Author: Kelley (beanyb1999@hotmail.com)
Rating: PG-13; just to be safe.
Feedback: Yes, please!
Distribution: If you want it, tell me. I'll probably be really surprised and a tad bit confused, but hey, it would still be cool!
Summary: Takes place after "Wrecked" or perhaps "Gone" (use your imagination). Spike and Tara figure out what is wrong with Buffy (eventually), and it is up to Spike to fix it. This is a B/S fic!!!
Disclaimer: Joss still owns everything. I'm still working on rights to Spike.
Dedication: For Christy just cuz she rocks! For Shelley, my partner in crime, er warped writing.
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Buffy wandered through the cemetery at a steady pace. She'd killed one vampire already. She didn't feel any pleasure from it.
Of course not.
She was just going through the motions. She remembered singing that one night.
"And I just want to be alive."
Alive.
She was alive, but only in the physical sense, although it didn't even feel that way sometimes.
She wanted to feel again. She really did. As long as she was stuck on Earth, she might as well feel human. Fully human. Not wrong. She'd been working hard at convincing herself she was right.
Of course, deep inside, she knew Spike was right.
Spike was always right. He could see through her.
"Slayer."
She rolled her eyes. As if thinking about him wasn't annoying enough, he had to be there at the moment.
"Spike."
"Fancy meeting you here," he muttered.
"Yeah. What do you want?" she asked, obviously irritated.
"Why do you assume I want something?" he retorted dryly.
"Why are you here, Spike?" She glared at the vampire.
Spike looked around. "Well, Slayer, I do live here," he shot back.
Buffy sighed. She'd ended up right in front of Spike's crypt. Well, this looked bad on her part. Her feet must have led her there. She wasn't even thinking about where she was going.
"Why are you here, luv?"
"Just passing through, Spike. It's called patrol."
"So, up for a bit of a rough and tumble?"
"Spike, you're a pig. Is sex all you think about?" she asked angrily.
"I was talking about killing the baddies out there, Slayer."
She looked up at him. He was smirking. Stupid vampire.
"Well, I see one I could get rid of right now," she commented, placing a stake right above Spike's heart.
"I'm touched you think I'm bad. Really. Means a lot."
"Bad, of course, meaning more than one thing," she replied evenly.
"You didn't seem to think so the other night. You know I'm good, luv."
"Spike! You're such a . . . such a . . . pig," she spat.
He smiled. "You already used that one."
"This is stupid," Buffy mumbled. "I have things to do, Spike."
"Buffy," he said, then paused.
She looked him in the eyes. He said her real name. She knew what was about to come next. He'd suddenly become serious. Great.
"We need to talk," he said quietly.
"We have nothing to talk about, Spike."
"Yes, we do. We've got to figure out what's wrong with you."
"Why do you care?"
"You know why, Buffy."
"Oh come one. I bet you're dying to make me slayer number three."
Spike growled and grabbed her shoulders roughly. "You know that's not true."
"Oh really?" She tilted her head, exposing her neck. "Don't you want a bite? Come on. I know you do."
Spike closed his eyes. No! He wasn't going to do this. "Buffy . . . stop."
"Oh, come on, Spike. You can do it," Buffy said with contempt.
He lowered his mouth toward her neck, licking his lips. He could hear her heart beating. Her blood was calling to him. He stopped halfway, taking an unneeded breath. She knew how to hurt him.
He began to lower his head again. Buffy closed her eyes, preparing herself. She wanted it.
His lips touched her neck.
He gave her a tender kiss on the neck, then pulled back.
She opened her eyes and looked at him. He looked at her. She blinked quickly, pretending there wasn't really any pain in his eyes. Dammit! She touched his face with her hand, but quickly pulled it back.
"What stopped you? Why didn't you kill me?"
"I couldn't handle losing you again."
She rolled her eyes. "If you say so."
"I love you, Buffy." He said the words so softly; she had to hold her breath just to hear them. He never gives up, she thought.
She looked into his eyes. His gaze was intense.
Then, she saw it.
She saw the love.
She'd never paid enough attention before, but this time, she bravely stared into his loving eyes for the first time.
She panicked. "I have to go," she said quickly, and then ran off.
Spike didn't try to follow her. He was tired.
He looked down at the ground, and blinked back the tears.
Things kept getting more and more difficult.
His head shot up. He sensed another vampire nearby. It seemed very familiar. He suddenly realized who it was.
As if on cue, the vampire walked from the hiding spot. Spike's eyes focused on the form intently.
"Hello, Spike."
He grinned when he realized he wouldn't have to fight. He walked closer to the vampire. "Hello, Dru."
Drusilla walked up to him and touched the side of his face, the same place that Buffy had touched him. "My poor Spike," she whispered.
He stood frozen. "Drusilla, what are you doing here?"
"The stars told me you needed help, so I came to you."
"What are you talking about?" He shifted and she moved her hand away from his face.
"The Slayer . . . she's all wrong," Drusilla said, swaying.
"I already know that much, Dru." He looked around.
She grabbed his face with both of her hands. "Oh, Spike. Do you know why?"
"Well no. I'm not sure."
"She was torn from the happy place. The moon has been crying for her. Her problem is very obvious. You just need to look closer."
"Huh? Do you know what's wrong with her?"
Drusilla giggled. "My sweet Spike. Of course I know." She smiled.