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Author's Chapter Notes:
A MASSIVE thanks to my Beta Pixiecorn (Kelly) your the best Hun. Also a HUGE thanks to Edgehead (Mel) for the awesome banner, i love it Hun.
Chapter 6.
Bright ideas.
Chapter 6.

It had been three months since Buffy and Spike had reached an agreement to start again. To wipe the slate clean and to try and earn each other’s trust so that they could re-build their friendship. So far things were going well, they spent their time together watching movies, meeting for lunch at the Espresso pump, hanging out at the Bronze and sometimes just sitting together and talking, catching up on the last four years. Four years without one another.

Willow had hit things off with Xander within days of arriving in Sunnydale and after being offered a position at Sunnydale high as a computer science teacher, she had eagerly accepted. She and Xander had then made their relationship official, she was still living with Buffy, not that she saw her much anyway.

Buffy smiled knowingly at the couple whenever she saw them together and was going to be very surprised if Willow didn’t move in with Xander soon.

Faith and Riley had found an apartment nearby, Riley had settled into his teaching position at Sunnydale high and Buffy had offered Faith a job at the gallery, which she had eagerly taken.

Things were finally starting to settle down, or so it seemed.

Spike walked into the gallery, a bounce in his step as he waited to meet Buffy. They had agreed to have lunch together today, like they did most days. Faith had directed him to Buffy’s office, saying Buffy was with a client but wouldn’t be long.

Looking around the office Buffy hadn’t changed a thing, Joyce’s favourite paintings still hung in the same spots and the bookshelf was still lined with Joyce’s favourite books. Spike wondered if she would ever be able to bring herself to change anything….. He doubted it.

Looking at the table full of scattered papers, he moved forward to get a better look, his brows frowning when he realized what the papers were.

Bills.

Lots of them, many of them final notices. Brows creased in concern, Spike picked up some papers to inspect them closer and didn’t hear Buffy come in behind him.

“Spike, what the hell are you doing?” She asked, shocked to see him going through her privet papers. Spike continued to study them more closely.

“Buffy, these numbers don’t make any sense. I thought you said the gallery was doing fine?” He turned to face her.

“Spike, these are my privet papers!” She snapped, snatching the papers from his grasp. “How dare you just go through my stuff.”

“Oh no you don’t, luv. Don’t lay this off on me. You left these papers out in plain view, you had to know someone would see them.”

“No, I didn’t know. No one was going to see them when they’re on my private desk… in my very private office.” Buffy snapped, slamming the papers onto her desk.

“Buffy…” Spike started, forcing her to turn and face him. “I have been coming here every day for the past two months to take you to lunch and everyday Faith leads me in here to wait for you… Coincidently or not Buffy, you wanted me to see these bills ‘cause you knew you needed help.” Buffy looked up and met his gaze, sighing in defeat.

“Maybe your right.” She hadn’t done it on purpose but she did need help. Buffy couldn’t help but look down. The truth was, the gallery was suffering. Buffy was doing everything she could think of but the fact was, sales had been dropping for some time now.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I was hoping I could turn things around here but…” she stopped, sighing again.

“Tell me what’s been going on. The truth, Buffy.”

Sighing in defeat, she took a seat next to him on the couch that lined the office wall.

“Truthfully… I don’t know. I mean, mom has been running this gallery successfully for the past fourteen years but now, it’s like her regular clients don’t trust me… Not that I blame them, it’s not like they’re only spending small amounts. These are the big spenders, they need to be assured they’re dealing with someone who knows what they are doing.” She sighed. “Not some 23 years old who they don’t know and has only just finished college.” Buffy sighed, feeling so beyond defeated.

“Buffy, luv… You don’t give yourself enough credit, it’s not like this is the first gallery you’ve worked in. You were very successful in New York, you have your art degree…your mom always bragged that you were first in your class and passed with merits. You basically grew up in this gallery, if you weren’t at my place you were here with your mom.” Spike said, rubbing her back supportively.

“Try telling them that,” she sighed again. “I don’t know what to do, Spike. It’s bad, really bad… If things don’t pick up really soon I may have to choose,” she replied, looking up into his eyes, his brows creased in confusion.

“Choose what, luv?”

“Well, either I risk losing the house by taking a loan out on it to try and get the gallery back on its feet or I… I sell the gallery.”

Spikes heart broke for her, this gallery was her mother’s pride and joy he knew how much Buffy wanted to keep it going and how much it would devastate her if she had to sell it.

“Well, I can’t let that happen.” Buffy said, raising to her feet as she began to pace. “I’ll just have to give the gallery one more month and if it doesn’t pick up ill get a loan on the house. I know it’s risky but, Spike…. I can’t lose this gallery, it’s all I have left of her.” Buffy whispered, feeling tears spring to her eyes.

“Oh, pet.” Spike said, standing and wrapping his arms around her, hugging her to him. “I wish you would have talked to me about this sooner, maybe I could have helped.” Buffy pulled back slightly, not stepping out of his arms.
“How would you help, Spike? No offence but you’re a high school English teacher and unless you have a secret bank account with thousands of dollars in it, I don’t see how you can help.” She smiled up at him, her smile fading when she saw his face shift, clearly thinking of something.

“What?” she asked, confused.

“I may not have money to help but I do get bright ideas.”

Buffy laughed softly, stepping out of his grasp and sitting back down, looking up at him.

“And what bright idea would you have to help save this gallery?”

“A tribute.” He smiled brightly, taking a seat next to her.

“A what?” Buffy asked, slightly confused.

“A tribute to your mom… Look, everyone in this town loved your mom, she was always there to help anyone who needed her, so your not going to be in short supply of people who want to help out. You go around to some local restaurants, get some donated food and grog, maybe some local art students would donate some popular art pieces and you can make it an event… Contact these regular clients of our moms and tell them it’s a tribute to your mom’s memory. You could make it so a certain percentage of the proceedings go to research for brain cancer and the rest goes to the gallery.”

Buffy met Spikes eyes, absolutely speechless.

“Oh my god! Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Well, you have been a little distracted, luv. What with your mom and all.”

“Spike, you’re a genius!” She all but yelled, standing to her feet. “I’ll contact Mr. Wood at the French restaurant in town and see if he’ll donate some food and I’ll call Devon, to see if the Bronze can help supply some champagne. I know a few well know artists in New York that would probably love to donate some pieces, and I’ll call Angel, see if he can get some high rollers to come…” Spike stood at the mention of Angel.

“Angel?”

“Oh yeah, he’s living in L.A now, working as a lawyer. I was talking to him on the phone the other day, he has met quite a few wealthy celebrities in his time there.”

“Wow, this might just work, I could almost kiss you.” Buffy beamed, squeezing his arm affectionately. “I knew there was a reason I loved you.” She squealed, bouncing out the door.

Spike took a much need deep breath, “I knew there was a reason I loved you” sighing at the memory of her words. If only she loved him the way he loved her.

Angel was still in contact with Buffy, did that mean they were still sleeping together? No, no. Buffy had said things between them were over but now he was living in L.A… Only 3 hours drive from them.

Taking another deep breath, Spike tried to rid his mind of Angel and the possibilities as he walked out the office door to find a smiling Buffy waiting for him.


Chapter End Notes:
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