Disclaimer:

me: (pretends to be unconscious)

Officer: (sigh) I guess I have to wait. It's only fun it you hear the screams. (Walks out of room)

Me: (open one eye to make sure he's gone and then another) heehee (pulls out a key that he dropped long ago and begin to unchain myself) (sings softly) Joss, Joss here I come; to get the Buffy/Angel verse (evil grin as I stand up and stretch) But first for a little revenge.

GETTING CLOSER

Buffy sat by the kitchen island sipping at her steaming coffee and reading the book she'd been assigned for her psych class. The back door opened and Spike and Dawn walked in carrying groceries.

"Hey Buff" grunted Dawn as she set the bags on the countertop and huffed.

"What's this?" asked Buffy.

"Is she always this dense?" Spike wondered doing the same. Dawn nodded.

"You know what? I'll just say nothing."

"And there is a God!" he couldn't help but add.

There was a moment of comfortable silence as the three of them began unpacking the groceries. Dawn watched the "adults" with interest and finally asked them the question that's been burning in her mind over the past few weeks.

"Is Spike gonna move in?" Dawn blurted out.

"What?!" they both exclaimed simultaneously as they whipped around in shock.

"Well" she backtracked. "He's always here. Falls asleep on the couch most nights so why not?"

"Well uh…" stuttered Buffy.

"There are lots of reasons" Spike inserted.

"Yeah reasons. Lots of them." They both nodded in agreement under the very mistaken impression that Dawn would let it go at that.

"Name one" Dawn challenged.

"There's the fact that um…" Spike tried.

"Uh, ooo I know. We hate each other!" Buffy smiled at Spike who nodded.

"Puh-lease. Why would he be helping out so much if he doesn't like you?" Spike glanced at Buffy then looked back at Dawn. They both shifted uncomfortably under Dawn's watchful eyes.

"Why don't you move in?" Buffy asked weakly. "Dawn's right." The surprise was evident in Spike's face as his gaze rested on her beautiful face.

"Move in?" he questioned slowly. Both girls nodded. "Sure pet. Sounds like fun."

-Cut to-

Spike was out of the house going to get some stuff for his new temp home. Dawn had gone to her friend, Janice's, house leaving Buffy alone. A peaceful silence fell over the room. No sarcastic comments, no crazy British man shouting out British curses, and no homework to do. Unfortunately, that didn't last long.

Someone rang the doorbell. Buffy grudgingly got up and sighed. She opened the door and saw Riley. He was smiling down at her with what she used to consider as a cute smile. Now though, it didn't seem so cute and come to think of it neither did he.

He leaned down to give her a kiss but she turned her head giving him her cheek. Riley looked surprised, genuinely shocked by her action and maybe slightly offended.

Buffy thought fast. "I've got a cold."

"I'll risk it" he said. Buffy stepped back.

"Coming in?"

Hesitantly he nodded. Walking in, he watched as she closed the door behind him and followed him into the living room. "So" he began sitting down.

"So" she said taking a seat from across from him.

"How's your mom?"

"She's still in a comma. The doctors are saying that the longer she's in it the worse…" she trailed off not wanting to continue for fear of inadvertently jinxing the situation.

"Buffy…"

She cut him off. "Spike's moving in" she blurted out. Buffy didn't know why but that was all she's wanted to say since he walked in, the guilt of it weighing on her mind since the move was announced.

"What?!" screamed Riley completely infuriated. He stood up fast that he almost lost his balance on his way up. Buffy, worried, reciprocated his move. "What'd you mean he's 'moving in?' "

"He's helping me with Dawn and Joyce and stuff. This makes it easier."

Riley started to pace. "But you hate him Buffy! You have ever since forever. It's…how…It doesn't make any sense."

Buffy shrugged. "I know. He…" she sighed. "It's complicated."

Riley stopped abruptly and held her shoulders roughly. "Uncomplicated it" he ground out.

"Stop, Riley" she said while trying to push him off of her. "You're hurting me."

"Uncomplicated it Buffy" he commanded once again.

Tears threatened to fall from Buffy's eyes from the nails digging into her skin. "He cares about me, and Dawn, and my mom" she whimpered.

"And what about me?" The pressure on her shoulders increased so much that she felt a tingling sensation in her hands.

"Please stop" she said, voice low. By this point she doubted that there was any blood going through her arms and she was beginning to get a little light headed.

"Stop complaining!" he demanded bringing up his arm and smacking her across the face. "I told you to shut up!" Once again he hit her across the face but this time the force was so great that he sent her reeling backwards. Buffy fell in a heap on the floor, tears spontaneously falling from her eyes.

"This is so over Buffy. You're not even worth screwing anyway." She looked up at him unbelievingly. So that was it? That's all he wanted her for? This was the man that she thought she thought she might love?

Spike suddenly appeared from behind Riley, his words not lost on Spike's ears. On look at the bruise on Buffy's cheek told him all he needed to know. Tapping Riley on the shoulder, he watched as soldier boy twirled around to face him. Without warning, Spike punched him hard in the nose.

"Holy Shit!" Riley yelled holding his now bleeding nose.

"You'd hurt a woman?" Spike shook his head before punching him in the face again then the stomach. "It's people like you that make me sick." Another punch to the stomach. "Come on captain cardboard" he taunted the bloody mess on the floor before kicking him. "Fight back!" another kick. "How do you like it? Being the weaker party I mean?" Spike kneeled down and punched Riley square in the face one more time.

"Spike" came Buffy's gentle voice. He stopped what he was doing to look at her although he did keep a strong grip on Riley's collar just in case. "Don't, please."

Spike looked at her incredulously but said nothing. Instead he watched her move toward the moron she's once called her boyfriend. "Get up Riley" she said, voice hard. Staggering to get up, he coughed as he felt Spike's grip tighten then release him completely.

"I don't want to see come near me or the people I care about again. Got it?" added Buffy. "Unless you want this to happen again."

"Buffy, I didn't mean to…"

She cut him off. "Goodbye Riley."

He made his way out the door. As soon as the click of the front door was heard in the silent living room, Buffy collapsed into tears. Spike was at her side in seconds with his arms wrapped around her small body. Her shoulders racked with the sobs. Spike, not knowing what else to do, just held her and stroked her back wishing that he could take her pain away from her.

Slowly, her tears subsided but she stayed where she was, in no great hurry to go back to the real world. "Thank you" she whispered up at him.

"For what luv?" he asked pulling back a little so that he could look into her face.

"Beating up Riley" she responded with a soft chuckle.

"Anytime. No seriously" he said with a small smile. "It was fun."

Buffy sniffed and smiled. Leaning in slowly, hesitantly, she closed her eyes and felt his lips meet hers in a gentle, searching kiss. The problems of the world around them would have to wait a few minutes because at that moment, they were completely lost in one another.

A/N: I'm scum and dirt and a total meanie. I left you guys without an update in weeks. That being said, I am SO sorry! I had midterms and my teachers made them all hard and my schedule was just impossible and…I'm sorry. i also want to say sotty for the cut to thing but the stupid site won't let me put like a nice line or anything and i didn't want you guys to get confused...

Okay, I also wanted to ask you something. Of all the seasons, which is your favorite and why? Oh and if you have favorite Buffy or Angel characters let me know thanks.

A while ago I was asked how long this fanfic would be. The answer is I have no freakin' clue. This story is kinda writing itself so let's see where that leads. Okay?

Oh and don't forget to review so that I know if anyone is still reading. Thanks. BYE!