Notes: Hey sorry it took so long for me to update but I was recovering from surgery and haven't had much chance to work on my writing lately. I know this Chapter isn't terribly long but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Also thank you to those who took the tiem to review the previous chapters it's greatly appreciated!

Chapter Four

The Crypt

Slowly Buffy looked around 'it really looks different around here in the daytime' she thought to herself as the sunlight bathed the cemetary in in a brilliant glow. She was staling and she knew it as she weaved her way slowly around the tombstones, casually reading the names and wondering how many of them may have gone to Sunnydale High. Caught up in her thoughts she hadn't realized she had reached the crypt until she walked into its shadow.

"Well here goes . . . " she muttered to herself and pushed the heavy door open, it groaned slightly on it's hinges. After closing the door she paused and listened to the silence "Maybe he isn't home." She said to herself, hopeful, even as her brain practically screamed 'where else is he gonna be? the sun is up!' She took a moment to glance slowly around the room and then climbed down the ladder.

She found him asleep in his bed, naked, the sheets drapped about his hips. The sight nearly took her breath away. He almost glowed in the light of the candles that littered nearly every available flat surface of the room, his hair was slightly messy and his face, relaxed in sleep, no longer held the look of a bad ass. Instead she swore could see the man he used to be and maybe still was, the poet who poured his heart and soul into his work, even if it wasn't the best. She noticed his hand twitch as he jerked his head slightly to one side, reaction to a dream she thought, and decided to let him sleep she could always come back later.

She turned to leave when he stirred suddenly and lifted his head an inch "Buffy . . . ?" he said, voice heavily laced with sleep, dropping his head back on the pillow though still looking at her as his body slowly woke up. Buffy crossed to the bed and sat on the edge "Yeah it's me." she said with a slight smile, reaching out hesitantly and brushed the short waves of platinum from his forehead. "Is something wrong?" Spike looked up at her, confused but in a good way "No nothing I'm sorry I woke you." She said and resisted the urge to place a kiss against his forehead "Go back to sleep."

She got up quickly from the bed and hurried up the ladder, not realizing he was right behind her, sheet wrapped modestly around his waist. "Buffy!" he said as he reached out and grabbed her arm "What is it?" He frowned down at her as she tried to turn away but he held her still now by the shoulders "What is it?" he asked again.

Buffy looked up and kissed him suddenly, hard, then pulled away. She reached the door and glanced back over her shoulder as he stood still, mouth open slightly and shocked. "I'm sorry. . . " she said quietly and turned her head so she faced the door now, "Sorry for what?" he asked after a moment. She opened the door, a crack of light falling on her face "That I can never love you . . ." with that she was gone.

Spike huried to the door and flung it open "Buffy wait!" he hollered, the sunlight warm on his face and chest, then suddenly hot, a flame sparked up suddenly on his shoulder and he cried out, jumping back quickly into the safety of his crypt and releasing his grip on the sheet around his waist as he did so. He leaned now against the inside of the door, gingerly rubbing the scorched flesh of his shoulder, though he barely felt the pain of it because his mind was too caught up in thoughts of Buffy and the soft dull ache he now felt in his chest.