The class cleared eventually. The computers sat quietly, now shut down while Fred made some notations in her planner. She settled herself at her desk and began to pack up her papers and notes to go over for next weeks class when she saw Buffy staring at the clock still seated at her table.
“Buffy, is everything alright?” She asked concerned.
Finally looking away from the clock hung on the wall, the blonde forced a smile. “Yeah, just thinking.” She said and tried to look busy stacking and restacking her own supplies for school.
With a knowing look Fred stood from her desk and came to Buffy‘s table. “Is this about Charles?”
Laying a stack of papers on the table she looked up at the tiny framed brunette whose glasses perched low on her nose. “Kind of.”
The slim brunette sat herself on the table across from Buffy. “Is he sick? That why he missed class today?”
Buffy shook her head. “I don’t know. He never said anything about not feeling alright.” She sighed, not quite sure how to feel about not being able to break things off with him. Part of her was relieved but a bigger part wanted to get it done with. “I really wanted to talk to him.”
Fred perked up at this. “Well you can call him. Sweeties do that, you know?”
Now with a small frown Buffy again shook her head and this time added another sigh. “This is kind of a face-to-face conversation I need to have.”
“Oh.” The professor now frowned before her eyes grew twice their size. “Your not pregnant are you?”
The blonde barely whispered. “What!”
“Or, maybe not.” She was a little embarrassed by her assumption. “No. I meant present. Do you have a present for him?”
Half a smile came of its own accord when Buffy watched her mentor trying to backpedal and solve a mystery at the same time. “No, nothing like that. I need to break things off. There’s just no spark. You know?”
Now Fred was extremely confused. “Really? But he’s so- and with the eyes and the- plus, he’s so smart and sweet and-” The dreamy look on her face caused her to stare out into nothing with a quiet smile.
Buffy’s eyebrows nearly reached her hairline as she watched Fred go gooey over one of her students. It was more than clear that whatever flame was missing when it came to her feelings for Gunn, Fred had it and the flame was only getting bigger. “You like him? Oh my god, Fred! You have the hots for my not-so-much-a-boyfriend.”
The mortified look behind her spectacles only preceded the rant of apologies ready to flow from Fred’s mouth. But Buffy wasn’t going to let Fred put herself through anything so unnecessary. “Don’t worry. It’s all fine with me, but, aren’t there rules about that kind of thing? You’re a professor.” She stated plainly.
“Well, I was only lookin’” The Texan drawl crept into her speech. ”Besides, he‘s graduating this term.”
Buffy laughed. “You looked up his transcript?”
“I-I was just checking on a good student.” She pushed her glasses up quickly with a jitter in her voice.
“You do know you are going to hell, right?” Buffy joked.
“Just,” Fred looked back at the still open door to see the empty hall. “don’t go saying anything. I kinda have to wait and I don’t want anyone thinking I tried to overstep the lines.”
With a few quick motions pantomiming the zipping of her lips Buffy nodded.
Now giggling Fred swung her legs as she leaned forward. “Besides, it is a little scandalous. He’s only 29 and I’m 34 in November.”
Buffy’s immediate thought was, “What‘s a few years?” This however is not what she said as she made yet another small discovery in herself.
“Could be worse.” Buffy said smiling.
~~`~~
The phone ringing behind the locked door had Buffy running into her house on Revello like a mad woman. “I’m coming, I’m coming. Hold on.” She called to it as she dropped her books on the table by the door.
Another ringing came through and the answering machine beeped just as she picked up the phone in the kitchen. “Hi.” She said breathlessly. “I mean, hello.”
“Hey Buffy.”
Exhaling, Buffy sat on the closest stool at the bar. “Hey Gunn.” The sudden feeling of dread overwhelming her when the full force hit her of what she had to do.
“Sorry I missed class today.” He started. “Things got kinda heavy with Spike, but I think he’s gonna be alright now.”
It was what she had expected, or at least one of the reasons she had thought of earlier that day. Mostly because she had been thinking of Spike nearly nonstop. “I’m glad he’s ok.” It seemed like the most polite thing to say and she was worried that saying more might only bring up the only topic she really didn’t want to talk about in detail. Namely Spike.
“Yeah. Well, since I missed the lesson I was hoping teacher’s pet might hook a brotha’ up. Maybe tell me the assignment and do a little studying tonight.”
Her fingers tapped against the counter’s surface. Her mind rushed through the possible answers to a fairly straightforward and normal request. Should she let him come over, then break it off? Or should she break up with him now and let him decide if he wanted to come over?
God she hated this.
“I don’t mind helping you out, but I think I need to talk to you before you decide if you want to come here and study.” She had forced the sentence out but now it was out there and she was going to have to finish it.
There was a short pause before he answered. “Alright.”
~~`~~
Her mood was morose. Even as she sat surrounded by friends, firm in the belief that her decisions were right and perfectly reasonable. She knew that there was a chunk missing. And now that she had reluctantly pinpointed what it was she was willing to seek out, Buffy wasn’t content.
Every ache inside told her that even in this very happy comfort zone, she was only there in body. Her mind couldn’t enjoy the film as the characters acted out their parts. Even watching them she could somehow sense the actors only half of what they seemed.
Her mind concentrated on Spike and how to get to him. She almost felt like a stalker as she came up with scenario after scenario that might bring him to her.
“Right Buffy?” Willow asked again perkily from beside her friend’s feet in front of Xander’s couch. Oz was right behind his girl, sitting by the blonde with Willow leaning against his legs from the floor.
All eyes in the room were staring at the blonde only now discovering she was the center of attention. “Oh, yeah. What?”
“Something’s got the Buffster down. Do you miss tall dark and gangster?” Xander asked with a goofy grin as he sat on the other end of the couch. His basement apartment wasn’t the most inviting underground hovel in town. But the group managed just fine.
Oz calmly turned to the brunette male beside him. “Gunn isn’t gangster. He’s roughneck.”
“Really?” Xander asked.
“Oh yeah.” Willow seemed to agree.
Buffy was quickly growing annoyed. “Ok guys. That’s enough of THAT conversation. I’m not sad about Gunn. Its all ok. I promise.”
Willow glowered up at her friend, a task only the red head could pull off. “You’re not trying to be a brave little soldier are you? Because that’s not ok. Okay?”
Buffy smiled, an honest to goodness happy smile at her best friend. “I’m really alright. Just another bad fit with another great guy, which of course, sucks.” she sighed. ‘But its not a dire kind of thing. Just a rotten kind of thing.”
“Then where’s that Friday night spirit?” Xander wondered. “I mean, if you can’t laugh at Monty Python, then something just ain’t right.”
And again Spike flashed in her mind. The day he walked into the classroom, his whirl of presence when he took his seat. The memory alone had her gasping.
Her hand came to her forehead without even realizing it.
“Buff?” Willow’s concerned eyes went from Oz to Buffy.
Oz watched Buffy as she shook her head and took her hand away. “You alright?” He asked.
Ok, so she was out of her mind. But these were her friends. If anyone could help her figure out what to do and how to do it they would. With another shaky breath and looking back at her three friends who all seemed to be waiting for her, she focused on how to start. “Well, you guys remember Gunn’s friend. The one with female troubles?”
Xander was shocked, his eyes wide. “He had a girl on the side? That bastard!”
“No! No, Xander. Not that kind of- Oh brother.” Buffy said trying to hold back his tirade. “His male friend with the girlfriend problem. Jeez!”
Xander settled back down, now sheepishly running a hand through his hair. “Oh yeah. That friend.” He smiled now trying to act casual, although not very well. “Of course, yeah. The guy.”
She shook her head in frustration. “Yeah, THAT friend.” She’d lost some of her steam now. Buffy was trying harder not to come unglued from her annoyance but she wanted to get this out. “So I guess when they went to LA the whole thing came to a head. They broke up.”
“Aww.” Willow cooed sympathetically. “That’s so sad.”
“Hah.” It came out from Buffy’s mouth automatically and her friends had heard it. She knew more about the circumstances leading up to the breakup. The last thing she felt about it was sorry.
The little chuckle sort of hung in the silence. She only shook her head again. This was strange, being under the microscope. “Anyway, Willow you remember when I told you about Spike. When we were getting books before classes?”
Immediately Willows face perked up. “Oh, the cute one? Yeah I remember.” Then she became very excited. “Oh! Did Spike ask you out? Is that why you broke up with Gunn?” And as quick as a blink the red head’s face became very serious and accusing. “You didn’t break up with Gunn for Spike did you , Buffy Summers?”
Insulted Buffy crossed her arms across her chest. “No! Of course not. God.”
“Oh. Ok. Good.” Willow was satisfied and a bit embarrassed.
“Ok, so what’s the big deal about these guys Buff?” Xander asked the obvious question.
“Well, Gunn’s friend and Spike? They’re the same guy. Spike is the friend who just lost his girlfriend.” She said it like that explained exactly why she was not having a great relaxing time like she usually did Friday nights.
“So there’s a recently single guy out there that you know and you don’t know how to ask him out.” Oz said. He didn’t ask if that was the problem he simply said it like it was the most obvious conclusion.
Xander stared at his read headed testosterone companion and said one word. “Doubtful.”
“Oh!” Willow caught on and smiled back at Buffy. “Well we can help you with that.”
Now Xander stared at Willow before shifting to Buffy. “Is that all that’s going on?”
“Yeah.” She was still stunned herself that Oz had guessed right on the meager clues she’d given. “Basically, with a few more small details but, pretty much.”
“Oh, yeah, we can help with this.” He nodded. “Funny though. His name is Spike like William’s nickname.”
The face that Buffy next made can only be described as twisted and caught. She tried to turn it into a smile but she still resembled a small child holding a stolen cookie with her mother looking on.
Realization came over Xander’s face slowly, then he grinned back at her. “Isn’t he like, a kid?”
“Oh yeah.” Willow agreed, suddenly remembering some more of the details that Buffy had revealed to her on the bright warm sunny day at the caf. “There was the age thing. What about that.”
Buffy shrugged. “I have no idea. But I also know it doesn’t seem to matter.” She really didn’t know what to expect. No matter who she tried to be with, nothing was perfect. Maybe age would be another hurdle and maybe it wouldn’t matter.
Gunn was her age. Ok, so maybe a few years younger but that hadn‘t been the problem. She knew the short relationship was lacking of something chemical. “All I’m sure of is that if I don’t try it’s just going to eat at me.”
“And why not just have Spike do that?” Willow said giggling.
Buffy nearly fell out of her seat. “Willow!!” Oh my god!” She spun on Oz. “Exactly what have you done to my best friend?” She half laughing and half outraged try to ask the still calm looking male now full of a red faced redhead who couldn‘t stop giggling.
Willow’s face was buried in Oz’s lap as she laughed at Buffy‘s reaction to her sudden statement.
Oz looked from his girlfriend back to Buffy and without even hinting at a grin answered the still shocked blond. “I’m not real sure you’d want to see the list.”
~~`~~
Spike was a little surprised to see Gunn at his door. The man had been a constant the last few days and Spike was sure his friend was sick and tired of sitting around his house. But he didn’t say a word after answering the door to see his friend standing in the porch light with a rather sad look on his face.
He left the door open and walked back to his couch, grabbing the beer off the table he’d been nursing for the last 2 hours while watching movies that no respectable male would admit to owning.
Gunn didn’t follow Spike to the couch. Instead he set the 6 pack of beer he’d brought with him in the refrigerator while grabbing one for himself. It took the new arrival a solid 10 minutes of watching the movie before Gunn finally asked, “Is this a chick flick, man?”
Spike enjoyed a pull from his bottle before he answered in a manner that was filled with warning. “Love Actually is fine English cinema.”
Eyebrows raised, Gunn just settled in for the movie. “Whatever you say.”
Spike was feeling alright, but that didn’t mean his emotions weren’t balancing precariously on the edge of a very unstable cliff. “Exactly why are you here? Shouldn’t you be wooing that new skirt of yours?”
“Ex Skirt.”
Spike faced Gunn. “Are you kidding? Already?”
The bitter bubbles of his drink soothed his nerves as he took another drink. “Yeah. Saw her yesterday. I like her, there’s something about her but I felt like I was kissing my sister most the time.”
“Definitely a bad sign there.” Spike nodded.
Gunn nodded solemnly. “Yeah.” Ok, so maybe he left out the part where it was actually Buffy who had done the ‘breaking’ part but the rest was true. And since Gunn had found out that Buffy knew Spike, he had kept the identity of his girl from his saddened pal hoping Spike wouldn’t find out how much of his personal life he’d shared with Buffy unknowingly.
The pair of males sat in near silence as the movie played on. Every now and then a grunt at one of the scenes on the screen would break through the quite, often followed by another grunt in agreement as they remained in their separate thoughts.
When the movie finished Spike stood and set out to change the disk. As he placed a new flick into the drawer of the DVD player he shook his head. “You know what really get at me?”
“Chicks with big eyes and dark hair?” Gunn said not thinking. He looked up to see an irritated male crouched in front of the television now holding the empty case for Bend it Like Beckham. Gunn took a quick glance at his beer bottle and the empty one sitting on the table. 2 beers in less than an hour wasn’t a crazy amount but it was enough to slow down the censorship part of his brain.
He set his bottle down next to the empty one. “Sorry man, bad joke.” he said.
Suddenly Spike let out a loud laugh, open mouthed and eyes watering, he was erupting. He fell back, loosing his balance as the shaking from his guffaws tumbled him onto his rear. He was watching the look on Gunn’s very confused face which only made him want to laugh harder, but instead he started trying to take in long breaths to steady himself.
It was a difficult process, because as terrible as things had gotten, and as much as he’d given of himself to Dru, she wasn’t the one thing that got to him. She wasn’t the one person who tore at him.
When Spike settled himself down enough to pull in regular lungfuls of air he wiped the tears from his eyes that had fallen from his hysterics. “And I didn’t do a damn thing.” He shook his head at himself.
Gunn was sure his earlier assessment that Spike was getting over Dru had been completely incorrect as he watched the blonde fall apart right in front of him. And now Gunn wasn’t sure what thing Spike didn’t do.
Spike still shook his head. He’d behaved. He’d been a bloody monk in this town. Sure, most of it was easy and made sense. Rather he liked it or not growing up was necessary in life if you wanted to live it. He’d been responsible and faithful and hardworking. Hell, he was downright boring trying to do the right thing. And up until a few weeks ago he was happy about it.
Scratching the back of his head, Spike tried to figure out how much of his LA self was even left. “You know Charlie,” Spike said fully aware of how tense his friend was due to his outburst. “I think it’s time I started breaking some rules again.”
He turned his head towards the dark man still seated on the far end of the couch. Gunn shifted in his seat. “You’re not going back to kill her are you? Cuz rich or not, I don’t think you’ll be able to get away with it. You’re not famous or anything.” He tried to joke.
Spike raised an eyebrow as he pulled himself off the ground and pressed play on the player before going back to his seat on the couch.
Gunn gave Spike half a grin, now seeing that whatever moment of crazy had taken over the blonde seemed to have passed. “Also, I think it’s a little illegal.”
“Not planning on doing anyone in. ‘S just this other woman, blonde just for your information. Met her about a year ago and kept my hands to myself. I’m thinking it might be time to rethink that particular situation.”
~~`~~
“The cellular customer you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time.” The polite male digital prerecorded voice told Drusilla as she sat in her apartment. Her home was empty of visitors for now, and alone at the kitchen table she could only stare at the envelopes scattered across her table.
It had been a horrific day.
She had her routine for Friday night. It was one of the only few old habits that she kept along with her more recent ones. Before she could allow herself the drug and sex induced haze that started Fridays and ended sometime Monday morning she had to settle her bills.
It was an easy habit to keep with seemingly endless resources at her disposal. Almost a happy occasion as that was also the day she would receive her weeks allowance for her personal use.
The stipend was dispersed automatically through her prince’s accountant and arrived like clockwork with the noon mail at the end of every week.
But as many times as she sifted through the weeks mail and the now torn envelopes there was no check or cash. Nothing.
This however, had not been her first sign of a problem. Her very first inkling was when she tried to pay her water bill by credit card and had been told by the female voice on the other end of the line that the card was not being accepted.
So she must have overspent her limit on that card. It was a possibility. Last week Darla had brought over some simply premium coke and they had decided a shopping spree was in order. It wasn’t the first time she’d maxed a card out in one trip.
Easy as you please she tried another card, also not acceptable.
After her next three attempts failed she was reminded that if her bill could not be settled, services would have to be cut off and a deposit along with a reconnection fee would be required to start service again.
That call infuriated her. What was wrong with the water people? Didn’t they want her money? She simply could not understand why they’re stupid credit card machines were broken. So she did what came natural to her. She threw a fit.
After destroying her family room, turning the end tables and breaking a mirror along with tossing anything that wasn’t nailed down, she calmly strode to her seat again and began dialing the numbers to reach her credit card companies.
It was then that she found out the most confusing information. Spike had cut her off. Spike had cut her off? Why would he do such a silly thing?
It truly made no sense. He had been busy this week, of that she was sure. He hadn’t had time to call her even once. A relief for her. It left her free from his interruptions while she was enjoying the freedom of her lifestyle. One her lovely boy more that willingly financed.
She tried to remember anything from his last visit that might have caused him to pull such a cruel prank.
In her twisted memory he had watched her show. Enjoyed seeing her performance with the friends she often invited over for shared pleasure. In her memory all had gone well.
So she called, and called. And yet now it was she who could not seem to get through to Spike. He no longer seemed to be answering her calls.
One final try, she dialed for him again only this time the message was different. “This number can no longer send or receive calls. To clear this matter, please contact the billing department.”
With a screaming howl Dru threw the phone across the room only to have it bounce from the counter in the kitchenette and to the floor in pieces.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
This one was kinda hard for me, I'm not real sure why. I think like most I'm waiting for the Spuffy lovin', but I'm not one to just throw them together without the work. Otherwise, where's the fun?
Chapter End Notes:
Ok, before anyone freaks.. that is the last real Dru scene.I just felt like torturing her a bit. I'm not going to be spending loads of time on Gunn and Fred cuz, well, that's not why we're here is it? Now the question is, exactly how are the blondes going to screw things up when they are now thinking along the same lines?? I'll let you know as soon as I figure that one out.