Author: Kelley (beanyb1999@hotmail.com)
Rating: PG-13 again, I think.
Distribution: Take it. Mock it. Laugh at it. Whatever. Tell me first if you want to put it somewhere else though so I will know where it is going.
Feedback: Fun times! I like reviews. The good ones always make me happy!
Summary: Spike and Tara have figured out what is wrong with Buffy. Spike gets to fix the problem. S/B of course.
Disclaimer: Don't own the characters. Joss does. Mutant Enemy does. I don't work with any of those people unfortunately. I am still sticking to the "trying to own Spike" thing though. Mmmm. Spike.
Dedication: For Christy and Shelley. For all my awesome reviewers…the positive reviews really mean a lot to me. I hope I can keep everyone happy.
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Buffy woke up still exhausted the next morning. Her eyes felt swollen. "Ugh."
She slowly pushed herself to a sitting position in bed. After breaking down in the training room last night, she felt exhausted. When she was sure her face had cleared up enough, she walked out of the training room. Anya had been busy counting money and Xander was sitting at the table, reading a magazine. She'd said a quick goodbye and raced back to her house. She practically collapsed on her bed, falling asleep immediately.
Buffy got dressed and put her hair in a messy ponytail. She walked downstairs into the kitchen.
"Hey, Buffy," Dawn grumbled, not a morning person.
"Hey." She sat at the table and yawned.
"Rough night?" Dawn asked.
Buffy's eyes widened. "Huh?"
"Your eyes are puffy, your hair is a mess . . .you ok?"
Buffy wanted to scream. She was tired of people asking her if she was ok. "I'm fine, Dawnie."
She suddenly remembered what she had planned to do this morning. "Dawn, I have to go somewhere for awhile. Will you be ok alone?"
"Gee, I don't know. Without the Super Slayer here for a few minutes . . .I'll be fine, Buffy."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Ok, I get it. Be back soon."
A short time later, she kicked open the door of Spike's crypt. He was half asleep, with the TV on. Well, he was dozing off until the door was kicked open.
"Bloody hell!" he screamed, closing the door quickly. "Are you trying to get me fried, Slayer?"
Buffy punched him in the face. "You pig." She kicked him in the stomach.
"What did I do?" he asked, gasping.
She knocked his feet out from under him and kicked him in the side. "What's going on?"
"Slayer." She kicked him again, and then straddled him, holding a stake to his heart. "What's wrong with you, pet?"
"Where is she?" she hollered.
"Who?" He grimaced when she slapped him.
"Your ho. Drusilla. Where is she?"
Uh oh! Spike thought. "She's not here."
"Where . . . IS . . . she?" She glared at the vampire.
"I don't know!" Buffy punched him in the face again.
"You don't know? Hell-llllo! Doesn't her presence concern you at all? She's psycho! You don't know what she could be doing right now!"
Spike sighed. "Tara's got it under control. She's not here to cause problems. That's not why she came to Sunnydale."
"So? That doesn't mean she won't go around and kill about a thousand people or whatever while she is in town!"
"Luv, for some reason I trust that nothing will happen while she is here. Like I said, that isn't why she came here."
"Why is she here? I saw you and her going somewhere with Tara. You better not have hurt Tara."
"We didn't do a thing to her, luv. She's fine. Call her and ask her yourself!"
"Why is Drusilla here? I saw you put your arm around her."
Spike rolled his eyes. "Jealous, pet?"
Buffy fumed. "No! I'm not jealous!"
"Then why do you care, Slayer? Really?"
"You told me you loved me."
"I do," Spike said sincerely. "I'll never stop either."
"But you're gonna get your kicks with the ho since I don't love you back. Is that it?" she spat.
"Buffy, no. That's not even why she came to town!"
"Are you planning on leaving with her?"
"Do you want me to stay, Slayer?" Spike asked, smirking.
"It doesn't matter to me," she shrugged.
"I think it does though. I'm here to stay, pet."
Buffy regarded him for a moment. She got off him and sat on the sarcophagus. He got up and sat next to her. His lip was bleeding, but he barely noticed and rubbed it off without even realizing he did so.
Buffy stared at the floor, lost in thought. Spike stared at her for a moment.
"What's on your mind, luv?"
"Nothing, Spike."
She looked at him. He was surprised to see a tear fall down her cheek. She looked away again.
Spike put his arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him, crying softly. He kissed her head.
"Everything will be all right, Slayer," he said softly. She began to cry even harder. He held her while she cried. After awhile, he put two fingers under her chin and tilted her face up. She blinked a few times. He kissed her eyes, kissing away her tears. She stared at him, and he leaned forward and planted a kiss on her mouth, but pulled away before anything started. She frowned, looking a little hurt.
"Spike, why is Drusilla here?" she asked more softly this time.
He sighed. "We need to get Tara."
"Why?" She furrowed her brow and stood up.
"It's best if she explains it to you. You wouldn't understand if Drusilla tried to explain."
"Explain what?" Buffy asked with nervous curiosity.
"Well, you know you came back wrong. We figured out what is wrong about you."
"Wh-what? What's wrong with me?"
"Buffy, I really shouldn't be the one to tell you. Tara needs to."
"Can it be fixed?" Buffy asked in a near whisper.
Spike smiled. "Tara's working on it right now, luv."
Buffy took a deep breath. Whatever it was, she didn't want to hear it. She knew that for sure.
"I'll get in touch with Tara."
Buffy nodded as Spike walked downstairs. She had a bad feeling about how things were going to turn out.