Rating: G thru PG-13
Magic
(S/B, Dec 14, 2003) Set immediately post Chosen
Buffy stared at the gaping hole that used to be Sunnydale. The rumbling had stopped and even the dust had settled. A light breeze blew across them.
She couldn't believe he was gone.
Just then, the sign-post welcoming them to Sunnydale tipped over and fell into the crater.
Buffy stared at it in amazement. It was just a coincidence. It had to be. But....
Her eyes narrowed and she turned to Willow. "I'm going back."
"Uh, Buffy, there's no back anymore to go... to." Willow reached out and patted her arm.
Buffy shrugged her off. "Spike died saving us. He died thinking I was better off without him and that none of us cared about him beyond what he could do for us." She kicked at the dirt. "He thought I kept him around because he was the strongest fighter." Looking up, she met Willow's eyes, then looked around to Giles, Xander, and Dawn. "I needed him, and he never knew, not really."
Giles sighed and looked guiltily at the crater. "I think in the end he knew he had gained our respect. He was a champion. No one questioned his right to wear the amulet or his part in the final battle. He died a hero's death, Buffy."
Buffy's eyes watered but she held back the tears. She kicked at the dirt again. They had to strain to hear her quiet voice. "He died because he thought that was all I needed him for." She looked back up at them. "It's ironic. All last year he just wanted me to tell him the truth. Just wanted me to tell all of you. And when I finally told him that I loved him, he didn't believe me."
The all spoke at once, murmuring reassuring words. "He knew," Willow said. "It's for the best," Xander. Giles patted her on the back. Dawn hugged Buffy and sobbed - the pain of her own falling out with Spike painfully brought back to the surface.
Buffy hugged Dawn and then pulled away. "I'm going back, Willow. You're going to help me."
Willow shook her head and backed away. "You know I can't."
Buffy pointed at herself. "Do you see this? This is my resolve face."
Willow nodded.
"Remember the spell Anya used to fold time? We're going to do it."
Willow frowned. "It's too dangerous, you don't know what."
Buffy cut her off. "Will, you can help me, or I'll find someone who will."
Willow looked at Giles. He ran his hand through his hair and gave a resigned shrug.
"You have got to be kidding me." Xander glared at them. "You have no idea what will happen. Look, bleach boy may have saved the day, and I'm real grateful, but we won. Shouldn't we just leave it alone?"
"No. I've saved the world what, six, seven times now? TPTB owe me one, and I'm collecting."
She thought she Spike's voice floating through the air. "Whelp's right. Thing about magic is, there's always consequences."
Buffy smiled, not sure if she was imagining it. "Shut up, Spike."
"Sure thing, Pet."
The End
Sunshine
(S/B, Mar 28, 2004)
Spike sat in his favorite chair, his only chair actually, and nursed his drink. A little alcohol to cut the blood, or was in the other way around, a shot of blood in a sea of alcohol. It had been so long since he'd fed that he had lost track.
He could see her in his mind's eye as he couldn't see her in reality. Her long blond hair was shining in the sunlight, framing her smiling face. He wasn't sure what she was happy about. He rarely got to see that smile directed at him. Only in his dreams.
He took another long pull on his bottle. Eyeing it suspiciously he up-ended it over his mouth and waited patiently for the last drops to fall. Satisfied that he'd drained it dry he flung it away. The bottle sailed across the crypt and shattered against the wall. The shards joined the others that glittered in the growing pile.
Spike watched the light from the candles flicker over the sharp crystalline remains of his companions. The others visited, but his constant companions went by the names of Johnny Walker and Jack Daniels.
The Whelp and Anya had been by last week. Xander looked reluctant and hung back even as Anya tried to drag conversation from both of them. It was pointless. They both knew it, but Anya was never one to notice the obvious when it came to human nature. 'Odd her being ex-vengeance demon and all,' he thought.
Dawn had visited yesterday. She smelled almost like Buffy, but she always knocked. No doubt she'd be sneaking away and visiting him again today. He wondered for a moment what she would think of his condition. Pushing that thought away he reached down and dug the last of his "companions" out of the sack. He cracked open the bottle and took another long swallow.
In his inebriated state he thought, "What this party really needs is some company." He stood and staggered out of his crypt intending to head to 1630 Revello Drive to chat up his favorite people, but he stumbled along the way and sat with his back to a large headstone instead.
As he finished the rest of his bottle the visions of Buffy in his mind became more clear. She was glorious as she smiled at him and held out her hand. The light in her eyes outshining the sun reflecting like gold in her hair. He could feel the warmth of her smile moving through him; it made him feel like he could fly.
He stood and took her hand.
As the dust settled it blanketed the headstone all but obscuring the text. "She saved the world a lot."
The End
Tea Time
(S,G, June 2, 2004) Set in late Season 5
Interior - Magic Box
Spike hunched over the table poring over an old, worn text. With one hand he scribbled something on the pad next to him while the other kept his place on the parchment.
Giles looked up from his work. "Have you got something?" He reached across the table and took the pad Spike nudged towards him. "The sun will shine and the living dead will burn."
Giles sighed and handed back the notepad. "It appears we haven't reached the critical passages yet." He pulled his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Least we know the regular rules will apply." Spike continued to look at his text and scribbled some more on the paper. "Not the best news for yours truly, but should keep you lot out of harm's way."
Giles leaned back in his chair and placed his glasses back onto his nose. He clasped his hands behind his head and gazed at the ceiling. "I've always wondered..."
Spike looked up and cocked his head. "This isn't going to be another one of our 'Interview with the pet vampire' moments, is it?"
"Perhaps later." Giles smiled but remained looking at the ceiling. "You do know there are many of the council who are quite envious of my situation here, direct access to a master vampire and all his secrets. It has been a great benefit to all of us in our dealings with them."
Spike raised an eyebrow. Compliments from the watcher were rare, even more so when he didn't want something in return. But, best not to let Giles know how they affected him. "Wes has a couple years on you, and his vampire has a soul."
"Yes, quite." Giles' smile broadened. Lately they'd gotten into the habit of sparring like this. Spike answered when he cared to, deflected and parried Giles' questions when he didn't. "But as I was saying, I've often wondered about prophecies. There are those that are obscure to protect information from the uninitiated, and there are those where the language has been lost and who understood it are all dead..."
"And then there's what we've got here. Someone was transcribing with one hand and eating his lunch with the other. Bunch of these stains aren't ink or blood, or anything belonging on a scroll of prophecy." Spike sniffed at the scroll and looked thoughtful. "Ham on rye." He looked up, just as Giles leaned forward and chuckled. He flashed a grin at Giles. "Course I could be mistaken."
Giles nodded and rubbed his hand on his forehead and then ran his fingers back through his hair. He sighed and rolled his shoulders. "How long have we been at this translation?"
Spike looked over his shoulder at the window. "Sun's been up a while. Fourteen hours I make it."
"Time for a break then." Giles stood and walked to the office. He plugged in the electric teapot and pulled out two cups. "Xander should be along soon. Would you like some tea to tide you over?"
"Don't mind if I do." Spike affected a rather posh accent as he rose and came to inspect the tea situation. He poked his head around the corner and opened the cupboard. "Do we have any of those fancy tea biscuits left?" He looked hopeful as he searched.
"I think Dawn ate the last of them. But there's Weetabix in the box..." He reached into a different cupboard. "Here." He passed the box to Spike.
Spike looked disappointed. "They're a bit flat with nothing to soak them in." He looked at the box and then shrugged it off. "It'll do till the whelp gets here."
Giles raised an eyebrow. "I trust you mean, gets here with your breakfast."
Spike grinned at him and grabbed the box anyway. "Course." Over his shoulder, as he walked away, "What else could I have meant?"
The End
Yes, I know it's not Buffy...
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