This takes place somewhere in season 7, but there are references to earlier seasons.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot

Sweet Dreams

He was sitting in the kitchen of the Summers' house thinking. He couldn't sleep for many reasons, the house was overrun by Slayer wanna-bes and they stay up all night chatting, he had a song they played in his head, and the main reason is something Dawn had said during their discussion earlier. She had said that he had loved Buffy from the beginning and the chip just made him realize it. He doesn't remember what brought it into the conversation; all he remembers is that in some subconscious way it was true. How many times had he had the chance to kill her and didn't. At parent teacher night when they first met, he had all of the time in the world to kill her, but he didn't. And he studied her over and over again claiming to be learning her every move, but he still couldn't kill her. But even then he was just staring at her beauty, the way her body moved when she staked a vamp, and just her. The big one would be when he helped stop Angelus from destroying the world, of course he wanted to live, and he wanted to kill Angelus for taking Dru, but maybe he just wanted to work along side her to help her and save her.

"Spike?"

Buffy's voice startled him and he jumped a bit and turned his head at the same time. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, I just wanted to ask you something that's been on my mind." She sat down across from him at the island. He gave her the look of attention so she went on, " I was wondering if the voices, you know, in your head, have gone or not?"

He knew the truth and he wanted to tell her every thing, but decided on just part, "Most of the voices went away after the First did, but the most recent victims are still in there and some with visions." He didn't have to say what victims, she knew who he was talking about, her.

There was a silence between them; Spike remembered something else Dawn had said in their conversation. It wouldn't work hurt to ask, or would it? He asked anyway, "Remember that spell Red put on us and we thought we were engaged?"

"Yea, why?"

"Well Dawn kinda' said something about it that made me wonder. She said you liked it, maybe not me, but they I treated you like you were an equal and you never had that. Like with Caption Cardboard he always wanted to defend you, which I have experience first hand you don't need it, and Angel was always helping you but more letting you fight things or do stuff that he can do, making you feel superior to him, but that's not what you want or need." He made it sound like a statement, but he really asking her if it was true.

She was silent for a few minutes trying to decide to tell him now and then kill Dawn for reading her diary or kill then tell. During those minutes Spike was humming 'The Day That I Die' that he must have gotten stuck in his head from earlier.

She decided, "Yes you did, and I did like it, but that doesn't change the present, Spike. You have a soul now, and that's all well and good, and I love you, but until I figure things out I don't want to drag you into another screwed up relation ship."

He was satisfied with that. He got up, walked to the other side of the island hugged her from behind and kissed the top of her head and said, "Sweet dreams, Luv"

He went to the place he had set up to sleep, and found it right away despite the chatter of girls and the yelling from Harris for them to shut up. His dreams were about Buffy and her words, 'I love you.'