She wanted to slay alone tonight. She had to relieve the tension inside somehow.

She'd called her Mom and told her they were all crashing at Giles'. Willow and Xander had done the same.

She thought she heard a faint noise. She stopped and searched the darkness. Nothing. She walked deeper into the cemetery.

Spike was as near to her as he could get without her sensing him. All he could think of was how good her blood was going to taste and the power it was going to give him.

Screw his future self. Tonight he was gonna be what his nature intended him to be. Spike the Slayer of the Slayers. Vampire extraordinaire. He grinned as he watched her walk closer to his new home. She was just a few feet away from his crypt's front door.

He shut his eyes and breathed in the scents around him. Ahhh fresh slayer, what an aroma!

His eyes went wide. He sensed them a moment before she did. Vampires.

A whole lot of vampires. And they were headed for the slayer.

Hey great a show and dinner, he thought. Let them tire her out and then I'll jump in. He smiled.


Buffy swung her leg up and around just as the first of the seven vampires attacked her. She downed him and turned to face the others. They came at her at one at a time before one of them had a brainstorm and got three of the group to jump her all at once. She fought them off and held her own, even killed one. But then three more came out of the bushes and she felt a chill run up her spine. Maybe she should have let Spike come with her.

She had no time for her quirky little quips as she had to save her breath to fight. And fight she did with everything she had. She staked another. And then five of them jumped on her.


"Bloody hell," Spike said. He'd been enjoying the little show but when it took that many vampires to get one little slayer, well it was too much. He got angry.

He jumped two of them at once and smiled because he felt no pain as he knocked one to the ground and broke the neck of the other.

"Spike?" Buffy managed as she was dragged down to the ground by two vampires trying to get her neck.

"Slayer!" he answered as he punched another vampire trying to get near him.

She knew it was present day Spike by the way he said `slayer'.  But she was thankful for the help, even if it had to come from her enemy.

"What are you doing Spike?" asked a baffled vampire as he punched Spike in the nose.

"Joining in, what the bleedin hell do you think I'm doing!"

"Against your own kind?"

"Hey I'm all for killin the slayer, but really, be a man. Next time try it without a backup group."

"What makes you the expert?"

"Killed two slayers I did. And on my own I might add. What you missed the memo? Or is it that you are just so lame you need friends? I'm embarrassed for the lot of you. And I've had enough of this babbling."  He grabbed the vampire by the throat with one hand and hit him in the face a few times with the other. Then he grabbed hold of the vampire's face and twisted his head. It came off in Spike's hands. The vampire's body and head turned to dust.

Spike turned toward the slayer who now had three vampires on her. He picked one off of her and beat him down into the ground. "God but I love this!" he growled.

Buffy meanwhile was able to stake one of the two vampires on top of her and then got to her feet and proceeded to beat on the vamp much like Spike was doing.

Another vampire kicked her in the side and she let out air and a loud groan. But she continued to fight and of course, staked the vampire she was beating on. Then she turned her attention to the one who had kicked her.

"Oh I'm going to enjoy this," she said as she lunged for the vamp.

The fighting continued for a while and then all that left was a lot of vampire dust blowing in the breeze.

"Now that was fun!" said Spike.

"Fun? You have a weird sense of fun Spike."

"Oh come on slayer. Don't tell me you didn't get off on it just a little."

She rolled her eyes at him and put her hand to her side. It still hurt a lot.

"You got blood dripping down your forehead. Want something to clean up with?" Spike asked her.

"What?"

"Well you're about ten feet from my front door. Just thought you'd like a cloth or towel or something. Or are you just gonna bleed all the way back home?"

Buffy looked at him as if she had no idea who he was.  "It was just a suggestion slayer. Don't get your knickers all twisted!"

She stared at him for a while. Then she said, "What new diabolical plan are you trying to hatch now Spike? Trying to get me into your crypt to attack me?"

"Me, try and harm the slayer after she was so kind to me in my time of need? Chaining me to a bathtub, withholding nourishment. Why would I want to plan against a good friend like you?"

"Fine, where's the towel?"

"This way me lady," he grinned at her and she felt something prick at the back of her neck.

They walked the few feet to his crypt and he opened the door for her.It was dark, damp and musty. But he had candles lit here and there and a chair and on the slab he made up the blankets like a bed. It was a lot cleaner than before and he had added a few things here and there.

"Wow, you get a visit from Martha Stewart?"

"Very funny slayer. What do you think I am, an un-souled thing that can't appreciate a few creature comforts?"

"Ah, yeah!!"

He was grinning widely at her.

She moved deeper into the crypt with him, watching him from the corner of her eyes all the time.

"Have a seat pet. Be right with you."

It was a big comfy chair. A little worse for wear, but not that bad.

She sat down, but kept her slayer senses on high alert.

He came back with a bottle of water and a small towel.

"By the way, how'd you do all this so fast?"

"My other self. Handy thing that, having four arms and legs when you wanna set up a new place. Weird though, it's like he knew exactly where to find all the stuff. And it's bloody amazing what you American's throw out!"

Buffy looked at him and he handed her the bottle and towel. She set about trying to clean the wound. When she couldn't do it, no mirror to see herself with, Spike sighed.

"Give it here slayer."

She did, and asked her self why.

He moved closer to her and took the towel which was now wet in one corner and wiped the blood away from around the wound. He thought to himself, why am I doing this? I should be licking the blood away and making other wounds, preferably on her neck.

"You may need a stitch or two," he said to her.

"I heal fast."

"Slayer power eh?"

"Yes."

Spike continued to dab at her forehead, and Buffy was amazed at how gently he could be when he wanted to. His face was close, very close and she could smell his scent. Something inside her tweaked and she flinched slightly.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No."

"Too bad," he said grinning.

"If you had hurt me, the chip would have gone off."

"True."

"Has it stopped bleeding?"

"Almost."

They looked into each other's eyes. Buffy's cheeks brightened slightly and Spike took a deep swallow. He jumped up. "There, all better now slayer, so you can be on your merry little way."

"Yeah, good." She got up and started toward the door.

"How long was he here with you? He told us he just went out for a walk. Guess you still lie in the future."

"He was here a good part of the night. And vampires aren't known for their truthfulness."

"He has a soul," she said.

"So, you have a soul. What you never lie?"

She glared at him but did not answer.

"What did you talk about all that time?"

"Geez you're noisy. But if you must know, we talked about you?"

"What?"

"Believe me it was not my idea. I'd rather talk about foot fungus than you."

"Shut up Spike."

"Hey, you're in my home. Don't tell me to shut up. You shut up!"

"Me shut up? I will not shut up. And home? You call this place a home?"

"What cause I don't have any pictures of my lame scoobie friends around it's not a home? Oh wait maybe I'll have a phone installed and Red can call up and I can talk about my new hair color. Or maybe call
her and cry all about how Parker used me!" He said `how Parker used me' in a singsong.

"You really are stupid fang boy. I could dust you right now and you couldn't even raise a hand to me without severe electric shock to your small brain."

"My small brain?" he said moving toward her slowly, "I'm not the one Parker talked into spreading my legs. And now you have a thing for GI Joe! Slayer, you got lousy taste in men!"

"Well your future self sure proves that, doesn't he! It must be a spell or a trick; I would never be close to you unless it was to stick a stake in your heart."

They were moving toward one another slowly without realizing it.

"Well we finally agree on one thing slayer. He must be some kind of entity sent to make us both crazy. Cause I sure as hell ain't gonna touch you! Unless this chip stops working and then I'm gonna..."

"You're gonna what? I could take you before that chip was in your small brain!"

"Oh yeah, then how come you never killed me?"

"And you, Mr. I'm so Big and Bad...killed two slayers, yet you never came close to hurting me."

"Oh give me the chance slayer; just give me the chance."

"You've had plenty of chances."

"And so did you. So don't say it's me who couldn't kill you. You had plenty of chances to stick that stake of yours in my heart and you never..."

They were practically on top of one another when realization hit them each at the same time.

"Oh bloody hell no!" Spike said.
 

"Oh God please no," Buffy answered.
 

"You don't suppose he's telling the truth? I mean we won't kill each other because..."
 

"Don't say it! Don't ever say it or so help me I'll..."
 

"What slayer? Come on tell me what you will do if I speak the words?"
 

He had a strange look on his face. She stared into his eyes. He stared back into hers. Heat formed between them and they both jumped a step back away from each other.
 

"Oh no no no...no...NO!" said Spike
 

"It's no. It has to be no. I hate you!"
 

"And I hate you."
 

"You're an evil dead thing," she said.
 

"And you're a selfish brat!"
 

"You're a monster."
 

"You're a whiny shrew! Man probably break in two trying to get some softness from you."
 

"And you...you wouldn't know what to do with a real woman!"
 

"Like you're a real woman."
 

"Hello, you're the undead thing in this room! So not a real man."
 

"Like you'd know what a real man would want. Frigid. I bet you're frigid."
 

"You'd only think of your own pleasure, never your partners."
 

Buffy was breathing heavy. She was trying to convince herself it was anger and hate.
 

Spike could feel the heat emanating off of her. It was draining his  strength. He tried to convince himself it was because he hadn't had a  human to eat in so long. Hunger, that's what it is.
 

"Like you'd ever help me and my friends out. You'd never fight on the side of good."
 

"Damn right I...hey I helped you tonight."
 

"Yeah, why did you do that?"

"I...I don't know. Oh bugger, maybe I have changed due to this chip!"  Buffy's face changed. She was lost in thought. "What slayer, I see the little wheels of your brain turning."

"Shut up Spike."

"You shut up."

Buffy rolled her eyes at him. Then said, "A friend once told me...actually it was Cordy...not really a friend...well a bit of a friend..."

Spike rolled his eyes.

Buffy continued, "She said that she was once attracted to a guy, but when they a...."

"Come on already slayer, when they what?"

Buffy swallowed "When they kissed...well they felt...they felt well...bleck."

"Bleck?" Spike chuckled.

Buffy pouted slightly and then said, "You know ugh, yuck...that was horrid, let's not do it again."

"Oh."

"No never mind, it's a stupid idea," she said.

"Yeah, it's stupid. I mean...why is it a stupid idea? Maybe it will work and then we can get back to hating each other. I can stay evil and you can stay whiny, and we can go back to enjoying our lives without each other."

"True. Cause you're never going be a good man."

"You wouldn't know what to do with a good man, slayer. And admit it, you like the suffering. Oh poor me, no man good enough for me, the slayer, savior of humanity. Oh the burden. Think you're above it all
you do!"

"Shut up Spike!"

"I won't shut up cause you know it's true."

"So help me Spike, you say one more word and I'm gonna..." She punched him.

"Hey what was that for?"

"Cause you're stupid."

"I'm stupid? You're stupid."

"Shut up Spike!"

"You shut up!"

"Monster!"

"Shrew!"

He reached for her and she put her arms instinctively around his neck and drew him in closer. Their lips met and their mouths touched. It was only a second before she parted her lips. He did the same as he pulled her in closer and their tongues found each other.

The kiss was at first a bit awkward, but then they were both fast learners...and it got better, real better. Their tongues fought each other, much as their words had and they enjoyed the fight. It lasted a good full minute.

In unison they dropped their arms to their sides and jumped back away from each other. They glared at each other.

"NO...oh God no!" Buffy said.

"It can't be. It just can't be," Spike replied.

They fell into each other's arms again.

He could not believe it. He could not think of any thing else but how good she felt in his arms. How good her scent was, how warm her mouth was. He wanted to swallow her whole. All he could do was pull her in
closer. It was hard to tell where one of them began and the other ended.

She could not believe it. She could not think of any thing else but how good it felt to be in his arms. How good his scent was, how good his cool tongue felt against the warmth of hers. He pulled her closer and she wanted him to. Wanted him to swallow her whole.

He lifted his head because he knew she had to breathe. She gasped, "No...no!" And he knew it was in protest to him ending the kiss. He brushed kisses over her face. He raised a hand to her hair. His mind reeled. "Slayer," he whispered and she whimpered. He had never said slayer like that before. His voice was so deep with want of her. It made her tingle from head to toe.

"Spike, Spike. Again, kiss me again."

And he did. And it was even better than before. His tongue searched her mouth and then she in turn searched his. He moaned into her mouth. He pushed his hips into her. Her eyes fluttered as she felt
his erection grinding into her.

"Oh," she gasped.

"Slayer, I want you. I want you now."

"Yes," she said in a whisper, not believing this was her. This was him.

He brushed kisses over her face and then picked her up in his arms. She felt his strength and the movement of his muscles made her gasp. She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and he carried her to the slab.

He laid her down. She could not believe that this was the vampire who tried so hard to kill her. He was being so gentle...strong, but gentle.

He came up on the slab and laid by her side. He put his head down and kissed her. He broke the kiss too soon for her and she moaned her disappointment. He chuckled, but not nastily. He kissed her face and
then her neck and then ran his tongue over the marks on her neck. She shivered.

He wanted so to bite her. But not to kill her. He wanted to mark her. Mark her as his own.

She had trouble forming thoughts, trouble listening to her inner voice screaming at her to run from this place, to run from him. And then pure lust hit them both, and they struggled to get their clothes off.

"Spike, please....ahahhhhhhhh," she moaned as his mouth found one of her breasts. She could not believe how good it felt. He moved his tongue over her face, over her neck, over her breasts. She moaned
loudly and arched her breasts up for him.

"God I want you so," he said, driving her deeper into lust for him.  His voice, his eyes. He looked at her as if she might disappear. His eyes soaking in every bit of her, just in case she was only a dream.  His hands were moving all over her body. She trembled. He touched softly at first and then a bit rougher.

And then she felt his erection hard on her leg. He took himself in his own hand and rubbed against her thigh. She parted her legs and he rubbed himself against her sex. A long desirous moan emanated from
her.

"Baby, slayer, you're making me crazy. I need to know how you feel. Need to know now."

It was the way he was saying slayer, the way future Spike had...no, I won't think of it, I will just...

He started to place himself inside her. He was being gentle. Almost too gentle. And then she realized why. "Spike, spike..."

"What luv?" he moaned.

"I want you....I want you too. It can't hurt you if I want you."

He smiled at her and she felt the room spin. He pushed into her and she felt his length.

"Oh God, oh yes!" she moaned.

"Baby, oh Slayer!"

He moved his hips and she moved with him and she raked her nails into his back urging him to push harder, deeper. And so he did. And her panting got louder and he moaned, "so tight, so hot. Buffy, Buffy! Oh SLAYER!"

And that was it. He'd said her name and then slayer in a way he'd never ever said slayer before. Even better than future Spike. And her body betrayed her and gave into him. She came, her juices pouring over him.

"William," she said as she came.

She'd said his name, he couldn't believe it. His future self was right. Calling him William the way she had just said it, was...he lost all control and his cool seed poured into her.

He moved off of her slowly and then onto his side. He took her into his arms and she moaned. He hugged her and she hugged him back.  They were both still breathing deeply. They were in shock, they were in disbelief. They were in full on afterglow.

After a few minutes he rolled to his back and she stayed on her side.  She waited a heartbeat and then half sat up and looked down into his eyes.

He looked deeply into hers.

She said, "I hate you."

"I hate you more."

"Hate me again, Spike. Hate me again now."