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Chapter 2 – And the dance begins

“Besides, Dawn wants to know as well. She asked me about her.” Buffy crossed her arms, pushed her hip to one side and tilted back on her heals.

“Nibblet?” Spikes eyes grew wide at the implication. “What does she want to know?”

“Well, how you and the fake guidance counselor know each other.” No answer came from the pensive vampire. “She was there, remember, she saw the exchange between you and this demon. This demon who, need I remind you, tricked Dawn into making a vengeance wish. She feels horrible about everything. Plus there’s all that post-klepto guilt going on.”

“Really surprised about that – thought my Bit knew better then to get caught…”

A fist came out and quickly connected with a leather-clad shoulder. “Excuse me; try to be a good role model for once.”

“Ouch, Slayer, why you hafta hit me? And do I need to remind the little blonde girl, I’m a vampire, not a role model?” There was a slight smile on his face as he rubbed his shoulder. The conversation was about to go his way for once.

“Oh really? She looks up to you. For some stupid reason, you’re her hero, her friend. As much as I try to dissuade her from the fact, she likes you.” Buffy’s inner voice couldn’t help but add, ‘Big sister likes you too, sometimes, but it’ll be a cold day in hell before that little secret comes out.’

“Little Bit does have excellent taste,” some of his swagger was coming back now. He saw his way out of the corner the Slayer backed him in to. He was going to take full advantage of this little distraction.

“Can you be any more full of yourself?” Buffy turned her back to him, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe the ego the bloodsucker had. But with their experiences over the last few weeks, she knew he had the goods to back it up. ‘No, Buffy, don’t go there, don’t want to go there. Oh, so want to go there, but can’t go there…’ She stopped her mantra dead in tracks because he turned on his bedroom voice.

“Yeah, I can be more full of myself. Thing is luv, you can be full of me too, if you ask real nice.”

“Stop it, pig.” More fists and slaps. But Buffy quickly realized that the physical interaction and the closeness was turning Spike on. She quickly pulled back. “We are so not going down that road, that street or anywhere near that neighborhood.”

“Oh, come on Slayer, you know you want to.” He started closing up the space between the two of then. “This is how we play this little game. You want me. I want you. Things heat up, we let loose…”

“Doesn’t matter what I want, we’re not going to do this.”

“Why not?” He was pouting now. ‘Damn, look at that lip.’ Buffy couldn’t help herself. ‘And he says I’ve perfected the pout.’

Spike continued, thinking he could appeal to her rationale side. “Buffy, there’s nothing stopping us. We’re both adults, we’re not hurting anybody, well maybe each other, but only in a good way.” He went to grab her arms. She glided backwards out of his reach. She put her hand up in front of her as if to say stop.

“Really, me beating the crap out of you was a good thing? Wait, yes that was.”

So much for the rationale, “Pet, you know what I mean.”

“No, I really don’t know what you mean. I never know what you’re talking about, and hey, when did this conversation turn to sex?”

“Well, duh, Summers. Everything about us is sex. Haven’t worked that one out yet?”
He started to walk away, feeling his job was done. He knew the Slayer wasn’t up to playing tonight. Figure he’d leave before she found her way back to the Halfrek question. Never thought he’d willing walk away from his sunshine. But stranger things had happened lately and he really wasn’t prepared to explain William and Cecily.

“Wait, Spike, where are you going?” Buffy was puzzled; Spike normally didn’t just leave her like this. His ability to wear her defenses down amazed her, but he wasn’t even trying tonight. Something was up.

A scarred eyebrow was raised, was she hinting she wanted him to stick around? Nah, he couldn’t get that lucky. “Night’s young pet, thought I’d hit Willies’, see if there’s a poker game going, maybe find a fight, or if I can’t find one, start a fight. Something to get my violence on.”

“Don't you want to patrol with me?” The question was tentative, she was unsure as to why she wanted him around. That wasn’t totally true, she had a reason to stay with him, but she was more than reluctant to keep that train from going to the station. “There’s always a good dose of violence in that.”

“Thanks Slayer, but I’m going to go my own way. Happy hunting, luv.”

She watched with confusion, and awe, as he made his way through the graves of the cemetery towards the dim lights that signaled the warehouse district, home to Willie’s Bar, as well as other demon establishments.

“Ok, well, bye then.” She started walking in the opposite direction, but stopped dead in her tracks. “Hey, you, you, you…” she was stuttering as she was shouting. “You never answered my question you dumb-ass bloodsucker.”

Spike started trotting, still moving towards the lights, chuckling to himself, “dumb-ass, huh. Smart enough to fool you, you stupid bint.”

“This isn’t over Spike. I will find out who Halfrek is and I will find out how you know her!”