Date: February 13, 2011

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Timeline: Post- Doomed, Season 4. (Or whenever Spike finds out he can hit demons.) Also, Riley is not around.

A/N: Reviewers… You are all incredible, and awesome, and I don't know how to thank you for your kind words and encouragement, but I do, I thank you.

This chapter is dedicated to ilovebookshowboutyou, who followed me over from the Evo fandom and has stuck with me through the end. Thanks hon.

Sundays, she drags him to church with her, and he sits beside her in the pew dressed all in black-though without the coat-and looking so adorably uncomfortable that not even the grandmother sitting on his other side can find it in her to be afraid of him.

He shies away when the preacher asks them all to join hands, but she grabs his left and looks pointedly at his right, where the grandma waits, hand outstretched. He takes it.

He wriggles slightly as they sit again, and the preacher begins the service. She lightly smacks his knee, and he instantly stops moving. Frowning at him a little, concerned that she was too harsh, she reaches out and wraps her hand around his arm. Her touch soothes him, and he even manages to pay attention. Some.

Communion is an adventure. The plate has a cross on the bottom, and when he passes it, he stiffens, swallowing the yelp of pain and handing it over as soon as possible. She gasps quietly, and grabs for his injured hand, careful not to actually touch the area itself. The burn is mild, but she fusses over it anyway, apologizing with her eyes, and brushing a gentle kiss over his palm. The grandma eyes them both, but says nothing.

When they stand to sing, she is mildly surprised that he knows most of the words, but he smirks a little at her and that reminds her that he probably lived during the same time as most if not all of the composers anyway. As if he guesses what conclusion she's come to, he winks, and goes back to singing- without a hymnal.

She has to pinch him twice during the closing prayer. He isn't used to sitting still so long, and the near silence is starting to wig him as well. He glances at her apologetically each time she digs into his side or arm, and she rubs the minor pain away gently, telling herself that it's not like she never fidgets in church, and he deserves a break.

After the service is a pot-luck dinner. The grandma turns a gleaming gaze on them and asks sweetly if they'd like to stay, and when they look around for Joyce, she's already placing a pan of… something on a table, so they say yes and hurry over.

The trouble starts when Grandma asks him if the meat is too well done for his "special diet." He looks at her sharply and mumbles something negative.

The next question is directed at her, and she responds to the inquiry of whether she is single or not with a little bit of sputtering, some uncertain glances aimed at a smirking bleach-blonde beside her, and finally, a small smile and a linking of their hands under the table as she says no, she's actually not.

Grandma looks disappointed, but not deterred as she now asks him if he would like her to close the curtains. Was the sun too much for him?

The blonde couple shoot each other looks that clearly say "We have got to get out of here, now!" Frantically searching the room for Joyce, they give the granny their apologies, but hurry over to the Slayer's mother, explaining that they really have to get out of there fast, especially if they don't want a mob after them, led by a little old lady intent on staking them both.

Joyce agrees that it would be best for them to have Sunday dinner at home, and they leave.

Well, they attempt to leave, only to have to fight their way past several little old ladies armed with handbags, who surprisingly, don't have any problem with him other than that they believe he is too old for her. Neither of them laugh.

By the time they get rid of "the old birds," as he put it, there is enough cloud coverage for him to get to the sewer entrance without bursting into flame. He promises that he'll be right over, she gives him a stern look, and he gives her an innocent look right back. Joyce just looks at them both with a thoroughly amused expression on her face.

A/N: That's all folks. No more. The end. How sad, ja?

I just thought the idea of Spike having to endure the scary old potluck ladies was too funny to pass up. And there was some sweet Spuffy too.

I'm so thankful that people read, reviewed, and favorite/alerted. The encouragement is amazing.

I'll see ya'll in the archives.