Needy

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Needy
By Ripe Wicked Plum

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

"Anything new on Glory?" Buffy asked, leaning against the counter of the magic shoppe.

Giles shook his head, wearily rubbing his eyes, "Nothing, Buffy, I'm sorry..."

"Yeah...basically, it's all the same. Evil hell-bitch...she who will not be named...oops, people going insane," Xander added helpfully, and Buffy sighed.

"Xander, that's of the not helping," Willow lightly chastised him.

"Tara, did you check the spell books for Glory-fighting stuff?"
The blond witch nodded with a disappointed look on her face, "Not really...but we could try to turn her into a toad or something...but I thought that was a little cliché."

Buffy smiled despite her somewhat dark mood, and Willow beamed at her lover proudly, "Don't worry, honey, we'll find something."

Anya looked around, feeling a little left out, "Maybe we can call a demon to eat her or something..."

"Can we do that?" Buffy asked, and Giles shook his head, "Most of the demons you can call may end up killing innocent bystanders. I think it's unethical if we do it."

"Damn those wascally ethics," Xander rolled his eyes, "Well, we have to figure something out! Glory's getting more bitchy..."

"And bold," Buffy shook her head, "She has to be stopped. I can't be having her showing up at Dawn's school again! What if Spike doesn't make it the next time?"

"Oh! New subject!" Xander held up his hand, "Can I be the first to say..."

"Xander, you were the first, the second, the third and God help me, the tenth, person to tell me this isn't a good idea. Give it a rest already."

Giles glared at Xander, "Must we end this in another argument, Xander? If so, take it outside before I go insane, and chop you both into little bits with an ax."

Xander blinked in surprise, and Buffy gave him her best, 'nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah,' look.

"Thank you," Giles turned back to the group, "Willow, keep up the internet searches, Tara, you are still on spells...Buffy..."

"I know, I know. Ass kick brigade..."

"Uh...right...you read my mind," Giles replied dryly, "Xander and Anya, uh..."

"By that long pause, we know we're the useless members of the group," Xander joked lightly with his girlfriend, and she looked offended, "I take the money!"

Giles shook his head, and was about to advise them to keep researching the books when the door burst open, and a very uncomfortable vampire entered. With Dawn clinging to his back.

"Slayer! Tell your sister if she kicks me in the side one more bloody time..."

"Dawn! What are you doing? Get off Spike!" Buffy said, trying to hide her amusement at the horribly humiliated blond.

"Can't! He lost the bet. He has to carry me around for an hour. Wherever I want to go..."

"What bet?" Buffy eyed him warily, "Are you turning my sister into a gambler?"

"How was I supposed to know she'd be a bloody poker genius?" He complained, glaring at Dawn over his shoulder, "Get off for now, Nibblet, before I tip over. You bloody weigh a ton."

Dawn looked insulted but she let go of his neck, and he sighed in relief, rubbing the back of his neck, "Bloody hell..."

Buffy shook her head, turning back to her friends, seeing the way they were all glaring at the vampire, except for Tara and Anya, who both looked like they weren't sure about how they were supposed to feel about him.

"Great, Junior's here....can we get back to business?" Xander asked and Giles shook his head, "That's it. We're done..."

Spike groaned, "Christ...talk about something! I don't want the monkey on my back again!"

Buffy tried not to laugh at his pain, shaking her head, "I can't leave you two alone, can I?"

"Spike...I want ice cream."

"Fine...walk your bloody self! I'm done! I'm going to be the first vampire in history to have to see a chiropractor because he's giving the Slayer's sister a piggy back ride!"

"So? You're special...now up!"

Spike grumbled beneath his breath, but he would never welch on a bet and he leaned over, grunting when she jumped on him.
He stumbled back out with Dawn giggling on his back and he growled when she kneed him in the side.

Xander stared at them, shaking his head, "That was the weirdest thing I've ever seen...and that's coming from a native Sunnydalian."

Buffy nodded with a sigh, "Yeah...I hate having him in the house, but even I have to admit, he's good with Dawn."

Willow shook her head, a little amazed, "Who knew? Spike's a people person...you know, when he's not locking them in his crypt..." Buffy shot her a look, and she blushed, "Oh...Willow...shut up."

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

Weekendweekendweekend...Buffy chanted to herself as she opened the door, relaxation aside from Slaying, no school...just vegging out on my couch...

"AAHH! Nibblet! Not like that!"

Buffy groaned, shaking her head, trying to figure out what her sister and her resident vampire could possibly be doing.

She heard two pairs of giggles from the kitchen, and frowned, peeking in curiously.

Lisa and Dawn were sitting on the stools at the center island, surrounded by cookie makings as Spike tried futilely to keep them from getting at the dough.

Buffy raised an eyebrow, watching as he instructed them in the proper way to plop the dough on the cookie sheet.

Dawn grinned at Lisa before purposely making a ball too big, and Spike glared at her, finally catching on, "You were put onto this planet to torment me, weren't you?"

"Could be," She said, cockily popping a chocolate chip in her mouth, and Spike rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair and leaving a streak of flower on the white blond locks. His T-shirt was covered in the substance, and so were spots on his face and neck. "And to further make your day, Buffy's in the doorway."

Lisa burst out laughing when the vampire suddenly disappeared from view, dropping down below the counter, glancing at her best friend, "That was evil."

"Depends on your point of view," Dawn swiveled in her seat to look over at her sister, "Hey, Buffy. How was school?"

"Apparently boring, compared to your day," Buffy said, reaching for the cookie dough, pausing when there was a low growl,

"And you hush up, Chef Boyardee."

"He does ravioli," Spike grumbled, still sitting on the floor, and Buffy rolled her eyes, gaining her prize. "Hey, it's edible...and Spike made this?"

"Yep," Lisa nodded, "He was telling about the time his girlfriend, Drusilla, made him take cooking lessons cause she wanted cupcakes or something..."

"Crepes," Spike corrected, finally standing back up, dignity crushed and beaten. "And I thought that was in total confidence."

"You took cooking lessons?" Buffy smirked at him, "What else do you do?"

"I'd tell you, but there are children in the room," Spike smirked right back at her, and Buffy scowled as the two girls giggled.

"Funny. Oven's smoking."

"Whoa!" Spike dived towards it, and yanked the tray out with his bare hands, then yelped, dropping it on the stove. He then leapt towards the sink, sticking his hand under the water, swearing profusely under his breath.

Buffy rolled her eyes as he muttered something about that being the reason he ate his teacher and handed him a stick of butter off the table, "You're such a moron, Spike."

Spike rubbed it on his burnt hand, glaring at her, "You're not getting any cookies for that."

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

An hour later, and a few successful cookie batches later, Lisa and Dawn were sugared up and bouncing around the house, driving Spike to distraction as Buffy tried futilely to relax.

"You had to give them chocolate chip cookies, didn't you?" Buffy asked sarcastically as Spike banged his head against the kitchen counter, "Shut up and stake me," he muttered beneath his breath as Dawn and Lisa rounded the corner, playing a game of tag. "How the bloody hell do you people put up with this?!"

"Rule number one of being a parent," Buffy cited, "Never give a teenager sugar on Friday night."

"What's number two?" Spike lifted his head.

"Never give a teenager sugar the rest of the week either."

Spike dropped his head again with a hollow thud, "Oh...great..."

"Well...I'm off to the Bronze..."

"What?!" Spike's eyes widened, "You're not leaving me with them!"

"Sorry, Spike...but you're on Dawn duty tonight. It's not my fault you said she could have a friend over."

"I said friend! Not the human version of a sugar molecule!"

"Tag! You're it!" Dawn slapped Spike on the back, and he looked after her in surprise, "What? You can't tag me!"

Buffy shook her head as Spike charged after Dawn, "I'm living with children...children that are older then me by a couple centuries..."

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

"Now he's playing Tag?" Xander stared at Buffy liked she had grown a second head, and Buffy couldn't help grinning as she nodded.

Willow exchanged a look with Tara, "Maybe we should do some spells to make sure he isn't possessed..."

"What about...the whole...you know...um..." Tara blushed slightly, "The whole...he's totally in love with you...thing..."

"Oh...that?"

"Yes, that!" Xander shook his head, "You were all upset about it, remember? Beating on puffy Xander?"

Buffy frowned, shrugging, "I don't know. It's like...I'm not there for him, or something. It's the same as it's always been. Exchanging insults and stuff...he doesn't even say anything about that."

"What? He's suddenly...not?"

"Yeah. It's like that. I don't know. Maybe he got it out of his system like Giles told him to do..."

"Maybe it's Dawn," Anya said, sitting down with her drink, smiling at her boyfriend.

"Care to elaborate?" Buffy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Anya shrugged, "He likes her alot, obviously. And she likes him. They're filling up each other's time, and he doesn't really do anything else. When's the last time you saw him skulking around here?"

Buffy shook her head, "I don't get it. You're saying Spike doesn't like me anymore 'cause he and Dawn are acting all chummy?"

"What I want to know is why you don't like it."

"Like what?" Buffy frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Anya was about to reply when Ben came up, tapping Buffy on the shoulder. She looked up, smiling uncomfortably, "Oh...Ben, hi!"

"Um...hi. I got your message..."

"Oh, good. You really should put a recording on that thing. I didn't know if I was calling you or not..."

"You were," Ben glanced at the others, "Um...if I can't get coffee with you, can we dance at least?"

Buffy looked towards the dance floor, then at the others who were watching her expenctatly, "Yeah, sure...let's dance..."

He grinned, holding out his hand, and Buffy took it, allowing him to help her up. She fitted her body awkwardly against his as he placed his hand on the small of her back,

"How's Dawn?" he asked after a long silence, and Buffy started in surprise, "Dawn? Oh, she's taking mom's death okay, I guess..."

Ben paused, staring at her with wide eyes, "What?"

She looked up at him, her eyes widening, "Oh...you didn't know? I thought...since you worked in the hospital..."

"What happened to her?" He asked urgently, the hand on her back clenching in a fist, and Buffy frowned, "What happened to her, Buffy? Who killed her?"

"An aneurism...Ben...are you all right?" She asked, watching as his face paled and sweat popped on his forehead. "Ben?"

He shoved her away abruptly and she hit the ground with a hard thud. "BEN!"

He darted out an exit as Buffy stood up, and she shot a bewildered look at her friends before following.

Did he ask who killed her?

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

Ben leaned against the wall, panting as if he had just run a marathon. He doubled over with a grunt of pain, his eyes squeezing shut.

His skin rippled beneath the surface, and his facial structure contorted as he morphed into the face of his blonde counterpart.
Glory straightened, glaring down at her clothing, "GOD! I look like a Gap ad!" She whined, deciding it was time to rearrange Ben's wardrobe.

She glanced at the watch on her hand with a sigh before stalking out of the alley, I want my fucking Key!

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

Buffy slumped against the doorway of the Bronze, her eyes wide as she watched Glory stomp off petulantly. "Oh God..." she muttered beneath her breath before whirling around and rushing back into the Bronze to gather the gang for a major research session.

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

"So...you were like...around during World War Two?" Lisa asked, her eyes wide.

During a mishap when Lisa and Dawn had decided tickling was a good way to get Spike to let them use his computer, he had accidentally vamped out, necessitating the explaining of vampires to Lisa.

Spike shrugged modestly, lighting up a cigarette, "Yeah. I booted around Germany for a while...blighters got on my nerve. Especially that Hitler chap. Blabbing on about the purity of the Aryan race when he was only a demon."

"Hitler was a demon?" Dawn shook her head, "Man, they don't tell you the good stuff in the history books."

"Yeah...dumb bastard was trying to bring about the end of the world. Even got close to it before the Americans finally decided to lend a hand."

Lisa leaned forward interestedly, "But the whole extermination thing...what was your stand on that? I mean...you're soulless and all..."

Spike looked disgusted, "The whole lot were deluded, luv. Sure, I eat people, or used too, but I do have morals. It was disgusting. I never approved of the extermination of any race...or species for that matter. And they all thought they were better then the other people on the planet. Please. They were our food. We are the Master race...when you mortals start chowing down on people, We'll talk."

Lisa looked satisfied with his answer as she grabbed another cookie.

"Oh! The Sixties! You so have to tell us about the Sixties!"

"Greatest time, pet. All that free-love and what-not...it was great," He grinned, lighting up a cigarette, "Did I ever tell you about the time I ate a flower child..."

His story was cut short by the sound of a shrill siren, and Spike shot to his feet, his eyes wide, "FUCK!"

Lisa looked around in confusion at the loud noise, "Is that the burglar alarm?"

"Something like that," Spike grabbed Dawn around the waist, hefting her over his shoulder, "Come on!" He took Lisa's hand and rushed towards the door to the basement.

He vamped out to see in the dark, carefully guiding Lisa down the stairs as Dawn gripped him around the neck tightly, shaking in his arms.

He set her down at the bottom and move an old bookcase from the wall, "Get behind there! And don't come out unless I come for you or Buffy comes back, got it?"

Dawn and Lisa nodded, their eyes wide as Spike replaced it, careful not to squash the girls.

Fuckfuckfuckfuck...

He rushed back up the stairs, locking the door behind him, trying to concentrate through the loud alarm, grateful for the spell Willow and Tara had did.

He made his way to the window, opening the blinds a little to look out.

Glory stood in the front yard, wearing what looked like men's clothing as she glared around, obviously displeased with her cover being blown.

She started to come towards the door but Spike beat her too it, throwing it open just as she was about to kick it down, throwing her off balance.

Spike tackled her, forcing her off the porch before she could recover.

Glory tossed him off of her and Spike rolled to a standing position, facing towards the house, growling at her, "Get the hell out of here, luv...before I do something we'll both regret."

"Please!" Glory glared at him haughtily, "I'm a Goddess! What could you possibly do to me?"

Good question, Spike thought to himself, instead saying aloud, "How's your car, doll?"

Her eyes narrowed, "You're luckily I can afford a new one, buster, otherwise you'd be in a lot of pain right now..." She suddenly smiled, "Oh, what the hell...why don't I just do that anyway?"

Spike fell into a fighting stance as Glory came at him, and brought his fist up into her face. She barely flinched as she threw her arm up, and he went flying against the tree in the yard, grunting as he slammed against it, his broken nose pouring blood onto his clothes.

"Bitch!" Spike hissed in a nasal voice, spitting some blood out on the ground from the cut on his cheek, swearing when he realized he'd could probably only go a couple rounds with her.

"You're really rude..." she kicked him in the stomach, and he doubled over in pain, "I really hate it when people are rude!" She grabbed him by the head and slammed it against the tree, and he saw stars swirl in his vision, darkness threatening to tug him from reality.

Dawn...gotta protect the nibblet...

He forced himself upright and grabbed Glory by the throat, and tossing her towards the street, "You know what?" He kicked her in the side before she could get up, and she flinched, "I'm really fucking getting tired of..." he grabbed her by the hair and smashed her pretty face against the fender of his car a couple times, "Of you fucking women hitting me all the time!"

Glory grabbed his arm, and twisted it till the bone snapped. Spike let out a hoarse shout as Glory stood back up, kneeing him in the gut. "Give the Slayer a message for me," she snarled at him, lifting him by the labels of his coat.

Spike smirked at her defiantly, then spat a large wad of blood and saliva into her uplifted face.

She shrieked, flinging him towards the porch and the railing crumbled beneath him.

She wiped off her face with a disgusted grimace, stalking towards where Spike lay.

She grinned, seeing the large piece of wood jutting out his chest, then knelt over him, feeling his neck for a pulse. Finding none she tittered, "Never mind, you be the message. I'm sure it's fairly clear, don't you?"

She patted his limp face, then sighed sadly, "Too bad I had to ruin your looks. You were kinda cute..." She laughed again, strutting away confidently.

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

It was nearly dawn before Buffy left the Magic Shoppe.

I can't believe this...she shuddered, shaking her head. She had trusted Ben. Trusted him with Dawn, trusted him with her...trusted him around her mother!

This whole time...it was a ploy to get to me and Dawn...the sick fuck...

Her sadness gave way to anger at the way he had played her. She almost had a relationship with him! They were going to get coffee! Didn't he know that 'coffee' was sacred to her?

"Buffy? Are you all right?" Giles asked, glancing at her from the driver's seat of his car, and she nodded wearily, "Yeah. I was just a little thrown, that's all."

Giles sighed, "It is distressing. But you must admit. It is the perfect cover. Glory residing in the body of a doctor?"

"Intern..."

"A glorified male nurse."

Buffy smiled at her Watcher, "Thanks, Giles...I know this is killing you. The long hours and all..."

"Buffy, you know I would do anything for you. We all want to keep Dawn and you safe."

"I know, and I'm really grateful. I don't know what I would do without you guys..." She frowned, cocking her head, "Do you hear that?"

"What?"

"Sirens!" Buffy's eyes widened as she looked towards Giles, "Do me a favor and put this baby to work!"

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

"Spike? Wake up," a soft, warm hand patted him on the cheek, and he forced his eyes to open, feeling like they were covered with thirty pound weights.

"Mum?" He frowned, staring up into Joyce's face, and she smiled brightly, "That's a boy!"

"What are you doing here?" He asked, shaking his head, "Aren't you dead and all..."

"Do I need to even answer that," she shook her head at him sternly, "Spike...are you taking care of my babies?"

"Mum, I have a gaping chest wound with a bleeding porch railing sticking out of it, and you're asking me that?"

Joyce smiled at him, "Take care of them, Spike. They need you. You need them."

Spike shook his head, "They don't need me, mum. I'm just the bloody baby-sitter."

She cupped his chin in her hand, smiling sadly, "It's going to be hard, Spike. Buffy's going to want to let go, but you can't let her. You have to be there for her. You have to hold her and comfort her, and love her like I know you do."

"Mum? What's coming?"

"It's going to be hard, Spike. But you have to watch my little girls. You have to protect them, or Glory's going to win. Please...I know you can do it. You can't let Glory win! You can't let Buffy go. She's hurting...and you have to help her...and help Dawn. She doesn't know what she is...or what she can do..."

Spike shook his head, "Why me, mum? Why are you asking me? Why don't you ask her Watcher...or the Witches? I'm just a vampire, mum...not even a real one."

She stroked his hair, smiling sadly, "You're a man, Spike, and a fine one at that. You're loyal and you're sweet and kind, even if the others don't see it. And I trust you. I trust you to do right by my daughter, and I trust that you will kill for my babies when the time comes. And that you will die for them..."

"It's too much responsibilty...I don't want it..."

"You already have it, Spike. You already took it on. I just need to know you'll live by it. That'll you do everything in your power to protect them."

Spike stared up at her face, biting the inside of his cheek, "You shouldn't have gone, mum...they needed you...not me..."
Joyce wiped at the tears coursing down his face, "You're a sweet boy, William. You'll do right, won't you? You'll make everything okay..."

She bent, kissing his forehead, "Wake up, Spike..."

"Huh?"

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

"Spike...wake up..."

Buffy's voice pulled him from his fugue state, and he blearily opened his eyes. "Mum?"

"What?" Buffy frowned, glancing at Giles. Dawn and Lisa were huddling behind him near the door, staring at Spike worriedly.

"I'm going to take out the railing, so try to stay still."

Spike nodded, gritting his teeth together. "Wait!" Lisa rushed forward, kneeling by his head and picking up a piece of wood,

"You'll break your teeth," she told him and he nodded gratefully as he took the wood in his mouth and bit into it.

Buffy raised an eyebrow at the girl, "You guys might want to go inside for this, it gets a little...un-PG."

They both shook their heads, and Buffy sighed, glancing down at Spike. He removed the wood, "Nibblet, Lisa...go inside. I don't want a bloody audience."

Giles raised an eyebrow as they obeyed the blond, and Buffy rolled her eyes, "Don't get me started," She sighed as Spike replaced the wood.

She gripped the railing, squeezing her eyes shut in sympathy as she yanked it out. He threw his head back, his scream muffled by the wood.

Finally, his body relaxed, slumping back to the ground, his breathing heavy but unnecessary.

"Come on," Buffy gripped him underneath the arm, and helped him to his feet, "Let's get inside before you become Billy Idol BBQ."

Spike hissed, "Arm broken! Arm broken!"

"Oops!" She swiftly switched sides, and he sighed in relief, "How's the nibblet and the other one?"

She looked at him in surprise, "You look like you just went a round with Olaf, the psycho troll, and you're asking about Dawn?"

Spike didn't answer her, closing his eyes as he half-limped to the couch. Buffy settled him down on it, and Dawn and Lisa immediately made a beeline for him.

"Spike? Are you okay?" Dawn asked worriedly, and he chuckled, "Yeah, luv...never been better. I used the bint's head to bash the dent out that the Slayer put there last week."

Lisa stared at his chest, her eyes wide, "That is so cool! Does it hurt?"

"Like a bitch," he said, leaning his head back against the couch as Giles returned with the first-aid kit, "And I'll thank you to not call my life-threatening injuries 'cool.'"

"It's life-threatening?!"

"He's kidding," Buffy assured her sister, taking the kit from Giles with a sigh, "Now scoot, you two. This part ain't pretty."

Dawn shook her head, and Spike opened one eye, "You heard her, little bit. I think we traumatized your friend enough for the night. Plus, her mother's going to have my hide for letting you two stay up so late."

Dawn pouted, "You never let me do anything fun," She complained as she complied, Lisa following her up the stairs.

"Giles, I got it from here," Buffy told him, "And can you please shut that damn alarm off?"

"Only in Sunnydale can a bloody alarm go off for..." Spike glanced at his watch, "Shit...four hours, and no one called the bleeding cops!"

Buffy shook her head, "Count yourself lucky, or you'd be clawing your way out of a body bag."

They both sighed in relief when the grating sound stopped, and Giles stuck his head back in, "I reset it...are you sure..."

"I got it," She told him firmly, "You need to sleep. You've been on your feet for the last two days. Go home."

Giles nodded, barely restraining the urge to yawn, then glanced at Spike, then sighed, "Spike...I'm glad you were here..."

"Yeah, me too," he muttered, his eyes closed once more, and Buffy locked the door behind Giles.

As soon as most of his audience was gone, Spike finally allowed himself to groan in pain, thumping his head against the back of the seat. "Slayer, pet...I really need a drink..."

Buffy nodded, and disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes. When she came back out, Spike was fumbling with some bandages, and she sighed, "All I could find was some dinner wine..."

"It'll do," he assured her, taking the bottle she offered, and popped the cork with his teeth. He let it fall into his lap as he took a deep swig, wishing that it was something stronger, but it dulled the pain somewhat.

"This is the second time I got staked because of you," he growled, wincing as the sound made his chest move too much.

"What?"

"Your little soldier boy...he staked me for tattling on him."

"Sorry 'bout that," she sighed, sitting on the coffee table across from him, "I'm going to need to get your shirts off."

"Glad I wasn't wearing my coat," he said, straightening, and Buffy grinned, "So am I. I'm planning on taking that before I finally stake you."

He growled at her again as she tried to slide it down his arms, and he hissed in pain again.

"All right, that isn't going to work," she eyed him for a few seconds, "You got more then one set of that, right?"

"Yeah...why?"
The sound of tearing fabric, and the discarding of his favorite red shirt was his answer, and he groaned, "Bloody hell...that bitch is going to die for that."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "You're way too attached to your clothing. It was ruined anyway. It had a big hole in it."

"Much like the rest of me," he muttered beneath his breath, bracing himself as Buffy gripped his T-shirt.

He threw his head back as she tore that also, the cords in his neck standing out.

Buffy rubbed his shoulder till the pain passed, and he took another swig of wine, nearly draining half the bottle. "Christ...what are you? Closet masochist?" He complained when he finally recovered himself.

"Could be," she teased lightly, then turned her attention to the wound in his chest. She stared at the hard muscles of his chest, noting that he didn't have any hair, then followed the firm, alabaster skin down to his navel, where a course, black hair trailed down into his jeans.

She blushed, deciding she should set his arm before it began to heal and moved to his side.

He grunted as she set and wrapped it, shaking her head, "She really did a number on you...what did she come out looking like?"

"I think I tore her clothes," Spike sighed, "She's a tough broad, I'll give her that."

"I give her alot of things..." Buffy shook her head, "Remember Ben?"

"Who?"

"The guy I was talking too at that party...remember? When you got tossed though the window?"

"Oh, yeah," Spike rolled his eyes, "Not my year for women, is it?"

"Hasn't been my life for men," They shared a quick smile as she moved onto his face, carefully swapping out the cuts with alcohol. "Anyway...apparently, he and Glory are sharing a body..."

"Sorry 'bout that, Slayer," he said sincerely, surprising her, "I knew you liked the bloke."

Buffy sighed, "Yeah, I know," she muttered before becoming silent for a few minutes, then for a reason known only to her, suddenly asked, "Tell me about Drusilla."

"Like what?" He asked, peering at her curiously as she worked. "I don't know...why'd you love her?"

Spike shrugged, then winced at the gesture, "Ow. I don't know, Slayer. You don't get to pick who you love. It just happens. Sometimes it's good...sometimes not."

"Was it? I mean...good?" Buffy paused in her ministrations, and Spike sighed, "Yeah...there were times," he smiled to himself. "The good times were the best, Slayer. I thought it would never end. That it would always just be me and her."

His tone saddened, "I loved her, Slayer...so goddamn much it hurt sometimes to look at her. And she needed me, that was the best part. That someone actually needed me...wanted me around. I never felt like that before.

"To my mum, I was just someone who was supposed to make a lucrative marriage and further her place in society. To society, I was just some piss-ant aristocrat with no fortune and a crappy penchant for poetry. Cecile didn't want me either. When Dru sired me, it was the greatest event of my life. She doted on me, her Childe, her bloody William with a thing for violence when before I had a thing for beauty..."

Buffy cocked his head, listening to the changing inflections of his voice, falling deep into his words, as she had done before in the back of the Bronze. She could almost see his life when he talked like that.

"Then I fucked things up by coming here. Made Dru better at the expense of my legs...and then...well...you know the rest..." he sighed, shaking his head, "After Peaches came back, she forgot all about me. Ran right back to her sodding Sire, not even caring that he was the one that had left us! I stayed with her for nearly two centuries! I took care of her after Prague! I was there for her the entire time, fucking whoring myself out to her every bloody whim. She forgot about me, but what really stung was that she didn't even want me around anymore. Didn't care whether I lived or died," he laughed sardonically, glancing at Buffy.

"Know the best part, luv? Even after I made that deal with you, I didn't shield my mind from her. If she had taken three seconds out of shagging Peaches and looked at me, she would have known exactly what I had done and what we had planned. But I wasn't even worth that much to her..."

He shook his head again, lapsing into silence as Buffy looked at his chest, picking up the alcohol again. After several minutes, he glanced at her, "Then I came back here and met your mum again."

Buffy looked up, surprised to see tears rimming his eyes, "She was a great woman, Slayer. Took me right in and fixed me some of that amazing cocoa of hers. Made me feel like I belonged somewhere. Didn't care that I was just some guy her daughter played the triangle in a band with..."

"Drums," She corrected, "And you sang."

"And I sang," he grinned, "It was the greatest feeling in the world, pet. She didn't know me, or anything about me. But she still made me feel special...wanted...now, that's real love, pet. No conditions, no ifs, no ands, no buts. Your mum had tons of it, with plenty to spare for some pathetic vamp with a horrible love life."

Buffy nodded, starting to remove splinters from his torn flesh. "Yeah...she did..."

He smiled slightly, taking another swig of his wine, "Real love, Slayer..." he shook his head, leaning it back against the couch cushions.

She fixated herself on her work, frowning slightly. "You can love, can't you?"

Her question apparently startled him out of whatever revelry he had settled into, and he looked down at the top of her head, "Well...yeah. Haven't I told you that before?"

She sighed, taping up his chest, "Turn around. I have to do the other side," she said shortly.

"It'll keep," he replied, "Slayer, look at me."

She bit her lip and lifted her eyes, halfway copping out by not looking at him directly. He solved that problem by cupping his chin, his fingers resting lightly on her cheeks.

"Slayer," he sighed softly, "You don't want to believe it, do you?"

She jerked her chin away, "Just turn around," she said, her tone bordering on the dangerous. Spike shook his head, then twisted on the couch, deciding not to push it just yet.

Buffy quickly finished him up without another word passing between them, then swiftly cleaned up.

"Night, Spike," she muttered beneath her breath, heading up the stairs to the perceived safety of her room.

Spike sighed deeply, forcing himself to his feet with a groan. "You're right about one thing, mum," he murmured to thin air, "It's going to be fucking hard..."

@>----'----,--------'-------,----<@

"Spike?"

Spike groaned, rolling over in bed and glancing towards the door, seeing Dawn and Lisa there, both cradling pillows to their chests, outfitted in their jammies. "Yeah, nibblet?"

"Can we sleep with you?" Dawn asked, and Spike could almost smell the fear coming off the two girls.

He nodded, sliding over in bed and they hurried over to him, sliding underneath the sheets. "Thank you, Spike," Dawn said softly, snuggling down into the pillows and Spike smiled, kissing her forehead, "Welcome, pet. Now go to sleep, all right?"

She nodded sleepily, closing her eyes. Spike glanced over at Lisa, then back at Dawn, smiling as they both fell asleep, with Dawn snoring softly. He shook his head slightly, "Night, luv," he muttered, settling back into bed.

Wind Beneath my Wings