Back Track8

Title: Back Track

Author: Nebula

Chapter: 31 of ?

Pairings: B/S, X/A, W/T, D/J

Rating: PG-13, sometimes R

Time Period: Post 'Get it Done' to ...?

Summary: In the midst of war, Buffy finds she's not the only one
that wishes the last year would just make itself all better. It
can't be done, unfortunately. Or can it?

Disclaimer: Who wants to guess what I'm about to say? ~_^ Joss
said I could write, so I'm gonna write, dammit! LOL Of course,
none of the characters are mine. They all belong to Joss.

< --- >

Xander looked up from his chair, his grin broadening as Spike led
Buffy into the bright hall. "Look who's up," he said, standing and
heading over to his friends. He engulfed Buffy in a huge hug,
whispering, "Thank you for keeping us safe. It wasn't worth you
getting hurt, but..."
Buffy pulled away and placed a kiss to his forehead. "Yeah, it
was. Don't worry about it. Speaking of which, where is your happy
bride?"
Xander turned, nodding towards Anya at the table. "Safe, and
again, that's thanks to you two."
"You two gonna dance sometime soon? 'Cause Tara and I wanna
boogie," Willow giggled, approaching the others. A few hugs were
exchanged with the witch, before Xander admitted defeat, heading to
pull his bride to the dance floor.
"So, do I get a dance with the prettiest girl here?" Spike asked,
pulling Buffy to him.
Buffy turned to him, her eyes twinkling. "Just possibly. Only if
I get a dance with the hottest guy here."
Spike winked at her. "S'pose that could be arranged."
She laughed and turned back towards the dance floor. Her eyes
followed the two newlyweds, who looked lost in their own world.
"They look happy," Willow commented.
Buffy nodded, smiling. "They deserve it. I'm glad we got the
second chance."
"Thank you, Willow," Willow said in a high-pitched voice. She
proceeded to answer herself in her normal tone, saying, "Why, it was
no trouble. I'm just glad to be helpful."
Spike chuckled, giving the witch a hug. "Thank you," he said
sincerely. "We do appreciate it, Red. You're a wonderful woman,
and Tara's a lucky one to have you."
"Sure, sure, try and compliment your way out," Willow muttered,
but she blushed with his praise.
The song ended, and everyone clapped appropriately. "Can we dance
now?" Willow called out, causing laughter from the guests.
Xander rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you guys can dance."
A fast tune began to play, and Dawn squealed with glee. "I love
this song!"
"Gee, wonder if she'll be dancin'?" Spike joked, before realizing
that Willow was gone. Buffy was as well. He frowned, catching
sight of the red-head on the dance floor. Where was his girl?
A whimper had him turning to see Buffy slowly lowering herself
onto a chair. "You all right?" he asked, hurrying over.
Buffy offered him a pained smile, trying to get rid of the worried
look on his face. "Yeah, just...I feel like I got shredded," she
laughed, before wincing. "Ow. Yeah, that hurt."
Spike began to say something, but Buffy shook him off. "Go dance
with Dawn, and don't aggravate that hip," she warned, nodding
towards the dance floor. "Go have fun."
"There's only one person I wanna dance with," Spike said in a
husky voice, causing Buffy to swallow. He leaned forward until her
breath was tickling his face, before he said, "And that would be the
sexy woman in front of me."
Buffy made a small 'eep' at his hungry stare. He looked like he
wanted to take her right there in the hall.
"Ah..." was the only other response she could make.
"What do you say, Buffy?" he whispered. "Dance with me?"
She blinked, coming back to the present. "I just sat down."
"Doesn't have to be now," he said, smiling at her. The hungry
stare had faded away into the loving one she was so used to seeing
these days. "Just at least one dance from you?"
Buffy grinned. "Baby, you're gonna get more then one dance from
me."
This time, it was he that swallowed under her heated gaze. "I
meant on the floor," he managed to get out.
She leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "We could do it
there, if you wanted."
He whimpered, laying his head on her shoulder. "Tease."
"You do a pretty damn good job yourself," she mumbled back,
wrapping her arms around his neck. She'd missed being able to touch
him like this. She pulled away and skimmed her fingertips on the
surface of his face, lightly touching the soft skin she found.
"Like what you see?" he asked quietly, smiling.
"Always have," she responded before she could stop herself. The
two stared at each other at her admission, breaking into smiles at
the same time.
The song ended, and a slow song was requested. "Care to dance?"
Buffy bit her lip, considering her injuries. She wasn't sure her
legs could support her weight for much longer.
Before she realized what was happening, Spike was pulling her to
her feet and leading her to the floor. "Spike, I don't think I..."
"Shhh," he whispered, bringing her body flush against his.
Wrapping an arm firmly around her waist, he continued, "I'll hold
you up. Always will."
Smiling slightly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned
into his embrace as the music started.

'There's something 'bout the way you look tonight,
There's something 'bout the way that...I can't take my eyes off
you.
There's something 'bout the way your lips invite,
Maybe it's the way that...I get nervous when you're around.

And I want you to be mine...
And if you need a reason why...'

Xander slowly swayed with the music, his arms holding Anya close.
Ever so gently, he placed a kiss on the top of her head. He could
feel Anya smile against his neck at the tender show of affection,
and he smiled as well. She was his, and he was never letting her go.

'It's in the way that, you move me, and the way that, you tease me,
The way that I want you tonight;
It's in the way that, you hold me, and the way that, you know me,
When I can't find the right words to say;
You feel it, in the way...'

Buffy glanced over Spike's shoulder, giggling slightly at the
sight of her sister and Jonathan dancing, as if the rest of the
world didn't exist. Dawn's face was a testimony to her name at that
moment; she looked so happy that her beaming smile would've rivaled
the sunrise. With one last glance at her sister, Buffy returned to
her own world with Spike.

'There's something 'bout how you stay on my mind,
There's something 'bout the way that I whisper your name when I'm
asleep, oh girl.
Maybe it's the look you get in your eyes,
Oh baby, it's the way that makes me feel to see you smile

And the reasons they may change...
But what I'm feeling stays the same...'

Willow pulled away from Tara for a moment, before whispering, "I
love you, Tara."
Tara blushed, but smiled nevertheless.
Willow enfolded Tara in her embrace once more. She was so happy,
she could float. She glanced down at the floor and wasn't surprised
to see space between their feet and the tiles. She giggled and
tapped Tara on the back. "Look down," she said.
A few seconds later, Tara was laughing softly. "I love you so
much, Wills."
Willow smiled through her tears and kept dancing with her lover.

'It's in the way that, you move me, and the way that, you tease me,
The way that I want you tonight;
It's in the way that, you hold me, and the way that, you know me,
When I can't find the right words to say;
You feel it, in the way...

I can't put my fingers on just what it is that makes me, love
you...you, baby;
So don't ask me to describe, I get all choked up inside, just
thinking 'bout the way...'

Buffy looked up again at the same time as Xander and Willow.
Their eyes met, and they shared a smile. They'd really done it.
They had their worlds again, and this time, they weren't going to
lose them. Each clutched more desperately at their partners, not
wanting to let go.

'It's in the way that, you move me, and the way that, you tease me,
The way that I want you tonight;
It's in the way that, you hold me, and the way that, you know me,
When I can't find the right words to say;
You feel it, in the way...

There's something 'bout the way you look tonight...
There's nothing more to say then...I feel it, in the way.'

"You all right?" Spike asked quietly, concerned. Buffy had
suddenly clung to him, as if she were afraid he'd disappear.
She pulled away as the song ended, smiling at his worried
frown. "Never better," she breathed, before leaning in to capture
his lips with hers. This was the way things were meant to be.

< --- >

"Stake?"
"In my purse."
"Holy water?"
"In my purse."
"Brains?"
A pause. "Hey!"
Buffy chuckled. "Sorry; couldn't resist."
"So...do I pass inspection?"
Buffy stood back and glanced at her sister. Dawn was fidgeting
nervously with her outfit, waiting for her date to show up.
It had been a week since the wedding, and the newlyweds were
happily enjoying their honeymoon. Jonathan had finally gathered up
the nerve to ask Dawn out, and with Buffy's consenting nod, Dawn had
readily agreed.
Spike came down the stairs then, gaze narrowing at the sight of
the younger Summers. "No way in hell am I lettin' you out like
that," he stated, glaring at Dawn.
Dawn grinned at her sister. "Apparently, I pass."
Buffy giggled, ignoring the glare that was now centered on
her. "You are to be home by ten, ten-thirty if you call and request
so. That should give you four hours together. Got it?"
"Roger that, captain," Dawn said, before biting her lip. "Do I
seriously look okay?"
"You're fine, trust me," Buffy said quickly, before Spike could
say anything. The sudden knocking on the door made Dawn jump.
"Spike, could you get that? And don't eat him," Buffy admonished,
causing Spike to roll his eyes. He did comply, and the other side
of the door revealed a nervous Jonathan.
Dawn peeked around the door, and Jonathan couldn't help but
stare. "You look...beautiful," he finally said, earning a blush
from Dawn.
"I think I'm fine," Dawn whispered to her sister, before following
her date out. Spike continued to glare at the two until Buffy
finally went to shut the door.
"Don't close it," Willow called, coming down the stairs with
Tara. "We're heading out, too."
Spike smirked. "I can see that," he said, leering at the two
witches' outfits. Willow swatted him playfully on the nose, before
turning to Buffy.
"We'll be home around ten, around the same time as Dawn, possibly
earlier. We'll let her in," she added in a more hushed tone. Buffy
smiled knowingly as the two left.
She turned back to Spike, who was standing on the landing, looking
bewildered. "What did she mean?" he asked, having overheard
Willow's last words.
Buffy couldn't hold it in anymore: she began to laugh, adding to
Spike's confusion. "What the bleedin' 'ell is goin' on?" he
demanded.
She stopped and wiped away a few tears of mirth. "I'll show you,"
she said, heading up the stairs. Frowning, he followed her up.
Once she'd reached the top, she broke into a run, dashing into her
bedroom. Spike managed to catch a glimpse of her as she hurried in,
causing him to shake his head. Had she been drinking? He almost
laughed at the thought of his Slayer, who couldn't hold her own when
it came to alcohol. He headed in after her, then halted at the
sight.
Silky red sheets adorned the bed, and the only light in the room
came from the many candles arranged around the bedroom. A few
bottles sat on the bedside table, but the stuffed animals and extra
pillows from the bed had been removed.
He was jerked from his thoughts as he was grabbed and pushed
against the wall. He swallowed as he gazed in Buffy's eyes; they
were almost black with lust and want.
"The house is ours for four hours," she whispered, delighting in
his shiver. "Not a lot of time, but if I recall correctly, you can
be extremely imaginative about these sorts of things."
He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. "And
if you don't want to do this, just tell me to back off, and I will.
I just thought, you know..." Buffy tried to smile, but somehow it
came out as a worried look.
She gasped as he grabbed her hips possessively and pulled her
against him. They both groaned at the feel of his rock-hard groin
against her softness. "I'd have to say you thought right," he said
huskily.
She gazed back up at him, his eyes as dark as hers. Without a
word they made their way to the bed, still holding on to each other.
She reached for his shirt, but he grabbed her hand, stopping her.
She looked up at him, afraid that he'd changed his mind.
He was smiling at her, however, and apparently hadn't. "I want to
show you something," he whispered. "Let me?"
She nodded, beyond words. She could still feel him against her,
and she could feel herself getting damp.
Gently he pushed her towards the bed and took off his shirt. Once
he'd thrown it into a corner, he reached down and began to undo the
buttons on her blouse. Her shirt soon joined his on the floor.
He reached underneath her and undid her bra clasp, pulling it away
to reveal her breasts. He wasted no time in pulling one of her
nipples into his mouth, teasing it into hardness. She moaned as he
moved from one nipple to the other, giving it the same attention as
the first one.
Once done, he moved up and caught her lips with his. He parted
her lips, his tongue dancing with hers. As they continued to kiss,
his hand snaked down between them and undid her pants. He slipped
his other hand down and slid her jeans down off her legs, her
underwear soon following.
He pulled away then, staring at her. She was so beautiful; there
weren't words enough to describe how magnificent she was.
While he was admiring her, she was reveling in the image of him,
her hands itching to pull down his pants. She could smell her own
arousal, and the front of his jeans were straining towards her.
Unable to resist, she reached forward and cupped his erection
through his jeans.
He groaned, arching back at the touch. Encouraged, she quickly
had his jeans down and was enjoying the sight of his bare member,
hard in front of her. She reached forward and took it in her hands,
stroking up and down the hard shaft.
He hissed, pushing her away. "Gonna pop if you keep that up," he
said, his voice strangled as he tried to maintain control.
"I thought that was the main idea?" she teased.
"Buffy..."
Roughly grabbing him by the shoulders, she hauled him down on top
of her and began to kiss him as if there were no tomorrow. Gone
were the gentle touches of earlier; this was quickly turning to
savage sex.
Spike forced himself to pull away. When he'd envisioned their
first time, well, the second first time, he'd imagined giving her
what he'd once told her he could do. This was not it.
"Buffy, luv, give me a chance?"
Buffy relented, thought not happily. "This better be good," she
grumbled.
He couldn't help chuckling as she pouted. "Oh, I guarantee you'll
like it." He leaned forward, capturing her lips with his. These
were gentle, loving kisses, and Buffy could've sworn she could taste
the difference.
He pulled away, grasping her thighs and parting her legs. He
looked up into her eyes, and offered her a smile that was
threatening to crack his face in two. "'Member when I told you I
could do somethin' real well? Somethin' slow?"
Buffy's eyes lit up. "Yeah?" she said breathlessly, his member
rubbing against her ever-growing wetness. Oh heavens...
"I want to make love to you," he said, his accent changing again.
Buffy didn't have enough time to marvel at the difference between
Spike's accent and William's, because Spike was sliding into her.
The slickness that was pouring from her caused him to slide in
easily, and suddenly he was covered in her heat.
They paused, eyes locked, before he slowly began to move inside
her. Buffy almost cried; why had she never let him go slow? He
could really do slow... "Don't stop," she gasped, needing his lips
on hers. She wrapped a hand around his neck and hauled him down for
a loving, yet bruising, kiss.
Spike could barely stop himself from increasing the pace. He'd
said he was going to do slow, and this WASN'T slow. Though, he was
sure slow was going to kill them both by the time they were through.
Never breaking the kiss, Spike reached between them, before
fingering her clit. Buffy gasped into his mouth, before moaning as
he began to gently rub it.
He could feel her tightening around him, and he sped up his
ministrations, unable to keep it so slow. She whimpered as she
squirmed under him.
"I...I can't..." she said, throwing her head back. "Spike, I'm
gonna..."
"Let me...oh hell...Buffy..."
She glanced up at him, their eyes locking one last time, before
they both let go and sailed over the edge together. Buffy screamed
as her climax overtook her, and for a little while, she was sure she
was flying. She could hear Spike roaring in the background, and
then she was floating back down to earth, physically spent.
"Love you," he mumbled into her ear, having fallen on top of her.
"Love you too," she managed to say before she passed out.

Buffy woke up to sunlight pouring in through the windows. She
almost snorted. So much for Slayer stamina. One go, and she down?
She rolled over onto Spike...well, where Spike should've been.
Suddenly very awake, she sat up, gazing with horror at the open
blinds. Spike was gone. Oh no. Oh please...
"'Mornin', pet."
Buffy whirled to see Spike standing in the shaded doorway, smiling
at her. His hair was tousled, and Buffy grinned. "Love the hair,"
she said, trying to calm her racing heart.
"Always did," he mused, before heading into the room. Still
staying in the shadows, he tugged the rope down, releasing the
blinds. Satisfied that he wasn't going to be burned to a crisp, he
headed over to the bed, yelping in indignation when she grabbed him
and hauled him down.
She flipped them over and straddled his lap, before whispering, "I
missed you."
He smiled. "Was only gone for a little bit."
"Too long," Buffy complained, earning a smirk from him.
"You didn't know; you were out like a light all night."
Buffy snorted. "And you weren't?"
Spike rolled his eyes. "Don't have the stamina we used to,
apparently."
"We'll just have to work on that, won't we?" Buffy said
seductively, earning a growl from Spike.
"Care to try now?"
Buffy grinned. "You read my mind." She ground herself against
him and leaned down for a kiss.
A throat being cleared had them both groaning with
exasperation. "What?" Buffy said, turning to glare at her sister.
Her sister glared right back. "We left you guys alone last night
so we didn't have to see this. Wait until we're gone again?"
"Please!" Willow's exasperated voice called from down the hall.
Her only response was muffled laughter.

Chapter 33:

< --- >

Aside from harassing Dawn and Willow, things couldn't be better
for the group.
Xander and Anya were still on their honeymoon, and called every
other day to make sure things were okay, and to just overall chat.
Buffy was surprised when Xander called and, instead of conversing
with her or Willow, asked to talk to Spike.
It was two hours later when they said their goodbyes. At Buffy's
raised eyebrows, Spike had merely shrugged. "Wanted a male friend
to talk to; no big deal." It had been a big deal, however, from the
look of pride and joy on his face as he realized that Xander had
called to speak to HIM.
Buffy'd gone out the next night, remembering a not-so-pleasant
memory of the first time around. When she'd told him that he
couldn't go with her, however, Spike had protested.
"You need me!"
"No, they do," she'd argued, nodding towards Dawn, Jonathan, and
Andrew, who were playing a game in the living room. "The others are
out or not in the country, and what if something were to happen?
They need you to stay."
So he'd stayed, but not happily. He was now stuck babysitting
three hormone bombs, and she could be out there, whispering his name
from bloody lips as she closed her eyes for the final time...
That was it. And image of her sprawled out on the grass, dead,
set him into motion. He was reaching for his duster when the front
door clicked open, and a bedraggled Buffy limped into the entrance
hall.
She turned to Spike, who was staring at her disheveled state with
a dropped jaw. "Hi honey," she said, laughing weakly. "I'm home."
She'd barely gotten the words out of her mouth when her knees gave
out underneath her, and she crumpled to the floor.
Spike leapt forward and had her in his arms before she touched the
wood. "I've got you," he crooned, pulling her into his arms. He
headed up the stairs, and deposited her gently onto her bed.
"What's going on?" Dawn asked, peering into the room.
Spike squeezed Buffy's hand before walking over to the teen. "Sis
just got banged up on patrol, nothin' to worry 'bout. Thought you
were in the kitchen eatin' pizza."
"We were," Dawn explained, "but we wanted to play another game.
And since all the games are up here in the closet..."
Spike nodded his understanding. "All right, but just tell the
others to keep to the lower levels. I'll take care of big sis,
don't worry."
Dawn still looked worried as she turned and headed back down, a
deck of cards in her pocket. Once she was gone, Spike hurried
towards the bathroom and dug around until he found the First Aid kit.
He came back to find Buffy trying to take off her jacket without
hurting herself. It didn't seem like she was having much luck.
"Don't do that," he scolded, quickly setting down the kit to help
her. She hissed as they got the jacket over her shoulders, and he
soon realized why. Three long gashes ran down her back, starting at
the shoulder blade. The jacket was torn and ruined.
"Think the jacket's dead, luv," he joked, earning a weary smile
from her.
"Yeah, the demon gave it a good beating. Of course, he did the
same to the part of me that was under the jacket, but..."
Spike was about to agree when he stopped, something occurring to
him. "Did it sting you?" he asked, frowning.
Buffy's frown was more confused. "What?"
"The asylum? 'Member, the whole reason you went out there?"
"Oh," she said, his meaning finally dawning on her. "No, I kept
clear of it. No stingers for Buffy; trust me, that's not an
experience I'd want to repeat."
A knocking sound had them both turning towards the door. Willow
stood, a worried look on her face. "She okay?" she asked.
Buffy nodded, then cringed. Automatically Spike's hands snaked
around to massage the muscles that had knotted up in the fight. She
sighed, leaning into his touch.
"Okay, if you ever wanted to go pro at something, you'd make an
excellent masseuse," she mumbled.
Willow giggled and stepped inside the room. "Anything I can do to
help?"
Spike jerked his head towards the kit on the nightstand, never
stopping his ministrations. "Yeah, if you wouldn't mind. Got a
nasty few scratches on her left shoulder."
Willow peered around to take a look and grimaced. "Poor Buffy;
saving the world comes at a price."
Buffy snorted, rolling her eyes. "When hasn't it?"
"The demon's dead though, right?" the witch asked. "Another thing
fixed?"
Spike nodded. "Dead, gone, probably left a hell of a mess."
Willow reached around for the kit, and began pulling things out.
As she went about cleaning the wounds on her friend's back, she
said, "So, how many more things do we have to fix until we get to
next year? I don't know what you guys encountered or did over the
summer, but..."
"Don't worry about it," Buffy assured her. "Just a few demons.
We had a relatively quiet summer. Just unhappiness, thinking about
what we'd lost."
At her saddened tone, Spike leaned forward and placed a gentle
kiss to the top of her head, causing her to smile.
"Okay, so that just leaves us with...what's the date?" With a
triumphant hum, Willow found the antibiotic cream and began to apply
it to Buffy's wound.
Buffy frowned, trying to think. It wasn't easy, considering that
Spike's very talented hands were turning her to mush. "Uh...April
30th, I think. Why?"
The cream stopped moving on her back. Buffy turned to glance at
her friend, who was frozen on the bed. "Red?" Spike asked, not
liking the vacant stare on her face.
"Tara died on May 7th," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. "I
have a week. A week. Oh, goddess, I...I can't..."
Buffy reached over and pulled her friend into waiting arms, Spike
joining the hug a few moments later. "It's not gonna happen," Buffy
said, closing her eyes. "I promise. Tara's gonna be fine, we all
will. Warren's ass will be firmly kicked from here to the nearest
insane asylum, and we'll be okay again. Okay?"
Willow sniffled, nodding. "Yeah. I just...I can't get the image
of her tombstone out of my head. Wh-when I went to visit her next
year? I knew she was gone, and she was laying underneath me in some
sort of coffin, and..." Willow closed her eyes, before whispering
in a trembling voice, "And I knew she wasn't coming back."
"Wills?"
Willow glanced to the door at the sound of Tara coming up the
stairs. "You up here?"
Spike gave the redhead one last hug. "Go on. She's here, and
she's not leavin' this time. Not while we have life in us. Or,
unlife, but you get the message."
Willow smiled a watery smile, before bounding off the bed and into
the arms of Tara. Murmured words were discussed between the two,
before they retired to the bedroom, locking the door behind them.
"We'll get you patched up, and then I think we should be doin' the
same thing," Spike commented, smiling.
"Did we forget something?" Buffy asked with a grin.
He frowned. "What?"
"Two boys and a teenage girl downstairs...?"
Spike groaned. "Oh yeah. That."
Buffy giggled, then winced as the wound flared up again. "Hurry
up with that, then get back up here. I want you back up here in
fifteen minutes, got it?"
"Yessir," Spike drawled, saluting her. He chuckled, avoiding the
pillow thrown his way, and went downstairs.

"Was there a camera out there?"
Willow shook her head. "Negative. No cameras this time. We
must've gotten to the trio first."
Buffy sighed and leaned back into her seat, which happened to be
Spike. The three were in the living room, going over the list of
things they needed to remember.
"What 'bout the shop?" Spike asked. "Just 'cause they forgot the
one in the yard doesn't mean they didn't place one in the Magic Box."
Willow nodded. "Good point; I'll check it out, and ask the boys
about it. Make sure there weren't others from the first time around
that we never found out about."
Buffy grinned and closed her eyes. "I'd have to say that things
are perfect around here."
"What, they're only perfect when I'm gone? Gee, thanks guys."
Buffy's eyes shot open, and with a yell she was bounding over to
embrace Xander. Willow wasn't far behind. "When did you get back?"
the redhead demanded.
Xander winked. "A couple of hours ago. We got in early and
figured we'd surprise you guys. I take it more things have been
changed since I was gone?"
Buffy nodded vigorously. "Yup! Demons, sister, boyfriends...you
get the gist."
"I swear to you, Harris, you leave me with all these girls again,
and I will feed you your liver," Spike threatened, earning laughs
from everyone and an extra elbowing from Buffy. The two men shook,
then gave up trying to look cool and hugged.
"Good to see you," Xander said, and Spike smiled.
"Good to see you too, Xander."
"XANDER!!" Dawn squealed, taking the stairs two at a time, before
launching herself at Xander. Xander merely laughed, though he
staggered in an attempt to keep his balance.
Dawn gave him her brightest smile. "So, did you like Hawaii?
Were there any vampires there? Did you bring me presents?"
"Slow down, Nibblet," Spike laughed. "Take a breather."
Dawn did as she was told, before asking, "Are you gonna answer?"
Xander rolled his eyes, heading over to the sofa. "Yes, yes, I'll
answer. Hawaii was enjoyed by the both of us, right honey?"
Anya came in then, carrying shopping bags. "I couldn't trust
Xander with not dropping them," she explained, setting them
down. "And yes, Hawaii was beautiful. We took lots of pictures."
"What about vampires?" Buffy asked.
Anya shook her head. "Not that we noticed. I think that's an off-
limit zone for obvious reasons."
"And the last question I asked...?"
Xander shook his head in mock exasperation. "What do you think
she was carrying in?"
Dawn tittered with glee, kissing Xander's cheek before heading
over to Anya, who was pulling out assorted boxes.
"Where's Tara?" Xander asked, frowning.
"She went out to the college for something," Willow said. "I
think she had to pick up a book."
"Buffy, look!"
Buffy turned to see her sister clipping a beautiful necklace
on. "It's made out of the stones from the ocean," Xander explained,
earning a hug from the younger Summers, along with her thanks.
"This one's for Willow," Anya said, handing over another box.
They went through all the gifts, starting with Dawn's necklace,
which was soon followed by a crystal wand for Willow. While Willow
was almost jumping up and down for joy, Buffy pulled out her gift,
which turned out to be a small, floral umbrella. While the others
frowned, the three original Scoobies enjoyed a smile, thinking of
another umbrella, presented at prom.
"I figured you might like another one," Xander said, nodding
towards the handle. "Take a look."
Buffy glanced down at the wooden handle and almost cried. Carved
in beautiful calligraphy were the words, 'Buffy Summers: World
Protector'. Xander received a hug and a kiss for that one, along
with a watery smile.
Spike was surprised when a box was handed his way. Xander just
grinned and sat back, awaiting the vampire's response. When Spike
opened the lid, he burst out laughing. There in the box lay a real
Hawaiian t-shirt, much like the one Spike had borrowed from Xander
years ago.
"Since you almost wanted to die in mine, I thought I'd at least
get you your own," Xander smirked, the girls laughing as Spike
flipped him off.
Spike pulled it out to really inspect it, then frowned as his eye
caught something else wrapped up at the bottom of the box. He
looked up at Xander, who was looking anywhere but at him.
He was shocked to find inside a leather notebook with a pen, a
flame juggler imprinted on the front. He glanced back up at Xander,
and offered the man his hand. The two shook, sharing a smile.
"This one's for Tara," Anya said a few moments later. She handed
a box to Willow, then added, "It's a wooden box full of special
herbs from Hawaii, and it's got a really pretty flower engraved on
the front."
Willow smiled. "I think she'll enjoy it. Thank you so much, you
two."
"What's that at the bottom?" Dawn asked, peering inside the bag.
Xander grinned, reaching down into the bag and pulling something
colorful out and throwing it into the air. The 'something' floated
down onto the Scoobies, leis for everyone.
Another round of thanks filled the air, and hugs were given to the
returned couple. "I wish Tara were here to see you guys," Dawn
sighed, fiddling with her necklace.
Anya glanced outside through the curtains, raising her
eyebrows. "Wish granted," she said, seconds before Tara burst
through the front door.
"You okay?" Willow asked, frowning.
Tara shook her head, trying to catch her breath. "Warren...down
at the Bronze..." she panted, as everyone gasped. "H-He was...too
powerful. I..."
"Did he touch you?" Willow growled, hurrying over to Tara. Spike,
Buffy, and Xander exchanged worried glances. Willow's eyes had just
briefly flashed black, and the three prayed Tara's response was
negative.
They breathed a sigh of relief when Tara shook her head. "I-I
just watched. He just...he just grabbed a boy and threw him across
the room, no problem. L-Like Buffy or Spike would d-do with a
vampire."
Buffy pursed her lips. Warren had decided to do the Mighty Mouse
thing again, huh? She'd fix him for good this time. "He's going
down," she promised Tara.
Tara nodded, then seemed to notice Xander and Anya for the first
time. "Welcome home," she said, smiling weakly.

< --- >

"I'm comin' with you."
"No, you're not!"
"Bullocks. Buffy, you need me..."
"Here. I need you here."
"Why won't you let me help you?"
Buffy sighed, trying not to grab Spike and throw him through the
nearest wall. "Because Warren's human. I can't let you fight this
one."
Spike started to say something, then stopped. "Fine," he finally
said bitterly. "I'll have someone set the First Aid out for you."
Without another word, he trudged upstairs. A few moments later, the
sound of a door slamming made everyone flinch.
Now it was her own head she wanted to slam into something. "Dawn,
you stay here. Willow, Xander, you with me?"
The two nodded, noticing the too-bright smile on their friend's
face. They said nothing about it, however, as they followed her
outside.
The walk was made in silence, both Scoobies knowing when to keep
quiet. If Buffy wanted to talk about it, she'd tell them.
They didn't have to wait long. "What is the matter with him?" she
burst out angrily.
"He's just worried," Willow started, but a glare from Buffy
silenced from her.
"I get that, but he's trying to be the hero when he can't be. It
doesn't make sense! Why can't he let me fight? I can fight!"
"No arguing there," Xander muttered.
Buffy either didn't hear him or just decided to ignore him. "So
what's his problem?"
"Sweetie, he lost you before. You weren't there when he watched
you getting lowered into the ground. The look on his face...Xander
ended up forgetting to leave the flowers, so he went back a little
before sunrise. He found Spike kneeling on the grave, sobbing."
Buffy's gaze softened. "I know he's worried, Wills. I'm worried
about him, too! I don't want him to take unnecessary risks because
of me. I would rather die then see anything happen to you guys.
You know that. And he's...he's my other half. If he left me,
whether by death or choice, I don't think I'd make it. He's my
everything, Willow."
Xander nodded, smiling. "Anya's my everything. Without her, to
me, there's no point to keep going."
"Tara too," Willow added. "For me. She's the air I breathe. I
know that sounds corny, but I don't want a world without her."
"Why can't he understand that?" Buffy asked quietly.
Xander placed a hand on her shoulder. "He does. That's why he's
so upset. He's not upset at you; it's him. If you get hurt, and
Warren's the cause, he can't protect you. I know that's gotta be
eating at him."
"Well, after tonight, he won't have to worry about it. Warren
will be gone. End of..." Buffy stopped, her jaw dropping at the
sight in front of her.
Three tractor trailers lay across the road in flames. What caught
her attention more was the person standing on top of them.
"Greetings, Slayer!" Warren called. "I'd hoped I could finish
this tonight."
"There's only one way this can end, Warren," Buffy warned
him. "You're going down."
"I'd like to see you try," Warren sneered, jumping off the top of
the truck. He stopped a few feet away from the ground, then hovered
over to her.
"Jet pack," Xander murmured. "Should've known."
"So, where's the vampire?" Warren asked, snickering. "Didn't want
your sex-toy to get hurt and not function properly?"
Buffy clenched her fists so tightly, she was sure she was drawing
blood. "Spike didn't want to have to waste his time on you. I
offered to rip your head off for him, so now I'm here. You could
save yourself a lot of agony if you'd just hold still, and let me do
this. I'll make it quick."
With a snarl Warren shot forward, surprising Buffy with his
speed. He landed a punch to her jaw, her head whipping around at
the contact.
Xander had barely started towards him when Warren turned and
landed a kick to his chest. The man went flying, gasping for air.
Willow could hardly contain her fury. "Sorry, sweetie," she
muttered, before gathering a spell to her. "Goddess of the night, I
invoke thee to let me do thy will. Take my offender and do with him
what you will. Abensee trandium," she hissed, sending the spell
flying.
Buffy and Xander were just getting to their feet when the spell
was cast. Their eyes widened in shock as Warren stopped it, then
glanced up at the stunned witch. "Return," he whispered. The spell
went sailing back into Willow, knocking her to the ground. She
began to scream, trying to cover her head as shadows cast from the
flames rose and attacked her.
"Go!!" Buffy yelled, turning to Warren. Xander was already
heading for Willow, swinging his ax at the shadows. It sliced
through them, doing no damage. As fast as he could Xander dropped
his weapon and wrapped her in his arms, trying to shield her from
the attacks.
Buffy meanwhile was keeping Warren busy using her face. She
crumpled to the ground, spent.
"Goddess, I invoke thee, cast your guardians elsewhere. My spell
is done. Abensee mostadum!" Willow shouted, whimpering in relief
when the shadows finally left them. "Thank you," she whispered,
lightly touching a few scratches on Xander's face.
Xander nodded, smiling. "Think we'd better get back to Buff."
"Right." With that, the two launched themselves into the fight
again, giving Buffy time to stand again.
A few swats and the two Scoobies were heading down for the count,
but the Slayer was ready to go again. "I want you to meet a
friend," Buffy said, pulling back her fist. As Warren reached to
stop her, she pulled up both her legs, slamming them into his gut.
She fell as a result of her attack, but it had been worth it.
Warren stumbled, looking ready to fall over. In his staggering,
Buffy managed to get a glimpse of orbs tied onto his belt under his
jacket. Ah yes, those things.
As fast as she could, she jumped up, reaching for the orbs.
Warren grabbed her by the lapels of the jacket with a speed that
surprised her, considering it didn't involve the jet-pack. Before
she could react, he threw her through the air, giving her a brief
sensation of flying. It ended quickly when she slammed into one of
the trucks, and then she had the sensation of nothing.
"XANDER!!" Willow screamed, watching Buffy land dangerously close
to the fires.
Warren walked away, not bothering with the other two. Xander
blinked back tears of frustration and ran towards Buffy with a speed
he didn't know he had. He ran past a few flames, almost getting
caught by a few.
He slid down next to Buffy, not bothering to check for a pulse. If
he didn't get her away from the fires and smoke, they'd have no
chance of her living, if they even had one now.
The smoke stung his eyes and lungs, and he began to cough as he
slid out of his plaid shirt. He covered her as best he could and
pulled her into his arms. Holding his breath, he ran back out to an
anxious Willow.
"Is she all right?" Willow asked, as Xander inhaled deeply. He
launched into a coughing fit, pointing at Buffy's chest. Willow
caught on and bent down, checking for a pulse.
"She's alive," Willow said with a sigh. "We need to get her out,
and fast. You're both burned, and I'm feeling a little singed
myself."
Xander only nodded miserably and gathered Buffy in his arms once
more.

The door was flying open before they'd even started up the pathway
to the house. Xander wasn't the least bit surprised to see Spike
the first one running out. He knew the vampire had probably come
down minutes after they'd left and started pacing, waiting for their
arrival.
"Oh goddess," Tara said, hurrying out after him. "What happened?"
"Warren," Xander sighed, handing Buffy to a panicked Spike. "We
didn't stand a chance." He didn't have to say anything else,
because then Anya was by his side, helping him inside.
Dawn gave a small 'eep' at the sight of her friends. "I'll get
the kits," she said, running upstairs.
Spike laid Buffy down on the sofa, hands dancing over the surface
of her skin. Bruises, burns, what the hell had happened?
He must've said it out loud, because Willow sighed, leaning into
Tara. "Warren was ready and waiting for us. There were three
trucks, big ones, laying across the road. They were on fire, and it
looked like an arena of some kind. When Buffy and Xander got sent
flying, I..." She looked down, before whispering, "I tried a
spell. Not a hefty one, just one to keep him down until Buffy got
back up."
"Thank Zeus it wasn't a hefty one, Wills," Xander said, wincing as
Anya applied an ice pack to the side of his face. "Warren sent it
flying back at her, and she got hit with her own magics. I went to
help her, and Buffy took Warren on, one on one."
"I should've been there," Spike murmured, clenching his fists. He
could've lost all three of them, and the idea of losing even one
didn't settle with him.
Xander shook his head. "There was nothing you could've done. He
would've played with you, like he did with us."
"Buffy lost, didn't she?" Dawn asked, laden with First Aid kits
for the injured.
Xander snorted. "Understatement of the year. We managed to get
the spell out of the way, and went back to keeping Warren occupied
with us, the human punching bags. By the time we were down, Buffy
was back up, and she actually managed to land a blow in. She tried
to reach for these orbs on his belt, his power source, I guess, and
he grabbed her. Grabbed her and threw her."
"Woosh!" Willow emphasized, smacking one palm into another to
demonstrate. "Straight into one of the trucks. Right near the
flames, too."
"We called quits and headed after Buffy. By the time we'd gotten
her out, Warren was gone, and so were our weapons."
The others began to ask questions of the night's warriors, but
Spike remained silent. He'd taken a First Aid kit, and was in the
process of applying salve to a few minor burns when a hand fell on
his shoulder. He turned to see Willow looking down at him. Red
gouges and scratches on her face made her smile pained.
"Want to take her upstairs? Might be easier to attend to her if
she was in her own bed."
Spike frowned at the no discussion tone in her voice. Right.
Upstairs it was.
They'd just set her down on her bed when Willow shut the
door. "Uh, Red?"
"I need to talk to you," the witch said, taking a seat in the
vanity chair.
"Talk away," Spike muttered, turning back to Buffy.
He began to apply bandages as she sighed. "We, the three of us,
had a small chat as we were heading out, and I thought I should
hammer something into you."
Spike took a second to raise his eyebrow at her. "And?"
"First nail to hammer in: she loves you, you know that?"
Spike sighed. "Yeah, I know. Have known. Next thing...er, nail?"
Willow glared at him. "Buffy was really upset about you wanting
to come with us. Not because she didn't want you there, but because
she wanted you to know your limits. She's worried about you, and
doesn't want anything to happen to you."
"Funny how everythin' seems to happen to her," Spike
snapped. "Why won't she let me..."
"Because she loves you," Willow said, rolling her eyes at the
confused look on his face. "She loves you and worries about you.
If you had come, even to provide back up, she couldn't have fought
as well, knowing that if Warren took a shot at you, you couldn't
defend yourself."
When his gaze softened, she leaned towards him. "She told us that
without us, she wouldn't do very well. But without you, she said
there's no point in going on. She said you were her other half.
Her everything."
"I died that summer when she did," Spike said, looking down. And
he had. He'd spent most nights with Dawn, but the nights he didn't
were the ones he spent on her grave, crying himself to sleep. He
would always dream of saving her, and then wake up moments before
the sun came up. It had been hard at first to get up and away from
the deadly rays. He knew he couldn't see her if he went, but maybe
he would've been granted one glimpse of her, happy, before he was
thrown into the pits of hell. He realized that he'd always known
she'd been in heaven, somehow. Hadn't seemed right for her to be
anywhere else.
"We know, sweetie. Xander and I watched you fall apart that
summer. She's here now, though. You two have each other. I know
things aren't always gonna be roses for you two, but you guys are
gonna make it in the long run. I know it."
Spike stared, before he smiled at her. Leaning forward, he
pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead, then said, "Have I mentioned
how lucky Tara is?"
Willow giggled. "A time or too. Take care of her; I'm gonna head
down and let my golden goddess pamper me for a bit." With one last
smile at him, she headed out.
Spike turned back to Buffy, brushing her hair away from her
face. "We're gonna make it," he whispered, repeating Willow's
words.
"We're gonna make it."

Slowly opened eyes. Okay. Tried to open them again. Started
panicking. Hurt. Such pain. Reached blindly for anything to help,
to assure that earth was the place of housing. That death hadn't
called in the night.
A small noise. Fear, pain, other emotions conveyed in that tiny
sound. Realized it had come from somewhere nearby.
Noise was made again. Pretty sure that the cause of the noise was
the same person that couldn't open their eyes. It was more urgent
this time. A whimper. Same person. Whimpered again, began to
really fear.
Then, something strong stopped the whimpering. Stopped the noises
and fears with just a touch. Words were spoken. I'm here. Don't
be afraid. You're safe. Always safe. Always with me, I'll never
leave you, I love you, you're my precious, my joy...
Focused on the eyes again. Managed to get them open slightly.
Pushed more, and saw bright things. Immediately closed eyes. Tried
another way of making sure of who the speaker was.
"'Pike?"
Spike sighed with relief. "I'm here, luv. I'm here. Don't
speak, shhh, just rest."
Buffy tried to open her eyes again, desperately clawing at
him. "'Pike?"
"It's me," he crooned, his heart wrenching as she tried to say his
name. A spasm of pain shot through her and she jerked, whimpering
at the movement.
"Spike's here. He'll take good care of you, promise. Just close
your eyes and rest." He pulled her closer, trying to rub away the
pain.
Buffy took the opportunity to try one last time to open her eyes
and keep them open. Spike's chest was her new headrest, and it was
also a good sun blocker. She finally managed to get them open and
gazed up at him, watching him smile down at her, tears in his eyes.
She licked her lips again tried one last time. "Spike?"
Spike closed his eyes, letting the tears trickle down his
face. "It's me, pet. I'm here. Oh hell, Buffy, I thought I was
really gonna lose you..."
"Others?" she croaked.
"Fine. Warren didn't so much as look at 'em after he'd had his
way with you." Spike's eyes darkened. "Chip or no chip, Buffy,
I'll kill him. I'll rip his heart out through his chest, but not
sever the cords attaching it to the body, so he can watch it pulse
into nothin' as he dies slowly, slowly, oh so slowly..."
"Spike, sweetie, starting to scare me here." Her voice was still
scratchy, but each time she used it, she improved.
"Sorry. I just..." Spike pulled her closer, mindful of her
injuries. "I come runnin' out of the house and then Harris gives me
this burnt, bruised girl that looks like you, but it couldn't be you
because..."
"Spike?"
"...too burned to be you, and I was so scared, 'cause I knew it
was you, and, and, and I'm tryin' not to scream or..."
"Spike, stop. Calm down."
Spike gave a shaky sigh. "I can't, luv. Thought I was gonna
loose you. Can't do it again. You..." He swallowed and tried
again. "You were so hurt, Buffy. And I couldn't have done
anythin' 'bout it."
Buffy bit her lip. "I'm sorry about before I left. I was just..."
He shook his head. "It's me that's sorry, pet. I know I can't
fight him, but I just didn't want to leave you. Couldn't. Knew
somethin' like this was gonna happen."
Buffy chuckled weakly. "Look at you, all predicty and stuff. Why
couldn't you have known something better was gonna happen?"
Spike laughed, placing a kiss on a bruise on her
forehead. "Terribly sorry, pet. Next time I'm made aware that I
have super powers in that area, I'll change my thinkin'."
Buffy leaned into him, closing her eyes again. It still hurt to
keep them open, which probably meant she had nice bruises lining her
eyes. "Warren?" she asked, though she was sure she already knew the
response.
Silence. "Got away," Spike said in a strangled voice.
"We'll get him. I promise."
Spike thought back to the previous night, with him hardly sleeping
as he watched her until morning. "Yeah. We will," he murmured,
holding her closer.
Warren was going to pay.

Chapter 35:

< --- >

Buffy slowly made her way down the stairs, Spike on one side of
her, and Dawn on the other. They helped her into the living room,
and with a sigh she laid back onto the sofa. "Okay, that shouldn't
have hurt so much," Buffy groaned.
"You got burned. It's gonna hurt," Dawn said, rolling her
eyes. "Want me to get breakfast?"
"Please," Buffy said gratefully, smiling as her sister left the
room. She glanced up at her lover and sighed. "Spike, just sit
down. You're making me nervous with that death glare of yours."
"Not you I'm aimin' it at."
"Yeah, well, the person you want to aim it at isn't even here.
Warren probably won't show up for awhile. We're fine. I'M fine.
Okay?"
Spike looked down at her, watching her smile through the bandages
and bruises. He tried to smile, but it still came out looking
upset. "Okay."
Buffy managed to coax him onto the sofa and join her for breakfast
just as Anya and Xander came in. He glanced over at Buffy, offering
her a sad smile. "Good to see you moving again, Buff."
"Good to see you in one piece," Buffy commented, pulling him in
for a gentle hug.
"How's Wills?" Xander asked, as Anya headed to the kitchen.
Buffy shrugged, trying not to wince at the movement. Spike was
worried enough as it was. "She's been better. War..." The growl
from Spike had her thinking quickly. "Uh, that guy did a number on
her. On all of us."
Xander raised his eyebrow at Spike, who looked ready to kill
something. "Spike, chill. He's not gonna show his face for
awhile. Right now, it's plan time. We have to think of a way to
bring him down a notch."
"Good idea," Willow called from the stairs. Gingerly she made her
way down to her friends, offering smiles to all. "Those orbs would
probably be our best bet."
"How'd you lot take him out before?" Spike asked. Willow shifted
uncomfortably, causing Spike to nod in understanding. "Ah. Right.
Sorry."
A knock at the door revealed Jonathan and Andrew, who gave waves
to all. "What happened?" Andrew asked, upon seeing the three
scarred Scoobies.
Spike growled again. "Never mind. I think I know," Jonathan
said, backing away from Spike.
Dawn came back in then, her smile widening at the sight of
Jonathan. "We're having pancakes, courtesy of Tara. Funny shapes
for all!"
"Sounds good to me. Did she make any hearts?" Willow asked,
following the young girl into the kitchen. Jonathan and Andrew
hurried after them, and soon the kitchen was full of laughter.
"Does Willow know what the date is?" Xander asked quietly.
Buffy frowned, before her eyes widened with realization. "The
7th. I don't think she does, but let's not remind her any time
soon."
"Maybe somethin' will happen then," Spike muttered, his face
clouded with worry.
Buffy shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Nothing's gonna
happen. I'm not going to let anything bad happen today."
Xander nodded his agreement. "Today we rest and try to heal.
Work out a plan for kicking the geek's ass, then do so on a
different date. Sound good?"
Spike smiled, the first real smile that morning. "Yeah. Sounds
good."

Plans for Warren were discussed over breakfast, and afterwards the
group headed outside to continue the talk. Spike was even allowed
to participate, so long as he kept to the shade.
Buffy sighed and laid back on the grass, soaking up the sun. The
heat felt good on her sore body, and from the content looks on
Willow and Xander's faces, they too were enjoying the rest.
Willow yawned. "Sun's making me sleepy. I think I should either
go inside before I fry, or get some sunscreen." She glanced around
at the others, before grinning. "I'll opt for the sunscreen. Be
right back!"
"I'll go with you," Tara said, before blushing. Willow's grin got
wider.
"That's good that you're coming with me. I mean, it could take
awhile for me to find the sunscreen, so we might not be..."
Spike rolled his eyes. "Oh for cryin' out loud, just go inside
and get it on already."
"SPIKE!"
Laughter erupted from the group at Willow's very red face. As she
sputtered for an excuse, Tara just shook her head with exasperation
at them all and shoved her girlfriend inside.
"Tempted to head upstairs and watch them...look for sunscreen,"
Spike leered, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. He laughed as
Buffy smacked him in the arm.
Anya glanced over at Xander. "Should we be heading inside as
well?"
Xander chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, we might as well leave
those two in peace. They'll be back with sunscreen, trust me."
Dawn rolled her eyes. "You guys can be so weird. I'm gonna head
inside for some lemonade." She stood, paused, then turned back to
Jonathan. "You, uh, wanna come join me?"
Jonathan smiled. "Yeah. That sounds nice." He stood to join
her, then reached out and took her hand. Dawn blushed but said
nothing as they headed inside.
Buffy 'aww'ed at the sight they made. Spike merely glared. "I
think I'd like lemonade too. I'll keep an eye on them," Anya added
in a hushed tone, offering Buffy a smile.
"Thanks, Anya."
Spike turned to Xander, who was staring at Anya's retreating
form. "Do I do that with the Slayer?" he asked.
Xander blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "Huh? Do what?"
Buffy giggled. "Never mind." Slowly she stood, careful not to
aggravate the injuries further. She stretched, almost rolling her
eyes as Spike carried on a conversation with Xander, but tried to
keep her in his eyesight.
"You headin' in, Buff?" Xander asked.
She shook her head. "Nope. Just enjoying the sun while it lasts;
we're supposed to get rain this weekend."
Spike rolled his eyes. "And you believed it? Luv, since when has
California weather listened to the weather man?"
Whatever Buffy had been about to say was stopped by a barely
audible click.

Willow pulled away, slightly breathless. "That was...wow," she
finally managed, grinning like an idiot. "Really wow."
"You did pretty well yourself," Tara said, a matching grin on her
face.
"You were kissing like there was no tomorrow! You should do that
more often."
Tara laughed, heading over to the table next to the bed. The two
had managed to make it up the stairs and into the hallway before
their lips had met. It had taken them the next five minutes to make
it the last few feet into the bedroom. They had stopped for a few
seconds, each taking a few breaths, before beginning again.
"We'd better find that sunscreen," the blonde witch said with a
giggle. "The others are gonna head inside to start looking for us
otherwise."
"Nosy old biddy-bodies," Willow grumbled good-naturedly. "You
find any in there?"
Tara shook her head, closing the drawer. "Try the cabinet next to
the window," Willow suggested. "I'll check the bathroom, though I
thought we'd moved them out of there because of the First Aid kits.
Can't hurt to double check."
"Whether you find it or not, you'd better hurry back," Tara said,
laughing at the surprised look on her girlfriend's face. "What?
I'm not allowed to make innuendos?"
Willow gaped, before breaking out into giggles. "With a promise
like that, I'll be back in milliseconds," she said, scurrying out
towards the bathroom as fast as she could.

Buffy slowly turned, staring in mute horror as Warren slowly
raised his right hand. She didn't even need to hear Xander's yell
to know what was in it.
Warren cocked the hammer, his face a mask of fury. "I'm tired of
playing games," he hissed, his finger resting on the trigger. "I
want you out of the way. I have plans, big plans, and you disrupt
them. So it's either you or my fantastic plans."
With a grin that held enough malice to rival Angelus, Warren
said, "I decided you were the better choice to off."
The words were barely out of his mouth when Xander jumped up,
running towards Warren. Spike began to run as well, knowing that if
he tried to help her, he'd be dust in seconds. Buffy was fully
enveloped in the sun.
It didn't matter. Warren pulled the trigger, and Buffy fell to
the ground. Spike knew he was screaming, but didn't really register
anything else as he raced towards his fallen love.
Seeing Xander run towards him, Warren looked back and aimed it at
the young man. He didn't count on the stone in the grass, and he
stumbled the same time he pulled the trigger. The bullet went
flying through a window on the second story.
Spike reached for her, only to be tackled backwards by
Xander. "NO!! I have to...I have to get to her..."
"Spike, you're gonna fry. Go inside, call 911. I've got her."
Spike stared at him, before turning back towards the house in a
state of shock.

It was like deja vu. No, a nightmare of hellish proportions,
stuck on repeat until the end of time.
One minute, she'd been searching past the conditioners and kits
for sunscreen. The next minute, everything had turned into slow
motion. A bang, screams, another bang, a shattering of glass, and
then a thud. A sickening thud, as if someone had fallen.
Willow rose and began to run towards the bedroom. She couldn't
run fast enough, it seemed. Slow motion had caught her, and was
keeping her away from the bedroom. Their bedroom.
Ever so slowly she ran into the room, her eyes darting around.
Nothing. No one. Goddess, no, please no...
It was only a few steps to round the bedside, but it felt like she
was trying to cross the Grand Canyon in lead boots. She glanced
down, simply staring at the floor.

A groan snapped him from his dazed thoughts. As Spike turned, he
couldn't stop his jaw from dropping at the sight in front of
him. "Buffy?" he whispered.
She was standing. She was rising to her feet, wincing from the
damage done to her old injuries. There was no blood. She was all
right.
Xander gaped at her, but managed to gather himself together to
help her back into the shade. She was hardly a second in it when
Spike had her in his arms, clutching at her as if he'd never let go.
"Buffy, I...I...you were..."
Buffy smiled wearily, holding him close as he sobbed. "I'm okay,
Spike. I'm okay. I think I ducked before he shot."
Xander glanced at the house, peering at the siding closely. Sure
enough, there was a small hole in the house, right behind where
Buffy had been standing.
Spike glanced over, his sobs having tapered off into sniffles. He
shuddered, relief flooding over him. She'd almost gotten hit. She
could've died.
Just then, the others came rushing out. "What happened?" Dawn
asked, trembling. Her left hand was firmly attached to Jonathan's
right, and neither showed any signs of letting go.
Upon heading out, Anya ran straight to Xander, fussing over her
husband, and making sure he was all right. "Anyone else hurt?"
Xander asked, after assuring her he'd be fine.
Dawn shook her head just as Andrew came out. "I was in the living
room reading," he panted. "I glanced out the front window after all
the noises, and thought I saw Warren running off."
Buffy nodded. "It was him. He came bearing gifts, too." At
Spike's growl, she placed a kiss to his neck, trying to calm him
down. "You okay?" she asked softly.
"So long as you're all right, yeah," he whispered, grasping at
her. Anything to assure himself that she was indeed in his arms,
and safe. And alive.
Buffy laid her head against his chest, her smile dropping as a
single grief-stricken voice screamed, shattering the newly restored
peace.
"TARA!!!"