Chapter Seven

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“One week down!” she exclaimed, smiling widely as she picked up her drink and raised it to her friends before taking a large mouthful. Damn, but these Woo Woos were too good. Maybe this was Spike’s new way of killing her: creating an addiction to sweet, fruity alcohol. Whether intended or not, it certainly seemed to be working and she was on her second of the night, already at that stage of slightly giddy cheeriness.

“I want to dance!” she suddenly announced, sliding from her stool and grabbing Willow’s hand, “Come dance!”

Willow shrugged and followed her into the crowd with a smile. Buffy dragged her to the centre of the floor and then turned to her, beginning to sway to the music. This felt good. She had a job, she had money and now she got to relax and enjoy herself. She closed her eyes and moved with the music, swinging her hips in time with the beat. She could feel eyes on her and opened hers, turning to spot a cute guy watching her as he danced somewhat awkwardly next to a friend. She looked to Willow and they shared a girlish giggle before she turned and moved over to the guy.

“Hi!” she called out with a smile.

“Hey. Wanna dance?”

“You bet,” she answered, moving closer to him and glancing over her shoulder to smile back at Willow. Willow winked and turned to dance with Tara who had just joined her. Buffy smiled and closed her eyes again, getting lost in the music, hardly remembering the last time she had felt so free.


She finally left the dancefloor - much to the obvious disappointment of her dance partner – and made her way back to the Scoobies’ table.

“Hey, Buffster!” Xander exclaimed, “Enjoying getting your dance on?”

“Definitely.”

And she did. She enjoyed at least pretending for a little while that she was a normal twenty-year-old girl.

“I need another drink,” she announced and pushed through the crowd to the bar to get herself another Woo Woo. She finally got it and took a sip, closing her eyes in bliss at the taste.

“Damn that vampire’s got me hooked,” she murmured, turning from the bar and making her way back to her friends’ table. She almost tripped on the way but was steadied by a smiling frat boy and gave him a flirtatious smile before moving on. She slid onto the stool and took another sip of her drink, letting out a little ‘mmm’ of satisfaction. The frat boy who had saved her appeared at the table at that point and asked her to dance and she followed him with a smile and a little wave at her friends.

After she had returned, she downed the rest of her drink and rested her head on her head as she felt her head spin.

“I need another drink.”

“Err, Buff, I think you’ve maybe had enough,” Willow suggested.

“You’re right, Willy-Willow. I gotta go,” she slid to her feet and pulled her jacket, smiling to herself, “Gotta go see a vamp about some kittens.”

“You gonna be okay?” Willow asked uncertainly.

“Ya-huh. I’m all good. Later.”


She hummed to herself as she weaved a somewhat unsteady path through the cemetery, a small smile still playing on her lips. This was the life. Suddenly her path was blocked and she looked up with a frown at the large demon that stood in her way. It growled and lunged at her and she dodged, just managing to escape its sharp claws. She punched it somewhat sloppily and went flying to the floor when it lashed out, hitting her around the face. She scrambled to her feet, trying to clear her dizzy head as she kicked the demon, the kick doing hardly anything except sending her to the ground again as she lost her balance. The demon let out an ear-splitting roar and she covered her ears helplessly, curled up on the ground. The sound suddenly cut off though and she looked up to see a large pole protruding from the demon’s neck. It fell to the floor beside her and she looked up at the figure in black that now stood before her, her hand on her spinning head.

“Spike!” she called out with a wide smile, “I was coming to see you.”

“Slayer, you alright?” he asked, frowning as he reached out and helped her to her feet. She giggled slightly as she wavered slightly and looked up to find him frowning again.

“Have you been drinking?”

“I just had some Woo Woos,” she explained with a giggle, “Woo Woo!”

Spike didn’t seem too impressed with her train impression and raised an eyebrow at her.

“Okay, let’s just sit you down and make sure you haven’t broken anything, yeah?”

She nodded, smiling still as she let him lead her across the cemetery to his crypt.


She scrambled onto the sarcophagus – with some assistance from Spike – and sat, her legs dangling over the side as he shed his coat and came to stand before her, worried eyes running over her.

“Not the best idea to go fighting when you’re tipsy, love.”

“He started it!” she sulked, pouting like a small child. She saw Spike’s gaze linger on her lips for a moment and she smiled. He quickly moved away though and found a bottle, bringing it back to her.

“What is it?” she asked, opening it.

“Water. Help you sober up.”

“I’m not drunk!” she protested, “I’m just...giddy!”

She laughed and took a sip of the water, her eyes falling on Spike, who was watching her with amusement now.

“What?!” she asked, wiping her mouth as she set the bottle set down.

“You’re such a lightweight,” he remarked with a smile, “Couple of cocktails and you’re gone.”

“Your fault,” she moaned, “Introduced me to the lovely yummy Woo Woos.”

“If I’d known you were that easily led...”

She didn’t quite follow where he was going but smiled and jumped to her feet, her head spinning even as she did so.

“Woo, spinning room,” she breathed, giggling as strong hands caught her by the arms, steadying her.


She raised her eyes to his and smiled.

“I think I figured out how to get you out of my dreams,” she murmured, hands resting against his chest as she tried to stop the world from spinning.

“You have dreams about me?” he asked softly, smiling.

“Yeah,” she answered in a stage whisper, “Naughty dreams. Dreams a Slayer shouldn’t have about a...about a bad vampire.”

“Oh yeah?” he drawled.

“But I figured out how to stop it,” she announced with a coy smile, “I just have to get you out of my system.”

She smiled again and leant into him.

“That okay with you?” she whispered.

Before he could answer though, she leant up and pressed her lips to his, letting out a little moan at the cool feel of his lips. Suddenly the room was spinning too much though and she pulled away abruptly, holding a hand to her stomach and meeting Spike’s gaze for a split second before turning to the side and vomiting.