Chapter Three

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She kicked at the ground, caught up in memories of her Watcher’s departure earlier that day. She wrapped her arms around herself and moved on through the cemetery, hoping that something would turn up for her to slay so she could have some sort of distraction from her gloomy thoughts.

“Anything out tonight?”

She jumped at Spike’s voice and whirled to face him with a frown.

“Jesus, Spike! Bell. Neck. Look into it.”

He smirked and fished out a cigarette, placing it between his lips and lighting it before answering her.

“Come with a nice leather collar, does it?”

She rolled her eyes and turned away, feeling him fall into step beside her.

“Really not in the mood tonight, Spike.”

“Oh right, yeah. Watcher Boy get off alright then?”

“Fine,” she got out, walking just a bit faster in the vain hope that she might lose the vampire.

“Big soppy group hugs and that?”

She glared at the vampire and refused to answer but he just smiled softly.

“It’ll be alright. You’ll cope without old Rupes.”

If she didn’t know better, she’d think Spike was actually trying to comfort her. She shrugged awkwardly and carried on.


“You know what you need?” Spike spoke up after a few minutes’ silence, “A bit of rough and tumble.”

“Excuse me?!” she got out, halting in her steps and turning to stare at the vampire incredulously.

“Yeah, a nice bit of rough and tumble…that’ll sort you out.”

Dumbfounded, she could only stare at the vampire, her hand itching to reach out and hit him.

“Speaking of which, here comes a vamp right now.”

Shaking off her daze, she turned in the direction Spike indicated and spotted a large vampire prowling through the cemetery.

“Slaying?” she got out, turning back to the vampire.

“Err, yes,” he answered, giving her a look like she was stupid, “What else?”

He paused for a moment and then his eyes lit up and a smirk spread across his face.

“’Course if you wanted that sort of rough and tumble-“

“If you finish that sentence, I’m wiping that grin off your face with my fist,” she threatened, glaring at him.

“My lips are sealed,” he got out, obviously suppressing a laugh.


Ignoring him, she turned towards where the vampire had been and frowned.

“Hey, where did he go?”

On her words, something hit her from behind, sending her flying to the floor, its heavy weight on her back. Great. She’d been so busy arguing with Spike, the vampire had managed to sneak up on them. She struggled to shift the vampire off but then its weight was gone and she quickly rolled over and flipped herself to her feet as Spike punched the vampire, sending it stumbling backwards.

“Nice of you to join us, Slayer,” he taunted and she sent a glare his way before focussing on the vampire again. He hit a tree and looked between the two of them squared up against him – and turned and bolted.

“Hey, no fun!” Buffy called, breaking into a sprint after him instantly.

Spike was at her side in an instant and they sprinted through the cemetery, dodging gravestones as they chased the vampire. Spike jumped up onto a grave and launched himself at the vampire, tackling him to the ground with a thud. By the time they were both on their feet again, Buffy was on the vampire, kicking him so he went straight back on the ground again.

“That’s for running away!”

She kicked him again as he tried to get up and crouched over him, slipping a stake out of her jacket and dusting him. She sighed and rose to her feet, brushing the dust off her trousers and turning to Spike.


He was watching her again with that expression just bordering on awe and she sighed, crossing her arms across her chest almost defensively.

“Spike!” she bit out.

He jolted out of his daze and raised his eyes to hers, clearing his throat nervously.

“Right, yeah…good fight.”

“Didn’t see you doing much fighting,” she commented as they fell into step side by side.

“Hey, I’m not the one who got jumped ‘coz I wasn’t paying attention.”

She sighed but only rolled her eyes in answer.

“Well, it was fun and all, but I’ve got important Bronze-ing to do.”

She felt his eyes on her and finally gave in, turning to him with a glare.

“You and the Scoobies partying tonight?”

“That wasn’t an invite,” she got out.

“Didn’t realise I needed your permission to go to a public place.”

She groaned and rolled her eyes.

“Can you not just leave me in peace for one evening?!”

“Find I don’t much care for it," he answered with a smile.

She sighed loudly and halted in her steps, turning to him with her arms crossed tightly.

“Okay, look, I can’t stop you following me around like some…puppy-“

He glared at her and she smiled sweetly.

“-but could you at least be, you know, nice…to my friends.”

“They’re not nice to me.”

“Can’t blame them,” she muttered, blowing her hair out of her face.

“That’s not fair,” he said quietly and she raised her eyes to his, feeling something like shame when she noticed his hurt expression.

“Okay, I know. But you do drive me crazy, you realise that?”

They shared a smile and she looked away, shaking her head slightly. She began to move again and sure enough, felt him follow her.

“You so owe me a drink.”

“Seems a fair payment for the pleasure of your company,” he answered and she rolled her eyes as she spotted his smile.

“Who says you’re getting any of my company? You can pester someone else once you’ve bought me a drink.”

“You’re a cruel woman,” he remarked in a light-hearted tone.

“What can I say? Me and vampires don’t mix well...especially ones who follow me around checking out my ass.”

He quickly stepped forward, meeting her stride for stride, and attempted to look innocent.

“I wasn’t-“

“Don’t even,” she said, turning to him and smiling in amusement at the guilty look on his face.

Normal Spike returned within an instant though and he smirked.

“Can’t exactly blame a guy when you wear tight l’il trousers like that.”

She laughed helplessly and shook her head as they moved on through the graveyard.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The Scoobies were yet to arrive but she found herself actually enjoying herself with Spike as company (not that she would admit that to him in a million years).

“Come on, Slayer.”

“No way.”

“Use your co-ordination for a good reason.”

“Since when is catching peanuts in my mouth a good reason?” she asked, arching an eyebrow as he threw a peanut up above his head and caught it in his mouth.

“Fair enough. Li’l Miss Proper Slayer wouldn’t dare actually have fun now, would she?”

It was an obvious challenge and she could tell he knew it in the smile he tried to hide but she sighed and took a peanut, throwing it up in the air and catching it in her mouth.

“There, happy now?”

He smiled and tilted his head, watching her with that soft expression she still wasn’t used to.

“Knew there was someone else hiding in there.”

“She’s called Buffy. She does occasionally have this crazy thing you like to call fun.”

He smiled again and she swivelled on her chair, scanning the crowded bar for her friends before turning back to the bar.

“Getting bored of me already, eh? Can’t wait for your friends?”

“There’s only so long I can bear you, Spike, before I need reinforcements,” she answered sweetly, popping another peanut in her mouth, “And you still owe me a drink.”

“Okay, okay, what do you want?”

“Surprise me.”

He raised an eyebrow and turned to the bar, gesturing to the bartender.

“Whiskey for me and a Woo Woo for the lady.”

“Did you actually just say the words ‘woo woo’?” she asked with a laugh, “You’re kidding me right?”

“Just trust me.”


The bartender placed their drinks down in front of them and she inspected hers as Spike downed half of his in one mouthful. She drew it towards her and took a hesitant sip through the straw, surprised at just how good it tasted.

“Mmmm, this is good,” she remarked, smiling at the vampire, “What’s in it?”

“Bit of vodka, some schnapps, lots of fruit juice.”

“You trying to get me drunk?” she asked with a smile.

“Why? You think it might work?”

She just laughed and took another sip of her drink, giving out another sigh of content. She wasn’t usually one for alcohol but this hardly tasted of any and was just too good to refuse.

“Mmmm, I think it might work if you keep me in these,” she answered absentmindedly.

“A drunk Slayer...I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing,” he laughed, “What’s the likelihood of you kicking my ass drunk?”

“Probably 50:50,” she replied with a smile.

He laughed and lifted his glass to her, smiling widely as he drank the rest of it down before turning and ordering a beer. She smiled and sipped at her drink, scanning the room and finally spotting her friends just settling at a table.

“Scoobies are here,” she announced, “Finally.”

She slid to her feet and turned to Spike with a questioning look.

“You coming?”

“Nah, I’ll leave you to your bonding fun,” he answered, turning back to the bar.

She frowned but then shrugged and picked up her drink.

“Thanks for the drink.”

“No problem.”


She made her way through the crowd and plopped herself down at her friends’ table.

“Hey, hey!”

“Hey, Buffster!” Xander called, “How long you been here?”

“Thirty minutes or so. I am delving into the exciting world of Woo Woos,” she remarked, holding up her drink with a smile.

“Wow, Buff, experimenting with the alcohol,” Willow commented, “Bad night?”

“Actually, no. It was quite fun. The Woo Woo was Spike’s influence.”

“He’s here?” Tara asked quietly.

“Yeah, sure,” Buffy answered, turning on her stool, “He’s just...Oh, he was just over there. Guess he had evil lurking to do.”

She shrugged and turned back to the table, taking another mouthful of her drink. It was making her pleasantly relaxed now and she smiled as her friends continued their small talk. She drained her glass and turned her gaze to the bar, but frowned when she saw how crowded it was. As if by magic, a new drink appeared in front of her and she turned to smile at Spike where he had just appeared beside her.

“Saw you were running low,” he explained awkwardly, his eyes just flitting to her friends, “Figured I owed you a drink still.”

She raised an eyebrow and smiled but before she could reply, he had walked off. She frowned and turned slowly back to the table.

“He was so much easier to talk to when he wanted to kill me.”