Disclaimer. Oh yet again I own nothing, just a vivid Spike/James induced imagination and happy daydreams.

A/N Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far and I will try and make this chapter longer, although I really don't have any control over the length of this thing. I told you it has a life of it's own.!

Chapter Eight.

Without a seconds hesitation Buffy replied instantly.

"It was Angel, checking I was ok, he sent me home early from work." Her heart was actually beating at double the normal rate and she was surprised at the ease at which she lied. It wasn't actually a lie anyway. She looked at Riley with a smile, a smile he did not return.

"What's up with you?" His voice was harsh and for a moment she wondered if he actually knew the truth.

"I felt sick, we weren't that busy so ..." She didn't get time to finish as Riley reached forward and snatched her cell phone from her hand. Buffy opened her mouth to curse him, but the angry look on his face made her bite her tongue. She watched as Riley flipped open the phone and found the last caller. He threw the phone back on the sofa as he saw that it was Angel.

"Do you always say you love him?" She shot him a curious look and smiled slightly.

"Yeah,course!He's my brother." She was smiling but Riley was beginning to frighten her. She had never seen him like this, like he was possessed. Riley stood up to his full height and glared at her.

"I don't want you to tell anyone else you love them, except me." Buffy stood then and tried to stand up to him.

"But he's my brother and I tell my mum I love her too. " Riley grabbed her arm then and twisted her hand sharply. Buffy shrieked in pain as he clenched her hand tight.

"You will listen to me, you understand?" Buffy nodded slowly, the tears falling down her face. She noticed that as he released her arm, he had fine marks on the inside of his arm.

"Riley?" She questioned softly as he pulled on his coat,"Are you ok?"He turned then to face her with a smile.

"Sure honey! Oh did I remember to tell you that I have to go away for a few days with work?" She shook her head slowly. "Oh sorry babe! I've got to go up to Manchester, I'll be back on Friday, so three days. Will you be ok?" Buffy nodded again, all the time her heart racing with fear.She just wanted him out of the house, before he changed back to evil Riley.She watched as he grabbed his weekend bag from behind the door. He came toward her then and she froze, but this Riley grabbed her around the waist and hugged her gently to him.

"I love you, babe". Buffy tried to reply, but the words would not come. Instead she kissed his cheek and hugged him back.

Riley pulled away from her and with a smile he was out the door. Buffy fell onto the floor in a heap and cradled her bad hand with her good one. The pain coming from it was intense and she had a really bad feeling that Riley had broken it. It was starting to swell already. She picked up the phone from the sofa and pressed redial, not easy to do with one hand.It rang for what seemed like an eternity and eventually Angel replied.

"Angel!Can you come? I think I've broken my hand." She began to cry before she had flipped the phone down. She curled up on the sofa and cried in earnest.

She must have dozed for a few minutes, the hard banging on the front door woke her up. For one moment she had forgotten about her hand, but as soon as she stood up, the pain from it made her nearly sick.She pulled open the front door with her right hand and found not only Angel, but Spike on the doorstep.Despite her intentions not to cry yet again, she started as soon as Spike made the step towards her. He clutched her to him tightly, it felt like days since he'd last held her. He felt her wince in his arms and he pulled her into the living room to look at her hand.He saw the swelling and the bruising and he frowned at her. Angel peered at her over Spike's shoulder.

"How d'ya do it honey?" Angel asked quietly, but Buffy could see him clench his jaw in anger. She swallowed hard, she had gone on first instincts when she had rung him. She certainly didn't expect him and Spike to appear on her doorstep.She pulled away from Spike slightly and looked at them both.

"I trapped it in the door" She smiled weakly. Hoping that they would believe her. Angel had always known when she was lying when she was a kid,but tonights events had proved that she could lie very well. She saw them look at each other and instantly she knew that they didn't believe her.

"Look give me a break!" She grew angry. "If you're not gonna take me to hospital then I'll go myself" She turned away from them both.Instantly she felt Spike's arms on her shoulders, gently turning her around. He had not spoken since he arrived and she knew that this was something else for him to worry about.

"Buffy,luv, "He whispered and she knew he was trying to contain his anger. "Did Riley do this to you?"

Buffy tried to shake her head,but she nodded her head instead and watched as Spike's whole body vibrated with temper.She stepped back away from him, momentarily frightened. Spike realised that he was scaring her and he pulled her to him gently.

"What happened ?"He said, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head.Buffy was aware of Angel pacing and then going off out of the room.

"He heard me say I love you. I told him I was saying it to Angel and he went crazy,he said I wasn't to say it to anyone, not even Mom." The words came out in a rush of fear and emotion .Angel reappeared at the doorway and shook his head at Spike.

"Buffy," Spike continued gently. "Where did he go?".He put his finger under her chin and made her look at him."Buffy?" He continued softly.

"He went up to the job in Manchester 'till friday." Spike looked across at Angel. Buffy caught the look and caught Angel's eyes.

"Please don't do anything, Angel,please!" She looked for signs of her brother's temper.Angel smiled at her and stepped forward to touch her face.

"Go to the hospital,honey.Don't worry about a thing."

Spike held her to him as they went to the car. He helped her into the passenger side and closed the door quietly. He looked at Angel.

"Riley's a fuckin' dead man." Spike spat Riley's name out with such venom that even his best friend was momentarily surprised.Angel was even more shocked to see a stray tear fall slowly down his face. He patted Spike on the arm and got into the back of the car.

The second time the pair of them had been to the hospital that night.