Chapter 10: Awkward Moments

They were left back in the alley, out of Rack's coven, out of the shining silk bed. Just left where they were, confused and shaken.

"What----what happened?" Buffy asked shakily, groggily getting to her feet. She looked all around, trying to locate Spike with her eyes, but when she saw him, she suddenly had the compelling urge to look down again. He saw the quick flash of embarrassment and shame that sparked in her eye's so briefly that she hadn't even recognized it and sighed.

"I dunno." He winced with pain as he put his hand up to his chest where Rack had stabbed him. Buffy, rushed over to his side, with more concern than she intended to show.

"A-are you okay?" She lightly put her hand up to his chest, but he recoiled from her touch.

"I'm alright. It stings a bloody bit, but I'll live . . . or remain dead, whatever."

It hurt Buffy how fast he jumped from her touch. "Maybe you should get that looked at---"

"Look I've had worse," Spike cut in sharply. "That beefstick boy a' yours dished out worse damage." He sighed when he saw the look of hurt and anger on Buffy's face. "Look, we should be more concerned about this Rack guy. He's obviously a highly dangerous baddie. I mean, he's been inside our heads."

Buffy turned to him, alarmed. "He wouldn't use our bo----"

"No," he interrupted her. "He can only do that with witches."

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. She had still been recovering from what she had just experienced of what she had just seen. It was only a hallucination, but it felt so real, so vivid. She wondered if he remembered what had just happened.

"We have to get home. We didn't accomplish anything, but we have to find out more about this Rack guy."

Spike's body slumped. "Yeah . . .yeah I guess." His voice tinged with weariness.

Buffy tuned and looked at him, worryingly, penetratingly. He did remember. It had felt so real, how could he not remember? "Spike, that was . . . that, well, what I said----"

"That's was just the hallucination pet." Spike interrupted her grimly.

Buffy stared at him, surprised, disappointed at his firm answer. "Yeah. It was." She was at a loss for words again. She felt her mouth suddenly go dry and she struggled to lick her parched lips. Eager and jumpy to fill the endless silence and unspoken words that had suddenly risen, she pushed her hand through her hair roughly and asked "So . . . what do we do now?"

Spike kicked the ground tiredly. "I'm not sure, luv. We can't just ignore what we've seen here tonight." He avoided her eyes, which he knew at the moment was avoiding his. "I mean . . . this guy Rack is powerful. It seems like he can't be killed that easily. This isn't like one of your "all-wrapped-up-in-an hour" jobs. We gotta be careful with this. Plus . . . he said he had some plan of some sort."

Buffy nodded slowly. "It's probably your average let's-take-over-the-world-type gig. I'll go back to the Magic Box and see if Anya and Xander have come across anything in researching."

"Oh, then . . . um," Spike scratched his head uncomfortably. "Well, I got stuff to do, so I'm gonna . . . "He motioned with his thumb that he wanted to leave.

Buffy stared at him puzzedly, a little hurt by his obvious desire to get away from her. Usually when she went to Magic Box, he rudely invited himself into the researchy fun, if only to get into a humorous spat with Xander or just disgustingly insinuate himself into her presence for a little while longer. "Oh . . . um okay." She looked down at her hands and at back at him. "I'll see you . . . later then."

"Yeah," Spike said rushedly. He turned quickly and took off, his black duster billowing behind him like the shadow of night. Buffy stood there a moment, and tried to ignore a certain, persistent pain inflaming her heart. What had just happened? Why had Spike been so desperate to run away from her? It's so strange, she thought. I'm the one who should be running away.