~Title: Snowflakes of Prophecy

~Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own the characters of BTVS. They belong to Joss Whedon and the other creators...lucky bastards. I like to play with the characters on occasion and make them do wacky things.

~Summary: It's Buffy's senior year in high school. There was no Angel, Spike, or Drusilla previously, but Buffy was expelled from school. She comes back from LA to find a new vampire has brought change to Sunnydale and a prophecy that tells of her involvement in the destruction of the world.

~A/N: Great big thanks to those who reviewed, and of course to you Eva!! Sorry this chappy took awhile. Blame it on my finals. Now that school is out I'll be able to write more, so chapters should be up sooner. Also, a few notes I need to make: first, quotations have been used from the show, second, the name Loki came from Dogma. For those who haven't seen this movie (go see it!) Loki is the Angel of Death. In *my* story, he's just a regular vamp the Master talks to. I like the name so I decided to use it. Lastly, I know pneumonia isn't such a big deal anymore. There are antibiotics that clear it up in about a week, but I couldn't think of another disease Buffy could get from the cold, so pneumonia it is! Just bare with it! And yes, I do LOVE reviews, so send me one!!

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

~Chapter Six: Pneumonia~

        "Whoa! Let's take a few giant steps back for just a second," Xander said, placing a hand to his head. "What do you mean the knives were only used to kill Slayers?"

        "Precisely what it sounds like, I'm afraid," Giles replied, handing him the book and pointing to a passage.

        Xander read the page. "So, this Master guy wanted to kill Buffy with this knife?"

        Giles pondered this for a second then shook his head. "I don't believe so. The Master is said to possess exceptional power. If he had wanted to kill Buffy, I'm certain he would have. No, I believe this was a sign of some sort. Perhaps a warning."

        "What about Spike?" Willow asked. "Is he the vampire in the prophecy?"

        "That is what I am inclined to believe, yes," Giles answered. "From what we have discovered, I believe Spike was sent here by the Master, either to kill Buffy or to simply incapacitate her for the time being."

        "How?" Willow inquired, taking the book from Xander.

        "The prophecy states that Buffy will fall in love with him, and because of her love for him, her Slayer duties will become unimportant. Spike could use this advantage to either kill her right off or wait until the Master himself advances."

        "Well, we've got nothing to worry about then!" Xander exclaimed with a sigh of relief. "Buffy's not in love with this Spike guy! Looks like the big bad Master's plan just went kablooey."

        Giles' face flushed crimson. He lowered his eyes to the floor and tried to grab the book from Willow to hide his embarrassment, but she pulled it away.

        "Ooh, looks like Library Man's got a secret," Xander taunted.

        "What's going on, Giles?" Willow asked in concern. "There's something you haven't told us. Something about Buffy and Spike."

        The Watcher straightened and tried his best to look refined. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about. I'm certainly not hiding anything from either of you."

        Xander grinned and pointed to his flushed cheeks. "Why's your face all red, G-man?"

        Giles didn't reply.

        Willow folded her arms across her chest. "How do you expect us to help when we don't know the whole story? You can't just leave out pieces of the puzzle like that."

        "It isn't my place to say," Giles insisted.

        "Listen, Watcher Guy," Willow began angrily, "I don't know what you're hiding, but I refuse to do any more research until you tell us what's going on."

        "Hold out a little longer, Giles," Xander whispered.

        Willow glared at both of them. "Look, there isn't a thing that Xander and I don't know about Buffy. Whatever you have to say has either already been said or would be said very shortly. The longer you hold out, the less time we have to stop the apocalypse."

        Unable to argue, Giles gave up. He wasn't comfortable explaining Buffy's current situation with Spike, but Willow was right. Eventually Buffy would have told them, so he was really doing her a favor. She no longer had to relate the embarrassing tale to her friends herself. The only problem was, *he* did.

        When he was finished, he spun on his heel and headed back into the stacks. It was bad enough that he had to *tell* them, but he did not intend to stand there and watch them *react*.

        Deafening silence smothered the library. Both Willow and Xander had been stunned speechless. Their brains were churning rapidly, processing the information into bite-size pieces so it made sense.

        Suddenly a light bulb came on in Willow's head. "Buffy boinked the undead?" she blurted.

        Xander shook his head. "See, now I wouldn't have used the word 'boinked' myself..."

        She ignored him and stomped toward the ladder. "Giles, when were you planning on tell us?"

        "I wasn't," came the muffled reply. "It wasn't mine to tell." He reappeared at the top of the stairs carrying an armload of books. "Unfortunately, Buffy wasn't present to recount the tale, so somebody had to pick up the slack." He tossed each of them a book. "As you pointed out, Willow, we don't have much time to stop this prophecy from occurring. I suggest we get busy."

        "Wait, you were gonna keep this from us?" Xander asked.

        Suppressing an eye-roll, Giles answered, "What happened between Buffy and Spike was their business. She trusted me enough to tell me, but it wasn't for me to reveal to anyone else. Now, can we please concentrate on the task at hand? There is an impending apocalypse that I would like averted before graduation."

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

        Buffy backed away from him, her eyes wide. A nervous giggle escaped her throat as she said, "I think that was my trick ear. What did you say?"

        Spike hesitated, seeing the fear and apprehension in her face. His profession of love had astonished even himself, but the words had already been said. It was too late to take them back now, and he didn't think he would even if he was given the chance.

        "I love you," he repeated.

        Closing her eyes against the wave of emotion that statement caused, Buffy stiffened. Why did he have to make this so difficult? She was so sure of everything before, and now there were doubts fluttering inside her mind. Before, everything had been simple--the prophecy was the reason she had fallen in love with him. She had no choice in the matter. But there was nothing written that prophecized him reciprocating her feelings.

        "Buffy?" he inquired softly.

        Her eyes flew open. Something was going on, she could feel it. Her spider-sense was going into overdrive, and that never meant something good was about to happen.

        "I have to go," she told him hurriedly. She whipped around and headed for the door of his crypt.

        Spike jumped in front of her and grasped the handle, pressing his back flat against the door. "We need to talk, pet."

        "There's nothing to say," she told him harshly.

        Ignoring her tone, the vampire arched a scarred eyebrow at her. "So then you believe me?"

        "Of course I don't believe you!" Buffy snapped. "Did you honestly think I was just going to fall into your arms after you told me? God, you must have the biggest ego of anyone I have ever met!"

        He grinned at her outraged cry and couldn't help egging her on. "Actually, I think you underestimate the size of my ego."

        She glowered at him. "Don't change the subject, Spike. You must have known I wouldn't believe you...unless you're as impotent as you look."

        "Oi! Take that back!"

        Buffy smiled sweetly. "What's the matter, Spikey? Afraid I'll let your little secret out?"

        "Slayer," he growled in warning, piercing her with dark blue eyes.

        She waved a dismissive hand. "Oh please, like I'd want *anyone* to know about that."

        His demeanor unexpectedly changed as he sauntered towards her. "Maybe you need a little reminder then," he drawled.

        "Spike, don't," she warned uneasily, holding up a shaky hand to ward him off. Her skin flushed with heat as his chest pressed against her outstretched hand.

        "Memory looks to be intact," Spike whispered smoothly. "Let's see 'bout your reflexes."

        Before she could form the words to protest, her body was pulled against his. She stiffened slightly, startled by his sudden movements. As his lips began a slow exploration at the base of her throat, she melted into his arms with an eloquent moan.

        Spike lifted his head and captured her mouth, his tongue plunging into hers without a moment's hesitation. When he finally pulled back, a sly smile spread across his face. "That was pretty weak, luv."

        A mock-sinister grin curved her lips in return. "I can do better." And with that said, she launched herself into his arms and tackled him to the ground.

        An hour later, Buffy rolled over with a sleepy yawn. Her face pressed into something cold and hard, and her eyes slid open. She gasped as she recognized the still form of the vampire beside her. Bolting upright, she grabbed the rug that covered her naked body, clutching it to her chest as a blush crept up her cheeks.

        Spike, who had been watching her sleep for the past hour, propped himself up on his elbows to better look at her. An amused smile quirked the corners of his mouth upward as he noticed the blush of her skin. Her modesty always kicked in at the worst possible times, yet it was somehow amusing to him to see her flushed with embarrassment.

        "I really have to go," Buffy said, studiously avoiding his eyes.

        "Yeah, you said that already," Spike commented lazily, reaching out and grazing her arm with a fingertip.

        She jerked away. "I know, but I *really* have to go now."

        Spike frowned and watched her gather her clothes. "What 'bout that little talk we're supposed to have?"

        She spared him a quick glance as she pulled her shirt over her head. "I already told you, there's nothing to say. It's all pretty clear to me: vampire, evil, Slayer, good." She pointed back and forth between them, indicating which was which as she spoke. Then, clasping her hands in her lap she concluded, "This isn't rocket science."

        He snorted. "'S all black and white then, yeah? Everything's so simple and easy to understand?" He considered this for a second before asking, "Okay, so if this is so crystal clear, why are you still here? Why did you sleep with me again?"

        Buffy's brow furrowed. "It's the prophecy, Spike. The only reason I'm acting like this is because of all that predestined mumbo-jumbo."

        "How do you explain me?" Spike asked quietly. His cerulean eyes found hers and held them, pleading with her to believe him.

        "I don't," Buffy said, trying to sound firm and failing. She tried to look away from him but found his gaze too penetrating to ignore.

        "Because there's nothing in the sodding prophecy 'bout a vampire falling in love with the Slayer, is there?"

        It was a rhetorical question, but Buffy shook her head anyway. She knew that of course, but there was no other way she could explain what was happening. It had to be the prophecy. She was the Slayer, and it was her job to kill vampires, not to fall in love with them. If it wasn't the prophecy, then something had to be wrong with *her*.

        "So what's all this then, pet?" he asked, studying her face carefully. "Can't be the prophecy, and you know it. Then what could explain all this?"

        "I don't know," Buffy sobbed as her throat caught unexpectedly. She pushed herself quickly to her feet and shook her head. "I don't...I-I have to go." Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks as she made her way to the door. Without looking back at him, she flung the door open and hurried off, oblivious to the driving snow and the bitter cold.

        He didn't follow her this time. He watched her stumble out into the cemetery and trudge through the snow, but he didn't move to catch her. A cold gust of wind blew in, but he didn't feel it. He didn't shiver as the snowflakes swirled inside, settling in puffy white clouds on his doorstep. He just sat there, waiting and thinking.

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

        "Ah, Loki. How nice of you to drop by," the Master said pleasantly, sipping daintily from a goblet of blood.

        The younger vampire before him smiled nervously. "Master, we have some bad news. It seems that..." he swallowed and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, "it seems that Spike has fallen in love with the Slayer."

        The Master frowned and his grip tightened around the goblet. "My Spike? In love with the Slayer? Impossible! Spike is the most blood- thirsty vampire I've ever seen!"

        "We're certain his feelings for the girl are genuine, Sire," Loki continued cautiously.

        The goblet shattered, sending shards of glass skittering across the floor. The Master opened his hand and brushed the remains of the crystal glass from his palm. "Well," he said slowly, "we can't allow that to happen, now can we? Something must be done about this."

        "Sire?" the younger vampire inquired curiously.

        "Not to worry, Loki. I may not have anticipated Spike's betrayal, but fortunately, there's still time to correct this little mistake." He canted his head thoughtfully. "I think I'll pay the girl a visit."

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

        The snow was merciless. It continued to fall from the dark, star- less sky, forming deep drifts and icy patches along the road. It stung Buffy's face as it whipped past her, and she shivered and rubbed her hands over her arms. She had forgotten her coat at Spike's, and her pride prevented her from turning around to get it.

        Numbness had set in a while ago, and she silently thanked it for making the pain disappear. Her lips and hands had turned blue, and she was pretty sure her toes were of the same color. Yet she continued on despite her frozen limbs. It was only another block or so before she reached Giles' house.

        As her boots crunched through the snow, Buffy thought about what Spike had said. She knew somehow he was right. The prophecy wasn't responsible for everything. It may be responsible for how she was acting towards him, but it didn't have anything to do with how Spike felt about her. And that made her wonder. She had never thought a vampire, lacking a human soul, could be capable of any real emotions. She still wasn't sure she believed that Spike was the exception to the rule. But part of her *did* believe him, prophecy or not.

        Her musings were interrupted as she approached the walkway to Giles' home. She knocked on his door and waited for a light to turn on. The house remained dark, and Buffy fumbled inside her pocket for a key. It took her a few tries to get the door unlocked because her fingers were still numb, but soon she was inside. She slipped off her boots and set them on the mat beside the door, then walked stiffly to the fireplace and lit a blazing fire.

        Still cold and wet, Buffy decided to head upstairs and borrow a pair of clothes. She knew Giles wouldn't mind. She grabbed a long-sleeved flannel shirt and matching pants (obviously her Watcher's pajamas) and stripped out of her wet clothing. Although the pajamas were a couple sizes too big, they were warm, and that was all Buffy cared about. She carried her wet clothes downstairs and draped them on the hearth in front of the fireplace to dry. Yawning, she curled up on the couch and watched the flames flicker. Sleep soon overwhelmed her, and she gladly succumbed to its enveloping darkness.

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

        "I'm positive I have more volumes at home," Giles said, taking off his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes. "Perhaps it's time we all got some rest."

        "But, there's still more to research," Willow insisted urgently. "We don't know anything yet."

        "Which is precisely why we're going home. My volumes at home should have more information." He glanced at Xander who was asleep on an open book. "As for the two of you, you need some rest. It's been a dreadfully long night. Go home and sleep. I'll call you if I find anything."

        Willow nodded and yawned. She hadn't realized how tired she was until now. Researching usually kept her mind on the move, but even her little battery was running low on energy. She nudged Xander with her elbow. "Come on, Xand. Time for beddy-bye."

        "It's Saturday, Mom, I swear," Xander mumbled.

        "Xander," Willow repeated, shoving him a little harder this time. "Let's go home."

        Xander awoke with a snort and gazed around in confusion. Suddenly his eyes grew round. "Oh, no, it's that stupid nightmare again. I really hope I'm not naked this time." He glanced down quickly and breathed a sigh of relief.

        Giles shook his head. "Yes, I think I'm sending you home just in time."

        The three of them piled into Giles' tiny car and headed away from the school. As they passed Giles' house, Xander glimpsed a light on and asked, "Do you always leave lights on when you're not home? My dad does that because he thinks nobody will break in if they see a light on. I told him this is Sunnydale and people would break in anyway, but he still leaves one on."

        Frowning, Giles replied, "I didn't leave any lights on."

        "Could someone be in your house?" Willow asked, fidgeting with the zipper of her coat.

        "Buffy has a key, but I don't know why she would be there this late. She generally goes home after patrolling, unless something's wrong..." he trailed off as the realization hit him and pulled into the nearest driveway to turn around.

        They found Buffy spread across the couch, writhing in her sleep and shivering. Her breathing was very shallow and was occasionally accompanied by a fit of coughing. When the coughing subsided, she lay gasping for breath, a faint phlegm-sounding rattle in the back of her throat.

        Willow crouched by her side. "What's wrong with her Giles?"

        "I'm not sure. I'm going to call a doctor."

        "Should we wake her up?" Xander asked as he watched his friend struggle to breathe.

        "No, just leave her. Hello, Dr. Grayson? Yes, I'm afraid I need a house call. A friend of mine has taken ill." He paused and looked at the young girl on his couch. "Um, shallow breathing, fits of coughing, chills. Yes. Thank you."

        "Is he coming?" Willow asked frantically, grasping Buffy's hand tightly in hers.

        "Yes, he's on his way," Giles said distractedly and turned to watch the street.

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

        Spike was through waiting. He had wanted to give her time to adjust to everything, but time was not an option. The longer he waited, the more apprehensive he became. He knew sooner or later the Master would do something. He needed to be there to protect Buffy.

        He shrugged into his clothes and hurried to the open door, pausing as he noticed her coat lying on the floor. She'd gone off into the blinding snowstorm without a coat? Stupid bint with her damn pride. Now he *really* had to hurry. She could be anywhere, lying frozen in some snow bank or stranded on the side of the road. Panic gripped him. He grabbed her coat and his duster and dashed off.

        About a block from her house, his sensitive vampiric ears caught the sound of a fast approaching car. "Buffy," he whispered and clutched her coat closer against his chest. Something had happened to her, he could feel it. He turned away from her house and doubled his pace as he followed the car.

        The car pulled into Giles' house, and a tall man got out. Spike watched him enter the house and moved quietly in front of a large window. He peered in and saw her lying on the couch, shivering from the chills. He could hear her shallow, raspy breathing and accelerated heartbeat even through the glass and over the storm. The knots in his stomach tightened.

        The doctor stood over her, wiping her forehead with a cool washcloth. He checked her breathing, his brow knitting in concern at the phlegm- rattling sound. He asked her a few questions and told her to lie down and rest. After she had fallen asleep, he motioned the others to the side.

        "I'm afraid Ms. Summers has pneumonia," he told them. "She was exposed to the cold for too long. Her lungs are wet, and that's why there's that slight rattling to her breathing."

        "She's gonna be okay though, right?" Willow pleaded.

        The doctor shrugged. "It's hard to say. Some people recover just fine from pneumonia. Others...well, others don't live through it."

        "What can we do for her?" Giles asked, his face pale.

        "I'm going to prescribe some antibiotics. Make sure she takes them every day, gets plenty of rest and fluids. Other than that, there isn't much you can do."

        Spike watched her sleep, an uneasy feeling deep in the pit of his stomach. He gripped her coat tighter as he mumbled to himself, "You're gonna be fine, luv. You're gonna be fine." His spine went rigid at the sound of footsteps behind him.

        "Don't make promises you can't keep, Spike," the Master sneered.

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

TBC.....

~Title: Snowflakes of Prophecy

~Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own the characters of BTVS. They belong to Joss Whedon and the other creators...lucky bastards. I like to play with the characters on occasion and make them do wacky things.

~Summary: It's Buffy's senior year in high school. There was no Angel, Spike, or Drusilla previously, but Buffy was expelled from school. She comes back from LA to find a new vampire has brought change to Sunnydale and a prophecy that tells of her involvement in the destruction of the world.

~A/N: This is the last chapter of this story. I had lots of fun writing it, but not many people seemed to respond to it, so I think it's time I moved on and started something new. I greatly appreciate those who reviewed!! I love you all! You made my day!! Eva, thanks so very, very much for beta'ing this story!! I couldn't have done it without you!! Please, please let me know what you think of this story, and if you like it, watch out for some of my other stories!! Thanks again!!

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~Chapter Seven: Closure~

        Spike whipped around, dropping Buffy's coat in the snow in the process. His eyes narrowed as he looked into the face of the vampire. "What are you doing here?" he asked slowly.

        "Is that any way to greet your sire?" the Master asked. He clucked his tongue and shook his head. "Shame on you, Spike. You've forgotten your manners."

        "Answer the bloody question," Spike replied, balling his hands into fists.

        Ignoring him, the Master peered in the window. "Now that is unfortunate. I came all the way up here to kill the little girl, and she's fast asleep. Cold got to her, no doubt."

        "Kill her?" Spike echoed. "What 'bout the prophecy? Thought that was supposed to take care of the Slayer."

        "In a way, yes, but the prophecy wasn't meant to be the *direct* cause of her demise. That job was appointed to you."

        If possible, Spike's face became even paler. Splinters of pain shot through his unbeating heart at the thought that he was supposed to be the one to kill his lover.

        "You see," the Master continued, barely registering his childe's agony, "I had been studying the books of ancient prophecies for years, trying to find a way to rid myself of the Slayer. My hard work was finally rewarded. I was to send my greatest warrior to the Hellmouth, and *he* would take care of the girl for me. At first, everything was going smoothly. You had met her, and because of the prophecy, she had no idea what you were. You watched her, seduced her, and made her fall helplessly in love with you, all according to plan. She stopped checking in with her Watcher and almost ceased patrolling completely. It seemed that everything was falling into place. I was sure that soon the prophecy would be fulfilled...but then the twist came."

        He sighed and rested his gaze on the younger vampire. "All you had to do was wait a little longer. Soon she would have become so enamored with you; she would never leave your side. Weakened by her love, she wouldn't put up much of a struggle, and you, my greatest of warriors, would have no trouble disposing of her. Unfortunately, part of your human conscience remains intact, and you fell in love with her instead."

        "So you came to Sunnyhell to finish the job," Spike said matter-of- factly.

        "It would have been easier if you had just accepted your destiny," the Master replied in annoyance. He pulled out a familiar knife from his waistband and laid it flat on his palm. "Do you know what this symbolizes? It is the mark of the greatest of all vampires. Only those few who are skilled enough to kill the Chosen Ones are honored to receive such a gift. You had one once. It was buried up to the hilt in the Slayer's shoulder. I had hoped that after seeing the dagger, you would remember your duty, remember *why* you possessed such a magnificent weapon. Sadly, finding the knife only seemed to bring you closer to the Slayer."

        Spike smirked. "Well, we can blame this all on you then."

        The Master spared his childe a quick scowl before putting the dagger away. "It does not matter whose fault this is. The prophecy will be fulfilled, one way or another. The Slayer *will* die. It is up to you which one of us kills her."

        For a moment, Spike seemed to be contemplating this. Without warning, his right fist flew out and connected with his sire's jaw. It was followed by another blow to the elder vampire's stomach. As the Master doubled over in pain, Spike shouted triumphantly, "Nobody touches my Slayer!"

        Recovering quickly, the Master lunged for his childe and caught him around the middle. The two vampires landed in the grass heavily, and, using his slightly larger build, the Master succeeded in pinning Spike to the ground.

        "It is inevitable, my childe," he whispered. "You cannot protect her from yourself. Accept your fate."

        Spike bucked and jerked beneath him, and he finally managed to reverse their positions. He sat on his sire's chest, peering down at him with glittering yellow eyes. "I have accepted my fate. I'm doomed to live out an eternity with the woman I love, and no prophecy is going to change that." Then he slammed his fist into the Master's face and relaxed as he felt the vampire go slack beneath him.

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

        Buffy sat up in bed, awakened by a strange noise. Moonlight flooded the room, washing over her and making her skin glow. She slid off the bed and moved soundlessly to the window. Outside she could hear the chirping of the crickets and the soft call of an owl. She pushed the window open and rested her palms on the sill. A cool breeze blew in, tousling her hair. Her eyes scanned the darkness, searching for the source of the noise that had woken her. She smiled as she felt him enter the room.

        "I thought I heard you out there," she told him quietly. "You woke me up."

        He came up behind her and placed a hand to the small of her back. "Wasn't me, luv."

        She frowned. "Then who?"

        He sighed. "Can't tell you. He wants you to figure this one out alone." He kissed the top of her head. "I'll be here when you get back."

        The air outside suddenly turned cold. Buffy shivered and pressed her back against him. "I don't want to go alone," she whispered, her breath coming out in puffy wisps. "Can't I take one of them with me?"

        "Wish you could, pet, but he won't allow it." He slid his arms around her waist and hugged her to him. "Not afraid of the dark, are you?"

        She gazed outside and watched the moon sink beneath the horizon. Pitch black surrounded them, but she could see perfectly. "Not the dark," she said.

        "Is it him?"

        "Didn't he come for me?"

        He bent his head close to her ear. "And for me. I'm the reason he's here."

        "What does he want with you?" Buffy asked, confusion knitting her brow.

        "I've disobeyed him," he chuckled. "He's come to teach me a lesson."

        "Aren't you afraid?"

        He shrugged. "Not really. 'S you he wants to hurt." He felt her stiffen and smoothed a hand down her hair. "Don't worry, baby. He can't find you when you're with me."

        She turned in his arms. "Don't you have to leave?"

        He nodded solemnly. "Just came by to say good night."

        Panic seized her. "Will I see you again?"

        "Depends. Ask the right questions, and he'll let you come back to me."

        "What if I ask the wrong ones?"

        He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry so much, luv. He can smell fear, you know. Can't be afraid when you go see him or he'll bite you."

        "I am afraid," she told him.

        "Got a stake, pet?"

        She nodded. "I always carry one with me."

        "'S a good habit. Pity you can't use one on him."

        "Why not?"

        "Not part of your job. He's my sire, after all." He smiled down at her, his dark blue eyes twinkling.

        She smiled in return. "Will you wait for me?"

        "Always, luv."

        "Will I be back before morning?" she asked as she slipped her arms around his neck.

        He shook his head. "'S gonna be a long night, baby."

        Buffy rested her head against his chest. "Could you stay with me a little longer?"

        "I've already stayed too long."

        "But it's not time for me to go yet, is it?"

        "Way past, luv," he replied and held her at arm's length. "Don't want to make him angry, do you?"

        She shook her head and stared at the floor. "I don't want him to hurt me."

        He smiled. "Better be on your best behavior then." He tilted her chin and kissed her, his lips brushing gently across hers. When he pulled away, there were tears in his eyes. "Don't forget the apple, pet. He likes apples."

        Buffy nodded and pulled a shiny red apple from the folds of her dress. She turned it over in her hand, watching in horror as a worm poked its head out. Her head snapped up as she yelled, "Wait! There's a..." but he was gone. A tear rolled down her cheek. "He won't accept this." She pinched the worm between her thumb and forefinger and pulled it free. Satisfied that the apple would be acceptable, she left the room.

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

        "Giles, something's wrong!" Willow called. Her fingers gripped Buffy's hand tighter as the Slayer thrashed back and forth in her sleep.

        The Watcher dashed into the room, followed by a very pale Xander. "What is it?" he asked, his eyes on the redhead.

        "I-I think she's dreaming," Willow said. "She's making all kinds of moan-y sounds and tossing and turning. A little while ago she stopped breathing, and then she started gasping for air like she had been underwater for too long."

        "We should wake her up, right?" Xander asked, nervously biting his nails. "We'll wake her up and she'll be okay."

        "I'm not sure that's a good idea," Giles replied as he studied Buffy. "Her dream is very intense and very real. If we were to wake her up, it could possibly actually hurt her."

        "Like waking up a sleep-walker?" Willow asked.

        "Precisely," Giles said, concern wrinkling his brow.

        "So what do we do?" Xander asked.

        Giles sighed heavily and took a seat next to Willow. "The only thing we can do--sit and wait."

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

        Buffy walked slowly down a long, dark corridor. Mist swirled up around her, obstructing her view and making her sneeze. She waved a hand in front of her face, trying to clear her vision. She jumped in surprise as the mist disintegrated, and his form appeared.

        "I've been expecting you," he said.

        "Spike told me you would be," she replied.

        "What else did he tell you?"

        Buffy shrugged. "Nothing important. Am I late?"

        He shook his head. "Not for this."

        She held out the apple to him. "Spike told me you like them."

        He smiled. "He remembers a lot about me." He took the apple and bit into it, closing his eyes as the juice dribbled down his chin.

        "What do you want with me?" Buffy asked, deciding to skip the pleasantries and get right to the heart of this visit.

        "I want to kill you," he answered simply.

        "You don't have a weapon," she stated calmly.

        He laughed. "Your ears are fuzzy." He took another bite of the apple and explained. "I said I *want* to kill you, not that I'm *going* to."

        "Why am I here then?"

        "Because we want you to know." He smiled, the points of his teeth dripping with apple juice. "Spike has a purpose, and you need to know what it is."

        "Are you here to tell me?" she asked as she watched him finish the apple.

        "If that's what you'd like," he said, turning the apple core so he could examine it.

        Buffy nodded. "I want to know why Spike's here."

        He glanced at her, regarding her with skepticism. "You won't understand until you wake up," he warned.

        She hesitated. "Is it important?"

        "It's why I came here."

        "Then I want to know." She shifted uncomfortably and rested her hand on her stake.

        He nodded once and opened his mouth to swallow the apple core. "Did Spike tell you that you can't use a stake on me?" he asked, eyeing her cautiously.

        "Yes. It makes me feel safe," she told him.

        "Very well," he said and swallowed the core. "Listen carefully and I will explain why Spike is with you."

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

        Spike paced in front of the window, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. She was dreaming, he knew, but whatever she was dreaming about was causing her a great deal of stress. Her heartbeat fluctuated from extremely rapid to deadly still, and he could smell the fear seeping through her pores. He wanted to comfort her, to sit beside her on the couch and stroke her hair, to murmur soothing words in her ear until she relaxed against him. Instead, he paced back and forth in the cold, worried that she would never wake up from the dream.

        He bent down near the sill and picked up her coat, brushing the snow off of it. As he stood up, he glimpsed the blur of a moving object. Before he could react, his body was thrown against the window, shattering the double-paned glass. He landed with a thud and coughed violently as something heavy landed on his stomach.

        The occupants of the house screamed as the two vampires smashed through the window. Giles reached for the nearest weapon, which happened to be a lamp, and Xander followed his lead, grabbing the remote control off the couch. The two cautiously got to their feet and edged closer to the broken window. Shards of glass and splinters of wood covered the floor. Both vampires lay motionless in the middle of the debris, fresh blood leaking from their wounds.

        "Are they alive?" Xander asked, gripping the remote firmly.

        "They don't appear to be breathing," Giles answered. He set the lamp back on the table and carefully approached the immobile intruders.

        Xander dropped the remote and hurried to the weapons case. He pulled out two stakes and handed one to Giles. "Just in case," he said with a worried smile.

        Spike groaned loudly and shoved his sire off him. His body ached, and he could smell his own blood. His lips twitched, hungry for the thick red liquid.

        "Vampires!" Xander shrieked as he saw Spike's game-face. He jumped forward, the stake held high, and prepared to plunge the wooden object deep into the demon's chest. A strangled cry stopped him mid-slayage.

        "Don't hurt him!" Buffy screamed, bolting upright on the couch.

        All eyes turned to her in surprise. Xander backed away, dropping the stake to the floor.

        "Buffy, are you okay?" Willow asked, her emerald eyes large with concern.

        Buffy didn't reply. She moved off the couch and approached the bleached vampire, tears threatening to spill over her flushed cheeks. She crouched down beside him and laid a hand on his chest.

        "Since when does the Slayer get all teary-eyed over a vampire?" Xander whispered to Giles.

        The Watcher shook his head. "I have no idea."

        "Spike?" Buffy said softly. "Spike, open your eyes."

        There was a deafening roar in his ears, but even over the din he could hear her. Her voice broke through the noise, soothing his aches and pains. He shifted out of his game-face and turned toward the sound of her voice. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open.

        "Slayer," he whispered, a grin breaking out on his face. He winced as the movement caused his lips to split further.

        She turned away from him and faced her friends. "We need to move him to the couch," she told them. "He's cut up pretty bad."

        "Um, Buffy?"

        Buffy spun about. "Yeah, Will?"

        "What do we do about him?" Willow asked, pointing to the other hurt vampire.

        "Leave him to me," Spike said as Xander and Giles helped him to his feet..

        "Spike, you're hurt. I really don't think you have the strength to kill him," Buffy argued, placing her hands on her hips.

        "You've got pneumonia," he countered. "'Sides, this isn't part of your job. He's my bloody sire, and I'll stake him if I want."

        A slow smile crept over Buffy's lips. "I understand now," she said in a faraway voice.

        "Understand what, Buff?" Willow asked confusedly.

        She shook her head, breaking the trance. "Huh? Oh...never mind. It's a long story."

        "Well, what's the verdict here, Buffster?" Xander asked, straining under Spike's weight. "Does the Bleached Wonder get to stake the other vamp or do we?"

        "He has to," Buffy said, handing Spike her stake. "There has to be closure somehow."

        "Marvelous," Giles said, shifting Spike's weight on his shoulder. "You can't by any chance walk, can you?"

        "Actually," Spike said, flashing Buffy a charming smile, "I'm feeling right as rain, whatever the hell that means." Carefully he hobbled toward his unconscious sire, the stake gripped loosely in his left hand. He stared down at the Master for a few seconds, hoping that now the prophecy would be over. Then he plunged the stake down and watched as his sire exploded into dust.

        Buffy came up beside him and grabbed his hand, twining her fingers in his. "I understand why you came here," she whispered.

        Spike's shoulders slumped. "I didn't know what I was sent here to do till it was too late. I would never have hurt you. I love you, Buffy."

        She giggled. "You don't get it, do you?" She turned him to face her and smoothed a hand over his cheek. "You were sent here to save me."

        "But my destiny was to kill you. It was written in the prophecy," he protested.

        "As soon as you fell in love with me, the prophecy was broken." She stared deeply into his eyes. "Your destiny can't be written. It follows the path of your heart."

        He allowed her words to sink in, his brow furrowing in concentration. "He wanted to kill you," he said finally, indicating the pile of dust that was his former sire.

        Buffy smiled slowly. "He had a change of heart after you knocked him out. He understood that you loved me, and he knew he was beaten. He made a cameo in my dream and explained why you had come here. He wanted closure, too."

        Spike nodded slowly. He didn't quite understand everything yet, but it didn't really matter. He had saved Buffy, and she would be with him forever. He'd gotten all the closure he needed just knowing that. He dipped his head and kissed her. "So, this our fairy tale ending, luv?"

        "May we live happily ever after," she replied and beamed up at him.

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

~The End~

        I tried to tie everything together so it all makes sense, but sometimes you might have to read between the lines. Anyway, hope you all liked this one!! Send me a review so I can celebrate the completion of another piece of fanfiction!! Hugs and puppies :)
        ~Anne