A/N: I've been very busy lately and haven't got a chance to work on my fics. Yup, life pretty much sucks. Anyways,I finnaly got this chapter done. Its pretty long, consider it an apology for the slow updates. As always, reviews are welcome. Oh, and sorry for the grammatical and spelling errors, i didn't get enough time to edit thoroughly.

Buffy and Giles continued the rest of their walk in silence, none of then sure of what to say to the other. The silence was unnerving, causing Buffy to fidget with the stake tuck beneath her sleeve. She hated not having enough information, not being on top of things. And being in the middle of a war she knew nothing about was not helping.

They reached the small winding path on the outskirts of the city that led to the Giles' Estate. They walked in complete silence until they were safe inside the mansion. The silence still lingered as they each turned to stare at each other, both trying to figure out what the other was thinking.

"Excuse me" a plump woman said as she straightened her white apron, "But tea is ready"

Giles smiled, grateful for the break in silence. "Well this way" he said escorting Buffy to the kitchens.

After being served their tea, Buffy finally gathered the courage to speak up.

"You never did answer my question."

"Pardon me?"

"My question, about Spike, you never did answer it."

"Listen Buffy, I shouldn't be the one to tell you this, I really shouldn't."

"Then answer my question about this war."

Giles looked Buffy, his old eyes boring holes into her young ones. She hadn't even been slaying for two years, and the Council was already expecting so much of her. Poor thing. Clearing his throat he began,

"Buffy, there's nothing we can do about this war. The only we thing we can do is watch and hope the demons don't get out of hand."

Buffy nodded, still getting the feeling that Giles wasn't telling her everything, but she let it slide. For now.

"And what about Spike?"

Giles smiled "Why don't you ask him?"

Turning towards the direction Giles was pointing in, Buffy noticed a tall black clad figure sprinting up the winding stair case.

Springing up from her chair, Buffy ran up to meet Spike. He had been avoiding her lately and she wasn't the type to be ignored. Running up the stairs two at the time, she looked up furiously at the number of doors that lined up the walls of the second floor landing. There had to have been at least ten doors and either of them could have been Spike's. Concentrating on her slayer senses she tried to find him, but the only thing she detected was a spider on the ceiling above her. Listening closely she heard music coming from the end of the hall. As she got closer, the music got louder and seemed to be coming from the door farthest to the left. Upon entering the room, she couldn't help but smile in victory.

The room was a nicely furnished with matching furniture, all a dark ebony. The four poster bed stood in the center complete with black sheets and comforter. The walls were adorned with old records from the 80's. One wall, the one opposite the bed, was completely black. After looking at it more carefully, Buffy realized it was covered in machinery. Set upon black laquer shelves were DVD players, a record player, a television set, and in the middle of it all- a giant stereo blasting away the Sex Pistols.

"It's impolite to stare, luv"

Damn. That was the first thought that entered Buffy's head. She forgot that the occupant of the room was still there. Turning around to face him, she tried hard make herself look upset, or at least annoyed, but the mere sight of him was enough to wipe that look off her face.

He was on a recliner in the far corner of the room. Next to him was a tall brass lamp, still hot from usage. He had a leather bound book in his hand, and as he turned to place it on a shelf, Buffy noticed it's title. He reads Shakespeare?

"Listen, as much as I appreciate the company, what are you doing here?"

The words sliced through air, immediately bringing Buffy back to earth. She wasn't prepared with an excuse. Hell, she didn't even think she'd talk to him. But there he was, with an eyebrow raised questionably and his eyes searching her for an answer. She glanced furtively at the book and got ready to speak.

"So you like Shakespeare?" Great job Buffy, she thought, now he thinks you're a total lunatic.

Spike regarded the woman in front of him. It had been funny at first, when she first walked in, completely unaware of his presence. But then as she began to walk around his room, he suddenly realized the whole thing was disconcerting. And now she was questioning his choice in literature.

"What's it to you?" He tried to mask his curiosity with an air of nonchalance.

"Oh nothing really," Buffy started as she sat herself down on the bed, "Just thought that you were lonely, that's all."

Spike shot out of the chair and before Buffy could even comprehend what had happened, he was clutching her wrists with abnormal strength, eyes glinting gold.

" Rupes sent you here, didn't he?"

Buffy gulped, now she was sure he wasn't human.

"No, I honestly thought you were lonely, and I was bored, so what's better than a bored person and lonely person not being bored and lonely anymore?"

"I'll tell you what's better, the bored person leaving the lonely person alone"

Buffy stood up triumphantly, nearly knocking Spike down, "So you are lonely!"

"I didn't say th–, bloody hell" as realization dawned upon him, Spike sank into the bed clutching his face into this hands.

Buffy knelt down beside him and gently pulled his hands down, "You okay?" she asked gently. His face was back to normal, no longer showing the signs of a demon, but she didn't want to provoke him.

Spike looked at her, sadness etched on his face. "I'm fine, feeling just peachy"

Despite the circumstances, Buffy couldn't help but chuckle. "You do know you still sound cocky when you're upset."

"I'm not upset"

"Right, so you going all vamp on me was nothing?"

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?"

Buffy nodded sympathetically "Spike, what are you exactly"

She waited for an answer but it never came. Sighing she got up and headed for the door.

"Wait"

Buffy stopped. Without turning she began to listen.

"It started a few years ago" Buffy turned around and walked back to the bed, her eyes never leaving the distraught man. "I was with Rupert, patrolling the cemetery when I got attacked by a vampire. It almost sired me, but the transformation never occurred, Rupert staked it before anything else serious happened."

Buffy nodded "So now you're half human, half vampire"

Spike couldn't help it, he smirked,

"Yea, pretty much"

TBC....

thanks for the reviews....can i get more???