Buffy stalked out of the cemetery. When she passed the main gates, she looked back to make sure he hadn't followed her. She didn't sense any vamps around, but she never knew what to expect with Spike. 'Why had he said that? He couldn't mean it. He was *Spike*. A soulless creature. Words...it was all just words. No one could ever love me like Angel did. And he said he would *give* his soul to me. Like that's something you can give away. What did he mean? And why am I even thinking about this. It's Spike and one of his...what did Xander call it? Fevered daydream? Exactly. Spike can't love so just stop thinking about it because it's just one of his fantasies and why haven't I stopped thinking about it?'

Spike sauntered back to his crypt with the biggest smirky smile he'd ever worn. It wasn't much, what he'd gotten out of his Slayer, but it was enough for now. More than he deserved, after that Drusilla debacle. He didn't know what he had been thinking. At the time, it just felt right. If he could just *show* Buffy how deeply he felt for her, she would have to accept it. And maybe even reciprocate. 'No, that will never happen. She's disgusted by me. I knew going in I never had a chance. But still...she gave some hope. Just a slight hitch in her step. Might be grasping at straws, but right now, straws are all I got.' Just as he reached his crypt, an impulse made him turn back. It was a stupid, suicidal whim, but Spike had never been one to play it safe.

As he reached Revello Drive, he was shaking his head at his own foolishness. If he got caught lurking again, it would be a dusty end to a very long day. But he had such a desire to be near her, he had to go. As he reached her house, he looked up to her bedroom. The light was still on, and he could see her silhouette against the shade. He took a deep breath and steadied himself against a tree. He chuckled to himself that he had never breathed so much as he had since he met the Slayer. He lit a cigarette and just stood there, breathing in her scent that wafted out of the slightly open window. The cigarette hung forgotten between his fingers, as her unique aroma of vanilla and graveyard earth intoxicated him.

Buffy had finally managed to get herself ready for bed, with minimal Spike thoughts. Just the idea of him grated her nerves and she had a huge desire to go back to his crypt and stake him. Just to be rid of the thorn in her side once and for all. She had learned to tolerate him with the chip-he was often helpful, for a price. She could ignore his cocky attitude and haphazard fighting style, so long as it didn't get anyone hurt. But she couldn't accept him thinking he had feelings for her. That would just be too damned much to take. Too much with Riley leaving, and her mother being sick. Too much, especially since he liked to show his love by chaining you up and threatening to kill for you. She remembered a couple years ago, when Spike had come back and kidnapped Xander and Willow. He said he was going to go make Dru love him again. "Find her, wherever she is. Tie her up, torture her, until she likes me again!" Buffy shivered at the thought. Definitely not the kind of love she was interested in. Sick, soulless vampire love.

She shivered again, realizing a cool breeze was coming in from the window. She went to close it and got a whiff of smoke. Buffy's eyes narrowed. She grabbed her robe and headed downstairs. 'He's insane! I can't believe he would come here after everything. That's it. I'm going to have to kill him. It's the only way to be rid of him. He's not getting the message.' Before she opened the door, Buffy grabbed a stake that was sitting on a side table. She threw open the door and searched in the dark for him. She finally caught a glimpse of platinum hair by the big tree in the yard. She ran over to him and grabbed his coat lapels. Spike was snapped out of his mental reverie by a swift knee to the stomach.

"Bloody hell, woman! What was that for?" Spike looked up at Buffy from his hunched position. She just raised her eyebrows at him. "Oh, right. The lurkin'. Well, I mean, not lurkin'. I just...well, you just left so fast, were so upset. I was worried that you'd be off your game. Lose your focus or whatnot. Wanted to make sure you got home safe and sound. See for myself that no big nasty got a hold of you." He finally was able to stand up straight. He tried to look very sincere, because he noticed the stake she was holding.

"Spike, it takes more than the likes of you to throw me off my game. And as for my focus--it's never been clearer. This has to end. I'm giving you a choice right now. Either leave town and never come back, or I will kill you. You are dangerous and I won't have you around my family. You've proven more than once that you can work around the chip when you want to hurt people." Buffy glared at Spike, stake at the ready.

Spike sighed and shook his head. "Pet, I didn't mean for you to get hurt. The thing with Drusilla...I was wrong, I'm sorry. And last year, with Adam. That was wrong, too. I realize that. I've changed from that man, can't you see that? Loving you has made me want to be better. I can't leave town without at least getting a chance to prove to you, somehow, that I do love you. If you give me that chance, and you still don't care at all about me...I'll leave." Spike dropped to his knees in front of her.

Buffy looked at him with disgust. "I can't believe you...you're pathetic, do you know that? You're a *vampire*! And you're begging, on your knees, for the affection of a slayer. And what makes you think that I could ever even *like* you, after everything you've done? You've tried to kill me, my friends, I'm sure you'd just love a chance at Dawn and my mom."

Spike jumped to his feet. "You take that back! You know I would never hurt your mum or Nibblet. I wouldn't hurt any of your friends. Buffy, you've changed me. Whether you like it or not, you're responsible for this thing that's happening to me. Just let me show you that I'm not that same man who tried to hurt you."

"Fine! You want to show me you're different? You want to *prove* your love for me? There's only one way to do it." Buffy stood with her arms crossed.

"Yes! Yes, Buffy, anything. I'll do anything to show you...to prove it all. Just a chance, it's all I need."

"Sit here, on my porch, until the sun rises. Then as I'm sweeping your dust up in the morning, I'll know that you really did love me." Buffy's voice was filled with disdain. "And if you can't do that, well...either way, I don't ever want to see you again." Buffy turned and went back into the house.

Spike could hear the clicking of the lock. 'Not that it's necessary against me,' he thought. 'I've really blown it. Should have just shut myself up in the crypt and got hammered. Never should have come here. I really *don't* have a chance with her. She thinks I want to hurt her, her family. And I can't just leave. Right, be tortured by the thought of her every day of my unlife. Dream about her every time I sleep. Can't do that. Can't live that way.' Spike shook his head and pulled out his flask. "Fine!" He said to nobody. "Bitch wants me to prove it, I'll prove it!" Spike sat down on the porch with a thud and took a long pull of bourbon.

**

TBC-if anyone likes!