Part 1

Buffy whistled carelessly as she patrolled Restfield cemetery. She twirled her stake between the fingers of her right hand. Patrolling had been dull and uneventful lately and she found herself almost wishing that something would happen just to give her something to do.

In the darkened recesses of his crypt doorway, Spike watched the Slayer walk. He appreciated the way she moved stealthily, almost flowing along with the night breeze, she was poised, she was ready for anything.

A slobbering vampire lunged at her from the right. She dodged the blow easily and a roundhouse kick to his jaw knocked him down.

Spike was often in awe of how she fought with such grace and beauty. He loved watching her fight.

As Buffy knocked the vamp down yet again, he noticed another shadowy figure sneaking up on her from behind. Buffy seemed to be too caught up in her battle to notice. Yet more vampires approached from different ends of the graveyard.

Spike rolled his eyes, quickly stamped out his cigarette and leapt into the fray.

"Spike?" Buffy called out, surprised.

"Got your back Slayer." He shouted back gleefully. Sometimes He enjoyed fighting Vamps almost as much as watching the Slayer fight herself.

He took how two more vamps, but their numbers were increasing.

"Slayer I think a hasty retreat is in order!" he called out a warning. "There's too many of 'em."

Before she could reply, She had to block another blow to her jaw, she dropped to the ground and knocked 3 of them off their feet. But was almost immediately grabbed by the hair, lifted up and thrown forcefully against the wall of a mausoleum by a hefty biker vamp. She didn't get up.

"Buffy!" Spike roared in panic! He let his features shift into his game face and tore across the cemetery to where she was laying in a crumpled heap on the floor.

He crouched protectively over her body, snarling at every vampire that stepped any closer to her. He lifted her limp body into his arms and ran.

As he approached her house at 1630 Revello drive, she began to stir.

"Hang on a minute Luv, you're almost home." She relaxed back into his embrace and the blackness surrounded her once again. Spike allowed himself a moment to relish the feel of her warm body in his arms.

Spike banged forcefully on the door of the Summer's residence.

"Um... Who is it?" Called Dawn's frightened voice from inside.

"Bitty! Open the door it's me Spike!"

"Spike? ...Um Buffy says I can't let you in anymore." She said shakily.

Spike felt anger towards Buffy. 'You tell a girl you love her and she locks you out of her house' he thought testily.

"It's alright Nibblet. Buffy's with me." He said frustratedly.

"Then why can't she use her key?" Dawn asked.

"Oh Bloody Hell! Big sis is hurt Dawn just open the Bloody door!"

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"Oh for crying out loud!" Spike placed the still unconscious Slayer on her feet, wrapping an arm around her to keep her upright. He dug his hands into her pockets until he found the one containing her front-door key.

As soon as he'd got the door open Dawn shrieked "Oh my God Spike! Come in! What happened?"

Spike scooped the Slayer back into his arms and crossed the threshold into the house.

"There's time for that later bit. I'm just gonna see to Big Sis first, then she can explain everything to you."

Followed by an anxious Dawn he carried her upstairs and lay her gently on the bed. Dawn didn't think she'd seen him treat something with that much care before.

"Bit? Can you get some bandages and ice?" He asked softly, examining the wounded Slayer.

Dawn complied quickly.