When Buffy awoke, she felt 10 times better than she did earlier. She dragged her tangled hair out of her face to look at the clock. It was 7:30pm. She'd slept through the entire day! The slayer tried to smooth down her crumpled clothing without success as she moved towards the door. She carefully opened the door and peaked round.
"Spike? Dawn?", she called but there was no reply.
She relaxed and slumped onto the couch but heard the creasing of paper from beneath her. She reached under to find a note. It definitely wasn't Dawn's handwriting. It wasn't like Spike to tell her where he was going. She tried to make sense of the scrawly writing.
"Painkillers on the table just in case. Taken bit out since there's nothing much in to eat. Take it easy. Be back soon".
Did Spike bring a new personality back from the grave too?
A few minutes later, the noise of the key in the lock could be heard and Dawn entered with massive bags under her eyes. Spike was following close behind, a cigarette between his lips. The young summers girl, collapsed in a heap on Buffy's lap and the slayer began to stroke her sister's hair.
"What's up Dawnie?", she asked, sort of knowing the answer already.
"Ugh, just tired", Dawn grumbled.
The girl found the energy to heave herself up and travel to the bedroom but turned around at the door
"That's the problem with a crappy one bedroom hotel room, 2 of you have to share the sofa", Dawn hinted and winked at her sister with a wide grin.
Buffy widened her eyes and gawped at her trouble making sister as Dawn closed the door. Buffy felt Spike's eyes on her and turned her head towards him, only to give an awkward stare.
"Don't sweat it pet. I'm off out again", Spike broke the silence.
"Where?"
"Oh I dunno. A couple of bars. I think Sunnydale was the only place that held Kitten Poker matches".
Buffy quietly laughed.
"Unless..you wanna come?", Spike nervously asked. Buffy slowly stood up.
"I think Dawn's able to look after herself for a few hours", she explained .
Spike's eyes lit up and he tried to contain his smile.
"As long as you don't make me go anywhere NEAR the drink. I don't think I could take the after effects again", she demanded.
"No problem love".
Spike reopened the door to the hallway and held it open for Buffy. Their eyes locked onto each other for the 20th time that day but something was different this time. This time the pair felt a spark of the trust they once had back in Sunnydale during The First's threat of apocalypse . They only prayed that a fire would start from the spark...
The pair walked down the bustling street, shoulders almost touching, blinded by the glaring street lights of London.
"So what did you really have planned before you invited me along?", Buffy spoke suddenly.
Spike tried to give her a puzzled look.
"I told you. Drinking, some grub..".
Buffy rolled her eyes.
"You're a shit liar Spike".
She gave him a shove. He went limp and stumbled whilst laughing.
"Never could lie to you love". Buffy smiled meekly.
"So? What were you going to do then?", she insisted.
"Well, I was actually planning to travel East and...".
Buffy nudged the nervous vampire.
"Oh come on. When have you ever been afraid to speak your mind?", the slayer teased. There was a pause.
"Well considering I haven't been to London since I was sired, I thought I'd ..you know, visit some old places". Buffy was intrigued now.
"Like where exactly?", Buffy dug.
"Does it matter?", Spike said, subtly warning the slayer off. Buffy shook her head.
"Nope..". Buffy turned her head away from him.
About 30 seconds passed in complete silence as Buffy and Spike continued to walk down the road.
"C'mon don't make me guess anymore!", she suddenly yelled. Spike sighed.
"Christ slayer, you're not gonna let this go are you?". Buffy gave him a sarcastic smile.
"Nope!".
Before they knew it, they'd stopped outside a night club and Spike leant against the wall, preparing himself for Buffy's reaction. He was looking directly into the slayer's eyes now.
"I was thinking of visiting my old house..where my mum's buried. Or was buried last time I checked".
To his surprise, Buffy didn't laugh at or make fun of him. She just gave him a tender smile.
"Ok..do you want to be on your own 'cause I can always go ba -", Buffy started but Spike interrupted.
"No!". Spike panicked.
"I'd like you there..if that's ok?".
Buffy nodded and gently squeezed his hand. He looked down, not quite taking in what the slayer was doing and entwined his fingers with hers without thinking. But she didn't pull away.
Suddenly a yell from across the street brought the mesmerised pair back to earth and Buffy yanked her fingers away.
"We erm..we better get going if we're gonna get there before it gets too late", Buffy stuttered.
Spike frantically nodded his head, acting just as confused and regretful as Buffy was about the moment they shared. They carried on walking but were further apart now.
In about an hour, Buffy and Spike had reached a crumbling old manor, covered in moss and mould. The windows were cracked and the doors broken off of their hinges. Overgrown plants danced around in the wind as it blew in their faces as they reached the main door. Spike stepped over the broken door and helped Buffy as she stumbled over a lose nail in a floorboard. Buffy was too busy looking around to notice that Spike had walked over to a ripped couch. By the time she had noticed him, he was sat on the dusty velvet wreck, gently touching the fabric. Buffy slowly approached him and sat down to his left.
"I guess things were pretty bad after you were sired huh?", Buffy guessed. Spike nodded sadly.
"She was dying so I sired her". Buffy's eyes widened in shock.
"It all ended pretty badly so I had to stake her".
A lonesome, silent tear ran down his cheek. Without realising, Buffy found her hand reaching out to comfort Spike but not seeing it, he made a sudden movement and put his head in his hands.
"I don't know why I'm telling you this. I've never told anyone before and I don't know why I'm starting now", he mumbled. Buffy thought for a minute.
"Im no shrink but..maybe now you're back, everything's becoming too real and..you need someone to talk to?". Spike turned to face her, his head tilted.
"You've always had a way with words Buffy. I think that's why I tell you most things".
The pair were edging closer now and their words becoming more mumbled.
"Most things. How about we work on trying to get to everything?", she replied.
She felt hours of tension fade as she kissed him again. She ran her hand up the leather sleeve of his jacket and he brushed his across her cheek and into her hair. Within a matter of seconds, Spike was holding her in his arms, his every finger stroke sending shivers down her spine. God how she'd missed this. His soft touch, his loving hold. He pulled her closer but she moved her lips away.
"Not here. Not like the first time. I want to move on from all that", she whispered.
Spike looked around and realized what she meant about the whole abandoned house setting. He nodded, his hands still in her hair. He reluctantly pulled away and helped the slayer to her feet but he stopped her in her tracks and leant his forehead against hers. They closed their eyes, savoring the moment...
