Chapter 4

“Spikey! Spikey!” Harmony ran through the terminal with her arms weighed down with carryon luggage. “I’ve missed you sooo much!” She jumped into his arms and covered his face with strawberry scented kisses.

“Hey, Barbie, missed you too.” Spike spoke into her hair and blinked away the tears, her strong, sweet perfume stinging his eyes.

“Awww! Aren’t you just the cutest? My blondie bear missed me. Look at you, getting all teary eyed.”

“It’s been a long week without you, Harm.” He took her bags, resting one on each of his shoulders. “Tell me about your trip. How many credit cards did you max?” Spike held a hand to the small of her back and maneuvered her though the busy airport as Harmony gushed about her shopping vacation.
***

“Hi! You’re here early, come in.” Dawn led Buffy through the house. “I love that dress.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s good you brought a sweater because we’ll be outside all day. I figure we’ll set everything up, the decorations and the food and then we’ll sit and watch all the others clean up. How does that sound?”

“Sounds good. I’m much better at making a mess than cleaning one up. Where should I put my gift?”

“We’ll start a pile over there.”

Buffy nodded, “So where’s the birthday boy?”

“Upstairs watching TV with Conner. I think Conner’s hiding from me. I get kinda frazzled with these kinds of get-togethers especially today’s.”

“The first birthday is very important.”

“It sure is.” Dawn smiled, more excited that her brother and her new friend were soon to be reunited. “You want the honor of decorating? I have a bag of goodies that you can use?”

“Sure.”
***

Table cloth? Check. Napkins? Cups? Plastic silverware? Check, check, check.

What’s left?

Happy Birthday sign.

“Dawn, where’d you want the banner?”

“Um, is it long enough to be strung between the trees? That would be cute. But before you do that, I want you to meet Cordelia Chase.”

Cordelia came around the corner, scanning the backyard. “Hey.”

“Hi, nice to meet you.”

“Buffy just moved in next to William,” Dawn explained, smiling widely.

“Oh, so how do you like Sunnyhell? Bored yet? Speaking of William…” Cordelia wrinkled her nose, not used to hearing Spike being called by his given name. “He here yet?”

Dawn cleared her throat, “No William’s not here.”

“Good. I can’t wait till he shows up.”

“Why? No, on second thought, don’t tell me.” Dawn wasn’t sure if Cordelia knew about Buffy and Spike but she wanted to keep Buffy oblivious so seeing Spike would be a pleasant surprise.

Buffy looked between Dawn and Cordelia, lost and confused.

They all really like Dawn’s brother. She shrugged. “Nice to meet you Cordelia, I’ll let you guys talk and I’ll just you hang this.” She excused herself and looked for a chair to stand on.
***

“Harmony.” Spike spoke firmly, slowly loosing his patience.

“Don’t get snippy with me, Spikey, it’s just so hard to decide.”

“You always look lovely in pink, how ‘bout the dress?”

“But my boobs look the best in this.” Harmony showed him a lavender top and pouted, her lower lip jutting out. “But I don’t want to wear it.”

“Why not, baby?”

“Because I’m not in a purple kind of mood. This sucks.”

Good lord, it does. Spike sighed and glanced at the clock. “Harm, we’re runny ridiculously late. Just pick something, you look gorgeous in everything here.”

“I know. And that makes it even harder to decide.” Harmony sighed, upset by her dilemma. “Go without me, and I’ll come over when I’m done.”

“You sure? You won’t just stay here all day and play dress up?”

“No, no silly goose. I need to concentrate, besides I can hardly wait to see Cordy and little Dawnie again.”

“Ok, Tinkerbelle, I’ll meet you there.”

“Oooh, you know I love when you call me that, my sexy devil.”

“I am what I am.” He forced a wide smile and kissed her silent.
***

Buffy had one side of the birthday sign secure but the other side was giving her fits.

“Stupid sign.”

“Why don’t you try moving it down a little? I think that’ll make it straight enough. If not, we’ll say the trees are crooked.”

Buffy followed the voice’s directions and then looked over her shoulder. “Hey Conner. How does that look?”

“Good enough for me.” He offered her a hand and helped her off the chair. “So how’s it going so far?”

“Being the outsider? It’s alright, I guess.”

“Give it time, they’re an easy crowd to win over. And Dawn really likes you.”

“She’s a great person, but I’m sure you already know that.”

Conner smiled. “You want something to drink?”

“Sure.”
***

“Sorry. I’m late. Something came up. Oooh, Wheatabix.” Spike spoke to no one in particular and walked directly to the food table. “God, I’m starving.”

Dawn dove out of her conversation with Cordelia and grabbed Spike by the arm. “Hey Will, can I talk to you--.”

“What’s up? Why are you whispering?”

Dawn had him almost through the door, unnoticed by the other guests until Cordelia said, “Spike, you’re here. Dawn, don’t be rude. Buffy, come here and meet Dawn’s brother.”

“Cordelia!” Dawn snapped. She opened her mouth again but stopped when the doorbell rang. “Stay! Nobody move or say a word until I get back!”
***

“Angel, you have horrible timing—Harmony?”

“Hey, Dawnie! Let’s get this party started!”
***

“Spike, you’re here.”

Buffy swallowed her drink and froze, not answering Conner’s question.

“Dawn, don’t be rude. Buffy, come here and meet Dawn’s brother.”

Spike? Dawn’s brother? But I thought…William? Oh God…he said it was just a nickname…

Buffy didn’t turn around until she heard his voice.
***

I knew it was her in that storm.

Spike swallowed, seeing his dream girl standing mere feet away with his brother-in-law. Her blonde hair glittered in the sunlight and her cherry-patterned sundress blew slightly in the summer breeze hugging her delicately curved body.

“Oh God.”

“William, Harmony is here.”
***

“Hey guys!” Harmony nudged Spike and threaded their fingers together. “Spikey…introduce me.”

“Right. Ah, everyone this is Harmony Kendal, my girlfriend.”

“Your what?”

“Dawn, Harm and I have been dating for awhile.”

“How long?”

“Nineteen days.” Harmony answered for him and kissed Spike on the cheek. “And we’re sooo much in love, it was like love at first sight really. I saw him and then he saw me and then--.”

“Not now, Harm, you can give everyone a recap later.”

“Yes, later.” Dawn cleared her throat and pulled Spike away from his clingy girlfriend. “I need to talk to you. Now.”
***

Cordelia frowned, not knowing what was going on and not enjoying the feeling of being kept in the dark.

Why didn’t Dawn want Buffy to see Spike?

“Hey Buffy.”

“Huh?”

“You don’t look so hot. So, do you and Spike know each other?”

“Yes…well no, not really, I guess…um, maybe?”

“I see.”

Spike is so dead.

This is great! It should be Parker’s birthday everyday.
***

“Ow!”

“There’s a lot more where that came from.” Dawn gritted her teeth and hit Spike again in the arm. “You’re dating Harmony? Why?”

“Because I…I don’t have to explain myself to you. I can date whoever I want.”

“But do you really want to date that bimbo when Buffy’s living next door to you?”

“Speaking of that, how the hell did you find her and get her to actually move in? Or is this all a bloody joke? ‘Cause I for one don’t find it a bit humorous.”

“I’m not telling you why Buffy is in Sunnydale, if you want to know, you ask her yourself, you…you idiot.”

“Well I’ll just do that.”
***

“He’s the sweetest guy I’ve ever been with, it’s too bad he was such a geek high school, we’d be married with a houseful of kids by now, but he’s my platinum baby now, and I so know why he’s called Spike, he’s--.”

“I can imagine, can’t you? Buffy?” Cordelia’s eyes sparkled as she watched Buffy squirm.

“Yeah, but I think I’ll put those thoughts on hold…I’ll be right back.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, very. I just—I’ll be in the bathroom.”
***

“Oh, hey. You ok?” Spike took a step back after he and Buffy plowed into each other. “Sorry, I—I wasn’t’ paying attention.”

“That’s alright, I was on a do or die mission to the bathroom myself.” She looked him in the eye and gave him a little, weak grin. “Some party huh?”

“It’s been interesting to say the least. I’ll let you carry on with your mission but…ah, but I’d like to talk with you before we face the public again. That okay with you, pet?”

“Yeah. I’ll be back.”
***

“Hey.” Buffy straightened her dress, feeling very self-conscious once she saw him waiting for her in the kitchen.

“Here let’s sit.” Spike led Buffy into the living room and sat in a chair across from the spot she chose on the couch. “Well to start off I never thought I’d see you again.”

“Oh? Well here I am.” Buffy laughed nervously. “Please don’t think I’m a creepy stalker. I just moved here because I feel in love with my house.”

I’m lying, bad Buffy, lying to him…Spike. I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe he’s here and I’m talking to him and he has a girlfriend…

“That’s fine, Sunnydale’s a nice place, but it’s nice to see you again, really…it’s too bad you never showed for our date that night.”

“Yeah about that, something came up…but I really, really wanted to see you…that night, but I guess that’s all in the past now, you’ve got…Harmony.”

“I do.”

“You weren’t ah, seeing her when we met, were you?”

“No.”

“Oh, that’s good to know.”

“How’s the boyfriend?”

“He’s…he’s not doing too well last time I checked. We broke up awhile ago.”

“Sorry to hear about that.”

“I’m not.”

“What?”

“I’d rather not talk about it…if that’s ok with you, I mean.”

“That’s fine. No problem, I’m not here to pry.”

“You and Harmony make a cute couple. I wish you both another great nineteen days and many more after that too.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“Welcome.”

“We should get back.”

“Yeah.”

“Buffy?”

“Hmmm?”

“It’s really nice seeing you again.”

“You too, Spike.”
***

Buffy kept her distance. He would talk to Conner and she would look for Dawn. He would get up for food and she would wander off to another section of the backyard.

Kill me now. Her hand shook from nerves as she sipped her drink. I can’t believe this is happening.

“You guys we’re going to start opening Parker’s presents now,” Dawn announced with Parker in her arms. “Pull up a chair everyone.”

Buffy sighed and sat at the edge of their semi-circle near Cordelia. She kept her eyes glued on Dawn.

“This is from Buffy.” Dawn gave the first gift to Conner and watched as he ripped off the wrapping. “Awww! Thank you Buffy!”

Conner picked up the box and showed it to the group. “It’s a plastic aquarium.”

“I thought it was really cute.” Buffy explained, happy that the gift went over well. “It plays lots of different songs and the little fish move like they’re swimming and it can be strapped into the crib. But don’t start hating me if the music gets annoying.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. Thank you.” Dawn smiled and picked up the next gift. “This is from…Spike. I’ve been dreading this moment since Parker was born.”

“Hey! I resent that.”

Dawn glared and rolled her eyes.

“Hey, Spike you bought the same thing as Buffy did.”

“You’re kidding.” Dawn peered into Conner’s lap and smiled. “You two must think alike. How cute.”

“I have the receipt; you can return it.” Spike ignored Dawn’s comments and spoke quietly. “It’s a good gift though, I thought it was really neat actually and the fact that it makes lots of racket, that’s a bonus, so if it does get on your nerves be sure to blame me and not Buffy.” He smirked but halfheartedly.
***

“I’m going up front for a bit, I’ll be back.” Spike gave Harmony a quick kiss on the top of her head, “Off for a smoke.”

“Ok, hurry back.” Harmony smiled brightly and bounced in chair. “Cordy, where’re you going?”

“To help Dawn take the gifts inside, I’ll be back. Why don’t you have a little chat with Buffy? She looks lonely.”

“Alrighty. Hey! Hey Buffy! Come here!”

I really don’t like Cordelia, yup it’s official.

“Hey.” Buffy sat next to Harmony and forced a smile. “How are you?”

“I’m doing really good, you?”

“Super.”

“That’s good. So do you wanna know how I meet my blondie bear?”

“Blondie bear?”

“Spike. It was sooo romantic and I just want to share our love story with everyone, who knows, Buffy, maybe someday you’ll be as lucky as Spikey and me. Do you have a boyfriend?”

“No and I think I need to--.” Buffy eyed the yard, looking for an exit.

“Don’t worry about not having someone right now, you’re actually kinda pretty and I’m sure there’s some guy that’ll want you.”

“If you say so.” Buffy glared, deciding that she officially hated Harmony too. And Spike said I was air-headed… “Maybe someday I’ll find someone to love little ole me.”

“I hope so, I’ll have my fingers crossed for ya. Maybe if you changed your hair…I saw in this magazine a hair style that would work with your face so much better than the one you have now, maybe it would make your face look not as round--.”

“Harmony, you know what? I think I really have to go, look at the time, I’m just going to say goodbye to Dawn and Conner and I’ll be off. It was nice to meet you.”

“Oh I’ll probably see you tomorrow and then everyday after that.”

God. “Why?”

“You live next to Spikey, right? Well, I’m moving in with him tomorrow. We’ll be neighbors!”
***





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