The third and final instalment. This will be longer that the other two. Buffy and Spike graduated high school and now have to make some decisions. Don’t worry, it’s still mostly fluff!
Disclaimer: The characters etc belong to Joss. The fluff is mine, lol.
Feedback: I’d love it if you’d let me know what you think. :)
A/N: I wrote 3,000 words of angst before remembering that I wasn’t going to make this story angsty. So after my initial annoyance of a week’s wasted planning and typing, I got back to it. My kind reviewers asked for more, so I hope you like it! :)
Chapter 1
Buffy sat at her desk in her room, textbooks stacked on the ground beside her. Final exams were over. Letters covered the surface in front of her, all of them accepting her to a different college across America.
She read over each one, imagining what it would be like to attend the schools. Studying law, science, literature… the possibilities were endless. Her mother would be so proud, should Buffy share the contents of any of the letters. No doubt the older Summers woman would be urging her daughter to accept the most prestigious offer, with no thought of money or distance.
But Buffy didn’t want to go away. Why would she leave Sunnydale when she had Spike here? Her mother would only push them apart, claiming that a future profession was more important than a high school relationship. She’d probably be right, but Buffy wasn’t ready to give Spike up yet.
The clock quickly approached 5pm, and soon Buffy had only twenty minutes to prepare for her date with her boyfriend. Returning the letters to their envelopes, she shoved them into a desk drawer. She then went to shower and change quickly before Spike arrived.
~~
“Good afternoon, Mrs Summers. Is Buffy ready?” he asked the frowning woman who opened the front door.
“Not quite yet. Spike, would you join me in the kitchen for a moment?”
“Of course.” Closing the door behind himself, he followed her to the kitchen bench and took a seat when indicated.
“Hot chocolate?”
“Thank you.”
Joyce handed him one of the mugs of the hot liquid she had waiting, a spoonful of small marshmallows floating in it. “Let me get straight to the point. I’m worried about my daughter, and I was hoping you could help me.”
“I’ll do anything I can,” Spike answered truthfully. Buffy hadn’t mentioned being in trouble, so he wondered what she meant.
“She hasn’t been talking about replies from colleges. I helped her apply to several, but as far as I know there haven’t been any answers.”
“Buffy hasn’t told me anything. She was excited when she applied, but if she was accepted to wherever she was hoping for, she hasn’t mentioned it.”
Joyce nodded, sipping at her own mug. “I see. Would you mind asking her about it? I’d like to know something before I try to talk to her myself. Acceptances are required soon, so you understand my urgency.”
“Of course,” he replied. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you, Spike. And I’d appreciate it if Buffy didn’t hear about this conversation.”
“She won’t.”
She nodded, and stood up. “Have fun on your date then, okay? Go on up to Buffy’s room, turn right at the top of the stairs, she’s at the end of the hall.”
“Thanks.”
~~
Spike had surprised Buffy with a walk along the beach at sunset. Holding hands, they wandered along the sand, stopping often to kiss or just stare at the horizon. Afterwards, he took her to a nearby diner.
Buffy perused the menu. “A cheeseburger and fries, and a diet coke,” she told the waitress. Leaning against Spike in their booth, she closed her eyes while he ordered.
“I’ll have the same, but a regular coke, please.” The uniform-clad woman took their menus and walked towards the kitchen. He addressed Buffy, “I thought you’d have a salad.”
“What?” she glared at him.
“You know, less calories or whatever.”
Now she began to frown. “What are you getting at?”
“Nothing.”
“I’m fat, aren’t I? You know, I borrowed this skirt from my sister for you. She’ll tease me for weeks about it, her nerdy sister trying to look sexy. How could I think I looked any good in it, when I need to loose weight?” Though she appeared calm on the outside, Buffy felt she was about to cry.
“I didn’t mean it that way,” he explained. “I wouldn’t have let you order a salad, anyway. You’re thin enough as it is.”
Buffy was confused. “I’m too thin?” She inspected her arms, then lifted her hands to her face. “Am I really?” When he just shook his head, she hit him softly on the arm and then leaned back against his side.
Spike kissed her temple, putting an arm around her waist to hold her to him. “You’re perfect,” he told her, smiling. “And I appreciate the skirt.”
When the food arrived, the pair dug in. They stole each other’s fries, throwing a few around until a waitress glared. “Oops,” Buffy said sheepishly, gathering the food that had scattered on the table and returning it to her plate once she had finished.
“Ready to go?” Spike asked, and she nodded. “I’ll be right back.”
Buffy guessed that he was going to pay for their meal. “Wait, let me get half.”
“No, I’ve got it. Stay here.”
“Spike, stop. I want to pay for my half.”
He took her purse and closed it, then handed it back to her. “How about you pay next time?” he compromised. She agreed, and he smiled. Spike wasn’t about to let a girl he’d asked out pay for her own dinner.
~~
It was only 9pm when they found themselves back in Sunnydale. That left plenty of time for… other activities. “My parents are away,” Spike volunteered.
“Just take me home, please,” Buffy requested a little sharply.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
He glanced at her, but quickly looked back at the road. “Do you want to go to my place for a while? I’ll have you home by your curfew.”
“Please, I’d rather go home,” she said again.
“Are you sure? I could run the spa bath, we could have a little champagne…”
“Firstly,” Buffy began, now annoyed, “we’re both too young to drink. Secondly, I asked you to take me home.”
“Okay. To the Summers house. But you could at least tell my why you’re being so unfriendly all of a sudden.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ve got my period, okay? Get used to it, I’ve got a whole week of grouchiness with your name on it.”
“Oh. Fine. I’ll take you home.”
Buffy was upset, because it was the perfect opportunity to have some alone time with Spike in a bedroom, but feeling icky at the same time. She was frustrated that she didn’t think she could stand him touching and caressing her if they weren’t going any further.
“Here it is,” Spike told her. He hopped out quickly and opened her door, escorting her up to her front door. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” With a quick peck, they separated. “Goodnight, pet.”
“Night.”
~~
Jenny and Rupert, Spike’s parents, returned home the following morning. Having cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast, Jenny went upstairs to wake her son.
“I’ll be right down,” he called, reaching for his cell phone. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was only 9am. Buffy would still be sleeping.
He pulled on pants and a t-shirt, then went downstairs. “Good morning,” he told his parents as he sat at the table, digging in to his breakfast. Wait, they’d woken him up after cooking for him. Something wasn’t right here.
“Son, we want to talk to you about college,” Rupert began. “You’ve been offered scholarships to several schools, and some decisions need to be made. Do you really think UC Sunnydale is the best place for you?”
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