Prologue

It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, the movement of her hair as it sailed through the air, the grace of her landing when coming out of a roundhouse kick, and merely the fluidity of her movements, had him mesmerized. Then it hit him. His destiny. “Thanks Dru” he said quietly so that neither the Slayer nor the seven vamps she was fighting could hear him, as he just sat and watched her finish her dance of death.

Three weeks earlier

Dru was in one of her moods again, as soon as the sun had set, she had started to wine to him about some gibberish the stars had told her. “But my Spike, Miss Edith says that this must be, she howls “my Spike”, she screams, “the sun, ooohhhhh” she moaned tugging at her hair “the sun! It burns! It burns!” she was screaming now, at the top of her lungs, she was screaming, clawing at her face, when suddenly, she became completely still, standing as immobile and strait as a statue, “ but not you, the sun does not burn you.” And she cocked her head to the side, as though to see him better. “You will go, my Spike, the stars say that you will leave. And the sun shall shine upon you; you will bathe and glisten in its glory, never to burn, even when your elders crumble.” Again she started to whine, tears welling up in her eyes. “You will become a guardian of light” she spat at him “you will leave all that is unholy, and you will make love to heaven.” Throughout all of this Spike had stayed silent, she had never spoken to him like this, out of all time serving Drusilla, she had never been this calm, cool, and collected, in short, Spike was a little freaked. He tried to make sense of what she was saying. “What do you mean ‘I will become a guardian of light’?” As soon as Spike said the words, Dru attacked, swiping at him with her razor sharp nails, trying to dig out his eyes. But once again, she stopped abruptly, and turned her head as though listening to something. She then turned her head to stair him right in the eye. “You must leave now” she said as though in a trance. “You will go to L.A.; you will find your destiny there.” She said cryptically, before turning, and walking away from him.

Present time

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, with her long blond hair, that would dance in the moon light, hazel green eyes, that would come alight with fire when she was angry, and her body, perfect, that was the best way to describe it, absolutely perfect. Dru had been right; he had found his destiny, his mate, even if she didn’t know it yet.

Chapter one

There was something seriously wrong with her.

Every night for the past week she had had the feeling of someone following her, that wasn’t the weird part; she always had someone following her.

No, what was weird was that it never showed its self, if it were a demon it would have come at her by now, if it were a vamp it would have at least made some lame attempt to lewer her away or trap her, and it definitely wasn’t human, her senses told her that much.

As she was walking through her last cemetery of the night, thinking of who or what it could be, she could feel a, now familiar, pair of eyes on her.

She stopped walking but kept her head down, so that it looked like she had just stopped to think, when really, she was honing her senses to focus in on the figure that had been following her all week.

Spike had seen her stop as she got closer to the tree that he was sitting in, he was usually more careful than this, never letting her fully sense him, but this time he wasn’t playing on the safe side, he wanted to watch her for more than an hour at a time, repercussions be dammed.

She had him. Forth branch up in the big oak to her left.
Spike saw her stiffen for a moment before her head shot up, and she looked directly at him, “Oh shit” he said, eyes widening when he relished that he’d been caught.

“Ya, oh shit” she said, squaring her shoulders and putting her hands on her hips, knowing that he could hear her.

“Well?” she said expectantly.

“Oh, right” he smiled sheepishly from his perch, before jumping and landing ten feet in front of her.

Buffy’s breath caught in her throat when he stood to his full height, from his crouched position and she could clearly see the toned muscle through his tight black jeans, and black T-shirt. He was also wearing a loose red button down dress shirt over it, topped off with a full-length black leather jacket.

‘Oh, look at those eyes, like they can see right through you, oh, and those cheek bones, I wonder what it would feel like to run my fingers through his hair.’ Buffy tried to blink the unbidden thoughts from her mind. ‘No! Bad Buffy! No thinking of licking the passably sinister vamp!’

“Hay luv” he said, looking down at the ground in a shy manner.

‘Oh my God, that accent, he has an accent, yep definitely the hottest guy I have ever met.’ Buffy took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves.

“Ok, um, hi um, first off, who are you and why have you been following me?” she asked proud that she hadn’t made a complete fool of herself.

“Oh right, uh, the names Spike” he said fidgeting with something in his pocket, ‘way to go you bloody wanker, can you sound like an even bigger pounce?’ Buffy could see him fighting, and noticed that she was doing the same; she heaved a great sigh before walking past him, gently brushing his shoulder as she did.

Spike automatically turned and fell in to step beside her, as she walked through the cemetery.

“So? What’s your story Spike?” she asked casually as they walked. Spike just shrugged, “What do you want to know luv?” “Well, why don’t you start by telling me why you were following me?” she answered cheekily, sending him a lopsided grin.

Spike chuckled “well pet, before I came here, I was down in Europe. My sire had a vision; she gets them sometimes, but there never very clear. She kept goin’ on an’ on, about how, I had to find my destiny, that it was here in L.A., become the guardian of light, whatever the hell that means, so anyway, poof, here I am, but, I have no clue what I’m doing here, or what I’m lookin’ for, an so I just start walken’, I walked for three bloody hours! Strait! Can you believe that? Should have stolen a bloody car, now that I think of it, bloody nit-wit I am.” Buffy gave him a lop sided grin for his comment, which, helped him loosen up.
“Anyway I go walken’ past one of the local cemeteries, you know, the one over on Harwood street?” she nodded, this had to be the weirdest conversation that she had ever had, here she was, the Slayer, walking through the graveyard, with a Master Vampire by the sounds of it, chatting like old friends, but the weirdest part was that she felt completely come and, get this, safe, with this vampire, there was just something different about him…

“Anyway, that’s when I saw you, you were just incredible luv, the way you fight, ‘s like poetry, just absolutely beautiful, one of the best fighters ’ve ever seen.

’d love to fight you one of these days, be nice to finally have a challenge, it been a while.”

He drifted off as thought remembering that last true battle.

“Really? You think you could take me?” she asked sassily, knowing that Spike would rise to the challenge.

“Any time lil’ miss, you may even learn a thing or two” he said goading her on, he tried to stop the smile that was spreading over his feachers, but lost miserably when the grin spread from ear to ear.

“ Oh, your mister funny guy now hu? Well, come on then, let’s see if you’re half as good as you think you are.”

He wasn’t half as good, he was better. He hadn’t been lying when he said that it would be a challenge, he was strong where she was weak, and vice versa, for every punch he threw, she would kick him right back, they were perfectly matched in every way, even when it came down to the verbal sparring, trying to egg the other on so that they would make a mistake. But neither did, it was fast, yet smooth and graceful, as though rehearsed a thousand times before.

They didn’t fight as though merely vampire and slayer, they fought as equals, each one matching the other in strength and skill.

Buffy finally ended the fight when she leaped onto his shoulders, pushing him to the ground, and straddling his waist.

“I win” she said in a slightly teasing tone.

“Oh really? And how do you figure that pet?” he asked, a smug grin on his face, Buffy thought that he was smiling because he didn’t believe her, when really; he was just enjoying their current position.

“Because, if I were holding a stake right now, you’d be dust” she said triumphantly.

Spike moaned, let his head fall back, and then stopped moving altogether. Buffy found it slightly unnerving when he stopped breathing, he looked truly dead, “Spike?” she said, shoving him a little, “Spike…” she bent down to whisper in his ear.

She knew that she was giving him free accesses to her throat, but as she bent closer to his ear, she was also pressing certain parts of her body more firmly against him.

“Spike…what are you doing?” she whispered sensuously against his neck.

Spike couldn’t help the shudder that ran thru his body, at the feel of her breath against his skin.

He didn’t have to raise his head to whisper in her ear, as well, “You won, remember, you staked me” as he said the last part, he put his hand on her ass and ground his erection into her pelvis more firmly, creating a sweet friction.

“But I wonder…who will get staked in the end?” Buffy gasped at the feel of him, this was so weird, so different than anything she had ever experienced; she had never felt like this before. Never.

Sure, she had gone out with boys before, but there always seemed to be something missing, they never made her feel like this. Spike groaned in disappointment, when she lifted herself off of him a little, but then moaned in pleasure when she started to grind her hips down on him a little harder.

Feeling a sudden wave of confidence she leaned down to his ear again and sucked his earlobe into her hot mouth, feeling him shudder underneath her, she smiled before saying ever so quietly “probably me, but only if your man enough”.

Spike gave a fierce growl before he flipped her onto her back “Was that a challenge?” he asked dangerously, his eyes flashing.

Buffy looked up at him smiling, and Spike felt his heart melt for the girl under him, “It can be whatever you want, Spikey” she said with an even wider smile.
Spike roared again and started to lunge at her, as thought he was going to bite her, but, just inches away from her face he stops “I accept your challenge Slayer, we’ll see who’s man enough” and with that said, he covered the last few inches, but instead of going for her neck, he went for her mouth.

“Oh, and don’t call me Spikey” he finished right before taking the plunge to her lips.

It was exploding fireworks, birds singing, candy, rainbows and sunshine. In short, it was terrifying.

This wasn’t supposed to happen, they were supposed to be enemies, not lovers. They were supposed to kill each other, not kiss each other.

Buffy couldn’t quite wrap her head around what was happening to her; she was flying, floating, and completely on fire.

She never wanted this to end; she never would have even dreamed that such a level of passion could be elected by just one kiss.

Spike was lost, drowning, and completely on fire. In all his one hundred and twenty-two years of living he had never felt anything like this, nothing like this. ‘That’s because, you wanker, this time, for the first time, your with the one you’re supposed to be with, this is your MATE!’ his demon yelled at him.

“Spike?” Buffy asked breathlessly. When they finally came up for air.

“Ya, luv?” Spike was panting too, even thou there was no need, to him; it still felt like he was at a loss for air.

“You’re a vampire, right?” Spike turned his head to look at her like she had two heads.

“Are you feelin’ alright, slayer?”

“Ya, just wondering…if you’re a vampire…and, I’m the Slayer, then…what are we doing?” she asked looking nervous, as thou bringing up those facts would make him get up and run.

Spike got up off the ground and gave her a hand up, “We, luv, are going on a date.”

This time it was Buffy’s turn to look at him like he had two heads.

Seeing the look she was giving him, he had to laugh again, Buffy smiled at the sound of his laughter.
As they started walking back to the entrance of the cemetery, he started to speak again. “I’ve figured out what my sire saw in that vision of hers. And so, sweet-cheeks, we are going on a date, you and I, tomorrow night, right after sunset, I’ll pick you up at your place, and we’ll head out from there, how’s that sound?”

“Sounds great, just…ok, one: how do you know where my house is, Two: Where are we going? And three: what was your sire’s vision of?”

Spike looked at her, amazed that she had gotten all that out in one breath, again he chuckled at her. “Ok pet, one: I’ll be walkin’ you home so that takes care of its self. Two: It’s a surprise, so I can’t tell you. I will tell you that a good friend of mine owns the place, and there is NO fighting!” he said, looking at her pointedly.

“Hay, you say that like I always start it, it’s not always just me you know, sometimes they deserve it, and hay! I know for a fact that you’re just as bad.” Spike smirked “ya, I am” he said like a guilty little boy who had got cot with his hand in the cookie jar. “So, where was I? Oh ya, and as for the vision, I can’t tell you, not yet at least.”

Buffy wasn’t sure how, but, she knew him, she knew that if she pouted at him she could get anything she wanted, if she kissed him just under the ear, he would moan, and hold her just that must tighter, and she knew that he was just like her in every way.

Chapter Two

Just realized that I never put up a "disclaimer", but what’s the point, if I owned Buffy, do you really think that I would be writing stories on how they get together? Please, I would be making movies!

Since being called, Buffy had started to become hard, cold. She had started to push her friends away, ignore teachers, rules, and just school in general.

It had come to the point where, the only person that could actually reach, thru all of her barriers, to her heart, was her watcher. And lately, she had even started to pull away from him.

So you can understand why, when she walked into the school the next morning, with a huge smile on her face, everyone just stopped to stare.

While walking down the hall she would smile at all of the people that cot her eye. She wasn’t even this nice when she wasn’t seen as a freak.

Thru-out the rest of the day, people would whisper behind her back as she past. Finally near the end of the day, her old best friend, Nancy, approached her.
“Ha-hay, there, Bu-Buffy” she said nervously.

Ever since seeing Buffy kick the crap out of one of the guys on the Football team for grabbing her ass, everyone had been a little afraid of the small blond.

“Oh, hay there Nancy” Buffy said, not really paying the girl any attention what so ever, Buffy had more important things to worry about. Like what she was going to wear on her date with Spike tonight.

‘I wonder where he’s taking me… a fancy restaurant, maybe? No, he said that I wouldn’t be allowed to fight, and I would never fight in a fancy restaurant, well…not unless someone pissed me off severely.’ She thought the last part with a wicked little smile that made Nancy shiver.

Buffy noticed the movement out of the corner of her eye, and turned to face the nervous brunet. “Oh, sorry Nancy, what did you want?” Buffy asked with a bright smile.

Nancy swallowed loudly before speaking "umm, nu-nothing really, just umm, some of us were wondering what was going on?" Buffy gave her a confused look and Nancy continued, more bravely that before.

"Oh come on Buffy, you've been stalking around the school like a caged lion for months, I mean, I'm pretty sure I even heard you growled once." Buffy put her head down as a small smile graced her lips in remembrance; she remembered a few instances where she may have growled at some of the kids in the school.

When Nancy saw Buffy nod, she continued, "So then what’s up? You’ve been grinning like a fool all day" Buffy lifted her head to look at Nancy; she was blushing, with a small secretive smile on her face.

Nancy saw the look and it was contagious, she couldn't help smiling as well.

"Well..." Buffy said, blushing and hiding her eyes again, "it's nothing really...I just, kind of...met someone..." Nancy looked at her, astonished, and accidentally said the first thing that came to mind, "wow, to make you change that much in one night? He must be a demon in the sack," hearing her own words, Nancy slapped her hands over her mouth, thinking the Buffy may get mad and "hurt her", but Buffy on the other hand, thought that her words were bang on, and couldn't help but giggle.

Nancy looked at her, surprised, realizing that she wasn't mad, Buffy just giggled again at her look. "Oh, you have no idea." Buffy said before sprinting away to catch her ride, leaving a dumfounded Nancy in her wake.

Later that Night

Buffy was in her room, trying to find the perfect outfit, Buffy thought of Spike's face for a moment, and knew exactly what to wear, she went over to her closet and pulled out a red silk and satin halter top, it was her favourite shirt, but lately she hadn't had a chance to where it, this was perfect.

Next she went to grab her favourite pair of leather pants; she was going for the "sexy-bad-ass" look, a look that Spike had clearly perfected.

After applying her makeup, she turned to her mirror "mirror, mirror, oh so fair, please, oh please, help me with this hair" Buffy looked at herself and smiled, it was something that she had said many times before, and it never seemed to fail, as soon as she said it, she knew exactly what to do.

Buffy went in to her bath-room to use the curling iron. After curling her hair into soft rolling blond curls, she inspected her appearance.

She thought that she looked pretty damn good, "well, it's all for him anyways, if he can't keep his hands off of me when I open that door, I'll know I've done my job."
She smiled wickedly at the mirror, just as the door bell rang; it was 8:00, on the dot, as Buffy flew down the stairs to meet him.

Her Mother was out, and her father was working late, so she didn't have to worry about anyone answering the door but her.

In the Car

Buffy was fairly pleased with herself.

As soon as she had opened the door, Spike had taken one look at her, and could not help himself.

Buffy barley had enough time to see how delicious Spike looked, in his black slacks, black dress shirt, and of course, his soft black leather duster, before Spike was attacking her lips. God it was wild, the fire between them, that burn for them, that burned only for the other, it was passion at its purist. They were both amazed that Spike was able to pull away. Buffy wasn't even aware that she needed to breath until he released her, and she started gasping for breath.

Buffy smiled at the memory, and turned to look at Spike with a heated gaze, running her eyes over his lithe form.

Spike saw the look that she was giving him, and could smell her heady arousal. It was already taking all of his will power not to take her, and her scent wasn't helping.

Other than the looks that they sent each other, that seemed to speak volumes, the drive was made in a comfortable silence.

“Well, this is it.” Spike said as he helped Buffy out of the car, and they made their way into Caritas.

“Caritas…hum, where have I heard that name before?”
“What’s this now?” Spike asked turning to look at her.

“Oh nothing, the name just sounds really familiar, but I can’t remember where I heard it.” Buffy said, tying to remember.

“Hay there, don’t hurt yourself,” he said, trying to hide his grin.

Buffy punched him on the arm, hard, and pouted, but she couldn’t help the grin that appeared at the corner of her lips, when he started rubbing where she had hit him, “Big baby” she teased lightly.

Suddenly, without warning he grabbed her around the waist, and twisted her around so that her back was pressed against his chest.

Buffy whimpered hen she felt his breathe against her ear, “not ‘big baby’” he said huskily, and she couldn’t help but notes that affect that their position was having on him, “Big Bad…baby” he whispered before he bent down to trail kisses down along her neck Buffy moaned and tilted her head to the side to give him better access.

Spike grinned against her neck, loving the feel of her soft warm skin beneath his lips.

Buffy suddenly sucked in a shocked breath as Spike firmly bit into her jugular with his blunt human teeth, leaving an angry red bite mark.

It wasn't a clamming bite, even though they both secretly wished it was, but it would be enough to tell other vamps to back off, that this Slayer was his, that this one belonged to William the Bloody.

Although her watcher had never told her anything of vampire lore, tradition, or culture, she knew what Spike was doing, in fact she knew quite a bit, for instance she knew all of the different kinds of bites; from a mating bite that lasted forever, to the one used on their victims, she night not be able to recognize them as easily as a vampire, but she knew what to look for.

She knew enough that, if her watcher ever found out, she was sure that he would be terrified, and worried about her curiosities.

She had even done some field research that couldn't be found in the watcher's diaries, or in any book for that matter.

After gaining some composure after their brief make-out session, Buffy and Spike made their way inside the bar.

"Alright now slayer, you just behave yourself in here, there is a strict "No Fighting" policy. I know the owner of this place and he can get pretty mean when he wants too, no matter who you are." he looked at her pointedly.

When they finally entered Buffy looked around with wide eyes of shock and curiosity.

Spike saw her look, and saw her hand unconsciously reach for the stake hidden in the small of her back.
"Hay now luv, remember the rule, No Fighting." Buffy rolled her eyes, "your no fun" she pouted.

"I know that sucks luv, believe me, I know, but just because you can't hurt them in here, doesn’t mean that you can't get them later" he grind down at her, and she smiled back. Together they walked over to the bar where Spike ordered a beer and Buffy just a Coke.

As Buffy looked around at all of the different Demons littering the bar, and Spike spoke to the bartender, Buffy was struck by how similar the scene looked, compared to any number of the club/bars that she used to hang out in.

Mind you, there were some obvious details that could not be overlooked, like; horns, scales, wrinkling and drooping skin, claws, talons, and teeth, not to mention the different colors.

But, other than that they were perfectly normal; there were demons on dates, and others trying to drown their sorrows.

And Buffy just watched, amazed. "Huh, were not so different after all" she mused quietly. "A little shocking, eh luv?" Spike said after hearing her comment.
Buffy turned and smiled at him, "well, it’s definitely not what I expected" she said, and Spike just winked at her.

"Well, well, well, looky what the cat dragged in" said a voice from behind them. Spike turned from Buffy to great the new figure.

"Hello mate, long time, no see" Spike said shaking, what Buffy could see, looked like a green hand. 'Wait a minute, that green hand looks familiar somehow'.

"Same to you baby cakes, haven't seen you in, at least, twenty-five years.’wait a second...I know that voice from somewhere' Buffy thought, wracking her brain for the anser.

"Oh sorry luv, here let me introduce you, Buffy I'd like you to meet Lo-".

"Oh my God! Lorne?" Buffy practically screeched when she saw him, giving him a big hug.

"Hay there angel cakes! What brings you down to my humble, hole in the wall demon bar?" Lorne asked returning her hug.

"Well... actually, I'm kinda' here on a date, Spike-"suddenly, Buffy was loudly cut off.

“Wait just a second! Hold it! You two know each other?”
“Know her! She saved me from a Keration demon just a little while back!” Lorne said while putting an arm around her.

"I knew I had heard the name of this place before! Lorne had told me about it just after I had helped him out, he even went so far as to offer me and my company free drinks if I ever stopped in." Buffy said with a flourish, and a smile.

Spike looked at her inquisitively, and Buffy blushed under his gaze.

“Should I be jealous, of you two? Seen' as your giggilin' away like school girls?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, and a small grin.

“Hay there, no worries baby cakes, I’d never dream of taken’ your girl” Lorne said with a big grin, and removed his arm.

Spike grinned and pulled Buffy up against his side, Buffy’s smile got bigger when he pulled her close, and that he didn’t object to Lorne’s assumption of them as a couple. ‘Well I guess that, technically, we are.’

Spike saw the confused look on her face after Lorne’s comment, and, as though reading her mind, he bent down to whisper in her ear, “your mine now luv, no one but me is allowed to touch you like I do” Buffy blushed, but beamed at his words, and Lorne looked at the two blonds with romantic eyes.

"I would never let anyone but you touch me like you do" she whispered back heatedly, before placing a small kiss just below his ear, making him squirm.

Buffy turned back to face Lorne, just to see him swoon at the sight of the two affectionate blonds. "That’s it! You two are so going to sing for me tonight!" Buffy and Spike both opened their mouths to protest, but Lorne pot a hand over both of their mouths to silence any objections.

Out of the corner of their eyes Buffy and Spike both looked at each other, and Spike winked at her before they both sunk their teeth down into Lorne's hands. "Ahhhhhhh!" Buffy and Spike both grinned at Lorne as Spike wrapped his arm around Buffy tighter, giving her another squeeze.

Lorne turned around to walk away grumbling "Dumb vampire...thinks he's so funny" suddenly he whipped around to wag his finger at Spike "you’re a very bad influence on the innocent!" he scolded, motioning to Buffy, who was trying not to laugh, and turned again "...just because he's older then dirt..."

Spike couldn't help but chuckle at the other demon's muttering, and Lorne just happened to hear him, "oh you think that was funny do ya?"

Spike just gave him his "hand-in-cookie-jar" smile, as Buffy had termed it, and Lorne huffed "alright then, now you definitely have to sing, AND! I'm taking back my offer of free drinks!" Spike stared at Lorne, incredulous.

Buffy un wrapped herself from Spike and walked up to Lorne. "Oh come oooonnnn, Lorne! I saved your life, you at least owe me something...pleaseeeee" Buffy said with a little pout, and her puppy eyes, she knew, for a fact, that no one, human or demon, could resist her puppy-pout.

Lorne looked at her for a moment, until finally he sighed, and rolled his eyes.

"finnnnnnne! but Only! because you helped me a while back" Buffy smiled and nudged his shoulder,
"see, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Lorne looked over her head to see Spike's face, he had a look somewhere between pride and incredibility, Lorne shook his head again
"ya actually, that did hurt a little."

Buffy smiled as Lorne walked away, and Spike came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"So what was that, that you did to him luv?" he asked curiously.

"Oh nothing really, I just gave him my puppy-pout, when I pull that thing out, resistance is futile!" Spike chuckled at her antics, "I bet I could resist it luv, after all I AM a Master Vampire."

Buffy shrugged then turned to face him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, "sing for me?" she asked.

Spike looked at her, and grinned, "sorry luv, but no, not even for an eternity of 'free drinks'" Spike said chuckling, or, at least he was chuckling until he looked down at her; he had never seen anything so beautiful and innocent, her eyes were big and shining, and her lower lip stuck out as thou begging to be tugged and sucked on by his own lips.

Spike couldn't resist, he dipped his head down and captured her lips.

They were so soft and moist that Spike felt like never coming up for air, reluctantly he broke the kiss to let her breath, and leaned his forehead against hers.

“so...what song do you want to hear? anything in particular?" he sighed, Buffy giggled, and started kissing him again.

"Oh, and just for the record, I gave in because of the kiss, not the face."

Buffy pulled him down again and gave him a sweet kiss on the lips.

"Maybe, but you kissed me because of the face."

Spike chuckled "ya, well, you are irresistible" he whispered, and Buffy smiled, before they started kissing again.

Chapter Three

After finding a table with a good view of the stage, Buffy and Spike sat and talked for a bit.

“So luv, I’ve told you about me, lets hear a little about your self” Buffy just shrugged, “Not much to tell really, before I was called, I was the Queen of Hermny” Spike looked at her scepticly, “I’m serious! I had everyone, even the teachers, under my thumb...it was wonderful” she said, staring off into space with a dreamy look on her face.

Spike watched as Buffy’s facial expressions changed from being dreamy to sad and angry.

“It’s amazing you know... that you can have everything taken from you in one word, almost makes you wonder if any of it was real” Spike looked at her with confusion, Buffy saw his look and smiled, “that sounds weird dusn’t it? Believe me, I know.
Anyway, back to my story, after I was called, the changes were almost instant, I had to stop hanging out with my friends, because I might put them in danger, I started carrying stakes instead of lip-gloss, I started to become truly alone.
I was still the Queen, even tho I know I shouldn’t care, it was the last thing I had of my normal life, and I thrived on it.”

Again she smiled wistfully, and again that sad look had covered her face.

For some reason that Spike couldn’t quite fully comprehend, he was growing more and more angry by every word she uttered.

But it wasn’t her he was mad at, it was every one else, her friends that let her go thru all of this alone, her Watcher for not letting her have any friends, but most of his anger was directed at the Powers That Be, he was partially furious at them for pushing this calling on her, and partially angry that they didn’t send him to her sooner.

As Spike was cot in his own little world, he had failed to notess that she hd started talking again, “...went down to the football field to check up on our football team, like I said, I was making my rounds.

Anyway, there was a new guy that had to be initiated, and told of the way we did things around here, and with me being out of it lately, nothing had really gotten done.

So I go up to his and introduce my self when someone calls my name from the bleachers, I turn around to see who it is, and the ass hole grabs my ass!” Spike looked just as outraged as she did.

Buffy saw the look on his face and winked, “so naturally, I kicked his ass” Buffy said grinning, and Spike grind back, slowly Buffy’s smile turned bitter-sweet.

“Although I don’t regret showing him who’s boss, that’s when it really changed, after tat, I stopped being the Queen, I’m still not completely positive why I was down-sized, I have a theory that it has something to do with a girl named Juddy Langcaster but...” Buffy looked at Spike and laughed, “I’m sorry, I’m sure that you don’t want to hear all of this” she blushed.

Spike smiled at her shyness, before taking her hand in his and kissing the palm.

“I’m gonna’ tell you somethin’ luv, and there ant’ nothen’ you can do about it” they both leaned into each other. “ you know how I told you about my sire having a vision, and that I knew what it meant?” Buffy nodded, her eyes looking into his curiously.

“Well...here’s the hole story, you see, she had started screaming... ‘It burns Spike! It burns! It burns us all!” suddenly she stopped. “But not you, the sun will not burn you.”

she said cocking her head to the side, as though to see him better.

“You will go, my Spike, the stars say that you will leave.
And the sun shall shine upon you, you will bathe and glisten in its glory, never to burn, even when your elders crumble.”

she made a motion with her hand, of dust crumbing in front of her face, when again she started to whine, tears welling up in her eyes.

“You will become a guardian of light, the true mate of an angel” she spat at him “you will leave all that is unholy, and you will make love to heaven.”

Through out all of this Spike had stayed silent, she had never spoken to him like this, of all his time serving Drusilla, she had never been this calm, cool, and collected, in short, Spike was a little freaked.

He tried to make sense of what she was saying. “What do you mean ‘I will become a guardian of light’? What light?” As soon as Spike said the words, Dru attacked, swiping at him with her razor sharp nails, trying to dig out his eyes.

But once again, she stopped abruptly, and turned her head as though listening to something. She then turned her head to stair him right in the eye.

“You must leave now” she said as though in a trance. “you will go to L.A., you will find your destiny there.” She said.’

“And that was it, she threw me out of our warehouse, wouldn’t let me in for anything, finally when the sun came up, I had to leave, the next night, I hoped on a plain, and you know the rest.”

Buffy looked at him in astonishment. She had always been good at translating prophecies, so she had a pretty good idea about what Drusilla had been trying to say, she just wasn’t sure that Spike knew, so she pretended ignorance.

“So what do you think she meant by all that?” she asked. Spike grinned at her, “in short luv, your mine.” he said just before he captured her lips, in a searing kiss.

It may not have been the most eloquent translation, but he got the jist of it, that was enough.

She knew that she would have to do some research on this, just to make sure there was no end of the world prophecy, and she would have to do it in secret, she may love Merrick, but she new that he might do something hasty in order to “protect”her.

Spike was mildly surprised my her reaction, and readiness to accept their fate. He had assumed that, with her being the slayer and all, that she would be completely against the idea, but no, here she was, kissing him senseless, almost ready to crawl over the table

“Kum-hum! Um, do you think that you two loveies would mind coming up for air?” Lorne asked, interrupting them.

Buffy smiled sheepishly, wile Spike just glared at him. “Oh yes yes, we know, your very vicious” Lorne said patronizingly, and Spike growled at him, wile Buffy giggled behind her hand. Spike herd the giggle and turned to face her. Buffy tried to school her features, but she couldn’t help the smile on her face. “You too?” Buffy just shrugged and kept smiling at him. “Hay! I’m evil! Ok? E-V-I-L! Evil! Get that thru your thick sculls!” after his out burst Spike leaned back in his chair to pout. “Of course you are baby cakes” Lorne said, patronizing Spike seemed to be the theme tonight.

Spike scowled at him again, and grumbled under him breath. “Spike, look at where your hands are.” Buffy said pointedly. Spike looked down, and sure enough, his left arm was around Buffy’s shoulder, wile his hand played with her hair, and his right was holding her hand. “Oh...damn” he said, but never took his hands from her. Buffy smiled at him and turned to face Lorne. “Sorry Lorne, what did you want?” Lorne smiled at her, “Its your turn angel face.”

No matter how much both Buffy and Spike protested, Lorne would have none of it.

In the end, they gave in, with Buffy blaming Spike;
“This is your fault you know.”

“My fault? How is this my fault?”

“Because, this was your choice”

“oh ya... sorry”

“ya so... you first” she smiled innocently. Spike was about to protest, when the perfect song popped into his head.

“Ok luv..”

Without another word he walked up to the DJ, and walked on stage. Buffy was surprised by his sudden acceptance of her challenge, but didn’t question it.

Spike knew exactly what song he was going to do. It wasn’t really his taste, but he had herd it on his way here, and the lyrics fit perfectly. When he was finally situated in front of the microphone, the music started up.

Buffy couldn’t be surprised when she heard the ruff beginning of a punk song.

“Falling down from a grey cloud
Open wounds still bleeding
Yesterday won't forget my name
Tomorrow will never forgive me
I never felt that I want too much
I never said that I need too much
But with the lack of the strength I need
There I was almost giving up.”

Spike stared her right in the eyes, trying to convey the truth he felt in his words.

“Then I saw beautiful
And opened up my eyes
When I found beautiful
It opened up my life
Now I know beautiful
And how things should be
You are my beautiful
Beautiful to me.”

Spike smiled as the lyrics ran true, and Buffy couldn’t help but laugh, when he sent her a cheeky grin.

“Laying down on a quiet night
Hoping that no one will find me
I never thought I could feel so low
Definition of empty
I always knew that I felt too much
I always heard that I cared too much
But at the edge down upon my knees
There I was almost giving up.”

Lorne smiled at the two, and gave a bitter-sweet smile, as he say what lay before them. It would not be an easy road, but they would walk it, together.

“Then I saw beautiful
And it opened up my eyes
When I found beautiful
It opened up my life
Now I know beautiful
And how things should be
You are my beautiful
Beautiful to me.”

By the end, Buffy couldn’t help laughing and blushing at the obvious compliment and his cheeky grin. Spike grinned at her smile, and how it seemed to light up the room. He had spent so much time skulking in the dark that he had convinced himself that he hated the light.

Now, seeing the light that she radiated, he felt as though he was seeing the sun again for the first time in so long. And the warmth felt good.

“Yeah your so beautiful.”

“What’d you think, luv?” Spike asked, coming back to their table.

She laughed and jumped up throwing her arms around him. Lucky for Spike that he didn’t have to breathe, when Buffy jumped on him, she knocked the wind out of him, then proceeded to kiss him breathless.

“That was great Spike...” she trailed off, with kisses.

“All right, all right, that’s enough...hay! Separate!” Lorne had to shout when they decided to ignore him.

Reluctantly they parted, and turned to face Lorne, but this time, Buffy was just as disgruntled Spike.

Together, the couple turned to face Lorne with a scowl that made him want to back away slowly.

“Woe-there! Sorry to interrupt but it’s your turn angel cakes”. Buffy sighed, and Spike let her down. They shared one more kiss before Buffy made her way to the stage. Taking the microphone, Buffy blushed and smiled as the first strands of the sultry beat filled the club.

"I'll be right along
'Cause baby you're so
Strong...

Baby I see - You're vulnerable to me
That's your power over me

Baby, baby, I know - It's always been so
Physical love is oh so meaningful for you

You write love letters to me - strong
You know how to talk to me - so strong

Baby, I'm yours - you know
Because you're so, so strong

You would fight for me
You would starve for me
You would suffer for me
You would die for me
Well, I feel the same way too
You know I feel that way about you."

Buffy and Spike shared a smile, and Spike chuckled.

"I know you're mad about me."

You've shown me because you're so, so strong
Buffy looked directly into Spike’s liquid blue eyes, as tho asking him a silent question. Spike gave her a sweet smile, and nodded, when she saw his answer, a huge grin spread over her face, and her eyes seemed to sparkle, even in the blinding stage lights.

"I know you're mad about me."

You've shown me because you're so, so strong
When she finished, Buffy walked off of the stage, and straight into Spike’s arms.

Chapter Four

As the couple exited Calacis, both Buffy and Spike felt as the magic surrounded them.

“You feel that love?”

“Ya, what is it, and where is it coming from?”

“Not sure pet, but I feel up for a little rough and tumble, how ‘bout you?” Spike smiled like a kid in a candy shop. Gaining courage from Spike’s confidence, Buffy nodded and smiled back at him.

Silently, from behind the shadows stepped a Shwarsnic demon. Reaching out his purple, scaled arms towards them, the Shwarsnic gurgled his words of jumbled Latin.

“Jack! What the bloody hell do you think your do’en?” Spike screamed, enraged that a demon he had once called friend had betrayed him.

“Simple, Spike.” Jack hissed. “I wanted the Slayer!” he laughed. “And you brought her right to me, just like I knew you would. A fool for love, through and through.” He said disgustedly.

“What are you talken’ about?” Spike asked, sending a worried look towards Buffy. He was worried about the look of understanding that crossed her face.

“Oh, come now, Spike! You didn’t actually believe that it was real did you? A vampire falling in love with a Slayer of his own free will? Give me a brake. But then, you’ve always been a fool for love; I knew that you would be just the person to deliver me the Slayer.” The demon gave an evil smirk. “You two can chat about all of this latter…I mean…you have all of eternity…” The demon laughed as a swirling vortex opened under the floating couple. As Buffy and Spike were pulled slowly downward towards the vortex, all was silent, till and eerily dead voice broke through.

“Not real?” Buffy rasped. ‘None…none of it was…real…god, I’m such an idiot…how…could I not have seen…seen…of course it wasn’t real…none of it…none of it was real…’ Buffy slowly let the tears drop… ‘She had wanted it so badly…wanted the storybook romance. But things like that didn’t happen to her…for her…she was the Slayer. That was all she was…and look where dreaming got her. Suspended in the air over a vertex to hell, with a vampire who’d had a curse put on him, so that he could pretend to love her, just like her father…pretending to love her…an evil demon needed a curse to pretend…to love her…’

“You son of a bitch…” Buffy raised her tear stained face to look at the demon that held them there.

“You fucking son of a bitch. I don’t care where you send me…but you had better pray to god it’s as far as you can get from this dimension. Because I promise…wherever you go, what ever you do…be prepared…In to every generation a Slayer is born. And I swear this to you…one after another; we will hunt you down, and kill everything you hold dear. Slayers don’t love lightly or often. You just fucked with the wrong heart, you fucker’s whore.” As Buffy said this, a look of fear came over Jack’s face. Her voice was deadly calm, and there was promise in her eyes.

“Buffy, luv, I…”

“Shut up vampire!” She yelled scathingly. “Don’t you dare think of saying my name again!”

Spike was stunned, and more than a little hurt. He had been telling the truth! It wasn’t all lies! Not to him! He had really felt it! He felt it still!’ Spike didn’t notice the turn his thoughts made as they were pulled threw the vortex. ‘Bitch doesn’t know who she’s talking to…gotta learn her place…whether she likes it of not, she’s mine! And she will learn that…sooner or later…’

With a hard thump, Buffy and Spike landed on the rough, hard rock of the floor. When they fell, Buffy had managed to hit her head on the hard floor knocking her out. Shaking her head Buffy shook off the pain, and turned to find Spike, only to see him walking away from her.

“Spike? What…what are you doing?”

Turning to look at her, Spike had a furious and disgusted look on his face as his eyes settled on her. “I’m leaven’ what’s the hell it look like?!” he yelled back at her, heedless of her tears.

“What? Why?” She asked brokenly. Why would he leave her?

“Well, you know…I just figured that you would want the filthy vampire out of your
sight! Isn’t that what you said? Stupid, filthy, lowly, disgusting evil vampire!
Is that not what I am?!” Spike yelled stalking back to her.

“Is that what you need?” he sneered.

“Is that what you wanted? Cause I got to tell you ‘luv’, you are one sick Bitch if that’s how you get off. Pathetic too. Had to go find your self a demon to pretend for you, couldn’t ever find a human to finally show you some attention. You see ‘luv’? You’re even a freak in our world. Demons hate you, humans fear you…and nobody, out of that whole lot gives a fuck. Not your father, your mother… I even find my self not giving a rat’s ass about who the fuck kills you. In fact, I find my self looking forward to it, the though makes me tingle.” He drawled, smiling evilly.

Through his speech, Buffy had fallen to the ground, sobbing.

But Spike didn’t hear her gut wrenching sobs, or see her river of tears. He merely laughed at the pathetic lump in front of him.

Suddenly, Spike seemed to snap back to himself. And what he saw when he did…it was the most horrific thing he had ever seen. Tears ran down her face, as blood ran down her arms, legs, hands, feet, back, stomach, and skull.

Spike felt as though he was going to be sick.

Blood mingled with her tears creating a pink wash that pooled around her fallen body.

“Bu-Buffy…god. What…what…” Spike couldn’t find the words. He hadn’t heard any screaming that would usually come with this kind of torture. Hadn’t heard the swish of the blade, or the crack of the whip…only his own voice…only his words…God, what the fuck had he said? Why did he say those things? It hadn’t been him. He would never do that to her!

“Buffy…luv?” he spoke softly as he reached out to touch her. Buffy felt him come closer to her and flinched away, hugging her self tighter. Spike’s undead heart clenched in his chest. He hadn’t protected her…he had been so caught up in his own pain, that he forgot about her…ignored her…said that he hated her…that he wanted to kill her…he had caused this.

“Buffy…I, I wont hurt you luv…just, you’ve gotta tell me who…who did this, to you?”
Shaking now, and pulling farther away from him, Buffy moved her arms, which had been protecting her face.

“You…you…already…did…” she choked out. Spike stopped breathing. ‘No…No! He wouldn’t! He never would have done this! Not to her! Not to Buffy! He must have misunderstood, yes, he just heard her wrong…’

“What…what do you mean, luv?” he asked, his voice shaking. She flinched as though she had been cut again when he called her ‘luv.’

“You Spike…you already have hurt me…you did this to me…you broke me…you killed me…Spike? Why did you do this? I loved you…” She whispered brokenly.

“No. oh please god no. I didn’t do this…” Spike whispered, also broken.

“Yes you did. I loved you. And you killed me…Why, Spike? Why would you do this?” Buffy accused.

“NO!” He screamed, lunging for her. Buffy cried out in surprise.

“Please No! No! No more! I’ll do anything you want…just, please! No more! No more!” Buffy screamed over and over again trying as hard as she could to get away from him.

Blindly, Buffy crawled as fast as she could, looking for an escape, until she came up against a huge, solid wall. Sobbing in dismay, Buffy tried to clime the wall, when finding it slick; she started to dig through it.

“No, no, no, gotta get away, gotta get out.” She mumbled under her breath as she tried to dig.

One after the other, her nails broke, but Buffy ignored the pain. One by one, her fingers were ripped open, and bleeding. And again Buffy ignored the pain, as more of her blood clotted the dirt.

Spike just stood behind her, unable to stop her, unable to look away…helpless. ‘Your not helpless, you’re just bloody scared! You say you love her! Than help her! Stop being so damn afraid of being run from. Ya, it’ll hurt but…would you rather see her in pain, or you? Cause if it’s the first mate, than…you love her less than you realized.’ Nodding his head, Spike calmly walked over behind the Slayer.

“Buffy, stop it!” he said in a commanding voice, tears running down his face. Her movements stopped instantly.

“Good. Can you walk?” he asked in a softer tone, but kept the command.

Buffy hesitated before shaking her head negatively. Carefully, Spike walked towards her, and stiffened when she tensed at his approach.

“I want you to relax.” He said calmly. “That’s not an order, but it is what I want.” Buffy relaxed slightly, but Spike could see the rigidness of her posture.

“Good girl. Now, I’m going to pick you up. Are you going to fight me?” again she shook her head in the negative.

“Good girl. Now come here.” Spike said, as he lifted her into his arms. Cuddling her closely into his chest, Spike stood, contented for a moment, just to hold her, to burry his face into her neck, and take in her sent.

Then he broke down.

“I’m sorry my love…so sorry…” Spike sobbed into her hair. “I can’t…I’m sorry…so sorry, couldn’t…couldn’t help…can’t take it back…I love you, I love you…please, god…I love you so much…” Spike sobbed harder.

“Shhh, now…its ok now…it’s ok…it’s gonna be ok…” A soothing voice said from above him. Spike felt a hand stroking his hair, as well as rubbing his back in a soothing manner.

“Bu-Buffy?” Spike stuttered trough his tears.