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Summary: Buffy is happily engaged to Riley Finn. So what happens when she goes out dancing one night and runs into her old boyfriend?

Author's Note: This one's for the incredibly talented Alia, who instead of a review for her *awesome* story Nimbus, wanted a new fic posted. ; ) If you haven't read said story, I highly recommend it. As of this week it is completed.

I got the idea for this fic while listening to "Tequila Talkin'". It's by Lonestar, and it's pretty awesome if you like twangy and depressing songs. : )

This fic isn't gonna be super-epic or anything. I've got it mostly outlined and written out. It *is* angsty. But I'll try to make it worth your while if you suffer through the angst with me. : )

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Buffy Summers blinked against the bright sun as she stepped out of the apartment, closing the door behind her. As the door clicked into place, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Thank God that's over.

As she pulled her car keys from the pocket of her jeans, her thumb rubbed against her ring finger. It felt strange without the diamond band she'd been wearing for the last few months. Buffy got into the car and checked her appearance in the mirror. Her eye make-up could use some major touching up. She'd cried a lot in the last hour.

Of course, no one had ever said that breaking off an engagement was easy. Riley had cried so much. It had affected her more than she'd like to admit. He was such a strong man. To see him reduced to a weeping mess because of her was...unsettling.

He had begged her to stay - asked her what he'd done wrong. And what could she say? That there was someone else? No. Because that would've made it seem like she'd been unfaithful and she hadn't been. Not until last night at least.

So instead she'd told him that she'd been doing some soul-searching - which was partly true; and decided that she wasn't ready to settle down - which wasn't true at all. She was ready. She just didn't want him.

Riley had been a wonderful boyfriend and an even better fiancé. He'd always treated her well. Respected her; taken care of her. And he was always so gentle with her - especially in the last few weeks when life had suddenly gotten unbelievably hard. But above all else, he could give her what she wanted most in the world - the one thing that she had been denied her entire life: a loving, happy home.

Her friends adored Riley and even her viciously cold parents had approved of him. And she loved him. She did. She just wasn't in love with him.

Buffy gave her reflection a sad smile, then put the car into drive. She gave Riley's apartment one last look before she drove away.

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She was about halfway home when her cell phone rang. She almost ignored it - fearing it was Riley. She was pleasantly surprised when she looked at the caller ID: Spike.

She smiled, despite her earlier distress and answered with a cheerful, 'hey.'

"Hey yourself," came the drawling reply and Buffy felt her knees go weak. No man should be this sexy over the phone... "What are you up to, luv?"

"Nothing. I was just headed home. I was gonna have a shower then I was hoping to see you. I know I said I needed a few days, but... Are you free later?"

He didn't respond.

"Spike? You there?"

"Yea. I'm here...Listen, luv. This uh...this really isn't a social call."

"It's not? Um, okay. So what's up then?"

"I...I wanted to talk to you 'bout last night."

"Oh...What about it?"

He sighed and Buffy thought she heard him mutter 'bollocks'.

"Spike?"

"I'm still here. I just don't know how to go about this."

An uneasy feeling had made it's way into her heart and for the life of her, she couldn't shake it off. "Why don't you just come out with it? You've never held back with me before."

She was right. They'd always been straight with one another: it was their blessing and their curse. No need to change that now.

"I was calling to apologize to you."

"Apologize?"

"Yea. I mean, I was kinda drunk last night and most of the evenin's a blur. But I remember seein' you and I know I...I talked to you. Said some things... I think I may have done some things that weren't really appropriate."

You told me you still loved me...

"So you..." Buffy tried desperately to keep her voice steady. "You don't remember anything you said?"

"No. I'm just afraid that I might have overstepped some boundaries..." He forced an uncomfortable laugh. "I wouldn't want Captain Cardboard to show up on my doorstep lookin' for a fight."

"Don't call him that," she halfheartedly defended her ex-fiancé.

"Sorry." He said it quietly - almost as if he really was sorry. "Look, Buffy, I need to go. I gotta be at work in a few minutes so..."

"Yea." God, she was numb. "Of course."

"So we're good then?"

"Yea. We're...fine."

"Good. Um...give Riley my best and all."

"Okay." He barely heard her soft reply.

"Bye." She heard him hang up before she could respond.

With a trembling hand, Buffy flipped her phone closed and dropped it into the seat beside her.

She couldn't breathe.

And there was no way she'd make it the rest of the way home.

Willow. Her best friend lived only a few blocks from here. She could keep it together that long. She could...

As she turned the steering wheel and headed down a side street, her eyes caught sight of her bare ring finger. Then, the tears came.

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In the next chapter we'll see exactly what happened between Spike and Buffy the night before. I've got it written out, but it may take me a day or two to get it typed and posted.





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