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Author's Chapter Notes:
Happy New Year, All!
Chapter 28: Kept Promises

New York, 2 ½ years ago:

The music definitely sucked beyond the telling of it. The beat was way too fast and the techno stylistics thumping in the background were really starting to make her nauseas. Or maybe that was the vodka.

Buffy had never experienced the refreshing and actually quite intense affects of vodka before tonight. Even back in Sunnydale, she and the gang never had the pleasure of sneaking anything, save wine, from Anya’s mother’s alcohol cabinet. None of the them had ever been subjected to the liquid hot burning sensation that now coursed through the petite blonde’s veins as she tried to move her body to the obscure beat of the music in the over sized arms of one Riley Finn.

Who truly had a hard time excepting that she really wasn’t interested in the least.

Sure he was a genuinely nice guy and had a knack for surprising her again and again with his little impromptu visits. Just the other day she had blown him off after class when she was supposed to stay and meet with him to discuss her latest test score-the highest in the summer high school class-and he had shown up at the dorm room she shared with Fred, asking if she wanted to go catch up.

She had absolutely no idea how to tell him that she just wasn’t ready to be close to another guy. She’d only been in New York for just six short months and hadn’t even completely settled into her life here yet. The only two friends she had yet made were Fred and Kate…and now, she guessed Riley too. But, she reasoned, he probably didn’t count since he was pulling all the stops to get her to go out with him.

Buffy inwardly sighed. In all retrospect, she should probably give Riley a chance. He was a great guy, who seemed really interested in everything she had to offer. He was cute, kinda farm-boyish and wholesome, not at all like the bad boys she had come to desire in the last two years or so, but good-looking nonetheless. He had a certain charm about him that made her smile.

But still she felt nothing.

Spike was certainly a tough act to follow in her eyes, and she wondered if anyone would ever live up to the standard he’d unintentionally set. The letters and phone calls had just started dying down last month, and two weeks ago, they’d stopped completely. Nor that Buffy had tried very much to stop the inevitable. Her mother had tried to explain the difficulty of a long-distance relationship time and again, but Buffy had recently came up with the conclusion that she and Spike were just growing apart. He was in Sunnydale, and she…wasn’t.

But that didn’t stop Buffy from holding on to the hope that Spike would keep his promise and come to her when he’d finish his schooling in Sunnydale. She wagered he’d be graduated by now, wondering if he’d remember the promise he’d made to her or choosing to ignore it now that they’d both had some time apart. She really hoped it was the first one and not the latter.

Either way, she’d wait.

At least for a little longer. If, given time, Spike didn’t show like he’d sworn he would, then she’d give Riley the chance he deserved.

~*~*~*~

“They’re just dancing.” Fred pointed out, trying to sound hopeful.

“You kidding me? The ponce is all over her.” Spike said, pointing angrily at the dancing couple a few feet away. “And she’s letting him.”

“But it could be worse.” The dark-haired senior said. “At least their not kissing.”

Spike glared at her petite form. “Really not making it better here, Fred.”

“Sorry. I just don’t see how this is a big problem.” She shrugged.

“My girlfriend’s grinding up against some other bloke while at a drunken frat party. Nope, no big deal there!” The blonde teen yelled over the loud music.

“Hey, don’t yell at me!” Fred yelled back, her Texas accent becoming thicker in her anger. “I’m just sayin’. She doesn’t know you’re here. I bet if you went over there right now, she’d forget all about Riley and jump right into your arms.”

“Yeah, how do you figure?” Spike asked, adverting his pain filled blue eyes from the ugly scene before him to look down at the girl next to him.

“Well, she never went out with any of the guys who asked her out before, including Riley. And that guy does not give up. He’s been trying since she got here and still no further to getting that date he desperately wants. She doesn’t see him or any other guy here.” Fred told him seriously, passion in her voice, letting Spike know that she believed her words one hundred percent true. “She told me that she wasn’t ready to be with anyone yet. That she was still waiting for something back home.” Fred paused, smiling. “I just always assumed it was you- the way she goes on about you and all.”

Spike smiled tightly, not fully believing the words the young girl spoke, but trying nonetheless. The smile was pained however, and it never really reached his eyes, Fred noticed sadly. She watched as he turned his attention back on the couple, and immediately the smile left his face.

Fred turned in time to watch Buffy being lead up stairs by an overly enthusiastic Riley.

“Yeah, well, doesn’t look like she’s waiting anymore.”

~*~*~*~

The door shut behind the couple as they almost fell through the door of the empty dorm room. Buffy’s world was spinning out of control and she felt as though she might throw up any moment now. How they’d ended up here she wasn’t completely certain, but after Riley had suggested they sit the next dance out, somehow she’d agreed to come up here to be alone with him. She knew that the tall college sophomore hadn’t had more than two or three sips of his drink and was not at all drunk yet. If this was yet another one of his ploys to get her to agree to go out with him, she was gonna puke all over his new pants.

“Buffy, why don’t you have a seat. You’re a little tipsy.”

Reallllyy? Buffy thought. Thanks dofus. I never would have guessed I am almost completely smashed if you hadn’t be so observant as to point it out for me! I almost tripped on my own feet, for crying out loud!

“Yeah, I guess I better.” She replied and sat down next to him on the neatly made bed. The world slowly started to stop spinning for her.

“You know, I’m so glad I had the chance to get you alone.” Riley went on, smiling like an idiot. “There’s been something I’ve been meaning to do for quite some time now.”

Buffy nodded. “Me too.”

“Okay. I think I’ll go first if you don’t mind.” Riley said, reaching for her hand, which was easily overpowered by his much larger one.

Buffy went rigid when she felt his hand caress her own. Quickly, she tried to gently pull her hand back as discreetly as possible. When he didn’t immediately let go, she yanked harder, and tore it back forcefully.

Riley frowned, looking very much like he dog just died. “Buffy…”

“I think I better go first, Riley.” Buffy told him, looking down at her lap in shame. She was sobering up awfully fast, and found that she didn’t quite like the feeling. Breathing deeply, she looked back up to Riley’s hurt face. “You seem like a really nice guy. Really, you do. But I’m just not looking for anything more than friendship right now. I’m not ready to be in a relationship yet. There’s just…I’m just-not ready.”


Riley nodded solemnly. Looking away momentarily to gather his nerve, before letting his eyes lock on the girl of his dreams. The tears pricked the back of his eyes as he opened his mouth to speak. “There’s someone else, isn’t there?”

Buffy opened her mouth to deny it, before closing it again. “I’m sorry.” She told him sincerely. “There’s this person back home, in Sunnydale, who’s just-Well, he’s my…everything. I know I’m young and that the long-distance thing rarely ever works, but I gotta try. I gotta hold on. Just for a while. Just to be sure. Because if there’s any chance that it’ll work out, that I’ll get my happy ending, I have to wait.” She now had tears in her eyes too, and a bittersweet smile caressed her lips.

Riley nodded, laughing bitterly, his dark eyes unfocused. “ He’s a real lucky guy. I can see how much you love him.”

“How?”

“‘Cause you get the same look in your eyes when you think about him as I do when I think about you.” He whispered into the darkness, looking down to avoid letting her see his tears.

Buffy smiled, and reached for his hand.

“You’re a good guy, Riley Finn.” She told him fiercely. “And I promise, if this doesn’t work out, I’ll won’t hold on forever. I promise I’ll give you a chance.”

He returned her watery smile. “I’ll wait forever.”

~*~*~*~

“Spike, come on, stop!” Fred yelled, running to keep up to the fleeing bleached man. After seeing Buffy go on up stairs to be alone with Riley, Spike had lost the rest of his nerve, alone with his temper, and stomped out the door and down the campus streets, leaving Fred to following behind.

“I need to get as far away from here as possible, pet. Can’t stop ‘til ‘m on a plane back home.” Spike called back, trying desperately to mask his pain with the anger he also felt. ‘She’d said she’d wait. She’d promised she would wait. What a bloody fool I’ve been…’ He let his hand finger the velvet box that bounced around in his duster pocket as he walked.

His mother’s engagement ring.

He had planned to propose tonight. Had worked up the courage to hop plane to New York to find the girl he loved and ask her to marry him. God, was he an idiot. Why would he really believe that she would still be holding out for him? Was in God’s name had possessed him to come here expecting to find some love struck girl from Sunnydale who promised to wait on the man that she claimed she loved? That girl didn’t exist anymore. In her place stood a beautiful, self confident young woman who wasn’t letting an old high school crush hold her back from shagging the first college lunk-head who showed an interest.

“Maybe it wasn’t what it looked like.” He heard Fred shout out to him, a hopeful note in her voice.

“They were holding hands as they made their way up stairs together, Fred” He hollered back, not bothering to slow down so she could catch up. “It’s pretty damn obvious what it was.”

“B-but maybe they just wanted to talk.” She tried to reason.

Spike stopped abruptly at this, whirling around to face her with an incredulous look on his handsome, but angry face. “Yeah, I bet they went up stairs to an empty bedroom together to talk about the weather.”

“Spike!” Fred breathed, upset that her newfound friend was upset. “Buffy-”

“Doesn’t found out about this, alright?” He interjected, giving her a threatening look. “She never finds out I came here tonight, got it?”

“What?!” Fred asked incredulously. “I can't do that. Buffy’s my friend. I can’t lie to her.”

“Not lie.” Spike reasoned, running a shaky hand through his bleached locks. “Just omit certain information. If she doesn’t ask, don’t tell.”

“And if she asks?”

“Then lie.”

“Spike!” Fred exclaims, exasperated. “I’m serious!”

“So am I.” Spike countered, looking her dead in the eyes. “I don’t want ‘er to know, Fred. This night has already become the worst bloody day of my life, why add more shit to it?”

“I can’t lie. I’d feel too guilty.” Fred said, trying to make him understand.

“You’ll get over it.” Obviously he wasn’t going to…

“B-but, I’m not that good at keeping secrets, ya know. I mean, I ruined every one of my cousin’s surprise parties. What if I slip?”

“I have confidence in you, pet. I’m positive you won’t” Spike told her offhandedly.

Fred tried again. “But-”

Spike interrupted her once more though.

“No, Fred. No buts. Just promise me you won’t say a bleedin’ syllable to ‘er. For my dignity’s sake.”

She looks at him with wide, innocent eyes. “I promise.”





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