Author's Chapter Notes:
I know it's been a while. Here is #31, i hope you guys enjoy! :)
The voices echoed in the distance, and even though she couldn’t see anybody, she could hear clearly enough.

Buffy was still confused, more because something like this wasn’t expected rather than she wasn’t sure what they were talking about.

She was very sure of what they were discussing, and every word only seemed to piss her off more.

As much as she hated it and as much as she wished she could be wrong, or there was some mistake, she kept listening with saddened rage.

“Whoa, whoa- cool it okay, man.” Buffy recognized Gunn’s voice.

“I’m bloody well not gonna ‘cool it’, this blighter needs t-”

“Go ahead, let him through, Gunn. He won’t do anything.” John’s self assured tone filtered through to Buffy’s ears.

There was a beat.

“Yeh. Hands off, mate.” And she could have sworn she just heard Spike’s nostrils flare. “I’ll… behave.” Buffy knew by his voice that he was reigning himself in, trying to stub his anger.

“Well don’t be insulted if I say I don’t exactly trust you at the moment.”

“I don’t know why you’re so bent out a shape about this ‘girlfriend’ of yours anyway, Spike.” John spoke again. “You got paid to take her out so I was just curious as to whether or not she was worth it.”

A familiar growl was heard, followed by yelling from Faith. “Spike- Enough!”

If Buffy’s eyes could see the scene she was honing in on like a radio broadcast, she’d witness Faith shoving Spike away from a now grinning John.

“Faith.” The Brit’s voice was strained. “Get out of m’way.”
“Oh no, bleach boy. I let you by and you do something stupid.”
“Remind me again why he listens to you better than me?” Gunn asked.
“Because I’m a chick and he won’t hit me. You on the other hand…”
“Faith, I have no problem picking you up and tossin your arse out of the way so do yourself a favor and MOVE.”
“Oh please, Spike.” Cordy’s voice chimed in.
“Bud out of this Cordelia.” Spike’s angry tone overthrew her comment.

“Look buddy, you’re not being fair.” John’s voice could be heard once again. “You’ve already had your turn with blondie and I’m just tryna find out whether or not she’s worth a go. No reason to get all territorial.”

Cries from everybody were heard, before Wesley’s voice finally broke through. He seemed to be two seconds away from snapping. “Damn it will you pull yourself together?!”

“Really Spike, control your temper.”
“Shut the fuck up, John! You’re talking about his girlfriend!” Faith finally barked at the only amused party involved.
“Doesn’t mean she’s off limits.”

“I’m going to- Get the hell off me, Gunn!”
“I will when common sense returns to your brain!”

John chuckled, succeeding in sending his opponent’s blood boiling. “How DID you ever get into Buffy’s pants? You’re gonna need to give me some pointers.”

“You’ll never touch her, you little prick!” The menacing growl with which the statement was said startled Buffy.

At least she knew Spike still cared about her. Well, she hoped.

“Ooh, she musta been good for you to not want to share.”

“That’s it!” And the sound of a slap echoed through the area, followed by Cordelia’s enraged voice. “I don’t know WHY you are such a douchebag, or even WHY Gunn brought you here tonight- but it is time for you to leave. If not so you can avoid getting an ass kicking from Spike, then at least so I don’t have to look at your face any longer!"

“Hey, hey- I’m just playin around here!” He unsuccessfully tried to laugh it off. “Why’s everyone so uptight-”

“I believe Cordelia’s right.” Wesley interrupted. “You’re not welcome here, John. And you can leave peacefully, or… we can let Spike go.”

Buffy’s curiosity got the best of her and she poked her head out from behind the porta-potty she was using as a wall. The girl’s eyes bugged slightly when she saw her boyfriend being held captive by both Gunn and Wesley. His arms were seized behind his back by Gunn while the other man stood in front of Spike blocking his path as the angry male gave up on struggling.

And by the look on John’s face, Buffy could tell he hadn’t considered the possibility that Spike might actually being ALLOWED to attack.

The antagonist fled rather quickly, without a goodbye, and Spike finally pushed himself free of restraint.

“What the fuck was that about?!”
“We couldn’t just let you beat the idiot to a pulp!” Cordy yelled.
“Why the bleeding hell not?!”

“Because he could’ve called the cops on our little hideaway here, Spike. And m’not gonna risk that just cuz you wanna pulverize the moron!” Gunn admonished.

“Then why’d you bring the pillock to the circle in the sodding first place?!”

“He seemed like a nice enough dude, alright! Didn’t know he was such an ass, I met him at my dad’s auto shop. He said he raced, we got to talking and I invited him by.”

Spike turned around to face Anne. His lips were pursed so tightly Buffy wasn’t sure if he was biting them or not. “Do me a favor, Annie. Don’ let Charlie-boy here make any new friends on his own less you approve em first, yeah?” An eyebrow was raised with the question.

“I’m actually thinkin that might not be the worst plan.” The blonde uncrossed her arms to set her hands on her hips, and glared slightly at the black man whose eyes were looking anywhere but at her.

Spike took a very, very deep breath. Cracked his neck and then finally unclenched his jaw. When he rolled his shoulder’s Fred’s voice floated through the air.
“Hey guys!” The female trotted up to her friends. “Any a you- Whoa wait a minute, what happened?” The girl could virtually feel the tension it rested so thickly among the group.

Wesley wrapped an arm around her waist. “We had some trouble, I’ll tell you about it later. Nothing too surprising actually.”

She shrugged. “Well okay. But you’re tellin me everything later.” Wes nodded. “Anyways, anybody seen Buffy around? She said she was going to the bathroom but she hasn’t come back yet.”

The eavesdropper ducked her head back around the edge of the porta-potty.

Spike frowned at Winifred’s report. “What do you mean? Where is she?”
“I don’t know. We we’re dancing and then she left to use the restroom but never came back.”
“How long has she been gone?” He asked, already a bit worried.
“A little over half an hour I think. The lines by the bathrooms aren’t long- I don’t know where she could’ve gone. I’ve looked just about everywhere.”

Spike took the few steps needed to be right in front of Fred’s form. “Well where the hell could she have gone- Did you check by my car?”

“Yeah. None of you have seen her?” Now Fred looked a little alarmed.
Spike’s nostrils flared and he stormed off in search of the missing blonde.

***

An hour later, but what felt like four, Spike had gone stir crazy.

He’d checked everywhere. Literally everywhere. The DJ stand, his car, his friends cars, he asked around seeing if anyone had spotted her, he already called her phone so many times he lost count. He pounded on all of the porta-potty doors (which scared the shit out of a few people, no pun intended), he even looked in the TRUNK of his car.

He was actually on his way to start breaking into every other trunk on the premises because he was getting desperate.

Where was Buffy?

She wasn’t pulling the flag down for the next race, she wasn’t dancing, she wasn’t leaning against the hood of a car drinking, and she wasn’t in his fucking arms! She was gone and Spike was both ridiculously pissed right along with sickeningly frightened.

The rest of his friends were all looking for the Summers woman, too. Annie had even taken her car out to search the surrounding area.

Scratch the trunk plan. Spike was going to go out and do that, too. Right now.

He needed to find her.
If anything happened to her…

The man ran to his Desoto.

***

Okay so maybe walking home alone at night wasn’t the best plan she’d ever had.

Buffy stepped over yet another big rock and readjusted her bag that hung over her shoulder.

It was dark, but thank god for cell phones. She was using it as a flashlight whilst ignoring Spike’s calls.

Yeah, she knew he must be worried. Probably was tearing his hair out right about now.

She was a bit of a bitch for leaving like that, but she wasn’t trying to be, she really wasn’t! She just couldn’t face him after hearing what she had.

The girl was mad but then another part of her felt like she should just talk to him.

Spike hadn’t acted like some jerk who’d used her for cash, he hadn’t EVER acted that way actually; and the way he freaked when John was talking about screwing her indicated he cared about her.

But she just wasn’t ready to TALK to him yet.
And she needed to clear her head a bit.

Was this whole bet that he’d apparently had the reason he’d been an ass earlier? Because if that was true then he had been so out of line it wasn’t even funny. And HE needed to talk to HER, she shouldn’t have to go to him and ask “Hey, wanna tell me about this little bet that you’d apparently had concerning me? One where you earned a bunch of cash for…”

Buffy stopped walking.

What HAD the bet been for? Dating her? Meeting her? Just TALKING to her?

No that didn’t make sense- What had it taken for Spike to “make money off of” her?

Buffy started walking again, this time faster and with confusion pulsing throughout her entire body.

Ever since that fight not too long ago, where she’d believed he was still hung up on Drusilla, Buffy realized that she couldn’t go assuming things. And Spike she was sure already knew about the danger of assumption.

But this BET, at least that’s what she’d gathered it was from everything she had heard back at the circle, was a whole other story. She KNEW Spike had made money from his friends because he’d done something that somehow included HER and-

Wait.

Her grip tightened around the handle of her duffle bag, squeezing it fiercely and not realizing marks were embedding themselves into her palm. She shook her head and found herself repeating the same word over and over again out loud.

She’d guessed at something before and she had almost screwed everything up with Spike, she couldn’t take another chance like that, she couldn’t!

But what else would a teenage guy like Spike, one who was used to screwing and leaving every girl in his life, bet on when it came to a chick? He’d said that the only woman he’d ever really cared about in the past had been Drusilla and after her he’d done nothing but…

Buffy instinctively swallowed hard to push back the tears that were abruptly gathering behind her eyes.

No. Not him. Not to her. He wouldn’t, couldn’t of- He-

What about Angel and Riley and everything that had happened between her and Spike- There HAD to be a mistake. He did love her and care about her, no one was that good of an actor. Their feelings for each other, from the beginning, had been true and powerful. There was no fake with them, they always laid everything out on the table.

Unless he hadn’t known he would feel the way he did now at the start of it all…

Buffy stopped and looked at the sky. Then she brought her head back to the path she’d been walking. The darkness in front of her seemed long and thick, like a wool blanket someone had pulled over her eyes. Similar to how she suddenly felt. The whole thing had been a game to him?

He’d started this all out just to make money off of her? Had the bet originally been to fuck her and leave her, but somehow he’d fallen for her? Had this entire thing started off as a joke?

Car lights abruptly shot through the night and before her feet she noticed the white shine. Hearing a loud engine and turning around she spotted a familiar vehicle, and strangely, she was grateful to be in the person’s company.

Annie pulled up to Buffy with the passenger window rolled down, her face was relieved but also held an overlay that said annoyingly confused.

Buffy didn’t feel guilty at the look, and she wasn’t feeling wrath towards the woman that now peered on at her from inside the car either.

For a minute Annie just sat there and stared at the tired petite form of her friend’s girlfriend. Miss Buffy wasn’t angry looking nor was she crying, but she had a strange air about her that made the other woman take pause.

Finally Anne made a gesture with her head and leaned forward to open the passenger door. “Hop in.”

Buffy didn’t object.

They started driving. “So, ya wanna tell me why you decided to leave all by yourself in the middle of the night and walk five miles to the highway. I mean were you planning on hitchhiking?”

Buffy smiled a little at the tone she used. Annie wasn’t even berating her for the obviously stupid decision.
“Okay so maybe I shoulda thought twice about that one…”

“Mighta been a good idea. It’s not like you couldn’t have gotten a ride though, I mean you’ve got the giant duffle bag, the cute little outfit and heels. Some psycho rapist guy was sure to pick you up in a red hot second!”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t going to hitchhike. I hadn’t really thought that far, actually.”

“Where’d you get the bag anyway?”
“I grabbed it from Spike’s car.”
“It is yours righ-”
“Yes, it’s mine. He was dropping me off at a friend’s house after the circle or whatever you guys call it, and I’m spending the night over there. This has my stuff in it.”

“Ah. I see.”

A minute passed with silence, and the moment of truth finally edged its way to the forefront of conversation.

“So… what did Spike do to get you so pissed that you left like that? Last I saw him he was running around setting himself up for a heart attack searching for you.”

“Let him.”

Anne, to be truthful, was a little taken back by the girl’s reply. It sounded so… cold. “Well uh, don’t you think you should like call him and at least let him know you’re okay? I’ve never seen him so worried before.”

Buffy frowned and faced the driver. “Were you looking for me? Is that why you were out driving around just now?”

She nodded.

Buffy rolled her eyes slightly and shook her head sadly. “F’course. He would get you to do that. Hey, wait- you are not driving me back there.”

“Well I was actually going to drive to the highway and see if by the time we got there I could’ve talked you into going back with me, but uh… that’s not gonna happen is it?”

Buffy shook her head in the negative and Annie sighed.
“Okay. Tell me how to get to your friend’s place.”

“You don’t have to take me all the way out there. It’s like a thirty to forty minute drive, I don’t want you going to all that trouble-”
“Are you kidding? No way am I just dumping you out here by yourself.”

“I can call a cab.”
“No. I’ll drive you. Now give me directions before I turn this car around and toss your ass at Spike’s feet.”

The Summers girl smiled at that. “Thank you, Anne.”

“Annie. And you’re welcome. Now, directions.”

***

Twenty minutes went by and the two blondes hadn’t talked anymore of Spike or what happened to make the Summers girl flee.

Annie was internally cringing at how much time that had passed where she could have informed Spike of his girlfriend’s whereabouts. And the two phone calls Buffy received and ignored didn’t exactly help Annie’s conscience.

The teenager’s cell rang just then, and as soon as Buffy got done groaning, removing the battery, and tossing the phone parts into her bag, Annie couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Okay, you HAVE to call him.”

The girl let out a “pfft” in reply.

“CALL HIM. He was freaked out enough when I left to look for you. He’s gotta be climbing the walls by now.”

Silence.

“If you don’t then I will.”
“How long have you been waiting ta use that line?” Buffy muttered beneath her breath.

“Probly not as long as Spike’s been worrying over where you are.”

A beat.

“Why are you even mad at him? What’d he do?”

“I don’t feel like talking about it.” She really, really did NOT want to bring this up with Annie. The uncomfy factor of discussing this whole thing with someone who’d been a participant (asides from Spike) would be dreadful and wiggy.

The driver sighed. “Okay fine. It’s not my business, but he DOES deserve to know where you are. You do not want that man looking for you forever- believe me, he’ll find you. Someway, somehow.”

Oh Buffy could see that.

“Please call him.”

“We’re almost to my friend’s house and- turn here.” Annie swerved the car. “And I can’t talk to him right now, alright. If you’re that concerned then you let him know I’m alive. Maybe you can make some MORE money by withholding information on where I am until he coughs up the cash.”

Annie’s eyes bugged as she redirected her gaze to the road in front of her. She knew exactly what was bothering the teenager now and swallowed hard. “How’d you find out?”

“Ears. They’re useful little suckers.”

Well now how the hell was she supposed to approach this. “Y- You overheard-”

“Spike collecting his winnings? Yeah.”

Another beat.

“I’m sorry.”

“Is that an opening for me to hear about all the little details of Spike’s scheme?”
“Buffy, it wasn’t like that.”
“So it wasn’t a bet?”

“No it was but he- Spike… ugh. Look you should really talk to him, okay? It’s not what you think. I- He- We didn’t-”
“Pull over.”
“What?”

“We’re here. The red house.” Buffy pointed.

“Oh- Oh, sorry.” She pulled up in front of a small bungalow and turned to Buffy just as the other blonde was exiting the car. The girl was tired, and wasn’t in the mood for anymore discussion, Anne could see that. It didn’t even feel right to try and explain everything about the bet that had been made on Buffy’s name. All she could say wouldn’t be enough right now.

She sighed. “Buffy, please call Spike okay. I really think you need to like, actually TALK to him.”

The girl waited a moment before replying. “I will.” She shut the passenger door

“H- He’s crazy about you.” Anne called out the window and smiled slightly when her listener turned back around. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him act this way about a girl before.”
Buffy nodded acceptingly. “Thank you for the ride. I really appreciate it.”

The driver nodded too. “Anytime Buffy.”

Annie then watched as Buffy went around the back of the house before driving away.

***

By the time she was off the block she’d already grabbed her phone and dialed Spike’s number.

He answered immediately. “Did you find her?”

“Yes and she’s fine don’t worry.” She responded to his almost desperate sounding voice.

“Thank god, where the fuck was she?!”

From worry to wrath in 2.5 seconds, Annie wasn’t surprised. “Walking home.”
“Walking- Are you bloody joking with me?!”

“Nope. I found her, walking home, alone, using her cell phone as a flashlight.”
She heard a growl on the other line. “Why-”

“You wanna know why? Because she overheard everyone talking about the bet, Spike.”

There was silence.

“She knows that somehow you made money off of her, but she doesn’t know the details. However, I’m pretty sure she’s assuming the worst.”
“Bloody hell.” He cursed under his breath.

“Given I don’t blame her. I’d probly be thinking the exact same thing as she is right now.”
“Put her on.”
“I can’t. She’s not here.”
“What do you mean she’s not THERE? You didn’t pick her up?!”

“Of course I picked her up moron! But then I drove her to her friend’s house. I’m coming back from Moon Stream now; quaint little town you’ve got here by the way, Spikey.”

“Why the hell didn’t you call me?!”
“She didn’t want to talk to you.”
“ANNIE!”

“Will you stop SHOUTING! I told her to call you and that this whole thing wasn’t what she thought it was, okay. I’m pretty sure she’s going to talk to you but definitely not tonight, she looked exhausted Spike.”

“I’m calling her cell phone again.”
“You won’t get her. She took out the battery.”
“Fuck! You couldn’t ‘ve stopped her?!”

“I had no right, Spike! Look I think it’d be best to try talking to her tomorrow. She was not havin it tonight.”

“What do you mean, ‘not havin it?’”

“I mean she was tired, she had to drive half an hour with someone who she knows was involved with this whole thing, and she probably feels betrayed if she’s thinkin what I’m guessin she’s thinkin. Leave her alone tonight. If you want maybe send her a text to let her know that you wanna explain yourself and she’ll see it in the morning.”

“… Bugger that. I know where her friend lives, I’ll just-”
“Are you KIDDING me?! God, why are you so, SO impatient?! Give her tonight to be alone, don’t scare her away, idiot!”

She heard a pained sigh from the other end of the line. “I need to talk to her, Annie.”

“And you will. Once she’s gotten some sleep alright? Let the poor girl clear her head.”

“How do you know she won’t have-”
“Won’t have what?” The woman interrupted. “Won’t have decided she hates you and miraculously stop loving you all in one night? Get a grip ‘mate’, she’ll be mad but once you guys talk I’m sure everything will work out. I am a girl remember? I kinda know some stuff about the female brain.”

He scoffed. “Yeh. You birds are all crazy.”
“Because we have to deal with your kind.”
“My kind?”
“Men. You drive us nuts, trust me. You’re all nags.”
“I’m a nag?! Are you-”
“Okay look Spike, I gotta go. I don’t want to argue with you right now. Are you still at the circle?”

He sighed. “No. I went out searching for Buffy.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, should I tell everyone that you’ll see em later once I drive back there or are you heading back too?”
“No. Tell em I said I’ll see em later.”
“Alright.”
“Thanks Annie.”
“Sure.”
“… You sure she was okay? I mean physically- No bruises, nothin?”

Annie smiled. “She was fine, Spike. Breathing and everything.”

He relaxed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now get home and get some sleep. Things will be better in the morning.”


Chapter End Notes:
So all the reviews i got last chapter are MUCH appreciated and i love all the people reading this story! Please continue to leave reviews!! :)



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