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Spike felt like a world class dick. For all his powers of observation, how had he missed that?

“I can read lips, and loud sounds are slightly muffled to me, so when you talk to me, you’ll have to look at me so I can read your lips,” Buffy explained. Now that he knew, he could hear the slight muffled tone to her voice.

“I can sign too, but I find that since most people don’t, I don’t bother unless I’m around those who can,” she went on to explain.

Spike was making like a guppy; he looked to the Sarge for help and found the older man shaking his head in disappointment. Well, that was nothing new now was it? He turned back to Buffy. “I’m sorry; I didn’t realize—“

She smiled at him softly, “It’s all right. How would you know unless someone told you?”

“I’m usually quick to pick up on things, I’m embarrassed.”

“For your powers of observation being off, or for getting upset with me?” She was teasing him, he could tell by her smile.

How was it that he had just colossally insulted her, and she was the one making him feel better for doing it? Shouldn’t she be demanding someone else stay with her? Someone less insulting, perhaps? He didn’t know quite what to say to her, so instead he said nothing and just smiled in what he hoped was sheepish manner. Really, all he wanted was for the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

“So, now that you’ve stuck your foot in your mouth, why don’t you escort Miss Summers home?” Sergeant Rayne directed.

“Yes, sir,” Spike mumbled and stood.

Buffy stood slowly. She looked up at him. “I’ll follow your lead.”

That might not be wise Spike thought sardonically. Following my lead might be detrimental to your health.

He headed toward his desk where Finn was hanging around. Eyebrows raised, he studied the oaf. “Something I can do you for, Finn?”

“Nothing, I heard you were taking over at Buffy’s.”

Spike’s eyes narrowed, “You heard or you eavesdropped?”

Finn gave him a look, and opened his mouth to speak when the Sergeant bellowed for him and Gunn. Before departing however, Finn reached out and touched Buffy’s arm, catching her attention. She jumped a mile from the touch, and Spike rolled his eyes. That’s right, scare the girl whose home just got broken into, you git.

“We’ll take good care of you,” Finn said slowly, forming each word perfectly, if not exaggerated.

“Thank you,” Buffy said graciously, smiling up at him.

Grabbing his holster and jacket, Spike looked at Buffy who was now watching him intently now that Finn was gone, “Ready?”

She nodded and brought her blanket around her tighter. He led her to his car, his black vintage DeSoto and expected to hear some grumbling. Women usually grumbled when they came across his car. Instead though, she just waited patiently for him to unlock her door and she climbed in.

The car ride was silent and more because Spike was aware he had to look at her to talk than anything else. His mind was buzzing with all sorts of questions. How’d it happen? Were you born with it? How do you talk on the phone? Did they do anything to you when they broke in? How did you happen to witness your boyfriend and best friend being murdered? He also figured that most of those questions were not PC, or rather, just downright rude.

He also felt like a git for not telling her they were going to his place first. He was going to need a few things after all. Pulling into the parking lot of his apartment, he pulled the car into a spot and cut the engine. He turned to her and found her looking up at him, as if she anticipated him to speak to her.

“Gathering your things?” she asked him.

He nodded, “Yeah. You’re quick, you know that?”

She shrugged. “Have to make up for that which I lack,” and she climbed out of the car. “By the way,” she said, “You have a nice car.”

He stared at her dumbfounded from over the hood. “You like it?”

“A DeSoto, right?”

“Right,” he said slowly.

She nodded, “My brother Angel had one.”

“Where is your brother?”

“He’s in New York right now. He was staying with me for a bit, but his job is very demanding and he had to leave for a few days.”

“And that’s when the break- in happened?”

She nodded, “Yes. I’m glad he wasn’t there, though. Who knows if they waited until I was alone, or if they would have come anyway and hurt him.”

“Most people would be pissed that they were left alone for that to happen to them.”

She smiled warmly. “I’m not like most people.”

“I guess not,” he said and smiled back at her. He found her simply amazing. There was something so sweet about her, so unguarded and innocent, and yet there was a hint of jadedness about her. He was intrigued. She was a mystery to him, and he always did like to get to the bottom of a mystery…

Entering the apartment on the second floor, Spike winced. He knew the state of his flat. What he lacked in decoration and homey touches, he made up for in clutter and mess. Flicking on the light, he started to apologize for the state of his flat, for the pizza boxes, sub wrappers, beer and red bull cans, empty coffee mugs papers spread out all over, and for the lack of furniture, when he felt her small delicate hand touch his arm.

He stopped his apology abruptly and turned to her. She couldn’t hear him and he’d been talking without looking at her.

“Were you speaking?” she inquired.

“I was; I’m sorry. . . How did you know?”

“I sense these things. What were you saying?”

“I was apologizing for how my place looks.”

She shrugged, “You are a man. It doesn’t bother me.”

He let out a sigh of relief. “Wait here on the couch. I’ll grab a few things and we’ll go.”

She grabbed his arm before he could walk away. “Spike?”

“Yeah?”

“Could we …could we stay here?”

He blinked, “What?”

“My home was broken into tonight while I was in it; in the shower mind you. I just don’t feel like going back there. Can we stay here, please?”

Her big green eyes were full of trepidation as she looked up at him. How could he say no? It had to be scary as hell for her, especially since she couldn’t hear so well. “Sure, Buffy, we could stay here. Just let me clean up.”

She heaved a sigh. “Thank you. Let me help you.”

“Buffy, you don’t have to do that.”

“Let me, please. It will give me something to do to take my mind off things and besides, I am a guest, and I have made this request to stay.”

He nodded, obliging her. “Sure. Follow me.”





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