Hey, thanks for all the great reviews already! I get a flip in my stomach every time I see one in my inbox and it makes my day when someone bothers to tell me about my writing. Consequently I'm inspired to put up another finished chapter already.

And by the way, if you didn't enjoy the little scene of angst between our two star-crossed lovers, then fear not – I think it'll only bring them closer together in the end.

Chapter 15: Trusting You

"I.... I... I-"

For once Buffy didn't know what to say. She had no snappy retort, no quip for Spike this time. His words just opened up so many issues and made her unable to forget her past.... their past. She knew they couldn't hide what they had any longer, without it being unfair on both of them.

She hadn't told any of her friends about her involvement with Spike, but then again she hadn't really told them anything else either. All her time had been spent here, with Spike.

She just kept hearing his voice in her head, over and over again...

/ "I'M NOT LOSING YOU AGAIN!" /
/What AM I doing/

Tara had been walking for quite sometime now. Or rather, stumbling, since her light had all but gone out. It had never been very strong anyway. All thoughts of Willow and.... and that girl she had been talking to were far out of her mind. It was like something was drawing her here, some power, some energy.

As her light finally gave out she grasped the wall for guidance.

/ How do I get out now? /

She let the wall guide her onward until her hand touched something metal.

/ I'm crazy. /

Tara ran her hands along the metal until she found a handle, meaning there was a door.

/ See – not crazy! There IS something down here. /

She pulled slowly, finding it unlocked.

/ Just cautious, it's right for me to check it out. I'm a witch, I can defend myself. /

The door clicked and swung open. Something in the darkness grunted and howled threateningly. Tara screamed.

Buffy burst into tears. She couldn't bare it anymore. She couldn't be strong anymore, not with Spike, she couldn't hide from him.

Spike had never seen a woman cry like that before, not without making it happen intentionally. He suddenly felt very responsible, and very very guilty.

He rushed forward, and pushed Buffy's arms back, which were now weak and not able to stop him from clutching her to him. He pulled her close, her cheek resting on his shoulder and her arms lightly circling his waist. He could feel every sob as she wept, just like the night that felt so long ago when Katrina had died and she had buried her head into his shoulder. Her smoothed back her hair and just revelled in the feeling of her on him, trusting him and letting him comfort her.

"Buffy?"

"Spike..." she said quietly, "please don't say anything, I want to stay like this."

She didn't want things to change either, in her heart.

"Buffy" he spoke a little louder, "do you trust me?"

/ What? Why! /

He had to know.

"Do you trust me?" said Spike, holding the handcuffs up daringly.

He gazed at her lying next to him, the carpet covering their naked bodies, his eyes bearing deep into hers.

"Never" came her reply.

Although 'never' sounded a whole lot like 'yes' in that moment.

/ Just answer, Buffy. Tell the truth. Tell him now. /

She pulled her head back to look up at him, staring him prominently in the eyes, a strange realisation coming to her. She accepted it, and it didn't scare her.

"Yes." She gasped in his arms.

Oh, I'm impatient to write more, but I'm also impatient for more reviews. And hey! I'm finally going to acknowledge those of you who do!

KeepTheFaith - Thankyou, your reviews are always really helpful! Yeah, I'm glad you enjoyed the angst, I never feel happy if everything goes 100% for these two, it's so out of character!

JadedxVampire21 - I'm continuing for you now wink

Lucky-112 - My persuasion always works don't ya know! There'll be more cute Buffy and Spikey interaction lined up for you - just after some more angst, a whole lot of Scooby interferance, maybe an apocalyse and then they might have a happy ending.

Ladyluck523 - I'm updating soon! I will be doing lots at the moment since I have a lot of free time. Things will work out, and there will be spuffy action all in good time - the longer I draw it out the better it will be! Besides, I want to keep them seperate for a while to get out of that dark 'I'm only with you to have sex with you' place that they seem to have all the way through S6 which I HATED!

zanthinegirl - Fear not! Any angst I create, I create for the purpose of destroying it happily later! I'm an angst writer, but also a 'they live happily ever after writer' too.

By the way, feel free to point out if I contradict myself in my writing because of something I wrote much earlier in the story! This is so long I sometimes forget a little detail I wrote in and I don't like having to read it over and over.....