A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews both for Rekindling...and Home Truths. And, yeah even I sometimes get that problem where it says "chapter does not exist" but it does come on eventually. Patience is a virtue....or so I've heard.

Rated R for some strong language.

16

Buffy ran into the hallway of the Slayer's Sanctuary and looked around for anyone to tell, she made her way to the dining room but no one was there. She turned and sprinted down the basement to see if they were training but it was empty too.

She came back up and called out random names "Wesley? Angel? Willow? Dawn!"

"Buffy? We're up here!" Wesley's voice came down.

She turned and ran up the stairs, went through the winding hallway and eventually found them all in Dawn's room, cramped packed to the brim with girls. Wesley had a book in his hands and was apparently telling them some kind of story that they all seemed engrossed in including Andrew. Even Angel stood in a shady corner looking mildly interested.

Buffy burst into the room panting and they all looked at her shocked "Uh, we may have a problem"

She told them the story of going to the demon's house and Angel argued with her about how stupid she'd been and she argued back until Wesley separated them and suggested they get ready for battle.

"But Giles and Xander are still in hospital and Spike is out..." Dawn looked around worried.

"Maybe not" Angel looked at Buffy "He could be up and about in a few hours if he gets a regular fix of human blood"

Buffy sighed "Fine, I'll do it"

"That's probably not a good idea, Buffy" Wesley said, "If you're too weak to fight as well, we're...."

"Screwed?" Rona offered.

"Yes" He nodded.

"I'm a Slayer, I can take blood loss and the blood will be even better then human blood for Spike, right Angel?" She looked at him pointedly.

He hung his head "Right"

"You're not the only Slayer" Dawn pointed out looking around at the girls.

Buffy nodded, looking grim "Anyone gonna offer themselves as a meal?"

No one spoke.

"Didn't think so" The Slayer sighed, she peeled off her jacket on her way out of the door.

She was almost to her room where Spike lay when Angel came out and she turned to him, expectant. He gave a 'be careful' look and she nodded then entered the room and closed the door behind herself. The room was dark and gloomy but Buffy strode over to the bed anyway where Spike slept. She didn't think Spike was strong enough to morph face so she grabbed up a knife of hers and slit her arm.

Buffy sat on the bed and carefully cradled Spike's head in the bed of her other arm, his eyelids blinked up at her as he stirred a little. Without a word she pressed the bloodied cut to his mouth instantly Spike's injured lips latched on to her and a creepy analogy of a baby suckling at it's mother came into Buffy's mind. She shook the thought away and closed her eyes.

When the time came for Spike to stop he didn't and Buffy had to wrench him off of her as carefully as she could. She opened her eyes and the room swum for a minute before going back to normal, she noticed a trickle of her blood coming from the corner of his mouth.

Buffy grimaced and stood slowly making her way to the door.

"Bu...Buffy?" He rasped.

"Rest " The Slayer whispered and slipped out of the room quietly.

She made her way downstairs after going to the bathroom and bandaging her cut. People were rushing backwards and forwards getting weapons and fire extinguishers but Buffy didn't think they'd try the same trick twice.

Wesley was on the phone at the hospital calling Robin and Faith back immediately and making sure that Giles and Xander were still faring well. Willow sat on the couch writing down protection spells and getting wards and ingredients ready. Buffy walked down to the basement through the melee and grabbed up the scythe, swinging it purposefully. She practiced with it, made sure she still had the moves then came back up stairs and kept it in her hand as she walked around inspecting everything. She asked Wesley to station small groups outside as well and got others to rush the job of fixing the front doors back on, just to gain valuable seconds.

-------------------------------------------

Soon an hour had passed and Buffy made her way back up to Spike. He looked better already, first-degree burns. She knew she could only loose a pint more or she would be too drowsy to be much use to anyone.

"Buffy?" Spike turned his head and looked at her

"Hey, you" She smiled and then checked his legs to make sure they weren't too bad but they were mostly healed perfectly. Then she sat next to the wincing Spike and pulled her bandage off again.

He shook his head "No, no...I don't want..."

Buffy wanted to get this over as quickly as possible before he noticed his arm, which she wondered if he still felt and that was why he hadn't noticed. She had read somewhere you could sometimes feel severed limbs as though they were still there. She pressed the cut to his lips and he shook his head but then the vampire part of him took over and he sucked deeply onto it, face morphing to vamp as he fed. Soon Buffy was feeling woozy and she prized the stronger Spike off of her with more force this time. She stumbled to the door and pressed the bandage to the cut.

"What's going on...Buffy...?"

She left without answering him and made her way to the bathroom where she kept iron tablets incase of excessive blood loss. She popped a couple of pills and then drank some water. Walking back downstairs she found Willow who told her the place was swathed in protective wards Buffy nodded and told the redhead to go upstairs and look after Spike because, injured, she needed to stay out of the way of danger.

Buffy found Dawn in a small group and her sister was instructing the girls to stick together in small groups and watch each other's backs. Buffy nodded at her sister and then saw Andrew clutching an axe and standing in a corner, sweat beading off of him.

"It's okay, Andrew" Buffy said then cocked her head "Tell you what, I want you to go down to the hospital and keep an eye on Giles and Xander. Take Dawn with you"

The boy nodded gratefully and dropped the axe; sprinting over to Dawn he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the door much to the girl's protest. It wasn't that Buffy didn't know Dawn could handle herself but Andrew was freaking out and those two were buddies, besides her sister...anyone really, wouldn't be much use against these demons.

Another hour had passed and it had just started to get dark when a roar of terror and pain ripped from upstairs, deep and unyielding. Buffy turned as did the rest of the girls and she guessed Spike had regained consciousness and had realized. A moment later and there was a crashing sound followed by Willow's yelp.

"Buffy!" The witch yelled.

The Slayer hefted the scythe and ran toward the stairs she started to go up it when Kennedy and a couple of others began to follow her. She shook her head and made a motion for them to stay, Kennedy didn't look happy about it but did as she was asked. Buffy took the stairs three at a time and reached the landing. Willow lay in a heap with her back pressing against the banister, a grimace of pain stretched across her face. The Slayer ran up to her and knelt down.

"Will, you okay?" She asked, concerned.

She nodded "Ow, yeah. Buffy, Spike...he woke up and then he...saw and threw me out, he's...he's..."

Buffy nodded back "It's okay, go downstairs, be with Kennedy" She helped her friend up and then the witch hobbled down the stairs.

Buffy turned to her room door just as it slammed shut and the sound of the lock being turned was heard. She walked over and pressed her ear against the door; weeping, whining and an odd humming was coming from in. Then suddenly it turned into full on screaming again and Buffy was worried for his safety.

"Spike," She spoke softly to the door "Spike, please, calm down"

"You!" He roared, and it seethed with acid "You didn't tell me! Bitch! I fucking hate you, you fucking bitch!"

Something was ripped from the walls within and thrown against the door so it thudded and she jumped back, she would have to break the door down but she was hoping to calm him down first.

"Spike, you were unconscious, I couldn't tell you. I knew...I knew it would kill you" She placed her hand against the door "Please, Spike just open the door"

"No! No, this is my place. You can't come in here, no one, no one, only me" His voice had gone quiet, she might not have heard it if not for her own Slayer hearing.

Buffy had thought this might be a possibility, Spike might go insane but she hoped he hadn't sunk that far yet, she needed to pull him back up, keep him with her "Listen to me, I know...I know that your arm is gone and nothing can replace that but, Spike, I need you on board"

"Oh, I'm sorry" He spat "I didn't realize you wanted to use me as a shield again, Slayer. Please, take me downstairs and get my other bloody arm cut off! Do you know how long I'm gonna live with this? As a bloody cripple? Do you? Forever that's how long! I should have stayed dead, died at least for a purpose but now I have to live with this and with you! The image of you in my mind! You did this to me! I can't live like this!"

"Don't say that, Spike" She said gently "I'm glad you came back"

"You would be! Got your old lapdog back, do bloody anything for you I would and don't you bloody know it? You used me before and now you're doing it again!" He screamed "It should be you with a fucking stump where your arm used to be"

Buffy nodded to herself and felt tears well up in her eyes "You're right, Spike, it should have been" It was nothing more than a whisper but she knew he heard it.

No sounds came from within the room and Buffy listened hard, she could hear the curtain blowing in the slight breeze, the creak of the old pipes that ran through her walls but she heard no sound from within from the vampire.

"Spike?" She slammed her fist against the door "Spike!"

There was a pause "You know what I've worked out, Buffy? That I don't mean much at all to you. I don't blame you; I'm not worth a lot. Been a worthless idiot most of my life and undead existence but I thought that, just maybe, you cared for me a little. That's what you said before I died, right? You said you loved me, I knew that wasn't true but I thought that at least she trusts me now"

"I do" Buffy replied, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Then trust me on this Buffy. I'm better off dead"

"No, no!" She shook her head vigorously.

"Do you care for me, Slayer?" The voice was expectant.

Buffy took in a deep breath "I do"

"Then you'll let me do this" Spike murmured "There's...plenty of stakes in a Slayer's room..."

Buffy stood back and kicked her leg out with a vicious kick knocking the door from the hinges. The door flew into the room, the dark, dark room and hit the floor with a thunderous crack. Buffy dropped the scythe and ran in.

"No, don't look at me!" Spike yelled.

All she caught was a flash of his pale back as he jumped out of the open window. The Slayer ran to it and peered out as the vampire hit the ground in a roll then clawed his way up, skin shining with the moonlight.

"Spike!" Buffy called after him.

He jumped up, scaled the wall and jumped over out of her sight, she heard his footsteps retreating. Buffy groaned Spike was naked and still injured a little she just hoped he would be all right. Then the sound of yells from downstairs drew her attention and she ran out of her room grabbing the scythe back up on the way out as she made her way down to be severely overpowered and practically helpless.

Now she hoped she would be all right

A/N: Poor Spikey. I bet reviews would make him feel better. :)