For the disclaimer and summary please see chapter 1.

A/N: Thanks to Melificent78 for my first review :) Good to know there's interest, it gives me warm fuzzies XD So... here's chapter 2, Enjoy! Please R&R


Chapter 2

"Spike, man, are you okay? What happened?" came the concerned voice of the regular poker player.

"Clem, mate. Bloody hell, it's good t' see you. Just ran into some trouble, y'know, the usual" Spike replied, his voice quiet and hoarse from pain, as he attempted to smirk at the wrinkly demon. Why am I lying? He asked himself. He knew the answer though. To protect her, like always, like you promised. In truth, the physical pain was the least of his worries. He had been captured by the Initiative, tortured by a hell-god and had to endure the 'teachings' of Angelus for the first 20 years of his existence as a vampire, he was no stranger to pain. However, the searing agony in his heart was burning him from the inside out. He felt like he had been split in two. Had his heart ripped out. He was sure there were other clichés that could describe this particular feeling as well, but his thoughts were too focused on the image of his blonde beauty walking towards the police station. Away from him. No, not yours.

"I could never be your girl"

Never yours. He couldn't let himself get like this. He'd let women walk all over him for his entire life, and unlife. Guess something's never change. Love's bitch was an understatement. First Cecily, then Dru and finally Buffy.

"You don't know what feelings are"

Well, it ended now. He was not going to get depressed. He needed to go to his crypt, heal up, and then... think of a really good plan. Yeah, that's what he'd do.

"Think you could give us a hand? Need to get back to my crypt"

"Sure thing Spike." Clem helped Spike to his feet and slung one arm over his shoulders as he supported the beaten vampire back to his home. "You know, I haven't seen you at the table in a while. It's a real shame, some of the kittens that have been put up... wow, I tell you, they are beauties. There was this one tabby..." Clem continued his story all the way to Restfield, which suited Spike fine. It meant he didn't have to try to talk through his injuries, and it gave him something to focus on that wasn't Buffy or the blackness that was calling him.

They eventually got back to the crypt, and Clem aided Spike in getting comfortable on the sarcophagus and retrieving the few blood packets that were in his fridge.

"Hey Spike? Is this gonna be enough blood? I can go to Willy's and get some, or I'm sure I can call in a favour from a Grashnar demon I know that works at the hospital. He could probably get a few packets of human for you" After looking at the extent of the injuries that he could see just on the surface, Clem knew that his friend would be taking a while to heal, especially when he was only get animal blood.

After draining the blood he had, Spike replied.

"Cheers Clem. A few pints from Willy's will do me fine. There's a bit o' cash in my duster" His voice was slurred slightly from the bruising on his face.

He waved a hand weakly in the direction that his duster had fallen when Clem had helped him out of it. Clem nodded but made no move to the duster. He could pay from the winnings he had made the other night. He owed Spike one anyway from way back when the Initiative had been in town. He had cut him free from one of the traps they had placed in the woods.

He began to ask if Spike had any preference to blood type when he turned and realised his friend had passed out. Frowning slightly, Clem left to visit Willy whilst contemplating what trouble Spike could have run into that had hurt him so much. Clem wasn't stupid, the often underestimated demon was more perceptive than many believed. He had seen the pain in Spike's eyes, and knew that he was suffering internally, as well as the obvious wounds he was sporting. And that wasn't the average beating. Something strong and ruthless had gotten a hold of him, and Clem wanted to know what.