This shouldn’t be very hard.

All she had to do was walk through those doors and deliver the news that no one would be happy to hear. Just thinking about it brought more tears to her eyes.

But, she had already grieved. Now was the time to be strong for everyone else.

Finally, she had built the strength to walk through the large doors and into the law firm.

Deep breaths.

Stay calm.

Everything will be fine.

Except everything wasn’t fine.

Keeping herself calm, the young woman went to the desk where she saw a familiar face.

“Harmony,” the girl started toward the secretary. Before Harmony could answer, the woman continued to talk. “I need to speak to Angel. Now.”

Usually, the blond secretary would be bouncy and ask lots of questions. Not today.

Not when the young woman who was asking for Angel had her face stained with tears.

After Harmony finished telling Angel who was about to come up and see him, she nodded to the young woman, signaling she could go see him now.

The female took the elevator. She was too tired to take any stairs.

Too tired of crying. Too tired of grieving. Too tired of living.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity in hell, the lift stopped at the correct floor and the young lady stepped out.

Without any hesitation, she made her way to Angel’s office door and opened it slowly.

Inside sat a room full of happy, laughing Wolfram and Hart employees. She remembered Fred, Wesley, Gunn, and of course Spike.

Oh, yes…she knew Spike was alive. Andrew had no choice but to tell everyone after the tragic incident.

The room’s laughter died down when they saw the broken woman standing with tears building up in her eyes.

“Willow?” Angel asked, concern evident in his voice. He stood up and quickly shuffled around the desk to get to her. The woman nodded slightly and accepted the hug he was giving her.

But she couldn’t cry.

Not now.

After a few agonizing minutes, Willow pulled away and straightened out her shoulder-length red hair.

The whole room waited with worried eyes as she fumbled with her hands, trying to find the right words.

“Red?” That was Spike. She wasn’t looking up at them right now, but she knew it was him talking to her. “What’s wrong?”

Lifting her gaze, Willow looked over at Angel, then back to Spike. “Oh, God…” She clamped her hand over her mouth as a sob escaped her throat.

Fred was at her side instantly, leading her to sit in a chair. “What’s wrong?” She asked the redhead, running a hand through the girl’s hair.

Finally regaining herself, Willow looked up and took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry, you guys. But, you know Buffy…she can be so…oh, God…”

Spike and Angel both had wide eyes as they waited for her to continue.

“Is she okay?” Spike asked in a small and weak voice. When Willow didn’t answer, Spike couldn’t help the way his voice cracked up. “Is she?”

Willow slowly shook her head ‘no’. “She’s gone.”


Never had two words that small hurt him so much.

She’s gone.

How could she be gone? She was Buffy. Even when she was gone she never stayed gone.

But this time it was a normal death you hear about everyday. No one could save her after the car accident in Rome. And no magics would be bringing her back.

She was really gone.

Spike thought over everything Willow had told them in Angel’s office.

Buffy had been in a car accident. The impact was on the driver’s side; Buffy had died instantly. Dawn had walked away with only a broken arm.

It wasn’t fair!

Buffy was the slayer…she’d fought for so long.

And now, what? The cause of death is a car accident?

It just wasn’t how she was supposed to go out.

Not like that.

As Spike sat alone in his room as he had for three hours now, he finally let all the tears fall.

Oh, God…she’s really gone.



Two weeks later

The funeral had been 5 days ago. They had decided to bury her in LA, not Rome. It wasn’t anything like she deserved, but it was the kind of funeral she would’ve wanted.

This was the second time they had to bury their beloved slayer.

And they knew.

They knew she wouldn’t be coming back to them.

Now Spike stood in front of the gravestone, hands in his pockets. Angel and the others had come to the cemetery with him to visit the gravesite, but they had left long ago.

This was killing him. Standing here, staring at her grave.

He thought about just waiting for the sun to rise, but she wouldn’t want that either.

She’d want him to continue the fight.

And he couldn’t deny her anything. Not even when she was dead.

“Good-bye, Buffy,” Spike whispered for the last time. He wouldn’t be coming back to visit this cemetery again.

This was the final time he’d have to say good-bye to her.


One year later

“How many are down, Peaches?” Spike questioned above the noise of the storm.

“We’ve lost Wesley,” he replied, but didn’t cry.

These past seven months had nothing to do with grieving, and everything to do with keeping themselves alive.

Seven months ago, something had happened. New demons from different dimensions started appearing. They were too strong, but the Fang Gang still kept trying.

Until one by one they were killed in the line of battle.

And now the only ones left were Angel and Spike.

Some of the slayers were dead now. If they all died, that would be the end of the slayer line forever. But, seeing as how there were still 28 of them left, that didn’t seem like a problem.

Spike squinted his eyes through the rain and saw multiple fights all around him. The battle hadn’t spread outside of LA yet, which was very good. They still had a chance to beat them back.

“Angel,” Spike put a hand out to stop Angel from running into the fight.

Angel turned to face Spike with an unreadable expression. Spike hardly ever used his name.

“Be careful,” he commanded in an expressionless tone. Angel nodded and Spike persisted. “I mean it. You don’t die today, understand?”

You would never guess that these were the same Spike and Angel that had been at each other’s throats. But after seven months of pure grief, they’d learn to depend on each other.

And, yeah, form some kind of a friendship.

With Angel’s nod, they both ran out, swords locked in their hands…

To start the battle that wouldn’t end for a lifetime.


(Yet another new one from me today. Okay, this is just the prologue of the story. The next chapter is going to skip waaay ahead to when Buffy gets back, and readers will be filled in on what happened during all those years I skipped.

This isn’t going to be one of my fluffy fics…it will have sweet moments, and it will be up Spuffy, obviously. I don’t know how dark and angsty it’s going to be…but I guess we’ll see. Don’t worry, I can’t write a story without a happy ending. :P lol. Well, please review.)

Year 2094

They were all dead. Every last slayer had been found and murdered. Some had tried hiding underground, but it never worked. They could always sense where the slayers were.

Over the years, more slayers had been born, and the ones that were able to be kept alive were raised and trained. But now every slayer was gone.

The only muscle the side of good had left was a bunch of civilians and vampires and demons that had decided to redeem themselves.

But most humans were prisoner now.

The fight had been kept in LA for a full two years when it had first started. The demon side had come at them harder and faster than they could’ve imagined. But they were just two strong.

The new powerful demons had spread over the world in the matter of months.

Too fast.

This was in every way, a living hell.

“Angel, sir,” a young human boy started, wringing his hands as he talked. He was one of the prisoners that happened to escaped, and Angel had taken him in and trained him.

Angel looked up from his papers. His features were different now. There were battle scars above his left eye and near his jawbone.

The desk he sat at was small, old, and worn. The building itself looked like it must be a broken-down warehouse. But they had nowhere else to go.

“What is it?” Angel asked, a little harsher than he’d intended. Ninety years of constant fighting could change a person.

“Some of the leaders were talking…but of course we have to have your approval first…”

“Just say it,” he said in a slightly calmer tone.

“We found the source of the slayer power…and we want to bring it back…”

Angel’s eyes narrowed as he waited for the boy to continue.

“Her name was Buffy Summers…she was the source of power that led there to be many Chosen girls instead of just ‘One’. We were just-”

The boy hadn’t even seen Angel get up from his desk, but now the brunette vampire was holding him by the neck against a wall. He hadn’t heard that name mentioned since she died ninety years ago.

He had no intentions of letting go of the boy until someone placed there hand on his arm in a calming gesture.

“Angel…you kill him, that’s one less person we have to fight for us,” the young brunette man said.

Angel considered it for a moment before releasing his hold on the man. “Get out,” he said in a strained voice, and then turned to the one who’d stopped him.

“I’m sorry, Xander. It’s just that I haven’t heard her name for so long…and now that I finally did…it’s because they want to bring her back.”

“I know. But, Angel…you didn’t see the way Buffy was after she came back from Heaven…It’s hard for me to even remember now, it’s been so long.”

“I don’t want to do it to her…but, Xander…you know we need a slayer. Without one, every human and redeemed vampire will die.”

“I know, man. And believe me, I don’t want to be dust anymore than you do. But…you have to remember whose life your dealing with. It’s Buffy…not just some random girl.”

Angel didn’t say anything, but nodded his head lightly.

“Listen, why don’t I go get us both some blood, and we’ll figure out where we have more muscle in our army, okay?”

Angel nodded again as Xander walked away.



The young man that Angel had almost killed, walked back out to where some of his other leaders were.

“He didn’t say no,” he replied, sighing.

“So, he said yes?”

“No. He didn’t say anything. I can tell he wants it…but he’s not going to give you permission to do it.”

“Damn…”

“Look. I know Angel’s the one running our side, but we can’t do what he says to forever and expect to live. Get the witch, and a few men together. We’ll meet at her cemetery tonight at eleven. We don’t have time to waste.” The older blond man stood up and walked from the room after his orders had been given.



“Spike,” a large red demon hissed out. “Do you realize we terminated the last slayer yesterday?”

Spike looked up from where he was staring. He only bleached his hair every once in a while now so his hair was mostly brown with a little bleach at the tips.

“Well, that’s good for us then, isn’t it.” He didn’t sound too enthused, or show much emotion at all for that matter.

Sighing, the demon looked down at his paper, trying to remember the real reason he came to talk to Spike. “Oh, there was another human that escaped today. Master wants you on the job.”

Standing up, Spike took a long, unneeded breath and nodded. “Right then. I’ll just be going after sunset.”

Without another word, he walked from the room.


11:00pm

“Serena, you have no idea how grateful we are that you were willing to do this spell,” the blond man from earlier announced as the young brunette witch walked into the cemetery.

“I’m not one for going against Angel’s wishes…but I know we need strength. Lead the way.”

11:24pm

Serena was out of breath now. She’d just managed to finish her spell, and felt so weak from the amount of magic.

“How will we know if it worked?”

“It worked. It’ll take time because of how long the body has been dead. Come, we must leave now.” The men followed Serena out, not looking back.

There was no need to dig her up first.

She was the Slayer…she could do that herself, right?

3:45am

The night had grown colder and darker, Spike noted as he walked the streets. He couldn’t sense the human he was hunting anywhere, but he could sense magics in the air. He’d gotten really good at that: knowing when the side of good had brought out their magic tricks. Sighing, he continued his search without emotion.


The ground above Buffy’s grave began to waver slightly before it caved in and a single hand appeared.

The only logical thought going through her head as she pulled herself from her grave was, ‘Oh God, please…not again.’

When her body first tumbled out of the hole, she knew.

She knew that once again, someone had brought her back.

Either that, or she was sent to hell.

Buffy wasn’t in as much of a state of shock that she was the first time she’d crawled out of her grave, but she was hurting.

As she let her body roll onto its side, she lay limp on the ground, her mid-back length hair dirty from digging up from her coffin. As her vision slowly got better, Buffy brought her bloody hands up to her head and let out the gut-wrenching sobs she couldn’t hold in any longer.

----

“Boss…” It was the same blond man that had authorized the secret resurrection of Buffy. He stood before Angel as Angel tended to a few of the runaways that had made it to his hideaway.

“Not now, Curtis.”

Angel knew that soon enough Spike would come here, looking for his runaways.

But the weird thing?

If the runaways were at Angel’s, then Spike would never take them back.

He would only drag a prisoner back to the jails if they were out on the streets, underground, or hiding out somewhere else.

Angel didn’t know why Spike never took the people back from him, or told the other evildoers about his hideout.

Angel guessed it was just because Spike felt guilty for turning his back on the side of good.

“These people need help.” Angel looked around and spotted Xander. “Xander, the sun’s coming up in about 4 hours…that gives you enough time to go out and see if there’s any more out there.”

Xander nodded and walked out the door. He was the one to do this every morning about five hours before the sun came up. He’d go out and find any other humans, or redeemed demons that needed refuge.

----

It was at least fifteen minutes before Buffy’s sobs had died out and she lay limp on the dead ground. Finally dragging herself to her feet, she stood on two wobbly legs and gazed with squinted eyes.

The cemetery had stopped being take care of decades ago, she could tell.

There was hardly any grass on the ground. The grass that was there was uncut and brown. Tombstones were thrown in pieces all over the place.

Where am I?

She knew it wasn’t Rome. She could tell. Deciding she was strong enough for a closer look, Buffy trembled as she walked out of the graveyard.

----

Spike continued walking down the streets. If he didn’t find his runaways soon, he’d go check Angel’s…just like always.

----

Buffy walked the empty streets slowly, carefully. She only saw about eight people, and they were huddled in corners or dying on the streets.

Oh, God…it’s Hell…

There were even a few demons cowering in fear, hiding themselves as best as possible. Squinting her eyes, she took a good look at the buildings.

None of them looked like they had been rebuilt for about fifty years. All of them were deserted and broken down.

She didn’t know why her feet were hurting so bad until she looked down and found them bleeding beneath the straps of the shoes. Leaning against the wall, she carefully took each shoe off and threw it aside.

All these people around her looked so broken…

Suddenly, a movement caught her eye and she looked up. Someone was walking, and they must have noticed her, because they were walking towards her.

She tried to make a sound, ask them for help…but her voice didn’t seem to be working yet.

As the man got closer, Buffy pushed herself off the wall and began walking toward him.

Her hearing wasn’t the best yet, but when the man was less than five feet away from her, he stood frozen and whispered something beneath his breath.

As he continued to stare at her in disbelief, Buffy opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a strangled sound.

“Buffy?” She heard him say.

Buffy. He knows me…

Rubbing her eyes slightly, she managed to get her eyesight working a little better.

What she saw made her freeze also.

“Xander?” She croaked out, surprised at how hoarse her voice sounded.

“Oh, God…Buffy,” he cried in disbelief and before she knew what was happening, Xander had flung his arms around her and was holding her close.

And he was crying?

Buffy held on to her friend as if her life depended on it.

Then she realized that she was sobbing along with him.

After a few minutes, both their tears had ceased but Xander held her close still. She felt him stiffen as he held her and froze, not wanting to turn around to see whatever it was he saw.

----

Spike had been walking down the streets when he spotted Xander comforting some broken gal with long blond hair.

With a small smirk, he strolled over and stood in front of the two, about five feet away. The blond girl’s back was to him and she didn’t turn around. Xander stood there shocked, looking at Spike over Buffy’s head that was still against his chest.

“Well,” Spike started. “What do we have here?”

Buffy hearing still wasn’t good, but she knew she recognized the voice behind her.

“Spike…”

“She’s ours, Xander.”

“You don’t understand; we-”

Sighing, Spike through his cigarette to the ground.

“No. You and your bloody white hats don’t understand. The people belong to us. Your lucky I haven’t told my leaders about your little hideout. Because-”

“Spike!” Xander’s voice stopped the other vampire mid speech. “Please…just…let me get her back. She’s…she won’t be any trouble to you.”

“No…now, see I’ve been giving you all a break. If they make it to your place, I leave. It’s my way of saying ‘Hey, sorry I’m on the winning side and you’re dying.’”

Buffy couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Spike…

He was standing right behind her…but she had no idea what these two were talking about.

Not knowing what else to do, she let go of Xander and slid down to her knees, crying again, her back still facing Spike.

Spike looked at the sobbing girl and for some reason, couldn’t get rid of a feeling in his stomach that he hadn’t had for many, many, many years.

Sighing, Spike looked around, then back to Xander. “She’d be useless to us anyway, and they’d only kill her. Take her with you. But don’t expect this anymore.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Please.”

With that, Spike walked off, not bothering to look back.

----

When Spike was a safe distance away, Xander picked the crying woman up in his arms and tried to calm her down. She kept mumbling something inaudible, so Xander decided to just hurry and get her to Angel’s.

----

“I’m telling you, Curtis, I need-” a yelling and frantic Xander cut off Angel’s annoyed voice.

“Angel!”

Angel walked forward a little to see what would be causing him so much distress. When he saw a crying, blond girl in Xander’s arms, Angel rushed forward. “What’s wrong with her?” Angel asked, not seeing her face yet.

Xander sent the deadliest glare toward Curtis, knowing he must have been the one to bring her back.

Tilting her a little so Angel could see her face, Xander ignored Angel’s shocked gasp and continued staring daggers at Curtis.

“I’m pretty sure she just dug six feet up,” Xander replied in a seething tone.

A/N: Okay…there’s one thing people keep asking me: why have you made Spike evil? Well…first of all…he’s not really evil. If you look at the way he goes about things…he’s really not evil. If he was evil, there’s no way he would let all these people go just because they made it to Angel’s place. So, you can tell he must be feeling a little remorse for switching sides. Now, remember. It’s been NINETY YEARS since Buffy died. Ninety years of fighting a constant battle and losing…that could change a person…or vampire. So, just keep this in mind. You can tell that even Angel’s become a bit more numb to his emotions…kind of like his mind is dead but his body keeps going.

Well, just thought I should clear this up. Thanks for all your awesome reviews!



When Buffy awoke, she was vaguely aware of the pain coursing through her.

What she was more focused on is trying to figure out where she was. Opening her heavy eyelids, but not sitting up, Buffy looked around the darkened room.

She was lying on a mattress with some old sheets. The mattress lay on the floor, and from what she could tell, there was nothing else in the room.

Finally, Buffy had the strength to lift herself off the bed and go stand by the window. What she saw made her all the more confused.

There were more fights breaking out over the city, whatever this city was. The only lights to illuminate the town were a few fires that had started along the streets.

----

When Angel had carried Buffy upstairs over an hour ago, he’d stayed up there for a while.

How was he supposed to deal with this?

Not knowing what else to do, he had walked back downstairs to be greeted by a still pissed off Xander.

“What do we do?” Xander managed to ask in a calm voice.

“Be there for her. Kick Curtis’ ass.”

“You did tell him ‘no’, right? When he asked to bring her back, you told him ‘no’?”

Angel nodded his head. “Not in so many words. But, I thought I’d gotten my point across.”

Xander was about to say something when Curtis appeared with a few others.

“Angel, sir, I feel I should explain my actions,” Curtis started.

In the time it had taken Curtis to speak, Angel had walked across the room and punched him with all the strength he could find.

“You brought her back! You knew you weren’t supposed to! And you couldn’t even dig her up!? What the hell is wrong with you!?”

Curtis was still holding his bleeding and broken nose. “Sir, I-”

“Get out.”

“What?”

“You and whoever helped with the spell. Get. Out. Now.”

Curtis only stood for a second before storming out of the room.

He and the other four, who helped with the spell, including Serena, left Angel’s hideout.

“G-guys?” Said a small voice.

Xander and Angel both shot their heads toward the sound at the doorway. “Buffy? Are you okay?” Xander asked immediately.

Buffy was about to say ‘yes’, but then shook her head ‘no’. “Not really. With the whole coming back deal…again…it’s…it hurts.”

“I know…Buffy, you have to believe me, Angel and I…we didn’t know.”

Buffy simply nodded. “So…anyone want to explain to me what the hell is going on?”

-----

Spike got back to his ‘headquarters’ and marched up to one of the demons in charge.

There were lots of ‘demons in charge’. But the funny thing was, was that Spike didn’t know who was actually running the evil side. No one knew except for a few higher-ranked demons. It was all some big secret.

As Spike approached the demon, he sighed deeply. “They got away?”

In a fit of anger, the demon let his fist fly down and hit a desk nearby. “Damn you, Spike! That’s the eighth one that’s ‘gotten away’ within the past year! No one else has trouble finding them and getting them back!”

Spike didn’t show any expression at all. He hadn’t revealed any emotions in a long time.

“Yeah, well. Guess that’s a bit of a problem then, isn’t it?” Sarcasm was just dripping from his tone, causing the demon to become more angered.

“I’ve let you live this long, because you’re strong. Plus, when we learned that you were only working here undercover for that vampire, Angel 14 years ago, you compensated by turning in some of the white hats. Maybe you’re still working for them?”

“No,” Spike said half truthfully. Spike didn’t work for Angel anymore…but he did let prisoners escape every once in a while, and he hadn’t killed a single human yet. He’d hurt a few, but never killed them.

“You know what I think is stopping you from bringing them back? It’s that damned soul of yours! You should’ve let me remove it when I’d offered to, Spike. It’s making you less of a warrior. You’re weak. Nothing!”

Spike didn’t even flinch at the words. “I keep the soul,” he replied in a monotone voice. “You stay off my back. I don’t want to have to kill you.”

“Be careful about the threats you make, Spike. You work for me!” The demon shouted to Spike’s retreating form.

----

Angel and Xander looked at Buffy with wide eyes. “Buffy…you just came back. Maybe now’s not the time to-”

Buffy immediately cut Angel off. “I’m fine. I’ve been through this before. I want to know. What. Is. Going. On.”

“You may want to sit down for this,” Angel said, leading her to sit on a chair.

It was a few minutes before the three were finally situated and Buffy waited to hear their story.

“You’re not going to like any of this,” Xander said softly and Buffy just smiled weakly.

“Probably not. But I need to hear anyway.”

Angel decided he should be the one to tell the tale, so he took a long, deep breath.

“Ninety years ago, Buffy. Ninety years ago you died.” Buffy looked up sharply and stared at him wide-eyed. “You remember how you died, right?”

“Of c-course,” she answered weakly. “The car wreak in Rome. Me and Dawnie.”

“Right. Dawnie wasn’t hurt very much. But you…you died instantly. Dawn took it hard for a long time. But I think Willow took it harder than anyone. She kept talking about how she had messed up so much with you the last years of your life and never got to fix your friendship. Spike took it hard too.”

“But…Spike was already dead when I was in Rome. Died in the hellmouth, remember?” Buffy looked really confused.

“He did die in the hellmouth. But, he’d come back just a little while later. He was afraid to tell you…and I encouraged him not to.” Before Buffy could say anything, Angel continued. “And I know it was a mistake. Anyway, Spike took it hard also. It was just a few months after your death that things started getting bad. Creatures from all these different realms just kept showing up in LA. My gang, Spike, and I formed a small army of our own. But soon, the demons greatly outnumbered us. Demon hunters from everywhere came to help.

“People were dying all over LA. But for a long time, we’d managed to just keep the fight in this city. Then the demons spread…and they were everywhere. People were greatly outnumbered…and new vampires were being sired everyday. It got really bad, Buffy.”

As the information began to absorb in her mind, Buffy nodded. “What happened…to Dawnie, my friends? Giles?…Spike?”

“We kept Dawn safe for a few years, outside the city. She lived until she was 38, Buffy. She died fighting. She always said she was fighting for you…trying to make you proud.”

Buffy let a few sobs escape her, but encouraged Angel to continue. “Xander here…he saw Dawn die…and knew that he probably wouldn’t last much longer. He asked…he asked me to sire him. He told me to sire him and curse him with a soul so that he’d be good. That way, he’d never grow old and could continue the fight as long as he was needed.

“Willow couldn’t take it for very long. She knew her end was coming and asked me to do something for her. She said that she wanted to drain her powers into another Wicca named Serena. That way her power could go to use after her death.

“Giles…he didn’t live to see the fight leave LA. After your death…he began to get sick. He wasn’t unhappy, though, Buffy. He said he knew it was his time.

“After so many years of fighting…oh, God…I don’t even know how it happened. But we realized that humans were no longer the majority. Humans and redeemed demons had to seek refuge in abandoned buildings and sewers while the side of evil made themselves at home.

“Prisons were made for humans and any demons that decided to fight against evil. Spike used to be one of the ones that fought on our side.

“He fought with us a long time, Buffy. He saved a lot of people. But…one day we knew we had to get someone working on the inside. We needed information so we could fight and win. It had been decided that Spike would go undercover and ‘work’ for them…find out whatever he could. He brought back a lot of useful information for a long time. But it was never enough to beat them.

“He must’ve realized this, because he wasn’t Spike-like anymore. No more cocky remarks or annoying smirks. He fought, he ate, and he slept. That’s about it. One day, the other side found out about what he was doing and they were going to kill him. Part of Spike wanted to let them kill him. But…the more logical and William-y side of him wanted to stay and fight against them…for you.

“He always fought for you, Buffy. But he became empty. There was nothing left inside of him. So, he offered a deal. They let him live if he did them a favor. So, he turned in one of my hideouts…all the people were killed and the leaders were thrown into the prisons.

“That’s the last time Spike did anything to hurt us. He doesn’t take prisoners back or turn us in. I guess some part of him feels bad for it. But the rest of him just doesn’t feel anything.

“You know, he kept his soul, Buffy? He wouldn’t let them get rid of it. I think he did it because he wanted to feel bad for the things he’d done. He wanted his conscious to eat away at him for being on the wrong side.

“He’s not bad, though, Buffy. I hate him. I hate him every day for what he’s done to us. But…at the same time…I really feel bad for him. He suffers more than we do.”

Angel had come to his stopping point, and Buffy could tell.

This…all of this was just too much.

Standing, Buffy ran her fingers through her still dirty hair.

“Oh, God…none of this makes sense, Angel! Xander’s a vampire…and he’s like king of the ‘I hate the undead club’! And you…you hated Spike! And now you’re standing up for him…and making sure I know he loved me! I…why? This…Oh, God…”

Angel calmly sat the troubled female back down. “I know. It’s a lot to take in. But Xander did what he wanted to do to help in this fight, and Spike…I guess I got to know the real him after you died.”

Buffy felt tears coming down her cheeks, but abruptly stopped crying when she heard an all too familiar voice coming from the front door in the next room.

“Angel, can I have a word?” The voice yelled, still in the other room.

Spike.

Buffy’s eyes widened slightly as she looked to Xander and Angel. She could hear Spike approaching the room so she quickly got up. She got through one of the doors and hid behind the doorframe just as Spike came through the other door.

“Bloody hell, Peaches. I was callin’ you out there.” Spike sounded a combination of pissed off and…worried?

“Yeah well, my enemies aren’t usually my greatest concern.”

“I’m not your enemy,” Spike almost growled out.

“What makes you so sure?” Xander cut in. But the iciness he used to have toward Spike was gone. His tone only suggested that he was trying to get a point across.

“Well, after you hear what I have to say, you’ll be pretty damn sure too.” Taking a breath, Spike opened his mouth to say something and suddenly his eyes widened. “A slayer?”

Buffy clamped her eyes shut as she hid on the other side of the doorframe. How could she not remember that Spike should be able to sense a slayer, no matter who it was?

“W-what?” Angel managed to say, shocked as well.

“They told me they killed all the slayers. Hell they did…I can sense one.” Spike walked around the room for a second before stopping. “You have one here!”

“Spike, it isn’t-”

Spike seemed to snap out of his state and silenced Angel. “Not why I’m here. The other side-”

“The evil side? The one you work for?” Angel asked coldly.

“Well, yeah. Somehow they found out about your little operation here. They’re sending demons over now to take all of you back to the prisons.”

The whole room was silent for a second before Xander ran from the room, going to warn everyone.

But it was too late. Suddenly, dozens of demons burst through the door, armed with weapons.

Some had also come from the back and side doors, trapping all inside. Buffy didn’t know that a demon had come up behind her until he had already grabbed her and was dragging her out. “Angel!” She managed to scream before the demon clamped his hand over her mouth.

Spike’s head shot up at the scream, and the dozens of other screams that were coming from the other people now.

But that one scream. Something was familiar about the woman’s voice. He couldn’t figure it out though. As a demon came to drag Angel away, Spike gave him an apologetic look.

{A/N: I want people to realize that Spike wouldn’t recognize Buffy’s scream in an instant. It’s been over ninety years since he last saw her. Ninety years of fighting and whatnot plus not seeing her…he knows it’s familiar, but it’s just been to long to suddenly know it’s Buffy.}

“Ms. Summers?…Ms. Summers?” Someone called in a whisper.

The sound caused Buffy to open her heavy eyelids and lift her body slowly from the concrete.

She was in a cell. And this small ‘prison’ had another 19 jail cells all lined against the walls. It was hardly enough for her to move in. In every single cell there was at least one person. Some of the people were awake, but most were unconscious.

“Buffy?” Buffy’s head shot toward the same voice that had woken her up. It was the cell right next to hers. Inside it was a man and a woman who didn’t have enough room to sit comfortably.

“Do I know you?” She asked, also whispering.

“No…not really. My name is Curtis. And this-” he pointed to the woman, “-is Serena.”

Buffy sat herself against the concrete wall so she could face him. “The ones that brought me back,” she stated, a hint of coldness in her tone.

“Yes, about that…”

“Why?”

Curtis sighed and looked down for a second. “They killed all the slayers, Buffy. All of them. The slayer line was ended, and the only way to bring it back was to bring back the source of the slayer power. You.”

“Wouldn’t the source be the first Slayer?”

“We thought so as well at first. But because of the spell you had Ms. Rosenberg do so many years ago, you became the source.”

“Yay me,” she replied, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

“I hope you understand that we-”

“Do you know what you did to me? You took me from Heaven. You brought me back to an Earth that’s even more like Hell than it was before.” Her tone was low and seething. “You didn’t care what I would want, or how I’d feel.” For some reason, her tone was now softening. “Thank you.”

“Erm, excuse me? Thank you?”

“Yes. Thanks. This is painful for me…just being here. But, if you had listened to Angel’s orders and not brought me back…then there would be no more slayers to protect you later. So. I understand. I’m not happy. But I understand.”

Buffy now turned to Serena. “And you’re the one Willow gave her power to?” With Serena’s nod, Buffy opened her mouth, but was cut off by the sound of a door opening on the other side of the room.

Staying silent, she heard two voices, and froze.

“These are Angel’s runaways…all the ones he took in. Go through; see how many are dead. Find out how many would be of use to us. Report back to Grather.” She didn’t recognize

“Fine.” It was only one word, but she’d know Spike’s voice from anywhere. She forced her heartbeat to slow.

As she leaned back against the stone wall more, she lowered her head and let her hair fall against her face. This way she not only looked asleep, but also Spike wouldn’t recognize her.

She heard him walk past her cell and down to the end of the hallway. She jumped at the sudden sound of him yelling.

“Everybody up! If you want to pretend sleep, fine. But anyone who doesn’t move is assumed dead! Stand!”

Sighing, Buffy stood on shaky legs and froze. There was a single cut on her knee. Spike would definitely smell the blood and know she was a slayer.

Not letting it bother her more, Buffy stood straight, but was standing so that only her side could be seen from the outside of the cell. She let her hair fall on the sides of her head so Spike wouldn’t be able to see her profile from the side.

That’s when she felt him stop in front of her door. “So. You’re the Slayer I sensed earlier? Grather will love this.” She could just imagine the smirk on his face as he said this. “Wanna turn around so I can see you?”

Buffy didn’t move or speak, just standing in a defiant pose.

“Come on. Don’t be that way.”

Still no response.

“Bloody hell!” She heard him fumble for keys. “What is it about slayers that makes them so damn infuriating!”

Buffy turned just as he opened the door and he froze instantly.

“Oh, I seem to recall a certain slayer you fell in love with,” she replied as if this was no big deal.

“B-Buffy?”

Buffy kept her hands on her hips, staring at Spike, waiting for even the slightest sound to come from his mouth.

His mouth opened and then closed a few times, but he still didn’t speak.

“Gotta tell you, Spike. Fish impressions? Not your best.”

Spike seemed to snap out of his daze, but his eyes were still wide. “Is…is it really you?”

Buffy sighed and let her hands fall to her sides. “I don’t know. I mean…yes; it’s really me. But I don’t really feel like me.”

He took a cautious step toward her. Everyone in all the other cells were staring at Spike and the first female they had ever known to get him to show any emotion.

“Buffy…”

“Yes. I’m Buffy. We’ve established that,” she said in mock-annoyance and gave him a slight grin.

Spike didn’t misuse a single second and before Buffy’s mind or body could act in response, she was being held in his arms in an almost crushing embrace. She just stood for a second, not returning the hug. She patted his back somewhat, but not really hugging him.

“Okay, Spike. Missed you too. But, um…there’s still the whole ‘You’re on the side of evil and are probably supposed to be killing me now’ thing.”

When he pulled away, she watched him lower his head slightly in shame. “Buffy, I…”

“I don’t care why you did it. Angel explained a lot, so I kind of get most of it. Point is, you fight on the side of evil.”

Spike looked down again, avoiding her gaze. “But…” She continued. “From what I’m seeing, you’re not all that evil.”

Cautiously, Spike lifted his gaze and just looked at her. “’Sides, I hear you’ve still got that whole soul thing workin’ for ya,” Buffy said with another smile.

“Buffy…”

“Okay…if you keep saying my name like that, I’m going to have to change it.”

“How can you be so calm about this?”

“Because I’ve been dead for ninety years, or so I hear. So now I’m pretty much just trying to keep from ripping my own head off.”

Spike’s gaze hardened at the admission that she was in emotional pain. “Did Angel do this?”

“No, I believe that would be me,” Serena said from the next cell.

“Bloody hell, I knew I should’ve killed you!” Spike almost yelled.

“Hey, calm down,” Buffy responded. “It’s for a greater good, and hey!” She mock-punched him on the shoulder. “Not happy to see me?”

“Of course I am. But, Buffy…” He paused, trailing off to look at her again. “Sorry, I’m still in the shock stage right now. Any second now, I’ll be in the questions phase…and then I’ll probably just skip down to the kissing and sha-” Buffy knew where he was going, seeing as how he was smirking now.

“Hey! Stop that sentence right there,” she replied with a smile of her own.

“I missed you, Buffy.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” she answered a little coldly.

“What do you mean?”

“I come back and you’re all working for the side that you used to fight against? Sorry, it isn’t adding up as ‘I missed you, Buffy’.”

Spike’s own voice got icier. “You have no idea what it’s been like here, Slayer. I don’t exactly enjoy working for my enemies, but that’s how it works.”

“That’s not how it works for Angel or Xander.”

“Yeah? Well, then maybe you should go running to them!”

“I can’t, considering I’m stuck in a prison right now.” Her voice was so cold, he didn’t reply right away.

“Guess you weren’t meant to come back and save the day then, were you?” He knew he was being harsh, but he didn’t care. “This isn’t about you, Buffy. None of this is about you. Things stopped being about you the day you died!” Buffy’s face was void of all emotion, but her eyes were becoming glossy. “This war was about fighting to live, Buffy! And I realized I couldn’t do that on the other side, so yeah, I’m working for the enemy now!”

“And I can’t help that I was brought back,” she replied, not letting her voice show any emotion. “I never said it was about me. But you still loving me? I find that hard to believe, Spike.”

Spike didn’t let his anger, shock, or sadness show in his tone. “I said I missed you. Not that I love you,” he replied casually.

Buffy half expected him to say it, but she didn’t realize it would cut through her like this. She felt sick and had to swallow a couple of time to get rid of the lump in her throat.

But she wouldn’t cry.

Spike saw the sudden sadness seep into her features, and he regretted the lie he’d just told her. Of course he still loved her. Always did and always would. But for some reason, he didn’t say anything.

“Is that something you like to do?” She asked weakly, her voice showing how close she was to crying.

“What?”

“Hurting me in the worst ways possible. You’re really good at it sometimes.”

“Buffy…” He sighed. He was planning to apologize. But something in him told him not to give in. “If truth hurts, sorry then pet.”

She ignored the comment, knowing that the tears would fall if she dwelled on it. “I’m escaping now,” she informed him, going to walk past him. Spike, without thinking, held her back.

“No, you’re not.”

“Spike, let me go.”

“Can’t do that.”

“Sure you can. It’s easy. You take your hand off my arm.”

“You aren’t leaving. You got caught. Deal with it, Slayer.”

Buffy just looked at him, trying to control her emotions. “You know they’ll kill me the second they sense I’m the slayer!”

“Then I guess you’ll go back to your precious Heaven.”

Buffy pushed him away from her as if he was burning her arm and backed against the concrete wall. She couldn’t help the few tears that slid from her eyes, so she just looked away.

Spike didn’t say anything else, just closed the prison bars and locked her cell. Soon he was out of the room completely.

Why was it hurting her this much?

She knew she loved Spike.

But she hadn’t realized she was in love with Spike.

Not until he didn’t love her anymore.

He should never be allowed to make her this weak, Buffy realized.

Turning all her anguish into anger, she turned on the wall so she was facing it. With all the strength she could find, she delivered blow after blow to the concrete.

Each punch was sending blood down her arms and making her knuckles completely raw.

When the pain in her arms was too much to bare anymore, she felt the anger leave her and the tears return. Sliding down the wall, she sobbed silently, each cry shaking her body.

She finally fell asleep, still bruised and bloody on her hands and arms.

What she didn’t feel was two strong arms picking her up carefully in the middle of the night, trying not to wake her up.

A/N: Okay, don’t shoot me! I wasn’t going to turn Spike into a willing slave again just because Buffy’s back. There’s going to be a little hostility there for another chapter or two. But I’m not going to make this unrealistic and have them rushing into each others’ arms right now. So, hold on. If I can finish my homework soon enough, I’ll get another chapter up tonight.

The demon that had carried Buffy from her cell was smirking as the blond slayer awoke to find herself on a cold, stone table.

“’Bout time you woke up, Slayer,” the demon replied in a deep voice. “Was beginning to think you wouldn’t be alive for me to kill you.”

Buffy sat up abruptly, shivering, wondering where in the hell she was. “W-who…?”

“Montavus. One of the guards around here. Anyone could smell your blood from miles away, Slayer. It was right stupid pounding on concrete like that. You gave your little secret away.”

Buffy had no emotion on her features and she sat limply against the wall that the stone was against. “There a point in me being here?”

“I told you. I have to kill you.”

“Yeah. I get that. Is there a reason I’m still alive?”

Confusion masked over the yellowish demon’s features before he delivered a powerful blow to her side, causing her to fall to the ground.

She cried out in pain, but was abruptly cut off by him using his foot to kick the base of her head, right at her neck.

“Don’t make a sound! I don’t want Grather finding you here and taking you out himself.” He eyed the girl who was clutching her aching head and her ribs at the same time. “Did I break your ribs?” When she didn’t answer, he kicked her left leg with all his strength. Buffy knew that this demon’s strength was even more than that of an ubervamp. “Answer me!”

“N-no, you didn’t,” she managed to whisper.

“Hmm…then I’m not trying hard enough.” With that he picked her up off the ground and slammed her with, all his might into the hard stone. Her ribs were the first thing to hit the stone and she felt some of them break. She had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. She bit down so hard that blood began to drip from her lower lip.

---Back in the cells---

“How long ago did that demon take her?” Serena asked, the worry evident in her voice.

“Over two hours ago,” a man from another cell answered.

“Is she really Buffy? As is Buffy Summers? The Slayer?” An older man asked.

“Yes. Why?”

“I’ve just heard of her is all. She died decades ago, didn’t she?” Serena was about to answer when the door swung open to reveal the slightly bleached vampire. He walked down, about to say something to Buffy. But when he reached her cell, he froze when he saw she wasn’t there.

“Where is she?” Spike demanded from Serena and Curtis.

Both of them shot deathly glares toward the vampire. “Yellow demon took her. Had short horns, kind of scale-y. Why? Didn’t you say it was fine if she died?”

Spike clenched his jaw tightly. “I never…” He stopped himself, realizing he did say that.

“You did so,” Serena supplied and sighed. “Besides. We all think she’s dead. We heard her scream about thirty minutes ago, and that’s the last we heard.”

“Don’t say that.”

“What? That she’s dead?” Curtis offered.

Spike didn’t answer, just went out the nearest exit and started toward the only yellow demon with horns that he knew. Montavus.

When he approached the hallway that led to Motavus’ room, Spike heard Buffy’s slight whimpering and felt relieved that she wasn’t really dead.

“Beg for it, Slayer. I won’t kill you until you beg for it!” He heard a loud banging sound which was followed by a cracking sound that must’ve been something of Buffy’s breaking.

Just as he was about to run through the door, he heard Buffy’s small voice. “Go. To. Hell.” After a moment, she added in a stronger voice, “Asshole.”

Spike burst through the door before Montavus could deliver his punishing blows.

“Oh, um…Spike. I was just…” Montavus actually worked for Spike, which he was very appreciative of at the moment.

“You were disobeying orders. I told you to stay at your own cells, didn’t I?” The demon nodded.

“But, Spike…she’s a Slayer.” Spike raised an eyebrow as if to say ‘well, duh’.

“And she’s in my cell. It’s my job to do what I wish. Now leave.”

The demon didn’t have to be told twice and he quickly exited.

As soon as the door was shut and locked, Spike walked over to the broken Slayer cautiously.

She was bloody almost everywhere he could see and bruises trailed over her arms and neck. “Don’t rush over here or anything. I can wait,” Buffy replied sarcastically in annoyance when Spike still hadn’t reached her.

Snapping out of his daze, Spike ran the rest of the way to her and kneeled down. “Are you okay?”

Buffy knew he was only trying to be helpful, but it was still an obvious question. “Spike. Do you see a single piece of non-bloodied skin on my body right now?”

Spike gave her a slight smile and sat her up straight. When she winced in pain, he felt around her ribs to see why. “Two broken ribs.”

“Oh, yay.”

“You should heal fast. Being a slayer and all.”

“It was the fact that I was a slayer that got me into this mess,” she replied as he began to clean her up some.

“How’d he find out you’re a slayer anyway?”

Buffy let out a snort, but didn’t say anything. “Buffy?”

“I told him,” she replied sarcastically.

“Buffy,” he started in warning.

“Chill. He smelled my blood from whatever cells he works at.”

“Buffy, the only cut you had was that one small one…and Montavus works three buildings down from mine.”

“Correction. I only had one cut while you were there. I got a few more after you left.”

“And how did that bloody happen?”

“I tripped into the wall several dozen times with my fists. With a lot of force,” she replied almost defiantly.

“You beat up the wall? That was smart. Soddin’ hell, Buffy. You knew that they’d be able to smell your blood!”

“And I didn’t care,” she said loudly, but not looking at him. “I just didn’t care.”

“You seemed like you cared when you told him to go to hell.”

“That was when I realized that I shouldn’t let stupid things, like what you think of me, get in the way of me helping in this war. Of course, I realized it a bit too late, but hey. At least I realized it.”

Spike was taken aback. He knew that what he’d said earlier was harsh, but he didn’t expect her to give up because of it. She was willing to get caught by a demon, and for a while, she didn’t care if it killed her.

“And what do I think of you, Slayer?” As he said this, he cleaned some blood off her arm harshly. When she winced, he softened his touch. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

She shrugged it off and sighed. “From what I’ve gathered so far…I’m a self-centered girl who was missed but no longer loved.” When he didn’t reply, she just shrugged. “Hey, I’m only repeating what I heard.”

When he didn’t say anything else to her while cleaning the rest of her up, she got a little worried that maybe she’d crossed a line.

But since when should she care if she crossed a freaking line?

Oh yeah. Since about three hours ago when she realized how much she loved the stupid jerk.

When Spike carefully placed Buffy back in her cell, making sure not to hurt her, the others smiled, glad that she was back.

He didn’t even look at her as the cell doors were shut.

Instead his eyes were locked on the concrete wall which was chipped in certain places with blood splattered around. His gaze then fell on her hands and knuckles that were still completely raw.

All of this because of what he’d said earlier.

Spike didn’t look at her as he turned to walk away, but stopped.

Still not facing her, he sighed deeply. “Ninety years, Buffy. Ninety years of living in this hell. Fighting all the time. No matter which side I was on, I’ve always secretly worked for the good side. I just wanted you to know that.” Finally he turned to face her.


“The pain you just went through in there? Try going through that emotionally and physically every soddin’ day for almost ninety years. It changes people, Slayer. So I hadn’t felt a single bloody thing for almost as long. Not emotionally anyway.” He paused and looked at her hard. “Not until yesterday when I saw you.” He saw how her emotion suddenly changed at his last admission. “You understand what I’m telling you?” He asked, his voice not completely soft, but not harsh like before. When she nodded, he headed for the door. Just as he was about to open it, her voice stopped him.

“Spike?” He stopped and turned to face her. “I love you, too,” she said almost weakly, not used to feeling this vulnerable.

Spike’s emotionless facade died down slowly and a slight smile appeared. “Good to know, Slayer,” he said in response and gave her another grin, which she returned.

“Good to know,” he repeated as he closed the door behind him.

When Buffy woke the next day, she felt pain still coursing through her from her little Montavus encounter yesterday.

She hadn’t slept well last night, trying to come up with a plan to stop the current war. She knew that the first thing she needed to do was to free these people.

Without further hesitation, she ignored the pain and went to her cell door. Using all her strength, she tried to pry apart the bars, but she quickly learned that they weren’t very pliant.

Closing her eyes, she tried to think. She needed someone or something that was really strong.

But then she knew that all she had left was her strength. That’s the only thing she had going for her.

With a newfound determination, Buffy once again went to the bars and pulled them apart. When she realized it wasn’t working, she looked toward the ceiling. “If you damned Powers loved me the least little bit, you could help out,” she remarked with sarcasm.

But, as if the Powers were actually listening and still held hope for the Earth, Buffy reached for the bars again and pried them open. She didn’t know why it was so hard; she’d done it before, that time when she had to protect Andrew and Jonathon.

When the bars were far enough apart, Buffy crouched down so she could climb out. Everyone in the room stared at her in wonder. “Okay…I’m getting all of you out of here,” she said in a whisper. “No one leaves this room until I have everyone out, is that clear?” Everyone looked utterly confused. No one had ever told them to do this before. Sighing, Buffy explained herself. “I know that since you’ve been alive, you’ve learned that it’s ‘every man for himself’. Well, that’s changing. From now on, no one gets left behind. If one of us gets trapped in here, we all do. And we all fight to get out together.”

When the prisoners nodded their understanding, Buffy went to the cage of someone. When she got there, she sensed it was a vampire. “I don’t bite humans, if that’s what you’re wondering,” the male clarified and Buffy spread apart the bars to allow him an exit.

“Help me get these people out,” she told the vamp, knowing he had strength like she did.

Going as quickly as their power permitted them to, the slayer and vampire had gotten everyone out. Buffy was breathing very hard, and both she and the vamp were feeling weak.

“Now how are 24 humans and a vampire supposed to walk out of a prison without getting noticed?” A young woman asked.

“We don’t,” Buffy answered. “We fight. Let’s go.”

“Hold up!” Buffy turned around, looking annoyed. “You mean…we’re just going to go start a fight?”

“No,” Buffy answered. “We’re going to walk out of here and kill anything that gets in our way.”

No one seemed to like the plan, but they nodded reluctantly.

--Less than ten minutes later---

“I don’t like this, Buffy,” a young man said shyly. “We’re almost out of here…and we haven’t seen anything that’s tried to stop us. Which is weird, considering they have cameras everywhere.”

“I know. I’m a bit suspicious myself,” Buffy agreed. “But, don’t complain; you’ll jinx us.”

Surprisingly, they made it out of the prison complex without a problem. “That was a bit too easy,” A girl replied.

“They know we left,” Buffy concluded. “But they know I’m coming back. That’s why they didn’t stop us.”

“Wait. You’re going back?”

“I have to. A man named Angel, and a very dear friend of mine, Xander, are still inside somewhere. I have to save them.”

“But-”

“But nothing. You guys will be safe to get underground and find another hideout until sundown.”

“What happens at sundown?”

“I’ll find you,” she promised and started running back inside before any of them could protest.

---Twenty minutes later---

Buffy had gone back inside and was slowly searching through the complex when she was jerked back into the shadows, a hand over her mouth. She was about to do some serious butt-kicking when she realized it was Xander’s hand. “Hey,” he whispered and let go of her. “We heard some guards talking about how an entire block of prisoners had escaped, figured it was you.”

“Why’d you come back?” Angel asked.

“To get you guys.”

“Hmm…weird. Wouldn’t they have stopped you, ya know…instead of just letting you walk out?”

“That’s what I figured…but, we weren’t stopped.”

“Something’s up,” Angel whispered, trying to think.

“Let’s not wait here to find out,” Xander replied.

“I can’t leave all these people here,” Buffy said while shaking her head.

“Buff, there’s thousands of people all over the planet that are in prisons. I want them out as much as you do. But let’s do this one thing at a time.”

Halfheartedly, Buffy allowed Xander and Angel to lead her away from the prison.

---Nightfall---

“Here you guys are,” Buffy sighed when she finally found the group of runaways. “Nice hideout. Took us seven hours to find you.”

The others seemed happy at her comment. “This’ll have to do for now. We can move tomorrow. We don’t want to stay in the same place to long.” She looked over the group, scanning them. “Serena, Curtis, come with Xand, Angel and I. Um…vampire dude,” she called, pointing to the vamp that had helped her earlier.

“Carson,” he told her.

“Okay, Carson, could you watch everyone while I talk to these guys?” He nodded. “Thanks.”

Buffy led Angel, Xander, Serena, and Curtis over to the other part of the cave and sat down on a rock. “Welcome to my office. Please have a seat,” she said sarcastically and motioned for them to sit on rocks as well.

“Okay, what’s this about?” Angel asked.

“We need a plan. A good one. Somehow we need to get on the inside and find out who’s in control; find out how to stop them.”

“Spike tried that once. We all see how that went.”

“So what if I was the one to go on the inside?” Buffy asked.

“What!?” Xander and Angel shouted in unison.

“Guys…I’d be able to handle myself…plus, why on Earth wouldn’t they want a slayer working on their side. It’s perfect.”

“No, it’s stupid,” Angel cut in.

“Actually, I agree with the slayer,” Curtis said quietly.

“And I could give her a few magic items for her defense if she’d need them,” Serena added.

Buffy looked to Angel and Xander. “You guys should know that I’m doing this whether you like it or not. But I’d like to know I have your approval.”

Sighing, they both agreed with a nod of their heads. “Thanks. I’ll get ready tonight and leave tomorrow morning.”

As they walked back over to the group, Carson stood up. “Guys, I’ll be back in just a minute,” he infomed them and walked until the rest of the group was no longer in sight. Getting out a cell phone, he dialed the number.

He’d heard the entire conversation between Buffy and her friends, and he was smirking. Finally, the person on the other line answered. “Hello…Hey, boss…No, but I have some great news…She’s falling right into our plan.”

A/N: Okay, I feel that I should warn you. This story is probably going to turn into a baby one…ya know, where Spike and Buffy have a baby. But…hear me out. It’ll be by a prophecy…but it won’t be like the other fics that have Buffy babies in them. It’s not going to be very happy at all as far as the child goes. But, believe me…I’ll make up for it all with a happy ending. Lol. So, tell me in your reviews whether you like the idea or not. It’ll all fit in with the story; don’t worry. Review and thanks!

This was the hard part.

She’d been planning all night long, hardly getting a moment of sleep.

But planning was nothing compared to actually standing here at the entrance.

All the slayer had to do was go in, and somehow convince the other side that she would be working for them.

No problem, right?

Oh, God…

---Inside---

Spike had heard his superiors talking throughout the course of the night and morning, but he couldn’t pick up on their topic.

All he knew was that Buffy and her entire block had gotten out.

Well. Good for her.

He hated the part of him that was feeling guilt to no end. He hated it because it was the part of him that was right.

And he hated Buffy for bringing out these emotions in him.

And he hated her because he couldn’t really hate her at all.

Through the wall, he suddenly heard an all too familiar voice. Buffy.

---Other room---

“Hold on, now,” Buffy backed up from the approaching demon.

“You’re the slayer. You set our prisoners free.”

“How else was I supposed to kill them,” she said, trying to put on her best ‘Faith act’.

The demons in the room as well as the other creatures looked confused. “Kill them?”

“Yeah.” The blond slayer had that ‘duh’ tone to her voice. “I took them out. They trusted me. Well…until I started killing them off.” She forced a smile on her face. “Of course, that was the funny part.”

“She’s lying,” a green demon shouted as he stood up.

“I must admit, I have to agree with Darmet. This doesn’t sound too convincing. You were the most powerful slayer alive. I don’t see you suddenly killing those you used to protect.”

“Ever been to Hell, boys?” Some of them nodded. “Of course you have. You used to rule it. Now you rule here. I went to hell once. It wasn’t for very long, of course. My friend revived me after only a few minutes. Ever been to Heaven?”

All of them shook their heads ‘no’. “Let me continue, then. Heaven?” She laughed bitterly. “That’s the real Hell.”

At their confused looks she continued. “I went to Heaven back in my lifetime. I was brought back by my very powerful friend. The second I was torn from pure happiness and put into a world of pure hatred and pain…let’s say I wasn’t the same.

“Then I died again. I had no problem with it. I went to Heaven again.”

“Do you have a point to this?” The one named Darmet asked.

“I do,” she said harshly, causing him to sit back down. “This second time I was brought back…I got to see this disgusting world full of it’s broken people.”

She only paused a moment for effect. “This world hates me beyond reason. And that’s okay…because I hate it right back. I want every human to feel the same pain that I’m feeling. I want to burn down this world until there’s nothing left to burn.”

After another moment of pacing, she stopped. “So. Looks like we have the same goals here. Why not team up?”

---Next room---

Stupid. Little. Bint.

He knew for a fact what she was doing. She was trying to get in.

That stupid little…

She would get caught. Or killed. Or pulled in and end up like him.

Or, ‘D: All of the above’.

As he heard the door opening, Spike acted like he had just been passing through. “Grather,” Spike acknowledged as the head demon stepped out.

“Ah, Spike we were just looking for you.” Buffy suddenly walked through the door, standing beside Grather. She had somewhat of a smirk on as she looked at Spike. “I believe you know the Slayer. I want you to take her.”

“Um, take her?”

“Yes. Show her around. Let her know how things are done. Make sure she keeps that bitchy mouth of hers shut. And she can take the room next to your quarters.”

Without another word, he left.

---A few minutes later---

Buffy and Spike were walking down the hallway. The past few minutes had been uncomfortably silent for Spike, as well as Buffy, though she didn’t show it.

“You didn’t kill them, did you?” Spike asked her, not looking up from the floor.

“What do you think?” She asked, that soft tone shining through. “Those were innocent people, my ex, and my best friend.” Spike smiled a little at her, somewhat relieved. “Of course I killed them,” she added with a smirk.

“Ha. Ha.” Spike nudged her arm a little with his elbow and she grinned somewhat.

“So, you’re not gonna tell on me?”

“Of course not, pet.”

“Why?”

“Like I told you…All these years, I haven’t really worked for this side. It was an easier way of helping people.”

“I get that,” she replied softly. “It was the easy way out. But after so many years of playing hard…I’d go for the easy stuff too.”

“You’re risking a lot by being here,” Spike suddenly pointed out to her.

“I know. But you’ll protect me,” she teased.

“Damn straight.”

With a smile, Buffy made it to the room that she was supposed to be staying in. Before she could open the door, Spike lightly grabbed her arm. “I want to come back, Buffy.”

She stared at him oddly. “I know…I don’t deserve to. But I want to fight for the things I used to fight for. I want to…” He trailed off as Buffy’s hand came up to rest on his cheek.

“Forgiven.”

“I didn’t say I was sorry.”

“You should have. Therefore you’re forgiven,” she replied with a smile.

He smirked a little as she let her hand fall. “So, we’re okay?”

“A little more than okay,” she assured him. “Good-night.”

Spike opened his mouth to reply when he felt her lips softly plant a kiss on his cheek. “Oh, um…good-night,” he replied quietly when she stepped back.

She disappeared as the wooden door closed softly behind her and Spike went to his own room.

---Same time---

“So, the slayer fell for it. She thinks she’s working as a double agent of some sort.”

The others joined in with Grather’s laughter. He continued, “Continue to let her and Spike think that they are a step ahead. Sooner or later, they will fulfill the prophecy. And when we have the last element of darkness, Earth will be another Hell plane. All souls that die here, stay here. Our own torture chamber.”

All of them laughed along with their leader once again.

And slayer and vampire slept that night, having no clue that instead of a step ahead, they were millions of miles behind.