Chapter 2

You can't deny it...there's something between us.

Loathing. Disgust.

I've changed, Buffy.

What, that chip in your head? That's not change. Tha-that's just ... holding you back. You're like a serial killer in prison!

But I'm not ... like that. Something's happening to me. I can't stop thinking about you.

Spike...the only chance you had with me was when I was unconscious.

Oh... did I scare ya? You're the Slayer. Do something about it. Hit me. Come on. One good swing. You know you want to.

It wouldn't be you, Spike. It would never be you.

Were you born this big a pain in the ass?

What can I tell you, baby? I've always been bad.

Oh, come on, we need to talk-

WE don't need to do anything! Okay, there is no we! Understand?

You're beneath me.

Her eyes snapped open and she heard light beeping to her right. It was just a dream. Nothing else. Although...if she didn't know better...she'd think they were memories. But she didn't believe in past lives. It was ridiculous. What was heaven for if you could never go there because you kept getting reincarnated?

"Buffy?"

Her heart thumped in her chest as she heard the startled British voice and she looked to her left to see Spike getting up from an uncomfortable looking chair.

"Spike. What are you doing here? Where am I?" She lifted the scratchy blanket from her stomach and her eyes widened at the wires sticking to her stomach and chest. There was an I.V. sticking out of each of her arms, one pumping a clear fluid and the other…blood. Why were there wires stuck to her? Why would she need blood? And why in the hell was she in a hospital room? The last thing she remembered was…watching a movie in the theater with Spike. She'd forced him to the newest Johnny Depp film, him grumbling the whole way there, until the movie started and he admitted it was a good movie. They were walking home, arms around each other, laughing about an incident from high school involving Buffy 'accidentally' dumping a tray of spaghetti on Harmony Kendall's chest after her witnessing the dumb blond purposely tripping Willow in front of the whole Cafeteria, then…nothing. She couldn't remember one little detail about how she may have ended up in the hospital.

"Buffy…you're awake." She looked up at him, as he had crossed the room to stand next to her bed. He grasped her hand and closed his eyes and she had the strangest urge to snatch her hand back as a feeling of utter disgust flowed through her. Weird. "You don't know how glad I am that you're back. I am so sorry for everything I said to you and I wish I could take it all back…I just—"

"Spike, stop. What are you talking about?" She cut him off, confused about his words, trying to scan her mind for an argument they might have had, but came up blank.

"What do you mean? What…" He paused and his eyes widened. "Buffy…what's the last thing you remember?" He said breathlessly.

"We went to see Blow…April 7th…and we were walking down the street…but I don't remember anything after that." She made a face, and thought about how happy that night was, but the look on Spike's face confused her. "How long have I been here, Spike?"

"You were in a car accident…you've been here for one-hundred and forty-seven days. It's October 2nd." She felt her face drop. She'd been in a coma for six months. Wait…147 days is only five months. She wasn't stupid. She didn't remember a month of her life before her accident.