Chapter Three


They walked up to the ticket counter together and Spike purchased their tickets.


“Do I want to know where you got the money?”


“I’ll have you know I won this in a perfectly legal game of poker.”


“So no cheating?”


“Semi-legal,” he rephrased.


“So, what’ll be first?” He asked, sweeping his arm around in a circle.


Buffy looked around until her eyes lighted on something in the distance and she tugged on Spike’s arm, pulling him along. She had a mischievous glint in her eyes and Spike followed her gaze to see what he was getting himself into.


“Oh, bloody hell no,” he said and pulled back on her arm to stop her. “Pick something else.”


She pouted and Spike let out a half growl/half sigh as he let himself be led the rest of the way to the ride. Spike handed the ride operator the tickets and followed Buffy to where she was waiting for the ride to start up. She grinned as Spike sat on the pink and blue sparkly carousel horse next to her black and red one.


“You breathe a word of this to anyone and I’ll bite you.”


Buffy just grinned and made a zipping motion across her lips as the music started and the carousel started going around.


“Hey, my horse doesn’t move,” she whined and looked over to see Spike with a smug look on his face as his horse moved up and down.


She slid off her horse and looked for another moving one but the only one on their side of the ride was Spike’s. He looked down at her and started to slide off but she put a hand on his leg and motioned him to scoot forward. He paused for a second but then slid forward and Buffy climbed up behind him, resting her arms on his where they were laying beside him.


Buffy scooted forward a little more to make herself more comfortable and found herself pressed tightly to Spike’s back, her curves molding to his muscular body. Where her arms had automatically wrapped around his waist, his hands had come up and were holding on to hers as the horse continued to move up and down.


She rested her cheek on his back and could feel him breathing in and out. She wondered why he did that; why he kept up the pretense of life when he didn’t need to. She supposed he had been doing it since he was turned, because he always seemed so full of life to her, ever since she had first met him in that alley by the Bronze so long ago now.


Buffy noticed they were slowing down and quickly let go of Spike’s waist and scooted off the horse. Smoothing down her skirt, she realized she had just spent the last two minutes holding and leaning on Spike as they slowly moved around on the carousel. Way to go Buffy. What a way to make Spike believe he doesn’t have a chance with you. Right.


Spike followed beside her as she walked around the brightly lit booths and colorful flags decorating the carnival. Why did she have to go and make things all awkward? They could be having a nice, fun time but instead…


“Hey, funnel cake,” Spike exclaimed and proceeded to enter the line and purchase the powdery treat.


Buffy sighed. Trust Spike to lighten up the mood. She wandered over to a nearby picnic table and waved Spike over after he had finished his purchase. They sat in companionable silence eating the cake, Buffy playfully slapping at Spike’s hands when he tried to take from her side. When they were done, they continued down the main drag of the carnival, commenting on people’s attempts to win the highly prized stuffed animals hanging from the booths.


“You wanna go on another ride now?” Spike asked as they turned the corner taking them away from the game booths.


“Sure. How bout that?” Buffy asked, pointing to the rollercoaster.


Spike raised an eyebrow. “Sure you’re tall enough to ride the ride, luv?”


“Ha-ha. Very funny Spike. Come on,” she said, grabbing him by the elbow and pushing him toward the ride.


She steered him towards the second to last car and pulled the safety bar down after he had sat down next to her. The cars started moving up the track and Spike leaned back, putting his hands behind his head.


“Do you like rollercoasters?” She asked.


“Dunno. Guess we’ll see.”


“You mean you’ve never ridden on one?” She asked in disbelief.


“Nope. I’m a virgin,” he smiled, running his tongue behind his teeth.


Buffy just rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air as they flew down the first hill. Spike had quickly pulled his hands from behind his head and was now gripping the safety bar in front of them. Buffy laughed and Spike scowled at her as she took his hands and held them up beside hers.


The car started going through the various turns and they both laughed as they were thrown side to side, banging against each other on every turn. As they topped the last hill, Buffy let out a whoop which caused Spike to start laughing again so that when the cars stopped, they were both laughing uncontrollably. Grasping onto his jacket to hold herself up, they both stumbled down the walkway as Buffy tried to get her laughter under control.


“You should have seen your face when we topped that first hill,” she giggled.


“Me? What about when you let out that warrior yell,” he said, smiling when Buffy giggled again.


“Oh god. I haven’t had that much fun in a long time.”


He smiled. “Guess my genius plan is working then.”


Buffy smiled and looped her arm through his. “So, what’s next? I guess it’s only fair you pick since I picked the last two.”


He smiled down at her where she was walking beside him; arm in arm and with a giddy smile on her face, but she couldn’t help it. She really hadn’t had that much fun in a while, way back before Glory had shown up.


“How ‘bout we try winning one of those overstuffed sleeping companions for you?” He asked, pointing to one of the booths where people were trying to knock over a tower of bottles with baseballs.


“What about you? Don’t you want a sleeping companion?” She asked, a small grin teasing her lips.


He grinned back and tugged on her arm where it was still looped in his. Picking up one of the baseballs while Spike paid the five dollars, she leaned over and whispered in his ear.


“Isn’t this kind of cheating since we have superpowers and stuff?”


He grinned and picked up the second baseball. “Guess you’ll have to pray extra harder this week.”


He stepped back behind the throwing line and aimed the ball at the stack of bottles…and didn’t knock a single one down. Buffy tried to smother her laughter with her hand but Spike still scowled at her.


“Are you sure you’re not sick?” She asked, putting her hand on his forehead.


He smiled. “Dunno. Maybe you should feel other parts to see if they’re hot.”


“You wish.” Buffy threw the baseball she had been holding and knocked the top three bottles off.


“Show off,” he mumbled and picked up the last ball.


“Wait,” Buffy said and leaned over and placed a small kiss on his cheek. She drew back and found Spike with a big smile on his face.


“For luck,” she whispered.


His smile grew and he leaned back and threw the ball.