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Hello one and all. This is the end of book one. illusions, remember the word.

Buffy walked into the warehouse with a feeling of dread. 'Something is just not right about this.' She noticed there was no sign that living or not-so-living creatures lived here.



She heard a sound, and then suddenly, she felt someone grab her as something flashed before her eyes, and a loud explosion was heard. Then, she felt nothing at all as the lights went out.



*******



Spike was three blocks down when he noticed his girl walk into the warehouse since he'd vamped out so his senses would be more acute to things around him. 'Damn, why couldn't I've gotten here faster, or her be just a little slower.'



Clem was about to say he had a bad feeling when the building the Slayer walked into exploded into flames. "Holy shit!"



"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," Spike screamed as he started to run toward the building. "Not again, not again."



"Spike, come back," Clem yelled as he ran to grab his friend, barely getting a hold of him, having to tackle him down to the ground to keep him from running into the flames.



"SHE CAN'T BE GONE, NOOOOOO," Spike shouted as tears ran down his face, the anguished look on his face tearing up the other demon.



"Think of Dawn, Spike, think of Dawn," Clem begged, trying to reach the broken vampire before him to make sure he did nothing drastic, like join his Slayer in her firey death.



Vicki used her military binoculars and watched from a safe distance, and for the first time, she regretted her part in causing her vampire so much pain. 'I didn't realize he loved her that much.'



She prayed that something or someone kept the man from joining the bitch in her burning grave. 'Serves her right. She didn't deserve him anyway.'



Something moved further down the street when she noticed the rest of the Slayer's little gang come running. 'Why the hell are they here? No one was supposed to see this happen.'



Willow was the first to see the two demons lying on the ground. She knew that since Clem was holding Spike down, something bad had happened. 'Oh, my Goddess, it can't be?'



Xander felt his heartbeat quicken when he noticed the sobs coming from the vampire, as they got closer. He looked around for Buffy and did not see her, and missing her would have been a problem, since the fire was so bright. It was almost like daylight, the closer they got. 'Please, let Spike tell me Buffy was not in that explosion.'



Anya knew without being told that Buffy was dead. Nothing else would have broken the blonde vampire, who was crying like he had lost the most important thing in his life. 'She has managed to ruin our lives again with her dying.' Anya could not help but think of how hard it was going to be putting Xander back together again, and so close to the wedding.



Spike heard voices but was unable to make out the words. All he could think about was how he had failed her again, both Buffy and Dawn. He'd swear to himself he'd not let anything bad happen to them again, but it would seem his word was nothing but shit. 'God, tell me, how do I tell Nibblet?'



"Spike, what happened?" Willow yelled over the noise of the fire, which, by the looks of it, was going to try and take the next building with it. "Talk to me, Spike."



Clem looked up with tears streaking his face. His pain told them what Spike's words could not. He had come to like the Slayer in the dealings he had with her.



Willow started to cry as Tara wrapped her arms around her lover, the feeling of deja vu. 'Please, mother of God, not again. Don't let her die again.'



Xander sank to his knees next to the two demons and looked into the fire's soul, feeling its power. They all heard the sounds of sirens in the background, telling them that help was on the way. Coming too late to help their friend but maybe in time to get the blaze under control before it took out the warehouse district.



Spike howled as it fully hit him that his girl was gone. No magic this time could bring her back. "Why the fuck was she here? Answer me that, Red. Why did you and the absent Watcher send her here?"



Willow looked at the angry vampire, and for the first time since he was chipped, felt afraid of him. "What are you talking about, Spike? I didn't have anything to do with this."



Spike stood and stalked over to lean down into her face. "That's not what Dawn had to say. She said Buffy was coming here to check things out 'cause you called, and that Rupert wanted her to."



"I swear, Spike, I didn’t call Buffy. I haven't talked to her since this morning before I left for class." Willow looked over to Tara so she could confirm this.



"She's te…telling the tru…truth," Tara stuttered, having been with Willow all day.



"Yes, we've been together all day, honest. I haven't talked to Giles since he left," Willow reassured the grieving vampire. "I wouldn't knowingly do anything that would hurt Buffy, or anyone, I swear."



"I think we need to call Giles and ask him if he made any phone calls to Sunnydale lately," Anya pointed out. "I smell a conspiracy."



"Watcher's Council, maybe?" Xander agreed with his fiancé. "They never did like our Buffy since she never played by their rules."



"And with Faith locked away, it would only make sense to take out the rebels and start new." Anya smiled as she decided to let the others in on a secret she had promised never to tell. "Also, they were afraid of the Slayer finding her mate."



"What?" Xander squealed.



"It's common knowledge to those that have been around longer than the men in tweed that the natural order of the Slayer was to mate with a vampire. Then they would be partners in everything. He would help her fight demons and protect her, and she would live a long time. But then the elders felt that it was too dangerous and started to arrange the death of the Slayer whenever she'd find her mate, and so the trials began."



"Anya, why have you never mentioned this before?" Willow asked, everything about Buffy and Angel making sense.



"Because I was sworn to secrecy and can still be killed for it, so I don't know why I'm even mentioning it now," Anya whispered as she looked around. "There is a prophecy out there that speaks of The Chosen One and her Champion, together defeating ultimate evil and then creating a new line of evil fighters. I'm sure that has kept the Council frightened, that their way of life would be altered so drastically if that would happen. They must think that Buffy has met her mate in Angel and are afraid with him being special. That she might be The Chosen One and have decided to change the fate of the world and eliminate her."



Spike's heart broke more as he heard the words, and hearing that Buffy and Angel might have been meant to be made it even worse. 'Why not me? Why couldn't she have been meant for me? Because you are a weak, stupid, reckless, careless, nothing of a vampire,' is what he told himself as his undead heart broke more.



Clem noticed the fight go out of his friend at the ex-demon's words. "Doesn't mean she was meant for Angel. Could be she was meant for someone else, and that is why they now took action. If, in fact, it's the Council of idiots behind this."



"I think we need to move this conversation elsewhere, and someone needs to go and tell Dawnie." Willow bit her lip as she pointed to the fire trucks beginning to turn down the street, and the sound of more sirens grew louder.



"Yep, we need to make like a tree and leave," Xander nodded. "I say we meet somewhere that we can't be overheard. If the Council is behind this, then our places aren’t safe."



"You can come to my place," Clem offered. "They wouldn't have bugged me since I'm not important."



"Oh, but now you are," Willow smiled. "You are the most important one here right now."



"How do you figure?" Spike asked.



"We'll explain when we get to Clem's. We will talk there, and then we will go together and tell Dawnie." Willow looked at Xander. "We have to put all our prejudices behind us now and work together to see Dawn through this."



"I gotcha, Wills- no picking on the undead guy," Xander acknowledged as he turned to follow the others to Clem's place.



*******



Faith heard the rattle, as the outer doors were unlocked. "Wonder who's getting a late night visit?" se mumbled to herself, knowing any visits at this time of night were never of the good.



She sat on her bunk, never for one minute thinking anyone would be coming to visit her. It wasn't the end or the first of the month, meaning it was not time for Angel to visit. So, when they had stopped in front of her door, she was surprised. Since she had a single room at the Inn, it meant that the late night visitor had come to see her.



"Miss Faith, I presume," the very cultured female British accent asked.



Faith looked up and noticed a woman and man standing outside her cell doorway. "Yep, and who might you lovely people be, coming and disrupting my beauty sleep?"



"Oh, let's say we are people who care deeply about your welfare," the male voice, just as cultured and very British, replied.



Faith turned around and noticed a frumpy, dishwater-blonde female, dressed in a dark business suit with her hair in a bun on her head and a pair of dark-rimmed glasses on her face. The male was dressed the same as the female, but his hair was midnight black and his rugged facial features were handsome. His hazel eyes were intense, and his hair was cut short with a little curl to it.



"You care about my welfare? By the looks of the both of you, I would say the Council has come to have a little pow-wow with the bad slayer," Faith smirked as she sat up. "Or you have come to finally give me my 'get out of jail dead' card."



The older woman chuckled, as she looked Faith up and down with a look of disgust. "If I had my way, yes, you'd die for the transgression you are guilty of, but again, I'm not in charge."



Her male counterpart gave his partner a look that told her he was not in agreement with her. "I think we can discuss this without bringing our personal thoughts into this."



Faith scooted back on the bed with her back against the wall and folded her legs up to sit Indian-style. "Maybe you should explain why you are here at such a late hour for business types like yourself?"



The male looked over at the girl with a smudge of respect on his face. "I'm Paul O'Malley, and this is Martha Pearson, and yes, we do represent the Watchers' Council. But the reason we are here is the fact you are needed to protect the innocent lambs from the evil that walks among them in Sunnydale."



"Hey, that's B's job, and I'm not stepping on her toes." Faith shook her head, making them aware she was not going there.



"Miss Summers is no longer among the living to do the job of protecting the Hellmouth anymore," Paul sighed, feeling saddened about the blonde Slayer's death. He really liked her and thought she had guts.



Faith's 'something is not right about this' radar went on red alert. She knew something was not right in the fact she had not felt the other Slayer's death, like she had before. The feelings that something was not right about what was going on is why she decided to play along and wait to talk to Angel about her feelings.



"Wow, Buffy's dead." Faith put enough grief into her voice to try and convince dwiddle-dee and dwiddle-dumb she believed what they were telling her. "I had hoped to have time to work things out with B when I got out of here."



"Maybe you can redeem yourself by fighting the good fight and protecting her friends and family now that she is no longer able to," Martha replied, thinking it was a mistake to try and bring this rogue Slayer back into the fold.



"So, what are my conditions, since I’m sure you are not going to let me walk out of here without some kind of warranty?" Faith looked over at Paul, not wanting to discuss her feeling about Buffy and her friends with that woman who she knew despised her.



"We have a contract for you to sign." Paul nodded his head, his respect for this young woman growing more and more since meeting her.



"Tell me the terms, please." Faith nodded.



"Here, I will let you read it." Paul reached into his briefcase after setting it on the lone table in the room. "Take your time and read it. If you wish, you can contact Wesley and Angel to go over the fine print, if you'd like."



"That would be 5X5, if you don't mind." Faith reached over and took the papers from the cute-looking guy who was being far too understanding and generous for a Council rep.



"We want you to fully understand what we want from you so no misunderstanding will keep us from working together," Paul smiled, feeling a connection with this woman whose history he understood since he saw a bit of himself in her before becoming a Watcher. "We all deserve a second chance."



Faith smiled, her eyes softening as she heard his words and the conviction in his voice. "Thanks. I'll read what I can and call Angel later today and see if him and Wesley can come give me an early visit."



"I will look forward to your call," Paul's smile grew when he heard his partner's grunt of disapproval. "Take care of yourself, and I'm sorry that you did not get the chance to mend your fences with Miss Summers."



Faith made let tears forth as she decided to test one more thing. "Is there a way that Rupert Giles could be my Watcher?"



Paul looked at the girl and wondered why she would ask for him, of all people. "I can ask, but why would you want him?"



Faith sighed, "He kept his Slayer alive longer than anyone else, and if I can make him believe I've changed for the better, then maybe the rest will follow."



Paul nodded, his head thinking how much sense that made, but now if he could only sell it to his bosses and make them see the sound reasoning behind her request. "I will do what I can."



"Thank you," Faith smiled softly, thinking the real reason she wanted to talk to Giles had to do with the fact he was the only one she trusted other than Angel to talk about her feelings that Buffy was not dead.



"Until I hear from you, please keep yourself safe." Paul closed his brief case and bowed slightly before turning around and nodding to his partner it was time to leave.



Faith missed the look of contempt that Martha flung her way behind her partner's back before the guard unlooked the cell door and let them out, leaving the petite brunette looking down at the papers in her hands.



The dark-haired Slayer looked up and noticed her company was gone and let her mind process all that had happened so far. She took the contract and slid it under her mattress before turning over in her bed and started putting everything in order.



The one thing that stood out the most was the fact the Council came to her about Buffy's supposed death where she knew that Angel would have come to tell her of the blonde's fate as soon as it had happened. The one topic of conversation that had come up in every one of their meetings was her wanting to tell Buffy how truly sorry she was for doing all those things to her.



Her last thought was that the Council was behind whatever had happened to Buffy but could not kill her right away without causing doubt that the two Slayers' deaths were all above the board.



*******



Spike stopped at the door leading to the Summers' home, the morning sun not high enough to reach inside the porch yet, wrapped in the smoldering blanket he used to travel from Xander's car to where he stood now. He felt so much pain at what they had to tell Dawn. He was not sure he'd be able to handle it. But his memory of promising to protect the younger girl 'until the end of the world' came back to haunt him. "I promise to protect her until the day I no longer can, and then I have no further use in this world," he told himself.



He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over to see Tara, looking at him with understanding. "You are not alone."



"Yes, I am. She was everything to me, and when everything that was important to her is gone, I will be, too," Spike said loud enough for the others to hear as well. "I promise to help all of you the best I can."



Xander, for the first time, found he didn't want to say anything negative or degrading to the undead thing before him. 'No longer an undead thing- just Spike who loved Buffy and Dawn,' Xander told himself, finally realizing that maybe even evil vampires could change if given a reason like love.



Willow moved to stand beside the vampire and lifted her hand to caress his cheek. "We will help each other during this time, and I promise no magic this time."



Spike fought hard to keep the tears from falling. "Yeah, no magic. It has its consequences, and we've had too many of those as of late."



"Yeah." Willow stood up on the tip of her toes and lightly kissed his cheek. "We will help each other deal with this, and together, we will get Dawn through this, too."



Spike nodded his head and looked over at Clem. "This is where you go and see what you can find out at Willie's, and keep your floppy ears to the ground."



"You bet, buddy. Anything I hear, you will know." Clem reached out and patted his friend on his arm. "I take it you won't be coming back to my place, so I will give you a call."



"You do that." Spike nodded as his hand touched the doorknob, which was ripped out of his hand when the lone occupant of the house tore it open and looked hurriedly among the crowd standing before her, looking for the one face she needed to see more than ever.



"Where's Buffy? Where's my sister?" Her voice becoming more high-pitched each time she asked. "WHERE IS MY SISTER, AND DON'T TELL ME SHE IS DEAD! I WON'T BELIEVE YOU!"



"Dawnie!" Willow tried to calm the young girl down when suddenly Dawn turned and ran up the stairs, screaming over and over, "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NOT AGAIN."



"I'll go," Spike whispered as he moved quickly up the steps, thanking whoever was in charge that there weren't any window as he raced up to comfort his Bit.



Willow and the rest of the gang came in and sat down in the living room, looking tired and worn out. "I guess I will call Giles now," Willow sighed as she moved over to the phone.



She dialed the number she had memorized after he had left and let it ring. She smiled when she felt her lover embrace her from behind. "Thanks, sweetie."



"Anything for you," Tara whispered, tightening the hug when she noticed Willow 's body tense up. "Be strong, baby."



Willow closed her eyes when she heard the familiar voice answer the phone. "Good afternoon."



"Hi, Giles," Willow managed to get out.



Silence greeted her at first. She knew his last visit had been a strain on their relationship, him being upset with what he called her abuse of her magic. It was broken as she heard him say her name with a bit of fear in his voice.



"Willow?"



"Giles, I have some bad news, and I really don't know how to tell you," Willow whispered. Fighting back the tears was making her voice raspy.



"Just say it as simple as you can," Giles encouraged, fearing the worst, his heart telling him the news was grave, especially since it was Willow calling him to tell him about it.



"Buffy is dead," Willow said after taking a big breath and making it as simple as she could, but it did not stop the tears from flowing down her face again.



Again, silence accompanied the news from the other side of the phone line as her simple and direct words sunk in. Soon, the silence grew to be uncomfortable. "Giles, are you still there?"



"Yes, I'm still here," Giles, replied. She could hear the pain in his voice and wished there had been some way they could have told him in person.



"How did it happen?"



"There was an explosion, and Buffy had just gone in the building," Willow told him, wishing she didn't have to talk about it.



"Was she alone? Was anyone with her?" Giles asked, his mind going a mile a minute with this news.



Willow felt the pain of her friend dying as the tears began to flow without knowing how sorry she was for pulling her out of Heaven. "As far as we know she was alone."



"Dawn, how is Dawn taking her…" Giles couldn't finish the sentence- to say the words would make it too real. "I will catch the next flight out."



"Okay, Giles. Call and let us know, and we will pick you up at the airport if you want," Willow whispered as her voice became taunt with her grief. "I'm sorry, Giles."



Giles heard the pain and knew what the young woman was trying to relay. "I'm sure she knows, Willow."



"It's not the same as telling her and having her tell me she forgave me," Willow sniffled, feeling stronger as her lover wrapped her arms around her. "Be careful."



"Is Xander with Dawn?" Giles asked, wondering what they were going to do about Dawn suddenly.



"No, Spike is up with her right now." Willow looked over at her oldest best friend and realized that he had not made one cruel remark to or about Spike and had let the vampire run after Dawn without making any attempt to stop him.



"Spike?" Giles at first was shocked, and then he realized the vampire would be the best one to handle the teenager. "Yes, I can see how Spike would be the best to work with Dawn."



"He does have a way with her," Willow smiled sadly and then asked the dreaded question he hoped Giles himself volunteered to do. "Do I call their father?"



"Why call him?" Giles sneered as Ripper made an appearance. "He made no appearances after Joyce's death. What about Buffy's would make a difference?"



"I'm not sure we can hide her death this time." Willow closed her eyes as she said this and felt Tara squeeze her tighter and felt someone take the phone out of her hand.



"Giles, I think we can talk more about this when you get here," Xander spoke into the phone receiver.



"Yes, you're right." Giles bowed his head, having noticed a change in Xander that broke his heart. 'He has become the man I knew he could become,' the old man thought, hearing the in-charge tone of Harris' voice. "I will call when I know my flight information."



"We will be here," Xander replied as he hung up the phone and moved to hug Willow and Tara. "We will be right here."



Anya felt suddenly alone until she noticed her boyfriend's hand waving her over toward them. She walked to them, finding it strange that she wanted to be included in the group-hug since she found herself greatly saddened at Buffy's death. The four people who had brought back the dead found solace together as they waited to hear from the one man they had all come to look upon as a parental figure.



*******



Spike could hear his young friend crying her heart out on the other side of the door. He found it hard not to feel her pain as he, too, felt the grief of losing Buffy yet again to her job. He took a moment to calm himself, for he knew a time would come when he'd have to deal with his own grief, but right now, the most important person needed him strong.



He didn't bother knocking as he opened the door and looked upon the shaking body that was sobbing on the bed. His undead heart felt like it died all over again at the pain he could feel coming from her as he moved closer to the bed so he could be with her.



"Dawn," Spike whispered as he sat down on the bed.



He was not prepared for the bundle of teenager when she suddenly moved into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck so tight. If he'd been human, he would have found it hard to breathe. "Shush, pet, Spike's got you now."



"She can't be gone, she can't be." Dawn sobbed into his chest. "Why do I lose the ones I need and love?"



"I don't know, bit." Spike started to rock her to try and calm her down. "If I knew the answer to that one, I could do something to fix it."



"I'm alone now, I have no one." Dawn continued to cry, but since he had started to rock her back and forth, she was calming down.



"You have me, always have me, pet," Spike softly growled into her ear. "Don't you ever forget that, do you hear me?"



Dawn nodded her head yes, her throat too tight to answer him. She knew that he would always be there for her. "I don't know what I'm going to do."



"Don't you go worrin' your head on that. Let me and the band of slayerettes worry about that." Spike deeply inhaled her sent, smelling a part of her sister among the heady aroma. "We will make sure you are taken care of, Nibblet. Don't you worry about that."



"Okay, I trust you." Dawn's crying had calmed to a steady stream of tears and some hiccups as she allowed her best friend to hold her and rock her to sleep since she had spent the night awake, worrying about her sister.



Spike felt her body relax and readjusted his body so he was lying down on the bed with the young girl lying in his arms as she drifted to sleep. He let the tears he had fought so hard to keep from falling have their way as they slipped silently down his cheeks. If it were the last thing he did, he would find out who had lead his Slayer to her firey death. They would find their own life shortened, even if it burned his brain to the point he was an undead shell of a vampire once the chip fried his brain.



*******



NOVEMBER 5, 2001





Giles sat at the Summers' kitchen table and played Dawn's tale of someone calling here, saying they were Willow, and that they had sounded just like the redheaded witch. He had his suspicions on which he thought was behind Buffy's death but could not prove it. To be honest, any of Sunnydale's demon community could have set her up like this.



The only thing that made him suspect it was indeed the Council was the fact a mention of Dawn being the Key, and that right after Buffy's death, they had approached Faith about resuming her duties as a Slayer.



Wesley had been the one to pick him up at the airport and between them shared their beliefs and had worked on a plan that would help protect Faith from sharing Buffy's fate. Giles would become her Watcher, and Wesley would be a silent partner, as well.



He looked at his now cold cup of tea and wondered how he was going to get a certain blonde vampire to help him with the training and keeping of one Slayer with a history of being a rogue alive.



"So what's got you in such a state you let you a cuppa lose it's steam, Watcher?" Spike asked, having stood in the doorway and watched the man lose himself in his thoughts.



"Spike, just who I was wishing to have a word with, if you would be so kind." Giles looked over at the blonde vampire and motioned with his hand for Spike to join him.



"Well, what would a man of your education and humanity want with a killer such as myself?" Spike shrugged as he sat down across from Buffy's ex-watcher. "Hope you aren't here to tell me to leave Dawn and to move on, 'cause I'm here to tell you to sod off."



Giles smiled for the first time, seeing how much Spike had changed, and not because of the chip that the Initiative had shoved in his brain, but because he had come to care about humans, especially a Slayer and her sister. He had watched how the vampire had looked out for everyone over the last couple days, just like he had done when they had first lost Buffy after her jump off Glory's tower.



It was then he believed for the first time that the vampire truly was in love with his Buffy. It made sense from what he could piece together after talking to Anya that Spike may have been the one meant for Buffy. Someone had mailed him a copy of the prophecy concerning The Chosen One and her Champion a few weeks ago. It had fit Buffy and Spike perfectly. Now, with Buffy dead, did that mean their chance to fight the ultimate evil in the future would be affected?



"Spike, I want you to help me train and protect Faith." Giles came right out and asked the vampire, having a hard time keeping from laughing when he noticed the shocked look on Spike's face.



"You want me to what?" Spike spit out as he stood, knocking over the chair as he did. "Are you out of you bloody mind, Rupes?"



"No, I am not, and would you please sit down and be just a little more on the quiet side?" Giles sighed heavily to try and cover up his amusement at Spike's reaction.



"Yes, William the Bloody, could you please refrain from bringing the other into this conversation," Wesley announced his arrival as he sauntered over to join them at the table. "We would very much like to keep this between us, if you don't mind, for now."



"What's with the two-on-one here?" Spike looked like he was ready to fight.



"We need your help," Giles simply stated.



"Yes, we do." Wesley nodded as he looked up at the confused-looking vampire and prayed they were about to do the right thing. "You cannot talk to anyone about this, not even Angel."



"Not even the mighty poof? Why ever not?" Spike's suspicion grew as he contemplated in his head what game these two sneaky Watcher-types were going to try and play on him.



"Because he would not understand why we trust you," Giles answered as he leaned back against the chair. "We don't need more attention brought to this subject than already has been. We have talked it over with Faith, and she agrees with us."



"Fine, then you lot had better explain, and good and proper." Spike returned his seat to its upright position and sat back down, watching the two mortals to make sure neither of them had a stake ready to attack him with.



"Spike, we suspect the Council was somehow responsible for Buffy's death." Wesley decided not to beat around the bush and be up front with the vampire, thinking it would be the best route at forming a trust with him as well.



"Tell me something I don't know," Spike snorted as he reached in his pocket and pulled out his smokes. "Who else would have the means to pull something like this off?"



"Well, any of the demon clans could have arranged it." Giles silently praised the vampire.



"Nope, no self-respecting demon would take a Slayer out like that and not be advertising it all over the demon community," Spike said with his unlit cigarette as he flicked his lighter. "No talk about any demons involved. In fact, talk is they were human."



"Maybe they don't want to be the target of the next Slayer?" Wesley offered.



"Nope, they'd be all ready to take her out as well." Spike pursed his lips as he thought of an easy way to put it without pissing the two mortals off. "I think you should research the deaths of other Slayers that no one claimed as their kills."



"Are you saying Buffy may not have been the only Slayer the Council may have killed?" Wesley asked at the same time it all started to make sense. "Of course, I see it now."



"What?" Giles asked as his own fears came to light.



"Maybe we should look into the deaths of the Slayers that lived past 18 years of age? If only we had access to their records" Wesley looked over at Giles, his face full of anger. "I think they will not make a move on Faith right away, would look too suspicious."



"That will be a good place to start, and don't worry, I think I know who we can call on to help." Giles' smile did not reach his eyes and gave Spike a sudden thought that he would not want to push Rupert Giles too far.



"I want a piece of whoever killed my Slayer." Giles and Wesley looked at each other and wondered if Spike realized he had called Buffy his Slayer.



"Spike, you can answer this later or now, but did you and Buffy...did you and her ever..." Giles tried but could not bring himself to ask if they had ever had a sexual relationship.



"That's personal." Spike glared, feeling the pain rush up and grab him, telling him he'd never feel her arms around him again, her lips on his, or sink deep into her warmth and hear her call out his name whenever he pushed her over the edge.



"Yes, but important to know, I'm afraid." Giles dreaded hearing the truth.



"Why?" was all Spike asked as he jammed his cigarette into the ashtray.



"If Buffy trusted you that much, then I know I can trust you with my life." Giles leaned forward so he could meet the vampire's eyes.



"She was going through some tough times since you left." Spike leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. "For some reason, she sought comfort from me, but then she woke up and realized I was nothing and didn't want to have anything more to do with me."



Giles looked over at Wesley and noticed the man's look of wonder. "Spike, did she tell you before Sweet came to town about being in Heaven?"



Spike looked at Angel's yes-boy and wondered why he asked that question. "Why do you ask?"



"Because I'm thinking she was attracted to you. Maybe even had feelings for you." Wesley thought back to something Dawn had said about Buffy accepting Spike's help before the others had busted in when she had been resurrected.



"Why would you say that?" Giles asked out of curiosity, wondering just like Spike how the other man came to that conclusion.



"It was something Dawn said about how accepting Buffy was because of your help that first night she was brought back." Wesley 's facial expression reflected what he was thinking. "So did she tell you before the others found out about being torn out of Heaven?"



Spike looked down at his lap. "Yes, she did."



Giles looked shocked. "She told you?"



"Yeah, I think she thought whispering it in a dead man's ear would make it not seem real." Spike quoted a line from his day the singing demon had come and brought Buffy's secret to light. "After the kumbya session, we kissed, and she was in denial. Then you left, and I found out I could hit her and the chip didn't make my head twitch."



"You could hit Buffy, and it didn't set off the chip?" Giles' understanding of just how much the vampire had come to love Buffy hit him like a ton of bricks. "You loved her that much."



Spike looked up with tears in his eyes. "I love her enough that I would die a million times in her place if I was given the chance."



Both men looked at the pain in the vampire's blue eyes and knew without a doubt the prophecy had been about Spike and Buffy, and now the human race could be in jeopardy because of the Council's stupidity and cowardice.



"I believe you." Giles tried to keep from asking more, wanting to know if they had been intimate, knowing if they had then for sure Spike was the link to possibly getting Buffy back. His old days of magic and Ripper sneaking in and whispering things he could do and special powers he could seek out to try and bring her back to fulfill her destiny were brought to mind.



"I touched her fire and it burned me to the core- does that answer your question?" Spike looked at his Slayer's ex-Watchers and offered his services. "That is why I will do everything in my power to make sure this world is protected for my girl upstairs and in honor of the one I lost."



"So, does that mean you will help us with training and protecting Faith?" Wesley knew what the answer was going to be but had asked it anyway.



Spike looked out at the night sky and noticed the stars and knew his Slayer was somewhere up there. That is, if that's where Heaven was located. "I'll help any way I can."



"Good, I will feel much better knowing I have your assistance in this matter." Giles breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he would take the time to get to know Spike better and maybe, just maybe, he will answer the questions he needed answered.



Neither knew of the other undead creature lurking outside, listening to their conversation. He knew why Wesley had kept this from him, for he'd never have believed Spike could have changed without earning his soul, but he now knew he had been wrong. He heard the truth in his Grandchilde's voice when he spoke of his love for Buffy. The funny part was the implied mention of him and Buffy being together as in sex did not make him angry, but sad, for some reason.



He vowed to Buffy there and then he would make sure that while the younger vampire was watching over Buffy's loved ones and her sister, he'd watch over the peroxide blonde pain in the ass. He would never say it to the vampire that had never really lived by the code that he was proud of the changes he noted since bringing Faith back to Sunnydale.



*******



Spike sat on the steps and went over the events since Buffy's death. The fire investigators had come to the house to inform them they had identified one of the remains as one Buffy Summers. They had used the same excuse of bikers on PCP, and they suspected they had kidnapped Buffy when the boiler had exploded, killing her and several members of the gang.



They had given Dawn while everyone was present what effects they had found on the body. One was the Claddagh ring that Angel had given Buffy, and the other was her favorite silver cross necklace that had been a gift from her first Watcher Merrick.



When they finalized the funeral arrangements, they had made sure to hold her services at night so Spike and Angel could attend. Angel's rag-tag team had come with him to attend and brought Faith to the Hellmouth after arrangements had been made for her release from prison.



Hank was asleep upstairs like there was not a care in the world. Since contacted by Giles concerning Buffy's death, he had come to Sunnydale, acting the part of a grieving father. Social Services had been in contact with the man as well, concerning the care of his youngest daughter. The hostility that everyone, including his daughter, felt toward the man was so thick- one could cut it with a knife. It was a shame, but he now was Dawn's legal guardian, and his plans included taking her back to L.A. to live with him.



It had taken everything he had in him to talk Dawn into going back to L.A. with her father, promising he'd keep in touch and visit as often as he could. Angel, Cordy, and Wesley promised they would make sure her father treated her decently and watch over her. Cordy had hugged her and promised shopping every weekend and that she'd come and drive her to Sunnydale herself at the first sign of trouble.



He looked up at the sky, sitting in the same spot she had sat in the night he had come to kill her dead, only to comfort her when she told him Joyce was ill. Then and there, it had sunk in that he'd never be able to kill her and would make sure no one did.



"I'm sorry I let you down again, luv," Spike whispered as he gave himself over to the grief, thinking everyone had left or was sleeping.



He felt his Grandsire's presence but not soon enough to wipe the tears off his face. He was shocked when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder as Angel sat down next to him.



The fact the poof was sitting beside him, offering the same one-handed comfort he had given Buffy, caused him to laugh.



"What's so funny?" Angel looked at Spike and wondered what he could find funny about this.



"Well, you see, it's like this," Spike started as he told Angel the story of how he had come to shoot Buffy with the shotgun, not caring it would fry his brain and either kill him or make him as loony as his sire.



"So you are sitting in Buffy's place, and I'm sitting in yours?" Angel tried not to smile.



"Give the boy a cookie," Spike snorted, still finding it funny the change of characters on what will now be known as the crying porch.



"Just don't think I'm going to tell you that I love you and get all cow eyes on you." Angel tried his best to look serious.



Spike busted up laughing. "I think Mr. Broody just made a funny."



"Be careful, Spike." Angel glared at his grandchilde, trying again not to join his laughter.



"Come on, Peaches, lighten up. Laughter is good for the soul, they say." Spike winked. "I wouldn't know, don't have one anymore."



"Anymore?" Angel looked over at Spike and pretended he didn't know what he had meant.



Spike rolled his eyes, wishing he'd learn to keep his big mouth shut. "Nothing. I meant nothing."



"Oh, I thought maybe you meant now that Buffy was gone." Angel looked over at Spike with the understanding that he knew that Spike had feelings for Buffy, shown in his eyes.



"I'm not going to say I'm sorry for loving her." Spike became defensive.



"Good." Angel smiled a real smile, not one that comes with making evil plans or after a horrific kill that was planned down to the blood drops on the floor, but a real smile that told Spike his grandsire held no ill toward him.



"Good?"



"You love her, and I understand how she can do that to a man." Angel sighed. "Did she love you?"



"Don't think she knew what she felt. She didn't deal with comin' back very well." Spike knew if anyone would understand like he had, it was Angel. "She had to dig herself out of her grave."



Angel looked shocked, and he closed his eyes, knowing how it had felt when he had dug himself out of his grave. "It must have been hell for her."



"Yeah, and then with her being pulled out of Heaven- that didn't help," Spike continued to explain. "Looking back on things, I think she wasn't sure how she felt, and I didn't help matters much."



"How so?" Angel squeezed Spike's shoulder, offering his support, not his judgment.



"I think I may have pushed her too far with the 'I love you and you love me', after we had, you know, done it." Spike suddenly remembered who he was talking to about some intimate details concerning him and Buffy.



"You took advantage of her." Angel's voice for the first time held anger.



"No, I swear I didn't take advantage or think I was taking advantage," Spike tried to explain. "It's complicated. One minute we are fighting, and the next minute, she is undoing my pants and taking ME inside her."



Angel felt a surge of jealousy until he remembered Spike's words from earlier that night, saying he'd die for Buffy if given the chance. "So she initiated it, not you?"



"Yeah, something like that." Spike opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them until that night started to play again in his mind. "I know she loves you. I think she was just using me, is all."



"Do you really believe that?" Angel, for the first time since Spike's turning, noticed the insecure William that Dru had first brought back with her.



"I really don't know what to believe anymore, and she is not here to try and make sense of it all." Spike looked up at the stars and silently told his girl, "I love you more than you will ever know."



Angel knew then he'd do everything in his power to help Spike get through this. He felt a connection with him now- they shared something special that no one could take away. They shared the love of the same woman that was good and right, unlike their shared relationship with Dru that consisted of pain, blood, and control.



"Promise to watch over Dawn and bring her back home if that git who calls himself a father doesn't treat her right." Spike looked over at Angel, feeling like he had found a friend at last in the man that had made his unlife hell until he up and left the group.



"I will protect her with my life." Angel smiled as his face changed and used his fangs to cut the palm of his hand.



Spike followed suit, and cutting his hand in the same manner, accepted the hand that his grandsire offered him. "I give you my blood oath to protect her with my life."



"I accept and offer to help you any way I can in the future." Spike felt the power of his grandsire flow through his hand.



"Just protect Faith and call me if and when you need me." Angel looked deep into his grandchilde's eyes and knew their relationship had changed- no longer enemy's, but truly family. "We are family, and family protects family."



"Family," Spike agreed.



Neither of them noticed the man watching them from across the street with a smile on his face. He felt bad he could not tell them the secret he held close to his chest. But a time would come when he'd have to confront the two vampires with what he knew and see who would be the one to help him accomplish what needed to be done.



*******



The service was simple. The casket had been a closed one. The people had come from various walks of life to pay tribute to the one that had kept them safe from what most of the town chose to ignore existed.



No one questioned the hour of the service except Hank, who Anya explained was done because she had a sun allergy, daring him to challenge her. She had contacted Halfrek; an old demon friend of hers that helped children out if they needed vengeance of any kind, to make sure she kept an eye on how well Dawn was treated. The demon was to report back any ill treatment before dishing out any punishment or wishes.



There was not a dry eye at the gravesite as they all paid their final respects to Buffy Anne Summers. This headstone read, "For she is loved, and she will be missed."



Vicki stood back and watched as the services concluded. She knew she'd have to wait for the vampire to grieve, but she wouldn't wait too long before she made her move. She had sacrificed too much to the Council to not get what she had done it all for. Spike would be hers, and she'd make sure no one stood in her way.



*******



Dawn hugged Spike like she was drowning. "I don't want to go. Please don't make me go."



"I know, pet, but if you don't go, he will make you go, and then none of us will be able to visit you," Spike reasoned. "Remember, call Angel's place if you need anything. You have Cordy, Wes, and Gunn's cell phones. Don't bother using the Poof's if you really are in trouble. By the time the goof figures it out, they will have eaten you up."



Everyone laughed and laughed even harder at the look on Angel's face. Only Spike could make his facial expressions change so quickly and not look so pretty. "Spike, are you done yet?"



Dawn slowly let her best friend go and asked him one last thing. "Please don't forget about me?"



"Oh, Nibblet, I could never forget you as long as I live. You and Buffy will be in my heart," Spike vowed as he took her face between his hands and kissed her nose. "You are why I am here now and not a speck of dust."



"No, that's not true. It's because I'm Buffy's sister," Dawn glared.



"Sorry to disappoint, but I made friends with you, my little B & E friend, because of you. Yeah, being Buffy's sister helped, but you were the only one other than your mum that saw who I really was. It touched me here." He put his hand over his heart. "And I had thought it was dead to mortals before you stole a piece of it."



"You promise to call me every night after patrol?" Dawn stood with her arms across her chest, just like her sister would when she was trying to intimidate or when she was pissed.



"Honest. Cross my undead heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." Spike tilted his head and gave his smirk-like smile.



"Be gone with you." Dawn's laugh was interrupted when her father came downstairs with his suitcase. Most of her stuff was already packed with movers coming later to get the rest.



"My realtor will work at putting the house up for sale," Hank informed the group standing in living room, looking at him as if he had the plague.



"Here is my card." Angel smiled as he handed Buffy's deadbeat dad his business card. "Have him contact me. I'm interested in purchasing the house and all that you don't want."



"Really?" Hank wondered what he could take the man for.



"Yes, really." Angel smiled. "I know what is owed and how much it is appraised for. I'm buying it for Dawn's future. Faith will live here for now until Dawn comes of age and decides what she wants to do with it."



Hank gripped the hand and smiled an honest smile for the first time. "I will make sure she cuts you a deal."



"You do that." Angel returned the smile, but inside, he wanted to suck the uncaring bastard dry and leave his carcass for the worms. He realized he was channeling too much of Angelus and shook the bad thoughts away.



When Hank and Dawn left, Angel turned to Spike and surprised everyone in the room. "I'm putting your name alongside Dawn's on the deed. This will be your home as long as you wish to live here."



Spike looked at Angel and smiled as he looked at Faith and winked. "I get first dibs on rooms."



"Like I didn't know that one, Blondie Boy." Faith rolled her eyes and wondered why every one of the Scoobies, including Giles, was laughing. "What's so funny?"



"Oh, Blondie boy reminds me of another Blondie nickname." Xander chuckled. "Isn't that right, Blondie Bear?"



"Sod off, whelp who fights like a girl." Spike glared at the boy wonder and noticed again the boy's eyes held sadness and did not show him any ill thoughts.



"Well, what can I say? No real male fighting role models that took any time to show me the ropes." Xander shrugged. He knew he fought like a girl when he ran into Harmony.



"Well, that's about to change." Spike winked. "You start training with me and Faith tomorrow. Be there after work, mate, and don't make me have to come find you."



"What if I like my Xander the way he is?" Anya pouted.



"Think of the muscles your man will have when I'm done teaching him how to fight like a man." Spike winked knowingly at Anya who perked up when Spike had mentioned manly muscles.



"Okay."



"Thanks, honey," Xander complained good-naturally, for the first time feeling like he could make a difference and not be the comic relief.



Willow smiled as she noticed the new friendship that was developing between Spike and Xander. For the first time, she felt like they could move on and be stronger, not weaker, without Buffy. She had curbed her magic and started working on control, not just abusing it anymore, with Tara's guidance.



They all gathered around and started to make plans with how they were going to work together to make Sunnydale a safe place to live. They knew Buffy would be missed, but they loved her enough to hope that this time, she did make it back to Heaven and would watch over them.



The End.





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