Summary: Drusilla tests Spike and he fails spectacularly. What will he do now that he has nothing left but his obsession with the slayer?
Begins during the summer between seasons three and four. Turns into a complete season four rewrite with little resemblance to the events in the series. Finally Finished!!!!
Winner At the Sunnydale Memorial Fanfiction Awards for best Angst, best original character and best original character pairing. Thanks to all who voted!!!
Rated: NC-17
Categories: NC-17 Fics Characters: None
Genres: AngstWarnings: Adult Language,
Character Death,
Violence
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 27
Completed: Yes
Word count: 96592
Read: 38155
Published: 09/05/2011
Updated: 05/16/2012
1. Chapter 1 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 16] 
(4942 words)
The words Drusilla recites and the title come from the song: "He May Be Your Dog But He's Wearing My Collar," written in 1923 by Rosa Henderson. I like to think Spike and Dru danced to that song when it was new.
2. Chapter 2 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 6] (4195 words)
3. Chapter 3 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 9] (5376 words)
Thank you to the lovely Sanityfair for her work editing this piece.
4. Chapter 4 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 4] (4857 words)
Thank you to the glorious Sanityfair and to Puddinhead, for letting me bounce ideas off her puddiny head.
5. Chapter 5 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 11] (4141 words)
Last updated Sept. 16, if you haven't read, do. Thanks to Sanity Fair for her patience and skillz. Check out her lovely story, "And It Spread," if you haven't and the glorious Puddinhead's "My Elizabeth." Both these ladies have helped immeasurably with this fic.
6. Chapter 6 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 7] (3966 words)
Thank you to the lovely Sanityfair for her work on editing this chapter.
7. Chapter 7 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 7] (3562 words)
Thank you to Puddinhead and Sanityfair for their help on this chapter.
8. Chapter 8 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 8] (4224 words)
Thanks to Sanityfair for her awesome betaing skillz and to Puddinhead for letting me run this story by her.
9. Chapter 9 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 13] (3356 words)
Thanks to the lovely Sanityfair.
10. Chapter 10 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 15] (3937 words)
Thank you to the lovely Sanityfair.
11. Chapter 11 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 7] (4120 words)
Thanks to Sanityfair and Puddinhead for their beta skills.
12. Chapter 12 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 11] (3903 words)
All mistakes are mine this chapter.
13. Chapter 13 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 13] (4257 words)
Thanks to Puddinhead for editing this piece and for talking me through putting up the Sunnyd Awards button.
By the way, thanks so much to whoever nominated this one! It means so much to me!
Also, much happens in this chapter that you may dislike.
14. Chapter 14 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 9] (2374 words)
Sorry this chapter is so short, but I thought we could use a bit of a breather after all the action of the last one. This is unbetaed, all mistakes are mine.
15. Chapter 15 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 11] (4035 words)
Thank you to the lovely Sanityfair. Sorry for the delay in posting.
16. Chapter 16 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 6] (3863 words)
Thanks to the lovely Sanityfair for all her help on this chapter. All mistakes are my own.
17. Chapter 17 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 6] (3399 words)
Thanks to the lovely Puddinhead and lovely Sanityfair.
18. Chapter 18 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 7] (3522 words)
Thanks to the lovely Puddinhead for her work editing this piece.
There's a warning--go to the end notes if you want to be despoiled.
19. Chapter 19 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 5] (3628 words)
Thanks to the lovely Puddinhead for her betaing skillz.
20. Chapter 20 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 7] (3213 words)
Thanks to Puddinhead for all her beta skillz on this chapter. Hope your holidays were wonderful and warm.
Special thanks to everyone who voted for this story at the Sunnydale Memorial Fanfiction awards. It won best Angst, best Original Character and best Original Character pairing with a few honorable mentions in other categories. I'm awed and touched by the love for this story. Thank you so much to Sanityfair, too, for all the work she's done on earlier chapters.
Wait--they're playing the music, I think that means I gotta get off the stage. One more thank you. Thanks for reading this story. It means a ton when you comment but even if you don't, thanks for letting me bend your ear.
21. Chapter 21 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 7] (2886 words)
Sorry to everyone who wrote the first incarnation of this chapter. I posted, had regrets and then took it down an hour later. This chapter was completely rewritten, so if you did read it the first time, please give it another look.
Thanks to Puddinhead for her awesome beta skillz. Thanks for Dorian's Kitten and Science who gave needed feedback to improve this chapter immensely.
22. Chapter 22 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 8] (2618 words)
Thanks to Science and Puddinhead for their beta Skillz!
23. Chapter 23 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 5] (2650 words)
Thanks to everyone who stuck with this story. I know it's been a lot of subplots lately, but this is a return to form with the Spuffy.
Thanks to Science and Puddinhead for their help with this chapter.
24. Chapter 24 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 4] (2312 words)
Thanks to Puddinhead and Science and Dorian's Kitten.
25. Chapter 25 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 4] (2059 words)
I am sorry this has taken so, so long. Lacked some inspiration and had another project that needed to be written. Hope you're all still on board.
Thanks to Puddinhead, Dorian's Kitten and Science!
Last time, Giles was going to confront Willow about her controlling Xander's mind.
26. Chapter 26 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 6] (2493 words)
Thank you to Puddinhead and Dorian's kitten. If you haven't read the previous chapter, please do.
27. Chapter 27 by Minx DeLovely [Reviews - 6] (2704 words)
This is the end!!! Thanks so much to Puddinhead and Dorian's Kitten for editing this chapter. Thanks to them and Science for help in developing the story. Thanks to Sanityfair for all her work on the earlier chapters. Thanks to all who voted for this story at the Sunnydale Memorial Awards. All your support has been a life changer.
