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Chapter Fifteen



Spike looked up from his paperwork when he heard someone tapping on his already open door. "What is it mate?" he asked looking back down.

Angel walked into the office taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of Spike’s desk. "Can’t I just come to visit?" Angel asked innocently.

Spike put down the pen he’d been using and stared at his friend incredulously.

Angel held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay," he admitted with a chuckle. "Can’t blame a guy for being curious."

"Curious ‘bout what?"

"About your new hairdo." Angel rolled his eyes. "About Buffy, the talk you two had. C’mon, you haven’t said anything about her since the party last week."

"Nothin’ to tell," Spike responded. "We just talked, had lunch, saw each other at Luce’s."

"You took her out to dinner?!"

Spike shook his head. "No, I was there with Drusilla." Spike ignored Angel’s snort of disapproval. Angel never tried to hide his dislike for Spike’s new girlfriend. "Buffy was there with friends."

"You’re going to keep seeing Drusilla," Angel asked in disbelief. "Even with Buffy back in town?"

Spike sighed. "She’s not back in town. She’s only here for another week and then she’s off to soddin’ Florida." Spike picked up the pen he’d discarded. "I’m not going to let her come in and destroy my world. Buffy will be gone, and I’ll have to move on. With Drusilla."



Less than twenty minutes after Angel had left his office he heard another tapping at his door. He didn’t bother to look up. "What is it now, Peaches?"

"That’s a cute nickname," a sarcastic woman started. "Never really understood it, though."

Spike’s head popped up to see her standing where he’d imagined Angel to be. "Buffy! Wh-what are you doing here?"

Buffy’s smile dimmed a bit as she held up the two brown bags she was holding. "I thought we could have lunch. If you’re busy, I could just leave. I shouldn’t have assumed you’d have time..."

Spike jumped out of his seat. "No!" he exclaimed in a louder voice than he would have liked to use. "I mean, you don’t have to leave. I do get a lunch break here."

Buffy’s smiled returned and she handed him one of the bags. Spike closed the door behind her and ushered her into the seat Angel had occupied earlier. He took his seat, removing various items off the desk to make room for their lunch.

Spike held the bag up to his nose. "Philly cheese steak from Dub’s Deli?" he asked with a grin. "You remembered?"

Buffy blushed a little. "How could I forget? That deli is the best I’ve ever been to!"

Spike took out his sandwich, quickly digging into the delicious meal. They ate in silence for a while. "Thank you," Spike said finally.

Buffy looked up from her salad and smiled at him. "You're welcome."

They stared at each other intently, neither willing to break the gaze.

"William, have you had a chance to review those case files I gave-oh, hello Buffy," Hank interrupted their moment as he came barging into the office. Hank looked at them in bewilderment. "What are you doing here?"

Buffy and Spike both stood to greet Hank. "Having lunch?" Buffy attempted lamely.

"Yes, I can see that." Hank couldn’t erase the look of confusion that was written across his face. "How do you and William know each other?"

"Well, we uh-"

"We met at the party last week," Spike filled in for her.

"But Buffy was barely there for more than ten minutes," Hank countered.

Buffy glanced at Spike with a look she hoped said ‘please stop helping!’. "Well, Dad, Spike came out after I left and was waiting for a taxi to make sure I was okay. I, err, bought him lunch as a sort of thank you."

Hank didn’t seem convinced, but accepted her explanation. Spike rushed out from behind his desk with the files Hank had requested when he’d entered the office. "Here are those cases, Mr. Summers." Spike followed Hank to the door, handing his employer the yellow folders. "I’ll just finish up my lunch break and then come to your office to review these," he said. Hank, still looking confused, nodded and walked away from Spike’s office.

Spike closed the door behind Hank, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. Buffy sank down onto the corner of Spike’s desk, doing the same. "Well, that was certainly awkward."

Buffy nodded absently. "It’s just that I never told him when we were together, not that I knew you worked for him anyway, I just, he wouldn’t have liked that I was dating an older guy," she rambled.

Spike allowed her a small smile as he walked towards her. "It’s okay, luv. You don’t have to explain anything." He moved so he was standing directly in front of her and put his hands on the sides of her arms. "I don’t feel like having an overprotective father fire me, anyway."

Buffy chuckled at this. "He’s not exactly protective, never mind overprotective." She was suddenly aware of his closeness. Their faces were mere inches away, and Buffy was finding it hard to breathe, never mind form a competent thought.

Before Spike had a chance to remind himself how wrong it was, he brought his lips down to meet hers. She didn’t respond immediately, overwhelmed by shock, but after a few moments she wrapped her arms around his neck bringing him closer. Spike lowered her down onto his desk, kissing her like he was making up for not being able to all these years.

Buffy didn’t allow herself to think while he was kissing her. She concentrated on the feel of his lips, and how much she’d missed him. When she felt hardness poking into the inside of her thigh, she came crashing back to reality. Not allowing herself to get wrapped up in the heated embrace, she pushed him off her.

"Buffy, what?" Spike stuttered, his mind still foggy.

Buffy wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I’m sorry, I have to go." Without waiting for a response from him, she fled from the room.



Drusilla stepped out of the cab she had taken to Spike’s office. She had made it her business to see her boyfriend as often as possible since Buffy had come into town. She planned to take him out for a quick lunch and then back to her place for what she hoped would be anything but quick.

Stepping onto the elevator, she pressed the button for the floor his law firm was on. It was safe to say she hated Buffy. She didn’t know much about their past together, but from what Darla had told her, Buffy was flaky. Not only that, but Spike was always different when she was around. He had this look in his eyes like he was thinking of Buffy, rather then her. The only hope Drusilla had was that he hadn’t broken up with her for the small blonde. That had to mean something.

Stepping out of the elevator, she made her way down the hall to Spike’s office. As she turned the corner, someone crashed into her throwing her back against the wall.

When Drusilla regained her balance she looked up at the person who had rushed into her. She didn’t have much time to stare, because as soon as Buffy saw her, she fled towards the stairs.

Drusilla couldn’t help but wonder what Buffy had been doing at the office. Don’t be silly, she reassured herself. Her daddy works here, too.

With that explanation firmly embedded in her brain, she resumed her walk to Spike’s office. She tapped on the door lightly.

"Come in!" Spike yelled from the other side, sounding...relieved?

Insisting it was her imagination playing games with her, Drusilla opened the door to see Spike standing in front of his desk, cleaning off what looked like his lunch.

"Hello, dearie," Drusilla greeted.

Spike turned around quickly at the sound of her voice. "Oh, Dru it’s you."

Drusilla frowned. "Who else would it be?"

Spike chuckled, but it sounded nervous to her. "Oh, I don’t know. Angel, Hank, any other bloke who works here." He walked towards her, not inviting her further into the office. "What brings you here?"

Drusilla wrapped her arms around Spike as he enveloped her in a hug. "Just thought I could take you out to lunch," she told him, looking over his shoulder at the mess that was currently his desk. "Looks like you already ate." Actually it looked like he’d gotten into a fight with his desk and won. Everything on his desk was scattered to one side or laying on the floor. If she didn’t know any better she might think...

Buffy. Drusilla quickly took in Spike’s disheveled appearance and fought the urge to vomit.

"Yeah, ate with Angel I did," he explained smoothing back his hair, which was currently under her scrutiny. "Look, pet, I don’t really have time to visit now. I’ll call you later."

"Sure," she replied giving him a quick peck on the lips. She fought back another wave of nausea when she tasted vanilla balm on his lips.

Back in the elevator, Drusilla was fuming. That little tramp thought she could just come in and steal her boyfriend? Drusilla had been searching for a man like Spike her whole life, and there wasn’t a chance in hell she was going to lose him to her. She would do anything to make sure that didn’t happen.



Spike was having mixed feelings about going to Buffy’s birthday party. The last time he’d seen her had been that day in his office when she’d ran out on him. She had a habit of doing that, it seemed. That had been three days ago, and he hadn’t tried to contact her hoping she would seek him out. No such luck. Now he was standing outside the Four Seasons, smoking a cigarette and contemplating whether or not he should go inside.

"Spike!"

Now, he certainly had no choice but to attend the party. "Hello, Dawn."

"I’m glad you could make it," she replied. Dawn nodded towards the little girl holding her hand. "Do you remember Buffy’s daughter, Sarah?"

Spike smiled at the child. She was wearing Minnie Mouse sunglasses, probably a souvenir from Disney Land. Spike bent down so he was eye level with Sarah. "Hello, cutie."

Sarah smiled. "Hi." Spike couldn’t believe how much she resembled Buffy, she even smiled like Buffy.

"Well, were you planning on coming in or what? The party’s already started. You’re late," Dawn reminded him, starting for the door.

They walked into the hall where the party was being held and Spike walked over to place his gift on the overflowing table. Dawn followed him. "What’d you get her?"

"None of your business, Nibblet."

"Glenn, Linda!" Spike could hear Karen, Hank’s third wife, greeting guests. "How are you? Can you believe our Buffy is twenty one already?"

Spike looked over at Dawn to see if she’d heard her stepmother. He’d always known Hank didn’t pick his women for their intelligence, but how could Buffy’s stepmother not know how old she was. She was turning twenty three.

"I can’t believe her!" Dawn fumed. Spike was about to laugh and agree with her, but held back when Dawn continued, "Acting like she’s our mother!" Without casting a glance towards Spike, she picked up Sarah and marched away angrily.

Spike’s face was the picture of confusion. Maybe Dawn was too angry to notice her stepmother’s mistake. Spike was about to find Hank and ask him exactly where he found these women when he spotted a gigantic banner hanging above a mock stage for the band and almost fainted.

Happy 21st Birthday, Buffy!





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