They were both subdued the next morning as they sat opposite each other at the table, quietly eating breakfast as Joyce chattered away next to them. He looked about as cheerful as she felt and when she caught his eye, she forced a weak smile, which he returned just as weakly. She could feel her mother watching them and knew it was only a matter of time before she said something. She decided to beat her to it.
“You up for patrol tonight?” she asked lightly and Spike’s head snapped up.
“Yeah, alright.”
“Actually,” her mother interrupted, “I have a proposition for both of you.”
They turned to her and she smiled warmly.
“As you know, I’ve got that launch at the gallery tonight.”
They both nodded, knowing how hard she had been working to get ready for it.
“Well, why don’t you come? Both of you?”
She paused, glanced at Spike, and then turned back to her mother.
“I don’t know, Mom. I mean, I have to patrol.”
“I’m sure you can have one night off.”
“I don’t have anything to wear anyway.”
“Buffy Summers, I do your laundry so don’t give me that,” her mother exclaimed with a wide smile, “Now, if I have to order you both out, I will.”
Joyce paused for a moment, looking between them, and then smiled softly.
“You both look like you need a night out. And I’d love to have you both there.”
She knew there was no way she was getting out of it and her gaze fell on Spike, who had remained silent so far. He held her gaze for a second, and then turned to her mother.
“If you really want us there, Joyce…”
“Of course I do!”
There was no avoiding it now and even though she was sure her mother was up to something, she couldn’t disagree that they both needed a night away from this house. And maybe being out in a crowd would make it easier to be around him. She could only hope, she thought with a sigh as she dressed, piling her hair on top of her head and inspecting herself in the mirror. She let her hair fall around her shoulders and sighed again. She just couldn’t bring herself to care much about how she looked tonight, which was more than unusual for her – but what was the point when the one person she wanted to take notice was off limits?
She finally settled for a rather plain black skirt and pink, strappy top. She brushed her hair quickly, applied a modest amount of make-up and with a final glance at herself in the mirror, she headed downstairs to wait for the others. She found Spike in the living room, waiting, and he rose to his feet as she came in. She saw his eyes flick over her but then he forced them to hers, smiling weakly.
“You look… great.”
“Thanks… Erm, you too.”
She wasn’t lying either – he was wearing a smart black shirt with patterns and a pair of dark trousers, all contrasting with his lightly-styled blonde hair. She realised she was staring at him and she quickly looked away, clearing her throat nervously.
“Are you ready then?” her mother called out as she hurried down the stairs, fastening her earrings as she turned and looked at them. She smiled then and stopped, taking them both in.
“You both look wonderful.”
In no time, she had ushered them out the door and into the car and was chatting away excitedly, covering their awkward silence.
When they reached the gallery and went in, she suddenly became very glad that Spike was here. Everyone in the room was at least thirty and they all looked sophisticated and intelligent – and of course, they were all art lovers. None of these things described her and with a nervous smile, she followed her mother into the crowded room.
Soon though, Joyce abandoned them to talk to the artist and they lingered in a corner, watching the crowd in silence.
“Good numbers,” Spike murmured, “She’s done well tonight.”
“She deserved to, after all the work she did.”
He nodded and they fell silent again. She sighed and looked around the room, wishing things didn’t have to be so hard between them.
“Buffy.”
She started when he reached out and caught her arm and her eyes flew to his.
“Can I talk to you?”
She nodded, swallowing nervously and letting him lead her out into the small landscaped garden at the back of the gallery. He released her but stayed close, blue eyes locked on hers.
“Buffy, I’m… I’m sorry for everything. For all the trouble I’ve caused you.”
She smiled half sadly, half affectionately.
“It’s not your fault, Spike. It just… I guess it just kinda happened.”
“I know,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair, “I just… Look, do you want me to move out?”
“What?! No! No, of course not,” she exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing his arm, “Don’t leave, please.”
He smiled softly and reached out to place his hand over hers.
“I’ve really messed things up, haven’t I?” he said wryly, “Last night I… I shouldn’t have said those things.”
“Are you saying you didn’t mean them?” she whispered.
“No. Buffy, you know I…,” he paused, sighed, and then continued, “I meant them. Every word.”
“But it’s made things super-weird,” she admitted with a tiny smile.
“Yeah. And I… well, I don’t want that, love. Meant the other stuff too. Never had a friend like you and if I completely bollixed that up…”
“You haven’t,” she soothed, her hand tightening on his arm, “We’re still friends. It’s just… it’s kinda hard to go back to the way we were before.”
“I know.”
“But we’ll be okay,” she whispered, “So don’t you dare go leaving or me and my mom will kick your ass.”
“Now, that is a bloody scary idea,” he murmured, smiling as he reached out to brush her hair from her face.
“Spike,” she said firmly, catching his hand and giving him a slight smile.
“Yeah?”
“Less touching would probably make this a bit easier.”
“Oh, right, yeah,” he got out, quickly retracting his hand and smiling sheepishly, “I understand.”
“Well, I guess we should head back in.”
“Yeah.”
They turned back to the gallery and she gave him a hesitant smile.
“Slayer.”
She frowned as soon as she heard her name being growled and threw a look at Spike before quickly swivelling to find herself facing five vampires.
“Just great,” she muttered under her breath before speaking up, “Uh, sorry guys. Strict dress code and bumpies really don’t meet it, you know?”
They just growled in return and she threw another look at Spike, ascertaining that he was ready, before they both flew forward, taking on two vampires each and sharing the third. Almost as soon as she started, she knew her skirt was going to cause problems and as she went to kick one of the vampires, she frowned when her leg went no higher than knee-height. With a grimace, she leant down and ripped her skirt, turning back to the vampire. He came for her and she kicked up, hitting him in the face and sending him flying.
“Much better.”
She followed him and caught him by the collar, throwing him into a small sculpture and grimacing when it snapped in half.
“Oops!”
Using her distraction to his advantage, one of the vampires tackled her to the floor and she struggled against him.
“Spike! I don’t have a stake!” she cried out, kicking the vampire off her.
A moment later, she was tugged to her feet and a stake was slipped into her hand. She gave Spike a bewildered look and turned to meet an oncoming vampire, driving the stake into his chest and killing him.
“You carry stakes now?” she asked, turning back to Spike.
He shrugged, giving her a sheepish look and turning in one swift movement to stake his own vampire. One of them had fled somewhere along the line and they were left with one apiece now. She turned to her vampire and smiled, gripping the stake tightly in her hand.
“You know, you made me ruin my skirt and now you’re gonna have to pay. I really loved this skirt.”
“Oh, get over it, Barbie,” the vampire growled, rushing her – and earning him a stake to the back as she dodged and spun and plunged her weapon into his back as he sped past her. She straightened, dusted down her hands and looked over at Spike. He had his vampire in a headlock and was trying to wrestle him to the ground.
“You need some help there?” she asked with a smile.
Both vampires looked up and Spike narrowed his eyes at her. The other vampire used this moment to drive them both forward, propelling Spike into her and causing them both to topple to the floor. Before either of them could move, he was up on his feet and sprinting away, leaving them in a tangled mess.
“Next time, I bring stakes… and a sensible skirt,” she grumbled, eyes flicking up and meeting his – and going wide when she saw how he was looking at her. She felt a hot flush suffusing through her as she realised he had her pinned to the ground in a rather comprising position – or so it must have looked to an onlooker.
“Hey, you two! What are you doing?!”
They both jumped at the man’s deep voice and quickly untangled themselves, sitting up and smoothing down crumpled clothes just as the security guard came to a stop a few inches from them. He looked down at them and frowned.
“This is private property. Want to tell me what you were up to?”
“Really not what it looked like,” Buffy mumbled, pushing herself to her feet, noticing the guard’s gaze falling to her ripped skirt and then moving to Spike’s half-open shirt. Yeah, this didn’t exactly look good.
“My mom owns the gallery,” she explained quickly, “I’m Buffy Summers. We were just getting some air.”
“Well, I suggest you head back inside now, Miss Summers,” the security guard said sternly and with a gracious smile, she grabbed Spike by the arm and hurried across the grass and back towards the building. She was trying hard not to giggle and when she glanced at Spike, she saw him struggling to suppress a smirk.
“That was not funny!” she hissed, elbowing him in the side even as she tried not to laugh.
“Was a bit.”
“There you are!”
Her mother had really worked on that sudden appearance thing and they both jumped.
“What were you doing outside?” she asked, confused gaze flicking between them and their rumpled clothes.
“You had a slight vamp problem,” Buffy whispered and her mother’s eyes widened in surprise, “All sorted now though.”
Joyce’s wide eyes flicked between the two of them in concern but then she gave a sigh of relief and nodded.
“I suggest you get yourselves straightened up. The toilets are just down the hall. And then I want to introduce you to some of my friends.”
They agreed and slipped out to the toilets, both bursting out laughing as soon as they were out of the main room.
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