Author's Note: I have a rough idea where this story is taking me, but no promises, sweets.

Spike glared balefully up at Buffy's bedroom window. He was beginning to feel like a complete idiot, standing there and mooning over the Slayer. Spike knew that a relationship with her was hopeless, and would always be impossible, but he just knew that he could make her happier than Captain Cardboard. Spike crushed his cigarette underneath one heavy black boot and was about to slip back to his crypt when he noticed Riley sneaking out of the house, making sure to close the door silently behind him. This, Spike decided, warranted further investigation.

Blending into shadows had never been harder. Riley was beyond jumpy, constantly checking himself to make sure that he wasn't being followed. Spike was getting frustrated with the high number of close calls. He was ready to just turn around and leave Riley to his sneaky maneuvers when he noticed what neighborhood they were in. Spike recognized that house, that broken streetlight, the swirling loops of graffiti. Riley couldn't possibly be going where it seemed like he was going…

And yet he was. Taking on last hurried glance around the block, Riley ducked into the vampire brothel. Spike turned into an alley and rested against the wall, pulling out another cigarette. He weighed the pros and cons of telling Buffy what was happening. On the plus side, he would probably gain some brownie points for clueing her in. Maybe she would even have a fight with Riley and come running to him for comfort…Spike sucked in a pleasurable breath of smoke. On the downside, he would hurt Buffy. That alone made him hesitate, but not for long. Knowing that he had to hurry, Spike swept out of the alley and ran back to Buffy's house.

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"You need to see this," Spike insisted as he tried not to stare at Buffy. She was naked under there. Buffy finally appeared to give in, and gave Spike a pointed look. "Please," Spike huffed. "Like I give a bloody damn." He turned around and silently groaned with frustration. This couldn't possibly be healthy.

Spike led the way back to the brothel, cautioning Buffy to be silent as they crept up the stairs and into the dingy, dimly lit room. They stepped around prone bodies and around people who moaned softly as vampires greedily sucked at their limbs. Spike couldn't see Riley anywhere, until he noticed a set of steps. He had to slam a particularly nosy vampire into a wall before making much progress, but they finally turned into a room. Spike held back as Buffy stepped forward, realization lighting in her eyes.

Buffy gaped silently, until a breathy gasp came from her throat. Riley dragged his eyes away from the vampire sucking at his arm and then snapped to attention when he noticed Buffy. "Buffy," he gasped, and yanked his arm away even as Buffy ran from the room.

Spike smirked as he watched Riley try to untangle himself from his vamp whore. "We're only here because we care about you, friend," Spike informed Riley. "You need help." Then he turned and ran after Buffy, more than just a little worried about her reaction. He burst out of the door and down the stairs, stopping short in front of Buffy. "I thought you should know," Spike explained between gulps of air.

The look she gave him stopped him cold. If his heart had been in proper working order, that look would have shut it down. Spike watched her go, devastated. It would take a lot to fix the problem he had created…

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Spike paced the floor of his crypt, going through scenario after scenario in which he went to Buffy and she fell weeping into his arms. The scales fell away from his eyes and he realized the enormity of what he had done. Riley was gone, Buffy was a wreck, and he had done nothing to make himself look any better in her eyes. He had tried to talk to her at the Bronze that night, before the troll wreaked his havoc. He had no idea what it would take to gain her forgiveness. Spike slumped into a chair, anxiously tapping his fingers against the arm. Finally he stood and grabbed his coat. He needed to fix this, now.

From behind a gravestone, two green eyes watched as the blonde vampire left his crypt and made his way out of the cemetery. The eyes followed him down streets, past alleys, and through shadows. When the vampire stopped at a house and paused before slipping inside, the eyes narrowed, and then waited…and watched…

"Buffy." Buffy started upright at the sound of a voice. She had been lying on her back, studying her ceiling and trying not to think about Riley. She wasn't having much success. Her eyes landed on Spike, and she swung her legs over the side of her bed and stood, ready to drop-kick him out of her window if the occasion called for it.

"What are you doing here?" she asked impatiently. She could literally feel her palms itching with the desire to punch Spike. Buffy needed a good fight to relieve all of the frustration she was feeling over Riley's departure. She had a frustration of a different kind, though as well. Spike was incredibly attractive to her, especially now, deprived as she was of affection. In order to keep herself from jumping on him, she would need to pummel him. There was just no other way.

"I need to fix things," Spike explained as he tried to pull his gaze away from her lips. "Between us," he clarified, noticing Buffy's confused look. Spike took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever would follow. "When I came to tell you about Riley, I honestly thought that I would be doing you a favor. I didn't mean to hurt you, Buffy. I never want to hurt you." Spike looked up from studying the carpet to see Buffy's reaction to his words, silently hoping for the best. Instead, he found himself on the receiving end of a silent glare.

"I don't believe that for a second, Spike. I'm the Slayer and you're a vampire. It's your job to hurt me." Buffy fell back onto her bed. "Get out, Spike. You aren't even worth my time."

Spike took in a shuddering breath and let it out in an attempt to calm his anger. "Buffy," he said firmly, "I promise you that I didn't want to hurt you." Buffy scoffed but still refused to look at Spike. Spike's heart ached at the realization that he wasn't even worth a glance to Buffy. How could he make her understand? "You have no idea how I feel about you, Buffy. To you, all I am is a soulless creature."

Buffy bolted up. "You are a soulless creature! Good grief, Spike, you have no feelings but feelings of pleasure at causing other people pain! You showed me what was going on with Riley to hurt me."

Spike shook his head vehemently and took at step forward. "No, I showed you what was going on to help you! Would it have been better if you hadn't known? Would you have preferred to find out on your own, noticing some familiar looking bite marks? And if you had known that I knew what was going on and didn't tell you-that would have been better for which one of us? I did this to help you." Spike cut off from his rant, breathing hard and more frustrated than ever. How could Buffy just stand there, calmly rejecting every offer of apology he made. How could he still want her?

"Get out, Spike," Buffy said, shaking her head. Spike stepped closer and grabbed her arm.

"Buffy—,"

"Let go—!" Buffy had enough time to exclaim, before Spike's lips came down over hers. He kissed her desperately, and she was motionless for a moment before responding passionately. His lips were cool and thorough, making her weak in various places throughout her body.

Oh, bloody hell, what was he doing? Spike was finding it difficult to think and kiss Buffy at the same time, so he dedicated most of his effort to Buffy. That is, until she pulled away. "Now do you understand why I didn't want to hurt you?" Spike asked. "Tell me that that was a bit of a clue," he added sarcastically. Then his voice took on a more serious tone. "And you kissed me back, so you must feel something, too."

"Get out. Now." Buffy's voice was low and dangerous. Spike backed out of the room, his eyes smoldering.

"This isn't finished, Slayer. Far from it."

And the eyes saw, and they took note, and the entity of Lust gorged itself on the feelings of the two beings it observed. And Lust devised a plan to provide for itself many more meals…

Let me know how you feel about this.

your princess