DISCLAIMER:All of the characters appearing in this story belong to the WB, except Eve whom I made up myself. I don't own James Bond in case you are worried.
RATING:NC-17 in some spots
BACKGROUND: Season 4 story. Happens the weekend after Facing the Truth. Buffy/Spike, Angel/Willow slightly implied Thoughts are cited with * *

Giles watched Buffy pace over his steaming cup of tea. After her meeting with Riley, she went directly to Giles’s house. She didn’t care that she had thrown a coat over her pajamas, or that she may or may not have been wearing a hole in his floor. It had been two hours, and no one, neither Spike or Angel had arrived. That wasn’t precisely true, Xander and Anya had come during the second hour when she called them. They were currently snuggling on the couch. *Lucky them,* she thought bitterly. *Its two am and do I know where my boyfriend is?*

“Buffy. Have a seat. I’m sure they’re safe. Spike and Angel are probably hiding somewhere.” Giles drank some of his tea.

“Or the Initiative has them, unless they killed each other, which is more likely.”

A crew of four suddenly staggered through the front door. Buffy gasped because Willow and Cordelia were supporting Spike with Angel guarding their backs with a cross-bow in his hands.

Suppressing her urge to throw her arms around Spike, Buffy exclaimed, “What happened?”

Willow half-shrugged her shoulders, “The usual. Party, save Angel and Spike from the Initiative, and fight with a vengeance demon.”

Anya perked up, “Really? What kind? Maybe I know her?”

“Big, black, and ugly. Sound like anyone you know?” Cordelia described as she set Spike down none to carefully in a chair.

He gave her a dirty look, “And you sacrificed your nail polish for us. You’re a giver.” A wave of pain flashed across Cordelia’s face, and Spike winced, “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I meant it was flaky, but it worked.”

“Totally weird, but I accept the apology,” Cordelia erased the hurt from her face.

“Did I hear that right?” Xander asked. “Okay, who is this and where is the real Spike?”

Angel cleared his throat, “He is actually the reason Cordelia and I are here.”

“Did you come to take him with you?” Xander asked hopefully, ignoring Spike’s scowl.

“The truth is, and I’m sure some of you have noticed, there have been some changes in his behavior.” Angel stopped unsure of how to continue.

“Changes? What changes?” Xander said.

“Stop being stupid . . .Stupid,” Anya punched him in the arm. “We talked about him after we left the meeting.” She faced the group, “Yes, Spike did change.”

“May I inquire why?” Giles put in.

“It seems that Spike is the new Voice,” Angel said.

Buffy’s heart sank; sure she’d seen it with her own eyes, but Angel’s words made it real. If Spike could See the future like Eve, would he die too?

“How do you become the Voice?” Willow asked.

Before Angel could speak, Cordelia cut in, “This is my department. Seers are usually given their sight from the PTB’s.”

“The Powers That Be,” Angel clarified.

“The PTB’s like to have you do a penance thing, kinda like Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding here.” Angel rolled his eyes. “When a Voice dies, the last person to touch the seer inherits the sight.”

“Wait, what happens if its a bad guy touches him, or her, last?” Xander questioned.

“That doesn’t happen often, the PTB’s try to make sure the sight doesn’t go to bad guys. Seers tend to be killed, in those cases, by long range stuff like bombs and arrows.”

“How comforting,” Spike commented sarcastically.

“Hey,” Anya sat up from Xander’s arm. “How do you know all about this?”

Cordelia grimaced, “Because I’m Angel’s Voice. I was the last to touch Doyle before he died. Good kiss, but bad aftershocks.”

A coughing sound came from Giles, “So he’ll . . .Spike will be getting visions?”

“The head-splitting more powerful than Tylenol type,” Cordelia confirmed.

“Hang on,” Willow exclaimed. “What about that hearing voices thing?”

“And what about this polite apologizing pod vampire that replaced the one we’ve grown to know and loathe?” Xander said.

Buffy kicked Xander in the shin, “Could you shut up? I know the answer to that.” Buffy felt Spike’s eyes on her, as if he was afraid she would tell the group about them. “It’s Eve. You see, she always always knew how we were feeling. All the time. She didn’t use magic or anything. She just knew.”

“So you are saying that Spike can sense people’s feelings?” Giles ventured.

“Ohh, I met a guy like that. Majorly unfriendly,” Cordelia said.

“So what about the voices?” Willow reminded them.

Buffy’s brow crinkled, “Eve never heard voices. She had trances, spasms, and funny dreams, but no voices.”

“It was really weird. He was talking to thin air like they were telling him stuff,” Willow became even more thoughtful.

“Nope, not an Eve thing.”

“I think I know what it is,” Angel said abruptly. The room became very quiet. “The only person I ever met who could hear voices was . . .Drusilla.”

Willow whispered, “Spike staked her . . .”

For one moment there was complete silence. The only sound was that of the ticking clock. Then pandemonium broke loose with everyone talking at the same time.

“Isn’t there a limit, one gift per person?” (Cordelia)

“Double seer empathic vampire? I need a drink.” (Giles)

“He can See the future and hear my thoughts?” (Angel)

“Wow, who’d have thought?” (Willow)

“That will be so cool, only if he can predict the lottery.” (Xander)

“What’s a lottery?” (Anya)

“Will he end up like Dru?” (Buffy)

The one person who did not have a comment was Spike. He sat listening to the conversation around him with both his ears and mind. At Buffy’s last words, he felt her cold lump of fear and decided to stop the discussion.

“Hey!” Spike called over them. Everyone paused mid-motion. “I am still here. I do still have a name. Can we start thinking about what to do tonight? In case any of you noticed, I did fight a giant black demon and my ribs and right leg are broken.”

“Of course he . . .Spike, is quite right,” Giles agreed, adjusting his glasses. “If he’s been like this for a week, a day can’t hurt. We’re all tired. We could meet possibly tomorrow and try again with clear minds.”

“I’m good with that, I think I will be staying in that newly remodeled guest bedroom,” Spike referred to an upstairs sitting room Giles had recently converted into a bedroom. “Cordelia, can you help me up there?”

His words rang hollowly in Buffy’s stomach. Why did he ask Cordelia to help him? Was there something wrong with her, his quasi-girlfriend? *Stop it,* she told herself. *He can’t ask you for anything or it’ll clue everyone else in* No matter how she wanted to help him, this was something he would have to do on his own.

“Slayer,” he said to her in his most bored voice. “You, help her take me up those stairs.”

Squaring her shoulders, Buffy replied angrily, “Look, Spike-”

“Buffy, cut it.” Cordelia snapped. “It’s late, I’m tired. Are you going to help or not?” She seized one of Spike’s arms and looped it over her shoulder.

“Fine,” Buffy took his other arm and set it on her shoulder, almost wishing she could slap Cordelia.

Spike rose gingerly to his feet. He deliberately leaned heavily on Cordelia as they walked up the stairs, Buffy noticed in annoyance. She said, “Spike, you know I could carry you.”

He patted Cordelia’s hair, “Slayer, it’s just that she’s so cute.”

“I wish I had a stake on me,” Buffy bit back.

“Sure you do, luv. Pick on the broken vampire. Yep, that’s the way to go.”

At this point they were at the top of the stairs. “You may be Mr. ‘I can still kill people if I wanted to,’ but you’re still firing blanks.” They were in the bedroom almost to the bed. Cordelia pushed him onto it, and he lay spread-eagled on it.

He cocked one eyebrow, “Blanks? You know bloody well that’s not what I’m firing. Poofy downstairs, maybe, but you know I’m not. At least that’s not what you said last night.”

Buffy spun to face Cordelia, expecting to see shock. Cordelia was showing no such thing. She rolled her eyes, “Are you two done with your little lover’s quarrel?”

“What?” Buffy stammered. “I have no idea what you mean.”

“Give it up Buff. I’ve been told all about you and vampire number two.”

“Who told you?” Buffy said icily, ready to tear out the tongue of whoever spilled.

“Slayer-” Spike tried to get in.

“Hang on,” Buffy cut him off. “Who told you?”

“Spike did,” Cordelia smiled.

“You did what?!” Buffy faced the prone vampire. “We can’t tell my friends, and you tell Cordelia?” She jumped on the bed, prepared to toss him, stake him, anything.

“Wait Slayer,” he held up his hands in submission. One look in her eyes must have told him all he needed to know. When she was almost ready to pummel him, his arms shot out, pulling her close in a mind-numbing kiss.

The feeling of his cool lips on hers forced all rational thoughts out of her head. It felt so good, so right, so perfect. Buffy’s arms tightened around him, molding herself snugly against him. This was something she wanted from him. It was something she was beginning to suspect she might not be able to live without.

Spike jerked back, hissing in pain. Buffy gazed at him in confusion. Apparently he was it on her face, or felt it in her mind. “Ribs,” he managed to groan. “Damn, broken.”

Instantly repentant, Buffy released him, guilt filling her mind. “Sorry forgot.”

"It’s okay Buffy,” her name slipped from his mouth, reassuring her of his feelings.

“Hi, I’m Cordelia. I’m still in this room.” Cordelia reminded them.

“Oh yeah, you,” Spike said in annoyance.

“He told you about us?” Buffy remembered what had started the argument.

“Not at first. I figured it out on my own. I am a seer you know.”

“Yeah, scary isn’t it?” Buffy agreed.

“Watching you too is like watching reruns of Days of Our Unlives,” Cordelia shivered. “It’s creeping me out.”

“And knowing you can psychically see my sex life doesn’t?”

“Besides,” Spike mentioned, “Passions is so much better than Days.”

Rolling her eyes at her boyfriend, Buffy looked at Cordelia, “Angel found out tonight, too. Are you gonna share this with everyone else downstairs?”

Cordelia flounced her hair, “Well, I need to say that hiding this is gonna be hard for me, but harder for you. Lord knows I made out in enough closets. That was Xander though, not a psycho, psychic, undead ex-enemy. You two rate so low on the sneaking counter, even Bill and Monica outrank you.”

“We are too sneaky,” Spike sputtered, his arm around Buffy. She shifted, enjoying his casual but close gesture.

“To the blind, deaf, and fashionless, maybe. Whatever. I’m not going to tell them. I wouldn’t touch this one with a ten-foot pole, even for a shopping spree at Nordstrum’s.”

“Is she for real?” Buffy asked Spike.

“One hundred percent,” he stated.

“Thanks, Cordy. I think,” Buffy said cautiously.

“You two are kind of cute,” Cordelia started, “But only in the deep meaningful doomed sort of way. Otherwise you wear too much pastel, and he’s too much into leather. Where is his old coat anyway?”

“Yeah, where is my coat?” Spike said to Buffy.

“Under my bed in the dorm so Willow can’t find it.”

“Okay, now that we’ve figured out where the ancient fashion items are, shouldn’t we be going back downstairs?” Cordelia checked the time.

Buffy sighed, seeing they had spent too much time away already. She gave Spike a quick kiss on the mouth. “I wish I could stay.”

“I wish you could too, Baby,” he gave her a deeper kiss.

“Fine,” Cordelia huffed. “You talked me into it. Buffy come with me. You’re spending the night here.”

“What?” Buffy asked Cordelia who was trying to hustle her to the door. “What happened to ‘I’m not touching this with a ten-foot pole?’”

“Not even I am going to stay in the way of ill-fated true love.”

“Love?” Buffy and Spike choked out simultaneously and turned toward each other to say in unison, “What?”

“Puh-lease. You are so in love.” She pointed an accusing finger at them. “You think the PTB’s would send me a message about who the Slayer was getting some from if it wasn’t true love.

They stared a her blankly. Buffy could hear her heart pounding loudly in her ears. Love. With Spike. No. She liked him, craved him and wanted to spend all her time in his arms, but that was sex, not love. She wasn’t sure that she war ready to meet the big ‘L’ again. One could only imagine how Spike was feeling, and then it occurred her that with his new powers, he might have been able to more than imagine how she was feeling.

In fact he was studying her right now. Seeing her indecision he rescued her, “Time-out Cordelia. Thanks for the input, but can we get to the part where you two go downstairs and tell them the Slayer is staying here?” Buffy nodded quickly, relieved to stop the direction her thoughts had been going in.

“He’s right. Let’s go,” Buffy bent her head to deliver a another short kiss. It was supposed to be short.

After some waiting, Cordelia sighed and grabbed Buffy’s shoulder. Letting go of Spike reluctantly, Buffy followed her. Before they even reached the bottom of the stairs, Cordelia announced, “Buffy is staying here tonight.”

“What?” Xander shot up.

“I don’t get it,” Anya said.

“That did not make sense,” Giles agreed.

“Could you say that again, Cordelia?” Willow requested.

Only Angel knew enough to be remain silent. “You heard me,” Cordelia didn’t bother to repeat herself. Buffy hid a small grin. Gods or not, there were somethings even the Powers That Be couldn’t change, like Cordelia’s attitude. “Spike needs protection.”

“Hold on just a second. Last I knew Spike was not exactly our best friend. I can handle slaying with the guy, but what’s with this change?” Xander said.

“He did become the Voice, Buffy’s own personal seer,” Willow pointed out.

“So, who cares? He’s still a vampire. He doesn’t need our protection. If anything, now that he can see the future, he needs it less,” Xander stuck to his guns. Buffy clenched her fists in an effort to control her temper. How could Xander even pretend to know what was going on? She had to bite her tongue because if she tried to defend Spike too much, her friends could catch on. She wanted Xander to shut up now.

It was Angel who stopped him. “That’s enough.” To everyone’s surprise, he had laid a restraining hand on Cordelia who had taken several steps toward Xander. She was shaking in fury, but Angel was holding her back. He was saying, “The first days of discovery are most dangerous for a seer.”

“Really? I see Cordelia’s still here. Evil must have taken on look and ran the other way.”

Cordelia actually broke Angel’s hold on her and stepped forward to deck Xander. He fell back, a result of the forceful collision between his face and her right fist. “In case you cared, I almost had my eyes torn out and sold, before they got a chance to kill me.”

“Oh,” Was all he could get out.

Anya glared at him dispassionately, “See what I said. ‘Needs to work on sensitivity.’”

“But Buffy’s gonna stay here tonight to make sure Dead Boy Jr. Upstairs doesn’t buy it on his first day on the job.”

“I believe that was the general idea, Xander,” Giles said dryly. “I don’t have any objections, assuming this arrangement is temporary.”

“It’s temporary,” Angel assured him. “Spike should be well enough to move by tomorrow night.” Angel checked his watch. “Cordelia and I will be going then. Our part here is done.”

“Your leaving already?” Buffy gasped. She and Angel couldn’t be anything, but that didn’t mean she wanted them to leave right away. She needed to talk to them about Tools and Voices in general.

Answering for Angel, Cordelia said, “We’ll be here tomorrow for good-byes. Make sure Spike’s good and all you are up to dealing. It’s a big change.”

“Don’t remind me,” Giles moaned. “It’s enough that you have a soul, Buffy’s a Slayer, Cordelia is a seer, Willow’s a witch, Oz is a werewolf, Anya here is an ex-demon, and Xander is . . .well-”

“Obnoxious,” Cordelia suggested.

“Hey!” Xander gave her a glare.

“Either way, now Spike, who incidentally does not have a soul is a seer and an empath.” Giles massaged his temples. “Couldn’t this have happened to a different Watcher? Why me? Can it get any worse?”

*Yeah, I’m sleeping with Spike.* Buffy patted Giles on the shoulder, “Sure it can. All we need now is for Wesley to show up.”

Angel coughed. The group turned to look at him and Cordelia. “Umm, Wesley’s in LA with us.”

“What?” Buffy was surprised. Wesley had never trusted Angel and he was honestly the last person she expected to join forces with Angel.

“Wesley was between jobs.”

“The Watcher’s Council fired him,” Cordelia added with her usual tact. “He showed up claiming to be a what’s-it demon hunter.”

“A rogue demon hunter,” Angel corrected her.

“I can’t take it anymore,” Willow suddenly stood up. “We so need to be in contact. I’m all for weekly updates. Who’s coming, who’s going.”

“Where Hell is trying to rise?” Buffy commented. “All the normal stuff we see every day.”

“Sounds like a job for me.” Cordelia said. Everyone stared. “What? I’m Angel’s executive assistant.”

“Remove executive assistant and insert secretary,” Xander said for clarification.

She rolled her eyes, “Can we go now, Angel?”

“Sure. We’re staying at the Sunnydale Inn, rooms 114 and 116. We’ll be back tomorrow morning at nine to talk and say good-bye.” He and Cordelia exited the front door.

“Time for us to go too,” Anya said and drug a protesting Xander out the back way.

Willow sighed and gave Buffy’s clothes a once over. “I’m going too. Do you want me to bring you some stuff to wear tomorrow morning?”

“If you could. Hey, Willow, you look really toasty. Where’d you get that?” Willow did look good; she seemed especially witchy looking. “I know you didn’t go back to the room to change.”

“Cordelia lent it to me,” Willow smiled. “The guys seemed to like it.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Buffy said appreciatively. An outfit like that could drive any red-blooded male wild.

“I gotta go,” Willow yawned. “You’ll hear all about it later.” She left through the front door too.

Giles promptly sat down, his head in his hands, as soon as the door shut. Buffy felt sorry for him. “Giles, you wanna call it a night?”

“Undoubtedly, but I need to feed Spike and lock up.”

Concealing her eager smile, Buffy offered, “How ‘bout I lock up and feed him. You go on and sleep.”

“Thanks,” Giles said gratefully. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. I don’t think Spike will give me any trouble.” Buffy ignored the pang of guilt for not telling Giles about her and Spike. She hated hiding things from her Watcher, or her kinda Watcher, but if she did tell him, he’d probably have a heart attack.

“You have no idea how much I appreciate this.” He paused, “Where are you sleeping?”

*With Spike.* “On the couch, I think, after I feed Spike.” Giles looked like he was going to help her with something. “I’m okay. I know where the blankets are. Now go.” Needing no further instructions, Giles tripped up the stairs to his room.

After securing all the doors and windows, Buffy waited to be sure Giles was asleep. She filled a mug with blood and regarded it thoughtfully. Smiling to herself, she took off her jacket, leaving it on the couch. She practically slipped up the stairs into the guest bedroom. Entering, she deposited the mug on a night stand.

Spike’s eyes stared at her skimpy blue tank top with undisguised hunger. “What are you doing,” he asked, watching her lock the door and shut the curtains.

“What do you think? Giles is asleep.” Buffy stretched her whole body sinuously.

His gaze intensified, “You know what I’m thinking. Unfortunately I’m not in top form tonight. Broken bones do that.”

"Then we'll have to improvise," Buffy grinned. "Can you feel what I feel?"

Aftershocks

DISCLAIMER:All of the characters appearing in this story belong to the WB, except Eve whom I made up myself. I don't own James Bond in case you are worried.
RATING:NC-17 for this part
BACKGROUND: Season 4 story. Happens the weekend after Facing the Truth. Buffy/Spike, Angel/Willow slightly implied Thoughts are cited with * *

"Then we'll have to improvise," Buffy grinned. "Can you feel what I feel?"

"I guess so. I haven't exactly had the chance to test it," His voice was very wary.

"Really? No time like the present." Buffy licked her lips and began to rub her breasts. Her fingers circled her nipples through the blue cloth, pretending it was Spike's mouth on her. The nipples pebbled in response, and Buffy asked breathily, "Could you feel that?"

"Hell, yes," Spike's face was pinched tight in a combination of pleasure and pain. "Can we please remember tonight I am broken?"

Buffy picked up the mug and set in on the bed next to him. She cast a glance at his jeans and smiled at the hard bulge. "Funny, you don't look broken." She climbed on him, straddling his erection. It grew harder beneath her, and she instinctively shifted to give him better access. "You don't feel broken, either."

He groaned, "You should be illegal or something. It's been hours since I saw you, and you still didn't put knickers on!"

She ground herself further against his shaft, eliciting another groan from him. "Are you complaining?"

"Not at all."

"Good because you can't guess how wet I am right now." She set one hand on his straining zipper. "Then again," she whispered conspiratorially, "Maybe you can." She pushed the tab down and pulled his member out. "I see you didn't wear any knickers either." Her fingers wandered up and down his hard shaft.

The look of pure desperation on his face convinced her to continue. "Are you going to drink your blood yet?" Buffy carefully slid up higher.

"Blood is not what I have a taste for."

"I wouldn't know about that." Buffy stripped off her tank top to bare her rosy-tipped breasts to his sight. Very slowly, she dipped on finger into the blood and touched one nipple with it. A drop of blood clung to its upturned pink crest. "How about now?"

Spike's perfectly uninjured arms shot out and pulled her to him. His cold mouth clamped on her breast, cleaning the blood off. Carefully, as not to cause any pain, he cut the nipple with his teeth, breaking the skin and began to suckle harder. Buffy bit her hand to keep from screaming out in pleasure as her warm blood entered him. Each flick of his tongue sent a tremor right to her center. She pushed herself further into his mouth, and his arms held her in place.

He stopped, and she mewed in protest, "More."

"Don't worry." He caught her other breast and began to deliver a similar treatment to her other nipple. This time one of his hands snuck into her pants. He slipped one finger inside her and proceeded to copy the motions of his tongue. Buffy writhed mindlessly against the dual assaults. Her inner walls suddenly tensed up and brought her crashing through an orgasm. She bit through the skin on her hand in an effort not to scream and wake Giles.

Spike let her go and licked his wet finger with a grin. "You're right. It does feel good. Tastes delicious too." He grabbed her hand and lapped the blood off it. Eyes half-lidded in pleasure, Buffy kissed him so he could clean the last of the blood off her mouth.

She handed him the mug. "Drink this. You need your fluids." She hopped off the bed and eyed his unzipped jeans. His hard-on had gotten even thicker, if possible.

"What are you doing?" His head strained up to see her.

"Drink your blood," she commanded. He complied, almost choking in his haste. She grinned at his prone form. "I'm thirsty. You got a drink already. I have a taste for something . . .salty." Spike tensed when she lowered her mouth over him. "Don't try anything or I'll have to hurt you." Her warm mouth was a mere inch from him, and she pushed a hand on his broken leg. He hissed in pain. "Got the idea?"

"Crystal," he replied with difficulty, and she took him in her mouth.

*He was certainly cold,* she observed, running her tongue over the ridges. She sucked hard and listened to him moan. Cleaning off the moisture forming on the tip with her tongue, she took him fully into her mouth. Buffy fingered and rubbed his balls through his open fly. He thrashed against her mouth, but it only inspired her to suck harder. Spike simultaneously used one hand to force her head down further, and placed the other wrist in his mouth. He then came violently in her mouth, shooting off like a rocket. Buffy drank it all down, and his fangs broke his own skin.

Buffy raised her head to see him lying slack-jawed and vamped out. Then he flashed her a wicked and somewhat dazed toothy smile, "Wow."

"I guess so. See, not only was it not broken-" She returned his grin, "It was delicious." She gave his semi-flaccid shaft a small lick. It started to hardened on contact.

Spike eyed his member as he pulled his human facade back on. "Buffy, you have two choices. Leave now, or climb on board."

She met his glance. She wanted nothing more than to be with him again, but . . ."I'd better go. You're hurt and I don't think that's something we could do quietly."

"Well, pet, I'm kinda dying to know how it feels like for you, when you've got me inside you, all tight and warm, bouncing up and down . . ." The lilt in his voice won her over.

She shed her cotton pants and climbed astride him. Very deliberately and with infinite care, she impaled herself upon him. His hands grabbed her buttocks to drive her down till he was buried in her to the hilt. Experimentally she bounced a little on him, feeling him surge against her. She loved it, to have him filling her completely. Buffy pulled herself up slowly and came down just as slowly, reveling in the sensations of this torture. Her body screamed at her to speed up, and she could practically hear Spike's body calling for her. She wanted to make it last. One of his hands began to finger her clit, thumb rubbing small circles. That snapped through her control. Pushing her head down, she gave Spike an open-mouthed kiss to cover the shrieks erupting from her at her climax. He thrust up against her when he came, joining her in the scream. When they returned to their senses some minutes later, she felt him whisper into her heaving chest, "That felt good too."

Morning came. Leaving her place on the couch, Buffy had helped Spike downstairs after stealing a few kisses. Giles woke and came down to witness Anya, Xander, and Willow all arrive. Presently a black car with its top up pulled into the shade of the house, and Angel and Cordelia joined them.

Pleasantries were exchanged, but no one was actually saying much of anything. Cordelia glared at Xander, who returned it, Angel's gaze flickered between Buffy, Spike, and Willow, Willow eyed Angel uneasily, and Giles stared mutely at Spike. Finally Anya, who had watched the whole spectacle, stood up, "This is boring. Are we going to do anything? Xander and I could be having sex now."

Xander had the grace to blush, but he did not protest as she led him toward the door. "Bye, Angel, Cordelia. My problem with Dead Boy Junior can wait until later."

Willow stood also, "Giles, I think I need you to bring that stuff you had to the dorm room."

"What stuff?" Giles asked, clearly confused.

"The stuff we talked about. Come on." Getting the hint, Giles left with her. Angel's eyes followed Willow out.

"Now that everyone else left, I think you and Angel have something to say to each other, outside," Cordelia suggested.

Buffy kissed Spike's forehead. "Sure." Angel and Buffy stepped outside.

Spike shot Cordelia a look of annoyance. "Why did you do that?"

"She needs to smooth things over with him. You didn't have to listen to him rage all yesterday night."

"Who cares? She's my girl now."

"The fact hasn't escaped him," Cordelia observed. "And judging by those finger-shaped bruises on her shoulders, I'd say it didn't escape you either."

"You helped," he pointed out. "I do need to ask you something. Is Seeing all bad?"

"Beyond the ultra-powerful headaches? Not always, just usually. I can't see the winning lotto numbers or anything majorly helpful. But I am good at saying things like, 'Evil is rising on the corner of West Main and Ninth.' Also I'm good at finding demon-eaten corpses."

"So there are good points."

"Yeah, what did Angel say, 'You are now an indispensable member of the slaying team.' It'll get you lots of gratitude, assuming it doesn't get you killed."

"Charming. Any ideas what I should do with this other new gift, the empathy?"

She was startled he wanted her opinion on something other than seeing, "Other than helping the helpless, which you're gonna be forced to do anyway? If I were you, I'd learn how to sneak around with it. It'll keep the whole Scooby gang from finding out what you're up to. Besides, who knows how long you and Buffy will be together."

He glared at her, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, duh, she's the Slayer. I've had fish with longer life spans than what she may have. I mean things look good now, but who knows what will happen months from now. If you don't get your grr back and try to kill her-"

"I've never been able to kill her," he interrupted.

"-then someone else will. It's not like vampire and slayer couples have real staying power. You'll probably just get tired of her and ditch her or eat her."

Outrage warred with indignation across his face, "I am not going to get tired of her. Ever!"

Cordelia clicked her tongue, "Boy, you've got it bad."

"Look, I know," Buffy said. "'He's dangerous. He's bad. He doesn't have a soul. It will never work.'"

Angel caught her arm. "No, I didn't come to fight." He let her go. "I just wanted to tell you to be careful."

"I understand, but, Angel, you can't look out for me forever."

The intensity of his gaze physically pushed her back. "I wish I could." Angel took her hands in his. "You know I love you."

She slowly pulled her hands back. "And I can't love you back. At least not the way we did that one time."

"I would almost trade my soul for that. If only-"

"Don't say it!" she cried. She couldn't go through that ever again. "Being with Spike doesn't mean I hate you. We have different lives now. You chose LA. I choose Sunnydale, and Spike."

He considered her words for a minute, "Was it worth it?"

"What? Spike or you?"

"Me."

There was no uncertainty in her tone, "Yes."

"Is he worth it?"

Again, no hesitation, "Yes."

"How do you know?" he practically begged.

Buffy looked off into the distance. "If you could have met Eve. If Eve had lived . . . She brought up something in him I had never let myself see. It was the last thing I was searching for, but it found me."

"Do you love him?" Angel voice was harsh.

"I don't know!" she threw up her hands in exasperation. "Is love trusting someone completely? Is it wanting to be with someone every minute of the day? Is it what drives me to sleep with my mortal enemy?" Buffy faced him again, pain plain on her features. "I never planned on any of this; it just happened."

Angel couldn't stand to see the pain and turned away, "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

"No, I'm really sorry. I'm sorry for what I put you through with Angelus, I'm sorry I left, and I'm sorry I put you in this position."

"It's not your fault. People change. We have to. You changed since you left, and I knew things with Spike were different after our first kiss, before Eve came into the picture."

He faced her and held her arm tightly. "I want you to be happy. That's all I ever wanted. If he ever hurts you . . ."

"He won't. He's the one who needs to be careful."

"Still, I'm here if you and he don't make it."

"Don't hold your breath. We're thinking long term," Buffy matched his eyes without flinching.

The door opened behind them as Angel let her go. Cordelia said, "Angel, your turn."

"For what?"

"Get into the house and talk to your newly psychicked childe." She left no questioning. Angel obeyed.

"Okay Buffy, I don't feel like dancing around this. Do you plan on being with Spike for a long time?"

"Yes," Buffy said in irritation. "You too? Does everyone think he's that undependable?"

"I wasn't talking about him. I was talking about you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Cordelia faced Buffy with undisguised agony in her eyes. "I loved Doyle. I did, but he was never mine. He was good and kind, even if he was half demon. But he was never ever going to be mine. The PTB's had a different plan." She pointed at Buffy. "Now you have Spike."

"No biggie. I don't own my own life. I'm the Slayer. Spike and I are even."

"It's not the same. We have this thing inside of us. It's gift or a curse, I can't be sure. When I found I had it in me, I kissed every guy in a three block radius trying to get rid of it.

"You must have really wanted to get rid of it." Buffy commented.

"You have no idea. Either way, it's in me, forever. Or until I die. Which could be very soon or not so soon."

"Yeah, I'm the Slayer. I already have the pronouncement 'You will not live past twenty-five' hanging over my head."

"It's different for a seer. Spike will be able to see his own death coming. Or yours."

Buffy closed her eyes, "Something bad is ahead, isn't it?"

"Yep. Something so icky it forced me to show up in Sunnydale again. So powerful it's getting Spike and Angel to call off their fight. So great the PTB's are letting their favorite Tool and Voice get it on."

"I got the idea," Buffy said feeling the atmosphere around them darken.

"I hoped you did. I laid it on pretty thick," Cordelia admitted. "Doesn't mean I was lying. I usually save the gloom and doom for Angel to say."

"That doesn't surprise me."

Angel looked down at his blonde childe, unsure of what to say.

"Since you don't seem to know what to say, I'll say it for you. 'Spike, I love your girlfriend. You hurt her and I'll kill you.'"

"Something like that," Angel agreed.

"Okay. Now that we got that out of the way, we can return to our regularly scheduled programming, you in LA and me here."

"Why did you stay?"

"What?"

"Why did you stay here in Sunnydale?" Angel asked.

"I was bored. Sunnyhell isn't short on excitement with a Hellmouth and the Slayer. I ended up with more than I ever needed."

"Then why didn't you leave after that? You live to kill, and now you can't," Angel pointed out.

"So I was bad off for a while. My whole unlife was screwed. I only tried to stake myself a few times."

"You tried to stake yourself!" Angel exclaimed in disbelief.

"At least I didn't try to sit outside and wait for the sun to rise." Spike raised a hand dismissively, "I know; the snow came and all that. You lead a charmed life. I'm starting to fancy that maybe I'm just as charmed as you. Every time I tried to do the deed, the Slayer or her friends stopped me."

That was a revelation for Angel. "So what changed?"

"A lot. First I kissed the Slayer. And then Eve comes along, and now I'm back to the whole Slayer bit."

"So Buffy and Eve are why you are alive."

"Basically." He shrugged his shoulders, "Killing demons and fledglings almost makes up for the pig's blood. Shagging the Slayer more than makes up for all of this torment."

His sire gave him a fierce stare. "I'm only going to ask this once, but I need to know. Do you love her?"

"Cordelia bugged me about that too. I don't know. Why can't anyone be happy that she is my reason for living. Or not living," Spike growled in annoyance.

"She is?"

"Hair gel blocking your ears? We just went over that! Are you surprised? Come one, Dru was the center of my universe once. Well, Dru and killing of course. What's wrong with me and the Slayer? She's a far cry from Dru. Most of Buffy's brain works."

"Nice to see you noticed," Angel observed dryly. "So she made all the difference in this new nice you?"

"Bugger it all. I'm no saint like you. I'm still the same Spike. I just don't bite anymore, hard. Does that suddenly make me a nancy-boy like you? The Slayer and I like each other fine. We shag. Neither of us sees this as undying soul stealing love. We'll settle for years of mind-blowing sex if that's okay with you."

"If you think that, you're an idolt."

"Thanks Poofy. I watched you walk that road once. I'm not the ninny you are. It's not gonna happen to me."

"You keep telling yourself that Spike. I know I did."

"Can you go now?"

"I'm going. Remember, hurt her, and I will kill you."

"No, you hurt her or screw this up for me; you'll find your way back to LA in a dustbuster. Sides, don't try to get in my face. I saw the way you and Red were checking each other out."

Angel tensed, "It was nothing."

"Bull. You're trying to lie to the wrong person. It was bad enough when it was demon-girl and Xander with sex on the brain, but now you and Red."

"Could you shut up?"

Seeing he'd struck a nerve, Spike continued without mercy. "Why a little attention is good for her. She's not dealing too well with dog-boy leaving. If you ever come back here, maybe it should be to see Red instead of planning how to steal my girlfriend. Break the vicious cycle already. Hell, I'll even give you advice on how to get some from her." Spike considered his words. "Or not get some. I like this you better anyhow. I miss the bad-ass, but that one would have killed me after I moved in on the Slayer."

"This one still might," Angel said under his breath.

"I heard that. Still, you and Red, I saw it."

Angel didn't bother to deny any of it. "I think it is time to go."

"Don't let me stop you," Spike said. "Take care of Cordelia, too."

"What's that mean?"

"She needs to talk to you about that Doyle character. Be gentle, she's still grieving."

"I thought I'd seen it all. I was wrong. William the Bloody, grief counselor, is new."

"It happens. You take care of her. She's gonna need it," Spike thought about what he said, "And I don't have a bleeding clue where that came from."

Buffy and Cordelia reentered. "Time to go," Angel told Cordelia.

"Bye, 'Dad,'" Spike called from the couch, and Buffy watched them leave in silence. When they were gone, Spike addressed his quiet girlfriend, "So I take it they cornered you too?"

"Yeah, serious much," Buffy sat next to him on the couch. "They aren't sure we have a chance."

"Honestly, Vegas odds wouldn't give us a snowballs chance in Hell." Buffy frowned at him, and he laughed, "Vegas would also give the same odds for you living past sixteen."

She smiled at his comment, and he returned it. They were on the same wavelength, happy to be defying the odds, again. No one did it as well as they did. It was a perfect moment in time, no danger, no pain; simply two people falling deeper into an unexplainable attraction. "Can we hold hands?" She blushed at the intense look on his face.

"Sure, pet. Whatever you want." They twined their fingers together and enjoyed their moment, ignoring the gathering darkness on the horizon.

"So, do we have a winner?" Cordelia inquired in the car.

Angel nodded, "They're in love. Nothing on heaven, earth, or hell is going to keep them apart."

"I got the same feeling. Those two pretend they don't know, but they're almost ready to say it." Cordelia looked thoughtful, "They do have a lot going against them. She Slayer; he vampire."

"I don't think it will matter. Nothing can compare."

"So I've heard." Cordelia adjusted her hair in the mirror, "I actually hope they can be happy." She seemed very sad in that moment.

He thought for a second, judging her face. "It could happen." He paused.

"What?" she said annoyed.

"Well, seeing Spike become a seer has made me start thinking. I miss Doyle . . ."

A silent unseen figure watched the black car pull away with anger on its face. Despite the calm, there would always be a storm on the horizon.

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