Authors Note: *nervous laugher* Don't you all love how I promised to not make you wait long and then I just…disappear?? Heh heh ^_^;;. I know, I suck. Let the thrashing began. I had serious writers block. But I finally found an ending for this fic! And without any further adieu, here it is!

Spike had been tossing and turning for what seemed like hours. Maybe it was because it had
been hours. He could tell it was almost morning and he hadn't slept at all. He didn't want to get out of bed just yet though. He rather lie there, staring into the darkness then to stare into the curious faces of his ship mates. He had completely lost his mind last night, he realized that laying there. He felt so stupid. But he regained it quickly when he saw her. The look on her face haunted him. The looked when she saw the man that had violated her so. Her face was blank and unreadable. It was stiff and lifeless. It was the face of a woman in great pain. Pain Spike only meant to cure her off. But it backfired in his face. She hated him now. At least she wanted to hate him, which was almost worse. He hated the feeling of rejection that surged through him whenever he thought about it. He just wanted to sleep. But he would probably just dream about it anyway. Maybe that is why his body kept him awake. He had more control over his thoughts then he did his dreams. He laid on his back, his arms laying across his stomach. He stared at the ceiling. A small line of light appeared above. Spike watched it curiously as it grew larger and larger. The door was opening. Someone had walked into his room. He sat up slowly, his hand shielding his eyes from the bright light of the hallway. He couldn't tell who it was. The room light came on with a small click and the door closed. It was Ed. Spike dropped his hand, his head slightly titled to the side. Ed was the last person he expected to see right now. Her eyes were fixed on his as she walked to the side of his bed.

"Jet is back." she said softly. "Jet has Spike's reward money for turning in that very bad man." This was obviously all she had to say as she had began to turn to walk away but Spike stopped her.
"Wait, Ed." Spike said suddenly. She turned back to him, with a questioning expression.
"Did Jet tell you to tell me?" Spike asked curiously.
Ed shook her head slowly.
"Ed just thought Spike would want to know."
She walked towards the door, her hand was on the knob when Spike stopped her again.
"Ed…" He said softly. He had a question for her that had been on his mind. He was dying for the
answer. She turned to him, waiting to hear him speak.
"Are you scared of me?"
She was silent. She just stared at him with her cat eyes. Her hand dropped the door knob, as she
turned fully towards Spike.
"No." She said silently.
Spike was surprised at her answer. This whole time he was lead to believe she was.
"Why not?" He asked.
"Because Ed understands."
She turned away again, leaving the room, closing the door softly behind her. Spike just sat there,
staring at the spot where she once stood. What did she mean she understood. Spike just shook
his head.
"I'm glad someone does." he muttered.
Spike glanced at the small clock on his night stand. 4:46am. There was no point in him laying
here. He wasn't the least bit tired. It was late, Jet would have gone to bed when he got home.
Spike stood up slowly, and made his way out of his room and down the hall. He entered the kitchen opening the fridge, taking out a can of beer. It was a little early to start on the alcohol but Spike decided to make an exception for himself. He thought he deserved it. He closed the fridge, walking into the living whilst sipping his beer. But he stopped. He wasn't the only one up this early. The dark room held one occupant. Faye sat on the yellow couch, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the television. She stared blankly at the muted TV, her chin rested on one knee, her other leg stretch out in front of her. Spike had frozen there, staring at her. She looked so normal. Like she did before everything that had happened, happened. But he didn't see her the same anymore. And that is what kept him from barging in and grabbing the remote out of her hands like he would have a few months ago. That is what kept him standing there, out of sight, watching her. Examining every part of her. From her small red toenails to the sharp point of her nose. She wore a pair of Jet's old red cotton pajamas. They hung loosely over her small shoulders and draped down the rest of her body. The first button was almost at her chest. Those huge garments made her look so small.
"Come over here." She spoke softly. Spike tensed. Was she talking to him? He couldn't tell, her
eyes never moved from the television.
"I don't see you." She almost whispered. "But I can hear you. Breathing."
He watched her eyes as they searched around the room. They glazing over his hiding spot, never stopping on him. .
"You watch me like this because what you said was true." She turned back to the television.
"You'll always be there. So I should face you instead of running away. It's my specialty, running away. You know that."
She paused. Pressing her lips together, he lowered her head slowly and rested her forehead on her knee.
"I didn't run from him though." She said, her voice muffled. "I didn't want to let that cocky son of a bitch scare me away. I wanted to show him what Faye Valentine was made of. Just wanted to prove my worth."

Spike could hear her breathing getting hard. She picked her head up tilted up towards the ceiling.
"So I stood, I fought, and I LOST!" She yelled that last word loudly. She buried her face in her hands, overcome by grief. Her sobs were short harsh cries. Spike couldn't stand the sound. But she grabbed a hold of herself quickly, chocking her sobs down back into her heart. Wiping her tears away, She spoke again in a strong clear voice.
"Will you stop standing there staring at me like that." She said almost meanly. "I feel like a god damn animal in a Zoo."
Spike took a long chug of his beer before emerging out of the darkness. Faye just looked at him
briefly before putting her attention back on the television. He sat next to her, without a word. The
TV had on infomercials. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours to Spike. He sat facing
forward his ankle resting on his knee, eyes fixed on the television. He watched as if he was interested. But his mind wasn't on workout tapes. He just didn't want to look at her. But he did anyway. He didn't see what he was scared to see. He didn't see contempt or hatred or even fear. He met her eyes as if she had been staring at him the whole time.
"Ed may be quick to forgive but I'm not." She shifted herself, turning her body so she was facing
him. She picked up his hands and held them in her own.
"But I couldn't let you kill him."
She held eye contact as she raised his hands to her lips and planted a soft kiss on both.
"I really wanted to watch him die as a helpless animal..."
She turned his hand palm up, and traced the deep lines with her fingers.
"And to see your bloody hands become the hands of a murder. Killing two birds with one stone, you know?"
She looked up into his eyes.
"But I couldn't." She shook her head fiercely. She almost looked a little like Ed. "And It wasn't the 30 million. It wasn't my pride. It was because I couldn't let you do that to yourself."
Spike swallowed hard. He just watched her and her green eyes stared into his. She didn't look
desperate or hurt. She just picked up his hands and laid it upon her cheek.
"I'm not going to run from you, Spike."
She placed her hands on the side of his face, leaning into him. She planted a soft kiss on his
forehead.
"I know you care about me. And that's enough. I believe you can only truly love one woman, and even if that will never be me…."
She smiled a bit while seemingly examining his face. She leaned in again, her lips close to his.
"But I just want to let you know that you've done more for me in the last few days then I can
remember anyone ever doing."
She kissed his lips.
"And for this and other reasons, I am so in love with you."
She gave Spike no time for these words to sink in. Her lips were on his again before he was even sure he heard her right. But this kiss was deeper and harder then any they have ever shared before. He felt her tongue in his mouth, her hands caressing the side of his face, her arms around his neck pulling him towards her. His first instinct was to push her away. He saw a woman's face. But he didn't go with his first instinct. Faye was the woman that had been consuming his thoughts. He had put his life on the line for her. He had no regrets about it either. Wasn't this the outcome he had hoped for? She was here with him now. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight, kissing her harder then she was him. And they sat there, in the dark with each other embraced in their arms. They soon broke from their passionate kiss. Faye smiled at Spike. She traced his jaw line with her fingers.
"What other reasons?" Spike asked quietly. Faye narrowed her eyes, he couldn't help but
grin at her confusion.

"What were the other reasons?"
Spike felt her hand as it collided with the side of his head. He was shocked at first till he saw the
wide grin on her face. He pursed his lips together in a pout.
"Ow, that hurt." He whined. Faye just giggled, leaning in close.
"You're such a lunkhead..."

Ending Notes: Well, that's it! I hope you all enjoyed this fic and the ending lived up to the rest of
the story. Sorry it took so long. I was torn between a happy ending or an sad ending. But I'm American so I went with the happy ^_^ Maybe I'll go back one day and make a sad ending. It'll be
like the special features on a DVD! lol. I'm going now, adios Space cowpeoples.