Fanfiction

---

-Disclaimers: All characters belongs to Joss and the WB. Quotes are labeled belonging to each individual.

-Summary: Story set after "Blood Ties". S/B. While fighting a demon Spike and Buffy are injured and their blood mixes with the demon's. The next morning they can communicate with each other mentally. They have been linked.

Rating: (NC-17)

***Anything that is appears like this: //word\\, are thoughts that they transmit to each other.***

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prince Henry: "And what happens if the person you're supposed to be with never happens, or she does, and you're too distracted to notice?"

Leonardo da Vinci: "You learn to pay attention!"

from Ever After

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PART 6

"I would rather have one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than an eternity without it. ONE!"

from City of Angels

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She realized that he was holding her and she was allowing him to hold her. She was actually snuggling up on him and from their connected psyche she could tell she was having an effect on him.

For some reason, him in heat meant Buffy in heat, because she felt when a current passed between them and at that moment she wanted nothing more than him inside her......NOW!

He felt it too, the rush was unbearable and destructive. His member was instantly aware of her presence and his need for her. Oh shit he said to himself, how the hell I am going to explain this?

But before he could give himself an answer he felt her small tiny hand moving to places that would have brain-numbing effects on him.

He looked at her in surprise and found a very flushed and aroused slayer looking at him with lust filled eyes. He met her glance quizzically.

She smiled, a smile that took his un-needed breath away. "Buffy?...." was all that came out of his soft parted lips.

She answered him by gently and swiftly running her nails lightly down his t-shirt clad chest. She gasped when she felt his abdominal muscles shaking in want and desire.

He stood as still as his body could permit him and waited to see what the tease was up to. He was a big boy, he could control his needs and wants.

Buffy got off the sarcophagus and stood before him by wedging her small body between his legs they stood face to face.

"Spike....." she began and she raised her eyes to meet his. "Don't say anything."

Spike reached out and grabbed her waist, colliding both bodies in a sensual embrace. Her breathing was harsh as she struggled to keep her hands to herself.

Her hand came up and her fingers lightly brushed his slightly parted lips. The hot feel of her tentacles made him shiver with desire. He had wanted this for so long and here it was being served to him on a golden platter.

A small moan escaped her lips and she felt the cold sensation of his frigid skin. Spike didn't hesitate and grabbed her, kissing her roughly. For years of sexual repression, for months of unrealized desires, for days of denial.

Buffy was completely floored, she had never been kissed this wildly before. Her entire body felt as if it might combust and all that would be left would be her ashes. Her skin flared immediately and her core pounded with intensified exigency.

His hands roamed down her small body, exploring her curves and finding the small opening of her shirt on her back. He slowly slid a cold milky hand under the material and started exploring the warm silkiness of her golden skin.

Buffy's arms went around his neck as the kiss of fire intensified, she ran her hands through his bleach-blond hair and lightly played with the snowy-white skin at the back of his neck. His hard chest was pressed harshly against her ripening nipples, making her need him closer and with less clothing.

She broke the kiss, pulling back, breathing hard and staring at him incredulously. No one had never, ever, ever kissed her that vigorously before. It felt as if her entire body was aching for him, like what just happened was not enough, like nothing was ever going to be enough. like a hunger not meant to be satisfied, but a hunger meant to be kept alive time and time again.

His blue eyes penetrated her and emotions she never thought possible were running through her veins. Without thinking she unbuttoned her silk shirt and let it fall gracefully on the floor.

His mind could not believe his eyes. There she was, the woman of his dreams-literally, exposing herself willingly before him. Like a kid who gets a present at Christmas he couldn't control his excitement, he jumped off the tomb and walked over to the goddess before him.

Her golden skin laughed in the darkness of the room as it collided with her dark green lacy bra. His expert fingers traced her collar bone gently and sensually as his mouth parted in want and need. He felt the pain of his throbbing erection pressing furiously against his black jeans.

She closed her eyes as she braced herself for his passionate touch, she felt as his arms turned her around and unsnapped her bra. Her eyes flew open and hesitation began to whisper in her mind as memories of her inexperience flooded her thoughts.

He sensed the disturbance in their mental force and turned her to face him. Her arms fell limp to her side as she exposed her bare breast to this man she had for so long hated. He gasped at her beauty and instinctively went forth to touch the mounding fruit. Her rosy nipples responded to his touch as she arched her back to make her body more accessible.

She almost jumped when she felt his cold mouth engulf one of her heated breast, the contrast of cold and warmth was driving her beyond reason. "Spike....." she moaned.

Hearing her say his name was a shot of nicotine and of reassurance. His hands went down and unzipped her tight khaki pants.

She trembled as his master's hands quickly slid her pants down, leaving her in nothing but her emerald thong. He stepped back to look at his present and prayed to whomever permitted this to let him stay here forever. "Cor, pet you're so bloody beautiful." he whispered.

She looked at him with dismay, he was fully clothed. His duster had not even been shed. She gathered what little wits she had left and reached out to take his hand and pulled him behind her to his bed.

He stared at her ass as she walked in front of him and it took all his self control not to reach out and grab her then and there.

She stood in front of his bed and turned to look at his glazed eyes. With unspoken messages she laid gently on top of his covers and watched as he started to remove his clothing with a predator's grace.

When he stood before her in all his male glory she gasped. He was beautiful, pure yet tainted, white yet dark, smooth yet rough. He was an Adonis, pure male perfection. Her eyes roamed approvingly down his compact body and she lost her breath at the sight of his pulsating member.

She wanted it all at that moment, she wanted to be selfish and greedy and take it all. It was hers, he was offering it to her and for some reason she felt lucky, as if this was something that was not seen by any woman but a select few.

He slowly walked to her as he gently placed one knee on the bed and bend down to lightly kiss her bellybutton. She shivered in want.

He slid her panties easily down her legs as she arched to his touch. His large hands grasped her bare shoulders and slowly slid them down her body as he explored every inch of her flaming skin. When he reached her toes he took them in his mouth as he gently licked them with his icy tongue, sending shivers through her body.

He explored the planes and the curves of her legs driving her insane with need. But his gentle caress was melting her heart. How can someone so rough be so gentle at the same time. Her heart was flooding with a warming emotion she had not felt in a long time and the more she stared at her blond lover the more it grew.

He took his time mixing passion with tenderness, one moment he was wild and untamed, the next he was a gentle caress. Spike realized this might be a once in a lifetime opportunity and he gratefully accepted it. He loved this woman more than anything he could compare to. She was his Venus, his Athena, his Hera. She was the embodiment of all that a woman should be. She was a child, a warrior, a mother, a lover, a friend, a daughter, a sister, she was his Slayer, his girl, his soul.

She might not know it, but with every touch of her skin, his sentiments grew. With every look of love, with him her soul she shared. He felt free.

His fingers found their way to her hot wet core and a smile of pure male delightness was born unto his face as he realized she was oozing with want.

The torrents of emotions that swam in Buffy's head were clouding with those of female need. She needed him inside her more than anything. She felt as if he did not touch her, a part of her would die. It was an act of sharing what one had and the other could never posses. A bonding of souls that was unrealistically expected and foretold.

As he pounded deep in her core, covered by the shadows of the night they found light. Staring into each others eyes they melted in to one, coming out screaming for each other, screaming in delight.

They shivered in gratitude and wonder as neither had ever felt this close to anyone before. As if their entire existence and the survival of the world depended on their joining. He felt her melting underneath him and he came again in pure love.

Their bodies covered with the afterglow of lovemaking, tainted by the slick glaze of pre-human times, the layer of rhythm that made them into one.

She felt him tremble and she brought his lazy head to her breast as she cradled him, nurturing in a way only a female can. He held on to her as if she would disappear. With their bodies compressed to one another it felt real. For the first time they felt real. As human and creature of the night, they felt real. The buzzing of bodies alive with spirit filled the room as Spike purred on to her chest.

A satisfied smile danced on her lips as she heard the comforting sound being emanated from her lover's chest. Pure delight.

They held each other for what seemed like hours, not wondering about the dawn, or the world, or the people in opposition, but simply living and relishing in each other's presence.

They took turns loving, sleeping, holding, and talking lightly.

When the rays of the early dawn approached his heart sunk in realization that it was her time to leave. She sensed in him the sadness and heaviness and she looked at his large blue pools.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked in a whisper, not wanting to break the pleasant silence that roamed the air.

He looked at her large sincere eyes and he kissed her forehead lightly. "Do you want to leave?" he asked almost afraid of her answer.

She paused and studied this man's face. He was everything she should hate. He was everything she was meant to kill, destroy and maim. But here in this bed where she had just discovered herself she could find not one inch of her body or soul that did nothing but love him. No matter how hard she wanted to remind herself of all the things he had done to her and others, it was forgotten. Can love be so pure and real that it forgets the past completely? Erasing all that was then and embracing all that was now?

If so...that's what she had. She never wanted to leave this, never wanted to leave his arms, never wanted to stop feeling his touch.

As if time stood still and they finally found their place, their destiny.

She knew her answer. //NO//

He tried to remain calm as this music played in his head.

//Why?// He asked.

She paused and stared at him for a very long time, as if reading him inside out.

//Because I love you.// She said tenderly and shyly looking in his eyes.

He breathed unnecessary air, slowly and carefully, afraid that a slight blow of air might make her and her words disappear.

"Did you hear me?" She asked amused by his confused silence.

"Yes." Was all he managed to say. "Why?"

She kissed him lightly on his nose. "Well I can say it's because of you and your darkness enthralls me or......"

"Or?" he urged

"Or I can base all my feeling on what happened here tonight. What we did.......can't be called anything but love, this was not lust, or hormonal impulses. This was music, sweet." she paused and kissed him lightly. "harmonically," kiss "perfect" kiss "music".

"And what symphony do I play?" he asked with a happy smirk on his face that could only be brought out by pure love.

"Um...Beethoven?" she asked not really knowing anything about music.

He laughed at her lack of knowledge and kissed her adoringly on her temple. "You know nothing about music, do you Buffy?"

She pouted at his discovery. "I though Beethoven was good."

"Yeah....but not as good as I was."

She glared at him. "You're full of yourself."

"Yeah, and that's why you love me." He said bringing his lips to meet hers again, not letting her talk. When they broke away he looked at her dead in the eye and whispered slowly. "I love you, always have, always will."

She caressed his cheek and smiled. "I know."

"So you're not leaving?" he asked.

"Nope, besides I want Harmony to walk in and find us." she said smiling.

"She might try to kill you,...or me." He said smiling at the thought of his now ex-girlfriend walking in.

"Oh good, we'll have entertainment." She said holding him closer and resting her head on his chest.

He chuckled. "You're heartless."

"I know. I am a bad, rude, slayer." She said smiling wickedly.

"Yeah, that's my bad, rude, slayer."

"Spike?"

"Yeah, pet?"

"Don't ever leave me."

He paused and stared at her. "Why do you say that?"

"They all leave." She said quietly.

"Buffy, look at me."

She raised her eyes to meet his hurt ones.

"I don't think you understand, I love you. I am the most persistent bloke you've ever met. And." he paused and scooped her chin. "I have everything that I've ever wanted right here."

She smiled and exhaled. "You can be quite sweet when you want to."

"Yeah....but don't tell anyone I've got a rep to protect."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard, because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with."

from The Wizard of Oz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A life without love is no life at all"

from Ever After

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was a lucky bloke. Here he was thinking he was at the end of his un-life and then everything had been turned upside down. His love for one hundred years left him because she had an "intuition" that he was really in love with his mortal enemy.

At the time he thought his insane sire had really lost her marbles but now he could only be grateful to her. She had given him the opportunity of his life. If he had to re-live all his pain and depression again, he wouldn't change it for the world.

Him and Buffy had been together for almost two weeks now and he couldn't be happier. The more they touched each other, even the mere brushing of skin, the more their bond would tighten in ways he never thought possible.

They communicated miles away and he could tell if she was upset, happy, sad, or horny by just thinking about her. He could even feel a chill through his spine every time she would think about him and smile. That made his heart leap, beating thumps it hadn't in a century.

He would go to her house every night and make sure Dawn was alright, make sure Joyce was not doing more work than she should, since her last operation had left her a bit weak. None of the Scoobies knew of their relationship, but whatever time they spent together to their knowledge was because of the "bond" that the two "enemies" shared.

Only Joyce gave him knowing smiles that if he could blush he would. But the best part was at night when he would hold his golden girl in his arms and both would whisper in the afterglow of sex how much they loved each other. His life was sweet at the moment, crystallized visions of having her and her family forever.

He would kill anyone who would dare touch his Slayer or her family or anyone who would mean a grain of rice to her.

Buffy was everything to him, they would talk of the past times when they had fought and had even laughed at how hard they had tried not to kill each other.

Tonight was no different than any other night, she was coming in an hour so they could go patrolling together and then sit back to watch a film at her mom\quote s place.

So when he hear to knock on the door an hour before she was to arrive a happy smile crossed his face thinking she wanted a nice rumple on the sheets before going to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last night I had this dream

That I was losing you

I woke up in a cold sweat shaking

Say it isn't so, Say it isn't so

from Say it isn't so by Bon Jovi (Crush)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy taped her pen absent minded as the rest of her friends researched whatever little information could be attained to destroy Glory. Though her thoughts should have been in their work her mind was remembering last night. It had been marvelous.

Well sex with Spike was always marvelous, but last night was......there were no words. Never had a man (or vampire) made her feel like that. One moment it had been wild and so passionate they had lost their ability to speak, the next it had been so tender it made her want to cry.

She felt such love at that moment it made her smile, a sappy, I am in love smile. One hour till sundown.

"You had sex last night." Anya stated from across the table.

This woke Buffy from her Spike thoughts and glanced wide-eyed to the ex-demon. She shook her head. "Anya, what are talking about?"

"You had that smile, you know, the I-had-marvelous-sex-last-night smile. I get it often." she said smiling.

The entire now distracted table turned to the slayer.

She looked at each of her friends. Xander was mute for a change but his mouth was wide open in confusion. Willow's brows were furrowed in question, Giles had an arched eyebrow that meant I really don't care to know, and Tara was looking shyly at her, head half down.

"I did not!" Buffy exclaimed standing up.

"Well you have been distracted." Willow said, avoiding her friend's gaze.

"Distraction does not equal sex!" she thought about it. "Well not always!"

There was silence as she gave hint of the truth.

She sighted she knew she couldn't keep the secret for much longer, but she at least had to dance around it for a while.

"Well ok, I did, so what?" she asked crossing her arms. "It was just casual. Nothing serious"

"Casual?" Xander asked glaring at her in an overprotective way.

"What type of sex isn't casual?" Buffy replied.

"I am not listening." Giles said standing up and walking to the merchandise store room.

Her remaining friends stared at her in disappointment at her lack of trust in them.

"That was not casual-sex smile, that was I am totally in love smile." Anya said smiling at her discovery.

Before Buffy could respond to the statement she doubled over in pain and screamed. There was pain, in her heart, her heart hurt. Something was wrong, she knew as a wave hit her strong and hard.

It was Spike, he was hurt, he was scared, he was in trouble. She felt tears coming to her eyes as she felt his emotions.

//Spike!!// she cried out for him, but he didn't answer. She unconsciously send him her strength but he did not receive it, it came right back to her.

"Spike!" she screamed out loud as she felt the little light that had been constant in her soul fade away and disappear.

Her friends watched her in horror as the strong slayer curled up in a ball, screaming and sobbing for her mortal enemy.

Giles rushed to the room when he heard Buffy scream and he stopped in shock like everyone else at the sight before them.

He quickly composed himself and bend down to pick up the crying girl. She was mumbling things and he didn't understand, but she didn't appear to be hurt so he guessed Spike was and she was feeling it.

"Buffy! Stop it, cut the connection! Concentrate." he cried to her face.

She violently shook her head. "He's hurt! Oh God he's so scared!" she cried between sobs.

Giles looked at the other male in the room. "Go to Spike's see if you can find him!"

Xander nodded numbly and ran out the door.

"He's.....he's not there!" Buffy said burring her face in her hands. "I don't feel him, Giles, he's gone!"

Giles looked at the red head in horror. He held the sobbing girl in his arms. "Is he dead?" he asked Buffy.

Buffy shook her head. "He's alive but I don't feel him, Giles!" she said clutching her heart.

"I don't feel him, I don't feel him...." she continued sobbing.

"Get her some sleeping herbs Willow." Tara said standing up. Willow nodded and walked rapidly around the store.

Buffy suddenly stood up with new found strength. "No! No herbs!" she cried.

The room stared at her in confusion.

"I am going to find him." she said and with that she walked out before anyone could stop her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CORA: You try. With all you have. To save yourself. If the worst happens, and only one of us survives, something of the other does, too ...

HAWKEYE: Listen. Submit. You hear me? You're strong. You stay alive. I will find you ... no matter how far, how long it takes ...

CORA: [nods, low] ... never doubt what you are doing.

from The Last of The Mohicans

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xander jogged down the broken cement tiles that led to Spike's haunting crypt. He stopped as he looked at the entrance. The front door was left open and the little sunlight left outside was pouring in. A sick feeling lumped in his throat.

But his worry was not with the blond vampire but with the small blonde slayer back at the shop and the condition he left her in. If Spike was killed did it mean that Buffy would die also?

He tentatively stepped inside the oddly smelling crypt.

"Spike?" he called. "You in here?"

When his eyes adjusted to the darkness what he saw horrified him.

The once almost empty crypt filled with candles and raggedy furniture had been converted to a sacrificial temple painted in guts and blood.

Xander ran out as fast as he could by the time he reached the door the bile was discharging through his lips and on the ground.

He did not know how long he vomited but the more he saw the images in his head, the more bile liquid came from his lips.

He was shaking as he leaned his head against the stone wall outside the crypt. He closed his eyes at the revulsion of his feelings.

Startled at the sound of footsteps running towards him he opened his eyes to find a more sane Buffy looking at him worriedly. He should stop her, not let her see what he saw, but he knew better.

Buffy did not need to hear any words from her fallen friend, she saw the bile in the floor, his moist lips, and his shaking hands. Whatever laid inside her love's crypt was horrifying.

Bad enough to make Xander not care of his condition and to give her a worried look. She braced herself and she entered the crypt. The scent hit her instantly. It smelled of death. Raw, gruesome death.

Death that comes from hate and sins. Death that tears at your throat and guides your senses. It was that type of death, the one she was fearing.

//Spike?// she asked to the empty room. //Baby?// she whispered.

She bit her lower lips as she braced herself for the contents of the room. Her eyesight adjusted quickly to the night cavern and the site before her was nothing as she had prepared herself.

She gasped in horror, but her eyes could not stop from looking. His home, the place were they had spent countless hours for the past few weeks loving each other to no end.

Every inch of the walls were plastered with blood, animal blood. The smooth floors of the ample crypt were covered with animal body parts, from eye balls to livers and guts.

On the ceiling there were hanging heads with eye balls of pigs, cows, and sheep. And right in the middle of the room was his leather duster covered in blood with a note on top of it.

She walked slowly to the black material, now stained red and slowly picked up the blood stained note. She held it in her hand. It's weight was tremendous.

Hefty with the fate of the man she loved. Fresh tears ran down her cheeks as she read the note.

Miss Edith says we will be a family again.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BEAUTY You're no coward, I know the strength of your claws. Clutch at life with them, fight! Sit up, roar, frighten death away!

THE BEAST Beauty, if I were a man ... doubtless I would ... do as you say ... but poor beasts who would prove their love ... only know ... how to lie on the ground ... and die.

from La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast)-1945

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PART 7

"You’ve lived in dirt for so long you can’t understand anything else. And you’re jealous of something you can’t understand."

From Gone with the Wind

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He felt as if his entire body was burning with holy water, holy water that slashed out at his skin, alive and angry. Furious at the traitor of his kind.

He slowly opened his eyes, trying to adjust his vampiric eyesight to the darkened room. Something was moving in the shadows, something so familiar his hair stood on end.

He was having trouble remembering what happened, why was he here, did they hurt Buffy, who were these creatures, was Glory behind this?

"Hello?" he croaked out from his dry mouth. He needed blood, for some reason he was completely drained out, he had been tortured.

The shadow moved towards him and he stiffened.

"Who’s there?" he said out into the dark.

He heard a laugh, a demented laugh. The familiarity of it froze his veins, icy cold particles that ran through him, paralyzed and dreaded the next moment.

"Dru?"

"My Spike, mommy’s back." The black goddess emerged from the shadows with a dead cat in her hands. She petted the corpse and purred all the while.

"What are you doing, pet?" Spike said eyeing the dead fur-ball.

"Mommy’s kitten will not purr." She said coming closer to him. "Make it better."

"It’s dead, Dru." Spike said as he moved against his chains. The bloody bitch chained him up!!

Without warning the vampiress slashed out and slapped him, leaving a trail of blood across his white cheek at the bruising of her long red nails.

"The nasty slayer has taken my Spike, you are his ashes!" she cried out holding the dead cat closer to her.

"Ok, that’s nice and all, pet, now let me go." Spike said tugging against his chains.

"Afraid not, m’ boy."

Spike turned his head and felt his blood drain from his face, making him paler than a vampire should be.

"Angelus…….Darla?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What sick ridiculous puppets are we?

And what gross little stage we dance on?

What fun we have dancing and fucking?

Not a care in the world

Not knowing that we are nothing

We are not what was intended."

From Seven

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they first poked him with a hot poker Buffy felt the burning pain in her ribs and she screamed in pain as she doubled over in the floor.

Xander grabbed her and brought her to her feet. When the pain subsided she started to cry.

Sobs wreaked her small body and she trembled in his arms.

"What’s wrong?" Xander asked looking at the rest of his friends for help.

"Buffy, you must cut the connection." Giles reminded her.

"I am not letting him do this alone." She whimpered as she gained control of her body. "When I find that bitch I am going to have her for supper."

"That bloodlust…..is it part of the whole connection thing?" Xander asked disgusted by her outburst.

"I’m going to Willy’s." Buffy declared as she stood up. Her thoughts where racing a mile a minute, Spike was not answering her, yet she could feel him, so it meant that he had not cut the connection because he was either partly unconscious or wanting to tell her were he was at. "If Drusilla came to town, minions must be in alert."

"I’ll go with you." Dawn said standing up.

"WHAT? No you’re not! You stay here, you have no idea how dangerous Drusilla is." Buffy retorted.

"I want every one to stay indoors, invite no one in. There’s only two vampires who have access to our houses and that’s Spike and Angel." She looked at their frighten faces.

"Buffy, do you think that he’s teamed up with Drusilla?" Willow said from her corner.

"No, that’s not an option." Buffy retorted as she drew a large ax from the weapons chest in her living room.

"As much as I hate to say this, Willow has a point. Drusilla is the love of Spike’s un-life, if she comes back to him what are the chances that he’ll not go to her?" Giles asked.

The words love of Spike’s unlife…it was not Buffy it was Drusilla. Spike might love her for now but Buffy had a death threat hanging over her head. The vampire had years to come, he would eventually go and find his black princess and live happily ever after.

"I tell you what, Spike has free will to do anything he wants, but I owe him this much. The way Drusilla left his crypt is not that of a welcome home scenario." Buffy said gathering what little hope she had.

"Then again, they are vampires." Xander piped in.

"Spike’s not like that." Buffy cried startling her friends.

"I agree with Buffy." Joyce said coming into the kitchen, the knowing mother knew the circumstances of her daughter’s and the vampire’s affection towards one another. She knew her daughter would not sit back and wait for his ashes to show up as a x-mas present.

"I have to go." Buffy said as she stormed out of her house and into the deadly night.

Her friends and family stared after the slayer in confusion.

"I think there’s something we’re missing." Giles said taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

"Buffy’s boinking Spike." Anya proclaimed from her seat.

The entire room turned and looked at her. She looked back at them. "What? It’s obvious!"

"An, where did you come up with this interesting conclusion?" Xander asked his girlfriend.

"It’s very obvious."

"Yes, you said that but…" Giles started

"Oh my God she’s right!" Willow said with her eyes flopping wide.

All heads turned to Joyce who seamed extremely calm.

"Joyce, do you….?" Giles started.

"Whatever Spike and Buffy feel is right to say, then that’s all I can say." She said standing up and taking the empty cups of hot cocoa into the kitchen.

Everyone looked at Dawn. The teen crossed her arms stubbornly. "Mum’s the word."

Before a reaction could be seen the phone rang and all the shocked humans jumped.

Dawn picked it up. "Hello....Who?….Hold on."

She pushed the receiver to the watcher. "It’s for you, so guy named Wesley."

It took Giles a couple of seconds to snap out of it and take the phone. "He…Hello?…..Yes of course, fine and you?…….Are you certain?…..she just left………..positive……Oh dear lord!"

He dropped the receiver and looked at the room. "Angelus is back…with Darla…..and Drusilla."

Silence was heard in the room as everyone was too shocked to utter words of the coming tribulation.

"I take it this is worst than Buffy boinking Spike?" Anya said innocently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Katherine: Promise me you’ll come back for me.

Almasy: I promise, I’ll come back for you. I’ll promise I’ll never leave you.

From The English Patient

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What’s wrong William? Putting on a show of strength for your ‘ho of a woman?" Angelus asked the beaten and bruised younger vampire.

For the past few hours Spike had been tortured constantly by such things as Holy Water, crosses, garlic, hot pokers, knifes, even electric rods.

"Fuck you, peaches." Spike’s muffled voice said.

Drusilla was getting bored, the torture would have been fun if he screamed, but not even a moan had escaped Spike’s lips.

"It’s not fun, daddy. Why is he not screaming in fear?" Drusilla asked leaning her head on Angelus’ shoulder.

"I say send him sunbathing." Darla said uninterested from her large couch.

"No, that would be too easy, wouldn’t, m’ boy?"

Spike’s head hung down, trying to save all his energies for however long they would have him there.

"My pet, why don’t you want to help us, why don’t you want to be a family again?" Drusilla said caressing the large gash on his cheek.

Spike lifted his head and looked at her in disgust.

"She has you prisoner, doesn’t she, my love?" she got closer. "Don’t worry….mommy’s gonna make it all better." She said laughing.

"Tell me, William, is she still sloppy in bed? All shy and naive…..Too bad I fucked her first, saved you the trouble of opening her wide."

Darla laughed standing up and walking up to Spike. "What’s wrong Spike? Your darling girl isn’t here to save you?"

"She’s smarter than that." Spike said looking straight into Darla’s eyes.

"She would come for the idiot, Angel, though." Angelus said smiling and nibbling at Darla’s neck.

"Too bad, Spike. You’ll never be her main man, always second best." Darla said as she gasped at Angelus’ fangs rasping down her throat.

Drusilla stood in front of them and placed Miss Edith in Spike’s tortured face. "Miss Edith says, that the Slayer and her friends will die, very, very soon."

Spike’s jaw tightened.

"Like that, m’ boy?" Angelus said looking at the other couple.

Drusilla brought out her nail and ran in lightly down Spike’s burnt chest. Spike closed his eyes and tried to concentrate like the way he had been concentrating for the past few hours.

"Dead…all her birdies will be dead." Drusilla said in her maniacal voice. "Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead." She sang. "Like a party!"

Angelus smiled at his childe. "Yes, Dru, a nice red party."

"Full of fear and DEATH." Darla finished.

And people think their families have problems. Spike thought at the distorted vampires crowding around him.

The vampires left him alone in the shadows. Dru laughing and singing about a blood parade, Darla and Angelus in tow not being able to keep their hands off each other.

He gathered what little strength he had left and concentrated. //Buffy.//

Buffy’s head shot up strait. She had been walking home after finding no information from Willy.

//Spike!!??//

//Listen to me, get out of town, get your mates out of town, get your mum and nibblet out of town."

//Where are you, Spike? Why haven’t you answered?// She asked him frantically but with a wave of relief.

//Pet, get out of town, NOW!!//

//Where are you?// She asked running to her house.

//Please, luv…do it for me…get yourself out of town.// He pleaded.

//I’m getting you out.//

//Bloody hell, woman! Please listen to me!// His strength was leaving him and she could feel she was loosing him again.

//Spike, stay with me.// she begged.

//I love you.// he said almost in a whisper.

And she felt him leaving her, their bond was being broken.

//SPIKE! SPIKE PLEASE!// she cried.

He was gone, he was either unconscious and had used his remaining strength to reach her or he was…. She was not going there.

She reached the corner of her house and dashed in.

They saw her, tears had ran down her face leaving a hurtful path that marked her loss.

"Buffy!" Willow cried out as they saw her.

"Will, I need you to do a location spell." Buffy said as she ran into her living room and started pulling stakes from places the gang had never seen before.

"Buffy listen!" Giles said walking after her.

"Not now, Giles. Spike just contacted me." She said wiping her tears from her tired face.

"Wesley just called from LA." Giles said and he got her attention. Giles took a deep breath. "Angelus is back…and so is Darla."

Buffy stared at him as his words sunk in, and she realized what Spike meant as he warned her to get out of town.

She regained herself in two seconds and grabbed Giles’ arm. "Get out of here, out of town." She looked at her friends and family. "All of you, take mom’s and Giles’ car and drive away, go to Cordy and Wesley."

"Buffy are you planning on fighting all three, possibly four of them….." Xander started

"Three of them!" Buffy cried. "Spike just contacted me, he told me to get you guys out of town. If Angelus is back, none of you are safe." She paused and took a breath. "And he is invited to all of our homes."

"I can bring his soul back." Willow said out loud.

Buffy looked at her friend. "Are you sure?"

"Me and Tara can most definitely do it."

"I don’t want to put lives in danger." Buffy said.

"You forget, Buffy that’s what we do. We’ve been putting our lives on the line for years. You couldn’t defeat Angelus and Drusilla without Spike’s help, what makes you think you can defeat Angelus, Drusilla AND Darla at the same time all by yourself?" Xander pointed out.

"We leave you alone and we are signing your death warrant." Willow said.

All her friends stood stubbornly looking at the shaken Slayer.

Buffy leaned her head down and sighted. Before she could answer a rock came crashing through her living room window.

All the scoobies jumped and cried out in fright. Instantly Willow began chanting a protection barrier spell around the house.

Xander looked out the window and saw what they all dread, about fifteen minions following the three master vampires.

Buffy picked up the rock form the floor and untied the note that was tied around it. It read:

Hello lover.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You’ve got a death wish. That’s so selfish. I have one too, but I direct it towards others."

from The Opposite Sex

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 8

"I keep telling you, you listen to me more and you'll live longer."

from Indiana Jones

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike sat up from his leaning position when he felt the fight go through Buffy's mind. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. He thought quickly.

"Dru?" he cried. "Where the hell are you?"

No answer.

Fuck. He thought to himself.

He wrestled against his chains. But he was too weak, he had lost too much blood.

He took an unneeded breath and said a silent prayer hoping against all might for the best.

Looking around the dirty floor he saw one of Dru's hair pins.

He smiled an ironic smile. Should pray more often. He thought.

Stretching his body as far down as he could without penetrating his lungs with his broken ribs, his fingers lightly brushed the tip of the fallen metal.

He took another unneeded breath and stretch letting out a cry of pain as his chest bones dug deeper, but he grabbed it.

The small savior was in his hand.

With expert ease he brought the small metal to the ancient chains and easily jimmied himself free.

When the chains from his arms fell, he worked on those at his feet. More easy that the ones at his arms he stood up and looked around at the empty room.

There was no time to waste and he needed to find Buffy, but at his first step his legs gave out and he had to hold on the wall for support.

He cursed Dru for torturing him, and cursed Angelus for all he was, and cursed Darla for just being herself.

He took small painful steps towards the door, before he could reach it, it opened. Spike cursed, there went his opportunity.

But nothing happened.

He waited then looked up to see who it was.

He felt his blood raise to a boil at the sight before him.

"I think it's about time someone told you this, but the peroxide thing and the leather are sooo early eighties." Cordilia told him with her hands on her hips.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.

Henry: You told me it was a matter of life or death.

Vinci: A woman always is.

from Ever After

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Master?" A minion asked shyly.

"What is it, and why aren't you attacking the house?" Angelus roared to the small creature.

"We can't, magic, master. We can't get in the house."

"I feel it" Drusilla cried morbidly. "Two witches, daughters of Calypso. Strong." she paused and smiled happily. "The pixies told me, floating they told me......"

Darla rolled her eyes. "How do you get the barrier down?"

"Fly, fly away my pixies, sweet pixies...."

"Drusilla!" Angelus roared at the end of his patience. "The Barrier....."

"It's blessed," the vampire stated and she gathered Miss. Edith in her arms.

Angelus got close to her. "Get it down."

Drusilla looked at him with her hypnotic eyes and slowly shook her head. "Miss Edith says it is not the time." she started laughing manically.

Darla made an exasperated cry.

"Angelus, why are we hunting the slayer," she was asked, rubbing herself against her childe.

Angelus grabbed her roughly. "Because I am going to make that bitch pay for what she did, her and her band of little friends."

"It's time!" Drusilla cried and started clapping, she spun in circles holding Miss Edith on top of her head. "Miss Edith says it is time."

Angelus let go of Darla and smiled at his childe. "Then by all means, Dru, begin."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I know I'm better than what I've been doing the last ten years, walking around in tank tops and fuck-me pumps, waiting till it's time to scream."

from Get Shorty

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Faster, faster would be nicer!" Cordilia cried from the back seat.

Gunn, Wesley, Spike and she had piled into Angel's convertible and were racing against time to get to Revello Dr.

"I am well above the speed limit, Cordilia! It would be worst if we got stopped by a police officer!" Wesley cried from the drivers seat.

"If we get stopped, I get to eat him."

"Oh no you don't! You're going strictly vegetarian, here" She said to Spike who sat next to her as she handed him a pack of blood.

Spike glared at her but took the red bag, gulping it with one swing.

"Holy water, lots of that stuff,...here Cordy." Gun said giving her two filled to capacity water guns filled with holy water.

"Are you sure Angel has completely gone Angelus?" Wesley asked Spike as he drove.

"I know who the poof is and who the wanker is. There's a distinct difference, and I hate 'em both." Spike hissed from the back seat.

"This is no time for dramatics!" Cordilia cried at the same time watching in horror as Wesley was mere feet from hitting a walking pedestrian.

She screamed to the top of her lungs, the car swerved, missing the man by mere inches and making the car next to them crash into the light post.

Wesley regained control of the car.

"Glad there was no dramatics, ducks." Spike sneered as he glared at Wesley and his driving style.

"Wesley! That's it next time I drive!!" She cried.

"Yeah, and the vampire will not be the only pale person in the car, including me!" Gunn cried.

"I have an idea! Turn here, dufus!" Spike cried.

"Where?!!"

Spike sat up and grabbed the wheel from the back seat, abruptly turning it to the cemetery.

Everyone in the car screamed and the car lost it's balance and suspended on two wheels.

"Oh God, Oh God, Oh God!! We are going to die!" the only woman in the car cried.

Gunn smiled through his screams. "I like this guy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Who's more foolish, the fool or the fool that follows him?"

from Star Wars

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Willow how long will it hold?" Buffy asked the pacing witch as she looked out the window to see her former lover and his two ho's infuriated.

"Uh....I don't know about two or three hours, depends."

"Two or three hours..." Buffy repeated but deep in thought.

"Look!!" Xander cried pointing at the scene before them.

The Scoobie's peered out the broken window and saw the Drusilla had started a ceremony, finding the weakest link to Willow's spell and breaking down the barrier.

Tara's eyes gapped, "She has some seriously dark aura around her."

"Yeah, Spike sure knows how to pick them," Xander said staring at the vampires as she circled and chanted, and laughed some more.

"She's very beautiful." Tara noticed.

Buffy shook her head, "This is not the time to watch Drusilla prove once more that no one is behind the wheel. Willow!"

Willow's head shot up and looked at her best friend.

"Angel's soul,....get it back, Tara, help her." She stated. "Mom, Dawn, and Anya go upstairs, shut yourself in mom's room and don't come out until I get you." She looked at her best friend. "Xander, you and Giles gather all the weapons in this house even if you have to break mom's coffee table and makes stakes out of oakwood, do it!"

"What are you going to do?" Xander asked looking at her.

Buffy grabbed Mr. Pointy and swirled it easily in her hand with a hard look on her face. "I am going to be a distraction."

"A distraction?" Giles asked his slayer.

Buffy smiled bitterly. "I'm gonna go pick a fight."

With that she turned out the front door and left the other's to do their jobs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danielle: I belong to no one, least of all you

Pierre le Pieu: Ooh I do wish you'd reconsider my offer

Danielle: I would rather rot

Pierre le Pieu: I had a horse like you once. Magnificent creature. Stubborn just like you, willful to a fault, it too just needed to be broken in.

from Ever After

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Look who's come to join the dead." Darla said non-caringly as Buffy exited the house and walked the few steps to where the barrier ended. She was armed with only her stake.

Angelus smiled and left Dru to continue her wild chanting. He walked to her and his hips swung in confidence.

Her gaze was hard and menacing.

"Hello Lover!"

"I think time for greetings is over." She replied coldly.

"But why, with you that's half the fun. Or should I say all the fun. If I remember correctly you're sloppy and in need of a good teacher."

She didn't blink.

"Spike would have been a good ride, but too bad the lessons have been canceled......things like that happen when the teachers die."

Buffy gulped, if there was one thing she hated about Angelus was his taunting and his banter.

Darla came up behind him in game face and lightly bit Angelus's neck.

"You should have heard him, he squealed like a runt." She smiled at Buffy.

"Darla, how nice to see you again......rejuvenated too. Really, must give me the recipe, sagging skins are not attractive." Buffy said bringing her stake to plainer view.

"Nice of you to talk, cowering behind a beginner's spell." Angelus said facing Buffy squarely.

"Nice of you to say so, cowering behind a loony's chanting." Buffy replied without thought.

Angelus smiled and looked back at Dru. She was almost finished.

"Nice to have around, good for something, you know?" Then he regarded her. "No I guess you wouldn't know."

Buffy gave him a stern look.

"This is between you and me, them and mine are not in this," she said. "Keep them out and die with honor.....should I define that for you?"

Angelus roared she walked until their noses were almost touching with nothing but an invisible wall filled with magic potents.

"I'll like to see you try." he sneered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow kept chanting as the fumes answered her call. Tara watched her making sure all was well and to serve as back up. Giles stood ready at the door waiting for the signal, Xander stood next to him with ax in hand.

Time stood still as they watched Buffy and Angelus get dangerously close to one another.

Suddenly and out of no where Tara felt a chill and she gasped.

Both men looked at her questioningly.

Her blue eyes grew wide with fright as she looked at Buffy and Angelus and whispered. "The shield is down."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PART 9

"Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "The World is a fine place and worth fighting for." I agree with the second part."

from Seven

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She felt her blood freeze in tiny simulative particles when it happened. The sneer on his face made her lose her strength for one single moment and replaced by an uncontrollable need to kill this creature.

"Look who's vulnerable now." Angelus sneered in her face.

Buffy swung at him with full force and all hell broke loose as Xander and Giles ran out the house with loaded water guns filled with holy water and axes twice their size.

Tara peered at her mate, the spell was almost completed, she frantically thought fast as she saw two large vampires approaching her. He took out the cross she always carried inside her shirt and held it before her.

They just smiled and stalked upon her. Her eyes searched wildly as she thought quickly. "Abertous Amunis" she said and instantly they were set on fire, their bodies decomposing before her. She half smiled and half exhaled. "Who's bad ass now." she whispered to her self.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I am telling you this guy is protected from up on high by the prince of Darkness."

from The Usual Suspects

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angelus's fist met her jaw and sent her stumbling onto the floor. He laughed that disgusting laugh of his and she fumed with anger.

"So he left you, did he?" he smiled as he kicked her again. "Buff, Buff, I told you, you weren't worth a second go." he hissed.

She lashed out and punched him sending him flying across her lawn.

Before she could walk towards him the hand gabbed her hair, pulling her down on the floor.

Darla stood above her. "I think you've messed long enough with my men. It's time you learn who the master is."

Darla's heel smashed into her face, breaking her lip and nose.

Buffy rolled off but was not going to miss the sharp knife Darla was swinging at full supernatural speed towards her stomach.

She closed her eyes and prepared herself for the pain that was to come. But it didn't.

A strong hand came out of nowhere and grabbed Darla's hand, crushing it under it's strength as the vampiress cried out in pain.

Buffy stared wide eyed at Angelus who placed his face inches from his sire's.

"Who's the master now?" he asked.

Darla's eyes went wide as recognition dawned upon her. "Angel?" she whispered.

"Glad you remembered." and without a second thought he plunged a stake into her heart letting the ashes dance on his feet.

"Angel?"

He turned to find a bloody Buffy staring at him with fright.

"Buffy,....I'm sorry." he said with pain in his eyes.

She breathed out a sign of relief but it didn't last for long as the other vampires were nearly killing Giles and Xander.

"C'mon." She told him as she got up and jogged to the other vampires. Angel turned and followed her only to be stopped by a tiny frail hand that clutched his arm.

He turned to look and there she stood wide eyed and frightened. Her green eyes oozing with tears.

"They took my daddy away again, didn't they?" she asked him.

He scanned her quickly making sure she had no weapons, but her only threat was Miss Edith and her blindfold.

"I'm sorry Dru." He said looking at his childe, the gentle creature he had destroyed.

She bowed her head and looked at Miss Edith, her features changed revealing her true face and without warning she swung out to hit him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What do you do when you're alone in the dark and the demons come?"

from In the Line of Fire

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy dusted the first two vampires she came across with much ease. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Xander struggling with a large older looking one and she rushed to his side missing completely another one that grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and rapidly bent his head to drink from her.

She had a two second warning but before she could kick him off her he turned to a dust pile.

Buffy turned to see who had saved her and there he stood, bloody and bruised hardly able to stand.

Her heart did a skip-a-beat at his miraculous appearance.

"Spike!" she cried as she ran to him.

They embraced happily and she kissed him over and over. "God I though you were dead!" she cried out as she looked at his tortured face.

"I am dead, pet." he said hardly even able to smile at her worries.

"Ok this is NOT the time," Cordy said as she shot an arrow from her crossbow to a vampire on top of Gunn. "For romantics, so he's undead, big deal.....I've seen worst."

"Cordy!!??" Buffy cried out as she saw her.

//Duck// Spike told her out of nowhere.

She responded and twisted her self downward and back, as Spike dusted the vampire that had foolishly thought he could handle them.

//Thanks// she replied as she turned and dusted another fledgling.

//Always saving your ass.// he said.

//Mom, Dawn,...they're in the house make sure they're alright.// She told him as she saw Angel battling Drusilla.

He nodded and limped back into her house to make sure the others were ok.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hale: I don't like to see her upset.

Doug: If I was you, I'd invest in blindfolds.

from Cutting Edge

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angel had been scratched so many times he was sure her nails were made of steel. Then again he remembered who taught her how to use them.

She screamed as she pulled out a rickety stake and ran towards him.

He caught her arm and twisted it behind her blocking her from doing him any harm.

"Drop it, Dru." he hissed in her ear.

She laughed manically. "The stars tell me things, my daddy is still in there."

He squeezed her hand even more, forcing her to drop the piece of wood. He turned her around to face him her game face melted into her beautiful face.

"They all left me." she whispered. "My daddy, my daughter, my Spike......fairies took them, away to dance in the woods, those dark woods....I don't like the woods," she said curling up in his embrace. "Make it go away....make the nasty slayer go away."

Angel looked down at her fragile yet deadly form and hugged her back. She still smelled the same, like roses and Victorian oil, mysterious, old and enchanting.

"I am sorry, Dru."

She pulled back from his embrace and caressed his face, a solemn single tear running down her pale cheek. "Goodbye, my Angel."

She turned around and ran out into the darkness, clutching Miss Edith to her lonely chest.

Buffy ran up to him as Dru ran into the darkened street leaving Angel staring after her.

"Angel! Come she's getting away!" Buffy cried about to run after the retreating figure.

"Let her go." He said as he bent down and picked up her fallen stake, he eyed it and stuck it his inner coat pocket.

Buffy turned and stared at him incredulously. "What?"

"I said let her go, Buffy." he said melancholy.

Buffy's brows furrowed.

He swallowed. "I let her go."

"You seem to do that a lot." She stated without thinking then shot her hand up to cover her mouth in shock. "Angel, I am....."

"No Buffy I am sorry, what I said to you when.....well I remember what he told you and......"

"Forget it, please, just forget it." She said shaking her head.

"Only if you do." he said coming closer but she backed away to his surprise.

"Done." she said bringing her hand to wipe the blood coming from her nose.

Angel sighed and brooded his shoulders. "It's Spike, isn't it?"

Buffy's eyes shot open as she realized she had forgotten about him. "Oh God, Spike!!"

She ran past him and into her house as Cordilia holy watered the last vampire to his death.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why do I do this? Three reasons: the pay is good, the scenery changes, and they let me use explosives."

from Armageddon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was sprawled out in the couch when she entered with Willow, Tara, Dawn and her mother hovering over him like vultures.

Her mother was getting him to drink blood and Willow took off his boots and Tara started cutting his jeans to seal to wounds in his legs.

Dawn just stood there making sure he was ok. Buffy breathed out a sign of relief as she saw her boyfriend still alive and plaguing the earth.

She kneeled down next to him as he finished drinking his blood and he looked at her.

She gently brought her hand and wiped the blood that spilled to the side of his swollen lip. His face was completely swollen and bruised.

//Are you ok?// she asked him gently.

He brought his hand to touch her face and look into her eyes.

//You worrying 'bout me, pet?// He asked.

//You know I was.// She answered taking his hand and kissing the inside of his palm.

"Ahem!!"

She turned her head to see all the men in her life including Wesley looking at her like she had grown a second head.

"UM.. guys?" She started.

"Before you say anything.....are you boinking Spike?" Xander asked horrified.

Anya passed them with a bowl of water and new bandages. "Of course she's banging Spike! I told all of you! First it starts off as foreplay, which we've witness since they first met, then you get down to the rules of the game, which they've danced around for months, until you break the rules and just have good old fashioned sex! The game is called life and they are the players." She smiled happily at her insight. She looked at Buffy and Spike who were looking at her with both gratitude and horror. "Xander taught me that, one time when we were babysitting Dawn......"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EPILOGUE

"He's late." Buffy stated looking out the window of Xander and Anya's apartment.

"He'll be here Buffy, just relax." Willow said bringing the popcorn into the room and sitting next to Tara.

"Yeah, that's one deadboy you can't get rid of." Xander said inserting the tape into the VCR.

Buffy pouted, she wasn't worried, she was just nervous that he had chickened out on her.

"Well it better be good."

"You always accept all of his excuses." Dawn said from position on the couch with her boyfriend, Danny.

"Well they're always good." Buffy defended herself.

"I always accept Xander's excuses. That's because..."

"An!!! I think you've shared enough stories to last a century, so please, lets just watch the movie," Xander said standing next to his girlfriend.

Buffy walked over to the living room and threw herself on the couch next to Tara and Willow.

"Don't worry, Buffy, he'll show." Tara said with a smile on her face.

Buffy wrinkled her nose. At that instant there was a hard knock on the front door and she practically flew from her seat to run to the door.

Anya smiled and nodded. "Just like me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy opened the door and looked in amazement.

Before her stood a very pissed, very wet, very dirty Spike. Covered completely in green goo, mixed with dry mud that was stuck on his hair and it stood on ends. His face was smeared with the green substance and he had the look of death in his face.

She crossed her arms across her chest and leaned on the door frame trying to suppress her laughter.

"Well, if you were planning on making a good impression on my friends, this is definitely not it." She said lightly.

He glared at her. "A bit late for first impression, wouldn't you say, luv?"

She smiled at him and leaned her body against his dirty one, pressing all her right part with all of his, she brought her arms around his neck and stared at his muddy confused face. "Do you think it's poisonous?" she asked him in a fake-worried face. He stared at her confused. Then she leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Cause I was planning on licking you clean."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Scooby gang heard when the door shut and waited for Spike and Buffy to come to join them, they waited,....they waited,...they waited some more.......

So they stood up to see what was keeping them and found the entrance foyer empty, with only green good dripping on the floor.

Anya opened her mouth but Xander raised his hand.

"Don't say it, An. Lets just watch the movie and pretend.....well let's just pretend."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Patrick: I know a lot more than that

Kat: Doubtful. Very doubtful.

Patrick: You're no bargain either, sweetheart.

from: 10 things I hate about you

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE END