touched

**"TOUCHED"**
DOWNLOAD THIS WALLPAPER The following excerpt is one of my all-time favorite scenes involving Buffy and Spike; my favorite parts are highlighted in white. Slowly, Buffy turns and sees, in the doorway: Spike. She looks at him blankly. As he strides in, full of energy. SPIKE Do you realize I could just walk inhere, no invite needed? This town really is theirs now, isn't it? He and Buffy exchange a look: SPIKE (cont'd) I heard. I was over there. That bitch. Buffy shakes her head. But Spike continues. SPIKE (cont'd) She's all smiles and reformation when you're on your feet; minute you're down? She's all about the kicking, isn't that right? Makes me want to-- BUFFY (tired) It wasn't just Faith. It was all of them and it's not like they were all wrong. Now, please... leave. Spike doesn't budge; he's excited by his news. SPIKE No, this'll change your tune. I came here 'cause I got somethin' to tell you: You're right. You've been right since the beginning. He looks at her triumphantly. Buffy looks back, blankly. SPIKE (cont'd) Caleb is protecting something from you. And I think you were spot on all the way; I think it's at the vineyard. He looks at her expectantly. SPIKE (cont'd) So? (waiting for reaction) You were right. Buffy. Buffy shakes her head. BUFFY I don't feel very right. They blame me for stuff, and honestly? I can't say they're wrong. Spike crouches down by the bed. SPIKE You're not foolin' me. BUFFY What do you even mean? SPIKE You're not a quitter. BUFFY (defeated) Oh... watch me. SPIKE Buffy, no. You were their leader and you still are. This isn't something that you gave up; it's something that they took. BUFFY And the difference is? SPIKE We can take it back. Off Spike's intense look: INT. SMALL HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT Buffy sits on the bed. Spike stands before her, incredulous. "No"? BUFFY No. SPIKE You mean no as in, eventually? BUFFY You really have trouble with that word, don't you? SPIKE I don't understand. I don't understand you one bit. BUFFY I've actually been aware of that for some time. SPIKE You can get them back. BUFFY Can, maybe. Should? I don't know I'm so tired... SPIKE They need you! BUFFY (what she wants to hear...) Well, I -- SPIKE It's bloody chaos over there without you! BUFFY It is? SPIKE Yeah, yeah, it's, uh -- BUFFY How do you mean? SPIKE There's... junk, food cartons, sleeping bags not rolled up...everyone's very scared and uh, unkempt... BUFFY Sounds dire. SPIKE Look, I didn't see a lot. I came, hit Faith a bunch of times and left. BUFFY (slight perk) Really? (covering) I mean, I'm not glad of that... SPIKE Say the word and she's a footnote in history. I'll make it look like a painful accident... BUFFY That's my problem. I say the word, some girl dies. Every time. SPIKE There's always casualties in a war. BUFFY Casualties... it sounds so casual. These are girls. That I got killed. She looks at him. BUFFY (cont'd) I've been thinking a lot. SPIKE Okay, first mistake -- BUFFY And I can't fault them for kicking me out. I've been... I've just cut myself off from them, all of them. 'Cause I knew I was gonna lose some of them, and I didn't want to... She stands, upset. BUFFY (cont'd) You know what? I'm still making excuses. I've always cut myself off, I've always... Being the slayer made me different, but it's my fault I stayed that way. People try to connect to me but I just... I slip away. A beat. BUFFY (cont'd) You should know. SPIKE I seem to recall a certain amount of connecting. BUFFY Please, Spike. We never got close. That's why you wanted me -- 'cause I was unattainable. Now he stands. SPIKE You think that's all it was? BUFFY I don't want to go over the -- SPIKE No. Hold on here, I've hummed along to your pity ditty, I think I should have the mic for a bit. She drops down onto the bed, looking wearily up at him. BUFFY Fine. The stage is yours. Cheer me up. SPIKE You're insufferable. BUFFY Thank you. That helped. SPIKE I'm not trying to cheer you up! BUFFY Well what are you trying to say? SPIKE I don't know! I'll know when I'm done saying it. Something pissed me off and I just... Unattainable! That's it! BUFFY Okay, I'm attainable. I'm an attainathon. Can I sleep now? SPIKE (quietly) You listen to me. I've been alive a bit longer than you, and dead a lot longer than that. I've seen things you couldn't imagine, and done things I'd prefer you didn't. I don't exactly have a reputation for being a thinker; I follow my blood, which does not always rush in the direction of my head. So I've made a lot of mistakes. A lot of wrong bloody calls. (squatting before her) A hundred plus years, only one thing I've ever been sure of. You. He moves to touch her face. Misinterpreting, she turns away, but he puts his hand to her cheek, urges her to... SPIKE (cont'd) Look at me. I'm not asking you foranything. When I tell you that I love you, it's not because I want you, or 'cause I can't have you -- it has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, how you try... I've seen your strength, and your kindness, I've seen the best and the worst of you and I understandwith perfect clarity exactly what you are. You are a hell of a woman. She is silently crying. He can only smile at her kindly, containing his own emotions. SPIKE (cont'd) You're the one, Buffy. BUFFY (quietly) I don't... I don't want to be the one. SPIKE I don't want to be this good-looking and athletic. We all have crosses to bear. She smiles a little. SPIKE (cont'd) Now you get some rest. He stands, heads out. SPIKE (cont'd) I'll check in before first light, you can decide how you want -- BUFFY Spike? Her voice is very quiet. He turns. BUFFY (cont'd) Could you... stay here? A beat. SPIKE Sure. He peels off his coat as he moves to an armchair, starts throwing clothes off it. SPIKE (cont'd) That diabolical torture device the Comfy Chair. Do me fine -- BUFFY No. I mean... here. (looking down) Would you just... hold me? They look at each other. No more words. After a moment he comes slowly to her and they lie together, wrapped in each others' arms, her head on his chest.