G to PG-13
Coming to Terms
Spike: Do you even like me?
Buffy: Sometimes.
Buffy sat on the edge of her bed in darkness. She had turned off the light, hoping that he would go away. But she still felt him. Worse than that, she missed him. She knew he had followed her after she had left him, beaten and broken. She knew that right now he stood beneath the tall tree outside her window. If she looked out the window, she could see the end of his cigarette glowing orange.
She was confused. She didn't know when she had started to miss him when they weren't together. He was just a dead, evil... thing, after all. A dead, evil thing that loved her. She remembered the first time that he had told her. She had acted disgusted, but inside, a tiny part of her had been thrilled. At the time she didn't recognize why she felt such elation that yet another vampire, from the same family no less, had fallen for her. Looking back, she realized with shock that part of her, even then, had been overjoyed to have his love.
He had said that he was done being her whipping boy. He had taken more crap from her in the past two years than anyone else she could remember. And yet he stayed. Because he loved her. A silent tear fell down her cheek as she realized... that she could love him back.
She walked over to her window and climbed out, leaping gracefully to the ground. He was still there, leaning against the tree, calmly smoking away. She walked over to him and put a hand on his arm.
"Hello, cutie. Pleasant surprise." he smirked as much as he could with his swollen face.
"Spike, I'm... I'm so sorry. I feel terrible about the way I've been treating you. I took you for granted, and I took all my frustrations out on you, and now look at you." She motioned to his cut and bruised body. "I did this to you."
"It's no problem, luv. Weren't you the one who said I get off on the pain?" He chuckled softly, his eyes smiling even though he couldn't.
She silenced him with a gentle finger on his lips. "Hear me out, Spike. I need to get some things off my chest." She sighed, and began pacing. "The past few months have been really confusing for me. I... I miss you when we're not together. And it's not just the sex that I miss, although that has been fantastic. I miss talking to you. You really understand me. Do you love me, Spike?"
She looked up at him and he nodded. "You know I do."
"I'm glad. Because for the past few weeks I've been realizing... that Icouldloveyouback." Spike caught her arm and turned her to face him, stopping her pacing.
"What did you say, luv?" The shock was evident on his face.
"I said I could love you back." She grinned up at him.
"So you finally sussed out what you wanted, eh, pet?"
"Took me long enough, huh?" She looked into his eyes, hers slightly nervous as she continued. "And if you still want me... I'm yours."
"Oh, Buffy, of course I still want you. How could I not?" She took one of his large hands in hers and led him toward her house.
"Spike, come inside. I'm going to make you better."
The blond vampire shook his head in amazement. He realized that this moment, right here, was the closest he would ever get to heaven, and he treasured it.