By Ripe Wicked Plum

"Why can't I see him?" Dawn demanded angrily as she stood in the courtyard of Giles' house, and the Watcher rubbed his eyes wearily, "You remember the reaction the others had to your...presence, Dawn..."

"Yeah, when they saw freakish old me," She said bitterly, trying to peer around his shoulder, then sighed, "How is he, Giles? Is he...?"

"Dawn, he's...not injured, but...his mind, it's gone," Giles shook his head, "He's...not the same Spike you knew..."

Spike grinned as he guzzled his blood, demon face at the forefront, and Buffy smiled wanly back at him before wiping his mouth for him, "You're messy," She said with a small grimace, sighing when she saw he had stained another one of Giles' t-shirts that the Watcher had lent him. "That does it, you're feeding naked."

Xander was staring at him almost nervously, and Spike glanced towards him, still grinning, "Buffy...tell him to stop that, it's really creeping me out with the thousand mile stare..."

"Shut up, Xander!" Buffy snapped at him, and Anya glared at her boyfriend, "Jeez, and they say I have no tact!"

"More?" Spike asked hopefully, but Buffy shook her head, "You've had two bags already, Spike...you're going to get fat."

Spike looked puzzled by this, and tried to determine how he'd look fat as he held his t-shirt out to the front.

Buffy smiled, touching his cheek briefly, and he looked up at her, "Where Dawn?"

"She can't come right now, Spike," Buffy told him for the millionith time, and he frowned as he stood up and wandered into the living room, mumbling beneath his breath, "Gotta watch the nibblet...counting on me...miss mum Joyce..."

Buffy closed her eyes tiredly as she listened to his mumblings, and Willow touched her shoulder reassuringly, "Buffy...are you all right?"

"No, Wills...I'm not all right," She opened her eyes as Spike walked back into the kitchen again and started to rummage in the drawers for something, still talking to himself softly. "Spike, what are you doing?"

"Mum Joyce always had it..." He frowned, looking slightly frustrated, "Mum Joyce..."

"Do you want some cocoa, Spike?" Buffy asked, and he nodded eagerly, and she smiled at him, "All right, Spike...sit down and I'll make some."

"Mum Joyce?" Xander questioned, and Buffy sighed, shaking her head, "Forget it...it's one of his little things..." She turned her back on her friends as she went to the fridge to get the milk.

Giles returned, nodding at Anya and Xander, "Da..." Giles glanced at Spike, then sighed, "D. A. W. N. is ready to go," He said, having to spell out her name in front of the vampire, lest he tried to go to her.

"Our house went boom!" Spike waved his hands in the air, still grinning, "Pretty lights..."

"All right, Dru-Jr," Xander started to say, and everyone in the room sent him a scathing look, except for Spike, who turned his attention to watching Buffy make his cocoa, "Marthmallows!" He reminded her, and she looked at him, "Sure, Spike, I never forget the marshmallows..."

"Monkey brains, Dawny said they were monkey brains..."

Anya grabbed Xander by the scruff of his neck and pulled him into the living room, "Goddamn you, Xander, you're embarressing me!" She hissed at him, and Xander blinked in surprise, "What? What did I do?"

She rolled her eyes in annoyance and shoved him towards the door, "Just shut up around Dawn, you moron."

Spike waved bye as they went out the door, then looked at Giles, and the two witches remaining behind as Buffy sat the marshmallows and cocoa in front of him, "Try not to make a mess, all right?" Buffy told him, and he nodded, "No mess, or Buffy won't sleep with Spike no more..."

Buffy blushed slightly, glad that the three people remaining knew her secret. Willow had caught her and Spike sharing a bed and had put two and two together. "Just drink up, Spike...and don't eat all the marshmallows...I don't need a hyper vampire on my hands."

Spike nodded again, turning to drop a generous handful of marshmallows in his cup as Buffy and the others went into the living room.

"Anything?" She asked hopefully, but Willow and Tara shook their heads, "Buffy, it's sort of like your mother's tumour...there's no cure, really, for something natural like that..."

"Natural? Glory made him a raving lunatic! How's that fucking natural?!"

"Buffy, we looked...but there's no cure for...insanity..." Tara told her softly, and Buffy eyes dropped to the ground, "So...he's stuck like this..."

"Well," Willow glanced at Tara, "If...the insanity is caused by a...sort of spell, when the caster dies, the spell usually dies with them..."

"So, you're saying to cure Spike, I have to kill Glory?"

"No, we don't know that yet!" Willow insisted, "We don't know how she's does it, and unfortunatly, all the ones that do are lobotimized..."

"Buffy dead..."

Giles glanced towards Spike, who was talking to his cocoa, and frowned, stepping towards the kitchen as Buffy and the other two girls continued their discussion.

"Buffy dead...go boom...Glory mad cause Key dead..." Spike pushed around a few marshmallows on the counter, his fingertips white with the sugar from them, "Buffy go boom..."

"Buffy?" Giles glanced over his shoulder, gesturing for her to come to him.

Buffy frowned, and did so, pausing to listen to what Spike was babbling, "Key dead...go Boom...Buffy...my Buffy, my Slayer...boom..."

"Giles?"

"Spike?" Giles got the blond's attention, and he smiled at him, "Watcher nice..."

"Yes, well...does...Glory think Buffy's dead?"

Spike nodded, turning back to his marshmallows, "Buffy go boom..."

"And she thinks Dawn is dead too?"

"Nope...Dawn alive," Spike replied, proudly popping a marshmallow in his mouth and grinning around it, "Tell Glory Buffy Key...Buffy go boom...then...Spike empty..."

"Glory thinks I'm the Key?" Buffy repeated, and Spike nodded, "And that I'm dead?"

"Boom, Buffy go boom," His face fell, "Miss Buffy..."

"Spike, I'm right here, I didn't go anywhere..." She smiled at him reassuringly, "You did good, Spike...real good."

He beamed brightly, finishing off his cocoa, and giving her a hopeful look. She laughed softly, grabbing his mug to make him another. "Well, Giles," Buffy glanced over her shoulder, "What's one thing you don't worry about?"

"Dead people," Giles answered with a smile, "Except for vampires, of course..."

"And ghosts," Willow pointed out, patting Spike's hand with a small smile, and he grinned. He really liked the girls and Giles, but Xander still pissed him off. He was crazy, not dumb.

"So, Glory thinks I'm the Key, and that I'm dead...can life get any better?"

"Hopefully, she spontansouly combusted at the news," Tara replied, kissing Spike's cheek as she grabbed her schoolbag. Willow nodded, kissing Spike's other cheek, "I'm going on-line with the Cyber-coven tonight...I'll try to find some more out about Spike's condition, Buffy."

"Thanks, Will, Tara...I appreciate it..."

"Welcome," Willow grinned, hugging her friend briefly, "Bye, Spike," She said, waving at him and he waved back with a delighted smile as Buffy set more cocoa in front of him.

Ben ran a hand through his hair as he made his way down Revello Drive, trying desperately to think of a way to talk to Buffy. He hadn't seen her since that night he found out her mother died, and when he was in control of the body, he avoided her.

He paused, his eyes widening when he saw the blackened husk of a house, then fumbled with the piece of paper in his hand, looking at the numbers on the houses on either side of the burnt one, "Oh...God..." He breathed, his eyes widening, "Buffy..."

Jinx watched nervously as Ben raged. He was currently in Glory's closet, throwing the clothes in it out on to the ground, along with all of her shoes.

He considered trying to stop him, but with Glory inhabiting the vessel, there was nothing he could do to the boy short of violance, which wouldn't do much good in the first place. Considering Ben could beat his scabby demon ass easily. Maybe I should have taken Tae-Bo...

He winced as Ben poured lighter fluid over the pile and lit a match, "You like to burn shit, Glory? Well, so do I!" He snapped, as if she could hear him.

Oh...she's not going to like this, Jinx thought, grabbing a fire extinquisher as soon as Ben stalked out. She was already pissed off about losing her key and being stuck in the shared body for the rest of her days.

"You could have joined up with that nice Harvest God," Jinx muttered beneath his breath as he put out the fire, "But nooo! You had to go with the cute Hell Goddess...idiot!"

"I must be a curse to men," Buffy confessed to Giles, "I mean...come on! First Angel, then Riley...and now Spike!"

Giles raised an eyebrow in the vampire's direction, "You didn't do that to him."

"Yeah, well, because of Glory, he's nuts! I mean, look at him! He's putting crackers in his blood!"

"Actually, he had that disgusting habit before he lost his mind," Giles shook his head, sighing almost regretfully, remembering the arguments they used to have over the issue of Weetabix and blood. It was sad, but he was kinda wishing that the vampire would call him a sissy again.

Spike seemed to realize he was the object of discussion and looked up at them from his perch at the counter in Giles' kitchen, frowning slightly. He hoped he wasn't in trouble again. He didn't mean to drop his blood on the floor, but the cup was slippy.

Buffy saw his look, and smiled reassuringly at him before looking back at Giles, "I'm going to check on Dawn, then do a quick patrol, all right?"

Giles nodded, and she smiled at him, "Thanks, Giles...you've been great...I really appreciate it..."

"Psh," Giles shook his head, "Glad I could help," he told her sincerly, and she ducked her head almost in embaressement as she grabbed her slaying bag.

Spike looked at her pleadingly, "I come?"

"No, Spike. You stay here and keep Giles company," She smiled at her Watcher, "Forgive him, he's old."

"You better be refering to the vampire," Giles warned, but Buffy was already out the door, "Bye Giles!"

He shook his head, "I pity you," He said to Spike, then grimaced as Spike dipped a cracker in his blood, "And this is exceedingly disgusting," he sighed again as he went out into the living room.

Spike glanced in the direction Buffy had went as he finished off his blood and crackers, then looked towards Giles before slipping out the back.

All right, Xand-man...don't panic...this is Buffy...she's a good guy...oh fuck, she's going to kill me...

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S GONE?!"

Both Anya and Xander flinched, "I'm so sorry, Buff..." Xander started to say, but Anya interupted him, "We were only gone for three minutes in the bedroom!"

Xander blushed, "Uh, Ayn...I'm pretty sure it was more then three..."

"Okay, five...with the getting naked and dressed again..."

"Definitatly at least fifteen," Xander corrected.

Buffy didn't look amused by them, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes narrowed, "Whatever! Xander! How could you let her do this? God knows what's out there! Spi--" She hastily bit back her comment, shaking her head. Spike would never have lost her..."Fine...you and Anya, you search around here and move out in a circle...I'll check Giles' just in case Dawn wants to try and see Spike. If we don't find her, ten to one, she's in Spike's crypt, hiding out...now go!"

Anya looked slightly ashamed, "I'll call Willow and Tara to help, okay? I'm really sorry, Buffy..."

Buffy took a deep breath, "Sorry I snapped you guys...I know she's not really your responisbility..."

"S'kay, Buff," Xander gave her a gentle push towards the door, "We'll call up the troops, you get started."

"Ow! Buffy! I only wanted to go for a walk!" Dawn protested as Buffy started to drag her home by the arm, and her sister glared at her, "You know it's dangerous out here! What if Glory saw you? She'd kill you on principal alone!"

Dawn rolled her eyes, jerking her hand loose, "I'm sorry! But if Anya said copulation one more time, I was going to snap!"

Buffy shook her head, stifling a laugh, then sighed, "Fine...Spike will have to stay with them then..."

"Buffy! Spike and Xander can't stand each other!"

"Then what do you suggest?" Buffy turned on her, "Damn it, Dawn! You can't be around Spike like this! You know how upset you get people like him! Someone has to take care of him, and if you keep pulling this crap. It's too hard to take care of the both of you...if I don't figure something out, I'm going to have...to send him away."

"Where? The vampire asylum?" Dawn asked sarcastically, "I think someone would notice his lack of heartbeat."

"Dawn, you...what the hell is he doing?" Buffy and Dawn frowned as they watched Giles go into the graveyard, flashlight in hand.

"GILES!" The Watcher whirled, his eyes widening as they caught up to him, "Uh...Buffy...hello...having a nice evening?" He stammered, and her eyes narrowed, "Giles...who's with Spike?"

"Um..." He glanced away briefly, "Not...sure at this point in time..."

"YOU LOST HIM?!"

"He slipped out the back when I wasn't looking! I swear!"

Buffy groaned, shaking her head, "Great...just...great. Now I have to spend the rest of the night searching for him! He's even harder to find then Dawn!"

"Nibblet!" Spike burst out of the bushes and grabbed Dawn around the middle, spinning her around happily and the girl shrieked in surprise, her eyes widening.

"You were saying?" Giles raised an eyebrow, then frowned, "Wait a minute..."

Spike put Dawn back on her feet, and she staggered, her eyes crossing from dizziness. "I think I'm going to heave."

"You can see her?!"

Spike looked at Buffy in confusion, and she shook her head, looking towards Giles, "Explanations?"

"None...we don't know...the aspects of the Key yet..."

Spike suddenly tensed, his eyes narrowing as he growled, and they all looked at him, "What's wrong?"

He didn't answer her as he darted into the trees, and Buffy swore, about to follow just as someone came flying out. She ducked as the knight of Bryzantium crashed into the ground behind her, turning to look at him, her eyes widening. His throat was torn out.

"Giles! Take Dawn out of here!" Buffy yelled, grabbing the dead knight's sword from his scabbard, then dashed after Spike.

The vampire was currently latched onto the back of a knight, his fangs buried in the man's throat as he flailed his arms, trying to dislodge him by slamming back against a tree.

Another knight came up behind him, sword slicing down towards the vampire, and Buffy moved to intercept, their swords clashing together. "I really hate you guys!"

Spike dropped off the back of the knight, his mouth smeared with blood as he snarled, turning to the others. They exchanged a look, then attacked the vampire as one, knowing Buffy wouldn't kill a human, so he was the bigger of the threats.

Spike's eyes narrowed as he grinned, his amber eyes flashing as he met them. He gripped one by the throat and tore it out with his bare hands, then drove his other hand upwards into another's face, driving his nose upwards into his brain and killing him instantly.

"MINE!" He snarled, picking one up by his chain mail and flinging him at the one fighting with Buffy.

Buffy whirled towards him, taking on another one, watching as Spike fought, her eyes wide, oh God...his chip...

Spike leap-frogged over the back of a knight, snapping the neck of one as he landed, his foot shooting out to catch another one in the chest. "MINE! MY FAMILY!"

Buffy ducked a sword slice, her eyes narrowed as she swept-kicked her opponent to the ground, then punched him in the face, knocking him unconcious.

Spike finished off the last one by slamming him forward into a tree, and there was a sickening crack as his skull split open.

He looked towards the three still living and before Buffy could stop him, he snapped their necks with another snarl. He straightnened, turning towards her as she surveyed the carnage. Blood and gore was flecked across everything, and the vampire was covered head to toe in blood.

Her face had gone pale as she turned towards Spike, removing a stake from her sleeve, tears in her eyes. His chip was gone, which made him dangerous again.

He looked confused as his human face melted back into place and he stepped towards her, his head cocked, "Buffy?" He asked worriedly, then looked down as she pressed the stake against his chest. "You killed them, Spike..." She told him softly, "They were human and you killed them..."

His hand closed around her hand and the stake as he gently moved it away from his chest, his eyes soft in his face, "Protect Key," He told her, "Heard us..."

She paled even more, glancing at the knights. They had overheard Giles refering to Dawn as the Key. They wanted to kill her...

She looked up at Spike, swallowing heavily, "Your chip...Spike...why doesn't it work?"

He didn't answer her as he dropped his hand, "Mine," He told her fiercely, "They hurt what mine."

Buffy looked down at the stake in her hand, hesistating before slipping it back up her sleeve and catching his hand with hers, "Let's go, Spike...Giles and Dawn are probably worried sick."

"Dawn sick?" He asked in concern, and Buffy sighed, shaking her head.

Glory yawned widely, feeling refreshed and deliciously rested as she stretched her lithe body. She scowled when she looked down at her clothing, rolling her eyes, "Goddamn it! Ben, your clothes SUCK!"

She quickly stripped down and headed to her closet.

Jinx winced, and the other minions cringed when they heard Glory's scream of anguish at finding her torched wardrobe. "MY SHOES!!!"

"His chip isn't working? Do you think it wise to...keep him alive?" Giles asked Buffy worriedly as they stood outside the bathroom, listening as Spike splashed in the bathtub. Buffy looked up at him before glancing at the door, "He said...that they heard us talking about Dawn...and I hate to say it...but they needed to die. I can't let them take Dawn away from me."

"Buffy, you're a Slayer...you cannot simply allow..."

"What was I supposed to do, Giles?" She snapped at him, "Between Glory and these guys, it's a pain in the ass! If Spike hadn't been there, we never would have known that they were there...and they will kill us to kill Dawn. I won't let them hurt her!"

"Spike's a dangerous vampire, Buffy!" Giles said in exasperation, "You can't trust him now that the chip isn't working!"

"I had a stake pressed against his chest, and he didn't do a thing. Spike's survival instincts are stronger then that. He would have killed me if he wanted too."

Giles ran a hand over his eyes, "Buffy..."

"Forget it, Giles...I've lost too much to lose him too. The same goes for Dawn...this just officially became a war. And if I have to kill to protect my friends and family, I will do it!"

"Buffy?"

"Brush your teeth, Spike and put on your clothes," She called to him, "And for Gods sake, don't eat the toothpaste!"

Giles gave her a funny look, and she shrugged, "He likes the bubble gum flavor," She told him, "But I'm deadly serious, Giles. I need him. He can still fight, and he's strong enough to face Glory with me...and he has no qualms about killing to protect what's his. And he already claimed Dawn and I."

Giles shook his head as Spike came out in boxers and a gray tshirt, and Buffy glanced at him, "Open your mouth."

Spike shook his head, and she grabbed his jaw, prying his teeth apart, "I told you to stop eating the toothpaste!"

Spike pouted as he pulled away from her, "It tastes good."

"It's not good for you..." She frowned, "At least...I don't think it is...besides, Mom said if you ate toothpaste, you'd grow toothbrushes in your tummy."

Spike's eyes widened almost comically as he looked down at his stomach, "Toothbrushes...?"

"Good lord," Giles rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily, "You're going to have suprememly stupid children."

"Giles!" Buffy glared at him, but her face broke into a grin despite herself, "You're making fun of me, so that means I win?"

"I don't approve, but you do...have a point," He glanced at Spike, "Spike...would you hurt Buffy or Dawn?"

Spike shook his head emphatically, and Giles nodded, "Good...cause if you harm or kill any of her friends, you'll be hurting them. Got that?"

Spike nodded, looking towards Buffy, "Mine."

She smiled at him, touching his shoulder, "Time for bed, Spike."

"Not tired."

"Too bad," She nudged him towards the bedroom, "I gotta talk to Giles, but I'll be in later."

Spike pouted, "It dark!"

"Dawn," Buffy called for her sister, and she peeked her head out of the guest room, "Could you keep Spike company till he falls asleep? And I want him to fall asleep!"

"Fine, fine," Dawn took Spike's hand and tugged him towards his room, and Spike threw a look over his shoulder as Buffy and Giles disappeared down the stairs.

Dawn grinned, jumping on his bed, "Hey, you know that story you were telling me in the crypt and you completely copped out on the ending when Buffy came in...what'd you really do to the little girl?"

"Ate her."

"Knew it," Dawn's grin faded as Spike flipped on a nightlight and crawled into bed, night light? Why does he need a night light?

She felt her heart catch in her throat as he looked towards her. I did this to him...not Glory...me...

She felt tears rolling down her face, and Spike frowned, holding out his arms for her, and she ran to him, nearly sobbing as he held her, rocking her on his lap as he purred to her quietly, stroking her hair.

"Don' cry, don' cry," He pleaded with her softly, and she sniffled, "I'm sorry, Spike...I didn't mean to do this to you."

He seemed confused by her statement, "No sorry," he kissed the top of her head, tightening his embrace, "My girl..."

She looked up at him, tears still shining in her eyes, "I love you, Spike...you know that?"

He nodded, smiling at her, "Love you too."

She nearly burst out crying again, but managed to control herself for the moment, "I'm sorry Glory hurt you like that, Spike...I never wanted any of this to happen...it's all my fault..."

Spike shook his head, "No...no fault," He told her firmly.

A teary smile came to her face, "Liar," She muttered beneath her breath, giggling as he tickled her side lightly. She stuck her tongue out at him before going for the throat and attacking his side where she knew he was most sensitive, and he yelped, trying to fend her off with a wide grin on his face.

Dawn finally called a truce when the vampire trapped her hands, glowering at him, "Sure...pick on the little kid. Bully!"

Spike only laughed, dropping her hands. Before he could react, she jumped at him and mussed up his hair, and he scowled at her, crossing his arms over his chest. Her fingers brushed against his temples, and both of them went rigid when what felt like a thousand volts of electricity shot through them.

And then they both started to scream in pain.

Buffy's head shot up when she heard them, nearly screaming herself as she sprinted up the stairs.

She threw open the door, then was thrown back as bright, green light seemed to shoot out at her, and she threw her hands over her face, "SPIKE! DAWN!"

To Be Continued

Next in Series: A New Beginning