Chapter Six


A/N: Yay, look at me with two posts on two consecutive days. Just like old times! :-)

Just when I was wondering where you had all gone to, you turned up, so thank you to everyone out there reading. I was worried I'd been abandoned. :-s Now, enough melodrama... on with the story...


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In the afternoon, as Spike slept once more, she finally joined the group downstairs. She found Xander and Willow in the kitchen, apparently enjoying some time away from the girls, who she soon found out had ventured out to the town’s mall with Dawn as their guide. She greeted her friends with a wide smile and slid onto a stool, rolling her aching shoulders.

“Hey guys! What’s up?”

“Not much,” Xander replied, watching her with worried eyes, “What about you?”

“I’m fine. Just a bit tired.”

“Did you get any sleep last night?” Willow asked with a concerned frown.

“Minimal,” she replied with a grimace, “And upright, when I did. Now my neck is killing me.”

She almost missed the look her two friends shared but just caught it and she frowned, looking between them.

“What?”

They turned back to her guiltily and there was a pause before Xander dared to speak up.

“Maybe you should reclaim your bed, Buff,” Xander commented hesitantly.

She frowned at her friend’s words and looked to Willow, to see if she agreed. When Willow avoided her gaze, she took that as affirmation of Xander’s words.

“I will,” she replied firmly, “As soon as Spike’s better.”



A silence passed over them for several long moments before Willow spoke up.

“It’s just, you know, maybe it isn’t safe.”

“Safe?!” she echoed, looking between her two oldest friends with something like bewilderment.

“Buff, come on,” Xander said quietly, “The First could trigger Spike at any time and then… Bam! You’ve got a massacre on your hands!”

“What exactly are you trying to say?” she got out, crossing her arms over her chest.

“We just… we think it’d be safer if Spike was back in the basement,” Willow commented quietly, glancing at Xander, “If he was tied up again.”

She let that sink in for a moment before she replied in amazement.

“Were you not looking when I brought him in?!” she exclaimed, “He’s battered! He could hardly hold himself up on his own feet! And you think he’s going to be starting a massacre?!”

“Buff, we just-“

“You know, this discussion isn’t happening,” she interrupted, cutting off Xander’s attempt at placating her, “Spike’s staying in my room until he’s one hundred percent better.”

Her friends were silent and she stared them down, before softening.

“Look, I just… he’s bad, guys. I need to get him back to full strength.”

Xander mumbled something in reply that she couldn’t quite make out and she turned to him, outwardly confident and firm but inwardly slightly nervous.

“Sorry?”

Xander raised his eyes to hers and jutted his chin out just a tiny bit.

“I said, you’re getting too close.”



She paused for a second to calm her temper and then met her friend’s gaze.

“Are you volunteering to look after him?” she asked Xander pointedly.

She stared him down until he looked away ashamedly and she lifted her chin triumphantly.

“That’s what I thought. But if you think I’m just going to leave him to get through this alone, you really don’t know me very well.”

“We know you want to help him, Buffy,” Willow spoke up softly, “We’re just worried you’re… you’re too invested in him.”

“What do you think? That because I’m helping him get better, I’m suddenly going to start sleeping with him again?!” she asked angrily, folding her arms tighter over her chest.

“We didn’t-“

“No, we-“

“I can’t believe you guys! You’re supposed to be my friends… you’re supposed to know me better than anyone.”

She somehow managed to clamp down on her anger and turned her back on her friends, taking long deep breaths to calm herself.

“We just don’t want you to get hurt,” Xander commented quietly, “Again.”

She took a shaky breath and turned to her friends, her expression a mask of calm confidence.

“In the end, though, it’s my choice if I decide to take the plunge again, isn’t it?”

Her friends’ eyes went wide with surprise but before they could say anything, she turned her back on them and left the room.



She darted up the stairs before her bravado could disappear and slipped into her room, shutting the door behind her and sinking her head against it. She took several long shaky breaths and blew the hair from her face, her hands pressed against the door in tight fists.

“Buffy?”

Spike’s low voice startled her and she jolted upright, quickly turning around to face him. Flustered and angry, she hadn’t even noticed he was wide awake and propped up on the cushions, now watching her with a gentle expression.

“Everythin’ alright?”

She pushed herself upright and brushed herself down.

“I’m fine,” she got out, her tone still belying her anger, “How are you feeling?”

“Sore,” he remarked with a grimace, shifting to make himself more comfortable, “But I’ll be fine.”

He paused and she could feel his eyes on her, sizing her up, delving straight to the root of her stress.

“Problems with the Scoobies?”

Her eyes darted to his in surprise at his perceptiveness and he shrugged nonchalantly – the movement only spoiled by the wince of pain he couldn’t suppress.

“You get a certain look about you when you’re mad at them,” he explained with an almost fond smile, “’Course, it’s a look I know quite well.”

She gave him a weak smile and slipped into the chair by the bed, her shoulders drooping. She sank back and closed her eyes tiredly, one hand resting over her eyes.



Silence reigned for several minutes and she drank it in, enjoying the comfortable atmosphere between them.

“Wanna talk about it?” Spike asked after another few minutes of silence.

She hesitated, considering it for a moment, and then sat up, meeting his questioning gaze. She tucked her leg under her and took a deep breath, before speaking up.

“They think you’re dangerous,” she explained, her tone turning cold despite her best attempts to stay calm.

“I’ve always been dangerous,” he replied with a smile and she smiled helplessly in return, rolling her eyes. She sighed and rested her head on her bent arm.

“So what did they recommend?” Spike continued, “Wanna put me down like a bad dog or what?”

“They want you in the basement again. Tied up.”

He was silent and she watched him, trying to read the expressions flitting across his face but failing.

“You know, Buffy, if you think it’s best-“

“Don’t even go there.”

His head snapped towards her and he regarded her for a long moment in silence, his bright gaze searching hers.

“Well alright then,” he commented finally, smiling ever so slightly.

“Thank God,” she joked weakly, “I haven’t got the energy to fight with you as well.”



He was watching her again with those keen eyes, making her almost uncomfortable.

“You should get some rest,” he said softly, “You look tired.”

“I’m fine,” she reassured him with a smile.

“I don’t want you running yourself down trying to make me better,” he replied seriously.

“I’m fine, Spike. Really.”

He didn’t look convinced and she sighed, brushing her hair from her face.

“I’ll rest later, okay?”

He narrowed his eyes at her, making her feel strangely like a scolded child.

“Spike, please, I’m too tired to do this.”

His triumphant look told her that her protest had worked in his favour rather than hers and she let out a sigh.



“Come on.”

She looked up at Spike’s words and frowned as he started to wriggle in the bed, struggling to pull himself towards the edge.

“What are you doing?” she got out, getting to her feet.

“You need some sleep. I’m giving you your bed back,” he explained, glancing back at her.

“Spike, don’t be stupid,” she protested, moving around the bed to face him, “You need to rest more than I do.”

“I’ve been resting for most of the day… and night.”

“You’re hurt,” she protested weakly, frowning when he persisted, pushing himself to his feet. He wavered and she caught him just as his hand dashed out and grabbed her shoulder. Seconds later, he righted himself, smiling softly down at her.

“See? Shaky, but fine.”

She frowned and guided him back on to the bed, not missing the sharp breath he let out as he sat back down again. She straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes flicking to the bed and then back to his.

“I’ll lie down,” she finally conceded, “Just for a bit.”

He smiled gently and she circled the bed, regarding it and him for a few moments before sliding onto the edge. Having managed to prop himself up on the pillows once more, Spike watched her with an almost hesitant expression as she paused, biting her lip as she threw a glance at him.

Finally, decisively, she lay down and rested her head on the pillows, her eyes trained on his belt.

“I’ll just rest for a few minutes,” she whispered sleepily, struggling to keep her eyes open.

“Okay, love.”

She nodded firmly and smiled triumphantly, even as her eyes slowly slid closed.