Tough Love

Chapter 4: Not Alone


Buffy was sitting at her desk in Hank's office going over the bills he’d left her. It had been almost a week since he’d asked her to work for him and he’d been really surprised that she’d said yes, but she knew well what she was doing. It was her only chance for independence, she needed money, and she going to get it at all costs. If that meant working for dear old dad, so be it.

She hadn't decided where she wanted to go yet. She’d even considered moving back to Sunnydale, and was almost wondering why she’d even left the first place - She hadn’t really wanted a reunion with her dad and her friends could have helped her, if only she’d had the courage to ask.

And all she was doing right now was cleaning up his mess. This wasn’t going to bring them closer. She looked at the pile of papers in front of her and released a frustrated sigh.


"Problems pet?"


She looked up and saw Spike gazing at her. He and her dad had been working hard these last few days and it looked like he'd just finished training, His sweat stained clothes clung to his body, Buffy swallowed hard, looking at the outline of his muscles and return her gaze to the desk trying to remember what she was doing


"What do you know about finances?" She asked.


"Not a bloody thing"


Spike smiled at Buffy’s pouting face and sat on her desk beside her.


"Haven't seen you all week luv…I'm guessing Hank is keeping you busy?"


"Look who's talking" Buffy shifted in her chair and faced him, she didn't know why but she felt almost as if he’d been trying to avoid her this week. She’d only seen him briefly and even then he’d been too focused on his training to notice her. At least his abs look interesting…


"I have a good reason…big fight in two weeks, need to be prepared"


"Who are you fighting?" Buffy crossed her arms, her interest piqued.


"This guy…Colin Combs… also known as the Angel of Death"


"That's so lame" Buffy sneered.


"What?"


“The name, I mean, what’s that supposed to do, strike fear in my heart?” Buffy placed her hand in the middle of her chest. “Oh my god, I’m so scared,” She said in a high-pitched voice.


"It's not a joke luv, the man almost killed his last rival"


"What did he do to him?" Buffy turned serious.


"Nearly turned him into a bloody vegetable, that's what he did"


Spike got up from his chair and stood in front of her desk, he saw Buffy's face frozen and realized his words had affected her more then he’d planned. Stupid git.


"Professional hazard, ini't luv?" He said trying to lighten the situation a bit.


"N-not the words I had in mind" She said slowly.


Spike leaned on her desk with both hands and looked closely into her face.


"Afraid something will happen to me pet?" He teased.


"Get a grip" She mumbled and turned away.


Spike smirked as he saw her face turning red, paused for a moment then moved away.


"You know luv… I still owe you a lesson."


"Huh?” Buffy looked at him trying to figure what he was talking about.


"You, me …Training… Hello?"


Spike looked at her puzzled face waiting for a response


"I though you said you don't have time for training and stuff."


"Have time right now," He smiled. To see you in those shorts again, He added mentally.


"Besides Hank went down town. Won't be back until 6…so what do you say?"


"O-okay...I guess." Buffy looked around her, sighed then got up from her chair, leaving the papers as they were.

***

"Harder luv" Spike held the punching bag.


Buffy was trying her best to throw hard punches at it but no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t seem to satisfy the athletic blond standing calmly in front of her.


"Come on pet, you’re not even trying!"


"I'm-punch-doing- punch-my-punch-best" She panted and looked at him.


"Your best isn't so good luv, May as well be me standing here instead of this punching bag."


"Are you offering?" She glared at him.


"To be touched by your little fists," He smirked. Think I can find better use for these lovely hands …no, no, no what am I thinking, Hank's kid, remember you git.


"You okay?" Buffy asked looking at his blank face.


"One more luv." Spike said taking a grip on the bag. "And this time at least make me lose my balance." He grinned.


Buffy really wanted to wash that smirk off his face. He'd been teasing her since they’d started this and she really didn't like it when people assumed she was weak or frail, just because she was petite.

She took her position and prepared herself to swing her fist with as much force as was needed to make an impression.

And she did.


"Bloody hell." Spike held his nose, bending forward with a groan.


"Oh my god! Spike… Are you okay?" She knelt before him, her eyes wide.


"I'm so, so sorry."


"It's alright" Spike raised his head to look at her.


"Spike, you're bleeding"


"Damn" Spike noticed the blood dripping through his fingers.


"I have a sensitive nose" He replied, his voice muffled.


Standing up from the floor Buffy started to giggle.


"Don't you think you should have chosen another profession?"


"Just a blood vessel, I'm used to it"


"Really didn't imagine you being so delicate" She said unable to contain a smile.


"I'm glad my pain amuses you" Spike said, irritated.


"Among other things" Her smile faded a little when she realized that she really had hurt him.


"Yeah…like what?"


"Umm I don't know...the way you talk maybe."


"What's wrong with the way I talk?"


"I overheard you say to Hank you saw two birds shagging on the telly. Were you watching the discovery channel?" She teased.


Spike was actually turning red. He dropped his hands and looked at her.


"Let's called it a day luv, need to get this cleaned up. What do you say?"


"Okay… I think I'll go grab something to eat." Suddenly Buffy felt a bit embarrassed. She turned as if she was looking for something.


"There's a diner down the street if you want to eat out." Spike wanted to say more but something stopped him.


"Great…" Buffy mumbled then hesitated for a moment.


"You want to come with?" She asked quickly.


"Sure… I'm feeling a bit peckish myself."


She smiled at that.


Spike frowned.


"What?"

***

The diner was almost empty and they had nothing to do but sit and gaze at each other while they waited for the waitress to bring them their lunch.

"So…what’s your real name?" Buffy said breaking the ice.



"Why do you think Spike isn't my real name?"


"Well… It might be…I already know you don't have any parents and no parent in their right mind would give that name to a child… unless they really hated him," she added smugly.


"Yeah… ‘cause Buffy is such an intelligent name?" Spike raised an eyebrow.


"My mom gave me that name." Buffy glared at him, face frowning.


"Oh…sorry pet...I didn't mean-" He said almost choking on his words.


"God! You’re so easy…" Buffy said grinning and looking at Spike’s contrite expression.


"Y, you little minx."


"Careful! " Buffy pointed her finger at him playfully. "You might hurt my feelings."


Spike couldn't help smiling at the look in her eye., She really loved giving him a hard time, and for some reason he really didn't mind.


"William." He said in reply to her earlier question.


Buffy gave him an attentive look, her smile still lingering on her face.


"That’s what people called me until I was sixteen," He explained looking at her puzzled face.


"What happened then?"


"Then I changed it pet" Spike shrugged. Not going to tell you my bloody life story.


"Come on, I'm sure there's a juicy past there and it's only fair since you seem to know everything about me"


"Not everything," Spike said softly tilting his head to look at her.


"I mean basic stuff," Buffy mumbled looking down to avoid his piercing gaze. Why does he do that?


"Okay! Going to ask you twenty questions." Buffy tried to lighten the mood.


"Where's the bloody waitress?" Spike muttered and looked around. The direction this conversation was heading was starting to worry him.


"Fine! Just five then…" She reassured him.


This girl is going to be the death of me Spike glanced at Buffy for a moment.


"Alright pet" He sighed.


Buffy grinned and putted her hands together ready to fire.


"When did you come here?"


"Three years ago"


"Alone?"


Bloody hell "No, I had a girlfriend, I followed her here."


"Where is she?"


"I don't have a fucking clue."


Was she pretty? "Don't you care?"


"No…you have just one more question pet."


"Are you glad you came here with her?" *g* buff, Obvious much?


"Yes and no."


"You need to give me more then that." Buffy smiled and leaned on the table.


"Why’s that luv?"


"Cause I said so."


"Right…" Spike gazed at her lips which were just inches away from his.


He sat back and looked at Buffy. She was still waiting. He sighed.


"The short version. Yes, because I met your dad and no, because she cheated on me."


"Oh"


"Why am I telling you this?" Spike groused.


"Maybe because I asked" Buffy gave him another tiny smile.


The waitress came and put their plates and drinks on the table. They ignored her and just kept looking at each other as if she wasn't even there.


"One more question. Please?"


"What pet?"


"Do you like what you do?"


"Hit people and get away with it? Every working class man’s dream."


"The real reason"


Spike hesitated for a moment.


"Have nothing to lose pet. No family, no friends, no ties to this world…nothing really holding me back, so why not?"


"Well, that's depressing." Buffy took a sip from her drink.


"No, it's realistic and you know it too...the feeling you get when you lose someone you love, the knowledge that you have no one to rely on but yourself."


Spike gazed at her attentively.


"You know what I'm talking about, don't you luv?"


Buffy was taken aback by his words, not sure exactly what to say.


"Yeah…" She sighed, nodding her head slightly. "I mean yes I do." She said looking at him firmly.


Spike smiled in understanding.


"Knew you would"

***

Buffy sat on her bed and thought about her earlier conversation with Spike. They’d left the restaurant silently and he’d walked her to home. She hadn't had anything important to say and for some reason he didn't speak either, and it had seemed perfectly normal. After they'd said goodbye there was an awkward pause, a brief moment when neither of them had know what to say or do next, then they'd quickly gone their separate ways without looking back.


Now her mind was working overtime. Filled with more questions she wanted to ask him. Questions she needed to ask herself. She lay down on the bed, fully clothed, one arm across her eyes. Sometimes it felt as if she had a great weight on her chest and she could hardly breathe because of it. These last few months had been exhausting. First finding out about her mom’s disease, then dropping out of college to take care of her. That had cut her off from her friends. Riley leaving her, and then, her mom's death It had felt at the time that the entire burden had fallen onto her shoulders and she had no one in the world to share it with. But maybe she’d wanted it that way? Her friends had been there to comfort her. Her dad had called her almost every hour, and on the night of the funeral she hadn’t been completely alone. She hesitated for a moment holding that thought, then she picked up the phone and dialed.


"Hello?" a low voice sounded on the other end. It seemed to disappear with the background noises.


"Angel?" Buffy could barely hear him.


"Buffy...is that you?"


"I'm in L.A" She raised her voice.


"I know… talked to your dad the other day."


"Right" She remembered.


"Never thought you would go through with it, Buff."


"I need to talk to you."


"Of course...maybe I could call you later and-"


"No, we need to meet , I'll see you at the diner near your old place tomorrow."


"Okay-"


"Bye Angel." Before he could say anther word Buffy put down the phone.


Just don't let me down again she sighed.


tbc