Love Is a Four Letter Word

Prologue - Dreams

Buffy strode determinedly through Restfield Cemetery in the direction of Spike's crypt.

She was going to kill him. Riley had nearly died because of him and Harmony. Not to mention he'd almost gotten the chip out. She didn't even want to think about what would have happened if that doctor had really removed the chip, which was why she was going to kill him. She couldn't risk the chance that he might, one day, really get that chip out of his head. It was better to attack now then wait until he actually had a chance to fight back. She didn't like doing it this way, but she wasn't one hundred percent sure that she could take Spike without a chip and at full strength.

Which was why he had to die sooner rather than later. And there was no time like the present.

Reaching his crypt door, Buffy didn't even bother to knock. She kicked the door open to reveal Spike getting up from the ratty chair he'd been resting in. Really, where did he get this crap, the dump? Oh, that's right, that's where he did get his junk. Can you say ewww much?

"Should have known it's you. Been nearly six hours," Spike said, interrupting her train of thought.

"Well, it would've been less if I wasn't busy cleaning up your mess."

"My mess? I just borrowed the doc. The mess is yours, Slayer. Yours and the boy's."

"I'm done," Buffy said calmly, even as she pulled a stake from a sheath that was strategically hidden under her shirt.

Spike was surprised. Sure, Buffy had said plenty of times that she was going to stake him. But this time he could tell she meant it. Not that she hadn't meant it before, but it had always been out of anger at something he'd done, most of the time just to get her worked up, and sure she was angry now - he could tell by the spark in her eyes - but now it was spoken as a fact. She'd already made up her mind.

"Spike, you're a killer," Buffy continued. "And I shoulda done this years ago."

It wasn't like this was the way he wanted to go out. He would have preferred to go out fighting, but since this chip had been put into his head, he'd have to settle for going out the less exciting way. So he told her to do it.

"What," Buffy faltered for a moment.

"End… my… torment," Spike insisted. "Seeing you, every day, everywhere I go, every time I turn around. Take me… out of a world… that has you in it!" Spike yanked off his shirt and threw it aside. "Just kill me!"

Buffy, still shocked, but not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, raised her stake and brought it down, fully intending to end his sorry existence. But something strange happened.

She stopped.

Buffy stared into his eyes. Had they always been that blue? But besides the color she could see the anger in his eyes, the resignation that this was the end, and the fear. He was doing a good job of covering it but it was still there.

And why was it suddenly so hot in here. Wait, was she blushing?!

Suddenly she was in Spike arms, his lips attached to hers, and her stake - forgotten - fell to the floor. Shocked, she found herself returning the kiss.

Sure, she'd known that Spike was a good kisser from Willow's spell last year. And sure she had spat in disgust for over a week about Spike lips, but even she could admit, deep down in the dark recesses of her mind, that Spike was the best kisser she'd ever kissed. And though she hadn't kissed a lot of guys, she knew a good kisser when... kissed.

But this was different. This was real, not the result of some spell gone wrong.

Mmm... Spike lips. Wait, Spike lips?!

Coming to he senses, Buffy quickly pulled herself away from him. She brought a hand up to her mouth. Had she really been kissing Spike, with no spell or ulterior motive to blame it on? What about Riley? OMG, she'd just cheated on Riley. Even if Spike was a better kisser, that gave her no excuse. Not that Spike was a better… Ugh, what was wrong with her?!

As if she couldn't control her own actions, Buffy found herself walking back towards Spike and pulling his head back down to hers. All thoughts of Riley left her mind as Spike slipped his tongue into her mouth, as his hands came up to clutch her back, and began he trail kisses from her cheek and down the side of her neck.

"Buffy… I want you," Spike said muffled against her neck.

"Spike," Buffy panted. "I love you. I love you so much."

Buffy gasped as she awoke from the all too real dream.

Okay, there was a reasonable explanation to this. She was crazy. That's it. She needed to be locked up in the nut house for having that dream; for even thinking about Spike's cool, soft lips against hers, or his gorgeous cheekbones and bluer than blue eyes. Ugh.

There was no way she was in love with Spike. She loved Riley. Sweet, dependable, reliable, and… okay a little boring, Riley. No! What was she saying? Riley isn't boring. Right? No, he was fun and spontaneous and… he took her driving once. Okay, it wasn't really her thing, but it's fun for some people. Right?

Horrified, Buffy pleaded with the Powers that Be.

"Please don't be a Slayer dream."