Therapy with the Undead

by DeAmonQuEen

After the alley incident in Dead Things, Dawn finds Spike and demands he get therapy to deal with his co-dependency and other issues. Read and find out how Dr. Miranda Grey helps our favorite vampire deal with his countless issues, and how her help can also help Spike get through to the Love of His Unlife, and possibly get the girl.

1. Session 1

Hi another new fic that I have been working on along with my "Tales of the Unknown Champions". It's a WIP but I assure you I will be constantly be updating it along my other fic. Anyway, hope you enjoy this fic!

(O.O)

Dr. Grey

Client no. 2091

Name: William James Pratt aka William the Bloody or Spike

Species: Undead

Class: Vampire

Session 1

Time: 11:47 pm

Duration: 2 hours and 30minutes.

Remaining time left: 1 hour and 22minutes.

Tonight's the first out of 12 sessions that I will be having with my newest client, William, or as he preferred to be called, Spike, and it seems he was running a bit late. Though I wouldn't put it past him if he were to miss this session of ours. He was after all among the creatures that I would least expect to come to my facility and seek my kind of help. I had already been surprised when he came accompanied by a human girl and signed up for an appointment in the first place. But for him to actually show up is just not something I would expect from a vampire, especially one with a reputation such as his.

For those who do not know what my clinic is for, I shall try to enlighten you to pass the time as I wait for Spike's arrival. You see, my clinic is very special and deals with patients with supernatural, paranormal and mystical origins. I deal with a variety of patients from faes, to ex-gods and demigods, to demons and to a limited variety of human warlocks and witches. I have helped fix the emotional and spiritual problems of these creatures all with the help of my Doctorate Degree in Psychology and a mini crash course in Theology. You might find it strange that I am doing this in the first place and believe me you are not alone. Most of my family and friends do not understand why I do this, but that is because they do not see the beauty and wonder of what I am doing for these unique and misunderstood individuals. They cannot understand why a garden Dwarf would feel a deep seated hatred towards flowers, or why a destructive Fryarl demon would be seen crying for breaking her tea cup. They do not see the point in learning the ways or the behaviours of these particular creatures nor care in the first place about them, and that is their problem and also what differs me from them. Because unlike the others, I truly and genuinely do care for these creatures. I care for the reason for each tear, each tantrum and each destruction that these beings do or cause and I wish to help them find that reason and help them live with it or at least get through it.

This is my calling and I am happy with it. For why wouldn't I be? Each sessions with my patients I get to learn something new about them and their species every time I help them learn something new about themselves. It is a joint experience, and one that never ceases to amaze me. I have been through a variety of patients: the dwarf and the Fryarl demon are just among the few of them.

I've done a lot of good for these entities or beings. I have assisted in healing a traumatized but very powerful warlock, and have conversed with creatures that could only be seen in books and fairy tales and was able to help them solve their problems. I also have been able to calm the most destructive of demons and allowed them see a better kind of lifestyle for themselves. Overall, I have helped a lot of creatures and I continue to help more. I do not turn away anyone that needs my help, nor do I abandon them should their problems exceed far more than what I have ever encountered. I try to help in the best way I can, with everything I can give. Perhaps that is why I am well known and well liked, because I actually care about them, and that is more than I can say for the families of these beings that I offer my aid to. However, do not begin to think that no one despises me for what I do. In fact, over the years since I started this job, I have accumulated quite a number of haters. Families, friends and even creatures of the same race of the beings that I help have all had their turn at ways of showing how they dislike what I do for my patients. They've tried to have me killed numerous times, some were even almost successful. But a little danger in my life never stopped me from doing my job, in fact it only seems to motivate me more, because if I am being threatened then that means I am a threat to them in the first place. It means I am changing something that they do not want changed, and I like to think of that as a good thing.

Oh, it seems I have gotten too caught up in my tale, that I have failed to notice how much time had already passed.

12:00 am.

Alright, my vampire patient is now officially an hour and thirty minutes late, and I have given up all hope of him turning up for our session. Of course, it wasn't like I was expecting him to come in the first place, because as I said earlier, a creature such as a vampire is the last kind of creature that would ever need my assistance. I am not saying that they have no problems that would need my help, but what I am saying is that they just don't want my help to begin with.

Now, if you are surprised by that, don't be. Vampires are a pretty generic type of demon. They want, they take, they have. They are motivated by their previous human desires with the added desires of the demon. Most of the time all they ever think about is blood, sex and destruction, and very little of anything else. But when they do think about something other than those things, it's twisted in this dark sort of way that is horrible for everyone else around them. They are also selfish creatures. They think only for themselves and wouldn't give a single thought towards others or even care what those others think about them.

And that's is why I had said that vampires wouldn't want my help, because why would they? They don't care about what people think of them and if they do, because of some remaining desire from their past human selves, then they would seek to kill or destroy that person or persons that had allowed them to care in the first place. In other words they simply solve their own problems in their own wicked and twisted way. What use would I be to them then?

So knowing all this puts to question the reasoning of my current absentee client on why he would actually seek my help. Truth be told, I had thought that this particular vampire had ulterior motives for coming to my clinic. I had thought he was there to kill me when I first saw him and signed the appointment form. But then I saw the young girl with him and heard how adamant she was to get the reluctant vampire to actually come to my sessions, it was then that my curiosity was peaked.

I then became excited for our upcoming session, and had immediately scheduled him on my Friday's last appointment. Of course, after I did my research on this particular vampire, I began to lose all excitement in our upcoming meeting. I had seen nothing special about him in the history books. I mean, sure he killed two Slayers and had been extremely loyal to his Sire, but aside from those two things nothing about him stood out. He was just your regular vampire with a big reputation.

Yet I can't seem to help but remember how he interacted with the girl that night he set his appointment. He teased her and insulted her, ranted about how he would kill her for getting him to come, yet his tone as he said all this was light and sometimes forced. It was obvious that he didn't mean a single word he said to her. He'd looked annoyed at the girl, yet at the same time he was protective of her, which was seen by how he would glare at my other clients if they so much as looked at his companion. It was a curious thing to see a vampire, with a reputation such as his, protecting a human child and allowing himself to be hauled by the said human to see a psychiatrist. What was even more mind blowing about the entire encounter was that the girl seemed to genuinely care about the vampire too. Sure, she bossed him around and insulted him just as much as he insulted her, yet she was gentle with him, even hovered over him as he limped from one counter to the next, mindful not to touch the his injuries, that were very well concealed underneath his coat. She was careful not to hurt him any further or have anything hurt him.

The scene was just so new to me that it particularly caught my interest, and made me want to find out more about the vampire.

And that is why I had convinced myself tonight to stay in my office until the hours for the session is over because, despite a small chance that he might still show up, some deeper part of me believes that this vampire was definitely different from the others and I really wanted to know about that difference.

A sudden knock on my door brought me out of my musing.

"Come in," I told whoever was behind it.

The then door opened and a dark leather clad vampire with bleached platinum blond hair entered my office. He stopped by the door's entrance and openly stared at me. It should've made me uncomfortable but I wasn't because I knew that he was just assessing me. Though whether it was to check if I looked delectable enough for him to eat or just to examine the kind of person I was, I did not know, nor did I care because I was used to being stared at in that kind of way by some of my previous clients. So what really matters to me at that moment was that Spike has finally arrived and we can at last start our session.

"Good morning, Mr. Spike. You're a bit late but I guess it can't be helped. I'm sure you have a very good excuse for that. But for now, how about you take a seat so that we can start."

(O.O)

Spike

I don't know what the hell I'm doing here. Hell, I don't even remember why I agreed to come here in the first place. But what I do know is that if I didn't come tonight the Bit would nag my arse off tomorrow and drag me back here by the hair as soon as the sun goes down. The bossy bint's even worse than her si-No, not gonna think about her. Not gonna try to think about how much I miss her coming to my crypt for our nightly trysts. Not even gonna think about how I've already forgiven her for nearly dusting me a few night ago 'cause I was trying to stop her from ruining her life because of something we now know she had nothing to do with. Not even gonna- Dammit! Now I'm thinking about her. Oh, Buffy, my goddess, my Light, my Slayer. Oh, how I miss-Fuck! I am a right ponce. A bloody pansy.

The Bit's right, I really do need therapy. It's why she dragged me here a couple of nights ago for an appointment, after she hauled my injured arse back to my crypt and nursed yours truly back to health. She stayed with me that day, despite how I told her that her big sis wouldn't like it. She had only replied to me in that haughty tone of hers.

"She did this to you, so I'm obligated to help you. Besides she wouldn't even notice that I'm not there." I tried to tell her that her sister cared about her and such shit, but then she added, "Also, you're my friend, Spike, and I'd care if anything happened to you."

She spoke with such sincerity and love that I hadn't strength to protest anymore. I was rarely on the receiving end of such gentleness that my entire body just shut itself up and allowed the girl to stay and let her try to fix me up.

We spent the entire day together, with her cleaning my wounds and dressing them too. The Bit has gotten awfully good at that stuff, probably learned aboug it from Joyce or read about such like in her books. Girl likes to read, she does, and then we talked. Talked about a lot of things: mostly about her school, her bad taste in music and all other things in her life that we used to talk about but stopped once Buffy came back. I know I hurt the girl for staying away, but her big sis didn't want what we had to be anywhere near her sister. And after that night in the alley, I finally believed her reasons.

Dawn shouldn't be anywhere near the kind of violent relationship her sister and I shared. She may have already seen a lot of bad things in her life because her sister's the Slayer but she doesn't deserve to witness the kind of bad her sister and bestfriend have together. It would cause emotional scars that even I know would be hard to fix.

Speaking of fixing stuff, the reason the Bit took me here was because after our talk she started telling me that I had co-dependency issues, and it's why I let her sister and everyone of the Scoobies walk all over me because I had wanted to belong in their group and didn't care what kind of hurt I had to go through as long as I was with them.

A load of bull that was! I don't have co-dependency issues. And I certainly do not want to belong to a bunch of self-righteous, ungrateful, do-gooding white hats!

But then she started listing the behavioural traits of a person with co-dependency issues from her book, which she had hidden inside her backpack, and apparently I checked out with each and every one of them!

Bloody hell, where did she get the damn book in the first place. Those kinds of shit shouldn't be seen or read by a fifteen year old. Maybe it had belonged to her big sis or the witches from college or something. I noted in my head to tell Buffy about it once I saw the bitch again.

Anyway, going back, Dawn listed the traits and me having each and every one of them was the reason she argued that I needed to see some therapist about it. She said that if I didn't then I'd continue living by how other people want me to live, not how I wanted to. She also said that I'd never be able to be my own man if I continue to live the way I did.

Another load of bull. I had argued back and told her that I lived my life the way I wanted and not in the way her sister and her friends want me to.

"Nuh-uh, you're so totally living how other people believe you should. Sure, you still do stuff you want but there a lot of other stuff that you stopped doing because it doesn't fit in with what we, the white hats, are suppose to do," she had said acting all knowing and annoying.

Like what?! I had stupidly asked. Of which earned me another list of things that I either started or stopped doing ever since I had begun hanging out with Buffy and her lot.

"Well, first there's helping Buffy and the Scoobies out without asking for payment, then there's the part where you stopped stealing from humans most especially from Anya at the Magic Shop. You now pay for the stuff you use, Spike. And don't deny it, I saw you buying some stuff from the department store, stuff I know you used to just knick without asking. Then there's patrolling on your own, I know you're looking for a spot of violence before bed but you can get that violence at demon bars by starting bar fights. So you're deliberately patrolling Sunnydale for the sake of protecting its people. You're being kind to Willow, Tara and Anya and no longer snarking or insulting them. You listen to Giles' orders and even let Xander bully you and sometimes let him win on those rare times he allows you to play pool with him. Face it Spike, you've been acting differently from how you used to act, and don't start blaming the chip for it either. The chip may have got you on this path but it wasn't what dictated you to do all those things. You've been changing and that's a good thing but some of the things you started doing are not of the good for you and your self-esteem."

Although most of what she said had some truth in it, I still had thought that what she had been saying was nothing but bull. But I didn't voice that out, because I was growing tired of arguing with the Bit in her Psychiatrist phase. So I simply asked her what she had wanted me to do about it.

Of course, it was a stupid thing to say to the girl because she seemed to think that I needed the help of an actual psychiatrist. I tried to argue but she cut me off and instead dragged my arse to this place, which she had heard from Clem was a place where a good shrink was found. She had booked me 12 appointments with some doc by the name of Dr. Miranda Grey.

And so here I am, in front of the office of the so called Demon Psychiatrist, for my first appointment.

Truth was, I had no plan of coming tonight. In fact I was more than an hour and a half late for our session and I did that on purpose because like I said I didn't want to go. But here I am anyway, which puts me back to the question: "What the hell was I doing here?"

I know that it was useless to come here because one, I still don't see a problem of how I was currently living my unlife, no matter how miserable I seem to be sometimes, and two, because even if there was a problem with it I see no way it could be solved by talking to some doctor who fancies herself a demonic psychology expert.

I turned back again to exit the building but as I neared the door, I hesitated. I remembered the things the Bit said and took time to really consider her words. I can't say for certain that I don't have issues, because bloody hell everyone has them. But I do know that lately my life hasn't really been all that great. The chip aside, I did notice that most of what I do no longer resembled the Master Vampire I once was, and most of those things I did were done out of my own volition. From helping the bloody Scoobies, to taking care of the Bit, to falling in love with the Slayer, I did each and everyone of those things with little complaint and even without anything in return. I don't know if it was indeed because of the so called "Co-dependency Issues" that the Bit said I had or if I simply became a bloody ponce after I got the chip. But what I do know is that really do need help. Whether it was to identify what was wrong with me or actually cure what I already know was wrong with me, I don't know, but the gist of it is that I need help.

So I turned back towards the doc's office, raised my hand and attempted to knock, but again I hesitated.

Bloody hell, I'm not really doing this, am I? One part of my head asked me. I shook off that thought immediately.

"Man up already, you wanker! We both know we need the help and we've already made the decision to do this since we're already here. No sense in acting like a coward and backing out now!" I verbally scolded myself, before knocking at the door and waited for someone to answer.

"Come in," was the muffled reply on the other side.

I took a deep and unnecessary breath. Well it's now it never, worst comes to worse, I'll just walk out on this bint and never come here ever again. I opened the door and surrendered myself to possibly an hour of torture via talking.

(O.O)

Dr. Grey

My client simply stared at me upon my greeting before he shrugged and closed the door, then he approached one of the leather couches and sat on it, he lifted his feet on the coffee table, and leaned back on his chair.

"So, doc, how do we start this thing?" he asked in a nonchalant tone.

I simply smiled at his attempt to fool me. He may look like he was bored and unaffected with the situation, but I knew better, that it was all an act. His posture may looked relaxed but some parts of his body were twitching, which signifies that he was forcing himself into that position. Aside from that, his fingers were fidgety, and played with the armrest of his chair, and he was avoiding making eye contact with me. All of these were telltale signs that he was nervous.

Of course, I wouldn't want that. Nervousness does not make up for a very cooperative client. So I started by building up a rapport.

"How about we start by trying to get to know each other," I said as I collected my pen and notepad, stood up from my desk and transferred to the vacant seat in front of him. I felt his eyes on me as I did this but I ignored it.

"Thought we're gonna talk about how I can get over my problems. So what's the point in trying to get to know each other? It's not like we're gonna go on a date or something," he said, averting his eyes away from me again was I settled in my seat, while his hand continued to play with the chair's loose fibers.

"You're right, we're not on a date nor do I think we will be in the near future because it is highly unethical to do so. However, I do not think you would be comfortable with telling your deepest darkest secrets to a complete stranger now, would you?" I told him with challenging tone, that seemed to get him to finally look at me.

"You're right. I'm not comfortable with it," he agreed, dropping his feet off the table and sitting straighter. He was now looking directly at me again, but this time he wasn't being analytic or apathetic. This time he looked angry, and it took everything within my power not to cower from his gaze. I had to remind myself that the wards in this place were still set and that he couldn't hurt me even if he wanted to. "In fact, I'm not comfortable with any of this in the first place!" he said standing up and towering over my seated form.

His glare intensified but I simply swallowed my fear and answered him with complete calm and focus. "I know. No one is comfortable with all of this the first time. But remember, you came to me for a reason. You came because you needed help, and that's something that I am sure took a lot of courage just to admit." I told him with a smile. "You're here now, Spike, and I am here too. 'Here to give you all the help you need. You just need to trust me first."

I paused to look up at his reaction, and saw that he was deeply contemplating what to do next. I can understand what he is going through, he needs help, wants it even, but he's just not used to asking for it. It probably takes short of dying before he actually decides to ask help from others. He was not that at the moment so he was being indecisive. I am glad that he is taking his time to make the decision though. Usually his kind would have done something violent to me already just for making them feel this way, but since he hasn't done that then that means he's serious about all this and also proves that he isn't like the other vampires I've met. He's planning on talking things through with his mouth rather than with his fist and fangs like most of his kind do.

And it's quite a remarkable development for a vampire, if you ask me. This vampire was really starting to intrigue me, and my opinion of him increased more than a little.

He suddenly turns his head away from me and looks at the door and I immediately guessed what he was thinking.

"If you want to leave, then you are free to leave, Spike. I am not going to force you to stay here." I told him. But when he started moving towards the door, I hurriedly say, "But if you do, then you will never be able to solve whatever it is that's bothering you. You will spend the rest of your unlife living the same way you always do with the weight of this problem on your shoulders. If you are truly satisfied with that life Spike then you can leave... If not, then there is no harm in staying and finding out if whether or not I can help you lift that burden."

I waited patiently for his answer, knowing quite fully that should he choose the first one there is nothing I can do to change his mind. He paused by the door, his hand on the knob, making me think that he was really going to leave. But then he turned around and went back to sit on the couch he previously occupied.

"Alright. I'll give this a shot," he said then took a deep breath before he released it and continued, "So how are we gonna do this 'getting to know each other' part? Do we start talking about our likes and dislikes, hobbies and what not?"

I let out a small giggle at his callous way of describing what I do, before answering him. "Well, how about we start with introducing ourselves."

"The hell for? You already know my name, used it four times already and I sure as hell know yours because of the damn plate on your office door. What's the point for introductions?"

Rude but straightforward. Oooh, I am really liking this vampire.

"Well, it's common courtesy to introduce ones self upon meeting someone, never mind if that that particular someone already knows their name. Here, let me start. Hi, I am Dr. Miranda Grey, but you can call me Mira or Dr. Grey. It's very nice to meet you!" I said enthusiastically offering my right hand for a handshake.

He stared at my offered hand before he took it into his and gave it a light shake.

"Name's Spike, 'tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He let go immediately after saying this.

"See? That wasn't so bad. Now, how about we each tell something about ourselves. I'll start again. I'm a single thirty five year old woman who graduated at Princeton University. I took my doctorates at UCLA, and then transferred here to Sunnydale, where the Hellmouth is located, to practice my profession." I saw his eyes widened as I said this.

"Wait back up. So you're trying to tell me that you went to get all that special education just so you can be a shrink for demons?" he asked.

"Well, not just for demons but for any entity, being or creature that belongs in the supernatural and paranormal realm. I became a 'psychiatrist' so I can help them."

"Lady, you're barmier than I ever pegged you to be. Why would you want to be a shrink for those type of folks?"

I couldn't but laugh at his incredulous look.

"I know it may sound crazy but it happens to be quite a sensible and profitable occupation. If you think about it, there are far more supernatural beings with psychological problems than there are with humans, and there aren't many doctors who would willingly help them," I answered.

"So, that it? You're doing this for profit?" He questioned with a knowing grin.

"Well, not really. I do this because I love it. Getting a lot of money for it is just a consolation prize," I replied with a shrug.

"So you genuinely want to help demons?" He asked.

"If they want my help, then yes, I do," I said with conviction.

"Huh," came his only reply. We sat in silence for a couple of minutes before he opened his mouth to talk again.

"Well, guess it's my turn to say something about myself." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I was turned around 1880, by my Sire Drusilla, we lived with her family for a couple of decades before the two of us went solo after her Sire got all soulled up and left. I dedicated my entire existence to her for nearly a century before she dumped me for some Chaos demon all because she thought I had betrayed her by helping the Slayer stop the world from ending with her in it."

My eyes widened when I heard this. I had no idea that had happened because it wasn't in the books about this vampire. But he continued with his story and didn't seem to notice my surprised expression.

"I am a Master Vampire, who has killed two Slayers. I had came here to Sunnyhell to get my third and to heal my Sire. I completed the latter of the two but I failed the first one. After my breakup with Dru, I came back here again to finish the job of killing the Slayer, but instead I got captured by some secret government group called the Initiative and they experimented on me and put some microchip in my head that prevents me from harming humans. I ended up asking for help from the Slayer and her friends for protection and when I found out I could hunt and kill demons, it wasn't long until I started helping the Slayer and her lot. First in exchange for payment and then because I suddenly found myself in love with the Slayer, which did me no good seeing as she only views me as her mortal enemy and doesn't see me as anything but a thing."

I couldn't help but noticed his visible resentment and obvious contempt as he said that word, and I noted that in my pad.

"Then I became friends with her sister and her late mother after being frequently assigned to protect them from a hellgod who was our current enemy at the time. Anyway, I fought alongside them again to stop the said hellbitch from ending the world and ended up being the unofficial babysitter and protector of Dawn after the Slayer died in that battle. I fought alongside her friends all summer and protected the Hellmouth with them until the time when they resurrected the Slayer, without telling me despite the many times I had saved their worthless arses from getting killed over that summer. Then they just cast me out like trash and made it seem like what we shared that summer was nothing noteworthy for them upon Buffy's return from, get this, Heaven!"

More resentment and a slight disappointment and hurt can all be heard in his voice this time. But the vampire continued, not noticing how I was scribbling everything he was saying.

"But luckily for me the Slayer seemed to trust me with her secret upon her return. She confided in me of her pain, hardship, and unhappiness of her being here. We had formed a short tentative friendship at the time, until it was ruined by some freak accident involving a demon who made everyone sing their innermost secrets."

Oooh, I remember that incident. Frankly, I doubt I'd forget it because seeing a two hundred ton On'shnk demon sing and dance during our session is not something anyone would forget.

"The demon got her to tell her friends where she had been. After that I had thought that our friendship would end there because of that big reveal, but instead it evolved. You see at the end of that freaky night she had kissed me, and not in those stupid friendship kisses on the cheeks, it was a real, mind blowing, passionate kiss that got me so bloody hard I had to wank and come three bloody times that night."

I blushed at his vulgarity.

"It was that kiss that made me believe that she had wanted to start something with me, something wonderful and amazing and-" He stopped himself and sighed, before finishing, "Anyway, it wasn't long until we started having the most amazing, passionate, mind blowing sex. It happened every night when we were together and in every way we could possibly think of. And I got to tell you that woman's an animal in bed, insatiable that's what she is. Fuck! We once lasted five hours straight! Bloody hell, should've seen us literally bring down an entire building!" He looked proud and I can say that even I was a bit amazed at that feat.

A building huh?

"The only downside of our relationship was that she wouldn't admit it was a relationship," he said sullenly, quite a contradiction to his earlier behavior while he was bragging of their sexual endeavors. "In fact she had been so adamant to keep our relationship or whatever we had a secret from her friends that she threatened to bloody stake me if I told anyone!" He raised his voice at the last part which made me jump in my seat in surprise at the sudden change of his mood.

Quite a roller coaster this one is.

He looked angry as if he was remembering something that seemed to pissed him off. Whatever he had been remembering it was clearly upsetting him because he was just glaring at the table in front of him and was completely lost in his own thoughts. Then as fast as his outburst came, he took a deep breath again and calmed down, before he said the next words, devoid of any emotion. "Then there was the incident in the alley and the Slayer nearly beat the life out of me when all I did was try to save her. She left me there to die and I knew I would've had Dawn not come and found me that night. The Bit nursed me back to health, and even apologized for what her sister did to me. I told her that it wasn't her fault and that her sister wasn't at fault either because she was just in a bad place. But the girl would have none of it, and then she started talking. about some rubbish about my co-dependency sickness or some shit like that and forced me to see a psychiatrist. And so here I am. Ready to be psychoanalyzed and get the solution to my problems." He looked up again at me with such an expectant and sad look that broke my heart.

Such an expressive creature.

He immediately turned away from me and focused his attention on the wall of my office.

I took a few seconds to sort out my thoughts and all the information I had suddenly received from my patient. It was a lot more than I expected to get out of him tonight and a lot more complex than I had expected from a vampire of his reputation. It wasn't hard to guess that he had live a very awful and miserable existence, surrounded with heartaches and disappointments. Fate had obviously been against this vampire of late and the humans that he surrounds himself with didn't seem to help ease these negative feelings, if not they seemed to have worsened them. And on the top of it all his problems were his feeling of love for the Slayer. Usually love's not a bad thing but for this vampire it was, especially when it seemed that the love he has wasn't reciprocated or acknowledged by anyone other than himself. But it was hardly surprising, from what I deduced he had tried to kill the girl once upon a time ago.

Then I sat back and considered the idea further.

A Vampire in love with a Slayer... The idea itself was absurd, but at the same time it sounded so amazing and tragically romantic. It was totally better than Shakespeare or any television soap opera can come up with. But that's just in my opinion, for in reality it is obviously something that could destroy the said vampire should he continue with pursuing his feelings, which for me should be enough to tell him to abandon all his feelings for the woman.

Although it was still too early to assume that his love was what was making him miserable, even though I bet that it held a lot responsibility for it too, but I knew that there were still a lot of things that he hadn't yet told me about himself, so I couldn't jump to the conclusion that turning his back on love was the solution to his problems.

Then I realized another thing.

Co-dependency..

That was what his young friend said he had and was the reason she wanted him to seek my help in the first place. And I believe that the young girl wasn't that far off. I had indeed noticed how he seemed to be hung up on the feelings of belonging to this particular group of humans and saw his disappointment and pain as he relayed each moment when they would cast him aside or under-appreciate his efforts to help them. He seemed obviously affected by these humans' views of him and has been constantly trying to change those views, whether it was conscious or not. And so once again I noted that co-dependency is among the issues we would be addressing in our future sessions.

"That was a very informative," I told him earning back his attention. "And a lot more than I expected to get from you tonight. But I am guessing you must have wanted to get all that out for quite sometime now, haven't you, Spike?" He looked at me with a surprised expression that told me that I was right. "It's alright. The entire reason you are here is to help you get all that burden you've been carrying off your chest. And you have successfully done that tonight in one session. Tell me, how do you feel at the moment?"

"Confused, but only because I really did tell you all that stuff about myself and my current life."

I smiled. "That's understandable. What else do you feel?"

"I feel lighter, like some weight was lifted from my undead heart," he told me with a small smile.

Aww, he looks even more handsome when he smiles. Gotta remember to get him to smile more often in our sessions in the future.

"That's good, and hopefully it will be what you will always feel after the end of each of our sessions," I said as I stood up and and gathered my things. He looks up at me with a surprised expression, then turns to look at the clock on the corner and read it.

1:00 a.m.

"It's that time already?" he stated in astonishment, "I didn't even noticed I'd been here that long."

"Not many do, especially when we get caught up talking," I told him as I moved back to my desk and arranged the stacks of files on top of my table. "Although, we would have had more time had you come at the designated time, Spike." I gave him a reprimanding glare.

To his credit, the vampire looked sheepish as he stood up. "Yeah, 'bout that.. Sorry. I really had second thoughts earlier about coming here."

"Think nothing of it, I'm just glad that you decided to come. Although I just wish that next time, you will try coming on time, that way we can have more time to talk to each other."

"Yeah, me too, I am glad I came. But as for the part about being on time, all I can say is that I'll try to do it the next session, but no promises on that," he stated as he approached me at my desk and reached out a hand to me. "Anyway, thanks for listening, doc. It really helped."

I smiled at him again, and took the offered hand into my own. "You're welcome and it was an honor, Spike." I let go of his hand and waited for him to turn around and exit the room.

When he was almost out of the door he stopped. "Good night to you, doctor, see ya at the next session and again thanks for the help," he said giving me a side glance and a half wave of his hand before he shut the door to my office.

I didn't say anything else, and simply smiled again and continued packing my belongings intomy bag. In my mind I was dancing for joy at the prospect of seeing the unique vampire again and having another chance to deal with his very interesting case.

An interesting case, indeed.

TBC

(O.O)

Thanks for reading and reviews are appreciate! See you all in the next chapter! Bye!