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"I said, it's going to be alright Buffy."

Initially, Spike thought that coming out and saying her Christian name would be a good way of telling her that he knew the truth. All he wanted to do was reassure her that she didn't have to worry anymore. That he knew her secret, and he was okay with it. Of course, Spike was majorly wrong.

"Oh god!" she exclaimed before pushing out of his now not so comforting embrace and attempting to flee the room.

"Buffy, wait. Luv stop!" He yelled as he grabbed her wrist before she reached the door knob.

"But you know! You must hate me so much and... wait. How long have you known?" Curiosity now replacing the fear in her voice.

"For quite some time actually. At first, I just wasn't sure if I could trust you or not." He said with a nervous chuckle. A smile lit up her face ( a highly odd one, if you ask me ) at that as she moved closer to him. Expecting a hug or a kiss of some sort, he was (briefly) stunned into silence at the smack that now stung his left, chisled cheek.

"Ow! What the bloody hell was that for?!"

"You mean to tell me that you've known about this and never confronted me on it? Do you know the stress and fear I've gone through all this time?"

"You're one to talk, you know! You're just as guilty. Why didn't you just tell me the truth?" He asked a bit more calmly than he felt.

"Because I was afraid. I didn't know how you would handle it. Didn't know if you could... How do you tell someone that the last ties to someone you love is dead? It was so much easier to lie to you."

"But a burden all the same. And now this whole, Angel thing..." He trailed off, running his fingers through his hair.

"You know about that too? How-"

"I'm not as dumb as I look pet. Really. When I saw him at the party, I knew something was up. Andrew confirmed it all."

"Andrew... You mean you had him spy on me?" She said accusingly.

"Well it's not like you keep me in the bloody loop, do you? Had to find out the facts somehow, and I was worried." He finished sheepishly. Reaching out to him with an apologetic look in her eyes, she hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry. I got us all into this mess." Spike hugged her back in what he hoped to be a reassuring reply, lovingly stroking her hair.

"I won't let him hurt you pet, I promise. He can't blackmail you anymore. Father and I will make sure of that. Well, once I tell him anyway." He said as an after thought.

"Oh no. Giles doesn't know? I hope he'll take the news alright."

"I'm sure he will, pet."

Later, or perhaps, dear readers, at about the same time, something was taking place at the Motor Inn...

"Oh, Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. What a happy man you will soon be making me." Angel said to himself as he lounged about on the bed, rehashing his plan on making easy money by using emotional blackmail on Buffy.

"Or should I say, Drusilla? You sweet peach." He said with a sinister chuckle. Just then, there was an urgent knock at the door.

"Oh, for fuck's sake." He muttered as he got out of the bed to answer the door. A look of sheer annoyance was on his face before he felt the once concealed knife stab into the flesh of his abdomen.

"Hello, lover."

TBC

Thanks for the reviews thus far. You guys are fabulous! Hope you review this one too.

Smooches!

Jill