SPIKE: Buffy.

BUFFY: Spike.

NANCY: Who's that?

DAWN: He's...it's Buffy's-

XANDER: Ex.

NANCY: And I'm thinking it's a little bit more complicated than just that.

XANDER: Always is.

BUFFY: You've changed...

SPIKE: I have.

BUFFY: New clothing, better hair, not so much with the crazy, I like it. Now what do you want?

SPIKE: Easy. If you think I like putting myself here, surrounded by people who don't particularly like me, you'd be wrong.

XANDER: If you're uncomfortable, we could make you leave.

SPIKE: I'll be quick. You want to do that here or privately?

XANDER: I'm thinking here, in the company of good friends and pointy weapons.

BUFFY: You said something about quick?

SPIKE: I did. First off...and for the record, last you saw me, I was a mess...out of my head, I admit it. Last week living in the school basement, well...you saw me.

DAWN: You did?

BUFFY: Guys just a second, yes, I saw Spike, I just didn't think-

DAWN: What, you just forgot to mention it?

BUFFY: Things were insane in the basement, I saved your life. We can discuss this later.

DAWN: Sure

XANDER: Whatever you want.

DAWN: Right, because that seems to be the only time you let us in, Buffy. Whenever you want.

SPIKE: Now, in fairness to Buffy-

XANDER: Shut up Spike!

BUFFY: OK...guys, give us a second. (Once outside in the hallway) Do not start, by saying you're sorry.

SPIKE: I didn't come here to atone.

BUFFY: Then what the hell do you want?

SPIKE: I'm here to help you.

BUFFY: Help me what?

SPIKE: Well, I was kinda hoping you could tell me. You're the slayer, connected to the visions...long line of worthies, right? I'm just a guy with his ear to the ground, but even I can feel it. Something's coming. I don't know what exactly, but something's brewing. And it's some big ugly and damned that makes you and me look like little bitty puzzle pieces. Now if I'm wrong, SAY SO, lovely, no hard feelings, and I'll go out that door, and you can lock it with any spell you like. So...am I wrong?

BUFFY: Everything about you is wrong, Spike. But something is coming.

SPIKE: So are you going to need some help?

BUFFY: Since when did you become the champion of the people?

SPIKE: I didn't. I'm just a guy that can lend a hand if you'll let me. Ball's in your court, Slayer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DAWN: Spike? You sleep, right? You, vampires...you sleep?

SPIKE: Yeah, what's your point?

DAWN: Well, I can't take you in a fight or anything, even with a chip in your head. But you do sleep. If you hurt my sister at all. Touch her? You're going to wake up on fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPIKE: You're awfully quiet.

BUFFY: Wouldn't know what to say.

SPIKE: Fine with me, I was more half-expecting to get more than an earful anyway. And when did your sister get unbelievably scary?

BUFFY: What are you doing?

SPIKE: What? I told you once, straight up, I'm here to help, and that's all. Think this here's our spot?

BUFFY: How'd you guess?

SPIKE: I don’t fancy sticking my head in there.

BUFFY: But if something bites it off, that’d be a clue. So what happened to you?

SPIKE: When you saw me, those ghostly types in the school basement, going into my head, made me flat out bug-shaggin' crazy, and I'm not exactly bragging about it, but they were stronger than I was. Made me see things, do things...and how come you never told anyone you saw me?

BUFFY: I don't know. I guess I was partly hoping you were some sort of mirage.

SPIKE: Sorry to disappoint.

BUFFY: Not your fault.

SPIKE: Hold the torch, will you?

(Buffy grabs the flashlight and flashes to the "Seeing Red" scene)

BUFFY: Look...this, us working together, it's not a way for us to get back together, if that's what you want.

SPIKE: It's not. Look, I can't blame you for being all skittish.

BUFFY: Skittish? That's not a word I would use for it. You tried to rape me, I don't have the words.

SPIKE: Neither do I. Can't say sorry. Can't use "forgive me". All I can say is Buffy, I've changed.

BUFFY: I believe you.

SPIKE: Well, that's something.

BUFFY: I just don't know what you've changed into. You come back to town, you make with the big surprises, twice...I don't know what your game is, Spike, but there's something you're not telling me.

SPIKE: You’re right. There is. But we’re not best friends anymore so too bad for me. I’m not sharing. We’ve been through things. The end of the world and back. I can be useful, because honestly, I've got nothing better to do. You can make use of me if you want...and there's nothing here...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPIKE: Sorry! Right...wrong, wrong of me again. Not hardly helpful. Please help me...HELP ME!

BUFFY: You're not the one who needs help. He's going into shock.

SPIKE: (Spike starts muttering nonsense) Deep, deep inside me.

BUFFY: Look, Spike, whatever you're doing-

SPIKE: Get away! Get -- get away!

BUFFY: Do it somewhere else! I am through with this!

SPIKE: Oh, oh, lucky girl. Call it quits, as if there's an option. It's not so easy...if only, if only, if only -- what the HELL are you screaming about?! I can hear you. No need to SHOUT! (Laughs) I get it. It's all me, lot's of laughs. Bring the wife and kiddies, come and see the show. There's going to be a circus. This is just the beginning, love. The real headliner's coming and when that  hits the stage, all of this will come tumbling in death and screaming, horror and bloodshed. And from beneath you, it devours.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPIKE: It didn't work.

BUFFY: What the hell are you-

SPIKE: It didn't work. The costume, it didn't help. I couldn't hide.

BUFFY: No more mind games, Spike.

SPIKE: No more mind games? No more mind.

BUFFY: Tell me what happened to you.

SPIKE: Hey! Hey! No touching! Am I flesh? Am I flesh to you? Feed on flesh... my flesh. Nothing else, not a spark. Fine. Flesh then... solid through, get it hard, service the girl.

BUFFY: Stop it!

SPIKE: Right, girl doesn't want to be serviced, because there's no spark. Are you in the soggin' engine.

BUFFY: Spike, have you completely lost your mind?

SPIKE: Well, yes, where have you been all night?

BUFFY: You thought that you'd just come back here and be with me?

SPIKE: First time for everything.

BUFFY: This is all you get, I'm listening. Tell me what happened.

SPIKE: I tried to find it, of course.

BUFFY: Find what?

SPIKE: The spark, the missing...the piece, that fit...that made me fit, because you didn't want...I can't, not with you looking...(backs away into shadows). I dreamed of killing you. I think they were dreams. So weak...did you make me weak? Thinking of you? Holding myself and spilling useless buckets of salt over your...ending. Angel...he should have warned me.... I'd surely forget it, but...it's here, in me, all the time... the spark. I wanted to give you what you deserve, and I got it. They put the spark in me, and now all it does is burn.

BUFFY: Your soul...

SPIKE: Bit worse for a lack of use.

BUFFY: You got your soul back? How?

SPIKE: What you wanted, right? It's what YOU wanted, right? And now...everybody is in here, talking...everything I did, everyone one I...and him, and it, the other...the thing, beneath -- beneath you, it's here too. Everybody, they all just tell me, Go. Go...to hell

BUFFY: Why? Why would you do-

SPIKE: Buffy, shame on you. What does a man do what he mustn't? For her. To be her's. To be the kind of man who would never...be a kind of man...and she shall look on him with forgiveness and everybody will forgive and love and he will be loved. So everything's okay, right? Can we rest now? Buffy, can we rest?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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