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chapter 9

As if on cue, activity began on the stage; signaling the beginning of the live portion of the evening. Giles knew there wasn't much hope for a semblance of an enjoyable evening, and just held on to the optimism that the allure of half-price beverages would make up somewhat for the club's obvious shortcomings.

Finally paying for his drinks, Giles walked back to the table, reminding himself along the way that this was for Buffy. His Slayer. He owed this to her.

"Bit thirsty there, G-man?"

Giles gave Xander a hard look. "If you think I am going to stand in that bloody line again, you are quite mistaken," he told the boy tersely to explain the four bottles of imported beer he placed on the table.

"And hey, can't beat half-price...." .

"Quite right," Giles muttered, pouring the first bottle primly into the mug he had also procured.

"So might I inquire what type of music this band plays?" Giles asked out of politeness.

"Here's me with the not knowingness," Willow replied. "I even asked Oz, but he hasn't heard about it either."

"When is the Oz-man getting back?" Xander questioned, trying to figure out a way to relieve Giles out of one of his bottles of beer.

"Tomorrow night," Willow answered with a happy smile.

When Buffy saw the increase in stage activity, she had some major stabbage of deja vu. With a determined look, she turned her chair around so that her back was presented to the stage.

'Take that, band guys,' she thought pettily. Pasting on another perky smile for her friends benefit, she thought longingly once more of being at home and not having to keep up this pretense of enjoyment.

"So Buffy," Giles began stiffly, unused to this mindless conversational aspect of Watching, "is there anything you care to discuss?"

'Huh? Discuss? Did he know something?' Buffy thought frantically, her eyes suddenly widening with barely veiled panic. "Um...not so much, no."

Looks were passed around as each of them caught Buffy's panicked reaction to Giles' vague questioning.

"Are you sure, Buffy? Because you know, we are your friends. You can tell us anything and we won't wig," Willow commented soothingly, her sense that something was amiss now truly escalated. Even though she had already asked her friend this same question, Willow was hoping that the group support might shake loose what was really bothering Buffy.

'Yeah, how about I have the major hots for Spike,' Buffy thought derisively, ' that'll go over so well.'

"Yep, I'm sure," Buffy lied. "Alls well in the world of Buffy."

The looks she received told her that she was fooling nobody, and she risked a glance over at Giles who had his patented 'worried' look on his face.

"Yes, well, be that as it may," Giles began, spooling up for what was sure to be a boring lecture, "If by chance you find yourself..."

His voice was cut off by the beginning chords of a guitar and Buffy leapt at the timely interruption.

"Oh look! The band is starting!" Buffy announced in a cheery tone, clearly stating the obvious. "Let's listen."

Then time seemed to stand still, her heart HAD to have stopped beating and she forgot to breath as she recognized the intro music. 'Oh my god...' she cried inwardly, afraid to turn around and face the stage. 'Coincidence. Just a coincidence... One really weird, Billy freaky coincidence...'

She squeezed her eyes shut, her emotions barreling out of control. Part of her rejoiced at the possibility, but the other part had her gut sinking in fear. Not here, not NOW!!

"Hey, isn't this a Billy Idol song?" Xander asked, watching the stage intently. "Oh great. Don't tell me we get to listen to a crappy cover band all night."

The suspense built as the singer stayed in the wings, the back up band extending the intro smoothly, looking nonplussed by the absence of their singer.

But Buffy didn't need to see the singer to know. She already knew. The tingling at the back of her neck was more than enough to clue her in that a powerful vampire was in the immediate vicinity. She looked at the table longingly, hoping it would swallow her up in the next, oh... minute. NO! Make that...second.

'I'm not turning around, I'm not turning around,' she fiercely told herself, finding her glass of diet coke suddenly fascinating.

She knew the moment he took the stage. She could practically feel him, his entire presence practically pulsating through the club, the same frenetic energy he brought to his LA act.

"What the..." Xander exclaimed in confusion, "How in the Holy frijole hot sauce did they get Billy Idol booked for the BRONZE?"

'oh my god, oh my god! This is sooo not happening!' Buffy thought frantically trying to work on preventing herself from hyperventilating, as she scooted down in her chair knowing the entire time what a wasted effort it was. One thing she knew with absolute certainty, she was NEVER sitting near a stage again, 'usual' table be damned.

"I don't think that is Billy Idol...." Willow observed, wearing the same perplexed look on her face that many in the club sported. "Is it?"

"Looks like Billy Idol to me," Xander commented. "What do you think Buffy? Billy, yah or nay?"

Buffy's eyes widened at the question as she tried to quell the anxiety rushing through her. "Oh yeah, that's totally Billy Idol." She nodded emphatically to get her point across. "Soo Billy."

Xander and Willow exchanged looks. "Well, gee Buffy. How can you even tell with your back to the stage and everything?" Xander prodded suspiciously.

Buffy tried for indignant. "What? I have to sit and watch him? Ew! I hate Billy Idol!"

"Uh, that's kind of the point of going to see a band," Willow added, becoming more and more suspicious by Buffy's bizarre refusal to turn around and look at the stage. "And haven't I heard you playing Billy Idol this week?"

"Ok, fine. Here's me being all Turn Around Girl," Buffy huffed, grabbing the arms of her chair and loudly scooting it so she was facing the stage.

And she forgot how to breath. Again.

Even though he was wearing dark sunglasses, she knew he was watching her, a knowing smirk on his face at her deliberate avoidance, and she couldn't help the drool that immediately pooled in her mouth as her eyes devoured him. DAMN HIM! He was wearing those leather pants again, slung low on his lean hips, held up by a chunky leather, silver studded belt that was threaded through the belt loops. Buffy found her eyes traveling south against her will, and she inwardly sighed with appreciation.

He had decked himself circa 80's Billy, complete with a thick, black leather studded bracelet around one wrist, and a lonely leather glove decorating the other hand. There was a huge ornate dagger necklace around his neck that seemed to caress the backdrop of his glistening, muscled chest, pulling all eyes to his spectacular body on display. His entire torso was bare, and Buffy could see the little dagger earrings dangling from his ears. Feminine? Not so much. Heavy use had been made of make up once more, even though Buffy couldn't see his eyes behind the black Ray Bans, and the platinum blonde hair was once again in a full upright position-and god help her if he wasn't the sexiest thing she had ever seen.

But WHAT was he doing?? God, couldn't he just... pick up the phone and call her like any normal guy?

And therein was the problem. He WASN'T any normal guy. This was SPIKE, seriously dangerous vampire who had killed her kind before.

Yeah, and the same vampire she couldn't stop thinking about either.

"Damn. Billy's gotten pretty buff," Xander commented with envy coloring his voice.

"Xander, I really don't think that is Billy. Isn't Billy...older?" Willow asked.
+++++++
Fondling the microphone stand with slow deliberate strokes, Spike just stood there, basking in the confusion his presence on this stage had brought. He could care less about that though, there was only one person whose reaction he cared about. His still heart seemed to squeeze with a now fully admittable emotion when he saw Buffy sitting with her group of friends, studiously attempting to ignore him. Christ, she was adorable.

And now she was giving him that patented plastic courtesy smile? Even better. Well, he'd just wipe that phony smile right off her face, now wouldn't he? Give her something to REALLY smile about. Just like last time...

Putting his mouth to the microphone, Spike announced with a sneer, "Let's get things started with a little rockin', shall we?" He ignored the confused looks he was getting. This was all about her, and he was damned well going to work it. God knows he'd gone to enough trouble and expense to get her right where he wanted her, and he wasn't letting her walk away this time.

"This song is for a girl I know," he smirked, allowing his eyes to settle on the girl in question.

tbc...
What? You want more? *blinks innocently*





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