I own nothing. Thanks for the comments. Here is the real chapter 7.

Oz found Buffy star gazing from a swing in a small playground area. She gave no indication of knowing he was there until he spoke. "What's going on in that head?" he gave the swing a gentle push, setting its rider into motion.

"I was horrible to him," her voice was barely a whisper. "I used him for anything I needed and then when he needed me I told him it all meant nothing. Even then, when I 'ended' things, told him it was all meaningless, I knew it was a lie." Buffy paused to fight back the tears, "then later, when he came to the house, I hoped he had heard the lie and was going to make me tell the truth, but instead he hurt me. The pain wasn't unusual for us, but the way it came out was way out of his norm. I figured that I was finally getting punished for all those times I hurt him when he was just trying to make love to me. I should have known Spike would never mean to hurt me like that," she continued with a mirthless laugh. "As soon as he realized what he was doing he was gone. That was when the true punishment came. For months he was just missing, with no word or explanation. Every night I'd go out and fight, hoping he'd show up, and every night when he didn't show up and I was getting ready for bed the loneliness would set in. I could hold it at bay during the day, taking care of Dawn, and I could ignore it while I patrolled but that time between patrol and day was always Spike's time." Buffy wiped away more tears. "It's no wonder that he didn't believe me in the end, when I finally admitted to him how I felt. I mean, I waited until he was sacrificing himself to save the world. I didn't… I don't deserve his love." It was finally too much and the tears flowed silently but steadily down her cheeks.

Oz held her as the moon slowly gave way to the sun and wished there was some way to heal the heart of his best friend. It wasn't fair that a woman, a girl, who had given up everything for the sake of the whole world couldn't have some happiness to call her own, a happiness that would last even after she was gone.

:)

Buffy sat for a while, staring at nothing in particular, after Oz left. She had heard the howls and figured the wolves had gone for a run. Thinking of them brought one, specifically, to mind. Clayton Danvers was tall, muscular, and dripping sexiness. Physically he was everything she'd ever wanted in a man, with the added benefits of both a brain and a personality. 'Wait, why do I care if he is physically my type? I love Spike! Just because he is gone doesn't change that.' Buffy abruptly climbed to her feet, deciding she needed to work out some more energy.

:)

"You think you can just keep me here against my will?" Spike asked. "You think you can keep me from her?"

"Yes, actually I do," Angel replied drolly. "You will stay here and keep your mouth shut until we figure out what to do with you. Oh, and if I had my way you would never see her again. She isn't yours and she deserves better than you messing up her life again."

"You were the one who walked out on her. You decided what was best for her without even asking her. You gave up being human and stopped looking for a way to secure your soul because some oracle demon told you she would be better off, live longer, if you did. YOU gave up on her! But I'm not good enough for her." Spike was incredulous. "I gave up everything, hunting, human blood, nights, to be with her, to be there for her. I got my soul back for her because she thought the only way a vampire could love was if they had a soul. All because of you!" Spike started to deflate, "I gave my unlife for her, so she could have a chance to be safe and happy. You are the one who isn't good enough for her."

"So you think you're better than me?" Angel growled

Spike me the other vamps eyes dead on and proclaimed, "I know I am."

Angel swung, Spike ducked; lashing out with one bare foot, connecting with Angel's side sending the older male into the wall. "You really want to challenge me Angelus? You know I'll beat you." Spike taunted him as he pulled himself up. Angel charged him with a roar. Spike lithely moved out of the way, landing a blow to Angel's jaw. He swiftly followed up with an elbow to the back of the head and a knee to the face. Angel collapsed to the ground bleeding and unconscious. Spike let his gaze linger on the downed vamp before raising his eyes to Xander. "Where is my girl?"

"I… She... What," Xander sputtered, trying to figure out a way to convince Spike not to seek out Buffy without ending up like Angel.

"Spike, please stop and think," Cordy's voice was calm. "It has been more than a year since you burned up and took Sunnydale with you." Her tone turned sad, "Buffy was in a bad place after. She refused to stray too far from the crater in case you somehow managed to crawl from the ruins. She hardly ate, barely slept, and wouldn't talk to anyone for weeks." Tears gathered in her eyes, "We thought we were going to lose her, and then the strangest thing happened, one of the girls found your duster. She wrapped herself up in it and cried for hours." Cordy couldn't help the small upturn of her lips and slight shrug. "Seven days later she emerged from her room, black pants, clunky boots, and red top with your duster thrown over it all announcing that she was starving and did we have a plan for where to go next. I swear we didn't know if we wanted to hug her or hit her."

"What are you trying to say Seer?" Spike spat.

Cordelia rolled her eyes, "what I'm saying vampire," she sneered, "is that if you suddenly show up we don't know how she'll react."

"And how do you think she'll react," Spike sneered back, "when she finds out that you hid the fact that I was back from her?"

Xander groaned, "He's right. Buff won't take that well at all." He closed his eyes and sighed, "I think it's time for a Scooby meeting."

So you should know, I don't/can't talk with a British accent and it's practically impossible for me to write with one. You'll just have to picture James Marsters (aka Spike) saying his lines.