AN: Here's chapter three...i hope you like it and please review! Thanks for the feedback so far, I really appreciate it! Just to let you know, words in italic are Buffy's thoughts.

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns it all...

The Stone Of Tempus

By Secret Slayer

Chapter Three

Better than a Dream

Previously...

"You feelin' all right Slayer?" he suddenly asked.

"Huh?" she said dumbly.

"You've been quiet," he stated matter of factly, but there was something in his voice that was not normal Spike voice.

"Like you'd care," she retorted, but her words lacked the bitterness she had tried to apply.

Spike stayed quiet. He looked away, almost nervously, and pulled out a cigarette. Buffy watched this, and she wasn't sure whether or not the dream she had last night was making her think things, but she was sure that deep down he did care.

Two days later...

"Spike ... I want you."

"Buffy, I love you," he sighed into her hair.

The words came so naturally. He was left with no regrets as he repeated them, kissing the slayer passionately.

"God, I love you so much."

Spike bolted upright in bed. The dream was haunting him every night since that day he'd tried to get the chip removed. It still confused him, but his feelings were becoming clearer. Not physically, but somewhere in that dried up walnut that was once a beating heart, she was always following him. He knew it was wrong, but he was love's bitch, he wont deny love when it's staring him right in the face. Buffy may be the slayer, but to him she was more. He was drowning in her. She was in his gut, his throat. Everywhere he went she followed him.

"I'll make her see it," he said to himself, the words echoing off the crypt wall.

With that he slid out of the satin sheets that lay across his bed and began to dress. Tonight was the night he'd tell her.

Buffy flew against the flimsy railings, barely dodging the huge fist that smashed against it moments later. The vampire was bigger than most, but not abnormal. He was a biker-type. Probably strong, definitely big, but certainly not smarter than her. She crouched down low, missing the next attack. The vampire loomed over her menacingly.

"I've always wanted to kill the Slayer."

"And I've always wanted piano lessons," Buffy punctuated her words with blow after blow, knocking the hulking vampire back several feet. "So really, who's surprised we have all this unexpressed rage?" she quipped.

Buffy moved forward adding several punches to the vampires face and then kicking him hard in the stomach. It blocked her next punch and landed a huge fist to her jaw. She stumble back through a small opening in the railings and blocked the vampires next attack. Buffy wrenched the demon's arm behind his back and flattened him against the fence.

"But honestly? I think I'm expressing mine better. Tell you what... you find yourself a good anger management class..." The vampire threw her off but she slammed him back into the fence again and whipped out her trusty stake, "And I'll jam this pokey wood stick through your heart."

Before the vampire could react, Buffy staked him to dust and slipped the stake back into her coat.

"I think that sets the world speed record for closure," she mumbled to herself.

"Hey!" a voice called from behind. Buffy turned only to have a bright light shined in her eyes.

The man behind the flash light switched it off and Buffy realised it was the factory watchman approaching.

"Miss, if you're looking for one of those rave parties, I'm afraid you're late. Chased a bunch of kids out of here last night," the watchman told her, smiling.

"Oh, right. Yeah. Darn. My fellow ravers will be so disappointed. It was my turn to bring the Bundt cake," she says falsely.

"You know, if it was my call, I'd let you do whatever you want. It's not like anybody's using this place or nothin'. But they just don't pay me enough to argue with the boss so..." he hinted with his torch at the opening in the railing.

"Already gone!" Buffy said, turning to leave.

She only managed a few steps though when the guard called her again. She turned back to face the man.

"Oh, hey! Hold it, miss. Take your... whatever this is with you."

He bent over, and picked up a glowing red stone and handed it to Buffy. She held the smallish stone in her hand and looked at it curiously.

"Thank you," she said vacantly.

The watchman laughed to himself as Buffy examined the glowing rock.

"I swear, I don't get your generation. What is that thing?" he asked.

"I'll let you know as soon as I find out," Buffy replied distractedly.

She turned and walked off into the night.

Buffy walked up the drive to her home, the small, red glowing stone still firmly grasped between her fingers. She began to walk up the porch steps when her slayer senses started tingling. She stopped mid stepped and slowly spun around. Her eyes saw nothing in the darkness, but her senses could feel the presence of a vampire near the tree. Quickly shoving the stone in her pocket, she quietly crept up to the tree and blindly pulled out who ever was there. She hadn't expected it to be him.

"Spike," she said in confusion.

He swiftly pulled the cigarette from his lips and snuffed it out beneath his boot.

"Hi Buffy," he greeted somewhat shyly.

She frowned. He said that nicely. Spike never says anything nicely. And what was he doing outside her house?

"What are you doing outside my house?" Buffy asked suspiciously.

She could tell immediately he was about to make up a long and fake excuse, so she cut him off before he had the chance.

"Five words or less."

He held up his hand and with each word, lifted a finger, "Out... for ...a ...walk," he delayed, realising he had one word left, "... bitch."

Now that was normal Spike.

"Out for a walk?" she echoed incredulously.

"Yeah," he said lamely.

Buffy rolled her eyes and in doing so, noticed the large pile of snuffed out cigarettes by the tree.

"Were you waiting for me?" the slayer asked, a small smile twitching at her lips.

His face fell for a split second. Had she caught him?

"No," he said, a bit too quickly.

Buffy looked him up and down. He was dressed in his usual from head to toe. She had to say, he wasn't the worst sight she had ever seen.

"What do you want then?" Buffy asked.

"I came for a chat," he replied, "But if your..."

"No, no," Buffy said quickly, far too quickly. "I have plenty of free time, but not too much free time that I'm like some sort of sad loner...I just have nothing to do right now, but that's only...I'm gonna shut up now."

Buffy turned quickly so he wouldn't see her blush. Why was she babbling? She knew there were new feelings developing, but it was almost as if she had a crush on him. Which she didn't. Nope. Not one bit.

Spike raised an eyebrow. Was she willingly inviting him into her home?

"Do you wanna come in?" Buffy asked, all ready turning and heading to the front door.

He simply nodded and followed her. Was she being nice to him? She was never nice to him. Violent, snappy, bitchy...but not nice. Spike decided she was either up to something that no doubt would end up painfully for him, or she was softening up...he found the last one unlikely, but stranger things had happened.

Buffy unlocked the door and looked into the empty lounge.

"Hey! Anyone home? Mom? Dawn?" she shouted.

There was a sudden rush of feet and the bouncy, brunette teenager came tumbling down the stairs.

"Hey Spike!" Dawn greeted enthusiastically.

Buffy's mother soon appeared from the kitchen. "Oh hey sweetie, I didn't know Spike was coming over," she glanced at Buffy and then smiled at Spike, "Can I get you anything?"

"No thanks Joyce, just need a word with your eldest."

"OK, come on Dawnie, I'll help you with that science project," Joyce said, leading her youngest daughter into the kitchen.

Buffy waited until her mother and sister had left and shrugged off her jacket. She looked at the vampire expectantly.

"So Spike, what did you want to talk about?"

Spike took in a deep unneeded breath, and began the explanation, "Look Buffy, don't get your pointy, wooden weapons out, but there's something I have to tell you..."

There was a sudden sinking feeling in her gut. This wasn't looking good. He must have done something. Something awful.

"What have you done?" she asked impatiently, folding her arms and tapping her foot.

He rolled his eyes. Trust her to jump to the worst conclusion.

"I haven't done a bleedin' thing, if you let me finish the soddin' sentence then..."

"Fine, finish the sentence."

Actually, the thought of what Spike was about to admit, suddenly looked horribly scary, but what the heck, he had nothing to lose.

"I had this dream," he started.

Buffy felt her heart quicken.

Thump...thump...thump...

"About you," he added.

Thump..thump..thump..thump..

"And lately I've been having these bloody insane feelings..."

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump...

"And I cant get you out of my system. God knows I've tried. But you're all I bloody think about. Dream about. You're in my gut ... my throat ... I'm drowning in you, Summers, I'm drowning in you."

OK, heart overload.

"Oh God..." she gasped, "Are you out of your mind?"

What am I saying? I had the same dream. Stupid Buffy.

"It's not so unusual," he sighed, taking a step towards her, "Two people ... in the workplace ... feelings develop."

Tell me about it.

"You can't deny it. There's something between us."

"Spike your a vampire. This is wrong," she said in a hushed tone.

Why am I fighting this? I feel something for you too. Stupid inner slayer...

"Angel was a vampire," he countered.

"Angel was good," she replied quickly.

It's true. I might be attracted to Spike, which lets say, isn't normal Buffy behaviour, but he's still a soulless demon. This is wrong. I shouldn't have feelings for him. He's evil, always will be.

"And I can be good, Buffy."

Did he just say he could be good. Is this really Spike? God, this is too much for me to listen to...

"Buffy, I love you," the words slipped from his lips before he could think twice.

The words from her dream. The exact ones had been repeated. It triggered something inside her. Something new. Something that had nothing to do with the vampire slayer, but something that had everything to do with Buffy. She reacted with her heart instead of her brain.

Buffy moved forward and kissed Spike before she could think anything of it. The kiss was even better in reality than it was in her dream, and that took some doing...

To Be Continued...

AN: Hope you liked that, please let me know if you did...i appreciate reviews for all my chapters! Thanks for the feedback so far...keep it up!

thanks x