Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy and Spike but they are my puppets for the purposes of this story. I solemnly swear to give them back after.

Betrayal

Chapter One

"Spike please say something" Buffy begged but her lover was silent. This silence was somehow worse than any of their violent rows. He was sitting now with his head in his hands with his back to her.

"Please don't hate me" she sobbed as she approached him from behind. His vampire hearing must have alerted him to her approach, as he turned to face her quickly but he did not meet her eyes.

"Christ! Buffy you do not get to do that!" he roared, "You're the one in the wrong here. Stop playing the bloody martyr!" She revised her earlier thought. Perhaps silence was better than this after all. She could see the pain in his expression and the vitriol in the words.

"Spike, I'm sorry. It was a drunken mistake" she whispered desperately. She was crying now and he could see the tears streaming down her face and despite everything he still wanted to take her into his arms and make it stop.

"Stop fucking crying you bitch" he snapped, afraid of losing control and succumbing to his desire to comfort her.

"I love you Spike and don't you dare say I don't."

"Well, you can hardly wonder at me questioning your love for me when as soon as Peaches is human then you're jumping his bones"

"Spike" she began desperately, but he cut her off.

"Buffy shut up. I do not want to hear any more. Of all people it had to have been him. If only it had been Monkey boy or even Soldier boy or any other wanker for that matter, but no you had to shag Captain Forehead and bag his sprog into the bargain."

He stormed out the door and it slammed behind him. It was a minute before Buffy reacted. She tore out the door after him but he was already in the car.

"Spike" she yelled after him, but he turned the ignition and put the car into drive. She watched miserably as the car drove into the road.

Buffy just ran and ran aimlessly. The rain was pelting down and her clothes were wet and sticking to her skin. Still she ran. She continued her run until she no longer could keep going and broke down in tears. She knew it was entirely her own fault. She realised now that those childish dreams she had held onto for so long were just that. She had thought she had long since surrendered that sixteen year old part of herself, that part which had been in love with Angel and believed in happily ever after. Nevertheless, when Angel had turned up on her doorstep with a heartbeat she had briefly resurrected them and they caused her to betray the years that she and Spike had spent together. She would be lucky if Spike would ever forgive her, but she knew now without doubt that it was Spike that she loved wholeheartedly and it was Spike she wanted. However, it was probably too late.

"Oh my God, what have I done?" she thought.

Buffy wandered in a daze and found herself on Dawn's doorstep, tearstained and wet. She rang the doorbell.

"Oh my God, Buffy" Dawn exclaimed, "What's wrong?"

"Oh Dawnie, I have been so stupid and now he's gone"

It frightened Dawn to see Buffy looking so small and so shaken. Buffy may have been a small woman but she had a strength that belied her slight frame. Dawn stood back to let her sister in but Buffy did not move. Dawn put her arms around her sister's trembling shoulders and took her inside of the house.

"Who is it?" a voice called out.

"It's alright Michael. It's Buffy!" Dawn answered. The head of Dawn's husband popped around the corner.

"Hey Buff," he said and Buffy nodded in reply. He noticed the distraught look on the slayer's face and he quickly withdrew leaving the two women to talk. Dawn escorted Buffy into the kitchen where she sat her down. She popped the kettle on. Living in England for so long making a cup of tea when someone was upset was second nature to her now.

"Buffy, talk to me!" she said softly.

"It's Spike! He hates me, Dawn. He left me."

"Don't be stupid, Buffy!" Dawn laughed. "So, you had a fight. He will come back. Spike could never hate you. He loves you, dumbass."

"Dawnie, you don't understand. I cheated on him with Angel. What's worse I'm pregnant with Angel's baby."

Dawn was gobsmacked. Whatever it was that she expected it was not that. Poor Spike. He must be heartbroken. How could she do that to him?

"Buffy you're an idiot," she said once the power of speech returned to her. However, this was not what Buffy needed right now. She had to be supportive sister even if she was as pissed as hell. Seeing her strong older sister crumpled into tears, Dawn took her into her arms.

"Oh Buffy" she soothed and her sister burst into noisy tears.

To be continued