NOTE; There’s a little bit in here especially for Patty and Jen – they know the bit!!!... K. O. M.                        

Chapter 24

“Sure I can’t tempt you to a nightcap?” Kay leaned in close, leering at her cleavage.

Buffy pressed herself back hard against the sofa, but she gave a big smile and said, “No, honestly, Kay, thank you, but I said I’d go back with Larry and Andrew. We’re at the same hotel”

“Pity…okay, then, nice meeting you!” He went to lean in for a kiss, but Buffy suddenly shifted like greased lightening, and was up and off the couch in a second. 

“Larry…wait for me.” Buffy trotted to the door that Larry held open for   “Thanks…I suppose I shouldn’t say this, but boy, he’s an old lech!"

Larry smiled and agreed as they walked down the corridor to the dressing rooms.   “I know.  So, gone for Chanel this time, then?"

“What – oh you mean the dress? Yes. I was going to wear a Valentino,    but.....you know.”

“Save it for the awards, darling, you look fine!”

“Thank you. Are you going back to the hotel? I could give you a lift.”

“Would you? Oh, aren’t you the fairy-godmother? SHE’S got it into her head that she wants to go clubbing."

“She?  - Sorry, who..?"

“Andy.”

“Oh, oh right. Clubbing?”

“Not in the strict sense of the word, petal. Knowing Her, it’ll be some grubby little drinking den–cum-pick-up joint! Mind you…aren’t they all these days?”

“Oh, I don’t know. There are good and bad clubs, I suppose. Bit like people really."

“Well, if she wants to go, she’s welcome to it. Me,  I’d rather raid the mini-bar and curl up with Jackie Collins latest."

“I see, good looking is he? Jackie Collins latest?” Buffy asked, grinning.

Larry laughed.  “Sharp as a tack, you are…oh god, here we go. The ‘whine’, as I call it. I'll bet you any money she’ll say, ‘You’re so old and boring, you NEVER want to do anything I do! I wonder why I put up with you’, you mark my words…” Larry said as they neared the dressing rooms.

Andrew stood in the doorway. “There you are, at last! So, are you coming with me?” he asked, flouncing about the room.

“No, I told you, I’m tired.”

“You’re old before your time! And boring! You NEVER do anything I want to do. I don’t know why I put up with it, put up with YOU!” Andrew glared accusingly at his partner.

Buffy stifled a giggle, then apologized.  “I’m sorry. But he said you’d say all that.” Andrew glared at Buffy then back to Larry again, and crossed his arms, leaning on one hip, he turned his head away from them, batting his eyes and pouting.

“Look, don’t go off on one, I’m tired!” Larry said.

“Off on one? Off on one! And why are you so bloody tired then, huh? Tell me – what is it that YOU’VE done that I haven’t to make you SO bloody tired, hmm? Well, I’m waiting?” Andrew had uncrossed his arms and stood there indignantly.

He tapped his foot, and Buffy almost burst out laughing again, he looked so camp.

“Well, seeing as you asked, I’ll tell you then, shall I? Okay,  WHO decided that he wasn’t going to wear the Boateng jacket and wanted to wear the Jean-Paul Gaultier instead at the last minute, hmm? And who was the muggings who had to take it to the one-hour dry cleaners for you, AND hang around and pick it up, AND arrange the car to get here, AND- sort out the seats for London Fashion Week. I’ve booked flights, checked our passports are in date...because we don’t want the fiasco at the airport we had LAST time, do we, huh?” Larry counted off on the fingers of his hand.

Andrew batted his eyes and sighed heavily.  “Once, I make ONE little mistake, my passport was  a teeny weeny bit out of date, and-“

Larry stood and shouted.  “Not the point, it was OUT OF DATE!”

“Alright, alright, you’ve made your point! I was busy too!” Andrew countered, leaning forward, hands on hips.

“Yeah! Relaxing, having a manicure and a FACIAL!”

Andrew sucked in his cheeks, rolled his eyes and looked everywhere except at Larry.

“And another thing; what KIND of a facial were you having, THAT’S what I’d like to know? Don’t think I haven’t noticed how that Tarquin at the salon looks at you!” Larry said accusingly. 

Andrew went beet red and flustered. “I-I-I d-d-don’t know what you mean! And it’s Torquill, not Tarquin.”

“Is that your driver?” Larry turned to look at Buffy, who was still trying to work out what other kind of facial Larry could be on about.

“Sorry, wha- oh yeah, yes, that’s Clem. We can take Larry and Andrew back to the hotel, can’t we Clem?” Clem was standing in the doorway.

“Sure”

“Well, I’m ready – are you coming?” Larry said gruffly to Andrew, and strode out of the room. Andrew just meekly nodded, and quickly trotted out after the others.

In the car Buffy sat in the front, and she glanced back. Larry had his arm around Andrew, who had his head on Larry’s chest. Larry whispered ‘ me too, baby’ and kissed Andrew’s forehead. Buffy smiled to herself.

“Did Deno ask you back to his for a nightcap?” Clem asked Buffy.

“He did, and I’ve never shifted so quick off a sofa in all my life!” Everyone smiled.

“He’s much smaller than I imagined – I don’t know, I was expecting six foot or something!” Buffy said.

“That’s why he stays behind his desk, on that little elevated platform – coz he’s a shrimp really!”

Buffy refused the offer of a nightcap in Larry and Andrew’s room when they got back to the hotel, Larry saying, “You’re TOTALLY safe with us, you know!”

“I know, I’ve just had a long day – and I want to talk to Spike before I turn in.”

“Ooh, Spike Carling from Aphrodite – HE'S a dish!” Andrew said, grinning. He then looked a little sheepishly at Larry, but he was smiling too.

“Isn’t he? Well, night then, nice meeting you again!” Buffy said ‘goodnight’ to Clem, and went into her room.

                                                ************

“Come to the restaurant with me first, and then go home from there,” Giles suggested.

“Sure you don’t mind?”

Giles leaned down over her and caught Anya's mouth in a deep kiss. “It’ll be my pleasure.”

“Um, ri-right – I will then, thanks!” Anya’s stomach flipped and she caught a breath – what a guy! She was SO glad that she gave him another chance after the fiasco a couple of nights ago.

They were sitting in the kitchen, eating breakfast when the phone rang. Giles picked it up.  “Rupert Giles………oh, um, hi…hi Jenny.” Giles looked across at Anya, who had looked up sharply at the sound of Jenny’s name. Silently Anya stood and pointed upstairs diplomatically so Giles could take his call in private. He had other ideas and shook his head, holding his arm out to her. Anya hesitated at first, and then went over to him. Giles shifted the phone from his left ear to the right, so Anya would be able to hear what Jenny said.

“………so I’ll be back in three weeks, and I was wondering, well, could we possibly meet up for a drink or something – coffee even, I’d like to talk to you.”

Giles looked down at Anya, who nodded.

“Well, yes, yes okay then. But I’m not promising anything Jenny. I don’t want to give you any false hopes."

“That’s okay, that’s fair. So, have you seen Anya?”

“Anya, um, yes, matter of fact, I have, last n-night. She came in at the very end of the evening with a few of her work friends, we were just locking up. They’d been doing a charity single, and fancied a drink, no where else was open, but I took pity on them.”

“You be careful,” Jenny warned. Giles smile/frowned, and Anya’s brows knitted with indignance.

“Careful – what about?”

“Anya, she’s, well, let me put it this way…I think she can be a very selfish person. She’s very self centered and ego-centric.”

Anya’s brows shot up in surprise, and she mouthed, "The cheeky cow! ME selfish – that’s a laugh!"

“O-oh, oh, what makes you say that?” Giles was intrigued.

“Just what I’ve heard. She likes to be the center of attention, and she’s never anywhere that she can’t do herself some good either. She thrives on publicity, always at the places to be seen.”

“But don’t we all do that? I mean, take me for example, I too thrive on publicity – it’s a must for the restaurant.”

“All I’m saying is, just don’t let her use you. She’s like that.”

Giles frowned and thought he’d better cut short this phone call before Anya finally burst and let the cat out of the bag that she was there.

“Um, oh golly, is that the time? I’m...er, I’m sorry, Jenny, I’ve got to go. My..my driver is here – and I’ve got rehearsals this morning.”

“Oh, right. Well, just think on what I said, okay? And  see you in three weeks. Bye.”

“Erm yeah, right. Three weeks. Bye, then.” Giles put the phone down.

“Of all the cheeky, conniving, two-faced things to say! Well, that’s the last time she stays at MY place! I wish Consuela HAD clonked her one with the sweeping brush now!” Anya said, really annoyed.

“I wonder what brought that on – did she say anything to you at all, before she left? – Does she suspect anything at all do you think?” Giles asked.

“Well, to be quite truthful, I couldn’t give a shi-um -m- monkeys WHAT she thinks! And I was going to spare her feelings and not say anything about us, but if she rings me, then I shall bloody well tell her!” Anya folded her arms crossly.

“Um, Anya, you can’t. You’re not supposed to know about that phone call,” Giles pointed out to her.

“Then I shall tell her you told me!”

“Anya…just-“

“What? Oh, don’t tell me, you’re going to say this was a mistake, and how you don’t want to- hmm…mmm mmmmmmm.....”

“There, does THAT convince you?” Anya was still holding onto the collar of his dressing robe after a toe-curler of a kiss.

“Uh huh”

“Don’t say ANYTHING to her, not yet, and when the time is right, we’ll tell her about us together, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Now, I’m going to get dressed, you finish your breakfast, and be ready to go in about half an hour, okay?”

“Right. Giles”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry. I just thought that, well...you know,  now that we’ve sorted things out between us, I don’t want anything spoiling it.”  Anya didn’t look at him until after she’d spoken.

“That’s okay. I don’t want anything to ruin things, either,” he smiled and then went upstairs, leaving Anya to wonder what brought on that bout of bitchiness from somebody whom she thought was a friend.

                                                        **********

“There, over there...under the window…left a bit, bit more…okay, great!”  Charlie and Spike put the bookcase down. Xander stood back and grinned, did a complete 360-degree turn to survey the room, and said, “So, whaddya think? Looks brilliant doesn’t it?”

Spike stood up and held his back, stretching. “Yes, mate, and anything else heavy, YOU can carry. Those stairs and this bookcase have all but done me in!” He was smiling though.

“Um, I better go. If I’m gone too long, god alone knows what those two back at the studios will get up to in that basement without me there to supervise them!” Charlie said.

“Oh, right, um, well here, here you are Charlie, give yourself and the two lads in maintenance a drink.” Xander handed him a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label Scotch.

“Don’t be..."

“Go on, I insist, it’s the least I can do, you and the others made a great job of cleaning up the sofas for me and that. Right, you’ve given me the keys back, yes…(he patted his pocket) and here’s your check for the decorating, thank you!”

Charlie took the check for $250 and smiled.  “Thank you, well – must be off anything that needs doing, you know where to find me. Bye then!”

Charlie left, leaving Spike and Xander standing in the lounge.

“Did you have any trouble getting your stuff from home?” Spike asked, sitting down on one of the sofas.

“No. I picked a time when they’d both be out, and I didn’t say anything to them. I just left them a note on the fridge door to say I’d moved out with my stuff, so they won’t think they’ve been burgled.”

“Will they see it – the note?”

“Yeah, it’s where dad keeps his beer, and mom keeps the gin, they’ll see it.” Xander sat opposite him.

“Have you told them this address?”

“WHAT – Are you mad?!!!” Xander asked, incredulously.

Spike smiled and said, “Thought not.” He yawned and stretched, leaned  against the sofa back. “You’ll have to have a proper house-warming party. How about next week?”

“Yeah – you and Buffy, and Cordy and her man…Anya, Giles, oh..that Ilyria, she’s ever so nice to talk to. Bit scary looking with the blue hair, but I got talking to her when they were rehearsing the charity record the other day.”

“I know, Harmony was getting quite worried!”

“Was she? Why?”

“Why do you think?” Spike rolled his eyes.

“What? Oh…oh god! She didn’t think that…oh god!” Xander started to chuckle.  To think Harmony would get jealous…she hadn’t said anything to him, but she HAD been extra affectionate to him that evening…Xander sat there, grinning.

“I don’t even want to know what that grin's for!” Spike sat up straight and smiled, and then looked at his watch, it was coming up to 1.30pm.

“Want a coffee or something?”

“Not for me, mate. I’ve got to shoot off. I got a phone call this morning from Lorne, Sweet wants to see me at 3.00pm at his house...god knows what it’s about.”

“Do you think…well, could it be about, well...her...do you think?”

“Her?”

“Dru.”

Spike stood and shrugged.  “Don’t know if she’s back here or not. It’s only you that's supposedly seen her - and if she is, why would he be telling me now – it’s none of my business. – I couldn’t give a monkeys either way.”

Xander also stood. “Right then. Well, mate, thanks for the bookcase and that – it looks great!”

“You’re welcome. All you need now are some books to put in it!”

“Ho! Don’t you worry about that! I’ve got my complete Star Wars collection and all my Sci-Fi books, Andromeda, Firefly, Farscape, and Star Trek stuff to go in it!”

Spike thought he best to make a quick exit, once Xander got started on his Sci-Fi subject, he didn’t know when to shut up!

“Well, mate, good luck to you. I’ll shoot off if you don’t mind, I’m not sure of the route to Sweet’s place from here, plus I want to go back to the office first – I take it you’ll be wanting to stay in and sort stuff out tonight, not come talent spotting with me?”

“No, I’ll come. Harmony’s doing something for a Christmas programme, so where shall I meet you?”

“I’ll come here, pick you up, coz I’m not sure how long I’ll be.”

“Okie dokie then, see you later."