Spike's regret.

Set sometime after 'Something Blue' in series 4, Spike's still chained to a bathtub. But when Buffy picks up his coat, an old Photo drops out…

Includes: A Spike X Other character relationship.

Possible spoilers, fiction rated T.

Note: The other character in this story, Lorena. I've written about her before under the category of 'The vampire Diaries by LJ Smith'….but it's not a crossover, because Lorena is my own character….

Spike was chained to the bathtub in Giles's bathroom. Buffy had been interrogating him, again. He wanted to rip her throat out, but the fact he couldn't hit a human got in the way. Buffy got up. "Fine, I'll come back later then."

"Yeah fine, just give me my coat will you…it's not exactly comfortable here."

"Well that is the idea." Said Buffy stubbornly.

"Just give me the coat!" Buffy sighed sounding annoyed and picked up the coat. As she did a photograph fell out. It looked old, ancient almost. It pictured a young woman. She was wearing a black silk and velvet dress. She looked rich. She was also beautiful. The Photo was black and white, but Buffy could still see that she had long dark hair with a slight wave to it and a curl at the ends, rather like Drusilla's hair, loose strands fell over her dark eye. She had a defined face, and, even with the lack of colour, Buffy could see she had bright red lips. She looked like a princess from a fairy tale.

"Who's this?" Buffy asked Spike.

"Give that too me!" He demanded sounding aggravated. "It's none of your business who she is."

"Well, if she's a nobody…" Buffy held the photo over the toilet. "I guess you don't need it. Spike snarled his face changing form to vampires.

"Give me the picture…" He said steadily.

"You're really not doing anything to convince me…" Said Buffy, enjoying all the taunting. Spike looked at his knees, his face changing back.

"Her name is Lorena…now give it back."

"One of your victims?" Spike laughed.

"She was gonna be…" He looked up at Buffy. "Give 'er back."

"Who was she?"

"I told you! Her name's Lorena, Lorena Catala if you must know."

"Why do you keep her picture?" Buffy continued. Spike sighed.

"Why do you want to know?" He said angrily.

"I'm asking the questions…why do you keep her picture?" Spike looked like he was a volcano about to erupt.

"Because I loved her ok? Happy now? Yes, Spike has regret, has a memory that haunts him, a…" He screwed up his face, "…weakness. Now can I have the picture?"

"You loved her? What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

"Oh for God's sake woman! Can't you leave me alone to feel sorry for myself?"

"Not until you tell me the story."

"I was human when I first met her. All those years ago. I wanted to be with her, I just didn't have the guts to talk to her. Her parents were rich snobs, Her Dad was tough, and her mum was intimidating. But when I was turned into a vampire, I didn't want to love her anymore. I hated her because I loved a mortal. I decided to kill her, put her behind me. Dru wanted me, what did I need a mortal woman for, what could one mortal do for me that Dru couldn't. So I went to her house, her parents weren't in luckily, I attacked her, and I tried to kill her…."

"But?" Buffy pressed.

"I'm getting to that bit!" Spike said scowling at her. "She was a vampire…and a bloody powerful one at that. She wasn't the same kind of vampire as me either…she didn't have the same face when she attacked. Only her teeth got longer, she didn't have the snarl like me…and she had witch blood. She whooped my ass. But, she didn't kill me. Said she liked my fire…We ran off together. I took her everywhere, gave her everything. We were crazy love birds. Then, on day, her parents showed up. Now don't get her wrong, she wasn't a mummy's girl, her parents just wanted to keep her under lock and key. She hated her parents for it. Turns out they were both vampires too…Her Dad knocked me out and they took her away…I looked for her, but I couldn't find her. I wound up with Dru…Then you came a long…" He looked up at Buffy, "Y'know, It was Lorena that helped me kill the Slayers… She was well impressed when I bought the bodies back for her to suck dry…" He smiled. "God I miss her." Buffy got to her feet.

"So she's out there somewhere." She asked.

"Yep…" Replied Spike. Buffy threw the picture at him and stormed to the door.

"Your were sick, the both of you…" She slammed the door.

"Hey! What about my coat!" Spike shouted.