Chapter 6

"Xander says we should pick something you can wear again." Anya picked up a chartreuse dress with a big bow over the butt. "How about this?"

Willow shook her head. "No one looks good with a bow over their butt Anya. It's an unwritten law."

Tara squeezed her lover's hand. "Or it should be."

Anya dropped the dress. "Fine. You two gang up on me. It's not like I've ever done this before. Human mating I understand. But this wedding business is too complicated. And I don't even have a dowry. Not even one ox or cow. I don't know why Xander even wants to marry me."

"He loves you." Buffy's eyes filled with tears. "He really loves you." Quickly she hid behind a rack of dresses.

"Oh, I know he loves me, but marriage isn't about love. It's about money. Uniting two families to increase their wealth." Anya selected a black sheath from the rack and examined the price tag. "Hey! I actually do have some wealth! I manage the Magic Shop, right? And Xander! He earns the money from carpentry. So we are making a good financial match!" She sighed happily. "What do you think about black Buffy? You could wear it to your next funeral."

Buffy couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

Willow glared. "What the hell Anya. Watch what you say."

"Oh God." Anya grew pale. "Buffy, I didn't mean…"

"I'm sorry Anya. It's not you, really. I'm just a bit emotional today."

"Y... y... you're allowed Buffy." Tara offered. "You've b… been through a lot."

"It's not just... that. Quentin Travers called me last night. They're coming to Sunnydale. They want to test me and talk to Spike."

"Those pesky Watchers. I wish they'd all just go away... except Giles of course, because Giles is nice and I really miss him now he's back in England and... " Willow paused. "I'm babbling aren't I?"

"I don't like the Watchers' Council any more than you do Will, but I have to let them do what they want this time."

"W… why? Last time you really laid down the law with them, right?" Tara asked.

"Right. But this time if I let them have their way they'll pay all my bills... for the rest of my life."

"That's blackmail!" Anya observed cheerfully.

"Bingo. But I don't have much of a choice but to go along with it. Now I just have to convince Spike to make nice."

Willow laughed. "I don't think you'll have any problem getting him to do anything you want."

Buffy suddenly found the tiled floor of the shop immensely interesting. "I know. Believe me, I know."

***

She didn't come.

For the second night in a row Buffy had skipped patrol. She was avoiding him. Stupid bint. Spike thrust the stake into the newly-risen vampire and watched as he disintegrated into satisfyingly dusty bits. Now if only a demon would come along, he'd kill it good. Yeah. His happiness would be complete then. Blood, violence, and sod-all else. Forget about the other Spike. Forget it.

Love's bitch, that's all I am. A stupid, fucking lovesick vampire with no purpose but to moon about, hoping the Slayer throws him a fucking crumb. Well no more. No more! He swung the axe and severed the growling Vexus demon's head with a single slice. Too bloody easy.

Spike lit a cigarette and leaned against a gravestone. So bored. "I. can't. get. No…" He started to sing and softly finished the phrase. "Bloody satisfaction." Furtively he looked around. Nope. All clear. He kicked a gravestone violently, breaking it in two. No respect for the dead. He grinned maniacally. "But I try." Kick boot into marble. "And I try." Slam fist into mausoleum. "And I try." Angel's head went flying off a statue. Liked that. "And I try." Then the air guitar. "I can't get no!"

"Spike?"

Shit.

"Buffy."

"What the hell were you doing?"

"Um. Having a bit of fun." He smirked and raised an eyebrow suggestively. "You oughta try it sometime."

Buffy reluctantly smiled and considered the cracked tombstone. "Next time leave Beloved Auntie Bertha's grave alone."

She twirled a stake and continued to stroll through the graveyard.

Fine, let her go. I bloody well won't lope along after her like some fanged fluffy puppy dog.

Who the bloody hell am I kidding?

"Buffy! Where've you been?"

Silence.

"I mean, you haven't been on patrol the last two nights and I was worried... that something might be up with Niblet, you know, not sleeping well or maybe she'd gotten into trouble in the evening's and hadn't told old Spike about it or maybe…"

"The Council. They're coming to town."

"Oh, that's all. Bunch of wankers."

Buffy nodded. "I couldn't agree with you more Spike. But they're coming to Sunnydale whether I like it or not." She shifted her stake to the other hand. "It's not every day a Slayer comes back." Her gaze met his. "And it's not every day a vampire's responsible. They want to talk to you."

"I bet they do." He sucked down another lungful of smoke. "Talking's fine. Prodding and poking ain't. Last time I was given a good poke," he paused and leered, "I ended up with a chip in me brain."

Buffy sighed. "I'll be the one they're prodding and poking Spike. They want to find out what you did to me." Her voice dropped. "And why you did it."

"None of their bloody business."

"They're going to make it their business."

"Whatever. I'm leaving town. Give me a ring when they're gone."

"Spike, you don't have a phone. And if you don't help me with this I'll be in real trouble."

"Why? You took care of the Council before."

"But this time I need something from them." Buffy glanced away, no longer able to meet his eyes. "I need their money."

"Didn't Joyce... "

"There's barely anything left. The gallery brings in some money, but not enough. Besides, I don't know anything about art."

"I do."

Buffy smiled wanly. "I know you do Spike."

"How do you know?" Then Spike remembered. "Oh, that's right. You're all knowing now, right Buffy? No more bloody secrets between us, eh?" He laughed bitterly and took another deep drag.

"Look Spike, I'm sure you'd be very helpful, but we already have a store manager."

"Yeah, but you have to pay him."

"I'd have to pay you too, Spike. I don't take charity from anyone."

He considered her closely. "'Specially not me, right?" Her eyes gave him the answer he didn't want. "Wouldn't do to be indebted to the pitiful lovesick vampire, right? Might give the poor wanker hope, right? Can't have that, right?"

"I'm already indebted to you Spike. I owe you my life."

"You owe me nothing Buffy." Spike made a gallant little anachronistic bow. "I absolve you from your debt. Now leave me the bloody hell alone."

"Will you help me with the Council?"

"Don't have much of a bloody choice do I? Don't want the Niblet to starve on the street." His eyes bore coldly into hers. "But Slayer, from here on out it's just business between us. Got it?"

Buffy's heart sank and she scrambled for a reply that would make things better. Unfortunately she said, "Fine. It's better that way."

Spike watched Buffy leave the graveyard. Time to get drunk.

End of Part Six


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