Faith rubbed Buffy’s back as the blonde wiped a tear from her face. She had listened in disbelief as Buffy recounted what had happened last night. Her disbelief had turned to shock when she had heard the proposal that Xander had placed before Buffy. And then anger, when Buffy had told her that she had let him in her bed last night.

“I made sure we used protection,” Buffy said quickly.

“Every single time?” Faith asked skeptically, shaking her head. "How?"

“Yes,” Buffy whispered. “I.....made sure of it.”

“And the pills?” Faith asked, looking down at the pills in her hand.

“Just…….to be safe,” Buffy said, faltering a little.

Buffy couldn’t bring herself to tell Faith what had happened this morning. She just couldn’t. She would take the pills and then things would be fine. Completely fine. Faith looked at her disbelievingly, knowing that Buffy was holding something back. She decided to ignore it.

“Buffy,” Faith said, shaking her head. “You know you can’t trust that son of a bitch. Right?”

“I know,” Buffy said miserably. “I didn’t have a choice.”

“I’m sorry,” Faith said, exhaling audibly. “I’m here for you okay? Whatever you need.”

“Thanks,” Buffy said, drying her eyes.

“You hear me B?” Faith asked. “Whatever you need.”

Buffy frowned when Faith gave her a hard stare, as if trying to comprehend what Faith was saying. She stared at the pills on the table for a while, before she reached out for one, praying that it would work.

The next day…..

“I can explain,” Spike said. They had been sitting across the table for the last hour, each of them trying to find the words.

“Yes or no?” Buffy asked, looking down at her lap.

“It’s not that simple,” he said softly.

“Explain it to me,” Buffy said, keeping her voice deliberately steady.

“I…..borrowed….some….money,” Spike said. “Just for a little while. Until things got better. I kept paying some of it back from my salary. It……didn’t really cost anyone anything.”

It cost me everything, Buffy wanted to scream at him. He can never know, she had realized, as she tossed and turned on the very bed on which she had betrayed her marriage vows. Never.

“So…what happened?” she asked, a hint of bitterness creeping into her voice.

“Xander found out,” Spike said, tapping the table nervously. “But he said he’ll cover for me. Until I pay all of it back. He swore.”

Bastard, Buffy thought, with loathing she fought hard to conceal.

“It’ll be okay,” Spike promised, reaching out to take her hand in his. “I swear. We’ll take care of it.”

I already did, Buffy thought. Oh god, what did I do?

They lapsed into a long silence once again.

“I’m….going to stay in the guest bedroom,” Buffy said, withdrawing her hand.

“Buffy…….” Spike said as she rose from her seat, then walked away. “We can get past this.”

The plea in his voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Not today,” Buffy said, wiping her hand with her eyes.

Spike stared blankly after her, unable to believe what he had just heard. He had done this for her. He expected her to be upset, but surely not this much. He wasn't stealing. Not exactly.

“Fuck,” he whispered, rubbing his head.

I need a bloody drink. Or ten thousand.

When he heard his cellphone buzz he swore, but he felt glad when he saw who it was.

“Hey man,” Xander’s concerned voice said. “When didja get back? How are you?”

“I’m okay,” Spike said, rubbing his head, his voice ragged.

“Lemme guess?” he heard Xander say, in an amused voice. “Buffy.”

“Yeah,” Spike chuckled. “Buffy.”

Xander smirked as his brain flashed several delicious memories. Of him and Buffy acting out his many fantasies.Oh if you could only see your precious Buffy, Xander thought, shutting his eyes. See what she did to me. With me. What she let me do to her. If you could only see…..

“Listen man,” Xander said, trying to sound sincere. “I had to tell Anya. I’m sorry. I couldn’t keep it in, ya know? She’s my wife. I promise she’s cool.”

“You sure about that?” Spike asked, swallowing heavily. “My arse is on the line.”

“She hates the old man’s guts,” Xander chuckled. “As much as she likes you. Don’t worry. It’s like it never happened.”

It was yet another of the things that had infuriated Xander about Spike. The way his wife acted around him. Like a fucking schoolgirl. The way she shut her eyes when Xander made love to her. The way she bit her lip from moaning the wrong name. He grit his teeth, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat. It cut deep, knowing that his wife preferred another in her bed.

But not as much as knowing that your wife had another, Xander thought, smiling nastily. He felt an overwhelming urge to tell Spike what he had done, but controlled himself. No, as much as he’d enjoy torturing Spike, he knew that there was one thing he enjoyed even more. Bedding Buffy again. And again. And again. He saw no reason to stop.

“How did Buffy take it?” Xander asked, unable to resist a double entendre.

I know exactly how she took it, Xander thought snorting. She loved every minute of it. Even if the bitch pretends otherwise.

“Not well,” Spike said gruffly.

“Don’t worry,” Xander said. “She’ll come around.”

“Thanks,” Spike said, hanging up the phone.

She’ll come all right, Xander thought running his hand over the soft sheets he was lying in. Right here. I’ll make sure of it. Or she'll see your ass rot in jail.





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