After only a week with Spike, Buffy felt closer to him than she ever had to soldier-boy, or ever to the great poof. –She also noticed that the more he was around, the more she started to talk like him.

Dawn told her that she finally understood what she was doing. She was sure that, at least for now, she was the only other person she wanted to tell. She was sure the Scoobies weren't ready for this. Especially Xander. He'd always been like an overprotective brother. And let's not even think about what Giles would do. She rather liked having Spike around… and not in the vacuum cleaner either. No, it was better to keep it a secret for now until they liked him more. –But it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to keep her hands off him, no matter where they were.