Buffy climbed out through the window and down the tree. As many nights before she thanked the gods for the very convenient tree right outside her window. She headed to the Restfield cemetery. She hoped that Spike would be there as the night before.

‘To stake him of course’, she told herself but she knew it wasn’t true. A fledgling jumped out in front of her and she staked him without breaking her stride.

“You’re getting better”, a voice came from the shadows.

“Hi Spike”, Buffy said a little too happily as he rolled out from under a tree. “Isn’t it quite dangerous for you to be here? You know, with the slayer hanging about and possibly spies from Angel.”

“You just staked the spy, love”, Spike said. “I would feel if someone else was here, they’re family and all.”

“So Angel’s not going to show?”

“The poofter was out earlier this evening, just after sunset. Disappointed?”

“A world of no”, Buffy answered and took an apple out of her pocket and took a bite. “So there are no vamps here tonight or are you lying to me?”

“I thought you got the tingles if a vampire was around”, Spike said. “Isn’t that a part of the Slayer package?”

“It still needs a little practising. Giles thinks I should have it fully developed now because I’ve been a Slayer for like three years now but I guess that I’m a slow learner.” Why couldn’t she stop talking and start staking him? She knew she would pay for it when he got his strength back.

“You learned my moves quickly enough, pet”, Spike said and lit a cigarette. “The first time we fought I would’ve killed you if your mum hadn’t hit me with an axe and now you’ve crippled me.”

“Still haven’t staked you though”, Buffy said and bit her lip.

“I’m right here.” Spike opened his duster baring his chest to her. Buffy stared at his t-shirt clad breast. What the hell was he doing? He had gone from light and joking to serious in the blink of an eye.

“What is this?” she asked looking at his face again. He was completely serious.

“Just do it. I’m tired of hearing Angelus bragging about how he shags Drusilla. I’m tired of hearing the moans as he is shagging her. I’ve spent over a hundred years taking care of her, loving her, but as soon as her daddy shows up she doesn’t care about me anymore.” Spike ripped apart his t-shirt and Buffy flinched.

“Just stake me now, I don’t want to go back there, I’m through with Dru.”

“I’m not going to stake you”, Buffy said softly.

“So I’ll stay tortured is that it?” Spike asked rage blazing in his blue eyes.

“No, because I like you.” Buffy froze, it had just slipped out. How could she like him? He was her enemy but nevertheless she liked him. Spike stared at her and she looked down blushing, her gaze on his bare chest.

‘Wow, those are some muscles’, she thought and then became even redder and looked at the ground.

“You like me?” Spike asked and his jaw dropped.

“Um yeah, I don’t know when that happened.” Buffy looked up again and her eyes locked with his. She saw something that looked like awe in them.

“Huh”, he said surprised. “And I thought last night was weird.” Buffy laughed weakly.

“Tell me about it”, she said and threw her apple in the bushes. An ouch was heard and a vampire stumbled out. It attacked Buffy and got in a few punches on her before she got a hold of her stake and drove it into the vampire’s heart. But before it dusted it kicked Buffy in the stomach making her stumble and fall into Spike’s lap. Buffy held her hands on Spike’s bare chest and was just going to push herself up when she noticed the bulge that was building in his jeans. She gasped in surprise and stared at Spike.

“So are you planning on standing up or are you going to sit here forever, love?” Spike asked his voice husky.

“Oh um, sorry”, Buffy said standing up and blushing. “I just, sorry.” She was suddenly feeling very hot.

“No I’m sorry”, Spike said looking uneasily at her. “It shouldn’t have, I just…”

“It’s okay, I should probably get home.” Buffy turned to leave.

“Wait, I don’t have anywhere to go. I can’t go back to the mansion now, I have your scent on me, and they’ll know that I’ve seen you.” Buffy turned back to him.

“So what should I do then? I can’t help you.”

“Either stake me or help me find some safe place where I can stay”, Spike said.

“I can’t stake you”, Buffy said. “You can come home with me. But if you hurt my mom or my friends in any way I will torture you in days before I stake you, understood?” Spike smiled faintly.

“Clear as the day, pet”, he said and he rolled after her to her house.


Buffy looked up at the tree and then at Spike.

“Do you think you can get up there with my help?” she asked. “We can hide the wheelchair in the bushes or something.”

“I think I can manage getting up there yeah”, Spike said. “My legs have healed quite well.”

“Okay.” She helped Spike stand up and he leaned against the tree while she hid the wheelchair. They climbed up, Spike with his arm around Buffy’s shoulders and Buffy with her arm around Spike’s waist.

“Do they know that you can use your legs a little again?” Buffy asked as they made it to her room and she had invited him in. He collapsed on her bed.

“No, I was thinking that I could work up the strength in my legs and then make a run for it”, Spike answered. “Take the car and get the hell out of here.” Buffy nodded.

“I need to get some sleep since its school tomorrow. You can take the bed and I’ll take the floor.”

“Or I sleep with my head by your feet and my feet by your head.”

“Uh, I’ll take the floor”, Buffy said. Spike shrugged and took off his duster, the ripped t-shirt and his boots.

“It’s not like my feet stink or anything”, he said. “Vampires don’t sweat.”

“It’s not that, it’s just that I tend to cuddle in with anything that’s beside me in bed.” She couldn’t help but looking at the muscled chest and she almost drooled at the sight. No, bad thoughts, she couldn’t be having these thoughts! But she couldn’t help but thinking of the bulge in his jeans earlier and she swallowed.

“I’m sure my feet won’t mind”, Spike said and smirked, it was a weak copy of the once she had seen when he was at his full strength though.

“Okay, I’ll sleep with you”, Buffy said and then blushed. “I don’t mean like that, oh my god. I mean we can share the bed but I don’t want to cuddle with your feet even if they don’t stink. Your head at the right end of the bed okay?” Spike chuckled.

“Okay, love.” He lay down on the bed and pulled the covers over him settling his head on one of her pillows.

“I need to change so don’t look.” Spike closed his eyes and Buffy changed to her pyjamas looking at him all the time making sure that he didn’t peek. When she was done she locked the door so her mother wouldn’t walk in and see Spike there and then she lay down beside him pulling up the covers to her chin. Suddenly she realized how small her bed was, she was pressed against his body and she could feel her heart pounding faster. Spike sensed her discomfort.

“If you want I can take the floor, love”, he said and Buffy jumped. His voice was right beside her ear.

“This is fine”, Buffy answered but her voice trembled. She could feel the bulge in his jeans growing again and she lay perfectly still not wanting to encourage him in any way.

“I’m sorry Buffy”, Spike said. “I can’t help it, I haven’t been with a woman in many years and you’re so warm. I won’t try anything, I promise.” Buffy felt a little disappointed, she wanted him to try. She wanted him to kiss her. Buffy was shocked at the revelation; she wasn’t supposed to feel that way. But deep down she had been attracted by Spike ever since she saw him for the first time. She didn’t want to make the first move, she shouldn’t make a move. Maybe he would think that she was a total slut. And then there was the thing where Spike was her enemy and she was supposed to kill him not having lusty feelings for him. She turned around and found herself nose to nose with Spike and she gasped. Buffy had forgotten that he was turned to her, not from her. She looked right into his eyes and she saw lust there.

“Oh, sorry”, Buffy said and as she spoke she blew out air that tickled Spike’s lips. “My bed is smaller than I thought it was.”

“It’s alright, pet”, Spike said. “I can just turn around.” And he did. Buffy swore to herself, why couldn’t he get the hint? But soon enough she was asleep.