Chapter 16 - Humanity

"Bloody hell" Spike exclaimed, raising his head from the pillow for a better view of the man in the doorway "Angel?"

"Yeah, it’s me" the vampire nodded, entering the room "Good to see you Spike"

"Never thought I’d live to hear you say that" Spike scoffed.

"Never thought you’d live" Angel smirked in response, causing a similar smirk on his former childe’s face too.

"Good point" he conceded.

Buffy glanced between the two, her eyes catching Angel’s just for a second. She was very uncomfortable with the situation and hated the fact that she didn’t know what would happen next. Angel in her bedroom, she hadn’t expected that to ever occur again, but with Spike there too - this was the stuff that very weird dreams / bordering on nightmares were made of.

"Angel came to...to..." she stuttered and the man himself saved her.

"That doesn’t matter right now" Angel shook his head, coming to stand the opposite side of the bed to her "Buffy told me what happened, everything you did" he said to Spike.

"Yeah?" the bleach blond replied, warily.

"What can I say?" the brunette shrugged, completely at a loss and Buffy realised her presence was only making everything more difficult. She picked up the tray from the table and stood quickly, once again catching a look from Angel as she glanced at him.

"I’ll take this downstairs..." she trailed off, almost physically running for the open door, leaving the former sire and childe alone. She wasn’t sure if it was a good move or not, but she felt so strange sitting there between them so uncomfortable, she just had to get out.

Back in the bedroom, Angel took a seat in the chair to the right of Spike as he lie on the bed, eyes half closed.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"Like death, ironically" Spike smirked his usual smirk, opening his eyes properly "You?"

"I’m fine, well, as fine as usual" Angel nodded before the room plunged into silence, neither really knowing what to say to the other. It had been a long time and they wee both such different people now, what was there to say.

"So..." Spike started but soon realised he had thing to follow up with.

"So..." Angel echoed "you and Buffy" he said finally, immediately regretting it but it was too late to take it back now.

"Yeah" Spike nodded looking intently at the vampire he had called a friend, an enemy and a grand-sire "what do you have to say about that?"

There was a moment of silence as Angel seemed to ponder the question, studying his hands, not daring to look at Spike as he gave his answer.

"If she’s happy, I’m happy" he said finally.

"Bollocks" Spike laughed, only causing himself to cough, harshly.

"Excuse me?" said Angel in disbelief.

"You heard me" Spike nodded as his coughing fit subsided "I saw the look" he sneered.

"What look?" Angel asked, not half as naive as he pretended to be.

"The look you two had" Spike would have yelled, except he didn’t want to wake the whole house "the look you two *always* have..." he turned his head away as he continued "Watcher tells me I’m gonna live through this, now you’re back, wonder if there’s any point"

"What are you talking about?" Angel asked, though he had an idea what the man meant, he couldn’t believe he was saying it.

"Doesn’t really matter what happens to me" Spike said sadly "She’ll always have you to run too. She’ll always love you" the last few words were no more than a whisper, but Angel heard every one and sighed as he took them in.

"Yeah, maybe she will" he admitted "and I know I’ll always love her too, but Spike it’s you she chose"

"She didn’t choose me" he snapped, looking back at the brunette he had come to despise "she got stuck with me, when she couldn’t have you" with that he turned away again, as much as he was able and Angel shook his head.

"You believe that?"

"I don’t know..." Spike realised, he didn’t know what he meant anymore. He turned back yet again "What are you doing here, Peaches?" he wondered aloud, realising the poof had yet to give him an actual reason for a visit.

"You know you’d think humanity would make you more civil" Angel avoided the question, focusing on the insulting name Spike had thrown at him...again.

"I can be civil" the blonde bit back "just cause I’m human doesn’t mean I have to be a ponce like you though, does it?"

"Spike..." Angel sighed in annoyance.

"Say whatever it is you came to say you stupid poof and then get the hell out" Spike said, almost growling, he certainly would have growled if had still been a vamp, as it was he still sounded menacing.

"Y’know what Spike" Angel stood up "I thought you’d changed, and I guess in some ways you have, but there’s still that part of you" he pointed a finger "you just can’t let yourself be satisfied can you?"

Spike only glared in response, not sure how to verbally react and wishing he wasn’t too weak to stand because he really would love to be pummelling the great poofter into a bloody pulp right now, for more than one reason.

"You’ve got your humanity back" Angel said incredulously "I’ll probably never get that, how ever much I want it, you have friends who love you like a family, you have saved the world and lived through it and now, on top of all that, you have the woman you love" Spike opened his mouth to defend himself but he wasn’t allowed "what more do you want, William?" Angel added quietly and with a swoosh of black coat he was gone from the room.

Spike just stared after his former grand-sire.

Was Angel right?

Should he be content now?

But how could he be when he was so uncertain.

Buffy said she loved him and he wanted to believe it, but what about Angel?

What Buffy and Angel had before, that was something different, something special and he knew it.

Human or not, how could he ever compete with that?

"Buffy?" Angel called as he came back downstairs.

"In the kitchen" she called back and he went to her. As he entered she looked up from the dishes she was washing "is Spike okay?" she checked.

"He’s fine" Angel nodded, taking a seat by the counter once again.

"What did you guys talk about?" Buffy asked next, not really sure whether she wanted to know or not.

"Oh, not much..." the vampire shrugged, as she turned back to her task "Buffy, before when I asked you if you loved him, you never answered me"

Immediately the girl put down the dishes, dried her hands and came to sit by him.

"Angel..." she started, looking and sounding just as uncomfortable as she felt.

"I know you’re probably not comfortable talking to me about this" he interrupted "and believe me I’m not all that happy about asking..."

"Then why are you?" she snapped "Asking, I mean"

"Because it’s important" he answered simply and quietly.

There was a moments silence before Buffy found her voice again.

"Angel, I’ll always love you, y’know that right?"

"Of course" he nodded "I’ll always love you too" he said, practically in a whisper "You’re very special to me"

She smiled at that.

"You too" she told him "but somewhere along the line" she continued, looking away from him "I don’t know when or how it happened but..."

"We stopped being *in* love with each other?" he guessed what she wanted to say and he knew it was probably true. He loved her still but whatever had made them be in love just wasn’t there anymore.

Buffy nodded that he was right, afraid of making a verbal answer, in case she’d upset him. He seemed okay though.

"And you fell in love with Spike" Angel more stated than asked.

"Yeah" Buffy nodded and smiled as she thought of the man upstairs "Yeah, I did"

"Tell him, Buffy" Angel said simply, looking her straight in the eye.

"I have told him" she said, unsure why the vampire was being so serious and authoritative all of a sudden.

"Tell him again" he insisted "Tell him all of what you just told me"

What he said and the way he said it made Buffy suspiscious.

"What did he say to you?" she frowned.

"It’s nothing" Angel waved away her look with his hand "it’s just..." he tried to find the word "insecurity, I guess" he shrugged.

Buffy couldn’t process this. Her vampiric ex-boyfriend was more or less ordering her to tell her current former-vampire boyfriend that she loved him because he was insecure. She looked confused and uncomfortable, again, and Angel realised he may have crossed a line somewhere or at least said something he shouldn’t have.

"I shouldn’t be talking to you about this it’s none of my business" he said quickly getting off of the stool "in fact now I’ve said what I came to say about the prophecy I should probably just leave the scroll and go" he decided, taking the paper from inside his jacket, placing it on the counter and heading for the door all in one swift movement.

"You can’t" Buffy told him, grabbing his arm. He was about to protest when she continued "there’s only a couple of hours til sunrise you’ll have to wait til tonight"

‘No way out of that one’ Angel conceded in his mind

"Besides" Buffy continued "I could use some help explaining to Dawn and the others what’s happening"

Angel sighed.

"Well, I can’t stay here" he said, turning back.

"Sure you can" Buffy told him "the couch is all yours, well, it is once I’ve closed the curtains and warned the others not to open them til sundown" she added.

"Okay" he agreed after a moments consideration, then he asked "does Dawn know about what’s happening to her?"

"Yes" Buffy answered immediately "well, kind of, no" she babbled "I was telling her about it when Spike woke up and he became centre of attention again" she smiled.

"It’s his favourite place to be" Angel agreed "...what about the others?"

"Will and Tara, they figured it out" Buffy explained "and I said something vague to Giles and Xander, I was still a little shocked when I talked to them, I don’t know if the others would have filled them in..."

"We’ll have a meeting in the morning" the vampire decided "start from the beginning"

"Yeah, I guess we should do that" Buffy agreed "but it’ll have to be here at the house" she realised "since you can’t go out and I’m not leaving Spike"

Angel only smiled as she finished off the dishes.

"What?" she asked, spotting the grin on his face.

"You got it" he told her, still smiling

"Got what?" she asked, dubiously, finally having finished washing and drying the dishes, she dried her hands and leant on the counter beside him.

"What I wished for you" he said, softly "a normal life, well close anyway. You’re not the Slayer, Spike’s not a vampire, you can be happy now..." he trailed off.

"Yeah" she agreed, "I guess I can" but her heart really wasn’t in what she said and Angel wasn’t sure why. He had no chance to say anything as Buffy quickly changed the subject "Well, I’m going to close those curtains so you can get a few hours sleep before I call the gang back for the meeting" she said, heading for the living room.

"You should get some sleep too" he called after her.

"Can’t right now" she yelled over her shoulder "I have stuff to talk to Spike about"

"Yeah, I think you do" the vampire said to himself.

"Hey" Buffy smiled as she came into the bedroom.

"Hey yourself" said the bleach blond stretched out on the bed, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" the girl apologised as she sat on the bed beside him.

"Not sleeping luv, just thinking" he assured her as he picked up her hand and held it in his, marvelling yet again at the wondrous turn of events in his life, recently.

"About what?" Buffy asked, tilting her head.

"You and me, mostly" Spike told her "and my life, and my unlife, all of it"

He gazed off into space and Buffy knew Angel was right. She had to make sure Spike understood how she felt, he deserved the whole truth about her feelings.

"Spike" she got his attention again "you do know that I love you, right? I mean, really"

"I know, pet" he smiled, squeezing her hand.

"See I don’t think you do" she protested, shaking her head. She took a deep breath "You see, when I met Angel..."

"Buffy, do we have to talk about this right now?" Spike complained.

"Yes, we do" she told him, firmly "because we both know you can’t walk away right now, you have to listen, if I wait to say this it’ll never get said"

Spike knew she was right, and he also knew that she felt what she had to say was important so he conceded and listened.

"Now" she began again "when I met Angel, I was just a child, fifteen years old and confused about my life, being the Slayer and all, he looked after me, protected me, made me feel safe. He was what I needed, what I wanted and yes, I was in love with him, but it would never have worked out"

"Because he was a vampire" Spike threw in.

"Well, that wouldn’t have helped but, it wasn’t just that" Buffy admitted "It was so many things. We could have got passed the sun allergy and found a spell to keep the curse from lifting if it had been worth it..."

"Are you telling me it wasn’t?" Spike interrupted, a frown on his face. He was sure Buffy and the Poofter imagined themselves great soulmates and the idea that she believed their relationship just wasn’t worth the hassle - well, that was a revelation of universe-altering proportions!

"Can’t have been, can it?" she smiled, crookedly "Because he’s not the one here now... you are" she ended in a whisper.

"You don’t love him anymore?" Spike asked, dubiously.

"No, I do" Buffy insisted and in all honesty, the ex-vamp had expected that "just like I love all my friends" she said, emphasising the word friends "He’s special to me Spike, I won’t deny it. He was my first ...in many ways...but you’ll be my last and that matters more" she told him, looking into his eyes "I’m in love with you, Spike...only you"

"If you hadn’t noticed" he whispered, a smile on his face "I’m in love with you too"

They leaned in closer until their lips met, but the kiss didn’t last anywhere near long enough as Spike started to cough up a lung.

"Well that’s a mood killer" Buffy made a face and tried not to laugh as her love continued to choke.

"Bloody buggering human diseases!" he complained as the fit subsided "Easier when I was a vampire, a lot less phlegm"

"Eeeww, Spike!" Buffy hit him lightly on the arm for the use of such a word.

"Well, the mood was already dead, right?" he smirked.

"True" Buffy conceded with a smile as Spike laid back down and closed his eyes "You need some rest" she realised, standing up, but Spike still had hold of her hand.

"You look like you do too" he said, opening an eye.

She smiled and moved around the bed to lay beside him.

"Maybe I’ll close my eyes just for a little while" she whispered, snuggling close to him. He wrapped an arm around her and held her tight.

"I love you, Buffy" he said softly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head "always will"

"I love you too" she replied, just as quietly "William"

A distant ringing sound brought Buffy out of her light slumber. She shifted a little and opened her eyes, her mind starting to remember where she was and what was going on. She snuggled closer to the man beside her, her love, her Spike, wanting just to ignore all the weird stuff in her life for a moment and just be peaceful there with William, but her movement had caused him to stir too.

"Hey, pet" the bleach blond yawned, "You awake?"

"No" she answered, her voice muffled by his shoulder that her head lay against.

"Liar" he smiled, kissing the top of her head and she giggled.

"Maybe" she conceded, looking up at him, "But I want to stay here forever"

"Nice idea, luv" Spike smiled down at her, "but hardly practical"

"I know" she admitted, pulling herself up a little more, "it’s just with everything that’s going on..."

"Don’t worry about me, luv" Spike interrupted, "I’ll be fine"

"Not just you" Buffy said quietly, pulling herself up to a sitting position and looking straight at the man she loved, "Spike...you asked me before what was wrong but I never got a chance to tell you...I’m not the Slayer anymore"

The look on Spike’s face was somewhere between confused, surprised and some other indistinguishable emotion.

"How?" was the only word he could say.

"Something happened on the tower" Buffy explained "the day you..." she couldn’t say ‘died’... "the day we beat Glory" she said instead, "it shifted my Slayer power...to Dawn"

"My Little Bit?" Spike all but gasped, "is a Slayer?"

Buffy merely nodded as a light knock came on the door.

"Buffy? It’s Willow, can I come in?"

"Sure Will, come in" the ex-Slayer called as Spike lay still dumbfounded and speechless for now.

"Hey, you feeling better Spike?" the witch smiled when she saw her newly human friend looked a little better.

"Not so bad, Red" he forced a smile, but his head was swimming with the revelation about his two favourite girls.

"Thing is, that was the phone, Angel answered it" Willow explained, "the gang are coming over in a few minutes to decipher the scroll that Angel told us about"

Buffy nodded, "I’ll be down in a few"

"Okay" came the simpler reply as Willow exited the room again, closing the door behind her.

"Wow" was all Spike could say when the ex-Slayer looked over at him for some kind of reaction.

"Yeah, kind of a big" Buffy shrugged, "Angel brought a scroll thingy, supposed to have a prophecy on it about the whole Slayer skills switch deal...I should go down"

Buffy stood to leave but Spike grabbed her hand, he could see what she was feeling, he’d felt it himself not long after he’d been chipped as a vampire. That feeling of having no purpose, no meaning to your existence, because it had all just been snatched away from you.

"This doesn’t change anything, Buffy" he told her carefully, "You’ll always be my Slayer" he promised her with a smile, as tears filled her eyes, "You’re the Slayer of my heart"

She smiled a little at that before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Thankyou Spike" she whispered, "That means a lot to me"

With that she pulled her hand from his and made for the door in silence. It really did mean a lot to her, knowing that he still cared but there was still that feeling of being lost that she couldn’t shake...but it would pass, she was sure, and maybe it wasn’t a permenant thing anyway, maybe she’d get her powers back, they’d find out when they’d deciphered the scroll Angel had brought.

When she got downstairs everyone was just arriving and she was glad to be surrounded by people again, it took her mind off her worries.

After general greetings and asking after Spike’s welfare, it didn’t take the extra large Scooby gang long to set to work on the scroll. All squashed in around the dining room table surrounded by books and obviously with all sources of sunlight covered for Angel’s safety, the group did their best to uncover the secrets of the latest hard-to-decipher writing.

"See the problem isn’t just the translation" Angel explained "the words are half worn away, it’d barely be readable even in English"

Giles took the paper from the vampire.

"Yes, I do see why that would make things difficult...the words do seem to be Greek though" he realised.

"Yeah" Angel nodded "like I told Buffy, I worked some of it out before, but as soon as realised it was about Buffy’s Slayer powers I came straight here, figured you guys could do the rest"

"So what do have so far?" Willow asked and Angel produced a second piece of paper, this one clearly much newer than the first, and began to read the translation.

"Well, I think I have most of the first sentence, er, ‘the chosen strength, protector of the mouth of hell in the valley of the sun shall give greatest strength as...’ something about giving up life but that’s when the text gets hard to read"

"So, translation into real words" said Xander "all that says is the Buffster is gonna lose her Slayer super-powers?"

"And possibly my life?" Buffy added with some concern.

"We don’t know that for sure" Angel was quick to reply.

"And we never will if we can’t read anymore of this text" Giles realised, moving the scroll forward and back in front of his face hoping to bring the words into focus but having no luck at all. His attempts were interrupted by the happy cry of Willow.

"Oh, I think we can help" she smiled, gesturing between herself and Tara.

"What d’you got?" Xander asked the grinning red-head and her girlfriend.

"A-a spell" Tara said quietly "a pretty simple one actually, it’s called ‘Reconstituez et Indiquez’"

"Reconstitute and indicate?" Buffy guessed.

"Well yeah" Willow told her "but basically, ‘Restore and Reveal. It’s a spell that restores old and worn writings and pictures, brings the old marks to the surface so they can be seen or read more easily" she explained.

"Ah, yes" Giles nodded "why didn’t I think of that, no ingredients needed if I remember rightly"

"No" Tara answered him "just incantation and concentration"

"Hey, you’re a poet and you don’t know it" Dawn giggled causing several eye rolls at her childish behaviour.

"Yes, indeed" Giles sighed "well, do you think you could concentrate and incantate for us now?" he asked the Wicca couple.

"Oh sure" Willow smiled, taking hold of Tara’s hand. A few Latin words and some witch-type focus and the writing magically appeared clear as it had ever been when it had been originally written.

"Great" Anya grinned at the text "now my Greek knowing skills can be much better used" she was pleased to be of use for once "I mean, my ancient languages are a little rusty but..."

"Yes, mine too" Giles admitted "but we have the dictionary and the basic gist of the information, so it shouldn’t take long"

"And that’s a good thing" the ex-demon smiled some more "cos Xander and I kind of have plans of a sex kind"

"Ahn..." Xander sighed with annoyance and embarrassment.

"What?" she asked, looking confused at the tone he said her name in - what was it she was supposed to have done wrong? She’d only told the truth?

"Please, can we deal with the matter in hand?" Giles asked, clearly not wanting to hear whatever Anya might like to say.

"Sorry" she apologised, looking down at the table, only wishing she understood why humans made such a big deal about telling the truth if they were just going to complain when she did it.

"Okay then, what’s this word here?" Willow asked, placing her finger below the strange word.

"Er...black" Xander told her, after much flicking of the pages of the Greek-to-English translation dictionary.

"Black?" the red-head echoed "Okay, so Buffy will give her powers as the black something gives life" she interpreted "What’s the something?" she wondered aloud.

Angel managed to pronounce the odd word they needed "I think that’s soldier or fighter?" he tried to remember, looking to Giles for some clue as to whether he was right or not.

"Erm, I think a good translation might be warrior?" the Watcher made his own guess.

"Okay so who’s the black warrior?" Xander was eager to discover the answer to the long and boring riddle and go home, with Anya, for the unmentionable stuff that she’d almost mentioned before.

"Beats me" Buffy shrugged "a demon?" she guessed form the word black "But a demon wouldn’t give it’s life for me or Dawn"

"Hey" Willow had a thought "a former demon-y guy might" she smiled, pointing upward, and realisation dawned on everyone elses face, followed a few seconds later by Xander.

"Spike?" Buffy said aloud "Well, I guess it could be..."

"I have some more..." Anya smiled as she realised she remembered more Greek than she thought "I’m not sure of the first word" she admitted "but ‘...shall rise to bring hope and peace for...’ " she frowned and grabbed the dictionary from Xander "hold on...‘saviours of...’" she figured out before becoming stuck again. Angel leaned over her shoulder and finished for her.

"That’s ‘light and dark’" he pointed out.

"S-so what’s th-the first word?" Tara stammered as she always did "W-who will rise to bring the, er, hope and peace?"

Angel read the word aloud, as if it were answer enough "that’s Greek for Aurora" he explained off of everyone else’s blank expression, with the possible exception of Giles "It wouldn’t be in the dictionary because it’s a persons name"

"It’s a pretty name" Dawn thought aloud "better that boring ‘Dawn’" she complained.

"Hate to burst your bubble Dawn" Angel smiled at her typical grumpy teen attitude, reminding him a little of the Buffy he once knew "but Aurora was the goddess of light and new beginnings, translated into English..."

"It means Dawn?" Buffy guessed.

The vampire nodded that she was correct.

"Well, this doesn’t say anymore than we already know. Dawn has my powers" Buffy said flatly, no expression on her face or in her voice at all.

"Yeah, but what about the black warrior?"

"Well, Aurora, that’s Dawn, gets my power and brings hope and peace for her saviours, who would be me and I guess Spike, since the Slayer is light and vampires are dark, usually" Buffy surprised herself at how well she seemed to explain.

"So what’s the last line all about?"

"That’s what bothers me"

"Well, it says black warrior again right here" Willow pointed to the appropriate piece of writing.

"Okay, more about the former evil dead" Xander translated into his own words, with a grin.

"I told you he likes to be centre of attention" Angel smiled at Buffy but she really wasn’t listening, and Giles was growing tired of the jokes and general banter when there was Greek prophecies to decipher.

"Yes, quite, now then.." he brought all attention to himself as he translated the final part "‘the, er, black warrior soft...softened by the lights surrounding him shall rise again’"

"Wow" Dawn gasped "we made a prophecy come true when we brought back Spike!"

"It was meant to be" Buffy whispered more to herself that to anyone else "he was meant to come back to me..."

"What’s the last part say?" Xander wanted to know, eager for the translation to be done so he could go home.

"Let’s see..." Giles continued "‘shall rise again as protector and guide to Aurora and Chosen"

"He did" Dawn grinned, turning to her sister "He came back for us, Buffy"

"I know" Buffy nodded slowly as a smile spread over her face "I’m stating to think he does everything for us"

"Because I do" said a voice from the doorway and every head turned to see a slightly worse for wear looking bleach blond. he was fully clothed but also had a blanket around him and even this did not stop him from shivering.

"Spike!" Dawn yelled, jumping from her seat and flinging herself at the former vampire, almost knocking him clean over with her new Slayer strengths.

"Hey Nibblet" Spike smiled, hugging her back and ruffling her hair.

"Spike, you should be in bed" Buffy said sternly, getting up from her seat and coming over to him.

"Well, luv" he smirked "I’ll let you put me back there later if you’re a good girl, but right now I think I’ll do just fine on the couch with, say, a mug of hot chocolate?"

Buffy considered for a moment but she knew she couldn’t resist letting him have at least a little of his own way.

"You can sit there while I make your drink" she conceded "but then back upstairs mister" she ordered, guiding him into the living room to sit down "I may not be the Slayer anymore but I can still kick your ass in your current state"

"Don’t make promises you won’t keep, luv" he smirked again, as the rest of the gang filtered into the living room "So I’m prophetic now am I?" Spike asked before looking straight at Angel "Not a word, Peaches" he knew his ex-grandsire would love the opportunity to make a joke out of him.

"Wasn’t gonna say a thing" Angel forced down a smirk "kind of surprised Xander didn’t though..." he frowned a little, looking over at the brunette who remained silent.

"Me and the whelp got kind of a truce" Spike explained as Buffy disappeared to the kitchen to make his hot chocolate "what with him helping with the mojo that brought me back from the beyond" he shrugged "‘sides I feel less anti social these days, towards some people anyway" he mumbled and almost growled the last part and everyone saw a fight coming.

"Getting back to the matter in hand if I may" Giles interrupted as he entered the room with the scroll in one hand and an open book balanced in the other "it seems quite clear now that Dawn definitely does have the Slayer skills that used to belong to Buffy. It’s all highly irregular" he concluded closing the book and flopping down in a chair near Spike.

"I think it’s cool" the youngest Summers grinned, taking a seat next to the still shivering Spike "and Buffy and Spike are supposed to be together forever and be my personal helper type people"

"Well, sort of, yes" Giles conceded, removing his glasses to clean them on a handkerchief.

"Well, if all the fun researching is over, maybe me and Ahn could make a move" Xander suggested.

"That’s a very good idea" Anya nodded and smiled, enthusiastically, "We should go home and have many orgasms right now"

Everyone’s eyes were on a very mortified Xander, who was far too embarrassed to say anything. He just nodded to his friends and got Anya out of the door as fast as possible.

"Oh, we should go too" Willow gasped, checking her watch, "We have class" she reminded Tara, "I almost totally forgot"

Almost immediately the girls were gone, along with Giles who offered to drive them to the college to save them some time. This left only Buffy, Dawn, Spike, Angel and an uncomfortable silence at 1630 Revello Drive.

"Soon as the sun’s down I’ll head back to LA" said Angel breaking the silence that had descended on the living room. He sat in an armchair, feeling distinctly like the odd one out as the Summer’s sisters sat either side of Spike on the couch. The new human’s recovery from pneumonia was being helped on it’s way out by the blanket around his shoulders and more importantly by a mug of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows in it. Spike smiled as he remembered drinking the same drink with Joyce just last year, so much had changed since then...

"I guess, when the sun goes down, I should patrol?" Dawn said a little uncertainly.

"No" Buffy answered like a reflex, before realising her mistake, "I mean, yes...but I think the gang should go with"

"Why?" her sister wanted to know.

"Cos we don’t want anything nasty happening to you, Little Bit" Spike answered for his love, who he knew was feeling completely bewildered by everything that had happened and was still happening.

"I know" Dawn conceded, "And I love it that you care" she smiled, "but I’m the Slayer now..." she paused and giggled at her own words, "God, it sounds so weird saying that"

‘Not as weird for you to say as it is for me to hear’ Buffy thought to herself. She should be glad she was normal now but...there were tears in her eyes and a tremble in her voice when she said;

"I should go and..." that was as far as she got as she got up and practically ran to the kitchen.

"I’ll go after her..." Angel started but Spike protested.

"No, not you" he snapped.

"Spike" the brunette sighed "I know she’s yours now but you’re not well..."

"I know" the bleach blond snapped again, he couldn’t help himself "I didn’t mean me, let the Bit go," he tipped his head toward the girl "Summers sisters need some alone time"

Angel nodded in agreement and both the vampire and his ex-grand-childe looked over at Dawn as she realised they were right and went after her sister.

The ex-Slayer was seated on a stool by the counter, her face in her hands as she sobbed, not really sure what it was she was crying for, but even less certain of when she’d ever stop.

"Buffy?" Dawn asked cautiously approaching her sister. Buffy’s head snapped up and she scrubbed her tears away with the back of her hands. Sniffing loudly and swallowing hard, she painted on a fake smile.

"I’m fine" she lied "they’re just happy tears, really"

"Buffy" Dawn sighed sitting beside her "I’m your sister and I know you, you can’t lie to me"

Buffy’s face cracked, the smile disintegrated and tears poured forth once more.

"I’m sorry" she sobbed "I want to be happy for you and for myself but..."

"It’s hard?" Dawn guessed and her sister nodded "Buffy, I understand" the younger girl assured her, rubbing a hand on her back to calm her crying "it’s freaky for me too. I didn’t ask for this to happen, and okay I know you never asked to be the Slayer either, but you were the Chosen One, this was your destiny and as much as I was jealous, and sometime wished I had your strengths..." there was a pause as Dawn frowned "now I have them, I don’t want them anymore" tears formed in her eyes too and threatened to spill over onto her cheeks at any moments "I’m afraid of myself, Buffy, I’m so afraid"

"Oh Dawnie..." her older sister sighed, moving to hug her sister. The Summers sisters held each other, afraid and confused and not knowing what else to do except hold each other in comfort.

In the next room, there was an uncomfortable silence as both Angel and Spike waited for the girls to return, both worried about them so much.

"Think they’re okay in there?" the vampire asked suddenly.

"I don’t know..." Spike mumbled "hell of a shock for the pair of ‘em"

"Think one of us should check on them?" the great souled one asked causing a sigh from Spike.

"I would but...God I can’t bear to see either of them cry" he admitted.

"I know..." Angel nodded, "when it’s someone you love, it...it just tears you apart" he remembered times when he was with Buffy, to see her cry, it was more painful than anything he’d ever endured as a man or a demon, with soul or without.

With that the room returned to silence, uncomfortable as ever, but maybe a little easier, with both men knowing the other was thinking the same thing.

"What does Spike think?" Dawn asked, as the girls parted from their hug, no tears left to cry "About you not being the Slayer anymore?"

"He says it doesn’t change anything" Buffy had to smile as she thought of him "that he still loves me and I believe that. I still love him, I loved him when he was a vampire" she admitted "even if I did have trouble saying it, and I love him as a human..." she paused before putting it the best way she could think of "it’s not about what we are, it’s about who we are, I guess"

"Right" her sister nodded "I’m still Dawn and you’re still Buffy, it’s just..."

"No" Buffy realised for all her wisdom and strength she appeared to have, it wasn’t all okay "but it isn’t, because I’m not..." she said, her voice wavering again "I was Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it became *who* I was as well as *what* I was, if I’m not the Slayer...what am I? I don’t know how to be anything or anyone else" she realised almost in tears all over again.

"It’s okay Buffy..." Dawn tried to comfort her. With a sudden thought she added "maybe we can fix it"

"How?" the ex-Slayer looked dubious.

"A spell or something" the brunette suggested "we could swap the power back to you"

Buffy seemed to consider the idea before sighing in defeat.

"But the prophecy..." she started.

"Shouldn’t be a problem" said a voice form the door.

"Angel..." Buffy realised, it seemed the vamps decision from earlier had been changed and he had run the risk of being pained by the sight of the Summer sisters in distress - he had to know what was going on.

"You’ve beaten prophecies before Buffy" he told his ex-girlfriend as he came into the room "I’ve seen it. Prophecy said the Master would rise after the Harvest but you stopped it" he remembered "and then it said you’d die fighting him and...you did" he admitted, "but you’re here now" Buffy’s expression changed, a look of hope forming on her features, her head nodding in agreement at what Angel was telling her "what’s to say this prophecy was true but there’s more to it than that, like now the task is accomplished the magicks can be undone"

Dawn looked a little lost and both girls were overwhelmed by the idea, nevermind the vocabulary.

"What the stupid poofter means, luvs" said a shaky looking Spike who’d just appeared in the doorway "is that now the stuff has happened and served its purpose we can change it back, like you said, no trouble at all"

"I guess it’s possible..." Buffy said slowly "but what was the big purpose of Dawn having the Slayer strength and everything, even for a little while?" she said, making a face again.

That made everyone think, but with her borrowed extra-smart Slayer brains, Dawn herself came up with the answer.

"There was no-one else to do it" she announced.

"Do what, pet?" Spike prompted, taking a seat beside her, scared he might fall down if he didn’t sit.

"Slay" Dawn told him, simply, "Buffy was a total mess when you weren’t here and with the real Slayer and her best fighter out of the picture..."

"...the Powers That Be had to make sure there was someone to fight the evil around here" Angel completed for her.

"Exactly" Dawn nodded with a satisfied grin that she’d figured out something useful for a change.

"Makes sense" Buffy agreed.

"So now I’m back" Spike started "and Buffy’s back to her old self, more or less, should be a simple switch back" he shrugged "Sure the Wiccas, the demon girl and the Watcher, can knock up some hocus pocus that’ll do the job. They mojo-ed me back from the grave as a bloody living breathe-er again, this should be childs play for them"

"We’ll ask tomorrow" Buffy yawned, "Right now I think we need to rest" she said, gesturing to herself and Dawn, before looking pointedly at Spike, "and you should be in bed"

"Lead the way, baby, I won’t argue" he smirked.

"Gross" Dawn pretended to vomit in true teenage fashion, causing both Buffy and Spike to shoot her a look.

Angel only smiled. He’d been such a fool. He’d always thought he knew what was best for Buffy Summers and he’d got it so wrong. A normal life - that’s what he wished for her, a normal guy, a regular job, everything ordinary, but it was never going to happen, and she would never be happy if it did.

She was an extraordinary girl, and now an extraordinary woman, with an equally incredible man who had lived, died, unlived, died again and risen again -Spike was just as extraordinary as the woman he loved. Their life would never be normal, Angel knew that as he said goodbye and headed out into the rapidly increasing darkness of the night, but the one thing he did know was that they would be happy.

"You really want to find a spell, don’t you luv" Spike asked the girl laying in his arms as his fingers played absently with her blonde locks. Buffy didn’t answer.

"You like to slay" he continued in her silence, "you were born to do it...I can understand that"

"You can?" Buffy said suddenly bringing her head up from his chest to look him in the eye, "You don’t think I’m selfish or crazy or anything?"

Spike smiled at the innocent little girl he saw before him. Sometimes it astounded him how one moment she was such a mature, strong woman, and the next, she was just a child who needed hugs and reassurance that everything would turn out okay.

"Buffy, luv" he sighed, turning on his side to face her "like I told you before, I love you, and there are no conditions on that. I loved you when I was a demon, a vampire, and I love you now as a human. I love you when you’re the Slayer and when you’re not and I will go on loving you for as long as I live and longer because I don’t know how to do anything else" he finished with a smile and was not entirely pleasantly surprised to see tears on his love’s face "Hey, you’re not supposed to cry" he complained, wiping away the droplets with his fingers.

"That’s probably the most beautiful speech anyone’s ever said to me" Buffy said quietly, blinking hard to keep back more tears, true happy tears this time.

"I meant every word, luv" Spike assured her, his voice softer than ever before.

"I know" Buffy smiled "and that’s what makes it so much more special"

the last few words were a whisper as the couple moved closer together. Their arms around each other and their lips locked tighter, they were lost for a while, just drowning in each other and the feelings they shared. But it was over all to fast as they both needed to breath and Spike began to choke again.

"Damn this pneumonia" he complained "Recovery’s going well and all but, God I don’t have the strength for what I really want to do right now"

Buffy tried hard not to laugh at his distress, but at least her giggles covered her slight disappointment.

"It’s okay Spike" she assured him, snuggling into his arms as he became still and quiet again "we don’t have to do that. We have all the time in the world, and just having you here, holding me, loving me, that’s more than enough" she told him sincerely "...for now" she added quietly, but he heard anyway, as they drifted off to sleep, content just to be in each others arms..for now, anyway.

A Scooby meeting, not an irregular thing in Sunnydale, as a matter of fact, there had been a similar meeting just yesterday, but today’s was different. The Slayer was present at the meeting, but that Slayer was no longer Buffy, it was Dawn, the purpose of this meeting being to find a way to change that fact and make things as they once were.

One man at the table was happy to be what he once was, a human instead of a demon, finally able to be with the woman he loved without supernatural complications. Spike had a lot to be thankful for, with the slight exception of the bloody frustrating human disease he had. Much sleep and hot chocolate had done wonders for him though, as well as the drugs Giles had managed to acquire...he really would have to ask old Ripper exactly where he’d got those from sometime...

"This could be very difficult Buffy" the Watcher told his almost-daughter, "We’re dealing with very powerful forces"

"No more powerful than what the gang did to bring back Spike" she shrugged in response, "and I know that was dangerous but, you guys all know what you’re doing and I trust you"

"It’s nice to know you trust us Buffy" Willow smiled, "but Giles is right, this is a major deal, messing with the Slayer power and all"

"But it is possible?" Dawn piped up, "I mean, it might be dangerous but you can do it?"

"I-I’m n-not exactly sure" Tara stammered, wanting to help her friends as much as she could, but admittedly scared of the powers that would need to be invoked, "i-it would probably take a lot of research"

"Well we’ve had plenty of practice there" Xander commented, "We’re full of research-y goodness here at Scooby central"

"So hows about we get on with it then, instead of sitting here poncing about?" Spike snapped, infuriated by too much talk and not enough action. It had taken all of his time and effort to convince Buffy he was able bodied enough to join the meeting instead of laying in bed like an invalid. It was his final point of argument that had finally made her cave.

‘I spent enough time laying down when I was six feet under, at least let me move now that I can’.

Now all he wanted to do was fix the problem his two favourite girls were having, so that life, the mortal life he had now been given, could move on for everyone.

The gang hit the books and after many hours and cups of coffee it was Anya who hit upon something useful.

"Aha!" she exclaimed, "I think I’ve got something" she told the group with a grin as she read from the book in her hands, "This is in Latin but I’m pretty sure it’s what we need" she said excitedly "these ancient people found a way to give physical strength and power to the weaker people in their armies by kind of siphoning it off from the stronger warriors"

"Sounds like the kind of spell we’re looking for" Buffy nodded, "is it complicated?"

Anya shook her head as she read more.

"I don’t know...its a while since I did any kind of complex spell..."

"Wills, Tara, why don’t you take a look?" the currently ex-Slayer suggested and the ex-demon was forced to hand over the book, which she did with a frown. She hated that she was the one that found the spell and yet the red-head and her girlfriend would get all the credit for the actual doing of the spell. Xander saw the look on her face and instantly knew what she was thinking.

"You did really well Ahn, finding the spell like that" he told her with a smile, "We’d probably never have found it without you" he knew it was a lie, as everyone else did too, but they let her think she’d done really well and she grinned in delight.

"Well, this looks do-able" Willow said slowly as Tara nodded in agreement, reading over her girls shoulder, "but Buffy it’s also very dangerous...there’s a chance that, if too much power shifts or the force moves the wrong way, well..." she didn’t even want to say what the consequences could be.

"Come on Will, spit it out" the eldest Summers urged.

"They could die" Spike said simply, unemotionally, looking straight at the red-headed witch beside him, he knew by the very look on her face what it was she’d been unable to say.

"Yes" she replied in a hushed whisper, feeling physically sick at the very idea of losing either of her friends.

"Then we’re not doing it" Buffy said sternly, "It’s not worth it" with that she stood up from the dining room table and made to walk away before the tears that were rapidly forming in her eyes spilled over.

"No" Dawn protested with force as she too rose to her feet, "We are doing this" she said just as firmly as her sister had spoken, if not more so.

"Dawn" Buffy sighed turning back, aforementioned tears now running down her cheeks, "You could die, we both could, and all because I’m selfish and want my powers back. I won’t do it"

"Well maybe you don’t have a choice" Dawn yelled, shocking everyone who may have voiced an opinion into definite silence, "I don’t want this power, it’s not mine to have" she continued in a more even tone, "It’s yours and you need it back. You are not selfish, if you were you wouldn’t be saying no now, and maybe that means I’m selfish, I don’t know, but life is all about risks Buffy and you have to be brave and take them sometimes...you taught me that"

The girls older sister did not reply, just stood there, completely still and silent, salty tracks down her face as these words hit her full force. Dawn was right, the little girl before her who wasn’t so little anymore. Fourteen in looks and memories, barely a year old in actual terms, and yet she was so sensible and wise.

"You’re right" Buffy forced out eventually, "If it weren’t for risks...things would be so different...Spike wouldn’t..." she got no further as she started to really cry. Too many emotions over the last few days, they all finally caught up with her and all that would come were tears.

Dawn moved toward her, grabbing her in a sisterly hug and it wasn’t long before she was crying too. Ignoring his aching muscles and pounding head, Spike pulled himself from his seat to go and wrap an arm around each of his girls, and it was all the rest of the Scoobies could do not to cry as they bore witness to the three way hug of this strange little family.

"No matter what you do" Spike whispered to the Summers girls "you’ll always be my girls and I’ll always love you, whether you’re humans, slayers, balls of energy or bloody crying messes like you are right now" he said, making both Buffy and Dawn giggle despite their tears, "I’ll stand by you and I’ll always love you, no matter what"

He knew it was the truth, that whatever happened he’d truly be in love with Buffy Summers forever and beyond, and that Dawn would always be the sister he never had, his precious Little Bit.

The two girls looked at each other, a look of understanding and agreement before turning to the rest of the gang, never leaving the safety of Spike’s arms.

"We’ll do it" they said together.

"I think we’re almost ready" Willow announced as she and Tara re-counted the candles and checked the spell book.

In the centre of the Summers living room, all the furniture had been moved to the sides and a large circle of twelve candles had been set up, alternating red and black. A symbol was marked on the carpet in red and black sand which when looked at from a certain direction and in a certain way Xander realised looked kind of like a bunny with a party hat on. He dare not tell Anya of his thoughts and so instead whispered it to Dawn who would have laughed if she wasn’t so tense with fear and anticipation.

"Where do we stand?" she asked the Wiccans as they stood just inside the circle opposite each other.

"You need t-to be here a-and here" Tara pointed to the spaces either side of herself and Willow. The four girls formed a square, Buffy facing Dawn, Willow facing Tara. The witches would act as the vessel by which the Slayer force would travel from Dawn to Buffy. With the four in position, they were ready to begin.

Willow took Tara’s left hand flat between both her own as the blonde witch placed her right hand on top of the pile. The red-head nodded signalling that Giles should perform his part. He began to light the candles, one at a time, starting with the one directly behind Willow and moving anticlockwise around the circle.

Anya, Xander and Spike all watched from the side in anticipation as the concentration became evident in the two witches eyes. As the final candle was lit, Willow began to speak.

"Fortis. Enervis" she said loudly, looking first at Dawn on her left and then Buffy on her right, effectively naming them as the strong and the weak, and giving them their signal. Dawn placed her right hand on the bottom of Taras and Willows as Buffy placed her hand on the top. The pile of six hands began to glow almost immediately as Willow and Tara chanted in Latin.

The words were a jumble and meant less than nothing to the Slayer and her sister but there were others in the room who knew what was being said, Spike included. During his years as a vampire he had learnt many languages, but Latin had been something he’d been taught as a child, many years before his siring.

‘Transfer the power, the weak shall be mighty, the mighty then less strong’ he translated in his head as the witches spoke more loudly. The power could be tangibly felt in the air as the circle of candles seemed to become brighter, the voices of the Wiccans louder, the glow of the girls hands brighter.

‘Transfer the power, strength to rise like fire’ the chant continued as the yellow light around the four girls hands made them look as if the appendages were on fire. Spike physically flinched as he saw a look of what appeared to be pain pass over Dawn’s face. He knew then it had begun. The power was leaking from her back into Buffy, and as it did, the glow seemed to shift, from the bottom of the pile of hands to the centre and upward to Buffy’s hand on top. She too winced as the light of power travelled into her.

‘Transfer the power, the weak shall be mighty, the mighty then less strong’ Willow and Tara repeated, even louder than before as the lights, the candles, the entire room became brighter still, making it almost impossible for the rest of the Scoobies to see what was happening anymore.

‘Transfer the power’ Willow bellowed one final time, almost screaming at the strength the spell was taking from her, it was, after all, mostly her magicks that made the spell possible.

Suddenly, there was an almighty flash of brightest green, causing Xander, Anya, Giles and Spike to turn their heads and shield their eyes. When they looked back the candles were extinguished, the sand had been blown almost completely away, and the four young women lay collapsed on the ground, fighting for breath.

"Buffy!" Spike all but screamed, his illness all forgotten as he dived to the floor beside his love, the rest of the Scooby gang quickly following by example and tending to their friends.

"I’m okay" the blonde breathed, pulling herself up to a sitting position with the help of Spike who knelt beside her, "I’m okay" she repeated, almost trying to convince herself. She felt dizzy and disorientated by the whole ordeal.

"Dawn?" was her next word, "Dawn?!" she repeated reaching for the girl who was slowly sitting up with the assistance of Xander.

"I’m fine" the younger girl gasped, "I just...I...need air" she choked, fanning herself with her hand and gulping lungfuls of oxygen.

"Did it work?" were Willows first word as she and Tara pulled themselves from the floor too, Giles and Anya doing their best to support the Wiccas.

"Well, I feel...sort of...strange" Buffy admitted, getting to her feet with Spike always by her side, an arm around her.

"Me too" Dawn coughed, her breath finally coming back to her as Xander helped her up off the floor and over to a chair.

"Guess there’s only one way to know for sure..." said Spike, "I would offer to test it myself but given my current status as a diseased being, maybe you could kick someone else’s ass to prove your power, Slayer" he smiled, "any volunteers?" he asked, looking pointedly at Xander. The brunette looked a little offended but he knew it was just a joke on the bleach blonds part.

"Given the time of day" said Giles cleaning his glasses as he often did, "perhaps we might test your strength on the demon population"

The gang were a little surprised to see through the windows that the sun was going down and darkness was falling over Sunnydale at some considerable speed. Everyone was eager to hit the nearest graveyard and see if the spell had done it’s job, but Buffy was adamant that Spike was not going out in the cold night ‘in his condition’.

"I’m not pregnant, luv" he smiled, "just kind of wobbly is all"

"I don’t care Spike" Buffy said sternly, "actually" she considered, "I do care and that’s why you’re not coming. Whether I’m the Slayer or not, I need you and preferably in a non-sick way as soon as possible"

"I know you care, baby" he said, hugging her, "and I love it that you do but..."

On the word ‘but’ Buffy pulled out of his arms and looked daggers at him.

"No buts Spike" she told him in the manner a mother would tell a child, "please, just stay here...for me"

Spike sighed in defeat.

"Y’know I’d do anything for you, pet"

"I know" she nodded before kissing him briefly, "and when you’re feeling better I might do a few things for you too" she whispered in his ear, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she pulled away again.

"Now there’s an incentive to rest up and feel better" Spike grinned, kissing her back before they were interrupted by the presence of the rest of the Scoobies in the room. They were all ready to leave, except for Xander, who for some bizarre reason that no-one could fathom had volunteered to stay behind with Spike in case the ex-vamp needed anything.

Spike got up from the couch shortly after Buffy, Dawn and the others had left for the cemetery.

"I guess I should get back to bed" he said more to himself than to Xander who was pushing the final piece of furniture back where it belonged after having cleared up the candles and lasts of the sand.

As the bleach blond reached the stairs he turned to the brunette.

"You don’t have to stay here" he told him, "I’m a little old to be tucked in with a glass of milk and a bedtime story"

Xander smiled at the joke, but didn’t reply as Spike headed up the stairs.

"Scary, wasn’t it?" the bleach blond heard as he reached the top and turned back to see the young man he’d once referred to as the Whelp, standing at the foot of the stairs and staring up at him, "You were scared for them" he stated.

"Yeah" Spike admitted quietly, "What of it?"

"Nothing" Xander shrugged and shook his head, but Spike stared on waiting for a real answer, an explanation for why it mattered whether he was scared or not. "I never thought..." the young man on the bottom step began, not sure how to say what he meant, "You really do...you love them and...I don’t know, I..."

"You didn’t think I could?" Spike guessed the end of the sentence that his ‘friend’ was too...scared, perhaps, to actually say.

Xander looked at his feet, almost ashamed that he hadn’t truly believed in the love this man had for the Summers women until now.

"I’ll tell you something, Xander" the ex-vampire said suddenly, shocking the young man below into looking up suddenly, "I never knew I could love anyone the way I love Buffy, or the Bit for that matter" he admitted, "but I do, and I’ll live for them, and support them, and continue to love them, until the day I die for them" he said sincerely, before adding "again" with a smile, causing a smile on Xander’s face too.

"I believe you" the young carpenter told the man he could now call a friend, "but now I think you should get your germ-y self into bed cos whichever one of those Summers’ sisters is the Slayer now, they are so gonna kick my ass if they find out I didn’t make you rest"

"Personally I wouldn’t mind seeing that" the bleach blond grinned as he headed for the bedroom, Xander barely heard him but he smiled as the words reached his ears. He was human and he loved Buffy, and Dawn, but Spike would always be Spike, bleached hair, snarky comments and all.

The dusted body count was an uneven seven as the Scoobies, minus two, headed back to the house on Revello Drive. Anya was pleased to be back at Xander’s side and eager to get him home for unmentionable reasons. Giles offered to give them a ride as it was late and he really needed to get to his bed too, for different reasons of course.

Willow and Tara said goodnight and went to their room, leaving just Buffy and Dawn in the kitchen together.

"So, now we know" one girl nodded, "guess this is the way it’s supposed to be"

"Guess so" the other agreed, "To be honest, I’m glad it worked out this way"

"You are?" her sister smiled, "Good, cos I am too"

The Summers girls embraced each other, both yawning as they did so and deciding it was time they were both in bed, since it was almost one in the morning, and a combination of the research, the spell and the slayage had really taken it out of them.

"Hi honey, I’m home" Buffy quipped as she entered her bedroom, smiling as she received no answer, Spike was completely asleep as she half expected he would be. Slipping out of her clothes, she climbed under the covers and snuggled up beside her man whom instinctively, even in sleep, wrapped a protective arm around her.

"Slayer?" he whispered, half asleep.

"Yes Spike, I am" she replied with a smile.

"Oh bloody hell!" Spike cursed, fumbling with the tie around his neck. His reflection, that he had just about got used to having back now, should have made his task easier but his nerves were making him shake just too much.

"Come here" the man behind him instructed, forcibly turning him around and tying the bow-tie for him with ease, "seems these things are always more complicated when you’re the groom" he quipped.

"Yeah" Spike grinned with a memory in his mind, "Seem to remember you being a fumbling mess when you made Anya into Mrs Harris"

There was no time for Xander to respond as a tapping came on the door before Willow and Tara appeared, both decked out in flowing bridesmaids dresses.

"Well I’ll say this for the Y chromosome" the red head giggled, "Looks good in a tux"

Tara nodded in agreement as Xander and Spike smiled.

"Don’t look so bad yourself Red" the bleach blond realised, "You too Glinda"

Both girls blushed a little as Xander turned to Spike.

"You ready for this?" he asked and, taking a deep breath, the groom nodded.

Spike felt as if he floated from the room to the front of the hall where the wedding would take place. His best man, Xander, at his side, he waited for the girl of his dreams to come to him, down the aisle.

As the band began to play the music, Spike knew it was time and he tuned to see the girls enter the hall. First was Dawn, followed by Anya, Willow and Tara, all in matching dresses and all beautiful as ever as they glided toward the front of the hall. Behind them was Giles, smart as ever in his impeccable suit and on his arm was a vision in white, Spike’s Slayer, his Buffy.

She smiled as she saw him, so much smarter than he usually looked, a lot different to the vampire he had ceased to be just a few years ago. It didn’t matter to Buffy what he was wearing though, or what he was, she loved the man for who he was and she knew she always would.

Giles, her father in every way but biology, handed her over to the man she would soon be married to, a man who loved her with his whole heart, who had died for her and now who lived for her.

The vows and rings were exchanged and Spike was only to pleased to oblige when told ‘you may now kiss the bride’.

The reception followed, the happy couple leading the first dance, soon to be joined by many other happy couples, including all their friends. Xander and Anya, whose second anniversary was fast approaching, Willow and Tara who were planning a commitment ceremony in the not so distant future, Dawn and her boyfriend Zack, whom Spike had decided was ‘a decent enough bloke for his Little Bit,’ and Giles and his girlfriend Olivia, who had returned from England not so long ago after realising she couldn’t be without the ex-Watcher.

Demons still darkened the Slayers door on many a night, the Hellmouth still existed and a hundred different evils because of it, but it didn’t stop the Scoobies, new and old, from being happy, no-one more so than a certain ex-vampire and his Slayer.

"Did I tell you how gorgeous you look in that dress?" Spike smiled to his bride as he held her close and they swayed to the music, "and also how I can’t wait to get you out of it"

Buffy giggled as she playfully swatted him in the chest.

"They’ll be plenty of time for that later" she promised him, "but while we’re on the subject of...that" she smiled, "how do you feel about expanding our little family?"

"Slow down, Slayer" Spike gasped, "We’ve only been married an hour"

"It’s kind of a little late to back out of the fatherhood thing now" his bride replied shyly, looking down and then up into her new husbands eyes.

"You mean...?" he started, eyes wide as saucers.

"Yeah" Buffy nodded "there’s a tiny guest at this wedding that no-one knew about, except me" she admitted, both her and Spike glancing down at her stomach and then back into each others eyes.

In one motion Spike’s lips landed on Buffy’s kissing her as thoroughly as ever, showing her just how much he loved her, today even more than before if it were possible.

"I love you Buffy" he whispered as they came up for air "always remember that"

"I will" the Slayer nodded "because I love you too William" she smiled "always"

~~THE END~~

Disclaimer2 : One line stolen from episode Hell's Bells- this recognisable line belongs to the writers of the eppy!