Chapter Five

"Heavenly lord!"

Buffy giggled as William pressed his nose up against the glass of the microwave door, watching the bubbling food rotate. Oh, he was just too cute.

*Beep...beep...beeeeeeeep!*

The light went off inside as the phrase "Enjoy your meal!" rotated around the flashing screen.

"Good lord, look at this, Beth!"

"What?" Buffy asked, not commenting on his new abbreviation of her name. He indicated the screen, practically bouncing like a little boy. "Oh, yeah. Come on, it's ready."

She popped open the door, unthinkingly lifting out the hot plate of Chinese with bare hands. "AHHH!"

---

The Vampire whimpered, cooing at the girl, running his hands over her body as he searched her for less-obvious injuries. He whimpered again as he felt the odd angle her shoulder was at. He lifted her limp form into a sitting position; closing his eyes he popped her shoulder back into place.

The pain forced the Slayer back into consciousness with a sharp shriek full of hurt. The Vampire continued to coo at her and she rubbed her face into his neck, allowing hot, silent tears running down his chest as he rocked her.

---

Angel rushed along the dark, deserted street as he heard her familiar cry.

---

Will grabbed the wet washcloth she had given him for his earlier burns, gently taking her hands from where she cradled it protectively to her chest, a splash of tears burning her eyes from the unexpected pain.

Carefully, he wrapped the cloth in an 'S' shape around her hands. He blew cold air soothingly onto her fingers, "There, there, its okay. Shhhh."

She stared down at him with wide glazed hazel eyes as he lifted her hands to his mouth, softly kissing her fingertips.

He smiled shyly at her, shy and a little uncertain. He knew it wasn't proper for her to be alone with him, never mind for him to touch her in this way but there was something about this girl that made him forget all propriety.

Buffy gasped softly and she felt warm lips brush her fingertips. She looked up at his eyes as they implored her to meet his. His gaze implored reassurance that is was all right. She smiled back assuring him 'it' was okay. What 'it' was, was now uncertain.

They both jumped, as the back door was slammed open and a dark haired figure stormed in to the kitchen, his eyes blazing and furious.

---

Finally, she lifted her head from his neck; her nose nudged his, seeking reassurance in the basest of ways.

His lips were firm on hers, he too anxious for reassurance that she was okay. The kiss turned passionate and he lifted her up, running his hands down her body, slipping under her top as he carefully sat her on top of a nearby headstone.

The Slayer gasped as she felt him press up against her body, contact unheeded due to her lack of undergarments and she moaned again as his mouth brutally attacked hers, both unaware of their audience.

---

"Who are you?" William asked, grabbing a knife from the wooden block in front of him as he instinctively pushed Buffy behind him.

"I'm going to stake you for this, boy." Angel snarled, only just controlling his impulse to vamp out.

"I do not know who you are but do not come any closer, I mean it." William brandished the knife, looking a lot less scary than intended.

"Buffy! What the HELL is going on here?" The Vampire's eyes blazed into the girls and she whimpered a bit.

"P-please just go. I-I-I don't know h-how you know me b-but please just leave." She stuttered in her fear.

"WHAT?!" The Vampire turned his attention to the other fake blonde, "SPIKE! I'll kill you for this." He spat the words out.

"So you said, sir, but I wager you would not." Sounding a hell of a lot more confident then he felt he continued. "But as you see you are scaring the lady, I think you should take your leave and hastily."

"Will?" Buffy whispered as Angel moved around the counter separating them and William moved him and Buffy in the same direction - keeping as much of the girl behind him as possible while keeping his eye on the strange 'man' in front of him.

"Don't worry love, everything will be fine. G-Go into the other room and get that tel-o-fone and ring Mr. Giles. Miss. Rosenberg left his number by the phone I believe." He squeezed her hand, pushing her out of the room, placing himself in the doorway so as to prevent the Vampire from following her.

Angel could sense something was up, other than the obvious thing of Spike and Buffy being in the same room as each other. He sniffed the air and vamped out, growling, "YOU BASTARD!"

"AAAHH!" William screamed as Angel's true countenance came into view.

He attempted to jump over the counter, but his feet got caught in the stools that had been left out and he ended up sprawled over the top, unconscious as he hit his head on the large wooden cross that hand been long nailed to the ceiling.

"WILL!!!" Buffy dashed back into the room. Upon seeing Angel's 'game-face' she let out her own shriek, stumbling back into Will. "AAAAHHH!!!"

They both crashed into the wall, Buffy's back was smashed into his chest but neither noticed as they both stared slack-jawed at the Vampire, unable to move.

---

"Buffy!" Xander screamed, running over to pull the Vampire off the Slayer. "I KNEW it was just some fucking scheme!" He continued, regarding the Vampire's game face.

The Vampire smacked the boy, sending him flying from the Slayer when he tried to reach for her.

"XANDER!" Anya screeched, rushing to her boyfriend.

"Stay back, Anya!" Xander called, getting to his feet and punching the Vampire.

His head reeled back with the blow of an experienced human Vampire fighter but it was not enough to unbalance him.

With a growl he threw the boy, sending him tumbling back into Anya. At the appearance of a stake from the new girl's hand he advanced again, careful to keep the Slayer safely behind him.

She wasn't sure what it was but something told her that these people had to be protected. These above all others. This spurred her to push off the headstone and flip herself in front of the Vampire.

His eyes flashed to hers. He growled. She growled back, sliding her hands cajolingly over his exposed chest - exposed due to her previously roaming fingers.

He frowned at her then backed down. Sending a furious glare across at the pair who had interrupted them he grabbed the Slayer, slinging her over his shoulder in a typical Tarzan fashion and disappearing in to the dark.

"Uhh...this can't be good." Anya said as Xander helped her to her feet.

"We have to call Giles."

"But...but I was gonna get orgasms!" Anya whined as they moved back in the direction they came in.

"Anya, deal with world-ending first, orgasms second."

"That’s not the order it came in last time!"

"Anya..."

"Whatever, its the couch for you, buster. I still have my vibrater you know, I don't need you anyway."

Xander sighed and followed his girlfriend out of the cemetery.

---

"Oh, Buffy, I just came back for my bag I hope you don't min-” The red head's sentence was cut off as she entered the kitchen and took in the scene in front of her.

"Uh oh."

· Chapter Six:

Angel scowled at the human blonde couple on the couch at the other side of the room, forcefully pushing his weight against the wall behind him in an attempt to not shove a nice, sharp stake through Spike's heart.

Beating or not.

He watched as Buffy smiled shakily at 'William' and he growled. Buffy jumped and he stopped; looking down at his feet.

This was getting too much. He had to get them away from each other or get him out of here. It was disgusting - he could smell them all over each other. Smell their lust for each other through their every little touch.

A sharp look from both Cordy and Wesley squashed the urge to start growling again as William took Buffy's hand in his comfortingly.

An irrational thought entered his mind; if 'William' was from Victorian England why was he getting so close to Buffy?

The fact that in his day he'd been a hell of a lot closer to any woman that took his fancy had escaped his mind at this point...along with rational thought.

Both groups had gathered at the Summers' residence to discuss the "situation". Anya and Xander had yet to arrive but all knew they were on their way.

"We could always try a locating spell?" Willow suggested.

"What are you thinking?" Giles asked intrigued.

"Well, it looks like there is only the human part of Buffy and Spike. Maybe their other sides are lost in the ether somewhere. I know a spell...but I'd need help." She glanced to Tara who smiled her support. "Also, it might not work."

"Why not?" Cordelia asked.

"Well, I don't know what spell was used in the first page..."

"What if this isn't 'our' Buffy and Spike." Wesley suggested.

Giles frowned but continued the line of thought, "I see where you're going...whatever happened it could have involved alternate universes. That is something that Anya would know more about, however..."

The room fell silent for a few moments, except for the low growling emanating from the Vampire in the corner. Buffy whimpered a bit and William tried to pat her hand comfortingly while looking shit-scared himself.

"Angel, would you stop that, please? You're not helping and you're scaring Buffy...and Spike. If you have nothing to-” Giles glared at the older 'man'.

Angel interrupted him, forcing the growling to stop within him. "No, okay. Sorry." He ground out.

Silence, once more.

"Maybe-” Fred began only to be interrupted as Anya and Xander burst through the front door.

"We have a problem."

---***---

The little remaining natural wildlife that remained around Sunnydale cemeteries scurried into hiding as an almost inhuman scream rang out through the otherwise silent graveyard.

A definately demonic roar rang out just moments after it; the sound bouncing off the gravestones outside.

The Vampire collapsed on top of the Slayer, feeling a small amount of air rush out of her body at the sudden addition of his dead weight. The Slayer allowed a small, sappy smile to rest over her lips at the comforting mass on top of her.

She moaned and wiggled under the Vampire as he brushed his cool lips over the prominent, red bite mark that marred her throat. He growled possessively at her movement, grinding his hips down on to hers.

The Slayer whimpered as his tongue slowly circled the puncture marks; the organ vibrating from his purrs. She tried to push her hips up; tried to force him to enter her but he held back.

The Vampire growled again; the sound more akin to a chuckle than anything else at the Slayer's frustration. He rolled his hips back down again; all the while holding back on the one thing she wanted.

The Slayer was tired of lying back...she was always more of an on-top action type of girl, anyway.

With a quick flip of her weight, the Vampire found himself on his back; one very aroused Slayer smiling down at him. He grinned back at her.

Both groaned in ecstasy as she shifted her hips; impaling herself on him.

· Chapter Seven:

"I-I don't think I quite understand...” William trailed off, his brow deeply furrowed.

"There was another pair of us?" Buffy questioned, her eyes darting between William, Giles and Xander for conformation of the wacky.

"It would appear that way." Giles tried to speak soothingly, but a gleeful Xander taunting Angel thwarted his attempts.

"You saw what?!" Angel growled for the fifth time, completely ignoring Buffy's mini-shriek and the gang's disapproving look.

"For the last time, Dead boy, we saw Spike carry Buffy off over his shoulder." Xander rolled his eyes, annoyed over who he liked less. Angel or Spike; at the moment he was leaning toward the former.

"Don't forget the naked part...oh, and the touching." Anya perked up again, ignorant to the Vampire's glare.

"Yes, please tell it again, Anya!" Giles exclaimed in exasperation.

"Well-"

"Stop!" Came the shouts of many present; no one really feeling the need to re-hear the very descriptive account of Vampire and Slayer's...encounter.

"Fine." Anya grumbled, slumping back in her chair.

"We have to bring them back." Angel declared jerkily, attempting, once more, to keep his emotions in check and try to think rationally.

Giles nodded, "I agree." Angel made to move but the Watcher spoke again. "Uh, however, I don't think you should accompany us."

"Giles-"

"You are too volatile, Angel, and you know it! If...” He coughed uncomfortably. "If we were too catch them, uh, en flagrante, I can not trust you to keep calm."

"And you think you will?" Angel demanded, heatedly, trying to ignore the very expansive image that popped into his mind at Giles words.

"I believe that, however I may act, I will not inadvertently harm Buffy...” He left his sentence trailing, implying to all that could decipher his strange look that there may be more to this situation than met the eye.

Angel understood and with a large growl he turned and lumbered into the kitchen. Giles winced as they heard the sound of cups being banged loudly, but said nothing.

"Um, Giles?" It was Tara who spoke, and all turned to face the quiet woman. Giles smiled reassuringly and she continued. "M-maybe we should hold off the search party...” At some of the outraged looks she clarified. "Just until we have worked out how to put them back together. It doesn't look like Buffy will let Spike kill, or Xander and Anya would be dead right now, so we haven't got that to worry about. And, I'm sure they're...in one spot." She ended with a blush.

Giles nodded, a slight blush staining his own cheeks, then frowned. "Put them back together? Do you think...?"

"It's possible...” Tara shrugged helplessly.

"What?" Cordy asked, stepping up to the circle.

"Of course, a separating spell...” Willow finally gasped in understanding.

"A what?" Xander spoke up, eager not to be left out.

"I didn't think there was a demon that walked this plane that accomplish such a feat." Giles questioned.

"A Shuggagiy could." Anya perked up. "They're inter-dimensional travellers."

"A what?" Xander asked again. "What's a shaggy?"

"A Shuggagiy - they separate entities to even the balance of a dimension." Giles explained, briefly looking at Anya for conformation, who nodded.

"So they work for the powers?" Fred finally spoke up.

"Perhaps, or possibly the beings the powers work for...” The older watcher continued.

"There are higher beings than the powers? Gunn asked, shocked.

"The powers are only the 'high powers' of this dimension...all dimensions have different, uh, leaders." Wesley explained.

"So basically, " Willow began, turning everyone’s attention back to the matter at hand, "we need to find a spell to fuse them back together?"

"Hi." Everyone turned to Buffy who had finally stood up. "Sorry to interrupt, but what the hell are you talking about?"

---

"Oh, I've found something!" Willow pressed a button on her computer screen and a picture of the Shuggagiy popped up in the centre of the monitor.

"Wow, guys really gotta 'Grim Reaper' thing going on." Cordy remarked absently.

"Actually, the Grim Reaper doesn't look like that. Writers just stole that look from the Shuggagiy." Anya explained. "Anyway, Grimmy's more into pink cats then all black..."

"Ooookay!" The gang turned back to Willow.

"Does it say how to re-connect them?" Giles asked, shaking his head at yet another weird piece of information from the ex-vengeance demon.

"No." Willow looked sad for a moment, and then perked up. "But it does say what was done to them...and the spell that was used. Maybe, me and Tara can go through it and try to come up with an undo clause."

"I can help...i-if you want."

Willow smiled at Fred encouragingly, "That would be great."

"What’s' it say was actually done?" Gunn asked.

"Oh, actually its really cool!" Willow bloomed with witchy joy, causing Tara to smile widely. "He split their entities; one pair got all their human qualities, and the other their supernatural ones."

"Spike doesn't have any human qualities." Xander and Angel said simultaneously, and then glared at each other.

Giles let out a low growl that could have rivalled the dark Vampire's any day, "You both know that is not true...no matter how much you'd - any of us - would like to believe it."

The two in question glared down at the floor, but both said nothing.

"And we may have to live with the repercussions of that fact when we turn them back." He finished gravely, watching as Angel growled and stormed out of the house, slamming the front door as he went.

· Chapter Eight:

The Slayer yelped and fell back on to her bottom as the screen in front of her flashed and began to speak. The Vampire rushed from the lower section of the crypt to see what the problem was, growling threateningly to any possible intruder.

He smirked as the Slayer gestured wildly to the flashing pictures on the TV screen and sat down next to her. He watched as her hand reached out to touch the moving people and growled loudly, slapping her hand back in caution.

She glared at him, but made no further movement as he reached forward his own hand to touch the screen. Tentatively his fingers made contact, and he jumped back with a growl as he got a static shock from the glass.

The Slayer giggled as he snarled at the offending box from behind her, then turned back to the TV screen. She grinned at the characters on the show, as they were involved in a passionate embrace, before turning to her Vampire, who was still glaring at the newfound contraption.

With a sound close to a purr she jumped on him, pressing her mouth to his.

---

"I don't quite understand. You say these things are happening now?" William frowned at Buffy, then at the box, then back at Buffy.

Buffy shrugged a little. "Kinda. There are some shows that happen now. But most are recorded earlier, then put on when they want."

"When who wants?" William questioned.

"Oh, uh whoever owns them, I guess...” Buffy trailed off, not really knowing that much about the whole process.

"And then they just...appear here?" William asked, poking the screen with a finger.

"Pretty much." She nodded.

"Is it by some form of...m-magic?"

Buffy shook her head a BIG no, "It's all sciency - I don't really get how."

"Oh..."

"So...wanna watch a movie?" She asked hopefully.

---

Willow sat at the dining table, intermittently clicking at her laptop in front of her and checking the sources Fred and Tara had uncovered. Giles sat with them, attempting to help in anyway possible.

Xander and Anya shared one of the easy chairs in the living room, absently pouring over a random tomb.

Cordy, Gunn and Wesley huddled in the corner, quietly discussing the turn of events and the where abouts of their way-ward boss.

Outside the full moon shone brightly in the sky, illuminating the quiet town streets below. On the porch, Buffy and William sat, gazing at the stars overhead.

"Go on." Buffy urged, softly when a long moment of silence had passed between them.

"You don't mind?" He queried, eager not to displease.

"No." Her words were barely audible and she shook her head to confirm them.

"Okay...” William continued to name the constellations before them, explaining the stories' behind the ones he knew.

Once more, William grew silent and Buffy tilted her head to face him slightly. Her eyes travelled across his face, taking in the sharp edges and smooth planes that defined him so beautifully. They ran over his clothing, which did much to enhance his muscular form; giving off a 'bad-boy' image to the max. How could a man's appearance be at such odds to his personality? She mused.

She realised she was staring and abruptly turned away, looking up at the sky once again.

"I feel...weird” She began quietly. William said nothing, allowing her the space to continue. "Everyone, our, uh, friends...they're all saying that we're not complete. I mean, I get that they figure we can't hear them or something even though we are in the room...” She rolled her eyes at that. "... But that's the gist of what they're saying, right? That there is another half of us out there?"

"I believe so...” He murmured.

"It's just...” She trailed off, unsure of how to feel, or indeed, express her feelings on the subject.

"It is odd...” He started. Then turned as well to face her more fully. "However, I-I do not feel incomplete...” He blushed slightly, and continued in a hushed voice. "...Not anymore."

Buffy smiled warmly at him, encouraging him to continue.

"I, uh...I know this is rather sudden...” He began, shakily then stopped.

She wanted to reach out and squeeze his hand; to let him know that what she thought he was going to say was okay, but he tended to have personal space issues and she didn't want to scare him off continuing by crossing them. She settled for smiling in what she hoped was an encouraging way.

"I was, uh, I was w-wondering if you would a-allow m-me to, uh, court you." He finally pushed the words out, his face a pleasant rouge.

Buffy blushed prettily at his formal wording. She was pretty sure no-one had ever asked her out like that before - even with the memory loss. But, his eccentricities were what made him interesting. His amazement with life in general only enthralled her further.

"I would like that a lot, Will." She murmured, laughing lightly when he let out a big breath of air in relief. Forgetting her earlier assessment, she leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss to his chiselled cheek.

His face flushed further, but he said nothing, reaching instead to clasp her hand gently in his.

Hands entwined, William returned to his verbal exploration of the sky. He spoke in a calm, soft voice, and Buffy soon found herself lost in the soothing tones of his explanation.

She wasn't sure she ever wanted to be found.

Neither noticed the Vampire standing just meters from where they sat. A closed expression cast over his dark features.

· Chapter Nine:

The Vampire snarled and sheathed himself within the Slayer once again. She keened loudly, arching up into her lover.

His hand came up, roughly tugging her peaked nipple. She moaned, wrapping her legs firmly around his waist as he continued to thrust in and out of her wet heat.

The Slayer ran her fingers into his soft hair, clutching at him wildly as she screamed and bucked beneath him. She pulled his head down, crushing her lips to his. Her blunt teeth bit gently at his full lips, sucking them into her mouth as his hands and cock continued to drive her crazy.

The Vampire reared up, tearing his lips from hers only to sink his fangs into her neck. The blonde arched beneath him, screaming her pleasure to the world as he continued to draw her life's blood from her body.

He retracted his fangs; growling out a single word by her ear, "Mine!"

A shudder rang through the Slayer's body and she gasped her pleasure, completing the ceremony by biting down on her Vampire's jugular.

She felt his orgasm erupt inside her body and shivered in delight as she continued to lap up the small droplets of blood her bite had caused.

He collapsed on top of her and she smiled, raising her blood stained lips to his ear in order to imitate his growl, "Mine."

---

Willow called their names softly into the apparently empty garden, trying to find Buffy and Will. She paused in shock when she found them sitting so close to each other, but continued with her quest.

"Hi guys."

The pair jumped at the sudden intrusion, neither having the supernatural ability to sense another's presence. Their hands stayed loosely clasped, but both blushed.

"Uh, hey." Buffy tried to smile at the red head.

"Uh, yeah. Um, good news!" Willow tried with cheer. "We've found a sp-, uh, something that we think will help restore your memories."

"What do we have to do?" William asked, sitting up straighter.

"Well, all you need to do is come with us." Willow smiled in a not-so-reassuring way. "Good news, right?"

William frowned suspiciously. "What exactly would this cure involve?"

"Um...kinda, a little bit of...m-magic?" Willow suggested sheepishly, for some reason finding herself unable to lie. William had a very Spike-esque look on his face that made her a little nervous.

"Magic?!" William shot to his feet, letting go of Buffy's hand in the process. All remnants of Spike had disappeared and he was all Victorian male. "Good Lord.... what would mother say if she could see me now?" He muttered to himself.

"You can remember your mother?" Buffy asked hopefully. Maybe their memory would come back on its own and they wouldn't need any magical assistance.

"Oh, no...But I would assume that she would not be pleased. Elizabeth, witch craft is an abomination...we could go to hell." He finished on a whisper, pulling Buffy from Willow.

Willow watched as the two talked in quiet tones. It was weird to hear Spike be so worried about going to hell. But, from the looks of things Buffy was bringing him round.

"Please Will...I don't think they'd hurt us...well, Xander might wanna hurt you, but...” She smiled as that got a laugh out of him.

"Okay, love." He reached up as if to brush back some of her hair then remembered himself and settled on a smile.

They turned as one to Willow who smiled hopefully, "Okay, we'll do it." Buffy tried to smile back.

---

"What is that sound?" William asked as they heard a loud roar from inside the crypt outside of which they were standing.

"Uh..." The group seemed to blush collectively, as they heard obvious sounds of sex.

"Maybe we should wait for them to finish." Willow suggested uncomfortably, as a feminine scream rang out through the graveyard.

"No, no and a 'Hell no!'!" Xander exclaimed. "We do it now!"

"I guess it would be less traumatic for her if it was sooner." Giles agreed, reluctantly.

"Okay..." Willow and Tara began to set up for the spell, settling candles in a square. Willow closed her eyes and the candles lit.

Buffy looked up at William, who looked concerned and reached up to take his hand in hers. He jumped in shock, but slowly relaxed, smiling back down at her.

---

The Vampire grinned up at the Slayer as she rode him, her small breast bouncing softly with her movements. She returned the lusty grin, moaning as she moved.

At that moment his face seemed slightly more human, despite his vampiric visage.

---

The two witches finished chanting and dropped to the floor in exhaustion as a huge flash of bright light engulfed the cemetery.

· Chapter Ten

The gang watched, mouths a gasp, as one pair of Buffy and Spike flew, naked, out of the crypt and the other pair fly up to meet them. The four bodies met in the middle, their entities merging as they let out unholy screams of pain.

They fell to the ground, moments later, encased in the clothes that the human Spike and Buffy had been wearing.

Willow and Tara clambered unsteadily to their feet, and Xander moved to help them up.

Giles and Angel rushed forward to where Buffy and Spike still lay unconscious. The rest of the LA gang stood in the background - feeling redundant.

Buffy moaned as she woke up, staring down at the Vampire whom she found herself on top of. With a groan, Spike awoke, staring up at the blond beauty above him.

"Hi." She muttered, blushing lightly.

"Hey." He croaked, his voice hoarse from earlier activity.

"Buffy, is that you?" Giles asked, offering her a hand up.

"Of course its - Angel? What are you doing here?" Buffy frowned as she stood up off Spike.

"We had a bit of a problem, Buff." Xander answered instead, glaring at Spike, who shook his head in confusion; still kinda out of it.

"Oh." She rose slowly to her feet, staring at the known and unknown faces that surrounded her.

"Lets get you home and I'll explain everything." Giles led a confused Buffy away.

"'Kay..." She murmured in a very child-like manner.

"What about me?" Spike asked, as he slowly sat up, rubbing his head.

Willow smiled at Spike a bit, "Maybe you should get some blood or rest or something - come by the shop later?" Willow tried to make him feel better, but the group was already following Buffy - leaving him all alone.

Angel snarled angrily at his childe, before following the gang out of the cemetery.

A still disorientated Spike stood as well. His Vampire hearing caught Buffy's muttered words:

"Ugh, my back is killing me. Feels like someone’s been slamming me into a brick wall all day."

"Ewww, Buff. You're not far wrong." Xander replied, pulling a face. In the background, Angel's angry growl could be heard, though he said nothing.

With a frown, Spike stumbled into his crypt and collapsed exhausted on his bed and slept.

---

"Thanks for all your help." Giles addressed the LA group. Buffy had gone straight to bed. She'd been barely conscious as she dragged herself up the stairs needing all Willow and Tara's help.

"Sorry we couldn't do more." Gunn put in.

"Yeah, it felt like you had it covered...not that we wouldn't have come...it was nice to meet you all." Fred started to ramble.

"No, thank-you." Giles reiterated. "Your presence alone was much appreciated."

"What will you do with Spike?" Angel asked, his voice hard.

"I think that will be up to Buffy." Giles responded, his voice cooling as well.

"But-"

"No, Angel. This is Buffy's life. I won't do anything to hurt her more than she has already been hurt."

"And you think being with Spike won't hurt her? He's a vicious Vampire; I know it first hand...what he did to you was nothing to what he's done." Angel growled, advancing almost menacingly at the watcher.

Giles stood his ground. "I've thanked you for your help. Don't make me take it back."

Angel blinked at the flash of Ripper in the younger man's eyes but backed down. "Sorry." He muttered. "Cordy, Gunn, Fred. Get your stuff; we're leaving."

---

"It was so gross. We had to watch human-Spike fawn all over you here, then Vampire-Spike with all the nakedness...” Xander continued to bitch well into the third hour, much to everyone's boredom.

Buffy, however, wasn't even listening. Her mind was elsewhere, the same place it had been all day and all night. Without a word she rose and made her way to the training area in the back of the Magic Shoppe.

A few moments later Giles entered to find Buffy staring sightlessly out of the window. With a silent sigh, he sat down next to her on a pile of training mats.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly.

After a minute of silence, Buffy began. "Okay, I guess. Just wondering why it all happened."

Giles took a deep breath, hoping to allay her fears. "Well, from what Willow uncovered the demon was attempting to restore the balance of good and evil to this dimension. I believe he was hoping that you would kill each other, not, uh...” He trailed off.

Buffy blushed violently, turning her head in embarrassment. "Oh..."

"Is there something you want to tell me, Buffy?" Giles asked quietly, not a hint of reproach in his eyes or his voice.

Buffy couldn't face him as she answered, her eyes fixed on a single spot on the wall opposite.

"No..." She whispered, and silence enveloped the sun filled room.

By PassionFish <http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/morbiddesires/contactme.html>

A/N - Thanks to Marsters’ Girl for beta-ing this fiction!

Buffy shivered, trying to bury herself further under the mountain of duvets her mother had scavenged from around the house, but nothing could warm her.

*Just go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep...*

She continued to chant the mantra in her head, attempting to ignore the aching mark on her neck and the throbbing between her thighs at the distance from her mate. The feeling was unlike any she had ever encountered. It was primal. It was pure. It was need.

And it wasn't going away.

She should be furious with Spike for doing this to her, for allowing this to be done to her.

She should be, but she wasn't. It was almost as if she couldn't be.

Her biological make-up seemed to have changed somehow, distorted by the ancient magics that had woven within her just a few nights ago.

During the day the pull was quieter, she could just about function.... but at night....

It was as if her very soul pined for what she had lost, and even though she hadn't really lost him there was simply too much between them. It couldn't be.

It just couldn't.

---

Not even with Drusilla had the pain been this bad. And they had been mated for six decades.

Not three days.

But his body's reaction was violent. His very being cried out for him to reclaim his mate, to feel her writhe beneath him, to touch, taste and caress her.... to keep him with her forever.

His demon raged within him, banging at the proverbial cage Spike had erected around him. He needed his mate with him, by his side. The magical pull was phenomenal.... it was ancients magics that bound them now. And it was a deep-rooted imperative within him to be as close to his mate as possible in order to protect not only her, but also the bond that bound them.

It took all the strength he had and then some to force himself to keep to the shadows, to keep away from her. Because he knew, that if they met he wouldn't be able to control himself. Or prevent himself from controlling her.

And he knew she didn't want that.

And it killed him inside.

---

The moon was high in the sky and the stars shone brightly. Outside the Summers' residence, a cat meowed loudly, chasing a mouse across the street.

Buffy tossed and turned in her sleep, sweat drenching the sheets that were caught between her limbs.

She'd been 'back' two full nights, and her dreams were already haunted by images of the previous days.

Buffy moaned in her sleep, tears leaking from her eyes.

She flipped on to her stomach, rubbing her heated face into her wet pillow.

"Spike...” Buffy's red eyes opened slowly, the Vampire's name on her lips.

She knew what she had to do.

---

The length of wood felt familiar in her hand. It had been nearly a week since she'd carried it; nearly a week since she'd seen the need to.

But, familiar was good. Familiar was normal. Which was ironic in itself, but she chose not to dwell on it.

---

Buffy watched as the Vampire's chest rose and fell with habitual breath. Her mouth grew dry as the sheet covering his body, slipped to his waist, revealing his muscular chest.

She jumped as he murmured her name longingly and was about to retreat when his eyes opened, pinning her in place with their clear intensity.

Not a word passed between them as she slowly moved closer to the bed. She reached the side and he lifted the covers in offering.

With a silent sigh she slid beneath them, rubbing her face into his neck, her lips nudging her mark there, as his cool arms enveloped her.

"Couldn't sleep...” She murmured softly into his chest. "Need you to hold me."

"Me too." He admitted, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, his free hand absently playing over his bite on her neck.

Spike smiled as he felt the Slayer yawn against his skin, "I love you." He whispered.

A moment of silence passed between them, and for a second he was afraid she wasn't going to answer him.

"Love you, too."

The End….