Disclaimer: None of it is mine – mores the pity!

A/N: Hey people – thank you for the lovely reviews. Hope you're all happier now that Riley is gone – I know I am! Good news – Spuffyness soon. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm dragging it out but I don't want them to just jump in to bed for the sake of it. I would say definite spuffyness within the next 2/3 chapters though! Ok, now that's out of the way, the song in this chapter is Goodnight Sweet girl (hence the title) by ghost of the robot. Would have got this out sooner but couldn't log in (

Chapter 16: Goodnight Sweet Girl

As Buffy came storming into Spike's crypt having not been able to catch Riley and beat him to a bloody pulp, Spike had just been waking up. Despite his assurances that he was fine and just in need of rest and blood, Buffy had insisted on taking him back to her house and keeping him with her until he was healed, or at least not as weak from the operation. Spike had given in reluctantly, all to aware of how little he would actually be able to relax in the house of the slayer who unknowingly had stolen his heart. The look in her eyes when he had initially refused however had caused him to immediately back down – sometimes he really hated the fact that she had him wrapped round her little finger.

When it came to sleeping arrangements there had been another battle. Buffy had wanted him to take the bed and she would have the floor. Spike wanted the couch, but Buffy refused to let him out of her sight. Spike had offered to have the floor and let her have the bed, pointing out that he was used to sleeping on a stone sarcophagus so the floor was actually a step up. Buffy had countered with the fact that he was injured and needed to be as comfortable as possible. The hour-long argument had been settled by Dawn who had come in to yell at them to shut up so SHE could get some sleep sometime that night. She suggested that they just share the bed; it was big enough for both of them after all!

And so that's how Spike found himself in a T-shirt and boxers (something he was very unused to since he usually slept nude), in the slayers bed, watching her sleep when he was unable to do so himself. Gradually, over the last few hours she had managed to snuggle herself closer to spike until he had her nestled in his arms as she slept.

//Are we done for now,//

//Or is this for good,//

//Will there be something in time?//

//With us there should.//

It had been a while since Spike had considered himself a poet. Looking back now he could admit that his early works had been, to put it bluntly, crap. Never the less, every now and then he would feel the muse in the back of his brain nagging him to put his feelings into words. He liked to think that in just over a century his writing had improved. Last time he had felt the need, his words had transformed into the song he had sung at Caritas that had then led him to his discovery of Angel's return. He'd been understandably reluctant to write again after that. But watching the beautiful woman asleep in his arms now, the words seemed to form unbidden and he found himself singing gently so as not to wake her.

//Only girl for me is you//

//There can be no other one//

//If I didn't have faith//

//I would come undone//

And it was true. For while seriously doubted that she would ever feel the same way as him, she was the only girl he would ever love, and while she didn't know how he felt she could not reject his love. As long as he kept quiet, he could still dream that one day she would tell him she felt the same.

//So much promise in your eyes//

//Seems that I can only see//

//It always makes me wonder//

//If you save it all for me//

And there were times, when she would look at him just so. When she would give him that private little smile when no one else was looking. Those times when she would just seek him out to talk when she felt the other scoobies wouldn't understand. The times when he would feel her watching him, but she would turn away as soon as he glanced in her direction.

//Maybe you do//

//Maybe you don't//

//Maybe you should//

//Probably wont...//

He wondered if he was a fool to hope so much. Maybe he wasn't hoping enough. Maybe he was just insane!

//Because there will be...//

//There will be other guys//

//Who will whisper in your ear//

//Say they'll take away you sadness//

//And your fears// No one who looked at Buffy could fail to see her beauty or be charmed by her spirit. Hell, he was a soulless demon, proud to admit it! But she had still enraptured him. Of course she would always have men hanging off her every word. It would be ridiculous to expect her to be alone all her life. They would all whisper sweet nothings as they held her, much like he was doing now.

//They may be kind and true//

//They may be good for you//

//But they'll never care for you//

//More than I do//

Despite her bad luck so far, Spike had no doubts that one day she would find her prince charming and ride away into the sunset with him...no, make that sunrise – the poof had that much right, she did belong in the sun. As much as he hated them, and hated to admit it, he did believe that Peaches and captain cardboard had loved the blonde beauty that was now reaching out to wrap her arm around his waist, smiling at what were obviously pleasant dreams. But none of them would love her with the same passion that he did. He didn't want to coddle her or wrap her up in cotton wool. He didn't feel the need to fight everything for her – he wanted to fight it right along with her, by her side, to love her while she was in her element.

//I'll be always there//

//There to the end//

//I can't do much //

//But be your one true friend//

He would be there for her in whatever capacity she would allow and he would never intentionally let her down. He would always be first in line to back her up.

//To the end//

//Through the end//

//Our lives to spend//

//With each other till the end//

//Of time...//

No matter what beastie reared its ugly head, no matter what apocalypse waited around the next corner, he would gladly follow her into hell and back. He wasn't an idiot. He knew that there was a high probability that he would outlive the already 'old' slayer (in terms of life expectancies that is). He was a vampire, technically he could live forever...but he knew he wouldn't live forever without her in his unlife. Once she died so would he. So he would literally be there with her until their end.

//Still see the promise in your eyes//

//And still wonder if it's for me//

//But I know it's still there//

//Even when you sleep//

She seemed so peaceful as she slept. The normal worries of everyday life no longer weighed her down. Even though her eyes were closed he could still see the fire in them. He knew she walked in all of his dreams and wondered if he occasionally made an appearance in hers. Whatever she was dreaming she was enjoying it, judging by the contented murmurs that escaped her lips. Spike yawned, his exhaustion and fatigue from the strains of an overly eventful day finally catching up with him. With a small smile, he uttered the last words of his improvised song.

//So I say, good night sweet girl//

With a light kiss on her forehead, Spike settled down into the pillows that smelled so sweetly of her. "Love you." He mumbled as he finally gave into the pull of sleep and dreams of his slayer, unaware of the eavesdropping, wide-eyed fourteen year old listening from just outside the door...

A/N: I can't decide if I like this chapter or not – you'll have to review and tell me what you think – I'm not fishing, honestly! Ok hands up, who believes me? More soon (