It had been nearly twenty-four hours since she had last seen him. Twenty-four hours since their interrupted make out session. Just as they were really getting into it, the Scoobies had finished their “big group sing” and (uneasily) began to leave the Bronze. As soon as Buffy heard the door open, she pulled away from Spike.

“Later, I promise. I have to get Dawn home.” Giving her a look of shock (at her promising later) and understanding (now wasn’t the time to deal with whatever it was that was transpiring between them), he gave her his infamous head tilt (that she found oh, so sexy) and a nod before turning away.

‘Why couldn’t there have been a coda at the end of their song?’ she thought ruefully as she watched him walk down the alley. If the gang had sung at least one more time, she and Spike would have had more time with the kissage.

“Buffy, can we-" Willow started, but Buffy cut her off.

“Not now, guys. It’s been a long night, and day. We should all just go home and get some sleep. Dawn?” Buffy motioned for the younger Summers to follow after her. Dawn asked her no questions on the walk home. It had been a long night after all.

Buffy spent all of the next day avoiding her friends and family. But then, they seemed to be avoiding her as well— particularly Willow. What could she or any of them say? “Sorry” wouldn’t do, no take backs… so it was useless.

After school let out, Dawn attempted to corner her, but Buffy dodged that bullet by feigning a headache, and saying that she needed to lie down. Dawn knew that she was lying, and Buffy knew that Dawn knew, but shocking both of them, instead of throwing one of her tantrums and yelling, “I’m not a stupid, little kid, ya know?!” and stomping off to her room, Dawn gave her a sad smile and a little nod, letting her sister be. Buffy was grateful.

As soon as the sun set, Buffy proved that old habits truly did die hard by sneaking out of her bedroom window to go see a certain vampire. Except this time around, it was Spike. To her dismay, however, he wasn’t in his crypt. After about twenty minutes of patrolling, well, really she was looking for him, he finally found her. But she was so lost in her thoughts (which were undoubtedly about him) he inadvertently snuck up on her, causing her to raise her stake at him. He leaned back, fearing she may actually strike him for some reason or other.

‘Can never tell with her— bloody hot and cold…’ She put down her stake, slightly offended that he’d think she’d hurt him. She said nothing.

“ ‘Ello, pet. Thought that maybe we could talk?”

Feeling a bit angry at him, or perhaps once again making excuses, she replied, “Vocal chord wise, yes. With each other? No.” She turned away from him.

“Buffy-” he grabbed her arm, making her turn and face him.

“Here I am, looking utterly stupid. Coming out here and, and searching for you! But oh- you were no where to be seen! And then, and then you come and find me, only to flinch at me cause you thought I was gonna hit you!” she yelled, incredulous.

“I didn’t know what to expect, did I? And I wasn’t hiding. Well, from you anyway,” he said as an after thought.

“Well, maybe you should expect for me to never touch or kiss you ever again, Spike. Not ever. Never!”

As soon as he gave her an expression of hurt on his chiseled features, she launched herself at him, knocking him to the ground. She was straddling his waist and laying on top of him. Then he realized it was for all the wrong reasons when he saw his old shark demon “pal” with his two lackeys. He had just thrown a huge stake at him.

“Now, easy, boys. No need to get physical. Now is there, Mr. Spike?”

‘Buffy saved me? Wasn’t that usually reserved for the likes of Peaches and Captain Cardboard? Huh,’ he thought, after all her ranting and raving of never touching him ever again… ‘Hot and cold; right.’

“You know this guy?” Buffy asked rhetorically, already knowing the answer. ‘Of course he does. It’s Spike, after all.’

“Yea. What do you want?” Spike said in a much irritated voice.

‘Oh great. This had to happen right now. Buffy judges me enough already. Now I’m gonna get bloody criticized for this too. Oh, balls.’

“Take it easy. You’ll get your kittens.”

“Oh god, what is it with you guys? Why kittens? Why can’t you use money like everybody else?”

‘Knew it; criticism. Can never cut a guy a bit of slack, can she?’ he thought ruefully, glancing at her sideways.

“She’s funny. I like funny in a girl.”

“I just need a little more time.”

“Time, time. Time is what turns kittens into cats. Look, I don’t wanna see anyone get hurt. Boys?” The shark demon turned his back on them as the two vampire minions approached Spike.

‘What? He thinks I’m just going to stand here and let him attack my boyf- I mean Spike?’

“Then you’d better close your eyes.” Buffy quickly handled to the two vamps with ease. She gave them a pass on a staking, since they were strictly in the kitten business. They weren’t an eminent threat to society, just kittens and Spike. Well, sort of.

“I sensed she was the Slayer, Boss,” the taller vamp said, justifying his (albeit brief) ass kicking.

Spike was touched that Buffy was so protective of him. It was incredibly sweet, especially since they both knew that he was fully capable of protecting himself from a couple of vamps. He smiled at her from behind. ‘Aah, my sweet Buffy.’ Because she was so gung ho on protecting him, and because he couldn’t pay up just yet, Spike stealthily snuck away, leaving the three of them to deal with her. It would buy him some time, after all.

“Boss, he’s gone.”

“What?”

“Spike has split,” the vamp lackey said a tad rueful.

‘What? He just left? Before we even got to talk? That total jerk!’ Buffy rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Oh, it was a genuine pleasure,” the shark demon said, chomping his jaws at her as he left. Buffy sighed aloud to no one.

“If I would stop saving his life, it would simple things up so much.”

‘Of course, it could also help if I didn’t care about him. Damn it.’

*****

The Next Day


Buffy couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Giles was leaving- abandoning her. Not that she should be shocked, really. It was bound to happen eventually, right? But still, how could he after everything that he knows? How did he come to the utterly insane conclusion that she’d be stronger without him? If anything, she’d end up even more smothered by the gang than before without him there. But then, he hadn’t exactly been by her side the past few weeks.

‘What does he want me to do? And listen to him, talking so nonchalant as if it were no big deal. Maybe it isn’t- to him. Why should I expect any more from him when my father, who I share genes and blood with, abandoned me as well?

Hey dad? Mom died. I really need you here. You coming to the funeral? Oh, you’re much too busy? Gee, I understand.

Hey Giles? I was in Heaven, and since my friends ripped me from there, I’ve been so depressed that I nearly committed suicide by dancing myself into flames. Oh, I’ll be stronger by myself, you say? Gee, I understand now. Go on to a whole other time zone across the vast ocean. I’ll be peachy. Uh huh. Fine.’

Buffy couldn’t take it anymore.

Just as Giles was retelling his “leaving indefinitely” speech to the whole gang, Buffy interrupted him.

“Why don’t you just cut to the chase? Tell them how you’re-" Spike entered the Magic Box in that moment; he was a much needed distraction.

“Spike.”

“Holey Moley,” Giles and Anya said back to back.

“You need to give me asylum.” He burst into the shop in all his smoking glory (what was that suit?), ever the reminder to Buffy that he was a vampire. Her mortal enemy. A vampire she had never been able to, and probably never would or could be able to kill. In some crazy twist of fate, Spike snuck up on her and turned out to be her equal.

‘Of course, I could never tell him that. He looks so adorable in that suit. Odd, and a little watchery, but cute.’

As soon as Spike walked in, his eyes scanned the room for Buffy. She was directly in front of him across the room, sitting on the ladder. Her arms were crossed protectively in front of her. ‘She’s doing that whole emotional shut down thing again,’ he thought. ‘And she looked pretty down.’

“No need to get cute,” Spike said to Harris as he walked towards her, stopping at the glass display case and sitting atop it. Close to her, but not so close that she’d feel smothered. A smothered Slayer would more than likely try to pick a fight—with him more than likely.

“Nasty fellow, him…” Spike’s main goal in telling about his shark friend was for two reasons: to explain why he needed the Nancy Boy threads, and to maybe get a grin out of Buffy. All he got was an eye roll and a turn of the head. Well, a bloke had to try, didn’t he? But when he heard what Giles had to say, he could see why Buffy was so down.

‘Nope. Not gonna be an easy fix. How could Giles? Leaving her just like that?’ Spike shook his head. He expected better from the Watcher. ‘I mean, he’s like a bloody father to her. And here she is, feelin’ all betrayed and the like from her friends, and he goes and adds himself to the bleeding list of betrayal by leaving her. Stupid git.’

“For real this time? Cause honest to Pete, a young shop keeper’s heart can only take so much. I mean, not that I want you to go-"

“I can’t do this, I…” Spike’s heart went out to her. It may be undead and no longer beating, but he knew all too well about abandonment. And having a sickly mum, utter humiliation, being labeled, and losing your first great love. They had a lot in common, and he silently promised that he would help her through this, no matter how hard she might try to push him away. ‘God knows she will try…’

“It’s like I’m dying, and-” but before Buffy could finish what she had to say, or Spike on coming up with a plan on how to help her, they all took a several hour nap.