Rating: PG
Distribution: Shades of Grey http://www.shadesofgrey.us/ NHA, WLS anyone else that has my other stuff, anyone else just let me know first
Disclaimer: all characters belong to Joss Whedon, ME, UPN, FOX, WB
Spoilers: Lover’s Walk, some stuff from Season’s 5 and 6, maybe vague stuff from S7
Summary: Spike and Willow do a spell to find out when Spike’s life went to hell
Author’s Notes: This part is not beta’d, so any mistakes are mine.
This is sort of an answer to Leslie’s Challenge of Spike meets Spike. ( not sure if it’s exactly what she wanted and I used S3 Spike because Lover’s Walk worked better in my idea than anything from S2)
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~Part: 1~
“Where is everyone?” Spike asked walking into the living room and seeing only Willow sitting on the couch reading a book.
“Hi, Spike.” Willow said looking up, “Dawn at a friend’s house. Giles and Buffy are driving the last of the Potentials to the airport and Xander is, I believe he said, going to enjoy a peaceful shower with no interruptions.”
“And you decided to enjoy the quiet?”
“Well yeah.” Willow said closing her book, “Coming back from England where everything was so quiet and being attacked almost immediately by horrible evil things then having a hundred people living here was kind of a shock.”
“What about Kennedy?”
“She’s leaving too. I’m not sure she was ready for… everything.”
“Sorry I bothered you then. I’ll leave you to your quiet.” Spike said turning to leave.
“No. Spike stay.” Willow said getting up. “Want some cocoa?”
“Marshmallows?”
“Sure.” Willow headed to the kitchen, followed by Spike.
Spike sat on the counter watching as Willow made the cocoa. When it was finished, they both sat at the table watching each other.
“Is something wrong Spike? You seem distracted.” Willow finally asked.
“Just thinking Red.”
“Buffy?" Willow asked concerned she had thought he had come to terms with his relationship with the Slayer.
“Not exactly.” Spike said. He might as well tell her, she was maybe the one person, short of calling Angel, who might understand. “’Bout when my life went to hell.”
“Hell? You’re a vampire Hell is good right?” Willow said smiling.
“Funny.” Spike said clearly not amused. “I’m sure it’s when I came back for that bloody gem and ended up chipped. My life was perfect before that.”
Willow looked at him for a minute obviously thinking about something. “You sure? I mean Harmony? Your life couldn’t have been perfect for you to end up with her.”
“Okay not perfect but good.”
Willow raised an eyebrow. “Something else happened first Spike. Why else would you come back here, to the one slayer you couldn’t beat, the gem wasn’t that important was it? I mean no one was even sure it was real.”
Spike considered what she was saying but couldn’t think of anything else that signified his downhill slide. “So what do you think it was?”
“Don’t know.” Willow shrugged. “I only know pieces of your life.”
“Then I think it’s the bloody chip, messed with my head as well as my feeding habits. Hell it made me love the slayer.” Spike said then realized she was no longer listening. “Red? Willow?”
“Sorry Spike, Thinking.” Willow said her attention snapping back to the vampire across the table. “Want to find out what it was?”
“What what was?”
“What made your life go to hell.” Willow said smiling, “I think I have a spell.”
“Thought you didn’t…” Spike said not wanting to cause trouble with the slayer.
“It’s fine. It’s a small spell doesn’t take a lot of power and you’ll be here, if anything goes wrong.”
“What’s the spell?” Spike was curious.
“It’ll show you certain parts of your life. Important events. I could word it so it’ll show you when your life changed.”
“Sure it won’t just show us me being sired or getting my soul?’
“No, but we could try. What could it hurt?” Willow said excited about the prospect now.
“Let’s try it.” Spike said, “What do we do?”
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Spike sat inside the circle of sand Willow had outlined on the floor, across from her. “You sure about this Red?”
“Relax Spike. I haven’t messed up a spell in a really long time.” Willow assured him.
“Fine. What’d I do?”
“Sit there and hold my hands. And keep your eyes closed.” Willow said taking his hands, waiting for him to close his eyes before she closed her own and began chanting.
As Willow chanted Spike, felt himself began to turn, actually felt more like the room was turning but he did as the Witch said and kept his eyes closed. “What’s happening Red?” Spike asked.
Willow slowly opening her eyes sensing that the spell didn’t go as planned. “Uh oh.” Willow said as she looked around her.
“Where are we?” Spike asked opening his eyes at the last reply.
“Sunnydale high.” Willow said meekly.
“This isn’t the High school.” Spike said standing up.
“Not the new school the old one.” Willow said rising and looking around, “But why would this have anything to do with your life.”
“I’ve been…”
“Shh….” Willow said motioning for him to be quiet and follow her. She quickly headed in the direction of the voices she had heard.
“Yeah, I wish for a lot of things! I told you I wished I wished I was a fireman when we were in sixth grade, but you didn’t follow through on that!” Willow heard Xander saying as they approached the science lab door.
“I can’t do this anymore, Xander! I mean, this whole us thing is… bleagh!” The Willow inside the room was saying.
“I remember this!” Willow said to Spike. “This is when you…”
They watched as Spike walked in the room and grabbed Xander around the neck.
“I don’t.” Spike commented.
“It’s when you kidnapped Xander and me.” Willow prompted. “Love Spell? Bottle in my face?” She said when she still saw a blank look on the vampire’s face. “Forget I’ll explain on the way. We have to get out of here before they see us.” She grabbed his hand and began pulling him down the hall.
~Part: 2~
Willow pulled Spike into a classroom several doors down, pushing the door closed just as the other Spike pulled Xander and Willow out of the science lab.
“What the hell is going on Pet?” Spike asked.
“You don’t remember this?” Willow turned to face him, “Kidnapping Xander and me, the love spell? Any of this ring any bells?”
“Kidnapping… Wait the factory, Dru left me.” Spike said starting to remember.
“Right, Dru left you blamed Buffy.” Willow encouraged, “Tried to force me to do a love spell.”
“Okay I remember some of it, the factory, Buffy and Angel, but this I don’t…”
“Probably because you were drunk.” Willow replied moving to the window to watch Spike leave with his captives.
“So why are we sitting here while you and the moron are kidnapped?”
“I doubt we should interfere with the past. Don’t know what it could change.” Willow said, “Didn’t you ever see Back to the Future?”
“Uh, no.” Spike replied.
“Besides it’s not like we don’t know that I get away, or for that matter where you’re taking us.”
“So we go after, uh, us?” Spike asked. “And I still don’t understand why we’re here. You said you could show me what changed my life.”
“Well maybe I sorta misinterpreted the spell. Maybe it meant it would show us by bringing us to it, instead of a picture kind of thing.”
“Another botched spell?”
“No. I did the spell right. I just didn’t understand what it was going to do.” Willow said defensively, “I haven’t botched a spell in a long time.”
“Fine, though I think it’s showing us the wrong thing my life was fine. Well except that Dru was gone.”
“Uh, Spike I’m not sure Dru leaving you was a bad thing.” Willow said, “But I think we need to get over to the factory.”
“Why?”
“We still don’t really know what exactly the spell is showing us.” Willow answered. “What was it about this night that ruined your life.”
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“Mmm… That Spell…Your neck.” Spike said leaning close to Willow.
Willow crouching outside the door shuttered. “You scared the hell out of me that night. Do you know that?” She said without looking at the vampire behind her.
“Yeah.” Spike replied smirking.
“Not really a good thing, Spike.” Willow muttered before turning her attention back to the room.
“Now, Now, hold on!” The Willow inside the room said jumping away from a very drunk Spike, “I’ll do your spell for you, and, and, and, I’ll get you Drucilla back, but, but there will be no bottle-in-face, and there will be no having of any kind with me. Alright?”
Spike grabbed her and bent her over but made no move to bite her.
“Can I ask you a question?” Willow said standing up and turning to face Spike. “Why didn’t you bite me?”
“What?”
“Why?” Willow asked again, “You let me live, why?”
“Don’t know. Needed the spell done I guess.” Spike shrugged.
“Could’ve turned me though, witch around all the time that way?”
“Thought about it.” Spike said, “Should’ve. Would’ve been better than goin’ back to Dru.”
“Turning me wouldn’t have been a good thing Spike.” Willow said, “How could you even suggest…”
“I didn’t. You did.”
“I never said…” Willow began cut off by the door swinging open and Spike stepping out of the room.
“What the…” Spike said facing the arguing pair then glancing back in the room. “I must’ve had more of this than I thought.” He said waving an empty bottle. “Are you me?”
“Sort of.” Spike and Willow replied in unison.
~Part: 3~
"He's you but not. I mean he's you in a few years. There are not really two of you. Well, there might be in another dimension. 'Cause there's two of me but I don't think that."
"Red shut the bloody hell up." Spike said angrily.
"If you're me but in a few years, that means I did turn the witch. So did I kill the slayer too?" Spike asked, too drunk to question where the future Spike had come from.
"Turned the." Willow began, and then turned to Spike. "You were going to turn me. I thought we had a deal, I do the spell you don't turn me."
"Vampire Luv." Both Spikes replied.
"Not big on keeping our word." The Spike she had arrived with finished.
"I didn't turn her." Spike said addressing his future self. "So the Slayer."
"Still alive." Spike muttered.
"So you took the witch to draw her out again?"
"Uh, not exactly."
"He, uh, you don't do that anymore." Willow said interrupting the conversation.
"I don't what anymore?" Spike asked facing Willow, while the other Spike glared not liking where this conversation was going.
"He doesn't kidnap or kill anymore. He helps us."
"I do what?" Spike yelled dropping his bottle. "I help them?" He turned to face his future self.
"I don't, I mean things have changed." Spike shrugged knowing that his old self was not going to react well to the news of receiving his soul in the future.
"What I get a soul like Angelus?" Spike said sarcastically.
"Well."
"You went and got us souled? What the bloody hell was I thinking?"
"That you loved Buffy." Willow offered helpfully.
"Don't help Red." Spike glared at the redhead who was currently making his life hell.
"I love the Slayer?"
"Yeah, after the chip, which I still think messed up my brain, things happened and you, I yeah." Spike decided explaining was useless.
"Chip?"
"After I lost the gem of amara I came back to kill the slayer and was grabbed by the army who stuck a chip in my head." Spike explained, but was still receiving a blank look from the other Spike.
"The chip stopped you from feeding. We helped you." Willow supplied.
"No way did I go to the Slayer for help." Spike insisted. "You maybe, still can't believe I didn't turn you."
"Give it up. You are not turning me." Willow said angrily.
"Hell I'm not. If what you two are saying is true, I can't let it happen." Spike replied. "I am going to turn you. And get the hell out of Sunnydale for good. Dru will be happy to have a new playmate."
"Now just wait one." Willow began too angry to see Spike raise the bottle in his hand and hit her over the head, then quickly hitting his future self, shaking his hand as he hit the ground. "Sorry it had to come to this mate, but can't let my life be ruined by you."
He quickly dragged both bodies into the room, ignoring the other Willow who was staring in shock at the sight of seeing both herself and her kidnapper knocked out cold on the floor. Spike quickly tied them up and turned to his other captives.
"I'll be back with your book in a while." He said before leaving again.
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As Spike quickly made his way down the street, he was seething over what he had learned. He turned into a poof. Not gonna happen, he was the big bad. He would get the book from the slayer's house, Red would do the spell, and he would take her with him. The three of them would be great together. Hell if everything turned out well enough maybe he wouldn't go look for Dru at all. Let her rot, not like she'd ever appreciated him. He was getting close to the slayer's house now. He needed to concentrate, didn't want to run into her too soon.
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"Bloody hell." Spike muttered opening his eyes. "Can't believe I didn't see that coming wouldn't think I could catch myself off guard. No wonder the Slayer always kicked my ass, I was an idiot."
"Yes you are. I can't believe you let yourself kidnap us now." Willow said sitting up. "Damn my head hurts."
"If you had kept your bloody mouth shut with the 'he doesn't do that anymore' crap maybe this wouldn't have happened."
"Right, because it's my fault you kidnapped us."
"Um, excuse me?" Willow said from the other side of the room, when both had turned their attention to her she continued, "Who are you?"
"Well I'm you." Willow said hesitantly. "I mean in the future. I did a spell, and uh, it brought us back here."
"A spell so I can do magic?" Willow said excitedly.
"Yeah, well it'll take you a while. And things aren't always good with the magic so be careful 'kay."
"Well at least you are taking it better than I did." Spike muttered.
"That's 'cause I don't decide I want to end the world for a few years yet."
"I want to end the world?" Willow asked quietly.
"Well yeah. Don't worry Xander helps you get over it. But it's not pretty." Willow said comfortingly, then tried to reach to rub the sore spot on her head and realized her hands were still bound. "'Kay so done with the ropes now." She said then muttered something under her breath and the ropes fell away.
"What about me Red?" Spike asked.
"Well."
"Red." Spike warned. Willow muttered again and his ropes fell away.
"Isn't he dangerous?" Willow said backing further away and closer to Xander.
"God you were pathetic, I mean like Harris could protect you."
"Hey." Both Willows responded.
"Sorry."
"He's not dangerous anymore." Willow explained, "But your Spike is still dangerous, and I'm afraid we've made him more so. Now he plans to turn you."
"Always did Pet."
"What?" Willow turned to Spike, "What do you mean always did?"
"Planned on turning you that night, got distracted by Buffy and Angel though." Spike explained. "Now I probably won't be distracted though."
"Okay, we have a lot to talk about later." Willow told the vampire. "But right now we have to stop, well, you."
"Any plans." Spike asked.
"Sort of." Willow replied, and then turned her attention to her former self. "Spike, this Spike, has a soul, he won't hurt you. He helps us in the future. Really."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Willow said, "I need you to get out of here with Spike, find Giles and you two have to explain to him what's going on."
"But I don't know what's going on." Willow said.
"The Watcher'll stake me on sight." Spike said at the same time.
"He'll explain on the way." Willow said, "And you have to make him understand that Spike isn't dangerous."
"How are you going to explain this to, uh, me, when I return"
"Won't have to, Willow that he kidnapped will be here, to tell him that we disappeared, must have used magic to return to where we came from."
"Uh, Pet, you look different then you did three years ago." Spike suggested
"I'll use glamour, don't worry about it, just get out of here." Willow insisted. "Get. Giles. Now."
"Let's go." Spike said grabbing the younger girl. "We have a watcher to find."
~Part: 4~
Willow stood looking at a younger, sleeping Xander. Of course he's sleeping, she thought, only Xander could sleep through all the noise in this room. But, she thought, he's also the biggest problem with this plan. A glamour would make her look like her eighteen-year-old self but she wasn't that girl anymore, would Xander notice? She wasn't worried about Spike, he was way too drunk and didn't know her that well, but Xander had known her forever.
Willow quickly said the necessary words to change her appearance, no sense waiting until Spike was nearby. All that was left to do now was wait until Spike showed up, and hope that her Spike and the other Willow would find and convince Giles of what was going on it time to help her.
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"How are we going to convince Giles that you're not dangerous?" Willow asked following behind Spike.
"Don't know. That's kinda up to you." Spike said.
"Oh. Is she, uh, am I really safe back there, what if Spike, or well you come back?" Willow asked not wanting anything to happen to her future self.
"She'll be fine." Spike said, "Where should we look?"
"Library probably." Willow answered, "How did you guys get here anyway?"
"I listened to you." Spike said, "Trusted you to do a spell."
"Am I good at it?" Willow asked glad to find out she was still practicing her magicks. "Magic I mean."
"Haven't botched a spell in a long time if that's what you mean. Demon girl says you may be the most powerful witch in the western hemisphere."
"Really?" Willow caught up to him as they neared the library.
"You know a lot about me right? Like what college do I go to? Do I marry Oz, or Xander? Is Buffy still alive?"
"Lot of questions Red, most of which I probably shouldn't answer. Something about interfering with the past. But let's see, you go to UC Sunnydale, Oz left, personal issues. Yes, the Slayer is alive. And why the hell would you want to marry the moron?"
"Xander's not a moron. Why are you with me anyway? Aren't you dangerous?" Willow asked after defending her friend.
"Got chipped then got a soul."
"Like Angel? Do you have that happiness clause too?"
"No not like Angel. And no happiness clause." Spike answered opening the door to the school and waiting for Willow to lead the way to the library.
"Why do have a soul then?" She asked as they headed in the right direction.
"Thought it would make Buffy love me."
"Of course, everyone wants Buffy to love them." Willow said frowning at the vampire.
"What?" Spike asked confused at her reaction.
"Xander, Angel. Let me guess Buffy was Oz's personal issue." She muttered pushing open the library door. "Giles!"
"Why would Oz have. he had you." Spike asked.
"But why stay with me when Buffy's right there." Willow said turning to face the vampire. "I mean really she's beautiful and strong and smart. Well okay I'm probably smarter than Buffy but let's be honest that's not really the number one attraction for guys anyway. Hell you're evil and still love her. Giles isn't here." Willow said turning away from the vampire again.
"Alright let's start at the beginning here." Spike said grabbing her arm and forcing her to look at him. "First, the wolf left because he's an idiot and it had nothing to do with the Slayer. Second you are definitely smarter than Buffy. As for beautiful and strong, how can you even question those things?"
"Have you looked at her and me?" Willow said trying unsuccessfully to pull away from him.
"Yes I have." Spike answered, "She is beautiful and strong, no denying that. But so are you. Why do you think I took you, do you honestly believe I couldn't have found a different witch, one with more experience and less dangerous. I was taking a serious risk of being dusted taking the Slayer's best friends. And you are so much stronger than you know right now. Matter of fact in a couple years you kick the Slayer's ass."
"I kick. Why would I do that?" Willow asked.
"You were seriously pissed and she got in your way. Almost ended the world Pet. Don't ever doubt yourself like that again." Spike explained, "Some of tonight's events are kind of hazy for me but I do remember that I was going to turn you before I left and take you with me. Probably should've then I wouldn't have come back looking for."
"Looking for what?" Willow asked as Spike's hands dropped away and he stared at her. "And shouldn't we go look for Giles some more?"
"Yeah right the Watcher." Spike said, "His flat maybe?"
"'kay but I've never been there, I don't know."
"I know where it is." Spike said, "My life went to hell tonight. I should have realized."
"Realized what?" Willow asked following the vampire.
"I came back looking for the Gem but also you. I still wanted to turn you." Spike explained. "If I had carried through I never would have returned to bloody city."
~Part: 5~
“What do you mean that not turning me would’ve fixed your life?” Willow said running after the vampire.
“Not fixed,” Spike corrected without stopping as he headed toward Giles apartment, “Never would’ve needed correcting.”
“But me a va-vampire?” Willow asked, catching up to him.
“Yeah. Luv you would have made a great vampire. Any doubts I had about that the stories I heard last year destroyed.”
“Do you know where you’re going?” Willow asked.
“Yes. Lived with the watcher long enough.” Spike slowed his pace as they neared the apartment. “Are you ready to convince him I’m not still evil?”
“Right, you tell me you should have turned me so your life wouldn’t suck then say ‘convince him I’m not evil’.” Willow muttered.
“I’m not going to hurt you. Wouldn’t do any good anyway, according to Red, we can’t know what kind of changes that would cause to the future. Could make it worse.”
“Fine. I’ll convince him.” Willow said knocking on the door.
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Willow was still pacing the small room when she heard Xander start to move. Great, she thought, just what I need, an angry drunk unchipped Spike and now Xander too.
“Xander are you okay?” Willow said turning to face him a worried expression on her face.
“My head hurts, and where are we?” Xander said trying to sit.
“Stay down Xander is better.” Willow gently pushed him back down. “Spike locked us in the factory but don’t worry about it, I’ll get us out.”
“You?” Xander asked. “How? Not like you really know that much magic Will.”
“I know more than you realize.” Willow said, maybe I should just tell him, might be easier, if he believes me. “You just need to trust me.”
“Will, you know I love you but levitating a pencil isn’t going to stop Spike.” Xander said laughing.
“Xander just…” Willow began, “Why are you laughing?”
“The thought of you using you magic to stop Spike, I mean you’re Willow.”
“Xander you have no idea what you’re…” Willow said becoming angry; she really didn’t like being laughed at.
But c’mon Will, how could you…”
“Like this.” Willow said waving her hand and a board from the other side of the room flew across into the wall over Xander’s head. “Still think it’s funny?” Willow asked smiling sweetly.
“But how… I mean you don’t…” Xander stuttered staring over his head at the board.
“Look I’m not Willow.” Willow began then saw Xander’s skeptical look. “Well I’m Willow but not you’re Willow. Well that’s not right either. Look, I accidentally brought Spike and me back here from a few years in the future. My Spike and your Willow are looking for Giles to help fix it now. And we sort of messed up by letting the other Spike see us now he’s on a mission to not become like Angel so…”
“Your Spike, are you a…” Xander began then, “Why would Spike be Angel?”
“Not my Spike exactly more like Buffy’s but, never mind.” Willow began, “And because Spike has a soul.”
“What are you…?” Xander began as the door opened.
“Oh good,” Spike said opening the door, “You’re both awake.”
“Lucky us.” Willow muttered.
“Where are the other two?”
“They disappeared.” Willow said watching Spike closely.
“I heard her muttering something th-then they were gone.”
“Bloody hell.”
~Part: 6~
Giles pulled the door open at the sound of the voices on the other side. He was sure one was Willow and the other was vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it.
"Hi Giles!" Willow said brightly as the door swung open.
"Watcher." Spike said standing slightly behind her.
Giles face paled when he saw the vampire behind the girl. How had this happened, she was supposed to be with Buffy, and certainly by now she new better than to be out alone after dark. Yet here she was with a very dangerous vampire behind her. He glanced nervously to the side, could he make it to the stake on the table in time, he doubted it. "Um, Hello Willow. Uh." He said nervously as he reached tried to reach for the stake.
"I wouldn't if I were you Watcher." Spike said quietly.
"Giles don't! I mean he's not evil." Willow said quickly realizing what Giles thought.
"What?" Giles asked reaching for Willow and pulling her into the apartment and out of the vampire's reach. "Willow this is Spike."
"I know but he's not that Spike. Well, he is that Spike but he's different. The other evil Spike has Xander and the other Willow and he's going to kill them, if she. I don't do a love spell for him. But now he may kill us anyway because he found out this Spike isn't evil anymore. He has a soul like Angel."
"I. Am. Not. Like. Angel." Spike said slowly trying not to lose patience. They were all in a lot of trouble if they didn't get back to the factory before he tried to turn Willow.
"I don't understand a bloody thing you just said Willow." Giles said exasperated. "I am not inviting you in." Giles turned his attention to the vampire outside the door.
"Bloody hell." Spike muttered not surprised by Giles distrust. "I have a soul now, Willow did a spell to see when my life went wrong and it took us back here, to when I kidnapped Willow and Xander. But Willow, my Willow, and I were accidentally spotted by the other me and now he's on a rampage to turn Willow and probably kill the moron so he doesn't become like Angel."
"This is. There's another Willow?" Giles turned his attention to the girl next to him.
"Yeah, and she's really good with magic. Says I'm gonna try and end the world but not for a while. Won't tell me why though."
"Why should I believe any of this? How do I know you're from the future?"
"How do you. Okay um, you hide all of your alcohol in a cupboard above you refrigerator. You have all the magic books you don't want Willow to find under you bed. You."
"Okay, so you know a lot about me. But how. Willow doesn't have that kind of power, for time travel." Giles said quietly.
"She does. Just hasn't really tapped it yet." Spike said, "Look you are wasting a lot of time here. If anything happens to Red. And we've probably already screwed up the future."
"What am I supposed to do? I know nothing about time travel."
"Willow had a book, it was old so it probably came from here. The spell had something to do with showing someone a specific aspect of their life." Spike said wanting nothing more than to get back to his own time.
"We have to find a way to stop you first don't we?" Willow asked, "I mean now that he wants to turn me?"
"Right. Stop me from stopping my life from being screwed up then go back home." Spike muttered searching his pockets for a cigarette.
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Spike was pacing the room, a new bottle in his hand. Occasionally glancing at the little witch in the corner as she worked on her spell. After she did the spell he would turn her and they would leave Sunnydale, find Dru and. hell he didn't know he wasn't big on planning anyway. All he was sure of was he was never coming back here.
Xander was laying on the bed still feeling a little dizzy and confused over the change in Willow. When the hell did she learn to do stuff like throw boards with magic. "Xander." Xander turned toward Willow. "Yeah." He said
'Shh. Don't talk. Just think it and I'll know. Listen I know you don't understand and I'll explain but first we need to get the hell out of here. I need you to trust me.' Willow continued to grind the herbs Spike had returned with as if she was working on his spell.
'I trust you but I."
"Stuff is gonna happen in a minute, when it does don't say anything okay just keep your mouth shut.'
Before Xander could form the thoughts to reply to his friend things started flying around the room. Broken boards began to swing around the very drunk vampire across the room. It took all the strength Xander had to not start laughing at the sight of Spike swinging wildly at all the boards smacking at him. All of a sudden Willow was at his side.
'I've never done this before so hold on.' Willow grabbed his hand and before Xander knew what was happening he was outside Giles house. "Damn it worked." Willow muttered.
"What the hell just happened?" Xander asked.
"Okay we are on the wrong side of Giles house but we're there so I'll explain as we walk." Willow said pulling him behind him as she started walking around the building. "I'm from a few years in the future. I did a spell that brought Spike and me here. The Spike from now found out that he'll get a soul in the future and now wants to turn me, it'll mess up the future if."
"Like Back to the Future?" Xander interrupted.
"Yeah. Anyway we need to find a way to get Spike out of town without hurting anyone so that things to don't change to much." Willow explained as the rounded the corner.
"You're here." Spike said spotting her coming around the corner. "Tell him to let me in so we can discuss this inside."
"Hi Giles." Willow said brightly. "He really does have a soul and won't hurt you. And we really need to figure out a way to stop the other Spike from hurting well, me."
"I don't know." Giles hesitated, "Fine come in. We can always uninvited you later."
"Gee thanks for the vote of confidence."
"You did try to kill us all Spike." Willow pointed out.
"I saved his bloody ass from Angelus."
"Can we just figure this all out please." Giles interrupted.
After everyone had found seats Willow began to explain what needed to be done. "I can get us back to our time, but we leave now, I don't know what we'll return too. We have to get Spike out of here without turning or taking anyone."
"Uh, Willow?" Xander said suddenly.
"Yeah?" Both Willows turned to face him.
"Are those boards still hitting Spike?"
"Oh, no. They stopped when we left."
"You were beating me with boards?" Spike asked indignant.
"Had to distract you."
"Why do we have to stop me anyway?" Spike asked, "I figured it out on the way here. I had planned on turning you, had wanted to when I was here the year before, but never had the chance. When I came back and got the damn chip I was gonna turn you. If I had succeed I never would have come back again, never gotten chipped, never would've had the damn soul."
"Never would've loved Buffy." Willow said quietly.
"You love Buffy?" Xander and Giles both said staring at the vampire.
"Did I ever love Buffy? Or was she right did I just want what I couldn't have. Never gave her a thought until you came home with the blond witch."
"I meet a male witch? What about Oz?" Willow asked.
"Not male. And Oz is gone." Willow said still staring at the vampire. "Are you saying that you lo."
"I don't know. I mean I respect you, probably more than Buffy, hell I fear you more than Buffy but."
"Not male? I'm."
"Gay." Willow said without turning from Spike. "Spike I'm. I don't."
"We can discuss it later Red. Right now let's stop me." Spike said not wanting this conversation to happen in front of an audience.
"Right. We have to make him not want to kill me." Willow muttered.
"Too made new super Willow can't do a spell to make him change his mind." Xander said from the kitchen where he had been searching for snacks.
"Sure if I could." Willow began.
"Wait, I can." The other Willow said standing up. "Giles you have a book, under you bed. It has a spell that alters memories."
"How do you know about."
"Because in a year or so you'll stop hiding everything from me." Willow smiled as she turned to her former self. "Up to helping me with a spell?"
"Me?" Willow said excitedly, "Really?"
"Yep. I need another witch for it." Willow answered she turned back to Giles and gave him the title of the book she needed and a list of supplies to Spike. "Okay as soon as they return we can do it."
~Part: 7~
Spike threw the bottle against the wall. Where the hell did they go, he thought, for that matter where had the possessed boards come from. He had to find them, if he didn’t he would end up with a soul, and in love with the Slayer, he was not going to let that happen.
He headed toward the door. If the witch figured a way out the
first place she would go would be to the slayer, so now all he had to do
was find her and Angel that shouldn’t be that hard.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Spike walked out of the magic shop carrying the bag of items Willow said she would need to fix the mess they had made. He wasn’t sure it would work though, she said she couldn’t put things back exactly the way they were, she couldn’t alter everyone’s memory, but she could get him out of town, back out looking for Dru.
As he rounded the corner he walked right into the two people he least wanted to meet while on this little adventure.
“Spike what the hell are you doing here?” Buffy asked pulling a stake from her pocket. “Do you want to die?”
“Already dead Pet.” Spike said, now I have to go.
“Sure and I’ll just step aside and let you leave.”
“You don’t understand. I won’t hurt anyone. Let me go and I’ll actually be saving several lives.” Spike insisted, not wanting to waste time fighting with Buffy.
“Something’s different.” Angel said staring at the other vampire. “What happened.”
“Uh, happened?” Spike said, “Dru left. Came back to kill the slayer. It’s all her fault.”
“So what changed your mind?” Buffy asked stake still ready.
“He’s lying.” Angel said, “It’s not Dru. I can smell Willow on him. But something’s different about him.”
“You aren’t going to believe me if I tell you so let’s not waste the time.” Spike said.
“’Bout bloody time I found you two.” A voice from behind Angel and Buffy said.
Buffy whirled around at the sound then froze as she spotted the vampire behind her. Angel was still watching the one if front of him.
“Uh, Angel?” Buffy said hesitantly.
“What?”
“You’re watching Spike right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then who the hell is this?” Buffy asked grabbing the other Spike and pulling him around so he was standing next to Spike.
Angel stood watching the two vampires standing in front of him. How the hell were they going to control two Spikes, how were there even two Spikes anyway?
“Someone want to explain?” Buffy asked, having back them both against the wall. “Or I could just start staking. Who’s the real Spike?”
“I am.” They answered in unison.
“We are both Spike.” Spike said taking a deep breath, if they didn’t believe this story he was dust. “I’m from the future. Willow did a spell that accidentally brought us here. Then he saw us. Went on a rampage about not wanting a soul, and decided he would turn Red. Now we have to fix everything so we can go back and hope we didn’t screw up the future too much.”
“Right. Two dead Spike’s coming up.” Buffy said moving forward.
“Wait.” Angel grabbed her arm. “He’s not lying. A soul would be what feels different. And it would explain why there are two of them.”
“Where’s Willow or Willow’s?” Buffy asked.
“That’s what I want to know.” Spike said angrily.
“Shut up. You I can stake.” Buffy said, “No soul.”
“Actually you can’t. Would kill me too.” Spike interrupted. “And you’ll need me in a few years.”
“Whatever. Willow?”
“With the watcher.” Spike said, “Waiting for these supplies.”
“Grab him.” Buffy said to Angel, motioning to the un-souled Spike. “Let’s find Giles.” She finished grabbing Spike and pulling him in the direction of Giles apartment.
~Part: 8~
"Giles how the hell did this happen?" Buffy asked angrily pacing the Watcher's living room. "Are you sure they're real?"
"No we're figments of your imagination. Only now it's affected everyone you know." Spike said without looking up from the magazine he was reading. "Are you almost done Red?"
"Do I have to be tied up? This chair is bloody uncomfortable." Spike whined from the corner, tired of being ignored.
"Yes." Buffy, Angel, and Giles all replied at once.
"Chair's great. Wait till you end up in the bathtub." Spike muttered, "Chair'll feel like heaven."
"What?" Spike asked.
"In a year or so, you'll be back and end up chained up in the watcher's tub." Was the reply, "Red.?"
"Give me a minute okay." Willow answered, "Not like I've done this spell before."
"Never flayed anyone either but you managed that on the first try."
"Don't start Spike." Willow muttered as everyone turned to stare at the red head.
"You, I flayed someone?" Willow asked slowly staring at the older version of herself.
"Not one of my better moments, but yes." Willow said.
"Sorry Wills, just can't see you flaying someone." Xander said laughing.
"Let's prove it to him." Both Spikes said at once.
"How would she do that?" Xander asked as the two Willow's continued going over the spell, ignoring the vampires.
Spike raised his eyebrows and stared at Xander for a moment.
"We're ready I think." Willow said picking up the paper she'd been writing on. "Ready?" She asked facing her former self.
"Are you sure I can do this?"
"Yes." Willow insisted, "Big spells always seemed to work for us. It's the little one's we screw up."
"O-Okay." She stuttered.
"So explain again what you're going to do." Buffy said as Willow began setting up the spell.
"The spell will do a couple things, first it'll take us back to where we came from, and second, it'll erase us being here from everyone's memory. In theory then Spike won't remember finding out about the soul and chip and will leave on his own, and everything should return to something close to the way it's supposed to be." Willow explained. "Spike we need you in the circle to be sure you'll leave with me. Don't really know how I'd get back to get you if you didn't leave with me."
"Right can't be stuck here." Spike said heading toward the circle. "Though we still didn't fix my life."
"You want me to let you turn me so you're life doesn't suck?" Willow asked, "'Cause you know, not gonna happen. You're life doesn't suck because you didn't turn me, it sucks because you were careless."
"Careless?" Spike asked stepping into the circle. "I am not careless." He turned and glared at Angel who was coughing in an attempt to hide his laughter. "Something to say?"
"Saying you're not careless is like saying Willow doesn't have red hair." Angel replied earning glares from both blond vampires.
"How was I careless?" Both Spikes' asked turning their attention to Willow.
"When you came back for the gem, the smart thing to do would have been to get it and leave." Willow said, "Okay, I realize you were obligated to try and kill Buffy, but when you failed you still stayed that's why you got caught. Was killing her that important to you?"
"Yes." Spike answered automatically, then off Willow's look, "No. I don't think I really gave a damn about killing her at that point. I wanted."
"You wanted revenge, for her kicking your ass, for Dru leaving for."
"I wanted you." Spike said quietly. "When I went to your dorm room, I wanted to find you, not Buffy. Yeah, her being there and getting to kill her would have been a bonus but I really wanted to find you."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I mean the whole time I was gone, I thought about going back and turning you, taking you with me." Spike answered.
"Why?"
"You're powerful, and have an amazing innocence." The other Spike answered.
"Shut Up." Buffy said without turning.
"He's right." Spike replied. "I think I may have loved you."
"Loved." Willow said staring at the vampire in front of her, "But Buffy. and you never said."
"Buffy was an obsession. And when would I have said anything. When you were barely coherent because of the wolf leaving or after you decided you were gay?"
"I don't. I mean I. We have a lot to talk about when we get back."
"Yeah." Spike replied, "Let's do this now and discuss this later."
"Right. Ready." Willow said handing the paper to her younger self. "Just read the words written here with me."
"'Kay." Willow answered, "Everyone step back from the circle. Don't want to send anyone back accidentally."
After everyone had stepped back a few paces the two Willow's began reading the spell that they had modified.
~Part: 9~
"What the hell just happened?" Buffy asked staring at the circle of herbs in the center of the floor. "Willow were you doing another spell?"
"Uh, yeah." Willow said staring at the paper in her hand.
"A spell for what?" Xander asked taking the paper from her. "Hey this is in Latin."
"Don't know, I mean I was going to do one because of that thing." She said staring at Xander, "But I don't know how we ended up doing it. Why is Spike here?"
"Spike?" Buffy and Angel both turned and stared at the vampire tied to the chair.
"Yeah Spike. Look I decided to go find Dru. I can make her love me again. Won't need the witch anymore. Let me go and you'll never have to see me again I swear."
"Staking you would accomplish that too." Buffy said.
"Just let him go." Giles said from the doorway. "We have enough to clean up without adding vampire dust to it."
"Fine." Buffy said moving to the vampire and quickly untying him. "Don't come back Spike."
"Whatever." Spike said bolting for the door.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
Willow opened her eyes and looked around the familiar bedroom. "Spike we did it. We're home."
"Thank God Luv." Spike said sitting up. "You're room looks different." He began moving around the room. "This stuff isn't all yours."
"No. Damn. I told you we may have messed up the way things were supposed to be."
"But shouldn't we remember it the way it happened for everyone else?"
"Guess not. Let's go see if anyone's home yet." Willow said pulling open the door.
"Bout time you two came out of there." Dawn said smiling at them.
"Dawnie?" Willow said, "How long have we been in there?"
"All afternoon. Xander and Cordy have even been back from taking the girls to the airport for hours."
"Cordelia's here?" Willow asked.
"Well, duh. Where else would she be?"
"Nowhere I guess." Willow said.
"Uh Red." Spike said from still inside the bedroom. "Could you come back in here please?"
"Dawn we'll be down in a minute okay." Willow said glancing back at the bedroom.
"God, you'd think you two would be less into each other after almost three years together."
"What?"
"Willow." Willow glanced back at the room at the sound of her name when she turned back, Dawn had walked away.
"What is it Spike?" Willow headed back into the bedroom, they had changed the future Cordelia is still here, she thought, probably because she never found out about the whole thing with her and Xander.
"Uh, Pet you know how you said things may be different?" Spike said slowly, "Well looks like I did come back for you after all."
"So your life still sucks?" Willow asked.
"No, this time it appears I got what I really came back for." Spike replied stepping away from the closet and letting Willow see the clothes hanging inside.
"Well that explains the heavy duty curtains." Willow said glancing at the window.
Spike glanced at the curtains for a minute, staring, as a memory filled his mind. "Willow, uh I remember how we uh, ended up like this."
"Yeah me too. I guess our memories are going to gradually change to match what we changed and we'll forget the other stuff."
"Great. I think I'm going to like these memories much better." Spike said reaching for her, pulling her against him and lowering his head to kiss her.
"Me too." Willow said as his lips met hers.
The End