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Buffy threw Angel off of her arm and rushed to where Spike lay, suddenly not caring about the shock of his appearance. She looked franticly for some spot, some place that wasn't injured, so that she could touch him and tell herself that he was real. She just needed to touch him before she did what she knew needed to be done. And, she would do it, even if Spike didn't like it. And she knew he wouldn't.

She found the spot she needed. His left index finger was perfect. She was sure there were more areas that were undamaged, but didn't want to risk hurting him any more than she had to. "Hey," she whispered, sliding her fingertip along the soft skin of his hand. Surprising, she thought, with all the fighting he's done, you'd think his skin would be rougher than it is. I remember that as being his first in a long line of surprises. She tried to smile, knowing that he would sense it if she were upset, "You clean up real nice," she choked, "I'd hate to see what you looked like before I got here."

Yeah, well you should have seen the other guy, Pet.

"You should have called me. You know me, I love a good apocalypse," she smiled at the thought of fighting alongside him again, "I would have brought reinforcements. Maybe a rocket launcher or two?"

Right. Forgot about Big Blue. Who's idea was that, anyway?

"Xander's, actually. I just pulled the trigger."

Harris?! He actually had two thoughts in his head long enough to come up with a plan?

"Spike, stop it," she teased.

Watching Buffy talk to herself as if Spike was answering her unnerved Angel. Maybe the shock of seeing Spike like this had driven her a little mad. "Buffy, maybe you should sit down. You look a little tired. Maybe, once you get some rest..."

Tell him to bugger off, Pet. I'd do it myself, only I'm a little hoarse.

"Okay," she said as she turned to Angel, never letting go of Spike's hand, "Go away, Angel," she smirked, "Only he said it with a little more...enthusiasm ."

Enthusiasm? I told him to Bugger. Off.

Buffy smiled and shook her head, "Go away. Again. Louder this time."

Angel couldn't take it anymore, "Buffy, who are you talking to?"

She would have laughed, if the question hadn't been so downright stupid. She answered, her eyes never leaving Spike's hand, her back turned toward Angel, "Well duh. Who else in this room is worth talking to?"

Careful, Slayer, the pin you just put in that over inflated ego could cause a vacuum that could just blow us all back to Sunnydale. And, no offense, but I am NOT going through that again.

"No one is asking you to, Spike. Once was more than enough."

Twice.

"Oh, ha, ha. Very funny. I'm going to make sure there isn't a third time."

Ditto.

"Wait, you've actually seen 'Ghost'?"

Didn't have to see it, Pet. I lived it. Well, you know, for a while I was a ghost.

This revelation was enough to make her tear her gaze away from his hand, if she looked anywhere else she knew she would start to cry, and narrow her eyes at Angel, "Really," her voice took on a low menacing tone, "No one told me."

Sensing that, somehow, just by being in the room, he'd gotten himself into trouble, Angel spoke up, "I...I..." he gave up, waving his hands in the air, he shouted, "Who are you talking to?"

Now it was Buffy's turn to be confused, "You mean, you don't hear him?" she asked, dreading the answer, because if Angel couldn't hear Spike, then that could only mean one of three things: Either she was crazy, or that demon aspect thing was back, but that was hard to believe, since aside from the occasional Italian vampire, she hadn't fought any demons lately. Or, somehow, Spike and she were connected. Buffy hoped the answer was one of the last two. She didn't want to be crazy, no matter how nice it was to hear Spike's voice again.

"No," Angel answered, simply.

"Oh."

No big change there, Love. He never listened to me before. Why in the bloody Hell would he start now? Listen, don't have a wiggins. We'll figure this out. In the meantime, I've got you all to myself. I kind of like it. Do wish I could touch you though.

Now Buffy had to laugh, "Wiggins? Spike, I love you, but, you've been around me too long. You're starting to pick up my idioms."

Please, Love, say it again.

"What, wiggins?"

No. The other.

"Idioms?" Buffy asked sweetly, knowing what he needed to hear. But, also knowing that if she didn't give him a hard time, make him feel comfortable, then no amount of Slayer blood would help him heal.

No. The other, other.

"I love you, Spike," she held her breath, praying that he wouldn't say it. Not again, please. I don't think I could take it. When the noise in her head was curiously silent, she asked, "Spike?"

The voice in her head was awestruck. Yeah, Love I'm still with you. Just...never thought I'd hear you say that. It's just a little...wow.

"Why are you surprised? I've said it before."

Confusion. No, you haven't, Love. That's something I think I'd remember you telling me.

Maybe he didn't remember. Maybe the reason he hadn't come back for her was because he didn't remember that she'd told him in the Hellmouth. The thought made her want to grab him and hold him tight and never, ever let him go again. She would have too, if he hadn't been so badly burned.

The joy she felt in her heart over not being rejected made her heart so full that it had to burst. Somehow, some way, it had to burst. Buffy broke out into heart-rending sobs.

Oops, crying now was not the thing to do. Almost immediately she felt the concern slam into her head.

Love, what's wrong?! You're crying. And, don't tell me you're not. I can hear it, and, I can smell it. You don't need an audience for this, Love. I wish to bloody Hell I could tell Angelus to get out of here!

"Angel," she sniffed, "why don't you and Miss Blue Bonnet go, I don't know, somewhere?"

"But , Buffy..."

"Oh, Angel, do whatever you want! Just... do it somewhere that's else, right now."

"What if he..."

"What's he gonna do? Is he gonna get up off the bier and ravish me?"

There's an idea!

Angel saw the Mona Lisa smile that crossed Buffy's face, decided he'd better not ask, especially if she wasn't crazy, and Spike was talking to her, took Illyria by the elbow, for which he got a scowl, and left them alone.

"Good. Now that we're alone, we can get down to business..."

Now there's a plan I can get behind.

"...Spike what's the last thing you remember... about that day on the Hellmouth?"

You mean after Angel's little bauble started doing its thing?

"Uh huh"

Nothing, except for the pain. And waking up in Angel's office, all specter-like. Why?

"You don't remember telling me that I didn't love you?"

No. Buffy, I would never say a thing like that to you!

"You did."

Buffy, if I said that, I didn't mean it. I don't remember saying that, Love, I'm sorry. Truly sorry.

"That's okay. All's forgiven," Now came the hard part. She fiddled with the small knife in her pocket. The Slayers and the Boy Scouts, always prepared. Buffy needed a distraction if this was going to work. Glancing first at Spike, to be sure he was all right, she walked over to the empty stone bier and tore the top off, tossing it against the chamber wall. Hoping the noise would distract him long enough, she sliced her palm open, hissing at the sting she felt as the blade penetrated her skin.

Buffy! What was that? I smell blood. Are you hurt?

"Only a little," she said as she walked back to the bier he was laying on, "Oh, Spike, it's your lucky day! Nice ripe girl, delivered hot and fresh right to you."

You're never going to let a bloke live that down, are you? Buffy, tell me you didn't...

"Yes I did, and no, I won't. Better hurry," she placed her hand as close to the side of his face and neck as she dared, letting the blood trickle down into the wounds, "Or it'll go to waste."

Buffy don't. I won't take it. I won't use you as a meal.

She smiled, knowingly, "Then get up and stop me. Oh, that's right, you can't right now. You can't even argue with me until you have a throat. And, you won't have a throat without my help, so, I guess you're stuck. But, if you won't take my blood, I know there are at least five other Slayers in Los Angeles, County. I'm sure they would love to traipse through a dank, underground crypt to get a chance to gawk at L.A.'s version of vampire flambé. But, I'm sure you wouldn't want that. So, until you can speak up for yourself, you're stuck."

Bossy bint.

"Oh, yeah," she smiled as she watched the muscles begin the long process of healing themselves, "I'd say we're looking at about a month of a 'Slayer rich' diet. That, and some tender loving care, should put you on the mend. At least enough to argue with me, then we'll see what you need from there."

A month? I look that bad?

"To me, you look perfect. But, to anyone else? You're pretty trashed. Glory was a piece of cake, compared to this," the blood flow started to slow, because the gash on her hand was healing up, "Looks like that's all for tonight. I'll bring the Blue Bonnet back in here," she walked toward the chamber archway, "You know, she looked at me like I was going to tear apart her favorite squeak toy?"

She would. She thinks I'm her pet.

Buffy chuckled, "Does she? Well, I'll just have to set her straight. You good for a few minutes, while I get her? After that, I'm going to get some straight talk from Angel."

Yeah, I'm good. I love you.

"I love you too, Spike," she whispered as she left the chamber.





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