Meanwhile...
Sydney then went to Spike and asked if he could walk. He thought he could and they left the room, searching for some privacy so he could feed. As soon as they were out of sight of the others, Sydney saw Spikes shoulders slump and his pace slow down.
She turned to him, "It's not much further to my room. You can lean on me if you'd like."
Spike graciously accepted her offer. For whatever reason he didn't feel the need to keep up pretenses around her. He knew that down in the lobby if he had been honest he would've said he couldn't walk. But, he knew Buffy couldn't see him weak and she definitely didn't need to see him feed again. The guilt over his body's reaction came again full force.
They went into her room and both sat down on the bed. Sydney moved to pull her hair back and Spike stared at her neck, his bite mark clearly visible. When she lean closer to her and tilted her head, he stopped her.
He heard her mutter 'god, not this again' before he began to speak, "It's not that, love. I just have a few questions to ask before my belly gets full and I get put down for my nap."
Hearing it said like that, Sydney realized just how much she'd been treating him like a baby and said, "Well, you seem to be mending quite well so I take you word for it on how much rest you need. No need for a nap."
"That's awful nice of you considering I've been grown for some time now. What I want to know is how long we're going have to keep doing this? Because this," he pointed between them indicating their situation. "This is wrong."
"Don't give me this crap. I don't care. We will get you better." Sydney was interrupted by Spike, "I know that I need to recover and am willing to do what needs to be done."
Sydney didn't have the faintest what he was talking about. Spike sighed and started again. "Let me start over. I want to know how long this is going to take because I know how you feel for me. I'm afraid my body's reaction is leading you on because I don't love you. I love Buffy."
Sydney smiled and shook her head. "No worries then. I know you don't love me. Hell, you barely even know me. You've loved Buffy for years and I doubt that will ever go away. And as far as your body goes..." Sydney trail off as she eyed him up and down, eyes lingering on all the right spots. "That's the reaction I would expect from any vampire feeding from me. I am a very passionate, sensual, sexual woman and that has to translate to blood."
Spike looked at her as if she'd grown a third head. If she loved him so much, how can she calmly sit there when he told her not only did he not love her but he loved another woman. Finally he asked, "Then what do you expect from me?"
"I expect you to get well. Beyond that, I expect you to do what you think will make you happy. Nothing more, nothing less," Sydney told him honestly.
"How can you be so causal about it? I know how you love. It's legendary." Spike wondered.
"If you were mine it would be very different but your not. I've spent over a century watching you love another when you didn't even know of my existence. It's because I love you that I can let you go into the arms of the one you love." Sydney looked him straight in the eyes and seriously said, "For you, and for anyone dear to you, I would do anything. Know now that I would wield any and all power I have for you. Think now and then that there is someone who would give his life to keep a life you love beside you."
Spike seemed stunned by her confession and yet it sounded familiar. She added once again for emphasis, "For a life you love."
Nothing else was said. Spike drew her close to him and drunk down her love, her commitment and her pledge.
Sydney then went to Spike and asked if he could walk. He thought he could and they left the room, searching for some privacy so he could feed. As soon as they were out of sight of the others, Sydney saw Spikes shoulders slump and his pace slow down.
She turned to him, "It's not much further to my room. You can lean on me if you'd like."
Spike graciously accepted her offer. For whatever reason he didn't feel the need to keep up pretenses around her. He knew that down in the lobby if he had been honest he would've said he couldn't walk. But, he knew Buffy couldn't see him weak and she definitely didn't need to see him feed again. The guilt over his body's reaction came again full force.
They went into her room and both sat down on the bed. Sydney moved to pull her hair back and Spike stared at her neck, his bite mark clearly visible. When she lean closer to her and tilted her head, he stopped her.
He heard her mutter 'god, not this again' before he began to speak, "It's not that, love. I just have a few questions to ask before my belly gets full and I get put down for my nap."
Hearing it said like that, Sydney realized just how much she'd been treating him like a baby and said, "Well, you seem to be mending quite well so I take you word for it on how much rest you need. No need for a nap."
"That's awful nice of you considering I've been grown for some time now. What I want to know is how long we're going have to keep doing this? Because this," he pointed between them indicating their situation. "This is wrong."
"Don't give me this crap. I don't care. We will get you better." Sydney was interrupted by Spike, "I know that I need to recover and am willing to do what needs to be done."
Sydney didn't have the faintest what he was talking about. Spike sighed and started again. "Let me start over. I want to know how long this is going to take because I know how you feel for me. I'm afraid my body's reaction is leading you on because I don't love you. I love Buffy."
Sydney smiled and shook her head. "No worries then. I know you don't love me. Hell, you barely even know me. You've loved Buffy for years and I doubt that will ever go away. And as far as your body goes..." Sydney trail off as she eyed him up and down, eyes lingering on all the right spots. "That's the reaction I would expect from any vampire feeding from me. I am a very passionate, sensual, sexual woman and that has to translate to blood."
Spike looked at her as if she'd grown a third head. If she loved him so much, how can she calmly sit there when he told her not only did he not love her but he loved another woman. Finally he asked, "Then what do you expect from me?"
"I expect you to get well. Beyond that, I expect you to do what you think will make you happy. Nothing more, nothing less," Sydney told him honestly.
"How can you be so causal about it? I know how you love. It's legendary." Spike wondered.
"If you were mine it would be very different but your not. I've spent over a century watching you love another when you didn't even know of my existence. It's because I love you that I can let you go into the arms of the one you love." Sydney looked him straight in the eyes and seriously said, "For you, and for anyone dear to you, I would do anything. Know now that I would wield any and all power I have for you. Think now and then that there is someone who would give his life to keep a life you love beside you."
Spike seemed stunned by her confession and yet it sounded familiar. She added once again for emphasis, "For a life you love."
Nothing else was said. Spike drew her close to him and drunk down her love, her commitment and her pledge.