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Chapter 2 – Unmixy Relationships


“I guess everything changes tomorrow,” Buffy said softly, slowly pacing among the headstones in the cemetery.

“What makes you say that, pet?” Spike asked, glancing at her before turning back to scan the area.

“Senior year…first day of school…ringing any bells?”

“Oh, um, right. Yeah, course.”

“You didn’t remember,” Buffy said, rolling her eyes to cover up the pang of hurt she felt that he didn’t remember something so important in her life.

“I did,” Spike replied indignantly. “I just forgot, that’s all.”

“And another word for forgetting is- not remembering,” she retaliated, hopping up on a tombstone.

“That’s two words,” he said with a smirk.

“Here’s another two: smart ass,” she muttered with a smile.

“And why are you out this late on a school night, anyway?”

Briefly looking like a deer caught in the headlights, Buffy froze before shrugging. “Why not?” she asked. “I get to work on my fighting skills and spend time with one of my favorite vampires in the process. It seems like a winning situation to me.”

“Yeah, and if Red finds out I have you out patrolling this late, she’ll have my head. Let’s get you home.”

“Home?” Buffy repeated in shock. “It’s not even midnight.”

“No, but it’s a school night.”

“Oh please. I hate that expression,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “‘School night’ is just a term for old fogies to use because they want to feel young again by staying up later than the kids.”

“Hey! Are you saying that’s me?”

“If the shoe fits,” Buffy replied with a smirk.

“Vampire, remember? I think it’s fairly safe to say that I stay up later than you every night.”

“Alright,” she finally conceded. “I’ll give you that one.”

“Come on, Goldilocks. I’m taking you home.”

Buffy gave a resigned sigh, accepting her fate.

“What’s wrong?” Spike asked with an amused grin.

“I just get sick of everyone treating me like a kid,” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well,” he said slowly. “That’s because you are, princess.”

“Hello! Last time I checked, there wasn’t a lot that’s kid-like about me. I’ve been on dates, I’m about to graduate, I have boobs,” she said, gesturing to her chest.

‘God, don’t look,’ Spike thought, turning to look in the direction of the pretend noise that he just ‘heard’.

“I’m almost old enough to vote and buy cigarettes and I think it’s safe to say that I could have slept with my fair share of guys by now.”

Hearing the warning growl that was ripped from Spike’s throat, Buffy rolled her eyes.

“Not that I have. God, you’re worse than Dad.”

“Take that back,” Spike said, narrowing his eyes.

“Why?” Buffy challenged, crossing her arms over her chest and turning to face him. “You both worry too much and hit the roof over the littlest things. Maybe I should go out and sleep with someone, just get it out of the way, and then everyone can stop worrying.”

“You see?” he said, pointing at her to prove his point. “This is why people treat you like a kid. Because you’re acting like a spoiled brat.”

Seeing the pitiful look that crossed over her face, Spike immediately regretted the tactless remark.

“I’m sorry, kitten,” he whispered, feeling a pain in his heart when she began to walk away.

He knew he was wrong. Buffy was remarkably mature for her age. She’d already seen and battled more evil in this world than most people knew existed, proving to be a strong fighter when she needed to be. He couldn’t imagine what her life was really like behind the carefully crafted façade that she kept up twenty-four hours a day. He knew that Willow and Tara were trying their best. Dawn still made regular trips to the house, despite the fact that she was married and living in a different town. Giles was a constant figure in her life, and Xander and Anya provided a home that always welcomed her.

Spike made it known that she could stop by his crypt any chance she got, but he knew that behind the tough exterior was a girl who was screaming at the injustice that she’d been dealt. The daughter of two vampires, conceived out of hatred, her mother had to kill herself in order for her to live, her father had to virtually abandon her, even though it was the last thing he wanted, but he knew he had to keep her safe. She was merely trying to be a girl in this mixed up world that she knew as her life. But the fact remained that in spite of all of the love she’d always had, she still wanted the constant stability of her father in her life. She was lucky if she saw him a few times a year and Spike knew that every year it chipped away at who she really was, pushing the person she pretended to be further out of reach. She wasn’t a girl- she was a woman who hadn’t experienced enough of the right things in the world to have earned that title. She’d experienced enough to be called a warrior, and Spike wished that he could take everything away and turn her into the girl she was meant to be. Let her be someone who can experience the world with open eyes and bask in the light, not worry about what was hiding in the shadows.

“Buffy-”

“When does the Slayer get here?” she asked, cutting him off and trying to change the subject.

“Couple of days,” Spike muttered, still feeling bad for the comment.

“It’s going to be a little weird.”

“Why’s that, pet?”

“Well, it’s not like I’ve ever met any,” Buffy said with a shrug. “This is the first time the newest Slayer has been sent to the Hellmouth. It’s just going to take some getting used to.”

“Yeah,” he muttered, reaching into his pocket for his lighter and cigarettes.

“You nervous?”

“Why would I be nervous?” Spike asked too quickly.

“Well…considering the chip malfunctioned a few years ago, I think I’d be a little nervous if a Slayer showed up with the intent of wiping out all the vampires…not that it’s a bad thing,” she added with a frown.

“I think I’d be more nervous if the chip was still working,” he said with a smile. “No way to defend myself if she decided to get stake-happy.”

“So…what are they like?” Buffy asked.

“What do you mean?”

“All I know is that they’re super strong.”

“Yeah, uh…strong,” he repeated with a nod. “Cunning, resourceful, smart, tiny-”

“Tiny?” Buffy asked with a frown.

“The four that I’ve seen.”

“Right,” Buffy said with a nod, seeing her house in the distance. “Do you still love her, Spike?”

“Who?”

“Are you really going to play dumb with me?”

“Lucy,” he muttered in understanding. “I guess I always will.”

“And that doesn’t bother you that anyone you could be with in the future would have to compete with a ghost?”

“Doesn’t bother me,” Spike said with a shrug. “It’s been seventeen years. I guess it depends on if it bothers the woman who falls in love with me.”

‘It does,’ she thought miserably.



Thank you so much to: Caitie, spufette, Stephanie, buffybot, Livia, Cordykitten, Elanor, pj, Christina, starhawk, willowmouse, TammyAsh666, BuffyandSpikeForever, Alicia, Laine, Dee, Blazing Fire, Bloodshedbaby, stace, Bernardette, inquisitive1, Amanda, jenny, Celestria, Josephina, dreamgirl4eva, albie__, gypsy_jin, Kimber & daisy for reviewing!





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