A/N: I know most of you were thinking that Angel is still evil and must have some ulterior motive behind his recent actions. If that were the case, that would've been an easy choice for Buffy to make. So I thought what if Angel had truly changed and stopped being a jerk in this story? Will that influence Buffy and eventually choose him over Spike?
**********************
Saturday- New Year’s Eve party
“How is everything going in there, sweetie?” Joyce called from outside Buffy’s room. “Do you need my help?”
“I’m okay. Just need to decide what to do with my stubborn hair, then I’m done.”
“All right then, just call me if you need anything,” the older Summers said as she started to march down the stairs.
“I will!”
Joyce looked back at Buffy’s room just before she took the phone and dialed a friend’s number.
***********
Buffy decided she liked her hair down better. A few minutes in the curling iron and she looked like a little doll princess with her curly long hair framing her petite round face. The light blue, satin gown her mom bought for her had spaghetti straps, a “V”-shaped neckline, and a sweeping train. The open back enhanced her sexy silhouette and complimented the flowing chiffon ties that hung delicately from behind. The silver metallic 2 ¾ heels she bought recently were the perfect finishing touch to the dress. All in all, Buffy’s ensemble gave her a look that was both girlishly innocent and hauntingly sexy.
She was thankful that Anya was able to stop by earlier to do her make-up. Buffy was satisfied with the outcome even if she wasn’t really big on having to wear something on her face. Anya did a pretty good job of making her look stunning enough without going overboard.
Everything looked perfect except for the lifeless green eyes that were staring back at her through the full-length mirror. She plopped down on the edge of her bed and scrounged up her face in an irritated fashion. She wished she had the power to fast-forward through the day or even through to graduation. She just didn’t know how she would react once she got to the party and actually saw Spike with Dru.
When the doorbell rang, she didn’t move a limb. She remained perfectly still as she listened to her mom shouting –“I’ll get it!” Angel wasn’t the last person she wanted to see, but she was still not looking forward to spending the entire evening with him either.
A few seconds later, Buffy finally summoned up her will and stood up to face the music. She didn’t hurry marching down the stairs. She took her time. She was already midway when she heard the familiar deep voice talking to her mom. Realizing whom it belonged to made her face glow almost instantly. That glow was apparent on her face when she turned and saw Spike.
Buffy tried to even out her breathing as a mixture of feelings began to overwhelm her. What is he doing here? And why did he have to look the way he does when she had been trying very hard to keep her feelings platonic?
He looked so damn irresistible with the tux he was wearing…like somebody who had just stepped out of a GQ magazine. Even the light blue dress shirt he wore inside his suit brought out the color of his eyes. He was the handsomest man she’d ever seen in her whole life and she couldn’t believe that he was the same guy she’d been hanging out with these past four years. How could she have not seen before that she had the hottest man in Sunnydale for a best friend?
He was still busy talking to her mom, so he didn’t feel her presence until she was almost at the bottom of the stairs. When he turned to her direction, the look of awe that he bestowed upon her was so tender that it made her blush and she felt instantly weak in the knees.
*********
Spike tried to appear calm as Joyce opened the door for him. He didn’t like the possibility of running into Buffy and Angel yet. He was about to head out of his house to meet with Dru when his mom asked him to drop some stuff off at Buffy’s.
“Wow William, you look so dashing in your suit!”
“Thanks Mrs. Summers,” he said as his eyes briefly scanned the area for any sign of Buffy. “My mom asked me to give this to you.”
“Thanks. You and your parents are lifesavers.”
“How come you’re not dressed for the party, Ms. Summers? Aren’t you coming with Buffy?”
“No, I have an early flight tomorrow morning and plus, I don’t think my daughter will appreciate me looking after her so closely when she’s out on a date with Angel,” Joyce said as she tried to gauge Spike’s reaction.
‘No, I don’t think she would. She…” The rest of his sentence trailed when he sensed someone moving out of the corner of his eyes. He knew who it was even before he looked. The mere thought of having to see her again had his pulse racing and his heart pounding like crazy. What the hell? He had not set his eyes on her yet and he was already responding to her like a bloody git. He swallowed hard and willed himself to look unaffected when he finally turned and looked her way.
The moment his eyes landed on her, he found himself falling even deeper, so much so that he could barely think straight. His attempt for nonchalance failed miserably as the look of admiration swept across his face before he could stop it. By the time she reached the bottom the stairs, his eyes were already glazed.
Drawing a deep breath, he forced himself to keep calm. He already knew she was beautiful but damn! He’d never seen her THIS beautiful and hot before! Slowly, he titled his head.
Damn he looked so…!“What are you doing here?” Buffy tried to speak in an unfriendly manner. She hoped that he didn’t detect the lack of breath in her voice.
“I was…” Spike looked at Joyce as if he was trying to recall what he was doing there in the first place. Damn it, answer the lady’s question, Spike.
Joyce stifled her laughter as she lifted up the small package that he had brought earlier.
“I just dropped off the batteries that your mom requested.”
“Batteries? What do you need the batteries for?” Buffy asked her mom.
Joyce smiled whimsically, “Oh I called Jenny and asked if they have some extra batteries for our camera.”
“ But I thought you said you went to the store yesterday and …”
Joyce interrupted. “Oh well, since Spike’s here. Why don’t I take a picture while you wait for Angel, honey?”
“This isn’t the prom, mom,” Buffy said, but Joyce was already positioning Buffy to stand beside Spike.
Ignoring Buffy’s comment, Joyce chirped happily. “Oh you two look so adorable! Your clothes even match! What a coincidence, huh?”
Buffy looked suspiciously at her mom. She was the one who helped her pick out the outfit from the boutique. She wondered if she had spoken to Jenny without her knowledge. “William, dear can you more closer to Buffy a bit…good. And Buffy….that’s awesome.”
The camera flashed several times.
Spike and Buffy stood awkwardly by the staircase. They look so cute! Joyce giggled inwardly when she noticed that the two kept stealing glances at one another whenever they thought the other wasn’t looking.
Joyce took one shot of them smiling and two more that were candid. They are definitely gonna thank me for this later.
Spike took the position behind her. He could’ve sworn he felt her shiver when he placed his hands on both of her arms. “How’s this, Ms. Summers?”
“Perfect!”
Buffy’s skin felt so soft under his hands. Her close proximity was driving him nuts. As the familiar scent of vanilla continued to tease him to no end, his sense of sight wasn’t doing any better for it was being treated with a very good view of the smooth expanse of her back. The attraction was so strong he can’t begin to imagine what he would do if he and Buffy were left alone inside a room.
Buffy herself was very much aware of him. His breath on her ears was having such a strong effect on her that she swore her heart would leap out of her chest if she didn’t move away from him soon. So when she heard another doorbell, she jumped and moved quickly to answer the door. She had to get away from Spike fast. She didn’t really fancy the idea of grabbing his butt in front of her mom. “That must be Angel. I’ll get it.”
Angel was holding a bouquet of flowers when Buffy found him standing on the other side of the door. “Hi Buffy. This is for you.”
“T-thanks…They’re lovely.” Buffy feigned a smile as she took the flowers from him. She stole a quick glance at Spike and found him leaning on the wall with a cocked brow.
Angel followed Buffy’s glance. “Hello Mrs. Summers…Spike.”
Spike smirked. “Peaches.”
Angel looked back at Buffy. He didn’t say a word but his look was filled with questions as to what Spike was doing there.
“Spike is our neighbor and he just dropped off some stuff…” Why do I need to explain these things to him? “We should get going. I sort of promised my mom I’ll be home before 3 am.”
“Of course.” Angel looked at Joyce. “I’ll make sure she gets here before that time.”
“Good,” Joyce told them as the two headed for Angel’s car. She’d been starting to feel guilty for not being around her daughter lately. She knew she should have postponed her flight till the next day but she couldn’t since her boss promised that it would be her last assignment out of state.
Spike noticed the hint of worry in the older Summers’ voice. If she only knew what the poofter tried to make Buffy do the first time, she wouldn’t be letting Buffy go out with him in the first place.
“William, I have to be at the airport before 4 am tomorrow. Could you make sure that she gets home safely?”
“Sure Mrs. Summers. I’ll keep an eye out for her.”
***************
The size of the Chase mansion was big enough to drive out a big curse out of Anya’s mouth. “Holy fuck! No wonder Cordelia feels like she’s the center of the earth. It didn’t really cross my mind that maybe she was. If I had a house this big, I would probably have a hard time keeping my two feet on the ground, that’s for sure.”
The four of them got out of the car that Xander borrowed from his Uncle Rory and handed the key to the valet. They couldn’t help but admire the alluring ambience the place permitted as expensive cars kept lining in front of the mansion.
“Anh will you keep it down.” Xander hushed. “The people coming in are all very distinguished looking. I kinda want to blend in.”
“Are you saying that I don’t sound and look distinguished enough?” Anya retorted.
Oh no, here we go again. “No that’s not what I’m saying.”
“Really, coz from my end, it seems that you’re pretty embarrassed to be seen around me.”
“Will you two quit it?! “ Willow stood in between them. “We haven’t even entered the mansion and already the two of you are it again.”
“Tell that to Mr. I-Wanna-Mingle-With-Donald-Trump. I was just making an honest remark and he’s couldn’t stop making rude comments about me.” Anya explained.
“Hey look, it’s Buffy.” Oz motioned towards the entrance.
“And Angel.” Xander added, his eyes looking at the couple skeptically as they started to walk towards them. “I don’t trust that guy for a single second…” he muttered under his breath.
“Me neither.” Oz agreed.
“Hi everyone!” Buffy greeted. “ Love your dress, Willow! ”
Willow twirled, showing off her black, partially beaded gown. “Thanks. I love yours too.”
“And you two look so very distinguished in your tuxes.” Buffy told Xander and Oz.
“She called me distinguished.” Xander’s goofy grin was met by Anya’s large scowl.
“It’s pretty much going to be the same attire that I’ll be wearing at the prom.” Oz stated.
“Me too,” Xander replied. “If nobody rents it first.”
“How about me? I didn’t actually just buy my gown at a thrift store,” Anya said, raising her hand.
“You look good too, Anya,” Angel surprisingly said.
The rest of them were actually waiting for the mockery that usually came with Angel’s comments. Strangely, it never came.
Angel began to feel uncomfortable under their scrutinizing collective gaze. “What are you guys waiting out here for?” Angel said good-naturedly. “You know Queen C doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
***************
Cordelia was standing in the middle of a very large receiving area to greet incoming guests as they entered the mansion.
“Hi guys! Thank you for coming,” Cordy greeted while her amicable warm welcome was met by sets of suspicious brows. “What?”
Buffy looked at the others and shrugged. “Nothing.” The evening was turning out to be pretty weird. Angel was behaving really well and Cordy was being nice to them for once. What bizarre world is this? They must’ve stepped into another dimension and didn’t notice it. “We’re just glad to be here. Your dress is lovely.”
Cordelia smiled. “Thanks.”
“Hi Cordy.” Angel greeted.
“Hello Angel! Nice tux.”
“And you look beautiful.” Angel replied back.
I wonder what’s up with these two? Buffy lifted her brow in curiosity as she noticed the blush that slowly spread on Cordy’s cheeks. Angel seemed to be looking at her appreciatively. She wondered if the two were even aware of the amount of chemistry that was emitting between them.
“The ballroom is at your right and oh, you’ll like the table where I seated you,” Cordy told them.
“Is it near the bar?” Xander asked.
“No, but it’s near the orchestra.”
Willow’s mouth fell open. “You hired an orchestra?”
“No, my dad hired an orchestra. If you ask me, I would have preferred a regular band but it’s his party.” Cordy turned to Xander. “I don’t see the point of placing you near the bar when the only drinks that you’re allowed to order are water and soda… oh yeah, and some juice that isn’t spiked.”
“Right. She does have a point.” Buffy told them before they disappeared into the ballroom.
“Wow!” They found themselves saying as they reached their destination. They all seemed to hold that same captivated look, including Angel who had seen the place before.
“Who knew that Cordy lives in a mansion almost similar to Captain Von Trapp’s?” Xander said in complete awe.
The word “huge” couldn’t even begin to describe it. The room was large enough for 150 people. Fourteen tables were arranged on either side of the room, and the aisle between the tables was big enough to be used both as a dance floor and a stage for a mini-orchestra. The massive and magnificent chandeliers that hung from the ceiling brought out the beauty and elegance throughout the entire room. The place looked magical.
The young teens made their way to their table and were silently grateful for Cordelia when they realized that they were conveniently seated at one table. Buffy discreetly glanced at the remaining two empty seats beside her and secretly hoped that Spike and Dru were not going to sit with them.
“Buffy, would you like to dance?”
Buffy looked at Angel and to the people who were already dancing on the floor. Most of them were probably the same age as her mom. Buffy thought that Joyce would’ve enjoyed the ambience. “Sure.”
She let him lead her to the center of the ballroom. One of his arms held the side of her waist while the other held her hand firmly. “Familiar with the waltz?”
“Yeah.” Angel replied as they started to sway to the sound of “Serenade to Spring” by Rolf Lovland. “Believe it or not, my mom taught me how to do the waltz when I was 8 years old. It’s much easier than the tango. How about you? Where did you learn these steps?”
“I didn’t,” Buffy chuckled. “Honestly, I was just trying to do what you do. I’m not really a good dancer when it comes to the classics.”
She couldn’t imagine Angel dancing to the oldies. Guess there was a new side of him she hadn’t seen yet. A side that he tended to hide in order to maintain his bad boy image. Kinda like Spike. She sighed.
It would be much easier for her if Spike and Dru had changed their minds and not come to the party at all. But then that would mean that something else entirely had detained them. Just the mere thought of what that “something” might be made Buffy feel sick. But then again, if Spike and Dru turned up later, Buffy still wouldn’t feel comforted because it wouldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t get intimate after the party. Knowing Spike, he probably wouldn’t let the night end without taking Dru to his place and…
Okay, my head is hurting now. Better stop thinking about Spike and focus on my date. Didn’t she used to love Angel? She used to think that he was her one and only soul mate, and now that she was finally in his arms, all she wanted to do was go somewhere private where she could be alone. No Angel. Most importantly, no Spike and no Dru.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Huh?”
“You’re brooding. Did I say something wrong?”
“No. I’m not brooding. I’m just…”
Angel raised a curious brow as he saw a sudden change on her face. Gone was the glum expression and instead a look of longing was now painted over Buffy’s features. He immediately followed her stare and wasn’t really surprised when he found Spike and Dru stepping into the ballroom
TBC
A/N: I’m glad you liked my last chapter. Your reviews are all wonderful and inspiring!
My latest chap was nothing much but it sort of showed you an idea of what’s to come. Hope you still enjoyed it. Again don’t forget to leave a review! This story was after all meant to please all Spuffy fans out there so it is really quite a big deal for me to know how you felt after reading it. Big thanks and big hugs to everyone!
Once again, thanks to Natalie for proof reading this for me!
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