Buffy frowned as she looked around the room. “Where’s Spike?” she asked, brushing her still-damp hair out of her face.

“Dunno.” Faith shook her head, glancing around quickly. “Ever considered a bell? Maybe a nice studded collar?” She laughed when Buffy’s eyes goggled as she took the bait. “You really need to learn to lighten up, B,” she tossed over her shoulder as, with a swish of her hips, she headed over to where Wesley and Lorne were in conference.

After the initial drama of the introductions was over—Buffy had a feeling that everything the anagogic demon did was accompanied by a certain amount of drama—Lorne had announced that he needed to talk to Wesley, and the two of them had been whispering on the couch ever since. Faith had left to run some errands and, at a loss for anything else to do, Buffy had taken herself off to enjoy a long hot bath.

With a last glance at the three now happily chatting away on the couch, Buffy turned and made her way through the hotel and out the back door into the little courtyard. “I thought I might find you out here,” she said quietly when Spike pushed off from the wall, dropping the cigarette butt and grinding it beneath his boot heel.

“Yeah, was a little too ‘old boys’ club’ in there for me. ‘sides,” he added with a shrug and a quick glance up at the sky, “figured I may as well enjoy a bit o’ sun while I can.”

A small faux-sandstone table and matching benches stood in one corner of the little courtyard, under the dubious shade of a none-too-healthy potted Ficus; Buffy brushed at the dried leaves and dust gathered on the closest bench before settling precariously on the edge, hugging herself against the cold despite the warm spring day.

“Spike?” She looked up from where she’d been studying the lines feathering the pavers beneath her feet to meet the vampire’s inscrutable gaze and huffed out a tired sigh. “About earlier...”

“Drop it, Slayer.”

“I just...”

“Said drop it. Doesn’t matter.”

“It does to me,” Buffy said, dropping her gaze back to the cracked ground. “I don’t like you being mad at me.” Quelling the urge to get up and run, she swallowed hard and blundered on before she could change her mind. “And I don’t like hurting you, which I’m pretty sure I did, even if I’m not completely sure how.”

She waited for him to say something, and when he didn’t she risked a glance up, to be met by the vampire’s unblinking gaze as he waited for her to continue.

“I... I mean, I was... You were... With the hand-holding...” Once again she found herself engrossed in the imperfections in the pavers. “It was nice. And last night... Also good, I mean nice. But...” She drew a shuddering breath. “Scary. Okay? Everything seems to be happening so fast, and I just don’t know what any of it means. And when you were shot and I thought you were going to die... And there’s Dawn... And...”

“Buffy.”

“It’s all really scary; did I mention scary? And confusing, and...”

“Buffy!”

“Huh?” She blinked, meeting his gaze once more and frowning when he started chuckling.

“Anyone ever told you that you’re adorable when you babble?” Spike asked.

Buffy opened her mouth to declare that she didn’t ‘babble’ then snapped it closed again with a loud pop before joining in the laughter. “I guess I was babbling a bit, huh?” she said eventually.

“There you are,” Faith said from the doorway. “We’ve got pizza, or blood. Pick your poison. And Lorne’s setting up the karaoke.”

“Karaoke?” Spike mouthed.

Buffy laughed at the horrified look on the vampire’s face. “They don’t have cable?” she suggested with a shrug. “Are we good?” she asked quietly as Faith headed back into the hotel. “You’re not mad at me anymore?”

“We’re good, love. But--and I’m not tryin’ to push or to rush anything here—but we do need to talk. You know how I feel... And I know that getting Dawn back is our priority; but, we get the chance for a little quiet time, we need to sit down an’ have a bit of a chat, yeah?”

Buffy nodded.

~*~

“You want me to what?”

“It’s okay, B. It doesn’t hurt.” Faith laughed and leant back against Wesley, her legs dangling over the arm of the couch, her fingers twining with his as they waited for the show to begin.

“I... No. What about Spike? I bet he sings way better than me.” She looked around frantically for support, eyes wide as she searched for the conveniently absent once again vampire.

“Told ya you need a bell.”

“He’s... I’ll just go find him...”

“Easy, pigeon.” Lorne stepped between Buffy and the door, reaching for her, then changing his mind at the last minute, his hands hovering in the air as he spoke. “Now I’m not making any promises, but if you do this, I might be able to help you find your sister. I just need a few bars. What do you say? Sing for Lorne?”

“You really don’t want me to sing. And... I don’t know what to sing. Spike...”

“Sing anything. Your favourite boy band tune. A nursery rhyme. It doesn’t matter. No pressure, sweetness. Nobody’s gonna laugh at you...”

“I will.” Faith waved her hand.

“You’re not helping,” Wesley admonished.

Buffy swallowed, looking around the room nervously. Faith was staring at her, a shit-eating grin plastered on her face. Oh, yeah, she was definitely enjoying this! Wes, on the other hand, was pointedly not looking at her, and Lorne was looking oddly sympathetic and comforting for a green and red horny demon. Horned , Buffy corrected herself. Not horny. Or he could be... No, bad brain. No way did she want to go there. She gave herself a quick mental scrubbing and opened her mouth before she could change her mind. “Row, row, row your boat, gently down...”

She broke off, clutching at the amulet. “Spike!”