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Buffy shook her head and snorted. “I don’t think so, Spike.”

“Then you explain to me why he smells like Superman?”

“Because of Lois. He’s around her all the time and she’s around Superman all the time.”

“Buffy, lingering scents I get. I can pick up on lingering scents, but they are just that, lingering.”

“Meaning...?”

“Faint. I can smell Giles on you, but to the core, I smell Buffy.”

“So, what you’re saying is you smell Superman, not faintly, but right there in your face?”

“Exactly. And you should have seen how he squirmed and fidgeted when I was told him I could smell Superman.”

Buffy’s eyes widened. “You told him that?”

“Yeah, why not? Wanted to see him squirm. And I did. He was positively fully of nerves pet. It was coming off him in waves.”

Buffy grinned, “That made you feel all manly didn’t it?”

“Of course.”

Buffy laughed. “All right, Sherlock, what else you got as evidence?”

“Well, the sheer size of him. I mean, Clark slouches a bit, but when he stands tall, he’s the same weight and height of Superman. Also, the hair, and of course the same blue eyes. You take those glasses off and you have Superman. Then there’s Lois. She’s practically his press agent, right?”

“Right.”

“I know you’re not blind, Buffy. You noticed Clark and how he was with Lois last night.”

Buffy smiled dreamily. “He was so sweet! All concerned with the holding her close and staying right by her side when she came to. He was a pillar of strength.”

Off Spike’s slight frown, she got serious. “But, that doesn’t mean Clark and Superman are the same person unless—“

“Unless Superman and Lois Lane are having an affair. For her to write as many articles as she does on him, exclusive interviews, they must be close.”

“You might be stretching with that one. Though I won’t argue that Clark seems to really care for Lois.”

“I refer back to the scent. Pet, how old am I?”

“Like over a hundred.”

“Exactly. I’ve killed two Slayers, I’ve survived Angelus and Dru – and a whole bunch of other wack jobs along the way. I’m a master vampire and I’ve had to learn how to survive. And do you know how I’ve had to do that?”

“Why don’t you just tell me Master Spike?”

“Watch it, pet,” Spike grinned, “I might really like that.”

In answer, Buffy rolled her eyes.

“I’ve had to study; observe. I’ve had to learn how to watch others and not just in battle. You learn how to watch everyone and everything. You know that as well as I do, pet. It’s how you’ve made it this far.”

“You know,” Buffy said, actually impressed, “You’re right.”

“That’s a first,” Spike muttered.

“Shut up. But...how is it that I was able to miss it? How is it that we were all able to miss it?”

“Because you’re all infatuated with the blue fairy—“

”Hey!” Buffy poked him. “Stop calling him that.”

“And because,” Spike went on, ignoring her, “Clark fades into the background. He’s easy to overlook. Superman is a large presence and Clark is not. No one really pays attention to Clark, and that was something he overlooked last night when he failed to have a reaction that I’m a vamp, and when he didn’t even bat an eye when I brought him here. Superman has seen my digs.”

“I still say that Clark could have just been concerned about Lois.”

“Do you believe me, pet? Or do you still need proof?”

Buffy groaned, “Oh, I don’t want to know how you’d go about proving it. Let’s say you’re right and Superman and Clark are the same person, and let’s say I believe you.”

“Okay,” Spike said slowly, nodding.

“We can’t uncover his identity, Spike.”

“Did I say we were?”

“I’m just saying...” Buffy said carefully. “There are a lot of people out there that would. For the glory or the pleasure of it, but—“

“Right, so the evil vampire must be one of them right?” Spike said, jumping up from his chair and glaring at Buffy.

“Spike, you have to admit, there has been times in the past when—“

“Right. Did you hear what you just said? The past, Buffy. That was all in the past.”

“And if you got the chip out? Would those things stay still in the past?” she asked softly, looking at the floor.

“How can you ask me that?” Spike nearly roared. “I can do fair damage by manipulating others and ruining their lives that way—I could ruin Clark Kent and Superman and have it not fire anything off in my brain, and do you know why I don’t?”

“Why?” Buffy whispered.

“Because of you, pet. Because I see the good you do and yeah, I don’t have a soul so doing evil is something I can do without guilt, but I don’t because I know you wouldn’t like it. Because I know to you, it’s not something to do, to just hurt people for pleasure. I know right from wrong, Buffy.” He stalked up to her and gripped her arms, leaning into her. “Buffy. . . you’re my soul. You keep me in check. With your heart and your fire...with your life and your passion. It’s the closest to heaven I’ll ever be and I want to grab onto that—you—with both hands and never let go.”

Her eyes were wide with fear and uncertainty. “Spike, I – I can’t be all those things. I’m just me. I’m just Buffy and I’m far from perfect—“

“I never said you were perfect,” he said, smirking. “I’ve seen the best and worst of you and I know with perfect clarity what you are.”

“What’s that?” she whispered fearfully.

“You’re a hell of a woman. You’re the one, Buffy.”

Her shoulders sagged and Spike hauled her out of the chair and into his arms. “I don’t know if I can be the one, Spike. I don’t know that I want to be. That’s so much pressure.”

“It’s not, really. You just keep being who you are.”

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t know who I am!”

“Yes, you do. You’re just afraid to accept all those parts of yourself – daughter, friend, savior, Slayer, woman – it’s all you, Buffy. You have power, yes, but you’re still a woman at the core. Once you learn to accept all that you are, you’ll see how much strength you really do have, you’ll see all that you have to offer – and that you are the one.”

He could feel her heart rate accelerate something fierce and he wondered what that was all about. “Spike?” she said, hesitantly, almost fearfully, looking up at him.

“Yes?” he whispered, looking down at her.

Licking her lips, she leaned up and pressed small kiss to his lips before snuggling back into his arms. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Spike stood there, arms full of his Slayer, completely stunned but thoroughly happy.





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