Desolate

Season 8, Episode 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing save a really kickin’ dvd collection.

Acknowledgments: Many thanks to Mel D for beta reading this

“So the Coven trip was a bust?” Buffy asked as she and Faith walked through the cemetery.

Faith shrugged. “I guess. They’re still running test or whatever.”

“Well that’s something,” Buffy replied. “Was it fun?”

Faith rolled her eyes. “They danced naked and howled at the moon.”

“So, yes.”

“Yeah I loved watching women as old as my grandmother gyrate to ‘the rhythm of the spheres.’ Not at all traumatizing.”

Buffy fought down a smile and replied, “I’m really sorry.”

“Sure ya are.”

They walked in silence for a few moments before Buffy spoke again. “Do things seem weird to you?”

“Like whimsical weird or eminent attack weird?” Faith said, looking around cautiously.

“No, like, life just seems off,” Buffy replied.

“And how long have you had this feeling?”

“Well doctor Faith…”

“Answer the question.”

“I don’t know.”

“Since the Hellmouth?”

Buffy turned to look at her. “Yeah, maybe since then.”

Faith rolled her eyes. “That ‘weird’ feeling is happiness.”

Buffy smiled. “Is it a sign of the apocalypse?”

“Too early to say. You loosen up enough to get laid – then I’ll worry.”

Fred and Willow stood side by side, hips touching, as they tasted the pasta sauce and debated more garlic. At the table, Giles, Xander and Spike tried to pretend that they weren’t fantasizing about what the girls did behind closed doors.

The conversation wasn’t helping.

“It should be spicier,” Fred said.

“It’s sauce not salsa. Why do Texans have to put cyan in everything?”

“Why do Yanks like everything so bland?”

“There are some things I like spicy,” Willow replied with a mischievous grin.

They giggled and turned their attention back to the stove.

Giles cleared his throat. “Uh, Buffy and Faith went patrolling, yes? I wonder when they’ll be back.”

Xander knew Giles was trying to distract from the fantasy playing out in the kitchen, but his new topic didn’t help. It only added Buffy and Faith to the hot tub party Fred and Willow were having in his head.

“No idea, I’m sure they’re fine,” Spike said without taking his eyes off Fred and Willow.

Anya walked in as Spike finished speaking and quickly surveyed the scene.

“It’s inappropriate to have sexual fantasies about your friends,” she announced.

“Anya!” Xander exclaimed and looked over at Willow and Fred, who luckily took Anya’s statement as just another example of her random wackiness.

“What?” Anya replied. “You’re the one who told me I had to stop.”

“I told you to stop telling me about them.”

“So you can have them, you just can’t talk about them?”

“Right.”

“Ok,” Anya replied and took a seat at the table.

“Life blows,” Dawn said as she entered the kitchen, dropped her book bag and plopped down at the table.

“Rough day at school?” Giles asked.

“You don’t want to know.”

“You’re probably right,” Anya agreed. “Let’s talk about my problem. I need more books.”

“Books?” Giles said and perked up. The glint in his eyes was quickly replaced by a wary glance. “To do what with?”

“Read. What else?”

“I couldn’t even begin to imagine,” Giles replied. “But if you are serious about your newfound love of literature I should think I’d be able to help you. Ex-librarian and all.”

“Didn’t you blow up your library?” Anya asked.

“Well, it wasn’t my fault,” Giles replied. “Buffy did it.”

Xander could easily see this escalating into a yelling match, so he quickly changed topics. “So, Dawnster, what’d you learn today?”

Dawn looked up thoughtfully, as if choosing the perfect way to convey her new knowledge, then announced, “People are stupid and life sucks.”

“Congratulations,” Xander replied. “You’re ready to graduate.”

“Tell me the problem. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it,” Spike announced confidently.

Dawn cast him a disbelieving glance. “You’re going to come up with a plan to convince Stuart that I exist?”

“Sure,” Spike replied, mocking the hyper helpfulness of the Scooby gang. “We’re a family and we help each other.”

Dawn rolled her eyes, but otherwise ignored his tone. “You’re gonna come up with a plan that doesn’t involve hiring a demon to attack him, then sweeping in to rescue him?”

Spike furrowed his brow. “How’d you know what I was thinking?”

“I already thought of that plan.”

“No good?”

“Well there are a lot of ways it could go wrong,” Dawn explained.

“Never stopped me from executing any of my plans,” Spike countered.

“Yes, and we’re all rather thankful for that fact,” Giles replied.

“I need Buffy,” Dawn said and turned to Spike. “Go find her.”

“How many points do I get?” Spike replied.

“Forgiveness still isn’t a point system.”

“Just pick a number.”

Dawn shrugged. “Twelve.” It was the most messed up ethical system ever, but secretly Dawn kinda liked it. She liked being in charge. It made her feel secure.

“Right then. I’m off. Don’t hold dinner.”

“Weren’t really planning on it,” Xander replied.

Meanwhile Faith and Buffy had completely lost track of time and were still making the rounds at the Kavalier cemetery.

“You know what would make you feel better?” Faith asked.

“Slaying?” Buffy answered.

“Close, getting laid.”

“You offering?”

Faith smiled back at Buffy. It was so good to hear her joking, at ease. She was completely changed from last year.

“Nah, got my eye on someone else.”

Buffy grinned and opened her mouth to speak but Faith cut her off. “You sing that sittin’ in a tree song one more time and you’re the only thing getting slayed tonight.”

“Fine, fine, ruin my fun,” Buffy replied.

“If you want to have fun…” Faith began.

“We’re back to the getting laid thing aren’t we?”

“We never really left it,” Faith replied. “You should get together with sexy eyes. What’s keeping you?”

Buffy shrugged. “Nothing I guess. I thought I should stay away, let him be his own person, but when it came down to it he didn’t let William live for me. He did it for himself. I think maybe he’s grown more that I thought.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“He’s grown, have I? Am I any better than I was before, any closer to figuring out who I am?”

“Who cares?”

“I do,” Buffy replied and looked around the cemetery. “Don’t you feel weird?”

“Most the time. But that’s probably ‘cause I once murdered a guy for his coat.”

Buffy shuddered inwardly. She didn’t love being reminded of Faith’s past, specially now that she had her eye on Xander. But instead of tackling the issue she went back to the original topic. “I mean now, now that we’re not the only ones. I had a place, I had a role, I had an early death all planned. And now-“

“So it’s weird,” Faith said. “I get that. I mean, I wasn’t really functioning as the slayer for long. Must be hard for you. Who are you if you’re not The Slayer?”

“Yeah,” Buffy said, suddenly more dour. “And what was I when I was ‘The Slayer’? A killer? A savoir? A sacrifice? I just don’t understand my role, and maybe I never did. I always said that being the slayer meant more than killing, but I’m not sure I know what that ‘more’ is,” she said as her face clouded over.

Spike was shocked and a little worried to come across Faith first, Faith without Buffy.

“Where is she?” he asked.

“Hello, how are you? Pleasantries aren’t just for humans you know,” Faith replied.

“You learn that in prison?”

“No, Giles.”

“Right, so Buffy?”

“She said she wanted some time alone. She’ll be along shortly.”

“She’ll be along shortly?” Spike said in his poshest accent. “You spend too much time with Giles.”

“Speaking of posh,” Faith began. “Seems you weren’t always Mr. Badass.”

Spike eyed her warily. “What’d Buffy tell you?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Spike shook off his fear. Buffy wouldn’t have told about the poetry. The hair maybe, not the poetry. “No, I don’t care. What I care about is the fact that Buffy just let you walk off all by yourself.”

“Yes all by myself,” Faith said excitedly. “And tomorrow we’re taking the training wheels off my bike!”

“Oh boy!” Spike replied. “Seriously. Powerful, pain inducing, slayer ending demon is after you and she just let you walk home alone?”

Faith shrugged, “Yeah, it’s not that far.”

“Right,” he said, pulled out his cell phone and started dialing. “Hi. Caridad. It’s Spike. I need you to come out to Kavalier and take Faith home. Great. Thanks.”

When he looked up Faith was glaring at him. “I don’t need some wannabe-“

“They aren’t wannabe’s, they are, and it’s just ‘til we figure out what Cemtaur’s up to.”

Faith rolled her eyes. “You know, Buffy could be in danger. Don’t you want to find her?”

“Nice try. I’m waiting ‘til Car gets here.”

Faith smiled in response. “I think she may be right about you.”

“She who?” Spike replied. “What’s that mean?”

“Nothin’,” Faith said innocently.

Despite Faith’s protests, Spike waited until Caridad arrived to set out looking for Buffy. It took an hour to trail her through Kavalier and out to a dense forest beyond. In the woods he lost her scent and picked up something else. Something wrong. Blood, demon blood, all kinds.

“What the hell?” he whispered as he came around a cluster of trees and saw the source.

It stood five feet tall, easy. And he had no idea how to estimate how many bodies were piled there.

As he watched, trying to make sense of it, Buffy walked up to the pile and threw another body on.

“Buffy!” Spike shouted before he really had time to think about whether or not it was smart to draw attention to himself.

Buffy turned to look at him. Her eyes were hollow and her skin was covered in bruises. Tears ran down her face.

“What happened?” he asked as he strode toward her.

She shrugged and said, “I killed them.”

“Why?”

“It’s what I do, silly. It’s what I am. All I am.”

Spike didn’t know what to say. She was fine, just a few hours ago. What the hell had happened? “Buffy, this is stupid. Come on, love.”

Buffy gave no indication of having heard him. “There’s no more. I looked all over. There’s just a few harmless ones left. Now what?”

“Now you go home,” Spike said, gently placing a hand on her arm.

Buffy jerked back and shook her head. “No, no I can’t.”

“Why’s that love?” Spike said patiently. He had no idea what might set her off on another killing spree.

“They don’t want me there. I’m- They don’t. They hate me.”

“No pet, come on, what’s this about?”

“They kicked me out.”

It took Spike a second to figure out what she was talking about. “Months ago, everyone was very stressed and also – very stupid. Everyone’s worried. Come on.”

“I shouldn’t have come back,” Buffy whispered.

“To the forest? You’ve been here before? Didn’t think you were the outdoors type.”

“Here, life here. I shouldn’t- Everything was better without me.”

“Now I know for a fact that’s not true. Come on. Let’s go.”

“No. Where’s a nest?”

“A what?”

“Vamps.”

“No idea.”

“Fine, I’ll find one myself,” Buffy said and strode off.

Spike didn’t like to think about the trouble she could get into on her own so he followed behind her at a distance and surreptitiously took out his cell phone.

Back at the house the group had sat down to eat, fully expecting Buffy and Spike to return any moment.

Instead the phone rang. Willow answered. “Summers, Harris, Rosenberg, Giles and Faith residence. Willow speaking.”

“Got any prozac?”

“Um, I think you have the wrong number.”

“It’s Spike.”

“Spike?” Willow said, smiling. “You’re depressed? Soul got you down?”

“Not me - Buffy.”

“Not chipper, cheerful ball of sunshine Buffy.”

“I’m serious. Something’s wrong with her.

”Oh,” Willow said, growing sober. “Well, bring her home-“

“She won’t come. She thinks you hate her.”

“That’s absurd.”

“Yeah, ridiculous, cause you lot are always so supportive,” Spike replied.

“We’re more supportive than Mr. Sex Solves everything,” Willow countered.

“Whatever, just figure out what’s doing this to her.”

Andrew had pictured it for months. There’d be balloons of course. And cake. But not chocolate, ‘cause he was allergic. And the not chocolate cake would say Welcome Back Andrew! No, no Welcome Home Andrew! And there would be hugs and music. Maybe they’d get U2 to play. There were days during his trek when all that sustained him was the thought of his return to the bosom of his friends, especially Xander’s bosom.

But he didn’t examine that too closely.

Alas, his joyous reception was not to be had. Instead, he found himself being chased around a strange mansion by a ghost yelling, “Intruder! Defiler! I will cut out your heart.”

Andrew ran as fast as he could down the hallway, rounded a corner and darted into a closet.

Cynthia contemplated following him. Putting her head through doors was one of her favorite tricks. But she worried that the small one would wet himself and ruin her beautiful carpets so instead she went to alert the others.

Inside the closet Andrew chanted in a strong clear voice. “Om. I am centered. I am at peace. I am centered,” But the voice soon crumpled. “I am- scared. I want Buffy.”

“Here,” Dawn cried, pointing triumphantly at the book before her. “Despair spell. ‘Causes the victim to believe that they are worthless, that everyone hates them, and that everything would be better if they were dead. Often misdiagnosed as clinical depression. Also known as the It’s a Wonderful Life spell after the popular movie about said spell.’”

“That certainly sounds right,” Giles said. “And it’d be the perfect way to take out Buffy. She’s so depressed that she becomes ineffectual and it keeps the rest of us busy trying to help her. Cemtaur is undoubtedly planning to attack while we’re distracted.”

“Right,” Faith agreed. “Which means we have to take care of this quickly. Xander call the girls. Tell them to be ready and get a few of them over here.”

“Check,” Xander said as he pulled out his cell.

“The one thing I’m curious about is- why have none of us ever heard of it if it’s so effective?” Giles asked.

Dawn turned back to the book. “It says, ‘It is infrequently used as it is extremely easy to counteract’,” she said, brightening. “’Simple application of logic generally undoes the spell.’”

“Well then we’re screwed,” Faith said.

“Hey,” Willow objected. “Buffy’ plenty logical. I’m sure we can talk her out of this.”

“Except she won’t speak to us,” Dawn said.

“So, Spike will have to do it.”

“And if he can’t?” Xander asked.

Dawn looked at the book again, then lifted her head to look at the group. “It says… The victim… in time will…”

“Kill themselves,” Giles said.

“Yeah,” Dawn whispered.

“Logic,” Spike said, looking around at the dingy dust filled room. He hung up his cell and took a deep breath. “Right.”

“Now where?” Buffy asked, a little out of breath.

“Home?” Spike said hopefully.

“Still, no.”

“Hospital?” he asked, eying the cuts on her arms.

“This is nothing,” Buffy replied.

“Ok, well, hey, I think the world’s a better place with you in it. Let me tell you why.”

No one even looked up when Cynthia wafted into the room.

“Where’s the strong girl?” she asked.

Faith looked up from A History of Emotion Altering Spells and raised her hand.

“Not you,” Cynthia replied. “The nice one.”

Faith didn’t bother getting upset. “She’s out.”

“Well there’s an intruder,” Cynthia announced. “And he’s very annoying.”

“Andrew honey, come out of the closet,” Willow said pleasantly.

“No, she’s still out there,” Andrew replied.

“Cynthia’s gone away now,” Dawn said sweetly. “Besides, she can’t hurt you.”

“She’s loud,” Andrew said, peering through the coats. “Where’s Buffy?”

“She’s in trouble,” Dawn replied. “Why don’t you come out and help us find her?”

Andrew was still pretty scared. This house wasn’t nearly as homey as the Summers house and there were mean ghosts, but Buffy need him so he crawled out.

“So, how’d the trek go?” Xander asked as they reassumed their places in the library.

Andrew looked down awkwardly. “Um, it was-“

“A trek to Machu Picchu with a corpse on your back?” Faith offered.

“A corpse?” Fred exclaimed.

“He wanted to bury his best friend,” Xander explained.

“We don’t even know it was his friend,” Faith objected. “It wasn’t so much a corpse as- remains.”

Andrew glared at her. In his dream visions of his homecoming Faith was always absent. Most likely in jail. “It was him. I ran a computer simulation of the collapse of the Hellmouth and triangulated-“

Faith rolled her eyes and began to object, but a look from Xander silenced her. “Ok,” she said. “You’re very smart. I’m sure it was Joseph’s body.”

“Jonathan.”

“Whatever.”

“But why Machu Picchu?” Fred asked.

“He deserved someplace sacred. A burial fit for a hero,” Andrew replied.

Fred looked around at the rest of the room. Was this guy for real? Everyone replied with the same rolled eyes and slightly shrugged shoulders they used to explain Anya. “And the Peruvian government was ok with that?” she asked.

“Um, well…”

“I told you they weren’t going to let you cart a body up to their national treasure and start digging,” Faith said. “They confiscated the body didn’t they?”

“No miss smarty pants. It wasn’t the Peruvian government.”

“Who was it?” Giles asked.

Andrew looked down at the table. “The Mexican government.”

“You didn’t even make it past Mexico?” Faith said.

“Well, I got him back, after the cremation. Still I think sprinkling his ashes over Machu Picchu was quite a feat. And I learned a lot on my journey.”

“Like - Don’t transport dead bodies across national borders?” Faith asked.

“Well, yes that and I’ve found a calm, a center-“

“Hey, there’s still pasta left over from dinner,” Dawn announced. “Anyone want some?”

Spike watched while Buffy stalked through the cemetery. None of his pep talks had worked so he continued to follow her, racking his brain for the right thing to say. This was the seventh cemetery they’d hit and it looked like she was finally starting to get tired.

“Love?”

“No love.”

“Right, course not.”

“Don’t deserve it.”

“Right, why would I? Listen-“

“Not you, me,” she clarified.

“Pet please, you should sleep.”

“Can’t go home.”

“Course, we’ll find a nice little hotel, alright?”

“I liked the abandoned house.”

‘Which one?’ Spike thought.

“I was safe there.”

‘The apocalypse one then.’ “Ok, we’ll find an abandoned house, alright?”

“Yes – ok,” Buffy said in the same detached manner.

Dawn stood at the stove and re-heated the pasta from dinner. They’d done all they could but everyone was still awake, anxiously awaiting news from Spike. It seemed odd that they were just trusting him to bring her back but he hadn’t called and they had no idea where she was.

Dawn was sure she’d come back. She always came back, in spite of everything. Even when they’d turned her out. There was no recrimination. No one ever even talked about it.

But it was there. She had never turned them out, not the murdering witch, nor the rapist vampire, nor the girl whose blood ripped apart the universe. No danger was too great. No betrayal too big. She always protected them. And now she was so alone and vulnerable.

Dawn didn’t even pause to turn off the burner.

“Whatcha doing?” Spike asked.

“I need a vengeance demon. I’m trying to think vengeance thoughts about you. It’s not working. Oh, Oh I’ll try Parker,” Buffy said and continued to concentrate.

“There are no more vengeance demons,” Spike replied patiently. “You saw to that. And why?”

“Right, damn.”

“My question stands. Why?”

“So I can wish I’d never been brought back.”

Spike replied, “Again, why?”

“All I’ve done is mess things up.”

“You saved the world.”

“But the world wouldn’t have been in danger if not for me. The only reason The First could act was because I came back.”

“Ok, but, remember the demons who were running amok the night you came back? If you hadn’t been resurrected, they would have taken over.”

“No,” Buffy said quickly. She’d clearly given this a lot of thought. “Willow could have handled them, she just needed time to regroup, or Faith, you could’ve busted Faith out.”

“But we’d have been miserable without you.”

“You were miserable with me. Without me to make Willow feel guilty and inadequate she wouldn’t have gone all power mad. Dawn would have had two parents who actually treated her decent-”

“Ok, there are so many flaws in your logic. Ok, first, Willow’s a terrible mum, and Tara would have been killed anyway-”

“No, no, don’t you get it? That’s the best part,” Buffy said delightedly. “I don’t come back, Warren doesn’t become obsessed with killing me, he doesn’t bring a gun to the house, Tara lives. It’s perfect. All I need to do is go back in time and stop my resurrection. Know where I can get a Delorian?”

“How do I do the locator spell?” Dawn said as she entered Willow’s apartment.

Fred and Willow looked up from the map on the floor.

“Oh,” Dawn said.

“It’s not that we don’t trust Spike,” Willow hastened to say.

“It’s just – we’re a little worried,” Fred added.

“Did you find her?”

“Well-“

Just then Xander burst into the room. “I don’t care if she doesn’t want to talk to us. We’re finding her and- You’re way ahead of me.”

“We’ve got it narrowed down to six possible locations.”

“Why six?” Dawn asked.

“We searched specifically for the slayer, which led us to a bunch of points around the city and we’ve been calling the girls to get their locations, but there are five we haven’t gotten a hold of.”

“Ok, so we split up,” Xander said.

“Oh, oh, I’ll be with Xander!” Andrew said from the doorway.

“Ok,” Willow replied. “Fred will be with me. Dawn-“

“I’m not going to be stuck with Faith am I?”

“No, you can come with us. Faith will take two slayers, just in case Cemtaur makes another move. Anya and Giles can each take a slayer as well. Kennedy and Rona will make up the sixth team.”

“This is fun,” Andrew said as he looked out the windows like an exited puppy on its first car trip. “New city, new evil to undo.”

“Yes, I’m enjoying my best friend’s crippling depression,” Xander replied.

“Well not that part,” Andrew replied. “Oh, I think this is the place,” he added, bouncing lightly in his seat.

“Halleluiah,” Xander muttered as he parked the car. “Ok, you check the streets to the right, I’ll check the left.”

“Ok. How far should I go?”

“Uh, just keep trying houses till I call you,” Xander replied and quickly got out of the car.

Andrew was glad he’d worn black. Dark colors came in very handy when you wanted to hide behind trees and sneak up to people’s windows. Plus, it was cool. He cautiously crept up to seven windows before he finally found the house. Through the window he could make out Spike walking through the living room. Andrew crouched down out of sight and scrambled to get out his cell phone. He couldn’t wait to deliver the news. Xander was going to be so proud.

“Alpha tango to alpha bravo,” he whispered.

On the other end of the line Xander replied, “They’re phones, not walkie talkies.”

“I know,” Andrew replied. “I have the suspect in sight.”

“Excellent. Stay put till we get there.”

“Copy.”

Andrew tried to stay put. He really did. It was a heroic effort. Like Atlantis or Atlas, or something. But it was cold and he had to pee. He fought it for ten minutes, but ultimately his bladder won out and he strode up to the door and knocked tentatively.

The door swung open quickly and revealed Spike. “What the hell are you doing here?” he asked.

“Hi, um. I’m looking for Buffy.”

“She’s in the kitchen.”

“Excellent. Can I pee?”

Spike just shook his head and opened the door wider to let Andrew in.

In the kitchen Buffy was perched at the island, pouring over maps.

“Whatcha doing?” Andrew asked as he bounced into the room.

“Planning a killing spree,” Buffy replied.

Andrew turned to Spike. “Just demons, right? Not people.”

“Right. Love, Andrew called your friends. They’re on their way.”

“I don’t want to talk to them,” she replied without looking up from her map.

“Ok, I’ll just tell them you’re indisposed.”

“Good plan.”

Just then someone burst into the living room. Willow, Xander, Anya and Dawn were walking into the kitchen before Spike could move to stop them.

“Oh my God. Buffy are you ok?” Dawn exclaimed.

Buffy slid off her stool and stumbled over to the wall. “Go away,” she whispered.

“What? Buffy we need to talk to you,” Xander said.

“No. I don’t want to hear it,” Buffy replied. “I’m sorry ok? I’m sorry for Jenny and Molly and your eye. And I’m sorry I’m not a good friend. I’m just-“

“Buffy, no. Listen, this is a spell-“ Willow began.

“You don’t understand,” Buffy said, cutting her off. “I’m sorry for all the times I had to leave you alone, and I’m sorry I didn’t hold Xander’s hand at the hospital. But-“ she continued, getting angrier. “That’s not how I show my love. I don’t do hugs and puppies. I bleed and I kill and I die and if all that just means nothing to you, please tell me. I’ll stop bothering,” she shouted.

No one knew what to say. They knew this was just the spell talking but there was truth to it. Who among them hadn’t at some point resented that she went patrolling instead of spending time with them? Who hadn’t taken for granted that she’d be out there protecting them without thinking about what it had cost her?

Anya tentatively raised her hand. “I like the killing. I’m – grateful. Thanks,” she said hesitantly. “Even when it’s me…” Anya cocked her head to the side and looked down. “Especially when it’s me.”

Buffy looked at her and nodded. “Thanks.”

This was definitely progress, but Willow knew they still needed to tackle the main issue. “Buffy the spell is making you feel this way,” she explained. “It’s making you believe that the world would be better without you but-“

“Then the spell is very smart,” Buffy replied. “I never should have come back.”

She kept her face calm, but deep down, Willow wanted to cry. Just a few days ago Buffy had thanked her for the resurrection. ‘It’s just the spell,’ she said to herself. ‘Buffy was happy. That was real.’

“But,” Andrew said quietly, raising is hand. “If you hadn’t come back, who’d have defeated Warren?”

“Willow or Faith,” Buffy replied, her voice hollow. “I didn’t do anything they couldn’t have done themselves.”

“But, but,” Andrew countered. “He had invulnerability and they wouldn’t have known to smash his orbs. We had the only info on the caves of Neslecon and we kinda… burned some of it.”

“So,” Buffy replied, still not buying it. “Jonathan would have told them.”

Andrew shook his head. “No. Why would he care that Faith was about to die? He didn’t even know her, we were his best friends.”

“He’d have told Willow.”

“Ah, but why?” Andrew said, raising up his hand to point at her. “She was just that strange girl who was always berating him with weird questions. You, he loved.”

Everyone turned to look at Andrew.

“Not in a sexy way,” he clarified. “In a love way. You made him want to be good and brave, just like you did for me,” Andrew finished quietly.

Buffy’s eyes welled up and a small smile began at the corners of her mouth.

She looked around at her friends. They gazed back at her, smiling in relief. They didn’t say, “Me too.” They didn’t have to. Instead Spike stepped forward and said, “You ready for that nap now?”

“Yeah,” Buffy replied and turned to Andrew, “Thanks.”

“No problem. Hey got any other questions like, ‘What would happen if, Spike had never gotten the chip and-‘“

“Excellent question, why don’t you write a little story?” Xander suggested.

“Ooh, can I do it in screenplay format?”

“Knock yourself out.”

Andrew looked around for pen and paper to start his project and Spike led Buffy up to bed.

Before they’d gotten past the first few steps a loud crash sounded at the front of the house. The whole group flooded into the living room where four demons were angrily looking around and sniffing the air.

“Looks like we found you a nest after all,” Spike said.

“Everybody back,” Buffy called out as she and Spike moved forward to take on the demons.

They had no weapons, just fists against hard, spike ridden demon flesh. Behind them, the gang scrambled back into the kitchen. Willow tossed Buffy a knife and Xander chucked one at Spike, who barely turned in time to catch it before it lodged in his back.

“Oi, a little warning.”

“Buffy caught hers just fine without a warning,” Xander taunted.

“Well isn’t Buffy special,” Spike replied as he sliced through the demon’s chest.

Buffy had taken one out quickly, and a knife to the chest took care of another, so they were left with one each.

The brawl had gone on for a few minutes when, out of the corner of her eye, Buffy caught Spike taking a blow to the head and stumbling backward. She watched as his demon raised a fist to bash into Spike’s temple again. Without thinking, she turned away from her opponent and reached out to stop the demon’s fist, leaving her side wide open. Her demon took the opportunity to slam a fist into her stomach. She buckled but held the fist long enough for Spike to regroup and stab the demon in the heart. Buffy turned back to her opponent and tried to duck his fist, but failed. Her vision blacked out for a second and when it cleared the demon had a knife in its eye.

She turned to look at Spike. “Thanks,” she breathed.

“You too.”

The group stood in silence for a moment while everyone calmed themselves and caught their breath.

Dawn finally broke the silence and said, “Does anyone smell pee?”

Andrew looked around sheepishly. “Must be the demon blood.”

“Gross, let’s get out of here,” she replied.

Anya, Dawn, Willow, Xander and Andrew filed out of the house with Spike and Buffy trailing after.

Buffy turned back at the door and surveyed the room. “Did I have a jacket?” she asked.

“That was stupid,” Spike replied.

“What? Losing my jacket? Sorry mom,” Buffy said as she walked past him and gingerly pushed over one of the demon corpses.

“Leaving yourself open like that,” Spike clarified. “I could have taken another couple of punches.”

Buffy shrugged, still intent on finding her jacket. “Love makes you do the wacky,” she replied.