Author's Note: Eh, I just finished this so I thought I might as well update right away! Please R&R, because feedback would be really helpful!

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Like a Man Possessed

Chapter 2

"Buffy, just come out for a few hours."

"Yeah, Buff, it's been ages since we've gone to the Bronze!"

"It'll be fun, a night on the town just like old times!"

"What do you say?"

Buffy looked at the four faces gazing at her with plastic smiles. Tara, Xander, Willow, and Anya had been pestering her the past five days, trying to get her to leave the house for more than patrolling and the occasional errand. Their bright, eager faces were obviously faked for her benefit, not wanting to start off a potential evening of fun with gloomy appearances.

It seemed they wouldn't give up. Sighing, Buffy rose and walked to her closet, grabbing a few articles of clothing before heading down the hall to the bathroom. The four remained in her bedroom, looking at one another quizzically.

"So, does that mean she's coming?" Anya asked finally, breaking the awkward silence.

"I-I think so," Willow stuttered, nervously fidgeting when the shower turned on with a loud squeak. "She's getting ready, right?"

"Yeah," Xander said simply. Letting out a sigh of exhaustion, he sat down on Buffy's bed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "When is Giles coming back again?" he burst out, frustration apparent in his voice.

"Tomorrow night, I already told you," Willow answered. "Needless to say, I'll be relieved. I was so afraid that something would happen while he was gone…" She trailed off, not needing to voice what exactly her fears were.

A silence set in once more, but didn't last long. Buffy appeared at the doorway a few minutes later, dressed and looking almost like her old self. "Party time?" she asked with false cheerfulness. At one time, the words would have been normal coming from her, but they seemed strange and foreign after the many long weeks of despondency.

It was with that uncomfortable note that the quintet set off to the Bronze.

Spike stamped out his cigarette and quickly ducked into the shadows as Buffy and the Scoobies emerged from her house. He waited until they had driven away, swiftly getting on his motorcycle and following. The pursuant bunch had been hounding Buffy everyday and trying to get her to leave the house, and Spike that thought they'd been fighting a losing battle. Apparently he was wrong; he saw the car ahead turn down a side street and realized where they were going.

The vampire left his motorcycle in the alley behind the Bronze and slipped inside, climbing the stairs to the balcony to look through the mass of dancing bodies. After a few moments, he found them sitting at a table and sipping drinks. Anya was talking animatedly; Buffy, Xander, and Tara were making polite attempts to listen; but Willow… was looking straight at him.

Their eyes locked for a second and Spike realized that he had been caught. He had been so bloody intent on watching the Slayer that he didn't consider that anyone would notice his not-so-hidden presence. Cursing, he turned from the witch and disappeared from her sight.

"Drinks!" Willow exclaimed suddenly, grabbing the half-finished beverages and standing up. "Hey Xander, why don't you come help me out?"

"Um… sure," he said, raising both his eyebrows and walking off with the redhead. "Willow, are you—"

"Spike's here," she interrupted, dropping the phony attitude and developing a serious expression on her face. "He was just standing on the balcony and staring at us, at Buffy."

"Great," Xander said sarcastically, shaking his head as he collected fresh glasses from the bartender. "Do we tell Buffy?"

"No!" the witch exclaimed. "No, definitely not. She's got enough problems as it is, a vampire stalking her would definitely add to the stress."

"Are you sure it's not just a coincidence?" The two began to make their way back to the table, but Xander stopped abruptly and waited for Willow's answer.

"I'm not sure," she said softly, looking at Xander seriously. "But we need to find out. Tonight after we bring Buffy back, we wait and see if Spike turns up. If I'm right, we need to tell Giles about this as soon as possible."

Buffy looked up at the two as they reclaimed their seats at the table, then turned and continued listening to Anya, who hadn't stopped talking. There really was nothing more for her to do but wait until the night was over, then head home to the only true companionship she had known since Dawn's death.

It was strange, she thought, that she hadn't spoken to or even had contact with the person that she'd felt closest to recently. Words didn't matter, though; all that was important that he was there, every night, and that he helped her feel safe. She knew when he was near her but didn't dare say anything to him, for fear of losing the guardian that was helping her heal.

Even though she knew he was the one person that understood, Buffy couldn't bring herself to reach out to Spike.

The said vampire stood sullenly in the dark alley, chain-smoking cigarettes and waiting for the objects of his vigil to leave. He had been stupid, standing out there in the open without the thought that anyone would see him; Willow would surely realize that he was watching Buffy, but he knew the witch well enough to believe that she'd assume he had sinister motivations.

It wasn't a selfish act, nothing like it had been before he had told her that he loved her. Then, he had only wanted to see her for his own satisfaction, him being a gutless wanker who lacked the courage to approach her. All he wanted now was to make sure that she was safe; the thing that scared him the most was the thought of her slipping just once on patrol and letting a demon get the best of her. He had plenty confidence in her ability, but the Slayer just didn't seem to have the fight in her anymore.

Throwing his cigarette brusquely, he straddled the seat of the motorcycle and took off, the engine roaring loudly as he drove down shadowy streets. Buffy would be safe with her friends and it would be far more suspicious to show up at her house just as the Scoobies were leaving, so he would wait for her. A pang of regret shot through the vampire's body; if Willow told Giles that he was watching his Slayer, he would be dust before he could say "Mr. Pointy."

Spike wondered whether they would tell Buffy. The group tended to avoid uncomfortable subjects and might possibly think that she wouldn't want to know that she was being watched; he hoped for this scenario, because he couldn't conceive how the Slayer would react. Not one to think before you act, eh, Spike? he wryly thought to himself, wondering whether he would ever learn.

Upon arriving at Revello Drive, the vampire hid his motorcycle and walked the remaining distance to Buffy's house. They could arrive at any time but he didn't move to hide, settling himself against his favorite tree and lighting up yet another cigarette.

"Well, that was a blast!" Willow said. "We should, uh, do it again next week!"

"Sure," Buffy said politely, looking at the four faces from her doorway. "Well, uh, I'd better get off to bed."

"Right," Tara agreed. "Do you… need anything, Buffy?"

"I'm fine," she answered quickly, leaning against the doorframe. "I just want to get off to sleep."

"Okay," Xander said, nodding. "Good-night, Buff."

"'Night!" Anya chimed in cheerfully.

"Good-night," the Slayer replied, closing the door and leaving the four outside.

Willow waited until they had gotten back in the car before letting out a frustrated sigh. "That didn't go very well."

"What are you talking about?" Tara asked. "I thought it went great!"

"That's because you didn't notice Captain Peroxide spying on us."

"What!"

Xander sighed, putting the car in reverse and backing out of Buffy's driveway. "Spike was watching us when we were at the Bronze," he explained. "I'd hate to end the night on such a creepy note, but we've gotta come back here in a few minutes to see whether it was just that once or whether he's making a habit of watching Buffy again."

An uncomfortable silence filled the car, but ended when Anya said, "Spike's smoking behind the tree under Buffy's window." The three others looked to her with annoyed looks. "Well I didn't want to say anything before because I didn't know we were spying on him!"

"Thanks, Ahn," Xander said, smiling at the blonde sweetly.

"Well I guess that settles it," Willow remarked a moment later, letting out a tired sigh. "As soon as Giles gets back, I'll go talk to him about what's going on."

Tara fidgeted nervously for a moment before speaking. "Do we… do we tell Buffy?"

Willow started to talk but was interrupted by Xander. "I know you don't think we should tell her, Will, but she's got a right to know. She'll find out anyway, even if we don't tell her."

The witch was quiet for a moment, but nodded in acquiescence; the car turned off Revello Drive and drove down the darkened street.

Buffy collapsed onto her bed, the events of the evening a blur in her mind. After a week of their harassment, she'd finally given in and went with them, the night turning out exactly as she knew it would. Buffy knew that they cared about her and were acting like they were out of concern, but she didn't want—need—to act like everything was normal. Nothing could be normal for a very long time, if ever, after what had happened to Dawn.

The shadow of the tree's leaves shifted slightly, and Buffy knew that Spike was on the branch and looking in her window. She didn't know why his presence didn't unnerve her, or at least bother her like the others' did. It was because there was no pressure, Buffy realized, to 'get over it' and move on; Spike didn't try to make her act in any different way, but simply watched her. He was there when she patrolled, when she had Scooby meetings, and when she went to sleep—he was almost like an angel.

A grin surfaced for a moment at the comparison of the two very different vampires, but it vanished almost as soon as it appeared. Turning on her side and curling up, she pulled a pillow into her embrace and snuggled against it. What she really needed—what she was most afraid of admitting to herself—was just one night with someone holding her.

"It's crazy, Giles."

The Watcher closed his eyes for a moment, a vein throbbing in his forehead since hearing the latest worrisome development of his Slayer's life. "Well, yes, obviously this needs to be taken care of, as soon as possible."

Willow nodded resolutely. "I'll head there right now, Giles, and take care of everything."

"No," he said sharply, earning a questioning look from the witch. "I'll do it."

"But Giles, you must be exhausted! I mean, you just got back this afternoon after the delayed flight from Hell… well, technically, the delayed flight to Hell, since, hello! Sunnydale and the Hellmouth and all; but I've got no problem dealing with Spike, Giles, it's not like he can do anything to me—"

"I said 'no!'" Giles interrupted her rambling with an even sterner voice, and Willow realized now was not the time to argue. "Spike has been an ally at times, but his behavior is dangerous and I will not tolerate it for any longer." The look in his eyes was almost frightening in its intensity. "Whatever Spike's motivations are, they do not matter. I refuse to sit idly by and have him harass Buffy." With that, he stormed out of the Magic Box and left a very uneasy Willow standing alone.

Spike opened his eyes groggily, only to be greeted with a very pissed-off Watcher holding a stake to his chest. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you, Rupes!" Spike yelled, instantly wide-awake.

"You know exactly why I am here Spike, so I want you to listen to me very carefully." Giles spoke with deadly precision, and the vampire realized that these could very well be the last words he heard. "You will stay away from Buffy. You will not contact her, you will not follow her, and you will not send others to follow her. If you in any way try to interfere with our lives, and most specifically my Slayer's, I will know. And I will come here to personally dust you." The stake pressed more vehemently into the vampire's chest, as if the Watcher wanted to drive the point closer to home—literally.

"Rupert," Spike said softly, his eyes locked on the wooden weapon, "I haven't been trying to hurt Buffy." When he paused for a response and received none, he continued. "I just wanted to make sure she was alright on her patrols and such; I know you've noticed how skinny the bit's become, and I've just been afraid that some li'l nasty will catch her in the dark someday and…" He trailed off, unable to voice the disturbing thought.

Giles was still for a moment, then promptly pocketed the stake. Spike sat up, letting out a sigh of relief as he stood and faced the other Englishman. He almost thought the two of them would see eye to eye, but the idea vanished when the Watcher spoke. "Regardless of your intentions, Spike, you are not doing Buffy a service. I stand by what I said before—leave my Slayer alone."

The man swiftly strode out of the crypt, closing the door and leaving the vampire in complete darkness. As much as it hurt to admit it, Spike accepted that Giles was right. Buffy didn't need someone stalking her; she needed the love and support of her friends, one of which he most obviously wasn't.

Despite the logic in Giles' statement, a small voice in Spike's head kept telling him that he was making the wrong decision in giving up. No, he told himself, there's nothing that I can do to help her. It wasn't the fear of being dusted that had convinced him; he simply refused to do anything that could hurt Buffy. Grabbing a bottle of bourbon from the table, the vampire settled back down on his sarcophagus and began drinking himself to sleep.

Buffy and Xander sat awkwardly at the island in her kitchen, each staring at their hands and none looking straight at the other. "Buffy," Xander finally said, his voice cracking on the second syllable. Completely out of her character, the blonde didn't quip on the embarrassing event, but patiently waited for him to continue speaking. "Buffy, Spike's been following you, again."

"Oh," Buffy replied disinterestedly. "Are you staying for dinner?"

Xander was flustered for an instant, but quickly worked up the ability to speak. "You don't care!"

"I already knew." A pause. "Am I supposed to be bothered?"

"Well… yeah, Buff!" Xander exclaimed. "I mean, come on—don't you have enough on your plate right now without a deranged vampire—"

"At least he hasn't been trying to make me act like my sister didn't just die." Buffy's eyes were wide and there was a deadly serious tone in her voice. "Xander, I know you and the others are trying, but… it just isn't working."

"Tell us what you need, then," the brunette pleaded. "Please, Buffy, just let us know! You don't need Spike, you need—"

"Stop," she interrupted. There was a moment of silence before she continued. "Unless you know what it feels like to wake up every morning dead inside, then I don't think you can help me." Without another word, Buffy strode through the door outside, leaving a very stunned Xander alone in her own house.

She didn't look where her legs were carrying her; she only cared to move as far away from her home as possible. It wasn't Xander or the others' fault that she felt this way, Buffy knew, but they were trying to take away from her the only solace that she had.

Dazzled by the brightness, she shook her head and realized where she was. The sea of headstones surrounding her looked so much different in the light of day; she had never truly looked at them in this way before. The Slayer gazed at the rapidly setting sun, a long-repressed emotion welling up in her chest as her face was bathed in light. It was the feeling inside of her that compelled her to renounce her stubbornness. No longer would she spurn the passion she'd denied for so long. At dusk, she would go to him.