Nobody's Perfect

Jessica Charlotte

A/N: Sorry, so sorry for not updating sooner. It's just that I needed to find the right

wordings for this chapter.

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Spike entered his crypt cautiously, glancing around the tombstones and furniture

for anything out of place. He closed his eyes and a single tear leaked out as a whiff of a

slightly familiar scent tickled his nose. He walked towards the entrance to the lower

level, not entirely surprised to find the door open. He lightly stepped down the ladder

and the muscles in his chest tightened as he saw a limp, soaking wet form lying in a

crumpled heap on the floor. His knees gave way under him and he fell to the ground with

a thud as sobs racked his body as he looked at his beloved, a girl he thought he'd never

see again.

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The rest of the Scoobies had returned home, feeling discouraged at not finding

their friend. One by one, they found spots amongst the living room, and vainly tried to

comfort each other. "H-has anyone seen Spike?" Tara ventured softly after a long period

of silence. The others shook their heads and the group lapsed into silence once more.

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Spike had stopped crying a while ago, and now just stared blankly at Buffy. She

didn't look like she had when he first met her. Her eyes had sunken back into her skull,

and her ratted hair had long since lost its luster. She looked more like the girl who had

gone down saving the world last spring then the bubbly high school girl. He was tempted

to wake her, to find out if she remembered him, yet he was afraid of what the answer

might be. He longed to hear her voice, to see her emerald eyes twinkling at a pathetic

joke that Xander had told. He wanted to make her smile, to feel her soft lips on his once

again. As his internal battle warred on, he almost didn't realize that her body began to

stir. He intently watched her, in fear and awe as her eyes fluttered open and she rolled

onto her back, staring blankly at the stone ceiling. She remained in that position, not

moving, and finally, Spike had to say something.

"Buffy?" he asked hoarsely. "Pet?"

She sat up instantly, pulling her knees into her chest and glancing around wildly.

When her eyes fell on Spike, they widened in recognition, "S-Spike?" she stuttered in a

tiny voice.

He instantly moved over to her and pulled her onto his lap, holding her tightly, as

if he loosened his grip, she would slip away from him. "Shh," he whispered into her hair,

"I'm here, I've got you, love." He slowly rocked back and forth in a calming rhythm. After a few minutes, her muscles relaxed and he continued rocking back and forth.