Lovers Walk

Chapter Seventeen: Don't Go


"Alright, let's do this." Ravyn said as she pulled a nap sak from the trunk and put it on her back. Walking up the small hill Spike and Ravyn bypassed the guard house and were on their way to Complex.

The past 2 weeks had been stressful, neither Ravyn nor Spike saying much to each other, other than when they were going over their plan.

Ravyn had completely withdrawn. She hardly ever smiled anymore, let along laughed and Spike missed that. He loved seeing her happy. Made his life seem less miserable. He knew he had hurt her. He didn't mean to. He never lead her believe anything was happening between them...did he? But, as time wore on, his feelings were becoming more confused. He did like her, alot. Her not talking to him proved that...he missed her. How could you spend every minute of the day with someone and still miss them?

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Looking cautiously as they entered a side entrance of the Complex, Spike and Ravyn crept there way through the darkened corridors. It was late and only a hand full of people still remained on the top levels. Most of the others remained below.

Making there way down the hall, Ravyn spotted the door she was looking for and turned the knob slowly. Peaking inside, she spotted her target, busy at his desk. She walked in silently as Spike followed her in and shut the door with a bang.

"What! What's the meaning of this!" Richard yelled as he stood up from his chair startled.

"Hi, honey...I'm home" Ravyn said with a smile as she reached out and grabbed Richard around the neck.

"Ravyn...what are you doing...let me go." Richard said shaking.

"Ah...but we haven't even got to the fun part yet." Ravyn said as she let up on the grip she had on him in as her chip activated. "Bring me that chair Spike, and help me tie him up"

Once seated and tied, Spike busied himself with going through Richard's fills while Ravyn `played' for a while.

"So, did ya miss me?" Ravyn asked Richard as she straddled his lap.

"I know who you are! I had you checked out and I also know you can't hurt me." he said smugly.

Ravyn smiled at him and wiggled in his lap. "See, that's where you're wrong Ritchie."

She reached down and pulled a small knife from her boot and lightly ran it down Richard's cheek. "I can hurt you for hours before I have to stop. I have a great tolerance for pain now, thanks to your little chip."

Ravyn brought the tip of the knife across Richard's bottom lip, bringing a thin line of blood with it as she did. "See, that didn't hurt a bit." she said as she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, sucking the blood away.

Ravyn smiled big at him and released his lip. "Why, Ritchie..are you happy to see me" she asked him knowingly as she rocked her hips a few times across his now present erection.

Spike had been watching the whole thing periodically as he searched for other Complex locations. He didn't like it one bit. Seeing her sitting on that man and doing the things she was doing was starting to bug him.

"Come on pet, don't tease the man like that. Not fair to get a guy all hot and bothered for nothing" Spike said, not looking up from his stack of files.

"But it's so much fun" she said making another small cut on Richard's cheek.

"For you maybe" Spike replied getting irritated at her.

Ravyn glared at him, "And `why' do you care?"

Spike looked up at her briefly and gave her a hard look. She was sitting there looking at him, twirling her knife between her finger's smiling.

"You don't mind...do you Ritchie?" she asked, turning her attention back to her prisoner.

Richard said nothing. He was to scared and turned on by her constant wiggling to speak.

"He's just mad cause he's not getting any" she whispered in Richard's ear, never taking her eyes off Spike.

Spike clenched his jaw when he heard her whispered remark, which caused a small giggle out of Ravyn when she saw it.

She had been rather cold to Spike since the big `night after' talk. It was her solution to dealing with her situation. She wasn't going to let herself get sucked down by her feelings for him. If being a bitch to him was the only way to get him out of her system, then that's what she was going to do...no matter how much it pained her to do so.

"So, Richard..tell me, how many little operations do you have going on in this country" Ravyn asked as she returned her attentions back to him.

"I'm not telling you anything." he told her.

"Now, now..don't be like that." Ravyn said as she pulled her blade down across his cheek. She winced slightly as the chip was once again activated.

"Tell me what I need to know and I want have to hurt you....much."

Richard was beginning to shake from fear. He knew she couldn't kill him, but she barley even flinched when she cut him. He was sure she could put him in a world of pain before she got tired.

"Cat got your tongue?" Ravyn asked as she slid the knife blade in between his lips and pressed down on his tongue with it lightly.

"No" he replied in a shaky voice.

"Then answer the question" she said smiling at him

"Their's one...one down..in um Louisiana" he finally answered.

"Now, see that wasn't to hard, now was it?'

"Find anything yet?" she asked Spike.

"No" he answered her coldly without even looking up.

"What do you say we have a little heart to heart and save my cranky friend over there the trouble of having to look it all up?" Ravyn asked him pointing the knife at Richards heart and poking the blade tip into the skin lightly.

Spike listened as Richard told Ravyn everything she wanted to know. He was having a hard time sitting there while she practically dry humped this guy into a quivering mass of goo. She has having the time of her life torturing this guy, but Spike was beginning to believe it was actually `him' she was torturing. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.

"Okay..what do ya say we go free those demons you have down in that dungeon you have and we'll be on our way" Ravyn asked Richard as she stood up.RavyRavyn caught Spike out of the corner of her eye. He was leaned up against the wall staring at her, hands in his duster pockets, with his head cocked to one side. The look on his face was what she was having trouble with. He looked almost `pained' about something. She knew it wasn't what she was doing to Richard, he had told her of many tortures he had witnessed and some he even performed..though not many..he was more of the just kill `em kind of guy. And it wasn't as if she had really hurt him anyway. He just had a few cut's.

She finally looked over at him and their eyes locked for a couple seconds. She wondered if he could see what she was thinking, because at that moment she wanted nothing more than to tell him how sorry she was for being so hateful to him. She hated herself for being like that. She was in loved with him, but she would never be able to ever show him how much.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As Ravyn, Spike and Richard stepped out of the elevator, Richard made the grave mistake of yelling for help. No sooner had he gotten the words out of his mouth, Ravyn grabbed his head and twisted..breaking his neck. She yelled as she hit the floor, rocking and cradling her head as tears ran down her face.

Spike grabbed her and took off down the hall a ways when he heard footsteps coming in their direction.

"That was bloody stupid!" he told her when she was able to focus on his face through the pain. "That chip could have fried your brain, don't you ever think before you do anything?"

They sat quietly waiting for Ravyn's `headache' to ease up some while Spike listened to see if he heard anyone. After not hearing anything, he decided it was best to just get out of there, while they still could.

"Come on, let's find the nearest exit and get the hell out of here." Spike told her. She still looked dazed and tears were still rolling down her face but she never made a sound.

"No" Ravyn said in a shaky voice. "Not till were done"

"We are done!" Spike told her firmly as he helped her stand. "You can barely even stand..now let's go" he said grabbing her around the waist and helping her down the hall.

Spike heard footfalls coming fast as they neared the corridor with the exit. He stopped to see which direction they were coming from and how many. Just one..but coming fast. He leaned Ravyn up against the wall and waited. He knew he'd never be able to get them out fast enough with someone on there tails. The soldier's had weapons, he didn't.

As the footsteps came near, Spike stood at the corner and waited. As soon as he saw him, he grabbed him and slung his across the hall. The soldier was on his feet, weapon in hand in a matter of seconds. Spike ran at him and knocked the weapon away and punched him in the head and grabbed his own, growling as the pain shot through his skull. They traded blows until Spike was slowly losing..his vision becoming fuzzy from the constant zapping of the chip.

Ravyn had finally composed herself enough and had joined in giving Spike a few minutes to regain his sight before jumping back in. Spike caught a boot to the head, giving the soldier enough time to retrieve his weapon. Spike saw him aim and ducked and the soldier pulled the trigger. Spike jerked the gun away from him and landed a blow to the soldier's head with the base of it knocking him out.

Spike knew other's would be there soon after hearing all the fighting, and they had barely survived one..let along several. Turning to grab Ravyn and get out of there he froze when he saw he laying on the floor.

"Ravyn" he said as he ran over to where she was.

She had taken the bullet he ducked. As he reached her, he knelt down and noticed all the blood that was pouring from her wound. Her whole body was trembling and she was staring straight up...but here eyes held nothing. No emotion. Her skin had turned a pasty white, even her lips had no color left in them.

He lifted her up slightly and removed her jacket to see where the bullet had entered. Right above her right breast. "Ravyn..come on luv...we need to go." he said frantically.

She turned her eyes slowly to the sound of his voice and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey,...hey now..come on pet, let's get you outta here. It's just a bullet...noting to worry about."

"Spike" Ravyn whispered. She was gasping for unneeded air and Spike could see blood in her mouth.

"I'm here luv..now let's get you up" he said as he started to pick her up. Her cries of pain stopped him. "Come on Ravyn..I know you're stronger than this...it's just a bullet, I can have it out in no time."

Spike was startled as someone stepped up behind him. He turned, game face on ready to strike.

"Hey...whoa..I'm not armed!" a man in a white lab coat yelled, arms held in the air in a mock surrender.

"Hurry, bring her this way...hurry" he said as he looked over at Ravyn and back to Spike.

Spike wasn't sure what to do. He didn't trust any of these people. He was getting out of here...and fast. Picking Ravyn up he ignored her cries and started down the corridor.

"Stop" the man yelled again as he ran up behind Spike. "I'm Dr. Baxter. Your girl will be dead before you even make it to the highway...please come with me" he said frantically.

That got Spike's attention. He stopped and turned to the man. He was short and chunky with very little hair. He looked just as scared as Spike felt.

Spike looked back down at Ravyn, she was still trembling, absolutely no color left to her skin. Her eyes were unfocused again. What caught his interest this time was a yellow substance coming out of the gun shot wound.

"I'll kill you the minute you try anything remotely funny...got it!" Spike ground out, game face still on.

The man nodded and turned and ran down the hall, Spike right behind him.

"Spike" Ravyn had said again. He could barley hear her.

"Shhh..I've got ya. Hang on"

Reaching a small room, an operating room, Spike felt his whole body tense up. It was just like the one he had been in when they inserted his chip.

"Here, lay her down her." the man said, as he rushed around gathering tools and vials of different colored liquids.

Spike laid Ravyn down. "Take her shirt off. We need to get the poison out of the wound."

"Poison!" Spike asked frantically as he ripped Ravyn's shirt up the front and tore if off her body. "What the hell did he shoot her with!"

"That wasn't a regular bullet" the Dr.d had has he came back to the table and poured a green liquid over the wound. Ravyn screamed and arched her back off the table.

"Hold her still!"

Spike went to the end of the table and held Ravyn's shoulder's down on the table. He put his head down and whispered in her ear, trying to calm her. "Shhh..I got ya pet, Doc here's gonna fix ya right up"

"Spike..need...I need to...tell you..." she gasped out and coughed, blood spilling from her lips when she did.

"What the hell is happening to her! Spike yelled, he was scared beyond belief. He had never seen anything like this in his life. Her body had started to convulse and he was having a hard time holding her still from where he was standing.

"That bullet, is a new weapon they've just come up with. Nastiest thing I've ever seen. Plain cruel if you ask me." the Dr. said working frantically trying to clean Ravyn's wound. "It explodes inside the body releasing a toxin that slowly degenerates the organs."

"What do you mean" Spike asked as he came back around the table, trying to hold Ravyn still.

"Basically, it liquefies the organs. Vampires don't use their organs but once there's nothing left, it starts on the skins tissue. It basically eats the vampire alive...so to speak."

Spike stood starring at the Dr. He felt sick. He was past scared now. He reached down and kissed Ravyn as tears came to his eyes. She had taken his bullet. It was aimed at him. That should be him laying there dying.

"Ravyn" he whispered to h"Rav"Ravyn, can you hear me?"

Ravyn could hear him, but she couldn't see anything. She knew she was dying..she could feel it. She could feel what was happening to her body. She could hear the fear in Spike's voice. She knew she didn't have long.

She reached her hand over to where she heard Spike and he grabbed her hand and held onto it tightly. "Spike...Spike, don't...don't leave me. I'm..scared." she said as tears fell down her face. She couldn't stop the shaking. She was having trouble speaking also.

"I'm not going anywhere...I'm right here pet" Spike said as he put his cheek up next to here's.

She could barely feel his face on her. She needed him to know. She had to tell him.

"Spike..I...I love you." she choked out. Love..you"

Spike couldn't hold back his tears as they came flooding out. He was losing her.

"Fix her please...please...don't let her die" he begged quietly to the Dr. as his tears clouded his vision.

"I'll do everything I can. Don't worry"

The Dr. had been injecting her with a substance that would stop the toxin from progressing nee needed to be administered quickly and he didn't know how long she had been down before he heard the fighting and came to see what was happening. He didn't like what this place did anymore. The science was gone out of it now. It was just plain barbaric torture now.

Spike was leaned on one arm, his head laid next to Ravyn's whipering comforting words in her ear. His heart felt like it was breaking. He couldn't lose her. He raised headhead slightly when he heard her whisper.."love you" and she gasped out 2 shallow breaths and then nothing. He started to worry until he remembered she didn't need to breath. She was already dead. He looked over at her face and noticed her eyes were shut and a small trickle of blood ran from her mouth. He wiped it away and pushed her hair away from her face. He kissed her lips softly and realized she had stopped convulsing. He raised up to look at the Dr.

"What's happening" he asked softly, almost scared to hear the answer.

The Dr. didn't answer. He was pumping some liquid in her as fast as he could, still cleaning at the bullet would. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He had helped test this form of disposal. He never had to watch the reaction of someone it affected. The subjects never responded. Having Spike there to witness this made him loath the kind of man he was. He would do everything in his power to make her better.....it if wasn't already to late.

"Answer me!" Spike yelled as he grabbed the man by his shirt. "What's happening to her?...Why did she stop moving?" he asked, the last part coming out barely louder than a whisper.

The Dr. looked up at him, Spike could see it in his eyes. He slowly released him and backed away from the table, dropping Ravyn's hand when he did. He stood back and looked at her. She looked peaceful. Still as beautiful as she ever was. That's when it hit him...she had said she `loved him' ..Ravyn was in love with him. He had waited so long to hear someone say those words to him....now he may never hear them again.

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Chapter Eighteen: Missing You


Spike stood in the small operating room staring at the motionless body of Ravyn. Silent tears rolled down his face. The pain he was feeling was almost unbearable, as images of the past 2 months he and Ravyn had spent together flooded his brain.

He smiled slightly as he remembered her laughter and how contagious it was and how her smile always brightened up her eyes. And the way she smelled. He would never forget the way she smelled, if he lived another 200 years he would always remember that.

Spike smoothed her hair back from her face. His smile soon faded when he remembered how he had hurt her. He would do anything to take that pain away. The loss he was feeling at this moment was someg heg he couldn't describe. It was as if his whole world had been flipped upside down.

Dr. Baxter had done all he could for her and was cleaning up the mess that was left behind. He glanced over at Spike and saw his grief stricken face and realized what he must be thinking.

"The antidote is working" he said quietly, "That's why she's stopped moving."

Spike's head shot up at the Doctor's words.

"What are you saying" he asked confused.

"What I'm saying is the antidote is working. It's stopped the toxin from progressing." he told Spike as he continued cleaning the little room. "We need to get her out of here though, before someone see's you."

Spike looked back down at Ravyn and ran his hand down her cheek. "She's not gone then?" he asked hopefully, looking back up at the Doctor.

"No, if she were gone, believe me, we'd know. Hard to say how much damage was done though."

"So, she'll wake up then?"

"Yeah, she should. Depends on how much the toxin destroyed. Could be weeks, months or years. It's just depends on how fast she heals and how extensive the damage."

Spike let out a sigh of relief and took off his duster and laid it over her half naked body before placing a kiss on her forehead. *She'll wake up* he said to himself when he realized the Doctor was speaking to him again.

"Uh..sorry...what was that?" Spike asked as he looked back over to where he was standing.

The Doctor gaim aim a small smile. "I asked you what your name is."

"Oh...it's Spike."

"Well, Spike, I'm Eddie. I wished we could have meet under better circumstances but, we really need to get out of here. We can take her back to my house..if that's okay with you." Eddie said as he came to stand beside the table. "There's a small room in my basement. No windows. She'd be safe there and I could keep an eye on her. Make sure she's comfortable."

Spike thought for a minute. He had no reason to trust this man but, he had helped without being asked. He looked down at Ravyn and slowly nodded his head.

"Yeah, okay...we can do that."

"Alright, let's get going then. Pick her up and follow me."

Spike reached down and picked Ravyn up and cradled her close to his body. She was bone limp and felt as if she weighed nothing. A small wave of relief washed over him in thinking she might be okay. That she'd wake up and everything would be fine.

As Spike followed Eddie out the back exit, he walked behind him to a large SUV.

"I know this is going to sound harsh, but the only was to get you two out past the guards is in the back. There's a privacy mat that pulls over the storage space. It'll hide you until we get off the grounds." Eddie said as he opened up the back door.

"Sure, not a problem" Spike said as he laid Ravyn down and climbed in beside her. "My car's parked about a mile up on the main road. Stop and I'll follow you back to your place."

"Sure thing" Eddie said as he pulled the cover over them.

Spike pulled Ravyn closely to him and wrapped his arms around her. He had never felt so helpless in his existence. There was nothing he could do for her but wait to see if she ever recovered enough to wake up.

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(Day 10)

"Here you go Spike" Eddie said as he handed him a cup of warmed blood.

"Thanks" Spike said with a smile, taking the cup from him. "I really appreciate what you've done for us. Still not sure as to why."

"I've seen alot of things go on in that place that I'm not very proud to have been a part of. To be honest...I don't know why I helped you but, I'm glad I did."

"I just wish there was more I could do for her. It's hard to say how long it might take for her to wake up."

Spike sighed and sat his now empty cup down. "I know." he said sadly from his seat on the bed beside her. "I just keep thinking she's going to open her eye's any minute now and have my head for leaving her jacket back at that Complex." he added with a sad smile.

"Well, it's been 10 days. There must have been major damage or she would have been awake by now." Eddie told him.

"I know" Spike said, not really wanting to believe she wouldn't wake up soon. He picked Ravyn's hand up and held it tightly in his own. He would never give up hope that she would wake up..no matter how much Eddie tried to prepare him for the possibility.

"Did you ever tell her?" Eddie asked Spike as he watched him.

"Tell her what?"

"That you're in love with her."

Spike starred at Eddie. He wondered how he knew something that had taken him so long to figure out.

"No" he replied softly. "Never realized it myself until this happened. Funny thing that. She told me once `You don't go looking for love, it finds you'."

"She's right you know."

"Yeah, she always was." he said smiling at her. "She was the biggest pain in my ass...smart mouth, never stopped talking. Got on my bleeding nerves, she did. I'd give anything to have it all back. Just to hear her call me `old' again." he said with a chuckle. "Just to tell her how much I love her." he added sadly.

"Well, I've seen alot of things in my day Spike, and I honestly believe given enough time, she'll wake up and be her usual irritating self again." Eddie said smiling big.

"I'm hope you're right."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

(Day 25)

"Hey Spike...you awake?" Eddie asked softly as he entered Ravyn's small room.

"Yeah" Spike said opening his eyes. "Just resting is all. Hard to sleep anymore. Scared she might wake up and I won't know."

Eddie smiled at him as he pulled a chair up to where Spike was sitting. "I've been doing alot of thinking since you two have been here and I wanted you to know that I'm going to turn in my resignation to the Initiative."

"Really?" Spike asked shocked.

"Yeah, after seeing all of this...I just don't think I want to be responsible for causing anymore pain. They always told us that vampires were soulless demons with no feelings or emotions...you've proved that wrong."

"Yeah well, those wanker's are just lucky Ravyn had that chip in her head. She killed Richard with it in, I'd hate to think what she'd do with it out."

"Well, I've been thinking about that actually."

"About what?"

"Your chip."

"What about it?" Spike said sitting up straighter in his chair.

"Well, I haven't told them yet I'm leaving...so I still have use of the facility. How would you like that chip out?" Eddie asked him with a twinkle in his eye.

Spike sat there looking at Eddie trying to figure out if he had heard him right. How different his life would be without the chip. A smirk crossed his face as he realized that his nightmare would soon be over.

"Can you take Ravyn's out to?"

"I can...but it might be safer to wait until she wakes up. We don't know how much damage she has in there."

"Yeah, okay."

"So...is that a yes?"

"Absolutely!" Spike said with the first true smile he had felt like having in a long time.

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(Day 32)

Spike was laying in bed with Ravyn. He missed her. He was starting to believe Eddie was right. As much as he wanted to believe she would wake up, doubt was creeping in everyday. He had started spending most of the night curled up with her, just to be closer to her. Hopeing somehow she would know he was there.

"Come on luv...you've been asleep forever now...time to wake up" he said as he stroked the side of her face. He said this everyday to her in exactly the same way before he finally fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ravyn felt the world spinning. Her head was pounding and it felt like her body weighed a ton. She slowly opened her eyes and she was met with a blurry world. Everything was a fuzzy haze. She blinked her eyes and left them closed for a few minutes before opening them back up. Things started to take shape. She could see the wooden slat rafters on the ceiling and blinked her eyes more trying to get the images to come in more clearly.

She looked over to the right and could see a door and an old chair. She wondered where she was and was having trouble remembering how she had gotten there.

She looked down and saw an arm wrapped around her waist and followed it up to the body laying beside her. She smiled as she turned her head and saw...Spike...hugging her closely to him as he slept.

Ravyn laid there watching him. He looked thin, his features sunken in slightly. His cheekbones were more prominent now. His mouth was open slightly and his blonde hair was a mass of tousled curls..which were in need of a touch up she noticed.

She leaned her head over to him and kissed him softly on the mouth not wanting tke hke him. As she pulled back and laid her head back down his eyes opened.

"Your not trying to take advantage of me are you?" she asked him hoarsely...realizing she had no clothes on under her blankets.

Spikes eyes went wide. He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Ravyn's smile becoming bigger let him know he wasn't.

"Ravyn?" he choked out as his eyes filled with tears.

"Hey" she said smiling at him.

Spike grabbed her and buried his face in her shoulder as the tears came spilling out.
"Oh god, Ravyn" he said as he started placing kisses on her neck.

"Wow..did I miss something?" she asked him as he rained small kisses up neck and onto her face.

Spike lifted his head and put his forehead to hers and ran his hand down the side of her face. He sighed and closed his eyes trying to get the tears to stop falling.

"I was so scared I lost you" he told her opening his eyes and pulling back to look at her.

Ravyn could see the pain in his eyes. She couldn't remember what had happened or what would cause Spike to be acting this way, but she wasn't going to complain about his new found affections towards her.

She lifted her hand and put it on the side of his face before leaning up and placing her lips on his. She kissed him softly until he leaned in and forced her head back down onto the pillow. She looked up at him as their lips parted and he was staring down at her.

"I love you Ravyn. I'm so sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to."

Ravyn wasn't sure what to make of this. She was getting confused. She could see the truth of his words in his eyes. He was looking at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. She lowered her eyes, unable to keep eye contact with him. Flashes of memories came back to her but, they were all jumbled and confusing.

"What happened...I can't remember." she asked as she looked back up at him.

"You were shot with a nasty little weapon when we tried to get out of that Complex. You've been unconscience for over a month. We weren't sure if you were going to wake up."

"Whose we?"

"Eddie..the Doctor who helped us. This is his house." he said giving the room a glance.

"Oh" Ravyn said closing her eyes, concentrating on the events she remembered. "I don't remember much about being there. Remember Richard and taking him from the office...but not much after that."

"Well, you killed the git when we stepped off the elevator."

Ravyn's eyes went wide. "I did?"

Spike smiled at the expression on her face. "Yeah, you did. Bloody Stupid thing to do. Gave you one more head surge. You were practically out of it when I tried to get us out of there. Soldier boy came along, we fought, you got shot."

"How do you feel?" Spike asked her as she closed her eyes and tried to remember the events he told her of.

"Have a headache. And I feel stiff. " she said after opening her eyes.

"You wanna sit up?"

"Yeah"

Spike sat up and got off the bed. He helped her sit up slowly and added a few pillows behind her to support her back.

"There, that any better?" he asked after she had got situated.

"Yeah, thanks" she said smiling up at him.

Spike sat back down on the side of the bed and smoothed her hair out around her face. He felt a wave of relief wash over him as he sat there looking at her. He sighed and smiled at her.

"I love you Ravyn." Spike said cupping her cheek in his hand. "I'm so sorry for everything that happened. If I could take it all back I would. I never meant to hurt you."

Ravyn felt like she was in a dream. He had said he loved her. She wondered if it were real or just a result of his fear of her being in her condition. She didn't care at the moment. He had said it. She had plenty of time to analyze his true feelings later.

"I love you to" she said as her tears fell. She smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him closely to her.

Spike wrapped his arms around her waist and held her. He did love her. He had thought long and hard while she was out and even though he still loved Buffy, he also loved Ravyn. He wasn't sure how he could love them both...but he did. He loved them differently. For different reasons.

Buffy was warmth and sunshine. A part of a world that he no longer belonged in but, desperately wanted. She was pure and unspoiled. Fresh and alive.

Ravyn was danger and excitement. Exotic and sassy. She was full of life and love.

He loved them both, and no matter how much he loved Buffy....he knew his place was with Ravyn. She had given him the one thing Buffy refused to. Her love in return.

"Well, I'll be. Would you look at that" Eddie said as he stepped in the room. "I thought Spike was down here talking to himself again, only I had never heard him use a woman's voice." he added chuckling

Ravyn and Spike pulled out of each other's embrace and looked over at Eddie as he walked towards the bed.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you Ravyn. I'm Eddie." he said taking her hand in his. "I am so glad you woke up, I'm not sure how much more of Spike's depression I could take." he added with a smile before releasing her hand.

"Nice to meet you to." Ravyn said.

"How do you feel?" Eddie asked her.

"I have a headache, but other than that, I feel fine."

"Oh well, I have something for the headache. I'll be right back."

"Okay..thanks" she said as he headed for the door and left the room.

"So, that's the Doctor then?" Ravyn asked Spike when Eddie was gone.

"Yep..that's him."

"Seems nice."

"You wouldn't believe how nice." Spike said, a silly grin on his face.

"What?" Ravyn said grinning at the look on Spike's face.

"He took my chip out"

Ravyn's eyes went wide. "What. Your chip is gone?"

"Yep..couple weeks now. No more headache's."

"You tested it?"

Spike laughed. "Yeah, but not the fun way. I just punched him right good is all"

"Spike...what'd you hit him for?"

"Well, wanted to see if it was really gone." he said still smiling. "He didn't get mad."

"Well, it's a wonder." she said smiling at how happy he looked.
ke ske sighed as he looked at her."I missed that smile" he told her softly. "I've missed you" he added as he leaned down and put his lips on hers.

Ravyn wrapped her arms around his neck and turned her head to the side, licking his lips softly before darting her tongue inside his mouth. Spike sucked her tongue in and held the back of her head in his hand getting her as close to him as possible. Ravyn felt her world spinning at the feel of him against her as she ran her finger's through his hair and held him tightly, never wanting to let go.

"I love you" Spike whispered against her mouth as he licked and sucked at her lips, before thrusting his tongue back inside. He explored her mouth, running his tongue over hers as she moaned and clutched him to her.

Ravyn broke the kiss, as it was rapidly becoming to much to handle. She knew Eddie would be returning soon and the way she was feeling, she didn't want an audience.

They were both panting with need and desire for one another as they heard Eddie coming down the steps.

"That was fun" Ravyn said with a sly grin.

"Yeah, be more fun when I get you out of here. Don't want the old man to have his own personal porno soundtrack going on in the basement. Not sure he could handle it." Spike told her given her another small kiss.

Eddie walked back in the room with a glass of water and a pill bottle. "Here you go Ravyn, these should help." he said as he approached the bed. He noticed their disheveled appearance and smiled. "Well, I'm off to bed, you two have fun. Nothing to strenuous...if you know what I mean." he added giving them a knowing look.

"Sure thing Doc." Spike said. "Night"

"Good-night Spike, Ravyn" Eddie said before turning and leaving once again.

Ravyn took the pills Eddie had given her and put the glass on the small bed side table before returning her attention back to Spike.

"You heard him, nothing to strenuous...didn't say we couldn't play" she said wiggling her eyebrows at Spike.

"No, that he didn't" he replied as he crawled back into bed with her.

"Aren't you a little overdressed?" Ravyn asked as Spike nuzzled his face in her neck.

"Well, depends on how much playing you wanted to do"

Ravyn reached her hand down and unfastened his jeans. "Alot" she replied as she slipped her hand inside his pants and grabbed his now hard member.

"I see" Spike said kissing her neck and bucking his hips forward as she pulled him free.

Spike stood up and removed his clothes and crawled back in bed beside Ravyn. Spike kissed her hard and hungrily before moving down her neck and found her breast. He licked and kissed at her perfectly round mound until finally sucking her nipple into his mouth. She arched her back and held his head to her as a slow throb was forming in her lower region.

Ravyn moaned and ran a hand down his back, feeling the tightly wound muscles there. Spike kissed his way back up her body as his hand wondered down to the junction between her legs. He ran his fingers through the course hair and slipped a finger in between her silken folds and was pleased to find her already wet with need. Ravyn arched her hips forward as she felt his fingers circle her throbbing clit.

"I want you Spike...I need you" Ravyn whispered to him as she reached down and grabbed his manhood. "I want you inside me."

Spike nibbled on her ear and moaned as she began quickening her pace as she stroked him.

"Eddie said nothing strenuous, luv"

"It won't be if you do all the work" she said with a smile.

Spike chuckled at her and found her mouth again with his.

He kissed her as he parted her legs with his own, positioning himself at her opening. He slowly entered her, until he was fully sheathed inside her wet core.

"god, you feel so good." Spike told her as he slowly pulled out and pushed back again. "You're so wet."

"Thats because you make me that way." she whispered in his ear.

Ravyn locked her legs around his thighs holding him closer to her and wrapped both arms around him, running her nails up and down his back.

Spike quickened his pace and buried his head in her shoulder. The heat they were generating was becoming intense and both were moaning and panting as their orgasms built.

"Oh god..Spike" Ravyn said as quietly as she could as she felt herself losing control. She clung to him tightly as ripples of pleasure coursed through her body.

Spike felt her inner walls tighten around his shaft and he gasped as it squeezed him. He pumped into her rapidly and hung on tightly, grounding out her name through clenched teeth, as he emptied his dead seed deep within her.

They both lay, holding on tightly to each other as their bodies hummed with the sexual energy they had created.

Spike slowly raised his head and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love you" he said as he laid his forehead on hers.

"I love you to"

Spike slowly pulled out of her, and lay down beside her, pulling her closely to him. He kissed her forehead and ran his hand up and down her back, as Ravyn tucked her head snugly under his chin. Both lay silently, enjoying the feel of the other until sleep finally found them both.

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