Chapter 23:

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“Why are there two spots on the map?” Tara frowned in confusion.


“Don’t care. You don’t see her around here, do you?” Spike’s voice rose in impatient anger. Without wasting another second, he started to gather some weapons and storm out the door.


“Spike! Wait for us!” Willow, Xander, Anya, and Tara were running after him, grabbing weapons hastily.


“Um, right. I’ll just wait here and research a dot,” Giles said to no one.


He ignored them behind him - his only thought was to get to the caves. With each quickening step, he began to worry more. ‘This wouldn’t have happened if…,’ he closed his eyes as he cracked his tense neck, and moved faster, the gang trailing after him. The guilt from the way he treated her earlier ran through his mind. He couldn’t lose her. Not now.


~


She groaned in pain as her eyes began to flutter open. Her face felt like it was pounding and she felt a sharp pull at her wrists. Buffy opened her eyes to find herself in a dimly lit cave.


Confusion spread over her face as she pulled and looked up to see the chains above her head. ‘What the hell?’ Her eyes shot around in panic, searching for any signs of her assailants, but it was dead quiet, except for the burning of a torch and the occasional echoed drop of water.


She pulled on her restraints, but the chains only creaked and jangled in resistance. After it wouldn’t seem to budge, Buffy gave it one last heave as she scrunched her face in effort. She slumped in defeat.


Buffy closed her eyes and exhaled. Then she heard a noise. Her eyes shot open as a humming/vibrating noise reached her ears. Looking over to her right, she saw a jewel of some sort, sitting in the wall of the cave, and it seemed to be glowing. She furrowed her brows in confusion, as the intensity of the light grew.


The sound of a footstep made her head snap up to look in front of her, at the opening of the cave. Standing just beyond the arch of the ‘doorway,’ was the dark, hooded figure.


Buffy instinctively began struggling with her chains as she demanded, “Who are you? Why the hell did you bring me here?”


The figure didn’t answer. It began to step forward across the arch, and a force field wavered as the form entered the main room. Buffy’s brows furrowed, and she began to panic inwardly. Obviously, she wasn’t just dealing with vampires, she was dealing with magic – two things she couldn’t handle on her own.


The figure’s hands went up to its hood, and slowly lifted it backwards, taking off the robe and revealing a raven-haired woman. She had sleek, long hair, and piercing grey eyes. She appeared to be an exotic-looking Indian woman. In a strange way, she seemed familiar, and Buffy couldn’t put her finger on why. Buffy glared at the woman suspiciously as she began to move toward her.


“Who are you? ‘I Dream of Jeanie?’” Buffy asked sarcastically as she eyed the woman’s outfit. She was wearing something that resembled the risqué outfits of a belly dancer.


“I’m Kerala,” she answered with a calculating smile. “And I’d be careful of what you say to me.” Her eyes darkened in warning.


“What the hell do you want?” Buffy spat out.


“A lot of things. World domination…the death of all petty do-gooders…which means, you, dead.”


“What?” Buffy looked annoyed. “What are you talking about? How do you have anything to do with me?”


“Oh plenty, slayer,” Kerala answered as she came to stand a few feet away from Buffy.


“Well do you mind explaining??” Buffy rolled her eyes in irritation. ‘This chick has got to be kidding me.’


“But it’s so much more fun to watch you reel around in confusion,” she answered with smirk, “I’ve gotta say, I do brilliant work.”


Buffy looked confused for a moment, until the words registered their meaning. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re the one that did this to me? That sent me here??” Buffy’s voice was incredulous.


Kerala gave her a bitchy smile, “You’re welcome.”


Buffy lunged forward, only to be yanked back by her chains. She was glaring icily at Kerala. “Why are you doing this??”


“I told you. Rid the world of pesky humans,” she replied with annoyance.


“So what the hell are you supposed to be then?”


“I’m not a human, I’m the Goddess Kerala,” she snapped.


Buffy’s eyes seemed to scan the air as her mind tried to figure out all the conflicting thoughts. She looked up at her with furrowed brows, and asked, “Are you supposed to be that one goddess and her stupid gem thing-y?” She turned to look at the jewel that was still glowing in its place. “That…that Agenda Gem?”


“It’s Rajendra, you brainless human,” Kerala snapped.


“So what, you just did some magic with a gem and managed to suck me into an alternate dimension?” Buffy looked unconvinced.


“It’s not some gem. It’s thousands of years old, forged by the Gods themselves.”


“And anyone who finds it can just pop it in and flip my life around for a good laugh??”


“Ha, that’s the best part. I couldn’t have done it all on my own…”


Buffy gave her an impatient glare. Kerala continued, “The gem can work for either good or evil, but it must be ordered by a wish of justice. Meaning, your vampire wished you would stop being a bitch and see how it feels to be in his shoes, loosely translated, of course.”


Buffy’s mouth gaped open. Somehow she had guessed this would be Spike’s doing, but she never had enough proof, only a hunch. “Why am I not surprised?” she asked as she looked up in the air in exasperation. Looking back down to glare at Kerala, she asked bitterly, “So all of this is some kind of twisted vengeance spell??”


“Hardly. He has no idea that he did anything. I saw an outlet, I took it.”


“I don’t get it. Why didn’t you just try to kill me in the real world. Why go to all this trouble?” Buffy asked, thoroughly confused.


Kerala exhaled and rolled her eyes. “Because I didn’t come back to kill just you, I came back so I could alter the course of events that you caused.”


“Huh?” Buffy looked at her like she wasn’t making any sense.


“Let me spell it out for you. I’m. From. The. Future.” Kerala spoke as if she was talking to a five-year-old.


“You’re from the future?? What-,” Buffy paused in disbelief. Her mind flickered back to what Kerala had said. “Wait, what did I cause??”


“See for yourself,” she said with a calculating smile as she grabbed the side of Buffy’s head with both hands. Buffy cried out as a searing pain shot through her head. When her eyes closed in reaction, an image flashed through her mind.


She was standing in a graveyard, facing a group of young girls that she didn’t recognize. She started speaking to them.


“You're right. You don't have slayer strength. But that doesn't mean that you're not strong. You have inherent abilities that others do not have. You have the potential.”


Another flash, and Buffy’s body surged up in pain.


She stood before a gaping crater, observing the flood of creatures that seemed to crawling their way over to them. The first flood of ubervamps reached them, and all hell broke loose. Her mind was anticipating the moment when Willow’s spell would work. They needed it to work. And then something ran through the air, and she felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders.


Buffy made an incoherent sound as Kerala’s hands remained firmly grasping her head.


They were standing there, staring at the ruin. Willow turned to her.


“We changed the world. I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere.”


She didn’t answer, but inside, she was smiling.


Kerala retracted her hands, and Buffy slumped down, gasping for air. The chains kept her from collapsing, and she dangled down, out of breath. With involuntary tears in her eyes, she looked up at Kerala with a look of astonishment.


“That’s what happens?” Buffy’s voice was small, almost a whisper.


“Yes. You and your gang of friends unleashed all the potentials and made them slayers,” Kerala answered bitterly.


Still dazed, Buffy tried to process all the questions that were running through her head. The intense sense of relief she had gotten from the last image warmed her heart, but there was also another feeling there. One of sorrow – like she had lost something, and she didn’t quite understand it.


She spoke again. “So…you decided to come back to change it? So you could take over the world?”


“No. They sought me out so I could take care of you for them, and the line of potentials will stay powerless,” she smiled evilly.


“They?”


“The lords of the demon world.”


Buffy’s eyes blinked and her forehead scrunched in disbelief. “The lords of the demon world??? What the hell kind of lame ass title is that?? I bet that’s some kind of nerdy demon club.”


Kerala rolled her eyes. She stepped closer and her voice became dangerously low. “Call it whatever you want. The bottom line is, everyone wants you dead, and now you’re all alone with no way out.”


Buffy glared at her, refusing to be intimated by this woman.


Kerala just gave Buffy a quick bitchy smile and turned to leave.


“Hey! You can’t just leave me here!” Buffy screamed as she struggled against the chains.


Kerala was crossing the barrier at the arch, and Buffy stopped her yelling as her eyes widened in confusion. Slowly, Kerala’s hair turned blonde, starting from the top, and as she stepped over the barrier, her skin transformed from dark to light, her clothes changing as they touched the magic field.


“What the hell…” Buffy whispered as her face remained in shock.


The woman turned around, and her grey eyes shown with amusement. “I bet you didn’t see that one coming, did you?”


Buffy stuttered, “What…How…” She was at a loss for words.


“I’ll be back…to kill you,” Leanna answered with a cocky smirk as she turned and left a bewildered and livid Buffy chained in the cave.


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A/N: *Rolls on floor* I’ve been waiting to reveal that for forever! Anyone guess it??
 

Chapter 24:

“Spike!” Leanna yelled as she ran up to them. “Spike!” She quickly caught up to him, but he didn’t stop. The others trailed behind, breathing unnecessarily in a dramatic display of exhaustion.


“I don’t have time for this, Leanna,” Spike ground out, mind set on one thing: Buffy.


Grabbing his free arm tightly, she yanked him around to face her. “It’s about Buffy, you idiot,” she stated with an annoyed voice.


Spike growled, eyes flashing yellow as he stepped closer to her and gripped her arm fiercely, while his other one held onto the axe, “What about Buffy?”


Leanna looked at where his arms gripped her, a pissed expression on her face. She pushed him off roughly and spat out, “Maybe you shouldn’t man handle the people who are trying to help.” She turned to walk away angrily, but Spike suddenly appeared in front of her.


“What. Do. You. Know.” Spike’s fists were clenched, his patience running very low.


Crossing her arms over her chest, Leanna put on a bitchy expression. “I was going to tell you that she’s in trouble, but since you’re being such a jackass, I’ll just let your little lover bunny get gutted into pieces,” she finished with a cold look in her eyes.


Her words made his stomach churn and he had to fight the intense anger that ran through his whole body. He rotated his neck in a tense motion, and clenched his jaw to hold himself back from lashing out at her.



In the background, Anya turned to Xander with a concerned look, “Why would she call Buffy a bunny? Why?? Why would she do that?”


Xander made soothing noises, trying to hush his worried girlfriend.


Emotions in control, Spike opened his eyes to look back at Leanna. His voice tight, but calmer, he said, “I’m sorry. Just tell me what you know.”


Leanna faked an indecisive expression, looking away from Spike as if considering whether to forgive him or not. The rest of the gang just rolled their eyes at her display. She sighed dramatically and relented, “I saw these guys ambush her when I was patrolling in the cemetery.”


“Did you see where they went?” Spike’s voice was impatient and urgent.


“I tried to run after them, but I lost them in the woods,” she explained. “And you better appreciate my effort because there are twigs all over my hair.”


“I don’t see anything,” Xander commented with a confused look.


“Well there were. Look, see,” Leanna added as she plucked an imaginary twig out of her hair and let it all to the ground.


“What? I don’t see any-,” Xander began.


“Oh who bloody cares!?” Spike yelled.


“Xander, shh,” Willow admonished with a whisper. He put up his hands defensively and shrugged, as if asking what he did wrong.


“Did you see anything else?” Spike asked tersely.


“No.”


“Alright, let’s go then. You can show us in which neck of the woods they went,” he stated, beginning to turn around and expecting them to follow.


When Leanna didn’t move, he stopped and turned around with an annoyed expression. “What?”


She rolled her eyes in disgust. “Why do *I* have to go? I hate the bitch, remember? You should give me a freakin’ medal for caring enough to tell you.”


“Leanna…,” Spike said in a warning voice.


She remained stubborn a minute, before exclaiming, “Oh alright! God! I’ll help you find the shrew.”


“Great, Leanna’s coming. It’ll be a class field trip,” Xander said sarcastically as they all began to walk toward the woods again.



Leanna walked next to Spike, a secret smirk on her face that no one saw.



Tara remained quiet, an uneasy feeling had washed over her ever since Leanna showed up with her news.


~


“Which way are we going?” Willow asked as the group approached the beginning of the caves.


“That way.” Leanna pointed to the right.


“Are you sure?” Tara asked tentatively, a worried look on her face. Something wasn’t right.


Leanna rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m sure. I saw them turn right and I was chasing them for a little while, but I couldn’t find where they disappeared to – they must have turned into an entrance I don’t know about.”


“You’re positive?” Spike pressed.


“You know what?? Go wherever the hell you want. It’s obvious no one thinks I’m smart enough to remember which direction I ran in!” Leanna exploded, her eyes shining with anger.


“I don’t have time for your bloody outbursts, Leanna,” Spike warned in a low voice.


The two were glaring at each other, and the others backed up in response. Tara’s eyes flickered back and forth between them, deciding to intervene lest they waste more time while Buffy was still in danger. “W-Why don’t we go right first and make our way over?”


“If we want to save Buffy, you two are going to need to cool it,” Xander reprimanded.


Spike and Leanna remained glaring at each other, and Leanna crossed her arms and raised her brow, challenging him.


“Let’s just go,” Spike’s voice was tight with anger.


After a last glare, she spat out in agreement, “Fine.” She stormed past him to lead the way.


Little did they know that on the inside, she was anything but angry. ‘This is so easy,’ she thought to herself happily. ‘Soon, the bitch will be dead.’


~


They wandered the caves, listening to the dead silence. Once in a while, they heard a rat scurry across the floor.


Spike didn’t have a good feeling. He was sensing that they were heading in the wrong direction. He furrowed his brow, looking at the ‘fork in the road.’ “I think we should go to the left.”


“Well, I think we should go to the right,” Leanna opposed.


Spike looked irritated. “How about you go to the right and I’ll go left?”


“How about I go home?” Leanna snapped.


“Look,” he exasperated, “I just have a feeling that she’s this way, ok?”


Leanna raised her brow, “You have a feeling?”


“Well, probably the clai-,” Xander opened his mouth before thinking. He didn’t finish his sentence, looking caught, his mouth still open. Spike shot him a deadly glare.


Leanna’s eyes widened in fury as she realized what Xander was about to say. “WHAT!? You CLAIMED her??”


Knowing it was useless, Spike exhaled. “Bollocks.” He turned to Xander again and gritted out, “I’m going to bloody kill you later.”


Xander laughed nervously and stepped back. Anya rubbed her hand on his back comfortingly, “I’m gonna miss you.”


Tara and Willow gave Xander a sad smile, making him gulp.


“Well??” Leanna badgered. “How could you?? A human for God’s sake! That is SO sick!” She yelled out in anger, hands fisted at her side.


“It’s really none of your bloody business, Leanna,” Spike snapped. “Can I hear you rant about this later? I have something more important to do right now.”


She moved her head back, as if he hit her. Narrowing her eyes, she replied coldly, “Fine. You go that way, I’ll go my way.” She stormed off, and the others visibly relaxed.


Spike stretched out his neck. All Leanna ever did these days was make him tense.


“Let’s go find Buffy,” Tara said softly, putting her hand on his arm gently, and snapping him out of his daydreams of strangling the chit.


At her soft tone, he closed his eyes as worry overtook his expression. If he didn’t get to Buffy in time, he would never be able to forgive himself.


~


‘Shit,’ Leanna thought to herself. She didn’t know that Spike had been love-whipped enough to claim Buffy, and now that would probably make it easier for him to find her. She wanted to lead them astray and then ditch them, but now it looked like her task had just gotten harder. She hurriedly worked her way through the caves, hoping to find her way back to the gem and the slayer before the others did.


~


Back in the cave, Buffy’s mind was reeling with angry thoughts. ‘That stupid little ho bag of a bitch! I KNEW she was evil!!’ She pulled on the chains, desperately wanting to get free and somehow kick Leanna’s ass. The blinding headache would be well worth it.


And then the devil herself appeared. There Leanna was, standing in the entrance way. She smirked as she crossed the force field, her features changing into Kerala, from blonde to black hair, from light skin to dark - but her grey eyes still showed the same ill intent.


“I knew you were evil,” Buffy gritted out, wanting nothing more than to snap her head off, no matter what form Leanna took.


“Then why are you here chained to a wall?” Kerala asked arrogantly. She stalked over to Buffy, hands behind her back.


Buffy eyed her arms, seeing she had something back there.


Bringing her hands to the front, Kerala held the knife up for Buffy to see. “Remember this?” she asked with a smirk.


Looking confused, Buffy tried to recall any recollection of the knife in front of her. It had a silver handle with intricate etchings on it, reminding her of…


Buffy’s eyes widened. “You bitch!” she exclaimed incredulously. “That’s the knife Drusilla stabbed me with!”


“Who do you think gave it to her?” Kerala rolled her eyes at the slayer’s stupidity.


“When I get my hands on you,” she gritted out, shaking her head slowly in anger.


Moving closer, she stopped mere inches away from Buffy’s reach. “You’re not going anywhere. And it’s time to have some fun,” she declared with a calculating look as she brought the knife closer slowly.


Feeling real fear, Buffy felt utterly alone.


~


“This way,” Spike said. “I think I feel her a little more.”


“It’s not a claim, alright,” Xander muttered under his breath.


Spike growled deep in his throat, causing Xander to look away and pretend he didn’t say anything. Catching a whiff of something in the air, Spike halted in his steps and suddenly vamped, a concentrated frown on his face.


“What is it?” Willow asked as the rest of them vamped out as well. As the faint scent reached their noses, their eyes widened and they looked over to Spike with concern.


Buffy’s blood.


Letting out a low guttural growl, he dashed off towards where the smell was coming from. His mind went into overdrive, thoughts jumbling together, but his body did nothing but run at full speed through the tunnels to save her.


Images of her, of them together flashed through his mind, and nothing seemed more important than getting her back. They way he treated her, slammed the door in her face – it all sent a flood of guilt through his body.


Coming to an open area, he stopped, not sure which of the three paths he should go down. He tried to hone in on his senses, but then he heard a pained scream.


‘Buffy.’ He quickly ran left, and prayed it wasn’t too late. If he were alive, his heart would be beating uncontrollably. The worry was eating him up, worse than ever before, because he knew that this could be it. He could lose her forever.


Finally reaching the entrance, he saw a dark-haired woman holding a knife against Buffy’s skin, her blood trickling down her arm. Spike roared in anger as his eyes flashed yellow, jumping through the force field and ignoring the weird sensation that coursed through him as he did so.


With no time to think about it, he ran forward, bringing the axe up in the air, determined to slash the bitch in half. As it came down, she whipped around and caught it in her hands expertly, dropping the knife she held.


“I don’t think so. I’m not that easy,” she smirked.


“Who the fuck are you?” he ground out, pulling the axe away violently and taking a step back, ready to strike at her again.
.

“Spike, it’s Leanna!” Buffy exclaimed.


A confused expression took over his features as he looked to Buffy for understanding. His eyes softened, distracted by the painful sight of Buffy chained to the wall with blood running down her arm.


Kerala smiled evilly, already having picked up the knife when he was distracted, and she lunged forward with it.


“Spike!” Buffy yelled in warning. He jumped back to the side automatically, avoiding the tip of the blade by a short hair.


He gave her a challenging look. Whoever she was, he was going to kick her ass. Spike lunged forward with a yell, determined to make her pay.


~


The others found the entrance, witnessing Spike’s fight and seeing Buffy in chains with blood flowing down her arm. They ran through the force field without seeing it, and a draining feeling coursed through them as their vamp features faded away.


Xander held his arms in front of him, examining himself. “What just happened?” he looked worried.


Anya was opening and closing her mouth, forehead scrunched in concentration. She stopped and turned to the group. “Why can’t I vamp?” she asked in a panicked tone.


They all concentrated and tried, to no avail. And then their eyes widened as they looked at each other.


“Uh guys?” Xander started nervously, “Why do I have a heartbeat?”


“Me too! Me too!” Anya cried frantically.


Anya put her hand on Xander’s chest over his heart, and Xander put his hand over hers. Willow and Tara did the same, expressions showing their shock. Looking worried, Willow turned to look at the entrance. She realized that in their hurry, they had failed to see what was there.


“Guys, there’s a force field of some kind,” she explained with a frown.


“Maybe it makes everyone human?” Tara offered weakly, a puzzled look on her face.


“Well look at Spike,” Xander pointed out. They turned to look at his vamped features, still battling it out, and apparently, losing. Kerala let out a harsh backhand that sent him crashing against the wall of the cave.


“Hello? Can you guys grope each other later? I need a little help here!” Buffy called out from the other side, not knowing what they were talking about but seeing them touch each other’s chests a few minutes ago.


“Right, sorry!” Willow called out to Buffy. She turned back to the others and said, “We’ll go. You guys help Spike.” Xander and Anya nodded, running over to the black-haired woman.


“A-Are you ok?” Tara asked as they approached her.


“Peachy. Can you get me out of these?” Buffy asked hopefully, pulling at the chains.


They brought their weapons up, hoping to cut the chains with one fierce swing. As they brought it down, it clanked against the chains and didn’t even make a dent. Their attempt was weak, and they looked at each other with a frown while Buffy had a confused expression on her face.


“What’s wrong? That was just pitiful,” Buffy frowned.


“There’s some kind of barrier over there that just, um, took our vampire strength and, uh…made us human?” Willow explained weakly.


“What!?” Buffy exclaimed, eyes widening. That couldn’t be right. “But Spike,” she began, as she looked over to his vamped face. She stopped herself, realization dawning on her.


The gang’s sudden humanness and Spike’s continuing vampy-ness. It all meant one thing – the cave must have the same properties as back home. The chip was gone.


A look of renewed hope crossed her face, and she turned to them with a determined smirk. “Get me out of these chains. It’s time to kick some ass.”


Chanting something, Willow waved her hands over the chains and they clicked open, freeing Buffy’s wrists.

Buffy rubbed them in relief as she muttered, “…bitch tied me up…”


At that moment, a small Indian guy appeared. He was slightly hunched over, adorned in a robe. Putting his hands up, he began to chant something in Hindi.


Willow and Tara whipped around at the feeling of magic forces tugging on them. Willow’s eyes turned angry and she put up her hand, beginning to chant in Latin and combating his magic.


Tara turned to Buffy, “Go. We’ll take care of this.” She turned back and joined in, chanting with Willow to combat the invisible force that was trying to steal their energy.


Buffy nodded, eyeing the magical exchange one last time before running to help Spike. She eyed Xander and Anya in the corner, getting up from Kerala’s harsh blows, but Spike was still fighting and had lost the upper hand.


“Hey, bitch!” Buffy called, coming up behind Kerala, “Get your skanky hands off of him.”


Kerala turned around, looking pissed, and Spike collected himself, wiping the trickle of blood away from the corner of his mouth.


“Why won’t you ever just stay put?” Kerala yelled out in frustration, throwing her hands up in the air.


“Because I just realized something, Leanna,” Buffy smirked as she put her hands on her hips.


“That I’m going to kill you?” Kerala offered with a raised brow.


“No, that I can do…,” she didn’t finish as she spun her body around to deliver a fierce roundhouse kick. Kerala flew back, hitting the wall with a crack. She looked up in shocked anger.


“…that,” Buffy finished with a victorious smile. It felt good to be back.


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

 

Chapter 25:

“Because I just realized something, Leanna,” Buffy smirked as she put her hands on her hips.


“That I’m going to kill you?” Kerala offered with a raised brow.


“No, that I can do…,” she didn’t finish as she spun her body around to deliver a fierce roundhouse kick. Kerala flew back, hitting the wall with a crack. She looked up in shocked anger.


“…that,” Buffy finished with a victorious smile. It felt good to be back.


With a confused expression, Spike looked to Buffy for an explanation.


“The chip doesn’t work in here,” she explained, not having time to say more. There would be time for all explanations later.


Spike accepted the answer with a hesitant nod, but his attention shifted to her bleeding arm. He moved to her, cupping her face with one hand and brushing his thumb across her cheek. “You ok?” he asked, concern evident in his eyes.


Closing her eyes, she nodded, savoring his touch. It just felt right, like a gaping hole was filled every time he stepped into the same room. And it didn’t matter where they were, or that now was not the time for this – everything else just seemed to slip away when they were together.


Moving even closer, Spike put his forehead against hers, and breathed deep, closing his eyes as the relief flooded through him. “I thought I lost you,” he said in a strained voice.


She kissed him, eyes closed, putting all of her feelings into it – the confusion, the relief, the despair, the love.


“You didn’t,” she assured.


“How touching,” Kerala spat out as she got back on her feet and started circling them, ready to fight.


Spike put his lips against Buffy’s ear and whispered, voice deep with affection, “I love you.”


Buffy’s heart swelled a little, his words hit her in a way that they failed to do before, before her whole life had been turned upside down.


Before she could answer, he pulled away and turned to Kerala, easily slipping back into his arrogant demeanor and glaring at their opponent challengingly.


Knowing they didn’t have time, Buffy got back into fight mode and stood next to Spike, both of them looking ready to kick ass.


“Let’s do this,” Buffy glared at Kerala.


Buffy launched herself at Kerala. She punched her in the face and then ducked, knowing that Spike was swinging the axe and aiming for a swift decapitation, but Kerala saw it coming and caught it again. She pushed it back forcefully and kicked Buffy back at the same time.


Laughing, Kerala said, “You two lovesick puppies are in way over your heads. I’m a goddess, you imbeciles.” She turned to look at her accomplice, who was still in a battle of magic with Willow and Tara.


“Sarath, weapon, now,” Kerala ordered.


Without letting go of the magic, he waved the other hand. Xander’s sword was taken out of his hands as it flew like a magnet over to Kerala. She got it and swung it vertically to test its strength. Smiling, she decided, “This will do.”


“Anya!” Buffy yelled, needing a weapon too. Anya understood and threw her sword to Buffy. Catching it, she smirked at Kerala, ready for action.


She brought the sword down diagonally, but Kerala blocked with her own weapon. Buffy quickly jumped up and kicked her, her foot connecting right underneath Kerala’s chin, sending her staggering backwards. Satisfaction ran though her body, and she began to let out a series of punches, not allowing Kerala to recover. She turned and backhanded Kerala, the force sending the goddess back several feet.


Spike smirked at her, raising his brow in question.


Surprised at her own sudden strength, Buffy realized it must have been from her pent up frustration at Leanna. She shrugged, and continued fighting. “Payback’s a bitch.”


~


Buffy and Spike double-teamed on Kerala, while Xander and Anya stood aside, not knowing what to do.


“Um, what should we do, Ahn?” Xander asked. They eyed the magical battle and then the super-powered one on the other side of the cave.


“I don’t know, but we’re human and we don’t have powers so I’m staying here where it’s safe,” Anya declared, folding her arms.


Xander was about to give Anya a speech about helping their own friends, but then at the human reminder, and the memory of the way Kerala flung them aside like rag dolls, he concluded, “Good plan.”


~


Kerala had gotten the upper hand back, expertly bringing brought her sword down. Buffy dodged, but she hissed as the sword grazed her arm, giving her a shallow cut.


Spike’s eyes flashed yellow and he roared, turning 360 and swinging the axe sideways to catch Kerala in the stomach. Kerala’s eyes widened, surprised as the metal sliced through her skin, axe imbedded deeply into her.


Stepping back with wide eyes, Spike was surprised that it had been that easy. Looking astonished as well, Buffy went to stand next to Spike. She opened her mouth to say something, but then Kerala looked up at them with a smirk.


They looked puzzled, as Kerala grabbed a hold of the handle and yanked it out of her stomach, wound healing immediately. “You think it’s that easy to kill me?”


Buffy’s face dropped. She got all excited there for a moment. And then the severity of the situation hit her. If the bitch couldn’t be wounded, what did it take? This could all be a hopeless cause…


Her mind flitted for ways to win. ‘What did the old woman say again? Discover what’s in my heart or something like that?’ Buffy questioned herself, as Spike kicked Kerala and flung her back into the wall.


She turned to Spike and blurted out, “I love you!”


Spike looked amused, but his eyes shone with affection. “Thanks, luv. Where did that come from?”


Buffy waited for something to happen. ‘Isn’t that the revelation I’m supposed to announce?’ she asked herself with a frown. “Never mind,” she muttered, disappointed that it didn’t work. ‘What else do they want me to do? Let him turn me into a vampire or something? Really reverse things up?’ she inwardly scoffed.


Spike didn’t understand her, giving her a raised brow. He took her hand gently, and asked her, “Are you ok?” Buffy seemed to be somewhere else.


“You know I love you too,” he said in a low voice, searching Buffy’s eyes for understanding.


Smiling at him softly, she said, “I know.” But her expression quickly turned into a distracted one, making Spike frown at her weird behavior.


It suddenly hit her. Leanna wasn’t a goddess.


She looked at Spike. “We have to get her outside that entrance way,” she urged, totally changing the subject.


He frowned, not understanding. “Ok…” He decided to put the conversation about her random outburst on hold, considering Kerala was about to attack them again. At Buffy’s determined look, Spike took her word for it.


~


“Hey, what’s that glowing thing over there?” Anya asked as she looked at the stone in the wall. It seemed to be radiating some sort of energy, noisily humming.


They walked over to it and looked at it curiously. Anya’s eyes lit up and she snapped her fingers. “The gem! That, that Rajendra Gem that we read about!”


Xander wagged an agreeing finger, “Right, the one that’s causing all this goofy-reverse crap!”


Sarath saw the two humans near the gem and he yelled, “No! Get away from that!” He let his hand drop, and Willow and Tara’s magical force hit his body like a ton of bricks, sending him flying into the stone wall. The witches sighed, energy wiped out.


Willow and Tara walked up to the gem, eyeing it curiously. “Is this what we’ve been researching about all this time?” Willow asked.


“I guess so,” Tara said, unsure.


Xander put out his hand to touch it, and he hissed when it burned him, retracting his hand. “Ow, that thing is on fire!” he complained as he sucked on his burnt finger.


“What do we do to it?” Willow questioned, worried look on her face.


“Magic minion is awake, guys,” Anya warned as she looked over Tara’s shoulder.


Sarath lunged at them, desperately trying to get them away from the gem. Anya, Xander, Willow, and Tara yelled out as they ganged up on him, hitting him ineffectively all over. But four humans letting out pathetic throws was enough, making him cower as he tried to fend off the pattering of punches.


~


Spike let out a fierce punch to Kerala’s face, and Buffy quickly kicked up as Spike got out of the way, causing Kerala’s head to snap back from the double impact.


“Are we messing up your hair?” Buffy patronized, as she kneed her in the gut and let out a right hook.


Kerala huffed, hair disheveled and strength wavering at the two blondes who kept overpowering her. She ran forward towards Buffy, but instead of going for the face, she threw her leg out, trying to swoop Buffy off her feet. Buffy saw it coming and jumped up easily, landing on one foot while the other came up to kick her in the head. “Lame,” Buffy rolled her eyes.


Spike picked her up by the neck and slammed his fist into her face violently before smirking and flinging her body to the right, closer to the entrance.


Buffy and Spike were almost there, standing only a few feet away from the entrance. Kerala’s control was lost as she couldn’t even take a moment to gain the offensive.


“You think any of this really hurts?” Kerala mocked as she wiped her mouth. “You’ll never beat me.”


Buffy’s eyes narrowed, and she ran forward, jumping into the air and throwing her body parallel to the ground, a slamming kick sending Kerala backwards.

Kerala flew back through the force field, automatically changing back into Leanna, and she landed with a hard thud, the pain in her body suddenly more evident. Her head shot up, eyes infuriated.


Spike looked shocked as he stared at the woman who used to be his girlfriend. Buffy had said it was her, but he didn’t stop to understand. Now seeing Leanna in front of him, his eyes grew dark, anger bubbling inside of him. It had been the bitch all along.


Leanna got up and ran forward, trying to get back through the force field, but Spike and Buffy rushed forward as well, punching her backwards and exiting the main cave themselves.


“You bloody bint,” Spike said in a low voice. “You were working for the other side all along, huh?” He gave her a look of accusing disbelief.


Leanna smirked. “No, you idiot. It was all fake.” She looked smug.


“You’re façade, fake? Yea, duh,” Buffy rolled her eyes.


Leanna looked at her challengingly. “I mean, it was all fake.” She turned to smile evilly at Spike. “None of it really happened. I implanted all those memories of ‘Leanna’ into your mind, you half-wits.”


Spike looked utterly confused. It didn’t make any sense. He remembered Leanna from years back, and it seemed as real as her standing before him today.


“The first real day I showed up in this world was when I killed Rack,” she added.


“Spike, can we just kill her now?” Buffy said in a bored tone, arms crossed. She didn’t care anymore. Who, what, where. She just wanted Leanna dead, once and for all.


Spike was still in slight shock, forehead scrunched.


Leanna gave Buffy a wide-eyed look of amusement. “But Buffy, you forgot something,” she said in a fake nice voice. Before Buffy could ask, Leanna threw a punch and a kick to her gut. Buffy staggered, and looked up with furious eyes.


“You bitch,” Buffy ran forward and threw a right hook toward Leanna’s face. As her fist came in contact with skin, a shattering pain exploded in her head and she screamed, closing her eyes. She had forgotten all about the chip. With a worried look on her face, she glanced to Spike for help.


Spike snapped back into reality as Leanna hit Buffy, and the possessiveness in him grew furious at the two-faced bint. It was one thing when Buffy could defend herself, but it pained him when she couldn’t. Grabbing Leanna, he slammed her against the wall and brought his fist back, punching her harshly in the face. “Don’t. Bloody. Touch. Her!” he roared in between blows.


Leanna pushed him off, glaring at him hatefully. She lunged forward, sending out a series of hits that he only half-blocked. She kicked him in the gut, but he grabbed her foot and flipped her up, sending her falling to the ground.


Sarath muttered something in Hindi, and the four humans were thrown back. Seeing that they appeared knocked out for the moment, he turned to the entrance and saw the slayer, apparently watching the battle between Spike and Kerala helplessly.


He stalked over to her, and quietly slipped past the force field, transforming into a large, bulky vampire with dark hair. Buffy frowned, beginning to turn around at her senses.


Sarath grabbed her by the neck, and put the other hand over her mouth, silencing her as she froze, eyes wide with fear. It seemed like he appeared out of nowhere.


Spike picked Leanna up with a guttural growl, hands choking her at the neck. He was about to rip her apart, or die trying, when he heard a deep male voice boom, “Put her down or the girl dies.”


He froze, turning his head with his hands still around Leanna’s neck. Leanna smiled arrogantly, despite his choking grip on her. Spike’s heart fell when he saw Buffy in the hands of a large vampire. He didn’t even know where he came from.


Spike let Leanna go, dropping her to her feet, not wanting to risk Buffy’s life by playing games. “Let her go,” Spike gritted out, fists clenched as he took a step towards him.


“That’s the thing about love,” Sarath began, “it always makes you weak.” He smirked and threw Buffy towards Leanna.


Spike reacted, about to lunge toward them, but Sarath put up his hand and an invisible force held Spike back as he roared in anger.


Leanna grabbed Buffy, who struggled, but couldn’t do much as long as she was outside the main cave. “Get your hands off me!” Buffy yelled, feeling utterly helpless. Braving it out and punching Leanna in the face, Buffy clutched her head as the sparks ignited in her brain. Leanna angrily grabbed her and put a bruising hold on Buffy’s neck while the other hand held Buffy’s wrists together behind her back.


Leanna looked up at a furious Spike who was still trying to move against the barrier and smirked as she held Buffy with her back to her own chest. “Ain’t love grand?” she said.


With that, Leanna vamped out again and bared her fangs, leaning down towards Buffy’s neck.


“NO!” Spike roared, panic screaming throughout his entire body.


Buffy felt the fangs pierce into her skin roughly, and she gasped in pain. Leanna began pulling deep gulps of blood out of her, and she bucked as her body went into shock at the loss. Her mind seemed to flash through all the moments of her life, and it landed on one in particular.


“No, look at me! I ... love you. You're all I bloody think about. Dream about. You're in my gut ... my throat ... I'm drowning in you, Summers, I'm drowning in you.”


“You can't tell me that there isn't anything there between you and me. I know you feel something.”


And at that moment, as the life was being drained out of her by her worst enemy, she realized that he had gotten it right. This reverse world didn’t implant feelings into her. They were there all along.


She was brought back to reality, by Spike’s choked scream, “Buffy!”


Leanna pulled back, knowing she had taken enough and feeling Buffy’s body slowly dying.


“Spike,” Buffy whispered, her eyes half-closed.


At the same time, Anya, Xander, Willow, and Tara had gotten up, and seen the chaos outside. “Hurry, smash the gem!” Anya urged.


Sarath heard them and he turned around in panic, letting go of the barrier that was holding Spike back. Leanna looked up with panicked eyes as well, and they both rushed back instead the main cave, appearance transforming back into their real beings.


Spike rushed to catch Buffy before she fell, absolute horror written all over his face. “Buffy, luv, are you ok???” He propped her up with his hands, feeling the tears stinging at the corner of his eyes. She was breathing weakly, and he could hear her heartbeat slowing down. He kissed her lips and her face, pouring his emotion into them and hoping it would make her ok.


“You’ll be ok, luv, I promise,” he babbled as he held a hand against her bleeding wound, hoping to stop the loss.


She closed her eyes, feeling the energy drain out of her body. Leaning her head against his arm and burying her face into it, she mumbled weakly, “…love you…I…know…now…”


Xander brought the axe up, seeing Kerala and Sarath running towards them. He brought it down as hard as he could on the gem. It shattered with an audible flash, sending them all flying back as a force was let out of it.


“No!!!!!!!!!” Kerala screamed, feeling a sharp pain jab into her as the shattering of the gem took her gained power. Her eyes widened, something moving in her gut.


The others looked up at Kerala and Sarath’s confused eyes - they froze in place, making chortled noises as they clutched their stomachs. They both cried out in pain as a visible hole opened up in their stomach, flesh turning inside out.


Everyone stared in disgust as their bodies caught fire and seemed to rip open. They burned, slowly, skin searing off before everyone’s eyes until they were nothing…but a shriveled pile of flesh.


“That is REVOLTING,” Xander said with a look of shocked disgust. “I have NEVER seen anything so puke-worthy in my entire li-,”


“Guys…” Tara whispered, staring into the outside part of the cave with a concerned look.


They whipped around, looking at Spike sitting on the ground outside the cave with a shocked appearance on his face. His arms were empty and no one was there with him. Buffy had disappeared into thin air.
 

Chapter 26:

Buffy drifted into unconsciousness, a deep euphoric daze slipping over her entire body. Her initial feeling of loss was replaced with a soothing comfort. With her eyes shut, she was enveloped with a pure white, and not the usual darkness of closed lids. Frowning, Buffy opened her eyes, and saw the image of herself. With Spike.


“Spike, get off me!” she squirmed as she tried to hold in the laughter, pushing his prying hands away from his body. “I have to…,” she caught his hands as they tried to pull up her shirt again, “…go home now.”


He was grinning at her deviously, tongue curled between his teeth as he swooped down for a kiss. “A little longer,” he mumbled against her lips before sliding his hand underneath her shirt and caressing her skin.


She struggled, making a muffled noise against his kiss.


He pulled back with a slight pout, his attempts to lure her back into bed were not working.


Buffy rolled her eyes at him, but couldn’t help smiling as he gave her a sad look. “I told you 3 hours ago that I have to go,” she repeated, trying to free her wrists from his grasp as she lay under him.


He raised a brow, the devious look back on his face. “Well it was 3 hours well spent, wasn’t it?”


She opened her mouth with a comeback, but was silenced as soon as his lips touched the skin of her neck. She gasped a little as he began sucking on her neck gently, his hands moving higher to palm her breast. As his mouth reached her markings and his tongue dipped out to caress the spot, her body arched up in response.


Spike loved the way she reacted every time he touched his markings. Pulling back to gaze at her affectionately, he stared down at the bite marks and the common feeling of possessiveness swept through his body.


“Stop that!” Buffy hit him lightly on the chest, a pouty frown on her face. “That’s cheating.”


He waggled his brows and was about to lean in again for a kiss, but Buffy wrenched her wrist free and grabbed his lips shut with her fingers. “Nu-uh. I gotta go, mister.”


She let go, and he sighed, admitting defeat. “Fine,” he muttered as he moved off of her, letting her get up and adjust her clothes.


“Hey! Don’t be broody,” she teased, straightening her rumpled hair.


“I’m not broody!” he defended. “I just don’t see why you have to go home at all. It’s not like your mates don’t know you’re here with me, or what we’re doing.” He gave her an inquiring look.


“Chyea, and they probably think I’m some kind of mondo sex addict because I am always here. I have to make appearances once in a while and not to mention this thing I have, called…a little sister?”


“I don’t mind if you’re a sex addict, as long as it’s with me,” he replied, amused.


“No, gee, does that mean I have to tell my other vampires that I can’t sex them up anymore?” Buffy joked as she stepped closer to him.


He growled in warning, knowing that she was playing with him, but hearing the words even made him jealous.


She smirked and placed her hands on both sides of his face, “Only kidding - you’re the only vamp I want.” She leaned in and gave him a peck as a goodbye kiss, then turned to leave.


He turned to watch her go, and before she slipped out of the crypt door, she looked back and gave him a grin that let him know she would be back soon. Plopping down on the bed and putting his hands behind his head, he couldn’t help beaming at how lucky he was.


And then it was dark. Her smile turning into a frown, she watched the scene change in front of her.


“Come here, luv,” Spike growled lustfully, face vamped. He pulled her roughly to him and gave her a demanding kiss.


The expression in her eyes was one of shocked hurt. The person Spike was with wasn’t her - it was Leanna.


She watched them brutally kiss each other, fangs tearing skin and causing blood to run down their chins. Her stomach churned and she felt sick, almost turning away, but not believing the sight before her eyes.


Leanna pulled back, and gave him a smirk, running her hands down his chest. “And the Slayer?”


“She can rot in hell for all I care. Off her if you want,” Spike replied without feeling in his voice.


Looking pleased, she teased, “But I thought you loved the stupid bitch?”


“Yea, well, I’ve sobered up. Temporary insanity is what it is. The chit never did appreciate me anyway.”


Putting on a mischievous smile, Leanna pushed her body closer against his, “Oh, I’ll appreciate you a lot.” As she finished her words, her hands traveled downward to the bulge in his pants as he leered at her hungrily.


Not wanting to see any more of the sickening display, she closed her eyes. It was as if every fear of hers towards Spike was right in front of her – he was evil, he was with Leanna …and he didn’t love her anymore. Even when she hadn’t allowed herself to realize her own feelings, her fear was that it was all a big joke to him, that his stupid slayer obsession would fade as soon as someone better came along. And that was one of the reasons she had refused to believe him before.


“Slayer,” he greeted with venom in his voice.


Buffy’s head snapped up, as she realized the Spike in her vision could see her, and was walking toward her right now. With confused and panicked eyes, she took a step back from him.


“Let’s just kill her now,” Leanna suggested, wiping some of their intermingled blood from her chin.


Suddenly, they grabbed her before she could even register what was going on. Feeling helpless and weak, she tried to fend them off, but it was as if every movement of hers was in slow motion. Leanna’s hands wrapped around Buffy’s throat, choking her with them.


She struggled for air unsuccessfully, not knowing why she couldn’t fight back, couldn’t even move. Buffy began to see spots in front of her eyes, body desperate for oxygen.


~


Buffy shot up in the bed, gasping violently for air as she woke up. Hands going to her throat, she rubbed at the pain that was still lingering there. Her body was covered in sweat, and she felt an aching pain jolt through her limbs.

Panicked, her eyes darted around for any sign of Leanna or Spike. Her eyes widened, because apparently, she was in a hospital room.


~


Reverse world…


“Spike…,” Tara began in a soft voice.


“Don’t,” he retorted harshly, voice low but strained.


They drifted back to silence, and no one dared to speak up again, even to console him. They let him walk a few feet ahead of them, knowing that he was hiding the tears that he was shedding over Buffy.


She had just disappeared from his arms, as if she never existed. But Spike knew that couldn’t be farther from the truth. He loved her, and now she was gone.


He shoved the Magic Box door open with angry force, tears still refusing to stop. What he saw made him freeze and his mouth opened in shock. There on the floor was Buffy in tattered clothing, with Giles kneeling next to her with a look of worry.


She looked up at the intrusion. Her glimmering eyes shone with distress and her appearance was dirty and disheveled. She looked relieved to see him, as she got this slightly hopeful look on her face, not knowing what he had just gone through.


Spike didn’t move, not trusting what he was seeing. Taking in her appearance one more time, he realized this Buffy wasn’t the one he had just lost.


“What the hell…,” Xander’s confused look told it all.


“Oh…,” Tara and Willow both whispered, understanding now. It was always meant to be a trade. One Buffy for the other. Two glowing dots on the location spell, since this was where they performed the spell that had shown them the truth. So simple, yet through all the chaos it escaped their minds.


Giles saw their puzzled looks and tried to explain, “She just…appeared out of nowhere, as if from thin air. It was quite remarkable, but she won’t talk to me. I think she’s rather…traumatized.”


Buffy’s eyes shot down, her face in a frown.


They stood there for long moments, Spike not moving as he stared at her in disbelief and mistrust. He didn’t know what to think about it all. She wasn’t the same person, was she?


Seeing Spike not move, Tara rushed over to Buffy on the floor and reached out to help her up, but Buffy flinched, backing away.


“B-Buffy, I’m just trying to help you,” Tara soothed.


She shook her head vehemently as she hugged herself. And that’s when Spike noticed the long cuts marring both of her arms, barely beginning to heal.


“What should we do?” Anya asked with a worried voice. “Do we have to get Wesley? He fixed her last time, he can do it again. Well, that was the other Buffy, who is now gone, but-,”


“Anya!” Xander stopped her, giving Spike a glance to see his reaction.


Confused emotions seemed to be playing across Spike’s features. One moment she was there, then she wasn’t, and now she was again. But was it the same person? His first instinct was to say no, until he realized that she was the Buffy he first knew, the one he hated and fought, the one that ended up loving him, and the one that he had started to love years ago. Burying his face in his hands from frustration, he wished it was all a dream.


When he opened his eyes, he realized they had begun arguing over what to do, how to help Buffy, clean her up. She looked even more distraught, wanting to get away from them. Looking directly into his eyes with a distressed look, she pleaded, “Spike.”


Hearing her say his name snapped him out of it. Perhaps it was the way she said it, or the sound of her voice, or the way she looked at him right now, but everything that he was battling went out the window, and all that mattered was that it was Buffy.


He strode over to her immediately, kneeling down beside her with concerned eyes. “Are you o.k.?”


The tears glimmering in her eyes told him no, and she struggled with them for a minute before launching herself into his arms. The rest of them stopped talking, silence enveloping the room as they watched the display.


Spike closed his eyes and brought his arms instinctively to wrap around her, missing the feel of her body. With her touch, he realized that it was her, and no matter which world she was from, he would still be in love with her. And he knew everything would be o.k.


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


She tried not to hyperventilate as she stared down at the tubes that stuck into her arm. Feeling weak, she grabbed them and yanked them out, flinching in pain. She was gasping for air now, feeling the nauseating air of hospitals getting to her. She hated hospitals, and didn’t know how she got here, or even where she really was.


Knocking over the vase on the nightstand beside the bed, Buffy tried to get up, but her legs and arms felt heavy, like dead-weight. At the crash of the glass vase, she could hear footsteps moving her way.

A blur of red ran up to the room, and Buffy realized it was Willow. Initially, she felt relieved that someone was here, but she felt a slight disappointment that it wasn’t a certain peroxide blonde.


“Oh my god! Buffy, you’re awake!” Willow rejoiced, running over to the blonde and throwing her arms around her.


Xander came up and hugged them both, relief passing through his whole body. “Oh, thank god you’re awake, Buffy. I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come back.”


The first thing she noticed: they were human. That meant she was really back. Why was she not happier? She hugged them back tentatively, still confused. When they pulled back, she asked in a hoarse voice, “How did I get here? What happened?”


“Oh…,” Willow’s smile turned into a frown. “We were hoping you knew what happened to you, because we couldn’t figure it out. The doctors didn’t find anything wrong with you either.”


“We’re just so happy you’re back, Buffy,” Tara smiled softly.


“Yes! We were beginning to worry, and I really don’t like hospital food, but Xander made me eat it,” Anya jumped in, not knowing what to say.


Buffy pressed her eyes closed as her headache grew, and she shook her head. “Wait, just how long was I out??” She opened her eyes to look at them, expecting a response.


They stared at her with worried looks.


“How long, guys?” she asked in a tighter voice.


Xander spoke up finally, “The whole summer, Buffy.”


~


He awoke with frown, jolting up in his bed as a weird feeling passed through him. Looking around his crypt, Spike saw nothing peculiar, and he didn’t sense any intruders upstairs.


Suddenly more clear, he realized what his body was telling him. ‘Buffy.’


Immediately throwing the sheet off, he quickly threw on his clothes and duster. Something was wrong at the hospital – he could feel it. The agonizing pain of being able to do nothing to save her from her long coma was now tripled, as thoughts of her slipping away entered his mind. He slipped into the tunnels and started running, his panic increasing by the moment at this unfamiliar feeling.


~


She felt her throat tighten and air was suddenly even harder to take in. “W-What?” she managed to choke out as her left hand pressed against her rapidly beating heart and her right hand clutched the side of the bed.


Seeing her in panic, they all sat down, and Willow grabbed her hand in a comforting gesture, giving it a squeeze.


“How? I-I don’t understand,” she babbled, eyes wide with shock and confusion. Was it all a dream? It couldn’t be. ‘Please say it isn’t,” she thought. It had felt so real, and the idea that it was all fake was terrifying. Never in her life had something been able to play with her emotions that much.


Willow scrunched her forehead, not wanting to add to her pain, but having no choice. “You just…didn’t wake up one day, a-and your mom called us in a frenzy, a-and,”


“Mom,” Buffy stopped, realizing how much she missed them, missed her family. “How are mom and Dawn??”


“Well, health-wise, they’re fine,” Willow began, “but we were all really worried about you…”


“We weren’t sure if you were ever waking up,” Xander said before casting his gaze downwards.


The pain of the situation was written on her face. She should be thinking about the demons that were probably running rampant, or the way her family and friends were probably crazy-devastated during the whole thing, but her mind drifted to someone else. Spike.


If she had been gone for three months – if it had all been a dream – then things were no different from the very last day she remembered being here. It was the day after he had told her he loved her, and the day she had demanded his help, only to stomp out of his crypt when he refused. That girl seemed like a distant memory, and guilt washed through her at her cold demeanor.


Tears began to run down her face, and the others looked concerned. “Buffy, are you alright?” Tara asked.


What would she tell them? What would she tell anyone? No one knew what she had gone through or where she had even gone, not even Spike. What would she day to him now? ‘I love you because I went to a different world where you stole my life?’


She wasn’t even mad that he had inadvertently caused it all with some wish he made, because she knew she deserved it. Something gave her the feeling that if she had not been taken away from the real world, she would’ve done much worse to him.


Buffy didn’t answer, letting the tears flow free as she hugged herself, as the others came to gather around her in consolation.


“I’ll go call your mom and Giles,” Xander offered. Reluctantly, he left the room and as he was about to go down the hospital hall, he ran straight into Spike, who apparently didn’t even see him.


“Whoa there,” Xander said, putting his hands in front of him.


Spike seemed distracted, only staring at Buffy’s room door. He looked at Xander with a questioning and worried look. “Is she ok?”


“Yea, she’s…she’s awake.”


His dead heart did a jump, but his mind was boggled by this news. The whole time he had been helpless to save her from her coma, Spike had imagined the worst, worrying constantly over her and what would happen. Now, she had suddenly woken up and relief would’ve been an understatement.


He tried to sidestep Xander and head for the door, but Xander held him back with one hand. “She’s upset right now, and I’m thinking she just wants to be with her friends, Spike.”


Xander’s words cut into him. Never before did not being included in her group of ‘friends’ hurt more than it did now, when he wanted to see her and make sure she was ok.


“I just want to see if she’s ok,” Spike replied coolly, not bothering to add in a snarky nickname for him.


“She’ll be ok. Why don’t you just…back off for a few days? Let her get situated first,” Xander suggested. His words weren’t meant to sting Spike, because the guy had worked with them all summer, fighting the good fight in Buffy’s absence. But he didn’t want Buffy to be more upset, and he figured Spike might be a big catalyst for that.


Looking crestfallen, Spike took a step back. He could charge past the whelp and storm in there, take her in his arms and kiss her with relief like he wanted to, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen and he didn’t want to make things worse for her by marching in there. He knew she didn’t love him, mostly likely didn’t give a shit about him, with her clear indications the night before she didn’t wake up. But she was back, and it was one of the best moments in his existence.


Spike nodded slightly, head slightly downcast, and turned on his heels to leave, giving her room one last glance over his shoulder before he left. At least he hadn’t lost her, though he knew he would never really have her.



~


She had sensed him outside for a brief moment, or so her mind told her so. When Xander came back into the room, she asked quietly, amidst drying tears, “Who was out there with you?”


“Oh it was just Spike,” he replied. “He just wanted to know if you were ok.”


“H-He left?” she asked with hurt in her voice. Had he drifted so far away from his feelings for her that he didn’t even make the effort to see her face-to-face?


“Yea, I didn’t want him upsetting you anymore. We know how much you hate him. Although, I gotta say, he was really helpful this summer,” Xander added.


She pressed her eyes shut, head pounding in pain from everything that had just happened.


“Buffy?” Willow asked tentatively.


“Do you want me to get you some aspirin?” Anya asked. “I found they were very helpful after I became human. Would you like one?” She didn’t really know what to do, how to console Buffy through a situation none of them even understood.


“No, that’s ok…can…can I just be alone for a while until mom and Dawn get here?” she asked wearily, hoping they would understand and not take it the wrong way.


Willow frowned slightly, but answered, “Yea, of course, Buffy.” They got up and started moving out the room reluctantly, not wanting to leave her in this frazzled state.


“Just let us know if you need anything, Buff. We’ll be right outside,” Xander said before he closed the door behind them.


Buffy couldn’t explain it to them, they just wouldn’t understand. Xander’s words rang through her mind. We know how much you hate him. If someone had told her three months ago that she would feel this way about Spike, she would’ve laughed in their face, but now, after everything she had gone through, it was undeniable.


Xander’s question ran through her mind. Too tired to get up, she laid back and closed her eyes. What she needed, was Spike.


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