Coyote Ugly

Coyote Ugly
Author: Whisper
Rated: NC-17
Category: AU, Gen Romance
Summary: Buffy and Spike meet at the famous bar. WARNING: contains drinking and lots of bar dancing =).

Chapter 5: Endings and Beginnings


The reality of everyday living had come crashing in on Buffy. Her mother’s life insurance money was sucked dry from hospital bills and Buffy didn’t know how she was going to pay for the funeral costs, mortgage, and all the other bills. She was just a sales assistant at a local magic store and barely made enough to afford groceries. There was only one way to pay off everything and as much as Buffy didn’t want to do it, she knew she had too.

Dawn came downstairs to find Buffy sitting at the dining room table, her head in her hands and numerous bills littering the table.

“Buffy?”

Buffy looked up and smiled weakly at Dawn, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

Buffy hesitated before answering, the decision tearing her up inside. “I have to sell the house.”

“What? Why?...You can’t!” Dawn was upset that Buffy would even entertain the thought. This was their mother’s house and her essence infused every room. Dawn felt closer to her mom by just being there, walking through and remembering her. It was unfathomable to her that she soon might not be able to do that.

“Dawnie, I have to.” A single tear slipped down Buffy’s cheek. “There is no money left. The only thing we have worth anything is the house. The equity we would get would pay for everything. It’s the only way.”

“What if I got a job to help out? Buffy, you can’t sell our home.”

“You’re starting NYU in a couple weeks. You don’t need the added pressure of a job.”

Dawn was persistent. “I don’t have to go to college. I can stay here and help out.”

Buffy’s eyes flashed angrily for a second. “You certainly will go to college. Mom was so excited when you were accepted, and you will not disappoint her.”

“What about your education?”

Buffy was rummaging through the various bills and papers on the table again. “I’ve officially dropped out.”

Dawn almost laughed. “God, Buffy, you’re such a hypocrite!”

Buffy’s eyes flashed up to meet Dawn angry ones. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You were just going on about how I need to go to college because that’s what Mom would have wanted, but then you drop out. Don’t you think Mom wants you to stay in school as well?”

“I’m sure she does, but that’s not feasible right now. The difference between you and me, Dawn, is that I have to pay for my school and you have a full scholarship. If you don’t start this year then that scholarship is gone.”

Dawn sighed. “Just please don’t sell the house. Find another way.”

“There is no other way.” Buffy replied quietly as Dawn headed back upstairs


**********

It had been a couple of weeks now, since Spike met Buffy, but he couldn’t get the blonde girl out of his head. Unfortunately, though, there was another blonde girl in his life right now, and she was currently irritating the hell out of him.

“Spiiiike! I wanna go out tonight.” Harmony whined at him. Over the last couple weeks, Harmony kept pushing herself more and more into Spike’s life, much to his irritation. He kept trying to get rid of her but she would just keep coming back. Lindsey was no help, either; he would answer her phone calls when Spike wouldn’t, and give some elaborate excuse as to why he couldn’t talk at the moment, he would let her into Spike’s apartment when he wouldn’t answer the door, and he did it all with a smile on his face. Lindsey really couldn’t stand Harmony either but it was fun watching Spike squirm when she was around.

Spike yelled in frustration because that had to be the third time she said that in ten minutes, and each time her voice was more whiny and irritating.

“Harm, I am bloody well trying to work here!”

“No you’re not. Your just sitting there mumbling while looking at that book.”
“This book is a script, you stupid bint. Work on the film starts tomorrow, so I need to know my lines.”

“Why don’t you just memorize them tomorrow before the scene?”

“Because,” Spike bit out slowly, “this is my first movie and I would like to make a good first impression. This may be my only bloody shot.”

Harmony began to say something again but Spike cut her off. “Harm I don’t have time for this. Get out.”

“Fine! I don’t know why I let you be so mean to me!” Harmony spat as she stormed out of the apartment, brushing roughly past Lindsey.

“Whoa. What’s her deal?”

Spike snorted. “What’s not?”

“Good point. Brought some fast food.” He lifted the Wendy’s bag to show Spike.

“Thanks, mate. I’m starved.” Lindsey handed him a hamburger and fries as he sat next to him.

“How’s it going?” Lindsey gestured to the script book laying next to Spike.

“Fine. My part in the movie isn’t very big, course nothing about this movie really is.”

“What’s it called anyway?”

“Educating Ants.”

Lindsey laughed. “You’re kidding right?”

“Nope. It’s about ‘a woman who teaches inner city kids who feel like ants in a world of anteaters.’” Spike quoted from the script and rolled his eyes. “yeah, I know it’s pretty lame, but it’s my first gig. Who am I to turn it down?”

Lindsey, still smirking, asked, “So who do you play?”

“‘A rebellious teenager that opposes everything that the teacher says and does.’” He again quoted from the script.

“Well that’s shocking.” Lindsey said looking at Spike’s all black attire and platinum blonde hair. “I’ll leave you alone, man. Let me know if you want help running lines or anything.”

“Thanks” Spike replied as Lindsey left. He began reciting his lines again.

“ ‘Yo, teach, that’s so whack…’…oh, bloody hell.”


*********

Buffy sold the house. The closing went fast and Buffy got more money out of it than she thought she would. The equity covered the rest of the bills and had a couple thousand left over. She sent half of it across the country to Dawn who had already moved to the NYU campus and she put the other half in savings until she needed it for her new place.

Buffy had until the end of the mouth to be out of the house, which was only a couple days away. Faith was there helping her pack up.

“Sorry to see you had to sell the house, B. Where are you gonna put all this stuff?” Faith looked around at the various pieces of large furniture.

Buffy shrugged. “Storage, probably. I can’t sell it, it’s all that’s left now of my Mom’s life.”

“What happened to her art gallery?”

“Gone. She closed up shop when she got sick.”

“So what are you planning on doing in LA when you get there? Thinking about trying to find a certain blond someone?”

“Who?” Buffy looked confused on the outside but she knew exactly who Faith meant.

“The English dude you screwed after Coyote Ugly.”

“Faith that was like a month ago now, he’s probably forgotten all about me. What am I supposed to do? Show up at his apartment one night and just say ‘hi’?”

“Why stop at ‘Hi,’ when you could jump his sexy bones.”

Buffy laughed. “I don’t think so.”

“Ah, you have no sense of adventure, B!” Faith laughed with her.

In a few hours the two girls had everything packed up in the moving van and headed on out to LA. Once there they unloaded everything at the storage facility, except for a few suitcases that contained Buffy’s clothes, and they continued on to Faith’s apartment.

“Thanks for letting me stay with you a while, Faith. I promise I’ll find an apartment soon.”
“Don’t worry about it, B. Stay as long as you need to.”

Buffy smiled. “Hopefully I can find a job soon too.”

“I’ve got the newspaper, somewhere.” Faith started rummaging around her messy floor, finally finding a rumpled newspaper.

Buffy took it from her and flipped to the help wanted ads. She browsed through many entries requiring her to have skills and education that she did not possess before her eyes landed on one.


Hey LA Girls!
Want to be a Coyote?
Tryouts are this Thursday at 10pm
Bring your dancing skills and your attitude!
Bartending skills are a plus but not required.

Questions? Contact us at the
Coyote Ugly Saloon.

Buffy showed the ad to Faith. “Hey, check this out!”

“Cool. You gonna try out?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Buffy slowly smiled as she thought on it. “It would be a lot of fun.”

“Not to mention that you would be making bank there.”

Buffy smiled wider. “I’m going to tryout. Can’t hurt to try right?”

Faith smiled back at her. “Nope, sure can’t.”

**********

Harmony was sitting on the couch at Spike’s apartment, idly flipping through the newspaper she found on the table. Spike had ignored her since she got there, so she was passing the time until he lifted his head from his script book. Spike couldn’t believe she had come back… again. He just ignored her, hoping she would go away, for good this time. He jumped when she suddenly squealed.

“Bloody hell, woman! What’s your problem?”

Harmony bounced over to him holding the newspaper so that he could see it. “Look, Blondie-Bear. Coyote Ugly is having tryouts! Isn’t that neat? I’m so gonna tryout and kick all the other girls butts!”

Spike smiled for her benefit, but the name of the bar brought Buffy’s face to his mind and he wondered for the hundredth time if he was ever going to see her again.

TBC... Review me please