, frowning. ‘Did he know I worked at Miss Kitty’s and sought me out just to screw Hank over?’ She paused again, looking at him. ‘But then why were his friends there, and why did he not seem to know a whole lot about me? He’d have to be a damn good actor to get this far by pretending he only knew my first name.’ He looked at her for a moment, and she deduced that he legitimately had not known who she was before she told him her last name. ‘I guess that’s good, at least.’

“Well, I was going to take you to my place, but plans changed,” he replied, looking at the road again. “I’m taking you to see your dad.” Her eyes widened as fear set in.

“No!” she replied, looking at him. He raised an eyebrow. “I can’t see him. No, Spike, please don’t do this.”

“But I thought you moved to L.A. hoping that you’d come across him,” he pointed out, confused.

“Yeah, two months ago,” she said sternly. “But things have changed. I don’t want to see him, not after…” She sighed, looking outside once again. “Not after what I’ve done here.”

“Buffy, you were just trying to get by,” Spike said quietly, looking at her. She looked at him and noticed how gentle his expression was. She relaxed slightly. “But I think your dad could help you.”

“I don’t want his help,” she replied, crossing her arms. “In fact, all I want is to go back. Right now.”

“I’m not taking you back to that place,” Spike said, continuing to speed along. “You’re never going back there.”

“I can’t just quit and leave my apartment,” she said, reality finally hitting her. “It’s a nice gesture and all, and it almost seems like a dream, but it’s not possible. My life is there.”

“Like hell,” he said sharply, looking at her. She raised an eyebrow, surprised by his tone. “That’s not where your life is. You’re better than that, Buffy, and you know it.” She blushed slightly, looking away. “Hank can help you out, luv. He can get you a place to stay, money, even a job. All you have to do is talk to him.”

“I don’t want to see him again,” she said forcefully, looking at Spike. “I don’t want my father’s help. Take me back. Please.”

“Buffy, I can’t let you go back to that life,” he said sadly, not willing to look at her. “You can get back on track. I can help you. So can Hank. Just let us help you out, pet.”

‘But if I see Hank, he’s going to find out about what I’ve done,’ she thought, briefly shutting her eyes. ‘He won’t want to help me. He’ll think I’m a whore, which isn’t exactly a lie.’ She paused. ‘I can’t let him find out. Ever.’

“Please take me back, Spike,” she said quietly, looking at him. “Please. I just want to go back.”

“Yet again, I’m not taking you back there,” he said, becoming angry that she wanted to return to work. “I’ve got an extra bedroom in my apartment. You can stay there until we find you your own place. I’ll help you start your life over again, luv. Except this time, you’ll be happy.”

‘He makes it sound so easy,’ she thought, uncrossing her arms and sighing quietly. ‘I wish it was.’ She paused, realizing he wanted her to stay with him. ‘Us living together for a bit? I don’t even know him.’ She looked at him. ‘But he’s saving me. He can’t be bad. Hopefully.’ Spike noticed that she was quiet for a while and noticed the pensive look on her face, realizing she probably wasn’t comfortable with the thought of staying with a stranger.

“Or if you’d like, we can get you a hotel room,” he offered. She took a deep breath and shrugged.

“Your place is fine,” she replied, seeing the look of relief in his eyes.

‘I just don’t understand why he’s doing this for me,’ she thought. ‘Not that there’s anything wrong with being a Good Samaritan, but it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense when his three friends are back at Miss Kitty’s and are having a good time with a few of my co-workers.’ She swiftly decided not to approach the topic yet, figuring that he probably didn’t understand why he was doing this, either.

“Spike?” she asked, waiting for him to look at her for a brief moment. “You won’t tell Hank I’m in L.A., will you? And you won’t tell him about Miss Kitty’s at all, right?” He hesitated.

“Fine,” he replied. “If that’s what you want, pet. But he’s bound to find out eventually, don’t you think?” She shrugged.

“I guess I’ll wait and see,” she said, focusing on the side of the road again. He nodded.

“So, I was thinking of taking off this week,” he said, somewhat looking at her. “You know, take you out shopping, maybe help you find a new job and an apartment.” She smiled softly as she turned to face him.

“Are you sure you can spare that much time off?” she asked. He smiled back at her and nodded. “Thank you, Spike. You don’t know how much I appreciate this.” She finally felt herself relax completely, realizing that she’d get the chance to start over again.

‘But it’ll be right this time.’
***************************************************************************


A/N I forgot to address this in chapter 2, but I got the name Miss Kitty’s Boudoir from a store I saw in Eureka Springs, Arkansas a couple of years ago, and I couldn’t resist using it in this story:) Thanks again for all of the great reviews- they are extremely appreciated. I hope everyone is still enjoying this, and I plan on having chapter 4 posted tomorrow. Maybe if I get a bunch of reviews, I’ll get it done tonight. Thanks!

When they finally arrived at Spike’s apartment, he noticed that she seemed a lot calmer than she had in the car.

‘Maybe she’s warming up to me,’ he thought, trying not to smile. ‘Keep a level head, mate. You’re just trying to help her. Remember that. This is strictly a platonic relationship. And don’t forget the fact that you hardly know anything about her.’ He paused. ‘And don’t forget she’s Hank’s daughter. That should keep you on your toes, now shouldn’t it?’

He opened the door and let them in, and he saw Buffy’s expression as she looked around the spacious apartment. “Don’t like it, luv?” She looked at him, her eyes wide.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, going back to surveying her new surroundings. He smiled and put his keys down on a table beside the door. “You must be a really good lawyer.” He couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I’m a very fortunate bloke,” he replied, studying her for a moment.

‘She really does look like she’s 18,’ he thought. ‘I can’t imagine resorting to working at a place like Miss Kitty’s to survive. She’s a tough girl, that’s for sure.’

“And you live all by yourself?” she asked, looking down the hallway off to the side and counting four doors.

“Not anymore,” he said. She looked at him, smiling. “Want to see your room?” She nodded, and he saw how excited she looked.

‘Like a kid in a bloody candy store,’ he said to himself. ‘I’m assuming she hasn’t lived in a place like this before. Well, definitely not as of late. But I would expect that she grew up in a nice house, especially having a guy like Hank as her father.’ He frowned. ‘If he was my father, I would’ve run away the first chance I could. The poor girl has probably never had a good father figure around.’ He paused. ‘But neither have I.’ By the time he snapped out of his thoughts, Buffy was way ahead of him, looking into the first room she came upon.

“Books, a desk, a computer…please don’t tell me this is your idea of a recreation room,” she joked, smiling at him. He laughed and walked over to her.

“Who’d have thought you’d be funny, pet?” he replied, and she playfully punched his arm, scowling. “Hey! You’re a guest, and guests don’t hurt their host. Unless they approve of it, of course.” She looked at him funny. “I can’t wait to hear the stories Angel and Gunn will have after their appointments with your colleagues, luv. Angel deserves every bruise he gets. And Gunn, well, he can handle himself.” She giggled and moved on to the next open door. “That’s the bathroom.” He noticed how her eyes darted around it. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s the size of my bedroom back home,” she said in awe. He stifled a chuckle and led her to the next room. “Is this mine?” Spike nodded and flicked on a light switch. “It’s all black and white.”

“I like simple sophistication,” he shrugged. She walked in and looked around, taking in the queen-sized bed, dresser, empty walk-in closet, flat-screen TV, cordless phone, and a balcony off to the side. “Is this okay?”

“It’s perfect,” she said quietly, going to the balcony doors. “And this is considered your guest room?”

“Yeah,” he answered, leaning against the doorframe. “I don’t ever really have guests, but I figure I had the space, so why not make it into one?” She looked at him, and he smiled at the happy expression on her face. “Feel free to make yourself at home. The refrigerator is fully stocked, but if there’s anything you want, just tell me. I take showers at six in the morning, so you can use it any other time. I tend to smoke, but if that’s a problem, I can do it outside. Use anything you’d like, and if you need anything at all, just ask. We can go out shopping and get you everything you need tomorrow.”

“Spike, I can’t express how grateful I am for all of this,” she said, giving him a soft smile.

‘Sure you can,’ he thought before quickly dismissing it. ‘Not a good idea, mate.’

“Is there anything you’re going to need from your apartment?” he asked. “Anything valuable or sentimental?”

“Just clothes,” she shrugged, looking at the view through the glass doors of the balcony. “I left everything that meant something to me in Sunnydale. It was just easier to move without it all.” He looked at her sadly. “But it’s all for the best. At least I know my mom will take care of everything.” She paused. “Unless Ted got rid of it.” He saw that her fists clenched slightly and walked over to her. “I’m just happy I’m away from there. Even if it means losing my mom and friends.”

“You didn’t lose them, Buffy,” he said, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him. “You can still talk to them.”

“Maybe I will someday,” she replied, shrugging. “But not until I’m at a good place in my life.” She sighed.

‘And if all goes the way I want it to, you’ll be at a good place in no time,’ he thought.

“So, I was thinking of maybe ordering in pizza for dinner,” he said. “Does that sound okay?”

“Sure,” she smiled. “I’m famished.” She giggled quietly. “I should probably warn you, I can eat a lot.”

“Somehow, I highly doubt that,” he smirked, looking at her thin frame.

“Trust me, buddy, I can,” she said, blushing slightly at his appraising glance. “I have high metabolism.”

“Well, we’ll see how much you eat, luv,” he replied. “Or are you politely trying to convince me to order two pizzas?”

“Just call me Miss Piggy,” she grinned, leaving the room and heading towards the kitchen. Spike smirked, watching her walk away.

‘Can I be Kermit?’ he asked himself, following her after a moment. She had a phone in her hand, waiting for him patiently.

“And you’re a bossy chit, too, aren’t you?” he joked, taking the phone from her. She punched his arm again. “Oww! I think you’re going to leave a bruise pretty soon.”

“Maybe I should’ve warned you that I leave bruises, too,” she grinned, winking at him before sitting on the couch.

‘If she’s the one giving them, then sign me up,’ he thought, smirking and dialing the number to order pizza.
***************************************************************************

A/N I realize that several of the upcoming chapters (including this one) are kind of filler...but I promise the goods soon!:) Due to it being my birthday week, posts will be fewer and far between as of Thursday, just to warn you all. I will try to get as much in as I can between now and then, including the first Spuffy hook-up, I promise. Keep the reviews coming! Thanks again!

Buffy woke up at nine the next morning to her cell phone ringing beside her bed. She sat up, still feeling groggy, looking at the clock and frowning.

‘I only got three hours of sleep,’ she realized, laying back down on her pillow. ‘I should’ve known something like this would happen. An almost sleepless night thinking of the good-looking blonde one room over, completed by an erotic dream of said blonde. And it’s all capped off by a phone call.’ She grabbed it when her ring-tone became unbearable to listen to. ‘Mental note- change that.’ She looked at who the caller was- Faith. ‘Yep, my morning is now complete.’ She opened her phone and pretended to sound both cheery and alert.

“Hello, Faith,” Buffy said, propping up her pillows more so she’d be sitting upright. “How are you?”

“Five by five, B,” Faith answered. Buffy made a face, knowing Faith’s answer before she even asked the question.

‘What the hell does that mean?’ Buffy thought. ‘Why can’t she have a normal answer like everyone else? I hate when she says that. It’s the stupidest phrase I’ve ever heard.’ She paused. ‘Creative, but stupid.’

“So, what can I do for you at 9:07 in the morning?” Buffy asked, looking out her balcony doors at downtown L.A. surrounding her, a smile on her face.

“Well, blondie, I saw you run off with the Billy Idol clone yesterday while I nabbed his friend Angel, who by the way was flawless…well, until I was done with him,” Faith replied, sounding proud of herself. “And then you didn’t show up at your apartment this morning, so I’ve got to know- are you still with the hottie?”

“Well, actually, I’m kind of…staying here,” Buffy answered. She knew she was going to have fun explaining everything.

“So, you’re what, dating him?” Faith asked, sounding surprised. “Or did you just spend the night with him?”

“Neither,” Buffy answered. “I…I’ve decided to quit Miss Kitty’s, and Spike offered to help me.”

“And why would you quit?” Faith asked, shocked. “It’s a great gig with benefits and a high salary.”

“Because it’s not me,” Buffy answered. “I’m not that girl, Faith. I want to make a life for myself, maybe get enough money to send myself to college. And I want to make my salary doing something legitimate, legal.”

“And you think your blondie bear will help you get where you want to be?” Faith asked in a mocking tone. “You don’t think he’ll want reimbursement for his good deeds?”

“He’s not like that,” Buffy answered defensively, suddenly much more awake. “He’s a good man.” Thoughts instantly flooded her head.

‘She’s not right, is she? Spike wouldn’t just be helping me and letting me stay here because he thinks he can sleep with me, right? No…he’s not like that, Buffy.’ She paused, frowning. ‘You’ve known him for less than 24 hours. God knows what he’s capable of or what his plans are.’ She sighed and decided to go with her intuition. ‘Until he proves otherwise, I think he’s a genuinely good guy.’ She heard Faith’s laugh on the other line.

“Good men need sex, too, B,” Faith replied. “Especially ones who are shacking up with a professional whore.”

“Know from experience?” Buffy asked, an edge to her voice, not willing to let Faith get to her.

“Good to hear you haven’t lost your snappy comebacks in your quest to change,” Faith said, still laughing. “You can leave the business, but it’ll still be a part of you. No matter what happens, you’ll always be one of us. You’ll always remember what you did, and it’ll never go away, B. Never.”

“I bet I can write off my two months faster than your two years, Faith,” she said sharply, not backing down. “I did it to get by, to survive. And you might’ve started out that way, too, but now you’re just stuck in it. You hate everyone who’s walked away from it and made something of themselves. You’ll always be a whore, Faith, and maybe that’s what you deserve. But I won’t be. I’m better than that, better than you.” Buffy hung up with a satisfying click, filled with a new sense of hope and confidence.

‘Hopefully that’ll knock the bitch down a bit,’ she thought, grinning and putting the phone aside.

* * *

When Spike woke up at 8:45 AM, he instantly called into work. After a couple of rings, Cordelia answered. “I’m afraid I’m not coming in today, luv. Actually, I need the week off.”

“Why? Because of the case?” she asked. “I would’ve thought Miss Kitty’s Boudoir would have alleviated all of the left-over stress.”

‘Well, in a sense, it kind of did,’ he thought, smiling. ‘I gained a much more likable project to focus on.’

“Can you just mark it down somewhere that I’m on vacation for the week?” Spike asked, getting out of bed.

“Sure,” she replied. “I guess I’ll see you next Monday then.” He smiled at the thought of having off.

“And thanks again for setting up my appointment for me,” he said before hanging up.

‘I have a feeling I’ll be bloody thankful for the rest of my life,’ he thought, exiting his room to get into the shower.

After he finished, he opened the door to head back to his room, only covered from the waist-down by a towel. As he stepped out, he knocked into Buffy, causing her to stumble back a bit. He grabbed her arm to try to stabilize her, almost losing his hold on his towel in the process. He saw Buffy blush instantly, although she didn’t stop herself from looking up and down his body. Spike unconsciously licked his lips while noticing her perusal and felt a stirring below his towel as images of him and Buffy in flagrante swirled through his head.

‘Bad thoughts,’ he instantly chided himself. ‘Especially when I’m only covered by a thin piece of terry cloth.’ He paused, stifling a smirk. ‘Although, it’d be a lot less work to get me completely starkers.’

“Sorry,” Buffy instantly apologized, focusing on something on the ground, the blush never escaping her cheeks. “I didn’t see you…sorry.” He smiled at how adorable she was when she blushed.

‘I wonder what other things would make her blush,’ he thought, studying her. ‘Again, bad idea, you wanker.’

“I thought you took showers in the morning,” she said suddenly, looking at him quizzically.

“Yeah, I usually do,” he shrugged. “I had a late start this morning. Couldn’t sleep.”

“Me either,” she replied. Little did they know, both of them were plagued by the same thoughts the night before.
***************************************************************************


A/N I was inspired by John Mayer's song "3x5" and Faith's popular phrase when I came up with the title for this chapter. Also, with the Spike in a towel thing, I didn't want it to be so similar to a certain part of "False Pretenses", so I made him be covered by a towel to change it a little bit (considering people seemed interested in Buffy seeing Spike naked/half-naked after a shower...or walking in on him LOL). As far as I know, there should be a little Spuffyness in the next chapter, so if that's something you want to see, review please!:)

After Buffy got out of the shower, she got dressed and looked in the mirror over the sink, giving herself a mental pep talk.

‘It’s not your fault he was only in a towel,’ she thought. ‘And yeah, you bumped into him, but it’s no big deal.’ She paused. ‘The big deal is that you stood there, openly ogling him for a while. Could you give away how you feel more, Summers? Now he probably thinks I want him, which is true, but he doesn’t need to know that. He’s just helping me out, that’s all. I shouldn’t have feelings for him.’ She frowned. ‘But why not? He’s helping me, saving me from the hell that is Miss Kitty’s.’ She sighed, combing through her hair with her fingers. ‘Spike’s just your friend. No more perverted thoughts about him, Buffy. Get it together and face him like a woman.’ She put her hand on the doorknob and smiled. ‘But he does have quite a nice body.’ She opened the door and headed towards the kitchen, smelling food. She could feel how hungry she was, and the fact her stomach was now growling every couple of minutes was a sign that she needed to eat, the sooner the better.

She was surprised to see Spike moving around the kitchen with ease, making something on the stove while pouring coffee and juice, toasting bread, and getting jelly and butter out of the refrigerator. Buffy’s eyes lit up when she saw him take out syrup.

‘I wonder what he’s making,’ she said, looking at the frying pans on the top of the stove. ‘Is that an omelet?’ Her eyes went to the other one. ‘Pancakes!’ She took a step forward, and Spike finally noticed her standing there.

“Good morning,” he said, smiling at her before moving back to the stove to flip the pancake over.

“Are we having company?” Buffy asked curiously, finally realizing how much food was being made.

“I thought you said you eat a lot,” Spike chuckled, looking at everything that was out on the kitchen’s island. “So I made everything I can actually cook for breakfast, hoping that at least one thing looks appealing to you.”

“What about cereal?” Buffy joked with a serious face. He frowned, and she saw his shoulders slump. “I’m just kidding, Spike. This is amazing.” He looked at her. “I can’t remember the last time I had any of these things for breakfast. Actually, I can’t remember the last time I had breakfast, period. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, smiling again. “I brought in the newspaper and pulled out the employment section, along with apartment listings. I thought maybe you’d want to look through them, see if anything stands out.”

‘He’s already trying to get rid of me, isn’t he?’ she thought sadly, looking at the newspaper on the island. Spike noticed her expression and figured out what she was thinking.

“You’re free to stay as long as you’d like, Buffy,” he said, putting the omelet on a plate and setting it on the island. “I just wanted to let you look and see what’s out there. Besides, I’m sure after you’ve gotten used to living alone for the last two months that you probably wouldn’t mind the privacy again.”

‘More like he’s used to living alone and would like his privacy back,’ she thought, sitting on a stool at the island. ‘Especially after this morning. I wouldn’t blame him for wanting me out.’

“Yeah, I should probably look at my options for apartments,” she agreed, grabbing the paper and opening it up. She never noticed the sad look on Spike’s face as he watched her.

* * *

After a couple of hours at the mall, Spike and Buffy returned to the apartment, both of them laden with heavy shopping bags. Spike looked at her with an odd expression. “Are you sure you can afford all of this? I could’ve paid for everything, especially since I’m the reason you don’t have clothes here in the first place.”

“It was generous of you to offer to pay in every single store we walked in,” Buffy said, smirking at him. “But I have money, Spike. You’d be amazed at how much I got from working at Miss Kitty’s. I haven’t really had any expenses since coming to Los Angeles. Just the apartment and food, pretty much. No car, not a lot of chances to go out… I live a pretty modest life.” Spike looked at all of the bags with an amused expression. “Well, until now, I guess.” They both laughed as they carried them into the guest bedroom, putting them on the bed. “I appreciate you taking me to the mall today. And for taking off this week. It really wasn’t necessary.”

“Sure it is,” he replied, looking at her. “It would’ve been wrong to just bring you here and let you do everything on your own. I offered to help you, and that’s what I’m going to do.” She smiled at him, and Spike felt the overwhelming urge to kiss her suddenly.

‘You can’t, mate,’ he said to himself. ‘She’s just a young woman that needs to be put on the right track.’ He paused. ‘A young woman who happens to be your boss’ daughter. Hank would fire me if anything happened to her. For that matter, he’ll probably fire me as soon as he finds out I had her staying here. Bloody hell.’

“Spike?” she asked quietly, looking at him. “I really appreciate all of this. I can’t say it enough.”

“You’re welcome, pet,” he said, trying to ignore what he was thinking, but it was worthless. His hand reached out and cupped her cheek, his thumb slowly grazing over her soft skin. She shut her eyes for a moment, reveling in the contact. He leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips before backing away quickly.

‘I can’t believe I just did that,’ he thought. ‘Not that I wouldn’t mind really kissing her, but…bollocks.’

“I…I’m sorry,” he said, not willing to look at her. “I’ll be in the kitchen.” He turned around and instantly left her room. Buffy watched him, confused.

‘What the hell was that all about?’ she asked herself. ‘I mean, the kiss was a nice surprise, but why did he look so freaked out?’ She sighed and sat on her bed, surrounded by shopping bags. ‘Perhaps because you’re a whore that he doesn’t want to get involved with. He’s just helping you- how many times do you have to remember that before it sinks in? Nothing’s going to happen between you two, okay? He’s your friend, so stop deluding yourself already.’ She paused. ‘I can’t just let this go.’ She walked out of her room and went to the kitchen, seeing him sitting at the island, his face buried in his hands.

“Wait, why are you sorry?” she asked, crossing her arms. He looked at her and took a deep breath.
***************************************************************************


A/N Okay, I know ending the chapter like that wasn't nice, but I'm going to try my hardest to have chapter 7 up sometime tonight...hopefully. I hope you still like it, and reviews are extremely appreciated! Thanks:)

“Because I shouldn’t have done that,” Spike answered, looking down. “It was wrong of me, and I’m sorry.”

“Will you stop saying that?” Buffy asked, unsuccessfully masking her frustration. He looked at her, confused.

“Buffy, nothing can happen between us. You realize that, right?” Spike asked, not wanting to believe it himself. Although Buffy had told herself that several times, it still hurt to hear it from him. “You’re an amazing girl, and I want us to be friends, but you’re Hank’s daughter. If you and I ever were together…I don’t know what he’d do.”

‘So he’s picking his job over any possibility of being with me,’ she thought sadly. ‘Not that I blame him. He probably loves it there and is doing well for himself- he deserves what he has. I’m just hindering him as it is already. Why would he choose some girl he’s known for less than 24 hours over his career? Way to be selfish, Buffy.’

“You’re right,” Buffy said, willing herself to make it sound sincere. She noticed a hint of sadness flicker in Spike’s eyes before he looked away, nodding slightly. “Can I ask you a question, Spike?” He nodded, not looking at her. “And please be honest. None of this has to do with the fact I worked at Miss Kitty’s, does it?”

“What?” he asked, confused, looking at her. “Why would this have anything to do with that?”

“I just…I thought that maybe you didn’t like me because I worked there,” she said, looking down. He approached her and tilted her chin up so that he could look at her.

“I’m not going to judge you for working there, luv,” he said quietly. “I understand why you did it, and I know you’re not the type of girl that would work there for fun. Trust me when I say that I don’t think less of you.” Hearing him say that made her happy and feel somewhat relieved, even though she still had her reservations.

‘But what guy would honestly want a girl who worked at a place like Miss Kitty’s Boudoir? It’s like dating a prostitute- how many normal, stable guys do that?’ she thought sadly. ‘He may not judge me or think less of me, but I’m sure the thought of dating a girl who was a full-time whore isn’t appealing.’

“So it’s about Hank then?” she asked. He nodded slightly, in disbelief that he was trying to keep them apart because of his boss.

‘I don’t see why I even care so much about Hank’s opinion,’ he thought. ‘The guy’s a right bastard. I don’t owe him anything.’ He paused. ‘Except the fact he gave me a job. A great job, to be exact. I’d love to screw him over somehow, but he helped me out.’ He paused again. ‘And I plan on returning the favor by helping Buffy. I owe him that much, at least.’ He heard the phone ring and went to go grab it.

“So, we’re friends then?” Buffy asked, looking at him with a neutral, unreadable expression. He nodded. “I’ll let you get that. I’ll be in my bedroom, figuring out why I bought three pairs of jeans that all look alike.” He smiled slightly and watched her disappear down the hallway, going into her room.

‘I better be rewarded sometime for holding myself back,’ he thought, picking up the phone.

* * *

“Hello?” Spike asked, sitting on a stool and noticing that the newspaper section posting available apartments had several circles around individual listings.

‘So she really is going to move out,’ he thought sadly.

“Hey, man,” Charles Gunn said. Spike frowned, realizing that he hadn’t talked to any of his friends in the last day.

‘Since so many things changed in my life.’

“So, I heard you’re off on vacation-leave this week,” Gunn said. “And you skipped out early after the Miss Kitty’s hootenanny yesterday, which leads to more questions I have, but what’s going on? The Spike I know never takes days off, let alone a week. I remember you having a pretty wicked fever last year and not letting yourself go home until every last detail was finished up on a case. So unless you’re really dying, something’s going on.”

“Yes, something’s going on,” Spike said, deciding to look at what Buffy had circled.

‘That one’s on the other side of L.A.,’ he frowned, crossing it out and writing the word “dangerous” over it.

“Going to tell me what the big news is then?” Gunn asked. “Because, for once, I’m actually curious to hear details.”

“Remember that girl I was set up with yesterday?” Spike asked, crossing out another apartment listing.

‘Why aren’t any of these close by?’ he thought, scanning through more options.

“Yeah, the blonde bombshell,” Gunn replied, a hint of mischief in his voice. “What happened?”

“It’s a long story, but she’s here,” Spike answered, trying to figure out what to tell his friend.

‘Can’t ever mention that she’s Hank’s daughter. It’ll get out, and more chaos will ensue,’ he thought.

“What do you mean? She’s in your apartment?” Gunn asked, confused.

“Yeah,” Spike said. “She’s staying with me until she gets her own place.”

“Whoa, time to fill in some gaps here, Spike,” Gunn said. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“The girl, Buffy, quit her job and decided that she wanted to start her life over again, so I offered to help her out and have her stay here until things settle down more,” Spike tried to explain, being cautious about what he disclosed.

“So you’re saying that you’ve got the girl from Miss Kitty’s as your temporary roommate?” Gunn asked.

“Yeah,” Spike replied, noticing that he’d crossed out all but two apartments.

“She must’ve been pretty good if you’re so willing to help her out,” Gunn laughed. “Are you getting it free then while she’s with you?” Spike suddenly got very defensive.

“Her and I haven’t slept together,” Spike said sternly. “Not yesterday at Miss Kitty’s, not ever. She’s a great woman, and I’m just trying to help her out.”

“But you two are going to sleep together sometime, aren’t you?” Gunn asked, sounding surprised.

“I don’t know,” Spike answered honestly. “It’s not my top priority right now.”

‘But it’s in the top ten,’ he thought before frowning. ‘She agreed that we’re friends now, so stop thinking about shagging her.’

“Well, I’ve got a few files to look at before I call it a day, so good luck, man,” Gunn said. “I hope you and the girl work something out. And tell her that that Kennedy chic was a bit much.”

“Didn’t like her?” Spike laughed, pushing the newspaper aside.

“She wasn’t what I was expecting,” Gunn replied, looking at his right wrist, which was still red from trying to break out of the handcuffs Kennedy had put on him. “Bye, man.” Spike hung up and sighed.

“Well, I guess I should help my ‘friend’ get an apartment,” he muttered to himself, grabbing the newspaper and heading to Buffy’s room.
***************************************************************************

A/N I apologize again for the cliffhanger at the end of chapter 6, but it's a trick I've learned well from my partner-in-crime Ashlee:) Rana, I plan on using the movie night idea in chapter 8, so thank you in advance! I hope everyone likes this still, and I adore reviews! Thanks!

After a week’s time, Buffy had signed a lease and was ready to move into her own apartment, which happened to be in the building next door to Spike’s. They took all of her stuff over there one afternoon after ordering furniture for her new place. She let them in, and Spike looked around the fairly small apartment.

“I can’t believe I found this place,” Buffy smiled, putting down a box in the living room area. “It’s perfect.”

‘Couldn’t agree more,’ Spike thought. ‘She’s close by, the neighborhood is safe, and it won’t be nearly as difficult to check up on her.’

“Yeah, you’re lucky that the last renter here got married and moved out,” Spike said, returning her smile.

“I don’t blame him,” she said. “It’s kind of small for two people.”

‘Not like his,’ she thought. ‘His place fits two people perfectly.’ She paused. ‘But he needs his privacy, and it’s safer if we don’t live together. Much safer.’

“So, how’s work going?” Buffy asked, taking the box he was carrying from him and setting it by the others.

“Pretty well,” he answered, running a hand through his hair. “I got assigned another big case, so it’ll keep me busy.” She nodded slightly, trying to mask how sad she was that she wouldn’t be seeing him nearly as much as she had before. “And all of the guys keep asking about you.” She looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

“They know about me?” she asked. He nodded, and she started getting worried. “What’d you tell them?”

“Just that I’ve been helping you out here and that we’re friends,” he answered, shrugging. “Nothing about you being Hank’s daughter.”

‘And not how I really feel about you,’ he thought. ‘They’d never let it go if they knew, and I don’t want any of them judging her because of Miss Kitty’s. She’s better than that place.’

“Good,” she replied, sighing and looking at the stack of boxes that had accumulated throughout the day.

“Actually, speaking of the firm,” Spike began, shoving his hands in his pockets, slightly nervous. “Wolfram and Hart is having a birthday bash for Rupert Giles on Saturday.” Buffy tilted her head, looking at him. “He’s Hank’s partner.”

“Oh,” Buffy replied, looking down. “I didn’t know Dad was one of the partners. Good for him.”

‘Be careful what you say, Spike,’ he warned himself. ‘You have to approach this cautiously.’

“Yeah, since 2002,” he replied. “But I was wondering if maybe you’d want to go with me to the party.” She looked at him, surprised.

“I’d love to,” she said, and he smiled. “But I can’t.” He smile instantly turned into a frown. “I’m not ready to see Dad.”

“Hank won’t be there,” Spike said quickly. “He’s out of town.”

‘That’s not completely true- he’ll be back by Friday- but she doesn’t have to know that,’ he thought. ‘I think she’s ready to see Hank again. She’s not the girl from Miss Kitty’s anymore, and she’s making a better life for herself. Besides, I’d like to properly introduce her to the guys.’ He paused. ‘And the party’s a great opportunity for us to go out on a date, whether she thinks it’s one or not.’

“Dad’s not going to be there for his partner’s birthday?” she asked. Spike nodded, hoping she believed him. “Why does that not surprise me? Not like he was ever there for one of my birthdays.” Spike’s heart went out to her, completely understanding how horrible fathers could be sometimes.

‘I doubt my father even remembers my birthday now,’ he thought. ‘If the pillock is still alive.’

“Well, if you’d like me to go with you, I will,” she said, interrupting his thoughts. He smiled.

“Great,” he said. “It’s Saturday night at seven at the firm. I think it might be kind of a high-society party.”

“Looks like I’ll be getting a dress then,” she replied, smirking. “I love dressing up. I haven’t in a really long time.”

“I love silk,” he said, indiscreetly giving her suggestions for her dress. “Black or red, preferably.” She grinned.

“Trying to get me to dress a certain way for you?” she asked, amused. He chuckled. “I’ll see what I can find.”

“Splendid,” he replied. “It’ll be a good time, luv. The firm tends to be extravagant for parties.”

“Just the way I like ‘em,” she smiled, opening up a box. “So, are we still having movie night tonight?”

“Sure,” he said. “My place at eight?” She nodded. “If you need anything, just call. I’ll be around.”

“Thanks,” she said. He nodded and let himself out of the apartment, closing the door before leaning back against it.

‘I just hope I don’t lose her now that she’s not living with me,’ he thought, shutting his eyes briefly. ‘I can only protect her so much, and eventually, she might be too busy to see me. Especially if she starts dating someone.’ He paused, clenching both his jaw and his fists. ‘I’m sure as hell not letting that happen. As far as I’m concerned, she’s mine.’

* * *

After unpacking several boxes, Buffy mentally reviewed her schedule for the upcoming week.

‘I start working at Belinda’s Boutique on Tuesday, and my Photography class begins Wednesday night,’ she thought. ‘Some of the furniture is arriving on Thursday, which means I have to be here until it’s all brought in.’ She sighed. ‘Maybe I can go dress shopping during my lunch break on Friday. And I should make an appointment to get my hair done on Saturday. I want to look nice for Spike.’ She smiled and looked at her watch. ‘Speaking of which, I’m supposed to be there right now.’ She grabbed her keys and went over to his apartment, letting herself in with the key he gave her.

“Hey,” she smiled, seeing him making popcorn in the kitchen. He smiled, too, and poured the popped kernels into a bowl. She took a key out of her pocket and set it on the island. He looked at it with a funny expression. “It’s to my place.” He raised an eyebrow. “I just figured that I have one for here, so you should have one for mine. You know, in case of emergencies or something.” He smirked and took his keys off a hook on the wall, putting the new key on his key-ring.

“Thank you, pet,” he said, putting his keys back. “So, what’s the flick of choice tonight?”

“How about ‘Serendipity’?” she asked with a hopeful tone. He made a face. “Come on, I know you own it.”

“I do not!” he replied defensively, crossing his arms. Buffy walked over to his DVD collection and scoured through it for a moment before plucking out a case marked “Serendipity”. He blushed. “I swear that’s not mine.”

“Stop lying, you loser,” she laughed, taking the DVD out and putting it in the DVD player. “I promise not to tell anyone that you own it. It’s our little secret.” He frowned and carried the popcorn bowl over to the couch. “Besides, it’s a good movie. John Cusack is hilarious.”

“And Kate Beckinsale is beautiful,” Spike added, noticing her frown for a moment.

‘Is somebody jealous?’ he thought, delighted. ‘Not my fault the bird is gorgeous, and it only makes sense that I find British actresses attractive.’ He looked at Buffy and smiled slightly. ‘But she’s even more beautiful than Kate.’

“I’ll go grab us drinks,” she offered, heading to the refrigerator and getting a beer for him and a soda for her. As she walked back to the couch, she tried not to sigh at the thought that this would be the last night she slept in the apartment, considering the fact her bed would arrive and be assembled the following day.

‘Well, unless him and I started dating,’ she thought, stifling a giggle. ‘Maybe I’ll stay overnight here again someday.’ She paused. ‘You’re just friends, Buffy. It’s all simply platonic.’ She sat down on the couch, beside Spike.

“Ready to watch it?” he asked. She nodded, and he pressed a button to start it.

“So, do you know all of the lines by heart, too?” she joked, looking at him. He frowned and began tickling her. “Hey!” She succeeded in fighting back, getting him to shriek. “Wait, do that again!”

“What? No,” he replied, chuckling. She giggled and raised her hands in surrender, trying to calm her breathing down. He backed off and saw the faint blush in her cheeks.

‘God, she’s beautiful,’ he thought before letting his eyes travel to the TV screen. ‘And if she never figures out I love this movie, she’s perfect for me.’

* * *

About an hour into the film, Spike draped his arm across the back of the couch, and Buffy curled up against him, yawning. He raised an eyebrow, surprised that she was so willing to be that close to him.

“Do you mind if I do this?” she asked quietly, looking at him. He shook his head.

“No,” he answered. “I don’t mind if you fall asleep on me.” She smiled softly and rested her head on his shoulder.

‘Trust me, pet, I really don’t mind at all,’ he thought, smiling.

They continued to watch the movie, and eventually, he realized his fingers were playing with individual locks of her hair.

‘I love this hair,’ he thought, looking at it, admiring her highlights. ‘Especially the way it glows in the sunlight.’

Minutes later, the movie finally ended, and he realized that Buffy didn’t move or say anything. He raised an eyebrow and looked down at her, seeing that she was fast asleep. He smiled softly and gently kissed her forehead. Her eyes slowly opened, and she looked at him with a soft expression.

“I fell asleep, didn’t I?” she asked quietly. He nodded. “But I like the end. It’s so sweet.”

“We can watch the end tomorrow, kitten,” he replied, running his hand over her hair. “It’s time to get you to sleep.”

“Okay,” she said, looking down before letting her eyes return to his. “Spike?”

“Yeah?” he asked, studying her eyes. She leaned over slowly and kissed him for a second before standing up. He pulled her back down to him and kissed her more intensely, not willing to let her walk away and ignoring the warnings his conscience was supplying.

‘Screw Hank- I need this,’ he thought. ‘And this isn’t my fault- she started it.’ He was surprised when he felt her arms wrap around his neck, her body moving closer to his. She parted her lips, and he seized on the opportunity to deepen the kiss. When their tongues touched, Spike could swear nothing else existed in the world except for them. She pulled away slightly to breathe, and Spike rested his forehead against hers.

“Good night,” she whispered, getting up and walking to her room. Spike stared at her retreating form until it disappeared before sighing and covering his eyes with his hands.

‘What the bloody hell was that all about?’ he asked himself. ‘Oh right, you and her are just friends. Why did I ever agree to that? That was a lie, and after tonight, I hope she feels the same way. Please don’t let her think that kiss was a mistake.’

In her room, Buffy was sitting on her bed, thinking the same thing that Spike was.
***************************************************************************


A/N I realize that Spike's idea of lying to Buffy about Hank going to the party was not a nice thing for him to do, and I know he sounded possessive of her when he (mentally) said that she was his, but I plan on having these two crazy kids get together sometime in the near future (with a little angst thrown in there undoubtedly). And if you haven't seen "Serendipity", I highly recommend it. Reviews are adored and appreciated:)

By the time six o’clock rolled around on Saturday, Buffy was buzzing with excitement. After a stressful week of working and setting up her apartment, she pampered herself that morning by getting a manicure, pedicure, and her highlights redone. She came home and relaxed for awhile before curling her hair and pinning half of it up, remembering when she used to do the same thing before going out to parties with her friends.

‘I wonder how they are,’ she thought, applying make-up. ‘Maybe when things settle down more here, I can invite them to L.A. for a weekend or something. It’s been…a long time. If I didn’t have Spike, I know I would’ve been at Miss Kitty’s for a lot longer, and I’m positive I wouldn’t have even thought of contacting Willow and Xander. I couldn’t handle them knowing that I worked there. They’d think less of me.’ She sighed. ‘And I wouldn’t blame them.’ Minutes began ticking away faster, and Buffy’s nerves began to set in. ‘Is this like a date? I mean, it’s an office party, so I doubt it. It’s two friends going out to celebrate someone’s birthday. Right, not a date.’ She looked in the mirror. ‘Do you want it to be?’

“Yes,” she said quietly, biting her bottom lip. “But it’s not, so don’t get your hopes up. Just because you shared a pretty fabulous kiss a few days ago doesn’t mean that you two have moved past the friendship level.” She paused. “I can’t believe I’m talking to myself.” She walked to her room and took her dress out of its bag, holding it up to her. “Perfect.” She slid the crimson silk dress on, studying her reflection in the full-length mirror on one of the walls. The dress had spaghetti-straps and cut fairly low into her cleavage, and it reached her French-manicured toenails. “I hope he likes this.” She put on a silver necklace with a red-stoned pendant dangling from it before putting in matching earrings. As she heard a knock on the door, she slipped on her strappy red heels and walked to the door, taking a deep breath and exhaling it smoothly before turning the doorknob. Spike was waiting, wearing a black suit, a white buttoned shirt beneath it, and a crimson silk tie. The two stared at each other for a moment, openly appraising how the other looked.

‘He looks absolutely gorgeous,’ she thought, willing her jaw not to drop. ‘He always does, but I’ve never seen this side of him before. This is GQ Spike.’

“Hi,” she said, almost shyly. “You look handsome tonight.” Spike was still looking up and down her body. “Spike?”

“You look magnificent,” he said quietly, his eyes finally locking with hers. She blushed slightly, and it increased more as he pulled a single red rose out from behind his back, extending it to her. She smiled and took it from him.

“Thank you,” she said. “Let me just go put this in a vase.” He nodded and watched her walk towards her kitchen area, retrieving a vase from one of the cabinets.

‘She’ll definitely be the belle of the ball tonight,’ he thought, grinning. ‘Which just means I have to stay alert and keep every single man at the party away from her.’

* * *

After Spike handed the keys of his BMW to the valet sitting in front of the firm’s parking lot, he linked arms with Buffy, leading her to the front door and on inside. He noticed her dreamy expression as she looked around the lobby while they waited for an elevator to take them up to where the party was. “Like it, pet?”

“It’s really nice,” she answered, looking at him. “You’re lucky to work in such a beautiful building.”

“It’s even more beautiful on the nineteenth floor,” he replied. “It’s all glass, and the view is amazing at night.”

“Yeah, I bet,” she said. “Is that where we’re going?” He nodded, and she smiled. “Cool.” They got into the elevator and traveled up to the 19th floor, only to get out amongst a large crowd of people. “Wow, this is quite some party.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, surprised at how many people were gathered. “I can honestly say I didn’t expect so many people to be here.” She smiled up at him. “Just be sure to stay close to me at all times, princess. I don’t want to lose you.”

‘And I mean that in more ways than one,’ he thought. She nodded and looked around.

“Want to see if we can find some of my friends?” he asked. She nodded again, and they began to try maneuvering through the horde of people. He spotted Wesley and Gunn with two women he didn’t recognize, but as they got closer, Buffy did. “Hello, Wes, Gunn.”

“Hey,” Gunn said, smiling at the blonde couple. “And you’re the infamous Buffy.” She smiled at him. “We’ve never been properly introduced.” He extended a hand, and she shook it. “This is Gwen, my date.”

“Good to see you again, Gwen,” Buffy said, smiling at her. Gwen grinned at Buffy, and Gunn looked between the two women, surprised. “And it’s good to see you, too, Fred.” The other brunette woman smiled, and Wesley raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised Miss Kitty’s let you two off for the night.” All three men shared a look.

“Well, it’s a special occasion,” Gwen replied. “And it seems you already know our dates, but who is yours?”

“This is Spike,” Buffy said, feeling odd that she was the one to be doing introductions at his firm’s party.

“Nice to meet you,” both Gwen and Fred said. Spike nodded in acknowledgement.

“You three all worked together?” he asked, looking at Buffy. She nodded, and he smiled. “Well, that’s convenient.” She was pushed into his side slightly by someone moving past them, but she decided not to separate herself more from him. Spike noticed and grinned before looking at his friends. “So, where’s Angel?”

“He was catching up on something quickly,” Wesley explained. “I think Cordelia might be with him.”

“She probably is,” Gunn replied. “Those two run so hot and cold.” Buffy was somewhat excited to finally meet Cordelia.

‘In essence, she’s the reason I met Spike in the first place,’ she realized, smiling slightly. ‘I owe her quite a bit.’

“Rupert and Jenny are supposed to be arriving shortly,” Wesley said, looking around the crowd. “And then I suppose the party will really begin.”

“I still can’t believe so many people showed up,” Spike said in disbelief. “Do all of these people actually know Giles, or are they just here for the free food?”

“I know I am,” Gwen laughed, causing everyone else to laugh, too. “So, Buffy, I hear you’re out of the business now?”

“Yeah,” Buffy answered, feeling Spike’s arm wrap around her waist. She settled more into his side. “It was time to move on.”

“Yeah, I’m just about there, too,” Gwen said. Fred nodded in agreement. “You’re a lucky girl, Buffy.”

“I like to think so,” she smiled, and Spike leaned down to lightly kiss her temple. It was as she looked up at him that someone bumped into Spike, causing both of them to look at who it was.

“Oh, sorry, William,” Hank Summers said before looking at the woman beside his employee. “Buffy?”

“Dad?” she asked, shocked. Spike looked between the two and wanted nothing more than to leave immediately.

‘Bloody hell, I’m screwed.’
***************************************************************************

A/N Before you all stone me for leaving it at this, there is a good amount of angst coming up, soon to be followed by some Spuffyness, I swear. Chapter 10 is underway as we speak, so if I get a lot of reviews tonight, it just might be posted before the night is through. I really appreciate all of the reviews I've gotten- it's awesome to log on-line and read them. Thanks again!:)

I have to say thanks to both Rana and Franchesca for giving me some wicked ideas for future chapters:) All of you reviewers rock!


***************************************************************************
A long moment of silence passed as Buffy and her father looked at each other.

‘I can’t believe I didn’t prepare myself for this,’ Spike thought. ‘I knew he’d be here. Why didn’t I ever think of what’d happen when they saw each other again? I deserve whatever happens to me after this.’

“Buffy, honey, it’s been a long time,” Hank said, moving towards Buffy and hugging her. She shut her eyes as she hugged him back, her head spinning.

‘He told me Dad wouldn’t be here,’ she said to herself. ‘But he knew all along, didn’t he? He lied to me.’ She looked at Spike over her father’s shoulder and glared at him. He looked caught and averted his eyes, focusing on something off to the side. ‘How could he do this to me? He knew I wasn’t ready to see Dad. I can’t believe this.’ Buffy and Hank separated, looking at each other again.

“I didn’t know you were in L.A.,” Hank said. “Have you been here long?”

“Not too long, no,” she answered hesitantly. “I was going to look you up, but a lot of things arose.”

“I’m just glad you’re here,” he smiled warmly. “Are you living here now?” She nodded. “Great! We should go out to lunch together sometime soon.” She nodded again, still incredibly angry at Spike.

“Sounds like a plan, Dad,” Buffy replied, seeing a blonde woman approaching them. As she got nearer, Buffy raised an eyebrow. “Harmony?” The woman looked at Buffy and seemed surprised.

“Buffy!” Harmony smiled, hugging Buffy. Buffy felt even more uncomfortable and hugged Harmony back for a moment before pulling away. “What’re you doing here?”

“I came with Spike,” she answered, and she noticed Hank looking at Spike quizzically. Spike smiled sheepishly before looking down at the ground. “What’re you doing here?”

“Well,” Harmony began, looking at Hank for a moment before he nodded at her. “I’m here with your dad.”

“What?” Buffy asked, trying to contain the rage that flooded her. “You’re here with my father?”

“Yes,” Hank cut in, trying to stop the scene from growing. “Harmony and I have been dating for several months now.”

“But she used to be my babysitter!” Buffy said in shock, staring at her father. “Do you know how gross that is?”

“It’s not that gross,” Harmony replied defensively, crossing her arms. “I’m only ten years older than you.”

“So what?” Buffy said loudly. “It’s still wrong.” Harmony grabbed Hank’s hand in hers and began to tug him away from his daughter.

“I still want to have lunch with you,” Hank said before he disappeared in the crowd. Buffy clenched her fists before turning her attention to Spike.

“Your office, right now,” she said in a low tone. He nodded and took her hand in his, but she pulled it away from him. He frowned and led her down a hallway and into his office, shutting the door behind him. She walked to the windows and didn’t say anything, just staring outside, collecting her thoughts. It was at least five minutes before she turned to look at him.

‘And here it comes,’ he thought, preparing for a well-deserved tirade.

* * *

“You knew he’d be here tonight, didn’t you?” she asked, a dangerous edge to her voice.

“Yes,” he answered, looking down, trying to figure out how he was going to explain himself.

“How could you lie to me?” she hissed, staring at him. “You knew I didn’t want to see him! How could you bring me here, knowing that my father would be here, too?”

“Because I thought that maybe you and him could attempt to try working things out,” Spike answered, looking away. “I figured that Hank could help you out more, and it’s not like you can hide forever.”

“This wasn’t your call!” she yelled, throwing her arms up. “It was my decision when I wanted to see him, not yours. You had no right to do this, Spike. I can’t believe you would do this.” She turned around again and looked out the windows at the buildings surrounding them.

“I’m sorry, Buffy,” he said sincerely, noticing how the moonlight was cascading over her figure. “I made a big mistake. I never should have lied to you about it. You’re right- it wasn’t for me to decide. I’m sorry.” She stood up straighter, looking over her shoulder at him. “But I don’t regret the fact I brought you here, luv.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Because I wanted to go out with you tonight,” he answered, putting his hands in his pockets. “I haven’t really seen you this week because we’ve both been busy, and I’ve missed you.” She tried not to smile at him, trying to look as if she was still extremely upset.

‘But I think my anger is fading fast,’ she thought. ‘If he keeps talking like that, it’ll be completely absent shortly.’

“I’m sorry, pet,” he said, looking at his desk. “I didn’t want to hurt you, and it was stupid of me to lie to you. Will you forgive me?”

“After a good amount of groveling,” she replied, turning to face him, her arms crossed. He nodded slightly. “But yeah, I forgive you.” He looked at her, surprised. “Not that I should, because frankly, I still can’t believe you did this to me, but I don’t think your intentions were bad, so I’ll get over it.” He smiled softly.

“Thank you,” he said quietly. “So, are we still friends?”

‘Well, while you’re bringing it up,’ she thought, taking a deep breath.

“Is that what you want us to be?” she asked. He raised an eyebrow. “I mean, you said before that we couldn’t be together primarily because of Hank.” She paused. “Well, he saw us together tonight, and nothing bad happened.”

“What’re you saying, Buffy?” he asked, trying not to get his hopes up.

“I’m saying that the reasoning you had behind us not being together isn’t really a reason anymore,” she answered, slowly approaching him. He watched her move towards him, trying to restrain himself from pulling her to him and kissing her until she was breathless. “And I know we have a lot to work through, and I probably won’t be over what happened tonight for a while, but I like you, Spike. I have since we met, practically.” He smiled at her, too.

“I like you, too, Buffy,” he said. She stopped about a foot away from him, looking into his eyes.

“So why aren’t we together then?” she asked quietly, feeling both nervous and excited.

“Because I’m a ponce who shouldn’t have kept us apart because of Hank,” he answered, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close to him.

“Yeah, sounds about right,” she smiled. He leaned down and kissed her, not at all surprised when she kissed him back. The kiss intensified pretty quickly until they broke away to breath. “I don’t want to do this here.” He nodded, sad at the idea of having to stop. She took his hand in hers. “Let’s go to my dad’s office instead.”
***************************************************************************

A/N Alright, I know I'm evil to leave it end like this, but I have my reasons LOL. Since I began this story, I've planned on posting the first NC-17 chapter on my birthday, so that's exactly what I'm going to do. Sometime tomorrow, there will be a chapter of major Spuffyness posted as my gift to you all:) I mean, who doesn't want a smut-tacular birthday?!? Please keep the reviews coming because they honestly are the highlight of posting chapters! Have a great night/morning, everyone!

“Whoa, hold up, luv,” Spike said, stopping her from dragging him to the door. “You want to…here? Don’t you think this is all moving kind of fast?” She looked at him. “God, I sound like a girl.” She giggled and opened the door.

“Come on,” she said, tugging on his hand. “Where’s his office?” Spike sighed before looking at her.

“Down the hallway to the left,” he answered. “The last door.” She smiled and pulled him out of his office, following the directions he gave her. “Buffy, we don’t have to do this tonight.”

“I know,” she agreed, looking at him. “But I want to.” He saw sincerity in her eyes and knew he felt the same way.

“Alright then,” he said. She grinned and opened the wood and glass door of her father’s office, seeing how spacious it was. Spike shut and locked the door behind them before switching on the lights.

“Wow,” Buffy said. “Seems like Dad still has pretty nice taste.” She paused and made a disgusted face. “I take that back. What the hell is he thinking with Harmony? She’s skanky, and young, and she was my babysitter! That’s…icky! He used to drive her home.” Her eyes widened in horror. “You don’t think…” Spike was staring at her, surprised at her sudden outburst. “Eww! If he liked her back then…that’s so gross!”

“Yes it is, pet,” he replied.

‘Is she stalling?’ he thought, becoming anxious. ‘Or maybe she just needs to rant. Be patient, mate.’

“She was always such a whore,” Buffy continued, not noticing the way Spike was looking at her. “I remember she used to invite guys over when she was watching me. You should’ve seen some of the losers…” She trailed off as she looked at Spike, seeing how nervous he appeared. “Wow, sorry. I’m babbling Buffy apparently.” He managed a small smile. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he answered. “Are you?” She raised an eyebrow. “I just mean, after the Harmony diatribe…”

“I’m fine,” she shrugged. “I should’ve known that Dad wouldn’t change. He’s always done stuff like this.” Spike nodded, looking down. “Spike?”

“Yeah?” he asked, deciding not to look at her, fearing that she had changed her mind about everything.

“We don’t have to do this here,” she said. He nodded slightly. “I’m fine with waiting, if you’d like.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Spike said, getting the courage to look at her. “I do, honestly. It’s just that…well, we’re at a party at my place of employment, we’ve hardly known each other for two weeks, and I don’t want you to think that I’m expecting anything from you just because you worked at Miss Kitty’s.”

“I know,” she said, smiling softly. “And I appreciate the fact that you don’t treat me like the others did.”

“How did the others treat you?” he asked, frowning.

“Like I was convenient,” she answered, moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. “You’re a good man, Spike. I was very lucky to meet you.” He grazed her cheek, looking into her eyes. “So, are we going to do this then?” He hesitated before nodding, and she smirked. “How about on the desk?”

* * *

The couple didn’t bother masking how much they wanted each other, instantly engaging in a passionate kiss as Buffy stumbled back towards the desk. She broke away as she hopped up to sit on the edge of it.

“You know, I’m quite fond of this dress,” Spike said, gingerly pushing one of its straps down her shoulder. “But I think I might be even more fond of what’s beneath it.” Buffy pushed his suit coat off of his arms, tossing it onto a couch nearby. He pushed down the other strap, watching as the dress slipped down her body to pool at her hips. “You’re not wearing a bra.”

“You can’t with a dress like this,” she replied, noticing how dark his eyes had gotten. “Is that a problem?”

“I hope you’re joking,” he said in a low voice, cupping her cheeks and kissing her. “You’re flawless, kitten.”

“Thanks,” she said quietly, taking off his tie. “And I already know you are.” She reflected back on the Spike-in-a-towel incident.

‘If I was smart, I would’ve just went for the kill that day,’ she said to herself. Her thoughts were interrupted as Spike ran his hands down her arms slowly, eliciting a slight shiver to run through her. He kissed the crook of her neck before descending, his hands moving up to cup her breasts in his hands. She arched her back slightly, craving more contact. ‘He has incredibly sexy hands.’ His thumbs slowly traced circles around her nipples, and she closed her eyes for a moment. ‘Maybe we should’ve done this a long time ago.’ She began unbuttoning his shirt, reaching the bottom and tossing it by his coat and tie. She slowly ran her hands down his torso, hearing a low growl coming from Spike. She smirked and unzipped his pants, pushing them down his hips and watching as they reached the floor. Her eyes widened as she realized he was now completely naked. ‘Wow.’ For the first time in her life, she was rendered speechless. ‘Yeah, this definitely should’ve happened a long time ago.’

“Stand for a second, princess,” he said quietly. She did, and her dress dropped to the ground. She stepped out of it and sat back down on the desk, leaning back on her hands and watching his expression as he studied her body. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel self-conscious at all. Maybe because he was as confident as usual. “So beautiful.” He hooked his fingers under the sides of her thong and slid it down her legs, letting it fall onto her dress. “Absolutely perfect.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he stood between her legs, his erection slightly poking at her folds. “Are you sure, luv?”

“I’ve never been more sure in my life,” she answered, looking into his eyes as he entered inside of her gently. Both made low sounds at the new sense of pleasure coursing through them. He stilled when he was fully sheathed inside of her, letting her get adjusted to him. The momentary wait was much akin to torture for them both- the passion they felt was consuming them and wasn’t being sated. Spike began thrusting slowly, setting a slow and gentle pace, watching her expressions as he moved within her. It wasn’t long before both were moving quicker, working towards a mutual release.

“Buffy…” Spike groaned as he felt his abdomen tighten up somewhat. “Luv, I’m going to come…”

“So am I,” she managed to get out, practically breathless. It was only seconds later when Spike came inside of her, Buffy’s inner muscles clamping down on him as she climaxed. Spike rested his face in her neck, breathing heavily, and Buffy wrapped her arms around him, running her hands over the strong muscles in his back and shoulders.

‘Now the question is, where do we go from here?’ she asked herself, shutting her eyes for a brief moment and basking in the afterglow.
***************************************************************************


A/N Before anyone asks why some type of 'protection' wasn't used, I just want to say that it will be addressed in the next chapter. I expect there to be some angst, possibly a lot:) And sorry this got posted a lot later than I anticipated...but it's my birthday, so I should be excused LOL. Besides, I've got 2 exams tomorrow, and even though I haven't started studying, I figured I owed everyone a little NC-17 action. Reviews are greatly encouraged and appreciated! Thanks!:)

The blonde couple didn’t move for a while, but when they did, the loss of contact and silence was practically unbearable for them both. Spike was the one who began getting dressed first, afraid to look at her expression.

‘God, I hope she doesn’t regret tonight,’ he thought to himself, sliding on his pants. In the meantime, Buffy was trying to look somewhat presentable again, getting dressed, keeping her back to Spike.

‘He won’t even look at me,’ she thought sadly, willing herself not to cry. ‘Was I…bad?’ She stifled a sniffle as a couple of tears fell from her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and finished getting done.

“Buffy?” he asked quietly, buttoning his shirt and putting on his tie. She continued to look down but turned to face him. “I…wasn’t wearing a condom.”

“I know,” she replied. “It’s…okay.” He raised an eyebrow. “I mean, I guess we got a little carried away. It’s my fault, too.” She looked at him. “I’m on the Pill, so I’m good on my end.”

“But what about STDs?” he asked cautiously. “I haven’t been with anyone since I was tested last and got a clean bill of health.” He hesitated. “Have you been…tested?” He noticed a flicker of hurt in her eyes before anger replaced it.

“Yes, I’ve been tested,” she replied sternly, crossing her arms. He frowned.

“I just meant, with you working at Miss Kitty’s and all…” he trailed off, noticing that her eyes had gotten wide.

“Yes, with me being a whore for a living,” she said sharply. “I guess I’d have all kinds of diseases, now wouldn’t I?”

“I didn’t mean it like that, luv,” he said, tilting his head, trying not to piss her off more. “You’re not a whore anymore.” She nodded slightly.

“But I was, wasn’t I?” she asked, studying the way he was looking at her. “You met me when I was one, and you wanted to help me out because of it. I was just Buffy the whore to you before you even knew who I was.”

“I’ve never thought of you as a whore,” he said quietly. She scoffed and let her arms fall to her sides.

“I want to go,” she said, looking away. “Take me home.” He frowned, anger coursing through him.

“What? Why?” he asked, not willing to leave the argument end where it had.

“Because I want to leave,” she said, looking at him. “It’s just easier if…I want to go. Please take me home.”

“Buffy,” he said, but she walked to the door and opened it as he slid on his suit coat and followed her into the hallway. “We can’t just stop talking about this, pet. It’s not like you and I just kissed. We…”

“Fucked?” she offered, looking at him with an angry expression. He clenched his jaw and opened his mouth to correct her. “No. Just take me home. I don’t want to deal with this anymore tonight.” He grabbed her arm, but she wrenched it away, out of his grasp.

“Let me try making it better,” he said, practically pleading.

“What makes you think you can make it better?” she asked, shaking her head. “All you’ve done since we…” She paused. “All you’ve done is hurt me.” He was both sad and hurt by her comment but realized she was right.

“I know,” he admitted, putting his hands in his pockets. “And I’m sorry, Buffy. Please believe me.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore when it comes to you,” she said, turning and walking down the hall, back to the party. He followed her, upset that in a matter of less than fifteen minutes, everything had gone downhill.

* * *

When Buffy and Spike reached the party together and began walking to the elevator, they ran into Gunn. He looked at them and smirked knowingly, noticing that Buffy’s hair was now completely down and that Spike’s normally gelled hair was tousled and disheveled. Not wanting to jump to conclusions but not willing to let it go without saying something, Gunn playfully nudged Spike.

“Should I send janitorial up here?” he joked. Buffy scowled and stormed towards the elevators. Gunn raised an eyebrow and looked at Spike, who was watching Buffy with a sad expression.

“Don’t even ask, Charlie boy,” Spike said forlornly, sighing.

“You pissed her off already?” Gunn asked. “The party’s not even close to being over yet.”

“Oh, it is for us,” Spike replied, looking at his friend. “You know me- I have a habit of not thinking before speaking.”

“Yeah, you can be a dick sometimes,” Gunn chuckled. Spike flipped him off before going after Buffy.

‘He’s got it bad,’ Gunn thought before going back to Gwen, Wesley, and Fred.

Buffy and Spike got into the elevator and took it down to the main floor, getting out and exiting the building. Spike retrieved his car after the valet drove it out to him, and when he tried to open the door for Buffy, she wrenched it open on her own and got in, slamming the door. Spike growled slightly and got in on the driver’s side, starting the car and looking at her, but she was focused on something outside.

‘At least we’re not that far from our apartments,’ he thought gratefully, pulling away from the curb and driving towards their neighborhood.

After a silent drive, he parked in the lot beneath his building, and when they got out, Buffy immediately walked away from him, going towards the stairwell that would lead her up to the street level. He walked quickly to catch up to her, following her up the steps and to the front door of her building.

“Buffy,” he said quietly, stopping her from opening the door. “Please, luv, let me explain.”

“I can’t do this tonight,” she replied, letting herself in and going to her apartment. Spike watched her through the glass door until she disappeared.

‘Having cigarettes on me would be really great right now,’ he thought, patting down his pockets. ‘But apparently I’m not a lucky bloke tonight.’ He clenched his fists and cracked his neck, trying to relieve some of the tension that had built up. ‘Why was I such a wanker before? I don’t blame her for being pissed off.’ He raised an eyebrow as a thought struck him. He looked at his key ring, staring at her apartment’s key. He smirked and let himself into the building, going to her door.

After knocking several times and not getting a response, he unlocked the door and stepped in. “Buffy?” She appeared seconds later, securing a robe around her tightly, staring at him in shock. Her hair was now in a ponytail, and she had removed her minimal amount of make-up.

‘I don’t think she’s ever looked more beautiful,’ he thought, looking up and down her petite frame.

“Why are you here?” she asked, interrupting his appraising stare. He looked at her and sighed.

“Because I want to apologize for what I said before,” he said quietly. “All of it. I’m sorry, luv.”

“Just go, Spike,” she replied, crossing her arms. He frowned.

“Baby, listen to me,” he began, but she raised her hand, effectively stopping him.

“No, you listen to me, Spike,” she said sharply, glaring daggers at him. “I don’t want to hear this from you. What you said to me, the way you acted…I have never felt so degraded in my entire life, and that’s saying a lot after working at a place like Miss Kitty’s. I don’t want to hear you apologize, and I don’t really feel like talking about this anymore. Just leave.”

“Buffy, let me just say some things,” he replied, seeing tears forming in her eyes.

“No, let me say something,” she said quietly, wiping off the corners of her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is going to work.” She looked at him one last time before turning around and going to her room, closing the door behind her. He watched her and sighed defeatedly, pausing for a moment before letting himself out.

‘What the bloody hell is my problem?’ he asked himself, leaving the building and going to his.
***************************************************************************

A/N I'm just going to say this now- I firmly believe in happy endings, so have no fear that these two crazy kids will hook-up...I just don't know when. The next couple of chapters might be a little bit angsty, but I promise things will get better soon. I want to thank everybody for the great reviews I've been getting- they really do mean a lot. Thanks again!:)

Over a week had passed, and Buffy did everything in her power to not see or talk to Spike. He had left several messages on her answering machine for the first couple of days, and then he reduced it to two calls after that. Buffy couldn’t bring herself to answer the phone when she saw his name appear on her Caller ID, and returning his calls wasn’t much of an option for her, either. It hurt to think that she was the reason things fell apart between them, but when she remembered what he had said that night, her guilt was replaced by hurt.

‘You should’ve known it wasn’t going to end well, Summers,’ she thought to herself. ‘Does anything ever go well for you anymore?’

When her father’s secretary had called Buffy to schedule a lunch date for them, Buffy hesitantly agreed to meet him at a restaurant a block away from the law firm, praying that Spike wouldn’t decide to have lunch there at the same time.

‘For that matter, I wonder how Dad’s going to approach the Spike situation with me. I have a feeling he wasn’t too pleased seeing me at the party with him. But then again, I wasn’t stoked to see him there with Harmony, so if he brings up Spike, I’m definitely going to retaliate. I mean, Harmony? Has my dad gone completely crazy? Or maybe it’s just a mid-life crisis.’ She sighed. ‘Nonetheless, there is no excuse he’s with her. The thought alone makes me want to throw up.’ She looked at the mirror in her bedroom, staring at her sad expression. ‘I’m going to face my father and prove that I’m not the girl everyone else thinks I am.’

* * *

When Monday afternoon arrived, Buffy got dressed up conservatively, wearing a nice khaki skirt, a light green blouse, and matching sandals, her hair down and cascading over her shoulders. She put on a little make-up and grabbed her keys and a purse, leaving her apartment and taking a taxi to the restaurant.

When she walked in, she was slightly surprised to see her father sitting at a booth, waiting for her.

‘I don’t think he’s ever been on time before,’ she thought. ‘I know he definitely wasn’t whenever I was in a school play or when I played soccer in grade school. In fact, the few times he even bothered showing up, I know he was at least late by half an hour. Mom always apologized for him. I still can’t imagine why. It was always his fault, never hers.’ She took a deep breath and approached the table. Her father looked at her and smiled before standing up, hugging her.

“Glad you could make it,” he said, motioning for her to sit down across from him. “I didn’t know if you had off from work.”

“I took the day off after your secretary called,” she shrugged. “She said that you wanted to talk about something.”

“Actually, yes, there are a few things I’d like to address,” he replied, clasping his hands together and resting them on the table. “But I figured we could at least order first.” She smiled slightly.

“Okay,” she agreed, looking through her menu, trying to decide on something cheap.

‘Because knowing him, I’ll have to cover my own meal,’ she said to herself.

“So, are you and William dating?” he asked. Buffy raised an eyebrow, looking at him. “William Giles?”

‘I always forget that his real name is William.’

“No, him and I were just friends,” she answered, focusing on the menu again.

“‘Were’?” Hank asked, confused. “You’re not friends anymore?” Buffy shook her head, hoping he wouldn’t question the topic further. “Did you two have a fight?” She nodded, thankful she had the menu to look at instead of at her father’s inquisitive eyes. “I guess that would explain why he’s seemed so distant this week.” Buffy put the menu down, looking at her father, suddenly wanting to hear more about Spike. “He lost a case the other day. I suspected it was because he was preoccupied with something. I guess he was.” Buffy averted her gaze. “His work has been very sloppy this week. You’re the reason for it then, I’d assume.” She frowned. “Well, thanks to you, Buffy, the firm lost out on a good sum of money because you distracted one of our head lawyers due to your selfish choices.” She stared at him, outraged and shocked that he’d say something like that.

“What the hell are you talking about?” she hissed, trying to keep her voice down so other patrons couldn’t hear her. “You’re blaming the fact that Spike lost a case on me? I didn’t have anything to do with it! If he lost, it’s because of him, not me. Him being ‘distracted’ is his own problem. I refuse to take responsibility for something that I didn’t do.”

“You played a part in him being mentally off this week,” he replied. “That’s something you should take responsibility for. You’re an adult now, Buffy. Act like one.” She felt rage spread throughout her body as she clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms.

“Is that why you invited me here?” she asked sharply. “Because you think it’s my fault Spike lost a case? Because you and your precious company lost money?” Hank nodded, not backing down from her angry stare. “Screw you!”

“Buffy, calm down,” Hank said in an even tone. She scoffed, looking away. “That’s not the only reason I asked to meet up with you today.”

“What’s the other reason then?” she asked. “Blaming me for your divorce from Mom? Because Dad, you’ve discussed that with me before, and I don’t need to hear it again.”

“No, Buffy, I wanted to talk about you,” Hank replied. She raised an eyebrow. “Your mom contacted me when you left Sunnydale, hoping you had come to L.A. to live with me, and her and I talked a bit about you.” He hesitated. “Honey, according to your mom, you’re sullen, and you’ve been rude to me, and you’re not nearly as bright as I thought you’d be.” Buffy froze, feeling herself pale. “I thought you’d turn out differently.”

“Is that right?” she asked, willing herself to not start crying in front of him. He nodded, his expression neutral. “Yeah, I bet you thought I’d amount to something more, didn’t you, Dad? I’m sure the thought of your only child not going to college right away was sheer torture for you.” A thought struck her, and she smiled widely, seeing it as the perfect time to fess up to something. “Do you know what Miss Kitty’s Boudoir is?”

“Yeah,” he answered, his gaze quizzical. “The owner donates a lot of money to the firm. Why?”

“Because I worked there for two months,” she admitted proudly, wanting nothing more than to piss him off. His eyes widened, apparently letting the new information sink in. “Yep, I was a slut professionally. But I bet that doesn’t surprise you, now does it, Dad? You used to tell me before the divorce that you thought that I’d grow up to be a whore. Well, guess what? I did! I worked at Miss Kitty’s to get by, and here I am in L.A. All because Spike brought me here to put me on the right track, something you would’ve never offered to do.” She stood up and took a deep breath again. “You never were much of a father, Hank.” Before he could say anything, she walked out of the restaurant, finally letting tears fall as she dialed the number for a cab.

* * *

After Spike’s lunch break, he went to Hank’s office to discuss the case he had lost a couple days prior. The door was locked, so he went over to Hank’s secretary Lilah. “When is Hank returning?”

“Whenever he finishes up his lunch date with his daughter,” she answered. Spike’s eyes widened.

“Hank is with his daughter right now?” Spike asked. She nodded, looking at the appointment book in front of her.

‘Oh God,’ Spike thought, becoming worried about Buffy. ‘Why did she ever agree to meet him for lunch?’ It was moments later when Hank walked off the elevator, heading over to them. Spike stared at the man, becoming even more concerned,

“Well, hello, William,” Hank said curtly. “How can I help you?”

“You just had lunch with Buffy?” Spike asked, deciding against beating around the bush.

“Yes,” Hank answered, looking at Lilah. “When is my next meeting?”

“About an hour,” she answered. “You must’ve had a short lunch.” Hank nodded dismissively, going to his office and closing the door behind him.

‘Now why does that not strike me as being a good thing?’ Spike thought.

“When were they supposed to meet?” Spike asked Lilah. She looked at the book again.

“At noon,” she answered. Spike looked at his watch, noticing the time.

‘It’s not even 12:30. There’s no way they had lunch in that amount of time.’ He paused, frowning. ‘Bloody hell.’ He walked to his office, grabbed his car keys, and went to the parking garage, getting in his car, speeding towards her apartment, not caring if he got in trouble for cutting out of work early.

When he got there, he let himself into her building with the key she gave him and knocked on her door. When she didn’t open it, he unlocked it and walked in, seeing her sitting on the couch, her face buried in her hands. His heart instantly sank.

‘Just as I suspected- Hank did something to hurt her,’ Spike thought, noticing that her shoulders were shaking as the sound of her sobs finally hit his ears. ‘Bollocks.’ He slowly approached the couch, not wanting to scare her. One of the floorboards creaked, and Buffy turned around quickly, staring at him. He saw how red and puffy her eyes were and felt anger course through him. ‘I’ll kill him.’

“What’re you doing here?” she asked quietly, her voice cracking slightly as she wiped off her eyes.

“I found out you met up with Hank for lunch,” Spike answered, crouching down in front of her. “Something didn’t seem right, so I thought I’d come over to check on you.”

‘And I’m glad I did,’ he said to himself, pushing a strand of stray hair behind her ear and off of her face.

“What happened, luv?” he asked, trying to sound more concerned than angry.

“Dad…Dad said I was stupid, and rude…and he blamed me for you losing your case,” she said before sobbing again. Spike frowned and pulled her into a hug, letting her cry against his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “But Hank was wrong. You’re not stupid or rude, and it’s not your fault I lost, baby. Don’t even think of believing what he said to you.” She pulled away from him to wipe off her eyes again.

“I know, but it just hurt to hear him say all of that,” she replied, frowning. “He’s such a jerk sometimes.”

“That he is,” he agreed, looking at her, tilting his head.

“I told him about Miss Kitty’s,” she said quietly, averting her gaze from his. He raised an eyebrow. “I figured it’d be a good time to tell him and blame him for calling me a whore when I was younger.”

“What?” Spike asked, not bothering to mask the rage that flooded him.

“When I was about twelve or thirteen and began hanging out with guys, even if I wasn’t dating them, he called me a whore,” she said, shutting her eyes as she remembered nights when she’d come home and have to deal with him. “He always said I’d grow up to be one, that I was a cheap slut.” Spike stood up, his jaw and fists clenched tightly. “What?”

“I need to go somewhere,” he said, heading towards the door. Buffy jumped up, stopping him before he got to it. “Don’t, I need to do this.”

“Where are you going?” she asked quietly, seeing how dark his eyes had gotten.

“I have to take care of some business,” he answered, wrenching open the door and leaving before she could stop him again.

‘That bastard is going to pay,’ he thought, getting into his car and driving off.
***************************************************************************


A/N A part of what Hank said to Buffy was from the episode "Nightmares" (season 1). I wanted to establish more that Hank was a horrible man, and I'm sorry for leaving you all with a cliffhanger, but I think the next chapter is going to be well worth the wait. Please leave reviews to make me smile and feel like I'm doing somewhat of a good job with this!:) (Or if I'm not doing well, point that out, too)

After returning to the firm, Spike took the elevator up to the 19th floor and headed to Hank’s office. Lilah had just gotten off of the phone when Spike passed by her desk. “Is he still in?”

“Yes,” she answered, surprised at the anger in his voice. “He’s got a meeting in a few minutes.”

“This won’t take long,” Spike replied, letting himself into his boss’ office. Hank was walking around, looking at a file and mumbling something to himself. He noticed Spike and frowned as he closed the door behind him.

“Is there something I can do for you, William?” Hank asked, putting the file down on his desk.

“Yeah, actually, there is,” Spike replied, crossing his arms. “What gives you the right to treat your daughter like she’s nothing?” Hank sat on the edge of his desk, and Spike suppressed a smile, remembering that only a week before, Buffy was sitting in that exact spot.

‘It’d be even better if his desk hadn’t been cleaned since then,’ he thought to himself before realizing he was getting off-topic.

“So you talked to Buffy, I assume?” Hank asked. Spike nodded, his jaw clenched. “Buffy is a lovely girl, William, but she’s not exactly what I expected.”

“Then obviously, you did a shitty job of being a father to her,” Spike replied sharply. Hank raised an eyebrow.

“And where exactly do you get off judging me?” Hank replied. “If I was informed correctly by your uncle, you didn’t have much of a father around either.” He paused. “It shows, too, by the way.”

“Leave Rupert out of this,” Spike said, realizing that his uncle was going to have a fit whenever he found out about Spike going off on Hank. “I might not have had a father around, but I made a life for myself, one that didn’t require me to bribe anyone to gain more power. Not like you.” Hank slightly paled.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, becoming worried. Spike saw a window of opportunity opening and decided to run with it.

‘It’s not like I care what I say to this wanker anymore,’ he thought. ‘I might as well divulge what I know.’

“You don’t think Rupert ever told me?” Spike asked. “About your deal with Holland Manners before he retired?” Hank frowned. “I know you paid him a large amount of money to become one of the partners, Hank. So apparently, you weren’t worthy enough to get this far in the system without paying your way.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hank said sternly. “There’s no proof, either.”

“There isn’t?” Spike asked, smirking. “What makes you think that Holland didn’t leave any information lying around that proves otherwise?” Hank’s face fell. “You really shouldn’t mess with a guy who knows your secrets, Hank. Could get you in a bit of a bind.” The older man stood up straight, looking at his employee.

“What makes you think that I can’t fire you right now, you worthless piece of trash?” Hank asked with a slight smile. Spike took several steps forward until he was about two feet away from his boss.

“Go ahead, fire me,” he shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I can’t sell you out to a newspaper or TV station. I bet they’d love to hear about your little deal, along with the other ones you’ve made since then.”

“Like what?” Hank asked, trying to feign innocence.

“Like the deal you made with Miss Kitty’s Boudoir to have several of their employees work for you at your home, cleaning your house in bikinis,” Spike grinned. Hank froze. “Oh come on, Hank, you didn’t think I knew that? Rupert informed me a long time ago after going to your house for a conference one day and seeing a few half-naked women cleaning bedrooms on the second floor of your mansion.” He paused, realizing that he had a lot of secret ammo that he could throw at Hank. “I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to get some of those women to admit to the deal, especially if we paid them off.” Spike made a face. “You know, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Buffy that little piece of information. What if she was one of the women contracted to be a maid for you, you bloody pervert? How would you feel then?” Hank looked away, clenching his fists. “Your daughter never should have had to resort to that. She’s better than that, and you know it.”

“What makes you think she’s so great?” Hank asked, looking at Spike. “You slept with her a couple of times and decided she’s ‘the one’?” Before Spike knew it, one of his balled up fists smashed into Hank’s nose, a loud yelp coming from Hank as his hands flew up to coddle his now bleeding and broken nose. “You’re fired, you pathetic son of a bitch!”

“Too late- I already quit, you pillock,” Spike replied, noticing that one of his knuckles had split open a little as he shook off his hand, trying to get the pain to subside. “And you wonder why no one loves you, Hank. Because you’re a miserable bastard who puts everyone around him down.” Spike walked to the door. “You don’t deserve to be a father to an amazing girl like Buffy. And if I ever see you near her or hear that you tried talking to her again, I’m coming after you myself, understand?” Hank glared at Spike before he let himself out of the office and slammed the door behind him. Lilah saw him exit and stared at him.

“What’d you do?” she asked, sounding concerned. “It sounded like Hank got hurt.” Spike smirked.

“I didn’t do anything,” Spike answered. “I just showed him who’s boss.” She raised an eyebrow and watched as Spike went into his office, closing the door behind him.

‘Time to pack everything up,’ he said to himself. ‘Before security comes to kick me out.’ He grinned at the thought and began collecting everything he needed and wanted to keep. He began to think of how Buffy would react when she found out what he had done. ‘I don’t deserve her either, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try to win her back.’
***************************************************************************


A/N Sorry, but I have a thing against bad fathers, which I'm sure is somewhat evident after this chapter. But then again, who doesn't 'have a thing' against fathers like Hank? I'm going to try having chapter 15 done sometime tonight, so be on the lookout. Reviews would be spectacular!:)

After a couple hours had passed and Buffy hadn’t heard from Spike, she decided to go to his apartment to see if he had returned. She let herself into the building and went to his apartment, knocking on the door.

‘I really hope he didn’t do something stupid,’ she thought. ‘But knowing Spike, he probably did. Which I guess could be a good thing.’ She paused. ‘But I highly doubt it was of the good. And why didn’t he call or come over or anything? You can’t just have an exit like that and not tell me what’s going on.’

A minute passed before the door opened to reveal Spike standing there with a surprised expression. “Hi.”

“Hey, luv,” he replied. “Is everything okay?” She nodded, looking past him to see a man sitting on a stool at the island in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had company,” she said, turning to leave. He gently grabbed her arm, turning her around to face him again.

“It’s okay,” he smiled slightly. “Would you like to come in and meet my uncle?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Your uncle?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah, Rupert Giles,” he answered, seeing her eyes widen in recognition.

“Your uncle is the other partner at the firm,” she said, looking at the man in the kitchen. “I didn’t know.” She paused. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize it. I mean, Rupert Giles and William Giles have to be related somehow.” He smiled, listening to her continue. “Which probably explains why you work there.” She looked at him. “Sorry. You already know I tend to babble.” He nodded and opened the door wider, motioning for her to enter the apartment. She hesitantly did, and the other man stood up, looking at her.

“Rupert, this is Buffy,” Spike said, introducing them. “And Buffy, this is my uncle.” The older man extended his hand, which she politely shook.

“I must say, Buffy, that you look a lot like Joyce,” Rupert said. She looked at him.

“You know my mother?” she asked. He nodded, smiling softly.

“She was good friends with my wife before you two moved to Sunnydale,” Rupert said. “I believe you and I actually met once, but that must’ve been a decade ago almost. You’ve grown up quite a bit.” She blushed slightly. “I’m sorry that we didn’t get a chance to meet at the party last weekend. William informed me you two left early.” She looked at Spike, who averted his gaze quickly. She sighed and looked at his uncle again. “I’m sure Jenny would love to see you again, Buffy. Maybe we can set up a dinner or something for the four of us.”

“I’d like that,” she replied, giving him a genuine smile. “I’m sorry for interrupting you and Spike.”

“It’s alright, pet,” Spike shrugged. “You probably should hear this now anyways.” She looked at him.

“Hear what?” she asked, worried. Spike and Rupert exchanged a look. “What’s going on?”

“I quit working at the firm,” Spike said, looking down. She looked at him. “I kind of…said some things to Hank and punched him.” Her eyes widened.

“You did what?” she asked loudly. He looked at her with a sheepish expression before it turned angry.

“He provoked me- what was I supposed to do? Just let it go? You should’ve heard everything he said to me,” he replied, crossing his arms. “I think you’d have punched him, too.”

“Probably, but he’s my father,” she said sternly. “He’s your boss! You can’t just punch your boss because he pissed you off, Spike.” Rupert took off his glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief.

“It seems William also disclosed some of the information I told him to Hank, therefore possibly getting me in a fair amount of trouble, as well,” Rupert said, looking at his nephew. Spike frowned.

“I already said I’m sorry for that,” he replied. “It was the heat of the moment, and I guess I wanted him to know that if he tried messing with me, I could really screw him over.” He paused. “Which I still might do just because I can.”

“William,” his uncle warned, putting on his glasses again. Buffy looked between the two men.

“What exactly has my father done that’s so bad?” she asked, concerned. Spike looked at her.

“Would you like me to make you a list, luv?” he asked somewhat sarcastically. “It might take me a while.”

“Look, I know he’s not such a great guy, but he’s my dad,” she said quietly. “And as much as he’s a jerk to me, I don’t want him to wind up in jail or all over the news for doing something wrong.”

“William wouldn’t do that,” Rupert said before looking at his nephew with a mild glare. “Now would you?”

“What if he deserves it?” Spike asked, looking down, sounding like a scolded child.

“I can assure you that your father will not be in the midst of a public scandal, Buffy,” Rupert said, looking at her.

“Thank you,” she said, looking down. “So what’s going to happen from here? Spike’s no longer an employee at the firm?” Both men nodded. “How much of your new unemployment is because of me?” Spike frowned. “Tell me.”

“He hurt you, so I hurt him back,” he replied, putting his hands in his pockets. “He deserved it, pet. And it’s not like I can’t survive without that place. I’ve got money, and there are several other firms I can work at instead.”

“I wish there was a way we could get you back, William,” Rupert said. “But I don’t think Hank would stand for that.”

“Unless there’s some way you can bump him out of the position he’s in,” Buffy said. Both men looked at her before sharing a glance between them. “I mean, not that I want my father to go down in flames…” She paused, making a face. “What am I saying? Maybe he deserves to be taken down a notch.” She smiled. “What can I do to help?”
***************************************************************************


A/N Well, as promised, I decided to post the next chapter so as to try to get this story done by Christmas. Sorry again for the cliffhanger- I'm starting to really enjoy finishing off chapters with them. Reviews are still encouraged and appreciated!:)

A Month Later

Buffy and Spike arrived at his uncle’s mansion, Spike ringing the doorbell and fidgeting slightly. Buffy smiled at him.

“Is everything okay?” she asked. He looked at her and smiled softly before kissing her temple.

“I’m perfectly fine,” he answered. “I’m just afraid of the questions Aunt Jenny is going to bombard me with.”

“It’s smart to be afraid,” a voice said beside them. The couple turned to face a brunette woman standing in the doorway, smiling. “Hello, William. And I’d recognize you from anywhere, Buffy.” She moved forward to hug the young blonde woman, and Buffy surprisingly felt comfortable despite the unexpected gesture. “It’s been ages.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Giles,” Buffy said politely, remembering Jenny from her past.

‘When times were not too bad in L.A.,’ Buffy thought. ‘When Mom and I were still happy here.’

“Call me Jenny,” the older woman replied. “Won’t you two come in?” Spike motioned for Buffy to go in first before following her in and closing the door. He noticed her looking around the house with a slight smile on her face.

“What is it, luv?” he asked quietly, running a hand over her wavy hair. She looked at him.

“I remember running around this place when I was little,” she answered. He smiled and noticed Jenny watching them.

“Rupert is already in the dining room,” she said, smiling. “Seems he’s a bit impatient to eat.” The blondes laughed, following her into the large dining room, seeing Rupert sitting at the head of the table. He promptly stood up.

“Well, hello Buffy, William,” he said, extending a hand to Buffy. She shook it and giggled as he brought her hand to his lips to place a soft kiss on her skin. “Please sit down.” She chose to sit beside him on one side while Spike sat beside her and Jenny was across from them. “I trust you both are doing well?”

“Yes,” Spike smiled, looking at Buffy. “We’re doing fairly well together.” She returned his smile.

“And how has everything been going for you, dear?” Jenny asked, looking at the young woman. “All of the changes and such?”

“Everything is great,” Buffy answered, smiling as Spike took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. “I love my Photography course, and my job at Belinda’s Boutique has actually been a lot of fun. We just got this neat shipment of Halloween costumes in.”

“That’s one of William’s favorite holidays,” Jenny smiled, looking at her nephew. He ducked his head, and Buffy nudged him, giggling.

“Why am I not surprised?” she laughed. “Big bad Spike would of course love Halloween.”

“I thought we weren’t supposed to be talking about me tonight?” Spike asked, looking between his aunt and uncle.

“I’m just talking to Buffy,” Jenny replied innocently. “So, William told me you went back to Sunnydale for a bit.”

“Yeah, I went back for a week,” Buffy answered, relaxing in her seat. “I saw Mom and my friends again.”

“And how is Joyce doing?” Jenny asked, noticing Buffy’s eyes light up slightly.

“She’s doing pretty well,” Buffy smiled. “Now that Ted’s out of the picture, Mom has apparently been enjoying life more. She joined a book club and went to New York for an art convention recently.”

“That sounds like the Joyce I remember,” Jenny replied, smiling softly. “I should really get in touch with her soon.”

“I know Mom would love to see you again,” Buffy said honestly, looking at Jenny, who then turned her attention back to her nephew.

“And how is working at Wolfram and Hart again going?” she asked. Spike shrugged, smiling at his uncle.

“After Hank decided to retire, everything’s been going smoothly,” he answered. Buffy smiled, thinking about the fact that her father had left the company the same day she and the two Giles men threatened him.

‘He’s been in Spain with Harmony ever since,’ she thought. ‘And I hope he never comes back.’

“So when can we expect you to become the other partner?” Jenny asked, smirking at Spike.

“After old Rupes here retires,” Spike chuckled, looking at his aunt. “Think you can arrange that?”

“Give me a couple of years,” Rupert smiled. “Until then, it looks like I’ll be the head of the firm on my own.”

“It’s probably easier that way,” Jenny said. “All of the other lawyers are a couple of decades younger than you.”

“Thanks for reminding me how bloody old I am,” Rupert sarcastically said, frowning at his wife. Jenny smiled at him and patted his hand. “Not like you’re a spring chicken, dear.” Jenny shot him a look, and both Spike and Buffy laughed before looking at each other.

“It’s refreshing to see a young couple so in love,” Jenny said, getting their attention. Buffy blushed as Spike squeezed her hand in his and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “And when can I expect the next Summers and Giles partnership?” Buffy giggled.

“Whenever the stubborn chit will let me propose to her,” Spike replied. Buffy frowned at him.

“I’ve known you for barely two months,” she said. “I think you can wait a while to propose, buster.” Spike grinned.

“You’ll have to mind him, Buffy,” Rupert said, smiling. “Us Giles men get a little impatient in our old age.” Spike shot his uncle a look while the three others at the table laughed.

“Jenny mentioned something like that before,” Buffy said, noticing the look that Rupert directed at his wife.

“Come on, time to kick off dinner,” Jenny said, deciding it was a good time to change the subject. She stood, holding her glass of water up. “I think I’d like to propose a toast.” Rupert smiled adoringly at his wife. “But not to you, sweetie. Sorry.” He chuckled. “To Buffy and Spike- for reminding me of what it means to be young and in love again.”

“To Buffy and William,” Rupert said, holding up his glass. Spike and Buffy raised their glasses, clinking them with the older couples’.

“To us,” Spike said, sipping his wine before leaning over and kissing his girlfriend. “And to having good jobs.”

THE END
***************************************************************************


A/N Alright, I know I should've had this posted yesterday, but I had an exam at 7 AM this morning that I really needed to study for. I don't know how happy I am with the end of this story, and if I get enough reviews that say it's not that good, I'll re-write it. I hope everyone liked this story, and I'm grateful for everyone who reviewed, especially those who did after I wrote the first chapter. You all are the reason why I decided to write chapter 2 instead of giving up right away, so thank you:) Be on the lookout for my next fic "Don't Sleep To Dream", which I might begin posting as of tomorrow. Have a great day/night, and any last reviews for "Just a Job" are appreciated! Thanks again!