Disclaimer: I don’t own Buffy and Spike...sad but true.
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Not Happy Buffy

Buffy was on a high. Sure it had happened in an unconventional way, and in front of Giles, it was just too strange that her watcher had witnessed her Claiming. She was claimed and it made her happy. Sure Spike was husband # 7 on some level but honestly all the other guys, they were merely substitutions for the real thing. Spike was the real thing.

Spike wasn’t happy though. He was acting like she had tricked him, which to be fair she had. He had grabbed her hand and led her from the Magic box. Safely from the gaze of her watcher, and standing in the middle of Restfield Cemetery, Spike had started to pace. Oh he was mad.

“What the hell was that Buffy!”

Oooh, use of her given name... not of the good.

“I got carried away?”

“You got carried away with something you knew and even said was sacred among vampires?”

Buffy looked down at her hands. She felt bad, it was supposed to be something special and she had ruined it.

“I’m sorry. I just...Nate was here and you were all jealous, and I got carried away. I just wanted it.”

Spike exhaled. “In front of the bloody watcher!”

“You didn’t have to claim me back you know. It wouldn’t have meant anything if you hadn’t. I’m just human...”

Spike reached over and took her hands.

“It bloody well does mean something Buffy. You claimed me! I love you, how could I not claim you back?”

Buffy smiled.

“I’m sorry it wasn’t it private and intimate like you expected. I know this must be a big deal for you...”

“You’re bloody right it’s a big deal.”

His eyes were pouring into her soul, she could feel just how much he loved her in that moment. Buffy leaned in and kissed him, her tongue begging for entrance to his mouth.

“I love you, you know,” she whispered.

“I know,” he sighed, “and that will never change Buffy. What’s got me so bloody mad is that you don’t want to take my feelings and wishes into consideration. You just go on your merry way making decisions for me. You think you know what I want, because your Spike did things... I’m not him.”

“You are him! You, him, I love you Spike. I want us to be together. I’m sorry I did it that way. It was a bad choice, I admit it!”

“Admitting it isn’t the same as doing something about it.”

“What do you want me to do? You can’t take back a Claim Spike, you know that!” Buffy suddenly got really quiet. “Do you want to take it back?”

“No, I don’t want to take it back. I just didn’t want it to happen like it did.”

Spike walked away from her.

“Where are you going?” she asked with a sad lilt to her voice.

“Away, I have to be away.”

“When will you be back?” Tears were forming now at the corner of her eyes.

“Don’t know Slayer.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I don’t know.”

Buffy was left in the cemetery by herself, wondering when she would see her mate again.

For the first time in a week Buffy went to bed completely miserable.
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Buffy woke up alone and miserable. She had no vampire pillow, no Spike arms around her. Sad and dejected Buffy forced herself up out of her bed and into the shower.

Twenty minutes later Buffy was down stairs, eating cereal out of the box... again.

“Are you going to do this every morning?” asked Dawn.

Buffy just shrugged.

“ Nate wants you to call him,” said Dawn getting out a bowl and some milk.

“Ok,” Buffy sighed.

“What happened to happy Buffy?”

“She got into a fight with Spike, now she’s sad and sulking Buffy.”

“You guys had a fight? Geez, first Willow and Tara and now you and Spike?”

Buffy sniffled.

“Where is Spike anyway?”

“Don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“He’s probably getting pissed as we speak.”

“At 8 am?”

“Ok, he’s probably already pissed and is passed out in an alley.”

“Actually he’s in the basement,” said Tara, coming up with a load of laundry. “I had a clean shirt emergency.”

Buffy left her cereal on the counter and jumped off her stool.

“Buffy, leave him alone,” said Tara softly. “He needs to work this out for himself.”

“But...” Buffy tried to get past the witch.

“No,” said Tara stopping her. “There is nothing you could say that would make this better.”

“What did you do?” asked Dawn.

Buffy looked between her sister and her friend. The weak hold she had on her tears was wavering.

“I..I didn’t think... I was wrong...”

“What did you do?” asked Dawn more seriously.

Buffy couldn’t help it, the tears were flowing now. All she wanted was to roll up in a ball and pretend everything was ok. But it wasn’t. She had come back in time, tried to set things right, and it had all blown up in her face. Willow was still on the path to becoming veiny and black haired and in one action she had made Spike feel worthless. She had screwed up. Buffy just stood in the middle of the kitchen and cried, loudly.

Willow came racing down the stairs.

“Buffy?”

Buffy let herself be caught up in Willow’s arms.

Then the front door opened.

“Where is she?” asked Anya’s voice.

Anya strode into the kitchen with determination. Oblivious to the fact that Buffy was sobbing in Willow’s arms, Anya said what she came to say.

“You went and Claimed Spike, when you knew that you were supposed to be my MAID of honour Buffy! Now I’m going to have to change the program to MATRON of honour! Do you know how inconsiderate that is?”

Buffy laughed while she sobbed, resulting in a sort of ‘hic’ noise.

“I wouldn’t be worried Anya, it seems that he wants a divorce, he won‘t talk to me,” sniffled Buffy.

“You can’t get unclaimed Buffy! You know that as well as I do!”

“I don’t want to end it Anya!” Buffy yelled. “I love him!”

Willow let go of Buffy and rubbed her ear.

“What the hell is going on? What’s a claim?” asked Dawn.

“Vampire marriage. Your sister got married last night,” said Anya annoyed.

“What!” yelled Dawn. “You got married and I wasn’t there to see it?”

“Giles saw it, and now Spike’s mad,” added Anya. “It was supposed to be private.”

“That’s why Spike’s mad? Cause you got married? I don’t get it,” said Dawn.

“Please stop saying that word. I’m not married, really. If you get married you can get a divorce. I’m claimed,“ stated Buffy. “He’s mad cause I tricked him into it.”

“Huh?”

The phone rang, which Tara picked up.

“Buffy? It’s for you, it’s Nathaniel Bradford?”

Buffy shook her head. “Nope, can’t talk to him right now. Tell him I’m sick, or in the shower or something.” Buffy took off up the stairs.

Buffy launched herself on to her bed, their bed and grabbed Mr Gordo.

“Buffy?”

Buffy looked up and saw Willow in the doorway. Buffy wiped her eyes and sat up, making room on the bed for Willow to sit.

“I didn’t even ask him Willow. He told me I was taking advantage of him, and he’s right. I didn’t consider his feelings or wishes. I just charged ahead like I usually do. We’ve only been together a week here Willow. I didn’t think of that! All I was thinking about was how we had an abusive relationship and how I broke his heart and how I wanted to make everything ok. I screwed up my second chance Willow.”

Willow hugged her friend again. “Oh Buffy it’s not that bad. Spike loves you. I can see it in the way he talks about you, how he looks at you. You are his soul Buffy. Sure you are impulsive and sometimes you act without thinking...but we all do that from time to time, I’m sure he has. And after he has a good long think, you’ll make up and everything will be Happy Buffy land again.”

“I’m not so sure about that Willow,” sniffled Buffy.

“Well I’m surely sure. Hundred percent.” Willow smiled, “How about I get you some coffee?”

Buffy nodded.

“Thanks Wills.”

Buffy rose from the bed and shuffled to her mirror, to assess the puffiness of her eyes.

“You know, it’s impossible for a bloke to get any kind of shut eye in this house with you bints screaming.”

Buffy’s eyes went wide and she stared into the mirror for a few seconds before turning to face the speaker. Spike was standing in the doorway, his hair mussed, and his shirt untucked.

“Also the cot in the basement, right uncomfortable.”

Buffy tried to say something, but each time she opened her mouth nothing would come out. Taking the initiative, Spike crossed to the mirror, took Buffy’s hand and led her back to her bed. Spike sat down on the edge, and pulled her into his lap.

“Spike...” she started.

“No,” he said putting a finger to her lips, silencing her. “I need to say some things and you need to listen.”

Buffy nodded.

“I’ve loved you for a good long time long before Soldier Boy left the picture, and I haven’t always gone about declaring that in the most appropriate ways. I look at the world through different eyes than you, the eyes of a vampire that was fledged by the most traditionalist of lines, and the eyes of a poncy Victorian gentleman. What you did, it upset both William and Spike, William ’cause it’s him that’s supposed to ask the girl, and Spike ’cause you did it as a bloody demonstration for the good of your watcher. I’ve dreamed of being able to call you mine, and you acted like it was a joke.”

“No, not a joke!” she whimpered. “Never a joke.”

“ It wasn’t special, it was common. It was the vampire equivalent of getting married by an Elvis impersonator in Vegas.”

Buffy wrinkled her nose.

“Last night I had to get away from you to think, ‘cause when I’m with you, I can’t think straight. Red was right, you are my soul, but you are so much more than that. You are the reason. The reason for everything. I don’t want to find out what the world is like without you in it...again.”

Buffy smiled. “And you won’t ever find out, if I can help it.”
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Buffy stepped out of the shower, for the second time that day to hear the phone ring. Spike was sleeping, it was vamp bedtime after all, and after all the making up that they had just finished...he deserved to sleep. Buffy clasped her towel tighter and went in search of the phone.

“Hello?” she asked, padding through the living room with the portable phone, clad in her towel and slippers.

“Ah, Miss Summers...I’m glad I caught you. I am calling to arrange a time for you to sign your contract, I’ve negotiated the terms you wanted changed and I think you will be pleased with the concessions that the Council has made.”

“Concessions? Nate, I don’t think that’s a word I like very much...”

“Will you be able to review the newly drafted contract, this evening, say over dinner?”

Warning bells started going off in Buffy’s head.

“I don’t think dinner would be appropriate Nate, could we meet at the Magic box, say at 8pm?”

“Very well, Miss Summers.”

Buffy could hear the disappointment in his voice. She knew that sound well. It was so similar to his resigned ‘If that is what would make you happy Buffy,’ he said when she asked him for a divorce.

“Great!” she said trying to be up beat.

Buffy hung up the phone and returned to her sleeping vampire. Buffy crawled back under the covers and snuggled closer. She had almost lost him, because she was foolish and inconsiderate and far too eager to show off in front of Giles. She wouldn’t make that mistake again. Buffy nuzzled his neck and licked her mark on his neck, instantly getting a reaction. Round two was about to begin.
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Buffy pulled Spike into the Magic Box, ten minutes after eight. Spike hadn’t wanted to come. The idea of being cooped up in the store while Buffy talked with her ex was excruciatingly painful for him, but Buffy had insisted. She was safer from Nate if Spike was there. It wasn’t that she was afraid for herself. She loved Spike, but she didn’t want him getting upset or misunderstanding anything right now...they had just made up, and she wanted to keep them happy.

Giles and Nate were discussing something terribly important at the counter. Very Watcher like.

“Ahh, Miss Summers...” began Nate.

Buffy hated that. One of the things she had put on her list of things that annoyed her about her first husband, he always said ‘ahhh,’ like a doctor was sticking a tongue depressor down his throat.

“I’m here, Spike’s here, let’s get down to business.” Buffy sat down at the table with a thump.

“I’ve read the new contract Buffy and there are things in there that I just cannot possibly agree to,” said Giles, who took off his glasses and started wiping them.

“You must forgive me Mr Giles, but it is Miss Summers who will be signing the contract, not yourself,” said Nate.

“Well? Can I see it?” asked Buffy.

She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Spike already looked like he wanted to rip Nate’s head off.

“Ahh yes, here it is.” Nate handed her a paper.

Buffy perused the contract silently, until she reached a clause that had not been in the previous draft.

“No, absolutely not!” she said livid.

“I most certainly agree,” said Giles.

“Hold on? You agree?” Buffy was flabbergasted. “We are talking about the same thing, right, that little bit in the middle of the page.”

“What are you going on about woman?” asked Spike.

“Yes Buffy I agree,” said Giles sitting down. on the counter.

Buffy’s face lit up in a smile.

“Yay!” Buffy clapped and ran to hug her watcher.

“Bloody buggering gits!” cursed Spike. He had picked up the copy of the contract that Buffy had left on the table. “You can’t force the slayer to stop seeing me you blasted prick!” Spike crumpled up the contract and threw it in Nate’s face.

“The council is concerned that The Slayer’s propensity for romantic attachments to Vampires will not only degrade the image of the council and The Slayer but will ultimately endanger the world,” said Nate trying to uncrumple the paper Spike had tossed in his face.

“Well I won’t sign anything that has something like that written in it. The council doesn’t have that kind of power.”

“If you wish to be paid by the council you will sign a contract.”

“If you wish me to keep secret any of the nasty little tid bits I have in my head that the council doesn’t want published to the demon world or say...Wolfram and Hart...then I think that you will think again.”
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Nate had gone, back to his hotel, and to call the council to redraft the contract once again, leaving Giles, Spike and Buffy alone in the shop.

“Thanks for the support, watcher,” mumbled Spike.

“Don’t let it go to your head. It’s the principle of the thing.”

Buffy beamed.

“You can be all manly and British about it Giles if you want. Thank you,” said Buffy, giving her watcher a hug again.
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