A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed; SouthernRain, SweetBitter, SpIkEs AnGeL, buffspike, ms trick, Veggie-Babu-chan, faith95, Aleesha. Just to clear up a point, yes, I amdit Joyce is pretty OOC, but think of her in 'Becoming Part 2' when she found out Buffy was the Slayer - yelling, disapproving, and drinking, now times that by fifty and you kinda get Joyce in this fic, lol. Anyway, I have a feeling this chapter isn't going to be too popular, but have a little faith in me, I'll make it right in the end. In the meantime, tissues on standby, cos you might find that you need them, I almost did and I'm the author! lol

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 13 - Time To Say Goodbye

Clad in the clothes she'd worn the night before, Buffy waited in her bedroom for Xander and Willow to arrive at her door. Lady Joyce had visited her daughters room just twice during the day, once to tell her she was to remain in her room until otherwise told and a second time to inform her that Xander was ill. This second fact was of course a lie that Xander himself manufactured so his going to school would not be an issue today. With Willow being home-schooled by her mother anyway, it made no difference whether today was a school day or not, all three young people were free to take care of the plan.

With Buffy's bedroom being on the second floor of the building, it didn't seem plausible for her to get down to the ground in any other way but by using the stairs, but this way she was bound to be caught. Instead Xander checked out the outside of the house and realised that, with some manoeuvring, his sister should be able to scale the trellis that held flowers and vines to the side of the house. Indeed, he was correct and she made it to the ground quite easily considering having no experience at all when it came to climbing of any kind. Xander himself, after claiming to feel much better now, told his mother he was just going over to his friend's house to pick up something and being already a little tipsy, she took it as a reasonable excuse.

Willow, as usual, was look out for everyone. She was to stay in Buffy's room, answer the phone if it happened to ring (unlikely at midnight, but still...) and if needs must she may have to pretend to be Buffy in the bed, hiding her head of red hair under the duvet so as not to be identified as merely the house keepers daughter.

Buffy was silent all the way to the cinema. It was almost totally in the centre between the 'good' and 'bad' side of town, really not belonging to either half. The road behind it was usually empty, inaccessible by car and rarely used at all, it would be quiet and neutral, and perfect for Buffy and Spike to meet.

As Xander pulled the car up in front of the building and let Buffy out he wished her good luck and told her not to take too long. She nodded before hurrying to the back of the building, half excited about seeing Spike again, half pained at the thought that this was the last time.

"Spike!" she called as she caught sight of him. His back was to her at first but he spun around at the sound of he voice, smiling as he stamped out his cigarette on the ground.

"Buffy" he greeted as he moved toward her and kissed her briefly "What's going on?" he wanted to know "I got this weird call and..."

"It doesn't matter" she shook her head, setting free the tears that had been forming in her eyes "Oh God" she gasped as if she were in pain and buried her head in Spike's shoulder.

His arms slid around her, holding her as tight as her own grip was on him. She was really scaring him now.

"Whats the matter, luv?" he asked her after a few moments, pulling back a little to see her face, but keeping his arms locked around her "Has something happened?"

"No...and yes" she made no sense at all as she sobbed her way through her jumbled sentence "I had to see you, it isn't fair, but I had to say goodbye"

"You going somewhere?" he frowned in confusion "I don't understand.."

"I just, I won't be around anymore" she shook her head as if to emphasise the point of her future absence "but I had to see you" she begged him with her eyes to understand her situation without making her actually explain "once more, I had to..." she got no further with her words. So much emotion and sadness took her voice and her breath. Spike looked so confused and hurt. The pain in his beautiful eyes was sending daggers through her heart, his arms around her waist only reminded her of what she was losing, and the concern on his face only made her feel guilty for never telling him the truth about her life.

"Why won't you be around?" Spike asked her gently, desperate to help ease her pain somehow but really not understanding at all "You don't want to see me anymore?" he asked, a bolt of pure agony shooting through his heart at the very thought that she might have deceived him.

"No, no, it's not that I don't want to, I swear" she promised him, her eyes though full of pain and tears still held love for him, he could see that, she did speak the truth "oh God, Spike, if only you knew how much I wished things were different" she told him.

"If what things were different?" he begged her to explain as she tried to wipe away her tears "There's something you're not telling me, Buffy, there has to be"

"It's too complicated to explain" she shook her head again, desperate to clear the misty tears from her eyes and take him in properly just one more time.

"I have to see you again" Spike told her firmly, looking right into her eyes.

"You won't" Buffy informed him, a crack in her voice, despite her best efforts to be calm "you can't, please don't make this any harder than it already is"

"Buffy, we need to hurry" a voice called from the left and both she and Spike turned their heads to see Xander a few feet away, reminding the girl the quicker they were the easier it would be to cover the fact she'd left the house at all.

"Who the hell's that?!" Spike all but exploded and Buffy realised how it must look to him, she was telling him it was over and some other man appeared to be ordering her around.

"He's my brother" she said quickly, desperate to get Spike's attention back on her for these last few moments they had together "Spike, please, just accept that this has to be the end"

"Maybe I could accept it if I knew the reason why" he said almost sounding annoyed, it was all happening too fast and it made no sense to him at all.

"And I wish I could tell you" Buffy told him honestly "I truly do, but I can't...all I can say is I'm sorry and I love you" she said as clearly as she could, praying that if nothing else he understood just how much she meant those last three words.

"I love you too" he promised her "you know that"

Closing her eyes and leaning forward, Buffy brought her lips to his. Knowing this was the last time made it bittersweet for her but still it was magical and beautiful, as the most wonderful feelings she'd ever known swept over her in waves.

When it finally came to the point when she needed to breathe and knew she had to leave him, Buffy pulled away. Not giving him a chance to catch his breath enough to beg her to stay, she hugged him briefly and whispered in his ear.

"Goodbye, Spike"

With that she finally let go of him, turned and ran back to her brother in his car who waited to get her home as fast as he legally could.

Spike was left standing there, speechless, breathless, and alone.

Willow heard the car pull up outside and ran to the window, opening it up she watched as Xander helped Buffy onto the bottom of the trellis and waited there to make sure she climbed up safely. As soon as she was close enough to reach, Willow put her arms out of the open window and helped to pull her friend inside. Tears no longer ran down the blonde's face, she was in a sort of stunned silence and had been all the way home in the car, knowing she'd never see the man she loved again.

"I'm sorry, Buffy" the red-head sympathised as she closed the window behind her friend and turned to face her again, "Was it awful?"

"He was so hurt" Buffy said in a flat tone, "I can't believe it's over"

Willow decided not to ask anymore questions. She waited while Buffy changed into her nightwear and then made sure all the 'wild' clothes were hidden away.

When she came out of her best friends room, Xander was standing in the empty hall.

"Thanks for your help tonight, Will" he whispered and the red-head just shrugged in response.

"I'd do anything to help Buffy out" she told him "to help either of you really" her voice got less and less audible throughout her sentence, thoughts of the kisses she'd shared with his boy were flooding her mind as he stood before her now, looking so good and being so sweet about his sister and everything. Did he have to be so damn perfect?

"I feel so bad for her" she heard him say, meaning Buffy of course "but I can't believe she never told me about this guy before"

"She was just worried you wouldn't understand" Willow defended her best friend "He's not her 'class' or whatever" she air-quoted "and she thought you might react like she knew Lady Joyce would"

"I can't say I'm doing back flips over her falling for some backstreet Billy Idol wannabe" Xander said honestly, picturing in his mind the young man he'd seen just briefly "but I hate to see her so upset" he said with a shake of his head as he thought of his poor sister and how distraught she was.

"I guess you really can't help who you fall in love with" Willow whispered moving to walk away.

"No I guess not" Xander mumbled almost to himself as he realised Willow was making her exit. He turned and caught her arm "Look about what happened last night..." he began, all still whispered since it was so late and everyone was supposed to be asleep by now.

"Don't say it" Willow begged "I already know and it's okay, I understand that we're not the same and..."

He cut off her words by stilling her lips with his, kissing her all but breathless. A kiss that proved she did not know what he meant at all. A kiss that left her with no further doubt in her mind that he felt for her exactly what she felt for him.

To Be Continued...

[Next Update should be chapter 14 of 'Trouble With Boys']