DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer – it all belongs to Joss Whedon.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my final chapter. Thanks everybody for reading and reviewing – at the mo there are a couple of fics in the pipeline, but I won't post a while.

Chapter 12

Buffy didn't know she could be as happy as she was at the moment she saw all of them there. She didn't even care how they'd found her – it was just the fact that they had that comforted her tremendously.

'Guys, this is my boss,' Buffy said, half-joking at the comment. 'Mr. Cooper, these are my friends that you keep telling me aren't here.' She looked at him triumphantly.

'Gee Buff,' Xander said sarcastically. 'You forgot to mention your boss was a big reddish. . .demon-monster. . .thing.'

'It must've slipped my mind,' Buffy replied. The gang all climbed into the ring, making a big group with the original Slayer. 'I'm sorry I lied guys,' she said apologetically to them all.

'We're sorry we put so much pressure on you,' Kennedy apologised herself.

'Now why don't we give this guy a little encore,' Buffy suggested, 'considering he missed the big showdown at the Hellmouth.' Without hesitation, they all charged for the demon who had been too surprised to speak in the last couple of minutes.

As Dawn approached him, huge sword raised above her, the demon formerly known as Mr. Cooper slammed his fist into her, and she went flying backwards, falling with a thud at the edge of the ring.

'Hey, that's my sister!' Buffy complained. 'Will – kick in the goddess magick mojo, will you?'

Willow nodded, as she began muttering some Latin under her breath. The creature seemed to be weakening, and he crumpled down to his knees.

'Xander, get the fire!' Buffy pointed to his chosen weapon – fire arrows. He lit them, and shot them right at the demon's head. It burnt for a few seconds, scarring it badly, but then stopped.

'Faith, Kennedy – a little Slayer help!' Buffy called out. The three ran to him, kicking and punching any part of his body they could, trying to destroy their enemy.

Anya had gone over to tend to Dawn (Anya's chosen weapon had been the First Aid Kit) and shouted at Spike. 'Spike – use the axe!'

Faith punched the demon hard in the chest, and he went falling backwards towards Spike. The platinum-blonde ex-vampire swung his axe, and decapitated the demon in that moment.

The arena was silent, as the gang panted. This one had been close, but they had managed to win, just like every other time.

'I guess we're back in the swing of demon-things, huh?' Buffy wrapped up.

**********

After they'd killed the demon boss, they'd gone back to the changing rooms and found Kate. They'd taken her to the hospital, and continued home.

Now they were all in pyjamas, drinking hot chocolate and tea, sitting around the coffee table.

'How'd you feel Buffy?' asked Willow.

Buffy shrugged. 'A mixture of tired, confused, annoyed. . .and stupid. I still can't believe I lied to you all like that.'

'You could've gotten yourself killed,' Dawn informed.

'I know, I feel like a moron. . .'

'You can always tell us if something's wrong, Buff,' Xander offered kindly. 'We're your friends – it's what you pay us to do.' Buffy smiled.

'It's just. . .you know what freaked me out most about that experience?' Buffy said to them all. 'He knew so much about me. . .about the way I felt. Deep down, all my fears. . .how could he just read me like that?'

'A Claromentis demon,' Dawn told them out of the blue.

Faith looked at the young girl confused. 'What?'

'She means a mind-reader,' Anya unveiled. 'It's that demon's gift; they read the minds of their victims, and then prey on their greatest fears to weaken them. Classic technique.'

'Dawn, you knew what it was?' Buffy was impressed. Dawn nodded.

'You're becoming quite the demon-expert,' Xander said, rubbing Dawn's head.

'Xander, quit it, you're making my hair all static!' she giggled.

'Ah, if only the council was still going,' Kennedy mused. 'Our little Dawnie would make the perfect Watcher!' Dawn scowled at the Slayer.

Buffy had noticed that during all this, Spike had been keeping quiet. She looked over at him now, staring down at his mug, apparently deep in thought.

While everyone else was talking, Buffy stood up and tapped his shoulder. Without looking back, she walked into the corridor, waiting for him to reach her. Sure enough, he was there quickly.

'What's wrong?' he asked her straight away.

'Nothing,' Buffy said quickly. 'At least. . .nothing with me.' She frowned. 'Why do you have sulky-face?'

'It's nothing. . .' he dismissed. 'I was just thinking.' He was looking down at the floor, and Buffy made herself shrink a bit so she could see his face. 'About what?'

He shrugged. 'Things. . .between you and me.'

Buffy took his hand and led him down the corridor, realising this was going to be a longer conversation than she had anticipated, and she sat herself down at an armchair, while Spike sat opposite.

'Tell me about them,' she encouraged.

He shook his head. 'It's just. . .it hurt.'

She took one of his hands in hers. 'What did?'

He took a deep breath. 'Look, before I say anything, I just want you to know that I love you with every fibre of my being.'

She smiled warmly at hearing those words. 'I know.'

There was a pause before he went on. 'You lied to me Buffy. And I'm not just talking about almost getting yourself killed like everybody else is. . .I'm talking about telling me a lie to my face. When we all worked it out, I tried to tell myself that you hadn't lied to me. . .that you trusted me, but I just couldn't. That fact remains, Buffy. And it's eating away at me.'

Buffy looked down at the floor ashamed, but refused to let go of his hand. 'I can't tell you how sorry I am,' she answered honestly.

'But that's just it,' he looked up at the ceiling. 'You can say sorry all you like,' he looked back at her. 'But you did it. And I fear you'll do it again.'

'No!' she immediately said. 'Trust me, I learnt my lesson this time, never again will I lie to any of you.'

'I want to believe you,' he said honestly.

'Look. . .' she began to explain. 'The reason I lied is because I was scared. All of you just wanted to protect me, to get me out of danger, to not let me hurt myself. . .but all that kept going through my mind was the fact that we didn't have enough money, and this was a quick way of earning it. And I'm still scared by that. There's no way we can all live on our salaries, even if we put them all together.'

'That's ridiculous!' he said, but not maliciously, more dismissively, telling her she didn't need to worry. 'It might not seem hopeful, but we'll get by, no matter what.'

Buffy found herself crying. 'But we can't be sure of that! Everybody's saying it's all gonna be OK, but it won't!' she was sobbing, and Spike stood up from his chair, holding her in his arms.

'So the reason I lied was really for the welfare of us all, not because I was being selfish,' Buffy excused feebly.

'Shh,' Spike nodded, kissing her hair, not letting go of her. He rocked her gently.

'I know your friends mean a lot to you – all them in there,' he pointed his head towards the living room. 'But I also know this. I trust you so that I feel I can tell you anything I'm feeling, anything I want – share my entire recently-received life with you. I just hope you feel the same way about me.'

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. She gazed into his, and saw such purity, such raw emotion, and she felt she knew her own self.

'I do. I really do.'

Drawn to her, he leaned in and kissed her, and she kissed him back. Despite all the doubt she had had earlier, in his arms, it all seemed to melt away.

**********

A/N: Again, I say THANK YOU to all those that bothered to keep reading, it means a lot. If you haven't seen my other stories, please check them out. Hope you all have a great Valentine's Day! Nat xxx