Chapter 4

Thank you Wiccangirl122 and Spike-n-Buffy-eva for your reviews hope you enjoy this chapter.

The day at around ten o'clock a nurse came to Buffy a bath asking Spike to leave the room. Buffy was still asleep. The nurse walked over to the bed slowly and then gently called Buffy's name to wake her. Buffy's eyes flickered open, scanning the room in a panic, when they didn't find Spike she leapt off the bed, backing as far away from the strange woman as possible. The nurse followed Buffy telling her it was ok and that she wouldn't hurt her. Buffy was now backed into the corner of the room, her body shaking again. When the nurse was only a couple of feet away from her she let out glass-shattering scream. Spike rushed in and knelt down beside her, pulling her into his embrace.

"Buffy love it's ok, I'm here, shh, it's ok, shh," he said, rubbing her back reassuringly.

"I didn't do anything, she…"

"Look it's ok, I think you should just go, it's fair to say that you won't anything for her, just let me handle it. And could you get a doctor to come by in an hour, I think I'd like to take her home."

"Yes sir. Thanks."

Spike nodded politely and gave the nurse a weak smile. Once the nurse had gone Spike got Buffy to her feet and took her into the bathroom. He switched on the shower, then very gently and carefully removed Buffy's clothing and bandages, Tara's magic seemed to be working, any traces of stitching seemed to have disappeared and there was not a bruise to be found. She stepped into the shower, taking Spike, who she was still clinging onto and he was still fully clothed, well apart from his leather coat, in with her. He helped her get washed and then dried, putting on fresh bandages for her before re-dressing her in her pyjamas. She fell back asleep on Spike's lap, after he sat back down on the chair beside the bed.

An hour and a half later a doctor came into Buffy's room, Spike's clothes were still wet from the shower.

"You wanted to see me," the doctor stated.

"Yes. I think it's time that I took Buffy home. She doesn't want to be here and she won't let any of the staff near her, and it would easier for me to look after her at her own place."

"Very well then, I'll get you everything you're going to need, and once the release papers are signed, the two of you can go."

"Right. Who has to sign these papers? Do I have to do it or can she just do it herself?" Spike asked, unsure if his signature would actually get her out of the hospital.

"Well actually both of you need to sign, we only need yours the once though. Why don't you get her ready then you can come down to the front desk together, and I will have the papers waiting for you."

"Good, great. Thanks."

"No problem," the doctor said before leaving.

Spike woke Buffy and got her dressed in her clothes and then they headed to the front desk together. Once all the paperwork was done Spike took Buffy to her apartment, stopping at Spike's hotel on the way to pick up his stuff. He had called her friends just to give them an update, Dawn was going to continue to stay with Willow and Tara for the time being so that Buffy could get better. When they got to the apartment it was time for dinner, so Spike ordered a pizza. Buffy didn't talk much so they sat in silence for the most part. Spike only speaking when she talked to him, as he didn't know what to say and he didn't want to say anything that would upset her. After they had eaten, Spike didn't know what to do, so there was a momentary awkward silence, which was broken when Buffy announced that she was tired. She put on one of Spike's shirts to sleep in, Spike doing up the buttons for her. Buffy got into her bed.

"Spike!" she said as he turned to leave.

"Yes love?"

"Hold me."

Spike took off his boots and coat, leaving on the rest of his clothes and got in the bed beside her. Buffy rested her head on his chest as he put his arm around her. Spike couldn't believe just how vulnerable Buffy really was right now she was still shaking slightly. He wished he knew where the Immortal was, because the sooner that bastard was dead the better.

Spike woke with a start, glad to find Buffy still in his arms. The dream, well actually the nightmare he had just had consisted of him not getting to the Immortal's apartment in time to save Buffy, he had never been that scared in all his life, undead or alive. His eyes still had tears in them from seeing the image in his head, holding her dead body in his arms, unable to do anything. The worst part was he had a feeling that this nightmare was going to become a recurring one. Buffy woke, hugging into Spike as she did so.

"Hey," she said in her morning voice.

"Hey love, are you feeling any better?"

"I think so."

"So what do you want to do today?"

"Could we just stay here?"

"Of course we can pet."

Over the next few weeks Buffy gradually got better and with the help of Spike was able to go outside again and she even went out on patrols with him. Dawn was staying with them now and she and Buffy were getting along fine. Buffy was ok with being alone with her friends again, but Spike never left her side anyway, he was too worried that the Immortal would be waiting round the next corner. Although she had been hanging with the scoobies, she still wasn't the same, she didn't talk to them as much and when she was with them she felt detached, like she wasn't really a part of the gang. She had become very dependant on Spike, like she had before when she came back from heaven, she was able to do things for herself now, but she still needed him in beside her to go to sleep, she didn't feel safe unless he was there. She was happiest when she was just sitting talking to Spike, which Xander had taken a note of, it had bothered him at first, but in seeing what Spike was doing for her, he was slowly coming round to the idea of actually trusting Spike.

It was exactly a month after the unforgivable occurrence had taken place and there had still been no sign of the Immortal, which was both a good and a bad thing. Willow and Tara had been trying to track him down since the beginning but everytime they got to the location he was supposed to be he had already done a disappearing act, and there had even been a brief period in which the Immortal had used a cloaking spell on himself in which the witches couldn't locate him. That afternoon Spike was sitting at the end of the bed watching Buffy, sleep, usually he would have stayed in the bed until she woke up, but she was having a longer lie than usual, and she seemed to be having a dream as their was a lot of eye movement.

"Spike! Lunch is ready," Dawn shouted through from the kitchen.

Spike got up and went into the kitchen to see what the youngest Summers had prepared. It smelt delicious whatever it was. Buffy indeed was having a dream but it wasn't exactly a pleasant one:

The Immortal was sitting at a table somewhere, it was an abandoned building by the looks of it. A group of his lackeys came into room carrying a bound and gagged girl. They placed her down on the table.

"Here boss, just like you wanted," said one of the lackeys, who seemed to be their leader.

"Thank you boys, will you leave us, this is kind of a private moment."

"Of course sir."

Tears were streaming down the poor girl's face.

"Now this won't top raping the slayer, but you'll just have to do."

The Immortal lunges at the girl, then it cuts to the Immortal's apartment and Buffy is standing topless in front of the Immortal and her lip is now bleeding.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Buffy asks, looking up into his eyes.

"Because I can," the Immortal replies before laughing in an evilly almost insanely.

There is a glint of fire in his eyes as he advances on Buffy.

Buffy sat bolt upright in bed, breaking into a cold sweat and tears streaming down her face, letting out a heart piercing scream. Spike and Dawn ran to her room as quickly as possible.

"Buffy what's wrong?" Spike asked, pulling her into his arms.

"Buffy please say something you're scaring me, what is it?" Dawn said when her sister didn't answer Spike.

"I know where the Immortal is."