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Author's Chapter Notes:
DISCLAIMER: All characters are creations of Joss Whedon and owned by Mutant Enemy. I am humbly writing this as a tribute to 2 of my favorite shows. I own nothing – Joss is God.

Author's Note: I have set this post-"Angel" and have taken none of the comics into account. Any similarity between situations in my story and the comics is pure coincidence. I am also using Joss's original idea of ending "Chosen" where Buffy got her wish to bring Tara back.

And now on to the show!
The solitary figure lay on the abandoned beach, catching the last of the day's sun. He didn't know whether he would be able to enjoy the sun like this again. He continued lying on the soft, cool sand until well after the sun went down. He started when a voice spoke to him from under the dark pier.
"You know, it's not safe for you to be out after dark anymore." He slowly got up off the sand, brushed himself off and ambled toward the figure that emerged from the pier. When he spoke, his tone conveyed his annoyance and disappointment to his companion.
"So I guess that's a 'no' then about turning me back?" Spike grumbled, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets.
Angel chuckled. "Give the boy a prize," he said as he clapped his hands. "Apparently, the Powers That Be have bigger plans for you and they require you to stay human."
"What about that whole prophecy thingy? Whazzit called? Softshoe?" Spike asked.
"You mean the Shanshu? Not at the end of the apocalypse yet. Guess they require your talents elsewhere," Angel explained.
"Did they at least tell you why I'm human?" Spike asked, annoyed at Angel's evasiveness.
"You're human because you crossed paths with a Mohra demon and lost," Angel replied testily. "All they told me was that your time as a vampire had come to an end and what is, is meant to be," Angel lied easily. He really didn't want to tell Spike the real reason he was to remain human. He knew Spike would have to know eventually, but as long as he was the only one who knew the truth, it wasn't going to be anytime soon.
________________________________________
Buffy thrashed around in her bed, first mumbling and then crying. She managed to break out of her nightmare and crack one eye open to look at the alarm clock on her side table.
"What I figured," she thought hazily, "it's 6am and the same dream as always." She rolled onto her back and gazed at the ceiling. She wondered how long she would keep dreaming about him. It had been 6 years since Sunnydale became nothing but a crater, but his face and last words to her haunted her still.
She groaned slightly and rolled out of bed. Another day and more new Slayers to bring into the fold. Willow had told her the day before that she had sensed a few in the Pacific Northwest back in the States that had been missed on the last sweep through. A trip to Idaho, Oregon, and Northern California was on the agenda today. Faith was too busy with whatever it was she was doing to be bothered to go fetch them, so the task fell to the senior Slayer. Buffy didn't mind. It meant getting out of Rome and back to work. She hated the down time in between Willow's visions. Her thoughts tended to consume her when she was idle and her sleep was always worse when she wasn't busy doing something.
She changed into her workout clothes and slowly descended the stairs of the villa they were using as headquarters for their little organization. No one was usually awake at this hour so she thought she might be able to get in an hour or so for a workout, which she desperately needed. As she reached the ground floor, a cheery, yet sleepy voice called out to her.
"Mornin' Buff," Willow said, softly. She laid the map and crystal aside on the coffee table and rose from the couch, stretching her arms aloft as she did.
"Long night, no Slayers?" Buffy asked, already knowing the question.
"Nope, no new ones yet," Willow replied, yawning. "But I'm sure I'll pick up something soon. How did you sleep?" Willow knew Buffy hadn't been sleeping well lately. Dark circles had become a permanent fixture underneath her eyes and this morning was no exception.
"Fine," Buffy lied. Her nighttime outbursts had awoken the villa's inhabitants far too often, so Willow had taken to casting a silence charm over Buffy's room before she went to sleep. Everyone else had slept great after that. Everyone that is, except Buffy.
"Anything new in the dream department?" Willow inquired, hope rising in her voice.
"Nope. Same old, same old," Buffy replied, dully. "I'm gonna head downstairs and workout for a little while. Let me know when Dawn gets up, OK?" she asked.
"Will do. And Buffy?" Willow hesitated. She knew that she could end her friend's sleepless nights and permanent state of depression, but was it good for her? He had told them not to tell her.
"What, Wil?" Buffy spun around, hand on the doorknob.
"Nothing, have a good workout," Willow said nervously. Buffy knew her friend was holding something back, but she wasn't sure what and this morning she just didn't have the energy to quiz her further. She shot a smile back at Willow and entered the training chamber. Right now, she just needed to beat the crap out of something. Maybe then she'd feel something, because at this moment, all she could feel was numbness surrounding her. And although she had gotten used to the numbness, she could sense something else creeping in under it and it unnerved her, not knowing what it was.





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