destructo-girl.com

"A Tale Of Two Hearts "

Author: A. Price
Email: andramichelle@yahoo.com

Three days later Buffy's cough was steadily worse, Maralee had brought her extra juice and a box of tissue. Buffy spent her days writing in the tablet Maralee had brought her, keeping a journal of sorts, she also had a paperback romance novel thanks to the other girl. She wrote down her thoughts mainly,

Dawn is home by now, I know she's frantic, I wonder if dad will even let her stay if I wasn't there to meet her. Even if I get out of here, I may have lost my chance to keep Dawn. I'm sorry Dawnie... I have a terrible cold, the kind that makes you want to curl up and sleep. I hope Spike is okay. Maralee keeps telling me that he is.

Later that day, as James was leading a badly beaten Spike back to his cell he met Maralee bringing Buffy's supper. She opened the door before James had Spike back in the cell

Buffy eagerly went to the small door to look out, she was aching for companionship and Maralee had become her only link to the outside world. She was surprised to see James andSpike outside, Spike was shirtless and his chest was covered in open wounds. "Spike! What have they done to you?" She cried out trying to reach her hand through the bars, trying to touch him.

Spike looked up when he heard her voice, he tried to wrench himself from James' grasp. Maralee gave James a look, and James let the vampire make his way to the front of Buffy's cell. "Oh, Spike." Buffy said tenderly as her fingertips reached through the bars and caressed his bruised face, "I'm sorry." She didn't know what else to say and the anger that rose inside of her just fueled her desperation. Hot tears rolled down her cheek, she was sick and weak and absolutely useless right now.

James and Maralee watched as Spike leaned into Buffy's touch. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and smiled at her, "I'm okay, luv. Looks alot worse then it really is."

"Why? Why are they doing this?" Buffy asked him still tenderly stroking his cheek with her fingertips.

"I'm not sure, but you have to do something for me." He tried to smile for her again.

"Anything." She whispered through fresh tears.

"Be strong, okay? No matter what." He placed his his hand over her fingers resting on his cheek and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Okay." She answered soflty more determined then ever to find a way out of here for both of them.

"That's enough. If he finds you like this we'll all be in trouble." James steered Spike back into his cell.

Maralee put Buffy's food through the small door, Buffy turned on her full of anger. "You lied to me!" She shouted between coughs. "You said he was okay...he's not okay. Someone is hurting him."

"I'm sorry, Buffy. He...Spike asked me not to tell you. I don't think he wanted to worry you." Maralee tried to explain as Buffy paced angrily.

"Maralee, you have to help me... help us. You know this isn't right." Buffy pleaded with the girl in front of her.

"I..I can't my uncle... I just can't." Maralee began crying softly, "I'm sorry." She turned and ran from the cell.

"Maralee!" Buffy shouted after her, but she was gone. Buffy looked at the plate of food in front of her drugged or not she had to eat, she had gone without food for a couple of days and it seemed to have weakned her even more and now she had this cold. She picked up a biscuit and nibbled on it, her appetite was going and she had to force herself to eat. Perhaps she could work on Maralee some more later, she would tell her some more of her story. She finished the juice and half the biscuit and eggs and lay on the cot.

She closed her eyes and saw Spike's battered body in front of her. Why? Who would do this, she was sure it was Council related - Giles would be so proud of her deducing skills. A) The drug used to weaken her, she was sure it was the same one the council used, B) the captors had Britsih accents - didnt' seem like much but it was yet another small connection to the Council.

Reaching for another tissue, she sat up and opened the notebook, writing down her theory. Now if she could only figure out why the Council wanted her - or Spike?

Spike lay his aching body down on the cot and tried to listen for sounds of Buffy she was quiet tonight aside from the occasional cough he heard nothing. He hoped she was eating, maybe Maralee could get her something for that cold, it sounded like it was getting worse.

"Tomorrow school starts, I'm not sure I should go." Dawn told Xander as he fixed her some breakfast.

"You have to go, Dawnie. No one can suspect Buffy is missing." He handed her a plate loaded with pancakes.

"I guess you're right, that was quick thinking on your part telling my dad that Buffy had gone to managerial training in Nevada for the Doublemeat. He was aggravated that she didn't call but I thnk he was happy about her becoming a manager or at least he thinks she is." Dawn sighed, "We have to find her Xander."

"Dawn, if we can we will." Xander sighed.

"You're afraid aren't you? Afraid she's ... gone for good this time." Dawn asked over a bite of pancake.

Xander didn't answer right away, then in a small voice "Of course not."

"It's okay, I know she's alive, I just feel it. We just have to find her." Dawn gave him a half smile.

Xander gave her a hug, "Yeah, we just have to find her."

Buffy lost count of the days that passed over the next couple of weeks. Her cold had turned into bronchitus she was sure of it. Maralee had apologized several times but her uncle wouldn't allow her to bring Buffy any medication. The coughing was worse now and she was waking up at night sometimes feeling like she was choking on the phlegm.

She continued to croak out her story to Maralee though when she felt like it. Today was a good day, she was telling Maralee about Spike being the first one she told about where she had been when she came back. She had never gone into full detail about Dawn being the key, she was afraid for very many people to know that part of the story. She just told her that Spike had tried to save her sister and she had died saving her, she quciky glossed over Willows spell to bring her back.

"He was the only one I felt like I could tell. And he never told anyone, he just listened and tried to comfort me. I think thats where the trouble started. He kept telling me that he loved me, and I just kept denying that he could." Buffy wrung her hands together, "I was wrong... wrong about a lot of things."

"So he just decided one day that he loved you? But how he's a vampire?" Maralee shook her head.

"I think you can tell he's not your average vampire." Buffy laughed softly, "He said it was because we were working together, something about raomance in the workplace, I shot him down quickly over that. But he was persistent and after everything with Dawn. Well he took care of her and fought with the others while I was... gone.I couldn't explain it, so I just tried to deny it alot." Buffy shrugged her shoulders and coughed loudly. "We'll talk more later, okay?"

Maralee smiled, "Okay, get some rest." She walked away from the cell worried, she wished her uncle would let her give Buffy something for her illness.

Spike smiled to himself as he lay on his cot, ear to the wall, "She said she was wrong about thngs... alot of things." He smiled at the wall, he didn't think he had would ever hear her admit she was wrong, the smile turned to a worried frown when he heard yet another coughing spell from the next cell.

"I went to see Clem, last night." Dawn told Xander as she sat her book bag down on the table in the Magic Box.

"Has he heard anything?" Xander asked anxiously.

"He had one bit of information, I'm not sure if it connects to Buffy or not." Dawn sat down and leaned her elbows on the table, "He says he thinks Spike came back, he found a bag downstairs in the crypt and it had some clothes and stuff that looked like Spikes. But that was a few weeks ago and he hasn't seen him."

"That would have been about the time Buffy dissappeared! I'll stake him if he's done anything to her - he may have her holed up somewhere doing who knows what!!" Xander pounded his fist on the table.

Dawn jumped at the noise, "Xander..I know what you think you saw, but Buffy talked to me, I'm not sure she feels the same way you do about that night, and well... she was there and you weren't."

"I know what I saw, Dawnie. I can't figure out what kind of hold that bleached vampire has over you ...or your sister." Xander stood up, "I'm going to go ask around, see if anyones seen Spike."

"Xander, I really don't think Spike has hurt Buffy." Dawn started to argue but it fell on deaf ears as Xander stomped his way out of the Magic Box.

"I don't think he would intentionally hurt Buffy either." Anya patted Dawn's shoulder.

Travers laughed out loud as he watched Spike pacing the room, limping from the cuts on his feet. He thought that he had the vampire just about where he wanted him. He would probably tell him anything now. The Slayer was sick, he was sure it was turning into pneumonia. His niece Maralee wanted to take her to a doctor, but he had quickly nixed that idea. It was much easier on him if Buffy Summers just quietly died a natural death from her illness.

It had been a month, and the vampire looked even paler then before if possible and he was very thin, Travers had only been feeding him every other day now. As he chained Spike against the wall he pulled a fireplace poker from a small fireplace against the backwall.

Spike grimaced at the memory of another time, another firepoker - one that he plunged into Angel. He remembered smiling at Angels agony. He cried out when Quentin stuck the first poker in to his chest, he realized that he had tears rolling down his face and they weren't just for his pain but for the memory of the pain he had put Angel through. He wondered how Angel had dealt with the pain of his soul for so long, and suddenly understood why Angel spent so much time brooding, it would be easy to fall into that trap... but he had to fight, he had to concentrate on getting Buffy out of here.

"You know William, there is a way to stop all of this." Travers leaned in only inches from Spike's face. "Let's make a trade, I'll let you go, but Buffy Summers must die."

Spike growled out "Never." He spit directly in Traver's face.

"Okay, we'll play some more then." He smiled at Spike as he picked up another poker. "So you don't want her dead, maybe we can make another deal, I think you have some information about... an incident that happend last year. It involved a key of sorts, Rupert was never clear on all the details, he just said that Buffy died protecting her sister. Why would a demon be that hellbent on killing the slayers sister? I think there is a lot more to the story then we were told. I know the slayer would only die again to protect he sister and Ruper would die to protect his slayer. I warned him about that father's love he has for her."

"I don't know anything." Spike shouted the words as Quentin thrust the hot poker into his midsection.

"I think you do."

"I can't bear this anymore, James." Maralee leaned against him wrapping her arms around him. Spike's screams had filled her nightmares for several nights now.

"I know, he's out of control. I..I don't know what to do, Maralee." James held her closer dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

"I think maybe my father was right. I don't think it's all black and white, Spike loves Buffy. And I think she feels the same way." Maralee pulled back from him, "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, I'll think of something." James left her to finish Buffy's supper.

Buffy coughed up another bit of bloody phlegm into the kleenex. She was running a fever now and her chest ached with every cough. Breathing was beginning to be hard and painful. She was sure she wasn't going to make it, she was going to die in this cell. She found her paper and pen and decided she would write a note to Spike, things had to be set right between them.

"Spike, I need to tell you something. I forgive you for that night... I forgive you because now I understand how it came to that. I know you didn't come to my house to hurt me, you wanted to make me understand, make me face feelings I didn't want to. Now for the really hard part, I did alot of thinking this summer and I sorted through a lot of denial in my life. I wanted to blame sleeping with you on me - I wanted to think I was using you because that was so much better then facing that I might have stronger feelings for you - because we all know how Buffy's romances always turn out. I was scared and I'm sorry for that. So here is the big finish... I LOVE YOU. Yes you read that right, I'm sorry you never got to hear me say it. Be strong. Love, Buffy

She reread the note and folded it neatly, she would give it Maralee when she brought her supper, she was sure that Maralee would deliver it. She was so tired now though, she just wanted to lie down and close her eyes.

Maralee opened the door to the cell and Buffy never stirred. She held her own breath for a moment as she watched Buffy's chest rise and fall, her breaths were hard and it pained Maralee to watch the pale girl on the cot. She left her food and went back to the kitchen, she couldn't do this anymore!

Spike listened to Buffy's labored breathing through the cell wall. She wasn't going to last much longer. He had to do something and he had to do it now.

Maralee opened his food door and he called to her, "Maralee, please tell your Uncle I want to deal."

"You want to deal?" Maralee asked slightly confused.

"Yes, he wants some information I have. I want him to get Buffy to a hospital and I'll give him what he wants. Tell him and hurry. Please!" He sounded desperate even to himself but he had to get Buffy help.

Maralee hurried to find Quentin. He was in the kitchen, "Uncle Quentin, the vampire wants to talk to you, something about a deal? He'll give you information if you get Buffy to a hospital."

Quentin Travers grinned at his neice, "I knew she would come in handy."

"You'll do it, you'll let her go to the hospital?" Maralee pleaded with her uncle.

"Let's see what William has to say, then I will make my decision about Buffy's fate."

The older man went downstairs to talk to his captive, he was finally going to get what he wanted.

Maralee stood nervously by the door to the basement, she knew better then to follow her uncle yet she wanted to know what was going on down there.

James came in the back door with an arm full of groceries startling her. She jumped and turned to face him. "What's wrong, Maralee?"

"Spike is going to make a deal with Uncle Quentin, he wants Buffy to get to a hospital. I'm not sure what price Spike will have to pay for that." Maralee hung her head, "We should have never been involved in this, if she dies, her blood is on our hands as surely as it is on Uncle Quentin's."

"She won't die, I have a feeling Spike will do anything to prevent that." James sighed as he sat the groceries on the table.

"William, my niece gave me your message." Quentin spoke through the small food pass door.

"Yes, you win. I'll talk, but I want Buffy out of here. Take her to a hospital." Spike spoke matter of factly, "That's the deal."

"I believe I can do that William. I'll tell Maralee to get Buffy ready to leave. We'll talk tomorrow." Quentin closed the door and walked back upstairs.

"Well?" Maralee asked as her Uncle entered the kitchen.

"I would like for you to go get Buffy ready to leave. Wrap her blanket around her and help James load her in the van." Quentin walked to the coffee pot and retrieved a mug from the cabinet.

"Thank you, Uncle Quentin." Maralee sighed with relief.

"Maralee," Quentin called after her.

"Yes sir." She answered.

"Tell Buffy that her vampire is dead. His dust is in the cell beside her." Quentin smiled wickedly over the edge of his mug.

Maralee and James' face's both fell, "Why?" They asked in unison.

"Because he was a vampire, do I need more reason then that?"

"I can't believe he's gone. Buffy will be so upset." Maralee felt a lump in her throat.

"Maybe it's better this way, the torture will stop now." James sighed as he took Maralee's hand in his and gave it a squeeze. He had grown fond of the vampire and had felt for him everytime Quentin decided to "experiment."

"Buffy, Buffy." Maralee opened the full door to the cell and walked in to the damp room, she kneeled beside the cot. Buffy was pale and her breathing was now very shallow, she placed her hand on to the sick girls forehead, she was burning with fever.

Buffy's eyes opened at the touch on her forehead, "Maralee?"

"Yes, its' me and we are going to get you some help." Maralee began to wrap the blanket tightly around Buffy.

"Help? Spike needs help...Oh...I have something for him... please give him this." Buffy pulled the note from under the pillow on the cot and handed it to Maralee.

Maralee took the note and handed it to James. He put it in his jacket pocket and helped Maralee with Buffy, she was so light he picked her up without any trouble.

"Spike can go to? Gotta help Spike." Buffy floated in and out of conciousness as James loaded her into the van. Maralee climbed into the back of the van with her. She noticed her uncle talking giving James instructions as he climbed into the van.

"What did he want?" She asked as she wiped Buffy's sweaty brow with a clean rag from the van.

"He says you have to tell her the vampire is dead and he gave me the address to drop her off at." He started the van and pulled out of the driveway.

"The hospital right?"

"No, we are to drop her off at her home, it's actually only a couple of blocks away. Maralee he said to leave her in the yard." James shuddered at the careless way Quentin had phrased his instructions, "Just drop her in the yard."

"Where is Spike?" Buffy asked in a lucid moment as she realized she was no longer in the cell.

"Buffy, he's gone." Maralee replied sadly.

"Gone, he got out too?" A delirious smile crossed Buffy's face as she tried to fight for conciousness.

"No, Buffy, he's dead. I'm so sorry." Maralee bit her lip to keep her own tears from falling.

"No... he can't be." Buffy argued before losing her fight and sinking back into darkness.

They pulled up to the house on Revello Drive and James opened the van door, the house was dark, he picked Buffy up and walked towards the front porch, there was no way he could leave her lying in the yard. Maralee followed him as he lay his bundle down gently on the front porch, he watched as Maralee rang the doorbell, they both ran back to the van and left hoping

"We are leaving as soon as we can." James told her , steely determination in his voice.

"Good, I can't stay with that man for a moment longer then I have to, family or not." She replied as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Travers was a happy man, he was going to get to the bottom of what happened last summer. He was going to find out the big secret that Rupert Giles was so intent to keep from him. And in the end he had been the one to undo that rebellious slayer, he had no problem letting Buffy go, he was sure she was so far gone that she would never survive the night. And this time... this time it wasn't a magical death, she wouldn't be coming back.

James and Maralee made their plans to escape as they drove home, if all went well they would be out of the house in a couple of days.

Her uncle was waiting in the kitchen for them, "Did you get her delivered?"

"Yes sir." James nodded.

"Did you deliver the message?" He directed this towards Maralee.

"Yes, I did, she knows. Now I"m going to bed. Goodnight."

Quentin watched as his neice left the room, "James come with me."

James followed him down to the cell, Quentin unlocked the cell door to show Spike sleeping fitfully. He woke up and stared at the open door, "Did you get her to the hospital?" Spike asked sitting up.

"Yes, we got her out of here and to help. I'll be back to finish your part of the deal in the morning." Quentin nodded to James, "Could you gather up those mugs and double check the locks."

"Yes sir." James watched that Quentin was gone before he fished the note from his coat pocket. "This is for you, from Buffy." He handed the note to Spike and gathered up the used mugs, locking the door behind him he left Spike to read his note.

Spike sat on the cot staring at the folded paper as if it might bite him. Finally he gently unfolded it as if he were unwrapping a special gift. He began to read it slowy savoring the feminine curve of her handwriting, the way she wrote his name, he smiled as he read the words "I forgive you", the sweetest words he had ever read, until the next paragraph when he read the "I LOVE YOU" If he had a heart it would have skipped several beats, he had to smile at the next line she must have known he would have to reread that line over and over. He folded his treasure and put it under his pillow. With this kind of armor he could face any thing Travers through at him in the mornig. She loves me,,,,she loves me. Those were the his last thoughts as he fell asleep.

"The doorbell, Xander." Anya nudged him, they were still staying with Dawn, until the Buffy situation could be solved. To be honest they were sure Buffy wasn't coming back but they didn't want to tell Dawn they had given up hope.

"I'll get it." He threw on a pair of sweatpants and groggily went down the steps bumping into Dawn in the foyer.

"Who would be here at this time of morning?" She asked yawning as Xander cautioulsy opened the front door. "Dawn!!! Call 911 now."

"What is it?" Dawn tried to get out the door.

"It's Buffy, Dawn. Go call now." Xander knelt beside Buffy on the front porch. He was afraid to move her. She was very pale and her breathing was irregular, she was trying to cough but didn't seem to have the energy.

Dawn made the call and joined Xander on the porch. "Is she okay?" Dawn took Buffy's hand in hers it was hot, she was burning up and making funny noises when she breathed.

Anya heard the siren and came downstairs, "Buffy? Whats wrong with her?"

"I don't know Anya, she's sick, very sick. Lets let the paramedics do their job." He moved back while the paramedics knelt next to Buffy asking questions that Xander tried to answer.

They put an oxygen mask on her pale face and started an iv before taking her to the hospital. Xander, Anya and Dawn quickly dressed and followed the ambulance.

The ER was surprisingly empty for a Sunnydale hospital. Xander had gone to call Giles and let him know Buffy had been found, the watcher had been in constant contact since her dissappearance, but his mother was ill and he couldn't leave her. Anya and Dawn sat in the waiting room on a small couch, Dawn curled up close to Anya.

"Buffy is very strong, whatever is wrong she'll fight it." Anya tried to be comforting.

"Giles wants me to call back when we know something." Xander told them as he sat down across from them.

"I need to talk to who ever found Ms. Summers." The doctor walked into the waiting room.

"That would be me, " Xander stood, "What do you need to know?"

The doctor seemed almost angry, "I want to know why that poor girl was left so long in this condition! She has pneumonia, a severe case, I think she'll be okay if the antibiotics can do thier job. I want to know how this happened though."

"Well, I was working out of town and her sister," Xander pointed at Dawn was visiting her Dad in LA."

"My girlfriend stayed here and the last time she saw Buffy she said something about taking a vacation maybe hiking in the woods. She wanted to spend some time alone. We were beginning to worry, when she showed up last night, I can only guess she got sick and then got to weak to get back home." The lie rolled off Xander's tongue naturally.

"I guess we'll know more when she regains conciousness. Would you like to see her?" The doctor asked as he motioned for them to follow him Buffy's room.

Buffy lie on the hospital bed with an IV in her arm, under a plastic oxygen tent. She looked like she had been through the wringer, her hair lay damp against he forehead and she was very pale.

"We've cleaned her up and she is being rehydrated with the IV and also recieving some strong antibiotics intraveneoulsy. We have her under the oxygen tent to help her breathing. As I said before I think she will be okay, but this first twenty-four hours is critical, the fever needs to come down and the antibiotics have to start killing the infection. We'll know more by tomorrow. You can stay a few minutes in the room but then I have to ask you to leave. She needs her rest." The doctor nodded his head at them and left the room.

"She looks so small." Dawn went to stand closer to her sister's side, tears filled her eyes."What do you think happened?"

"I don't know, Dawn. But she's going to be okay, don't worry." Xander looked at his friend lying so still under the plastic tent. He was going to find out who or what was responsible for this.

"It's time for you to go now." A nurse popped her head in the door.

"Bye, Buffy. We'll be back." Dawn blew her sister a kiss as Anya and Xander led her out of the room, "I don't want to leave the hospital." She told them as they found another waiting room.

"We'll stay with you." Anya told her as they found a fold out chair for Dawn to get comfortbable in.

Xander went to call Giles with the Doctor's report.

Buffy's head was filled with strange dreams, Spike was back and he wanted to tell her something important but they kept getting interuppted and then she was beat Spike up. No, no... Buffy didnn't do that... no someone else beat him up this time, they had cut his chest. Spike was telling her "I went to Africa" And then someone put her in a van, she was sick... it hurt to breathe. Then something bad, the girl told her something bad.

Buffy's eyes jerked open and she panicked as she realized she was inside of a plastic tent thingie, her chest still hurt but the breathing was a little easier, her hand had an iv in it, she looked around the room - she was in a hospital. She sighed with relief she was safe. Her relief soon turned to grief as she realized what Maralee had told her before she passed out. Spike was dead. He was really gone, how ironic she thought she was the one who was going to die when she wrote him the note confessing her love. Now he was gone, tears rolled down her cheeks as she wondered if he had received the note, if he had died knowing she loved him.

"Your awake. Good. I'll tell the doctor." The nurse took Buffy's temperature and blood pressure, "Don't be upset, crying isn't good for you in the shape your in, your safe now."

"How do you feel, Buffy?" The doctor asked as he read her chart, "Your temperature is down some already that's good news."

The doctor lifted the tent so Buffy could hear him better, "Your friends found you on your porch unconcious, you have pneumonia, thats why your in the tent, it helps you breath easier and we are giving you fluids and antibiotics, I'd like to know how you let yourself get this sick. Do you remember anything?"

Buffy shook her head tears still falling, " I feel a little better, but I'm sorry I don't remember anything. My friends... can I see them?"

"Yes, but you need to calm down, stress isn't good for you right now." The doctor patted her arm and put the tent back down.

"You have fifteen minutes and if she gets upset you must leave. She's been through too much." Doctor Grant warned them as he let Dawn and the others in.

"Buffy!" Dawn cried out as the doctor lifted the tent again and then left the room. She rushed to the bedside, "I want to hug you, but I don't want to hurt you." She settled for holding Buffy's hand tightly in hers.

"I'm sorry I worried you." Buffy tried to smile but her heart wasn't in it.

"Buffy, I don't want to push but can you tell us where you were?" Xander asked from the other side of the bed.

"Spike ... " She stopped midsentence to cough, but before she could start talking again, Xander cut her off.

"Spike! I knew he had something to do with this. I'll kill him." Xander balled his fists at his side.

"Spike didn't do this.. he was caught with me.." Buffy's eyes filled with tears again, "And you can't kill him... " Her voice dropped to an almost whisper as she choked out the words, "Whoever was holding us has already done that." Buffy's breathing became labored again as she fought her sobs.

"You have to leave now." A nurse told them when she came to check on Buffy, "You can come back tomorrow when she's calm." The nurse settled Buffy back under the oxygen tent and checked her pulse.

"Buffy ... I..I'm sorry." Xander told her as the nurse shooed them out of the room.

"You okay, Dawn?" Anya asked as they walked back to the waiting room.

Dawn shook her head as she sat down, "I can't believe he's dead."

Dr. Grant came in and gave Buffy an injection to calm her and help her sleep. She fell asleep remembering Spike's last words to her,,,,"Be strong." I'm trying Spike, I really am.

Dawn woke early tne next morning, her legs were cramping from the positition she was in on the small couch in the waiting room. Xander had one arm around her as he slept, Anya was across from them curled up in a chair. She was still sleeping too. Dawn slipped away from Xander and found her way to Buffy's room.

She peeped in the door and found Buffy alone still sleeping. She went to stand by her bed, reaching under the plastic tent and carefully taking Buffy's hand in hers. She had never seen Buffy look so vulnerable in her entire life, except ... well she didn't want to think about that tower ever again. Buffy was back and she was going to be better. Dawn wondered if Spike had helped Buffy get free before he died, she was well aware of everything that had gone on between her sister and the vampire and she knew there was a lot of feelings on both parts there, she felt a tear roll down her cheek, for Buffy, for Spike. Dawn was going to miss him, no more stories, no more Niblet.

Buffy stirred and opened her eyes, she coughed several times before she turned to Dawn, "Hey." She said softly moving the plastic so she could talk better.

"Hey you. How are you feeling this morning, you were kind of out of it last night." Dawn pushed Buffy's hair away from her face.

"I feel better. Doctor Grant says it will be a few days, but I'll be okay. This cough may hang around awhile, but my fever is going down steadily and my chest isn't hurting as much and oh yeah, that breathing thing is easier too." Buffy squeezed her sister's hand, "It's so good to see you. I was afraid I was never going to see you again."

"Me too. But I kept telling everyone that I knew you were alive somewhere, I could just feel it." Dawn grinned at Buffy, then softly asked, "Was it very bad?"

Buffy coughed again and reached for the tissues beside her bed. "It was bad, but Spike well he kind of helped, knowing he was there too." Buffy got very quiet, then added, "Yeah, it was bad."

"But you're here now. Maybe its too soon to talk about this, but maybe we, just you and me could do something for Spike, I mean maybe we could just go to that little place he showed us out in the woods behind his crypt, where the moon shines through the trees and makes it look like a fairyland at night, maybe we could go have a moonlight picnic in his honor. Just you and me." Dawn forced a small smile.

"Yeah, maybe. That would be nice, I think he would like it." Buffy smiled at Dawn through tears, "You can cry if you want Dawn, he was your friend."

Dawn nodded as tears ran down her cheeks, "I'm gonna miss him, and I feel bad that he died without knowing that I cared."

"He knew, Dawn." Buffy gave her sister a genuine smile, "Where are all the others?"

"Still sleeping down the hall." Dawn answered as the nurse brought in a breakfast tray for Buffy.

"I wonder if these eggs are as good as Maralee's." Buffy said aloud as she picked up her fork.

'"Maralee?" Dawn asked from her chair.

"Yeah, she fed me while I was captive and listened to me, I could tell she didn't like what was happening, but I think she was scared to do anything about it. In the end she and James are the ones who brought me home, I do remember that much." Buffy explained between bites.

"I'm packed, we can leave tonight, after he goes to bed." Maralee told James as she poured him a cup of coffee.

"Maralee, we have a problem." James sipped the hot coffee.

"What is it?" She asked worry lines creasing her forehead.

"Spike isn't dead. Quentin lied to us. After you went to bed, he took me back down to the basement. Spike is still there. I only know bits and pieces of what your Uncle wants from him but it doesn't sound good, I'm afraid he'll end up hurting more people. " James took a deep breath and sat down the cup.

"What are we going to do then?"

"I don't know, I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I'm sorry." James stood and pulled her close to him in a tight hug.

"Don't be sorry, Spike's alive, we don't have his death on our hands." Maralee sighed.

"Not yet." James replied wearily.

Quentin Travers wondered about the whispers between his neice and James. They were naive enough to think that he didn't notice there relationship, stupid young people. After they were done in Sunnydale, Maralee could run away with James for all he cared. They had served there purpose, just as Spike would soon serve his. Travers was a cruel man, he had let Spike wait all day before he went down to the basement prison to confront him about 'the key'.

"Are you ready to talk now, William?" Quentin asked as he walked into the cell. Spike was standing in the corner of the room as Quentin pointed the tranquilizer gun at him, "Let me put these on you so you dont' get any ideas." He quickly cuffed Spike's wrists and ankles yet again.

Spike looked defeated on the outside, but inside he was stronger then ever, he wouldn't let Buffy down, she loved him. He would die keeping her secret, he would die gladly for the woman who loved him.

Travers stood in front of him, glaring down at him, "So tell me the real story of what happened at that tower in Sunnydale."

"That Glory bint kidnapped Dawn and we tried to save her, Buffy died doing it. That's the story." Spike smirked at Travers.

Travers backhanded Spike across the face, sending his head pounding against the wall. "Let's try again."

Spike straightened up and smiled at his jailer, "We were having a picnic up there and this Glory chic interrupted it?"

Travers hit him hard again.

"We had a deal!!! I let that miserable excuse for a slayer go! Tell me what happened." Travers punched him hard in the face again, Spike's eye's began to swell almost closed.

"I would think a man of your knowledge would know you don't make deals with vampires." Spike slurred at him through the blood running out of his mouth.

"I'll be back." Quentin warned him as he left he cell.

For two days this went on, Travers beat him and Spike smirked at him. He wore each bruise with pride, he was keeping Buffy and the Niblet safe, he was keeping his promise just like he said he would.

On the third day, Travers had enough, he ate his supper with Maralee and James then stood up from the table and made an announcement, "You two may go back to England, wherever you want, I don't need you here anymore." He opened the basement door to go down.

"What is he going to do?" Maralee asked fear creeping into her voice.

"I don't know, but it can't be good. He hasn't allowed me down there for a couple of days. I think it's time for me to quit being a coward and face him." James stood up and went to the basement door.

"Be careful." Maralee called after him.

After a few days in the hospital, and no drugs to weaken her, Buffy's healing kicked in, she was feeling much better, no fever and only a small cough now. The oxygen tent was gone and the Doctor had told her she could go home the next day.

"Okay, it's time for Dawn to go home. She's got school tomorrow." Buffy instructed Xander as Dawn rolled her eyes at her big sister. "It's already late and I'll be home tomorrow."

"Okay, okay." Dawn rolled her eyes again as she hugged Buffy. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Buffy. I'll be here to pick you up tomorrow." Xander kissed her cheek and left the room.

Spike tried to stand when he heard Quentin enter the cell again but he had no strength left.

"Have you decided to cooperate now?" He asked as he lay the tranquilizer gun next to the cell door.

"I'm never going to cooperate with you." Spike sighed as he tried to get comfortable for another round of punishement, the last time Travers had been there he had left the ankle and wrist restraints on him.

"Then it's over." Quentin pulled a stake from his pocket and raised it.

James crept quietly to the cell door, he quickly realized what was happening and without a second thought picked up the gun from the floor. His aim was true as Quentin Travers fell to the floor, the stake still in his hand, a dart stuck firmly in the back of his neck.

"James?" Spike asked squinting through his swollen eyes.

"Yes it's me. Let's go." He searched Quentin's unconcious form for the keys to the restraints and quickly let Spike free. He locked the other man in the cell and helped Spike out of the cell.

"Wait I need somethng." Spike limped towards the cell that had been Buffy's prison. He grabbed the duster from the cot and followed James up the steps to the kitchen.

"Oh... " Was all Maralee could say when she saw the state of Spike. He was battered from head to foot.

"I'm making a phone call and we are out of here." James told her as he helped Spike sit down at the table, "Give him some blood."

Maralee got blood from the refrigerator and handed it to Spike, she turned her head as he began to gulp it down, she couldn't remember the last time her uncle had allowed her to take food to Spike.

James made his call and turned to Maralee, "Your uncle is in the cell downstairs, he's alive. I've called the Council and told them what was going on. Did you know that they weren't even aware of what was going on? Travers had told them he was going on vacation and taking us with him. They'll be here to take care of him - but we won't be here to greet them."

"Let me get my things." Maralee ran to her bedroom, she grabbed her bags and also a large blanket she thought it might come in handy.

"What about me?" Spike asked as he finished his blood.

"We are taking you the same place we took Buffy." James answered as they walked to the garage and got in the van.

"The hospital?"

"No, we didnt' take her there." Maralee looked ashamed, "We took her home, but they took her to the hospital because I called to check to see if she had been admitted."

"We'll take you to her house." James told him as he started the van.

"I'm not sure anyone there will be happy to see me." Spike sighed as he took the blanket Maralee offered him.

"I think you're wrong. I'm so sorry for the part we played in this. Can you forgive me?" Maralee asked as they pulled outside Buffy's house.

"You're asking a vampire for forgiveness?" Spike looked surprised.

"Yes, I am. My father was right, it's not all black and white. I see that now. You find Buffy, you tell her that you love her." Maralee smiled at him as James got out and opened the back door for him.

"Thank you." It didn't seem like enough but Spike was too overwhelmed to say anything else.

"Goodbye and good luck." James told him as got back into the van and drove off.

Spike was left on the front lawn staring at the dark house, everyone inside was probably sound asleep. He walked to the front door and raised a tired hand to ring the bell, he was clutching the duster to him like his life depended on it. Buffy had thought enough of it to keep it and wear it and he was gong to give it back to her, it belonged to her now.

Dawn was in the kitchen mixing cereal again she was too excited about Buffy coming home to sleep much. She thought she heard a car stop and the start again out front. She walked to the front door and looked out the peep hole, her heart jumped in her throat as she opened the door. "Spike! You're alive!" She pulled him inside and hugged him tightly.

Spike groaned at the pain from the hug but he held on to her anyway it was worth the pain, to have her happy to see him. "Yeah, it's me Niblet. Where is Buffy?"

Dawn pulled back from him, "She's not here, Spike."

Spike misunderstood Dawn's meaning, "But you got her to the hospital, right? They told me she was in the hospital."

"She is Spike, she's fine. Calm down, she'll be home tomorrow." Dawn smiled at him, "Looks like you should be in a hospital." She helped him to the couch.

"I'll be okay." He settled on to the couch, his eyes grew heavy, "She's really okay?" He asked drowsily.

"Yes she's really okay. She's going to be so happy to see you!" Dawn leaned over and hugged him again.

"You really think so?" Spike felt for the note in his back pocket and smiled. Now he could finally tell her his news... and it was even better because she had admitted she loved him before she knew about his soul.

Dawn sat smiling at Spike for several moments, "You need to go stay in Buffy's room. Anya will leave early tomorrow for the Magic Box. And Xander is at his place tongiht, he is going to pick Buffy up in the morning, but she's insisted that he go to work after he drops her off. I'll be at school and you and Buffy can talk uninterrupted." Dawn grinned at her plan, "It's perfect."

"I'm just so glad she's okay, I need to talk to her. I have so much to tell her." Spike stood up groaning, every muscle hurt, "I guess I'll go on up to Buffy's room."

"Oh, Spike! I forgot! Buffy thinks your dead. They told her you were." Dawn followed him up to Buffy's room, "But don't worry, I'll take care of it. I'm so glad you're back." She gave him a small hug and went back to her bedroom.

Spike walked into Buffy's dark room and didn't even bother to turn on the light. He dropped the duster to the floor and then lay gently on the bed. It smelled like her, he buried his nose in the pillow and was soon asleep.

She entered the room quietly. He opened one eye to see her smiling at him.

"Buffy." He said her name soflty, she was there in front of him.

"It's me." She moved closer to him.

"I've got to talk to you, something important." He sat up and reached for her hand.

Suddenly Quentin Traver's appeared in the corner of the room. "It doesn't matter, your news, your soul, in the end it doesn't matter. Why should she ever love someone like you?"

"No, she loves me." Spike pulled the note from his pocket, "She wrote it! She loves me."

"A note written by a sick delirious girl? You are going to take that as her declaration of love. My boy, she didn't have a clue what she was writing. When she comes to her senses... she'll leave you... alone... again." Quentin laughed long and hard.

"Tell him Buffy, tell him." Spike turned to see Buffy pulling away from him, fading away from him.

"No!" Spike sat up in Buffy's bed. He looked around, he was still in her room. It had been a dream, a very bad dream. He stood and pulled the note from his pocket, he turned on the lamp and read it through once more. She loved him it was right there in black and white, she knew what she wrote, didn't she?

Dawn peeked in the door of Buffy's room and saw Spike sleeping curled up on her sister's bed, he had a piece of paper balled in his hand. She wondered what it was as she taped the note with Buffy's name on it to her bedroom door. The note read simply, Buffy - big surprise in your room. Hope you are as happy about it as I am. love, Dawn.

That should do it. Dawn told herself as Anya called for her, she was going to drop Dawn off at school on her way to the Magic Box.

"Okay, here we are." Xander helped Buffy into the living room, 'You sure you don't want me to stay?"

Buffy shook her head at him, "No, you've missed enough work because of me. I'll see you later."

"Alright, if you need me you have my work number, don't forget your medicine." He handed her a pill bottle and hugged her as he left, "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too." Buffy said aloud as she started up the stairs, she stopped and grinned at the note taped to her door. What in the world had Dawn done now? She opened her bedroom door and her mouth dropped wide open - Spike - an undusty Spike was asleep on her bed. His face and chest were covered with bruises and cuts in various stages of healing. In his hand was a piece of paper crumpled from many readings, it was her note.

She watched him for several minutes, closing her eyes then opening them again just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Then she felt her forehead, no fever there. Her stomach twisted in delicious nervous knot - he was really here!

Slowly she walked towards her bed, gently she reached out her hand and stroked his forehead. He moved a little and opened his eyes slightly, a smile crossed his lips and he opened his eyes fully. "Buffy?" He asked happily.

"It's me." She replied in a sing song voice, smiling broadly at him.

"I thought you might not make it, I was so scared for you." He sat up ignoring the aches and pains.

"I thought you didn't." She whispered her voice thick with emotion.

He put his hand out to her and she sat down beside him, he pulled her close to his chest, her soft hair tickling him despite the bruises. "Dawn told me, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Quentin Travers is a dead man if I ever find him."

"Quentin Travers? That's who was behind all of this?" Buffy pulled away to look up at Spike.

"That's who he said he was, he wanted me to tell him all about the key, he knew more happened then what Gile's told the Council." Spike stroked Buffy's hair, "I didn't tell him anything though."

"I knew you didn't." Buffy said softly, "You would never let anyone hurt Dawn, you're good at keeping your promises."

"So tell me exactly what happened after they took you away from me? I could hear you through the wall, pacing and talking to Maralee and then coughing all the time. I was so afraid for you." Spike kissed the top of her head.

"I was afraid I was going to die in that cell, thats when I wrote the note." Buffy nodded at the folded paper lying on the bed. "I see you got it." She smiled shyly at him.

"James gave it to me after he and Maralee helped you out." Spike sighed as he remembered his earlier dream, "That note helped me stand up to Travers. But I realize that you were very sick when you wrote it, desperate even and if you really didn't mean it, I won't hold you to it."

Buffy frowned at him as she pulled away and sat up next to him on the bed, "You think I didn't mean it?"

"I'm not sure, I just don't want to force you... those are definitely the wrong words," Spike slid off of the bed and stood up, "I don't want you to feel like you have to honor those words now, if you don't really want to."

Her frown softened now, "I meant what I said in that note. Don't you ever think that I didn't." She leaned towards him and brushed the softest of kisses against his swollen lips, "I love you, Spike." She whispered the words against his lips as she deepened the kiss.

It was Spike's turn to be speechless, he returned her kisses for several moments before she pulled away laughing softly, 'I've only started breathing good again, I need some air."

He smiled at her twisting a lock of hair between his thumb and forefinger, "I love you too."

"Now that we have that settled, what was the important news you had for me? What happened in Africa?"

Spike laughed, "It doesn't seem quite as important now, " He nuzzled the side of her face with his cheek, "I hope it will make you happy though, I went to Africa to earn my soul...for you."

Buffy's eye's widened, "You have a soul? How?" Her smile was so warming he was unsure of how he had ever survived without it.

After another hour of being curled up together in Buffy's bed, he had explained the whole Africa trip.

"So you went through all of that torture for me?" She asked as she raised his hand to her lips and kissed it softly.

"For you and for me, to make me the kind of man you deserve." Spike leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Buffy!" Xander called as he walked down the hallway to her bedroom, '"You in here? I came to check on you on my lunch hour" He stood in the doorway, his mood turned sour, "I thought he was dead!"

"So did I, but he wasn't! It's a very long story. Have a seat and we'll explain." Buffy motioned towards Xander to sit at the foot of the bed.

The first thing Xander noticed was that she was holding Spike's hand and she wasn't letting go go it. "Okay, start explaining."

After Buffy finished the story, Xander seemed more angry then before, "So you're telling me that he comes back in to town and because the Quentin Travers wants Spike, you end up kidnapped and almost dying? If ever there is a better reason to stay away from him, I don't what it is." Xander stood up from the bed, "What kind of hold do you have over women, Spike? I'd really like to know."

Before Spike could answer, Buffy stood up too, "Xander, Spike is the reason I'm alive now. And he's took care of me on patrol countless times, he's helped us all. It's time to accept him." Buffy pleaded with her friend.

"Buffy, I'll give him credit for having been helpful at times, but like I told you before, you can never forget what he is! He's a evil, souless monster who just happens to want you." Xander turned to walk from the bedroom.

"You're wrong, Xander. He's not a monster and more importantly, he has a soul now." Buffy reached over and took hold of Spike's hand once more.

Xander stopped dead in his tracks, "What did you say?"

"He has his soul back." Buffy repeated.

"And you believe that?" Xander rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I do. And you better start believing it too. Do you love me Xander? Do you want me happy?" Buffy's voice rose slightly.

"Yes, you know I want you happy." Xander replied sullenly.

"Then you better get used to Spike, because he is what makes me happy. Can you do that for me, please?" Her voice softened and she gave Xander her famous half smile.

Xander looked between the battered vampire on the bed and back to Buffy, he realized she was serious, and she was indeed happy, he walked towards her and hugged her to him, "I'll try. I can't promise anything though."

She smiled at him, "I can't ask for more then that."

"I've got to get back to work, you going to be okay?" Xander cut his eyes towards Spike.

"I'll be fine. I'll talk to you later?" Buffy called after him.

"Yes, you'll talk to me later." Xander called back over his shoulder as he left the room, "And take your medicine!"

"This isn't gonna be easy is it?" Spike asked as she settled back next to him on the bed.

"Nothing worth having is ever easy." She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, Spike's strong arms around her.

ONE YEAR LATER

The package fell through the mail slot into the floor with a thud. Spike got up from his spot on the couch to see what the noise was, he bent down and picked up the package, it was wrapped in plain brown paper and addressed to Buffy Summers and Spike. Well that was different. no one ever sent them mail together, there was no return address. It wasn't very heavy, felt like a book maybe. Curious as to what it could be, he took it upstairs to show to Buffy.

He opened the door to their bedroom, that sounded really good, 'their bedroom'. He smiled as he walked into the room, still dark despite the sunshine due to the dark curtains. He had teased her about those curtains, "Why did you go with such dark ones, luv? Did you know I was coming back?" She'd thrown a pillow at him and then thrown him on the bed, devouring his mouth with hers, touching him everywhere and in every way. That had been a week after they had found their way back to each other again, the first time they had actually 'made love' mutually.

Buffy was asleep on the bed, her head covered with the pillow, she had stayed out late last night at Anya's second bachelorette party, she and Xander were really going to go through with it this time. This time a quiet small wedding had been planned for next week. He had no idea what they had done but he knew it involved alcohol consumption, which never worked out well for Buffy. He sat down beside her on the bed and shook he shoulder, soflty calling her name, "Buffy, wake up sleepy head!"

"Hmmmmm..., I love you Spike, but I really do have a massive headache this morning." She growled from under the pillow.

Spike laughed, "So it's come to that has it, headaches?"

"What do you want?" Buffy pulled the pillow off of her head trying to sound grumpy but her smile spoiled the effect.

"You know what I want." He arched his eyebrows at her and grinned as he kissed her.

She returned the kiss eagerly, "Always."

She pouted when he pulled away from her, "We got this in the mail?" He held up the package.

"Who is it from?" Buffy asked taking the package from him.

"Dunno, no return address. Thought you might want to open it."

"So if it's a bomb, I get it first?" She cut her eyes at him.

"It's not ticking, I checked." He grinned at her, "But I can open it if you want."

"It looks safe, but I don't recognize the handwriting. Aha, it's postmarked New York City." She shook the package for good measure before she unwrapped it. "It's a book."

A note was stuck to the front of the book , Please open and read the first page." She opened the book to and began to read aloud,

Above the dedication, was a note written in script,

Somehow, I know you two are together now. Buffy, I took yours and Spike's story and I wrote this book. Not to worry, there is not one slayer or vampire in the book, I wrote about two rivals in the business world who suffer through a lot before they get their happy ending. Read the dedication below, it's for you.