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Dear Diary,

I think I fucked up. I'm not sure...but I think I did. Although, it's not really my fault. Well, it is, but...

It all started at work today. I know that it's Monday and Monday's are *supposed* to suck...but this particular Monday took it to extremes. You see, my car got vandalized out at the job site. Granted, mine wasn't the only one, but still...

See, our company was hired by the City of Sunnydale to, ironically enough, fix a lot of the damage which was caused when the portal opened from Dawn's blood. It's steady work with great pay and excellent benefits...I'd rather have Tara sane and Anya alive again...but I'm not gonna go there.

So...work.

The site is at that point in it's reconstruction that we are done with the outside and are now concentrating on the inside. Electrical, woodworking, sheet-rock work...etc. And all the guys leave their cars parked outside (obviously) in the lot down the corner. No biggie usually.

Today is *was* a big deal. Around five of us had our cars vandalized. The cops think it was done by some highschool kids that are out of classes for the summer. I wonder, however. I know it wasn't vampires...it being all sunny and daylight out when it happened, but...kids? Or am I being paranoid?

Well, who ever did it, they did it good. All of us lost our radios, various stuff that we had thrown inside of it and we all got our tires slashed. Sucks, huh?

Mario, the site foreman...at least for the carpentry department, offered to give me a ride. He already takes his brother-in-law Tony to and from work, so he said it wouldn't be a problem to swing by my place. I agreed.

Mario's such a great guy though, and he made sure our first stop was at Sunnydale Automotive Supply and Repair. I was able to pick up four new tires. Which was good, since I suddenly needed them. It puts a huge crimp in my plans to try and spoil Spike though. I already got him a package of socks and a small Lego kit, but new jeans will have to wait until *next* week. I just can't afford them, what with buying four new tires.

So, after the shopping expedition, the guys took me home. Some bizarre part of my brain spoke up before I thought things through completely and decided that I had to be nice and sociable to Mario and Tony for being pals about carting my ass all over town. This insane chunk of my brain invited them up to my apartment for a couple of beers. It wasn't until I was unlocking my front door to let them in that my brain remembered the blonde demon that lived with me.

Needless to say, Spike was snarky, rude, antisocial and dangerously psychotic. I know this because Mario pointed it out to me. I didn't even notice at first...I guess I'm just used to Spike being...well, a soulless demon is the most accurate description, I suppose.

When I told him about the car, Spike waxed eloquent about the "wanking tossers who bloody well need a good killing" and did I know who did it so that we could "have Red turn 'em bleeding inside-out so's that we can play with their innards? Can we pet...*please*?" I think Spike scared Mario and Tony just a tad. I think that fact that I laughed at Spike's idea scared them even more.

Still, the evening wasn't a *complete* disaster. Spike had somehow managed to "nick a few quid" off of Giles the last time we were at the Magic Box...even though I would have *sworn* that Spike didn't go *near* the cash register. So, he used his money to buy us pizza as a "thanks" to Mario and Tony for being "mates" and bringing me home with new tires.

The four of us had lots of beer, and everyone but Spike chowed down on pizza. It was...pleasant.

Until about nine o'clock when Spike decided that it was time to go hunting. Ya know, it didn't even occur to me that us gearing up was probably something that Mario and Tony shouldn't have seen? So, like idiots, we got ready for a "night on the town" with them watching us as we changed into dark clothing and armed ourselves with stakes, knives, holy water-guns and a pair of stolen and refitted tazars.

We walked Mario and Tony down to Mario's car and thanked them for their help and started to head off. Mario tried to warn us that Sunnydale was dangerous at night and I sort of chuckled at him and told him that we *knew* that...and *that* was part of the fun.

I think I may have come across as demented.

So, that's the thought that hit me as Spike and I were heading home from an exciting night of hunting up minions and demons to kill. My boss probably thinks that Spike and I are some type of psycho killers. Which is true I guess...especially Spike. But I didn't exactly want the guys I work with to realize just how fucked up my life really is.

I wonder what kind of reception I'm going to get tomorrow? Mario and Tony are supposed to swing by and pick me up and take me and my new tires in...

Should be interesting.

Alexander L. Harris

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