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Chapter 4- Is This Real?

Angel walked slowly towards his least favorite person's room. He paused right outside the door for a while deciding whether to just barge in or knock.

"Just open the bloody door, Peaches" Spike said from inside.

Angel sighed as he went in. Spike was sitting on his arm chair watching Passions. "So what brings you down here...boss?" teased Spike.

"I need you to go to this place and I need you to leave tonight. At midnight. We think there might be a couple of demons there" he handed Spike a piece of paper. "I need someone who can take care of himself in case there are problems" He said. "And basically someone I don't care about if he dies" he muttered. But Spike being all vampire-y hearing and all, he heard it loud and clear. " 'Ey. I heard that. Well, no harm, no foul. Feeling's mutual" he said with a wink.

Spike looked up after he read the piece of paper. "Alright then. I'd love to get away from you people even if it's just for a day or two." He said as Angel sighed and sat down on the chair beside Spike. Something about Angel's expression made Spike doubt that that was all that his grandsire had in his mind.

"So what are you really here for?" asked Spike as he took a drink. "You could easily ask one of your soldier boys to do the job instead of me" he continued.

Angel sighed again. He knew it was either now or never. "It's Buffy" he finally said. Spike almost choked on his drink when he heard that. "She's here? In L.A.?"

Angel nodded. "Dawn's with her too. They're staying at the office. We have extra rooms for them"

"And you want me to stay away from them" said Spike uncertainly as Angel nodded. "Oh I see you're afraid of some competition" challenged Spike as he smirked.

"No that's not it" Angel said, getting angry. "They weren't even planning to stop by. They arrived in L.A. just yesterday and at the same time, their dad was murdered by a demon we've been tracking for a while. They needed a place to stay"

"Oh" Spike said thinking about it for a while. He felt sad for Buffy since he knew a lot of people have left her in her life. Including yours truly. He thought. "Well, wouldn't it be better if I showed up? It'd make her happy, I'd wager"

"No, I don't want to risk it. After her dad's death and then you showing up, it might be too much for her to take in."

Spike considered it for a while. If Buffy really was back, and considering the events that just happened, he knew Buffy would need someone to talk to. She'd just shut herself off just like she said she's been doing her whole life as a slayer. But he decided, a day or two wouldn't hurt.

"Fine" he said grumpily. "But when I get back, I'm free to show myself to her"

"Fine" Angel said just as grumpily as he started to leave the room. "Just don't do anything stupid I'd have to kill you for" he said.

"You know me" Spike said as he smirked and Angel shook his head not knowing what he even meant by that, and closed the door.

Buffy woke up at the middle of the night, not being able to sleep. She stared at the ceiling, thinking. Getting out of bed, she went over and sat next to her sister's bed. She stroked her sister's hair carefully so as not to wake her, just like she did when they were younger. Dawn. God, I don't know what I'd do without her. I've lost Tara, Anya, Spike, Mom, and now Dad. I can't bear to lose her. She's the only real family I have now. She thought sadly.

As quiet as a mouse, she put on her robe and went over to the balcony doors and opened them, stepping outside to the cold breeze. Watching the scene before her, cars speeding by, and the stars twinkling above her, she stood there deep in thought, again. Another one lost… She thought, remembering all who have left her. Dead or not.

A single drop of water hit her and broke her out of her thoughts as she looked around trying to find out where it came from. She looked up towards the sky and several more drops fell and soon enough it was pouring rain. "Just great" she muttered and went inside, not even bothering to make a run for it.

When she got inside, she was soaking wet. She went to the bathroom and took a shower and dried herself off putting on some loose clothes. After, she decided to head out to the kitchen to get a drink and maybe a snack if she felt like it. She quietly left the room and started making her way towards the kitchen. She realized she didn't know the way around the whole building. Angel didn't really have a chance to show her around since when they arrived from their trip, she and Dawn just went straight to the room provided for them. She decided she had all night. She didn't want or feel like sleeping anyway.

Going around the whole place, Buffy saw that there were like a million rooms everywhere she turned around. Lots of rooms with lots of things she didn't recognize. Then she remembered that Wolfram and Hart was a law firm, of well, evil. And Angel was part of it. She remembered the time they were looking for another rogue slayer and Andrew had gone to take care of it. Buffy didn't trust the law firm and she didn't trust Angel as much anymore. Especially because she didn't expect him to do something so unbelievable. Worried that he would be corrupted by the power and evil and loose sight of what was important. She couldn't believe that that was the man (technically vampire) she fell in love with. Because of all the shock of the events, she had forgotten all of this. Finally shaking those thoughts away, she turned around a corner and found the kitchen.

Spike looked at the clock and saw it was a quarter past midnight. He decided to get a move on the job so that he would get back as early as he could. And maybe so that he can comfort Buffy A.S.A.P. He got up and got a few of his things. Cigarettes, lighter, leather coat, the usual. Going to his refrigerator he also decided to pack some blood. "Bugger" he said as he saw he didn't have anymore blood. Deciding to drop by Angel's to get (or is it stealing?) some blood, he left headed there.

When he got to W&H, he never expected to see anyone awake there. Well probably tall, dark and forehead brooding his head off. He thought with a smirk. He was wrong however when he arrived at the kitchen and saw the last person he ever expected to see…Buffy.

Her back was turned to her but there was no mistake. It was her alright, the woman he fell in love with. "Buffy?" he asked.

That voice. That one voice made Buffy's heart skip not just one beat, but two. Slowly she turned around her heart pounding and millions of thoughts raced through her mind. This can't be real. I'm dreaming. She thought. When she turned around she saw exactly what has been in her dreams for the past few months. She'd had too many of these kinds of dreams in the past and they all ended badly.

"S-spike?" she asked her voice full of uncertainty and shock. She prepared herself for the worst. Usually in her dreams he would end up in flames or the last moment they had in the hellmouth would play over and over, each different but with the same kind of heartache.

"Are you real?" she asked softly, tears yet forming again. She didn't notice the pool of drinking water forming on the floor that was dripping from the pitcher she was holding.

"As real as you are, pet" Spike said, a little smile forming on his lips. He hadn't been planning to show himself yet to Buffy and yet it happened. He could see her trying to figure it all out and trying so desperately to hide her emotions from being seen on her face.

Buffy desperately wanted to be in his arms and stay there forever. To seek comfort in his arms and let the world fall away. So she decided to do exactly just that. No matter if this was a dream. No matter if it was a hallucination. No matter if it would end badly. Putting down the glass and pitcher, she made to run towards him. But out of sheer desperation, she still didn't notice the pool of water. She slipped and fell and unfortunately hit her head on the table in front of her, falling unconscious.

"Buffy!" Spike yelled as he ran and caught her before she hit the ground. He carried her in his arms and saw that there was a small bump starting to form on her forehead. He decided to bring her back to her room so that she can rest. He slowly made his way up towards Buffy's room and despite everything, he smiled. She looks as beautiful as ever. He thought with another smile. But her eyes. He thought as he noticed the dark circles that had formed beneath her eyes. He frowned as he noticed that.

Opening her room, he carefully laid her down on her bed. He got an ice pack, a pen, and a piece of paper. He put the ice pack on Buffy's head and quickly scribbled a note. Be careful next time:)

He next went over to Dawn who was sleeping soundlessly. The lil' Bit's grown a lot. And beautiful just like her sister. He thought as he gently kissed Dawn's forehead. Going back to Buffy, he removed the ice pack and put it on the bedside table then kissed Buffy on the forehead too. As he stood and left the room, he looked back and could've sworn he saw a small smile on both Buffy and Dawn's face.

R E V I E W S p l e a s e ! T h a n k s !