Chapter Nine - Reputations

"Um, excuse me… what did you say your name was?"

Clem looks at the older man and tries to remember everything Spike told him about these people. This one must be the Watcher. The one who settled his tab at the bar and bought him the bed. This dude was difficult to fathom, because he had evidently made Spike feel like an absolute prick, and then he goes and does these really helpful things. Perhaps the Watcher's opinion of Spike had changed.

"Clem. And you must be Rupert… the Watcher? Yeah, Spike told me a lot about you."

Giles suddenly looks very uncomfortable. "Uh, he did? So you're a… a friend of his?"

"Spike has a friend? And the universe just never quits with the surprises now does it?"

Clem doesn't particularly like the tone coming from this one. The Watcher was at least pleasant enough for someone who was totally shocked by his presence.

"And you must be Xander Harris." Clem figures he'll give Xander something to really mull over in his addled brain. He walks over and extends his clawed hand. "I'm Clem. Pleased to meet you."

Xander fumbles for words and looks at Anya, then Willow, then Giles and finally back at Clem.

Willow covers her mouth with a hand to suppress a giggle. Way to go Spike! I like your friend!

Xander cautiously accepts the gesture and shakes his hand. "Clem…"

"Spike told me all about you too. By the way, funky lighter! He uses it all the time. But don't tell him I told you that, because I'm sure he'd clock me for saying it."

Anya's ears perk at this. "Lighter?"

"Ahh nothing, really. It's just… nothing!"

"Oh, it's not nothing! C'mon! You totally brightened his day. But he'd never tell you that. He's too cool... got this whole 'Big Bad' reputation and everything, which, you know, works for him." Clem watches Xander squirm.

"Xander? You brightened Spike's day? How did you brighten Spike's day?" When she gets a blank stare from Xander she turns to Clem…

"Oh, he bought him this really cool glow in the dark lighter. There's this Batman logo on it and everything. Spike leaves it out on the ledge just near the opening of the lair so that it'll charge up with the sunlight during the day, and when it gets dark he shows it off. It's way cool! 'Course, no sun the last couple days..."

Everyone turns to Xander who is now beet red and repeating the old wish that if the ground would just open up… Anya walks over to him and doesn't say a word. She gently strokes her hand along his back, letting him know that she wholeheartedly approves of the gift he gave Spike. It's not the lighter at all, but the thought. And the fact that for a moment at least, Xander saw beyond the demon, and took a moment to care for the person.

Tara and Willow soon follow Anya and each place a warm hand on a shoulder and give him a gentle squeeze.

"Ah geeze guys, it was nothing. It's just a lighter. I mean, Giles bought him a bed, for crying out loud."

And now it's Giles who's beet red.

"Ohhh!" the girls, (except for Katherine who hasn't the backstory), all rush Giles and envelope him in a tremendous hug.

"Giles! That's so sweet of you!" Tara beams and hugs him even tighter.

Katherine can't help but smile at this display and think, and he bought the bed from me… thank you Spike...

"Well, it was nothing really, I mean… if you'd seen how he was living. Ask Xander even; he's the one who helped me with it. We waited for Spike to leave and then made the switch."

"Ohhh!" the girls all rush back to Xander…

"Honey! You DO have a heart!" Anya squeals with approval.

When the hugging stops, Xander turns to Clem. "So Spike's your friend. Cool."

"Yeah, he's my best friend, actually. Best I ever had. He's always watching my back, 'cause I can be a little too trusting with people sometimes. He says it's because I'm too nice…"

Willow has to agree with Spike on that one. This Clem is one trusting character, although he certainly isn't dumb. He had Xander pegged the minute he opened his mouth. He's a wise one, this Clem. It warms her heart to think that Spike has found himself such a great friend. Clem obviously thinks the world of him, and the way he speaks about Spike, his voice is filled with such admiration.

In Giles' office, on the settee, Janice and her mother begin to stir, but Willow saves the situation quickly. She drifts in quietly and waves her hand. "Sleep," she whispers and the two fall gently back down to their reposing positions, peacefully unaware of the tumultuous situation around them.

"Well, Clem… it's certainly uh, wonderful to meet you…" Giles attempts a genuine smile, and pulls it off rather well, certainly Clem seems to be an all right fellow, for a demon, and anyway, maybe he'd be some help to them before the day was done. "I think we need to work on that spell now, ladies, if you don't mind. Let's see if we can't lift this veil of stink once and for all."

Katherine approaches him and gives his arm a gentle squeeze. In her eyes she holds an expression of promise, that when this is all said and done they'll have a time of re-acquaintance, and this time they'll be able to share with each other their true selves. She knows for a fact that she won't be disappointed, and she hopes with all her heart he won't be either.

The three witches head back into the training room to the mat in the center, having collected the final ingredients for the spell. Clem watches them disappear and then turns to Giles.

"I hope we can get outside soon. We really need to find them. I don't know what you know, but word around town has it some bad boys are trying to raise a Gromolak. And boy oh boy you do NOT wanna be around if he gets his wake-up call."

Oh, if only we'd known you when this all started, the advantage we would have had with that knowledge... "What do you know, Clem?"

"Not too much, but I've heard of the Gromolak wiping out entire villages in the old days. And in the other dimension? Well, let's just say you wouldn't wanna be around for the clean-up. I hear it was beyond atrocious."

Giles removes his glasses and gives them the ceremonial wipe. "Well, I'm hoping that we can take out the demons trying to raise him, before the ceremony. There will be three groups of six, forming a triangle of worship around the earth from which he'll rise. If we can find the place of exit, before it starts, and take out even one, I think we'll stop it altogether. However, if even the first words of the ceremony are uttered, I fear we'll be out of time. We'll have very little chance of stopping it."

Clem swallows hard, the flesh hanging from his throat bobbing from the action. He thinks about his family, his place, his funky little car, and the kittens he left in the basket at Spike's. Running away would be an option. Then he thinks of Spike, his best friend, and that he's all alone out there, searching for the girl he adores, and in essence going after this thing that will kill them all. He takes a look at Giles and Xander, and Anya too, and realizes that these are the people Spike always speaks of… the people who never really liked him, rather, who hated him and let him feel it at every opportunity, the very same people Spike would protect and defend at all costs. And suddenly he isn't so sure he should really be here. He looks at the masks on the counter.

"Do you think one of those would fit me? I know there's the whole 'lots-of-skin' issue, but you see, my best friend is out there, and he needs my help. So I really need to go."

Giles hears the apprehension in Clem's voice and takes a step towards him. "If you'll just wait a little bit longer, Willow and the others will work the spell, and we can all leave. Will you do that? We'll find them all, Clem, Spike as well."

~~*~~

"I'm a little scared, baby." Willow looks genuinely frightened of the pain she could suffer from such a spell. It will surely take so much out of her, and although being a powerful witch is what she wants very much, the consequences are certainly unclear.

"I know, honey, but I'm here, and I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. You can do this, Willow. You're so strong, so talented… so good."

Willow lets Tara's comforting words sink in and closes her eyes and within seconds she opens them, an expression of apprehension on her face once again. Suddenly she feels Tara's warm hand upon hers and then Katherine's as well, and the feeling of security between the three of them is overwhelming. Tara looks at Katherine and smiles, so grateful to have someone like her here with them; someone to ground the both of them as they attempt such an incredible feat.

"I realize I don't know you very well, "says Katherine, "but what I felt from you both earlier on was so wonderful. So powerful. You girls are like a breath of fresh air to me, quite literally!" She chuckles then, "That was pretty lame wasn't it? Anyway, I want you to know that I am right here with you, lending you as much of my power as I can. I'll gladly take whatever comes of this with you. Know that I won't let go at any stage, alright?"

Tara and Willow both nod and hold her hands tightly. Together they speak, "Let's do it."

~~*~~
 

By the time she reaches her house, Buffy's gasping for breath, annoyed that she'll have to don the mask after all. She knows that Spike must have come here before he dropped off Clem and the others, but she rushes in and runs up to Dawn's room, just incase… to find it empty.

Feeling utterly defeated Buffy roughly puts the mask on and walks to her room, reeling from the turn of events. It's all too much. For this to happen to Dawn again is unfathomable, and for a moment she thinks she might have been put on the earth as one big, tremendous joke. She feels like a kicking bag for the powers that be. She'd like to get an audience with those arseholes and give them more than a piece of her mind. She'd really love to shove a mystical stake down each and every one of their throats for all the pain she and her loved ones are having to go through. She'd love to tell them to take their 'Chosen' job and shove it too.

She sits down on the edge of her bed and thrusts her hands in the pockets of Spike's duster, pulling it closer to her body, wishing she could just wrap herself up in it and like a new skin. Perhaps if she had been stronger, or smarter, maybe not so closed off to those she loves for so long… Everything would be different. If she'd just prepared Dawn a little better, or made Spike feel like one of the gang long before this…

As her fingers settle on a piece of paper in Spike's pocket she looks over at the rose on her night table and notices that it's now fully open. She guesses that at this rate it won't last much longer, much like this town, Dawn, Spike, any of them. As much as she wishes things could really change and somehow be normal she resolves that it must be absolutely impossible. How can anything bad every truly change? Evil is evil. Good is good. Wouldn't she just love to give it all up to live the 'normal' good life? Wouldn't that be better than this seemingly eternal struggle? If she closed her eyes, could she accept it if she opened them again to a world without vampires and demons, and Scoobies… and Dawn? This will never get any better. It's always going to be 'Me Slayer - You Vampire'. No sooner has she aired that thought, that she brings up the stiff paper, like a card, out of Spike's pocket and turns it up to the small light.

American Red Cross - Sunnydale Branch
Mr. Spike William - Valued Financial Contributor
Thank You for Your Donation!

Buffy stares at the card in her hand, shocked. She doesn't know whether to laugh or cry… and what was she just thinking about bad things never being able to change? She reads it over and over until she finally bursts out in laughter. Soon Buffy's laughter dies down and tears well up as she realizes how wrong she really is. She lies back on her bed, clutching the card and the tears pool along the edges of her mask. "Oh, Spike… I'm so sorry."

What was she thinking? Nothing is written in stone. Nothing is cut and dry. And her black and white view of the world? Certainly black and white are only elements of the infinite shades of grey… and suddenly everything begins to make sense. She looks over at the rose again, and at the picture of herself and Dawn and cries some more… "I couldn't live without you... without either of you."

Whipping the mask off her face she gets up and wipes her eyes. Braving the stink, she hopes for not much longer, she goes over to her mirror and has a good long look. "Not gonna lose anybody today… or ever again if I can help it." She goes over to her weapons chest and grabs a cross bow and a quiver of arrows, slinging them over her shoulder.

Buffy then walks over and lifts the rose out of the vase, hissing when one of the thorns pierces her skin. The pain reminds her of what Angel told her about Spike, about why he loves deep red roses and her face flushes with heat. Examining her fingers she notices a large drop of blood forming on one finger tip. *** To Spike, the rose symbolizes incredible love… a love for which he'd risk the worst pain… that's why he likes the thorns, because without the pain, the thorns, the value of the experience would be lost. Spike can't do anything half assed. He needs to fight for what's his. He needs to claim it and cherish it above everything else. If he can't have that, he'd rather not be. Of course, the whole blood-stained rose thing is a major turn on for him too, but don't you dare EVER tell him I told you that. We're talking about the eternal pain in my ass here, Buffy. Still doesn't sit well with me, the thought of you two. ***

Buffy runs the bloody tip of her finger along the edges of the petals, coating them ever so finely with her life's essence. The act, to her, seems so simple, but she knows that the gesture, for Spike, would be overwhelming. She realizes right then that she has to give him this gift now. She can't wait any longer. She knows that when she finds Dawn, and she will, Spike will be right there too. Next chance she gets, she won't waste any time on nerves or second thoughts or questions. She'll lay it all out for him with one simple gesture, and give herself over completely.

Quickly she goes to her desk and rifles through the drawer, looking for a pin. When she finally finds one she flips over the lapel of Spike's coat that rests over her heart and pins the rose to it, making sure it's totally secure. She folds the lapel back over, making sure that the rose is completely hidden and heads downstairs then and out into the night. She carries the mask in one hand as she runs towards town, noting that the sun will be up soon, and she hopes like hell that Spike is underground.
 

~~*~~

Spike runs through the streets and alleyways calling her name, begging her to answer. He can't think straight at all. He's going strong on nothing but raw, unbridled rage, smashing his way through this god-awful town, determined to tear it all down if he has to, to find her.

"DAWN!!" he screams as he enters the next alleyway, searching every nook and cranny he passes. Somewhere deep down he kicks himself for not having the cop-on to stick around for a few minutes and get the run down on this latest Big Bad from Giles and the others, then he'd know exactly what he was dealing with, but if his memory serves him right, and judging from what the others had been saying around town, the nasty on the way likes to eat pretty little girls, and everything else in it's path.He decides to try at the site of the old high school. If anybody's into raising evil things and looking for the perfect venue, well that area is just humming with activity.

He's not gonna let her come to any harm this time. He's going to find her before it's too late. And when he does find her he's gonna rip that nasty to shreds and anybody else who might stand in his way, even if he gets dusted in the process. Dusting after the saving would be perfectly honorable in his eyes, because then he would truly have fulfilled his promise to protect her… till the end of his world at least. He would be making up for the monumental failings at the tower, and maybe they might actually respect him, even if its just a little.

As he trudges along towards the old school his thoughts veer from Dawn to Buffy. He had her right there beside him in the Jeep, and he couldn't talk to her. It pained him because he had always been the one to provide yards and yards of conversation in the past, quite often unwelcome conversation, but nevertheless he always had spoken his mind. He had Buffy right there alongside him, the woman of his dreams, and he couldn't tell her anything. He knows she probably would have clocked him if he'd tried, but still, to think he missed an opportunity to let her know what she means to him, makes him incredibly lonely for her then.

Should have let her know she's everything to me… should have told her that she made me want to be a better man.

He plows his way through the rubble and grabs a long piece of metal pipe, determined to beat any nasty's brains in he might encounter, new shirt be damned. Then he stops and looks down at his shirt, rubs the stained parts between his fingers, an expression of sadness on his face.

I'd give anything to have her beside me again. Anything at all.

He rubs his arm where she caressed him, when they were at the Magic Box, and remembers the warmth she showed him, that he couldn't quite fathom, and he wonders if perhaps she really did see him as something other than monster, finally?

As he takes off again to look for Dawn and her attackers he decides that if he gets to see Buffy again before he dies, he's gonna grab her and kiss her like she's never been kissed before, and he's gonna tell her that she's the sun and the moon and all the stars to him. He'll lay it all out in simple terms for her, that she's worth more than all the universe to him, and then he'll gladly meet the real monsters and have his real One. Good. Day.
 

Chapter Ten - Release
 

For Spike, the next few moments would normally be a source of dread and panic, on any regular given night. The time when the veil of darkness falls away and the sun begins its ascent into the sky. As he stands in the middle of the grounds of UC Sunnydale he wonders should he run for cover, allow instinct to drive him into the nearest source of protective darkness, and save him from a certain fiery, dusty ending? Reason reigns supreme though, for he knows full well the sun won't shine again till the evil gripping Sunnydale has played itself out. That's the way these evil things work.

No, he decides he'll stand there and turn his face to where the sun would normally be, and for a few moments at least consider the dilemma above ground. He feels the warning tingles in his spine, the swirling senses in his brain that tell him danger is upon him, and he rides them out as his hands clench into fists and then relax again. As if he's somehow able to see the sun, his eyes focus on one spot on the horizon and slowly, ever so slowly, they raise just a fraction. He stands there for the longest while in silence as the sun slowly rises behind the veil of billowling clouds, contemplating his next move in the search for Dawn.

He's searched the high school and the UC. He's checked the demon gathering places on the outskirts of town and annoyed the hell out of the demon bar owners. 

Docks. He should check the docks next. 

Slowly a grin creeps along the edges of his mouth and he feels the smallest bit of gratitude for being able to walk about in the day. Means he'll find Dawn all the quicker, and possibly face the mother of all battles in the process. Bring it on, he thinks, grinning, and he lifts his left hand up to his face and looking directly at where the sun would be, he flicks his fingers off the tip of his chin in a universal gesture... 

Feeling renewed, Spike heads for the docks.

Willow, Tara and Katherine hold hands tightly as they chant their spell to remove the stench in the air. Their eyes remain closed and they speak as one being, drawing upon all the elements around them. A thin golden light swirls around them, encircling them and sending tendrils of magical threads between them, as if binding them further. The color of the light changes from gold to orange and then red, swirling and glowing brighter with every moment that passes until Willow utters the word,

"Release."

The sound of a crack! fills the shop and the witches eyes snap open. They don't say a word but look around at each other, cautious expressions of optimism on each of their faces.

"Headache's not so bad..." Willow says, smiling in relief.

"Let's go check on the others. We'll have to step outside to see if it worked," Tara says as she gets up, keeping hold of Willow's hand. 

They walk back to where the others are in the main shop, and note the looks of surprise on their faces.

"There was a snapping sound, and then nothing. Nothing's changed." Anya looks disappointed.

"You have to step outside, silly. Nothing would change in here. I didn't lift the barrierl from the shop, just incase." Although Anya's reaction is quite typical, Willow still would appreciate a little more support.

Giles looks at all of them. "Well, shall we? Sun's up, well, sort of... if this has worked we should go search for the others."

Xander can hardly wait, "I'll go first!" he shouts and runs to the door, opening it as if there's a huge surprise on the other side and he can't wait to see what it is. He rushes out and take a deep breath and the others watch for his reaction. Slowly he turns around, one eyebrow raised and he looks directly at Willow.

"Juicy fruit? I smell... Juicy Fruit?"

"Uh, y-you do? Oh! Well... hey, Juicy Fruit's good! Better than, Stink-Of-Death, isn't it?"

Anya gives Willow an irritated look and walks out to join Xander, and she quickly turns around with a wonderful expression of pleasure on her face. "Wild orchids... oh my god it smells so good out here!"

"What, you get orchids and I get Juicy Fruit?"

Tara and Katherine both walk out next and inhale deeply, both obviously very happy with the new smell in the air. 

"Willow," says Tara.

"Sandalwood," says Katherine, who looks appreciatively at Giles.

Giles, Willow and Clem are the last to emerge and each take deep, deep breaths.

"Mmm, Tara," Willow says with her eyes closed and a look of pure bliss on her face.

"Kittens!" Clem shouts with a brilliant smile which snaps everyone out of their trances, until of course Giles speaks.

"Fruit Roll-Ups?" He turns to Willow and gives her a look as if to say the joke's on me?. "I get Fruit Roll-Ups?"

Willow flashes everyone one of her trademark 'uhhh woopsie' expressions, although in fairness Clem and the girls couldn't complain, but Xander and Giles seem to be feeling a little jilted.

"Well, hey! It's nothing you weren't thinking about when we were doing the spell after all! I mean, that's how I worked it! You know, replace the smell with an odor we were each thinking about at the time, something we'd rather be smelling! It's not my fault you guys were thinking about those things!"

"Oh dear lord... I was thinking to myself that I'd rather be smelling Xander's Fruit Roll-Up breath right now than the stench outside." This statement nets Giles many a raised brow.

"Well, uh, I mean... I guess I was rooting through my jacket looking for my gum after all. But geeze Will you coulda warned us! I woulda been thinking about Anya's perfume or something!" Xander can think of a few other things too!

"Hey I wonder what's Buffy's odor of choice? Betcha anything it's vanilla, or Lilly of the Valley." Anya's noted Buffy's fragrances on a few occasions, never thought of buying them herself though.

"Who knows? Could be 'Old Spike," Willow snorts, "Get it? Old Spike? Oh come on!" she chortles at everyone's blank expressions, especially Xander. Tara, goddess love her, easily got it. 

"Well, we all know what Dead Boy gets with your wonderful spell Willow... betcha anything it's Buffy's underw... umm night... wear. Yeah, you know, the uh, ones she wears to bed with the sushi all over?"

Xander suffers some long, vacant stares... and a particularly piercing glare from Anya. 

Wonder what they really are experiencing, Willow thinks, for she hadn't considered how her little addition to the spell might affect the two super-powered ones. Well, she couldn't have very well lifted all smell from the air... it just wouldn't have been very nice after all, and now isn't everyone fairly happy anyway? The people of Sunnydale, despite the darkness, will at least be basking in mostly refreshing scent-sations! 

"Look, what's done is done. Now can we please go find Dawn and Buffy?" Willow asks, a little irritated. 

"And Spike," Clem adds.

"And Spike too. Of course Clem." Willow gives Clem a warm smile.

"Who's gonna stay behind and mind the shop? Because, you know, what if there are looters? Couldn't stand to be looted. Nope." Anya looks hopeful.

"I think we should all go. Just lock up Anya." Giles shoots her down rather quickly.

"But what about that annoying friend of Dawn's? And her equally annoying mother? You don't want them to just wake up and suddenly loot the place, I mean..."

"Anya!" come the collective shouts.

"Just saying!"

Giles turns to Willow. "How long will they sleep? You did put them out for quite a while I hope?"

"Oh, they'd sleep for days under that spell."

"But what if they need to urinate? Giles! They might pee all over your couch! Did you consider that? Now if I was there, I could show them the toilet and make them go to sleep again!" Yes, she thinks she's reasoning quite well under the circumstances.

"Anya. What part of sleeping-for-days did you not get? Willow says they'll sleep. So let them sleep. I think we should all go look for the others, alright?" Xander gives her the gentle puppy dog eyes which always wins Anya over.

"Oh alright. But I'm not cleaning it up if they piddle all over Giles' floor. I just refuse to do that. You'll have to get Dawn to do that. She's the hired hand. And besides it's her friend."

"Oh, Anya... you always have such a distinct way of saying things. And so honest too." The sarcasm is simply oozing from every pore in Xander's body. "She's probably being held by some grotesque group of demons awaiting her union with a big, spiny, probably very horny Gromolak. It's so nice to know she has a job to come back to when that's all said and done. Hello! A little heart, honey!"

Anya looks rather contrite then, quite sorry for her usual bluntness. But can't Xander see the positives in the way she says things? Can't he see that she's saying in her own way that WHEN Dawn gets saved, she can clean up the Janice piddle? Humans! They're so slow on the uptake! And of course, she just had to become one! Sheesh! "Alright then, let's go! Everyone get your coats! It's freezing out here!"

Everyone suits up with their jackets and weapons and gathers again out the front. Anya locks the door, a look of uncertainty on her face as she does it, gives the door an affectionate pat and turns around.

"Well, where do we go first?"

"I haven't a clue where to go... perhaps we should split into teams." Giles offers.

"Tara and I will go with Clem! We'll take the woods near the mansion." Willow says enthusiastically, which makes Clem smile.

"Anya and I can start out at the other side of town and work our way back in." Xander adds.

"Alright, Katherine, that leaves you and me to check the old high school site. I'd say that's a good place to look. We'll all come back here at sundown, alright?"

Everyone nods in agreement and heads off into the darkness of the morning, their mission to find not one, but three lost friends.

Meanwhile...

Along a darkened pathway on the grounds of UC Sunnydale she stumbles slightly, pausing finally to take in the wondrous sensation that envelops her. Buffy assumes Willow must have worked the spell to rid Sunnydale of it's stink of evil, and definitely added something into the mix, because now she can hardly see straight... she's being overcome in a most wonderful way. It's as if Willow's made the air smell this way just for her. Like she's concocted one massive bottle of 'Eau de Spike' and sprayed it all over town. She kinda hopes then that this is just for her. Perhaps everyone else just smells the normal Sunnydale kind of smells. Buffy really wouldn't like to share this with anyone.

She inhales deeply again, and the effects of this deep breath bring her to her knees. The flood of heat all over her body makes her want to find him, need... to find him, all the quicker. She feels utterly swept away, desperate to locate him, take him, love him and then never let him go. Kneeling there in the middle of the path, she closes her eyes and wraps the duster tighter around her body, runs her hands up her thighs, grasping at the leather that usually surrounds him and then wraps her arms around herself, imagining that they're his arms.

Buffy clutches at the rose, and unfolds the lapel it's pinned to... and when she bends her head down ever so slightly to smell it, she trembles with the power of the entire experience. The fragrance of the rose, mingled with the overpoweringly wonderful fragrance of Spike and the things Angel told her all swirl in her head, making her dizzy, and suddenly she can no longer think in terms of normal thoughts... her mind is filled with singular expressions, a string of words that repeat over and over in her head...

Want. Need. Heat. Love. Desire. Have. Taste. Take. Now. Mine. Mine. Mine... mine... mine... mine...

As the darkness surrounds her, she mouths a final word before she succumbs to the sensations...

"Mine."

In an empty warehouse down at the docks, in a dark corner full of scattered boxes and papers, Spike kneels, panting...

Red must have concocted and worked the spell, only she's added in an extra ingredient, and it's driving him beyond wild. He's surrounded by the wonderfully arousing scent of Buffy. He can't inhale deeply enough. Can't get her in everywhere he needs her to be. He vamps out then and the sensations are even stronger and he growls at the empty room, warning off the rest of the world that the girl to whom this unique scent belongs is his, and his alone.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knows that she isn't there, but he remains glued to the spot, his hands clenching into fists, his head tipped back, mouth slightly open, as if tasting the air, and a look of pure and utter desire on his face. He feels the blackness begin to envelop him and doesn't resist. He forgets everything else then, the search for Dawn, the Scoobies, Clem... forgets his place in all of this mess surrounding them, and as he succumbs, utters the one word that describes just exactly who he is and what he needs to be at that very moment...

"Hers."

In his dream... he sees her standing at the entrance of the warehouse, one arm raised, leaning against the open doorway, one hand resting on her hip, a look of pure desire on her face. Desire for him. He watches her as she stands there, anticipating her next move, hoping like hell she'll make the trip across the bare floor to him... come and put him out of his misery and let him touch her already.

She doesn't budge however, just grinds her fingers slowly down her hip, along her thigh, towards the one place Spike achingly longs to become very familiar with, very shortly. He groans as he watches her, paying close attention to those fingertips, begging his legs to respond and launch him towards her and what he's dreamed of since the beginning.

Slowly he rises and takes a tentative step towards her and she smiles for him, reaching out so slowly with the same hand he'd be watching ever so closely. He's nearly upon her when she turns her head quickly, as if hearing someone, and giving him one quick regretful look, she runs...

"No!" he shouts as Buffy disappears from his view. He feels as though she's ripped out his heart... doesn't she know it's attached to her? Doesn't she realize that he's bound to her with the finest threads of devotion? 

Realizing that he's waxing poetic snaps him out of his momentary grief and he takes off after her, keeping all his senses honed on the one thing in this rotten world he wants to exist for most of all. He can see her up ahead in the distance, running so fast, with purpose, a destination obviously in her mind. She's not difficult to follow... in fact, it's as if she's leading him along, as if she needs him to catch up with her.

Buffy quickly turns down an alleyway and by the time Spike reaches the alley she appears to be gone. He pauses for a moment in a panic and closes his eyes, hoping to concentrate and use his senses to find her again. He inhales the air she disturbed moments before when she passed through here and his eyes fly open when he picks up other scents as well. Buffy's is first and foremost, but there's something else there... something wonderful and familiar... "Oh," he whispers with a bit of an appreciative grin... roses... 

Very quickly something passes the entrance of the alleyway and Spike turns with a growl. It isn't Buffy at all, but something dark and unwelcome. He takes off again and turns out onto the street in pursuit of her once more, hoping that whatever nasty he saw was not headed in the same direction as the Slayer.

Within moments he sees her in the distance, looking back at him, her eyes showing a longing expression. His heart clenches when he sees where she is...

The tower.

All his hopes come crashing down and he stops dead in his tracks, glued to the spot, too shocked to move. Buffy reaches her hand out to him again and the expression on her face is one of pleading, for within moments he sees a group of people emerge around her, and the sight of them fills him with rage... 

"Bring the ceremonial robes! And the offerings of nourishment... mustn't have this little one starving before her big night, now must we?" Durmok orders, and the others quickly comply.

"I won't eat. I won't drink. And I won't wear any stupid robes," Dawn sneers, turning her face sharply away from his angry glare.

"Oh, you will, little girl. You'll do everything I tell you, and then tonight, when this day ends and the next, glorious one begins, you, my soft little offering, will witness the dawning of a new era, the birth of a new and wondrous time! The destruction of things old and the re-emergence..."

"Yeah, yeah... blah, blah, blah. Heard it all before, yadda, yadda, yadda. Geeze can't you guys come up with anything new?" Dawn gives him a provocative grin. "My sister is SO gonna kick your ass."

Durmok raises a brow, momentarily forgetting his outrage at being so rudely interrupted, "How can you possibly think that another little girl such as yourself could possibly kick my... posterior?"

"You really don't know who I am, do you? And don't worry, she won't be alone. See, her fella? He's a hero... and I can't wait to see him rip you a few new ones... as he rips you and all your ugly little wannabe's to shreds, that is."

Durmok swallows hard and for a moment considers her words, but only for a moment. "Nonsense!" he shouts. "Nobody speak to her! It's forbidden! I can hardly believe this little thing is pure for all the lies that come out of her mouth! Now, force feed her if you have to, but do not bruise her. I will be preparing for the ritual... fetch me when she is ready."

In her dream... Buffy's been following Spike closely, never quite catching up with him, always just out of reach. He's led her all over Sunnydale and beyond it seems, yet she never tires, never gives up. He wants her to follow and she wants to be led, for once; wants to see what it is he needs to show her.

She feels a flood of relief when she sees him finally standing still, on the beach in the moonlight, looking up at all the stars, fascination evident on his beautiful face as he takes it all in. She thinks that he must be quite a stargazer, and finds it odd for a moment that the Big Bad might have interests outside of the typical mayhem and slaughter that comes with his kind, but then, she's well aware that Spike isn't typical in any sense of the word. 

She looks up in awe as a meteor shower fills the sky, sending bolts of light shooting throughout the black heavens, and when she looks at him again, he reminds her of a little boy, for he's beaming such a smile at the sky her heart clenches in her chest. This is the Spike she would never let herself see, the one who was always there for the taking, for the sharing... but this is only one part of the Spike she wants. She wants the entire package, every single quirk and oddity, every passionate thought that crosses his mind, each and every step he takes from this moment on she wants to be a part of.

She walks over to him and touches his arm and feels a bolt of excitement flash through her. He turns to look at her, the same delighted expression on his face that he had while watching the stars and without saying anything at all, he opens his arms to her and she slides her hands around his waist, under the duster. He responds to this action by folding her right in, wrapping his coat around her as he pulls her tightly to him, placing a soft kiss on her hair, rubbing his cheek then along her forehead.

She runs her hands over the blue silk shirt she absolutely loved seeing him in, feels the strong muscles of his back and sighs at the exquisiteness of Spike. She brings one hand around to his chest and feels him gasp as she runs her fingers over the muscles there, venturing to feel one hard nipple under the shirt with her palm. He gasps again louder this time as she delicately caresses her way back over his nipple with one finger, then lightly swirls around it with her fingertip.

One of his arms tightens around her and with his other hand he strokes her hair, gently tugging at it then to tip her head back. He looks deeply into her eyes and doesn't say a word, but tells her everything she needs to know. 

Buffy slips her wandering hand up under his shirt then and he hisses in pleasure, rolling his eyes up for a moment, biting his bottom lip, that lip she so desperately wants to nibble and suck. She plays with his other nipple, just with her fingertip and he groans for her, pressing his whole body even closer to her if that's possible.

She feels him grind himself into her and gasps when she feels the evidence of his desire. She remembers sitting in his lap during 'the spell' and feeling desperate to get him alone, so she could see what he had there, hidden for her in his jeans... made her mouth water, and not only her mouth.

She experimentally grinds herself into him a little and is pleased by the groan this action provokes, and decides that she'd die a happy woman if she could hear that wonderful sound as often as possible from now on. She watches his open mouth, bottom lip jutting out ever so slightly, then notes the look of hunger in his eyes, hunger that mirrors her own and all she can think of then is kissing his wonderful mouth.

Spike runs his fingers along the outlines of her face and she closes her eyes, reveling in the sensation of his delicate touch. His fingers gently stroke her cheeks and her eyelids, her forehead, then down her nose... and then his thumb is lightly tracing the outline of her lips and she opens her eyes to see his face descend towards hers...

Before their lips can meet he quickly turns his head away, as if he's heard something in the distance and when he turns back to her she's shocked to see a look of panic taking over his previously desire-filled features.

"Buffy," she hears him say and notes the sudden sad expression on his face before he unwraps her from his duster and turns and walks away, gradually picking up his pace until he's running. What?? Where is he going? What happened to make him leave this wonderful place? To make him leave her like this?

She takes off after him, determined to catch up with him and make him stop, make him see that she's here and that she doesn't want to ever be without him; tell him that she's been utterly swept away by the sudden clarity of it all, that she was so blind before. She has to make him see!

Buffy is stunned to find them suddenly back in Sunnydale, and what's worse, they're at the tower of all places. Why would he come here? She doesn't want to see this place again. She put it all behind her, got on with it, so why would he be standing here, looking at her with such sadness, when they won, they took the hell-bitch down?

"Oh Spike, come back... you don't need to go up there! Spike, please! Dawn isn't up there."

He looks up above him, as if to question what she's saying... and then takes the first step up.

"Spike, come here. Listen to me! That's all over! The tower's gone!"

"Not for me, it isn't," she hears him say, before he flies up the steps and out of sight.

"Buffy? Buffy wake up!" Willow urges, shaking her where she lies. 

"Spike?" Buffy mumbles, and then opens her eyes, "Spike!"

"It's ok Buffy, it was just a dream... Buffy I'm so glad we found you! You must have passed out." Willow looks around her and thinks that this is a terrible place to pass out. If it was a regular day of classes there'd be a hundred people walking through here right about now.

Buffy looks at her strangely and then the scent in the air catches her again and it takes her a moment to focus on her friend. Lying there very still, she looks up at the witch, her best friend.

"Willow, w-what did you do? I, I mean, everything smells... so ... so much like,"

"Spike?"

"Yu-huh." She quirks an eyebrow, "Oh! You don't smell Spike too, do you?"

"No, don't worry... my aroma of choice was Tara." She helps Buffy up and steadies her as she wobbles a bit. "Buffy, just try to relax a minute. I'd say take a deep breath, but maybe that's not so much of the good..."

"No, I think I'm adjusting." She shakes her head a little. "Oh, my god, my dream! We have to find Dawn! And Spike!" She shakes her head again, "But then, we already determined that didn't we? Oh yeah... just give me a minute. What time is it? Oh no, the sun's coming up! We don't have much time! We have to find them."

Willow gives Tara a worried look before answering."Buffy, the sun's gone down. Although, kinda hard to tell what with the perpetual darkness and all. But yup, it's officially night again."

"What? No! I mean... I just got here! It's morning! I haven't been out that long!"

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry... oh I'm such a ding-dong! I was only trying to mask the smell so that everybody would smell pleasant things. I didn't know it would affect you like this. Buffy you have to forgive me."

Buffy notices Tara and Clem then and they nod. 

"Hi again Buffy. I'm Clem, remember?"

"Oh, Clem... I remember." The scent of Spike, although overwhelmingly wonderful, becomes a little less powerful as she concentrates on her friends. "Where's Giles and the others?"

"We're just headed back to the Magic Box to meet up with them."

They all rush back to the shop then, the girls walking with their arms linked, supporting Buffy not just physically, but emotionally as well.

On the way back Buffy reflects on her dream, and finally realizes why Spike has been acting the way he has. As she pictures him again at the foot of the tower, looking so broken and forlorn, her heart breaks all the more for her vampire, and the tears begin to flow.

They all converge on the shop and the many conversations at once cause Buffy to cover her ears for some relief. 

"But I don't think we can break through the bad mojo like that! A locator spell couldn't crack through this type of thing. I'm almost sure of it!" Willow's arguing with Xander.

"But can't you just get a general idea? I mean, we've searched everywhere above ground, and come up with nothing!" Xander looks exasperated.

"Above ground? What about below ground?" Clem asks.

"Buffy? Did you find anything in the tunnels?" Giles asks.

"Um, Buffy didn't get very far, actually. Yeah... she kinda passed out with the effects of the spell I did earlier." Willow looks regretful.

Xander looks at Buffy, hoping for an explanation, but Buffy just shakes her head. She SO doesn't wanna talk about it right now. 

"I didn't get underground, ok? I never made it that far. So I'm thinking that's where we need to be." She goes and grabs the crossbow, "You all coming with?"

"Buffy we don't have time. We need to get to Dawn as quickly as possible. We don't have time to search the tunnels," Giles says.

"Well, we could always start back where Spike and I picked those two ladies up."

All eyes slowly turn to Clem, who suddenly feels very much under the scope. 

"Just saying. Might be a good place to start."

Giles knocks himself on the forehead. "Why didn't we ask you before? Why didn't I think to question you about that earlier?"

"Where exactly did you find them, Clem?" Xander asks.

"Oh, in the parking lot at the Cineplex."

Buffy's eyes narrow... "Then that's where we start. Betcha anything they're in the tunnels under the mall."

"Brings a whole new meaning to the term 'all under one roof', doesn't it?" Xander huffs.

"Let's rock." Buffy says as she turns, Spike's duster swirling around her legs. Giles sees how well she wears the duster, the confidence radiating off her in waves, and he inwardly thanks the vampire then for having been there... for giving her this added bit of strength. He knows now that there would be no fighting the attraction his Slayer feels for the vampire. She looks so strong right then, and he feels that perhaps the outcome of all this is most likely already written somewhere, just waiting to be discovered and explored.

"Buffy," he says quietly, taking her aside a moment as the others get ready to leave. "I have something for you. Something for you to look at when all this is said and done, alright?" He has to do this now. What if he doesn't get another chance?

"Ok," she says just as quietly, wondering what it could be. 

Giles walks over to his other jacket that's still hanging in his office and unzips the pocket. He takes out some scraps of paper and pauses, tapping them slightly against his coat, perhaps wondering if he's doing the right thing. Slowly he comes back to her and hands her Spike's poems.

"These... belong to you."

"What are they?"

"Look at them later, I think they'll bring you great..."

Too late, she turns and starts to read. He watches her as she reads them, helpless to stop her. He hears her gasp and sees one hand fly up to cover her mouth, and then watches as she pulls the duster more tightly around herself.

"Oh my god... Spike..."

"Buffy, I never meant for you to read them now." He feels like a heel for not waiting. Now he's upset her.

"Oh, Giles... thank you so much." She wraps her arms around him and kisses his cheek, then pulls back and looks at him with tear-filled eyes. "You know I love him, don't you?"

"I know, Buffy." Much as he hates to admit it, he knows. The relief he feels at having given her the poems is overwhelming.

"And you know I love you, right?"

He nods at her, still held tightly in her embrace. "I know that too... and I love you as well, Buffy." He kisses her forehead.

"Let's go get them, Giles."

"Let's."

Still dreaming... Spike rushes the crowd of nasties surrounding Buffy. They aren't just Glory's minions, but there are others there as well. Other's he wishes would stay out of his head, thank you very much. And what the bloody hell is the Grand Poofter doing there? This was a Scooby Apocalypse last he checked. And Riley? What the fuck?

Spike pushes his way past them, enduring their jeers and sneers, not wanting to lay a finger on anyone Buffy considers 'dear', and he hates the very thought of it. He comes up against some of Glory's minions and makes easy work of them, smashing and bashing his way through. He sees Buffy up the stairs fighting Glory and tries to rush to her aid but is smacked back by a very angry Drusilla.

Drusilla?

"Dru! Get outa my head! I don't wanna hurt you!"

"Naughty boy you are... making me wish I'd never made you."

He shuts her up very quickly with a left hook. "Sorry, luv, got more important things to worry about right now."

He sees Buffy fall to the ground with Glory as their battle continues and just as he's about to jump down and help her he hears Dawn scream.

"Dawn!" he yells and takes off back up the steps to the top. Doesn't take him long, and there she is with Doc, who at that very moment is wielding the knife. He doesn't say a word, but lunges at the ugly snakey demon, and as Doc turns around to confront him, he grabs the blade, buries it in Doc's gut and pulls the blade upwards, literally splitting the bad doctor in two. Spike kinda chuckles as he throws him over the edge, because that had been number one on his list of one hundred and forty seven different ways to save Dawn that time... and he didn't even have to think about it. He did it. He actually did it.

"Spike!" he hears Buffy call, and turns to face her, hoping that now she'll run to him and fold herself up in his arms...

"It isn't over yet," she says as she runs back down the steps.

"No! Don't leave yet! What about the dramatic reunion! There's always a dramatic reunion!"

He turns and growls, clenches his fist, and remembers Dawn, has to get her down from there. He's utterly shocked to see that she's no longer tied to the end of the plank.

"Spike!" He turns, hearing Dawn call him, but where is she? She calls him again, and it seems as though she's down below him now, so he peers over the edge, hoping to see her safely on the ground. 

She's on the ground, all right, but nowhere near the tower. In fact, she's standing in the middle of a parking lot, trembling. Her hands appear to be bound and there's a hooded man standing beside her.

"Dawn!!" he yells, knowing that she's in danger.

"Hurry!" she cries before the man pushes her down through a manhole and she disappears completely.

"Dawn!" Spike shouts as he awakes, panting.

He looks around himself and sees that he's still in the warehouse and for a moment, breathes a sigh of relief. It was just a dream. 

Reality comes crashing back all too quickly though as he realizes that he's A) passed out and lost time in his search for Dawn, B) not feeling the tinglies associated with daylight, which means that he's lost a LOT of time, C) just encountered a lot of people who make him really, really angry, D) just been shown Dawn's possible whereabouts in the possibly prophetic dream, and E) hornier than a ten peckered Billy goat.

For a moment the scent of Buffy threatens to overwhelm him again, and if it's possible, the pillar of steel between his legs becomes even harder, making him groan with the effort of moving, but he keeps his control, and slowly gets up, willing the sensations to subside for now. He reaches down and grabs the piece of metal pipe he had come in with and makes his way out into the night, wondering which way he should go.

He stops a minute and thinks about where she was at the end of the dream, and thinks the parking lot looked awfully familiar. And then it hits him.

Cineplex.

He's got his destination. He's got his purpose. Knows exactly what he needs to do. There's just one thing... He looks down at the rather huge bulge in his jeans.

"Xander's mother..." he says to it, willing it to go away, "Xander's mother in a bikini." Not having much luck. "Xander's mother in a bikini, mud wrestling with Clem's girlfriend." Oh, now, there's some definite shrinkage. "Good grief. Xander's mother and Clem's girlfriend, in bikinis, mud wrestling with... Xander!"

Amazing what a bit of wordplay does for those inappropriate yet highly impressive bulges.
 

Spike takes off for the Cineplex, running as fast as he can. Doesn't take him to long to get to the closest entrance to the tunnels beneath the mall, and he begins his search underground.

Almost an hour goes by before he sees a dim light up ahead in the distance, a red hue swirling off the glow. Looks particularly evil, he thinks. Close to his one good day after all, he is. Turning down the tunnel towards the light he sees the opening up ahead and carefully inspects the entrance for any guards. 

There aren't any. Because they're all gathered together in the center of the cavern. There are three groups of six, it looks like, and there's Dawn off to the right of the triangle. She doesn't appear to be harmed, yet, and he's determined not to let that happen. The hooded demons chant an evil sounding chant and Spike swallows hard. The festivities have obviously begun.

"Oh my god we're gonna be too late! It's almost midnight!"

"We'll find her! Keep going!" Giles urges, hoping like hell they get there in time. Hoping Spike might have found her first.

"Look! Up ahead, there's a red glow... see it?"

"It had better be it!" Xander gasps, tired from all the running through the stinky tunnels.

Buffy and Clem reach the opening first, and Buffy gasps at what she sees.

Spike is sneaking up behind a large boulder, ready to jump out at the demons and disturb their ritual.

Giles and the others quickly join her at the entrance and Giles prepares his crossbow, as does Xander and Willow.

They watch as Spike jumps out at the group nearest him causing the six to scatter and break the chant. But the others continue... Spike swings the pipe, coming into contact with the first warty head and hears the satisfying snap of bones. The others in the small group lunge at him and he fights them off with all his might.

He hears the sound of an arrow swishing by his head and sees one of the demons drop to the floor. Spike looks behind him and sees the Scoobies poised at the entrance to the cavern, ready to strike, when he hears Dawn scream.

One of the demons had crawled up to her and cut her leg, successfully bleeding her for the ritual, because within seconds the ground begins to shake.

Giles looks down at his watch. "Good lord, it's started."

Spike stares at Dawn... watches the blood coursing down her leg, looks at her tear-streaked face and something inside him snaps. He rushes up to her and unties her hands shielding her from the arrows that are now being fired at him by another group of six. He barely winces as some of the arrows make their target, imbedded in his shoulder and back. None are near his heart though, so he carries on until he gets Dawn to the entrance and the waiting Scoobies. 

"Get her out of here," he growls, preoccupied with rage. Once she's safely through the entrance and scooped up in Tara's embrace, he turns to take on the rest of the demons. 

"Spike," Buffy says, grasping his now tattered and stained blue shirt, "Wait. Take this." She offers him her axe and grasps his hand as he takes it.

Spike looks at her hand on his and back up at her face, and feels a surge of strength. He suddenly turns his back to her. "Get these out, Slayer, quick!"

She quickly plucks the arrows out of his flesh, noting that he doesn't make a sound and when the last one is out he charges back into the mess. Xander, Willow and Giles have been keeping the demons back with the crossbows, but she knows it's time for a little Slayer strength in the melee as well and rushes out after him.

Together they hack and slice their way through the remaining demons till the leader is the only one left. 

Durmok stares at the Slayer as she approaches. "So, you must be the one she warned me about."

"That would be me. Sorry to ruin your little welcoming party, but this venue's closed. You see, there's the matter of a the terrible stink in the air over Sunnydale, and I'm guessing the source of the horrible smell just happens to be the rot I see before me. What do you think, Spike?"

He looks at her, surprised that she's looking to him for the banter back up. It's been so long. "I'd say it's high time someone took out the bloody trash, luv."

Durmok smirks. "Yes, and he'll be here any minute now... Arise!!" he yells, before Buffy or Spike can take him down. Spike swings the axe and beheads him easily, but not before the damage is done.

The ground rumbles around them and he grabs Buffy's arm. "Time to leave, luv." He pushes her through the entrance towards Giles and the others. "Leave!"

"No!" she shouts, running back towards him.

"Watcher, make her leave!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. And you can't very well make us all leave now, can you?"

Spike searches all of their faces and he gets the same resolute smile. They're not going anywhere. He rushes back into the cavern just in time to see the Gromolak break through the surface, swinging its massive arms in disgust over the lack of appointed sacrifice.

Spike screams out his rage as he confronts the beast, swinging his axe, hitting the Gromolak with all the force he can muster, but it doesn't go down. He thrashes and swings and stabs over and over again, moving at just the right time to avoid the blades on its arms and legs. The deep red blood of the beast begins to cover him as it sprays out of the various wounds Spike inflicts.

Buffy starts to panic when she sees all the blood, dreading that some of it is Spike's and she wants desperately to jump in and help him, but as she makes her way back through the entrance, Clem grabs her arm.

"Buffy, he's got it."

"No, I have to help him. He needs me."

"Yes, he does. But I think right now he needs this more. Just let him have this Buffy. He needs to get a few things out of his system."

Buffy reluctantly stands with Clem just inside the cavern and they watch Spike fight the Gromolak, and are quickly joined by the others who slowly lower their crossbows and weapons as they watch.

The Gromolak begins to falter, stumbling slightly with each blow it receives from the Master Vampire, uttering deep growls of pain in amongst its cries of war.

Spike continues his assault, hurling curses and names at the beast, taking out all his pent up rage on this convenient target.

"Bastard!!" WHACK!

"Disgusting!!" SLICE!!

"Useless!!" STAB!!

"Thing!!" CRUNCH!!

Buffy stares in shock, and in the midst of all the screaming and smashing, hears sobs. She looks over to see Dawn crying as she watches, and it's very obvious she's crying for Spike.

Soon the Gromolak drops to the ground, and Spike climbs on top of it and begins smashing its head into the ground till finally it stops moving altogether. He gets up and grabs the sword from the ground and with one brutal swing, beheads the beast. He reaches down and pulls the head of the Gromolak away, and lifting it up, utters one simple word, "Monster." He then throws the head as far away from the body as he can.

Spike stands very still then, panting. Soon awareness creeps back into his head that he is not alone in there and he slowly turns to see the shocked expressions of all of the Scoobies. The expression that worries him most is Buffy's. In her eyes he sees pure fear. 

Nobody says a word. They don't have to. Spike looks down at his clothes and can plainly see that he's totally covered in blood. He figures it must be all over his face and hair too. Indeed, he must look like the monster here. He drops the sword to the floor and the clatter makes Buffy jump.

He can't stand to be stared at any longer. They must all think him atrocious after what he's done. And Buffy, just when he thought she might actually be starting to like him, he goes and shows her something that she would never be able to forget, and his heart breaks.

Spike backs away slowly, looking around him for the nearest tunnel out of there, and spotting one finally to his left, he turns and runs.

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