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The door to the basement swung open and Willow moved swiftly down the stairs. "Guys… Buf-" She blushed and looked at the ground when she saw the lovers wrapped around each other; only a sheet saved her from the sight of their naked bodies.

Spike propped himself up on his elbow. "Yeah, Red?"

"The, uh… other Buffy is back."

"Did she have a good time? I can’t imagine the ponce being any fun with his shiny new soul."

Buffy smacked his chest. "He's you, buddy, and nobody puts down my boyfriend."

Willow groaned as their playful banter. "Will you two shut-up! We have a problem."

"What is it?" Buffy asked.

"She—she saw, William? Spike? Whatever. She saw him leave with Angelus. She said he wasn’t even fighting him or anything, just following. She--" Willow hesitated, unsure if she should tell them the rest. “She’s hurt. Not too bad, but….”

Spike grabbed his jeans and slipped them on from under the sheet. "Who hurt her? Is she okay?"

“She won’t say who did it. She didn’t say a whole bunch, actually.”

Buffy covered her chest with the sheet as Spike jumped out of bed to search for a shirt. “Why would Spike go with him? He was tortured by him just hours ago,” she asked Willow.

"BuffyII said something about a claim." Willow unconsciously stared at Spike's muscular chest as he stood.

Buffy snapped her fingers. "Willow, snap out of it, this is no time to ogle my boyfriend. Did she say anything else?"

"Um, she said that he was in pain. That Angelus could hurt him for disobeying. Some other stuff too, but I couldn't really hear her, she was on the verge of tears."

Spike pulled a green sweater –one that Buffy had found for him earlier- over his head. "Angelus got damn good at using that bloody claim for torturing throughout our years together. He can cause some serious damage. I better talk to her." He turned to Buffy. "My god, this thing reeks of Captain Cardboard."

"That would be because it was his sweater." Buffy shrugged. "I couldn't find anything else."

Spike crinkled his nose in disgust. "I think I'd rather go shirtless."

"No!" Willow yelped. "I mean, that's not fair to the other Buffy. You should keep the sweater on."

Spike rolled his eyes, but agreed and took off to find the girl.

He knocked on her door. "Slayer?" No answer. "Buffy?"

He opened it and saw Past-Buffy on her bed, her knees against her heaving chest and her arms around her knees.

Spike moved silently to her side and wrapped his arms around her tiny body, holding her to his chest.

"I knew…" her voice broke. "I lose every man I love."

Spike was shocked at her admission. He didn’t think she would be able to admit it even to herself for a long while. He shook out of his stupor and patted her back. "Luv, who said you lost anyone? He's not dead, in the dusty way that is, I'm sure of it." He kissed the top of her head. "Even if he were dust, I doubt it would last. It never does."

She laughed wetly into his shoulder. "I guess it doesn't."

Spike pulled her back so he could look at her face. "Now then, what happened? Did Angelus do this to your mouth?” His temper rose as he looked at her ravaged mouth. "Did he do this?"

“Um… no,” she said in a small voice. “It was—”

“Yeah?”

“Spike,” she whispered. “But he didn’t mean to. It was my fault.”

Spike growled stood abruptly. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he moved back and forth in the limited space he had. "I'll kill him."

Past-Buffy cried, "No! I swear it wasn't his fault. I made him; I had to stop his pain."

Spike glanced at her. "We love you. You do not do that to someone you love. You're a Slayer, and it still looks like that? I know how bloody bad he would have had to cut you. I will stake his ass."

Buffy spoke as she walked through the door. "He should have a chance to make it up to her, don't you think?"

Spike glared at her. "No, I don't think. He hurt her. The bastard hurt her, and I'll kill him for it."

She stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You always hurt the one you love, right?"

"That's not fair. You didn't love me when I said that to you."

Buffy slapped his butt and he yelped. "Who are you to tell me that I didn't love you?"

"Hey, that hurt!"

"See, and I love you."

Spike glared at his lover. "Fine, but I'm kicking his ass."

Buffy scoffed and went over to her double, and sat down next to her. "What happened?"

Past-Buffy looked at her lap. "I caught up with him, and we talked, and I admitted stuff." She glanced at Buffy from the corner of her eye. "And then Angelus was hurting him through the dominance claim. I mean he was really hurting. He said Angelus wanted him to hurt me, so I told him to do it. He wouldn't, so I- I made him do it. And after he… he ran after the pain was gone."

"That bloody ponce couldn't even take responsibility for what he did?!" Spike cried indignantly.

"Spike, do me a favor and shut up."

Past-Buffy continued. "I went after him, but by the time I caught up again, Angelus was walking him to a car. I called for him, but he didn't even look. He let Angelus put him in the backseat and they were gone. I lost him." She started crying again. "If I hadn't pushed him, he…"

Buffy broke in, "Then he'd still be writhing in pain. You sacrificed for him, and it was a little too much for him right after getting his soul. Sweetie, the claim is powerful, but I'm sure he'll find his way back to you. Trust me, he loves you enough."

Past-Buffy nodded. "I hope. I mean, Angelus was torturing him. If Spike's being hurt because of me.... I don’t know if I can take it." She shook the thought before the tears could over power her again. "When did you know you loved him?"

"Too late," Buffy said, and grabbed her double's hand. "But I got a second chance, and so will you." She stood, bringing Past-Buffy up with her. "Let's head down stairs."





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