Part Twelve

Buffy blinked in shock. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as she lowered her gaze from Drusilla's triumphant eyes to the small pistol in her hand. Her head continued its downward movement until she could see a circle of blood, growing bigger as she watched, right in the middle of her chest.
 

Dimly, she heard Willow scream and she fell backwards onto her butt, the stake dropping from nerveless fingers. She started to see black spots swimming before her eyes and she turned her head to find Spike standing so close, yet so far away. She blinked a second time, then the world went dark.
 

Spike just stood there. He couldn't feel anything, couldn't think anything, and couldn't say anything as the people around him erupted in chaos. All he could do was stand there and stare at where Buffy had fallen onto her side, a large, red stain visible in the middle of her back.
 

Angel moved across the floor in an instant, grabbing the gun out of Drusilla's hand and flinging it across the room. It hit the complex wall with a loud crack before falling to the ground. Drusilla started to laugh as Giles and Xander dragged Buffy's body off the board, her blood leaving a trail in her wake. Willow ran with Cordelia into the other room to get the medical supplies out of the refrigerator while the Watcher tried to staunch the flow of blood. Faith came up behind Drusilla as the vampiress stood, stake in hand, but Angel's shout startled them all.
 

"No!" he yelled sharply, grabbing Faith's wrist. "If you kill her, we're all dead."
 

"But she shot Buffy!" Faith yelled back.
 

"Faith, he's right," Xander called over to them. "If you kill her out of a capturing challenge, all of us forfeit our lives."
 

"Xander, see how much time we have left," Giles said as he slit Buffy's tank top down the center and pushed it away from her body.
 

Xander stood and quickly ran over to the computer console. "Fuck, only two minutes," he swore, slamming his hand down on the machine.
 

"Angel, I need you," Giles called to the vampire. Pulling Faith with him, Angel rapidly made his way over to Buffy's side. "The bullet passed through her body, but I do not know what it hit."
 

"Dammit, she stopped breathing!" Cordelia suddenly yelled from her position by the Slayer's head. She tilted Buffy's head back and started mouth-to-mouth. "Come on, Buffy. I'm not kissing you for nothing," she said between breaths.
 

Giles checked her pulse and found that it was still there, but very thready. "Xander-"
 

"One fifteen," Xander replied.
 

"I'm not going to be able to keep up mouth-to-mouth," Angel said quietly as he helped Giles patch the wound on Buffy's back so she wouldn't bleed out on the floor.
 

"I know," Giles replied.
 

"Here, this should help stop the bleeding," Willow said, handing Giles a quickly construed herb compound from the supplies in her bag. "I wish I had time to do a healing spell."
 

"I doubt it would work on a wound of this magnitude," the Watcher told her as he applied the compound.
 

"Forty-five, guys," Xander said.
 

"Yes, that's right Buffy, breathe for me," Cordelia said, listening to the shallow breaths the Slayer was taking on her own.
 

"Forty."
 

"Faith get back to your spot," Angel instructed. "Don't touch Drusilla."
 

"Thirty-five."
 

"Willow, there is nothing else you can do," Giles said as he set the compound on the floor next to the fallen blond.
 

"Thirty."
 

"I can pray to the goddess," Willow replied as she made her way back to her square.
 

"Twenty-five."
 

"Don't you die on me, Buffy," Cordelia said. "You still owe me for coming here and I aim to collect."
 

"Twenty."
 

Cordelia stood and walked to Xander, giving him a tight hug before returning to her square.
 

"Fifteen."
 

"Rupert, go," Angel said quietly. "I've got her."
 

"Ten."
 

Giles nodded and stood, wiping the blood on his pants as he headed back to his spot.
 

"Five."
 

Spike still stood there, staring at the spot of blood on the ground where Buffy had fallen.
 

A short beep sounded on the computer console, signaling the restart of the game.
 

"Xander, end this game as quickly as you can," Angel said to the teen who had retaken his seat at the computer console.
 

"Right, quickly," Xander nodded. He looked at the screen and realized that the black king made another stupid move by not moving Drusilla to Buffy's square, as was the victor's choice. Instead, the black king chose to move the black queen to d1 on his turn and the teen hoped to use the mistake to his advantage. However, the black king's move put the black queen in a position for a possible checkmate.
 

And it put Drusilla right next to Spike.
 

"Wasn't that a fun game, luv?" Drusilla asked the blond vampire, who still had yet to move. "The Slayer made such a funny noise. A little pop, then a whish, like a balloon. And then she turned such a pretty red. It made me hungry."
 

Spike slowly turned his head until he was looking at the vampiress. His eyes were icy and lifeless, his face was expressionless as he stared at her.
 

"End the game quickly," Xander mumbled to himself. "Ok, I can do this. I just have to put myself in discovered check and hope that Miss Looney Tunes doesn't come after me." With a final glance at the screen, he made what he hoped to be his last move. "Spike, move straight up the board to e8."
 

Spike blinked slowly, acknowledged Xander's instruction with a barely perceptible nod of his head, and headed across the board. The black king was now in check. The black king would be forced to move out of check by having his black rook at a8 challenge Spike -- then either he or Xander would win. Which meant that the game was solely in the blond vampire's hands.
 

The same vampire who just saw the love of his unlife get gunned down by his old love.
 

Spike stopped walking, turned and stood facing the black king, his eyes closed. Faith was catty- corner to him in f7 and she was giving him part worried, part confused looks. "Hey Blondie, are you ok?" she asked.
 

He did not even acknowledge that she spoke.
 

"Xander, get over here!" Angel shouted, his voice carrying easily across the board. Faith turned and saw the dark-haired vampire compressing Buffy's chest as the teen skid across the floor to her head, immediately starting mouth-to-mouth.
 

Still, Spike did nothing.
 

The black king made his move. Behind the blond vampire, a blue, multi-armed creature, who was the black rook, came running at Spike from the square a8. Two of its arms held short swords and one carried a small shield. The fourth, fifth and sixth arms were all free, the large, multi-digit hands prepared to grab at its opponent.
 

It came at Spike without a noise, his horned head raised with an evil smile on his face. With an extra burst of speed, it seemed the creature would mow down the blond vampire. In reality, things turned out very different. For at the last second, Spike turned and grabbed the creature by the throat, using its momentum to throw him towards the black king.
 

And Spike stood there, still holding the creature's esophagus with his white, bandaged hand.
 

"Checkmate," Faith whispered as she stared at the body part in the vampire's hand.
 

A loud buzzer sounded, then a voice came over the loudspeaker. "Congratulations white team! Please step off the board for your own safety. Thank you."
 

Willow, Cordelia and Giles were all at Buffy's side before the announcement was even complete. Xander and Angel were still frantically trying to keep the Slayer alive through their combined efforts. Faith grabbed Spike's arm and began to drag him towards the opposite side of the board. "Come on, Spike. Buffy needs you."
 

At the sound of her name, Spike's stunned frame of mind gave way to all-consuming rage. He slammed the esophagus onto the floor and disentangled his arm from Faith before striding purposely across the floor, directly towards Drusilla. Without stopping, he grabbed his former love by the throat and lifted her clear off the floor.
 

"YOU STUPID BLOODY BITCH!" Spike screamed as he threw her to the floor right where Buffy had lain. He stalked over to her and dropped to his knees, scooping up the fallen stake in his good hand. He leaned forward until he was less than an inch from Drusilla's hypnotizing eyes. He could feel her trying to capture him again, but this time it wasn't going to work. "I. Hate. You," he finished with barely a whisper, his blue eyes hard as steel.
 

Then Drusilla was nothing more than a pile of dust.
 

Spike stood and dropped the stake into the pile. Without a second glance, he walked off the board just in time, for the entire floor dropped out of the center of the room, sending the rest of the black team members and leftover pawns down into a spiked pit. The screams of pain echoed throughout the room until the floor reassembled itself.
 

Then there was silence, save for the frantic sound of Angel and Xander trying to save Buffy's life.
 

Part Thirteen

Spike's steps slowed as he got closer to the blond on the floor. He took in the scene before him as if it were a movie; the rage he'd felt only moments before vanished into a feeling of nothingness and detachment. He stopped abruptly, pausing two feet away from where Buffy lay, and looked at the others with casual disinterest. Cordelia was behind Xander, rubbing his back in encouragement as he continued to administer mouth-to-mouth. Giles was half-standing next to Angel with Willow and Faith hovering behind them both.
 

"Willow, pull the van up as close as you can to the doors," Giles instructed, handing her the keys. The redhead ran out of the room without hesitation, bypassing a small, human male dressed in a suit who was entering.
 

"Congratulations and sympathy all in one," the man said, walking over to the group. Faith grabbed him by the throat in an instant and shoved him up against the wall, lifting him until his feet were off the ground.
 

"Who the fuck are you and what the fuck do you want?" Faith spat.
 

"I've come to tell you that the white team has won the Endgame and, because of the Slayer's death, the Vampire need not worry about any further Games. His participation has ended," the man replied calmly, even though the brunette Slayer was choking him.
 

"Anything else?" Faith said coldly.
 

"That is all, you are free to leave," he answered with a gasp of breath, his face turning red from lack of oxygen.
 

"Giles, can I kill him?" the brunette Slayer asked over her shoulder.
 

"No," Giles replied. "Let him go and get our things together. We are leaving immediately."
 

Faith snarled in disgust and dropped the man. He straightened his suit, tipped an invisible hat to the group, and left the room. Willow bypassed him again as she ran in. "Van's at the door," she said, grabbing her backpack off the floor. "It's really sunny out there already, but Angel and Spike should be able to make it without a problem."
 

"Good thing I put up that paper," Giles said mostly to himself, putting his hand on Angel's shoulder. "We need to get her to the hospital."
 

"I know," Angel grunted between compressions. "I still have no pulse."
 

"We'll just have to rush her to the van and start again," Giles said wearily. A depression settled over him and he looked up at Spike, who was standing there with a blank look on his face. He lowered his voice and said to the dark-haired vampire, "I think Spike has gone into shock."
 

"I'll deal with him as soon as I can," Angel replied, stopping his attempts to revive Buffy. "Xander, stop." The second the teen stopped his ministrations, Angel scooped up the blond Slayer and ran for the exit, Willow on his heels.
 

"Xander, go with them," Cordelia said. "Faith and I will follow." Xander nodded and rose shakily to his feet, quickly leaving.
 

Faith had her bag over her head and grabbed Spike roughly by the arm. She nodded at Giles, who took his other arm, and they forced him into a fast walk towards the exit. Cordelia looked around the empty game room with its checkered floor, then turned and left.
 

The van ride to the nearest hospital in Chesterton was made in tense silence. Willow was the one administering mouth-to-mouth as Angel continued CPR. Spike sat on the floor in a corner of the van under a blocked window, his arms wrapped around his knees as he stared at Buffy. Xander sat next to Giles, who was driving pedal to the floor, and had his head leaned against the glass of the side window with his eyes tightly shut.
 

With a squeal, the Watcher stopped the van under the overhang outside of the emergency exit. Thankful for small favors, he burst from the automobile and flew into the hospital as Xander opened the side door. Angel didn't bother to wait for the gurney as he picked Buffy up once again and ran into the hospital.
 

"Here!" a doctor yelled as he came through the emergency doors. Angel laid his precious burden down and watched as the medical team swooped around Buffy and wheeled her quickly away.
 

"Angel," Willow said quietly, taking his larger hand in hers. He looked down at her tear-filled eyes and the weight of the situation came crashing down upon him. All the thoughts and feelings he had blocked off as he worked on Buffy flooded his system and he let out a choked sob. Gathering the redhead in his arms, he held her tightly as the tears came.
 

"Excuse me, you need to move your van," a nurse said to Giles, who was staring in the direction that Buffy had been wheeled.
 

"What? O-oh, yes. I shall move it directly," Giles replied. He slowly turned and made his way out of the electronic doors, his body on automation. Cordelia passed him with a distressed look on her face and he absently noted that she went directly to Xander and they embraced like long-time loves.
 

"Giles," Faith said, bringing his attention to her. She was standing in front of the open side door to the van and gestured with her head to the interior. "Is it safe to bring Blondie inside?"
 

"Yes," Giles answered, coming to the quick realization that they had forgotten about Spike once again. He looked through the open door and saw that the blond vampire had not moved from his spot, still staring at the floor where Buffy had lain minutes before. "Um, I-I believe your strength may be needed for-for-for this."
 

"Got it," Faith replied, crawling partially into the van and grabbing Spike by the arm. She shook him hard, trying to get his attention. "Spike, get your undead ass out of the van." When he didn't respond, she sighed and yanked him out. Luckily, he put his feet under him so she didn't need to pull him into the hospital dragging on the ground behind her.
 

Angel raised his head when Spike and Faith entered. He gave Willow a final squeeze, then stepped away from her. He opened his mouth to say something, but she shook her head. "Go," she told him, her arms wrapping around herself. He gave her a depressed smile and turned to the other vampire.
 

"Spike," Angel said, moving to stand directly in front of the peroxide-blond. He put both hands on Spike's shoulders and bent to look him in the eyes. "Spike, are you ok?"
 

Spike heard Angel speaking, but it sounded as though he was speaking in slow-motion. The hospital sounds around them were muffled and, except for his sire, everything he saw was shaky and blurred, as if he was looking at an out-of-focus photograph. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out because he didn't know what to say. His brain seemed to have shut down and, though normally he would be upset with this occurrence, right then he found it comforting.
 

Angel led him over to a row of chairs in the waiting room and pushed him down into one. His sire then took the seat next to him and laid his hand over Spike's unbandaged one, entwining their fingers. A rush of comfort and protection filled him, but he couldn't fathom why, nor did he seem to care. So, he let the feeling be and instead closed his eyes to block out the blurry images assaulting him.
 

"I called Buffy's mom," Faith said, joining the group in the waiting room. "Glad she had her cell phone on. She didn't seem too surprised when I called, though. It was almost as though she knew already."
 

"But will she be here?" Willow asked from her seat on the other side of Angel, her hand holding his other one.
 

"As soon as she can," Faith replied.
 

"We should probably get our story straight," Xander said suddenly. Cordelia lifted her head from where it rested on his shoulder and turned so that his arm was around her waist. "This isn't Sunnydale. The cops are going to question us."
 

"Y-Yes," Giles said, removing his glasses to rub his eyes. "I suppose we stick to the truth as-as much as, er, possible."
 

"Buffy and this girl were fighting, she pulled a gun and shot Buffy," Cordelia said. "Then what?"
 

"Well, considering she's dust, I'd say she just ran off," Xander replied. "We can give the cops a perfect description, even a name if we want, and they'll never find her."
 

"Why were we all out anyway?" Willow asked. "Field trip?"
 

"That doesn't matter, since none of you are minors anymore," Angel answered. "Because of how early it is, we can just say we were on our way to Disneyland and stopped off for something to eat."
 

"This means I get to be G-man's ho?" Faith said. She sidled up to Giles and linked her arm with his. "Take me, baby-cakes."
 

Giles replaced his glasses with a shake of his head as the others chuckled slightly. "With great regret, I would have to say yes." Faith gave him an overly dramatic, fake pout and dropped his arm. "As for Drusilla, I agree with Xander. Angel, do-do you recollect her, uh, surname?"
 

Angel shook his head. "No, I never learned it and once she was turned, I doubt she even remembered."
 

"I'll draw her," Cordelia said. "That way they won't pick up anyone by mistake."
 

"Good idea," Giles said. "But wait un-until they question us."
 

"Damn, I just realized something," Xander said. "They're only going to let family in to see her."
 

"That's easy, Xand," Faith said. "You be her bro, I'll be sis, Angel can be her big bro and Spike can be her man."
 

"We're all brunettes and she isn't," Angel told her. "Plus, no family resemblance."
 

"Well, at least one of us should fake being related to her," Willow said. "At least until Mrs. Summers gets here."
 

"Angel, I agree with Willow and I think it should be you," Giles said. "You look young enough to be her older brother without causing too much suspicion."
 

"Ok," Angel replied. "I can also try to overrule the ‘family only' policy."
 

The group fell into silence and a depression settled over them now that they had nothing left to distract them. Cordelia and Xander took seats opposite Angel and Willow, their positions mimicking the vampire and the hacker. Faith paced behind them in the next row, her heavy boots beating a constant rhythm on the floor with her steps. Giles sat on the other side of Spike, his forearms resting on his knees, glasses dangling between his fingers as he closed his eyes and willed for his Slayer to live.
 

"Slayer."
 

The word was barely a whisper after an hour of quiet, but everyone heard it. All eyes turned to Spike and they watched as his human face flickered to that of his demon before returning to its smooth planes. Angel let go of Willow's hand and moved so that he was crouching in front of Spike, his hand now turned so it was grasped around the younger vampire's palm. "Spike?" Angel said quietly.
 

Spike began to visibly shake as the fatal scene played out in his mind in slow, agonizing detail. He saw the bullet enter Buffy's body and come out the other side; her stunned expression; the light going from her vibrant eyes as she fell to the ground; the blood on her shirt. "No," he whispered. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, No, No, No, No, No, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
 

With his scream of agony, Spike's demon face came forth and he stood abruptly, knocking Angel over. He took one step forward and collapsed onto his knees as his legs stopped working. His body shook violently as he curled over his knees, a loud, pain-filled, animalistic sound emanating from him.
 

Angel closed his eyes in pain at his childe's cries; the sound meant much more to another vampire than simply the grief-stricken anguish that the humans might have interpreted it as. It was a death wail, rarely heard. Vampires did not normally form attachments that ran so deep that they became a part of the demon's very being, but it was possible. Even if Angel did not possess a soul, his response to Spike's pain would have been exactly the same, the ties of blood between him and Spike moving him to act.
 

He moved behind Spike in an instant, covering the younger vampire's body with his own, almost as though he were forming a protective shell. His arms were wrapped around Spike's, his hands holding the blond's wrists, as his chin rested on Spike's shoulder. He started making an unusual sound in Spike's ear -- a cross between a purring and growling sound - and held him as tightly as he could.
 

The others watched on with fascination, knowing they were witnessing something no humans ever see. Xander and Cordelia held hands tightly and Faith moved around to block one side of the aisle, preventing curious onlookers from seeing them. Willow did the same on the other side, glaring at anyone who dared turn in their direction. Her own heart was breaking with the primal sound, wishing she didn't realize that Buffy may very well be gone forever this time.
 

A doctor came over accompanied by an orderly in blue scrubs. Giles rose to meet them, standing in front of Faith. "Is there a problem here?" the doctor asked.
 

"No, no problem," Giles replied. As the doctor tried to look around him, the Watcher continuously shifted to block his view. "Do you have any news on Buffy Summers?"
 

"She was taken up to OR, that's all I can tell you," the doctor said. "We can administer a sedative..."
 

"Er, hold on," Giles said. He looked over at Xander and Cordelia who were watching him expectantly, waiting for instruction. "Ask Angel if-if we should sedate Spike."
 

Xander nodded and leaned forward in his chair. "Deadboy? Hey, Angel." He tried to get the dark-haired vampire's attention, but was unsuccessful. He reached out and touched Angel's shoulder and his head shot up, his demon eyes flashing as he let out a snarl at the teen. "Woah, Angel, buddy, it's Xander."
 

"I got it," Willow said, kneeling next to the two vampires. When she laid her hand on Angel's upper arm, he turned to her and snarled as well, but then she raised her other hand and brushed it across his cheek. Recognition flickered behind his yellowed gaze and she asked, "Angel, the doctor wants to know if we should give Spike a sedative."
 

"No," Angel answered over Spike's cries, his voice thick with pain. "He should stop any minute."
 

Willow raised her eyes to Giles and shook her head no just as the blond vampire did as Angel predicted. She stood and looked about, prepared to glared at any onlookers who dared to stare at the couple, while Angel's features smoothed out. Dropping his head again, he returned to his vocalizations of comfort by Spike's ear, the younger vampire's body reduced to trembling under his sire's hold.
 

The doctor was apparently satisfied and he left with the orderly in tow, promising to bring news of Buffy's status as soon as he heard. Giles swallowed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to push away his own pain. Turning back to the others, he surveyed the mis-matched group of individuals that meant everything to him, the two vampires included. Except for the aforementioned two, they were looking to him for guidance on what to do next.
 

"Cordelia, why don't you and Xander see about appropriating some sort of beverages and food for us," Giles finally said.
 

"Ok," Cordelia replied, slowly rising to her feet with the dark-haired teen and leaving the waiting area.
 

"Faith, will you call Mrs. Summers again and find out her location?" Giles asked.
 

"Sure, Giles," Faith said, giving a quick look over her shoulder at the vampires on the floor before leaving.
 

"Giles," Willow said. "Angel and Spike are going to need to know where the windows are located so they can avoid them, maybe even a place to go that's private."
 

"Yes," Giles said. "I suppose I'd better go check."
 

"I'll stay with them," she told him. Giles nodded and walked away. Willow knelt on the floor again and Angel raised his head, meeting her eyes as he continued to make the low purring/growling sound. She reached out and brushed the lone tear that rolled down his cheek, giving him her strength and comfort so he could concentrate on Spike.
 

Part Fourteen

The scene that Joyce came upon as she entered the waiting room destroyed what little composure she had left. Angel sat on the floor with Spike almost on his lap, the older vampire holding his childe's head to his shoulder, as he rested his cheek on the peroxide-blond's hair. She could hear a quiet, soothing sound coming from him as he gently rocked side to side.
 

Willow sat behind Angel in a chair, her legs curled under her, as she repeatedly ran her fingers through his dark hair. Cordelia was leaning against Xander, whose arm was around her shoulder, her hand clasping his other hand on top of his knee. Faith was studiously playing with a Styrofoam cup, shredding it into tiny pieces, while Giles sat with his face in his hands, elbows resting on his knees.
 

"Anything?" Joyce asked, the tears she'd been holding back streaming down her face.
 

"Joyce," Giles said, rising to his feet and taking the woman into his arms. "I'm sorry, no word a-as of yet." She nodded against his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut to try and stop the pain.
 

The day slowly passed with little change in the small group's positions or Buffy's condition. The only new occurrence was the arrival of the Chesterton police, who questioned the group and then left to file a report. Joyce had left a message with Buffy's father's answering service, but he had yet to call or come to the hospital. Spike was basically catatonic, his demon face hidden by Angel's embrace the entire time. They were each in various stages of grief, holding onto hope by a fragile thread. None of them allowed to think of what would happen if the tiny, blond Slayer didn't survive.
 

"Mrs. Summers?"
 

Six heads shot up at the doctor's voice. Only Angel and Spike remained unchanged as he began to speak. "I'm Dr. Fields. If you would come with me so that I might explain your daughter's condition," he said.
 

"No," Joyce shook her head. "Anything you have to say to me, you say to everyone. We're all family."
 

Dr. Fields nodded. "Mrs. Summers, your daughter has experienced acute trauma around the heart due to a gunshot wound at close range. The bullet entered her chest at close to a forty-five degree angle and exited out of her back. She lost a lot of blood and had no pulse or respiratory functions for close to ten minutes before she entered the emergency room. We immediately intubated her and..."
 

"Skip to the point -- is she alive?" Giles interrupted, holding both Joyce's and Faith's hands tightly in his own.
 

"She is currently being kept alive by life support," Dr. Fields answered bluntly.
 

"Can we see her?" Joyce asked in a trembling voice. "All of us?"
 

The doctor studied the group for a moment, then nodded. "No more than two at a time," he told them. "She's in ICU, room 106."
 

"Thank you," Giles said before the doctor walked away. "Joyce?"
 

"Let's go see my baby," Joyce said to him. He nodded and rose with her, looking down at Angel. The dark-haired vampire shook his head no to the unasked question of whether or not Spike should go first.
 

The two adults left silently, leaving the rest in stunned distress.
 

"Hey Buffy," Angel said as he half-carried Spike into her hospital room. The blond vampire's head was down, effectively concealing his ridges, though he was still unaware they needed to be concealed. Angel fought down his pain at seeing Buffy hooked up to the various machines, the steady beeping of the monitor the only sign of life in the room. "I brought Spike in to see you," he continued conversationally as he led Spike over to the side of the bed. "He's acting kinda stupid, so I thought you might wanna slap him upside the head for me."
 

Carefully, he put Spike into the chair next to Buffy, then turned his attention to the small girl. "Oh, Buffy," Angel sighed, reaching out to brush his hand against her cheek. "Don't leave us."
 

A low growl emitted from Spike and Angel looked down at him. The blond vampire's eyes flashed a warning, the growl becoming more pronounced until Angel removed his hand. Then Spike rose to his feet, pushing Angel away from Buffy with a sharp snarl.
 

Angel quickly back-peddled across the room to the doorway, away from the animalistic vampire and his mate. He watched as Spike turned to Buffy after a final growl, then slid his duster off of his shoulders. The younger vampire gently covered Buffy with the soft leather, making cooing sounds of worry as he climbed into the bed next to her.
 

"Angel?" Willow came up beside the dark-haired vampire. He looked down at her and gestured into the room with his head. She peeked around the corner and observed Spike nuzzling Buffy's neck, avoiding the wires and tubes running through her body. She could barely hear the muffled sounds and she watched as his fingers interlaced with the Slayer's, his body as close to hers as he could get.
 

"He's lost all sense of humanism," Angel told her quietly. "The demon inside of him has reverted to its base, animal-like instincts."
 

"Is he dangerous?" Willow asked, her own hand seeking and finding Angel's.
 

"Not really," Angel replied, running his other hand over his face. "As long as I'm here."
 

"How are you holding up?" she said, concern tinging her voice for him.
 

"I'm tired," he confessed, pulling her out of the doorway and leaning against the wall. "I haven't done this much as a sire in over a hundred years. Add to that the fact that I now have my soul...I've got all sorts of other concerns I didn't have before when it comes to Spike."
 

"Like what?"
 

"Like am I helping him or hindering? Should I force my control on him or let him come to me? Does he even want my help?" Angel replied. "Although, as he is right now, that sort of makes my concerns a moot point."
 

"Well, I don't know how the whole sire-childe thing works, but I think you're doing a good job," Willow told him. "Over the past twenty-four hours, you've saved his life, protected him from Drusilla, comforted him earlier and held him because he needed to be held. Now, you're watching over him again and I think, in the end, he'll be grateful to you."
 

Angel gave her a small smile. "You're a wonder, you know that?"
 

She blushed. "I'm just telling the truth." In response, he brought her hand up to his lips and brushed a kiss over her knuckles.
 

Angel saw Joyce returning with someone. "Joyce," he said in greeting, stepping back into the doorway.
 

"Angel, I don't think you've met Buffy's father, Hank," Joyce said, introducing the man beside her.
 

"No, but Buffy's talked about you," Angel said, extending his hand. "I'm sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances."
 

"You're telling me," Hank replied, shaking Angel's hand. "Hello, Willow."
 

"Hi, Mr. Summers," Willow greeted, scooting into the doorway with Angel to help him.
 

Angel turned his attention to Joyce. "Spike's in the room right now. I don't know if you can..."
 

"Spike?" Hank asked with a frown. "Who's Spike?"
 

"Buffy's, um, boyfriend, I guess," Willow answered, looking up at Angel for clarification.
 

"He's a little more than that, but that's not why..."
 

"I want to see Buffy," Hank stated, moving to push past Angel.
 

Angel stood his ground, not budging under the smaller man's advances. He continued trying to explain the circumstances to Joyce without alerting Hank. "Joyce, he's ‘grr' as the girls say," he said. "He's also very protective..."
 

"You know, Hank," Joyce said, understanding what Angel was implying. "Why don't we give Spike a few more minutes alone. He only just got in there and..."
 

"Forget it," Hank said, moving Willow out of the doorway. Angel's eyes flashed dangerously and Joyce went to tug on her ex-husband's arm, but he was undaunted. Taking a step closer, he glared up at Angel, then ducked under his arm before he could be stopped. Angel swore and Willow made a squeal of panic as the dark-haired vampire turned to grab Hank, but it was too late. Buffy's father had stepped far enough into the room to see Spike clearly. "What the hell?!"
 

Spike shot from the hospital bed at Hank's outburst, snarling wildly as he stood protectively in front of Buffy. His body was half-hunched forward and his hands were up, his unbandaged one in a position to claw. His yellow eyes practically glowed in the dim room, his fangs glinting in what light there was.
 

Hank stumbled backwards as Angel went around him, putting himself between Spike and Buffy's father. The older vampire slipped into his own game face and growled back at Spike. Joyce and Willow both pulled Hank out of the hospital room and into the hallway. Slowly backing away, Angel kept his powerful rumble up until he was in the doorway, where he stopped completely.
 

Spike stopped his own snarls and sniffed the air. Then he growled a short, final warning before turning back to the bed. He carefully climbed back in beside Buffy, nudging her cheek with his nose and cooing at her.
 

Angel took a deep breath and let his human mask descend before turning to face the three in the hallway. He took in Joyce's slight confusion, Hank's fear and Willow's panicked gaze and he sighed, "I am getting way too old for this."
 

Willow couldn't help but burst out laughing and even Joyce chuckled at his statement. He gave the redhead a wry grin, then motioned to Hank. "I think Hank is about to become a member of the...what does Xander call the group again?"
 

"The Scooby Gang," Willow supplied.
 

"Wh-wh-what was that?" Hank sputtered, staring beyond Angel to the scene within the room.
 

"That, Hank, was a vampire," Joyce informed him. "As well as Buffy's boyfriend."
 

"A-a-a-a-a..."
 

"I think he's broken," Willow whispered to Angel. He chuckled.
 

"Come on, Hank," Joyce said. "Let's go into the waiting room. Rupert can explain this much better than anyone can...well, except for Angel." She gave the dark-haired vampire a small smile, then led a still stuttering Hank away.
 

"I should go help," Willow said. "Or Giles is liable to speak English and no one will understand him." She grinned at her own joke.
 

"Go ahead," Angel told her after dropping a kiss on her head. "I'll be here if you need me."
 

"I'll always need you," she replied, then turned and left.
 

Angel's heart swelled as he watched her go. Then he heard Spike whimper from inside the room and said, "I know, Spike. I'd feel the same way if it was Willow."
 

"Ok, let me see if I've got this straight," Hank said an hour later. "Buffy is a Vampire Slayer who is in love with a vampire and she fights against evil on a daily basis."
 

"That about sums it up," Xander said. "Other than you forgot that we help her."
 

"We help her, Xander," Cordelia said from her seat next to him. "You go for food."
 

"And a lot of help you've been these past nine months, Miss Chase," he replied. "All those late night tanning sessions sure do help stop the Hellmouth from overflowing."
 

"I'll have you know I've personally saved at least three people from vampire attacks," she told him. "And they were ugly people, too."
 

"Your good deeds n-not withstanding, Cordelia," Giles interrupted before the next war between them broke out. "Do you have any further questions, Mr. Summers?"
 

"I do," Hank said, turning to Joyce. "Why do you let my daughter hang around with these kooks?"
 

"Hank," Joyce said patiently. "I know it's a lot to swallow in one night, but everything they've said is true. You saw Spike with your own eyes. You heard Angel."
 

"I think it is more than a lot to swallow," he replied. "How can you let my baby be in there with that monster?"
 

"Spike's not a monster!" Willow declared. "Well, not anymore, anyway. Not since he fell in love with Buffy."
 

"Good help, Red," Faith said. "Why don't you tell him about her knockin' boots with Deadboy and his soul-lossage and following reign of terror?"
 

"Because you just did, Faith," Willow replied. "And leave Angel alone."
 

"Why? Because you're slappin' skin with him now?" Faith asked.
 

"Watch it, Faith, or you're going to be wearing a very small pelt," the redhead growled.
 

"Ladies," Giles said loudly. "That is quite enough."
 

"Sorry, Giles," Willow said immediately, ducking her head.
 

"Yeah, sorry, G-man," Faith added a few seconds later.
 

"Now, Mr. Summers, once more, do you have any further questions?" Giles asked after reprimanding the girls with a look.
 

Hank opened his mouth to say something when they all heard a loud commotion coming from the direction of Buffy's room. "WILLOOOOW!" they heard Angel yell, followed by a crash.
 

Willow leapt to her feet and took off down the hallway, Faith on her heels. They rounded the corner and saw Angel pinning Spike flat on the floor, the younger vampire trying to buck his sire off. Faith ran over and added her strength by holding down Spike's legs as the redhead skidded to a stop in front of them.
 

"Do you have any lavender?" Angel ground out, his teeth clenched tightly together. "Or passion flower?"
 

"Yes," Willow said, turning and sprinting back the way she came for her backpack. She bypassed the rest of the group as they came hurrying down the hall.
 

"What is it?" Joyce asked as she came upon the three on the floor.
 

"Buffy went into arrest," Angel said, his face flickering to his demon face as Spike got a good hit with the back of his head to the dark-haired vampire's jaw. "I had to take him out of there." Xander dropped to one side and grabbed Spike's arm, holding it down. Giles did the same on the other side, leaving the blond vampire only able to snarl loudly at everyone.
 

Joyce walked around them and gasped when she looked into Buffy's room, seeing numerous doctors and nurses working frantically. "Oh god, my baby."
 

Hank stood there, wide-eyed, as Willow came tearing back up the corridor. She practically slid across the floor on her knees with her bag, her hands already digging through it. She tossed out zip- lock baggies filled with herbs until she found the one requested. "Lavender," she said, opening it up.
 

"Crumble a good amount up," Angel instructed, shifting his body so he could move his arm easily. He shifted into game face and bit into his wrist, ripping some of the skin away so it bled freely. Dropping back the human mask, he said, "Mix it in with my blood." Spike threw his head back again and Angel grunted in pain. "Hurry, Willow."
 

Willow did as told and then Angel shoved his wrist into Spike's face. The blond vampire's nostrils flared and he sank his fangs into his sire's wrist, sucking greedily. "What are you doing, Angel?" Cordelia asked, a worried look on her face.
 

"Lavender is a calming herb," Willow explained, pulling out one of her spellbooks. She quickly flipped to a certain section and ran her finger down the pages until she found what she was looking for. Under her breath, she chanted,
 

"Goddess of the moonlight,
goddess of rest,
sooth this creature's savage breast.
Your calming influence is what we need,
an it harm none,
so mote it be."
 

The redheaded witch made a gesture and a blue light glowed in Spike's eyes. He slowly stopped sucking on Angel's wrist, his body no longer trying to throw anyone off as the magick took effect. Angel gently pulled his arm away and Spike lay his head on the ground, panting heavily, albeit unnecessarily.
 

"Thanks," Angel said, climbing off the prone vampire and slumping down against the wall. "Damn," he mumbled, bringing his own wrist up to lick the blood off. He was extremely light-headed. Spike took a lot of blood from him, even in that short amount of time.
 

"Angel?" Willow said worriedly. "Are you ok? You look pale. I mean, paler than normal."
 

"Yeah," he replied. "I just need to, um...eat soon."
 

"Cordy and I will go, Deadboy," Xander said, rising to his feet. He took two steps towards Cordelia and froze. "Oh god, Buffy."
 

Five heads whipped towards where Joyce was standing, no one believing that they'd forgotten about the Slayer. Hank was still paralyzed in his spot, staring down at Spike. "Joyce?" Giles said, rising to his feet and going to her side.
 

The noises from inside the hospital room were now loud enough to be heard in the hallway.
 

"Clear!"
 

"Time?"
 

"Three minutes, five seconds."
 

"Up twenty. Clear!"
 

And through it all, they heard a steady, high-pitched beep.
 

Part Fifteen

"There it is! Alright, give her six grams of..."
 

Joyce slumped in relief against Giles as the doctor's instructions were carried out. Willow had crawled over to Angel and they were holding each other tightly, as were Cordelia and Xander. Faith sat by the calmed Spike, silently throwing up a prayer of thanks to whoever would listen. And Hank still stood there, shaken to his very core.
 

"We should probably go back to the waiting room," Giles suggested.
 

"Yeah," Xander said, slightly choked up. "We're gonna go get that blood for you, Angel."
 

"Thanks," Angel replied, giving the teen a grateful look. Xander nodded and left with Cordelia, arms still around each other.
 

"What do we do about Spike?" Faith asked. "And the statue over there?"
 

"I'll take care of Spike," Angel said.
 

"I'll help," Willow told him.
 

"Faith, why don't you h-help Mr. Summers back to the, er, waiting room," Giles said.
 

"Will do," Faith said, standing. She took Hank's arm and started leading him away. "Come on, Mr. S. Let's go get some of that sludge they call coffee here."
 

"Joyce, come now," Giles said, wrapping his arm around her waist.
 

"That was too close, Rupert," Joyce murmured. "I'm not ready for my baby to die yet."
 

"Nor I, Joyce," Giles replied. "Nor I."
 

"Angel, what are we going to do?" Willow asked after everyone had gone.
 

"First, we're going to move Spike out of the middle of the floor," Angel said, moving the blond vampire until he was up against the wall. "Then, as soon as all the doctors and nurses clear out, I'm going to take him back in there where he belongs."
 

"I meant if Buffy doesn't make it," she said quietly.
 

"I don't know, Willow," he replied. "I honestly don't know."
 

Once Spike was situated with Buffy again, the leather duster covering her small body, Angel thankfully accepted the stolen blood from Xander and drained it without hesitation. He really didn't care who saw him at that moment, he was so very tired and hungry. Willow stayed by his side the entire time, lending her support and comforting him, as he did for his childe. He really loved the redhead and planned on spending forever telling her that over and over again.
 

From the doorway of the room, he observed Spike once more as he nuzzled against Buffy, trying to wake her with his purrs and coos. He was much calmer because of the lavender and Willow's spell, although she warned him it wouldn't last more than an hour. He was just glad that she'd been able to help and that the hospital staff had turned a blind eye on the whole cacophony. Maybe he'd just gotten lucky and they didn't see Spike's vampiric face, instead thinking the blond was a hysterical boyfriend.
 

One thing was for certain, he was exceedingly glad that Drusilla was gone. If she had still been messing with Spike's mind...
 

Angel let the thought trail off with a shake of his head. He turned when he heard footsteps coming up the hallway and smiled at Willow as she rejoined him after a quick sojourn to the restroom. Silently, she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. "I love you, Willow," he told her as he returned the hug.
 

"You've managed to sink your teeth into my heart, too," Willow replied with a small giggle.
 

He groaned. "That was bad."
 

"Yes, I know," she said. "It happens."
 

Spike's vocalizations suddenly became louder and more pronounced, causing the couple to break apart. The blond vampire's purring rolled across the room, punctuated by rapid whimpers and cooing, as if he were talking with someone. They both watched as he brought his hand up and caressed the side of Buffy's face, then leaned forward and gave her a small lick on the cheek.
 

Angel cautiously crossed the room and suddenly stopped. Willow bumped into the back of him, the same way as she did in what seemed like ages ago. She didn't make a sound as she peeked around him to see why he had halted abruptly. Then she saw Buffy.
 

Looking right at them.
 

"Willow, get the nurse," Angel said, although the redhead had already gone to do just that. He moved up behind Spike and met Buffy's hazel, questioning gaze. A large smile spread across his face and the entire world seem to brighten. Spike was making quite a racket now, as if trying to get Buffy's attention back, and she rolled her eyes, causing Angel to laugh. "Welcome back, Buffy. We've missed you. Some more than others," he added with a nod to the blond vampire.
 

Carefully, he laid his hand on Spike's arm and his childe's yellowed gaze turned to him, still chattering away. He frowned at Angel, but when the dark-haired vampire slid into game face and began ‘talking' back, his face lightened and Angel was able to get him out of the bed just as the nurse and Dr. Fields came back with Willow.
 

Turning them both so the medical staff wouldn't see their faces, Angel tried to get Spike to be quiet, but was having a very difficult time. **Perhaps the lavender mixed with blood wasn't such a hot idea,** Angel thought.
 

"Well Ms. Summers, what do you say about getting that tube out of your throat?" Dr. Fields asked. Buffy must have nodded enthusiastically because the doctor laughed. "Ok, on the count of three, blow like you're blowing up a balloon. Ready? One. Two. Three."
 

Buffy immediately started to cough as the doctor continued to check her over. When she stopped, the very first words out of her mouth were, "Did I die again?"
 

At the sound of her voice, gravelly as it was, Spike whipped his head around and it was all Angel could do to prevent the vampire from launching himself at her. Buffy arched a brow at the two vamped-out men, then made sure to distract the doctor and nurse from looking in their direction. "So, um, what happened?"
 

"You were shot, Buffy," Willow explained from near the end of the bed.
 

Buffy frowned. "Oh. That sucks."
 

"I'll say," Willow agreed heartily. "Oh! I should go tell the others. Your dad's here and everything! Although he had a big shock when he met Spike, but I won't tell you about that right now. I'll just go now and tell you later. You will still be alive later, right?"
 

"I plan on it," Buffy told her solemnly as the doctor checked her vitals. Other than a really bad pain in the middle of her chest and a sore throat, she felt pretty good. Like she'd had a great nap with really wonderful dreams involving Spike and chocolate ice cream, her two favorite things.
 

"Ms. Summers, for a girl who was basically dead twice today, you are remarkably well," Dr. Fields commented, wrapping his stethoscope around his neck.
 

"Does that mean I can go home? I don't like hospitals," Buffy said.
 

"No, I don't think you'll be leaving just yet," he replied with a laugh. "But we'll be sure to make your stay here at Chesterton Hospital a pleasant experience."
 

"Give me something for my sore throat and throw in some chocolate ice cream and you got yourself a deal," she said. The doctor smiled broadly as he shook his head in mock defeat and left the room, nurse in tow.
 

The second they were out the door, Angel released Spike and practically fell to the floor as the blond vampire rushed over to Buffy and climbed back into the bed. As it was, he upended the chair and smacked the back of his legs pretty hard. After regaining his footing, he put on his human mask and grinned at the Slayer, who was being happily embraced by an ecstatic vampire. "I think I'll leave you two alone for a few minutes."
 

"Wait, what's going on?" Buffy asked with her rough voice, trying to fend off Spike's nipping and licking mouth. "Why's Spike in game face? And why is he making all this noise? I feel like I'm in a pet shop."
 

"He should settle down shortly," Angel told her. Spike let out one long coo of delight and the dark- haired vampire shook his head with a chuckle. "Or not. I think I may have made him high by mixing lavender with my blood to calm him down earlier."
 

"You drugged my boyfriend?" she said. "Good going."
 

"I try," he replied, then turned to leave again.
 

"Angel, you didn't answer my question. Why is he acting like an over-excited puppy-dog who thinks he's a cat?"
 

"Remember what you told me I was like when I first got out of Hell?" Angel said. She nodded, then her eyes widened and she glanced down at Spike. "He's running on base instincts right now. Hopefully, once he's calmed down, he'll revert back to his normal, annoying self."
 

"I miss a lot when I die, don't I?" Buffy commented. She gave Angel a puzzled look as something dawned on her. "Does this mean there'll be a third Slayer? Or a fourth one, considering the doctor said I died twice today?"
 

"Spike," Buffy said after Angel had left, her voice harsh from the tube that was in her throat. She brought her non-IV'd hand up and ran it through his hair, trying to get his attention. "Hey, motor- mouth. Shush."
 

Sighing, she kissed his ridged brow as he nuzzled at her neck and he immediately raised his head to look at her. "So, that's what it takes, huh?" she said. She pulled his head down and gently kissed him on the mouth, her eyes falling shut. His multiple sounds cut off as she deepened the kiss slightly, feeling as though she almost lost out on the best thing in her life.
 

When she broke the kiss, she opened her eyes to see his beautiful blue ones staring back at her. A smile slowly stole across her face. "Hi," she said quietly. He didn't say anything, he only continue to stare at her until he caught her mouth in a mimic of the kiss they'd shared just a moment before. In fact, it was a perfect repeat, even down to the timing. When he raised his head again, he smiled at her then snuggled back down at her side, his mouth brushing over the side of her neck.
 

"Buffy!" Joyce said, coming in the door with Hank and Giles not far behind. She hurried to the side of the bed not occupied by Spike and kissed Buffy on the forehead. "It's so good to see you, baby."
 

"It's good to see you, too, Mom," Buffy replied. "Hi, Dad."
 

"Hi sweetheart," Hank said, taking Joyce's place and kissing the Slayer, as well. "How are you feeling?"
 

"Sore," Buffy answered. "Like someone shot me in the chest."
 

"That's because someone did, Buffy," Giles said from the foot of the bed. He gave her a wry smile. "I am certainly glad to see that you are alright."
 

"Me, too, but I'm kinda missing a big chunk of stuff," Buffy said. "Like, what happened after I was about to stak-stay with you guys."
 

"It's ok, Buffy, your father knows about you being the Slayer and about the Game," Joyce told her.
 

"Oh," Buffy replied. "Wait, how?"
 

"We had to tell him," Giles said, gesturing to the peroxide-blond beside her, who was ignoring everyone but Buffy.
 

"Oh again," she said. "Well, then, fill me in. Did we win? Is anyone else hurt? And what happened to Drusilla?"
 

"Um, we won, no one else is hurt a-and Spike staked Drusilla," Giles replied. "Ah yes, and according to some pillo-, er, representative from the Fehu, your ‘participation' is no longer required."
 

"You mean, no more kidnaping me in the middle of the night? No more forcing me to play sick games for other people's entertainment?"
 

"No."
 

"I can deal with that," Buffy said. "Ugh, my throat hurts."
 

"I'll see if I can get you something, Buffy," Hank said.
 

After he left the room, Buffy looked from Giles to her mom. "We have a problem, guys. Spike is like Angel was when he got back from Hell."
 

"Y-Yes, we know," Giles replied. "But Angel reverted back to-to, er, normal, so Spike should as well."
 

"But what do I do until then?" Buffy asked. "I don't think the hospital is going to let him stay, as much as I want him to, and there's that whole feeding thing."
 

"I am certain Angel will do something, Buffy," Joyce told her. "Now, I know there are a bunch of people waiting their turn to see you...."
 

Epilogue

Spike paced back and forth in front of the main doors to the mansion and Angel sighed from his spot on the couch. "Will you sit down. She'll be here soon," he said, setting the book on his stomach. The blond vampire shook his head and continued his walk back and forth. "Willow! Will you come tell Spike to stop pacing, he's making me seasick."
 

"Spike, you're making Angel seasick," Willow said as she came into the room. Spike ignored her and she went over and sat on Angel's stomach, right on the book.
 

"Hey, get off my book, lazy butt," Angel said, giving her a slight shove. She fell between his legs and grimaced at him as he laughed.
 

Life had taken an interesting turn for the ensouled vampire, all within a forty-eight hour period of time. He'd gone from an uncomfortable friendship with Willow, to a comfortable one, to finding out his soul was permanent, to telling Willow he loved her and asking her to move to LA with him, to finally ending up staying in Sunnydale with her instead. She attended Sunnydale University with Buffy, both of them living on campus during the week and pretty much at the mansion on weekends.
 

Staying in Sunnydale was actually an easy choice to make. Spike did not immediately return to his normal self; the trauma of Drusilla's manipulations and the intense forty-eight hours with Buffy's twice-brush with death left an indelible imprint on him. Angel had automatically taken it upon himself to help his childe come back from his animalistic self, slowly rehabilitating the vampire back to humanity.
 

It had been over six months now, and Spike still rarely spoke, but his usual hyperactivity had returned, as did his love of music, which was cranked to ear-shattering decibels at all hours of the night. Angel had gotten him a piano as a Christmas gift and sometimes he would sit and play haunting melodies, his whole body lost in the music. The dark-haired vampire was glad Spike hadn't forgotten how to play, for the selfish reason that he wouldn't have gotten to hear the beautiful songs his childe played.
 

One major change that Angel instilled in Spike was not to hunt for blood anymore. He knew that the younger vampire hadn't killed any of the people he fed from when he returned to Sunnydale to be with Buffy, but it was immensely easier not to have to worry about that part of his nature. Instead, they aided Buffy, Faith and the rest of the Scooby Gang in fighting the evil that seemed to gather at the Hellmouth. No third or fourth Slayer ever showed up, so the group assumed none were ‘called.'
 

As for the Fehu, nothing concrete was ever found on them. The tape of the final game was sent to Buffy's mother, addressed to Spike, and a detailed article was written on the Internet, but neither helped in ascertaining who the people -- humans or otherwise - were behind the group. Cordelia finally suggested the Fehu must be just a bunch of rich people with nothing better to do with their time. The matter was officially dropped when Willow read an article on a new Game One: The Jungle, featuring new players.
 

"There's her car," Willow murmured with an impish grin for Angel. "What's your bet?"
 

"Over the shoulder and straight to his room," Angel replied. "Just like I did when you got here."
 

She blushed, but the grin remained. "I think he's going to say something this time," she said. "Then over the shoulder and to his room."
 

"Do you know something I don't?"
 

"Maybe. Maybe not. You'll never know," she teased. He reached over and tweaked her nose.
 

Spike hated waiting for Buffy. During the week, he never got time to be alone with her, and it always seemed to take her longer and longer to get there on the weekends, which led to him becoming frustrated because he couldn't express his ire very well vocally. He usually just ended up grunting at her and then shagging her until she collapsed. Which was fun, too, but he'd rather she'd be early so they could do that for longer. The weekends seemed too short as it was.
 

He heard her car pull up and stopped pacing, stepping back a few feet from the doors so as to not get hit by the sun. He debated how he was going to pounce on her this time, as her footsteps came up the drive. When she opened the door, he made sure to scowl at her so she knew he was irritated.
 

"Oh, stop making faces, Spike," Buffy told him as she shivered from the cold mid-February weather, pushing the door shut behind her. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that your face would stick like that?"
 

His scowl deepened in reply.
 

Buffy rolled her eyes and glanced past him at Willow and Angel. "Hey guys, has my man been driving you crazy with all his talking?" Spike took a step towards her and she held up her hand. "Wait, before you haul me off to have your wicked way with me, I have something for you." She reached into the pocket of the long, well-worn, leather duster and pulled out a small, wrapped package. "Ta-da."
 

Spike took the proffered gift and frowned, giving her a questioning look. He turned it over in his hands several times, wondering what the gift was for. Then he decided to just open it and find out for himself. Off came the paper, which fell noiselessly to the ground as he stared at the object in his hand, a large smile crossing his face.
 

"Do you know what today is?" Buffy asked with a grin.
 

"I love you, Buffy," Spike said, his voice rough from disuse.
 

"I love you, too, Spi-eeek!" she replied with a shriek as she was hoisted over his shoulder and carried off towards his room.
 

Willow giggled as she heard the door slam and looked at Angel. "I win, pay up," she said, holding her hand out.
 

"What did she get him?" Angel asked, tickling her palm with his fingers.
 

"Oh, I think you'll know right about...," she trailed off as loud heavy-metal music started blaring from down the hall. "Now."
 

Welcome to the Jungle, we got fun and games, we got everything you want and we know your name....
 

End