Author's Note: First off, let me thank all of you who reviewed this story as you read it. I really appreciate it. It really helps to get me out of those write's blockage!!! THANKS YOU GUYS ARE GREAT!!!!

Second - The title once more comes from a song. This time it's Sarah McLachlan's I Love You: Love You

I have a smile
stretched from ear to ear
to see you walking down the road

we meet at the lights
I stare for a while
the world around disappears

just you and me
on this island of hope
a breath between us could be miles

let me surround you
my sea to your shore
let me be the calm you seek

oh and every time I'm close to you
there's too much I can't say
and you just walk away

and I forgot
to tell you
I love you
and the night's
too long
and cold here
without you
I grieve in my condition
for I cannot find the strength to say I need you so

oh and every time I'm close to you
there's too much I can't say
and you just walk away

and I forgot
to tell you
I love you
and the night's
too long
and cold here
without you
 

Spike was snapped out of his suffering by the sound of his name. It started out as a faint whisper and it gradually grew into a strangled cry.

“The whelp.” Spike finally identified the voice.

“Xander!” he shouted. “Down here!”

“Spike, are you in there?” Xander’s voice came from the opening.

The vampire’s fingers immediately came to rest on Buffy’s neck. He waited a second and… there it was! A weak and almost imperceptible pulse, but it was there. Carefully, he stood up, lifting Buffy’s limp body.

“Xander, I’ve got Buffy, but she’s hurt pretty bad. You need to get her to a hospital.” Spike explained. “I’ll push her up, but you’ll have to pull her.”

“Ok.” Xander promptly agreed outstretching his arms.

Soon enough he felt something at the tip of his fingers. He identified it as Buffy’s wrists as he grabbed a hold of them and pulled her up. When she was safely out of the tunnels Xander brought his hand down once more offering it to Spike.

Skulking in the shadows, Spike felt a pang in his chest. He swallowed hard before speaking.

“I can’t go.” He paused. “The sunlight.”

“Oh.” Xander realised retracting his hand.

“Take her to the hospital.” Spike order weakly.

He heard the shuffle of feet and added: “Something happens to her, I’ll come for you. Chip or no chip.”

Xander nodded, even though he knew the vampire couldn’t see him.

Underground, Spike sighed and secretly prayed the whelp could get her to help in time.

***************************************

Buffy squinted as the artificial light burned her sensitive eyes.

“Hey, Buffester!”

She heard Xander’s familiar voice and forced her eyes to focus. Various smiling faces greeted her.

“Buffy?” Dawn whispered.

Buffy turned to see her sister sitting on the right side of the bed. She tried to reach for her, but an excruciating pain, coming from her arm, travelled at lightning speed through her entire body.

“Don’t move, you still haven’t completely recovered from that arm.” Dawn explained.

Buffy smiled, it was good to have her sister boss her around for a change. Slowly, everyone approached the bed and the Slayer was able to recognise their faces.

“Hey.” Willow greeted.

Behind the Wicca, at the foot of the bed, stood Tara, smiling sweetly. To the Slayer’s left, closer to her stood Anya and Xander.

“How long have I been out?” Buffy finally asked.

“Three days.” Anya promptly answered.

“There goes my job at the DP.” The Slayer protested with a light smile.

“Don’t worry, we called in and said we would replace you, free of charge, as long as they let you keep you’re job when you got better.” Willow said proudly.

“Thanks, Willow, you’re the greatest.”

“You’re welcome.”

“The doctors are really amazed at your recovery. They say you’ll be out in a couple of days.” Dawn told her sister with a huge smile.

“Gotta love those Slayer healing powers.” Buffy joked, but the strain of laughing brought on another surge of pain.

A knock at the door was heard and a woman dressed in white and wearing a stethoscope around her neck entered.

“So how’s my super patient doing? Awake, I see.” The woman smiled and made her way to the bed. “Hi, I’m Dr. Katherine Ballard.”

“Hey.” Buffy greeted.

“How are you feeling?”

“I feel a little light headed.” She complained.

“That’s normal. You lost a lot of blood and along with the drugs for the pain in your arm it’ll make you kinda woozy. Don’t worry, it’ll pass.” She smiled and then turned to the rest of the people in the room and continued: “Well you guys, I think it’s best to let Miss Summers rest for a while, don’t you.”

Everyone nodded and started saying their goodbyes.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, Buffy.” Dawn said before closing the door behind her.

*************************************

Buffy paced around the living room; her hand rested of her still sore right arm. On the couch, It entertained himself by closely following the Slayer’s moves, which meant he just sat there moving only his neck from left to right. His eyes never left her figure, not even when a knock on the door was heard.

“Hey, Dawnie!” Anya greeted handing the young teenager a bottle of red wine.

“Hey, Anya!” Dawn replied as she gave Xander a quick peck on the cheek.

“Man, it’s cold out here.” Willow said as she followed Xander and Anya into the house.

“I know. It doesn’t even seem like Summer, huh?” Dawn chatted taking Tara’s coat and hanging it up in the closet.

“How’s she doing?” Willow asked politely.

“Apparently trying to dig a whole in the living room floor.” Xander joked, not giving Dawn a chance to answer.

“She’s been doing that since we came back from the hospital.” Dawn whispered.

“Huh?” suddenly Buffy seemed to snap out of her trance.

“Nothing. Just saying that - big circle in your living room floor” Xander pointed to the floor under Buffy’s feet and continued “could always become a fashion statement. You never know.” He smiled seeing the confused look on his friend’s face and decided to let the subject go. “So, how’s my favourite hero doing?”

“Fine. I’m still a bit knackered though.” Buffy answered.

“Knackered? Since when do you say knackered?” Xander asked.

Before she could answer, Dawn intervened, seeing her sister’s face become bright red.

“Xander, could you come to the bathroom with me? We seem to have some trouble with the plumbing again.”

“Sure.” The man replied following the young teenager up the stairs.

Buffy sighed in relief and resumed walking around in circles.

“Pleeeease, stop. It feel sick.” It protested as his eyes pointed to the bridge of his nose and his tongue hung loosely out of his mouth.

“No one forced you to look at me all the time.” Buffy suddenly snapped.

It immediately curled up into a little ball at the sound and sight of the angry Slayer.

“Sorry.” It squealed.

Buffy ignored the demon and turned to Willow.

“So, ready for the celebration dinner?” she forced a smile on her face and moved towards the kitchen.

“Are you ok?” Willow asked her best friend as they followed Tara and Anya.

“I’m fine.” She answered weakly.

Willow decided it was best to let the subject go, but it was clear that something bothered her best friend.

*****************************************

“Don’t forget the napkins.” Anya shouted as she sat at the dinning room table.

“This looks…” Xander searched his mind for a euphemism, but when he failed to find one he settled for a big lie. “… great.”

“Really, really…” Willow stared at her plate. “…great.”

The Wicca was still trying to figure out what the mush displayed in front of her was. “It looks like fish, smells like meat and…” she ran her fork through the food and finished her thought. “has the texture and feel of a slug.” She swallowed hard at the idea that pretty soon she would have to eat that.

Tara was the first, brave enough to bring a piece of the food to her mouth. She soon cursed her valour as the most painful taste ever took over her tongue.

Everyone watched as she turned bright red and her eyes became glassy with tears.

“Hum…” she paused before she forced the lump of food pass her throat. “Yummy!”

Willow smiled compassionately at her lover before speaking:

“Where did you learn to cook, Dawn?”

“Janice has been teaching me.” The young teenager answered with a huge grin on her lips.

“Arg... This is horri- ouch!” Anya started as she spat out the food back into her plate and Xander instinctively kicked her under the table. “Xander why did you kick me?” the ex-demon asked completely unaware of the situation around her.

“Honey, remember what we talked about manners?” the young man asked with a crooked smile.

Anya simply pouted and murmured under her breath something unintelligible.

“Buffy, you haven’t eaten a thing. Dr. Ballard said you should eat.” Dawn fell into her mother/nurse role when she saw the distant look in her sister’s eyes.

“I’m not hungry.”

“More!” It shouted as he finished licking his plate. “It want more!”

“Hey, he likes it!” Dawn noticed joyfully.

“More, more, more! Moooooooooooore!” It continued to bark as he simultaneously banged the plate on the table.

“It, stop that!” Buffy screamed.

An uncomfortable silence invaded the room as everyone turned to look at the angry Slayer.

“I’m sorry, guys!” she spoke in a calmer tone. “I’m just a bit tired. I think I’ll go to bed. Goodnight.” She stood up and jogged up the stairs.

“Why doe she get to leave and not eat this-?” Anya started annoyed.

“Anya!” Xander protested.

****************************************

Buffy closed the door to her bedroom behind her and let her body slump down to the floor. Curled into the foetal position, she rested her forehead on her bony knees.

“Why do I care?” she asked herself banging her head on the door.

She sighed and stood up, walking towards the bed. She squeezed her eyes shut as images of Spike’s marbled face staring down on her assaulted her mind. She had only dim memories of what had happen after the ceiling caved in on her.

She remembered being called by her pet name, opening her eyes to meet utter darkness but strangely enough not feeling scared, just tired and sleepy. The second time her heavy eyelids lifted she saw him. His face was marred and nearly disfigured with pain as tears streamed down his white, pale cheeks.

“I’ll miss you’re face.” She had whispered before closing her eyes and the last thing she heard was her name being called out, as Spike’s grip on her tightened.

“No, Buffy, please don’t! Luv, please wake up. Please, I can’t go through this again. Not again. Please don’t go…”

Buffy squeezed her eyes shut once more as she felt her stomach turn and her throat tighten. She shook the thoughts away and prepared to go to bed when she heard a crack coming from the hall.

She walked over to the door and opened it only to find two large eyes staring up at her in fear.

“Why are you following me, It?” she tried to speak calmly.

It spread his mouth wide open in a frustrated attempt of a smile.

“It?” she threatened.

“Sorry!” he begged. “Me no tell.”

“It!” this time the small creature knew it was in trouble.

“Bad vampire tell It - Follow Slayer.” He squealed immediately.

“What?” she asked incredulous.

“He say he want to know if Slayer no more pain.”

It took a few second for Buffy to translate and incorporate the information, but when the meaning of the demon’s words sunk in she found her blood start to boil.

“That… God, I’m killing him.” She said to herself as she stormed down the stairs and out the door, completely ignoring her friends’ questions.

***********************************************

“What the HELL were you thinking?” her voice echoed through the crypt as the door slammed behind her and she made her way to the lower level.

“Hum…?” Spike mumbled as her shouting woke him from a deep sleep. “Slayer?” he squinted.

“What’s your idea of sending your, your… ET to spy on me?” she was still yelling when she reached him.

He was sprawled on the bed, naked, with only a thin sheet covering him up to his waist.

“What? Huh?” he hadn’t quite woken up yet. “What are you yapping about, woman.”

“It. Spying. On me. Under your order.” She said pointedly.

“Oh!” he murmured sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

“I almost bleed to death, you don’t even bother visiting me at the hospital but you send a slimy, skinny annoying little… thing after me? Is that it?” her eyes were flaming red, her face flushed in anger.

“I thought you didn’t want to see me. I thought that was the agreement.

“What agreement?” she asked as a frown settled over her eyes.

“You, me, wrong. Remember?” his finger travelled between him and her as he spoke. She was about to speak, but he cut her off. “Don’t worry, I’m not telling any of your chums about us.”

She exhaled sharply; why did everything always have to be so hard around him?

“It’s complicated.” She sighed.

“Oh, I know. EVERYTHING is ALWAYS complicated, innit?” he could feel the anger start to grow in his chest.

“I can’t be with you.” She said in a soft voice.

“WHY NOT?” he shouted, standing and wrapping the white sheet around his waist.

“Because…” she searched for the reasons, which was gradually becoming harder with his proximity. “Because when I’m around you I’m not the Slayer.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m around you and I make mistakes because of it. And I can’t protect Dawn anymore.”

“So now you’re saying that losing Dawn was my fault, is that it?” he asked annoyed.

“No.” she answered promptly. “It’s just…” she struggled with the words. “I can’t concentrate; you’re always yammering and annoying me. I lose track of my goals. I’m with you and suddenly I’m fraternizing with… with… I play poker with a demon with a skin condition. For Christ’s sake, Dawn now wants a Khind’Ara demon as a pet.” She shouted.

“It’s staying with you guys?” he asked curious.

“That’s not the point.” She retorted angrily. “You come into my life and you turn everything upside-down. Suddenly not all demons are slayable, they’re… they’re friends.”

“I just showed you the world’s not black and white. There’s always grey in the middle.” He spoke calmly.

“I don’t LIKE grey.” She shouted to his face. “I like white on this side and black on that one. No mixing. Slayer good, demon bad, Slayer kill demon.” She paused to take in a much needed breath and continued with her ranting, walking around in circles in front of him. “YOU made things complicated.” She pointed angrily at him. “You come in with your smug grin and everything goes – BOOM – just when I’ve just figured out where everything fits.” she waved her arms around like a mad man.

“All of that is my doing?”

“Yes.”

“Why don’t you pin global warming on me while you’re at it.” He mocked.

“See!” she stopped circling and pointed an accusing finger straight in his face. “There! You did it again! You just think that everything is a big joke to you.”

“What did I do?” he asked incredulously.

“You SAVED me, that’s what!!!” she barked. “Why did you do it?”

“Cause I’m bloody in love with you. I’ve told you that a million times. Bugger!” he yelled back.

“You’re a VAMPIRE, Spike! You’re not supposed to love anything!”

“Well, I do!”

She paused for a while before continuing the argument: “I really hate you.” She hissed. “I hate you for saving me, for keeping your promise and protecting Dawn, for listening to me when I came back, for ever kissing me back.” She exhaled sharply and continued shouting at a frightening rhythm. “I hate for being a vampire with a damned chip in your head, for not leaving, for coming back for me-“

“That’s gratitude.” He cut her off.

“Shut up, Spike!” she demanded. “I hate you because… because…” she struggled with the lump in her throat.

“What?”