.::Always::.

“Spike! Stop it!” The dark haired vampire screamed from the doorway. Spike continued to bash the Fyarl demon’s head into the pavement. “Spike! It’s dead!” Angel yelled walking over to Spike. Spike was having some kind of break down. Once Spike had seen the demon, he ran over to it and started beating the crap out of it. Angel had no idea what caused him to get so mad, the demon was just walking, not bothering anyone. The blonde vampire attacked the Fyarl demon and jumped onto its back tackling it to the ground.

Spike and Angel were in Rome after Angel had received a call from one of his men that were watching Buffy. They had said they needed to come immediately to Rome. When the two had actually arrived at Buffy’s residence, they’d found Andrew. Andrew had said that Buffy wasn’t home, and he also informed them on Buffy’s new boyfriend. The Immortal. Angel and Spike both hated that ponce… and now they were outside a parking lot of some Roman dance club fighting a Fyarl demon.

Spike stopped bashing the head into the pavement. He stood up. His hands were covered in a foul smelling substance. Spike inhaled a deep unneeded breath. He looked over at Angel with sad eyes. “Let’s get the soddin’ head and get the hell out of Rome.”

Spike pushed past Angel. The red firebird they had was parked just outside the dance club where he’d just seen Buffy dancing with the one person in the world he hated more than Angel. The Immortal. That ponce. What a wanker. How could Buffy be dancing with him?!? Dumb sod. He would’ve ripped his head off if Angel just had held onto the bag.

Then. Then! The stupid, stupid, stupid Fyarl demon had to show up. Just bring back all the memories he had with Buffy why don’t ya?!

“Spike.” Angel yelled to him.

Spike turned around rather annoyed with him. “What do you want?”

Angel rolled his eyes. Why, why , why did he have to put up with Spike!?! “Spike…” Angel sighed. He and Buffy were long over. Spike probably had a better chance with her anyways. “I’ll take care of the demon head thing…Go to Buffy. She probably wants to see you anyways.”

Spike raised an eyebrow. “Alright. Go on then…” Spike waited for him to leave. Angel just kept standing there. “Well are ya gonna get going, mate?”

The older vampire sighed and turned and walked away into the shadows of the Roman streets. Spike tried not to smile. He’d finally be able to let Buffy know he was alive. And he just watched his Grand-sire admit that he actually had a better chance with Buffy than he did… even if he didn’t actually say it. Even though this one of the happiest moments in his life, it was one of the most nerve-wracking moments in his life.

Spike loved Buffy more than he could explain. He died for her. He just hoped she’d still care for him.

Spike saw the entrance to club. He ran a hand through his plastered hair and stepped inside.

The music was rather loud and seemed to shake the entire building…or factory… whatever the hell this thing was. Spike scanned the area for Buffy. He saw many blonde girls… but none of them fit her description. Besides, he could tell just by looking at their hair if it was her or not. Once or twice he could’ve sworn he felt her brush by him, but every time he looked it would just be someone else.

Spike decided to actually go into the ‘party’ and look for her. He made his way down the staircase and onto the very heated dance floor. Spike heard then heard something… something really familiar…

“Spike!”

Spike immediately turned around to the high pitched feminine voice. Then he saw who it was and blinked a couple times.

Andrew wrapped his arms around Spike’s neck. “Spike! What are you doing here? Decide to get a little disco fever into your system?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Andrew. First of all, this isn’t disco music it’s some techno crap. Second, I’m not here to dance. I’m looking for Buffy.”

Andrew scrunched up his nose. “Oh I wouldn’t do that.”

Spike got angry. What did he mean? He couldn’t even see his own-… what was he saying… she wasn’t his. Buffy doesn’t belong to anyone. “Why the bleeding hell not?”

“Well… she’s kinda upset… The Immortal just uhh… Well he broke up with her. She’s all sad and weepy. I just saw her out in the parking lot a second ago. She’s probably still there… ya know. Crying.”

Crying! That son of bitch! He made Buffy cry? Oh screw this! Spike flew by Andrew and headed for the door.

“She’s in a bad mood, dude!...” Andrew smiled to himself. “Hey, that rhymes!”

**********

Spike burst open the door and frantically searched the small area outside for Buffy. His eyes moved from left to right until… there she was. She was sitting in the middle of the street. A weeping pile on the ground. She had her hands covering her face. Spike was about to run over to her when he had second thoughts. What if she didn’t even love him anymore? What if she didn’t even care that he was alive…

Out of nowhere Buffy’s head shot up. She sensed something. Something familiar. She flipped her head to the left. Spike watched as her mouth hung open. What was she staring at? The vampire leaned over the railing to try and see past the trees that were blocking his view. Buffy stood up and started running towards something…no someone. Spike saw what she was looking at. A guy… with bleach blonde hair…oh no. ‘Buffy don’t. It’s not me.’

“Spike?” Buffy yelled running after the blonde man. “Spike?” When he didn’t turn around, she grabbed his shoulder and then he faced her. The guy just shoved her hand off his shoulder and continued walking. Buffy dropped her hand to the side. From where Spike was standing, he could perfectly see the tears welling up in her eyes. She turned around and stared off into space…then all of a sudden, she burst out into heavy sobs.

Spike couldn’t take it anymore. He hated seeing Buffy upset, especially her being upset over him. He jumped the fence and started to run over to where she was standing. Then stopped. He wasn’t sure whether or not she would be ready to know he was alive. He moved back into the shadows and continued watching her.

Buffy’s head slowly rose and she looked up at the stars. “Why do they always leave me…?” She whimpered. Spike clenched his jaw.

“What are you watching, William?”

Spike didn’t even bother to turn around. He knew who it was. He was gonna kick the shit out of too in a couple of seconds.

“Just watchin my girl. What about you?” Spike asked.

“Just watchin my girl.” He said.

Spike was furious. Screw the whole Buffy not belonging to anyone deal. Spike turned around to face The Immortal.

“I’m pretty sure the girl is mine.” And in one quick strike, Spike grabbed the Immortal’s throat, and actually ripped it out of him. Spike looked at the chunk of flesh and bone in his hand. “Fuck you, mate.” Then at the wide eyed Immortal falling to the ground.

Spike threw the flesh onto the body. “Not so immortal after all, eh?” The blonde wiped his hands off and turned back to face Buffy. She was rubbing her eyes and breathing hard. She needed to see him. He needed to see her. He had to go to her. Now.

The en-souled vampire ran with all his speed over to her. Spike grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, then took a quick look in her eyes and pulled her into him. Buffy was so shocked. She swore she had a mini heart attack. She pulled away. What the hell? Who was this? What the hell was he doing! Buffy tried to wriggle away from her ‘attacker’ when she smelled something familiar. Leather? She looked up the man holding her. Buffy almost fainted. Wh-.. Spike? How..?

“Spike?” She whispered tears falling down her face.

Spike nodded and closed his eyes trying not to cry himself.

“Wha..How? You… You’re…” Buffy’s jaw clenched. She used all her strength to shove him away from her. Spike flew backwards onto the ground. Spike was more emotionally hurt than mentally. “You’re just The First. Back again are ya? Found some freaky spell to make you corporeal? Well I don’t care ‘cause I’ll kick you’re ass again. But what really pisses me off, is that you’re in HIS body. You think you can just violate me like that? Violate him like that? Just look like him?”

Spike slowly stood up and moved in close to her. “Well think again you stupid, not-even-evil wannabe demon thing. Now, I’m really gonna kick your ass.” Buffy used all her strength to kick Spike as far as he could. The blonde was propelled backwards about 20 feet. He crashed into a dumpster and fell flat on his face.

Buffy casually walked over to Spike. She picked up his limp body and threw him into the wall. “You selfish worthless whore of an evil.” Buffy picked Spike up by his neck. “You think you’re so…”

Buffy looked into the eyes of her enemy. They were filling up with tears. Buffy knew that look. It was the look he gave her right after she’d broken up with him two years ago after their rather unhealthy relationship. This… this wasn’t The First… it was Spike. She released her grip on him and carefully set him down on the ground. She curiously looked into his eyes.

Spike started breathing heavily and rubbing his neck where she had a hold on him. “Buffy.” He exhaled.

Buffy blinked back tears. “Spike.” She said smiling. The girl wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her. “It’s really you.” She whispered planting tiny kisses on his neck. “It’s really you.”

Spike smiled and held her close to him. “Yeah, luv. It is.”

********************

TBC…

CHAPTER 2

-----------------

Angel continued chasing after that Italian demon that stole their head. He grabbed his sword off the ground and skillfully decapitated the head of the demon. Angel bet over and picked up the bag. He unzipped the zipper and peered inside to see the rather ugly Capo head. He quickly zipped the green leather bag up again and started walking back to the Thunderbird. Man he loved that car.

Angel couldn’t stop thinking about Buffy. He felt so bad too. He had a girlfriend! Nina. He figured that he seriously needed to move on from Buffy. Nina was his only way. She kinda reminded him of Buffy in a way. She had the blonde hair, and she was funny too. Angel threw the head in the back seat of his car. He could call Spike later. He had a cell phone on him. Angel at the moment had more important things to do than worry about Spike. He had a girlfriend to go home to.

*************

Spike and Buffy stood in the middle of the parking lot crying in each others arms. Each of them has missed the other so much. Buffy’s head was rested on Spike’s chest, and he could feel her tears soaking through his shirt. Spike’s arms were tightly wrapped around her, pulling her as close as he could without physically hurting her. His face was buried deep inside her hair and his tears rolled down her golden locks and fell off the end.

This hearts one desire,

Your love’s embrace,

Standing here in your arms,

Gentle breeze against my face,

This love is beautiful,

So pure every step of the way,

Your eyes induce me,

But your heart sets me free,

You’re the keeper,

To my heart,

You hold the key.

I don’t care what they say,

Deep within the depths of my heart I know this love is true,

And I will always be here loving you,

The touch,

The feeling,

Of your skin as it caresses mine,

I will never find another,

With a heart so kind,

And the days you aren’t near,

I will miss you,

Every step of the way,

I will never find another,

We were meant for each other.

--Desires, Liz Clark

Spike’s touch made Buffy so happy. She’d been without him for almost a year. She didn’t think she could possibly live life any longer without him. She had thought of resurrection spells, but after remembering her experience, she wasn’t so sure. She’d thought of a million ways to bring him back, but they all might cause him pain like she had experienced, and she didn’t want him to know the feeling of true pain and loss.

Buffy pulled away just enough to look up into his baby blue eyes. She blinked a couple of times. Her mind instantly raced back to the hellmouth when they were standing in the cave.

But now he was back. Buffy intertwined her fingers with his. “Spike. Come with me.” She whispered. Spike nodded and started walking to wherever they were headed.

*******

“Gunn!...Wait. No. … Yes!... Why….Oh. Ok… Ugh! No! What if-… no… no!...NO! No, but Gunn… Gunn? Gunn?” Angel sighed and clicked his cell phone shut. “He hung up on me.”

Angel was confused. What did he mean The Immortal was dead? He’s Immortal. How could he have died? What in this city could actually rip something’s throat out like that?

Soul Boy pressed the pedal and went to find that Capo head.

*****************

Buffy and Spike ended up in a little Roman park. She and Spike sat on a wooden bench near the entrance. Buffy turned to face Spike. They both had the same thing on their minds.

Spike was nervous. He didn’t know how to ask her if she had actually meant what she said. She probably didn’t. Well maybe she did. He was too nervous to think straight.

Buffy was nervous. She didn’t know how to tell him she had actually truly meant that she loved him. She didn’t know if he believed her. He probably didn’t since he shooed her off. Or maybe he did. She was too nervous to think straight.

Finally, they both spoke at the same time.

“Buffy.”

“Spike.”

The two smiled and looked away nervously. Spike, being the gentleman he is, “You go.”

Buffy nodded and took a breathe. “Did you… umm…” Buffy bit her lip, then looked into his blue eyes. All the nervousness left her. “Did you… did you believe me?”

Spike blinked a few times then looked at the ground. “I… I don’t know.” He looked back up to the saddest pair of eyes he’d ever seen. He continued, “I still don’t know even. I debate over it every day. Every night. When I sleep.” He looked back up at her again. She still had the ‘sad eyes’. “That’s what I was going to ask you.”

Buffy’s heart broke. He didn’t believe her. It’s a yes or no question. She took his hand. Spike looked at her. “I did mean it.” She said with a smile.

Spike’s ego just got as big as the empire state building. He had the stupidest looking smile on his face… and it made him look like the happiest man in the world. He almost started laughing. Buffy smiled.

After a minute of staring into each other’s eyes, Spike’s smile faded. He became serious again. “Really?” He asked.

Buffy cupped the side of his face. “Yes. Spike.” She thought for a moment. “William…I Buffy do love you.” She said.

Spike gave her a half smile. “I love you too.”

“Will you be with me?” She asked.

“Always.”