Giles re-read most of the second half of the book. From what he had gathered from these folk tales was that a Chosen One will fall from the sky and rid their world of evil. He assumed this was Edana, but something didn't sit right with him. Edana, the name seemed familiar, like he had read it somewhere. Sod it all that he couldn't remember.

Edana.

How long ago did this all take place, anyway? One hundred years ago? One thousand years ago?

As he read on, it became even murkier. The Chosen One was a warrior. More like a fighter than a witch. So, a slayer? A slayer came here? He needed a time line. It would help. He had a record in his head of all the slayers, well most of them anyway. If he could get at least a generation... an idea of when this all took place.

Wally would know, but he hadn't seen him down here yet, this morning. He heard Gretta in the kitchen preparing breakfast, no doubt. And at that very thought, he heard the heavy footsteps approach him.

"Ahhh, still reading my book, huh? Ya find anything interesting?" Wally asked him, pulling up a chair next to him.

"Yes, yes, quite, though I have a question. When did Edana come here and rid this place of evil?" Giles asked him, rubbing the lenses of his glasses with a napkin.

"A few thousand years ago, when the region was under the rule of Melik," Wally told him.

"I see. And this here, is this her?" Giles asked him, pointing to a picture of a woman holding some sort of sword.

Wally leaned over and peered down at the image. He looked back at Giles and smiled, smugly.

"No, Rupert. That is the Chosen One," Wally said.

Giles grew a little impatient. "In my world, the chosen one is called a Slayer. Is this...?"

"Slayer, she is. If you read it more closely, you'll see that after Edana's cleansing, another horrible fate awaits this world. A portal will reopen and demons will once again roam free. That is, until this chosen one comes and... Rupert, I have to be straight with you. Although the reality of Edana is pertinent, the slayer mythology is not. We do not believe in such things," Wally said.

Giles was annoyed. They could believe in demons, vampires, Edana but not a slayer? Well, I guess if none have existed here, why should he?

"Buffy and Faith are slayers in my world. They are chosen to defeat all evil in the world and protect the innocent. We are here now, so do you wager this prophecy is about... us?" Giles didn't want to sound pompous, but it made sense. The prophecy spoke only of the Chosen One. The reality of all of them coming to this dimension to fulfill some sort of prophecy was believable.

"It's very coincidental that you all arrived when the monsters did. But I can't assume that your group are the ones mentioned here," Wally told him, scratching his head.

Wally rose to help Gretta with serving breakfast. Giles nodded at him, looking back down at the page. He didn't think it was coincidence at all. Nothing ever was, really. He peered up at Lorne and Illyria. He wondered if it was even necessary to stay. He should have gone with them to retrieve the gem. He thought Wally had acted strangely that night. Sure, seeing demons and vampires for the first time up close, and not in a book, must have been a lot for him. But Giles recalled being surprised that Wally knew exactly what they needed to do to rid the place of these demons. He knew where to go, and how quickly it would take them.

Giles felt a wave a paranoia run over him. Did Wally know this was going to happen? If he didn't believe in this second prophecy then what else gave him this knowledge? What did he really know?

Rubbish. He was letting his mind get carried away. Wally is a historian of sorts. That's why he knew where the gem pieces. Of course. Giles chuckled at his paranoid thoughts. Sunnydale had done a number on him, especially the 'not everything is as it seems' motto. He had taught Buffy that. Don't ever take anything at face value, unless you have dissected it to its core and witnessed its deepest intent and purpose.

"Eggs don't get eaten themselves. Come Giles, put the book down and enjoy some breakfast," Wally yelled out to him.

Giles smiled back and quickly joined them. He noticed Wally staring at him and smiling. Giles felt a weird vibration run through his body. Ignoring it, he hastily ate his eggs and French toast. He wondered, as he took a bite of the delicious toast if it was called 'French Toast' here. Probably not, since France most likely did not exist here.

Lorne joined them. He smiled at Giles, mouth full of food. "Hey Rupie. Sleep okay? Last I saw you, you were like knee deep in literature."

"I slept fine, thank you Lorne. And yourself?"

"Oh yea. Like a baby, but without the waking up every three hours crying for food and a diaper change," Lorne joked.

Giles looked at him uncomfortably. "Ah yes, of course," he mumbled.

He thought of the others. Their journey. He worried about Willow. Willow hadn't really tapped into her powers here and he feared that if they ran into a situation, it would put Kennedy and herself in danger. He knew Willow struggled with feeling useless. Kind of how Giles felt right now. His reading hadn't really brought him forward with this experience. It was useless knowledge. Whether the slayers were meant to be here or not, it didn't matter. They were here, and they had to get back home.

Their carriage stopped. Issa peered out, noticing the driver stepping down. He opened the door for them offering his hand.

"Wait, why did he stop?" Harmony asked.

They all stepped out, being handed their belongings. Harmony looked on, confused. She watched the driver hop back up and leave.

"Where's he going?" she asked.

"See this stretch of beach. We have to walk it," Xander said.

"Walk it? In the sand? Do you know how hard and tiring it is to walk in sand?"

"Yes, I do. But it's the only way to get to the temple that holds the gem piece," Xander told her.

Harmony rolled her eyes as she slipped her shoes off and followed Xander and Issa down the beach.

"Guys, how long of a walk is it?" Harmony asked.

"We'll be there by tomorrow, I think. Unless you want to walk in the dark. I personally don't," Issa said.

"So, we have to sleep in the sand?" Harmony whined.

"We have blankets. It'll be like boy scouts, except I'd actually have a girlfriend. Not a made up one that lives in Alaska. And there won't be any bully jerks around to slip garter snakes into my sleeping bag," Xander said, looking at Issa.

Issa chuckled at him, bringing her arm around his waist. "No, but I may slither into your sleeping bag," she purred.

"Ugh!" Harmony yelled out. "Can you guys not do that in front of me. I'm still nauseated from the pig blood I drank this morning."

Issa and Xander ignored her as they walked ahead of her. Harmony scanned the beach, annoyed that it wasn't what she imagined. Quest is right. No holiday here. But she wanted to get home as bad as they did, so she'd have to suffer this...annoying hike down the beach..with annoying Xander.. and his pretty girlfriend, who wasn't as annoying.

Night came pretty fast. Or so it seemed. Walking on a beach that had no geographical change made it seem like you've been walking in the same place. The air did get cooler and the moonlight shimmered off the water, making it look solid. They made camp, spreading blankets out over the sand. Harmony was happy they let her have her own blanket. The thought of snuggling with them gave her the jeebies. The ocean breezes sent a chill through the air so Xander made a small fire to keep them warm. The three of them sat around the fire, Issa snuggled in Xander's arms. Harmony was giving them a low down on the happenings in Wolfram and Hart. Issa listened with wide eyes.

"The guys were really sad when Fred died and became Illyria. Fred was nice, I guess. I didn't really know her that well. Angel was heartbroken. But not as much as when Cordelia came back."

"Cordelia? What happened?" Xander asked.

He still cared for her. It had been years since he'd seen her, but finding out about her death caused him a lot of grief. It seemed the whole L.A. thing was a bad idea for her. She should have stayed here in Sunnydale.

"Yea, She came back some how. But I don't think it was for old times sake. She came to see Angel. They were in love, you know. I mean, ew, but they were," Harmony said.

"Wow, Cordy and Angel. I guess the saying is true about romance in the work place, I mean, look at Spike and Buffy," Xander said.

"Are they back together?" Harmony asked, still felling a twinge of jealousy.

"Yup. Hot and heavy. Especially now that he's human."

Xander waited for her to say 'Ew' or 'Ugh'. But she didn't.

"I'm happy for him, I guess," she said.

Xander's eyes grew wide. "You're what now?"

"He's been there for me from time to time. Since he got his soul, he was nicer to me. So I guess I can't hate him anymore."

"Wow, Harmony. You've... really grown up," Xander said.

"Right, whatever. Do we have to get up early tomorrow? I kind of want to sleep in, if that's okay?" she said.

Xander smiled at the fact she changed the subject so quickly. Vampires always found it hard to feel anything but hate. He smiled even harder at the fact that he knew so much about vampires. He hated Spike and Angel with a passion back in the day. He thought he knew what they were all about. It wasn't until recently he had seen he was wrong. Wrong about those two. Not about vampires in general. He wondered how Spike and Buffy's journey was going. It's gotta suck to have to climb up a mountain.

"Buffy?" Spike whispered. He lied next to her, spooning her. He had been watching her sleep. She looked so serene, breathing heavy and steady. He noticed she began to whimper and her breath became shallow. She turned and faced him, eyes closed. She brought her head into his chest and pressed her body closer to his. He held her tight, kissing the top of her head.

"Love?" he whispered in her ear. He heard her mumble something but he couldn't make it out. "What's that, pet?" he asked her.

"Don't ever leave me, Spike. Stay with me forever," she said softly, then nuzzled her face back into his chest.

Spike choked. Why would she even think he could ever leave her? He wanted her to be his wife. He wanted to grow old with her. Wow, he's actually going to grow old. His time was limited. He felt a flutter in his stomach. He has been around for over 140 years. And now he was going to die an old man in the 21st century.

But he'll be with Buffy.

Mortality is nothing to be afraid of. It's natural. Being a vampire is not. He didn't ask for immortality. It was given to him, or rather forced upon him. Life was a blessing. Being a vampire was a curse. He had thought just the opposite a fewyears ago. So much has changed inside him since then. His entire outlook on the world changed and his outlook on love.

"I'll never leave you Buffy," he whispered to her. He wasn't sure if she heard him. She was breathing heavy again, deep in slumber. He kissed her, then lowered his head on the pillow. He held her tight as he fell asleep.

The mountain air was becoming more shallow the further they ascended. Buffy looked back at Spike, making sure he was breathing okay. She wasn't sure if his new lungs could handle it. He smiled at her, waving his hand that he was all right and to keep walking. They rested on a ledge, taking in the hot sun. Spike gulped down water from the canteen as if he hadn't had water in days. Buffy was little worried. She wasn't sure if he'd be okay with this.

"Spike, Are you feeling all right?" she asked him.

"Fine, Buffy," he said, after swallowing a mouthful of water. "Why?"

"It's just, you've only been alive for a week. I don't want you over doing it. Maybe we should rest."

Spike stood up quickly, letting his pride take over. "No, let's keep on. We need to get this sodding gem piece."

Buffy wearily agreed. She'd make sure they walked a little slower, just in case. With a cute pout, Spike obeyed her. He hated feeling like a patient. He liked taking care of Buffy, not the other way around. She had done nothing but care for him that last year in Sunnydale and letting him stay at her house. That was a shocker. Not only to himself, but also to everyone around them. She would sneak down to the basement at night when everyone was asleep, just to sit with him and talk. She would tell him about her childhood, her dad, her first year at Sunnydale, Angel, pretty much anything that would take their minds off of the First. He would get to see the real Buffy. The one who had vulnerability. The one who took care of people, like himself. She even had his chip removed. That was bloody balsy and unbelievably sweet.

Those days seemed so long ago. He wondered if things would have been different. If he didn't die in the hellmouth, would she have taken him to Rome? He would have never joined Angel and gang. Which, okay might not have been that bad. But, he helped them. He helped Angel. God, why did he tell Buffy that story? He never told anyone! Angel had made a crack about it one day in his office. Spike just looked at him with that 'shut up' face. He never felt weirder than that night. And he knew Angel felt the same. Those damn women of theirs. Always up to no good. They had a good laugh at them. Oh and they fought, and bickered, and fought some more after that.

He liked him now. Maybe it was the soul, or humanity. He was sure if he spent a week with him, they be at each others throats again, so he'd make sure to avoid that. There were some things you couldn't change. Their egos being one of them.

Spike caught himself smiling at all the funny arguments he had with him. All the silly names they called each other. All the times they slapped each other around.

Buffy turned to catch Spike smiling.

"Hey, you're smiling. Smiling is good," she joked.

"Yea, just thinkin' about old days."

"Ohhh, do these old days include you, Angel and some smoochies?"

Spike pressed his lips together. "Buffy, never a word of that again, got it?"

"Okay, okay, just a joke," she smiled at him, then turned to face ahead.

Spike stopped. He was suddenly out of breath and dizzy. The entire world seem to spin, and his the body grew numb.

"Buff..."

Buffy turned to a falling Spike. She ran to him, just as he hit the ground. His eyes were closed, but he was still breathing.

"Spike?"

He didn't move. He passed out. Damn! She cursed herself for pushing him too hard. She should have insisted they take more breaks, no matter what he said. She gently lay his head down on the ground and slipped her bag from her shoulder. She pulled out a canteen and splashed some water in his face. He quickly came to, squinting up at her.

"What happened?" Buffy asked him.

Spike grabbed his head, and then tried to lift it. A wave of nausea came over him, so he laid it back down.

"Dunno. Maybe it's the height, or heat. Not sure," he said.

Buffy cradled him, holding the canteen for him to drink. When she thought he was okay, she rose and pulled out blankets to lay on the ground.

"Buffy, no. We have to keep on. We only have the day..." He felt the spinning again, so he put his head back down.

"Spike. We are resting now. I don't care if we have to wait another day. You need to rest," she insisted.

Although Spike felt like a wanker, he knew she was right. What good would he be if he was going to pass out here and there? He needed to rest. He'll let her take care of him, once again.

She slowly helped him onto a blanket and fluffed a pillow under his head. He smiled up at her, loving her motherly tendencies. "You're going to be a great mum, ya know," he told her.

Buffy smiled as she looked into his eyes. She brought him some fruit to snack on. The air was cooling. Was it even that hot to begin with? He didn't think so. He was sweating, not Buffy. She seemed fine. Must have been him. He felt her fingers massage his head. It felt so good, he became lost in the pure pleasure of it.

She whispered to him. "William, just rest and close your eyes"

Spike absolutely loved it when she called him William. Although he came to love the name Spike and insisted that is what everyone should call him, it was William that was personal, private. Drusilla called him William. Angel did, but only to mock him. But when Buffy said it he felt like she was in love with the real him. Like she knew the real him and forgot all about the former evil vampire soulless him.