”Look at what you’ve done!” Spike cried, pointing at his shirt.

Buffy giggled. There was a huge wet spot on his left shoulder. The t-shirt was black but the darker spot was still visible. Buffy straightened the duster on his shoulders so that it covered the result of her crying.

”There. Look, all better.”

”Better? I’ve got your snot all over my shirt!”

”That’s not snot!”

Spike arched an eyebrow at her disbelievingly. Buffy pouted.

”Okay, so maybe!”

”Maybe?! There’s snot! Slayer snot! Bollocks!”

”Oh come on, I always get demon goo on my clothes, and that’s practically impossible to get out! Snot can’t be worse.”

”I can’t go back to Dru like this!”

”Like what?”

”She’ll know.” Buffy laughed at the serious look on his face. ”I’m not bloody joking, slayer, she’ll smell it and she’ll know I’ve been here. How the hell am I going to explain smelling like the slayer?!”

”Well…you can say we fought! We do that! Sometimes…”

”And what? You tripped and fell and just happened to blow you nose on my clothes?”

”Heh...that rhymed.” Buffy giggled again.

She had reached what she usually referred to as her ’post-moping high’. The state which she entered after crying until she couldn’t cry anymore and had forgotten why she should. When she had no reason at all for being happy, but couldn’t help herself from laughing at the most ridiculous things. Buffy’s ’post-moping high’ was usually accompanied by a huge consumption of chocolate chip ice cream, but since there was no such delicacies in the library, some banter with Spike would have to do.

”Bugger this!” Spike turned to leave.

”Wait. We can get you another shirt. Giles, you’ve got an extra in your office right?”

”I, yes, well..” Giles didn’t know what to say. A minute ago, his slayer had been crying in the arms of a vampire and now they were…he didn’t know what to call it. The conversation between the girl and the vampire was so casual. So playful. Sure, he’d seen Buffy with Angel, when he had a soul, but they’d never been playful. Spike was more than a hundred years old, but he acted like a child. The watcher in Giles was bewildered.

”You think I’m wearing his clothes?! I bet his knickers are made of tweed! No way, Slayer.”

”Fine. Be all snotty.”

”It wouldn’t help anyway, what I need is a shower and a change of clothes. Do they have showers in this place?” Spike looked around the room.

”This is a library, with books. Not a public bath,” Buffy explained as if talking to a child.

”Ha, bloody ha, slayer”

Willow, who had been quiet, watching the conversation like Xander and Giles, said quietly, ”There’s always the locker rooms.”

”What?!” Buffy turned around, trying to look betrayed at her friend, who bowed down her head, looking very interested in the table’s wooden structure.

”Sounds good. Where?”

”You’re not showering in my school.”

”Why not? If I come back to the factory like this Drusilla will suspect something, and that will lead to a lot of bad on your part. Not that I care.” He paused, before continuing cheerfully: ”It will be fun, let’s see what she does with you! You know there was this one time in Paris, bloody amazing it was, she tied this young girl-”

”Show him the locker room, Buffy,” Giles interrupted and walked into his office.

”But-”

”Just bloody do it,” Giles said impatiently as he came back, and threw her a towel and a white t-shirt.

”You keep towels in the library?” Xander commented. He had been quiet the whole time, not understanding what was going on, and too afraid of Spike to speak his mind. Buffy had slept with Angel, and was now- whatever she was doing - with Spike? He was completely lost. He wanted to say that the girl before him wasn’t the Buffy he’d met more than a year ago, but it was, and that’s what scared him. Xander settled for remarking on Giles’ actions instead. ”Shirts, towels why don’t we just open a mall?”

”We do train here, Xander. Show him the locker rooms, Buffy.”

Buffy gave Giles the silent treatment and an icy glare before she walked out of the library. Spike followed without a word.

* * *

After walking in silence, Buffy and Spike reached the boys’ locker room. They could hear voices on the inside. The football practice happened to be over for the day and the team was busy changing and showering.

”There’s people in there,” Spike stated.

”Yeah.”

Spike opened the door and looked inside, but stepped out quickly and closed the door again.

”I’m not going in there.”

At first Spike had thought about what an opportunity this was: a room full of human boys. Practically a buffet set only for him. If the Slayer wasn’t standing right beside him, of course. There was no way she’d let him get away with killing right under her nose. She seemed to have forgotten that he was a vampire at the moment, but Spike suspected it wouldn’t last long. He didn’t know the girl very well, but there was something he’d learned: she had the worst kind of mood swings. There was another downside to the football player massacre he was thinking of: the sweat. There was about fifteen teenage boys in there all sweaty and muddy. Could have sounded sexy to a girl, but to a vampire with enhanced smell? Not likely.

”Why not?”

”There’s people in there.”

”Right.” Buffy reminded herself that he was a vampire. Okay, so not the best idea. ”There’s always the girls’ locker room. I don’t think someone’s using it now.”

”The girls’?”

”I mean, it shouldn’t matter, what with no girls being in there.” Buffy pointed across the hall. ”It’s over here.”

”I’m not using the girls’ locker room,” Spike said. Buffy sighed. What was she doing anyway? Helping him? She was doing what Giles had told her to do. Yeah. That was it.

Spike continued. ”Someone could enter, some spoiled little brat, scare them half to death I would.”

”And since when do you think that’s bad?” Buffy asked incredulously.

*Great mate, now even the slayer thinks you’re going soft.* Spike thought. He didn’t even know why he cared, it was just a room anyway. No, that was a lie, he knew why it felt wrong: it was those leftovers from his William days, telling him how rude it was to go into a lady’s dressing room. He snorted. Bugger that wanker. He died years ago.

”I don’t. But I figured you do.”

”Just get in there, you big baby.”

”I’m the baby? Who was the one who snorted all over my shirt?” He huffed but grabbed the towel an the t-shirt, opened the door and got in.

”I’ll…just wait here,” Buffy said to herself.

* * *

When Jenny had finished for the day, and left a bunch of newly corrected tests behind, she made her way towards the library. She was thinking about asking Giles out, he was after all almost too sweet. As she came into the Brit’s place of work, while contemplating what was more appropriate for a first date; Mexican or Italian, she could hear raised voices. Rupert was talking to the teenagers. Jenny didn’t want to interrupt and stayed in the background, not being noticed by any of the others.

”What just happened? Is it me, or are things getting real creepy?” It was the boy. Jenny identified him as Alexander Harris.

”Yes, it would seem that we have another threat to worry about, and not one to be taken lightly.”

”No, I’m not talking about Angel, not that he’s not wig-worthy. What I’m saying is: what is Buffy doing cuddling fang face number two?”

”Xander-” The girl, Willow spoke up. Jenny had always liked her, she was one of those students that really showed an interest in what you do as a teacher.

”No, seriously, have we forgotten that we slay demons?”

”I have to admit that the situation is rather… unusual, it seems Buffy share some-”

”No. No sharing, not if it doesn’t involve a stake and a cloud of dust. You can’t say that you’re okay with this Big G?”

”I am most certainly not ’okay’ with this situation, and don’t call me that. But if the information Spike gave us is correct then-”

”Is he really as bad as Spike had said?” Willow asked the watcher.

”He could possibly be worse.”

She whimpered. Giles went on, while rubbing his glasses as Jenny had learnt he did whenever he was nervous. ”We have to prepare for what’s coming, and Spike looks like a potential ally.”

”Ally? For all we know, this is some plan of his, making Buffy kill Angel so that they can’t go after him together! How can we trust a word he says?”

”Because Buffy does,” Willow said quietly, not daring to look at her friend. There was a short moment of silence before Xander responded, his voice cold:

”Like she trusted Angel?”

Another moment of silence. Giles opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but closed it again. Willow was the one to reply.

”Xander, that was harsh.”

He sighed, but went on. ”Well someone’s gotta say it! If it wasn’t for her ’trust’ in Angel, he wouldn’t be all Angelus now!”

”Xander, I think the situation is rather unfortunate as well, but let’s not point fingers, shall we? We really don’t know how any of this happened, and if Angel really lost his soul, then we have more pressing matters to discuss.”

Jenny froze. No. It couldn’t have happened, could it? The curse was broken?

”What are we going to do?” Willow asked.

”Well…I’m leaning towards blind panic myself,” Giles said, and Willow whimpered again. He gave her an apologetic glance. ”I’m sorry. It’s just…things were bad enough with Spike in town, and now with Angel crossing over to the other side…I, I wasn’t prepared for that.”

Jenny felt the panic start to rise. She had failed her people. The thing she dreaded the most these past months had happened without her even noticing. She stepped forward.

”He’s Angelus?”

”Jenny! Hi.” Giles greeted the younger woman, nervously. ”Yes, uh…it would seem we have some alarming news. Angel might have lost his soul, though, we’re not sure how that is possible.”

So it was true. Jenny was terrified. Only one word escaped her lips: ”Buffy.”

”Yes, she is rather upset, as one can understand. I’m going to consult my books, maybe you could find something on, uh, your computer?”

”A moment of true happiness.”

”Excuse me?”

”Nothing.”

”Do you know something about this that we don’t?”

Jenny took a deep breath. She couldn’t lie anymore. If she knew Giles as well as she thought she did, they were going to fight Angelus. She wanted to help, to be there. Even if she was the one who hadn’t been able to keep the curse intact. She began to explain.

* * *

Standing in a deserted school corridor wasn’t exactly Buffy’s idea of fun. All she could do was wait. From inside the locker room, she could hear the shower turning on, the sound of water hitting the tiled floor. She sighed and tapped her foot impatiently. This was a stupid idea. When she thought about it, the whole situation was absurd. She was standing in her school corridor making sure that no students entered the room where one of the most dangerous vampire was showering. One that she, in capacity of the Slayer, should stake through the heart without giving it a second thought. But things weren’t that easy, especially since she’d cried in him arms again, only a couple of minutes ago. He and his stupid limbs getting in her way. Just the thought of Spike comforting her seemed unreal, but it felt right. He’d done it once, why not again?

Buffy’s thoughts were interrupted by seeing Snyder on the other end of the corridor, walking out of his office. *Crap!* she thought. Snyder was so not the person she wanted to meet - she had to hide.

As Buffy saw it, she had two choices: hide in the locker room that Spike at the moment was occupying, or hide in the bathroom behind the door beside it. It was like one of those game shows on TV where you get to choose between doors, not knowing what prize is behind them. But Buffy knew: on one hand she could get a possibly wet and naked Spike, and on the other, a flooded toilet. The choice should have been easy.

The time that in fact lapsed from the moment she saw Snyder, to when she made her decision, was just a matter of seconds. For Buffy it felt like an eternity. This was it. She opened the door of the locker room trying to close it behind her as fast, yet as quietly, as she could. She stood there gripping the door handle, staring into the white, blank door, and tried to come up with an explanation as to why she was there, that Spike would buy.

Snyder was outside. She had to. If she’d hidden in the bathroom Spike might have walked out, practically running into her principal, and that wouldn’t be of the good. Or maybe it would? She could ask Spike to kill Snyder for her… Okay, skip that. No one was going to kill anyone. She turned around.

Buffy felt her mouth go dry. If someone had been watching her, they probably would have described her look as something similar to a goldfish: round wide eyes, and mouth agape, but the vision before her was enough to excuse her for looking like a fool.

On each side of Buffy there were rows with lockers and benches in between them. On the other end of the room was the entrance to the showers and that was where he was standing. He wasn’t posing as he usually did when he fought. He was standing there relaxed, his back turned to her, drying his platinum blond hair with the towel, making the hair gel loose its hold and leave a mess of curls behind. Drops of water were running down his muscled yet slender back, over the skin that seemed even paler under the light from the fluorescent tubes.

To say that he was the most beautiful man alive, or in this case undead, or even that he was perfect, wouldn’t have been a lie. Buffy couldn’t take her eyes off him.

She had seen him without a shirt on before, in that hotel room, but this was different. He was naked. He was stark naked, and Buffy found him absolutely beautiful.

Before Spike had tied the towel around his hips and turned around, Buffy got the chance to ogle him all over. Just like before, the time that lapsed was merely a couple of seconds, but Buffy seriously considered being frozen in time, a possible explanation since she was standing on top of a Hellmouth.

Spike turned around finally and she kept staring, now at the towel, trying hard not to picture what was hiding behind it. It was worthless. Suddenly, she could hear his voice. *Oh my god! He said something, what did he say?*

“Huh?” She looked up at him, confused and blushing.

Spike smirked. “I said: ‘can’t stay away from me can you?’”

“Oh. No! I, Snyder came by. The principal. I had to hide.”

“How convenient.” Spike kept smirking and Buffy decided to change the subject.

“Are you done?”

“Do I look done to you?” he said, referring to his state of undress.

“Oh! I, I’ll just...” She turned around to let him have his privacy. Spike chuckled at her actions. He wasn’t the type to be modest, he wouldn’t have minded the slayer seeing him in his naked glory. *That would teach her something* he thought. But Buffy seemed to have other plans.

Spike chuckled again and started to pull on his pants, and reluctantly put on the t-shirt he got from Giles. It wasn’t the best idea, since Dru would probably notice he’d changed: white wasn’t exactly his favorite color. But he could make something up. His princess trusted him, he was sure.

“So how’s your girlfriend?”

Buffy had to say something. The situation was starting to make her feel uncomfortable. She wasn’t actually interested in knowing about his girlfriend, but it was the only thing besides ‘how’s killing going?’ that she could think of. As Buffy heard him zip up his jeans, she turned around and looked at him. He was wearing Giles’ t-shirt. Buffy smiled to herself, so much for ‘not wearing his clothes.’

“Haven’t we played this game, with the questions?” Spike said, irritated. “Dru’s not someone you should worry your pretty little head about.”

“I was just wondering, no need to get grumpy.”

“Well don’t.”

“Fine.”

He sighed, but admitted. “She’s not well. Okay?”

“Oh...Sorry.”

“Yeah, well, guess she’s Angelus’ problem now, not that he ever knew what to do with her, the wanker.”

“He’s with her?”

Spike really didn’t want to think about that detail. When he’d came home from hunting, just before dawn, he had found Angelus practically all over Drusilla, and she was giggling like mad. He growled just from the thought of it. *Calm down, you git. You’re the one she’d been with all these years, not the poof.* But he still wasn’t sure if leaving them alone was a good idea. Drusilla wasn’t exactly known for her faithfulness.

“Probably. He’s her sire,” he said, but Buffy was confused. “Don’t they teach you anything? He’s her sire, he made her, and she made me.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. ‘Oh’.”

“So what now?”

“I’ll get back. Make sure she’s okay.”

“Pricilla?”

“Drusilla”

“Right.”

“Want me to send your regards to loverboy?”

“Yeah, you can tell him... tell him he was the biggest mistake of my life.”

“With pleasure.”

With that, Spike left the locker room and Buffy made her way back to the library, lost in thought.

Today had been a very weird day.






A/N: As I've said before the updates of this fic will be sporadic, if anyone would like to know when I update send me an email at ninsen88@hotmail.com and I'll put you on my mailing list.

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