Title: Afterglow 43/57 (not a WIP)

Author: T. Claybourne  (t.claybourne@yahoo.com)

Rating: Rated R most chapters for violence and Language, some are NC- 17 for sexual content

A/N I'd like to thank my Beta Reader Hawera And muses Michelle Branch, Robbie Williams and Evanescence

Afterglow Chapter 43 Devious

Things remained quiet after Willow, Spike and Mia returned home. There were no reports of further killings; Mia had no visions; the research went on. Mia and Spike trained together and then taught classes. Mia and Xander had taken it upon themselves to research and perfect some new weapons. Willow was working with the coven and their seer but there was no new information. The threat was still there, but it seemed to lessen each day. Everyday life took over.

~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"You need to tell me what to do, Spike. Should I continue and get my degree at UCLA, or get Giles to get me in a school near London so I can get my degree here. He said he needs to know in two days, and I have no idea what to do."

"Oh no, love, I'm not making this decision for you."

"I'm not sure where the best place is for me to get my degree. Where do you think I should go?""

"Buffy, it would be cheating if I said."

"Spike? Please?"

"Buffy, you have to weigh the merits and advantages of each and then decide."

"So are you saying you don't have a preference between the two?"

"You know I do, but that isn't to be a part of your decision. This is about your future, love. Where you get your degree makes a difference, and you need to decide what type of University education you want."

"But if you were telling someone the best place in the world to get a degree it would be….…" She stopped as she watched his eyebrow lift. "Fine."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Spike and Mia sat with their feet on their desks, smoking as they did almost everyday before classes.

"She make her choice yet?"

"No, and stop asking. You ask me that every sodding day."

"Oh so grumpy. She'll stay here. Who wouldn't choose you."

"You didn't."

"Yes, but here you are my little bad penny, adding so much, of what I don't know, but you add it to my life."

"True," grinned Spike.

"Hello," said Giles from the doorway.

Mia jumped, crushed out her cigarette and sat up.

"Mia, I never realized you smoked."

"Neither did I, was I smoking?"

"I gather you aren't keen that I should know."

"It's those Watcher skills of yours that make you so observant, innit Rupert? Our Mia would prefer no one to know, especially lover boy."

Giles tilted his head. "As health is not really an issue, it's safe with me."

"You came for a reason?" asked Mia.

"Yes. Well really no, just haven't seen you in a while and I was in this direction. I thought maybe we could chat."

"You two want to be alone?" smirked Spike

"Excuse me a moment," said Mia. She disappeared under her desk, pulled the wheel of Spikes chair and he landed on his back.

"Ow, bloody hell, woman!"

Mia sat back up, "Much better."

"It is at times like these, Mia, that my heart fills with the knowledge that you were definitely sent to us for the purpose of fighting all types of evil."

Spike stood up, righting his chair. "Was that some sort of joke, Watcher?"

"A high intelligence one. Might have gone over your head, cutie," said Mia.

Spike swung across the desk and connected with her nose, causing her head to snap back.

Mia pressed her nose with two of her fingers to check for blood. "Sheesh, is that it? You hit like my boyfriend."

Giles just stared at them.

Mia started to smile.

Spike chuckled.

"Is this a normal day for you two?" asked the Watcher

"A good one," answered Spike.

"Some are better, like when I call him adorable. Once I went for broke and said adorably cute; boy, that was a day."

"The Head Watcher that signs the paychecks may be standing right here, but he is leaving, Em."

"I get so tingly when he threatens me."

Giles chuckled, "It is almost impossible to understand how it works, but it does and well."

With a short laugh Mia asked, "Would that be our situation, or Spike's mind?"

"Hey, wait: was that an insult?.... or a compliment?"

Mia stood up, her nose wrinkled. "Slayer."

Spikes eyebrow went up. "Mine."

Buffy came around the corner a huge smile on her face. "Hi. Oh, Giles, good you are here: all the birds with one stone. I've decided to stay in England to get my degree."

Mia took the cue and said, "Hey Giles, how about we talk as I walk you out."

They began walking to the door.

"I'll get started on Buffy's situation."

"Listen, Giles, I thought you should know. I've been hearing something…maybe. It's really hard to tell, it's like the rustling of papers, could be whispers. I can't make out words."

"Any feelings?"

"Not really."

"Anyone else aware of this?"

"No, I haven't said anything. Everyone is kind of, well they are relaxed, and they are having a summer. I wanted them to."

"I understand, but keep me informed."

Mia saw him out, and fingered her locket as she took her time getting back to the office. That was when she got one of her mental flashes.

As she got to the end of the bleachers she raised her voice.

"Hey, you two can not have sex in there. It was my office first and I haven't had sex in there yet. Do not touch my desk. Alright, I'm walking in there in 3 seconds. You know you are not Mr. Speed Demon, so put it away now. One, two three."

Buffy was straightening her skirt, but wouldn't look at Mia.

Mia sat down at her desk, then jumped up. "What fucking part of, do not touch my desk, did you not understand? That is just rude. I expect that from him, but you, Buffy….Shit." Mia took the desks and used her strength to spin them to the opposite of their original positions.

"You can move the stuff from desk to desk while…. things…. calm down enough for you, Spike, to teach a class of impressionable girls." Mia glanced to his sweats where his erection was very apparent. "And if you have to finish, do it in the weapons locker."

Mia walked out into the training room slamming the office door.

"Oh my god, Spike, how did she know?"

"Welcome to my world, love: life with a sodding psychic."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"You're kidding. Right in your office? Right before class?"

"Not kidding: right there in my office.

"Buffy, our Buffy, on your desk?" asked Willow.

"None other."

"That's kind of rude," said Willow

"That's what I said, not as nicely."

"Such a rough day. Want a little sugar?" Xander leaned over and kissed her.

"Always," Mia kissed him back.

"Please don't start. We are still eating."

~ ~ ~

After the dinner dishes were finished Willow headed up stairs and Mia pulled out a small black rectangular object. "Look"

"What is that?"

"You know how they say "Pay back is a bitch"?"

Xander answered with a very slow. " Yes."

"Well, it so happens that Spike says the same thing about me: you know, the "bitch" part."

"Ok, catch me up here, honey."

"Extra Vanquish key, stolen from his desk earlier today. Guess where we are going to have fun tonight?"

Xander bit his lower lip and moved his eye from side to side. "If it was anyone but Spike I would feel compelled to tell you how very awful and wrong that is."

"That would be good of you."

"You are evil, you know."

"Right, remember vampire here, and kind of part of the gig."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Spike put the car cover in the trunk. He was thankful that it was grey outside and that he didn't have to do it covered by his coat, billowing in smoke while roasting and nearly igniting in the suns rays. He got behind the wheel and turned over the ignition to listen to the sweet hum of the engine. It was at that very moment the scent hit him. He was still livid when he got to the facility. He stalked through the training room into the office. She wasn't there, but he could smell her, she was there somewhere. He turned around and walked out into the main room. Spike had been so furious that he'd walked right by her. There, in the middle of the mat, stood a grinning Mia. She waved. He shed his coat, walked up to her and threw a punch at her jaw. She ducked and the force he'd used caused him to fall forward a little. He turned quickly.

"My car."

He threw a right: she blocked.

"You did it on my desk."

He dropped to kick her legs out, she jumped.

"That is the car you yourself said was all about me." He gritted out.

He threw a roundhouse kick. She caught his foot and spun him

"That is our office."

He used both his hands and shoved her, throwing her five feet across the mats.

"It will take forever to get the bleeding smell out the front seat."

Mia did a running round off, continuing through with both feet, hitting first the jaw then the chin. She then came face to face with Spike and head butted him. He fell back on the mat. He lay sprawled looking up at her.

"I was in the building, Spike, at one point ten feet away. You can use cleaning products to wipe out all traces from the car. Me, what do I use?" She pointed to her head. She threw his key at him and walked off into the office.

Spike followed her. "Why didn't you just hit me like you always do?"

"You like that."

"Not always. This was, it was…"

"Evil, disturbing, monstrous?" Mia's arms were crossed but she was smiling.

"Devious, well thought out, devious."

"You said that already."

"It's official now: you bleeding spend too much time with me."

"Don't flatter yourself. I didn't learn those things from you. Since you've been here you are so whipped it's ridiculous. Tell me one, just one evil or devious thing you've done recently."

Spike stared at her. He started to open his mouth.

"If you say yesterday, I know she started it. And the nest, I embarrassed you into going into it if there were more than 15."

Spike turned around and walked out.

"And now you are going to sulk like Angel. Get over it; you'll just have to accept you're good now."

Spike turned back. "Paris, I accused you of lining them up."

Mia broke out in laughter. "True, and then you snuck in my room and tried to disguise your scent with air freshener. I'm calling Buffy right now. She'll probably call the whole thing off. No, wait: I remember you saying she likes bad boys. I'd better make sure I tell her when you guys are nowhere near our office and my desk."

"That's it. I'm sick of hearing about the desk. It's you and me; we are fighting, on the desk, now."

Mia laughed. "Oh please fighting… ON…. the desk. That is the stupidest thing I have ever…." Spike grabbed her and slammed her on to the desk.

It only made Mia laugh harder. He did a straight up jump and stood above her as she lay on the desk.

"Oh baby, that is so impressive," giggled Mia.

Spike walked along the desk, a foot to either side of her. Mia didn't move or fight back, she was laughing too hard. He squatted and slammed his fist at her face, Mia turned her head and it hit to the side of her right ear.

"So hard," she giggled

He slammed his fist to her left; she turned again, causing him to miss.

"Will you stop giggling, it's distracting."

"Ok, just do it." She was silent only moments, then started to laugh again.

Spike laughed too. "You're right, I'm good. I mean, look at you." He kneeled, and then put himself on his hands and knees above her.

"I'm sorry, I tried there for a minute," laughed Mia, she sobered and with mock seriousness "I'm sorry, I just couldn't do it, Spike."

"Is that because of Xander or me?" asked Buffy from the door.