"Do ya love me babe
What do ya say?"

The first thing Buffy saw were the CDs scattered all over her bed. Then she saw him, facing her stereo, indirect sunlight shining in his hair.

"Do ya love me babe
What can I say?"

He was singing along. Badly.

She couldn't help but smile. "Spike?"

He whipped around, dropping an empty tape container and a pen.

Sweet little girl
I wanna be your boyfr--

He cut off the music. "You're back early."

"I came to pick up a book for Giles. Whatcha doin'?"

"I was... makin' a tape." He looked at the floor and back to her. "For you."

"Trying to get me to like your lame music now?"

"No. Tellin' you how I feel through song, all that sort of rot."

"Ah." She approached the bed and read names like Sex Pistols, The Clash, Buzzcocks. "Romantic Punk. My favorite genre," she said glibly.

"Punk can be romantic," he said. "If you listen to it the right way."

"Oh yeah?" she said, secretly touched by the gesture. No one had ever made her a mix tape before. "So put that one back on."

"Uh... weren't supposed to hear that one 'til the end," he said shyly.

He has it in some kind of order? Spike never stopped surprising her. "So play it from the beginning." She flung the bag off her shoulder.

"Alright." He flipped the tape over and rewound.

She sat on the bed and picked up a CD. "This guy kinda looks like you."

"Knew him back in the day. Soddin' git robbed my look then made a play for Dru."

Buffy frowned. "He's human. Why didn't you eat him?"

He answered as if it should have been obvious, "I liked the boy's music."

The tape stopped.

He introduced the first song by saying simply, "First time we fought."

Buffy locked eyes with Spike and listened as a quiet guitar arpeggio began the song. A driving drumbeat followed. Surprisingly, she didn't hate it.

I never thought too hard on dying before
I never sucked on the dying
I never licked the side of dying before
And now I'm feeling the dying

She smiled and stood. Moving closer, she teased his mouth with hers as she listened.

You've got your hands over your ears
You've got your mouth running on
You've got your eyes looking for something
That will never be found -- like a reason
And I don't need a reason

The heat between them was nearly palpable.

"What I tell you," he rasped. "Romantic."

Give me the shot
Give me the pill
Give me the cure
Now what you've done to my world

She pushed him onto the bed.

* * *

"Buffy?" Dawn called. "Buffy are you here? Giles needs his book!"

As she closed the front door behind her, she heard loud music coming from the second floor.

I am a patient boy
I wait I wait I wait I wait

Must be Spike, she thought. Buffy'd never listen to that crap.

She followed the sound up to Buffy's closed door. "Spike?"

As her hand wrapped around the knob, she heard something over the music. Two separate voices, making the same harsh, guttural moans. And the bed squeaking.

She recoiled. "Oh. Yuck."

Feeling slightly nauseous, Dawn made her way back down the stairs. Somehow she had to figure out what to tell Giles. Or maybe they were almost done, and she could wait outside until the music stopped. Either way, she had to get out of the house.

She opened the front door, and gasped.

"Riley!"

* * *

"Did you hear a noise?" Spike cocked his head.

Buffy stopped for a second. Everyone was at the Magic Box -- who could it possibly be? "No."

Spike shrugged, then flipped Buffy onto her back.

* * *

"Riley! Oh my God! You're back!" Dawn jumped forward and hugged him, steering him away from the door.

"Dawn, hi," he said, smiling. "I didn't think you'd be this happy to see me."

"I am!" She began to close the door behind her. "But I was just leaving! I'm looking for Buffy, she's not here. Wanna come with?"

"Okay, but, first -- I wanted to say how sorry I am about..."

Dawn softened. "Mom. Yeah. It was--. Yeah. When did you find out?"

"Just now. I ran into Xander outside the magic shop. I would've come back sooner if I'd known. We were completely cut off down there."

"That's okay."

"How's Buffy? She's... doing okay?"

"She's dealing." She grabbed his arm. "Let's go."

"Don't you want to turn off the music first?" Riley pointed upwards.

"The what?"

"Isn't that coming from upstairs?"

"Oh, that! That's my music. I'm really into... that stuff."

He looked at her expectantly.

"Oh, I'm leaving it on. I'm making a tape, and--"

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Riley listened. That wasn't music.

Neither was the noise that followed: a long, high-pitched, euphoric release.

Riley paled visibly. He knew that voice. He'd heard that voice make that sound before. He'd just... never heard it so loud. "Buffy?"

He looked at the mortified girl before him, then recklessly pushed past her.

"Riley! No!" Dawn yelled.

Riley rushed up the stairs, two steps at a time.

The music got louder. He recognized the song.

What set you free
And brought you to me, babe

He stopped at Buffy's closed door.

What set you free?
I need you here by me

The lyric made him shake with rage.

She cried more, more, more

With an unsteady hand, he twisted the brass doorknob.

With a rebel yell
She cried more, more, more

Some part of him knew he shouldn't open the door. But something stronger propelled him. He had to see it.

He had to see them together.

Clenching his teeth, Riley pushed the door open.

I'd give you all
And have none, babe
Justa, justa, justa, justa
To have you here by me

Spike knelt on the bed, hands hooked under Buffy's knees. She was bowed backwards, her fingers limply grazing the floor.

Spike drove into her possessively, growling with each thrust. Buffy's eyes were tightly shut as she bucked and shuddered beneath him.

Beneath Spike.

With a rebel yell
She cried more, more, more

Riley could have left then. They hadn't so much as sensed another presence in the room. But his anger paralyzed him.

Spike's growls reached a crescendo.

Buffy quickly flipped up and tossed Spike onto his back without breaking the penetration. Her mouth found Spike's neck. Spike roared animalistically, digging his fingers into Buffy's waist.

Riley waited.

Oh yeah, little baby
She want more

Spike was the first to notice him. Instantly he morphed, demon features emerging, a territorial rumble escaping from his throat. Buffy turned.

Oh yeah, little angel
She want more

"R--" was all she could sound out, before he turned and walked out.

More, more, more, more, more!

Buffy stared at the door.

"Oh god," she whispered as she felt her stomach sink.

She looked down at Spike, still in vamp face.

She tried to get up, but he held her. "No!" she snapped. "Off, let me off!"

She jumped up.

His human mask slowly returned as he watched her warily.

"Oh god. Oh god!" Buffy whimpered, pulling her hair back and holding her neck nervously.

Spike propped himself up against the headboard and wished for a smoke.

She looked at him and yelled, "Why the hell are you so calm?"

"Not my ex, pet."

"Oh, that's nice." A song vaguely familiar to Buffy had started.

Darling you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go

"Will you turn that shit off?"

If you say that you are mine
I'll be here 'til the end of--

Spike reached over and hit the stop button.

"Buffy. Calm down."

"Calm down? You want me to calm down? Were you even here a minute ago?"

He shrugged. "Caught him in a compromising position before."

"That's different -- this is different."

"Why? 'Cause it's you this time?"

"No! Because it's us!" She pointed between them. "Because it's you."

He looked at her questioningly.

She paced around the room. "God, what am I doing? This whole fucking thing is crazy!"

Spike reeled as if he'd been slapped.

"I can't do this anymore," she told herself. "I just can't."

Anger rose in his body like hot liquid filling an ice-cold glass.

"Oh, I get it," he said, standing. "It's alright for me to stay the dirty little secret in your head. For us to be slinkin' around in the dark."

"Shut up, Spike. You don't know what you're talking--"

"Soon as we creep into the light of day, it just proves the truth." He cradled his balls for emphasis. "You're depraved."

"Spike, don't," Buffy warned.

"That's right!" he hollered. "You're a monster lover! Admit it!" He met her face to face and lowered his voice. "You can't come unless you're bein' bitten or bruised."

She slapped him. "Fuck you."

He narrowed his eyes. "Just did."

"Get out of my house," Buffy spat and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Spike stared at the door for a minute. "Bitch!" he roared, hitting the stereo with his fist. Music suddenly blared out of it.

If I go there will be trouble
If I stay there will be double

"Right." He grabbed his pants, shirt and the embroidered quilt off her bed. "I'm gone."