Walking though the graveyard at night, the Slayer felt insecure about what a certain blonde Vampire had said a few hours earlier. 'Every Slayer has a death wish'; his words ran though her mind, over and over again. She was at a loss. Riley was gone, and it was clear he blamed her, blamed it on her attraction to vampires. Worse, Buffy started to understand what her ex meant - she felt alive when near her enemy, even when with Spike. The Slayer felt a connection, a link between herself and the undead.

The Slayer had died once before but only for a few seconds, and while the link could have started from when the Master bit her, wouldn't she have picked up on it before? Buffy knew that there was only one person who could help with her questions.

****

“A... connection, you say?” Giles asked as he cleaned his glasses. The Slayer and Watcher were sitting around the table in the Magic Box while the gang took care of the customers.

“Yeah, it’s creepy.”

“Well that is very odd; I don't think I’ve heard of any Slayer having connections to her prey”

“Is it bad?” Buffy worried.

“I don't know, but I’ll research it straight away” Giles reassured her, as they noticed a blonde man walk from the basement door.

“Mornin' all” Spike nodded to the gang. He scanned the room before his eyes stopped on Buffy. The vampire's whole body buzzed as he took in her beauty. Spike never knew why, but ever since they first met a few years back, he had felt like he had known her forever. Spike had wanted her from the beginning; the vamp sensed a familiar presence about her, and every day it only got stronger.

“Spike, do you have a moment?” The Watcher called.

“What's up Rupert?”

“Do you know if there are any connections between a Slayer and vampires?”

“Well yeah! Slayers have some of our abilities; they have our strength and speed...”

“Connection, as in friendly connection?” Buffy interrupted.

“How the heck am I meant to know?”

“Hmm, let me think...er, BECAUSE YOU’RE A VAMPIRE?” The Slayer pointed out sarcastically.

“Shh! We have customers!” Giles pointed out. The Slayer bowed her head in shame as Spike walked away. “I will confer with the Council about this.” Her head shot up to her Watcher.

“No! I don't want anything to do with them!” Buffy growled.

“They may have some information on this...plus it might be more serious than we realise.”

“But I don't like them!”

“Nor do I Buffy, but it maybe our only option.” They paused for a moment, and then she huffed and crossed her arms.

“Fine. Call them.” The Slayer moaned.

“Thank you.” Giles didn't waste any time and walked over to the phone.

****

A few days went by and Buffy waited. The Council said they would ring when they had any information. She waited at the Magic Box, next to the phone. The bell above the door rang and two men dragged in a thin rectangular package. Anya walked up to one of the men who passed her a clipboard; she signed the paper and gave the clipboard back to the man. After they both left, the gang gathered round.

“What is it?” Willow asked Anya, as the ex-demon unwrapped it.

“It’s a seeing mirror” she replied as they looked at their reflections.

“What does it do?” Tara asked quietly.

“All sorts of things. This mirror can show memories, and can even show the different sides of someone's personality. Of course, you’ll have to ask it to first.”

“Neat! Can we try it out?” Xander squealed in excitement.

“Only if you want your private lives to be revealed!” Giles growled as Anya elbowed him.

“Thought I told you, the mirror is not evil!”

“Evil?” Buffy asked.

“Yes!” “No!” Giles and Anya disagreed in unison.

“People have lost their minds because of this...thing!”

“No, they just couldn't handle the truth!” The shopkeeper and his assistant yelled at each other.

“Hey! Everybody keep their cool. It’s just a mirror” Xander said with both hands up. The shop floor went quiet and they all looked at the mirror.

“Why have people gone mad over a mirror?” Willow asked.

“As Anya stated earlier, the mirror can reveal sides of a personality, sides that nobody thought they had. It can show some terrible things that people could never imagine doing” Giles replied, looking pointedly at Anya.

“But it can also reveal happy forgotten memories, and that's a good thing!” She stuck out her tongue to her boss.

“So it’s good and bad” Tara stated.

“Well...yes” the Watcher admitted in defeat.

“Ha! Told you!” Anya cheered. Then suddenly the bell above the door rang.

“Sorry, we’re closed” the owner shouted behind him.

“Hello to you too, Mr. Giles” a familiar voice replied. The gang turned, and was shocked by the group that stood there. A bunch of men and women in their early fifties, dressed in suits, stood by the door. Buffy's anger rose as she recognised the leader. It was Quentin Travers, head of the Watcher’s Council.

~*~*~

“What are you doing here?” Buffy growled at the large group of Watchers, as they sat around the table, drinking their tea and making notes. The gang was meanwhile sitting in front of the counter.

“Now Miss Summers, we heard you were having some difficulty with your duty” Quentin explained.

“I can handle my duty just fine, thank you!”

“Yes, we can see, but we have had information that you had some questions which needed answering”

“Couldn't you call, or is this an excuse to check up on me?”

“Well you caught me red handed, Miss Summers” Quentin said, with a smirk on his face. At that moment the front door opened and slammed shut, as Spike walked quickly over to the Slayer. He wasn't very happy.

“Forty-five minutes I waited! And you didn't show! Did you forget that we had patrol tonight?” Spike asked. Buffy looked at him then pointed over to the Watchers, and the Vamp looked over. “Oh.”

“That's him!” One of the Watchers whispered, and they all looked shocked. The Council began to talk to themselves and note things down. Spike walked over to the counter and jumped up for a seat on the cabinet.

“Miss Summers? May I ask why William the Bloody is in the very same room with us?” An elderly woman asked.

“I like you - might eat you first.” Spike smiled as the woman flinched.

“Spike has a micro-chip in his brain that won’t let him hurt humans, so now he works for me” Buffy pointed out.

“I don't think this is wise Miss...”

“Since when did I care what you think?” Buffy interrupted Quentin.

“I knew we should have never gone through with it!” another woman whispered to her companions.

“We had to, it was the only way” a man whispered back.

“What was?” Anya asked the man.

“Excuse me?”

“You just said 'It was the only way'” she pointed out.

“Jacob didn't mean anything by that” Quentin growled.

“Then why did he say it, you pillock?” Giles snapped, before turning his attention the other Watcher. “What was it you said?”

“Say one word and you’re fired!” Quentin glared back at Jacob. The Watchers looked at each other.

“She needs to know, Quentin” one woman said.

“It wasn't fair!” said another man.

“What are you talking about?” Xander asked.

“Quiet, all of you!” The head of the Council demanded.

“No! You made this mess, you clean it up!” Another man yelled and the other Watchers cheered.

“Enough!” Buffy yelled, and the room went silent. “What is going on?” Quentin looked down at the table. Seconds went past before everyone knew he wasn't going to speak.

“Well if you are not going to tell her...” a female Watcher said, as she walked away from the group and over to the mirror.

“Marian, don't!” Quentin protested.

“No Quentin, I have lived with this on my conscience for years. She needs to know about her past!”

At that moment, the sound of waves crashing filled the magic box. Everyone turned to see that they were coming from the mirror, which was reflecting a completely different image. The image of London.

London, 1871


Lord Harkley was a selfish, old man who loved to show off his great possessions to others. All the Lord ever cared about was himself and his business, namely the many docks he owned up in Liverpool that imported cargo from Ireland. However, despite all his riches, Harkley was still disappointed. He longed for a son to take over the family business, but unfortunately his wife bared a daughter. Full of rage and anger, he killed Lady Harkley and ordered his servants to dump her body in the River Thames. Although his plans of starting a family business looked ruined, he kept his daughter, hoping that one day she would marry and bare a son. Lord Harkley named his daughter Buffy.


London, 1889


“A toast, to the business” Lord Harkley stood up on the stairs with a glass of wine in his hand. Below him were many people, all in fancy frocks and sharp suits.

“To the business” they cheered and drank. Up the stairs, one door stood slightly ajar. In the room were two women – one old while the other was fairly young.

“To the business? Lies! We all know what tonight is about” The old woman fired as she zipped up the younger woman’s dress. “What are you going to do, Lady Buffy?”

“Well I'm certainly not going to please that ruthless father of mine!” The young woman looked back at herself though the mirror. She was very beautiful with pitch black hair and hazel eyes, ruby lips and a slim body line. Her father had planned this from the beginning - since she turned twelve they had held a ball every year. The Lord always said that it was for celebrating another successful year of business but Buffy knew differently - the ball was really for Harkley to find a husband for his daughter.

“My Lady, they are waiting for you” the old woman reminded her. Buffy stood before the mirror and brushed down her blue corset dress. She hated this time of the year, felt like she was about to be hung.

~~~~

“Remember, no messing around! The last thing we need right now is a mob” Angelus growled to his childe. The two vampires stood around the corner from a crowded house.

“Relax mate” Spike chucked.

“I'm not your 'mate'!”

“Oh sod off” They both walked around the back and entered though the servants’ entrance.

~~~~

People were dancing and talking about new plans for the docks when Buffy appeared at the top of the stairs. Men turned and gazed at her beauty; Buffy recognized some from the other balls, though some were new. She knew what they all wanted – her beauty to show off to their friends, and to be stinking rich like her father. It made her feel sick to her stomach.

“She has to pick one of us this year” one of the men whispered to another. Buffy overheard and her temper started to rise; these men could never know what love is. They remind her of the Lord and she hated him.

“My Lady” the gentlemen greeted, but Buffy looked though them and walked down the stairs. She wasn't in the mood for any of this – not today, not ever. She walked straight towards the kitchen; the servants were busy serving platters and drinks to the guests so the kitchen was deserted.

~~~~

“I'm hungry” Spike moaned as he watched several women pass him by. Angelus growled and elbowed his childe in the ribcage.

“Control yourself!”

“I haven't fed yet!” Spike growled back as he rubbed his side.

“Well, do it where no one can see or I will kill you myself!”

~~~~

Spike saw her enter the kitchen and sit herself down on a stool. Luckily he was in the shadows, with a dead maid in his arms. The music seeped though the walls, covering the sound of the vamp dumping the body in a closet. Finally, he wiped he blood from his lips and made his approach.

“Shouldn't you be out there having fun?” Spike pulled up a stool next to her.

“And what concern is it of yours?” She looked at him. The vamp was sure he felt his heart thump, which was impossible. This young woman was truly something of a beauty, lovely curvy body and generous sized breasts.

“Well it’s not every day you get invited to a huge house like this” Spike smiled but Buffy only looked confused.

“Don't you know who I am? Well who my father is anyways?”

“No, I don't but should that matter?” He winked which caused her to blush. The vamp chucked at her rosy red cheeks, then smiled. “I'm Spike”

“Buffy, Buffy Harkley”

“Pleasure to meet you Buffy Harkley”

“You really don't know me, do you?” She asked surprised.

“You’re Buffy Harkley, and may I add very beautiful”

“Oh...I...thank you” she blushed again. At that moment Spike stood before her with his hand out.

“May I have the honour of this dance?” He asked, like the gentlemen he never was. Before Buffy could think, her reactions took Spike's hand and stood in front of him. The music was low and soft as they melted together. The vamp could feel the heat from her chest setting his heart on fire. With sexual tension rising, they got closer, until their lips were inches apart.

“Where is that girl? Why is she not here? You do not know? Well, find her!” A familiar voice sounded over the music. Spike saw the look of fear though her hazel eyes as she pulled away.

“I'm sorry, I must go.” Before he could stop her, Buffy left him standing alone in the kitchen. The vamp stood there for a few minutes, memorized by the young woman he just met. After failing to clear his mind of her, he left the room.

~~~~

“Buffy! Buffy, come over here” Lord Harkley waved over the crowd to his daughter. As she approached, Buffy noticed a young man standing next to her father. “Buffy, may I introduce Sir Roger Finn, his father owns many vineyards in Spain and sells port all over England”. She wasn't impressed, especially by this so-called Roger Finn. He was nearly twice Buffy's age, with wrinkles and long ginger hair brushed back into a ponytail.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, my Lady.” Sir Finn grabbed her hand and kissed it.

~~~~

Spike walked through the crowds of people. Although most of the women smiled seductively at him, he mind was completely focused on finding Buffy. 'Grow up mate! She's just a young, beautiful woman that you can get out of your head' Spike growled to himself. Twenty minutes past, and still no sign of her 'Give it up, you’re not going to find... there she is, by the stairs' The vamp's eyes focused on her curvy body; Buffy stood there with two men that were clearly older than her. The oldest man, in his late fifties, was possibly Buffy's father. The other man, in his early thirties, looked like a ponce. They were talking, until the youngest men kissed her hand. 'Get your lips of her, you ginger twat! Why are you standing there? He is kissed our girl's hand, do something!”

From across the room, Angelus caught a glimpse of Spike through the crowd. He could see that his childe had a face of thunder.

~~~~

Buffy pulled her hand away quickly and wiped it on her dress, then looked up to Roger.

“I wish I could say it is a pleasure to meet you too, but I am afraid that it is not” she glared at him then at her father. “Now, if you do not mind, I would like to spend the rest of the evening alone” and with that, Buffy stormed up the stairs and into her bedroom.

~~~~

'That's my girl' Spike smiled as he saw her run up the stairs. Just then he felt a familiar presence next to him.

“What are you smirking about?” Angelus asked.

“Oh, nothing” Spike laughed but his smile soon disappeared when he noticed Buffy's father race up the stairs and into his daughter's room. The vamp was stepping forward when his Sire grabbed him.

“Where are you going?” Angelus growled low in his voice. Spike shook his arm free and growled.

“I'll be back in a minute.” With his vampire speed, he ran up the stairs unnoticed by others. When he reached the bedroom, the vamp heard shouting through the door.

“What was that about, young Lady?” Lord Harkley yelled.

“I am not going to marry a man that I do not love, just so that you can grow your obsessive business!” Buffy shouted back; by the sound of her voice, she was very annoyed. 'So this is her house then? And this party is for her father to find her a husband'. Spike popped his head around the door to see what was happening. He saw the Lord standing in front of his daughter.

“Don't you dare speak to me like that, you ungrateful little brat!” His hand flew up and smacked his daughter across the face, which caused her to stumble back. When Buffy gained her balance, she covered her cheek with her hand as Harkley grabbed her arms. The vamp heard the woman begin to cry.

“You will marry Sir Roger Finn, and that is final!” He let go of her and started to walk out the room. Spike quickly hid behind the door and watched Lord Harkley walk down the stairs. The guests wouldn't have heard the argument over the music and the chatter. He walked into the room, where he saw Buffy looking out a window with her back to him. Spike quietly closed the door and walked over to the crying woman.

“Buffy?” The vamp asked, as he rubbed her arm. She turned to him and looked straight into his eyes. Spike heart ached when he saw her tears and the red mark on her cheek. At that moment he took her into his arms and ran his fingers through her hair.

“I wish I could disappear or run away or something. God, what am I to do? I do not wish to marry Sir Roger Finn, but it is the only way to appease my father” Buffy cried into the vamp’s chest. He was silent for a second, thinking over his actions, and then finally spoke.

“It's not the only way” Spike said in a husky voice. “Come away with me.” He could read Buffy's eyes like a book; she was frightened and confused, so the vamp turned her to the open window. “You see that woman outside selling roses? She is old and tired. Her husband is probably dead, and her children are too busy fulfilling their own dreams to even know she is still alive. She is alone and cold. That will be you in thirty or forty year’s time. No matter how beautiful you are now, it will fade. You will become old and alone,” a single tear ran down Buffy's cheek, “but I can stop it, all the pain and suffering. You will never grow old, never die,” Spike placed his lips by her ear and whispered “never be alone”. Buffy turned her head and looked straight into his eyes.

“Will it hurt?” She whimpered.

“For a second, but the choice is yours.”

“I want to be with you” she said clearly. Spike took her invite, moved into her neck and kissed it. Buffy let out a little moan; then he bit into her. Pain and pleasure sparked though her body as he drank her sweet nectar. Noticing her legs were giving way, he managed to place her onto the bed and continued to drain her. The clapping of her heart started to fade as he released her neck, slit his wrist with his fang, and pulled her closer.

“Buffy, darling, drink me.” Passion and care filled his deep husky voice. Without giving it a thought, Buffy latched onto his bleeding wrist and drunk deep, sending Spike into paradise. 'God, what is happening to me? Why does she make me... I...I feel like I'm alive! Burning alive!'

“Spike?” A small voice shattered his thoughts and as the vampire opened his eyes, he gazed down to the woman under him. Buffy was pale and her eyes were threatening to close; she was near death. All he could do was watch as she drifted off to sleep.

“Goodnight, Luv.” With a kiss on her forehead, Spike locked the bedroom door and jumped out the window.


Two nights later


“Come on!” Spike hurried three other vampires down the cobbled road. The night had only just begun, yet the youngest member woke the clan early, like it was Christmas morning.

“My dear Spike, have the stars blessed us tonight, for your excitement fills the air like a black fog.” The insane dark haired woman cackled as she swung her arms in the air. Next to her, stood Angelus and a blond woman, hand in hand.

“Yes William, what is so important for you to awaken us so rudely?” Darla added to her grand-childe’s question. Instead of answering, Spike quickly took a newspaper from under his arm and shoved it to the trio. Angelus grabbed it and began to read out loud.

“Father Francis of The Church Of England has requested...”

“The next page you pillock!” Spike growled. Angelus glared, turned the paper around, and began to read.

“Harkley funeral function.” The eldest man paused. “Lord Harkley will be holding a function tonight as a memorial for his daughter, who passed away two nights ago. Lady Buffy was the tender age of 18 when she was found dead in her bed, after refusing to wed Sir Roger Finn. Over 300 hundred guests will be attending tonight’s feast and will be allowed to say their last words before Lady Buffy's funeral tomorrow.”

“Oh, a picnic!” Drusilla screamed in delight.

“My my, you have out done yourself” Darla smirked while her lover huffed.

“What is so special about this stupid partly?” Angelus moaned.

“Oh, you’ll see.” Spike smirked and continued down the road.

~~~~

The four deadly vampires stood outside the large oak door, puzzled and confused, for they had rung the door bell five minutes ago, yet had no answer. In fact there was no music, no laughing, nothing at all. Something was wrong here. They looked at each other for answers but found none. Angelus, bored and annoyed, finally stepped up to the door and knocked again, only this time the door creaked slightly open. The fully grown vampire stubbed back in fear as blood dripped down the steps. Spike quickly rushed passed the trio and ran into the house, where he stopped dead in his tracks.

Bodies upon bodies covered the great hall, blood splatters on walls and internal organs stringed around the room. A massacre so vile that Jack the Ripper would be sick over it. Yet in the middle of the wreckage was a coffin where a young woman sat. 'Buffy?!' Spike's mind raced as he examined the beauty that caused this bloody mess. He heard the gasps of his fellow vampires behind him and chuckled.

“Spike!” Buffy yelped as she jumped down from the coffin and ran into his arms. “I knew you would return!”

“Wouldn't leave you behind, now would I?” He smiles while taking in her sweet sent.

“Care to explain yourself!” Angelus growled as he faced the young male.

“This is Buffy and she is MY childe. Buffy, this rude ape is Angelus. The blond next to him is Darla,”

“Hi, nice to meet you” The eldest vampire smiled at her great-great-great grand-childe.

“Nice to meet you too.”

“And this is Drusilla,” Spike continued. “She’s the one who made me a vampire”

“SUNSHINE, SHE BURNS ME!” Dru spat at her.

“Shouldn't she be in some sort of mental institution?” Buffy growled back.

“I like her already!” Darla laughed. They continued gossiping till bangs and screams filled their ears. It was coming from the coffin that Buffy had been sitting on earlier. The clan followed the new vampire and watched as she opened the lid. Spike knew who it was straight away.

“Shh now, Daddy” Buffy said calmly as she stroked her father's head. The Lord's mouth was gagged, arms and legs bound. “I got a special treat for you!”

~~~~

“My word! You have been to Paris?” Buffy and Darla talked as they walked ahead off the clan.

“Oh yes, many times!” Behind them, Angelus and Spike were carrying Buffy's luggage and calling each other names.

“Well it looks like you two are getting along.” said Spike as he and his grand-sire caught up with them.

“Yes, we have a lot of things in common” Darla agreed. Angelus couldn’t help but smile; he knew that his sire was lonely when it came to female companionship. 'Maybe it isn't so bad having a new face around' he thought as he looked at his lover. They continued to walk down the street, talking and laughing, unaware of the dark haired vampire behind them.

~~~~

Under the bridge lay the filthy water of the Thames, home to many poor souls - one of which was poor Lady Harkley, killed by her husband. Now, at the bottom of the river, lay a coffin filled with screams, for while Lord Harkley wasn't dead, he would eternally be left begging for it.