Two weeks later, Spike is in his crypt, after his escape from Glory's claws. He lays down on his sarcophagus, and is trying to forget the searing pain of his injuries. He can't move without crying, Glory has done a very good job on him, that's for sure ! But he hasn't speak to this bitch and this is all that matters. His eyes closed, he can only think about these past weeks.

Shit ! now Buffy knows about the bot, and she will probably stake me in no time. Well, it doesn't matter, she probably thinks that I have talk to Glory and says all I know about Dawn, so with or without the Bot, I'm dead this time. I've always known she would be the death of me !

He hears the door being kicked open. It's probably her, Spike, it's time to make your last prayer.

He has some difficulty to hear what she says, « sexy wounds », oh yeah it's not Buffy, it's only the robot. He sits down with pain, and he can't look at the bot without shame, what a stupid idea, as if a robot could have replace Buffy, he is so pathetic. Suddenly the bot kiss him. But it's different than before, it's lips are warm and lightly wet, and it's scent...it's Buffy, the real Buffy !

His brain goes blank, he bends his head to the right and his gaze meets hers with incomprehension and surprise. Why does she kiss him ? Oh ok ! She wanted to know if he has betrayed Dawn, and it's to thank him now that she knows he hasn't. It's more he could have hope in such circonstances, with the Bot and all. He can't help to ask about the robot. It's stupid really, he knows Willow would have desactivated it, and it's not bright to ask that to Buffy herself. He would have say anything to makes her stay a little more with him, he doesn't want to stay here all alone in this state.

She says she won't forget that he didn't betray them, it's great...but it would have been much better if she has stayed with him a little more. Well, she can't, she must go back to her home, with her family, not stay here with a stupid and battered vampire who usually shags a pale stubtitute of his beloved. He must sleep now, he is so tired.

After what seems an eternity, he emerges slowly, he hears noises coming from the left, he wants to open his eyes but he really can't. If it's someone who wants to kill him, too bad for him, he is in no shape to put up a fight even to save his life. After all, it would be a relief to die now, his body is screaming for release, and his mind wants to black out forever.

He senses someone approaching him, and a scent he recognizes immediatly assault his nose, Buffy !

He tries to speak but the words won't pass his mouth. He must have open it, because Buffy order him : « don't try to talk ! Drink that before ». The scent of fresh blood, torture him, and instinctively, his fangs elongates, but he is too feeble for his face to shift. Buffy helps him by lifting his head up and keeps the mug of blood close to his mouth while he drinks.

"Don't move" she says "I will give you another." He lets his head fall again on the sarcophagus. He hears the distinct sound of the bip of a microwave, but doesn't understand. He has no microwave, a TV and a fridge, yes, but he would remember if he have had a microwave. Strange.

She returns and help him drink another mug. His hunger has recessed, and his mind clears, but now he senses the pain with more acuteness, and it's like a blaze is devouring his body. He lets escape a whimper. Buffy lifts his head up, once more, gently and places something like a pillow behind his head.

"Now don't move, Spike, I'm going to tend your wounds, but since you can't move I must cut your clothes. Is it OK ?"

He wants to say, no, but he knows that he is still bleeding, and he is so very tired.

"Ok." he says in a whisper.

He senses her hands on his stomach and he hears the sound of scissors cuting his shirt. Buffy moves apart the sides of his-shirt, delicately, carefully, trying not to reopen the wounds. She gasps when she sees the dammage.

"Oh my god, Spike ! How can you have stand that and not..." she can't finish, and he hears her run to the door and throw up outside. After a moment she is by his side again.

"Sorry ! It's just that what she did to you is so..."

"It's OK Buffy, It's nothing, I've been worse than that when I was just a fledging and I'm still here." He says with a bitter tone.

"Really ? Oh,...I see..".

No Buffy, Spikes thinks, you don't see, you wasn't there to see Angelus torture me for weeks and laughing at my pain, if you have seen that, you couldn't have feel love for such a monster. But he doesn't want to cause her pain, so he doesn't say that to her.

She cleans his wounds and bandages him, almost tenderly.

"Do you have wounds...lower ?" She says embarrassed.

He hears her heart speed up, and supposes she must be blushing.

"Pet you've done enough, and I'm a vampire remember !"

"Yes, I know, but if you want to be in better shape quickly, you can't let your pride goes in the way !"

"My pride ! Let's me laugh ! My pride is buried since they have put this chip in my head, since I'm in love with the ennemy, so it's not a question of pride, believe me !"

"You didn't answer to me, are you hurt anywhere else ?" She says stubbornely.

"Bloody hell Woman ! If you want to know, yes ! This bitch has hurt me everywhere she could, especially my manly parts, happy to know that I hope ! And now you want to do what ? Strip me and have a look ?"

"I just wanted to help you ! But if you don't want to, I will go away !" She says exasperated.

She gets up and begins to pick up her things.

Spike grips her arm and says softly : "I'm sorry Buffy, it's just that I don't want you to do something like that only because you think it's your fault that Glory tortured me. And you are right, it's a question of pride and it's embarrassing for me, and for you too."

"Spike !I'm not a virgin, you know, I can do that, but promise me not to claim to your demon friends that the slayer has take care of your parts !" She says laughing.

"I wouldn't dream of that !" He says laughing too, but stops immediately because of the pain in his ribs.

"Ok ! So I will cut your jeans, and you don't move ! I wouldn't want to cut something important !" she says with a smirk.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea anymore !" He says with faulse worry.

"Ah ! Ah ! She says, The Big Bad is not so brave now !"

Spike smiles tenderly and lets her cut his jeans. He knows it won't be pretty, that bitch has cut him and strip the skin of his dick, and he had scream since he pass over, numerous times. She has done the same with his parts. When he has seen a chance to escape, the hardest part was to pull on his jeans, and whith each step he has made, the pain had been unbearable. It was not like that he has envisionned to be naked in front of Buffy, no, not like that at all.

Buffy is embarrassed, but she doesn't want him to see it too openly. When she will kill Glory, she will make her pay, nobody has the right to torture her vampire ! Wow, Spike is not hers, no he is just a... what ? A friend, no, not really.
So what is he for her ? Shit, she doesn't have time for this.

Concentrate Buffy ! Damnit ! That's it, cut the jeans ! It's more difficult when she tries to cut near his hips, why does he always wore jeans so tight ? Ok it's done, now take a deep breath, Buffy, because it won't be pretty ! She lifts the piece of jeans slowly and takes a look. Oh my god ! I'm going to pass out, close your eyes and breath slowly... Ok it's better, what am I going to do now ? Oh yes, clean the wounds and bandage, no not bandage, not where the skin is tear out. Ok, cleaning I can do that, don't think Buffy and do it !

Even in this state, Buffy can't stop to think of him as beautiful, his body is strong and lean at the same time, he is muscular but not too much, exactly like a greco-roman statue, the same she has seen in her mother's books. She is cleaning his wounds carefully, and the back of her hands touch the skin of his thighs, his skin is so soft...Buffy ! Think of something else, you are not here for that. The wounds are clean now. Ok what do I have in the aid kit for open wounds, yes that's it ! sticking plasters with a special oily substance on it, it will stop the bleeding and won't stick to the skin when it will grow again. Perfect ! She begins to bandage him, and she tries not to touch him at the same time. She can't stop herself from being arroused a little, and she realises she is not the only one ! She is nearly there, in one minute it will be over. One more plaster and she will be released of the tension in her body. Spike lets escape a moan when she touch unvoluntarily his cock.

"Sorry !" She says between clenched teeth. It's over ! She takes a sheet in her bag and covers him with it.

Spike is relieved, it has been nearly impossible to restrain himself, between the pain and her touch on his parts. He would have succeeded if he hadn't scent her arrousal, it was at this moment he had moan.

"Buffy, why did you do all that for me ?" He asks softly.

"Because you deserve it, it's the least I can do after what you have done, but don't get use to it, as soon as you are well again, I will make you pay for the stupid bot !" She says with a smile.

"I don't doubt it !" He says, returning her smile.

"Now you must sleep, I will come back tomorrow to see if you are better." She takes the bandages and the pair of scissors and places them in her bag. "You need more blood before I go ?"

"No, I'm good... Buffy I... thank you."

"It's nothing ! Goodnight Spike."

"Good night Buffy..."

Buffy closes the door with regret, she knows he doesn't want to stay here alone. If some nasty demon wants to kill him, he is in no shape to defends himself, but she can't let her mother alone with Dawn. Glory could send someone to her house while she is with him. And she can't do that. It will encourage him to think she cares for him more than for just a friend.

On the way home, she tries to forget the softness of his skin, the sensuality of his voice and his arrousal under her touch. She tries to think of something else, but his moan is engraved in her head.

Arrived at home, she goes straight to the bathroom and takes a shower. She is still excited and the shower doesn't help. She slips on her pyjamas and goes to bed. She is tired but she can't sleep. It's not because of Spike, she says to herself, it's just that I'm lonely and I'm sexualy frustrated. So seeing any type of male naked would have make me horny, that's all !

The little voice in her head says : « liar ! You have always been horny after a fight with Spike ! You have always wanted him since the first time you saw him ! »

No ! It's not true ! The first time I saw him, I was in love with Angel !

« so ! You think because you loved Angel, you couldn't see he was attractive ! And yet it's the first thing you have thought when you saw Spike. I quote : « What a shame that all the sexy guys are always vampires or homosexuals »

Ok ! Ok ! I thought that at the time, but I was young and stupid, it's just teenage ramblings !

« If you want to live in Denial Land, suits yourself ! »

I'm not in denial ! Ok, maybe a little, but Spike and me, eww ! Such not a good idea ! And even if I want him, I don't love him, so it will be bad to use him.

« You didn't love Riley and it has never stop you, no ? »

Exactly, it's why it's a bad idea, I can't make the same mistake twice !

The voice shut up at that, and Buffy satisfied falls asleep in no time.