Disclaimer: I do not own anything; Characters belong to Joss Whedon & Mutant Enemy. However this story is my own.

A/N: Hey guys sorry I haven't updated for a while but I've just come back from Fuerteventura after having spent two weeks out there. This chapter is going to be a short one also so apologies for that but I promise to get a full chapter with lots of Spuffy goodness to you guys ASAP! Also thank you to everybody that has reviewed you guys are awesome!

CHAPTER ELEVEN

'Can We Just Be Us?'

Dawn and Spike sat at a booth in a small diner round the corner from Buffy's apartment building.

"So?" Dawn questioned him after taking a sip of her coffee

"So what?" He asked

"Are you gunna be a man...pire or a whimp...pire?"

"You're really pushing it Summers" he groaned

"Well duh!" She yelled a little too loudly drawing attention to them "look I just want my sister to be happy and I think this has been a long time coming. I mean you guys have had your problems but you've always been there for each other"

"That's just the thing Dawn, what if we fuck this up? I can't imagine losing her again"

"You can't possibly make it anymore fucked up" she said sarcastically

"Dawn Summers wash your mouth out! A young lady like you can't be spewing such profanities"

"Spike, I'm twenty-six next thing y'know you'll be telling me I can't have sex"

Spike looked mortified and choked on his coffee "why would you even say that?"

"Just to make you feel uncomfortable" she smiled wickedly

"I guess I missed out on a lot huh?" He said sadly

"Yep you did, I wasn't going to stay sixteen forever Spike..." She smiled "look do I have to beg you to talk to Buffy one last time? Because I totally will!"

"Alright I'll talk to her" he sighed

"Perfect" she chuckled pulling out her cell phone and putting it to her ear

"What are you doing?" He asked

"Calling Buffy"

"No don't!"

"Hey Buffy, just checking the coast is clear"

"Uh yeah, he's gone" Buffy's voice was hear faintly

"Great, I'll be home in a few"

"See you soon Dawnie"

Dawn placed her cell phone on the table "he's gone, so no time like the present eh Spike?"

"You evil bint"

"You won't be saying that when you're all smoochy with Buffy later"

XXXXX

Spike stood nervously on Buffy's doorstep, with a crack of his neck he braved himself and knocked on the door. Seconds later he heard Buffy groan "Dawnie did you forget your keys again?" as she opened the door. "Oh… Hey" she smiled awkwardly

"Hi" he took a deep unneeded breath "Can I come in?" he asked

"Sure" she opened the door wider and stepped out of the way.

"Moneybags… Uh Mike not around?" he asked

"Nope" she wrapped her arms around herself "Probably won't be seeing him again actually"

"Did you two have a lover's tiff?" he smirked

"I broke up with him" she said simply

"Oh…" said Spike stunned.

"You were right"

"How's that?" he asked

"He didn't want me, well maybe he did but I was just a way out of his loveless marriage he didn't want to be alone." She told him

"I see"

"So yeah, you were right. You can get your gloat on now"

"I don't want to"

"Please just get it over with because I know you've got something to say, its written all over your face" she spat.

"I can't say that I'm not loving the fact that you said I'm right because I really am, you don't say it often. I take my crumbs when I can get them, but I'm not loving the fact that you're upset. I know you had feelings for the bloke"

Buffy laughed softly "Did I? I know I should be crying and there should be ice cream and chocolate and a girly get together to discuss why men are scumbags but I can't, I don't want to because the truth is I didn't love him. I cared about him don't misunderstand me on that but I couldn't let myself fall in love with him"

"protecting yourself, nice move Slayer" he smirked

"No not protecting myself. I couldn't fall in love with him because I was already in love with somebody else, took me a long time to realise it. I found myself comparing Mike to that person in every single way possible"

"Buffy…"

"No let me finish" she pleaded "It hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday when we fought. you were jealous, I was defensive and I thought to myself that's the way it's always been for as long as I can remember you make some stupid remark and I jump down your throat convinced that I'm right, and so far it's been you that's been right on the money, with Angel and Riley and god even Parker! And now I realise why. I have feelings for you Spike, and it scares me to death that you can mean so much to me and that at the drop of a hat you can just go away again that I won't be able to tell you properly how I feel. Because I felt it that day in the Hellmouth for the first time I let myself feel for you, and you just shrugged it off like it was nothing…"

"it may have seemed that way Buffy, but I was terrified it was a lie. Just a line"

"just a line?" she scoffed "you know damn well it wasn't, you felt it too didn't you?"

He gulped "yeah I did"

"and now we're bound together because of some stupid amulet and a demon that wants us both dead, I thought I'd left that life behind that I was finally a normal girl. I don't wanna be normal anymore Spike" she cried, her tears rolling down her face.

"you have never been normal Buffy, you've always been extra special" he said brushing away her tears

"I love you Spike"

There it was she'd said it out loud and in person for the second time Spike swore he felt his heartbeat. She'd said those three little words and there was no impending death, well at least he didn't think so.

"I love you too Buffy, you know I do."

She smiled and kissed him sweetly "Spike do you think we can just be us? A new us?" she asked

"I think we can" he smiled.