Oz heard three sharp knocks, groaning he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

As he opened the door he took in the form of a younger brunette haired girl, her shoes were those of a privet school and her hair was down to her bellybutton which had a silver belly ring that sparkled in the sunlight. Her white school top was tied to show her midsection and her skirt was a good three inches above her knee.

Oz went to speak but she beat him to it.

“Right, so I go to my brother’s apartment and this Chinese girl opens the door, so I think it’s my brother’s new girlfriend. So I go to hug her but then this Chinese man comes up behind her and I’m like who are you? Then I go to accuse her of cheating on my brother and she asks me the same thing. So I assume she doesn’t know my brother because lets face it, he’d mention me. So I ask if they know him, and they say that I could find him here, are you gonna let me in?” She looked at Oz in frustration.

“Um” Oz stammered, still trying to figure out who the girl was.

“Geez, Daniel I go away for three years and you forget who I am” She rolled her blue eyes.

“Dawn?” Oz looked at her stunned “you’ve grown...”

“Boobs, yeah I know” Dawn looked down at her breasts and then back at him “so where’s my brother?”

Spike walked out at that moment and Dawn shrieked “Spike!”

Spike looked over and grinned as a flying bundle of energy came hurtling towards him.

He lifted up his sister and hugged her tight “lo bit”.

He pulled back and looked at her clothes “for God’s sake, at least cover up a little bit” he yanked one of his denim jackets off the rack and chucked it at her. Dawn sighed and pulled it on.

Oz closed the door and threw himself onto the couch.

Dawn rolled her eyes and sat on his legs “don’t take up the couch if you aren’t prepared to have me sit on you” she grinned triumphantly when he moved.

“So Spike, where’s Buffy?” Dawn caught the can of diet coke he threw at her.

“Her house” Spike sipped his beer and slumped into an armchair.

“Oh” Dawn’s face fell “Can we go see her now?”

“Yeah, she’d probably wanna see you nib” Spike stood and made his way to the door, Dawn following close behind.

Spike passed Dawn a helmet and jumped on his motorbike; she sighed and placed the helmet on her head before hopping on the bike.

He gunned the engine into life and roared off down the street. Dawn laughed; her brother always drove fast but he made sure that she was safe.

Buffy lived around the corner from Spike; they had become friends when they were fourteen. Both their mother’s had joined together at the school and Buffy had been forced to study with him. At first it had been incredibly awkward. Spike at the time had had brown curly hair and glasses, now he had bleach blond hair that he kept slicked back and he wore contacts.

As for Buffy, well she was Buffy, she didn’t change. She was still beautiful, with her green eyes that held flecks of gold and her sunny blonde hair that was always in loose ringlets unless she straightened it. Dawn wondered how Buffy would react to seeing her because she had definitely changed.

As the bike slowed, Buffy’s house came in sight.
Dawn was first off the bike. She pulled off her helmet and placed it on the bike, practically running up the pathway. She knocked excitedly and waited, her whole body coiled with energy.

Buffy opened the door to see a teenager, who was grinning madly.

“Dawn?” Buffy squinted and Dawn flew at her, wrapping her up in a hug.

Buffy grinned and hugged her tighter. “Dawnie what on earth are you doing here?” Buffy asked as she pulled back from the hug.

“Well I decided to surprise everyone by coming home for winter break, well its winter over there” Dawn grinned.

“That’s great” Buffy smiled again “So where’s Billy?”

Dawn smirked at the nickname they had come up with for Spike.

“Billy” Dawn called in a sing song voice.

“Bloody hell are you chits gonna start up with that again?” Spike looked at them in desperation.

Buffy grinned “no Spikey” she hugged him and Dawn noticed that Spike sniffed her hair ‘interesting’.

“So where’s what’s his name?” Dawn asked politely.

“He’s inside” Buffy ushered them into the house and went in search of her husband.

Riley entered the room, Buffy following with a pitcher of lemonade.

“Hey kid” Riley ruffled Dawn’s hair.

“I’m not a kid” she snapped, giving him a glare that could melt ice. She was infuriated when he laughed it off.

Buffy gave her a sympathetic look and placed the lemonade on the coffee table.

Dawn observed the conversation. She hated Riley with a passion, every time he spoke to her she felt like kicking him in the groin and slicing out his tongue. She didn’t know why, maybe it was because he gave off a serial killer vibe. She shrugged and went back to picturing Riley’s head filled with darts.

Spike looked over at Buffy, she looked beautiful as usual. Her green eyes were vibrant and her golden tresses were falling over her shoulders in loose ringlets. Spike had always seen her as beautiful but had never felt anything more then friendship towards her.

She was simply dressed today, faded black jeans a white sweater and black heeled boots.

Then there was Riley. He wasn’t good enough for her, hell he wasn’t good enough to warrant time out of her life. He was an average man, about an inch or two taller than Spike, sandy brown hair, brown eyes, weirdly white smile and an average build.

Spike felt like punching the goofy grin right of the bastard’s face.

Dawn was picturing Riley getting sawn in half when the doorbell rang. Buffy excused herself and walked over to the door.

Anya grinned before shrieking. Buffy shrieked and they hugged.

Both girls jumped up and down, not taking a breath from their screaming.

“Bloody hell” Spike frowned and looked over in the direction of Buffy, seeing Anya he understood the shrieks.

Riley didn’t.

Anya had been in Buffy’s dorm room in college. It had been a year since either girl had seen each other because Anya had taken a year to study abroad in Europe. Buffy had dropped out of college when her mum had passed away; the work load had been crushing her.

The girls had finally stopped their high pitched greeting and were talking a mile a minute.

“Oh my God Anya, you’re hair’s blonde”.

“I love your boots, I am so borrowing them”.

“Oh did it work out with that Italian guy Paolo?”

“Nah he was absorbed in his body”.

Spike tried to follow the conversation but found it impossible. He looked over at Dawn who was shooting daggers at Riley.

He sighed and punched her lightly in the shoulder. “Ouch” the brunette shot her brother a look.

“Play nice Niblet”.

Five hours later, Riley was at work, Buffy and Anya were slightly tipsy, Dawn was giggling at their jokes and Spike was trying to put together an office chair for Buffy.

“Here Spikey I’ll help!” Buffy swayed slightly but made her way over to the chair.

“Luv you’re pissed and I don’t expect you to be able to walk in a straight line, let alone put together this fucking chair!” Spike stated before throwing a screwdriver at the ground.

“I am tipsy at the most and I can put a chair together” Buffy bent down and grabbed the manual, unknowingly pushing her breasts into Spike’s face.

Dawn however did notice and was waiting for her brother to react.

Spike didn’t notice and Buffy plonked down into a sitting position. ‘So he’s not that far gone then’ Dawn sighed and watched the two.

After twenty minutes Dawn had fallen asleep and Anya was snoring slightly.

Spike connected a wheel and smiled in triumph and Buffy threw the manual down, she rested her head on his shoulder “can’t do it” she said pouting.

Spike sighed and picked up the petite blonde and carried her over to the couch.

Buffy curled up and he threw a comforter on her before shaking Dawn’s shoulder. “Don’t hurt the monkey!” Dawn shouted as she shot up.

She smiled sheepishly and noticed both blondes were sound asleep. “Come on nib” Spike grabbed his leather duster and they both left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy roused from her sleep to find herself alone. She looked over to where Anya was supposed to be sleeping and saw a note.

Buffy
Sorry I couldn’t stay work called,
promise me we will do something tomorrow,
I’m staying at my sister’s house.
Love Anya-


Buffy smiled and made a mental note to call her friend later. ‘Speaking of’ Buffy yanked out her cell and pressed speed dial one.

After a few rings Spike picked up.

“Lo’ luv”.

“You took of without saying goodbye” Buffy put on her sad voice, she’d learnt early on that when she pouted and spoke in a hurt voice, Spike would do anything for her.

“M’ sorry luv, didn’t want to wake you is all” Spike sounded sincere so she piped up again.

“That’s fine, hey lets do something tomorrow, bring Dawnie and we’ll have lunch, I’m guessing Anya’s going to drag me off to a club so I’m free” Buffy sunk down into her lounge chair.

“Alright, meet you at your house, eleven thirty”.

“Cool, bye”.

“Bye pet”.

Buffy slid her phone shut and smiled, it was going to be a good week.

“So Dawnie tell me about boarding school” Buffy sipped her latte and looked at the younger girl expectantly.

“Well, classes are getting easier and I met a guy, Ben” Dawn’s smile became a grin.

“Cute?”

“So cute!” Dawn sighed and her eyes became glassy.

“Come back to earth.” Buffy snapped her fingers in Dawn’s face and the brunette giggled.

Before any more could be said Spike sunk into the booth, being careful not to crush Buffy.

“Hey.” Buffy smiled at him.

Spike didn’t return her smile and started chipping off his nail polish.

Buffy’s face fell and she prodded him in the arm.

“What’s up with you?” her green eyes were full of concern.

“I just saw Dru” he replied glumly.

“Did you handle it well?” Buffy rubbed his arm soothingly.

“She was with another bloke so no, not well”.

Dawn frowned, Drusilla was Spike’s ex, and a total loon, she was like a mental patient with ten buckets of crazy on the side, but when she had her moments of sanity she could be just plain scary but Spike had loved her with everything he had.

“Well today is not a day for worrying about ex girlfriends” Buffy said brightly and put a cookie in front of Spike’s mouth.

Spike bit down and chewed it slowly.

“We’ll rent a movie if it will make you happy again!”
Buffy said brightly before sipping the last of her latte.

Spike looked up and gave a small smile, which caused Buffy and Dawn to grin in triumph.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Half an hour later Spike had dismissed every movie Buffy and Dawn had shown him, coming out with remarks such as ‘it’s too girlie’ and ‘I’m not watching Hugh Grant’.

Buffy didn’t see the problem with Hugh Grant, he was a great actor and she had been carrying a major crush for him since she’d seen the movie Love Actually. She sighed dreamily as she imagined every scenario possible involving, Hugh Grant, herself and a style that was illegal in ten states.

Dawn was in another section of the store looking at a variety of movies involving Orlando Bloom and Michael Vartan. She was trying to figure out the age difference between herself and the two actors as she looked at the third season of Alias.

Buffy walked around the shop and finally met up with Spike. “There you are, so did you find something you liked?” Buffy asked as she crouched down next to him.

“Yeah” Spike replied distractedly as he read another cover.

Buffy looked at the movie and frowned “No, no I am so not watching Jaws” Buffy shuddered.

Spike pouted “Come on, it’ll make me feel better and when I frighten people it makes me feel all manly” he curled his tongue up behind his teeth and smirked.

Buffy gave a laugh “Fine, but if I never set foot in water again, I’m blaming you”. Spike smiled and stood.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~

“Alright Honey.......Stop apologising.........no it’s fine sweetie...alright I’ll see you at ten...love you bye.” Buffy hung up the phone and made her way back over to the couch, observing the rain as she went.

“Riley won’t be home til ten,” She sighed and rested her head on Spike’s shoulder.

“Alright let’s watch this thing” Dawn chucked some popcorn in her mouth and munched happily.

Twenty minutes later and they were all engrossed in the film, Dawn’s eyes were wide and her knuckles had gone white from holding onto the cushion, Buffy was curled up in a small ball and was grabbing Spike’s arm, desperately trying not to scream as the giant shark kept making surprising movements.

Spike was controlling his fear and managed to look calm and collected but his mind was whirling with possibilities of what was going to happen next.
Riley came through the door thoroughly soaked.

He cursed loudly as the door smacked against the wall. Both girls shrieked at the unexpected noise and Spike yelled “Bloody hell”.

Riley frowned at them all and looked to the television. Seeing Jaws on the screen he shook his head “You shouldn’t watch such rubbish, before you know it you’ll all be afraid of the beach”.

Dawn scoffed and eyed the bottle opener on the coffee table ‘no not large enough to cause any damage’. She sighed and looked over to Buffy who was still half curled into Spike’s arm.

Dawn compared the two, she wasn’t attracted to her brother because that was beyond gross but she had to admit Spike and Buffy would have attractive children.

Buffy stood and turned off the movie.

Riley walked over to her and gave her a light kiss on the lips which made Dawn scrunch her nose up. Spike stood and stretched, grabbing Dawn’s hand as he did so.

“We’re off” Spike announced.

Buffy gazed worriedly out at the storm “Drive safe, it’s pouring out there”.

Buffy hugged him and kissed him on the cheek; she turned and did the same to Dawn.

As the pair left, Buffy glanced at the rain again, a look of concern settling permanently on her features.

“Sweet heart, have you made dinner?” She heard Riley yell and she sighed, pushing those worries aside she went to go make her husband a meal.

Her phone rang and she checked the caller ID she smiled, Anya.

“Hey Anya......yeah I figured.....Oh that sucks.....ha I wish, Spike made me watch Jaws.....no sweetie that movie doesn’t have bunnies.......alright we’ll have lunch this weekend...bye”.

Buffy hung up and went in search of her husband.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dawn sat on her bed and pulled out a note book.

Things to do:
-Make my brother realise he loves Buffy.
-Make Buffy divorce Riley (note: how?)
-Get Anya involved in the plan.

Dawn smiled, although she barely knew Anya, she realised that Buffy’s friend would be all for getting Spike and Buffy together.

There was a knock at her door, so she slipped the note book under her pillow.

Spike’s head popped around the door “Night nib, remember we have to get up early”.

“Like I’d forget, Night Spike” Dawn smiled as he left her room.

Soon enough Buffy would be here to wish her good night with her brother.

Dawn groaned as the buzz of her alarm clock sounded, filling the room with its annoying beep. She slammed her hand down on the snooze/off button and snuggled back into the pillows.

“Dawn UP NOW!” She heard Spike yell at her from his room and she reluctantly got up.

-----

The car was filled with silence as Oz struggled to keep his eyes open.

Spike pulled up in front of Buffy’s house and dragged himself out of the car.

Buffy came bouncing out of her house, to this day Spike didn’t know where her energy came from.

“Morning” she chirped happily.

He grumbled and reached for her suitcase.

Riley slammed the door shut and went straight to the car.

“He lost a large account last night, ever since then he’s been majorly weird,” Buffy gave a small smile and started walking to the car.

Buffy hopped in the back next to Dawn and Spike threw her suitcase in the boot.

-----

One pit stop and two coffees later everyone was awake and talking. They would be going to stay with Angel, Buffy’s ex boyfriend from high school and his wife Darla.

Angel’s parents had owned a cabin up in the woods which had been given to him when he and Darla had gotten married.

Buffy and Angel were good friends, but Angel didn’t like her husband, in fact he’d tried to throw Riley through a window, and Buffy still wasn’t sure why Angel had done it.

“Hey, who of the four of you have slept with the four of you?” Dawn asked curiously.

Before Buffy could answer, her phone started buzzing.

“Hello.....yes......alright I’ll see you then hon.” Buffy hung up her phone.

“That was Anya, she, Xander and Willow will be joining us”.

Buffy noticed that Oz perked up at the sound of her red headed friend.

“No one has answered my question.” Dawn pouted and looked around at everyone expectantly.

“Guess why” Spike said sarcastically.

“Oh come on it’s a good question,” Dawn huffed and turned pleading eyes to Buffy.

Buffy sighed “Only Riley”.

Spike glanced back for a fraction of a second “And any others here would involve a major lifestyle choice”.

Buffy giggled and leant forward to toy with the radio.

“Keep your bloody hands off!” Spike grabbed her wrist and pushed it away, sending a short jolt up her arm to her elbow.

Buffy’s eyes widened along with everyone else’s.
Spike snapped at people all the time, the reason usually being he was desperately in need of coffee or pissed off, but he never snapped at Buffy, some days she was the only one he would talk to without ripping an object in half.

“Ok someone needs some more caffeine.” Buffy plucked a Styrofoam cup out of its holder and gave it to Spike.

He grabbed it and took a large mouthful.

-----

As the Desoto pulled up in front of the cabin, everyone hopped out and made their way up to the door.

Darla opened the door and smiled “Buffy hi”. The two girls hugged.

“Darla,” Spike said in greeting.

“William.” At Spike’s deathly glare, Darla relented “Spike”.

Everyone moved inside as a cool breeze began to rustle the fallen leaves near the large Oak trees.

“Angel!” Buffy shrieked and ran up to him.

“Buffy” He said with a smile as he lifted her up and spun her around.

Darla walked in with six cups of coffee.

Buffy grabbed one and quickly passed it to Spike, who frowned at her behaviour and took it.

Dawn grabbed one and sat down on one of the plush leather couches that adorned the O’Conner living room.

“So Buffy how is life as a designer going?” Darla asked as she cuddled up next to Angel.

“I don’t want to jinx myself but it’s pretty great.” The blonde sipped her coffee and noticed the absence of her husband and Spike.

-----

“Spike...” Riley walked out onto the porch to find the blonde smoking and looking out at the trees.

“Riley.” Spike didn’t bother to look at him.

“You hurt my wife.” Without warning Riley grabbed the front of Spike’s shirt and pushed him up against the wall of the house.

“What the bloody hell are you doing?!” Spike, pushed Riley out of his personal space and glared at him.

“Never lay a hand on my wife or I’ll rip your fucking throat out!” Riley pushed him violently and Spike looked at him like he was insane.

“What the hell are you playing at you ponce!” Spike yelled angrily, ready to punch the man into oblivion.

“Stay the fuck away from her!” Riley was about to advance on him again but Buffy came out onto the porch.

“Hey guys,” she said cautiously.

“Hey sweetie,” Riley kissed her on the forehead and went inside, but not before giving Spike a glare.

Buffy walked over to Spike.

“Ok what was that?” she asked as she leant against the railing.

“Nothing luv,” Spike frowned as he searched for a cigarette.

“Yeah right, come on Spike what’s going on?” Buffy looked at him with large eyes and her lip jutted out slightly.

“Where the hell are my smokes?” Spike patted his duster pocket, frantically searching for his Marlboros.

“You had a pack when we were in the car.” Buffy looked around the porch.

A memory rushed over her and she smiled. Last year Spike had tried to quit, she’d brought him patches and all, but it had lasted three days. On the second day he’d been snapping at everyone and had been jittery. On the third day he hadn’t slept and was practically rocking back and forth, that was when he’d been unable to take it and then he’d spent half an hour on the veranda smoking like a chimney.

“Bloody hell” Spike rounded the cabin and slouched onto the steps.

“No cigarettes?” Buffy slouched down next to him.

Spike just gave her a look and she held her hands up in surrender.

“There’s a store not far from here, I’ll go with you, just give me a second to get changed. It’s really freezing up here”. Buffy stood and walked back inside.

After a few minutes Spike went in the cabin to go find Darla.

“Darla, where am I staying?” Spike looked at the petite blonde.

“Upstairs to your right, but the room next to yours is Buffy and Riley’s”.

Spike sighed and made his way up to his room.

He opened the heavy chestnut door to find a very naked Buffy.

Dawn watched as Buffy and Spike walked down the stairs, noting that they looked very awkward around each other. ‘Wonder what happened now’.

“Hey, Spike and I are heading out, anyone need anything from the store?” Buffy asked as she put on her coat.

Darla came in from the kitchen “Some red wine would be good”.

“Got it” Buffy said as she walked out the door.

Spike grabbed his duster and noticed Riley was approaching him ‘Great the soddin wanker’s come to play again’.

“If I find out you touched her, I’m gonna take your fucking head, rip it off your body and put it in a box, and don’t get me started on what I’ll do to Dawn.”

Spike silently seethed, he loathed anyone that set eyes on Dawn in a wrong way, and anyone that touched her would have the pleasure of getting their face smashed in.

“Listen you fucker, you even think about hurting a hair on my sister’s body and I’ll kill you” Spike’s eyes held malice and Riley didn’t doubt that Spike would go through with it.

Both men glared at each other for a few more seconds before Spike turned and strode out the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dawn walked into the O’Conner kitchen and saw Anya fixing herself a cup of coffee. ‘Now’s as good a time as any’ she quickly made her way over to the blonde.

“Hey” Dawn smiled brightly.

“Hi” Anya gave her a small smile and poured milk in the cup.

“Would you be willing to join me?” Dawn hopped up on the counter.

Anya stopped her stirring and looked at the teen quizzically. “Join you in what?”

“I’m trying to break up Riley and Buffy so that my brother has his chance with her” Dawn decided not to build up to the plan because moments alone in the O ‘Conner house were hard to find.

Anya stared at her for a second before laughing and patting Dawn lightly on the head “you and your shenanigans” the blonde laughed again before making her way over to the island in the middle of the kitchen.

Dawn gave a laugh “I’m serious”.

Anya took a sip of her coffee and blinked in disbelief.
“You want to break up Buffy and Riley, so your brother can go out with Buffy” Anya paused and Dawn took the chance to persuade her.

“You know, Buffy and Spike are sooo much better for each other, they have all the inside jokes, and know each other better than anyone. Not to mention they’re already best friends so first date awkwardness wouldn’t be a problem, and puh-lease you see the way that my brother acts around her if I just met them I’d think they were the couple”.

“They do look like they should be engaging in hot, wild, sweaty sex don’t they” Anya commented as she took another sip.

Dawn’s face scrunched up and she mumbled a ‘gross’ at the image of her brother nude.

“Well how far along are you in this plan?” Anya put her cup aside and glanced at the fresh fruit on the counter.

“Well actually involving someone was my first step” she said sheepishly.

“I’m in” she smiled and grabbed an apple.

“First thing’s first, we have to make them realise they love each other” Dawn said as she sat down opposite Anya.

“Well with Buffy’s incredible insecurity and denial and with Spike’s post Drusilla issues that could be difficult” Anya took a large bite out of the apple.

Dawn nodded, it was true, and Buffy had always denied feelings for people.

Even when she’d been dating Angel she had always claimed it was fairytale love in stead of heart throb love.

“We’re gonna need more people in on this” Dawn got up and Anya rose as well.

“Willow” they said at the same time, both going off to find the red head.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Spike” Buffy looked at him.

“Buffy?” he looked at her, his blue eyes holding her gaze for a few seconds.

The walking in incident had been sorted out between them, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still thinking about it.

“Why don’t I have a nickname?” she turned her gaze back to the foot path they had been walking along.

Spike frowned, this was new. “What do you mean pet?”

“Well see you call me pet and love, but you also call ever girl you hit on by that nickname”.

Spike’s frown deepened.

“It's just, you know, I’m your best friend, and I just think I should have a nickname that ranks me higher than the girls you see at Willy’s every Friday night”. Buffy turned down into the park and he followed.

“Alright p-Buffy” Spike seemed deep in thought so Buffy let him be.

She watched as a few children ran along with their parents tagging along behind them.

She’d always wanted to have a little girl of her own, someone who she could spoil and love. Unfortunately that was something Riley could never give her, he was incapable of having children.

Her thoughts became sad as she imagined going through her life without having any children.

Spike was about to speak when he noticed she was being unusually quiet. He looked at her and saw that her face was glum and her eyes were shiny with unshed tears. He frowned and caught her chin, tilting her face to look at him.

She gave him a sad smile and blinked away the tears.
Spike gave her a questioning look and Buffy just shook her head, signalling that she didn’t want to talk about it.

“Come on kitten” he pulled her up as he stood and she gave him a hundred watt smile.

“Kitten aye” she was still smiling.

“You like?”

She appeared to be thinking it over “Yeah I do”.

He grinned and flung his arm around her, unlike Riley’s grip she fell perfectly into place.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow was talking to Oz when all of a sudden she was ambushed by two bundles of energy named Dawn and Anya.

“What’s up?” she frowned at her friends odd behaviour.

“Willow we’re devising a scheme to get Buffy to break up with Riley so she can date and have orgasms with Spike” Anya said without a breath.

Willow frowned.

“Buffy and Spike have already dated”.

“What!” Anya and Dawn both had equal looks of shock on their face.

Willow’s eyes widened, Buffy was sooo gonna kill her.

A young woman walked along the bush path, she loved taking long walks in autumn. A stick cracked behind her and she jumped slightly, shaking her head at herself she continued walking.

After a few minutes she began to feel anxious, every few seconds she’d hear a stick crack or a footstep, but when she turned to look, no one was there not even an animal.

Increasing her pace she wrapped her arms around herself and cursed her heels as they occasionally got stuck in the cracks of the uneven bricks.

Her brown eyes looked around as she heard another crack ‘Oh God what’s happening?’ she thought before beginning to run. She’d recently been through a stalking incident and had become incredibly on edge.

She threw looks over her shoulder every now and then to see if anyone was following her. She cried out as she tripped on an uneven brick. Her bare knees scraped across the surface and she quickly got up again. She didn’t know who was following her, but she suspected that who ever it was wouldn’t be as kind as to wait for her to get up.

The noise now became clear, footsteps...rather loud ones. Her breath came in short gasps as she fought for air and tried to overpower the burning muscles in her legs. She fell forward as she was violently struck across the back of the head.

The last thing she saw before passing out was a man with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes that only held malice.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow looked at the two girls “what?”She said in shock, pretending she never said anything in the first place.

Dawn gave a bark of laughter “no, no way are you getting out of this one!” the brunette grabbed Willow’s arm and all three girls made their way into Dawn’s room.

“When did they go out??” Dawn exploded as soon as the door was closed.

Willow stuttered out an answer “well...u-um t-they went out the y-year before she met Riley”.

Dawn’s eyes widened.

“Why did they break up?” Anya asked as she plopped down onto the bed.

“I’m uh not sure exactly, all I know is that it ended before Buffy went to that design course for two weeks”.

Before any of the girls could say anything they heard Darla yell “Lunch is ready!”

Anya stood “this is not over”.

Willow cast a worried glance, she felt bad enough for letting Buffy’s secret slip and now she’d be cornered after lunch and be squeezed until there was no information left.

Buffy and Spike came through the door just as Dawn finished coming down the stairs.

“Hey, did you get your cigarettes?” she asked a little too cheerily.

“Yeah” he took off his coat and Buffy did the same.

“That’s good,” Dawn bit her lip to stop the words and walked into the other room.

Buffy and Spike frowned before going to join the people in the dining room.

After everyone was seated Buffy noticed the absence of her husband.

“Has anyone seen Riley?”

“Not since you left.” Angel said and took a bite of his chicken.

“Come to think of it I think I saw him....outside, you know near the cars.” Darla’s brow creased as she tried to recall the memory.

Buffy frowned “I’ll go look for him”. She stood and excused herself from the table, causing several people to give her a worried look before going back to their meals.

Buffy walked out to the cars and scanned the grounds for her husband ‘Where is he?’ she thought as she ventured further down the long driveway.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Everyone finished their meals and Buffy was yet to be seen.

Willow made a desperate attempt to avoid Anya and Dawn but the young teen and the crazy blonde blocked her off.

“Oh hey guys, nice meal wasn’t it” Willow flushed under their stares, she’d never been good at lying.

Dawn looked around the room, seeing it empty she spoke “Why did Buffy and Spike break up?”

Willow sighed, “Fine, it was too difficult for him to keep it a secret and the feelings scared her”.

Dawn sat down on one of the wooden chairs “What?”

Spike stopped short of entering the dining room, he could hear the girls talking and wasn’t sure whether to interrupt them.

“Why did Buffy and Spike break up?”

Spike froze, now he definitely was interested, he hadn’t thought Buffy would tell anyone.

“Fine it was too difficult for him to keep it a secret and the feelings scared her”.

Spike sighed, that had been true.

(Flashback)

Buffy walked into Spike’s room, eyes full of fury.

“What were you thinking William?” She looked madder than hell, for the first time that day he actually regretted what he did.

“Buffy...” he started.

“No! What the hell were you thinking with that stunt?” She glared at him and he could practically see the waves of anger rolling off her.

“I just don’t want to hide this anymore!” his regret had turned into frustration.

“Well we have to!” she seethed.

“Why Buffy? Why do we have to hide this great thing we have?” now he was just pissed.

“Think about it! If this ever went away it would be too hard! No one would no how to act around us, and they’d treat us like we were fucking glass!”

“Buffy...” He tried to hold her gaze

“Then you go and send me roses, with S.G on the card, you weren’t even careful! People crack codes Spike! If you do that again people are going to know!”

“Why do you think that’s such a bad thing!? If we don’t break up then there will be no bloody reason for them to act fragile! Shows how much faith you have in us!”

Buffy held back tears “I have faith William! I started this relationship so I do believe in us!”

Truth be told, Buffy didn’t want to fight. She wanted to let him hold her and wanted to fall asleep in his arms, but there were some problems that couldn’t be pushed aside.

“If you believed in us, you’d tell our friends” he said with an edge of hurt on his words.

“If you cared about me, you’d wait until I was ready!” Buffy felt a sob escape her.

Spike walked over and embraced her, planting kisses on her cheeks her nose and finally her lips.

Buffy pulled back and pushed him away “No! You can’t just kiss me and expect things to be ok!” she took a few steps back from him and felt the fight slowly drain from her body.

“I can’t do this anymore William” she looked him in the eyes and felt tears run down her cheeks.

He gave her a look of shock and hurt “what?”

“I can’t be with you anymore”.

The silence hung in the room for what seemed like hours.

“No, Buffy please” Spike walked over to her and dropped down in front of her.

“Give us a chance love” she saw unshed tears in his eyes and felt her heart break.

Buffy closed her eyes as she fought her emotions.

“This can’t end love, I can’t go through my life without you, not seeing you everyday not getting to touch you, hold you, kiss you, talk to you, call you up at random times just to tell you I love you”.

Buffy’s face crumpled as more tears fell “No please don’t say that!”

“Please love, don’t let this end” he looked up at her with tears in his eyes.

“It already has.”

(End flashback)

Spike closed his eyes and remembered the exact moment his heart had broken.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“There you are. I missed you at Lunch” Buffy said as she approached Riley.

Riley looked startled to see her but recovered quickly “Hey babe.”

“Where did you go?" she asked as they started to walk up to the house.

“An old friend of mine was up here so I went to meet him for a bit”.

“Oh ok, well come on, Darla has a fantastic roast chicken”.

“Actually I have to go and do one more thing; it will only take me twenty minutes I promise”.

Buffy pouted “fine” she gave him a smile and leaned up for a kiss which he gladly returned.

A loud cough from behind them made them break apart.

“Be careful you might choke on each others tongues.” Dawn commented dryly.

Riley frowned “Be back soon”.

As the couple exchanged goodbyes Dawn noticed something red on the bottom of Riley’s jeans, she squinted...that looked like blood.

She frowned, she’d talk to Angel later, and maybe he’d be able to help her figure Riley out.

TBC...

Buffy smiled at Dawn and walked up the stairs. Dawn looked at the lounge room before making the decision to follow Buffy.

“Hey Buffy, can we talk for a second?”

Buffy looked up and took a seat on her bed “Sure, here sit” she gestured for the teen to sit next to her.

“So what is it you want to talk about, clothes, that boy you like?”

Dawn was about to say no, but quickly thought of a plan. “Yeah, I want to talk about the guy I like”.

Buffy nodded, “Okay, well what’s his name?”

“Joshua.”

“What’s he like?”

Dawn smiled and saw her opening. “Oh he’s sooo great, I mean he’s gorgeous, intelligent, has just the right amount of attitude, funny, sophisticated, also he would never hurt me if we got together”.

“Oh?” Buffy’s eyebrows rose at this.

“Totally, and if we ever got together he’d never like want to hide the relationship”.

Buffy frowned “Why would he want to hide it in the first place?”

“Oh, well some girls at my school hide their relationships because they’re afraid of what their friends would think and same with the boys.”

Buffy began to look slightly edgy “That’s interesting”.

“Yeah, but me never, I mean if you have a great connection with someone, what’s the use in hiding it, and also it’s great having a boyfriend. It makes you completely off limits to all the jocks and gives you a warm comforting feeling”.

Dawn noted that Buffy began to fidget and play with a lose thread in the blanket.

“Have you ever hidden a relationship?” Dawn asked in her most innocent voice.

“Oh, no, me no I haven’t ever hidden a relationship.”

Dawn sighed and decided to just come out with it. “Buffy I know about you and my brother.”

“Dawn what are you talking about?” Buffy’s eyes were wide and her hands had stilled all movement.

“Buffy, don’t try and avoid this, I know that you broke my brother’s heart”.

“Who told you?” Buffy asked quietly.

“Willow.”

Buffy’s eyes shut and she took a deep breath “Dawn...”

“No! I won’t listen to some half hearted excuse that you’ve made up on the spot!” Dawn stood up, her long hair swaying.

“Dawn please understand that...”

“Buffy! Enough, All I know is that you broke up with my brother because you were scared, because you thought your friends would judge you! But you were with Spike, the one guy who knows more about you than anyone and the guy that you’ve known since you were what fourteen! You guys would have been perfect, and you threw that away for popularity, who cares about the people you knew, most of them you aren’t even speaking to now!”

Buffy kept quiet, she knew dawn would be angry when she found out but she really hated being on bad terms with the teenager.

“Do you know Spike at all? He loves with everything he has, and he doesn’t care now who judges him so I’m guessing he couldn’t have cared less when you were dating” Dawn was fuming, she’d never been this mad at anybody.

“Look, my brother got his heart broken by you! And he’s still friends with you; to tell you the truth I don’t even know how he could be friends with you! I wouldn’t even want to see your face! And then you go and top it off by marrying Riley a few years later!”

Dawn slumped into a chair and glared at the blonde “I don’t show my emotions very well but when it comes to Spike I have a field day, he is my brother and the only family I have left, no I don’t count my dad because he’s an alcoholic jackass who couldn’t give a crap about me or Spike. So Spike is all I have and I love him, so I hate it when he gets hurt, when he gets hurt I get hurt, so basically you’ve ripped both our hearts out”.

The brunette stood up and made her way to the door.

“Dawn” Buffy called out, a few stray tears making their way down her cheeks.

“What” Dawn said void of emotion.

“I’m sorry...are we going to be ok?”

Dawn sighed “I can’t accept that apology right now, and I really just want you to back off for a few days, and as for us being ok.....don’t hold your breath.”

Dawn left and closed the door quietly behind her.

Buffy slumped forward and held back tears, she wouldn’t cry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hey Dawn” Darla greeted the teen in the hallway.

“Hey,” Dawn had always liked Darla; she was good hearted and was always polite. Not to mention she was always incredibly generous with gifts.

“Are you alright?” Darla’s face contorted to one of concern as she noticed the teen looked drained.

“Yeah, I’m ok, just got a small headache.”

“Do you want some camomile tea?”

Dawn smiled “yeah that would be nice”.

“Lo’ Ladies” He smiled at them, one of the genuine smiles that he saved for the people he truly cared about.

“Hey Spike, we were just going to get some camomile tea, did you want some?” Darla asked politely.

“Oh no thanks pet, you know I don’t drink that rubbish” he gave her a soft smile and she laughed.

“Come down anyway, I think Buffy’s taking a nap” Dawn said as a way of distracting her brother.

Spike nodded and followed the girls down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was naked and her hands and feet were tied, that’s what she could determine without opening her eyes. She couldn’t see any shadows of light so she assumed she was in the dark. ‘Oh God’ she thought as she felt soft breath against her neck. ‘He’s here right now!’ she desperately tried to relax and not show that she was awake but when he slid a finger down the column of her throat she shuddered.

“Awake now huh” he studied her and started to move his finger lower.

She opened her eyes “Please let me go” she whispered and flinched when he laughed at her hysterically.

“Not a chance sweetheart, you're way to pretty” he kissed her roughly, forcing his tongue into her mouth while she struggled.

“Who are you!?” she asked when he pulled back.

“I’m Riley Finn” He quickly untied her legs and secured them to each bedpost, “Remember that name, because you will definitely be screaming it later.” He added as he crawled up her body and rubbed himself against him.

He laughed at her weak attempts to struggle and quickly slid his cock into her, thrusting roughly as she cried.

“Please stop! Anything you want I’ll give you money, just please stop!” she shrieked in desperation and he just began to thrust quicker.

She closed her eyes and prayed that someone would find her before it was too late.

Angel sat in his office paying little attention to the phone call that had interrupted his vacation time. He didn’t really care what the guys in shipping were having trouble with, God knows it wasn’t his responsibility; he’d more or less pass it off to Charles Gunn his sharp legal mind. He looked up as there was a knock on the door; he held his hand over the phone “Come in”.

Dawn closed the door softly behind her “Hey Angel...Oh sorry” she said once she realised Angel was on the phone.

Angel gave her a soft smile, Dawn had always felt like Angel was an older brother. He was just about as protective as Spike was; the only difference between them was that Angel was a few years older and not as daring, and Angel also had a tattoo.

Angel put his phone down on the desk and frowned at it “What’s up Dawn?”

“What’s your opinion on Riley?” she took a seat across from him and stared at him intently.

'He's a fucking moron' he thought before giving Dawn a more suitable answer. “Riley...to be completely honest, I’ve never liked him, why?” He picked up the phone and held it to his ear, quickly putting it back down after hearing the voice of an angry accountant.

“I just don’t get a good vibe off of him; I haven’t for a while now. But ever since I came home for winter break, he’s kind of been giving me the wiggins.”

Angel frowned.

“Freaking me out, making me suspicious.” Dawn started to explain.

Angel gave a laugh “I know Dawn, I’m not that far gone”.

“Right, well anyway...has he ever I don’t know....done anything violent?”

Angel frowned again “Dawn has he threatened you?”

Dawn looked up and saw fury in his eyes. “No, he hasn’t spoken to me much, but I just wanted to see if he had like a violent past....like that time you threw him out a window, why was that?”

Angel’s mind quickly went back to that day.

(flashback)

“Riley,” Angel said as a way of greeting.

“Angel,” Riley had a gleam in his eye “Buffy’s looking fine tonight.”

Angel glared at him “Yeah, she’s beautiful.”

“What’s she like in the sack?” Riley openly checked her out as she stood laughing with her friends a few feet away, never having the time to see the dangerous glint in Angel’s eyes.

“Perfect.” He said before grabbing Riley’s shirt and using the slightly taller man’s weight to his advantage.

Everyone stared as Angel pushed Riley up against the fragile glass which swiftly broke, making both men stumble before Riley went tumbling over the side, leaving a speechless crowd and a grinning Angel.

“Well, who wants punch?” Angel said casually and grabbed a cup of red liquid.

(end flashback)

“We had a misunderstanding” Angel said with a faint smile.

“Riiight, well has he ever been in prison?” she asked hopefully.

“No.... why do you want to know about Riley?”

“Well I’m just really unsure about him.” ‘That’s not a total lie’.

Angel’s eyes squinted a little “Are you trying to cause trouble?”

“NO!” she cringed along with Angel as her voice hit an unusually high octave.

“Peaches” they heard Spike’s voice, and Dawn smiled as Angel rolled his eyes.

“Yes Willy” Angel smirked as Spike opened the door with a glare.

“Darla wants us to get more fire wood.”

“Lets go” Angel quickly hung up the phone and grabbed his coat.

“Nancy boy,”

“Blondie Bear,”

“Poof,”

“Billy,”

“Captain forehead,”

Darla rolled her eyes as she heard Spike and Angel name calling. “You two are worse than five year olds and can you please hurry; I think our guests are frozen.”

Angel and Spike mock saluted her before walking out into the cold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy was staring blankly at the television in her room, eventually she’d have to go down and face Dawn, and Anya......she’d have to strangle Willow, and where the hell was Riley?

She frowned; her husband was beginning to feel like a distant relative. ‘I should go find him’ she thought, it would give her some time to get her emotions under control because at the moment the slightest thing could probably make her start bawling.

She quickly went down the stairs only muttering a quick ‘be back later’ to Oz.

She was hit with cold air as soon as she left the house. She shivered and pulled her coat tighter around her body.

After ten minutes she was starting to get worried, she’d checked the shed, the lake and the stables and was yet to see any sign of her husband. His car was still in the drive so he was still on the property.

She continued searching and noticed an old track that she hadn’t been down in years. Buffy smiled briefly as she remembered her time here as a teenager. She frowned when she noticed that there were new tyre tracks. ‘Huh Angel must have been down here...weird’.

She decided to walk down the track instead of going back to the house. She needed some more time to try and figure out how to make it up to Dawn.

After a few minutes she frowned, “what the...hell?” Buffy muttered aloud as she heard whimpering.

She travelled down the dirt road more cautiously and tried to listen for any more odd sounds.

A loud thud made her jump and she managed to hold in her shriek of surprise. “Riley?” she was more than surprised to see her husband coming out of an old shed.

“Buffy!” his eyes held traces of fear and shock but there was something else....annoyance? “What are you doing down here?” she frowned when he immediately started pushing her in the opposite direction to the shed.

“Well I could ask you the same question.” She looked over at the shed again and her eyes narrowed “Why are those windows boarded up?”

“You know Angel, always making changes to the property” he laughed nervously.

This was true, Angel was always making renovations but Buffy didn’t think Angel would even bother coming down here.

“Lets go back to the house, you know get some quality time together?” he leered at her but she just frowned.

“Umm actually I think I’ll spend some time with Anya, after all she’s like my best friend” ‘at least I hope she is’.

Riley frowned but looked relieved when they started to walk “Sure honey, what ever you want.”

Buffy gave a forced smile and they made their way back to the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they got back everyone was sprawled around the lounge room. Dawn was near Willow and Darla. Angel and Spike were talking to Oz and Xander and Anya had just walked in with a tray.

“Are those the hot chocolates?” Dawn asked, blatantly ignoring Buffy and Riley.

“Yes, there are marshmallows too,” she smiled brightly and put the tray on the coffee table.

Dawn smiled and grabbed a handful of marshmallows and a mug.

Buffy sat down quietly on the sofa.

“Hey babe I’m going to go get some sleep” Riley pecked her on the cheek and she smiled a little bit before slumping back into the couch.

Anya sat down next to her and smiled “how are you?”

“Tired, you?” Buffy looked at her friend with forced cheeriness.

“Pretty good, it may just be my imagination but Dawn’s shooting daggers at you and if looks could kill, well you’d be six feet under” Anya looked at her friend expectantly.

“She’s upset about how things went with Spike and I” Buffy said in a low tone.

“Oh, well it’s just because he’s her brother.”

“Yeah, you know what. I think I just need a break, excuse me” Buffy stood up and made her way out the door, barely giving Anya a chance to say anything.

Dawn watched Buffy walk out the door and felt a flash of guilt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once everyone was seated around the table for dinner an awkward silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of cutlery occasionally scraping against the china.

“Anyone catch the game last night?” Angel said hoping to start a conversation.

Everyone shook their head and muttered a quiet ‘no’.
Buffy sat between Riley and Angel and could feel Dawn’s eyes on her from across the table.

“Angel, do you remember the dirt track that leads up to that old shed?” Buffy asked as she took a sip of water.

Angel thought for a few moments “Yeah I think so, why?”

“Are you making renovations to the old shed?” she asked, not noticing that Riley had tensed up and was glancing nervously at Angel.

“Nope, haven’t been down there since I was seventeen.”

‘Huh’ Buffy filed that away in her head for later.

By now conversations were being held around the table and Angel was too preoccupied to question Buffy’s curiosity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy looked at the clock on the nightstand ‘great two thirty’. She looked across to the sleeping form of Riley and quickly made a decision. She gathered some jeans and a sweater, along with her sand shoes and quickly changed.

Buffy had always been inquisitive, ever since she was a little girl, and she certainly wasn’t going to stop now. She grabbed a torch and quietly closed the door behind her, not noticing that Dawn was watching her from the window.

When she reached the shed she cautiously approached a window, she froze as she heard the sound of a struggle. ‘Settle down Buffy it’s probably just a raccoon’.

She pushed the door open and froze.

Girls, there were more than six of them.

All of them looked at her with scared and hopeful eyes.
She scanned the girls, noticing some were without clothes and had wounds in several places. Buffy’s eyes widened and she quickly moved to the closest girl ‘God she can’t be over sixteen’.

She undid the gag and the girl coughed.

“Help” her voice was raspy and she looked weak.

Buffy nodded and began undoing the ropes that bound her. Her whole body stiffened when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Beautiful isn’t it.”

She turned and saw Riley looking at her with a bored expression.

“My sweet Buffy, you were going to be next you know that?” he looked at her like he was actually waiting for an answer. “You were going to be the last, but your curiosity got in the way.” He chuckled and she backed away from him.

“Riley no” she said weakly, her body starting to shake with fright.

“Oh Buffy, scream and plead all you wish, it wont matter, no one will be able to hear you while I’m fucking you into the ground,” he said as he lunged for her.

Buffy shrieked and tried to dodge him, kicking and wriggling her body when he caught her.

Dawn watched frightened by the doorway before turning and sprinting back to the house, she had to get Spike.

Dawn sprinted up the stairs not caring about the objects she was knocking over. She burst into her brother’s room to find him sound asleep.

“Spike!” she yelled as she shook him.

“What? What?” he sat up and his eyes flicked open.

“It’s Buffy, you have to come!” Dawn quickly threw a shirt at him and ran to Angel’s room.

She knocked as hard as she could and quickly went back to Spike.

“What happened bit?” he grasped her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes.

“Riley, he’s got her...he was hurting her,” her eyes were wide with fright.

“Where” Spike felt like panicking but reined it in.

“The old shed down that dirt track,” Spike nodded.

“What’s going on?” Angel asked as he came out of his room a worried Darla following.

“Buffy, Riley’s hurting her, down that dirt track in the shed” Spike said as he let go of Dawn.

Angel’s face went pallor and his eyes held rage “Let’s go. Darla, wake the others and keep Dawn safe.” His wife nodded and went to Dawn’s side as Angel and Spike left.

~~~~~~~~~

“Riley, please!” Buffy struggled against her bonds, ignoring the pain in her skull, when she had struggled Riley had hit her over the head with a plank of wood. She tried to stand but pain shot up her leg.

“No Buffy, I tried to keep you out of this life but you meddled...so unfortunately you have to be destroyed” he said as he ran a knife along her jaw.

“Riley please we can work this out, just untie me” Buffy had been able to control her emotions so far but the stress of the situation was catching up with her.

He gave her a smirk and leant down, he kissed her roughly, forcing his tongue into her mouth as she struggled. When he pulled back he gave her a gentle smile “No”.

Buffy felt tears slip down her cheeks and she bowed her head. ‘Buck up Summers you probably deserve this, how did I not know’ she felt more tears fall.

Riley crouched down next to her and cut along the side of her neck, not deep enough to kill her but deep enough that it would hurt like hell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything was going in slow motion for Spike, all he was thinking was Buffy, and he had to get to her. As he sprinted down the dirt track he felt Angel just behind him. ‘Please don’t let me too late’.

When the shed was in sight he slowed down and listened, he could hear Buffy’s voice ‘oh thank God’.

He looked over at Angel and saw that he was already making his way to the door “You get Buffy, I’ll go after Riley” Spike said putting extra venom on Riley’s name.

Angel nodded and threw the door open. Spike immediately went for Riley’s hulking frame and Angel went to Buffy.

Riley’s look of surprise turned to one of anger.
Spike quickly landed a punch to his jaw “You fucking bastard!” he yelled as he pushed his elbow into Riley’s nose. Blood spurted everywhere and Riley went down.

Buffy looked up at all the commotion and found Angel’s face in front of her “Angel thank God!” more tears fell as she was untied “We have to help them”.

Angel looked at the girls and nodded “I will, let’s get you out first” she tried to walk but her ankle buckled and Angel quickly picked her up.

Spike punched Riley in the face until he was sure the git was unconscious.

He stood and finally noticed the rest of the girls in the place; he frowned and delivered a kick to Riley’s ribs.

He went to the nearest girl; she was conscious and had chestnut hair with cobalt eyes. He quickly untied her and removed her gag “hey you alright there?” he looked her over and didn’t see any threatening wounds.

“I’m ok, help the others,” she rasped.

Spike nodded and noticed that everyone except Buffy and Anya were helping untie the girls. “Don’t reckon I’m needed, what’s your name?” he asked her softly.

“Angela, yours?” her eyes seemed brighter than before.

“William but my friend’s call me Spike” he smiled at her and gently lead her out of the house to the other girls.

The police had arrived and had taken Riley into custody and all of the girls including Buffy were checked out by paramedics and asked to contact a loved one or come back to the hospital.

Spike walked up to Angela “medics give you the all clear?”

She smiled “yep just malnutrition and a few bruises, nothing I can’t handle”.

“Got someone picking you up?”

“Yeah my mum should be here soon.”

There was an awkward silence and Angela smiled before grabbing a pen from the nearest medical chart and his hand “This is my number, whenever you get the courage to ask me out, call me” she smiled and looked at the driveway as a silver Ford pulled up.

“That’s my ride, bye William” she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before running up to her crying mother.

Spike smiled and looked down at his palm ‘she had confidence, he loved that’.

Dawn watched the exchange with a smile, if her brother found someone who made him happy that was great, but she couldn’t help but wonder what Buffy and Spike would have been like. ‘I could have combined their names...maybe Spuffy’ she smiled and went back to Buffy, even if she still held resentment to the blonde, Dawn was glad that she was alright.

“Hey” Dawn said quietly.

“Hey” Buffy replied with a smile.

Anya noticed that the conversation didn’t concern her “What was that?” she yelled before standing up and walking over to Xander.

“I’m glad you’re okay” Dawn mumbled.

Buffy just smiled and tentatively brushed a lock of Dawn’s hair out of her face, and then she found herself arms full of a crying teenager. Buffy closed her eyes and whispered calming words to the brunette.

Spike walked over to them and Dawn’s crying turned into sniffles.

“I’m gonna go and find Angel and Darla” Dawn smiled and left the two blondes.

“Thought I was gonna lose you in there love,” Spike cupped her cheek and brushed away a tear.

“You didn’t, you came through...William” she gave him a tender smile and placed her hand over his where it rested on her cheek.

“Don’t you ever, do that again” Spike’s look turned serious.

“I won’t.”

The two friends hugged, not willing to admit what they might have just lost.

~~~~~~~~~~~

(Two days later)

Spike sat looking at the phone....He could do this; he quickly picked up the phone and dialled the number before he could back out.

“Hello” a soft voice answered.

“Am I speaking to Angela?” he asked nervously.

“Yes this is she.”

“Uh it’s Spike.”

“Finally get your courage?” he voice had a teasing quality.

“Yeah, do you want to...Bloody hell; do you want to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night?”

“Yes I’ll go out with you” she said brightly.

“Great, um I’ll pick you up at seven?”

“It’s a date.”

Spike hung up and smiled.

Angela smiled and counted in her
head ‘one...two...three’ her phone rang again and she answered with a smile. “Pick me up at my apartment building; it should only be five minutes away from the cabin.”

“Thanks love.”

Spike smiled and chuckled at the banter that was going on between Angela and himself “Wow, you know I’m having a really great time with you” she said with a smile.

Spike quirked an eyebrow “surprised?”

She pretended to think about it for a few moments before giggling “No, I’m not surprised....but I do have a question.”

He looked at her curiously “shoot,”

“Who’s the pretty Blonde?” she gave him a cheeky smile and he looked at her confused.

“Which pretty blonde?”

“The one that helped save us” she took a sip of her wine and looked at him expectantly.

Spike smiled “her name’s Buffy” he said softly.

“Well come on, what’s the what with you two?” she asked, eating a cherry tomato.

“Um well that could take a while” he pushed his food around his plate.

“I’ve got time” she sat back and took a break from eating.

“Alright, well we’ve known each other since we were fourteen”

(Flashback)

“Hi Joyce, its Anne Giles....I’m good, but I must say this call isn’t exactly for social purposes...uh huh....well listen I’ve been thinking about joining up at the school with a bunch of the Mum’s to help get better education for the children, anyway I’ll cut to the chase, I think that if you and I were to become president’s of this group we could work wonders...well that’s excellent, how about we meet in a few minutes at your house, unfortunately William is going to be with me so you might have a teenager lounging around your house for a few hours....really? Thankyou Joyce I’ll see you in a few, bye dear.”

“William?” Anne waited at the bottom of the stairs for her son.

“Yeah, and mum it’s Spike?” her son looked at her from the top of the stairs.

“We’re going to go see Joyce Summers, and yes you’re coming with me and I will not call my own son...Spike” she gave her son a no nonsense look and walked out the door.

William groaned and reluctantly followed, this would mean hanging out with that unbearable Summers girl, what was her name......Betty? Bunny? Oh who care’s, she was bloody annoying, with her dark brown hair and her funny nose.

When they reached the Summers house Anne knocked politely and a petite blonde opened the door with a smile. “Hey Mrs. Giles” came the sweet voice. Spike looked up and was immediately looking onto the greenest eyes he’d ever seen.

“My mum’s waiting in the lounge room; she’s gone crazy with preparing snacks” she giggled and smiled as Spike’s mum walked away.

“Buffy, you’ve....changed” he eyed her appreciably and she gave him a bored look.

“Yeah I hit puberty, don’t worry it’ll happen” she gave him a pat on the head and went up the stairs.
‘Different looks, same attitude’ he frowned and followed her.

As he entered her room, he saw her looking down and her eyes were slightly watery. He frowned “you alright?”

She gave a wry laugh “Sure you’d be fine if your dad decided to leave your mum for his secretary” her lip trembled and he gently sat down next to her. After she looked at him for a few seconds he gently put a hand on her shoulder “What are you doing?” she asked through tears.

“Um, sorry” he pulled his hand away but she flung her arms around his neck, clinging to him for dear life.
As she cried he tentatively put his arms around her “You’ll be alright.”

Her sobs turned into whimpers and her whimpers turned into little snores, indicating that she had fallen asleep. Spike didn’t want to wake her so he just moved back and she slumped onto his chest, slowly he began to drift off.

Anne noticed that all she could hear was Joyce’s voice “Hold that thought, do the kids seem quite?” Joyce frowned and walked up the stairs, Anne walking behind her.

They approached Buffy’s room and soft smile’s spread across both of their faces. There on the bed was one of the cutest things that they had ever seen. Buffy was fast asleep, lying across Spike’s chest and Spike was resting his head against hers with both arms wrapped protectively around her.

“They are so gorgeous” Anne whispered, gazing at her son with tenderness.

“Yes they really are” Joyce looked at her sweet daughter wrapped in the arms of a handsome young man. Both mothers went back to the lounge room, wondering if their children would get over the little quarrel and become friends.

(end flashback)

“So that was when you first started to become friends with her?”Angela asked intrigued.

“Yeah” he took a bite of his now cold food.

“So tell me more, what’s another favourite memory of yours?” she took another sip of her wine.

“Probably my....sixteenth Birthday” he smiled fondly.

(Flashback)

Spike sat on his back porch, sighing heavily he realized that it was eleven fifty five and she wasn’t here. He looked up at the stars; Buffy had had a date with that stupid poofter she seemed so fond of...Angel that’s it. All of a sudden he heard a rustle in the bushes, looking to his left he saw a flash of blonde hair and then he saw Buffy.

“Hey” she said meekly.

“Hey” he said, looking down at his shoes.

“I’m really sorry, look no date with Angel or any boy should ever get between our friendship,” she leant close to him and turned his head, before he could question what she was doing Buffy put their lips together, after a few seconds she leant back “Happy Birthday William” and with that she was gone.
He smiled and went inside, he forgave her.

(End Flashback)

Angela smiled “you two have a lot of history.”

“Yeah, well with a friendship as long as ours it’s no surprise” he smiled again and Angela bit her lip.

“Why are you here with me when you have someone else back home?”

Spike’s eyes had widened and he coughed on some of his drink “What?”

“Spike, you are in love with your best friend and hopefully you’ll realise it, before you lose her forever.”

“I’m not...”

“Save it, I may not know what’s happening in politics at the moment or what’s going on with other countries but I do know that you are a man who is deeply in love with a dear friend” she stood up and thanked him for dinner, kissing his cheek and claiming that she would call a cab.

After a while Spike stood up, she wasn’t right....was she?

Buffy scowled at the television screen, of course the guy turned out to be perfect. She stopped scowling when she heard a knock on her door “Come in.”

Spike came into her room and sat down on the edge of her bed with a smile, “didn’t go so well” he said softly. Buffy blinked a few times as a flashback came over her.

(Flashback)

“Didn’t go so well” Spike’s eyes were watery and his smile had turned into a frown.

Buffy moved closer “Was she...?”

“She was screwing that Parker bloke” he said as a few tears fell, Buffy moved even closer and wrapped her arms around him, hating that this whore had made her best friend feel like this.

Spike hugged her back and they sat together for what felt like hours.

They both fell asleep and Joyce looked at them from the doorway, they were both so grown up, her little girl and William were now 17 years old, and if they would only realise that they made a perfect couple she would be able to sleep well at night.

(End flashback)

“What went wrong?” she asked softly, turning down the television.

“She uh...she made me realise that she wasn’t the one that I wanted to be out with” he said looking down.

She gave a small smile “Then who are you meant to be out with?” she was curious now.

“Ah well...um someone in the house” he said cautiously, he figured he may as well break it to her slowly.

Buffy’s expression went from one of curiosity to one of shock “what?”

“Yeah uh....” he fumbled for words inside his clouded brain.

“Willow?” she asked, gaze narrowed.

“What? No” he looked at her oddly, oh fun she was going to play the guessing game.

“Before I go on we are talking about a girl right?” she teased lightly.

He gave her a girl and she smiled “Alright, Anya?”

He shook his head.

She eyed him warily and after a long pause voiced her suspicion “Darla?”

“God No, I’m not going to take Angel’s wife” Spike shook his head as he said it, hoping that she’d get it before she started naming animals.

“Well, it’s not Willow, Dawn, Darla, and not any of the guys so that leaves.......” Buffy trailed off and stared shocked into his eyes “oh.”

Spike looked at her, wondering how she’d react, she stared at him for a long time before she said anything.

“Um...you like me?” she asked as she worried her lower lip.

“Yeah Buffy I...like you” he considered telling her he loved her but decided against it, he didn’t want to freak her out any more than she already was.

“Uh....well uh...when did you figure this out?” Buffy’s mind was currently in a whirlwind and she didn’t see herself coming out of it any time soon.

“Tonight, Angela said that I shouldn’t be out with her if I had someone back home and then it sort of hit me” he fiddled with a lose thread as Buffy sat back against the headboard and chewed on her nail.

The silence stretched out to the point where it was becoming awkward and Buffy broke it “What about the train wreck that was our relationship in high school?” she stopped biting her nail and took a few seconds to figure out that she’d ruined her manicure.

“Well, Buffy we’re more mature now and uh....bloody hell you know what, I like you, hell I have for a long time I probably never stopped but I need to know if you like me back, even if it’s just a tiny bit I can deal with it” he looked at her in slight desperation.

She kissed him lightly, barely brushing her lips against his “I need time, to think” she gave him a sad smile “but I do want you to know, that you’re my best friend and I love you and whatever I decide I need to know that my decision won’t affect our friendship, and does that make sense?”

He nodded, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face “I’m gonna give you time Buffy, but I’ve never been good at waiting for what I want, so don’t expect me to give you more than a couple of days” he smirked at her and traced a line down the column of her neck, making her shiver.

She gave him a look “You’re going to use your good looks as a weapon aren’t you?”

He didn’t reply but the smirk he wore gave Buffy her answer, before either could say anything there was a knock at the door “Come in” Buffy said as she moved into a more comfortable position. Dawn, Willow, Anya and Darla all entered the room; Spike smiled at the four ladies and decided to leave “I’ll see you lovely ladies tomorrow, night” he turned to Buffy and mouthed ‘sweet dreams luv’ before leaving with a smirk.

Anya waited until the door was closed before she jumped on Buffy’s bed “what was that all about?” she questioned the wide eyed blonde.

“What was what about?” she asked innocently.

“Oh don’t pull that shit, what was that look?” Anya looked like she was about to explode, the rest of the girls joined them on the bed, all taking a pillow to lean on. Buffy looked at them all for a few seconds.

“Alright, we’re kinda, maybe, sort of starting something” she said excitedly.

Dawn was the first to squeal in excitement “OH MY GOD! My brother and his best friend, Gah how romantic” her eyes twinkled and she was grinning from ear to ear.

Buffy smiled, tonight was going to be a long night of girly chats and ice cream.

~~~~

Spike, Angel, Oz and Xander all looked up at the ceiling after hearing Dawn shriek ‘Oh My God!’ They all shook their heads and turned on the sport channel “Come on guys there has to be something worth watching it’s only” Angel paused and looked at his watch “nine thirty” Oz picked up the television guide and started to look through it.

“So what do you suppose those five are talking about?” Xander asked, giving one last glance up at the ceiling.

“Wouldn’t have a clue mate” Spike lied with ease, he didn’t want to tell them about this new thing between Buffy and himself but he knew that the four girls upstairs would squeeze every detail they could get from Buffy, probably within the hour.

All of the guys started to watch the soccer match and only looked up when Willow and Anya came down the stairs “Sorry to interrupt just getting the fundamental items for any girly chat” Anya said as she moved through the living room to the kitchen.

“Those would be?” Angel asked.

“Oh you know ice cream, raw cookie dough, sodas, chocolate, potato chips oh and we’re gonna heat up some pizza” Willow replied.

Anya came back out of the kitchen, arms full of ice cream tubs, cookie dough and chips “Willow grab the chocolate and the sodas, pizza should be done in ten minutes” Willow nodded as Anya jogged up the stairs, managing to keep hold of everything.

(Two hours later)

Oz looked around at the scene in front of him. Xander was fast asleep, chips all the way down his shirt, Angel and Spike had fallen asleep and accidently moved to spoon each other, Angel being the big spoon and he didn’t even have a camera.

He shook his head and moved up the stairs, God he hoped that they all stayed that way so the girls had a chance to see them. As he rounded the top of the stairs he bumped into Willow.

“Sorry” she smiled at him.

“No problem,”

“So did you enjoy your night with the guys?” she asked as she leant against the railing, she had been flirting with Oz since they had arrived and she hoped that he was getting her signals.

“Yeah but can I just try something?” he asked.

“Sure, what do you want to try...” Oz cut her off with a kiss, her eyes went wide for a few seconds before closing.

When he broke the kiss she blushed prettily and he gave her a smile “night Will” he said before going to his room.

Willow smiled and touched her lips, oh yeah she definitely had something new to talk about with the girls.

“Honestly, I think you should sleep with him” Anya commented as she took a sip of her latte.

“Anya if I was deciding on a heart surgery you would suggest sleeping with the surgeon” Willow ran her hands through her soft hair and sighed.

Buffy and Darla came back to the table giggling “Hey guys who died?” Buffy said as she took her seat next to Willow.

“No one I’m just trying to decide about Oz” Willow looked at her best friend imploringly “Please help.”

Buffy pushed her bangs out of her face “What’s to think about, Oz is a great guy, he’s intelligent, funny....when you actually get his jokes and you couldn’t find anyone nicer” she took a sip of her mocha and made a face “gross it’s cold, be right back”.

Buffy left the table and went up to the counter “Hi, sorry to be a pain but this is cold would you mind making me another one?” she smiled when the girl nodded and went around a corner. Buffy drummed her fingers against the countertop, stepping aside for a few minutes to allow another customer through.

She turned and looked around; she could swear that someone was watching her. In the corner she saw a timid woman with brown hair. She gave a small smile to the pale woman and turned around to collect her coffee.

As hard as she tried Buffy couldn’t ignore the feeling of that woman’s eyes watching her “Excuse me I’m just going to the bathroom” she said, giving her friends a smile before walking over to the red doors.

She took a seat across from the woman “Hi, I’m Buffy Summers the person you’ve been watching for at least twenty minutes, may I ask what it is you find so fascinating about me? Or do I just have something on my face” Buffy gave the woman a stare trying to get the message across that she should answer her now.

“I’m Amy, you really don’t know what you’ve got do you” she paused momentarily “you know what I shouldn’t be doing this but I feel generous today....meet me outside in five minutes.”

“What no” Buffy’s eyes widened and she shook her head “Why would I go outside with you?”

“You wouldn’t” she gave a smile “but for this you need to step outside of your comfort zone, if you meet me outside great, if you don’t it wont faze me but Summers I know I’ve got your curiosity peaked. Five minutes I wont be there if you wait until six” Amy left the diner and a very mystified Buffy.

As she made her way back to her friends she decided that she would go, this woman while weird seemed perfectly harmless.

“Hey guys I’m gonna head out, thanks for lunch” she smiled, hoping her friends wouldn’t dig any deeper.

“Where are you off to? Not that I mind but basically all your friends are right here” Willow asked as she picked off a piece of her cake and popped it in her mouth.

“I’m going to go see Spike, I figure it’s time we talked about this properly” she lied.

“Good luck” they all chimed, smiling when Buffy gave them an unimpressed look.

Buffy waved before walking out of the diner, she spotted the woman across the street and slowly approached her.

“Alright here I am” she held her arms out for emphasis.

“Great, lets take a walk” Amy said with a smile.

Buffy eyed her warily before falling in step with her.

“Where would we be going?” Buffy asked, not letting the slight fear show in her voice.

“A place” Amy said mysteriously before walking ahead.

“Great because there’s always a witness in ‘a place’” she muttered before following.

~~

They walked for twenty minutes and Buffy finally stopped, grabbing onto Amy’s arm to halt her as well “Look, I was fine with going with you but we’ve been walking for at least half an hour, I’ve yet to even recognise where we are and I spent a lot of time in this town when I was younger! Seriously do you even know where we’re going?” Buffy asked her face flushed from her rant.

“Of course I know where we’re going, but I can’t tell you” Amy said joyfully.

“Can’t or wont?” Buffy asked, irritated.

“Can’t, seriously I can’t say a detail about where we’re going or I’ll get in trouble” Amy continued walking, a small smile crossing her lips as Buffy ran to catch up with her.

“Fine but if we’re still walking in half an hour I’m leaving” Buffy declared.

Amy hid her smile, no she wasn’t.

~~

“Afternoon Ladies” Angel said to the three women before giving his wife a kiss on the lips.

“Is Buffy home yet?” Willow asked as she hung up her coat.

“Uh no, I was assuming that when you said girls day out that Buffy would be included” he looked at them oddly.

“She was, but she left at like one thirty to have a talk with Spike” Anya said as she sat down on the sofa, Darla and Willow sitting next to her.

“Maybe she just got stuck in some traffic or something” Angel shrugged “if she’s not home before five we’ll call her” he sat down in his lounge chair and flipped the television on.

~~

Buffy stopped “No that’s it I’ve had enough, if I’m going to keep following you around like a puppy then at least tell me who sent you to come and get me” Buffy winced, her heels were absolutely slaughtering her feet.

“Fine, here’s the deal I work for the PTB, which stands for Powers that be, don’t interrupt me or I will stop. I’ve been working for them for about three years. The PTB are higher beings, they control me, you and everything in this world and in this universe. They can kill either one of us with the blink of an eye and make it look like a natural death so I’d listen up. You have the power to prevent something awful, I can’t tell you what it is but I can tell you when it’s going to happen and where. It will happen outside of your ex boyfriend Angel’s cabin, you have to be there at four pm exactly two days from now, if you don’t stop this from happening you will be the one who suffers the most. But first let’s take a walk” Amy finished.

“We’ve been walking for ages where are we going?” Buffy asked incredulously.

“Buffy Summers we’re going to talk a walk through your memories.”

Before Buffy could say anything she was transported to a scene and she saw a person that she hadn’t set eyes on since that night at the amusement park, her little sister.

“Jessica” Buffy looked at her sister in amazement, she reached out to touch her but Amy’s voice stopped her movements.

“She can’t see or hear you; we’re simply reliving your memories.”

Buffy gave her sister a sad look and moved back to the fence that Amy was leaning against “I haven’t seen her in so long, I almost......almost forgot what she looked like” Buffy watched her little sister walk around the amusement park.

A fifteen year old Buffy walked out of the bathroom and joined her sister, they started to talk about normal stuff for a while and then they began to walk across the road.

“Buffy mum’s going to be furious” Jessica looked at her with wide eyes.

The blonde stopped and rolled her eyes “Stop being such a dork, loosen up. Just because we’re going to a party doesn’t mean you have to be so.....you.”

“Buffy....” Jessica began but her sister cut her off.

“No come on, you can hang out with me” Buffy gave her a smile.

“Buffy!”

“What?”

Jessica pushed her sister out of the way before a car could collide with her.

Buffy sat wide eyed at the form of her unmoving sister; she was numb so she did the only thing that she could do. She screamed.

“HELP ME! PLEASE HELP!” The younger Buffy didn’t know what to do so she just kept staring at her sister in disbelief and horror.

Amy watched as tears slid down the normal Buffy’s cheeks “She saved me” she whispered.

Before either could blink they were transported to another scene.

A fifteen year old William answered the door of his house and saw Buffy, he smiled but then he noticed that she looked drained, upset and fragile.

“Pet what’s wrong?”

“Jessica’s dead” she said quietly, before looking at him with tearful eyes.

“W-what?” he looked at her with wide eyes.

“She...” Buffy stopped and threw herself into his arms.
He hugged her and led her up to his bedroom.

“What happened next?” Amy asked.

“We talked, at one point I cried, at another point he cried then we both cried, but he was incredibly sweet to me” Buffy felt the surroundings move and they were transported to another scene.

“Can we please stay still for a few seconds” Buffy growled at her.

“Sorry I don’t control the time movements” Amy watched the scene in front of her.

“Oh My God, this is one of the most embarrassing things I have ever done” Buffy bit her lip and watched the scene.

A young Spike was next to another blonde girl and they were standing on her porch.

“Who’s she?” Amy asked curiously.

“Harmony” Buffy answered as she watched a younger version of herself hide in the bushes a few feet away.

“Why are you hiding in the bushes?” Amy looked at her expectantly.

“I liked him and I didn’t like the fact that he was dating Harmony” she watched as Spike and Harmony kissed and frowned “I hated that whore” Buffy folded her arms and watched as Spike bid her a good night and went back down the pathway.

“What makes it so embarrassing?” Amy asked.

“Oh don’t worry, here it comes” Buffy watched herself get out of the bush and collide with the bottom half of Spike who was watching her with amusement.

“Care to tell a bloke exactly what you’re doing?” he asked.

Buffy looked at him in shock “no” she said quickly before jogging to the sidewalk.

“Buffy luv” he caught up with her and grabbed her arm “Why were you there?”

“Why do you think!” she gave him a desperate look.
Before he could answer she kissed him.

The scene transported again and Buffy watched her senior prom play out.

“Look this is lovely and all but why are we doing this?” She asked as she watched her friends and herself all dance, all of them with care free faces.

“Because somewhere along the line you have to have an epiphany, whether or not you do it sooner or later is up to the memories you have” Amy said as she looked at the crowded dance floor.

“Okay fine, I’m ready throw the epiphany at me!” she closed her eyes and held out her arms “huh didn’t work, in the movies it always does” she looked at the young versions of Angel and Darla, they were dancing slowly even though the music had a fast beat.

“It’s amazing, they were like that then and they’re still like that now, I’m really glad that we broke up.”

Amy looked at the duo with a slight smile, and looked over to see Spike sitting alone “why’s he sitting alone?” she asked.

Buffy turned to look at the younger version of Spike “Harmony just dumped him, see I’m asking him the question right about now” Amy looked over to see that the younger Buffy had sat down next to him and had a sympathetic look on her face.

The scene shifted.

Buffy looked around to see herself and Spike “this is a like a year ago” she commented “Oh, I’m telling him I’m engaged to Riley.”

Buffy watched herself turn away and she saw Spike’s face filled with utter pain and disappointment before returning to neutral. She turned to Amy confused “he didn’t want me to marry him, he...why didn’t he tell me?”

“He’s your best friend he wanted you to be happy and he thought Riley would make you happy” Amy answered as she continued to watch younger Spike deal with Buffy showing off her ring.

“I wouldn’t have married Riley if I knew Spike thought it was a bad idea” She said as she watched herself go on and on about the ring.

The surroundings shifted again and Buffy found herself in a white room. It had two white lounge chairs, a white coffee table and a white lamp. The only thing that was a different colour was the fireplace that Buffy and Amy were standing next to.

“Sit” Amy said as she sat in one of the seats, Buffy sat across from her and crossed her legs. “Tell me Buffy, who would you first call if there was an emergency?”

“Spike” she said instantly.

“Why?”

“He’s my best friend and he’d do anything for me” she answered.

“Would you do anything for him?”

“Of course I would” she jumped when a white kettle and two white teacups appeared on the table. Amy poured them both some tea and sat back in her chair.

“How did you feel about Drusilla?”

Buffy was about to ask how she knew about that but stopped herself, this whole experience was incredibly weird as it was “I didn’t like her” Buffy answered.

“Why?”

“She was taking what was mine” Buffy answered without thinking.

Amy raised a brow “So Spike was yours?”

“Wait...no...not exactly, he was just a good friend and I didn’t like her.”

“Because she was dating Spike and you weren’t” Amy stated.

“Yes...no! I mean no” Buffy blushed.

“Are you attracted to Spike?”

“Yes, Damn it!” Buffy cursed herself for not thinking before speaking.

“What pops into your head when I say the name Spike?”

“Sweet, loyal, smart, honest, caring, loving, and my best friend” she answered without hesitation.

“Do you love him?”

“Yes...Oh my God...I love him, I’m in love with him, Oh my God....I love him...Love him...Oh my God” Buffy let it sink in and Amy watched her in slight boredom.

She picked up the white phone that appeared next to her “yep...Oh, she’s just babbling and making no sense...yeah I’ll return her home...Okay...yep...bye” she hung up and Buffy was still rambling “Listen up Blondie, time for you to return home, okay really sorry but I have to knock you out.”

Before Buffy could say anything she felt an overwhelming dizziness and then the world went black.

~~

Dawn hopped out of the car and saw Buffy on the ground in front of the veranda steps “Buffy oh My God” she ran over to the blonde and quickly felt for a pulse, relieved when she found a strong steady one.

“Niblet what are you.....Buffy” he ran the rest of the way and knelt down beside Buffy and Dawn.

He cradled her head in his hands “Dawn go get someone” he said, never taking his eyes off of her.

“Come on luv, open those pretty eyes” he smoothed down her hair and briefly looked up when Angel came out.

“What happened?” he asked as he bent down next to her.

“Found her like this, don’t know what happened to her” Spike answered, still distressed at seeing the woman he loved unconscious.

“Come on lets get her inside, Darla!” Angel called his wife as Spike picked Buffy up.

Darla came to the doorway “God is she alright?” she asked as she made way for Spike to come in.

“Spike and Dawn found her like this, could you go get some more blankets or hot water or whatever we use in these situations” Angel looked at Darla helplessly; she gave him a supportive smile and went to the kitchen.

“You’ll be alright luv” he gave a long kiss to her forehead and sat down on a chair next to the bed.

A few hours later Spike was dozing on the chair as Buffy’s eyes fluttered open; she gave a groan and sat up slowly “Oh that is the last time I take a walk with a strange woman” she muttered and smiled when she noticed Spike.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and tapped her touch light another time to brighten up the room. She looked down at her clothes and noticed that someone had changed her into her yummy Sushi pyjamas.

She looked over at him “Spike” she touched his shoulder and he jumped out of his dozing state.

“Buff...Buffy!” he sat up and pulled her into a hug.

“What the bloody hell happened to you?” he asked as he looked her over, just to make sure she was really there.

“I’ll tell you in a second, there’s something more important that I have to tell you right now.”

“Go ahead” he looked at her expectantly.

“William I love you.”

~From the previous chapter~

“What the bloody hell happened to you?” he asked as he looked her over, just to make sure she was really there.

“I’ll tell you in a second, there’s something more important that I have to tell you right now.”

“Go ahead” he looked at her expectantly.

“William I love you.”

~now~

Spike looked at her in disbelief for a few seconds and Buffy nervously clenched her hands into fists. He sighed and looked down “Buffy” he played with a loose thread “You know that I love you and I would do anything to be with you, just hearing you say those words makes my heart go haywire and my gut does back flips but how can I be sure that you wont let niggling insecurities get in the way again?” his brilliantly blue eyes locked onto her mossy green ones.

She opened her mouth but no words came out. How could she guarantee that? What if she screwed up and hurt him again? Would it be different? Would it be the same? She cringed as she felt these thoughts start to fog her brain. Spike sighed and stood up.

“Are you mad at me?” she asked, her voice small.

He rolled his eyes and clenched his jaw “Yes, no, yes, bloody hell I don’t know...Buffy” He softened when he saw her lip tremble “look kitten don’t cry, come on please don’t cry” Buffy gave him a soft smile.

“You don’t want me?” she said softly.

“What? Buffy you’re...crazy, insane what are you on about?” he began to pace, wearing a hole into the carpet.

“Spike God calm down” Buffy stood and went over to him.

“No, you pass out and I still don’t know what happened to you and now you go and tell me you love me, sorry but something is bloody off luv, do you have a concussion?” he looked her over.

Buffy rolled her eyes; she couldn’t see the problem here, bam! She told him she loved and right about now she should have been happily enjoying the lips of Spike.

She wasn’t.

“Spike I don’t have a concussion, I’m not drunk, high or hallucinating so please believe me when I say I love you” she clasped their hands together and held his gaze. She pulled him into a hug and he hugged her back, neither quite sure what to do about this new change.

“Buffy, Darla wants to know...oh sorry” Dawn watched as her brother and friend hugged, small smile on her face. She watched as they whispered to each other like they hadn’t even realised the teen was watching, quietly she backed out of the doorway and felt a calm set over her. She saw Xander coming up the stairs and sent him a look “go over there and I will kick your ass.”

Spike looked at her, apprehension in his eyes “Buffy, I need to know if you’ll be one hundred and bloody ten percent in this or if you’ll back out on me and break my heart again” he looked down before holding her gaze again.

“I’m in if you are, I swear I’ll never deliberately hurt you again and if there’s even anything I can do to begin to make this up to you, I’ll do it” she looked at him, her eyes filled with warmth “because I love you.”

Spike looked into her beautiful eyes and saw nothing but sincerity and love, they had both hurt the other before and they had a lot to work through but they would do it “I love you” he said shakily.

Then their lips met.

~~

Buffy packed her bag slowly, all of Riley’s clothes had been moved as soon as Buffy had got back in her room, with the help of Darla and Angel, though Angel had more or less torn up as much items as he could where Darla and Buffy had thrown the clothes into a box labelled ‘CRAP’. She finished packing and put her bags onto the edge of her bed and looked around the room, nothing left.

Willow watched from the door before coming in “Buffy” she put a comforting hand on the blonde’s shoulder.

“Hey Wills” Buffy said, her tone lacking the usual cheerfulness.

“With everything that’s been going on we haven’t had very many opportunities for best friend time” the red head sat down on the bed and Buffy joined her.

“Willow...I’ve missed you and I really hate that we lost touch but I don’t even know you very well anymore. I mean the last time I heard from you, you were a lesbian that was investing in magic, now you like Oz and work with computers. I love you Wills but I don’t think we’re best friends for life anymore” Buffy gave her friend a regretful look.

Willow paused “Buffy, life’s been hard for me and for you lately. I hate that we haven’t had the chance to talk for about a year but I’m not sure what we can do.”

“I know what we can do” Buffy gave her friend’s hand a light squeeze “We can try harder and I know where to start.”

~~

Buffy and Willow walked down the old dirt track, stopping when they reached the shed. Buffy gave her friend a glance before stepping forward. She slowly twisted the gold band on her finger until it came off.

She stared at the small ring which used to hold so much importance in her life, closing her eyes she remembered her wedding day “Goodbye Riley” with that she dropped the ring down the small drain that was near the door and turned back to Willow who wrapped her in a hug.

~~

As the two girls made their way up to the porch Oz came out of the house, seeing Willow he smiled. Buffy sensing that they wanted to be alone, excused herself and went inside.

As she got inside she saw Spike hang up his duster, he turned at hearing someone enter the house and gave her a genuine smile.

“Hey” she smiled and moved closer.

“Lo’ Kitten” as she moved closer his arms went around her, oblivious to the rest of the people in the two rooms adjoining to the hallway.

She kissed him, not caring who saw and felt a giddy happiness when he kissed her back.

Yes things were going to be okay.

Buffy grabbed her suitcase and turned, shrieking and dropping the object when she noticed Angel standing in front of her. She gave a glance to her fallen suticase, thanking God that it hadn't split open and her clothes remained packed.

She sighed “Geez Angel, I love you but I’m getting you a bell” she joked and picked up her suitcase again, looking around the room to make sure she had everything with her. When she didn’t see Angel smile at her joke or move she put it back down.

“Is there something you wanted to talk about?” she asked as she sat down on the bed.

“What’s going on with you and Spike?” he asked, straight to the point.

“Well you saw me make out with him right next to your coat rack” she smiled.

“Buffy” his brown eyes held her gaze.

Just like that Buffy felt herself deflate, she slumped and rested her head on his shoulder “I love him Angel, I really do and I want to be with him now more than ever. I just don’t want to hurt him ever again, if I do I’ll never forgive myself, I still don’t forgive myself for breaking up with him. I never want to see pain in his eyes ever again” She took a deep breath to calm herself and waited for Angel to speak.

“Do you love him?” he asked.

“Yes” she answered.

“Do you care about him and want to be with him?”

“Yes, absolutely” she sat up straight.

“Then you’re going to be fine” he said comfortingly.

“You think so?” she asked, niggling insecurities still nagging away at her.

“Yes, you and Spike suit each other, there’s one person out there for all of us, the one person that will make us happy to be alive each day. That one person will make your heart speed up and slow down at the same time, will make you feel insanely in love, make you feel as if you’re the luckiest person in the world, if you feel like this with Spike, then you’re going to be fine” Angel hadn’t broken eye contact throughout the speech and Buffy smiled broadly.

“You are such a girl” she laughed when he pushed her “But you are correct. If Spike makes me feel like that then I will be fine. Darla’s a lucky girl” she kissed him on the cheek and grabbed her bag “thankyou Angel” with that she was gone.

~~

Spike placed Dawn’s bag in the car, this time it would just be Dawn, Buffy and himself. He smiled as the blonde came out of the house, an extra bounce in her step. She handed him her bag and gave him a kiss before hopping in the car.

Spike closed the boot but instead of walking around the driver’s side he walked past the passenger side and slid across the hood of the car, making Dawn and Buffy laugh and Angel roll his eyes.

As the trio drove away Dawn immediately fiddled with the radio, setting it on some pop music station. Spike glared at her and when Buffy started to hum along to one of the songs he groaned and prepared himself for hours of Britney Spears and Westlife.

An hour down the road, Dawn was sleeping and Buffy was leaning against the window.

“Pet you figured out what you’re going to do with Riley’s stuff?” he asked, glancing at her before returning his attention to the road.

“I’m going to Burn it” she answered, her tone lacking emotion.

“Buffy...” he began.

“No, Spike I’m going to burn that mother fucker’s clothes, objects and anything that I can find that reminds me of him and then I’m going to sell the house, maybe not straight away, I’ll have to search for a place but when I find one, I am moving out of that house” she answered, her voice never wavering.

Spike nodded “want any help?”

“Yeah I could always use a hand” she smiled at him.

~~

Buffy brought a box labelled ‘crap’ down the stairs “Okay here is another box of Riley’s clothes, put it on the pile” she gave it to Dawn who took it outside and put it on the pile that Spike had started.

Buffy looked around her bedroom, it was a lot more organised without Riley’s clothes all over the place, she grabbed the last box and came down the stairs.

“You ready luv?” Spike asked as he took the box from her.

She nodded and Dawn gave her some matches, Buffy lit one and dropped it on the pile, shrieking when the top box practically blew up. Spike pulled her back and they both gave Dawn a look.

“What? You expected all of that to burn without using a little petrol?” she snorted when all they did was look at her incredulously.

After an hour the fire was starting to die out so they went inside, Dawn put some popcorn in the microwave and turned to the blonde duo “So you guys wanna watch a movie?”

Buffy nodded “Yeah I’m up for a movie, what about you Spike?”

Spike gave a nod “As long as it’s horror.”

Both girls rolled their eyes.

~~

When they arrived back at Buffy’s house they had Willow and Oz with them, they had all met up at the video store so they had decided to stay together.

Dawn took up her place on the floor, several pillows surrounding her. Willow and Oz were leaning back against the couch, looking very couple-y. Buffy and Spike were sitting on the couch, not looking quite as much like a couple but Spike had his arm around her.

Halfway through the movie Buffy was barely paying attention. She’d been focused on Spike for the last ten minutes.

He turned his gaze to hers and smiled gently, Buffy bit her bottom lip and took in the situation, Dawn was half asleep and Willow and Oz were giggling at the movie and probably some of the comments that they were making.

She smiled wickedly and whispered “Meet me upstairs” she stood and started going up the stairs.

Spike arched a brow, knowing Buffy, things were about to get interesting, he stood and silently left the room.