"Are you sure this is the right place?" Willow asked nervously, glancing around the dingy alley in the industrial district.
"This is it, according to Giles." Buffy squinted up at the top floor of the derelict warehouse. "There's a light on up there."
"Humpf, a vampire who likes the workaday world," Xander put in. "So this is where Spike calls home."
"Yeah, he didn't want to stay in Angel's mansion. Too many bad memories, I guess." For her part Buffy was glad; even though she'd finally gotten over Angel leaving, she didn't want to have to think about it whenever she visited Spike.
Not that she did visit him- in fact, this was the first time since he'd joined their group. He usually met her at Giles' place, or at the dorm...a mixed blessing, in her view, since the R.A. from hell, Emily Moon, was constantly ogling him.
What's more, Spike wasn't exactly fighting her off. Sometimes Buffy wondered just how far their relationship had gone; but she never dared question either Spike or Emily, lest they think she was jealous. She wasn't...it was only natural she should be curious about whether her partner was sleeping with the R.A., wasn't it?
Spike looked surprised when he opened the door to them. For just an instant, Buffy imagined that he was pleased to see her, but then he scowled at her in the old familiar way.
"Slumming, kitten?" he asked mockingly.
"Giles sent us," she responded, tossing her head. "He got word that the Council is sending some sort of posse after us..."
"To kill us?" Spike asked, interested.
"To kill you," Buffy corrected. "To re-program me, and to imprison Giles."
He shrugged indifferently, and beckoned them in.
Buffy looked around, fascinated. The living room ran the length of the building and was decorated like an English gentleman's study in the 18th century, with a glowing Turkish carpet on the floor, hunting prints on the walls, and row upon row of bookshelves.
"Looks like Colonial Williamsburg," Xander muttered.
"Does it?" Willow said doubtfully, eyeing a large television set.
Xander spotted a Dukes of Hazard pinball machine. "Hey, I'm Luke Duke!" he yelled excitedly, reaching out to play. Then he stopped and glanced at Spike.
"Go ahead," Spike waved his permission.
There was a muffled shriek from Willow as she sat down to watch Xander.
Both Spike and Buffy assumed fighting positions.
"Sorry," Willow said sheepishly, holding up a green Kermit puppet.
"Willow has a thing about frogs," Buffy explained to a baffled Spike. She wandered over to examine his books; and began to laugh.
"What's so funny?" Spike snapped, on the verge of vamping out.
Buffy fought to keep a straight face. "Spike...these are all Harlequin romances!"
And, judging by their worn appearance, they'd been read and reread.
The blond vampire clenched his teeth. "Not all, pet." he held up a copy of *Men Are From Mars; Women Are From Venus.* "The bloke had the right idea...women make no sense!"
"Don't judge all women by your ex." Buffy stomped off to inspect the kitchen.
"Don't judge all vampires by YOUR ex," he muttered. But his annoyance vanished as he watched her.
He felt curiously happy to have her there at last...also anxious, in case she didn't like it.
"Uh, Slayer," he blurted, "want to see the bedroom?"
She lifted one eyebrow at the question, but followed him into the next room.
Here she had a surprise. A tiny dog, looking rather like a rag mop, was curled up in front of the fireplace. The dog saw them, uttered one short happy bark, and trotted over to Spike and the Slayer.
Buffy was laughing again. "He's so cute!"
"HE is a she," Spike corrected. "Named Sunshine. She belonged to Dru; but the silly bugger ran off right before we left Sunnyhell. Found her in the street the other day; but I didn't get time to take her to the shelter."
He wondered why he'd bothered to lie about something like that...it was actually several weeks ago that he'd found Sunshine cowering in a cold alley, hungry and dirty and whimpering with fear. When he'd bent to pick her up, she'd recognized him, his scent...and licked his face. He'd taken her home, stopping off at a supermarket to buy dogfood...and she'd been there ever since.
Buffy eyed him skeptically, eyes softening as she watched Sunshine nuzzle his hand.
"I like your apartment," she confessed.
She'd been expecting something gothic in his bedroom...but it was furnished in soft shades of cream, sand, and oatmeal. She roamed about, commenting on various ornaments...anything other than the huge circular bed that dominated the room.
He willed her to look at it; then to look at him and see his desire. Instead she kept chattering. Never had she sounded so friendly; never had she let him feel so close to her before.
"Slay...Buffy," he began, "I...I'm glad. That you like the flat. And you can come over whenever you like...I won't mind a bit. You could even stay here."
"Could I?" she dimpled up at him. "You have a guest room?" she queried wickedly.
That gave him pause. "I have a couch," he finally said lamely.
"Thanks Spike," Buffy said softly. She took a step closer to him. "But I wouldn't want to intrude...I mean, maybe...you'd have company. Or...or something."
"Company?" Spike looked startled, then grinned. "Are you imagining a vampire love nest, pet?"
Buffy blushed as red as a rose.
"You are!" Spike started to laugh. "I promise you, luv, the only female in the place is Sunshine."
Hearing her name, the little dog barked happily; then seized on something under the bed, and dragged it out.
Buffy and Spike froze- staring down at a lacy lilac bra.
The Slayer gasped, eyes filling with tears...Emily had a bra that color. She rushed from the bedroom, calling to Xander and Willow.
"But I'm not done playing," Xander protested.
Willow took one glance at Buffy's stormy face, and practically dragged Xander out the door. "Time to go, Pinball Wizard."
Spike dashed after them. "Wait...Buffy! Buffy, it's not what you think! I can explain!"
But the Slayer and her friends were gone.
Spike turned forlornly away from the door.
Sunshine dropped the bra at his feet and yapped to recall his attention.
"You bloody wanker!" Spike glared at the little dog.
"I should have eaten you when I had the chance!"