Long Way From Home - Chapter 6

Spike grumbled as he crossed the university quad, it was a week into December and the weather had turned bitter. He pulled his leather duster around him tightly and looked towards the door of the history wing.

Stopping dead in his tracks he was shocked to see Buffy pushing the door open and then looking up at the stars. It had been almost three weeks since he had walked her and the red head to the bus, during which time he had only managed to gleam information on her movements from Oz. Now here she was bouncing along the path towards him.

Buffy looked up to see Spike stood in the middle of the quad, at first thoughts of his stalking her polluted her mind but she quickly dismissed them on the grounds that stalkers didn't usually wait three weeks between watching their victims.

"Hi." She smiled up at him casually. "Been a while."

"Certainly has." He looked her over, she was wearing a thick roll neck sweater that was a slightly too sunny shade of purple and dark jeans. Her hair was up in a ponytail and he smiled at the sight of her eternally glossy red lips.

"How come you're here?" Buffy registered that he was checking her out but didn't bother to check him on it. She used the excuse to look him up and down. He had a long leather duster on and black shirt along with black jeans, a large pair of boots and his face looked softer than she remembered.

"I have a class."

"If you study here how come I don't see you during the day?" Buffy realised it came out sounding like she was a little too interested in him. "What are you, a vampire?"

"Missing me kitten?" Spike chuckled at her and grinned cockily.

"No. Just I've never seen you around campus."

"Looking around during the day you won't see me." He shifted the weight of his bag to his other shoulder as he watched her.

"Why?" She mentally kicked herself for sounding so inquisitive.

"I work pretty long hours, my masters degree is part time." He said it in a matter of fact way that made Buffy start to wonder just how old he was.

"You work?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she arched a brow.

"Such a bizarre concept? Bet you've never had to work, have you princess?"

Buffy decided to ignore his comment and tease him some more. "Do you work in HMV or Virgin?"

"Very funny, if you really want to know." Spike took a piece of paper from his bag and wrote something on it. "This address anytime before six in the pm. If you don't mind kitten, I'm going to be late."

Buffy watched him walk off then headed back to her dorm, she needed Willow.


"Help!" Groused Buffy as she threw her bag onto the bed.

"With what?" Willow looked up from painting her toenails and gave Buffy her best concerned look.

"Spike." She sat on the end of Willows bed and picked up the pot of nail varnish, it was a vivid blue that bought images of his eyes into her head.

"He's cool." Willow took that bottle from Buffys hand and started painting her toenails again.

"Intervene me before it's too late." She spoke hurriedly for fear of stopping halfway through the sentence and not being able to start again.

"Buffy I don't think you need intervention, you're being silly." Willow giggled at how wound up Buffy was.

"I do Willow. I think about him and I shouldn't. You guys gave me an intervention over Angel so why not him? Tell me his name is stupid." Buffy pulled her shoes and socks off and bought her feet up onto the bed, hugging her knees.

"It's not like you're thinking of getting together with him and I wouldn't intervene if you were going to." Willow finished painting her nails and screwed the lid back onto the pot.

"You wouldn't? But you intervened with Angel."

"Angel is a stupid name, but Buffy what's so bad about the name William?" Willow gave her friend a questioning look.

"Huh?" Buffys mouth dropped open.

"William." Willow repeated.

"How?"

"I'm guessing the usual, his mom gave it to him."

"No Will, how did you know?" Buffy took up the nail varnish and played with it as she watched her friend.

"Oh, Oz told me down Borders, you know the bookshop with the café? Spike or William walked past and chatted for a bit then headed off, Oz made a big joke about his two Wills."

"You didn't tell me?" Buffy tried hard to imagine Oz making a joke.

"It's not like you showed any interest in Spike, Buffy." Willows voice gained a hurt edge to it.

"Not that, I meant about Oz and coffee. You two are spending a lot of time together." Buffy was glad of the chance for a momentary diversion from thoughts of Spike, but Willow didn't let it happen.

"It was only today and then I came back here but I guess you were having your run in with the man in question. What did you two talk about anyway?"

"Work, I may have actually sounded like I was looking out for him all the time." Buffy pulled a face that was half disgust and half fear.

"He works? Must be indoors to keep that kind of pallor."

"He said he worked long hours." Buffy looked at the window, watching rain starting to appear on the panes of glass. "Wouldn't you be pale in all this rain? It was so nice out earlier."

"Ooh I bet he works in a slaughter house or somewhere dark." Willow looked at her excitedly.

"He gave me the address he worked at, told me to drop by sometime so I don't think it's a slaughter house Will, sorry to burst your bubble." She dug in her pocket and pulled out the crumpled piece of paper.

Willow took it from her and her eyes lit up. "Even better, somewhere dark."

Buffy looked up from painting her toenails the same colour as Willows and gave her a 'what?' face.

"It's a museum, the paradox that is Spike works in a museum." She beamed as she gave her the address back.

"Wait. His name is William and he works in a museum but by night he's Spike and plays in a band, but sometimes does his masters degree - who is this guy, Clark Kent? Next you'll be telling me he wears glasses."

"You should go tomorrow. It'll be funny, he won't be expecting it, I'd never expect to see you in a museum." Willow giggled and leant back into her pillows.

"Back me up Will, museums make me nervous, he makes me nervous." Buffy pouted at her.

"I love that place but I can't, I have to use our free periods to get some more study materials."

Buffy considered the options. Go to the museum and see him or be subjected to Willows ritual drawing up of their study timetable.

Review This Story/Chapter!

It only takes a minute to send me feedback, but it makes my whole day. Simply fill in the form below: