“Stupid demons,” Buffy whined as she trudged through another endless sea of gravestones.

Didn’t Giles understand that sometimes she just needed some time for herself, away from the workplace. Couldn’t he tell by the way she had looked and acted at his home that she just wasn’t in the mood for a night of killing. She was sooo tired of this. Just needed a day or two to recuperate from the latest fiasco of her life.

Tonight she had planned on sitting at home in her dorm with Willow, complaining about the male species, in particular one poop-head Parker. After the incident the other day in which Spike had been privileged to a front row seat of the drama of Buffy’s love life, she was in the mood for some Ben and Jerry’s and a round of chick flicks.

Spike, there was another problem of the male variety in her life. Who did he think he was coming back to Sunnydale to try and kill her and rub it in her face that another man had left her? Didn’t see Drusilla anywhere, who is he to judge.

It was a good thing that Spike had probably left town again to go after his ring. She didn’t think she could have taken much more of him with the way she was feeling.

What was wrong with her that every man she started to love had problems sticking around. It would only be a matter of time before Giles and Xander left her too.

No Buffy, they would never do that, they’re your friends. Nothing more than family type love there, so hence no leaving. In theory.

Tripping over a rock, Buffy pulled her mind back to the present. Probably a bad idea to be thinking hard when Giles had sent her on a patrol mission tonight.

When checking in with him after classes today, mainly in the hopes of hearing any news about the whereabouts of Spike, he had informed her that a rather large demon had been rumored to be vandalizing the neighborhood of the cemeteries.

Which led to Buffy unhappily searching Sunnydale’s cemeteries, rather unsuccessfully too, if she did say so herself.

---

Swaggering through the streets of Sunnydale, Spike kicked another unfortunate rock that just happened to be in his way. Stupid bloody town, he didn’t quite understand how he kept ending up back in the Slayer’s turf; probably had something to do with the fact that she completely ruined his life and he was in need of revenge.

Yah, revenge. Dru has no idea wha’ she was ramblin’ abou’. I am not covered in the Slayer, jus’ need to kill her after wha’ happened with the Poof and my bloody ring.

Slayer deserves to die for making me deal with Angel. Bloody bastard has my ring.

It had been two days since the incident with Angel and the ring and Spike was right pissed off. He had come right back to Sunnydale to deal with the ever present thorn in his side, the Slayer. He had decided that it was time to repay Buffy for her help in ruining his life by humiliating and degrading her about the fling she had with the college boy. After he was through with her she would be begging him for death.

Now all he had to do was find her, he knew she was out here somewhere protecting the innocents, maybe in one of those nice short skirts she used to wear. Spike missed fighting the Slayer when she was wearing those outfits; he wished she would get rid of the pants and go back to the skimpy skirts, they offered a much better view. Can’t blame a bloke for looking.

Back to the task at hand, find the Slayer, Spike reminded himself as he continued his search of Sunnydale for Buffy.

---

Aha! Success at last. Giles sure wasn’t kidding when he said it was a large demon.

Buffy had finally found what she was searching for, a massive expanse of rock solid demoney goodness. Said demon was in the process of uprooting the gravestones of a Mr. and Mrs. Carlson and didn’t appear to notice the arrival of the Slayer. Buffy took a running leap that landed in the back of the demon and appeared to do it no harm. Buffy rained punches and kicks to the demon but nothing seemed to faze it, it’s hide was solid as a rock. The demon didn’t seem to mind at all that the Slayer was using him as an overgrown punching bag. He just stood there and took it. Buffy on the other hand was getting upset. Everything she tried had no impact on the mass of demon, even her trusty stake couldn’t pierce its hide. Starting to wear herself out, Buffy stopped her attack and just stood there looking at the demon.

“You know, I’m the one that is supposed to be toying with you, not the other way around. At least give a girl some kind of reaction, even if it is just walking away from her.”

Growing tired of playing with the Slayer the demon back-handed her across the cemetery where she landed in a heap among the grave markers. The demon than made its way out of the cemetery completely unfazed by the recent attack. What the demon didn’t see was that when it threw Buffy, she wasn’t the only thing to go flying. Buffy noticed the flash of silver near her feet and picked it up, intending to deliver it to Giles for inspection.

Looking at the object that the demon had dropped, she was surprised to see what looked like an ordinary silver locket on a chain. The locket was shaped in a heart and bore the inscription True Love on it.

That’s a new one, a demon carrying around a picture of its true love, wonder what she looks like. Buffy mused to herself Just something else to complain to Willow about, now even Sunnydale’s demon population is having better luck in love than I am.

Buffy opened the locket, intent to see the picture inside, mumbling to herself as she did so.

“I wish I could find my true love, someone who will actually stick around.”

As she spoke those words, a bight pink light erupted from the locket and entered her mouth. As she stumbled back and started to fall Buffy could have sworn she heard someone calling her name. Then the blackness overcame her and everything went dark.

Spike’s head shot up as he heard the sounds of a fight. Ah, guess I found my Slayer. That’s right inner thoughts, MY Slayer.

He silently crept through the trees, to get a glimpse of the Slayer and arrived just in time to see Buffy get back-handed across the cemetery by a gigantic demon. Spike was ready to spring into action and help the Slayer God knows why when he saw the demon walk away. Content to watch Buffy from the shadows for now, he saw her bend over to pick something up. And what a nice view that was.

The Slayer was mumbling something to herself as she looked at the object in her hand. As a rosy light erupted from her hand and she started to fall, Spike was pulled from his hiding place with an unintentional cry of “Buffy” on his lips. He reached her in time to have her crumple into his arms. What to do, what to do

While he may have been telling himself that he was only in Sunnydale to bring about the destruction of the Slayer and her little gang of misfits, seeing Buffy lying in his arms completely helpless was not doing good things to his emotions.

Laying Buffy down on the ground, Spike went about trying to figure out if she was injured and what was wrong with her. Although she seemed to be fine physically, both her breathing and her heart rate were very slow. It’s as if she has fallen into some mystical coma

“Come on Slayer, open those pretty eyes for me luv.” Pretty eyes? What are you taking about you wanker?

“Luv, you need to wake up, I don’ really know what I’m doing here.”

“Slayer, Buffy?”

Tracing his fingers over Buffy’s face and through her hair, Spike looked around worriedly. It wouldn’t do for any other beastie to see what he was about to do

I’m only helping her now because it would be unsportsmanlike and no fun to drain her when she is completely out of it. I’ll just leave her at her watcher’s door and kill her once they make her right again.

With that thought to justify his actions, Spike scoured the area for the object that he saw Buffy drop. Finding the locket in some grass near his feet, Spike picked it up to examine it. On first glance there seemed to be nothing unordinary about the locket, but taking a closer look at the inside almost made Spike drop it. For there in the locket that the demon had been carrying was a picture of Buffy and an empty space for a picture of her love.

“Well then Slayer, we best get you an’ the little trinket here to your watcher. He’ll know what is goin’ on and how to fix it as well as anyone,” Spike said to the unconscious girl.

With that, Spike placed the locket around Buffy’s neck so as not to lose it and easily lifted the Slayer into his arms.

“Up we go luv, best get out of here before that demon comes back. He looked like a right nasty bugger.”

With the Slayer held gently in his arms, William the Bloody, Slayer of Slayer, then set off out of the graveyard intent on delivering his precious bundle to the door of her watcher.

---

The first thing that Buffy became aware of was the chirping of birds. That fact alone made her reluctant to open her eyes. Definitely not still nighttime in Sunnydale. Either I was passed out in a cemetery until morning or I’m not where I’m supposed to be.

Forcing herself to open her eyes, Buffy groaned as she sat up. Defiantly not in Sunnydale.

Looking around, Buffy found herself to be located in the middle of a dirt track in the midst of a large and thick forest. The sun was high in the sky but even with its warmth the air was still chilly. It looked to be a nice fall day in a place that clearly wasn’t California.

Gathering herself, Buffy went to stand only to have the source of her current problems, the locket, fall at her feet. Thinking to try and get home, she opened it reveling her portrait inside along with a blank frame. Since she wasn’t miraculously returned to her home she decided to wear the locket in case she would need it later.

“Damn demon. What did he and this stupid necklace do to me. I could be trapped here forever, or until Giles notices I’m missing, which should be soon, and then he’ll figure a way to get me home. I’ll probably only be here for a day at most. So in the meantime I am on an inadvertent vacation. Yeah me.”

Deciding to explore her new surroundings, Buffy randomly picked a direction to travel on the road through the forest and set out, maybe even to find her own way home.

---

Meanwhile back in Sunnydale.

“You know luv, you’re lucky that I just happened to be out walking the streets of Sunnyhell. Anything could have come along after you passed out, you should be glad it was me. I don’ even know why I came back here in the first place; it’s all your fault. Dru told me you were in my head and she would have nothin’ to do with me because of that. Maybe you were in my ‘ead. I came back to kill you, you know, but than that wanker college boy hurt you and you looked so nice in the sun. You caught me unawares and got one lucky moment. Just enough time to take my ring. Why did you have to go and give it to peaches? He destroyed it you know. Anyways I’m back here again, don’t know why, couldn’t kill you when I was invincible, don’t know how I’m gonna do it now. I think you really are floating around me, a bunch of tiny yous laughing at me and shaking your hair. I’m screwed. What kind of big bad likes to be in the company of a Slayer? I think as soon as I know that you are well again I need to leave, get as far away from you as I can Buffy Summers.”

---

Buffy was getting tired. She had been walking for hours and had seen no signs of human life. She was tired and hungry but what she really needed was something to drink. A river, stream, even a muddy puddle would do, she was parched. She would give anything for a nice bottle of Evian. And some company wouldn’t hurt anything either.

“I wish I knew were I was,” Buffy complained out loud.

As soon as the words left her mouth she spotted a sign ahead of her on the road. That’s odd, I could have sworn that that wasn’t there before. Chalking it up to the mystical properties of the place Buffy walked over to the sign.

‘You Are Now Entering the Deepest Part of the Mystical Forest. Thank You for Visiting the Pleasant Part of the Mystical Forest. Please Come Again.’
“Well that’s not very reassuring. I don’t really want to go into the Deepest Part of the Mystical Forest without a weapon. Who knows what is in there. I wish I would have been carrying my sword with me on patrol.”

As the words were spoken, a sword appeared at Buffy’s feet.

“Well this just gets stranger and stranger. I wish I had a bottle of water.”

One appeared beside the sword.

“I wish I was back in Sunnydale.”

Nothing.

“I wish Johnny Deep were here?”

Nothing.

“Crap, I was really hoping that that one was going to work because yum. Oh well, I wish I had an apple to eat.”

An apple appeared beside the sword and water.

“I wish I had some help.”

Instead of one of her friends appearing as she had hoped they would, a large leather-bound book appeared on the ground with the title of Grimm’s Fairytales. Buffy sat down on the ground near the book and began to eat and drink as she paged through the tomb. Although most of the book was just like any other book of fairytales that she had seen, the first page bore and inscription.

You made a wish to find your love
You’ll be stuck here until the task is done
Journey through this mystic place
You may see many a familiar face
They will show that which is inside
They will be true and can not lie
Test them all and find your mate
Then go back home to a happy fate.

Buffy didn’t need Giles to understand the inscription. All she had to do was walk around this world where everyone would be their true selves and find her perfect match. Sounded easy enough if she could only find anyone.

Picking up her sword and the book of fairytales, Buffy continued on down the road into the ‘deepest part of the mystical forest’.

---

“OK luv, we’re getting close to your watcher’s place. I’ll just leave you and the trinket on the doorstep, ring the bell and slip into the shadows. I’ll be around though, watching to make sure everything is going alright.”

Spike started towards the watcher’s door but stopped in his tracks at the sight of a redhead coming out the entrance.

As Willow looked up she gave a gasp of surprise at seeing her lifeless looking friend in the arms of her arch enemy. Quickly going back inside, Spike could hear the scared redhead calling for the watcher. Not knowing what to do, he continued to stand near the watcher’s front door with Buffy in his arms.

The front door opened a second time and there stood Buffy’s watcher with a crossbow.

“What have you done Spike?”

“What have you done Spike?”

The watcher’s question floored the vampire. Did he really think that Spike was so incredibly stupid as to harm the Slayer and then bring her body to the watcher’s home. Spike hadn’t lived so long because he was dense, and he sure as hell didn’t have a death wish. Unsure of how to respond to the watcher’s question without getting shot at or getting the Slayer harmed further, Spike stumbled around an answer.

“Well…I…see the Slayer…I didn’t…big demon, really big demon…but, bloody hell watcher would you lower your weapon I didn’t do anything to the girl.” Spike stuttered out while surreptitiously trying to maneuver the Slayer’s body to act as a human shield.

“Oh, and I’ll suppose that you expect me to believe the words of a soulless, evil murderer?” Giles asked him, not wavering with his weapons aim.

“Just invite me in, I’ll put down your Slayer somewhere comfy, explain what I saw happen, and then I’ll leave without complaint leaving you to perform a disinvite. I even promise not to snack on anyone while in your presence. I won’t hurt any of yours and you let me leave in one piece. Deal?” Spike tried to reason with the watcher. “I advise you take the deal because I can be gone before the bolt leaves the crossbow and I’ll still have your Slayer in my arms.” He was pretty sure that that last threat would get through to the watcher, and sure enough.

“Come in Spike,” Giles grit the words out through clenched teeth but moved aside with a cowering Willow hiding behind him.

“Don’t mind if I do.” Spike smirked cheekily at the watcher and redhead as he moved past them into the flat. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Spike carefully settled the Slayer on to the living room couch. He then tucked a couch pillow under her head and pulled a throw off the back of the chair to cover her with. Brushing hair off of her face, he was pulled from his thoughts by the watcher clearing his throat.

“Giles,” Willow whispered to him, “shouldn’t her slayer healing have her waking up yet? If she just bumped her head, she should be awake already, shouldn’t she? She will wake up won’t she Giles?”

“Just one problem with that Red, Slayer wasn’t hit in the head, and she didn’t fall. Looked mystical to me.” Spike answered the rambling girl who was clearly worried for her friend.

“I suggest that you start talking Spike, what happened to my Slayer?”

“From what I saw it was a large demon; Slayer was having trouble fighting it. Actually looked like she just made it right pissed off. He threw her across the cemetery, she got up, picked something up, and next thing I know she’d falling into my arms.” As Spike related what happened he picked up the locket from around the Slayer’s neck.

“Just looks like an ordinary locket, but when the Slayer looked inside it some weird light came out and she passed out. When I picked it up nothing happened, but it was a little odd that the thing had a picture of the Slayer in it.” Spike opened the locket to show the others the picture that was inside and was met with a surprise.

“Who the bloody hell is this corn fed git?” he yelled.

“Oh, well that’s…well it’s Riley, he’s our T.A. in psychology. I never new Buffy had a thing for him. But oh, he’s her true love? That’s so sweet, he’s really nice, and normal, and not a vampire which is good, not that there’s anything wrong with being a vampire. I’m sure it’s a great existence to have Spike. Nope nothing wrong with being a vamp, please don’t eat me.” Willow babbled on.

“Not gonna eat you Red,” Spike sulked, “I don’t think that that git Riley is really the Slayer’s equal, look even their pictures don’t match.”

Spike did have a point, while the picture of Buffy was very clear and colorful, hat of Riley was hazy and done in black and white.

“I suggest that we figure out what kind of demon Buffy fought tonight and try to find that amulet in one of my books instead of worrying about who Buffy should be dating. Willow would you be so kind as to call the others and have them come over for research?” Giles asked the redhead.

“Sure Giles, I’m on it, just call me phone call girl.” Willow replied.

“Well it seems as though you have everything under control. I’ll just be going now, tell the Slayer to come find me when she wakes up.” Spike threw over his shoulder as he headed for the door.

“Oh no you don’t, you were the only one other than Buffy to see that demon so you are going to sit down and help us identify it.” Giles scolded the vampire.

With a low huff Spike turned around and threw himself down into one of the living room chairs to pout, although he would never admit to it.

“Fine, it’s not like I have anything better to do than to help the Slayer and her merry band of white hats. Just make sure you don’t let that whelp boy anywhere near me with a stake,” he complained.

He than glanced over at the unmoving face of his beautiful mortal enemy.

“Let the research begin.” I hope you appreciate this when you wake up pet.

---

Buffy was busy trying to untangle her hair after having been forced to sleep on the ground the night before. When it had started to get dark, she had curled up in a hollow at the base of a large tree and immediately fell into a deep sleep. She had been completely exhausted after having spent the day walking for miles on end and still not getting anywhere. She had thus slept through the whole night like a log, with no disturbances and was now getting ready to continue her trek.

After ordering herself up a bagel and orange juice for breakfast, Buffy continued on. Again, like the day before she saw no signs of any human habitation. As the day continued on into late afternoon and she still hadn’t met anyone, she was getting just a little frustrated and upset.

Then out of the corner of her eye Buffy thought she saw something run through the underbrush in the woods just off to her left. It was at this same time that the air around her became heavier and she could feel energy in the air.

Looking around herself for the source of movement, Buffy glanced down and was surprised to see that the outfit that she had worn patrolling had been replaced. In it’s place she now wore a red and white plaid dress, a white pinafore apron, and a nice red cloak. She also found that there was a basket of goodies sitting at her feet, waiting to be delivered.

Great, I’m now to play the part of little innocent girl. Well at least I know what’s lurking in the woods.

“Come out, come out, you big bad wolf, I don’t take kindly to people following me to my Mother’s house.” Buffy laughed to herself as she called out into the woods, thinking of Spike, her own personal big bad wolf, ready to gobble her up at any moment.

While she was distracted with thoughts of Spike, a large gray wolf appeared on the path in front of her. Buffy, not afraid in the least after having dealt with Oz on a couple rough nights was anxious to start her role playing as Little Red.

“Well hello little girl, what are you doing all alone in the woods?” the wolf asked Buffy, starting an exchange that she knew very well, having read the story countless times.

Changing the story a little Buffy answered back, “I’m on my way to my mother’s house to bring her some goodies that my friend Willow made. My mother hasn’t been feeling very well lately so I am on my way to cheer her up.”

“Would you like some company on your walk to your mother’s, I’m sure she is an excellent woman and I would love to meet her.” The wolf asked with a grin, once more reminding Buffy of Spike.

Since Buffy was desperate for some company and knew the wolf was no match for the slayer, she agreed to let him join her and they set off together. Buffy now instantly knew the way to her “mother’s house” and believed that it was because she was now part of a story.

Buffy and the wolf shared some pleasant conversation as they made their way through the woods, as well as a couple chocolate-chip cookies that Buffy found in her basket. The wolf was just trying to explain to Buffy where the dragons lived when there was another sound in the woods. The wolf than surprised Buffy and stepped in front of her trying to shield her from what was coming.

“I’ll take care of what ever is coming and then finish walking you to your mother’s, don’t worry.” The wolf, whom she had learned was called Magnus, told her. Buffy decided that in the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood must have been very mean to the wolf and must not have shared her goodies in order to drive Magnus to try and eat her and her Granny. Buffy on the other hand found the wolf to be a complete gentleman and very informative even though he did remind her an awful lot of Spike.

Pulling herself back to the matter at hand, Buffy heard a voice ordering the wolf to, “step away from the little lady.”

Peeking around the wolf, Buffy was surprised to see what looked like Riley with a weapon pointed at the wolf.

“Riley?”

He did a double take. “I’m sorry ma’am do I know you? I think I would remember a pretty girl like you. I am called Riley though, I’m the huntsman around these parts, keep pretty girls like you safe at night.” Riley replied in a holier than thou voice.

Buffy rolled her eyes. “As you can see I am perfectly fine. I don’t need to be saved by you or anyone else. The wolf was just escorting me to my mother’s house.

“I insist that you step away from the lady or I will shoot.” Riley demanded of the wolf, completely ignoring Buffy, which only served to infuriate her.

“Did you not hear me? I don’t need help from you or anyone else, I don’t need to be saved, and I defiantly do not feel safer at night knowing that they let an idiot like you carry a weapon.” Buffy yelled at Hunter Riley.

Looking a little put out, Riley had no reply but continued to keep his gun leveled at the wolf.

“Buffy dear, it’s alright. If you think that you will be ok making it to your mother’s from here alone, I’ll just head out, it will be better that way, you know, with me not being dead.” Magnus whispered to Buffy.

She smiled at him and nodded. Tipping his head at her and giving a smirk of his own, Magnus retreated into the trees. Watching after him, Buffy was stunned to feel two large arms encircle her.

“Don’t worry now miss, you’re alright now. I rescued you from that murderous monster. You’re safe and I’ll help you to stay that way until we get you home.

Whirling around and pushing his arms off of her, Buffy wondered how she every saw boyfriend material in the oaf standing in front of her.

“For your information I didn’t need to be rescued. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and want you to leave. I can make it to my mother’s safely by my self. Do you understand, I could wipe the floor with you, now leave before I decide to test that theory.” Buffy ranted to the absurd man who thought he could save the world.

Said idiot was giving Buffy a patronizing look and smiling at her. “ Come on now darling, the woods are not a safe place for pretty young girls to be and you know that you young girls shouldn’t even be thinking about fighting, you should be thinking about marriage and babies and that sort of thing. That’s what proper girls think about. Now come with me I’ll take you to your mother’s and get you there much more safely than any wolf could. Come along.”

Buffy threw her hands into the air and stomped into the woods muttering to herself about jackass men and something about The Terminator not even noticing or caring that Riley was walking after her.

Riley on the other hand was proudly following the prettiest girl that he had ever saved and was only mildly concerned that the girl was laughing to herself about something she was muttering. He had no idea why “Come with me if you want to live” was funny. Oh well, he’d fix her after they were married.