Disclaimer: I only own Buffy's family, excluding Joyce.

Previously: As Buffy's biggest worries seem to be how to tell Spike she loves him, Spike is dealing with the other problem concerning Kevin. Jack and Spike, leaving the bar, have gotten into a car accident and Jack in unconscious.

(---)

Spike and Buffy returned to the hospital the next morning after a long and painful night of waiting only to be cut short when Joyce told them to head home. Joyce called Buffy's cell while they were on their way to say that Grandpa Jack had woken up but he was still woozy. Buffy couldn't have been more relieved. As the vampire drove the dark car, he gripped Buffy's hand comfortingly. The Slayer sighed, everything was going to be okay…and everything with her friends was going to be okay too, because she'd tell them…

Willow had asked her to go over to Giles' apartment at about noon. Buffy told she would but she wanted to see her grandfather first. Willow told her that the others would be there at about the same time. Buffy thanked Willow for giving her the heads up and promised her that she would tell them everything about her and Spike.

The hospital room was buzzing happily. Buffy's whole family sat or stood around Jack's bed laughing. When Spike pushed the door open, they all turned and welcomed the couple in gaiety. Spike couldn't suppress a grin as Buffy burst into laughter of her own. Her family looked so happy and Spike was enjoying every minute of their company.

"Buffy! Spike! You decided to join the party, huh?" Grandpa Jack asked from the bed.

"Oh, Grandpa, I'm so glad you're okay," Buffy leaned in and hugged him gently.

"Yeah, well, if it hadn't been for Spike taking the wheel after I passed out we'd probably both be dead," Jack replied, grinning at the vampire.

"Well, it's good to know that my boyfriend is a quick-thinker," Buffy smiled and turned to Spike, kissing his cheek brightly.

The vampire remained motionless, a smile larger than anyone had ever seen on him, beamed on his features. The others in the room nodded to each other knowingly. Spike slipped his arm around Buffy's waist. But unconsciously, she pulled away from him and leaned into her grandfather.

"I really wish I could stay, Grandpa Jack, but my friends all got back from their vacations today and we're meeting today…I have to tell them something…so I'm sorry but I have to go," Buffy apologized but Jack waved it off.

"Go, have fun. Don't waste your life away because of me. You have more important things to worry about than an old coot like yours truly," Jack joked.

"You're not old," Buffy replied. She dragged herself out the door, Spike a few steps behind her.

"We should head out; you're friends will be waiting," Spike said as he began walking towards the elevator.

Buffy grabbed his wrist, making his turn back towards her, "Actually, I think maybe I should go alone. You know, it might be safer if my friends found out while you were out of dusting distance. I don't think Xander's gonna take this well."

Spike didn't let Buffy see it but her words stung. She may have iced it over with the "For Your Protection" line but she really was trying to separate him from her friends. They would be in to worlds…Spike wouldn't be part of her everyday life…he'd be there for a release…when she needed him. A few days ago he would've said something, but today he kept quiet. Today he played her little game.

"You're right. How about I head back to your place and watch the tots? I'm sure their folks would want to stay with your granddad," Spike smiled falsely but Buffy didn't notice.

"You would do that for me?" Buffy inclined.

"Course I would," Spike replied. Buffy stood on her tip toes and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I so owe you for this, don't I?" Buffy asked, a coy smile on her face.

"Yes, you do…but we can worry about unpaid debts later," Spike answered.

"Thank you," Buffy walked in the direction Spike had been going, "I'll meet you at the house later!" She called jumping into the elevator with a few doctors. Spike waved the fake grin still in place. When the doors closed, Spike dropped his hand and his pretenses. Instead of running after her, Spike turned on his heel and walked in the opposite direction.

(--)

Buffy arrived at Giles house a little after twelve. When she opened the door, the dark apartment seemed--well--dark. But standing near the entrance was a worn looking Giles, brandy glass already in hand.

"I thought you were supposed to get R & R on vacations?" Buffy joked, she hugged Giles tightly, "You've been back less than a day and already you're drinking?"

"Very funny, Buffy," Giles replied. Upon hearing her name, the other two entered from the kitchen. Xander looked pleased to see her while Willow looked like she'd been biting her tongue to keep her mouth shut. Buffy hugged them both.

"So, Buff, how was your vacation?" Xander inquired lightly.

"Well, I didn't kill my family--that's a plus," Buffy answered.

"Your family was over?" Giles looked up from cleaning his glasses.

"Yeah. My aunt invited everyone over for some fun holiday get-togetherness," Buffy said, "it was hell."

"I'm sure having Spike around didn't make it much better. I'm very sorry for that. But you were the only one I could trust with a burden as annoying as him."

"It's okay Giles. He wasn't that bad. How was your trip?" Buffy sat down on the couch next to Willow.

"It was wonderful. I got to see my family. I appreciate your help in allowing me to go at all," Giles said once again.

"Giles, I told you, it was no big. How 'bout you Xander? You have fun?"

"Yeah, if you call having to spend a week with six screaming kids--the oldest being five mind you--and twelve adults--the youngest being thirty," Xander flopped down into the chair opposite the two girls.

"Sounds like mine," Buffy agreed.

"So anything happen to you, Buff?" Xander asked.

"Nothing big," she replied. Willow coughed next to her, hitting Buffy with her elbow. Buffy rubbed her rib in pain before glancing at Willow who pushed her foreword.

"Buffy, where's Spike?" Giles said suddenly, looking around the room.

"Uh, he's back at the house," Buffy said, her hands twisted anxiously in her lap.

"Really, I thought you'd want to be rid of him as soon as possible," Giles stated suspiciously.

Willow coughed again, Buffy glanced at her but Willow was looking away discreetly. Her eyes fixed on a blank spot on the wall. Buffy turned back to Giles and Xander.

"I have to tell you two something…about Spike," Buffy started.

"Oh, did you dust him…as a Christmas present to me?" Xander asked cheerfully.

"No."

Giles put on his worried face, "did something happen?"

"Yes."

And with that Willow burst, "Buffy's dating Spike!" Buffy glared at her, Willow's eyes were huge and her hands covered her mouth. She couldn't believe she'd said it.

Buffy looked back at her friends. Xander stared at her for a minute before bursting into hysterical laughter. Buffy was less-than relieved with this reaction--she watched him carefully as his laughter ceased slightly.

"Oh, that's a good one Will! Yeah, like Buffy would ever date Spike!" Xander began to laugh again.

"It's true," Buffy said softly.

Xander stopped laughing immediately. He stared blankly at Buffy and Willow again, "No, no you're joking."

"No," Buffy shook her head.

Xander stared at her with his mouth open in disbelief. Buffy looked to Giles, trying to gauge his reaction. It wasn't hard, he was clearly pissed. His eyes shone brighter than she'd ever seen them before. He didn't even bother to take off his glasses like he did when he was usually angry but he today he was simply furious.

"Buffy, you told me that there was nothing going on between you two…you lied to me…you specifically told me that there was no relationship brewing. How could you?" Giles scolded. Buffy couldn't look him in the eye. She didn't have to, she felt his disappointed a gaze boring through her lowered head.

"Giles, I'm sorry. I really am, but I wasn't ready to tell you--anyone yet. I hadn't even admitted anything to myself when you called," Buffy apologized.

"It's the principal of the thing, Buffy. I have always been honest with you!" Giles snapped. Buffy jumped to her feet.

"Oh, so you were being honest last year when you poisoned me? When you sapped up my strength for a freaking test? Was that honest?" Buffy argued.

"Buffy don't bring that into this. This is about you--!"

"No, this about Spike! If I had told you I had fallen in love with anyone else you would have been happy about it!"

"Now you're in love with him? God, this is ridiculous!" Xander interrupted.

"Xander, shut up! Buffy wasn't even sure about her feelings towards him until like just now," Willow snapped, surprising the other three in the room.

"Yeah, that's great Wills, I have talked to you like twenty times since you got back and not once you mentioned anything like this!" Xander said back.

"Buffy asked me not to tell anyone. I was being supportive of her decision--as insane as it is," Willow added.

"That you did, Willow, but you didn't stop pressuring me into telling everyone else, did you?" Buffy snipped.

"Don't yell at me, Buffy, I kept your secret! But even I'm not naïve enough to believe that you and Spike can be together without problems," Willow replied angrily.

"Funny, I didn't think we were here to discuss the ability for Spike and I to be together," Buffy looked at her so-called friends. Even Willow had turned on her--and she was acting so out of character--and that only happened when something was really bothering her. Although Buffy had known her relationship with Spike would have an effect on her friends, she could never have predicted one as heated and angered as this. The one person she thought would be on her side was against and passionate about it too.

"I didn't think we were here to discuss you and Spike at all!" Xander piped up.

"Shut up Xander!" Buffy and Willow snapped together--then turned and glared at one another.

"Buffy, we don't mean to turn on you--," Giles tried to begin again.

"Yes, we do," Xander said.

Giles went on without missing a beat, "We just want you to seriously consider what you're doing. You will, of course, be putting yourself at great risk."

"Risk? What risk?" Buffy inquired.

"With Spike around--…"

"Oh, this is crazy! Are you telling me you think Spike is going to hurt me?" Buffy looked around the room. All of her friends' faces were stoic and serious. Buffy was shocked.

"Oh, I don't believe this! People, in case you've forgotten, Spike has the chip--and for those who were paying attention these last few months--he can't hurt anyone! Including me!" Buffy walked past them and took her coat off the chair where she had laid it.

"Buffy, where are you going?" Giles asked as the Slayer grabbed the door handle.

"I'm going home," Buffy replied, "I can't listen to anymore of this crap." She walked out and slammed the door behind her.

"Well, that went…well," Giles sat down on the couch and removed his glasses.

"Maybe we were too hard on her?" Willow suggested.

"When dealing with Spike and loving--ew! Did I mention?--of Spike you have to be hard," Xander stated.

"Xander's right. Buffy needs to learn," Giles agreed.

"Learn what? Learn to not follow her heart? We--I was paying so much attention to the fact that Buffy had fallen for another vampire that I completely missed the part where Buffy said she was in love. So what if it's a vampire again? So what if it's Spike--who happened to have tried to kill all of us on numerous occasions?" Willow stood.

"That's exactly the point, Willow, Spike has tried to kill us, and now he threatens to kill us every chance he gets--what will stop him from continuing to do just that?" Giles asked.

"Buffy," Willow replied definitely.

(--)

Spike sat with the four girls on Buffy's couch watching "The Nightmare Before Christmas", the creepy Tim Burton movie that Spike enjoyed every holiday season. The girls were frightened every few minutes and snuggled closer to the vampire. Spike didn't mind--he'd come to like the girls--though he'd never let Buffy know.

They'd been sitting there for about half the movie when they asked Spike for some popcorn. The vampire got up and walked into the kitchen finding Jim reading through a legal pad on the counter. Jim looked up as Spike walked in. The vampire growled quietly--but still enough for the annoying guy to hear him.

"Nice to see you too," Jim replied coolly.

"Never said anything about being nice," Spike said, glaring as he tossed the package of popcorn into the microwave.

"Maybe not you--but Buffy did."

Spike hoisted himself up onto the counter and pulled out his cigarettes. He lit the one in his mouth and slipped his lighter back into his jeans pocket. He watched the man stand and walk over to face Spike.

"Look, you little wanker, I know that you know mine and Buffy's little secret--and don't think that's in anyway intimidating to me--you'd be very wrong," Spike said his voice level--an air of humor glazed upon it.

"Yeah, I know…and I could tell everyone…" Jim said trying for the air of nonchalance that Spike portrayed even as his bravado slipped.

"I wouldn't be doing that if I were you," Spike warned.

"Why? I'm not afraid of you."

Spike jumped off the counter. He stared Jim right in the eye, removing the cigarette from his mouth, Spike held out his hand and stamped out his smoke directly on his palm. Jim stared at the sight in palpable horror, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide.

"You sure 'bout that mate?" Spike sneered at Jim, then side stepped him, grabbing the popcorn from the microwave and starting out of the kitchen. With Spike out of his face Jim had a renewed sense of boldness. He had to work out the last phase of his plan.

"You know, you're pathetic!" Jim called, Spike didn't stop but Jim followed after him, "Thinking you and Buffy could be together. She kills your kind, and you kill hers."

Spike stopped, putting the bag on the table, he turned to face the boy.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Spike stated.

"I might not know about the Vampire Slayer thing but I know that two people--if one could call you people--as different as you are can never be together…but you knew this too, didn't you Spike? You and Buffy are too different. Everyone's seen it…Buffy's friends, her family. By dating her, you've alienated her from everyone around her."

"Buffy chose me, end of story," Spike snapped. He wanted hold down his temper since the children were watching the sight they were displaying now instead of the movie.

"Did she really? Or did she do it because you chose her?" Jim inclined his head towards the vampire. Spike turned away, avoiding Jim's eyes. He secretly feared just that…that Buffy had only been with him because he had been with her…that he would loose her.

"She'll be gone you know. As soon as school starts she'll leave you in the dust--or as dust, whichever her friends prefer. She'd do anything for them…even kill you…shed--…" Jim didn't have time to finish his sentence as Spike whirled around and smashed his fist into Jim's nose. Jim screamed in pain and collapsed on the floor as Spike reeled back holding his head. In the attack, Spike had slipped into game face unknowingly, so as he turned to the girls they screamed and began to cry. They scurried off the couch as Spike started after them.

"Girl's I'm sorry!"

(--)

When Buffy returned to the house it was getting dark, she decided to get some food and do a little shopping to calm her nerves before heading back and accidentally yelling at Spike because she was so high strung. She'd bought a couple of shirts and a new pair of jeans and had been budget-friendly about it.

She opened the front door assuming to find the house quiet and her family at the hospital still. Joyce had made a quick cell call to tell her they were staying with him for dinner. So when Buffy heard a distant crying upon entering the house she became worried. She went into the living room in search of Spike and found him sitting on the couch, cigarette in his mouth. On the floor, her father was holding his head and moaning. Buffy ran to his side.

"Dad? What happened?" Buffy kneeled next him, helping him sit up.

"It was him," Jim said pointing at Spike. Buffy looked at the vampire, he seemed unbothered by this sharing of information.

"Did you do this to him?" Buffy got to her feet.

"So what if I did?" Spike asked. He stamped his cigarette out on his knee and flicked the butt away.

"Why?"

"Because, I'm a vampire," Spike replied, he got off the edge of the couch and stood face-to-face with her.

"But you're different."

"Oh? Did I get a soul and nobody told me? As far as I remember I'm still a villain, Pet."

"But I thought…"

"Well, you thought wrong."

Buffy felt her heart start to break and with that her anger started to swell. She balled her hands in fists at her sides--restraining the urge to pull back and knock some sense into him. She gritted her teeth and counted to ten in her head.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Well, let's start at the beginning, shall we? How about you lied to Giles about us? What was that Buffy?"

"I wasn't ready to tell anyone then."

"How about know? You tell them today?"

"Yeah. They said it wouldn't work. Maybe they were right."

"Maybe they were. Maybe you and I just aren't as tough as we thought."

Neither could see Jim's gleaming face in the darkness. But the man needed to finish this off once and for all. He painfully pushed himself to his feet and leaned against the chair.

"Buffy, are you gonna keep him around here? The girls saw what he was…and he hit me!"

"He's right. Spike, I told you that if you ever hurt anyone in my family, I'd kill you," Buffy's voice was deathly serious, "Some things change…" Jim stood in disbelief, "Not this," Jim smiled. Spike straightened, "Get out. I'm giving you a freebee, Spike, but if you ever come back here, I will kill you."

Spike didn't say anything instead he walked directly to and out the door, closing it softly behind him. Buffy turned to her father, "You okay?"

"I could use some ice," Jim suggested.

"That's great. Get it yourself," Buffy said as she walked past him to find the girls. She refused to think about the man who had just walked out of her…possibly the best man she had ever loved…and not once had she told him…

As she walked up the stairs, she collapsed in a fit of tears. She curled herself into a ball on the top step and cried…

TBC in Chapter 15: And A Happy New Year…

In Coming Chapters:

Well, you'll see…