By Heather Martin

*You can lie to others. You can lie to yourself. But you can’t lie to your dreams .*

Spoilers- Grave

Disclaimer- Joss owns all the characters from Buffy TVS. The soul mate principle idea was taken from L.J. Smith’s book series called Night World.

Distribution- Sure, just ask

Summary- Anyone know what dissociative fugue amnesia is? Well, Spike develops such a case after his sudden shiny soul, along with the unexpected return of humanity. He just can’t cope, so he pretends to be somebody he‘s not. As for Buffy, she lies to herself that Spike’s absence hasn’t effected her. But at night, she cannot keep him out of her dreams. What will happen to these two lost souls? Will they ever find their way? And will it be together?

This occurs after Grave. The time between episodes are unclear. Pretend that everything after ‘As You Were ‘only spanned a couple weeks. If you think about it, that makes sense. Seeing Red, Villians, 2 to Go, and Grave all happened in a couple days.

Chapter 24

Months passed. The AI team went back to Las Angeles, completing their mission with telling Buffy about the prophecy. Buffy was extra careful. She stayed indoors most of the time. When she did venture out, she was always accompanied with someone else. She fell into stir craziness. She felt useless, weak, fat, and unattractive. As she entered her eighth month of pregnancy, she fell into depression. She made no effort at going out of the house at all. She lay around and vegged out in front of the TV.

Spike hated to see his usually vibrant slayer like this. He made an effort to tell her how much he loved her more often. He expressed how beautiful she was to him as well. The words hit Buffy with deaf ears. He never stopped, though.

“I’m going out on patrol,” Spike declared. He swung his leather duster onto his back. Then he grabbed a stake.

Buffy didn’t bother to look up from her television program. Some cooking show, Spike noted. She was practically salivating over the chocolate cake.

“We have cake, right, Spike?” she asked.

“Yeah, think so. Pet, did you hear me? I’m going patrolling. Dawn is upstairs if you need anything.”

She nodded, not saying anything.

Spike sighed with exasperation. “Be back in a few.”

**********************************

Dawn came down to find her sister staring at the television. The weird thing was that it was off, only displaying a blank screen.

The teen entered the living room and stepped over to Buffy’s side. “Um, Buffy, what has your attention?”

Buffy didn’t reply. In fact she didn’t even look over.

“Buffy?” Dawn moved a hand in front of the slayer’s face. She didn’t even blink.

“Oh God!” Dawn exclaimed. She thought hard, trying to decide what to do. “I’m gonna get help. Maybe Xander.”

She rushed out of the room and went into the kitchen. She grabbed the phone with fumbling fingers. She furiously punched in Xander’s number. Before Dawn could reach the last number the receiver was thrust out of her grasp. She was violently thrown against the wall.

A cry escaped Dawn’s throat. She turned to see Buffy in front of her.

“Buffy? What is wrong with you?”

Her sister hit her. Why? She couldn’t even begin to comprehend what was going on.

The last thing Dawn saw before she was knocked out was Buffy’s eyes. They were blank. There was no life in them at all.

**************************

Buffy had thought she was trapped before in her house. She had no idea what trapped was until she was locked away in her mind. Her thoughts didn’t control her body anymore.

She watched in horror as she attacked her own sister. Then she walked out into the night. She went on and on. People gave her weird looks as she passed them. A couple even asked if she was all right. One direct gaze in her trance-like stare and they backed away.

Buffy silently screamed. What is happening to me!?

*************************

Spike came back after a long patrol. He had dusted five vamps and two demons. It helped a little with his worries. He felt better. . . . A little.

With his first step going up the driveway, he knew something was wrong. The Summers’ door was wide open. His heartbeat thundered in his ears as he ran inside. There was nothing to be found in the living or dining rooms.

He entered the kitchen to find a crumpled Dawn. He hurried to her side. Kneeling, he reached to check her pulse. He halted before he did, not needing to. He could hear her heartbeat. Loud and strong.

Spike gently shook her. “Dawn? Nibblet?”

She let out a moan, stirring slightly.

“That’s it, bit. Come back to us,” he urged her on.

Gradually Dawn rose to consciousness. “Spike?” Her voice was groggy.

“What happened? Where’s Buffy?”

Dawn’s eyes suddenly focused. She jolted upward, fully awake. “Something is wrong with her. She was in a daze. And then she hit me.”

“She hit you?” he inquired incredulously.

“Yeah. And let me tell you, even pregnant she’s mega strong.”

Spike helped Dawn to her feet.

“We have to find her,” he announced.

She nodded in agreement.

They searched everywhere. They told Willow, Xander, Anya, and Cleo, who helped comb the town. There was no sign of Buffy.

The group finally relented in exhaustion. Except Spike. He kept looking for hours afterward. Eventually even he had to stop for a break.

Spike fell on the bed, not bothering to change clothing. He breathed in the scent of Buffy until he fell into slumber.

**********************************

The ex-vampire was in a meadow. Birds chirped from above. The sky was bright, blue, and sunny. Flowers surrounded him in all directions.

“What the sodding hell is this?” he muttered.

“A dream.”

He hadn’t been expecting an answer. He spun around to come face-to-face with a young woman. She wore a white dress. Her golden hair blew in the wind, flowing in her azure eyes.

“And who might you be, luv?”

She smiled. “Elena.”

The name meant light. Fitting. This girl seemed to illuminate with her own radiance.

Spike scanned his surroundings. “Not my type of dream.”

“I know,” Elena stated. “Yours are more dark. Sometimes scary. You still hold guilt, don‘t you?”

“Your point?”

She laughed. “No point.”

“Look, I think I should wake up now.”

“No. Not until I’ve told you what you have to know.”

“And what’s that then?”

“I know where Buffy is,” Elena told him.

He perked up at that. “Where is she?” he growled.

“She’s with Medora in another realm.”

“Another. . . Another dimension?”

“Yes. She put a spell over Buffy. She took over Buffy’s body and took her to where she is.”

“And where’s that?”

“It is a dimension she created herself. It has no name.”

“Bloody fabulous. Whose this Medora bint anyway? What does she want with my slayer?”

“She sent the Eliminator to separate you both before. Her whole reason for being is to tear apart soulmate bonds. You were special, though. She thought you were the chosen couple.”

Spike rose an eyebrow at that.

“But she was wrong,” Elena continued.

“So we’re your average couple after all?”

Elena chuckled. “Oh no! Not at all! You are chosen to do something, but not for what she thought you were for. You are chosen to give birth to one of the Children of Light.”

“I’m getting a sense of déjà vu. This wouldn’t happen to be the prophecy about Angel’s kid and mine, would it?”

She nodded. “Exactly. Conner is the other chosen Child of Light. They will someday join to bring light upon the land. As long as evil doesn’t steal them, that is.”

Spike held up a hand. “Hold on a sec. Joined? They aren’t soulmates! Bloody well tell me that my daughter isn’t soulmates with Peaches’s kid!”

A smirk formed on Elena’s mouth.

“Oh no,” Spike muttered.

“Oh yes. And Medora thought Buffy and you were the Children of Light. She obviously didn’t get the full info. I mean, she didn’t know until recently that the couple would be made by vampires.”

Spike felt the air leave him. He couldn’t breath. And now she knew. She wasn’t after Buffy or him anymore. She was after their daughter.

“You can wake up now,” Elena said.

Spike blinked.

“Wake up,” she repeated.

********************************

Spike jarred awake. He jumped out of bed, prepared for action. He needed to find Buffy before it was too late. He had to save his girls.