A/N: Thank you gorgeous people who left me a review. :D You're made of win!!! I want to hand-feed you grapes as the proof of my gratitude, but it looks like my replies will have to sufice. ;)

Beta'd by the awesome ladies All4Spike and BloodyHell.

Disclaimer in full effect, baby.

Chapter 2


Buffy’s eyes widened before she bolted out of the living room.


Shit, the ice-cream!


There it was, all melted and spreading across the floor. Buffy rushed to grab paper towels from the kitchen to clean it up. Good thing there was no carpet in the foyer.


“Great,” she muttered. “What did I do to deserve this? Here I was, moping in private and that pest had to come here and-”


“Are you talking to yourself? Because that’s a first sign of insanity, Slayer. Hope you won’t go all bonkers on me,” Spike said as he sauntered over to her.


“Someone sounds a lot more sober,” she remarked with a frown.


“Yeah, well… vampire constitution. Gotta keep drinking pretty much non-stop to stay juiced. And ‘m not sober… don’t wanna be.”


Buffy rolled her eyes and wondered why she was still talking to him. “Why are you still here? Just go before I change my mind and stake you.”


Spike snorted and leaned against the door jamb as he rubbed his forehead. “Go on and do your worst. I don’t care.”


“A suicidal vamp. Great. Because my life has been so simple up to this point,” she mumbled and went into kitchen to throw the dirty paper towels and container into the trash. As soon as she turned, Spike was right there. Mere inches away from her. So close their noses were almost touching. Why didn’t she hear him move? And why wasn’t he dust yet? Apparently, Spike wasn’t the only one with a death wish.


“You have to help me,” he said. Was that desperation in his voice? She so didn’t care.


Buffy let out a humourless chuckle. “Really? And why would I do that?”


His eyes narrowed as his temper flared once more and Buffy found herself backing away as he stalked her. Her back hit the counter and she cursed her stupidity for even allowing him to get that close. Spike might be pathetic, but his fangs were still in working order.


“You’ll help me fix it because this is all your fault! Dru left me because of you! Do you think you can just prance into my life with your bouncy hair and short skirts and ruin everything?” Spike clenched his jaw and before he could get into his rant again, Buffy put her hands on his chest to shove him away.


Then the strangest thing happened.


Spike gazed at her and there was such softness in those eyes that it stunned her speechless. She was helpless to do anything but watch as he lifted his forefinger and pressed it to her cheek. Then he took it away and glanced at his fingertip.


“Eyelash,” he said and before Buffy could move, he was gone.


His words registered a moment later. “What’s wrong with my hair?”


“You got any more liquor, pet?”


“What? Would you stop searching the cupboards? I asked you a question!”


Spike swung around to face her and tilted his head. “What’s with the attire? Getting sloppy in your old age, Slayer?”


Buffy glanced down at her sweat pants and scowled. “It’s not like I was expecting anyone.”


“Not even Peaches?”


“Who?”


“You know… your poncy git of a boyfriend,” Spike said with a sneer.


“Oh. Angel. Yeah, that would be a big no. He’s kinda… not here anymore.”


“Why’s that?”


“You know, Spike… that’s none of your business,” she said.


“Couldn’t care less anyway.” He shrugged and opened the refrigerator. “Strawberries! Got any chocolate sauce?”


Buffy stared at him in disbelief then marched over to yank the box of fruit out of his hands. “Again I ask, what the hell do you think you’re doing, Spike?”


Spike arched an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with her unvoiced threats. “Thought it was pretty obvious. Never pegged you to be that thick, but can’t say I’m surprised. I’m stealing from your fridge,” he said with a cocked eyebrow and looked at her as if she lacked half of brain.


“Oh my God, you know that’s not what I meant!”


Fed up with him and too tired to play games with a soulless vampire, Buffy snatched a wooden spoon and pressed the sharp end against his chest. “Why. Are. You. Here?”


“Umm… already told you, Slayer. You gotta make things right.”


“What? Did Drusilla dump you again? Because as much as I do not care, I’m starting to get annoyed with you always getting back here to make trouble. Why me, Spike? Do you get a kick out of being obnoxious and complicating my life? Have you ever thought about the fact that maybe she cheats on you because she’s a ho?”


His posture tensed, jaw tightened. “Shut your mouth! Drusilla is ten times the woman that you could ever hope to be.”


“And yet you’re here,” Buffy said and put more force on the makeshift weapon.


“She left because of you and no matter what I say or do can convince her that she’s being… well… off her rocker. Or more so than usual.”


“And you want me to what?”


Spike’s shoulders slumped, his gaze darting around the kitchen to avoid looking at her. “Eh… dunno… I was planning on cutting your head off and bringing it to her on a silver platter.” He eyed the spoon nervously.


Was he for real? Surely even Spike had more sense than that, right? Then again, it was Spike.


“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t end you.”


“Because I didn’t?”


Yup, his lack of sense had now been officially confirmed. Buffy rolled her eyes. “That’s it? You really are suicidal.”


“Come on, Slayer… I helped you save the world! Doesn’t that count as a point in my favour?”


Her lips pursed. She so had not needed his help anyway. But she’d throw him a bone. This time. “If I help you, will you stop coming back to my town to cause trouble?”


“Cross my heart and hope to die,” he said with a hopeful smile.


“You’re already dead,” she replied with a scowl. Reluctantly, she removed the spoon from his chest but kept it handy. After all, she wasn’t that stupid.


“Yeah, well… it’s the thought that counts, right?”


“Just so we’re clear, there will be no trying to behead me. You try and I’ll personally cut off your testicles and make you wear them as accessories. Are we clear?”


“Bloody hell, woman. No wonder Angel left,” he muttered, but as he saw the coldness in her eyes indicating his impending demise, he added, “No beheading. Got it.”


“So what’s the big plan?”


“Err… you mean other than bringing you to her as my trophy? Nothing much.”


“You don’t have any plan?” she asked incredulously. Seriously? And why was she even surprised by this?


“Never think too much ahead, to be honest.”


“Not thinking at all would be more like it,” she mumbled under her breath.


“Oi! I heard that.” Spike leaned against the fridge, folded his arms across his chest. “Besides, it‘s not like you’re a thinker yourself. Got frumpy librarian for that, don’t you?”


“Giles is not frumpy.” Buffy furrowed her brows as one of his remarks registered in her brain. “What did you mean she left you because of me?”


Spike squirmed under her gaze, arms dropping to his sides as he glanced away. She got suspicious. What was he hiding from her?


“Ummm… the… ah… the truce!” He pointed at her. “Yeah, that’s right. Dru left me because you made me help you with the whole poncy world saving thing and now she thinks I’ve gone all soft. Which is a load of bollocks because just yesterday I-”


“Do not even think of finishing that sentence if you don’t want to see your unlife flash before your eyes,” Buffy said. “So I see the torturing her bit didn’t really work out for you. What a shocker.”


He shrugged, looking uncomfortable. And Spike being bashful? Kind of funny.


“I’ve never been really into the whole pre-show. That was more Angelus’ thing. Me, I’ve never really liked hurting her even though most times, that’s what she wanted,” Spike said without meeting her eyes.


While the Angelus comment stung, it wasn’t something Buffy could ignore and neither was the fact that Spike just admitted he didn’t like torturing someone he loved. He was either lying to get into her good graces or he was just really weird for a vampire. She was leaning towards the former.


“Have you ever thought about… you know… moving on?”


Spike stared at her like she’d sprouted a tail and horns. She glanced behind just to be sure. This was Hellmouth, after all. Also, he looked as though his eyes might pop out of his head. They better not. She did not want any eyeballs rolling down her floor. Mom made her mop it two days ago!


“Moving on? I’ve bloody loved that woman for more than a century and you’re telling tell me I should move on?”


“Well, I hate to say it… actually, I don’t… but she obviously has. I mean what point is there if she doesn’t love you back?”


“She does love me! Maybe not in the same way as I love her, but she cares about me as much as someone so damaged can,” he said. “I miss her.”


His shoulders slumped; Buffy felt a fleeting moment of sympathy. Then she realized who she was feeling it for and stomped on the unwelcome feeling as quickly as she could. He didn’t deserve her compassion.


“You’re pathetic, you know that?”


“I can join your club then.”


Okay, be kind, rewind. He better not have been implying that she was pathetic. “What is that supposed to mean?” she asked with just the right hint of threat in her voice.


At least she wasn’t the one who sniffled like a little girl upon seeing hydrants and dilapidated benches. ‘Oh, me and Queen of the Damned killed a homeless man here, yada freaking yada.’ He so had no right to cast any stones… because of the whole glass houses thing and stuff.


“I’m not the one who’s been holed up at home, eating ice-cream on a Friday night,” he pointed out way too smugly.


“No, you were too busy falling drunk on your face.” Ha! Take that, smart-ass.


“I had a good reason!”


“So did I!” she yelled back.


“Well, boo-hoo, Slayer. You and Angelus were together what… a couple of years at most? A few months? You couldn’t have been together that long before you spread your dimpled knees for him.” He sneered and eyed the knees in question. “Then his soul buggered off… which, thanks again for ruining my life. Like putting me in a wheelchair wasn’t bad enough. And the last time I was here, you two were very busy not dating.” He tilted his head. “So tell me, Slayer, how does that compare with what I and Dru had?”


Buffy opened her mouth and closed it again, not knowing which insult to address first and if she in fact had a valid argument. “It’s Angel, not Angelus and my knees are not dimpled!”


Spike shook his head, giving her a mock pitying look. “See? That just proves how little you really know him. Angel, Angelus, Where is the diff besides having the guilt forced upon him to restrain those urges? They’re still there, under the surface of those puppy-dog eyes. He’s still the same broody, manipulative wanker with a penchant for blondes that he’s ever been. The only difference is that he’s playing for the other team. And if you’re so naïve not to see that, then I feel sorry for you.”


Feeling the sudden urge to hit him and wipe that know-it-all expression from his face, her hands closed into fists.


“You know nothing about what we had, Spike and don’t even pretend to care. I love him.”


“No, you love the idea of him. Bloody Prince Charming, all dark and mysterious that saves the day and sweeps you off your feet.”


“I don’t need anyone to sweep me off my feet. I’m the Slayer,” she hissed through the clenched teeth.


“Ain’t that the rub, pet? No matter how strong you are, how independent, in your heart… deep down… you know what you want is not to be alone, to share the burden with someone else and to simply let them be the strong one for once. And whether you wanna hear it or not, Angel will never be that bloke. His ego is far too big to take someone else’s feelings into consideration for the long haul.”


“That’s not true. He loves me. I know he does.”


“Not saying he doesn’t. Just not enough to stay,” Spike said and stared into her eyes.


“He left me because it was the right thing to do. So I could have a normal life.”


Spike let out a laugh. “Is that what he told you? Bloody priceless! You’re the Slayer. Newsflash, you’ll never have a normal life. But you already know that, so who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?”


Buffy turned her face away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. What right did he have to play mind games with her? He had no idea what he was talking about.


Spike stared at her profile. “I’d never leave the person I love, especially knowing how much danger you’re in every day. Even if I had to hide in the shadows and just watch your back without being able to touch you, I’d do it. Been with Dru for over hundred years knowing she’d never love me the way I love her, haven’t I? Never stopped me from being at her side and taking care of her.”


“Just… shut up,” she said. And the worst thing? She could feel the familiar lump burn and swell in the back of her throat. She would die before she let him see her cry.


“What? Did I take off those pink glasses off your nose? You should thank me.”


Buffy suddenly marched over to him and punched him in the nose. “Get out.”


“We have a deal,” he growled.


“Not anymore, we don’t.”


She grabbed the lapels of his duster and threw him out through the back door in the kitchen. “If you two love each other so much, you don’t need me to get her back, do you?”


With that, Buffy slammed the door before she slid down and let the tears fall down her cheeks as a million thoughts rushed through her mind.


She never noticed Spike was still standing outside the door.


TBC


A/N: Reviews make me happy, and when I'm happy, I write more. I am in no way insinuating anything by this. Just thought I should let you know. ;)