A/N: Thanks to all those have read and reviewed. Much love to all!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHTXander arrives at the butcher shop. He turns off the engine of his car and reluctantly walks into the shop. He quickly gets in line to buy the blood for Spike.
'That blood-sucking fiend. Why can't Evil Dead go get his own blood?' Xander thinks.
"What can I get cha?" The butcher asks.
"Can I have, uh, couple bags of pigsblood?" Xander says.
"Yeah, sure," The butcher says suspiciously, "Anything else?"
"No, that's about it," Xander answers.
The butcher takes the slip and walks into the back room to go get his order.
Xander moves to the window to look outside at the park. As usual, the park is pretty much empty. He scans the park and sees a mysterious figure waling and holding something. He looks on carefully as the person strides through the brush.
"Sir?" The butcher calls.
"Yeah," Xander answers.
"Your order's ready," The butcher replies.
The butcher hands Xander his package and Xander gives the man his money. He receives his package and walks out the door. Fumbling to find his keys, Xander accidentally bumps into someone.
"Sorry," Xander says while picking his bag up.
The figure waves their hand as a gesture and helps Xander pick his bag up. Xander tries to get a look of who the person might be. But before he can find out, the stranger has walked into the night.
"Huh, I wonder who that was," Xander says to himself.
Xander finally finds his keys and drives his way back to Buffy's home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
'Oh god I almost bumped into Xander. What if he knew that was me? What am I gonna do? Maybe he doesn't know it's me. What if he does and he tells Buffy. Oh god! What if he tells Spike? He's gonna be furious if he finds out I haven't left town yet. But I can't just leave yet. I need my voice back. Ahhhh!' Mya rants and screams at herself.
Mya continues stalking back to her warehouse and enters by slamming the door behind her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Xander cautiously opens the door to Buffy's house, being careful that he doesn't disturb anything that is going on inside. He walks inside to find most of the potentials asleep and some movement going on in the kitchen. He walks into the kitchen to find Buffy, Willow, and Giles still researching.
"Hey guys. Enjoying your time reading endless pages of things that you don't understand whatsoever?" Xander sarcastically says.
"Yes, actually. I think we may have a lead on something." Giles answers.
"Yeah, but we're still going to do a little more research before we can confirm anything." Willow adds.
"You got the blood?" Buffy asks.
"Unfortunately," Xander begins, "Yes. And I had the strangest encounter that the butcher shop."
"Huh, Really?" Buffy says.
"Yeah. I bumped into this girl. She looked oddly familiar," Xander tells.
"What did she look like?" Willow asks.
"Well, I didn't see her face. But she still looked oddly familiar." Xander says with humiliation.
Buffy, Willow, and Giles all sigh out of pity. They all get back to research, except Buffy who grabs the bag of blood and heads downstairs.
"I'll be right back," Buffy says while heading down to the basement.
Buffy walks down the stairs to find Spike sitting on his cot as usual. She feels
Awful about the loss and she wants to do something to help, but she doesn't know what to do. She sits next to him on the cot, unnoticed.
"Hey," Buffy says.
Spike doesn't say anything back. He just sits and stares the wall at the other side of the room.
"Spike?" Buffy tries again.
Spike shakes his head slightly before responding.
"Uh, hey Buffy."
"Xander got some blood for you," Buffy says.
"Uh, yeah, thanks," Spike responds awkwardly.
"You okay?" Buffy asks.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm all right." Spike answers.
"Is there anything I can do?" Buffy says.
Spike turns his head to look at her face. He sees the care and sincerity in her eyes and hurries to find something to say.
"Buffy," Spike whispers.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't helped me."
A smile creeps over Buffy's face as she looks at Spike's face. She puts a hand on his cheek and looks deep into his eyes. Spike looks back at her with a loving expression as tears fall mutely from her eyes. He absentmindedly takes his thumb and wipes the tear away. Buffy holds onto his hand as she speaks,
"I love you," Buffy whispers.
Spike stares back at her in shock as those three little words process through his mind.
"Wh-What?" Spike stutters.
"I. Love. You." Buffy enunciates.
He smiles back at her as unshielded tears fall from his eyes. Buffy returns the favor and wipes the tears away from his longing face.
"I love you, too. Always." Spike replies.