A/N: I just corrected some spelling mistakes; doesn't mean there are none now.
It was late in the evening when I wrote this and I know there ARE a lot of 'Thought's in the story.
Setting: After Angel 5.05 - Life of the Party

First Meeting

A little knock disturbed Angel. He looked through a heap of reports and Spike wasn't a great help. From time to time the vamp-ghost stuck his hands suddenly out of the paper in front of Angel in order to annoy his grandsire. "C'mon in." To Spike. "Stop with that!"

Wesley entered the office followed by the whole gang. "There is someone who wants to see you."

"See ye later, peaches." Spike was almost in the wall to the other room, when he heard a familiar, surprised sounding voice. "Spike?!" A little blond woman came into sight behind the group. She stepped doubtful in front of the ghost. Her eyes glittered out of joy. "I thought you were dead." Suddenly her face became harder and she shouted angry: "Why didn't you call me?"

"Hadn't your number. Peaches didn't want to give it to me!" Spike was as surprised as she on her view.

Buffy's blood boiled. "Since when do you respect the privacy of other people? You could have searched in his office…if you were serious."

*That hurts.* Spike felt anger rise. "I couldn't… and Angel didn't want you to know…"

"Angel!" The slayer's cold gaze travelled to the elder vampire.

Angel hadn't proceed everything until now but stepped instinctive in defence mode. "I thought it would be too early for you to know. I wanted to find out why he is brought here, befor-"

Buffy went to Angel. "You do not have to protect me. Slayer, forgot? – What have you thought, Angel? To keep me away from him all my life? Believing he's dead? Just because you're jealous – Damn, who do you think you are?"

"Yeah, who do you think, ye sodding-" Spike followed his love and stood behind her back.

"Spike! Shut up!"

Angel felt supported by his ex. "Shut up, Spike. It's-"

"Shut up! Both of you! I'm not in the mood for your stupid family quarrel."

"Someone coffee?" a bright voice asked and the slayer looked confused to the intruder. Immediately the intruder added shocked. "What is SHE doing here?"

"Harmony!? Is this a holding camp for thought dead vamps?" Buffy couldn't believe her eyes; a second time in five minutes.

"If you're here for Spike. You can have him. I'm better off without him." The vampires turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

"Again! What the hell is she doing here?" Buffy looked in the round until Wesley finally answered. "She's my secretary."

"Oh… She can operate a computer?" Wesley's face contorted and Buffy nodded understanding. *Otherwise it would have been a wonder.*

Spike wanted to get Buffy's attention back. He wanted to explain everything. "Buffy,… I've been looking for you ever since I came back, but the only thing the poof wanted to say, was that you are somewhere in Europe."

"That's not true. I also said she was fine, but this wasn't enough for yo-" Angel got angry again. Obvious the slayer came here to see him not his grandchilde.

"Not enough! Of course it wasn't enough, you bloody-"

"Stop it! At once! I didn't come the long way from London to hear you clash." Buffy spun around wanted to run past Spike, but instead of hitting him, she just went through his arm.

"What's?! What…" She abruptly stand there with blank face looking to Spike.

"I said I couldn't call you. It's what I wanted to explain to you the whole time, but ye won't listen." The ghost stepped a bit forward towards his slayer.

"Spike, what happened to you?" She calmed herself.

"Saved the world. Died. Came back. But a bit…ghosty."

"You are a ghost? Why? How?"

"Vampire ghost, pet." He vamped out for a split second, just long enough for Buffy to see what he meant.

Wesley wanted to answer, he had to admit that his weeks long research hasn't brought much. "The WHY we haven't quite found out, but it must have to do with the amulet."

Buffy shook her head not understanding. "Spike, why didn't you come just to me?"

"I couldn't. I'm bound to… Angel." A disbelieving look of his love crashed on him. "Ye know I would have chosen everyone else, but the Powers thought it funny to let us stuck together." Fred tugged on Angel's sleeve like a little girl motioning him that all the others had already left the room. Reluctant the vampire followed her.

"Oh. Isn't there any way to… you know… to…"Buffy couldn't think a coherent thought.

"Fred built a machine that is able to give ghosts their body back. Bright girl, reminds me of Red."

"But…"

"But it's broken." Awkward silence crept upon them.

Spike had to say anything to make that terrible stillness go away. "Buffy, luv, we won, back then at the hellmouth. How were the girls. Did they make it? And Dawn?"

"We lost a lot… But the others are fine. Dawn is fine. She was very sad when I told her that you where dead." She finally could say that word. She couldn't bring it out of her mouth since that night two months ago.

"Hadn't thought Niblet would have felt that way. Thought she would have been happy… big bad vamp dead."

"She was angry on you. But she still loves you… This isn't what you really want to talk about?"

"No, my heart." His face softened.

"Do you still love me?"

"Of course. I love you. - I wanted to call you. To talk to you. To see you so much. But I can't hold the receiver, not to mention dialling the number."

"William." Buffy couldn't bear to look at him, instead she watched her feet on the clean floor. She thought sad about his selfless sacrifice. He was like her now. He lost his life to protect the one he loved and was brought back to a place he didn't want to be. And he was brought back differently.

His brilliant blue eyes absorbed the slayer. He couldn't bear to see her like this. He gathered all his strength in his left hand. Slowly he lifted it to her face; to the golden strand of hair that hung loosely next to her ear. He concentrated as much as he could and grasped the lock. It cost almost all of his power, but he could tuck it neatly behind her ear.

She felt his touch briefly on her ear. Buffy looked up at his face. He didn't looked worried about himself; he was worried about her. That is what he always was. *He only thought about me and how I feel.*

Her face showed surprise and he answered shyly. "It isn't much."

Buffy wanted to hug him. To show him that he isn't alone. A little supporting smile appeared on her pretty lips. "I promise I will help you."

THE END (?)



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