Chapter Fourteen

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It had been a week since her little speech to the Scoobies and despite numerous meetings between them, it was their first outing with the group as a pair. They were headed for the Bronze together after patrol and she couldn’t help but bite her lip as the club came into sight.

“Not worried, are you, Slayer?” Spike teased lightly, his fingers brushing against hers as he walked at her side. She frowned and turned
to him.

“A little,” she admitted weakly.

“Glad to know you care, Slayer,” he murmured, draping his arm around her shoulder and drawing her against him.

“Who says I was worried about you?” she answered playfully, hearing him growl in her ear, “Maybe this is all a cunning plan to get you staked.”

“You are a cruel woman.”

She laughed and drew herself out of his embrace as they reached the door of the club.

“You love it,” she quipped back and he paused, before giving a shameless nod. She smiled and rolled her eyes and headed inside with him following just behind.



She spotted her friends easily and felt a little fleeting stab of panic but then Spike’s hand was at her back, spurring her onwards. She didn’t know why she was getting so worked up. The Scoobies had pretty much accepted what was going on – even if they hadn’t actually seen the two of them together yet. And it was only a bit of fun, after all. Nothing serious. Even as she thought it, she glanced at the vampire beside her and knew that for him, even though he hid it, this was deadly serious. She bit her lip but when he threw her a pointed look, she stopped and gave him a sheepish smile as they finally reached the table.

“There you are!” Willow called out, “We’ve been waiting for you!”

“We got sidetracked,” Buffy explained, quickly amending it with: “By vampires. Slayage.”

Willow smiled widely and she bowed her head for a moment, flushed with embarrassment.

“How ‘bout I get you a drink?” Spike spoke close to her ear.

She raised her gaze to his and smiled hesitantly.

“A drink would be good.”

“What do you want?”

“No Woo Woos,” she got out quickly as he smiled, “Staying away from those. I’ll just have a soda.”

“Right. Be right back.”

He moved away and she watched him for a moment before turning back to the table. Xander and Anya went to dance, Xander throwing her a somewhat hesitant smile, leaving her with the two witches.



“So, how’s it going?” Willow asked with a little eyebrow waggle, scooting her chair closer as Tara smiled affectionately at the redhead.

“Well, you know...good. Things are good.”

“You don’t seem so sure,” Willow teased and Buffy glanced over to the bar, spotting the
vampire’s blonde head instantly.

“I’m sure,” she answered absentmindedly before turning back to the table, “Just...well, nothing much has changed really. We still argue and I still want to beat him over the head sometimes...but then, you know, a bit less arguing and a lot more kissing.”

She smiled hesitantly and leaned in towards her friend.

“To be honest, I’m kinda waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“You think Spike might...”

“Oh no,” she answered with a laugh, “I think I’m stuck with him. I just...I worry Xander’s not really as okay with it as he seems.”

“Don’t worry about Xander so much,” Willow soothed and Tara shook her head in agreement, “I think it’s just something he has to get used to.”

“Yeah?” Buffy asked uncertainly.

“Yeah. Now cheer up. You’re supposed to be having fun.”

“Not without me, I hope?” Spike said, appearing at her side with her drink and sliding onto a stool next to her. Buffy smiled and took her drink with a ‘thanks’, turning her thoughtful gaze on the dancers as Spike chatted with the two witches.



“Love, you get wound up any tighter, you’re gonna burst,” Spike murmured in her ear, one hand coming to rest on her arm. She jumped at his touch and turned to him quickly, noticing the absence of the witches.

“Sorry. Just got thinking.”

“Didn’t think you could with the noise in this place,” he remarked with a smile.

She smiled back and rested her elbows on the table, playing with the straw in her drink.

“If you want me to leave...”

“No!” she exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing his arm, “Of course not, Spike! Sorry, I’m just a bit out of it.”

“Only I’m supposed to have that effect,” he murmured lowly, leaning in close again, his breath brushing against her ear as he rested his hand on the small of her back.

“So modest,” she teased, turning her head and meeting his lips with hers.

Kissing Spike definitely had a way of making her forget every thought that had been in her head a second ago and she smiled against his lips, leaning into his half-embrace. His lips trailed across her cheek and moved to her neck as she lolled against him lazily.

“We could get out of here,” he suggested, his breath tickling her neck.

She laughed even as she leant into his touch.

“Yeah, that’ll look real good. You’re supposed to be doing the whole hey-I-can-hang-with-your-friends thing like a good boyfriend.”

“That what I am, is it?” he asked, raising his head to meet her eyes, “Your boyfriend?”

“Well, I hope you don’t think I go round acting like this with every vampire I know,” she quipped softly, spotting the twitch of a smile at his lips, “So, yeah, I guess so.”

He smiled properly then, leaning in and kissing her once more. She pulled away though, smiling.

“Still doesn’t mean I like you.”

“’Course not,” he murmured, catching her lips in a scorching kiss again.



After a makeout session bordering on indecent for the confines of the Bronze, she finally dragged herself away from the vampire’s lips. She rested her forehead against his for a moment as she caught her breath and then sat up, smiling.

“I’m going to dance. You coming?”

“Not yet,” he got out with a leer.

She rolled her eyes and slid to her feet, waiting for a sensible answer.

“Much prefer watching,” he said and she smiled, leaning into him and pressing a kiss to his lips.

“I’ll be back,” she whispered as she pulled back, meeting his eyes before turning and heading for the dancefloor, more than aware of his eyes on her. She picked the witches out of the dancing crowd and joined them with a smile, moving to the music.

“Detached yourself from your vampire for five minutes?” Willow asked with a wide smile.

“I got distracted,” Buffy answered with a wide grin, “He’s very good at that.”

Willow raised an eyebrow and then they both laughed.

“It’s still a bit weird, seeing you guys like that,” the redhead admitted.

“It’s still a bit weird, being like that!” Buffy replied with a laugh.

“But you look happy, which is good.”

Buffy smiled in reply and continued to sway to the music, glad that their first outing had gone so well.