Disclaimer. Again I own nothing , all haill to genius Joss and the beautiful Spike/James.

A/N Thanks to all those people who have reviewed and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update, but I work nights and have 4 kids.!

Chapter Seven.

Buffy opened the door and crept in. Her head was pounding and she needed a coffee and time to digest the nights events. It all seemed so dream like, finally she had admitted she loved Spike, after all those months of flirting and denial.She would have made love to him tonight too, a fact that shocked her. She had never wanted anything so badly.Then of course there was Riley and Dru, she curled up on the sofa with her drink and turned on the tv. Now she just needed noise to distract her, before her head exploded.

She glanced at her cell phone for the hundreth time since coming home, she hoped Angel would have heard something by now. She sighed and popped it into her pocket.She glanced around the living room ,she had been so content here. Now it bothered her to be contained within these four walls with Riley. He simply didn't make her happy anymore. She wished it was as simple as making the decision to leave and walking away. She sighed, but nothing would be easy and everyone involved would get hurt in some shape or form. Her thoughts turned back to Spike and she realised that his decision to walk away would never be easy whilst Dru was sick. The tears formed in her eyes as she pictured the pain in his face. All she'd wanted to do was to help, she couldn't even do that.

The cell phone vibrated in her pocket and she jumped to try and get it out of her trousers. She nibbled on her bottom lip anxiously as she realised it was Angel.

"Hey" she said quietly.

"You did go home ?" he questioned. Buffy sighed and allowed herself a smile at his brotherly protection.

"Yeah, sat in the living room drinking coffee" she paused, almost holding her breath.

"Good I didn't want you driving all over the country upset" Buffy smiled again."Well are you gonna ask me?"

"What?" she frowned.

"Fuck me Buffy, d'ya forget about the guy already" .Panic rose in her chest briefly and anger.

"Fuck you "

"Hey honey" Angel said softly "I was only joking".

"My life is not a joke". She bit on her bottom lip to stop the tears from falling.

"I'm sorry honey.Forgive me " A few stray tears fell and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. Angel fell silent and she waited.

"Buffy" another voice spoke and her heart raced as she realised it was Spike."Buffy" he repeated when she didn't reply.

"Spike" she whispered as she began to cry in earnest.

"OH shit, oh bollocks, Buffy don't cry I can't hold you over the phone. Come on luv I'm ok. Speak to me."

"I'm here" she wiped her face again.

"Oh thank fuck."

"Where are you?" she pictured him in her head and she smiled broadly.

"I'm at the hospital with Dru, they're trying to get her admitted to the psychiatric ward." she heard the pain in his voice and she wished he was beside her." They're going to keep her here. She hurt herself so badly tonight. The blood was fuckin' everywhere."

"Are you ok, did she hurt you?" she felt him pause and all her instincts to protect him kicked in.

"A little but I've got stitches, so I'm ok.Listen luv i've gotta go, I just had to tell you I love you." . Warmth surged into Buffy's body and she felt those tears again."I'll see you later ok?"

"I love you too" she replied into the phone and realising he was gone she flipped it shut.

"Who the fuck was that?" Her head spun round to the door . Riley standing before her.