Title: The Second

Spoilers: Up to and including 'Fool For Love' (11/14/00)

Author's Notes: This is one of those fics that one writes itself and finishes without stopping for me to think. I wrote this on the fly immediately after watching 'Fool For Love'. Just seeing Spike and Buffy sitting on that porch made me want to continue with that scene, especially with Buffy's agony over what she had found out about her mother and Spike's helplessness at trying to help. So, this takes place immediately after the scene ends and we see Buffy and Spike sitting together.

"Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you come here?" Buffy whispered. Spike glanced over to the grieving Slayer and his gaze went back down. When he glanced back up, he noticed her looking at his shotgun and swallowed.

"Um…hunting," he murmured.

"Hunting what?" she asked, brushing away a tear. Spike fumbled a bit with his duster before answering.

"Well…deer, for one thing. You know, that overpopulation thing," he said lamely.

"Oh."

Spike sat there just staring straight out into the yard, out into the sky, anywhere but at the crying Slayer next to him. He came with the intent to kill her, but the moment he saw those tears, his anger just left him and he did the one thing he thought he'd ever do, least of all to a slayer.

He cared.

Bloody hell. I've killed two slayers in my undead life, and I wind up trying to comfort a the third. I just don't know what to do. He just sighed and shook his head.

Buffy, for her part, pointedly looked away from the blonde vampire.

"Is there something I can do?"

That was what Spike said mere moments before; one more surprise for the night. It still rang in her ears to hear her most hated enemy trying to make her feel better. That along with the news of her mom made her lose all perspective. It was almost too much to bear. More tears came, as silent sobs wracked her body.

Momma, oh please not her! If she goes…I really won't have anyone. A sister I don't even have, a boyfriend who's not feeling altogether like a man because he can't protect me. And who shows up at my door?

Peripherally, she could see Spike quietly fumble for a cigarette.

Spike was right. God, I don't want to admit it, but he's right. What set me aside from the other slayers was that family and friends ground me. But now, it looks like I may be losing them. What happens when I lose them all?

Spike found his Zippo and lit it.

"Spike?" he heard in a small voice. Turning slowly, he faced the slayer, his face lit up by the flame.

"Yeah, Summers?"

She sat there for a second or two gazing at him. He started to get uncomfortable trying to fathom her unreadable eyes.

"Remember that 'second' you told me about?"

"Yeah?"

She looked directly into his eyes, as she spoke just a hair above a whisper.

"It's coming."

Spike was about to light up, stopped, and after a moment closed the lid on his Zippo, snuffing out the flame. He took out his cigarette and started to roll it in his fingers. He nodded and sighed.

"I know, Slayer. Bloody hell, I know."

~FIN~