Yes, it had been a full year. It was a year today that Spike tormented Buffy with his last sentence.

"Now, if you can truly and honestly say that you can't love me or that you don't feel a thing for me then go, but if you think that you can then stay, but I don't want to know the answer".

That sentence changed Buffy's life.

So, here she was. She was living a life of despair in her true loves home. All she did all day was wander around sadly waiting. She had made the decision herself and she was going to stick with it. Buffy was waiting for Spike, but was he really ever going to come back now?

"Buffy?" a silent whisper questioned her. The voice sounded very curious at her presence.

Buffy twisted around to see Spike. Her green eyes drowned in tears and her lips curved into a small smile.

"Spike...." She whispered weakly, "You've come back".

"What are you doing here?" Spike asked Buffy as he stepped inside his home. He felt different in it. It had been away for so long that he couldn't even remember where his bed was.

"I waited" Buffy answered and her smile grew and her face glowed. Surely she had made the right decision to wait for Spike, right?

Spike frowned. He was uncertain by what Buffy was talking about. To be honest with himself, he wasn't quite sure who Buffy was to him anymore. He remembered the way he felt about her, but he couldn't remember why exactly. His heart wasn't even pounding the fast way that it usually did when he was near her.

"You waited for what?" he questioned her which made Buffy's happiness decrease.

"You don't remember, do you?" Buffy spoke in dejection and she stepped closer to him.

"No" Spike replied truthfully, "I don't remember what happened last year or why I fell in love with you" Spike told her and Buffy could feel sadness sweep across her face.

This was Spike. Spike. The man who would die for Buffy. He was the man that would give away anything to just take a glance of her. He was the man that wanted only a crumb of her love for one day, but now, what was going on? He wasn't any of these men. He wasn't even fully Spike to Buffy anymore. She looked deep into his eyes, but she couldn't see what was wrong with him.

"Spike.... Why are you acting like this?"

Spike's eyebrows grimaced at her. He was unsure by what answer she wanted from him. It had been so long.... It had been so long, because Spike had locked himself away from his true love and now he didn't even connect with her anymore. He didn't understand. He didn't even know why he came back to his home, but he knew that there was a reason for it or else he wouldn't be where he was.

"Spike?" Buffy whispered softly, "Spike?"

Spike focused on Buffy properly now and he could see that she was fading away in his eyes. She wasn't clear to him anymore. What was going on? He was sure that something was wrong. He didn't even know why this girl wanted him so much when she never did before.

"Stop it" Spike spoke quietly, "please...."

Buffy couldn't believe that Spike wasn't interested in her anymore. She had waited this long for him and now he didn't even want her?

"I love you" Buffy croaked out between her sobs.

And that was what hit Spike.

Love.

He had forgotten about that word. He didn't link with that word for a long time, because he had given up all hope. He had wished that Buffy would love him, but with what happened last year, he thought his chances were truly over and that's why he left and he departed from love as well. Spike's recollections were all rushing back now and when he glanced at Buffy for the second time, he saw love. He saw love beaming right at him.

"Buffy" he cried, "I've missed you" and Spike embraced Buffy. He hugged her for what seemed like forever, "I love you too" Spike continued to tell her.

"Why didn't you come back?" Buffy managed to ask when Spike let his grasp loosen.

Spike tried hard to remember and when he did, he told her.

"I was afraid. I was afraid that you were going to go. Actually, I was certain that you were going to leave me"

Buffy beamed at Spike.

"You were wrong," she told him as she reached out for a kiss.

THE END