Tattered Valentines by Bogwitch Disclaimer: Nothing is owned by me, but by Fox, Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon. Notes: S/B but angsty. Season seven post- First Date. I'm in the UK, so English spelling applies. Summary: Not everyone is happy on Valentines.

Part One - Spike

Night has fallen and Spike is prowling the lower floor of 1630 Revello Drive, guarding the house for her. For a change, there's no one about, everyone is either upstairs or out. Buffy's around if the First has use for him again, so he can relax a bit, take the opportunity to move about a bit before he locks himself back up in the basement for safekeeping.

Soundlessly, he moves into the Living Room, a dead man in a space meant for living in. He's aware of the irony. He casts his glance around the room, checking for anything he feels is eviler than him. Nothing yet, apart from the clutter of research and the training of slayers, the room is as normal. Giles is still out with some of the potentials so the sofa is still free. However, one thing dominates the room.

She's received a card.

It sits proudly on the mantel of the fireplace, a large red heart surrounded by roses. Its feminine, girly, next to the smaller, goofy cards sent by Willow and Kennedy to each other. He knows whom the card is from. He doesn't even need to read it to know that. Although he does, to be sure. It feels like picking a scab.

Despite their interrupted date, it seems that the Principal is still interested in Buffy and from the little he saw, there's a mutual attraction. And Spike knows that this time he can't utter a word against it, lest it be seen as proprietary jealousy.

He's already lost her. He knows that. His actions the night he left for Africa put her well beyond his reach and the new soul he won there only tells him what he doesn't have to offer. Still, the love he has for her, a love so strong he changed his entire being for her, coils inside, writhing like an angry snake. Just a redundant emotion he no longer has a right to express.

Spike turns his back on the reminder of his own inadequacy. She's moving on to someone else and he's glad for her, really. He's not what she deserves. Sadly, he pulls the envelope from back pocket and tears it up. He goes through to the kitchen and absently tosses the card into the trash before returning to the bareness of the basement.