Buffy thought for a moment. She really, truly thought. She'd given up on vampires because of the whole Angelus thing, but this new Spike...he was different. And she couldn't deny she'd been attracted to him since the night he took Drusilla and ran.

"Maybe."

Spike looked shocked. "Maybe?"

"If this is going to be a real date, though, let's go to a movie."

Spike nodded. "Movie. Movie is good."

Buffy came home around midnight, to the sight of Xander and Dawn having a heart-to-heart. She closed the door softly and stayed in the hall, listening in.

"So why do you like him?"

"I don't know. He's funny, and was nice to me..."

"But he's a vampire. And I think he likes someone else."

"Yeah, Buffy."

Xander smiled and caught Buffy's eye when she looked in. "Yeah, I think he does. Look, soon you'll meet normal human guys your own age or slightly older and fall madly in love with them. I seem to remember I did something similar with your sister."

Dawn grinned. "I remember that."

Xander nodded. "I do too, not that I really want to. I was a lovesick little puppy." He stood up. "Time for you to head to bed, kiddo. You have school tomoorow."

Dawn gave him a hug. "Thanks, Xander."

Dawn didn't even look towards the door as she turned to the stairs and headed to her room. Buffy shook her head, moving into the living room towards Xander. "She likes Spike?"

"Actually, she's crushing on Angel." He laughed. "How was your patrol?"

"Cut short. Hit a movie." She looked at xander. "What do you think of Spike?"

"As a bloodsucking vamp?"

"More as a potential...boyfriend. For me."

Xander didn't even look shoked. "He likes you."

"I know."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know."

"You know why he's attracted to you, Buffy? Because he's male. And because you're cute, confident, packed, stacked, and ready for some sweet lovin'. Now go get some!" Xander smiled. "After Riley, you deserve a guy that's more your equal. Spike...could be it." He picked up his jacket and started to head to the door. "But don't tell anyone I'm advocating you dating the undead. Again."

Buffy shook her head as Xander left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"Spikey! Wow, you really changed this place. Where's my stuff?"

Spike shrugged, looking at Harmony. "Out there," he said, gesturing towards the open door. "Probably at the landfill."

"But why? You knew I'd come back," she said, sidling up to him. She took a whff of the air around him and froze, her face sliding into the feral looking vamp-face. "You smell like the Slayer."

Spike gripped the stake in his duster pocket tighter. "I spent time with her. Helping her patrol."

"You're *helping* her?"

"Yes, I'm helping her," he said, turning to face Harmony. He stalked up to her. "I'm in love with her. I need her, and I think she needs me too. And I'm *not* about to let your skinny white arse ruin it for me."

He pulled the stake out and plunged it into Harmony's chest.

"Good riddance," he muttered, dropping the stake and stalking over to his bed, throwing himself on it and looking up at his crypt ceiling.

Buffy waited in Hammersmith Park for Spike to join her. It was eight o'clock, and the place was deserted.

"The Slayer," she heard a voice whisper.

Buffy'd recognize that voice. Holding her stake tightly, she turned in the direction of the voice and saw Drusilla standing there. "The nutcase."

"You have my Spike's scent on you." She growled softly.

"He stopped being *your* Spike when you shacked up with the chaos demon," Buffy said. "He's not mine, but he might be."

Drusilla came flying at Buffy, knocking the stake at her hand and pushing her to the ground. Drusilla clawed at Buffy's face, leaving deep scratch marks on her cheeks.

Buffy flipped Drusilla over and punched her in the face. She heard and felt Drusilla's nose break. Drusilla grabbed Buffy hair, which had been down, and pulled her down so Buffy's neck hovered dangerously close to her mouth.

Buffy pushed herself up, jumping into a standing position. "Even if you want him so bad, at least ask him who he wants." She looked behind Drusilla at the figure emerging from the shadows. "Who *do* you want, Spike?"

Drusilla whirled around and Spike threw something towards Drusilla's chest. Drusilla had only a second to see the stake protruding her chest before she exploded into ash.

"You," he said softly. He walked to her, looked at her face. He took off his jacket and then his shirt, using his shirt to stop the bleeding of some of the deeper cuts on Buffy's face. "I want you."

She closed her eyes and leaned into him, resting her head on his bare chest, knowing she was bleeding on him. "I know," she said softly, wrapping her arms around him. "I know."