DISCLAIMER: ALL ARE JOSS'S I own none of these characters.
Spoilers: Up to Wrecked
Feed back: Please! My first fiction. Brookejaffe@hotmail.com
Summery: Spike is fed up with the way Buffy is treating her and
leaves town. Buffy needs  to realize what she lost now that it's
gone. Don't worry it will have a happy ending . . . :)
Title: The long Road.   1/?
Rating: PG-R                       
                               
   
                                                               
Prologue
    "That, that's it! I want you out of my life! Out of my work,
out of my home-" Buffy yelled.
"Too late for that. You invited me in already.  And as for your work,
you need me. Like tonight."
    "I'll find Dawn myself." She huffed

Spike kept replaying there little fight over and over in his mind.
Bloody hell.  He loved her but how much can a guy take.  Spike sat
alone in his crypt. Not once has Buffy come to see him in the last
week, and he  was not about to go crawling back to her, he was
finished being her whipping boy.   He needed a break.  A break from
this crypt, a break from Sunny hell and a break from that slayer.
               
                    Part One
    He watched her leave. Watched as she walked down the step and
out into the darkness off to preform her nightly slayer duties. He
made sure that she was out of sight when he crossed the street and
knocked on the Door.  
The door cracked open a bit. "Spike!!!" Dawn screeched and threw the
door open all the way.
    "Hey Little Bit. Everything healed?" He leaned against the
door frame.
    "Almost," She paused, "Buffy's not here." She said looking
down at her feet
    "I know. I came here to see you." Dawns head jerked up in
surprise.  "I have to go away for a while. Not sure when I will be
back and I wanted to say a good-bye to my favorite scoobie." Dawn
looked like she was going to cry.
    "You're leaving? But you said that. . . ." Dawn trailed
off  "does Buffy know?" Dawn was trying very  hard not to show how
upset she was but was failing miserably.
    "I thought best not to tell her bit, just to go." He paused,
not really sure what to say next, "Well then I'll be off. Take
care. . . . Don't cause your sis too much trouble." Spike turned to
leave.
    "Figures!!!!" Dawn screamed and slammed the door. Spike
wheeled around on his heels to see an outraged  Dawn running up the
stairs. 
    "Goodbye Slayer"   Spike turned and walked down the steps
away from the woman he loved. He walked down and turned off the
corner of  Revello Dr.  where he had left his Deasodo and climbed in.
He sighed as he started the car,  off into the night drove afraid to
look back.  
                                                        
    "Dawnie! I'm back." Buffy walked through the door and scanned
the living room and the dinning room. "Dawn?" Still, there was no
answer. Buffy ran up the stairs and saw that Dawns door was
shut. "Dawn, are you in there?" No answer so she tried the knob. It
was locked. "Dawn? Are you in there? What's going on? Why won't you
talk to me? Dawn?" Buffy knocked again. She could see Dawns shadow
under the door  and could hear here moving around,  but could not
understand why she was not answering her.
    "Buffy?" Buffy turned around to see Willow standing in the
hallway.
    "Will, what's wrong with Dawn? She locked herself in her
room. She won't talk to me."
    "Yeah I know. She won't talk to me either. She has been like
this most of the night." Willow shrugged. "Must be in an, I want to
be alone wacky kind of mood? I tried to get her hour for about an
hour. Then Gave up. Though she was still furious with me about the
car, the demon,  and the bad, bad night.  Figured I would wait for
Big sis here to come home and see if you could get her talking." 
Willow sighed. "Good luck Buff. Night"
    "Night Will."  Buffy was not sure what to do.
    "Oh Buff. I think Spike was here earlier. I mean, Dawnie
answered the door, but it sounded like him. British and all.  I mean
how many British people do we know,  I mean we know two but only one
who is . . ."
    "Will."
    "I just thought that you should know."
    "Thanks." She looked back to Dawns door.  "Dawn, I am going
to bed." She hoped for an answer but nothing. Buffy slowly walked
back to her room, closed the door. The garlic she had hung  around
her windows and bed post last week was still up and still a reminder
of what had happened.
`So Spike was here.' She said to herself, `He must have known I was
on patrol.  He would have come to look for me. He always did.  He was
always there. Even when I told him not be there.  He would  always
show up to help me fight off the big bads and was always there  to
protect Dawn'
Unconsciously  she stated to take down the garlic from the windows
and from the bed.  A few minutes later she climbed under her covers.
She was staring up at the ceiling still thinking about what Spike
wanted earlier. She remembered the night they were to take on Glory,
             "We're not all gonna make it. You know that." Buffy said
to Spike
             "Yeah. Hey. Always knew I'd go down fightin'."
             " I'm counting on you ... to protect her." She told Spike
             "Till the end of the world. Even if that happens to be
tonight."
             "I'll be a minute." Buffy said
              "Yeah" He paused "I know you'll never love me. I know
that I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man. And that's.."

Buffy rolled over onto her side. Angry with herself for letting Spike
get to her like this. Spike, Soulless Vampire, killer of many. But
very helpful when needed, and when  not really needed. But this is 
Spike,  evil, evil Spike, who has showed many, many times that he can
be  . . .  not so evil. "Oooooowh" she moaned, the way he made her
feel was just so confused. . . . Buffy drifted off to sleep.
Buffy's alarm went off at 7:30am. She moaned and rolled over and hit
the snooze. "Dawn! Get up and get ready for school." Buffy Rolled
onto her back. "DAWN!" Buffy covered her face with her pillow. There
was a light tap on the door. "Come in." Buffy mumbled.
    "Hey Buff. Dawn wanted me to tell you that she would be
walking to school today and going to the magic Box after right
after."  Buffy raised her head out from under her pillow and
acknowledged Willow.
    "Oh, thanks." Willow started to closed Buffy's Door. "Hey
Will?" Willows' head popped back into the room. "Did Dawn tell you
why she was all bad moody last night?"
    "Nope. She seemed back to her old self though. Except for the
whole walking to school bit. I thought she hated walking?"
    "I will talk to her about it later." Willow smiled at Buffy
then closed her door. Buffy sat up and stretched. She looked at all
the garlic pilled on the floor. I guess it will be Garlic week for
dinner. She looked at the window and looked around her room. Garlic
was on the floor and no spell keeping Spike out. Why was Spike
suddenly being all noble and good?  Buffy shrugged, and went down
stairs to eat breakfast then off to the Magic Box.
                   
    Spike didn't know where he was heading. If he went to LA he
was sure to run into Angel, and that would be just hell.  Of course
he did not want to go far just in case things got bad for her. `Why
should I care' he yelled at himself?  `After the way she treated me.
A lap dog. Does her bidding whenever  she calls?' Spike was calling
the shots now.  Yeah it's now all up to him. 
Spike was driving toward Las Vegas. He would get the slayer out of
his mind, or die trying, what better way then all night and all day
gambling and drinking!!

    Dawn walked in the Magic Box, Right after school like she
said she would.  "Hey Dawnie! How was school?" Dawn looked at Willow
    "You know.  It was school." She smiled and sat down. "So what
are we researching anyway?" She looked at Xander
    "Some frost monster thingy . . ."
    "That just does not exist in any of these books!" Anya opens
and closes a big book three times. " No matter how many times you
open and close them we still will find nothing, see!!" Anya
interrupted showing them all the book. 
    "You know Buff, again though I hate to say it, we should call
on Captain Peroxide. You know hit the streets get the dirt." Buffy
looked up obviously daydreaming about something.
    "Huh? What?" Xander was about to say something when dawn
interrupted.
    "Don't worry Buffy." She hissed at her sister, "Spike can't
help, he's not here."  Dawn slammed a book closed.
    "Of course he is not here Dawnie," Anya answered, "We have
not told him to come here. Buffy will just have to go get him." She
smiled at Buffy. Dawn huffed and  stormed off into the training
room. "Did I say something wrong?" She looked to Xander. He shook his
head no. Then looked to Buffy.
    "What's up Buff?" She looked as confused as the rest of the
Scoobies.
    "I'm not sure. She has been this way since last night." She
looked over at Willow. Who obviously was concerned about Dawn. "Hey
Will? Do ya think this has anything to do with Spike coming over last
night?"
    "Wha- woh- back up their Buffster and big time, Spike came
over your place last night? Anyone else wanna know why?" Anya raised
her hand.
            "I was out on patrol, and I have no idea what he could
have wanted. He talked to Dawn. Will, you wanna get into the what ifs
and could have happened?" Buffy looked at her friend for some kind of
idea of what was going on.
    "Umm right, well there was a knock and I was in the little
girls room so I could not get it. I asked Dawn to see who it was. And
then I heard talking. The British talking," She looked at Xander and
Anya"  and you know we only know the two British peo-" Willow noticed
Buffy's your off the point face. Willow smiled
apologetically. "Sorry." She whispered, then continued.  "I figured
it had to be him. Then a few moments later I heard the door slam."
Willow looked around at all of them, "Now that you mentioned it she
did slam it pretty hard. Even for a Spike sees you later."
    "Oh." With that Buffy ran to the training room to find out
all Spike has told her little sister. She walked in the room and
found Dawn sitting on the mats. "Hey Dawn. Wanna fill me in with you
being all bad moody and" Buffy stopped talking mid-sentence Dawn was
crying. "Oh Dawnie," She went and sat next to her on the mat. "What
could Spike have possibly said or done to you, to make you this
upset?"
    Dawn pushed her sister away as best she could and stood
up. "Don't you mean what you did to Spike?" Dawn hissed at her
sister. Buffy felt like someone had just knocked the wind out of her.
    "Dawn what are you. . . ." She was stumbling around to find
what to say.  "What did he tell you Dawnie?" Buffy Stood up and
walked over to Dawn.
    "God Buffy. Why were you so mean to him? Why?" Dawn chocked
back some sobs.
    "Dawn, this is Spike we are talking about here, you know
Vampire. . . . " Dawn cut Buffy off, mid sentence.
    "Yes I know a killer . . . a monster. . . . a soulless evil
thing. How many more times do you need to tell us Buffy? How many
more times are you going to tell yourself that?  Why do you need to
convince yourself? Just for once take something at face value!  He
has changed!" Buffy looked at her sister in a stunned silence.
    "Dawn, I don't expect you to understand. Vampires  don't
change. They can't." Buffy reached out to Dawn and Dawn slapped her
hand away.  Buffy felt the rejection and suddenly she felt that she
was the evil one.
    "Why not, cause you say so? Cause  if Buffy says it, it will
be done! You may be the slayer, but you are not god. You cannot make
those kinds of decision! You seem so stunned, I care about him so
much, but I do. He was there for me when you died to protect me till
the end. Even before you went away, when you were still treating him
so badly. He would have died for me and almost did! He would have
died for you! He still would, for both of us and even for any of
them!" Dawn yelled and threw her hand toward the door which was now
surrounded but the remaining Scoobies. "Why would  he do any of this
Buffy? Let me guess, because he is an evil soulless vampire who cares
about nothing but himself." Dawn paused and looked at her sister. "
He did it for you Buffy, Because he loves you!! He promised you. And
this is the thanks you give him!"  Dawn looked up at her sister. "I
feel sorry for you Buffy." Buffy looked like Dawn slapped in the
face.
    "Why would you need to feel sorry for me?" She whispered.
Dawn took a step away from her sister.
    "Because now you will never know." Dawn felt a sob escape
her. "He's gone Buffy.  He finally did what you asked. He left. He
left and who knows if he is ever coming back!" Buffy slumped down to
the mats.  Dawn straitened herself and inhaled a deep breath, "He
left you Buffy, and he left me too, and it is all your fault!" With
that said Dawn ran past her sister, and threw the crowd that was
watching threw the door and out of the Magic Box.
    A few minutes past maybe a few hours, who knew how long Buffy
was sitting on the Mats. Yes she always told Spike to get out of her
life, but he never listened he was always there.  Was he really
gone? 
    "Buffy?" Buffy turned her head and saw Willow kneeling down
next to her.  "Are you ok?"  Buffy stood up.
    "Did you know he was leaving Will? Xand? Anya?"
    "No." They all said at once.
    "Oh."  Buffy walked back into the shop. "Yeah, I am fine. I
think I am going to get some air. I'll be back in a bit." She did not
wait for an answer. She picked up her coat and walked out the door.
As soon as the door to the Magic box closed. Buffy took off running.
A few minutes later she found herself outside of Spike Crypt. She
threw the doors open as she did so many times before. Only to find it
almost completely empty now. She climbed downstairs to see also not
much was left.  A few articles of clothing. Some papers were thrown
all over the room. But Spike was gone.  Buffy heard movement
upstairs. He heart skipped a beat as she quickly climbed up the
ladder to see what was making all the noise. She found Willow and
Xander standing there. "What are you guys doing here?"
    "Will and I wanted to see for ourselves if Spike really up
and left." Willow took a step closer to Buffy.
    "All this time Willow, I told him to leave, to get out of my
life. And not once did I ever think he would actually go." She sat
down in the arm chair. "I should be happy that he is gone."
    "Well we all should," Xander chirped in, "We should all be
thinking about the Spike be finally gone party we are all going to
attend! I'll bring the-" Willow elbowed Xander in the gut. "Can I
just say OUCH Will?!"
    "Xander I think that maybe we should leave Buffy alone for a
minute."  Buffy looked up at Willow, then around the crypt.
    "No it's all right Will. I think I should go find Dawn." She
walked past them and hesitated at the door. She bent down and picked
up a piece of paper and turned it over to reveal a picture of her
mom, Dawn and herself. She sighed and stuffed it into her pocket
before Xander or Willow had any chance of seeing it. Buffy walked out
into the night.
    "Will, what's going on?" Willow put her arm threw Xander's
and started pulling him toward the door.
    "I know your going to hate me saying this. But Spike up and
leaving, has made one slayer very gloomy and very unhappy." She
sighed as they both walked back to the Magic shop.
    "You're right. I hated you saying that. And I hate myself for
saying you are in the right."

    Buffy knew Dawn would go right home. After everything that
happened with Willow she was always at home when the sun started to
set, so Buffy took her time getting there. She stood outside of the
door hesitant to walk in. She could see the glow of the TV in the
livingroom through the window, knowing that she was going to have to
face the storm sooner or later.  She walked in. She put her keys down
and walked over to the sofa to find a sleeping Dawn. She sat down
next to her. Brushing her hair behind her ear, Buffy took notice to
what Dawn was watching.
    `Moulin Rouge.' She thought. ` Must have gone to the video
store before she came home? Like she knew that I would not be coming
strait home. How can Dawn know me so well?'  She turned the volume up
and began to watch.
"Satine:
I follow the night
Can't stand the light
When will I begin
To live again?
One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
What more could your love do for me?
When will love be through with me?
Why live life from dream to dream?
And dread the day when dreaming ends . . ."
Buffy had not noticed the tears that were running down her face. Nor
had she noticed that Dawn had woken up. She looked down at Dawn. The
song in the movie was just finishing.
"One day I'll fly away
Fly, fly
Away"
    "I'm sorry." Buffy knew that was not going to make things
right but she felt that she needed to say it. Dawn put her arms
around Buffy and gave her a hug. She was not fully forgiving her but
she could see that she was needed. They both fell asleep. Promising
each other they would watch the rest of the movie the next day.


    Spike growled as the bell boy held out his hand for a tip.
Normally he would have ripped his hand right off. Instead he found
himself giving him a five. "Damn Slayer." He grumbled. The boy looked
confused but thanked him and saw his way out. Spike had taken a
highroller room. It was huge and the curtains were thick so the sun
would stay out. It would not matter. He would not be in the room all
that long. Just to sleep and eat.  He would spend most of his time in
the casino drinking and gambling. He had nothing to worry about
there. Windows were all covered up. Something about not letting the
gamblers know the time so they would wind up staying longer. Well
hell, it was better for him that way. Now he was famished and wanted
something to eat. He had stopped on his way out of Sunnydale and
picked up enough blood to last him maybe two weeks. By then he would
be able to scare some Butcher to save the pigs blood for him.  He
took the blood out of the cooler he had and pilled it into the
fridge.  He ripped into one container and drained it in five seconds.
The 2nd container he then put into a mug and walked over to the sofa.
He lit a cigarette. And turned on the Telly. Some Bloody musical was
on. He flipped to the next station, same thing. He flipped through
all the channels till the numbers began to repeat themselves.  "For
crying out, bloody hell!! What next! Apocalypse! Can't I catch
bloody  break?!"
    Spike sat back down and took a drag from his cigarette. "Well
it's something to do while I'm eating." He picked up the remote and
turned the volume up. "Well hello there . . . look at that skirt!" He
was starting to think that this movie was not a bad idea. Women in
tight outfits throwing there skirts in the air. Not bad. He finished
his blood and went back to the fridge and brought out a bottle of
tequila. He jumped over the back of the couch and got comfortable. He
took a long drag off his cigarette and took a gulp from the bottle. 
He closed his eyes for a moment and listened to the music from the
movie.
"Satine:
If I should die this very moment
I wouldn't fear
for I've never know completeness like being here
wrapped in the warmth of you
loving every breath of you
why live life from dream to dream . . ."
    Spike eyes snapped open and he jumped off the couch! "Bloody
hell!!" He screamed and threw the bottle of Tequila at the wall. Damn
slayer! In his every thought, haunting him. Even in the movie he was
watching. It was all hitting to close to his heart. He grabbed the
key to the room and his duster and slammed the door as he walked out
into the night.


    "That was fun!" The female Oracle sighed.
    "You should not be doing that." The Male Oracle stated.
    "I know. But I was getting board. I had to do something to
make them see. What they should already have seen." She responded
    "We cannot help what is about to happen. They will have to
come together on their own." He walked over and looked into the pool
of water and saw the Blonde vampire slam the door.

 

DISCLAIMER: ALL ARE JOSS'S I own none of these characters.
Spoilers: Up to Wrecked
Feed back: Please! My first fiction. Brookejaffe@hotmail.com
Summery: Spike is fed up with the way Buffy is treating her and
leaves town. Buffy needs  to realize what she lost now that it's
gone. Don't worry it will have a happy ending . . . :)
Title: The long Road.   2/?
Rating: PG-R       
                              Part Two
    "Angel.  Where do you want me to?. . . . " Cordelia screamed
and grabbed her head in pain. Angel caught her right before she hit
the floor.  Wesley, Fred and Gunn were by her side seconds later.
Between the pain she was trying to tell Angel what she had seen.
    "Cor., can you tell me what you are seeing? Cordelia?" She
was trying to get a breath together.
    "Spi . . . .Spike . . . it's Spike." Another wave of a vision
came and she grabbed her head again. "Spike and, and demons and
Buffy, something else really, really bad but not sure what!"  Angel
stood up. And started pacing around the room.
    "I knew it! I knew one day he would do something to Buffy! We
have to warn her. Gunn go gather some weapons together. We're going
to Sunnydale."  Cordelia got up and sat on the sofa piecing together
the vision. Angel came out of his office with his jacket. "You all
should get ready this is something that we cannot sit on."
    "Angel." Cordelia said. He did not answer. "Angel!" She
shouted
    "What?" He ran over to her. "Another vision?"
    "No. No. Listen to me. We can't go to Sunnydale. We have to
go to Las Vegas. That's where Spike is."
    "Buffy is in Las Vegas?  Why would she be in. . ."
    "No, No what part of listen to me are you not grasping here?
We have to go to Las Vegas and get Spike. He is in trouble. Or will
be soon."  Just then Lorne walks down the stairs.
    "Are we going on a road trip? Because let me tell you that is
just what we need." He looked at everyone. "What? Like you were not
all thinking the same thing." Angel rolled his eyes.
    "Why would the powers send you a vision to help Spike? Are
you sure it was Spike?"
    "Well-let me think . . .  I guess it could have been the
other blonde vampire who terrorized us all back in Sunnydale! Angel I
think I know Spike when I see him! It was him." She stood up and
walked over to her desk and picked up her bottle of water.
    "Well forget it. You said Buffy was in trouble. So I say we
go to her and wait for the badness to come to us." Angel began pacing
around the room again.
    "Spike huh?" Gunn walked back into the room. "And who is this
Spike guy?"
    "Family." Angel answered
    "Oh." Was all Gunn replied.
    "We can't do that Angel." Cordelia walked over to him and
rested her hand on his arm. He stopped pacing and turned to look at
her.  "Spike is the only one who will be able to save her. I cannot
explain why, but I know, that this is the only way. He is the only
way to save Buffy." Angel sighed and covered Cordelia hand with his
own.
    "Then I guess it is off to Las Vegas."  She smiled up at him,
trying to give him some comfort but he just let her hand go and
walked into the office.
    "I- I thought that he would be happy to go see Fluffy?" Fred
said in a voice that was almost a whisper
    "Fred. Her name is Buffy." Wes answered, "but to him being
happy, that is a very complicated assumption. One the one hand, yes
he will be happy to see her, Angel loves her,  but on the other hand
he will have to face all those feeling that he has for her and
continue to not act upon them because the consequences would be
dire." Fred look over to Cordelia.
    "Fred, what Wes is trying to say, in his oh so British
charm," Wes coughs, and Cordelia rolled her eyes at him. "Angel will
always love Buffy but to act on that love would mean he could lose
his soul again and that would be bad." Cordelia looked over to Wes. "
And I think that he is a bit not happy having to help Spike, and even
more not happy with Spike being the only one who can save Buffy." Wes
Sighed
    "You know, I think you are right."  Wes looked around at
everyone. "Well I guess we should get our selves together and get on
our way. Do we have any idea what time we have?" Cordelia was about
to answer when Angel came out of his office.
    "None. We have a plane to catch, when it gets dark we leave
and that gives us oh about an hour. Lets get moving, five minutes to
get stuff together. Lets go."

    Spike was sitting at the blackjack table. He was winning big
but had not noticed. He was still thinking about Buffy. Each minute
that passed he found himself missing her more. He had only been gone
a few days but he longed to go back. Even if it was to get beat down.
    "Sir?" A female voice came from behind spike. He ignored
her. "Sir?" She said again sounding a bit more determined. "Sir." She
said again tapping him on the shoulder. Spike quickly turned around.
    "What?!" He growled at the woman. She cried out and
instinctively took a step back.
    "Your drink." She regained her composer and was now able to
put the drink in front of him. He was still looking at the girl.  He
felt something, something in his stomach, could it be guilt for
scaring her.
    "Sorry." He mumbled and threw a fifty-dollar chip on her
tray. She looked down at the tip.
    "Sir, I think you made a mistake. This is fifty dollars." She
whispered to him. He looked at her and quickly turned back to the
table.
    "I don't make mistakes." He barley heard her say thank you as
she ran off. He looked at the dealer. "Im such a poof. Hit me."
    "You made her night." The dealer stated.
    "Like I said, bloody poof." The dealer smiled and continued
to deal out the cards. After a few more hands', Spike decided he was
going to call it a night.
    "Well mate, I'm cashing in and calling it a night." Spike
stood up and stretched. He lit a cigarette and waited for the dealer
to give him his chips back.
    "Here you are sir, $3,500." Not even reacting to the amount
of money he had won. Spike picked up his chips, threw a fifty-dollar
chip onto the table and walked away. He started walking toward the
elevators when he heard the loud crash and screams that were coming
from the lobby. He ran to the lobby and if he were still breathing he
would have stopped. In the lobby a demon stood twice the size of
Spike. He was roaring and throwing tables and chairs around the
room.  The demon turned and looks right at Spike.
    "You." It said and pointed to him.
    "Bloody hell." Spike was scared for the first time in a
long. . . . well ever. This thing was huge. There was no way he was
going to be able to take the demon alone.   The demon walked over to
spike and wrapped his hand around Spikes' neck, lifting him up off
the ground. Spike struggled to break free.
    "You. You must die." He threw Spike across the room and into
a wall. In two steps the demon was standing over him. The impact on
the wall had broken many if not all of his ribs. Spike had no fight
in him at all now. He closed his eyes and waited for the end. The
demon let out a roar which made Spike flinch. Then a loud thud, Spike
opened one eye then the other. The body of the demon was now laying
on the ground. Spike stood up and dusted himself off. He was hurting,
it would be a few days before he was all healed from that fight. He
fumbled around his duster looking for his pack of smokes.  He
searched the area where he was thrown.
    "Looking for these?" Spike froze and slowly turned around to
see Angel holding out his pack of cigarettes.
    "Bloody hell." Spike grabbed the pack from Angels hand. "Now
poof, before you start in on me about all this," Spike threw his hand
around the lobby pointing to all the destruction. "I had nothing to
do with it. I was just a innocent . . ." Angel held his hand up in a
stopping gesture and Spike closed his mouth.
    "We know."  Spike peered around Angel to see four people and
a green demon. Cordelia walked over to Spike and Angel.  Angel was
trying to think of what to tell Spike when Cordelia interrupted.
    "I had a vision about you being attacked by that demon thing,
which by the way is melting, and so here we are to save the da- well
night. So Spike, how's it been?"
    "Fascinating." Was Wes's reaction as he continued to study
the demon.  He looked up at everyone. He was getting disturbing looks
from all. "The melting of course. Something not natural."
    "What do you mean?" Fred asked now very interested in what
was happening to the demon. She walked over to him and bent down.
    "Fred, I would not get to close to that." Angel warned her
and she pulled herself away quickly.   
    "The blow that Angel dealt him with that sword was strong
enough to stun him and keep him down long enough so we could finish
him off but not kill him." Gunn answered
    "We should take a sample of this with us." Wes reached into a
bag a took out a jar. He looked up at the group. "Never leave home
without one of these!" He smirked at his  joke but no one else had
found him at all humorous.  Fred walked over to Cordelia who was
standing next to Angel.
    "I thought he said they were family? They look nothing
alike." Spike snorted a laugh and Fred looked up at him. "Hi. I'm
Fred." She held out her hand toward Spike. Spike took her hand in his
and with a sheepish grin bowed and  kissed it. Fred giggled and Angel
tore her out of Spikes grip nearly knocking Cordelia and Fred down.
Which made Spike laugh even harder.  Lorne walked over to Angel.
    "So this is what you call a vacation?  And let me tell you,"
He looks at Spike, "You sure do know how to attract them!" He pointed
to the melted demon and laughed.
    "Well as much as I would love to sit here and play lets catch
up, I really have more important things to do. Like sleep. So thanks
for the assist and sod off."   
    "As much as we want to leave and forget all about you, we
can't." Spike turned around to face Angel.  "Well not sure if you are
going to want to even be a part of this, because it has something to
do with Buffy." As soon as her name escaped Angels lips. Spike was in
his face. Ignoring the pain in his ribs, he threw Angel up against
the wall.
    "What about Buffy!?" Angel just looked at him, like he was
seeing him for the first time. Gunn and Wes were now standing next to
Spike. Gunn held a crossbow aimed Spikes heart.
    "Well poof? What about Buffy?" Angel knew right away that
there was something different about Spike.
    "Well if you put me down, I will tell you." Spike dropped
Angel and starting pacing.  Cordelia went over to Angel and helped
him to his feet.
    "I'll handle this, ok?" Without an answer Cordelia walked
over to Spike. He stopped pacing and looked right into her eyes. She
looked at him for a moment. "Something is coming, like always, to the
hell-mouth and it is going to kill Buffy, again if we and with your
help, don't stop it." He looked at her and exhaled a breath he had no
need to hold.
    "Why me? Why not Angel and your team of ace detectives?"
Cordelia looked into his eyes reading his expression.
    "Because, the visions said, it had to be you." She
paused, "and, well because you love her." Spike eyes shot up at her.
    "What?" Was all that would come out of Angels mouth.
    "How did you know?" Spike asked her and sat down into a chair.
    "I don't have to be the host to read you Spike. It's there,"
She said pointing to his eyes. "You would have to be blind not to see
it." Angel just looked to Lorne and without even having to ask he
walked over and sat down next to Spike.
    "I am the host! But my friends call me, well a lot of things
but mostly Lorne." Spike looked at him.
    "Lorne here can read your soul. . . .Which you don't have so
how can you . . ." Cordelia stopped talking and looked at
Spike, "Sorry."
    "Yeah it's fine." He tried to give her a smile but now he was
really worried now about Buffy.
    "Well he has to have something in there. Ok now sing." Spike
looked at him like he was crazy.
    "Sing?"
    "I can only see what's inside," He said tapping on Spikes
head, "If you sing. So what will it be?" The only thing that was
coming to Spikes head was the song from the movie on TV he had
watched earlier.
    "You're sure that this is the only way?" The host nodded and
Spike closed his eyes. "Bloody Hell."  He started to sing.

"If I should die this very moment
I wouldn't fear
for I've never known completeness like being here
wrapped in the warmth of you
loving every breath of you
Why live life from dream to dream?"

    Spike stopped singing and looked at Lorne. Angel came over to
them and looked down at  them both. Lorne stood up and looked at
Angel.  "Well for one thing, he definitely loves her. I mean wow,
that is some strong emotion you have in there. And a chip? Wow.  You
have really been through the ringer." Angel just looked at Spike in a
stunned silence.
    "Well, I don't know about you guys but maybe we should be
going to find Fluffy?" Fred looked at everyone.
    "Buffy." Everyone answered
    "Oh sorry." Fred stuttered
    "She's right. Lets go. And Spike you will fill us in on
everything that has happened on the way." Spike nodded and everyone
began to file out of the building. Back to Sunny-hell already. Spike
was not sure if he was more nervous going back to fight the big bad,
or the disappointment of Buffy's face when she sees him.

    Buffy walked in the house from patrolling. It was late but
she was not tired. On nights when there was no evil a foot she would
always go and have it out with Spike, but there was no Spike. She
sighed and walked into the kitchen, grabbed a bag of chips and sat at
the counter.
    "Buffy?" Dawns voice came from upstairs. "Buffy, is that you?"
    "Yeah Dawnie, I'm home." You heard Dawns feet shuffle down
the stairs and into the kitchen. "What are you doing up so late?"
    "I could ask you the same question." She teased
    "Well I have a good excuse! Major slayege!" Buffy got up and
made a gun with her hand and crept around the kitchen.
    "Way OO7 Buffy." Dawn mocked her sister.
    "What's your excuse again? Oh right don't have one!"
    "Do too. I just don't want to share it with you!!" Dawn
grabbed the bag of chips and ran out of the room.
    "Hey! Those are mine!" She followed Dawn into the living room
where she tickled the chips out of Dawns grasp and shoved as many as
she could into her mouth. "See! Mine!" She muffled. Buffy got up and
walked back into the kitchen. She loved the way that Dawn was able to
make her feel better.  "Really Dawn it is way late and you should get
to sleep."
    "You mean way early. It's like almost 4am, but I'm going."
Dawn started to walk up the stairs. "You coming Buff?"
    Buffy reached the bottom of the steps. "Right behind you!"
Before she could put her foot on the first step there was a knock on
the door. Dawn paused at the top of the stairs. Buffy turned and
walked over and opened the door.
    "Slayer." He looked into her eyes, wishing and wanting so
much to take her into his arms.
    "Spike?" Suddenly she found herself in his arms crying.  He
was stunned that she came into his arms willingly. Dawn heard Buffy
say Spikes name and quickly ran down the stairs. She stopped at the
bottom.
    "Hey nibblet, miss me?" Buffy stepped to the side of Spike
just in time to see Dawn throw herself into Spikes arms. She squealed
    "I knew you would come back! I knew it."  Buffy was so happy
that Spike was back, happy that Dawn was happy again. She wiped a
tear from her eye and noticed the people standing a few feet away.
Spike saw her notice.
    "Angel?" 
      

TBC




                    Part Three
    "Angel?" Buffy had to blink a few times just to believe what
she was seeing. "What are you doing here?" Angel just looked at her,
his eyes were filled with pain from the display of affection that he
just witnessed her make toward Spike. Angel turned his back on Buffy
and walked back to the car. Buffy looked at the people who were all
still standing around looking at her. She noticed Cordelia looking
back at Angel. She looked over at Spike. Dawn was still clinging onto
his hand. Afraid if she let go he would disappear. "Maybe everyone
should come inside?" Buffy said and walked back in. Spike looked
after her and wanted just to be able to explain what was going on,
but he was still a bit confused about the whole Cordelia, visions
concept.
    "Thank god, but this whole awkward silence thing was really
bringing me down." Lorne said and he walked by Spike and Dawn. "Hello
sunshine." He said to Dawn as he entered the house. She jumped toward
Spike.
    "What is that?" She whispered to Spike. He looked down at her
and laughed.
    "That, is Lorne. Don't worry bit, he's a good guy." Spike
felt Dawn grip on his hand loosen.  He pushed her through the door
and followed her into the living room.  Buffy was just standing their
staring at Lorne when Dawn walked over to her.
    "Don't worry Buff. He's a good guy!" She smiled and sat down
on the couch.
    "Dawn. Bed. Now." Buffy pointed toward the stairs.
    "That's not fair!" She protested and got up and walked over
to Spike for some support.
    "You better go to sleep. Don't worry bit we'll see you
later." He looked over at Buffy who gave him a dirty look. He sighed
and Dawn huffed as she ran up the stairs. Spike walked over to Buffy.
He reached up to her and pushed the hair behind her ear. She jerked
her head away and walked over to Cordelia.
    "Hey, you mind telling me why we are having this reunion?"
Cordelia looked at Buffy.
    "Lets just wait for Angel to come in and I will explain
everything. Know what, I will just go see what is taking him so
long." Buffy sighed and sat down on the couch in between Fred and
Lorne. She looked over at Fred who was sitting very still and ringing
her hands in her lap.
    "Hi." Fred looked over at Buffy and smiled a bright smile and
pushed her glasses up further on the bridge of her nose.
    "H- Hi. I'm Fred. It's so nice to meet you Flu-"
    "Buffy." Lorne corrected Fred before she was able to make the
same mistake with Buffy's name, again.
    "Buffy, right sorry. I keep doing that. All day long I have
been messing up your name, I mean I was just so nervous, finally
getting to meet you after hearing so much about you. God I'm just
rambling now.  I always do that, ramble, ramble, ramble. Right, maybe
I should just be quiet." She looked down at her hands that were still
in her lap.
    "No big, really, much better to hear someone talk to me then
having all these people ignore me." Fred gave her a huge smile. Buffy
shrugged and glanced over to her other side where Lorne was sitting
and staring at her.  She was feeling a bit uncomfortable, his red
eyes looked like they could read her thoughts.
    "I just cannot wait to hear you sing!" He said with a lot of
enthusiasm. Buffy gave him a look like he was crazy. Spike laughed.
She glared at Spike and looked back over to the green man that was
sitting next to her. "I'm thinking Donna Summers or maybe even
Madonna." He starts to whistle the tune to material girl.  Buffy did
not know how to react. A good thing that Cordelia and Gunn walked
into the living room right then, this gave Buffy a reason to get up.
    "Where is Angel?" She asked Cordelia looking behind her.
    "I'm still outside. Would anyone mind inviting me in? Seeing
that some time not to long ago, I somehow got uninvited." He snapped.
Buffy rushed into the foyer where she saw Angel leaning up against
the door frame.
    "Oh god Angel I'm so sorry. It is just that Willow and Tara
did the spell and I guess they shut everything out." She was trying
to make eye contact with him but he was avoiding hers.
    "Not Spike." He mumbled, "Well?" He asked her, obviously more
upset now then angry.
    "Yes, yes Angel please come in." He came in and walked right
past her and sat himself in the spot where Buffy had just been
sitting.
    "All right. Well this is what happened . . ." Cordelia
started from the beginning. Maybe fifteen minutes later she was
almost done telling the tale.  "And then well Spike sang. . . ."
    "A beauty from Moulin Rouge, I might add." Lorne chimed in.
Buffy's eyes shot to where Spike was standing. If that, were not some
coincidences.
    "It was the only song that came to mind." Everyone just
stared at him. " It was the only Bloody movie that was showing and on
every channel at the hotel it's not like I had a choice." Buffy
ignored his comment and looked at Cordelia.
    "So what your telling me is there is another big bad coming
my way, The powers sent you a vison. You are all here to help and
Spike is the main player. Anything I'm missing?"
    "Nope that pretty much sums it up."  Cordelia said.
    "Nice, right to the point!" Gunn said.  They could hear
movement of feet upstairs and then someone walking down the stairs.
All eyes were fixed on the doorway.
    "Hey Buff. What is going on down-" Willow froze in the
doorway. She was wearing blue pajamas with little clouds all over
them and on her feet were cute bunny slippers. "Did I miss something?"
    "Nice to know that some things here in Sunnydale have not
changed." Cordelia remarked. Willow glared at her.
    "Hey Will. I will fill you in with the juice after everyone
leaves." She turned her attention back to the others that were in the
room. "All right then. I say we all get a few hours' sleep and the
ones who can venture out into the sun will meet up at the Magic box,
and oh say about two O'clock this afternoon? Great that's settled.
You all have a place to stay. I would offer but we had a full house
before you all got here."
    "No thanks though, we are staying at the Sunnydale Inn, if
you need us."  Cordelia added. Angel was already on his feet. Buffy
could not understand why he was acting this way.
    "We better get going." He walked out followed by Cordelia and
the rest of their gang. Spike walked passed Buffy and she reached out
her arm and stopped him from leaving.
    "We need to talk." Was all Buffy said and she followed the
others out. They were piling into the two cars they had rented. Buffy
looked at Angel. He quickly looked away.
    "Just give him time." Buffy looked over at who had talked to
her. "He will come around." The green demon climbed into the car. 
Buffy watched as they turned the corner and vanished out of site.
Buffy stood there for a while going over the strange events that had
occurred just moments ago.  She walked back inside. Willow was
sitting in the kitchen shoving some food into her mouth.
    "I'll be right their Will!" Willow looked over to Buffy and
smiled, she nodded because if she tried to talk she would have lost
half of the whole donut she had just shoved into her mouth.  Buffy
walked back into the living room. Spike was standing over near the
wall. He turned to face her when he saw her coming over to him. She
stopped just inches away from his face and stared into his
eyes. "Spike. Do you have any idea what your leaving did?" He raised
his eyebrow in question.    
    "Did you miss me Slayer?" He leaned closer so now their
foreheads were barley touching.
    "I was talking about Dawn." She whispered. Spike quickly drew
himself away from her. It was like she had just slapped him in the
face.  She turned and walked into the middle of the room. She could
not take the hurt look on his face so she stayed with her back to
him. Spike walked up behind her and placed his hands on her
shoulders. The touch of his hands on her body made her almost melt
away into his arms. "Why did you come back Spike?"
    "Well I'm the main player in Cordelia's vison. It's not like
I really had much say in the matter." Buffy cringed at his words and
pulled away from his touch.
    "So. It's all about the big bad fighting the big fight. I get
it." Buffy turned and looked at him, tears were beginning to well up
behind her eyes.
    "You know there is more to it then that, luv."  Spike walked
over to her and cupped her face between his hands. He looked down
into her eyes. "You never answered my question pet, did you miss
me?"  Buffy stared into his ocean blue eyes. She was still not ready
to admit to herself that she missed him or needed him. She took a
step back and out of his reach. She walked past him and put her hand
up against the wall.
    "What do you want me to say Spike?" She turned around and
walked over to him. "This," she pointed to him and then to
herself, "This could never happen. It's not right. What I am feeling
is. . .  I don't even know what I'm feeling, but I know that its not
right."  She went over to the sofa and sat down with her back to him.
    "I don't get you Slayer! One minute you throw yourself into
my arms crying, then the next minute you realize that Angel is
standing at your door.. Now you're shutting me out, again. So the
poof is here. What does that have to do with-?"  Spike stopped
talking and lowered his head, he should have known, remembered. He
inhaled a deep breath that he had no use for and stood up
strait. "Oh. I see. No need for the convenient now that the one and
only is back in town." He turned to leave. Buffy bolted out of her
seat like it was on fire.
    "This has nothing to do with Angel." She cried out
    "This has everything to do with him." He slammed the door
leaving Buffy standing in the middle of the room, alone. Willow
slowly peaked her head into the room, her mouth hanging open.
    "Buff?" Buffy looked over at Willow. Then she crumbled to the
floor in a heap of sobs. Willow ran over to her best friend and took
her into her arms.
    "What am I going to do Will? I want to love him so much, but
I don't think I can." She sat there in Willows arms crying. Neither
one of them saw Lorne walk into the room with Dawn behind him.
    I think I can help you sort out some of those emotions."
Willow and Buffy both looked up at him.  Buffy just buried her face
into Willows shoulder and cried even harder.

TBC
           
 

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