Set during the episode where Spike and Angel go to Rome in the Angel spin-off (sorry I don't know the name I was never nearly as much of a fan of the spin-off as I was Buffy I did like it and watch it... Just wasn't as big on it lol) Also, in this we're going with Spike DIDN'T sleep with Harmony upon becoming corporeal, AND this is (I'm actually not sure what the USUAL timeline when put this at in time to how long after Chosen) going to be a year after Chosen.
(Spike)
Angel and I had gotten on the plane, and gone to Rome. It's where we were now. I was scared, terrified actually, of seeing Buffy again. I know she doesn't know I'm alive, that's my own fault, but I was scared to tell her.
Afraid that her last words, the words I so badly had wanted to hear, only to have to pretend I didn't believe them when I did finally hear them, afraid that they were actually a lie, and she was just going to rub my face in the dirt.
I could see her from a distance, I was scared to move in closer, but I could tell from here, that I was right, she's still beautiful as ever. The only bad thing about it, she's up there dancing with the fucking Immortal, of all people she could move on to. Hell, there were better vampires she could have chose. I had hoped that if she did move on, she'd have moved on to a human.
I take a deep breath and make a decision. Right here, today, I will tell her. She deserves to know I'm alive, even if it means her telling me off and saying I don't matter. Even if it means her pushing me away, running out the door and beating the shit out of me for following her. She needs to know.
I start making my way through the crowd, towards the woman I still love, towards my slayer. As I reach there, I spin the Immortal around and punch him in the face.
"Buffy-" I start, but cut myself off as I see her reaction.
"S-Spike?" she gasps, sounding more broken than she was when her friends brought her back from heaven.
I notice the dark circles under her eyes, the way she looks so thin, skinny, like she's lost a lot of weight.
"Oh my god, Buffy, are you okay?" I ask.
She starts crying, and drops to her knees. I quickly slide down beside her, and wrap my arms around her.
"Sp-Spike is i-is it really you?" she cries out.
"Yes love, it's me, it's really me."
At this point, I notice Angel keeping the Immortal busy to my right and silently thank him for that, knowing that most likely the Immortal tried to attack me back, but Angel was protecting me. Probably Angel was more protecting Buffy, but I still am great-full for it.
Now she's angry. She suddenly shoves me away and starts punching my chest.
"What the fuck Spike? When'd you get back, and why didn't you tell me?" as she finishes the last sentence her voice breaks again.
I catch her hands, stopping the punches.
"I'm sorry, love, believe me I am. Can we go somewhere quieter and I promise I'll explain, everything."
She sighs, and her shoulders drop, but nevertheless she drags me towards the exit, and into the alley. Wow have the tables turned.
"Look love, the amulet, it brought me back, but it tied me to bloody L.A, I was stuck with Peaches. The worst thing though? I was walking through walls and unable to pick anything up. About a two months ago, it was about a month after the first that I came back, and it took them until two months ago to make me undead again. Before I was able to touch anything, it was on Peaches for not telling you, after that, I know it was me. I know it was my fault, love, and now I see, I shouldn't have done what I did. And god, love, I couldn't say sorry enough," I brush her hair behind her ear, "Buffy, I love you, I believed you, I want you to know that, I believed you. When I came back, at first I was excited to see you, by the time they made me corporeal again, I was terrified. I thought," I sigh, "I thought you'd moved on, and you wouldn't want to see me, I was terrified you'd reject me again, like you had before," my voice dims to a whisper as I finish.
She punches me in the face, "That's for not telling me, Spike," she yells, then throws me against the wall, "That's for pretending you didn't believe me," she yells, and then she throws herself at me hugging me and clinging to me for dear life, "and this is for finally coming back to me, for still loving me, and because I still love you," she whispers, and tightens her grip.
I silently thank the powers that I don't need to breath, and I hug her back, "I could never stop loving you," I whisper in response.
She smiles up at me and takes my hand softly, "C'mon Spike, I have someone I want you to meet," I see her blush softly and she looks down, her hair covering her face.
I smile, and push her hair back, "Okay, love."