"Are you drowning or waving?
I just want you to save me
Should we try to get along?
Just try to get along"
"Spike, we're not discussing this." Buffy turned on her heal and hoisted the bag onto her shoulder. Three days was not enough. Not to heal the internal. Maybe he looked fine on the outside, but inside she knew he was still hurting.
"Buffy..." he said softly as she walked through the crowd of worried Potentials. They were all looking at him. He didn't care. "Buffy...Buffy, don' walk away from me!" he shouted, pushing away from the wall and gathering his strength. He hid the limp pretty well. Not even the Potentials could tell, he was sure.
Buffy sighed and spun around.
"I'm goin' with you, luv." he said, barely above a whisper. He touched her arm lightly. Buffy steeled her expression. It nearly iced over.
"No. You. Are. Not." she ground out through her teeth. She wasn't looking for a spectacle tonight. All she wanted was to go out, patrol and come home. Simple. No wounded vampires aloud.
"Buffy..." Spike rummbled, the warning growing in his voice. Buffy was done. She wasn't going to stand around and waste time.
Slam. Her fist flew out and connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling onto his back. Normally, he would have gotten up. But not today. The SITs all backed away, gasping and murmoring.
Spike stayed down, groaning and rolling onto his side. Buffy dropped her bag and held out her hand to him. She hit him for a reason. She had to prove to him that he wasn't well enough.
"Spike..."
"Get the bloody 'ell away from me." he moaned, scooting to the wall and using it to push himself onto shaking legs. He kept one hand on the wall as he made his way for the cellar door.
He wasn't hiding the limp anymore. He bucked and swayed the whole way. Not only was he hurt again, but his pride wasn't much better off.