College Girl (Book Four, BTVS)

chapter 9 - Something Blue

Buffy had gone to LA to talk to Angel after what happened, but she was back now.

In fact, Buffy and I were walking through the cemetery at night for patrol.

Buffy was telling me about the date Riley had asked her on. "It's just different, you know? A picnic. First of all, daylight... kind of a new venue, Buffywise. And the best part? He said he would bring all the food, so all I have to do was to show up and eat. Those are two things I'm really good at."

"So, he's nice?" I asked.

"Very, very," Buffy answered.

"And there's sparkage?" I asked.

"Yeah," Buffy answered. "He's... have you seen his arms? Those are good arms to have. I really like him. I do."

"But?" I asked.

"I don't know," Buffy told me. "I really like being around him, you know? And I think he cares about me, but... I just... feel like something's missing."

"He's not making you miserable?" I asked.

"Exactly," Buffy answered. "Riley seems so solid. Like he wouldn't cause me heartache."

I feigned worry. "Get out. Get out while there's still time."

"I know," Buffy told me. "I have to get away from that bad boy thing. There's no good there. Seeing Angel in LA, even for five minutes... hello to the pain."

"The pin is not a friend," I told her.

"But I can't help thinking..." Buffy trailed off. "Isn't that where the fire comes from? Can a nice, safe relationship be that intense? I know it's nuts, but... part of me believes that real love and passion have to go hand in hand with pain and fighting."

A vampire jumped out from behind a bush.

I staked him instantly, watching him fall into dust, looking at Buffy as we continued to walk along. "I think I can see where you're coming from."

    ~~~~    

In Giles' apartment, Spike was chained to the bathroom.

I sat on the end of the bathroom, exasperated. "So, you saw their faces, but you can't describe them."

"Well, they were human," Spike told me, playing coy. "Two eyes each, kind of in the middle."

"Uh-huh," I told him. "And the lab?"

"Underground," Spike answered. "I came out through an air vent. I don't know exactly where. I'm done." He gestured to the TV. "Put the telly on." Giles walked in, carrying a mug that read 'Kiss the Librarian' with a straw. It had blood. "It's about time. Hope you got it warm enough."

Giles handed me the mug. "Where's Buffy?"

"On a date," I answered. "With Riley. On a picnic. In the sunlight."

Spike scoffed, rolling his eyes, gesturing to the mug of blood. "Come on, then." I sighed, making a face, putting it close enough to Spike that he could drink the blood through the draw. Spike made a big deal out of it, intentionally disgusting me more. "Don't know why you're so dainty all of a sudden. You've locked up Oz for three nights a month so he could turn into a werewolf. You'd think you'd be able to give a vampire some blood. Coping better with his departure, are you?"

"She still has a way to go, but she is dealing," Giles told him.

"What, are you blind?" Spike asked. "She's hanging on by a thread." He looked at me tauntingly. "Any ninny can see that." I pulled the mug of blood away in exasperated annoyance, leaving Spike with the straw dangling from between his lips.  "Hey! Give it!"