'No, if she closed her eyes, it would all go away,' Buffy thought humming to the rhythm of a slow classic that played in the bar and swung back another brandy when she suddenly felt a body pressing up her back.



Kissing down her neck and caressing her sides all while clinging to her boldly while breathing heavily down her neck. The obviously intoxicated and aroused vampire smelled marvelous and together they smelled of sunshine, fresh flowers and tobacco and musk.



All her limbs were deliciously worked out after her patrol and her blood pumped and God, if it that didn't give her a nice thrill. And if Buffy closed her eyes she could picture herself anywhere but here slow dancing with a past enemy at a seedy bar with half the patrons giving her nasty looks and looking to smash her head in at the first try, as if dancing with a Master Vampire in public was a major crime.



'Oh, come on! Even a Slayer needs a break sometimes, Buffy thought.'



She hadn't been out partying since returning from Heaven, somehow returning to life had given her a whole new perspective. Buffy used to be all party-girly, hogging the Bronze every other weekend, but now she valued other things in life.


Life was more to it than just having fun and enjoying yourself.



Kissing him one last time, she left the bar to meet up with Sophie, a girl she befriended at her job at the Doublemeat Palace.



They now sat in a seedy bar located on the other side of town, called Willy Alibi Bar, filled mostly with odd alternative people, punks and other tough looking crowd.



'Hm, look at them lowlifes…'Buffy mused for herself while taking in the crowd as the beat of the music flooded her ears while she sipped on her drink.



Breaking the silence, her companion cleared her throat.
“I'm so happy you asked me to go out with you tonight” Sophie nervously said.



“Hey, no biggie!” Buffy smiled as they sat down in dark velvet seats,“Little company better than no company”



“I guess. I haven't been out since, well, I've never been out before. My mom says only girls looking for hook-ups go out at night looking for a good time” Sophie said nervously, suddenly finding her drink very interesting.



“Well...I certainly don't” Buffy said, arching an eyebrow.



“Well, I wouldn't be the one to judge if you did" Sophie said looking directly into her eyes.



“Um, okay…I'm here because wanted to talk with you about something, Sophie” Buffy fidgeted, stopping mid-sentence.



“Because I'm real easy to talk to?” Sophie interjected.



“Yeah, but mostly because I feel like you're one of the few ones that really listens” Turning around in the velvet settee Buffy sighed, “It's a bit surreal maybe, the part where I talk to you of all people – NOT that you're a person I wouldn't wanna talk to or anything. And now I made a complete fool of myself” Buffy sighed, rolling her eyes heavenways, starting over “I just mean, I have friends, okay? But I can't do the talky thingie with any of them”



Sophie nodded hastily in response.



“Okay. You know Dawn, my kid sister? You know when I told you that all of my memories of her are fake? Well, I remember that we used to be really close friends and we went through the same stuff when we were younger. Sometimes I look back at those days, at my childhood and wish back to those days when things were so much easier. Even if they weren’t real”



“They are. Real, I mean. If you and her share the same memories and they are real enough for the both of you then they are real” Sophie smiled understandingly.



Buffy glanced away, looking at the nothing with that empty look that she'd come to practise more and more for each day. Even in spite of the tumult around in the bar her thoughts were on a whole other place “I guess, it's just messes up my head a lot where I don't know what to believe really, I don't know what to think” she found herself saying.



“I think you complicate it all too much, Buffy”



Nodding to herself Buffy ranted on “And don't even get me started on my love life because I feel like I’m not ready for any serious love thingy at the moment, Sophie” She sighed “Every relationship I'd gotten into always goes straight to hell in big, if not mega proportions. How knows, maybe I’m the one that is to blame for every failure?” she said sarcastically. “Gawd, I wish love wasn't so complicated” she continued “I mean why can’t I just go on living without it?” she ranted “Life without love, go team me! That would make my life a hell lot easier”



“Buffy, everyone needs to be loved, even you” Sophie said as sincerely as she could. “Don't give up on love. Least you know it, it'll sneak up on you”



Buffy looked at her, smirking slightly as Sophie leant close to block out the noise around them “….And those guys over there are giving us some looks. This might be your chance, Buffy. Should I like wave them over or something?” Sophie asked coquettishly.



Glancing over Sophie's shoulder, Buffy saw a gang dressed in similar Hells Angels outfits, sporting tribal tattoos grinning widely at them and Buffy scowled in response “Um, I don't think so. And whatever you do, do not-“



“Hey, you guys, come over here!” Sophie cheered at them, waving her hand.



“-Tell them to come over here” Buffy finished and slumped down more heavily in her chair.



“Good evening, ladies, may I join ya?” one of the biker guys asked, smiling the widest, nastiest grin she’d ever seen, swinging back a beer.



Enough with the pleasantries “Actually-” Buffy started, but the whole gang dropped on various seats around them, making her feeling like caught bait.



“We’d love to” Sophie finished for her, practically purring, biting her lip provokingly. She was taking some major interest in their new company. “So, are you in some sort of a biker club, right? You're into...motorcycles?” she finished lamely, and Buffy rolled her eyes when Sophie wiggled herself closer to them, fluttering her eyelashes, going from shy girl into slutty girl in a matter of seconds.



“Yeah, that's right, babygirl“ One of them bikers said, throwing an arm over Sophie's shoulder and Buffy stopped paying attention to their interaction and when one of the biker jerks pushed a beer up in Buffy's face which she declined, scrunching up her nose.



And here I thought I could have one night off just enjoying myself, but no! Buffy can't have that, can she? Dumb bikers have to give her the time of the day. Turning to look at Sophie casting her head back and laughing an overly happy laugh, Buffy shook her head. And who is the one looking for a hook-up here, really?



Sophie had become so engrossed in her conversation with the bikers that she hardly noticed Buffy settling back watching the liquid in her glass, obviously bored out of her mind. Tipping her glass back to drink, she glanced over the rim as she suddenly saw Spike himself sitting there, catching her gaze and grinning like a cat that just got the cream by the bar while sipping on his beer.





'How long had he been there? Buffy thought suddenly panicking as she froze on the spot. Why hadn't she noticed him earlier? Blinking a few of times, Buffy became transfixed by the image of him, as if they hadn't seen each other only hours ago. She hadn't realized that she’d missed him until now.



”Um, I've gotta go” she said hastily to their company, letting the sentence hang, to the exit as she moved to stand, grabbing her purse.



Her skin was tingling with anticipation. She watched him and their gaze heated up as he wagged his scarred eyebrow suggestively at her. Buffy found herself blushing and was again reminded of why she was with him again. He was the one she needed to forget about living. She was addicted to him.



Then one of the bikers spoke up “Oh, that's a great idea because we thought we were gonna ask you girls to come to our motel for a nice hard f-“ the biker guy didn’t get any further as Buffy's fist connected with his jaw knocking him clean off his seat into a nearby table and Sophie's drink dropped in her knee as she released a shriek.



“Whoops, didn’t plan on hitting him that hard, I swear!” Buffy apologized profusely. But his friends didn't seem to agree and advanced onto her. Just her luck as she suddenly was in the middle of a huge brawl with the four bikers.



Spike smirked over his beer, half-listening to the sounds of crashing chairs and punches meeting flesh, lightning himself a cigarette and waited patiently. After his ninth vodka shot his legs almost bent under him and his increasingly red rimmed eyes watched the ugly patterns on the walls. And was that a fish swimming through the air?




Buffy really needed this.



She needed to get rid of her excess energy and get her juices flowing, this was what she'd pictured when she left the cemetery looking for some more action. The rush of a good fight is way better than chocolate. Even those yummy chocolate cupcake things back at the Grotto Coffee House, might be even better than sex.





Grinning for herself as she jumped to her feet and delivered an upper cut to her left and spin-kick to her right that sent the one biker guy crashing into the bar where Willy was crouching, looking stricken as he covered his head from all bottles that went crashing above his head, cursing as his livelihood got more destroyed for every second that passed.





Up on the bar Spike roared as he unleashed a series of drunken punches with bloody passion on a vampire, street-fighter style with his coat concealing every savage kick.


"Kicking your ass into the next decade will teach you some proper manners and keep you from attacking a Master Vampire in the future, you bloody pillock!" he roared.


"Oi, mate, I'm talkin' to ya!" Spike called out, dodging a few hits before wrestling down the vampire he was currently occupying himself with before staking it in a fluid movement.



"Bloody through playing" he growled dangerously jumping to his feet, Spike rolled his shoulders and dropped the stake into a pocket of his duster.



As Spike took in the state of the bar and grinned to himself and was just about to light himself a cigarette when he noticed something in his peripheral vision and wheeled his head all around to the entrance and lightly tapped on the Slayers shoulder.





"What?" she said, turning her head towards the entrance of Willy Alibi bar where a bulgy figure - probably some kinda tough boxer while he'd been alive appeared surrounded by a gang of nasty looking minions directing angry glares at them, one pointed look at Sophie and she ran to the back of the room and hid.





"Oh, well, I'll be damned!" the Bulgy Vampire exclaimed in heavy Irish "The great Slayer and her pet vampire Spike; the infamous betrayer of our kind. Aren't we in for a real treat, boys? Tonight, we will hear the bones of the Slayer snap and feast on her blood!" the bulgy vampire chuckled, licking his lips in overly excitement and the vampire crowd chuckled right with him.



Wait until I get all stake-happy on him, Buffy thought, narrowing her eyes into slits. Sharing a mutual look with Spike, the two fighters totally lost themselves in endorphins all over again.





"Slayer, to your left!" Spike called over and she spun around, putting a stake and an end to the vampire to her left. "Watch out!" Buffy wheeled around just in time to deliver a savage kick and a punch to her right before grabbing the second vampire by the collar and dusting him, watching as the particles littered the air for a moment.

As the next vampire pounced, Spike struck with inhumanly quick speed, slipping up behind and grabbing him by the arms thus keeping him at bay while Buffy staked the vampire letting him explode into a great cloud of dust. Buffy and Spike exchanged a long look as her stake hovered above Spike's chest where he took heaving unnecessary breaths.



Spike shook off his demon visage and blinked back at her from his human guise with a face full of questions awaiting her next move.

Buffy stepped back away from him, lowering her stake slowly, blinking. What the hell is going on with me? Snapping out of her thoughts, she turned away just as a vampire jumped her. Buffy she punched the vampire into striking distance and staked it in a swift movement.





"Slayer, I've come to end your petty life!" Big Bulgy Leader bellowed destroying the moment.



Rolling her eyes the Slayer said "Shyeah, as if I haven't heard that line before, jeez, update your witty threats into the 21th century already"





"That is not a proper respect I deserve and not really the proper way to treat your executor" he said, pointing his sword towards her threateningly, scrunching up his nose.





"As if. Treating you with respect would just be close to funny farm, bordering on criminally frigging insane" she sneered.





"Funny? I'll kill you tonight, Slayer. Then we'll see who's laughing"





"Oh, you've been way outta the loop to long, Mister. I've been dead twice already and got back all new and shiny since you demons just can't seem to find a way to get rid of me period. And I really don't think it's gonna be you, Bulgy. You don't seem to know who you're really messing with here"





Buffy released a roundhouse kick that hit him straight across the chest and he crashed in a nearby table taking several beer bottles and chairs with him. When approaching him, he kicked her legs from under her and the Slayer went down with a groan. Fighting him over the sword, she executed a kick at his head as Spike kicked the sword across the floor.



Grabbing it quickly and maneuvring herself onto her legs just as the Bulgy Vampire did. Before the he could even begin to utter a syllable she decapitated his head from the rest of his body which exploded into a cloud of dust.



Keeping the tip of sword pointed to the floor, marveling in the sight of her kill she remained still until Spike's call put an end to the train of her thoughts.



"Yeah, that's right, you sods, you run for it!" he called.

Casting a glance at the entrance, Buffy saw the few ones that were left scurrying out of the bar when they realized the Slayer and the former Master Vampire had won the battle.



Wiping her sweaty forehead and blowing a few stray hairs out of her face, Buffy wiped the sword on the nearest surface and turned back to the bar where Spike was swinging down a Jack Daniels in a few gulps, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before flinging the glass into a nearby wall.





"Merda!" Willy's head appeared from under the disk, sputtering Italian curses "Spike, you pezzo di merda!" he sputtered. "You're banned here for the rest of your unlife, Spike! Nessuno me lo ficca in culo..." he muttered for himself quietly.





"Yeah, yeah, see ya next week, Willy" Spike waved politely back while grinning, following the Slayer out of the bar into the night.





"I mean it this time!" Willy called out pointedly after him just as the door slammed closed.





"Hell of a fight, eh Slayer?" Spike said gleefully when they left the bar.





"Yeah, I totally needed that" Buffy replied, cracking her left shoulder "There was like no action whatsoever in the cemeteries tonight" she said absently, wearing a sullen look, coming to a stop in the arch of an alley.





He leered "Oh, yeah?" with an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth.

She gave him a curt nod, lately she'd been avoiding her friends and had spent more time fighting alone -- which usually included spending time with Spike who always tagged along willingly being his annoying usual self. She was okay with spending time with him, because he was easier to talk to than her friends, he was her confidant who she always could count on, who didn't judge her.





"Yeah, it was totally freaking dead. I only took out one vamp and a demon in two hours. Makes me wonder if they're all up to something evil... those sneaky bastards with their sneaky business" she grumbled, uncrossing her arms, tucking her stake into the waistline of her pants before striding off into the nearby alley.





"Hey! Where are you off to?" he called after her, quickly following her steps, arms wide.





"Home" she stated quickly, turning her head, wincing when the moonlight played wicked lightning on his hawk-like nose, chiseled cheekbones and intense brilliant blue eyes. She cursed inwardly. Why couldn't he be anything but beautiful? It wasn't fair.





"Incorrect answer" he stopped her by tugging her by the shoulder and advancing in on her.





"I really should go, so you just stop whatever you're doing. I'm not up for any kind of games tonight" she said and tried tugging her arm back and he responded by giving her a devilish smile.

"But I am. Maybe we could repeat last nights performance again, hm?" he said, voice laced with promise, eyes glittering.

She shook her head, tugging her arm away.





"Ah ah ah, pet. C'mon now, Buffy, you know you wanna come home with me" he said huskily, biting his full lip as he draped his hand over hers and made lazy symbols all over her palm that left her shivering.



She was fully prepared to sock him in the jaw, but she couldn't find her strength. It was almost like he kept her in a thrall with his words and actions. Or maybe she just imagined it and used it was a bad excuse to fall for him every time and blame it all on his sinister charms.





"You know you want to" he echoed and caught her eyes. If there was something like a vampire allure he was using it right then.





A few beats passed before she carefully took his hand and trailed after him towards the Restfield Cemetery, doing exactly what she promised herself not to do ever again.



She closed her eyes and when she opened them she was wrapped up in cold white sheets that soothed her burning body as she was soaked in musky sweat with no idea how she had gotten there. She felt intoxicated by the scented wax candles that illuminated the cave.



Smiling she remembered all the sultry taking and giving of pleasure before escaping over the edge into ecstasy she lost herself once again in thrones of passion and euphoria.



What was wrong with her? She felt as if she was betraying everything she was suppose to stand for. How could she sleep around with the undead and hide in her a cage of shame? Had she no shame? These were questions Buffy Summers repeatedly asked herself.



Spike made her feel and connect with the world again. Until the next morning, when she ran back home, hiding and licking her wounds waiting until the next time she needed a fix.



He was a poison to her system, her Achilles heel - call it whatever you want. He had crash coursed into her system, consuming everything like a hungry wolf, making her crave every touch. He was ruining the walls that she built up to protect herself.



Brilliant blue eyes searched hers and she remembered who she was and where she was. Closing her eyes she trembled when she gave him a soft kiss, seeking comfort. The kiss was filled with dread, it burned them both like the end of a cigarette and it hurt so goddamn much but she couldn't stop. She needed the pain to go through every day. Hurting herself made her feel. But it was for great cost – it was slowly pulling them closer to the inevitable end. And they both knew it.

'Perfect, absolutely fricking perfect!' she groaned inwardly when her car broke down approximately 0.86 miles from the Hellmouth. Slamming her trunk shut, she stomped out in the desert while lightning herself a cigarette until she bumped into a filthy old sign that read:





Welcome to Sunnydale, enjoy your stay, you'll probably never leave!





Oh, that's real uplifting! Nelligan thought for herself with thick sarcasm. And was that the most saddest message ever? No one in their right mind would willingly stay on the Hellmouth, right?



“Nelly?” a distant voice called to her as a cardoor slammed close behind her.




Ignoring it, Nelligan continued watching the stars as they twinkled down at her,




They say the Powers That Be interfere at the slightest threat when their heroes of purity are being put into jeopardy, so why the hell aren't they interfering?



The stars in the sky twinkled like diamonds in dark velvet as if responding her.



“Nell? Hello? Anyone operating in there? I'm talking to ya!” the whiny voice called behind her.



“Yes, I can hear you, Holly. All loud and clear and I really wish I didn't” Nelligan said with sarcasm, crushing the cigarette under the sole of her Doc Marten forcefully.



“I've been calling you since like forever. Anyways, there was this thing I had to ask you,” Holly said whipping her hair over her shoulder while shallowly studying her freshly manicured nails.



Nelligan blinked waiting for Holly to continue, Nelligan didn't really know why she hung out with Holly anyway. They'd just found each other in the midst of chaos after the defeat of the Master and stuck around ever since.



Drumming her nails on the hood Holly said “So I was thinking, when we get to the Hellmouth do I get to terrorize her, play around with her head and stuff before we actually put our plan into action?” she said cocking her head like a bird, eyes wide.





“Holly, you're a grown up. Ergo, you can think for yourself. Therefore, you do whatever you find satisfying, okay? Just stick to plan and don't interfere with my work, honey. And would you please get the hell off my car?” she added seizing Holly's hair and then yanking it with a stiff tug which left Holly whimpering and losing her balance.



“Ow, what the hell?" Holly exclaimed "That fucking hurt! Don't you ever touch my hair again! You know I hate when you do that, you dumb freak!”



Nelligan merely lifted an amused eyebrow while grinning “Ohh...that's not what you said last night” she said closing in on Holly while nuzzling her neck in an attempt to coax her into more…pleasant thoughts.



“Yeah, well, you were nice by then and now you're a bitch and hello, not really sticking to point here” she rolled her eyes “I'm fed up with it and I refuse to go to Sunnydale with you until you apologize to me”



“Oh, for the love of Satan, girl!” Nelligan said agitatedly, pushing off of her.



“I'm serious as a heart attack” she said narrowing her eyes.



“Yeah, whatever. Get the fuck off my car already” Nelligan said as she lit herself another cigarette, shaking her head. She had almost had it with this childish behavior.



“No,” Holly snorted for herself.



In a millisecond Nelligan had dropped her cigarette grabbed Holly's face. Speaking through gritted teeth Nelligan hissed “If you don't listen to me, girl, you'll face the consequences okay? You do NOT disobey me. Am I being clear?”



“I-I'm not afraid” Holly stammered.



“Fine. Have it your way then” she punched Holly clear across the face and the ugly face of a vampire emerged from the human façade. Snarling, Holly punched Nelligan right back, while keeping one hand on her stung cheek. Nelligan seized the moment, grabbed Holly by that very arm, tugged it up behind her back to the point of pulling it out of its socket, preventing her from moving and moved up real close.



“You gonna wish you never touched me!” Holly threatened, twisting and jerking in her grip.



“Tell me about it. I really do wish I never touched you in the first place, Holly. As a matter of fact I curse the very day you were turned” Nelligan replied menacingly, grabbing her by her throat and lifting her clear off the ground, squeezing her windpipe with an inhumanly strong grip. Holly barely sputtered, trashing her feet franticly in fleeting attempt in the air while Nelligan forced her mouth open and pressed the burning end of the cigarette into the roof of her mouth.



The effect was immediate, Holly cried out, struggled and clawed at Nelligan in desperate attempt to get away and fresh tears sprung to her eyes. Nelligan let Holly's body fall to the ground in a heap and stepped back, watching as smoke rose from her mouth. Holly spit while spitting out charred flesh and tears strained her cheeks.



“What part of 'get the hell off from my car' did ya miss?” Nelligan said, leaning over Holly's form, kicking some sand her way.



“I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” Holly cried, eyes wide.



“You know this isn't the first time I'm forced to put up with your shit and I'm figuring it wont be the last time either. You don't answer to discipline, Holly and I'm really sick of putting you into place because you can't seem to find it yourself”



Holly looked like she was going to bawl her eyes out which looked kinda sad in her vampire guise. “Please, I'm so sorry!” she trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks.



Nelligan casually shrugged in response, turning away from her “Yeah, whatever. I couldn't care any less”



“I said I'm sorry, alright?!” Holly cried as new tears rose up while she coughed up some more blood



“If y-you would just give me another chance I-I'd be good, I promise. I'd do whatever you would want me to”



“Love's a real bitch, honey, but you know what?” Nelligan said, slowly advancing on her “From my dark sinister heart I wont give you another chance”



With that said Nelligan determinately walked up and snapped Holly's head clear off and in the next moment only dust littered the ground in her place. Striding to her car, leather jacket whipping after her, she started to sing softly.



“The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind...”



Nelligan sang while wiping her hands clean, before opening her cardoor and slammed it shut. With a little force she got her Chrysler Windsor Deluxe working again and was speeding on the road only a few minutes later with dust flying up all around.







On the other side of town an ear piercing screech cut through the silence and Janice and Dawn shared mutual “eww” at the sound of blood curdling screams and an axe cutting through flesh and bone repeatedly.



“And that was totally gross” Dawn said for herself, grimacing at the zombie feasting on a woman on television screen.



Dawn glanced over at Janice while turning down the volume on the television with an emotionless face she'd come to master from her sister. “It's past eleven so Buffy will be home any minute. You should probably leave now or Buffy will probably chop your head off” she said, whipping her hair over her shoulder.





Since the whole 'Justin-is-a-vampire-oh-no-almost-got-killed' that was totally not her fault. He didn't actually scream dark sinister vampire. But Buffy almost grounded her for a lifetime and minimized her social life outside school to zero so she stayed home a Saturday night. It was depressing.





Moving to stand, Janice sighed “Yeah, umm, Dawn? About your sister?” she said, biting her lip slightly.



Uh-oh. This sure can't be good, Dawn gulped. “Yeah, what about her?” Pulling back in her grip her forehead wrinkled up in worry and preparing for the worst.



“Well, you know the whole school talks about her and I just wanna clear some out some rumors that she carries weapons with her everywhere and hangs around all these weird people. And that older guy she used to date, from what I've heard he wasn't even in college and he had this address which was actually at the mansion up at Crawford Street, you know? I mean, is that for real?” Janice said tucking her hair behind her ears.



'Couldn't she put them together?' Dawn thought furrowing her brow.




Janice clearly had no idea about what was going on in Sunnydale and like everyone else she had the classical Sunnydale Syndrome. People choose to ignore it altogether or if they had a few braincells left they either had some fanatical hypothesis about what was really going on or they read stupid vampire paranormal books - which the less the better, Dawn thought and she rolled her eyes. Anyway, it was kinda difficult to grasp the fact that vampires and demons walked among them and people dealt with it in different ways.





“You know that old guy she hangs around with, old stuffy English guy with the tweed?”



“You mean Giles” Dawn nodded knowingly.



“He's just a friend right?” Dawn just smiled secretively in response. “Otherwise it would be like majorly creepy, not that I've given it a thought or anything but - Dawn? Why aren't you answering my question?”



Dawn grinned in response and spread out on the sofa with the coffee-table as footrest just as the front door opened and Buffy strode with shoulders sagged and covered in nasty bruises and cuts.



"Hi, Dawnie, Hi Janice"



“Hey, ya missed the movie fest last night, want some leftover popcorn?” Dawn grinned to herself as she sat straight up in the sofa.



“No thanks, Dawnster. Xander brought some really stale sandwiches with him last night and I'm feeling kinda queasy. What did ya watch?”



“Um, there was this gore filled movie called 'Night of the Living Dead' and another called 'Dracula 69' …but it wasn't really about vampires at all...” she blushed, clearing her throat. “Anyway, did you have a rough fight or what? You've got some dirt right...there, all goody now” she said brushing away something at the cheek.



“That was blood and not mine” Buffy said deadpan.



“Eww!” Dawn said and wiped her fingers on her pants.



“Yep, welcome to the ever glamorous life of the Slayer” Buffy quipped gesturing to herself “Well, I'm gonna go rest for a while, I did some major ass kickage last night and I hope the evil takes some vacation for a while because I'm all fresh out. I'm gonna go for a rest and then I'm gonna make you some breakfast, 'kay?” she said, sighing before she sank down in the sofa with a sigh and sticking a popcorn in her mouth. “Eww, how much did ya salt these?” Buffy grimaced, immediately spitting it out.



“I stopped when Janice asked me if I was building a pyramid” Dawn grinning proudly for herself before exchanging a smile with Janice.





A few hours later warmth was heavy as the sun shone in through the Venetian blinds in the kitchen were soft music was playing on the radio.



Dawn leaned over her seemingly sleeping sister with a grin.



"Hey, Buffy!"



With a jump Buffy woke with a snore loudly looking anywhere but at Dawn almost toppling over her chair by the kitchen island.



“I've been calling you for like the last five minutes. Haven't you heard a single thing?” Dawn said distracting her by waving his hand over her face, checking for responses.



Buffy's crazy stare turned into a full sour glare as she settled back down again on her chair once again feeling the aches from her rather uncomfortable position. And how the hell did she end up here anyway? And fully dressed?



"Oh my god. I fell asleep making breakfast" she said squeezing her eyes shut in embarrassment.



"Okay, well Xander and Anya's here and Willow is on her way. Some Scooby meeting thing"



Turning her head to where Dawn's eyes were, Xander stood by the kitchen island with his eyebrown raised.



“Buffster, It's already noon and you aren't awake yet, late night stakeout or what?” Xander asked with a cocked eyebrow, drumming his fingers on the table.



“Yeah. Something like that” she winced, blush spreading from her cheeks as she cleared her throat. "Hi, by the way"



Dawn poured herself a big glass of OJ while boasting about her newest crush to Anya who was seated across the kitchen island “Can you believe the major hotness of our school asked me out? Me out of everybody? We just clicked” Dawn said soulfully, temporarily closing her eyes, reminiscing in her memory. Dawn nodded and her eyes glittered. “And I really could feel vibe-yness”



"Last week it was that Giovanni Ribisi guy and now this guy. Kids these days" Buffy thought rolling her eyes.“Did you ever consider that he’d might have been eyeing other parts of your anatomy?”



“Hey!” Dawn and Xander said in unison.



“Well, all I'm just saying is that I spent several years in high school too ya know. I know what goes on in their heads”



“Then you'll also remember the fact that there was a new guy every single week. And we're not all the same, Buffy, so don't generalize” Xander said, obviously annoyed by her indifference and offhanded comment.



“Alexander Harris, you lusted after Buffy all those years so don't separate yourself from the bunch of them. ” Xander's visible blush was enough confirmation at Anya's words, his eyes sliding over to Buffy with a guilty look mouthing 'sorry'



“But Walter wouldn't do that, he isn't like the rest of them” Dawn objected, sticking her nose up and cocking her hip “He's special”



Walking into the livingroom followed by Dawn and Anya still discussing the hottie that was named Walter, Buffy turned on the television on the local news channel where a red-haired female reporter stood outside the old burnt down Sunnydale Highschool with police enforcement and fire department behind speaking hysterically into the microphone.





“Good Morning, this is SLN, Sunnydale's Local News Station and I'm Heather Stewart. Today's headlines are the two highschool girls that were brutally murdered outside the old Sunnydale High School's premise. The Police Department of Sunnydale are still looking for clues but have already stated that the two victims as the missing students Alison Smith and Kirsten Mendes-”





“Oh, my god!” Dawn said muffled, sandwich stuck half in her mouth and eyes round as saucers as recognition became apparent in her eyes. “I go to school with them!”



“Used to, you mean, since they are all dead now” Anya said, patting her shoulder awkwardly.



Uncrossing her arms, Buffy turned off the television and turned to face Dawn.“Dawn, I think have a serious sitch here. I think you should call Walt or whatever his name is and cancel. You're not going out dating. I can’t let you go anywhere out of my sight right now”



“No! I promised him!”



“Maybe you should warn him off the streets as well, seeing as he’s in the same danger as anyone else”



“Nuh-huh, I’m going on my date tonight, Buffy! You can't stop me!”



“If you don't call and cancel right now, I will. And that is final!” she said gripping Dawns frail arm. Anya exited the room and left the sisters alone to themselves.



“Don't embarrass me. You can’t ruin my social life, Buffy!” she said, easily breaking out of her sister's grip.



“Don't you get it?” Buffy gestured “I'm trying to save your boyfriend's life here as well”



“He is not my-!” Dawn closed her eyes and almost stomped her foot in a childish manner “I wont let you do this” she said adamantly.



“I don't care how you say it as long as you say it, Dawnie” Buffy said and then sighed. “Look, did you forget the whole drama with Justin already? You're grounded for life for that, so you're lucky you even get to see this new guy anyway”



“You're so unfair!” Dawn said, striding out of the living room, all but huffing.



“God, sometimes I just wanna strangle that kid” Buffy muttered for herself, shaking her head, turning to go after her when the front door opened and Willow skipped in all pretty and smiling.



"Woah, bouncy happy package of Willow, way to spice up my morning" Buffy grinned.



"Hi, Buff" she said and gave Buffy a real hug. "I woke up today and realized that I've been far to gloomy and debby downer so here I am, all bouncy and with bouncy-ness and I brought some doughnuts. Sweet things for a sweet girl" she concluded with a grin.



"Oh, thank you! Now gimme gimme! So what else brings you here?" Buffy said with her face stuffed with sweet sugary-ness.



"It's probably better if I show you" Willow said walking into the kitchen, putting down her computer.



"Hi, Wills" Xander smiled and took a bite of a doughnut and swung an arm around Anya's shoulders. They all gathered infront of the laptop when Willow started expaining "I checked the online papers on any common occurrences since last night's murders by Sunnydale High and when I hacked into the Police Department, the coroner's report turned out to be real interesting and here's the thing" Willow said pointed at the screen, “It seems like they were all found with similar wounds on their backs, like a sharp stick entered straight into them which supposedly sucked out their marrow-bone”



“Sounds like something we should definitely look into” Buffy nodded.



“Demons with a preference for marrow-bone?” hooking her short hair behind her ears, Willow typed away. “I'm on it”



“Do we have any books on demons who kill their victims by sucking the life essence through the marrow-bone?” Xander asked, leaning over the table.



“Well, I've scanned many books from the Magic Box into the laptop. Give me a few minutes to go through them, okay?” Willow countered.



Approximately four minutes later Willow broke her focus from the screen “Oh, here's something. I think I just found it” everyone gathered around the laptop as Willow read out loud.





“Through the ages many have fought and many have died fighting the walking dead called Greyarmers. They are one of the greatest protectors through the ages. They were only created only to protect and defend precious objects and obey their Master. They reappear from time to time when the object they're suppose to protect is taken or under threat...They supposedly kill their victims by entering a long sharp talon that enters the bone and sucks the marrow-bone out before they feast on their victims” Willow looked up from the scanned book on the screen “Sounds common, huh?"





“Walking dead, huh? Makes my skin twitch” Xander cringed and Anya patted his back comfortingly.



Willow continued reading “These Greyarmers were suppose to be watching a weapon called 'the Axe of the Red Ones'. But there is no further information about the weapon, except that it was last seen in a monastery in Wales during the 1700th century but haven't been spotted since”



“Could be a clue. I mean if they haven't been heard from, they should be out there looking for it, right?” Buffy said, “Maybe Alison and Kirsten somehow got in their way?”



“It would be very logical if 'the Axe of the Red Ones' is right here in Sunnydale. Everything evil does turn up here eventually” Anya said shrugging her shoulders and sharing a look with Xander.



“I'd say the school is the best spot to start looking for clues” Willow said. "Since the attacks occurred last night the crime scene should be fresh"



"Nothing but a little morbid fun to get my juices going!" Xander said and then cleared his throat "Pretend that I didn't say that"



“So not looking forward going back to school again” Buffy groaned leaning back in her chair. “If we find these Greyarmers we should find the mythological axe as well right? Another shiny weapon in my collection couldn't hurt as well. Hm, definitely worth going back to school for”



“Suppose so,” Willow said slamming her laptop closed. “Let's go then”

That very night they arrived at the burnt down high school. Spike and Buffy yanked down the black and yellow Police 'Do Not Cross' line and ripped it to two pieces followed by Tara and Willow avoiding the evidence collection on the crime scene.

"So this is supposedly the location where the bodies where found" Buffy said and checked the area with a flashlight. "But if you look closer there are marks on the ground as if they bodies have been dragged, someone obviously made a huge effort to make it look as it the struggle took place here other than an other place"

Following the visible bloodstains all the way to the school, Spike said. "The drag marks are all the way from the grass leading to the basement window so the battle must have taken place inside the school"

"Okay, let's split up" Buffy declared. "I will patrol the eastern section of the school with Spike and Willow, you and Tara take on the northwestern. We meet up in 30 minutes in the lounge area and exchange info"

As Buffy passed rank-smelling slimy remains from the Mayor, she noticed how the place was completely dead silent, it was kind a creepy when you thought about it; that a place that had been so alive was so very dead now, almost like a ghost of what it used to be with all the wiggy-ness and whatever went bump in the night.

It was weird that after all these years the place still gave her the major wiggins and Snyder isn't even around anymore.

The stairs leading up to the next floor were completely wrecked in the old lounge area Buffy noticed when she directed her flashlight at it, contemplating how to get upstairs.

“Hey, you see anything up there?” she asked her vampire companion, narrowing her eyes to focus in the darkness.

Spike crouched inhaling all the smells from the remains of the building and half-heartedly glanced her way “Nothin' up there” he said standing up. "Can't smell a thing"

But Buffy wasn't convinced so she started to climb the ladder that reached three floors up, which was the only way of getting up on the levels of the school now that the stairs had completely collapsed.

Once she was up on the third level, Buffy clumsily searched after something to hold onto and frowned when she felt something gooey and flesh-y gripping her hand in response and then let her hand go so she lost her grip –

"Wait! Don't!-" but it was too late and she was airborne falling down three floors.

Spike felt that something was wrong up there as he skimmed the darkness with his predatory eyes and then the Slayer slammed into the ground with a loud crash.

“Luv, you alright?!” he panicked, crouching down by her and feet in seconds, arranging her body carefully.

Buffy mumbled a 'yes' in response but then grimaced in pain, head lulling side to side.

“Bollocks. Don't faint on me now, luv” Spike felt the bones in her neck carefully. Buffy's eyes snapped open and then she pulled away as if burnt.

“I'm fine, freaking peachy. Get off!” she shoved him away with the little force she could master at the moment and fought back tears 'cause it hurt goddammit.

"Stay still" he commanded and lit the flashlight in her eyes checking for response. “Yeah, you're fine” he huffed sarcastically and got up from his knees gracefully, whipping off his duster and carefully lifted her head so she could use it as a pillow.

“Be back in a moment, luv”

Buffy stayed still with her arms and legs askew with Spike's duster under her head while Spike climbed up the ladder and chased after whatever had attacked her.

“Found nothin' up there” Spike said sourly when he reappeared a few minutes later with his gameface on. Crouching down beside her he picked at her abs checking for broken bones until she shoved him away again.

“I'm fine, okay? Just stop it or I'll scream for a whole other reason” Buffy said agitatedly and closed her eyes in pain.

“Yeah, yeah,” he said rolling his eyes dismissing her “Can you feel your back, pet?” he said with tenderness in his voice, swiping some blood off her brow.

“Yes" she said between her teeth "And this endearing act don't suit you at all so just drop it” she said sitting up while wincing, but he pushed her right back down.

“Endearing act? Well, don't tell anyone 'bout it then, wanna keep the last of my dignity an' all that. Master vampire nursing the Slayer to health won't sound good in anyone's book and don't even consider moving" Spike only rolled his eyes and checked her for any broken pieces.

“Stop fuzzing! God what is wrong with you?” she complained in response.

“Stop movin' around or I'll carry you for the rest of the night and you don't get to argue. And for your information I wouldn't have to fuzz as you delicately put it if you didn't act all high and mighty”

“Chivalry's dead and so are you so no need to act like it, Spike. Really sweet of you to fuzz but I'll decline that offer. Now hands off the merchandise” she said succinctly, wrinkling her nose, complete with the Scarlet O'Hara attitude.

A few minutes she was on her feet, Slayer healing intact. Strolling down the basement area, flashing the light in all directions, Buffy suddenly broke the silence “So what's with the whole 'I'm so full of concern so sue me act really about anyway? I mean, it's not like I'm all curious or anything-” she quickly added at Spikes grin ”But I remember that you took care of Drusilla a lot”

“My mum” he simply stated.

“Huh?”

“You really wanna know?” Spike asked as if he didn't fully believe it, rummaging around his front pocket in the jeans for cigarettes with an arched eyebrow and an amused face.

“Yeah,” Buffy breathed in response.

And for once she did actually mean it, she'd never been interested in his background before except the most necessary facts in the Watcher Diaries. But on the other had the information she'd gotten at the time was barely enough to get to know your enemy, and the books left out a lot of parts, because of what she'd seen of Spike was nothing like the way books had described him.

“Your mom...?” she said, nudging him to continue, leaning back on a pillar in the old high school's corridor.

“Yeah, my mum,” Spike started, taking a long drag and placing himself on a ceiling block that was littering on the floor, clearing his throat “She was sick okay? She had this disease, Tuberculosis that made her spit blood and cough all day. Even I got sick short before Dru came along” flickering a look to Buffy he saw her eyes widen and he continued “She was all weak and fragile. You know what I'm talkin' about, you've been there yourself. I had to take care of the household since my old man had left us and the servants fled the disease”

Oh, guess they weren't so different after all, Buffy thought. “I don't know what to say” she responded silently.

“Then don't say anything” he said, eyes crinkling, biting his lip “This stays between me and you, okay Slayer?” he said, casually caressing her cheeks with his thumbs, so light and smooth that she hardly noticed that she had leant closer as if seeking comfort.

“I'm so sorry” Buffy whispered softly as she closed in, closing her eyes briefly as they shared a slight kiss before Buffy broke it off.

She rarely saw his true human side, he hid it so well under his layers after years of polishing it but now and then he opened up about his past and she saw the emotional and soft side of him. It scared her as much as she felt pulled in by it.

When they were going back into the lounge area hand in hand, Buffy thought she maybe should have asked him about his past earlier. His life as pre-Spike, maybe if she'd known about his past and what defined him as a person she would have thought different of him.

Abruptly an anguish cry cut through the silence from the gym hall.

Stopping and exchanging a brief look they barrelled in the gym hall just as several demons with grey bluish skin rose the floor in blurry clouds, one by one. Buffy took in their appearance of wicked-looking grins that went from ear to ear in open gashes, staring at them with dead eyes.

They were Greyarmers, Buffy recalled from the drawing she'd seen and as the Greyarmers stood up in their full height and howled out their hunger they turned to the Slayer and vampire with predatory instinct.

“When I don't go looking for trouble, trouble come along and finds me...” the Slayer muttered, whipping out her sword and handled over a second sword to Spike.

The doors behind them swung open and Willow and Tara entered the hall simultaneously, lifting her palm, Tara called “Regredi!” and in one motion all Greyarmers flew back and hit the ground several feet away, saving them some time as the tugged open her duffel bag, grabbing a handful japanese sais daggers and Willow a crossbow.

Buffy turned around to face them “This is obviously demonic ground, this must have been where those two girls met the Greyarmers. Let's create a circle and keep it tight" Buffy replied as they got in position.

“There are seven of them, you take on those three and me and Spike cover the rest” Buffy said before she delivered her first kick to the Greyarmer ducked a punch and spin-kicked him in the sternum where it went flying into a nearby pillar and cracked at the spine.

Tara picked up the sais daggers, circulating her hand over them, uttering a few verses they started to levitate, pointing themselves towards the Greyarmers and then went off in a violent launch, hitting several of them in the chest.

Buffy went berserk on her second Greyarmer just as it took an outrageous leap towards her and she slammed into the ground before quickly backflipping back with blinding reflexes to her feet and dispatched its head with her sword.

“Wicked” the Slayer said grinning for herself. Wheeling around another came for her and a few sais daggers flew through the air aiming for the demon that saw the daggers aiming for him and moved to the side as one of them casually ripped one of his arms and blood splayed on Buffy.

The daggers sailed though the room and then turned back sharply suddenly aiming for her.

“Tara, get them off of me!” she called as she madly darted from left and right as the daggers followed her around the room.

Tara chanted for herself as she realized that the blood that had splattered on Buffy had directed the daggers go after her and she couldn't make them stop chasing her until they hit target.

They were gonna hit Buffy and possibly kill her.

Expressing the utter despair Tara felt in a brief look with Spike he roared in response in his demon visage before charging for Buffy, pushing her out of harm's way, using himself as human shield just as the five flying daggers entered his body simultaneously.

Spike staggered back before falling to the floor where he closed his eyes he nearly hoped to explode into a cloud of dust because the pain was so excruciating. When that didn't happen, he carefully opened his eyes and found himself grinning widely when he realized that his red shirt was only bloody and that none of them had pierced his heart.

“Are you mental? Do you want to get yourself killed?” the Slayer exclaimed, squatting beside him, helping him to his feet. “You're just lucky those weren't made of wood”

Wincing Spike started to dig out the daggers from all around his front and swore over his ripped red shirt. “Bugger! This was my favorite shirt” he grumbled and whipped a bloody hand on his torn torso. With demon guise appearing in his face, he growled at the few Greyarmers still left. “Now that's it! I'm bloody through playing. Big Bad's back and from now on there's gonna be some real action around here!” whipping up his blade he let out a feral roar and attacked them with new bursting energy.

When the closest Greyarmer lunged for him Spike swung for its head, decapitating him and ducked a kick from another as the sword entered its heart and went for the next.

Tara ran to the far east of the gym hall followed by a Greyarmer hot on her feet, Willow shot one arrow successfully in the chest but that hardly slowed it down. It lunged for Tara just as she screwed her eyes closed repeatedly mumbling a few verses in latin.

The Greyarmer were hit by a wave of magic and before it could even begin to react its flesh and innards exploded in the air and littered the floor.

“Whoa, Tara” Buffy stated impressed.

“Willow taught me that” Tara nervously grinned as Willow helped her to her feet and they shared a brief smile, before Tara turned her head to Buffy. “Buffy, I'm so sorry, I aimed and then I couldn't stop them from coming at you” she said breathlessly. "I directed them to hit everything Greyarmer and when their blood got on you the daggers went after you instead"

“I know Tara. We're cool” Buffy said, wiping her forehead, grinning turning to rest of the gang. "So I guess the Axe is still no see. We might have wiped out every single one of those Greyarmers but we still haven't got the sword. Without any evil protecting the weapon we are one step closer to finding it, kinda smart to keep the sword on an other location than the location they inhabited" Buffy muttered.

"We should contact Giles about the weapon, he might find more clues about its whereabouts and in Anya's own words must be here in Sunnydale" Willow concluded.

"Yeah, but still the Greyarmers are only footmen" Spike interjected. "They must be obeyed by a Master, so someone must have summoned them. So long story short we have to find who summoned them in the first place. That person could be the very key of finding that Axe"

"Point. So let's ditch this place already. Dawn is expecting me"

Buffy woke up the next morning and squinted into the crisp sunlight from the window. Facing the warmth she smiled for the first time in a long while before she turned her head to where her sister lay sleeping. Disengaging from her she turned to look at the
red clock as it ticked away by the bedside table.

The sun shone in through the windows like any sunny day in any idyllic Californian town and the birds sang but Buffy knew better because when the sun went down, the nasties would come out and play.

Her bleary eyes scanned the bedroom while she rearranged her hair in a messy bun, letting a few loose golden tendrils fall around her face before descending down the stairs.

Sitting by the table was Willow, her red hair covering her face as she was reading a book.

"Morning, Willow"

But it wasn't Willow.

A red haired boy with freckles stared her straight in the eyes and spoke "You remember me, don't you Buffy? Oh, don't worry, you will. This face will be the last one you see after I've killed every single one of your precious friends. I want you to watch me as rip limb by limb from their bodies and then I have a special hell waiting just for you, my sweet little Buffy"

Buffy's mouth hung open as she tried to figure out a response, but nothing escaped her mouth, it was as if she were unable to speak.

Looking around the kitchen she noticed several bodies lining the floor, among them Willow and Dawn. Buffy crunched down beside them and found her voice again as a scream tore from her throat. She laid her head down on Dawn's lifeless body and as she saw her life being torn apart.

Panting in her bed Buffy scrambled to sit up, wrapped in her red sheets. Turning to her side of the bed Buffy reached out shaking for her glass of water and drowned it all down with one big gulp. "Damn Slayer dream" she muttered shockingly before getting dressed before walking down the stairs.

Willow closed her laptop just when Buffy appeared in the kitchen. "Is everything okay with you?" she said taking in the stricken look in Buffy's eyes.

“Peachy with the side of keen, only not” Buffy said, sitting down by the island wincing slightly "Had a Slayer dream. A bad one with the capital B"

“Oh, I could ask Tara to make a potion for insomnia so you'll sleep better, I know she'd be happy too”

“I thought you guys didn't speak anymore" she arched an eyebrow “Whatever. I'd really appreciate that, Wills” she smiled.

“So, what is our next step?” Willow said, all ears.

“Well, first of all I'm gonna call Giles about the Greyarmers. See if he's got something" Ten minutes later, Buffy put the phone back on its cradle and exited the living room. She strode in the kitchen just as Willow looked up from her demonology book.

“You know back when Jennifer Calendar was around? She told Giles about a crazy monk in Cortona who presumably knows all about these Greyarmers, but there is a catch. No one can get in touch with him” Buffy said.

“Great, because we really need this guy. There is nothing in the books” Willow responded, pushing the book away from her, sighing.

“I asked him if someone had been successful and what was our best chance of getting him to respond. He said we could try a tracking spell. I'll take on patrolling tonight and see what I can find, I know that there is something bigger at stake and I just have to figure out what is really going on” Buffy said determinately exiting the kitchen.

The day turned into night and down by the shore the waves smashed home as the heavy wind preceded a great storm approaching. Overlooking the sea was a great cavern decorated with grim-looking gargoyles glaring accusingly on whoever met their cold gaze. The inner walls of the cavern were illuminated by torches, giving it an eerie yet home-y feeling. Guarded by minions dressed in lilac cloaks a gothic throne stood situated in the middle of the cavern completing whole the scene.






In the midst of it all this, stood a Master demon in his full height, dressed in suede slacks and a matching west that would fit right into the Charles Dickens-era. On the top of his head was a mop of wild glossy red curls and combined his green eyes and freckles it made him look angelic, like the very picture of innocence.

Sniffing the air the Master Demon came to a full stop, turning around and facing the arrival of a Pravtik demon. “Master Rufus, I've faced the Slayer” the demon said gruffly, kneeling before the throne.




“And came out alive? That's impressive, I'd say. Was she even injured?” Rufus asked in a hollow voice, blinking down at the creature kneeled at his feet.




“Badly, my Master” the demon told him frankly, with every intention not to irritate the Master.




“Ah ha. Then you were successful and shall be rewarded” Rufus said with an impish grin as he crooked his finger to his closest minion to handle the Pravtik demon the money he had earned.




“Master, I am ever grateful” the demon wheezed back in response as he eagerly counted his money, slithering backwards with his tail swinging happily back and forth from his feline body.




“And what of my Greyarmers?” Rufus demanded, eyes glowing dangerously.




“Huh? Oh! They're defending the prize as we speak” the Pravtik demon said in response, merely shrugging his broad shoulders.




“Defending?!” Master Rufus sputtered, his British accent thick. “Why would they do that? She is not suppose so get close to it!” Getting to his feet, he started to pace back and fourth, gesturing wildly. “Of all the bleeding things that could happen...Gnarl, you have deceived me, you have not meet my demands” he growled as Gnarl flinched in response when Rufus' eyes blazed with fury.




“But Master, I-I did what you asked, I-” Gnarl stammered, his yellow eyes blinking rapidly.

The minion standing closest to him snatched back the money from Gnarl and a few others blocked his path to the throne.


“Master Rufus haven't asked you to leave yet” one of the guards said in a gruff voice and over the guards' shoulder Gnarl could see Master Rufus picking up a hot fire-poker from the fireplace.




Wheezing Gnarl's pointy ears pulled back in distaste. “What is going on here?” he asked, eyes going back and forth from the hot poker to Rufus.




“This is your reward, Gnarl. I give you death itself” Master Rufus hissed through his teeth, eyes blazing.




“But w-why, Master?” Gnarl trembled.




“Well, don't take it personally. Just feel like it is all” Rufus responded without empathy, grabbing Gnarl's head and jammed the hot fire-poker through the



temple. The poker made a gurgling noise when it penetrated the skull and green liquid gushed from the wound. Gnarl's eyes rolled back with his mouth slacked as he fell onto the cavern floor, twitching a few times before coming to rest.




“Rotten soldiers who never finish a job properly. What can I say? I suck at hiring people” Rufus said under his breath, dropping the poker before wiping his hands on his pockets and slouching down in his throne like a petulant child.




“I fully agree with you, Master Rufus” a female voice purred seductively from the shadows before Nelligan emerged sauntering up to the throne before bowing down in front of the Master Demon, all while grinning.




Rufus responded with a toothy grin, throwing his hands up in the air. “Finally, someone in this godforsaken place that can spice things up a bit, the royal bloody Queen herself pays me a visit! I do remember promising myself to summon you whenever I'd start a riot on the Hellmouth. Riots are no fun without you, Nell”




“Oh, stop flattering me, Pinocchio,” Nelligan grinned mischievously from her crouched position before standing and lighting herself a cigarette, giving him a 'if you don't mind' look.




“Gosh, what a friggin' coincidence” Nelligan smirked as she started pacing around the cavern. “I'm here to take down the Slayer and you're here to bring the whole damn town down for good. When I heard you were back I just had to go see for myself, I mean how long has it really been?"




“Well, last time I saw you was around the roarin' twenties” Rufus said smirking around his razor teeth, while pouring himself a drink from a nearby carafe.




“Yeah, lot has happened since, the Master got killed and then there was the Anointed One...” Nelligan said looking away for-longingly, before shaking her head as if shaking herself out of those thoughts and she stomping her cigarette “Anyway, what are you up to now?”




“I'm gathering my army, announcing myself the new Master of Sunnydale and I've got myself the Axe of the Red Ones” Rufus smiled chillingly when Nelligan's eyes widened in surprise at the end. “And you see I really don't want it to fall into the wrong hands. Maybe you could help me out with that?”




His red eyes snapped over to the entrance where one Greyarmers entered the cavern and bowed infront of the throne and delivered the precious axe into his hands.




"What a fine piece of work," Rufus sighed. "Don't you think? I mean look at it, crafted in bronze and iron with precious Viking symbols with small golden ornaments decorating around the handle, it looks like a wand that the mighty Wizard of Oz could own, but it is in my hands now"




“May I?” Nelligan asked with barely contained glee.




“'Course. Be my guest” he said offhandedly, taking a seat up on the throne that was far too big for his lithe body, swinging his legs back and forth as the minion handled the precious axe over. “It's what you came here for right?” he said in a chilled tone.




“Partly” Nelligan responded absently, holding it up for inspection as she caressed her fingers over it with a mesmerized smile. “So, you want me to help you out, right?”




“Yes, since my Greyarmers have failed their mission I was thinking we could perform the spell on you and bind you to it while increasing your strength. Then you'll be able you can guard the Axe from that malice-happy bitch. What do you say, are you game or what, Nell?” Rufus said as his eyes now lit up in a creepy manner, looking thirsty for slaughter.




“I wouldn't say no to that” Nelligan grinned as she wiping off her leather jacket and placing herself onto her knees in front of the throne, awaiting the ritual.




Letting the axe touch each shoulder, Rufus mumbled a few Latin phrases quietly with closed eyes before picking up an urn filled with black liquid.




Not a single emotion escaped his face as he kneeled down by a great pentagram painted onto the floor with his head bent. Rufus kept his eyes squeezed shut, concentrating so much he was shaking, using every ounce of energy of his being while painting the final piece of the pentagram, chanting for himself.




“Let it rise now to earth and let the Powers That Be tremble at its marvel. Listen as I summon thee and release your power onto earth" he breathed heavily as sweat dripped down his brow.




"This is the beginning of a new era. This is the beginning of the end of the time! Hail our dark Master!” the minions shouted back in answer.




Slowly by the second, the Master Demon channeled his energy to earth until the magic surged through his body, spreading through his whole being.




“I call you forth, your Unholiness, most Unclean One. Hear me and answer to my call. I call forth the powers and bring forth your power. Show thyself and accept my offering”




"This is the beginning of a new era. This is the beginning of the end of the time! Hail our dark Master!” the minions repeated.




He tilted its content over Nelligan's chest slowly. As a liquid hit her chest and she felt it burn like acid through her clothing, seeping into her flesh.




Crying out in anguish, Nelligan sank down onto all her fours, trying to fight off the pain. Then suddenly it hit her, a feeling the power that cruised through her veins greater power she'd ever experienced before floored all her senses. And in a motion her head snapped backwards and an inhuman growl emerged as her eyes changed into deep purple. Standing up she snapped the nearest minions head off and went off bashing up several minions to Master Rufus delight.




"So much power, so little time" Rufus grinned psychotically. "I do believe our Nelligan is ready to play now Slayer and she is coming right at you"




The Bronze was crowded that very Saturday night. People were dancing and drinking, bodies moving intimately, losing themselves to the rhythm. The energy was high in the club, the bass was pumping heavily as people were bumping and grinding to the sweaty beat.




'As if they just found their true religion,' Rufus mused from upstairs on the balcony were he stood along with two of his minions, scanning the crowd.




Rufus breathed in deeply, taking in the sweat mixed with desire in the air, and leaning over to a minion and commanded “Close off the exits and turn off the blasted music, will ya? And bring me some heavy brandy”




The crowd danced on the lower level, enjoying themselves unabashedly to the heavy beat when suddenly the lights shut off and the music was turned off abruptly. A few lights were directed onto the stage.




The Sunnydale crowd started to complain and a few tried to exit the doors but the doors were barricaded. Then a single spotlight was directed onto the stage directing all the attention from the crowd as a kid with red hair and freckles took the microphone stand and cleared his throat.




“Welcome to Bronze this evening, folks" Rufus spoke into it with an eerie childlike voice.




"Get off the stage, kid!" a loud man called to the stage, hollered by his friends "It's late after your beddy-by isn't it?" a few patrons joined in his laughter.




Snorting, Rufus continued “As I said, welcome all. Tonight is a very special night, for I am now on announcing myself as the new Master of Sunnydale. And you're all invited to my party,” Rufus spoke monotone before pausing and several people exchanged brief wary looks at the kid with cherubic features speaking into the mic as if he was full grown up man.




“And you are all a main course to be served” he said deadpan and then burst out laughing, dropping the mic and whistled. The doors of the Bronze were blasted open and a dozen Greyarmers came from all directions. People started yelling and screaming, centering themselves in the room as the demons approached them predatory from all directions.




Backed up in the furthest corner of the club, Joey crashed into the wall. He couldn't believe what he saw. He saw the monsters slashing and bashing, people getting pounced on and thrown into walls. He squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears and after a while the screams subdued and only a few moans of agony was heard. He opened his eyes and saw blood and guts everywhere, that was all that was left of all the people.




Panting Joey reached for a weapon, anything that could save him. Scanning the room, his eyes fell on the redheaded boy stalking around the room predatory, twisting neck after neck with glee. It was as if the freak danced around him, as if it was all a game. Joey would like to wipe that psychotic grin off his lips, even if he had to slash it in two pieces.




Suddenly the little freak stopped in mid-movement and directed all his attention to Joey. The freak's eyes opened wider as his irises widening until they shifted into a pair of penetrating red eyes.




"Hello, don't think we've met, my name is Rufus, you wanna play with me?" he said, tilting his head expectingly.




"Get the hell away from me, you freak!" Joey yelled and grabbed the neared object at hand and aimed it for Rufus' head that he easily dodged.




"Guess you don't wanna play then" Rufus said with a small grin playing on his lips, as he inhaled fear. "Don't I know you? Weren't you that mate who disrespected me and hated my speech"




"Hey, man no hard feeling, okay? I was just-" Joey began but Rufus didn't seem to listen as his eyes sparkled with mirth.




Snarling Rufus approached him predatory and Joey backed hastily, darting to the left, but the freak intercepted him. "Hush, lil' one. Be quiet now. You'll be very sorry if you struggle against me,” Rufus told him warningly. “An' we don't want that, do we?” he said calmly, caressing Joey's dark hair. "Hush, little boy don't you cry. Everything is going to be all right"




“I-I promise I wont tell anyone about what happened here. Just please let me go” Joey sniffled loudly while trembling while he touched her skin.




“Yes, you'd like that wouldn't you?” Rufus leered and Joey nodded with wide grey eyes “Oh, well, I've got great plans for you and for that, you'll have to bleed”




“No!” he yelled just before Rufus slammed him with inhuman strength back into the wall and his head cracked. Joey gagged on his tongue, sagging down the wall in a heap on the floor, leaving a trail of blood behind. Rufus stood watching Joey for minute, before he tensed for a second and then turned to a nearby minion.




“I think he just twitched. That was goddamn creepy. Dead boys do not move”




“Don't think he did move, Master Rufus” the minion said in response.




“Oh, so it's all good then. Don't want him to be awake for this” he replied and ripped Joey's stomach open, emptying it of its content and innards emerged, polluting the air with its smell.




“Empty him of all blood” Rufus commanded his closest minion and walked over to the bar, wiping his hands on a napkin and shot back his brandy.




After the minions finished splashing Joey's blood in a round circle on the floor along with the blood of the rest of the strewn corpses they left Rufus by himself to sit down indian style, in the midst of all the carnage.




Slowly he painted two lines with blood in his face, one vertical and one linear and then proceeded with his ritual.




"I have offered you great sacrifices so now I summon thee. I beg of you to bring forth your power and rise the Spawn of Hell, bring forth thy power and rise it to earth!”




The floor shone with blue light and pulsed up into the roof, the whole building shook as the floor broke open and split. Rufus watched the whole spectacle looking astonished, breathing heavily in the dust as the red spotlights shone down onto him and Rufus' eyes rolled back as he collapsed.




After a long moment he blinked adjusting to his surroundings as he slowly by the second coming back to conscious. Cracking his eyes wide open, he coughed and lifted himself up from the floor, shaking dust from his hair and swiping nosebleed from under his nose.




From the floor the blue light swirled and figures rose into fully corporal forms. One by one children identical to himself emerged from the ground and directed their eyes to him.




His own army awaiting his command. “Finally,” Rufus smirked.




When Buffy kicked the door off its hinges to run inside the Bronze, the fire alarm rang like crazy and she backed out almost instantly when the fiery warmth and smoke hit her immediately, almost scorching her flesh with its warmth, making her cough and her eyes water.




“Get back you stupid bint!” Spike roared in game-face, pulling her back out by her collar on the street again.




“It could still be people inside!” she cried out in response, desperation clear in her voice. "Let go of me!"




His yellow eyes flashed her way, to the building and then back to her “Wait here, okay?”




Nodding, Buffy pulled her jacket up to cover her nose as Spike ran inside. Even if he was not bothered by the smoke, it burned his eyesight.




When Spike entered the Bronze he took in the sight of the disemboweled bodies strewn all over every inch of the floor and felt no heartbeats anywhere.”Cor, someone really but in a throughout job of covering their tracks...” he muttered wondering what kind of menace could have done it, something that the Scourge of Europe might had committed in their glory days. Whoever had done this, it nearly made him impressed.




When he passed the dismembered bodies he could see the whole event unfolding in front of his eyes. Using his preternatural senses he saw as complete chaos ensured as panic spread quickly as a wildfire, the screams as one by one got slain, body parts separating from one another and blood and guts splaying everywhere.




As he stomped over decapitated heads and severed limbs, inhaling the blood staining floor to ceiling, Spike noticed a circle of red on the middle of the dance floor and stepping closer he tried to make it out as he was blinking back tears that ran from his irritated eyes. The circle was made of blood and around it was a few burned down candles. In his head the picture suddenly became very clear, someone had been practicing magic here and the bodies must have been the sacrifice, Spike concluded before backing out of the building.




Grabbing a still coughing Buffy, he pulled her inside the Bronze, avoiding the spreading fire. “Hello? Is there anyone in here?" Buffy yelled and tore her arm out of the grip, coming to full stop. "Hello? Anyone?"




The response was a high-pitched shriek further inside the Bronze, exchanging a brief look with Spike, Buffy took off.




“Help! Somebody! Please help me!” the girl screamed again and Buffy charged for her, when the boy fast as a lightning pushed her away and the girl hit the nearest wall, screaming before her throat ripped open and blood splayed everywhere as she sank down with a glazed-over look in her eyes.




Spike intercepted the boy and hauled him up against a wall who snarled and hissed in response before Spike hit him clear across the nose and let the body slip down into the ground out cold.




Buffy's hazel eyes quietly observed the scene where the eyes of the girl stared blankly back at her, blood pumping out of her neck."I could have saved her. Oh god Spike, I failed her" Buffy said before bursting out in tears, balling up her fists.




Turning back to look at the wall they found out that the red-haired boy had vanished into thin air as fast as he'd been present.




Buffy was shaken out of her thoughts when Spike suddenly gripped her arm “Ain't nothing we can do for her now, luv. Let's go” he said, pulling her arm, but Buffy remained adamant on her spot so he employed another tactic. "It is far to late to do anything, but help was already on the way. Firetrucks are heading this way" he said, concentrating on his enhanced hearing.




“Hey, luv” Spike said, tugged her arm to get her attention. "We have to leave."




"Spike, let go off me" she said, wrenching her arm out of his grip and leant over the bar shutting her eyes, completely missing Spike watching her with stunned silence until he swallowed looking at her as he'd been slapped.




A growl of warning tore his throat,"Bleeding chit!" he gestured wildly. “I don't know what kinda twisted game your playin' here, pet. You run hot and cold all the time, 'til I don't know what to think anymore”




Her eyes flared for a second “Yeah? Then maybe you should keep away from me then” she countered, turning away “And quit following me. I don't want you around me, you are not helping” she spit and Spike stiffened before turning back to look her with betrayed eyes.




"Fine," he said, he muscle in his jaw clenching hard.




"Fine," Buffy mirrored with barely contained rage.




They glared at each other for a long blink, neither dropping his or hers glare.




“Hey, is this a private party or what?” Someone called over to them and the pair tore away from eachother as if burnt.




Turning around, the girl who had just been lying bleeding her neck out stood up from the floor and ran her hands through her hair that was plastered to her skull with blood, grinning. “If so, can it wait? 'Cause I’m all eager for a serious fight and I can’t wait all night on you two to finish your physical act” she grinned widely.




“Nelligan Anacoth,” Spike stated, narrowing his yellow eyes slightly, fangs gleaming. "I should've known, those tricks you got up your sleeve are getting old"




“William Pratt” she greeted in the same manner, cocking her hip “Long time no see” Nelligan said closing her arms over her cleavage, tilting her head invitingly.




Buffy scrunched up her nose showing her immediate dislike.




“Really haven't been long enough seeing the last time we bumped into each other, you tried to plot and turn my allies against me” Spike sneered back, fangs bared.




“Well, what can I say? Girls just wanna have their fun” she grinned, struggling absently. "By the way, thanks for saving me" she said pointedly to Buffy with a sarcastic edge. "Personally I thought the Slayer's job was to help people, not letting them bleed to death in the gutter. I think you're losing your edge, Summers, say maybe it has something to do with the death experience? Maybe she's getting a wee bit of rusty, dontcha think, William?"




“I'm standing right here" Buffy said, narrowing her eyes. "Did she say William? Who is she, Spike? More importantly what is she?” Buffy said quizzically with raised palms while flicking her eyes between them two.




“Evil throughout, pet” he said tightly, never letting his glare waver.




Buffy studied the woman, who was considerably beautiful she noticed as she did a double check. About the same height as herself, slender and dressed in black. Her pretty face spoke of elegance, with protruding cheekbones, a long nose and bee-stung lips. She had a European look to herself, with short uneven jet black hair that really wasn't her true color, Buffy noted. But the eyes were the most spectacular thing, though, they were a pair large silvery eyes with predatory tint in them.




Scrunching up her nose, Nelligan spoke “So, this the new girl? You've got the Slayer ensnared?" she said, critically examining Buffy from head to toe. "Guess you can go lower than that slutty Morticia Addams”




“Hey!” Buffy and Spike said in unison.




Spike narrowed his eyes, growling “Now not another bad word 'bout Dru, don't you dare utter her name” he said, pointing at Nelligan before crossing his arms over his chest.




Nelligan shook her head “Can't say I approve of her. Anyhow, you never had great taste in women” she sneered out loud. “It's so typical of you, William. Getting yourself all whipped” Nelligan drawled, shaking her head.




“Oh, sod off” he growled in response, flashing his fangs.

Turning to Buffy, Nelligan reached out her hand, leering. “I'm Nelligan by the way. You'll be seeing a lot more of me from now on”




"I so looking forward to it" Buffy scowled at the pro-offered hand with distaste, cocking her hip. “I say we fight right here and right now. Can make it easy for you and kill ya instantly. It is fast and a lot less painful” she said whipping up her stake.




“No, Slayer” Spike said with a slight shake with his head.




“No?” Buffy said, quirking an eyebrow.




He sighed. “She's a master, luv”




“Master...?” Buffy said impatiently, waiting for him to elaborate.




“Do I have to spell it out for you?” Spike said exasperated, rolling his eyes frustratedly “She's a Queen, luv”




Buffy rolled her eyes with a grim smile “Oh. Well, no problemo, I've killed gods and whatever creeps around at night so I think I can handle her”




“Know you can, but this fight needs to be taken elsewhere with more hefty weapons, luv” he protested.




“If you two quit bickering, can we like fight already? Clock ticking away and so” Nelligan said resignedly, crossing her arms.




Casting a look over to Spike, Buffy spoke “See? She even agrees with me. She's all with the come-kill-me-arguing”




“Slayer...” he growled low in his throat, warningly.




“Oh, shut up already, Spike.” Buffy replied whipping her hair over her shoulder before turning her head back to Nelligan.




Only she was gone.




“Now you made her leave you stupid, bleached thing! And I missed out on a helluva good fight!”




“Trust me, I just saved you from making a real stupid mistake here,” he said with a snark. "That girl isn't just anyone, when the time is right we'll collect her bones"




'How dare he!'




“Whatever, I'm out of here” she said frustratedly, tucking her stake into her waistline of her jeans before stalking away in another direction with Spike hot on her heels.

Arriving to the Summers' residence Buffy jumped off the Harley Davidson and whirled around. “I live here. I-you...didn’t really need to escort me all the way back home. Good night, Spike” Buffy said, nodding feebly and hooking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.


Running a finger down her arm he spoke. “Uh-huh. Why don't you stay with me? You know you want to...” he said with carnal need, biting his lip seductively and leant in for a kiss.


In the house Dawn's eyes that were currently glued to the window in the living room and instead of hitting him, like Dawn had expected, Buffy merely punched him away lightly, all while grinning. Dawn shook her head and thought was this what had been doing on since Buffy had come back? With the late night patrols and the odd and sneaky behavior?


“No, I - I mean we can’t. Dawn’s asleep and I’ve gotta be there when she awakens” Buffy protested, turning to walk away again but Spike grabbed her arm and slammed the petit blonde roughly into the closest porch pillar.


“Then get up early” he said keeping her at bay, tilting his head expectingly while taking unneeded heaving breaths.


“No, get off of me, I just said I can’t” Buffy grinned despite herself and nudged him playfully. "Just give up, okay?"


"I will when you do," he smiled, lips descending on her. Then she stopped fighting him and she let herself be kissed.


After giving the door a quick glance, Buffy turned back to him, standing boxed in between the porch and his embrace with her arms gripping his forearms harshly, to prove her strength even in this position. Those blue eyes were gazing deeply into hers, as if pulling her into a thrall and the full lower lip begged her for a taste. Buffy felt her heart beating twice as fast in motion when he sucked in her gasp of surprise.


Their love affair was nothing out of the ordinary and nothing she'd experienced in her past relationships. This relationship was doomed from the very start. But even knowing that fact, she couldn't keep away from him. Their affair was all-consuming, breaking down all walls she put up around her heart, killing her softly from within.


“Buffy...” he pleaded quietly, drawing near her until their foreheads met and their fingers tangled.


“We just spent the past five hours with eachother so you gotta let me go...” she whispered, nudging her lip to his, smiling a little. But he did anything but letting her leave. “I mean it” she whispered sharply, giving him a slightly pointed look.


“Can’t. Love you” Spike retorted bashfully before pulling her form closer and letting his agile nose trail around her collarbone.


Intimidated she tried to push back his reluctant form. “I...just can’t. Stop it”


But he still wasn’t bulging, so she forcefully exclaimed. “Stop it, I said get away from me!” as she tore away from his embrace, he dove in for another kiss like a parched man and she slapped him hard over the cheek which shocked them both.


“Can’t let you do this to me...This gotta stop now” Buffy mumbled for herself, closing the door before leaning against it, breathing deep.


Digging her palms into her eyes, Buffy sighed in defeat and walked into the dinning room with heavy steps, completely missing Dawn's figure standing by the couch in the living room observing everything.


Standing in the kitchen Buffy leant over the sink, trembling. Closing her eyes, she took shallow breaths, blinking back the tears as she felt appraoching as her emotions overloaded her senses.


"Why do I do this to myself? Am I that masochistic?" Buffy muttered to herself, feeling like she needed to dull her senses.


In a distant she could hear the roaring of the Harley Davidson disappearing into a distance. Now that he was gone she could exhale in relief, grabbing a glass from the cupboard she filled with water and gulped it all down.


'They had the bad kind of sex together, the kind that was controlling and abusive, just check her bruises. Since coming back from the dead she was taking it to a whole another level. The sex was really depraved, but Buffy had come to the understanding that she was really into it so that made her one depraved pig. When she spent time with Spike it was as if there was a rule that the sex was always better if they broke things. In her past she'd never had any other sex than plain safe, consensual vanilla kind'


Glancing up, Buffy observed her reflection in the kitchen window taking in her state of distress; grim face, red rimmed eyes, smudged makeup and tears leaving trails down her cheeks.


"I'm barely a shell of what I used to be. I should have stayed dead" Buffy told her reflection quietly before turning away pressing her fingers to her temples, massaging her head to ease the pressure.


'I'm dating a former psychopathic murderer, there is something very disturbing about me fighting darkness and then going to the bed the undead by dark. I see him whisper 'I love the smell of dead Slayer in the evening' and I shudder, because he is like a sleeping jaguar waiting to somebody to rouse it. It is like we are stealing time or borrowing it, and one day the dream will shatter to broken shards.'


Her breathing became erratic and she felt the world spin around her. Hugging her knees to her chest on the floor she took shallow breaths as she tried to get a grip on herself.


Blinking through her tears, Buffy spotted Dawn standing in front of her. Scrambling to her feet Buffy tried to pretend as if nothing had happened, but her voice stammered once she broke her silence. “Is-s your arm healing okay, Dawnie?” she said, grinning wanly as she ran her fingers through her crow's-nest of hair.


Dawn choose not to answer, remaining mute with a dark expression and eyes narrowed into slits “I know about you and Spike. I saw you two.” Dawn said dryly and watched Buffy's reaction as she gulped soundly before continuing. “I can’t believe you didn't tell me! You’re my sister and Spike is my friend. How could you do that to me and to him? Explain that to me, Buffy!”


“Oh, Dawn, I’m so sorry, I-I didn’t think-“ Buffy started pleadingly, tears welling up.


“Don’t even! I won’t fall for that act. I DON’T feel sorry for you, Buffy. I feel sorry for Spike because you kept him as a secret! Why does he waste his time with you anyway? You've been nothing but a complete bitch to him!” she replied, eyes blazing.


“Dawn, that is cruel” Buffy replied, fat tears rolling down her face.


“Then explain to me why the hell you do use him then? I need to understand” Dawn said boring her eyes into her sister's with a determined set of her chin Buffy know there was no way to argue with her.


“Okay, since I got back, I-I needed something. I needed him" Buffy sniveled, eyes pleadingly asking her to understand.


“You are the monster, Buffy. Next time you plan on using people, try consider their feelings as well” Dawn said, feeling tears welling up in her eyes.


“Dawn, I'm sorry I-“ Buffy reached out her hand but Dawn flinched.


“What would mom say if she knew?” she countered, turning back to her sister again “You know how much she cared for him, she’d hate you as much as I do now! I want you to tell him the truth, that you’re using him and then apologize. I want you to break up whatever you two have and let him have a chance with someone better. Someone that is better than you!”


“Dawn, back off!” Willow said, coming around the corner ”Don’t you think that she had a hard time as well?” she said separating them two by the chest. “Buffy deals with this worse than anyone”


“Will, I’m so sorry.” Buffy nearly whispered, her emerald eyes wide and scared.


“It’s okay, but don’t you ever keep anything from me again, in this house we should speak to one another” Willow said, pointing her finger accusingly in her direction.


“Like you are?” Dawn countered with a flicker of annoyance “With your great handling-of-magic ways? You don’t even know right from wrong, Willow, so don't preach about truth. And you know what? You two definitely deserve each other, I'm so sick of you both!” Dawn sputtered acidly, spun her heel stalking out the kitchen.


“Dawn!” Buffy called after her, but Dawn was already gone, Willow gripped her arm from leaving and shook her head in negative.


“I don’t want to talk to any of you right now” Dawn called, stomping the stairs angry, leaving them to gaze after her. Upstairs, Dawn appeared in her room with tears in her eyes “Tara, I-” she motioned with a shaking hand.


“Calm down, okay? Dawnie, please tell me what happened” she patted the bed and they sat down side by side and Dawn settled into her embrace.


“I hate her! I hate her! I can't believe she lied to me” Dawn responded crying her eyes out and settled herself in Tara's embrace trembling heavily while Tara smoothed her hair down and that was how Willow found them later that night.


Motioning with her eyes to come with her, Tara let the now sleeping Dawn out of her embrace into the bed, smoothed her hair one last time and followed Willow into the hall.


“What's going on? She was so upset, Willow” Tara said closing the door behind them. “What happened?” she whispered.


“Okay, swear on your life not to tell anyone but Buffy is involved with Spike”


“What!” Tara burst out, eyes widening slightly, "But I-I don't understand"


“Dawn saw them two together and it's obvious Buffy is using him. She was feeling really bad because of that”


“Oh, but why d-didn't she tell us?” Tara asked shockingly.


“She's so ashamed, Tara”


“Oh, Willow, if Buffy is feeling bad we should definitely help her” Tara said, crossing her arms.


Willow nodded “And what about Dawn, she's not handling it to well, is she? I-I mean, did she say anything to you?”


Tara closed her eyes momentarily. “No, she - No! She didn't wanna talk at all”


“I told Buffy we wouldn't be all judge-y. I just hope she'll come around" Willow said, keeping her eyes glued to the floor "Promise you wont tell anyone? Especially not Xander or Giles, they'll totally flip” she said, shaking her head.


“Somewhat I understand her...” Willow continued silently “Feeling all alone in the world, unable to fight something inside you that you can't control...” she looked up, finally meeting Tara's concerned gaze “Tara, it's been awful”


Placing a comforting hand on Willow's shoulder, Tara said firmly “But you're doing better. If you can do it, so can Buffy”


“You're right, she'll probably...come around” Willow said unconvinced, rubbing her arms in the slight chill in the hallway. A moment of silence went by and then Willow's head tilted up hopefully “Will you stay the night?”


Blinking for a moment Tara finally answered. “Yeah, I mean...yes. I promised Dawn”


“Maybe we can, I don't know, talk tomorrow?” 'Please, pretty please,' Willow begged inwardly.


“Yeah, a-absolutely” Tara nodded hastily.


“Then I'll see you tomorrow” she said and Tara smiled, letting herself back into Dawn's bedroom and Willow found herself smiling brightly in the hallway and felt a little jittery seeing Tara walk off that set of a flurry of butterflies in her tummy for the first time in a long while.