Spike woke up slowly. First sensing, then feeling her beside him. He stretched slightly, feeling his broken rib grate painfully, and nuzzled her head.

She also woke slowly, eyes fluttering.

He ran his fingers through her hair. "Hey. Mornin', luv."

She smiled, then ducked her face into the pillow, a muffled, "Mmmrrnng."

He chuckled. "Feelin' good?"

Nodded yes into the pillow.

He purred. "Me too." He stretched again, wincing as his rib caught.

She pushed her face into the pillow, burying a groan in it, her own torso aching, feeling the grinding.

He looked at her. "You hungry?", he asked, hiding the pain.

She turned her face and pulled the sheet up to her nose. "Yeah."

He slowly stood up, trying to keep the pain from his rib down to a minimum. "What would you like?"

"Eggs? Toast? Orange? Anything." Her eyes smiled softly above the red satin. "Hungry."

He reached over, playfully tugging on the sheet. "You hiding?"

She jerked it back up. Shook her head. "Morning breath."

"Doesn't bother me, luv. I don't need to breathe." He grinned. "Besides, you always smell great. Now is no exception."

She lowered the sheet experimentally. "Ok."

He smiled at her. "That's better. I'd rather see your face than that sheet, anyway."

She rolled on her back and arched it, stretching. "Mmmm..."

He felt her contentment and purred, heading for the kitchenette. He pulled out a jug of orange juice and a couple of slices of cheese. He then proceeded to make cheese toast, put it on a tray with a glass of orange juice and a single rose in a small vase. He carried it back to the bed, with a towel over his arm like a waiter.

She had propped herself up on her elbows. Sighed hungrily at the tray.

He handed her the tray with a flourish. "Will that be all, miss?", he said playfully, mimicking an upper-class accent.

She sniffed the rose appreciatively. "Mm.. Yes, thank you."

"Then may I bring you the check?", he said, keeping the highbrow accent. Harmon jumped up on the bed and sat next to Buffy. Spike didn't even skip a beat. "Or will your companion be pawing the bill?"

She rolled her eyes, petting Harm with one hand. "Wow, with the horrible punness."

He chuckled, sitting on the bed beside her and losing the corny accent. "Do I at least get points for effort?"

Harmon "Merow"ed and rolled onto his back, waving his paws in the air.

She grinned. "Mmm... Two." She rubbed Harm's belly. "How's my handsome man?"

"Purrrrrow."

Spike rubbed the cat's chin. "Why does he do this stuff? You'd think no one ever petted him. Always nuzzling up against people, wantin' his belly rubbed."

She made an 'aww' face. "Is my boy hungry?" She tore off a corner of the cheese-toast, held it out to him. "Attention. Just like his master," she added to Spike.

Harm took the toast and chewed thoughtfully.

Spike huffed. "I do not want attention. I'm fine, all by myself."

Buffy mouthed silently, "Blah, blah, blah..." Aloud, "Whatever. Everything you do has a flair to attract attention."

"Does not."

She rolled her eyes, pulled off another piece for Harm. "Dramatic entrances, that pause before a really good insult you KNOW Xander won't be able to return? The slow grin-eyebrow combination? Total drama queen."

"Those are not pleas for attention. They are simply parts of my personality. Besides.." He gestured at the cat. "I meant like he's doing it. I don't beg people to rub my belly."

She sighed, feeding Harm yet another piece of her breakfast. "And ingrained into your personality is a little strain of DNA stamped Drama Queen." She gave him a look. "I happen to remember a game of Deepest Secret?"

"Huh?"

"Asking if I rubbed nice puppies stomachs?"

He got kind of embarrassed. "That was... I was joking."

She rolled her eyes. "And Glory was just out for attention."

He flinched. The words "I wonder what I can dig out of you.." floated through his mind, followed by a phantom pain in his chest. "Not the same."

She winced with him. "I'm sorry, Spike. Bad joke."

He shook his head. "No, good joke. Bad topic." He petted Harm, who had made his way into the vampire's lap.

Buffy reached over, feeding him the last piece of her toast. "Still. Bad joke." She patted Harm's belly. "Now my boy isn't hungry."

Harm purred, nuzzled Buffy, then leaned hard against Spike, sensing that he was still thinking about the Glory incident.

"I'm alright, luv. Really. How are you?"

She focused on the cat, stroking his soft fur. "Good." She looked at Spike, touched the scar she left on his neck. "How- how's-?"

"The claim mark? Fine. I don't even feel it. What about you? Are you okay with what happened?"

She shrugged, a bit uneasily. "Spike- I wasn't- you didn't-" She took a deep breath. "I wasn't in a thrall was I?"

His eyes grew wide. "No. First of all, I don't even know how to do that. Dru knew, but she never told taught me. And secondly, I'd never do that to you." There was a flash of pain, bordering on betrayal, through his mind and eyes. "You regret it, don't you?"

She felt his distrust pound her chest as well as his fist had not too long ago. She considered over the pain. "No.. I don't... I just... it felt so good. It was so.. heady and easy and warm..." She dropped her eyes. "Dracula had me in a thrall and I don't remember any of it. Just that warm heady feeling."

Spike growled. "That... that.." Low, rumbling growl that had no meaning, except to Spike. "I never liked that wanker. He's owed me money since the turn of the 20th century."

She gave a small smile. "Spike..?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm still- I'm not... bad am I? Be-because I would only do that with someone I care about, and.. and want to stay with. That's what a claim is about, right?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "Listen to me, Slayer. You. Are. Not. Bad. There is no way on earth that you could be bad. Now me, I'm a bad dog, but you? You're more like a pampered cat that doesn't mind getting her claws dirty every once and awhile." He smiled at her. "And secondly, you care about me, and want to stay with me, hmm?"

She let a fisted hand hit his shoulder gently. "Not pampered. Yeah... I was just... it- it scares me. I bit you hard enough to tear your skin, and make you bleed. Then I drank from you like I had been stranded in a desert..." Her eyes dropped.

He cupped her chin, raised her eyes to his. "The hunger you felt was most likely mine, luv. Not you. I'm the one who should be scared. You felt what I feel when I vamp. I caused you to feel that... thing... that's inside me. And that scares me."

She shook her head slowly, "I can tell our emotions apart. I know- I know when the demon rises, I can feel it, but its yours. The- the hunger... the enjoyment was mine."

He looked at her. "And that's bad?"

She looked infinitely lost. "It's scary. It wasn't blood... it was... sweetened liquor. A hard bite, but the sweetest undertaste." She bit her abused bottom lip.

He gently reached forward, pulling her lip back out of her mouth. "Don't do that. You'll hurt yourself." He considered. "We didn't even complete the ritual."

She looked confused. "What does that mean?"

"To complete the claim, I'd have to bite you." He shook his head. "But I won't, so don't worry."

She was silent a moment, then blurted out, "Why not?"

He looked at her. "Huh? You want me to bite you?"

She said defensively, "You don't want to bite me."

"Yes I do!", he said quickly. Then paused, realizing how eager, and stupid that sounded. "Uh, that is, I want to claim you, like you claimed me. I don't want to... kill you, or anything."

She looked at him a moment, weighing his words. "Ok."

To Spike's credit, he was shocked. "Huh? You'll let me.. bite you?"

"Can you- will you be able to stop?"

He thought. "I think so. I'm far from starving, and I've never had a problem controlling it before." He gave her a confused smile. "You really want to do this?"

Bit her lip again. "Yes." Reconsidered. "I mean- if you do."

If his eyes had been any bigger, they would have popped right out of his head. "I do." He snorted. "*Sound like I'm bloody marrying the girl.*"

She frowned at the vampiric running through her head. "You're not... proposing are you?"

He choked and coughed hard, irritating his rib. "...no..."

She winced internally. Pain pain pain. "Ok."

He looked at her after the coughing fit passed. "It's just, I'm so nervous.. and I just said 'I do', and that was the thought." He gave her a sheepish grin. "Are we really going to do this?"

She fidgeted, set her breakfast tray aside on the floor. "Yeah. Do you.. want me to.... lay down or anything?"

He smiled at her. "If you want to. We did it sitting up earlier."

"I know.. but... when Angel, and... Dracula... I got really dizzy, passed out."

"I'm not going to take very much of your blood, luv, so you should be alright. But if you want to lie down, that's fine."

She was leaning back on her elbows. "Why not?"

"You didn't take very much of mine, and it needs to be even."

"But... doesn't that make the claim weak?"

He shook his head. "It's about the emotions behind the blood more than the blood itself. Still, it needs to be even. But I'm not sure what to do if I take too much. Maybe you should take some more of my blood, just to make sure. I could cut my neck, and you could suck that when I bite you. That might do it."

"Won't... Won't that hurt?"

He shrugged. "A little. It's either that, or you bite me again, though."

She frowned. "What would hurt worse?"

He shrugged again. "Probably about the same."

She looked into his eyes sternly. "What would hurt worse?"

He sighed. "The cut, probably."

She nodded. "Then I can bite you."

"It won't make you uncomfortable?"

She shrugged. "I'll be fine."

He reluctantly agreed. "Ok, but don't be gentle. Rip a hunk of skin off if you have to. I heal fast, and I can drink faster than you. To make it even, take deep gulps." He looked at her, embarrassed. "I'm grossing you out, aren't I?"

"A little... Why don't you drink slowly, and I'll drink as fast as I can.. and it should even out somewhere."

He nodded. "Good idea, luv." He made an amused sound. "I can't believe you're actually going to let me do this. Six years ago, I was dreaming of biting you. Of killing you. Now your death is my worst nightmare."

She grinned flippantly. "Oh, it's not so bad after a couple times."

He flinched. "Not for me."

She smiled softly, took a deep bracing breath. "I know. Are you ready?"

He nodded, drew in a shaky unneeded breath. "Yeah. I guess. Want me to hold your hands again?"

She nodded. "I think so." She put her wrists together above her head.

He breathed a couple of times, reminding himself not to hyperventilate, and laid partially on top of her. He gently grasped her hands above her head. "Ok. Now, I'm going to vamp out. Brace yourself, luv."

She took a breath, cleared her mind.

Spike focused inward, allowing his demon to claw it's way to the surface, ignoring the twinge of anger from his human side. He looked down at Buffy, his yellow/gold eyes shining. "Okay so far?"

The violence rose, and she was ready for it. A quick nod.

Spike leaned down slowly, hovering his fangs above her neck. He exhaled onto her skin, seeing the veins as clear as if her body was made of glass. He switched to vampiric, speaking slowly. "*I'm really close, luv. This is your last chance to change your mind.*"

Her breath was getting shallow, and her senses were humming. She touched her lips to his softly.

A throaty chuckle. "*I'll take that as a no on the mind change.*" He resituated himself over her, remembering to breathe when it occurred to him that if he stopped breathing, she might stop. He rested the tips of his fangs lightly against her skin. "*Me in you...*"

She bit down on his neck, hard. 'You in me...'

She jerked softly on the skin once, then disregarded his advice. She would not tear at him. She suckled deeply off the wound.

A pleasure slowly swept her body, twice as powerful as before.

He sank his fangs in, making the holes he needed, then quickly retracted them to suck on the wound. "*Always...*"

'Forever...' her body arched against his, her mouth still drawing at his neck. '*Forever...*'

They stayed like that, frozen, drawing off each other like people who had been lost in a desert for a week. Then Spike began to pull back, licking the wound closed.

Buffy stopped when he did, nuzzling the cut softly with her lips, drawing in short, shallow breaths.

Spike pulled back slightly, resting his now human forehead against hers. He was panting slightly, his eyes closed. "*I love you..*", he purr/chirped quietly.

She removed her hands from his, putting both of them on the back of his head, stroking his hair.

He rolled off her, still panting. He laid beside her and allowed her to continue stroking his hair. A claim always took more out of the claimer than the claimee, and Spike hadn't even been at full strength. He was still panting, but purring and pushing against her hands at the same time.

She said quietly, "Is it supposed to be that..."

"*Intense?*", he asked, still not speaking English. "*Wouldn't know. Never done it before, really.*"

She shook her head. "Arousing."

His eyes opened slowly. "Yeah," he said quietly, in English this time. "That's what it's like for a vampire, anyway. I've come pretty close to.. you know... while feeding."

She gave a panting laugh. "I could see that."

He chuckled deep in his throat. "As it is, I need to calm down a bit right now." He rolled onto his back, the panting slowing, but his chest still rising and falling rhythmically.

'Not the only one,' she thought ruefully. 'Jumping him during a claim. Who's ever heard of that?'

He laughed quietly, hearing her thoughts. "I have, actually. In fact, I think I've seen it."

She turned her head towards him. "You watched a claim?"

He nodded. "Between two vamps, though. Angelus and Darla. They were always reaffirming their claim/bond one way or another."

"Euch." She said thoughtfully, "You have my blood now. Will you heal faster? Or doesn't it work the same in a claim?"

He thought for a moment. "Actually, you remember the "always and forever" parts? I should have your blood in me always. Should have the same benefits."

Her thoughts were carefully structured. "So, your ribs should be ok? Do you want more?"

He looked at her, shook his head. "No. I'll probably be fine by tonight. You weren't thinking of slipping me any more if I say no, are you?"

"No, I wouldn't slip it to you." 'Very truthful!' she praised herself.

He sighed. Time to lay all the cards on the table. "So, just because you've done it twice, doesn't mean that you'd do it again?"

To her credit, she was thoroughly confused. "What? I only slipped it to you once."

He looked at her. "The first time was when Rupert was here. And the second... I don't know exactly when. There was some kind of cloaking spell on it. But I know our bond's been getting stronger since then. And remember, no denial privileges."

She sat up. "You.. went through my head?"

His eyes got wide. "NO!" Then quieter. "Not on purpose, anyway. I thought it was a dream, until a couple of days ago. I was asleep, and I could see you cutting your leg, chanting something, and draining it into a cup. Then I woke up. I thought it was a dream, until I smelled you in two of my mugs. Not just the one that you used the first time."

She wrapped her arms around herself. "That's... I don't..."

"*No denial privileges...*", he purred softly, desperately wanting to avoid a confrontation. Wanting, needing her to touch him right then. The claim was beginning to take it's full effect.

She was pulling in, desperately afraid. She licked her lips. "I just wanted to help you... I didn't read the whole spell till two days later."

He felt her pulling away emotionally, and started to shake. "*I know, I'm not mad... please don't pull away.. I need you..*"

She put a hand out on the comforter between them.

Spike tentatively placed a trembling hand on top of her's. Wondering when the double claim would hit her.

It had. His touched eased some of her discomfort, but Buffy still looked at him, ready to cry like the lost girl she felt like. "I need my head back." Her voice trembled as she continued. "I haven't had... a thought of my own for over a week... none. You're in all of them, hearing, or... affecting them... I don't mind sharing... But I can't get you out. I don't know how."

He looked at her, but he was confused as she was. "Maybe the claim bond can override the other one. If we try, maybe we can force the other person out.." '..hold me..', he continued mentally without meaning to.

She winced. "Stop. You- there's two things and-"

He closed his eyes and collapsed back. "*Pull back, pull back, pull back..*", he chanted in vampiric, trying desperately to pull out of the Slayer's mind. To his surprise, it seemed to be working. He continued the chant until Buffy's mind and emotions were merely a bug sitting on the edge of his thoughts. Easy to ignore, as long as you didn't look right at it.

She looked at him, eyes still wide.

Spike kept his eyes closed. 'Can you still hear me?'

She gave a helpless sigh. "Damn it." 'Can you hear me?'

No response.

She grabbed a pillow, yanked it over her face and yelled.

Spike shot straight up into the air, jumping a good three feet from his laying down position. "AAHH! Slayer! You scared the bleedin' hell out of me!"

She felt the fear ripple through her. "I know."

He shook his head. "But I can't hear you now. Maybe you should try to pull away from my mind. Maybe we both have to do it to make it work."

She gave him a look. "Gee, what a novel idea. If only I hadn't tried it about thirty times already."

"Have you tried it since I pulled from you? Or since the completed claim?"

"No. Ok." She closed her eyes, pulling back from his as she had earlier. 'Nonononononononononono...' She felt like she had pulled back as far as she could.

'Can you hear me now?'

She gave an angry snort.

He opened his eyes. "I'll take that as a yes. Luv, maybe you should tell me a little more about this spell you did."

"Spike... maybe-maybe I should tell Giles what I did..."

He looked at her. "If you want to. But I think he already knows."

She shook her head. "I don't think so. Why do you think so?"

He ducked his head, said quietly, "I might have mentioned that I though you did some sort of spell involving my blood supply when he came to check on me two days ago. He said that if you needed something like that, then he had a book that he could give you. He doesn't know exactly what you did, because I wasn't sure at the time I told him. I was also half asleep."

She radiated anger, hoped he felt it. "You... *told* Giles? Then stumble through my head, and don't bother to tell me? I worked hard to make sure no one would know."

Spike winced again, her anger pounding him like waves on a beach. "I didn't mean to.. he asked what we'd been up to, and I told him that I'd had a weird dream. I'm sorry, luv. I'm so sorry..."

Her body throbbed with his pain. "I can't- This hurts... I was extra sneaky, so no one would know, or get hurt."

Very quietly. "Except for you?"

She shrugged. "Didn't seem important." She looked at him. "I hurt you, didn't I?"

He looked at her. "Only by not caring if you got hurt."

She shook her head, flashes of his emotions, thoughts, hurtling at her. "Yes, I did. Not... respecting your wishes... stubborn, stupid... can't she listen- doesn't she know-" the words tumbled from her lips.

He flinched, recognizing his own thoughts."I'm sorry, I don't think you're stupid. Stubborn, yes. But not stupid. I.. just don't want anything to happen to you. I'm fine. Really, luv."

Buffy focused on a spot just beyond his shoulder. "Ok. Giles knows. Maybe he can- can help. Maybe do a reversal?" She bit her lip sharply, unaware she made it bleed. "I wish I could ask Willow."

"Did the spell say anyway to break it?"

She shook her head. "Truth and light? But it doesn't work. I confronted everyone in the Magic Box. Confessed to things."

He looked at her. "Everyone?"

"Willow..."

"Call her."

She grabbed his phone, dialed hastily. "Willow? It's... it's me. I just... I love you. You're my best friend. And- But... I was upset with you for bringing me back, hurt." She rushed to finish, "But I'm not now, because... because things are better now. We're all gonna be better. I just... I wanted to tell you. I love you, Will." She hung up the phone. "Think something. No. Feel something."

He shrugged. "Like what? What have you gotten from me before?"

She shrugged. "Everything. Hate, want, love, desire, tickling, pain."

He cocked his head. "Whoa, luv. That is a lot. Wait a minute, you felt me being tickled?"

She rolled her eyes. "Dawn was on you like white on rice."

He chuckled. "Tell me about it. Ok, hang on. Let me think."

"Come on. Emotion."

He brought up a mental image of Xander, bringing with it all the conflicting feelings that went with him. Anger, annoyance, playfulness, pain, caring?, caring, sometimes.

Buffy's head spun. She flung herself down on the bed. "You promised you'd kill me then stake yourself. It's time." She cracked an eye at him. "Xander isn't that bad."

Spike nodded. "Yeah. I know. He's just so... so.. Xander. You know? So, I'm guessing that didn't work. Is there anyone else that you need to tell something?"

Plaintively she wailed,"No. I've been honest with everyone."

"What about..." He gave a shudder. "Peaches?"

She gave him a look. "Honest every time I was with him. And Riley. And my dad."

He stared at the ceiling. "Maybe you're not being honest with yourself about something. Or me, because we're the only two left."

She frowned. "It can't be. We just had a fight and were all honest." She sighed, looked at him. "I used a cloaking spell to hide my blood from you because you wouldn't take it and I wanted you to heal. I apparently used a very dangerous spell and didn't read things through."

"Ok. I'm going to think again." 'Please let this have worked..'

She groaned. "No such luck. I was furious that you went through my mind, and when at all possible, I'd like you to leave my thoughts alone."

He looked at her. "Is there something that you aren't being honest with yourself about?"

She grew still. Lying to herself was what she was good at. It was good for her on so many levels. She sat up, and closed her eyes, her arms around her knees. "I very well could lose the house. I'm not the best mom Dawn could ask for. She's not going to get any easier to handle. I can't always be there for everyone and their uncle. I might not save the world. I work at the DoubleMeat. I love Spike. I really miss-" She stopped short, her jaw working slowly.

Spike sat up, nearly falling off the bed in the process. "Whoa, stop right there. You *what* Spike?" He was grinning hugely.

She felt a warm ache. Nothing huge, overwhelming, or too powerful. She laughed gleefully. "It's GONE!"

"Yay, whoopee. Now, you *what* me?"

She glanced at him, "I said all that out loud didn't I?"

He nodded, staring at her with the patented big blue eyes look.

She sighed. "I didn't want to."

His face fell. "Oh."

"It's so fast, and not planned, but I did."

He looked down. "Didn't want too, huh?"

"Besides, the love card wasn't in the Buffy Deck. Of course I didn't! Do you know how intimidating it is to be loved by you?"

He stared at her, shocked. "In.. intimidating?"

"It's this... all-consuming thing that... I'm so afraid I won't be able to match," she finished softly. "And terrified that I might."

He shook his head, trying to make sense. "You're scared... of loving me as much as I love you?"

She nodded.

He looked at her. "I don't understand."

"You've only been left once, Spike. The other's you've loved... you never really had. I've been left. Lots. Dad, Angel, Parker, Riley, Mom..." She smiled. "The list goes on."

"Your mum didn't leave you. She didn't have a choice... As for the rest, bleedin' wankers, poofters, and assholes the lot of 'em. They didn't deserve you." He looked down. "I don't either."

"I'm not-" she shook her head. "You think I'm this great, beautiful, wonderful thing. That's intimidating, too. I'm just a woman, Spike. With a lot of baggage. That's it."

"I know what you are, Buffy. I see it clearer than you. When you look in the mirror, what do you see?"

She shrugged. "Me. What I've always been. What I'll always be."

He nodded. "And when I look in a mirror, what do I see?"

She was confused. "There's no reflection."

He looked at her. "But does that mean that I'm not there?"

"Of course not."

"Just because I can't see what others see, doesn't mean that they're wrong."

She smiled softly.

"Or that what they see doesn't exist, just because I'm incapable of seeing it for myself. I have to trust what others tell me. So do you."

"You used to be stupid."

He shook his head. "Naw, just cocky. You fixed that."

"You used to have no clue what you were talking about... How can you be right all the time now?"

"Maybe it's because you're finally listening."

She looked at him.

"What?"

"I'm still scared."

He nodded. "Me too."

She took a deep breath. Stared him in his eyes. "I love you, William."

Spike felt his heart melt, and tears started flowing immediately. "I love you, Buffy..", he choked out, swiping at his eyes.

She reached out a hand to wipe at his cheeks. "Stop it."

He sniffed. "Don't you think I'm trying? This is bleedin' embarrassing."

She gave a small laugh, her eyes clouded with her own tears. She pulled him toward her, brushed her lips against his. "Me in you." Kissed him again. "You in me." Ran her hands over the planes of his face. Touched her lips to his neck, over her scar. "Always, forever, of love."

"*Always, forever, of love,*", he repeated in vampiric. He felt as if he was flying. She loved him! She loved him! If he hadn't thought that he would look like a total idiot, he would have climbed onto the roof and shouted it until he woke up people in Japan.

She looked at him. "I claimed you in blood. Now I've claimed you in heart." She looked slightly sheepish. "I just thought you should know."

He smiled at her, stray tears still making their way down his cheeks. "You've had my heart for two and a half years now, luv. It took you long enough to notice."

"Shut up. You confused me."

He laughed, and it had never felt so good. He lay on his back, chuckling, pulling the Slayer down on top of him. "I'm just a confusing, uh, unperson."

She gave him a scared smile. "I have to tell Giles."

He smiled back. "No. *We* have to tell Giles."