"The Plague"

Author: Joyce Renee
Feedback: joycerenee@springmail.com
Rating: Pg-13 to R
Pairings: Buffy/Spike, Xander/Anya
Distribution: My site (http://www.users3.50megs.com/joycerenee/main.html), Against All Odds, A Slayer’s Night, and Enchanted Ivy’s site. Anyone else, please ask. (I’ll say yes! I promise! ;-))
Disclaimer: I own Spike, Xander, Wesley, and Graham. (My tetra fish!) As for the actual characters on the show, I don’t own them! They belong to Joss Whedon, Twentieth Century Fox (Shouldn’t they be calling it Twenty-First Century Fox now?). All non-bvts characters are mine, please ask if you wish to borrow them.
Spoilers: Up to the season 4 final of Buffy.
Summary: Xander and Spike accidently release a magical plague that had lain dormant under the Sunnydale soil for centuries. Now it's up to Buffy, Spike, Xander, and Anya to go back in time to find it's cure.
Authors Note: Ok, first of all, take everything you know about how and when and why Anya became a demon, and throw it out the window! We’ve been told that Anya is a little over 1,000 yrs, old. This would make her birth year about 900AD. I don’t know who came up with this date, but there just isn’t much going on in Greece (where she hints that she is from, or at least was for a while) at that time. So, for the purpose of this story, Anya is around 2,500 yrs. old, born in about 500BC.
Next, in my story, Anyanka is an innocent young girl, in love with a young man. She is not into witch craft, and (as you will soon read) didn’t really have a choice in becoming a vengeance demon.

83 BC. Athens, Greece

Seventeen year old Anyanka ran through the market place as fast as she could. Hot tears streamed down her face, and, as she broke away from the crowded streets towards the bay outside of the city, she could hear the causes of her pain call to her. Maarko and Aristona. The two people that were the most dear to her in the world.

Her twin sister, and best friend, Aristona, and her betrothed, and love her life, Maarko. She had caught them out behind the stables, naked in each other’s arms. Never in all her life had she felt such pain. She couldn’t stand to live another minute!

She stopped to catch her breath when she reached the edge of a gigantic cliff that over looked the ocean. Her head swam as she saw the rough waters pounding upon the rigid rocks far below her. Anya closed her eyes, taking what she thought to be her last breath and stepped forward, only to feel strong arms slip around her waist and pull her firmly away from the edge.

"Let go!" she shouted, and began hitting and clawing at Maarko.

The were joined a moment later by Aristona, who tried to hold her sister’s arms down.

Suddenly, Anyanka stopped struggling, and started sobbing. Maarko and Aristona were talking to her, but she would never be able to remember what it was that they had said. She felt Maarko relax his grip, and then sprang for the cliff’s edge once again.

Her vision was blurred. She honestly had to admit that she never really saw, or realized just what had happened, but she suddenly found herself staring down the cliff, at her former lover and twin sister as their bodies were broken by the waves onto the rocks.

Anyanka gasped in horror at the satisfaction that she felt at seeing their demise.

"Murderer!" someone suddenly shouted.

She turned her head and, for the first time, saw the crowd that had gathered at the commotion that the three of them had made.

"The gods demand that she be stoned!" a man cried.

"Yes! Let’s stone her!" several people shouted and began to run toward her.

Anyanka closed her eyes and braced herself, but still cried out as the first rocks hit her. Her arms, legs, and torso were soon bruised and bleeding as she tried to protect her head. She felt a sharp rock cut into her forehead before the world turned black.

"Stop! Wait a minute!" a voice cried.

The crowd was frozen in awe, as they watched a cloud of smoke come up from the ground and gather around the unconscious girl.

"It’s the gods! We have angered them!" the people cried, and began running back toward their homes.

Anya groaned as she began to awaken. Her bruised, broken body would not allow her to even sit up. But the pain in her bruised, broken heart hurt even worse.

"You are awake. Good, for a moment there I thought I was too late."

Anya just blinked at the ugly horned demon standing over her.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am D’hofferyn, and you are in Arashmahar, the place where demons are spawned."

"Wha...?" Anya choked, as blood began pouring out of her mouth.

D’hofferyn frowned down at her. He would have to hurry, she would soon be dead.

"So that’s the deal. Become the patron saint of scorned women, a goddess of vengeance. You gain immortality, and avenge women who have been wronged, and share your pain. Or you die. What is your choice?"

2000AD, Sunnydale, California

"Why do we have to bury the body?" Spike asked with a scowl as Xander handed him a shovel.

The blond vampire was now helping the scooby gang, after the latest truce with the Slayer. He knew they didn’t really trust him, but they could use his help. He had admit that he really enjoyed helping them kill demons. Yes, being on the winning team definitely had it’s perks. Spike hated doing grunt work, though, and angrily shoved the shovel in the ground.

"The men dig the graves, and the women have the babies. That’s my philosophy!" Buffy told them.

She and Anya were perched on a headstone, watching Xander and Spike bury the body of the unfortunate demon who had run into them that night. Other than that one demon, it had been a pretty quite night.

"Besides, women like to watch men dig. You can even take your shirt off if you want to." Anya chirped.

Buffy turned to Anya, "You know, women do think about other things besides sex."

"Really? Like what?" Anya asked, skeptically.

"Well, uh..." Buffy honestly couldn’t think of a thing as she watched Spike pull off his shirt.

Anya grinned when she saw what had captured the Slayer’s attention.

"I told Xander we should start doing more couple stuff. Like patrolling with you and Spike." she told her.

"Spike and I are not a couple!"

"Oh, C’mon! You need someone. You’re all lonely now, and so is Spike. I bet the sex would be great!" Anya tried to encourage her.

"What about Riley?"

"When are you going to accept that Riley isn’t coming back? He left weeks ago. Get over it."

Anya was right. Riley had gone back to Iowa with no intent of returning. For the longest time, Buffy had believed he’d be back. But the last time she’d talked to him on the phone, he’d basically said goodbye forever.

Buffy had thrown herself into her slaying duties, trying desperately to forget him. Her gaze traveled up and down Spikes muscular torso as he dug. She had to admit that since Spike had taken a more active role in helping them out, the pain of Riley leaving had almost completely vanished. Not that she’d ever admit that to anybody.

Before Buffy could respond, Xander’s yell interrupted her. Apparently he and Spike had dug too deep, and fell into some kind of underground cavern.

"Are you guys okay?" Buffy asked, peering into the dark hole.

"Yeah, we’re fine!" Xander called up to them.

"Speak for yourself! I broke your fall, and you broke my rib!." Spike complained.

"Sorry, junior." Xander replied nonchalantly.

"Oh, look! A box." Xander pulled it out into the middle of the pit to get a better look at it in the moonlight.

"Is it treasure?" Spike asked, sounding very interested.

"I don’t know. It’s got some writing on it." Xander tried to figure out how to open it.

"It looks like ancient Greek. What would it be doing all the way over here in Sunnyhell?" Spike asked no one in particular.

"Honey? You’re Greek from back then. Were they rich?" Xander called up to Anya.

"Ahh, Greece!" Anya said blissfully staring out into space.

Buffy rolled her eyes, quickly getting bored trying to watch them in the dark.

"Can we hurry this up? I have to register for classes early tomorrow morning!" she called down to them.

"Wait a sec, Buff! I almost got it open!" Xander called back up to her.

"I’m gettin a bad feeling about this, mate. I don’t think you should open it." Spike told him.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained!" Xander quipped as he finally got the lid off.

The four watched in awe as a bright green, glowing ball of smoke escaped from the box, and floated up to the sky, disappearing into the night.

"What did you two do now?" Buffy asked, then noticed the look of pure terror on the face of the woman standing next to her.

"Oh, no!" Anya gasped.

Willow, Giles, Buffy, Spike, Xander, and Anya were all gathered in Giles’ living room. The ex-demon had everyone’s undivided attention as she recounted an event that happened over two millenniums ago.

"It happened in 415 BC, in a small town just outside of Athens, Greece. I had been a vengeance demon for sixty-eight years at that time. My latest case was a very bitter woman. Her husband had slept with over fifty other women and men. She wished an awful contagious plague on him, and everyone he’d had sex with. It was a magical plague, and so it had no cure. Thousands died from it, including the woman who’d wished it. She hadn’t been specific in her wish." Anya explained.

"415BC? That would be during the Peloponnesian War. Are you saying that you are the cause of the great plague of Athens?" Giles asked, astonished.

"Some of my best work." she admitted, regretfully.

"The history books say that the disease disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared." Giles continued, "How was it stopped?"

"Well, back then there was a powerful, but good, sorceress named, Galatissa. She was able to bind the disease into a box. It is said that she had found a way to destroy it altogether, but her sister Erousa, who was an evil sorceress, stole the box. She was unable to open it, however, because Galatissa had put a spell on it, saying that only the true love of the demon patron saint of scorned women, that’s me, could open it. So she banished it to some undiscovered land, never to be found. Unless, of course you live on a hellmouth." Anya finished with a sigh.

All eyes turned toward Xander.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained? Remind me to smack you next time you say that." Spike grumbled.

Xander turned to Anya, " How come you never told me about this?"

"Well, it happened over two thousand years ago. I had forgotten about it!"

"This is useless! There is nothing here!" Xander exclaimed as he slammed yet another dusty, old book closed.

"Are you sure you saw something leave that box?" Giles asked, again.

His question received four angry glares.

"Al right! Well, these are all of the books that I have covering that time period." The ex-watcher removed his glasses and began cleaning them.

"I’m honestly at a loss as to what to do about this."

"Um, Giles? Tara and I came across a spell the other day that might be helpful." Willow weakly volunteered.

"Oh, NO!" Spike growled, "No more spells! Next time I’ll probably end up sucking face with droopy boy over there!" Spike crossed his arms and glared at her sternly.

"Did I mention that I was sorry about that?" Willow lowered her eyes to the ground in embarrassment.

It would be a long time before she forgot the disaster that was her "I Will It So" spell.

"Hey! Uh, I’m not sure whether or not I should be offended." Xander turned his puzzled gaze to Buffy.

Buffy shot a threatening look at Spike before turning to her red-headed friend.

"Go ahead and tell us about the spell, Will. It’s not like we’ve got anything else."

"Well, it’s sort of a we send you back in time to ask Galatissa how to destroy the plague, spell."

"No." Giles said, his face an unreadable mask.

"C’mon, Will! Remember the movie, ‘Back to the Future’? Everything that that guy Marty did, had some effect on the future, or present, or whatever." Xander rambled on.

"Yeah, could you imagine how bad Buffy and Spike could screw it up?" Anya asked.

Silence settled over the room as each occupant contemplated the effects that such a spell might have.

"Well, count me in!" Spike said with a grin.

"No! I will not allow it!" Giles suddenly shouted.

He softened his tone at the startled looks that he received from the group.

"Why don’t we just wait and see if there is really anything to worry about. If, in fact, you did release this ancient disease, you’ve got to remember that it has lain dormant for over two millenniums. It’s release may be of no consequence what so ever." he told them.

"You’re right. We shouldn’t mess around with such dangerous spells, unless absolutely necessary." Willow agreed.

"So basically, you’re saying we just wait and see what happens? Great! I so love waiting!" Buffy said with sarcastic enthusiasm.

"C’mon, Fang! Might as well go slay some demons while we wait." the Slayer called to Spike, then headed out the door.

"Spike? You and Buffy should keep an eye out for anything unusual." Willow told him.

"Right. You’re asking a vampire, to look around a hellmouth, and report any unusual findings?" he rolled his eyes and hurried out the door to catch up with Buffy.

"If you could go back in time, what would you do?" Buffy asked Spike as they walked through another deserted graveyard.

"That’s easy. I’d kill all you people, and those soldier boys before they could put this friggin chip in my head." he answered.

"Why do I bother?" she rolled her eyes, and went back to silently contemplating her own answer.

"What about you?" he asked, a while later.

"No, wait! Let me guess. You’d stop yourself from shaggin the pouf." he looked at her expectantly.

"I don’t know. I mean, how different would my life be if Angel and I had known about the curse? Maybe everything I went through was really for a good?" she looked at Spike and could see he was quickly losing interest in the conversation.

"Nah, I’d just go back and chop your head off with that axe!" she teased him.

Before he could reply, the wail of an ambulance siren pierced the unusually silent night air. Buffy had to cover her ears as the vehicle passed on the street outside the cemetery.

Before either could comment, a second siren sounded anounceing another ambulance heading in the other direction. Then another.

Buffy felt shivers of fear creep up her spine at the look on Spike’s face.

"Somethings not right. We need to see the watcher, quick."

The Slayer and the Vampire took of running with a synchronized stride down the street.

The blond duo arrived to find Willow and Anya standing over an unconscious Giles.

"We called for an ambulance, but apparently it will be a while before anyone can get to us." Willow told them, fearfully.

Giles began to moan and squirm on the ground, while sweat beaded on his brow.

"It’s the Plague. He’ll probably be dead in a few days." Anya stated, but there was a hint of sorrow in her voice that the group wasn’t used to hearing from her.

"We have to do something, Giles can’t die! I won’t let him!" Buffy shouted as tears began to slip unheeded down her cheeks.

Spike put a comforting arm around her shoulder, swallowing a lump in his own throat. Human life was just so fragile! While he could list a million ways to kill a person, he knew nothing about healing them.

Suddenly the front door flew open, and Tara came rushing into the room. The blonde witch blushed at the attention her dramatic entrance had caused.

"I br-brought it." she said, handing Willow a blue duffel bag.

"Brought what?" Xander asked, finally regaining his own composure after Buffy’s outburst.

Willow took a deep breath, and seemed to take on an air of authority, before addressing the others.

"Giles and I were working on a spell to keep us all from being affected by the Plague, should we be exposed to it. He began to get sick before we could finish, but had me finish the spell before he lost consciousness."

Willow focused her attention on the Slayer.

"I don’t think we have much choice here, Buffy."

"Go back in time? How? When? Where? And what exactly do we do when we get there?" asked a frustrated Xander.

"We have a spell that will transport you to the exact time and place you want to be. You’ll have exactly seventy-two hours to find out how Galatissa was going to destroy the plague."

"Why not just tell Gilligan to destroy the Plague before her sister steals it?" Buffy asked.

"GALATISSA! And, no! You must be very careful about what you do, or say. Changing the past, even a little part, can have major ramifications on our own time." Tara told her, shocking everyone with how articulate and long-winded her little spiel was.

Willow beamed with pride.

"Okay, so let’s do this." Buffy said, trying not to look at the ailing Giles.

Tara turned to Willow, "Who all is going?"

"Buffy, Xander, Anya, and Spike."

"Wait a second, how am I supposed to avoid the sunlight?" Spike asked the witches.

They both grinned at him.

"You won’t have to." Tara said.

"For the next seventy-two hours Spike will be a living, breathing human."

"Alive?" Spike asked as his face took on a dazed expression.

"Will he have a soul?" Buffy asked, looking a little dazed herself.

Willow and Tara looked at each other.

"We don’t know." the red-head told her.

"You see, time is a very tricky thing to manipulate. Especially with dead people." Tara tried to explain.

"That’s undead, luv." Spike absently corrected.

"By going back to a time before Spike died, his body will automatically resume life, we think." Willow told them.

"Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see." Spike said with a smirk.

Giles chose that moment to begin moaning in pain, while tugging at his clothes.

"He’s getting worse. We’re running out of time." Anya said to Buffy.

"Ok, let’s do this!"

Twenty minutes later, they were ready to begin. Buffy, Spike, Xander, and Anya stood inside a circle that the witches had drawn with a piece of chalk, in Giles’ living room.
Spike looked over at the Slayer who was nervously biting her lip, while trying to block out the watcher’s groans coming from the loft. Light from the flames of the white and blue candles that outlined the circle danced across her face. She was beautiful.

Spike grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze before focusing on the witches, who had begun to chant.

"Ruler of the Underworld,
Great Goddess of the Moon,
Goddess of all other Goddesses,
Selene!
Charge this circle bathed in candlelight
And it be filled with your power and might!
A time is in mind, the time clear
Allow nothing to interfere
A time when the Gods did reign all
Is the destination for which we call
Lead unto the Sorceress of Your Rite,
Galatissa!
So her wrongs we may right!
Lead us there, to return upon deed complete
This is our will, So Mote It Be!"

415 BC Athens, Greece

The first thing that Spike noticed, was that he hurt. Everywhere. Second, he was hungry, but it was not blood that he craved. Finally, he noticed that Buffy, Xander and Anya were staring down at him, as he lay flat on his back.

The spell had worked. The group had landed in a small clearing just outside of Athens. Anya was relived to see that she recognized exactly where they were, even though it was dark. Probably very late, but she had know way of knowing exactly what time it was.

Everyone was silently watching Spike. He was breathing heavily, and had an expression half of pain, half of wonder on his face.

"Do you have a soul?" Anya asked, breaking the silence.

"I don’t know. What’s it feel like to have a soul?"

"Well, do you feel guilty about killing all of the people you’ve killed?" Xander asked.

Spike paused a moment, seeming to contemplate the question. Then he grinned.

"Nope. Could really care less. Then again, I never cared all that much before I was turned either."

Buffy rolled her eyes before turning to the others.

"The first thing we need, is a place to stay."

"I have a friend in town that will probably let us stay with him." Anya volunteered.

"Him?! You? The man-hater of all time had a friend of the male gender while you were a vengeance demon?" Xander asked, feeling a stab of jealousy.

"He was gay."

"Oh. Well, I guess that’s okay."

Buffy had seen pictures of Athens, but hadn’t actually been there before. The pictures she’d seen were of the ruins of buildings and temples. Seeing the city in it’s prime was amazing!

The Slayer looked at Xander, and could tell that he too was impressed at the magnificent structures that loomed over them. The guy was practically tripping over his own feet as he tried to take in all the sights around him.

While Spike was also impressed with the ancient city, his attention was currently captured by the sensations that he was feeling with his, now living, body.

Mostly, he felt pain. He’d forgotten how much everything hurt when you were alive. His lungs hurt with the strain of every breath that he took. His stomach growled, and he felt the familiar pain of hunger that had haunted him constantly during his short life.

Spike glanced at his companions. He’d bet that neither Xander nor Buffy had ever felt the pain of true hunger. Then he looked at Buffy again. Well, she was awfully thin. She might have.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of blood pounding in his ear drums. It was so loud, he couldn’t hear anything else. Spike blinked a couple of times and slowed his pace. He began to feel light-headed, his vision blurring. This wasn’t good.

"Wow, if Anya were wearing a toga, she’d blend right in." Buffy thought while watching the woman next to her walk down the street, as if she did it every night.

She was glad that it was late. The group would be sure to cause a big fuss with their modern attire.

Buffy frowned when she realized that Spike was lagging behind the rest of the group, breathing hard.

"Xander!" she called as she moved to catch the blond man before he hit the ground.

Luckily, Anya’s friend’s house was close by, so Buffy and Xander didn’t have to carry him very far.

Anya walked up to a door in one of the many buildings that lined the streets, and knocked.

A man, who looked to be in his early thirties, opened the door and immediately embraced Anya.

"Anyanka!"

The two began speaking excitedly in a language that the other three had never heard before.

Xander turned to Buffy, craning his neck to see past Spike, who was currently propped up between them.

"The only thing I understood just then was, ‘Anyanka’" he told her.

Anya turned toward them.

"Guys, this is my dear friend, Anaxagoras."

After a bit more conversation between Anya and Anaxagoras, the ex-demon turned to the others with a relieved look on her tired face.

"Anaxagoras says that we are welcomed to stay here for as long as we need."

Spike awoke to find himself in a small, windowless room, with a double bed and a desk. A few lit candles were scattered around, giving off a soft light that was soothing to his tired eyes.

A pang of hunger stabbed his empty stomach, causing him to moan audibly at the pain. Tears came, unbidden, to his eyes as he recalled the only other time he’d been so hungry.

He’d been no more than ten, a runaway, begging on the streets of London. Trying to steal a loaf of bread from a merchant, he’d killed the poor man with his own knife, before scurrying away with his prize. That had been his very first kill, at least ten years before he’d met Angelus.

Suddenly, the door to the room opened, and the vision that met his eyes made him believe that he was dreaming.

The Slayer had walked into the room, looking like a goddess. Her blond hair was piled up on her head with tiny purple and red flowers weaved intricately throughout. Her dress was a snow-white toga, that resembled a bed-sheet wrapped around her body. Brown sandals scratched the floor as she made her way into the room.

She was trying to balance a tray filled with fruit, cheese, and crackers, and a pitcher of water as she shut the door with her foot. Spike noticed that she smelled of roses as she set down on the bed beside him.

Buffy frowned at the tears in his eyes, and the pain on his face.

"Spike? Are you okay?" she asked him, softly.

"I’m hungry." he told her, trying very hard not to cry.

"Of course you are!" she said, grabbing a bunch of grapes off of the tray.

Spike had to pinch himself as he watched her pluck off one of the reddish purple balls and hold it up to his mouth.

As his teeth bit down and broke the skin, he gasped aloud at the sweet, tangy juice that tickled his tongue and overwhelmed his senses. He had never before tasted anything so delicious.

Buffy watched Spike closely as she fed him. He was eating as if it was his last meal, savoring ever bite. He’d practically spilled water all over himself as he gulped it down.

As she brought the last piece of cheese to his mouth, his hand came up and stopped her. Closing his eyes, he moaned, but this time it was a sound of contentment, not pain.

He felt a cool, wet, cloth on his forehead, and, struggling with effort, opened his eyes to look at her.

"Am I dreaming?" He asked.

Buffy just smiled down at him, glad to see a little splash of pink on his cheeks.

"Thank you, Buffy." he said before drifting back to sleep.

Buffy studied the sleeping man beside her. Spike. Alive. It was almost too much. She could spend hours just staring at the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Suddenly, it wasn’t enough. She wanted to hear his heartbeat as well.

Lowering her head to his chest, she pressed her ear up against his warm flesh. Thump, thump. What a wonderful sound!

Buffy stretched out next to him, keeping her head in place. She draped an arm across him, and allowed the steady beat of his heart pull her into sleep.

Spike was walking through a park, toward a swing set. All around him children played. Their delighted giggles and screeches surrounded him as he sat down and began to swing. A full moon up in the sky cast a soft glow on the things around them.

"Spike! We need to talk." Angel came out of nowhere and sat in the unoccupied swing next to him.

"But, what about the children?" Spike asked.

He really didn’t want to talk to his sire.

"What children?"

And just like that, the children vanished.

Spike frowned and turned his attention to the vampire beside him.

"Now see here, I was doing just fine before you came along." Spike said with a scowl.

Angel just smirked at him.

"Do you know what you’re doing?" Angel asked, turning serious.

"Dreaming?" Spike asked, with his own smirk.

"Besides that."

"I’m alive..."

"And in love." Angel interrupted.

"She’s falling for me too!" the blond man pointed out.

"She won’t love you as a vampire, Spike. You’ll end up like me. Leaving for her own good."

"No! I.."

"If you love her, you will. Maybe not right away, but on down the road. You’ll leave."

Spike stopped swinging and put his head in his hands. Angel was right. It would never work. A vampire and a Slayer? The only reason Buffy was being so kind to him, was because he was human.

"I’m sorry, Spike."

"What for?"

"Everything. If you and Buffy could be happy together I’d say go for it, but you can’t. You guys would just end up in more pain." Angel looked genuinely sincere.

"I hate you." Spike said, although he didn’t mean it.

"I love you too."

And then Angel was gone.

"My Spike, I must speak with you." Drusilla suddenly appeared in the swing that Angel had vacated.

"What is it luv?" Spike asked, not at all affected by her presence.

"Daddy did not tell you everything, my sweet." Drusilla smiled radiantly.

"What? I don’t understand." he replied.

"I’ve been listening to the stars. They tell me that once the spell is done, you will turn back into a vampire and the nasty chip they put in your head will not be there."

"You mean, I’ll be able to kill again?" he asked, astonished.

"Yes, pet. You must kill the awful Slayer!" she growled.

"I can’t Dru. I love her."

"Ha! You think you’ll still love her when you return home? That she’ll love you?"

Spike buried his head in his hands again.

"I don’t know."

"You think she won’t stake you the moment she finds out that you can kill again?"

"Bloody hell, Dru! What do you want me to say?" he asked exasperated.

But she said nothing more, and was gone as quickly as she had come.

Spike awoke from his dream, depressed. He felt tears in his eyes as he looked at the woman sleeping beside him. She was beautiful. Had he ever told her that? No, of course not.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knocking at the door. Buffy awoke to the offending sound and felt Spike’s arms tighten around her as the door opened.

A young boy of about ten years opened the door and stepped into the room. He eyed the pair on the bed curiously, before saying something in a language that they didn’t understand.

"He says it’s time for breakfast." Anya announced coming up behind the boy.

"His name is Pericles. He is one of Anaxagoras’ students."

The boy bowed to them, then scampered out the door.

Anya and Buffy were waiting outside the room for Spike to change clothes.

"So? Did you and Spike, you know?" the ex-demon made an obscene gesture with her hands.

Buffy slapped them down, her face turning pink.

"No! I told you, Spike and I are not a couple."

"Good morning, Ladies!" Xander called as he joined them.

A few seconds later Spike came out, stomach growling loudly.

Buffy giggled when she saw him blush. She then linked her arm through his and led the way to breakfast. Each of the four were eager to explore this new world before them and accomplish their mission.

"I can’t wait to see if you’ll freckle!" Buffy said, with a fake British accent.

Spike gave her look before going back to staring at the sunbeams that were warming his arms. He ignored the weird looks people gave him as they passed in the street. People must not have bleached their hair back then.

The group was currently making their way through town to find Galatissa’s home. They all seemed to blend in well, except for Spike. His unnaturally blond hair was causing a little fuss. Finally, Buffy covered his head with a strip of cloth that she’d bought from one of the merchants that lined the road. Too bad she couldn’t buy any souvenirs to take back home. No, that might change history or something.

"There it is." Anya pointed to a cozy looking stone cottage that looked very out of place next to all of the marble columns and arches that made up most of the city’s architecture.

The door slowly opened at Anya’s knock, and a beautiful young woman opened the door.

She was tall, slim, and long hair the color of ebony flowed down her back, almost reaching her hips. Her smile was bright and inviting, but her eyes were strange. They were obsidian. You couldn’t distinguish between her pupils and iris’s, they were so dark.

Spike felt a cold chill as he looked into those strange eyes. The others didn’t seem to notice the evil he felt that was emanating from this woman.

Anya spoke to the woman for a moment before turning to her friends.

"She says that Galatissa isn’t here, and won’t be back until tomorrow."

"Tell her that Galatissa was working on a spell for us, does she know where it is or if it’s finished?" Buffy told Anya.

After a few more minutes of conversation, the woman opened the door wider and gestured for them to come inside.

As they walked into the house, Spike noticed the box on a table, against the wall. It was locked and sealed. Apparently Galatissa had already captured the disease, and cursed the box. So where was she? And who was this strange woman who had let them in?

He pointed out the box to Buffy, who nodded at him, and then whispered something in Anya’s ear. The slayer caught Spike and Xander’s eyes and inclined her head to ward a door at the back of the room. Then she turned her attention to the woman, who was studying them carefully with her spooky eyes.

Anya began interpreting for Buffy and the woman as they discussed the Plague and the magic that had started and stopped it.

While the girls held the woman’s attention, Xander and Spike slipped through the door. They found themselves in a smaller room that was cluttered with all kinds of mystical looking items.

"It looks like the magic shop. Only with a big scary cauldron in the middle." Xander commented.

"Look there! Do you think that’s a spell?" Spike asked, looking intently at the scroll he had found.

"Maybe Anya can translate it." Xander suggested.

"Buffy!!" Anya’s voice cried out.

The guys hurried back to the front room to find it empty, except for Anya who was sprawled on the ground. A nasty bruise was forming over her left eye.

"Anya! Wake-up. What happened? Where’s Buffy?!" Xander gently shook his girlfriend.

Anya moaned as she sat up, putting a hand over her bruise.

"The woman took her. Xander, she’s stronger than Buffy!" Anya gasped out.

"She took the box too." Spike said keeping his face carefully blank.

"Who was that woman?!" Xander asked.

"Erousa!" Spike growled, how could they have been so stupid?

*
The bright sun beamed down on Buffy as she walked toward the middle of the park, where the swings were.

All around her children laughed and played.

She sat down in an empty swing marveling at how peaceful and safe she felt here.

"Hello Buffy!" a familiar little girl called to her as she joined the Slayer on the swings.

Tears stung Buffy’s eyes as she realized who that little girl was.

"Celia!"

"Can you translate it?" Spike asked Anya a while later.

He, Anya, and Xander had remained at Galatissa’s home unsure of what else to do. They had no idea where Erousa had taken Buffy. After much arguing, it had been decided that they’d wait until Galatissa returned and hope that she could help. Spike, hated waiting.

Now he was waiting on Anya to translate the scroll that he and Xander had found.

"It doesn’t make sense to me. And it’s obviously unfinished." she said shaking her head.

"Well, what can you make sense of?!" he demanded.

"Hey! Don’t yell at her, she is trying to help." Xander glared at him.

"That’s not the spell you’re looking for." a voice said from behind them.

The voice was a woman who was standing at the door, watching them intently. She looked almost exactly like Erousa. The only difference was her eyes. They were deep purple, and looked ancient. Power and wisdom rolled off of her in waves. There was no questions in anyone’s mind as to who this woman was.

Galatissa.

"Celia? What are you doing here?" Buffy asked as she stared in amazement at the little girl who had been her cousin and best friend long ago.

Celia had died very young, right in front of Buffy. The Slayer had been seven years old at the time, and would never forget that heartbreaking, terrifying day.

Seeing her now, so full of life, made Buffy’s heart yearn for the time that they had been together. A time where her only worry was keeping her clothes clean so that mom wouldn’t yell at her.

"I’m dreaming, aren’t I?" the Slayer asked, watching the girl begin to pump her legs, trying to swing higher.

"Dreaming is a sport." Celia told her.

"Um, ok. So, why am I dreaming of you now? I haven’t had a dream about you in years?" Buffy was confused at the little girl’s presence.

"You messed up. Erousa kidnapped you. Even now she plans your death." Celia had stopped swinging and was carefully studying the Slayer’s face as she spoke.

"What do I do?" Buffy asked, although she felt no fear.

"There’s nothing you can do, about that." the girl had started to swing again.

"Then why are you here telling me this if nothing can be done?" Buffy stood and walked behind Celia, gently pushing her.

"I didn’t say nothing could be done, I said you can’t do anything. He loves you, you know."

"I know. I think I love him too." Buffy pushed her harder and higher, until the little girl began to laugh and squeal.

Buffy couldn’t help her own smile at her cousin’s obvious delight.

"Stop! Buffy I have to tell you something before I go." Celia gasped out, as she put her feet down to stop the swing.

"When you get back home, the computer chip in his head won’t work anymore." Buffy sat down heavily in her swing again at the girl’s words.

"What?! You mean he’ll kill people again?"

"Well, he’ll be able to kill people again." Celia confirmed.

Buffy felt tears begin to slip from her eyes.

"He does love you though. You just have to have faith that love will see you through." the girls voice had turned pleading.

"Well, with my track record, you’ll have to excuse me if I have little faith in love." Buffy laughed bitterly.

"It wasn’t right then."

"And it is now? Spike, my mortal enemy. He’s the one?"

"I don’t know, it’s your love life." the girl grinned up at her.

"Well, you’ve been a lot of help."

Celia turned serious then, "Buffy, you have to believe in something, or you’ll fall for anything."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "Now you sound like a fortune cookie."

"You’ve been through a lot, I know. But you’ve done so much good, and helped so many people. You will be rewarded. Happiness can be yours, but if you can’t believe that then you might as well let Erousa kill you." Celia stood from her swing.

"So, I trust that Spike will save me?" Buffy wasn’t so sure about that.

"No, you trust that there is a purpose for everything, and that the same higher being(s) that made sure your mother hit Spike with that axe, that made Xander breathe the life back into you, that made the snow fall that Christmas, and made you fall in love again, won’t let you down now."

Buffy stood speechless as her mind drifted to times past. Little ‘accidents’ that had changed lives. Maybe they weren’t mistakes. Perhaps there was more to her life than just dumb luck.

"Will you promise not to forget me again?" Celia asked in a small voice.

"Oh, Celia! I never forgot you, I never could. I’ll always love you." She gathered the girl in her arms smelling the sweet smell that used to haunt her every time she went to Celia’s parents house.

Now that scent comforted her and even as she felt herself begin to wake up, she was confident that she would see the little girl again.

"You’ve offset the delicate balance of time to complete your mission. I’ve yet to decide whether I find such actions fool hearty or brave." Galatissa said looking over the group that had gathered in her home.

"Hey, you speak English! English hasn’t even been invented yet, has it?" Xander asked.

"I speak all languages, child."

"As for the spell you seek, I have not yet completed it." she told them.

"What about this one?" Anya asked, holding up the scroll she’d been trying to make sense of.

"You are not ready for that spell yet." the sorceress commented, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Sod the spells! Erousa kidnapped Buffy, we have to get her back!" Spike snapped, pacing impatiently.

"A vampire in love with a Slayer, how romantic."

"Can you help us find her, or not?!" Spike practically growled at her.

"My sister does have her. Once Buffy reveals to her your mission, Erousa will kill her." The sorceress was looking directly at Spike.

"I won’t let that happen." Spike vowed.

"I know you won’t." Galatissa said with a small smile.

She then told Spike exactly how to get to where Erousa was holding Buffy.

"Ok, let’s go." Xander said, making his way to the door.

"No. The vampire must go alone."

"But.." Xander began.

"I must have you and the demon here to help me with the spell." Galatissa told him.

"Hey! How did you know I was a demon, or that Spike was a vampire?" Anya demanded.

"I know what I need to know." was all she said.

Spike turned to Xander, "I’ll bring her back."

Buffy knew that Erousa was watching her, but still she kept her eyes shut, pretending to be asleep.

"I know that you are awake, Slayer."

Buffy sighed and looked around, her wide, hazel eyes taking in the surroundings. She was in a cave that was cold and dimly lit with candles. She had been curled up sleeping between two soft, thick furs, and was loathe to move away from their warmth.

Buffy started to stand, an escape plan already forming in her mind, when she immediately fell back down, muscles not cooperating.

A sense of dread filled her as she lifted an arm and tested it’s weight. It was heavy. In fact, all of her limbs felt as if some unseen force was pulling them down to the ground. She glared up at the sorceress.

Erousa gave her an smug smile, "It’s just a little something I’ve learned to do with a new idea. Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s called gravity."

Her smile turned into a scowl. "Don’t bother trying to get away. You won’t make it to the entrance without collapsing in exhaustion."

"What do you want from me?" the Slayer demanded, starting to feel afraid for the very first time since she’d awoke.

"I want to know how to open my dear sister’s little box."

"You can’t open it." Buffy sent the woman a smug smile of her own.

"Then you will open it for me."

"I can’t either, sorry." Buffy retorted sarcastically.

Erousa closed her eyes, fists clenched by her sides, and took a deep breath.

She smiled again. "Then tell me why you are here. You don’t belong in this time."

"That’s for me to know and you to find out!"

Erousa's hand shot out and smacked Buffy hard across the face. The sorceress then turned her back on the girl and took several deep, calming breaths, trying to gain some control over her anger.

The evil smile that Erousa had on her face when she turned back around, chilled Buffy to the core.

"Follow me, my dear." she said, leading the way out of the cave.

Buffy felt the force that had been weighing her limbs down lighten, just enough for her to stand.

Desperately, she looked around for anything that could be used as a weapon. Except for the furs that she’d slept on, there was nothing.

Sighing in frustration, Buffy offered up a silent prayer for help to anyone that might be listening, and reluctantly followed Erousa out of the dark cave and into the bright sunlight.

Spike flopped to the ground to take a quick rest, and admire the beautiful scene that surrounded him. He felt like he’d been walking for days. Actually, he’d only been walking about half an hour, but half the time had been up hill.

Hill? Yeah right! Galatissa had told him that he would find Buffy in a cave that was on top of a large hill. It was more like a small mountain than a large hill.

To one side of the hill/mountain was the city. Even from this distance he could hear the noisy chatter of Athens citizens as they went about their business in the late afternoon.

On the other side, the magnificent Aegean sea sent huge dark blue waves, crested with white foam, crashing against the base. This was the side that the cave overlooked.

"I’ve got to get in shape." He muttered, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Then he frowned as it occurred to him that he wouldn't have time to get in shape before his body would resume it’s undead status.

Mentally shaking off the confusing emotions that had accompanied such a thought, he turned his gaze toward the top of the large hill/small mountain that he’d been climbing.

He clearly see the entrance to the cave, and as he watched, saw Erousa emerge followed a few moments later by Buffy.

A sense of urgency rushed through him as he shot to his feet, and started climbing faster. He only hoped that he wouldn’t be to tired to help Buffy out when he got there.

Buffy looked at the beauty that surrounded her, and gave a contended sigh, despite her current situation.

"This is your last chance, Slayer. Tell me why your here, or I’ll make you."

"I’m on vacation. The brochure said this was the perfect spot for this time of.., well, time." she quipped.

"Very well."

Erousa waved her hand over the beautiful view in front of them, before turning back to Buffy.

"Eyes, look your last!" The sorceress said, before covering Buffy’s eyes with her hand.

Erousa moved her hand away, waiting for Buffy to realize what had just happened to her.

After Buffy felt the hand move away from her eyes, she opened them. Well she tried to. Bringing her hand up to her face, her jaw dropped open in shock and horror as she realized that her eyes were open. Erousa had blinded her!

"What have you done?! I can’t see! Please, give me my sight back!" she cried terrified at the black nothingness that surrounded and threatened to suffocate her.

"Are you ready to cooperate then?" Erousa asked, enjoying her fear.

"I came from the year two thousand! You sent that box to a far away land that just happens to be where I will one day live. It was accidentally opened, and the plague got loose, making everyone sick. My friends and I have come for a spell to stop it! Now please, I’ve told you everything, give me my sight back!" Buffy cried desperately.

"No. I have everything I need from you. If I let you live, you’ll destroy that plague, and that just won’t do. Look at it this way, you’ll be the only person in history to die before you’re born!" Erousa laughed evilly before grabbing Buffy, and tossing her over the edge to the sea below.

"Now, to hide the box." she said, and with a snap of her fingers, disappeared.

Spike panted and coughed as he dragged the unconscious Slayer ashore. His body was numb from the icy cold water.

"Buffy?" he asked, hopefully when he heard her groan.

Her eyes blinked open, and Spike let out a breath he didn’t know that he’d been holding. He grinned and waved a hand in front of her face.

"How many fingers do you see?"

Buffy began to sob.

Spike’s heart ached at her tears, and he gathered the girl up in his lap. Resting his head on top of her own he began to rock while murmuring comforting words in her ear.

"Shh, it’s alright now luv. You’re gonna be just fine."

"Spike! I can’t see!!" she gasped out, before burying her face in his chest.

"What?!" Spike pulled her back to get a look at her eyes.

His blood ran cold at the cloudy, unfocused orbs.

"Erousa blinded me when I wouldn’t tell her what we were doing. Oh, Spike! What am I going to do? I’m the Slayer! I can’t be blind!"

Taking a deep breath, Spike stood up groaning at the pain in his over worked muscles. He then bent down and scooped Buffy up before beginning the journey back to Galatissa’s. He only hoped that the sorceress would be able to help.

"He’s been gone a long time. Are you sure they’ll be okay?" Xander asked for the fifth time in as many minutes.

"The vampire will prevail." this was Galatissa’s standard response to his questions.

"Well, how’s the spell coming then? What’s that stuff your mixing?" Xander indicated the viscous substance the sorceress was stirring, and chanting over.

"I’m making eye drops that will cure blindness."

"And how do these eye drops help us stop the plague?" he was getting annoyed with her.

"You’ll need these drops tonight. I’ll complete the spells tomorrow." as usual Galatissa’s response seemed to raise more questions.

"Whatever."

Giving up on her, Xander went in search of Anya, who he found outside sitting on the roof, watching the sun set. After a few ungraceful attempts he finally managed to pull himself up to sit beside her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked her.

"What? You don’t have any pennies. And even if you did, they’d be worthless here." Anya stated, snuggling up to him.

"It’s an expression. I just want to know what you’re thinking about." he explained.

She sighed, "I feel weird. No, that’s not right. I feel bad."

"Bad? Bad how?"

"This is all my fault. All these people have died, Buffy’s been kidnapped, Giles might die. I get this queasy feeling in my stomach when I think about it."

"Wow! It looks like your humanness is causing you to grow a conscience. I think your feeling guilty." he told her.

"Well, I don’t like it! I haven’t felt this way in two thousand years, and it hurts!"

Anya began to cry.

"And look! I’m crying! I never cry!"

"It will be okay, honey. This is just another one of those things that you’ll have to get used to." Xander tried to comfort her.

"But what if I can’t?"

"You will! I know you, Anya. You’re strong. It’s what I love most about you. I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but I promise that you won’t be alone. I’ll be right here with you the whole time."

"Okay, now my stomach feels queasy in a good way. This is just to complicated!"

Buffy felt so lost in this world of blackness. She clung tightly to Spike as he carried her.

He had assured her that Galatissa would be able to help her see again, and she believed him.

She had never had to trust someone as much as she was trusting him now. Buffy buried her face in his shoulder again as fresh tears slipped down her face. He was so good to her. What was she going to do? How could she possibly kill him now?

*He does love you.... You’ll just have to have faith that love will see you through.* She thought back to what Celia had told her in her dream. ‘I’ll talk to him’ she decided. Maybe love would be enough this time.

"You found her! Is she okay?" Xander anxiously called to Spike, as he scrambled to get down from the roof.

He saw Buffy lift her head from Spike’s shoulder and turn her it in his direction when he spoke, but she seemed to be looking through him as they approached.

"That evil witch did something to her eyes, she...." Spike began.

"Let me guess! She blinded her?" Xander asked.

"How did you know?!"

"He didn’t. Galatissa did though. She’s been working all day on some eye drops that are supposed to cure blindness. Freaky, huh?" Anya stated, after following Xander down from the roof.

Spike didn’t answer her as he hurried inside.

Later that night the group found themselves back in Anaxagoras’s home eating dinner. After restoring Buffy’s sight Galatissa had sent them away, telling them to return tomorrow afternoon. The four weary friends had quickly returned ‘home’ ready to get away from the spooky sorceress and enjoy the remaining time before the time spell would be broken.

"So, Erousa thinks she killed you. That’s good, right?" Anya asked.

"Yeah, hopefully we won’t have to worry about her anymore." Buffy said.

A comfortable silence settled over the group as they munched on their food.

Buffy’s face took on a worried expression as she thought about how evil and powerful Erousa was.

"What’s wrong, luv? Sour grape?" Spike asked her.

"No, the food is really good. I just..well, I don’t know. The slayer in me wants to go take out Eurosa before she can hurt anyone else. I know this isn’t my time, so technically I’m not responsible for the innocent people here, but I can’t help but feel a little guilty at just leaving everything the way it is." she confessed.

"It’s natural to feel that way, Buff. But like you said, it’s not your responsibility. And what if you accidentally save someone who is supposed to die, and it completely changes the future?" Xander tried to reassure her.

"Besides, this time has it’s own slayer." Anya added.

"What? There is a slayer here? Where is she? Can we meet her?" Buffy asked her in a rush.

"I don’t think that’s a good idea." She answered nervously.

"Why not?! I want to talk to..." Buffy started.

"She’s right, Buffy. The slayers of times past were different. They didn’t have friends who helped them. They were lonely, and the best they could’ve hoped for in life was a quick, meaningful death." Spike looked to Anya.

"It’s probably not something you need to see." Anya agreed.

Buffy was quiet for a moment.

"Well, we could at least warn her about Eurosa." she tried again.

"She already knows. If I remember correctly, she will be killed by Eruosa soon, but the next slayer called will be able to defeat her for good." Anya, for the first time in two thousand years, wondered if she should have just stayed quiet and spared Buffy the pain of this revelation.

"Can’t we just... I mean,.. she’s really gonna die?" tears began to fall from the Slayer’s tired eyes.

Spike slipped an arm around her shoulder.

"Buffy, she’s dead. She’s been dead for a long time, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Buffy pulled away from him, and stood wrapping her arms around herself.

"I’m not hungry anymore. I think I’ll go to bed now. See ya in the morning." she turned and quickly hurried away.

Anya turned to Xander and slapped him on the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" he demanded.

"How come you never told me how hurtful the things I say are?" Anya had begun to cry again.

"Anya, I never,..."

"No, it doesn’t matter. It’s been so long I’ve forgotten how painful words can be." she sighed and looked at Xander hopefully.

"My insides are hurting because I made her cry. How can I make them stop hurting?"

"Why don’t you go apologize to her." Spike suggested.

"Good idea! Apologizing might make her feel better, and that will make me feel better, right?"

"Sure, go ahead." Xander told her.

The men watched Anya leave, then turned to each other.

"Women." they said simultaneously before going back to their food.

"Buffy? Can I come in?" Anya asked from the door to Buffy’s room.

"No, I’m sleeping."

"Tough, I feel bad and the only way I’ll stop feeling bad is if you feel better so I’m apologizing whether you like it or not."

Despite herself, Buffy laughed.

"That has to be the strangest apology that I’ve ever gotten." she commented.

Anya took that as a good sign and sat down on the bed beside the slayer.

"I’m not going to lie to you. I can’t possibly understand how you feel right now. The way I see it, people die."

Buffy just blinked at her in confusion. Anya sighed.

"I mean, people died, people are dying, and people will die. This was a lot easier to understand when I was demon, and not a person. You are the Slayer. You have this burden to protect people. To keep them from dying. But aren’t you really just delaying the inevitable?"

"No! I save people so that they can live their lives with more meaning. If you spend you’re entire life worrying about death, then you’re not living!" Buffy practically shouted.

The Slayer was taken aback at the tears that began to fill Anya’s eyes. Shaking her head, Buffy softened her voice.

"Maybe, if I can talk to this slayer, tell her about Erousa’s capabilities, she can defeat her without having to die. She can live longer, and save more people!" Buffy pleaded.

"But what if she is supposed to die? What if she saves someone who would have died, and that person goes on and has a baby that grows up and kills a whole bunch of people?" Anya tried to reason with her.

"Yeah, but what if that baby makes the world a better place? Anya, recently I’ve been looking back on my life and all of the unusual circumstances that I’ve been in. All the really weird freaky stuff seems to have happened for a reason. What if the reason I’m here now is to save this slayer from an early death?"

"No. The reason that you are here now is to find a way to stop the plague."

"The time spell won’t be up for another two days! I’m supposed to just sit back and relax all that time? I don’t think so! My gut is telling me to seek this slayer out. Please, Anya. I’m usually right about these kinds of things." she implored.

"Okay, okay! Tomorrow morning I’ll get Anaxagoras to keep the guys busy. We’ll tell them we’re going shopping. Then I’ll take you to see the Slayer. But, I really don’t think you’re gonna like what you see." Anya gave in.

"Thank you. You’re a true friend." Buffy said and pulled her into a hug.

Anya hesitantly patted Buffy’s back, before she smiled and returned the hug. Her insides felt good again.

"Hey. Did I wake you ?" Spike asked a while later as he entered the bedroom.

"No. Anya just left a few minutes ago." Buffy was curled up in the middle of the bed facing away from him.

A pause.

"Did you need something?"

"Well unless you want to sleep with demon girl, we’re sharing that bed." He shut the door behind him.

"You know, any other guy in your position would offer to take the floor." she slid over to make room for him anyway.

"Yeah, well I’m not any other guy."

For a while they just lay there staring at the ceiling. Side by side a thick uncomfortable silence enveloped them.

"Spike.." "Buffy.."

They laughed nervously.

"You first." she told him.

He rolled on his side to face her.

"When we found out that Erousa had taken you, I was worried. I was determine to get you back. But when I saw her toss you off that cliff , I was scared to death."

He lifted his hand and began caressing her cheek as he spoke.

"Spike, I.."

He dropped his hand, and looked intently in her eyes.

"Buffy, there is no way this can ever work out. I’ve been over it again and again in my head. We’ll just end up hurting each other, and I think we’ve both been through enough pain where love is concerned."

She lowered her eyes, not wanting him to see her tears.

"Oh, well I guess you’re right. I mean, we could never really.."

"But I don’t care."

Her eyes snapped up to meet his again.

"What?"

"I love you. I’m evil and selfish and I love you, regardless."

He pulled her to him and tenderly kissed her lips.

"Spike, when we get back everything will change."

"I know, but we have two days to pretend that it won’t."

As he kissed her again Buffy eagerly pushed everything else from her mind. He was right. They had two days to do whatever they wanted with no consequences.

"No, no no! That’s first base, that’s second base, that’s third base and that’s home!" Xander yelled, exasperated.

Sixteen young boys looked at him, confused.

"This would be so much easier if Anya were here to translate." he complained to Spike.

Anya and Buffy had left Spike and Xander to watch Anaxagoras’ s students. Anaxagoras had had something to take care of in a nearby town, and the girls had wanted to go with him. At first Xander had been excited about teaching these boys to play baseball, now he was just tired.

Spike had been unusually quiet today, and he wondered just exactly what had happened between him and Buffy since they got here.

"Ok, lets take a break."

They just looked at him.

"Go on! Shoo!"

Xander motioned with his hands for them to leave and they all took off, glad to be away from this stranger that their teacher had trusted them to.

Xander threw the make-shift baseball to Spike and the two began playing catch.

"So, what’s up with you and the Buffster anyway? You do anything I need to kick your ass for?" Xander decided that being straight forward with Spike was the best way to go.

Spike gave him a look that said he couldn’t believe Xander would ask such a thing. Then he smirked.

"Probably."

Xander stopped and looked down at the ball in his hands.

"I guess I don’t need to give you the don’t hurt her speech."

"You know, Xander..." Spike began.

"Wait. There’s something I want to say to you. I love Buffy. I have since the first day I met her. But she never thought of me like that. I watched as she went through guy after guy that wasn’t me. And recently I realized something. I’m glad. I’m glad that I never had to hurt her like every guy that she’s ever been with has. I love her like she’s my sister now, and I know that she feels the same."

"Well, that’s very touching and all, but what does that have to do with me?"

"I’ve seen the way she looks at you. She’s fallen for you, Spike. That means you can hurt her. If you’re not in it for the long haul get out now because I couldn’t stand to see her get hurt again. I don’t know if she can stand it. Yes, she’s probably one of the strongest people alive, but everybody has a breaking point."

"I do love her, you know."

"Yeah, so did Angel."

The two resumed their game of catch in silence, both thinking of the young slayer who had drastically changed thier lives.

"Buffy, I really don’t think we should be doing this." Anya said nervously looking around.

Anaxagoras was talking with another old friend of Anya’s a few yards away. It had taken them almost two hours to get to this town, where the current slayer made her home. Terle was a great deal smaller than Athens, but was still quite beautiful.

"C’mon, Anya! You said that you’d help me out." Buffy stuck out her lip as she gazed pleadingly at her companion.

"Okay! Sheesh! You don’t have to look at me like that." Anya rolled her eyes and began to walk toward the others.

After conversing for a few moments in Ancient Greek, Anya turned toward Buffy, and motioned for her to come over.

"Buffy, this is another friend of mine, Brotanax. He wants to show me something before we leave. Can you wait here a moment?"

Buffy smiled at the handsome brunette that Anya had just introduced her to.

"Sure, but please hurry." she urged.

Anya walked next to Brotanax as they chatted about old times. If she’d had been paying attention, she would have noticed something was off. And that the place that Brotanax had led her to wasn’t where he lived.

He opened a door and gestured for her to enter first. As the door shut behind her, she’d realized that this had been a trap. Her heart nearly stopped as her eyes took in the woman standing in front of her.

"Hello Anya."

"No! You’re not supposed to be here!" Anya cried out as she turned to run for the door.

Brotanax was ready for her, and knocked her over the head with a large rock.

‘I HATE rocks!’ Anya thought as the darkness enveloped her, and she sank to the ground.

"What is taking so long?!" Buffy demanded of Anaxagoras even though she knew he couldn’t understand her.

"Patience is a virtue, Buffy." Anya called out as she came back to where she’d left her friend.

"Finally, what were you doing?"

"Taking care of a little problem." Anya’s smile made Buffy feel a little uneasy.

"Something feels off to me."

The Slayer studied her friend for a moment.

"It’s you! Something’s different."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about." Anya said giving Buffy what she hoped was an innocent look.

"It’s that necklace! Where did you get it?"

"Oh, this?" Anya caressed the amulet between her fingers.

"It’s just a gift from an old friend."

"Oh, ok. Can we go now?"

"Sure. Where to?"

Buffy looked at her strangely.

"How am I supposed to know? You’re the one who knows where the Slayer is."

"You want to see the Slayer?" Anya sounded surprised.

"Anya! Don’t act like this. You said you’d take me to see her, now let’s go!" Buffy was frustrated at her friend’s behavior.

"Very well, but the Slayer, Leaina, isn’t home today. Follow me, I can take you to her." Anya turned and began walking away.

Suddenly, Buffy wished that she had left Spike and Xander a note or something. If anything happened to her and Anya, the guys wouldn’t know how to find them.

Taking a deep breath, Buffy summoned all of her courage and followed Anya, trying to ignore the nagging voice that was telling her to run to Spike as fast as she could.

"They’re still not back yet?" Spike asked Xander some time later that day.

The boy shook his head.

"No. Anya said they’d only be gone for a couple of hours, and it’s been six."

Spike tried to hold back his panic at the worried expression on Xander’s face.

"Well, I’m sure they’re okay, probably busy chatting with some of Anya’s old friends." Spike wasn’t sure whether he was trying to reassure Xander, or himself.

"You’re probably right."

"Yeah, and we should probably go ahead and see Galatissa before it gets any later." Spike said as he squinted up at the late afternoon sun.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I’ll go tell one of the boys where we’re going."

Spike chuckled, "How are you going to do that? Sign language?"

"Good point. I’ll leave a note."

Anya groaned as she came to. She held her hand to her bleeding forehead and slowly began to remember what had happened.

She gasped in shock as she remembered who had trapped her.

Herself. Well, her demon self anyway. Anya couldn’t understand this. She clearly remembered that during this time period, she’d been granting the wishes of scorned women in Asia. Anaxagoras had been long dead before she ever returned to Athens.

Suddenly, her memories weren’t quite so clear. Anya began to feel very light-headed and dizzy. She looked down at her arms and let out a strangled cry. They shimmered and became transparent as she watched.

Upon hearing her cry, Brotanax rushed into the room. He looked down at her with an arrogant smirk.

"Oh, poor helpless Anyanka! Now you are at my mercy."

Anya blinked up at him for a moment, before jumping to her feet. Her blood boiled in anger at this man she had called ‘friend’. This was it. She had been pushed too far.

With a loud yell, that even surprised herself, Anya ran over and punched Brotanax in the face. She had put all of her frustration and anger into that punch that he had not been expecting, and so it easily took him down.

Anya smiled down at the now unconscious Brotanax. She felt better, no wonder Buffy enjoyed this so much.

She also was glad to see that her arms had regained their solid form.

Quickly stepping over the man on the floor, Anya hurried to find Leaina. Even if Buffy wasn’t with her, Anya new that she’d probably need this slayer’s help.

"Stop!" Buffy panted out as she leaned forward and put her hands on her knees.

Anya stopped and turned to look at her. Then realizing that all this walking was making it hard for Buffy to breathe, Anya began to fake panting too.

"Why don’t we sit for minute?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, okay." Anya sat down.

After a few moments of silence, Buffy looked over at her.

"This has got to be weird for you. Do you really remember living here?" The Slayer questioned as she stretched her unusually tired muscles.

"Like it was yesterday." ‘Or today’ she thought.

"Anya, something doesn’t make sense to me. Spike became human again because he’s not a vampire yet, but you already exist in this time. Why didn’t you get your powers back? And where is your other self right now anyway." Buffy had been meaning to ask Anya about this for a while.

"Right now I.., I mean, she, is in Asia, tempting women with the wish. She won’t come back for years to come, so you don’t have to worry about her. As for the powers thing, I think only one of us can have them at a time." Anyanka explained.

"Oh. But what about the powers of the Slayer?"

"What do you mean?"

Buffy didn’t answer as she stood up and walked over to a stone wall. She pulled her fist back and slammed it forward as hard as she could. Bad idea.

She yelped and clutched her hand against her chest. She then looked over at Anya, who was now behind a blurry wall of tears.

"I think I broke it."

Buffy blinked as Anya’s face began to change.

"No! You’re supposed to be in Asia right now!" Buffy yelled at the ugly demon that her friend had transformed into.

"I was, until an old friend of mine summoned me here. I think you two have met. Her name is Erousa."

When Xander and Spike arrived, Galatissa was waiting for them at the door.

"Quickly! Get inside! We haven’t much time." the sorceress said as she ushered them in.

"What’s going on?" Spike asked feeling the panic he had felt earlier return.

"The girls are in danger. My sister has summoned the evil demon, Anyanka to help her ruin your mission."

"Evil Anya?! We have to fight Eurosa and evil demon Anya?" Xander was very frightened at the thought of seeing his girlfriend as a demon.

"No! You must listen to me very carefully! You are not, under any circumstances, to fight Eurosa or Anyanka. It is not your battle!"

"She’s right Xander. If Anyanka gets killed, our time will be significantly altered." Spike was a little worried at how pale Xander had become.

"What do we do?" Xander questioned as both men looked to Galatissa.

"Leaina is on her way to stop Eurosa. I will tell you where to find the girls. You will go there and wait for Leaina to arrive. As soon as she has Eurosa’s attention, get the girls, get out of there, and don’t look back!"

"You see the future. What will happen tonight?" Spike asked.

"Tonight the Slayer will die."

Buffy uselessly struggled against Anyanka’s tight grip, while mentally berating herself. Why had she not tried to use her strength the whole time they had been there? If she had known she didn’t have her slayer powers in this time, she’d have never tried to seek the Slayer out.

"I don’t know why I didn’t realize that you wouldn’t have your powers. If I had I wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of pretending I was her." Anyanka said.

"But you are her! Or you will be her, one day." Buffy pleaded.

"I know, mortal. Yuck! Eurosa has promised that I won’t lose my powers if I help her out now, so you’re wrong. I will not be her one day." the demon laughed at the look of despair on Buffy’s face, and tightened her grip on the girl’s arm.

"I refuse to become a mangy human! I’m very happy with my demon status."

"No, you’re not!" Anya called as she finally caught up with them.

"What? How did.." the demon looked at her other self in confusion.

"You’re lying! You’re not happy being a demon. In fact, you happen to be very lonely."

Anyanka had loosened her grip on Buffy’s arm, allowing the girl to pull free.

"And you’re happy? As a mortal?" the demon questioned her, no longer caring that Buffy had gotten away from her.

"Yes! I’m in love. I have friends. Life has meaning to me now. I didn’t know such satisfaction could exist in life. If I had to choose between getting my powers back and a life with Xander, I would break the amulet myself."

Anyanka nervously fingered the amulet that held her power as she considered Anya’s words.

"I don’t understand." the demon looked at her mortal self with a mixture of trepidation and curiosity.

"You’re not supposed to. Not yet anyway. Go back to Asia. Resume your work there and let History play itself out. I promise you won’t be disappointed."

"But Eurosa..." the demon protested.

"Erousa will die soon. Besides, she has no power over you." Anya breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Anyanka begin to shimmer and disappear.

"See you later." the demon said, and then was gone.

Buffy looked at Anya with a new found respect.

"I’m glad you’re on my team." Buffy told Anya as she pulled her into a hug.

"Me too."

Suddenly, a tall blond girl with blue eyes and fair skin, came running toward them.

"Who is that?" Buffy asked.

"It’s Leaina, the Vampire Slayer." Anya told her

Anya and Leaina conversed for a moment in ancient greek.

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked, feeling a little left out.

"She wanted to know where Eurosa is. So I told her."

"No, wait a minute! Tell her that Eurosa will kill her, she needs to get out of here." Buffy pleaded with Anya.

Anya sighed knowing it would do no good, but told the Slayer what Buffy had said.

Leaina turned and looked at Buffy with a sad smile. Reaching her hand out, Leaina stroked Buffy’s cheek where a tear had fallen.

As Buffy stood there looking into the eyes of this Slayer who was about to knowingly go to her death, she was startled by the realization that this girl wanted to die.

Leaina said something that Buffy didn’t understand, before turning and marching, head held high, to find Eurosa, and her own death.

"Anya? What did she say?" Buffy asked, although in her heart she already knew.

"I told her that we were from the future, and that she would die at the hands of Eurosa this very night. And all she said was, ‘Finally’"

Buffy broke down crying then. She cried for this Slayer whose life had been such a burden that she had welcomed death. Were all of the slayers like this? When it was her time would she be welcoming death as well?

Suddenly Spike was there, and she was in his arms.

"Spike? I want to go home."

"All right. Let’s go."

He cradled her to his chest, being mindful of her broken hand, and began carrying her back to Galatissa’s.

Anya looked at Xander hopefully as they watched Spike carry Buffy away.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?!" Xander shouted.

"You could have ruined everything! Past, present, future! We could all be dead because of you!"

"I love you, Xander!" Anya told him, her eyes feeling with tears of happiness.

"That’s no ex... huh?"

"I’m glad I’m not a demon anymore! If I had my powers then I couldn’t be with you. I want to get all old and wrinkly with you, I don’t care if that means I have to die as long as I get to die with you."

"Okay, you’re not supposed say things like that when I’m trying to be mad at you."

Anya tilted her head and gave him a kiss.

"I love you, too. I’m sorry I yelled at you." Xander wrapped his arm around her as the pair began to follow Buffy and Spike.

"Xander?" Anya asked as she rubbed her hand up and down his chest.

"Yeah?"

"Can we have sex tonight?"

"Definitely!"

"Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat?" Spike asked Buffy as she lay in bed later that night.

Buffy just shook her head as she stared blankly at the ceiling.

Sighing in frustration at her refusal to talk to him, Spike lay down beside her on the bed. Being careful to avoid her newly bandaged hand, he pulled her against him and began massaging her tense neck and shoulders.

A rush of relief went through him when he felt the girl in his arms relax and scoot closer to him.

"You were right, Spike. I should have never tried to find that slayer. I just thought that I could.... that maybe if...." she trailed off , then quickly sat up and turned to face him.

"Why, Spike? Why did she want to die?!" Buffy demanded.

"Buffy, you don’t know that.."

"Yes I do! She was relieved when I told her that Eurosa would kill her. Why?"

Spike quietly contemplated what to say to her as her eyes desperately searched his own for an answer.

He took a deep breath.

"According to Galatissa, Leaina had been the slayer for seven years. That’s a long time for anyone to carry such a responsibility."

"But I.."

Spike reached out and pulled her back into his arms. Buffy snuggled up against his chest as his hands stroked her back.

"I’m going to ask you a question, Buffy, and I want you to really think about your answer."

Buffy nodded.

Spike began to run his fingers through the long golden strands of her hair as he continued to talk.

"Don’t you ever get tired of it all? The fighting, the evil, the lying, the trying to be normal and knowing that you never will be?" his voice was quiet, and soothing to her ears.

"Sometimes, but then I remember all the people I’ve saved, and it’s worth it."

"Yes, but for how long? What about the people that you can’t save, and the evil that you can’t kill? Aren’t there times when you wish that you could just pass the torch to someone else and not have to worry about the world anymore?"

"Yes, I have." she admitted.

"And what made you change your mind? What made you decide that you couldn’t just give up?"

"Well, my friends and family. Different people at different times. If I give up, where does that leave Willow, Xander, Mom, and Giles? The next slayer couldn’t possibly feel the need to protect them the way I do."

"There’s your answer."

"So you’re saying that Leaina wanted to die because she didn’t have anyone to live for? What about ‘the world’ that she is supposed to be protecting?"

"The world is not enough. Well, her world was not enough. It consisted of thousands of nameless, faceless people that would never even know that she was fighting for them. You, however, have a world made up of people with names and faces who love you and fight by your side."

"As long as I have them, I’ll never want to give up."

Buffy finally began to understand why Leaina died. But she was not Leaina. She had friends and family that loved her and would never leave her no matter what.

Suddenly, she missed them. She wished that Giles and Willow had been there so that she could give them hugs and tell them how much they meant to her. But they weren’t there. They were waiting for her to return and put a stop to the horrible plague that was killing her town. Buffy would not let them down.

Spike noticed a change in her mood.

"Are you feeling a little better about everything?"

"Yes, thank you." She gave him a kiss and pressed herself up against him, causing him to moan.

"Buffy, we should probably get some sleep..." he broke off as she straddled his lap and thrust her tongue into his mouth.

After a few moments, she pulled away and looked deep into his eyes.

"This is our last night here. When we get home, everything is going to change, but I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to think at all. I just want to be with you. Please, Spike, make love to me."

She didn’t have to tell him twice.

Spike looked around him, confused. He was in the park again, walking toward the swings. Crickets chirped at him as he plopped down in the first swing he came to. Another damn dream! He glared up at the moon, until he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind him.

"Angelus, long time no see." he muttered as the dark-haired vampire sat down in the next swing.

Angel sighed and looked at his childe with a tortured expression.

"What do you think you’re doing?"

"I love her, Angel. I can’t leave her." Spike was looking down at his boots as he rubbed them across the dirt.

"You do now. You’re human now, Spike. Once you become a vampire, everything will change."

"No! I’ve known her for how long? Three years at least! I can’t kill her, she can’t kill me. We’ll work it out." Spike said sounding a lot more convincing than he felt.

"You’ve tasted the blood of the Slayer, Spike. Do you think you can be by her side every night and every day, and still resist the call of her blood? Ever since I told you what a slayer was, you’ve been obsessed with killing them. That’s who you’ve been for over a century."

"Well, I’ve changed. I’ve decided that making love to her is better than killing her." Spike told his sire, wishing that this dream would end so he could go back to loving his Buffy.

Angel shook his head sadly.

"I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to get through to you. Now I have to show you."

Angel stood and motioned for Spike to follow him.

The two walked on for a few minutes, surrounded by black nothingness. Out of nowhere a house appeared. Angel pointed at one of the front windows and gestured for Spike to look inside.

He saw a living room, richly furnished, with a nice warm fire burning in the fire place. A man a woman were making love on a rug in it’s light. Upon closer inspection Spike realized that it was him and Buffy.

"You know, if you’re trying to discourage me from being with her, you’re doing a lousy job of it." Spike turned to find that Angel was no longer there.

He turned back to look at the couple who lay, spent, in each other’s arms.

Suddenly, Spike was there on the carpet holding Buffy in his arms. The first thing he realized was that he was a vampire again. And he was hungry!

Looking down at the sweet neck that had taunted him for so long, he found he could no longer remember why he hadn’t killed her yet.

Licking his lips in anticipation, he bent his head and sank his fangs into her neck. Her rich blood spilled into his mouth and down his throat as he drained the life out of her. Her cries of fear and pain only made him drink faster, until she lay unmoving in his arms.

As he tossed her body to the side and stood up, only one thought went through his mind. ‘I wonder if the next one will taste as sweet.’

"No!" Spike sat up in bed, gasping for breath.

Beside him Buffy mumbled something in her sleep before turning away from him on her side. He could still taste her blood in his mouth, only now that he was human again, it made him gag.

Quickly slipping out of bed and into some clothes, he ran outside gulping for fresh air.

As he thought again about his dream, he started vomiting. After his stomach was empty he fell to his knees and started sobbing and shaking.

"Spike, are you okay?" Xander had been outside and witnessed the whole scene.

"What are you doing out here?" Spike practically growled as he tried to get a hold of himself.

"Anya’s snoring got to me. Thought I’d take a walk, I do that sometimes."

"I dreamed I killed her, Xander. And I didn’t even care."

"Spike, it was just a dream.."

"No! It was a sign. Xander, when we get back home, that chip in my head isn’t going to work anymore." Spike turned to look the startled young man in the eye.

"Promise me, that you’ll kill me before I can do anything!"

"No! Spike, we can try to.."

"Promise me?! I can’t,.. I won’t hurt her! She’ll never kill me, Xander, she never could before."

"Yeah, but you could never kill her either." he pointed out.

"I can’t take that chance. Angelus once told me that in order to kill Buffy, I had to love her. I do love her, Xander. Please?! Kill me before I have the chance to hurt her?" Spike looked pleadingly into Xander’s eyes.

"Spike, I.. I just can’t." Xander turned away confused, and scared.

"If you love her, you’ll kill me."

A long moment of silence passed before Xander whispered the one word Spike had pleaded to hear.

"Okay."

After Spike had gone back to bed, Xander remained outside walking around, lost in his thoughts. If Spike had asked Xander to kill him a few weeks ago, he would’ve have been happy to oblige. One less evil, albeit harmless, vampire in the world to worry about. But things were different now.

Buffy loved Spike, Xander was sure of it. It was also obvious that Spike loved Buffy as well. He’d rather die, than hurt her. But Xander knew that Spike’s death would hurt her too. Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he himself could go through with it.

He and Spike were not best friends, by any means. But Xander had grown quite found of the companionship that the vampire offered him. Xander hadn’t really had a guy friend since Jessie. Sure there was Oz, but he and the werewolf had never really spent any time together after Willow and he had been caught kissing. Of course, he could blame that whole thing on Spike, but Xander had to admit that almost two years later, the whole incident had been basically forgotten.

That was pre-Anya. She had changed his world, for the better. Every day Xander found himself a little more in love with her than the day before. Every time he saw Buffy get her heart broken, he’d thank his lucky stars that he had Anya. He didn’t want to think about what his life would be like without her in it.

Thinking about Anya was nice, and definitely made Xander feel better, but it didn’t help with the Spike problem.

As he kept walking he tried to think of reasons why he should want Spike dead. To his surprise, he couldn’t think of any. It was upon this realization Xander noticed that he’d walked all the way to Galatissa’s house.

Well, if anyone could help him, she would be it.

Spike had gone back to bed and just watched Buffy as she slept. He loved the way just looking at her made his heart beat faster, and made him feel a fluttering in his stomach.

Tomorrow they’d be returning home. He felt tears sting his eyes as he thought about how he would no longer be with her. He only hoped Xander would follow through on his promise.

She was light, he was darkness. She was innocent, he was evil. The list went on and on. A devil like him didn’t deserve an angel like her. She was the closest to heaven that he would ever come.

And tomorrow after he’d kissed her goodbye. After gazing upon her face for the final time, he could die feeling complete. A peace Spike didn’t know existed fell over him as the pure wonder, of his love, for this woman sleeping at his side came to him.

For the first time in one hundred and twenty years, Spike did not fear his own death. Like Leaina, he welcomed it.

Galatissa had been awake, and waiting for Xander to come to her. It hadn’t surprised him, that woman seemed to know everything.

He explained exactly what had happened with Spike as she patiently listened. When he was through, she sighed and looked him in the eyes.

"What is it you think I can do, young man?"

"Tell me what to do! Do I really have to kill Spike, or is there another way?" Xander was suddenly afraid that she wouldn’t be able to help him.

"His fate has already been decided."

"You mean, he’s supposed to die?!" He didn’t want to believe that.

Galatissa stared off into space for a moment as if searching for an answer, before deciding to ignore that last question and ask one of her own.

"Can you kill him?"

"I don’t know."

She stood and motioned for him to follow her to the door.

"Sleep on it. Tomorrow you will know, and everything will be as it should." the sorceress made a dismissing motion with her hands.

"But if I...." Xander began.

"Good night, my child! I shall speak with you about this more in the morning, when you can answer my question."

And that was that.

"Tell him that we’re very grateful he took us in." Buffy instructed Anya as the group was leaving Anaxagoras’ house the next morning.

Anya did as she was told, and gave her old friend a hug.

"Well, I guess it’s off to see the wizard now." Buffy giggled as she looped her arm through Spike’s.

Anya watched Spike return Buffy’s smile, though it seemed to her as if his mind was elsewhere.

She turned to ask Xander if he knew why Spike seemed so distant this morning, but stopped when she took in her boyfriend’s pale complexion.

"Xander? Is something wrong? You’re not sick again, are you?" All thoughts of Spike had left Anya’s mind immediately.

Xander looked up to meet Spike’s hard gaze, and shook his head.

"N-No. I’m just ready to get back home." he hoped that he sounded more convincing than he felt.

Spike breathed a sigh of relief, glad that Xander had not told the girls what was going on. It would be hard enough for him to do what he had to do. But if Buffy found out, and begged him to stop, no way would Xander be able to do it.

Spike looked at the beautiful, smiling girl on his arm. He wanted to see her happy now in the last few minutes that they had together. It might be a while before she smiled again, and he himself would never again see that smile. The thought depressed him, so he pushed it aside, and pulled her close for a kiss before leading the way to Galatissa’s.

Xander had been lagging behind the group, lost in thought. Could he kill Spike? He still didn’t know the answer, and already he could see Galatissa’s house coming into view.

The sound of Buffy clearing her throat brought him back to reality. He looked up, surprised to see that Spike and Anya we’re up ahead while Buffy had dropped back to walk beside him.

She gave Xander a look filled with concern.

"Are you sure that everything is okay?"

"Yeah. Like I said, I’m just ready to get home." he gave her what he hoped passed as a smile.

Buffy studied him for a minute before relaxing slightly.

"I guess I’m ready to get back too." she confessed.

"Aren’t you worried about what will happen when the others find out about you and Spike?" he asked.

"No. I’m really not." she smiled.

"Why not?"

"Because I know that it’s right. Xander, Spike and I are meant to be together, I see that now. Besides, you don’t seem to have a problem with it, and if I can get you to accept us together, than I can get anyone too!" she teased.

Xander watched as Buffy looked at Spike the way he always wished she, or anyone for that matter, would look at him. And then, he had his answer.

It all came back to what he had told Spike during their game of catch the day before. Xander had never hurt Buffy, and he wouldn’t now.

Buffy was the Slayer. If he killed Spike, she would never forgive him. Not because he killed Spike, but because he took the situation out of her hands and decided for her.

Buffy was strong. When the time came, she would do what had to be done. She’d already proven herself more than capable several different times. Xander would simply be there and stand beside her in whatever decision that she made.

Feeling at ease for the first time since he’d made the promise to Spike, Xander gave Buffy a genuine smile and pull her to him for a quick hug.

"I’m proud of you, Buffy. I know that it doesn’t seem that way most of the time, but I am. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you, don’t ever think otherwise."

"Xander! That is so sweet! I love you too. But Xander?"

"Yeah?"

"I think all of this time traveling is messing up your head!"

Galatissa had Buffy, Spike, and Anya setting up for the return spell, while Xander helped her with something in the other room.

"Is everything ready?" she asked as she and Xander finally joined the others.

Buffy approached her, nervously wringing her hands.

"Galatissa? I just wanted to thank you for helping us. I don’t know what we’d have done without you." Buffy couldn’t resist the impulse to hug this woman who had taken such good care of her and her friends.

"I am honored to be of service to you, Buffy."

"I really wish that we had someone like you back home."

Galatissa smiled.

"We must say goodbye now, Slayer, but don’t fret. I promise that we will meet again very soon." her eyes twinkled mysteriously.

While Spike and Buffy we’re saying goodbye to Galatissa, Xander had pulled Anya to the side to talk to her.

"Anya? I need you to do something for me, okay?"

"What?"

"No questions. Please, just say that you’ll do it." he begged her.

Anya stared at him curiously for a moment.

"Okay, I’ll do it."

"As soon as we get back to our own time I need you to grab Buffy and pull her away from Spike, okay?"

"Why?" she asked, warily.

"Anya just do it! Trust me." he pleaded.

"Okay, I trust you, and I’ll do it."

And they sealed it with a kiss.

Spike grabbed Buffy’s hand as Galatissa began the chant.

"Ruler of the Underworld, Great Goddess of the Moon, Goddess of all other Goddesses, Selene! Charge this circle bathed in candlelight And it be filled with your power and might! A time is in mind, the time clear Allow nothing to interfere Send them back where they belong, So they may right this evil wrong! This is my will, So Mote It Be!"

As Spike felt the spell begin to work, he pulled Buffy to him, and kissed her for all he was worth. Their last kiss.

Sunnydale, CA 2000 AD

As soon as the four materialized in Giles’ living room, Anya grabbed Buffy and pulled her away from Spike.

Spike felt Buffy being ripped away from him, and closed his eyes to await his death. What he got instead was a chair being cracked over his head effectively knocking him out.

Buffy watched Spike’s body crumple to the floor and stared in disbelief as Xander began to tie the vampire up in another chair.

"I’ll explain later. First let’s cure this plague!" Xander said as he handed the paper with the spell on it to a stunned Willow.

It was time!

"Xander! Why did you do that?!" Buffy glared at him accusingly from Spike’s side, trying to wake the vampire up.

"Umm, guy’s?" Anya said, looking up from her place by an unconscious Giles.

"Buffy, the chip in his head has been deactivated or something. He told me to.." Xander trailed off, unsure of what to tell her.

"To what? Knock him knock him out with a chair?" Buffy was losing it. "Hey guys? I think that we should......" Anya tried again, but was cut off by Xander.

"No, he wanted me to kill him before he could hurt you."

"Okay! I am talking here!!!!" Anya suddenly yelled getting everyone’s attention.

"What?" Xander and Buffy both asked at the same time, glaring at the ex-demon.

"I just thought you might like to know that Giles isn’t breathing." she said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, no!" Buffy cried hurrying over to Giles.

The watcher was lying on the sofa looking very pale. Buffy held a hand over his mouth. Anya was right, he wasn’t breathing.

"Willow! Do the spell!" Xander called as he and Buffy began CPR.

Willow jolted out of her stunned stupor and looked down at the piece of paper in her hands.

"I can’t read this! Is this even a language?" She showed it to Tara who just shook her head.

"Let me see it." Anya snatched it from her.

"It’s Ancient Greek." she said.

"Well, we don’t know Ancient Greek, so how do we stop the Plague?" Willow asked as she shot a worried glance toward Giles, who still wasn’t breathing.

"I started this mess, I guess it’s only fitting that I should be the one to stop it." Anya said before taking a deep breath and beginning.

"Oh Great Galatissa Come! Be in harmony with me here Purify this space; Bring your healing Spirit to aid our body Bring your presence, as we honor you in this place. Breathe your healing breath upon us Ban all harmful things from us and keep us well."

Suddenly bright green smoke began coming out of Giles’ mouth and he began to cough. "That was it?! It took the great sorceress three whole days to come up with that?" Anya complained.

Everyone ignored her as they focused on Giles.

"Giles? Are you okay?" Buffy asked and, upon his nod, launched herself into his arms.

"Buffy, I do need to breath." he gasped out.

"Oh, I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?" she looked him over, worried.

"No, no. I’m fine now. I’m feeling quite well, actually. Good work, as always." he patted her back, then notice the unconscious vampire that was tied up in his favorite chair.

"I guess I missed something?"

"Xander knocked him out because his chip thingy isn’t working." Buffy explained, unusually calm about the whole thing.

"Buffy, it’s going to be okay. We can help Spike, Galatissa said that..." Xander started.

"Help him? Why would I want to help him?" she asked.

"Because you’re in love with him." Anya said very slowly, as if speaking to a child.

"In love with him? My mortal enemy?" Buffy asked with a laugh.

Anya and Xander both nodded.

"You’re both crazy! I’m the Slayer, he’s a vampire, I’m going to slay him." she said, being very careful not to look at Spike, who still hadn’t awoke.

"Slay him? After everything that’s happened?" Xander didn’t believe her.

"Yes, but first I’m going to check on mom."

And with that she headed out the door, leaving a house full of stunned people and one vampire, who was beginning to wake up.

As soon as the door shut behind her, Buffy felt the tears begin to fall. The late afternoon sun was bright, and seemed to mock her pain. She broke into a run, not exactly sure where she was going. Her subconscious mind believing that if she ran fast enough, she could out run the pain of her heart being ripped in half. Again.

"Galatissa gave you a spell that would make Spike human?!" Willow asked, stunned and a little envious that she herself had not been there to meet this amazing sorceress. Oh, the things Galatissa could have taught her!

"Yeah, can you do it?" Xander asked, handing the other spell over.

"Sure. It doesn’t look that hard." Tara said, after studying it for a moment.

"I don’t understand. Why isn’t this spell in Ancient Greek like the other one was?" Anya asked.

"I think that’s rather obvious, Anya." Giles said.

"Like you said yourself, you started the whole plague thing. You being the only one who could stop it seems to make things right." Xander explained.

"Oh, well, I guess this makes me officially one of the good guys. Do I get to be a scooby now too?" she asked a large smile on her face.

Xander pulled her close and kissed her deeply.

"I’m proud of you, baby." he whispered.

"What the Bloody Hell is going on?!" an annoyed voice broke their moment.

Spike glared up at Xander with his teeth clenched.

"This doesn’t look like hell, mate."

"Spike, I couldn’t do it. It’s okay though, Galatissa gave me a spell to make you human." Xander quickly explained.

"I ask you to do one thing, and you..... Did you say human?"

"The Powers That Are be with you, Remove the darkness from within, Be the light shining inside you, And the demon shall reign no more. Two turns it passes fore dark shall fall When awful lord returns to reclaim, Succumb to his lawless call, And light fades into night."

Buffy sat in the swing, her body swaying gently back and forth. She had run all the way to the park, the same one from her dream. She’d hope to find the peace here that she had before. It was not so.

She was surrounded by children, laughing and playing. Yet she had never felt more alone in her entire life.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of warm hands begin massaging her shoulders.

"What’s wrong, luv?" Spike asked as he wiped a tear from her cheek.

Buffy got up out of the swing and wrapped her arms around his neck. Burying her face in his shoulder, she relished the feel of his warm breath on her as she began to sob.

"Buffy! What is the matter with you? I thought you’d want me like this." he told her truly puzzled by her reaction.

"Oh, Spike. I know that this is just a dream, and I don’t want to wake up." she said, clinging on to him as tightly as she could.

"A dream?" he asked, astonished.

"Uh, huh." she mumbled.

Sighing, he pulled her away from him and slapped her hard across the face.

"If you were dreaming, that wouldn’t have hurt." he said.

Buffy just looked at him with her mouth hanging open. Then, she slapped him back, before capturing his lips in a heated kiss.

Spike moaned as her hands began running all over his body, causing her to giggle.

"Um, Buffy... luv Stop!" he gasped, grabbing her roaming hands.

"What’s wrong?" she asked, suddenly feeling unsure of herself.

"Are you completely oblivious to the rather large audience we have. All under the age of twelve?" he asked.

Buffy blushed as she noticed all of the children had stopped what they were doing, and we’re staring.

"Spike?"

"Yes, Buffy?" he asked, chuckling at her red cheeks.

"Can we go home now?"

"Of course, my love."

Then he swooped her up in his arms, and began carrying her home.

"Spike, you don’t have to carry me. I can walk, you know."

"I know, pet, but humor me. It makes me feel all manly!"

415 B.C. Athens, Greece

Galatissa watched as the smoke cleared the room. Her spell had been successful, she had known it would be. Sighing she sat down in her favorite chair to wait for what was to come next. She didn’t have to wait long.

A bright flash filled the room, and when it was gone, six people were standing in front of her.

Twenty-eight year old, Buffy Summers immediately hugged the woman.

"Galatissa! It’s so good to see you again!"

"I’d say the same, my dear, but it has yet to be an hour since I sent you back home." Galatissa said with a smile.

"We need your help."

The End

Note: Yes! It is finished! And before anyone asks, there will be a sequel. However, it may be quite a while before it gets written as I am moving on to another project. Please let me know what you thought! This is the longest story I’ve every written, and I’m quite proud of it. I really hope you enjoyed it as well. -Joyce Renee

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