Life Serial

"So, what's she gotta do again?" asked Andrew, in a whiny voice that made Warren want to slap him.

"It's simple," he said, cutting off Jonathon, who was about to explain, "We give her an almost impossible task to complete – namely satisfying a customer – and every time she gets it wrong she has to start over."

"She goes right back to the start of the scene, see," Jonathon pointed to the computer monitor to illustrate, "It's on a loop, which only us and Buffy are aware of."

"Cool," said Andrew. "We got audio?"

Warren shook his head, "Doesn't mean you shouldn't shut up, though."

The boy frowned and returned his eyes to the screen.

"What is with this day?" Buffy muttered to herself, "Stupid mummy hand. If Giles gives me that advice one more time I'm gonna screa- hey, hi! Can I help you? Oh? A mummy hand. I'll just get that for you."

The woman who had just walked in looked positively baffled. "How did you know?"

Buffy shrugged, "Had a feeling. Be right back."

"Nice one, Johnnyboy. How many times is it so far?"

"Uh, six. Seven if you count the time the hand knocked her out, but not even she remembers that one."

Buffy took her time walking to the basement – resenting every step. She dawdled when she got there, wondering if Anya would come do it for her if she took long enough.

Twenty minutes later, while Buffy was drawing stick men in the fine layer of dust atop the shelving unit she was perched on, she felt a familiar tingle at the back of her neck.

"Great," she said, "That's all I need."

Spike walked in and didn't even have a chance to open his mouth before she punched his nose and the scene started from scratch.

"Huh, that one actually went a little better; nothing like hitting Spike to make me cheer up."

Giles approached her, ready to tell her that focusing on service rather than sales was key, when she commented, "I'm gonna do that again". Then she laughed, realizing what she'd said, "That was unintentional irony."

"Quite right," said Giles, oblivious to what she was talking about.

The bell above the Magic Box jingled and Buffy turned away from it, shouting over her shoulder, "I'm going to get your mummy hand."

Once downstairs again she opened the door that lead to the sewer tunnels.

"Come out come out wherever you are," she sing-songed, looking out into the empty passage. "Fine, I'll wait."

"What's happening? I don't get it," said Andrew.

"I think she's waiting for Spike again," replied Jonathon.

"Oh. And why's that?"

Jonathon shrugged.

"Will you stop with the questions already?" Warren snapped.

"Fine," he huffed.

Sure enough, eventually Spike appeared, with a confused look on his face.

"Expecting someone?" he asked.

"Just you," the slayer responded, knocking him to the floor, landing punches to his upper torso as she straddled him.

With a flash the scene looped, but not to the original point.

Buffy took a glance around her as she stood in the middle of the basement and Spike walked through the sewer entrance door once more.

"Expecting someone," he asked.

Buffy gave a shrug, replying, "Works for me; could re-do this scenario all night."

"What are you talking about, Slayer?"

"Oh, nothing," she said, clocking him on the chin.

Spike managed a single, "Bloody hell," before the scene refreshed and he was walking in the door again.

"What happened?" asked Jonathon.

"I was gonna ask that," Andrew whined.

Warren glared at him, "The task has changed. The customer Buffy has to please has shifted to Spike."

"What?"

"How?"

"Why?"

"No idea, Sparky, but I swear if I hear another question I'm gonna shove your magic bone somewhere it doesn't belong, got it?"

Both the other two members of the trio gulped and nodded in unison.

Buffy sighed as Spike glanced at her.

"Expecting-"he began to say.

"What do you want?" asked Buffy, cutting him off.

"Well, hello to you too. Just came here to stock up on some Burba Weed, if you must know."

The slayer's eyes narrowed, "Of course, came here to steal, why else?"

Spike grinned and stalked up to her, "Well," he drawled, "Sometimes I come around just to see you."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "You get way too much enjoyment outta being a pain in my ass. I'm really not in the mood for it. Really really not in the mood."

"Oh yeah?" he said, fondling her hair, "And what would the slayer be in the mood for?"

She was a little taken aback at his blatant seduction attempt, then a thought struck her. "Y'know what?" she said, and Spike cocked his head in question. "I'm not gonna get the chance to do this again. And it's not like it counts, 'cause you won't remember."

"What the bleedin' hell are you talkin' about?" he asked, and was answered by Buffy pressing her lips to his.

"Oh wow!" exclaimed Andrew.

"Oh wow oh wow," Jonathon affirmed.

Warren just gazed on, fascinated.

Spike pulled out of the kiss – his face full of mixed emotions. "You feeling okay?" he asked her.

Buffy looked confused, glancing about. "Huh," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "Just give it a minute." She leaned in to kiss him again, and this time he didn't protest. They got caught up in the moment and started pulling at each other, overtaken with lust. It wasn't long until Buffy didn't care about the day that never ended – she was doing something she'd always wanted, without the drawback of ever having to deal with the consequences it would cause. Somehow they managed to divest each other of their clothes without breaking their kiss for more than a few seconds.

She straddled him once more, looking him straight in the eyes as she placed the tip of his prick to her slick opening - there was a question written there. She gave a quick nod and he pressed on in, making them both gasp.

"So tight!" he murmured, "So good! Bloody hell, Buffy!"

"Shut up," she told him, kissing his lips again.

The trio were all stunned to silence at the spectacle on the screen in front of them. Warren was thankful he'd agreed to put an extra cam in the basement, despite initially telling Jonathon it wasn't necessary.

With a grunt the warriors were both spent. Spike took unneeded breaths, trying to process what happened.

"Buffy?" he asked.

Shock was written across her face. "I… uh," she began, "It's been a crazy day. Did that just happen?"

He nodded.

"Right," she continued, blushing, "Crazy, crazy day. I think the loop's stopped. Oh boy."

Spike looked at her intently, "Gonna explain what's going on?"

"Yeah," Buffy replied, standing up and finding her clothes. "Get dressed. We need alcohol, and lots of it."

"More sex, too, right?"

Buffy smiled at his question, unable to help herself. "Definitely a lot alcohol," she insisted, pulling him back out the sewer entrance.

"That's it? It's over?" asked Andrew, back in the van.

"So wish we had sound," said Jonathon.

"Course it's over," Warren answered Andrew, "She satisfied him."

When Andrew asked, "That's what he wanted?" Warren reached out and slapped the back of his head.

"I think we're done for tonight, fellas."