A week later
After she had called Riley a dozen times and left him with a number of messages on his voicemail, Buffy had decided to wait it out and just appeared at his doorstep the day after his arrival.
She’d been up all night, talking to Willow and thinking about doing what she should’ve done a long, long time ago. The more she thought about it, the more she’s convinced that she will be doing the right thing.
Now all she needed was little nudge to help her pull it off.
With that last thought, her attention went to the ring she wore on her finger - the one that was given to her by Spike. Her heart skipped a beat as she briefly recalled how he had gotten down on his knees and proposed to her. Just to be able hear him say those words that she had long waited to hear made her heart swell-up with joy.
Truth be told, she hadn’t come up with the reason of why she chose not return the ring yet. He seemed to have forgotten about it as well for he never mentioned it, not even once in the two phone conversations they had that week. They were the only conversation they had since that that day at the hotel and in both times, their exchanges had been brief. He asked her how she was; she told him she’s okay and that’s the extant of that. It almost seemed like he was supposed to tell her something but chose not to…or could it be just wishful thinking on her part?
“Okay. Here goes nothing.” She inhaled deeply before she rang the doorbell.
Riley opened the door for her. “Hi!” she greeted.
“Buffy!” Riley chirped, as he swooped down and gave her a kiss that Buffy took hesitantly. “ I missed you, baby. ”
His mouth watered at the amount of skin exposed from her skimpy halter-top. Buffy Buffy Buffy. Oh how he's crazy about his girl. His eyes roamed hungrily over the smoothness of her shoulder down to the jeans that emphasized the beauty of her curves. She was a vision of hotness. He’ll be damned if he’ll let some loser like Spike Giles take her away from him.
“Um…I missed you too.” She quickly told him. “I’ve been trying to call you all week. Where were you? “
“I’m sorry that I got you so worried. It’s just that I got so busy lately.”
“Too busy to answer the phone?”
Riley chuckled “You know I love it when you act like that. It’s cute.”
Buffy looked at him sternly. “You’re stalling.”
“Okay you got me. I’m actually working on a surprise for you. And don’t you dare try to talk me into sharing it with you because you’ll just have to wait and see for yourself on our wedding day.”
“Oh.” She cleared her throat.” …Riley? About the wedding… There’s something that I need to tell you-“
“You must be Buffy!” A middle age couple suddenly emerged from the living room.
The woman gave her a firm hug. ”You don’t know how glad I am to finally meet you!”
At Buffy’s confused look, Riley quickly made with the introductions.” Buffy I would like you to meet my parents, Richard and Kate .”
Buffy feigned a big smile. “ Pleased to meet you…uh Richard and Kate. Could you give us a minute please?”
“Of course.” Riley’s father gave the couple a worried look. ” Come on, dear.”
“I thought they’re supposed to arrive next week?” Buffy asked Riley as the older couple disappeared into the kitchen.
“They were supposed to, but they changed their mind.”
At Buffy’s sigh of exasperation he went on, “I know you wanted to prepare for their arrival, but they just couldn’t wait to meet you. “
Buffy stared into space. She was practically clueless to what she’s supposed to do next; his parents obviously flew all the way from Iowa just to meet her. When she planned their break-up, Riley’s parents weren’t supposed to be in the mix.
“You were going to tell me something?”
“Riley I….” Oh God! I can’t tell him now! It’ll be awkward. “I need to go and do that thing that I’m supposed to do this morning.”, She told him, fidgeting. She kept her hands behind her as an attempt to hide what she wasn't supposed to be wearing.
“But you just got here.”
“I know I’m sorry.” She told him nervously.
“All right I’ll let you go this time, but you have to be back this evening to have dinner with us.”
**************
“ I chickened out.” Buffy told Willow after she caught-up with her at the mall a few minutes later.
“I figured as much with you being here and all.” Willow told her as she picked-up a skirt from a rack of clothes and checked the size. Nope. Too short.
Buffy helped by picking-out a skirt from the same rack. After having checked its length, she handed it to the redhead who gave her an instant nod of approval.
“I don’t deserve to be happy, Wills.” Buffy groaned in frustration.
“What? Buffy what on earth made you think that?”
“I just know. I mean I don’t know what I want half the time…ok most of the time. That’s why I usually end up making the wrong decisions in life.”
Willow walked into one of the fitting rooms.
“Buffy, listen to me “ She told her from the other side.” You’re on the right track, honey. I think you should go over to Riley’s and tell him that the wedding’s off so you could start making a move on Spike.”
Buffy chuckled. “ You do know that there’s no guarantee that it will work between Spike and me.”
“But over the phone, I thought you I heard you mention that there were definite ‘sparkage’ between the two of you or did I hear you wrong?”
“No Wills, you didn’t hear me wrong. There were definitely some sparkage. In fact there were lots.” Buffy said, suppressing a giggle.
“So what are you waiting for, woman? Why aren’t you high tailing it over to Spike’s place and….I don’t know, carpe diem!”
“You want us to eat fish?”
Willow’s head suddenly peered through the door, frowning. “No…Carpe diem, not carp. It means seize the day.”
“Oh yeah. I knew that.” She replied foolishly. “But he’s not in love with me, Willow.”
“And you’re sure about this how?”
“I could tell that he is still carrying a torch for that vampire wannabe. He’s still probably hurting from losing her.”
Willow disappeared back into the fitting room and carefully examined herself in the mirror. “Well, let’s just make sure that you’re there to help him mend his heart then.”
*********************
When Spike’s doorbell rang, the first thing that came to his mind was Buffy. Smiling widely, he quickly opened the door.
“Spike.” Dru wetted her lips at the sight of Spike sans his shirt.
Just as quickly, his smile faded. “Dru.”
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Without waiting for Spike’s response, Dru made her way inside his dorm room.
“What are you doing here, Dru?”
The brunette smiled mischievously as she sat on his couch. “You’ve been a bad dog, my Spike. I’ve been waiting for you to come to my house last night. You didn’t even call. ”
“Oh yeah! I’m sorry I forgot. What was it you wanted to talk about?”
“It’s about us.”
Spike shook his head in disbelief. “Dru, the last time I checked, there is no us. There hasn’t been an us for almost a year now.”
“Precisely my darling. “ Dru snickered madly at Spike’s confused look. “I know that there is no us and I also know that there never will be. You see, I’ve done something wrong.”
Spike crossed his arms across his bare chest. “Why don’t I like the sound of that?”
“I’ve been trying to make you spend some time with me lately, so we could get back together.”
“Dru –“
“Let me finish.” She intercepted. “ I want you to know that I’ve accepted our fate, Spike. I may be crazy sometimes but I’m not stupid. You’re in love with sunshine. Always had been. “
“Why are you telling me all this?”
“Because I want us to be friends again.” She offered her hand.” Is that ok with you? To accept me as a friend?”
Spike sighed in relief. “Of course Dru. I would love to be your friend.”
“Good. “ She looked at her watch then stood-up. “Well, now. I should be heading out. “
Spike opened the door for her.
Dru was about to leave when she doubled back and gave him a light kiss on the lips. She whispered.” Thanks for everything. Buffy is lucky to have you.”
“Bye Dru.” He told her as he watched her leave.
****************
Buffy was across the hallway, on her way to Spike’s dorm room when she saw Spike’s door open. She practically drooled at the sight of her best friend clad only in jeans. With his back facing her, she continued her ogling, admiring the way the muscles on his back flexed as he leaned casually against the doorway.
Buffy smiled wickedly as a number of different scenarios played inside her head. Some of which involves a lot of kissing… grinding…and perhaps a few scratches on his back.
She tried to suppress a giggle as she moved to snake her arms around his torso in an attempt to surprise him. But just then, a flash of brunette inside his room made her instantly back away.
Hurriedly, she took cover behind a group of students that had been hanging out by the hallway. Oh my God! Was that-…
Buffy’s heart painfully constricted at the sight of what seemed to be a kissingfest between Spike and Dru.
*******************
Later that night.
The doorbell rang and Riley eagerly opened the door to his rented bungalow.
“Hi. I hope I’m not late.” Buffy greeted with a smile. A smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Riley hid a smirk as he helped Buffy out of her coat. “ Nope. You’re just in time. Mom’s still in the kitchen. You’re in for a treat because she’s just about ready to serve my favorite crab soufflé.”
TBC
A/N: Thanks to Lara, Kimmie, Jessica, Pretty Cordy, Spuff_me, Ash, Photographynut, Kayla, SarahandJamesFanatic, Brittney, Dirktavian, Steph, CCC, Mikaela and Cathou for reviewing my last chapter. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I hope I didn’t scare anyone off by putting a little obstacle for our favorite couple. All I ask is to have a little faith. It would be times like these that true Spuffy love should come out at its best. . Please let me know what you think of it. Thanks again!
Special thanks to Hotmomma MB for helping me out with this chapter and for being a good friend.
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