Tara was breathless by the time she had reached the Magic Box, having cut through yards and the park to get there before Willow arrived. She was relieved to see she was in time, since Anya was closing up for the night, about ready to go home, and she flew inside the door and slammed it shut behind her, panting for breath.

"Tara!" Xander jumped to his feet, his eyes slightly wide, "What's wrong?"

"Wi-Willow..." Tara shook her head, looking towards Anya, "She has a Wizard Glass...how in the world did she get a Wizard Glass?"

Anya shook her head, frowning slightly, "Nothing we have ever carried...they're almost impossible to find. You're really sure that Willow has one?"

Tara nodded, "I saw it..."

"Um...not to be the totally clueless one around here...but what is a Wizard Glass?" Xander asked, "And what's the big deal?"

"It's heavy black magic," Anya explained, shaking her head, "She shouldn't have it. Even the most experienced witches and warlocks haven't mastered Wizard Glasses all that well..."

"I know...but that's the least of our worries," Tara sighed, "She obviously used it in some capacity with Spike...but I'm not entirely sure how...or what she was intending to do..." Crow's feather...discontent...ill will...

Something about that particular ingredient for spells was really bothering her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was exactly. "What kind of spell would require a Wizard Glass and a crow's feather?"

Anya frowned in thought, and then brightened, "Oh! OH! I knew this sorcerer once...he had a Wizard Glass...and he used a crow's feather for something!"

"What for?" Tara asked, and Anya's face fell.

"Uh...I know this...just...give me a moment...it was really a long time ago," Anya frowned slightly, trying to think, "Damn...what was it?"

"Anya...honey...I know you've been around for awhile...but time is kind of important, I'm thinking. We don't know how long it'll take for Willow to figure out that the spell didn't work."

"Well...the crow's feather was used for...spying on people, but there was something else too...damn it..." Anya finally shook her head in defeat. "The only other spell I could remember involved a crow and dove's feather..."

"I think I saw Willow pick up something white...it could've been a dove's feather...what kind of spell were they used for?"

"Well...a...polarity spell...but that doesn't make sense. I'm not even sure if it would work on a vampire anyway, since they don't have many aspects..."

"What's a polarity spell?"

"It's like...separating opposites," Tara explained, "Works on the Ying Yang concept. Two sides..." Tara frowned, "But...I think Anya's right...it may not have worked on a normal vampire...but Spike's anything but normal..."

"Second that."

"She means normal by vampire standards, sweetie," Anya corrected him, "Spike's...a bit more human then most vampire."

"Spike's not any human! And besides, you already said the spell wouldn't work on vampires."

"On most vampires," Tara sighed, "A polarity spell would explain his strange behavior...extremely human on one side of the coin..."

Anya and Tara's eyes widened at the same time, and they looked at each other sharply, "Which would make him extremely demonic on the other side," Anya finished for her. "We gotta find Buffy before he vamps out...and goes beasty on her..."

Xander looked towards the door as the bell jangled, and Spike and Buffy walked in, and his eyes widened, "Oh. My. God."

Tara followed his gaze, eyebrows shooting up when she saw Buffy wearing Spike's suit jacket, and from the looks of things, not very much underneath that, and Spike's shirt was completely unbuttoned, showing off his well-defined chest and abs.

"Hey guys, find anything?"

"Um...Buffy...why are you partially naked?" Xander asked in confusion, "And why is Spike partially naked?"

"We think Willow did a polarity spell...which means...Spike...under no circumstances can you vamp out..."

"I think we're a little late," Anya said, noticing the bite mark on Buffy's throat, and Buffy flushed a deep red as Spike ducked his head bashfully. "He went beasty...but in a good way, apparently."

"WHAT?!" Xander jumped to his feet, and Buffy stepped in front of Spike, "His chip isn't working!"

"It's working, Xander..."

"Then how did he bite you?"

"Um..." Buffy chewed on her bottom lip, looking upwards at the ceiling, and Spike buried his face in her hair, embarrassed. "There was no intent to harm..."

"He bit you! That was harming!"

"He wasn't trying to drain me..." Buffy sighed, then met Xander's gaze, "And...I kinda...wasn't...impartial to it..."

"What does that mean?!"

"She wanted to be bitten, honey. Get over it. We got Willow to worry about still."

"I...I..." Xander stuttered, then closed his eyes, "I'm going to do a Giles and pretend the last five minutes never happened."

Anya patted his shoulder, "On the bright side...it's been a really long time since Buffy's looked so well laid."

Xander wailed, and Buffy had to bite her lower lip to keep from bursting out laughing as Spike groaned loudly, before clearing his throat, "Uh...Could we please go back to the spell? I'm starting to believe there is one...because...my demon has never been so out of control. Buffy and I were just lucky that all of me is so madly in love with her."

Buffy smiled up at him, making an 'aw' sound, "Spike...that is so sweet..."

He grinned goofily as she snuggled up against him, and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head lovingly.

Anya smiled brightly at Buffy before glancing back at Tara, "To break the spell, we have to destroy the Wizard Glass...it's the only way...it breaks all her spells used with it, however...she didn't use it in Buffy's resurrection, did she?"

"Um...not...that I know of..." Tara's face fell, "But there was a lot about that spell she didn't warn me or tell me about...I can't be sure."

Spike's grip tightened on Buffy, "No. Not till we're sure. I rather stay like this forever then lose her again. I...just cannot do that again..."

"We won't, don't worry...not till we're sure," Tara assured him, "But I don't know how we're going to find out. I doubt Willow's going to just tell us...and we can't point-blank ask..."

"We can track the spells used with the Wizard Glass," Anya told her, "But...uh...we're going to need it to do that."

"And our resident B and E expert is currently channeling Dudley Do-Right," Xander provided, and Buffy rolled her eyes.

"You know...I do live in the same house as her, people. I have a key and everything. It's not going to take rocket science to get it. She doesn't even lock her door, and I doubt it's very much protected, considering she thinks no one knows about it."

"Um...whatever Willow was trying to do, I don't think it was supposed to be a simple polarity spell...she messed something up...maybe said the wrong spell, or the words she used were misinterpreted," Tara said, "I think...I think she was trying to turn Spike against Buffy...so that she would be forced to stake him..."

All the blood drained from Buffy's face, and she looked up at Spike, then shook her head, "It can't be that...maybe...break us up...but not...to get me to kill him...she had to know that it would...I would rather die then do that..."

"I don't think Wills is driving with a full tank of gas," Xander said sadly, then shook his head, "Can we get the Glass tonight?"

Tara shook her head, "We shouldn't, I'm tired...I've been researching all day...and a tracer spell on a Wizard Glass...I can't do it tonight. I need to rest up a bit first."

"You do that..." Buffy sighed, "In the meantime...I have to convince Willow that Spike is a pile of dust, right?"

"He can stay with us tonight, just in case she checks his crypt with the Glass," Anya said, and Xander looked at her sharply.

"Hey! Deadboy isn't invited into my place for a reason!"

"Stuff it, Xander, it's our place," Anya corrected, glaring at him, "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"I...I don't want to intrude."

"You're not, and if Xander wants to ever see me naked again, he won't think so either."

"You know," Xander sulked sullenly, "You're way more fun when you're singing songs about midgets."

"And you would have made a beautiful demon bride. Now, hush," Xander effectively silenced, Anya looked towards Tara, "When do you want to do the spell?"

"I have my cell...once Buffy gets the Glass, we can meet here."

"All right, it's a plan," Buffy looked up at Spike, then grabbed him by the head and jerked his face to hers, smashing her lips against his. There was the muffled sound of his protest, but it melted away as her tongue forced it's way past his teeth, and tangled with his.

She broke the kiss after a few minutes, needing to breath and Spike stared down at her dazedly, a glazed look in his eyes, and she winked at him wickedly, "Just for luck," She said before pulling his jacket around her more firmly, "See you guys tomorrow."

Xander shook his head as Spike looked after her, obviously still in a fugue state from her kiss, and took the vampire's arm, "Come on, lover boy. Looks like you have dibs on a cold shower."

Tara shook her head as she gathered her things, then followed the others outside, already going through her mental list of spells that she would need the next day.

None of them noticed the petite redhead standing in the shadows by the doors to Buffy's gym, her eyes obsidian black and her entire frame tensed with rage. They had betrayed her! Everyone of her supposed friends...in favor of a soulless creature that was supposed to be their enemy!

She closed her eyes and drew in a shuddering breath before quickly grabbing some supplies. She then waved her hand, muttering a few power words, and she instantly teleported herself back to her bedroom in the Summers' home.

She immediately headed to her dresser, scowling as she removed her precious Wizard Glass, and then replaced it with an small, crystal ball she always kept handy. She carefully hid her glass away, and waited for Buffy to return home.

Spike sighed almost happily as he stood in the shower, allowing the hot water to sluice away the blood and dirt from the fight with Sharkey's boys, as well as the grime of other...activities.

A pleasant shudder ran through him as the memories assailed him, but he shook them away stubbornly. He was a proper gentleman, and a gentleman simply did not entertain such...impure thoughts about a lady...even if his recent actions had been decidedly impure as of late. However, he completely blamed that on his more uncouth, unrefined side.

He frowned slightly as that led to thoughts of Willow, and he shook his head almost sadly. He was really quite fond of the girl...but she had been strangely out of control as of late. He blamed it on her magic, of course. He knew from watching countless others succumb to the desires and temptations that magic produced. It was consuming...he really should have said something sooner. However, it had seemed harmless enough...and he had a really hard time believing that Willow would fall victim to the powers of magic...she seemed so sweet and innocent to him.

However, the moment he had found out Buffy was back and who was responsible for it...he should have spoken up. The resurrection of the dead was something that even the sorcerers he had known were more then loathe to even attempt...and they were far stronger then Willow and had been practicing for much longer.

It was disturbing, now that he thought about it...the level her powers had grown too in such a short amount of time. She had accumulated an incredible amount of magical skill for her very young age...barely twenty-one and already, she was resurrecting the dead. If it went one for much longer, she'd become too powerful too fast, and it would corrupt and warp her even more then it was doing now.

He shut off the water, running a hand through his hair, and he frowned in contemplation.

Something had to be done...more so then what was planned. Even if they destroyed the Wizard Glass...what then? She'd just have to find something else...and he had faith in Tara, but he just couldn't believe that she'd be able to face off against Willow and come out unscathed. She was such a sweet girl, and he knew she had a level head on her shoulders when it came to magic, and he didn't want her to be harmed on his account.

He stepped out of the shower and toweled his body and hair dry, the ungelled locks already starting to curl of their own volition. He pulled on the clothes that Xander had lent him for bed, then walked out into the hallway, heading to the spare room, ignoring the sounds coming from Anya and Xander's room, ducking his head a bit in embarrassment.

He was relieved to see there was a phone in there, and he picked it up, dialing a number from memory, then smiled a bit as a slightly grumpy sounding man answered, "This better be damn good, William."

Spike rolled his eyes, wondering how long the sorcerer had known he was going to call, "I need a binding spell, Sornan..."

"Can this wait?" Spike frowned as he heard the sound of a giggling woman on the other end of the line. "I'm kind of busy..."

"Well, I suppose if I'm not dead by tomorrow, I can call back..."

"Always the drama queen," Spike heard the sound of rustling sheets and hushed whispers, "Fine...I can be there sometime tomorrow. Mind if I bring my apprentice with me?"

"Is that who I heard?"

There was silence on the other line, and then Sornan cleared his throat, "Well...uh...see you tomorrow. Bye."

Spike shook his head as the warlock hung up on him and returned the phone to it's cradle, mentally reminding himself to leave a few bucks on the table for Anya and Xander to pay for the long distance call, a thoughtful gesture that would have been horribly foreign to him just a day before.

He climbed beneath the covers, and crossed his arms beneath his head as he contemplated the ceiling contently, feeling much better for having contacted his sorcerer friend. He allowed himself to be pulled into much more pleasant thoughts, mostly of his ladylove, and he grinned to himself, closing his eyes, and he drifted off to sleep with Buffy foremost on his mind.

Buffy grimaced as she climbed in through her window instead of using the door, not wanting Willow to catch her sneaking in so late, half-naked, save for Spike's suit jacket, and an obvious bite mark on her throat.

Buffy sighed as she tossed Spike's journal on her bed, then pulled a turtle-neck out of her closet, and pulled it on before checking her appearance in her vanity, eyes widening when she saw herself. Her hair was a mess, leaves, grass and even a little twig tangled in it, and she even had grass-stains on her face, but that could have been from her fight. However, she now had a hunch about why Xander had thrown a fit when he saw her.

Buffy shook her head with a small smile as she ran a comb through her hair, taking a moment to appreciate the memories of her and Spike's impromptu and somewhat violent coupling.

She then had to toss those memories aside as she stared at herself in the mirror, then pinched her arms and legs till they had to be black and blue, but it had the desired effect as tears stung her eyelids, and she took a deep breath, preparing herself to win the Oscar for best actress.

God...and I am such a horrible liar...

Buffy shook her head as she took a deep breath, and then climbed out her window once more to go around to the front door.

She paused, then rubbed at her eyes furiously till they were red and puffy, then opened the door with her key, letting out a loud, choked sob, eyes on the ground.

It had the desired effect as Willow came to the head of the stairs, her eyes wide, "Buffy? What's wrong?"

"It's...Spi-Spike..." She shook her head a bit, head still ducked as she wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing them as if cold, "He...He's turned on us, Wills...if it weren't for the chip...he would have killed me tonight..."

"Oh God, Buffy," Willow came down the stairs and hugged the Slayer tightly, "What happened? Why did he do it?"

"I don-don't know...last night...we were still friends...but...it was horrible, Wills...he...he just...tore into me. He hated me so much..." Buffy let out another sob for good measure, unaware that Willow sneered before she pulled away, and then all Buffy saw was a sweetly, sympathetic face that chilled her to the bone.

"Would you like some tea...and then we can talk?"

Buffy sniffled, then shook her head, "I...think I just wanna head to bed," Buffy replied, hoping that Willow was sufficiently convinced that Spike was out of the picture. She was really hoping so, since she didn't think she could keep up this act for long without some serious lashing out violently. "Tomorrow, though...could you go and get me some major junk food? I'm going to need to veg on the couch and wait for everything to go away."

Willow nodded, smiling at Buffy in all sweetness, "You bet...we'll do it together. We need some bonding time, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Buffy smiled wanly, "It'll be fun."

Willow waited till she was sure Buffy was asleep, all snug in bed, before taking out her Wizard Glass, and her new crow's feather, and she ran it along the glass, eyes turning black as she murmured a spell softly.

She closed her eyes with a tiny gasp as she felt the Glass drawing out some of her energy to power it, and then looked down as the glass turned crystal clear, and she was staring down at Spike, sleeping soundly in Xander's apartment.

"Open your eyes," She commanded softly, and then watched as Spike's eyes flew open, "Sit up."

He did as she bid him from all the way across town, his conscious self completely unaware of her manipulations. She smiled cruelly as she glanced towards her window as the sun started to rise. "Now, stand, and go to the front door...be quiet. You don't want to wake up Anya and Xander."

She watched as Spike moved quietly through the apartment, and opened the door that led out to the hall, and paused, waiting for further orders.

"Go down the stairs to the door that leads outside," She said, practically wriggling in anticipation as Spike obeyed, and he waited in front of the door.

Willow looked towards the window, and waited ten minutes for the sun to fully come up, "Go outside and stay there."

Anya shot straight in bed when she heard screaming, then smacked Xander in the head, and he opened his eyes, and then went rigid, "Jesus H. Christ! What in the hell...?"

"Oh God," Anya leapt out of bed, dressed only in a short, filmy lace and silk night-gown, pulling on a robe, "Get up! It's Spike!"

"Shit!" Xander rolled out of bed, hurriedly rushing after his fiancée, nearly wincing when he saw the open front door, and Anya raced out and down the stairs.

Outside, she could see Spike lying on the walk, clothes and skin on fire, and she nearly screamed as she ripped off her robe and started to bat out the flames as she shouted at Xander to drag him back inside.

Xander grabbed Spike's flailing legs, and started to do that, but when he tried to take him back over the threshold, Spike grabbed it, and wouldn't allow Xander to take him in any further.

Anya straightened, then muttered a soft apology before kicking one of Spike's hands with enough force to snap some of his fingers, and Spike let go with a snarl, cradling his hand to his chest.

Xander finished dragging him inside and Anya managed to put out the rest of the flames, the smell of burnt flesh and clothing making him want to retch, but the vampire's appearance was even worse.

Nearly all of his visible skin was charred and blackened, and the vampire groaned pitifully as he mercifully passed out.

"Come on, we have to get him upstairs," Anya said, grabbing Spike's arms, and Xander got the legs, and together, the two mortals barely just managed to get him back up the stairs and onto the couch in their apartment.

"Quick...I need scissors and a first-aid kit!" Anya snapped at her boyfriend, not out of anger, but anxiousness for the vampire, and Xander hurried to get it for her, face creased in worry.

Anya took the supplies from him, and then started to cut Spike's clothes off of his body, being extremely careful not to touch his already abused flesh. She slowly began to peel his clothes away from his body, closing her eyes as his skin started to come away with it.

Anya opened her eyes again, reaching out to touch his severely burned face, tears springing to her eyes. Another minute outside, and he would have been dust.

She finished removing his cloths, sickened to see that most of his skin seemed to have come off with them, despite her best efforts, and she looked up at Xander. "He needs blood...human, and lots of it..."

"What? How in the hell am I supposed too...?"

"Willy's carries it...just...threaten to beat him up or something. Please, Xander...animal blood won't help him that much...you have to get it."

Xander glanced at Spike, and then nodded, swallowing any protest he had about that sort of errand. At least Willy's stuff fell off the back of a truck bound for the blood bank, "Okay, I'm going...how much do you think he'll need?"

"Buy at least ten packets...now, go!"

Xander jumped at his fiancée's bidding, and scrambled out the door, and Anya turned back to Spike, breathing shallowly because of the smell, then got up and went to the phone to call Tara, and then Buffy. They both needed to know that Willow was apparently not buying Buffy's story any.

She hung up with Tara after the Wiccan promised to come right away, healing spells in hand, and she called Buffy next, closing her eyes as she prayed for her to pick up instead of Willow, and breathed a sigh of relief when Buffy's voice greeted her, "Summers' residence...Buffy here."

"Buffy...you have to come now...it's Spike...Willow did something to him...for some reason, he went outside and he's really badly burned. You have to get the Glass now, whether Willow's in the house or not, before she tries something else."

"Okay...I'm on my way right now," Buffy assured her, "Should I bring anything?"

"Maybe more bandages...cause I don't think I have enough."

"Right...not a problem...be there in about fifteen minutes, all right?"

Anya closed her eyes gratefully, "All right...I'll do what I can for Spike till you get here."

"Thanks, bye!"

Anya hung up the phone, then grabbed a large bowl and filled it with cold water before returning to Spike's side, wincing as she looked down into his burned face, hands clenching around the bowl.

Inwardly, she was praying for five minutes, alone, in a room with Willow, just to remind the witch why she was made a vengeance demon in the first place. No one messed with Anyanka or her loved ones, however few they were...and she very much considered Spike one of her loved ones. She began to gently bathe his overly heated skin with the cool water, softly speaking words of comfort to him, assuring him that Buffy was coming, just in case he could hear her.

Willow hung up the phone, a smirk on her face as she glanced out the hall, towards Buffy's room, where the Slayer was still peacefully sleeping.

All it had taken was a tiny little glamour spell to disguise her voice, and the right amount of concern inserted into her tone, and Anya had bought it, hook, line and sinker.

She picked up her purse, and slipped her Wizard Glass inside it, patting it with a smile as she quietly sneaked past Buffy's room, whispering a tiny spell to keep the Slayer sleeping for the duration of the day. Just a little security to make sure Buffy didn't get involved and ruin everything at the last minute.

She had to admit that Spike was turning out to be a lot more bother then he was supposed to be, somehow having the luck of the Gods as he kept surviving her attempts to get rid of him. It was time to be a bit more direct, apparently.

She blamed Spike for it all, of course. When Buffy had come back and had started spending all the time with him, he had somehow managed to corrupt her thinking...twist her around so that she thought Willow, her bestest-best friend in the world was the evil one, not him.

Sure, he had his uses, but once she had brought Buffy back to life, they didn't need him anymore...certainly not for patrolling or slaying or looking after Dawn. Now they had Buffy back, and she could do all that now. Spike was no longer a necessity.

Of course, Buffy seemed to have an unhealthy attachment to the blood-sucker, but once he was gone, she was sure that whatever she was feeling would disappear. She couldn't possibly have feelings for him that deep. She was just confused and vulnerable...and Spike had more then taken advantage of the fact.

She really have should have taken care of him as soon as Buffy came back, to keep his little obsession with the Slayer from getting entirely out of hand, but it wasn't too late to correct her little oversight.

She went into the bathroom, and held up the black, crystal orb as she stood in front of the mirror, "Hetat...morat corlak. Conceal."

The Wizard Glass went crystal clear briefly, and when Willow lifted her head, she was staring at reflection of Buffy, a dead on reproduction, save that her eyes remained green instead of the smoky hazel that Buffy sported.

Willow/Buffy's lips turned up in a sneer before she turned and went inside Buffy's room, picking up the Slayer's favorite stake from her bedside table and slipped it into the back of her skirt. She straightened, glancing at the Slayer who was still deep within her spell-induced sleep.

She reached down and brushed a strand of hair out of Buffy's face before kissing her forehead tenderly, even while her eyes glinted cruelly, "Don't worry...I'm going to make everything better."

Don't worry...I'm going to make everything better...
Buffy frowned as her own voice invaded her dreams, and she opened her eyes, staring up at a strange ceiling she didn't recognize. Silky, dark blue sheets slipped along her skin smoothly as she sat up, looking about the unfamiliar, candle-lit room, and she slid out of the large, four-poster bed, bare feet coming to rest on a cool, hardwood floor.

She was dressed in a long, gauzy white night gown that was a little too Fay Wrayesque for her tastes, and she frowned as she looked around the strange room. Heavy, oak furniture was placed around the room, and curious, Buffy went towards the dresser, and frowned as she picked up a old fashioned straight razor from an old shaving kit, the blade tainted with bits of coarse, dark blond hairs.

She heard the sound of rustling sheets behind her, and she whirled, holding the razor like a weapon, and she caught a flash of pale skin out of the corner of her eye, but then there was nothing by the time she turned fully around.

The large glass doors that led to a veranda suddenly flew open, and she shuddered as a cold wind blasted into her.

She slammed them closed again, then paused when she heard a low, muttering sound coming from below her, and she glanced around briefly before going towards the heavy, wooden door of the bedroom.

She opened the door out into a lushly carpeted hall, and she went down it, heading towards some stairs near the end, passing a few portraits on the way. She spared a few glances at them, noting some sense of familiarity about the faces, but nothing more then a bit of passing deja-vu.

The mutterings got louder as she headed towards the stairs, and as she looked down, the muttering become louder, and she could hear bits and pieces of conversations going on down below.

She started to walk down the stairs, looking around at the people filling the parlor, all of them dressed in old-fashioned suits and dresses, and none of them seemed to notice the Slayer as she walked among them, a confused look on her face.

"Did you hear?" She heard a woman with an irritating, shrill voice and she glanced towards her, frowning slightly. "They call him William the Bloody because of his bloody awful poetry!"

"Spike..." Buffy muttered softly, eyes sliding among the company, trying to find a familiar face in a sea of strangers. She caught sight of someone ducking his head and disappearing into a parlor off to the side, and she pushed and shoved at people, trying to get through.

She went into the parlor she had seen him disappear into, and as she entered, a man stood up from the small, over-stuffed couch, turning towards her, lamplight glinting off his glasses. "Spike?"

"That'll be me, technically, pet," a voice answered from the shadows to her side, and she glanced to her right. White, blond, spiked hair shone as he leaned forward, cigarette dangling from between smirking lips. He was dressed in a tight, leather vest that clung to his body, exposing his strong shoulders and arms, legs clad in tight, sliced up black jeans. Multiple piercings in his ears and eyebrows glittered as he cocked his head slightly, and William gave him a disgusted look.

"Do be silent for once. I'm tired of all your harping."

"Shut up, you sniveling, little prat," Spike sneered at him as he leaned back in his seat, eyes running over Buffy hungrily and possessively, and he pressed his tongue against his lower teeth. Buffy felt a shudder run through her body, a bit disturbed to find that it wasn't entirely unpleasant.

"Ignore him. He's uncouth," William said in evident displeasure, giving his blonder, bolder, identical counterpart a warning look, "And knows not how to treat a lady."

"I know how to treat a lady," Spike's eyes glittered wickedly as he dropped his cigarette on the carpet and ground it with his heavy boot, and his tongue flicked out over his lips.

Buffy felt a bit heated under the sexual undertones in the leer 'Spike' was giving her, "Why am I here?"

There was the flare of a match, and Spike scowled as he lit another smoke, "Well, isn't that the bloody question of the hour?"

"We're not sure, exactly, why we're even here," William told Buffy quietly, "It's never happened to us before. We were always one, since the turning. One entity, one body."

"Cut the cryptic bullshit," Spike growled, impatiently drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. "Don't pretend to know more then you do. It's soddin' irritating. Peaches did the same thing..."

William looked towards Spike, then let out a sound of disgust, "Will you ever shut up?!"

"Shut up, boy...you know about as much as I do...we're stuck in this ridiculous place 'cause the Slayer's little witch bitch fucked with us. Only one of us could have control of our host...and now, for some bloody reason, neither of us have control."

"Don't call him a host!" Buffy snapped, "He's...not just some shell."

"That's where you're wrong, sweetheart," Spike smirked at her, "A very useful, and ofttimes fun host..." He smirked at her, eyes running hotly up and down her body, reminding her exactly of what fun had been had of late.

"We are what makes your Spike...Spike," William told her, "I am what he once was, and that lump of filth mucking up my parlor is what he had become."

Spike snarled as he shot to his feet, moving towards William with deadly intent, but Buffy jumped in front of him, and he stopped short, glaring at the man over the Slayer's head, "Watch your mouth, boy, or I will rip that precious silver tongue of yours out of your goddamn head!"

Buffy placed her hand on his chest and shoved him back into his chair, "Sit down and shut up!" She snapped at him, eyes flaring in anger, and Spike cocked his head slightly as he contemplated her.

"Gods...you are beautiful when you're pissed."

She glared at him, and William scowled in his direction, "He is such a nuisance. I wish myself rid of him."

"Get over it, you prat," Spike growled, "Face it, boy...we're one and the same," His eyes met Buffy's, "Can't have one without the other...and you wouldn't be able to keep the Slayer without me. Lady needs a little monster in her man."

Buffy's eyes narrowed and she lifted her hand to strike him as she stepped towards him, but Spike only threw his head back and laughed at her expense, "Never could take the truth, could you?"

"Stop it," William hissed at him angrily, "Just...stop being you!"

"Not a bloody chance," Spike's dark eyes met Buffy's as he stood, "You can't just have one, can you, Slayer? You need the bloody awful poet...with...all his soddin' poetry and whiny tenderness..." William crossed his arms over his chest, insulted, "And you need the predator," Spike cocked his head, stepping towards Buffy and reached out, tracing a single finger down her throat, and her breath caught in her chest at his touch. "With all my...carnal pleasures of the flesh..."

Buffy opened her mouth to deny it, to protest that she didn't need that at all, but found the words wouldn't come to her tongue, and Spike smirked at her, "Sorry, pet...there's no denials here. You can't lie to yourself in your own dreams."

"Be still!" William snapped in annoyance, "And leave her be; how you can think that anyone would want you is beyond me."

"At least I'm not soft," Spike replied pointedly, and Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"And you weren't the one purring and getting petted like a big ole kitty?" She asked innocently, but Spike only smirked.

"Luv, you can pet me anytime you want."

Buffy blushed slightly, then shook her head as she glanced towards William, "How do we get out of here?"

"We don't," Spike replied, "We wait. Till we're rejoined...or we die. The dying is probably most likely at this point. We're stuck here, instead of defending our body...just making it way easy for Red to finish me an' him off."

"And what about me?"

William and Spike exchanged a look, neither of them answering her. They had no idea why she was there in the first place, unless Willow had done some sort of spell to separate her from her body.

"I think...it's best we wait and pray that the others destroy the Wizard Glass and release us," William finally said, "It's all we can do."

Spike snorted as he sat down again, "I fucking hate waiting."

Buffy couldn't help but agree as she sighed, sitting down on the far end of the couch, looking between the two doppelgangers, whom, when paired together, formed the man that she loved.

"Goddess...I've never seen the likes of this," Tara muttered softly as she knelt at Spike's side, mixing together some herbs to attempt a healing spell she wasn't entirely sure would work.

Anya was sitting beside her, holding the unconscious vampire's hand, her hands covered in blood, but not his. She had attempted to feed the vampire, forcing the blood behind his clenched teeth, but she hadn't been able to coax him to swallow it.

"I...did this to a man once," Anya confided, her voice quiet, so unlike her usual overly boisterous tone. "His...wife wished that he would feel what it was like to be burned like she was...and I did this to him...and now..."

"When you see someone you love like this...it makes you realize what you did to him?"

Anya nodded, looking down at Spike's torched hand as she gently stroked it, "Everyday...before I was forced to become mortal...I killed people...dozens...in one day...even Spike at his worst couldn't have done something like that everyday...and he did it for survival...I did it because it was my job..."

Tara didn't answer her, remaining silent as the ex-demon unburdened herself. "I never regretted it...not even now...but...Xander resents Spike because of what he is and what he did...he keeps on reminding Buffy that Spike is soulless. Does that mean I don't have one? Since I don't regret what I did? Don't feel bad about the people I killed because of what they wished for or wished upon someone else? And if that's true...how come Buffy isn't allowed to love Spike because of that, but he's allowed to love me?"

"Anya," Tara smiled at the ex-demon gently, "I'm sure you have a soul...and you really are a good person, even if you weren't a good demon. You love Xander more then anything in the world...and you care enough about everyone to fight when you're needed...and to nurse when it's needed."

Anya smiled faintly, but felt much better under Tara's assurance, then looked up as Xander came out of the kitchen with a bowl of warm water for Tara, "When's Buffy getting here? We called her nearly half an hour ago. She should have been here."

"She's coming," Xander assured his fiancée, kissing the top of her head as he looked down at Spike, wincing a bit, "Could you get him to eat?"

"No," Anya shook her head, "If he doesn't eat soon, he won't heal."

Tara finished her herbs, and took the warm water from Xander, and mixed them together in the water. She soaked a rag in the water, and then began to bath Spike's charred flesh with it. "Nin'insina...Goddess...I beseech thee...heal this man's wounds, sooth his flesh and bind it once more. Nin'insina, heed your child's plea..." Tara frowned as nothing happened, then bowed her head slightly.

"Whatever spells Willow has leveled on him...I can't bypass them. She's prevented his healing."

"Son of a bitch," Xander scowled, "Buffy better have that glass-thingy with her, or Deadboy Jr.'s completely screwed."

Tara looked up in relief when there was a knock on the door, and Anya jumped to her feet to answer it, but she took a bit of precaution, and looked out the peephole to see Buffy standing on the other side of the door.

"It's Buffy," She announced, much to Tara and Xander's relief, and she admitted the Slayer in, a sympathetic look on her face, "He's on the couch."

"Thanks," Buffy brushed past Anya a bit brusquely, then drew up short when Tara stood, a strange flash of emotions passing over her face briefly before she shoved them aside.

Tara frowned slightly, but then Buffy moved towards Spike's side, hand flying to her mouth when she saw the vampire, "Oh God...what happened to him?!"

"He walked outside," Anya told her as she closed the door, "It was...really weird. We tried to pull him inside and he fought us...I had to break one of his hands to get him to let go of the doorframe. Another few seconds, and he would've been beyond any help."

Buffy reached out and stroked Spike's hair, which was stiff, brittle and black, "Why...why did he do this?"

"We're...not sure, but the most likely explanation is that Willow commanded him to do it with the Glass," Tara told her softly, "We're lucky that he was here and not at his crypt, or no one would've been able to stop him."

"Thank Goddess," Buffy said softly, and Tara frowned slightly at her wording, and Buffy looked up at the others, "Can...can I have a few minutes alone with him? Please?"

"Sure," Xander said, taking Anya's arm, "We'll be upstairs...take as long as you need."

Anya looked at Xander, surprised, but pleasantly so, but Tara hesitated, "Are you sure? I would like to try another healing spell..."

"Just a few minutes, I promise," Buffy pleaded, and Xander reached out and touched Tara's shoulder.

"We won't be far, Buff. Call if you need anything."

Tara gave in, but the feeling that something was off was stuck firmly in her breast. "A few minutes," She reminded Buffy, then followed Anya and Xander up the stairs, her eyes on Buffy, a frown marring her face.

Buffy waited till everyone was out of sight, then knelt down next to Spike, removing the stake from the back of her skirt as she leaned over him, whispering in his ear, "Should have stayed away, Spike. Wish you could see me, though...wonder what it'll feel like to know that the face of the woman you love is about to kill you."

"Buffy?" Dawn called as she came inside, dropping her backpack on the floor by the door, "Willow? I'm home!"

No one answered her, and Dawn shook her head as she went to the phone and called up the Magic Box. She frowned when the answering machine picked up. She had never in her life gotten the answering machine there. Anya was too in love with money to ever let the phone just ring, or to close the shop.

Dawn felt a shudder run through her body, feeling slightly ill. Something was definitely up.

"Buffy! Willow?! Is anyone here?!" She called as she went up the stairs, and then sighed in relief when she peeked inside Buffy's room and saw the Slayer sleeping deeply, and went up to her, attempting to shake her awake. She started to feel panicked when Buffy still slept on, then reached for the phone on Buffy's bedside table and picked it up, this time calling Anya and Xander's apartment.

Tara paced back and forth in Xander and Anya's bedroom, trying to identify whatever was bothering her. For some reason, she had a feeling in the back of her mind that something was off about Buffy. She couldn't put her finger on it, though, and she knew she was probably overreacting about it. Buffy seemed concerned and shocked by Spike's appearance...and of course, it was completely normal for the Slayer to want to be alone with her boyfriend.

So...what was bothering her?

She jumped the phone rang, and Anya reached over to her bedside table to pick it up, "Hello? Hey, Dawn...wait...what?" The ex-demon frowned as she tried to make out the slightly hysterical girl's words, and then her eyes went wide as she dropped the phone and leapt to her feet. "Dawn says Buffy won't wake up..."

"What? But...Buffy's her--" Xander could barely finish the sentence before Tara was lunging for the door, and Anya followed her swiftly, the pair pounding down the stairs together.

Tara saw 'Buffy' raising a stake into the air, ready to plunge it into the unconscious vampire's chest and she brought her hands up, "Separate!"

Buffy went flying back with a shocked gasp, and she struck the wall, hard. All of her concentration broken, the glamour broke, and blond melted into red, and Willow lifted her head, green eyes blazing angrily.

Xander came careening down the stairs, belatedly as always, and his eyes went wide as he watched Willow stand up, a look of pure fury on her face as she picked up her stake again, making a move towards Spike.

Anya immediately hopped in front of the vampire, but Willow lifted up her hand, white electricity licking out over her fingers.

"Wills! No!" Xander rushed Willow and knocked her to the side as a white ball of energy that shot from her hand went wild, hitting the ceiling, and plaster rained down on them as the energy exploded, a hole with blackened edges appearing above them. It made Xander sick to think of what it could have done to Anya if it had struck her instead.

Willow threw Xander off of her, and with a flick of her wrist, Anya went shooting backwards, and the ex-demon struck the side of the kitchen counter, and she gasped as she hit the ground and rolled.

Willow made to move towards Spike again, but Tara waved her hand, "Dinecum!"

Willow let out a wail as Spike suddenly disappeared, and then turned towards Tara, her eyes slowly bleeding into black. "Where is he?!"

"Not here," Tara answered her calmly, though her face was bathed in a nervous sweat.

Xander climbed back to his feet, and attempted to sneak up on Willow from behind, but the witch looked over her shoulder, tilting her head slightly, and Xander yelped as he flew upwards into the air and struck the ceiling, and was pinned there.

"Where is he, bitch?!" Willow fairly snarled, reaching into her purse and lifting out the Wizard Glass, and it floated over her open palm, the crystal black as night. Little flashes of what looked like lightning flickered inside it.

"He's in a safe place, Willow," Tara looked on her lover sadly, "Give me the Glass, Willow...it has to be destroyed...and you have to stop this...before it destroys all that you are..."

"Wrong answer," Willow smiled darkly, muttering something softly, and Tara screamed in pain as black light shot from the Glass and consumed her entire body. "WHERE IS HE, TARA?!"

Buffy felt something in the parlor change, and she lifted her head as Spike and William did the same, the pair's twin faces marked with identical frowns as the walls seemed to shimmer and change.

Spike leapt to his feet, ready for action as William's eyes went wide, and he shrunk back in his seat fearfully.

"Spike..." Buffy breathed as she watched the punk's flesh seem to shimmer in her vision, and he lifted his hands watching as they began to slowly fade away into nothingness.

William looked down at his own hands, inhaling sharply when he saw the same was happening to him, "What is this? Are we finally going back?"

"Don't get your hopes up, you stupid git...this isn't what happened before when I went back."

Buffy looked at her hands, but she was still as solid as can be, and then looked up at the two doppelgangers in shock, "Oh God...it's just you two..."

William looked towards Buffy, letting out a choked whimper while Spike shook his head slightly, dropping his hands as his body continued to fade. Amusement flared up in his eyes as he glanced at Buffy, cocking his head slightly, "It was a nice dance while it lasted, pet."

Buffy's eyes went wide when she caught his meaning, and then he disappeared completely from view, along with William. "No!" She jumped to her feet, tears springing to her eyes as she was left alone in the parlor, "NO! Dammit! Don't you fucking leave me!"

No one answered her, and she closed her eyes as she sank down to the couch, pressing her palms to her eyes as she began to sob. Willow had finally succeeded...it was the only explanation for their disappearance. She had to have finally killed Spike's body, while they were all trapped here, unable to do a thing.

Oh God...my fault...all my goddamn fault...

Dawn sat at Buffy's bedside, watching her sister's slack face nervously. She lay as if death, completely still, save for the slow raise and fall of her chest as she breathed; but her eyelids did not twitch, as they should have as she dreamed, and her entire body was without movement.

She held Buffy's lifeless hand, tears stinging her eyes, but they did not fall. She didn't know exactly what was happening once Anya had dropped the phone and Xander had simply told her to stay put and not leave Buffy's side before hanging up on her.

Dawn looked up as the doorbell rang, and then jumped to her feet, rushing out her sister's bedroom door and down the stairs. She threw the door open, then stared up at a tall man with wire-gray, thinning hair, dressed in an expensive suit. He looked Dawn over, raising an eyebrow, "Buffy Summers?"

"Uh...no...Dawn...Buffy's my sister," Dawn looked confused as the man let out a relieved laugh.

"Thank God...I was starting to think my dear Will was literally robbing the cradle. May I speak with your sister, then?"

"Um...Buffy's...not here."

The man peered at her, and Dawn's eyes widened slightly as his brown-eyes suddenly swirled through with gray and then he shoved past her, going up the stairs, and Dawn let out an alarmed cry.

"Hey! You can't go up there!"

He ignored her as he went into Buffy's room, frowning as he looked down at the sleeping girl, then pressed his hand to her forehead and closing his eyes. Dawn watched as his body jerked once, then twice, and he withdrew his hand from Buffy, smiling as the Slayer's body arched off the bed, and she nearly screamed as her eyes flew open.

"Buffy!" Dawn rushed at her sister and threw her arms around her as Buffy sat up, and Buffy tensed a tiny bit before relaxing, then she looked up at the man.

"Who are you?"

"A friend of your William," The man ducked his head slightly, "My name is Sorlan...he called me last night to perform a binding spell on a friend of yours."

Buffy closed her eyes, her body starting to shake, "He...he called you?" Dawn looked at Buffy in surprise, her voice choked with tears.

"Buffy, what's wrong?"

Buffy drew in a deep breath, then opened her eyes to address Sorlan, "I think...I think he's dead...and Willow...I don't know where Willow is..."

Sorlan closed his eyes, and Buffy and Dawn exchanged a look as the man said slowly, "I feel...a large surge of power...about two miles from here...to the east."

"Xander's apartment," Buffy said right away, and Dawn nodded.

"I called them...and they sounded kinda panicked about something..."

Sorlan stood, his eyes seeming to become black, "Dress, now."

Buffy nodded, and Sorlan left her and Dawn and Dawn looked towards her sister as she started to get dressed, "What's going on, Buffy? And what does it have to do with Spike and Willow?"

Buffy's shoulders tensed at the vampire's name, then ducked her head slightly as she pulled on a pair of blue jeans, "Willow's...gone kinda wonky, Dawnie...I mean..."

"The whole spell thing? Being completely out of control about it?" Dawn smiled slightly at Buffy's surprised look, "I do live here, Buff...I do see what's going on around here...but what you said...about Spike...?"

"I don't know, Dawny...in my dreams..." Buffy shook her head, "I don't know, Dawn. As soon as this is taken care of, I will tell you everything, I promise..." Buffy sighed as she shrugged on a leather jacket, and then looked towards her bedside table, where Spike's journal lay.

Her lower lip trembled slightly as she reached out and brushed her fingertips over the soft leather, then slipped it into the inside pocket of her jacket. Her shoulders straightened and she lifted her head, eyes flashing with barely contained fury.

"Stay here, Dawnie...and if you see Willow...don't talk to her, just get out of the house and go to the Magic Box. Understand me?"

Dawn nodded, not arguing and she watched as Buffy stalked out of her room and down the stairs, then sat down on Buffy's bed to wait.

Tara felt like her entire being was being drawn and quartered, and she drew in a lungful of burning air as it suddenly stopped, and she fell to the ground, gulping in mouthfuls of air, and she slowly lifted her head as Willow stalked towards her.

"Where is he, you little bitch!? Why are you protecting him?!"

"I'm trying to protect you..." Tara said softly, "Willow...look at yourself. You've lost control..."

"I am IN CONTROL!" Willow's voice echoed throughout the apartment, and Xander grunted as he tried to push himself away from the ceiling.

"Wills! Come on! This isn't you!" He shouted down at her, and winced when her black eyes looked up at him, "Spike isn't worth this!"

"You would defend him?! You keep reminding everyone that he's a murderer!"

Xander glanced towards Anya, who was still lying unconscious on the floor, "Yeah...but he's not anymore...you know that! He's one of us now!"

"He's not one of us! He'll never BE one of us!" Willow jerked her head to the side, and Xander closed his eyes as he went careening through the air, crashing into a bookcase he had made, and he hit the ground with a grunt of pain. His eyes widened as the case tilted and he tried to roll before it fell, but it merely crashed into his back, pinning him to the ground.

Tara struggled back to her feet, pain radiating throughout her body, "Willow...please..." She pleaded, weaving on her feet, trying to keep her balance. "You're not like this...honey...I love you...please..."

"If you loved me, then give me the vampire!" Willow snapped, "Bring him back...right NOW!"

"No. I can't do that," Tara squared her shoulders, lifting her head as she lifted her hands, light green energy flickering out of them, "I'm sorry..."

Willow gasped as the energy shot from Tara's palms and wrapped around her, but it didn't have the desired effect as the redhead threw her head back and laughed cruelly as the Wizard Glass darkened even more.

Tara tried to duck from the coming assault, but she didn't move fast enough, and Xander watched helplessly as Tara collapsed to the ground, screaming in agony. "WHERE IS HE?!"

"Not...going...to...tell...you..." Tara panted out in pain, fists clenched so tightly, her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood, "You...have...to...kill...me...first..."

Willow smiled, and then Tara realized she didn't know what real pain was till now.

"I think you'll change your mind in a very short time."

Buffy leaned forward in her seat, as if by force of will alone, she could make Sorlan's car go faster, and the sorcerer looked towards her in concern, "What makes you think William is dead?"

"I...I had a dream, we were in a room together, and he disappeared," She told him the short form version, "That was what he implied, anyway."

"If she kills anyone with her powers, it's my duty to punish her," Sorlan looked towards her, "Even if the one she kills is a vampire. William is a good friend of mine."

Buffy's her face tightened, "If she killed him, you might not have to worry about that once I'm finished with her."

Sorlan nodded, then looked towards her, "You care for him? Truly?"

Buffy glanced towards him, and felt like his eyes were delving deep into her soul, and had the feeling that he knew things that were left unsaid, and couldn't even find the resolve to lie to him. "He's...my life," She said softly, "I just realized it recently...I just finally told him I could love him...and now, because of me...he's probably dead."

"If it's...any consolation, I know that he felt the same exact way," He told her with a small smile, "When I spoke with him, I could feel his emotions in volumes I cannot even describe. I have never seen the like in magnitude, even when he was with that Drusilla creature."

Buffy closed her eyes, trying to keep a reign on her emotions, trying to find that comforting nothingness that had become a part of her life since she had been brought back...but she couldn't find it.

Sorlan watched in understanding as her eyes suddenly flew open, her expressive, hazel eyes filled with surprise. "He's awoken you, and you can't go back from there," He told her, "Not anymore."

Buffy looked towards Sorlan, her face hardening, "Can you make this thing go any faster?"

"Of course," Sorlan smiled as he slammed on the gas, and Buffy pitched back in her seat with a yelp. "You should've been wearing your seatbelt."

Tara gasped as Willow let up on her assault, and she curled into a fetal ball, clutching her knees to her chest as she sobbed in pain.

"Leave her alone!" Xander shouted as Willow approached the downed Wiccan, "DAMN YOU, WILLOW!"

She looked towards him, "Silent."

Xander's eyes went wide as his mouth suddenly fused shut, and he was unable to open it again. He grunted behind his closed lips, and then started to shove at the bookcase, trying to get loose.

He heard a low moan, and he looked up, watching as Anya opened her eyes, and she immediately tensed when she saw Tara sobbing, and then slowly got back to her feet, careful not to draw attention to herself.

"I'm not going to ask you again, Tara...where's Spike?"

"Go...to...hell..." Tara managed to get out through her pained sobs, "I'm...not tel--telling..."

Willow knelt beside Tara's head, reaching out to stroke her hair in mock affection, "You know...if I just kill you...Spike will just remain wherever you put him. He won't be coming back, since you're the only one who can bring him back. Why don't you just make it easier on all of us, and let me finish my business with him? I really don't want to kill you."

Tara shuddered, trying to pull her head away from Willow, but the redhead threaded her fingers through Tara's hair and jerked her into a sitting position, ignoring the cry of pain that escaped Tara's lips.

"Give him to me, you little bitch!" Willow pulled hard, and Tara sobbed as she was pulled to her feet by her hair, "I'm not KIDDING!"

Tara didn't think for a minute she was, but she wasn't willing to give up Spike to her, and her gaze met Willow's levelly and then she spat in Willow's face, "Juriak!"

Willow flew away from her to crash into the couch, and Tara collapsed to her knees, and Willow's eyes narrowed as she straightened, "Fine. Good-bye, Tara." She lifted her hands, and then cried out in pain as something stabbed into her side.

She whirled, turning on Anya, who was holding a bloodied knife in her hand, and Willow looked down at the stab wound in her side, blood pouring from it. "Big mistake, bitch!"

Anya dropped low to the ground as a ball of energy exploded outward from Willow's palms, then swept upwards, driving the knife into Willow's abdomen, eyes wide as she stared into Willow's black eyes.

Willow staggered back, and Anya let the hilt of the blade slip from her fingers as she covered her mouth with her hands, and Willow laid her hands on the knife, pulling it out with shaking hands, and she cried out again as she pressed her hands against the wound. "Huria neli...heal..."

Nothing happened, and Willow fell to her knees, unable to understand why it wasn't working, and then looked at the knife Anya had used, her eyes clouding a bit as green bled into black.

Anya backed away from Willow slowly, feeling slightly sick as Willow began to cry, trying numerous healing spells that wouldn't break the enchantment of the knife used to stab her.

Tara looked up as Anya knelt beside her, and she wrapped her arms around the ex-demon, "Are you all right?" Anya asked, eyes still on the desperate Willow, whose spells were interspaced with the sound of pained sobs.

Tara didn't answer her as Willow looked at her, eyes spitting hatred, "He was worth this...? He was worth me?"

Tara closed her eyes as Anya pulled her closer, holding her tightly. Willow stumbled to her feet almost drunkenly, going towards the Wizard Glass that had fallen to the floor when Anya had stabbed her.

Willow collapsed halfway there, and began to crawl instead, leaving a trail of blood behind her, and Tara stood up shakily, approaching the Glass.

Willow looked up, eyes going wide as Tara picked it up, "NO!"

Tara looked at her apologetically, and then slammed the Wizard Glass to the floor, shattering it into a million, black shards, and a roar of wind filled the room, whipping her golden blond hair around her face.

Willow rolled onto her back, and let out a shrill, ear-splitting scream as she stared up at the ceiling, and Tara felt as if her insides were being torn apart at the sound.

Suddenly, it cut off, followed by a low, gurgling sound, and Willow's body jerked a few times before she lay still.

Tara fell to her knees, her eyes wide as she stared at Willow's motionless form, and Anya slowly approached the fallen witch, then shook her head when she found no pulse.

"Wills!" Xander finally managed to wriggle out from beneath the bookcase, his power of speech returned to him once Tara had smashed the Wizard Glass.

He ran to his best friend's side as Tara let out a wail of pain, covering her eyes, and Xander felt his stomach heave as he stared down at Willow, feeling as if he was going to pass out.

"Oh God..."

"I'm sorry..." Anya said softly, looking up at Xander, tears in her eyes, "She...she was going to kill Tara...I couldn't..."

Xander slipped to the ground beside her, then pulled his fiancée into his arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "I know, honey," He told her softly, "I know...it's not your fault...you had too..."

Anya buried her face in Xander's chest, entire body trembling, and Xander glanced towards Tara, who was staring at Willow's body and rocking back and forth.

"Tara...where's Spike?" She looked up at him blankly, "Spike, Tara...you hid him...where is he?"

Tara closed her eyes, trying to focus and then mumbled something beneath her breath.

There was a low groan from the couch, and Xander looked over his shoulder to see Spike's body lying prone on it. He was unconscious, but all signs of his severe burns had disappeared.

Tara shrieked in surprise as the door was suddenly kicked open, and Xander scrambled to his feet, picking up the knife Anya had used to kill Willow, hands shaking as he turned to face this new threat.

Buffy slowly came inside, her eyes wide as she took in the destruction of the apartment, and Xander relaxed, shoulders slumping as he looked on the Slayer, followed by a strange man he didn't recognize.

"Oh...God..." Buffy breathed when she saw Xander standing over Willow's body with a knife dripping blood onto the floor, Anya sitting beside his legs. Tara was crying in earnest now, entire body shaking with the force of her cries.

"Wha-what happened?" The Slayer asked as she went towards Willow, nearly moaning when she saw the twisted, hateful look on her best friend's face.

"Tara...was protecting Spike," Anya told Buffy when it was evident that Xander and Tara weren't quite capable of it yet, and Xander closed his eyes as she spoke. "Tara sent him somewhere to keep Willow from finishing him off...and then she was going to kill Tara to keep her from bringing him back. I...I stabbed her...I stabbed and killed her..."

Xander gathered his fiancée back into his arms as she began to cry again, looking up at Buffy, "She had too...it was choice between Tara...and Willow..."

"I didn't come fast enough," Sorlan said softly as he looked down at the redhead, shaking his head, "I should have come as soon as William called. I'm very deeply sorry..."

Buffy stroked Willow's hair, her eyes filling with tears, "It was my fault...she's been like this...since...since I came back..." She pressed Willow's eyelids down over wide, unseeing eyes.

"It's not your fault," Xander told her firmly, "It's been happening since you died. The out of control spells...the way she kept using her magic for little, stupid things...we should have all intervened a long time ago..."

Anya kissed Xander's forehead, and Sorlan knelt beside Tara, talking to her softly, a tender, sympathetic look on his face as he tried to sooth the nearly hysterical witch.

"Bloody...effin'...hell..."

Buffy's head shot up as Spike sat up on the couch, looking down at his body in confusion, "Jesus, Mary 'n Joseph...why am I naked?" His nostrils suddenly flared when he caught the scent of blood. Then he had approximately a hundred and five pounds of blond Slayer in his arms.

She was sobbing loudly, clutching at him, and he blinked in surprise, but hugged her to him without question as she buried her face in his throat, her tears burning his skin.

He lifted his head in confusion, then caught sight of the body lying on the ground and tightened his grip on Buffy, eyes slightly wide as he looked towards Xander, "What happened? The last thing I remember...is going to bed last night..."

"Long story," Xander mumbled, shuddering a bit, and Spike turned his attention back to the Slayer as she lifted her head.

"I thought...I lost you," She told him, her smile watery, "When...William and Spike left...I thought it was because you died..."

Spike looked down at her, the confusion evident in his eyes, "Huh? What...are you talking about, Buffy?"

Buffy sighed when she realized he didn't remember that, and laid her head against his bare chest, "I love you," She whispered so that only he could hear, "All of you...demon and man..."

Spike held her even tighter at her confession, and he inhaled the scent of her hair deeply, "Love you too," He muttered in reply, his voice tinged with sorrow as he looked towards Willow's body. "I'm sorry about Red..."

She squeezed her eyes shut, but the tears still escaped from beneath her lids. "Me too..." She said softly.

Buffy watched as the shiny, red oak coffin was slowly lowered into the ground, her eyes slightly unfocused. She felt a gentle squeezing of her hand and she looked up at Giles.

The Watcher was looking older then ever as he buried a girl who had been so much like a daughter to him, just as Buffy had been, his grayish-hazel eyes filled with tears.

Buffy lifted her head, staring out across the cemetery at the idling black DeSota, and immediately felt a sense of comfort flood her being.

Tara was standing between Anya and Xander, both of them holding one her hands, and Dawn stood beside Buffy, her head resting against her sister's shoulder. The Rabbi finished his words, and Tara stepped forward, as did several of the other attendants of Willow's final rites.

Tara and the other Wiccans linked hands, wanting to guide their lost sister. "Zemes Mate, mother goddess, guardian of the otherworld, please guide your child, Willow Rosenberg to her final rest. Let her sins be forgiven, for she is our sister, led astray," Tara's voice was strong and steady, though her eyes were filled with unquenchable sorrow.

Willow's parents watched on mistrustfully, still sure that somehow, Willow's chosen religion had led to her death, but they remained silent, due to respect for Tara, who they knew had loved their daughter.

"Zemes Mate, guide her there so that her sisters may be reunited with her when our time comes. So that I may join her. Peace be with her."

The other Wiccans muttered small prayers and protective wards to help Willow on her journey, and then they dropped hands and stepped back from the grave as Sheila Rosenberg picked up a small handful of dirt, and dropped it on the coffin, the sound of the earth hitting the wood hollow and small.

Soon, everyone started to fade away, except for Tara and the rest of the gang. Giles glanced around, then cleared his throat a bit as he looked down at the coffin, "Willow...you were a good friend, a kind and caring person, who deserved so much better in life. I never doubted that you loved your friends beyond compare...and I am sorry that our last words to one another were harsh. I hope that you find the peace and happiness on the other side that you truly deserve."

One by one, the others stepped forward to say a few words, and when Buffy's turn came, she stepped stiffly forward.

"You ruined my life...you tore me out of the only peace and happiness I had known since before I came to Sunnydale..." Buffy looked over her friends as they turned their gazes away from her, and she looked back over the cemetery, back at the black car, then smiled slightly.

"The guide in the desert told me...that I was filled with love...that I loved with all my soul and it was blinding...if you hadn't have brought me back, I wouldn't have been able to see what she meant. She told me I rejected love...and I had been...for the last two years, I've been rejecting it. It took me dying and then being ripped away again to realize that...everything I needed was right in front of me."

Buffy looked down on Willow's coffin, tears flooding her eyes, "It was because of you that I finally found my gift, Wills, it was because of you that I found Spike...if it wasn't for you, I'd still be living in heaven...but without finally knowing my capacity to love. Because of you...I'm living again, Wills...so...thanks."

Giles smiled faintly as he went up to Buffy and wrapped an arm around her, embracing her warmly as he whispered in her ear, "I'm glad you're finally living..." He smiled when she looked up at him in surprise, and she smiled at his blessing.

"Thanks, Giles..." She said softly, kissing his cheek before taking Dawn's hand, and the group went their separate ways.

Buffy headed towards the DeSota, and she opened the door, waving Dawn in, and squeezing in beside her in the front seat.

Spike smiled at the two girls faintly, and then kissed Dawn's head, "How'd it go?" He asked quietly, and Buffy smiled a tiny bit as Dawn snuggled up against Spike's side with a sigh.

"I don't get what happened...why did she flip out?"

"Fact's of magic, Lil Bit," Spike told her gently as he wrapped an arm around her and Buffy, and the Slayer sighed as she leaned against her sister, "It sometimes gets out of hand...takes control...sorry it had to go down like that, if I had called Sorlan sooner..."

"Stop," Buffy reached out and touched his face, forcing him too look up at her, "You did what you could...none of us even suspected she'd go that far...and now it's over. We have to move on...get on...with our lives...and hope that Willow's some where she can find peace..."

"I'm sure she is," Spike replied, lighter then he felt as he started the car, "For all that happened at the end, she was a good person. Just wanted to protect her friends, is all..."

Buffy sighed as she leaned back in the seat, and Spike pulled out, driving them towards the Summers' home, where he was now residing with the Slayer.

He pulled into the driveway, and Dawn grabbed his blanket out of the backseat and handed it to him. He sighed as he pulled it over his head, and then darted out of the car and for the house.

Buffy shook her head slightly as she and Dawn climbed out, and she glanced towards the street as Giles' rental car pulled up, and told Dawn to go ahead in.

Dawn obeyed, and Buffy smiled as she heard her sister bug Spike about making some cocoa, and the vampire good-naturedly told her to make it her damn self, even though they both knew that Spike would do it, protests aside.

Giles climbed out of his car as Buffy walked towards him, the Slayer's arms wrapped around her, and the Watcher smiled sadly at her. "I'm sorry...I confronted her before about her magic...but I didn't stick around to follow through on it," He told her, "I shouldn't have left..."

"No," Buffy shook her head as she leaned against the hood of his car, "You have your own life now, Giles...and the Slaying gig was always my thing."

"I should have warned you at least..."

"Maybe...but there were warning signs we all should've picked up on. Besides...I didn't do anything...it was all Anya, Tara and Xander," She shook her head slightly, "It didn't even take a Slayer or a vampire to do it..."

"Anya's taken it hard," Giles said softly, "She's taken on a lot of the blame on herself for Willow's death. Tara and Xander have to keep telling her that there was no other choice..."

"I know...Spike's doing the same," Buffy told him, watching Giles' face closely, "Because Willow targeted him, he thinks he may have been the one to push her over the edge. I shouldn't have let him confront Willow like that...it should have been me and the rest of the gang...it shouldn't have been just him."

"That's possibly the reason why she was so resentful...a crea--person with Spike's past, telling her what she did was wrong, when she think she wasn't in the wrong at all...she resented it and took her anger and frustrations out on Spike."

Buffy sighed as she looked towards the house, "You know he moved in...right?"

"I guessed as much," Giles told her, a small smile on his face, "Do you truly love him, Buffy?"

"Yes...I do," She looked towards him, shaking her head slightly, "I have for a long time...but it didn't click...till that spell Willow did. The polarity one. Seeing his two different sides...and the way they both cared for me...it made me come to terms that...he's both a demon and the man...and I couldn't accept one or the other. I needed his poetry, his tenderness...and his passion, his impatience, and the whole warrior spirit thing. He's my equal, Giles...everything I need...and everything that I love about him."

Giles chuckled, "I can see that," He reached out, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, "I don't think I have seen that amount of emotions in your eyes since you came back. I'm intensely grateful that Spike has seemed to wake it up in you."

Buffy smiled up at him, "What? No, 'Buffy, be careful, he's soulless and could eat you in a second?'"

"Of course, I will say be careful...but not of that. I've...gotten to know Spike in few months...that you were gone. He's...got a very strange sense of humor, but I don't think he'd ever hurt you." Buffy couldn't help but giggle at that, and Giles smiled in her direction. "Just don't be afraid to kick his butt. I rather think it's good for him."

"Oh believe me, he gives me plenty enough causes to kick his butt," Buffy assured her former Watcher, "So...what do you think the Council is going to say about me, 'fornicating' with another vampire?"

"There's no way in hell I'm going to be telling them that," Giles replied with a grin, "But then...the look on Travers' face may be worth any repercussions."

"Hmm...get polaroids," Buffy pushed herself off the hood of the car, and she reached out, hugging Giles tightly, "Take care, okay? I don't want to go to any funeral for a long time...including mine."

"I'm very glad to hear that," Giles said softly, then released her regretfully, "I'll be sure to visit even when there isn't a dire situation involved."

"Summer?" Buffy asked hopefully, "You got to check on the Magic Shoppe anyway."

"Anya's doing very well by herself," Giles shook his head slightly, "With the money she sends me, I can retire very comfortably in a few years."

Buffy laughed, then hugged him once more before he got into his car, and she waved at him as he drove off, watching as his car disappeared around the corner before going towards her house.

Spike was waiting inside the doorway with a cup of cocoa, and she smiled up at him as she took it and he kissed her forehead, "What the Watcher have to say? Watch out for the big, bad man?"

"Nope..." Buffy smiled at him, "He gave us his blessing...and I think he admitted to liking you...but only a tiny bit."

Spike looked genuinely surprised, "The Watcher likes me?"

"Just a little bit," Buffy reminded him teasingly, wrapping her arms around his middle, careful not to spill her mug on him.

"You gonna be okay?" He asked her softly, and she looked up into his warm, blue eyes, and she cocked her head, thinking for a few moments before answering him.

"It's gonna...take a long time...getting used to losing Willow," She told him quietly, "Maybe longer before everything's really okay again...but...I think I'm going to be."

"Good," Spike kissed her forehead as he wrapped an arm around her waist and started to lead her into the kitchen, where Dawn was waiting for her lunch.

"Y'know...after finding out that shit I wrote was published...I was thinkin'...how 'bout I start on something serious...like a novel? None of that Anne Rice shit, mind you...I'm not tacky enough to start writing vampire novels...but I bet I could some great historical fiction, considering I was there for a lot of major history..."

Buffy smiled as she leaned her head against his shoulder, shaking her head slightly at his enthusiasm as he gestured grandly with his hands, sharing with her his ideas for a novel.

"I don't know," She put in, a slightly teasing tone in her voice, "I was thinking you'd be better at the bodice rippers."

Spike rolled his eyes, "Is that all you ever think about?" He asked in mock exasperation, then glanced at her, eyes glinting wickedly, "Well...actually, the idea has merit...what say we go upstairs, and practice...the bodice ripping?"

"No way," She shoved him playfully, "You still have to buy me a new shirt to replace the one you tore!"

"When I'm a big, famous writer, I'll buy you lots of shirts..."

"Oh, ick, you two," Dawn peeked her head out of the kitchen, "Bad enough I even know you people are ripping your clothes off, now I have to hear about it? You have a bedroom for that kind of talk!" Spike sighed, throwing a puppy-dog look at Dawn, who only rolled her eyes, "You're supposed to be making me a sandwich, not making out with my sister. Now move!"

"Hmmphh...bossy brat," Spike grumbled, but he ruffled Dawn's hair as he went into the kitchen.

Dawn rolled her eyes again, looking at Buffy, "You two are so gross."

"This from the girl who had thought Spike was a major hottie," Buffy said loudly, and Dawn's eyes went wide as Spike looked towards them sharply, dropping the plate he was taking out of the cabinet.

"I never! Don't listen to her, she's such a liar!" Dawn huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as Buffy giggled at her expense, and Dawn stuck out her tongue, "You sooo suck!"

"Yeah, but you're stuck with me," Buffy replied with a small smile, then glanced at Spike, "Hey, you're making me a sandwich too, right?"

Spike swore beneath his breath, then rolled his eyes when Buffy gave him a look, "Yeah, sure, why not? I'm just your personal vamp slave," He grumbled as he started to take out another plate.

Buffy smiled as she went up to him, kissing his temple before whispering in his ear, "Yeah, but what I'm going to do to you later makes it all worth it." Spike promptly dropped the plate he was holding again. "And you're so going to replace those too."