Part 13:

~

There was only one thing on his mind.

Buffy.

What else?

He laughed to himself, taking in the irony of his unlife. For years, the only thing he ever thought about was Buffy and he knew that she would be the only thing he would ever think about again.

But it wasn't supposed to happen that way, he was supposed to keep his emotions intact. He was supposed to move through the plan...the plan that he needed to keep her near him. Not just suddenly grab her and then run away.

Why the hell had he run away?

It would've saved a helluva lot of time if he had just stayed with her, like he wanted to and like she wanted him to.

And he knew she wanted him to.

But something within him told him to get the hell out of there. He hated it...he really hated the fact that he sometimes didn't have any stones.

The truth was, he felt like he couldn't kiss Buffy for one reason.

And it wasn't the bloody plan or whatever the hell he had convinced himself that it was.

It was because he felt like (and knew) that he was lying to her.

He was lying about who he was, really was, where he came from, the reasons he was in Sunnydale...he wasn't being honest with her.

So he felt like he wasn't worthy. Not that he was ever worthy, that was something he knew for a fact, but he felt especially unworthy, now.

But he couldn't just say "Buffy, the reason I ran out on our kiss, isn't because I'm a bloody commitment-phobic, but really its because I'm from your future and I've been lying to you from the beginning and Dawn's your sister and you've died more often than most people and I'm really your future lover here to save you and-"...it would not only be unbelievable, but also way too long.

"You done yet, man?" Spike looked up from his fight, realizing he had spoken entirely out loud. With a quick left punch, he shot the stake through his foe's heart.

"Bloody right I am." He whispered, taking in his surroundings.

Buffy was his everything. He needed to protect her.

To do that he needed to be with her.

To do that he needed to lie to her.

To do that, he needed to bear the pain that would come with lying to the only woman he ever, truly, *truly* loved.

~

Part 14:

~

"I just don't see what's wrong with old acquaintances, that's all." Willow and Jesse exchanged a look, before glaring at Xander.

"What?"

"You say the same exact thing every, single year." Jesse groaned.

"And every, single year we tell you that they aren't saying that you should forget old, which is actually "auld", acquaintances, they're saying you should embrace friendships."

"And every, single year you say 'Well, they should say that, then.' Not to mention that this conversation always, always takes place on the day we return to school, as we walk to 3rd period, no matter what." Jesse finished, suddenly noticing a waving Dawn, "I gotta go."

Willow and Xander gave each other a nervous glance...they knew that look on Jesse's face all too well. Willow reached out and touched his retreating arm.

"Just...be careful, okay? She might be different, now...but don't loose sight of who she used to be, alright?" Jesse smiled reassuringly at Willow before racing over to the brunette.

"Hey." He said, lilting his voice.

"Hi, Jesse." Dawn replied, running her fingers through the length of her hair.

"How's it goin'?"

"Okay."

"That's good." Dawn smiled and traced the lettering on her algebra book. < Why is a sophomore taking algebra?? >

"So, uh, yeah...I...I, uh...um...How's it goin'?" He finished lamely.

"Jesse, my next class is starting pretty soon, if you're gonna ask me out, you might wanna do it pretty fast." Dawn said boldly, taking on one of Spike's smirks.

"Do you want to go out with me?" Dawn gave Jesse a wide smile before nodding enthusiastically. He widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I am, ya goofball."

"Goofball? You scar me with your words."

"Deal with it."

"Zing! You're certainly little Miss Insulto this morning."

"How was that an insult?" Dawn asked folding her arms and cocking her head accusingly.

"It wasn't really...I've just had a jonesin' to call someone 'Little Miss Insulto' for awhile now."

"Ah."

~

"You're nutso crazy." Buffy stated, lowering her eyes incredulously at Giles.

"Buffy, you never know who or what you may encounter." Giles replied, grabbing ahold of his.

"So, what? Now, I'm going to be fighting Friar Tuck?" Buffy replied sarcastically.

"Buffy, you were the one who wanted to start training solely with me, now if you think that Spike's methods were more efficient, by all means-" Buffy cut him off by raising her palms into the air.

"Okay, okay. Let's go. Stick fighting, whoo-hoo." Buffy said with a twirl of her index finger. Giles threw her the shorter one and cleared his throat.

"Now, I must warn you, I am some what of an expert of-"

"Stick-fighting?"

"Yes. I mean, no! No! Just get into your stance." With the elegance of a sword fight, the watcher and the Slayer fought with precision and grace against one another. In a matter of seconds however...

BAM!

"Yes, well then...quite good. Let's move on now, shall we?"

~

"Now if the equivilent of B-squared is equal to 5abc-to the seventh power divided by eighty-nine-" Miss Gilbert stopped talking long enough for the student to hand her a small, pink slip of paper. She looked down at the name.

"Elizabeth Summers?" Buffy looked up quizzically from her diligent doodling.

"The principal would like to see you."

Ugh.

~

"Now, some people say, think of your principal as your pal. I say, think of me as you judge, jury, and executioner." Buffy stifled a laugh, taking in the look of the man who was saying this. Snyder was not exactly Mr. Threatening; he was more of the Mr. Balding-Human-Weasel-Crossbreed type.

"Miss Summers, you have quite a track record, both here and elsewhere."

"I'm still sticking by the asbestos excuse." Buffy said, hoping she at least looked as though she was taking him seriously. Snyder, however, saw through it.

"Just give me a reason to expel you, Summers. Just give me a reason." The look deep within the hollow crevice of Snyder's dark eyes let Buffy know that he was indeed ready and willing to invoke everything he said.

Gulp.

< Maybe I should take him a *bit* more seriously. >

~

After school let out, Dawn walked nervously up Buffy's walkway. It was supposed to be * her * walkway. But it wasn't.

Dawn rang the doorbell.

Nothing in the world could have prepared her for who she saw when the door opened.

"Mom?" The woman looked down at her, a confused smile plastered on her face.

"I mean, uh, are you Buffy's mom?" Dawn somehow managed out.

"Older sister, actually. I'm surprised you didn't assume that immediately." Joyce replied with a wink, "Yes. I am Buffy's mom. Are you Buffy's friend?"

"Yeah." Dawn replied, smiling crazily despite herself, "Is she home?"

"Oh, no. I'm sorry. She said she was going to go work out. I highly doubt that, though. No, no...if you know Buffy, you know that she's probably off gallivanting around with some boy." < Ah, so we're still in the "Buffy-is-a- complete-and-utter-flake" stage. >

"Actually, she probably is working out. Fitness has become a major priority of hers, lately." Joyce smiled in surprise and then focused her attention solely on Dawn.

"I've never seen you before, have I?"

"No, I don't think so. I'm Dawn...Dawn Jones." Dawn bit her tongue. <Oh, yeah...that's cute. >

"Dawn is a pretty name. But, wow, your parents must be big fans of-"

"Actually, Dawn is a nickname. People have started calling me that just this year actually. But that was the first time I ever realized that my name is...Dawn...Jones." Joyce laughed out loud and ushered her in.

"I swear, I don't know where Buffy finds all of these absolutely endearing people. Would you like some hot chocolate?" Dawn blinked back the few tears that were threatening to unleash.

"Yes. Very much so, please."

~

Buffy sat back with one of Giles' big, researchy books. She pretended to be engrossed on the one page (which of course had a strategically placed magazine.), playing the doting Slayer role.

"How to Relieve Menstrual Cramps," a British voice drolled from behind her, "What sort of demon are you fighting, luv?"

She just kept on reading, fully intending on ignoring him.

"Ah, I get it. You're givin' me the cold shoulder. Suppose I deserve it."

"You "suppose"?!?"

"So she can speak." Spike replied, a teasing smile meeting a cold glare, "C'mon, luv, don't get like that." Buffy crossed her arms, gave a small, mirthless laugh, slamming onto her feet angrily.

"Don't get like what? Rightfully upset? Because let's review the event, shall we?"

"Buffy-"

"No, no. You have no speaking rights whatsoever. You kiss me. You kissed ME. Not vice versa. Your lips did all of the activating. I kiss you back. You back away, freak out and run, leaving me alone in some weirdass apartment!! Now, I'm sorry if it seems unreasonable of me to be miffed, but I am. I am way beyond pissed at you." Spike breathed in heavily and ran his hand over his hair.

"Look, Buffy, if I could have stayed, God knows I would have, pet, but everything was so damned confusing, and believe me, you have no bloody idea what I've gone through in the past few months-"

"Oh, boo-hoo. Spikey's looking for a little sympathy." Spike shot his gaze straight into her, pursing his lips.

"It isn't about sympathy. Not for me. I have no interest in people pitying me. I'm just trying to explain why I left the way I did."

"Well, ya know what Spike? Don't bother." Buffy replied, enunciating every word with her fingers, before waving them in the air as a careless goodbye, walking off.

"Buffy!" Spike yelled after the retreating figure, whose only response was the waving of a particular finger high up in the air, "Well, that was uncalled for."

~

tbc...

Part 15:

~

Buffy traced her pencil over the crease between the pages in her trusty diary. Sighing from the mess that was building up inside of her, she reread the page she had written for at least the eighth time...

' Back in L.A., everything was so different. My Watcher there had a very simple motto "Life sucks, get a helmet." Only less American. Other than that, he'd just twitch his sweaty mustache and mumble about how difficult I am to discipline. As for my friends...you know the movie Heathers? They were like that, only somewhat more extreme. School was unbearable- let's just say I got a little more pleasure out of burning down the gym than I should have.

But here in Sunnydale? I like Giles. Not that I'd ever admit that to * him *, but I do. He at least has some compassion level, unlike Mr. Sweaty Mustache. My friends aren't brainless valley girls and though my principal hates me with an unnatural passion, I can get through school without contemplating poking a hole through my hand with a sharpened pencil (lovely imagery, huh?)

The only thing that is equally bad here (if not worse) (and other than the supernatural crap) would be my cursed love life. Danny was an asshole, plain and simple, Roger was a drug-addict who constantly talked about his "feeeeelings." 24/7. 36-freakin-5 days a year, I'm sure. Then of course, there was the classic boyfriend, Mercio- who ended up revealing a hidden crush on my father. That was fun.

In Sunnydale, though, my only possibilities for romance are two vampires (with souls), one of which is the tall, dark, handsome, brooding, and pretty much silent type and the other is the slightly shorter, bleach blonde, hella hot, sardonic (that's on a vocab test next week, aren't ya proud?), and talks-so-much-you-want-to-kill-him type, but he's still basically a good guy. Except for the kissing and ditching, that wasn't too cool. So, I'm over him, making Angel (tall, dark, broody one) my only romantic prospect. But if that's true, why can't I get Spike out of my head? Shouldn't I be thinking about Angel constantly? I mean, sure, the thought of me and Angel's kiss crosses my mind on occasion, but its not like I sit and daydream about Angel. Not that I daydream about Spike! Nope, no daydreaming here.

Okay, maybe a little.

But that doesn't make Spike the best guy for me, I mean, A. He's a vampire (with a soul), B. He obviously doesn't return my feelings (Not that I necessarily have feelings!), and C. Did I mention he's a vampire (with a soul)? It would never, ever work.

I'm so confused. Everytime I think about Spike or see Spike or dream about Spike or do anything that even slightly involves Spike, its as if I have a different reaction. Sometimes I'm head over heals for him, sometimes I despise him, sometimes I want to be his friend, sometimes I couldn't care less about him, sometimes I want to hug him, sometimes I want to sock him one, sometimes I want to "connect" with him, sometimes I just wanna screw him. And he's even worse! Sometimes he's sweet, sometimes sarcastic, usually smug (but in an endearing way), sometimes its like he's so incredibly thoughtful and deep and intelligent, but then the next second he's making corny puns! I just can't handle all of this! I should probably just stick with Angel. At least I know what I'm going to get from him and what I can expect from a relationship. And that sort of predictability is what I want in a relationship.

Right?'

Rubbing her reddening eyes, Buffy sat back onto her bed and squeezed Mr. Gordo. She flipped the pig around and stared into his black, plastic eyes.

"What do you think I should do Mr. Gordo? Should I just go for Angel or invoke on...something with Spike?"

"You're asking a stuffed pig for relationship advice? You know, I'm really beginning to worry about you, pet." She glared at the figure which sat on a branch, right outside her open window. < I knew I should've closed that thing! >

"What the hell do you want?" Spike shrugged and looked around.

"Cozy little nook here, a bloke could stay here all night. But how about you inviting me in?"

"Not a chance." Spike rested his hands down and leaned over, gazing straight at her.

"Buffy, we need to talk."

"So, talk." Spike gave her a cock-eyed glare. Realizing she wasn't backing down, he rolled his eyes upwards dramatically.

"Fine, if you're going to be stubborn about it. Look, I'm sorry about what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't do that." Buffy stood up and walked over to the window ledge, crossing her arms angrily.

"No, I'm serious. Are you sorry that you kissed me or that you left? Because those are two very, very different situations." Spike's blue eyes softened to a deeper shade, as a light smile played adoringly on his features.

"I'm sorry I left, luv. I would never be sorry for kissing you. Not in a million years." Buffy bit her lip to conceal a mirroring smile, before a wave of melancholy anger washed over her.

"Well, maybe you should be." Spike's eyes snapped shut unwillingly at her words.

"Buffy, please..."

"Look, maybe, in a little while, I'll be willing to forgive you. Maybe even explore this...whatever this is. But right now I'm hurt. God, I don't even know why! It's not like I know * you * all that well or anything, its just...I feel like I do. I doubt you could ever understand that-"

"Don't be so sure of that one, luv." Spike managed out, trying to ignore the feeling as though his lifeless heart had imploded within him.

"But I do." She finished softly, "Feel like I know you, I mean. And maybe its just because of our little tentative friendship we had going for a little while, but right now I just- I just need some space."

"Space." Spike repeated.

"Yeah."

"But you're still saying maybe, someday, we could..." Spike motioned wildly with his hands, not wanting to say it out loud, in fear of jinxing the possibility...the possibility they both not only wanted, but needed in order for Buffy's survival.

"Most definitely. And not just someday, but hopefully, someday soon." Buffy felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach, and almost gave up the entire waiting process all together, but she held her guard. Spike ran his tongue over his lips and smiled shakily.

"Good." He whispered. He began to climb down when Buffy reached her hand out to stop him. She brought his face up to hers and softly kissed him, gently...very much reminiscent of their first kiss, < Our first * real * kiss > Spike noted, after he had refused to give up Dawn to Glory. He cupped her face with his free hand and patted it lightly, before continuing his descent down the Oak tree.

Buffy backed into her bedroom and grabbed her diary, ready to spill out all of the event into writing, but instead opted to just write the one, obvious word that summed up everything

'Someday. '

~

'Jess, you look fine." Willow said, flopping onto Xander's bed exasperatingly. < Ooh, Xander's bed... > Buffy nodded enthusiastically, as she watched from a large bean bag chair.

"Two very sincere thumbs up." She said, motioning this idea with her thumbs. She sniffed the air and crinkled her nose, "Only...exactly how much aftershave did you use?"

Jesse's eyes widened and he began pacing.

"Oh, no. Oh, no. No! She's gonna think I went overboard! She's gonna be embarrassed to be seen with Jesse-the-Freakish-Shower-Clean-Ocean-Breeze- Hybrid!! I need to take another shower..." He trailed off, darting to the bathroom, only to be stopped by a concerned looking Xander.

"No, no...I'm cutting you off, pal. Five showers is enough for one day." Buffy walked over and patted his shoulder.

"I'm sure it won't be that bad in the Bronze. Plus, I have a very acute sense of smell. Comes with the whole Vampire Slayer package. I'm sure Willow and Xander didn't even notice, right guys?" She said, giving them an extra little look.

"Oh...Oh! No! No! Not at all! Geez, are you kidding?! I didn't notice a thing! Not a thing, ya hear that? She didn't notice a thing! Neither did I, by the way! Hey, no one would ever, ever notice anything! Because there's nothing to notice! I actually thought you should've put more on!" They erupted, moving him slowly away from the bathroom and onto the bed. He stopped them with a wave of his hand and deep sigh.

"Oh, man. I shouldn't have asked out Ambrine Jones."

"You mean Dawn...Jones." Xander replied, an amused smile playing on his lips, "Huh. I never noticed that."

"Huh?" Buffy asked, curling her lip.

"I'm really not sure..." Xander said, confusion suddenly hitting him.

"Whatever. Look, Jesse, you'll be fine. Dawn is a great person and she likes you, trust me. I'm an expert as to how girls act around guys they like."

"You really think she does?" He asked looking up at Buffy with puppy-dog brown eyes.

"Yes." Jesse shook his head.

"God, I don't even understand it. A few months ago, I was all a-go-go for Cordelia Chase, and now I'm going on a date with her former lackey, who up until recently I had always, like, disregarded as an airheaded bimbo. It's just amazing how things can change so suddenly, ya know? It's like, one second you're life is totally normal, everything's always the same, and then something or someone comes into your life and just totally makes everything seem backwards. Maybe I'm just confusing myself..." Buffy flung her arm around her relatively new friend and pressed her forehead against his.

"I have a slight idea where you are coming from, Jesseroo." She said, taking on a new nickname for her friend.

"Jesseroo?"

"Sure."

"Can I call you Bufferoo?" Xander piped up.

"Not if you like your Adam's apple."

~

Jesse walked into the Bronze, pacing his steps, breathing deeply, just as Willow and Xander and Buffy had told him too.

Then he saw her.

Sitting alone, for what must have been the first time in her entire life.

He smiled to himself as he took in her absolute beauty and natural grace. He wondered briefly if she was a dancer, before summoning up all of his courage and walking over to the table. He ducked his head down as he took the seat across from her.

"Hi."

"Hi." She replied sweetly. They both looked down in unison and then back up at each other, laughing nervously.

"You look...breathtaking." He inwardly slapped himself upside the head. < Breathtaking?? As Spike would say, you're a bloody imbecile. >

"Wow, thank you." She said (luckily) with a pretty blush, "You look nice, too."

"Yeah, thanks. Buffy and Willow helped me get all spruced up. I probably would've shown up in a tux if they hadn't." She laughed and then there was another one of those awkward pauses.

"I really like you." Jesse burst out, after what seemed like 10 minutes of silence, "I just thought I'd get that out in the open."

"Well, I figured that. I really like you, too." Dawn said, smiling and taking his hand. < I've always wanted to do that. >

"Really?"

"Well, I wouldn't have agreed to go out with you if I didn't."

"That makes sense."

"Yeah." Awkward silence reigned once more.

"So, you wanna make out?" Dawn asked daringly, before clasping her hand to her mouth. He laughed at the expression on her face before dipping his head close to hers and grazing her lips with his with a sort of suavity he didn't know he had.

"Sure." He whispered, before intensifying the kiss.

Dawn was in heaven.

~

Spike was in hell.

Sitting in his sire's apartment, waiting to talk to him so he could begin to map out how he was going to get him to LA by June (which he had no bloody clue how to go about), he thought he'd start out with a nice, long (relatively...he was over his torture days) chat with Angel. The door suddenly clinked open and in walked Angel, who was slumped over solemnly.

"Spike." He stated, with no obvious emotion in his voice.

"'Ello, mate."

"What the hell do you want? And I'm not your mate." This time, there was some very obvious, almost dangerous, anger within the tremors of his voice.

"Felt like a chat is all."

"'A chat?' Spike, I don't want to look at you, let alone have 'a chat' with you."

"Feeling's mutual, mate-"

"I'm * not * your mate."

"It's just we sort of have a common ground. Ya see, we're after the same thing, if you haven't noticed."

"Buffy."

"Ding, ding. Now, you kissed Buffy and I kissed Buffy...now, don't get your knickers all twisty, I'm not done, but Buffy's still confused. However, I know something you don't."

"Oh, really." Angel said, with the surprising drip of sarcasm coming from his mouth.

"I'm serious, mate-"

"I'm NOT your-"

"Don't bloody cut me off! This is * serious *. If you want to protect Buffy, you need to get the hell outta Sunnydale, by at least June. And you have to go to Los Angeles. It's kind of a package deal."

"Of course. And I'll bet it just works out dandily for you."

"Well, yeah, but by the time you leave, I'll be with Buffy."

"You're just as arrogant as you always were, William," Angel sneered, leaning down to speak directly into Spike's ear, "Now, you listen. I'm officially calling war on you. I love Buffy," To this Spike made a little 'pft' sound but waved him forward, "I love Buffy," Angel repeated, "and yes, she may have a slight interest in you, but hear me now, "mate". I am what she's here for. I am the one she's going to want at the end of the day when all you are is a second-rate noble vampire with an outdated look. Oh, and if I ever, ever leave for Los Angeles, Buffy will be coming with me."

"I think that is the most you have ever spoken in an entire sitting." Spike replied, with an aura of both awe and a bit of fright.

"I'm, I'm sorry...I got a little carried away..." Angel muttered, taking on his normal, faraway voice. "Yet I meant every word." He said, his tone of voice the same, but a glint in his eye that gave all the threats in the world in Spike's direction, "Now get out of my home."

"As you bloody wish." Spike said with an eye roll, trying to cover up his shaking hands. It was amazing how even after what both he and his sire had been reduced to, Angel still had a way of activating a fear nerve within him.

Spike sighed and pulled out another cigarette.

This was going to be much tougher than he thought.

~

Part 16:

~

"I hate these things." Giles grumbled as Jenny Calendar, the new computer teacher, sat with him as they logged on.

"Deal with it." She said, moving the mouse in an indecipherable way (to Giles, at least). She had a lot of impertinence, for a colleague. He had expected her to be somewhat more...pleasant, Giles noted with a barely concealed scowl. Although, she did smell quite nice...

"Now what was it that you wanted me to look up for you?" She asked, turning towards the British snob (in her opinion, anyway).

"What? Um, oh, yes...well, I am perfectly capable of searching on my own, thank you."

"I never said you weren't capable, Rupert. I just wasn't sure if you knew how to navigate around these sites...what with you lack of computer knowledge. You didn't even know how to sign in." She said, trying to hide the frustration in her voice. < This man finds an insult in *everything * >

"I'm fine, thank you. Good bye, then." Jenny threw her hands up.

"That's about enough! I'm sick of you condescending my every move!"

"Bloody hell..." Giles said, borrowing a phrase from Spike. He just wanted to check his sources for possible upcoming supernatural...er, troubles. Of course, he couldn't very well hace miss Calendar in the room when he did that...

"There you go again. What with your British-isms, acting as though I'm some freak American who is trying to destroy the world. Either that or you think I'm extremely air headed. But I'm not, Rupert. I have my Master's in technology. Now I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty damn impressive."

"Yes, quite impressive. But my problem with you isn't about your lack of intelligence, which by the way was never the case, or even with you at all. It has more to do with the fact that computers are slowing taking the place of something that I feel are much more important than bloody computers and technology."

"And what, pray tell, would that be?" Giles grabbed a hardcover from off of his desk and slammed it down in front of her.

"Books!" To this, Jenny couldn't even try to contain a laugh.

"And you're the one who's calling me condescending."

"I'm sorry, Rupert. It's just...books? Could you be a little more predictable? You know, for the last two years more e-mail was sent than regular mail." Jenny stated, feeling proud of herself.

"Oh..." Giles said, not sure how to respond.

"More digitized information went across phone lines than conversation."

"That is a fact I regard with genuine horror." Giles replied, looking straight into her eyes.

"I'll bet it is. Look, can i just ask you...what bothers you so much about computers? Are you against the expansion of information or something? Or do you just hate things that..."

"The smell." Giles said softly, cutting Jenny off.

"Computers don't smell, Rupert."

"I know! Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is. A certain flower or a, a whiff of smoke can bring up experiences... long forgotten. Books smell. Musty and, and, and, and rich. The knowledge gained from a computer, is, uh, it... it has no, no texture, no, no context. It's, it's there and then it's gone. If it's to last, then, then the getting of knowledge should be, uh, tangible, it should be, um... smelly."

Jenny stared at him for a moment, intrigue resting in her eyes, before breaking her gaze and laughing.

"Well, you're certainly an old-fashioned boy, aren't you?"

"I-I, I don't dangle a corkscrew from my ear." He replied with a hint of a smile.

"That's not where I hang it." Giles' eyes widened and Jenny laughed, patting his shoulder, "See ya later, Rupert. I'll leave you to your research." She walked out leaving Giles to stare after her, filled with puzzlement, but also slight, slight captivation.

~

Pulling her lips away from Jesse's, Dawn felt her hearing perk up. Something was bustling around in bushes next to where they were standing.

"What was that?" She asked sharply. Jesse cocked his head to the side and heard the sound as well.

"I'm not sure...rabbit, maybe?" Dawn laughed, thinking of Anya. She hadn't thought about Anya since she had gotten back. In a strange sort of way, she missed her.

"Well, considering we're in Sunnydale, I better be safe." Dawn whispered, taking out a stake from her pant leg.

"Can you use that thing?" She glared at Jesse, who had seen her stake vamps many times before, "Just checking."

Suddenly, as though Dawn was clairvoyant, the vampire pounced out from behind the bushes. Followed by another. And another. And another.

"Uh, oh." Dawn said. She turned to Jesse, "Run!"

"I can't leave you here!" He yelled back. Dawn threw a clean roundhouse to keep off two of the vamps who were coming at her from the front and a backhanded punch to the other one who was trailing on her back.

"Don't be an idiot! I can handle these guys, you can't." Dawn yelled as she struggled with the fist vamp to emerge, but eventually staked. Jesse grabbed the stake and rammed it into the one that was still reeling from Dawn's punch.

"At least these guys as newbies," He said, helping Dawn to her feet, "cuz even I can take 'em." They ganged up on the third one, who threw Jesse to the ground without a seconds warning. He grabbed Dawn and held her arms, about to lean to towards her neck when Dawn felt him being yanked off of her.

"I don't think so, pal." Buffy said, punching him rapidly in his stomach. She pinned him down, digging her shoe onto his neck.

"The day..." He choked.

"What's that, junior?" She asked, lifting the pressure just enough so he could talk.

"The day...of...reckoning...is...near. Nearer...than...they...thought...it...would...be. You'll burn...Slayer. But...not...before...they...will. Or...he...will." He sputtered out. She slammed the stake into his heart.

"Cryptic much?" She whispered. Dawn and Jesse ran to her side.

"What did he say?" Dawn asked. Buffy looked at her.

"Nothing. Just your regular, "I-hate-you-Slayer" last words gibberish." She lied, standing up, "I should go...you guys probably have "stuff" to do." Buffy said, walking briskly away. She needed to find Giles, * fast *.

~

"Oh, Buffy. Vampires always have apocalyptic threats and mumblings before they're staked. It's usually just rubbish." Giles explained, squinting at the computer. Now was it the little "x" at the top of the screen that Miss Calendar had clicked to save?

"I wouldn't click that." Buffy warned, watching the direction of the cursor, "But, that's just the point Giles. It's * usually * just rubbish. But that means sometimes it isn't. Also, if he had just said "The day of reckoning is near. You'll burn, Slayer." I'd be with you, but, Giles, it seemed like he had actual substance behind it. With the "Nearer than you thought." and the "not before they will." stuff." She had deliberately left out the "Or he will." part, because that would open up a definite can of worms." Buffy sighed in frustration and hit "Ctrl + S" and then closed out.

"Oh, thank you." He took in a deep breath and cleaned his glasses, "If it means that much to you, I'll do some research...I didn't find anything a few hours ago, but I'll check again...maybe consult my books. I'll run it by Spike, see what he can find..."

"I can do that." Buffy chirped, sitting upright at the mention of Spike.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, sure. No need for you to overwork yourself." Buffy said, hoping her voice sounded dismissive. Giles nodded as though he hadn't noticed the obvious underlying feelings in her voice.

"Alright, you go ahead."

"See ya." She no less than bolted out of the room, leaving Giles to stare after her, his face betraying his concern.

~

"But Energizer has the bunny!" Buffy said, crossing her arms. Spike laughed and shook his head.

"All the same, pet, Duracell does last longer."

"And you know this how?"

"Got bored once. Decided to test them out. Energizer lasted an even 3 hours, whereas Duracell lasted 3 hours and 12 minutes. Small difference, yes, but longer none the less."

"But it's a pink bunny."

"You're right, that would impact it greatly." He replied with an eyeroll.

"You never know." Spike smirked at this and stretched out his legs onto his end of the couch they were both sitting on, inside his apartment.

"So, as pivotal as this conversation has been...why'd you really come here?" Buffy sighed.

"Vampire who said some wonky things when I was about to stake him. "Day of Reckoning" and all that."

"Right. Cuz that never happens." Buffy glared playfully at him.

"That's what Giles said."

"He had a point, then." Buffy stood up and walked around, before planting herself and lightly fingering the television and then the lamp on the coffee table next to it.

"But at the same time, this vamp seemed like he had insider info."

"You probably shouldn't have staked him, then." Spike said, motioning to the cigarette in his mouth for permission.

"Ew." Buffy said, shaking her head vehemently. Spike rolled his eyes and placed it back in the pack, "Anyway, he said that the day, the apocalypse, I mean, would come even sooner than "they" thought, whoever "they" are..." Buffy trailed off, noticing the expression upon Spike's face, which showed that he knew something and was either extremely pissed off about it or pretty damn scared.

"What?" She asked, moving closer to him. He snapped up, the glaze over his blue eyes breaking.

"I gotta go..." He said, standing.

"Déjà vu all over again." Buffy said, half-teasingly at his mannerisms.

"I have to do research," He explained, "See if I can find out anything."

"But you have an idea of what it might be?"

"Yes." < But I'll never tell you, even if I do get answers. >

"Good."

~

Spike rushed into the library.

"Ah, Spike, there you..." Spike rushed by him in his frenzy. He needed to find The Book. Running up the stairs to where he and Buffy had had their first "moment" he scoured the shelves until he finally came across The Book, which was the Sumerian version, in which Giles wrote the English translation. He flipped through the pages until he found The Choosers, all of which was translated.

Except for the spell.

"GILES!" he yelled, rushing down the stairs and slamming The Book onto one of the desks.

"What is it?" Giles ran over and looked down, "The Choosers. You think The Choosers are what's going to cause the apocalypse?"

"No, but they know what will. I need the spell that'll get me a meeting with 'em, do you have the English version yet?"

"There isn't an English version." Spike mentally kicked himself. He should've remembered that. Giles wouldn't order that version for another 4 or 5 years.

"Right then, could you translate it for me?"

"The Choosers are, um, usually not too keen on being bothered, I, I would hardly suggest you, um, call upon their, their, ah, services."

"Can you translate it or not?" Spike asked gruffly, ignoring Giles warnings.

"It would take a few days, ah, weeks, possibly. I'm held down by enough work as is."

"DAMMIT!" Spike cried out in frustration, sitting down.

"You could always recite it as it's written. I'm sure both work."

"Can't read Sumerian, mate. Even if I could read it, I doubt I could pronounce it properly and all that." Spike said, not lifting his head from his hands. Leaning back and sighing, he cast a look to the Watcher, "A few weeks, then?"

"Um, Well, certainly, I'll do my best. I'll double check it on that idiot box, just to, uh, to be sure I got the spell exactly right."

"Couldn't you just look it up to start with?"

"And compromise my principles, are you mad?" Giles replied, incredulous that Spike would even consider making such a suggestion. Spike rolled his eyes and stood up.

"Talk to ya later, Watcher."

"Oh, yes, good bye." Giles said, still shaking his head in amazement. Go to a computer before a book? Not bloody likely.

~

"Umm...alright, uh...oh! 'Why does Andrew get to get up? If he gets up, we'll all get up! IT'LL BE ANARCHY!'" Xander finished with a crescendo.

"The Breakfast Club." Willow answered flippantly, feigning a yawn.

"Damn you. Your turn, evil movie genius."

"Oh, right... 'Chaos is great. Chaos is what killed the dinosaurs, darling.'" Willow said.

"Heathers. And I thought that was in the 90's."

"'89."

"Ah." Buffy walked over to the lunch table and smiled cheerfully.

"Hey Buffy!" Willow said as she sat down.

"Hey guys, how's it goin'?"

"We're playing 80's Guess The Quote." Xander offered.

"Huh?"

"Using classic, and some not-so-classic, movies from the 80's, we say quotes and you have to try to guess which one it's from." Willow explained, "Xander stinks at it."

"I do not!"

"Please! For one you said 'I don't believe it. They forgot my F-U-C-K-I-N-G birthday!' And anyone, anyone whose ever claimed to be a fan of movies knows which one that's from."

"Okay, so I was reaching." Buffy looked confused.

"Which one * is * it from?" Her two friends stared in disbelief, first at one another and then at each other.

"I think I heard her say that." Xander quipped.

"Pretty in Pink. Molly Ringwald?" Willow answered, nudging Xander.

"Oh! Yeah, see...I've never seen that."

"Well, then. I think we've got our next movie night movie! What do ya say, Buff? Will you join us this time? Me and Wills here have really missed ya." Buffy snuck a quick look to Willow.

"I'm sure you have." Willow blushed, which, as always, went unnoticed by Xander, who was scowling at the figure that was walking towards them.

"Cordy alert." He said with disgust, as she stopped by their table.

"Hi there, losers." She said, looking down on them.

"Cordelia, why do you even bother?" Buffy asked, glaring at the brunette.

"Bother what?"

"Do I need to spell it out for you?" Buffy replied, raising herself up onto her hands, "If you hate us so much, why do you even bother talking to us?"

"I like to be reminded of how much better I am than you." Buffy almost gagged.

"Nice goal."

"I think so. Besides, it's also a little 'Thank you.' For that one time you helped me, sorta. Even though it was your creepy gang that did it to me in the first place."

"So that's why you talk to us? Because you think we really care if we're associated with you."

"Hey," Cordelia said, putting her hands on her hips, "can I help it if most people do?"

"Most people are sheeps."

"That's from a movie, too." Xander pointed out, quietly to Willow.

"Heathers, again, I think." She replied.

"I can hear Christian Slater saying that."

"Heathers it is."

"And look, just because I ditched you after I got to see who you really are doesn't give you the right to be bitter. In fact, I have the right to be bitter because you stole away my best friend!" Cordelia said, almost ready to pinch Buffy.

"First of all, * I * ditched * you *, not the other way around, alright sweetie? Second of all, I did not steal Dawn! She left because she came to her senses. You're a bitch and she got sick of the whole popular game."

"Her name is Briney!" Suddenly, a handsome jock came up from behind her. He gave a quick nod and leering stare to Buffy, before leading Cordelia away, without her saying another word to Buffy.

"Well, that was anticlimactic." Xander said, after a moment's silence. Buffy sat back down and frowned.

" 'If you put a piece of coal up his ass, in two weeks it would be a diamond.'" Buffy burst out suddenly. Xander and Willow looked at each other and said in unison...

"Ferris Bueller's Day Off."

"Worth a shot." Buffy said, a smile creeping on her face.

~

Jenny Calendar snuck into Giles' office, in the feeble search of a pen.

What she found was the most cluttered desk known to man.

"Well, well. Mr. Giles isn't perfect after all." She said, a smile teasing her lips. She began to dig through his papers, when suddenly, the phone rang. Jumping back like she had been committing some awful crime, she put her hand to her chest, breathing deep. The phone continued to blare. In a knee-jerk reaction, she picked it up.

"Hello? Rupert Giles' office." She quickly amended.

"Is Rupert there?" The brusque, British voice replied demandingly.

"I'm sorry, he's on a lunch break, can I take a message?"

"Yes, tell him the Council is expecting his call with the updates on the Slayer's status." Council? Slayer? Jenny knew those words well...

"Do you mean the Council of Watchers?" She asked, slightly breathless.

"Of course that's what I mean. Now just give him the message. Tell him Quentin Travers is expecting a call. Good day." She heard him hang up his end, but she stood there with the phone glued to her ear.

This was totally new and unexpected.

~

Part 17:

"Good morning." Joyce said, smiling at her daughter who ran down the stairs in her usual hurry. Buffy threw her a quick grin and grabbed at the piece of toast in Joyce's hand.

"Ah, ah. Don't get so grabby young lady. This is * my * toast. Yours is waiting in the toaster."

"It isn't too black is it?"

"No, your majesty." Joyce chuckled, rubbing Buffy's shoulders.

"Cuz I like my toast to be toasted through, with just a grazing of brown in the center and along the crust." Buffy said as she attempted to pick the said toast from out of the said toaster, which was proving to be a cumbersome task.

"Well, well, if it isn't Buffy, my little toast connoisseur."

"You know it." Buffy replied with a wink. After gulping down a pre-poured glass of orange juice, she kissed her mother on the cheek and ran out the door, hoping that Spike would sneak through the tunnels to get to school.

So she could ask him about the researching.

Yeah, that was it.

~

"O"

That was as far as Giles had gotten in the translation of Spike's spell, and he wasn't even sure if * that * was correct.

It was quite reminiscent of when he had gotten as far as the lead character's last name in The Fountainhead.

Through his reverie, he hadn't noticed Jenny Calendar come to the doorway of his office, until she knocked gently on the wood frame.

"Knock, knock," she said, looking at Giles with wonder. <Him, a Watcher. Whoda thunk it? >

"Oh, hello, Miss Calendar. I'm afraid, I'm, I'm rather busy at the, uh, moment. Perhaps we could, um, ah...do this later?"

"I know you're a Watcher, Rupert."

That was totally new and unexpected.

~

Spike stumbled into the school basement. < Damned sewers > he thought, trying to wipe away the excess muck from his boots. Looking around to make sure there weren't any sneaky janitors lurking about, Spike trudged up the stairs and crept silently through the door into the hallway. To his luck and surprise, he ran straight into the person he was looking for.

"Dawn," he said, taking her arm and leading her back into the basement. She glared at him and slapped his arm.

"Students aren't allowed down here," she hissed, trying to get back up the stairs.

"Right, cuz you're a bloody Girl Scout. Gone klepto lately?" Spike said, biting his tongue immediately afterward. < Why can't I just keep my damned mouth shut? >

"That was low," she mumbled, before sighing and glaring at him expectantly, "So, what's with the grabbing and bringing down into the basement?"

"I just thought I'd keep ya updated, is all. On things I can't talk about in front of anyone else." Dawn nodded.

"Well..." Spike leaned back onto the railing, sighing heavily and shaking his head, trying to think of a way to explain everything to Dawn.

"Angel's being an all around pain in my ass...I thought I'd talk to him, ya know? Explain everything and let him make his own decision. Of course, he assumed the only reason I asked him to leave was so that I could get Buffy. Not to protect Buffy, which was what I was trying to play up. Plus the fact that Buffy had a little run in with a vamp that predicted the apocalypse. He said that "they" were wrong about when it would come."

"The Choosers," Dawn whispered, understanding.

"That was my theory. Unfortunately, Giles has to retranslate the spell for me, cuz he's being a soddin' idiot and not using the bloody computer."

"Miss Calendar!" Dawn squealed, only to receive a confused look from Spike, "Okay, I know you're probably thinking "Random Much?" but, no, she can help us. She can look up the spell for us."

"Why do you-"

"Well, if I remember what Buffy told me correctly, Miss Calendar was, or I guess, is a..."

~

"...Technopagan. At least that's the p.c. term." Jenny explained to a flabbergasted Giles, "So, believe it or not, Rupert, your demonology isn't just for books. It's evolved."

"But, how did you realize that I work for the Council?"

"Oh, that. I came into your office, I was looking for a pen, and I picked up the phone. By the way, some guy Travis wants to know the status on the Slayer."

"Travers. I told him not to call during school hours," Giles complained, moving around without any real purpose.

"So, is that why those five always hang out around the library?" Jenny asked, trying to get all the answers she could.

"F-five?" Giles asked, his mind blocked up.

"You know...Willow, Xander, Buffy, Jesse, and Ambrine? Do they work for you? Is one of them the Slayer?"

"One question at a time please. My brain is a bit overworked." She looked down at the mess on his desk (which had just gotten bigger) and nodded.

"I can see why. Is Willow the Slayer?" she asked, curious. Willow was the one she had seen around here the most...

"Willow? No, no, quite not. Willow wouldn't hurt a flea! Even, an, um, a, uh a, a, a, vampiric flea. No, * Buffy * is actually the Slayer." Jenny snapped her fingers in frustration.

"I should've known that one. She definitely has the fighter's attitude." Giles nodded vigorously.

"You've no idea."

~

"Willow!" The blonde and the redhead turned around as Dawn called their names. Out of breath, she caught up to them and stuck out two passes.

"What are these for?" Buffy asked, examining hers. Elizabeth Summers. < Don't these people get that my name is * not * Elizabeth!?! >

"Computer lab, during our free. Spike wants you to research 'Manifestations of Evil'," she directed to Buffy, before turning to Willow, "and you to break into the city files again and get a listing on government agencies that might know something about the apocalypse." She fluidly made up the assignments. She needed to make sure Buffy and Willow were distracted and in sight when she ran the spell through the translator. At least that was what Spike had said.

"Spike's here?" Buffy asked in a (hopefully) nonchalant tone.

"Not anymore. He left to hit up Willy." Buffy tightened her features into a perplexed scowl.

"Never mind..." Dawn said, dragging them into the lab.

~

"Buffy, don't you have somewhere to be?" Miss Calendar asked, looking the girl up and down.

"No, we all have a free today."

"Cool! But it's lab time, so let's try to make this a short visit, okay girls?" The three of them nodded and took different seats. Miss Calendar was still trying to make small talk with them which Dawn could've lived without. She was on a mission...

"So Mr. Giles and I spent the last few periods scanning books into the computer. I think I might finally get him under my techno-hypnosis after all," she said with a wink. Dawn clicked on the Netscape icon.

"This is weird..." Willow said, looking up and down her screen. She had received an instant message from someone she didn't know at all.

>> Do you go to SDHS?

>> Yes. I am Malcom.

Malcom? Willow didn't know any Malcom's...

>> I don't know any Malcoms.

>> That is because I am not in any of your classes. I've never been.

Willow accepted this. She turned around in her chair.

"Hey Buffy, Dawn. Have you guys ever heard of a Malcom?"

Buffy shook her head and shrugged. Dawn however felt sick to her stomach.

Oh, yeah...she had heard of a Malcom.

~