I'm so sorry. How evil am I? Sorry, guys. Here it goes.

Spike quickly stole a kiss on the lips and leaned back against his seat, a smile on his face. This was paradise. What could be better than driving in the car with the woman of your dreams sitting right there. And she was all yours. Well, okay. That part wasn't official, but he could dream.

His paradise was abolished in an instant that a car slammed into his side of the car when they were crossing an intersection.

Buffy let out a scream and tried to cover her face as glass came her way. A few shards managed to cut her. Her left arm had banged against her door and she could feel that it was broken. Tears filled her eyes when she saw the other car's windshield was shattered and the driver was half in the car, half out. It was bloody.

And then her eyes landed on Spike. The door was crushed, his leg caught in it someway that she could never picture. There was a lot of blood coming from him as well. His breathing was slower and his eyes were closed. He was knocked out.

She whimpered. "Spike…" Her voice was shaky and filled with pain. Undoing her seatbelt, she was careful of her arm. She got out and looked around, then ran around to the other side of the car, trying to open Spike's door. A few people came over help her, asking if she was okay, telling her to sit down. A young man had pulled her away and sat her down as some other people tried to help Spike.

The ambulance was there in a short time, as well as a fire truck and a few cop cars. They cut the door off and got him out, putting him on a stretcher, trying to tend to some open wounds, mostly on the right side of his body.

Buffy got up and ran over to the stretcher, tears falling freely. She hugged him gently, but a female paramedic took her good hand and started to treat her wounds, reassuring her that she could ride with her boyfriend and that everything would be just fine. Hearing her referee to Spike as her 'boyfriend' made her mind relax a little, but her tears didn't stop.

As promised, she rode with Spike, too concerned about him to worry about herself. Holding onto one of his hands, she wished that he would just wake up. She wished that her airbags would have worked. She wished that that man's car hadn't collided into hers. She wished that Spike didn't have a broken leg and there wasn't at least 30 nicks and scraps on him. She wished, but none of the things came true.

Once at the hospital, they rushed him off to take care of him more thoroughly. Buffy felt helpless because she wasn't allowed to follow. She was pushed into her own room, needing her own wounds treated. Her eyes stayed on the ground and every question the doctor asked she answered with a simple nod or shake of the head. Her eyes were glassy and dark.

About an hour later, she was allowed to see him, and that's exactly what she did. Going into his room, she pulled a chair to the side of his bed and took one of his hands, looking over him.

He was so still. So pale. The steady blipping of his heart rate stung in her mind. There were a few things attached to his body, one that she recognized in particular was pumping blood into his body. That annoyed her. How could they push some rotten blood into Spike? Why couldn't he have kept his own in the first place? A mask was over his mouth and nose, providing air for him. Why can't he breathe for himself? Why?

She started to sob, pressing her face to the side of the bed. Her body quivered from the violent ness of her tears until she finally cried herself to sleep.

Two days later…

There was still no word from Spike. Not a movement. He was in a coma and no one knew when he was going to be waking up. If he stayed there too long, he would start to lose memories, and soon not have them at all. It was the day before Christmas.

Buffy had had to leave every night, crying as she did. Her mother and sister had to take her out, almost kicking and screaming. They had never seen her like that. Ever. She had grown so attached to this man whom she knew little about.

Every morning though, as soon as she woke up, she'd shower and gets dressed, then go to the hospital and sit there until visiting hours started. She stayed until the hours ended.

Currently, it was about noon, and Buffy was right beside him, holding his hand. Nothing about him had really changed. If she could kiss away his wounds and have them in his place, she would. In an annoying blip of the heart, she'd take them away.

Hearing a soft knock on the door, she turned to see who was coming in. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying so much.

In came two people, both whom she recognized. One was a male, who looked rather attractive, but had these curious eyes and a boyish smile. The other was a smaller red headed woman, looking naturally worried.

Buffy got up, wiping a tear away, letting Spike's hand go. "Willow, Xander…" She went to them and wrapped her arms around the woman first, then moved to the man, both if them returning the tight hug.

Xander sighed softly. "We heard about the accident and came down as soon as possible. Traffic getting from the mountains is terrible on the day before Christmas. Are you okay?"

Shaking her head, she let out a small sob, burying her face against his white t-shirt.

Holding her closer, he told her it would be alright.

Willow rubbed her back gently, then looked over at the man on the bed. Slowly going to him, she blinked, eyes scanning over him.

The conscious male watched his best friend examine the man that he'd never seen.

"Wow. Anya would have something to say about this guy. He's a cutie."

Buffy turned and sniffled, wiping her eyes on her long sleeved shirt. Smiling a little, she chuckled. "His name is Spike. We kind of…I think we…have a thing."

Xander watched the blonde girl. "I think you have more than a thing if you've been crying over him since the accident."

Willow shot him a look when Buffy started becoming confused. "Y-Your mom told us about what happened and said you needed friends and poof. Here we are."

She nodded and went back over to Spike, running a hand over his messy hair. "Most of me wants to be the one in this bed with no sign of ever getting up. I feel like it's my fault."

The red head watched her carefully, noticing a kind of look in her eyes when she was staring at Spike that she had never seen Buffy give anyone before. "It's not your fault. It was that poophead's fault. But he got his."

Xander and Buffy both looked at her, surprised she'd say that.

Willow sat down. "Well, if it's making you cry, then the poophead deserves the rough words and angry shaking of fists. Wasn't the guy drunk?"

Buffy nodded. "That's what the police told me."

"How long have you known this…Spike guy? What kind of name is Spike anyway?"

Willow got wide eyed. "Xander! What is wrong with you? Would you like us to fill in with the grouchy language if Anya gets into the hospital? We could poke fun at her name too."

Sighing, Buffy shook her head. "His real name is William Fierce and he's from England. He has the sexiest accent and he's an artist."

She smiled again, eyes getting soft. "Wow. Too bad I'm gay and love Tara or else I'd be all over him."

Xander's nose wrinkled a bit. "What's his social security number? His address?" If he was going to be dating Buffy, he needed to know everything and approve of him.

"Don't know and he doesn't have one. I met him three days ago."

Blinking a few times, that had to register. "Wait. He doesn't have an address? And you're devoted to some guy who you met three days ago? You fell in love with a bum!"

Willow shook her head. "He doesn't look bum-ish."

Buffy sat down in her regular seat and took his hand, stroking it. "It's not his fault he was living on the streets. His father died and he had to spend a lot of his money on the funeral. And then he had no desire to draw anymore." She whispered. "I think it's sweet. He spent the night at Mom's house, she hit him in the head with a frying pan, Dad came home and stabbed him. He saved us. We were on our way to buy him some clothes and get him a haircut when this happened." She sighed.

"He sounds amazing."

Xander looked at the other male, then at Buffy, then Willow, then at the floor. "Well, if he saved you, then I might be able to like him. He's taken quite a beating. Just be careful, Buff. We don't want a repeat of what Angel did." Then he froze and cursed himself.

Willow put a hand over her mouth, as if she could stop the words from coming out, even though she didn't say them.

Normally, she would have been affected, but her eyes were locked onto Spike. "I will, Xander. I will." Her eyes were watery once again. "I just wish I knew what to do. I mean I don't live in this city. I love living in Frost Meadow. It's an amazing little town and I've grown to know and love everyone. We've grown to love everyone." She looked at Willow. The three of them lived two miles from each other. Xander was with Anya, they have been happily married for a year. Tara lives with Willow and Buffy lives by herself. "But he's right here…" Her eyes looked to Spike once more. A tear ran down her cheek.

"Just think about everything one at a time, Buffy. Don't stress yourself out." Willow delicately spoke to her friend.

Xander nodded in agreement, but gave no words of advice.

"Maybe I could call into work when my Christmas Break is over and ask to stay another week, or as long as I can. I don't want Spike to be alone when he wakes up."

"He's been alone by himself for as long as he's been a bum. He could get over it." Xander muttered, but the girls heard him.

"Exactly! That's why I need to be here for him. To show him I care. To show him that I lov…" She stopped and closed her mouth. Did she love him? No. You can't love someone that fast. "That I really like him. Everyone needs a friend."

The red head nodded. "That's true. We could watch your house Buffy, or whatever you need us to do."

Buffy smiled weakly and nodded. "Thank you, Wills."

"That's what friends are for." She smiled right back.

Poor Spike. I'd never dream of hurting him, but I'm not controlling this story anymore. It's the characters who are doing this. I'm just the one on the keyboard.

Review pleases!