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Here's the other part. Hope you like :)
Xander was at the front window of the Magic Box looking out at the street when Buffy and Spike pulled up outside on the motorcycle.

He grimaced and groaned. "Oh good... Buffy and 'Rebel without a Pulse' are here to share the wonderfulness of their date with us. I can't believe Spike hasn't done something to screw it up yet... What's taking him so long?"

"Try to be nice, Xan," Willow advised from the reading table. "We have to show that we're at least trying to accept Spike. It's important to Buffy."

"Yeah, yeah..." he muttered, turning away from the window and moving to stand at the counter with Giles. It irritated Xander even more that Spike apparently had a super-cool motorcycle now... Spike most likely stole it... not that Buffy would probably care if he did steal it -- she seemed to be in full Cleopatra mode, Queen of Denial, about who Spike really was, what he was capable of, and all the bad things he'd done. Obviously, whatever happened in the mansion with Dru had really messed with her mind... he wished she'd snap out of it already!

Spike opened the door for Buffy and then followed her into the shop. They gave each other a flirty smile as she walked in ahead of him. She loved getting the gentlemanly treatment, and he loved giving it to her.

Buffy waved to her friends. "Hey guys, anything going on tonight?"

"Nope, it's been pretty quiet around here," Willow replied.

"You two look like you've been having fun," Tara commented with a smile.

Buffy hooked her arm through Spike's when they stopped at the counter. "We've been having big fun. I had my first motorcycle ride tonight! I need to get one of those cool hogs for myself -- though it does a lot of damage to my 'do. Guess I'll have to invest in a helmet." She bumped Spike's hip. "I'm going to take the bike for a spin by myself later."

"Pardon me, but I believe I said maybe you could try driving it," Spike said, lifting an eyebrow.

Buffy turned her face to him, slowly extending her lower lip in an exaggerated pout.

"Word of warning, pet: If you use that on me too much, it's gonna lose its effectiveness." Spike chuckled, then dipped his head to capture her pouty mouth in a kiss. He didn't want to be accused of putting on another show for her friends, so he kept the kiss short. He ended the kiss by nibbling on her lower lip before releasing it. "We'll discuss whether you get to drive the bike or not after we leave."

Buffy shook her head and looked at her friends. "He knows he's going to let me have my way. I don't know why he doesn't just say 'yes' now to save some time," she joked.

"'Cos I'm a stubborn bastard, tha's why. And I like to have at least the illusion that you can't whip me into submission so bloody easily."

"Oh, I see -- it's a manhood thing?" Buffy asked with mock-innocence. "It always comes down to your 'manhood' with you men, doesn't it?"

"Well, we're frightfully proud of our manhood and wish to preserve it," Spike said in that upper-class accent he sometimes affected. He smirked, then said in his normal accent, "You're so not high-maintenance, by the way. Anyone who says that is a dirty, rotten liar."

She smiled slantedly and gave the side of his butt a smack. "Quiet, you. I'm extremely easygoing. They call me 'Easy Buffy'. Um, 'Easygoing Buffy'... that's what they call me."

"'Course you're easygoin', luv." Spike raised and lowered his eyebrows as he rubbed where she'd hit him, silently reminding her of his interest in spanking. "I much prefer the slaps over a pointy elbow to the ribs."

Buffy's friends watched her and Spike bantering easily, they couldn't deny that the blond couple seemed to have developed a strong bond in a short time. It was obvious the two of them had become much closer and cared a lot about each other. Willow felt a little more optimistic that Buffy and Spike might actually be able to have a good relationship.

"Oh! Let me show you guys the beautiful necklace Spike gave me." Buffy grinned and gave Spike a kiss on the cheek before hurrying over to the table with the girls.

Spike leaned on the counter on his elbow, watching Buffy and smiling at her enthusiasm as she showed off her necklace to her girlfriends. He was sure now that she really did like it and wasn't just saying so to be nice.

Anya went over to the table to see the necklace too. Spike overheard her say, "It's very pretty. And it looks expensive. Is it real gold?"

"'Course it's real," Spike scoffed from his place at the counter. "My girl deserves nothin' but the very best." He winked at Buffy.

"Then what's she doing with you?" Xander joked (though he didn't really mean it as a joke). "By the way, nice outfit, Fonzie. Ayyyy!" he said, giving a double thumbs up.

Spike flipped Xander a backwards peace sign. He saw Xander noticing the new skull ring. "Nice, eh?" Spike asked, grinning and curling his index finger down so that only his middle finger was still sticking up. "Buffy got it for me."

Xander shook his head, thinking, 'God, she's buying *him* presents now?' He was feeling more desperate. Buffy was obviously getting deeper and deeper into this relationship with Spike -- and Spike would hurt her eventually, of that, Xander was sure. And the longer it took, the worse she'd be hurt by the bleach-blond walking dead... he'd have try again to draw the real Spike out for Buffy to see what a wretched creature Spike really was. That was going to involve more insults and baiting on Xander's part.

Buffy's attention was on talking to her girlfriends at the moment. She was telling them about the date so far and how much she'd enjoyed it, but she didn't tell them how much Spike loved poetry. Maybe she'd tell Tara and Willow later in private, she could trust them not to make fun of Spike; no way would she want Anya or Xander to know... or even Giles. For now, Buffy made it seem like she was the one who had the idea to go to the coffeehouse for the poetry readings.

Giles was going through a ledger on the other side of the counter near Spike. "The necklace is real gold, you say? These presents and dates must be costing you quite a lot, Spike."

Spike shrugged, then smiled when he looked over at Buffy again as she chatted animatedly with her girlfriends. She was holding her necklace out from her neck and telling them about the charms, which sent the girls into a chorus of 'Aww!'s at Spike's thoughtfulness and sentimentality.

"Don't you worry 'bout how I manage, Rupes. I do what I gotta do to keep a smile on my woman's face."

"Since you apparently have had some sort of financial boon, I'd like to point out that you still owe me money."

Spike snorted, looking at Giles with a cocked eyebrow and bemused smile. "Bollocks. What would I owe you money for?"

"You overcharged me when you helped me evade the Initiative, and I, in turn, overcharged you to help you evade them later. But you'd already spent some of it."

"You thought I'd rush off to the bank and open up a savings account? I have expenses, 'course I had to spend some of it. And that was over a bloody year ago!" Spike protested, standing up straight and turning to the Watcher. He was irritated, but still made an effort to keep his voice low.

"Yes, but the fact remains, you didn't pay me back in full..." Giles looked at him expectantly and held his palm out.

"You greedy old sod..." Spike grumbled. Then he sniffed, took out his leather wallet and opened it up. "You want your money? I'll pay you back with interest. Here ya go." Spike slapped a handful of bills down onto Giles' palm.

Giles counted the cash, it was about $80. He looked back up at Spike suspiciously. "Where did you get this money?"

"I saw my pimp today," Spike deadpanned as he refolded his wallet.

"Spike, if you're using stolen money to take Buffy out on the town and impress her..."

Spike shook his head, annoyed that everyone remained so suspicious of him and everything he did. Would they believe him if he said the sky was blue and grass was green? "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Rupert. Came by it honest, I did. I didn't kill someone and steal it off the body, I didn't break into a house, and I didn't hit a little old lady over the bloody head for it -- I couldn't do those things if I wanted to. Just take the cash and shut your gob." He really didn't want to part with any of his newfound money for something like this, but he didn't want Giles whinging about it every time he saw him, either.

"You saying you came by something 'honest' is really funny," Xander derided. "I don't think you know the meaning of the word."

"And if I had a nickel for all the words you don't know the meaning of, my pockets would be full-to-burstin'. Nobody was talkin' to you, anyway, Harris -- children should be seen and not heard; mind your manners and stay quiet when the grown folks are talking." Spike took out a twenty dollar bill before putting his wallet away, and tossed it at Giles. "Here's a little extra, go buy yourself somethin' pretty." Spike sneered at them, and then turned and started to walk to the table where Buffy and the girls were sitting and talking.

"Buffy might not want to see it yet, but we know you've got something shady going, Spike," Xander accused, taking another shot to see if it landed and successfully pissed Spike off.

Spike stopped, his eyes rolling upward as he turned around. "What's your bloody problem?"

"You are. I can't forgive and forget as easily as some people. Call me nutty, but I have trouble trusting a guy -- a demon -- who's a pathological liar and has tried to kill us more times than I can count."

“Well, I can see that being a challenge for ya, Special Ed... next time, take your shoes off and use your toes…” Spike retorted. “Just stand downwind of me when you do.”

“Ha ha. You think you’re so smart... well, I for one, can see right through you... you’re evil and vile and you’ll never change,” Xander insisted venomously.

Spike took a deep breath, his jaw clenching as he stepped closer to Xander. "You won't be satisfied 'til you upset Buffy again, will you? We had a right good time on our own tonight, don't make us regret the decision to come here before patrolling. She's got this insane notion 'bout all the people she cares for getting along -- let's at least try to be civil for her sake, yeah?"

"You weren't too concerned about upsetting Buffy all the times you tried to kill her. Causing her -- and the rest of us -- pain and aggravation always made you so very happy."

Spike cracked his neck to the left, and then to the right. "I know what I've done in the past; there's nothin' I can do about what's already been done. I can't go back an' change the things I did, but I have changed since then."

Xander crossed his arms and shook his head. "Nope, I'm not buying it."

"I care fuck-all about what you buy. You gave Buffy the impression you'd give me a chance, so keep your bloody comments and opinions to yourself until you see me doin' something wrong."

"Come on, Spike, let's not pretend we both don't know the truth: any good deeds you do will be just to impress Buffy, not because you've turned over a new leaf. You don't do anything that doesn't benefit Spike. You just want to get in her pants -- you're no different than Angel," Xander accused.

Spike's eyes slitted, his nostrils flared. Xander was dead-wrong, but the accusation (and the comparison to Angel) made Spike's blood boil. He said in a low, growly voice, "Wrong on all bloody counts. I'm gettin' real tired of listenin' to you run your mouth. You'd best shut it..."

Giles didn't want there to be any ugliness, especially not while Buffy was in the room. Luckily, she was still engaged in conversation with the girls and hadn't noticed the rising level of tension. "Let's... calm down, shall we? Separate corners now, boys." But it was as if Giles wasn't even there, Xander and Spike were focused solely on each other.

"Did I hit a nerve, Spike?" Xander saw his opportunity to get Spike angry enough to do something Buffy would disapprove of -- thank God for the chip; Xander didn't particularly want to risk getting pummeled. He hoped Spike wasn't lying about the chip still working... that would be very bad, but he would risk it if it would show Buffy the real Spike. "I think you're all about conquering a Slayer -- you can't kill her, so you're taking the other route to destroying her. And once you've had your fun, all your deep feelings and gooey, flowery talk will disappear and you'll go back to being your bad old-self. C'mon, Spike -- admit it!"

Giles fancied he could see steam starting to come out of Spike's ears. "Xander, that's enough," Giles instructed him quietly, but firmly. Again, he was ignored.

Spike was gritting his teeth and clenching his fists tightly at his sides by this point, barely containing the fury building inside of him. "I said... shut... up," Spike growled ominously.

Xander could see it was working well, it wouldn't take much more to make Spike go off -- just another small nudge. Then Buffy might see the real Spike come through long enough for her to figure out how wrong she was about him. "You realize that Buffy's just settling for you, don't you? You're just a seat filler for Riley and Angel, two guys she was actually in love with -- she could never love a thing like you, you're just... convenient."

Buffy was on her way over to them, she'd seen Xander and Spike standing too close for comfort and wanted to make sure they weren't getting into it again. She overheard the last part of what Xander just said, and it stunned her into stopping in her tracks.

Spike growled louder, his upper lip curling into a full-snarl. "I told you to shut the bloody hell up!" He grabbed Xander by the front of the shirt with one hand and lifted him so that only the toes of Xander's shoes scraped the floor.

Xander's eyes bugged out in surprise and fear. It was happening so fast, he didn't have time to even think about trying to get away. Sometimes it was easy to forget just how strong and fast Spike actually was... until he was lifting you up in the air, one-handed, as if he were lifting a bag of feathers instead of a full-grown man. Xander saw that same evil, vicious look in Spike's eyes that he'd seen at the crypt, and it chilled his blood. Perhaps he’d been a bit... hasty in baiting Spike so persistently. Could Spike kill him?

“Spike, no!” Buffy shouted, finally able to get herself moving again.

Spike cocked back a fist, then instantly yelled and recoiled when the chip went off, giving his nervous system a massive shock. He breathed heavily and clutched his head in pain, dropping Xander, and staggering sideways a few steps, almost falling over. It was the worst shock he’d received in a long time, most likely because of how enraged he was.

Buffy got between the two men, just in case Spike tried something again. "Goddamnit! I can't leave you alone for five minutes without one of you starting something!"

Spike dug the heel of his hand into his forehead, baring his human teeth and glaring at Xander. It wasn't fair that he couldn't even punch someone who really deserved it. The pain in his head flooded the rest of his body, making it difficult to remain standing. "Pillock!" he spat, leaning against the counter for support.

"You saw that, Buffy!" Xander pointed at Spike like a kid tattling on a classmate to the teacher, making sure both Buffy and Giles were in between him and the irate vampire. "Spike attacked me! He was going to hit me! He hasn't changed at all!"

In addition to the pain he was in, Spike was feeling pretty low and angry -- angry with both Xander and with himself. He'd lost his temper and put his hands on the boy... Buffy had to be at least disappointed in him, she was probably really pissed off and would take him aside to bitch at him again. But he didn't want to tell Buffy what it was Xander had said that made him so angry. The part with Xander alleging that Spike only wanted to hump ’n dump Buffy wouldn't do her insecurities any good. And the part about Spike just being convenient to Buffy (and her never being able to love a thing like him) didn't do Spike's insecurities any good, either...

"Yes, I saw what happened..." Buffy looked at Spike and put her hands on her hips. "Spike, what the hell were you thinking? I mean, I really don’t get you sometimes! You can be so smart one minute and then turn around and do something unbelievably stupid the next!"

Spike looked away from her, his jaw muscles rippling as they clenched and unclenched rapidly. He wished she wouldn't do this here... with all of her friends watching. If she insisted that he apologize to Xander... well, he would refuse to do that, and then that would be the end of the night... possibly the end of more than that. Had he just blown everything by letting the git bait him into one angry outburst? Had he lost Buffy before he even got a chance to show her how deeply and truly he loved her? Spike ground out, "It's nothing... I lost my temper, is all..."

"Did you forget that you can't do anything to Xander without getting a migraine?" Buffy turned her head to look at Xander, her expression icy. "Please... allow me."

"Huh?!" Xander gulped, his eyes going wide again.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Xander?!” Everyone was surprised to hear Buffy swear like that. She didn’t have a potty mouth; ’shit’ was usually the crudest thing she said. “You're coming with me," she said decisively with a grim look on her face. She reached out and grabbed Xander by the wrist, then pulled him along with her to the training room.

Spike thought he'd heard Buffy wrong for a moment, he was sure he'd be the one in trouble. A slight smirk turned up at the corner of his mouth as he watched Buffy draw an unwilling, but resigned, Xander into the next room.

Anya looked worriedly at the door as it slammed behind her boyfriend and the angry Slayer. "She's... not really going to hurt him... is she?"

"No worries," Spike said, absently rubbing at the slowly fading ache in his head. "She's probably just givin' him a stern talkin' to."

"But you're the one who attacked him!" Anya pointed out. "Why is she mad at Xander?" Those at the table had no idea what had been said at the counter, they’d been involved in their own chat. If Buffy hadn’t been walking over to the men, she wouldn’t have heard either.

Spike shrugged. "You'll have to ask the Slayer 'bout that..." While he was tickled that Buffy was bitching at Xander, Spike was unsettled that Buffy might have overheard what Xander said.

"Well, we know without a shadow of a doubt that the chip does work," Giles commented, going back to his ledger. He knew for certain that Xander was very lucky Spike's chip was still functioning. If the chip didn't work, Xander would be unconscious right now -- unconscious, at best.

"You keep your mitts off my Xander, Spike," Anya warned, her eyes steely. "Touch him again and you'll have to deal with me. I won't tolerate you bruising, or in any way harming, his perfect body."

"Ugh!" Spike grimaced, still rubbing at his aching head, but now also rubbing his queasy stomach. "If that lumpy sack of potatoes is what you consider 'perfect'... Bloody hell... you need to get out more."







Xander fidgeted restlessly and gulped once Buffy slammed the door to the training room closed behind them. He had no idea what to expect.

Buffy kept her back to him, resting her forehead against the door for several moments.

"Uh... Buffy? What're you doing?" Xander asked anxiously.

"Praying for the strength to not kick your ass," she replied as she turned around. He wasn't encouraged by the anger he saw simmering in her eyes.

"Buffy, you aren't really going to do scary, painful things to me because of Spike? Are you that far gone? Are you that blinded by your feelings for him? I'm one of your best friends!"

"You're not in here because of Spike -- you're in here because of you, let's get that straight. And if you're still one of my best friends then start acting like it, damn it!"

"Why am I in here and the guy who was actually getting violent is still out there?"

"I heard what you said to Spike... you crossed the line! You're so far past the line you can't even see it anymore -- the line is a dot to you!" she exclaimed, gesturing wildly with her hands. "You were trying to piss Spike off so he'd lose his temper -- you provoked him on purpose! That's what you wanted to happen!"

"He's never heard that 'sticks and stones' rhyme, or that old favorite, 'I'm rubber and you're glue'? I was just talking to him, Spike could've walked away if he didn't want to hear it. Instead, he tried to attack me. If the chip didn't work, who knows what he might've done to me... He hasn't changed at all, he's just as crazy and vicious as he ever was!"

"A human guy would've tried knocking your block off for saying the same things. How fucking dare you tell Spike I'm settling for him and I could never love him!" Buffy snapped angrily. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"The Buffy I know would never even think about dating Spike. I've had a front row seat to Spike's murderous, psychotic antics for a few years now, and you were right there -- you saw it too. How can you want to be with him after everything he's done?"

"Spike's changed." Buffy raised her chin. "He loves me and he wants to fight on the right side from now on. I'm going to help him stay on the right path and encourage him -- I don't care how many obstacles everyone throws in our way."

"You're idealizing him -- just like you did with Angel. You're forgetting all the reasons why you shouldn't touch Spike with a ten-foot pole! To see you all giggly and blushy like a schoolgirl with him..." Xander shook his head and groaned, at a loss for words to describe the wrongness.

"Aww, poor Xander, I'm sorry that seeing me happy makes you so sick," Buffy said with a sarcastic pout. "And everything you just said is wrong... except about the part about the giggles and blushing. I can't help the way Spike makes me feel. And hey, I'm enjoying that I actually feel good enough to blush and giggle for a change."

"If you haven't forgotten everything Spike's done, how could you possibly want to be with him? Yeah, he saved your life -- I'm not ignoring that, it was a great, incredible thing he did -- but it was one thing, Buffy. A fluke."

"Doesn't it count for anything that Spike wants to change? He's going against his demon and trying to...” Her sentence tapered off. “But then you don't believe he really means it, right?"

"Not for a second," Xander confirmed. "He's a liar and a cold-blooded killer, and there's nothing he wouldn't do or say to get on your good side and then milk it for all it was worth. You've got a good heart, Buffy, and he's taking advantage of that."

Buffy made a frustrated sound, feeling like punching something.

"Since you brought me in here instead of him, you think it's okay that he attacked me just because I said some shit he didn't like?"

"No, I don't think it's 'okay' that Spike attacked you... and I will talk to him about that. But you provoked him -- what you said was awful, Xander. I'd slap the mess out of you myself for it if I didn't love you so much.

"You know as well as I do that Spike wouldn't've done anything to you if you hadn't pushed him to the breaking point. I couldn't believe I was hearing you -- a guy I think of like a brother and consider one of the best people on the planet -- say those things..."

"I'm sorry if I hurt you by saying he's no better than Angel; he's only trying to conquer another Slayer and just wants to get in your pants. But unfortunately the truth can hurt. It's not you, Buffy, it's him. You're one of the sweetest, prettiest, most --"

"That's what you said before I got there, huh?" Buffy ground her jaws together and folded her arms over her chest. "You accused him of only wanting to screw me? You told him he was no better than Angel?"

"Oh..." Xander winced, "you didn't hear that part?"

She shook her head and glared at him. The insecurity that Spike might only want one roll in the hay was still wiggling around in Buffy's brain, she didn't need to hear other people say it. Buffy didn't believe Spike was using her or pretending to love her just for the sake of fucking a Slayer, but she was worried that she'd be so lousy in the sack, so inept and inexperienced, that Spike would be disappointed and get bored quickly.

Buffy thought momentarily about telling Xander that she and Spike hadn't even had sex yet, that Spike was being a gentleman and loved her enough to wait until she was ready. But Buffy didn't want Xander having that much info, he didn't deserve to know.

Buffy shook off her self-doubt and said, "If Spike has been putting on an act and just pretending to love me... well, move over, Laurence Oliver -- there's a new world's greatest actor!"

Xander didn't want to get into the whole 'it's impossible to love without a soul' argument, they'd just keep going in circles, so he tried a different tack. "Putting aside the fact that it's Spike you're with, don't you think it's too... distracting? Something bad is bound to happen if you're thinking about him and not focusing on slaying and Glory. I don't think it's a good idea for you to go on dates and start up a new relationship with all the other stuff going on right now."

"Oh, I get it -- me having a love life was fine and dandy when it was Riley, but it's a waste of my time, dangerous, and a distraction when it's Spike?"

Xander shrugged slightly, looking away from her. He would've responded "yes", but didn't want to make her angrier.

Buffy sighed tiredly. "God, Xander... I have been through so much shit lately: my mom being sick, my sister being hunted by a Hell God, Riley going to vamp whores and then leaving me, and then I was tortured and almost killed by Dru. Who knows what brand-new slice of hell tomorrow will bring me. Don't I deserve a little goddamn happiness!? Am I supposed to lock myself away in my bedroom and only come out when it's time to patrol? I want to live while I can!"

"You do deserve to be happy, Buffy! Of course you do! But Spike won't bring you happiness, he'll only bring you more torture and suffering!"

"I was doing just fine with the happiness before you started that stupid, petty shit out there... Silly me, I really didn't think it would this bad -- the arguments, the disapproving looks, the relationship sabotage, and the general suckiness I'd have to deal with from everyone. I'm sick of it, Xander, and I'm not putting up with it. I pick who I want to be with -- no one else gets to decide for me!"

Buffy took a few moments to calm down, then said, "Why don't you worry about your own relationship and leave mine the hell alone?"

"There's nothing to worry about with me and Anya, we're doing great."

"Hmm," Buffy looked up in thought and tapped her chin, "correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't relentlessly bitch about her being an ex-Vengeance Demon who'd killed and eviscerated men for fun for a thousand years, did I? And I don't recall insulting and harassing Anya every time she turned around, either..." Buffy looked him in the eyes. "No, I didn't do those things -- even though I thought you were nuts at first, I respected you enough to be nice to her and accepted her into the group because you liked her and she was who you wanted to be with. I want... no, I demand the same respect from you about Spike."

Xander sighed. "It's different with Anya, you can't compare them -- it's like comparing apples and evil, soulless oranges."

"You don’t want to see it, but the situation is very similar. I'm a grown adult, I can do whatever and date whoever I want, just like you." Then Buffy's eyes lit up and a cruel smile appeared on her face, Xander felt a bit spooked again. "Hey, I know! I'll go out there right now and start hassling Anya, since that’s apparently what friends do -- they take it upon themselves to protect their friends from dating the wrong people. I'll throw every evil, disgusting thing Anya ever did -- that we know of -- back in her face and tell her she doesn't deserve you. And then I'll lather, rinse, and repeat until she runs away and you never hear from her again. You want to fuck with my boyfriend? Well, I can do the same thing to your girlfriend. How's that sound?" Buffy waited for his answer, reaching for the doorknob and letting her hand hover over it.

Xander frowned, his brow furrowed. This was so unlike Buffy... he'd never seen her look or sound quite so vindictive and mean. "...You wouldn't."

“Wouldn’t I? You’re trying to ruin what I have with Spike, and I’m pissed off,” Buffy said, putting her hand on the doorknob and starting to turn it. “I’m excited about this plan -- I've kept a whole buttload of stuff I wanted to say to Anya bottled up ‘cause I didn’t want to upset you.” She started to pull the door open. “But now that I know it’s perfectly okay to declare open season on each other’s boyfriends and --”

"Buffy, stop!” Xander raced to the door and shoved it closed again. “Please don't do this! Anya's not the same person who did those things!" Xander pled with her. “She’s good now! Please... you can’t do that to her...”

Buffy took her hand away from the doorknob, re-crossing her arms over her chest. “Doesn’t feel too good, does it? It sucks ass having to worry that the person you... care about is going to be harassed, threatened, and will have to face lots of hostility every day just because they want to be with you."

Xander closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. He could see her point, nevertheless, his mind kept repeating, 'But it's *Spike* we're talking about! Evil, soulless orange *Spike*!'

“That's what I have to deal with. You see something good and special in Anya, something other people might not see at all. And I see something good and special in Spike. It took a helluva lot for me to finally see that there’s a good man in him, but I do see it now. We don’t have to approve of each other’s choices, Xander, but we’d better show each other some goddamned respect if we want to stay friends.”

He looked down at the floor, still overcoming the panic he’d felt when he thought Buffy was going to do to Anya what he’d done to Spike.

Buffy started opening the door, causing Xander’s head to whip up. He looked at her nervously, keeping his shoulder against the door to prevent her from opening it all the way.

“I won’t get in Anya’s face,” Buffy promised. “I won't even look at her. I just want to get the hell out of here, and I'm pretty sure you want me the hell out of here, too."

Xander nodded once and stepped back to allow her room to open the door.

Buffy stopped just as she was about to go through the doorway and looked back at him. “If you take anything away from our little chat, let it be this: Spike and I care about each other and I'm trying to build something with him...” She shouted the last part, “So back the fuck off!"







The others were wide-eyed as Buffy came back out into the main room. They’d heard the last thing she’d barked at Xander... potty mouth Buffy was kinda scary. Xander followed her out a few seconds later, looking shocked himself.

Buffy never planned on saying anything to Anya, it was a complete bluff. Buffy wanted to get back at Xander, and she wanted him to realize how unfair and hypocritical he was being about Spike, but she’d never hurt him or Anya like that. Anya, like Spike, was in the process of rediscovering her humanity and trying to become a better person. And Buffy thought Anya deserved the chance to see it through and succeed. Xander still didn’t see any parallels between Spike and Anya? And he accused Buffy of being blind? Ha!

Anya rushed over to Xander, checking him for injuries. "Are you alright, Xander?! What did she do to you?"

Xander put his arm around Anya. "She didn't do anything, Ahn. We just talked, that's all. Well, there was also some shouting involved..."

After Buffy was done rolling her eyes at Anya, she looked around the shop. Spike was nowhere to be seen. Did her other friends take up where Xander left off while she was in the training room? "Where is he?" Buffy asked in a low voice.

Tara pointed to the front door. "Spike said he wanted to wait for you outside."

Buffy looked from one face to the next. "Did anyone make him leave?"

They all shook their heads no.

Buffy sighed, and then started toward the door. "I don't know if I'll stop in here tomorrow -- I think I need a few days to rest up before I have to play referee again. Call me if there's an emergency."

"Buffy, wait," Willow called, picking up her book bag and getting up from her chair.

Buffy paused and turned around.

Willow went quickly over to her while getting a CD case out of her bag. "I burned that CD for you. I did it as soon as I got home today."

A small smile lifted the frowny corners of Buffy's mouth as she took the CD. She looked at it, feeling foolish because she thought she might cry. She'd needed something positive like this to give her hope, hope that things could get better and wouldn't always be so strained and tense. She looked gratefully back up at her best friend. "Thanks, Will. I really..." She took a deep breath to keep from squirting out a few tears. "I really appreciate you doing this for me."

"You're totally welcome, Buffy. I was happy to do it for you. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask."

They gave each other a one-armed hug.

"Thanks again. I'd better go find Spike." Buffy slipped the CD into her jacket pocket.

Tara and Willow said goodbye as Buffy walked out the door. Then Willow went back to the table to sit with Tara, who leaned over and gave her a soft kiss. Tara was proud that her girlfriend was able to move past her reservations and be there for Buffy.

Xander sighed and looked up at the ceiling for a moment when he noticed Willow and Tara giving him disapproving looks. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? Why is everyone ignoring the fact that Spike attacked me?"

Willow shook her head. "I thought I told you to be nice before they got here? Being nice isn't insulting someone, who's known to have a short fuse, until they blow up." Giles had told the others a few things Xander said to Spike after Spike walked out. Giles wouldn't have shared the information, but everyone was confused as to what exactly had happened. "From what Buffy's told us, Spike's really trying to behave himself, so it would've taken something bad to make him try to punch you."

"The things you said to him..." Giles sighed and shook his head. "Xander, by no means am I a member of Spike's fan club, but you intentionally set him off. You kept pushing and pushing, knowing full-well that he was nearing the end of his patience... Why on earth would you want to cause a scene like that?"

"Yeah, I poked the bear a little bit..." Xander admitted, "but we all know this thing with Spike is going to end real bad -- the longer it goes on, the worse it's gonna be. I'm just trying to save Buffy a lot of pain and suffering!"

"All you're going to do is make Buffy miserable," Willow shot back. "I don't want to lose my best friend, so I'm showing my support for Buffy. I don't want her to start avoiding us over this, do you?"

Anya frowned as she lightly massaged Xander's back. "Leave him alone. Xander's been traumatized, first by Spike trying to kill him, and then by Buffy doing what she did."

"Look..." Giles ignored Anya's comment. There were some things he wanted to say, he hoped he could get through it without being interrupted. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily. "I don't like the arrangement any more than you do, Xander. But the one thing we don't need right now is to be divided. Buffy needs to know she has our loyalty, friendship and support.

"If Buffy feels we've turned our backs on her, it will impact her emotionally and that may cause her to falter, or she may not seek our help if she needs it, which could also end disastrously... Therefore, I'm trying to be accepting of Spike... for now. If he does something to prove Buffy's faith in him is groundless, then I'll be forced to tell her how I feel about all of it. And God help him if he really has been playing a game with her heart... But until then, I'm keeping my bloody mouth shut.

"You didn't consider how much you'd upset Buffy with your 'baiting Spike' stunt. You didn't consider that we may need Spike on our side in upcoming battles. You just wanted to get rid of him, and damn the consequences. You were a selfish little ponce and you should be ashamed of yourself."

With one last intense look to show he meant business, Giles turned and went into his office, needing a cup of (Irish) coffee and to relax for a few minutes.

Anya's frown deepened, she kept rubbing Xander's back. "Older Englishmen are supposed to be polite."

Xander blinked. "Geez... Giles didn't have to chew me out too. He called me a ponce! I don't know what that is exactly... but it can't be good!"

"A selfish little ponce," Anya filled in the rest and nodded. "Completely untrue!"

"Any of it sinking in, Xander? Most people only have to be chewed out once about something for them to get the message."

Xander turned his head, surprised it was Tara who'd said that. He was too stunned to respond, he just stared at her with his eyebrows rising halfway up his forehead.

Tara's heart was beating faster with nervousness -- she hadn't meant to say that out loud. But now that she'd gotten the ball rolling, she might as well keep going and say what else was on her mind. Maybe it would help Xander see the light. "Give Buffy and Spike a break, Xander. It's n-not easy for people to make a relationship work, and you're making it that much harder for them; they've got enough crap to deal with as it is. You're coming off as the mean, unreasonable one in this -- and that's in comparison to a vampire. That doesn't make you look too good."

Willow held Tara's hand on the tabletop, giving Xander a warning look to tell him that he'd better not jump down Tara's throat.

"Don't you think we'd be doing more harm than good if we act like we're encouraging it?" Xander asked Tara carefully, so as not to make Willow defensive and cranky. "After what happened with Angel... When it goes wrong -- and it will -- I'd at least like to be able to say I didn't cheer Buffy on."

"You're sure it's going to end badly?" Tara wondered.

"Uh, yeah," Xander said, adding a silent 'Duh!'

Tara raised an eyebrow. "Just like you were sure Spike kidnapped and hurt Buffy?"

"Ooh, burn!" Willow exclaimed. She didn't relish having to bicker with Xander, but Willow couldn't help being pleased that Tara was coming out of her shell around other people more often. "Good one, sweetie."

Tara smiled wanly at Willow. That was one of her very first burns, but she wasn't able to enjoy it at the moment. Her stomach was all tied up in knots from speaking her mind with anyone besides Willow. But it did feel good to get things off her chest and not keep it to herself like she usually did.

"Now you're being rude, too!" Anya said irritably, pointing at Tara. She was just as surprised as Xander that it was the shy witch saying these things. Was the Wiccan possessed by a rude, evil spirit?

Tara added, more kindly, "I'm just saying, you were wrong about Spike once, isn't it possible you're wrong about him again?"

Xander pursed his lips, his ego stung from having that brought up again. "Kick a guy while he's down why don'cha, Tara? Yeah, I really needed to be reminded of that... Dawn's annoying phone messages weren't enough. Damn..." Xander muttered, heading for the storeroom downstairs. Tara standing up to and butting heads with him was a shock; he never would've expected that from her.

He thought, 'And now, to make my night complete, I've been told off by the nicest, sweetest person I've ever met... Could they be right? Am I being too... unreasonable about Spike?' Xander had a lot of thinking to do.

Anya was angry that everyone had ganged up on Xander this evening. She put her hands on her hips and gave both Willow and Tara a scowl. "Leave Xander alone, you big bullies! Isn't it enough that Buffy threatened to disembowel him when she dragged him into the training room?"

"Oh, she did not," Willow groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I'm sure she was thinking it -- I saw that hostile look on her face as she was dragging him in there against his will. And since none of us know any different, that could very well be what Buffy said. I may not agree with how Xander's handling the situation with Spike, but he has valid reasons for feeling the way he does.

"He's just worried about Buffy," Anya continued, "he doesn't deserve to have everyone treating him like an ogre! I've known ogres, and Xander's no ogre. You're both just... mean! And rude! And Giles is, too!" Anya walked off in a huff, going downstairs to comfort her boyfriend.

Tara looked at Willow with raised brows. "We're rude and mean? After the stuff Xander said to Spike, and the rude things Anya's always saying? Do you think she actually knows the meaning of the word 'rude'?"

Willow shook her head and shrugged. "Well, maybe there’s a new game that combines sex and Scrabble -- learn a word, have an orgasm,” Willow quipped dryly, rolling her eyes. “Triple word score gets you three...”

Tara laughed lightly, happy they were alone in the shop. “Wonder what happens if you get a ‘bingo’?” she mused, a slight blush rising on her cheeks.

Willow smiled. “I’ll show you later...”





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