“Buffy!” Willow yelled as she burst into Buffy’s room with tears running down her cheeks.
Buffy shot up in her bed. She saw Willow standing in her doorway with tears running down her cheeks and looking panicked. She felt Spike stir behind her and wake up.
“What is it, Willow? What happened?”
“Spike,” Willow sobbed, “I think… I think Kennedy may have staked her in her sleep.”
Buffy motioned for Willow to go to the bed, and she slowly walked towards the bed. As she did so, Buffy said, “Willow, Spike is right here.”
As Willow arrived and stood by Buffy’s bed, Spike slowly sat up.
Spike mistook the shocked look on her face as her wonder what the hell he was doing in Buffy’s bed and tried to explain. “Buffy had a nightmare, and we fell asleep.”
“Spike,” Willow whispered.
Willow practically flew over Buffy to hug Spike.
“You’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay, you’re okay,” Willow said over and over.
Spike put his hand on Willow’s back and looked at Buffy confused.
Buffy shrugged her shoulder and touched Willow’s back.
“Willow,” Buffy said, “What happened?”
(^..^)
After Willow explained to Spike and Buffy what had happened in the basement, they went down stairs. Willow found Kennedy still in the basement trying to figure out what it was she had done. They went into the kitchen to find Spike and Buffy getting coffee and warming up some pig’s blood.
Kennedy slowly sat down on a stool in front of the island staring at Spike. She couldn’t believe that he was standing there.
“So,” Spike said looking at Kennedy, “I hear you tried to kill me again.”
Buffy kicked Spike in the foot and gave him a look. He gave her his best apologetic look. “Kennedy,” Buffy said walking over to her. “Why didn’t you tell us that you were sleepwalking?”
“I didn’t think it was a big deal. Just, you know, walking in my sleep.”
“ Do you remember what you were dreaming about?”
“No,” Kennedy looked down at the counter top. “Not lately anyway.”
Buffy looked at Willow. “Alright, Kennedy, maybe you should get a little more rest. Willow, Dawn and I will try to figure out why this is happening, okay?”
Kennedy nodded and left to go back up stairs.
“What do you think it is?” Willow asked.
“ I don’t know. Could be a bad dream, or a spell or anything. We better research just to be safe. Why don’t you go and get the books out so we can start soon.” Willow nodded at Buffy and left to go into the dinning room.
“Spike, why did you have to say that to Kennedy?” Buffy wasn’t mad at him, but she wasn’t pleased either.
“Sorry, Buffy,” Spike looked down at his feet, ashamed. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Well, don’t apologize to me, you should apologize to Kennedy. Willow said that she seemed upset when she finally woke up.”
“I will, when she gets up again.” There was a moment of silence as Buffy sipped her coffee.
“I don’t understand something,” Spike said.
“What?” Buffy said putting her cup down.
“Why does everyone all of the sudden care about me?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you, taking me out of the basement, and after I’ve killed again you still don’t stake me. Willow with her hugging me last night after finding out that I’m not just a pile of dust, and Kennedy being upset that she may have staked me in her sleep.”
“Well, Kennedy like you. She thinks your cool. And she’s only known the souled you, not the unsouled ‘I’m gonna kill you and pick my teeth with you bones’ you. She thinks you’re a good guy.” Buffy stopped, then quickly added, “Which you are.” Spike rolled his eyes at the last part.
“And Willow?”
“Willow… I don’t know about Willow. Maybe she feels connected to you.”
“Connected?”
“Yeah, you know, she’s killed, you’ve killed. You two have… killing relations.” It sounded more like a question.
“I don’t think that’s it,” Spike said, leaning up against the sink with his arms folded across his chest.
“You right. I don’t know why Willow acted that way.”
“And you?”
“And me?”
“Why do you care about me?”
“I care because it’s my job to care.”
“You’re job is to care about vampires? I thought your job was to slay vampires, not kill them.”
“It is. But, I’ve changed the rules. I now care about anything with a soul.” Buffy smiled at him.
Spike chuckled and took a sip of his blood.
“Well, not everyone cares about you. I think Xander still hates you.”
“Good, let’s keep it that way.”
(^..^)
Spike walked into the kitchen from the back door rubbing his eyes. The sun had set just an hour before and a couple of the newest SIT’s wanted a fighting lesson. Kennedy had been tired all day, and was now asleep on the couch, Buffy was busy with dawn and Willow with the research, so the girls had asked Spike and he had agreed on giving a small lesson in the backyard. One of the girls, Molly, got a little to into the fight and threw a handful of sand into Spike’s eyes and attacked him when he howled in pain. She finally let him up after Christa, the newest SIT yelled at her. Spike practically ran into the kitchen, but tripped on one of the steps on the porch. Christa helped him up and he quickly made his way into the kitchen and over to the sink.
“Spike, I am so sorry,” Molly said following him into the kitchen.
“It’s alright,” Spike said washing out his eyes, “Blinding your enemies with sand. It’s a nice touch.” He dried his eyes with the closest kitchen towel.
“What happened?” Spike heard Buffy’s voice ask as he dried his face.
“I threw sand in Spike’s eyes. I think I got a little to into the training,” Molly said, looking at Buffy apologetically.
Buffy smiles at her sweetly, “Why don’t you and Christa go into the living room?”
After Molly and Christa left the kitchen, Buffy turned to Spike and said, “What do you think your doing?”
“I was helping,” Spike said standing in front of Buffy between her and the hallway.
“Someone could have really gotten hurt. YOU could have really gotten hurt.” Buffy said with her hands on her hips, not the least bit happy.
“Buffy, I was just trying to help. Kennedy was asleep and you were busy with the research, so I took them out into the backyard for a little lesson.”
Buffy quickly grabbed Spike by his arms and pulled him away just in the nick of time. As she pulled Spike away, Kennedy stabbed the air where Spike’s chest, and more importantly, his heart had been.
Spike looked at Buffy amazed, but the confession shone on his face.
“Buffy,” he said, breathless, “How did you know?”
“Our dream came true.” Buffy said, looking Spike in the eyes.
Spike had completely forgotten about the dream as the day went on. It happened just like the dream had.
Willow and Dawn came running in the kitchen. “Buffy, what happened?” Dawn asked.
“Kennedy, she’s sleepwalking again.” Buffy said.
Willow tried to wake Kennedy up, but it wasn’t working.
“Willow,” Buffy said, “We’re going to have to tie her to the bed tonight.”
Willow sighed, not happy, but knew that Buffy was right. “Alright. I’ll make sure she tied good and tight. But maybe you should keep Spike with you tonight, you know, just in case Kennedy gets loose.”
“I think that’s a good idea. But I think he’ll be okay tonight.” Buffy said.
Willow took Kennedy up stairs.
“I think I should go to bed,” Dawn said.
“Okay, good night Dawn.” Buffy said.
“Night Dawn.” Spike said. Dawn nodded and went up stairs to her room.
After a moment of silence, Spike said to Buffy, “You saved me.”
“I know,” she said looking at him, “I told you, I’m not ready for you to not be here yet.”
(^^)(^^)(^^)
