Here it was. His last day here in Sunnyhell. The vampire took a look around
Main Street, he'd be happy to be out of this place. * If you're so happy then
why do you feel bad? * Spike took a drag of his cigarette and exhaled slowly.
He watched the make as it hung in the air for a moment and then blew it away.
* Well time to make the good byes. * He thought.

The last year had been pretty rough. After Buffy had died the watcher had
bolted, the witches had broken up, and Anya and Xander had run off to LA for
a change of pace and scenery. Red had ended up helping with Dawn. Every now
and then the girl would come to Spike for some kind of help and after a while
the three survivors had struck up a friendship.

/Remeber when, we never needed each other
The best of friends like
Sister and Brother
We understood, we'd never be,
Alone/

In the last few months Spike had even come to consider the witch one of his
greatest friends. She'd even helped him patch things up with Angel. In fact
that's where Spike was headed, to help Angel out with his business of
fighting the nasties. Why?

Spike had learned in his many years that life could change in a heartbeat.
And after that night with the witch two days ago,  he'd learned that life
could change in ways he never saw coming.

/Those days are gone, and I want so much
The night long and I need your touch
Don't know what to say
I never meant to feel this way
Don't want to be
Alone tonight/

Spike walked up to the front door and stopped. This was it. He'd be saying
good bye to them. He took a deep unneeded breath and opened the door.

"Honey I'm home." He said walking in the front door. Willow walked by him and
smiled.

"Hey what's up?" Willow asked. She noticed him holding the duster and a
duffle bag. "Today's the day huh?" She asked in an even tone. He nodded and
put the bag and coat down.

"Yeah it is." He said looking at her.

"When?" She asked.

"Ah tonight sometime. Came to say good bye to you and niblet." He said. "I'll
probably leave sometime 'fore dawn." Willow nodded.

/What can I do, to make it right
Falling so hard so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?/

"Well Dawn will miss you." Willow said. Spike raised an eyebrow.

"And you?" He asked with a note of hope. Willow gave him a begrudging grin.

"Fine I might miss you too." She said sighing.

"I'll miss you." He said seriously. Willow looked slightly surprised by the
comment. Spike was so good at hiding his feelings that just him saying that
meant a lot to her.

Before she could stop herself she threw her arms around his neck and hugged
him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly.

/I hear your voice
And I start to tremble
Brings back the child that, I resemble/

"Why are you leaving?" Willow asked softly in his ear.

"I have to pet." He replied. He pulled away from her and tried to keep
himself from looking into her huge, sad hazel eyes. "I can't stay in this
place knowing that I'll never be able to have what I love." Willow was once
again surprised. She and Spike had helped each other through the loss of the
slayer but she was certain he had gotten over her death. * That's what he's
talking about of course* She thought.

Dawn came slowly walking down the stairs. She stared at him for a moment,
making him feel even worse. Her eyes were practically saying the words
'traitor, deserter, jerk.' Dawn stared at her friend and saw the storm in his
eyes. This was as hard for him as it was for them. Her anger melted and she
ran down the stairs and fell into a hug. He kissed her hair and gave her a
boyish grin.

"You'll be all right?" He asked. Dawn nodded and smiled.

"Always." She assured him, her eyes pools of unshed tears. Almost everyone
she loved she had lost. He hugged her again tightly.

"Take care of red." He whispered softly in her ear. Dawn smiled and nodded. *
He could just tell her why he's really leaving * She thought. When he looked
at her he saw that very statement in her eyes, and he shook his head.

"Why don't you two go out or something?" Dawn suggested suddenly. Spike threw
her a fast look a disapproval and Willow eyed him uneasily.

"How about it red?" Spike said quickly, before he changed his mind. "One last
round for old times sake?" Willow smiled.

"Yeah sure." She said softly. He grabbed his stuff and they headed for the
Bronze. Spike pulled out a chair for her and she gratefully accepted it.

/I cannot pretend, that we can still be friends
Don't want to be,
Alone tonight/

"What would you like to drink?" The waiter asked.

"Scotch." They both said at once. Willow smiled at him shyly and the waiter
hurried off to get their orders. Spike smiled at the thought of the drink.

"What's funny?" She asked. He shook his head.

"The night I taught you to dance." He said smirking. Willow groaned.

"God I was so drunk." She grumbled.

"And we fell right to the floor after the song was over." He laughed.

"We weren't really dancing, just holding each other up." Willow giggled.

/What can I do, to make it right
Falling so hard so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?/

"Remember the night Xander and Anya left?" Willow asked smiling sadly. Spike
nodded.

"You downed a whole bottle of the stuff." He said.

"And ran to the movie house to see Silence of the Lambs at 2 a.m." She
giggled. Spike laughed.

"Yeah it took a lot to convince that cop you weren't crazy, luv." Spike said
shaking his head. The waiter dropped off their drink and Willow took a small
sip of hers. It burned down her throat like the tears burning in the back of
her eyes.

"You even let me cry on your shoulder when Tara left me." She remembered.
Spike nodded.

"Well you'd done the same for me red." He reminded her.

"Why are you leaving? You can stay, me and Dawn are. You could help take care
of her." She said softly.

"Why? To protect her? I couldn't even help when it counted." Spike said
bitterly. "What makes you think I could help you?" Willow shrugged.

/Oh I want to say this right
And it has to be tonight
Just need you to know, oh yeah/

"I don't know. I thought we were friends." She said softly.

"We are red." He protested.

"Not anymore." Willow said looking at him. She gave him a brave smile. "We
were friends Spike. For a few moments we were. But now everything is
different. After the other night… Well you know it and so do I. From now on
everything will be different."

"You're right. Everything is different." He replied. They sat in silence for
a few moments and he stood up. "Dance with me, one last time." He said
holding out his hand. Willow placed her hand in his and stood up. He slipped
his arms around her and they began to dance to a slow beat, the dance floor
empty save for them.

/I don't want to live this life
I don't want to say goodbye
With you I wanna spend
The rest of my life/

He held on to not only her, but to the memories. This town had been his rise
and his fall. He'd lost his greatest love and then found another. The witch
was right, after this life would never be the same. The time of Buffy Summers
had ended and so had that of the Scooby Gang. All it had taken was one moment
with this girl in his arms and his whole life had changed. * One moment…and
one mistake. *

The dance ended and Willow pulled away. She looked up at him and smiled
tightly. Silent tears fell down her cheek. She kissed his cheek softly.

"Goodbye Spike." She said softly. Then she turned and walked out of the bar.

/What can I do, to make it right
Falling so hard so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?/

~
"You let him leave." Dawn said softly as Willow walked in the door. Willow
nodded.

"I couldn't have said anything to stop him." Willow told the teenager. Dawn
glared at her friend.

"You know what you could've said." Dawn replied.

"Dawn you don't understand." Willow protested.

"Damn right I don't. One silly little thing happens and you both freak
instead of face it. All you had to do was tell him…admit to him how you feel.
Just say Spike we're friends." Dawn said.

"No I couldn't have." Willow said, looking away from the girl.

"Why not?" Dawn asked.

"Because it would've been a lie."

/What can I do, to make it right
Falling so hard so fast this time
Everything's changed, we never knew/

~

Spike walked into the Hyperion Hotel at dawn. The first thing he saw Angel's
disappointed face.

"You didn't tell her." He said quietly, looking up from his book. Spike
dropped his stuff and fell onto the couch next to his sire.

"No I didn't." Spike said, rubbing his face.

"What happened?" Angel asked.

"I kissed her."

/How did I fall, in love…
with you? /
 

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