Summary: This chapter is called True or False Love. As Spike starts to find out what R.J.’s doing, Buffy become more infuriated with him. It’s up to Spike to get Buffy back to herself

Rating: NC-17

It’s a day since Spike managed to trick R.J. to invite him into his apartment so he could go there anytime he wanted to investigate. He spent one day monitoring the boy so he can learn when it’s safe to go in there undetected.

After his observation, he found that the kid spent daytime out of the apartment, he thought he’d be at school, but he spent the entire night in there. So he concluded that he has to risked being fried and check the place out during daytime.

“ Better find out more about this guy before bursting into his place. Just in case if he’s bloody scary wizard. ” Spike thought cautiously.

So went out to the street, and look for demon fellas that could know something about R.J. As Spike walked he realized he was acting similar to his old self; hanging out late checking out people or demons in business for information.

He went into the bar that he used to go for poker games, and noticed that it hasn’t changed at all.

“ Good. Maybe the same useful demons are still hanging around too. ” He thought gladly

“ SPIKE! ” He heard a familiar voice calling him.

He turned to the direction and saw who, or what that was. It’s Clem

“ Hello Mate. ” Spike greeted back.

“ Hey. Good old Spike. You’ve been gone than I thought. ” said Clem.

“ Yeah I did didn’t I? So you been good? ” Spike asked.

“ Oh Well. Yeah been pretty good. Where did you go? Why haven’t you gone back to your little nest? I kept it pretty nice for you. And what….” Spike cut him off before he made a million questions.

“ Hey Halt there for a second, twenty questions at a time? ” Spike said sarcastically

“ Ops sorry, I’m just happy that you are back. ” Clem told him.

“ It’s alright. ” Spike said.

Clem looked at him questioningly for two seconds, then he asked,

“ So is it true? You have a soul now? ” Clem asked quietly.

“ Yeah it’s true. Won it at a bloody torturing contest? ” Spike answered.

“ Was it worth it? For the girl? ” Clem asked, knowing there’s only one reason that would make Spike do something in such drastic measure.

“ I hoping it is. ” said Spike.

Neither of them spoke for a moment. Then Spike remembered why he was there in the first place.

“ Sorry. But I can’t do catching up now. I need some information on someone as soon as possible. ” Spike told him seriously.

“ What do you need to know? ” Clem asked.

“ Things about a boy named R.J. Brooks. He goes to the local high school. ” Spike said.

“ R.J. Brooks? Hmm…. I think I heard some magic dealers mentioned that name before. What else can you tell me about him. ”

“ That he seems to be the Slayer’s current boyfriend.” Spike thought, but refused to mention this.

“ Well. He used to wear a jacket that would make any women fall deeply in love with him. ” Spike told him.

“ Really? ” Clem sounded curious.

“ I wasn’t there to see the whole show. But that jacket made just about all high school girls lovesick for this boy. It got to Dawn, the Nibblet too. Eventually it got to the Slayer and all her other girlfriends in her Scooby gang. They fought over the boy, got really crazy. Me and their guy friend, Harris grabbed the boy and took the jacket then burnt it. And cured the ladies of their lovesickness. ” Spike explained

Clem found it slightly interesting, and started to wonder something.

“ Wow! Really? ” Clem asked.

“ Yep. ” Spike responded flatly.

“ So the spell’s gone and things went back to normal right? Why do you need to check on the boy? ” Clem wondered.

Spike put his brain to work to come up a proper explanation. He didn’t want to make Clem think he’s doing this out of jealousy.

“ The Slayer and the her friends think this boy is pretty much clueless about the jacket, that he was just getting along with the beauties. But I think he might be more than that, that’s why I need info on him. ” Spike told him truthfully.

“ Ookay. So, so far we know that this guy unintentionally used love spells on females, and I heard his name from magic dealers before. I’ll start working on him by checking with everyone I know in magic business about him then. ” said Clem.

“ Thanks mate. But please do it fast. If this guy is some kind of black art worker, he might not up to no good. I have to stop him soon.

“ Sure. Come to see me here tomorrow night. I’ll let you know what I find out. ” Clem said friendly.

“ Good. See you then. ” Spike said and turned to leave.

But he stopped quickly and turned back.

“ By the way ” Spike started.

“ Yes? ” Clem waited.

“ If you wanna keep the crypt then go ahead. Something tells me I won’t go back. ” Spike told him.

“ Really! Thanks a lot Spike. ” Clem sounded excited.

“ No problem mate. Good-bye. ” With that Spike walked away.

He decided he could not do much now. So he began making his way home to think for a plan. On his way, he thought of Clem. He was glad to see him again. It made Spike remember and realized that he hadn’t had friends for more than a hundred years.

Ever since he was turned, he spent every moment of his existence with his undead family. Killing and feeding were all they’ve ever done. His unlife changed forever when he got the chip in his head and unwillingly became an ally to the Slayer, and realized his true feeling for her.

Even his hard works had proven to Buffy and the Scooby gang that he had changed, they still treated him not very friendly. For the last two years, he had no easy time at all He was literally alone.

Clem had made him felt different. He was one being that would talk to Spike with true friendliness. He was the closet that Spike ever had to a real friend. Giving him the crypt was the least Spike could do for him.

“ Well, I hope the fella can get the info in no time. Can’t do much till then. ” Spike thought to himself.

Spike got home and saw Xander was already there.

“ Hello Spiky. Had a good night? ” Xander asked with a funny tone.

“ It was bloody fine. Since when do you care about me anyway? ” Spike questioned back.

“ I really don’t. But since Buffy’s assign me to babysit you, I’m responsible for your well being. ” Xander said with a fake smile, obviously attempted to annoy Spike.

However, Spike had become a bit more mature, thanks to the soul.

“ Well. Thank you for your concern and loving care. I’ll be in my closet if you wanna check on me. ” Spike played along.

He went on his way right away, not wanting to wait around for Xander to come up with something annoying to say.

He got to his room and changed, then put himself to his bed. As he laid there, he thought about what exactly he’s gonna do.

“ I might be just bloody overacting. Maybe there was some sort of deep good bye kiss that’s all. ” Spike thought, trying to convince himself there’s really nothing to worry about, that maybe he’s jealous and can’t stand someone getting close to Buffy.

Somewhere, way deep inside him wishes that he “was” overacting, that Buffy really was going out with someone naturally, no matter how unlikely the guy would seem to be of her taste.

Before he had gone to get the soul; before he lost control and attempted to rape Buffy in her bathroom, he had wanted one thing, to stop have feelings for her, to stop loving her, to move on. He was so desperate that he thought of using magic to stop this passion. But it had turned out bad.

After all the badness that had happened and all the feelings of guilt he had from those events, he decided he needed something to change. So he went to get a soul.

Maybe to everyone else, the only difference he seem to have is lack of annoyances, sarcasms, and the amount of quietness that the old Spike can’t compare to.

But he is more human than before. All his human emotions and feelings that he had as a soulless vampire had been strengthened. His desire’s for Buffy’s love had not died; however, his wish to move on had gotten stronger.

He fully intended to help Buffy with her duty as the Slayer and nothing else more. Putting himself in a position that would seem so convincing to anyone, even to himself to be a jealous and obsessed individual on a mission to investigate on a boyfriend of a girl he’s obsessed with would humiliate him greatly.

But the he remembered the sneak preview he had of Buffy kissing the boy. Unless his instincts were way off, and his knowledge of Buffy had been wrong, the boy is definitely doing something to her. As much as he didn’t want to put on any action out of his care for the Slayer, he can’t.

“ If that boy is her bloody choice of free will. My blessing to the boy. ” he said to himself.

“ If there’s any mojo involved and he’s playing her like a doll. Then…… ” he whispered to himself, and didn’t say the last words.

* * * * * * * *

On the next day, Buffy and started her day in the usual way, dressing up, having breakfast with Dawn, and driving to school with her. And she was once again dressed to kill.

On their way to the school in the car, Dawn looked at Buffy funny and wondered why Buffy had been wearing things seem fitting for parties instead of counseling.

“ So what’s his name? ” Dawn smiled with her joking question.

“ What! ” Buffy was startled, she managed not to sound too loud which would rise more suspecting.

“ Well I know you’ve always dressed to look hot and pretty. But it’s been a week that you’ve been wearing things that other girls would usually wear only to a dance party. If I didn’t know better I’d like you are dating a guy from the school, or you are trying to get attention of someone in the school. ” Dawn said

“ Oh God, She got it so close. ” Buffy thought nervously.

“ Well I am not. You think too much Dawnie. I am a WOMAN, a adult human female, I just wanna look that way. Buffy told her, with almost no expression on her fact.

Dawn thought for a second. She thought maybe she was wrong, still it really seemed so not like Buffy to dress like a party girl to school everyday.

“ By dressing like saying, “hey pick me for the dance” to school. ” Dawn’s curiosity hadn’t died.

Buffy looked at Dawn with intense stare. Her demeanor was showing irritation.

“ If you think I look like a slut, I’ll put on something less inappropriate and fitting for your liking. ” Buffy said to Dawn almost too bitterly.

Dawn pulled back, she felt as if Buffy had hit her hard in the face. She had never sensed so much hostility from her sister, except for the time she was turned insane by poison from a ugly demon last year. Although Buffy had acted more scarily and frightened more at that time, at least she wasn’t exactly herself. The way she just spoke had shacked Dawn more than that incident.

It took her about ten seconds to recovered. She didn’t know what to say next.

“ Sor… I’m sorry Buffy. I didn’t mean to go all judgy and accusing. But I was just curious. I can’t help but wonder if there’s a special reason that you keep dressing like that. ” said Dawn.

She knew she kinda crossed the line and was getting close the invade her sister privacy. But after all this time and everything they’ve been through, Dawn thought they could always tell each other anything, Buffy obviously didn’t. Such fact hurt Dawn a little.

Buffy saw Dawn’s expression and realized that she might had been too hush. Her first thought was to apologize. But her anger refused just let things go and forgive Dawn so easily.

“ Well, then think more carefully before you ask questions and when to shut your mouth. ” Buffy’s voice showed her anger not faded.

Dawn almost cried at that instance. Buffy sounded like she was pretty much saying, “ I hate you, ” or “ die.”

Just then, they had arrived at school. And they both left the car.

“ Have a nice day. ” Buffy told Dawn. She didn’t look at her, and she walked right away.

Dawn felt really hurt now. She looked at Buffy at her back as she kept walking away. She didn’t know how she was managing through school today this new hard-to-forget impression her sister just gave her.

* * * * * * * *

Buffy was talking to the kids again. She was starting to dislike this job as much as she disliked working in the DoubleMeat Palace. They may be different, but were both discomforting to her.

At the DoubleMeat, she was bored from all kinds things people do to work in a fast food restaurant. It made her feel like a loser.

And now as the school counselor. This job was not boring at all. It willing killing, a position that made her either constantly busy or irritated. Now she was always the one to help kids with problem by giving comforting words and suggestion to solve problems while listening to their soundly endless complains. Almost like being an adult babysitter.

“ Almost? It IS babysitting! ” Her inner self told her.

After she finished talking to a boy who was failing because he was heartbroken of the recent breakup with his ex-girlfriend. It reminded her of someone she now deemed special..

She checked the time, and thought of leaving her post again.

“ Well, looks like you have a date to keep. ” her voice within told her.

She started getting up her chair, then she slowly sat right back down.

“ If I keep taking off on duty times, people might get suspicious and start questioning me, again. ” She thought carefully.

“ Maybe I shou……” her thought was being interrupted.

Once again, a surge of energy starting going through her mind, making her unable to focus. As soon as it faded, it took her knowledge of it ever happened with it.

“ Come on. Go. You know you want to. ” The voice told her again.

Unable to resist against her desire anymore, she left the office to meet R.J. again. By this time, she has pretty much memorized his entire class schedules; she had no trouble locating him anytime anywhere.

She got to the class where he’s suppose to be at. To her disappointment, he was not there.

“ Maybe I got to the wrong class. ” she thought.

As she turned around and started heading to the next possible place of his location. She ran into someone and was surprised.

“ Oh I’m sorr…” she paused when she lifted up and realized who it was.

“ Hey cutie. ” he smiled and took a step closer to her.

Buffy smiled back, but his presence made her nervous, again.

“ Hey handsome. ” still beard her smile.

There was a ten seconds silence.

“ I knew you’d come to me. ” he said with seductively.

It was like a jolt of electricity had hit her from head to toes. Her knees became weak, barely able to stand anymore.

“ Good. She’s more hungry than before. I’m definitely getting close. ” R.J. thought gladly.

“ So… Think we should go somewhere less crowded? ” He asked.

“ Of course. ” She responded.

He took her hand, and led her away from where they were.

They got into a storage room outside of the main building. She walked in, and he closed the door behind.

Buffy looked around the interior of the small building. It seemed that there were a lot of unused chairs and desks, as well as many other school accessories. But there were also a lot of empty space.

“ A great place to get rough. ” She believed.

“ A nice choice of spacing. ” She told him.

R.J. walked closer to her from the back, and put a hand on her left shoulder.

“ Well I figured that we need a place where people don’t stop by much. If we keep meeting in there small classroom, someone’s likely to walk in on us, like your friend did the other day. Beside, it was small. This place seem to fit for our fun. ” he explained and breathed warmly on her neck.

The sudden burst of heat made her moan, and he began sliding his hand into her skirt. His touching turned her on more.

“ So why don’t we get started? ” He spoke with the seductive tone again.

Without another word, she turned around and grabbed him by his collar and pulled him into a deep kiss again.

They started moving, with their eyes closed. Then they hit a wall, with Buffy’s back against it. They then began working on undressing each other.

Buffy threw away the vast he was wearing, and his shirt. He returned the action by taking off her blouse, the striped her skirt. Then their mouths met again, the sound their kissing was scattering over the small building.

She pushed him back, until she put him on the floor. She immediately jumped on him, straddling him on his hips. Her hands then went to work on unfastening his belt, and pulled his pants down.

He grabbed her by shoulder and took her mouth for another kiss. This time, the contact had stayed for at least seven minutes.

She pulled away and R.J. flipped her over so he was on top of her. Then he went down and took her panties off, then her bra. He stood up and was about to take off his boxer. But he stopped before he did.

Buffy looked up at him, and was confused for his hesitation.

“ What’s wrong? ” she asked him.

He gave her a look, almost emotionless.

“ I don’t have protection. ” He said.

That got Buffy. She didn’t know what to think. Her mind started battling her thoughts again.

Once again, the surge activated. Only this time it didn’t make her dizzy. It introduced another voice of herself to her brain.

“ Come On, what are the odds that a girl can get pregnant by having fun for one time. You wanna do it, that ‘s all it matters. ” Her new voice told her.

Still, she hesitated. She kept her eyes on him, half way closed.

“ It’s time to see how well it’s doing. ” R.J. thought.

“ If you think it’s not safe, then maybe we should….. ” He didn’t finish.

She got up and pulled him down and began kissing again.

He broke away.

“ I take this means you are ok with it. ” He smiled at her.

She smiled back.

“ Good, it is working. It won’t be too long now. ” He thought happily.

Buffy’s hands went to his boxer and pulled it down as much as she could. He helped her finish the job. He put his hand on her breast and toyed them. He took her nipple into his mouth, and continued playing the other one with his fingers.

His hands went to her knees and pushed her legs apart. He positioned himself and thrust into her moist heat slowly.

They both moaned loudly as he filled her completely. The contact of his part and her inner flesh was an intense experience which neither of them ever had before.

“ Oh God, this is so hard, so strong. ” Buffy felt.

R.J. himself was also shaken by the feeling.

“ Th..This is so hot, just as hot as she looks. Oh my, I love this. ” He enjoyed immensely.

He kept still for some more moments, wanting the savor the sensation for as long as possible. Finally, he began moving at a very slow pace. His eyes fixed on her face. She had her eyes closed and her demeanor showed her pleasure. This excited him more. As the time went on, his pace accelerated.

“ You make me feel so good. Do I make you feel good? ” he asked.

“ Say Yes ”. He hoped.

“ You are so strong, so filling. You feel so good. ” She told him as she panted.

He almost came immediately at those words.

He wanted to speed up more, but still want to prolong this. Buffy was trying to tell him to go faster; however, she was barely able to speak.

“ F-F-Fast.. Faster..” was all she managed to get out.

“ N-Not yet. ” he said tauntingly.

The feeling was increditable for her, she opened her eyes, grasping harder for air.

While kept on with his movement, he bent down, and once again took her nipples into his mouth, and sucked them hard. As he massaged her breasts with his mouth, he sped up. Not long after, he exploded inside of her and moaned loudly. She felt his hot seeds flowing hard to her interior and moaned as loud as he did.

R.J. stopped dead when his orgasm died, he was still hard within her, before he had the chance to get out of her, something surprising took turn next. Buffy’s moaning became louder and she started quaking fast as she came over the edge, her own essence was flowing out.

R.J. moaned very loud as he felt the high temperature that came out of her touching her, it was like being devoured by lava.

“ Oh my. This feels better than I ever expected. ” He thought as he experienced the pleasure.

He finally pulled out of her, he was almost out of strength, but he persisted on not lying down. He wanted to have a perfect view of her entire being.

Buffy was panting hard. She sounded like suffocating, an her eyes were closed, and her face still expressed the pleasure she just had.

“ She looks more beautiful than usual. ” He thought, enjoying he was able to put her into this state.

He let her be for two minutes, the way she was served him as a show of satisfaction, he wanted it last for a while. But he also wanted to put on another element of surprise.

He bent down and whispered to her ear.

“ Let’s go another round now ” it was barely auditable.

Buffy’s eyes opened wide at that instant. She was definitely not ready for “another round”, being still out of shape. He acted before she had any chance to do or say to protest..

He guided himself into her warmly moist entrance and she moaned again.

R.J. himself had also not recovered from the last round, so he could only move very very slowly. Such activity was a torment for Buffy, it was making her feel pain and pleasure at same time again while she was to tired to feel anything.

R.J. however; was no super being, he could not last through a second time like this as Buffy could. He ran out of energy and collapsed on top her.

“ Oh Oh I can’t believe how powerful this feels like. ” R.J. thought as he felt his entired physical form had shut down.

They laid together, neither wanted to move ever again.

Buffy’s sense of curiosity of why she was doing had gone completely, all she knew now was that this feeling was familiar to her and she didn’t where or when she felt it before, all she cared was that it made her happy and she wanted to feel it everyday.

R.J. lifted his head up, their eyes locked on each other.

“ I love you” He told her quietly.

Buffy was not really surprised to hear the words, she just didn’t know how she felt about them anymore.

Just then, R.J.’s watch beeped.

“ I have to report back to the class before it’s too late. ” He said.

He once again went around to area to look for and put his clothes back on.

“ Sorry to always off like this, I’ll talk to you later. ” He told her.

“ She’s mine, nothing will take her away from me. ” he thought as he opened the door, and once again leaving her on the floor.

* * * * * * * * *

“ So that’s all you know? ” Spike asked

“ Yeah, that’s pretty much there’s to know about the boy. ” Clem answered

Spike went to silent mood as he processed the information he just received. It was five hours earlier than the time he said to meet, and the sun was still up. He became impatient and worried for Buffy as each second gone by, he couldn’t wait any longer. He knew Clem would also be at the place of meeting hours before the time, he hoped five hours wouldn’t get Clem less information that he would with five more hours.

“ Well I could probably learn more if…. ” Spike interrupted before Clem finished.

“ That’s ok mate. I think that’s all I need to know. ” Spike said

Some part of him was glad that he was right, there was something about the boy he should worry about. According to all information Clem gathered, R.J. was not really any scary figure at all. But a year ago, he started entering the demon world, checking on who Buffy Summers is, what she does, basically he was doing a complete check on Buffy.

And all magic related figures in town knew him, he had been constantly taking lessons and shopping for mentality and love spell and magic that could make him strong and manly, they all were convinced whatever he was determined to do whatever he was up to. Some others believed he’s a potential for the next greatest sorcerer of the time.

But since the school year started, everything about him had gone silent. Naturally, the demon world forgot a human in a very short time.

“ Thanks again Clem, you’ve been a big help. ” Spike said appreciately.

“ No problem my friend. ” Clem said back.

That touched Spike deeply. He smiled and took off.

He wrapped himself in his blanket and ran out of the bar fast, he was running to Summers home and thinking for what he’s gonna do.

“ I should talk to Buffy and let her know what the boy’s doing to her. No definitely not. If she’s really under a love spell then there’s no way to reason with her. Maybe I should talk to her causally first, see how bad she is now.” He decided.

He got to the house and stayed under the roof of doorstep. Lucky for him there was plenty of shades for him to survive. He leaned on wall and started thinking what he should say once Buffy finds him there.

* * * * * * * *

Dawn was walking herself back the house. She could not find Buffy after school, so she decided to walk home. She was actually glad about this, after the almost-fight she and Buffy got into, she really needed sometime alone to think things through, and walking back home alone would give her just that.

The more she thought, the more she couldn’t really understand what was wrong with Buffy. It was like she’s gone back to fourteen years old. But even then she wouldn’t be as hush to her as she had been this morning, she was talking to her like she was an outsider instead of her sister.

When she got to the front yard of the house, she noticed there was someone at the doorstep.

“ Could be a bugler. Good, I can put up some skills on a real bad guy now. ” Dawn thought, looking forward to feel better by beating someone up.

When she took a few more steps closer she realized it was Spike, who also noticed Dawn coming home.

“ Spike. ” She called flatly.

“ Hi Nibblet ” He called back.

“ What are you doing here? Waiting to jump Buffy again?” She question with a near aggressive tone.

Spike decided to ignore the hostility, and try to converse properly.

“ Well I was waiting for her. There’s something I need to talk to her about.” He said in the matter of fact manner. And he continued, “ Why are you with her? Doesn’t she take you home? ”

Dawn lowered her head.

“ Couldn’t find her. I decided to walk home. ” She told him.

“ I see. ” he said. “ Something is really wrong with her then . ” He thought.

Dawn’s head was still down, Spike knew something wasn’t right.

“ What’ wrong? ” He asked.

“ Nothing. ” she answered, sounding depressed.

Everyone and everything has changed, even Dawn. But Spike still knew her better than most people, at least well enough to tell she’s holding something back.

“ Come on Nibblet, whatever’s bothering you, you can tell me. ” Spike said, trying to reach her.

Dawn finally lifted her head up, slowly, and looked at Spike.

Ever since Spike came back, they have not been on the best term. If anyone from the Scooby gang ever liked him, it was Dawn. Actually, Dawn was the first one who showed any respect for Spike in the gang. She liked her, he was like a big brother to her. She felt he had become a real family to her when Buffy was dead.

But her friendliness toward Spike was changed forever when Xander told her Spike attempted to rape Buffy. This made her think there was a lot to Spike that she didn’t know, but deep down she still thought Spike as a good guy, she just couldn’t forgive him for hurting Buffy, her sister, the only family she had left.

Confiding in Spike about what was bothering her would be a heart-to-heart conversation, and she didn’t know if it was right to open up to him as she once did, especially when Buffy’s concerned. Her first opinion now was to tell him to go away and wait to talk to Xander, but she knew what Xander would say exactly, he’d say that she was thinking too much, just like Buffy did, and the last thing she needed now was to be told she was wrong.

“ Let’s talk inside. ” Dawn said.

Spike smiled, happy that she was showing a little kindness to him.

* * * * * * *

Dawn had told him what happened with Buffy this morning, that she was got all secretive when she asked why she had been dressed flowery for last several days and snapped at her when she questioned further.

“ Don’t you find it strange? ” Dawn questioned, looking for support.

She went on before Spike offered his opinion.

“ I mean, yeah, Buffy’s always been a dressed-beautifully girl. But putting on killing attires for this many days? Definitely not something she’d do. ” Dawn expressed her doubts and confusion.

But it made sense to Spike, now he was absolutely certain that he was right.

“ I think I have the answer to your question. ” He told her.

“ What! You do? ” She was surprised.

Spike signed

“ Let me start from the beginning, this is gonna take a while, and you aren’t gonna like this. ” He stated honestly.

Dawn sat back on the couch, and gave him her full attention.

Spike told her about his investigation. Started with he noticing Buffy hiding something from him, seeing Buffy and R.J. kissing, and what he learned from Clem on R.J.

It took about thirty minutes for him to finish, and silence took place.

Dawn tried to process all the information she just received quickly. It took her seven minutes before she started talking again.

“ So you think R.J.’s doing something to Buffy? Another love spell? ” she asked, worried.

“ Bloody likely, or something stronger. And with what you just told me, I’m pretty sure. People under love spell tend to do everything to impress one who spread it. ” Spike said.

“ Yeah I know how it’s like. ” Dawn said, a bit embarrassed as she remembered the way she acted when she was under a love spell not too long ago.

She shook her head, knowing there’s not time to feel stupid and getting back to the focus.

Spike spoke before she did.

“ I’m gonna go to find a way to stop him. ” He said firmly as he got up.

“ What do you mean you? ” She was angered that he seemed to make her sit this one out.

“ We are going to stop him. ” She told him.

“ No Dawn, you can’t…. ” He was cut off.

“ What? That I’m still a little girl? That I’m weak and less than helpful? ” she sounded more angry.

“ I can fight as good as Xander now, if not better. Just in case you haven’t noticed. ” She reminded him

“ I don’t doubt your capability at all Dawn. ” he told her truthfully.

She wrapped her arms in front of her chest and glared at him.

“ Then what is it? ” she asked.

“ You are a girl? ” he said.

“ SO? ” she yelled, completely disbelieving that was the reason he didn’t want her taking actions.

“ Think carefully Dawn. For all we know, this guy is an expert on love spell. If you go with me then how can we be sure he won’t turn you into a lovesick dolly again?” He spoke, trying to make her understand the situation better.

Dawn went silent again.

“ Yeah That make sense.” She thought.

“ Well, why don’t we find Willow and fill her in and ask her to come with us or have her placed some kind of protection spell on us so…..” She didn’t finished that sentence. Because Spike interrupted her.

“ I don’t think it’s good idea. ” he said.

“ Why not? ” she asked

“ The truth is, we don’t know what sort of mojo he’s got on Buffy, but I can tell Buffy’s been like this since the night after we burnt the jacket. It’s possible that the spell was never broken, maybe he just deactivated them all and kept the one on Buffy active. If that’s the case, he could control you, the red, and bloody lots of other girls to be his minions against us anytime he pleases, which we don’t need now. ”

Dawn wanted to argue that he was being overcautious, but she knew what he said made sense, and if she said he was overcautious, she would be no better to him anymore than Buffy was to her.

“ She’s my sister Spike, I just can’t do nothing if she’s…… I just can’t. ” She was desperate to do something to get her out of any possible trouble.

Spike looked at her, understanding exactly what Dawn was going through.

“ There’s something useful you can do while I confront the boy. ” He told her.

“ What? ” She was anxious to know.

“ Talk to her, converse with her as if you never talked to me today. Keep her from getting out of the house. Wouldn’t want her go look for lover boy while I might be punching him to his bloody death. ” He instructed her with a light humor.

“ But how are you gonna stop him if you don’t know what kind of spell he’s using? ” She asked.

“ I’m over a hundred remember? I know magical stuff and item when I see one. We know he must be doing love spells, so I have to do to destroy the bloody objects he’s set to send out the effect, and there goes the spell. ” He explained.

“ What if you need to fight him? You still have that chip in your head. ” She reminded him.

“ Oh Blood Hell! ” He thought. He had completely forgotten about the chip.

“ Then let’s hope it won’t come to that. Eve if it will, one punch in the face or forehead should be enough to knock him out, and give me enough time to stop his work. ” He said.

“ Don’t you think you should ask Xander to help you with this? ” She asked again, looking for a perfect way to deal with the situation.

“ It would help, but I need to do this fast. If I tell Harris my theory, he’ll just think I’m bloody crazy about Buffy again, and there’s no time to convince him. ” He said reasonably.

Dawn gave up as she realized he was right.

“ Ok then, I guess it’s up to you then. I’ll keep her here. ” She said.

He nodded his head, and turned around to exit the house.

“ Spike. ” She called.

He looked back.

“ Be careful. ” She told him softly.

He nodded again, and turned to leave, wrapping the blanket over him again.

* * * * * * * *

“ What should I talk about? Hey Buffy that’s a great outfit where did you get it? Or Hey Buffy do you have a new boyfriend? Can I meet him? ” Dawn felt ridiculously of herself.

It’s been five minutes since Spike left, Dawn was pacing around the living room, talking to herself, and looking for a subject she can bring up to keep Buffy home when she gets back.

“ I’m home! ” A pleasant voice called.

Dawn was startled, she looked to the direction of the front door then walked over there and saw Buffy there.

“ Hey. ” Buffy told Dawn, sounded not to nice, still not happy about her questions.

“ Unh….Buffy. ” Dawn said, noticing something that made her forget what she was suppose to do.

“ What? ” Buffy felt irritated, and put her hands on her on her sides.

“ Better not be another stupid question. ” Buffy thought.

“ Is that a hackey on your neck? ” Dawn asked, pointing at her own neck.

Buffy’s eyes went wide, and covered the right side of her neck.

“ Oh Great, should have checked more carefully. ” She criticized herself, as she felt embarrassed like that in front of her younger sister.

It all came back to Dawn, she was suppose to keep Buffy here, and now she just an idea how to.

“ Is this why I couldn’t find you after school? ” Dawn asked deliberately.

“ No. No it’s not what you think it is. ” Buffy spoke out nervously.

“ I have to say something to convince her. If she talks, they’ll al know. ” She thought worriedly.

“ Really? ” Dawn wrapped her arms in front of her chest, almost enjoying this. It was nice to see Buffy nervous.

“ Why don’t we sit down and talk? ” Buffy said and walked past Dawn to the couch.

Dawn turned her head toward the direction.

“ Maybe this isn’t going to be so hard after all. ” she thought.

* * * * * * * *

Spike stood outside R.J.’s apartment, he had gone by so other place to get a rope in case he needed to tie the boy up. He could tell he was home. He leaned on the wall and took a cigarette in his mouth to smoke it, and thinking a plan to handle the situation.

He took the thing out of his mouth and breathed out the smoke.

“ Ok. This is what I’m gonna do. ” Having decided, he drop the cigarette on the ground and stamped it.

He knocked on the door, waited someone to respond.

“ Coming. ” He heard a voice from behind the door.

“ Gotta be ready. ” Spike thought as he prepared himself by tightening his fist.

The door opened.

Before R.J. could say or do anything, Spike aimed his punch on the boy’s forhead as hard and fast as he could. The hit caused R.J. to fly back by not too far, and he landed on the floor unconscious.

“ Arghhhh…” Spike screamed and had his hand on his head as the chip fired.

“ Bloody Hell. ” He complained as he recovered from the pain.

He went to the boy immediately to check on him. Once he was sure that he was out cold, He tied the boy up tightly in a chair, making sure he’s absolutely secured and had no chance to play any tricks.

Then he looked around the apartment, finding it not too big.

He started with his room and saw a few pictures of Buffy on the wall.

“ The boy’s as obsessed as I used to be. ” He commented

Then he noticed there were many sport jackets in the closet but only one on the bed, he went to picked it up.

“ Oh my bloody, we never got rid of this thing, it was a bloody fake. ” Spike realized angrily.

Not ready to draw the conclusion yet, he decides to look around and keep checking. He found more items he knew was magical stuff. He threw all that he could find to the floor of the living room, a couple feet away from R.J.

He stared at the unconscious figure coldly, no longer able to contain the anger he had been feeling.

Unable to be patient to wait for the kid to wake up, Spike went to the refrigerator to get some ice, and took some water from the kitchen sink to mix the ice with in a cup.

When the water was cold enough, he walked his way to R.J. and poured the whole cup at his face. Effectively waking him up.

After coughing a couple times and grasping for breath, he looked up and spoke out loud madly.

“ What the hell you trying to do? Drawn me? ” R.J. bursted angrily, didn’t recognized Spike at the moment. But noticed he was tied up.

“ Nope I should do something far more painfully worse. ” Spike said, his words expressed his anger.

R.J.’s eyes widened just a little as he recognized the guy in front of him.

“ YOU! What the hell are you doing here? ” R.J. asked with rage.

Spike didn’t realized from R.J.’s words that he knew him, his own anger was blocking his senses.

He grabbed R.J. by hair and talked threateningly.

“ I know what you been doing to Buffy. You are gonna release the love spell, or mind control or whatever mojo you put on her NOW! ” the last word scattered through the entire apartment.

The silence came, R.J. was taken aback, and scared for a moment, while Spike’s angry stares kept locked on R.J. . Knowing he’s at the disadvantage, but he was going to give up easily.

“ Why should I do that? I love that girl, she’s mine. ” R.J. said seriously with a slight smile

That made Spike angrier than anything else that had happened this day, but he doesn’t immediately.

“ What? You gonna kill me? ”R.J. laughed on.

“ I might. ” Spike told him seriously.

R.J. could tell Spike meant his words, and became more than scared, he was frightened, but he still wasn’t ready to give up.

“ Go ahead. Wouldn’t get you anywhere, the magic will last even if I die, the only place it’ll take you is she weeping by my dead body and hating you for killing me. ” R.J. laughed again, wickedly.

Spike lessoned and grip and his expression softened. He was trying to think things through carefully.

“ There are might be some truth to what he says. ” Spike thought. He’s been around long enough to know that there are some magic that would stay effective even with its user dead.

R.J. was trying to concentrate to call for help through mental contact, but was quickly distracted.

“ Why are you doing this to her. What has she done that you turn her into a love toy. ” Spike asked.

“ I told you, I love her. ” R.J. simply said.

“ I’ve heard bloody lot of people say those three words before. Most of them spoke them the same way you just did. And guess what!. ” Spike leaned in, his face was dangerously close to R.J.’s.

“ They didn’t mean it. All of them, they never meant those three words to who they spoke to. They may had sounded nicely and heartfelt, But they didn’t MEAN THEM. ” He ended with loud volume.

“ Whatever you think you feel for her is not love. It’s LUST, FALSE LOVE, not real. ” Spike sounded stronger than before, hoping to get the point through that stupid head of the boy.

R.J.’s eyes widened again. He could tell how serious this guy was, and he knew there could be some truth to what he said.

“ Like Hell. ” R.J. thought, stil refusing to give up.

“ Believe whatever you want. ” he said to Spike, sounded as calm as he could.

Spike stood up straight and realized now he’s gotta do it the hard way.

“ Guess I have to take the bloody chance. I hope this works. ” He thought

“ Fine. Give you two guesses what I’m gonna do. ” Spike taunted.

“ Kill me? Or keep me tied for eternity? ” R.J. joked.

“ Very original. But no. I know you are using two kinds of tricks here. One’s a love spell, one’s a sort of mind control. ” He pointed a finger at the jacket.

R.J.’s eyes have gone wider than ever before. This showed Spike he pretty guessed right, but still not taking any chance.

“ Good, I must have gotten most part right. Gotta stay careful. ” Spike focused.

“ Now I know destroying the thing, you used to cast the spell, that jacket in this case, will break it. As for the mind control….. ” He paused.

R.J. cut in.

“ It’s not just a simple mind control. I’ve planted a part of my mind, mentality, personality, a mental clone to be exact into her mind. I’ve got a link to her, change her into the way for me. And there’s no way you can break that. ” R.J. blew out, lost control for a while, hoping telling the truth could make Spike think whatever he tries in futile.

Spike waited, wondering if the boy’s gotta anything else to confess.

“ If you kill me, part of her mind dies with me. ” R.J. said.

Spike didn’t think it was true, but not daring to take chances on this.

“ Then I guess you will have to get it out of her. ” Spike told him.

“ What makes think I’m gonna to that? ” R.J. laughed as he felt confident again.

Spike vamped out

R.J. was shook by the change.

“ What the…. ” R.J. sounded in fear.

“ You don’t know vampires? See, you nothing about Buffy. ” Spike said truthfully.

“Vamp..Vampir.. ” before R.J. got to finish saying the word, Spike leaned close again.

“ This is what I’m gonna do. ” he showed his ligher.

“ I’ll either set this jacket on fire. And let it burn the whole apartment, and you along with it. Or I’ll burn the jacket and drink you dry to death. And don’t worry about any mental damage she’ll get, I know plenty people who can take care of that. So which choice do you like better? ” Spike informed him, playing a scene to get him into corporation.

R.J. became very pale, utterly frightened by Spike’s threats. Spike noticed this, which relieved him a bit.

“ Third choice. The jacket, and all your magical items are to be bloody history, your little apartment and you stay well and alive. But you are gonna free Buffy’s mind now. How do you like that? ” Spike asked.

Realizing his live could be at stake, R.J. gave up and nodded his head.

He focused to released the mental clone.

“ There. It’s done. ” R.J. told Spike.

“ Good. ” Spike said

He lit the jacket and threw it to all the magical items he gathered on the floor. Setting them all on fire.

R.J. panicked as he worried the flame might burn the whole apartment and kill him. Spike picked a packet knife from his pants and made a small cut on the rope that restrained R.J. .

“ The rope’s cut, you can get free before the fire gets out of control. ” Spike told him.

R.J. became visibly relieved, but Spike went on.

“ If you dare to ever temper with Buffy’s mind again, I will kill you. And don’t you try anything with mind control. I have a friend, who’s also a friend of hers, a magician a billion times more powerful than you’ll ever be. So you try anything as far as Buffy’s concerned, you are dead. And I don’t wanna see you again, so I suggest you move out of the town. Understand? ” Spike informed and threatened him with all his rage.

R.J. was utterly in fear, he certainly didn’t want to take a chance to try it again, not when he might actually lose his life.

He nodded very slowly in responded to Spike’ words.

“ Good. ” Spike said flatly and walked away, leaving R.J. tied to the chair.

R.J. was completely numb, both body and mind. He could break the rope easily, but he couldn’t move, or even think. The flame grew slowly, he didn’t notice, as he learned the consequences of his wicked attempt to mess someone’s mind and live.

Five minutes later, he got up, breaking the rope, and quickly worked on putting out the fire, and made his mind to get out of the town.

* * * * * * * *

Spike was running quickly back to the Summers’ house, wondering if Buffy’s back to normal.

He opened the door, and saw Willow and Dawn sitting on the couch. They didn’t look too happy.

“ Dawn what’s wrong? ” he asked.

“ Spike. ” she said softly.

“ Hey ” Willow greeted too.

“ What’s wrong? ” He asked again. “ Where’s Buffy.”

“ She’s upstairs, in her room. She suddenly acted weird about fifteen minutes ago. And just ran upstairs. ” Willow told him.

“ Didn’t go in and check on her? ” he was worried.

“ She told us that she wanted to be alone. ” She answered.

Spike was about to go to Buffy himself.

“ Look Spike, Dawn told me everything. ” Willow continued.

Spike turned to Dawn.

“ I kept her here. We talked pretty much the whole time, then Willow came home. About thirty seconds after that, Buffy’s eyes almost popped, then she looked are scared and mortified, and ran to her room and told us not to go in. ”

Spike signed.

“ I think it’s the bad memory. I took care the kid’s magic toys. Whatever he put on her is gone now. But the so bad memory probably won’t go away. ” Spike said.

They went silent again, not sure what to say.

“ I think I should go talk to her. ” Spike looked at Dawn.

She nodded, giving her the ok. He stopped when he set the first step upstairs.

“ Red, I think you should do some protection spell or any defense you can think of, in case that kid tries to play prince charming again. ” Spike told Willow.

“ Ok, I’ll go work on it. ” Willow nodded.

Having said that Spike went to Buffy’s room, Willow left the living room to work on the magic, Dawn remained there.

“ Great, I get to play the kid who gets to be left out of anything again. ” She signed.

Spike reached the door of Buffy’s door. He knocked.

“ Buffy? ” He called.

She didn’t responded. He turned his ear on the door and listen, all he could hear was silence.

He tried to open the door, found out it wasn’t locked.

He went in there, and saw Buffy sitting on her bed. She wasn’t crying hard, but tears were streaming down from her eyes. Her expression showed sadness.

He went to sit next to her.

“ Hey. How are you doing luv? ” He checked.

She turned to face him slowly.

“ Spike… ” she was almost whispering.

“ Shhh.. luv, it’s alright. ” He tried to cheer her up.

“ You have no idea what happened. ” She said tearfully.

“ I know everything Buffy. ” He told her.

“ What! ” she was surprised.

Spike signed, he had to explain the whole thing in details again. He was tired of it, and he worried to be unclear which would do no good to a very fragile Buffy right now.

“ Let me tell you everything. ” Spike decided.

He explained to her same way he did Dawn. He kept having repeat some parts, ensuring she understood that he trusted her and was stalking her. It seemed to went well, Buffy listened attentively. Finally, he got to the part where he confronted R.J., destroying his magic stuff and getting him to release the mind control.

After he was done, Buffy had a hard time taking in all she just heard.

“ It all make sense now. ” She thought to herself.

“ Buffy. You weren’t yourself, it was the magic that made you did thing and feel the way you did. ” Spike comforted her.

Buffy lifted her head up and looked at him again.

“ Yeah I know now. Thanks. ” she told him gratefully.

“ You are welcome. ” He said with small smile.

“ So… you good now? ” He asked, to be sure.

“ Yeah I’m fine. ” She said flatly.

It shook Spike for two seconds.

“ No you are not. ” Spike thought, knowing Buffy wouldn’t recover for such experience this fast. But he knew this wasn’t the time to be persistent for truth.

“ Thank you very much. ” She told him heartfeltly, and held his hands.

Their hands stayed in contact for not too long. Then Spike pulled away.

“ You better rest. This must be bloody traumatizing for you. ” He got up and walked to the door.

He turned back.

“ See you later. ” He said quietly before he exited.

He was gone, Buffy immediately felt lonely, her pain had returned, being forced to love someone was not a pleasant experience. Spike was right, it had been traumatizing, maybe even disastrous. But Buffy had learned something from the violation.

The reason she felt the way she did wasn’t just the influence of magic. The spell was like a catalyst, it awakened something within her that she had been hiding. And the having intimate contacts with R.J., it wasn’t just because the magical influence, it was something familiar of him that attracted her deeply enough to make her to take the action as far as she did. It was his appearance, he looked similar to someone she had deep feeling for. Someone she hasn’t confessed to about the feeling.

She thought it didn’t exist, that it wasn’t real. But now she does, she was sure if she should let him know. All she had to that was to say three words, something she knew too well that he’d been desperately to hear from her. She didn’t feel ready yet, but she will be. She was confident about that. She only hoped it might be too late when she is.