Buffy and Spike walked through the cemetery in deep conversation,

“But what would happen to Batman if Robin wasn’t around?”

Asked Spike

“Batman would be fine, it’s Robin who would get hurt without Batman.”

Buffy defended Batman.

Spike shook his head,

“No you see, it’s Robin that is taken for bloody granted and Batman gets all the glory.”

Buffy looked at him,

“No Robin is a little boy who doesn’t know how to protect himself and always needs Batman to watch his back.”

Spike laughed out loud,

“You must think of it in a different light, you are Batman and I am Robin. I save your ass a lot and if I weren’t around you’d be dead and like wise. We need each other and I don’t think that you should get all the glory and me taken for granted.”

“Oh I see this isn’t about Batman or Robin at all, you think that you are being taken for granted. Poor Spikey.”

“This isn’t about me, it’s about Robin. I was just using us as an example.”

Buffy had been back from the dead for 3 months now and had only made it thanks to Spike who had helped her get through the past few months. All her friends crowded her and Spike didn’t and she wasn’t sure how she was feeling about him lately.

He had been nothing but nice and comforting lately and she was enjoying his company.

“Oh really if it’s not about you and I then what is it about?”

Spike sighed

“It’s about Batman and bloody Robin.”

Buffy sighed and they walked in silence,

“It’s really quiet and I don’t want to go home yet so can I come to your place?”

Spike thought that he was in heaven,

“Sure luv, whatever you want.”

He was trying to act as if it didn’t really matter when he was really bursting with excitement at the thought that she was going to his crypt.

They walked in the direction of the crypt and Buffy yawned,

“Tired luv?”

Buffy nodded and smiled up at him, he was so sexy and good looking.

They walked into his crypt and the smell of tobacco and leather welcomed them,

“Your crypt smells just like you.”

Spike smiled at the thought that she knew what he smelt like,

“Really and what do I smell like?”

Buffy giggled

“You smell like tobacco and leather.”

Spike smiled and looked her up and down,

“Well you know what you smell like?”

Buffy shook her head.

“You smell like vanilla.”

Buffy smiled sweetly at him,

“Do you like the smell of vanilla?”

Spike nodded,

“It’s one of the best smells.”

Buffy couldn’t believe how much she was flirting with him and he was flirting back and as much as she hated to admit it, she liked it.

Buffy climbed down the ladder into what he called his bedroom, it had a couch, a bed and a little kitchen place with a fridge and cupboards.

She sat down onto the couch and took her shoes off getting comfortable. Spike went to the kitchen area and pulled out a beer,

“Want something to drink luv?”

Buffy nodded,

“What do you have.”

Spike smiled wickedly,

“Beer, blood and if you ask me really nicely then I have diet Pepsi.”

She came around a lot so he had bought things for her to drink and eat.

Buffy smiled at him looked all innocent,

“Spike, may I pretty please have a diet Pepsi to drink?”

Spike melted at her words,

“Sure luv.”

He handed her, her drink and she opened it,

“Thanks for the drink. So you’ve heard about how I am, so how are you?”

Spike looked surprised at her words,

“Well I’m fine.”

Buffy smiled at him,

“I’m glad. Spike I just wanted to thank-you for being there for me the last few months, I really appreciate it.”

Spike smiled,

“You know I only want you to be happy luv.”

Buffy smiled at him.

“I know.”

Buffy lifted her legs onto the couch and put her head on Spike’s shoulder. She closed her eyes and fell fast asleep and Spike used this opportunity to wrap his arms around her and kiss the top of her head.

Spike sat awake most of the night just watching her sleep until he too eventually fell into a dreamless sleep.

Buffy could see a huge mountain off in the distance, she needed to get there. She didn’t know why but she just knew that she had to get there. Suddenly she was alone in a dark place and was unable to move. It was full with stale air and all she could smell was earth. She lifted her hand and felt wood, she felt by her sides and there was wood too. Suddenly panic gripped her and she realized that she was in a coffin. She felt the air get caught in her lungs and she couldn’t breath. She started the scream but no sound came out of her mouth, she tried again but still no sound. She thrashed around and realized that there was no escape from it, she was laying in her deathbed.

She felt strong arms grip her tightly and a soothing voice spoke to her,

“Buffy, you’re okay, nothing is going to hurt you.”

She followed the voice and woke up with a start to see Spike looking at her,

“You alright luv?”

Buffy could see the panic in his eyes and she started to cry. Spike rubbed her arms when he realized how cold she was. She buried her head in his shoulder,

“Never leave me Spike, promise me.”

Spike stroked her hair,

“I promise I will never leave you love.”

Buffy pulled away from him and looked him in the eyes,

“You won’t will you.”

Spike smiled at her and she placed her hands on the side of his face and kissed him gently and then more deeply.

Spike let a small growl escape his lips as she placed small kisses on his cheek, she wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair,

“God I love you Buffy.”

He said quietly.

“I know.”

She answered as they fell back onto the couch consumed in passion.

Buffy woke up the next morning feeling better than she had in a long time, she felt Spike lying next to her and she stroked his arm that was wrapped around her waist.

She snuggled into him even more and looked at his face closely, he had a perfectly chiseled face and mouth. His hair was messed on the top of his head, which made him even sexier, and his eyes, when they were open, were a stunning crystal blue which were unreal. He pulled his arms around her more tightly and kissed her neck,

“Morning luv, sleep well?”

Buffy kissed him mouth gently and answered in a low voice,

“Better than you can imagine.”

Spike laughed and looked at her, whenever he looked at her she felt as though he was looking right into her soul. She loved the way he made her feel and he loved her, what was wrong with that?

He looked so happy and content that she wanted to be with him forever.

“Spike?’

Spike turned and looked at her,

“Yeah luv?”

“Are we a couple?”

This surprised spike,

“Whatever you want luv.”

She kissed Spike,

“Good, ‘cause we are.”

Spike smiled and wrapped his arms around her tightly,

“I love you so much Buffy.”

Buffy smiled and kissed him long and deeply. She got out of bed and walked over to the fridge,

“Want some coffee or blood?”

Spike smiled widely,

“Blood if you don’t mind.”

Buffy laughed quietly,

“I don’t mind and I have to get used to it anyway.”

She took the blood out of the fridge and emptied it into a mug, placing it into the microwave she asked,

“How long must it be in for?”

“40 seconds.”

She nodded and set the timer. She smiled at him brightly,

“See I’m learning.”

Spike kissed her chastely,

“Good, ‘cause I plan on having you here for a while.”

He held her from behind with his arms around her waist,

“What are we going to tell your friends?”

She hadn’t thought of that,

“I don’t know, just the truth I guess.”

He smiled,

“I would of thought that you would just like to keep it a secret.”

She turned and looked at him quizzically,

“Why would you think that?”

He shrugged,

“Well you know the history I have with all of them, they may hate it, let alone dislike it.”

Buffy kissed him and ran her fingers up and down his spine,

“Well they’ll just have do deal with it won’t they?”

Spike smiled,

“Yeah and if they don’t like it they can…”

Buffy put her finger to his mouth,

“Shhhh…I don’t care about them.”

She kissed him and the microwave started to beep,

“Hold on your blood is ready.”

Buffy reached into the microwave and pulled out his cup of blood,

“Here taste.”

She held it up to his mouth and he tasted it,

“Mmmmm, tasty.”

Buffy smiled and walked over to the couch,

“I wonder if anyone has noticed that I’m gone?”

Spike smiled and nodded,

“I think they’d be stupid if they didn’t.”

A moment later Dawn rushed into the crypt,

“Spike! Spike? Where are you?”

Spike smiled and Buffy nodded,

“We’re down here.”

“We?”

Asked Dawn.

Spike watched her as she climbed down the ladder to face them,

“Buffy? What are you doing here?”

Buffy smiled at Dawn and Dawn smiled brightly,

“Finally you too have come to your senses. You took your time.”

Dawn and Spike had become close after Buffy had died, they had spent nearly everyday together and now they loved each other and they considered each other their best friends. Dawn gave Buffy a kiss,

“Hey Niblit, how are you today?”

Dawn giggled,

“Obviously not as good as you.”

Spike and Buffy shook their heads,

“Is everyone looking for me?”

Asked Buffy.

Dawn nodded,

“Yeah and we are supposed to meet them at the shop in a few minutes so I suggest you get dressed and come with me.”

Buffy nodded and found her clothes strewn across the floor, she put them on quickly while Spike got a clean pair of black jeans and a shirt. Dawn waited up stairs as they got dressed and as soon as they appeared they left.

Spike ran along the road with his blanket on his head, Buffy held his hand as they ran and Dawn noticed this and smiled, her two favorite people in the whole world were together.

They all rushed into the shop as Spike’s blanket caught fire, Buffy laughed at him while he fought to put the flame out. Everyone stood in wonder as Buffy stood there not even noticing that they were all there,

“Buffy? Where were you?”

Asked a worried Willow.

Buffy noticed her and turned to face them all,

“Well I was at Spike’s.”

Everyone stared at her as if she was insane.

“You were at Spike’s? Please tell me that he didn’t chain you up again.”

Buffy giggled.

“Yes I was at Spike’s and no he didn’t chain me up.”

Tara and Anya gave each other a knowing glance as Dawn smiled at them brightly.

“Well why were you there?”

Asked Giles curiously.

Buffy laughed at their slowness,

“Spike and I are now a couple and you all better deal with it because he loves me and that is that.”

They all looked at her open mouthed,

“You are now a couple?”

Asked Giles,

“Do you really think that this is wise?”

Buffy shook her head and walked over to hold Spike’s hand,

“I don’t care, because we care about each other and I don’t care what any of you say.”

Spike smiled at Buffy and she beamed back at him.

Xander nearly choked on the soda he was drinking,

“You care about each other? When did this happen.”

Spike now had to say something,

“You all know very well that I love Buffy.”

“And well I guess I’ve always cared about Spike.”

Willow gave her best friend a smile of approval,

“I’m glad that you have found somebody.”

Willow had always liked Spike, he had always been so nice to her.

Anya and Tara smiled and winked at Buffy and she knew exactly what they meant.

Giles walked over to Spike and said in a very low voice so that only Spike could hear,

“If you ever hurt her I swear I will kill you painfully and slowly.”

Spike smiled and nodded and Giles turned to Buffy,

“Well I won’t stop you.”

Buffy cried happily and hugged Giles,

“Thank-you Giles, you don’t know how much this means to me.”

Buffy kissed Spike and Xander spoke,

“Spike…look after her.”

Spike smiled at Xander, who looked sad,

“Thank-you Xander, I know it’s hard for you.”

Buffy looked at the two as they came to a mutual agreement,

“Thank-you all.”

Cried Buffy happily.

A man walked slowly down the aisle of the airplane and smiled as he left the doors behind, he was home. He went to fetch his suitcases and debated whether he should

See her now or later? It was early morning so he decided that he’d go home and sleep and see her later, the air hostess beamed at him,

“Have a nice stay Mr. Finn.”

Riley smiled at her and left the airport, Buffy would be so happy to see him.

Spike woke up with the love of his life by his side. She smelt so good, nothing smelt better than vanilla in the morning. She was looking at him and running her fingers up and down his neck. Last night had been the mark of their 2-month anniversary. Spike had been with Buffy, the girl he loved more than life it self, for two months and he was the happiest man on earth. Her friends actually accepted him now and he’d even made friends with Xander. Life was good, better than good, life was perfect.

“Maybe this would work better if you moved in with me.”

Spike stared at Buffy,

“You’re asking me to move in with you?”

Buffy nodded and Spike kissed her.

“My, our friends wouldn’t care, they all like you, and Dawn would love it.”

Spike kissed her again,

“Nothing would make me happier.”

Buffy kissed Spike lovingly and stood up,

“You can move in today.”

She opened the fridge and pulled out his mug of blood,

“Want some?”

Spike nodded and buried his head in his pillow, breathing in the scent of Buffy.

Buffy handed him his blood and Spike drank it quickly,

“That was nice, a guy could get used to this.”

Buffy was getting changed now,

“You’d better because you’re gonna get this every morning.”

Spike also got up and changed,

“So when are we gonna move?”

Buffy smiled,

“Now.”

Spike laughed and pulled his shirt over his head,

“Sure luv, you gonna help me pack?”

She pulled his clothes out of his drawers and threw them on his bed,

“Yeah, so do you have a bag or something?”

Spike nodded and reached under his bag and pulled out his old duffel bag.

Buffy collected all his clothes in her hands and threw them on the bed for Spike to pack. Next she collected his books and toiletries, his blood came out of the fridge and into another plastic bag with some ice to keep it cool.

They collected everything they could find and headed upstairs,

“We should take all your things with, even you TV and radio.”

Spike nodded and swung the blanket over his head,

“We can take my car, will be much quicker.”

Buffy followed him as they headed to his car, which was parked outside the cemetery; they loaded the things in and went back for more. In half and hour all his things were loaded and they drove to Buffy’s house.

Spike parked in the driveway and covered with his blanket, took the things inside. Dawn went to help, as she already knew what was going on because Buffy had asked her if it was okay first.

Spike, Buffy and Dawn took his things into the basement, which would house the things that they weren’t going to use like his sculptures and such. They took his clothes and books into Buffy’s room,

“Sure you don’t want me to have another room?”

Buffy shook her head violently,

“No way, I don’t want to let you out of my sight.”

Buffy had previously made space in her cupboard for him and they put the things in. A table had been vacated for his books and things and his TV would be used in Dawn’s room.

Dawn had never been so this excited for anything before in her life, she had a new family and she loved it so much. Spike was like a big, bad brother and she adored him to pieces. Buffy was still Buffy except for the fact that she was a happier and more fun Buffy.

Spike was washing the dishes after dinner when there was a knock on the door, it had been two days since he had moved in and he was having the time of him life. Dawn was out with some friends and would be home soon while Buffy was out patrolling,

“Leave your keys at home luv?”

He asked expecting it to be Buffy.

“Well, well, well, look who’s back.”

Riley looked at him in surprise and hatred,

“Stealing her underwear again? I see some things never change. You should leave before I tell Buffy that you’re here.”

Spike laughed at him and rolled his eyes,

“Go ahead and tell her mate, ‘cause I live ‘ere.”

Riley looked at him in disbelief,

“What do you mean?”

“What part don’t you understand mate, I…live…here.”

Riley shoved Spike into the wall,

“What have you done to Buffy?”

Spike shoved him again and felt the pain in his head rise to the surface,

“Bloody hell, nothings wrong with Buffy you bloody ponce. She’s out patrolling.”

Riley head butted Spike and Spike fell to the floor,

“Well then I guess you won’t mind if I kill you.”

Riley pulled out a stake and was about to jab it into Spike’s chest when he was attacked from behind. Riley turned and hit his attacked through the face and Dawn fell to the floor clutching her nose,

“Dawn?”

Dawn glared at Riley and Spike took this opportunity to hit him out onto the porch,

“No one hurts Niblit and gets away with it, chip or no chip.”

Spike kicked Riley and fell to the floor in pain,

“Spike are you okay?”

Spike smiled up at Dawn,

“Yeah Platelet, I’m fine.”

Dawn helped Spike up and she hugged him tightly.

“Sorry about this lil bit, are you alright?”

Dawn nodded and hugged Spike again and Riley just stood there watching them, What had happened since he had left.

Riley walked into the lounge and sat down,

“I’m really sorry Dawn. I never meant to hurt you.”

Dawn glared at him,

“But you meant to kill Spike and that’s just as bad.”

Riley shook his head,

“But Dawn, he’s just a soulless, evil, chipped vampire.”

Dawn walked over and punched Riley hard,

“He’s my best friend, my big brother and I would rather die than let you hurt him.”

Spike kissed Dawn on the cheek,

“And I’d rather die before anything happened to you Niblit.”

She kissed him again and she ran upstairs, and turned to face Riley,

“You’d better go before Buffy gets back, I don’t think she’d be to happy to see you. Night Spike, love you.”

Spike blew her a kiss,

“Love you too Niblit.”

Dawn disappeared upstairs and Spike stood across form Riley,

“You have a nerve coming back here you know. You broke her heart by having those flea bag whores suck on you and then you don’t even wait for her. She ran to you, you know. But you left in the helicopter and didn’t even see her or hear her, you never even looked back.”

Riley looked at Spike carefully,

“She came to me, and I didn’t even see her?”

Spike nodded.

“God, I hurt her again. I didn’t even look back. I’m such an idiot.”

Spike tried to hold in the laughter and decided to use a comeback instead,

“I’d say you’re an idiot. Buffy’s amazing and special, what compelled you to go to those vampy whores?”

Riley shrugged,
“I guess it hurt me that she let Dracula bite her. I wanted to feel the same thing.”

Spike rolled his eyes,

“Well it’s too late now.”

At that last remark he heard the door unlock and open,

Spike went to the door to greet her,

“Hello luv good and slayful night?”

Buffy kissed him,

“Hey sweetie, would’ve been better if you had been there.”

She kissed him again,

“Dawn back?”

Spike looked back upstairs,

“Yeah, but I should tell you something?”

She looked worried,

“Is she okay?”

Spike nodded and was about to open his mouth when Riley appeared out of the shadows,

“Hello Buffy.”

Buffy let go of Spike and looked at him,

“Riley? What are you doing here?”

Riley walked towards her and embraced her.

“I got back two days ago and finally summoned up enough courage to come and see you.”

Buffy could only stare,

“Spike, what happened to you?”

She asked finally looking at him.

“Your friend here decided to use my face as a punching bag.”

Buffy walked up to him and kissed his bruised face,

“Does it hurt?”

Spike shook his head,

“They’ve already started to heal, but I think I should take Niblit some ice, so you too talk.”

Buffy looked confused,

“Why does Dawn need ice?”

Spike smiled at the fact that Riley was about to get it,

“Soldier boy here was attacked by her when she saw him try to stake me. He didn’t see it was her and punched her.”

Buffy turned on Riley,

“You punched my little sister?”

He nodded,

“I didn’t know it was her.”

Buffy shook her head,

“You still punched my little sister you jerk.”

Dawn appeared at the door, her eye was swollen,

“But luckily Spike was there to beat the shit out of him.”

Buffy looked at Riley’s swollen lip and eye,

“Thanks Spike. And Dawn No more language from you. Even if you do hear Spike say it.”

Dawn grinned at Spike and he disappeared into the kitchen and came out holding some ice in a dishtowel,

“C’mon luv, lets go fix that eye of yours.”

Buffy and Riley were left alone in the living room and they both sat down on the couch,

“Buffy, why didn’t we work? What went wrong?”

Buffy looked up at him with eyes full of pain,

“You never accepted me for who I was, you wanted me to be Buffy and not the slayer and I guess you couldn’t get used to the idea that I was both.”

Riley searched her face but came up empty handed,

“I did accept you, you just never accepted me. You wanted me to be like Angel, you wanted a monster in your man and I wasn’t. So when you were bitten by Dracula I wanted to see why you enjoyed being bitten so I was.”

Buffy laughed coldly,

“I did accept you, I liked you. You think I enjoyed being bitten? How could you think that?”

He looked at her with sorrow,

“Well first you were bitten by the master and I understand that, that wasn’t your fault, and then Angel and Dracula? I don’t understand. And now you’re with Spike, why because he’s a vampire and evil? I could be evil too Buffy.”

Buffy stood up and began to pace,

“I’m with Spike because he loves me and I trust him, he accepts me for me and even though he’s a vampire he’s got more of a heart than most people I know. When I came back he was there for me, he never pushed, and he comforted me and was a friend. He treated me like me.”

Riley also laughed evilly,

“He only acted that way so that he could get into your pants. He doesn’t love you, how could he love you if he doesn’t have a soul. I love you too Buffy, why can’t you be with me?”

Buffy looked at him and slapped him hard against his face,

“You don’t even know Spike, he does love me. Glory put him through torture but he refused to tell her who the key was, he protected Dawn and me. Riley, I couldn’t be with you because…”

Riley cut her off,

“You needed someone or something evil.”

Buffy’s words dripped with venom,

“No, because I didn’t feel the same way.”

Riley’s mouth dropped open,

“So why are you with Spike then?”

Buffy smiled at the thought,

“Because I love him, he treats me well and he trusts me.”

Riley stood up and glared at her,

“So all these months I was gone he was what, there for you?”

Buffy laughed,

“Well considering for most of the time I was dead, yeah.”

Riley looked at her very confused,

“You were dead?”

She nodded,

“When we faced Glory, she opened the portal and I had to jump through to close it. I was dead for 3 months.”

Riley looked at her sympathetically,

“I’m so sorry Buffy.”

He reached up to touch her face and she smacked his hand away,

“I love Spike and we are over so I would appreciate it if you would leave.”

Buffy walked to the door and opened it,

“Please Riley.”

Riley walked to the door and smiled at Buffy,

“Tell your boyfriend that what I said before I left, I still mean it.”

And with that Riley disappeared into the darkness.

Buffy walked into Dawn’s room and saw the sweetest sight of her life, there was Dawn fast asleep in her bed with Spike at her side. Spike was gently stroking Dawn’s hair and was whispering in her ear,

“Don’t worry luv, I’ll always be here.”

Dawn rolled over and murmured something in her sleep that made Spike smile with delight. He rose up and kissed the top of her head,

“I love you too Niblit.”

Spike turned to see Buffy standing at the door smirking,

“You are so sweet when you think no one is watching.”

She whispered softly.

“Well being sweet would just ruin my whole reputation.”

Buffy silently laughed and kissed Spike.

“Riley sent you a message, he said that what he said just before he left, that he still means it.”

Spike laughed and shook his head.

“What did he say to you?”

Asked Buffy staring at her boyfriend innocently.

Spike smiled,

“Well he figured out that I was in love with you and he swore that if I ever touched you, he would kill me. Fat chance.”

Buffy hugged him tightly,

“He’ll have to get through me first.”

Spike kissed her forehead,

“Sometimes I wish I didn’t have this bloody chip, but then I’m thankful because if I didn’t have it we might not have been together.”

They walked out of Dawn’s room and headed downstairs,

“Fancy some telly love?”

Buffy nodded and she sat down next to him, leaning her head against his chest and gently stroking his arm.

It had been two weeks since they had seen Riley and they figured that he had left. Every one of the Scoobies knew about what had happened and they weren’t happy about it. Xander had sided up with Spike and they had actually had a conversation about how they were going to kill him, they had spent hours laughing and bonding, yet neither of them would admit to actually liking each other.

“Meet ya there luv, gotta fetch something at my crypt.”

Buffy nodded and kissed him hard, every moment without him was torture and she was missing him already. Buffy walked towards the Magic Box where they were meeting the Scoobies for a meeting about all the nasty’s out there.

Buffy walked down the road in darkness, the last few months had been the best she’d ever had. She was happy, she had the love of her life, good friends and everything was finally going right.

She walked into the Magic Box to be greeted by all her smiling friends,

“Hey Buffy.”

They all said quickly.

Buffy smiled and bounced her way down the stairs,

“Hey guys.”

“Hiya Buffy, where’s Spike?”

Asked Xander.

Buffy smiled at how much they liked each other,

“He went to get something from his crypt, he’ll meet us here.”

Buffy sat down next to Dawn and smiled widely at her,

“So any new demons or evil things for me to slay?”

Giles smiled up at her over the book he was reading,

“No not really, just a large group of vampires and the usual.”

Buffy let out a sign of relief,

“Good, ‘cause I’m not in the slayey mood right now.”

Buffy sank back into the chair and Anya smiled at Xander and she pleaded to him with her eyes,

“Xander I think that you should ask them their opinion.”

Buffy furrowed her brow,

“Ask us what?”

Xander shifted in his chair and spoke in a low voice,

“Do you guys think it’s a good idea if I ask Spike to be my best man?”

They all stared at Xander and huge smiles spread across their faces,

“I think that’s a great idea, but I didn’t know you two were that close.”

Said Buffy

Xander shrugged,

“We’re not, there’s just no one else.”

Willow smiled knowingly,

“What ever you say Xander.”

They all laughed and Buffy hugged Xander tightly,

“Thank-you.”

Xander smiled and they all nodded their heads,

“I think you should.”

Said Tara quietly.

Willow nodded and Dawn jumped with excitement. Anya gave Xander a know-it-all smile,

“Told you.”

Xander placed his hand lovingly on Anya’s leg,

“I’ll ask him when he gets here.”

Buffy nodded and put her hand around Dawn,

“So how was school?”

Dawn shrugged,

“Fine, same old, same old.”

Buffy smiled,

“You did go right?”

Dawn scoffed in a way that it immediately reminded her of Spike,

“Of course.”

Buffy smiled,

“Good, just checking”

Buffy looked at Giles, who was speaking harshly to Anya,

“You can’t force people to buy things by threatening them Anya, you have to let them make their own decisions.”

Anya grimaced at him,

“Well I can’t help it that you humans are too stupid to make your own bloody decisions, you just need a push.”

Xander intervened,

“An, I think that you’ve been spending too much time with Spike, just don’t threaten the customers. Okay luv?”

Anya smiled,

“Alright, but you’ll have to have sex with me later.”

Xander squirmed in his seat,

“An…I don’t think everyone needs to hear about our sex life.”

Anya shrugged and served a new customer.

Spike walked into his old crypt and looked around, it seemed so empty and cold. He walked into a chair that was lying on the floor, and scolded himself,

“You bloody moron, watch where you’re going.”

Spike climbed downstairs to be greeted by a smell that was all too familiar,

“Who’s there?”

Spike watched as a figure that he recognized stepped out of the shadows,

“Hello Spike.”

Spike sneered at his visitor,

“Riley. What are you doing here?”

Riley glared at Spike and flung his hand out towards him. Spike fell to the ground and held his stomach, which ached from the sting of the taser that Riley had.

“What do you want?”

Riley hit Spike again and Spike reeled back in pain,

“I want you to hurt as much as I do, and then I want you to die.”

Spike was hit again and fell to the floor unconscious,

“Now I can play with you a little, until Buffy gets here.”

Spike woke up with every part of his body in pain,

“Finally you woke up, it’s no fun torturing you if you are not awake to feel it of scream out in pain.”

Riley hit Spike through his face and Spike’s blood painted to wall that he was tied to. Spike’s eyes were already swollen and he had to squint through the slits that were once his eyes. He summoned up all of his energy and lifted his head,

“Buffy will never love you soldier boy, so sod off.”

Riley took a long poker that was red hot on the end,

“After she sees that I can be evil too, she run back into my arms and we can finish you off together.”

Riley shoved to poker into Spike’s chest and Spike grunted with the pain.

“I told you that if you ever touched Buffy I would kill you.”

Riley used the poker again but this time the hot iron end penetrated his neck. The blood poured out of Spike’s wound and joined the puddle that had already gathered at Spike’s feet. Riley laughed and kneed Spike in the groin and Spike grunted once more,

“You having fun yet, ‘cause I sure am.”

Riley sneered at Spike,

“I understand that Glory already did all of this too you, I guess she didn’t do such a good job seen as you’re still here.”

Riley took out his small army knife and made a large incision down Spike’s chest. Spike laughed,

“Buffy will never love you because how could she love someone who isn’t able to satisfy her. What you’re dick too small?”

Riley stabbed the knife into Spike’s groin and laughed with insanity,

“No, but you don’t have one any more.”

Spike spat at Riley,

“Fuck you. You whore loving, small dicked, stupid ponce, wanker, bloody ugly captain cardboard.”

Riley threw his knife across Spike’s face and down into his heart.

“You will die for that.”

Buffy and the Scoobies had been waiting for Spike for 3 hours,

“He definitely should be here by now, it’s been 3 hours.”

Buffy stood up and fell against the wall.

“Buffy, what’s wrong?”

Asked and worried Xander.

Buffy looked at him as tears began to flow down his face,

“Spike is hurt. He’s in such pain. I can feel it.”

Giles stood up and everyone followed,

“Spike must be in trouble, we have to find him now.”

They all rushed out of the shop while Anya locked up,

“We can’t let anyone steal our things.”

She chased after them and they headed to Spike’s crypt.

Riley was enjoying himself immensely, Spike was just a blood covered mass of flesh, but though Riley’s effort was great, Spike was still insulting him and laughing.

“I won’t let you take her from me.”

Was Riley’s greatest argument. And Spike’s retort was always the same,

“I already have mate.”

Spike’s left arm was broken, his chest had been shred into ribbons and hid face was hardly recognizable.

Spike tried to get the chains off his feet and wrists but he was too weak. He hoped Buffy wouldn’t come and see him or Riley like they were.

Buffy and the rest of them arrived at Spike’s crypt and heard voices inside,

“Die already.”

Came from the one.

“Too late.”

Came the reply.

Buffy knew who the second voice was, it was a weak Spike. But the first voice was familiar. She opened the door slowly and peered inside. They all stared in horror when the saw what used to be Spike, but what was now a bloody mess.

Buffy saw red when she saw his captor, it was Riley.

They all entered slowly and hid behind an upside down couch.

Riley walked up to Spike and jabbed a screwdriver into Spike’s chest and Spike laughed weakly,

“God Riley you are pathetic,”(In a girly voice he said) “Buffy doesn’t love me, I’m gonna kill you if you ever touch her. She’ll love me when she sees how evil I can be. Die already, I want you to hurt.”

Then back in his normal voice he said,

“Get a new tune to sing Soldier boy because you sound like a broken bloody record.”

Riley stabbed him again in the thigh,

“God I hate you, Buffy doesn’t love you, she loves me. She just hasn’t realized it yet.”

Riley looked at his work,

“Maybe I should just kill you, I’m running out of ways to torture you.”

Riley took something out of his bag and held it up to Spike,

“Goodbye Spike. Give my respects to Hitler.”

Buffy jumped out of her hiding place when she saw that it was a stake,

“Riley No!”

Riley turned to see Buffy staring in horror at him,

“Buffy, see I’m not such a good boy.”

Buffy laughed cruelly,

“Let Spike go.”

Riley shook his head,

“No Buffy, I’m doing you, us a favor. Spike is the only thing that is standing between us.”

“No Riley, the only standing between us is you. I don’t love you, I never will because I love Spike. I want to be with him forever, not you. It will never be you.”

Riley smiled at her,

“If I can’t have you then no on can.”

Riley was about to plunge the stake into Spike’s heart when he was tackled to the ground by Buffy,

“Don’t you dare touch him. Xander, help Spike.
Xander ran to Spike’s aid and began to untie him,

“Hey, evil dead. Don’t die on us, if you are going to die I want it to be by my hand.”

Spike smiled and Dawn rushed to the untied Spike who was slung over Spike’s shoulder,

“Spike? Are you okay?”

Spike looked at Dawn and held his hand out to her,

“Yeah Niblit, I’ll un-live.”

Dawn grabbed his hand and walked with Xander as he took Spike to the hiding place behind the couch. Willow, Giles, Anya and Tara went to work, cleaning his wounds and covering them with bandages.

Buffy and Riley were still fighting, Buffy was beating Riley while he tried to fight back. Buffy was angry and wanted nothing more than to see Riley dead. She was hitting him and hitting him in a fit of wild anger. Xander restrained Buffy from killing Riley and Giles held Riley. Buffy calmed down and Giles tied Riley up,

“How dare you do that to Spike? And to think I liked you.”

Giles shook his head at the thought,

“Was I wrong. Spike is the best thing to ever happen to her and if you bugger that up I swear I will rip every limb from your body with my bare hands.”

Riley said nothing but nodded.

Buffy struggled out of Xander’s grasp and fled to Spike,

“Spike, are you okay.”

Spike smiled at her and nodded. She kissed him lightly and he drifted off into an unconscious state.

Three weeks later Spike lay in bed with his arm draped lightly over Buffy’s waist. He was finally healing. Riley had left and had promised not to return. Buffy had looked after Spike and had nursed him back to health, with the help of Dawn who had looked after him while Buffy was patrolling or doing something else.

Everyone, even Xander, were happy for him to be back to semi health. He had started to patrol with Buffy again, but she never let him do too much.

He was happy, he had family (Buffy and Dawn), and He had friends (The Scoobies).

He was a happy guy, Buffy turned to look at him,

“I love you Spike.”

He kissed her lightly,

“I love you too.”