A/N This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction so please be gentle. Also a very special thank you to my awesome Beta, Allison, who is super fast.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy Summers sat in the hotel bar surveying her surroundings. She had been waiting for her friend for over twenty minutes when she felt someone sit down beside her. Spinning on her stool, a smile lit up her face. When she met the eyes of the person sitting next to her, a shocked and confused look over took her features.

"I think I liked the first look better, luv."

'This is what going into shock must feel like,' Buffy thought. She stared into the brilliant blue eyes of the man who was currently the biggest action star of the decade.

Spike Hawthorne sat staring at the blonde in amusement. He had seen her sitting alone when he arrived at the bar ten minutes before, and it had taken that long for him to get up the nerve and walk over to talk to her. He was a movie star, for crying out loud- he had women flocking to him by the hour. Even more so now that his paycheck had been raised to ten million dollars a movie. The only problem with his so-called loyal fans was that the women who wanted him, more often than not, wanted the characters he played. Either that, or the money. He had yet to meet a woman that just wanted to get to know him. When he spotted the blonde, he had been floored. He barely even caught a glimpse of her face, and he couldn't keep his eyes off her. She was wearing an elegant black dress that fell almost to her knees. The long sleeves angled out a little to partially cover her hands, and with the amount of skin that wasn't shown, it was more than made up for with the neckline. The slightly off-the-shoulder deep V-shape in both the front and the back had his heart racing. The brilliant smile that he was briefly flashed made him want to keep that look on her face permanently.

"You know, pet, it's impolite to stare," he said with a smirk.

She seemed to snap out of it then, shaking her head slowly as if she was trying to shake the images out of it.

"You're not my friend."

Spike smiled and glanced down almost sheepishly. "Well, not yet, but I was kinda hoping we'd see where the evening takes us."

"No, I-I'm sorry. What I mean is, I'm meeting someone, and you're not them, but I guess you already figured that out, what with knowing who you are and all." Buffy closed her eyes, mortified by her babbling.

Spike smiled, absolutely amazed with this woman.

"You wanna get out of here, pet?"

That got her attention. Her eyes snapped up to his face, and she felt her body relax for the first time since he sat down. Over his shoulder, she noticed her friend sitting down at a table and giving her a look, obviously wanting all the details of what was happening. Buffy then met Spike's eyes again before responding in a very calm voice. "The name's not 'pet', it's Buffy." She began gathering her purse and standing. She saw the way Spike's eyes lit up when she stood, obviously thinking she was accepting his offer.

Leaning over him, Spike thought he would pass out at the extraordinary look at her cleavage, and then he felt her breath on his ear.

"And I'm not a groupie," she whispered before turning and walking away. Spike watched her backside sway gently and was in shock. No woman had shot him down, and that just made him want her that much more. He noticed her sit down at a table with a pretty red head and glance up at him. Spike shook off his feelings and raised his glass at her in a salute. He smiled at the pretty flush that tinted her skin and took a sip of his drink.

"Man, that was just sad."

Swiveling on his stool, he saw the owner of the voice.

"Give me time, Xand," he said, turning his attention back to Buffy. "This one is definitely worth the effort."

* * * * *

"Okay, missy, I want all the details. Why were you having a conversation with Spike Hawthorne, and more importantly, why are you not still over there?"

Buffy smiled at Willow's train of thought but didn't respond immediately since she was lost in her own. Willow studied her friend for a minute, looking at Buffy's slightly tilted head as she stared at her fingertips tracing patterns on the tablecloth.

"Come on, Buffy, at least tell me what you were talking about."

Buffy sighed. "It was nothing, Wills. He was just flirting a little, and he asked if I wanted to leave, and I told him I wasn't some groupie and then came over here to meet you." Buffy finally raised her eyes to meet her friend's. Willow smiled halfheartedly at her friend.

"Buffy, I know you don't wanna hear this, but."

"You're right, I don't, so let's just drop it, okay?"

"Buffy, you need to get back out there and start dating."

"No, Willow, I'm not getting into this conversation tonight. I just want to relax and have fun with my best friend, okay?"

"Okay, sweetie."

* * * * *

"So, Spike, what do you wanna do tonight?"

Xander noticed his friend's gaze still fixed on the blonde and couldn't help but smile. He had been friends with Spike since high school and couldn't remember ever seeing him so fixated on a girl. Well, except maybe Drusilla, but that relationship was just a train wreck waiting to happen.

"Actually, Xand, I was thinking of following those two lovely ladies wherever they're heading out to."

"Okay. Spike, I'm your friend, which is why I'm saying this with complete respect, but that's called stalking!"

"Look, mate, I know what it sounds like, but I just want to get her last name, okay?"

"Well, why didn't you just say so?" Xander said while hopping off of his stool, starting to head in the direction of the women. Behind him, he heard the frantic tones of his friend's whispers, trying to get him to come back.

"Excuse me, ladies, but I was just wondering if I could have a moment of your time. You see, my friend over there at the bar seems to have quite a hang-up on you," he said, gesturing to Buffy. "And I would really like to be able to go out and do something tonight, and I don't think he's going to be coherent enough to leave this bar until he gets your last name."

Buffy looked up at him with a stunned look. She was about to tell him exactly what he could tell his friend when Willow cut her off.

"It's Summers. Buffy Anne Summers."

"Willow!"

"What? It's not like he's some serial killer. We've seen all his movies, and I don't think he would be nearly as popular if he went around killing all his fans."

Buffy's head immediately fell into her hands, mortified.

Xander smiled and extended his hand to the redhead.

"Thank you, Miss.?"

"Rosenberg, but call me Willow," she said, taking his hand.

"Thank you, Willow."

And with a nod of his head to Buffy, he turned to start walking back to the bar and had to suppress his laughter when he saw Spike trying to subtly bang his head against the mahogany surface.

"Hey, man, the last name's Summers, and if you're real nice to me the rest of the night, I'll even give you her middle name."

Spike stopped the banging to stare up at Xander incredulously.

"She just gave you her full name?"

"Well, no, but the cute little red-head did, so you've still got it either way."

This time Xander did laugh as his friend dropped his head back to the bar surface.

"Just a second, Wills," Buffy yelled from her hotel room the next night as she finished putting her earrings in. She stepped away from the mirror and critiqued her reflection. She was wearing a black skirt that fell to her knees that had two slits on each side of her thighs and a white halter that draped low in the front and had a spaghetti strap acting as the halter. Satisfied with what she saw, she slipped on her high-heeled, black sandals and ran for the door just as the knocking resumed.

"Sorry, I took so long."

"That's alright, luv. You're most definitely worth the wait."

"Wh-what're you doing here?" she asked with disbelief evident in her voice.

Spike smiled and glanced at the floor before meeting her eyes again.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot last night, luv."

"I didn't know we got off at all, Mr. Hawthorne."

Buffy's hands flew up to cover her face as she realized what she just said. Spike smiled and took one of her hands to pry it away.

"I really just said that, didn't I?" she asked, mortified.

"Don't worry about it, pet. And the name's Spike. Mr. Hawthorne's a little too stuffy for me."

She smiled and relaxed a little bit. Looking down, she realized their hands were still joined and leaving her with a tingly feeling shooting through her body. She swallowed hard before pulling her hand out of his and looking up into his eyes. After he and his friend left the bar last night, Buffy fully expected to never see him again, and now he was standing here, practically in her hotel room.

"Look, Spike, I don't know what you want from me, but I'm leaving town tomorrow, and I can honestly say I don't have a lot to offer a big movie star."

Spike maintained eye contact and reached up to tuck a piece of long golden hair behind one ear.

"Don't sell yourself short, luv," he said in a low seductive voice.

Buffy tore her eyes away from his and looked down, chewing on her lower lip.

"Miss Summers, I just want to get to know you a little better."

Buffy graced him with a slight smile before nodding.

"Okay, I can accept that, but the name's Buffy. Miss Summers is my mom."

Spike opened his mouth to say something when he heard a gasp behind him. Turning, he noticed the cute redhead from the bar and turned all the way around to offer his hand.

"Miss. Rosenberg, is it?"

Willow offered a little squeak in response and took his hand.

"My friend, Xander, told me your name."

That seemed to snap Willow out of her shock. She smiled at Spike before veering off around him and grabbing Buffy's arm.

"Excuse us for one minute," she said, shutting the door in Spike's face. He had to smile at that and looked down at the floor, shaking his head.

Once safely closed on the other side of the door, Willow spun around to Buffy.

"What happened to not wanting to talk about it and just relaxing while you're here?"

Buffy glanced at the door before replying, "I don't know, Wills, it was just like all resolve flew out the window when I saw him standing there. I mean, he actually went to the trouble of finding me and coming back to talk."

Willow smiled at her friend. "Buffy, I'm all for it if you want to pursue this, but you do realize it would be a fling, right?"

Buffy looked back at the door and nodded. "Maybe that's what I need right now. Not a relationship, just something special, but meaningless."

"Honey, you know I'll support whatever you decide, but it's been six months, and maybe you should be looking for a relationship."

"Wills, you know what I think about that. There's just too many factors to consider before I let myself get involved with anyone else. It's not worth it to get somebody else hurt."

"Buffy."

"No, Willow. It's not worth it."

"Okay. And for the record, it was sweet that he went to the trouble of finding you, but you are staying in the same hotel he saw you in last night," Willow said with a smile.

Buffy smiled and shoved her shoulder lightly. "It's the thought that counts."

"Yeah, I know. So are you going to go out there and ask him to go with us, or should I?"

* * * * *

After picking up Xander in the lobby, the four were now sitting around a table at one of the local clubs.

"So, where are you ladies from?" Xander asked.

"Well, Willow's from here, and I'm from a little town about two hours away from L.A. I've just been here this week visiting my mom and Wills."

"And what town would that be, pet?"

Buffy smiled at him and shook her head. "A town which you don't need to know."

"Ooooh," Xander said. "Shot down!"

Spike glared at him over the table before turning his attention back to Buffy. "Would you like to dance?"

Buffy smiled and took his offered hand, letting him help her off of her stool. She noticed the jealous looks of the other women in the club as Spike pulled her body flush up against his. Her arms wound around his neck as his tightened around her waist. She stared up into his eyes as the song started.

I was counting down the minutes
I was wishin' on the stars
I was praying for a sign
And trying to beat the odds
I was dreaming of you
Love before I saw your face
And there you were
Waiting for that day
Then you reached through the hurricane
When you, baby, you called my name

Buffy's head fell to Spike's chest as tears filled her eyes. She wanted this. She wanted happiness and love and passion. She wanted safety from the story of her life and she couldn't have it.

You broke through the storm
And you turned back the night
Baby, you are the fire
Burnin' the midnight sky
And your love
Keeps taking me higher
Just when all hope was gone
Where the hero belongs.
There you were

Spike's hands separated, pulling Buffy even closer to him, one caressing her lower back while the other slid higher until it was met with the bare skin of her back.

Must have broken into heaven
Just to roll back the clouds
Were you on a mission
Were you seekin' me out
Was I that one in a million
Was I that one sacred kiss
That you couldn't chance
That you just couldn't miss
Then you whisper through the silent tears
When you swept away all my fears

Buffy raised her head to look into the brilliant blue of Spike's eyes. His expression turned worried when he saw the tears shimmering in her hazel ones. He brought one hand up to caress her cheek while the other wound further around her back, nearly encircling her waist.

And you broke through the storm
And you turned back the night
Baby, you are the fire
Burnin' the midnight sky
And your love
Keeps takin' me higher
Just when all hope was gone
Where the hero belongs.
There you were

Spike pressed his forehead to Buffy's as he enjoyed the fact that nobody had ever felt this right in his arms. It felt like he was complete.

Standin' in the middle of nowhere
With your arms wide open and you,
You were the reason when there was no reason
In my life
You're the reason in my life

You broke through the storm
And you turned back the night
Baby, you are the fire
Burnin' the midnight sky
And your love
Keeps takin' me higher
Just when all hope was gone
Where the hero belongs.
There you were

Spike slowly lowered his head to capture her lips with his. The smooth caress of her lips gliding over his nearly made his knees buckle. He had never been this affected by a woman, and he realized he never wanted to let her go.

Like the light in the eye of the storm
Tellin' me not to cry anymore
Where I watched my whole world fall apart
Shinin' through like an angel from afar

You broke through the storm
And you turned back the night
Baby, you are the fire
Burnin' the midnight sky
And your love
Keeps takin' me higher
Just when all hope was gone
Where the hero belongs
There you were

Buffy broke the kiss with a gasp for air as Spike heatedly moved from her jaw to her ear. "Do you wanna get outta here?" he asked in a husky voice.

Buffy didn't trust her own voice, so she just nodded. They headed back to their table where Buffy spoke briefly to Willow who nodded and gave her friend a hug. Spike came around the table and put his hand on the small of her back to lead her out of the club.

Spike and Buffy barely made it through the front door of his house before lunging at each other. Spike's keys fell to the floor as he kicked the door shut and pivoted, holding on to Buffy while his lips ravaged hers. He pinned her against the door and hurriedly pulled her jacket off. Their lips never breaking contact, they each let their hands roam over the other's body. Buffy ripped open Spike's shirt and ran her nails down the smooth, hard planes of his chest and then planted her hands flat against it and pushed until he was backed into the wall of the foyer. Attacking his lips again, she jumped up and wrapped her legs around him. His hands came up to hold her in place as she reached between their bodies and unzipped him. Pulling his raging erection from the confining material of his pants, she quickly thrust herself onto him.

Spike pulled away to stare up at her in amazement of being sheathed inside her. She stared back at him as they both tried to catch their breath. Getting his bearings, Spike spun them around and pushed her into the wall, moving inside her at a furious pace, almost afraid that she would leave if he didn't. Buffy threw her head back and reached behind her head to get some leverage as she ground herself onto him again and again. The blinding pleasure shooting through both of them was almost enough to make them dizzy. After several minutes of moving together, Spike changed angles to better grind himself against her. Buffy gasped, feeling the tell-tale burning in the pit of her stomach. She pushed herself down onto him again and again, needing to seek out her release. Spike, feeling her body change, slid his hand in between them to circle her clit. When he couldn't hold off his own climax anymore, he pinched it lightly, sending her screaming into oblivion. Satisfied that she was sated, Spike reached around, grabbing her to steady himself and pounded quickly into her, finding his own release just seconds later, spilling himself within her welcoming body.

When the blinding pleasure subsided a minute later, he raised his head from where it was pillowed on her breast and looked at her. Buffy exhaled slowly and then ran her fingers along the sharp contours of his cheekbones before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on his lips. Suddenly, Spike's eyes snapped up to hers, and his breath caught.

"Oh God, Buffy, I'm sorry.we didn't.I didn't use anything.it all happened so." he stopped when he felt the pressure of her fingertips against his lips.

"Spike, I'm on the pill. It's okay as long as you're." she trailed off, not knowing what to say.

Spike breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm clean, Buffy." And then with a smile he added, "I don't go around. What was it that you said? Oh yes, picking up groupies."

Buffy blushed and buried her head in his shoulder before letting out a gasp. She raised up to meet his eyes and said, "Oh my God, that's me.I-I'm a.groupie!"

Spike let out a loud chuckle before replying, "Trust me, luv, you are anything but that."

Buffy seemed to breathe a little easier at that.

"I'm sorry, it's just that you asked if I wanted to go somewhere, and you didn't even know my name, and."

"It's okay, pet, but for the record, I just wanted to get to know you better."

"Okay, but for your information, you are really hot, so this would have been the outcome of tonight, even if you weren't famous," she said with a bright smile.

"Thanks ever so."

She smiled again, and when she realized that he was still imbedded inside, she felt a blush creeping into her cheeks before straightening her legs to the floor. They separated from each other, both surprised that they already missed being in intimate contact with each other.

"So, would you like to see my bedroom, luv?" Spike asked with a devilish twinkle in his eye. Buffy smiled and took his hand.

"I can't think of anything I'd rather do more."

"Well, I don't know about that. I can think of a few." he cut himself off with a smile as he felt her lightly smack his shoulder.

* * * * *

Spike woke up later than usual the next morning and reached for the warm body he fell asleep next to earlier in the morning. He briefly smiled as the memory of the vigorous night of love-making came back to him, but the smile was gone in an instant when his hand encountered nothing but cold sheets against his fingertips.

"Bloody hell!"

He jumped out of bed and grabbed the closest jeans he could find. Running out of his room and trying to pull a t-shirt over his head, he did a quick search of the house, calling Buffy's name to see if she was still there. Not able to find her, he went searching for his car keys and found them under a plant in the foyer five minutes later. He grabbed his cell phone and ran out of the house.

* * * * *

"'Lo."

"Xander, wake up, it's me."

"Spike? Hey, buddy, what're you doing calling me this early?"

"It's after two, Xand. Listen, I need your help. Did you by any chance get Red's number last night?"

"Willow? Yeah, I've got it around here somewhere, why?"

"I need you to call her and find out where Buffy lives."

"What? Spike, what are you talking about?"

"Xand, I woke up this morning, and she wasn't there. I just left the hotel she was staying at, and all they would tell me was she checked out this morning. They won't tell me where she was going or give out any personal information."

"Alright, man, I'll see what I can do. Give me ten minutes, and I'll call you back."

"Thanks, mate."

Forty-five minutes later, the phone finally rang.

"It's about soddin' time!" he yelled into the phone.

"Chill out, man. It took a little more persuading than I thought to get her to tell me. Anyway, the Buffster lives in a little town called Sunnydale."

"Sunnydale. Okay, man, I think I know where that is. Thank you, and tell Red you owe her a kiss for me."

"How did you.?"

"Xander, you asked for the chit's phone number- that never happens. I knew there had to be something there. Tell her thank you, and thanks again, mate."

* * * * *

Buffy sighed as she watched the sink fill with soapy water to do the dishes later that night. She knew she shouldn't miss him. It was just a fling, a one night stand, and that was it. She pulled her long hair in a high ponytail before starting the dishes. Then why did she feel so miserable?

Hearing the doorbell ring a few minutes later, Buffy sighed again. Looking down at her white spaghetti strap tank top and hip-hugging jeans, she grabbed a dish towel and wiped the excess water off of her hands on the way to the door.

She pulled open the door and gasped at seeing the object of her thoughts on the other side.

Spike stood there in black dress pants and a royal blue dress shirt that made his eyes seem electric. His trademark duster was in place, and he looked at her almost sheepishly before giving her a shy smile.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, swallowing hard.

At that, his smile brightened. "Is that all you ever say when you see me?"

"Well, I'm trying to remember the last time I opened a door and you weren't there, but you didn't answer my question."

Spike frowned slightly at the tone of her voice before pulling a hand out from behind his back and presenting her with a beautiful red rose.

"I missed you."

Buffy gulped again before reaching out and accepting the flower. Instead of releasing it to her, Spike stepped forward with her movement and pressed his lips to hers. Each enjoyed the feel of the other's body too much to let go right away. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer to him. Upon hearing a movement behind the woman in his arms, Spike slowly pulled away and looked over her shoulder. He felt Buffy tense up as he looked back at her in confusion before he glanced over her shoulder again. Buffy turned and walked further into the house to crouch down next to the little girl with blond hair and chocolate brown eyes.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "Spike, I'd like you to meet Caitlyn...my daughter."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N The song is "There You Were" performed by Jessica Simpson and Mark Anthony

Spike stood frozen in the doorway. Daughter? Buffy has a daughter? After
a minute, he remembered where he was and entered the house, closing the door
behind him. Crouching down in front of the little girl, he smiled and was
pleased when she returned the smile around the thumb she was sucking.

“Hello, Nibblet, my name’s Spike.”

Caitlyn smiled again before walking over to him and giving him a hug. Spike
glanced over at Buffy and saw the shocked look on her face.

“Caitlyn, honey, why don’t you go get your milk out of the fridge.”

“Okay, mommy,” she said, padding her way into the kitchen as both Buffy and
Spike straightened to their natural height.

Spike raised an eyebrow at Buffy. “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

“I know, Spike, and that’s why I didn’t tell you in L.A. I mean, you
weren’t supposed to just show up out of the blue, on my front porch like
some knight in shining armor. It was just supposed to be one night. Just a
nice memory to look back on, and that was all,” she said with a heavy sigh.

“I don’t want just one night, Buffy,” he said, taking a step closer to her
and wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Spike, don’t. There’s things you don’t know and you don’t need to and…”
she trailed off as her daughter walked back into the room, a cup with a
built-in straw clutched between both hands.

Before anyone else could say anything, a loud knocking started at the door.
Buffy froze for a split second before crouching down in front of her
daughter.

“Honey, why don’t you take Spike upstairs and show him your room and all
your toys, okay?”

Caitlyn nodded and reached for Spike’s hand. He took her tiny hand in his
and looked at Buffy with a bewildered expression.

“Spike, please, just give me ten minutes.”

Spike’s expression changed to anger as he looked at the door where the
incessant banging hadn’t stopped.

“Is that him?” he asked with a livid expression.

“Spike, I will explain everything. Just give me a few minutes, okay?”

Spike nodded slightly before allowing himself to be led up the stairs.

Buffy took a long breath before opening the door and nearly fell over with
the force that it flew open.

* * * * *

Spike wandered around Caitlyn’s room as she gave him a running commentary of
all of her toys. It was a typical little girl’s room with a whitewashed
bed, chest, and toy box. A tiny whitewashed desk sat in the corner with
coloring books piled high. The lavender walls complimented the lavender
comforter with hints of pale pink in it. Pink accents also decorated a few
surfaces in the remainder of the room. Spike smiled at the little girl on
the floor telling him all of her dolls' names as she pulled them out of her
toy box, one by one. She was able to relax him with her innocent
explanations, even though it was driving him crazy not being downstairs and
sizing up his competition.

He turned his attention back to Caitlyn. It occurred to Spike that he had
never been a kid-friendly person, but this little girl was a delight. Maybe it
was because she was an extension of Buffy. Whatever the reason, he was a
little surprised by their mutual accepting of each other.

“So, Little Bit, how old are you?”

“Four, next month.”

Spike smiled at the enthusiasm in her voice as he stared at a picture on top
of the chest. Picking it up, he looked at the smiling faces of a younger
Buffy, baby Caitlyn, and a man who was holding her with. He had spiked brown hair and the same brown eyes as the girl sitting at his feet.

“This your daddy, Nibblet?”

Caitlyn stood up from her position on the floor and walked over to Spike.
She stared at the picture for a minute before nodding solemnly.

Buffy gasped as she jumped away from the door before it cracked her in the
head. She stared up at the large, angry man standing there and gave him a
glare of her own.

“What do you want, Riley?”

“What do you think, Buff?” She cringed at the smell of alcohol rolling off
of him in waves.

She took a step back as he advanced on her, and her lips tightened as he
grabbed both of her arms in his brawny hands. The grip was bruising, and
Buffy felt the tears flood to her eyes but refused to let them fall. This
man had made her cry too much already- she would not give him the
satisfaction of letting him see it. Clenching her teeth together, she looked
up and kept a level gaze with his eyes.

“Where’s Caitlyn, baby?” Buffy shuddered as his mouth descended closer to
her own.

“Why do you care?”

“I just wanted to know if she was in bed before I have my way with her
mother.”

“No!” Buffy ground out as she planted her hands on his chest and shoved.
In his inebriated state, she was able to get a little leverage, and he
stumbled back slightly, falling into the banister.

“You bitch!” Riley punched her, the blow hitting her square in the left
cheekbone and sending her falling against the door. Buffy moaned slightly but
quickly straightened, panting heavily as she felt her arms being pinned
again, and her body crushed and held to the door. She squirmed under his
grasp as he smiled down at her.

“Oh yeah, baby,” he said, bending low to grind his crotch into hers. “Just
like that, don’t stop.”

Buffy managed to get an arm free and clenched her fist before sending it
crashing into his nose.

“Aaagh!” Riley’s hands immediately flew up to his face to the flow of blood
that now fell from it.

“Get out of here, Riley, NOW!”

Riley straightened and his gaze hardened as he stared at her. Buffy felt a
trickle of fear before smashing it down. She would not let him get to her
again. Even as she was putting on a brave front, she felt the crushing
back-handed smack that split open her lip on one side and sent her crashing
into the door once again.

“Get…out,” she said, fixing her eyes on his. Her lips tightened again as
Riley’s descended to meet hers in a kiss.

“Tell my girl I stopped by.”

“She’s not your girl, Riley, and neither am I. If you have a problem with
that, maybe I’ll just call the police, and you can straighten it out with
them." She trembled slightly as his hand came up to touch her damaged cheek.

“You will always be mine, baby,” he said before turning, much to Buffy’s relief, and stumbling out the door.

Buffy felt all of her energy drain out of her as she locked the deadbolt
behind him. She slowly slumped to the floor and looked down at her arms.
There were already irritated, red handprints where he had grabbed her both
times. She saw the evidence of the black and blue marks they would be in a
few hours. Curling her legs up to her body, Buffy gently laid her forehead
on her knees and let the tears fall.

* * * * *

“So, Bit, does your daddy live here?”

“No,” Caitlyn said, before returning her attention back to her dolls.

Spike decided to drop the subject. No use asking a three year old questions
that might be upsetting when Buffy told him she would explain everything.
After a few minutes of listening to Caitlyn tell him about her favorite
bedtime story, Spike glanced at his watch. It had been longer than ten
minutes, and Buffy still hadn’t come up. He’d heard something a few minutes
before that sounded like the door slamming.

“I’m going to go see what’s keeping your mum, Bit.”

“Okie dokie.”

Spike smiled at the phrase he hadn’t heard since he was a boy before
turning and making his way down the hall.

Spike entered the kitchen and felt a smile pulling on his lips at what he
saw. Buffy stood over the kitchen sink, apparently finishing the dishes.
Her long golden hair had been taken down from its ponytail and now fell in
a silky curtain to the middle of her back. She had pulled on a thick,
hooded black sweater that fell down to her calves but still followed the
curves of her body. His smile was quickly replaced by a frown when he heard
a sniffle.

“Luv…” He pushed off from the doorway and made his way to the sink.

“Spike!” She didn’t turn to look at him. “I’m sorry, I was just on my way
upstairs, but I wanted to get these finished.”

“’S’alright, luv. Is somethin’ wrong?”

“Nope,” she replied vigorously, shaking her head. “What would be wrong?”

“Look at me, pet.”

“I-I have to go tuck Caitlyn in,” she said, taking off for the opposite
doorway.

“Buffy!”

“Spike, please,” she whispered, pausing in the doorway. “I’ll be right
back, just…just wait for me in the living room, okay?”

Before he could respond, she was gone.

* * * * *

Buffy smiled softly at her daughter as she tucked her in.

“Was it him, mommy?” she asked quietly.

“Yes, baby, it was, but there is nothing to be scared of. Mommy pinkie
swore nobody would hurt you, remember?”

Caitlyn smiled before hugging her mother’s stuffed pig Mr. Gordo to her
chest and closing her eyes. Buffy stood up and made her way to the door.

“Mommy?”

“Yes, sweetheart.”

“I like Spike. He’s fun, and he calls me silly names.”

Buffy smiled. “I’m glad, Punkin. Good night.”

Buffy walked into the hall bathroom to survey her reflection. Her left
cheekbone was swelling and tinged a purple shade, and the right side of her
bottom lip was split open. She gingerly touched her cheek and winced at the
immediate pain that flared up. Sighing, Buffy ran a brush through her hair
and headed downstairs.

* * * * *

Buffy slowly walked into the living room with her eyes downcast. She had
seen Spike from the stairs, sitting on the couch, and she knew she wasn’t
ready for this, but she bit the bullet and walked over to sit down next to
him.

“God, Buffy! What happened to you?” Spike practically yelled as he pulled
her hair back from her face to get a look at her.

“Spike, there’s some things we need to talk about.”

“Yeah, like what the hell happened to your face!”

“Look,” she said jumping up, her nerves frazzled . “If you're just going to
run a commentary on my appearance, then we’re wasting our time, and you can
just leave!”

“Buffy, I’m sorry,” he said, grabbing her arm before she could reach the
door. He froze when he heard the soft cry of pain at his touch.
Tentatively, he took a step closer and carefully shed the sweater off one
arm. His expression darkened at the handprint that remained. Turning his
attention to her other arm, he repeated the action, his expression turning to
one of pure rage.

“Who did this to you?” he ground out between clenched teeth.

“It’s not important right now…”

“The hell it isn’t!” he yelled. “Did this just happen?”

“Spike, I-“

“Tell me.”

“Yes, but-“

“Bloody hell, why didn’t you come get me?!” he demanded as he began pacing
around the living room. “Buffy, I was in the house. I wouldn’t have let this happen. Why didn’t you-“

“Spike! First of all, I can take care of myself. Secondly,” she continued,
ignoring the scoff he sent her way. “Please, just sit down and let me
explain.”

“Oh yeah, pet, you can clearly take care of yourself,” he said, his voice
edged in sarcasm.

“Spike…”

“Alright, I’m listening.”

Buffy pulled her sweater over her arms again as Spike resumed his earlier position on the couch.

“Okay,” she began, sitting next to him. “It all started when I was sixteen.”
At Spike’s confused look, she continued. “Just trust me, it will all come
together. When I was sixteen, I met this guy. He was funny, and strong, and
mysterious.” Spike hated him already. “My mom wasn’t too happy. He
was…older, and more experienced in everything, and I was just some dumb kid
with a crush. We tried to stay away from each other, but things never work
out the way you expect them to,” she said with a breathy smile, staring into
Spike’s eyes. He gave a small smile at the double-meaning and leaned
forward to caress her uninjured cheek.

“Anyway, we started spending more and more time together, and eventually
emotions started to get the better of us. I loved him, and I wanted him to
be my first.” She paused, trying to get her thoughts in order. “So, on my
seventeenth birthday, he took me out to dinner, and later we went back to his
place. Eventually, one thing led to another, and I got my wish,” she said
with a shrug. “However, I ended up getting pregnant. You see, I was on the
Pill, but I was also taking another medicine at the time, and, surprise
surprise, the effects of that cancelled out the birth control. So, I found
myself pregnant at seventeen and shockingly enough, everyone was okay with
it. Even my mom, though she was disappointed in me at first, but I’m her
baby, so she got over it. I worked hard and graduated a year early, which
had been my plan all along, and Angel asked me to marry him. I accepted the
proposal, but I told him I didn’t want to get married because of the baby,
and I’d like to get my life together. He was very understanding, and we
agreed the wedding should be after I graduated college. I went for a half
semester before Caitlyn was born in October, and then I started full-time the
following January. I moved in with Angel and everything was great. He was
a wonderful father and was very attentive to anything either of us ever
needed.”

Buffy paused, her eyes watering a little, and Spike laced his fingers through
hers, holding tightly to her. She looked at him with a grateful smile and
squeezed his hand.

“I asked Angel to run out to the store one night to get a few things we
were missing. And h-he…he never came home,” she trailed off as a sob took
over. Spike wrapped her in his arms and held her while she cried. Unsure
of how he felt about her crying over another man, he just slowly rocked her
back and forth.

“I killed him,” she whispered, clutching at his arms.

“What?!”

“He never would have been out if it wasn’t for me. Th-there was a drunk
driver and…and h-he…” she trailed off with another sob. “I sent him out that night.
I told him I loved him…and I kissed him…and I killed him.”

“Oh, luv,” he said, pulling away from her slightly to cup her face in his
hands. “It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known, and you didn’t tell
the other bloke to drive that night. Don’t blame yourself.”

Spike planted a soft kiss on her lips, carefully avoiding her injury.

“What else?” he asked, gently pulling her hair away from her face to look at the bruising. Where does all this come in to play?”

Buffy took a deep breath before continuing. “After the funeral, I went into
a deep depression. I started thinking of all the things Angel would be
missing and how he only heard Caitlyn say da-da once and she was learning to
crawl. It never occurred to me that I was missing out on so much while I
was busy being miserable. My mom moved in with me for a while and took care
of Caity. I snapped out of it a little when school started again and slowly
went through the motions. Mom watched Caitlyn for me, and I took summer and
night classes to get my Associates Degree even faster. A few months after
Angel died, mom told me she was moving back to L.A. She had an opportunity
to start an art gallery that was a lot bigger than the one she had here.
The opportunity was just too great to ignore, so she made all the
arrangements. She appointed me the manager of the gallery in town, and I got
my degree and am slowly working on buying it from her.

“Around the time of Caitlyn’s first birthday, while I was still in school,
one of Angel’s friends started coming around a lot. He said he wanted to
check up on us and that Angel told him to watch out for us if anything ever
happened to him. A few months went by, and Riley and I started casually
dating. A few more months, and he pretty much took it upon himself to move
in. I wasn’t really sure how I felt about that, but he was comforting...for
a while.

“Slowly, I noticed how he was alienating me from everyone. My friends, my
family- he was monopolizing all of my time to where it was just me and him.
He even wanted Caitlyn to start calling him daddy. I said no, that she
already had a father and I would not put the idea in her head that Riley was
him and Angel never existed. One night, after we’d had yet another fight
about him filling in the role of Caitlyn’s father, he lost his temper. He told me I
was overreacting to something so meaningless and that he was the one raising
her. I informed him that I was the one who was raising her and if he had a
problem with that, then he knew where the door was. That pushed him over
the edge and things got out of hand, and he hit me.”

Spike sucked in his breath sharply at that.

“The abuse continued for a long time. I-it was only me, though, so I
figured that it was my fault, that I was somehow asking for it or egging him
on…I don’t know. I never left him alone with Caity, and he started resenting
me for that. One night six months ago, I was fixing supper and heard her
crying. I ran upstairs, thinking Riley was in the shower, only to find him
yelling at her for not picking up her toys. He raised his hand to hit her,
and I snapped. I kicked him out after a huge fight and told him to never
come back. He always does, though, and if I don’t want to let him, which I
never do, he just breaks a window to get in the house.

“I’ve tried to get a restraining order, but all that does is get him put in
jail for a night where he can sit and plot how he’s going to punish me for
having him incarcerated. Eventually, I just stopped reporting him, knowing
that the beatings I get are a lot easier the first time around rather than
dreading him showing up the next night and giving a repeat performance.

“So, there you have it…my dysfunctional life in a nutshell. So, now you know
why I was in Los Angeles this past week. Caitlyn was staying with my mom in
her apartment, and Mom paid for me to stay in the hotel so it could be like a
real vacation and I could have some privacy for a while. She knew how much
I needed a break from the hell that is usually my life.”

Buffy finished the story with a huge exhale of air and turned to face Spike.
He sat there, almost in a daze.

“I-I’ll understand if…i-if you don’t want to stay,” she said softly.

Buffy nearly cried when she saw him stand up.

“I need some time, luv,” he said, putting his jacket on and heading for the
door.

“I understand,” she whispered as she followed him. He turned around when he
reached the door and saw her staring down at the floor.

“Buffy,” he said, putting a finger under her chin and lifting her face up to
his. “I’m not leaving town. I’m here for a while. I just need a night to
think about this.” He paused, seeming to consider something. “Will he come
back tonight?”

“No,” she whispered. “He’s probably already passed out somewhere by now.”

“Okay, luv.” He pressed a small card into her hand. “Here’s my cell number.
Call me if you need anything at all. And Buffy…I want you to be able to
trust me when I say, I will be back.”

With that, he pressed his mouth to hers. Moaning, she wrapped her arms around
his neck and deepened the kiss, injured lip be damned. His mouth parted, and
their tongues met and embraced as his arms wrapped around her waist and
pulled her body against his. He thrilled in the feel of her soft curves
molding to his body and the breathy whimpers coming from her lips. Breaking
apart, panting, a few moments later, Spike pressed another gentle kiss on
her forehead.

“I’ll see you soon, luv, I promise,” he whispered before turning and
walking out the door.

Once he was safely in his car, he whipped his cell phone out of his pocket.

“Gunn…yeah, it’s me…listen, I need a big favor…”

Spike stood outside Buffy’s front door a few days later, holding two large
pizzas and a two liter of cola. He heard the thud of little footsteps
running through the house and saw the living room curtains flutter.

“Mommy! It’s for you!” Caitlyn’s muffled voice shouted from inside the
house. A minute later, a flushed-looking Buffy answered the door. Spike
took in her loose-fitting white cotton pants and her long-sleeved black
shirt. Frowning, Spike raised an eyebrow at her shocked face.

“You came back,” she murmured.

“Told you I would. I also come bearing pepperoni and cheese…may I come in?”

“Oh, of course,” she said, stepping out of his way. Spike was then assaulted
by a blur of blonde hair and bouncing movements.

“Uncle Spike! Uncle Spike! You’re back, and you brought pizza!”

Spike laughed at the rambunctious child and handed the pizzas to Buffy.
“That’s right, Little Bit,” he said, bending down to her level. “And guess
what? If you’re a good girl and mommy says it’s okay, we’ll go out for ice
cream later.”

“YAY!!”

As Caitlyn took off for the kitchen, her mother and Spike followed at a
slower pace.

“What can I say? The girl loves her ice cream.”

“Apparently,” Spike agreed with a smirk.

Buffy quickly fixed her daughter a plate of the gooey substance and settled
her in the dining room before rejoining Spike in the kitchen.

“You didn’t have to come back, Spike,” she said quietly. “I would have
understood. Truth be told, I didn’t really expect to see you again.”

“Told you I’d be back, didn’t I? Besides, I didn’t get a chance to get to
know the Little Bit the other night, and I thought tonight would be just as
good as any.”

“Thank you.”

“For what, luv?”

“For making an effort. For letting Caitlyn know that she’s important to
someone other than me.”

“That’s because she is important, just like her mommy is. Now…I don’t seem
to recall getting any kind of welcoming kiss,” he finished with a smirk.

“Well, since you requested one so subtly, I guess that can be arranged,”
Buffy replied with a smile of her own. Leaning forward, Buffy lightly
brushed her lips to his in a teasing peck.

Spike reached out, wrapping his arms around her waist and dragging her
forward until she was pressed against his chest. “Now, you can do better
than that, luv.”

Sealing his lips to hers, an electric current almost seemed to buzz through
them as they got reacquainted with the sensation of the other.

“Eeeeeeww!”

Buffy and Spike broke apart to turn and stare at the smiling little girl in
the doorway.

“Can we help you?” asked Spike in a teasing tone.

“I’m thirsty.”

Buffy extracted herself from her lover and went to get a glass of milk for
her daughter. After returning to the kitchen to collect her own plate,
Buffy caught Spike’s glance across the island. “The price of dating a single
mother.”

Spike simply smiled and nodded before accepting a plate and heading into
the dining room.

* * * * *

Spike sat in Buffy’s living room later that night, waiting for her to finish
with Caitlyn’s nighttime routine. It had been an eventful night after
taking them both for ice cream- Caitlyn had proceeded to bounce all the way
home from the sugar rush. It had already taken Buffy nearly an hour to get
her to go to sleep, and Spike had been patiently waiting for her to return to
him.

“Sorry,” a soft voice said from the doorway. Spike turned to the voice and
smiled at the vision in front of him. Physically, she looked no different
than she had all night, but on the trip downstairs, she seemed to switch from
‘Mommy-mode’ to ‘Woman-mode.’

“Spike, I think we need to talk.”

“Well, no good conversation ever starts with that phrase,” he said as Buffy
made her way to the couch. Spike flipped off the TV and turned to face her.

“Look, Spike, I think it’s only fair that if you’re going to leave, it
should be now.”

“What do you mean, luv?” he asked with a confused look on his face.

“I mean, I don’t want Caitlyn to be getting more attached than she is
already if you’re not going to be there.”

“Buffy, have I given you any indication that I don’t want to be here?”

“Not yet,” she said softly.

“Buffy.” He turned her chin up to look at him. “What are you worried
about?”

“I’m worried that I’m going to get too attached, and one day, you won’t be
here. I can get over it- I’ve been there before- but you didn’t know what
you were getting yourself into when you came to find me. How did you find
me anyway?”

“That’s for me to know,” he said with a playful smile.

“Willow blabbed,” she said with a nod.

“Hey! That was my informant. You weren’t supposed to guess her that quick,”
he said indignantly.

Buffy laughed at the look on his face. “I’m sorry, but unless you were able
to track down my mom, that pretty much left only one option.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Buffy’s expression suddenly turned serious. “It was just a fling, Spike. It
wasn’t supposed to mean anything.”

“It did, though.”

“I know. I’ve been trying to deny it, but I can’t. Spike, you need to know
that first and foremost my daughter is my number one priority. If you can’t
handle that, then I’ll understand. I know there aren’t too many guys who
would want to be in that kind of relationship.”

“Buffy, I’m not most guys.”

Buffy smiled at the admission. “I’ve learned that much already. At least
you’ve been honest with me so far.”

Spike sighed. “In that case, I think now would be a good time to let you
know something.”

“This doesn’t sound good,” she said with a nervous little half-smile.

“It’s not bad. It’s just you may not like the idea at first.”

“So tell me.”

“I have a friend in L.A. Known him my whole life, and I gave him a call
after I left the other night. I asked him to come here and keep an eye on
you when I can’t.”

“Keep an eye on me? Spike, I don’t need a baby-sitter.”

“I disagree, luv.”

“Disagree all you want to! This is my life, Spike. I can take care of
myself.”

“Why are you wearing those pants, Buffy?”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“I have a right to wear whatever I want.”

“Buffy, what did he do?”

Buffy leveled her gaze to his, giving Spike an icy look. “I can take care of
myself.”

“Damn it, Buffy!” he yelled, jumping off the couch. “Someone’s got to put
that ponce in his place. Now what did he do to you?”

“I gave as good as I got. I don’t need to be pampered and overprotected.”

“What about Caitlyn?” he asked angrily, gesturing up to the next floor.
“What happens when he’s had enough of you and decides to finish you off and
take her with him?” Softening his voice, Spike sat down next to her and
took her hand in his, “Buffy, I just met you, and already, I can’t bear the
thought of losing you or her. Let me do this for you, please.”

“What do you want to do?” she asked in a resigned voice.

Spike spent the next hour explaining everything that was going to change.
Gunn would watch the house whenever Spike wasn’t around. He was instructed
to take Buffy and Caitlyn anywhere they wanted to go as long as they were
never alone. What Spike didn’t tell her was Charles Gunn would also be
doing some research into Riley Finn and building up a nice solid case for
Spike to hand over to his lawyer.

Spike walked up to his hotel room with a heavy sigh. He bypassed his own
suite to knock on the door next to his and gave the man a nod as it swung
open.

“What’s up, man?”

“I’ve got the information, Gunn.”

“Come on in.”

Spike walked through the hotel room and sat down on the couch, glancing
through the papers Gunn had spread out on the coffee table. He picked up a
black and white surveillance photo of Buffy playing with Caitlyn in their
front yard. Judging from the clothes they were wearing, the picture was
taken just a few hours before Spike arrived.

“Just took a couple of shots, had to get familiar with the area and the
people,” Gunn said, tidying up the space a little bit.

“Yeah, I know…what’d you find out about Finn?”

“Unfortunately, not a lot. The guy isn’t exactly a model citizen from what
I hear, but I never even got close enough to see what he looks like, and in a
small town like this, I begin asking questions, and it will get back to him.”

“There were no pictures of his in the house, and Buffy’s a small woman, so
this guy could be any size.”

“My thoughts exactly, but here’s the kicker of the situation- the guy has
been detained more than once for various reasons- violating the restraining
order, domestic violence, disturbing the peace, and the list keeps going,
but guess where Prince Charming is employed?”

“Do I even want to know?”

“Riley Finn,” Gunn continued, pulling a paper from the stack and reading
from it. “Age 28-graduated top of his class at Sunnydale High-full
scholarship to UC Sunnydale-the average nice guy based on his looks and
sober personality. According to my informant, currently employed as football
coach and part-time Phys. Ed. teacher at Sunnydale High School.”

“You’re kidding me? They let this guy work around kids?”

“According to my informant at the police station, the principal at the
school is a first class Nazi. Finn was his prized student the entire four
years, and he judges his arrest record as trumped up charges created by a
former student who was a bit of a troublemaker…namely Buffy Summers.”

“So this guy ignores everything the police tell him, including physical
evidence that his employee is beating up a woman and continues to let him
work with no reprimand of any kind?”

“Oh, but the plot thickens. Apparently, Finn disappeared a few years ago
and was gone for a year. Nobody has any idea where he was, and he hasn’t
told a soul.”

“So where does this leave us?” Spike asked.

“Well, next week, the coach of the Sunnydale High Razorbacks is going to be
getting a visit from a concerned uncle. Said uncle is expecting his star
quarterback nephew to be moving in with him before the end of the school
year and is concerned that he will be receiving the best coaching possible
if Sunnydale is the place he attends.”

Spike let a slow smile overtake his face as he realized what Gunn was
telling him. “What happens if he wants the fictitious quarterback to start
before the end of the current season?”

“Well, my friend,” Gunn said with a smile. “That would be impossible since
he lives across the country and his parents are going through a messy
divorce, in which case he is needed there for the proceedings.”

“Chucky, you almost have me convinced, and I know there is no nephew,” Spike
said with a smile.

“What can I say? I missed my calling as an actor. And don’t call me Chucky-
makes me sound like some homicidal toy. So what do you have for me?”

“Well, as of right now, Finn seems to be coming after Buffy exclusively.
She did mention he wants Caitlyn to think of him as her father, so eventually,
I think he might try and make that little bit of his imagination a reality.”

“Okay, so what’s the plan? You want me to keep an eye on Buffy for now?”

“No. I don’t think he’ll come after Buffy during the day. Nobody’s ever
witnessed the amount of abuse he’s inflicted on her as he was doing it, so
right now, it’s just town gossip. I don’t think he’d be willing to risk his
reputation just to pick a fight with her. ‘Sides, she seems convinced that
she can take care of herself.”

“And you don’t agree?”

“If it was just her, I’d say she could defend herself, for the most part.
Throw a kid into the mix, and she gets more preoccupied with protecting her
daughter, which any mother would in her right mind. From what I’ve seen,
this guy doesn’t hold back when it comes to claiming what he thinks is
his.”

“Yeah, I noticed evidence of that when I was observing them earlier,” Gunn
said with a grim expression.

“Yeah, I wish I could show him how it feels to be the one terrorized for a
while.”

“Man, you’ve got it bad,” Gunn said with a smile.

“What?”

“Look at you, Spike. How long have you known this girl? A few days? You
follow her to town, find out about a shady past and immediately call me to keep
an eye on her. I’ve never seen you this overprotective of someone who’s not
a family member. Especially not a girl with a kid.”

“She’s special, Gunn.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

“Speaking of which, Caitlyn goes to a daycare center called Once Upon a
Time, it’s over on Elm Street. Buffy drops her off at 7:30 Monday through
Thursday and picks her up at 5:30.”

“From what I hear, Riley’s hours at the school are 10:00 until 6:00 with an
hour off for lunch. You want me to keep an eye on him, or Caitlyn?”

“Caitlyn. I don’t know enough about Riley to trust that he doesn’t have
friends who would help him out. Buffy said you have to be authorized to
sign a child out of the center, but what can a few teachers do if a man
comes in with the intention of taking the child?”

“You’re really worried he’s going to try and take her?”

“Judging from what I’ve heard, I think he would do anything to get control
of Buffy’s life.”

* * * * *

Buffy lay on her couch with a mug of hot chocolate later that night. After
Spike had left with a promise to come back on Saturday and take them out to
a movie, she had changed into a pair of loose cotton shorts. Now, as she was
sitting there, staring at the damage to her legs, she said a silent prayer of
thanks that Spike had forgotten to question her anymore about the events of
the other night. When she agreed to let his friend keep an eye on
them, he seemed so relieved he hadn’t pushed the subject of the latest Riley
thrashing.

She hadn’t been lying when she said she gave as good as she got. Caitlyn
had been spending the night with a friend from daycare, and Buffy hadn’t
hesitated to swing a lamp into Riley’s face to get him away from her.
However, she hadn’t been quick enough to escape without several angry marks
to her upper legs. With a heavy sigh, Buffy stood up to rinse out her mug
and head to bed, her thoughts plagued with the next round of abuse she was
set to endure.

Spike led both Caitlyn and Buffy out of the crowded theater the next night
to the street outside. Caitlyn had a firm hold on his hand while his other
arm was securely wrapped around Buffy’s waist. They had a great time
watching the movie and throwing pieces of popcorn at each other. Spike made
sure to buy Caitlyn anything her little heart desired, much to the
exasperation of her mother. Both simply ignored Buffy’s looks as she filled
her little tummy with as many sugary and gooey substances as she could
handle. Buffy made empty threats that when she woke up sick in the middle
of the night, she would be calling Spike to come over and take care of her.
Spike had simply smiled and nodded in agreement to pacify the woman whom he
was growing more and more attached to.

Spike stopped in the middle of the sidewalk as he felt Caitlyn’s hand grab
his in a tiny, forceful grip. Looking down at the little girl, he saw a look
of terror on her face before he followed her line of vision. Standing five
yards away was a bulky, fuming man with his hands clenched into fists.
Spike shot a look to Buffy and saw her mouth set in a tight line. “Riley.”

Understanding dawned on Spike as he leveled his eyes back to the man. Spike
quickly sized up Riley Finn and found him sorely lacking. Yes, he was big
and broad, but he clearly spent all his time pumping weights and no time
actually working out. Cautiously, Spike tugged on Caitlyn’s hand and pulled
the frightened little girl behind him, shielding her from the man who was
slowly advancing on them.

“So, what’s this?” he asked, directing his question to Buffy, never
leaving Spike’s watchful stare. “One big, happy family out for a night on
the town? Gotta hand it to ya, Buff. I never thought you’d land anyone
famous, but then, you always did have your talents in the bedroom.”

That did it. Spike took two long strides to the man in front of him before
letting his fist fly to land squarely in his gut. Relishing the grunt of
pain as Riley doubled over; Spike grabbed the back of the man’s hair and
jerked his head up to look him in the eye and spoke in a low, menacing
voice. “Keep the hell away from MY girls.”

Bringing his knee up to Riley’s face, Spike let him drop to the ground,
delighting in the fact that the man hadn’t even managed to get a swing in.
Turning back to Buffy and Caitlyn, he watched as Buffy was crouched in front
of her daughter, gently soothing her fears. Walking over, he swiftly bent
down to scoop the little girl into his arms. “Everything’s okay, Little
Bit.”

Caitlyn smiled at his soothing tone and wrapped her little arms around his
neck. Ignoring the growing crowd of people surrounding them, Spike grasped
Buffy’s hand in his and led them away from the curled up form of Riley Finn.

* * * * *

Later that night, after Caitlyn was tucked safely into her bed, Buffy
carefully applied an icepack to Spike’s bruised knuckles.

“You shouldn’t have hit him, you know,” she stated.

“Maybe not, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with talking to you like
that.”

“Spike-“

“No, Buffy, I already did it, and I’d do it again, so don’t tell me I
shouldn’t have.”

“I was going to say thank you,” she said quietly. Spike looked at her for a
long moment before pulling her closer and sliding his lips over hers.

Buffy gasped at the sudden kiss but eagerly wrapped her arms around his
neck and deepened it. Spike dropped the icepack and enveloped her in his
embrace. Breaking away after a few minutes, Spike looked deep into her
eyes. “We shouldn’t do this tonight.”

“I know,” she whispered.

Giving her one last kiss, Spike pulled away and stood up with Buffy
following him. Holding her hand, he turned around to face her when he
reached the door. "I’ve got to go to L.A. for a few days and finish up some
voiceover work on my latest movie. I’ll be back by Wednesday. Will you go
out to dinner with me?”

“Like a date?” she asked with a smile.

“I figured it’s long past,” he replied.

“It’s a date,” she said with a bright smile. Spike brought her hand up to
his lips for a gentle kiss.

“I’ll see you in a few days, luv.”

* * * * *

Spike gave Gunn a call on his way home a few days later.

“’Lo?” Gunn said with a yawn.

“Hey, man, how’s everything going?”

“Actually, Spike, it’s a little unusual. Buffy dropped her daughter off
with a friend of hers last night. A woman named Winifred Burkle, goes by
the name Fred. Anyway, Fred owns the daycare center Caitlyn goes to, and she
also has a daughter that’s about a year older, but the strange thing was,
Caitlyn spent the night last night, went to the center with Fred, and then
went back home with Fred later today. I’m outside the house right now.”

“Where’s Buffy?”

“I gave her a call, introduced myself, and asked her if everything was okay.
She said she was just not feeling well today. I asked her if Riley was
there with her and told her to just give me a yes or no answer. She said he
wasn’t, so I’ve been keeping an eye on the kid. I think there was something
wrong, though, Spike.”

“I’m on my way over there,” he said, disconnecting the phone.

Knocking on Buffy’s door a few minutes later, Spike waited impatiently on
the other side. When she didn’t answer the door, he tried the doorbell.

“Buffy, it’s me!”

He saw the living room curtains move and then the sound of locks turning.
When the door was flung open, Spike had to grab the doorframe to keep
upright. Buffy hurled herself into his arms with fresh tears streaming
down her wounded face. Spike took a moment to comfort her before leading
her into the house and shutting the door behind them. Away from prying
eyes, Spike pulled away and gently touched her battered cheeks.

“Luv, what did he do?” he asked softly.

Buffy simply shook her head, trying to turn away from him. Spike wrapped
his arms around her waist and stiffened at the sharp cry. Tentatively,
Spike pulled off the extra-large sweatshirt she was wearing, revealing inch
after inch of formerly tanned skin. The bronze color was now tinted a dark
purple, cuts in various places on her back. The discoloration only stood out more against the stark white contrast of her bra. Turning her around, Spike tasted the bile in his mouth at the bruises that covered her stomach and the discolored skin of her chest. Upon closer examination, Spike noticed what he assumed were teeth indentations in the soft skin of her breasts. Swallowing hard as he looked back to her face, he tried
to pull Buffy’s hands away from her crying eyes.

“Buffy, luv, tell me,” he whispered comfortingly.

When she didn’t respond after a few moments, Spike cautiously hooked his
fingers on each side of her baggy cotton pants. Slowly, he began to drag
them downward to inspect the rest of the damage done to her, but froze
when he felt Buffy’s body go rigid against his touch. Seconds later, she
shoved Spike hard against the front door and curled herself into a fetal
position, burying her face in her knees and wrapping her arms protectively around
herself. “NO! No, don’t touch me…I don’t want you to touch me!”

Spike stayed where he was for a few minutes, his heart aching for the
distressed woman before him.

“Luv, please tell me,” he said softly, slowly inching his way toward her
cowering form. With a soft caress, he gently stroked her hair, “Please.”

Buffy looked into Spike’s eyes, seeming to remember who he was, and for
the second time that night, launched herself into his waiting arms. Spike
lightly held her, not wanting to harm her anymore, and planted tender kisses
along her shoulder and neck as she cried.

“H-he r-raped me,” she whispered quietly.

Spike felt anger cloud his vision as images of Riley Finn’s broken body
entered his thoughts.

“That son of a bitch! I’m gonna kill him!” he yelled, jumping to his feet and heading for the door.

Next