Chapter 1:

Buffy kicked down the door of Spike’s crypt and walked in with a determined stride. Scanning the room with her eyes, she saw Spike sitting in his couch watching T.V.


“Spike, I need you to…,” Buffy began to order.


Spike stood up and cut her off, “Ohhhh so NOW you need me again. I thought I was supposed to stay out of your life?” He quirked his eyebrow at her and tilted his head, trying to look annoyed and impatient.


Buffy pursed her lips and looked angry at his sudden turn of indifference for her. “Are you going to help or not?” she demanded.


He stalked towards her in swaggering steps. “Unless you’re here for a bit of touch n’ feel,” he ran his eyes down her body suggestively before he stopped right in front of her face and put on a cold expression, “you should find someone else to kick around. I’m not your bloody lapdog.”


He was lying of course –he would have done anything for her, but he needed to regain some of his integrity back.


Surprised at his cold demeanor, Buffy eyes widened and she took a moment before replying. “Fine. Be an asshole. I’ll take care of it myself,” Buffy retorted as she began to turn away and head out of the crypt.


“I’M the asshole? You’re the one who de-invited me from your house!” Spike exclaimed. ‘How am I supposed to visit Nibblet and Joyce now?’ But Spike kept that thought to himself since he didn’t want to sound like a bloody poofter.


Buffy whipped around and shot him an angry glare. “I don’t want you anywhere near my house or my family. PLUS you let that ho-bag electrocute me and then you chained me to the wall!”


Spike’s expression was one of frustration. “I was trying to show you that I was willing to sacrifice Dru for you! I had every intention of letting you go!” he defended.


“On top of that, you can’t even admit to yourself that there’s something between us. I know it, you’re too scared to,” Spike’s voice lowered as he stepped closer to Buffy and starred intently into her eyes. He couldn’t help but reach out to run his hand lightly down her bare arm…


Buffy put her hands on his chest and shoved him back. “Spike,” Buffy interjected with calm malice, “There is nothing between us. Nothing. Wake up and see you’re the only one with the REALLY disturbing feelings here.”


Buffy crossed her arms across her chest again and tried to appear as firm on the issue as she could so Spike could get the message, “You don’t even really love me – you just think you do. It’s like one of your crazy slayer obsessions or something.” She moved in so her face was almost touching his before she added, “Get over it.”


Buffy turned her back and stormed out of the crypt, leaving Spike angry, but mostly with hurt in his eyes, like the night before when Buffy had closed her door in his face.


Spike let out a frustrated yell as he knocked over the couch in anger. He was angry at her for not believing him and refusing to admit anything, but he was angrier that he felt like running after her and apologizing like a bloody ponce. He sat himself down on the sarcophagus and put his face in his hands.


He ran his hands back through his hair in frustration. “I wish she would understand how it feels....being in love with that bloody bint is nothing but a pain in the arse…” Spike mumbled under his breath. He let out a sigh before he slowly stood up and went back to watching the telly.


~

Oblivious to both Buffy and Spike, something had heard Spike’s words and had begun to weave a change of events…and everything that was their reality.


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Buffy began to stir from her nights sleep. She yawned and stretched her arms out before attempting to open her eyes.


As her eyes flickered open, she caught a glimpse of darkness.


‘Is it not morning yet…?’ She pondered, surprised that she felt so refreshed and sure she had slept until morning. But when she opened her eyes once again, what she saw made her eyes bulge and she jumped up frantically.


‘Omg why am I not in my room? Where am I?’ Her eyes scanned the dark surroundings and she realized with a horrified thought where she was – in Spike’s crypt down in his bedroom on his bed.


‘OMG OMG what the hell am I doing here?’ She looked down at herself and she seemed to be fully dressed in her flannel pjs. Next to her on the bed, was Mr. Gordo. She grabbed the stuffed pig and thoughts sped through her mind as her heart beat accelerated from panic.


‘Why is Mr. Gordo here? Why am I in my pajamas?’ Her mind raced as she tried to remember anything besides going to sleep in her own bed. And then she remembered it was Spike’s crypt.


“Spike!!!!!,” Buffy angrily screamed aloud, thinking he was probably somewhere in the crypt, though she didn’t sense him. “Spike!!!!! Get your dead ass over here!!!!”


There was no reply or noise of footsteps. ‘I’m going to kick his ass when I find him’ Buffy thought to herself as she slid her legs off the bed and got up. She knew he was behind this – he had to be.


‘I should go find him. Then I’ll stake that bastard,’ she fumed to herself.


Buffy started walking towards the ladder, but realized she had on her silly flannel pjs and how ridiculous she would look walking through the cemetery like that. She hesitated for a moment, before walking over to Spike’s dresser drawer. ‘I bet everything in his wardrobe is black or leathery. Looking like him is worse than my pjs on any day.’


She decided to check anyway, in case he had some of Harmony’s clothes left over. She pulled on the drawer, only to find before her eyes, her very own bras and underwear, just the way she had in her drawer at home. Confused and wide-eyed, she pulled the drawer below out, to reveal all of HER stuff, as if she was looking into the dresser at home.


Her heart pounded and she was beginning to feel dizzy from confusion. ‘Ok this is creeping me out. What is happening here??? Maybe I’m still asleep. Yes, this is a bad bad dream. Wake up Buffy! Wake up!’ She pinched herself hard. “Ow!” she cried out loud to no one.


After a few minutes of pacing and pinching, Buffy decided to see what would happen if she tried to get out of the crypt. She put on a black knee-length skirt and a baby blue turtleneck and headed upstairs to the door. As she flung the door open, she was surprised to see that it was night.


Buffy made her way over to her house first, to make sure that Dawn and her mom were ok. Everything – the streets and the town – looked the same, yet she got an eerie feeling that something was not quite right.


When she reached the house, she tried to find something that looked different, but everything seemed the same. Walking up to the door and giving the knob a turn, she realized it was locked and she didn’t have the key with her.


She pounded on the door violently, “Dawn! Mom! Open the door! It’s me! Buffy!” She continued pounded for what seemed like minutes, desperate to see Dawn and her mother.


Finally, she heard loud footsteps trudging down the stairs to the door. Instead of Dawn or her mom, SPIKE opened the door. Buffy suddenly felt a weird pang in her gut at the sight of him, but she ignored it as best she could, and went with anger.


“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE??? WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?” Buffy screamed at him.


Spike looked at her like she was deranged and came outside and closed the door. “What the bloody hell is wrong with you now? What do you mean your house? This is where I LIVE. And be quiet, you’re disturbing my mum and nibblet.”


“What!?!? I woke up and found myself in YOUR crypt! With all my stuff in the drawers! I don’t even remember you knocking me out! What is going on? What did you do to me?” she yelled before adding, “and she is not your mom!” Buffy felt like her head was going to pop from how angry she was that Spike was deciding to mess with her and from the INSANE things he was saying.


Spike had his brows furrowed as he starred at her, like she had completely lost it. “Did you go absolutely insane? You know I live here with MY family and you know you live in a crypt. Do you need some clinical help or something? Or is this another desperate attempt at trying to win over my affection? Go back to your crypt and stay out of my life already.” He opened the front door and started to go back inside.


Her head was reeling. She was livid, to say the least, and she was confused, because she did all of a sudden feel like Spike was the love of her life. She didn’t know why she felt this way - she hadn’t had that heart-wrenching feeling since Angel. ‘This has to be a dream’ she chanted to herself to keep calm.


Angry at the way Spike was turning his back on her, Buffy lunged forward to grab him, when suddenly, she was thrown back as soon as she hit the barrier of the door. She stepped forward again, thinking she must have imagined it, but was faced with an invisible barrier.


“You know I already de-invited you to my house Buffy. Give it up, no humans allowed, especially you,” Spike said with annoyance as he shut the door in her face and locked it.


Buffy suddenly felt lightheaded. She wanted to barf, she wanted to scream and cry and hurt something, but most of all, she wanted it to all be a dream. She was having a hard time breathing, when she realized something to add to her panic – she was sensing a total of 3 vampires in the house. Spike….and Dawn…. and Mom. Her head throbbed and she felt the floor spinning beneath her feet. Unable to bear it anymore, she passed out, right there on the porch of the house on Revello drive that was hers just yesterday.


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A/N: ok I know this “reverse world” may be weird and confusing. Some things are not exactly reversible, so it’s just whatever I think is necessary to be different. I’ll put recaps in (starting next chapter), so that people can follow what is going on in case they missed something.



 

 

Chapter 2:
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(Previously: Buffy passed out on Spike’s porch from the CRAZY! world she woke up to.)

Spike was heading back up to his room, when he heard a loud thump outside of the front door.

Sighing to himself, Spike headed back down the stairs. ‘What the buggering hell is she doing now?…that chit has gone absolutely insane…’


He opened the door, and saw Buffy lying on the porch, unconscious. A flash of concern swept through his eyes – he hesitated before stepping outside and slowly crouching down beside her. Suddenly, that little bothersome thought crept back into his mind – the one where he always thought Buffy was gorgeous – but he stopped before letting himself get beyond that thought. Spike got back to the issue at hand.


“Hey goldilocks, wake up.” He lightly slapped her cheek to see if she would come to.

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Buffy felt like crap. Her eyes began to open at the feel of someone touching her face and the sound of someone talking, but not before realizing she had a major bump on her head that hurt like hell. She was on the porch, but instead of being alone, Spike was hovering above her, saying something to her.


“Spike?” Buffy croaked out in a hoarse whisper.


“Finally - I’ve been trying to wake you up from la-la land for the past 10 minutes. What happened? Don’t tell me you got all dainty on me and just fainted?” Spike’s expression looked amused, but Buffy could have sworn he looked a bit worried – or maybe she was imagining it. He stood up and helped her up by the arm.


It suddenly all came back to her. The crypt, the barrier at the door, and her sense of three vampires in the house. Anger and fear bubbled up inside her, and she didn’t know where to begin.

Spike starred at her curiously, gauging her reaction. To his ultimate surprise, he saw tears well up in her eyes, with anger burning bright behind the unshed tears. He was completely confused – at himself. He felt sympathy for her: he had been very harsh in his rejection of her recent announcement of her feelings for him a few days ago – and now apparently, she had gone insane or something, standing here before him, with confused anger and sorrow. On the outside, he appeared indifferent and looked at her with fake annoyance.


“What the hell happened? What did you do? Cast a spell to take my place in life?” Buffy said with her jaw tight, and her hands fisted at her side as she struggled to hold back the tears.


“Listen you crazy bint, I have absolutely no fucking idea what you are talking about. You just showed up here, ranting and screaming like a bloody bitch, but what else is new.”
As with all of her reactions toward Spike, Buffy stepped forward and punched him in the nose hard. As her fist connected with his nose, a searing pain exploded in her head. She fell to the ground with a scream, as her head continued to ring in blinding pain. She could feel the tears spilling out as she clutched her head.


“Bloody Bitch! What the hell do you think you’re doing!?!?” Spike began to yell as he brought his hand up to check if there was blood. But as the pain subsided and he looked over at Buffy, he saw her curled on the ground clutching her head with tears spilling out of her closed eyes.


At the sight of her vulnerability, sympathy came flooding back to him again. “C’mon now, you knew the rules. Are you suicidal? You know you have the chip. ” Spike helped her up, as Buffy grasped his arms to keep herself stable.


‘Chip? How is that possible? What is going on????’ All of her thoughts further pulled her into despair. She was oblivious to the fact that she was now leaning on Spike’s chest for support. Her face was burrowed into his chest as he ran his hands down her arms and settled at the small of her back.

Spike tensed and quickly let her go when he realized what they were doing. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stepped back. Buffy had a slight pout at the loss of contact, followed by a wave of confusion over what she was just doing in Spike’s arms.


Mustering up his previous indignation at her punch, he added, “I should kick your ass for that hit but I won’t since you obviously went insane...” Letting out a sigh, Spike began, “Maybe Giles can try to find out what’s wrong with you....”

Buffy’s ears perked up at that. “Giles? Yes, we should find him…” Buffy said with a hopeful and pathetic tone.
‘Giles will help me. I just need to calm down and figure this out. There must be a way to break this dream or spell or whatever it is.’


Buffy was about to start walking, when she realized Spike wasn’t following. “Aren’t you coming?” Buffy inquired with a pleading look. She didn’t know why she sounded so pathetic all of a sudden. Or why she had enjoyed that embrace.


“No. I’ve wasted enough time dealing with you.” He didn’t want to keep giving her mixed signals.


She wasn’t use to this. Spike had always taken every opportunity to be by her side. And now he kept implying that SHE was the one that had feelings for HIM. It bothered her, and it bothered her that his remark hurt so much.

She tried to look like she didn’t care. “Fine.” And with that, she turned and walked away.


Sighing to himself as he ran his hands through his hair, Spike thought ‘This would be a lot easier if she were the least bit ugly.’


The walk to the Magic Box gave her some time to think, or rather ramble.


‘Ok. So Spike stole my life and now I have his. Wonderful. Calm down Buffy…. find out more information since no one else will believe a word you’re saying….... I could pretend I have amnesia! I’ll get Giles to explain everything about this world. Maybe Willow cast a spell! I’ll have her do some spell reversal-thingy.’ Buffy continued to walk towards the Magic Box while rambling on in her mind as the absurdity of it all kept her reeling with confusion.


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She opened the Magic Box door, and saw Giles behind the counter and the rest of the Scooby gang at the table. Rushing in, she didn’t stop to think about what she was sensing.


“Guys! I need your help! Something has happened to me! It’s unbelieva-“ Buffy get didn’t to finish her sentence. She realized her senses. They were all vampires.

“Buffy. What makes you think we would help you? We’re not your friends.” Giles said behind a cold stare.


Her eyes went wide. She should have known, but she didn’t think it out. Giles’ remark hurt her, even though she knew they really WERE her friends. But finally, an alarming thought came to her. If they were all vampires, doesn’t that mean that at any moment now they should be getting all fang-y and lunging towards her? But this was the gang! She could stop them if they attacked…


It occurred to her: the chip! …. she panicked inside. She was defenseless and the pain would be too much to put up any sort of fight. She stepped back cautiously.


“You’re vampires…” Buffy both stated and questioned slowly.

“And you are an evil human. What’s with the game of State-the-Obvious?” Xander said with hateful sarcasm.


“I…um…um…lost my memory I think. I can’t remember everything. Spike suggested I come and see if Giles knew anything,” Buffy covered up her shock as best as she could. She needed answers, and it would get her nowhere to yell and scream, especially since they could attack her at any second.

“I’m not complaining, but why exactly are you guys not attacking me if you’re vampires?”


Xander interjected with hateful humor, “I ask myself that everyday. But the others seem to have some annoying protest against it – something about morals and how you have a chip and are defenseless. But I say you’re like a serial killer in prison. Why wait until you get out?”

“You have amnesia?” Giles stepped in with his curiosity. “How did that happen?”

“Well if I knew that, I might not be here confused out of my mind…standing in a room of…vampires…wanting to… kill me.” ‘I can’t believe this – This must be my worst nightmare.’ Buffy was trying to remain calm on the outside.


“Buffy, we aren’t going to kill you. You know, ok well maybe you don’t know since you have amnesia, but we only kill humans when they try to kill us,” Willow piped up. Xander threw her an annoyed glare so she added, “But if you don’t stay out of Spike’s life, then one of us just might…might eat you for dinner!”


This was beyond weird. They were vampires. They had morals. Willow just made an offer to eat her for dinner.

“Ooookkk then. But um, don’t you guys get… hungry around me?” Buffy hoped she wasn’t setting up her own death. The question seemed so bizarre to be said aloud.


“Well Buffy, frankly, you’re not very good. Humans taste like cheap fast food. We’d much rather eat something of the non-human blood variety,” Anya said with chirpiness.


‘Wow, that’s a twist. I’m use to being the one that has the tasty blood,’ Buffy thought comically. Buffy relaxed a bit. Hopefully none of them were starving right now.


“How come you can remember us if you have amnesia?” Willow asked suspiciously. Giles seemed perplexed by the whole thing and kept cleaning his glasses in the corner.


Buffy was debating whether or not to tell them that they were all not really vampires, or whether she should feign amnesia and get more questions answered. She decided she wanted to ask more questions.


“I’m not sure really. I woke up in Spike’s…I mean MY crypt and I just know you guys but I don’t remember anything else. Wait a minute. Why do I live in a crypt and not in a house? That doesn’t make sense and is REALLY gross…” Buffy scrunched her forehead in confusion and disgust.


“Well I guess you could live in a house, but humans are a bit outnumbered, which means we get the houses. Humans bad, humans hide,” Xander felt like he was talking to a 10-year old.


‘That doesn’t really make sense…? Why don’t I live in a nice clean house? Who the hell created this world? What a doof’ Buffy thought.


A light bulb went off in her head. “What about the vam- I mean um, what about Angel and…and,” Buffy tried to think of another vamp, “ Drusilla?” She paused again before adding, “Oh and Riley?”


“Drusilla is human, Buffy. She’s Spike’s ex. She’s somewhere across the world now. Something about how she left for Spike’s own good,” Giles commented.


‘Gee why does that remind me of someone? This is way too creepy.’ Buffy didn’t comment because she was too busy thinking about all they were telling her.


“Who the heck is Riley?” Anya jumped in.


At that moment, Spike had walked into the Magic Shop. In the end, curiosity had won out and he wanted to know how the gang would react to Buffy’s new state of crazy. He eyed Buffy and avoided her gaze quickly and went to stand far away from her. Buffy all of a sudden seemed nervous that Spike was here. She fidgeted with the bottom of her sweater and just focused on looking at the rest of the gang.


“Riley? Who’s that? Sounds like a poncy name,” Spike commented with light humor, as he light up a cigarette.


“Um never mind I guess.” Buffy stammered. ‘He doesn’t exist here? One point for this world.’


“Well what about Angel?” Buffy inquired, trying not to turn her gaze to Spike, who suddenly looked very hot standing there smoking. She waited for the gang to reply and saw Willow was about to say something.


Willow looked concerned. “He was human, you don’t remember him either?” She looked nervous and worried.


“Angel is dead, Buffy.”

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Chapter 3: A Non-Existent Memory
 

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“Angel is dead, Buffy.”

 

Buffy didn’t even notice that Spike had become very angry during the topic of Angel, since she was deep in her own stupor. “I told you guys not to EVER mention that fucking wanker in front of me AGAIN!” Spike stormed out, but not before giving Buffy a final hateful glare.

 

Buffy didn’t know what caused Spike’s overdramatic outburst. He had always hated Angel, but not with this much malice. She didn’t have time to think of that, or feel the hurt at his hateful scorn.

 

 

Angel was dead? Buffy stood there blinking as she tried to process the thought. One would expect her to react with clear devastation and depression, like when she had to send Angel into Acathla. Denial. Anger. Lots of yelling and crying.

 

She went for the denial. ‘It’s not real. He isn’t really dead. This place isn’t real. Nothing here is real’ She chanted to herself over and over.

 

 

“Buffy?” Willow asked cautiously, since she seemed to be starring intently at something. “Are you ok?”

 

 

Buffy looked at her like she was speaking in a foreign language, before registering what she was asking. She blinked a few more times and shook her head to clear her mind.

 

 

“Um…yea.” Buffy asked in a small voice, “How did it happen?”

 

 

*****3 YEARS AGO*****

 

 

“Angel, this really isn’t necessary!” Buffy was trying to plead with him. She glanced over at Dawn, chained up against the wall of the warehouse, with bruises and cuts over her body. Spike was on the opposite side, chained up, vamped out, growling and struggling to get free to save his sister.  She had been oblivious to Angel’s plans.

 

 

When Angel had finally told her of his great plot and brought her to the warehouse to witness and revel in it all, Buffy felt uneasy at the sight of what Angel had done to Dawn just to taunt Spike. She was a vampire killer, but she wasn’t a torturer, especially of someone who appeared so much like a little girl half the time.

 

 

“Buffy,” Angel ran his hand lightly down her cheek with affection," I know she looks like a little human girl, but she’s not, ok? She’s a vampire. All disgusting and filled with morality.”

 

Buffy slapped his hand away, very annoyed. “Angel! You don’t need to do this! Killing HIM was the plan when we came to Sunnydale – slayer of slayers blah blah blah. There was nothing about a kid sister in that…” She turned her back on him and crossed her arms across her chest. “I love you, but you’re being cruel, and it’s scaring me. I’m putting my foot down.”

 

“Sigh. Fineeee. Spoil my fun,” Angel said with a sulky look on his face, “I still thought it was an awesome plan…”

 

 

Buffy rolled her eyes – she hated when he got all broody.

 

 

Meanwhile, Spike was hearing every annoying word they were exchanging. He hated the dumb couple, but was thankful that Buffy had some sort of boundary in what she would not do – which puzzled him since she was suppose to be an evil soulless human.

 

 

He didn’t really have any more time to think about it, as Angel got a mischievous look on his face and approached him.

 

 

“I think its time we play, Spike,” Angel said in a teasing tone, but his face was completely serious.

 

 

Spike let out a low guttural growl. He was a bit surprised – he had been observing them, but suddenly he realized Buffy had left the room while he was in his thoughts. His worry for Dawn increased. It seemed hopeless, but Spike had to save Dawn – there was no question about that.

 

                                                           

“I think I’ll kill you first, in front of your little SISTER, since Buffy doesn’t want me to torture <i>Dawnie</i> in front of you. Everyone wins. Well,” Angel chuckled, “Except you two of course, but vampires never win.”

 

 

“Oh, I can prove you wrong. Here’s why: you’re a great big poofter and I always win.” Spike gave him his classic arrogant smirk.

 

 

Angel went to pick up a long sword that gleamed in the light and radiated with power. It was so sharp that you could see your hair splitting as you looked at it. “I’m getting bored. Let’s not waste anymore time. I think a nice dusty decapitation would be great! Don’t you think so?” Angel looked evilly amused.

 

 

“Dawnie, pay attention now. This will be your last memory of your big brother, but don’t worry it won’t hurt too long. You’re next.”

 

 

At that, Angel turned completely serious, brought back the sword, and swung it with a thrifty but powerful swing towards Spike’s neck.

 

 

Spike had his eyes closed. Swiftly, he swung his arms forward with lightning speed and brought the chains into range with the sword. He ducked down immediately as the sword hit the wall behind him right above his head.

 

 

Angel appeared shocked and angry. Quickly before resuming to the fight, Spike added, “I told you that you were a poofter. What kind a grand plan involves a sword in range of my chains?”

 

 

Spike lunged forward and swirled his body in a 360, whipping the chain connected to his wrists fiercely against Angel’s neck and face. Angel fell with the harsh blow and let out a painful yell, dropping the sword.

 

 

Buffy’s head jerked up at his cry – she had left the room because she didn’t like the nagging tinges of guilt she was feeling at being a part of Angel’s plan, but now she regretted leaving, because Angel was in trouble. She darted back into the room to see Spike pummeling Angel and throwing him against the wall. Angel was able to get in a fierce blow to Spike’s gut and a painful elbow to his head. As Spike landed on his hands on the ground in pain, both Buffy and Spike saw that the sword was within his reach.

 

 

“Angel! Watch out!” Buffy yelled as she ran forward and leaped up, kicking the sword of Spike’s loose grasp. As she came back down to the ground, she landed gracefully on her feet, but quickly launched her legs up to kick Spike in the head, while her upper body went towards the ground for leverage.

 

 

But Buffy took too long of a millisecond to get back up from her kick. Spike had already recovered. He picked her up by her tiny frame and launched her across the room, where she came crashing painfully into the wall. He came toward her quickly and backhanded her fiercely, followed by a direct punch to her pretty face. ‘What a shame’ He thought ever so briefly.

 

 

Buffy staggered, but pushed the pain aside to straighten herself, just in time to catch Spike’s arm in a strong grip as he was about to launch another punch. With her hand still gripping his arm, she delivered a strong upper hook to the right side of his chin.

 

 

“NO ONE hits my nose!” Buffy added, extremely pissed off that she would have bruises on her face.

 

 

Spike was about to get back into it with Buffy…

 

 

“Oh Spikeee…” Angel said in a singsong voice. “Look what I got.”

 

 

Spike and Buffy froze in their actions and turned in Angel’s direction. They yelled at the same time. “Get the hell away from her, you bloody wanker!” “Angel, no!”

 

 

Both of them could tell that Angel was about to bring back the stake and plummet it into Dawn’s heart, as she looked terrified with tears rolling down her cheeks and her eyes shut tight.

 

 

Spike saw the sword on the ground. So did Buffy. In a fraction of a second, Spike grabbed the sword and flung it swiftly toward Angel’s form, certain Dawn was safe at that angle. Angel didn’t even have time to react, with how fast the sword came at him. It landed straight into his chest, slightly piercing the left side of his heart.

 

 

Buffy’s eyes widened at the sight of it all came crashing down on her. She ran toward Angel, crying his name. Spike quickly freed Dawn, who had fainted. He put her over his shoulder and before he turned to leave, he cast a glance towards Buffy. For some reason, he couldn’t help the thought that crossed his mind, no matter how satisfied he felt at Angel’s condition. ‘Sorry luv’

 

 

Buffy was left with Angel, dying in her arms. “Angel...please don’t die! You’ll be ok! We just have to get you to the hospital, everything will be ok, just hang in there,” Buffy sobbed uncontrollably, as she brought her face close to his.

 

 

“Buffy,” Angel whispered lovingly with his last fiber of strength as he reached out to brush his hand against her cheek, “…you’ll always be mine.” With that, his weak heartbeat came to a soft halt.

 

 

“Noooooo!!!” Buffy cried out in between tears, “Nooo! Angel Angel Angel Angel” she shook his lifeless body in denial, “ANGEL!!!” It wasn’t just that she had just lost the ‘love of her life’ – she felt an intense wave of guilt – on some level, she knew she let Spike win, by allowing him to get that sword as she stood and watched.

 

 

 

******Back in Present day of Reverse World******

 

 

It was in these moments that the gang forgot what Buffy really was. Tears were streaming down her face from the gang’s version of her non-existent memories. She seemed so much like just a pretty and helpless girl – they had to constantly remind themselves that this was the same person who had tried to kill them countless times.

 

“There is NO way I would do those things,” Buffy uttered through clenched teeth and angry tear-stained eyes.

 

 

“Well you did. And that’s why you’re not welcome here,” Giles said with a stern matter-of-fact voice. “Listen, if we’re going to even remotely assist you with this amnesia thing, you have to get something straight. We are not your friends. We are not your way to Spike. This thing ... get over it.”

 

With that, she looked stunned and hurt. This place was tearing her down emotionally – everything and everyone was against her – it was all too much, even if she knew it wasn’t real. With a hurt look toward the rest of the gang, she turned and fled outside of the Magic Box, incidentally right into the arms of Spike.

 

 

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At the mention of Angel, he had instantly become angry at the memories. To calm himself down, he stood outside the Magic Box, finishing his smoke and thinking through his thoughts. He put out his smoke with his boot, and turned to go back inside, when all of a sudden a blur of blonde came rushing out, crashing right into him.

 

 

His arms came up to grasp her by the shoulders so they wouldn’t tumble to the ground. “Watch out! You silly-,” Spike cut himself off when he finally got a clear look at Buffy’s face. Her face was all puffy and moist, but the tears had apparently stopped, replaced by a look of hopelessness.

 

 

Buffy didn’t say anything, as she just looked up into his eyes with a sort of desperation. Still in each other’s arms, they stood like that for a second, not knowing what to do.

 

 

She didn’t want to think anymore. Everything around them seemed to freeze. The only thought that she could concentrate on was the fact that she was in Spike’s arms, and her heart was beating rapidly from his touch. She was starring at his lips, which suddenly looked so appealing, and Spike noticed the direction of her gaze, not being able to stop himself from starring at her bottom lip in return.

 

Buffy suddenly crushed her lips to his in a searing kiss and began to run her hands against his face demanding more. Spike let down his guard and eagerly returned the kiss, with a lust that he had suppressed all this time. Both of them sought to deepen the kiss with increased passion – Spike had pulled her flush against him, and both were moaning into each other’s mouths as they continued to massage each other’s lips frantically. Spike heatedly slammed Buffy against the wall of the building, and his hands began to travel under her clothing savoring the touch of her silky skin. Buffy breathed a raspy breath as his cool hands met with her flushed skin, and brought up her legs to wrap around his waist, pulling herself against his obvious arousal.

 

 

Spike tensed at her response and the realization of where this was going. He pulled out of the kiss reluctantly, sliding her down his body onto her feet. With his forehead against hers, he breathed deeply and fought to regain the composure he lost from the lust he had been unable to control.

 

 

“What?” Buffy looked confused and very frustrated that he stopped.

 

 

“We shouldn’t do this, luv,” Spike stepped back slightly with his hands still firmly on her arms as if holding her back.

 

 

“What?!? Why? We kinda already started!” Buffy was frustrated that he stopped their kiss – She knew he wanted it just as much and had felt that evidence in their close embrace – ‘Something’s never change what ever world you’re in. I can tell he loves me even here’ She briefly thought with an arrogant attitude.

 

 

“Because it’s wrong. I would be using you.” Spike said this part with a deceivingly calm and decided tone.

 

 

Buffy’s eyes widened with fury. ‘USING ME!?!’ She was outraged at his words. She was about to violently push him away from her and beat him to a pulp when she remembered the CHIP.

 

 

“Get your hands OFF of me.” She said calmly, but with heated anger in her tone. ‘I have had enough. Everyone thinks they can push me around. I’m done crying.’ Buffy thought with angry resolve.

 

 

While Buffy glared at him with fierce intensity, Spike felt sorry for his words. He knew what it felt like to be used – Drusilla had shown him how much that could hurt. Before he could say another word to Buffy, she stormed off with a permanent pissed off look on her face.

 

 

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

 

 

“Don’t you think this is all a bit cruel and over the top?” said a male voice.

 

“Well, it IS an abrupt method,” the female said slowly, “but I think it more than gets the job done, don’t you think? Plus, I am having SO much fun watching her squirm.”

 

 

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Chapter 4:
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She needed to clear her head, and not think about Spike. All of this – this place, the soul-ed vampires, the soulless humans – nothing made sense to her. ‘Everything is flip-flop…vampires are good and humans are bad? How ridiculous! I’m not soulless! And I don’t love Spike!’ She continued to think of all the ridiculous things she had heard today. Worst of all, she was no where close to understanding how to get out of here.


‘What do I do? I need a plan. Think, Buffy, think!’ She yelled to herself as she walked the streets of Sunnydale. Amidst her thoughts she realized that the only thing she could do was to go back to the gang and try to get their help – who else did she depend on to help her solve the Sunnydale mysteries? Just the thought of how Giles and the rest of the gang treated her made her wince. And the kiss made her frown. Was she really only a few minutes away from having sex with him? How did she allow it to get that far?


“Oh Slayerrrr…” came a female voice.

Buffy didn’t find an answer to her internal questions. ‘Will someone leave me alone long enough to think!?’ Turning around with obvious annoyance, she came face to face with Harmony.

“Harmony? What are you-,” Buffy paused. Harmony was human. “Huh? You’re human?”

Harmony had one arm on her hip as she rolled her eyes. “Um OK. And people say I’m a dumb blonde. What’s your deal?”


“I…um…nothing. So-,” Buffy began, not sure of how to react. ‘All the humans are vampires…and all the demons are humans…except for me and Spike? Huh.’

“Whatever. What do you think you’re doing on my territory? You know my crypt is around here! People will think you’re associated with me and think I’ve become a backstabber like you have! We had a deal remember? I won’t unleash my minions on you, and you won’t tell anyone that I actually talk to you.”


“What? Unleash your minions?” Buffy thought for a second what that meant here. “Your…human minions? Who signed up for that lame job?”
“Oh shut up. Just go back to your own crypt or I’ll…I’ll…think of something really good to do to you and hurt you real bad!” Harmony said unbelievable conviction.

“Sure, Harmony. I’ll just go now because I’m really terrified of you.” Buffy said sarcastically, as she turned to walk away. ‘She’s an airhead anywhere you go.’

‘Sigh. I can’t do this right now. I’m going to sleep and tomorrow I’ll go check up on mom and Dawn.’ Buffy made a face when she remembered where she had to go back to sleep.


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


Buffy woke up feeling really cold, and remembered where she had gone to sleep after encountering Harmony: the crypt.

She got up to go see her mom and Dawn as soon as possible, until her stomach began to grumble at her uncontrollably.

With a groan, she got up and went to the fridge. To her pleasant surprise, the fridge was stacked with real food – milk, bread, veggies, lunch meat, leftover steaks, etc. She felt like she could eat the whole fridge.

“oOo cookies,” Buffy noticed happily, grabbing two.

After her two-cookie meal, she dressed quickly and headed out towards Revello Drive, suddenly feeling very nervous.

‘I don’t know if I can handle seeing them like vampires…How will they react towards me?’ She twisted her fingers in her hands while biting on her bottom lip nervously.


She approached the house slowly, not sure whether she should actually knock on the door. Buffy heard voices coming from inside – stepping to peer inside the window, she saw mom, Dawn and Spike, in the kitchen.



******Inside the House******


“Mom, can I go to a friend’s house?” Dawn inquired eagerly, with an angelic expression.


Joyce was stirring the cocoa she was making, while Spike popped marshmallows in his mouth, waiting and leaning against the counter for his mum to finish making him a cup.


“No, you can’t.” Spike said plainly.


“Why nottttt? Shut up Spike!” Dawn whined. She turned to Joyce hopefully, “Mom? Can I go?”


“Spike, why don’t you want Dawn to go?” Joyce said calmly, not turning around from her task.


“Welllllll…” Spike began with a taunting look towards Dawn. Dawn abruptly turned to Spike with pleading eyes.


“…DAWN here, decided to go and skip around with some mini-poofter the last time she told you she ‘wanted to go to a friend’s house.’ Then, I had to go rescue her ass again, because her little date decided it would be mighty fun to go to the human-side of town.” Spike finished with a lifted eyebrow and a lecturing look.


Joyce turned around to look at Dawn with a stern motherly look. “Honey, you know that you’re not allowed to go to the cemetery! How many times do I have to tell you? I’m sorry, but you can’t go out tonight because you’re grounded.”


Dawn crossed her arms and pouted, with her eyes averted to the ground.


“Oh here we go again! Always with the pout…” Spike rolled his eyes and threw a marshmallow at her playfully. Dawn threw him an angry look, but when Joyce glanced back at Dawn, she quickly resumed her pout.


“SIGH. I guess I’ll just sit in my room. ALONE. Doing NOTHING.” She put on her best puppy dog face and when Joyce shook her head ‘no’ in an answer, Dawn began to step heavily out of the kitchen in a dramatic display. “Fine! Ruin my life!”


“I’ll tell you what, bit. We’ll watch movies and eat junk food. How’s that huh?” Spike offered as a brotherly gesture to ease her punishment and make up for having sold her out. He always felt bad whenever he had to be the mean big brother.


Dawn didn’t answer, but rather lifted up her head slowly to look at him with an angry glare.


“C’mon…you’re such a fake,” Spike suddenly tickle-attacked her until she giggled and broke her act. “See, what did I tell you, mum? A regular drama queen.”


“Alright you two.” Joyce turned to look at both of her children, and patted both of their cheeks, eliciting a “mum!” from Spike, who hated when she treated him like a little boy. It threatened his masculinity ok?


“Let’s eat dinner and have some cocoa first. Then you guys can do your little movie-fest.” Joyce brought out two mugs for each of them on the dining table, one with cocoa, and one with warm blood.


“What are we having?” Dawn chirped, forgetting her previous anger and disappointment.

“It’s cow’s blood today.” Joyce answered. “Let me know if it’s warm enough.”


After they were seated at the table, they all simultaneously vamped out and began to drink eagerly.


Spike only put his mug down, at the sound of something outside.


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


Buffy had been watching them intently. She saw Dawn put on her dramatics and her mom making something on the stove. It shocked her how much they looked like a real family. Even more so, she was shocked at how wonderful Spike was interacting with them. He was so normal at that moment, that she completely forgot all her presumptions about him. The sight warmed her heart, at the same time she was resentful that SHE was suppose to be in there.


She had been perfectly still, until she saw them all sit down at the dining table. Then the reality of this world came crashing down upon her, as for the first time, she saw her mom and Dawn, vamp out. Letting out a gasp, she stepped back, snapping a twig under her foot.


‘I sensed they were, and Spike told me, but I really didn’t believe it. Oh god oh god…’ She fought to remain calm and not tear up. At that moment, Spike burst out of the front door to scan the yard, as his eyes caught Buffy standing there in the dark.


“Buffy! What the hell are you doing here!?” Spike yelled as he decided to be pissed off and completely ignore what had happened earlier between them. “You’re not spying on me again, are you?”


“What? No! I just…I came to say hi to Dawn and Mo-, I mean Joyce,” She quickly recovered.


“Listen Slayer, stay away from them. They’re not your friends.” Spike said calmly and firmly.


Suddenly, Joyce, emerged through the door that Spike had left hanging open. “Spike? Why’d you leave? You haven’t finished your dinner...” She saw Spike standing in front of Buffy in the yard.


“Oh hi Buffy! How are you?” Joyce gave her a pleasant smile, as she morphed back into human appearance.


Spike sighed in frustration, also changing out of his vamp face – no matter what he said or what happened, he couldn’t convince his mum to stop being nice to Buffy. Joyce made it extremely difficult to cut Buffy out of all of their lives.


Buffy was relieved to see that her mom treated her with welcome, and definitely relieved that she let her vamp face slide away. “I just wanted to say hi to you and Dawn, to see how you were doing,” said Buffy quietly and added a timid smile, trying to appear as undisturbed as possible.
“Oh how nice of you! I’m doing great. Let me get Dawn out here…” Joyce turned to call Dawn. “Dawn! Come out here for a moment, sweety.”


“Mum!” Spike yelled in frustration.


“Oh relax. She’s just going to say hi really quick.” Joyce ignored Spike’s huffy mood.


“Hi Buffy! Omg I’m so glad you came because I really wanted to show you these cute tops I got at the mall! I was going to go visit you, but Spike yelled at me and wouldn’t let me leave the house,” said Dawn all in one breath, and then turned to glare at Spike a moment. “You prison warden.”


“I’m sorry Dawnie. I…I’ve been busy, but I’m here now.” Buffy suddenly realized how much she loved Dawn and her mom. It’s not until you don’t have them that you realize how important they are.


“Will you two for once just remember that she is human?! Go back inside now. I need to talk to Buffy alone please.” Spike said between gritted teeth.


Dawn pouted and Joyce ushered her daughter into the house with her, exchanging a good-bye with Buffy. Buffy mostly appeared dazed through this whole exchange, since she was shocked from the vamping and caught in her thoughts. Buffy’s eyes followed her mom and sister, until they were inside and out of her view. Turning back to Spike, her eyes were met with angry cerulean blue.


“Ok, before you say anything, NO I did not come here for you. I really just came to see if they were O.K.” Buffy interjected quickly.


“Buffy, they’re not you’re family. If you were in my position, wouldn’t you keep you away too? I know you have a chip, but Dawn is young and easily persuaded. You’ll get her mixed up in the human world. It’s dangerous.” Spike said angrily, but with a surprising amount of control.


It hit Buffy. This IS exactly how she would act if she were in his position, because that’s HER position! ‘…wow, Dawn must hate me.’ Buffy pondered about her controlling manner toward Dawn back home in her world.


“You’re right Spike.” Buffy said finally with a decided voice.


“Huh?” Spike moved his head back, looking at her like she grew another head. “Did you just admit I’m right? Have you got a fever or something? Still a bit of the crazy?” He tilted his head in wonder.


He hesitated a second before adding firmly, “Well you’re damn well right I’m right.”


“Don’t get all cocky about it,” She rolled her eyes as her arms were folded. “I’m just saying, I don’t want Dawn in danger either.”


Both of them shared a silent moment, looking each other in the eyes, remembering what had happened between them yesterday and feeling a teensy bit of something else at each other’s mutual love for Dawn. Buffy was first to break the moment, “Alright well, I need to get to the Magic Box and find out some information.” She turned to leave, avoiding Spike’s gaze.


“Information for what?” Spike inquired curiously, watching her go.


Buffy paused without turning to face him. “Um…for this problem I have. You know…my amnesia and stuff.” She didn’t really know what to tell him, so she kept walking. They were at a peaceful truce for the time being, and accusing him of taking her life wouldn’t really help anyone.


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


“You know, she’s regaining her composure quite quickly. Who knows when she’ll have her little revelation?” commented the male voice.


The female was frustrated. “She’s ruining my fun!” She paused to calm down. “She has to stay vulnerable and confused until everything is ready. I can still add to the game as long as she doesn’t understand it yet...” she said mischeviously.


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


She walked into the Magic Box as determined as she could. Giles looked up at the sound of the door opening.


“Giles, I know you don’t want me here, but I really need to find out some important information about my amnesia or what’s happening to me. I…I know I’m not your friend…” Buffy said slowly, “but I can assure you this has nothing to do with getting closer to Spike.” She thought it all sounded completely deranged.


Giles took his time to reply. “Well, if I can have your word that this isn’t all some ploy, then I guess I can help you, as long as it is within reasonable terms.”


The rest of the gang came out from the back room at that moment.

“Vamp food, what are you doing here again? Don’t you ever give up?” Xander asked with annoyance.


“Xander, it’s ok. She’s not here for Spike.” Giles turned back to Buffy, “What kind of information do you need?”


“I need to find out if there has been any fishy business in Sunnydale recently. Any strange activities like…spells or self-induced nightmare dimensions perhaps? And I need information on if someone could possibly…reverse the world.”


Xander, Giles, Willow and Anya stared at her with a puzzled look.


“Ok here’s the thing: I had a dream last night and I’m not sure if it was a Slayer vision. I saw someone reversing the world, changing the order of things. Like humans were the majority and vampires were evil.” Buffy knew they would laugh in her face.


And they did. “Hahahaha that’s funny Buffy. In your dreams though!” Xander clutched his stomach as he laughed.


“Listen, I know it may sound ridiculous to you. But I got this feeling when I had the dream – the one I get when I dream of a vision. Can we just spend a little while and look into it? If this is real, it could mess up life as we know it.” Buffy finished with a convincing and serious tone.


“Oh… you’re serious aren’t you?” Willow scrunched her forehead in perplexed thought. “Well, I can see if there are any spells on that, but I’ve never heard of it.” Willow went to get her laptop.


Two hours later, still nothing. Hopelessness crept its way back into Buffy’s emotions.


As everyone was getting up to take a break, a brick flew through the window, shattering the glass with a loud commotion and jolting everyone’s attention to the source.


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

 

 

Chapter 5:


Buffy looked up, but whoever had thrown the brick was nowhere to be seen. “What was all that about?” Buffy began, puzzled at the solitary act.


“Everyone, get ready. We need to hurry.” Giles said with determined focus.


“For what? What’s happening?” Buffy inquired, confused.


“It’s the humans. It’s this guy named Rack who has been attacking us every so often. He’s gotten together some kind of gang to try to kill us, especially Spike. There are a lot of them, so be ready.”


“That’s it? Humans?? Oh c’mon, we can easily manage that!” Buffy said before realizing what that meant in the fight that was about to come. Whose side was she suppose to be on? Humans? Or her friends? They had always been one and the same. She pondered about the chip, but realized that if she had Spike’s life, then it should mean she would be able to fight her own “evil” kind. ‘I just need to help keep my friends alive – I don’t have to kill any humans either.’


Suddenly, a wooden arrow flew through the window, and landed in the bookcase splitting the wood, two inches away from Buffy. Before she had time to be pissed off, time seemed to slow as she saw an entire wave of arrows flying toward them.


“Duck!” Buffy yelled at the rest of them, as they flung their bodies to the ground as fast as possible. But Willow was too late, as a wooden arrow pierced her in her arm (luckily avoiding her heart) and she fell to the floor screaming in pain.


“Willow!” Buffy cried in concern. She couldn’t run to help her best friend, as she saw the humans running into the Magic Box at full speed. Human or not, she was going to kick their ass.


One of the guys angrily attacked her and punched her in the gut, making her slightly double over. ‘What the hell? When did humans learn how to hit that hard?’ She thought to herself quickly, before she launched herself into Buffy-battle mode, throwing a round of fierce punches.


The rest of the gang, including Giles, had vamped out and were busy fending off their own group of attackers, since they had vampire strength and all. Buffy saw in the corner of her eye – 4 humans were outnumbering Anya, as she struggled to keep her ground. Two suddenly grabbed her by the arms, and one of them was about to stake her.


Xander came up with an angry growl behind the man with a stake and twisted his neck abruptly, while Anya took the opportunity to free herself and fight the other 3. “Keep your nasty hands off her, you low lifes!”


Buffy had just finished taking care of her group of attackers, and witnessed what Xander did. She starred at the dead human on the ground with his head twist in a weird direction, not sure if she should be mortified or not. Memory of Willow’s words passed through her head: we only kill humans when they try to kill us. Remembering Willow’s arm, she looked over at where Willow had fallen to the ground in pain. Standing there, with a stake over Willow’s chest, was Rack.


“Ok Boys, it’s time to move the party!” Rack boomed at his human minions, who reluctantly backed off, wanting more violence. He turned to leer at the rest of the gang, settling his eyes on Buffy, as Willow looked angry, but scared at the stake so close to plunging into her chest. “Tell Spike to show up too, unless you all want to see this one die a painnnful death.” With an evil smirk, he took Willow and left.
Buffy was about to sprint after them, when Giles held her back. “Wait Buffy!”


“What?! They just took Willow! We need to follow them before they kill her!” Buffy urged, confused at the gang’s slow reaction to Willow’s kidnapping.


“They’re not going to try to kill her yet. They’re trying to get Spike and the rest of us to show up on their grounds. They probably have a lot of back up waiting to ambush us in the cemetery. We need to inform Spike before we can go – you rush in now, and they’ll kill her before you can say ‘evil humans’,” Xander added, annoyed at Buffy’s stupidity.


She wasn’t use to not making the rules and not knowing what was going on. It bothered her a lot, but she needed to help Willow, so she complied. Buffy sighed, “Ok fine. What’s the plan?”


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


A few minutes later, Spike had rushed to join them, and they were all getting some weapons ready to go. “Spike, did you get any others to come and help?” Giles inquired.


“Yea, I called them. They’ll be there. I told them to come in a couple minutes, so Rack won’t see ‘em first. I’ll go after Rack and get Red free, you guys take care of the rest.” Spike said commandingly, as everyone just nodded in agreement. “Wait, why are YOU here?” Spike turned to look at Buffy for the first time, with annoyance in his eyes.


“To help save Willow, what do you think I’m here for? You? Get the hell over yourself. You’ll have to kill me to stop me from going to help save her,” Buffy shot back, pissed off that he treated her with such insignificance.


“Fine. We need the muscle anyway.” Spike immediately started heading out, with the gang behind him.


‘Did he just call me muscle?!’ Buffy said insulted. She suddenly felt manly and unattractive. She followed them, with a pout on her face.

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


Arriving at the cemetery within mere minutes, Spike put his hand up in warning to slow the group to a halt in the middle of the darkness. “Wait. They’re close.” Everything stilled for them, as they all tried to sense where all of the humans were hiding. “I’m going to try to go straight for Rack. Buffy, I need you to back me up.” Spike turned to her and momentarily stalled his eyes on hers, with an emotion that neither could quite name.


“I’m on it.” Buffy said quietly but seriously, still gazing into his eyes. Their gaze broke, with a sudden noise that got their attention. In a sudden quickening of the moment, a mass of humans came at them from every direction, eagerly ready for barbaric violence.


The humans outnumbered them about 6 to 1, attacking them from all directions. Buffy struggled to maintain her ground against the numbers at first, but found it easier than fighting vamps back home – they were strong (evil did that to them) but not strong enough.


She decided at that moment, that she’d try not to kill them, but wouldn’t worry about the others– after all, this world isn’t real. She jolted out of her thoughts as she hit a guy in the face, and delivered a swift kick to another. She sprinted onto the top of a tombstone, quickly jumping off, delivering a heavy kick and knocking the guy out. Landing with a somersault, she stood up to continue her battle, keeping her eye out for Rack.


Spike had already killed 8 guys and 1 really butch looking woman, moving to kill the last one – who was quite meaty and ugly looking. The human lunged at him ferociously, but Spike was too quick for him. He slide out of the way and grabbed the back of the guy’s head, slamming it violently against a crypt entrance, twice. He picked him up with amazing strength, and flung him back several yards, as the guy’s body landed roughly on a tombstone, with a crack.


He looked to his friends and saw that there were many more humans left, possibly too much for them to handle. But it was then that he saw Rack, in the background, standing with Willow in front of him in his grasp. “Ohh Spike…look what I’ve got,” as he ran his deformed fingers along the side of Willow’s face, smiling evilly. He turned serious. “I think it’s time we settle this once and for all,” throwing a wounded Willow to two of his minions behind him.


Spike growled and lunged forward at the same time as Rack. Both of them punched each other in the face at the same time, swaggering slightly, before returning to tear each other’s throats out. A round of powerful throws were exchanged, when suddenly Rack delivered a blow straight to the front of Spike’s neck, causing him to slightly choke at the pressure. Rack attacked him with a few blows while he was down. Spike stood up after taking a few shots to the face, picked Rack up by the back of his jacket, raising him into the air and bringing him crashing down on his knee.


In the background, the vampires Spike called had showed up to help, evening out the odds a little bit. Buffy tried to work her way over to Spike and Willow, remembering she was suppose to back him up, but the humans were ganging up on her in greater numbers, as if they knew.


She saw Rack get in a good shot, sending Spike back a few feet. In that instant, she realized she was too far from them. Rack took Spike’s moment of pain, to reach Willow again. He was going to kill her first.


“Say goodbye to the little witch!” Rack grinned evilly. Willow struggled in her game face as best she could, but she was too weak from the wound. Rack grabbed a stake from one of his minions. Spike and Buffy both watched in horror, they were too far, and had nothing on them.


Suddenly, before Rack could raise the stake, a female vampire jumped out of nowhere and grabbed Rack’s body away from Willow, sinking her teeth into his neck. Quickly after, she pulled her fangs out and twisted his head, throwing his body on the ground.


“Oh gross. I knew humans tasted bad, but he’s got to be the worst one I’ve ever tried.” The female vampire exclaimed with distaste apparent on her vamped face.


The humans had all either been knocked out, or killed, with the help of the other vampires. The gang ran to Willow, helping her up and dislodging the arrow in her arm as she painfully cried out.


Buffy and Spike were both looking at the female vampire who had killed Rack so abruptly in surprise.


Buffy examined the vamp – she looked strong, her curves accentuated her powerful and toned build. Her hair was a curly flow of blonde silk and her black top left little to the imagination, leaving her breasts billowing slightly at the dip of the fabric. As the vampire changed into human resolve, Buffy saw she had striking grey eyes and high cheekbones, making her appear slightly mesmerizing, or annoying, in Buffy’s case.


“Spike! Did you miss me?” The female vampire walked seductively closer to Spike’s surprised form and placed her arms around his neck, starting to kiss him. He fumbled in kissing her back, thrown that she had returned so soon.


“Leanna, what are doing back so soon?” Spike asked her confused as he held her from kissing him.


“Oh god I just couldn’t stand my family anymore! And that town! The humans were so bent up on killing me, but it was like fighting off annoying knats! Aren’t you glad I’m back though?” She asked coyly, waiting for his answer.


Buffy hated her. There was something about ‘Leanna’ that pissed off every bone in her body. The way she was hanging on Spike made her think of those trashy hoes. Plus, she seemed to fit more as an evil vampire than as a ‘good’ one.


“Of course I did, luv…” Spike began to say to her, until Leanna caught sight of Buffy in the corner of her eye. She flung her head to the side, her long blonde curls bouncing energetically. Leanna’s eyes turned a stormy angry grey, as she glared at Buffy.


“What the hell is she doing here?” Leanna demanded angrily, as she turned back to Spike with a slight whine in her anger. “She is always around when I’m gone!”


“Buffy, I thought we resolved this ‘issue’? You stop trying to steal Spike and I won’t kill you!” Leanna exclaimed with comedic exasperation.


“Who the hell do you think you are? Guys, who is this skank?” Buffy was angrily trying to control her obvious rage. ‘I SO want to kick ass right now,’ she thought but she remembered the chip, and never felt so frustrated in her entire life. Every fiber in her body wanted to attack her right now. But the rest of the gang was busy helping Willow.


“Huh? What’s wrong with her? She seems extra stupid today,” Leanna whispered not too quietly in Spike’s ear.


Spike was starring at Buffy, gauging her reaction to this all. She seemed really pissed off, but he turned back to the woman in his arms. “Oh yea, um, Buffy supposedly has a case of amnesia or some rot like that. Came to my door step all crazy and bug-eyed,” Spike replied to Leanna, making fun of Buffy for show.


Leanna started laughing in Spike’s arms. “You mean she’s this bitchy even when she forgets everything? How sad,” she said with a toss of her golden curls.


Buffy knew the consequences. She walked right up to Leanna, and punched her in the face, as the searing pain exploded once again in her head. She clutched her head and cried out in agony, with tears at the corners of her eyes. She turned her head up to glare at Leanna, who was vamped out and being held back by Spike. “That was completely worth it.” With an angry and slightly wounded look in her eyes, Buffy turned and stormed off with her hand still holding the side of her head.


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


She plopped herself down on her shoddy couch in the crypt. She was exhausted from the fight, and hoped that Willow was ok. She had stormed off without checking up on her, but knew that the gang had it covered, especially since Willow is a vamp and has vampire healing. Her thoughts fled to the couple.


‘That bastard kissed me when he had a girlfriend!! I am going to find a way to dust his ass! And what kind of name is Leanna?? It’s like she thinks everyone has to hold a ceremony every time her name is uttered, that skanky ho! I bet her boobs aren’t even real…’ Buffy pouted as she looked down at her chest.


While she was looking down at herself, the crypt door opened slightly, and Buffy tensed, becoming alert.


“Who is it?” Buffy demanded sternly.


Dawn peaked her head into the crypt. “It’s me,” as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.


Buffy relaxed and softened her expression. “Dawn, what are you doing here? It’s late, won’t mom worry about you?” Dawn didn’t notice there was no ‘your’ in front of ‘mom.’


“I just wanted to hang out with you for a little bit. I’ll go home in a few minutes, I swear,” Dawn looked at Buffy hopefully.


Buffy hesitated for a brief second before giving in to Dawn’s hopeful look. “Ok, but just for a few minutes…” Buffy couldn’t help but respond.


“Cool! You’re the greatest!” Dawn hugged Buffy ecstatically. Buffy was stunned. Dawn hardly ever treated her like this back home. She wondered just how much time Dawn really spent with Spike back in the real world…


Dawn plopped herself down and crossed her legs Indian style on the couch. She noticed that Buffy looked a bit worn. “Are you okay Buffy? Did something happen today?” Dawn asked inquiringly.


“Oh it’s nothing you need to worry about. We had a little run in with some humans who kidnapped Willow. Her arm is hurt, but she’ll be ok now.” Buffy said quickly.


“Willow’s hurt? Oh no...does Tara know yet??” Dawn asked, concerned.


Buffy knew there was something missing: Tara’s peaceful presence. It was sad that even still now, Tara was always the one in the background. “Where is Tara? I haven’t seen her anywhere,” she asked with a frown.


“Willow said she took a short trip, but didn’t really explain it. She was supposed to be back today…” Dawn explained.

“Well, Tara didn’t come back, some other girl did…” Buffy mumbled bitterly under her breath.

“Let me guess. Leanna’s back?” Dawn asked with annoyance.


“You…you don’t like her?” Buffy looked at Dawn hopefully, happy to hear she wasn’t alone. “Uh Dawn, who is she? I don’t remember her at all...you know, my amnesia thing?” Buffy hoped they still bought it.


“Yea, Spike mentioned it to me. Well, more like he warned me to stay away from you because you’d gone crazy and claimed everything was yours…” Dawn began with a giggle. She suddenly became quiet and looked thoughtful. “Wait, but you remember me right?” She had a worried and confused look on her face.


“Of course I do, Dawnie. I…I can’t remember a lot, but I remember YOU.” Buffy leaned forward and gave Dawn’s hand a comforting squeeze. She pulled away and straightened up, “Now about this Leanna. Who is she and why do I have a feeling we’ve tried to kill each other many times before?”


Dawn giggled before beginning to explain, “Well it’s obvious you guys hate each other’s guts, with you two fighting over Spike’s attention all the time. She wanted to kill you after you got chipped, but Spike wouldn’t let her because he said it was wrong since you can’t hurt them anymore. Ugh I don’t like her – she’s always treating me like I’m five and shooing me away so she can hang all over Spike…”


“Wait a second, we fight over SPIKE’S attention? There’s no way I would do that!” Buffy cried indignantly. ‘Spike stopped her from killing me because it was wrong?’


“Buffy, everyone already knows you love him. You don’t have to pretend anyway, I’d much rather Spike go out with you – he’s just too stubborn.” Dawn continued matter-of-factly.


“I don’t love Spike! Whatever I said before, I was just out of my mind, it wasn’t me!” Buffy protested, trying to convince more than just Dawn.


“Then why do you hate Leanna?” Dawn asked with an uplifted brow.


“Because!! She…She has stupid hair!” Buffy knew it was a lame response and added, “And she looks like she playing on the wrong side…she doesn’t seem good at all!”


“Believe me, I tried to tell Spike she seemed kinda creepy. I mean, who the heck has grey eyes? But Spike wouldn’t listen to me – he just always makes me feel guilty because one time Leanna saved me from some crazy guys while I was walking home. I still think she only puts up with me to get closer to Spike though,” Dawn rambled to Buffy.


“Huh.” Buffy thought about it all. “Wait a minute, what do you mean he’s too stubborn?” she inquired curiously, remembering Dawn’s words.

Dawn smirked knowingly at Buffy’s question. “I think he likes you, but he won’t admit it because you’re human. Whenever I try to mention it, he cuts me off and threatens to tell mom something else I did and get me grounded. I told you he’s a prison warden - he never lets me go anywhere because he thinks ‘it’s not safe.’ Whatever.” Dawn rolled her eyes.


The last part snapped Buffy out of her thoughts, remembering Dawn and where they were. “Dawn, we should get you home. It’s late and they’ll be really worried. C’mon, I’ll walk with you,” Buffy got up as she spoke.


Dawn pouted and got up. “Fine. But will you try to visit more often? No one over there talks to me like you do.”


Buffy smiled sadly before adding, “Yea sure, Dawn. I’ll try.” ‘Is this what Dawn thinks of all of us? Have I really pushed her that far away?’


As they walked through the cemetery back to revello drive, Dawn excitedly told Buffy her stories, while Buffy felt her heart warm at the moment they were having, finally getting to genuinely laugh out loud for the first time since coming here.


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Joyce was pacing around the house, waiting for any sign of Dawn. She had already tried calling everyone, including Dawn’s friends. To her great relief, she saw Spike walking towards the house, but not alone.


Joyce didn’t really dislike Leanna, but she didn’t exactly like her too much either. Spike had started bringing her around sometime after the whole Dru thing. She knew to keep quiet about it, because it upset Spike whenever Dawn brought up Leanna. She has a sneaking suspicion that Spike started with Leanna to get over Dru, and had long gotten over it, but was too loyal to dump the girl. Besides, Joyce really perceived much more than that…


“Spike! Oh I’m so glad you’re back! Have you seen Dawn?” Joyce asked urgently.


“No, she didn’t come home?” he asked as anger crept into him. He regretted taking such a long time with Leanna to get home now.


“I’ll go and look-…” Spike was cut off as he turned around, seeing Buffy and Dawn walking towards the house together, laughing. His anger melted into relief, and his relief dissipated, when he caught a look of her. He hardly ever saw Buffy laugh, and couldn’t help starring at her face, as her eyes lit up and she smiled in laughter, her whole face radiating as she listened to some funny story Dawn was telling her. He quickly snapped out of it, giving Leanna a quick look, before storming toward Dawn and Buffy.


“What the hell do you think you two are doing?” Spike demanded. Buffy and Dawn had stopped talking, with both of them looking pissed off, for very different reasons.


“Dawn, get your ass inside NOW!” Spike yelled. Dawn glared at him and marched by him with her arms crossed.


Leanna stood back on the porch watching the display in the yard. As Dawn marched toward her, she bent down to level her head to Dawn’s. “Dawnie, you know there are very nasty things out there that want to hurt you. Little girls shouldn’t wander out at night like that,” Leanna said in a very patronizing voice that one would use towards a 5-year old and patted her on the head.


Dawn rolled her eyes and huffed at her, marching in to deal with her mom’s wrath instead. Leanna smirked as Dawn marched inside, but returned to the scene at hand, with her lips tight and her grey eyes flashing with anger.


“What did you do to Dawn? Where did you take her?” Spike asked with a calm but angry voice.


“I didn’t do ANYTHING to her,” Buffy returned with the same tight voice, “She came to the crypt on her own, and I walked her home because I knew someone would be worried.”


“You don’t know how to worry about others, you just worry about yourself! Everything is somehow always about you!” Spike yelled back – he knew he was being a bit over the top, but anger is the strongest emotion to cover up other ones.


“Really!? Everything is about me, huh? You’re the one that kissed me when you had the girlfriend – how selfish is that?! The way I see it, everything revolves around you in this little Spike bubble, where you think you can boss everyone around and USE me whenever you want!” Buffy was livid as she ranted at Spike, until something clicked in her head at the sound of her words. ‘…do I do that? Do I have a Buffy bubble?’ Her angry expression was replaced by a panicked one, which in turn thoroughly confused Spike, throwing him off guard.


He had many things he wanted to yell at her, but something stopped him from doing it – guilt. He felt guilty that he HAD kissed her back, even if she had initiated it. Moreover, he felt guilty at NOT feeling that guilty for going behind Leanna’s back while she was gone. ‘Oh shit, Leanna!’ Spike suddenly remembered she was behind them, watching the whole thing. He swung around, seeing Leanna was furiously quiet, standing on the porch with her arms crossed across her chest, grey eyes glaring at them and waiting for Spike’s next words.


He sent her an apologetic look as Leanna’s expression remained the same. Turning back to Buffy to respond to her outburst and accusation, he was cut off-

“Don’t. I think you’re better off saving it for HER.” With a satisfied but furious look, Buffy turned on her heels and marched away.


Spike closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He was going to have to turn around and confront Leanna sometime soon now…

She slowly walked up to him, with her blonde wavy hair blowing back a bit, making her eyes appear ever the more angry. “You kissed her?” she cried indignantly.


“Yea, I did, but look Leanna, it was a m-,” Spike tried to finish.

“Oh save it Spike! How could you? She is an evil soulless human!! And I look way better than her!” Leanna exclaimed, really more concerned that her beauty was being challenged.


“Who do you want?” Leanna asked, calming from her outrage.


“You. I want you,” Spike claimed. As a sly smile crossed Leanna’s face, she jumped on Spike with fervor, bringing her arms around his neck as she kissed him lustily. Spike was relieved to have the situation go away so easily, but in the back of his mind, he added to the pile of guilty secrets, the lie he just told her.


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