Disclaimer – The usual – to tired to banter!

A/N: Love all the lovely reviews, thank you so much. This chapter takes place instead of lover's walk – What? How could I possibly re-write history without making use of this prime opportunity? I know this episode was actually a little before Christmas but I'm altering the timeline to suit my purposes – I can do that...right? Also pretend Xander & cordy already broke up due to non-spike related reasons. Please? Oh this is the day after the last chapter – enjoy!

Chapter 6: Hearts divided

As Buffy stared at the newly decorated Christmas tree she wondered what all of her friends were doing right now.

Giles was probably cross-referencing – the man had a strange definition of fun!

Cordy was probably at some high society bash – fine if you like hanging around a bunch of stuck up snobs she supposed.

Willow had told her that she was doing something special with Oz tonight. Buffy blushed at the thought of what that 'special' something was. *God I've just been celibate too long!* she chided herself.

Faith claimed she was at some party... which roughly translated as 'I've gone to kill things and get laid'!

Xander was camping out in his yard trying to avoid the annual Harris drink fest. She felt a twinge of sympathy for the boy.

Angel was studiously not thinking about the fact it was Christmas and had told her specifically not to get him anything. She pouted at that. So what if they weren't exactly together anymore? What harm could a present do between friends?

And then there was Spike. The latest and most unexpected addition to her list of friends. She smiled as she thought of the peroxide pest as she'd affectionately dubbed him. She felt a little bad that her other friends knew nothing of the support he had given her over the last six months, that they had no idea about the softer side that he allowed so few to see...but another part was glad that he was her 'secret friend'. It made it seem more special, like he belonged to her and she didn't have to share him with anyone.

*Whoa Buff! Since when did you think of Spike as yours?* She quickly shook the thought off as she fingered the small box in her hand. She still hadn't Spoken to him except to leave a few voicemails, not that she hadn't tried, he just didn't seem to be answering her calls. Still, she would try again later, and put his present in the post tomorrow! *What are you doing right now Spike?* she asked silently, as if expecting the angel on top of the tree to have some kind of answer...

Spike was, right at that moment in fact, hiding from the sun in the burnt out factory. He'd arrived in Sunnyhell just as the sun was rising. He'd considered going to the mansion but decided against it – too many bad memories. So instead he sat on the destroyed bed, staring at the remains of Miss Edith the first, bemused by his lack of tears. Maybe the pain was finally beginning to lessen...that or he had bigger things on his mind. Things he was going to find answers for as soon as the bloody sun set...

"I wanted to schedule a college talk for later tonight." Joyce was saying on the other end of the line. Buffy rolled her eyes and suppressed a groan. This was all she'd heard all day from everyone. It was as if they were desperate to got rid of her or something!

"Mom..." She tried to interrupt, eager to get back to the simpler task of training, but her mother was on a roll.

"You don't have to go away. We can talk about some near by colleges. Ok?" said Joyce, amiably.

Buffy was about to say just how not ok it was when another startlingly familiar voice interrupted on her behalf.

"Hello Joyce!"

SPIKE!!!!

In the space of ten seconds, several thoughts flashed through Buffy's highly shocked brain:

Spike was Back in Sunnydale. Angel was back in Sunnydale. Spike was at her house. Angel often stopped by her house. Spike didn't know about Angel. Her mom didn't know about Angel. Angel didn't know about Buffy & Spike's friendship. Angel and Spike HATED each other. All of these things added up to some serious trouble!

Buffy dropped the phone and ran as fast as she could...

Spike had been pleasantly surprised when Joyce made him welcome. She knew he was a vampire, and from what Buffy had told him, she hadn't been told about his friendship with her...yet here she was, sitting him down and making him cocoa – the stuff Buffy was forever ranting about!

He'd been relieved when his subtle questions as to the well being of the slayer had been answered, informing him that Buffy seemed to be doing fine. Settling back in, getting good marks in her SAT's. In fact, Spike realised, she seemed to be doing a lot better without him than he was without her. He felt a slight pang at the thought that perhaps their time over the summer had been easily forgettable for her, but mostly he was just happy that she seemed to be happy. So instead of sulking, he decided to make the most of hospitality while it was offered and wait for the slayer to show up so she could yell at him for showing up out of the blue. Cheeky grin that no sane woman could resist in place, spike looked up at Joyce and asked in his most innocent voice:

"You got any of those little marshmallows?"

Joyce smiled, happy to have someone to mother who appreciated her efforts. "Let me go look!" she told him, standing and heading towards a cupboard. Grabbing the bag and setting it down on the counter she set about questioning this mysterious young man...well...vampire. She remembered that much from the night Buffy had left home at least. When she had first seen him standing at the back door she had been petrified, until his first question had been about her general welfare, asked with such honesty that she couldn't doubt his lack of evil intentions. Joyce guessed that he thought he was being sneaky with his subtle questions about Buffy, but she could see right through him. Whenever he asked about her, there seemed such concern in his voice, as if he was worried about the answer, and such relief whenever she confirmed the positive. Joyce had no idea what Spike's relationship was to her daughter, but he obviously cared deeply about her. And Joyce had a sneaking suspicion that Buffy hadn't been as alone as she claimed over the summer.

"So how have you been?" She asked, simple questions first.

"So so." He answered and Joyce sighed. It was going to be hard getting information out of this one!

"How's that girlfriend of you yours? Drusilla was it?" Joyce instantly regretted her question the instant she saw the pain flicker across Spike's face, some of the light that had grown in his eyes in the half hour he had been in her company began to dim.

"The slayer didn't tell you?" He asked and a less than steady voice. He already knew the answer; he was just trying to buy time.

"I'm sorry Spike." Said Joyce sincerely; guessing that what Buffy hadn't told her had a dusty, or at least very unpleasant ending. She reached out to touch his shaking hand that clung to his cocoa as if for dear life.

"It's Ok." He said, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "It doesn't hurt as much as it used to." He hadn't realised that it was the truth until he had said it. However, he wasn't left time to ponder this wondrous realisation as a very unexpected voice sneered at him from the open backdoor.

"So it doesn't hurt that the love of your unlife took a stroll into hell? Spike I'm shocked!"

Spike leapt to his feet, instinctively pushing Joyce behind him. His shock and disbelief sending him for a loop. This wasn't possible...was it?

"Angelus?"...

Buffy arrived in her kitchen and cringed. She could see Angel in the doorway, fighting against the barrier, snarling.

"You touch her Spike and I'll rip your head off!" He growled at the younger vampire in his most threatening tone of voice.

Buffy looked to where Spike stood, a terrified Joyce protectively placed behind him. She didn't need to ask exactly which vampire she was actually scared of! She looked back at Angel incredulously. "Angel don't you think if he was going to hurt her he would have done it already?" As she spoke every eye in the room became fixed on her. She gulped, reading the expressions in their eyes.

Joyce looked at her disapprovingly, silently asking 'why didn't you tell me?'

Angel looked at her in confusion. 'Why are you standing up for Spike?'

But Spike...Confusion, hurt, fear...and just the tiniest bit of hope that she knew she was going to have to destroy all over again. She swallowed, fighting back tears at the pain she knew was about to be inflicted. Right now however, she had her mother and Angel to placate...*No I'm not delaying this, not at all...liar!*

"Angel, why don't you come in?" Before Angel could lunge for Spike however, Buffy stood between them. "No Angel. Behave!"

Angel looked at her as if she were insane. "But Buffy it's Spike. SPIKE! You remember him? The one who tried to kill you so many times!"

"I remember Angel." Buffy replied calmly. "I also remember that he and I had a deal, a truce."

"You did?" Angel was confused. "When?"

"When we teamed up to take out Angelus." Angelus. Not Angel, Angelus! Buffy saw the hurt flicker in Angel's eyes at the direction this conversation was going, but she couldn't help that right now. "He agreed to leave and I agreed not to kill him. He hasn't hurt anyone so the truce still stands!" *And he's my best friend!*

"But he's back now!" Angel practically yelled.

"Are you really surprised Angel?" She asked, trying to keep her voice casual. A difficult task considering the blow she was about to deliver. "He probably heard you came back and wanted to see if Dru was back too!"

"Yeah." She heard Spike from behind her. "You didn't think nobody would tell me did you peaches?" To Joyce and Angel, the comment was made with the usual snarkyness of Spike; only Buffy heard the hidden accusation in the words. She felt terrible.

"Well she's not so you can just go crawl back to the rock you were hiding under can't you?" Angel spat hatefully. He wasn't happy about letting Spike get away again, but he knew Buffy wouldn't back out of a deal.

"You right." Replied Spike, his tone of voice painfully dull. "I guess I can." And with that, he was gone...

"I better go after him." Said Buffy, already grabbing her coat. She was halted however by Angel's hand on her arm.

"Why Buffy? What does it matter as long as he's gone?" he asked, a hint of something in his voice that Buffy didn't want to identify.

"Just to make sure he actually leaves." She covered quickly. "You know Spike!" *No you don't. You don't know anything about him!*

Angel must have accepted her answer however since he nodded and released her arm. Buffy ran as fast as she could, hoping that it was enough to catch up with Spike. She didn't question how she knew which direction he had gone in, she just ran...

A/N: evil chuckle! Come on, you know you want to know what happens!