“Buffy, what the hell are you doing?” Spike demanded.
“Don’t be upset with her—“ Wes started at the same time Buffy did.
“I was helping Wes get–“
“She got caught getting my—“
“Cufflink!” They both finished at the same time Buffy yanked hard, tumbling to the floor.
Spike frowned and held out his hand to help her up.
Gratefully, she took it and allowed him to help her stand. “Were you coming to look for me?”
Spike eyed them both, “Yeah, Fred was afraid Wes got lost without his glasses.”
Wesley rolled his eyes, “For Heaven’s Sake.” And he strode off.
Buffy giggled, “Poor Wes. I have a feeling Fred’s about to get an earful.”
“Yes, well, I should give you an earful.”
Buffy sighed, “I leant down to get his cufflink and my hair – the hair might I remind you, that you wanted me to get done—got caught on his zipper.”
Spike shook his head. “Buffy...”
“It was an accident! I was trying to be helpful.”
“Maybe you should try less.”
“Why are you getting so upset with me? It’s actually quite comical if you think about it – “
“Because what if someone came along and misinterpreted what you were doing? Like I just about did, if I didn’t know you better. It’s all about appearances Buffy and since you’re my date—“
“You mean your arm candy,” she hissed, getting royally pissed.
“You know that’s not true, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Yeah, I know it when we’re alone, but once we’re here it’s all ‘be quiet Buffy, don’t make a wrong move Buffy, stay by my side Buffy’—“
“I’m doing it to protect you!”
“Protect me? Or protect you? I marvel at your sudden concern for ‘appearances’. Appearances didn’t seem to bother you any when you were busy fucking half the women in L.A.!” She started to stalk off, but he grabbed her arm forcefully and pulled her back.
“Do you realize what you walked into tonight by coming?”
She opened her mouth to reply but he stopped her by holding up his hand.
“This is a different world than you’re used to,” he explained, calmer now. “Have you ever read the rags, Buffy? Do you ever stop and see the outrageous headlines that don those magazines? Their job is to get dirt. Their job is take something as innocent as you helping Wes find his cufflink and turn it into you cheating on me in the bathroom.”
“I know, but—“
“No, you don’t know. You think just because it was innocent, that others will see it that way. Or that they won’t talk, or that they won’t come after you. You’re mistaken. They will. You don’t live in the spotlight like I do. You don’t have your every move catalogued and shown to the world like I do. Yes, I live my life still, but I know the tricks and I’m used to being in the spotlight. You’re not. You live your life hidden from these sorts of things. You can go out of your house without being recognized. I can’t. And now, because you’re here with me, you can’t either. This is a major event Buffy and you’ve now been earmarked as my date. They’re going to want to know who you are, where you came from, what you do. So when I tell you to stay by my side and not speak with the press, it’s not because I’m trying to be a dick, or because I’m trying to suppress you or make you docile ‘arm candy’. It’s because I don’t want your good name to be splashed all over the rags and made fun of or dissected. I’m trying to protect you, not me. I don’t give a rat’s ass what they say about me. They’ve been saying shit about me for years – some good, some bad. I just want to protect you from the bad that I know can occur. And do you know why, Buffy?”
“B-because you love me?”
He nodded, “Yes.”
“You make it sound as if I’ve been acting up all night or something! I haven’t. I’ve been on my best behavior. Even to that Faith bitch and I hate feeling like I have to walk on egg shells all the time and constantly worry if what I’m doing is all right and if I look okay. . . “
“Welcome to my world.”
“Your world sucks.”
“Do you want out of it, Buffy?” he whispered, fear in his voice.
She looked up at him and shook her head, “No, I don’t. It’s part of you and I love you. I just don’t like feeling as if I have to please them and you. I feel like I can’t breathe. I’d rather just focus on having a good time and being with you.” She held up her hand. “I do solemnly swear to not get my hair caught in anyone’s zipper for the rest of the night.”
He laughed at that and hugged her close. “I’m sorry if I made you feel like you couldn’t breathe or do anything right.”
“I’m sorry I yelled at you,” she mumbled into his neck.
“It’s okay, luv, I don’t blame you. I should know by now. I believe your mantra is ‘I am woman, hear me roar’?”
She giggled, “Yep. Hey, did dinner come yet?”
He smiled wide and gazed at her, “That’s your other mantra. Yes, it did. Let’s go.”
Dinner went smoothly, and now that the air had been cleared, Buffy felt much better in regards to her ‘place’ by his side.
Well, better except for one annoying, little thing: Faith.
The woman had no class whatsoever. She was rude, loud and obnoxious. She didn’t shut up, and, she didn’t stop making lewd innuendo’s to Spike. Spike, for his part, ignored her, changed the subject, spoke with Buffy and joked with Wes. Faith, though, the annoying little gnat that she was, was making things difficult.
“Do you want to go check out that veranda now?” Spike asked in her ear, kissing the shell of it.
At Faith’s glare, Buffy smiled her agreement.
Standing, Spike held out his hand, ever being the gentleman, and led her to the veranda. It was even more gorgeous outside than inside. A garden was just beyond the veranda. A huge garden with a water fountain smack dab in the middle with mermaids and giant fish statues.
“Wow,” Buffy breathed.
“Beautiful?”
“Gorgeous. Don’t you think its gorgeous?”
Spike smiled down at her and drew her into his arms. “You’re so very good for me.”
“Am I now?”
“Yes, you are. You keep my feet planted on the ground, you put me in my place and you make me appreciate the finer things in life.”
“Such as...”
“My daughter being number one, love being number two, and taking time to actually see what’s going on around me. I don’t always stop to ‘smell the roses’.”
“Well, I don’t think that stopping to smell the roses is necessarily something you can attribute to the hazard of being in your world. I think that a lot of people often times get caught up in their own lives and problems and don’t often take a step back and appreciate the finer things in life. I’m not always good at it myself.”
“Don’t leave me,” Spike whispered in her ear.
Buffy froze, “What?”
“Don’t leave me, Buffy. Stay here with me. I need you.”
“And you have me.”
“I know I have you, but I ...I need more. I want you here with me. I want you with me everyday.”
“Spike...”
“Please.”
“Spike—“
“Spike, we need you for photos.”
Their heads turned to see Wesley standing in the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt.”
Spike sighed heavily and looked down at Buffy. “Come with me?”
Buffy shook her head, “I’d rather stay out here and get some air. And hey…no one is out here. No press, no cufflinks, no zippers…”
Spike chuckled. “All right. Stay put, I’ll be right back.”
Buffy saluted him and he swatted her bum, chuckling as he and Wesley made their way inside.
Taking a deep breath, Buffy inhaled the sweet fragrance of the garden. Closing her eyes, she let the warm breeze wash over her.
”Don’t leave me.” Spike’s plea rang in her ears and stirred up her emotions. Sighing, Buffy looked up at the night sky for answers. She started to hum an old 80’s song and then started to sing it aloud. “Should I stay or should I go…If I stay there will be trouble, but if I go there will be double… so come and let me know… should I stay or should I go…”
“So it doesn’t appear you’ll be breaking into the biz with your lack of singing talent.”
Buffy abruptly stopped singing and rolled her eyes. Just what she wanted: Faith.
Turning slightly, Buffy donned a bright, albeit fake smile. “Hello Sunshine.”
Faith smirked at her. “I’m impressed Betty—“
“Buffy.”
“Whatev. I’m impressed. You haven’t left yet.”
“Why should I?”
Faith shrugged, “Well, I mean you’re not glitz and glam. You’re actually rather plain. Kind of like that Fred broad. Don’t you feel a little left out?”
Buffy frowned thoughtfully. “Well, do you feel left out?”
“What do you mean?” Faith asked, narrowing her eyes.
“I mean, you’re not glitz and glam. You’re more trashy and whorish. Being surrounded by people with some actual class must make it difficult for you.”
“Guess you’re not exactly the innocence and light Spike makes you out to be, huh?”
Buffy smiled, “Spike knows I’m not all innocence and light. He likes it that way if you know what I mean. Oh, wait. You don’t know what I mean, do you?”
“You little bitch,” Faith snarled and lunged.
Oh crap, Buffy thought as she held out her arms to block Faith’s attack. Maybe I shouldn’t have spurred her on, Buffy thought. Even if she did deserve to be taken down a notch or two or twenty.
Faith slapped her across the face, and Buffy felt the heat from that slap and before she could make a move, Faith was pulling her hair.
“Get off me you psycho hose beast!” Buffy yelled and managed to jut her arms out to shove her, and ended up scratching her in the face. “Who has a cat fight at a charity benefit? Do you have any sense at all?”
“You’re not going to be able to keep him, you wuss! Spike needs a real woman, not a mousey brat!”
Finally managing to gain some leverage, Buffy slammed her heeled shoe down on Faith’s foot. The impact of it, made Faith momentarily pause in her attack, and Buffy used that moment to shove her off. It was at that moment that the camera’s started going off. Flashes of bright light filling up the dark and peace of the veranda and garden.
Buffy froze.
Faith snapped into action. “How could you do that to me?” she wailed. “How could you hurt me?” she said accusingly as tears started to cascade down her face, and she held onto the scratch mark as if it was a gaping wound.
A murmur went through the crowd, a disbelieving murmur and soon they were reporters moving forward to inquire how the injured Faith was, while another throng moved forward to question how Buffy could do such a thing to a Diva such as Faith.
Buffy opened her mouth several times to respond, but her responses were abrupt and cut off before she could get a complete answer out. “No, I didn’t—I wasn’t—She came—No, I didn’t--“
“What the bloody hell is going on out here?” Spike bellowed.
Gulping, Buffy watched as Spike shoved his way in through the reporters, yelling at them to get the hell away. “Leave her alone!” he shouted. Managing to get to her, Spike grabbed Buffy and pulled her to him, bringing her into the safety of his arms. “Let’s go home,” he said and guided her out.
Buffy felt numb. Turning to see Faith, she saw the woman hamming it up for the cameras and reporters. Someone had brought her a wet cloth for her cheek and she held it there while pouting her ruby red lips and batting her fake eyelashes.
“I didn’t…” Buffy murmured.
“What, baby?”
Two plump tears fell down Buffy’s cheeks. “I didn’t do it on purpose. I was defending myself.”
“You can tell me all about it in the car,” Spike muttered and with purposeful strides, practically dragging Buffy with him, made his way out of the party and to their limo.