A/N: Hello all. Just thought I'd tell you that I have a LiveJournal, it's very interesting...if you're me. I don't think this site let's you have links so just go to the live journal home page and then search jamesmfan as the username. Shameless Plug Over.

This chapter is mucho confusing. I wrote this fic just for me. So I get it. Chances are you will not. My mind is weird.

Rated "R".

Without further ado -

14

The doors crashed inwards, again, and flew off their hinges. Evil Angel and Evil Giles stood there looking suitably evil and threw two Molotov cocktails in Buffy and Angel's direction. Buffy shoved Angel out of the way and the bottles hit the wall setting the floor alight in a roar of fire. The whole living room was in flame now and Evil Angel and Evil Giles entered, coat's swishing.

Just like she had expected Evil Giles went for Angel and Evil Angel went for Buffy. She heard the back door crashing open and the footsteps of Willow and Giles as they rushed to help them.

"Hello, again" Evil Angel smiled.

"Hello," Buffy pulled her ax up "I'd like to say it's been a pleasure but..."

Evil Angel lashed out and though she blocked the attack he hit her again with an uppercut that made her bite her tongue. He walked up to her grabbed the handle of the ax and they both tugged on it. Buffy, out of habit, tried to kick him but her foot hit an invisible barrier.

"We both know pleasure would do me no good" Evil Angel smiled viciously "That didn't stop you though, did it?"

Buffy ignored him as he tried to get to her but she had to wonder how these demons seemed to know everything about them. Evil Angel used her tight grip on the ax handle to swing her around by it and throw her off so she hit the floor on her butt hard. Buffy flew into the living room and narrowly avoided the flames; the heat made her instantly sweat. She picked herself up and jumped headfirst through the fire, landing in a roll on the floor. Buffy landed at Evil Angel's feet. She looked up and he grinned before he kicked her in the face, splitting her lip and making her fall on her back to the floor.

Evil Angel laughed and stepped over her so that each foot was on a different side of her body. He leaned down and picked her up by her jacket, lifted her high from the floor and threw her again. Buffy's body careened into the stair railings splintering wood and possibly something in her back.

Buffy heard footsteps on the stairs and saw Giles and Willow rushing to help them, also she could hear fighting at the back door. Willow knelt beside her as Buffy watched in dazed admiration as Giles launched himself off the stairs onto Evil Giles' back, actually hurting him and giving Angel a much needed assist.

"Help Spike and Xander" Buffy rasped to Willow as she pulled herself up.

Willow nodded and ran down the stairs and through the room to the back entrance. Evil Angel approached, boots pounding on the floor as his face lit up with that smirk. Buffy's head was still swimming and her back felt like it was broken but she knew it wasn't.

"Well, well" Evil Angel arched an eyebrow "Looks like –"

Suddenly his head fell away from the rest of his body and with a thud landed on the floor, a second later the body wavered on it's feet and fell with a louder thud too. Buffy looked up in shock to see Angel with an annoyed look on his face.

"He didn't have the charisma, you know?" Angel sighed then he swung the ax down deep into the chest of the body that had once belonged to Evil Angel.

Buffy got onto her feet and though her back still hurt she grabbed up that ax and was about to run and help Spike, Willow and Xander when Xander came flying into the foyer and skidded along on his back until he reached her.

"Hey, Buff" He smiled, wincing up at her.

A moment later Evil Willow sauntered in and looked at Buffy "Well, nice to finally meet you"

"Wish I could return that" Buffy twirled the ax around, which got a laugh from Evil Willow.

Evil Willow picked Xander up and threw him back the way he had come then approached Buffy.

"Willow!" Buffy yelled.

"Oh, bloody hell!" Spike fell into the room then got up straight away and tried charging at Evil Xander but fell back from the force field.

Evil Willow smiled "Wanna do this?"

"Sure you don't want to make sure your boyfriend is okay?" Buffy stepped out of the way revealing the decapitated Evil Angel.

Evil Willow's eyes bugged out and she looked like she was about to cry "No! How? You bitch! Now you die!" She started to charge her but stopped in shock as she looked down at her chest to see the pointy end of a sword sticking right through where her heart would be.

The sword was pulled out and Evil Willow fell to the floor dead beside her evil boyfriend. Willow stood there panting, blood sprayed all over her and looked at Buffy slightly disturbed.

"You called?" The witch managed before she looked down at the body "I killed myself!"

Suddenly another Molotov cocktail flew in from the direction where Spike and Xander were still fighting and Angel, Buffy and Willow jumped out of the way as it started the stairs burning.

"Will, can you do something about the fires?" Buffy asked.

"I'll try" Willow approached the stairs.

Evil Giles and Giles were still grappling on the floor when Giles got backhanded and then a kick sent him into the nearest wall where he hit his head and fell unconscious.

"Buffy, watch it!" Came Spike's voice.

She jumped out of the way as a crossbow bolt flew past her cheek and embedded into the wall. Buffy ran to where she heard the fight still raging and saw Evil Xander drop a crossbow and punch Spike viciously around the face. Xander was picking himself up and ran, slamming into the side of his evil counterpart. Xander had lost his weapon a long time ago, Spike picked up the shotgun and handed it to him. Xander pistol-whipped the demon with it.

"That's not how it's meant to be used" Spike groaned.

Buffy started to say something when someone grabbed her from behind and threw her back to the foyer where she landed next to Evil Angel's decapitated head. It was all very disturbing. His glassy eyes stared at her, his mouth open as if he were trying to say something to her. Evil Giles walked up to her and grabbed her by the hair pulling her along so painfully she wanted to cry out. Angel tried to help her but got a vicious punch in the face and stomach for his troubles.

"Come now, Buffy. Have I not trained you better then this?" Evil Giles asked as he pulled her up by her hair and slammed her into a wall, wrapping his hand around her neck he began to throttle her.

Buffy didn't want to die having to look into the eyes of a man she respected so much and who was like a father to her.

"You didn't train me at all" She gurgled.

Buffy glanced out of the corner of her eyes Evil Xander fighting with Angel and Buffy feared that Xander might be seriously hurt. Buffy saw purple dots and she struggled but to no avail.

"I'd let her go if I was you, mate" Spike said suddenly standing to the side of them, shotgun rested against his shoulder.

Evil Giles laughed "Or you'll do what?"

"Oh, not me. Rupert" Spike pointed to somewhere behind them.

Evil Giles dropped Buffy and spun readying himself for an attack when he noticed Giles was still out cold. He turned back to Spike and got a shotgun blast in his face. Though the bullet shattered against the force field Evil Giles was so shocked he bolted out of the front door.

"Coward!" Spike yelled after him then turned to Buffy who was rubbing her neck "You all right, luv?"

"I think she's grand, don't you?" Evil Spike strolled arrogantly through the doorway, taking a deep puff of a cigarette as he looked around "Place is looking a little worse for wear, though"

Spike aimed the shotgun "You're just a rip off. I'm the real thing"

"Really? I like to think of myself as the new improved model" Evil Spike smiled dropping the cigarette on the floor and he pulled out a Molotov cocktail "Drink?"

Spike pulled the trigger but Evil Spike jumped out of the way simultaneously throwing the bottle at Spike and it hit his leg setting the vampire on fire in a whoosh of flames. Spike screamed as the flames soon covered most of his body. Buffy ran to help him as did Willow when Evil Spike charged him into the living room, which was still on fire.

Buffy could only watch as the two Spikes, both aflame but Evil Spike not seemingly bothered punched Spike in the face. The vampire was like a human torch now as he stumbled out of the living room on to the floor where he dropped and rolled trying to put out the flames all the while screaming in agony.

"Willow! Buffy yelled.

The witch began to hastily say a spell as the smell of burning flesh rose in the air and all Buffy could see was a gruesome, charred outline of Spike. Finally the flames disappeared and Buffy covered her mouth in shock at what lay beneath. His clothes had melted into his body and whole pieces of flesh were missing not to mention his hair was completely gone and one ear was burned so bad it looked like it was hanging off. Spike wheezed and it sounded awful when his chest rose bits of skin flaked off and he seemed unable to move. His lips were completely burnt away and Buffy could see parts of his cheekbones in his face were exposed so she could see the actual bone. His skin was completely red and charred black in some places so that the thing in front of them looked nothing like the Spike she knew. For Buffy the only tiny conciliation was that she knew he would heal fully and that he was unconscious.

The Evil Spike emerged from the flames, no longer on fire and with barely any damage, he grabbed the shotgun from the floor and the fire behind him made him look like the devil himself.

"Who'd you fancy more now, eh?" Evil Spike grinned looking at Buffy as the real Spike smoldered on the floor "I mean, I'm hot but that is just daft" The demon threw his head back and laughed Spike's laugh.

Buffy gripped her ax handle so hard that the steel bent and snapped making the demon stop laughing as he regarded her. The he shot at her. She was gone before the bullet left the gun. He turned to her ready to shoot again when he grinned and changed his mind aiming the gun at Spike.

"No!" Buffy leapt at him, she hit the force field and he pulled the trigger.

Buffy fell to the floor and watched in what seemed like slow motion as Spike's left arm was ripped away from his body, from the bottom of his shoulder. That would not heal. Spike's eyes burst open and he opened his mouth in a silent scream, as his voice box didn't seem to work. She watched in morbid shock and fascination as his arm slid along the floor splurging blood at everything with his hand still twitching.

Buffy heard Willow scream but could utter no sound herself, she just lay there on her front as Spike's blood gushed everywhere. She even heard the sound of the gun's hammer being pulled back but could not turn to stop it coming she couldn't move.

Angel appeared suddenly and careened into Evil Spike's force field sending the shot off guard and it hit the ceiling instead with it's deafening sound. Plaster rained down on everything and Evil Spike shot again, a part of the ceiling shook and the whole thing was about to fall down.

Evil Spike punched Angel out of the way and not wanting to get crushed by falling ceiling he ran out of the door whistling a jaunty tune. The ceiling fell and Angel was there scooping her up and throwing her and himself to safety. She landed next to Xander on the floor, who seemed to be bleeding from a cut on his head.

Buffy snapped out of it then jumping to her feet she yelled "Giles! Willow!"

"Buffy!" She heard from where the ceiling had crashed as the dust began to settle.

The Slayer ran into the room to see an entire portion of the ceiling had fallen and Willow lay clutching her leg as a heavy piece of plaster had fallen on it. Buffy ran to her, jumping over wood and other materials she lifted the plaster easily and Willow cried out.

Kennedy came running down the stairs "Willow!"

Other girls followed and the all made sounds of shock as Buffy ran to find Giles safe in the knowledge that Kennedy would tend to Willow. Angel entered and he started lifting bricks to help her find him. Eventually they heard his cries and found him bruised and bloodied under bricks and wood, blood was streaming from his stomach.

"Angel, get...get...Giles, Willow and Xander to hospital now," Buffy looked at him "Take my car"

Faith came down the stairs; she had been taking care of the girls with Robin who also appeared "Woah, B..."

"Faith, Robin help Angel get Xander, Willow and Giles to my car. Now!" Buffy called then ran to the middle of the floor frantically throwing bricks off.

She pulled away, bloodying her hands but she didn't care. Bricks, stones, lumps of plaster, pipes and then she found it – the arm. She found Spike's arm before she found him. It was severed jaggedly and still bleeding the hand open, reaching. Buffy retched again and again then she pulled herself together, she had to help Spike. She kept digging for him and found his charred body finally, she cleared the bricks away throwing them as far as possible. The girls started to get hysterical when they saw him and the arm.

Faith, Robin and Angel returned to get Xander and when they saw Spike they all stopped and stared, even Angel looked destroyed. Robin, who had learned Spike had killed his mother looked somber, not happy.

"Get Xander to the hospital, now!" Buffy screamed and they jolted back grabbing her friend and carrying her out then Buffy turned to the girls on the stairs "Wesley!" She yelled.

He came down the stairs and stopped, face a picture of shock "Oh my god...Buffy, I've been trying to k...keep the rest of the girls calm but..."

"Take them upstairs now" Buffy motioned to the other girls on the stairs.

Wesley nodded dumbly for a moment then snapped into action ushering the hysterical girls upstairs and finally Buffy was alone with him. Spike was unconscious. She found it hard to even think of him as Spike. She ripped the bottom of her shirt off, going into Slayer mode and forgetting that this was actually someone she cared about.

She wrapped the shirt tightly around the gaping wound that had once been his arm to cut off the blood pouring because although Spike had no circulation the cold, dead, blood would gush from him anyway. Buffy knew she had to move him but he seemed to be in such pain and the living room was still dangerous.

"Wesley! Fred!" She called up to them frantically.

The pair came running down the stairs and Fred covered her mouth at the sight that lay before her.

Buffy had to act quickly "Wesley can you do a spell or something to put the fire out?"

He nodded and ran upstairs swiftly to get a book and some materials.

"Buffy..." Fred whispered.

"I'm taking him to the dining room, I'm gonna need your help to cut his clothes off of him" Buffy said as she scooped Spike up under his shoulder, much to his dazed protestations and threw him over her shoulder like a fireman. He was warm to touch, as a vampire he was never warm.

Fred just stood there "I..."

"Fred, I need you" Buffy looked at her and the woman nodded, composed as Buffy turned on her heel and carried Spike down the hall to the dining room.

She kicked the door open and carried him through walking to the largest table she laid the burnt vampire down on it and saw he had fallen unconscious again. Fred followed her through and before she closed the doors Buffy heard Wesley chanting a spell to douse the fires.

The Slayer walked to the cutlery draws and pulled out some sharp looking pairs of scissors. She walked over and handed the brunette one pair of scissors; Fred pushed her glasses further up her nose and took a deep breath.

"Any idea how to do this as painlessly as possible?" Buffy asked.

"We should give him something, an anesthetic" Fred concurred.

"Don't have any lying around"

Fred took a moment "Brandy, whiskey or whatever will do"

Buffy ran back over to the kitchen area and peered over the counter finding Giles' bottle of malt whiskey she ran back and handed it to Fred. She placed the bottle to Spike's mouth, his lips gone, and poured it down his throat because there was no danger of drowning him as Spike didn't have to breathe. The whole bottle was downed so there was no margin for error.

"Buffy, his arm" Fred said cautiously "That...that won't heal, right?"

Buffy looked down "Let's just concentrate on the burns"

"Right"

Then a few minutes later to let the whiskey start its work the two women set about the gruesome job of cutting Spike's clothes off. They had been burned and melded into his skin and when they managed to remove sections pieces of gooey skin came with them. Spike was wearing denim jeans which was as bad as it got and Buffy pulled his half burnt off shoes off taking a lot of flesh with them. Luckily his T-shirt peeled off a little easier and after hours of work Spike lay naked and bloody in front of them. There was nothing sexual about his nudity; this was too painful so that Buffy didn't even want to watch. He was blistered and ragged even worse where his clothes had been ripped from his flesh and with a peeling head and no lips Buffy began to think he looked like a crash test dummy, a morbid, scary one.

"Have we got enough bandages?" Buffy said suddenly after their moment of silence "You're not suppose to let air get to burns right?"

"Right. We should get as many bandages as we have and some cellophane" Fred said.

Buffy nodded "I'll go to all the bathrooms and get the bandages you stay here, get the cellophane and start dressing the worst looking ones"

Buffy ran using all her Slayer speed to the bathroom upstairs ignoring the sounds of the girls talking she opened the cabinet and threw everything out pulling all the bandages that she could find and being that they had a lot of Slayer they had quite a few bandages.

"Buffy?" It was Dawn.

She stopped and turned to her, aware her hands and clothes were covered in Spike's blood "Dawn go back to your room"

"Let me help. It's Spike...right?" She bit her lip; worried "Is it true? About his arm..."

"I have to go. Stay here" Buffy turned and ran down the stairs then visited the other two bathrooms and pulled all the bandages from here and a few dressings for the minor wounds then she sprinted back to the dining room.

Fred had already started wrapping Spike's calf in cellophane and Buffy dumped the stuff on the table as she started to dress the more minor wounds on him, his other ear, a few of the marks on his chest and the one side of his torso weren't too bad. Then she picked up the bandages and wrapped his arm up in that too. Then she wrapped the bandages in a long winding wrap around his ribs as Fred had done his other leg and his feet.

"What about his head? And his lips?" Buffy asked.

"Can't do anything about the lips, we could wrap bandages around his head. As a vampire he won't need to be bandaged up for more then a day. He'll still hurt and won't be able to move too well but he'll be okay" Fred tried to sound positive "Shall we get him to a bed?"

Buffy nodded "My room. We'll shut the blinds, keep it dark and...okay, let's do it"

Buffy carefully as she possibly could lifted Spike again and he grunted then said nothing again, drifting in and out of consciousness. She lead them up the stairs and to her room thankful that none of the girls came out, including Dawn and she lay him down on her bed, this shell of the man she had known. Buffy walked around to the window and closed the blinds even though it was night she did not want Spike to get badly burned the next morning. She then closed the curtains for extra protection leaving the room so dark she could barely see.

Buffy left the room unable to look at him any longer and she shut the door sitting down outside Dawn did reappear then and she sat next to the weary Slayer on the floor.

"He came back just...just for this to happen" Buffy's voice was raspy.

"Buffy," Dawn said quietly "Spike will heal the burns, tomorrow he'll already feel better"

"What about his arm?"

Dawn was silent.

Buffy put her head in her hands then she ticked her eyes up, angry, cold "Those psycho face swapping demons are gonna pay so bad..."

A/N: Man, I. AM. EVIL. Ask me how!

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I am a cruel tyrant to Spike, I admit it. Strangely, I wrote this fic before “Damage” where Spike got his arms cut off. Which is kind of freaky.

15

Punch. Kick. Punch. Kick. Punch. Punch. Kick. Punch. That was all that ran through Buffy’s mind that morning as she stood poised in front of the punch bag down in the basement. She kicked she punched she sweated and she felt a little better. Then the Slayer made her way over to the treadmills and began at a brisk pace.

Angel had returned home before morning to tell them that Willow had a broken leg, Giles minor injuries and Xander had a mild concussion and a few cuts and bruises. She was relieved that on the whole they were okay and that she wouldn’t have to worry about them too.

Robin and Faith had stayed at the hospital with them and Kennedy had joined them earlier. Buffy was planning to visit but not just yet, she phoned to make sure they were really all right, just to hear Giles’ voice.

Fred was upstairs tending to Spike and the vampire had already healed partially, enough so that his lips were back, ragged but back and his burns had gone from third degree burns to second degree over the course of one night and a little of the morning. Spike was still unconscious and she was glad because she did not want him to wake up and see that his arm was...gone. Buffy knew it had to happen eventually but not yet, god, not yet.

The living room was a blackened mess; the stairs broken and burnt a little and the girls had mostly cleared the ceiling parts that had fallen down away. Buffy didn’t know what Angel had done with Spike’s arm she only knew that he had disposed of it. She tried not to think about that at all. She had not slept an hour of sleep and she didn’t care.

The doors were being repaired as best they could without Xander but the building damage Buffy cared little about.

She jumped off the treadmill and started shadow fighting with the aid of the staff’s she had fought Angel with all those nights ago. She twirled and spun all in her own dance of pain, the pain she was promising the demons that had come into her town and messed her life up.

Buffy knew it had to be soon, it had to be soon and it had to be hard and fast. She needed to take the demons by surprise and she needed to kill the remaining ones. They had thinned the herd last night but not enough. There was only the demon Giles, Xander, Spike and Buffy herself but she had never met the demon bitch that had stolen her face. She would do more then meet her soon, she would kill her and then she hoped she might feel better. Somehow, Buffy doubted she would.

Sighing she replaced the weapons and walked up the stairs of the basement to the ground floor. She heard talking, whispering in the dining room and ignored it, she walked over the small remaining bits of dust, plaster and dirt and then turned and strolled up the stairs with the broken railings right to the top. Turning she made her way to her room and stopped outside of the door hearing Fred talking to Spike but she did not know if the vampire was actually conscious or if Fred was just speaking to make herself feel better.

Buffy placed her palm against the door and didn’t want to go in.

Unfortunately Fred made the decision for her by yanking the door open at that exact moment and causing Buffy to nearly fall into her. The Texan girl let out a sound of surprise then regained her composure, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

“Buffy, sorry I didn’t know you were there” She said apologetically then lowered her voice “He’s been asking for you. Well, really he’s out of it most of the time but he keeps saying your name. I think it would do Spike good to have you there. I sent Wesley to buy some blood from the butchers, incase he gets hungry again”

Fred gave her a courteous nod and moved passed the Slayer walking down the hall and then descending the stairs and Buffy watched until she disappeared out of view. Buffy took a deep breath and stepped into her room, which was now dark and dank, closing the door behind her.

She walked over and sat in the chair by the bed and looked at Spike for the first time since last night. The bandages and cellophane would have looked comical if it didn’t look like such agony. Fred had thrown a blanket over the bottom half of him, to protect his modesty. His head was now in bandages but his face looked much better, she couldn’t see the bones in his face anymore and the skin was mostly just a red/pink colour with a few patches that were slightly worse. The ear that had looked torn and ready to fall of was still partially ripped but not so badly, just a tiny tear and some peeling skin. His lips were bruised and tender, a little peeled but at least they were lips. Buffy noticed a few strands of dark blond/light brown hair sticking out from the bandages on his head and realized it was his natural hair color, his hair was growing back over his pink, scarred head. Spike’s chest still looked bad in places but in others he was completely healed and a few patches were pink and looked sore. His remaining arm, from what she could see of it that the bandages didn’t cover seemed to be healing well. All this stopped Buffy from looking at his other arm...or lack of one. She braced herself and looked. There was nothing there, just the bed, his arm had been completely severed from the shoulder down. Whereas yesterday the wound had been ragged and bleeding it had now mostly healed up and had started to get a smoother roundness to it as his body adapted. It made her want to cry, knowing the reaction Spike would have.

“Buff...” The voice croaked and wheezed as Spike’s chest shuddered, skin flaking.

Buffy reached out to take his hand when she realized it wasn’t there so instead she just spoke “I’m here”

His eyelids fluttered as he tried to open his eyes “Buff...”

“Don’t wake up. Go back to sleep, you need to rest” She said soothingly.

“Buffy...I...” He groaned “I feel...like...shit”

The Slayer smiled “Really? You look good”

He laughed and it wracked up a terrible cough, more skin falling off in flakes and he wheezed moaning in so much pain “Don’t do...that”

“Sorry” She whispered “Get rested”

“I need...bl...bl...”

Buffy picked up one of the packets of blood Wesley had fetched and opened it pouring it into a mug she bought it to the deteriorating vampire’s mouth. He took a few deep gulps and rasped harshly then took another before he sighed and passed out. Buffy placed the mug back on the nightstand and stood walking around the room she crossed her arms over her chest to make herself feel better then she let out a little sob and bit her lip to stop herself. She didn’t want Spike to wake hearing her cry. The Slayer stepped out of the room and walked to the banister leaning on it and taking a few deep breaths to regain composure.

Then she heard Willow downstairs and turned running down the stairs and saw the redhead hopping through the front doorway with Kennedy following close behind. The witch stopped and gave her a little wave still finding it obviously difficult to maneuver on the crutches.

Buffy jumped the last step and hugged her friend nearly knocking her over “Willow! They let you go?”

“No they kept me prisoner but with the help of my Slayer girlfriend I escaped” Willow grinned sardonically “So, big mess yesterday. Looks clean”

Buffy nodded “What about Xander and Giles?”

“They’re saying Giles might be able to come out later today but Xander has to stay in for another night just to be safe”

The Slayer nodded again and Willow nodded the two old friends looked at each other neither one of them wanting to start the conversation. Willow had seen Spike burn and get shot and Buffy didn’t know how to talk about it. Kennedy, sensing the tension, quickly excused herself and left.

“How is he?” Willow asked quietly.

“Second degree burns now. Gotta respect the vampire healing system” Buffy cleared her throat.

The witch looked solemn “Can’t fix severed limbs though”

“Yeah, that would be the flaw” Buffy sighed “I just...I feel like I don’t want him to regain consciousness properly because this will kill him, Willow. Again”

Willow patted her shoulder “Spike’s been through a lot in his undead life. I think he might be able to...no, there is no coping here. He’s lost an arm”

Buffy ran a hand over her hair “I can’t believe I just let it happen. I could have helped him more –”

“Buffy no!” Willow shook her head vigorously “That Spike demon...you couldn’t have hurt him”

“I could’ve made him come after me, distracted him, pushed Spike out of the way of that bottle...then maybe he would have been strong enough to...”

Willow slapped her and Buffy was more shocked then actually hurt by it, Willow gave an apologetic face and looked nervous “Sorry, Buffy, but you were getting kind of hysterically depressed”

“It’s a thing I do” The Slayer replied.

“So, is he awake now?”

“Was a couple of minutes ago but I think he needs to rest more” Buffy said, “We on the other hand need to come up with a plan to kill these demons till they are dead”

Willow nodded then stopped “What did you do with the bodies? You know, of Angel and me...I mean the evil us”

“Angel got rid of them, I don’t want to know how”

“Oh” Willow seemed a little sad “Maybe we should have buried them”

Buffy looked at her “They were demons, Willow. Not human”

“Yeah but...one of them looked like me”

“Looked like but wasn’t”

The witch nodded and the two of them walked slowly, or in Willow’s case hobbled, to the dining room where everyone seemed to go a lot quieter when she entered. Dawn waved them over to where she and Andrew were sitting and Buffy wondered if her sister was purposefully spending more time with him.

They made their way over and Andrew shifted uncomfortably.

“Willow, does the leg hurt a lot?” Dawn asked sympathetically.

“Only when I move...or stay still” Willow smiled thinly.

Andrew shifted again “I had a cousin once that had a broken arm, which is almost like a broken leg. Not that I meant to talk about arms. Who needs ’em?”

Dawn elbowed him sharply “Sorry, Andrew tends to forget that speaking with your mouth full is bad”

“My mouth’s not full” Andrew frowned.

“It is, your foot is still in there” She rolled her eyes.

Buffy smiled a little “Well, let’s get her sat down before she breaks the other leg”

Willow and Buffy sat down on the spare seats and Buffy glared at the other girls who stared at them, gradually they turned back and carried on with their conversations. Dawn, who sat opposite her, looked Buffy in the eyes and nodded her head at her. Buffy nodded back and looked up as Wesley placed a tray of breakfast in front of her, she shook her head but he gave an insistent look.

“Have you found anything yet? On how to kill these demons, remove the spell they’re using?” Buffy asked as she half-heartedly sipped the glass of apple juice.

Wesley sighed, looked ashamed “I’m afraid not. These are little know rituals they are using, possibly ancient. As far as I know a situation like this has not arisen for many years although I’m sure there must be better documentation of it somewhere”

“I could help. Reading won’t hurt the leg” Willow suggested.

Wesley smiled thinly “Thankyou that would be a lot of help”

Willow struggled up and Wesley took her elbow to help her as he walked with her slowly out of the dining room. Buffy finished her apple juice but pushed the tray of breakfast toward Andrew who smiled and started munching heartily.

Dawn gave her a disapproving look “You should eat something”

“Last thing on my mind” Buffy replied.

“Unfortunately,” Fred was suddenly there and she leaned down to talk quietly with the Slayer “It’s not the last thing on Spike’s mind. I think we’re soon gonna need more blood, the more he has the better and quicker he will heal. The less pain he will be in, Buffy”

Buffy stood, businesslike “Okay, I’ll go to the butcher’s and get some more”

Fred nodded slowly “Not sure cold pig’s blood’s the best thing. Well, I guess it’s all we can offer him since there aren’t exactly people lining up to get bitten”

The Slayer looked at the girl “Are you saying with human blood he’d heal faster?”

“Yes, he would” Angel stood in the doorway, barefoot.

Buffy and Fred walked over to him and the three of them convened at the foot of the stairs in a small group.

“What are you saying?” Buffy asked.

“Just that those demons won’t wait long before they attack again, Buffy. They’ll hit us when we’re still weak. We need Spike back in the game as soon as possible” Angel looked at her for a long while.

The Slayer glared at him “You think he’ll just be able to pick himself up and carry on anyway? You don’t know him very well, Angel. Spike won’t just get over this, hell, no one would”

“You’re right” The vampire shrugged “But so am I. They will attack and if Spike is at least capable of defending himself then we have a better chance, he has a better chance”

“So what am I supposed to do, huh? Just go out and drag some helpless person off the street so Spike can have a snack?” Buffy clenched her fists.

“No, of course not but there are certain dealers of human blood and –”

“No way, Angel, no way” She shook her head “I am not gonna buy from creeps like that”

Angel nodded “I respect your decision. I’ll buy from them”

Buffy couldn’t believe him “Have you gone completely wacko? You will not pay guys who kill humans to supply blood to vamps, I won’t let you”

“Fine, then what do you suggest we do then?” He looked at her.

“I’m going to the butchers”

She turned on her heel and grabbed her jacket as she walked out of the doorway, which hadn’t yet been repaired. Buffy realized she would have to go back and get someone to open the gates then changed her mind and instead just scaled the wall easily and jumped off landing on the other side effortlessly.

Halfway through the journey to the butcher’s Buffy suddenly changed her mind again and veered off in the other direction. She was already at the end of the street before she realized she was heading to the demon’s lair. As she came closer she crouched down and checking it was secure she ran to the back gate and jumped over then climbed the ladder to the roof again. She walked to the skylight but there were no demons to be seen in the house. Buffy cautiously lifted the catch from the skylight and opened it. She listened for any sound of movement and, hearing none, lowered herself through the skylight and down silently to the dining room table. The Slayer climbed down and looked around at the moderately furnished and decorated house, it looked like any normal family home. Except it housed body-snatching demons.

Stealthily she moved into the kitchen but there was nothing of interest so she made her way back through the dining room and into the hall, she had to choices – the basement or the living room. Knowing demons and their twisted minds Buffy chose the basement door. As quietly as possible she turned the doorknob and opened the door. She descended the creaking stairs and prayed she would not be heard.

Wishing she had brought a flashlight Buffy made it to the bottom and had to wait for her eyesight to adjust. The basement was filled with junk, like mostly everyone’s in America. Old paint cans, rags, newspapers. She was about to leave when a tiny sound vibrated through the room. It could have been a mouse but still Buffy had to check it out. Turning and walking deeper into the darkness another sound came and she turned the corner to look under the alcove beneath the stairs.

There sat a young girl, early twenties with long brown hair, blue eyes that glistened with tears and her hands and legs were bound with rope, a gag tied around her mouth. Seeing Buffy the girl began to weep and tried to shift away. For a moment Buffy wondered why she was so freaked out and then she remembered that one of the demons had her face.

Buffy put out her hands in a defenseless gesture “Hey, girl I know who you think I am but I’m not one of those guys”

The girl shook her head vigorously and squeezed her eyes shut.

“I’m human. Well, actually a Slayer but I am not a demon”

“We won’t fall for that one” Came an older, wearier voice.

Buffy a little startled looked deeper into the shadows and saw a woman, earlier forties with kind, sad eyes who reminded her a little of her mother. That was when Buffy realized the girl looked like Dawn a little and that these two were about to be the newest recruits of the demons.

“Listen, I’m for real” Buffy noticed the older woman had managed to work her gag off so it hung around her neck “We don’t have much time to get out but we have to be really quiet. Please, trust me”

Buffy leaned down toward the girl who tried to push backward; she grabbed the bindings around her wrist and snapped them easily then did the same with the bindings around her feet. The girl looked shocked and as Buffy was freeing the other woman she undid her gag and spoke.

“You’re really not her?” The young girl asked.

Buffy shook her head “No, I’m the one she’s impersonating”

“How do we know you’re not lying?” The other woman asked as she was freed.

“You don’t but if you want to get out of here, come with me”

The Slayer stood and motioned them to follow, the women stood and stretched their legs then followed practically on tiptoes after Buffy. They moved slowly and quietly up the stairs and when they reached the top Buffy shut the basement door silently. She used hand motions to show them the way. They got to the dining table and Buffy pointed to the skylight. The younger girl climbed up onto the table followed by a boost onto the roof aided by the Slayer. The older woman looked more worried but Buffy took her hand and helped her up then boosted her through the skylight too.

Then, with her enhanced Slayer hearing she heard the sound of footsteps from upstairs. Buffy whispered up to them to take the ladder down to the ground and stay low. She jumped up and caught the edges of the hole in the ceiling. The sound of a door opening upstairs and then more footsteps, closer. She used her strength to swing in a momentum and pull herself part way through. Footsteps coming down the stairs. She pulled herself up onto the roof and grabbed the lid of the skylight quickly lowering it and placing it silently back. Just then Evil Giles entered the dining room and Buffy rolled out of the view.

The Slayer moved quickly to the ladder and found the two women waiting for her in the backyard. She motioned for them to stay low as she reached the ground and they both crouched. Buffy unlatched the gate and cursed as it squeaked. She went through first and then closed the gate behind them. The three women heard the backdoor of the house opening from the backyard in which they had just been moments before and Buffy ran low and fast, jumped over a clump of bushes and could hear the two women close behind.

They made it to the end of the road and turned the corner before Buffy turned back to them “Do you both have homes?”

“She’s my daughter,” The older woman said putting her arm around the girl.

“Just incase do you have anywhere else you can stay?”

“My sister’s place?”

“Good, go there now”

The two women nodded and thanked her then they ran and Buffy didn’t blame them. All these innocent people involved in this because they bared a slight resemblance to her friends and family. It just wasn’t right. Soon the demons would find their prisoners gone and they would attack, Buffy needed to warn the other and realized Angel’s statements about needing Spike were more evident now then ever before. She ran home all the way asking herself silently What am I gonna do now?

A/N: What will Buffy do? Ooh, ahh!

A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews both for Rekindling...and Home Truths. And, yeah even I sometimes get that problem where it says “chapter does not exist” but it does come on eventually. Patience is a virtue....or so I’ve heard.

Rated R for some strong language.

16

Buffy ran into the hallway of the Slayer’s Sanctuary and looked around for anyone to tell, she made her way to the dining room but no one was there. She turned and sprinted down the basement to see if they were training but it was empty too.

She came back up and called out random names “Wesley? Angel? Willow? Dawn!”

“Buffy? We’re up here!” Wesley’s voice came down.

She turned and ran up the stairs, went through the winding hallway and eventually found them all in Dawn’s room, cramped packed to the brim with girls. Wesley had a book in his hands and was apparently telling them some kind of story that they all seemed engrossed in including Andrew. Even Angel stood in a shady corner looking mildly interested.

Buffy burst into the room panting and they all looked at her shocked “Uh, we may have a problem”

She told them the story of going to the demon’s house and Angel argued with her about how stupid she’d been and she argued back until Wesley separated them and suggested they get ready for battle.

“But Giles and Xander are still in hospital and Spike is out...” Dawn looked around worried.

“Maybe not” Angel looked at Buffy “He could be up and about in a few hours if he gets a regular fix of human blood”

Buffy sighed “Fine, I’ll do it”

“That’s probably not a good idea, Buffy” Wesley said, “If you’re too weak to fight as well, we’re....”

“Screwed?” Rona offered.

“Yes” He nodded.

“I’m a Slayer, I can take blood loss and the blood will be even better then human blood for Spike, right Angel?” She looked at him pointedly.

He hung his head “Right”

“You’re not the only Slayer” Dawn pointed out looking around at the girls.

Buffy nodded, looking grim “Anyone gonna offer themselves as a meal?”

No one spoke.

“Didn’t think so” The Slayer sighed, she peeled off her jacket on her way out of the door.

She was almost to her room where Spike lay when Angel came out and she turned to him, expectant. He gave a ‘be careful’ look and she nodded then entered the room and closed the door behind herself. The room was dark and gloomy but Buffy strode over to the bed anyway where Spike slept. She didn’t think Spike was strong enough to morph face so she grabbed up a knife of hers and slit her arm.

Buffy sat on the bed and carefully cradled Spike’s head in the bed of her other arm, his eyelids blinked up at her as he stirred a little. Without a word she pressed the bloodied cut to his mouth instantly Spike’s injured lips latched on to her and a creepy analogy of a baby suckling at it’s mother came into Buffy’s mind. She shook the thought away and closed her eyes.

When the time came for Spike to stop he didn’t and Buffy had to wrench him off of her as carefully as she could. She opened her eyes and the room swum for a minute before going back to normal, she noticed a trickle of her blood coming from the corner of his mouth.

Buffy grimaced and stood slowly making her way to the door.

“Bu...Buffy?” He rasped.

“Rest ” The Slayer whispered and slipped out of the room quietly.

She made her way downstairs after going to the bathroom and bandaging her cut. People were rushing backwards and forwards getting weapons and fire extinguishers but Buffy didn’t think they’d try the same trick twice.

Wesley was on the phone at the hospital calling Robin and Faith back immediately and making sure that Giles and Xander were still faring well. Willow sat on the couch writing down protection spells and getting wards and ingredients ready. Buffy walked down to the basement through the melee and grabbed up the scythe, swinging it purposefully. She practiced with it, made sure she still had the moves then came back up stairs and kept it in her hand as she walked around inspecting everything. She asked Wesley to station small groups outside as well and got others to rush the job of fixing the front doors back on, just to gain valuable seconds.

-------------------------------------------

Soon an hour had passed and Buffy made her way back up to Spike. He looked better already, first-degree burns. She knew she could only loose a pint more or she would be too drowsy to be much use to anyone.

“Buffy?” Spike turned his head and looked at her

“Hey, you” She smiled and then checked his legs to make sure they weren’t too bad but they were mostly healed perfectly. Then she sat next to the wincing Spike and pulled her bandage off again.

He shook his head “No, no...I don’t want...”

Buffy wanted to get this over as quickly as possible before he noticed his arm, which she wondered if he still felt and that was why he hadn’t noticed. She had read somewhere you could sometimes feel severed limbs as though they were still there. She pressed the cut to his lips and he shook his head but then the vampire part of him took over and he sucked deeply onto it, face morphing to vamp as he fed. Soon Buffy was feeling woozy and she prized the stronger Spike off of her with more force this time. She stumbled to the door and pressed the bandage to the cut.

“What’s going on...Buffy...?”

She left without answering him and made her way to the bathroom where she kept iron tablets incase of excessive blood loss. She popped a couple of pills and then drank some water. Walking back downstairs she found Willow who told her the place was swathed in protective wards Buffy nodded and told the redhead to go upstairs and look after Spike because, injured, she needed to stay out of the way of danger.

Buffy found Dawn in a small group and her sister was instructing the girls to stick together in small groups and watch each other’s backs. Buffy nodded at her sister and then saw Andrew clutching an axe and standing in a corner, sweat beading off of him.

“It’s okay, Andrew” Buffy said then cocked her head “Tell you what, I want you to go down to the hospital and keep an eye on Giles and Xander. Take Dawn with you”

The boy nodded gratefully and dropped the axe; sprinting over to Dawn he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the door much to the girl’s protest. It wasn’t that Buffy didn’t know Dawn could handle herself but Andrew was freaking out and those two were buddies, besides her sister...anyone really, wouldn’t be much use against these demons.

Another hour had passed and it had just started to get dark when a roar of terror and pain ripped from upstairs, deep and unyielding. Buffy turned as did the rest of the girls and she guessed Spike had regained consciousness and had realized. A moment later and there was a crashing sound followed by Willow’s yelp.

“Buffy!” The witch yelled.

The Slayer hefted the scythe and ran toward the stairs she started to go up it when Kennedy and a couple of others began to follow her. She shook her head and made a motion for them to stay, Kennedy didn’t look happy about it but did as she was asked. Buffy took the stairs three at a time and reached the landing. Willow lay in a heap with her back pressing against the banister, a grimace of pain stretched across her face. The Slayer ran up to her and knelt down.

“Will, you okay?” She asked, concerned.

She nodded “Ow, yeah. Buffy, Spike...he woke up and then he...saw and threw me out, he’s...he’s...”

Buffy nodded back “It’s okay, go downstairs, be with Kennedy” She helped her friend up and then the witch hobbled down the stairs.

Buffy turned to her room door just as it slammed shut and the sound of the lock being turned was heard. She walked over and pressed her ear against the door; weeping, whining and an odd humming was coming from in. Then suddenly it turned into full on screaming again and Buffy was worried for his safety.

“Spike,” She spoke softly to the door “Spike, please, calm down”

“You!” He roared, and it seethed with acid “You didn’t tell me! Bitch! I fucking hate you, you fucking bitch!”

Something was ripped from the walls within and thrown against the door so it thudded and she jumped back, she would have to break the door down but she was hoping to calm him down first.

“Spike, you were unconscious, I couldn’t tell you. I knew...I knew it would kill you” She placed her hand against the door “Please, Spike just open the door”

“No! No, this is my place. You can’t come in here, no one, no one, only me” His voice had gone quiet, she might not have heard it if not for her own Slayer hearing.

Buffy had thought this might be a possibility, Spike might go insane but she hoped he hadn’t sunk that far yet, she needed to pull him back up, keep him with her “Listen to me, I know...I know that your arm is gone and nothing can replace that but, Spike, I need you on board”

“Oh, I’m sorry” He spat “I didn’t realize you wanted to use me as a shield again, Slayer. Please, take me downstairs and get my other bloody arm cut off! Do you know how long I’m gonna live with this? As a bloody cripple? Do you? Forever that’s how long! I should have stayed dead, died at least for a purpose but now I have to live with this and with you! The image of you in my mind! You did this to me! I can’t live like this!”

“Don’t say that, Spike” She said gently “I’m glad you came back”

“You would be! Got your old lapdog back, do bloody anything for you I would and don’t you bloody know it? You used me before and now you’re doing it again!” He screamed “It should be you with a fucking stump where your arm used to be”

Buffy nodded to herself and felt tears well up in her eyes “You’re right, Spike, it should have been” It was nothing more than a whisper but she knew he heard it.

No sounds came from within the room and Buffy listened hard, she could hear the curtain blowing in the slight breeze, the creak of the old pipes that ran through her walls but she heard no sound from within from the vampire.

“Spike?” She slammed her fist against the door “Spike!”

There was a pause “You know what I’ve worked out, Buffy? That I don’t mean much at all to you. I don’t blame you; I’m not worth a lot. Been a worthless idiot most of my life and undead existence but I thought that, just maybe, you cared for me a little. That’s what you said before I died, right? You said you loved me, I knew that wasn’t true but I thought that at least she trusts me now”

“I do” Buffy replied, tears falling down her cheeks.

“Then trust me on this Buffy. I’m better off dead”

“No, no!” She shook her head vigorously.

“Do you care for me, Slayer?” The voice was expectant.

Buffy took in a deep breath “I do”

“Then you’ll let me do this” Spike murmured “There’s...plenty of stakes in a Slayer’s room...”

Buffy stood back and kicked her leg out with a vicious kick knocking the door from the hinges. The door flew into the room, the dark, dark room and hit the floor with a thunderous crack. Buffy dropped the scythe and ran in.

“No, don’t look at me!” Spike yelled.

All she caught was a flash of his pale back as he jumped out of the open window. The Slayer ran to it and peered out as the vampire hit the ground in a roll then clawed his way up, skin shining with the moonlight.

“Spike!” Buffy called after him.

He jumped up, scaled the wall and jumped over out of her sight, she heard his footsteps retreating. Buffy groaned Spike was naked and still injured a little she just hoped he would be all right. Then the sound of yells from downstairs drew her attention and she ran out of her room grabbing the scythe back up on the way out as she made her way down to be severely overpowered and practically helpless.

Now she hoped she would be all right

A/N: Poor Spikey. I bet reviews would make him feel better. :)

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, I do it all for the fans! (and my own selfish impulses but, shh! Tell no one!)

Rated R.

17

Chaos reigned downstairs, girls ran everywhere, Buffy spotted Faith and Robin working as a team to defend the group out on the front lawn from the demon who had stolen Xander’s identity. Buffy twirled the scythe then jumped down to the floor and pushed her way out of the doorway into the front law where a battleground was taking place. Buffy looked around but could not see Evil Buffy or Evil Spike anywhere it seemed only Evil Giles and Evil Xander had been sent, probably because they knew their counterparts were at hospital.

“Hey, Slayer, cool” Evil Xander swatted Faith away and walked over to Buffy, they met in the middle of the lawn “Been meaning to talk to you again. So, how’s your boyfriend then? Life as a deformed vamp must be hard” He smirked.

Buffy smiled bittersweet “You’d know all about being deformed, Clone Boy”

“Ooh, that just cut to the bone” He laughed “You know, sweetheart, once this is over I’m thinking about asking you on a date. What do you say?”

She made like she was thinking about it “Um...I’d rather die”

“That can be arranged” Evil Xander charged at her.

Buffy sidestepped and the demon careened past her before whirling back around and running back to her. Avoidance was the key so when the demon swung his fists at her almost faster then she could see but she dodged every hit with a series of moves that kept her out of harm’s reach.

The Xander demon withdrew a step, panting “Come on, Slayer. Come and get me”

“Yeah, because I’m gonna fall for that” She rolled her eyes “So, where’s my twin anyway? Seems kind of shy, or is she...it afraid?”

He chuckled “Maybe she’s waiting for the big finish”

“You don’t know?”

“I’m not about to share it with you that’s for sure” He replied “You shouldn’t have stolen those bodies from us”

Buffy’s jaw hardened “They were people, not bodies. Asshole”

With that the demon ran at her again and Buffy went with evasive tactics again, she could keep it up for a while. However the demon was fast and managed to grab her in a bear hug around the waist, he lifted her off the ground and squeezed until her ribs felt like they would turn to powder.

Something struck the demon’s force field and he let go of her and turned to see Faith holding the scythe Buffy had dropped somewhere along the line. Evil Xander grinned and grabbed the scythe trying to pull it right out of her hands. Buffy drew his attention back to herself but Evil Xander still managed to strike Faith on the side of the head knocking her unconscious.

“So, why are you doing this?” Buffy asked, distracting “What exactly do you gain from taking our identities?”

“Power, status and well, it’s really a secret” Demon Xander motioned her to come to him.

She started to approach when a gas canister suddenly erupted onto the yard and then another, Buffy was far enough away it didn’t affect her but soon everyone else was scrambling for air and coughing then falling unconscious. The wind cleared the gas and Buffy saw with shock that everyone - Robin, the girls, everyone had fallen unconscious and it looked disturbingly like a pile of bodies.

“Looks like it’s just us then” Evil Xander whispered to the side of her.

“Don’t forget me” Evil Giles stepped up to the other side of her.

Buffy tried to run a fraction too late and each demon grabbed hold of one of her wrists, wrenched her backwards and threw her into a tree. Her spine felt like sparks were flying up and down it and she yelled out before she had time to think they were on her again. A punch from Xander, a kick from Giles, her head smashed into the tree, a knee to her gut, a roundhouse kick to her head. Buffy sunk to her knees and then someone was grabbing her up and she was flying through the air tumbling to the ground headfirst. Her chin skidding along the grass, grazed now and bleeding, her teeth chattered in her head and one dislodged. She groaned as things turned black for a moment then she spat the tooth out followed by a dribble of blood. Buffy got up slowly to her hands and knees and was knocked back down by a hard kick to her back.

A hand grabbed her around the back of her neck and lifted her off the floor. She dangled there by her neck; feeling like her head was going to explode. Then Evil Xander tossed her to Evil Giles and he threw her back like they were playing a bizarre game of catch. Evil Xander threw her to the ground and then put his foot underneath her and kicked her up high into the air. She twirled in mid-air and hit the ground crashing.

“Ohh...” She was done, she couldn’t fight back, and she was out of luck “...crap...”

Evil Xander and Evil Giles knelt down on either side of her and Evil Giles pulled out a blade. With a flick of the wrist he slit the back of her shirt open. Xander pressed his palm against the back of her head and shoved her face down into the ground. Buffy was bruised and battered and she couldn’t move as Evil Giles began to cut deep striations into her flesh.

Buffy screamed and then Evil Giles slumped to the side. The Slayer moved her eyes up to see Giles, the real Giles, standing above them with a broadsword in his hand. He swung it down and plunged it into the demon’s back. Then, bam, he was dead.

Evil Xander reared up screaming and then, bam, an arrow sliced through the side of his head and lodged midway through. Giles rolled her over and she looked up, blinking and saw Xander, a bandage pasted to his head and a bow and arrow in his hands. He smiled at her a little.

“I don’t understand” Buffy rasped.

“Andrew and Dawn told us” Giles explained “So we discharged ourselves and came here as soon as we could. Are you all right?”

“Yeah, the cuts aren’t that bad” She shrugged.

Giles nodded “And everyone else...?” He looked around.

“Sleeping gas” Buffy groaned as she sat up and winced at the cuts in her back “But Spike...he’s gone and I have to find him before he hurts himself”

Her Watcher sighed “Buffy you are in no shape....”

“Giles, you and Xander get back to hospital I’m gonna go find him” She stood slowly and ignored the pain.

Giles nodded and handed her the scythe “If you have to do this at least be armed, incase”

Buffy gave him a reassuring smile and made her way to the open gates that had been busted by the two demons. She walked through and pushed them shut then made her way out into the streets, she had no idea where Spike would go but seen as he was new to the town she wasn’t sure Spike knew where he was going either.

She walked through the streets and wished she had a nose like his, able to track anyone. Angel could. The thought flashed through her brain and she was running back to the sanctuary, throwing the gates open and looking for him but she could not see him. Willow came out of the house on her crutches and frowned, hobbling up to Buffy.

“What’s wrong, Buffy?” She asked.

“Where’s Angel?”

Willow’s frown deepened “He left after you. To help find Spike”

“Dammit” Buffy groaned “If Angel finds Spike first...Willow can you do me a locator spell?”

The witch nodded “Sure” She pulled some herb out of her pocket sprinkled it on the floor and spoke a few words of Latin.

The herbs on the floor swirled into a map of the town and one glowed a bright yellow. It was down at the old abandoned railway station. The place was creepy, old forgotten carriages in the train graveyard. Plenty of creatures hung out there. It was the perfect place for a vampire like Spike.

“That easy huh?” Buffy asked.

Willow nodded “That easy”

The Slayer thanked her and then she was running again, running fast and hard ignoring the stares she got from passer-by. If a blond running through the street carrying a scythe was the strangest thing they saw in this town then they were damned lucky. She ran through the town, then turned a back road and swept down that. She guessed she looked like a blond tornado.

By the time she reached the train graveyard it was a lot darker and a sheen of sweat made her clothes cling to her body, her hair plastered to her forehead.

“Spike!” She yelled, “I am not in the mood for playing games. Show yourself”

There was no sound, just a rustle of paper blowing across the rickety lines.

“Coward” Buffy spat, knowing the predictable outcome.

“Me?” Came his voice “I’m a coward. Come now, Slayer, you know better than that”

“I thought I did”

There was a pause; the voice softened “You look hurt”

“That’s what you get when you don’t have any back-up when the demons come a-calling” She could not pinpoint which direction his voice was coming from so she turned in a circle as she spoke.

“You have a whole bloody army”

“Gas canister. Really could have done with some vampire ‘don’t need to breathe’ help”

He chuckled “What about Angelus?”

Buffy frowned “I...don’t know where he was”

“Bloody typical” Spike snorted “When the going gets tough he legs it”

“Looks who’s talking”

He sighed “Yeah, well. I’m dealing with a few personal issues right now. Like, the fact that I don’t have a left arm!”

“Spike,” Her voice was gentle back, get some rest. You don’t have to see or speak to anyone but you must be cold”

“I’m a vampire. We don’t have body temperature”

“Spike, please”

The crunch of gravel sounded underfoot from behind her and Buffy turned. From behind an old, rusted train carriage stepped Spike. Her eyes swept over him, his hair was shorter now and brown from growing back in his natural colour and his eyes were hollow inside. His face looked drawn and he still had the odd patch of burnt or healing flesh. Spike’s arm had healed into a soft stump, which her eyes wouldn’t let her see for a moment because with him up and walking and talking he looked...unfinished. Buffy found her eyes gliding over the rest of him, the naked rest, and she turned away blushing.

Spike jumped behind the train again “See, you can’t even look at me!”

“No, it has nothing to do with that,” She walked up to him “It’s just you’re...naked”

Buffy peeked around the edge of the carriage and Spike was pressed up against it. She reached out to take his hand but he closed his eyes as if ashamed to let her see him like this. Buffy took his hand anyway and pulled him into her. She closed her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his chest, not a heartbeat could be found. She wouldn’t lie that him being naked wasn’t making this slightly more different from a normal hug but she tried as best she could to push it aside. A moment passed and Spike’s breath caught, he slid his arm around her and rested his face on top of her head.

“I can’t even do this properly now,” He said and then she felt him crying against her.

The Slayer held on to him tighter and she breathed in him, his scent, so relieved that he was all right if not intact completely. His hand traveled up to delve under her hair stroked the back of her head and his touch was ice cool it made her shiver.

“Does that feel like death?” Spike whispered “Like death’s hand touching you”

“I’ve felt death before but I don’t remember the actual dying part” Buffy replied.

Spike pulled back and cupped her face in his hand “This is death”

He leaned down and caught her bottom lip between his, pulled on it then released. Buffy looked into his sad eyes, he had a soul now but she couldn’t see it. He had been damaged in that fight not just physically but something in his soul had given up or at least was about to give up.

Spike kissed her again but this time it was deeper and it felt desperate, if he needed to draw strength from her then Buffy wouldn’t stop him. Her hands twined around his neck and she opened her mouth for him.

“How can you,” Spike jerked back from her so abruptly she nearly fell “How can you let me do that? When I look like this”

Buffy picked up the scythe she had dropped before and made her way to the rusty carriage door purposefully “Because it doesn’t matter” She swung the scythe and sliced the old padlock off of it easily.

“It doesn’t matter” He muttered scornfully then frowned “What are you doin’?”

“Seeing if there’s any clothes in here for you to wear. Flower Meadows townspeople must have had a weird day; naked vampire running through the streets and girl with a scythe” Buffy murmured as she climbed up into the carriage and it was so dark but she had expected that.

Spike climbed in after her “Dark, musty. Could be my next home. If I’m around that long”

“You will be” Then she noticed something “Oh, hey, look they have some pretty nice stuff in here. Satin drapes...there’s even a long tablecloth type thing of heavy velvet. They traveled in style”

“Uh, hello? Lost an arm over here” He still stood by the door, sullen.

“Sorry. Clothes, clothes” She began searching, she reached up high to search for old suitcases but found none then bent down low all the while aware Spike was watching with hawk eyes.

Buffy walked further down the carriage it was dusty and smelt of mold but she would bet with a few candles and pillows Spike could work wonders, if he was serious that was. She found a trunk at the end of the carriage and hit the scythe handle against the lock breaking it off. On top of the trunk was an oil lantern and she dug a match out of her pocket and lit the thing, creating a dim yellowish light she was grateful for. Buffy lifted up the lantern and the trunk lid and dust plumes flew at her, making her cough incessantly. Finally she waved the dust away and saw that inside lay clothes, old-fashioned, dusty clothes but at least they were clothes.

“Hey, Spike,” Buffy turned “I found some –”

The carriage door slammed shut and she jumped at the heavy and reverberating sound. The Slayer was in complete darkness save for the lantern she still carried with her.

“Spike?” She whispered.

Suddenly a cold hand arm wrapped around her waist from behind her, freezing her bare skin. Buffy took in a sharp intake of breath. The Slayer turned toward him and the garish light from the lantern hollowed his features, his skin looked molded to the bones in his face. Spike reached out and took the lantern from her placing it back on top of the trunk lid. Now she couldn’t see him again but she could sense him and Buffy got it, he didn’t want her to see him.

Lips landed on hers and before she had time to respond they were gone and had moved down to the line of her jaw, he nudged her chin to the side with his lips and then kissed the dent in her neck underneath her jawbone. The butterfly kisses reached her collarbone and Buffy still got it, Spike needed some sort of familiarity because his life had been changed so much recently. She caught his face in her hands though she could not see it and planted her lips on his forehead, his lips, and his chin.

Spike’s hand reached up to the collar of her jacket and he tried to push it off but couldn’t so Buffy shrugged it off and let it fall to the floor before running her hands down his chest and kissing the hollow of his neck, his chest. Spike grabbed a handful of her hair and breathed her in before kissing her long and slow on the lips.

Buffy got onto her knees and kissed his belly button, letting her tongue flick into it, his body shuddering. She kissed her way down his abdomen and ran her hands up his legs around to his back.

Spike groaned and sunk down onto his knees in front of her his arm wrapping around her and pulling her down on top of him as he lay down on the carriage floor.

“Buffy,” The vampire gasped into the darkness “God, I wanted this. I wanted it to be right, though, perfect...”

Buffy wrenched her top up over her head and threw it to the side then unbuckled her jeans and pulled them off, resumed her position on top of him, straddling his waist “There’s no such thing as perfect”

“There is. You”

She laughed a little, sadly “I’m not perfect and neither is this”

Spike groaned as she moved above him his hand trailing up her arm then down her back making her writhe “Then what is this?”

Buffy grabbed up the velvet tablecloth and pulled it down on top of them, enveloping their bodies as she pressed herself against him. The lantern light flicked over their moving bodies. In between kisses she whispered,

“This is death”

A/N: Spuffy! Spuffy! Spuffy! :)

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