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Spike stared at the piece of wood sticking out of the man's shoulder.

"Sorry, I'm…so sorry," he groaned through his own pain as he swiftly stood up and ran off. Buffy did the same, following him down the alley and catching up with him at the end of it. He was back on his knees, shoulders slumped, head lowered as she slowly walked around to face him.

"Spike…what's going on?" she asked softly. He looked up at her and shrugged, a maniacal chuckle escaping his throat. She could see the anguish in his face.

"There's something different about you. I felt it when I ran into you that first day. It's in your eyes. You've been trying to hide it. Anya knows, doesn't she?" He shook his head.

"When I left…after that night at your house…I went…to Africa."

"Africa? Why Africa?" she asked him.

"I went to Africa…a demon there. I went to get…I got…" A long pause as Buffy stood there patiently awaiting his next words. "My soul, a soul. I have a soul, Buffy," His voice trailed off.

He stood up slowly, not wanting to look at her. He didn't want to see her reaction, be it good or bad as he continued, "The other night…I didn't mean what I said. You know me, always rash with the outbursts. And I didn't mean to hurt that man; I didn't know he was, that it was…"

"None of us did, I don't think. I believe you, though but I have to go back there and check on him. You’ll be alright?" He nodded as she turned to walk away, then hesitated, turning to look at him. "Sometime…soon…explain things to me." She continued out of the alley.

Spike took an unneeded gasp of breath and forged ahead in the opposite direction. Neither one of them had noticed the set of glowing red orbs staring at them from the folds of darkness.

******

Willow woke suddenly. It had been a recurring dream that was haunting her every night now. Nothing made sense. Same people (her friends), same place (Sunnydale), only now the "thing" that held them captive was different somehow, and the voice was new, but it knew her name and called her, dared her to come and help them. A feeling of impending doom came over her in such a rush, but she shook them off just as quickly. Maybe talking to Giles again would reassure her everything was fine back home.

**********

Giles was concerned with what Willow had been telling him of her nightly dreams. Just listening to her explain them made the watcher in him believe they sounded almost prophetic-like. Maybe it was just the way she recounted them that made him feel so uneasy about it all. He had made a decision to research it on the side just in case something was stalking his "family" back in the states. But what could it be? Willow said it looked and sounded familiar every time, even though it was different every time. This "thing" was talking to her personally. Maybe it was time she went home, he believed her to be ready to conquer the real world. She had a handle on the magic, even though she held a key to it, the white overpowered the black. She had been cleaned and purified of the black magic and she was stronger. He had a very good feeling he would need to send her back very soon. The questions was, should he go, too?

**********

Back at the Summer's home late that night, the gang sat around contemplating the turn of events that unfolded earlier. Xander was curious to talk to Anya about what she had done and why. Dawn wanted to know why Buffy allowed Spike to help. Anya didn't want to be there at all. The strange couple wanted to apologize to everyone, but was too caught up in each other at the moment. The only thing on Buffy's mind was Spike, and his shiny new soul. So many questions she needed answers to.

"So…" Xander started.

Dawn turned to Buffy. "Why was Spike helping, Buffy?" At this, Anya looked up.

"Spike was there?" Xander was always out of the loop.

"He wanted to help; we needed the help, so I let him help!"

"Buffy…why…" Xander had been the one to find Buffy that fateful night sitting on the bathroom floor, tears streaming down her face and hiding the bruises.

"Xander, please, not now. Dawn, you too." Buffy scolded them both.

Anya asked calmly, "Did he tell you?"

Buffy stared at her for a second. "What?"

"That he's ensouled?"

"He's what?" Xander exploded again. Dawn shot a look at Buffy.

"Yes, yes he did."

"And you believed him? Buffy, he'd do anything, say anything to get into your…", he faltered, looking over at Dawn. "…good graces again."

"No, no he has one. I see it all around him and in his eyes," Anya finished.

"I know, I do, too…now." Buffy looked at the floor.

"Did you talk to him?" Dawn softly asked.

"A little. I told him he would have to explain some things soon. Anyway," she looked over at the couple."So how are you two holding up?"

Nancy and her boyfriend broke their concentration over each other. "Better, thank you for not killing Ronnie. We have a lot of talking to do. Thank you Anya for turning him back."

Anya smiled slightly. "I can't really say I'm sorry, it's what I do, it's my job and you did make a wish."

"I know, I know, it's OK, everything will be ok."

"How's the shoulder, man?" Xander turned his attention to Ronnie.

"Fine, I think. A little sore, but what can you expect when you've had a spear thrown through it." He looked over at Buffy. "That man, the one that threw it, was he okay? He looked hurt and…sad. I could tell he felt genuinely sorry for hurting me. But what else was he to do? He only did what he thought was right. Tell him there are no hard feelings when you see him."

"I will, I promise."

**********

Willow and Giles went out for breakfast that morning knowing that they would head over to the museum library afterwards. There were some old texts Giles wanted to skim through and while there they could talk some more.

On their walk over, Giles could tell Willow was thinking about the prospect of returning home. He had brought it up at the restaurant and she let him know she didn't feel she was ready. He knew it was just her fear of facing her friends and he made her see if differently. Besides he had made up his mind he would follow her a day or two behind and that she had nothing to worry about. If she got back home and couldn't find anything, then all would be even better and Giles could have some time to visit. Though he made it sound to her like all was well, he knew in his mind something odd was going on. He just couldn't figure out what quite yet.

At the museum, she went into more detail about the dreams. She described the "thing" that apparently was calling her. It seemed familiar but she actually never could see its face. The way it talked and how it knew everybody, could it possibly be a past foe? Willow mentioned for the first time to Giles about a shadow that always lurked in the background. It moved around freely in her dream but it said nothing and there was no form to it. Her three friends never paid heed to her, but Spike and Anya watched her every move and looked like they were trying to communicate with her, but none of them ever got a chance to speak to her before she woke up. There really were no other significant details than that.

"We will just have to keep looking for anything we can find right now," Giles insisted.

"Wow," Willow looked at all the old, dusty books strewn about on the table, "this I remember. I feel like I'm back in high school sitting in the library and I so do not want that repeat-o vision."

"Yes, well, research has its benefits, most of the time. Maybe this will be one of those occasions." He hoped.

**********

Spike lounged on the front steps of the High School after the battle with the demon worm, smoking a cigarette. After each drag, he took a swig from his flask, not enough to get drunk, but enough to dull the ache in his hand and on his chest from the recent ritual he had performed with the cross. His thoughts were running rampant. At least Buffy seemed to be concerned about him what with the soul and all. He never meant to tell her like that. She was smart, could see right through him. He knew he wouldn't have been able to keep it hidden for much longer. He just didn't want it to seem like such a big deal. Yeah, so what, he went to Africa to get a soddin' soul. There was a reason behind that…he would just have to think of a good way to explain it to Buffy when the time came.

He hoped now that possibly his nibblet would consider him a friend again. He wanted to be friends with her again. He really needed it, someone to talk to, who would understand him and the pain and torment he was going through. Right at that particular moment, something caught his attention. Something moved by quietly, but who or what would be out here at this time of night other than a stray demon? It had looked human in form, a human woman. A vampire possibly? He slowly drew the stake out of his back pocket and stealthily made his way around the corner of the building. There she stood with her back to him.

Spike finally asked, "Hey, are you alright?" She didn't smell like a demon.

"Oh, yes." That voice, something about it made his skin crawl. She slowly turned around to face him. "Yes, I'm just…peachy." His breath, if he had a need, caught in his throat.

"Glory!?" he wanted to shout it but it came out almost a whisper.

"Hello, precious." she sneered. She began to laugh her sinister hell-god laugh while striding towards him. Spike shrunk back, not out of cowardice, but expecting death to prevail and then…she was gone.

"What the bleeding hell?!"

TBC





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