Chapter Two


“I’ve never actually fought a Gixlar. Are they really all that bad?”


“If you stay away from the teeth and claws you should be okay,” he replied as they drove through the warehouse district. “And save the hatchlings for last. If you go after them while the mothers are still alive, you’ll make them even madder and that much harder to kill.”


“Check, no baby slayage.” She frowned. “I guess that’s a good rule anyway.”


He smiled and pulled into a side alley where he turned the engine off and sat back. Buffy glanced around and turned back toward Spike to ask him where they were but he was already getting out of the car. She scrambled out and walked around to the back where Spike was putting the axe into the trunk.


“Uh, Spike? Won’t we need that? And where are we? I thought the nest was on the other side of town.”


Spike closed the trunk and turned back to her. “It is. And since two nights ago, it’s been cleaned out.”


“Then what are we doing here? Spike, I don’t have time to go gallivanting about for car rides when you know I should be patrolling and going home to prepare for my oh so fun day tomorrow.”


“I already patrolled. Now, come on. I have something to show you.”


He started walking to the other end of the alley as Buffy sighed and quickened her pace to catch up with him.


“You know, last time you said you had something to show me, my boyfriend left me,” she said, turning her head towards Spike and matching her step with his. “Since I don’t have that pleasure this time, you’re either about to show me something dastardly about one of my friends or you’ve figured out how to get rid of the chip and you’re going to kill me,” she joked.


Spike stopped suddenly and she turned toward him, frowning when he just looked at her.


“What?”


“Do you really still believe I’d kill you if I got the chip out?” He asked, and she could hear the pain in his voice as well as see it in his eyes.


“No, Spike. I was just kidding. I know you wouldn’t hurt me,” she said, smiling at him. He gave a quick grin and looked down. “Or my friends,” she added. “Except maybe Xander.”


He looked up and smirked. “The whelp would deserve it.”


She smiled. “If you could take him,” she replied as she continued down the alley in the direction he had been walking.


She heard Spike scoff behind her and grinned as he hurried to catch up with her.


“Donut boy wouldn’t last a second if I had this chip out,” he growled.


She just continued smiling. “Uh-huh. Whatever you say Spike.”


He glared at her. “Stop mocking me Slayer or I just might be tempted to take him out, chip or not.”


“Doesn’t that negate the me trusting you not to kill me or my friends thing?” She asked him, the corner of her mouth lifting up when he just glared at her.


They continued walking down the alley until Buffy heard the soft strains of music drifting through the air. She glanced over at Spike as he continued to lead her in the direction of the melancholy music and the tempting smells of fried and sugary foods. As they exited the alley, Buffy found herself face to face with the yearly Sunnydale carnival.


“You want to show me something evil at the carnival?” She asked skeptically.


“No,” he answered slowly. “I want to take you to the carnival.”


She just looked at him like he had suddenly sprouted two heads. “You want to take me to the carnival,” she said, looking back where they could just see the roller coaster cars topping one of the hills. She turned back towards him. “Like a date?”


“No,” he answered quickly. “Not a date. It’s just,” he glanced down and scuffed the sidewalk with his shoe. “You’ve been all about work lately, with the slaying and household duties and what not, that I thought you’d like to take a little break. You know, unwind.”


He looked back up at her and she worried her lip, trying to decide if she could do this. If she could drop everything for one night and try to have fun and live her life like she was supposed to be doing. And with Spike, no less.


She didn’t want him to get the wrong idea and think that if she did go with him, that this would be a regular thing; doing something besides slaying together. She knew he had been there for her for the past month and she was thankful for that; that she had someone she could confide in, and wouldn’t have to worry about him judging her or trying to make her show more emotion about being back. He was just there. Always had been, in one weird way or another. And because he hadn’t expected anything of her yet, she decided to do it.


“Ok,” she breathed, looking back into his softly smiling face.


“Ok,” he breathed back.


“Not a date,” she blurted out, ducking her head and turning towards the carnival so she wouldn’t have to see his smirking face.