Your Love

By HW

Rating: PG-15

Disclaimer: Beth’s mine. Everything was borrowed with good intent.

Summary: Set a couple of weeks after Fool For Love. Buffy and Spike grow closer through some disturbing events.

Author’s Note: I was living off transcripts at the time of writing this and had never seen Dawn so, she’s not in this one.

The black car ploughed unheedingly through the “Welcome to Sunnydale” sign, and came to a stop. The driver’s door opened slowly and a leather-boot clad foot thumped to the ground. The beautiful redhead then eased herself gently from behind the wheel and slammed the car door closed. She leaned back against the car and smiled, feeling in the pockets of her black leather trench coat for a packet of cigarettes. This was going to be fun.

****

Xander Harris approached the table where his three favourite girls were sitting. It was a quiet night at the Bronze. Wednesdays usually were and it gave the three best friends a chance to catch up on each other’s lives. Anya had to come too of course. There was no question. He smiled to himself as he considered his girlfriend. He really was a very lucky man to be dating such a beautiful girl, especially as she was 1120 years old. Xander’s smile grew even larger. The wackiness of life on the hellmouth. “Buff, Will,” Xander nodded at the girls as he slid into his seat next to Anya. “What’s the up?”

Buffy twisted her lovely features in a grimace at the question. “Nothing! And it’s wigging me out. You know what all quiet of the hellmouth front means.”

Willow nodded, “Big evil, end-of-the-world type thing.”

Buffy sighed deeply and pouted. “Exactly. No fair.” The four friends looked solemnly at each other no one saying a word. The band started up a fast dance tune and Xander jumped up.

“So big evil deal. We fought it before, and we kicked it’s ass,” he pulled Anya up next to him and then held out his hands to Buffy and Willow, “Now’s dancing time.” Inspired by Xander’s up-beat mood the girls shook off their worry and followed Xander and Anya onto the dance floor.

****

Giles walked quickly down the alley that led to the Bronze. He hated having to be the one who stopped Buffy’s fun. He thought of her and her friends as his children really. He had watched them grow up over the last four years and wished not for the first time that he could give them something resembling a normal life. Still maybe there was nothing to worry about this time. He just had a bad feeling.

****

Buffy spotted Giles from the dance floor. He was peering around the room, obviously searching for someone. Buffy sighed. “The evil has landed!” she said aloud and gestured to her friends that Giles was at the door. As they walked wearily across the room towards him, Buffy saw Giles’ face visibly relax. He smiled as they approached and tried not to look desperate. “Giles,” Buffy raised her eyebrows, “Is something wrong?”

“No, no, well not really. It’s just a feeling. Déjà vu. The sign on the edge of town, a car has mowed it down. Probably just an accident but it made me think…” he trailed off.

“Of Spike,” Buffy picked up where he left off. The same thing had happened when Spike first arrived and again when he returned and kidnapped Willow and Xander.

“Well it can’t be Spike right?” Willow chipped in, “I mean he’s tucked up in his crypt isn’t he?”

Giles nodded. “As far as I know. And he’d have no need to…”

“Other than to cause trouble.” Buffy interrupted. She wouldn’t put it past him. “But if it’s not Spike and we’re thinking hellmouth, who is it?” Giles winced and Buffy knew what was coming. It was time for her to go hunt for the evil. She turned and smiled at her friends. “You guys stay here. Have fun for me! I mean it,” she insisted off their looks. She turned back to Giles. “I’ll do a sweep and meet you at your place later. Find out if anything else of the strange has been happening.” She gave a beaming smile to all her friends and started to march toward the door. First stop Spike.

*********************************************************************

As she crossed the cemetery that held Spike’s crypt, the vampires attacked her. There were only three and she set about dusting them quickly. She threw the first one backwards over her shoulder, sending him crashing into the side of a mausoleum. The second grabbed her from behind, while the third approach her head on. She leaned back against the vampire holding her and pushed up, catching the advancing vampire’s head between her feet. She twisted her body and his neck snapped, before he fell to the ground. As her legs fell back down she slammed her head back, hitting the vampire in the face. He let go reflexively and she used the moment to drive the stake through his heart. Quickly bending she dusted the vampire lying before her, standing just in time to catch the first one who had regrouped and was charging at her once more.

Buffy was breathing heavily; her heart pounding from the rush of adrenaline, when she heard the slow clapping behind her. She spun around, poised to fight, while a small voice at the back of her mind told her she’d done this before.

A tall, slim woman with auburn hair stepped from behind a tree. There was something about her that made Buffy stop. She too seemed familiar. Something in her face and stance reminded her of someone. Before she could finish the thought, the woman spoke. She was English. Her accent polished like Giles’. Was that who she reminded her of? “Nice work love,” the woman spoke almost mockingly. She stared at Buffy, her ice-blue eyes seeming to bore right through to her soul. “Makes sense now. And I must admit I like you more than Dru, and you haven’t even spoken yet.”

“Who are you?” Buffy asked, not needing to know the answer now. The eyes gave it away. The woman reminded her of Spike, the mention of Drusilla confirming something. Buffy didn’t know what. “You’ll find out!” the woman smirked; the exact same smirk Spike had when he knew he was winning, and walked away.

Buffy knew what her own feeling of déjà vu was now. The entire experience had been almost a carbon copy of her first meeting with Spike. Except that that time she had been left confused and scared. This time she was angry.

*********************************************************************

Spike heard the polite knock at the door and turned in time to see her enter. His eyes lit up and he ran across and spun his sister off the ground. “Beth!” he cried, “What are you doin’ here?” He placed her back on her feet and shook her gently. “I thought you were in England. You’re not in trouble are you?”

Beth laughed up at her brother. “No, I’m not in trouble big brother. When I got your last letter I thought it was time I saw this Slayer of yours for myself.”

Spike turned away. “She’s not mine.” He whispered; so quietly she wouldn’t have heard him if she hadn’t been a vampire.

“Well maybe I can do something about that too. Does she know? About you? Your feelings?”

Spike winced, “No and I don’t want her to. And I don’t want you talking to her either!”

“Too late,” Beth told him as she circled the crypt. “And what can she do. Kill me? Good way to go right? Dying in battle. You taught me that. You didn’t tell me to stay away from the other one. The Italian. I kicked her ass!” she laughed at the memory. Spike stared at his much-loved sister, his brain focusing only on the first part of her statement. “What do you mean, ‘too late’?”

*********************************************************************

Buffy stormed angrily to Giles’s house. Her first thought had been to go straight to Spike’s crypt and confront him, but as she had considered it she thought Spike might not survive the encounter. Therefore she was on her way to Giles’s to try and find some information on the woman who so vividly reminded her of her mortal enemy.

*********************************************************************

Spike was pacing, dragging furiously on the cigarette between his fingers. Beth stared at her brother in wonder. She had never seen him like this before. He was usually so calm and in control. Even on the odd occasion she had seen him lose the tight rein he kept on himself, on the demon within, he had always seemed to know exactly what he was doing.

His relationship with Drusilla hadn’t exactly been a perfect match in her opinion. Spike had worshipped the crazy bitch, and she had always seemed to reciprocate the feelings, but Beth had never trusted her. She hadn’t loved Spike as much as he had loved her. The demon within Beth hated having to admit there was something different about her and her brother. A piece of humanity remained. Something which allowed them to feel love and, to a certain extent, guilt. Not a soul exactly. But something.

As Beth watched her brother she imagined the torment he must be going through. Falling truly in love for the first time when you had just been turned into a vampire was disturbing. Losing that love after a hundred years was shattering. But to then fall in love with your mortal enemy, who just happened to the Slayer, the scourge of your kind, was simply shameful.

She understood completely and it didn’t matter to her. As long as her twin was happy, she was happy. But Spike had never liked to lose face. He was very proud. He needed reassurance and Beth knew that if Miss Buffy Summers ever came round to the idea, he wouldn’t give a damn what anyone else thought or said or did, he’d simply love her as much as he could. Buffy might not know it yet, but she was a very lucky young lady.

*********************************************************************

Giles jumped at the sharp knock at the door. He stood and made his way to answer it. It was probably Buffy. “Giles!” the angry shout from outside confirming his thought. It must have been Spike after all. Tormenting her. Giles gave a small smile. The two of them fought like children in a schoolyard. If they hadn’t hated each other so much Giles would have thought that they…. He was reminded of the previous year when one of Willow’s spells had left the two believing they loved each other and planning a wedding. He gave a small shudder at the thought and opened the door.

The small blonde whirlwind that entered his apartment looked incredibly pissed. Giles was almost afraid to ask what was wrong. He was just picking up the courage when she spoke. Her voice was low and her teeth were clamped together. This was never a good sign. “Does he have family?” She didn’t really need to clarify whom. Buffy only got that look in her eyes when she was talking about Spike.

“I don’t think so. None that could be living anyway, he’s over 120 years old Buffy.” Giles walked towards his bookcase, finding the book that detailed Spike’s history. Now he came to think of it there had been a mention of a….

“None living, but what about another vampire? Sister most probably.” Buffy was pacing the living room, talking almost to herself. “It was there in her eyes. I know it was.” Giles looked at her oddly and went back to searching the text.

*********************************************************************

Spike didn’t want to talk about Buffy. It would just depress him. And as had already fulfilled his misery quota for the decade, he turned the conversation instead to his sister. He didn’t know exactly why she was here. He didn’t doubt that she’d come because of the letter, and he didn’t doubt she was on his side, but he didn’t think she was telling him the whole truth.

“How did you get here anyway?” he asked.

“By way of Brazil. Paid a visit on my much unloved sister-in-law and found her shacked up with a fungus demon… whom I simply had to kill. Pity really he seemed like a nice bloke.”

Spike laughed out loud. God it felt like ages since he’d laughed, but the image of Dru’s demon-lover being done in by his little sister was too much. They laughed together for a while, recapping what had happened in each other’s lives lately. Each of them leaving out an important detail. But Beth could not stay silent on the subject of the Slayer forever.

“You know Will, the man I used to know would have told her by now. Wrote her a sonnet or something. And I’m not talking about the wishy-washy crap you used to write for maidens in drawing rooms, I’m talking about that burning passion stuff you used to keep locked in your desk drawer.”

Spike stared at his sister in shock. She wasn’t supposed to know about those poems. No one was. But then he probably shouldn’t be surprised. He could never keep anything from her.

“I can’t tell her. It’s bad enough I feel like this without having to face her with it. She’ll just laugh in my face and run off to that wet ponce she’s dating.” Spike’s eyes narrowed at the thought of Riley. Angel had been bad. That Parker bloke had been pathetic. But Riley. What exactly did she see in him? If he could have thought of one thing about Riley that didn’t make him want to rip his throat out, Spike would probably have spontaneously combusted from shock.

Beth thought it was time she told Spike the truth. Maybe if she shared her secret they’d be able to help each other. “You’re not the only one who’s in love with the wrong person Will.” Spike eyed her curiously. He’d known there was something she was keeping from him.

“Who is it? What’s he done to you? If anyone’s hurt you I swear…” Beth smiled sadly at the look in her brother’s eyes. She lowered her head.

“No, no-one’s hurt me. It just went wrong. My fault really.” She looked up at her brother. “He was… is a watcher. Runs in the family you see.” Beth tried to laugh it off, but the pain of the last few years was catching up with her and the tears she had been trying to hold back for Spike’s sake started to roll down her pale cheeks.

*********************************************************************

“The book mentions a sister. A vampire, turned about two months after Spike. There’s only one other mention of her. She killed a Slayer in Italy in the ‘20’s. That was the last anyone heard of her. She must have kept in touch with Spike though. If she’s here.” Giles removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he spoke. Buffy had sat silent throughout and he was starting to worry about her. “Are you worried about this girl? She killed a Slayer, but Spike killed two and you’ve never been afraid of him when fighting, have you?”

Buffy looked up at Giles shocked. How was she supposed to answer that? Not the truth obviously. He worried about her enough as it was. If he knew…. “No not afraid.” She made up her mind to stick to the facts. And it was true, after the first time, she hadn’t been afraid. So it wasn’t lying, just omission. Buffy decided to get back to the matter at hand.

“I’m not afraid of her, I just want to know why she’s here. If it was just a family reunion why did she come and watch me fight? Why did she use exactly the same words Spike used? And the other thing. “Makes sense now” What’s that supposed to mean? None of it makes sense.” Buffy slumped wearily back on the couch. She knew she was going to have to face Spike and his sister sometime if she wanted answers. But she wanted to be prepared.

********************

Spike held his sister as she wept. He felt terrible. He’d been so busy pouring out all of his feelings for Buffy in his letters over the past few months, he hadn’t even realised anything was wrong with Beth. He wondered who this bloke was. After 120 years his little sister had fallen in love and she’d fallen in love with a watcher. What a family! He’d always known he and Beth were different, something he didn’t like to think about too often. He’d accepted long ago that he could feel things other demons, other vampires, couldn’t. How else could he love the Slayer? He started to laugh again. What a pair they were.

Beth looked up at Spike, her eyes wide as he started to laugh. The hopeless irony of it all got to her too and she began to laugh. What was the matter with them? Spike put Beth away from him and went to fetch them something to eat. Giles had supplied him with a generous quantity of blood bags from the hospital. It wasn’t the same as drinking from a human but Spike couldn’t and Beth wouldn’t; Spike gave a small smile and shook his head. Two more hopeless vampires he’d never known. He poured the blood from two of the bags into two mugs and passed one to his sister. Beth raised an eyebrow at the blood filled mugs. “This way we can pretend.” He said defensively. Beth smiled and drank hungrily from the mug. “So this bloke, this watcher of yours,” Spike needed to know what had upset his sister so much. “Who is he? What’s his name?”

Beth hesitated. She knew Spike was trying to make up for the months she had to listen to non-stop talk of Miss Summers, but she didn’t know exactly how to tell him. She thought she should start from the beginning.

“His name is Wesley.”

********************

“So we’re thinking this is bad?” Xander looked back and forth between Buffy and Giles as the gang sat in Giles’ apartment. Willow had become worried about Buffy facing whatever danger there was alone and had called Giles from the Bronze to ask if Buffy had checked in. Once Giles had assured her Buffy was fine, he asked her to bring Xander and Anya to his apartment for a meeting.

“I’m thinking very bad,” Buffy confirmed. “The whole situation was seriously wiggy. Maybe I should just go talk to them!”

Willow looked nervously at her friend and then up at Giles who was pacing behind the couch.

“Don’t you think you should try and find out a little more about her first? I mean if she’s as bad as Spike… and without that chip, well, you know, she could…” Willow trailed off as the others stared at her wide-eyed. “Sorry.”

“Well, no, I think you’re right Willow. It would be more helpful if we knew something about this girl, but I’m sorry to say there’s no one who can tell us much about her, ex.. except, uh, Spike.”

Giles rubbed his hand over his face. He was worried. Between them, Spike and his sister would be a formidable force. And Giles had realised long ago that the only thing stopping Spike from killing anyone was the fear of the pain, which followed an attack. And at some point Spike might be willing to forbear the pain in order to kill Buffy.

*****************

“I met him in London. It was about 3 years ago. We, uh, bumped into one another at the theatre. He was so… I don’t know. There was something. I mean he’s not exactly handsome. Good-looking in a weird kind of way. And his voice is sort of… as if he’s been taught to speak with an English accent. Not wrong just far more refined than anyone’s should be. And he was so sweet, I mean straight-laced and uptight, but sweet. I wanted to get underneath that controlled front he put up and get to know the real man. He bought me a drink and we talked about the play, it was ‘Twelfth Night’ by the way, your favourite, and he asked me if I’d like to have dinner with him. I know I should have said no. But for that hour we had talked I had forgotten I was a vampire. Forgotten everything except how good I felt about life when I looked at him. So I said yes.

We had been seeing each other for about 2 weeks when I found out he was a Watcher. I had heard something about an attack that prat Pel had planned on the council and I went to try and stop him. I know, don’t care about the council, but I did want to stop Pel. Stupid sod never could remember when to give up gracefully. Anyway I waited outside for them to show when I saw Wes coming out of the building. If my heart had been beating it would have stopped. I was so shocked I could hardly move. By the time I’d sorted Pel out it was too late for me to go after Wesley and I just had to go home. The next night I went to see him. I told him everything…

“Beth. Please come…”

“What?!”

As my face changed I saw his hand reach inside his coat for a cross. I felt tears rise up in my eyes and I knew it would take a lot for me to convince him. But I had to Will. The pain I felt when he looked at me like I had betrayed him, as though I was the lowest creature on Earth, it was almost too much to bear.

“Explain what? You’re a vampire. Vampires should die!”

“Please half an hour. We’re not all the same. Some of us… some of us can do good.”

I don’t know what it was that made him relent. Maybe he loved me as much as I loved him. He listened to the whole story, not saying one word until I’d finished.

And he said yes. Just like that. Then he kissed me and we… you don’t want to know. And we were happy. For 6 months we were happy. But then he had to leave; he had to come here, to Sunnydale to look after a Slayer. We fought. Said things we didn’t mean. I told him I’d go with him but he was angry. He said he didn’t trust me around a Slayer. It felt like he’d hit me. I know he didn’t really mean it but that was it. The end. I left and I never saw him again. I’ve heard things about him. Kept in touch with the news but… He’s in LA with Angelus. Working for him. It’s hell you know. Being this close to him and not being able to…”

Beth looked across at Spike who was staring at her intently and nodding his head. Of course he knew how it felt. Wasn’t it far worse for him seeing Buffy every day and not even being able to tell her how he felt?

“I’m sorry Will.” He smiled at her. He knew she was worried about him. They’d get through this. Together they’d help each other.

****************

As Riley approached the clearing in Breaker’s Woods his heartbeat quickened and his breathing became shallower. He could see her in the distance, waiting for him. She was the one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen. She and Buffy; the two women held his heart and as the days passed he became more and more confused. Buffy was the sun, the day; sparkling and joyous. The woman he approached now, she was the moon. Mysterious with a hint of danger and passion. She heard him draw near and turned, her black eyes locating him instantly in the night. He saw then. He knew. This was the true love. Buffy had never really been his and he was glad of that now. He smiled at her, knowing that soon Buffy would understand why she should have loved him as this woman did. A slow menacing smile spread across her beautiful alabaster face.

“Hello luv. Mummy’s got a surprise for you.”

********************

Beth pulled the blanket tightly over her head and made her way out into the sunlight. Spike was still asleep and she knew this would be her only chance to speak to the Watcher alone. He wouldn’t follow her during the daytime. At least she hoped not. It would be harder to find her anyway. She made her way quickly through the streets of Sunnydale along the route she’d planned out the night before. She soon arrived in the small courtyard and knocked at the Watcher’s door.

Giles set his mug down on the table and went to answer the door. He had sent Buffy home with Willow, Xander and Anya the night before, making her promise not to approach Spike until that evening. He was using the day to find out everything he could about Spike’s sister and Willow had promised to spend the afternoon searching the Internet for helpful information.

The grey blanket over the leather duster which greeted him assured him it was a vampire He was reaching behind the door for a cross and stake when the blanket spoke.

“Mr Giles? I’m sure you know who I am by now. I suppose a promise not to eat you won’t illicit an invitation?” The cultured English accent gave him a moment’s pause. Whose accent had changed then, over the past 120 years? He shook his head as he registered the inane thought and answered the girl.

“You suppose right. I’ve let two vampires into my home in the past four years and they both ended up betraying us, so if you have anything to say make it quick, or I’ll be sending you back to your brother in an urn.” A threat to Buffy always caused Giles to go into total Ripper mode, something he couldn’t control.

The blanket laughed brightly and parted, so that Giles could see the beautiful pale face and the thick auburn hair, loosely curled. Giles’ eyes widened at the vision in front of him, before he remembered who she was and quickly got himself back under control.

“When Spike said he respected you even though you were a Watcher, and human, I thought he was going mad. But now I see why. Please, I can’t kill you. It’s a moral thing, and yes I know vampires don’t have morals, but I’ve said this 100 times, we’re not all the same. There is something I need to talk to you about quite urgently.”

As Giles looked into her eyes he understood what Buffy had been talking about the previous night. Her eyes, like Spike’s, pierced your soul. There was either truth or deceit, and you never knew quite which it was at the time. “And if I kill you, Miss Summers’ll kill me, right? I don’t really fancy that. Dying young’s only fun the first time.” Giles decided he had to know what this woman could possibly have to talk about with him and he knew that she could very well answer some of the questions that had been niggling them all since her arrival. He stepped aside.

“Please come in.”

Beth entered quickly and removed the blanket from her head. She turned to face Giles as she removed her gloves and trench coat. “Nice place,” she said, glancing around the room. She noticed the aloof expression on Giles face and decided to come to the point. “I didn’t come here to hurt anyone. I haven’t killed or fed from a human in 70 years so I promise I’m no threat to you.”

Giles raised his eyebrows at her statement. She’d surprised him, and after 4 and a half years on the Sunnydale Hellmouth, it took a lot to surprise Giles.

“Why are you here then? Family reunion?”

Beth smiled. “In a way. My brother’s last letter gave my cause for concern. So here I am, faithful sister lending her support.” She sat down on the couch and put her feet up on the table. Confused, Giles walked round to sit next to her, indicating that she should put her feet back on the floor. He placed the stake he still held on he table, and put the cross down on his lap.

“Why would Spike need your support?”

“Well, you know, with the chip and everything.” Beth replied vaguely. Now she was here she was unsure how to broach the subject. Maybe she could convince him that underneath the evil demon façade, Spike was a good guy. “And then he’s in love with Buffy.” Or she could just come straight out and say it. Beth winced at her tactlessness.

“Spike..uh? Spike’s….uh.. Spike’s in … in love… with.. with Buffy?!” He blinked as Beth nodded.

“Mr Giles, please, you have to promise not to say anything, especially not to Buffy. He’d kill me if he knew I was telling you, but I’m worried about him. He’s having a really bad time. I want to reassure you that Spike won’t hurt her. He’s a good man, really. Loyal, well mostly, and he’s caring, generous, very loving. If you could just get past the homicidal bit…”

Giles raised his eyebrows. “It’s not really something you can overlook!”

“But he can’t hurt anyone now.” Beth saw his look. “Well, yes, he could - but he won’t. That’s the difference you see. Can’t you honestly say that Spike isn’t like other vampires? That even without his soul he can be as human as any of you? When you remember what Angelus was like, don’t you wish it had been Spike that lost his soul? He’s different. We’re different. I don’t know why. He never, ever goes for easy targets. Why do you think he fights Slayers instead of avoiding them at all costs like every other vampire? So all of this is very hard for him. Loving Buffy… it even surpasses what he felt for Dru.”

“We could give him a soul,” Giles mused quietly.

“No!” Beth shouted. That was going a little too far. Lord, Spike was going to kill her for this. She took a deep, unneeded breath and looked Giles straight in the eyes. “He’d be different, you know he would. And what if lost it and got worse. The demon doesn’t like having a soul, that’s why Angelus always appears even worse than the last time when he emerges. And trust me, you really wouldn’t want the William I knew. He was a wonderful brother, but fighting was never really his thing, and I doubt very much that battling the forces of darkness would make any difference. Remember it took Angel a good 100 years before he started to help anyone, and that was only because of Buffy. Well Spike will help Buffy, without the soul, so let’s not do that ok?” Beth was speaking quickly, desperately trying to convince Giles that a soul was not the answer. Eventually he nodded his head wearily.

“You’re right. A soul’s out of the question. But what do you want me to do?”

*****************

As Buffy made her way to Giles’ house that evening she decided to do a quick sweep of the cemetery. It was early, just getting dark, but Buffy hoped she’d find something to take her anger and frustration out on. And not for the first time in the last two years, Buffy wished she could take it out on Spike. As much as she hated to admit it fighting Spike had always been one of the enjoyable parts of her Slayer duties. Well if you ignored the fact that he’d almost killed her several times. He was her equal when they fought, unlike most other vampires who were dust within a few seconds. It was fun fighting Spike. A true test of her powers.

Which meant she hadn’t had a true test of her powers for over a year. If he hadn’t had that thing in his head, he’d be useful to train with. Angel had always held back when they trained, not wanting to hurt her, even though they both knew she could hurt him a damn sight more. And Riley. We’ll he wasn’t a third as strong as her AND he didn’t want to hurt her. Men! At least Spike always gave as good as he got. Without that chip he’d been able to…

‘To kill you Buffy Summers and you know it. Stop thinking about him as anything other than your mortal enemy,’ her mind called out to her. But he could kill her. Even now. She knew that. He’d tried a few weeks ago. ‘What made him stop? He was angry and he’d been crying, and he had a shotgun pointed at your head. And instead of blowing your brains all over your front porch like you wanted him to… Yes you did… he sat down next to you and comforted you. What was that about?!’ Buffy’s mind was racing with the possibilities. She didn’t dwell on any of them too long, purposely avoiding the idea that Spike…

“Hello luv. Looking for me?”

Buffy spun around at the sound of his voice, automatically assuming a defensive pose. He raised his hands in front of her and took a step back, as he had once in the past, when he had come to ask for her help. He didn’t look like he wanted her help now. He had that mocking grin on his face, amused at the way she reacted, at the way she was standing now, not really knowing what to say.

“You wish,” she shot back relaxing a little. This she could handle. Their verbal sparing also, had always given her a thrill. Another thing she really shouldn’t dwell on. “You taken to lurking in the shadows now? Wanna help me kill a few of your cousins? Or just get the hell away from me?” Spike’s smile grew as she spoke, which upset her even more.

“Tut, tut, pet. We both know you’re not going to hurt me, and I’d have thought you’d be only too happy for my company as I’m the only person you know, that you can have a decent conversation with when the witch isn’t around.” Buffy opened her mouth to protest, but found that there was really no way to deny the statement. Giles was like her dad, Anya and Tara she didn’t know well enough, Xander she loved like a brother but even she had to admit he got a little trying after a while, and Riley… Riley was confusing her more and more recently. They’d really have to have a proper talk soon. Damn Spike. “How do you know me so well?” It wasn’t until he answered that she realised she’d spoken aloud.

“Same way you know me love. We’re the same, you and I, apart from the vampire/Slayer thing. Two parts of the same whole, or another piece of sentimental crap like that. Take your pick.” Buffy blinked at him. He’d done it again. Said what was in her mind. She hated that.

They stared at each other for what seemed an eternity. Buffy’s breathing grew heavy as she looked at him. He must know there was something there between them. Something Buffy really didn’t want to deal with. Or admit. Did he feel it? That was another thing she hated about Spike. While he always seemed to know what was going on, not only with her but with her friends too, Buffy was completely at a loss when it came to him and what was in his mind. There had to be something she could say to… “I met your sister last night. Are you going to tell me why she was following me around?”

“Don’t know luv. Maybe she just wanted to get a good look at you before she ripped your throat out.” He smirked, his outward appearance not for one second betraying the confusion he felt at the way she was behaving. “She’s already killed one Slayer you know. Maybe she’s come to make it two.” Arguing with her made it easier, but not much.

Buffy laughed at his words. Yes this made it much better. Her eyes narrowed and a small smile crept across her lips. “You’ve killed two,” she taunted, “And you’ve never managed.”

***************

Beth made her way quickly through the graveyard. She had spent all day filling Giles in on Spike’s life, from birth to his first glory in killing a Slayer; from his first love with Dru to his recent discovery about Buffy. He had asked intelligent questions, which made her like him even more, and had filled her in on everything Spike left out of his letters, and on Buffy’s life to date, which she had been most interested in. Eventually Giles had relaxed enough to make them some tea, an English stereotype she had no intention of giving up. In her experience she had found that tea really was the cure for everything.

Now as she travelled back to Spike’s crypt she felt uneasy as though someone was watching her. The nearer she got the stronger the feeling, until eventually she stopped and concentrated. A strange sensation ran through her and she knew immediately who was there.

“I’m really not in the mood for hide and seek tonight Dru!”

Drusilla stepped out from behind a nearby tree, her red velvet dress emphasizing her astounding beauty. She had her favourite doll clasped to her chest, a malevolent smile spread across her lovely face. “Miss Edith was awfully upset when you killed her new daddy. She was wondering what we could take of yours to make you feel the same.”

Beth’s eyes widened. After 50 years of living with Dru, and another 50 in contact with her through Spike, Beth was no longer affected by Dru’s beauty and innocent demeanour. She was mad. It was that simple. Angelus had done his job well. Drusilla was a raving loony at best and a homicidal maniac at worst. Therefore her words left Beth anxious, as she knew that a woman who had intended to create hell on Earth would have no qualms about brutally killing Beth’s loved ones.

For once Beth was grateful she didn’t have many loved ones. Just two actually and Dru didn’t know about Wesley. So that left Spike.

“Dru please. I thought you loved Spike!” Pleading; was that going to work?

“I do love my Spike. I won’t harm him. But the rest of the world. I’ve always wanted that. And with a little help from my friends, it shall be mine and then you can spend eternity in torment.” Her voice was sparkling, like an excited child talking about a new toy.

“What friends?” Beth asked, desperate to know what she was up against.

“Why, Darla and Angelus of course.” And with that she disappeared.

Beth stood fixed to the spot staring after Dru, shocked. ‘She’s lost whatever was left of her mind’, Beth thought. ‘Darla’s dead isn’t she. And Angelus..’ Well Beth could check. She ran the rest of the way to the crypt and fished her mobile out of her bag.

*******************

“Why haven’t you killed me?”

“What?” Spike looked confused. Of all the things he’d anticipated her saying, she had to pick the one thing he’d never thought she’d ask, and it was the one subject he should’ve known she’d raise.

“We’ve been doing this, whatever it is for three and a half years. One of us should be dead by now!”

Spike sighed wearily. He really didn’t want to have this talk with her. Not without some form of narcotic first, anyway. “Buffy…” He sounded uncomfortable and uneasy. He started to pace. “…do we have to get into this now?”

Buffy was bemused by his behaviour. They’d talked about this kind of thing before. He used stuff like this to get to her. And after what had happened the last time they had one of these talks, she really needed to know what he thought. “I want to know. You said we were dancing. You said I had a death wish and that you’d grant it. And then when I wanted you to, you stopped. Why? Are you trying to drive me insane first? Cause it’s working!”

Spike was starting to get angry. It was always the same. The mocking banter, the physical blows, and then they’d get serious and deep. He hated that. He gritted his teeth and threw his head back.

“God… You know sometimes Slayer…” He stopped pacing and looked back at her, his eyes flashing dangerously. And he stopped. She did look sincere. He sighed again. It wasn’t really any wonder she was feeling like this. She was approaching 20, her mum was really ill, she had to spend every night fighting the forces of darkness and she was dating a ‘Ken’ doll. Her life couldn’t really get much worse, now he thought about it.

“Truth?”

She nodded slowly, desperate for the answer, but not actually sure that wanted to hear it. He moved closer to her, as close as they had been that night in the alley, and stared into her eyes.

“Whenever I try to kill you, I get this close, and remember that killing you means you’re dead. Gone. Forever.”

Whatever Buffy had been expecting it hadn’t been that. She blushed at his words, unable to tear her gaze away from his beautiful piercing blue eyes. She saw his mouth move and realised he was talking again.

“And no matter how angry you make me, no matter how easy it would be to end it, if you die, then what?”

Buffy was shaking. He could read her mind.

“What’ll I have then? Nothing; except to live forever; or until Joyce catches up with me; without you…”

He trailed off. Buffy held her breath. This time she wouldn’t push him away. This time she knew she’d do the right thing.

“… bugging me incessantly.” He stepped back and smiled at her. ‘Thank God. You caught yourself just in time then my boy. You’d have found yourself on your ass in the dirt again.’ His eyes swept over Buffy’s face and he was amazed to see such shock and what looked to him, incredibly, like pain. ‘Make it better you stupid wanker, say something nice, friendly’.

Spike twisted his mouth as he searched for a suitable way to finish what he had been saying. “And no one second of dominance is worth that.” He smiled at her again, wishing she would say something.

Buffy pulled herself together. ‘You’re a jerk, Buffy Summers, and Spike’s a jerk. Get back in control here,’ she berated herself. “But we’re mortal enemies, remember?”

Unfortunately for Spike he remembered every conversation they’d ever had. Full Technicolor pictures and surround sound, especially that night. “Right,” he replied now, using her mocking words of two and a half years ago, “we don’t get time-outs.” He was getting more and more uncomfortable. Shouldn’t she be feeling just as awkward? “What about you? Why’ve you never done me?”

Buffy wished she’d never started this whole conversation. ‘Note to self. Keep your mouth shut!’

“I don’t know. The same I guess.” She turned away, unable to look at him while she confessed. “If I kill you I can’t fight you, I can’t argue with you. I’ll never be able to wonder what pathetic plan you’ve got lined up for me, or find out whether you’ll go back to being a ruthless bastard if you ever get that thing out your head.”

“I will!” Spike’s grin had continued to widen throughout her monologue. Really she was very cute when she was flustered. “But I promise not to kill you.”

‘Great,’ his demon mocked him, ‘let her see your still an evil creature of the night, and not an enormous Nancy-boy like all her previous boyfriends.’

“Maybe!” he clarified.

Buffy laughed. She could see he was struggling with himself over that one. ‘Well Buffy, you can’t miss the opportunity of making him feel even worse.’

“Uh-uh. Too late.” She approached him quickly, a mischievous grin on her face. “You said you wouldn’t.” She was standing directly in front of him now and their closeness made her serious. “And, amazingly… I trust you.” She leant up quickly and kissed his cheek. “Good night Spike.”

Spike watched her turn quickly and run in the direction of Giles’ apartment. He was rooted to the spot; glad that there was no way he could die of a heart attack. “She trusts me?” he whispered; wonder filling his voice at the thought. “Well, damn! She won again.”

*************************

He should have heard the advance, his vampire senses tuned to the blood rushing through the human body. But his attention was focused on Buffy, the mocking grin falling from his face as she disappeared across the graveyard. No one had ever confused him like this; no one had made him feel like such a fool in 120 years.

Riley approached Spike slowly, careful not to make any noise. The instruction had been clear. Spike was not to die tonight, but Riley was determined to put him out of action. His behaviour towards Buffy recently had filled Riley with a sense of jealousy he hadn’t previously encountered. Not even with Angel. Maybe it was because Buffy seemed to be so in tune with the soulless vampire, who she had protected for over a year. The scene he had just witnessed pushed his own betrayal of Buffy out of his mind. Thinking about it filled him with a rage that momentarily obscured what he was doing and he forgot his silent approach.

The noise behind him, made Spike turn quickly; his face changing in the process, to its vampiric visage. He saw Riley looming close and prepared himself for the pain that would follow his defence of himself. Riley attacked then, launching himself at Spike and knocking them both to the ground.

Beth saw the struggle in the distance and allowed her own demon to emerge so that she could see two men better. On witnessing her brother being beaten by another man, Beth raced across the cemetery, her anger growing with every step. After 70 years the demon inside her felt a thrill at the thought of killing the human. Beth’s morals were certainly better than every other soulless vampire in the world, but where Spike was concerned the idea of not harming humans was impossible.

Riley heard Beth’s approach and jumped up hastily, retreating from the scene as suddenly as he had arrived. Beth considered chasing the human but her concern for Spike overwhelmed her. She sank to the ground next to the unconscious body of her brother. At least he wasn’t dead… well not any more than he had been before the attack. Beth used all of her strength to lift Spike into her arms, and carried him slowly back to the crypt.

****************

Buffy was looking for Riley. He had been acting very peculiarly lately and he hadn’t called her for two days. With anyone else she wouldn’t have worried, but Riley was nothing if not reliable. Usually. It simply wasn’t like him to avoid her like this. And avoiding her he must be as he wasn’t at home, or college or anywhere. People had seen him. His friends continued to tell her he was around, but he wasn’t around her, which was the problem now.

Buffy winced at the thought that she hadn’t really noticed he hadn’t been around. She’d been so busy the last couple of days worrying about what Spike and his sister were getting up to that she hadn’t thought about him much at all. Not that she was going to fill him in on the Spike situation. Riley had a tendency to be possessive and jealous when it came to the men in Buffy’s life. And he was seriously wiggy when it came to Spike.

‘Well don’t you think he has a reason to be?’ Buffy’s mind once again betrayed her.

“No!” she emphasized aloud, refusing to compare Riley and Spike in any way.

‘And why don’t you want to compare them?’ her mind asked.

“Shut up!” she said aloud, causing Willow and Tara to look up at her from their position on the rug. Buffy had gone to the two young witches for help when the conventional methods of searching for one’s boyfriend had led nowhere. The girls were currently setting up to perform a locator spell for Riley.

“What?” Willow looked anxiously at her best friend. She had been worried about Buffy since she had heard everything Giles had had to say on the subject of Spike’s sister. Buffy didn’t seem to be worried at all, more angry than anything else. And now she was talking to herself, which wasn’t always a bad thing, but Willow wished that Buffy would confide whatever problem she had, in her.

Buffy stared at Willow, wishing there was a way that she could tell her best friend the truth. She always told Willow everything and she wanted nothing more than to spill out all the confusion that had been running through her about Spike for the last three weeks. ‘Don’t you mean three years?’ her mind called out, and Buffy shook her head violently to rid herself of the thoughts. Willow was looking at her strangely again, and Buffy kicked herself for worrying her friend.

“Nothing, I’m fine Will, really. I’m just worried about Riley, you know.”

‘Great. Lying to Willow. Guess you won’t be winning the Best-best-friend Award, yet again this year.’ Buffy gritted her teeth and smiled at Willow. She had been worried that Buffy might not accept her relationship with Tara, and that they might grow apart because of it. Buffy knew that this was never going to happen. She liked Tara, she did. And if Willow was happy, then everything was all right with her. She made a decision to have a long, intensive talk with Willow later to ensure that they were still strong. She’d even fill her in on Spike. Maybe.

******************

“Why are we here?” Anya’s bored tone informed Xander that whatever he said in reply, it was going to be wrong.

“Giles asked us to come. Why don’t you ask him?” Passing the buck was always easiest on his sex life.

“Why are we here?” Anya repeated, raising her voice so that Giles could hear her in the kitchen. Xander was trying hard to control his laughter. Anya was nothing if not direct. She was always willing to ask the questions everyone else was too afraid to.

Cordelia? Xander’s eyes widened. Where had that thought come from? He looked nervously at Anya. He often thought she could read his mind, though even as a demon it had never been one of her skills. But she was just sitting there, leafing through a magazine while she waited for an answer from Giles.

Anya, luckily for Xander, was completely oblivious to the turmoil in his head. She was bored. But then she was usually bored nowadays. She had spent 1120 years avenging scorned women, and now she was stuck in the body of a 19 year old, trying to survive life as a mortal. And life as a mortal sucked. Big time. She looked at Xander. He seemed anxious about something. Was Spike’s sister going to bring about hell on Earth? God she hoped so. Anything had to make this existence more interesting. She hid her smile. At least there was one good thing about being human. She had Xander. And sex. That was two things. Her smile grew. Life suddenly looked better.

Xander saw Anya’s smile and frowned. She didn’t really smile all that much. Actually he couldn’t remember the last time she had smiled at him. She took everything so seriously. She must know about his un-reconciled feelings for Cordy and Willow. She was going to do something awful to him. Probably while he slept. He could see it in his mind’s eye. That night after the lovemaking, she’d bite his head off.

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ his mind mocked.

‘Hey, it’s not the first time you’ve been in that situation pal,’ he argued back.

“What?” he asked aloud, refusing to let her sway him into a false sense of security.

“What?” Anya repeated, confused by his reaction.

“Nothing!” Xander relaxed slightly. At least she was frowning again.

“Men!” Anya muttered under her breath.

Giles entered the living room carrying a tea tray. “You’re here because I have something important to talk to you all about.” He set the tray down on the table and poured the three of them some tea.

“All?” Xander asked reaching for the plate of biscuits, and noting that there were only five cups. All usually meant seven.

“Yes, the three of us; Willow and Tara.”

Giles had spent most of last night trying to set his mind straight about Beth’s revelations. He had reconciled himself to the fact that Spike was in love with Buffy. It didn’t really surprise him all that much, now he’d had a chance to think about it. What was actually bothering him was the fact that it wasn’t bothering him. Buffy should not have relationships with vampires. Hadn’t their whole experience with Angel taught them anything? But the more he considered it the more he came to the conclusion that Beth was right about Spike. He was different. Amazingly so. The previous night he had spent thinking about their past encounters with the vampire and he noticed a pattern where Buffy was concerned. He fought her. Time and time again. And he continued to come back for more, even after leaving town. But he’d never killed her. And Giles really didn’t believe it was because he couldn’t.

More and more his mind turned to Spike’s behaviour under that spell of Willow’s. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to marry Buffy, maybe he hadn’t even been in love with her then, but the spell hadn’t caused a change in character. Just a glimpse of what it would be like. Sickening, had been Giles’ initial reaction. But when he thought about it, Spike had done everything Buffy asked of him, anything to make her happy. He’d looked after Giles and curbed his annoyance with Xander. And merely the fact that he and Buffy had fought almost non-stop when they weren’t kissing, made Giles consider it the healthiest relationship she’d ever had. Buffy never fought with her boyfriends. They all seemed to worship her. And Giles thought that, deep down, Buffy didn’t want to be worshiped; just loved.

So now he was preparing to broach the subject with the rest of the Scooby gang. He had promised Beth he wouldn’t tell anyone about Spike’s feelings, but he needed to know if they would be receptive to the idea. That was what this meeting was about. Finding out what they thought, without actually saying anything that would give the game away, so to speak. He already had an idea what their reactions would be. Willow wouldn’t mind a bit if it made Buffy happy; Tara wouldn’t mind if Willow didn’t; Anya wouldn’t care either way and Xander would be dead against it. There he’d done it all and Willow and Tara were just arriving.

‘But she’s with Riley, idiot. Don’t you think her feelings ought to be considered?’ Giles grimaced and Willow looked anxiously at him, as she and Tara sat next to Xander and Anya on the couch. Giles smiled at them and poured them some tea while they chatted amongst themselves.

He didn’t like Riley. He didn’t know why. It was totally irrational. He just didn’t. And try as he might, he couldn’t hate Spike, so there was really no question in the matter.

**********************

Buffy saw her in the distance and stopped dead. She couldn’t believe it. Of all the people Buffy had hoped never to see again, she had to be at the top of the list. Yet there she was. Calmly sitting in the middle of the smallest of Sunnydale’s 12 cemeteries; having a tea party with her favourite doll.

Drusilla sensed Buffy’s approach and turned her head to look directly at her. She smiled a sweet and innocent smile; the expression belying the heartless killer within.

“Would you like to join us Buffy? Miss Edith thinks we should all try to keep our strength up.”

“Amazing,” Buffy replied coolly. “I’ve always been surprised by the intellectual capacity of that doll. Seeing as how she’s made of china and is completely inanimate.”

Dru’s eyes narrowed but she didn’t respond in any form. She merely poured some imaginary tea into one of the small china teacups and then proffered it for Buffy.

Buffy was confused. She had never actually fought Drusilla before. Never spent much time with her at all in fact. However, she had always imagined that, if they were ever to meet up again, they’d renew their acquaintance by beating the crap out of each other; not by playing make-believe in the bloody graveyard. ‘Great,’ Buffy thought, ‘Now the two of them are corrupting my speech patterns.’

Buffy took the cup cautiously and set it down on top of the nearest headstone.

“What are you doing here Dru?” Buffy really didn’t want to hear the answer to that one, but the Wicked Witch of the West had to be there for some nefarious reason.

“Do you have dreams Buffy? I have the strangest dreams sometimes. Just before I left the last time, I had a dream that you sent my Spike to hell and I was afraid. But I knew what that dream meant. Last week I dreamt about three beautiful blonde children, two boys and a girl; they were fighting at my feet, pulling on my dress. Do you know what that meant Buffy? I just realised a few days ago. Do you know how it ended? One of the boys killed the other and the girl couldn’t do anything to stop it. Isn’t that sad?”

Buffy stared at Drusilla, thankful that she hadn’t had many conversations with her. She’d be completely barking by now otherwise. She wondered how Spike had managed to put up with her ravings for 120 years, and not gone totally off the deep end. Though this did explain some of his cynicism, sarcasm and the amazing patience he showed towards her and her friends. It also explained why he’d eventually come to her looking for help. 6 months stuck in a wheelchair with only Drusilla and Angelus for company? He must have been catatonic. But it also proved that he had loved her.

“What are you talking about?”

“He is in hell, isn’t he? Now?” Drusilla asked, staring wide-eyed at Buffy, making her feel uncomfortable.

“Who? Spike? No he’s here. In Sunnydale.”

“But you’ve created hell on Earth just for him. He won’t be happy about that.”

“Well no he’s not happy really, but look that isn’t my fault. You’re the one who left him for a scabby fungus-demon; the Initiative put that chip in his head. I think I’ve been damn good to him, considering he’s an evil vampire, who’s tried to kill me time and time again!”

“But it is your fault Buffy,” Drusilla suddenly became chillingly serious. “Spike wouldn’t care about all of that if ‘e had his heart’s desire. Do you know how long I’ve known about it? Longer than ‘im. Do you really think I stopped loving ‘im? That I left ‘im because of his little truce with you? Not the man I loved; ‘course he was. That truce just proved what I’d known all along, and it was easier for me to leave than for ‘im to admit it to ‘imself.”

“Admit what?” Buffy was interested. She still didn’t see what any of this had to do with her.

“That he loves you.”

*****************************

Beth was fuming. She had spent the better part of last night and all of today nursing Spike. He still hadn’t regained full consciousness. He’d been in a fitful state throughout the night, the cries from his dreams telling her more than any previous conversation. At first she had been worried, as Spike should really have come around sooner. Then she discovered the needle. She’d gone back to the scene, trying to find a clue to the identity of Spike’s attacker, as he couldn’t tell her himself, and she’d found the used needle lying on the ground. The human must have drugged him. And considering the strength and vigour of vampires, it must have been very powerful. And dangerous.

Once Spike had seemed to settle down, Beth had left him to have a smoke. She stood outside the crypt, mechanically smoking the cigarette, replaying the previous couple of days in her head. Was it only yesterday that she had been to see Giles? Maybe she should go and see him again. He might be able to help her. Might give her some clue to the assailant. And even if he couldn’t, she really should tell him about Drusilla. Beth pulled the door to the crypt closed quietly and made her way quickly in the direction of Giles’ apartment.

*********************

“Um, well, since the arrival of Spike’s sister, I’ve been thinking a lot about… well you know, about the two of them, and Spike most especially. What I think I really wanted to know was, um, well… how you all felt about having Spike around now. He, uh, would be a useful ally if we could get him to…”

“Ally? Spike? The guy who’s been this close to killing me more than once? And not just me, Buffy and Willow, and everyone on Earth. Aren’t we forgetting he’s a vampire?” Xander was indignant. Didn’t they have enough help now?

“But he can’t hurt anyone right?” Tara commented quietly. “Maybe he could change.” She blushed as everyone looked at her and Willow reached for her hand.

“She’s right. Maybe if we gave him a soul…”

“No that’s out of the question.” Giles inserted quickly before Willow started planning her shopping list for the restoration spell. The four teenagers looked at him curiously. “No, I insist. I’ve thought it over and there are more reasons against than for in this case. Look you’ll just have to trust me.”

Willow smiled at him. “We do trust you Giles. Ok no soul spell, but I still think he could do some good you know, if we, uh…” She trailed off unable to think of what they could possibly do to make Spike join with them. She looked to Giles for the answer, but he was studiously avoiding her gaze.

“I like him.” Anya stated simply. Xander choked on his tea and looked sharply at her, as if she’d grown a second head. “What? I do. He’s funny and nice looking, and he understands what it’s like to be me. Why shouldn’t I like him?”

“Because he’s an vicious demon who takes incredible pleasure in draining the blood of mortals like you and me.” He turned to look at Willow and Tara. “And just because he’s has that thing in his head now doesn’t mean he’s changed his eating habits for life. We all thought Angel had gone on the permanent human free diet until he started killing everyone we knew.”

Willow frowned, “But…”

“No he’s a demon. Demons don’t change!”

The room was silent. Everyone stared at Xander. What had he just said?

‘Oh no. Tell me I didn’t say that,’ his mind cried out desperately.

“Demons don’t change?” Anya’s quiet question cut through the tension like a knife. “You know Xander I’m beginning to think you’re prejudiced. I don’t think I want to date someone who can’t see past the demon. And I especially know I don’t want to sleep with one.” Anya stood up proudly and turned to Giles. “Maybe I could give Spike a reason to join us.” Xander started to sputter. “And if he doesn’t want my body, I’ll give him Xander’s head on a plate.” She walked regally out of the apartment, silently daring Xander to come after her.

Xander flopped down onto the couch and covered his eyes with his hands. Why had he done that? Why had he said that? ‘Because that’s how you really feel, moron. You just don’t remember Anya was a demon before you open your mouth.’ Xander groaned. He was really going to have to start thinking things through before he said them.

Willow patted Xander’s knee, not wholly worried by his and Anya’s argument. They were like this. Fight and make up, fight and make up. It seemed to work for them, so Willow was not going to interfere. She turned back to Giles. “I think we should give him a go, you know, like a trial run. Then if we feel uncomfortable, or he feels uncomfortable we can stop before it goes too far.”

Giles nodded. He had all the answers he needed. They were pretty much what he had expected. Though what this meant in terms of Buffy and Spike he really didn’t know.

“Yes, thank you Willow, that sounds like an excellent suggestion. Well, I’ll try and talk to him about it. Xander,” he asked the brunette who was still groaning quietly at his foolishness “…is this going to be alright with you?”

Xander didn’t remove his arms from his head; merely rocked his whole body forward and back where he sat.

“I’ll take that as a yes then.”

************************************

Giles was at his desk, trying to sort through the piles of demon books and vampire lore that were scattered over it. Xander had left soon after Anya to try and apologise for his comments, and Willow and Tara were now sitting snuggled on the couch, reading through one of their spell books. The brusque knock at the door jarred them all from their pursuits.

As soon as Giles had opened the door Beth ran in shaking with suppressed fury. Willow and Tara jumped up from where they sat, each brandishing crosses. Beth was staring at them, trying to regain her composure when Willow spoke.

“Um, I just realised that you got in here without being invited, and vampires can’t do that, so Giles, do you wanna tell us how she did that?”

“How do you know I’m a vampire?” Beth asked the redhead. This must be Willow the Witch.

“Well, apart from Buffy’s startlingly accurate description… there’s a picture in that book over there.” Willow nodded towards the desk. Beth looked across at Giles and raised her eyebrows enquiringly.

“Be my guest,” he said simply and handed her the correct volume.

The thought of seeing her face for the first time in 120 years momentarily pushed the thoughts of Spike and the

attack out of her mind. She found the page quickly and stared at the photograph amazed. She’d forgotten a lot about herself. She shut the book, determined not to feel a loss at not being able to see her face reflected at any time, and turned back to Willow.

“Well, you know who I am, and I know who you are, so there’s no need for the niceties is there.” She turned to Giles, “Someone attacked Spike!”

“What?!” The three humans gaped at the vampire.

“A human. I don’t know who he was. About 6’2”, muscular, in some kind of combat outfit, blonde hair…” Beth didn’t really know what else to add. Apart from the obvious stuff, the guy was pretty non-descript.

“And he attacked Spike?” Giles had a fairly good idea of the identity of the man, but if he told Beth, would her

vow not to kill humans stand up to the pressure?

“That sounds like Riley,” Willow interrupted. “But why would Riley… well apart from the fact that he hates

Spike?”

“Riley? Buffy’s boyfriend Riley?” Beth was now smiling at Willow. If this was true she was going to be able to

kill two birds with one stone. ‘Or more precisely, solve two problems by killing one man.’ Things were looking up.

Giles knew exactly what Beth was thinking. “Now we don’t know for sure it was Riley. Why don’t you let us talk to him Beth? Find out if it was he, before sending someone to… I mean, before you hurt him unnecessarily.”

Beth could see Giles was not going to let her kill the human. Still there were other problems to be faced. “Um, there’s some more bad news I’m afraid. Drusilla’s here. She said something about having the world.” Giles and Willow shared a look. “But that’s not the worst. She uh, mentioned Angelus, so I rang the office in LA, but the nice girl on the telephone said that he was missing. So I asked her if Dru had been there and she said that both Dru and Darla had been in LA but had left about two weeks ago. Giles, I think they’ve turned Angel.”

*****************************

Buffy sat in the graveyard where Dru had left her over an hour ago. She had barley moved in that time, merely sinking to the ground once Dru was out of sight, after she had dropped her bombshell. There was no way it could be true? Could it?

‘Of course not, she’s messing with your mind! It’s all she truly knows. And she’s always blamed you for her break-up with Spike, even though it was all her fault, crazy ho!’

No. No way.

“No of course not.” She said aloud. “It’s Spike!”

“God, get a hold of yourself girl!”

“Buffy?” She was startled from her reverie by the arrival of a very flustered Giles and the vampire she now knew to be Spike’s sister.

“Giles? What’s wrong? What’s she doing here?” He had told her to stay away from the woman. What was he doing bringing her on patrol?

“Calm down Slayer,” the beautiful redhead spoke derisively, “I’m here to help.”

Buffy was rapidly approaching boiling point. “Giles?!”

Giles thought it was best to concentrate on the problem at hand and leave the explanations until later. ‘When you’ve had a chance to think up an excuse.’

“Beth says she saw Drusilla last night. She’ s worried that…”

“Yes I’ve just seen her. She’s getting worse, Giles!” Buffy turned to Beth, determined to regain her control around one of these vampires. “Last night? You took your time in telling us didn’t you?”

Beth was certainly not in the mood to be insulted by this chit of a girl. “Well Miss Summers, I had more important things on my mind, once your boy-toy had finished attacking my brother.”

“Beth,” Giles said warningly. This really wasn’t the time to get into that. Damn Riley!

“Riley? He attacked Spike?” Buffy was stunned. He had said time and time again that he didn’t like Spike, that he should be killed like the rest of the vampires they fought, but she had never really expected him to do anything to hurt Spike. Not as she had explained her reasons for keeping him around.

“We don’t know that for sure Buffy. From the description…”

“It seems pretty likely.” Beth was not to be put off. She really wanted to be the one to tell Buffy about her perfect boyfriend. “So, are you going to tell him off for beating and drugging my brother? Or are you just going to shake your head and forget all about it, ‘cause Riley’s the good guy and Spike’s the bad guy? Which automatically means that Spike was in the wrong, doesn’t it?”

“No of course not.” Buffy spoke quietly, her mind racing. “Is he ok? Spike I mean?”

Before Beth could answer, Giles interrupted quickly. “Beth. Isn’t there something else you want to share with Buffy?”

Beth sighed Giles was right. There were more important things to deal with. “Angel,” Beth said simply, “He’s missing.”

Buffy’s eyes widened. “Missing? What do you mean missing? How can he be missing?”

“Well, that’s the part that’s worse.”

“Worse?” Buffy frowned. “What could be worse?”

*************************************

Angelus paced up and down the burnt out shell of the room that had once been the main congregational area of the factory, where Spike and Drusilla had lived when they first arrived in Sunnydale. He was restless, annoyed and anxious to get on with the plan Drusilla and Darla had so carefully laid out.

They had performed the soul-revoking spell in LA before bringing Angelus and their human insurance to Sunnydale. Angelus smiled cruelly. His girls really had thought of everything. There was really no way it could fail. He knew better than anyone that Buffy would never knowingly put defenceless humans in danger.

Not that the two chained to what was left of the wall were defenceless, far from it. But at that moment there was no way for them to escape, and when the time came, Angelus knew that Buffy wouldn’t take the chance. She’d just have to sit back and wait for an opening. There wasn’t going to be an opening.

As Angelus approached the two battered figures at the far side of the room, the two humans tried to stand a little straighter, unwilling to give in and show weakness to this tyrant. He moved up in front of the girl and pulled her head back so that she was looking up at him.

“You know, I think it’ll give me the greatest pleasure of my unlife to kill you, my sweet.” The girl flinched as he kissed her hard; angrily, lustfully, with no trace of compassion or love. But she refused to cry.

“I hate you!” She spoke determinedly, dredging up every last drop of anger and frustration and resentment that had been building within her for almost 19 years.

“Ah, but you see, I know you don’t baby. I know that you want me, even now, even like this. And tonight, before I kill you, I’m going to make you admit it.” He lent down and bit into her neck, drawing the blood that tasted sweetest of all. The blood of a Slayer.

Faith did not cry out at the pain; would not let the tears which had been threatening, fall. She was not going to give in. Not to this. Not ever.

**********************************

Buffy, Giles, Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya sat in Giles’ small living room trying to piece together what had happened from the facts, as they knew them. And as they didn’t know all that much, the meeting rapidly turned into a fight; their fear and confusion putting everyone on edge.

Willow had actually started it by asking Tara to go to the magic shop for supplies for the restoration spell. Xander had said something about finally killing Angel once and for all, so that this wouldn’t keep happening, which had caused Buffy, whose mind was raging furiously at the events of the last few days and her own confused feelings, to lose control of her temper.

The argument between the two friends became decidedly worse when Anya, who was still smarting from Xander’s earlier comments, took Buffy’s side. Willow and Tara sat uncomfortably throughout, while Giles tried his best to ignore the whole proceeding by fixing himself a stiff drink. Finally however, he couldn’t take it any longer.

“Look! Could the three of you, please, just shut up! We have serious problems to deal with here and all this squabbling isn’t going to get us anywhere. Now, we don’t know for certain about Angel and until we do I think it would be best for all of us if we stayed calm. Right, I think it would be wise if we all…” He trailed off and glanced around the room. “Where’s Riley?”

Willow whimpered slightly. “The locator spell didn’t work. It was as though something was stopping him from being found.”

Giles rubbed a hand over his face. “Well, if it is true about Angel, it may be best if he weren’t here. They didn’t exactly hit it off the last time.”

“Understatement!” Anya inserted. “If Angelus is returned he’ll very likely hit Riley’s head off a few walls. You know, before killing him.”

“Giles?” The shout came from outside, making them all jump.

“Cordelia?” Giles called back as he went to answer the door.

Cordelia and Wesley moved into the apartment as soon as Giles opened the door. They both looked agitated and tired, as if they hadn’t slept for a week.

Wesley turned to Giles. “Angel.. he’s been turned.”

“Are you sure? We heard..”

“We’re sure ok?” Cordelia interrupted. “He rang us a couple of hours ago. He said he’s here in Sunnydale and that we should be quick if we wanted to say goodbye to our friends. Now Willow, do the spell, then we’ll find Angel and go home. Ok? Hurry. Why aren’t you hurrying?”

“He’s here?” Buffy wasn’t looking forward to this. Maybe the spell was their best option. “Is that all he said?”

“He said we should go to the Bronze, so I’m thinking he’s got something special planned.”

“The Bronze?” Buffy was already rummaging through Giles’ weapons chest. “Let’s go!”

***************************

Buffy and Willow sat at a table in the Bronze waiting for something to happen. This was the part that was always hardest. Fighting came naturally to Buffy. Waiting didn’t. Patience had never been one of her virtues. To take her mind off the impending confrontation with Angel… Angelus… Buffy had decided to talk to Willow about her trouble with Spike. She especially wanted to know what her best friend thought of Drusilla’s disclosure about Spike’s feelings for her.

She looked at her friend. Willow looked scared. She had a tight grin plastered on her face, but her eyes betrayed her fear. She was trying to be strong for Buffy. Which meant that Buffy could tell Willow anything. She took a deep breath.

“Drusilla said Spike is in love with me!”

Willow choked on her drink. “What? I mean… What?”

“We were in the graveyard and she said that Spike was in hell and it was all my fault ‘cause he loves me. Do you think that’s true?”

Willow looked enquiringly at her friend. “Do you want it to be?”

It was Buffy’s turn to choke. “What do you mean?”

“Come on Buffy. Anyone with half a brain can feel how charged the air gets around you two. And yes, a lot of that time it’s been because you wanted to kill each other, but I’ve been starting to wonder recently… you’ve both been acting so strange…”

“That’s just it Will, we’ve been acting strange. Ever since he had that thing put in we haven’t been able to take out our frustration out on each other, which just leads to more complications. At least when he was trying to kill me I knew where I stood, now…”

“What kind of frustrations?” Willow raised her eyebrows interestedly.

“Willow! Nothing like that, well, I mean, not then, not in the old days.”

“But now?”

“Recently. It’s too long a story to explain it all now, but he did something that made me look at him in a new light, you know? And ever since I’ve been having like these, these…”

“Fantasies?” Willow grinned.

Buffy frowned at her friend. “No not.. Well yeah fantasies, but they’re not all sexy stuff.” Buffy defended herself. “Sometimes we’re just talking, or we go for a walk and he holds my hand, or one time, we were dancing, so slowly, we were barely moving, just holding one another.”

“Wow!” Willow breathed. “So this is why you’ve been weird. What about Riley?”

“Riley! Oh God. I feel so guilty sometimes, ‘cause I never feel half the things with Riley that I feel when I’m with Spike. And I know I haven’t been paying much attention to him recently, which makes it all worse. God Will, what am I going to do?”

Willow lent over and took Buffy’s hand. “First you’re going to get through tonight. Then you’re going to tell Riley that you think you should break up, and then you’re gonna go talk to Spike. And no matter what happens, no matter what you decide, I’ll be right with you all the way.”

*******************************

Beth and Spike hurried down the alley to the Bronze. Beth had returned to the crypt after filling Buffy in on the Angel/Drusilla situation, to find her brother up and about. He still wasn’t at full strength, but when she had explained the problem with Angel, he had been determined to help Buffy. Beth had known better than to argue with Spike on the subject of the Slayer. She didn’t know exactly why they were headed to the Bronze, but Spike seemed determined that that was where Angelus, Drusilla and Darla were going to be.

They slipped in unobtrusively at the back and made their way up to the first floor gantry where they would have a good view of the whole ground floor area. Spike located Buffy instantly, sitting at a table by the dance floor with Willow, Xander, Anya, Tara, Cordelia, an uncomfortable looking Giles and a blonde man with glasses he didn’t recognize. He heard Beth gasp beside him and turned sharply to look at her. She was staring at the same table, her eyes wide with shock. ‘Wesley,’ he thought, reminding himself to have a good long talk with the man later

He scanned the rest of the room, separating the vampires from the humans as he went. It was going to be a hard fight. “Well, bring it on mate.” Spike whispered into the crowd. At least he could fight Angelus. Riley was another matter. He thought again about Buffy’s boyfriend. Spike had never really trusted him. He’d always seemed too good to be true. Now he knew that he was right. But how could he make Buffy see it? She’d never believe anything he had to say about Riley, and even if she did it was going to hurt her terribly.

‘But isn’t it better that she finds out now, instead of later?’ he asked himself. ‘What if she really starts to fall for him and then finds out that Captain Cardboard is really King of Creeps? Won’t she feel a thousand times worse?’ Spike stared at Buffy and saw her smile across at her friends. His un-beating heart felt like it was being squeezed by a vice. He’d talk to her later.

***************

The door to the Bronze was thrown violently open and the three master vampires entered slowly. They walked to the stage, commanding authority and forcing everyone there to turn and watch. The music had stopped. The young adults were expecting trouble. This was Sunnydale. Weird things happened. You accepted it or you went insane. For the few members of the town who neither accepted it nor went insane, this was the moment they had been waiting for the entire night.

Buffy looked across at the demon that looked like her former love, and took a deep breath. No backing down. If Angelus wanted a fight he’d get one. And a quick round with Mr. Pointy too. She reached behind her for her trusted stake. She’d have to pick her moment, but this was the last time this was ever going to happen. They couldn’t keep putting people in danger like this.

Angelus saw her movement and laughed. “I wouldn’t bother if I were you lover. There’s no way you’ll be using that on me tonight.” He seemed so confident.

Spike looked at Beth puzzled, needing to know what ace Angelus felt he had up his sleeve.

Buffy looked at Darla, Drusilla and then back at Angelus. They all looked as though this was going to be the final battle, and that Buffy was not to be the victor. She waited. Something was wrong.

Angelus raised his hand and four vampires emerged from the back of the back of the room, dragging two unconscious human figures.

“Oh my God! Oz!” Willow cried out as the Scooby gang stared in shock at the scene being played out before them. “Faith!” Buffy whispered, as she looked dazed at the battered body of the second Slayer. All of the anger and pain she had carried with her about Faith’s past actions disappeared as she looked at the girl. No one deserved this. Buffy directed all of her anger at the three vampires holding her friends hostage. They were not going to survive this night, even if she died in the process.

Spike saw the look of shock on Buffy’s face and the pain she hid by turning her eyes away. Once he would have taken pleasure in her hurt, the demon rejoicing at the thought of her misery. But it had been a long time since he had been able to watch her like this. His anger at his former friends, his former love, grew. Drusilla had planned this on purpose. She wanted to hurt as many people as possible for the supposed wrongs done to her. She was punishing Beth, Buffy and him. Spike had no doubt that Dru planned to kill Buffy herself. ‘Well, there’s no way I’m letting that happen pet,’ he vowed silently to the woman he had worshipped for 100 years. ‘I’ll kill you first!’

“You see Buffs,” Angelus was speaking again, “this place is surrounded. If you or any of you little Scoobies attack, they die. It’s really quite simple.”

“Much like you mate,” Spike had had enough of waiting and was making his way slowly down the spiral staircase and across the floor to the three vampires.

“Dru,” he nodded at the beautiful vampiress who would always hold a place in his heart, “couldn’t you come up with anything more original? I mean hostages, please! You know what that means. It means that you know the Slayer and her little friends can beat the crap out of you all. Now me… I never take hostages. That makes it harder. More exciting. More fun. But from what I can remember, put the three of you together and you inevitably come up with the easiest and most completely useless plan on this good Earth. I mean look at this.”

He reached down and pulled the other Slayer to her feet. “Why would Buff be interested in her? From what I remember she hates her guts. Lesson one when choosing hostages: make sure the person you’re threatening gives a damn!” He pushed Faith in Beth’s direction, reaching inside his duster for a stake.

“And Dog-boy here. He’s old news mate. Sabrina got herself a brand new girlfriend. Tch, these modern girls eh? So unpredictable.” He stepped over Oz, putting himself between the enemy and Buffy and her friends. “Wanna fight someone? Fight me!” Spike ducked under his Sire’s fist, kicking his legs out from under him and sending the elder vampire crashing to the ground.

As Spike and Angelus fought, Beth attacked Darla, while Buffy turned her attention to Drusilla. The other vampires made their presence known, preparing to do battle to protect their masters. The Scooby gang leapt into action, trying to fight of as many residual vampires as possible. Eventually it was three against three and the scoobies emptied the Bronze of its few remaining patrons.

The fight was fast and furious, each pair quite evenly matched. Darla, however, had never been the best fighter, preferring to let the others do the work and Beth quickly had the advantage, her fighting skills learnt from her brother and honed over the years. As Darla foundered under the force of the attack, Beth pulled the stake quickly from her duster and forced it through her heart.

Angelus had thought that this would be over quickly, his extra strength making him more than a match for Spike. But he had underestimated Spike’s skill and hadn’t considered the anger that coursed through his Childe. It didn’t matter to Spike anymore whether it was Angel or Angelus standing before him. He hated them both. Angel was the love of Buffy’s life; Angelus had taken Dru, and was, quite frankly, a bastard.

As Darla disintegrated, Angelus roared with fury. His concentration was taken from the fight and Spike found an opening. The stake was millimetres from his heart when Spike stopped. His own fury at being unable to kill his Sire after all that he had done to him was immense and he unleashed it in a swift series of kicks and blows. Angelus fell, to the ground.

Buffy had the upper hand over Drusilla, the vampiress weakening under the force of the Slayer. Dru would have to do something miraculous to survive this.

“Riley!” Drusilla cried as Buffy raised her stake.

Buffy stopped. “What have you done to him?” Buffy’s voice was low and menacing. Drusilla remained silent. “I said, what have you done to him?” Buffy was panicking.

“Where is he Dru?” Spike stepped closer to his former love.

“My Spike,” she purred turning to him, “I’ll tell you, if you promise me something.”

Spike narrowed his eyes, wondering what trick Dru had planned. He looked quickly at the Slayer, her eyes were begging him to co-operate. ‘God she does love him. And this is a trap, and I can’t do anything without hurting her.’ He sighed. “Que sera, sera,” he whispered. “I promise.”

Drusilla smiled brightly. Spike always kept his promises. “You and Beth, stay here with me. If Buffy goes she goes alone. And you have to promise not to try and follow.”

Spike looked at Buffy, trying to memorise every inch of her face, as if he didn’t know it all by heart anyway. If he was sending her to her death, he’d never forgive himself. But there seemed to be no other way. “I promise,” he repeated, his eyes remaining fixed on Buffy.

Drusilla smiled again. “Well, he’s at home. Tucked up all safe and sound.”

“Home?” Buffy questioned confused.

“The mansion,” Spike clarified. Dru’s happy home with Angelus. ‘What a bitch!’

***********************

Buffy approached the mansion on Crawford Street and wondered why this was the setting for so many of the most awful experiences of her short life. In fact, apart from being killed by the Master, she couldn’t think of one that hadn’t happened here. And she had no doubt that tonight would add another memorable incident to that list. She hadn’t had time to talk about it with Willow before the others arrived, but the episode between Spike and Riley last night had left her on edge. Spike seemed fine now, but from what Beth had said he had been hurt pretty bad. There was something off about this whole situation. Drusilla had seemed far to eager to send her here. Buffy knew it was a trap.

*********************

As the Slayer’s friends restrained Drusilla and Angelus, Spike paced the small dance floor of the Bronze, rapidly working his way through not only his cigarettes, but Beth’s as well. Drusilla looked smug. Spike cursed himself, and her, over and over. Sometimes he thought things might have been better if he had never brought Dru here in the first place. If they’d stayed in Europe or gone to South America, how different might life have been?

‘Well Dru would still be ill for one thing, mate,’ his demon reminded him. That after all had been their only reason for visiting Sunnyhell. ‘And would that have been so bad?’ he argued back. ‘She needed you, relied on you…’

‘Used you, you daft sod. She may have even been dead by now. In the never to return sense of the word.’ Spike winced. No matter how angry he was at Dru, he’d never wanted her dead. But he knew if she hurt Buffy, he’d kill her himself and the last vestiges of love would be gone forever. Buffy. Another good reason for coming to Sunnydale. She made him feel alive. She had made this hellhole his home. He smiled sadly. Home is where the heart is.

*********************

Beth stood in the alley behind the Bronze trying to think of a solution to the problems they were facing, but her mind kept drifting back to the young Watcher inside. She hadn’t spoken to him, but she knew he had seen her. She had forgotten the rush of emotion she felt when she looked at him.

Wesley stopped at the open door and stared at the beautiful vampiress who was leaning against the wall, slowly smoking the single cigarette left in her possession. It had been 2 and a half years since their un-amicable break-up and Wesley had almost forgotten the affect she had on him. He wished, not for the first time, that he had never said those things to hurt her. Had simply held onto her as tight as he could for as long as was possible. But he couldn’t change the past. Just the future.

“I’m sorry,” he said simply as he stepped out into the alley. She turned her head and looked at him. Her eyes burning with love and fear, even after all the time they had spent apart. “Beth I don’t know what to say. Maybe there’s nothing I can say to make to right. I didn’t mean any of it, and I meant to apologise but then I got here, and things were so strange, and the time just seemed to pass faster and faster, which made it harder to call and…”

Beth rushed at him, not caring for excuses or needing explanations. If he wanted her, that was all that mattered. “It’s alright,” she soothed as he hugged her close. “We can start again, slower this time. You already know my darkest secret. I have nothing to hide anymore.” She smiled up at him, and he wondered what he had ever done to deserve her.

“I think my prejudice has passed,” he said quietly, owning up to the cause of the problems between them. “Working for Angel… well, it was a long time before I forgave him for what he did to you… but now I know you were right… about all vampires not being the same, and I…”

He never got to finish as Beth pulled his head down to hers, and kissed him passionately.

**************************

Willow, Tara and Giles recited the restoration spell around one of the small tables near the stage. Angelus was trying desperately to pull free of his restraints, growling low in his throat as the Witches and Watcher completed the spell. Xander was taking great pleasure in thumping him over the back of the head every time he struggled, which merely made Angelus grow more determined.

“There’s a better spell, you know, luv.” Dru murmured quietly to Spike as he passed by.

“What?” he asked, his eyes flashing dangerously.

“There’s a better spell of restoration. One which cannot be removed, ever.” Drusilla spoke calmly, letting the significance of her disclosure seep into him. If Angel had a soul which could not be removed, then he could be with Buffy, forever.

Eventually Angel’s eyes flashed as his soul was once again restored to him. He stopped struggling and looked around confused. “Angel?” Willow asked as she and Giles slowly approached the others gathered round the table. He nodded slowly, and tried to remember what had happened. Why was he tied up like th..?

‘Oh, God! Please no,’ he thought as he took in the fearful faces of his friends.

Giles carefully removed the gag from Angel’s mouth and stepped back. “Giles?” Angel asked hoarsely. “What happened? What did I do?”

“Darla and Drusilla performed a spell to take your soul. You were going to try and open the hellmouth.” Giles told him matter-of-factly.

“Darla?” Angel asked, confused, as he spotted Dru tied to another chair.

“She’s dead.” Giles told him, quietly.

Angel closed his eyes tightly and willed back the pain that short statement had induced. He had lost her again. Truthfully he had lost her weeks ago, to Drusilla, and more truthfully, he should have killed them both then. But she was his Sire. And even though he had killed her once, for Buffy, he hadn’t wanted to live through it again.

“And, Deadboy, there are a couple of people I think you owe apologies too.” Xander was still angry. They always did this. Angel always got let off the hook, because of that soul thing. When was he truly going to pay?

Angel looked up at Xander confused. Who had he hurt his time?

Xander nodded across to the stage where Tara, Anya and Cordy were tending to an unconscious Oz and a badly beaten Faith. “My God!” Angel whispered.

“He won’t help you this time, my friend.” Xander said quietly, leaning over Angel’s shoulder. “You know you’re going to hell right? Again.”

Angel winced. “Faith.”

**********************

Drusilla looked up at Spike and smiled coquettishly. She’d soon have him back as her own. The Slayer would be dead, and then she’d have no problem killing all of Buffy’s little friends. Drusilla knew she had acted badly where Spike was concerned. But she did love him in her own way. And hopefully they’d be able to start again, and put everything right.

Spike saw the look. After 100 years with her, he knew exactly what she was thinking. She wanted Buffy dead and whatever was going to happen at the mansion was a means to that end. “What have you got planned Dru?” he asked stopping in front of her and staring into her eyes. “How many vamps and demons have you called in favours from? Who’s there waiting for her?” His voice was cold, menacing. Drusilla was scared. She had seen him like this before, but never with her. It usually came right before he rammed a railroad spike through some poor unfortunate’s head. Drusilla knew better than to lie.

“There’s no-one there but Riley. I promise you Spike.”

“But Riley’s working for you isn’t he luv.” Spike stated loudly as a few things became clear.

“What?” Giles questioned in a shout, as the others turned their attention to the former lovers’ conversation.

“How did you know?” Dru asked, her childlike eyes, wide with confusion.

“He attacked me, you stupid bint. It wasn’t hard to work out after that!”

“Ah, Spike. Did he hurt you?”

Spike paused, Dru’s question taking him back three years. They had been standing in the factory, Spike just returned from his first battle with the Slayer. He had laid his head on Dru’s shoulder and she had told him he’d kill the Slayer in the end. He never had. Dru had lied to him.

As that irrational thought surfaced, he realised that Dru had lied to him, over and over, using him because of his devotion to her. And here he was keeping his promises to a woman who only wanted him when it suited her. He turned quickly and marched toward the exit. He had to find Buffy. Had to help her.

“She doesn’t love you. She never will.” Dru called to him, as she realised she no longer had any power over him.

Spike stopped and turned in the doorway. The truth would hurt Dru more than any physical violence ever could.

“And neither do you, my pet. But I’d rather die for her.”

**************************

The rapid healing powers of the Slayer meant that Faith was almost back to normal by the time Spike ran out of the Bronze. She sat quietly on the edge of the stage, refusing to look at anyone. She knew they hated her, knew that she had done nothing, for them to forgive her for her betrayals.

She glanced quickly across at Angel. There was one of only two people in the world she had ever trusted. Faith flinched. Now she knew how Buffy had felt when she had lied to Giles about killing the mayor’s aide; when she had joined the mayor and helped him ascend, against her calling, against people who wanted to be her friends; when she had held Willow at knifepoint; when she had slept with Buffy’s boyfriend.

‘How could B endure this kind of pain?’ Faith asked herself. How could she keep enduring it, every time Faith had hurt her? Well she hadn’t had she. Eventually she’d stopped giving second chances. Faith didn’t blame her now. Buffy had been her one true friend. ‘And I messed it up, ‘cause I was scared.’

Well she was going to make it up to her, just as she knew Angel was going to try and put right what he had done. She walked slowly across to the table where Angel still sat, even though his bonds had been removed. She faced him determinedly, refusing to give up, as he had refused to give up on her.

“It’s ok,” she said as he started to speak. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Why did everything have to be so hard? “I love you,” she whispered and turned to Giles. She was going to help the other person she trusted with her life.

“Weapons?”

****************************

Buffy stood on the exact spot where she had sent Angel to Hell two and a half years ago, and slowly turned in a circle, her eyes checking every part of the room. She reached out with her Slayer senses, but could not feel the presence of any vampires. That alone made her even more uneasy. If this was a trap, where were the vampires?

“Buffy?”

She heard Riley’s voice behind her, and turned to see him standing in the doorway to the conservatory. She was about to run over to him, to make sure he was alright, when her feeling of apprehension grew. He was the trap.

“Buffy, I’m so glad you came. The vampire, the woman, she brought me here and…”

“Drusilla, I know.” Buffy wanted to see how involved Riley was in this whole thing. “It’s ok though. I killed her.” Riley flinched. Buffy couldn’t believe it. Her staid, reliable boyfriend had betrayed her… with Drusilla. What was it about that woman that drew all the men in Buffy’s life to her?

Buffy thought that this might be the prefect time to tell Riley about her feelings for Spike.

“It hurts being here you know. This place. I killed Angel here.” Riley began to walk slowly across the floor towards her. “I don’t think I could do it again. Kill the man I love, I mean.”

“You’ll never have to worry about that Buffy. I’ll never…”

“What? Oh God Riley. No. I… I mean, I’m sorry, but… Look it’s not you ok, it’s just that Spike is….”

“Spike?! Are you crazy? Did Willow cast another spell?” Riley was furious.

“No of course she didn’t. This has nothing to do with spells, or Willow, or Angel, or the fact that you seem to have been shagging Dru…” Buffy’s innate honesty was surfacing along with her anger, and she didn’t realise that she was slipping Spike’s phrases into her speech. She meant every word she said. “I just realised, with the help of one sexy English vampire and an incident with a shotgun, that Spike and me… we’re like two halves of the same whole, you know. He’s knows me better than anyone, better than I know myself, and even though it scares me that I could fall in love with another vampire, I have to see if this thing between us is something more than sex and violence. And that means I can’t be with you anymore Riley. You’re not the one for me. You deserve someone who loves you the way you love them, and if you don’t mind me saying so, I think don’t think that’s Dru. It seems to me that she’s been using you more than…”

“You?” Riley was incensed.

“Riley that’s harsh. I thought in time I could come to love you but, even if I didn’t have these feelings for Spike, the fact that you’ve been screwing the person I hate most in all the world, would probably have torn us apart eventually.” Buffy mocked. She had never realised just how self-righteous Riley was until that moment.

He hit her. Full force, strength gained from one of Dru’s spells, and she fell to the ground, dazed.

**************************

Spike arrived in time to hear Buffy’s protestations about being under the influence of a spell, and hid in the shadows of the great hall while he listened to her speak. Had she actually said all of that, or was it just wishful thinking on his part? His smile grew as she turned and he saw the truth in her eyes. Maybe this wasn’t going to be such a bad year after all.

Then Riley hit her. When he raised his arm, Spike scoffed at the fool. Surely he knew he couldn’t hurt her. When she fell, Spike’s shock was momentary. His demon emerged, enraged that the human had dared to hurt his Slayer, and he charged at Riley. The two fell to the ground; the battle longer and more bloody than their previous one, but Spike was still weak, and Riley’s power, enhanced.

As Riley produced the stake, Buffy jumped up from her stunned position on the ground, and pushed Spike out of the way to fight Riley herself. She didn’t hold back, as she had always done previously and for a moment Riley was shocked at the force. But Dru’s spell made him as strong as his opponent and he fought back furiously.

Spike lay on the ground, barely able to move. He needed to help her. When he saw the flash of silver he shouted in terror as it raced towards the Slayer’s body.

*******************************

Faith stumbled down the conservatory steps and raced into the great hall to see Buffy battling with Riley. For a split-second Faith paused as she remembered her last encounter with him, and shuddered. Then she saw the knife, heard Spike’s cry. Using every ounce of her enhanced Slayer speed, she raced across the room in time to push Buffy out of the path of the knife.

Then she fell.

The room was silent as its four members took in what had happened. Riley ran.

Buffy moved quickly to Faith’s side, shifting the younger Slayer’s body into a more comfortable position. She glanced quickly at Spike who had managed to pull himself to his feet and spoke hurriedly, her voice shaking. “Call 911, she needs an ambulance!”

She looked down at Faith, whose face was still bruised from the damage Angelus had inflicted, and ran a comforting hand over her head. “You’re going to be ok, we’re gonna get you to the hospital and you’re gonna be fine.” Buffy said softly through her silent tears.

Faith stared up into Buffy’s eyes and then reached for her hand. She knew she wasn’t going to be fine. She knew she would die here. She wasn’t going to die without telling Buffy…

“Look B, you don’t have to kid me ok. We all die, Slayers younger than most, and if one us had to go, I’m glad it was me.”

Buffy began to cry in earnest. “Don’t talk like that,” she said through clenched teeth. “Don’t say those things. You are not going to die. I won’t let you.”

Faith smiled. “You can’t stop it. Sometime it’s just gotta beat you.”

Buffy shook her head. This couldn’t be happening.

“I’m glad I came here. I’m glad I met you.” Faith couldn’t feel her body, couldn’t see anything except Buffy’s eyes. She had to finish. “I’m sorry.” She whispered, and Buffy hugged her close. “I love you, please, you have to know that. You were like my sister. I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

“I love you too,” Buffy whispered close to Faith’s ear. “You don’t have to be sorry anymore. You’re my sister and I love you.”

Faith smiled up at Buffy. She finally felt free. The guilt and resentment she had felt for 19 years left her as her heroine forgave her. “Tell the other’s I’m sorry.” Faith began to convulse as violent coughs wracked her body. Buffy held her the whole time, trying to soothe and settle her. Faith felt at peace. “And tell Angel thank you, please.”

“I promise.” Buffy was praying for the ambulance. She knew there wasn’t much time left.

“Buffy…” Faith whispered, and Buffy slowly lowered her head and softly kissed the other Slayer’s lips as Faith breathed her last breath.

*****************************

Buffy knelt crying, as she had on this spot two and a half years ago; once again mourning the loss of someone she loved. She silently rocked Faith’s limp body back and forth as memories began to flood into her mind.

She felt the soft touch on her shoulder and leaned back against the solid body. Spike turned her gently in his arms and held her as the tears coursed from her body.

*****************************

Cordelia rubbed the antiseptic pad over one of the cuts Spike had inflicted on Angel’s handsome features. He winced and she smirked, her eyes twinkling. “Well it serves you right. I told you those two were going to cause nothing but trouble, but did you listen? And now I think I have the perfect right to say I told you so.”

Angel dropped his eyes to the floor. She was right. He should have dusted them both weeks ago. This was all his fault. He shouldn’t be so stupidly sentimental. “Thanks Cor.” Still she was supposed to be on his side.

“Your welcome,” she replied brightly, ignoring the sarcasm. “Is now a good time to discuss my raise?”

Angel met her eyes once more, a frown marring his forehead. “Cordelia…”

“’Cause I was thinking that it would be a good way to stop this happening, you know, like, every time you go all Grrr, you give Wes and me a raise. Well me, at least. That way you might think before you…”

“Brutally torture and murder one of your friends?” Xander was nowhere near calming down.

“Gee Xander, why don’t you try getting a life before you start passing judgement on other people’s?”

“Well Cor, at least I don’t have to resort to working for the undead just so I can continue to dress in trashy hooker wear.”

“You’re doing it again,” Anya interrupted.

“Doing what?” Xander turned, mystified, to his girlfriend.

“Behaving as though all demons are the same. Angel and Angelus are two completely different entities who share the same body. Why does no-one remember that?” Anya defended.

“Here, here,” Beth concurred as she and Wesley entered the Bronze.

“Why are you taking his side?” Xander still couldn’t believe Anya was doing this.

“Does it matter? I’m right. And even if Angelus did do some pretty horrendous things, he was an evil, soulless demon. What did you expect? Now, you seem to take Riley’s side more often than not, and he’s a good guy remember, with a fully functioning soul and conscience. So why is he going to betray Buffy and try to kill her?” Anya was 100% serious. She really didn’t like Xander when he got like this.

Xander was quiet. There was nothing to say. She was right. His 1120-year-old girlfriend had taken one minute to explain what Buffy and Willow had been trying to teach him for four and a half years. He didn’t like vampires. He didn’t think he ever would. Vampires had taken one of his best friends. Had taken Jesse without even a goodbye. But it was time to move on. He couldn’t keep punishing them for something he had never had any control over. Bad things happened. Evil did good; good did evil. Angel was not Angelus; Spike and Beth had proved themselves here tonight. They were not all the same. He pulled Anya into his arms and hugged her. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. Anya smiled.

******************************

Willow knelt on the stage next to the body of her former boyfriend praying. She was praying to the goddesses, who helped her in her spells; praying to the God she had believed in all her young life. Nothing seemed to be working, but she would not give up. Oz was breathing shallowly, but had had not regained full consciousness. She wished rather ironically that he was here for her to talk to about this. Oz was her rock, her centre. He calmed her. She loved him. She always would.

Tara watched Willow from her position in front of the stage. She felt removed from the activities of the Slayerettes and was once again worried by the arrival of Willow’s former love. Tara smiled sadly. Willow needed to be happy. If she wanted Oz, then Tara wouldn’t stand in her way.

As if reading her thoughts, Willow turned her head to look at her girlfriend. She smiled as Tara looked shyly back at her, and motioned for her to join her on the stage. Tara ran up and sat opposite Willow, and they joined hands over Oz’s body. Their whispered words of supplication to the goddesses were finally heard, and Oz awoke.

“Willow?” He looked at the beautiful girl before him, and wondered how he had ever been able to leave her.

“Oz. You’re ok?” Willow’s smile lit up the whole room.

“Well, I hurt. But yeah.” He pushed himself up into a sitting position and stared at Willow. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” She stared back, sharing a special moment that only two people who had once been so in love could share. They broke eye contact at the same time; each realising that things had changed between them. They would always love each other, but they could not be together, no longer needing each other in that way.

Oz turned to Tara. “Thank you.”

“Uh… No, uh, no problem,” she said shyly as Oz smiled at her.

Willow reached over and took Tara’s hand, once again reassuring her that she was the one Willow wanted to be with. The two witches helped the werewolf to his feet, and the three moved to join the rest of the group.

*************************

Beth’s mobile phone began to ring, startling the 11 people seated within Giles’ small living room. Drusilla was tied to a chair next to Giles’ desk, much the same as Spike had been a year ago; Oz was resting on the couch, Willow seated next to him, holding desperately onto his hand, while Tara crouched beside them on the floor. Xander sat in the armchair by the window, Anya perched happily on his knee, while Giles sat opposite in the hard wooden chair, pouring various cups of tea and coffee, combined with copious amounts of alcohol. Angel, Cordy, Wesley and Beth were sat next to the stairs, Cordelia complaining every now and then about uncomfortable furniture and the need for Watcher’s to have larger homes, just for occasions such as this.

Beth felt a huge weight lifted from her shoulders when she heard her brother’s voice.

“Spike where are you?”

The other 10 individuals stared at her, all desperate for news of Buffy.

“Where?! The hospital?” Beth shot a pained glance at Giles as he jumped from his chair and hurriedly put on his coat. Willow and Xander were already at the door when she spoke again.

“Yes… No, that’s ok, I’ll tell them… Home… No that’s fine my darling. See you later.” Beth put the phone away and turned to the others waiting by the door. “Buffy’s fine. Spike’s taking her home to rest. He said he didn’t think anyone should go see her ‘til tomorrow.”

As Willow and Xander opened their mouths to protest, Beth continued, her gaze moving to rest on Angel.

“The other Slayer… Riley killed her.”

The room was silent as the information that Faith was dead sunk in.

Xander was in shock. Faith. The first woman he had ever… Dead. Faith. Dead.

Willow began to cry, silent tears pouring down her cheeks. “No, no, no,” she repeated quietly over and over. Faith couldn’t be dead.

Giles pulled Willow gently into his arms to comfort her as she wept, the news hitting him like a blow to the head. “Oh, Faith. Rest peacefully,” he murmured.

Wesley couldn’t move. He couldn’t feel his limbs. His Slayer. The one who had tied him up and tortured him. She was dead, gone. He shook his head, refusing to believe that beautiful, vibrant Faith was no longer there.

Cordy stared at Beth. “Dead?” she asked harshly. “She can’t be dead. Not Faith. She’s a survivor, she can’t die, Wesley tell her. Angel…” Wesley hugged Cordelia to him, as she started to shake.

Angel stared blankly at the floor. Faith. His Faith. She was dead. Pain coursed through him. He had never felt this bad, not since he had left Buffy a year and a half ago. After all he’d done to her as Angelus, he’d never be able to apologize. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly. She’d said she loved him. He’d never be able to say it back.

****************************

Spike opened the door to the Summers’ house and guided Buffy softly through into the kitchen. She sat down at the counter blindly when he told her, her brain acting automatically, unable to take anything in. He moved through the kitchen cupboards with the familiarity of a man who’d spent three weeks watching the woman the he loved from a distance and exploring her house when she was unavailable to gaze upon.

He remembered the last time he had sat in this kitchen as a guest. Joyce had made him hot chocolate with little marshmallows. They were in this cupboard if he remembered rightly. Spike made the beverage in silence, glancing at Buffy in concern every couple of minutes. She hadn’t said a word since Faith had died.

He placed the steaming cup of chocolate down in front of her as he sat down next to her. He removed his coat and laid it carefully over the counter, then began to quietly drink from his own mug. He didn’t need to say anything; knew she wouldn’t thank him for meaningless platitudes. He was quite happy just to sit here next to her and wait. She needed looking after. He smiled down into his cup. He sounded old. ‘You are old, moron,’ his mind called and he started to chuckle.

Buffy looked up at Spike, startled that he was quietly laughing to himself. She couldn’t see that there was anything funny about this night’s events. “Happy are you? Another Slayer dead, so lets all have a party?” Buffy was angry. Not just with Spike, but also with herself, with Riley, with Drusilla. Faith was dead, and they had all contributed. She started to hit him, needing to lash out, knowing he wouldn’t back away.

Her small, strong fists, hit his shoulders and chest as he turned to face her. He took every one without comment, and rejoiced in each of them. Buffy was a fighter. She’d never let this beat her; never let anything beat her. When she seemed to tire, he pulled her to him again, cradling her as he’d longed to do for three months. ‘Years!’ his demon clarified. She sobbed into his chest, her tears soaking his black t-shirt and red silk shirt. He whispered inanities into her hair, trying to soothe her.

When she finally calmed she stayed within the confines of his arms, feeling safe and protected. She turned her head up slightly to look at him and he swore his heart started to pound. “I’m not happy love. Slayer or not, I’m sorry about your friend.” His voice sounded strange to his own ears and he wondered if she could tell what she was doing to him.

She smiled slightly in a silent thank you, and closed her eyes. As her breathing became steady, Spike lifted her gently in his arms and carried her upstairs to her bedroom. As he placed her tenderly on the bed he grinned as his mind went over all the possible ways he had considered being in this room with Buffy. Not one of them involved him pulling the cover over her fully clothed form, pulling the blinds so that she wouldn’t wake to find a pile of ash at the side of her bed, and sitting quietly beside her in the wicker chair watching her sleep.

*********************************

Faith couldn’t see anything. Then she could see light. White light all around her. She felt like she was floating. She turned around trying to find something to focus on, but she was alone. There was nothing. Then there was something. A person, a man walking slowly towards her.

“Faith,” he greeted as he drew near. “Welcome.”

“Welcome, where?” Faith questioned. “Is this heaven? Doesn’t look like hell.”

“You suffered enough for any wrongdoing you may have done in past,” the man told her. “But your destiny is not to end here. Your life is entwined with two others. There are things left for you to do.”

“So, what, I’m sent back to Earth to do three good deeds before they open the pearly gates for me?”

“Not quite. You are dead Faith. None of us can change that. But your destiny is not to die.”

“My destiny?” This conversation was becoming stranger by the minute. “My destiny was Vampire Slayer, pal. Destiny’s done.”

“That is not so Faith. Buffy Summers is the Vampire Slayer, neither you nor Kendra were meant to be called.”

“Hey, it wasn’t my fault B died, ok. You go talk to your people if that’s what’s rattlin’ your chains.”

“When Kendra died, we realised this was not her destiny. You have been chosen.”

“Again? Can I ask, when you’ve got the whole world to choose from, why do you keep coming back to me?”

“It’s your destiny.”

“Enough with the destiny crap ok. Just tell me what I’ve gotta do.”

“You are a Guardian, Faith. That is your true calling. No other Slayers will be called. You are Miss Summers’ Guardian. The search has ended.”

“Guardian?” Faith was reeling from the knowledge that she had never been meant to fight vampires, was called for a purpose other than that which had been her life.

“Each entity on Earth has a Guardian. They help to guide the being through life, helping, advising. Like Pinocchio had Jiminy Cricket.” The man smiled at Faith, glad he had conjured an image she could relate to.

“Like a conscience?”

“Not quite. Demons and vampires have Guardians too. They all have a place and purpose in the world.”

“So I’m B’s Guardian. Why me? Why hasn’t she had one for the past 19 plus years?”

“A major event must trigger the Guardian. We assumed that Kendra would be Buffy’s Guardian because of the events surrounding her death. Buffy’s relationship with the vampire, Angel. Sending him to hell was a defining point in her life. When Kendra was not activated as Guardian, another Slayer, you Faith, was sent to protect Miss Summers.”

Faith winced. “I didn’t do a very good job.”

“You did in the end Faith. Now you have been approved as Buffy’s Guardian you must go to her. She will need your help in the coming weeks, as she must face an event more life-changing than sending her lover to everlasting damnation.”

“Can she see me?”

“The Slayer and her friends will be able to see and hear you for the first few weeks only, the energy from the hellmouth will undoubtedly help. Once the event has passed, she will not be able to see you, you will be merely a presence in her mind.”

“You said my life was bound to two people.” Faith was struggling with all of this information.

“The vampire Angel, he holds your heart, does he not?”

Faith blushed.

“If Buffy sets you free, you will be bound to Angel for eternity.”

“As a Guardian?”

“As a ghost.”

***********************************

Xander and Willow approached Buffy’s house slowly. Dawn was just breaking and even though it was only a couple of hours since they had heard the news about Faith, the two friends had been unable to wait too long before going to see Buffy. They walked hand in hand up the porch steps, clinging to each other for comfort. Neither of them had been able to make any sort of peace with Faith, and they hoped Buffy had. They were worried about their friend. Buffy had had a weird and emotional couple of days, and she needed rest.

Willow knocked quietly, not wanting to disturb her best friend if she was asleep. Xander leant against the doorframe, his eyes closed, wishing he’d had one minute to tell Faith that he forgave her. A minute passed and the pair decided that Buffy must be in bed. As they started down the stairs again the door swung open. The two best friends looked at each other and then approached the house warily. No one stood in the doorway.

Willow was the first to realise that Spike must have stayed with Buffy. Her friend’s revelations about the blonde vampire’s feelings had not come as such a great surprise. In fact she had been more shocked that Buffy seemed to be in total ignorance of the fact that the undead Englishman was hopelessly in love with her.

She entered the house resolutely, Xander following nervously behind. She turned towards the living room and saw Spike diligently avoiding the sunlight beaming through the windows. She smiled, reassuring him that she was pleased he was there; glad he was helping her friend.

Xander had no idea about Spike’s feelings for Buffy or her growing feelings in return and was surprised that Spike had stayed to make sure that Buffy was ok. “What are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you have crawled back to your rock by now?”

“Xander!” Willow elbowed her friend in the side. Spike had tried to save Buffy, had saved her for all they knew, so she didn’t think that this was the best time for Xander to become protective and judgemental.

“You know Harris, we’re all having a really bad day, and if you say one more thing I don’t like, I’m going to tear your arms and legs off, pain or no pain.” Spike really wasn’t in the mood for the Whelp’s sarcastic statements. He wished he hadn’t bothered to let them in now. But Buffy would want to see them, and even though he selfishly wanted to keep her to himself, she needed Willow and Xander, and he was not going to get in the way.

“Spike, uh, how’s Buffy?” Willow asked quickly, desperate for them to get back to the reason they were all here. Spike smiled at Willow. He really did like the little Witch, not that he’d ever admit that. “She’s asleep. Exhausted poor thing.”

He didn’t notice how his voice softened when he spoke about Buffy, or how his eyes glazed when he thought of her. Willow was looking for it now, though, and she smiled. Xander wondered what had got into Spike. He wasn’t usually the type to sit with his mortal enemy after a night of combat and make sure that she was sleeping properly. In fact he was surprised that Spike had helped Buffy at all. Didn’t they hate each other? He opened his mouth to ask, but the look Willow shot him, silenced him immediately. Something strange was going on.

“Can we see her?” Willow asked.

“I think you should wait until she wakes up, unless you want to sit with her for a while,” then “one at a time,” he clarified, looking straight at Xander.

*****************************

Buffy woke as Spike rose to answer the door. She was a little surprised to find him still there, watching over her as she slept. She smiled softly as she watched him cross the room through half closed eyes. She was glad he had stayed.

The pleasant thoughts gave way to the horror of the night before as Buffy came fully awake. Faith was dead. Buffy felt a lump form in her throat. “Oh God,” she whispered into her pillow, and started to cry softly.

The flash of light, which filled the room, startled Buffy out of her foetal position on the bed. She looked around her, trying to make out any threat. She couldn’t see anything different.

Then she saw her. Faith; materialising in front of her as if by magic.

“Hey B,” Faith said nervously, as Buffy slid slowly to the floor in a dead faint.

******************************

Willow looked up at the sound of Buffy hitting the floor and then across at Spike, who was already half way up the stairs. Willow and Xander followed quickly, anxious for their friend.

Spike threw the door to Buffy’s bedroom open and saw her prone body lying next to her bed. In two steps he lifted her into his arms and sat down on the bed, placing her comfortably in his lap. He started to pat her cheek gently, trying to wake her. “Buffy?” he called softly, “Buffy, wake up love.”

Willow and Xander stopped in the doorway, taking in the image of vampire and Slayer. Willow smiled widely as she looked at them. Xander rolled his eyes and scanned the rest of the room. His jaw dropped and he froze as he saw Faith standing by Buffy’s mirror. Willow looked at him curiously and then across at where he was staring. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn’t.

Buffy blinked sleepily, looked up into the beautiful blue eyes of her mortal enemy, and smiled. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” he replied tenderly, smiling down at her. Why did she have to be so damn beautiful? “What happened pet?”

“I think I must have been dreaming. I thought I saw Faith.” Buffy’s eyes filled with tears, and Spike bent down and lovingly kissed her forehead. “Shh,” he soothed, “It’s alright.”

“Buffy?” Xander was the first to regain the use of his vocal chords and called to the Slayer, shocked, as he stared at the dead girl.

Spike took a deep, unnecessary breath and looked at the ceiling, irritated, before moving Buffy off his knees and onto the bed so she could talk to her friends. Buffy smiled slightly at the vampire’s actions and turned to Xander. He and Willow were staring across the room. She turned to follow their gaze and saw Faith.

“Uh, Spike?” she questioned the man sitting next to her. “Is Faith standing over by the mirror?”

Spike looked quickly at Buffy, the expression on his face clearly stating she’d lost her mind, and then over to the mirror in the corner of the room. When he saw the other Slayer he almost fell off the bed in shock.

“Thanks, it’s nice to know I’m not going crazy,” she told him, her eyes never moving from her friend. “Faith?”

“B. Look I’m sorry I gave you such a fright. They uh, they just sent me down here and I don’t really know what I’m supposed to be doing.” She twisted her pretty face in confusion and the discomfort of the situation. “Xander, Willow,” she had things to say before she started on her new ‘destined path’. Faith rolled her eyes at the thought. ‘Destined path. What’s that supposed to mean? Last one got me killed.’

“I’m sorry.”

Willow and Xander came out of their trance like state at her words and smiled. “That’s ok Faith.” Willow was glad she had another chance to talk to the second Slayer. Even if she didn’t understand it. “Yeah, I mean, we’re all friends here.” Xander accepted the situation totally. What else had he come to expect from this town?

**********************************

Drusilla was un-amused. She was chained in Giles’ small bathtub unable to move. She continued to struggle against the chains every once in a while, but her mind was most occupied with ways in which to save herself from the stake she knew Buffy would have waiting for her. Why had she ever thought Riley could help her? “Useless,” she muttered, “Bloody useless.”

Giles entered the bathroom cautiously. He knew that Drusilla had powers he could not control or disarm and he needed to be careful. He had considered letting Tara take the vampiress her ‘meal’, as Tara’s own magical powers would make her less susceptible. However Giles’ never felt comfortable putting the youngsters in danger, even though he knew at this point, they could take care of themselves. He approached the bathtub resolutely; arm outstretched holding the same ‘Kiss the Librarian’ mug they had forced Spike to drink from.

Drusilla wrinkled her nose at the mug, pursing her lips as she wondered what she could do to the Watcher to make him release her. She smiled cruelly as a thought came to her.

Giles saw the smile and closed his eyes. “It won’t work this time, Drusilla. I’m not in such a hopeless state that I’ll believe Jenny’s in front of me. Or anyone else for that matter.” He opened his eyes again and looked warily at her.

Dru stared at Giles, her eyes hypnotising him. “Shh. Mummy’s going to make everything better.”

****************************