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A few minutes later, Clem pulled back on the reins and announced, "Here we are, kids."

Buffy looked around as Spike hopped down from the carriage. "There's no French restaurant around here."

Spike went to Buffy's side of the cab and helped her step down. "It's right through this alley," he said, jerking his thumb towards an alleyway near them.

"The fancy restaurant is through a dark, dirty alley?" Buffy wondered what Spike considered 'fancy'. The place might turn out to be a dive... but she didn't want to hurt Spike's feelings. She was already planning what nice things she could say and how she would feign delight with the restaurant he'd chosen. She just hoped the food was halfway edible and she didn't get ptomaine poisoning.

"I'm tellin' you, it's there," Spike maintained.

"I'll be back here in about two hours, you should be all fed and happy by then," Clem said to Spike.

"Thanks, mate. You're a lifesaver."

"Yeah, and I'm also a big pussycat. Oh, and, Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"I knew you wanted her to be your girlfriend," Clem said, brimming with self-satisfaction. "Did I call that or what?"

Spike gave him a look and flipped him a backwards peace sign.

"Have fun, you two!" Clem tipped his hat, then spurred Rusty into action again.

They waved as Clem drove away. Then Buffy took Spike's arm and they started down the alleyway.

After a minute, Buffy asked, "Are you sure the restaurant is here? Maybe it's through a different dark, dirty alley." She suddenly wished she'd tucked a stake... somewhere.

"Just a bit further this way, luv. Ah, here we are!" Spike waved a hand at a sign that said 'Chez Henri'.

He opened the door for Buffy, letting her see into the establishment. The aroma of yummy food, and the sounds of violin music wafted out the door.

"Well... I'll be damned. It is a fancy French restaurant!" Buffy walked inside and checked the place out.

It was just as Spike said, elegant, with a romantic, intimate atmosphere. There were several other couples dining and chatting by candlelight, apparently a lot of other people were in on the secret restaurant.

"I had no idea this even existed."

"It's a well-kept secret." Spike put a hand on her back, moving to the entrance to the dining room.

"Apparently," she agreed, wondering how a secret restaurant stayed in business.

The Maitre d', a short man with dark, slicked back hair and wearing an expensive gray suit, looked up from his podium and smiled. "Ah, Monsieur Spike! How good to see you again."

"'Ello, Marcel. Is our table ready?"

"Bien sur." He looked at Buffy, grinning brightly. "You've brought such a lovely dining companion with you this evening."

"This is Buffy... my lady." Spike smiled, and glanced shyly at Buffy. Buffy smiled back at him, not objecting to being called his 'lady'. "It's her first time here."

"Mademoiselle Buffy, we'll make certain you have a delightful experience."

"I can't wait to try the food, it smells wonderful in here."

"Allow me to show you to your table." Marcel took two menus and led the way to a cozy table near the large stone fireplace.

Spike pulled Buffy's chair out for her. But Buffy hadn't expected him to do that and sat down in the opposite chair.

"Over here, luv."

"Hmm?" She looked up at him.

Spike raised an eyebrow and pulled the chair out further.

It took her a moment to realize what Spike was doing. "Oh! Sorry." Buffy stood back up and moved swiftly around the table. Then she sat down slowly. "Thank you, kind sir," she said, grinning. Buffy believed strongly in female empowerment and independence, but it was still nice to be treated like a lady sometimes. "I could get used to the gentlemanly treatment."

"I'll see to it that you do," Spike replied, resting his hands on her shoulders for a moment before going to his own seat. "It's a shame ladies don't expect a man to do courtly things like that anymore. You do like that sort of treatment, right? I know some women these days find those gestures chauvinistic."

Buffy shook her head. "I think it's refreshingly romantic for a man to do things like pulling out chairs for his date."

Marcel handed them their menus. “I highly recommend the pheasant au vin, it's one of the chef's most famous creations.”

"Thanks for lookin' after us, Marcel." Spike slipped him a $20 bill.

"Monsieur Spike, you know your money is no good here."

"No, it's real this time. It's not the stuff I print up in my basement," Spike joked with a smirk.

"Such a sense of humor!" Marcel laughed.

Buffy smiled. It was nice to see Spike interacting with other people like this. He could be so polite and charming when he chose to be.

“I’ll send a server over shortly to take your order. Bon appétit!” Marcel hurried off to attend to his duties.

"Okay, what's the story?" Buffy leaned forward and asked quietly.

Spike looked at her, arching an eyebrow. "Story?"

“Why was he so nice to you?”

"He's a Maitre d', pet. Kissing ass is part of the job."

"But why was he kissing your ass and talking like you're old friends? I don't have to tell you that you... usually rub people the wrong way."

"I helped the restaurant out once or twice when they had demons grubbing about out back at night."

"Um... you're not known for being a Good Samaritan..."

Spike chuckled. "True, I didn’t help people just for the sake of helping them, there had to be somethin’ in it for me. I told them they owed me for my good deeds. I’ve had a few decadent meals here in exchange for my help, and I thought this would be the perfect place to take you tonight."

“Does that mean we’re eating for free?”

Spike nodded.

“And I can order anything I want?” Buffy had intended on keeping her meal as cheap as possible so it wouldn’t put too heavy a strain on Spike’s wallet.

He smirked. “Go wild, pet. Order the most expensive things on the menu, it's on the house.”

She grinned and looked back at her menu with new eyes, seeking out the most expensive dishes instead of skimming over them.

"Just so you know..." Spike said, looking at her seriously, "I pledge to do more Good Samaritan type things without asking for anything in return. I'm serious about changing my ways."

"Let's not be too hasty..." Buffy liked the idea of rewards -- not getting any kind of compensation for saving the world sucked. She was about to have a fabulous gourmet meal -- for free! -- thanks to Spike's wheeling and dealing and good deeds. "If someone offers some kind of reward for a good deed, it'd be rude to turn it down. I can't take anything in exchange for my help because of the whole 'sacred calling' thing, but you can. Just as long as you don't tell the people in trouble you won't save them unless they give you stuff."

Spike breathed out and smiled. "That's a relief -- woulda been really hard to give up the perks. That's a good loophole in your not taking rewards vow. I won't strong-arm anyone who needs help, 'course, but I can strongly hint that a reward would be... nice. Good thinking."

Buffy tapped her forehead. "I'm smart."

"That you are, luv."

A waitress with short, blonde hair approached their table. "Bonsoir! Have you decided?" the waitress asked with a French accent.

Spike looked up from his menu, seeing an opportunity to (hopefully) dazzle Buffy. "Pas tout à fait encore. Nous aurons besoin un peu de plus de temps, merci."

{Not quite yet. We'll need a bit more time, thanks.}

Buffy raised her eyebrows; she didn't know Spike could speak French, and so well, too -- at least she assumed he was speaking it well. What he said could've been gibberish, but he sounded damn good saying it.

The waitress smiled more widely at Spike, Buffy didn't like the flirty smile or gleam in the other blonde woman's eyes. "Vous parlez très bien français."

{You speak French very well.}

"Merci, j'espère qu'il saura impressionner ma date," Spike joked, gesturing at Buffy.

{Thanks, I'm hoping it will impress my date.}

“Je suis sûr qu'il le fera!” the waitress answered with a chuckle.

{I’m sure it will!}

Buffy cleared her throat. Hearing Spike speak French was of the good, him having what was essentially a private conversation with a flirty waitress was not.

Spike certainly didn’t want Buffy feeling left out, he only wanted to impress her. "We're still deciding on the rest, but a cheeseboard would be good for starters." He looked at Buffy. "Is that alright with you, pet?"

"Um, yes, cheeseboard. Let's start with that." Buffy didn't know what a 'cheeseboard' was, but didn't want to risk sounding dumb by saying so. It had the word 'cheese' in it, so she'd probably like it.

The waitress nodded. "I'll bring a bottle of our finest wine, as well."

"Merci," Spike said as the waitress left for the kitchen. He looked back at his menu. "You want to try the pheasant au vin Marcel recommended?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes at the waitress' back. “I was sitting right here, and she still flirted with you. Rude much?"

Spike’s brow furrowed. “She wasn’t flirting with me...” Then a slow smile spread across his face. “Bloody hell, you’re jealous!” Spike accused with surprise.

“Am not.” She smiled a bit. “...Maybe a little. That’s one drawback of going out with a gorgeous man, the skanks come out of the woodwork. You don’t have to look so pleased about it.”

“Can’t help it. I never thought you’d be jealous of another woman allegedly flirting with me. I never thought you’d... care.”

“Well, I do... so don’t encourage flirtage with other females.” Buffy smiled, trying to relax again. "I didn’t know you spoke French. That was neat."

Spike smiled slightly and shrugged humbly. "I have been around for a while, y'know? I had time to pick up a few words here and there."

"Very impressive."

"If you think I was just showin' off for you by unnecessarily speaking a foreign language... you're right." He laughed. "I'm using everything at my disposal to capture you in my web of love."

Buffy reached out and put her hand over his. "I really am impressed. I was hoping we'd learn new and interesting things about each other tonight. Say something else in French," she requested with a twinkle in her eye.

Spike thought for a moment and held her hand. He said silkily, while looking into her eyes, "Etre avec toi signifie plus pour moi que je peux vous dire, ma belle Buffy."

{Being with you means more to me than I can say, my beautiful Buffy.}

Buffy tilted her head with a dreamy look on her face, a shiver went up her spine. "Oh... that sounded really nice..."

"You like foreign tongues, eh?"

"Well... I like your foreign tongue." She giggled and blushed, sitting up straight again. "I don't know why I said that... really bad joke."

"I like Cheeky Buffy, I haven't had the pleasure of making her acquaintance until recently." Spike smirked.

The waitress came back with the cheeseboard and a bottle of wine.

Buffy thought, 'Oh, okay, it's literally a board with cheese on it.'

There were five different kinds of cheeses on the board, accompanied by an assortment of fruit, crackers, toasted nuts, and a freshly baked baguette.

"Looks very yummy. This could be a meal all by itself," Buffy commented as the waitress poured their wine.

"This is just the starter, save room for the main course and dessert," Spike advised.

"Ooh, dessert." Buffy peeked at what other diners around them were eating. She definitely wanted to save room for something chocolaty. "Wish I had an extra stomach or two like a cow."

Spike chuckled. "Don't say that too loud in this town, someone's liable to grant your wish."

"Hmm, you're right about that. I retract that wish."

The waitress smiled at them (more at Spike than Buffy). "Let me know when you decide on the rest of your meal."

"We will, thanks," Spike said politely, smiling then looking back down at the table quickly so Buffy wouldn't think he was encouraging 'flirtage'.

The waitress went to check on another table.

"That's right... keep movin', Frenchy," Buffy said, following the woman with her eyes. "Did you see how she totally ignored me? I know what she's up to."

Spike laughed and shook his head. He was just so pleased that Buffy was showing a bit of jealousy. He couldn't help that it made him giddy, it was a dream come true.





They finished their appetizer and moved on to the main course. Buffy ordered the pheasant that the Maitre d' recommended, and Spike had the steak au poivre with cognac sauce, which he shared a bite of with Buffy whenever he noticed her glance at his plate. They chatted as they ate.

"This is so good," Buffy declared before putting another forkful of food in her mouth.

"Mmhmm," Spike agreed.

"I always thought vampires' taste buds were dead and they couldn't taste things. I've never seen any other vamps eating regular food. Though my contact with other vamps is pretty much limited to beating them up and staking them, not much socializing goes on." Buffy carefully avoided mentioning Angel or comparing Spike to him -- things were going so well, she didn't want to spoil it with a stupid remark like that.

"I can only speak from my own experience, but we can taste things just fine. I think our sense of taste is altered a bit, but our taste buds are alive, or maybe undead. I think a lot of my kind just don't want to eat human food, they abandon the trappings of humanity and embrace their new, creature of the night selves completely. I prefer spicy foods that have more of a kick, but I can enjoy the seasoning in the steak I'm eating now, too."

"You should tell Giles some of that stuff. I don't think the Watchers know little things like that about vampires."

"And why would I want to help those wankers by telling them anything about me or my people?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow. "Didn't you just quit and tell them to get stuffed not too long ago?"

"Yeah, they really are wankers... But Giles isn't, he's not like the rest of them."

Spike remained silent on the issue of Giles being, or not being, a wanker.

"You're going to try to get along with my friends, right?" Buffy asked hopefully.

Spike sighed, but smiled; he knew how important that was to her. "Yeah, I will... for you. Rupert isn't that bad, I s'pose... he's a fellow Englishman an' all. We had a few good chats when I was spending my days chained up in his bathtub. I finally even got him to watch 'Passions', took to it like…” Spike paused. He was going to say that Giles ‘took to the show like a pig to muck,’ but he didn’t want to squick Buffy out.

“Like what?” Buffy asked when Spike didn’t continue.

“Uhhh… like monkeys to cupcakes,” Spike substituted at the last moment. “A fact I'm sure he'll deny with his last breath. I know he despises me, but I'll try to get along with him all the same."

Buffy couldn't help snorting softly at the 'monkeys to cupcakes' thing. "Giles and the others just need to see you're serious about wanting to be a good man. Then they'll come around."

Spike nodded, putting more food in his mouth to avoid saying anything derogatory about her friends and how he was less than optimistic that they'd ever change their opinions about him. Spike didn't relish that he'd perpetually be auditioning for the role of Buffy's boyfriend in their eyes and have to prove he's sincere about becoming one of the good guys. But he'd walk through the fires of Hell itself to be with Buffy, so he had to try and develop a thicker skin where the Scoobies were concerned.

"This food is so delicious," Buffy said after another bite. "I know I said it before, but I had to say it again."

Spike nodded and smiled. "Glad you're enjoyin' it, luv. It is brilliant, innit?"

"But what about you?" Buffy asked, looking concerned.

"What about me?"

"This normal food won't do anything for you, sustenance-wise. Can you order..." she looked around, leaned forward and whispered, "blood here? Is it a vampire-friendly restaurant?"

"It is a vamp-friendly establishment, but I'm fine, no worries. I ate before I picked you up tonight. I didn't think it would do your appetite any good if I ate my food in front of you. Thanks for askin' though... means a lot that you're thinking about my needs."

"We're being so considerate of each other... crazy, huh?" Buffy laughed lightly.

"Yeah, it's a big change from how we used to get on. I couldn't be happier about how things have changed between us, I like this... this thing we have now."

"I like it, too," Buffy agreed.

"I have an idea... let's play a game."

"What kind of game?" Buffy asked with a slanted smile.

"Let's pretend we've never met before -- we were just set up on a blind date by a mutual friend, and we're getting to know each other."

Buffy laughed. "Okay... we could try that."

"So, tell me about yourself, pet. Who is Buffy Summers, what kind of things does she like?" Spike put his arm on the table and leaned forward slightly (in the classic 'I'm interested in what you have to say' pose). He smiled and batted his eyes at her.

"Um... let's see, I'm 20 years old, so it’s a good thing they didn’t want to card me before they served me wine. Shhh, don’t tell.” They chuckled as she continued. “I attend UC Sunnydale -- I've had to cut way back on my classes for a while, but I plan on going back full-time as soon as I can. I grew up in L.A. but moved here when I was sixteen. I used to be a cheerleader back in my early high school days. I'm really into martial arts now, and I like to keep in shape."

"Fascinating," Spike drawled. "Tell me more."

"I used to love figure skating when I was younger -- my idol was the great Peggy Fleming -- but I haven't had a lot of time for extracurricular activities lately... I also like going to the beach, poetry," she said with a big grin, and Spike smiled wider at that, "cheese, chocolate, and guys who aren't assholes. Oh, I also save the world a lot, hang out in cemeteries, and battle demons by the dark of night. Now, tell me about you," Buffy said, leaning forward and smiling. "Who is Spike?"

"My name's William, but everyone calls me Spike. I'm --"

"And your last name is?" Buffy rested her chin on her hand and blinked at him.

Spike sighed and reluctantly told her, "My surname is Swann."

"Swann's a nice name, why do you make a face when you say it? You don't you like it?"

He shrugged. "Swans are beautiful, graceful creatures, not the image I wanted to project."

"You're graceful." Buffy added with a smile, "In the manliest sense of the word, of course."

"'Graceful' puts me in mind of nancy-boys and ballerinas... I'd prefer the terms 'nimble' or 'agile'. Unless I'm drunk or bouncing off anti-vamp barriers and falling on my ass -- I'm much less nimble in those cases."

Buffy frowned a bit. She knew Spike was just joking, but it made her sad to think of the whole 'not inviting him in' thing again.

Spike could see he shouldn't have brought that up. "...Sorry, my mouth gets ahead of my brain sometimes... most of the time, actually. That's another thing you should know about me."

Buffy smiled again and shook her head. "It's okay." She went back to the subject of his name. "Um, you know, swans can be really mean. I got chased by an angry swan once when I was little, scared the hell out of me. If a giant, demon swan ever attacks the city, the people of Sunnydale are on their own, I'm outta here."

Spike laughed. "That's true, swans can be surly. I guess that part suits me."

"The beautiful and graceful parts fit you too," Buffy said it teasingly, but she meant it -- Spike was both.

"Shall I continue telling you about myself?"

"By all means, please carry on." Buffy waved her hand.

"I'm a 121-year-old vampire. I was born in London during the Victorian era when everyone was mainly concerned with being proper, and a woman showing a bit of ankle was considered scandalous. I'm much better suited to this era, this is the time I was meant for. I know it may seem like a silly, romantic notion, but I believe my entire life has led to this: being in this town, in this time... in this restaurant with this breathtaking woman sitting across from me." Spike reached across the table to touch her hand, giving her a suave smile.

"You certainly move fast, Mr. Swann." Buffy giggled. "We've only just met -- you don't want to scare me off by talking like that, do you?"

"No, I don't want to scare you off, pet. But I want to be honest about how I feel. I know who the girl for me is, my heart belongs solely to her. She's not quite there yet... but I'm prepared to wait for her to catch up to me." Spike smiled broadly. "I've got nothin' but time."

While Spike poured them each another glass of champagne, Buffy asked, "What kinds of things do you like to do? Leaving out the more vampirey things."

"I like football, dog racing, spicy wings, bloomin' onions, alcohol, and a decent brawl," Spike replied.

"My goodness, you make yourself sound like a brute," Buffy said, putting a hand to her chest in mock shock.

"I'm a complicated man, luv. I bore easily, so I like having a lot of variety in my life. Doin' the same thing the same way all the time gets tiresome. My needs are simple, but I also like indulging in the finer things every now and then. To quote Homer, I enjoy all the meats of our cultural stew."

Buffy laughed. She thought he meant Homer, the Greek epic poet at first, but it was Homer Simpson. Spike might watch too much TV, in her opinion.

Spike continued, "I enjoy the occasional fine meal, such as the one we're having now. I also have a passion for the arts, a love of poetry is something we have in common. And I'm a hopeless romantic; when I fancy a woman, I treat her like a queen. I enjoy spoiling my woman."

"Your woman should want to spoil you a little, too." Buffy suspected that no woman had ever treated Spike as well, or put him on a pedestal, as he did them. With the exception of Harmony, who was an aberration... in many ways. It was just Spike's bad luck that the one lover he couldn't stand was the one who was hung up on him. And Buffy suspected that Spike had been hurt before, not just by Dru. "I haven't done such a great job at making any man I've been with feel special..."

"You just hadn't found the long-haul guy yet, that's all. Your other... relationships weren't meant to be, and neither were mine, even if they did feel 'right' for a while. Just being here with you right now makes me feel special. I love you more than anything in this world, Buffy. I'll be happy with whatever you're able to give. This, just having dinner with you and talking, makes me so bloody happy I want to burst into song like in one of those sappy old musicals."

Buffy still had doubts about her ability to be a good girlfriend and be what her man needed, but Spike saying sweet things like that did help. She hoped he still felt the same way after they'd been together for a while, once the ‘crushiness' of being with her wore off. "You always know the right thing to say to make me feel better. You also always knew just what to say to piss me off."

"I’m versatile, but I'll try to do more of the former and less of the latter."

They smiled at each other.

"What are you looking for in a man, Miss Summers?" Spike asked, reverting to their blind date role playing.

"I don't really know... I mean, I thought I knew what I wanted, but I wasn't happy when I got it. I guess I want someone... who will stay with me." Buffy sighed. "That sounds pretty pathetic, doesn't it?"

Spike shook his head, swallowing a lump in his throat. He also had trouble holding on to the ones he loved. "Doesn't sound pathetic at all, that's high on my list too..." He smiled sadly. "Though I'm pretty pathetic m'self, so maybe I'm not the right person to ask."

"Besides staying power, I need a man who'll be there for me -- to fight by my side when I'm strong, and to give me a shoulder to lean on when I'm weak. And no guilt trips. I've got a lot of responsibilities, I can't be a doting girlfriend all the time... make that, most of the time. I don't need a boyfriend who makes me feel guilty for doing my duties as the Slayer or a daughter."

Spike nodded along with what she was saying. "So far, I'm highly qualified for the position of Buffy's Boyfriend. Nothin' I can't handle."

Buffy laughed lightly. "Okay, what about you, Mr. Swann? What do you look for in a girlfriend?"

Spike thought about the question as they ate. "Well, I'd want that 'stay with me' thing you mentioned. I'd like my woman to be strong, inside an' out. But I'd like her to have a vulnerable, softer side, at least with me. I wouldn't want her to be afraid to ask me if she needed my help with anything, and thinkin' she has to be strong and on top of everything all the bloody time.

"I'm a warrior myself, so a girl who can kick some ass would be a plus. The thought of fighting side by side with my woman is definitely a turn-on. I'd also want her to be smart, someone who can stimulate my intellect as well as... other parts."

"Oh, smart! Um, I forgot to say I want my guy to be smart. I'm adding that to my list," Buffy said. "If you can't talk to each other, there's not much of a future."

Spike nodded in agreement. "The sex can be great, but if your mate has nothin' goin' on upstairs... I recently got out of a relationship just like that -- I don't recommend it. I want someone I can carry on a conversation with and not want to stake myself by the end of it. But I'd also like my woman to be built like a brick shithouse."

Buffy laughed. "Yeah, at the risk of sounding really shallow, I'd like my guy to be hard-bodied and ripply with muscles. Are we both just too picky?"

"Maybe we are. And maybe we've both finally gotten lucky and found what we're looking for."

"Maybe we have," Buffy agreed with a smile. "But I'm not always the most pleasant person to be around, I can be bitchy..."

Spike tried looking shocked. "You, unpleasant and bitchy? Piffle!" He shook his head and frowned. "I don't believe that for a moment. I find you simply enchanting."

She giggled. "You sure you want to take a chance on someone like me?"

Spike smiled and reached out to touch her hand again. "Pet, I've never been more sure of anything in my life."





They finished their main courses and were served their desserts. Buffy had a slice of chocolate mousse cake, and Spike had pears soaked in brandy with a hot caramel sauce. Spike generously shared his dessert with Buffy. He was happy to share, especially since she let him feed her bites of it. He had to be careful to keep his libido on a leash -- having Buffy opening wide and letting him slide the food into her mouth made Spike think some very dirty thoughts...

Once all the food was gone, Buffy leaned back in her chair. "I never knew pears could be so tasty, your dessert rivaled the chocolate mousse cake in yumminess. That was the best thing I've ever had in my mouth."

Spike wanted to say a number of naughty things such as 'The night's still young'. But he wisely settled for a smirk and slight cocking of his eyebrow.

Buffy hadn't meant it in a naughty way, but the double entendre was loud and clear when she took a second to think about it. She knew exactly what he was thinking; Spike could say more with a smirk and a raising of his eyebrow than most people could with a whole dictionary of words. "You're bad," she said with a smirk of her own as she dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her cloth napkin, trying to look like a proper lady.

Spike tried looking scandalized, but couldn't completely wipe the smirk from his face. "You've got a dirty mind, pet. I didn't say anything."

"Uh-huh, I'm the one with the dirty mind." She moaned and rubbed her stomach. "I've never been so full in my life. Not only did I eat all my food, I made a dent in your dinner too. Sorry."

"It was all about you having an exceptional meal and us having a nice chat, pet. I planned on sharing with you; I purposely ordered something other than what you were having so you could try another dish."

"Trying to fatten me up, eh?" Buffy joked. "I don't know if I can walk out under my own power, you might have to carry me back to the carriage."

Spike snorted and smiled; he’d happily carry her to the ends of the earth. "You wouldn't be interested in dancing, then?"

"Dancing?" Buffy looked around. "They have a dance floor?"

"Mmmhmm." Spike pointed toward a set of double doors across the room. "The Starlight Room is right through there. It has a 1940's theme, the band plays music mostly from that era."

"Well, I do like dancing..." Buffy really wanted to dance with Spike (it would be so romantic!) but she felt tired and bloated from eating so much. With all the scrumptious food presented to her, she'd forgotten that a woman shouldn't make a pig of herself in front of her date. Spike didn't seem to mind or be turned off, though. It was probably impossible to turn Spike off; she wondered if Spike even had an ‘off’ button.

"We could have a drink and sit at a table for a bit while our meals settle?" Spike suggested.

Buffy nodded, thinking that sounded like a good idea.





The blond couple sat at one of the tables surrounding the dance floor, sipping their drinks and watching the other couples dance. Spike had a beer; since this was a special occasion, and he didn’t have to pay for it, he ordered a Kronenbourg 1664, a French pale lager. But Buffy opted for a Diet Coke (as if drinking a 'diet' anything would compensate for the enormous amount of calories she'd just consumed). Buffy had had enough alcohol for one night; the wine, champagne, and the alcohol in the food, had her feeling buzzed, but not totally drunk.

Buffy was surprised that the Starlight Room turned out to be an honest to goodness ballroom. From the outside, the building didn't look large enough to contain a ballroom -- she thought some kind of magic had to be at work. The room itself was lovely; it had high ceilings with crystal chandeliers, and red velvet draperies over the windows, very classy and retro. It looked like something from an old Hollywood movie, only in living color and brought to life. The lights were dimmed just enough to make the atmosphere more romantic. And there was a bandstand with a seventeen-piece orchestra entertaining the patrons.

"This place is beautiful," Buffy said, taking in the ambience. "I wouldn't have guessed that the secret restaurant had an even secret-er ballroom."

Spike nodded, taking a drink of his beer. "It's a little sliver of serenity in this crazy town. You can relax here and just 'be'."

Buffy wasn't sure if she should ask, but she had to. "Have you... brought someone here before?"

Spike shook his head. "Never had someone I wanted to share this place with before."

"Good." Buffy loved the feeling that this was 'their' special place and theirs alone.

Couples were dancing to a lively, swing music tune.

"Do you swing dance?" Spike asked. He was ready to show off some acrobatic moves to further impress her.

"I never danced to that kind of music. I'd like to learn how, though; it looks like fun. But I'd strongly advise against you throwing me in the air and swinging me around after I ate so much. Our date would end abruptly, and in a very bad way."

"Another time, then," Spike chuckled.

"Definitely. But I think I'm almost ready to dance to a slow song," Buffy said, patting her stomach. "I feel a little less like Jabba the Hutt."

"Bloody hell, I almost forgot." Spike reached into his jacket and took out a small gift wrapped in shiny paper with red hearts all over it. He set it down on the table in front of her. "I got you a present."

"Oh, Spike... you didn't have to get me anything else. The dinner was more than enough."

"I should take it back, then?" he asked, slowly reaching for it.

Buffy snatched it up and held it to her chest. "Returning stuff is always such a hassle... I wouldn't want you to have to go through that."

"You're so thoughtful." Spike smirked. "Go on then, open it."

Buffy tore off the paper. "A cell phone!"

"It's prepaid for six months. I wanted to give you jewelry, but there aren't any jewelers who owe me favors at the moment..."

Buffy talked as she checked out her silver cell phone and its stylish leather carrying case, "No, this is great! I can call home if I'm out late patrolling... or on a date, or just to check in to make sure everything's okay. And anybody can get in touch with me fast if there's any trouble. The cell phone's waaay more thoughtful and useful a gift than a piece of jewelry." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Spike. I love it."

"Welcome." Spike breathed an internal sigh of relief that she'd liked the present. He still planned on getting her a pretty ring or necklace in the future, but the phone would have to do for now. "I got phones for your mates too, I can give them to you tomorrow."

Buffy grinned. "You got all of us cell phones? That's so sweet!"

"Make no mistake, I did it for you, luv, not 'cos I'm trying to suck up to them. I don't want the Scoobies thinkin' I'm sweet on them... 'specially Xander. It will benefit you if there's better communication in the ranks, that's what I care about."

"Well, whatever your reason for doing it, it's still sweet. And giving my friends a present can't hurt, it'll show them you can be a nice guy."

Spike shrugged, smiling slightly. It would probably take a few brand new cars and long trips to exotic locales for him to make any headway with her friends, but the phones might be a good start.

When a slow song started, Spike stood and offered his hand to Buffy. "Would you care to dance, Miss Summers?"

Buffy smiled up at him, put her new phone in her purse, and then took his hand. "I'd love to, Mr. Swann."

Spike led her to the dance floor. He held her right hand in his left, and put his right hand on the middle of her back in the classic ballroom dancing position. Buffy rested her left hand on his shoulder, and they began moving to the music.

Buffy expected Spike to hold her tight, mashing their chests and pelvises together. But his hold on her was light and left a few inches separating their bodies, what would be considered 'proper' dancing position.

Spike was being deliberately 'proper'. Of course he wanted to hold Buffy's exquisite body tightly against his, but more than that, he wanted to show her he could be a gentleman. And he figured they would naturally become more relaxed and get closer as the dancing went on; he would let Buffy decide when the time was right to hold each other closer.

"It's like we're in some 1940's time warp," Buffy commented, then sobered a bit, her eyes darting around the room. "We're not in a time warp, are we?"

Spike smirked. "No worries, luv, pretty sure we're still in the 21st century."

"I had to ask, you never know... This music makes me think of those USO dances in the olden days. That's how my mom's parents met -- Grandpa was a young G.I., and Grandma was a USO volunteer hoping to meet a handsome soldier."

"Obviously they hit it off," Spike observed with a wry smile.

"Mmmhmm, lucky for me, they did."

"Lucky for me too, as it turns out."

Spike hummed the melody of the song. And then the urge to sing became too powerful -- it was like he was under some weird spell to make him burst into song. He hoped Buffy would think he was cute and madcap, and not just mad. He sang softly as they danced.

{{

Hear the song at the following YouTube Link:

It Had To Be You - Harry Connick, Jr.

}}

"It had to be you
It had to be you
I wandered around
And finally found
The somebody who
Could make me be true
Could make me be blue
Or even be glad
Just to be sad
Thinking of you"

Buffy giggled. The real Spike could sing just as well as Dream Spike did. He sounded really good, just like that yummy Harry Connick, Jr. This was a fitting song for them -- Spike loved her despite her shortcomings (and the fact that she had frequently been mean to him), and she was falling for him despite all the reasons she shouldn't. Come to think of it, lots of songs seemed to fit them very well...

Spike was encouraged by her smile and giggle, he sang the next verse louder as they danced.

"Some others I've seen
Might never be mean
Might never be cross
Or try to be boss
But they wouldn't do

For nobody else
Gave me a thrill
With all your faults
I love you still
It had to be you
Wonderful you
It had to be you"

"I have faults?" Buffy asked, her brows knit but she was still smiling. "What faults?"

Spike laughed. "Just a song, pet. 'Course you don't have faults, you're perfect."

"Damn right, I am. And don't you forget it," she joked.

"I hope I didn't just ruin my chances by singing. You thought it was just weird, didn't you?" Spike asked with a nervous tinge to his voice. "You're not gonna excuse yourself and go to the ladies' room so you can climb out the window to bail out of our date?"

Buffy shook her head and laughed. "No, I'm not going to try to escape. I liked it. Was singing to me something else you're using to capture me in your web of love?"

"Mmhmm. Could've backfired if it just made you uncomfortable and you thought I was a git. And if you're just bein' nice, please tell me so I don't sing something else later and make a bigger ass out of myself."

"I'm not just being nice, I really did like it. You have a great voice, and it was very romantic. You can sing!"

"Why do you say it like that? With the emphasis on 'can'?"

"Dream Spike sang a song to me... well, I guess he was technically singing to the cats, but he dedicated it to me."

His scarred brow arched. "Cats?"

"Don't ask, it was just weird dream stuff."

"How do I measure up to him?" Spike wondered.

"The real you singing is much better 'cause it's really you and not something my subconscious made up."

"Did Dream Spike dance too?"

"No," she laughed, "he only sang."

"Ah, then I'm one up on Dream Spike," he said with a grin.

"Maybe that's what you should do to earn money, you can sing with the band," Buffy told him, only half-joking.

"Uh-uh, I perform only for milady. It might be fun for a night or two, but I'd be craving rock music before long. I'd probably get fired for doing the Sex Pistols' version of 'My Way'."

Buffy giggled. Getting to know Spike was turning out to be more fun than she even dared hope.





They danced to more slow songs and some more energetic ones that Buffy felt up to, but they didn't try for any astounding acrobatics tonight. Buffy and Spike were perfect dancing partners, both agile and light on their feet, and Buffy could anticipate Spike's moves. It was as if they'd been dancing together for years, and, in a way, they had been.

"One more dance, luv?" Spike asked. He wanted this night to last forever, but they had to stop dancing and go home eventually. He reckoned Buffy's feet had to be getting sore in those high heels -- the heels had to be uncomfortable, but made her legs look spectacular. Spike would offer her a foot massage, but he didn't know if he could stop at her feet.

"One more," Buffy agreed. She wasn't anxious for the night to end either, but as the saying went, 'all good things...'

They'd stopped being so formal in their dance postures a few songs ago, Buffy had her arms around Spike's neck and he held her waist as they swayed to the music. As Spike had hoped, Buffy was the one to initiate more intimacy first. Their bodies were lightly pressed together with no space left between them. The closeness created tingles in them where they touched as they danced more like lovers, and less like just dance partners.

"I've always liked this song," Spike said when the new song started. "Fitting that this will be our last of the night, many dances back in the day ended with this."

{{

Hear the song at the following YouTube Link:

Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller Orchestra

}}

Big band music was nice, but most of the songs kind of sounded the same to Buffy. "What's it called?"

"'Moonlight Serenade'. It's perfect for lovers to dance to... or, uh, people who care about each other..." Spike wondered if he would ever stop putting his foot in his mouth. Probably not...

Buffy knew they'd be lovers soon, there was no way she could put off wanting to be with Spike, intimately, for too long. "It's a pretty song, I like it."

They danced silently for a minute, thinking how good it felt to be in each other's embrace. Buffy wondered what cologne was Spike was wearing, she'd noticed how mouth-wateringly good he smelled early in the evening.

"You've had a good time tonight?" Spike asked, wanting to hear her say it.

Buffy smiled softly and nodded. "I'm having a great time. But..."

"But...?" Spike pulled back to look at her and searched her eyes, wondering what he might have done wrong.

"This isn't the kind of stuff you like doing. You don't know how touched I am that you did all this for me, but I want you to have fun, too."

"I am having fun, Buffy. I'm here with you... we're talking like normal people, and we've laughed together, and we're dancing, and I'm seeing the way your eyes light up when you look at me..." He gazed into her emerald eyes and sighed, tilting his head slightly with a blissful smile turning up at the corners of his mouth. "Part of me is terrified I'm going to wake up and all of it will've been some beautiful dream. This is the best night of my life."

Buffy felt all melty again. She wanted to say something, but all that came out was a soft sigh. She'd never seen so much love for her in a man's eyes before. With every passing moment, Spike proved to her that she'd made the right decision about letting him into her life.

Buffy drew Spike to her and pressed her lips to his. Spike slid his hands around to her back. He held her tighter and kissed her slowly, passionately, telling her how much he adored her without words.

They didn't realize the song had ended until the applause from the other dancers finally registered in their minds. For a moment, they thought everyone was applauding them. They pulled back from the kiss and smiled, but didn't release their hold on each other.

"That was..." Buffy began. She was distracted when she felt a strange sensation on her hip. She looked down between their bodies. "Um... is something in your pants vibrating?"

Spike laughed and took a step back. "Sorry, luv, that's my phone -- it's on vibrate." He took a cell phone out of his pants pocket.

"Oh... that's what it was. I was both scared and flattered at the same time. Who's calling you?"

"Has to be Clem, he's the only one who's got my number -- other than you." Spike took Buffy by the hand and led her back to their table as he answered the phone with his other hand. "What is it, Clem?"

Buffy sat at the table and took a cool, refreshing drink of her Coke. The steamy kiss, and then Spike's vibrating loins, had her feeling all hot and a bit lightheaded. She concentrated on cooling down while Spike talked to his friend.

Clem was apologetic on the phone. "I got a call about a problem with a building permit, I'm heading for a meeting with my contractor right now. I'm really sorry, but I won't be able to pick you up at the restaurant."

Spike wanted to yell, but he kept himself composed. He didn't want his temper to put a damper on the otherwise delightful evening. He turned away from Buffy and ground his jaws together for a moment. "What? You gave me your bloody word that you'd --"

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm not leaving you hangin'. I sent one of my drivers to pick you and Buffy up. He should probably be waiting for you where I dropped you off by now. I was just apologizing 'cause I feel bad I can't do it personally."

"Oh... well that's alright." Spike relaxed a little. He would have preferred it was Clem and not some guy he didn't know, but as long as he and Buffy had a ride it wasn't a big deal. "Is the permit problem gonna be hard to fix?"

"Nah, shouldn't be that bad; bureaucratic bullshit like this is just a pain in my wrinkly butt. I'll have to schedule a meeting with someone from the city tomorrow about it, too -- maybe we can take the meeting over brunch at Hooters... Being the boss ain't easy, let me tell ya. And it's more aggravating 'cause I know you were counting on me."

Spike was fairly certain Clem could get things sorted in short order -- Clem was a born salesman, he could sell ice cubes to Eskimos. "No worries, mate. You did what you could under the circumstances. This other driver, he's checked out? He's good at the job?"

"Yeah, he's good with the horses and a good driver."

"You know how important tonight is to me, Clem," Spike said, letting a bit of his desperation into his voice. "I need everything to go smoothly right up 'til the end when Buffy and I say our goodnights."

"I know it's important to you, Spike. I wouldn't send someone I hadn't put through the paces. I wouldn't screw you over, man."

Spike smirked a bit. "Unless we're playin' poker."

"Well, poker's completely different, there are no friends at the poker table -- it's every demon for himself when we're playing for kittens or cash. But, away from the table, you can trust me. Besides not wanting to let you down, I know you'd come looking for me and kick my ass, and I wouldn't want that -- I'm a lover, not a fighter."

Spike took a breath. "Yeah, alright. We were just about to leave, hope your boy is here."

"He should be waiting for you. You give me a call if there're any problems. I might not be able to answer right away if I'm in the meeting, but I'll get right back to ya. Don't worry so much, the rest of the date will go great and Buffy will want to go out again soon. Think you'll get lucky tonight?" He was being supportive of his friend, but the thought of seeing Buffy naked made Clem cringe. But Spike was into tight, creamy skin, thick, long hair, and firm breasts and buttocks -- to each his own!

Spike glanced at Buffy and smiled. "I'm already the luckiest bloke in the world, I'm out on the town with my dream girl."

"Oh brother," Clem groaned. "You've got it bad, pal. You don't even want sex?"

"Didn't say that. If I'm offered something... it'd be rude to turn it down," Spike told him, repeating Buffy's advice from earlier.

"Okay, I gotta go. Call and let me know how everything went."

"I will. Thanks, Clem."

Spike ended the call and turned back to Buffy as he put his phone back in his pocket.

"Something wrong?" Buffy asked. She'd been trying not to eavesdrop, but Spike had sounded agitated.

"No, nothing's wrong. Clem says he had to send another driver for us 'cos he had business to attend to. His boy should be waiting for us."

"You got yourself a cell phone too, I see. It will be nice to get a hold of you without having to go all the way to the cemetery." She giggled, recalling when she'd felt it vibrate against her. "I like that vibrating function."

"You should put yours on vibrate and keep it your hip pocket, almost need a smoke afterwards."

"I'll remember that." Buffy wistfully thought about calling herself and letting it ring (or vibrate) for a while once she was home and snug in bed.


Chapter End Notes:
* Their date continues in chapter 14 :)

* Special note to my French speaking readers: I had to make do with using an online translator, I apologize if it wasn't completely accurate. I want to get it exactly right, so feel free to email me and let know if you spotted mistakes :)

* Sonnet XVIII by William Shakespeare

* 'It Had To Be You' lyrics by Gus Kahn and Isham Jones; 'Moonlight Serenade' by the Glenn Miller Orchestra



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