"There's something going on."

Willow looked up from the inventory she'd been reading to frown at Xander. "Drop it."

"She's got bites all over, Will. Like lots of 'em. And she…she's not even covering them, I mean doesn't she realize…"

"I said drop it, Xan. They bite each other during sex, so what? He's not sneaking them while she sleeps."

"But I've counted six I can see. Why would he do that? I mean…SIX. He should be hiding in his hole but he's here acting perfectly fine. It's…"

She glared at him then and he saw her eyes flash. "Shut up Xander."

He sighed, hand up on his forehead. "Fine…fine. If you're just gonna pretend…"

Willow turned away from him and went over to Tara, instinctively clinging to the blonde like a frightened child. Tara turned and smiled at her, then frowned when she saw the look in her eyes. "What's wrong honey?"

"I…Buffy stuff. Xander's…" Willow mumbled, caressing Tara's arm and staring at the floor.

Tara took her hand and held it tightly, trying to pass something through them.

Willow swallowed, her eyes locking on Tara's when she whispered hoarsely, "No magic…remember?"

"I know…it's not magic. Just…me."

"Oh."

She smiled and kissed Tara's cheek, sighing softly. "I love you."

Tara smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

On the other side of the store Buffy was fixing the bookshelf alone but could feel a gentle hum from behind the door that housed the training room…and Spike.

She smiled to herself, running a finger along the word Vampire on the spine of some random book and licking her lips.

He was clouding her mind making her forget the pain, making her forget…what she'd lost.

A tear fell down her cheek and she left it there, shaking her head and continuing on.

Nothing good ever came of thinking of that before. Nothing.

Tears welled up in her throat and she turned so no one could see her face, trying to cry soundlessly and knowing with these tears that was impossible.

She slowly walked under the stairs and was in front of the door when someone whispered, "You're crying."

She sniffled but didn't turn her head. "Go watch the register, Anya."

Anya put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "I…I won't tell anyone."

Buffy shrugged her away and went where Spike was asleep, closing the door behind her. She took a deep breath and found him blindly in the dark by feeling alone.

She laid her head down beside him and held on tightly, crying softly in his shoulder.

Spike opened his eyes after a minute and started petting her hair, purring from the back of his throat. "You have to talk to me, love. You can't keep all of this side."

She kissed his neck once and whined, "I…"

"Trust me, slayer…just trust me…PLEASE."

She kissed his chin and nuzzled it, sighing.

Spike was ready to open his mouth to try again when she whispered, "My mother, Spike…they took me…from my mother. I…I needed her so bad and they…"

She started to sob and he kissed her quiet, one hand in her hair and the other stroking her bare belly in circles. When he pulled away she was breathless, but no longer crying. "Spike…"

He could see the hurt and lust in her eyes and hated himself for thinking he'd never wanted her more.

"No more, Buffy. Not now."

She sighed, relieved, and kissed him once before leaving the couch and stretching.

He watched her crack her neck once, twice, and then she turned to smile at him. "I love you."

He licked his lips and smiled back. "I love you, Slayer. Now get out of here before you're needed."

She sighed and leaned down to kiss him again, sucking on his tongue and grinning when he pulled on her shoulder to keep from separating.

"Later."

He groaned, still smiling, and she winked at him even though she couldn't see exactly where he was.

He licked his lips. "Definitely later."

She opened the door and slipped back out, walking to the bathroom and closing that door behind her.

She splashed some water on her face and looked in the mirror, sighing heavily under the lights.

That's when she noticed the bites on her neck and knew the others had seen.

She smiled and ran a thumb over one of them, sighing at the contact. "Mmm…Spike."

She licked her lips and whistled, wiping her cheeks and opening the bathroom door to reveal a smiling Willow on the other side. "Hey."

She smiled back at her. "Hey."

Willow's eyes roamed over her throat and down, raising her eyebrows. "You…busy…for lunch?"

Buffy shrugged. "No…not really. I got no money though…you buying?"

"Of course."

"Okay."