A/N: Here is chapter 14, as promised. Thanks for all the reviews – keep 'em coming. I left on a cliffhanger again because I'm nasty life that. So, why the hell are you reading this? The story! The story!

Spike let out a low chuckle, looked down at the bedspread "I'm already a demon, Buffy"

The Slayer looked at him as he mimicked the sentiments that Giles had told her last night and she shook her head, closed her eyes and let out a long, deep breath "Well, this is a completely

different kind of cookie"

"So, what...I'm changing into a water feral demon?"

"That's the gist"

"And...and..." His voice started to quaver so he cleared his throat, sat up straighter "So, this means I'm gonna, what, try and shag every girl in the area?"

Buffy shook her head and shifted a little closer to him, squeezed his hand "No. No. We'll figure out a way to stop the change"

"But till then I'm a danger to you" Spike looked up, his eyes were shining with water "I don't want to try and do...that to you again"

"Spike, don't think like that"

"You should go" He pulled his hand roughly away from her and stood, taking steps away from her with a serious look on his face "I mean it, Buffy"

She stood slowly, her eyes not leaving his "This is my house, Spike. I'm not going anywhere"

"Fine! I'll go then, get out of town before I hurt someone" He started towards the door.

Buffy made it to the door before him and folded her arms over her chest giving him a hard look that matched her mood "You can't leave. We need to cure you"

He tilted his head, his own hard look now on his face "You found anything to reverse it?"

"Not yet"

"Not ever, you mean," Spike sighed throwing his arms out "I've heard of this before, you know. Humans getting turned into demons and there never was a cure, it's no different in this case"

"Yes," Buffy said firmly "it is"

"How's that then?"

"The other people didn't have us working to save them" She said "And, besides, you know what happened to Giles and that turned out okay"

Spike let out a grunt of frustration "That was a bloody spell! A different cup of tea, luv. Look, I have to go or I'll just end up hurting you"

"You'll hurt me if you leave" She said softly, almost a whisper but she knew he heard it.

He took one step toward her then stopped; stood swaying a little "I don't want to end up attacking you again, Buffy"

"I won't let you. I can take care of myself, you know that"

"Yeah. I know that. Doesn't make me feel any better though"

Buffy motioned to the bed "You should rest"

"That's your bed" He replied "I...I'm meant to be sleeping on the couch"

She smiled at the sweetness of him "Spike, I really think a bed is the best place to rest in this case"

Spike folded his arms over his chest uneasily "Giles and...and Willow...and Xander...Dawn...they'd all clobber me to death if I slept here"

"No they won't. You slept here last night and you're still walking"

"That's because I was practically unconscious," He took a step back from her "They...they won't want me here if I'm up and about and attacking you and Willow"

Buffy took steps toward him and he backed up as she did so, his back hitting the wall till he could back up no more "This is my cottage. I can have guests here. I'm an adult and I am aloud to have boys around to stay over, Spikey" She smiled wryly "Giles isn't my father"

"Yeah, well...I'm hardly a boy" Spike snorted looking off to the side and not into her eyes because she was standing so close "And whatever you say 'bout him, Giles is still gonna disapprove"

She shrugged "So? Since when have you cared what Giles thought? He disapproved when I slept in the basement with you back when the Potentials had invaded my house and he disapproved of how I felt about you...Spike, he tried to have you killed because he thought you were leading me away from the mission. That didn't make you keep your distance from me, why should this?"

"I don't want to keep my distance but I'm a danger to you, so maybe I should keep my distance"

"No"

"I don't get a say in this?"

"No"

Spike shook his head and let out a long breath "You are one bossy dame, Summers"

"That's how you like me" Buffy looked at him suggestively then took a step back "We will find a cure for this thing, Spike, and then once you're back to your old self we can...spend some...time together"

He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed lightly, looked at her "What will we do when we...spend time?"

Buffy saw that he needed reassurance that this was going to be okay, that he was going to be okay. She smiled and walked over sitting next to him on the bed but not too close just a friendly distance.

"We can do whatever you want," She said softly "There must be something you missed about England"

Spike shrugged slowly "I did...I do kind of want to see London again but that's...it's too far"

"No, no it's not. We can catch a train and make a day of it...or a night of it"

"Like in L.A? Goin' to clubs?" He asked eyes hopeful but still guarded.

Buffy nodded "Yeah. Except this time without the whole 'me getting kidnapped and becoming a tasty beverage for vampires' deal. We can do some dancing, some..."

"Romancing?" Spike smiled jokingly.

"Uh..." She shifted uncomfortably on the bed.

Spike's face turned serious again and he leaned across to her "I was jokin', Buffy"

"I know" She smiled softly "But it's not funny"

He shrugged "Well, you either laugh 'bout these sorts of things or you cry 'bout them"

"So, we laugh?"

"Well, I've done enough crying over you over the years I don't fancy embarrassing myself any more than I have to"

Buffy looked at him "You're the only man I have ever seen cry"

"Yeah, rub it in won't you?" Spike turned and looked at the door away from her.

"No, I...I meant that in a good way" She put her hand tentatively on his shoulder "You're the only guy that has ever been completely honest about the way he feels and that...that means something to me"

He looked at her almost shyly "Yeah, well..."

"You should get some sleep," Buffy said letting him off the hook.

"Yeah, changing species is tiring work"

He looked down at himself as if for the first time and realized he was only in his jeans and nothing else. Spike looked up at Buffy and she stood from the bed and took a step back making it clear that she would not crowd him. Spike looked up at her and shook his head then he opened his mouth to say something but closed it.

"What is it, Spike?"

"I was goin' to ask if you'd stay with me but...but that's not a good idea considering" He scratched the back of his head as a nervous gesture.

Buffy smiled gently and kicked off her boots then she walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out her pajamas glancing over her shoulder at Spike who turned away as he realized he shouldn't be watching her. She slipped her clothes off and pulled the nightwear on which was a pair of flannel drawstring pants and a loose white T-shirt. The Slayer walked past him and then into the bathroom to do her business and tie her hair up in a band.

When she entered the room again she found Spike had not moved from his previous position and she walked over to stand in front of him.

"Maybe we shouldn't," The vampire squirmed a little "Kind of like throwing wood on the fire, luv"

The Slayer looked down at him "I'm tired. I haven't slept all night and you need to rest. Seems logical to me. Besides, if you try anything I'll just knock you unconscious"

"Sounds like a plan" Spike smiled at her gratefully.

There was a light knock at the door and they both turned to it then Buffy called for whoever it was to come in. The door swung open slowly and Giles stood in the doorway. He took in the scene very quickly – Buffy in her nightwear, Spike half-naked and sitting on the bed. Her Watcher folded his arms and let out a longsuffering sigh.

"Did you find something?" The Slayer asked hopefully.

He gave her a quick shake of his head "No. I see you're taking my advice about getting some rest. This isn't exactly what I had in mind though, Buffy"

"Sorry to disappoint"

"He's right, Buffy, maybe this wasn't such a good –" Spike started.

Buffy put her hand up to silence him but kept her eyes on Giles "I'm tired and I need to look after Spike this is the best way to do both"

"I wouldn't consider this the best way," Giles countered "Especially after what I just heard from Willow"

The Slayer shifted uneasily from both feet "I can take care of that if it happens again. I'll...I'm the Slayer, a Slayer, I can stop him from..."

"If you think this is what you must do I will not stand in your way," He rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily "Just...just make sure that you call for us if anything should go...awry"

Buffy gave him a brisk nod "I will. Keep working on it, please?"

"Of course" Giles gave a small smile then turned and shot Spike a warning glare.

The Watcher turned and left and Spike turned to the Slayer and lifted his eyebrows. Buffy shrugged and then started to work the cricks out of her neck. Spike turned to the bedside table and opened the draw pulling out a stake and holding it out to Buffy.

"What am I supposed to do with that? 'Cos if you've developed some kind of kinky –" The Slayer started lighthearted.

"Stake me. If I do anything...just do it" Spike still held it out to her.

Buffy looked into his eyes "Okay" She took the stake and held it firmly in her hands.

Spike nodded as if satisfied and then he cleared his throat awkwardly as he slid into the bed first under the cobalt sheets that still reminded the Slayer of Spike's own eyes. Buffy crawled into the bed after him and lay down pulling the sheets over herself. It was still daylight outside and that may mean she could find it difficult to sleep. She was soon proved wrong as she dozed off as if she didn't have a care in the world.

A/N: More Spuffy because you demanded it! And also because I LIKE it. It's really easy to write the two characters of Buffy and Spike and how they interact. A big chunk of this is down to Sarah Michelle Gellar and James Marsters and their ability to act their arses off! Round of applause for SMG and JM, please! Oh, all right, and one for me too. Thanks.