While Buffy and the Potentials were out training, Spike took his opportunity and went down to the basement to pack. He had to go. He couldn’t bear it anymore. Oh, he knew he’d promised Buffy that he’d stay and fight the good fight, but there was only so much a man could take. The love he could see in the tiny Slayer’s eyes was just too damn much for him to swallow and cut him to the quick.

Spike’s blue eyes clouded with pain. For over a week now he’d watched silently as Buffy kept daydreaming out the window and whenever he would speak to her, she’d react guiltily; her cheeks flushing before she looked away from him. Obviously she didn’t have the heart to tell him that she loved another and Spike didn’t want to know who the lucky bastard was. He didn’t want to see the look of pity she gave him as she tried to break it to him gently.

Well, bugger this, he thought. He’d tried to win the girl by getting a soul, but even that hadn’t proved enough. He slammed clothes into a bag, took a final look around and stomped up the stairs.

Spike was just about to leave when he thought of the Niblet. She’d be upset - the only one - to see him gone. Perhaps he’d better leave her a note. He quickly wrote some sentimental rubbish that William would have been proud of and left the note in an envelope on the kitchen table. Then pulling up the collar of his Duster, he left the Summer’s house for good.

***

The house erupted into chaos once again, as the potentials stampeded their way in and Buffy followed them. She rolled her eyes at the noise and wondered for the umpteenth time when she would get her home back. No wonder Spike kept to the basement whenever he wasn’t needed. Too much oestrogen for him. Buffy smiled at the thought of the Big Bad hiding from a group of girls.

Dawn’s cry of anguish interrupted her thoughts and Buffy rushed into the kitchen.

“What is it, Dawn?”

“Spike’s left!”

“What?” Buffy paled, “I don’t understand…”

Dawn thrust the letter she held at her sister, “Read this. It’s all your fault!”

Buffy took the letter and gasped at its contents:

Buffy’s lip trembled, “I should have told him sooner,” she said quietly. Maybe then he’d have stayed.

“Told him what?” Asked Dawn.

“It doesn’t matter,” Buffy panicked, “I have to find him…”

She grabbed her coat and ran out of the door.

***

Buffy stormed into Willy’s and marched up to the bar. The Demons in there quickly ducked their heads down and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. Looked as though the Slayer was on a mission and God help any Demon in her way.

“Willy! Do you know where Spike went?” She asked the frightened demon quickly.

He looked over into the furthest corner of the bar and Buffy followed his eyes. Spike was sat nursing a large glass of something; staring morosely into the liquid. He seemed oblivious to her presence in the bar and anyone else. Buffy’s heart went out to him.

“Please! I don’t want any trouble. I’ve only just got the place fixed from the last time…” Willy whined hopelessly.

“There won’t be any,” Buffy promised and she meant it this time, although poor old Willy wasn’t to know that.

Buffy walked slowly over to Spike and sat down opposite him.

“Spike, we need to talk…”

“Do we? You won’t change my mind, Slayer. I’m leaving,” he said staring at her with dull eyes.

“Why?”

Spike clenched his jaw, suddenly furious at her for playing with him like this, “You know damn well why!”

Buffy frowned, “Because I …er..love…someone?”

“Yes!” He hissed. God, she knew how to torture a bloke.

“And.. and this bothers you?” She asked quietly. She didn’t know what she’d do if he said ‘yes’ again. But it was her own fault really. He’d loved her for a long time and she hadn’t been interested; now that she realised she did love him and had admitted to herself, he didn’t want her.

Spike snapped. He stood up and banged both hands down on the table, leaning over until their noses almost touched.

“What is this?” Of course it bothers me, you little bitch! Why, didn’t you think it would?”

Buffy’s eyes filled with tears at his words and she gulped before she babbled, “I…I know I don’t deserve you after all the things I’ve done and said to you, but…but I didn’t think you’d end up hating me for loving you. I’m sorry Sp..Spike. I’ll leave you as I obviously disgust you so much…”

Spike frowned, “What are you blathering about?”

“I love you, Spike and I’m sorry it’s too late for us…” she sobbed desperately.

Spike looked at her dumbstruck, her words finally sinking in.

“You don’t love someone else?”

Buffy looked at him with tears rolling down her face, “No… I love you!” She said miserably.

Spike laughed incredulously, “And I love you, you silly bint. I left because I thought you loved someone else!”

Buffy sniffed, “Why would you think that?”

Spike stroked her wet cheek gently, “Because, Pet, you only said you loved ‘someone’ and whenever I saw you daydreaming, you would react guiltily near me. You would flush and look away. I assumed you were thinking about some other bloke and just felt guilty about telling me.”

Buffy shivered as his thumb stroked her bottom lip, “I was thinking of you, Spike. I realised I loved you, but just didn’t know how to tell you. Every time you spoke to me, I felt too embarrassed about telling you. I was half afraid you would reject me, especially after the way I’ve treated you in the past. I don’t deserve you.”

Spike smiled, “I’ll be the judge of that, luv.”

Buffy leaned into his hand and closed her eyes.

“What now?” She whispered.

Spike lifted her chin and waited for her to look at him, “Now, I take you home and ravish you, while you whisper sweet threats into a dead man’s ear.”

Buffy smiled at his words, remembering some of his song when they were under demon influence. Then she shivered at the thought of his hands on her body again, unaware of her eyes darkening with lust.

Spike saw and growled, before kissing her hungrily. Buffy opened her mouth up to his wicked tongue and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. Oh, how she’d missed this. His kiss made her soul sing and prevented all coherent thought. She’d been stupid to ever let him go.

Willy removed his hard helmet; danger clearly averted and watched from the bar in rapt fascination as the couple couldn’t keep their hands off each other. If only he’d known this would happen sooner - he could have sold tickets.