Chapter 5

Author note: Okay Spike and Buffy fans, this one's for you guys.

(The next morning at Buffy and Dawn's house)

It was 10:45 in the morning and Dawn was busy cleaning. Andrew had taken up residence in the Summers' guest room because he got fired from McDonald's and couldn't pay the rent for his apartment. Usually Andrew's was the meeting place for the weekly get together of his nerdy friends to watch the new Star Trek episode, but he was homeless at the moment and all his friend's jobs were too low-pay to afford an apartment larger than a closet. So her house was the new meeting place. She was picking up alien lollipops and stray popcorn when the doorbell rang. She happily abandoned the sticky mess and skipped over to the door and opened it. Draco was standing in the doorway and leaning on the "Home Sweet Home" sign.

"Draco."

"Hey, is Buffy there?" Said Draco.

"Uhh, no I think she went over to Xander's to talk to Spike, why?"

He a look of slight disappointment on his face. "Typical reaction." Dawn thought. "When they get stuck with boring old Dawney instead of super hero Buffy."

"My sword." Draco paused, looking at the Spongebob Squarepants patterned pants and matching tank top Dawn was wearing. "That's a strange looking' fellow." He thought. He looked up again and continued. "It's been weird lately, I think it may have some connection to the spell I put on the seal. Well, I guess I'll just catch her later, don't want to interrupt her and Spike. They've got some things to talk about. Well, See you."

Draco had turned around and started walking away. "Uhh-umm!" Dawn felt like banging her head hard on a wall when he turned around with a puzzled look on his face. "Er..." She continued, desperately trying to think of something to save herself the embarrassment of stopping him for no reason. "There's a fair downtown that's supposed to be fun. You want to er.go? If you've got nothing else to do of course!"

"Yeah, okay. I could use some American culture education."

Relieved and panicked at the same time, Dawn stuttered. "Grr-eat. Uh lemme just change-"

"Oh no need, we'll have a pajama party. We'll need to stop somewhere by Xander's to borrow some for me, I don't have any."

"Why not?"

"You really want to know?"

"Well not when you say it like that."

* * * * *

(Xander's Basement)

"15.16.17.18." Up, down, up, down. One of the few things that Spike could find total peace in was chin-ups. Not complicated, but still challenging enough to keep your mind off of everything else. He had found himself doing a lot of them lately to get away from all the problems he had right now. Of course it wasn't just lately that he had problems, more like his entire life. But it was reasonably worse now. He heard the door open and he stopped counting and hopped down from the bar. He turned around.

"Hello Buffy, you're a bit early. "Passions" doesn't start for another half hour."

"Yeah I know, I have to talk to you."

"Oh, bugger."

"What?"

"Whenever you say that you always tell me something horrible." He dabbed his forehead with a cloth towel and walked over to the fridge. "Drink?"

"Do you have anything other than cheap liquor?"

"Do I ever?"

"Good point."

"So.what is it you wish to discuss with me?"

"Why did you say that I really didn't when I told you I loved you at the school?"

"Ughh.Buffy do we really need to talk about this? I thought we'd finished it."

"You see whenever I bring it up you don't want to talk about it. Yes, I really want to talk about this."

"There's nothing to say! I don't know, things happened. People change, Buffy."

"What things?" "Your mother died-"

"That was before."

"Well not for me. And you kissed Angel-"

"You're still mad about that? I told you it was a mistake and it didn't mean anything."

"That doesn't mean I thought it was nothing. Did you see me take the picture of Angel's face off my punching bag? No." Spike paused and sighed. "Look Buffy, it's complicated alright?"

"Spike, you're a complicated guy, I know that better than anyone. But you used to tell me these things why don't you anymore? What happened to us?"

"I don't know okay!" He let a huge breath. "Alright, you want to know what I think, why I broke it off? You got it. There is no us. There never was. You were lonely so you came to me because you knew I would do anything for you. But once you got you're friends back, of course, you didn't stay with me. And you were right, you do need me. But not like I need you. You need me for confidence. Whenever you're feeling scared or insecure you just pay a visit to me for a confidence boost and then you're on your way. You said you loved me but you don't. You love the love I give you because you don't have anything like that now that you're mother's gone. Buffy when I told you that I didn't want to be with you, you didn't cry, you didn't even talk to me, what does that tell me? Do you know how hard that was for me? And you didn't show as much as a speck of emotion!"

"I cried for weeks after that you stupid ass-hole! I felt so horrible I didn't know if I could bear it. But I was too ashamed to tell you-"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? That you were to ashamed to talk to me because you have feelings? But that's not the point. The point is you don't feel the same way as I do about you, and I can't deal with it anymore okay? I don't want to be with you alright? Is that what you want to hear?!?"

"Fine." Buffy looked up at him. "Then tell me you don't love me."

Tears were streaming down Buffy's face and Spike was so frustrated he was almost in tears himself. He slammed his fist against the wall and slid down to floor. He buried his face in his hands. Buffy sat down on the sofa and they sat there in silence for a while. Finally Buffy got up from the sofa and knelt down next to him. She shifted her body until she was right in front of him. Spike looked up.

He said in a low and shaky voice, "I can't." He paused for a second. "And you know that."

Buffy leant forward and put her arms around him. She hugged him tightly for a few seconds then pulled away and looked strait at him.

"I love you. I love you." Buffy said softly.

Spike put his hands around her waist and pulled her closer and kissed her.

* * * * * "Jesu Cristo! I didn't think it was even possible to consume that many funnel cakes!" Dawn said, exasperated.

"Nothing's impossible! Well.maybe convincing Spike to wear pink. But that is an insane task and doesn't even compare to this." Draco said cheerily.

Dawn and Draco were sitting on the benches at the fair. Draco was wearing a pair of Xander's pajamas that had a pattern of multicolored lizards.

"So you up for the Tilt-a-whirl?" Draco asked.

"Are you kidding? I'll barf all over you."

"I never kid. Besides, these aren't mine" He pointed to the pajamas. "But if your stomach needs peace we can always go on the ferris wheel."

"Guahhhh.."

"Sorry"

"Afraid of heights."

"Hmm.. I got it! Follow me!" Draco grabbed Dawns hand and quickly led her through the crowds to the pond with the mini motor boats.

"Swimming!"

"Uh ... I don't think you're supposed to swim in there."

"No matter! Appreeder a momento! Seize the moment!" He unbuttoned his shirt and handed it to Dawn. "Hold this please." He made a running start and plunged into the tiny pond.

"What?"

"It's Portuguese."

"You speak Portuguese?" "Of course. Doesn't everybody? Now get in this pond or I'll come and get you."

Dawn stood there for a second. Staring at the now soaked Draco swimming in the pond at batting away nearby motorboats. "What the hell. Appreeder a momento." She thought as she jumped into the pond.
* * * * *
A special thank you to Mia for the inspiration the Sponge Bob pajamas,
and dictionary.com for providing translation into Portuguese.

MERCI BEAUCOUP!
Tune in next time for further craziness