It had been four days. Four days since he had seen her.

Spike was worried out of his mind about her. He was afraid that Riley had done something to her, hurt her in any way. He cringed at the thought of it. He never wanted her to leave that night. He wanted to keep her with him, wanted to keep her safe.

Buffy knew that she couldn't stay. She had told Riley that she was going for a run since she didn't feel tired. She wanted to stay, too. She had told him that, but it wasn't enough for Spike. He wanted to know that she was okay.

He was filling the cups of coke for his customers when he felt her. He felt her near. He looked up, seeing the vision in front of Willow, smiling and laughing as if everything was okay.

He set the drinks on the table telling his customers if they needed anything they should just yell and he would be back. He headed to Buffy then, only just seeing that someone was following behind her.

Riley.

He was there, and he wanted to kill him. Spike wanted to get Buffy away from Riley for good. He had talked to Willow about it, making a pact that they would do whatever it took.

He headed to Willow, who looked distressed from listening to Riley talk. She was about to make up some type of response when Spike interjected, "Hey, Willow, do you think you could help me find the folders in the back for the inventory?"

Willow noticed the pleading in his voice, knowing exactly what it meant, "Um, actually, I'm kinda busy right now. Riley was telling me some very interesting stories about some calls that he got. I was hoping to listen to some more." She looked at Buffy, "Could you help him? You know as much about this place as I do. Would you mind?"

Buffy knew what they were doing, hoping that Riley didn't, "Sure. Why not. I'll be back, Riley."

He brushed off the fact that Buffy was walking away with another man, pleased that WIllow seemed to be interested in hearing stories from his nightly calls in his job, "Sure, honey. Go along now."

Buffy did just that. She followed Spike to the back room for the inventory, barely making it into the room before being pushed into the closed door, and lips plundering down on her.

She had missed him. She felt it, he felt it, hell, if anyone else was in there, they would have felt it, too. They had never felt this way about anyone before. Spike felt his inner William coming out to play when he softened the kiss. He glided his lips over hers, just wanting to take in the taste of her.

He pulled back a bit, giving her time to breathe, stealing gentle kisses in between. Sighing, he reached a hand to stroke her hair that she wore down more often now. Mainly because she knew how much he liked it, "God, I missed you."

She smiled up at him, "I know what you mean. I missed you, too."

He pulled her to him, just wanting to feel her in his arms, making sure that she knew that she was safe with him. After a few minutes, he pulled back, looking her in the eyes, "I talked to Willow. We're going to get you away from him."

Buffy gently pushed him away, moving around him, hugging her arms around herself, "No, you can't do that. I won't let you. You'll get hurt, both of you. I won't let you get hurt, either one of you, just because of me."

He grasped her upper arms softly, "You listen here. I am not going to just sit around and watch some jack ass hurt you. I won't do it. We are going to get you away from him, you hear me? No matter what it takes."

She sighed, stepping back into his arms, locking her hands behind his back, "I don't want to be with him anymore. God, I don't want to. I just don't want you or Willow to get hurt. Especially not you."

He kissed the top of her head, "Why not, sweets?"

"I don't know. I think I'm falling for you. Hard. Harder than I've ever fallen before, and it scares me. I don't want to get hurt again."

Spike's heart soared. She was falling for him, and she openly admitted it. She was going to love him and he would cherish it forever, "I know exactly what you mean, sweetheart. I'm falling for you, too. I've been falling since the first time that I first saw you."

She looked at him astonished, "Really?"

He kissed her lips gently, "Really. Don't ask me how or why because I can't answer that. But I know that I have. And I don't want to risk losing you. Not ever."

She pulled him into another soft kiss, taking him by surprise. She had never initiated the kisses. It was always him, but he decided that he liked this part of her. She pulled back after a second, "We need to get back out there. Not only will Riley eventually get suspicious, but I'm betting Willow is about to die from hearing those stories."

Spike chuckled lightly, not really wanting to go back out there, "Okay. Give us one more kiss."

She smiled and kissed him once more before pulling back, grasping his hand to lead him out of the inventory room. He knew the instant that he saw her go back to his side by Willow that Riley was too dense to even notice that they had been gone for longer than 30 minutes.

Willow and Spike had a plan. They were going to get her away from him and get him sent to jail. No matter what it took, he would make sure of it. No one hurts the woman he loves.