Chapter 7: In the Wee Hours of the Morning
1:30 AM – KET House/Spike’s Apartment
Spike walked out the door of the fraternity and started for home as soon as he pulled away from Buffy. He knew he was going to make a fool of himself if he stuck around any longer. He dialed Xander’s cell and left a message as he neared his place. Promising to come back in the morning to help clear out the debris, he mounted the outside stairs to his small loft apartment.
It wasn’t very big, but it worked well for him. His bed stood at the far end to the right, under a skylight that allowed him to stargaze as he waited for sleep to take him. A screen served to block the bedroom off when needed. The kitchen was partitioned off by a bar which served his dining needs. Near the entrance, he’d arranged a small sitting area, complete with couch and his electronics, TV, DVD player, stereo, X-box, all the trappings of the modern man.
He had a large desk against the wall to the left, and several bookshelves of books to complete his study area and provide a place for his laptop to be set up. In the back corner, a small door led to the bathroom, the only fully enclosed room in the place. It was quite posh however, the owner had apparently found a large garden tub on sale when he was remodeling, so the spacious bathroom has a good sized tub as well as shower. All in all, he liked his little pad and thought it was pretty homey.
He flipped a lamp on as he moved around the place, tossing his jacket to the side and throwing his shirt on the couch as he pulled a beer from the refrigerator and wandered back to flop on his bed and stare at the stars. He was tired and emotionally drained from the events of the day.
He’d enjoyed being around her again, since she’d come back. It had felt like he had a piece of himself back again. He’d hung out with her that day they’d walked in on Giles and Jenny, taking her to the bookstore to help her find her books for classes. They’d deposited the books in his car, then strolled over and checked out her new dorm room, which the newly arrived RA had let them look at.
He taken her out for ice cream them, to a little roadside place not too far from the campus, that made the best butter pecan he’d ever tasted. She’d gone for the chocolate chip mint, despite his recommendation, insisting that good ice cream had to contain some chocolate. They’d bantered back and forth, just catching up and when the sun had finally begun to set, he helped her slide down from the hood she’d been sitting on.
As they’d driven back to Revello Drive, they discussed the couple they considered their parents and their lack of surprise at finding them together. Buffy explained how she’d caught Giles on multiple occasions re-reading certain letters when she’d dropped by his office, leading her to finally sneak in to discover they were letters from Jenny that he’d read until they were worn around the edges.
Spike had grinned, acknowledging that she’d been right about how quickly they had gotten back together. He told Buffy about the suspicions he’d had the year before Giles had left, with the mysterious absences by Jenny some nights he’d tried to call and the furtive glances he’d noticed when he was around. But he assumed the affair had fizzled when Giles left, so he’d figured it’d take a month or so before they were sneaking around again together.
They’d laughed about the expressions they’d seen when they’d walked in unexpectedly. Buffy had giggled that Giles looked like he might drop Jenny off his lap for a minute and they’d both come up with silly explanations they might have heard from the two to explain their position if they hadn’t come clean.
They had both been howling with laughter by the time they reached home to find a satisfied looking Jenny and Giles. They’d all gone out to eat together after that, celebrating being together again. It had been nearly a perfect day.
He hadn’t had a chance to see her much of the rest of the week. He’d been finishing up a summer research project for the professor he worked for and she’d been unpacking, sorting and catching up with old friends. He knew she and Giles had gone to L.A. to meet with the attorneys and be sure all of the funds were in order for Buffy’s education and maintenance now that she was back in the U.S. So he’d been missing her all week.
He sighed and tried to not think about Buffy as he got up to turn his laptop on and log in to check his e-mail.
<><><><>
2:00 AM – Stevenson Hall
Angel turned back to Buffy as Willow entered the building, leaving them alone at last.
“So, did you have fun tonight?” he asked.
“Yeah, it was cool. I haven’t been dancing in a while. We were so busy packing up that I didn’t get a chance to go clubbing much this past summer as we tied up the loose ends.”
She sat on the steps, assuming he wanted to chat for a bit before she went in for the night. He slowly sat down on the step beneath her, close, but not quite crowding her.
“Buffy, you just looked beautiful out on the dance floor. I could have watched you all night.” Angel reached gently for her hand and held it lightly, running his thumb across her palm as he gazed at her with his soulful brown eyes.
“Well thanks, Angel. That’s sweet.” Buffy looked at him, still a little unsure why he was paying so much attention to her. She’d enjoyed his attentiveness tonight. He ‘d spent a lot of time at the party with her, except for his disappearance to go take care of party matters right before they’d left, while she’d dance with Spike. Spike. For a moment she found herself comparing the chocolate depths before her with the cobalt eyes that had entranced her earlier tonight. She realized she’d lost her train of thought and focused her attention back on Angel.
“I’m sorry Angel, I must be getting tired.” She gave him a small smile. “Could you say that again?”
He returned her smile and resumed his stoking of her hand as he slid closer.
“I know you’ve just gotten back and you probably want to settle in. But I don’t want to wait, because I know the guys around here are going to be falling all over themselves to ask you out and I don’t want to miss my chance. Will you go out with me next Friday night?”
Buffy was amazed. This was it, what she’d been waiting for since she’d looked up into Angel’s brown eyes on his front porch as a young teenager. She must have had countless daydreams where she’d played this scenario out in her head a million different ways. Angel asking her to the movies. Angel taking her down to the pier on a gorgeous summer afternoon. Angel asking her to the prom. Angel planning a special picnic and surprising her on a moonlit night. Angel wanting her as his date for the Homecoming Dance. The variations had been endless and suddenly it was happening. Strangely she didn’t fell quite as elated as she’d always imagined but she ignored the tiny voice that commented that what looked good at thirteen didn’t always look the same at twenty, and vice versa. Angel wanted to date her. Her, little Buffy Summers. Was there even a question here?
“That would be great. Angel, I’d love to.” She smiled brightly and squeezed the hand that held hers.
“Wonderful. I’ll call you this week and we’ll work out the details. Well I’d better let you get in before Willow starts to worry about you.”
He stood up and pulled her with him until she was standing. He bent down and planted a soft kiss on her mouth, lingering for a moment before pulling away.
“See you on Friday, babe.” He turned and sauntered off.
Buffy swiped her ID card in the door lock and entered the dorm, surprised she didn’t feel more excited. She was happy. She had a date with apparently one of the most eligible men on campus, if the jealous looks shooting her way tonight were any indication, who was also her lifelong crush.
Angel had kissed her too.
But in the back of her mind, she heard a little voice whisper, “You felt a lot more when Spike kissed you.” She knew she had, but it didn’t matter. He didn’t feel that way for her. He was just being nice, like he had been that night before she left, when he gave her those little bears she still kept where she could see when she first woke up in the morning. He was probably still hung up on that Drusilla chick, or maybe had his only little honey tucked away in that bachelor pad of his. But never her. She sighed and unlocked the door to the room, prepared to dish with Willow about the Angel invite.
<><><><>
2:15 AM Leaving Stevenson Hall
Angel walked quickly back towards the house. He knew there would still be some stragglers at the party, but it was fairly late and the band would be finished by now. He was glad that had worked out with Buffy. He needed to get a little more info to plan his strategy though. He pulled out his cell and dialed Cordy’s number.
“Hey babe, how’re you doing?”
“Angel. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you tonight. I saw Darla. You give her a run for her money?”
“Something like that. Listen Cordy, be a sweetie and tell me about Buffy and Willow. I need to know more about Buffy, you know, what she’s into now, that kind of thing, before Friday night. I’m taking her out.”
“Angel, are you serious about her? I mean you never stay with one girl, as I well know. What makes you think Buffy’s the one?”
“Aw, Cordy, you’re not jealous are you, sweetheart? You know you’re my girl?” Angel placated as he neared her house.
“No, I’m not Angel. I know what we have and it suits us both. Good times are had by all, I will one day find my millionaire to take me out of this place and into the lap of luxury and you apparently are going after the trust fund princess. It’s too bad she doesn’t swing like Willow, I’d be tempted to see if I couldn’t convince her to be my sugar mama.
“Cordy, you just gave me a beautiful visual. It’d be even better if you’d throw Willow in the mix. A blond, a brunette and a redhead, now there is every man’s fantasy.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I don’t get your lesbian fantasies and I’m not going after Buffy. Hello, kidding! But seriously Angel. Buffy is a sweet girl and she’s my friend. I don’t want you to hurt her. And based on talking to her today, I really think fidelity is probably a huge thing for her. I mean, I know we have a thing and I don’t care if you screw around and you don’t care if I do. But she’s not going to want to be with you if you’re with other people. I’m mean you know those rumors about how her parents died, with her mom and dad in a big fight over him cheating.”
She steeled herself for his protestations.
“Angel, I’m cool with you wanting to date Buffy, if you are serious about her. But much as I hate to lose a friend with benefits like yours, I’m not gonna be with you if you’re with her. And I’ll tell her if you decide to go to any of the other girls on your long-term list. Trust me Angel, your little harem is well-acquainted.”
She was not surprised by the next request.
“Fine, Cordelia, you’ve made your point. But listen, will you at least come talk to me? I’m right outside your house. You know I can’t come in there with your dragon of a housemother, this late at night. Come out here and we’ll talk, please.”
“Fine Angel. Let me throw something on and I’ll be out.”
<><><><>
2:15AM – Buffy and Willow’s Room
Buffy closed the door behind her softly, not wanting to disturb her hallmates on their first night. She wasn’t surprised to find an excited Willow bouncing on her bed.
“OK, Buffy, spill girl. Did he ask you out?”
She smiled at Willow’s enthusiasm. “Yes, he asked me out.”
Before Willow could react, she threw out the next question.
“How about you, did you get any “offers” tonight? From a certain Mr. Harris, who you monopolized all evening?”
Willow blushed slightly. “Oh Buffy, it was so wonderful. I mean, Xander is like the worst dancer in the world and I know that he rubbed off on me, cause I was totally losing any sense of rhythm towards the end, too. But it was fun, even if we were cracking people up. I just missed him so much. He did mention us getting together later this week, so yeah I guess I got an offer, even if not a real official one. I couldn’t really get a read on whether it was a ‘hey old buddy, let’s hang out’ or a ‘hey pretty girl, I’d like to date you,’ you know?”
She paused for a minute and Buffy was surprised to see tears spring into Willow’s eyes.
“Buffy, I’m afraid though. I mean, he still thinks of me as sweet innocent little Willow, I think. I’m not that girl anymore. I’m not ashamed of what I’ve done, but I’m worried how he’ll react, you know?”
“Oh Willow, are you worried he’ll be upset because you’ve been with women? I doubt that. It’ll probably be like a wet dream for him, having someone who might do a threesome with him or something. You know how guys are.”
“But, Buffy that’s just it. I wouldn’t want to do that with him. I mean, you know I did a lot of experimenting that year after Tara left, while you traveled with Giles. It was good. I needed to understand who I was and explore certain parts of myself. I did do some threesomes, among other things. But they were just people looking to have fun and so was I.”
Willow shifted nervously, and looked down at the tissue she was mauling in her hands, before looking Buffy squarely in the eye.
“Buffy, I think I might love Xander, in that deep down always kind of way. I even wonder if it was that thought that made Tara and I start to drift at the end there. I really loved her, but I always felt this tug, like somebody already had a piece of my heart. I don’t know for sure yet, but I know I want to find out, if he’s the one, the real deal. And I don’t want to share him with someone else, ever, not even in a game. I know that sounds kind of weird. But I don’t think I could, even if he wanted to.”
She paused and wiped her eyes.
“And I don’t know if he’d even want just me. I mean, I’m afraid he’ll either be all weird about things, or he’ll be all like, let’s jump in bed. I don’t want either. I just want to get to know Xander again, see if he’s the same guy who shared crayons with me and did the Snoopy dance every Christmas. And I want to see what kind of person he’s become. I just want a chance to see if there could be something there.”
Buffy reached out and pulled Willow into a tight hug.
“Sweetie, Xander seemed pretty into you tonight. I don’t know that I’d lay all that on him at once. But just be honest with him. Don’t hide what you’ve done from him, but don’t feel like he needs to know everything you’ve ever done. Willow, if Xander has any sense at all, he’ll recognize what a special person he’d be getting in you, and all you’ve become. And Xander always did seem like he had sense to me.”
Willow dabbed her eyes again with the tissue she’d grabbed from her nightstand. “Sorry, Buffy, no more weeping Willow here. Thanks for the pep talk, I needed that. I’ll just be glad when we’ve aired out everything and I can see where we stand. Okay, enough about me. Tell me more about Angel. Was there kissage? Did Buffy get some smoochies?”
<><><><>
2:30 AM – Outside Gamma Gamma Phi House
A few minutes later, Cordelia slipped out the side door, wearing a pair of frayed cut-offs and a worn out football jersey. He was instantly on his feet, pulling her close and nuzzling her neck.
“You look good enough to eat, Cordy, you know I live to see you in my old jerseys.”
He slid his hands under to find her bare skin and quickly confirmed his suspicions that she wasn’t wearing a bra.
She pushed him back.
“Angel, what did we just discuss?”
He sighed. “I know. But I have a deal for you. Come back to the house with me and discuss it. I promise, no touching you don’t want, okay?”
“Fine. But you are driving me back here. I’m not coming three blocks this late at night by myself.”
“No problem.” Angel grinned. If things went as planned, he wouldn’t need to walk her back home.
They slipped round to the back of his house to avoid the remaining partygoers and made their way to the second floor by the back staircase. Once inside the room, she made herself comfy on his bed, propping herself up on his pillows, then ordering him into the desk chair.
“Buddy, I know your tricks. You are staying over there until we get this settled.”
Angel inched the chair forward until he could reach her feet.
“Relax Cordy, I’m just going to give you a foot massage. No biggie. Just relax and let’s talk. I know your feet are probably killing you, after wearing those sexy heels you had on tonight.”
He grinned at her as he began to slide his thumbs over her insole.
“Damn you, Angel. Never let it be said that you are not one smooth talking man. So talk already while I enjoy my foot massage. What’s your deal?”
“Well it’s like this. I figure I’m going to need to move really slowly with Buffy if this is going to be a long haul relationship, right? I want her to believe I’m serious. Hell, I am serious. I need to settle down with somebody who’ll make me a good little wife. So I don’t want to rush anything. She still acts pretty innocent to me, though you never know, who’d have guessed about Willow?”
He smirked as he pulled her a little closer to him and progressed to her calves.
“But I thinking I’m going to need to do some wooing, you know flowers, chocolate, long walks in the moonlight and gradually work into the physical stuff. She’s probably only had a few lovers, so I’ll make it all special and romantic, maybe take her away for the weekend for our ‘first time.’ But Cordy, c’mon, I’ve got needs. I don’t want to be celibate for the next few months. The way I see it, until I actually sleep with Buffy, we’re not officially together, we’re just going out and we’re not exclusive, right? I can’t cheat on her if I’m not with her yet. So until then, if I can find someone discreet..”
His hand began snaking further up her leg.
“Someone with mutual desires.”
He leaned down and placed a kiss on her toe before slowly sucking on it.
“Someone who needs some release she’d rather not get all by herself.”
He slowly drew her across the bed closer to him.
“Then everybody wins. I’m not cheating on Buffy, because we aren’t sleeping together. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. You know we’re good together Cordy, and I know you’ll cut me off when Buffy and I become lovers. And to sweeten the pot, I think I have the perfect guy for you to be aiming for. He’s from a wealthy family and I happen to know he just ended a long-term engagement that his parents had set up. I’ll introduce you and you can see what you can do with him. Then maybe we’ll both get what we want in the end.”
“Who is he?”
Angel knew he had her then. She might be able to turn down the sex, but he knew the money would get her.
“Wesley Wyndam-Price. You know, plays tight end. He’s quiet, but a nice guy. He’s been fighting this engagement his parents wanted for a long time and he finally convinced them he would be miserable. So he’s foot loose and fancy free. And I happen to know he’s eyed a certain brunette cheerleader from afar in more than one game.”
She slid closer.
“I know who he is. But he’s always seemed so standoffish. And I’d heard he was taken. Really Angel, you aren’t just saying that, he likes me?”
“I’m serious. I mentioned your name at practice the other day and you should have seen the poor guy’s face light up. I’ll set you up with, if you want. I think you’ll need to play this like I will with Buffy, though. He seems a little, I don’t know, old-fashioned or something, so I’d let him take the lead.
I think you’d do better to string him along, not jump right into bed with him, you know, the better to play the blushing future Mrs. Wyndam-Price. So here’s the deal. We’ll continue our usual arrangements, very discreetly, until we land Buffy and Wesley. Then we’ll be faithful to our new loves. That work for you?”
“Angel, sounds like a plan. Now, get over here and relieve some of this sexual tension. You have got me seriously excited about Wesley and all that money.”
“No problem. How about you play the uptight prude to practice and I’ll play the gentle lover.”
“Forget that and fuck me Angel, we’ll practice role-playing later.”
<><><><>
2:30 AM Spike’s Apartment
Spike logged off the web and shut his computer down. Still restless, he grabbed his beer and moved back to lay on his bed and stare up at the stars again. He felt edgy and out of sorts. Why had he kissed her? Well that was rhetorical. The better question was why had he left her? Where had things gone wrong today?
Moving Buffy in had been good. It was a little like old times, the guys hanging out together as they got the girls moved in. He’d been pretty up when they’d left to go finish setting up the stage for the band and ensure the kegs would come on time. He’d had all these half-formed images of the party and Buffy and what could happen.
And then he’d blown it from the start with his remarks about her outfit. He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings. In fact he’d been blown away when he’d seen her coming down the hallway.
He’d noticed the strappy red sandals first as she walked down the hall to him. Something about those heels made her walk with a sensual grace that he didn’t remember the seventeen year old Buffy possessing. And those straps that curled around her ankles made him want to suddenly develop a shoe fetish.
His gaze had risen to the leather pants next. They covered everything, but molded to her in all the right places. He wasn’t sure how she’d ever slithered in those things. The top that completed her come hither outfit had clung to her breasts that he could see bouncing freely beneath the light fabric. And then she’d turned around.
He knew she was right. He seen those little scraps of cloth that masqueraded as shirts on other women, and aside from an appreciative glance now and then, hadn’t thought much about them until he saw her in one. But confronted with the glorious expanse of golden skin, delicately criss-crossed with those crimson stands of silk and held together by a tiny bow, he’d suddenly felt like he was losing it.
His first impulse had been to drop to his knees and kiss every inch of that beautiful back, starting with that charming indenture at the base of her spine. Then he could use his tongue to outline every vertebrae in her spine, working his way up to that silly little bow at the top. He could take it in his teeth and pull it loose, then unlace those absurdly small strands until the scrap fell from her and he could turn her around and worship those beautiful breasts.
His second impulse was an incredible feeling of possessiveness. He didn’t want anyone else seeing her beauty and thinking those thoughts he’d just had. He realized later how strange his reaction had been, because Willow’s midriff baring top hadn’t earned a lecture nor had he felt compelled to toss a shirt over Cordelia’s equally revealing halter. He just hadn’t want to share Buffy with the rest of the world.
And so he’d lost his chance to Angel, who apparently had not made stupid remarks about her choice of attire. He hated feeling that he had to stand back and give Angel first chance. He was certain Angel didn’t really love her like he did, wouldn’t be half as good to her, even if he had seemed remotely sincere tonight.
He remembered the way she looked up at him and told him he had beautiful eyes as they sat in the porch swing. His heart had beat a little faster and he’d been helpless to do anything but hold her on that dance floor when she commanded his performance. He closed his eyes remembering how good that had felt, holding her close, her tucked against him. She fit against him so perfectly. His mind drifted, imagining what it would be like to have her curled here beside him, making love to him beneath the stars.
He couldn’t believe he’d kissed her. Just walking away as if it were some other dance, some random girl hadn’t seemed right. He’d inhaled her sweet fragrance and knew he needed just one touch, one kiss, before he could let her go to be with Angel. In some ways, it was as much of a good-bye as that light kiss he’d given her three years ago had been. He’d softly nuzzled against her, controlling his urge to push her farther into the darkened corner and unleash the passion simmering beneath the surface between them. Something about the way she’d stared into his eyes had almost made him think she’d have gone along with it, she was as much in the moment, in the little bubble their dance had created, as he was.
But some instinct had told him at the last minute to not push things. So he’d settled for that soft kiss, the barest tease of lips on lips. He hadn’t been able to resist tasting her briefly, sampling the fullness of her lower lip. He’d tried to play it off as he backed away, with his welcome home, how much that kiss had affected him. But he’d known, as soon as he pulled back, that if he stayed one second more in her presence, held one more gaze into her hazel depths, he would do something rash. Like pick her up and leave the sodding party, Angel, and her little buddies and bring her to his place, to show her just how much he loved her. But he hadn’t. Instead, he’d run off like a fool.
Spike sighed and rolled over. Maybe he should call and make sure they got home all right. He looked at the clock. 2:45 AM. That was a little late, but the party had probably just begin to wind down. He’d left pretty early. They has probably just got there, he rationalized as he reached for the phone.
<><><><>
2:30 AM – Buffy and Willow’s Room
“Did Buffy get smoochies?” The question hung in the air as Buffy laughed and blushed slightly.
“Yeah, he kissed me right before he left, just a little smooch really, not much to talk about. And come to think of it, he gave me a little peck on the nose too. I mean, no full liplocks, no tongue. I wasn’t, that impressed, it didn’t leave me as tingly as when Sp…”
Buffy simultaneously realized what she’d been saying and that Willow had already heard too much.
“Spike kissed you? Oh my, my. We are back in Sunnydale a week and Buffy Summers is becoming the kiss slut. Two boys in one night. How did that happen? When? Where was I when all this kissage was occurring?”
Buffy realized she was blushing still. She really hadn’t meant to share with Willow about Spike’s kiss. For some reason she didn’t want to discuss it and dissect it to death. She just wanted it to be. She tried to redirect the conversation.
“Well, Angel just kissed me out on the steps after you vanished at the front door, and he pecked me on the nose after we danced the first time. It was very, what’s the word, … chaste, very proper. I was a little surprised to tell you the truth, after Cordy’s little Casanova speech. Aside from a little bump and grind, he was quite the gentleman, you know?”
“Wonderful, Buffy. But you are avoiding the question. I want to know about this Spike smooch.”
“Willow, it was just a welcome home kiss. I bugged Spike to dance with me and he said he couldn’t dance. So I dragged him out for a slow song, ’cause anyone can dance to that. It was, well, it was good, Will. It was very nice. And then, as the end, he just gave me one of those little Eskimo kisses, you know, he rubbed his nose against mine, then he kissed me, just a peck really.
Her hand unconsciously reached up to touch her lips.
“I’m sure it was just a brotherly welcome home kind of thing, like when we left for England.”
“OK Buffy, first, brothers don’t kiss their sisters on the mouth as a general rule, especially not at your age, unless you live in the backwoods and your family tree only has one branch. Second, what do you mean like when we left for England? Spike kissed you before we went for England? What’s going on with the two of you?”
“Nothing Willow. He gave me those bears, remember, the night before we left? Well he just gave me a little good-bye kiss then too. It wasn’t like a sexy kiss, it was just kind of a ‘I’m sad my best friends leaving’ kiss. And tonight, I think it was the same. He’s glad I’m back. I’m glad I’m back. I mean, Will, you’ve always been my best female friend, but Spike was always my best male friend. And I’ve missed him so much. So it was just a way to say we’re glad we’re back together and still friends. That’s it. Nothing else.”
“If you say so Buffy.” Willow privately thought that had to be the biggest pile of BS she’d ever heard in her life. “I’m sorry Angel wasn’t more exciting to you. He probably just didn’t want to be too pushy. He did seem really into you though. I’m sure you guys will have a great time on your date.”
Just then the phone rang, causing both girls to jump. Willow was closest and leaned over to retrieve the receiver.
“Summers-Rosenburg residence.”
“Willow? Hey, I didn’t wake you up, did I?”
“Spike? No, Buffy and I were still up chatting. Great party tonight, by the way. You guys really know how to throw a bash.”
“Thanks, Red. I’m sorry to ring so late, I really just wanted to make sure you got home okay. And you say Buffy’s there as well?
“Yeah, hang on you can talk to her.”
Before Spike could protest, Willow was shoving the phone at Buffy, who stared at the receiver as though it might bite her. She hadn’t expected to talk with him tonight. What if he mentioned the kiss? What would she say?
Slightly panicked, she took the phone.
“Hello, Spike?”
“Buffy? Hey pet, sorry to bother you ladies, just wanted to make sure Goldilocks didn’t get eaten by the Big Bad Wolf before she made it home.”
“No, no fairy tale monsters tonight and we are home safe and sound, all tucked up in bed.”
“Great. Well, sorry again to ring you so late. I didn’t mean to bother you, I’ll let you snuggle up there and get some rest.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks for checking on us Spike. It’s nice to know we have someone whose looking out for us despite my little rampage in the coat closet tonight.”
“No problem pet, that’s what I’m hear for.” He fought to keep the trace of bitterness out of his voice as they said their good-byes and hung up the phone.
He felt at ease knowing they’d gotten home all right, but Buffy’s words gnawed at him. He was a hopeless case. She wasn’t interested in him and the sooner he could let it go the better. He clicked off his lamp and proceeded to stare at the wall, hoping sleep would block out the pain.
Buffy returned the phone to the cradle, avoiding Willow’s expectant expression.
“He just wanted to make sure we were okay.” She didn’t really have to fake the yawn she made. “Guess I’ll get ready for bed. Night Willow.”
She grabbed her toothbrush and soap and hurried to the bathroom. Her heart had jumped a little when she heard his voice on the line, but it felt heavier mow. He was just checking up on his girls. His little charges he wanted safe. Despite her earlier comments to Willow, she had wondered if maybe that kiss had been more than a friendly welcome. But that brief conversation seemed to indicate that wasn’t the case. She finished her nightly preparations and slipped quietly back into the dorm room, snapping off the lamp. In the quiet of the room, she reached for William Bear and cradled it to her, kissing the tip of its nose foolishly as she drifted off to a troubled sleep.
<><><><>
4:00 AM Angel’s Room
Cordelia sighed as she stretched beside Angel.
“You haven’t lost you touch, big guy.”
He leaned up on one elbow.
“Spill Cordelia, I need to know where to start.”
“OK, first shocker. Angel, Buffy’s still a virgin.”
He stared at her in disbelief.
“Cordy, you aren’t serious? All that time wandering around Europe and she didn’t have a single fling, a one-night stand, a brief romance? No way.”
“Apparently not. I mean Giles was there most of the time and you know how overprotective he is. He’s like Spike, only worse. By the way, what are you going to do about Spike? Is he going to let you romance his Buffy?”
“I think I got that one covered already. I gave him a little talk tonight, all man to man, I’m asking permission to call on your sister crap. I promised my intentions were honorable, etc.”
“Angel, he knows about your philandering as much as any of us. You still use his place sometimes to bring women to.”
“Yeah, I know. We can’t meet there anymore, obviously. But that’s the beauty of it. I don’t think that Spike knows about us. He’s been busy with stuff and we’ve always been pretty discreet. I doubt he even cares enough to notice. We’re old friends, people expect us to hang out. So as long as we’re careful and don’t flaunt it, he’ll never know. And since I’m giving up the other women, he’ll think I’m serious about Buffy. Works perfectly.”
“Do you think he’s so overprotective because he thinks he’s family? Or do you think something else is going on? He was dancing with her tonight, Angel. I saw them together, after you snuck off with Darla. If that was brotherly affection, the way he was holding onto her, there’s some incest in that family.”
“You think so? Well I don’t think I have anything to worry about. I’m turning the Angel charm full blast on Ms. Summers. She’s never going to know what hit her. Besides, Spike’s probably gay. When was the last time you saw him with a woman? Drusilla?”
“I don’t think he’s gay, Angel. I think he’s got it bad for somebody. I mean, Spike’s very hot. I’d do him.”
Angel stared at her.
“Don’t give me that look. You’re all big and muscley, but Spike, well, you’ve seen him in those Speedos, haven’t you? Let’s just say if he ever acted interested, I won’t turn him down. I’d like to see what he’s like in bed. I bet he’s creative.”
“Whatever, Cordelia.”
“I’m just saying, you better watch him. Spike could have women, hell, he could probably have men too. He doesn’t go for anyone. He’s either still hung up on Dru, or he’s nursing a very long-burning flame for someone else. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s Buffy.”
“Well, thanks for the heads up, Ms. Relationships Expert. I think I’ll be fine. Buffy danced with Xander tonight too. She didn’t seem all that hung up on him. But she was definitely into me.”
“Fine. Whatever. I’m sure you’re right. Start sounding out Wesley for me Monday at practice, OK. And you are driving me home. It’s after 4:00, if we go now, on one will see us together. We’ll work out arrangements on the way.”