Author's note: This maybe the last chapter for a while, due to exams, but i promise sometime within the next two weeks I'll find time to update. Again this chapter is dedicated to Nessie345!

Chapter XII - Spike Makes A Promise to a Lady

In a Quaint Grecian town:

Buffy liked Greece.

At this point, however, she would have settled for anything that wasn't Russia. Russia, where everything was icicles and weird writing and cold. Very cold. Snow. Polar bears would be wearing scarves kind of snow. Practically no one spoke English but for some reason Spike didn't have a problem communicating. He even understood the whacked out writing system. Why people couldn't just use American letters was all beyond Buffy.

So she was almost relieved when some more of Lewis's hit men found them, forcing them to get rid of them, rob them and then move to another place.

She was standing outside in the cool Mediterranean air, it could not be less then seventy degrees and that was definitely of the good. And she would take any good she could get. So much has been of the bad side lately.

Far off she could see the blue green of the sea, part of her wanted to go down to the beach, another part made her just want to stay put. She sighed, split in two yet again. Half of her wanted to go down there and enjoy herself, the other part wanted to stay as far away from anything remotely Sunnydale as she could get. It made her miss her friends even more. God, she even missed her slayer duties, how messed up was that? She even missed Dawn.

Dawn. What had her mother done about Dawn?

Oh great. Just-what were the words Spike used?-bloody-sodding-wanker-buggering-bint-tosser Great. Spike had even forbidden her from calling or making contact or even letting them know she was alive. He said it was to protect them, not to get them involved. And the worst part was the vampire actually made sense.

Since when was he sense-guy?

Who died and made him Giles anyway?

She really shouldn't go places alone. Especially quiet places where she could actually hear herself think. Thinking and Buffy were definitely un-mixy things right now. Thinking brought about much badness.

"What're you doing out here, slayer?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. She had gone out on the tiny balcony to escape him in the last rays of the sun; however, Mister sun foiled her plans by hiding behind another taller building.

"Thinking." she said.

Spike snorted.

"That'd be the day."

She turned to glare at him.

"Wanted to know if me and Alex should make with the beach hittage tomorrow." she said. "God knows, I could definitely use the time away from you."

Spike gave her a long hard look.

Buffy sincerely hoped that he was going to go into protective mode, just so she could fight with him. She could use a little rough and tumble even if it was only the oral variety.

And that sounded way more sexual than she thought it would. Even in her head.

EW, Sexual innuendos, Spike was even influencing her THOUGHTS!

"You miss them that much, yeah?"

She cocked her head to one side and peered at him, clueless.

"Huh?" was all she could manage.

Spike rolled his eyes.

"That only serves to prove my point." he said, he pulled a battered cigarette pack and hastily closed the door back into the small rented flat they were staying at behind him. "I've been yammering on for two minutes now and you are just staring off into bloody space." he took a long drag from his cigarette. "I know you miss solider boy, and your mum and the lot but to contact them would mean endangering them."

"Since when are you care-guy?" she demanded.

Spike shrugged.

"Because if they're all dead then I'm stuck with you."

Buffy was about to turn to him and demand why on earth he cared but then it hit her that he had mention Riley.

Riley.

Oh god.

She frowned and looked down willing her tears away.

"Slayer?"

His tone was curious. She didn't sense any concern. Well, this was Spike what was she expecting?

She took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"Of all the things I do miss." she said firmly. "I don't miss him."

Spike peered at her for a moment, then took another long drag.

"Don't you now?" he said, considering his words carefully. "Well then, this sounds like quite a yarn. Go ahead and tell me about it. What happened after I tipped you off to his extra curricula's?"

Buffy glared at him.

"Why should I?" she demanded icily.

Spike shrugged, he finished off his cigarette and quickly grabbed another one. He was watching her closely as he put it between his lips and lit it.

"No reason." he said blowing out the smoke. "Just thought it might be better to get it out is all."

Buffy took a deep breath. He was right, she always felt better after lengthy rants to Willow about any woe she might have, but there was no way in hell she was going to let him know he was right.

"He left." she said simply, deciding to give him the highly abbreviated version. Then, unwittingly and very nearly silently she added, "Just like the rest of them.

Spike arched an eyebrow.

"well." he said, "I know it's not a consolation and all, but I promise never to leave you alone."

She looked at him incredulously. They were enemies, well, not enemies but not friends... and not acquaintances either. She didn't even know what category they fell under. No-category-ness wasn't grounds for commitment promises.

"What?" she said.

Spike shrugged. His tone unapologetically concerned.

"Like it or not pet, I need you and you need Me." he said. "So when push comes to stake, I'll be there. I won't leave." he nodded once. "And that's a solemn promise." he paused and smiled as if in his own private joke. "To a lady. A promise to a lady is something I do not easily break."

Buffy glared at him.

"And what's with the sudden concern-y-ness? I thought you wanted to kill me?" she asked. "Why should I even believe you?"

Spike locked eyes with her for a full second and then smirked.

"Well, that's your choice." he said. He tossed the cigarette but over the balcony and slipped back into the apartment.

Buffy looked on after him and then looked out into the Greek sun set.

"Well, that was weird." she said out loud. She figured if it was out there it would seem more real. Because Spike promising to be around wasn't weird.

And that was weird.