Lost Champion

Chapter One


AN: Collaboration between Thianna and Elizabeth Anne Summers. Thanks yous to Thianna and Shadow for betaing.


Through it all, he could hear her rushing up the steps and for that he was thankful. His hand still tingled slightly from when she had laced her fingers with his. He tried to focus on it – the feel of her hand against his, the look in her eyes that told him she loved him, and the way her lips moved when she said the three words he had been longing to hear for what seemed like forever. He could see that she wanted him to leave with her but he knew otherwise. The Hellmouth had to be closed and he was the Champion to do it.

And that was why he had to say it. *No you don’t, but thanks for saying it.* He wanted her safe. He had to see this to the end but she still had her life ahead of her.

He afforded himself one fleeting imagination of “what if”. He dared to imagine a life where maybe he and the Slayer could be together. But, the burning from the light spread through his whole body and Spike opened his mouth in a howl of pain. He closed his eyes, preparing for the end. Maybe this would count favourably for him at his final judgment along with his redemption. Not that he had any illusions of wearing a toga, fluttering his wings, and stroking a harp, but all of this had to count for something.

The pain was gone and the light not so blindingly bright. This must have been the end he thought, but when he opened his eyes he was confused at his surroundings.

He was standing in the middle of the street, in a town square that looked to date back nearly two centuries. There were people staring at him in equal shock and cars stalled, not just the ones he was blocking, as their drivers gawked. The most amazing thing, though, was that it was broad daylight and he wasn’t a combustible pile of dust.

“Bugger,” he muttered and patted himself down, glad he was at least clothed. *Was this purgatory?*

The sound of car horns broke him out of his thoughts and he moved onto the sidewalk so traffic could continue. He looked around, unsure of where to go. He needed to find out where he was, why he wasn’t bursting into flame-y bits, and what had happened to the other Scoobies back in Sunnydale. Where would he get his answers, though?

He started walking down one of the tree lined streets radiating out from the town square when he heard tires squeal. He looked up and glanced over his shoulder to see a green car with a racing stripe making a U-turn to come back towards him. The little Neon skidded to a stop next to him as the pulsing rock music stopped and he watched the door open warily.

“What the hell?” a tiny blonde exclaimed as her head popped up over the top of the car, Southern accent rolling off her tongue.

He wondered if the Southern accent might be a clue to where they might be. Hopefully she was from around there. His eyes moved over her as she came around the car towards him, studying what might be the person to help him. She was smaller than his Buffy with dark streaks in her hair and bright blue eyes like his own. Nearly as pale as him, too. She may look like Buffy, but her style leaned more towards his own what with the dark make-up, tattoos, and black nail polish. The girl wore a pleated skirt of black and red plaid with black straps hanging around her hips and a netted that showed her black bra. He forced his eyes not to linger on her cleavage, but thought that maybe this might be what Buffy could look like if he ever got hold of her. He had pictured his slayer like this on more than one occasion.

“That’s what I’d bloody well like to know!” he finally said dryly.

“Woah, in character much there,” she said with a chuckle and let her eyes wander over him in similar perusal, but with a bit more interest lighting her eyes.

“In character? What are you on about?” He shook his head.

“What’re you doin’ here?” she asked curiously finally, ignoring the strange questions for now.

“I don’ bloody know! I don’ even know where the bleedin’ hell I am!” He gestured around wildly.

She figured to just amuse his second comment, “You’re in beautiful Dahlonega, Georgia, home of the first major American gold rush.”

“Thanks for the soddin’ history lesson, but what the hell am I doin’ in this hick town?”

“Okay, I know girls prob’ly fall all at your feet for doin’ the whole Spike act, but come on...” She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head at him. She had bristled at the term ‘hick town’ even if she herself had called it that on occasion.

“Dizzy bint, this isn’ a bloody act!” In the next instant, he couldn’t help his anger getting the better of him what with the stress of the situation and fatigue from the fight. His face shifted and she jumped back with a yelp. Good to know he was still a vampire. Maybe he wasn’t in purgatory after all.

“Okay then... new problem... how did you get into the real world?” She kept her distance from him warily.

“Real world?” He tried to shake off his game face, not wanting to scare off a potential ally.

“Uh... yeah... you’re a character in a television show last I had checked. I’ve got your calendar hangin’ on my wall.” He looked dubious and she chewed her bottom lip in thought before sighing, “Look, I can prove it like you proved to me you were really Spike when you went all grr argh on me, okay? It’ll also help me figure out if I’m dealin’ with nasty Spike or nice Spike. Basically, bein’ the Buffy geek that I am, I can prob’ly tell you more ‘bout yourself than *you* remember.”

He gave a loud snort then hooked his thumbs in his jeans, looking amused. “Right then. How many slayers have I offed?”

“Two. One in China durin’ the Boxer Rebellion, and then there was Nikki Wood in New York.”

He frowned slightly. “How did I get turned?”

“This bitch Cecily got all uppity with you and you ran out cryin’, bumped into Angelus on the street and Dru followed you to where she attacked you.” She crossed her arms. “Oh, and later you went home to see Mommy Dearest and you turned her and she went all bitchy monkey in heat on you, so you dusted her.”

He couldn’t help the low growl that sounded at her reference to his mum. He just had to remind himself that he needed her help and if she knew him that well she knew to watch her tongue where his mum was concerned. Not unless she had some sort of death wish.

“I assume you know about the Buffybot then.” At her nod he continued. “Who made her?”

“Warren.” She tilted her head with a grin. “I always did wish I could find someone to make me a Spikebot.”

“Right.” He quirked a brow at her. “How did I off the Annoyin’ One?”

“Tossed him in a cage and hoisted him right up into the sunlight.” She looked at him tiredly. “Look, give me a real hard one now so we can prove it once and for all and get on with figurin’ out how the hell you got here.”

“Fine. I got one. Figure only me an’ the demon bloke that was there would know what happened. What do you know about when I got me soul back?” His eyes narrowed as he studied her answer to that one.

“Well, they didn’t show a complete blow by blow, but from what I saw? In the cave in Africa, first there was this guy with the flamin’ hands and you broke his neck to win. Then at some point was this pointy eared demon guy that you ripped the head offa... then these icky scarabs were crawlin’ all over you. Then after that they showed the demon doin’ the glow-y touch to you to give you your soul.” She tilted her head. “Which you really didn’t come out and ask for, but I guess he figured that’s what you really wanted since he seemed to be of the psychic sort. He knew you were there about Buffy when you arrived.”

“Bugger... I’m a bloody kiddy show character!” He paced away from her gesturing wildly then stopped and walked back towards her. “Look, so now you know it’s the nice, or at least souled, me that you’re dealin’ with, yeah? So you’re goin’ t’ help me get back? ‘Cause not sure how much you know beyond the soul part, but I was down in the Hellmouth doin’ my bit t’ hold off the First when suddenly I’m here.”

“What?” she squawked, interrupting him. “So this is you, right after the end of the series? When you were down there and went dusty with the amulet on? You came *here*?”

“So you did see that. Good t’ know.” He heaved a sigh as he went over what she had said. “End of the series, you say? Which means you bloody well can’ tell me how the Slayer an’ the other white hats faired... if my sacrifice did them any good...”

“There was a bit after you... you know.” She shifted on her feet and ran her hand through her hair. “Buffy got out and caught up with the others. Then the Hellmouth pretty much collapsed in on itself... and they stopped just outside the city limits to look at the ginormous crater left. So, you do have somethin’ to go back to and hopefully we’ll come up with somethin’... whether it be to send you back or contact them or in the very least see how they’re doin’ since then, okay? So for now let’s get you to my apartment and out of the middle of the street.”

She motioned him to the car and went around to get into the driver’s seat. He eyed the little green Neon with the racing stripe before getting in. He barely had time to arrange himself comfortably in the small car before she sped off down the road with him clinging to the seat. *The bint drives like a bloody maniac*, he thought, forgetting he drove much worse. He missed the sly glance she threw him out of the corner of her eye before flipping through her rock music to a particular song.

He did notice when suddenly Rebel Yell started blaring through the car. “Bloody hell woman; that is not funny!”

“I think it is,” she gave a little snort of amusement. “And no worries, my apartment’s right there.”

Still, he reached out to turn down the radio as they pulled into the parking lot. She gave him a dry look for it and parked the car in her space then reached for her purse under his legs. She led him to her door and went inside, heading over to drop her purse onto her desk. When Spike came in behind her with a chuckle, she blushed slightly knowing he had noticed his face splashed across her computer screen and the walls.

“Yeah yeah yeah, yuck it up... so now we’re even,” she grumbled and turned to go grab her phone. “I was out to get some lunch when you sorta sidetracked me, so I’ll just order in a pizza instead. Lemme guess, you want hot wings, too?”

“Not real hungry at the moment, but sure.” He moved around the apartment, investigating what he might be calling home for who knew how long.

She made the call then hung up the phone, hand lingering over the handset for a moment before looking at him. “I... really don’t know where to get you blood while you’re here... I know on the show that I think they got you stuff from the butchers... but I don’t think we gotta butcher shop.”

“We don’ know if I still drink blood, what with the not-so-combustible skin. But, as I proved t’ you, I’m still a vampire... so might be good t’ have blood on hand.” He tilted his head. “So where do you get your steaks an’ such if you don’ have a butchers?”

“Wal-Mart, duh.”

He chuckled. “Then maybe we can try t’ talk t’ someone there ‘bout gettin’ some of their blood. Don’ want t’ have t’ resort t’ breakin’ int’ the hospital or feedin’ on people around here.”

“Guess last resort would be just feedin’ on me,” she said with a shrug then grinned. “Not that I would complain, of course.”

“Sure, luv. If we can’ get blood anywhere I might have t’ settle for you,” he replied with an amused look. He turned to continue his perusal of her apartment and picked up a book. “You’re a Wiccan like Red?”

“Kinda. I’m a Wiccan, yeah, but I’m not some uuber witch like the Wiccans on your show. In the real world, magic is that slight of hand stuff. I do... well, I *am* psychic in that I get somethin’ similar to slayer dreams now and then... and I’m a bit sensitive or empathic... but that’s not magic.”

“It’s still worth a look-see t’ see if we can’ find somethin’ that might help me.”

She sighed. “Sure. Maybe we’ll find somethin’ on the internet. ‘Cause I obviously don’ got anythin’ in the way of spellbooks. That’s just somethin’ on Wiccans, as in our beliefs and practices.”

With a nod, he set it back down and moved to keep looking around. Over to the side was a fish tank and moving past it he poked his head into the bedroom, spotting a hamster cage in there. The bed was unmade with black sheets and a mink blanket. Then there was a pile of shoes and jackets in one corner while a pile of books and folders was in another. Bloody messy bird, she was. He wondered where he was going to be sleeping since at the moment he had no hope of getting home soon. If ever. He shoved that depressing thought away, opting for optimism.

The doorbell rang and the she stopped watching him to scoop up her purse to get some money for the pizza. A few minutes later, she set the food on the coffee table in the middle of the living room before going to the kitchen to get some paper plates and napkins. When she turned around she gave a start at seeing him behind her. Vampires should come with bell collars, she thought to herself with some amusement.

“Well, you know me, obviously, but I’ve been a right wanker an’ didn’ ask your name.” He took the paper plate she held out lamely.

“Marie. Is me. I’m Marie,” she said with a blush and ducked around him to go get a slice of pizza. “I don’t think you’ve been a wanker. I’d be freaked too if I suddenly found myself in a weird place and not sure how I’d get home. Especially if I had a loved one back home I was worried about.”

She settled down on the couch and turned on the television, looking up at the vampire when he didn’t sit down. Turning down the volume, she tilted her head in question.

“Luv, as you know it’s been a right long day for me,” he began softly. “I don’ want t’ be a rude guest, but I...”

“Oh, no problem. I’ll put everythin’ in the fridge and you can have it later. And the bed is yours; I got no problem sleepin’ out here on the fold out couch.”

“Wouldn’ be right,” he offered up a token objection.

“Nonsense,” she said and thumbed towards the room with a smile. “Might smell like some icky human girl, but it’s better than the couch and a heap big champion like you deserves a nice rest after savin’ the world, right?”

“Right,” he echoed with a slight smirk then nodded to her in thanks before disappearing into the room.

He grudgingly tugged his boots off and plopped onto to the bed. He propped his arms underneath his head and tried to get comfortable. His eyes settled on the ceiling above him and he found a life size poster of himself sneering down at him. He let out a smirk and shook his head. Was this his reward for saving the world? To exist in a place where he wasn’t shunned or deemed a monster by society. From what he could gather, he was popular here. Or admired at the very least. Is this worth it? Could he exist here just in case Marie couldn’t find a way to send him back? Maybe. But this world was missing one thing. Buffy.


Tbc...

Lost Champion


Chapter TWO

AN: Collaboration between Thianna and Elizabeth Anne Summers. Thanks yous to Elizabeth Anne Summers, McChick and 2zen2 for betaing.

AN2: Just want to mention that Angel season 5 didn’t happen in this universe. Flashback/dream sequence is from Never Leave Me and Chosen




Buffy was sitting on the edge of her bed as she looked over at Spike, tied down to a chair.

“I don’ remember anythin’,” he said a bit sadly.

“Well, you were having pretty bad withdrawal episodes.”

“No, not that pet. I don’ remember … I… I don’ remember anythin’ that I did.” Spike lowered his head as he clenched his fists. “Nothin’… it’s like a dream, like I’m watchin’ someone else doin’ it. I should have realized something was up when I was losin’ time… wakin’ up in strange places.”

“So when did your chip stop working?”

“I didn’ know it stopped. … Not ‘til now anyway.”

“How about the losing time?” she said, moving a little closer to him.

Spike shrugged his shoulders. “I thought it came with well… you know…”

“When you got your soul. … How did you do it?”

Spike managed a smirk. “Saw a man about a girl. Sought out a legend, traveled t’ the other side of the world an’ made a deal with a demon,” he said with a small sigh.

“You make it sound so simple.”

“Fine, there was a price. There were trials, torture, pain and suffering … of sorts.”

“Of sorts?” She tilted her head and blinked at him confused. It wasn’t like he was the most lucid person before the soul, but ever since then it seemed she needed a Spike-to-Buffy translator most of the time. It made her head hurt.

“Well, it’s all relative now isn’t it pet?”

Buffy arched an eyebrow at yet another confusing response. “Meaning?”

The blond vampire sighed once more. “It means, pet, that I have come t’ redefine the words pain an’ sufferin’ since I fell in love with you.”

She crossed her arms across her chest and frowned. Did he realize how insulting that sounded? “How can you say that?”

“I just slaughtered half of Sunnydale, pet. I’m not really worried about bein’ polite anymore.”

Obviously he did realize how insulting it had sounded... “So what, you’re feeling sorry for yourself, now?”

“No. For once I’m feelin’ honest with myself. You used me.”

Buffy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn’t need to be reminded just how much she abused their relationship. Yes, she admitted to herself that it was a relationship. It wasn’t the healthiest for either of them but it was there. There were feelings involved. “Yes, Spike. I did.”

**

Spike strained against his restraints, trying to prove a point. He was at a loss. Someone or something was using him and he didn’t know what to do. He needed to show Buffy that he needed to be staked.

“You need the pain we cause you. You need the hate t’ do your job, t’ be the slayer.”

“I don’t hate like that. Not you or myself. Not anymore. Listen to me. You’re not alive because of hate or pain. You’re alive because I saw you change.”

Spike lunged at her again, the chains rattling. “Fuckin’ window dressin’.”

But Buffy wouldn’t back down. “It would be easier if it was, right? It would be easier if all this wasn’t an act? You faced the monster inside of you and fought back.” Buffy closed the distance between them and looked into his eyes. “I believe in you, Spike”

**

Buffy was looking at what used to be Sunnydale and though she was smiling, tears were slowly streaming down her face.

“Buffy, is everything okay?” Dawn asked with concern.

“I’m okay, Dawn. Oh my… I’m crying because I wasn’t sure we’d make it.” It was a lie. She was crying for someone that gave her the greatest gift in the world – a new life.


**


Spike woke up with a start, the image of Buffy crying still fresh in his sleep fogged mind. *Yeah right, mate. She wouldn’ be cryin’ for you,* he thought.

He looked around and images of himself on the wall reminded him exactly where he was. He was in the “real” world. Funny how that word doesn’t seem to have a lot of meaning to him now. What was real? In this dimension he was a bloody character in a television show. But he knew he wasn’t a figment of someone’s imagination. He was flesh and bones. He was a vampire, though apparently not of the combustible variety in this world. He wondered why the trip to this dimension had that affect on him. Maybe he could talk with the blonde bird about that later.

He took in a deep breath and that girl’s scent filled his senses. He felt a tinge of guilt at having taken up her bed but she insisted and he wasn’t in the mind to argue.

He slid out of the bed and stretched sore muscles. He made his way towards the living room to find that Marie was still fast asleep, the sounds and images on the T.V. apparently had lulled her to sleep. With a sigh, Spike went back into her room and spotted her computer. He had seen Red use it before and though people may think he wasn’t computer savvy, he knew enough to get by. A small smile appeared on his face as he remembered using one to track down Buffy once. He plopped himself on the chair and smirked at seeing himself as the desktop’s wallpaper again. He placed his hand on the mouse and opened up the browser to access a search engine. He placed his fingers on the keyboard but his mind was a blank. What should he search for? Coming up with a blank, he went to access the Favorites menu on the browser hoping that maybe there would be a link to some Wiccan spells or websites. He skimmed through the list of links but stopped when he saw the folder labeled Spuffy.

“Spuffy? What in the bloody hell is Spuffy?” he wondered out loud.

He accessed the folder and clicked on the first link. The page loaded and he was treated to a picture of him kissing Buffy. His curiosity piqued, he started reading the text on the screen. His eyes grew bigger as he saw links to what seemed like stories all about him and Buffy. He couldn’t help but click on a few of them and start reading.

**

Marie let out a yawn as she sat up from the couch and rubbed at her blurry eyes. She smiled. Yesterday seemed to be her lucky day. Spike was real and in her apartment. Of course, she promised to help send him back, but just the idea of spending time with him, though short, was enough to make her smile uncontrollably. She made her way to her room to get a change of clothes and was surprised to see that he was awake and puttering about on her computer.

“Bloody hell!”

Marie moved closer to see what had made the blond vampire cry out. She wasn’t sure if she should giggle or feel sorry for him. He apparently found a Spuffy fanfic website and was reading one of the stories. Upon closer examination, she noticed that he was actually reading one of her works.

“Hey… What do ya think you’re doin’?” she said trying to mask her slight embarrassment with mock irritation at the vampire.

Spike turned to look at her. “How many people do this? I mean... well… how many stories of me are out there?”

“Lots…” She grinned. “And you just saw the Spuffy ones.”

He blinked in disbelief. “There’s more?”

“Umm… well, I’ve actually seen you paired with just about every person on the show.” She nodded with a grin.

“You’ve got t’ be jokin’, pet.”

Marie shook her head and bent over him to quickly pull up a page devoted to Spike fanfiction featuring pretty much every pairing imaginable. “I think Spoyce and Spawn are totally squicky, though.”

“Everyone? You can’t be serious. … Everyone?” His mind was still trying to figure out ‘Spoyce’ and ‘Spawn’. When it did, he looked at her as if she had just told him all about her menstrual cycle or something equally disgusting to him.

She just shrugged. “You don’t have to believe me. I’m just tellin’ you how it is. Maybe it’s best you didn’t know about the other stuff.”

“Other stuff?” The blond vampire raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Marie smiled wistfully, her lips turning up in the corners to form a slight grin as she started thinking about one of the manipulations she saw the other day on the Darker Spike community. She shook her head when she saw the pensive look on his face.

“Oh, stop broodin’, ya big baby,” she finally said.

“I am not broodin’ luv.”

“Yes you are! Now I’m goin’ to take a quick shower. After that we can go all research mode and find a way to send you back.” She turned towards her closet to grab some clothes. “Chicken wings are still in the fridge. Help yourself.”

She stopped and looked towards him as she remembered something randomly. “Oh, and later we can go try to see if Wally World’ll give us some blood for you, okay?”

Spike watched as his gracious hostess disappeared into the bathroom. With a sigh, he looked back at the computer screen and clicked on another open window. It brought up a picture of Buffy, looking out onto the horizon. He didn’t have to read the caption to know when this one was taken. He reached out with his fingers to touch the screen, closing his eyes to imagine himself running his fingers through her hair. They did it. They closed the Hellmouth and saved the world. As she looked towards her future, could she have thought about him? Is she wondering if he found peace? If and when Marie found a way to send him back, would Buffy still want to see him?

There were so many things he hadn’t been able to say to her. Even on that night before they faced the First, there was more touching than talking. It was enough, though. What more could a champion ask for than to be in the arms of the woman who was his world.

“His world,” Spike said with a chuckle. He opened his eyes and let them rest on Buffy’s picture once again. “Argh…. The damn bird is right. I’m broodin’.”

He pushed the chair away from the computer desk then stood up and made his way towards the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator door and bent down to grab the small box of chicken wings she had kept for him. “Would be bad to be an ungrateful guest,” he said to himself. He went back into the living room and plopped down on the couch. He grabbed the remote control and started flicking through the channels, finally settling on a rerun of Dawson’s Creek.

After a little while, Marie came out still rubbing at the ends of her hair with the towel. She stole a wing and peered over his shoulder towards the television to see what he was watching, face immediately screwing up in disgust.

“Ew gawd, that’s worse than the whole Passions thing! Where’s your cahonies man, watchin’ disgustin’ chick TV!” She made a grab for the remote, mindless of the growling from the irritated vampire.

**

“Hello!.. Umm… Earth to Buffy. Buffy …” Willow called as she waved her hand in front of her best friend’s face.

“Huh? What? Oh... Will... Sorry. … Sorta spaced out there for a second.”

“Are you okay Buffy? We can just go home you know.”

Buffy shook her head. “No. We all deserve some down time “

“Oh, okay. So come join us on the dance floor already.”

“Umm… I will, I’ll just finish my drink.”

Willow offered her friend a smile before she left to join the others on the dance floor.

Buffy let out a small sigh as her eyes were once again transfixed on the wide selection of alcohol behind the bar. She absent-mindedly stirred her water with lemon as she amused herself by reading all the different bottles on the wall, trying to pronounce some of the Italian labels in her head. *I wonder why I chose Italy. I sucked at French in high school and here I am in a European country barely knowing the language, planning to settle down.*

Her eyes drifted to a bottle of Jack Daniel’s as the bartender pulled it from the wall to pour someone a drink. Suddenly memories of Spike flooded her mind and she could have sworn that she felt him running his fingers through his hair. Whiskey, smoke and leather. She never would have thought that those things would give her some peace of mind. But that was all it was. All in her mind. Spike wasn’t here. He couldn’t be here because he sacrificed himself to give her the life she always wanted. Oddly enough, as great as it was to be semi-normal girl, she knew she would never be complete. She couldn’t be, not when a part of her was buried deep in Sunnydale.

She took another drink and glanced towards the dance floor where Willow and Dawn were dancing, Willow doing a good job of warding off any amorous guys that tried to dance with them. Buffy just thought it was too soon to party. She needed to get away and be by herself for awhile. Her friends meant well but they were smothering her in their efforts to cheer her up. So setting down her drink, she made her way to the door and slipped out into the cool Roman air, not noticing the shadow that followed her.

**

“Okay, if you stay long enough to need more blood then you’re so getting’ it yourself,” Marie grumbled as she set the grocery bags on the table, giving Spike a glare as she blamed her bad mood on having to do something for him. “In the real world, it’s REALLY weird for me to be askin’ people for BLOOD. I got totally funny looks, but finally talked him into givin’ me what he had.”

She went to go put the gallon jugs of blood in the fridge, muttering about how it would have been easier if he had just accepted the offering of her neck. Spike leaned his hip against the counter with a smirk, digging in one of the bags for the cocoa he had grabbed along with a bag of little marshmallows.

“Shut your gob, woman,” he said and went about making himself a cup of hot chocolate after she pointed him in the direction of the mugs. “As pale as you are, I know it wouldn’ be safe t’ be usin’ you as snack food. Not if I wanted your help getting’ home.”

“Well, to your dimension, at least,” she muttered as she dug around for a soda.

“What do you mean by that?” He moved to stand in her way so she couldn’t avoid the question. “Explain.”

“Sunnydale... well it’s a big sinkhole now. Thought you saw that when you were pokin’ around on the net earlier.” She grimaced.

“Bloody hell.” He looked down, realizing if that was the case then even if he got back to his dimension he would still have to go about finding out where Buffy had run off to after leaving Sunnydale. She would be setting up a new life for her and Nibblet. Could be anywhere.

Tbc...

Chapter Three


AN: Thank you to Just Sue for her betaing skills.


While Spike was in the shower getting all wet and glistening... Marie shook her head and forced the images from her head. Bad Marie, bad. That was so not going to happen and would only lead to trouble. She went out to her car to get the bags of clothes she had bought for her visitor. She had nearly made it out of Wal-Mart before realizing that Spike had only arrived with the clothes on his back and he wouldn’t be able to borrow hers – no matter how cute he would look. And, while she didn’t mind him wandering about naked, he definitely would mind her getting a free show especially after he found more of that fan stuff on her computer while she was out shopping. He had proclaimed that she saw way too much of his manly bits.

She went into her room and dropped one of the bags by the bathroom door then went over to the computer to check her email then maybe do more searches for Wiccan practices that might help them. The research was set aside when she saw there was an update to one of her favourite stories at the Bloodshedverse. So engrossed was she in the update that the wet arm snaking out to grab the bag of clothes actually went unnoticed.

“Look, you bloody witch, I appreciate all the help you’re givin’ me, but this is the last straw,” Spike growled as he stepped out of the bathroom wearing navy jeans and a white button up shirt.

She wasn’t paying attention to him at all and this only irritated him more.

“Marie!”

Still, her head didn’t rise and he was considering grabbing her for a moment or two. Then she finished reading and lifted her face to glare daggers at him, causing him to take a step back warily.

“You jerk!” She grabbed up a notepad and threw it at him.

He lifted his arm and ducked the projectile. “Sorry, luv,” he said defensively, “I should be glad to be gettin’ any clothes.”

She blinked at him, unaware of what he was talking about. Stabbing a finger towards the screen, she elaborated with, “You’re an ass.”

Finally, Spike craned his head to see what had caught her attention to see that she was reading another of those damned stories about him.

“An’ just what was this wanker accusin’ me of?” he asked dryly.

Her bottom lip poked out. “You were mean to Buffy.”

He took one look at her and would have burst out laughing if he didn’t think the hormone queen would attack him again. “Luv, I was mean to Buffy a lot an’ she was mean to me. It kept things from gettin’ borin’.” He grabbed the mouse and clicked the window closed to change the subject. “Now, why don’ we do more research to get the Big Mean Vampire back home so you don’ have to keep takin’ care of him.”

She looked at him a minute before reaching up to pinch the underside of his arm.

“OI! What the bloody hell was *that* for?!”

“Complain’ ‘bout the clothes.” She gave him a dirty look then turned back towards the computer. “Even *I* don’t wear all black all the time. Not to mention, since I’m havin’ to support your broke ass, I got what my poor college ass could afford! So if you want better, *you* pay for it!”

“Yes, mum- OWW!!”

======

The nice sunny day didn’t even register for the slayer as she picked at her salad, sitting at an outdoor café. She didn’t have much of an appetite, feeling sick for a few days now. It was weird, because she rarely got sick, being a slayer and all, and even if she did it usually worked its way out of her system quickly because of the slayer genetics. So being sick was rare and being sick for a few days was unheard of.

She hoped it wasn’t mystical, but she would have to bring it up with Willow eventually so that her friend could check to make sure before it was too late to stop it if it was. But, Willow would immediately worry and then so would her sister... They were already clucking around her like mother hens trying to get her to feel better about losing Spike, she didn’t need them getting worse with the added sickness.

The thought struck her that maybe she could find someone else, surely in a town as big as this, that could do the mystical scan thing. Someone who didn’t know here and wouldn’t cause mass hysteria among her friends, leading to Scoobie-stock at her apartment as Willow called for them all to fly in to work through the big emergency.

*Oh no, Buffy’s sick. It must be an apocalypse!* She rolled her eyes. It was bad enough that even Dawn thought she could just get over Spike’s death and move on, because why would she miss *him*. That would be absurd! This time she snorted, not caring if she got looks. Crazy American.

With plan in mind, she tossed some money on the table and went off down the street to begin her search for some magical help with her problem. Maybe there was a magic shop, or a fortune teller who might be more than just a person conning tourists. It didn’t hurt to try and if nothing came up she could call Giles, use some creative excuse for getting him to tell her the name of some people in the area that might be of some help.

Buffy started walking some of the back streets where there was sure to be less souvenir shops and the like. As she wandered the streets, she was unaware of being followed again. The shadow trailed her at a distance and didn’t set off her slayer sense. A vampire wouldn’t be out on a sunny day anyway and it obviously wasn’t a demon either then.

The first store Buffy happened upon was just some old woman conning tourists by claiming to be an oracle. She had met a real oracle and this woman was just a fraud. Leaving, she had nearly run over a man and apologized in embarrassment before continuing her search for a real magic shop. And eventually, she found one.

A young Italian woman in a plain green dress walked over to greet her as she entered. She had long, dark hair that fell in thick waves to her waist and bright blue eyes that shone in her olive skin.

“Buona giomo. I am Aurea. How may I help you today, signora?” She flashed a polite smile.

“I have been staying here for awhile, but not long enough to have found some a proper magic shop.” Buffy returned her smile. “As in not tourist traps.” The woman chuckled at her elaboration. “And well, I need help because I don’t normally get sick, but for the last few days I’ve been feeling ill. I need to know why and make sure it isn’t something mystical since usually that’s the only reason I get ill.”

The woman nodded and motioned for Buffy to sit at the bench against the wall before walking into the back room to get something. Buffy watched her leave, worried but at the same time hoping it was all in her head.

======

Marie scrolled through yet another page on Wiccan practices with Spike hovering over her shoulder no matter how many times her shoulder *accidentally* hit his nose.

*Gah, like I want him breathing his blood breath down my neck... and why does he breathe? He’s a friggin’ vampire!*

But still, she searched for some ritual that might help them. It was good that she had an active imagination, because as they found new rituals she thought over any possibilities of it being useful to them. So far, not really anything remotely helpful, though. And the impatient vampire became more agitated with every useless page they came across.

“Okay, if you don’t sit down I’m gonna knock you on your okole.” She pushed at him yet again.

He growled and tried to make a grab for the mouse to do the searching himself, sure he could do it better. With her own growl, Marie grabbed for the mouse to wrestle it from him but of course was no match for vampire strength. So she resorted to sinking her teeth into his arm angrily.

He gave a yowl of pain and let go to nurse his wounded arm – and pride – with a very manly pout. She flashed him a cheeky grin then turned back to the computer.

“Never touch a geek’s computer,” she told him over her shoulder as she moved on to the next page, humming Elvis’ “Hound Dog”.

With a roll of his eyes, he sat down heavily. This was taking forever and the longer it took, the lower his hopes fell. If he was stuck here, he was definitely going to go nuts from putting up with this loony bird. Not to mention, eventually the temptation would get too strong to get a peek while he was in the shower or something. What with her seeming infatuation for him, walls bearing witness to that.

“Hmm, I think I got somethin’...” she finally drawled after a moment.

======

“That can’t be possible,” Buffy said in shock. She shook her head and took a step back from the shopkeeper. “Your spell has got to be off.”

“I have already checked three times, but I can try again if you like,” Aurea replied calmly. She understood that such news could be a big shock to a person.

“But... it’s just that... I haven’t in a very long time!” the slayer wailed in despair, not that embarrassed to be broadcasting loudly about her sex life or lack thereof. “So it must be something evil or wrong or something!”

“The spell and my own natural abilities do not sense anything unnatural or evil.” The Latin woman looked at the blonde with sympathy. She really did want to help.

Buffy sighed. “There was once... but... he doesn’t have the ability to father children. So it can’t be him.”

“Maybe he can father them after all.” Aurea patted her hand with a look of concern. “If you ever need help during the pregnancy, you come back here and I will do anything I can to help.”

Buffy smiled at her with a nod before getting up to leave. She was so dazed by the news that she nearly walked into someone as she was leaving the store, wondering how she was going to tell her friends that she was potentially impregnated by a vampire. It wouldn’t matter to them that he had saved the world. They would want to research and make sure it wasn’t something evil... even if she had thought the same thing. But, they wouldn’t be assured that it wasn’t evil just because the shopkeeper said so. They might even try to talk her into getting rid of it.

Dawn would probably be happy for her, though.

Was she happy for *herself*? How did she feel about the prospect of having a baby that her friend might want to get rid of? Well, if this was truly of the non-evil variety and so obviously Spike’s child, then she was happy. In fact, it would be amazing to be left with a piece of Spike, to carry him inside her.

“Oh! Signora!”

Buffy turned, drawn out of her inner turmoil by the shopkeeper’s voice calling after her.

“I thought you might like to know that it is a girl that you carry!”


Tbc...