Title: Paths
Author: Hils
Email: ImmortalBeloved2000@yahoo.co.uk
Rating: PG
Pairings: B/S (not in a romantic way)
Spoilers: Goodbye Iowa
Summary: AU. During Goodbye Iowa Buffy is passing Willy's bar when Spike get beaten up by the demons.
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of these characters. It all belongs to Joss and co.
Feedback: YES PLEASE!!!!

Buffy was walking past Willy's bar, one of her usual patrolling areas when she heard the sound of a fight inside. It figured, the lowest kind of demons and vampires hung out in there and the night when some sort of trouble *didn't* occur was unusual. Still, if the demons were busy killing each other it saved her a job. Deciding to ignore the scuffle she walked forward a few paces but stopped when she heard the side door slam open. Looking down the alley she stopped in shock and surprise when she saw Spike come crashing out, landing heavily on the ground. A large and quite scary looking demon stepped out and stood over the fallen vampire. Two of his friends stood in the doorway, watching. Three against one, the kind of odds demons usually like. Spike was still lying on the ground when the demon spoke to him.

"What did you expect Spike? A welcome home party? Words out you've been making war on the demon world."

Spike lifted his head, obviously dazed from his fall and the beating he'd been given "War?"

The demon's voice filled with anger.

"With the Slayer! You kill other demons and the rest of us don't hold with that. Still...if I see you here again *I'll* be inclined to break that code. Do you understand?"

When Spike didn't answer the demon turned around and walked back into the bar, slamming the door behind him.

Buffy stared for a moment and then ran over to Spike, kneeling at his side.

"Spike, can you hear me?" He was barely conscious, his face a mass of cuts and bruises. The demons had laid into him good. The sound her voice grabbed his attention, his eyes focusing on her. He nodded.

"Can you stand?" Spike tried to get up and Buffy did her best to help him without causing him more pain. As soon as he was steady on his feet Spike pushed her away.

"Stay away from me Slayer" He growled before stumbling off in the direction of the cemetery. Buffy watched him go, unsure whether to follow him or not. He was soon out of sight and Buffy decided that rather than follow him it was time for some payback. She marched into the bar.

The demons who had attacked Spike were sat at a table, laughing.

"Did you see the look on his face? He won't be coming round here again in a hurry."

Buffy walked over to them

"So, you guys have a problem with people helping me out? Why is that? Do you think you can beat me if I'm fighting on my own with no help? Well, here I am. Just me, on my own, no vampires to help me. Take your best shot."

The demons looked at each other nervously, the Slayer was tough. The the larger of the three demons, the one who had threatened Spike stood up.

"I'm not afraid of you Slayer." And with that he lunged at her. In a few deft moves Buffy had him in a headlock and after repeatedly punching him in the face she threw his unconscious body into the table his two friends were sitting at. She stared at them.

"Do either of you two want to have a go?" They both shook their heads, looking down at their fallen comrade.

"Good, now I want you to clean up the mess in here, pay for any damages and get out of Sunnydale. I *will* find out if you don't and next time I won't be so gentle."

The look of fear in the demons eyes told her that they weren't stupid enough to ignore her. She walked over to the bar where Willy was trying to ignore the goings on.

"A bottle of your best blood Willy, and a first aid kit if you've got one. Charge them to those guys over there" she said gesturing to the demons who were now frantically trying to clean up the mess she had made.

"Sure thing." Although he hated fights of any kind in his bar Willy was actually quite glad at the way things had just gone. Although he would never interfere, he hadn't liked seeing Spike being attacked by the three demons. The guys didn't even get the chance to defend himself. He guessed that by the request of a first aid kit that Buffy was going to see Spike. Good, Spike could probably use a bit of TLC after the beating he'd got. Weird that it was going to be at the hands of a Slayer though. He handed her the blood and the first aid kit.

"Here you go. "

Buffy smiled her thanks and left, leaving the demons still trying to clean up.

It only took her a few minutes to get to Spike's crypt. She opened the door and saw him lying on top of a sarcophagus, his eyes closed. Buffy figured his must be asleep, hardly surprising after what had happened. She set down the blood and medical kit next to where he was lying, he could sort himself out when he woke up. She stood up again and looked down at him. The poor guy was a mess.

"I thought I told you to piss off Slayer." Said Spike without opening his eyes. Buffy jumped back.

"Spike, you scared me. How did you know it was me?"

Spike opened his eyes and looked coldly at her.

"Who else was it going to be? I knew it would only be a matter of time before you felt all guilty and came to help me."

"This has nothing to do with feeling guilty, I just came to make sure you were okay. I don't have anything to feel guilty about."

"Oh yeah?" Spike sat up, his cold gaze never leaving her. He pointed at his face. "You see this? This is your fault, you and that soldier-boy of yours. Ever since I got this damn chip shoved into my head I've had nothing but hassle from you guys and from the entire demon population. You expect me to help you and the thanks I get when I do is a bounty on my head."

Tears of anger and frustration welled up in his eyes.

"Do you have any idea," he continued "what it feels like to not belong anywhere. I'm a demon, I should be out killing people and generally causing havoc. But I can't, and I'm never going to belong with you and your gang either, no matter how many demons I kill for you. You know that I'd kill you all if I had half the chance."

He paused and sighed.

"Why don't you just kill me, do me a favour?"

Buffy stared at him.

"Spike, I'm not going to kill you!"

"Why not? If you don't do it then some bad-ass demon will. At least there's an element of honour dying at the hands of a Slayer."

For a minute Buffy was at a total loss for words. She'd never seen him like this before. Willow and Xander had told her that he'd tried to stake himself before he found out he could hurt demons. With almost a pang of regret she remembered how she hadn't cared. But it was different now, he wasn't completely helpless and he'd seemed alright once he'd moved out of Xander's basement. She walked over and sat down next to him.

"Look Spike, I know things are difficult for you but believe me, no one has it easy. We've all got problems and you just have to deal with whatever you're dealt. It may not seem like it, but you do have a choice in all this, not a good choice but still a choice. You can either sit back and wait for the next demon who comes along to actually kill you, or you have the chance to be useful, to help people." She gave a small smile. "I know it's not in your nature to do good but surely it beats doing nothing. You've got the chance to make something of your life."

Spike looked at the floor. He couldn't believe he was listening to a lecture from the Slayer, the person who he'd tried to kill on several occasions. What was more unbelievable was that most of what she was saying made sense. Sitting around feeling sorry for himself was going to achieve sod all. He may as well accept that this chip was part of him now and do what he could with the situation. If he helped her out he got to kick some ass and it also gave him a bit of protection from the demons who were after him.

"Alright, I'm in. If you or your friends ever need my help come and find me, I'll be around."

Buffy looked stunned for a moment. She hadn't expected him to give in that quickly. Then she smiled

"Great." She picked up the medical kit from the floor. "Why don't you let me clean you up while I'm here?"

Spike sighed and turned his face towards her. The last thing he needed was the Slayer playing nurse with him, she'd probably do a better job than him though. That was one of the problems of being a vampire. You can't see your reflection when you get your face smashed in.

"Fine."

As Buffy worked on him he studied her carefully. Most of the time he was too busy wishing he could kill her to bother actually looking at her. Despite all his better judgements and the fact that he'd hated her for years she was actually quite an amazing girl. She been through so much with Angelus but she'd always managed to cope. A deep part of him wished he could be more like that, he'd never dealt well with pain, usually seeking the solution at the bottom of a whisky bottle.

"There." Said Buffy as she finished cleaning the cuts on his face. She looked outside and saw the first rays of sunlight creeping over the distant rooftops. She turned back to face Spike.

"It's dawn. Maybe you should get some sleep."

He nodded and she helped to ease him down into a comfortable position. He was asleep almost instantly. Buffy watched him for a moment, almost feeling as though she was looking at a complete stranger. For so long he'd been nothing more than an enemy to her, someone she wanted to kill. But lately she'd seen something else in him, there was a depth that she hadn't expected to find in a vampire. It was true that he was nothing like Angel, Angel wanted to help people, to make amends. Spike was forced into helping people, his path was different, but the result was the same. As she'd told him, he had a choice. Many paths had been put before Spike and for once he'd chosen the right one. Smiling with satisfaction Buffy placed a blanket over the sleeping vampire and almost an unconscious action she placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. Spike had a long way to go, but he'd taken the first step.

The End