The Bronze was hoping. Kid Rock blasted from the speakers as the house band took a break.

~~~ Cause I wanna be a cowboy baby...With the top rolled back let the sunshine it...Cowboy baby.... ~~~

Xander, Anya, Willow, Dawn and Tara all sat at their favorite table, munching on fries and wings. One way or another each of them were aware of the empty seat. Buffy's seat. Spike never had a seat really. It was a shame Willow thought that since Buffy was now gone, there was room for him to sit. It was also such a shame they wanted him around now that she was gone. When had they realized that he was one of them? Or at the very best, looking out for them.

No one really felt like a party tonight. Then they all agreed that its what Buffy would want so they came. Dawn broke the silence, she was making ketchup roads on her plate.

"So is he coming?"

"Who Evil Dead?" Xander teased. Willow shot him a disapproving look. "Xander that�s not nice. Spike is grieving just as much as we are."

"If not more." Tara added. "I mean after all, he loved her. Really loved her. Like Romeo loved Juliet." Tara fit a fry into Willows mouth. Xander shook his head at her comment.

"I just don't buy it. How can you compare Romeo and Juliet to Spike and Buffy. She never even returned his love. Now maybe Spike is the hunchback and Buffy is Esmerelda. That I can see." The gangs stares urged him to continue. Xander gestured extravegantly with his hands.

"Spike is a dead man walking, period. Soulless, heartless, selfish vampire. He can't love. Its not in his nature. I mean remember the sex bot? What was that all about?"

The gang all stifled smiles and giggles as Xander looked at them confused. Then as if a light bulb went off in his head he realized what it was all about.

"He's here isn�t he? And he's standing right behind me?" Xander twisted his body to see Spike smiling down on him. "Harris, you haven�t changed a bit. Still as bleeding annoying as ever." Xander made a face at him as Anya slipped over, sitting on Xander's lap. Dawn smiled at Spike and patted Buffy's empty seat.

"Spike sit here. I missed you. What have you been up to?" He sat beside the teen, the love he felt for her radiated through his eyes. "Oh you know, sleeping, eating, telly time. Normal vampire stuff." Willow shrugged. "That sounds boring." "No money to be made?" Anya sniffed. "Defiantly boring."

"Actually I would love to have that life. No studies, no class bell. No one telling you what time you have to get up to start your day." Tara added. Willow considered the thought and smiled. "Yea that would be nice. And we could sleep all day if we wanted." Spike rolled his eyes. "Sleeping is overrated. Trust me." His mind flittered back to the dreams he was having.

Leaning over he whispered to Willow and handed her the notebook under the table. "Read this will ya?" Everyone else was talking about school. They were too absorbed to notice the vampire and the witch talking. She nodded. "OK. I can do that."

Again in his head came her voice.

~~~ and the days go by doing nothing about them... How much time will I have to spend? ~~~

"I need a beer" Spike announced, got up and made his way to the bar through the crowd. Dawn watched him go. "Look what you did now Xander." "Nope, not Xanderman, I am innocent of whatever charge you pin on me tonight." Tara also watched Spike go. "He seems almost OK. But its probably a front. He�s hurting inside. You can tell."

Willow scanned the little book quickly.

Tuesday saw her in the clouds, singing to me. Reaching for me, slips through my arms when I get to her.

Wednesday pushed her off the tower. When she reached the bottom, I was already there to catch her, she fell right through my hands.

Thursday.... I didn�t bother to sleep.

Friday, singing to me again. Thinks I've forgotten her. Words were "well one more night I'd like to lie and hold you yes and feel...To make you smile I'd like to be there for you...have you forgotten me?"

Willow quickly closed the book. Tara raised an inquiring eyebrow. However Willow just gave her a smile that told her she'd tell her later. Also she scribbled into Spike's notebook that they could talk later. On his return from the bar, he simply nodded.

~~~ My mind won't rest and I don't sleep. Not even in my dreams. If you ever did believe for my sake. If you ever did believe... ~~~

The night went on. They laughed and joked. They were all swapping their own special Buffy stories. Spike kept quiet, smoking , occasionally taking a swig of his beer. He was simply absorbing all their memories so he has some more. They brought Spike up to date on all the Magic Shop gossip and Dawn groaned about how the Buffy bot was embarrassing her at school by calling the principal an old bald man.

Spike went home feeling refreshed. But it would not last long. He still had to sleep.