Chapter 48
Xander sat cross-legged on the stage, picking at his sneaker’s laces as he let out another long sigh.
“Where is she?” Cordy asked in an annoyed tone as she paced around in front of the teen.
“My guess is she’s not showing up… Again.” Angel supplied.
“Do you think something happened to her?” Buffy inquired from her spot in the front row.
Everyone shrugged at the question. Two whole weeks had gone by and nothing, not one rehearsal. Miss Addams had managed to miss every single one. The group was growing weary by now. Only in Sunnydale could a teacher be missing for two and a half weeks without anyone even noticing.
“I guess we better go then.” Xander offered, trying to mask a satisfied grin.
“Not yet. We’ve still got ten more minutes.” The cheerleader insisted plopping down on a seat next to Buffy’s.
“I don’t think she’s coming.” Buffy spoke up again, her eyebrows coming together for a sad frown.
“She *is* coming.” Cordy growled crossing her arms over her chest.
“Come on Cordy we’ve been coming here everyday for-“ Xander trailed off when he saw the small man walking briskly down the aisle to reach them. “Principal Snyder?”
“Harris.” The bald man practically spat.
“How nice of you to join us.” Xander started with mocking reverence. “We are so happy that our great-“
“Don’t push me Mr. Harris.” Snyder grumbled then, turning to the rest of the group announced: “There will be no play.” And without another word he turned on his heels and prepared to leave when an inhuman screech made him come to a halt. He turned around to see an extremely pissed Cordelia standing, her hands fisted at her sides.
“What do you mean – ‘there with be no play’?” She demanded as Buffy still stood up behind her.
“Miss Addams will not be able to come back to school until next week which means there will be no time to get the play ready, hence the logical conclusion – no play.” Snyder explained with arrogance and a hint of diabolical satisfaction.
“Well, we’ll postpone then.” Cordelia quickly offered.
“Yes, we can postpone.” Buffy agreed.
“Miss Chase, Miss Summers…” The way he said her name made Buffy’s stomach turn. “…there is no way in hell I will let that happen. There is no time, no money and *personally* I have absolutely no desire to see this charade see the light of day. It’s pathetic enough as it is. No need to drag it out in public.” With an aggravating smirk he prepared to leave once more when, in a flash, the angry cheerleader stalked up to him and towered over him, blocking his passage.
“Listen you aggravating, little, hairless shell of a man, my *father* practically owns this entire school and that includes *your* sorry ass, so don’t you talk to us about money, cause all I have to do is say one word to my father and he will cut his generous founding of this sorry excuse for a school in a blink of an eye.” She paused before adding. “This play *will* happen.” She assured him.
Everyone froze, including the small, bald man. After a few seconds he spoke:
“Well… Miss Chase… I-if you put it that way… But we still have the issue of time.”
“We can have the play after Spring break, right before prom.” Xander found himself saying.
“Yeah.” Angel supported as Buffy nodded.
Snyder glared at him for a second and then spat:
“Fine. We’ll schedule the play for the week before prom. Is that ok with you?” The man asked glaring up at the towering beauty in front of him.
“That would be great.” She replied haughtily.
~+~
Buffy let her tired body plop onto the front seat of the old car as the door closed behind her.
“Hey.” She greeted, giving Spike a quick peck on the lips as she pulled the seatbelt around her.
“Hey.” He replied with a smile as he watched her run her hands through her hair before letting out a sigh.
“No rehearsal again?” He asked.
“Nope.”
“Whatever happened to Miss Addams?” He questioned as he turned the keys in the ignition and backed away from the parking lot.
“Apparently, she got a really bad case of mono or something. That’s the latest rumour anyway.” Buffy supplied, gazing out the window as they drove home.
“Mono, huh?”
“Yeah, but she’s fine now, I think. She’ll be coming back on Monday.” She explained.
“Oh.” Spike mumbled trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.
“We waited for an hour before Mr. Snyder came bursting in to announce there would be no more play.”
“No more play? Really?” Before he could help it, the excitement over the news spilled into his voice. To mask it he added: “Too bad. Why?”
“Don’t pretend you’re not thrilled with that news.” She half-scolded, narrowing her eyes at him and swatting him on the arm.
“That obvious, huh?” He asked tilting his head, his eyes leaving the rode to look at her.
“Blatantly so.” She sighed. “But you can wipe that smirk off your face. The show will go on. When Snyder wanted to cancel the play Cordy got off her butt and decided to play super-hero. God, you should have seen her. She called him a little, hairless shell of a man.” She giggled as she remembered.
“That bird’s got stones, gotta hand it to her.” Spike smirked turning the wheel.
“Anyway, she threatened to ask her dad to cut all the funding of the school and obviously the little weasel backed down. The play has been postponed for the week before the prom.” She explained.
“What? You mean you’re going to have to smooch around with Angel till the end of the year?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll ask Miss Addams to keep the smooching to a minimal. Plus, I don’t think we have to rehearse those scenes anymore. There are other ones we have to get around. You do remember there is more to Romeo and Juliet than smooching, right?” She asked.
He grumbled something incomprehensible, frowning.
“Spike…”
“I know, I know…. He mumbled.
After a few seconds he added:
“I’m coming to your rehearsals from now on.”
“Spike!”
“Just to make sure.”
“Spike…”
“Oh, alright.” He gave in just as he pulled into her driveway.
They stepped out of the car and walked into the house.
“You’re mom home?” He asked seemingly uninterested in the reply.
“No.”
The smirk on his face grew twice as large and he added a mischievous glance as he moved closer to her. His arms came to wrap themselves around her waist but she suddenly swatted his hands away.
“But she’ll be home any minute.” She quickly added letting her backpack fall to the floor next to the couch.
Spike’s leer crumbled at that and he let out a pitiful sigh as he watched her walk about the room in search of something.
A few seconds passed as she continued to scan the room, looking under magazines and old clothes.
“Where is that remote? It’s amazing. I seem to have a natural gift for losing that thing.” She grumbled as she lifted one of the cushions that lay on the couch. “A-ha!” She said triumphantly letting herself plop down on the sofa.
Spike joined her and the two stared at the TV for a few minutes. Soon he was sitting right next to her, one arm flung over the back of the couch, to rest on her shoulder and the other… Buffy’s stare left the screen to find his right hand resting on her bare knee. Her eyes alternated between him and his straying limb, but his gaze remained fixed on the TV set as if nothing was happening.
She sighed and returned her attentions to the show. It didn’t last long, soon the infamous hand was making its way up her inner thigh, dipping under the hem of her summer dress and before she could protest his fingers brushed against the soft fabric of her underwear.
“Spike… what are you d-“ She stopped in mid sentence when his finger pressed against her cotton-covered clit.
His eyes finally left the screen to look at her as his hand wandered deeper between her legs and started rubbing harder against the apex of her thighs.
Letting out a hard breath, she was able to reach for him, grabbing his wrist in a pathetic attempt to stop his ministrations.
“Spike, my mom will be home any minute.” She breathed harshly when his lips dove to find the crook of her neck.
His reply made her gasp out loud when she felt his finger find the edge of her panties and bunch them up to one side. Her grip on his wrist became tighter.
“Spike, no.” She said without conviction as he traced the contours of her outer labia.
She swallowed hard while he continued to touch her; his low voice in her ear:
“Please, Buffy just for a little while…”
By now she was laying on her back on the couch, Spike’s hard body draped over hers, his mouth buried in the nape of her neck, his hand…
“Oh, God!” She mewled as his finger finally slipped into her and started moving in a slow, mind-blowing rhythm. “O-Ok, j-just for a little while…”
By then, the hand which had been grasping his wrist was far from trying to halt his movements and was actually helping him to pump in and out of her.
She arched her neck, letting her head fall over the edge of the couch as his mouth drifted lower over her chest. His free hand gripped one of the strings that held her dress and pulled it over her right shoulder, successfully exposing her breast to his tongue.
Buffy held her breath and trust her hips against his hand when he added a second finger. The pressure inside her grew quickly as his teeth scratched against her nipple, his hand cupping the underside of her breast to guide the small pebble into his mouth. She clenched her jaw when she felt him start to move faster, his thumb flickering over her clit while his two fingers thrust hungrily into her.
Her hand abandoned his wrist and dove between his curls, fisting itself into his hair, pushing his face against her breast.
“Spike, I’m almost… Oh, God I’m gonna-“ Her eyes shot open when she heard the doorbell ring.
Spike froze on top of her causing her to immediately gasp:
“No, please don’t stop, please!” She begged him, reaching for his wrist again and urging him to go on.
“But, Buffy, it could be your mom, she-“ He tried to warn her as he started moving his hand again.
“Please!” She whispered as the doorbell rang again.
Spike paused for a second and glanced at her flushed face. A leer appeared on his lips as his hand began to move faster and faster, his fingers incessantly stabbing the secret spot inside of her. His hand gripped her breast tighter and his teeth attacked her hardened nipple once again but, this time, his eyes never left her.
He watched as her face contorted in pleasure while he sucked at her small nubbin, the ringing in the background becoming more constant and repetitive as she came closer to the edge.
Finally, the ringing stopped and was replaced by the distant jingling of keys.
The fear of knowing that her mother was on the other side of the door and could catch them at any moment made the adrenaline rush through her veins and when she felt a third finger being shoved into her she was gone. Her mouth fell over second before she clenched her jaw for a silent scream, her thighs trapping his hand in a deadly grip as she came.
After a few seconds she felt her entire body go numb and all she wanted was to lay there forever but the sound of a metallic rattling coming from the other side of the door made her aware of her situation.
“You better go upstairs. If your mom sees you like that it’ll take her about two seconds to figure out what just happened.” Spike whispered with a soft smile as he helped her to her feet and directed her to the stairs.
Buffy nodded numbly:
“Tell my mother I went upstairs to take a shower?”
It was Spike’s turn to nod as he watched her climb the stairs on wobbly legs. God, he loved seeing her come.
The blonde teen adjusted the evident bulge in his pants, pulling his t-shirt out of his jeans to help cover it before he walked over to the door and opened it. As the wood slid back it revealed a confused Mrs. Summers struggling with a bundle of keys while trying to balance three large paper bags in her arms. She looked up to see Spike.
“Spike? You two are home?” She wondered as she stepped into the house.
“Sorry, Joyce. I was downstairs in the basement and Buffy’s upstairs taking a shower.” Spike explained.
“Oh.” The older woman said nodding slightly as she walked into the kitchen then she came to a halt. “Spike?”
“Yeah?”
“What were you doing in the basement?”
“Err…” His mind raced for an excuse. “Um… Buffy!” He started. “She thought she’d heard a mouse. She asked me to check it out.”
“Mice?” Joyce questioned worried.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t find anything.”
“Oh, good.” Mrs Summers replied relieved as she took the groceries out of the bags. “Spike, are you staying for dinner?”
“I don’t know, my father-“
“I talked to Rupert. He’s coming over later. I told him to call you at home to invite you, but since you’re here…”
“Ok, in that case I’m staying.” He smiled coming closer to the isle. “So is there anything I can help you with?”
“Could you chop up a few onions?”
“Sure.”
~+~
“So…” Spike started, throwing a quick glance at the kitchen to check on their parents before turning his attention to the plates he was setting on the table. “…How was the shower, luv?”
Buffy looked up at him with a content smile on her lips.
“Wonderful.” She replied snuggling against his chest when she finished placing the glasses.
Her hands encircled his waist to meet and rested on his lower back as she nuzzled her face against his t-shirt.
“I’m glad you liked it.” He said, taking in her scent as he buried his nose in her hair. “Have you figured out what you want for your birthday next week?”
At that he heard her groan against his chest.
“Don’t remind me…”
Spike frowned and pulled away to look at her for a second.
“My birthdays have a tendency to… how shall I put it… suck intensely?”
His eyebrows furrowed further. Buffy sighed once more and walked away to sit on the couch.
“There seems to be this tradition. Something always goes wrong. First it was the hamster-“
“Hamster?”
“Present. Died the same day.”
“Oh, sorry.” Spike replied sympathetically as he took a seat next to her.
“Then there was the fire.”
“Fire?”
“When I was thirteen I accidentally set my hair on fire when I went to blow out my candles.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, ouch.” Buffy grumbled. “Then the divorce. My father decided the best day to leave my mom was on my birthday. So you see, not many good memories there.”
“Oh, baby, I’m sorry.” Spike said apologetically as he leaned in to place a kiss on her temple.
“It’s ok. I’ve gotten used to it.”
“Well, I promise you this will be the best birthday ever.” Spike assured her.
“Yeah, with my luck we are probably going to have a major fight and break up.” Buffy pouted, crossing her arms over her chest like a spoiled child.
“Oh, I promise, no fights. No matter how much you try.”
“I try?” She asked seemingly outraged.
“You gotta admit all of our fights start because of you.”
“What?!” She questioned, turning to stare angrily at him
“See, exhibit A right here.” Spike pointed out.
“You started it.”
“No I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.” She insisted.
“Buffy.” He murmured, tilting his head to the side and looking up at her with puppy dog eyes.
“Don’t look at me like that.” She pouted again.
“Why not?”
“I can’t stay angry at you when you look at me like that.” She replied.
“That’s the point.” He smirked as she swatted him across the arm.
“Dinner’s ready.” Joyce announced as she walked into the room.
~+~
The week raced by and soon her birthday came. Buffy nervously looked at the oven, tapping her nails on the counter as she waited.
“Is it ready yet?” She asked for the one-hundredth time.
“No, it takes time, Buffy.” Joyce replied as she chopped the salad.
“Are you sure? I think it’s burning. I’m gonna have a carbonized birthday cake again.” She pouted.
“It’s not going to burn. I promise.” Joyce assured her as the doorbell rang. “Now go open the door for your guests.”
“Just watch the cake, please.” Buffy begged, throwing one last glance at the oven before walking out of kitchen.
“Hey, Giles. Spike.” She greeted as she answered the door.
“Happy birthday.” Giles replied handing her a perfectly wrapped box before giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.
“Thanks.” She said letting the two men walk in.
The shopkeeper blushed and stuttered as the two teens exchanged a kiss:
“Well, I-I’ll go check on your mother.” And with that he quickly disappeared into the kitchen.
“Hey.” Buffy breathed, resting her forehead on his.
“Happy birthday, luv.” He whispered back, taking a small box from the pocket of his duster and handing it to her.
“Thank you.” She smiled widely as she stepped away from him to glance at her gifts.
She walked into the living room and left Giles’ present on the coffee table as she concentrated on Spike’s. She quickly unwrapped it to reveal white box. She glanced at him for a second before opening it. When she did, she found a thin metallic bracelet. Her fingers immediately when for the necklace she wore around her neck.
“They match.” She noted as she took the thin string from the box to place it around her wrist.
“Like it?” He asked. She could swear there was a hint of nervousness in his voice.
She looked up at him with a wide grin.
“I love it. It’s beautiful.” She breathed as she tried to put it on.
“Here, let me help.” He offered, taking the bracelet.
“Where did you find one exactly the same?” She wondered.
“They came together. I bought them at the same time.” He replied absentmindedly.
Her eyes went wide.
“You bought me my birthday present in November?” She questioned a bit surprised.
“Yeah.” He said when he finally finished putting on the bracelet.
“You bought me my birthday present in November?” She repeated.
“Yes. Why are you so shocked?” He asked with a frown.
“You brought me a present five months in advance?”
“Yes, Buffy.” He sighed.
She just stared at him wide-eyed.
A soft smile settled over his lips as his hand came to cup her cheek.
“When will you get it through that thick skull of yours that I’m not letting go? I’m not going anywhere.” He breathed before bringing her closer for a soft kiss.
The two were forced to pull apart when the doorbell rang again.
“This conversation isn’t over yet.” Buffy assured him with a smile as she stood up and walked over to answer the door.
“Happy birthday!” Willow and Xander shouted in unison and the two threw themselves on Buffy.
“Guys… huh… guys… choking here.” Buffy coughed.
“Oh, sorry, sorry.” Willow said overexcited as the two teens pulled way from her.
“Happy birthday.” Oz finally spoke as he walked in quickly followed by Cordelia.
“Hey, Buffy.” The cheerleader greeted unenthusiastically as she shoved a present in her direction. “From me and Xander.”
“Thanks, Cordy.” Buffy said leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek, but the brunette quickly stepped away.
“Erg, no kissing.” She grumbled making a face.
Buffy shook her head and greeted Oz.
“It’s from me and Willow.” The short teen said when he handed her a gift.
“Thanks. Come in you guys. Spike’s in the living room.” Buffy invited them giddily as she floated after them. Maybe this birthday wasn’t going to be that bad.